5a83619f6aa85abfba83a669d1d2822a5537ca67
[deliverable/binutils-gdb.git] / gdb / doc / gdb.texinfo
1 \input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
2 @c Copyright (C) 1988-2018 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
3 @c
4 @c %**start of header
5 @c makeinfo ignores cmds prev to setfilename, so its arg cannot make use
6 @c of @set vars. However, you can override filename with makeinfo -o.
7 @setfilename gdb.info
8 @c
9 @c man begin INCLUDE
10 @include gdb-cfg.texi
11 @c man end
12 @c
13 @settitle Debugging with @value{GDBN}
14 @setchapternewpage odd
15 @c %**end of header
16
17 @iftex
18 @c @smallbook
19 @c @cropmarks
20 @end iftex
21
22 @finalout
23 @c To avoid file-name clashes between index.html and Index.html, when
24 @c the manual is produced on a Posix host and then moved to a
25 @c case-insensitive filesystem (e.g., MS-Windows), we separate the
26 @c indices into two: Concept Index and all the rest.
27 @syncodeindex ky fn
28 @syncodeindex tp fn
29
30 @c readline appendices use @vindex, @findex and @ftable,
31 @c annotate.texi and gdbmi use @findex.
32 @syncodeindex vr fn
33
34 @c !!set GDB manual's edition---not the same as GDB version!
35 @c This is updated by GNU Press.
36 @set EDITION Tenth
37
38 @c !!set GDB edit command default editor
39 @set EDITOR /bin/ex
40
41 @c THIS MANUAL REQUIRES TEXINFO 4.0 OR LATER.
42
43 @c This is a dir.info fragment to support semi-automated addition of
44 @c manuals to an info tree.
45 @dircategory Software development
46 @direntry
47 * Gdb: (gdb). The GNU debugger.
48 * gdbserver: (gdb) Server. The GNU debugging server.
49 @end direntry
50
51 @copying
52 @c man begin COPYRIGHT
53 Copyright @copyright{} 1988-2018 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
54
55 Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
56 under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3 or
57 any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with the
58 Invariant Sections being ``Free Software'' and ``Free Software Needs
59 Free Documentation'', with the Front-Cover Texts being ``A GNU Manual,''
60 and with the Back-Cover Texts as in (a) below.
61
62 (a) The FSF's Back-Cover Text is: ``You are free to copy and modify
63 this GNU Manual. Buying copies from GNU Press supports the FSF in
64 developing GNU and promoting software freedom.''
65 @c man end
66 @end copying
67
68 @ifnottex
69 This file documents the @sc{gnu} debugger @value{GDBN}.
70
71 This is the @value{EDITION} Edition, of @cite{Debugging with
72 @value{GDBN}: the @sc{gnu} Source-Level Debugger} for @value{GDBN}
73 @ifset VERSION_PACKAGE
74 @value{VERSION_PACKAGE}
75 @end ifset
76 Version @value{GDBVN}.
77
78 @insertcopying
79 @end ifnottex
80
81 @titlepage
82 @title Debugging with @value{GDBN}
83 @subtitle The @sc{gnu} Source-Level Debugger
84 @sp 1
85 @subtitle @value{EDITION} Edition, for @value{GDBN} version @value{GDBVN}
86 @ifset VERSION_PACKAGE
87 @sp 1
88 @subtitle @value{VERSION_PACKAGE}
89 @end ifset
90 @author Richard Stallman, Roland Pesch, Stan Shebs, et al.
91 @page
92 @tex
93 {\parskip=0pt
94 \hfill (Send bugs and comments on @value{GDBN} to @value{BUGURL}.)\par
95 \hfill {\it Debugging with @value{GDBN}}\par
96 \hfill \TeX{}info \texinfoversion\par
97 }
98 @end tex
99
100 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
101 Published by the Free Software Foundation @*
102 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor,
103 Boston, MA 02110-1301, USA@*
104 ISBN 978-0-9831592-3-0 @*
105
106 @insertcopying
107 @end titlepage
108 @page
109
110 @ifnottex
111 @node Top, Summary, (dir), (dir)
112
113 @top Debugging with @value{GDBN}
114
115 This file describes @value{GDBN}, the @sc{gnu} symbolic debugger.
116
117 This is the @value{EDITION} Edition, for @value{GDBN}
118 @ifset VERSION_PACKAGE
119 @value{VERSION_PACKAGE}
120 @end ifset
121 Version @value{GDBVN}.
122
123 Copyright (C) 1988-2018 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
124
125 This edition of the GDB manual is dedicated to the memory of Fred
126 Fish. Fred was a long-standing contributor to GDB and to Free
127 software in general. We will miss him.
128
129 @menu
130 * Summary:: Summary of @value{GDBN}
131 * Sample Session:: A sample @value{GDBN} session
132
133 * Invocation:: Getting in and out of @value{GDBN}
134 * Commands:: @value{GDBN} commands
135 * Running:: Running programs under @value{GDBN}
136 * Stopping:: Stopping and continuing
137 * Reverse Execution:: Running programs backward
138 * Process Record and Replay:: Recording inferior's execution and replaying it
139 * Stack:: Examining the stack
140 * Source:: Examining source files
141 * Data:: Examining data
142 * Optimized Code:: Debugging optimized code
143 * Macros:: Preprocessor Macros
144 * Tracepoints:: Debugging remote targets non-intrusively
145 * Overlays:: Debugging programs that use overlays
146
147 * Languages:: Using @value{GDBN} with different languages
148
149 * Symbols:: Examining the symbol table
150 * Altering:: Altering execution
151 * GDB Files:: @value{GDBN} files
152 * Targets:: Specifying a debugging target
153 * Remote Debugging:: Debugging remote programs
154 * Configurations:: Configuration-specific information
155 * Controlling GDB:: Controlling @value{GDBN}
156 * Extending GDB:: Extending @value{GDBN}
157 * Interpreters:: Command Interpreters
158 * TUI:: @value{GDBN} Text User Interface
159 * Emacs:: Using @value{GDBN} under @sc{gnu} Emacs
160 * GDB/MI:: @value{GDBN}'s Machine Interface.
161 * Annotations:: @value{GDBN}'s annotation interface.
162 * JIT Interface:: Using the JIT debugging interface.
163 * In-Process Agent:: In-Process Agent
164
165 * GDB Bugs:: Reporting bugs in @value{GDBN}
166
167 @ifset SYSTEM_READLINE
168 * Command Line Editing: (rluserman). Command Line Editing
169 * Using History Interactively: (history). Using History Interactively
170 @end ifset
171 @ifclear SYSTEM_READLINE
172 * Command Line Editing:: Command Line Editing
173 * Using History Interactively:: Using History Interactively
174 @end ifclear
175 * In Memoriam:: In Memoriam
176 * Formatting Documentation:: How to format and print @value{GDBN} documentation
177 * Installing GDB:: Installing GDB
178 * Maintenance Commands:: Maintenance Commands
179 * Remote Protocol:: GDB Remote Serial Protocol
180 * Agent Expressions:: The GDB Agent Expression Mechanism
181 * Target Descriptions:: How targets can describe themselves to
182 @value{GDBN}
183 * Operating System Information:: Getting additional information from
184 the operating system
185 * Trace File Format:: GDB trace file format
186 * Index Section Format:: .gdb_index section format
187 * Man Pages:: Manual pages
188 * Copying:: GNU General Public License says
189 how you can copy and share GDB
190 * GNU Free Documentation License:: The license for this documentation
191 * Concept Index:: Index of @value{GDBN} concepts
192 * Command and Variable Index:: Index of @value{GDBN} commands, variables,
193 functions, and Python data types
194 @end menu
195
196 @end ifnottex
197
198 @contents
199
200 @node Summary
201 @unnumbered Summary of @value{GDBN}
202
203 The purpose of a debugger such as @value{GDBN} is to allow you to see what is
204 going on ``inside'' another program while it executes---or what another
205 program was doing at the moment it crashed.
206
207 @value{GDBN} can do four main kinds of things (plus other things in support of
208 these) to help you catch bugs in the act:
209
210 @itemize @bullet
211 @item
212 Start your program, specifying anything that might affect its behavior.
213
214 @item
215 Make your program stop on specified conditions.
216
217 @item
218 Examine what has happened, when your program has stopped.
219
220 @item
221 Change things in your program, so you can experiment with correcting the
222 effects of one bug and go on to learn about another.
223 @end itemize
224
225 You can use @value{GDBN} to debug programs written in C and C@t{++}.
226 For more information, see @ref{Supported Languages,,Supported Languages}.
227 For more information, see @ref{C,,C and C++}.
228
229 Support for D is partial. For information on D, see
230 @ref{D,,D}.
231
232 @cindex Modula-2
233 Support for Modula-2 is partial. For information on Modula-2, see
234 @ref{Modula-2,,Modula-2}.
235
236 Support for OpenCL C is partial. For information on OpenCL C, see
237 @ref{OpenCL C,,OpenCL C}.
238
239 @cindex Pascal
240 Debugging Pascal programs which use sets, subranges, file variables, or
241 nested functions does not currently work. @value{GDBN} does not support
242 entering expressions, printing values, or similar features using Pascal
243 syntax.
244
245 @cindex Fortran
246 @value{GDBN} can be used to debug programs written in Fortran, although
247 it may be necessary to refer to some variables with a trailing
248 underscore.
249
250 @value{GDBN} can be used to debug programs written in Objective-C,
251 using either the Apple/NeXT or the GNU Objective-C runtime.
252
253 @menu
254 * Free Software:: Freely redistributable software
255 * Free Documentation:: Free Software Needs Free Documentation
256 * Contributors:: Contributors to GDB
257 @end menu
258
259 @node Free Software
260 @unnumberedsec Free Software
261
262 @value{GDBN} is @dfn{free software}, protected by the @sc{gnu}
263 General Public License
264 (GPL). The GPL gives you the freedom to copy or adapt a licensed
265 program---but every person getting a copy also gets with it the
266 freedom to modify that copy (which means that they must get access to
267 the source code), and the freedom to distribute further copies.
268 Typical software companies use copyrights to limit your freedoms; the
269 Free Software Foundation uses the GPL to preserve these freedoms.
270
271 Fundamentally, the General Public License is a license which says that
272 you have these freedoms and that you cannot take these freedoms away
273 from anyone else.
274
275 @node Free Documentation
276 @unnumberedsec Free Software Needs Free Documentation
277
278 The biggest deficiency in the free software community today is not in
279 the software---it is the lack of good free documentation that we can
280 include with the free software. Many of our most important
281 programs do not come with free reference manuals and free introductory
282 texts. Documentation is an essential part of any software package;
283 when an important free software package does not come with a free
284 manual and a free tutorial, that is a major gap. We have many such
285 gaps today.
286
287 Consider Perl, for instance. The tutorial manuals that people
288 normally use are non-free. How did this come about? Because the
289 authors of those manuals published them with restrictive terms---no
290 copying, no modification, source files not available---which exclude
291 them from the free software world.
292
293 That wasn't the first time this sort of thing happened, and it was far
294 from the last. Many times we have heard a GNU user eagerly describe a
295 manual that he is writing, his intended contribution to the community,
296 only to learn that he had ruined everything by signing a publication
297 contract to make it non-free.
298
299 Free documentation, like free software, is a matter of freedom, not
300 price. The problem with the non-free manual is not that publishers
301 charge a price for printed copies---that in itself is fine. (The Free
302 Software Foundation sells printed copies of manuals, too.) The
303 problem is the restrictions on the use of the manual. Free manuals
304 are available in source code form, and give you permission to copy and
305 modify. Non-free manuals do not allow this.
306
307 The criteria of freedom for a free manual are roughly the same as for
308 free software. Redistribution (including the normal kinds of
309 commercial redistribution) must be permitted, so that the manual can
310 accompany every copy of the program, both on-line and on paper.
311
312 Permission for modification of the technical content is crucial too.
313 When people modify the software, adding or changing features, if they
314 are conscientious they will change the manual too---so they can
315 provide accurate and clear documentation for the modified program. A
316 manual that leaves you no choice but to write a new manual to document
317 a changed version of the program is not really available to our
318 community.
319
320 Some kinds of limits on the way modification is handled are
321 acceptable. For example, requirements to preserve the original
322 author's copyright notice, the distribution terms, or the list of
323 authors, are ok. It is also no problem to require modified versions
324 to include notice that they were modified. Even entire sections that
325 may not be deleted or changed are acceptable, as long as they deal
326 with nontechnical topics (like this one). These kinds of restrictions
327 are acceptable because they don't obstruct the community's normal use
328 of the manual.
329
330 However, it must be possible to modify all the @emph{technical}
331 content of the manual, and then distribute the result in all the usual
332 media, through all the usual channels. Otherwise, the restrictions
333 obstruct the use of the manual, it is not free, and we need another
334 manual to replace it.
335
336 Please spread the word about this issue. Our community continues to
337 lose manuals to proprietary publishing. If we spread the word that
338 free software needs free reference manuals and free tutorials, perhaps
339 the next person who wants to contribute by writing documentation will
340 realize, before it is too late, that only free manuals contribute to
341 the free software community.
342
343 If you are writing documentation, please insist on publishing it under
344 the GNU Free Documentation License or another free documentation
345 license. Remember that this decision requires your approval---you
346 don't have to let the publisher decide. Some commercial publishers
347 will use a free license if you insist, but they will not propose the
348 option; it is up to you to raise the issue and say firmly that this is
349 what you want. If the publisher you are dealing with refuses, please
350 try other publishers. If you're not sure whether a proposed license
351 is free, write to @email{licensing@@gnu.org}.
352
353 You can encourage commercial publishers to sell more free, copylefted
354 manuals and tutorials by buying them, and particularly by buying
355 copies from the publishers that paid for their writing or for major
356 improvements. Meanwhile, try to avoid buying non-free documentation
357 at all. Check the distribution terms of a manual before you buy it,
358 and insist that whoever seeks your business must respect your freedom.
359 Check the history of the book, and try to reward the publishers that
360 have paid or pay the authors to work on it.
361
362 The Free Software Foundation maintains a list of free documentation
363 published by other publishers, at
364 @url{http://www.fsf.org/doc/other-free-books.html}.
365
366 @node Contributors
367 @unnumberedsec Contributors to @value{GDBN}
368
369 Richard Stallman was the original author of @value{GDBN}, and of many
370 other @sc{gnu} programs. Many others have contributed to its
371 development. This section attempts to credit major contributors. One
372 of the virtues of free software is that everyone is free to contribute
373 to it; with regret, we cannot actually acknowledge everyone here. The
374 file @file{ChangeLog} in the @value{GDBN} distribution approximates a
375 blow-by-blow account.
376
377 Changes much prior to version 2.0 are lost in the mists of time.
378
379 @quotation
380 @emph{Plea:} Additions to this section are particularly welcome. If you
381 or your friends (or enemies, to be evenhanded) have been unfairly
382 omitted from this list, we would like to add your names!
383 @end quotation
384
385 So that they may not regard their many labors as thankless, we
386 particularly thank those who shepherded @value{GDBN} through major
387 releases:
388 Andrew Cagney (releases 6.3, 6.2, 6.1, 6.0, 5.3, 5.2, 5.1 and 5.0);
389 Jim Blandy (release 4.18);
390 Jason Molenda (release 4.17);
391 Stan Shebs (release 4.14);
392 Fred Fish (releases 4.16, 4.15, 4.13, 4.12, 4.11, 4.10, and 4.9);
393 Stu Grossman and John Gilmore (releases 4.8, 4.7, 4.6, 4.5, and 4.4);
394 John Gilmore (releases 4.3, 4.2, 4.1, 4.0, and 3.9);
395 Jim Kingdon (releases 3.5, 3.4, and 3.3);
396 and Randy Smith (releases 3.2, 3.1, and 3.0).
397
398 Richard Stallman, assisted at various times by Peter TerMaat, Chris
399 Hanson, and Richard Mlynarik, handled releases through 2.8.
400
401 Michael Tiemann is the author of most of the @sc{gnu} C@t{++} support
402 in @value{GDBN}, with significant additional contributions from Per
403 Bothner and Daniel Berlin. James Clark wrote the @sc{gnu} C@t{++}
404 demangler. Early work on C@t{++} was by Peter TerMaat (who also did
405 much general update work leading to release 3.0).
406
407 @value{GDBN} uses the BFD subroutine library to examine multiple
408 object-file formats; BFD was a joint project of David V.
409 Henkel-Wallace, Rich Pixley, Steve Chamberlain, and John Gilmore.
410
411 David Johnson wrote the original COFF support; Pace Willison did
412 the original support for encapsulated COFF.
413
414 Brent Benson of Harris Computer Systems contributed DWARF 2 support.
415
416 Adam de Boor and Bradley Davis contributed the ISI Optimum V support.
417 Per Bothner, Noboyuki Hikichi, and Alessandro Forin contributed MIPS
418 support.
419 Jean-Daniel Fekete contributed Sun 386i support.
420 Chris Hanson improved the HP9000 support.
421 Noboyuki Hikichi and Tomoyuki Hasei contributed Sony/News OS 3 support.
422 David Johnson contributed Encore Umax support.
423 Jyrki Kuoppala contributed Altos 3068 support.
424 Jeff Law contributed HP PA and SOM support.
425 Keith Packard contributed NS32K support.
426 Doug Rabson contributed Acorn Risc Machine support.
427 Bob Rusk contributed Harris Nighthawk CX-UX support.
428 Chris Smith contributed Convex support (and Fortran debugging).
429 Jonathan Stone contributed Pyramid support.
430 Michael Tiemann contributed SPARC support.
431 Tim Tucker contributed support for the Gould NP1 and Gould Powernode.
432 Pace Willison contributed Intel 386 support.
433 Jay Vosburgh contributed Symmetry support.
434 Marko Mlinar contributed OpenRISC 1000 support.
435
436 Andreas Schwab contributed M68K @sc{gnu}/Linux support.
437
438 Rich Schaefer and Peter Schauer helped with support of SunOS shared
439 libraries.
440
441 Jay Fenlason and Roland McGrath ensured that @value{GDBN} and GAS agree
442 about several machine instruction sets.
443
444 Patrick Duval, Ted Goldstein, Vikram Koka and Glenn Engel helped develop
445 remote debugging. Intel Corporation, Wind River Systems, AMD, and ARM
446 contributed remote debugging modules for the i960, VxWorks, A29K UDI,
447 and RDI targets, respectively.
448
449 Brian Fox is the author of the readline libraries providing
450 command-line editing and command history.
451
452 Andrew Beers of SUNY Buffalo wrote the language-switching code, the
453 Modula-2 support, and contributed the Languages chapter of this manual.
454
455 Fred Fish wrote most of the support for Unix System Vr4.
456 He also enhanced the command-completion support to cover C@t{++} overloaded
457 symbols.
458
459 Hitachi America (now Renesas America), Ltd. sponsored the support for
460 H8/300, H8/500, and Super-H processors.
461
462 NEC sponsored the support for the v850, Vr4xxx, and Vr5xxx processors.
463
464 Mitsubishi (now Renesas) sponsored the support for D10V, D30V, and M32R/D
465 processors.
466
467 Toshiba sponsored the support for the TX39 Mips processor.
468
469 Matsushita sponsored the support for the MN10200 and MN10300 processors.
470
471 Fujitsu sponsored the support for SPARClite and FR30 processors.
472
473 Kung Hsu, Jeff Law, and Rick Sladkey added support for hardware
474 watchpoints.
475
476 Michael Snyder added support for tracepoints.
477
478 Stu Grossman wrote gdbserver.
479
480 Jim Kingdon, Peter Schauer, Ian Taylor, and Stu Grossman made
481 nearly innumerable bug fixes and cleanups throughout @value{GDBN}.
482
483 The following people at the Hewlett-Packard Company contributed
484 support for the PA-RISC 2.0 architecture, HP-UX 10.20, 10.30, and 11.0
485 (narrow mode), HP's implementation of kernel threads, HP's aC@t{++}
486 compiler, and the Text User Interface (nee Terminal User Interface):
487 Ben Krepp, Richard Title, John Bishop, Susan Macchia, Kathy Mann,
488 Satish Pai, India Paul, Steve Rehrauer, and Elena Zannoni. Kim Haase
489 provided HP-specific information in this manual.
490
491 DJ Delorie ported @value{GDBN} to MS-DOS, for the DJGPP project.
492 Robert Hoehne made significant contributions to the DJGPP port.
493
494 Cygnus Solutions has sponsored @value{GDBN} maintenance and much of its
495 development since 1991. Cygnus engineers who have worked on @value{GDBN}
496 fulltime include Mark Alexander, Jim Blandy, Per Bothner, Kevin
497 Buettner, Edith Epstein, Chris Faylor, Fred Fish, Martin Hunt, Jim
498 Ingham, John Gilmore, Stu Grossman, Kung Hsu, Jim Kingdon, John Metzler,
499 Fernando Nasser, Geoffrey Noer, Dawn Perchik, Rich Pixley, Zdenek
500 Radouch, Keith Seitz, Stan Shebs, David Taylor, and Elena Zannoni. In
501 addition, Dave Brolley, Ian Carmichael, Steve Chamberlain, Nick Clifton,
502 JT Conklin, Stan Cox, DJ Delorie, Ulrich Drepper, Frank Eigler, Doug
503 Evans, Sean Fagan, David Henkel-Wallace, Richard Henderson, Jeff
504 Holcomb, Jeff Law, Jim Lemke, Tom Lord, Bob Manson, Michael Meissner,
505 Jason Merrill, Catherine Moore, Drew Moseley, Ken Raeburn, Gavin
506 Romig-Koch, Rob Savoye, Jamie Smith, Mike Stump, Ian Taylor, Angela
507 Thomas, Michael Tiemann, Tom Tromey, Ron Unrau, Jim Wilson, and David
508 Zuhn have made contributions both large and small.
509
510 Andrew Cagney, Fernando Nasser, and Elena Zannoni, while working for
511 Cygnus Solutions, implemented the original @sc{gdb/mi} interface.
512
513 Jim Blandy added support for preprocessor macros, while working for Red
514 Hat.
515
516 Andrew Cagney designed @value{GDBN}'s architecture vector. Many
517 people including Andrew Cagney, Stephane Carrez, Randolph Chung, Nick
518 Duffek, Richard Henderson, Mark Kettenis, Grace Sainsbury, Kei
519 Sakamoto, Yoshinori Sato, Michael Snyder, Andreas Schwab, Jason
520 Thorpe, Corinna Vinschen, Ulrich Weigand, and Elena Zannoni, helped
521 with the migration of old architectures to this new framework.
522
523 Andrew Cagney completely re-designed and re-implemented @value{GDBN}'s
524 unwinder framework, this consisting of a fresh new design featuring
525 frame IDs, independent frame sniffers, and the sentinel frame. Mark
526 Kettenis implemented the @sc{dwarf 2} unwinder, Jeff Johnston the
527 libunwind unwinder, and Andrew Cagney the dummy, sentinel, tramp, and
528 trad unwinders. The architecture-specific changes, each involving a
529 complete rewrite of the architecture's frame code, were carried out by
530 Jim Blandy, Joel Brobecker, Kevin Buettner, Andrew Cagney, Stephane
531 Carrez, Randolph Chung, Orjan Friberg, Richard Henderson, Daniel
532 Jacobowitz, Jeff Johnston, Mark Kettenis, Theodore A. Roth, Kei
533 Sakamoto, Yoshinori Sato, Michael Snyder, Corinna Vinschen, and Ulrich
534 Weigand.
535
536 Christian Zankel, Ross Morley, Bob Wilson, and Maxim Grigoriev from
537 Tensilica, Inc.@: contributed support for Xtensa processors. Others
538 who have worked on the Xtensa port of @value{GDBN} in the past include
539 Steve Tjiang, John Newlin, and Scott Foehner.
540
541 Michael Eager and staff of Xilinx, Inc., contributed support for the
542 Xilinx MicroBlaze architecture.
543
544 Initial support for the FreeBSD/mips target and native configuration
545 was developed by SRI International and the University of Cambridge
546 Computer Laboratory under DARPA/AFRL contract FA8750-10-C-0237
547 ("CTSRD"), as part of the DARPA CRASH research programme.
548
549 The original port to the OpenRISC 1000 is believed to be due to
550 Alessandro Forin and Per Bothner. More recent ports have been the work
551 of Jeremy Bennett, Franck Jullien, Stefan Wallentowitz and
552 Stafford Horne.
553
554 @node Sample Session
555 @chapter A Sample @value{GDBN} Session
556
557 You can use this manual at your leisure to read all about @value{GDBN}.
558 However, a handful of commands are enough to get started using the
559 debugger. This chapter illustrates those commands.
