4cc687be27df6179c0e7004b8ba702e92fbe0819
[deliverable/binutils-gdb.git] / gdb / doc / gdb.texinfo
1 \input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
2 @c Copyright 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995
3 @c Free Software Foundation, Inc.
4 @c
5 @c %**start of header
6 @c makeinfo ignores cmds prev to setfilename, so its arg cannot make use
7 @c of @set vars. However, you can override filename with makeinfo -o.
8 @setfilename gdb.info
9 @c
10 @include gdb-cfg.texi
11 @c
12 @ifset GENERIC
13 @settitle Debugging with @value{GDBN}
14 @end ifset
15 @ifclear GENERIC
16 @settitle Debugging with @value{GDBN} (@value{TARGET})
17 @end ifclear
18 @clear RENAMED
19 @setchapternewpage odd
20 @c %**end of header
21
22 @iftex
23 @c @smallbook
24 @c @cropmarks
25 @end iftex
26
27 @finalout
28 @syncodeindex ky cp
29
30 @c readline appendices use @vindex
31 @syncodeindex vr cp
32
33 @c !!set GDB manual's edition---not the same as GDB version!
34 @set EDITION 4.12
35
36 @c !!set GDB manual's revision date
37 @set DATE January 1994
38
39 @c GDB CHANGELOG CONSULTED BETWEEN:
40 @c Fri Oct 11 23:27:06 1991 John Gilmore (gnu at cygnus.com)
41 @c Sat Dec 22 02:51:40 1990 John Gilmore (gnu at cygint)
42
43 @c THIS MANUAL REQUIRES TEXINFO-2 macros and info-makers to format properly.
44
45 @ifinfo
46 @c This is a dir.info fragment to support semi-automated addition of
47 @c manuals to an info tree. zoo@cygnus.com is developing this facility.
48 @format
49 START-INFO-DIR-ENTRY
50 * Gdb: (gdb). The @sc{gnu} debugger.
51 END-INFO-DIR-ENTRY
52 @end format
53 @end ifinfo
54 @c
55 @c
56 @ifinfo
57 This file documents the @sc{gnu} debugger @value{GDBN}.
58
59
60 This is Edition @value{EDITION}, @value{DATE},
61 of @cite{Debugging with @value{GDBN}: the @sc{gnu} Source-Level Debugger}
62 for @value{GDBN} Version @value{GDBVN}.
63
64 Copyright (C) 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995
65 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
66
67 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
68 this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
69 are preserved on all copies.
70
71 @ignore
72 Permission is granted to process this file through TeX and print the
73 results, provided the printed document carries copying permission
74 notice identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph
75 (this paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual).
76
77 @end ignore
78 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
79 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that the
80 entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
81 permission notice identical to this one.
82
83 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
84 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions.
85 @end ifinfo
86
87 @titlepage
88 @title Debugging with @value{GDBN}
89 @subtitle The @sc{gnu} Source-Level Debugger
90 @ifclear GENERIC
91 @subtitle (@value{TARGET})
92 @end ifclear
93 @sp 1
94 @subtitle Edition @value{EDITION}, for @value{GDBN} version @value{GDBVN}
95 @subtitle @value{DATE}
96 @author Richard M. Stallman and Roland H. Pesch
97 @page
98 @tex
99 {\parskip=0pt
100 \hfill (Send bugs and comments on @value{GDBN} to bug-gdb\@prep.ai.mit.edu.)\par
101 \hfill {\it Debugging with @value{GDBN}}\par
102 \hfill \TeX{}info \texinfoversion\par
103 \hfill doc\@cygnus.com\par
104 }
105 @end tex
106
107 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
108 Copyright @copyright{} 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995
109 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
110 @sp 2
111 Published by the Free Software Foundation @*
112 675 Massachusetts Avenue, @*
113 Cambridge, MA 02139 USA @*
114 Printed copies are available for $20 each. @*
115 ISBN 1-882114-11-6 @*
116
117 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
118 this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
119 are preserved on all copies.
120
121 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
122 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that the
123 entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
124 permission notice identical to this one.
125
126 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
127 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions.
128 @end titlepage
129 @page
130
131 @ifinfo
132 @node Top
133 @top Debugging with @value{GDBN}
134
135 This file describes @value{GDBN}, the @sc{gnu} symbolic debugger.
136
137 This is Edition @value{EDITION}, @value{DATE}, for @value{GDBN} Version
138 @value{GDBVN}.
139
140 @menu
141 * Summary:: Summary of @value{GDBN}
142 @ifclear BARETARGET
143 * Sample Session:: A sample @value{GDBN} session
144 @end ifclear
145
146 * Invocation:: Getting in and out of @value{GDBN}
147 * Commands:: @value{GDBN} commands
148 * Running:: Running programs under @value{GDBN}
149 * Stopping:: Stopping and continuing
150 * Stack:: Examining the stack
151 * Source:: Examining source files
152 * Data:: Examining data
153 @ifclear CONLY
154 * Languages:: Using @value{GDBN} with different languages
155 @end ifclear
156 @ifset CONLY
157 * C:: C language support
158 @end ifset
159 @c remnant makeinfo bug, blank line needed after two end-ifs?
160
161 * Symbols:: Examining the symbol table
162 * Altering:: Altering execution
163 * GDB Files:: @value{GDBN} files
164 * Targets:: Specifying a debugging target
165 * Controlling GDB:: Controlling @value{GDBN}
166 * Sequences:: Canned sequences of commands
167 @ifclear DOSHOST
168 * Emacs:: Using @value{GDBN} under @sc{gnu} Emacs
169 @end ifclear
170
171 * GDB Bugs:: Reporting bugs in @value{GDBN}
172 * Command Line Editing:: Facilities of the readline library
173 * Using History Interactively::
174 @c @ifset NOVEL
175 @c * Renamed Commands::
176 @c @end ifset
177 @ifclear PRECONFIGURED
178 * Formatting Documentation:: How to format and print @value{GDBN} documentation
179 * Installing GDB:: Installing GDB
180 @end ifclear
181
182 * Index:: Index
183 @end menu
184 @end ifinfo
185
186 @node Summary
187 @unnumbered Summary of @value{GDBN}
188
189 The purpose of a debugger such as @value{GDBN} is to allow you to see what is
190 going on ``inside'' another program while it executes---or what another
191 program was doing at the moment it crashed.
192
193 @value{GDBN} can do four main kinds of things (plus other things in support of
194 these) to help you catch bugs in the act:
195
196 @itemize @bullet
197 @item
198 Start your program, specifying anything that might affect its behavior.
199
200 @item
201 Make your program stop on specified conditions.
202
203 @item
204 Examine what has happened, when your program has stopped.
205
206 @item
207 Change things in your program, so you can experiment with correcting the
208 effects of one bug and go on to learn about another.
209 @end itemize
210
211 @ifclear CONLY
212 You can use @value{GDBN} to debug programs written in C or C++.
213 @c "MOD2" used as a "miscellaneous languages" flag here.
214 @c This is acceptable while there is no real doc for Chill and Pascal.
215 @ifclear MOD2
216 For more information, see @ref{Support,,Supported languages}.
217 @end ifclear
218 @ifset MOD2
219 For more information, see @ref{C,,C and C++}.
220
221 Support for Modula-2 and Chill is partial. For information on Modula-2,
222 see @ref{Modula-2,,Modula-2}. There is no further documentation on Chill yet.
223
224 Debugging Pascal programs which use sets, subranges, file variables, or nested
225 functions does not currently work. @value{GDBN} does not support
226 entering expressions, printing values, or similar features using Pascal syntax.
227
228 @end ifset
229 @ifset FORTRAN
230 @cindex Fortran
231 @value{GDBN} can be used to debug programs written in Fortran, although
232 it does not yet support entering expressions, printing values, or
233 similar features using Fortran syntax. It may be necessary to refer to
234 some variables with a trailing underscore.
235 @end ifset
236 @end ifclear
237
238 @menu
239 * Free Software:: Freely redistributable software
240 * Contributors:: Contributors to GDB
241 @end menu
242
243 @node Free Software
244 @unnumberedsec Free software
245
246 @value{GDBN} is @dfn{free software}, protected by the @sc{gnu}
247 General Public License
248 (GPL). The GPL gives you the freedom to copy or adapt a licensed
249 program---but every person getting a copy also gets with it the
250 freedom to modify that copy (which means that they must get access to
251 the source code), and the freedom to distribute further copies.
252 Typical software companies use copyrights to limit your freedoms; the
253 Free Software Foundation uses the GPL to preserve these freedoms.
254
255 Fundamentally, the General Public License is a license which says that
256 you have these freedoms and that you cannot take these freedoms away
257 from anyone else.
258
259 @node Contributors
260 @unnumberedsec Contributors to GDB
261
262 Richard Stallman was the original author of GDB, and of many other @sc{gnu}
263 programs. Many others have contributed to its development. This
264 section attempts to credit major contributors. One of the virtues of
265 free software is that everyone is free to contribute to it; with
266 regret, we cannot actually acknowledge everyone here. The file
267 @file{ChangeLog} in the @value{GDBN} distribution approximates a blow-by-blow
268 account.
269
270 Changes much prior to version 2.0 are lost in the mists of time.
271
272 @quotation
273 @emph{Plea:} Additions to this section are particularly welcome. If you
274 or your friends (or enemies, to be evenhanded) have been unfairly
275 omitted from this list, we would like to add your names!
276 @end quotation
277
278 So that they may not regard their long labor as thankless, we
279 particularly thank those who shepherded GDB through major releases:
280 Stan Shebs (release 4.14),
281 Fred Fish (releases 4.13, 4.12, 4.11, 4.10, and 4.9),
282 Stu Grossman and John Gilmore (releases 4.8, 4.7, 4.6, 4.5, and 4.4),
283 John Gilmore (releases 4.3, 4.2, 4.1, 4.0, and 3.9);
284 Jim Kingdon (releases 3.5, 3.4, and 3.3);
285 and Randy Smith (releases 3.2, 3.1, and 3.0).
286 As major maintainer of @value{GDBN} for some period, each
287 contributed significantly to the structure, stability, and capabilities
288 of the entire debugger.
289
290 Richard Stallman, assisted at various times by Peter TerMaat, Chris
291 Hanson, and Richard Mlynarik, handled releases through 2.8.
292
293 @ifclear CONLY
294 Michael Tiemann is the author of most of the @sc{gnu} C++ support in GDB,
295 with significant additional contributions from Per Bothner. James
296 Clark wrote the @sc{gnu} C++ demangler. Early work on C++ was by Peter
297 TerMaat (who also did much general update work leading to release 3.0).
298 @end ifclear
299
300 @value{GDBN} 4 uses the BFD subroutine library to examine multiple
301 object-file formats; BFD was a joint project of David V.
302 Henkel-Wallace, Rich Pixley, Steve Chamberlain, and John Gilmore.
303
304 David Johnson wrote the original COFF support; Pace Willison did
305 the original support for encapsulated COFF.
306
307 Adam de Boor and Bradley Davis contributed the ISI Optimum V support.
308 Per Bothner, Noboyuki Hikichi, and Alessandro Forin contributed MIPS
309 support.
310 Jean-Daniel Fekete contributed Sun 386i support.
311 Chris Hanson improved the HP9000 support.
312 Noboyuki Hikichi and Tomoyuki Hasei contributed Sony/News OS 3 support.
313 David Johnson contributed Encore Umax support.
314 Jyrki Kuoppala contributed Altos 3068 support.
315 Jeff Law contributed HP PA and SOM support.
316 Keith Packard contributed NS32K support.
317 Doug Rabson contributed Acorn Risc Machine support.
318 Bob Rusk contributed Harris Nighthawk CX-UX support.
319 Chris Smith contributed Convex support (and Fortran debugging).
320 Jonathan Stone contributed Pyramid support.
321 Michael Tiemann contributed SPARC support.
322 Tim Tucker contributed support for the Gould NP1 and Gould Powernode.
323 Pace Willison contributed Intel 386 support.
324 Jay Vosburgh contributed Symmetry support.
325
326 Rich Schaefer and Peter Schauer helped with support of SunOS shared
327 libraries.
328
329 Jay Fenlason and Roland McGrath ensured that @value{GDBN} and GAS agree about
330 several machine instruction sets.
331
332 Patrick Duval, Ted Goldstein, Vikram Koka and Glenn Engel helped
333 develop remote debugging. Intel Corporation and Wind River Systems
334 contributed remote debugging modules for their products.
335
336 Brian Fox is the author of the readline libraries providing
337 command-line editing and command history.
338
339 Andrew Beers of SUNY Buffalo wrote the language-switching code,
340 @ifset MOD2
341 the Modula-2 support,
342 @end ifset
343 and contributed the Languages chapter of this manual.
344
345 Fred Fish wrote most of the support for Unix System Vr4.
346 @ifclear CONLY
347 He also enhanced the command-completion support to cover C++ overloaded
348 symbols.
349 @end ifclear
350
351 Hitachi America, Ltd. sponsored the support for Hitachi microprocessors.
352
353 Kung Hsu, Jeff Law, and Rick Sladkey added support for hardware
354 watchpoints.
355
356 Stu Grossman wrote gdbserver.
357
358 Jim Kingdon, Peter Schauer, Ian Taylor, and Stu Grossman made
359 nearly innumerable bug fixes and cleanups throughout GDB.
360
361 @ifclear BARETARGET
362 @node Sample Session
363 @chapter A Sample @value{GDBN} Session
364
365 You can use this manual at your leisure to read all about @value{GDBN}.
366 However, a handful of commands are enough to get started using the
367 debugger. This chapter illustrates those commands.
368
369 @iftex
370 In this sample session, we emphasize user input like this: @b{input},
371 to make it easier to pick out from the surrounding output.
372 @end iftex
373
374 @c FIXME: this example may not be appropriate for some configs, where
375 @c FIXME...primary interest is in remote use.
376
377 One of the preliminary versions of @sc{gnu} @code{m4} (a generic macro
378 processor) exhibits the following bug: sometimes, when we change its
379 quote strings from the default, the commands used to capture one macro
380 definition within another stop working. In the following short @code{m4}
381 session, we define a macro @code{foo} which expands to @code{0000}; we
382 then use the @code{m4} built-in @code{defn} to define @code{bar} as the
383 same thing. However, when we change the open quote string to
384 @code{<QUOTE>} and the close quote string to @code{<UNQUOTE>}, the same
385 procedure fails to define a new synonym @code{baz}:
386
387 @smallexample
388 $ @b{cd gnu/m4}
389 $ @b{./m4}
390 @b{define(foo,0000)}
391
392 @b{foo}
393 0000
394 @b{define(bar,defn(`foo'))}
395
396 @b{bar}
397 0000
398 @b{changequote(<QUOTE>,<UNQUOTE>)}
399
400 @b{define(baz,defn(<QUOTE>foo<UNQUOTE>))}
401 @b{baz}
402 @b{C-d}
403 m4: End of input: 0: fatal error: EOF in string
404 @end smallexample
405
406 @noindent
407 Let us use @value{GDBN} to try to see what is going on.
408
409 @smallexample
410 $ @b{@value{GDBP} m4}
411 @c FIXME: this falsifies the exact text played out, to permit smallbook
412 @c FIXME... format to come out better.
413 @value{GDBN} is free software and you are welcome to distribute copies
414 of it under certain conditions; type "show copying" to see
415 the conditions.
416 There is absolutely no warranty for @value{GDBN}; type "show warranty"
417 for details.
418
419 @value{GDBN} @value{GDBVN}, Copyright 1995 Free Software Foundation, Inc...
420 (@value{GDBP})
421 @end smallexample
422
423 @noindent
424 @value{GDBN} reads only enough symbol data to know where to find the
425 rest when needed; as a result, the first prompt comes up very quickly.
426 We now tell @value{GDBN} to use a narrower display width than usual, so
427 that examples fit in this manual.
428
429 @smallexample
430 (@value{GDBP}) @b{set width 70}
431 @end smallexample
432
433 @noindent
434 We need to see how the @code{m4} built-in @code{changequote} works.
435 Having looked at the source, we know the relevant subroutine is
436 @code{m4_changequote}, so we set a breakpoint there with the @value{GDBN}
437 @code{break} command.
438
439 @smallexample
440 (@value{GDBP}) @b{break m4_changequote}
441 Breakpoint 1 at 0x62f4: file builtin.c, line 879.
442 @end smallexample
443
444 @noindent
445 Using the @code{run} command, we start @code{m4} running under @value{GDBN}
446 control; as long as control does not reach the @code{m4_changequote}
447 subroutine, the program runs as usual:
448
449 @smallexample
450 (@value{GDBP}) @b{run}
451 Starting program: /work/Editorial/gdb/gnu/m4/m4
452 @b{define(foo,0000)}
453
454 @b{foo}
455 0000
456 @end smallexample
457
458 @noindent
459 To trigger the breakpoint, we call @code{changequote}. @value{GDBN}
460 suspends execution of @code{m4}, displaying information about the
461 context where it stops.
462
463 @smallexample
464 @b{changequote(<QUOTE>,<UNQUOTE>)}
465
466 Breakpoint 1, m4_changequote (argc=3, argv=0x33c70)
467 at builtin.c:879
468 879 if (bad_argc(TOKEN_DATA_TEXT(argv[0]),argc,1,3))
469 @end smallexample
470
471 @noindent
472 Now we use the command @code{n} (@code{next}) to advance execution to
473 the next line of the current function.
474
475 @smallexample
476 (@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
477 882 set_quotes((argc >= 2) ? TOKEN_DATA_TEXT(argv[1])\
478 : nil,
479 @end smallexample
480
481 @noindent
482 @code{set_quotes} looks like a promising subroutine. We can go into it
483 by using the command @code{s} (@code{step}) instead of @code{next}.
484 @code{step} goes to the next line to be executed in @emph{any}
485 subroutine, so it steps into @code{set_quotes}.
486
487 @smallexample
488 (@value{GDBP}) @b{s}
489 set_quotes (lq=0x34c78 "<QUOTE>", rq=0x34c88 "<UNQUOTE>")
490 at input.c:530
491 530 if (lquote != def_lquote)
492 @end smallexample
493
494 @noindent
495 The display that shows the subroutine where @code{m4} is now
496 suspended (and its arguments) is called a stack frame display. It
497 shows a summary of the stack. We can use the @code{backtrace}
498 command (which can also be spelled @code{bt}), to see where we are
499 in the stack as a whole: the @code{backtrace} command displays a
500 stack frame for each active subroutine.
501
502 @smallexample
503 (@value{GDBP}) @b{bt}
504 #0 set_quotes (lq=0x34c78 "<QUOTE>", rq=0x34c88 "<UNQUOTE>")
505 at input.c:530
506 #1 0x6344 in m4_changequote (argc=3, argv=0x33c70)
507 at builtin.c:882
508 #2 0x8174 in expand_macro (sym=0x33320) at macro.c:242
509 #3 0x7a88 in expand_token (obs=0x0, t=209696, td=0xf7fffa30)
510 at macro.c:71
511 #4 0x79dc in expand_input () at macro.c:40
512 #5 0x2930 in main (argc=0, argv=0xf7fffb20) at m4.c:195
513 @end smallexample
514
515 @noindent
516 We step through a few more lines to see what happens. The first two
517 times, we can use @samp{s}; the next two times we use @code{n} to avoid
518 falling into the @code{xstrdup} subroutine.
519
520 @smallexample
521 (@value{GDBP}) @b{s}
522 0x3b5c 532 if (rquote != def_rquote)
523 (@value{GDBP}) @b{s}
524 0x3b80 535 lquote = (lq == nil || *lq == '\0') ? \
525 def_lquote : xstrdup(lq);
526 (@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
527 536 rquote = (rq == nil || *rq == '\0') ? def_rquote\
528 : xstrdup(rq);
529 (@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
530 538 len_lquote = strlen(rquote);
531 @end smallexample
532
533 @noindent
534 The last line displayed looks a little odd; we can examine the variables
535 @code{lquote} and @code{rquote} to see if they are in fact the new left
536 and right quotes we specified. We use the command @code{p}
537 (@code{print}) to see their values.
538
539 @smallexample
540 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p lquote}
541 $1 = 0x35d40 "<QUOTE>"
542 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p rquote}
543 $2 = 0x35d50 "<UNQUOTE>"
544 @end smallexample
545
546 @noindent
547 @code{lquote} and @code{rquote} are indeed the new left and right quotes.
548 To look at some context, we can display ten lines of source
549 surrounding the current line with the @code{l} (@code{list}) command.
550
551 @smallexample
552 (@value{GDBP}) @b{l}
553 533 xfree(rquote);
554 534
555 535 lquote = (lq == nil || *lq == '\0') ? def_lquote\
556 : xstrdup (lq);
557 536 rquote = (rq == nil || *rq == '\0') ? def_rquote\
558 : xstrdup (rq);
559 537
560 538 len_lquote = strlen(rquote);
561 539 len_rquote = strlen(lquote);
562 540 @}
563 541
564 542 void
565 @end smallexample
566
567 @noindent
568 Let us step past the two lines that set @code{len_lquote} and
569 @code{len_rquote}, and then examine the values of those variables.
570
571 @smallexample
572 (@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
573 539 len_rquote = strlen(lquote);
574 (@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
575 540 @}
576 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p len_lquote}
577 $3 = 9
578 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p len_rquote}
579 $4 = 7
580 @end smallexample
581
582 @noindent
583 That certainly looks wrong, assuming @code{len_lquote} and
584 @code{len_rquote} are meant to be the lengths of @code{lquote} and
585 @code{rquote} respectively. We can set them to better values using
586 the @code{p} command, since it can print the value of
587 any expression---and that expression can include subroutine calls and
588 assignments.
589
590 @smallexample
591 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p len_lquote=strlen(lquote)}
592 $5 = 7
593 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p len_rquote=strlen(rquote)}
594 $6 = 9
595 @end smallexample
596
597 @noindent
598 Is that enough to fix the problem of using the new quotes with the
599 @code{m4} built-in @code{defn}? We can allow @code{m4} to continue
600 executing with the @code{c} (@code{continue}) command, and then try the
601 example that caused trouble initially:
602
603 @smallexample
604 (@value{GDBP}) @b{c}
605 Continuing.
606
607 @b{define(baz,defn(<QUOTE>foo<UNQUOTE>))}
608
609 baz
610 0000
611 @end smallexample
612
613 @noindent
614 Success! The new quotes now work just as well as the default ones. The
615 problem seems to have been just the two typos defining the wrong
616 lengths. We allow @code{m4} exit by giving it an EOF as input:
617
618 @smallexample
619 @b{C-d}
620 Program exited normally.
621 @end smallexample
622
623 @noindent
624 The message @samp{Program exited normally.} is from @value{GDBN}; it
625 indicates @code{m4} has finished executing. We can end our @value{GDBN}
626 session with the @value{GDBN} @code{quit} command.
627
628 @smallexample
629 (@value{GDBP}) @b{quit}
630 @end smallexample
631 @end ifclear
632
633 @node Invocation
634 @chapter Getting In and Out of @value{GDBN}
635
636 This chapter discusses how to start @value{GDBN}, and how to get out of it.
637 The essentials are:
638 @itemize @bullet
639 @item
640 type @samp{@value{GDBP}} to start GDB.
641 @item
642 type @kbd{quit} or @kbd{C-d} to exit.
643 @end itemize
644
645 @menu
646 * Invoking GDB:: How to start @value{GDBN}
647 * Quitting GDB:: How to quit @value{GDBN}
648 * Shell Commands:: How to use shell commands inside @value{GDBN}
649 @end menu
650
651 @node Invoking GDB
652 @section Invoking @value{GDBN}
653
654 @ifset H8EXCLUSIVE
655 For details on starting up @value{GDBP} as a
656 remote debugger attached to a Hitachi microprocessor, see @ref{Hitachi
657 Remote,,@value{GDBN} and Hitachi Microprocessors}.
658 @end ifset
659
660 Invoke @value{GDBN} by running the program @code{@value{GDBP}}. Once started,
661 @value{GDBN} reads commands from the terminal until you tell it to exit.
662
663 You can also run @code{@value{GDBP}} with a variety of arguments and options,
664 to specify more of your debugging environment at the outset.
665
666 @ifset GENERIC
667 The command-line options described here are designed
668 to cover a variety of situations; in some environments, some of these
669 options may effectively be unavailable.
670 @end ifset
671
672 The most usual way to start @value{GDBN} is with one argument,
673 specifying an executable program:
674
675 @example
676 @value{GDBP} @var{program}
677 @end example
678
679 @ifclear BARETARGET
680 @noindent
681 You can also start with both an executable program and a core file
682 specified:
683
684 @example
685 @value{GDBP} @var{program} @var{core}
686 @end example
687
688 You can, instead, specify a process ID as a second argument, if you want
689 to debug a running process:
690
691 @example
692 @value{GDBP} @var{program} 1234
693 @end example
694
695 @noindent
696 would attach @value{GDBN} to process @code{1234} (unless you also have a file
697 named @file{1234}; @value{GDBN} does check for a core file first).
698
699 Taking advantage of the second command-line argument requires a fairly
700 complete operating system; when you use @value{GDBN} as a remote debugger
701 attached to a bare board, there may not be any notion of ``process'',
702 and there is often no way to get a core dump.
703 @end ifclear
704
705 You can run @code{gdb} without printing the front material, which describes
706 @value{GDBN}'s non-warranty, by specifying @code{-silent}:
707
708 @smallexample
709 @value{GDBP} @var{-silent}
710 @end smallexample
711
712 @noindent
713 You can further control how @value{GDBN} starts up by using command-line
714 options. @value{GDBN} itself can remind you of the options available.
715
716 @noindent
717 Type
718
719 @example
720 @value{GDBP} -help
721 @end example
722
723 @noindent
724 to display all available options and briefly describe their use
725 (@samp{@value{GDBP} -h} is a shorter equivalent).
726
727 All options and command line arguments you give are processed
728 in sequential order. The order makes a difference when the
729 @samp{-x} option is used.
730
731
732 @menu
733 @ifclear GENERIC
734 @ifset REMOTESTUB
735 * Remote Serial:: @value{GDBN} remote serial protocol
736 @end ifset
737 @ifset I960
738 * i960-Nindy Remote:: @value{GDBN} with a remote i960 (Nindy)
739 @end ifset
740 @ifset AMD29K
741 * UDI29K Remote:: The UDI protocol for AMD29K
742 * EB29K Remote:: The EBMON protocol for AMD29K
743 @end ifset
744 @ifset VXWORKS
745 * VxWorks Remote:: @value{GDBN} and VxWorks
746 @end ifset
747 @ifset ST2000
748 * ST2000 Remote:: @value{GDBN} with a Tandem ST2000
749 @end ifset
750 @ifset H8
751 * Hitachi Remote:: @value{GDBN} and Hitachi Microprocessors
752 @end ifset
753 @ifset MIPS
754 * MIPS Remote:: @value{GDBN} and MIPS boards
755 @end ifset
756 @ifset SIMS
757 * Simulator:: Simulated CPU target
758 @end ifset
759 @end ifclear
760 @c remnant makeinfo bug requires this blank line after *two* end-ifblahs:
761
762 * File Options:: Choosing files
763 * Mode Options:: Choosing modes
764 @end menu
765
766 @ifclear GENERIC
767 @include remote.texi
768 @end ifclear
769
770 @node File Options
771 @subsection Choosing files
772
773 @ifclear BARETARGET
774 When @value{GDBN} starts, it reads any arguments other than options as
775 specifying an executable file and core file (or process ID). This is
776 the same as if the arguments were specified by the @samp{-se} and
777 @samp{-c} options respectively. (@value{GDBN} reads the first argument
778 that does not have an associated option flag as equivalent to the
779 @samp{-se} option followed by that argument; and the second argument
780 that does not have an associated option flag, if any, as equivalent to
781 the @samp{-c} option followed by that argument.)
782 @end ifclear
783 @ifset BARETARGET
784 When @value{GDBN} starts, it reads any argument other than options as
785 specifying an executable file. This is the same as if the argument was
786 specified by the @samp{-se} option.
787 @end ifset
788
789 Many options have both long and short forms; both are shown in the
790 following list. @value{GDBN} also recognizes the long forms if you truncate
791 them, so long as enough of the option is present to be unambiguous.
792 (If you prefer, you can flag option arguments with @samp{--} rather
793 than @samp{-}, though we illustrate the more usual convention.)
794
795 @table @code
796 @item -symbols @var{file}
797 @itemx -s @var{file}
798 Read symbol table from file @var{file}.
799
800 @item -exec @var{file}
801 @itemx -e @var{file}
802 Use file @var{file} as the executable file to execute when
803 @ifset BARETARGET
804 appropriate.
805 @end ifset
806 @ifclear BARETARGET
807 appropriate, and for examining pure data in conjunction with a core
808 dump.
809 @end ifclear
810
811 @item -se @var{file}
812 Read symbol table from file @var{file} and use it as the executable
813 file.
814
815 @ifclear BARETARGET
816 @item -core @var{file}
817 @itemx -c @var{file}
818 Use file @var{file} as a core dump to examine.
819
820 @item -c @var{number}
821 Connect to process ID @var{number}, as with the @code{attach} command
822 (unless there is a file in core-dump format named @var{number}, in which
823 case @samp{-c} specifies that file as a core dump to read).
824 @end ifclear
825
826 @item -command @var{file}
827 @itemx -x @var{file}
828 Execute @value{GDBN} commands from file @var{file}. @xref{Command
829 Files,, Command files}.
830
831 @item -directory @var{directory}
832 @itemx -d @var{directory}
833 Add @var{directory} to the path to search for source files.
834
835 @ifclear BARETARGET
836 @item -m
837 @itemx -mapped
838 @emph{Warning: this option depends on operating system facilities that are not
839 supported on all systems.}@*
840 If memory-mapped files are available on your system through the @code{mmap}
841 system call, you can use this option
842 to have @value{GDBN} write the symbols from your
843 program into a reusable file in the current directory. If the program you are debugging is
844 called @file{/tmp/fred}, the mapped symbol file is @file{./fred.syms}.
845 Future @value{GDBN} debugging sessions notice the presence of this file,
846 and can quickly map in symbol information from it, rather than reading
847 the symbol table from the executable program.
848
849 The @file{.syms} file is specific to the host machine where @value{GDBN}
850 is run. It holds an exact image of the internal @value{GDBN} symbol
851 table. It cannot be shared across multiple host platforms.
852 @end ifclear
853
854 @item -r
855 @itemx -readnow
856 Read each symbol file's entire symbol table immediately, rather than
857 the default, which is to read it incrementally as it is needed.
858 This makes startup slower, but makes future operations faster.
859 @end table
860
861 @ifclear BARETARGET
862 The @code{-mapped} and @code{-readnow} options are typically combined in
863 order to build a @file{.syms} file that contains complete symbol
864 information. (@xref{Files,,Commands to specify files}, for information
865
866 a @file{.syms} file for future use is:
867
868 @example
869 gdb -batch -nx -mapped -readnow programname
870 @end example
871 @end ifclear
872
873 @node Mode Options
874 @subsection Choosing modes
875
876 You can run @value{GDBN} in various alternative modes---for example, in
877 batch mode or quiet mode.
878
879 @table @code
880 @item -nx
881 @itemx -n
882 Do not execute commands from any initialization files (normally called
883 @file{@value{GDBINIT}}). Normally, the commands in these files are
884 executed after all the command options and arguments have been
885 processed. @xref{Command Files,,Command files}.
886
887 @item -quiet
888 @itemx -q
889 ``Quiet''. Do not print the introductory and copyright messages. These
890 messages are also suppressed in batch mode.
891
892 @item -batch
893 Run in batch mode. Exit with status @code{0} after processing all the
894 command files specified with @samp{-x} (and all commands from
895 initialization files, if not inhibited with @samp{-n}). Exit with
896 nonzero status if an error occurs in executing the @value{GDBN} commands
897 in the command files.
898
899 Batch mode may be useful for running @value{GDBN} as a filter, for example to
900 download and run a program on another computer; in order to make this
901 more useful, the message
902
903 @example
904 Program exited normally.
905 @end example
906
907 @noindent
908 (which is ordinarily issued whenever a program running under @value{GDBN} control
909 terminates) is not issued when running in batch mode.
910
911 @item -cd @var{directory}
912 Run @value{GDBN} using @var{directory} as its working directory,
913 instead of the current directory.
914
915 @ifset LUCID
916 @item -context @var{authentication}
917 When the Energize programming system starts up @value{GDBN}, it uses this
918 option to trigger an alternate mode of interaction.
919 @var{authentication} is a pair of numeric codes that identify @value{GDBN}
920 as a client in the Energize environment. Avoid this option when you run
921 @value{GDBN} directly from the command line. See @ref{Energize,,Using
922 @value{GDBN} with Energize} for more discussion of using @value{GDBN} with Energize.
923 @end ifset
924
925 @ifclear DOSHOST
926 @item -fullname
927 @itemx -f
928 @sc{gnu} Emacs sets this option when it runs @value{GDBN} as a subprocess. It tells @value{GDBN}
929 to output the full file name and line number in a standard,
930 recognizable fashion each time a stack frame is displayed (which
931 includes each time your program stops). This recognizable format looks
932 like two @samp{\032} characters, followed by the file name, line number
933 and character position separated by colons, and a newline. The
934 Emacs-to-@value{GDBN} interface program uses the two @samp{\032} characters as
935 a signal to display the source code for the frame.
936 @end ifclear
937
938 @ifset SERIAL
939 @item -b @var{bps}
940 Set the line speed (baud rate or bits per second) of any serial
941 interface used by @value{GDBN} for remote debugging.
942
943 @item -tty @var{device}
944 Run using @var{device} for your program's standard input and output.
945 @c FIXME: kingdon thinks there is more to -tty. Investigate.
946 @end ifset
947 @end table
948
949 @node Quitting GDB
950 @section Quitting @value{GDBN}
951 @cindex exiting @value{GDBN}
952 @cindex leaving @value{GDBN}
953
954 @table @code
955 @kindex quit @r{[}@var{expression}@r{]}
956 @kindex q
957 @item quit
958 To exit @value{GDBN}, use the @code{quit} command (abbreviated @code{q}), or
959 type an end-of-file character (usually @kbd{C-d}). If you do not supply
960 @var{expression}, @value{GDBN} will terminate normally; otherwise it will
961 terminate using the result of @var{expression} as the error code.
962 @end table
963
964 @cindex interrupt
965 An interrupt (often @kbd{C-c}) does not exit from @value{GDBN}, but rather
966 terminates the action of any @value{GDBN} command that is in progress and
967 returns to @value{GDBN} command level. It is safe to type the interrupt
968 character at any time because @value{GDBN} does not allow it to take effect
969 until a time when it is safe.
970
971 @ifclear BARETARGET
972 If you have been using @value{GDBN} to control an attached process or
973 device, you can release it with the @code{detach} command
974 (@pxref{Attach, ,Debugging an already-running process}).
975 @end ifclear
976
977 @node Shell Commands
978 @section Shell commands
979
980 If you need to execute occasional shell commands during your
981 debugging session, there is no need to leave or suspend @value{GDBN}; you can
982 just use the @code{shell} command.
983
984 @table @code
985 @kindex shell
986 @cindex shell escape
987 @item shell @var{command string}
988 Invoke a the standard shell to execute @var{command string}.
989 @ifclear DOSHOST
990 If it exists, the environment variable @code{SHELL} determines which
991 shell to run. Otherwise @value{GDBN} uses @code{/bin/sh}.
992 @end ifclear
993 @end table
994
995 The utility @code{make} is often needed in development environments.
996 You do not have to use the @code{shell} command for this purpose in
997 @value{GDBN}:
998
999 @table @code
1000 @kindex make
1001 @cindex calling make
1002 @item make @var{make-args}
1003 Execute the @code{make} program with the specified
1004 arguments. This is equivalent to @samp{shell make @var{make-args}}.
1005 @end table
1006
1007 @node Commands
1008 @chapter @value{GDBN} Commands
1009
1010 You can abbreviate a @value{GDBN} command to the first few letters of the command
1011 name, if that abbreviation is unambiguous; and you can repeat certain
1012 @value{GDBN} commands by typing just @key{RET}. You can also use the @key{TAB}
1013 key to get @value{GDBN} to fill out the rest of a word in a command (or to
1014 show you the alternatives available, if there is more than one possibility).
1015
1016 @menu
1017 * Command Syntax:: How to give commands to @value{GDBN}
1018 * Completion:: Command completion
1019 * Help:: How to ask @value{GDBN} for help
1020 @end menu
1021
1022 @node Command Syntax
1023 @section Command syntax
1024
1025 A @value{GDBN} command is a single line of input. There is no limit on
1026 how long it can be. It starts with a command name, which is followed by
1027 arguments whose meaning depends on the command name. For example, the
1028 command @code{step} accepts an argument which is the number of times to
1029 step, as in @samp{step 5}. You can also use the @code{step} command
1030 with no arguments. Some command names do not allow any arguments.
1031
1032 @cindex abbreviation
1033 @value{GDBN} command names may always be truncated if that abbreviation is
1034 unambiguous. Other possible command abbreviations are listed in the
1035 documentation for individual commands. In some cases, even ambiguous
1036 abbreviations are allowed; for example, @code{s} is specially defined as
1037 equivalent to @code{step} even though there are other commands whose
1038 names start with @code{s}. You can test abbreviations by using them as
1039 arguments to the @code{help} command.
1040
1041 @cindex repeating commands
1042 @kindex RET
1043 A blank line as input to @value{GDBN} (typing just @key{RET}) means to
1044 repeat the previous command. Certain commands (for example, @code{run})
1045 will not repeat this way; these are commands whose unintentional
1046 repetition might cause trouble and which you are unlikely to want to
1047 repeat.
1048
1049 The @code{list} and @code{x} commands, when you repeat them with
1050 @key{RET}, construct new arguments rather than repeating
1051 exactly as typed. This permits easy scanning of source or memory.
1052
1053 @value{GDBN} can also use @key{RET} in another way: to partition lengthy
1054 output, in a way similar to the common utility @code{more}
1055 (@pxref{Screen Size,,Screen size}). Since it is easy to press one
1056 @key{RET} too many in this situation, @value{GDBN} disables command
1057 repetition after any command that generates this sort of display.
1058
1059 @kindex #
1060 @cindex comment
1061 Any text from a @kbd{#} to the end of the line is a comment; it does
1062 nothing. This is useful mainly in command files (@pxref{Command
1063 Files,,Command files}).
1064
1065 @node Completion
1066 @section Command completion
1067
1068 @cindex completion
1069 @cindex word completion
1070 @value{GDBN} can fill in the rest of a word in a command for you, if there is
1071 only one possibility; it can also show you what the valid possibilities
1072 are for the next word in a command, at any time. This works for @value{GDBN}
1073 commands, @value{GDBN} subcommands, and the names of symbols in your program.
1074
1075 Press the @key{TAB} key whenever you want @value{GDBN} to fill out the rest
1076 of a word. If there is only one possibility, @value{GDBN} fills in the
1077 word, and waits for you to finish the command (or press @key{RET} to
1078 enter it). For example, if you type
1079
1080 @c FIXME "@key" does not distinguish its argument sufficiently to permit
1081 @c complete accuracy in these examples; space introduced for clarity.
1082 @c If texinfo enhancements make it unnecessary, it would be nice to
1083 @c replace " @key" by "@key" in the following...
1084 @example
1085 (@value{GDBP}) info bre @key{TAB}
1086 @end example
1087
1088 @noindent
1089 @value{GDBN} fills in the rest of the word @samp{breakpoints}, since that is
1090 the only @code{info} subcommand beginning with @samp{bre}:
1091
1092 @example
1093 (@value{GDBP}) info breakpoints
1094 @end example
1095
1096 @noindent
1097 You can either press @key{RET} at this point, to run the @code{info
1098 breakpoints} command, or backspace and enter something else, if
1099 @samp{breakpoints} does not look like the command you expected. (If you
1100 were sure you wanted @code{info breakpoints} in the first place, you
1101 might as well just type @key{RET} immediately after @samp{info bre},
1102 to exploit command abbreviations rather than command completion).
1103
1104 If there is more than one possibility for the next word when you press
1105 @key{TAB}, @value{GDBN} sounds a bell. You can either supply more
1106 characters and try again, or just press @key{TAB} a second time;
1107 @value{GDBN} displays all the possible completions for that word. For
1108 example, you might want to set a breakpoint on a subroutine whose name
1109 begins with @samp{make_}, but when you type @kbd{b make_@key{TAB}} @value{GDBN}
1110 just sounds the bell. Typing @key{TAB} again displays all the
1111 function names in your program that begin with those characters, for
1112 example:
1113
1114 @example
1115 (@value{GDBP}) b make_ @key{TAB}
1116 @exdent @value{GDBN} sounds bell; press @key{TAB} again, to see:
1117 make_a_section_from_file make_environ
1118 make_abs_section make_function_type
1119 make_blockvector make_pointer_type
1120 make_cleanup make_reference_type
1121 make_command make_symbol_completion_list
1122 (@value{GDBP}) b make_
1123 @end example
1124
1125 @noindent
1126 After displaying the available possibilities, @value{GDBN} copies your
1127 partial input (@samp{b make_} in the example) so you can finish the
1128 command.
1129
1130 If you just want to see the list of alternatives in the first place, you
1131 can press @kbd{M-?} rather than pressing @key{TAB} twice. @kbd{M-?}
1132 means @kbd{@key{META} ?}. You can type this
1133 @ifclear DOSHOST
1134 either by holding down a
1135 key designated as the @key{META} shift on your keyboard (if there is
1136 one) while typing @kbd{?}, or
1137 @end ifclear
1138 as @key{ESC} followed by @kbd{?}.
1139
1140 @cindex quotes in commands
1141 @cindex completion of quoted strings
1142 Sometimes the string you need, while logically a ``word'', may contain
1143 parentheses or other characters that @value{GDBN} normally excludes from its
1144 notion of a word. To permit word completion to work in this situation,
1145 you may enclose words in @code{'} (single quote marks) in @value{GDBN} commands.
1146
1147 @ifclear CONLY
1148 The most likely situation where you might need this is in typing the
1149 name of a C++ function. This is because C++ allows function overloading
1150 (multiple definitions of the same function, distinguished by argument
1151 type). For example, when you want to set a breakpoint you may need to
1152 distinguish whether you mean the version of @code{name} that takes an
1153 @code{int} parameter, @code{name(int)}, or the version that takes a
1154 @code{float} parameter, @code{name(float)}. To use the word-completion
1155 facilities in this situation, type a single quote @code{'} at the
1156 beginning of the function name. This alerts @value{GDBN} that it may need to
1157 consider more information than usual when you press @key{TAB} or
1158 @kbd{M-?} to request word completion:
1159
1160 @example
1161 (@value{GDBP}) b 'bubble( @key{M-?}
1162 bubble(double,double) bubble(int,int)
1163 (@value{GDBP}) b 'bubble(
1164 @end example
1165
1166 In some cases, @value{GDBN} can tell that completing a name requires using
1167 quotes. When this happens, @value{GDBN} inserts the quote for you (while
1168 completing as much as it can) if you do not type the quote in the first
1169 place:
1170
1171 @example
1172 (@value{GDBP}) b bub @key{TAB}
1173 @exdent @value{GDBN} alters your input line to the following, and rings a bell:
1174 (@value{GDBP}) b 'bubble(
1175 @end example
1176
1177 @noindent
1178 In general, @value{GDBN} can tell that a quote is needed (and inserts it) if
1179 you have not yet started typing the argument list when you ask for
1180 completion on an overloaded symbol.
1181 @end ifclear
1182
1183
1184 @node Help
1185 @section Getting help
1186 @cindex online documentation
1187 @kindex help
1188
1189 You can always ask @value{GDBN} itself for information on its commands,
1190 using the command @code{help}.
1191
1192 @table @code
1193 @kindex h
1194 @item help
1195 @itemx h
1196 You can use @code{help} (abbreviated @code{h}) with no arguments to
1197 display a short list of named classes of commands:
1198
1199 @smallexample
1200 (@value{GDBP}) help
1201 List of classes of commands:
1202
1203 running -- Running the program
1204 stack -- Examining the stack
1205 data -- Examining data
1206 breakpoints -- Making program stop at certain points
1207 files -- Specifying and examining files
1208 status -- Status inquiries
1209 support -- Support facilities
1210 user-defined -- User-defined commands
1211 aliases -- Aliases of other commands
1212 obscure -- Obscure features
1213
1214 Type "help" followed by a class name for a list of
1215 commands in that class.