560
561 @iftex
562 In this sample session, we emphasize user input like this: @b{input},
563 to make it easier to pick out from the surrounding output.
564 @end iftex
565
566 @c FIXME: this example may not be appropriate for some configs, where
567 @c FIXME...primary interest is in remote use.
568
569 One of the preliminary versions of @sc{gnu} @code{m4} (a generic macro
570 processor) exhibits the following bug: sometimes, when we change its
571 quote strings from the default, the commands used to capture one macro
572 definition within another stop working. In the following short @code{m4}
573 session, we define a macro @code{foo} which expands to @code{0000}; we
574 then use the @code{m4} built-in @code{defn} to define @code{bar} as the
575 same thing. However, when we change the open quote string to
576 @code{<QUOTE>} and the close quote string to @code{<UNQUOTE>}, the same
577 procedure fails to define a new synonym @code{baz}:
578
579 @smallexample
580 $ @b{cd gnu/m4}
581 $ @b{./m4}
582 @b{define(foo,0000)}
583
584 @b{foo}
585 0000
586 @b{define(bar,defn(`foo'))}
587
588 @b{bar}
589 0000
590 @b{changequote(<QUOTE>,<UNQUOTE>)}
591
592 @b{define(baz,defn(<QUOTE>foo<UNQUOTE>))}
593 @b{baz}
594 @b{Ctrl-d}
595 m4: End of input: 0: fatal error: EOF in string
596 @end smallexample
597
598 @noindent
599 Let us use @value{GDBN} to try to see what is going on.
600
601 @smallexample
602 $ @b{@value{GDBP} m4}
603 @c FIXME: this falsifies the exact text played out, to permit smallbook
604 @c FIXME... format to come out better.
605 @value{GDBN} is free software and you are welcome to distribute copies
606 of it under certain conditions; type "show copying" to see
607 the conditions.
608 There is absolutely no warranty for @value{GDBN}; type "show warranty"
609 for details.
610
611 @value{GDBN} @value{GDBVN}, Copyright 1999 Free Software Foundation, Inc...
612 (@value{GDBP})
613 @end smallexample
614
615 @noindent
616 @value{GDBN} reads only enough symbol data to know where to find the
617 rest when needed; as a result, the first prompt comes up very quickly.
618 We now tell @value{GDBN} to use a narrower display width than usual, so
619 that examples fit in this manual.
620
621 @smallexample
622 (@value{GDBP}) @b{set width 70}
623 @end smallexample
624
625 @noindent
626 We need to see how the @code{m4} built-in @code{changequote} works.
627 Having looked at the source, we know the relevant subroutine is
628 @code{m4_changequote}, so we set a breakpoint there with the @value{GDBN}
629 @code{break} command.
630
631 @smallexample
632 (@value{GDBP}) @b{break m4_changequote}
633 Breakpoint 1 at 0x62f4: file builtin.c, line 879.
634 @end smallexample
635
636 @noindent
637 Using the @code{run} command, we start @code{m4} running under @value{GDBN}
638 control; as long as control does not reach the @code{m4_changequote}
639 subroutine, the program runs as usual:
640
641 @smallexample
642 (@value{GDBP}) @b{run}
643 Starting program: /work/Editorial/gdb/gnu/m4/m4
644 @b{define(foo,0000)}
645
646 @b{foo}
647 0000
648 @end smallexample
649
650 @noindent
651 To trigger the breakpoint, we call @code{changequote}. @value{GDBN}
652 suspends execution of @code{m4}, displaying information about the
653 context where it stops.
654
655 @smallexample
656 @b{changequote(<QUOTE>,<UNQUOTE>)}
657
658 Breakpoint 1, m4_changequote (argc=3, argv=0x33c70)
659 at builtin.c:879
660 879 if (bad_argc(TOKEN_DATA_TEXT(argv[0]),argc,1,3))
661 @end smallexample
662
663 @noindent
664 Now we use the command @code{n} (@code{next}) to advance execution to
665 the next line of the current function.
666
667 @smallexample
668 (@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
669 882 set_quotes((argc >= 2) ? TOKEN_DATA_TEXT(argv[1])\
670 : nil,
671 @end smallexample
672
673 @noindent
674 @code{set_quotes} looks like a promising subroutine. We can go into it
675 by using the command @code{s} (@code{step}) instead of @code{next}.
676 @code{step} goes to the next line to be executed in @emph{any}
677 subroutine, so it steps into @code{set_quotes}.
678
679 @smallexample
680 (@value{GDBP}) @b{s}
681 set_quotes (lq=0x34c78 "<QUOTE>", rq=0x34c88 "<UNQUOTE>")
682 at input.c:530
683 530 if (lquote != def_lquote)
684 @end smallexample
685
686 @noindent
687 The display that shows the subroutine where @code{m4} is now
688 suspended (and its arguments) is called a stack frame display. It
689 shows a summary of the stack. We can use the @code{backtrace}
690 command (which can also be spelled @code{bt}), to see where we are
691 in the stack as a whole: the @code{backtrace} command displays a
692 stack frame for each active subroutine.
693
694 @smallexample
695 (@value{GDBP}) @b{bt}
696 #0 set_quotes (lq=0x34c78 "<QUOTE>", rq=0x34c88 "<UNQUOTE>")
697 at input.c:530
698 #1 0x6344 in m4_changequote (argc=3, argv=0x33c70)
699 at builtin.c:882
700 #2 0x8174 in expand_macro (sym=0x33320) at macro.c:242
701 #3 0x7a88 in expand_token (obs=0x0, t=209696, td=0xf7fffa30)
702 at macro.c:71
703 #4 0x79dc in expand_input () at macro.c:40
704 #5 0x2930 in main (argc=0, argv=0xf7fffb20) at m4.c:195
705 @end smallexample
706
707 @noindent
708 We step through a few more lines to see what happens. The first two
709 times, we can use @samp{s}; the next two times we use @code{n} to avoid
710 falling into the @code{xstrdup} subroutine.
711
712 @smallexample
713 (@value{GDBP}) @b{s}
714 0x3b5c 532 if (rquote != def_rquote)
715 (@value{GDBP}) @b{s}
716 0x3b80 535 lquote = (lq == nil || *lq == '\0') ? \
717 def_lquote : xstrdup(lq);
718 (@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
719 536 rquote = (rq == nil || *rq == '\0') ? def_rquote\
720 : xstrdup(rq);
721 (@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
722 538 len_lquote = strlen(rquote);
723 @end smallexample
724
725 @noindent
726 The last line displayed looks a little odd; we can examine the variables
727 @code{lquote} and @code{rquote} to see if they are in fact the new left
728 and right quotes we specified. We use the command @code{p}
729 (@code{print}) to see their values.
730
731 @smallexample
732 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p lquote}
733 $1 = 0x35d40 "<QUOTE>"
734 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p rquote}
735 $2 = 0x35d50 "<UNQUOTE>"
736 @end smallexample
737
738 @noindent
739 @code{lquote} and @code{rquote} are indeed the new left and right quotes.
740 To look at some context, we can display ten lines of source
741 surrounding the current line with the @code{l} (@code{list}) command.
742
743 @smallexample
744 (@value{GDBP}) @b{l}
745 533 xfree(rquote);
746 534
747 535 lquote = (lq == nil || *lq == '\0') ? def_lquote\
748 : xstrdup (lq);
749 536 rquote = (rq == nil || *rq == '\0') ? def_rquote\
750 : xstrdup (rq);
751 537
752 538 len_lquote = strlen(rquote);
753 539 len_rquote = strlen(lquote);
754 540 @}
755 541
756 542 void
757 @end smallexample
758
759 @noindent
760 Let us step past the two lines that set @code{len_lquote} and
761 @code{len_rquote}, and then examine the values of those variables.
762
763 @smallexample
764 (@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
765 539 len_rquote = strlen(lquote);
766 (@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
767 540 @}
768 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p len_lquote}
769 $3 = 9
770 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p len_rquote}
771 $4 = 7
772 @end smallexample
773
774 @noindent
775 That certainly looks wrong, assuming @code{len_lquote} and
776 @code{len_rquote} are meant to be the lengths of @code{lquote} and
777 @code{rquote} respectively. We can set them to better values using
778 the @code{p} command, since it can print the value of
779 any expression---and that expression can include subroutine calls and
780 assignments.
781
782 @smallexample
783 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p len_lquote=strlen(lquote)}
784 $5 = 7
785 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p len_rquote=strlen(rquote)}
786 $6 = 9
787 @end smallexample
788
789 @noindent
790 Is that enough to fix the problem of using the new quotes with the
791 @code{m4} built-in @code{defn}? We can allow @code{m4} to continue
792 executing with the @code{c} (@code{continue}) command, and then try the
793 example that caused trouble initially:
794
795 @smallexample
796 (@value{GDBP}) @b{c}
797 Continuing.
798
799 @b{define(baz,defn(<QUOTE>foo<UNQUOTE>))}
800
801 baz
802 0000
803 @end smallexample
804
805 @noindent
806 Success! The new quotes now work just as well as the default ones. The
807 problem seems to have been just the two typos defining the wrong
808 lengths. We allow @code{m4} exit by giving it an EOF as input:
809
810 @smallexample
811 @b{Ctrl-d}
812 Program exited normally.
813 @end smallexample
814
815 @noindent
816 The message @samp{Program exited normally.} is from @value{GDBN}; it
817 indicates @code{m4} has finished executing. We can end our @value{GDBN}
818 session with the @value{GDBN} @code{quit} command.
819
820 @smallexample
821 (@value{GDBP}) @b{quit}
822 @end smallexample
823
824 @node Invocation
825 @chapter Getting In and Out of @value{GDBN}
826
827 This chapter discusses how to start @value{GDBN}, and how to get out of it.
828 The essentials are:
829 @itemize @bullet
830 @item
831 type @samp{@value{GDBP}} to start @value{GDBN}.
832 @item
833 type @kbd{quit} or @kbd{Ctrl-d} to exit.
834 @end itemize
835
836 @menu
837 * Invoking GDB:: How to start @value{GDBN}
838 * Quitting GDB:: How to quit @value{GDBN}
839 * Shell Commands:: How to use shell commands inside @value{GDBN}
840 * Logging Output:: How to log @value{GDBN}'s output to a file
841 @end menu
842
843 @node Invoking GDB
844 @section Invoking @value{GDBN}
845
846 Invoke @value{GDBN} by running the program @code{@value{GDBP}}. Once started,
847 @value{GDBN} reads commands from the terminal until you tell it to exit.
848
849 You can also run @code{@value{GDBP}} with a variety of arguments and options,
850 to specify more of your debugging environment at the outset.
851
852 The command-line options described here are designed
853 to cover a variety of situations; in some environments, some of these
854 options may effectively be unavailable.
855
856 The most usual way to start @value{GDBN} is with one argument,
857 specifying an executable program:
858
859 @smallexample
860 @value{GDBP} @var{program}
861 @end smallexample
862
863 @noindent
864 You can also start with both an executable program and a core file
865 specified:
866
867 @smallexample
868 @value{GDBP} @var{program} @var{core}
869 @end smallexample
870
871 You can, instead, specify a process ID as a second argument, if you want
872 to debug a running process:
873
874 @smallexample
875 @value{GDBP} @var{program} 1234
876 @end smallexample
877
878 @noindent
879 would attach @value{GDBN} to process @code{1234} (unless you also have a file
880 named @file{1234}; @value{GDBN} does check for a core file first).
881
882 Taking advantage of the second command-line argument requires a fairly
883 complete operating system; when you use @value{GDBN} as a remote
884 debugger attached to a bare board, there may not be any notion of
885 ``process'', and there is often no way to get a core dump. @value{GDBN}
886 will warn you if it is unable to attach or to read core dumps.
887
888 You can optionally have @code{@value{GDBP}} pass any arguments after the
889 executable file to the inferior using @code{--args}. This option stops
890 option processing.
891 @smallexample
892 @value{GDBP} --args gcc -O2 -c foo.c
893 @end smallexample
894 This will cause @code{@value{GDBP}} to debug @code{gcc}, and to set
895 @code{gcc}'s command-line arguments (@pxref{Arguments}) to @samp{-O2 -c foo.c}.
896
897 You can run @code{@value{GDBP}} without printing the front material, which describes
898 @value{GDBN}'s non-warranty, by specifying @code{--silent}
899 (or @code{-q}/@code{--quiet}):
900
901 @smallexample
902 @value{GDBP} --silent
903 @end smallexample
904
905 @noindent
906 You can further control how @value{GDBN} starts up by using command-line
907 options. @value{GDBN} itself can remind you of the options available.
908
909 @noindent
910 Type
911
912 @smallexample
913 @value{GDBP} -help
914 @end smallexample
915
916 @noindent
917 to display all available options and briefly describe their use
918 (@samp{@value{GDBP} -h} is a shorter equivalent).
919
920 All options and command line arguments you give are processed
921 in sequential order. The order makes a difference when the
922 @samp{-x} option is used.
923
924
925 @menu
926 * File Options:: Choosing files
927 * Mode Options:: Choosing modes
928 * Startup:: What @value{GDBN} does during startup
929 @end menu
930
931 @node File Options
932 @subsection Choosing Files
933
934 When @value{GDBN} starts, it reads any arguments other than options as
935 specifying an executable file and core file (or process ID). This is
936 the same as if the arguments were specified by the @samp{-se} and
937 @samp{-c} (or @samp{-p}) options respectively. (@value{GDBN} reads the
938 first argument that does not have an associated option flag as
939 equivalent to the @samp{-se} option followed by that argument; and the
940 second argument that does not have an associated option flag, if any, as
941 equivalent to the @samp{-c}/@samp{-p} option followed by that argument.)
942 If the second argument begins with a decimal digit, @value{GDBN} will
943 first attempt to attach to it as a process, and if that fails, attempt
944 to open it as a corefile. If you have a corefile whose name begins with
945 a digit, you can prevent @value{GDBN} from treating it as a pid by
946 prefixing it with @file{./}, e.g.@: @file{./12345}.
947
948 If @value{GDBN} has not been configured to included core file support,
949 such as for most embedded targets, then it will complain about a second
950 argument and ignore it.
951
952 Many options have both long and short forms; both are shown in the
953 following list. @value{GDBN} also recognizes the long forms if you truncate
954 them, so long as enough of the option is present to be unambiguous.
955 (If you prefer, you can flag option arguments with @samp{--} rather
956 than @samp{-}, though we illustrate the more usual convention.)
957
958 @c NOTE: the @cindex entries here use double dashes ON PURPOSE. This
959 @c way, both those who look for -foo and --foo in the index, will find
960 @c it.
961
962 @table @code
963 @item -symbols @var{file}
964 @itemx -s @var{file}
965 @cindex @code{--symbols}
966 @cindex @code{-s}
967 Read symbol table from file @var{file}.
968
969 @item -exec @var{file}
970 @itemx -e @var{file}
971 @cindex @code{--exec}
972 @cindex @code{-e}
973 Use file @var{file} as the executable file to execute when appropriate,
974 and for examining pure data in conjunction with a core dump.
975
976 @item -se @var{file}
977 @cindex @code{--se}
978 Read symbol table from file @var{file} and use it as the executable
979 file.
980
981 @item -core @var{file}
982 @itemx -c @var{file}
983 @cindex @code{--core}
984 @cindex @code{-c}
985 Use file @var{file} as a core dump to examine.
986
987 @item -pid @var{number}
988 @itemx -p @var{number}
989 @cindex @code{--pid}
990 @cindex @code{-p}
991 Connect to process ID @var{number}, as with the @code{attach} command.
992
993 @item -command @var{file}
994 @itemx -x @var{file}
995 @cindex @code{--command}
996 @cindex @code{-x}
997 Execute commands from file @var{file}. The contents of this file is
998 evaluated exactly as the @code{source} command would.
999 @xref{Command Files,, Command files}.
1000
1001 @item -eval-command @var{command}
1002 @itemx -ex @var{command}
1003 @cindex @code{--eval-command}
1004 @cindex @code{-ex}
1005 Execute a single @value{GDBN} command.
1006
1007 This option may be used multiple times to call multiple commands. It may
1008 also be interleaved with @samp{-command} as required.
1009
1010 @smallexample
1011 @value{GDBP} -ex 'target sim' -ex 'load' \
1012 -x setbreakpoints -ex 'run' a.out
1013 @end smallexample
1014
1015 @item -init-command @var{file}
1016 @itemx -ix @var{file}
1017 @cindex @code{--init-command}
1018 @cindex @code{-ix}
1019 Execute commands from file @var{file} before loading the inferior (but
1020 after loading gdbinit files).
1021 @xref{Startup}.
1022
1023 @item -init-eval-command @var{command}
1024 @itemx -iex @var{command}
1025 @cindex @code{--init-eval-command}
1026 @cindex @code{-iex}
1027 Execute a single @value{GDBN} command before loading the inferior (but
1028 after loading gdbinit files).
1029 @xref{Startup}.
1030
1031 @item -directory @var{directory}
1032 @itemx -d @var{directory}
1033 @cindex @code{--directory}
1034 @cindex @code{-d}
1035 Add @var{directory} to the path to search for source and script files.
1036
1037 @item -r
1038 @itemx -readnow
1039 @cindex @code{--readnow}
1040 @cindex @code{-r}
1041 Read each symbol file's entire symbol table immediately, rather than
1042 the default, which is to read it incrementally as it is needed.
1043 This makes startup slower, but makes future operations faster.
1044
1045 @item --readnever
1046 @anchor{--readnever}
1047 @cindex @code{--readnever}, command-line option
1048 Do not read each symbol file's symbolic debug information. This makes
1049 startup faster but at the expense of not being able to perform
1050 symbolic debugging. DWARF unwind information is also not read,
1051 meaning backtraces may become incomplete or inaccurate. One use of
1052 this is when a user simply wants to do the following sequence: attach,
1053 dump core, detach. Loading the debugging information in this case is
1054 an unnecessary cause of delay.
1055 @end table
1056
1057 @node Mode Options
1058 @subsection Choosing Modes
1059
1060 You can run @value{GDBN} in various alternative modes---for example, in
1061 batch mode or quiet mode.
1062
1063 @table @code
1064 @anchor{-nx}
1065 @item -nx
1066 @itemx -n
1067 @cindex @code{--nx}
1068 @cindex @code{-n}
1069 Do not execute commands found in any initialization file.
1070 There are three init files, loaded in the following order:
1071
1072 @table @code
1073 @item @file{system.gdbinit}
1074 This is the system-wide init file.
1075 Its location is specified with the @code{--with-system-gdbinit}
1076 configure option (@pxref{System-wide configuration}).
1077 It is loaded first when @value{GDBN} starts, before command line options
1078 have been processed.
1079 @item @file{~/.gdbinit}
1080 This is the init file in your home directory.
1081 It is loaded next, after @file{system.gdbinit}, and before
1082 command options have been processed.
1083 @item @file{./.gdbinit}
1084 This is the init file in the current directory.
1085 It is loaded last, after command line options other than @code{-x} and
1086 @code{-ex} have been processed. Command line options @code{-x} and
1087 @code{-ex} are processed last, after @file{./.gdbinit} has been loaded.
1088 @end table
1089
1090 For further documentation on startup processing, @xref{Startup}.
1091 For documentation on how to write command files,
1092 @xref{Command Files,,Command Files}.
1093
1094 @anchor{-nh}
1095 @item -nh
1096 @cindex @code{--nh}
1097 Do not execute commands found in @file{~/.gdbinit}, the init file
1098 in your home directory.
1099 @xref{Startup}.
1100
1101 @item -quiet
1102 @itemx -silent
1103 @itemx -q
1104 @cindex @code{--quiet}
1105 @cindex @code{--silent}
1106 @cindex @code{-q}
1107 ``Quiet''. Do not print the introductory and copyright messages. These
1108 messages are also suppressed in batch mode.
1109
1110 @item -batch
1111 @cindex @code{--batch}
1112 Run in batch mode. Exit with status @code{0} after processing all the
1113 command files specified with @samp{-x} (and all commands from
1114 initialization files, if not inhibited with @samp{-n}). Exit with
1115 nonzero status if an error occurs in executing the @value{GDBN} commands
1116 in the command files. Batch mode also disables pagination, sets unlimited
1117 terminal width and height @pxref{Screen Size}, and acts as if @kbd{set confirm
1118 off} were in effect (@pxref{Messages/Warnings}).
1119
1120 Batch mode may be useful for running @value{GDBN} as a filter, for
1121 example to download and run a program on another computer; in order to
1122 make this more useful, the message
1123
1124 @smallexample
1125 Program exited normally.
1126 @end smallexample
1127
1128 @noindent
1129 (which is ordinarily issued whenever a program running under
1130 @value{GDBN} control terminates) is not issued when running in batch
1131 mode.
1132
1133 @item -batch-silent
1134 @cindex @code{--batch-silent}
1135 Run in batch mode exactly like @samp{-batch}, but totally silently. All
1136 @value{GDBN} output to @code{stdout} is prevented (@code{stderr} is
1137 unaffected). This is much quieter than @samp{-silent} and would be useless
1138 for an interactive session.
1139
1140 This is particularly useful when using targets that give @samp{Loading section}
1141 messages, for example.
1142
1143 Note that targets that give their output via @value{GDBN}, as opposed to
1144 writing directly to @code{stdout}, will also be made silent.
1145
1146 @item -return-child-result
1147 @cindex @code{--return-child-result}
1148 The return code from @value{GDBN} will be the return code from the child
1149 process (the process being debugged), with the following exceptions:
1150
1151 @itemize @bullet
1152 @item
1153 @value{GDBN} exits abnormally. E.g., due to an incorrect argument or an
1154 internal error. In this case the exit code is the same as it would have been
1155 without @samp{-return-child-result}.
1156 @item
1157 The user quits with an explicit value. E.g., @samp{quit 1}.
1158 @item
1159 The child process never runs, or is not allowed to terminate, in which case
1160 the exit code will be -1.
1161 @end itemize
1162
1163 This option is useful in conjunction with @samp{-batch} or @samp{-batch-silent},
1164 when @value{GDBN} is being used as a remote program loader or simulator
1165 interface.
1166
1167 @item -nowindows
1168 @itemx -nw
1169 @cindex @code{--nowindows}
1170 @cindex @code{-nw}
1171 ``No windows''. If @value{GDBN} comes with a graphical user interface
1172 (GUI) built in, then this option tells @value{GDBN} to only use the command-line
1173 interface. If no GUI is available, this option has no effect.
1174
1175 @item -windows
1176 @itemx -w
1177 @cindex @code{--windows}
1178 @cindex @code{-w}
1179 If @value{GDBN} includes a GUI, then this option requires it to be
1180 used if possible.
1181
1182 @item -cd @var{directory}
1183 @cindex @code{--cd}
1184 Run @value{GDBN} using @var{directory} as its working directory,
1185 instead of the current directory.
1186
1187 @item -data-directory @var{directory}
1188 @itemx -D @var{directory}
1189 @cindex @code{--data-directory}
1190 @cindex @code{-D}
1191 Run @value{GDBN} using @var{directory} as its data directory.
1192 The data directory is where @value{GDBN} searches for its
1193 auxiliary files. @xref{Data Files}.
1194
1195 @item -fullname
1196 @itemx -f
1197 @cindex @code{--fullname}
1198 @cindex @code{-f}
1199 @sc{gnu} Emacs sets this option when it runs @value{GDBN} as a
1200 subprocess. It tells @value{GDBN} to output the full file name and line
1201 number in a standard, recognizable fashion each time a stack frame is
1202 displayed (which includes each time your program stops). This
1203 recognizable format looks like two @samp{\032} characters, followed by
1204 the file name, line number and character position separated by colons,
1205 and a newline. The Emacs-to-@value{GDBN} interface program uses the two
1206 @samp{\032} characters as a signal to display the source code for the
1207 frame.
1208
1209 @item -annotate @var{level}
1210 @cindex @code{--annotate}
1211 This option sets the @dfn{annotation level} inside @value{GDBN}. Its
1212 effect is identical to using @samp{set annotate @var{level}}
1213 (@pxref{Annotations}). The annotation @var{level} controls how much
1214 information @value{GDBN} prints together with its prompt, values of
1215 expressions, source lines, and other types of output. Level 0 is the
1216 normal, level 1 is for use when @value{GDBN} is run as a subprocess of
1217 @sc{gnu} Emacs, level 3 is the maximum annotation suitable for programs
1218 that control @value{GDBN}, and level 2 has been deprecated.
1219
1220 The annotation mechanism has largely been superseded by @sc{gdb/mi}
1221 (@pxref{GDB/MI}).
1222
1223 @item --args
1224 @cindex @code{--args}
1225 Change interpretation of command line so that arguments following the
1226 executable file are passed as command line arguments to the inferior.
1227 This option stops option processing.
1228
1229 @item -baud @var{bps}
1230 @itemx -b @var{bps}
1231 @cindex @code{--baud}
1232 @cindex @code{-b}
1233 Set the line speed (baud rate or bits per second) of any serial
1234 interface used by @value{GDBN} for remote debugging.
1235
1236 @item -l @var{timeout}
1237 @cindex @code{-l}
1238 Set the timeout (in seconds) of any communication used by @value{GDBN}
1239 for remote debugging.
1240
1241 @item -tty @var{device}
1242 @itemx -t @var{device}
1243 @cindex @code{--tty}
1244 @cindex @code{-t}
1245 Run using @var{device} for your program's standard input and output.
1246 @c FIXME: kingdon thinks there is more to -tty. Investigate.
1247
1248 @c resolve the situation of these eventually
1249 @item -tui
1250 @cindex @code{--tui}
1251 Activate the @dfn{Text User Interface} when starting. The Text User
1252 Interface manages several text windows on the terminal, showing
1253 source, assembly, registers and @value{GDBN} command outputs
1254 (@pxref{TUI, ,@value{GDBN} Text User Interface}). Do not use this
1255 option if you run @value{GDBN} from Emacs (@pxref{Emacs, ,
1256 Using @value{GDBN} under @sc{gnu} Emacs}).
1257
1258 @item -interpreter @var{interp}
1259 @cindex @code{--interpreter}
1260 Use the interpreter @var{interp} for interface with the controlling
1261 program or device. This option is meant to be set by programs which
1262 communicate with @value{GDBN} using it as a back end.
1263 @xref{Interpreters, , Command Interpreters}.
1264
1265 @samp{--interpreter=mi} (or @samp{--interpreter=mi2}) causes
1266 @value{GDBN} to use the @dfn{@sc{gdb/mi} interface} (@pxref{GDB/MI, ,
1267 The @sc{gdb/mi} Interface}) included since @value{GDBN} version 6.0. The
1268 previous @sc{gdb/mi} interface, included in @value{GDBN} version 5.3 and
1269 selected with @samp{--interpreter=mi1}, is deprecated. Earlier
1270 @sc{gdb/mi} interfaces are no longer supported.
1271
1272 @item -write
1273 @cindex @code{--write}
1274 Open the executable and core files for both reading and writing. This
1275 is equivalent to the @samp{set write on} command inside @value{GDBN}
1276 (@pxref{Patching}).
1277
1278 @item -statistics
1279 @cindex @code{--statistics}
1280 This option causes @value{GDBN} to print statistics about time and
1281 memory usage after it completes each command and returns to the prompt.
1282
1283 @item -version
1284 @cindex @code{--version}
1285 This option causes @value{GDBN} to print its version number and
1286 no-warranty blurb, and exit.
1287
1288 @item -configuration
1289 @cindex @code{--configuration}
1290 This option causes @value{GDBN} to print details about its build-time
1291 configuration parameters, and then exit. These details can be
1292 important when reporting @value{GDBN} bugs (@pxref{GDB Bugs}).
1293
1294 @end table
1295
1296 @node Startup
1297 @subsection What @value{GDBN} Does During Startup
1298 @cindex @value{GDBN} startup
1299
1300 Here's the description of what @value{GDBN} does during session startup:
1301
1302 @enumerate
1303 @item
1304 Sets up the command interpreter as specified by the command line
1305 (@pxref{Mode Options, interpreter}).
1306
1307 @item
1308 @cindex init file
1309 Reads the system-wide @dfn{init file} (if @option{--with-system-gdbinit} was
1310 used when building @value{GDBN}; @pxref{System-wide configuration,
1311 ,System-wide configuration and settings}) and executes all the commands in
1312 that file.
1313
1314 @anchor{Home Directory Init File}
1315 @item
1316 Reads the init file (if any) in your home directory@footnote{On
1317 DOS/Windows systems, the home directory is the one pointed to by the
1318 @code{HOME} environment variable.} and executes all the commands in
1319 that file.
1320
1321 @anchor{Option -init-eval-command}
1322 @item
1323 Executes commands and command files specified by the @samp{-iex} and
1324 @samp{-ix} options in their specified order. Usually you should use the
1325 @samp{-ex} and @samp{-x} options instead, but this way you can apply
1326 settings before @value{GDBN} init files get executed and before inferior
1327 gets loaded.
1328
1329 @item
1330 Processes command line options and operands.
1331
1332 @anchor{Init File in the Current Directory during Startup}
1333 @item
1334 Reads and executes the commands from init file (if any) in the current
1335 working directory as long as @samp{set auto-load local-gdbinit} is set to
1336 @samp{on} (@pxref{Init File in the Current Directory}).
1337 This is only done if the current directory is
1338 different from your home directory. Thus, you can have more than one
1339 init file, one generic in your home directory, and another, specific
1340 to the program you are debugging, in the directory where you invoke
1341 @value{GDBN}.
1342
1343 @item
1344 If the command line specified a program to debug, or a process to
1345 attach to, or a core file, @value{GDBN} loads any auto-loaded
1346 scripts provided for the program or for its loaded shared libraries.
1347 @xref{Auto-loading}.
1348
1349 If you wish to disable the auto-loading during startup,
1350 you must do something like the following:
1351
1352 @smallexample
1353 $ gdb -iex "set auto-load python-scripts off" myprogram
1354 @end smallexample
1355
1356 Option @samp{-ex} does not work because the auto-loading is then turned
1357 off too late.
1358
1359 @item
1360 Executes commands and command files specified by the @samp{-ex} and
1361 @samp{-x} options in their specified order. @xref{Command Files}, for
1362 more details about @value{GDBN} command files.
1363
1364 @item
1365 Reads the command history recorded in the @dfn{history file}.
1366 @xref{Command History}, for more details about the command history and the
1367 files where @value{GDBN} records it.
1368 @end enumerate
1369
1370 Init files use the same syntax as @dfn{command files} (@pxref{Command
1371 Files}) and are processed by @value{GDBN} in the same way. The init
1372 file in your home directory can set options (such as @samp{set
1373 complaints}) that affect subsequent processing of command line options
1374 and operands. Init files are not executed if you use the @samp{-nx}
1375 option (@pxref{Mode Options, ,Choosing Modes}).
1376
1377 To display the list of init files loaded by gdb at startup, you
1378 can use @kbd{gdb --help}.
1379
1380 @cindex init file name
1381 @cindex @file{.gdbinit}
1382 @cindex @file{gdb.ini}
1383 The @value{GDBN} init files are normally called @file{.gdbinit}.
1384 The DJGPP port of @value{GDBN} uses the name @file{gdb.ini}, due to
1385 the limitations of file names imposed by DOS filesystems. The Windows
1386 port of @value{GDBN} uses the standard name, but if it finds a
1387 @file{gdb.ini} file in your home directory, it warns you about that
1388 and suggests to rename the file to the standard name.
1389
1390
1391 @node Quitting GDB
1392 @section Quitting @value{GDBN}
1393 @cindex exiting @value{GDBN}
1394 @cindex leaving @value{GDBN}
1395
1396 @table @code
1397 @kindex quit @r{[}@var{expression}@r{]}
1398 @kindex q @r{(@code{quit})}
1399 @item quit @r{[}@var{expression}@r{]}
1400 @itemx q
1401 To exit @value{GDBN}, use the @code{quit} command (abbreviated
1402 @code{q}), or type an end-of-file character (usually @kbd{Ctrl-d}). If you
1403 do not supply @var{expression}, @value{GDBN} will terminate normally;
1404 otherwise it will terminate using the result of @var{expression} as the
1405 error code.
1406 @end table
1407
1408 @cindex interrupt
1409 An interrupt (often @kbd{Ctrl-c}) does not exit from @value{GDBN}, but rather
1410 terminates the action of any @value{GDBN} command that is in progress and
1411 returns to @value{GDBN} command level. It is safe to type the interrupt
1412 character at any time because @value{GDBN} does not allow it to take effect
1413 until a time when it is safe.
1414
1415 If you have been using @value{GDBN} to control an attached process or
1416 device, you can release it with the @code{detach} command
1417 (@pxref{Attach, ,Debugging an Already-running Process}).
1418
1419 @node Shell Commands
1420 @section Shell Commands
1421
1422 If you need to execute occasional shell commands during your
1423 debugging session, there is no need to leave or suspend @value{GDBN}; you can
1424 just use the @code{shell} command.
1425
1426 @table @code
1427 @kindex shell
1428 @kindex !
1429 @cindex shell escape
1430 @item shell @var{command-string}
1431 @itemx !@var{command-string}
1432 Invoke a standard shell to execute @var{command-string}.
1433 Note that no space is needed between @code{!} and @var{command-string}.
1434 If it exists, the environment variable @code{SHELL} determines which
1435 shell to run. Otherwise @value{GDBN} uses the default shell
1436 (@file{/bin/sh} on Unix systems, @file{COMMAND.COM} on MS-DOS, etc.).
1437 @end table
1438
1439 The utility @code{make} is often needed in development environments.
1440 You do not have to use the @code{shell} command for this purpose in
1441 @value{GDBN}:
1442
1443 @table @code
1444 @kindex make
1445 @cindex calling make
1446 @item make @var{make-args}
1447 Execute the @code{make} program with the specified
1448 arguments. This is equivalent to @samp{shell make @var{make-args}}.
1449 @end table
1450
1451 @node Logging Output
1452 @section Logging Output
1453 @cindex logging @value{GDBN} output
1454 @cindex save @value{GDBN} output to a file
1455
1456 You may want to save the output of @value{GDBN} commands to a file.
1457 There are several commands to control @value{GDBN}'s logging.
1458
1459 @table @code
1460 @kindex set logging
1461 @item set logging on
1462 Enable logging.
1463 @item set logging off
1464 Disable logging.
1465 @cindex logging file name
1466 @item set logging file @var{file}
1467 Change the name of the current logfile. The default logfile is @file{gdb.txt}.
1468 @item set logging overwrite [on|off]
1469 By default, @value{GDBN} will append to the logfile. Set @code{overwrite} if
1470 you want @code{set logging on} to overwrite the logfile instead.
1471 @item set logging redirect [on|off]
1472 By default, @value{GDBN} output will go to both the terminal and the logfile.
1473 Set @code{redirect} if you want output to go only to the log file.
1474 @kindex show logging
1475 @item show logging
1476 Show the current values of the logging settings.
1477 @end table
1478
1479 @node Commands
1480 @chapter @value{GDBN} Commands
1481
1482 You can abbreviate a @value{GDBN} command to the first few letters of the command
1483 name, if that abbreviation is unambiguous; and you can repeat certain
1484 @value{GDBN} commands by typing just @key{RET}. You can also use the @key{TAB}
1485 key to get @value{GDBN} to fill out the rest of a word in a command (or to
1486 show you the alternatives available, if there is more than one possibility).
1487
1488 @menu
1489 * Command Syntax:: How to give commands to @value{GDBN}
1490 * Completion:: Command completion
1491 * Help:: How to ask @value{GDBN} for help
1492 @end menu
1493
1494 @node Command Syntax
1495 @section Command Syntax
1496
1497 A @value{GDBN} command is a single line of input. There is no limit on
1498 how long it can be. It starts with a command name, which is followed by
1499 arguments whose meaning depends on the command name. For example, the
1500 command @code{step} accepts an argument which is the number of times to
1501 step, as in @samp{step 5}. You can also use the @code{step} command
1502 with no arguments. Some commands do not allow any arguments.
1503
1504 @cindex abbreviation
1505 @value{GDBN} command names may always be truncated if that abbreviation is
1506 unambiguous. Other possible command abbreviations are listed in the
1507 documentation for individual commands. In some cases, even ambiguous
1508 abbreviations are allowed; for example, @code{s} is specially defined as
1509 equivalent to @code{step} even though there are other commands whose
1510 names start with @code{s}. You can test abbreviations by using them as
1511 arguments to the @code{help} command.
1512
1513 @cindex repeating commands
1514 @kindex RET @r{(repeat last command)}
1515 A blank line as input to @value{GDBN} (typing just @key{RET}) means to
1516 repeat the previous command. Certain commands (for example, @code{run})
1517 will not repeat this way; these are commands whose unintentional
1518 repetition might cause trouble and which you are unlikely to want to
1519 repeat. User-defined commands can disable this feature; see
1520 @ref{Define, dont-repeat}.
1521
1522 The @code{list} and @code{x} commands, when you repeat them with
1523 @key{RET}, construct new arguments rather than repeating
1524 exactly as typed. This permits easy scanning of source or memory.
1525
1526 @value{GDBN} can also use @key{RET} in another way: to partition lengthy
1527 output, in a way similar to the common utility @code{more}
1528 (@pxref{Screen Size,,Screen Size}). Since it is easy to press one
1529 @key{RET} too many in this situation, @value{GDBN} disables command
1530 repetition after any command that generates this sort of display.
1531
1532 @kindex # @r{(a comment)}
1533 @cindex comment
1534 Any text from a @kbd{#} to the end of the line is a comment; it does
1535 nothing. This is useful mainly in command files (@pxref{Command
1536 Files,,Command Files}).
1537
1538 @cindex repeating command sequences
1539 @kindex Ctrl-o @r{(operate-and-get-next)}
1540 The @kbd{Ctrl-o} binding is useful for repeating a complex sequence of
1541 commands. This command accepts the current line, like @key{RET}, and
1542 then fetches the next line relative to the current line from the history
1543 for editing.
1544
1545 @node Completion
1546 @section Command Completion
1547
1548 @cindex completion
1549 @cindex word completion
1550 @value{GDBN} can fill in the rest of a word in a command for you, if there is
1551 only one possibility; it can also show you what the valid possibilities
1552 are for the next word in a command, at any time. This works for @value{GDBN}
1553 commands, @value{GDBN} subcommands, and the names of symbols in your program.
1554
1555 Press the @key{TAB} key whenever you want @value{GDBN} to fill out the rest
1556 of a word. If there is only one possibility, @value{GDBN} fills in the
1557 word, and waits for you to finish the command (or press @key{RET} to
1558 enter it). For example, if you type
1559
1560 @c FIXME "@key" does not distinguish its argument sufficiently to permit
1561 @c complete accuracy in these examples; space introduced for clarity.
1562 @c If texinfo enhancements make it unnecessary, it would be nice to
1563 @c replace " @key" by "@key" in the following...
1564 @smallexample
1565 (@value{GDBP}) info bre @key{TAB}
1566 @end smallexample
1567
1568 @noindent
1569 @value{GDBN} fills in the rest of the word @samp{breakpoints}, since that is
1570 the only @code{info} subcommand beginning with @samp{bre}:
1571
1572 @smallexample
1573 (@value{GDBP}) info breakpoints
1574 @end smallexample
1575
1576 @noindent
1577 You can either press @key{RET} at this point, to run the @code{info
1578 breakpoints} command, or backspace and enter something else, if
1579 @samp{breakpoints} does not look like the command you expected. (If you
1580 were sure you wanted @code{info breakpoints} in the first place, you
1581 might as well just type @key{RET} immediately after @samp{info bre},
1582 to exploit command abbreviations rather than command completion).
1583
1584 If there is more than one possibility for the next word when you press
1585 @key{TAB}, @value{GDBN} sounds a bell. You can either supply more
1586 characters and try again, or just press @key{TAB} a second time;
1587 @value{GDBN} displays all the possible completions for that word. For
1588 example, you might want to set a breakpoint on a subroutine whose name
1589 begins with @samp{make_}, but when you type @kbd{b make_@key{TAB}} @value{GDBN}
1590 just sounds the bell. Typing @key{TAB} again displays all the
1591 function names in your program that begin with those characters, for
1592 example:
1593
1594 @smallexample
1595 (@value{GDBP}) b make_ @key{TAB}
1596 @exdent @value{GDBN} sounds bell; press @key{TAB} again, to see:
1597 make_a_section_from_file make_environ
1598 make_abs_section make_function_type
1599 make_blockvector make_pointer_type
1600 make_cleanup make_reference_type
1601 make_command make_symbol_completion_list
1602 (@value{GDBP}) b make_
1603 @end smallexample
1604
1605 @noindent
1606 After displaying the available possibilities, @value{GDBN} copies your
1607 partial input (@samp{b make_} in the example) so you can finish the
1608 command.
1609
1610 If you just want to see the list of alternatives in the first place, you
1611 can press @kbd{M-?} rather than pressing @key{TAB} twice. @kbd{M-?}
1612 means @kbd{@key{META} ?}. You can type this either by holding down a
1613 key designated as the @key{META} shift on your keyboard (if there is
1614 one) while typing @kbd{?}, or as @key{ESC} followed by @kbd{?}.
1615
1616 If the number of possible completions is large, @value{GDBN} will
1617 print as much of the list as it has collected, as well as a message
1618 indicating that the list may be truncated.
1619
1620 @smallexample
1621 (@value{GDBP}) b m@key{TAB}@key{TAB}
1622 main
1623 <... the rest of the possible completions ...>
1624 *** List may be truncated, max-completions reached. ***
1625 (@value{GDBP}) b m
1626 @end smallexample
1627
1628 @noindent
1629 This behavior can be controlled with the following commands:
1630
1631 @table @code
1632 @kindex set max-completions
1633 @item set max-completions @var{limit}
1634 @itemx set max-completions unlimited
1635 Set the maximum number of completion candidates. @value{GDBN} will
1636 stop looking for more completions once it collects this many candidates.
1637 This is useful when completing on things like function names as collecting
1638 all the possible candidates can be time consuming.
1639 The default value is 200. A value of zero disables tab-completion.
1640 Note that setting either no limit or a very large limit can make
1641 completion slow.
1642 @kindex show max-completions
1643 @item show max-completions
1644 Show the maximum number of candidates that @value{GDBN} will collect and show
1645 during completion.
1646 @end table
1647
1648 @cindex quotes in commands
1649 @cindex completion of quoted strings
1650 Sometimes the string you need, while logically a ``word'', may contain
1651 parentheses or other characters that @value{GDBN} normally excludes from
1652 its notion of a word. To permit word completion to work in this
1653 situation, you may enclose words in @code{'} (single quote marks) in
1654 @value{GDBN} commands.
1655
1656 A likely situation where you might need this is in typing an
1657 expression that involves a C@t{++} symbol name with template
1658 parameters. This is because when completing expressions, GDB treats
1659 the @samp{<} character as word delimiter, assuming that it's the
1660 less-than comparison operator (@pxref{C Operators, , C and C@t{++}
1661 Operators}).
1662
1663 For example, when you want to call a C@t{++} template function
1664 interactively using the @code{print} or @code{call} commands, you may
1665 need to distinguish whether you mean the version of @code{name} that
1666 was specialized for @code{int}, @code{name<int>()}, or the version
1667 that was specialized for @code{float}, @code{name<float>()}. To use
1668 the word-completion facilities in this situation, type a single quote
1669 @code{'} at the beginning of the function name. This alerts
1670 @value{GDBN} that it may need to consider more information than usual
1671 when you press @key{TAB} or @kbd{M-?} to request word completion:
1672
1673 @smallexample
1674 (@value{GDBP}) p 'func< @kbd{M-?}
1675 func<int>() func<float>()
1676 (@value{GDBP}) p 'func<
1677 @end smallexample
1678
1679 When setting breakpoints however (@pxref{Specify Location}), you don't
1680 usually need to type a quote before the function name, because
1681 @value{GDBN} understands that you want to set a breakpoint on a
1682 function:
1683
1684 @smallexample
1685 (@value{GDBP}) b func< @kbd{M-?}
1686 func<int>() func<float>()
1687 (@value{GDBP}) b func<
1688 @end smallexample
1689
1690 This is true even in the case of typing the name of C@t{++} overloaded
1691 functions (multiple definitions of the same function, distinguished by
1692 argument type). For example, when you want to set a breakpoint you
1693 don't need to distinguish whether you mean the version of @code{name}
1694 that takes an @code{int} parameter, @code{name(int)}, or the version
1695 that takes a @code{float} parameter, @code{name(float)}.
1696
1697 @smallexample
1698 (@value{GDBP}) b bubble( @kbd{M-?}
1699 bubble(int) bubble(double)
1700 (@value{GDBP}) b bubble(dou @kbd{M-?}
1701 bubble(double)
1702 @end smallexample
1703
1704 See @ref{quoting names} for a description of other scenarios that
1705 require quoting.
1706
1707 For more information about overloaded functions, see @ref{C Plus Plus
1708 Expressions, ,C@t{++} Expressions}. You can use the command @code{set
1709 overload-resolution off} to disable overload resolution;
1710 see @ref{Debugging C Plus Plus, ,@value{GDBN} Features for C@t{++}}.
1711
1712 @cindex completion of structure field names
1713 @cindex structure field name completion
1714 @cindex completion of union field names
1715 @cindex union field name completion
1716 When completing in an expression which looks up a field in a
1717 structure, @value{GDBN} also tries@footnote{The completer can be
1718 confused by certain kinds of invalid expressions. Also, it only
1719 examines the static type of the expression, not the dynamic type.} to
1720 limit completions to the field names available in the type of the
1721 left-hand-side:
1722
1723 @smallexample
1724 (@value{GDBP}) p gdb_stdout.@kbd{M-?}
1725 magic to_fputs to_rewind
1726 to_data to_isatty to_write
1727 to_delete to_put to_write_async_safe
1728 to_flush to_read
1729 @end smallexample
1730
1731 @noindent
1732 This is because the @code{gdb_stdout} is a variable of the type
1733 @code{struct ui_file} that is defined in @value{GDBN} sources as
1734 follows:
1735
1736 @smallexample
1737 struct ui_file
1738 @{
1739 int *magic;
1740 ui_file_flush_ftype *to_flush;
1741 ui_file_write_ftype *to_write;
1742 ui_file_write_async_safe_ftype *to_write_async_safe;
1743 ui_file_fputs_ftype *to_fputs;
1744 ui_file_read_ftype *to_read;
1745 ui_file_delete_ftype *to_delete;
1746 ui_file_isatty_ftype *to_isatty;
1747 ui_file_rewind_ftype *to_rewind;
1748 ui_file_put_ftype *to_put;
1749 void *to_data;
1750 @}
1751 @end smallexample
1752
1753
1754 @node Help
1755 @section Getting Help
1756 @cindex online documentation
1757 @kindex help
1758
1759 You can always ask @value{GDBN} itself for information on its commands,
1760 using the command @code{help}.
1761
1762 @table @code
1763 @kindex h @r{(@code{help})}
1764 @item help
1765 @itemx h
1766 You can use @code{help} (abbreviated @code{h}) with no arguments to
1767 display a short list of named classes of commands:
1768
1769 @smallexample
1770 (@value{GDBP}) help
1771 List of classes of commands:
1772
1773 aliases -- Aliases of other commands
1774 breakpoints -- Making program stop at certain points
1775 data -- Examining data
1776 files -- Specifying and examining files
1777 internals -- Maintenance commands
1778 obscure -- Obscure features
1779 running -- Running the program
1780 stack -- Examining the stack
1781 status -- Status inquiries
1782 support -- Support facilities
1783 tracepoints -- Tracing of program execution without
1784 stopping the program
1785 user-defined -- User-defined commands
1786
1787 Type "help" followed by a class name for a list of
1788 commands in that class.
1789 Type "help" followed by command name for full
1790 documentation.
1791 Command name abbreviations are allowed if unambiguous.
1792 (@value{GDBP})
1793 @end smallexample
1794 @c the above line break eliminates huge line overfull...
1795
1796 @item help @var{class}
1797 Using one of the general help classes as an argument, you can get a
1798 list of the individual commands in that class. For example, here is the
1799 help display for the class @code{status}:
1800
1801 @smallexample
1802 (@value{GDBP}) help status
1803 Status inquiries.
1804
1805 List of commands:
1806
1807 @c Line break in "show" line falsifies real output, but needed
1808 @c to fit in smallbook page size.
1809 info -- Generic command for showing things
1810 about the program being debugged
1811 show -- Generic command for showing things
1812 about the debugger
1813
1814 Type "help" followed by command name for full
1815 documentation.
1816 Command name abbreviations are allowed if unambiguous.
1817 (@value{GDBP})
1818 @end smallexample
1819
1820 @item help @var{command}
1821 With a command name as @code{help} argument, @value{GDBN} displays a
1822 short paragraph on how to use that command.