1216 Type "help" followed by command name for full
1217 documentation.
1218 Command name abbreviations are allowed if unambiguous.
1219 (@value{GDBP})
1220 @end smallexample
1221
1222 @item help @var{class}
1223 Using one of the general help classes as an argument, you can get a
1224 list of the individual commands in that class. For example, here is the
1225 help display for the class @code{status}:
1226
1227 @smallexample
1228 (@value{GDBP}) help status
1229 Status inquiries.
1230
1231 List of commands:
1232
1233 @c Line break in "show" line falsifies real output, but needed
1234 @c to fit in smallbook page size.
1235 show -- Generic command for showing things set
1236 with "set"
1237 info -- Generic command for printing status
1238
1239 Type "help" followed by command name for full
1240 documentation.
1241 Command name abbreviations are allowed if unambiguous.
1242 (@value{GDBP})
1243 @end smallexample
1244
1245 @item help @var{command}
1246 With a command name as @code{help} argument, @value{GDBN} displays a
1247 short paragraph on how to use that command.
1248
1249 @kindex complete
1250 @item complete @var{args}
1251 The @code{complete @var{args}} command lists all the possible completions
1252 for the beginning of a command. Use @var{args} to specify the beginning of the
1253 command you want completed. For example:
1254
1255 @smallexample
1256 complete i
1257 @end smallexample
1258
1259 @noindent results in:
1260
1261 @smallexample
1262 info
1263 inspect
1264 ignore
1265 @end smallexample
1266
1267 @noindent This is intended for use by @sc{gnu} Emacs.
1268 @end table
1269
1270 In addition to @code{help}, you can use the @value{GDBN} commands @code{info}
1271 and @code{show} to inquire about the state of your program, or the state
1272 of @value{GDBN} itself. Each command supports many topics of inquiry; this
1273 manual introduces each of them in the appropriate context. The listings
1274 under @code{info} and under @code{show} in the Index point to
1275 all the sub-commands. @xref{Index}.
1276
1277 @c @group
1278 @table @code
1279 @kindex info
1280 @kindex i
1281 @item info
1282 This command (abbreviated @code{i}) is for describing the state of your
1283 program. For example, you can list the arguments given to your program
1284 with @code{info args}, list the registers currently in use with @code{info
1285 registers}, or list the breakpoints you have set with @code{info breakpoints}.
1286 You can get a complete list of the @code{info} sub-commands with
1287 @w{@code{help info}}.
1288
1289 @kindex set
1290 @item set
1291 You can assign the result of an expresson to an environment variable with
1292 @code{set}. For example, you can set the @value{GDBN} prompt to a $-sign with
1293 @code{set prompt $}.
1294
1295 @kindex show
1296 @item show
1297 In contrast to @code{info}, @code{show} is for describing the state of
1298 @value{GDBN} itself.
1299 You can change most of the things you can @code{show}, by using the
1300 related command @code{set}; for example, you can control what number
1301 system is used for displays with @code{set radix}, or simply inquire
1302 which is currently in use with @code{show radix}.
1303
1304 @kindex info set
1305 To display all the settable parameters and their current
1306 values, you can use @code{show} with no arguments; you may also use
1307 @code{info set}. Both commands produce the same display.
1308 @c FIXME: "info set" violates the rule that "info" is for state of
1309 @c FIXME...program. Ck w/ GNU: "info set" to be called something else,
1310 @c FIXME...or change desc of rule---eg "state of prog and debugging session"?
1311 @end table
1312 @c @end group
1313
1314 Here are three miscellaneous @code{show} subcommands, all of which are
1315 exceptional in lacking corresponding @code{set} commands:
1316
1317 @table @code
1318 @kindex show version
1319 @cindex version number
1320 @item show version
1321 Show what version of @value{GDBN} is running. You should include this
1322 information in @value{GDBN} bug-reports. If multiple versions of @value{GDBN} are in
1323 use at your site, you may occasionally want to determine which version
1324 of @value{GDBN} you are running; as @value{GDBN} evolves, new commands are introduced,
1325 and old ones may wither away. The version number is also announced
1326 when you start @value{GDBN}.
1327
1328 @kindex show copying
1329 @item show copying
1330 Display information about permission for copying @value{GDBN}.
1331
1332 @kindex show warranty
1333 @item show warranty
1334 Display the @sc{gnu} ``NO WARRANTY'' statement.
1335 @end table
1336
1337 @node Running
1338 @chapter Running Programs Under @value{GDBN}
1339
1340 When you run a program under @value{GDBN}, you must first generate
1341 debugging information when you compile it.
1342 @ifclear BARETARGET
1343 You may start @value{GDBN} with its arguments, if any, in an environment
1344 of your choice. You may redirect your program's input and output, debug an
1345 already running process, or kill a child process.
1346 @end ifclear
1347
1348 @menu
1349 * Compilation:: Compiling for debugging
1350 * Starting:: Starting your program
1351 @ifclear BARETARGET
1352 * Arguments:: Your program's arguments
1353 * Environment:: Your program's environment
1354 * Working Directory:: Your program's working directory
1355 * Input/Output:: Your program's input and output
1356 * Attach:: Debugging an already-running process
1357 * Kill Process:: Killing the child process
1358 * Process Information:: Additional process information
1359 * Threads:: Debugging programs with multiple threads
1360 * Processes:: Debugging programs with multiple processes
1361 @end ifclear
1362 @end menu
1363
1364 @node Compilation
1365 @section Compiling for debugging
1366
1367 In order to debug a program effectively, you need to generate
1368 debugging information when you compile it. This debugging information
1369 is stored in the object file; it describes the data type of each
1370 variable or function and the correspondence between source line numbers
1371 and addresses in the executable code.
1372
1373 To request debugging information, specify the @samp{-g} option when you run
1374 the compiler.
1375
1376 Many C compilers are unable to handle the @samp{-g} and @samp{-O}
1377 options together. Using those compilers, you cannot generate optimized
1378 executables containing debugging information.
1379
1380 @value{NGCC}, the @sc{gnu} C compiler, supports @samp{-g} with or without
1381 @samp{-O}, making it possible to debug optimized code. We recommend
1382 that you @emph{always} use @samp{-g} whenever you compile a program.
1383 You may think your program is correct, but there is no sense in pushing
1384 your luck.
1385
1386 @cindex optimized code, debugging
1387 @cindex debugging optimized code
1388 When you debug a program compiled with @samp{-g -O}, remember that the
1389 optimizer is rearranging your code; the debugger shows you what is
1390 really there. Do not be too surprised when the execution path does not
1391 exactly match your source file! An extreme example: if you define a
1392 variable, but never use it, @value{GDBN} never sees that
1393 variable---because the compiler optimizes it out of existence.
1394
1395 Some things do not work as well with @samp{-g -O} as with just
1396 @samp{-g}, particularly on machines with instruction scheduling. If in
1397 doubt, recompile with @samp{-g} alone, and if this fixes the problem,
1398 please report it to us as a bug (including a test case!).
1399
1400 Older versions of the @sc{gnu} C compiler permitted a variant option
1401 @w{@samp{-gg}} for debugging information. @value{GDBN} no longer supports this
1402 format; if your @sc{gnu} C compiler has this option, do not use it.
1403
1404 @need 2000
1405 @node Starting
1406 @section Starting your program
1407 @cindex starting
1408 @cindex running
1409
1410 @table @code
1411 @kindex run
1412 @item run
1413 @itemx r
1414 Use the @code{run} command to start your program under @value{GDBN}. You must
1415 first specify the program name
1416 @ifset VXWORKS
1417 (except on VxWorks)
1418 @end ifset
1419 with an argument to @value{GDBN} (@pxref{Invocation, ,Getting In and
1420 Out of @value{GDBN}}), or by using the @code{file} or @code{exec-file}
1421 command (@pxref{Files, ,Commands to specify files}).
1422
1423 @end table
1424
1425 @ifclear BARETARGET
1426 If you are running your program in an execution environment that
1427 supports processes, @code{run} creates an inferior process and makes
1428 that process run your program. (In environments without processes,
1429 @code{run} jumps to the start of your program.)
1430
1431 The execution of a program is affected by certain information it
1432 receives from its superior. @value{GDBN} provides ways to specify this
1433 information, which you must do @emph{before} starting your program. (You
1434 can change it after starting your program, but such changes only affect
1435 your program the next time you start it.) This information may be
1436 divided into four categories:
1437
1438 @table @asis
1439 @item The @emph{arguments.}
1440 Specify the arguments to give your program as the arguments of the
1441 @code{run} command. If a shell is available on your target, the shell
1442 is used to pass the arguments, so that you may use normal conventions
1443 (such as wildcard expansion or variable substitution) in describing
1444 the arguments. In Unix systems, you can control which shell is used
1445 with the @code{SHELL} environment variable. @xref{Arguments, ,Your
1446 program's arguments}.
1447
1448 @item The @emph{environment.}
1449 Your program normally inherits its environment from @value{GDBN}, but you can
1450 use the @value{GDBN} commands @code{set environment} and @code{unset
1451 environment} to change parts of the environment that affect
1452 your program. @xref{Environment, ,Your program's environment}.
1453
1454 @item The @emph{working directory.}
1455 Your program inherits its working directory from @value{GDBN}. You can set
1456 the @value{GDBN} working directory with the @code{cd} command in @value{GDBN}.
1457 @xref{Working Directory, ,Your program's working directory}.
1458
1459 @item The @emph{standard input and output.}
1460 Your program normally uses the same device for standard input and
1461 standard output as @value{GDBN} is using. You can redirect input and output
1462 in the @code{run} command line, or you can use the @code{tty} command to
1463 set a different device for your program.
1464 @xref{Input/Output, ,Your program's input and output}.
1465
1466 @cindex pipes
1467 @emph{Warning:} While input and output redirection work, you cannot use
1468 pipes to pass the output of the program you are debugging to another
1469 program; if you attempt this, @value{GDBN} is likely to wind up debugging the
1470 wrong program.
1471 @end table
1472 @end ifclear
1473
1474 When you issue the @code{run} command, your program begins to execute
1475 immediately. @xref{Stopping, ,Stopping and continuing}, for discussion
1476 of how to arrange for your program to stop. Once your program has
1477 stopped, you may call functions in your program, using the @code{print}
1478 or @code{call} commands. @xref{Data, ,Examining Data}.
1479
1480 If the modification time of your symbol file has changed since the last
1481 time @value{GDBN} read its symbols, @value{GDBN} discards its symbol
1482 table, and reads it again. When it does this, @value{GDBN} tries to retain
1483 your current breakpoints.
1484
1485 @ifclear BARETARGET
1486 @node Arguments
1487 @section Your program's arguments
1488
1489 @cindex arguments (to your program)
1490 The arguments to your program can be specified by the arguments of the
1491 @code{run} command. They are passed to a shell, which expands wildcard
1492 characters and performs redirection of I/O, and thence to your program.
1493 Your @code{SHELL} environment variable (if it exists) specifies what
1494 shell @value{GDBN} uses. If you do not define @code{SHELL},
1495 @value{GDBN} uses @code{/bin/sh}.
1496
1497 @code{run} with no arguments uses the same arguments used by the previous
1498 @code{run}, or those set by the @code{set args} command.
1499
1500 @kindex set args
1501 @table @code
1502 @item set args
1503 Specify the arguments to be used the next time your program is run. If
1504 @code{set args} has no arguments, @code{run} executes your program
1505 with no arguments. Once you have run your program with arguments,
1506 using @code{set args} before the next @code{run} is the only way to run
1507 it again without arguments.
1508
1509 @kindex show args
1510 @item show args
1511 Show the arguments to give your program when it is started.
1512 @end table
1513
1514 @node Environment
1515 @section Your program's environment
1516
1517 @cindex environment (of your program)
1518 The @dfn{environment} consists of a set of environment variables and
1519 their values. Environment variables conventionally record such things as
1520 your user name, your home directory, your terminal type, and your search
1521 path for programs to run. Usually you set up environment variables with
1522 the shell and they are inherited by all the other programs you run. When
1523 debugging, it can be useful to try running your program with a modified
1524 environment without having to start @value{GDBN} over again.
1525
1526 @table @code
1527 @kindex path
1528 @item path @var{directory}
1529 Add @var{directory} to the front of the @code{PATH} environment variable
1530 (the search path for executables), for both @value{GDBN} and your program.
1531 You may specify several directory names, separated by @samp{:} or
1532 whitespace. If @var{directory} is already in the path, it is moved to
1533 the front, so it is searched sooner.
1534
1535 You can use the string @samp{$cwd} to refer to whatever is the current
1536 working directory at the time @value{GDBN} searches the path. If you
1537 use @samp{.} instead, it refers to the directory where you executed the
1538 @code{path} command. @value{GDBN} replaces @samp{.} in the
1539 @var{directory} argument (with the current path) before adding
1540 @var{directory} to the search path.
1541 @c 'path' is explicitly nonrepeatable, but RMS points out it is silly to
1542 @c document that, since repeating it would be a no-op.
1543
1544 @kindex show paths
1545 @item show paths
1546 Display the list of search paths for executables (the @code{PATH}
1547 environment variable).
1548
1549 @kindex show environment
1550 @item show environment @r{[}@var{varname}@r{]}
1551 Print the value of environment variable @var{varname} to be given to
1552 your program when it starts. If you do not supply @var{varname},
1553 print the names and values of all environment variables to be given to
1554 your program. You can abbreviate @code{environment} as @code{env}.
1555
1556 @kindex set environment
1557 @item set environment @var{varname} @r{[}=@r{]} @var{value}
1558 Set environment variable @var{varname} to @var{value}. The value
1559 changes for your program only, not for @value{GDBN} itself. @var{value} may
1560 be any string; the values of environment variables are just strings, and
1561 any interpretation is supplied by your program itself. The @var{value}
1562 parameter is optional; if it is eliminated, the variable is set to a
1563 null value.
1564 @c "any string" here does not include leading, trailing
1565 @c blanks. Gnu asks: does anyone care?
1566
1567 For example, this command:
1568
1569 @example
1570 set env USER = foo
1571 @end example
1572
1573 @noindent
1574 tells a Unix program, when subsequently run, that its user is named
1575 @samp{foo}. (The spaces around @samp{=} are used for clarity here; they
1576 are not actually required.)
1577
1578 @kindex unset environment
1579 @item unset environment @var{varname}
1580 Remove variable @var{varname} from the environment to be passed to your
1581 program. This is different from @samp{set env @var{varname} =};
1582 @code{unset environment} removes the variable from the environment,
1583 rather than assigning it an empty value.
1584 @end table
1585
1586 @emph{Warning:} @value{GDBN} runs your program using the shell indicated
1587 by your @code{SHELL} environment variable if it exists (or
1588 @code{/bin/sh} if not). If your @code{SHELL} variable names a shell
1589 that runs an initialization file---such as @file{.cshrc} for C-shell, or
1590 @file{.bashrc} for BASH---any variables you set in that file affect
1591 your program. You may wish to move setting of environment variables to
1592 files that are only run when you sign on, such as @file{.login} or
1593 @file{.profile}.
1594
1595 @node Working Directory
1596 @section Your program's working directory
1597
1598 @cindex working directory (of your program)
1599 Each time you start your program with @code{run}, it inherits its
1600 working directory from the current working directory of @value{GDBN}.
1601 The @value{GDBN} working directory is initially whatever it inherited
1602 from its parent process (typically the shell), but you can specify a new
1603 working directory in @value{GDBN} with the @code{cd} command.
1604
1605 The @value{GDBN} working directory also serves as a default for the commands
1606 that specify files for @value{GDBN} to operate on. @xref{Files, ,Commands to
1607 specify files}.
1608
1609 @table @code
1610 @kindex cd
1611 @item cd @var{directory}
1612 Set the @value{GDBN} working directory to @var{directory}.
1613
1614 @kindex pwd
1615 @item pwd
1616 Print the @value{GDBN} working directory.
1617 @end table
1618
1619 @node Input/Output
1620 @section Your program's input and output
1621
1622 @cindex redirection
1623 @cindex i/o
1624 @cindex terminal
1625 By default, the program you run under @value{GDBN} does input and output to
1626 the same terminal that @value{GDBN} uses. @value{GDBN} switches the terminal
1627 to its own terminal modes to interact with you, but it records the terminal
1628 modes your program was using and switches back to them when you continue
1629 running your program.
1630
1631 @table @code
1632 @kindex info terminal
1633 @item info terminal
1634 Displays information recorded by @value{GDBN} about the terminal modes your
1635 program is using.
1636 @end table
1637
1638 You can redirect your program's input and/or output using shell
1639 redirection with the @code{run} command. For example,
1640
1641 @example
1642 run > outfile
1643 @end example
1644
1645 @noindent
1646 starts your program, diverting its output to the file @file{outfile}.
1647
1648 @kindex tty
1649 @cindex controlling terminal
1650 Another way to specify where your program should do input and output is
1651 with the @code{tty} command. This command accepts a file name as
1652 argument, and causes this file to be the default for future @code{run}
1653 commands. It also resets the controlling terminal for the child
1654 process, for future @code{run} commands. For example,
1655
1656 @example
1657 tty /dev/ttyb
1658 @end example
1659
1660 @noindent
1661 directs that processes started with subsequent @code{run} commands
1662 default to do input and output on the terminal @file{/dev/ttyb} and have
1663 that as their controlling terminal.
1664
1665 An explicit redirection in @code{run} overrides the @code{tty} command's
1666 effect on the input/output device, but not its effect on the controlling
1667 terminal.
1668
1669 When you use the @code{tty} command or redirect input in the @code{run}
1670 command, only the input @emph{for your program} is affected. The input
1671 for @value{GDBN} still comes from your terminal.
1672
1673 @node Attach
1674 @section Debugging an already-running process
1675 @kindex attach
1676 @cindex attach
1677
1678 @table @code
1679 @item attach @var{process-id}
1680 This command attaches to a running process---one that was started
1681 outside @value{GDBN}. (@code{info files} shows your active
1682 targets.) The command takes as argument a process ID. The usual way to
1683 find out the process-id of a Unix process is with the @code{ps} utility,
1684 or with the @samp{jobs -l} shell command.
1685
1686 @code{attach} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} a second time after
1687 executing the command.
1688 @end table
1689
1690 To use @code{attach}, your program must be running in an environment
1691 which supports processes; for example, @code{attach} does not work for
1692 programs on bare-board targets that lack an operating system. You must
1693 also have permission to send the process a signal.
1694
1695 When using @code{attach}, you should first use the @code{file} command
1696 to specify the program running in the process and load its symbol table.
1697 @xref{Files, ,Commands to Specify Files}.
1698
1699 The first thing @value{GDBN} does after arranging to debug the specified
1700 process is to stop it. You can examine and modify an attached process
1701 with all the @value{GDBN} commands that are ordinarily available when you start
1702 processes with @code{run}. You can insert breakpoints; you can step and
1703 continue; you can modify storage. If you would rather the process
1704 continue running, you may use the @code{continue} command after
1705 attaching @value{GDBN} to the process.
1706
1707 @table @code
1708 @kindex detach
1709 @item detach
1710 When you have finished debugging the attached process, you can use the
1711 @code{detach} command to release it from @value{GDBN} control. Detaching
1712 the process continues its execution. After the @code{detach} command,
1713 that process and @value{GDBN} become completely independent once more, and you
1714 are ready to @code{attach} another process or start one with @code{run}.
1715 @code{detach} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} again after
1716 executing the command.
1717 @end table
1718
1719 If you exit @value{GDBN} or use the @code{run} command while you have an
1720 attached process, you kill that process. By default, @value{GDBN} asks
1721 for confirmation if you try to do either of these things; you can
1722 control whether or not you need to confirm by using the @code{set
1723 confirm} command (@pxref{Messages/Warnings, ,Optional warnings and
1724 messages}).
1725
1726 @node Kill Process
1727 @c @group
1728 @section Killing the child process
1729
1730 @table @code
1731 @kindex kill
1732 @item kill
1733 Kill the child process in which your program is running under @value{GDBN}.
1734 @end table
1735
1736 This command is useful if you wish to debug a core dump instead of a
1737 running process. @value{GDBN} ignores any core dump file while your program
1738 is running.
1739 @c @end group
1740
1741 On some operating systems, a program cannot be executed outside @value{GDBN}
1742 while you have breakpoints set on it inside @value{GDBN}. You can use the
1743 @code{kill} command in this situation to permit running your program
1744 outside the debugger.
1745
1746 The @code{kill} command is also useful if you wish to recompile and
1747 relink your program, since on many systems it is impossible to modify an
1748 executable file while it is running in a process. In this case, when you
1749 next type @code{run}, @value{GDBN} notices that the file has changed, and
1750 reads the symbol table again (while trying to preserve your current
1751 breakpoint settings).
1752
1753 @node Process Information
1754 @section Additional process information
1755
1756 @kindex /proc
1757 @cindex process image
1758 Some operating systems provide a facility called @samp{/proc} that can
1759 be used to examine the image of a running process using file-system
1760 subroutines. If @value{GDBN} is configured for an operating system with this
1761 facility, the command @code{info proc} is available to report on several
1762 kinds of information about the process running your program.
1763 @code{info proc} works only on SVR4 systems that support @code{procfs}.
1764
1765 @table @code
1766 @kindex info proc
1767 @item info proc
1768 Summarize available information about the process.
1769
1770 @kindex info proc mappings
1771 @item info proc mappings
1772 Report on the address ranges accessible in the program, with information
1773 on whether your program may read, write, or execute each range.
1774
1775 @kindex info proc times
1776 @item info proc times
1777 Starting time, user CPU time, and system CPU time for your program and
1778 its children.
1779
1780 @kindex info proc id
1781 @item info proc id
1782 Report on the process IDs related to your program: its own process ID,
1783 the ID of its parent, the process group ID, and the session ID.
1784
1785 @kindex info proc status
1786 @item info proc status
1787 General information on the state of the process. If the process is
1788 stopped, this report includes the reason for stopping, and any signal
1789 received.
1790
1791 @item info proc all
1792 Show all the above information about the process.
1793 @end table
1794
1795 @node Threads
1796 @section Debugging programs with multiple threads
1797
1798 @cindex threads of execution
1799 @cindex multiple threads
1800 @cindex switching threads
1801 In some operating systems, a single program may have more than one
1802 @dfn{thread} of execution. The precise semantics of threads differ from
1803 one operating system to another, but in general the threads of a single
1804 program are akin to multiple processes---except that they share one
1805 address space (that is, they can all examine and modify the same
1806 variables). On the other hand, each thread has its own registers and
1807 execution stack, and perhaps private memory.
1808
1809 @value{GDBN} provides these facilities for debugging multi-thread
1810 programs:
1811
1812 @itemize @bullet
1813 @item automatic notification of new threads
1814 @item @samp{thread @var{threadno}}, a command to switch among threads
1815 @item @samp{info threads}, a command to inquire about existing threads
1816 @item @samp{thread apply [@var{threadno}] [@var{all}] @var{args}},
1817 a command to apply a command to a list of threads
1818 @item thread-specific breakpoints
1819 @end itemize
1820
1821 @quotation
1822 @emph{Warning:} These facilities are not yet available on every
1823 @value{GDBN} configuration where the operating system supports threads.
1824 If your @value{GDBN} does not support threads, these commands have no
1825 effect. For example, a system without thread support shows no output
1826 from @samp{info threads}, and always rejects the @code{thread} command,
1827 like this:
1828
1829 @smallexample
1830 (@value{GDBP}) info threads
1831 (@value{GDBP}) thread 1
1832 Thread ID 1 not known. Use the "info threads" command to
1833 see the IDs of currently known threads.
1834 @end smallexample
1835 @c FIXME to implementors: how hard would it be to say "sorry, this GDB
1836 @c doesn't support threads"?
1837 @end quotation
1838
1839 @cindex focus of debugging
1840 @cindex current thread
1841 The @value{GDBN} thread debugging facility allows you to observe all
1842 threads while your program runs---but whenever @value{GDBN} takes
1843 control, one thread in particular is always the focus of debugging.
1844 This thread is called the @dfn{current thread}. Debugging commands show
1845 program information from the perspective of the current thread.
1846
1847 @kindex New @var{systag}
1848 @cindex thread identifier (system)
1849 @c FIXME-implementors!! It would be more helpful if the [New...] message
1850 @c included GDB's numeric thread handle, so you could just go to that
1851 @c thread without first checking `info threads'.
1852 Whenever @value{GDBN} detects a new thread in your program, it displays
1853 the target system's identification for the thread with a message in the
1854 form @samp{[New @var{systag}]}. @var{systag} is a thread identifier
1855 whose form varies depending on the particular system. For example, on
1856 LynxOS, you might see
1857
1858 @example
1859 [New process 35 thread 27]
1860 @end example
1861
1862 @noindent
1863 when @value{GDBN} notices a new thread. In contrast, on an SGI system,
1864 the @var{systag} is simply something like @samp{process 368}, with no
1865 further qualifier.
1866
1867 @c FIXME!! (1) Does the [New...] message appear even for the very first
1868 @c thread of a program, or does it only appear for the
1869 @c second---i.e., when it becomes obvious we have a multithread
1870 @c program?
1871 @c (2) *Is* there necessarily a first thread always? Or do some
1872 @c multithread systems permit starting a program with multiple
1873 @c threads ab initio?
1874
1875 @cindex thread number
1876 @cindex thread identifier (GDB)
1877 For debugging purposes, @value{GDBN} associates its own thread
1878 number---always a single integer---with each thread in your program.
1879
1880 @table @code
1881 @kindex info threads
1882 @item info threads
1883 Display a summary of all threads currently in your
1884 program. @value{GDBN} displays for each thread (in this order):
1885
1886 @enumerate
1887 @item the thread number assigned by @value{GDBN}
1888
1889 @item the target system's thread identifier (@var{systag})
1890
1891 @item the current stack frame summary for that thread
1892 @end enumerate
1893
1894 @noindent
1895 An asterisk @samp{*} to the left of the @value{GDBN} thread number
1896 indicates the current thread.
1897
1898 For example,
1899 @end table
1900 @c end table here to get a little more width for example
1901
1902 @smallexample
1903 (@value{GDBP}) info threads
1904 3 process 35 thread 27 0x34e5 in sigpause ()
1905 2 process 35 thread 23 0x34e5 in sigpause ()
1906 * 1 process 35 thread 13 main (argc=1, argv=0x7ffffff8)
1907 at threadtest.c:68
1908 @end smallexample
1909
1910 @table @code
1911 @kindex thread @var{threadno}
1912 @item thread @var{threadno}
1913 Make thread number @var{threadno} the current thread. The command
1914 argument @var{threadno} is the internal @value{GDBN} thread number, as
1915 shown in the first field of the @samp{info threads} display.
1916 @value{GDBN} responds by displaying the system identifier of the thread
1917 you selected, and its current stack frame summary:
1918
1919 @smallexample
1920 @c FIXME!! This example made up; find a @value{GDBN} w/threads and get real one
1921 (@value{GDBP}) thread 2
1922 [Switching to process 35 thread 23]
1923 0x34e5 in sigpause ()
1924 @end smallexample
1925
1926 @noindent
1927 As with the @samp{[New @dots{}]} message, the form of the text after
1928 @samp{Switching to} depends on your system's conventions for identifying
1929 threads.
1930
1931 @kindex thread apply
1932 @item thread apply [@var{threadno}] [@var{all}] @var{args}
1933 The @code{thread apply} command allows you to apply a command to one or
1934 more threads. Specify the numbers of the threads that you want affected
1935 with the command argument @var{threadno}. @var{threadno} is the internal
1936 @value{GDBN} thread number, as shown in the first field of the @samp{info
1937 threads} display. To apply a command to all threads, use
1938 @code{thread apply all} @var{args}.
1939 @end table
1940
1941 @cindex automatic thread selection
1942 @cindex switching threads automatically
1943 @cindex threads, automatic switching
1944 Whenever @value{GDBN} stops your program, due to a breakpoint or a
1945 signal, it automatically selects the thread where that breakpoint or
1946 signal happened. @value{GDBN} alerts you to the context switch with a
1947 message of the form @samp{[Switching to @var{systag}]} to identify the
1948 thread.
1949
1950 @xref{Thread Stops,,Stopping and starting multi-thread programs}, for
1951 more information about how @value{GDBN} behaves when you stop and start
1952 programs with multiple threads.
1953
1954 @xref{Set Watchpoints,,Setting watchpoints}, for information about
1955 watchpoints in programs with multiple threads.
1956 @end ifclear
1957
1958 @node Processes
1959 @section Debugging programs with multiple processes
1960
1961 @cindex fork, debugging programs which call
1962 @cindex multiple processes
1963 @cindex processes, multiple
1964 @value{GDBN} has no special support for debugging programs which create
1965 additional processes using the @code{fork} function. When a program
1966 forks, @value{GDBN} will continue to debug the parent process and the
1967 child process will run unimpeded. If you have set a breakpoint in any
1968 code which the child then executes, the child will get a @code{SIGTRAP}
1969 signal which (unless it catches the signal) will cause it to terminate.
1970
1971 However, if you want to debug the child process there is a workaround
1972 which isn't too painful. Put a call to @code{sleep} in the code which
1973 the child process executes after the fork. It may be useful to sleep
1974 only if a certain environment variable is set, or a certain file exists,
1975 so that the delay need not occur when you don't want to run @value{GDBN}
1976 on the child. While the child is sleeping, use the @code{ps} program to
1977 get its process ID. Then tell @value{GDBN} (a new invocation of
1978 @value{GDBN} if you are also debugging the parent process) to attach to
1979 the child process (see @ref{Attach}). From that point on you can debug
1980 the child process just like any other process which you attached to.
1981
1982 @node Stopping
1983 @chapter Stopping and Continuing
1984
1985 The principal purposes of using a debugger are so that you can stop your
1986 program before it terminates; or so that, if your program runs into
1987 trouble, you can investigate and find out why.
1988
1989 Inside @value{GDBN}, your program may stop for any of several reasons, such
1990 as
1991 @ifclear BARETARGET
1992 a signal,
1993 @end ifclear
1994 a breakpoint, or reaching a new line after a @value{GDBN}
1995 command such as @code{step}. You may then examine and change
1996 variables, set new breakpoints or remove old ones, and then continue
1997 execution. Usually, the messages shown by @value{GDBN} provide ample
1998 explanation of the status of your program---but you can also explicitly
1999 request this information at any time.
2000
2001 @table @code
2002 @kindex info program
2003 @item info program
2004 Display information about the status of your program: whether it is
2005 running or not,
2006 @ifclear BARETARGET
2007 what process it is,
2008 @end ifclear
2009 and why it stopped.
2010 @end table
2011
2012 @menu
2013 @ifclear CONLY
2014 * Breakpoints:: Breakpoints, watchpoints, and exceptions
2015 @end ifclear
2016 @ifset CONLY
2017 * Breakpoints:: Breakpoints and watchpoints
2018 @end ifset
2019 @c Remnant makeinfo bug requires blank line after *successful* end-if in menu:
2020
2021 * Continuing and Stepping:: Resuming execution
2022 @ifset POSIX
2023 * Signals:: Signals
2024 @end ifset
2025 @ifclear BARETARGET
2026 * Thread Stops:: Stopping and starting multi-thread programs
2027 @end ifclear
2028 @end menu
2029
2030 @c makeinfo node-defaulting requires adjacency of @node and sectioning cmds
2031 @c ...hence distribute @node Breakpoints over two possible @if expansions.
2032 @c
2033 @ifclear CONLY
2034 @node Breakpoints
2035 @section Breakpoints, watchpoints, and exceptions
2036 @end ifclear
2037 @ifset CONLY
2038 @node Breakpoints
2039 @section Breakpoints and watchpoints
2040 @end ifset
2041
2042 @cindex breakpoints
2043 A @dfn{breakpoint} makes your program stop whenever a certain point in
2044 the program is reached. For each breakpoint, you can add
2045 conditions to control in finer detail whether your program stops.
2046 You can set breakpoints with the @code{break} command and its variants
2047 (@pxref{Set Breaks, ,Setting breakpoints}), to specify the place where
2048 your program should stop by line number, function name or exact address
2049 in the program.
2050 @ifclear CONLY
2051 In languages with exception handling (such as @sc{gnu} C++), you can also set
2052 breakpoints where an exception is raised (@pxref{Exception Handling,,
2053 Breakpoints and exceptions}).
2054 @end ifclear
2055
2056 In SunOS 4.x, SVR4, and Alpha OSF/1 configurations, you can now set
2057 breakpoints in shared libraries before the executable is run.
2058
2059 @cindex watchpoints
2060 @cindex memory tracing
2061 @cindex breakpoint on memory address
2062 @cindex breakpoint on variable modification
2063 A @dfn{watchpoint} is a special breakpoint that stops your program
2064 when the value of an expression changes. You must use a different
2065 command to set watchpoints (@pxref{Set Watchpoints, ,Setting
2066 watchpoints}), but aside from that, you can manage a watchpoint like
2067 any other breakpoint: you enable, disable, and delete both breakpoints
2068 and watchpoints using the same commands.
2069
2070 You can arrange to have values from your program displayed automatically
2071 whenever @value{GDBN} stops at a breakpoint. @xref{Auto Display,,
2072 Automatic display}.
2073
2074 @cindex breakpoint numbers
2075 @cindex numbers for breakpoints
2076 @value{GDBN} assigns a number to each breakpoint or watchpoint when you
2077 create it; these numbers are successive integers starting with one. In
2078 many of the commands for controlling various features of breakpoints you
2079 use the breakpoint number to say which breakpoint you want to change.
2080 Each breakpoint may be @dfn{enabled} or @dfn{disabled}; if disabled, it has
2081 no effect on your program until you enable it again.
2082
2083 @menu
2084 * Set Breaks:: Setting breakpoints
2085 * Set Watchpoints:: Setting watchpoints
2086 @ifclear CONLY
2087 * Exception Handling:: Breakpoints and exceptions
2088 @end ifclear
2089
2090 * Delete Breaks:: Deleting breakpoints
2091 * Disabling:: Disabling breakpoints
2092 * Conditions:: Break conditions
2093 * Break Commands:: Breakpoint command lists
2094 @ifclear CONLY
2095 * Breakpoint Menus:: Breakpoint menus
2096 @end ifclear
2097 @c @ifclear BARETARGET
2098 @c * Error in Breakpoints:: ``Cannot insert breakpoints''
2099 @c @end ifclear
2100 @end menu
2101
2102 @node Set Breaks
2103 @subsection Setting breakpoints
2104
2105 @c FIXME LMB what does GDB do if no code on line of breakpt?
2106 @c consider in particular declaration with/without initialization.
2107 @c
2108 @c FIXME 2 is there stuff on this already? break at fun start, already init?
2109
2110 @kindex break
2111 @kindex b
2112 @kindex $bpnum
2113 @cindex latest breakpoint
2114 Breakpoints are set with the @code{break} command (abbreviated
2115 @code{b}). The debugger convenience variable @samp{$bpnum} records the
2116 number of the breakpoints you've set most recently; see @ref{Convenience
2117 Vars,, Convenience variables}, for a discussion of what you can do with
2118 convenience variables.
2119
2120 You have several ways to say where the breakpoint should go.
2121
2122 @table @code
2123 @item break @var{function}
2124 Set a breakpoint at entry to function @var{function}.
2125 @ifclear CONLY
2126 When using source languages that permit overloading of symbols, such as
2127 C++, @var{function} may refer to more than one possible place to break.
2128 @xref{Breakpoint Menus,,Breakpoint menus}, for a discussion of that situation.
2129 @end ifclear
2130
2131 @item break +@var{offset}
2132 @itemx break -@var{offset}
2133 Set a breakpoint some number of lines forward or back from the position
2134 at which execution stopped in the currently selected frame.
2135
2136 @item break @var{linenum}
2137 Set a breakpoint at line @var{linenum} in the current source file.
2138 That file is the last file whose source text was printed. This
2139 breakpoint stops your program just before it executes any of the
2140 code on that line.
2141
2142 @item break @var{filename}:@var{linenum}
2143 Set a breakpoint at line @var{linenum} in source file @var{filename}.
2144
2145 @item break @var{filename}:@var{function}
2146 Set a breakpoint at entry to function @var{function} found in file
2147 @var{filename}. Specifying a file name as well as a function name is
2148 superfluous except when multiple files contain similarly named
2149 functions.
2150
2151 @item break *@var{address}
2152 Set a breakpoint at address @var{address}. You can use this to set
2153 breakpoints in parts of your program which do not have debugging
2154 information or source files.
2155
2156 @item break
2157 When called without any arguments, @code{break} sets a breakpoint at
2158 the next instruction to be executed in the selected stack frame
2159 (@pxref{Stack, ,Examining the Stack}). In any selected frame but the
2160 innermost, this makes your program stop as soon as control
2161 returns to that frame. This is similar to the effect of a
2162 @code{finish} command in the frame inside the selected frame---except
2163 that @code{finish} does not leave an active breakpoint. If you use
2164 @code{break} without an argument in the innermost frame, @value{GDBN} stops
2165 the next time it reaches the current location; this may be useful
2166 inside loops.
2167
2168 @value{GDBN} normally ignores breakpoints when it resumes execution, until at
2169 least one instruction has been executed. If it did not do this, you
2170 would be unable to proceed past a breakpoint without first disabling the
2171 breakpoint. This rule applies whether or not the breakpoint already
2172 existed when your program stopped.
2173
2174 @item break @dots{} if @var{cond}
2175 Set a breakpoint with condition @var{cond}; evaluate the expression
2176 @var{cond} each time the breakpoint is reached, and stop only if the
2177 value is nonzero---that is, if @var{cond} evaluates as true.
2178 @samp{@dots{}} stands for one of the possible arguments described
2179 above (or no argument) specifying where to break. @xref{Conditions,
2180 ,Break conditions}, for more information on breakpoint conditions.
2181
2182 @kindex tbreak
2183 @item tbreak @var{args}
2184 Set a breakpoint enabled only for one stop. @var{args} are the
2185 same as for the @code{break} command, and the breakpoint is set in the same
2186 way, but the breakpoint is automatically deleted after the first time your
2187 program stops there. @xref{Disabling, ,Disabling breakpoints}.
2188
2189 @kindex hbreak
2190 @item hbreak @var{args}
2191 Set a hardware-assisted breakpoint. @var{args} are the same as for the
2192 @code{break} command and the breakpoint is set in the same way, but the
2193 breakpoint requires hardware support and some target hardware may not
2194 have this support. The main purpose of this is EPROM/ROM code
2195 debugging, so you can set a breakpoint at an instruction without
2196 changing the instruction. This can be used with the new trap-generation
2197 provided by SPARClite DSU. DSU will generate traps when a program accesses
2198 some date or instruction address that is assigned to the debug registers.
2199 However the hardware breakpoint registers can only take two data breakpoints,
2200 and @value{GDBN} will reject this command if more than two are used.
2201 Delete or disable usused hardware breakpoints before setting
2202 new ones. @xref{Conditions, ,Break conditions}.
2203
2204 @kindex thbreak
2205 @item thbreak @var{args}
2206 Set a hardware-assisted breakpoint enabled only for one stop. @var{args}
2207 are the same as for the @code{hbreak} command and the breakpoint is set in
2208 the same way. However, like the @code{tbreak} command,
2209 the breakpoint is automatically deleted after the
2210 first time your program stops there. Also, like the @code{hbreak}
2211 command, the breakpoint requires hardware support and some target hardware
2212 may not have this support. @xref{Disabling, ,Disabling breakpoints}.
2213 Also @xref{Conditions, ,Break conditions}.
2214
2215 @kindex rbreak
2216 @cindex regular expression
2217 @item rbreak @var{regex}
2218 @c FIXME what kind of regexp?
2219 Set breakpoints on all functions matching the regular expression
2220 @var{regex}. This command
2221 sets an unconditional breakpoint on all matches, printing a list of all
2222 breakpoints it set. Once these breakpoints are set, they are treated
2223 just like the breakpoints set with the @code{break} command. You can
2224 delete them, disable them, or make them conditional the same way as any
2225 other breakpoint.
2226
2227 @ifclear CONLY
2228 When debugging C++ programs, @code{rbreak} is useful for setting
2229 breakpoints on overloaded functions that are not members of any special
2230 classes.
2231 @end ifclear
2232
2233 @kindex info breakpoints
2234 @cindex @code{$_} and @code{info breakpoints}
2235 @item info breakpoints @r{[}@var{n}@r{]}
2236 @itemx info break @r{[}@var{n}@r{]}
2237 @itemx info watchpoints @r{[}@var{n}@r{]}
2238 Print a table of all breakpoints and watchpoints set and not
2239 deleted, with the following columns for each breakpoint:
2240
2241 @table @emph
2242 @item Breakpoint Numbers
2243 @item Type
2244 Breakpoint or watchpoint.
2245 @item Disposition
2246 Whether the breakpoint is marked to be disabled or deleted when hit.
2247 @item Enabled or Disabled
2248 Enabled breakpoints are marked with @samp{y}. @samp{n} marks breakpoints
2249 that are not enabled.
2250 @item Address
2251 Where the breakpoint is in your program, as a memory address
2252 @item What
2253 Where the breakpoint is in the source for your program, as a file and
2254 line number.
2255 @end table
2256
2257 @noindent
2258 If a breakpoint is conditional, @code{info break} shows the condition on
2259 the line following the affected breakpoint; breakpoint commands, if any,
2260 are listed after that.
2261
2262 @noindent
2263 @code{info break} with a breakpoint
2264 number @var{n} as argument lists only that breakpoint. The
2265 convenience variable @code{$_} and the default examining-address for
2266 the @code{x} command are set to the address of the last breakpoint
2267 listed (@pxref{Memory, ,Examining memory}).
2268
2269 @noindent
2270 @code{info break} now displays a count of the number of times the
2271 breakpoint has been hit. This is especially useful in conjunction with
2272 the @code{ignore} command. You can ignore a large number of breakpoint
2273 hits, look at the breakpoint info to see how many times the
2274 breakpoint was hit, and then run again, ignoring one less than that
2275 number. This will get you quickly to the last hit of that breakpoint.
2276 @end table
2277
2278 @value{GDBN} allows you to set any number of breakpoints at the same place in
2279 your program. There is nothing silly or meaningless about this. When
2280 the breakpoints are conditional, this is even useful
2281 (@pxref{Conditions, ,Break conditions}).
2282
2283 @cindex negative breakpoint numbers
2284 @cindex internal @value{GDBN} breakpoints
2285 @value{GDBN} itself sometimes sets breakpoints in your program for special
2286 purposes, such as proper handling of @code{longjmp} (in C programs).
2287 These internal breakpoints are assigned negative numbers, starting with
2288 @code{-1}; @samp{info breakpoints} does not display them.
2289
2290 You can see these breakpoints with the @value{GDBN} maintenance command
2291 @samp{maint info breakpoints}.
2292
2293 @table @code
2294 @kindex maint info breakpoints
2295 @item maint info breakpoints
2296 Using the same format as @samp{info breakpoints}, display both the
2297 breakpoints you've set explicitly, and those @value{GDBN} is using for
2298 internal purposes. Internal breakpoints are shown with negative
2299 breakpoint numbers. The type column identifies what kind of breakpoint
2300 is shown:
2301
2302 @table @code
2303 @item breakpoint
2304 Normal, explicitly set breakpoint.
2305
2306 @item watchpoint
2307 Normal, explicitly set watchpoint.
2308
2309 @item longjmp
2310 Internal breakpoint, used to handle correctly stepping through
2311 @code{longjmp} calls.
2312
2313 @item longjmp resume
2314 Internal breakpoint at the target of a @code{longjmp}.
2315
2316 @item until
2317 Temporary internal breakpoint used by the @value{GDBN} @code{until} command.
2318
2319 @item finish
2320 Temporary internal breakpoint used by the @value{GDBN} @code{finish} command.
2321 @end table
2322
2323 @end table
2324
2325
2326 @node Set Watchpoints
2327 @subsection Setting watchpoints
2328 @cindex setting watchpoints
2329
2330 You can use a watchpoint to stop execution whenever the value of an
2331 expression changes, without having to predict a particular place
2332 where this may happen.