1823
1824 @kindex apropos
1825 @item apropos @var{args}
1826 The @code{apropos} command searches through all of the @value{GDBN}
1827 commands, and their documentation, for the regular expression specified in
1828 @var{args}. It prints out all matches found. For example:
1829
1830 @smallexample
1831 apropos alias
1832 @end smallexample
1833
1834 @noindent
1835 results in:
1836
1837 @smallexample
1838 @c @group
1839 alias -- Define a new command that is an alias of an existing command
1840 aliases -- Aliases of other commands
1841 d -- Delete some breakpoints or auto-display expressions
1842 del -- Delete some breakpoints or auto-display expressions
1843 delete -- Delete some breakpoints or auto-display expressions
1844 @c @end group
1845 @end smallexample
1846
1847 @kindex complete
1848 @item complete @var{args}
1849 The @code{complete @var{args}} command lists all the possible completions
1850 for the beginning of a command. Use @var{args} to specify the beginning of the
1851 command you want completed. For example:
1852
1853 @smallexample
1854 complete i
1855 @end smallexample
1856
1857 @noindent results in:
1858
1859 @smallexample
1860 @group
1861 if
1862 ignore
1863 info
1864 inspect
1865 @end group
1866 @end smallexample
1867
1868 @noindent This is intended for use by @sc{gnu} Emacs.
1869 @end table
1870
1871 In addition to @code{help}, you can use the @value{GDBN} commands @code{info}
1872 and @code{show} to inquire about the state of your program, or the state
1873 of @value{GDBN} itself. Each command supports many topics of inquiry; this
1874 manual introduces each of them in the appropriate context. The listings
1875 under @code{info} and under @code{show} in the Command, Variable, and
1876 Function Index point to all the sub-commands. @xref{Command and Variable
1877 Index}.
1878
1879 @c @group
1880 @table @code
1881 @kindex info
1882 @kindex i @r{(@code{info})}
1883 @item info
1884 This command (abbreviated @code{i}) is for describing the state of your
1885 program. For example, you can show the arguments passed to a function
1886 with @code{info args}, list the registers currently in use with @code{info
1887 registers}, or list the breakpoints you have set with @code{info breakpoints}.
1888 You can get a complete list of the @code{info} sub-commands with
1889 @w{@code{help info}}.
1890
1891 @kindex set
1892 @item set
1893 You can assign the result of an expression to an environment variable with
1894 @code{set}. For example, you can set the @value{GDBN} prompt to a $-sign with
1895 @code{set prompt $}.
1896
1897 @kindex show
1898 @item show
1899 In contrast to @code{info}, @code{show} is for describing the state of
1900 @value{GDBN} itself.
1901 You can change most of the things you can @code{show}, by using the
1902 related command @code{set}; for example, you can control what number
1903 system is used for displays with @code{set radix}, or simply inquire
1904 which is currently in use with @code{show radix}.
1905
1906 @kindex info set
1907 To display all the settable parameters and their current
1908 values, you can use @code{show} with no arguments; you may also use
1909 @code{info set}. Both commands produce the same display.
1910 @c FIXME: "info set" violates the rule that "info" is for state of
1911 @c FIXME...program. Ck w/ GNU: "info set" to be called something else,
1912 @c FIXME...or change desc of rule---eg "state of prog and debugging session"?
1913 @end table
1914 @c @end group
1915
1916 Here are several miscellaneous @code{show} subcommands, all of which are
1917 exceptional in lacking corresponding @code{set} commands:
1918
1919 @table @code
1920 @kindex show version
1921 @cindex @value{GDBN} version number
1922 @item show version
1923 Show what version of @value{GDBN} is running. You should include this
1924 information in @value{GDBN} bug-reports. If multiple versions of
1925 @value{GDBN} are in use at your site, you may need to determine which
1926 version of @value{GDBN} you are running; as @value{GDBN} evolves, new
1927 commands are introduced, and old ones may wither away. Also, many
1928 system vendors ship variant versions of @value{GDBN}, and there are
1929 variant versions of @value{GDBN} in @sc{gnu}/Linux distributions as well.
1930 The version number is the same as the one announced when you start
1931 @value{GDBN}.
1932
1933 @kindex show copying
1934 @kindex info copying
1935 @cindex display @value{GDBN} copyright
1936 @item show copying
1937 @itemx info copying
1938 Display information about permission for copying @value{GDBN}.
1939
1940 @kindex show warranty
1941 @kindex info warranty
1942 @item show warranty
1943 @itemx info warranty
1944 Display the @sc{gnu} ``NO WARRANTY'' statement, or a warranty,
1945 if your version of @value{GDBN} comes with one.
1946
1947 @kindex show configuration
1948 @item show configuration
1949 Display detailed information about the way @value{GDBN} was configured
1950 when it was built. This displays the optional arguments passed to the
1951 @file{configure} script and also configuration parameters detected
1952 automatically by @command{configure}. When reporting a @value{GDBN}
1953 bug (@pxref{GDB Bugs}), it is important to include this information in
1954 your report.
1955
1956 @end table
1957
1958 @node Running
1959 @chapter Running Programs Under @value{GDBN}
1960
1961 When you run a program under @value{GDBN}, you must first generate
1962 debugging information when you compile it.
1963
1964 You may start @value{GDBN} with its arguments, if any, in an environment
1965 of your choice. If you are doing native debugging, you may redirect
1966 your program's input and output, debug an already running process, or
1967 kill a child process.
1968
1969 @menu
1970 * Compilation:: Compiling for debugging
1971 * Starting:: Starting your program
1972 * Arguments:: Your program's arguments
1973 * Environment:: Your program's environment
1974
1975 * Working Directory:: Your program's working directory
1976 * Input/Output:: Your program's input and output
1977 * Attach:: Debugging an already-running process
1978 * Kill Process:: Killing the child process
1979
1980 * Inferiors and Programs:: Debugging multiple inferiors and programs
1981 * Threads:: Debugging programs with multiple threads
1982 * Forks:: Debugging forks
1983 * Checkpoint/Restart:: Setting a @emph{bookmark} to return to later
1984 @end menu
1985
1986 @node Compilation
1987 @section Compiling for Debugging
1988
1989 In order to debug a program effectively, you need to generate
1990 debugging information when you compile it. This debugging information
1991 is stored in the object file; it describes the data type of each
1992 variable or function and the correspondence between source line numbers
1993 and addresses in the executable code.
1994
1995 To request debugging information, specify the @samp{-g} option when you run
1996 the compiler.
1997
1998 Programs that are to be shipped to your customers are compiled with
1999 optimizations, using the @samp{-O} compiler option. However, some
2000 compilers are unable to handle the @samp{-g} and @samp{-O} options
2001 together. Using those compilers, you cannot generate optimized
2002 executables containing debugging information.
2003
2004 @value{NGCC}, the @sc{gnu} C/C@t{++} compiler, supports @samp{-g} with or
2005 without @samp{-O}, making it possible to debug optimized code. We
2006 recommend that you @emph{always} use @samp{-g} whenever you compile a
2007 program. You may think your program is correct, but there is no sense
2008 in pushing your luck. For more information, see @ref{Optimized Code}.
2009
2010 Older versions of the @sc{gnu} C compiler permitted a variant option
2011 @w{@samp{-gg}} for debugging information. @value{GDBN} no longer supports this
2012 format; if your @sc{gnu} C compiler has this option, do not use it.
2013
2014 @value{GDBN} knows about preprocessor macros and can show you their
2015 expansion (@pxref{Macros}). Most compilers do not include information
2016 about preprocessor macros in the debugging information if you specify
2017 the @option{-g} flag alone. Version 3.1 and later of @value{NGCC},
2018 the @sc{gnu} C compiler, provides macro information if you are using
2019 the DWARF debugging format, and specify the option @option{-g3}.
2020
2021 @xref{Debugging Options,,Options for Debugging Your Program or GCC,
2022 gcc.info, Using the @sc{gnu} Compiler Collection (GCC)}, for more
2023 information on @value{NGCC} options affecting debug information.
2024
2025 You will have the best debugging experience if you use the latest
2026 version of the DWARF debugging format that your compiler supports.
2027 DWARF is currently the most expressive and best supported debugging
2028 format in @value{GDBN}.
2029
2030 @need 2000
2031 @node Starting
2032 @section Starting your Program
2033 @cindex starting
2034 @cindex running
2035
2036 @table @code
2037 @kindex run
2038 @kindex r @r{(@code{run})}
2039 @item run
2040 @itemx r
2041 Use the @code{run} command to start your program under @value{GDBN}.
2042 You must first specify the program name with an argument to
2043 @value{GDBN} (@pxref{Invocation, ,Getting In and Out of
2044 @value{GDBN}}), or by using the @code{file} or @code{exec-file}
2045 command (@pxref{Files, ,Commands to Specify Files}).
2046
2047 @end table
2048
2049 If you are running your program in an execution environment that
2050 supports processes, @code{run} creates an inferior process and makes
2051 that process run your program. In some environments without processes,
2052 @code{run} jumps to the start of your program. Other targets,
2053 like @samp{remote}, are always running. If you get an error
2054 message like this one:
2055
2056 @smallexample
2057 The "remote" target does not support "run".
2058 Try "help target" or "continue".
2059 @end smallexample
2060
2061 @noindent
2062 then use @code{continue} to run your program. You may need @code{load}
2063 first (@pxref{load}).
2064
2065 The execution of a program is affected by certain information it
2066 receives from its superior. @value{GDBN} provides ways to specify this
2067 information, which you must do @emph{before} starting your program. (You
2068 can change it after starting your program, but such changes only affect
2069 your program the next time you start it.) This information may be
2070 divided into four categories:
2071
2072 @table @asis
2073 @item The @emph{arguments.}
2074 Specify the arguments to give your program as the arguments of the
2075 @code{run} command. If a shell is available on your target, the shell
2076 is used to pass the arguments, so that you may use normal conventions
2077 (such as wildcard expansion or variable substitution) in describing
2078 the arguments.
2079 In Unix systems, you can control which shell is used with the
2080 @code{SHELL} environment variable. If you do not define @code{SHELL},
2081 @value{GDBN} uses the default shell (@file{/bin/sh}). You can disable
2082 use of any shell with the @code{set startup-with-shell} command (see
2083 below for details).
2084
2085 @item The @emph{environment.}
2086 Your program normally inherits its environment from @value{GDBN}, but you can
2087 use the @value{GDBN} commands @code{set environment} and @code{unset
2088 environment} to change parts of the environment that affect
2089 your program. @xref{Environment, ,Your Program's Environment}.
2090
2091 @item The @emph{working directory.}
2092 You can set your program's working directory with the command
2093 @kbd{set cwd}. If you do not set any working directory with this
2094 command, your program will inherit @value{GDBN}'s working directory if
2095 native debugging, or the remote server's working directory if remote
2096 debugging. @xref{Working Directory, ,Your Program's Working
2097 Directory}.
2098
2099 @item The @emph{standard input and output.}
2100 Your program normally uses the same device for standard input and
2101 standard output as @value{GDBN} is using. You can redirect input and output
2102 in the @code{run} command line, or you can use the @code{tty} command to
2103 set a different device for your program.
2104 @xref{Input/Output, ,Your Program's Input and Output}.
2105
2106 @cindex pipes
2107 @emph{Warning:} While input and output redirection work, you cannot use
2108 pipes to pass the output of the program you are debugging to another
2109 program; if you attempt this, @value{GDBN} is likely to wind up debugging the
2110 wrong program.
2111 @end table
2112
2113 When you issue the @code{run} command, your program begins to execute
2114 immediately. @xref{Stopping, ,Stopping and Continuing}, for discussion
2115 of how to arrange for your program to stop. Once your program has
2116 stopped, you may call functions in your program, using the @code{print}
2117 or @code{call} commands. @xref{Data, ,Examining Data}.
2118
2119 If the modification time of your symbol file has changed since the last
2120 time @value{GDBN} read its symbols, @value{GDBN} discards its symbol
2121 table, and reads it again. When it does this, @value{GDBN} tries to retain
2122 your current breakpoints.
2123
2124 @table @code
2125 @kindex start
2126 @item start
2127 @cindex run to main procedure
2128 The name of the main procedure can vary from language to language.
2129 With C or C@t{++}, the main procedure name is always @code{main}, but
2130 other languages such as Ada do not require a specific name for their
2131 main procedure. The debugger provides a convenient way to start the
2132 execution of the program and to stop at the beginning of the main
2133 procedure, depending on the language used.
2134
2135 The @samp{start} command does the equivalent of setting a temporary
2136 breakpoint at the beginning of the main procedure and then invoking
2137 the @samp{run} command.
2138
2139 @cindex elaboration phase
2140 Some programs contain an @dfn{elaboration} phase where some startup code is
2141 executed before the main procedure is called. This depends on the
2142 languages used to write your program. In C@t{++}, for instance,
2143 constructors for static and global objects are executed before
2144 @code{main} is called. It is therefore possible that the debugger stops
2145 before reaching the main procedure. However, the temporary breakpoint
2146 will remain to halt execution.
2147
2148 Specify the arguments to give to your program as arguments to the
2149 @samp{start} command. These arguments will be given verbatim to the
2150 underlying @samp{run} command. Note that the same arguments will be
2151 reused if no argument is provided during subsequent calls to
2152 @samp{start} or @samp{run}.
2153
2154 It is sometimes necessary to debug the program during elaboration. In
2155 these cases, using the @code{start} command would stop the execution
2156 of your program too late, as the program would have already completed
2157 the elaboration phase. Under these circumstances, either insert
2158 breakpoints in your elaboration code before running your program or
2159 use the @code{starti} command.
2160
2161 @kindex starti
2162 @item starti
2163 @cindex run to first instruction
2164 The @samp{starti} command does the equivalent of setting a temporary
2165 breakpoint at the first instruction of a program's execution and then
2166 invoking the @samp{run} command. For programs containing an
2167 elaboration phase, the @code{starti} command will stop execution at
2168 the start of the elaboration phase.
2169
2170 @anchor{set exec-wrapper}
2171 @kindex set exec-wrapper
2172 @item set exec-wrapper @var{wrapper}
2173 @itemx show exec-wrapper
2174 @itemx unset exec-wrapper
2175 When @samp{exec-wrapper} is set, the specified wrapper is used to
2176 launch programs for debugging. @value{GDBN} starts your program
2177 with a shell command of the form @kbd{exec @var{wrapper}
2178 @var{program}}. Quoting is added to @var{program} and its
2179 arguments, but not to @var{wrapper}, so you should add quotes if
2180 appropriate for your shell. The wrapper runs until it executes
2181 your program, and then @value{GDBN} takes control.
2182
2183 You can use any program that eventually calls @code{execve} with
2184 its arguments as a wrapper. Several standard Unix utilities do
2185 this, e.g.@: @code{env} and @code{nohup}. Any Unix shell script ending
2186 with @code{exec "$@@"} will also work.
2187
2188 For example, you can use @code{env} to pass an environment variable to
2189 the debugged program, without setting the variable in your shell's
2190 environment:
2191
2192 @smallexample
2193 (@value{GDBP}) set exec-wrapper env 'LD_PRELOAD=libtest.so'
2194 (@value{GDBP}) run
2195 @end smallexample
2196
2197 This command is available when debugging locally on most targets, excluding
2198 @sc{djgpp}, Cygwin, MS Windows, and QNX Neutrino.
2199
2200 @kindex set startup-with-shell
2201 @anchor{set startup-with-shell}
2202 @item set startup-with-shell
2203 @itemx set startup-with-shell on
2204 @itemx set startup-with-shell off
2205 @itemx show startup-with-shell
2206 On Unix systems, by default, if a shell is available on your target,
2207 @value{GDBN}) uses it to start your program. Arguments of the
2208 @code{run} command are passed to the shell, which does variable
2209 substitution, expands wildcard characters and performs redirection of
2210 I/O. In some circumstances, it may be useful to disable such use of a
2211 shell, for example, when debugging the shell itself or diagnosing
2212 startup failures such as:
2213
2214 @smallexample
2215 (@value{GDBP}) run
2216 Starting program: ./a.out
2217 During startup program terminated with signal SIGSEGV, Segmentation fault.
2218 @end smallexample
2219
2220 @noindent
2221 which indicates the shell or the wrapper specified with
2222 @samp{exec-wrapper} crashed, not your program. Most often, this is
2223 caused by something odd in your shell's non-interactive mode
2224 initialization file---such as @file{.cshrc} for C-shell,
2225 $@file{.zshenv} for the Z shell, or the file specified in the
2226 @samp{BASH_ENV} environment variable for BASH.
2227
2228 @anchor{set auto-connect-native-target}
2229 @kindex set auto-connect-native-target
2230 @item set auto-connect-native-target
2231 @itemx set auto-connect-native-target on
2232 @itemx set auto-connect-native-target off
2233 @itemx show auto-connect-native-target
2234
2235 By default, if not connected to any target yet (e.g., with
2236 @code{target remote}), the @code{run} command starts your program as a
2237 native process under @value{GDBN}, on your local machine. If you're
2238 sure you don't want to debug programs on your local machine, you can
2239 tell @value{GDBN} to not connect to the native target automatically
2240 with the @code{set auto-connect-native-target off} command.
2241
2242 If @code{on}, which is the default, and if @value{GDBN} is not
2243 connected to a target already, the @code{run} command automaticaly
2244 connects to the native target, if one is available.
2245
2246 If @code{off}, and if @value{GDBN} is not connected to a target
2247 already, the @code{run} command fails with an error:
2248
2249 @smallexample
2250 (@value{GDBP}) run
2251 Don't know how to run. Try "help target".
2252 @end smallexample
2253
2254 If @value{GDBN} is already connected to a target, @value{GDBN} always
2255 uses it with the @code{run} command.
2256
2257 In any case, you can explicitly connect to the native target with the
2258 @code{target native} command. For example,
2259
2260 @smallexample
2261 (@value{GDBP}) set auto-connect-native-target off
2262 (@value{GDBP}) run
2263 Don't know how to run. Try "help target".
2264 (@value{GDBP}) target native
2265 (@value{GDBP}) run
2266 Starting program: ./a.out
2267 [Inferior 1 (process 10421) exited normally]
2268 @end smallexample
2269
2270 In case you connected explicitly to the @code{native} target,
2271 @value{GDBN} remains connected even if all inferiors exit, ready for
2272 the next @code{run} command. Use the @code{disconnect} command to
2273 disconnect.
2274
2275 Examples of other commands that likewise respect the
2276 @code{auto-connect-native-target} setting: @code{attach}, @code{info
2277 proc}, @code{info os}.
2278
2279 @kindex set disable-randomization
2280 @item set disable-randomization
2281 @itemx set disable-randomization on
2282 This option (enabled by default in @value{GDBN}) will turn off the native
2283 randomization of the virtual address space of the started program. This option
2284 is useful for multiple debugging sessions to make the execution better
2285 reproducible and memory addresses reusable across debugging sessions.
2286
2287 This feature is implemented only on certain targets, including @sc{gnu}/Linux.
2288 On @sc{gnu}/Linux you can get the same behavior using
2289
2290 @smallexample
2291 (@value{GDBP}) set exec-wrapper setarch `uname -m` -R
2292 @end smallexample
2293
2294 @item set disable-randomization off
2295 Leave the behavior of the started executable unchanged. Some bugs rear their
2296 ugly heads only when the program is loaded at certain addresses. If your bug
2297 disappears when you run the program under @value{GDBN}, that might be because
2298 @value{GDBN} by default disables the address randomization on platforms, such
2299 as @sc{gnu}/Linux, which do that for stand-alone programs. Use @kbd{set
2300 disable-randomization off} to try to reproduce such elusive bugs.
2301
2302 On targets where it is available, virtual address space randomization
2303 protects the programs against certain kinds of security attacks. In these
2304 cases the attacker needs to know the exact location of a concrete executable
2305 code. Randomizing its location makes it impossible to inject jumps misusing
2306 a code at its expected addresses.
2307
2308 Prelinking shared libraries provides a startup performance advantage but it
2309 makes addresses in these libraries predictable for privileged processes by
2310 having just unprivileged access at the target system. Reading the shared
2311 library binary gives enough information for assembling the malicious code
2312 misusing it. Still even a prelinked shared library can get loaded at a new
2313 random address just requiring the regular relocation process during the
2314 startup. Shared libraries not already prelinked are always loaded at
2315 a randomly chosen address.
2316
2317 Position independent executables (PIE) contain position independent code
2318 similar to the shared libraries and therefore such executables get loaded at
2319 a randomly chosen address upon startup. PIE executables always load even
2320 already prelinked shared libraries at a random address. You can build such
2321 executable using @command{gcc -fPIE -pie}.
2322
2323 Heap (malloc storage), stack and custom mmap areas are always placed randomly
2324 (as long as the randomization is enabled).
2325
2326 @item show disable-randomization
2327 Show the current setting of the explicit disable of the native randomization of
2328 the virtual address space of the started program.
2329
2330 @end table
2331
2332 @node Arguments
2333 @section Your Program's Arguments
2334
2335 @cindex arguments (to your program)
2336 The arguments to your program can be specified by the arguments of the
2337 @code{run} command.
2338 They are passed to a shell, which expands wildcard characters and
2339 performs redirection of I/O, and thence to your program. Your
2340 @code{SHELL} environment variable (if it exists) specifies what shell
2341 @value{GDBN} uses. If you do not define @code{SHELL}, @value{GDBN} uses
2342 the default shell (@file{/bin/sh} on Unix).
2343
2344 On non-Unix systems, the program is usually invoked directly by
2345 @value{GDBN}, which emulates I/O redirection via the appropriate system
2346 calls, and the wildcard characters are expanded by the startup code of
2347 the program, not by the shell.
2348
2349 @code{run} with no arguments uses the same arguments used by the previous
2350 @code{run}, or those set by the @code{set args} command.
2351
2352 @table @code
2353 @kindex set args
2354 @item set args
2355 Specify the arguments to be used the next time your program is run. If
2356 @code{set args} has no arguments, @code{run} executes your program
2357 with no arguments. Once you have run your program with arguments,
2358 using @code{set args} before the next @code{run} is the only way to run
2359 it again without arguments.
2360
2361 @kindex show args
2362 @item show args
2363 Show the arguments to give your program when it is started.
2364 @end table
2365
2366 @node Environment
2367 @section Your Program's Environment
2368
2369 @cindex environment (of your program)
2370 The @dfn{environment} consists of a set of environment variables and
2371 their values. Environment variables conventionally record such things as
2372 your user name, your home directory, your terminal type, and your search
2373 path for programs to run. Usually you set up environment variables with
2374 the shell and they are inherited by all the other programs you run. When
2375 debugging, it can be useful to try running your program with a modified
2376 environment without having to start @value{GDBN} over again.
2377
2378 @table @code
2379 @kindex path
2380 @item path @var{directory}
2381 Add @var{directory} to the front of the @code{PATH} environment variable
2382 (the search path for executables) that will be passed to your program.
2383 The value of @code{PATH} used by @value{GDBN} does not change.
2384 You may specify several directory names, separated by whitespace or by a
2385 system-dependent separator character (@samp{:} on Unix, @samp{;} on
2386 MS-DOS and MS-Windows). If @var{directory} is already in the path, it
2387 is moved to the front, so it is searched sooner.
2388
2389 You can use the string @samp{$cwd} to refer to whatever is the current
2390 working directory at the time @value{GDBN} searches the path. If you
2391 use @samp{.} instead, it refers to the directory where you executed the
2392 @code{path} command. @value{GDBN} replaces @samp{.} in the
2393 @var{directory} argument (with the current path) before adding
2394 @var{directory} to the search path.
2395 @c 'path' is explicitly nonrepeatable, but RMS points out it is silly to
2396 @c document that, since repeating it would be a no-op.
2397
2398 @kindex show paths
2399 @item show paths
2400 Display the list of search paths for executables (the @code{PATH}
2401 environment variable).
2402
2403 @kindex show environment
2404 @item show environment @r{[}@var{varname}@r{]}
2405 Print the value of environment variable @var{varname} to be given to
2406 your program when it starts. If you do not supply @var{varname},
2407 print the names and values of all environment variables to be given to
2408 your program. You can abbreviate @code{environment} as @code{env}.
2409
2410 @kindex set environment
2411 @anchor{set environment}
2412 @item set environment @var{varname} @r{[}=@var{value}@r{]}
2413 Set environment variable @var{varname} to @var{value}. The value
2414 changes for your program (and the shell @value{GDBN} uses to launch
2415 it), not for @value{GDBN} itself. The @var{value} may be any string; the
2416 values of environment variables are just strings, and any
2417 interpretation is supplied by your program itself. The @var{value}
2418 parameter is optional; if it is eliminated, the variable is set to a
2419 null value.
2420 @c "any string" here does not include leading, trailing
2421 @c blanks. Gnu asks: does anyone care?
2422
2423 For example, this command:
2424
2425 @smallexample
2426 set env USER = foo
2427 @end smallexample
2428
2429 @noindent
2430 tells the debugged program, when subsequently run, that its user is named
2431 @samp{foo}. (The spaces around @samp{=} are used for clarity here; they
2432 are not actually required.)
2433
2434 Note that on Unix systems, @value{GDBN} runs your program via a shell,
2435 which also inherits the environment set with @code{set environment}.
2436 If necessary, you can avoid that by using the @samp{env} program as a
2437 wrapper instead of using @code{set environment}. @xref{set
2438 exec-wrapper}, for an example doing just that.
2439
2440 Environment variables that are set by the user are also transmitted to
2441 @command{gdbserver} to be used when starting the remote inferior.
2442 @pxref{QEnvironmentHexEncoded}.
2443
2444 @kindex unset environment
2445 @anchor{unset environment}
2446 @item unset environment @var{varname}
2447 Remove variable @var{varname} from the environment to be passed to your
2448 program. This is different from @samp{set env @var{varname} =};
2449 @code{unset environment} removes the variable from the environment,
2450 rather than assigning it an empty value.
2451
2452 Environment variables that are unset by the user are also unset on
2453 @command{gdbserver} when starting the remote inferior.
2454 @pxref{QEnvironmentUnset}.
2455 @end table
2456
2457 @emph{Warning:} On Unix systems, @value{GDBN} runs your program using
2458 the shell indicated by your @code{SHELL} environment variable if it
2459 exists (or @code{/bin/sh} if not). If your @code{SHELL} variable
2460 names a shell that runs an initialization file when started
2461 non-interactively---such as @file{.cshrc} for C-shell, $@file{.zshenv}
2462 for the Z shell, or the file specified in the @samp{BASH_ENV}
2463 environment variable for BASH---any variables you set in that file
2464 affect your program. You may wish to move setting of environment
2465 variables to files that are only run when you sign on, such as
2466 @file{.login} or @file{.profile}.
2467
2468 @node Working Directory
2469 @section Your Program's Working Directory
2470
2471 @cindex working directory (of your program)
2472 Each time you start your program with @code{run}, the inferior will be
2473 initialized with the current working directory specified by the
2474 @kbd{set cwd} command. If no directory has been specified by this
2475 command, then the inferior will inherit @value{GDBN}'s current working
2476 directory as its working directory if native debugging, or it will
2477 inherit the remote server's current working directory if remote
2478 debugging.
2479
2480 @table @code
2481 @kindex set cwd
2482 @cindex change inferior's working directory
2483 @anchor{set cwd command}
2484 @item set cwd @r{[}@var{directory}@r{]}
2485 Set the inferior's working directory to @var{directory}, which will be
2486 @code{glob}-expanded in order to resolve tildes (@file{~}). If no
2487 argument has been specified, the command clears the setting and resets
2488 it to an empty state. This setting has no effect on @value{GDBN}'s
2489 working directory, and it only takes effect the next time you start
2490 the inferior. The @file{~} in @var{directory} is a short for the
2491 @dfn{home directory}, usually pointed to by the @env{HOME} environment
2492 variable. On MS-Windows, if @env{HOME} is not defined, @value{GDBN}
2493 uses the concatenation of @env{HOMEDRIVE} and @env{HOMEPATH} as
2494 fallback.
2495
2496 You can also change @value{GDBN}'s current working directory by using
2497 the @code{cd} command.
2498 @xref{cd command}.
2499
2500 @kindex show cwd
2501 @cindex show inferior's working directory
2502 @item show cwd
2503 Show the inferior's working directory. If no directory has been
2504 specified by @kbd{set cwd}, then the default inferior's working
2505 directory is the same as @value{GDBN}'s working directory.
2506
2507 @kindex cd
2508 @cindex change @value{GDBN}'s working directory
2509 @anchor{cd command}
2510 @item cd @r{[}@var{directory}@r{]}
2511 Set the @value{GDBN} working directory to @var{directory}. If not
2512 given, @var{directory} uses @file{'~'}.
2513
2514 The @value{GDBN} working directory serves as a default for the
2515 commands that specify files for @value{GDBN} to operate on.
2516 @xref{Files, ,Commands to Specify Files}.
2517 @xref{set cwd command}.
2518
2519 @kindex pwd
2520 @item pwd
2521 Print the @value{GDBN} working directory.
2522 @end table
2523
2524 It is generally impossible to find the current working directory of
2525 the process being debugged (since a program can change its directory
2526 during its run). If you work on a system where @value{GDBN} supports
2527 the @code{info proc} command (@pxref{Process Information}), you can
2528 use the @code{info proc} command to find out the
2529 current working directory of the debuggee.
2530
2531 @node Input/Output
2532 @section Your Program's Input and Output
2533
2534 @cindex redirection
2535 @cindex i/o
2536 @cindex terminal
2537 By default, the program you run under @value{GDBN} does input and output to
2538 the same terminal that @value{GDBN} uses. @value{GDBN} switches the terminal
2539 to its own terminal modes to interact with you, but it records the terminal
2540 modes your program was using and switches back to them when you continue
2541 running your program.
2542
2543 @table @code
2544 @kindex info terminal
2545 @item info terminal
2546 Displays information recorded by @value{GDBN} about the terminal modes your
2547 program is using.
2548 @end table
2549
2550 You can redirect your program's input and/or output using shell
2551 redirection with the @code{run} command. For example,
2552
2553 @smallexample
2554 run > outfile
2555 @end smallexample
2556
2557 @noindent
2558 starts your program, diverting its output to the file @file{outfile}.
2559
2560 @kindex tty
2561 @cindex controlling terminal
2562 Another way to specify where your program should do input and output is
2563 with the @code{tty} command. This command accepts a file name as
2564 argument, and causes this file to be the default for future @code{run}
2565 commands. It also resets the controlling terminal for the child
2566 process, for future @code{run} commands. For example,
2567
2568 @smallexample
2569 tty /dev/ttyb
2570 @end smallexample
2571
2572 @noindent
2573 directs that processes started with subsequent @code{run} commands
2574 default to do input and output on the terminal @file{/dev/ttyb} and have
2575 that as their controlling terminal.
2576
2577 An explicit redirection in @code{run} overrides the @code{tty} command's
2578 effect on the input/output device, but not its effect on the controlling
2579 terminal.
2580
2581 When you use the @code{tty} command or redirect input in the @code{run}
2582 command, only the input @emph{for your program} is affected. The input
2583 for @value{GDBN} still comes from your terminal. @code{tty} is an alias
2584 for @code{set inferior-tty}.
2585
2586 @cindex inferior tty
2587 @cindex set inferior controlling terminal
2588 You can use the @code{show inferior-tty} command to tell @value{GDBN} to
2589 display the name of the terminal that will be used for future runs of your
2590 program.
2591
2592 @table @code
2593 @item set inferior-tty [ @var{tty} ]
2594 @kindex set inferior-tty
2595 Set the tty for the program being debugged to @var{tty}. Omitting @var{tty}
2596 restores the default behavior, which is to use the same terminal as
2597 @value{GDBN}.
2598
2599 @item show inferior-tty
2600 @kindex show inferior-tty
2601 Show the current tty for the program being debugged.
2602 @end table
2603
2604 @node Attach
2605 @section Debugging an Already-running Process
2606 @kindex attach
2607 @cindex attach
2608
2609 @table @code
2610 @item attach @var{process-id}
2611 This command attaches to a running process---one that was started
2612 outside @value{GDBN}. (@code{info files} shows your active
2613 targets.) The command takes as argument a process ID. The usual way to
2614 find out the @var{process-id} of a Unix process is with the @code{ps} utility,
2615 or with the @samp{jobs -l} shell command.
2616
2617 @code{attach} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} a second time after
2618 executing the command.
2619 @end table
2620
2621 To use @code{attach}, your program must be running in an environment
2622 which supports processes; for example, @code{attach} does not work for
2623 programs on bare-board targets that lack an operating system. You must
2624 also have permission to send the process a signal.
2625
2626 When you use @code{attach}, the debugger finds the program running in
2627 the process first by looking in the current working directory, then (if
2628 the program is not found) by using the source file search path
2629 (@pxref{Source Path, ,Specifying Source Directories}). You can also use
2630 the @code{file} command to load the program. @xref{Files, ,Commands to
2631 Specify Files}.
2632
2633 The first thing @value{GDBN} does after arranging to debug the specified
2634 process is to stop it. You can examine and modify an attached process
2635 with all the @value{GDBN} commands that are ordinarily available when
2636 you start processes with @code{run}. You can insert breakpoints; you
2637 can step and continue; you can modify storage. If you would rather the
2638 process continue running, you may use the @code{continue} command after
2639 attaching @value{GDBN} to the process.
2640
2641 @table @code
2642 @kindex detach
2643 @item detach
2644 When you have finished debugging the attached process, you can use the
2645 @code{detach} command to release it from @value{GDBN} control. Detaching
2646 the process continues its execution. After the @code{detach} command,
2647 that process and @value{GDBN} become completely independent once more, and you
2648 are ready to @code{attach} another process or start one with @code{run}.
2649 @code{detach} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} again after
2650 executing the command.
2651 @end table
2652
2653 If you exit @value{GDBN} while you have an attached process, you detach
2654 that process. If you use the @code{run} command, you kill that process.
2655 By default, @value{GDBN} asks for confirmation if you try to do either of these
2656 things; you can control whether or not you need to confirm by using the
2657 @code{set confirm} command (@pxref{Messages/Warnings, ,Optional Warnings and
2658 Messages}).
2659
2660 @node Kill Process
2661 @section Killing the Child Process
2662
2663 @table @code
2664 @kindex kill
2665 @item kill
2666 Kill the child process in which your program is running under @value{GDBN}.
2667 @end table
2668
2669 This command is useful if you wish to debug a core dump instead of a
2670 running process. @value{GDBN} ignores any core dump file while your program
2671 is running.
2672
2673 On some operating systems, a program cannot be executed outside @value{GDBN}
2674 while you have breakpoints set on it inside @value{GDBN}. You can use the
2675 @code{kill} command in this situation to permit running your program
2676 outside the debugger.
2677
2678 The @code{kill} command is also useful if you wish to recompile and
2679 relink your program, since on many systems it is impossible to modify an
2680 executable file while it is running in a process. In this case, when you
2681 next type @code{run}, @value{GDBN} notices that the file has changed, and
2682 reads the symbol table again (while trying to preserve your current
2683 breakpoint settings).
2684
2685 @node Inferiors and Programs
2686 @section Debugging Multiple Inferiors and Programs
2687
2688 @value{GDBN} lets you run and debug multiple programs in a single
2689 session. In addition, @value{GDBN} on some systems may let you run
2690 several programs simultaneously (otherwise you have to exit from one
2691 before starting another). In the most general case, you can have
2692 multiple threads of execution in each of multiple processes, launched
2693 from multiple executables.
2694
2695 @cindex inferior
2696 @value{GDBN} represents the state of each program execution with an
2697 object called an @dfn{inferior}. An inferior typically corresponds to
2698 a process, but is more general and applies also to targets that do not
2699 have processes. Inferiors may be created before a process runs, and
2700 may be retained after a process exits. Inferiors have unique
2701 identifiers that are different from process ids. Usually each
2702 inferior will also have its own distinct address space, although some
2703 embedded targets may have several inferiors running in different parts
2704 of a single address space. Each inferior may in turn have multiple
2705 threads running in it.
2706
2707 To find out what inferiors exist at any moment, use @w{@code{info
2708 inferiors}}:
2709
2710 @table @code
2711 @kindex info inferiors
2712 @item info inferiors
2713 Print a list of all inferiors currently being managed by @value{GDBN}.
2714
2715 @value{GDBN} displays for each inferior (in this order):
2716
2717 @enumerate
2718 @item
2719 the inferior number assigned by @value{GDBN}
2720
2721 @item
2722 the target system's inferior identifier
2723
2724 @item
2725 the name of the executable the inferior is running.
2726
2727 @end enumerate
2728
2729 @noindent
2730 An asterisk @samp{*} preceding the @value{GDBN} inferior number
2731 indicates the current inferior.
2732
2733 For example,
2734 @end table
2735 @c end table here to get a little more width for example
2736
2737 @smallexample
2738 (@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
2739 Num Description Executable
2740 2 process 2307 hello
2741 * 1 process 3401 goodbye
2742 @end smallexample
2743
2744 To switch focus between inferiors, use the @code{inferior} command:
2745
2746 @table @code
2747 @kindex inferior @var{infno}
2748 @item inferior @var{infno}
2749 Make inferior number @var{infno} the current inferior. The argument
2750 @var{infno} is the inferior number assigned by @value{GDBN}, as shown
2751 in the first field of the @samp{info inferiors} display.
2752 @end table
2753
2754 @vindex $_inferior@r{, convenience variable}
2755 The debugger convenience variable @samp{$_inferior} contains the
2756 number of the current inferior. You may find this useful in writing
2757 breakpoint conditional expressions, command scripts, and so forth.
2758 @xref{Convenience Vars,, Convenience Variables}, for general
2759 information on convenience variables.
2760
2761 You can get multiple executables into a debugging session via the
2762 @code{add-inferior} and @w{@code{clone-inferior}} commands. On some
2763 systems @value{GDBN} can add inferiors to the debug session
2764 automatically by following calls to @code{fork} and @code{exec}. To
2765 remove inferiors from the debugging session use the
2766 @w{@code{remove-inferiors}} command.
2767
2768 @table @code
2769 @kindex add-inferior
2770 @item add-inferior [ -copies @var{n} ] [ -exec @var{executable} ]
2771 Adds @var{n} inferiors to be run using @var{executable} as the
2772 executable; @var{n} defaults to 1. If no executable is specified,
2773 the inferiors begins empty, with no program. You can still assign or
2774 change the program assigned to the inferior at any time by using the
2775 @code{file} command with the executable name as its argument.
2776
2777 @kindex clone-inferior
2778 @item clone-inferior [ -copies @var{n} ] [ @var{infno} ]
2779 Adds @var{n} inferiors ready to execute the same program as inferior
2780 @var{infno}; @var{n} defaults to 1, and @var{infno} defaults to the
2781 number of the current inferior. This is a convenient command when you
2782 want to run another instance of the inferior you are debugging.
2783
2784 @smallexample
2785 (@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
2786 Num Description Executable
2787 * 1 process 29964 helloworld
2788 (@value{GDBP}) clone-inferior
2789 Added inferior 2.
2790 1 inferiors added.
2791 (@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
2792 Num Description Executable
2793 2 <null> helloworld
2794 * 1 process 29964 helloworld
2795 @end smallexample
2796
2797 You can now simply switch focus to inferior 2 and run it.
2798
2799 @kindex remove-inferiors
2800 @item remove-inferiors @var{infno}@dots{}
2801 Removes the inferior or inferiors @var{infno}@dots{}. It is not
2802 possible to remove an inferior that is running with this command. For
2803 those, use the @code{kill} or @code{detach} command first.
2804
2805 @end table
2806
2807 To quit debugging one of the running inferiors that is not the current
2808 inferior, you can either detach from it by using the @w{@code{detach
2809 inferior}} command (allowing it to run independently), or kill it
2810 using the @w{@code{kill inferiors}} command:
2811
2812 @table @code
2813 @kindex detach inferiors @var{infno}@dots{}
2814 @item detach inferior @var{infno}@dots{}
2815 Detach from the inferior or inferiors identified by @value{GDBN}
2816 inferior number(s) @var{infno}@dots{}. Note that the inferior's entry
2817 still stays on the list of inferiors shown by @code{info inferiors},
2818 but its Description will show @samp{<null>}.
2819
2820 @kindex kill inferiors @var{infno}@dots{}
2821 @item kill inferiors @var{infno}@dots{}
2822 Kill the inferior or inferiors identified by @value{GDBN} inferior
2823 number(s) @var{infno}@dots{}. Note that the inferior's entry still
2824 stays on the list of inferiors shown by @code{info inferiors}, but its
2825 Description will show @samp{<null>}.
2826 @end table
2827
2828 After the successful completion of a command such as @code{detach},
2829 @code{detach inferiors}, @code{kill} or @code{kill inferiors}, or after
2830 a normal process exit, the inferior is still valid and listed with
2831 @code{info inferiors}, ready to be restarted.
2832
2833
2834 To be notified when inferiors are started or exit under @value{GDBN}'s
2835 control use @w{@code{set print inferior-events}}:
2836
2837 @table @code
2838 @kindex set print inferior-events
2839 @cindex print messages on inferior start and exit
2840 @item set print inferior-events
2841 @itemx set print inferior-events on
2842 @itemx set print inferior-events off
2843 The @code{set print inferior-events} command allows you to enable or
2844 disable printing of messages when @value{GDBN} notices that new
2845 inferiors have started or that inferiors have exited or have been
2846 detached. By default, these messages will not be printed.
2847
2848 @kindex show print inferior-events
2849 @item show print inferior-events
2850 Show whether messages will be printed when @value{GDBN} detects that
2851 inferiors have started, exited or have been detached.
2852 @end table
2853
2854 Many commands will work the same with multiple programs as with a
2855 single program: e.g., @code{print myglobal} will simply display the
2856 value of @code{myglobal} in the current inferior.
2857
2858
2859 Occasionaly, when debugging @value{GDBN} itself, it may be useful to
2860 get more info about the relationship of inferiors, programs, address
2861 spaces in a debug session. You can do that with the @w{@code{maint
2862 info program-spaces}} command.
2863
2864 @table @code
2865 @kindex maint info program-spaces
2866 @item maint info program-spaces
2867 Print a list of all program spaces currently being managed by
2868 @value{GDBN}.
2869
2870 @value{GDBN} displays for each program space (in this order):
2871
2872 @enumerate
2873 @item
2874 the program space number assigned by @value{GDBN}
2875
2876 @item
2877 the name of the executable loaded into the program space, with e.g.,
2878 the @code{file} command.
2879
2880 @end enumerate
2881
2882 @noindent
2883 An asterisk @samp{*} preceding the @value{GDBN} program space number
2884 indicates the current program space.
2885
2886 In addition, below each program space line, @value{GDBN} prints extra
2887 information that isn't suitable to display in tabular form. For
2888 example, the list of inferiors bound to the program space.
2889
2890 @smallexample
2891 (@value{GDBP}) maint info program-spaces
2892 Id Executable
2893 * 1 hello
2894 2 goodbye
2895 Bound inferiors: ID 1 (process 21561)
2896 @end smallexample
2897
2898 Here we can see that no inferior is running the program @code{hello},
2899 while @code{process 21561} is running the program @code{goodbye}. On
2900 some targets, it is possible that multiple inferiors are bound to the
2901 same program space. The most common example is that of debugging both
2902 the parent and child processes of a @code{vfork} call. For example,
2903
2904 @smallexample
2905 (@value{GDBP}) maint info program-spaces
2906 Id Executable
2907 * 1 vfork-test
2908 Bound inferiors: ID 2 (process 18050), ID 1 (process 18045)
2909 @end smallexample
2910
2911 Here, both inferior 2 and inferior 1 are running in the same program
2912 space as a result of inferior 1 having executed a @code{vfork} call.
2913 @end table
2914
2915 @node Threads
2916 @section Debugging Programs with Multiple Threads
2917
2918 @cindex threads of execution
2919 @cindex multiple threads
2920 @cindex switching threads
2921 In some operating systems, such as GNU/Linux and Solaris, a single program
2922 may have more than one @dfn{thread} of execution. The precise semantics
2923 of threads differ from one operating system to another, but in general
2924 the threads of a single program are akin to multiple processes---except
2925 that they share one address space (that is, they can all examine and
2926 modify the same variables). On the other hand, each thread has its own
2927 registers and execution stack, and perhaps private memory.
2928
2929 @value{GDBN} provides these facilities for debugging multi-thread
2930 programs:
2931
2932 @itemize @bullet
2933 @item automatic notification of new threads
2934 @item @samp{thread @var{thread-id}}, a command to switch among threads
2935 @item @samp{info threads}, a command to inquire about existing threads
2936 @item @samp{thread apply [@var{thread-id-list}] [@var{all}] @var{args}},
2937 a command to apply a command to a list of threads
2938 @item thread-specific breakpoints
2939 @item @samp{set print thread-events}, which controls printing of
2940 messages on thread start and exit.
2941 @item @samp{set libthread-db-search-path @var{path}}, which lets
2942 the user specify which @code{libthread_db} to use if the default choice
2943 isn't compatible with the program.
2944 @end itemize
2945
2946 @cindex focus of debugging
2947 @cindex current thread
2948 The @value{GDBN} thread debugging facility allows you to observe all
2949 threads while your program runs---but whenever @value{GDBN} takes
2950 control, one thread in particular is always the focus of debugging.
2951 This thread is called the @dfn{current thread}. Debugging commands show
2952 program information from the perspective of the current thread.
2953
2954 @cindex @code{New} @var{systag} message
2955 @cindex thread identifier (system)
2956 @c FIXME-implementors!! It would be more helpful if the [New...] message
2957 @c included GDB's numeric thread handle, so you could just go to that
2958 @c thread without first checking `info threads'.
2959 Whenever @value{GDBN} detects a new thread in your program, it displays
2960 the target system's identification for the thread with a message in the
2961 form @samp{[New @var{systag}]}, where @var{systag} is a thread identifier
2962 whose form varies depending on the particular system. For example, on
2963 @sc{gnu}/Linux, you might see
2964
2965 @smallexample
2966 [New Thread 0x41e02940 (LWP 25582)]
2967 @end smallexample
2968
2969 @noindent
2970 when @value{GDBN} notices a new thread. In contrast, on other systems,
2971 the @var{systag} is simply something like @samp{process 368}, with no
2972 further qualifier.
2973
2974 @c FIXME!! (1) Does the [New...] message appear even for the very first
2975 @c thread of a program, or does it only appear for the
2976 @c second---i.e.@: when it becomes obvious we have a multithread
2977 @c program?
2978 @c (2) *Is* there necessarily a first thread always? Or do some
2979 @c multithread systems permit starting a program with multiple
2980 @c threads ab initio?
2981
2982 @anchor{thread numbers}
2983 @cindex thread number, per inferior
2984 @cindex thread identifier (GDB)
2985 For debugging purposes, @value{GDBN} associates its own thread number
2986 ---always a single integer---with each thread of an inferior. This
2987 number is unique between all threads of an inferior, but not unique
2988 between threads of different inferiors.
2989
2990 @cindex qualified thread ID
2991 You can refer to a given thread in an inferior using the qualified
2992 @var{inferior-num}.@var{thread-num} syntax, also known as
2993 @dfn{qualified thread ID}, with @var{inferior-num} being the inferior
2994 number and @var{thread-num} being the thread number of the given
2995 inferior. For example, thread @code{2.3} refers to thread number 3 of
2996 inferior 2. If you omit @var{inferior-num} (e.g., @code{thread 3}),
2997 then @value{GDBN} infers you're referring to a thread of the current
2998 inferior.
2999
3000 Until you create a second inferior, @value{GDBN} does not show the
3001 @var{inferior-num} part of thread IDs, even though you can always use
3002 the full @var{inferior-num}.@var{thread-num} form to refer to threads
3003 of inferior 1, the initial inferior.
3004
3005 @anchor{thread ID lists}
3006 @cindex thread ID lists
3007 Some commands accept a space-separated @dfn{thread ID list} as
3008 argument. A list element can be:
3009
3010 @enumerate
3011 @item
3012 A thread ID as shown in the first field of the @samp{info threads}
3013 display, with or without an inferior qualifier. E.g., @samp{2.1} or
3014 @samp{1}.
3015
3016 @item
3017 A range of thread numbers, again with or without an inferior
3018 qualifier, as in @var{inf}.@var{thr1}-@var{thr2} or
3019 @var{thr1}-@var{thr2}. E.g., @samp{1.2-4} or @samp{2-4}.
3020
3021 @item
3022 All threads of an inferior, specified with a star wildcard, with or
3023 without an inferior qualifier, as in @var{inf}.@code{*} (e.g.,
3024 @samp{1.*}) or @code{*}. The former refers to all threads of the
3025 given inferior, and the latter form without an inferior qualifier
3026 refers to all threads of the current inferior.
3027
3028 @end enumerate
3029
3030 For example, if the current inferior is 1, and inferior 7 has one
3031 thread with ID 7.1, the thread list @samp{1 2-3 4.5 6.7-9 7.*}
3032 includes threads 1 to 3 of inferior 1, thread 5 of inferior 4, threads
3033 7 to 9 of inferior 6 and all threads of inferior 7. That is, in
3034 expanded qualified form, the same as @samp{1.1 1.2 1.3 4.5 6.7 6.8 6.9
3035 7.1}.