2333
2334 Watchpoints currently execute two orders of magnitude more slowly than
2335 other breakpoints, but this can be well worth it to catch errors where
2336 you have no clue what part of your program is the culprit.
2337
2338 @c FIXME - did Stan mean to @ignore this out?
2339 @ignore
2340 Some processors provide special hardware to support watchpoint
2341 evaluation; @value{GDBN} will use such hardware if it is available,
2342 and if the support code has been added for that configuration.
2343 @end ignore
2344
2345 @table @code
2346 @kindex watch
2347 @item watch @var{expr}
2348 Set a watchpoint for an expression. @value{GDBN} will break when @var{expr}
2349 is written into by the program and its value changes.
2350 This can be used with the new trap-generation provided by
2351 SPARClite DSU. DSU will generate traps when a program accesses
2352 some date or instruction address that is assigned to the debug registers.
2353 For the data addresses, DSU facilitates the @code{watch} command.
2354 However the hardware breakpoint registers can only take two data watchpoints,
2355 and both watchpoints must be the same kind. For example, you can set two
2356 watchpoints with @code{watch} commands, two with @code{rwatch}
2357 commands, @strong{or} two with @code{awatch} commands, but you cannot set one
2358 watchpoint with one command and the other with a different command.
2359 @value{GBDN} will reject the command if you try to mix watchpoints.
2360 Delete or disable unused watchpoint commands before setting new ones.
2361
2362 @kindex rwatch
2363 @item rwatch @var{expr}
2364 Set a watchpoint that will break when watch @var{args} is read by the program.
2365 If you use both watchpoints, both must be set with the @code{rwatch}
2366 command.
2367
2368 @kindex awatch
2369 @item awatch @var{expr}
2370 Set a watchpoint that will break when @var{args} is read and written into
2371 by the program. If you use both watchpoints, both must be set with the
2372 @code{awatch} command.
2373
2374 @kindex info watchpoints
2375 @item info watchpoints
2376 This command prints a list of watchpoints and breakpoints; it is the
2377 same as @code{info break}.
2378 @end table
2379
2380 @ifclear BARETARGET
2381 @quotation
2382 @cindex watchpoints and threads
2383 @cindex threads and watchpoints
2384 @emph{Warning:} in multi-thread programs, watchpoints have only limited
2385 usefulness. With the current watchpoint implementation, @value{GDBN}
2386 can only watch the value of an expression @emph{in a single thread}. If
2387 you are confident that the expression can only change due to the current
2388 thread's activity (and if you are also confident that no other thread
2389 can become current), then you can use watchpoints as usual. However,
2390 @value{GDBN} may not notice when a non-current thread's activity changes
2391 the expression.
2392 @end quotation
2393 @end ifclear
2394
2395 @ifclear CONLY
2396 @node Exception Handling
2397 @subsection Breakpoints and exceptions
2398 @cindex exception handlers
2399
2400 Some languages, such as @sc{gnu} C++, implement exception handling. You can
2401 use @value{GDBN} to examine what caused your program to raise an exception,
2402 and to list the exceptions your program is prepared to handle at a
2403 given point in time.
2404
2405 @table @code
2406 @kindex catch
2407 @item catch @var{exceptions}
2408 You can set breakpoints at active exception handlers by using the
2409 @code{catch} command. @var{exceptions} is a list of names of exceptions
2410 to catch.
2411 @end table
2412
2413 You can use @code{info catch} to list active exception handlers.
2414 @xref{Frame Info, ,Information about a frame}.
2415
2416 There are currently some limitations to exception handling in @value{GDBN}:
2417
2418 @itemize @bullet
2419 @item
2420 If you call a function interactively, @value{GDBN} normally returns
2421 control to you when the function has finished executing. If the call
2422 raises an exception, however, the call may bypass the mechanism that
2423 returns control to you and cause your program to simply continue
2424 running until it hits a breakpoint, catches a signal that @value{GDBN} is
2425 listening for, or exits.
2426
2427 @item
2428 You cannot raise an exception interactively.
2429
2430 @item
2431 You cannot install an exception handler interactively.
2432 @end itemize
2433
2434 @cindex raise exceptions
2435 Sometimes @code{catch} is not the best way to debug exception handling:
2436 if you need to know exactly where an exception is raised, it is better to
2437 stop @emph{before} the exception handler is called, since that way you
2438 can see the stack before any unwinding takes place. If you set a
2439 breakpoint in an exception handler instead, it may not be easy to find
2440 out where the exception was raised.
2441
2442 To stop just before an exception handler is called, you need some
2443 knowledge of the implementation. In the case of @sc{gnu} C++, exceptions are
2444 raised by calling a library function named @code{__raise_exception}
2445 which has the following ANSI C interface:
2446
2447 @example
2448 /* @var{addr} is where the exception identifier is stored.
2449 ID is the exception identifier. */
2450 void __raise_exception (void **@var{addr}, void *@var{id});
2451 @end example
2452
2453 @noindent
2454 To make the debugger catch all exceptions before any stack
2455 unwinding takes place, set a breakpoint on @code{__raise_exception}
2456 (@pxref{Breakpoints, ,Breakpoints; watchpoints; and exceptions}).
2457
2458 With a conditional breakpoint (@pxref{Conditions, ,Break conditions})
2459 that depends on the value of @var{id}, you can stop your program when
2460 a specific exception is raised. You can use multiple conditional
2461 breakpoints to stop your program when any of a number of exceptions are
2462 raised.
2463 @end ifclear
2464
2465 @node Delete Breaks
2466 @subsection Deleting breakpoints
2467
2468 @cindex clearing breakpoints, watchpoints
2469 @cindex deleting breakpoints, watchpoints
2470 It is often necessary to eliminate a breakpoint or watchpoint once it
2471 has done its job and you no longer want your program to stop there. This
2472 is called @dfn{deleting} the breakpoint. A breakpoint that has been
2473 deleted no longer exists; it is forgotten.
2474
2475 With the @code{clear} command you can delete breakpoints according to
2476 where they are in your program. With the @code{delete} command you can
2477 delete individual breakpoints or watchpoints by specifying their
2478 breakpoint numbers.
2479
2480 It is not necessary to delete a breakpoint to proceed past it. @value{GDBN}
2481 automatically ignores breakpoints on the first instruction to be executed
2482 when you continue execution without changing the execution address.
2483
2484 @table @code
2485 @item clear
2486 @kindex clear
2487 Delete any breakpoints at the next instruction to be executed in the
2488 selected stack frame (@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a frame}). When
2489 the innermost frame is selected, this is a good way to delete a
2490 breakpoint where your program just stopped.
2491
2492 @item clear @var{function}
2493 @itemx clear @var{filename}:@var{function}
2494 Delete any breakpoints set at entry to the function @var{function}.
2495
2496 @item clear @var{linenum}
2497 @itemx clear @var{filename}:@var{linenum}
2498 Delete any breakpoints set at or within the code of the specified line.
2499
2500 @cindex delete breakpoints
2501 @kindex delete
2502 @kindex d
2503 @item delete @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} @r{[}@var{bnums}@dots{}@r{]}
2504 Delete the breakpoints or watchpoints of the numbers specified as
2505 arguments. If no argument is specified, delete all breakpoints (@value{GDBN}
2506 asks confirmation, unless you have @code{set confirm off}). You
2507 can abbreviate this command as @code{d}.
2508 @end table
2509
2510 @node Disabling
2511 @subsection Disabling breakpoints
2512
2513 @kindex disable breakpoints
2514 @kindex enable breakpoints
2515 Rather than deleting a breakpoint or watchpoint, you might prefer to
2516 @dfn{disable} it. This makes the breakpoint inoperative as if it had
2517 been deleted, but remembers the information on the breakpoint so that
2518 you can @dfn{enable} it again later.
2519
2520 You disable and enable breakpoints and watchpoints with the
2521 @code{enable} and @code{disable} commands, optionally specifying one or
2522 more breakpoint numbers as arguments. Use @code{info break} or
2523 @code{info watch} to print a list of breakpoints or watchpoints if you
2524 do not know which numbers to use.
2525
2526 A breakpoint or watchpoint can have any of four different states of
2527 enablement:
2528
2529 @itemize @bullet
2530 @item
2531 Enabled. The breakpoint stops your program. A breakpoint set
2532 with the @code{break} command starts out in this state.
2533 @item
2534 Disabled. The breakpoint has no effect on your program.
2535 @item
2536 Enabled once. The breakpoint stops your program, but then becomes
2537 disabled. A breakpoint set with the @code{tbreak} command starts out in
2538 this state.
2539 @item
2540 Enabled for deletion. The breakpoint stops your program, but
2541 immediately after it does so it is deleted permanently.
2542 @end itemize
2543
2544 You can use the following commands to enable or disable breakpoints and
2545 watchpoints:
2546
2547 @table @code
2548 @kindex disable breakpoints
2549 @kindex disable
2550 @kindex dis
2551 @item disable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} @r{[}@var{bnums}@dots{}@r{]}
2552 Disable the specified breakpoints---or all breakpoints, if none are
2553 listed. A disabled breakpoint has no effect but is not forgotten. All
2554 options such as ignore-counts, conditions and commands are remembered in
2555 case the breakpoint is enabled again later. You may abbreviate
2556 @code{disable} as @code{dis}.
2557
2558 @kindex enable breakpoints
2559 @kindex enable
2560 @item enable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} @r{[}@var{bnums}@dots{}@r{]}
2561 Enable the specified breakpoints (or all defined breakpoints). They
2562 become effective once again in stopping your program.
2563
2564 @item enable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} once @var{bnums}@dots{}
2565 Enable the specified breakpoints temporarily. @value{GDBN} disables any
2566 of these breakpoints immediately after stopping your program.
2567
2568 @item enable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} delete @var{bnums}@dots{}
2569 Enable the specified breakpoints to work once, then die. @value{GDBN}
2570 deletes any of these breakpoints as soon as your program stops there.
2571 @end table
2572
2573 Except for a breakpoint set with @code{tbreak} (@pxref{Set Breaks,
2574 ,Setting breakpoints}), breakpoints that you set are initially enabled;
2575 subsequently, they become disabled or enabled only when you use one of
2576 the commands above. (The command @code{until} can set and delete a
2577 breakpoint of its own, but it does not change the state of your other
2578 breakpoints; see @ref{Continuing and Stepping, ,Continuing and
2579 stepping}.)
2580
2581 @node Conditions
2582 @subsection Break conditions
2583 @cindex conditional breakpoints
2584 @cindex breakpoint conditions
2585
2586 @c FIXME what is scope of break condition expr? Context where wanted?
2587 @c in particular for a watchpoint?
2588 The simplest sort of breakpoint breaks every time your program reaches a
2589 specified place. You can also specify a @dfn{condition} for a
2590 breakpoint. A condition is just a Boolean expression in your
2591 programming language (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}). A breakpoint with
2592 a condition evaluates the expression each time your program reaches it,
2593 and your program stops only if the condition is @emph{true}.
2594
2595 This is the converse of using assertions for program validation; in that
2596 situation, you want to stop when the assertion is violated---that is,
2597 when the condition is false. In C, if you want to test an assertion expressed
2598 by the condition @var{assert}, you should set the condition
2599 @samp{! @var{assert}} on the appropriate breakpoint.
2600
2601 Conditions are also accepted for watchpoints; you may not need them,
2602 since a watchpoint is inspecting the value of an expression anyhow---but
2603 it might be simpler, say, to just set a watchpoint on a variable name,
2604 and specify a condition that tests whether the new value is an interesting
2605 one.
2606
2607 Break conditions can have side effects, and may even call functions in
2608 your program. This can be useful, for example, to activate functions
2609 that log program progress, or to use your own print functions to
2610 format special data structures. The effects are completely predictable
2611 unless there is another enabled breakpoint at the same address. (In
2612 that case, @value{GDBN} might see the other breakpoint first and stop your
2613 program without checking the condition of this one.) Note that
2614 breakpoint commands are usually more convenient and flexible for the
2615 purpose of performing side effects when a breakpoint is reached
2616 (@pxref{Break Commands, ,Breakpoint command lists}).
2617
2618 Break conditions can be specified when a breakpoint is set, by using
2619 @samp{if} in the arguments to the @code{break} command. @xref{Set
2620 Breaks, ,Setting breakpoints}. They can also be changed at any time
2621 with the @code{condition} command. The @code{watch} command does not
2622 recognize the @code{if} keyword; @code{condition} is the only way to
2623 impose a further condition on a watchpoint.
2624
2625 @table @code
2626 @kindex condition
2627 @item condition @var{bnum} @var{expression}
2628 Specify @var{expression} as the break condition for breakpoint or
2629 watchpoint number @var{bnum}. After you set a condition, breakpoint
2630 @var{bnum} stops your program only if the value of @var{expression} is
2631 true (nonzero, in C). When you use @code{condition}, @value{GDBN}
2632 checks @var{expression} immediately for syntactic correctness, and to
2633 determine whether symbols in it have referents in the context of your
2634 breakpoint.
2635 @c FIXME so what does GDB do if there is no referent? Moreover, what
2636 @c about watchpoints?
2637 @value{GDBN} does
2638 not actually evaluate @var{expression} at the time the @code{condition}
2639 command is given, however. @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}.
2640
2641 @item condition @var{bnum}
2642 Remove the condition from breakpoint number @var{bnum}. It becomes
2643 an ordinary unconditional breakpoint.
2644 @end table
2645
2646 @cindex ignore count (of breakpoint)
2647 A special case of a breakpoint condition is to stop only when the
2648 breakpoint has been reached a certain number of times. This is so
2649 useful that there is a special way to do it, using the @dfn{ignore
2650 count} of the breakpoint. Every breakpoint has an ignore count, which
2651 is an integer. Most of the time, the ignore count is zero, and
2652 therefore has no effect. But if your program reaches a breakpoint whose
2653 ignore count is positive, then instead of stopping, it just decrements
2654 the ignore count by one and continues. As a result, if the ignore count
2655 value is @var{n}, the breakpoint does not stop the next @var{n} times
2656 your program reaches it.
2657
2658 @table @code
2659 @kindex ignore
2660 @item ignore @var{bnum} @var{count}
2661 Set the ignore count of breakpoint number @var{bnum} to @var{count}.
2662 The next @var{count} times the breakpoint is reached, your program's
2663 execution does not stop; other than to decrement the ignore count, @value{GDBN}
2664 takes no action.
2665
2666 To make the breakpoint stop the next time it is reached, specify
2667 a count of zero.
2668
2669 When you use @code{continue} to resume execution of your program from a
2670 breakpoint, you can specify an ignore count directly as an argument to
2671 @code{continue}, rather than using @code{ignore}. @xref{Continuing and
2672 Stepping,,Continuing and stepping}.
2673
2674 If a breakpoint has a positive ignore count and a condition, the
2675 condition is not checked. Once the ignore count reaches zero,
2676 @value{GDBN} resumes checking the condition.
2677
2678 You could achieve the effect of the ignore count with a condition such
2679 as @w{@samp{$foo-- <= 0}} using a debugger convenience variable that
2680 is decremented each time. @xref{Convenience Vars, ,Convenience
2681 variables}.
2682 @end table
2683
2684 @node Break Commands
2685 @subsection Breakpoint command lists
2686
2687 @cindex breakpoint commands
2688 You can give any breakpoint (or watchpoint) a series of commands to
2689 execute when your program stops due to that breakpoint. For example, you
2690 might want to print the values of certain expressions, or enable other
2691 breakpoints.
2692
2693 @table @code
2694 @kindex commands
2695 @kindex end
2696 @item commands @r{[}@var{bnum}@r{]}
2697 @itemx @dots{} @var{command-list} @dots{}
2698 @itemx end
2699 Specify a list of commands for breakpoint number @var{bnum}. The commands
2700 themselves appear on the following lines. Type a line containing just
2701 @code{end} to terminate the commands.
2702
2703 To remove all commands from a breakpoint, type @code{commands} and
2704 follow it immediately with @code{end}; that is, give no commands.
2705
2706 With no @var{bnum} argument, @code{commands} refers to the last
2707 breakpoint or watchpoint set (not to the breakpoint most recently
2708 encountered).
2709 @end table
2710
2711 Pressing @key{RET} as a means of repeating the last @value{GDBN} command is
2712 disabled within a @var{command-list}.
2713
2714 You can use breakpoint commands to start your program up again. Simply
2715 use the @code{continue} command, or @code{step}, or any other command
2716 that resumes execution.
2717
2718 Any other commands in the command list, after a command that resumes
2719 execution, are ignored. This is because any time you resume execution
2720 (even with a simple @code{next} or @code{step}), you may encounter
2721 another breakpoint---which could have its own command list, leading to
2722 ambiguities about which list to execute.
2723
2724 @kindex silent
2725 If the first command you specify in a command list is @code{silent}, the
2726 usual message about stopping at a breakpoint is not printed. This may
2727 be desirable for breakpoints that are to print a specific message and
2728 then continue. If none of the remaining commands print anything, you
2729 see no sign that the breakpoint was reached. @code{silent} is
2730 meaningful only at the beginning of a breakpoint command list.
2731
2732 The commands @code{echo}, @code{output}, and @code{printf} allow you to
2733 print precisely controlled output, and are often useful in silent
2734 breakpoints. @xref{Output, ,Commands for controlled output}.
2735
2736 For example, here is how you could use breakpoint commands to print the
2737 value of @code{x} at entry to @code{foo} whenever @code{x} is positive.
2738
2739 @example
2740 break foo if x>0
2741 commands
2742 silent
2743 printf "x is %d\n",x
2744 cont
2745 end
2746 @end example
2747
2748 One application for breakpoint commands is to compensate for one bug so
2749 you can test for another. Put a breakpoint just after the erroneous line
2750 of code, give it a condition to detect the case in which something
2751 erroneous has been done, and give it commands to assign correct values
2752 to any variables that need them. End with the @code{continue} command
2753 so that your program does not stop, and start with the @code{silent}
2754 command so that no output is produced. Here is an example:
2755
2756 @example
2757 break 403
2758 commands
2759 silent
2760 set x = y + 4
2761 cont
2762 end
2763 @end example
2764
2765 @ifclear CONLY
2766 @node Breakpoint Menus
2767 @subsection Breakpoint menus
2768 @cindex overloading
2769 @cindex symbol overloading
2770
2771 Some programming languages (notably C++) permit a single function name
2772 to be defined several times, for application in different contexts.
2773 This is called @dfn{overloading}. When a function name is overloaded,
2774 @samp{break @var{function}} is not enough to tell @value{GDBN} where you want
2775 a breakpoint. If you realize this is a problem, you can use
2776 something like @samp{break @var{function}(@var{types})} to specify which
2777 particular version of the function you want. Otherwise, @value{GDBN} offers
2778 you a menu of numbered choices for different possible breakpoints, and
2779 waits for your selection with the prompt @samp{>}. The first two
2780 options are always @samp{[0] cancel} and @samp{[1] all}. Typing @kbd{1}
2781 sets a breakpoint at each definition of @var{function}, and typing
2782 @kbd{0} aborts the @code{break} command without setting any new
2783 breakpoints.
2784
2785 For example, the following session excerpt shows an attempt to set a
2786 breakpoint at the overloaded symbol @code{String::after}.
2787 We choose three particular definitions of that function name:
2788
2789 @c FIXME! This is likely to change to show arg type lists, at least
2790 @smallexample
2791 (@value{GDBP}) b String::after
2792 [0] cancel
2793 [1] all
2794 [2] file:String.cc; line number:867
2795 [3] file:String.cc; line number:860
2796 [4] file:String.cc; line number:875
2797 [5] file:String.cc; line number:853
2798 [6] file:String.cc; line number:846
2799 [7] file:String.cc; line number:735
2800 > 2 4 6
2801 Breakpoint 1 at 0xb26c: file String.cc, line 867.
2802 Breakpoint 2 at 0xb344: file String.cc, line 875.
2803 Breakpoint 3 at 0xafcc: file String.cc, line 846.
2804 Multiple breakpoints were set.
2805 Use the "delete" command to delete unwanted
2806 breakpoints.
2807 (@value{GDBP})
2808 @end smallexample
2809 @end ifclear
2810
2811 @c @ifclear BARETARGET
2812 @c @node Error in Breakpoints
2813 @c @subsection ``Cannot insert breakpoints''
2814 @c
2815 @c FIXME!! 14/6/95 Is there a real example of this? Let's use it.
2816 @c
2817 @c Under some operating systems, breakpoints cannot be used in a program if
2818 @c any other process is running that program. In this situation,
2819 @c attempting to run or continue a program with a breakpoint causes
2820 @c @value{GDBN} to stop the other process.
2821 @c
2822 @c When this happens, you have three ways to proceed:
2823 @c
2824 @c @enumerate
2825 @c @item
2826 @c Remove or disable the breakpoints, then continue.
2827 @c
2828 @c @item
2829 @c Suspend @value{GDBN}, and copy the file containing your program to a new
2830 @c name. Resume @value{GDBN} and use the @code{exec-file} command to specify
2831 @c that @value{GDBN} should run your program under that name.
2832 @c Then start your program again.
2833 @c
2834 @c @item
2835 @c Relink your program so that the text segment is nonsharable, using the
2836 @c linker option @samp{-N}. The operating system limitation may not apply
2837 @c to nonsharable executables.
2838 @c @end enumerate
2839 @c @end ifclear
2840
2841 @node Continuing and Stepping
2842 @section Continuing and stepping
2843
2844 @cindex stepping
2845 @cindex continuing
2846 @cindex resuming execution
2847 @dfn{Continuing} means resuming program execution until your program
2848 completes normally. In contrast, @dfn{stepping} means executing just
2849 one more ``step'' of your program, where ``step'' may mean either one
2850 line of source code, or one machine instruction (depending on what
2851 particular command you use). Either when continuing
2852 or when stepping, your program may stop even sooner, due to
2853 @ifset BARETARGET
2854 a breakpoint.
2855 @end ifset
2856 @ifclear BARETARGET
2857 a breakpoint or a signal. (If due to a signal, you may want to use
2858 @code{handle}, or use @samp{signal 0} to resume execution.
2859 @xref{Signals, ,Signals}.)
2860 @end ifclear
2861
2862 @table @code
2863 @kindex continue
2864 @kindex c
2865 @kindex fg
2866 @item continue @r{[}@var{ignore-count}@r{]}
2867 @itemx c @r{[}@var{ignore-count}@r{]}
2868 @itemx fg @r{[}@var{ignore-count}@r{]}
2869 Resume program execution, at the address where your program last stopped;
2870 any breakpoints set at that address are bypassed. The optional argument
2871 @var{ignore-count} allows you to specify a further number of times to
2872 ignore a breakpoint at this location; its effect is like that of
2873 @code{ignore} (@pxref{Conditions, ,Break conditions}).
2874
2875 The argument @var{ignore-count} is meaningful only when your program
2876 stopped due to a breakpoint. At other times, the argument to
2877 @code{continue} is ignored.
2878
2879 The synonyms @code{c} and @code{fg} are provided purely for convenience,
2880 and have exactly the same behavior as @code{continue}.
2881 @end table
2882
2883 To resume execution at a different place, you can use @code{return}
2884 (@pxref{Returning, ,Returning from a function}) to go back to the
2885 calling function; or @code{jump} (@pxref{Jumping, ,Continuing at a
2886 different address}) to go to an arbitrary location in your program.
2887
2888 A typical technique for using stepping is to set a breakpoint
2889 @ifclear CONLY
2890 (@pxref{Breakpoints, ,Breakpoints; watchpoints; and exceptions})
2891 @end ifclear
2892 @ifset CONLY
2893 (@pxref{Breakpoints, ,Breakpoints and watchpoints})
2894 @end ifset
2895 at the
2896 beginning of the function or the section of your program where a
2897 problem is believed to lie, run your program until it stops at that
2898 breakpoint, and then step through the suspect area, examining the
2899 variables that are interesting, until you see the problem happen.
2900
2901 @table @code
2902 @kindex step
2903 @kindex s
2904 @item step
2905 Continue running your program until control reaches a different source
2906 line, then stop it and return control to @value{GDBN}. This command is
2907 abbreviated @code{s}.
2908
2909 @quotation
2910 @c "without debugging information" is imprecise; actually "without line
2911 @c numbers in the debugging information". (gcc -g1 has debugging info but
2912 @c not line numbers). But it seems complex to try to make that
2913 @c distinction here.
2914 @emph{Warning:} If you use the @code{step} command while control is
2915 within a function that was compiled without debugging information,
2916 execution proceeds until control reaches a function that does have
2917 debugging information. Likewise, it will not step into a function which
2918 is compiled without debugging information. To step through functions
2919 without debugging information, use the @code{stepi} command, described
2920 below.
2921 @end quotation
2922
2923 The @code{step} command now only stops at the first instruction of a
2924 source line. This prevents the multiple stops that used to occur in
2925 switch statements, for loops, etc. @code{step} continues to stop if a
2926 function that has debugging information is called within the line.
2927
2928 Also, the @code{step} command now only enters a subroutine if there is line
2929 number information for the subroutine. Otherwise it acts like the
2930 @code{next} command. This avoids problems when using @code{cc -gl}
2931 on MIPS machines. Previously, @code{step} entered subroutines if there
2932 was any debugging information about the routine.
2933
2934 @item step @var{count}
2935 Continue running as in @code{step}, but do so @var{count} times. If a
2936 breakpoint is reached,
2937 @ifclear BARETARGET
2938 or a signal not related to stepping occurs before @var{count} steps,
2939 @end ifclear
2940 stepping stops right away.
2941
2942 @kindex next
2943 @kindex n
2944 @item next @r{[}@var{count}@r{]}
2945 Continue to the next source line in the current (innermost) stack frame.
2946 This is similar to @code{step}, but function calls that appear within the line
2947 of code are executed without stopping. Execution stops when control
2948 reaches a different line of code at the original stack level that was
2949 executing when you gave the @code{next} command. This command is abbreviated
2950 @code{n}.
2951
2952 An argument @var{count} is a repeat count, as for @code{step}.
2953
2954
2955 @c FIX ME!! Do we delete this, or is there a way it fits in with
2956 @c the following paragraph? --- Vctoria
2957 @c
2958 @c @code{next} within a function that lacks debugging information acts like
2959 @c @code{step}, but any function calls appearing within the code of the
2960 @c function are executed without stopping.
2961
2962 The @code{next} command now only stops at the first instruction of a
2963 source line. This prevents the multiple stops that used to occur in
2964 swtch statements, for loops, etc.
2965
2966 @kindex finish
2967 @item finish
2968 Continue running until just after function in the selected stack frame
2969 returns. Print the returned value (if any).
2970
2971 Contrast this with the @code{return} command (@pxref{Returning,
2972 ,Returning from a function}).
2973
2974 @kindex until
2975 @itemx u
2976 @kindex u
2977 @item until
2978 Continue running until a source line past the current line, in the
2979 current stack frame, is reached. This command is used to avoid single
2980 stepping through a loop more than once. It is like the @code{next}
2981 command, except that when @code{until} encounters a jump, it
2982 automatically continues execution until the program counter is greater
2983 than the address of the jump.
2984
2985 This means that when you reach the end of a loop after single stepping
2986 though it, @code{until} makes your program continue execution until it
2987 exits the loop. In contrast, a @code{next} command at the end of a loop
2988 simply steps back to the beginning of the loop, which forces you to step
2989 through the next iteration.
2990
2991 @code{until} always stops your program if it attempts to exit the current
2992 stack frame.
2993
2994 @code{until} may produce somewhat counterintuitive results if the order
2995 of machine code does not match the order of the source lines. For
2996 example, in the following excerpt from a debugging session, the @code{f}
2997 (@code{frame}) command shows that execution is stopped at line
2998 @code{206}; yet when we use @code{until}, we get to line @code{195}:
2999
3000 @example
3001 (@value{GDBP}) f
3002 #0 main (argc=4, argv=0xf7fffae8) at m4.c:206
3003 206 expand_input();
3004 (@value{GDBP}) until
3005 195 for ( ; argc > 0; NEXTARG) @{
3006 @end example
3007
3008 This happened because, for execution efficiency, the compiler had
3009 generated code for the loop closure test at the end, rather than the
3010 start, of the loop---even though the test in a C @code{for}-loop is
3011 written before the body of the loop. The @code{until} command appeared
3012 to step back to the beginning of the loop when it advanced to this
3013 expression; however, it has not really gone to an earlier
3014 statement---not in terms of the actual machine code.
3015
3016 @code{until} with no argument works by means of single
3017 instruction stepping, and hence is slower than @code{until} with an
3018 argument.
3019
3020 @item until @var{location}
3021 @itemx u @var{location}
3022 Continue running your program until either the specified location is
3023 reached, or the current stack frame returns. @var{location} is any of
3024 the forms of argument acceptable to @code{break} (@pxref{Set Breaks,
3025 ,Setting breakpoints}). This form of the command uses breakpoints,
3026 and hence is quicker than @code{until} without an argument.
3027
3028 @kindex stepi
3029 @kindex si
3030 @item stepi
3031 @itemx si
3032 Execute one machine instruction, then stop and return to the debugger.
3033
3034 It is often useful to do @samp{display/i $pc} when stepping by machine
3035 instructions. This makes @value{GDBN} automatically display the next
3036 instruction to be executed, each time your program stops. @xref{Auto
3037 Display,, Automatic display}.
3038
3039 An argument is a repeat count, as in @code{step}.
3040
3041 @need 750
3042 @kindex nexti
3043 @kindex ni
3044 @item nexti
3045 @itemx ni
3046 Execute one machine instruction, but if it is a function call,
3047 proceed until the function returns.
3048
3049 An argument is a repeat count, as in @code{next}.
3050 @end table
3051
3052 @ifset POSIX
3053 @node Signals
3054 @section Signals
3055 @cindex signals
3056
3057 A signal is an asynchronous event that can happen in a program. The
3058 operating system defines the possible kinds of signals, and gives each
3059 kind a name and a number. For example, in Unix @code{SIGINT} is the
3060 signal a program gets when you type an interrupt (often @kbd{C-c});
3061 @code{SIGSEGV} is the signal a program gets from referencing a place in
3062 memory far away from all the areas in use; @code{SIGALRM} occurs when
3063 the alarm clock timer goes off (which happens only if your program has
3064 requested an alarm).
3065
3066 @cindex fatal signals
3067 Some signals, including @code{SIGALRM}, are a normal part of the
3068 functioning of your program. Others, such as @code{SIGSEGV}, indicate
3069 errors; these signals are @dfn{fatal} (kill your program immediately) if the
3070 program has not specified in advance some other way to handle the signal.
3071 @code{SIGINT} does not indicate an error in your program, but it is normally
3072 fatal so it can carry out the purpose of the interrupt: to kill the program.
3073
3074 @value{GDBN} has the ability to detect any occurrence of a signal in your
3075 program. You can tell @value{GDBN} in advance what to do for each kind of
3076 signal.
3077
3078 @cindex handling signals
3079 Normally, @value{GDBN} is set up to ignore non-erroneous signals like @code{SIGALRM}
3080 (so as not to interfere with their role in the functioning of your program)
3081 but to stop your program immediately whenever an error signal happens.
3082 You can change these settings with the @code{handle} command.
3083
3084 @table @code
3085 @kindex info signals
3086 @item info signals
3087 Print a table of all the kinds of signals and how @value{GDBN} has been told to
3088 handle each one. You can use this to see the signal numbers of all
3089 the defined types of signals.
3090
3091 @code{info handle} is the new alias for @code{info signals}.
3092
3093 @kindex handle
3094 @item handle @var{signal} @var{keywords}@dots{}
3095 Change the way @value{GDBN} handles signal @var{signal}. @var{signal} can
3096 be the number of a signal or its name (with or without the @samp{SIG} at the
3097 beginning). The @var{keywords} say what change to make.
3098 @end table
3099
3100 @c @group
3101 The keywords allowed by the @code{handle} command can be abbreviated.
3102 Their full names are:
3103
3104 @table @code
3105 @item nostop
3106 @value{GDBN} should not stop your program when this signal happens. It may
3107 still print a message telling you that the signal has come in.
3108
3109 @item stop
3110 @value{GDBN} should stop your program when this signal happens. This implies
3111 the @code{print} keyword as well.
3112
3113 @item print
3114 @value{GDBN} should print a message when this signal happens.
3115
3116 @item noprint
3117 @value{GDBN} should not mention the occurrence of the signal at all. This
3118 implies the @code{nostop} keyword as well.
3119
3120 @item pass
3121 @value{GDBN} should allow your program to see this signal; your program
3122 can handle the signal, or else it may terminate if the signal is fatal
3123 and not handled.
3124
3125 @item nopass
3126 @value{GDBN} should not allow your program to see this signal.
3127 @end table
3128 @c @end group
3129
3130 When a signal stops your program, the signal is not visible until you
3131 continue. Your program sees the signal then, if @code{pass} is in
3132 effect for the signal in question @emph{at that time}. In other words,
3133 after @value{GDBN} reports a signal, you can use the @code{handle}
3134 command with @code{pass} or @code{nopass} to control whether your
3135 program sees that signal when you continue.
3136
3137 You can also use the @code{signal} command to prevent your program from
3138 seeing a signal, or cause it to see a signal it normally would not see,
3139 or to give it any signal at any time. For example, if your program stopped
3140 due to some sort of memory reference error, you might store correct
3141 values into the erroneous variables and continue, hoping to see more
3142 execution; but your program would probably terminate immediately as
3143 a result of the fatal signal once it saw the signal. To prevent this,
3144 you can continue with @samp{signal 0}. @xref{Signaling, ,Giving your
3145 program a signal}.
3146 @end ifset
3147
3148 @ifclear BARETARGET
3149 @node Thread Stops
3150 @section Stopping and starting multi-thread programs
3151
3152 When your program has multiple threads (@pxref{Threads,, Debugging
3153 programs with multiple threads}), you can choose whether to set
3154 breakpoints on all threads, or on a particular thread.
3155
3156 @table @code
3157 @cindex breakpoints and threads
3158 @cindex thread breakpoints
3159 @kindex break @dots{} thread @var{threadno}
3160 @item break @var{linespec} thread @var{threadno}
3161 @itemx break @var{linespec} thread @var{threadno} if @dots{}
3162 @var{linespec} specifies source lines; there are several ways of
3163 writing them, but the effect is always to specify some source line.
3164
3165 Use the qualifier @samp{thread @var{threadno}} with a breakpoint command
3166 to specify that you only want @value{GDBN} to stop the program when a
3167 particular thread reaches this breakpoint. @var{threadno} is one of the
3168 numeric thread identifiers assigned by @value{GDBN}, shown in the first
3169 column of the @samp{info threads} display.
3170
3171 If you do not specify @samp{thread @var{threadno}} when you set a
3172 breakpoint, the breakpoint applies to @emph{all} threads of your
3173 program.
3174
3175 You can use the @code{thread} qualifier on conditional breakpoints as
3176 well; in this case, place @samp{thread @var{threadno}} before the
3177 breakpoint condition, like this:
3178
3179 @smallexample
3180 (gdb) break frik.c:13 thread 28 if bartab > lim
3181 @end smallexample
3182
3183 @end table
3184
3185 @cindex stopped threads
3186 @cindex threads, stopped
3187 Whenever your program stops under @value{GDBN} for any reason,
3188 @emph{all} threads of execution stop, not just the current thread. This
3189 allows you to examine the overall state of the program, including
3190 switching between threads, without worrying that things may change
3191 underfoot.
3192
3193 @cindex continuing threads
3194 @cindex threads, continuing
3195 Conversely, whenever you restart the program, @emph{all} threads start
3196 executing. @emph{This is true even when single-stepping} with commands
3197 like @code{step} or @code{next}.
3198
3199 In particular, @value{GDBN} cannot single-step all threads in lockstep.
3200 Since thread scheduling is up to your debugging target's operating
3201 system (not controlled by @value{GDBN}), other threads may
3202 execute more than one statement while the current thread completes a
3203 single step. Moreover, in general other threads stop in the middle of a
3204 statement, rather than at a clean statement boundary, when the program
3205 stops.
3206
3207 You might even find your program stopped in another thread after
3208 continuing or even single-stepping. This happens whenever some other
3209 thread runs into a breakpoint, a signal, or an exception before the
3210 first thread completes whatever you requested.
3211 @end ifclear
3212
3213 @node Stack
3214 @chapter Examining the Stack
3215
3216 When your program has stopped, the first thing you need to know is where it
3217 stopped and how it got there.
3218
3219 @cindex call stack
3220 Each time your program performs a function call, information about the call
3221 is generated.
3222 That information includes the location of the call in your program,
3223 the arguments of the call,
3224 and the local variables of the function being called.
3225 The information is saved in a block of data called a @dfn{stack frame}.
3226 The stack frames are allocated in a region of memory called the @dfn{call
3227 stack}.
3228
3229 When your program stops, the @value{GDBN} commands for examining the
3230 stack allow you to see all of this information.
3231
3232 @cindex selected frame
3233 One of the stack frames is @dfn{selected} by @value{GDBN} and many
3234 @value{GDBN} commands refer implicitly to the selected frame. In
3235 particular, whenever you ask @value{GDBN} for the value of a variable in
3236 your program, the value is found in the selected frame. There are
3237 special @value{GDBN} commands to select whichever frame you are
3238 interested in. @xref{Selection, ,Selecting a frame}.
3239
3240 When your program stops, @value{GDBN} automatically selects the
3241 currently executing frame and describes it briefly, similar to the
3242 @code{frame} command (@pxref{Frame Info, ,Information about a frame}).
3243
3244 @menu
3245 * Frames:: Stack frames
3246 * Backtrace:: Backtraces
3247 * Selection:: Selecting a frame
3248 * Frame Info:: Information on a frame
3249 @ifset MIPS
3250 * MIPS Stack:: MIPS machines and the function stack
3251 @end ifset
3252 @end menu
3253
3254 @node Frames
3255 @section Stack frames
3256
3257 @cindex frame
3258 @cindex stack frame
3259 The call stack is divided up into contiguous pieces called @dfn{stack
3260 frames}, or @dfn{frames} for short; each frame is the data associated
3261 with one call to one function. The frame contains the arguments given
3262 to the function, the function's local variables, and the address at
3263 which the function is executing.
3264
3265 @cindex initial frame
3266 @cindex outermost frame
3267 @cindex innermost frame
3268 When your program is started, the stack has only one frame, that of the
3269 function @code{main}. This is called the @dfn{initial} frame or the
3270 @dfn{outermost} frame. Each time a function is called, a new frame is
3271 made. Each time a function returns, the frame for that function invocation
3272 is eliminated. If a function is recursive, there can be many frames for
3273 the same function. The frame for the function in which execution is
3274 actually occurring is called the @dfn{innermost} frame. This is the most
3275 recently created of all the stack frames that still exist.
3276
3277 @cindex frame pointer
3278 Inside your program, stack frames are identified by their addresses. A
3279 stack frame consists of many bytes, each of which has its own address; each
3280 kind of computer has a convention for choosing one byte whose
3281 address serves as the address of the frame. Usually this address is kept
3282 in a register called the @dfn{frame pointer register} while execution is
3283 going on in that frame.
3284
3285 @cindex frame number
3286 @value{GDBN} assigns numbers to all existing stack frames, starting with
3287 zero for the innermost frame, one for the frame that called it,
3288 and so on upward. These numbers do not really exist in your program;
3289 they are assigned by @value{GDBN} to give you a way of designating stack
3290 frames in @value{GDBN} commands.
3291
3292 @c below produces an acceptable overful hbox. --mew 13aug1993
3293 @cindex frameless execution
3294 Some compilers provide a way to compile functions so that they operate
3295 without stack frames. (For example, the @code{@value{GCC}} option
3296 @samp{-fomit-frame-pointer} generates functions without a frame.)
3297 This is occasionally done with heavily used library functions to save
3298 the frame setup time. @value{GDBN} has limited facilities for dealing
3299 with these function invocations. If the innermost function invocation
3300 has no stack frame, @value{GDBN} nevertheless regards it as though
3301 it had a separate frame, which is numbered zero as usual, allowing
3302 correct tracing of the function call chain. However, @value{GDBN} has
3303 no provision for frameless functions elsewhere in the stack.
3304
3305 @table @code
3306 @kindex frame
3307 @item frame @var{args}
3308 The @code{frame} command allows you to move from one stack frame to another,
3309 and to print the stack frame you select. @var{args} may be either the
3310 address of the frame of the stack frame number. Without an argument,
3311 @code{frame} prints the current stack frame.
3312
3313 @kindex select-frame
3314 @item select-frame
3315 The @code{select-frame} command allows you to move from one stack frame
3316 to another without printing the frame. This is the silent version of
3317 @code{frame}.
3318 @end table
3319
3320 @node Backtrace
3321 @section Backtraces
3322
3323 A backtrace is a summary of how your program got where it is. It shows one
3324 line per frame, for many frames, starting with the currently executing
3325 frame (frame zero), followed by its caller (frame one), and on up the
3326 stack.
3327
3328 @table @code
3329 @kindex backtrace
3330 @kindex bt
3331 @item backtrace
3332 @itemx bt
3333 Print a backtrace of the entire stack: one line per frame for all
3334 frames in the stack.
3335
3336 You can stop the backtrace at any time by typing the system interrupt
3337 character, normally @kbd{C-c}.
3338
3339 @item backtrace @var{n}
3340 @itemx bt @var{n}
3341 Similar, but print only the innermost @var{n} frames.
3342
3343 @item backtrace -@var{n}
3344 @itemx bt -@var{n}
3345 Similar, but print only the outermost @var{n} frames.
3346 @end table
3347
3348 @kindex where
3349 @kindex info stack
3350 @kindex info s
3351 The names @code{where} and @code{info stack} (abbreviated @code{info s})
3352 are additional aliases for @code{backtrace}.
3353
3354 Each line in the backtrace shows the frame number and the function name.
3355 The program counter value is also shown---unless you use @code{set
3356 print address off}. The backtrace also shows the source file name and
3357 line number, as well as the arguments to the function. The program
3358 counter value is omitted if it is at the beginning of the code for that
3359 line number.
3360
3361 Here is an example of a backtrace. It was made with the command
3362 @samp{bt 3}, so it shows the innermost three frames.
3363
3364 @smallexample
3365 @group
3366 #0 m4_traceon (obs=0x24eb0, argc=1, argv=0x2b8c8)
3367 at builtin.c:993
3368 #1 0x6e38 in expand_macro (sym=0x2b600) at macro.c:242
3369 #2 0x6840 in expand_token (obs=0x0, t=177664, td=0xf7fffb08)
3370 at macro.c:71
3371 (More stack frames follow...)
3372 @end group
3373 @end smallexample
3374
3375 @noindent
3376 The display for frame zero does not begin with a program counter
3377 value, indicating that your program has stopped at the beginning of the
3378 code for line @code{993} of @code{builtin.c}.
3379
3380 @node Selection
3381 @section Selecting a frame
3382
3383 Most commands for examining the stack and other data in your program work on
3384 whichever stack frame is selected at the moment. Here are the commands for
3385 selecting a stack frame; all of them finish by printing a brief description
3386 of the stack frame just selected.
3387
3388 @table @code
3389 @kindex frame
3390 @kindex f
3391 @item frame @var{n}
3392 @itemx f @var{n}
3393 Select frame number @var{n}. Recall that frame zero is the innermost
3394 (currently executing) frame, frame one is the frame that called the
3395 innermost one, and so on. The highest-numbered frame is the one for
3396 @code{main}.
3397
3398 @item frame @var{addr}
3399 @itemx f @var{addr}
3400 Select the frame at address @var{addr}. This is useful mainly if the
3401 chaining of stack frames has been damaged by a bug, making it
3402 impossible for @value{GDBN} to assign numbers properly to all frames. In
3403 addition, this can be useful when your program has multiple stacks and
3404 switches between them.
3405
3406 @ifclear H8EXCLUSIVE
3407 On the SPARC architecture, @code{frame} needs two addresses to
3408 select an arbitrary frame: a frame pointer and a stack pointer.
3409
3410 On the MIPS and Alpha architecture, it needs two addresses: a stack
3411 pointer and a program counter.
3412
3413 On the 29k architecture, it needs three addresses: a register stack
3414 pointer, a program counter, and a memory stack pointer.