3036
3037
3038 @anchor{global thread numbers}
3039 @cindex global thread number
3040 @cindex global thread identifier (GDB)
3041 In addition to a @emph{per-inferior} number, each thread is also
3042 assigned a unique @emph{global} number, also known as @dfn{global
3043 thread ID}, a single integer. Unlike the thread number component of
3044 the thread ID, no two threads have the same global ID, even when
3045 you're debugging multiple inferiors.
3046
3047 From @value{GDBN}'s perspective, a process always has at least one
3048 thread. In other words, @value{GDBN} assigns a thread number to the
3049 program's ``main thread'' even if the program is not multi-threaded.
3050
3051 @vindex $_thread@r{, convenience variable}
3052 @vindex $_gthread@r{, convenience variable}
3053 The debugger convenience variables @samp{$_thread} and
3054 @samp{$_gthread} contain, respectively, the per-inferior thread number
3055 and the global thread number of the current thread. You may find this
3056 useful in writing breakpoint conditional expressions, command scripts,
3057 and so forth. @xref{Convenience Vars,, Convenience Variables}, for
3058 general information on convenience variables.
3059
3060 If @value{GDBN} detects the program is multi-threaded, it augments the
3061 usual message about stopping at a breakpoint with the ID and name of
3062 the thread that hit the breakpoint.
3063
3064 @smallexample
3065 Thread 2 "client" hit Breakpoint 1, send_message () at client.c:68
3066 @end smallexample
3067
3068 Likewise when the program receives a signal:
3069
3070 @smallexample
3071 Thread 1 "main" received signal SIGINT, Interrupt.
3072 @end smallexample
3073
3074 @table @code
3075 @kindex info threads
3076 @item info threads @r{[}@var{thread-id-list}@r{]}
3077
3078 Display information about one or more threads. With no arguments
3079 displays information about all threads. You can specify the list of
3080 threads that you want to display using the thread ID list syntax
3081 (@pxref{thread ID lists}).
3082
3083 @value{GDBN} displays for each thread (in this order):
3084
3085 @enumerate
3086 @item
3087 the per-inferior thread number assigned by @value{GDBN}
3088
3089 @item
3090 the global thread number assigned by @value{GDBN}, if the @samp{-gid}
3091 option was specified
3092
3093 @item
3094 the target system's thread identifier (@var{systag})
3095
3096 @item
3097 the thread's name, if one is known. A thread can either be named by
3098 the user (see @code{thread name}, below), or, in some cases, by the
3099 program itself.
3100
3101 @item
3102 the current stack frame summary for that thread
3103 @end enumerate
3104
3105 @noindent
3106 An asterisk @samp{*} to the left of the @value{GDBN} thread number
3107 indicates the current thread.
3108
3109 For example,
3110 @end table
3111 @c end table here to get a little more width for example
3112
3113 @smallexample
3114 (@value{GDBP}) info threads
3115 Id Target Id Frame
3116 * 1 process 35 thread 13 main (argc=1, argv=0x7ffffff8)
3117 2 process 35 thread 23 0x34e5 in sigpause ()
3118 3 process 35 thread 27 0x34e5 in sigpause ()
3119 at threadtest.c:68
3120 @end smallexample
3121
3122 If you're debugging multiple inferiors, @value{GDBN} displays thread
3123 IDs using the qualified @var{inferior-num}.@var{thread-num} format.
3124 Otherwise, only @var{thread-num} is shown.
3125
3126 If you specify the @samp{-gid} option, @value{GDBN} displays a column
3127 indicating each thread's global thread ID:
3128
3129 @smallexample
3130 (@value{GDBP}) info threads
3131 Id GId Target Id Frame
3132 1.1 1 process 35 thread 13 main (argc=1, argv=0x7ffffff8)
3133 1.2 3 process 35 thread 23 0x34e5 in sigpause ()
3134 1.3 4 process 35 thread 27 0x34e5 in sigpause ()
3135 * 2.1 2 process 65 thread 1 main (argc=1, argv=0x7ffffff8)
3136 @end smallexample
3137
3138 On Solaris, you can display more information about user threads with a
3139 Solaris-specific command:
3140
3141 @table @code
3142 @item maint info sol-threads
3143 @kindex maint info sol-threads
3144 @cindex thread info (Solaris)
3145 Display info on Solaris user threads.
3146 @end table
3147
3148 @table @code
3149 @kindex thread @var{thread-id}
3150 @item thread @var{thread-id}
3151 Make thread ID @var{thread-id} the current thread. The command
3152 argument @var{thread-id} is the @value{GDBN} thread ID, as shown in
3153 the first field of the @samp{info threads} display, with or without an
3154 inferior qualifier (e.g., @samp{2.1} or @samp{1}).
3155
3156 @value{GDBN} responds by displaying the system identifier of the
3157 thread you selected, and its current stack frame summary:
3158
3159 @smallexample
3160 (@value{GDBP}) thread 2
3161 [Switching to thread 2 (Thread 0xb7fdab70 (LWP 12747))]
3162 #0 some_function (ignore=0x0) at example.c:8
3163 8 printf ("hello\n");
3164 @end smallexample
3165
3166 @noindent
3167 As with the @samp{[New @dots{}]} message, the form of the text after
3168 @samp{Switching to} depends on your system's conventions for identifying
3169 threads.
3170
3171 @kindex thread apply
3172 @cindex apply command to several threads
3173 @item thread apply [@var{thread-id-list} | all [-ascending]] @var{command}
3174 The @code{thread apply} command allows you to apply the named
3175 @var{command} to one or more threads. Specify the threads that you
3176 want affected using the thread ID list syntax (@pxref{thread ID
3177 lists}), or specify @code{all} to apply to all threads. To apply a
3178 command to all threads in descending order, type @kbd{thread apply all
3179 @var{command}}. To apply a command to all threads in ascending order,
3180 type @kbd{thread apply all -ascending @var{command}}.
3181
3182
3183 @kindex thread name
3184 @cindex name a thread
3185 @item thread name [@var{name}]
3186 This command assigns a name to the current thread. If no argument is
3187 given, any existing user-specified name is removed. The thread name
3188 appears in the @samp{info threads} display.
3189
3190 On some systems, such as @sc{gnu}/Linux, @value{GDBN} is able to
3191 determine the name of the thread as given by the OS. On these
3192 systems, a name specified with @samp{thread name} will override the
3193 system-give name, and removing the user-specified name will cause
3194 @value{GDBN} to once again display the system-specified name.
3195
3196 @kindex thread find
3197 @cindex search for a thread
3198 @item thread find [@var{regexp}]
3199 Search for and display thread ids whose name or @var{systag}
3200 matches the supplied regular expression.
3201
3202 As well as being the complement to the @samp{thread name} command,
3203 this command also allows you to identify a thread by its target
3204 @var{systag}. For instance, on @sc{gnu}/Linux, the target @var{systag}
3205 is the LWP id.
3206
3207 @smallexample
3208 (@value{GDBN}) thread find 26688
3209 Thread 4 has target id 'Thread 0x41e02940 (LWP 26688)'
3210 (@value{GDBN}) info thread 4
3211 Id Target Id Frame
3212 4 Thread 0x41e02940 (LWP 26688) 0x00000031ca6cd372 in select ()
3213 @end smallexample
3214
3215 @kindex set print thread-events
3216 @cindex print messages on thread start and exit
3217 @item set print thread-events
3218 @itemx set print thread-events on
3219 @itemx set print thread-events off
3220 The @code{set print thread-events} command allows you to enable or
3221 disable printing of messages when @value{GDBN} notices that new threads have
3222 started or that threads have exited. By default, these messages will
3223 be printed if detection of these events is supported by the target.
3224 Note that these messages cannot be disabled on all targets.
3225
3226 @kindex show print thread-events
3227 @item show print thread-events
3228 Show whether messages will be printed when @value{GDBN} detects that threads
3229 have started and exited.
3230 @end table
3231
3232 @xref{Thread Stops,,Stopping and Starting Multi-thread Programs}, for
3233 more information about how @value{GDBN} behaves when you stop and start
3234 programs with multiple threads.
3235
3236 @xref{Set Watchpoints,,Setting Watchpoints}, for information about
3237 watchpoints in programs with multiple threads.
3238
3239 @anchor{set libthread-db-search-path}
3240 @table @code
3241 @kindex set libthread-db-search-path
3242 @cindex search path for @code{libthread_db}
3243 @item set libthread-db-search-path @r{[}@var{path}@r{]}
3244 If this variable is set, @var{path} is a colon-separated list of
3245 directories @value{GDBN} will use to search for @code{libthread_db}.
3246 If you omit @var{path}, @samp{libthread-db-search-path} will be reset to
3247 its default value (@code{$sdir:$pdir} on @sc{gnu}/Linux and Solaris systems).
3248 Internally, the default value comes from the @code{LIBTHREAD_DB_SEARCH_PATH}
3249 macro.
3250
3251 On @sc{gnu}/Linux and Solaris systems, @value{GDBN} uses a ``helper''
3252 @code{libthread_db} library to obtain information about threads in the
3253 inferior process. @value{GDBN} will use @samp{libthread-db-search-path}
3254 to find @code{libthread_db}. @value{GDBN} also consults first if inferior
3255 specific thread debugging library loading is enabled
3256 by @samp{set auto-load libthread-db} (@pxref{libthread_db.so.1 file}).
3257
3258 A special entry @samp{$sdir} for @samp{libthread-db-search-path}
3259 refers to the default system directories that are
3260 normally searched for loading shared libraries. The @samp{$sdir} entry
3261 is the only kind not needing to be enabled by @samp{set auto-load libthread-db}
3262 (@pxref{libthread_db.so.1 file}).
3263
3264 A special entry @samp{$pdir} for @samp{libthread-db-search-path}
3265 refers to the directory from which @code{libpthread}
3266 was loaded in the inferior process.
3267
3268 For any @code{libthread_db} library @value{GDBN} finds in above directories,
3269 @value{GDBN} attempts to initialize it with the current inferior process.
3270 If this initialization fails (which could happen because of a version
3271 mismatch between @code{libthread_db} and @code{libpthread}), @value{GDBN}
3272 will unload @code{libthread_db}, and continue with the next directory.
3273 If none of @code{libthread_db} libraries initialize successfully,
3274 @value{GDBN} will issue a warning and thread debugging will be disabled.
3275
3276 Setting @code{libthread-db-search-path} is currently implemented
3277 only on some platforms.
3278
3279 @kindex show libthread-db-search-path
3280 @item show libthread-db-search-path
3281 Display current libthread_db search path.
3282
3283 @kindex set debug libthread-db
3284 @kindex show debug libthread-db
3285 @cindex debugging @code{libthread_db}
3286 @item set debug libthread-db
3287 @itemx show debug libthread-db
3288 Turns on or off display of @code{libthread_db}-related events.
3289 Use @code{1} to enable, @code{0} to disable.
3290 @end table
3291
3292 @node Forks
3293 @section Debugging Forks
3294
3295 @cindex fork, debugging programs which call
3296 @cindex multiple processes
3297 @cindex processes, multiple
3298 On most systems, @value{GDBN} has no special support for debugging
3299 programs which create additional processes using the @code{fork}
3300 function. When a program forks, @value{GDBN} will continue to debug the
3301 parent process and the child process will run unimpeded. If you have
3302 set a breakpoint in any code which the child then executes, the child
3303 will get a @code{SIGTRAP} signal which (unless it catches the signal)
3304 will cause it to terminate.
3305
3306 However, if you want to debug the child process there is a workaround
3307 which isn't too painful. Put a call to @code{sleep} in the code which
3308 the child process executes after the fork. It may be useful to sleep
3309 only if a certain environment variable is set, or a certain file exists,
3310 so that the delay need not occur when you don't want to run @value{GDBN}
3311 on the child. While the child is sleeping, use the @code{ps} program to
3312 get its process ID. Then tell @value{GDBN} (a new invocation of
3313 @value{GDBN} if you are also debugging the parent process) to attach to
3314 the child process (@pxref{Attach}). From that point on you can debug
3315 the child process just like any other process which you attached to.
3316
3317 On some systems, @value{GDBN} provides support for debugging programs
3318 that create additional processes using the @code{fork} or @code{vfork}
3319 functions. On @sc{gnu}/Linux platforms, this feature is supported
3320 with kernel version 2.5.46 and later.
3321
3322 The fork debugging commands are supported in native mode and when
3323 connected to @code{gdbserver} in either @code{target remote} mode or
3324 @code{target extended-remote} mode.
3325
3326 By default, when a program forks, @value{GDBN} will continue to debug
3327 the parent process and the child process will run unimpeded.
3328
3329 If you want to follow the child process instead of the parent process,
3330 use the command @w{@code{set follow-fork-mode}}.
3331
3332 @table @code
3333 @kindex set follow-fork-mode
3334 @item set follow-fork-mode @var{mode}
3335 Set the debugger response to a program call of @code{fork} or
3336 @code{vfork}. A call to @code{fork} or @code{vfork} creates a new
3337 process. The @var{mode} argument can be:
3338
3339 @table @code
3340 @item parent
3341 The original process is debugged after a fork. The child process runs
3342 unimpeded. This is the default.
3343
3344 @item child
3345 The new process is debugged after a fork. The parent process runs
3346 unimpeded.
3347
3348 @end table
3349
3350 @kindex show follow-fork-mode
3351 @item show follow-fork-mode
3352 Display the current debugger response to a @code{fork} or @code{vfork} call.
3353 @end table
3354
3355 @cindex debugging multiple processes
3356 On Linux, if you want to debug both the parent and child processes, use the
3357 command @w{@code{set detach-on-fork}}.
3358
3359 @table @code
3360 @kindex set detach-on-fork
3361 @item set detach-on-fork @var{mode}
3362 Tells gdb whether to detach one of the processes after a fork, or
3363 retain debugger control over them both.
3364
3365 @table @code
3366 @item on
3367 The child process (or parent process, depending on the value of
3368 @code{follow-fork-mode}) will be detached and allowed to run
3369 independently. This is the default.
3370
3371 @item off
3372 Both processes will be held under the control of @value{GDBN}.
3373 One process (child or parent, depending on the value of
3374 @code{follow-fork-mode}) is debugged as usual, while the other
3375 is held suspended.
3376
3377 @end table
3378
3379 @kindex show detach-on-fork
3380 @item show detach-on-fork
3381 Show whether detach-on-fork mode is on/off.
3382 @end table
3383
3384 If you choose to set @samp{detach-on-fork} mode off, then @value{GDBN}
3385 will retain control of all forked processes (including nested forks).
3386 You can list the forked processes under the control of @value{GDBN} by
3387 using the @w{@code{info inferiors}} command, and switch from one fork
3388 to another by using the @code{inferior} command (@pxref{Inferiors and
3389 Programs, ,Debugging Multiple Inferiors and Programs}).
3390
3391 To quit debugging one of the forked processes, you can either detach
3392 from it by using the @w{@code{detach inferiors}} command (allowing it
3393 to run independently), or kill it using the @w{@code{kill inferiors}}
3394 command. @xref{Inferiors and Programs, ,Debugging Multiple Inferiors
3395 and Programs}.
3396
3397 If you ask to debug a child process and a @code{vfork} is followed by an
3398 @code{exec}, @value{GDBN} executes the new target up to the first
3399 breakpoint in the new target. If you have a breakpoint set on
3400 @code{main} in your original program, the breakpoint will also be set on
3401 the child process's @code{main}.
3402
3403 On some systems, when a child process is spawned by @code{vfork}, you
3404 cannot debug the child or parent until an @code{exec} call completes.
3405
3406 If you issue a @code{run} command to @value{GDBN} after an @code{exec}
3407 call executes, the new target restarts. To restart the parent
3408 process, use the @code{file} command with the parent executable name
3409 as its argument. By default, after an @code{exec} call executes,
3410 @value{GDBN} discards the symbols of the previous executable image.
3411 You can change this behaviour with the @w{@code{set follow-exec-mode}}
3412 command.
3413
3414 @table @code
3415 @kindex set follow-exec-mode
3416 @item set follow-exec-mode @var{mode}
3417
3418 Set debugger response to a program call of @code{exec}. An
3419 @code{exec} call replaces the program image of a process.
3420
3421 @code{follow-exec-mode} can be:
3422
3423 @table @code
3424 @item new
3425 @value{GDBN} creates a new inferior and rebinds the process to this
3426 new inferior. The program the process was running before the
3427 @code{exec} call can be restarted afterwards by restarting the
3428 original inferior.
3429
3430 For example:
3431
3432 @smallexample
3433 (@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
3434 (gdb) info inferior
3435 Id Description Executable
3436 * 1 <null> prog1
3437 (@value{GDBP}) run
3438 process 12020 is executing new program: prog2
3439 Program exited normally.
3440 (@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
3441 Id Description Executable
3442 1 <null> prog1
3443 * 2 <null> prog2
3444 @end smallexample
3445
3446 @item same
3447 @value{GDBN} keeps the process bound to the same inferior. The new
3448 executable image replaces the previous executable loaded in the
3449 inferior. Restarting the inferior after the @code{exec} call, with
3450 e.g., the @code{run} command, restarts the executable the process was
3451 running after the @code{exec} call. This is the default mode.
3452
3453 For example:
3454
3455 @smallexample
3456 (@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
3457 Id Description Executable
3458 * 1 <null> prog1
3459 (@value{GDBP}) run
3460 process 12020 is executing new program: prog2
3461 Program exited normally.
3462 (@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
3463 Id Description Executable
3464 * 1 <null> prog2
3465 @end smallexample
3466
3467 @end table
3468 @end table
3469
3470 @code{follow-exec-mode} is supported in native mode and
3471 @code{target extended-remote} mode.
3472
3473 You can use the @code{catch} command to make @value{GDBN} stop whenever
3474 a @code{fork}, @code{vfork}, or @code{exec} call is made. @xref{Set
3475 Catchpoints, ,Setting Catchpoints}.
3476
3477 @node Checkpoint/Restart
3478 @section Setting a @emph{Bookmark} to Return to Later
3479
3480 @cindex checkpoint
3481 @cindex restart
3482 @cindex bookmark
3483 @cindex snapshot of a process
3484 @cindex rewind program state
3485
3486 On certain operating systems@footnote{Currently, only
3487 @sc{gnu}/Linux.}, @value{GDBN} is able to save a @dfn{snapshot} of a
3488 program's state, called a @dfn{checkpoint}, and come back to it
3489 later.
3490
3491 Returning to a checkpoint effectively undoes everything that has
3492 happened in the program since the @code{checkpoint} was saved. This
3493 includes changes in memory, registers, and even (within some limits)
3494 system state. Effectively, it is like going back in time to the
3495 moment when the checkpoint was saved.
3496
3497 Thus, if you're stepping thru a program and you think you're
3498 getting close to the point where things go wrong, you can save
3499 a checkpoint. Then, if you accidentally go too far and miss
3500 the critical statement, instead of having to restart your program
3501 from the beginning, you can just go back to the checkpoint and
3502 start again from there.
3503
3504 This can be especially useful if it takes a lot of time or
3505 steps to reach the point where you think the bug occurs.
3506
3507 To use the @code{checkpoint}/@code{restart} method of debugging:
3508
3509 @table @code
3510 @kindex checkpoint
3511 @item checkpoint
3512 Save a snapshot of the debugged program's current execution state.
3513 The @code{checkpoint} command takes no arguments, but each checkpoint
3514 is assigned a small integer id, similar to a breakpoint id.
3515
3516 @kindex info checkpoints
3517 @item info checkpoints
3518 List the checkpoints that have been saved in the current debugging
3519 session. For each checkpoint, the following information will be
3520 listed:
3521
3522 @table @code
3523 @item Checkpoint ID
3524 @item Process ID
3525 @item Code Address
3526 @item Source line, or label
3527 @end table
3528
3529 @kindex restart @var{checkpoint-id}
3530 @item restart @var{checkpoint-id}
3531 Restore the program state that was saved as checkpoint number
3532 @var{checkpoint-id}. All program variables, registers, stack frames
3533 etc.@: will be returned to the values that they had when the checkpoint
3534 was saved. In essence, gdb will ``wind back the clock'' to the point
3535 in time when the checkpoint was saved.
3536
3537 Note that breakpoints, @value{GDBN} variables, command history etc.
3538 are not affected by restoring a checkpoint. In general, a checkpoint
3539 only restores things that reside in the program being debugged, not in
3540 the debugger.
3541
3542 @kindex delete checkpoint @var{checkpoint-id}
3543 @item delete checkpoint @var{checkpoint-id}
3544 Delete the previously-saved checkpoint identified by @var{checkpoint-id}.
3545
3546 @end table
3547
3548 Returning to a previously saved checkpoint will restore the user state
3549 of the program being debugged, plus a significant subset of the system
3550 (OS) state, including file pointers. It won't ``un-write'' data from
3551 a file, but it will rewind the file pointer to the previous location,
3552 so that the previously written data can be overwritten. For files
3553 opened in read mode, the pointer will also be restored so that the
3554 previously read data can be read again.
3555
3556 Of course, characters that have been sent to a printer (or other
3557 external device) cannot be ``snatched back'', and characters received
3558 from eg.@: a serial device can be removed from internal program buffers,
3559 but they cannot be ``pushed back'' into the serial pipeline, ready to
3560 be received again. Similarly, the actual contents of files that have
3561 been changed cannot be restored (at this time).
3562
3563 However, within those constraints, you actually can ``rewind'' your
3564 program to a previously saved point in time, and begin debugging it
3565 again --- and you can change the course of events so as to debug a
3566 different execution path this time.
3567
3568 @cindex checkpoints and process id
3569 Finally, there is one bit of internal program state that will be
3570 different when you return to a checkpoint --- the program's process
3571 id. Each checkpoint will have a unique process id (or @var{pid}),
3572 and each will be different from the program's original @var{pid}.
3573 If your program has saved a local copy of its process id, this could
3574 potentially pose a problem.
3575
3576 @subsection A Non-obvious Benefit of Using Checkpoints
3577
3578 On some systems such as @sc{gnu}/Linux, address space randomization
3579 is performed on new processes for security reasons. This makes it
3580 difficult or impossible to set a breakpoint, or watchpoint, on an
3581 absolute address if you have to restart the program, since the
3582 absolute location of a symbol will change from one execution to the
3583 next.
3584
3585 A checkpoint, however, is an @emph{identical} copy of a process.
3586 Therefore if you create a checkpoint at (eg.@:) the start of main,
3587 and simply return to that checkpoint instead of restarting the
3588 process, you can avoid the effects of address randomization and
3589 your symbols will all stay in the same place.
3590
3591 @node Stopping
3592 @chapter Stopping and Continuing
3593
3594 The principal purposes of using a debugger are so that you can stop your
3595 program before it terminates; or so that, if your program runs into
3596 trouble, you can investigate and find out why.
3597
3598 Inside @value{GDBN}, your program may stop for any of several reasons,
3599 such as a signal, a breakpoint, or reaching a new line after a
3600 @value{GDBN} command such as @code{step}. You may then examine and
3601 change variables, set new breakpoints or remove old ones, and then
3602 continue execution. Usually, the messages shown by @value{GDBN} provide
3603 ample explanation of the status of your program---but you can also
3604 explicitly request this information at any time.
3605
3606 @table @code
3607 @kindex info program
3608 @item info program
3609 Display information about the status of your program: whether it is
3610 running or not, what process it is, and why it stopped.
3611 @end table
3612
3613 @menu
3614 * Breakpoints:: Breakpoints, watchpoints, and catchpoints
3615 * Continuing and Stepping:: Resuming execution
3616 * Skipping Over Functions and Files::
3617 Skipping over functions and files
3618 * Signals:: Signals
3619 * Thread Stops:: Stopping and starting multi-thread programs
3620 @end menu
3621
3622 @node Breakpoints
3623 @section Breakpoints, Watchpoints, and Catchpoints
3624
3625 @cindex breakpoints
3626 A @dfn{breakpoint} makes your program stop whenever a certain point in
3627 the program is reached. For each breakpoint, you can add conditions to
3628 control in finer detail whether your program stops. You can set
3629 breakpoints with the @code{break} command and its variants (@pxref{Set
3630 Breaks, ,Setting Breakpoints}), to specify the place where your program
3631 should stop by line number, function name or exact address in the
3632 program.
3633
3634 On some systems, you can set breakpoints in shared libraries before
3635 the executable is run.
3636
3637 @cindex watchpoints
3638 @cindex data breakpoints
3639 @cindex memory tracing
3640 @cindex breakpoint on memory address
3641 @cindex breakpoint on variable modification
3642 A @dfn{watchpoint} is a special breakpoint that stops your program
3643 when the value of an expression changes. The expression may be a value
3644 of a variable, or it could involve values of one or more variables
3645 combined by operators, such as @samp{a + b}. This is sometimes called
3646 @dfn{data breakpoints}. You must use a different command to set
3647 watchpoints (@pxref{Set Watchpoints, ,Setting Watchpoints}), but aside
3648 from that, you can manage a watchpoint like any other breakpoint: you
3649 enable, disable, and delete both breakpoints and watchpoints using the
3650 same commands.
3651
3652 You can arrange to have values from your program displayed automatically
3653 whenever @value{GDBN} stops at a breakpoint. @xref{Auto Display,,
3654 Automatic Display}.
3655
3656 @cindex catchpoints
3657 @cindex breakpoint on events
3658 A @dfn{catchpoint} is another special breakpoint that stops your program
3659 when a certain kind of event occurs, such as the throwing of a C@t{++}
3660 exception or the loading of a library. As with watchpoints, you use a
3661 different command to set a catchpoint (@pxref{Set Catchpoints, ,Setting
3662 Catchpoints}), but aside from that, you can manage a catchpoint like any
3663 other breakpoint. (To stop when your program receives a signal, use the
3664 @code{handle} command; see @ref{Signals, ,Signals}.)
3665
3666 @cindex breakpoint numbers
3667 @cindex numbers for breakpoints
3668 @value{GDBN} assigns a number to each breakpoint, watchpoint, or
3669 catchpoint when you create it; these numbers are successive integers
3670 starting with one. In many of the commands for controlling various
3671 features of breakpoints you use the breakpoint number to say which
3672 breakpoint you want to change. Each breakpoint may be @dfn{enabled} or
3673 @dfn{disabled}; if disabled, it has no effect on your program until you
3674 enable it again.
3675
3676 @cindex breakpoint ranges
3677 @cindex breakpoint lists
3678 @cindex ranges of breakpoints
3679 @cindex lists of breakpoints
3680 Some @value{GDBN} commands accept a space-separated list of breakpoints
3681 on which to operate. A list element can be either a single breakpoint number,
3682 like @samp{5}, or a range of such numbers, like @samp{5-7}.
3683 When a breakpoint list is given to a command, all breakpoints in that list
3684 are operated on.
3685
3686 @menu
3687 * Set Breaks:: Setting breakpoints
3688 * Set Watchpoints:: Setting watchpoints
3689 * Set Catchpoints:: Setting catchpoints
3690 * Delete Breaks:: Deleting breakpoints
3691 * Disabling:: Disabling breakpoints
3692 * Conditions:: Break conditions
3693 * Break Commands:: Breakpoint command lists
3694 * Dynamic Printf:: Dynamic printf
3695 * Save Breakpoints:: How to save breakpoints in a file
3696 * Static Probe Points:: Listing static probe points
3697 * Error in Breakpoints:: ``Cannot insert breakpoints''
3698 * Breakpoint-related Warnings:: ``Breakpoint address adjusted...''
3699 @end menu
3700
3701 @node Set Breaks
3702 @subsection Setting Breakpoints
3703
3704 @c FIXME LMB what does GDB do if no code on line of breakpt?
3705 @c consider in particular declaration with/without initialization.
3706 @c
3707 @c FIXME 2 is there stuff on this already? break at fun start, already init?
3708
3709 @kindex break
3710 @kindex b @r{(@code{break})}
3711 @vindex $bpnum@r{, convenience variable}
3712 @cindex latest breakpoint
3713 Breakpoints are set with the @code{break} command (abbreviated
3714 @code{b}). The debugger convenience variable @samp{$bpnum} records the
3715 number of the breakpoint you've set most recently; see @ref{Convenience
3716 Vars,, Convenience Variables}, for a discussion of what you can do with
3717 convenience variables.
3718
3719 @table @code
3720 @item break @var{location}
3721 Set a breakpoint at the given @var{location}, which can specify a
3722 function name, a line number, or an address of an instruction.
3723 (@xref{Specify Location}, for a list of all the possible ways to
3724 specify a @var{location}.) The breakpoint will stop your program just
3725 before it executes any of the code in the specified @var{location}.
3726
3727 When using source languages that permit overloading of symbols, such as
3728 C@t{++}, a function name may refer to more than one possible place to break.
3729 @xref{Ambiguous Expressions,,Ambiguous Expressions}, for a discussion of
3730 that situation.
3731
3732 It is also possible to insert a breakpoint that will stop the program
3733 only if a specific thread (@pxref{Thread-Specific Breakpoints})
3734 or a specific task (@pxref{Ada Tasks}) hits that breakpoint.
3735
3736 @item break
3737 When called without any arguments, @code{break} sets a breakpoint at
3738 the next instruction to be executed in the selected stack frame
3739 (@pxref{Stack, ,Examining the Stack}). In any selected frame but the
3740 innermost, this makes your program stop as soon as control
3741 returns to that frame. This is similar to the effect of a
3742 @code{finish} command in the frame inside the selected frame---except
3743 that @code{finish} does not leave an active breakpoint. If you use
3744 @code{break} without an argument in the innermost frame, @value{GDBN} stops
3745 the next time it reaches the current location; this may be useful
3746 inside loops.
3747
3748 @value{GDBN} normally ignores breakpoints when it resumes execution, until at
3749 least one instruction has been executed. If it did not do this, you
3750 would be unable to proceed past a breakpoint without first disabling the
3751 breakpoint. This rule applies whether or not the breakpoint already
3752 existed when your program stopped.
3753
3754 @item break @dots{} if @var{cond}
3755 Set a breakpoint with condition @var{cond}; evaluate the expression
3756 @var{cond} each time the breakpoint is reached, and stop only if the
3757 value is nonzero---that is, if @var{cond} evaluates as true.
3758 @samp{@dots{}} stands for one of the possible arguments described
3759 above (or no argument) specifying where to break. @xref{Conditions,
3760 ,Break Conditions}, for more information on breakpoint conditions.
3761
3762 @kindex tbreak
3763 @item tbreak @var{args}
3764 Set a breakpoint enabled only for one stop. The @var{args} are the
3765 same as for the @code{break} command, and the breakpoint is set in the same
3766 way, but the breakpoint is automatically deleted after the first time your
3767 program stops there. @xref{Disabling, ,Disabling Breakpoints}.
3768
3769 @kindex hbreak
3770 @cindex hardware breakpoints
3771 @item hbreak @var{args}
3772 Set a hardware-assisted breakpoint. The @var{args} are the same as for the
3773 @code{break} command and the breakpoint is set in the same way, but the
3774 breakpoint requires hardware support and some target hardware may not
3775 have this support. The main purpose of this is EPROM/ROM code
3776 debugging, so you can set a breakpoint at an instruction without
3777 changing the instruction. This can be used with the new trap-generation
3778 provided by SPARClite DSU and most x86-based targets. These targets
3779 will generate traps when a program accesses some data or instruction
3780 address that is assigned to the debug registers. However the hardware
3781 breakpoint registers can take a limited number of breakpoints. For
3782 example, on the DSU, only two data breakpoints can be set at a time, and
3783 @value{GDBN} will reject this command if more than two are used. Delete
3784 or disable unused hardware breakpoints before setting new ones
3785 (@pxref{Disabling, ,Disabling Breakpoints}).
3786 @xref{Conditions, ,Break Conditions}.
3787 For remote targets, you can restrict the number of hardware
3788 breakpoints @value{GDBN} will use, see @ref{set remote
3789 hardware-breakpoint-limit}.
3790
3791 @kindex thbreak
3792 @item thbreak @var{args}
3793 Set a hardware-assisted breakpoint enabled only for one stop. The @var{args}
3794 are the same as for the @code{hbreak} command and the breakpoint is set in
3795 the same way. However, like the @code{tbreak} command,
3796 the breakpoint is automatically deleted after the
3797 first time your program stops there. Also, like the @code{hbreak}
3798 command, the breakpoint requires hardware support and some target hardware
3799 may not have this support. @xref{Disabling, ,Disabling Breakpoints}.
3800 See also @ref{Conditions, ,Break Conditions}.
3801
3802 @kindex rbreak
3803 @cindex regular expression
3804 @cindex breakpoints at functions matching a regexp
3805 @cindex set breakpoints in many functions
3806 @item rbreak @var{regex}
3807 Set breakpoints on all functions matching the regular expression
3808 @var{regex}. This command sets an unconditional breakpoint on all
3809 matches, printing a list of all breakpoints it set. Once these
3810 breakpoints are set, they are treated just like the breakpoints set with
3811 the @code{break} command. You can delete them, disable them, or make
3812 them conditional the same way as any other breakpoint.
3813
3814 The syntax of the regular expression is the standard one used with tools
3815 like @file{grep}. Note that this is different from the syntax used by
3816 shells, so for instance @code{foo*} matches all functions that include
3817 an @code{fo} followed by zero or more @code{o}s. There is an implicit
3818 @code{.*} leading and trailing the regular expression you supply, so to
3819 match only functions that begin with @code{foo}, use @code{^foo}.
3820
3821 @cindex non-member C@t{++} functions, set breakpoint in
3822 When debugging C@t{++} programs, @code{rbreak} is useful for setting
3823 breakpoints on overloaded functions that are not members of any special
3824 classes.
3825
3826 @cindex set breakpoints on all functions
3827 The @code{rbreak} command can be used to set breakpoints in
3828 @strong{all} the functions in a program, like this:
3829
3830 @smallexample
3831 (@value{GDBP}) rbreak .
3832 @end smallexample
3833
3834 @item rbreak @var{file}:@var{regex}
3835 If @code{rbreak} is called with a filename qualification, it limits
3836 the search for functions matching the given regular expression to the
3837 specified @var{file}. This can be used, for example, to set breakpoints on
3838 every function in a given file:
3839
3840 @smallexample
3841 (@value{GDBP}) rbreak file.c:.
3842 @end smallexample
3843
3844 The colon separating the filename qualifier from the regex may
3845 optionally be surrounded by spaces.
3846
3847 @kindex info breakpoints
3848 @cindex @code{$_} and @code{info breakpoints}
3849 @item info breakpoints @r{[}@var{list}@dots{}@r{]}
3850 @itemx info break @r{[}@var{list}@dots{}@r{]}
3851 Print a table of all breakpoints, watchpoints, and catchpoints set and
3852 not deleted. Optional argument @var{n} means print information only
3853 about the specified breakpoint(s) (or watchpoint(s) or catchpoint(s)).
3854 For each breakpoint, following columns are printed:
3855
3856 @table @emph
3857 @item Breakpoint Numbers
3858 @item Type
3859 Breakpoint, watchpoint, or catchpoint.
3860 @item Disposition
3861 Whether the breakpoint is marked to be disabled or deleted when hit.
3862 @item Enabled or Disabled
3863 Enabled breakpoints are marked with @samp{y}. @samp{n} marks breakpoints
3864 that are not enabled.
3865 @item Address
3866 Where the breakpoint is in your program, as a memory address. For a
3867 pending breakpoint whose address is not yet known, this field will
3868 contain @samp{<PENDING>}. Such breakpoint won't fire until a shared
3869 library that has the symbol or line referred by breakpoint is loaded.
3870 See below for details. A breakpoint with several locations will
3871 have @samp{<MULTIPLE>} in this field---see below for details.
3872 @item What
3873 Where the breakpoint is in the source for your program, as a file and
3874 line number. For a pending breakpoint, the original string passed to
3875 the breakpoint command will be listed as it cannot be resolved until
3876 the appropriate shared library is loaded in the future.
3877 @end table
3878
3879 @noindent
3880 If a breakpoint is conditional, there are two evaluation modes: ``host'' and
3881 ``target''. If mode is ``host'', breakpoint condition evaluation is done by
3882 @value{GDBN} on the host's side. If it is ``target'', then the condition
3883 is evaluated by the target. The @code{info break} command shows
3884 the condition on the line following the affected breakpoint, together with
3885 its condition evaluation mode in between parentheses.
3886
3887 Breakpoint commands, if any, are listed after that. A pending breakpoint is
3888 allowed to have a condition specified for it. The condition is not parsed for
3889 validity until a shared library is loaded that allows the pending
3890 breakpoint to resolve to a valid location.
3891
3892 @noindent
3893 @code{info break} with a breakpoint
3894 number @var{n} as argument lists only that breakpoint. The
3895 convenience variable @code{$_} and the default examining-address for
3896 the @code{x} command are set to the address of the last breakpoint
3897 listed (@pxref{Memory, ,Examining Memory}).
3898
3899 @noindent
3900 @code{info break} displays a count of the number of times the breakpoint
3901 has been hit. This is especially useful in conjunction with the
3902 @code{ignore} command. You can ignore a large number of breakpoint
3903 hits, look at the breakpoint info to see how many times the breakpoint
3904 was hit, and then run again, ignoring one less than that number. This
3905 will get you quickly to the last hit of that breakpoint.
3906
3907 @noindent
3908 For a breakpoints with an enable count (xref) greater than 1,
3909 @code{info break} also displays that count.
3910
3911 @end table
3912
3913 @value{GDBN} allows you to set any number of breakpoints at the same place in
3914 your program. There is nothing silly or meaningless about this. When
3915 the breakpoints are conditional, this is even useful
3916 (@pxref{Conditions, ,Break Conditions}).
3917
3918 @cindex multiple locations, breakpoints
3919 @cindex breakpoints, multiple locations
3920 It is possible that a breakpoint corresponds to several locations
3921 in your program. Examples of this situation are:
3922
3923 @itemize @bullet
3924 @item
3925 Multiple functions in the program may have the same name.
3926
3927 @item
3928 For a C@t{++} constructor, the @value{NGCC} compiler generates several
3929 instances of the function body, used in different cases.
3930
3931 @item
3932 For a C@t{++} template function, a given line in the function can
3933 correspond to any number of instantiations.
3934
3935 @item
3936 For an inlined function, a given source line can correspond to
3937 several places where that function is inlined.
3938 @end itemize
3939
3940 In all those cases, @value{GDBN} will insert a breakpoint at all
3941 the relevant locations.
3942
3943 A breakpoint with multiple locations is displayed in the breakpoint
3944 table using several rows---one header row, followed by one row for
3945 each breakpoint location. The header row has @samp{<MULTIPLE>} in the
3946 address column. The rows for individual locations contain the actual
3947 addresses for locations, and show the functions to which those
3948 locations belong. The number column for a location is of the form
3949 @var{breakpoint-number}.@var{location-number}.
3950
3951 For example:
3952
3953 @smallexample
3954 Num Type Disp Enb Address What
3955 1 breakpoint keep y <MULTIPLE>
3956 stop only if i==1
3957 breakpoint already hit 1 time
3958 1.1 y 0x080486a2 in void foo<int>() at t.cc:8
3959 1.2 y 0x080486ca in void foo<double>() at t.cc:8
3960 @end smallexample
3961
3962 You cannot delete the individual locations from a breakpoint. However,
3963 each location can be individually enabled or disabled by passing
3964 @var{breakpoint-number}.@var{location-number} as argument to the
3965 @code{enable} and @code{disable} commands. It's also possible to
3966 @code{enable} and @code{disable} a range of @var{location-number}
3967 locations using a @var{breakpoint-number} and two @var{location-number}s,
3968 in increasing order, separated by a hyphen, like
3969 @kbd{@var{breakpoint-number}.@var{location-number1}-@var{location-number2}},
3970 in which case @value{GDBN} acts on all the locations in the range (inclusive).
3971 Disabling or enabling the parent breakpoint (@pxref{Disabling}) affects
3972 all of the locations that belong to that breakpoint.
3973
3974 @cindex pending breakpoints
3975 It's quite common to have a breakpoint inside a shared library.
3976 Shared libraries can be loaded and unloaded explicitly,
3977 and possibly repeatedly, as the program is executed. To support
3978 this use case, @value{GDBN} updates breakpoint locations whenever
3979 any shared library is loaded or unloaded. Typically, you would
3980 set a breakpoint in a shared library at the beginning of your
3981 debugging session, when the library is not loaded, and when the
3982 symbols from the library are not available. When you try to set
3983 breakpoint, @value{GDBN} will ask you if you want to set
3984 a so called @dfn{pending breakpoint}---breakpoint whose address
3985 is not yet resolved.
3986
3987 After the program is run, whenever a new shared library is loaded,
3988 @value{GDBN} reevaluates all the breakpoints. When a newly loaded
3989 shared library contains the symbol or line referred to by some
3990 pending breakpoint, that breakpoint is resolved and becomes an
3991 ordinary breakpoint. When a library is unloaded, all breakpoints
3992 that refer to its symbols or source lines become pending again.
3993
3994 This logic works for breakpoints with multiple locations, too. For
3995 example, if you have a breakpoint in a C@t{++} template function, and
3996 a newly loaded shared library has an instantiation of that template,
3997 a new location is added to the list of locations for the breakpoint.
3998
3999 Except for having unresolved address, pending breakpoints do not
4000 differ from regular breakpoints. You can set conditions or commands,
4001 enable and disable them and perform other breakpoint operations.
4002
4003 @value{GDBN} provides some additional commands for controlling what
4004 happens when the @samp{break} command cannot resolve breakpoint
4005 address specification to an address:
4006
4007 @kindex set breakpoint pending
4008 @kindex show breakpoint pending
4009 @table @code
4010 @item set breakpoint pending auto
4011 This is the default behavior. When @value{GDBN} cannot find the breakpoint
4012 location, it queries you whether a pending breakpoint should be created.
4013
4014 @item set breakpoint pending on
4015 This indicates that an unrecognized breakpoint location should automatically
4016 result in a pending breakpoint being created.
4017
4018 @item set breakpoint pending off
4019 This indicates that pending breakpoints are not to be created. Any
4020 unrecognized breakpoint location results in an error. This setting does
4021 not affect any pending breakpoints previously created.
4022
4023 @item show breakpoint pending
4024 Show the current behavior setting for creating pending breakpoints.
4025 @end table
4026
4027 The settings above only affect the @code{break} command and its
4028 variants. Once breakpoint is set, it will be automatically updated
4029 as shared libraries are loaded and unloaded.
4030
4031 @cindex automatic hardware breakpoints
4032 For some targets, @value{GDBN} can automatically decide if hardware or
4033 software breakpoints should be used, depending on whether the
4034 breakpoint address is read-only or read-write. This applies to
4035 breakpoints set with the @code{break} command as well as to internal
4036 breakpoints set by commands like @code{next} and @code{finish}. For
4037 breakpoints set with @code{hbreak}, @value{GDBN} will always use hardware
4038 breakpoints.
4039
4040 You can control this automatic behaviour with the following commands:
4041
4042 @kindex set breakpoint auto-hw
4043 @kindex show breakpoint auto-hw
4044 @table @code
4045 @item set breakpoint auto-hw on
4046 This is the default behavior. When @value{GDBN} sets a breakpoint, it
4047 will try to use the target memory map to decide if software or hardware
4048 breakpoint must be used.
4049
4050 @item set breakpoint auto-hw off
4051 This indicates @value{GDBN} should not automatically select breakpoint
4052 type. If the target provides a memory map, @value{GDBN} will warn when
4053 trying to set software breakpoint at a read-only address.
4054 @end table
4055
4056 @value{GDBN} normally implements breakpoints by replacing the program code
4057 at the breakpoint address with a special instruction, which, when
4058 executed, given control to the debugger. By default, the program
4059 code is so modified only when the program is resumed. As soon as
4060 the program stops, @value{GDBN} restores the original instructions. This
4061 behaviour guards against leaving breakpoints inserted in the
4062 target should gdb abrubptly disconnect. However, with slow remote
4063 targets, inserting and removing breakpoint can reduce the performance.
4064 This behavior can be controlled with the following commands::
4065
4066 @kindex set breakpoint always-inserted
4067 @kindex show breakpoint always-inserted
4068 @table @code
4069 @item set breakpoint always-inserted off
4070 All breakpoints, including newly added by the user, are inserted in
4071 the target only when the target is resumed. All breakpoints are
4072 removed from the target when it stops. This is the default mode.
4073
4074 @item set breakpoint always-inserted on
4075 Causes all breakpoints to be inserted in the target at all times. If
4076 the user adds a new breakpoint, or changes an existing breakpoint, the
4077 breakpoints in the target are updated immediately. A breakpoint is
4078 removed from the target only when breakpoint itself is deleted.
4079 @end table
4080
4081 @value{GDBN} handles conditional breakpoints by evaluating these conditions
4082 when a breakpoint breaks. If the condition is true, then the process being
4083 debugged stops, otherwise the process is resumed.
4084
4085 If the target supports evaluating conditions on its end, @value{GDBN} may
4086 download the breakpoint, together with its conditions, to it.
4087
4088 This feature can be controlled via the following commands:
4089
4090 @kindex set breakpoint condition-evaluation
4091 @kindex show breakpoint condition-evaluation
4092 @table @code
4093 @item set breakpoint condition-evaluation host
4094 This option commands @value{GDBN} to evaluate the breakpoint
4095 conditions on the host's side. Unconditional breakpoints are sent to
4096 the target which in turn receives the triggers and reports them back to GDB
4097 for condition evaluation. This is the standard evaluation mode.
4098
4099 @item set breakpoint condition-evaluation target
4100 This option commands @value{GDBN} to download breakpoint conditions
4101 to the target at the moment of their insertion. The target
4102 is responsible for evaluating the conditional expression and reporting
4103 breakpoint stop events back to @value{GDBN} whenever the condition
4104 is true. Due to limitations of target-side evaluation, some conditions
4105 cannot be evaluated there, e.g., conditions that depend on local data
4106 that is only known to the host. Examples include
4107 conditional expressions involving convenience variables, complex types
4108 that cannot be handled by the agent expression parser and expressions
4109 that are too long to be sent over to the target, specially when the
4110 target is a remote system. In these cases, the conditions will be
4111 evaluated by @value{GDBN}.
4112
4113 @item set breakpoint condition-evaluation auto
4114 This is the default mode. If the target supports evaluating breakpoint
4115 conditions on its end, @value{GDBN} will download breakpoint conditions to
4116 the target (limitations mentioned previously apply). If the target does
4117 not support breakpoint condition evaluation, then @value{GDBN} will fallback
4118 to evaluating all these conditions on the host's side.
4119 @end table
4120
4121
4122 @cindex negative breakpoint numbers
4123 @cindex internal @value{GDBN} breakpoints
4124 @value{GDBN} itself sometimes sets breakpoints in your program for
4125 special purposes, such as proper handling of @code{longjmp} (in C
4126 programs). These internal breakpoints are assigned negative numbers,
4127 starting with @code{-1}; @samp{info breakpoints} does not display them.
4128 You can see these breakpoints with the @value{GDBN} maintenance command
4129 @samp{maint info breakpoints} (@pxref{maint info breakpoints}).
4130
4131
4132 @node Set Watchpoints
4133 @subsection Setting Watchpoints
4134
4135 @cindex setting watchpoints
4136 You can use a watchpoint to stop execution whenever the value of an
4137 expression changes, without having to predict a particular place where
4138 this may happen. (This is sometimes called a @dfn{data breakpoint}.)
4139 The expression may be as simple as the value of a single variable, or
4140 as complex as many variables combined by operators. Examples include:
4141
4142 @itemize @bullet
4143 @item
4144 A reference to the value of a single variable.
4145
4146 @item
4147 An address cast to an appropriate data type. For example,
4148 @samp{*(int *)0x12345678} will watch a 4-byte region at the specified
4149 address (assuming an @code{int} occupies 4 bytes).
4150
4151 @item
4152 An arbitrarily complex expression, such as @samp{a*b + c/d}. The
4153 expression can use any operators valid in the program's native
4154 language (@pxref{Languages}).
4155 @end itemize
4156
4157 You can set a watchpoint on an expression even if the expression can
4158 not be evaluated yet. For instance, you can set a watchpoint on
4159 @samp{*global_ptr} before @samp{global_ptr} is initialized.
4160 @value{GDBN} will stop when your program sets @samp{global_ptr} and
4161 the expression produces a valid value. If the expression becomes
4162 valid in some other way than changing a variable (e.g.@: if the memory
4163 pointed to by @samp{*global_ptr} becomes readable as the result of a
4164 @code{malloc} call), @value{GDBN} may not stop until the next time
4165 the expression changes.