3415 @c note to future updaters: this is conditioned on a flag
3416 @c SETUP_ARBITRARY_FRAME in the tm-*.h files. The above is up to date
3417 @c as of 27 Jan 1994.
3418 @end ifclear
3419
3420 @kindex up
3421 @item up @var{n}
3422 Move @var{n} frames up the stack. For positive numbers @var{n}, this
3423 advances toward the outermost frame, to higher frame numbers, to frames
3424 that have existed longer. @var{n} defaults to one.
3425
3426 @kindex down
3427 @kindex do
3428 @item down @var{n}
3429 Move @var{n} frames down the stack. For positive numbers @var{n}, this
3430 advances toward the innermost frame, to lower frame numbers, to frames
3431 that were created more recently. @var{n} defaults to one. You may
3432 abbreviate @code{down} as @code{do}.
3433 @end table
3434
3435 All of these commands end by printing two lines of output describing the
3436 frame. The first line shows the frame number, the function name, the
3437 arguments, and the source file and line number of execution in that
3438 frame. The second line shows the text of that source line.
3439
3440 @need 1000
3441 For example:
3442
3443 @smallexample
3444 @group
3445 (@value{GDBP}) up
3446 #1 0x22f0 in main (argc=1, argv=0xf7fffbf4, env=0xf7fffbfc)
3447 at env.c:10
3448 10 read_input_file (argv[i]);
3449 @end group
3450 @end smallexample
3451
3452 After such a printout, the @code{list} command with no arguments
3453 prints ten lines centered on the point of execution in the frame.
3454 @xref{List, ,Printing source lines}.
3455
3456 @table @code
3457 @kindex down-silently
3458 @kindex up-silently
3459 @item up-silently @var{n}
3460 @itemx down-silently @var{n}
3461 These two commands are variants of @code{up} and @code{down},
3462 respectively; they differ in that they do their work silently, without
3463 causing display of the new frame. They are intended primarily for use
3464 in @value{GDBN} command scripts, where the output might be unnecessary and
3465 distracting.
3466 @end table
3467
3468 @node Frame Info
3469 @section Information about a frame
3470
3471 There are several other commands to print information about the selected
3472 stack frame.
3473
3474 @table @code
3475 @item frame
3476 @itemx f
3477 When used without any argument, this command does not change which
3478 frame is selected, but prints a brief description of the currently
3479 selected stack frame. It can be abbreviated @code{f}. With an
3480 argument, this command is used to select a stack frame.
3481 @xref{Selection, ,Selecting a frame}.
3482
3483 @kindex info frame
3484 @kindex info f
3485 @item info frame
3486 @itemx info f
3487 This command prints a verbose description of the selected stack frame,
3488 including:
3489
3490 @itemize
3491 @item
3492 the address of the frame
3493 @item
3494 the address of the next frame down (called by this frame)
3495 @item
3496 the address of the next frame up (caller of this frame)
3497 @item
3498 the language in which the source code corresponding to this frame is written
3499 @item
3500 the address of the frame's arguments
3501 @item
3502 the program counter saved in it (the address of execution in the caller frame)
3503 @item
3504 which registers were saved in the frame
3505 @end itemize
3506
3507 @noindent The verbose description is useful when
3508 something has gone wrong that has made the stack format fail to fit
3509 the usual conventions.
3510
3511 @item info frame @var{addr}
3512 @itemx info f @var{addr}
3513 Print a verbose description of the frame at address @var{addr}, without
3514 selecting that frame. The selected frame remains unchanged by this
3515 command. This requires the same kind of address (more than one for some
3516 architectures) that you specify in the @code{frame} command.
3517 @xref{Selection, ,Selecting a frame}.
3518
3519 @kindex info args
3520 @item info args
3521 Print the arguments of the selected frame, each on a separate line.
3522
3523 @item info locals
3524 @kindex info locals
3525 Print the local variables of the selected frame, each on a separate
3526 line. These are all variables (declared either static or automatic)
3527 accessible at the point of execution of the selected frame.
3528
3529 @ifclear CONLY
3530 @kindex info catch
3531 @cindex catch exceptions
3532 @cindex exception handlers
3533 @item info catch
3534 Print a list of all the exception handlers that are active in the
3535 current stack frame at the current point of execution. To see other
3536 exception handlers, visit the associated frame (using the @code{up},
3537 @code{down}, or @code{frame} commands); then type @code{info catch}.
3538 @xref{Exception Handling, ,Breakpoints and exceptions}.
3539 @end ifclear
3540 @end table
3541
3542 @ifset MIPS
3543 @node MIPS Stack
3544 @section MIPS machines and the function stack
3545
3546 @cindex stack on MIPS
3547 @cindex MIPS stack
3548 MIPS based computers use an unusual stack frame, which sometimes
3549 requires @value{GDBN} to search backward in the object code to find the
3550 beginning of a function.
3551
3552 @cindex response time, MIPS debugging
3553 To improve response time (especially for embedded applications, where
3554 @value{GDBN} may be restricted to a slow serial line for this search)
3555 you may want to limit the size of this search, using one of these
3556 commands:
3557
3558 @table @code
3559 @cindex @code{heuristic-fence-post} (MIPS)
3560 @item set heuristic-fence-post @var{limit}
3561 Restrict @value{GDBN} to examining at most @var{limit} bytes in its search
3562 for the beginning of a function. A value of @var{0} (the default)
3563 means there is no limit. However, except for @var{0}, the larger the
3564 limit the more bytes @code{heuristic-fence-post} must search and
3565 therefore the longer it takes to run.
3566
3567 @item show heuristic-fence-post
3568 Display the current limit.
3569 @end table
3570
3571 @noindent
3572 These commands are available @emph{only} when @value{GDBN} is configured
3573 for debugging programs on MIPS processors.
3574 @end ifset
3575
3576 @node Source
3577 @chapter Examining Source Files
3578
3579 @value{GDBN} can print parts of your program's source, since the debugging
3580 information recorded in the program tells @value{GDBN} what source files were
3581 used to build it. When your program stops, @value{GDBN} spontaneously prints
3582 the line where it stopped. Likewise, when you select a stack frame
3583 (@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a frame}), @value{GDBN} prints the line where
3584 execution in that frame has stopped. You can print other portions of
3585 source files by explicit command.
3586
3587 @ifclear DOSHOST
3588 If you use @value{GDBN} through its @sc{gnu} Emacs interface, you may prefer
3589 to use
3590 Emacs facilities to view source; @pxref{Emacs, ,Using @value{GDBN} under @sc{gnu} Emacs}.
3591 @end ifclear
3592
3593 @menu
3594 * List:: Printing source lines
3595 @ifclear DOSHOST
3596 * Search:: Searching source files
3597 @end ifclear
3598
3599 * Source Path:: Specifying source directories
3600 * Machine Code:: Source and machine code
3601 @end menu
3602
3603 @node List
3604 @section Printing source lines
3605
3606 @kindex list
3607 @kindex l
3608 To print lines from a source file, use the @code{list} command
3609 (abbreviated @code{l}). By default, ten lines are printed.
3610 There are several ways to specify what part of the file you want to print.
3611
3612 Here are the forms of the @code{list} command most commonly used:
3613
3614 @table @code
3615 @item list @var{linenum}
3616 Print lines centered around line number @var{linenum} in the
3617 current source file.
3618
3619 @item list @var{function}
3620 Print lines centered around the beginning of function
3621 @var{function}.
3622
3623 @item list
3624 Print more lines. If the last lines printed were printed with a
3625 @code{list} command, this prints lines following the last lines
3626 printed; however, if the last line printed was a solitary line printed
3627 as part of displaying a stack frame (@pxref{Stack, ,Examining the
3628 Stack}), this prints lines centered around that line.
3629
3630 @item list -
3631 Print lines just before the lines last printed.
3632 @end table
3633
3634 By default, @value{GDBN} prints ten source lines with any of these forms of
3635 the @code{list} command. You can change this using @code{set listsize}:
3636
3637 @table @code
3638 @kindex set listsize
3639 @item set listsize @var{count}
3640 Make the @code{list} command display @var{count} source lines (unless
3641 the @code{list} argument explicitly specifies some other number).
3642
3643 @kindex show listsize
3644 @item show listsize
3645 Display the number of lines that @code{list} prints.
3646 @end table
3647
3648 Repeating a @code{list} command with @key{RET} discards the argument,
3649 so it is equivalent to typing just @code{list}. This is more useful
3650 than listing the same lines again. An exception is made for an
3651 argument of @samp{-}; that argument is preserved in repetition so that
3652 each repetition moves up in the source file.
3653
3654 @cindex linespec
3655 In general, the @code{list} command expects you to supply zero, one or two
3656 @dfn{linespecs}. Linespecs specify source lines; there are several ways
3657 of writing them but the effect is always to specify some source line.
3658 Here is a complete description of the possible arguments for @code{list}:
3659
3660 @table @code
3661 @item list @var{linespec}
3662 Print lines centered around the line specified by @var{linespec}.
3663
3664 @item list @var{first},@var{last}
3665 Print lines from @var{first} to @var{last}. Both arguments are
3666 linespecs.
3667
3668 @item list ,@var{last}
3669 Print lines ending with @var{last}.
3670
3671 @item list @var{first},
3672 Print lines starting with @var{first}.
3673
3674 @item list +
3675 Print lines just after the lines last printed.
3676
3677 @item list -
3678 Print lines just before the lines last printed.
3679
3680 @item list
3681 As described in the preceding table.
3682 @end table
3683
3684 Here are the ways of specifying a single source line---all the
3685 kinds of linespec.
3686
3687 @table @code
3688 @item @var{number}
3689 Specifies line @var{number} of the current source file.
3690 When a @code{list} command has two linespecs, this refers to
3691 the same source file as the first linespec.
3692
3693 @item +@var{offset}
3694 Specifies the line @var{offset} lines after the last line printed.
3695 When used as the second linespec in a @code{list} command that has
3696 two, this specifies the line @var{offset} lines down from the
3697 first linespec.
3698
3699 @item -@var{offset}
3700 Specifies the line @var{offset} lines before the last line printed.
3701
3702 @item @var{filename}:@var{number}
3703 Specifies line @var{number} in the source file @var{filename}.
3704
3705 @item @var{function}
3706 Specifies the line that begins the body of the function @var{function}.
3707 For example: in C, this is the line with the open brace.
3708
3709 @item @var{filename}:@var{function}
3710 Specifies the line of the open-brace that begins the body of the
3711 function @var{function} in the file @var{filename}. You only need the
3712 file name with a function name to avoid ambiguity when there are
3713 identically named functions in different source files.
3714
3715 @item *@var{address}
3716 Specifies the line containing the program address @var{address}.
3717 @var{address} may be any expression.
3718 @end table
3719
3720 @ifclear DOSHOST
3721 @node Search
3722 @section Searching source files
3723 @cindex searching
3724 @kindex reverse-search
3725
3726 There are two commands for searching through the current source file for a
3727 regular expression.
3728
3729 @table @code
3730 @kindex search
3731 @kindex forward-search
3732 @item forward-search @var{regexp}
3733 @itemx search @var{regexp}
3734 The command @samp{forward-search @var{regexp}} checks each line,
3735 starting with the one following the last line listed, for a match for
3736 @var{regexp}. It lists the line that is found. You can use the
3737 synonym @samp{search @var{regexp}} or abbreviate the command name as
3738 @code{fo}.
3739
3740 @item reverse-search @var{regexp}
3741 The command @samp{reverse-search @var{regexp}} checks each line, starting
3742 with the one before the last line listed and going backward, for a match
3743 for @var{regexp}. It lists the line that is found. You can abbreviate
3744 this command as @code{rev}.
3745 @end table
3746 @end ifclear
3747
3748 @node Source Path
3749 @section Specifying source directories
3750
3751 @cindex source path
3752 @cindex directories for source files
3753 Executable programs sometimes do not record the directories of the source
3754 files from which they were compiled, just the names. Even when they do,
3755 the directories could be moved between the compilation and your debugging
3756 session. @value{GDBN} has a list of directories to search for source files;
3757 this is called the @dfn{source path}. Each time @value{GDBN} wants a source file,
3758 it tries all the directories in the list, in the order they are present
3759 in the list, until it finds a file with the desired name. Note that
3760 the executable search path is @emph{not} used for this purpose. Neither is
3761 the current working directory, unless it happens to be in the source
3762 path.
3763
3764 If @value{GDBN} cannot find a source file in the source path, and the
3765 object program records a directory, @value{GDBN} tries that directory
3766 too. If the source path is empty, and there is no record of the
3767 compilation directory, @value{GDBN} looks in the current directory as a
3768 last resort.
3769
3770 Whenever you reset or rearrange the source path, @value{GDBN} clears out
3771 any information it has cached about where source files are found and where
3772 each line is in the file.
3773
3774 @kindex directory
3775 @kindex dir
3776 When you start @value{GDBN}, its source path is empty.
3777 To add other directories, use the @code{directory} command.
3778
3779 @table @code
3780 @item directory @var{dirname} @dots{}
3781 @item dir @var{dirname} @dots{}
3782 Add directory @var{dirname} to the front of the source path. Several
3783 directory names may be given to this command, separated by @samp{:} or
3784 whitespace. You may specify a directory that is already in the source
3785 path; this moves it forward, so @value{GDBN} searches it sooner.
3786
3787 @kindex cdir
3788 @kindex cwd
3789 @kindex $cdir
3790 @kindex $cwd
3791 @cindex compilation directory
3792 @cindex current directory
3793 @cindex working directory
3794 @cindex directory, current
3795 @cindex directory, compilation
3796 You can use the string @samp{$cdir} to refer to the compilation
3797 directory (if one is recorded), and @samp{$cwd} to refer to the current
3798 working directory. @samp{$cwd} is not the same as @samp{.}---the former
3799 tracks the current working directory as it changes during your @value{GDBN}
3800 session, while the latter is immediately expanded to the current
3801 directory at the time you add an entry to the source path.
3802
3803 @item directory
3804 Reset the source path to empty again. This requires confirmation.
3805
3806 @c RET-repeat for @code{directory} is explicitly disabled, but since
3807 @c repeating it would be a no-op we do not say that. (thanks to RMS)
3808
3809 @item show directories
3810 @kindex show directories
3811 Print the source path: show which directories it contains.
3812 @end table
3813
3814 If your source path is cluttered with directories that are no longer of
3815 interest, @value{GDBN} may sometimes cause confusion by finding the wrong
3816 versions of source. You can correct the situation as follows:
3817
3818 @enumerate
3819 @item
3820 Use @code{directory} with no argument to reset the source path to empty.
3821
3822 @item
3823 Use @code{directory} with suitable arguments to reinstall the
3824 directories you want in the source path. You can add all the
3825 directories in one command.
3826 @end enumerate
3827
3828 @node Machine Code
3829 @section Source and machine code
3830
3831 You can use the command @code{info line} to map source lines to program
3832 addresses (and vice versa), and the command @code{disassemble} to display
3833 a range of addresses as machine instructions. When run under @sc{gnu} Emacs
3834 mode, the @code{info line} command now causes the arrow to point to the
3835 line specified. Also, @code{info line} prints addresses in symbolic form as
3836 well as hex.
3837
3838 @table @code
3839 @kindex info line
3840 @item info line @var{linespec}
3841 Print the starting and ending addresses of the compiled code for
3842 source line @var{linespec}. You can specify source lines in any of
3843 the ways understood by the @code{list} command (@pxref{List, ,Printing
3844 source lines}).
3845 @end table
3846
3847 For example, we can use @code{info line} to discover the location of
3848 the object code for the first line of function
3849 @code{m4_changequote}:
3850
3851 @smallexample
3852 (@value{GDBP}) info line m4_changecom
3853 Line 895 of "builtin.c" starts at pc 0x634c and ends at 0x6350.
3854 @end smallexample
3855
3856 @noindent
3857 We can also inquire (using @code{*@var{addr}} as the form for
3858 @var{linespec}) what source line covers a particular address:
3859 @smallexample
3860 (@value{GDBP}) info line *0x63ff
3861 Line 926 of "builtin.c" starts at pc 0x63e4 and ends at 0x6404.
3862 @end smallexample
3863
3864 @cindex @code{$_} and @code{info line}
3865 After @code{info line}, the default address for the @code{x} command
3866 is changed to the starting address of the line, so that @samp{x/i} is
3867 sufficient to begin examining the machine code (@pxref{Memory,
3868 ,Examining memory}). Also, this address is saved as the value of the
3869 convenience variable @code{$_} (@pxref{Convenience Vars, ,Convenience
3870 variables}).
3871
3872 @table @code
3873 @kindex disassemble
3874 @cindex assembly instructions
3875 @cindex instructions, assembly
3876 @cindex machine instructions
3877 @cindex listing machine instructions
3878 @item disassemble
3879 This specialized command dumps a range of memory as machine
3880 instructions. The default memory range is the function surrounding the
3881 program counter of the selected frame. A single argument to this
3882 command is a program counter value; @value{GDBN} dumps the function
3883 surrounding this value. Two arguments specify a range of addresses
3884 (first inclusive, second exclusive) to dump.
3885 @end table
3886
3887 @ifclear H8EXCLUSIVE
3888 We can use @code{disassemble} to inspect the object code
3889 range shown in the last @code{info line} example (the example
3890 shows SPARC machine instructions):
3891
3892
3893 @smallexample
3894 (@value{GDBP}) disas 0x63e4 0x6404
3895 Dump of assembler code from 0x63e4 to 0x6404:
3896 0x63e4 <builtin_init+5340>: ble 0x63f8 <builtin_init+5360>
3897 0x63e8 <builtin_init+5344>: sethi %hi(0x4c00), %o0
3898 0x63ec <builtin_init+5348>: ld [%i1+4], %o0
3899 0x63f0 <builtin_init+5352>: b 0x63fc <builtin_init+5364>
3900 0x63f4 <builtin_init+5356>: ld [%o0+4], %o0
3901 0x63f8 <builtin_init+5360>: or %o0, 0x1a4, %o0
3902 0x63fc <builtin_init+5364>: call 0x9288 <path_search>
3903 0x6400 <builtin_init+5368>: nop
3904 End of assembler dump.
3905 @end smallexample
3906 @end ifclear
3907
3908 @ifset H8EXCLUSIVE
3909 For example, here is the beginning of the output for the
3910 disassembly of a function @code{fact}:
3911
3912
3913 @smallexample
3914 (@value{GDBP}) disas fact
3915 Dump of assembler code for function fact:
3916 to 0x808c:
3917 0x802c <fact>: 6d f2 mov.w r2,@@-r7
3918 0x802e <fact+2>: 6d f3 mov.w r3,@@-r7
3919 0x8030 <fact+4>: 6d f6 mov.w r6,@@-r7
3920 0x8032 <fact+6>: 0d 76 mov.w r7,r6
3921 0x8034 <fact+8>: 6f 70 00 08 mov.w @@(0x8,r7),r0
3922 0x8038 <fact+12> 19 11 sub.w r1,r1
3923 .
3924 .
3925 .
3926 @end smallexample
3927 @end ifset
3928
3929 @node Data
3930 @chapter Examining Data
3931
3932 @cindex printing data
3933 @cindex examining data
3934 @kindex print
3935 @kindex inspect
3936 @c "inspect" is not quite a synonym if you are using Epoch, which we do not
3937 @c document because it is nonstandard... Under Epoch it displays in a
3938 @c different window or something like that.
3939 The usual way to examine data in your program is with the @code{print}
3940 command (abbreviated @code{p}), or its synonym @code{inspect}.
3941 @ifclear CONLY
3942 It evaluates and prints the value of an expression of the language your
3943 program is written in (@pxref{Languages, ,Using @value{GDBN} with Different
3944 Languages}).
3945 @end ifclear
3946
3947 @table @code
3948 @item print @var{exp}
3949 @itemx print /@var{f} @var{exp}
3950 @var{exp} is an expression (in the source language). By default the
3951 value of @var{exp} is printed in a format appropriate to its data type;
3952 you can choose a different format by specifying @samp{/@var{f}}, where
3953 @var{f} is a letter specifying the format; @pxref{Output Formats,,Output
3954 formats}.
3955
3956 @item print
3957 @itemx print /@var{f}
3958 If you omit @var{exp}, @value{GDBN} displays the last value again (from the
3959 @dfn{value history}; @pxref{Value History, ,Value history}). This allows you to
3960 conveniently inspect the same value in an alternative format.
3961 @end table
3962
3963 A more low-level way of examining data is with the @code{x} command.
3964 It examines data in memory at a specified address and prints it in a
3965 specified format. @xref{Memory, ,Examining memory}.
3966
3967 If you are interested in information about types, or about how the fields
3968 of a struct
3969 @ifclear CONLY
3970 or class
3971 @end ifclear
3972 are declared, use the @code{ptype @var{exp}}
3973 command rather than @code{print}. @xref{Symbols, ,Examining the Symbol Table}.
3974
3975 @menu
3976 * Expressions:: Expressions
3977 * Variables:: Program variables
3978 * Arrays:: Artificial arrays
3979 * Output Formats:: Output formats
3980 * Memory:: Examining memory
3981 * Auto Display:: Automatic display
3982 * Print Settings:: Print settings
3983 * Value History:: Value history
3984 * Convenience Vars:: Convenience variables
3985 * Registers:: Registers
3986 @ifclear HAVE-FLOAT
3987 * Floating Point Hardware:: Floating point hardware
3988 @end ifclear
3989 @end menu
3990
3991 @node Expressions
3992 @section Expressions
3993
3994 @cindex expressions
3995 @code{print} and many other @value{GDBN} commands accept an expression and
3996 compute its value. Any kind of constant, variable or operator defined
3997 by the programming language you are using is valid in an expression in
3998 @value{GDBN}. This includes conditional expressions, function calls, casts
3999 and string constants. It unfortunately does not include symbols defined
4000 by preprocessor @code{#define} commands.
4001
4002 @value{GDBN} now supports array constants in expressions input by
4003 the user. The syntax is @var{element, element@dots{}}. For example,
4004 you can now use the command @code{print @{1 2 3@}} to build up an array in
4005 memory that is malloc'd in the target program.
4006
4007 @ifclear CONLY
4008 Because C is so widespread, most of the expressions shown in examples in
4009 this manual are in C. @xref{Languages, , Using @value{GDBN} with Different
4010 Languages}, for information on how to use expressions in other
4011 languages.
4012
4013 In this section, we discuss operators that you can use in @value{GDBN}
4014 expressions regardless of your programming language.
4015
4016 Casts are supported in all languages, not just in C, because it is so
4017 useful to cast a number into a pointer in order to examine a structure
4018 at that address in memory.
4019 @c FIXME: casts supported---Mod2 true?
4020 @end ifclear
4021
4022 @value{GDBN} supports these operators, in addition to those common
4023 to programming languages:
4024
4025 @table @code
4026 @item @@
4027 @samp{@@} is a binary operator for treating parts of memory as arrays.
4028 @xref{Arrays, ,Artificial arrays}, for more information.
4029
4030 @item ::
4031 @samp{::} allows you to specify a variable in terms of the file or
4032 function where it is defined. @xref{Variables, ,Program variables}.
4033
4034 @cindex @{@var{type}@}
4035 @cindex type casting memory
4036 @cindex memory, viewing as typed object
4037 @cindex casts, to view memory
4038 @item @{@var{type}@} @var{addr}
4039 Refers to an object of type @var{type} stored at address @var{addr} in
4040 memory. @var{addr} may be any expression whose value is an integer or
4041 pointer (but parentheses are required around binary operators, just as in
4042 a cast). This construct is allowed regardless of what kind of data is
4043 normally supposed to reside at @var{addr}.
4044 @end table
4045
4046 @node Variables
4047 @section Program variables
4048
4049 The most common kind of expression to use is the name of a variable
4050 in your program.
4051
4052 Variables in expressions are understood in the selected stack frame
4053 (@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a frame}); they must be either:
4054
4055 @itemize
4056 @item
4057 global (or static)
4058 @end itemize
4059
4060 @noindent or
4061
4062 @itemize
4063 @item
4064 visible according to the scope rules of the
4065 programming language from the point of execution in that frame
4066 @end itemize
4067
4068 @noindent This means that in the function
4069
4070 @example
4071 foo (a)
4072 int a;
4073 @{
4074 bar (a);
4075 @{
4076 int b = test ();
4077 bar (b);
4078 @}
4079 @}
4080 @end example
4081
4082 @noindent
4083 you can examine and use the variable @code{a} whenever your program is
4084 executing within the function @code{foo}, but you can only use or
4085 examine the variable @code{b} while your program is executing inside
4086 the block where @code{b} is declared.
4087
4088 @cindex variable name conflict
4089 There is an exception: you can refer to a variable or function whose
4090 scope is a single source file even if the current execution point is not
4091 in this file. But it is possible to have more than one such variable or
4092 function with the same name (in different source files). If that
4093 happens, referring to that name has unpredictable effects. If you wish,
4094 you can specify a static variable in a particular function or file,
4095 using the colon-colon notation:
4096
4097 @cindex colon-colon
4098 @iftex
4099 @c info cannot cope with a :: index entry, but why deprive hard copy readers?
4100 @kindex ::
4101 @end iftex
4102 @example
4103 @var{file}::@var{variable}
4104 @var{function}::@var{variable}
4105 @end example
4106
4107 @noindent
4108 Here @var{file} or @var{function} is the name of the context for the
4109 static @var{variable}. In the case of file names, you can use quotes to
4110 make sure @value{GDBN} parses the file name as a single word---for example,
4111 to print a global value of @code{x} defined in @file{f2.c}:
4112
4113 @example
4114 (@value{GDBP}) p 'f2.c'::x
4115 @end example
4116
4117 @ifclear CONLY
4118 @cindex C++ scope resolution
4119 This use of @samp{::} is very rarely in conflict with the very similar
4120 use of the same notation in C++. @value{GDBN} also supports use of the C++
4121 scope resolution operator in @value{GDBN} expressions.
4122 @c FIXME: Um, so what happens in one of those rare cases where it's in
4123 @c conflict?? --mew
4124 @end ifclear
4125
4126 @cindex wrong values
4127 @cindex variable values, wrong
4128 @quotation
4129 @emph{Warning:} Occasionally, a local variable may appear to have the
4130 wrong value at certain points in a function---just after entry to a new
4131 scope, and just before exit.
4132 @end quotation
4133 You may see this problem when you are stepping by machine instructions.
4134 This is because, on most machines, it takes more than one instruction to
4135 set up a stack frame (including local variable definitions); if you are
4136 stepping by machine instructions, variables may appear to have the wrong
4137 values until the stack frame is completely built. On exit, it usually
4138 also takes more than one machine instruction to destroy a stack frame;
4139 after you begin stepping through that group of instructions, local
4140 variable definitions may be gone.
4141
4142 @node Arrays
4143 @section Artificial arrays
4144
4145 @cindex artificial array
4146 @kindex @@
4147 It is often useful to print out several successive objects of the
4148 same type in memory; a section of an array, or an array of
4149 dynamically determined size for which only a pointer exists in the
4150 program.
4151
4152 You can do this by referring to a contiguous span of memory as an
4153 @dfn{artificial array}, using the binary operator @samp{@@}. The left
4154 operand of @samp{@@} should be the first element of the desired array
4155 and be an individual object. The right operand should be the desired length
4156 of the array. The result is an array value whose elements are all of
4157 the type of the left argument. The first element is actually the left
4158 argument; the second element comes from bytes of memory immediately
4159 following those that hold the first element, and so on. Here is an
4160 example. If a program says
4161
4162 @example
4163 int *array = (int *) malloc (len * sizeof (int));
4164 @end example
4165
4166 @noindent
4167 you can print the contents of @code{array} with
4168
4169 @example
4170 p *array@@len
4171 @end example
4172
4173 The left operand of @samp{@@} must reside in memory. Array values made
4174 with @samp{@@} in this way behave just like other arrays in terms of
4175 subscripting, and are coerced to pointers when used in expressions.
4176 Artificial arrays most often appear in expressions via the value history
4177 (@pxref{Value History, ,Value history}), after printing one out.
4178
4179 Another way to create an artificial array is to use a cast.
4180 This re-interprets a value as if it were an array.
4181 The value need not be in memory:
4182 @example
4183 (@value{GDBP}) p/x (short[2])0x12345678
4184 $1 = @{0x1234, 0x5678@}
4185 @end example
4186
4187 As a convenience, if you leave the array length out (as in
4188 @samp{(@var{type})[])@var{value}}) gdb calculates the size to fill
4189 the value (as @samp{sizeof(@var{value})/sizeof(@var{type})}:
4190 @example
4191 (@value{GDBP}) p/x (short[])0x12345678
4192 $2 = @{0x1234, 0x5678@}
4193 @end example
4194
4195 Sometimes the artificial array mechanism is not quite enough; in
4196 moderately complex data structures, the elements of interest may not
4197 actually be adjacent---for example, if you are interested in the values
4198 of pointers in an array. One useful work-around in this situation is
4199 to use a convenience variable (@pxref{Convenience Vars, ,Convenience
4200 variables}) as a counter in an expression that prints the first
4201 interesting value, and then repeat that expression via @key{RET}. For
4202 instance, suppose you have an array @code{dtab} of pointers to
4203 structures, and you are interested in the values of a field @code{fv}
4204 in each structure. Here is an example of what you might type:
4205
4206 @example
4207 set $i = 0
4208 p dtab[$i++]->fv
4209 @key{RET}
4210 @key{RET}
4211 @dots{}
4212 @end example
4213
4214 @node Output Formats
4215 @section Output formats
4216
4217 @cindex formatted output
4218 @cindex output formats
4219 By default, @value{GDBN} prints a value according to its data type. Sometimes
4220 this is not what you want. For example, you might want to print a number
4221 in hex, or a pointer in decimal. Or you might want to view data in memory
4222 at a certain address as a character string or as an instruction. To do
4223 these things, specify an @dfn{output format} when you print a value.
4224
4225 The simplest use of output formats is to say how to print a value
4226 already computed. This is done by starting the arguments of the
4227 @code{print} command with a slash and a format letter. The format
4228 letters supported are:
4229
4230 @table @code
4231 @item x
4232 Regard the bits of the value as an integer, and print the integer in
4233 hexadecimal.
4234
4235 @item d
4236 Print as integer in signed decimal.
4237
4238 @item u
4239 Print as integer in unsigned decimal.
4240
4241 @item o
4242 Print as integer in octal.
4243
4244 @item t
4245 Print as integer in binary. The letter @samp{t} stands for ``two''.
4246 @footnote{@samp{b} cannot be used because these format letters are also
4247 used with the @code{x} command, where @samp{b} stands for ``byte'';
4248 @pxref{Memory,,Examining memory}.}
4249
4250 @item a
4251 @cindex unknown address, locating
4252 Print as an address, both absolute in hexadecimal and as an offset from
4253 the nearest preceding symbol. You can use this format used to discover
4254 where (in what function) an unknown address is located:
4255
4256 @example
4257 (@value{GDBP}) p/a 0x54320
4258 $3 = 0x54320 <_initialize_vx+396>
4259 @end example
4260
4261 @item c
4262 Regard as an integer and print it as a character constant.
4263
4264 @item f
4265 Regard the bits of the value as a floating point number and print
4266 using typical floating point syntax.
4267 @end table
4268
4269 For example, to print the program counter in hex (@pxref{Registers}), type
4270
4271 @example
4272 p/x $pc
4273 @end example
4274
4275 @noindent
4276 Note that no space is required before the slash; this is because command
4277 names in @value{GDBN} cannot contain a slash.
4278
4279 To reprint the last value in the value history with a different format,
4280 you can use the @code{print} command with just a format and no
4281 expression. For example, @samp{p/x} reprints the last value in hex.
4282
4283 @node Memory
4284 @section Examining memory
4285
4286 You can use the command @code{x} (for ``examine'') to examine memory in
4287 any of several formats, independently of your program's data types.
4288
4289 @cindex examining memory
4290 @table @code
4291 @kindex x
4292 @item x/@var{nfu} @var{addr}
4293 @itemx x @var{addr}
4294 @itemx x
4295 Use the @code{x} command to examine memory.
4296 @end table
4297
4298 @var{n}, @var{f}, and @var{u} are all optional parameters that specify how
4299 much memory to display and how to format it; @var{addr} is an
4300 expression giving the address where you want to start displaying memory.
4301 If you use defaults for @var{nfu}, you need not type the slash @samp{/}.
4302 Several commands set convenient defaults for @var{addr}.
4303
4304 @table @r
4305 @item @var{n}, the repeat count
4306 The repeat count is a decimal integer; the default is 1. It specifies
4307 how much memory (counting by units @var{u}) to display.
4308 @c This really is **decimal**; unaffected by 'set radix' as of GDB
4309 @c 4.1.2.
4310
4311 @item @var{f}, the display format
4312 The display format is one of the formats used by @code{print},
4313 @samp{s} (null-terminated string), or @samp{i} (machine instruction).
4314 The default is @samp{x} (hexadecimal) initially.
4315 The default changes each time you use either @code{x} or @code{print}.
4316
4317 @item @var{u}, the unit size
4318 The unit size is any of
4319
4320 @table @code
4321 @item b
4322 Bytes.
4323 @item h
4324 Halfwords (two bytes).
4325 @item w
4326 Words (four bytes). This is the initial default.
4327 @item g
4328 Giant words (eight bytes).
4329 @end table
4330
4331 Each time you specify a unit size with @code{x}, that size becomes the
4332 default unit the next time you use @code{x}. (For the @samp{s} and
4333 @samp{i} formats, the unit size is ignored and is normally not written.)
4334
4335 @item @var{addr}, starting display address
4336 @var{addr} is the address where you want @value{GDBN} to begin displaying
4337 memory. The expression need not have a pointer value (though it may);
4338 it is always interpreted as an integer address of a byte of memory.
4339 @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}, for more information on expressions. The default for
4340 @var{addr} is usually just after the last address examined---but several
4341 other commands also set the default address: @code{info breakpoints} (to
4342 the address of the last breakpoint listed), @code{info line} (to the
4343 starting address of a line), and @code{print} (if you use it to display
4344 a value from memory).
4345 @end table
4346
4347 For example, @samp{x/3uh 0x54320} is a request to display three halfwords
4348 (@code{h}) of memory, formatted as unsigned decimal integers (@samp{u}),
4349 starting at address @code{0x54320}. @samp{x/4xw $sp} prints the four
4350 words (@samp{w}) of memory above the stack pointer (here, @samp{$sp};
4351 @pxref{Registers}) in hexadecimal (@samp{x}).
4352
4353 Since the letters indicating unit sizes are all distinct from the
4354 letters specifying output formats, you do not have to remember whether
4355 unit size or format comes first; either order works. The output
4356 specifications @samp{4xw} and @samp{4wx} mean exactly the same thing.
4357 (However, the count @var{n} must come first; @samp{wx4} does not work.)
4358
4359 Even though the unit size @var{u} is ignored for the formats @samp{s}
4360 and @samp{i}, you might still want to use a count @var{n}; for example,
4361 @samp{3i} specifies that you want to see three machine instructions,
4362 including any operands. The command @code{disassemble} gives an
4363 alternative way of inspecting machine instructions; @pxref{Machine
4364 Code,,Source and machine code}.
4365
4366 All the defaults for the arguments to @code{x} are designed to make it
4367 easy to continue scanning memory with minimal specifications each time
4368 you use @code{x}. For example, after you have inspected three machine
4369 instructions with @samp{x/3i @var{addr}}, you can inspect the next seven
4370 with just @samp{x/7}. If you use @key{RET} to repeat the @code{x} command,
4371 the repeat count @var{n} is used again; the other arguments default as
4372 for successive uses of @code{x}.
4373
4374 @cindex @code{$_}, @code{$__}, and value history
4375 The addresses and contents printed by the @code{x} command are not saved
4376 in the value history because there is often too much of them and they
4377 would get in the way. Instead, @value{GDBN} makes these values available for
4378 subsequent use in expressions as values of the convenience variables
4379 @code{$_} and @code{$__}. After an @code{x} command, the last address
4380 examined is available for use in expressions in the convenience variable
4381 @code{$_}. The contents of that address, as examined, are available in
4382 the convenience variable @code{$__}.
4383
4384 If the @code{x} command has a repeat count, the address and contents saved
4385 are from the last memory unit printed; this is not the same as the last
4386 address printed if several units were printed on the last line of output.
4387
4388 @node Auto Display
4389 @section Automatic display
4390 @cindex automatic display
4391 @cindex display of expressions
4392
4393 If you find that you want to print the value of an expression frequently
4394 (to see how it changes), you might want to add it to the @dfn{automatic
4395 display list} so that @value{GDBN} prints its value each time your program stops.
4396 Each expression added to the list is given a number to identify it;
4397 to remove an expression from the list, you specify that number.
4398 The automatic display looks like this:
4399
4400 @example
4401 2: foo = 38
4402 3: bar[5] = (struct hack *) 0x3804
4403 @end example
4404
4405 @noindent
4406 This display shows item numbers, expressions and their current values. As with
4407 displays you request manually using @code{x} or @code{print}, you can
4408 specify the output format you prefer; in fact, @code{display} decides
4409 whether to use @code{print} or @code{x} depending on how elaborate your
4410 format specification is---it uses @code{x} if you specify a unit size,
4411 or one of the two formats (@samp{i} and @samp{s}) that are only
4412 supported by @code{x}; otherwise it uses @code{print}.
4413
4414 @table @code
4415 @kindex display
4416 @item display @var{exp}
4417 Add the expression @var{exp} to the list of expressions to display
4418 each time your program stops. @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}.
4419
4420 @code{display} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} again after using it.
4421
4422 @item display/@var{fmt} @var{exp}
4423 For @var{fmt} specifying only a display format and not a size or
4424 count, add the expression @var{exp} to the auto-display list but
4425 arrange to display it each time in the specified format @var{fmt}.
4426 @xref{Output Formats,,Output formats}.
4427
4428 @item display/@var{fmt} @var{addr}
4429 For @var{fmt} @samp{i} or @samp{s}, or including a unit-size or a
4430 number of units, add the expression @var{addr} as a memory address to
4431 be examined each time your program stops. Examining means in effect
4432 doing @samp{x/@var{fmt} @var{addr}}. @xref{Memory, ,Examining memory}.
4433 @end table
4434
4435 For example, @samp{display/i $pc} can be helpful, to see the machine
4436 instruction about to be executed each time execution stops (@samp{$pc}
4437 is a common name for the program counter; @pxref{Registers}).
4438
4439 @table @code
4440 @kindex delete display
4441 @kindex undisplay
4442 @item undisplay @var{dnums}@dots{}
4443 @itemx delete display @var{dnums}@dots{}
4444 Remove item numbers @var{dnums} from the list of expressions to display.
4445
4446 @code{undisplay} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} after using it.
4447 (Otherwise you would just get the error @samp{No display number @dots{}}.)
4448
4449 @kindex disable display
4450 @item disable display @var{dnums}@dots{}
4451 Disable the display of item numbers @var{dnums}. A disabled display
4452 item is not printed automatically, but is not forgotten. It may be
4453 enabled again later.
4454
4455 @kindex enable display
4456 @item enable display @var{dnums}@dots{}
4457 Enable display of item numbers @var{dnums}. It becomes effective once
4458 again in auto display of its expression, until you specify otherwise.
4459
4460 @item display
4461 Display the current values of the expressions on the list, just as is
4462 done when your program stops.
4463
4464 @kindex info display
4465 @item info display
4466 Print the list of expressions previously set up to display
4467 automatically, each one with its item number, but without showing the
4468 values. This includes disabled expressions, which are marked as such.
4469 It also includes expressions which would not be displayed right now
4470 because they refer to automatic variables not currently available.
4471 @end table
4472
4473 If a display expression refers to local variables, then it does not make
4474 sense outside the lexical context for which it was set up. Such an
4475 expression is disabled when execution enters a context where one of its
4476 variables is not defined. For example, if you give the command
4477 @code{display last_char} while inside a function with an argument
4478 @code{last_char}, @value{GDBN} displays this argument while your program
4479 continues to stop inside that function. When it stops elsewhere---where
4480 there is no variable @code{last_char}---the display is disabled
4481 automatically. The next time your program stops where @code{last_char}
4482 is meaningful, you can enable the display expression once again.
4483
4484 @node Print Settings
4485 @section Print settings
4486
4487 @cindex format options
4488 @cindex print settings
4489 @value{GDBN} provides the following ways to control how arrays, structures,
4490 and symbols are printed.
4491
4492 @noindent
4493 These settings are useful for debugging programs in any language:
4494
4495 @table @code
4496 @kindex set print address
4497 @item set print address
4498 @itemx set print address on
4499 @value{GDBN} prints memory addresses showing the location of stack
4500 traces, structure values, pointer values, breakpoints, and so forth,
4501 even when it also displays the contents of those addresses. The default
4502 is @code{on}. For example, this is what a stack frame display looks like with
4503 @code{set print address on}:
4504
4505 @smallexample
4506 @group
4507 (@value{GDBP}) f
4508 #0 set_quotes (lq=0x34c78 "<<", rq=0x34c88 ">>")
4509 at input.c:530
4510 530 if (lquote != def_lquote)
4511 @end group
4512 @end smallexample
4513
4514 @item set print address off
4515 Do not print addresses when displaying their contents. For example,
4516 this is the same stack frame displayed with @code{set print address off}:
4517
4518 @smallexample
4519 @group
4520 (@value{GDBP}) set print addr off
4521 (@value{GDBP}) f
4522 #0 set_quotes (lq="<<", rq=">>") at input.c:530
4523 530 if (lquote != def_lquote)
4524 @end group
4525 @end smallexample
4526
4527 You can use @samp{set print address off} to eliminate all machine
4528 dependent displays from the @value{GDBN} interface. For example, with
4529 @code{print address off}, you should get the same text for backtraces on
4530 all machines---whether or not they involve pointer arguments.
4531
4532 @kindex show print address
4533 @item show print address
4534 Show whether or not addresses are to be printed.
4535 @end table
4536
4537 When @value{GDBN} prints a symbolic address, it normally prints the
4538 closest earlier symbol plus an offset. If that symbol does not uniquely
4539 identify the address (for example, it is a name whose scope is a single
4540 source file), you may need to clarify. One way to do this is with
4541 @code{info line}, for example @samp{info line *0x4537}. Alternately,
4542 you can set @value{GDBN} to print the source file and line number when
4543 it prints a symbolic address:
4544
4545 @table @code
4546 @kindex set print symbol-filename
4547 @item set print symbol-filename on
4548 Tell @value{GDBN} to print the source file name and line number of a
4549 symbol in the symbolic form of an address.
4550
4551 @item set print symbol-filename off
4552 Do not print source file name and line number of a symbol. This is the
4553 default.
4554
4555 @kindex show print symbol-filename
4556 @item show print symbol-filename
4557 Show whether or not @value{GDBN} will print the source file name and
4558 line number of a symbol in the symbolic form of an address.
4559 @end table
4560
4561 Another situation where it is helpful to show symbol filenames and line
4562 numbers is when disassembling code; @value{GDBN} shows you the line
4563 number and source file that corresponds to each instruction.
4564
4565 Also, you may wish to see the symbolic form only if the address being
4566 printed is reasonably close to the closest earlier symbol:
4567
4568 @table @code
4569 @kindex set print max-symbolic-offset
4570 @item set print max-symbolic-offset @var{max-offset}
4571 Tell @value{GDBN} to only display the symbolic form of an address if the
4572 offset between the closest earlier symbol and the address is less than
4573 @var{max-offset}. The default is 0, which tells @value{GDBN}
4574 to always print the symbolic form of an address if any symbol precedes it.
4575
4576 @kindex show print max-symbolic-offset
4577 @item show print max-symbolic-offset
4578 Ask how large the maximum offset is that @value{GDBN} prints in a
4579 symbolic address.
4580 @end table
4581
4582 @cindex wild pointer, interpreting
4583 @cindex pointer, finding referent
4584 If you have a pointer and you are not sure where it points, try
4585 @samp{set print symbol-filename on}. Then you can determine the name
4586 and source file location of the variable where it points, using
4587 @samp{p/a @var{pointer}}. This interprets the address in symbolic form.
4588 For example, here @value{GDBN} shows that a variable @code{ptt} points
4589 at another variable @code{t}, defined in @file{hi2.c}:
4590
4591 @example
4592 (@value{GDBP}) set print symbol-filename on
4593 (@value{GDBP}) p/a ptt
4594 $4 = 0xe008 <t in hi2.c>
4595 @end example
4596
4597 @quotation
4598 @emph{Warning:} For pointers that point to a local variable, @samp{p/a}
4599 does not show the symbol name and filename of the referent, even with
4600 the appropriate @code{set print} options turned on.
4601 @end quotation
4602
4603 Other settings control how different kinds of objects are printed:
4604
4605 @table @code
4606 @kindex set print array
4607 @item set print array
4608 @itemx set print array on
4609 Pretty print arrays. This format is more convenient to read,
4610 but uses more space. The default is off.
4611
4612 @item set print array off
4613 Return to compressed format for arrays.
4614
4615 @kindex show print array
4616 @item show print array
4617 Show whether compressed or pretty format is selected for displaying
4618 arrays.
4619
4620 @kindex set print elements
4621 @item set print elements @var{number-of-elements}
4622 Set a limit on how many elements of an array @value{GDBN} will print.
4623 If @value{GDBN} is printing a large array, it stops printing after it has
4624 printed the number of elements set by the @code{set print elements} command.
4625 This limit also applies to the display of strings.
4626 Setting @var{number-of-elements} to zero means that the printing is unlimited.
4627
4628 @kindex show print elements
4629 @item show print elements
4630 Display the number of elements of a large array that @value{GDBN} will print.
4631 If the number is 0, then the printing is unlimited.
4632
4633 @kindex set print null-stop
4634 @item set print null-stop
4635 Cause @value{GDBN} to stop printing the characters of an array when the first
4636 @sc{NULL} is encountered. This is useful when large arrays actually
4637 contain only short strings.
4638
4639 @kindex set print pretty
4640 @item set print pretty on
4641 Cause @value{GDBN} to print structures in an indented format with one member
4642 per line, like this:
4643
4644 @smallexample
4645 @group
4646 $1 = @{
4647 next = 0x0,
4648 flags = @{
4649 sweet = 1,
4650 sour = 1
4651 @},
4652 meat = 0x54 "Pork"
4653 @}
4654 @end group
4655 @end smallexample
4656
4657 @item set print pretty off
4658 Cause @value{GDBN} to print structures in a compact format, like this:
4659
4660 @smallexample
4661 @group
4662 $1 = @{next = 0x0, flags = @{sweet = 1, sour = 1@}, \
4663 meat = 0x54 "Pork"@}
4664 @end group
4665 @end smallexample
4666
4667 @noindent
4668 This is the default format.
4669
4670 @kindex show print pretty
4671 @item show print pretty
4672 Show which format @value{GDBN} is using to print structures.
4673
4674 @kindex set print sevenbit-strings
4675 @item set print sevenbit-strings on
4676 Print using only seven-bit characters; if this option is set,
4677 @value{GDBN} displays any eight-bit characters (in strings or
4678 character values) using the notation @code{\}@var{nnn}. This setting is
4679 best if you are working in English (@sc{ascii}) and you use the
4680 high-order bit of characters as a marker or ``meta'' bit.
4681
4682 @item set print sevenbit-strings off
4683 Print full eight-bit characters. This allows the use of more
4684 international character sets, and is the default.
4685
4686 @kindex show print sevenbit-strings
4687 @item show print sevenbit-strings
4688 Show whether or not @value{GDBN} is printing only seven-bit characters.
4689
4690 @kindex set print union
4691 @item set print union on
4692 Tell @value{GDBN} to print unions which are contained in structures. This
4693 is the default setting.
4694
4695 @item set print union off
4696 Tell @value{GDBN} not to print unions which are contained in structures.
4697
4698 @kindex show print union
4699 @item show print union
4700 Ask @value{GDBN} whether or not it will print unions which are contained in
4701 structures.
4702
4703 For example, given the declarations
4704
4705 @smallexample
4706 typedef enum @{Tree, Bug@} Species;
4707 typedef enum @{Big_tree, Acorn, Seedling@} Tree_forms;
4708 typedef enum @{Caterpillar, Cocoon, Butterfly@}
4709 Bug_forms;
4710
4711 struct thing @{
4712 Species it;
4713 union @{
4714 Tree_forms tree;
4715 Bug_forms bug;
4716 @} form;
4717 @};
4718
4719 struct thing foo = @{Tree, @{Acorn@}@};
4720 @end smallexample
4721
4722 @noindent
4723 with @code{set print union on} in effect @samp{p foo} would print
4724
4725 @smallexample
4726 $1 = @{it = Tree, form = @{tree = Acorn, bug = Cocoon@}@}
4727 @end smallexample
4728
4729 @noindent
4730 and with @code{set print union off} in effect it would print
4731
4732 @smallexample
4733 $1 = @{it = Tree, form = @{...@}@}
4734 @end smallexample
4735 @end table
4736
4737 @ifclear CONLY
4738 @need 1000
4739 @noindent
4740 These settings are of interest when debugging C++ programs:
4741
4742 @table @code
4743 @cindex demangling
4744 @kindex set print demangle
4745 @item set print demangle
4746 @itemx set print demangle on
4747 Print C++ names in their source form rather than in the encoded
4748 (``mangled'') form passed to the assembler and linker for type-safe
4749 linkage. The default is @samp{on}.
4750
4751 @kindex show print demangle
4752 @item show print demangle
4753 Show whether C++ names are printed in mangled or demangled form.
4754
4755 @kindex set print asm-demangle
4756 @item set print asm-demangle
4757 @itemx set print asm-demangle on
4758 Print C++ names in their source form rather than their mangled form, even
4759 in assembler code printouts such as instruction disassemblies.
4760 The default is off.
4761
4762 @kindex show print asm-demangle
4763 @item show print asm-demangle
4764 Show whether C++ names in assembly listings are printed in mangled
4765 or demangled form.
4766
4767 @kindex set demangle-style
4768 @cindex C++ symbol decoding style
4769 @cindex symbol decoding style, C++
4770 @item set demangle-style @var{style}
4771 Choose among several encoding schemes used by different compilers to
4772 represent C++ names. The choices for @var{style} are currently:
4773
4774 @table @code
4775 @item auto
4776 Allow @value{GDBN} to choose a decoding style by inspecting your program.
4777
4778 @item gnu
4779 Decode based on the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler (@code{g++}) encoding algorithm.
4780 This is the default.
4781
4782 @item lucid
4783 Decode based on the Lucid C++ compiler (@code{lcc}) encoding algorithm.
4784
4785 @item arm
4786 Decode using the algorithm in the @cite{C++ Annotated Reference Manual}.
4787 @strong{Warning:} this setting alone is not sufficient to allow
4788 debugging @code{cfront}-generated executables. @value{GDBN} would
4789 require further enhancement to permit that.
4790
4791 @item foo
4792 Show the list of formats.
4793 @end table
4794
4795 @kindex show demangle-style
4796 @item show demangle-style
4797 Display the encoding style currently in use for decoding C++ symbols.
4798
4799 @kindex set print object
4800 @item set print object
4801 @itemx set print object on
4802 When displaying a pointer to an object, identify the @emph{actual}
4803 (derived) type of the object rather than the @emph{declared} type, using
4804 the virtual function table.
4805
4806 @item set print object off
4807 Display only the declared type of objects, without reference to the
4808 virtual function table. This is the default setting.
4809
4810 @kindex show print object
4811 @item show print object
4812 Show whether actual, or declared, object types are displayed.
4813
4814 @kindex set print vtbl
4815 @item set print vtbl
4816 @itemx set print vtbl on
4817 Pretty print C++ virtual function tables. The default is off.
4818
4819 @item set print vtbl off
4820 Do not pretty print C++ virtual function tables.
4821
4822 @kindex show print vtbl
4823 @item show print vtbl
4824 Show whether C++ virtual function tables are pretty printed, or not.
4825 @end table
4826 @end ifclear
4827
4828 @node Value History
4829 @section Value history
4830
4831 @cindex value history
4832 Values printed by the @code{print} command are saved in the @value{GDBN}
4833 @dfn{value history}. This allows you to refer to them in other expressions.
4834 Values are kept until the symbol table is re-read or discarded
4835 (for example with the @code{file} or @code{symbol-file} commands).
4836 When the symbol table changes, the value history is discarded,
4837 since the values may contain pointers back to the types defined in the
4838 symbol table.
4839
4840 @cindex @code{$}
4841 @cindex @code{$$}
4842 @cindex history number
4843 The values printed are given @dfn{history numbers} by which you can
4844 refer to them. These are successive integers starting with one.
4845 @code{print} shows you the history number assigned to a value by
4846 printing @samp{$@var{num} = } before the value; here @var{num} is the
4847 history number.
4848
4849 To refer to any previous value, use @samp{$} followed by the value's
4850 history number. The way @code{print} labels its output is designed to
4851 remind you of this. Just @code{$} refers to the most recent value in
4852 the history, and @code{$$} refers to the value before that.
4853 @code{$$@var{n}} refers to the @var{n}th value from the end; @code{$$2}
4854 is the value just prior to @code{$$}, @code{$$1} is equivalent to
4855 @code{$$}, and @code{$$0} is equivalent to @code{$}.
4856
4857 For example, suppose you have just printed a pointer to a structure and
4858 want to see the contents of the structure. It suffices to type
4859
4860 @example
4861 p *$
4862 @end example
4863
4864 If you have a chain of structures where the component @code{next} points
4865 to the next one, you can print the contents of the next one with this:
4866
4867 @example
4868 p *$.next
4869 @end example
4870
4871 @noindent
4872 You can print successive links in the chain by repeating this
4873 command---which you can do by just typing @key{RET}.
4874
4875 Note that the history records values, not expressions. If the value of
4876 @code{x} is 4 and you type these commands:
4877
4878 @example
4879 print x
4880 set x=5
4881 @end example
4882
4883 @noindent
4884 then the value recorded in the value history by the @code{print} command
4885 remains 4 even though the value of @code{x} has changed.
4886
4887 @table @code
4888 @kindex show values
4889 @item show values
4890 Print the last ten values in the value history, with their item numbers.
4891 This is like @samp{p@ $$9} repeated ten times, except that @code{show
4892 values} does not change the history.
4893
4894 @item show values @var{n}
4895 Print ten history values centered on history item number @var{n}.
4896
4897 @item show values +
4898 Print ten history values just after the values last printed. If no more
4899 values are available, @code{show values +} produces no display.
4900 @end table
4901
4902 Pressing @key{RET} to repeat @code{show values @var{n}} has exactly the
4903 same effect as @samp{show values +}.
4904
4905 @node Convenience Vars
4906 @section Convenience variables
4907
4908 @cindex convenience variables
4909 @value{GDBN} provides @dfn{convenience variables} that you can use within
4910 @value{GDBN} to hold on to a value and refer to it later. These variables
4911 exist entirely within @value{GDBN}; they are not part of your program, and
4912 setting a convenience variable has no direct effect on further execution
4913 of your program. That is why you can use them freely.
4914
4915 Convenience variables are prefixed with @samp{$}. Any name preceded by
4916 @samp{$} can be used for a convenience variable, unless it is one of
4917 the predefined machine-specific register names (@pxref{Registers}).
4918 (Value history references, in contrast, are @emph{numbers} preceded
4919 by @samp{$}. @xref{Value History, ,Value history}.)
4920
4921 You can save a value in a convenience variable with an assignment
4922 expression, just as you would set a variable in your program.
4923 For example:
4924
4925 @example
4926 set $foo = *object_ptr
4927 @end example
4928
4929 @noindent
4930 would save in @code{$foo} the value contained in the object pointed to by
4931 @code{object_ptr}.
4932
4933 Using a convenience variable for the first time creates it, but its
4934 value is @code{void} until you assign a new value. You can alter the
4935 value with another assignment at any time.
4936
4937 Convenience variables have no fixed types. You can assign a convenience
4938 variable any type of value, including structures and arrays, even if
4939 that variable already has a value of a different type. The convenience
4940 variable, when used as an expression, has the type of its current value.
4941
4942 @table @code
4943 @kindex show convenience
4944 @item show convenience
4945 Print a list of convenience variables used so far, and their values.
4946 Abbreviated @code{show con}.
4947 @end table
4948
4949 One of the ways to use a convenience variable is as a counter to be
4950 incremented or a pointer to be advanced. For example, to print
4951 a field from successive elements of an array of structures:
4952
4953 @example
4954 set $i = 0
4955 print bar[$i++]->contents
4956 @end example
4957
4958 @noindent Repeat that command by typing @key{RET}.
4959
4960 Some convenience variables are created automatically by @value{GDBN} and given
4961 values likely to be useful.
4962
4963 @table @code
4964 @kindex $_
4965 @item $_
4966 The variable @code{$_} is automatically set by the @code{x} command to
4967 the last address examined (@pxref{Memory, ,Examining memory}). Other
4968 commands which provide a default address for @code{x} to examine also
4969 set @code{$_} to that address; these commands include @code{info line}
4970 and @code{info breakpoint}. The type of @code{$_} is @code{void *}
4971 except when set by the @code{x} command, in which case it is a pointer
4972 to the type of @code{$__}.
4973
4974 @kindex $__
4975 @item $__
4976 The variable @code{$__} is automatically set by the @code{x} command
4977 to the value found in the last address examined. Its type is chosen
4978 to match the format in which the data was printed.
4979
4980 @item $_exitcode
4981 @kindex $_exitcode
4982 The variable @code{$_exitcode} is automatically set to the exit code when
4983 the program being debugged terminates.
4984 @end table
4985
4986 @node Registers
4987 @section Registers
4988
4989 @cindex registers
4990 You can refer to machine register contents, in expressions, as variables
4991 with names starting with @samp{$}. The names of registers are different
4992 for each machine; use @code{info registers} to see the names used on
4993 your machine.
4994
4995 @table @code
4996 @kindex info registers
4997 @item info registers
4998 Print the names and values of all registers except floating-point
4999 registers (in the selected stack frame).
5000
5001 @kindex info all-registers
5002 @cindex floating point registers
5003 @item info all-registers
5004 Print the names and values of all registers, including floating-point
5005 registers.
5006
5007 @item info registers @var{regname} @dots{}
5008 Print the @dfn{relativized} value of each specified register @var{regname}.
5009 As discussed in detail below, register values are normally relative to
5010 the selected stack frame. @var{regname} may be any register name valid on
5011 the machine you are using, with or without the initial @samp{$}.
5012 @end table
5013
5014 @value{GDBN} has four ``standard'' register names that are available (in
5015 expressions) on most machines---whenever they do not conflict with an
5016 architecture's canonical mnemonics for registers. The register names
5017 @code{$pc} and @code{$sp} are used for the program counter register and
5018 the stack pointer. @code{$fp} is used for a register that contains a
5019 pointer to the current stack frame, and @code{$ps} is used for a
5020 register that contains the processor status. For example,
5021 you could print the program counter in hex with
5022
5023 @example
5024 p/x $pc
5025 @end example
5026
5027 @noindent
5028 or print the instruction to be executed next with
5029
5030 @example
5031 x/i $pc
5032 @end example
5033
5034 @noindent
5035 or add four to the stack pointer@footnote{This is a way of removing
5036 one word from the stack, on machines where stacks grow downward in
5037 memory (most machines, nowadays). This assumes that the innermost
5038 stack frame is selected; setting @code{$sp} is not allowed when other
5039 stack frames are selected. To pop entire frames off the stack,
5040 regardless of machine architecture, use @code{return};
5041 @pxref{Returning, ,Returning from a function}.} with
5042
5043 @example
5044 set $sp += 4
5045 @end example
5046
5047 Whenever possible, these four standard register names are available on
5048 your machine even though the machine has different canonical mnemonics,
5049 so long as there is no conflict. The @code{info registers} command
5050 shows the canonical names. For example, on the SPARC, @code{info
5051 registers} displays the processor status register as @code{$psr} but you
5052 can also refer to it as @code{$ps}.
5053
5054 @value{GDBN} always considers the contents of an ordinary register as an
5055 integer when the register is examined in this way. Some machines have
5056 special registers which can hold nothing but floating point; these
5057 registers are considered to have floating point values. There is no way
5058 to refer to the contents of an ordinary register as floating point value
5059 (although you can @emph{print} it as a floating point value with
5060 @samp{print/f $@var{regname}}).
5061
5062 Some registers have distinct ``raw'' and ``virtual'' data formats. This
5063 means that the data format in which the register contents are saved by
5064 the operating system is not the same one that your program normally
5065 sees. For example, the registers of the 68881 floating point
5066 coprocessor are always saved in ``extended'' (raw) format, but all C
5067 programs expect to work with ``double'' (virtual) format. In such
5068 cases, @value{GDBN} normally works with the virtual format only (the format
5069 that makes sense for your program), but the @code{info registers} command
5070 prints the data in both formats.
5071
5072 Normally, register values are relative to the selected stack frame
5073 (@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a frame}). This means that you get the
5074 value that the register would contain if all stack frames farther in
5075 were exited and their saved registers restored. In order to see the
5076 true contents of hardware registers, you must select the innermost
5077 frame (with @samp{frame 0}).
5078
5079 However, @value{GDBN} must deduce where registers are saved, from the machine
5080 code generated by your compiler. If some registers are not saved, or if
5081 @value{GDBN} is unable to locate the saved registers, the selected stack
5082 frame makes no difference.
5083
5084 @ifset AMD29K
5085 @table @code
5086 @kindex set rstack_high_address
5087 @cindex AMD 29K register stack
5088 @cindex register stack, AMD29K
5089 @item set rstack_high_address @var{address}
5090 On AMD 29000 family processors, registers are saved in a separate
5091 ``register stack''. There is no way for @value{GDBN} to determine the extent
5092 of this stack. Normally, @value{GDBN} just assumes that the stack is ``large
5093 enough''. This may result in @value{GDBN} referencing memory locations that
5094 do not exist. If necessary, you can get around this problem by
5095 specifying the ending address of the register stack with the @code{set
5096 rstack_high_address} command. The argument should be an address, which
5097 you probably want to precede with @samp{0x} to specify in
5098 hexadecimal.
5099
5100 @kindex show rstack_high_address
5101 @item show rstack_high_address
5102 Display the current limit of the register stack, on AMD 29000 family
5103 processors.
5104 @end table
5105 @end ifset
5106
5107 @ifclear HAVE-FLOAT
5108 @node Floating Point Hardware
5109 @section Floating point hardware
5110 @cindex floating point
5111
5112 Depending on the configuration, @value{GDBN} may be able to give
5113 you more information about the status of the floating point hardware.
5114
5115 @table @code
5116 @kindex info float
5117 @item info float
5118 Display hardware-dependent information about the floating
5119 point unit. The exact contents and layout vary depending on the
5120 floating point chip. Currently, @samp{info float} is supported on
5121 the ARM and x86 machines.
5122 @end table
5123 @end ifclear
5124
5125 @ifclear CONLY
5126 @node Languages
5127 @chapter Using @value{GDBN} with Different Languages
5128 @cindex languages
5129
5130 @ifset MOD2
5131 Although programming languages generally have common aspects, they are
5132 rarely expressed in the same manner. For instance, in ANSI C,
5133 dereferencing a pointer @code{p} is accomplished by @code{*p}, but in
5134 Modula-2, it is accomplished by @code{p^}. Values can also be
5135 represented (and displayed) differently. Hex numbers in C appear as
5136 @samp{0x1ae}, while in Modula-2 they appear as @samp{1AEH}.
5137 @end ifset
5138
5139 @cindex working language
5140 Language-specific information is built into @value{GDBN} for some languages,
5141 allowing you to express operations like the above in your program's
5142 native language, and allowing @value{GDBN} to output values in a manner
5143 consistent with the syntax of your program's native language. The
5144 language you use to build expressions is called the @dfn{working
5145 language}.
5146
5147 @menu
5148 * Setting:: Switching between source languages
5149 * Show:: Displaying the language
5150 @ifset MOD2
5151 * Checks:: Type and range checks
5152 @end ifset
5153
5154 * Support:: Supported languages
5155 @end menu
5156
5157 @node Setting
5158 @section Switching between source languages
5159
5160 There are two ways to control the working language---either have @value{GDBN}
5161 set it automatically, or select it manually yourself. You can use the
5162 @code{set language} command for either purpose. On startup, @value{GDBN}
5163 defaults to setting the language automatically. The working language is
5164 used to determine how expressions you type are interpreted, how values
5165 are printed, etc.
5166
5167 In addition to the working language, every source file that
5168 @value{GDBN} knows about has its own working language. For some object
5169 file formats, the compiler might indicate which language a particular
5170 source file is in. However, most of the time @value{GDBN} infers the
5171 language from the name of the file. The language of a source file
5172 controls whether C++ names are demangled---this way @code{backtrace} can
5173 show each frame appropriately for its own language. There is no way to
5174 set the language of a source file from within @value{GDBN}.
5175
5176 This is most commonly a problem when you use a program, such
5177 as @code{cfront} or @code{f2c}, that generates C but is written in
5178 another language. In that case, make the
5179 program use @code{#line} directives in its C output; that way
5180 @value{GDBN} will know the correct language of the source code of the original
5181 program, and will display that source code, not the generated C code.
5182
5183 @menu
5184 * Filenames:: Filename extensions and languages.
5185 * Manually:: Setting the working language manually
5186 * Automatically:: Having @value{GDBN} infer the source language
5187 @end menu
5188
5189 @node Filenames
5190 @subsection List of filename extensions and languages
5191
5192 If a source file name ends in one of the following extensions, then
5193 @value{GDBN} infers that its language is the one indicated.
5194
5195 @table @file
5196 @ifset MOD2
5197 @item .mod
5198 Modula-2 source file
5199 @end ifset
5200
5201 @item .c
5202 C source file
5203
5204 @item .C
5205 @itemx .cc
5206 @itemx .cxx
5207 @itemx .cpp
5208 @itemx .cp
5209 @itemx .c++
5210 C++ source file
5211
5212 @item .ch
5213 @itemx .c186
5214 @itemx .c286
5215 CHILL source file.
5216
5217 @item .s
5218 @itemx .S
5219 Assembler source file. This actually behaves almost like C, but
5220 @value{GDBN} does not skip over function prologues when stepping.
5221 @end table
5222
5223 @node Manually
5224 @subsection Setting the working language
5225
5226 If you allow @value{GDBN} to set the language automatically,
5227 expressions are interpreted the same way in your debugging session and
5228 your program.
5229
5230 @kindex set language
5231 If you wish, you may set the language manually. To do this, issue the
5232 command @samp{set language @var{lang}}, where @var{lang} is the name of
5233 a language, such as
5234 @ifclear MOD2
5235 @code{c}.
5236 @end ifclear
5237 @ifset MOD2
5238 @code{c} or @code{modula-2}.
5239 @end ifset
5240 For a list of the supported languages, type @samp{set language}.
5241
5242 @ifset MOD2
5243 Setting the language manually prevents @value{GDBN} from updating the working
5244 language automatically. This can lead to confusion if you try
5245 to debug a program when the working language is not the same as the
5246 source language, when an expression is acceptable to both
5247 languages---but means different things. For instance, if the current
5248 source file were written in C, and @value{GDBN} was parsing Modula-2, a
5249 command such as:
5250
5251 @example
5252 print a = b + c
5253 @end example
5254
5255 @noindent
5256 might not have the effect you intended. In C, this means to add
5257 @code{b} and @code{c} and place the result in @code{a}. The result
5258 printed would be the value of @code{a}. In Modula-2, this means to compare
5259 @code{a} to the result of @code{b+c}, yielding a @code{BOOLEAN} value.
5260 @end ifset
5261
5262 @node Automatically
5263 @subsection Having @value{GDBN} infer the source language
5264
5265 To have @value{GDBN} set the working language automatically, use
5266 @samp{set language local} or @samp{set language auto}. @value{GDBN}
5267 then infers the working language. That is, when your program stops in a
5268 frame (usually by encountering a breakpoint), @value{GDBN} sets the
5269 working language to the language recorded for the function in that
5270 frame. If the language for a frame is unknown (that is, if the function
5271 or block corresponding to the frame was defined in a source file that
5272 does not have a recognized extension), the current working language is
5273 not changed, and @value{GDBN} issues a warning.
5274
5275 This may not seem necessary for most programs, which are written
5276 entirely in one source language. However, program modules and libraries
5277 written in one source language can be used by a main program written in
5278 a different source language. Using @samp{set language auto} in this
5279 case frees you from having to set the working language manually.
5280
5281 @node Show
5282 @section Displaying the language
5283
5284 The following commands help you find out which language is the
5285 working language, and also what language source files were written in.
5286
5287 @kindex show language
5288 @kindex info frame
5289 @kindex info source
5290 @table @code
5291 @item show language
5292 Display the current working language. This is the
5293 language you can use with commands such as @code{print} to
5294 build and compute expressions that may involve variables in your program.
5295
5296 @item info frame
5297 Display the source language for this frame. This language becomes the
5298 working language if you use an identifier from this frame.
5299 @xref{Frame Info, ,Information about a frame}, to identify the other
5300 information listed here.
5301
5302 @item info source
5303 Display the source language of this source file.
5304 @xref{Symbols, ,Examining the Symbol Table}, to identify the other
5305 information listed here.
5306 @end table
5307
5308 @ifset MOD2
5309 @node Checks
5310 @section Type and range checking
5311
5312 @quotation
5313 @emph{Warning:} In this release, the @value{GDBN} commands for type and range
5314 checking are included, but they do not yet have any effect. This
5315 section documents the intended facilities.
5316 @end quotation
5317 @c FIXME remove warning when type/range code added
5318
5319 Some languages are designed to guard you against making seemingly common
5320 errors through a series of compile- and run-time checks. These include
5321 checking the type of arguments to functions and operators, and making
5322 sure mathematical overflows are caught at run time. Checks such as
5323 these help to ensure a program's correctness once it has been compiled
5324 by eliminating type mismatches, and providing active checks for range
5325 errors when your program is running.
5326
5327 @value{GDBN} can check for conditions like the above if you wish.
5328 Although @value{GDBN} does not check the statements in your program, it
5329 can check expressions entered directly into @value{GDBN} for evaluation via
5330 the @code{print} command, for example. As with the working language,
5331 @value{GDBN} can also decide whether or not to check automatically based on
5332 your program's source language. @xref{Support, ,Supported languages},
5333 for the default settings of supported languages.
5334
5335 @menu
5336 * Type Checking:: An overview of type checking
5337 * Range Checking:: An overview of range checking
5338 @end menu
5339
5340 @cindex type checking
5341 @cindex checks, type
5342 @node Type Checking
5343 @subsection An overview of type checking
5344
5345 Some languages, such as Modula-2, are strongly typed, meaning that the
5346 arguments to operators and functions have to be of the correct type,
5347 otherwise an error occurs. These checks prevent type mismatch
5348 errors from ever causing any run-time problems. For example,
5349
5350 @smallexample
5351 1 + 2 @result{} 3
5352 @exdent but
5353 @error{} 1 + 2.3
5354 @end smallexample
5355
5356 The second example fails because the @code{CARDINAL} 1 is not
5357 type-compatible with the @code{REAL} 2.3.
5358
5359 For the expressions you use in @value{GDBN} commands, you can tell the
5360 @value{GDBN} type checker to skip checking;
5361 to treat any mismatches as errors and abandon the expression;
5362 or to only issue warnings when type mismatches occur,
5363 but evaluate the expression anyway. When you choose the last of
5364 these, @value{GDBN} evaluates expressions like the second example above, but
5365 also issues a warning.
5366
5367 Even if you turn type checking off, there may be other reasons
5368 related to type that prevent @value{GDBN} from evaluating an expression.
5369 For instance, @value{GDBN} does not know how to add an @code{int} and
5370 a @code{struct foo}. These particular type errors have nothing to do
5371 with the language in use, and usually arise from expressions, such as
5372 the one described above, which make little sense to evaluate anyway.
5373
5374 Each language defines to what degree it is strict about type. For
5375 instance, both Modula-2 and C require the arguments to arithmetical
5376 operators to be numbers. In C, enumerated types and pointers can be
5377 represented as numbers, so that they are valid arguments to mathematical
5378 operators. @xref{Support, ,Supported languages}, for further
5379 details on specific languages.
5380
5381 @value{GDBN} provides some additional commands for controlling the type checker:
5382
5383 @kindex set check
5384 @kindex set check type
5385 @kindex show check type
5386 @table @code
5387 @item set check type auto
5388 Set type checking on or off based on the current working language.
5389 @xref{Support, ,Supported languages}, for the default settings for
5390 each language.
5391
5392 @item set check type on
5393 @itemx set check type off
5394 Set type checking on or off, overriding the default setting for the
5395 current working language. Issue a warning if the setting does not
5396 match the language default. If any type mismatches occur in
5397 evaluating an expression while typechecking is on, @value{GDBN} prints a
5398 message and aborts evaluation of the expression.
5399
5400 @item set check type warn
5401 Cause the type checker to issue warnings, but to always attempt to
5402 evaluate the expression. Evaluating the expression may still
5403 be impossible for other reasons. For example, @value{GDBN} cannot add
5404 numbers and structures.
5405
5406 @item show type
5407 Show the current setting of the type checker, and whether or not @value{GDBN}
5408 is setting it automatically.
5409 @end table
5410
5411 @cindex range checking
5412 @cindex checks, range
5413 @node Range Checking
5414 @subsection An overview of range checking
5415
5416 In some languages (such as Modula-2), it is an error to exceed the
5417 bounds of a type; this is enforced with run-time checks. Such range
5418 checking is meant to ensure program correctness by making sure
5419 computations do not overflow, or indices on an array element access do
5420 not exceed the bounds of the array.
5421
5422 For expressions you use in @value{GDBN} commands, you can tell
5423 @value{GDBN} to treat range errors in one of three ways: ignore them,
5424 always treat them as errors and abandon the expression, or issue
5425 warnings but evaluate the expression anyway.
5426
5427 A range error can result from numerical overflow, from exceeding an
5428 array index bound, or when you type a constant that is not a member
5429 of any type. Some languages, however, do not treat overflows as an
5430 error. In many implementations of C, mathematical overflow causes the
5431 result to ``wrap around'' to lower values---for example, if @var{m} is
5432 the largest integer value, and @var{s} is the smallest, then
5433
5434 @example
5435 @var{m} + 1 @result{} @var{s}
5436 @end example
5437
5438 This, too, is specific to individual languages, and in some cases
5439 specific to individual compilers or machines. @xref{Support, ,
5440 Supported languages}, for further details on specific languages.
5441
5442 @value{GDBN} provides some additional commands for controlling the range checker:
5443
5444 @kindex set check
5445 @kindex set check range
5446 @kindex show check range
5447 @table @code
5448 @item set check range auto
5449 Set range checking on or off based on the current working language.
5450 @xref{Support, ,Supported languages}, for the default settings for
5451 each language.
5452
5453 @item set check range on
5454 @itemx set check range off
5455 Set range checking on or off, overriding the default setting for the
5456 current working language. A warning is issued if the setting does not
5457 match the language default. If a range error occurs, then a message
5458 is printed and evaluation of the expression is aborted.
5459
5460 @item set check range warn
5461 Output messages when the @value{GDBN} range checker detects a range error,
5462 but attempt to evaluate the expression anyway. Evaluating the
5463 expression may still be impossible for other reasons, such as accessing
5464 memory that the process does not own (a typical example from many Unix
5465 systems).
5466
5467 @item show range
5468 Show the current setting of the range checker, and whether or not it is
5469 being set automatically by @value{GDBN}.
5470 @end table
5471 @end ifset
5472
5473 @node Support
5474 @section Supported languages
5475
5476 @ifset MOD2
5477 @value{GDBN} 4 supports C, C++, and Modula-2.
5478 @end ifset
5479 @ifclear MOD2
5480 @value{GDBN} 4 supports C, and C++.
5481 @end ifclear
5482 Some @value{GDBN} features may be used in expressions regardless of the
5483 language you use: the @value{GDBN} @code{@@} and @code{::} operators,
5484 and the @samp{@{type@}addr} construct (@pxref{Expressions,
5485 ,Expressions}) can be used with the constructs of any supported
5486 language.
5487
5488 The following sections detail to what degree each source language is
5489 supported by @value{GDBN}. These sections are not meant to be language
5490 tutorials or references, but serve only as a reference guide to what the
5491 @value{GDBN} expression parser accepts, and what input and output
5492 formats should look like for different languages. There are many good
5493 books written on each of these languages; please look to these for a
5494 language reference or tutorial.
5495
5496 @ifset MOD2
5497 @menu
5498 * C:: C and C++
5499 * Modula-2:: Modula-2
5500 @end menu
5501
5502 @node C
5503 @subsection C and C++
5504 @cindex C and C++
5505 @cindex expressions in C or C++
5506
5507 Since C and C++ are so closely related, many features of @value{GDBN} apply
5508 to both languages. Whenever this is the case, we discuss those languages
5509 together.
5510 @end ifset
5511 @ifclear MOD2
5512 @c Cancel this below, under same condition, at end of this chapter!
5513 @raisesections
5514 @end ifclear
5515
5516 @cindex C++
5517 @kindex g++
5518 @cindex @sc{gnu} C++
5519 The C++ debugging facilities are jointly implemented by the @sc{gnu} C++
5520 compiler and @value{GDBN}. Therefore, to debug your C++ code
5521 effectively, you must compile your C++ programs with the @sc{gnu} C++
5522 compiler, @code{g++}.
5523
5524 For best results when debugging C++ programs, use the stabs debugging
5525 format. You can select that format explicitly with the @code{g++}
5526 command-line options @samp{-gstabs} or @samp{-gstabs+}. See
5527 @ref{Debugging Options,,Options for Debugging Your Program or @sc{gnu} CC,
5528 gcc.info, Using @sc{gnu} CC}, for more information.
5529 @end ifclear
5530 @ifset CONLY
5531 @node C
5532 @chapter C Language Support
5533 @cindex C language
5534 @cindex expressions in C
5535
5536 Information specific to the C language is built into @value{GDBN} so that you
5537 can use C expressions while degugging. This also permits @value{GDBN} to
5538 output values in a manner consistent with C conventions.
5539
5540 @menu
5541 * C Operators:: C operators
5542 * C Constants:: C constants
5543 * Debugging C:: @value{GDBN} and C
5544 @end menu
5545 @end ifset
5546 @ifclear CONLY
5547 @menu
5548 * C Operators:: C and C++ operators
5549 * C Constants:: C and C++ constants
5550 * Cplus expressions:: C++ expressions
5551 * C Defaults:: Default settings for C and C++
5552 @ifset MOD2
5553 * C Checks:: C and C++ type and range checks
5554 @end ifset
5555
5556 * Debugging C:: @value{GDBN} and C
5557 * Debugging C plus plus:: Special features for C++
5558 @end menu
5559 @end ifclear
5560
5561 @ifclear CONLY
5562 @cindex C and C++ operators
5563 @node C Operators
5564 @subsubsection C and C++ operators
5565 @end ifclear
5566 @ifset CONLY
5567 @cindex C operators
5568 @node C Operators
5569 @section C operators
5570 @end ifset
5571
5572 Operators must be defined on values of specific types. For instance,
5573 @code{+} is defined on numbers, but not on structures. Operators are
5574 often defined on groups of types.
5575
5576 @ifclear CONLY
5577 For the purposes of C and C++, the following definitions hold:
5578 @end ifclear
5579
5580 @itemize @bullet
5581 @item
5582 @emph{Integral types} include @code{int} with any of its storage-class
5583 specifiers; @code{char}; and @code{enum}.
5584
5585 @item
5586 @emph{Floating-point types} include @code{float} and @code{double}.
5587
5588 @item
5589 @emph{Pointer types} include all types defined as @code{(@var{type}
5590 *)}.
5591
5592 @item
5593 @emph{Scalar types} include all of the above.
5594 @end itemize
5595
5596 @noindent
5597 The following operators are supported. They are listed here
5598 in order of increasing precedence:
5599
5600 @table @code
5601 @item ,
5602 The comma or sequencing operator. Expressions in a comma-separated list
5603 are evaluated from left to right, with the result of the entire
5604 expression being the last expression evaluated.
5605
5606 @item =
5607 Assignment. The value of an assignment expression is the value
5608 assigned. Defined on scalar types.
5609
5610 @item @var{op}=
5611 Used in an expression of the form @w{@code{@var{a} @var{op}= @var{b}}},
5612 and translated to @w{@code{@var{a} = @var{a op b}}}.
5613 @w{@code{@var{op}=}} and @code{=} have the same precendence.
5614 @var{op} is any one of the operators @code{|}, @code{^}, @code{&},
5615 @code{<<}, @code{>>}, @code{+}, @code{-}, @code{*}, @code{/}, @code{%}.
5616
5617 @item ?:
5618 The ternary operator. @code{@var{a} ? @var{b} : @var{c}} can be thought
5619 of as: if @var{a} then @var{b} else @var{c}. @var{a} should be of an
5620 integral type.
5621
5622 @item ||
5623 Logical @sc{or}. Defined on integral types.
5624
5625 @item &&
5626 Logical @sc{and}. Defined on integral types.
5627
5628 @item |
5629 Bitwise @sc{or}. Defined on integral types.
5630
5631 @item ^
5632 Bitwise exclusive-@sc{or}. Defined on integral types.
5633
5634 @item &
5635 Bitwise @sc{and}. Defined on integral types.
5636
5637 @item ==@r{, }!=
5638 Equality and inequality. Defined on scalar types. The value of these
5639 expressions is 0 for false and non-zero for true.
5640
5641 @item <@r{, }>@r{, }<=@r{, }>=
5642 Less than, greater than, less than or equal, greater than or equal.
5643 Defined on scalar types. The value of these expressions is 0 for false
5644 and non-zero for true.
5645
5646 @item <<@r{, }>>
5647 left shift, and right shift. Defined on integral types.
5648
5649 @item @@
5650 The @value{GDBN} ``artificial array'' operator (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}).
5651
5652 @item +@r{, }-
5653 Addition and subtraction. Defined on integral types, floating-point types and
5654 pointer types.
5655
5656 @item *@r{, }/@r{, }%
5657 Multiplication, division, and modulus. Multiplication and division are
5658 defined on integral and floating-point types. Modulus is defined on
5659 integral types.
5660
5661 @item ++@r{, }--
5662 Increment and decrement. When appearing before a variable, the
5663 operation is performed before the variable is used in an expression;
5664 when appearing after it, the variable's value is used before the
5665 operation takes place.
5666
5667 @item *
5668 Pointer dereferencing. Defined on pointer types. Same precedence as
5669 @code{++}.
5670
5671 @item &
5672 Address operator. Defined on variables. Same precedence as @code{++}.
5673
5674 @ifclear CONLY
5675 For debugging C++, @value{GDBN} implements a use of @samp{&} beyond what is
5676 allowed in the C++ language itself: you can use @samp{&(&@var{ref})}
5677 (or, if you prefer, simply @samp{&&@var{ref}}) to examine the address
5678 where a C++ reference variable (declared with @samp{&@var{ref}}) is
5679 stored.
5680 @end ifclear
5681
5682 @item -
5683 Negative. Defined on integral and floating-point types. Same
5684 precedence as @code{++}.
5685
5686 @item !
5687 Logical negation. Defined on integral types. Same precedence as
5688 @code{++}.
5689
5690 @item ~
5691 Bitwise complement operator. Defined on integral types. Same precedence as
5692 @code{++}.
5693
5694
5695 @item .@r{, }->
5696 Structure member, and pointer-to-structure member. For convenience,
5697 @value{GDBN} regards the two as equivalent, choosing whether to dereference a
5698 pointer based on the stored type information.
5699 Defined on @code{struct} and @code{union} data.
5700
5701 @item []
5702 Array indexing. @code{@var{a}[@var{i}]} is defined as
5703 @code{*(@var{a}+@var{i})}. Same precedence as @code{->}.
5704
5705 @item ()
5706 Function parameter list. Same precedence as @code{->}.
5707
5708 @ifclear CONLY
5709 @item ::
5710 C++ scope resolution operator. Defined on
5711 @code{struct}, @code{union}, and @code{class} types.
5712 @end ifclear
5713
5714 @item ::
5715 Doubled colons
5716 @ifclear CONLY
5717 also
5718 @end ifclear
5719 represent the @value{GDBN} scope operator (@pxref{Expressions,
5720 ,Expressions}).
5721 @ifclear CONLY
5722 Same precedence as @code{::}, above.
5723 @end ifclear
5724 @end table
5725
5726 @ifclear CONLY
5727 @cindex C and C++ constants
5728 @node C Constants
5729 @subsubsection C and C++ constants
5730
5731 @value{GDBN} allows you to express the constants of C and C++ in the
5732 following ways:
5733 @end ifclear
5734 @ifset CONLY
5735 @cindex C constants
5736 @node C Constants
5737 @section C constants
5738
5739 @value{GDBN} allows you to express the constants of C in the
5740 following ways:
5741 @end ifset
5742
5743 @itemize @bullet
5744 @item
5745 Integer constants are a sequence of digits. Octal constants are
5746 specified by a leading @samp{0} (i.e. zero), and hexadecimal constants by
5747 a leading @samp{0x} or @samp{0X}. Constants may also end with a letter
5748 @samp{l}, specifying that the constant should be treated as a
5749 @code{long} value.
5750
5751 @item
5752 Floating point constants are a sequence of digits, followed by a decimal
5753 point, followed by a sequence of digits, and optionally followed by an
5754 exponent. An exponent is of the form:
5755 @samp{@w{e@r{[[}+@r{]|}-@r{]}@var{nnn}}}, where @var{nnn} is another
5756 sequence of digits. The @samp{+} is optional for positive exponents.
5757
5758 @item
5759 Enumerated constants consist of enumerated identifiers, or their
5760 integral equivalents.
5761
5762 @item
5763 Character constants are a single character surrounded by single quotes
5764 (@code{'}), or a number---the ordinal value of the corresponding character
5765 (usually its @sc{ASCII} value). Within quotes, the single character may
5766 be represented by a letter or by @dfn{escape sequences}, which are of
5767 the form @samp{\@var{nnn}}, where @var{nnn} is the octal representation
5768 of the character's ordinal value; or of the form @samp{\@var{x}}, where
5769 @samp{@var{x}} is a predefined special character---for example,
5770 @samp{\n} for newline.
5771
5772 @item
5773 String constants are a sequence of character constants surrounded
5774 by double quotes (@code{"}).
5775
5776 @item
5777 Pointer constants are an integral value. You can also write pointers
5778 to constants using the C operator @samp{&}.
5779
5780 @item
5781 Array constants are comma-separated lists surrounded by braces @samp{@{}
5782 and @samp{@}}; for example, @samp{@{1,2,3@}} is a three-element array of
5783 integers, @samp{@{@{1,2@}, @{3,4@}, @{5,6@}@}} is a three-by-two array,
5784 and @samp{@{&"hi", &"there", &"fred"@}} is a three-element array of pointers.
5785 @end itemize
5786
5787 @ifclear CONLY
5788 @node Cplus expressions
5789 @subsubsection C++ expressions
5790
5791 @cindex expressions in C++
5792 @value{GDBN} expression handling has a number of extensions to
5793 interpret a significant subset of C++ expressions.
5794
5795 @cindex C++ support, not in @sc{coff}
5796 @cindex @sc{coff} versus C++
5797 @cindex C++ and object formats
5798 @cindex object formats and C++
5799 @cindex a.out and C++
5800 @cindex @sc{ecoff} and C++
5801 @cindex @sc{xcoff} and C++
5802 @cindex @sc{elf}/stabs and C++
5803 @cindex @sc{elf}/@sc{dwarf} and C++
5804 @c FIXME!! GDB may eventually be able to debug C++ using DWARF; check
5805 @c periodically whether this has happened...
5806 @quotation
5807 @emph{Warning:} @value{GDBN} can only debug C++ code if you compile with
5808 the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler. Moreover, C++ debugging depends on the use of
5809 additional debugging information in the symbol table, and thus requires
5810 special support. @value{GDBN} has this support @emph{only} with the
5811 stabs debug format. In particular, if your compiler generates a.out,
5812 MIPS @sc{ecoff}, RS/6000 @sc{xcoff}, or @sc{elf} with stabs extensions
5813 to the symbol table, these facilities are all available. (With @sc{gnu} CC,
5814 you can use the @samp{-gstabs} option to request stabs debugging
5815 extensions explicitly.) Where the object code format is standard
5816 @sc{coff} or @sc{dwarf} in @sc{elf}, on the other hand, most of the C++
5817 support in @value{GDBN} does @emph{not} work.
5818 @end quotation
5819
5820 @enumerate
5821
5822 @cindex member functions
5823 @item
5824 Member function calls are allowed; you can use expressions like
5825
5826 @example
5827 count = aml->GetOriginal(x, y)
5828 @end example
5829
5830 @kindex this
5831 @cindex namespace in C++
5832 @item
5833 While a member function is active (in the selected stack frame), your
5834 expressions have the same namespace available as the member function;
5835 that is, @value{GDBN} allows implicit references to the class instance
5836 pointer @code{this} following the same rules as C++.
5837
5838 @cindex call overloaded functions
5839 @cindex type conversions in C++
5840 @item
5841 You can call overloaded functions; @value{GDBN} resolves the function
5842 call to the right definition, with one restriction---you must use
5843 arguments of the type required by the function that you want to call.
5844 @value{GDBN} does not perform conversions requiring constructors or
5845 user-defined type operators.
5846
5847 @cindex reference declarations
5848 @item
5849 @value{GDBN} understands variables declared as C++ references; you can use
5850 them in expressions just as you do in C++ source---they are automatically
5851 dereferenced.
5852
5853 In the parameter list shown when @value{GDBN} displays a frame, the values of
5854 reference variables are not displayed (unlike other variables); this
5855 avoids clutter, since references are often used for large structures.
5856 The @emph{address} of a reference variable is always shown, unless
5857 you have specified @samp{set print address off}.
5858
5859 @item
5860 @value{GDBN} supports the C++ name resolution operator @code{::}---your
5861 expressions can use it just as expressions in your program do. Since
5862 one scope may be defined in another, you can use @code{::} repeatedly if
5863 necessary, for example in an expression like
5864 @samp{@var{scope1}::@var{scope2}::@var{name}}. @value{GDBN} also allows
5865 resolving name scope by reference to source files, in both C and C++
5866 debugging (@pxref{Variables, ,Program variables}).
5867 @end enumerate
5868
5869 @node C Defaults
5870 @subsubsection C and C++ defaults
5871 @cindex C and C++ defaults
5872
5873 If you allow @value{GDBN} to set type and range checking automatically, they
5874 both default to @code{off} whenever the working language changes to
5875 C or C++. This happens regardless of whether you or @value{GDBN}
5876 selects the working language.
5877
5878 If you allow @value{GDBN} to set the language automatically, it recognizes
5879 source files whose names end with @file{.c}, @file{.C}, or @file{.cc}, and
5880 when @value{GDBN} enters code compiled from one of these files,
5881 it sets the working language to C or C++.
5882 @xref{Automatically, ,Having @value{GDBN} infer the source language}, for
5883 further details.
5884
5885 @ifset MOD2
5886 @c Type checking is (a) primarily motivated by Modula-2, and (b)
5887 @c unimplemented. If (b) changes, it might make sense to let this node
5888 @c appear even if Mod-2 does not, but meanwhile ignore it. pesch 16jul93.
5889 @node C Checks
5890 @subsubsection C and C++ type and range checks
5891 @cindex C and C++ checks
5892
5893 By default, when @value{GDBN} parses C or C++ expressions, type checking
5894 is not used. However, if you turn type checking on, @value{GDBN}
5895 considers two variables type equivalent if:
5896
5897 @itemize @bullet
5898 @item
5899 The two variables are structured and have the same structure, union, or
5900 enumerated tag.
5901
5902 @item
5903 The two variables have the same type name, or types that have been
5904 declared equivalent through @code{typedef}.
5905
5906 @ignore
5907 @c leaving this out because neither J Gilmore nor R Pesch understand it.
5908 @c FIXME--beers?
5909 @item
5910 The two @code{struct}, @code{union}, or @code{enum} variables are
5911 declared in the same declaration. (Note: this may not be true for all C
5912 compilers.)
5913 @end ignore
5914 @end itemize
5915
5916 Range checking, if turned on, is done on mathematical operations. Array
5917 indices are not checked, since they are often used to index a pointer
5918 that is not itself an array.
5919 @end ifset
5920 @end ifclear
5921
5922 @ifclear CONLY
5923 @node Debugging C
5924 @subsubsection @value{GDBN} and C
5925 @end ifclear
5926 @ifset CONLY
5927 @node Debugging C
5928 @section @value{GDBN} and C
5929 @end ifset
5930
5931 The @code{set print union} and @code{show print union} commands apply to
5932 the @code{union} type. When set to @samp{on}, any @code{union} that is
5933 inside a @code{struct}
5934 @ifclear CONLY
5935 or @code{class}
5936 @end ifclear
5937 is also printed.
5938 Otherwise, it appears as @samp{@{...@}}.
5939
5940 The @code{@@} operator aids in the debugging of dynamic arrays, formed
5941 with pointers and a memory allocation function. @xref{Expressions,
5942 ,Expressions}.
5943
5944 @ifclear CONLY
5945 @node Debugging C plus plus
5946 @subsubsection @value{GDBN} features for C++
5947
5948 @cindex commands for C++
5949 Some @value{GDBN} commands are particularly useful with C++, and some are
5950 designed specifically for use with C++. Here is a summary:
5951
5952 @table @code
5953 @cindex break in overloaded functions
5954 @item @r{breakpoint menus}
5955 When you want a breakpoint in a function whose name is overloaded,
5956 @value{GDBN} breakpoint menus help you specify which function definition
5957 you want. @xref{Breakpoint Menus,,Breakpoint menus}.
5958
5959 @cindex overloading in C++
5960 @item rbreak @var{regex}
5961 Setting breakpoints using regular expressions is helpful for setting
5962 breakpoints on overloaded functions that are not members of any special
5963 classes.
5964 @xref{Set Breaks, ,Setting breakpoints}.
5965
5966 @cindex C++ exception handling
5967 @item catch @var{exceptions}
5968 @itemx info catch
5969 Debug C++ exception handling using these commands. @xref{Exception
5970 Handling, ,Breakpoints and exceptions}.
5971
5972 @cindex inheritance
5973 @item ptype @var{typename}
5974 Print inheritance relationships as well as other information for type
5975 @var{typename}.
5976 @xref{Symbols, ,Examining the Symbol Table}.
5977
5978 @cindex C++ symbol display
5979 @item set print demangle
5980 @itemx show print demangle
5981 @itemx set print asm-demangle
5982 @itemx show print asm-demangle
5983 Control whether C++ symbols display in their source form, both when
5984 displaying code as C++ source and when displaying disassemblies.
5985 @xref{Print Settings, ,Print settings}.
5986
5987 @item set print object
5988 @itemx show print object
5989 Choose whether to print derived (actual) or declared types of objects.
5990 @xref{Print Settings, ,Print settings}.
5991
5992 @item set print vtbl
5993 @itemx show print vtbl
5994 Control the format for printing virtual function tables.
5995 @xref{Print Settings, ,Print settings}.
5996
5997 @item @r{Overloaded symbol names}
5998 You can specify a particular definition of an overloaded symbol, using
5999 the same notation that is used to declare such symbols in C++: type
6000 @code{@var{symbol}(@var{types})} rather than just @var{symbol}. You can
6001 also use the @value{GDBN} command-line word completion facilities to list the
6002 available choices, or to finish the type list for you.
6003 @xref{Completion,, Command completion}, for details on how to do this.
6004 @end table
6005 @ifclear MOD2
6006 @c cancels "raisesections" under same conditions near bgn of chapter
6007 @lowersections
6008 @end ifclear
6009
6010 @ifset MOD2
6011 @node Modula-2
6012 @subsection Modula-2
6013 @cindex Modula-2
6014
6015 The extensions made to @value{GDBN} to support Modula-2 only support
6016 output from the @sc{gnu} Modula-2 compiler (which is currently being
6017 developed). Other Modula-2 compilers are not currently supported, and
6018 attempting to debug executables produced by them is most likely
6019 to give an error as @value{GDBN} reads in the executable's symbol
6020 table.
6021
6022 @cindex expressions in Modula-2
6023 @menu
6024 * M2 Operators:: Built-in operators
6025 * Built-In Func/Proc:: Built-in functions and procedures
6026 * M2 Constants:: Modula-2 constants
6027 * M2 Defaults:: Default settings for Modula-2
6028 * Deviations:: Deviations from standard Modula-2
6029 * M2 Checks:: Modula-2 type and range checks
6030 * M2 Scope:: The scope operators @code{::} and @code{.}
6031 * GDB/M2:: @value{GDBN} and Modula-2
6032 @end menu
6033
6034 @node M2 Operators
6035 @subsubsection Operators
6036 @cindex Modula-2 operators
6037
6038 Operators must be defined on values of specific types. For instance,
6039 @code{+} is defined on numbers, but not on structures. Operators are
6040 often defined on groups of types. For the purposes of Modula-2, the
6041 following definitions hold:
6042
6043 @itemize @bullet
6044
6045 @item
6046 @emph{Integral types} consist of @code{INTEGER}, @code{CARDINAL}, and
6047 their subranges.
6048
6049 @item
6050 @emph{Character types} consist of @code{CHAR} and its subranges.
6051
6052 @item
6053 @emph{Floating-point types} consist of @code{REAL}.
6054
6055 @item
6056 @emph{Pointer types} consist of anything declared as @code{POINTER TO
6057 @var{type}}.
6058
6059 @item
6060 @emph{Scalar types} consist of all of the above.
6061
6062 @item
6063 @emph{Set types} consist of @code{SET} and @code{BITSET} types.
6064
6065 @item
6066 @emph{Boolean types} consist of @code{BOOLEAN}.
6067 @end itemize
6068
6069 @noindent
6070 The following operators are supported, and appear in order of
6071 increasing precedence:
6072
6073 @table @code
6074 @item ,
6075 Function argument or array index separator.
6076
6077 @item :=
6078 Assignment. The value of @var{var} @code{:=} @var{value} is
6079 @var{value}.
6080
6081 @item <@r{, }>
6082 Less than, greater than on integral, floating-point, or enumerated
6083 types.
6084
6085 @item <=@r{, }>=
6086 Less than, greater than, less than or equal to, greater than or equal to
6087 on integral, floating-point and enumerated types, or set inclusion on
6088 set types. Same precedence as @code{<}.
6089
6090 @item =@r{, }<>@r{, }#
6091 Equality and two ways of expressing inequality, valid on scalar types.
6092 Same precedence as @code{<}. In @value{GDBN} scripts, only @code{<>} is
6093 available for inequality, since @code{#} conflicts with the script
6094 comment character.
6095
6096 @item IN
6097 Set membership. Defined on set types and the types of their members.
6098 Same precedence as @code{<}.
6099
6100 @item OR
6101 Boolean disjunction. Defined on boolean types.
6102
6103 @item AND@r{, }&
6104 Boolean conjuction. Defined on boolean types.
6105
6106 @item @@
6107 The @value{GDBN} ``artificial array'' operator (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}).
6108
6109 @item +@r{, }-
6110 Addition and subtraction on integral and floating-point types, or union
6111 and difference on set types.
6112
6113 @item *
6114 Multiplication on integral and floating-point types, or set intersection
6115 on set types.
6116
6117 @item /
6118 Division on floating-point types, or symmetric set difference on set
6119 types. Same precedence as @code{*}.
6120
6121 @item DIV@r{, }MOD
6122 Integer division and remainder. Defined on integral types. Same
6123 precedence as @code{*}.
6124
6125 @item -
6126 Negative. Defined on @code{INTEGER} and @code{REAL} data.
6127
6128 @item ^
6129 Pointer dereferencing. Defined on pointer types.
6130
6131 @item NOT
6132 Boolean negation. Defined on boolean types. Same precedence as
6133 @code{^}.
6134
6135 @item .
6136 @code{RECORD} field selector. Defined on @code{RECORD} data. Same
6137 precedence as @code{^}.
6138
6139 @item []
6140 Array indexing. Defined on @code{ARRAY} data. Same precedence as @code{^}.
6141
6142 @item ()
6143 Procedure argument list. Defined on @code{PROCEDURE} objects. Same precedence
6144 as @code{^}.
6145
6146 @item ::@r{, }.
6147 @value{GDBN} and Modula-2 scope operators.
6148 @end table
6149
6150 @quotation
6151 @emph{Warning:} Sets and their operations are not yet supported, so @value{GDBN}
6152 treats the use of the operator @code{IN}, or the use of operators
6153 @code{+}, @code{-}, @code{*}, @code{/}, @code{=}, , @code{<>}, @code{#},
6154 @code{<=}, and @code{>=} on sets as an error.
6155 @end quotation
6156
6157 @cindex Modula-2 built-ins
6158 @node Built-In Func/Proc
6159 @subsubsection Built-in functions and procedures
6160
6161 Modula-2 also makes available several built-in procedures and functions.
6162 In describing these, the following metavariables are used:
6163
6164 @table @var
6165
6166 @item a
6167 represents an @code{ARRAY} variable.
6168
6169 @item c
6170 represents a @code{CHAR} constant or variable.
6171
6172 @item i
6173 represents a variable or constant of integral type.
6174
6175 @item m
6176 represents an identifier that belongs to a set. Generally used in the
6177 same function with the metavariable @var{s}. The type of @var{s} should
6178 be @code{SET OF @var{mtype}} (where @var{mtype} is the type of @var{m}).
6179
6180 @item n
6181 represents a variable or constant of integral or floating-point type.
6182
6183 @item r
6184 represents a variable or constant of floating-point type.
6185
6186 @item t
6187 represents a type.
6188
6189 @item v
6190 represents a variable.
6191
6192 @item x
6193 represents a variable or constant of one of many types. See the
6194 explanation of the function for details.
6195 @end table
6196
6197 All Modula-2 built-in procedures also return a result, described below.
6198
6199 @table @code
6200 @item ABS(@var{n})
6201 Returns the absolute value of @var{n}.
6202
6203 @item CAP(@var{c})
6204 If @var{c} is a lower case letter, it returns its upper case
6205 equivalent, otherwise it returns its argument
6206
6207 @item CHR(@var{i})
6208 Returns the character whose ordinal value is @var{i}.
6209
6210 @item DEC(@var{v})
6211 Decrements the value in the variable @var{v}. Returns the new value.
6212
6213 @item DEC(@var{v},@var{i})
6214 Decrements the value in the variable @var{v} by @var{i}. Returns the
6215 new value.
6216
6217 @item EXCL(@var{m},@var{s})
6218 Removes the element @var{m} from the set @var{s}. Returns the new
6219 set.
6220
6221 @item FLOAT(@var{i})
6222 Returns the floating point equivalent of the integer @var{i}.
6223
6224 @item HIGH(@var{a})
6225 Returns the index of the last member of @var{a}.
6226
6227 @item INC(@var{v})
6228 Increments the value in the variable @var{v}. Returns the new value.
6229
6230 @item INC(@var{v},@var{i})
6231 Increments the value in the variable @var{v} by @var{i}. Returns the
6232 new value.
6233
6234 @item INCL(@var{m},@var{s})
6235 Adds the element @var{m} to the set @var{s} if it is not already
6236 there. Returns the new set.
6237
6238 @item MAX(@var{t})
6239 Returns the maximum value of the type @var{t}.
6240
6241 @item MIN(@var{t})
6242 Returns the minimum value of the type @var{t}.
6243
6244 @item ODD(@var{i})
6245 Returns boolean TRUE if @var{i} is an odd number.
6246
6247 @item ORD(@var{x})
6248 Returns the ordinal value of its argument. For example, the ordinal
6249 value of a character is its ASCII value (on machines supporting the
6250 ASCII character set). @var{x} must be of an ordered type, which include
6251 integral, character and enumerated types.
6252
6253 @item SIZE(@var{x})
6254 Returns the size of its argument. @var{x} can be a variable or a type.
6255
6256 @item TRUNC(@var{r})
6257 Returns the integral part of @var{r}.
6258
6259 @item VAL(@var{t},@var{i})
6260 Returns the member of the type @var{t} whose ordinal value is @var{i}.
6261 @end table
6262
6263 @quotation
6264 @emph{Warning:} Sets and their operations are not yet supported, so
6265 @value{GDBN} treats the use of procedures @code{INCL} and @code{EXCL} as
6266 an error.
6267 @end quotation
6268
6269 @cindex Modula-2 constants
6270 @node M2 Constants
6271 @subsubsection Constants
6272
6273 @value{GDBN} allows you to express the constants of Modula-2 in the following
6274 ways:
6275
6276 @itemize @bullet
6277
6278 @item
6279 Integer constants are simply a sequence of digits. When used in an
6280 expression, a constant is interpreted to be type-compatible with the
6281 rest of the expression. Hexadecimal integers are specified by a
6282 trailing @samp{H}, and octal integers by a trailing @samp{B}.
6283
6284 @item
6285 Floating point constants appear as a sequence of digits, followed by a
6286 decimal point and another sequence of digits. An optional exponent can
6287 then be specified, in the form @samp{E@r{[}+@r{|}-@r{]}@var{nnn}}, where
6288 @samp{@r{[}+@r{|}-@r{]}@var{nnn}} is the desired exponent. All of the
6289 digits of the floating point constant must be valid decimal (base 10)
6290 digits.
6291
6292 @item
6293 Character constants consist of a single character enclosed by a pair of
6294 like quotes, either single (@code{'}) or double (@code{"}). They may
6295 also be expressed by their ordinal value (their ASCII value, usually)
6296 followed by a @samp{C}.
6297
6298 @item
6299 String constants consist of a sequence of characters enclosed by a
6300 pair of like quotes, either single (@code{'}) or double (@code{"}).
6301 Escape sequences in the style of C are also allowed. @xref{C
6302 Constants, ,C and C++ constants}, for a brief explanation of escape
6303 sequences.
6304
6305 @item
6306 Enumerated constants consist of an enumerated identifier.
6307
6308 @item
6309 Boolean constants consist of the identifiers @code{TRUE} and
6310 @code{FALSE}.
6311
6312 @item
6313 Pointer constants consist of integral values only.
6314
6315 @item
6316 Set constants are not yet supported.
6317 @end itemize
6318
6319 @node M2 Defaults
6320 @subsubsection Modula-2 defaults
6321 @cindex Modula-2 defaults
6322
6323 If type and range checking are set automatically by @value{GDBN}, they
6324 both default to @code{on} whenever the working language changes to
6325 Modula-2. This happens regardless of whether you, or @value{GDBN},
6326 selected the working language.
6327
6328 If you allow @value{GDBN} to set the language automatically, then entering
6329 code compiled from a file whose name ends with @file{.mod} sets the
6330 working language to Modula-2. @xref{Automatically, ,Having @value{GDBN} set
6331 the language automatically}, for further details.
6332
6333 @node Deviations
6334 @subsubsection Deviations from standard Modula-2
6335 @cindex Modula-2, deviations from
6336
6337 A few changes have been made to make Modula-2 programs easier to debug.
6338 This is done primarily via loosening its type strictness:
6339
6340 @itemize @bullet
6341 @item
6342 Unlike in standard Modula-2, pointer constants can be formed by
6343 integers. This allows you to modify pointer variables during
6344 debugging. (In standard Modula-2, the actual address contained in a
6345 pointer variable is hidden from you; it can only be modified
6346 through direct assignment to another pointer variable or expression that
6347 returned a pointer.)
6348
6349 @item
6350 C escape sequences can be used in strings and characters to represent
6351 non-printable characters. @value{GDBN} prints out strings with these
6352 escape sequences embedded. Single non-printable characters are
6353 printed using the @samp{CHR(@var{nnn})} format.
6354
6355 @item
6356 The assignment operator (@code{:=}) returns the value of its right-hand
6357 argument.
6358
6359 @item
6360 All built-in procedures both modify @emph{and} return their argument.
6361 @end itemize
6362
6363 @node M2 Checks
6364 @subsubsection Modula-2 type and range checks
6365 @cindex Modula-2 checks
6366
6367 @quotation
6368 @emph{Warning:} in this release, @value{GDBN} does not yet perform type or
6369 range checking.
6370 @end quotation
6371 @c FIXME remove warning when type/range checks added
6372
6373 @value{GDBN} considers two Modula-2 variables type equivalent if:
6374
6375 @itemize @bullet
6376 @item
6377 They are of types that have been declared equivalent via a @code{TYPE
6378 @var{t1} = @var{t2}} statement
6379
6380 @item
6381 They have been declared on the same line. (Note: This is true of the
6382 @sc{gnu} Modula-2 compiler, but it may not be true of other compilers.)
6383 @end itemize
6384
6385 As long as type checking is enabled, any attempt to combine variables
6386 whose types are not equivalent is an error.
6387
6388 Range checking is done on all mathematical operations, assignment, array
6389 index bounds, and all built-in functions and procedures.
6390
6391 @node M2 Scope
6392 @subsubsection The scope operators @code{::} and @code{.}
6393 @cindex scope
6394 @kindex .
6395 @cindex colon, doubled as scope operator
6396 @ifinfo
6397 @kindex colon-colon
6398 @c Info cannot handle :: but TeX can.
6399 @end ifinfo
6400 @iftex
6401 @kindex ::
6402 @end iftex
6403
6404 There are a few subtle differences between the Modula-2 scope operator
6405 (@code{.}) and the @value{GDBN} scope operator (@code{::}). The two have
6406 similar syntax:
6407
6408 @example
6409
6410 @var{module} . @var{id}
6411 @var{scope} :: @var{id}
6412 @end example
6413
6414 @noindent
6415 where @var{scope} is the name of a module or a procedure,
6416 @var{module} the name of a module, and @var{id} is any declared
6417 identifier within your program, except another module.
6418
6419 Using the @code{::} operator makes @value{GDBN} search the scope
6420 specified by @var{scope} for the identifier @var{id}. If it is not
6421 found in the specified scope, then @value{GDBN} searches all scopes
6422 enclosing the one specified by @var{scope}.
6423
6424 Using the @code{.} operator makes @value{GDBN} search the current scope for
6425 the identifier specified by @var{id} that was imported from the
6426 definition module specified by @var{module}. With this operator, it is
6427 an error if the identifier @var{id} was not imported from definition
6428 module @var{module}, or if @var{id} is not an identifier in
6429 @var{module}.
6430
6431 @node GDB/M2
6432 @subsubsection @value{GDBN} and Modula-2
6433
6434 Some @value{GDBN} commands have little use when debugging Modula-2 programs.
6435 Five subcommands of @code{set print} and @code{show print} apply
6436 specifically to C and C++: @samp{vtbl}, @samp{demangle},
6437 @samp{asm-demangle}, @samp{object}, and @samp{union}. The first four
6438 apply to C++, and the last to the C @code{union} type, which has no direct
6439 analogue in Modula-2.
6440
6441 The @code{@@} operator (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}), while available
6442 while using any language, is not useful with Modula-2. Its
6443 intent is to aid the debugging of @dfn{dynamic arrays}, which cannot be
6444 created in Modula-2 as they can in C or C++. However, because an
6445 address can be specified by an integral constant, the construct
6446 @samp{@{@var{type}@}@var{adrexp}} is still useful. (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions})
6447
6448 @cindex @code{#} in Modula-2
6449 In @value{GDBN} scripts, the Modula-2 inequality operator @code{#} is
6450 interpreted as the beginning of a comment. Use @code{<>} instead.
6451 @end ifset
6452 @end ifclear
6453
6454 @node Symbols
6455 @chapter Examining the Symbol Table
6456
6457 The commands described in this section allow you to inquire about the
6458 symbols (names of variables, functions and types) defined in your
6459 program. This information is inherent in the text of your program and
6460 does not change as your program executes. @value{GDBN} finds it in your
6461 program's symbol table, in the file indicated when you started @value{GDBN}
6462 (@pxref{File Options, ,Choosing files}), or by one of the
6463 file-management commands (@pxref{Files, ,Commands to specify files}).
6464
6465 @cindex symbol names
6466 @cindex names of symbols
6467 @cindex quoting names
6468 Occasionally, you may need to refer to symbols that contain unusual
6469 characters, which @value{GDBN} ordinarily treats as word delimiters. The
6470 most frequent case is in referring to static variables in other
6471 source files (@pxref{Variables,,Program variables}). File names
6472 are recorded in object files as debugging symbols, but @value{GDBN} would
6473 ordinarily parse a typical file name, like @file{foo.c}, as the three words
6474 @samp{foo} @samp{.} @samp{c}. To allow @value{GDBN} to recognize
6475 @samp{foo.c} as a single symbol, enclose it in single quotes; for example,
6476
6477 @example
6478 p 'foo.c'::x
6479 @end example
6480
6481 @noindent
6482 looks up the value of @code{x} in the scope of the file @file{foo.c}.
6483
6484 @table @code
6485 @kindex info address
6486 @item info address @var{symbol}
6487 Describe where the data for @var{symbol} is stored. For a register
6488 variable, this says which register it is kept in. For a non-register
6489 local variable, this prints the stack-frame offset at which the variable
6490 is always stored.
6491
6492 Note the contrast with @samp{print &@var{symbol}}, which does not work
6493 at all for a register variable, and for a stack local variable prints
6494 the exact address of the current instantiation of the variable.
6495
6496 @kindex whatis
6497 @item whatis @var{exp}
6498 Print the data type of expression @var{exp}. @var{exp} is not
6499 actually evaluated, and any side-effecting operations (such as
6500 assignments or function calls) inside it do not take place.
6501 @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}.
6502
6503 @item whatis
6504 Print the data type of @code{$}, the last value in the value history.
6505
6506 @kindex ptype
6507 @item ptype @var{typename}
6508 Print a description of data type @var{typename}. @var{typename} may be
6509 the name of a type, or for C code it may have the form
6510 @ifclear CONLY
6511 @samp{class @var{class-name}},
6512 @end ifclear
6513 @samp{struct @var{struct-tag}}, @samp{union @var{union-tag}} or
6514 @samp{enum @var{enum-tag}}.
6515
6516 @item ptype @var{exp}
6517 @itemx ptype
6518 Print a description of the type of expression @var{exp}. @code{ptype}
6519 differs from @code{whatis} by printing a detailed description, instead
6520 of just the name of the type.
6521
6522 For example, for this variable declaration:
6523
6524 @example
6525 struct complex @{double real; double imag;@} v;
6526 @end example
6527
6528 @noindent
6529 the two commands give this output:
6530
6531 @example
6532 @group
6533 (@value{GDBP}) whatis v
6534 type = struct complex
6535 (@value{GDBP}) ptype v
6536 type = struct complex @{
6537 double real;
6538 double imag;
6539 @}
6540 @end group
6541 @end example
6542
6543 @noindent
6544 As with @code{whatis}, using @code{ptype} without an argument refers to
6545 the type of @code{$}, the last value in the value history.
6546
6547 @kindex info types
6548 @item info types @var{regexp}
6549 @itemx info types
6550 Print a brief description of all types whose name matches @var{regexp}
6551 (or all types in your program, if you supply no argument). Each
6552 complete typename is matched as though it were a complete line; thus,
6553 @samp{i type value} gives information on all types in your program whose
6554 name includes the string @code{value}, but @samp{i type ^value$} gives
6555 information only on types whose complete name is @code{value}.
6556
6557 This command differs from @code{ptype} in two ways: first, like
6558 @code{whatis}, it does not print a detailed description; second, it
6559 lists all source files where a type is defined.
6560
6561 @kindex info source
6562 @item info source
6563 Show the name of the current source file---that is, the source file for
6564 the function containing the current point of execution---and the language
6565 it was written in.
6566
6567 @kindex info sources
6568 @item info sources
6569 Print the names of all source files in your program for which there is
6570 debugging information, organized into two lists: files whose symbols
6571 have already been read, and files whose symbols will be read when needed.
6572
6573 @kindex info functions
6574 @item info functions
6575 Print the names and data types of all defined functions.
6576
6577 @item info functions @var{regexp}
6578 Print the names and data types of all defined functions
6579 whose names contain a match for regular expression @var{regexp}.
6580 Thus, @samp{info fun step} finds all functions whose names
6581 include @code{step}; @samp{info fun ^step} finds those whose names
6582 start with @code{step}.
6583
6584 @kindex info variables
6585 @item info variables
6586 Print the names and data types of all variables that are declared
6587 outside of functions (i.e., excluding local variables).
6588
6589 @item info variables @var{regexp}
6590 Print the names and data types of all variables (except for local
6591 variables) whose names contain a match for regular expression
6592 @var{regexp}.
6593
6594 @ignore
6595 This was never implemented.
6596 @kindex info methods
6597 @item info methods
6598 @itemx info methods @var{regexp}
6599 The @code{info methods} command permits the user to examine all defined
6600 methods within C++ program, or (with the @var{regexp} argument) a
6601 specific set of methods found in the various C++ classes. Many
6602 C++ classes provide a large number of methods. Thus, the output
6603 from the @code{ptype} command can be overwhelming and hard to use. The
6604 @code{info-methods} command filters the methods, printing only those
6605 which match the regular-expression @var{regexp}.
6606 @end ignore
6607
6608 @cindex reloading symbols
6609 Some systems allow individual object files that make up your program to
6610 be replaced without stopping and restarting your program.
6611 @ifset VXWORKS
6612 For example, in VxWorks you can simply recompile a defective object file
6613 and keep on running.
6614 @end ifset
6615 If you are running on one of these systems, you can allow @value{GDBN} to
6616 reload the symbols for automatically relinked modules:
6617
6618 @table @code
6619 @kindex set symbol-reloading
6620 @item set symbol-reloading on
6621 Replace symbol definitions for the corresponding source file when an
6622 object file with a particular name is seen again.
6623
6624 @item set symbol-reloading off
6625 Do not replace symbol definitions when re-encountering object files of
6626 the same name. This is the default state; if you are not running on a
6627 system that permits automatically relinking modules, you should leave
6628 @code{symbol-reloading} off, since otherwise @value{GDBN} may discard symbols
6629 when linking large programs, that may contain several modules (from
6630 different directories or libraries) with the same name.
6631
6632 @kindex show symbol-reloading
6633 @item show symbol-reloading
6634 Show the current @code{on} or @code{off} setting.
6635 @end table
6636
6637 @kindex maint print symbols
6638 @cindex symbol dump
6639 @kindex maint print psymbols
6640 @cindex partial symbol dump
6641 @item maint print symbols @var{filename}
6642 @itemx maint print psymbols @var{filename}
6643 @itemx maint print msymbols @var{filename}
6644 Write a dump of debugging symbol data into the file @var{filename}.
6645 These commands are used to debug the @value{GDBN} symbol-reading code. Only
6646 symbols with debugging data are included. If you use @samp{maint print
6647 symbols}, @value{GDBN} includes all the symbols for which it has already
6648 collected full details: that is, @var{filename} reflects symbols for
6649 only those files whose symbols @value{GDBN} has read. You can use the
6650 command @code{info sources} to find out which files these are. If you
6651 use @samp{maint print psymbols} instead, the dump shows information about
6652 symbols that @value{GDBN} only knows partially---that is, symbols defined in
6653 files that @value{GDBN} has skimmed, but not yet read completely. Finally,
6654 @samp{maint print msymbols} dumps just the minimal symbol information
6655 required for each object file from which @value{GDBN} has read some symbols.
6656 @xref{Files, ,Commands to specify files}, for a discussion of how
6657 @value{GDBN} reads symbols (in the description of @code{symbol-file}).
6658 @end table
6659
6660 @node Altering
6661 @chapter Altering Execution
6662
6663 Once you think you have found an error in your program, you might want to
6664 find out for certain whether correcting the apparent error would lead to
6665 correct results in the rest of the run. You can find the answer by
6666 experiment, using the @value{GDBN} features for altering execution of the
6667 program.
6668
6669 For example, you can store new values into variables or memory
6670 locations,
6671 @ifclear BARETARGET
6672 give your program a signal, restart it
6673 @end ifclear
6674 @ifset BARETARGET
6675 restart your program
6676 @end ifset
6677 at a different address, or even return prematurely from a function.
6678
6679 @menu
6680 * Assignment:: Assignment to variables
6681 * Jumping:: Continuing at a different address
6682 @ifclear BARETARGET
6683 * Signaling:: Giving your program a signal
6684 @end ifclear
6685
6686 * Returning:: Returning from a function
6687 * Calling:: Calling your program's functions
6688 * Patching:: Patching your program
6689 @end menu
6690
6691 @node Assignment
6692 @section Assignment to variables
6693
6694 @cindex assignment
6695 @cindex setting variables
6696 To alter the value of a variable, evaluate an assignment expression.
6697 @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}. For example,
6698
6699 @example
6700 print x=4
6701 @end example
6702
6703 @noindent
6704 stores the value 4 into the variable @code{x}, and then prints the
6705 value of the assignment expression (which is 4).
6706 @ifclear CONLY
6707 @xref{Languages, ,Using @value{GDBN} with Different Languages}, for more
6708 information on operators in supported languages.
6709 @end ifclear
6710
6711 @kindex set variable
6712 @cindex variables, setting
6713 If you are not interested in seeing the value of the assignment, use the
6714 @code{set} command instead of the @code{print} command. @code{set} is
6715 really the same as @code{print} except that the expression's value is
6716 not printed and is not put in the value history (@pxref{Value History,
6717 ,Value history}). The expression is evaluated only for its effects.
6718
6719 If the beginning of the argument string of the @code{set} command
6720 appears identical to a @code{set} subcommand, use the @code{set
6721 variable} command instead of just @code{set}. This command is identical
6722 to @code{set} except for its lack of subcommands. For example, if
6723 your program has a variable @code{width}, you get
6724 an error if you try to set a new value with just @samp{set width=13},
6725 because @value{GDBN} has the command @code{set width}:
6726
6727 @example
6728 (@value{GDBP}) whatis width
6729 type = double
6730 (@value{GDBP}) p width
6731 $4 = 13
6732 (@value{GDBP}) set width=47
6733 Invalid syntax in expression.
6734 @end example
6735
6736 @noindent
6737 The invalid expression, of course, is @samp{=47}. In
6738 order to actually set the program's variable @code{width}, use
6739
6740 @example
6741 (@value{GDBP}) set var width=47
6742 @end example
6743
6744 @value{GDBN} allows more implicit conversions in assignments than C; you can
6745 freely store an integer value into a pointer variable or vice versa,
6746 and you can convert any structure to any other structure that is the
6747 same length or shorter.
6748 @comment FIXME: how do structs align/pad in these conversions?
6749 @comment /pesch@cygnus.com 18dec1990
6750
6751 To store values into arbitrary places in memory, use the @samp{@{@dots{}@}}
6752 construct to generate a value of specified type at a specified address
6753 (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}). For example, @code{@{int@}0x83040} refers
6754 to memory location @code{0x83040} as an integer (which implies a certain size
6755 and representation in memory), and
6756
6757 @example
6758 set @{int@}0x83040 = 4
6759 @end example
6760
6761 @noindent
6762 stores the value 4 into that memory location.
6763
6764 @node Jumping
6765 @section Continuing at a different address
6766
6767 Ordinarily, when you continue your program, you do so at the place where
6768 it stopped, with the @code{continue} command. You can instead continue at
6769 an address of your own choosing, with the following commands:
6770
6771 @table @code
6772 @kindex jump
6773 @item jump @var{linespec}
6774 Resume execution at line @var{linespec}. Execution stops again
6775 immediately if there is a breakpoint there. @xref{List, ,Printing
6776 source lines}, for a description of the different forms of
6777 @var{linespec}.
6778
6779 The @code{jump} command does not change the current stack frame, or
6780 the stack pointer, or the contents of any memory location or any
6781 register other than the program counter. If line @var{linespec} is in
6782 a different function from the one currently executing, the results may
6783 be bizarre if the two functions expect different patterns of arguments or
6784 of local variables. For this reason, the @code{jump} command requests
6785 confirmation if the specified line is not in the function currently
6786 executing. However, even bizarre results are predictable if you are
6787 well acquainted with the machine-language code of your program.
6788
6789 @item jump *@var{address}
6790 Resume execution at the instruction at address @var{address}.
6791 @end table
6792
6793 You can get much the same effect as the @code{jump} command by storing a
6794 new value into the register @code{$pc}. The difference is that this
6795 does not start your program running; it only changes the address of where it
6796 @emph{will} run when you continue. For example,
6797
6798 @example
6799 set $pc = 0x485
6800 @end example
6801
6802 @noindent
6803 makes the next @code{continue} command or stepping command execute at
6804 address @code{0x485}, rather than at the address where your program stopped.
6805 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, ,Continuing and stepping}.
6806
6807 The most common occasion to use the @code{jump} command is to back up--
6808 perhaps with more breakpoints set--over a portion of a program that has
6809 already executed, in order to examine its execution in more detail.
6810
6811 @ifclear BARETARGET
6812 @c @group
6813 @node Signaling
6814 @section Giving your program a signal
6815
6816 @table @code
6817 @kindex signal
6818 @item signal @var{signal}
6819 Resume execution where your program stopped, but immediately give it the
6820 signal @var{signal}. @var{signal} can be the name or the number of a
6821 signal. For example, on many systems @code{signal 2} and @code{signal
6822 SIGINT} are both ways of sending an interrupt signal.
6823
6824 Alternatively, if @var{signal} is zero, continue execution without
6825 giving a signal. This is useful when your program stopped on account of
6826 a signal and would ordinary see the signal when resumed with the
6827 @code{continue} command; @samp{signal 0} causes it to resume without a
6828 signal.
6829
6830 @code{signal} does not repeat when you press @key{RET} a second time
6831 after executing the command.
6832 @end table
6833 @c @end group
6834
6835 Invoking the @code{signal} command is not the same as invoking the
6836 @code{kill} utility from the shell. Sending a signal with @code{kill}
6837 causes @value{GDBN} to decide what to do with the signal depending on
6838 the signal handling tables (@pxref{Signals}). The @code{signal} command
6839 passes the signal directly to your program.
6840
6841 @end ifclear
6842
6843 @node Returning
6844 @section Returning from a function
6845
6846 @table @code
6847 @cindex returning from a function
6848 @kindex return
6849 @item return
6850 @itemx return @var{expression}
6851 You can cancel execution of a function call with the @code{return}
6852 command. If you give an
6853 @var{expression} argument, its value is used as the function's return
6854 value.
6855 @end table
6856
6857 When you use @code{return}, @value{GDBN} discards the selected stack frame
6858 (and all frames within it). You can think of this as making the
6859 discarded frame return prematurely. If you wish to specify a value to
6860 be returned, give that value as the argument to @code{return}.
6861
6862 This pops the selected stack frame (@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a
6863 frame}), and any other frames inside of it, leaving its caller as the
6864 innermost remaining frame. That frame becomes selected. The
6865 specified value is stored in the registers used for returning values
6866 of functions.
6867
6868 The @code{return} command does not resume execution; it leaves the
6869 program stopped in the state that would exist if the function had just
6870 returned. In contrast, the @code{finish} command (@pxref{Continuing
6871 and Stepping, ,Continuing and stepping}) resumes execution until the
6872 selected stack frame returns naturally.
6873
6874 @node Calling
6875 @section Calling program functions
6876
6877 @cindex calling functions
6878 @kindex call
6879 @table @code
6880 @item call @var{expr}
6881 Evaluate the expression @var{expr} without displaying @code{void}
6882 returned values.
6883 @end table
6884
6885 You can use this variant of the @code{print} command if you want to
6886 execute a function from your program, but without cluttering the output
6887 with @code{void} returned values. If the result is not void, it
6888 is printed and saved in the value history.
6889
6890 A new user-controlled variable, @var{call_scratch_address}, specifies
6891 the location of a scratch area to be used when @value{GDBN} calls a
6892 function in the target. This is necessary because the usual method
6893 of putting the scratch area on the stack does not work in systems that
6894 have separate instruction and data spaces.
6895
6896 @node Patching
6897 @section Patching programs
6898 @cindex patching binaries
6899 @cindex writing into executables
6900 @ifclear BARETARGET
6901 @cindex writing into corefiles
6902 @end ifclear
6903
6904 By default, @value{GDBN} opens the file containing your program's executable
6905 code
6906 @ifclear BARETARGET
6907 (or the corefile)
6908 @end ifclear
6909 read-only. This prevents accidental alterations
6910 to machine code; but it also prevents you from intentionally patching
6911 your program's binary.
6912
6913 If you'd like to be able to patch the binary, you can specify that
6914 explicitly with the @code{set write} command. For example, you might
6915 want to turn on internal debugging flags, or even to make emergency
6916 repairs.
6917
6918 @table @code
6919 @kindex set write
6920 @item set write on
6921 @itemx set write off
6922 If you specify @samp{set write on}, @value{GDBN} opens executable
6923 @ifclear BARETARGET
6924 and core
6925 @end ifclear
6926 files for both reading and writing; if you specify @samp{set write
6927 off} (the default), @value{GDBN} opens them read-only.
6928
6929 If you have already loaded a file, you must load it again (using the
6930 @code{exec-file}
6931 @ifclear BARETARGET
6932 or @code{core-file}
6933 @end ifclear
6934 command) after changing @code{set write}, for your new setting to take
6935 effect.
6936
6937 @item show write
6938 @kindex show write
6939 Display whether executable files
6940 @ifclear BARETARGET
6941 and core files
6942 @end ifclear
6943 are opened for writing as well as reading.
6944 @end table
6945
6946 @node GDB Files
6947 @chapter @value{GDBN} Files
6948
6949 @value{GDBN} needs to know the file name of the program to be debugged, both in
6950 order to read its symbol table and in order to start your program.
6951 @ifclear BARETARGET
6952 To debug a core dump of a previous run, you must also tell @value{GDBN}
6953 the name of the core dump file.
6954 @end ifclear
6955
6956 @menu
6957 * Files:: Commands to specify files
6958 * Symbol Errors:: Errors reading symbol files
6959 @end menu
6960
6961 @node Files
6962 @section Commands to specify files
6963 @cindex symbol table
6964
6965 @ifclear BARETARGET
6966 @cindex core dump file
6967 You may want to specify executable and core dump file names.
6968 The usual way to do this is at start-up time, using the arguments to
6969 @value{GDBN}'s start-up commands (@pxref{Invocation, ,
6970 Getting In and Out of @value{GDBN}}).
6971 @end ifclear
6972 @ifset BARETARGET
6973 The usual way to specify an executable file name is with
6974 the command argument given when you start @value{GDBN}, (@pxref{Invocation,
6975 ,Getting In and Out of @value{GDBN}}.
6976 @end ifset
6977
6978 Occasionally it is necessary to change to a different file during a
6979 @value{GDBN} session. Or you may run @value{GDBN} and forget to specify
6980 a file you want to use. In these situations the @value{GDBN} commands
6981 to specify new files are useful.
6982
6983 @table @code
6984 @cindex executable file
6985 @kindex file
6986 @item file @var{filename}
6987 Use @var{filename} as the program to be debugged. It is read for its
6988 symbols and for the contents of pure memory. It is also the program
6989 executed when you use the @code{run} command. If you do not specify a
6990 directory and the file is not found in the @value{GDBN} working directory,
6991 @value{GDBN} uses the environment variable @code{PATH} as a list of
6992 directories to search, just as the shell does when looking for a program
6993 to run. You can change the value of this variable, for both @value{GDBN}
6994 and your program, using the @code{path} command.
6995
6996 On systems with memory-mapped files, an auxiliary file
6997 @file{@var{filename}.syms} may hold symbol table information for
6998 @var{filename}. If so, @value{GDBN} maps in the symbol table from
6999 @file{@var{filename}.syms}, starting up more quickly. See the
7000 descriptions of the file options @samp{-mapped} and @samp{-readnow}
7001 (available on the command line, and with the commands @code{file},
7002 @code{symbol-file}, or @code{add-symbol-file}, described below),
7003 for more information.
7004
7005 @item file
7006 @code{file} with no argument makes @value{GDBN} discard any information it
7007 has on both executable file and the symbol table.
7008
7009 @kindex exec-file
7010 @item exec-file @r{[} @var{filename} @r{]}
7011 Specify that the program to be run (but not the symbol table) is found
7012 in @var{filename}. @value{GDBN} searches the environment variable @code{PATH}
7013 if necessary to locate your program. Omitting @var{filename} means to
7014 discard information on the executable file.
7015
7016 @kindex symbol-file
7017 @item symbol-file @r{[} @var{filename} @r{]}
7018 Read symbol table information from file @var{filename}. @code{PATH} is
7019 searched when necessary. Use the @code{file} command to get both symbol
7020 table and program to run from the same file.
7021
7022 @code{symbol-file} with no argument clears out @value{GDBN} information on your
7023 program's symbol table.
7024
7025 The @code{symbol-file} command causes @value{GDBN} to forget the contents
7026 of its convenience variables, the value history, and all breakpoints and
7027 auto-display expressions. This is because they may contain pointers to
7028 the internal data recording symbols and data types, which are part of
7029 the old symbol table data being discarded inside @value{GDBN}.
7030
7031 @code{symbol-file} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} again after
7032 executing it once.
7033
7034 When @value{GDBN} is configured for a particular environment, it
7035 understands debugging information in whatever format is the standard
7036 generated for that environment; you may use either a @sc{gnu} compiler, or
7037 other compilers that adhere to the local conventions. Best results are
7038 usually obtained from @sc{gnu} compilers; for example, using @code{@value{GCC}}
7039 you can generate debugging information for optimized code.
7040
7041 On some kinds of object files, the @code{symbol-file} command does not
7042 normally read the symbol table in full right away. Instead, it scans
7043 the symbol table quickly to find which source files and which symbols
7044 are present. The details are read later, one source file at a time,
7045 as they are needed.
7046
7047 The purpose of this two-stage reading strategy is to make @value{GDBN} start up
7048 faster. For the most part, it is invisible except for occasional
7049 pauses while the symbol table details for a particular source file are
7050 being read. (The @code{set verbose} command can turn these pauses
7051 into messages if desired. @xref{Messages/Warnings, ,Optional warnings
7052 and messages}.)
7053
7054 We have not implemented the two-stage strategy for COFF yet. When the
7055 symbol table is stored in COFF format, @code{symbol-file} reads the
7056 symbol table data in full right away.
7057
7058 @kindex readnow
7059 @cindex reading symbols immediately
7060 @cindex symbols, reading immediately
7061 @kindex mapped
7062 @cindex memory-mapped symbol file
7063 @cindex saving symbol table
7064 @item symbol-file @var{filename} @r{[} -readnow @r{]} @r{[} -mapped @r{]}
7065 @itemx file @var{filename} @r{[} -readnow @r{]} @r{[} -mapped @r{]}
7066 You can override the @value{GDBN} two-stage strategy for reading symbol
7067 tables by using the @samp{-readnow} option with any of the commands that
7068 load symbol table information, if you want to be sure @value{GDBN} has the
7069 entire symbol table available.
7070
7071 @ifclear BARETARGET
7072 If memory-mapped files are available on your system through the
7073 @code{mmap} system call, you can use another option, @samp{-mapped}, to
7074 cause @value{GDBN} to write the symbols for your program into a reusable
7075 file. Future @value{GDBN} debugging sessions map in symbol information
7076 from this auxiliary symbol file (if the program has not changed), rather
7077 than spending time reading the symbol table from the executable
7078 program. Using the @samp{-mapped} option has the same effect as
7079 starting @value{GDBN} with the @samp{-mapped} command-line option.
7080
7081 You can use both options together, to make sure the auxiliary symbol
7082 file has all the symbol information for your program.
7083
7084 The auxiliary symbol file for a program called @var{myprog} is called
7085 @samp{@var{myprog}.syms}. Once this file exists (so long as it is newer
7086 than the corresponding executable), @value{GDBN} always attempts to use
7087 it when you debug @var{myprog}; no special options or commands are
7088 needed.
7089
7090 The @file{.syms} file is specific to the host machine where you run
7091 @value{GDBN}. It holds an exact image of the internal @value{GDBN}
7092 symbol table. It cannot be shared across multiple host platforms.
7093
7094 @c FIXME: for now no mention of directories, since this seems to be in
7095 @c flux. 13mar1992 status is that in theory GDB would look either in
7096 @c current dir or in same dir as myprog; but issues like competing
7097 @c GDB's, or clutter in system dirs, mean that in practice right now
7098 @c only current dir is used. FFish says maybe a special GDB hierarchy
7099 @c (eg rooted in val of env var GDBSYMS) could exist for mappable symbol
7100 @c files.
7101
7102 @kindex core
7103 @kindex core-file
7104 @item core-file @r{[} @var{filename} @r{]}
7105 Specify the whereabouts of a core dump file to be used as the ``contents
7106 of memory''. Traditionally, core files contain only some parts of the
7107 address space of the process that generated them; @value{GDBN} can access the
7108 executable file itself for other parts.
7109
7110 @code{core-file} with no argument specifies that no core file is
7111 to be used.
7112
7113 Note that the core file is ignored when your program is actually running
7114 under @value{GDBN}. So, if you have been running your program and you wish to
7115 debug a core file instead, you must kill the subprocess in which the
7116 program is running. To do this, use the @code{kill} command
7117 (@pxref{Kill Process, ,Killing the child process}).
7118 @end ifclear
7119
7120 @kindex load @var{filename}
7121 @item load @var{filename}
7122 @ifset GENERIC
7123 Depending on what remote debugging facilities are configured into
7124 @value{GDBN}, the @code{load} command may be available. Where it exists, it
7125 is meant to make @var{filename} (an executable) available for debugging
7126 on the remote system---by downloading, or dynamic linking, for example.
7127 @code{load} also records the @var{filename} symbol table in @value{GDBN}, like
7128 the @code{add-symbol-file} command.
7129
7130 If your @value{GDBN} does not have a @code{load} command, attempting to
7131 execute it gets the error message ``@code{You can't do that when your
7132 target is @dots{}}''
7133 @end ifset
7134
7135 The file is loaded at whatever address is specified in the executable.
7136 For some object file formats, you can specify the load address when you
7137 link the program; for other formats, like a.out, the object file format
7138 specifies a fixed address.
7139 @c FIXME! This would be a good place for an xref to the GNU linker doc.
7140
7141 @ifset VXWORKS
7142 On VxWorks, @code{load} links @var{filename} dynamically on the
7143 current target system as well as adding its symbols in @value{GDBN}.
7144 @end ifset
7145
7146 @ifset I960
7147 @cindex download to Nindy-960
7148 With the Nindy interface to an Intel 960 board, @code{load}
7149 downloads @var{filename} to the 960 as well as adding its symbols in
7150 @value{GDBN}.
7151 @end ifset
7152
7153 @ifset H8
7154 @cindex download to H8/300 or H8/500
7155 @cindex H8/300 or H8/500 download
7156 @cindex download to Hitachi SH
7157 @cindex Hitachi SH download
7158 When you select remote debugging to a Hitachi SH, H8/300, or H8/500 board
7159 (@pxref{Hitachi Remote,,@value{GDBN} and Hitachi Microprocessors}),
7160 the @code{load} command downloads your program to the Hitachi board and also
7161 opens it as the current executable target for @value{GDBN} on your host
7162 (like the @code{file} command).
7163 @end ifset
7164
7165 @code{load} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} again after using it.
7166
7167 @ifclear BARETARGET
7168 @kindex add-symbol-file
7169 @cindex dynamic linking
7170 @item add-symbol-file @var{filename} @var{address}
7171 @itemx add-symbol-file @var{filename} @var{address} @r{[} -readnow @r{]} @r{[} -mapped @r{]}
7172 The @code{add-symbol-file} command reads additional symbol table information
7173 from the file @var{filename}. You would use this command when @var{filename}
7174 has been dynamically loaded (by some other means) into the program that
7175 is running. @var{address} should be the memory address at which the
7176 file has been loaded; @value{GDBN} cannot figure this out for itself.
7177 You can specify @var{address} as an expression.
7178
7179 The symbol table of the file @var{filename} is added to the symbol table
7180 originally read with the @code{symbol-file} command. You can use the
7181 @code{add-symbol-file} command any number of times; the new symbol data thus
7182 read keeps adding to the old. To discard all old symbol data instead,
7183 use the @code{symbol-file} command.
7184
7185 @code{add-symbol-file} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} after using it.
7186
7187 You can use the @samp{-mapped} and @samp{-readnow} options just as with
7188 the @code{symbol-file} command, to change how @value{GDBN} manages the symbol
7189 table information for @var{filename}.
7190
7191 @kindex add-shared-symbol-file
7192 @item add-shared-symbol-file
7193 The @code{add-shared-symbol-file} command can be used only under Harris' CXUX
7194 operating system for the Motorola 88k. @value{GDBN} automatically looks for
7195 shared libraries, however if @value{GDBN} does not find yours, you can run
7196 @code{add-shared-symbol-file}. It takes no arguments.
7197 @end ifclear
7198
7199 @kindex section
7200 @item section
7201 The @code{section} command changes the base address of section SECTION of
7202 the exec file to ADDR. This can be used if the exec file does not contain
7203 section addresses, (such as in the a.out format), or when the addresses
7204 specified in the file itself are wrong. Each section must be changed
7205 separately. The ``info files'' command lists all the sections and their
7206 addresses.
7207
7208 @kindex info files
7209 @kindex info target
7210 @item info files
7211 @itemx info target
7212 @code{info files} and @code{info target} are synonymous; both print
7213 the current target (@pxref{Targets, ,Specifying a Debugging Target}),
7214 including the
7215 @ifclear BARETARGET
7216 names of the executable and core dump files
7217 @end ifclear
7218 @ifset BARETARGET
7219 name of the executable file
7220 @end ifset
7221 currently in use by @value{GDBN}, and the files from which symbols were
7222 loaded. The command @code{help target} lists all possible targets
7223 rather than current ones.
7224 @end table
7225
7226 All file-specifying commands allow both absolute and relative file names
7227 as arguments. @value{GDBN} always converts the file name to an absolute file
7228 name and remembers it that way.
7229
7230 @ifclear BARETARGET
7231 @cindex shared libraries
7232 @value{GDBN} supports SunOS, SVr4, Irix 5, and IBM RS/6000 shared libraries.
7233 @value{GDBN} automatically loads symbol definitions from shared libraries
7234 when you use the @code{run} command, or when you examine a core file.
7235 (Before you issue the @code{run} command, @value{GDBN} does not understand
7236 references to a function in a shared library, however---unless you are
7237 debugging a core file).
7238 @c FIXME: some @value{GDBN} release may permit some refs to undef
7239 @c FIXME...symbols---eg in a break cmd---assuming they are from a shared
7240 @c FIXME...lib; check this from time to time when updating manual
7241
7242 @table @code
7243 @kindex info sharedlibrary
7244 @kindex info share
7245 @item info share
7246 @itemx info sharedlibrary
7247 Print the names of the shared libraries which are currently loaded.
7248
7249 @kindex sharedlibrary
7250 @kindex share
7251 @item sharedlibrary @var{regex}
7252 @itemx share @var{regex}
7253
7254 Load shared object library symbols for files matching a
7255 Unix regular expression.
7256 As with files loaded automatically, it only loads shared libraries
7257 required by your program for a core file or after typing @code{run}. If
7258 @var{regex} is omitted all shared libraries required by your program are
7259 loaded.
7260 @end table
7261 @end ifclear
7262
7263 @node Symbol Errors
7264 @section Errors reading symbol files
7265
7266 While reading a symbol file, @value{GDBN} occasionally encounters problems,
7267 such as symbol types it does not recognize, or known bugs in compiler
7268 output. By default, @value{GDBN} does not notify you of such problems, since
7269 they are relatively common and primarily of interest to people
7270 debugging compilers. If you are interested in seeing information
7271 about ill-constructed symbol tables, you can either ask @value{GDBN} to print
7272 only one message about each such type of problem, no matter how many
7273 times the problem occurs; or you can ask @value{GDBN} to print more messages,
7274 to see how many times the problems occur, with the @code{set
7275 complaints} command (@pxref{Messages/Warnings, ,Optional warnings and
7276 messages}).
7277
7278 The messages currently printed, and their meanings, include:
7279
7280 @table @code
7281 @item inner block not inside outer block in @var{symbol}
7282
7283 The symbol information shows where symbol scopes begin and end
7284 (such as at the start of a function or a block of statements). This
7285 error indicates that an inner scope block is not fully contained
7286 in its outer scope blocks.
7287
7288 @value{GDBN} circumvents the problem by treating the inner block as if it had
7289 the same scope as the outer block. In the error message, @var{symbol}
7290 may be shown as ``@code{(don't know)}'' if the outer block is not a
7291 function.
7292
7293 @item block at @var{address} out of order
7294
7295 The symbol information for symbol scope blocks should occur in
7296 order of increasing addresses. This error indicates that it does not
7297 do so.
7298
7299 @value{GDBN} does not circumvent this problem, and has trouble
7300 locating symbols in the source file whose symbols it is reading. (You
7301 can often determine what source file is affected by specifying
7302 @code{set verbose on}. @xref{Messages/Warnings, ,Optional warnings and
7303 messages}.)
7304
7305 @item bad block start address patched
7306
7307 The symbol information for a symbol scope block has a start address
7308 smaller than the address of the preceding source line. This is known
7309 to occur in the SunOS 4.1.1 (and earlier) C compiler.
7310
7311 @value{GDBN} circumvents the problem by treating the symbol scope block as
7312 starting on the previous source line.
7313
7314 @item bad string table offset in symbol @var{n}
7315
7316 @cindex foo
7317 Symbol number @var{n} contains a pointer into the string table which is
7318 larger than the size of the string table.
7319
7320 @value{GDBN} circumvents the problem by considering the symbol to have the
7321 name @code{foo}, which may cause other problems if many symbols end up
7322 with this name.
7323
7324 @item unknown symbol type @code{0x@var{nn}}
7325
7326 The symbol information contains new data types that @value{GDBN} does not yet
7327 know how to read. @code{0x@var{nn}} is the symbol type of the misunderstood
7328 information, in hexadecimal.
7329
7330 @value{GDBN} circumvents the error by ignoring this symbol information. This
7331 usually allows you to debug your program, though certain symbols
7332 are not accessible. If you encounter such a problem and feel like
7333 debugging it, you can debug @code{@value{GDBP}} with itself, breakpoint on
7334 @code{complain}, then go up to the function @code{read_dbx_symtab} and
7335 examine @code{*bufp} to see the symbol.
7336
7337 @item stub type has NULL name
7338 @value{GDBN} could not find the full definition for
7339 @ifclear CONLY
7340 a struct or class.
7341 @end ifclear
7342 @ifset CONLY
7343 a struct.
7344 @end ifset
7345
7346 @ifclear CONLY
7347 @item const/volatile indicator missing (ok if using g++ v1.x), got@dots{}
7348
7349 The symbol information for a C++ member function is missing some
7350 information that recent versions of the compiler should have output
7351 for it.
7352 @end ifclear
7353
7354 @item info mismatch between compiler and debugger
7355
7356 @value{GDBN} could not parse a type specification output by the compiler.
7357 @end table
7358
7359 @node Targets
7360 @chapter Specifying a Debugging Target
7361 @cindex debugging target
7362 @kindex target
7363
7364 A @dfn{target} is the execution environment occupied by your program.
7365 @ifclear BARETARGET
7366 Often, @value{GDBN} runs in the same host environment as your program; in
7367 that case, the debugging target is specified as a side effect when you
7368 use the @code{file} or @code{core} commands. When you need more
7369 flexibility---for example, running @value{GDBN} on a physically separate
7370 host, or controlling a standalone system over a serial port or a
7371 realtime system over a TCP/IP connection---you
7372 @end ifclear
7373 @ifset BARETARGET
7374 You
7375 @end ifset
7376 can use the @code{target} command to specify one of the target types
7377 configured for @value{GDBN} (@pxref{Target Commands, ,Commands for managing
7378 targets}).
7379
7380 @menu
7381 * Active Targets:: Active targets
7382 * Target Commands:: Commands for managing targets
7383 * Remote:: Remote debugging
7384 @end menu
7385
7386 @node Active Targets
7387 @section Active targets
7388 @cindex stacking targets
7389 @cindex active targets
7390 @cindex multiple targets
7391
7392 @ifclear BARETARGET
7393 There are three classes of targets: processes, core files, and
7394 executable files. @value{GDBN} can work concurrently on up to three active
7395 targets, one in each class. This allows you to (for example) start a
7396 process and inspect its activity without abandoning your work on a core
7397 file.
7398
7399 For example, if you execute @samp{gdb a.out}, then the executable file
7400 @code{a.out} is the only active target. If you designate a core file as
7401 well---presumably from a prior run that crashed and coredumped---then
7402 @value{GDBN} has two active targets and uses them in tandem, looking
7403 first in the corefile target, then in the executable file, to satisfy
7404 requests for memory addresses. (Typically, these two classes of target
7405 are complementary, since core files contain only a program's
7406 read-write memory---variables and so on---plus machine status, while
7407 executable files contain only the program text and initialized data.)
7408 @end ifclear
7409
7410 When you type @code{run}, your executable file becomes an active process
7411 target as well. When a process target is active, all @value{GDBN} commands
7412 requesting memory addresses refer to that target; addresses in an
7413 @ifclear BARETARGET
7414 active core file or
7415 @end ifclear
7416 executable file target are obscured while the process
7417 target is active.
7418
7419 @ifset BARETARGET
7420 Use the @code{exec-file} command to select a
7421 new executable target (@pxref{Files, ,Commands to specify
7422 files}).
7423 @end ifset
7424 @ifclear BARETARGET
7425 Use the @code{core-file} and @code{exec-file} commands to select a
7426 new core file or executable target (@pxref{Files, ,Commands to specify
7427 files}). To specify as a target a process that is already running, use
7428 the @code{attach} command (@pxref{Attach, ,Debugging an
7429 already-running process}).
7430 @end ifclear
7431
7432 @node Target Commands
7433 @section Commands for managing targets
7434
7435 @table @code
7436 @item target @var{type} @var{parameters}
7437 Connects the @value{GDBN} host environment to a target
7438 @ifset BARETARGET
7439 machine.
7440 @end ifset
7441 @ifclear BARETARGET
7442 machine or process. A target is typically a protocol for talking to
7443 debugging facilities. You use the argument @var{type} to specify the
7444 type or protocol of the target machine.
7445
7446 Further @var{parameters} are interpreted by the target protocol, but
7447 typically include things like device names or host names to connect
7448 with, process numbers, and baud rates.
7449 @end ifclear
7450
7451 The @code{target} command does not repeat if you press @key{RET} again
7452 after executing the command.
7453
7454 @kindex help target
7455 @item help target
7456 Displays the names of all targets available. To display targets
7457 currently selected, use either @code{info target} or @code{info files}
7458 (@pxref{Files, ,Commands to specify files}).
7459
7460 @item help target @var{name}
7461 Describe a particular target, including any parameters necessary to
7462 select it.
7463
7464 @kindex set gnutarget
7465 @item set gnutarget @var{args}
7466 @value{GDBN}uses its own library BFD to read your files. @value{GDBN}
7467 knows whether it is reading an @dfn{executable},
7468 a @dfn{core}, or a @dfn{.o} file, however you can specify the file format
7469 with the @code{set gnutarget} command. Unlike most @code{target} commands,
7470 with @code{gnutarget} the @code{target} refers to a program, not a machine.
7471
7472 @emph{Warning:} To specify a file format with @code{set gnutarget},
7473 you must know the actual BFD name.
7474
7475 @noindent @xref{Files, , Commands to specify files}.
7476
7477 @kindex show gnutarget
7478 @item show gnutarget
7479 Use the @code{show gnutarget} command to display what file format
7480 @code{gnutarget} is set to read. If you have not set @code{gnutarget},
7481 @value{GDBN} will determine the file format for each file automatically
7482 and @code{show gnutarget} displays @code{The current BDF target is "auto"}.
7483 @end table
7484
7485 Here are some common targets (available, or not, depending on the GDB
7486 configuration):
7487
7488 @table @code
7489 @kindex target exec
7490 @item target exec @var{program}
7491 An executable file. @samp{target exec @var{program}} is the same as
7492 @samp{exec-file @var{program}}.
7493
7494 @ifclear BARETARGET
7495 @kindex target core
7496 @item target core @var{filename}
7497 A core dump file. @samp{target core @var{filename}} is the same as
7498 @samp{core-file @var{filename}}.
7499 @end ifclear
7500
7501 @ifset REMOTESTUB
7502 @kindex target remote
7503 @item target remote @var{dev}
7504 Remote serial target in GDB-specific protocol. The argument @var{dev}
7505 specifies what serial device to use for the connection (e.g.
7506 @file{/dev/ttya}). @xref{Remote, ,Remote debugging}. @code{target remote}
7507 now supports the @code{load} command. This is only useful if you have
7508 some other way of getting the stub to the target system, and you can put
7509 it somewhere in memory where it won't get clobbered by the download.
7510 @end ifset
7511
7512 @ifset SIMS
7513 @kindex target sim
7514 @item target sim
7515 CPU simulator. @xref{Simulator,,Simulated CPU Target}.
7516 @end ifset
7517
7518 @ifset AMD29K
7519 @kindex target udi
7520 @item target udi @var{keyword}
7521 Remote AMD29K target, using the AMD UDI protocol. The @var{keyword}
7522 argument specifies which 29K board or simulator to use. @xref{UDI29K
7523 Remote,,The UDI protocol for AMD29K}.
7524
7525 @kindex target amd-eb
7526 @item target amd-eb @var{dev} @var{speed} @var{PROG}
7527 @cindex AMD EB29K
7528 Remote PC-resident AMD EB29K board, attached over serial lines.
7529 @var{dev} is the serial device, as for @code{target remote};
7530 @var{speed} allows you to specify the linespeed; and @var{PROG} is the
7531 name of the program to be debugged, as it appears to DOS on the PC.
7532 @xref{EB29K Remote, ,The EBMON protocol for AMD29K}.
7533
7534 @end ifset
7535 @ifset H8
7536 @kindex target hms
7537 @item target hms @var{dev}
7538 A Hitachi SH, H8/300, or H8/500 board, attached via serial line to your host.
7539 @ifclear H8EXCLUSIVE
7540 Use special commands @code{device} and @code{speed} to control the serial
7541 line and the communications speed used.
7542 @end ifclear
7543 @xref{Hitachi Remote,,@value{GDBN} and Hitachi Microprocessors}.
7544
7545 @end ifset
7546 @ifset I960
7547 @kindex target nindy
7548 @item target nindy @var{devicename}
7549 An Intel 960 board controlled by a Nindy Monitor. @var{devicename} is
7550 the name of the serial device to use for the connection, e.g.
7551 @file{/dev/ttya}. @xref{i960-Nindy Remote, ,@value{GDBN} with a remote i960 (Nindy)}.
7552
7553 @end ifset
7554 @ifset ST2000
7555 @kindex target st2000
7556 @item target st2000 @var{dev} @var{speed}
7557 A Tandem ST2000 phone switch, running Tandem's STDBUG protocol. @var{dev}
7558 is the name of the device attached to the ST2000 serial line;
7559 @var{speed} is the communication line speed. The arguments are not used
7560 if @value{GDBN} is configured to connect to the ST2000 using TCP or Telnet.
7561 @xref{ST2000 Remote,,@value{GDBN} with a Tandem ST2000}.
7562 @end ifset
7563
7564 @ifset VXWORKS
7565 @kindex target vxworks
7566 @item target vxworks @var{machinename}
7567 A VxWorks system, attached via TCP/IP. The argument @var{machinename}
7568 is the target system's machine name or IP address.
7569 @xref{VxWorks Remote, ,@value{GDBN} and VxWorks}.
7570 @end ifset
7571
7572 @kindex target cpu32bug
7573 @item target cpu32bug @var{dev}
7574 CPU32BUG monitor, running on a CPU32 (M68K) board.
7575
7576 @kindex target op50n
7577 @item target op50n @var{dev}
7578 OP50N monitor, running on an OKI HPPA board.
7579
7580 @kindex target w89k
7581 @item target w89k @var{dev}
7582 W89K monitor, running on a Winbond HPPA board.
7583
7584 @kindex target est
7585 @item target est @var{dev}
7586 EST-300 ICE monitor, running on a CPU32 (M68K) board.
7587
7588 @kindex target rom68k
7589 @item target rom68k @var{dev}
7590 ROM 68K monitor, running on an IDP board.
7591
7592 @kindex target array
7593 @item target array @var{dev}
7594 Array Tech LSI33K RAID controller board.
7595
7596 @kindex target sparclite
7597 @item target sparclite @var{dev}
7598 Fujitsu sparclite boards, used only for the purpose of loading.
7599 You must use an additional command to debug the program.
7600 For example: target remote @var{dev} using @value{GDBN} standard
7601 remote protocol.
7602 @end table
7603
7604 @ifset GENERIC
7605 Different targets are available on different configurations of @value{GDBN};
7606 your configuration may have more or fewer targets.
7607 @end ifset
7608
7609 @section Choosing target byte order
7610 @cindex choosing target byte order
7611 @cindex target byte order
7612 @kindex set endian big
7613 @kindex set endian little
7614 @kindex set endian auto
7615 @kindex show endian
7616
7617 You can now choose which byte order to use with a target system.
7618 Use the @code{set endian big} and @code{set endian little} commands.
7619 Use the @code{set endian auto} command to instruct
7620 @value{GDBN} to use the byte order associated with the executable.
7621 You can see the current setting for byte order with the @code{show endian}
7622 command.
7623
7624 @emph{Warning:} Currently, only embedded MIPS configurations support
7625 dynamic selection of target byte order.
7626
7627 @node Remote
7628 @section Remote debugging
7629 @cindex remote debugging
7630
7631 If you are trying to debug a program running on a machine that cannot run
7632 @value{GDBN} in the usual way, it is often useful to use remote debugging.
7633 For example, you might use remote debugging on an operating system kernel,
7634 or on a small system which does not have a general purpose operating system
7635 powerful enough to run a full-featured debugger.
7636
7637 Some configurations of @value{GDBN} have special serial or TCP/IP interfaces
7638 to make this work with particular debugging targets. In addition,
7639 @value{GDBN} comes with a generic serial protocol (specific to @value{GDBN},
7640 but not specific to any particular target system) which you can use if you
7641 write the remote stubs---the code that runs on the remote system to
7642 communicate with @value{GDBN}.
7643
7644 Other remote targets may be available in your
7645 configuration of @value{GDBN}; use @code{help target} to list them.
7646
7647 @ifset GENERIC
7648 @c Text on starting up GDB in various specific cases; it goes up front
7649 @c in manuals configured for any of those particular situations, here
7650 @c otherwise.
7651 @menu
7652 @ifset REMOTESTUB
7653 * Remote Serial:: @value{GDBN} remote serial protocol
7654 @end ifset
7655 @ifset I960
7656 * i960-Nindy Remote:: @value{GDBN} with a remote i960 (Nindy)
7657 @end ifset
7658 @ifset AMD29K
7659 * UDI29K Remote:: The UDI protocol for AMD29K
7660 * EB29K Remote:: The EBMON protocol for AMD29K
7661 @end ifset
7662 @ifset VXWORKS
7663 * VxWorks Remote:: @value{GDBN} and VxWorks
7664 @end ifset
7665 @ifset ST2000
7666 * ST2000 Remote:: @value{GDBN} with a Tandem ST2000
7667 @end ifset
7668 @ifset H8
7669 * Hitachi Remote:: @value{GDBN} and Hitachi Microprocessors
7670 @end ifset
7671 @ifset MIPS
7672 * MIPS Remote:: @value{GDBN} and MIPS boards
7673 @end ifset
7674 @ifset SIMS
7675 * Simulator:: Simulated CPU target
7676 @end ifset
7677 @end menu
7678
7679 @include remote.texi
7680 @end ifset
7681
7682 @node Controlling GDB
7683 @chapter Controlling @value{GDBN}
7684
7685 You can alter the way @value{GDBN} interacts with you by using
7686 the @code{set} command. For commands controlling how @value{GDBN} displays
7687 data, @pxref{Print Settings, ,Print settings}; other settings are described
7688 here.
7689
7690 @menu
7691 * Prompt:: Prompt
7692 * Editing:: Command editing
7693 * History:: Command history
7694 * Screen Size:: Screen size
7695 * Numbers:: Numbers
7696 * Messages/Warnings:: Optional warnings and messages
7697 @end menu
7698
7699 @node Prompt
7700 @section Prompt
7701
7702 @cindex prompt
7703
7704 @value{GDBN} indicates its readiness to read a command by printing a string
7705 called the @dfn{prompt}. This string is normally @samp{(@value{GDBP})}. You
7706 can change the prompt string with the @code{set prompt} command. For
7707 instance, when debugging @value{GDBN} with @value{GDBN}, it is useful to change
7708 the prompt in one of the @value{GDBN} sessions so that you can always tell
7709 which one you are talking to.
7710
7711 @emph{Note:} @code{set prompt} no longer adds a space for you after the
7712 prompt you set. This allows you to set a prompt which ends in a space
7713 or a prompt that does not.
7714
7715 @table @code
7716 @kindex set prompt
7717 @item set prompt @var{newprompt}
7718 Directs @value{GDBN} to use @var{newprompt} as its prompt string henceforth.
7719
7720 @kindex show prompt
7721 @item show prompt
7722 Prints a line of the form: @samp{Gdb's prompt is: @var{your-prompt}}
7723 @end table
7724
7725 @node Editing
7726 @section Command editing
7727 @cindex readline
7728 @cindex command line editing
7729
7730 @value{GDBN} reads its input commands via the @dfn{readline} interface. This
7731 @sc{gnu} library provides consistent behavior for programs which provide a
7732 command line interface to the user. Advantages are @sc{gnu} Emacs-style
7733 or @dfn{vi}-style inline editing of commands, @code{csh}-like history
7734 substitution, and a storage and recall of command history across
7735 debugging sessions.
7736
7737 You may control the behavior of command line editing in @value{GDBN} with the
7738 command @code{set}.
7739
7740 @table @code
7741 @kindex set editing
7742 @cindex editing
7743 @item set editing
7744 @itemx set editing on
7745 Enable command line editing (enabled by default).
7746
7747 @item set editing off
7748 Disable command line editing.
7749
7750 @kindex show editing
7751 @item show editing
7752 Show whether command line editing is enabled.
7753 @end table
7754
7755 @node History
7756 @section Command history
7757
7758 @value{GDBN} can keep track of the commands you type during your
7759 debugging sessions, so that you can be certain of precisely what
7760 happened. Use these commands to manage the @value{GDBN} command
7761 history facility.
7762
7763 @table @code
7764 @cindex history substitution
7765 @cindex history file
7766 @kindex set history filename
7767 @kindex GDBHISTFILE
7768 @item set history filename @var{fname}
7769 Set the name of the @value{GDBN} command history file to @var{fname}.
7770 This is the file where @value{GDBN} reads an initial command history
7771 list, and where it writes the command history from this session when it
7772 exits. You can access this list through history expansion or through
7773 the history command editing characters listed below. This file defaults
7774 to the value of the environment variable @code{GDBHISTFILE}, or to
7775 @file{./.gdb_history} if this variable is not set.
7776
7777 @cindex history save
7778 @kindex set history save
7779 @item set history save
7780 @itemx set history save on
7781 Record command history in a file, whose name may be specified with the
7782 @code{set history filename} command. By default, this option is disabled.
7783
7784 @item set history save off
7785 Stop recording command history in a file.
7786
7787 @cindex history size
7788 @kindex set history size
7789 @item set history size @var{size}
7790 Set the number of commands which @value{GDBN} keeps in its history list.
7791 This defaults to the value of the environment variable
7792 @code{HISTSIZE}, or to 256 if this variable is not set.
7793 @end table
7794
7795 @cindex history expansion
7796 History expansion assigns special meaning to the character @kbd{!}.
7797 @ifset have-readline-appendices
7798 @xref{Event Designators}.
7799 @end ifset
7800
7801 Since @kbd{!} is also the logical not operator in C, history expansion
7802 is off by default. If you decide to enable history expansion with the
7803 @code{set history expansion on} command, you may sometimes need to
7804 follow @kbd{!} (when it is used as logical not, in an expression) with
7805 a space or a tab to prevent it from being expanded. The readline
7806 history facilities do not attempt substitution on the strings
7807 @kbd{!=} and @kbd{!(}, even when history expansion is enabled.
7808
7809 The commands to control history expansion are:
7810
7811 @table @code
7812 @kindex set history expansion
7813 @item set history expansion on
7814 @itemx set history expansion
7815 Enable history expansion. History expansion is off by default.
7816
7817 @item set history expansion off
7818 Disable history expansion.
7819
7820 The readline code comes with more complete documentation of
7821 editing and history expansion features. Users unfamiliar with @sc{gnu} Emacs
7822 or @code{vi} may wish to read it.
7823 @ifset have-readline-appendices
7824 @xref{Command Line Editing}.
7825 @end ifset
7826
7827 @c @group
7828 @kindex show history
7829 @item show history
7830 @itemx show history filename
7831 @itemx show history save
7832 @itemx show history size
7833 @itemx show history expansion
7834 These commands display the state of the @value{GDBN} history parameters.
7835 @code{show history} by itself displays all four states.
7836 @c @end group
7837 @end table
7838
7839 @table @code
7840 @kindex show commands
7841 @item show commands
7842 Display the last ten commands in the command history.
7843
7844 @item show commands @var{n}
7845 Print ten commands centered on command number @var{n}.
7846
7847 @item show commands +
7848 Print ten commands just after the commands last printed.
7849 @end table
7850
7851 @node Screen Size
7852 @section Screen size
7853 @cindex size of screen
7854 @cindex pauses in output
7855
7856 Certain commands to @value{GDBN} may produce large amounts of
7857 information output to the screen. To help you read all of it,
7858 @value{GDBN} pauses and asks you for input at the end of each page of
7859 output. Type @key{RET} when you want to continue the output, or @kbd{q}
7860 to discard the remaining output. Also, the screen width setting
7861 determines when to wrap lines of output. Depending on what is being
7862 printed, @value{GDBN} tries to break the line at a readable place,
7863 rather than simply letting it overflow onto the following line.
7864
7865 Normally @value{GDBN} knows the size of the screen from the termcap data base
7866 together with the value of the @code{TERM} environment variable and the
7867 @code{stty rows} and @code{stty cols} settings. If this is not correct,
7868 you can override it with the @code{set height} and @code{set
7869 width} commands:
7870
7871 @table @code
7872 @kindex set height
7873 @kindex set width
7874 @kindex show width
7875 @kindex show height
7876 @item set height @var{lpp}
7877 @itemx show height
7878 @itemx set width @var{cpl}
7879 @itemx show width
7880 These @code{set} commands specify a screen height of @var{lpp} lines and
7881 a screen width of @var{cpl} characters. The associated @code{show}
7882 commands display the current settings.
7883
7884 If you specify a height of zero lines, @value{GDBN} does not pause during
7885 output no matter how long the output is. This is useful if output is to a
7886 file or to an editor buffer.
7887
7888 Likewise, you can specify @samp{set width 0} to prevent @value{GDBN}
7889 from wrapping its output.
7890 @end table
7891
7892 @node Numbers
7893 @section Numbers
7894 @cindex number representation
7895 @cindex entering numbers
7896
7897 You can always enter numbers in octal, decimal, or hexadecimal in @value{GDBN} by
7898 the usual conventions: octal numbers begin with @samp{0}, decimal
7899 numbers end with @samp{.}, and hexadecimal numbers begin with @samp{0x}.
7900 Numbers that begin with none of these are, by default, entered in base
7901 10; likewise, the default display for numbers---when no particular
7902 format is specified---is base 10. You can change the default base for
7903 both input and output with the @code{set radix} command.
7904
7905 @table @code
7906 @kindex set input-radix
7907 @item set input-radix @var{base}
7908 Set the default base for numeric input. Supported choices
7909 for @var{base} are decimal 8, 10, or 16. @var{base} must itself be
7910 specified either unambiguously or using the current default radix; for
7911 example, any of
7912
7913 @smallexample
7914 set radix 012
7915 set radix 10.
7916 set radix 0xa
7917 @end smallexample
7918
7919 @noindent
7920 sets the base to decimal. On the other hand, @samp{set radix 10}
7921 leaves the radix unchanged no matter what it was.
7922
7923 @kindex set output-radix
7924 @item set output-radix @var{base}
7925 Set the default base for numeric display. Supported choices
7926 for @var{base} are decimal 8, 10, or 16. @var{base} must itself be
7927 specified either unambiguously or using the current default radix.
7928
7929 @kindex show input-radix
7930 @item show input-radix
7931 Display the current default base for numeric input.
7932
7933 @kindex show output-radix
7934 @item show output-radix
7935 Display the current default base for numeric display.
7936 @end table
7937
7938 @node Messages/Warnings
7939 @section Optional warnings and messages
7940
7941 By default, @value{GDBN} is silent about its inner workings. If you are running
7942 on a slow machine, you may want to use the @code{set verbose} command.
7943 This makes @value{GDBN} tell you when it does a lengthy internal operation, so
7944 you will not think it has crashed.
7945
7946 Currently, the messages controlled by @code{set verbose} are those
7947 which announce that the symbol table for a source file is being read;
7948 see @code{symbol-file} in @ref{Files, ,Commands to specify files}.
7949
7950 @table @code
7951 @kindex set verbose
7952 @item set verbose on
7953 Enables @value{GDBN} output of certain informational messages.
7954
7955 @item set verbose off
7956 Disables @value{GDBN} output of certain informational messages.
7957
7958 @kindex show verbose
7959 @item show verbose
7960 Displays whether @code{set verbose} is on or off.
7961 @end table
7962
7963 By default, if @value{GDBN} encounters bugs in the symbol table of an object
7964 file, it is silent; but if you are debugging a compiler, you may find
7965 this information useful (@pxref{Symbol Errors, ,Errors reading symbol files}).
7966
7967 @table @code
7968 @kindex set complaints
7969 @item set complaints @var{limit}
7970 Permits @value{GDBN} to output @var{limit} complaints about each type of unusual
7971 symbols before becoming silent about the problem. Set @var{limit} to
7972 zero to suppress all complaints; set it to a large number to prevent
7973 complaints from being suppressed.
7974
7975 @kindex show complaints
7976 @item show complaints
7977 Displays how many symbol complaints @value{GDBN} is permitted to produce.
7978 @end table
7979
7980 By default, @value{GDBN} is cautious, and asks what sometimes seems to be a
7981 lot of stupid questions to confirm certain commands. For example, if
7982 you try to run a program which is already running:
7983
7984 @example
7985 (@value{GDBP}) run
7986 The program being debugged has been started already.
7987 Start it from the beginning? (y or n)
7988 @end example
7989
7990 If you are willing to unflinchingly face the consequences of your own
7991 commands, you can disable this ``feature'':
7992
7993 @table @code
7994 @kindex set confirm
7995 @cindex flinching
7996 @cindex confirmation
7997 @cindex stupid questions
7998 @item set confirm off
7999 Disables confirmation requests.
8000
8001 @item set confirm on
8002 Enables confirmation requests (the default).
8003
8004 @kindex show confirm
8005 @item show confirm
8006 Displays state of confirmation requests.
8007 @end table
8008
8009 @node Sequences
8010 @chapter Canned Sequences of Commands
8011
8012 Aside from breakpoint commands (@pxref{Break Commands, ,Breakpoint
8013 command lists}), @value{GDBN} provides two ways to store sequences of commands
8014 for execution as a unit: user-defined commands and command files.
8015
8016 @menu
8017 * Define:: User-defined commands
8018 * Hooks:: User-defined command hooks
8019 * Command Files:: Command files
8020 * Output:: Commands for controlled output
8021 @end menu
8022
8023 @node Define
8024 @section User-defined commands
8025
8026 @cindex user-defined command
8027 A @dfn{user-defined command} is a sequence of @value{GDBN} commands to which
8028 you assign a new name as a command. This is done with the @code{define}
8029 command. User commands may accept up to 10 arguments separated by whitespace.
8030 Arguments are accessed within the user command via @var{$arg0@dots{}$arg9}.
8031 A trivial example:
8032
8033 @smallexample
8034 define adder
8035 print $arg0 + $arg1 + $arg2
8036 @end smallexample
8037
8038 @noindent To execute the command use:
8039
8040 @smallexample
8041 adder 1 2 3
8042 @end smallexample
8043
8044 @noindent This defines the command @code{adder}, which prints the sum of
8045 its three arguments. Note the arguments are text substitutions, so they may
8046 reference variables, use complex expressions, or even perform inferior
8047 functions calls.
8048
8049 @table @code
8050 @kindex define
8051 @item define @var{commandname}
8052 Define a command named @var{commandname}. If there is already a command
8053 by that name, you are asked to confirm that you want to redefine it.
8054
8055 The definition of the command is made up of other @value{GDBN} command lines,
8056 which are given following the @code{define} command. The end of these
8057 commands is marked by a line containing @code{end}.
8058
8059 @kindex if
8060 @kindex else
8061 @item if
8062 Takes a single argument, which is an expression to evaluate.
8063 It is followed by a series of commands that are executed
8064 only if the expression is true (nonzero).
8065 There can then optionally be a line @code{else}, followed
8066 by a series of commands that are only executed if the expression
8067 was false. The end of the list is marked by a line containing @code{end}.
8068
8069 @kindex while
8070 @item while
8071 The syntax is similar to @code{if}: the command takes a single argument,
8072 which is an expression to evaluate, and must be followed by the commands to
8073 execute, one per line, terminated by an @code{end}.
8074 The commands are executed repeatedly as long as the expression
8075 evaluates to true.
8076
8077 @kindex document
8078 @item document @var{commandname}
8079 Document the user-defined command @var{commandname}, so that it can be
8080 accessed by @code{help}. The command @var{commandname} must already be
8081 defined. This command reads lines of documentation just as @code{define}
8082 reads the lines of the command definition, ending with @code{end}.
8083 After the @code{document} command is finished, @code{help} on command
8084 @var{commandname} displays the documentation you have written.
8085
8086 You may use the @code{document} command again to change the
8087 documentation of a command. Redefining the command with @code{define}
8088 does not change the documentation.
8089
8090 @kindex help user-defined
8091 @item help user-defined
8092 List all user-defined commands, with the first line of the documentation
8093 (if any) for each.
8094
8095 @kindex show user
8096 @item show user
8097 @itemx show user @var{commandname}
8098 Display the @value{GDBN} commands used to define @var{commandname} (but not its
8099 documentation). If no @var{commandname} is given, display the
8100 definitions for all user-defined commands.
8101 @end table
8102
8103 When user-defined commands are executed, the
8104 commands of the definition are not printed. An error in any command
8105 stops execution of the user-defined command.
8106
8107 If used interactively, commands that would ask for confirmation proceed
8108 without asking when used inside a user-defined command. Many @value{GDBN}
8109 commands that normally print messages to say what they are doing omit the
8110 messages when used in a user-defined command.
8111
8112 @node Hooks
8113 @section User-defined command hooks
8114 @cindex command files
8115
8116 You may define @emph{hooks}, which are a special kind of user-defined
8117 command. Whenever you run the command @samp{foo}, if the user-defined
8118 command @samp{hook-foo} exists, it is executed (with no arguments)
8119 before that command.
8120
8121 In addition, a pseudo-command, @samp{stop} exists. Defining
8122 (@samp{hook-stop}) makes the associated commands execute every time
8123 execution stops in your program: before breakpoint commands are run,
8124 displays are printed, or the stack frame is printed.
8125
8126 @ifclear BARETARGET
8127 For example, to ignore @code{SIGALRM} signals while
8128 single-stepping, but treat them normally during normal execution,
8129 you could define:
8130
8131 @example
8132 define hook-stop
8133 handle SIGALRM nopass
8134 end
8135
8136 define hook-run
8137 handle SIGALRM pass
8138 end
8139
8140 define hook-continue
8141 handle SIGLARM pass
8142 end
8143 @end example
8144 @end ifclear
8145
8146 You can define a hook for any single-word command in @value{GDBN}, but
8147 not for command aliases; you should define a hook for the basic command
8148 name, e.g. @code{backtrace} rather than @code{bt}.
8149 @c FIXME! So how does Joe User discover whether a command is an alias
8150 @c or not?
8151 If an error occurs during the execution of your hook, execution of
8152 @value{GDBN} commands stops and @value{GDBN} issues a prompt
8153 (before the command that you actually typed had a chance to run).
8154
8155 If you try to define a hook which does not match any known command, you
8156 get a warning from the @code{define} command.
8157
8158 @node Command Files
8159 @section Command files
8160
8161 @cindex command files
8162 A command file for @value{GDBN} is a file of lines that are @value{GDBN}
8163 commands. Comments (lines starting with @kbd{#}) may also be included.
8164 An empty line in a command file does nothing; it does not mean to repeat
8165 the last command, as it would from the terminal.
8166
8167 @cindex init file
8168 @cindex @file{@value{GDBINIT}}
8169 When you start @value{GDBN}, it automatically executes commands from its
8170 @dfn{init files}. These are files named @file{@value{GDBINIT}}.
8171 @value{GDBN} reads the init file (if any) in your home directory, then
8172 processes command line options and operands, and then reads the init
8173 file (if any) in the current working directory. This is so the init
8174 file in your home directory can set options (such as @code{set
8175 complaints}) which affect the processing of the command line options and
8176 operands. The init files are not executed if you use the @samp{-nx}
8177 option; @pxref{Mode Options, ,Choosing modes}.
8178
8179 @ifset GENERIC
8180 @cindex init file name
8181 On some configurations of @value{GDBN}, the init file is known by a
8182 different name (these are typically environments where a specialized
8183 form of @value{GDBN} may need to coexist with other forms,
8184 hence a different name
8185 for the specialized version's init file). These are the environments
8186 with special init file names:
8187
8188 @kindex .vxgdbinit
8189 @itemize @bullet
8190 @item
8191 VxWorks (Wind River Systems real-time OS): @samp{.vxgdbinit}
8192
8193 @kindex .os68gdbinit
8194 @item
8195 OS68K (Enea Data Systems real-time OS): @samp{.os68gdbinit}
8196
8197 @kindex .esgdbinit
8198 @item
8199 ES-1800 (Ericsson Telecom AB M68000 emulator): @samp{.esgdbinit}
8200 @end itemize
8201 @end ifset
8202
8203 You can also request the execution of a command file with the
8204 @code{source} command:
8205
8206 @table @code
8207 @kindex source
8208 @item source @var{filename}
8209 Execute the command file @var{filename}.
8210 @end table
8211
8212 The lines in a command file are executed sequentially. They are not
8213 printed as they are executed. An error in any command terminates execution
8214 of the command file.
8215
8216 Commands that would ask for confirmation if used interactively proceed
8217 without asking when used in a command file. Many @value{GDBN} commands that
8218 normally print messages to say what they are doing omit the messages
8219 when called from command files.
8220
8221 @node Output
8222 @section Commands for controlled output
8223
8224 During the execution of a command file or a user-defined command, normal
8225 @value{GDBN} output is suppressed; the only output that appears is what is
8226 explicitly printed by the commands in the definition. This section
8227 describes three commands useful for generating exactly the output you
8228 want.
8229
8230 @table @code
8231 @kindex echo
8232 @item echo @var{text}
8233 @c I do not consider backslash-space a standard C escape sequence
8234 @c because it is not in ANSI.
8235 Print @var{text}. Nonprinting characters can be included in
8236 @var{text} using C escape sequences, such as @samp{\n} to print a
8237 newline. @strong{No newline is printed unless you specify one.}
8238 In addition to the standard C escape sequences, a backslash followed
8239 by a space stands for a space. This is useful for displaying a
8240 string with spaces at the beginning or the end, since leading and
8241 trailing spaces are otherwise trimmed from all arguments.
8242 To print @samp{@w{ }and foo =@w{ }}, use the command
8243 @samp{echo \@w{ }and foo = \@w{ }}.
8244
8245 A backslash at the end of @var{text} can be used, as in C, to continue
8246 the command onto subsequent lines. For example,
8247
8248 @example
8249 echo This is some text\n\
8250 which is continued\n\
8251 onto several lines.\n
8252 @end example
8253
8254 produces the same output as
8255
8256 @example
8257 echo This is some text\n
8258 echo which is continued\n
8259 echo onto several lines.\n
8260 @end example
8261
8262 @kindex output
8263 @item output @var{expression}
8264 Print the value of @var{expression} and nothing but that value: no
8265 newlines, no @samp{$@var{nn} = }. The value is not entered in the
8266 value history either. @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}, for more information
8267 on expressions.
8268
8269 @item output/@var{fmt} @var{expression}
8270 Print the value of @var{expression} in format @var{fmt}. You can use
8271 the same formats as for @code{print}. @xref{Output Formats,,Output
8272 formats}, for more information.
8273
8274 @kindex printf
8275 @item printf @var{string}, @var{expressions}@dots{}
8276 Print the values of the @var{expressions} under the control of
8277 @var{string}. The @var{expressions} are separated by commas and may be
8278 either numbers or pointers. Their values are printed as specified by
8279 @var{string}, exactly as if your program were to execute the C
8280 subroutine
8281
8282 @example
8283 printf (@var{string}, @var{expressions}@dots{});
8284 @end example
8285
8286 For example, you can print two values in hex like this:
8287
8288 @smallexample
8289 printf "foo, bar-foo = 0x%x, 0x%x\n", foo, bar-foo
8290 @end smallexample
8291
8292 The only backslash-escape sequences that you can use in the format
8293 string are the simple ones that consist of backslash followed by a
8294 letter.
8295 @end table
8296
8297 @ifclear DOSHOST
8298 @node Emacs
8299 @chapter Using @value{GDBN} under @sc{gnu} Emacs
8300
8301 @cindex Emacs
8302 @cindex @sc{gnu} Emacs
8303 A special interface allows you to use @sc{gnu} Emacs to view (and
8304 edit) the source files for the program you are debugging with
8305 @value{GDBN}.
8306
8307 To use this interface, use the command @kbd{M-x gdb} in Emacs. Give the
8308 executable file you want to debug as an argument. This command starts
8309 @value{GDBN} as a subprocess of Emacs, with input and output through a newly
8310 created Emacs buffer.
8311
8312 Using @value{GDBN} under Emacs is just like using @value{GDBN} normally except for two
8313 things:
8314
8315 @itemize @bullet
8316 @item
8317 All ``terminal'' input and output goes through the Emacs buffer.
8318 @end itemize
8319
8320 This applies both to @value{GDBN} commands and their output, and to the input
8321 and output done by the program you are debugging.
8322
8323 This is useful because it means that you can copy the text of previous
8324 commands and input them again; you can even use parts of the output
8325 in this way.
8326
8327 All the facilities of Emacs' Shell mode are available for interacting
8328 with your program. In particular, you can send signals the usual
8329 way---for example, @kbd{C-c C-c} for an interrupt, @kbd{C-c C-z} for a
8330 stop.
8331
8332 @itemize @bullet
8333 @item
8334 @value{GDBN} displays source code through Emacs.
8335 @end itemize
8336
8337 Each time @value{GDBN} displays a stack frame, Emacs automatically finds the
8338 source file for that frame and puts an arrow (@samp{=>}) at the
8339 left margin of the current line. Emacs uses a separate buffer for
8340 source display, and splits the screen to show both your @value{GDBN} session
8341 and the source.
8342
8343 Explicit @value{GDBN} @code{list} or search commands still produce output as
8344 usual, but you probably have no reason to use them from Emacs.
8345
8346 @quotation
8347 @emph{Warning:} If the directory where your program resides is not your
8348 current directory, it can be easy to confuse Emacs about the location of
8349 the source files, in which case the auxiliary display buffer does not
8350 appear to show your source. @value{GDBN} can find programs by searching your
8351 environment's @code{PATH} variable, so the @value{GDBN} input and output
8352 session proceeds normally; but Emacs does not get enough information
8353 back from @value{GDBN} to locate the source files in this situation. To
8354 avoid this problem, either start @value{GDBN} mode from the directory where
8355 your program resides, or specify an absolute file name when prompted for the
8356 @kbd{M-x gdb} argument.
8357
8358 A similar confusion can result if you use the @value{GDBN} @code{file} command to
8359 switch to debugging a program in some other location, from an existing
8360 @value{GDBN} buffer in Emacs.
8361 @end quotation
8362
8363 By default, @kbd{M-x gdb} calls the program called @file{gdb}. If
8364 you need to call @value{GDBN} by a different name (for example, if you keep
8365 several configurations around, with different names) you can set the
8366 Emacs variable @code{gdb-command-name}; for example,
8367
8368 @example
8369 (setq gdb-command-name "mygdb")
8370 @end example
8371
8372 @noindent
8373 (preceded by @kbd{ESC ESC}, or typed in the @code{*scratch*} buffer, or
8374 in your @file{.emacs} file) makes Emacs call the program named
8375 ``@code{mygdb}'' instead.
8376
8377 In the @value{GDBN} I/O buffer, you can use these special Emacs commands in
8378 addition to the standard Shell mode commands:
8379
8380 @table @kbd
8381 @item C-h m
8382 Describe the features of Emacs' @value{GDBN} Mode.
8383
8384 @item M-s
8385 Execute to another source line, like the @value{GDBN} @code{step} command; also
8386 update the display window to show the current file and location.
8387
8388 @item M-n
8389 Execute to next source line in this function, skipping all function
8390 calls, like the @value{GDBN} @code{next} command. Then update the display window
8391 to show the current file and location.
8392
8393 @item M-i
8394 Execute one instruction, like the @value{GDBN} @code{stepi} command; update
8395 display window accordingly.
8396
8397 @item M-x gdb-nexti
8398 Execute to next instruction, using the @value{GDBN} @code{nexti} command; update
8399 display window accordingly.
8400
8401 @item C-c C-f
8402 Execute until exit from the selected stack frame, like the @value{GDBN}
8403 @code{finish} command.
8404
8405 @item M-c
8406 Continue execution of your program, like the @value{GDBN} @code{continue}
8407 command.
8408
8409 @emph{Warning:} In Emacs v19, this command is @kbd{C-c C-p}.
8410
8411 @item M-u
8412 Go up the number of frames indicated by the numeric argument
8413 (@pxref{Arguments, , Numeric Arguments, Emacs, The @sc{gnu} Emacs Manual}),
8414 like the @value{GDBN} @code{up} command.
8415
8416 @emph{Warning:} In Emacs v19, this command is @kbd{C-c C-u}.
8417
8418 @item M-d
8419 Go down the number of frames indicated by the numeric argument, like the
8420 @value{GDBN} @code{down} command.
8421
8422 @emph{Warning:} In Emacs v19, this command is @kbd{C-c C-d}.
8423
8424 @item C-x &
8425 Read the number where the cursor is positioned, and insert it at the end
8426 of the @value{GDBN} I/O buffer. For example, if you wish to disassemble code
8427 around an address that was displayed earlier, type @kbd{disassemble};
8428 then move the cursor to the address display, and pick up the
8429 argument for @code{disassemble} by typing @kbd{C-x &}.
8430
8431 You can customize this further by defining elements of the list
8432 @code{gdb-print-command}; once it is defined, you can format or
8433 otherwise process numbers picked up by @kbd{C-x &} before they are
8434 inserted. A numeric argument to @kbd{C-x &} indicates that you
8435 wish special formatting, and also acts as an index to pick an element of the
8436 list. If the list element is a string, the number to be inserted is
8437 formatted using the Emacs function @code{format}; otherwise the number
8438 is passed as an argument to the corresponding list element.
8439 @end table
8440
8441 In any source file, the Emacs command @kbd{C-x SPC} (@code{gdb-break})
8442 tells @value{GDBN} to set a breakpoint on the source line point is on.
8443
8444 If you accidentally delete the source-display buffer, an easy way to get
8445 it back is to type the command @code{f} in the @value{GDBN} buffer, to
8446 request a frame display; when you run under Emacs, this recreates
8447 the source buffer if necessary to show you the context of the current
8448 frame.
8449
8450 The source files displayed in Emacs are in ordinary Emacs buffers
8451 which are visiting the source files in the usual way. You can edit
8452 the files with these buffers if you wish; but keep in mind that @value{GDBN}
8453 communicates with Emacs in terms of line numbers. If you add or
8454 delete lines from the text, the line numbers that @value{GDBN} knows cease
8455 to correspond properly with the code.
8456
8457 @c The following dropped because Epoch is nonstandard. Reactivate
8458 @c if/when v19 does something similar. ---pesch@cygnus.com 19dec1990
8459 @ignore
8460 @kindex Emacs Epoch environment
8461 @kindex Epoch
8462 @kindex inspect
8463
8464 Version 18 of @sc{gnu} Emacs has a built-in window system
8465 called the @code{epoch}
8466 environment. Users of this environment can use a new command,
8467 @code{inspect} which performs identically to @code{print} except that
8468 each value is printed in its own window.
8469 @end ignore
8470 @end ifclear
8471
8472 @ifset LUCID
8473 @node Energize
8474 @chapter Using @value{GDBN} with Energize
8475
8476 @cindex Energize
8477 The Energize Programming System is an integrated development environment
8478 that includes a point-and-click interface to many programming tools.
8479 When you use @value{GDBN} in this environment, you can use the standard
8480 Energize graphical interface to drive @value{GDBN}; you can also, if you
8481 choose, type @value{GDBN} commands as usual in a debugging window. Even if
8482 you use the graphical interface, the debugging window (which uses Emacs,
8483 and resembles the standard @sc{gnu} Emacs interface to
8484 @value{GDBN}) displays the
8485 equivalent commands, so that the history of your debugging session is
8486 properly reflected.
8487
8488 When Energize starts up a @value{GDBN} session, it uses one of the
8489 command-line options @samp{-energize} or @samp{-cadillac} (``cadillac''
8490 is the name of the communications protocol used by the Energize system).
8491 This option makes @value{GDBN} run as one of the tools in the Energize Tool
8492 Set: it sends all output to the Energize kernel, and accept input from
8493 it as well.
8494
8495 See the user manual for the Energize Programming System for
8496 information on how to use the Energize graphical interface and the other
8497 development tools that Energize integrates with @value{GDBN}.
8498
8499 @end ifset
8500
8501 @node GDB Bugs
8502 @chapter Reporting Bugs in @value{GDBN}
8503 @cindex bugs in @value{GDBN}
8504 @cindex reporting bugs in @value{GDBN}
8505
8506 Your bug reports play an essential role in making @value{GDBN} reliable.
8507
8508 Reporting a bug may help you by bringing a solution to your problem, or it
8509 may not. But in any case the principal function of a bug report is to help
8510 the entire community by making the next version of @value{GDBN} work better. Bug
8511 reports are your contribution to the maintenance of @value{GDBN}.
8512
8513 In order for a bug report to serve its purpose, you must include the
8514 information that enables us to fix the bug.
8515
8516 @menu
8517 * Bug Criteria:: Have you found a bug?
8518 * Bug Reporting:: How to report bugs
8519 @end menu
8520
8521 @node Bug Criteria
8522 @section Have you found a bug?
8523 @cindex bug criteria
8524
8525 If you are not sure whether you have found a bug, here are some guidelines:
8526
8527 @itemize @bullet
8528 @cindex fatal signal
8529 @cindex debugger crash
8530 @cindex crash of debugger
8531 @item
8532 If the debugger gets a fatal signal, for any input whatever, that is a
8533 @value{GDBN} bug. Reliable debuggers never crash.
8534
8535 @cindex error on valid input
8536 @item
8537 If @value{GDBN} produces an error message for valid input, that is a bug.
8538
8539 @cindex invalid input
8540 @item
8541 If @value{GDBN} does not produce an error message for invalid input,
8542 that is a bug. However, you should note that your idea of
8543 ``invalid input'' might be our idea of ``an extension'' or ``support
8544 for traditional practice''.
8545
8546 @item
8547 If you are an experienced user of debugging tools, your suggestions
8548 for improvement of @value{GDBN} are welcome in any case.
8549 @end itemize
8550
8551 @node Bug Reporting
8552 @section How to report bugs
8553 @cindex bug reports
8554 @cindex @value{GDBN} bugs, reporting
8555
8556 A number of companies and individuals offer support for @sc{gnu} products.
8557 If you obtained @value{GDBN} from a support organization, we recommend you
8558 contact that organization first.
8559
8560 You can find contact information for many support companies and
8561 individuals in the file @file{etc/SERVICE} in the @sc{gnu} Emacs
8562 distribution.
8563
8564 In any event, we also recommend that you send bug reports for @value{GDBN} to one
8565 of these addresses:
8566
8567 @example
8568 bug-gdb@@prep.ai.mit.edu
8569 @{ucbvax|mit-eddie|uunet@}!prep.ai.mit.edu!bug-gdb
8570 @end example
8571
8572 @strong{Do not send bug reports to @samp{info-gdb}, or to
8573 @samp{help-gdb}, or to any newsgroups.} Most users of @value{GDBN} do not want to
8574 receive bug reports. Those that do have arranged to receive @samp{bug-gdb}.
8575
8576 The mailing list @samp{bug-gdb} has a newsgroup @samp{gnu.gdb.bug} which
8577 serves as a repeater. The mailing list and the newsgroup carry exactly
8578 the same messages. Often people think of posting bug reports to the
8579 newsgroup instead of mailing them. This appears to work, but it has one
8580 problem which can be crucial: a newsgroup posting often lacks a mail
8581 path back to the sender. Thus, if we need to ask for more information,
8582 we may be unable to reach you. For this reason, it is better to send
8583 bug reports to the mailing list.
8584
8585 As a last resort, send bug reports on paper to:
8586
8587 @example
8588 @sc{gnu} Debugger Bugs
8589 Free Software Foundation
8590 545 Tech Square
8591 Cambridge, MA 02139
8592 @end example
8593
8594 The fundamental principle of reporting bugs usefully is this:
8595 @strong{report all the facts}. If you are not sure whether to state a
8596 fact or leave it out, state it!
8597
8598 Often people omit facts because they think they know what causes the
8599 problem and assume that some details do not matter. Thus, you might
8600 assume that the name of the variable you use in an example does not matter.
8601 Well, probably it does not, but one cannot be sure. Perhaps the bug is a
8602 stray memory reference which happens to fetch from the location where that
8603 name is stored in memory; perhaps, if the name were different, the contents
8604 of that location would fool the debugger into doing the right thing despite
8605 the bug. Play it safe and give a specific, complete example. That is the
8606 easiest thing for you to do, and the most helpful.
8607
8608 Keep in mind that the purpose of a bug report is to enable us to fix
8609 the bug if it is new to us.
8610 @c
8611 @c FIX ME!!--What the heck does the following sentence mean,
8612 @c in the context of the one above?
8613 @c
8614 @c It is not as important as what happens if the bug is already known.
8615 @c
8616 Therefore, always write your bug reports on
8617 the assumption that the bug has not been reported previously.
8618
8619 Sometimes people give a few sketchy facts and ask, ``Does this ring a
8620 bell?'' Those bug reports are useless, and we urge everyone to
8621 @emph{refuse to respond to them} except to chide the sender to report
8622 bugs properly.
8623
8624 To enable us to fix the bug, you should include all these things:
8625
8626 @itemize @bullet
8627 @item
8628 The version of @value{GDBN}. @value{GDBN} announces it if you start with no
8629 arguments; you can also print it at any time using @code{show version}.
8630
8631 Without this, we will not know whether there is any point in looking for
8632 the bug in the current version of @value{GDBN}.
8633
8634 @item
8635 The type of machine you are using, and the operating system name and
8636 version number.
8637
8638 @item
8639 What compiler (and its version) was used to compile @value{GDBN}---e.g.
8640 ``@value{GCC}--2.0''.
8641
8642 @item
8643 What compiler (and its version) was used to compile the program you
8644 are debugging---e.g. ``@value{GCC}--2.0''.
8645
8646 @item
8647 The command arguments you gave the compiler to compile your example and
8648 observe the bug. For example, did you use @samp{-O}? To guarantee
8649 you will not omit something important, list them all. A copy of the
8650 Makefile (or the output from make) is sufficient.
8651
8652 If we were to try to guess the arguments, we would probably guess wrong
8653 and then we might not encounter the bug.
8654
8655 @item
8656 A complete input script, and all necessary source files, that will
8657 reproduce the bug.
8658
8659 @item
8660 A description of what behavior you observe that you believe is
8661 incorrect. For example, ``It gets a fatal signal.''
8662
8663 Of course, if the bug is that @value{GDBN} gets a fatal signal, then we will
8664 certainly notice it. But if the bug is incorrect output, we might not
8665 notice unless it is glaringly wrong. You might as well not give us a
8666 chance to make a mistake.
8667
8668 Even if the problem you experience is a fatal signal, you should still
8669 say so explicitly. Suppose something strange is going on, such as,
8670 your copy of @value{GDBN} is out of synch, or you have encountered a
8671 bug in the C library on your system. (This has happened!) Your copy
8672 might crash and ours would not. If you told us to expect a crash,
8673 then when ours fails to crash, we would know that the bug was not
8674 happening for us. If you had not told us to expect a crash, then we
8675 would not be able to draw any conclusion from our observations.
8676
8677 @item
8678 If you wish to suggest changes to the @value{GDBN} source, send us context
8679 diffs. If you even discuss something in the @value{GDBN} source, refer to
8680 it by context, not by line number.
8681
8682 The line numbers in our development sources will not match those in your
8683 sources. Your line numbers would convey no useful information to us.
8684 @end itemize
8685
8686 Here are some things that are not necessary:
8687
8688 @itemize @bullet
8689 @item
8690 A description of the envelope of the bug.
8691
8692 Often people who encounter a bug spend a lot of time investigating
8693 which changes to the input file will make the bug go away and which
8694 changes will not affect it.
8695
8696 This is often time consuming and not very useful, because the way we
8697 will find the bug is by running a single example under the debugger
8698 with breakpoints, not by pure deduction from a series of examples.
8699 We recommend that you save your time for something else.
8700
8701 Of course, if you can find a simpler example to report @emph{instead}
8702 of the original one, that is a convenience for us. Errors in the
8703 output will be easier to spot, running under the debugger will take
8704 less time, and so on.
8705
8706 However, simplification is not vital; if you do not want to do this,
8707 report the bug anyway and send us the entire test case you used.
8708
8709 @item
8710 A patch for the bug.
8711
8712 A patch for the bug does help us if it is a good one. But do not omit
8713 the necessary information, such as the test case, on the assumption that
8714 a patch is all we need. We might see problems with your patch and decide
8715 to fix the problem another way, or we might not understand it at all.
8716
8717 Sometimes with a program as complicated as @value{GDBN} it is very hard to
8718 construct an example that will make the program follow a certain path
8719 through the code. If you do not send us the example, we will not be able
8720 to construct one, so we will not be able to verify that the bug is fixed.
8721
8722 And if we cannot understand what bug you are trying to fix, or why your
8723 patch should be an improvement, we will not install it. A test case will
8724 help us to understand.
8725
8726 @item
8727 A guess about what the bug is or what it depends on.
8728
8729 Such guesses are usually wrong. Even we cannot guess right about such
8730 things without first using the debugger to find the facts.
8731 @end itemize
8732
8733 @c The readline documentation is distributed with the readline code
8734 @c and consists of the two following files:
8735 @c rluser.texinfo
8736 @c inc-hist.texi
8737 @c Use -I with makeinfo to point to the appropriate directory,
8738 @c environment var TEXINPUTS with TeX.
8739 @include rluser.texinfo
8740 @include inc-hist.texi
8741
8742 @ifset NOVEL
8743 @ifset RENAMED
8744 @node Renamed Commands
8745 @appendix Renamed Commands
8746
8747 The following commands were renamed in @value{GDBN} 4, in order to make the
8748 command set as a whole more consistent and easier to use and remember:
8749
8750 @kindex add-syms
8751 @kindex delete environment
8752 @kindex info copying
8753 @kindex info convenience
8754 @kindex info directories
8755 @kindex info editing
8756 @kindex info history
8757 @kindex info targets
8758 @kindex info values
8759 @kindex info version
8760 @kindex info warranty
8761 @kindex set addressprint
8762 @kindex set arrayprint
8763 @kindex set prettyprint
8764 @kindex set screen-height
8765 @kindex set screen-width
8766 @kindex set unionprint
8767 @kindex set vtblprint
8768 @kindex set demangle
8769 @kindex set asm-demangle
8770 @kindex set sevenbit-strings
8771 @kindex set array-max
8772 @kindex set caution
8773 @kindex set history write
8774 @kindex show addressprint
8775 @kindex show arrayprint
8776 @kindex show prettyprint
8777 @kindex show screen-height
8778 @kindex show screen-width
8779 @kindex show unionprint
8780 @kindex show vtblprint
8781 @kindex show demangle
8782 @kindex show asm-demangle
8783 @kindex show sevenbit-strings
8784 @kindex show array-max
8785 @kindex show caution
8786 @kindex show history write
8787 @kindex unset
8788
8789 @c TEXI2ROFF-KILL
8790 @ifinfo
8791 @c END TEXI2ROFF-KILL
8792 @example
8793 OLD COMMAND NEW COMMAND
8794 @c TEXI2ROFF-KILL
8795 --------------- -------------------------------
8796 @c END TEXI2ROFF-KILL
8797 add-syms add-symbol-file
8798 delete environment unset environment
8799 info convenience show convenience
8800 info copying show copying
8801 info directories show directories
8802 info editing show commands
8803 info history show values
8804 info targets help target
8805 info values show values
8806 info version show version
8807 info warranty show warranty
8808 set/show addressprint set/show print address
8809 set/show array-max set/show print elements
8810 set/show arrayprint set/show print array
8811 set/show asm-demangle set/show print asm-demangle
8812 set/show caution set/show confirm
8813 set/show demangle set/show print demangle
8814 set/show history write set/show history save
8815 set/show prettyprint set/show print pretty
8816 set/show screen-height set/show height
8817 set/show screen-width set/show width
8818 set/show sevenbit-strings set/show print sevenbit-strings
8819 set/show unionprint set/show print union
8820 set/show vtblprint set/show print vtbl
8821
8822 unset [No longer an alias for delete]
8823 @end example
8824 @c TEXI2ROFF-KILL
8825 @end ifinfo
8826
8827 @tex
8828 \vskip \parskip\vskip \baselineskip
8829 \halign{\tt #\hfil &\qquad#&\tt #\hfil\cr
8830 {\bf Old Command} &&{\bf New Command}\cr
8831 add-syms &&add-symbol-file\cr
8832 delete environment &&unset environment\cr
8833 info convenience &&show convenience\cr
8834 info copying &&show copying\cr
8835 info directories &&show directories \cr
8836 info editing &&show commands\cr
8837 info history &&show values\cr
8838 info targets &&help target\cr
8839 info values &&show values\cr
8840 info version &&show version\cr
8841 info warranty &&show warranty\cr
8842 set{\rm / }show addressprint &&set{\rm / }show print address\cr
8843 set{\rm / }show array-max &&set{\rm / }show print elements\cr
8844 set{\rm / }show arrayprint &&set{\rm / }show print array\cr
8845 set{\rm / }show asm-demangle &&set{\rm / }show print asm-demangle\cr
8846 set{\rm / }show caution &&set{\rm / }show confirm\cr
8847 set{\rm / }show demangle &&set{\rm / }show print demangle\cr
8848 set{\rm / }show history write &&set{\rm / }show history save\cr
8849 set{\rm / }show prettyprint &&set{\rm / }show print pretty\cr
8850 set{\rm / }show screen-height &&set{\rm / }show height\cr
8851 set{\rm / }show screen-width &&set{\rm / }show width\cr
8852 set{\rm / }show sevenbit-strings &&set{\rm / }show print sevenbit-strings\cr
8853 set{\rm / }show unionprint &&set{\rm / }show print union\cr
8854 set{\rm / }show vtblprint &&set{\rm / }show print vtbl\cr
8855 \cr
8856 unset &&\rm(No longer an alias for delete)\cr
8857 }
8858 @end tex
8859 @c END TEXI2ROFF-KILL
8860 @end ifset
8861 @end ifset
8862
8863 @ifclear PRECONFIGURED
8864 @node Formatting Documentation
8865 @appendix Formatting Documentation
8866
8867 @cindex @value{GDBN} reference card
8868 @cindex reference card
8869 The @value{GDBN} 4 release includes an already-formatted reference card, ready
8870 for printing with PostScript or Ghostscript, in the @file{gdb}
8871 subdirectory of the main source directory@footnote{In
8872 @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}/gdb/refcard.ps} of the version @value{GDBVN}
8873 release.}. If you can use PostScript or Ghostscript with your printer,
8874 you can print the reference card immediately with @file{refcard.ps}.
8875
8876 The release also includes the source for the reference card. You
8877 can format it, using @TeX{}, by typing:
8878
8879 @example
8880 make refcard.dvi
8881 @end example
8882
8883 The @value{GDBN} reference card is designed to print in @dfn{landscape}
8884 mode on US ``letter'' size paper;
8885 that is, on a sheet 11 inches wide by 8.5 inches
8886 high. You will need to specify this form of printing as an option to
8887 your @sc{dvi} output program.
8888
8889 @cindex documentation
8890
8891 All the documentation for @value{GDBN} comes as part of the machine-readable
8892 distribution. The documentation is written in Texinfo format, which is
8893 a documentation system that uses a single source file to produce both
8894 on-line information and a printed manual. You can use one of the Info
8895 formatting commands to create the on-line version of the documentation
8896 and @TeX{} (or @code{texi2roff}) to typeset the printed version.
8897
8898 @value{GDBN} includes an already formatted copy of the on-line Info version of
8899 this manual in the @file{gdb} subdirectory. The main Info file is
8900 @file{gdb-@r{version-number}/gdb/gdb.info}, and it refers to
8901 subordinate files matching @samp{gdb.info*} in the same directory. If
8902 necessary, you can print out these files, or read them with any editor;
8903 but they are easier to read using the @code{info} subsystem in @sc{gnu} Emacs
8904 or the standalone @code{info} program, available as part of the @sc{gnu}
8905 Texinfo distribution.
8906
8907 If you want to format these Info files yourself, you need one of the
8908 Info formatting programs, such as @code{texinfo-format-buffer} or
8909 @code{makeinfo}.
8910
8911 If you have @code{makeinfo} installed, and are in the top level @value{GDBN}
8912 source directory (@file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}}, in the case of version @value{GDBVN}), you can
8913 make the Info file by typing:
8914
8915 @example
8916 cd gdb
8917 make gdb.info
8918 @end example
8919
8920 If you want to typeset and print copies of this manual, you need @TeX{},
8921 a program to print its @sc{dvi} output files, and @file{texinfo.tex}, the
8922 Texinfo definitions file.
8923
8924 @TeX{} is a typesetting program; it does not print files directly, but
8925 produces output files called @sc{dvi} files. To print a typeset
8926 document, you need a program to print @sc{dvi} files. If your system
8927 has @TeX{} installed, chances are it has such a program. The precise
8928 command to use depends on your system; @kbd{lpr -d} is common; another
8929 (for PostScript devices) is @kbd{dvips}. The @sc{dvi} print command may
8930 require a file name without any extension or a @samp{.dvi} extension.
8931
8932 @TeX{} also requires a macro definitions file called
8933 @file{texinfo.tex}. This file tells @TeX{} how to typeset a document
8934 written in Texinfo format. On its own, @TeX{} cannot either read or
8935 typeset a Texinfo file. @file{texinfo.tex} is distributed with GDB
8936 and is located in the @file{gdb-@var{version-number}/texinfo}
8937 directory.
8938
8939 If you have @TeX{} and a @sc{dvi} printer program installed, you can
8940 typeset and print this manual. First switch to the the @file{gdb}
8941 subdirectory of the main source directory (for example, to
8942 @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}/gdb}) and then type:
8943
8944 @example
8945 make gdb.dvi
8946 @end example
8947
8948 @node Installing GDB
8949 @appendix Installing @value{GDBN}
8950 @cindex configuring @value{GDBN}
8951 @cindex installation
8952
8953 @value{GDBN} comes with a @code{configure} script that automates the process
8954 of preparing @value{GDBN} for installation; you can then use @code{make} to
8955 build the @code{gdb} program.
8956 @iftex
8957 @c irrelevant in info file; it's as current as the code it lives with.
8958 @footnote{If you have a more recent version of @value{GDBN} than @value{GDBVN},
8959 look at the @file{README} file in the sources; we may have improved the
8960 installation procedures since publishing this manual.}
8961 @end iftex
8962
8963 The @value{GDBN} distribution includes all the source code you need for
8964 @value{GDBN} in a single directory, whose name is usually composed by
8965 appending the version number to @samp{gdb}.
8966
8967 For example, the @value{GDBN} version @value{GDBVN} distribution is in the
8968 @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}} directory. That directory contains:
8969
8970 @table @code
8971 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/configure @r{(and supporting files)}
8972 script for configuring @value{GDBN} and all its supporting libraries
8973
8974 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/gdb
8975 the source specific to @value{GDBN} itself
8976
8977 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/bfd
8978 source for the Binary File Descriptor library
8979
8980 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/include
8981 @sc{gnu} include files
8982
8983 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/libiberty
8984 source for the @samp{-liberty} free software library
8985
8986 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/opcodes
8987 source for the library of opcode tables and disassemblers
8988
8989 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/readline
8990 source for the @sc{gnu} command-line interface
8991
8992 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/glob
8993 source for the @sc{gnu} filename pattern-matching subroutine
8994
8995 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/mmalloc
8996 source for the @sc{gnu} memory-mapped malloc package
8997 @end table
8998
8999 The simplest way to configure and build @value{GDBN} is to run @code{configure}
9000 from the @file{gdb-@var{version-number}} source directory, which in
9001 this example is the @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}} directory.
9002
9003 First switch to the @file{gdb-@var{version-number}} source directory
9004 if you are not already in it; then run @code{configure}. Pass the
9005 identifier for the platform on which @value{GDBN} will run as an
9006 argument.
9007
9008 For example:
9009
9010 @example
9011 cd gdb-@value{GDBVN}
9012 ./configure @var{host}
9013 make
9014 @end example
9015
9016 @noindent
9017 where @var{host} is an identifier such as @samp{sun4} or
9018 @samp{decstation}, that identifies the platform where @value{GDBN} will run.
9019 (You can often leave off @var{host}; @code{configure} tries to guess the
9020 correct value by examining your system.)
9021
9022 Running @samp{configure @var{host}} and then running @code{make} builds the
9023 @file{bfd}, @file{readline}, @file{mmalloc}, and @file{libiberty}
9024 libraries, then @code{gdb} itself. The configured source files, and the
9025 binaries, are left in the corresponding source directories.
9026
9027 @need 750
9028 @code{configure} is a Bourne-shell (@code{/bin/sh}) script; if your
9029 system does not recognize this automatically when you run a different
9030 shell, you may need to run @code{sh} on it explicitly:
9031
9032 @example
9033 sh configure @var{host}
9034 @end example
9035
9036 If you run @code{configure} from a directory that contains source
9037 directories for multiple libraries or programs, such as the
9038 @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}} source directory for version @value{GDBVN}, @code{configure}
9039 creates configuration files for every directory level underneath (unless
9040 you tell it not to, with the @samp{--norecursion} option).
9041
9042 You can run the @code{configure} script from any of the
9043 subordinate directories in the @value{GDBN} distribution if you only want to
9044 configure that subdirectory, but be sure to specify a path to it.
9045
9046 For example, with version @value{GDBVN}, type the following to configure only
9047 the @code{bfd} subdirectory:
9048
9049 @example
9050 @group
9051 cd gdb-@value{GDBVN}/bfd
9052 ../configure @var{host}
9053 @end group
9054 @end example
9055
9056 You can install @code{@value{GDBP}} anywhere; it has no hardwired paths.
9057 However, you should make sure that the shell on your path (named by
9058 the @samp{SHELL} environment variable) is publicly readable. Remember
9059 that @value{GDBN} uses the shell to start your program---some systems refuse to
9060 let @value{GDBN} debug child processes whose programs are not readable.
9061
9062 @menu
9063 * Separate Objdir:: Compiling @value{GDBN} in another directory
9064 * Config Names:: Specifying names for hosts and targets
9065 * configure Options:: Summary of options for configure
9066 @end menu
9067
9068 @node Separate Objdir
9069 @section Compiling @value{GDBN} in another directory
9070
9071 If you want to run @value{GDBN} versions for several host or target machines,
9072 you need a different @code{gdb} compiled for each combination of
9073 host and target. @code{configure} is designed to make this easy by
9074 allowing you to generate each configuration in a separate subdirectory,
9075 rather than in the source directory. If your @code{make} program
9076 handles the @samp{VPATH} feature (@sc{gnu} @code{make} does), running
9077 @code{make} in each of these directories builds the @code{gdb}
9078 program specified there.
9079
9080 To build @code{gdb} in a separate directory, run @code{configure}
9081 with the @samp{--srcdir} option to specify where to find the source.
9082 (You also need to specify a path to find @code{configure}
9083 itself from your working directory. If the path to @code{configure}
9084 would be the same as the argument to @samp{--srcdir}, you can leave out
9085 the @samp{--srcdir} option; it is assumed.)
9086
9087 For example, with version @value{GDBVN}, you can build @value{GDBN} in a
9088 separate directory for a Sun 4 like this:
9089
9090 @example
9091 @group
9092 cd gdb-@value{GDBVN}
9093 mkdir ../gdb-sun4
9094 cd ../gdb-sun4
9095 ../gdb-@value{GDBVN}/configure sun4
9096 make
9097 @end group
9098 @end example
9099
9100 When @code{configure} builds a configuration using a remote source
9101 directory, it creates a tree for the binaries with the same structure
9102 (and using the same names) as the tree under the source directory. In
9103 the example, you'd find the Sun 4 library @file{libiberty.a} in the
9104 directory @file{gdb-sun4/libiberty}, and @value{GDBN} itself in
9105 @file{gdb-sun4/gdb}.
9106
9107 One popular reason to build several @value{GDBN} configurations in separate
9108 directories is to configure @value{GDBN} for cross-compiling (where
9109 @value{GDBN} runs on one machine---the @dfn{host}---while debugging
9110 programs that run on another machine---the @dfn{target}).
9111 You specify a cross-debugging target by
9112 giving the @samp{--target=@var{target}} option to @code{configure}.
9113
9114 When you run @code{make} to build a program or library, you must run
9115 it in a configured directory---whatever directory you were in when you
9116 called @code{configure} (or one of its subdirectories).
9117
9118 The @code{Makefile} that @code{configure} generates in each source
9119 directory also runs recursively. If you type @code{make} in a source
9120 directory such as @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}} (or in a separate configured
9121 directory configured with @samp{--srcdir=@var{dirname}/gdb-@value{GDBVN}}), you
9122 will build all the required libraries, and then build GDB.
9123
9124 When you have multiple hosts or targets configured in separate
9125 directories, you can run @code{make} on them in parallel (for example,
9126 if they are NFS-mounted on each of the hosts); they will not interfere
9127 with each other.
9128
9129 @node Config Names
9130 @section Specifying names for hosts and targets
9131
9132 The specifications used for hosts and targets in the @code{configure}
9133 script are based on a three-part naming scheme, but some short predefined
9134 aliases are also supported. The full naming scheme encodes three pieces
9135 of information in the following pattern:
9136
9137 @example
9138 @var{architecture}-@var{vendor}-@var{os}
9139 @end example
9140
9141 For example, you can use the alias @code{sun4} as a @var{host} argument,
9142 or as the value for @var{target} in a @code{--target=@var{target}}
9143 option. The equivalent full name is @samp{sparc-sun-sunos4}.
9144
9145 The @code{configure} script accompanying @value{GDBN} does not provide
9146 any query facility to list all supported host and target names or
9147 aliases. @code{configure} calls the Bourne shell script
9148 @code{config.sub} to map abbreviations to full names; you can read the
9149 script, if you wish, or you can use it to test your guesses on
9150 abbreviations---for example:
9151
9152 @smallexample
9153 % sh config.sub sun4
9154 sparc-sun-sunos4.1.1
9155 % sh config.sub sun3
9156 m68k-sun-sunos4.1.1
9157 % sh config.sub decstation
9158 mips-dec-ultrix4.2
9159 % sh config.sub hp300bsd
9160 m68k-hp-bsd
9161 % sh config.sub i386v
9162 i386-unknown-sysv
9163 % sh config.sub i786v
9164 Invalid configuration `i786v': machine `i786v' not recognized
9165 @end smallexample
9166
9167 @noindent
9168 @code{config.sub} is also distributed in the @value{GDBN} source
9169 directory (@file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}}, for version @value{GDBVN}).
9170
9171 @node configure Options
9172 @section @code{configure} options
9173
9174 Here is a summary of the @code{configure} options and arguments that
9175 are most often useful for building @value{GDBN}. @code{configure} also has
9176 several other options not listed here. @inforef{What Configure
9177 Does,,configure.info}, for a full explanation of @code{configure}.
9178
9179 @example
9180 configure @r{[}--help@r{]}
9181 @r{[}--prefix=@var{dir}@r{]}
9182 @r{[}--srcdir=@var{dirname}@r{]}
9183 @r{[}--norecursion@r{]} @r{[}--rm@r{]}
9184 @r{[}--target=@var{target}@r{]} @var{host}
9185 @end example
9186
9187 @noindent
9188 You may introduce options with a single @samp{-} rather than
9189 @samp{--} if you prefer; but you may abbreviate option names if you use
9190 @samp{--}.
9191
9192 @table @code
9193 @item --help
9194 Display a quick summary of how to invoke @code{configure}.
9195
9196 @item -prefix=@var{dir}
9197 Configure the source to install programs and files under directory
9198 @file{@var{dir}}.
9199
9200 @c avoid splitting the warning from the explanation:
9201 @need 2000
9202 @item --srcdir=@var{dirname}
9203 @strong{Warning: using this option requires @sc{gnu} @code{make}, or another
9204 @code{make} that implements the @code{VPATH} feature.}@*
9205 Use this option to make configurations in directories separate from the
9206 @value{GDBN} source directories. Among other things, you can use this to
9207 build (or maintain) several configurations simultaneously, in separate
9208 directories. @code{configure} writes configuration specific files in
9209 the current directory, but arranges for them to use the source in the
9210 directory @var{dirname}. @code{configure} creates directories under
9211 the working directory in parallel to the source directories below
9212 @var{dirname}.
9213
9214 @item --norecursion
9215 Configure only the directory level where @code{configure} is executed; do not
9216 propagate configuration to subdirectories.
9217
9218 @item --rm
9219 @emph{Remove} files otherwise built during configuration.
9220
9221 @c This does not work (yet if ever). FIXME.
9222 @c @item --parse=@var{lang} @dots{}
9223 @c Configure the @value{GDBN} expression parser to parse the listed languages.
9224 @c @samp{all} configures @value{GDBN} for all supported languages. To get a
9225 @c list of all supported languages, omit the argument. Without this
9226 @c option, @value{GDBN} is configured to parse all supported languages.
9227
9228 @item --target=@var{target}
9229 Configure @value{GDBN} for cross-debugging programs running on the specified
9230 @var{target}. Without this option, @value{GDBN} is configured to debug
9231 programs that run on the same machine (@var{host}) as @value{GDBN} itself.
9232
9233 There is no convenient way to generate a list of all available targets.
9234
9235 @item @var{host} @dots{}
9236 Configure @value{GDBN} to run on the specified @var{host}.
9237
9238 There is no convenient way to generate a list of all available hosts.
9239 @end table
9240
9241 @noindent
9242 @code{configure} accepts other options, for compatibility with
9243 configuring other @sc{gnu} tools recursively; but these are the only
9244 options that affect @value{GDBN} or its supporting libraries.
9245 @end ifclear
9246
9247 @node Index
9248 @unnumbered Index
9249
9250 @printindex cp
9251
9252 @tex
9253 % I think something like @colophon should be in texinfo. In the
9254 % meantime:
9255 \long\def\colophon{\hbox to0pt{}\vfill
9256 \centerline{The body of this manual is set in}
9257 \centerline{\fontname\tenrm,}
9258 \centerline{with headings in {\bf\fontname\tenbf}}
9259 \centerline{and examples in {\tt\fontname\tentt}.}
9260 \centerline{{\it\fontname\tenit\/},}
9261 \centerline{{\bf\fontname\tenbf}, and}
9262 \centerline{{\sl\fontname\tensl\/}}
9263 \centerline{are used for emphasis.}\vfill}
9264 \page\colophon
9265 % Blame: pesch@cygnus.com, 1991.
9266 @end tex
9267
9268 @contents
9269 @bye
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