4166
4167 @cindex software watchpoints
4168 @cindex hardware watchpoints
4169 Depending on your system, watchpoints may be implemented in software or
4170 hardware. @value{GDBN} does software watchpointing by single-stepping your
4171 program and testing the variable's value each time, which is hundreds of
4172 times slower than normal execution. (But this may still be worth it, to
4173 catch errors where you have no clue what part of your program is the
4174 culprit.)
4175
4176 On some systems, such as most PowerPC or x86-based targets,
4177 @value{GDBN} includes support for hardware watchpoints, which do not
4178 slow down the running of your program.
4179
4180 @table @code
4181 @kindex watch
4182 @item watch @r{[}-l@r{|}-location@r{]} @var{expr} @r{[}thread @var{thread-id}@r{]} @r{[}mask @var{maskvalue}@r{]}
4183 Set a watchpoint for an expression. @value{GDBN} will break when the
4184 expression @var{expr} is written into by the program and its value
4185 changes. The simplest (and the most popular) use of this command is
4186 to watch the value of a single variable:
4187
4188 @smallexample
4189 (@value{GDBP}) watch foo
4190 @end smallexample
4191
4192 If the command includes a @code{@r{[}thread @var{thread-id}@r{]}}
4193 argument, @value{GDBN} breaks only when the thread identified by
4194 @var{thread-id} changes the value of @var{expr}. If any other threads
4195 change the value of @var{expr}, @value{GDBN} will not break. Note
4196 that watchpoints restricted to a single thread in this way only work
4197 with Hardware Watchpoints.
4198
4199 Ordinarily a watchpoint respects the scope of variables in @var{expr}
4200 (see below). The @code{-location} argument tells @value{GDBN} to
4201 instead watch the memory referred to by @var{expr}. In this case,
4202 @value{GDBN} will evaluate @var{expr}, take the address of the result,
4203 and watch the memory at that address. The type of the result is used
4204 to determine the size of the watched memory. If the expression's
4205 result does not have an address, then @value{GDBN} will print an
4206 error.
4207
4208 The @code{@r{[}mask @var{maskvalue}@r{]}} argument allows creation
4209 of masked watchpoints, if the current architecture supports this
4210 feature (e.g., PowerPC Embedded architecture, see @ref{PowerPC
4211 Embedded}.) A @dfn{masked watchpoint} specifies a mask in addition
4212 to an address to watch. The mask specifies that some bits of an address
4213 (the bits which are reset in the mask) should be ignored when matching
4214 the address accessed by the inferior against the watchpoint address.
4215 Thus, a masked watchpoint watches many addresses simultaneously---those
4216 addresses whose unmasked bits are identical to the unmasked bits in the
4217 watchpoint address. The @code{mask} argument implies @code{-location}.
4218 Examples:
4219
4220 @smallexample
4221 (@value{GDBP}) watch foo mask 0xffff00ff
4222 (@value{GDBP}) watch *0xdeadbeef mask 0xffffff00
4223 @end smallexample
4224
4225 @kindex rwatch
4226 @item rwatch @r{[}-l@r{|}-location@r{]} @var{expr} @r{[}thread @var{thread-id}@r{]} @r{[}mask @var{maskvalue}@r{]}
4227 Set a watchpoint that will break when the value of @var{expr} is read
4228 by the program.
4229
4230 @kindex awatch
4231 @item awatch @r{[}-l@r{|}-location@r{]} @var{expr} @r{[}thread @var{thread-id}@r{]} @r{[}mask @var{maskvalue}@r{]}
4232 Set a watchpoint that will break when @var{expr} is either read from
4233 or written into by the program.
4234
4235 @kindex info watchpoints @r{[}@var{list}@dots{}@r{]}
4236 @item info watchpoints @r{[}@var{list}@dots{}@r{]}
4237 This command prints a list of watchpoints, using the same format as
4238 @code{info break} (@pxref{Set Breaks}).
4239 @end table
4240
4241 If you watch for a change in a numerically entered address you need to
4242 dereference it, as the address itself is just a constant number which will
4243 never change. @value{GDBN} refuses to create a watchpoint that watches
4244 a never-changing value:
4245
4246 @smallexample
4247 (@value{GDBP}) watch 0x600850
4248 Cannot watch constant value 0x600850.
4249 (@value{GDBP}) watch *(int *) 0x600850
4250 Watchpoint 1: *(int *) 6293584
4251 @end smallexample
4252
4253 @value{GDBN} sets a @dfn{hardware watchpoint} if possible. Hardware
4254 watchpoints execute very quickly, and the debugger reports a change in
4255 value at the exact instruction where the change occurs. If @value{GDBN}
4256 cannot set a hardware watchpoint, it sets a software watchpoint, which
4257 executes more slowly and reports the change in value at the next
4258 @emph{statement}, not the instruction, after the change occurs.
4259
4260 @cindex use only software watchpoints
4261 You can force @value{GDBN} to use only software watchpoints with the
4262 @kbd{set can-use-hw-watchpoints 0} command. With this variable set to
4263 zero, @value{GDBN} will never try to use hardware watchpoints, even if
4264 the underlying system supports them. (Note that hardware-assisted
4265 watchpoints that were set @emph{before} setting
4266 @code{can-use-hw-watchpoints} to zero will still use the hardware
4267 mechanism of watching expression values.)
4268
4269 @table @code
4270 @item set can-use-hw-watchpoints
4271 @kindex set can-use-hw-watchpoints
4272 Set whether or not to use hardware watchpoints.
4273
4274 @item show can-use-hw-watchpoints
4275 @kindex show can-use-hw-watchpoints
4276 Show the current mode of using hardware watchpoints.
4277 @end table
4278
4279 For remote targets, you can restrict the number of hardware
4280 watchpoints @value{GDBN} will use, see @ref{set remote
4281 hardware-breakpoint-limit}.
4282
4283 When you issue the @code{watch} command, @value{GDBN} reports
4284
4285 @smallexample
4286 Hardware watchpoint @var{num}: @var{expr}
4287 @end smallexample
4288
4289 @noindent
4290 if it was able to set a hardware watchpoint.
4291
4292 Currently, the @code{awatch} and @code{rwatch} commands can only set
4293 hardware watchpoints, because accesses to data that don't change the
4294 value of the watched expression cannot be detected without examining
4295 every instruction as it is being executed, and @value{GDBN} does not do
4296 that currently. If @value{GDBN} finds that it is unable to set a
4297 hardware breakpoint with the @code{awatch} or @code{rwatch} command, it
4298 will print a message like this:
4299
4300 @smallexample
4301 Expression cannot be implemented with read/access watchpoint.
4302 @end smallexample
4303
4304 Sometimes, @value{GDBN} cannot set a hardware watchpoint because the
4305 data type of the watched expression is wider than what a hardware
4306 watchpoint on the target machine can handle. For example, some systems
4307 can only watch regions that are up to 4 bytes wide; on such systems you
4308 cannot set hardware watchpoints for an expression that yields a
4309 double-precision floating-point number (which is typically 8 bytes
4310 wide). As a work-around, it might be possible to break the large region
4311 into a series of smaller ones and watch them with separate watchpoints.
4312
4313 If you set too many hardware watchpoints, @value{GDBN} might be unable
4314 to insert all of them when you resume the execution of your program.
4315 Since the precise number of active watchpoints is unknown until such
4316 time as the program is about to be resumed, @value{GDBN} might not be
4317 able to warn you about this when you set the watchpoints, and the
4318 warning will be printed only when the program is resumed:
4319
4320 @smallexample
4321 Hardware watchpoint @var{num}: Could not insert watchpoint
4322 @end smallexample
4323
4324 @noindent
4325 If this happens, delete or disable some of the watchpoints.
4326
4327 Watching complex expressions that reference many variables can also
4328 exhaust the resources available for hardware-assisted watchpoints.
4329 That's because @value{GDBN} needs to watch every variable in the
4330 expression with separately allocated resources.
4331
4332 If you call a function interactively using @code{print} or @code{call},
4333 any watchpoints you have set will be inactive until @value{GDBN} reaches another
4334 kind of breakpoint or the call completes.
4335
4336 @value{GDBN} automatically deletes watchpoints that watch local
4337 (automatic) variables, or expressions that involve such variables, when
4338 they go out of scope, that is, when the execution leaves the block in
4339 which these variables were defined. In particular, when the program
4340 being debugged terminates, @emph{all} local variables go out of scope,
4341 and so only watchpoints that watch global variables remain set. If you
4342 rerun the program, you will need to set all such watchpoints again. One
4343 way of doing that would be to set a code breakpoint at the entry to the
4344 @code{main} function and when it breaks, set all the watchpoints.
4345
4346 @cindex watchpoints and threads
4347 @cindex threads and watchpoints
4348 In multi-threaded programs, watchpoints will detect changes to the
4349 watched expression from every thread.
4350
4351 @quotation
4352 @emph{Warning:} In multi-threaded programs, software watchpoints
4353 have only limited usefulness. If @value{GDBN} creates a software
4354 watchpoint, it can only watch the value of an expression @emph{in a
4355 single thread}. If you are confident that the expression can only
4356 change due to the current thread's activity (and if you are also
4357 confident that no other thread can become current), then you can use
4358 software watchpoints as usual. However, @value{GDBN} may not notice
4359 when a non-current thread's activity changes the expression. (Hardware
4360 watchpoints, in contrast, watch an expression in all threads.)
4361 @end quotation
4362
4363 @xref{set remote hardware-watchpoint-limit}.
4364
4365 @node Set Catchpoints
4366 @subsection Setting Catchpoints
4367 @cindex catchpoints, setting
4368 @cindex exception handlers
4369 @cindex event handling
4370
4371 You can use @dfn{catchpoints} to cause the debugger to stop for certain
4372 kinds of program events, such as C@t{++} exceptions or the loading of a
4373 shared library. Use the @code{catch} command to set a catchpoint.
4374
4375 @table @code
4376 @kindex catch
4377 @item catch @var{event}
4378 Stop when @var{event} occurs. The @var{event} can be any of the following:
4379
4380 @table @code
4381 @item throw @r{[}@var{regexp}@r{]}
4382 @itemx rethrow @r{[}@var{regexp}@r{]}
4383 @itemx catch @r{[}@var{regexp}@r{]}
4384 @kindex catch throw
4385 @kindex catch rethrow
4386 @kindex catch catch
4387 @cindex stop on C@t{++} exceptions
4388 The throwing, re-throwing, or catching of a C@t{++} exception.
4389
4390 If @var{regexp} is given, then only exceptions whose type matches the
4391 regular expression will be caught.
4392
4393 @vindex $_exception@r{, convenience variable}
4394 The convenience variable @code{$_exception} is available at an
4395 exception-related catchpoint, on some systems. This holds the
4396 exception being thrown.
4397
4398 There are currently some limitations to C@t{++} exception handling in
4399 @value{GDBN}:
4400
4401 @itemize @bullet
4402 @item
4403 The support for these commands is system-dependent. Currently, only
4404 systems using the @samp{gnu-v3} C@t{++} ABI (@pxref{ABI}) are
4405 supported.
4406
4407 @item
4408 The regular expression feature and the @code{$_exception} convenience
4409 variable rely on the presence of some SDT probes in @code{libstdc++}.
4410 If these probes are not present, then these features cannot be used.
4411 These probes were first available in the GCC 4.8 release, but whether
4412 or not they are available in your GCC also depends on how it was
4413 built.
4414
4415 @item
4416 The @code{$_exception} convenience variable is only valid at the
4417 instruction at which an exception-related catchpoint is set.
4418
4419 @item
4420 When an exception-related catchpoint is hit, @value{GDBN} stops at a
4421 location in the system library which implements runtime exception
4422 support for C@t{++}, usually @code{libstdc++}. You can use @code{up}
4423 (@pxref{Selection}) to get to your code.
4424
4425 @item
4426 If you call a function interactively, @value{GDBN} normally returns
4427 control to you when the function has finished executing. If the call
4428 raises an exception, however, the call may bypass the mechanism that
4429 returns control to you and cause your program either to abort or to
4430 simply continue running until it hits a breakpoint, catches a signal
4431 that @value{GDBN} is listening for, or exits. This is the case even if
4432 you set a catchpoint for the exception; catchpoints on exceptions are
4433 disabled within interactive calls. @xref{Calling}, for information on
4434 controlling this with @code{set unwind-on-terminating-exception}.
4435
4436 @item
4437 You cannot raise an exception interactively.
4438
4439 @item
4440 You cannot install an exception handler interactively.
4441 @end itemize
4442
4443 @item exception
4444 @kindex catch exception
4445 @cindex Ada exception catching
4446 @cindex catch Ada exceptions
4447 An Ada exception being raised. If an exception name is specified
4448 at the end of the command (eg @code{catch exception Program_Error}),
4449 the debugger will stop only when this specific exception is raised.
4450 Otherwise, the debugger stops execution when any Ada exception is raised.
4451
4452 When inserting an exception catchpoint on a user-defined exception whose
4453 name is identical to one of the exceptions defined by the language, the
4454 fully qualified name must be used as the exception name. Otherwise,
4455 @value{GDBN} will assume that it should stop on the pre-defined exception
4456 rather than the user-defined one. For instance, assuming an exception
4457 called @code{Constraint_Error} is defined in package @code{Pck}, then
4458 the command to use to catch such exceptions is @kbd{catch exception
4459 Pck.Constraint_Error}.
4460
4461 @item handlers
4462 @kindex catch handlers
4463 @cindex Ada exception handlers catching
4464 @cindex catch Ada exceptions when handled
4465 An Ada exception being handled. If an exception name is
4466 specified at the end of the command
4467 (eg @kbd{catch handlers Program_Error}), the debugger will stop
4468 only when this specific exception is handled.
4469 Otherwise, the debugger stops execution when any Ada exception is handled.
4470
4471 When inserting a handlers catchpoint on a user-defined
4472 exception whose name is identical to one of the exceptions
4473 defined by the language, the fully qualified name must be used
4474 as the exception name. Otherwise, @value{GDBN} will assume that it
4475 should stop on the pre-defined exception rather than the
4476 user-defined one. For instance, assuming an exception called
4477 @code{Constraint_Error} is defined in package @code{Pck}, then the
4478 command to use to catch such exceptions handling is
4479 @kbd{catch handlers Pck.Constraint_Error}.
4480
4481 @item exception unhandled
4482 @kindex catch exception unhandled
4483 An exception that was raised but is not handled by the program.
4484
4485 @item assert
4486 @kindex catch assert
4487 A failed Ada assertion.
4488
4489 @item exec
4490 @kindex catch exec
4491 @cindex break on fork/exec
4492 A call to @code{exec}.
4493
4494 @item syscall
4495 @itemx syscall @r{[}@var{name} @r{|} @var{number} @r{|} @r{group:}@var{groupname} @r{|} @r{g:}@var{groupname}@r{]} @dots{}
4496 @kindex catch syscall
4497 @cindex break on a system call.
4498 A call to or return from a system call, a.k.a.@: @dfn{syscall}. A
4499 syscall is a mechanism for application programs to request a service
4500 from the operating system (OS) or one of the OS system services.
4501 @value{GDBN} can catch some or all of the syscalls issued by the
4502 debuggee, and show the related information for each syscall. If no
4503 argument is specified, calls to and returns from all system calls
4504 will be caught.
4505
4506 @var{name} can be any system call name that is valid for the
4507 underlying OS. Just what syscalls are valid depends on the OS. On
4508 GNU and Unix systems, you can find the full list of valid syscall
4509 names on @file{/usr/include/asm/unistd.h}.
4510
4511 @c For MS-Windows, the syscall names and the corresponding numbers
4512 @c can be found, e.g., on this URL:
4513 @c http://www.metasploit.com/users/opcode/syscalls.html
4514 @c but we don't support Windows syscalls yet.
4515
4516 Normally, @value{GDBN} knows in advance which syscalls are valid for
4517 each OS, so you can use the @value{GDBN} command-line completion
4518 facilities (@pxref{Completion,, command completion}) to list the
4519 available choices.
4520
4521 You may also specify the system call numerically. A syscall's
4522 number is the value passed to the OS's syscall dispatcher to
4523 identify the requested service. When you specify the syscall by its
4524 name, @value{GDBN} uses its database of syscalls to convert the name
4525 into the corresponding numeric code, but using the number directly
4526 may be useful if @value{GDBN}'s database does not have the complete
4527 list of syscalls on your system (e.g., because @value{GDBN} lags
4528 behind the OS upgrades).
4529
4530 You may specify a group of related syscalls to be caught at once using
4531 the @code{group:} syntax (@code{g:} is a shorter equivalent). For
4532 instance, on some platforms @value{GDBN} allows you to catch all
4533 network related syscalls, by passing the argument @code{group:network}
4534 to @code{catch syscall}. Note that not all syscall groups are
4535 available in every system. You can use the command completion
4536 facilities (@pxref{Completion,, command completion}) to list the
4537 syscall groups available on your environment.
4538
4539 The example below illustrates how this command works if you don't provide
4540 arguments to it:
4541
4542 @smallexample
4543 (@value{GDBP}) catch syscall
4544 Catchpoint 1 (syscall)
4545 (@value{GDBP}) r
4546 Starting program: /tmp/catch-syscall
4547
4548 Catchpoint 1 (call to syscall 'close'), \
4549 0xffffe424 in __kernel_vsyscall ()
4550 (@value{GDBP}) c
4551 Continuing.
4552
4553 Catchpoint 1 (returned from syscall 'close'), \
4554 0xffffe424 in __kernel_vsyscall ()
4555 (@value{GDBP})
4556 @end smallexample
4557
4558 Here is an example of catching a system call by name:
4559
4560 @smallexample
4561 (@value{GDBP}) catch syscall chroot
4562 Catchpoint 1 (syscall 'chroot' [61])
4563 (@value{GDBP}) r
4564 Starting program: /tmp/catch-syscall
4565
4566 Catchpoint 1 (call to syscall 'chroot'), \
4567 0xffffe424 in __kernel_vsyscall ()
4568 (@value{GDBP}) c
4569 Continuing.
4570
4571 Catchpoint 1 (returned from syscall 'chroot'), \
4572 0xffffe424 in __kernel_vsyscall ()
4573 (@value{GDBP})
4574 @end smallexample
4575
4576 An example of specifying a system call numerically. In the case
4577 below, the syscall number has a corresponding entry in the XML
4578 file, so @value{GDBN} finds its name and prints it:
4579
4580 @smallexample
4581 (@value{GDBP}) catch syscall 252
4582 Catchpoint 1 (syscall(s) 'exit_group')
4583 (@value{GDBP}) r
4584 Starting program: /tmp/catch-syscall
4585
4586 Catchpoint 1 (call to syscall 'exit_group'), \
4587 0xffffe424 in __kernel_vsyscall ()
4588 (@value{GDBP}) c
4589 Continuing.
4590
4591 Program exited normally.
4592 (@value{GDBP})
4593 @end smallexample
4594
4595 Here is an example of catching a syscall group:
4596
4597 @smallexample
4598 (@value{GDBP}) catch syscall group:process
4599 Catchpoint 1 (syscalls 'exit' [1] 'fork' [2] 'waitpid' [7]
4600 'execve' [11] 'wait4' [114] 'clone' [120] 'vfork' [190]
4601 'exit_group' [252] 'waitid' [284] 'unshare' [310])
4602 (@value{GDBP}) r
4603 Starting program: /tmp/catch-syscall
4604
4605 Catchpoint 1 (call to syscall fork), 0x00007ffff7df4e27 in open64 ()
4606 from /lib64/ld-linux-x86-64.so.2
4607
4608 (@value{GDBP}) c
4609 Continuing.
4610 @end smallexample
4611
4612 However, there can be situations when there is no corresponding name
4613 in XML file for that syscall number. In this case, @value{GDBN} prints
4614 a warning message saying that it was not able to find the syscall name,
4615 but the catchpoint will be set anyway. See the example below:
4616
4617 @smallexample
4618 (@value{GDBP}) catch syscall 764
4619 warning: The number '764' does not represent a known syscall.
4620 Catchpoint 2 (syscall 764)
4621 (@value{GDBP})
4622 @end smallexample
4623
4624 If you configure @value{GDBN} using the @samp{--without-expat} option,
4625 it will not be able to display syscall names. Also, if your
4626 architecture does not have an XML file describing its system calls,
4627 you will not be able to see the syscall names. It is important to
4628 notice that these two features are used for accessing the syscall
4629 name database. In either case, you will see a warning like this:
4630
4631 @smallexample
4632 (@value{GDBP}) catch syscall
4633 warning: Could not open "syscalls/i386-linux.xml"
4634 warning: Could not load the syscall XML file 'syscalls/i386-linux.xml'.
4635 GDB will not be able to display syscall names.
4636 Catchpoint 1 (syscall)
4637 (@value{GDBP})
4638 @end smallexample
4639
4640 Of course, the file name will change depending on your architecture and system.
4641
4642 Still using the example above, you can also try to catch a syscall by its
4643 number. In this case, you would see something like:
4644
4645 @smallexample
4646 (@value{GDBP}) catch syscall 252
4647 Catchpoint 1 (syscall(s) 252)
4648 @end smallexample
4649
4650 Again, in this case @value{GDBN} would not be able to display syscall's names.
4651
4652 @item fork
4653 @kindex catch fork
4654 A call to @code{fork}.
4655
4656 @item vfork
4657 @kindex catch vfork
4658 A call to @code{vfork}.
4659
4660 @item load @r{[}regexp@r{]}
4661 @itemx unload @r{[}regexp@r{]}
4662 @kindex catch load
4663 @kindex catch unload
4664 The loading or unloading of a shared library. If @var{regexp} is
4665 given, then the catchpoint will stop only if the regular expression
4666 matches one of the affected libraries.
4667
4668 @item signal @r{[}@var{signal}@dots{} @r{|} @samp{all}@r{]}
4669 @kindex catch signal
4670 The delivery of a signal.
4671
4672 With no arguments, this catchpoint will catch any signal that is not
4673 used internally by @value{GDBN}, specifically, all signals except
4674 @samp{SIGTRAP} and @samp{SIGINT}.
4675
4676 With the argument @samp{all}, all signals, including those used by
4677 @value{GDBN}, will be caught. This argument cannot be used with other
4678 signal names.
4679
4680 Otherwise, the arguments are a list of signal names as given to
4681 @code{handle} (@pxref{Signals}). Only signals specified in this list
4682 will be caught.
4683
4684 One reason that @code{catch signal} can be more useful than
4685 @code{handle} is that you can attach commands and conditions to the
4686 catchpoint.
4687
4688 When a signal is caught by a catchpoint, the signal's @code{stop} and
4689 @code{print} settings, as specified by @code{handle}, are ignored.
4690 However, whether the signal is still delivered to the inferior depends
4691 on the @code{pass} setting; this can be changed in the catchpoint's
4692 commands.
4693
4694 @end table
4695
4696 @item tcatch @var{event}
4697 @kindex tcatch
4698 Set a catchpoint that is enabled only for one stop. The catchpoint is
4699 automatically deleted after the first time the event is caught.
4700
4701 @end table
4702
4703 Use the @code{info break} command to list the current catchpoints.
4704
4705
4706 @node Delete Breaks
4707 @subsection Deleting Breakpoints
4708
4709 @cindex clearing breakpoints, watchpoints, catchpoints
4710 @cindex deleting breakpoints, watchpoints, catchpoints
4711 It is often necessary to eliminate a breakpoint, watchpoint, or
4712 catchpoint once it has done its job and you no longer want your program
4713 to stop there. This is called @dfn{deleting} the breakpoint. A
4714 breakpoint that has been deleted no longer exists; it is forgotten.
4715
4716 With the @code{clear} command you can delete breakpoints according to
4717 where they are in your program. With the @code{delete} command you can
4718 delete individual breakpoints, watchpoints, or catchpoints by specifying
4719 their breakpoint numbers.
4720
4721 It is not necessary to delete a breakpoint to proceed past it. @value{GDBN}
4722 automatically ignores breakpoints on the first instruction to be executed
4723 when you continue execution without changing the execution address.
4724
4725 @table @code
4726 @kindex clear
4727 @item clear
4728 Delete any breakpoints at the next instruction to be executed in the
4729 selected stack frame (@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}). When
4730 the innermost frame is selected, this is a good way to delete a
4731 breakpoint where your program just stopped.
4732
4733 @item clear @var{location}
4734 Delete any breakpoints set at the specified @var{location}.
4735 @xref{Specify Location}, for the various forms of @var{location}; the
4736 most useful ones are listed below:
4737
4738 @table @code
4739 @item clear @var{function}
4740 @itemx clear @var{filename}:@var{function}
4741 Delete any breakpoints set at entry to the named @var{function}.
4742
4743 @item clear @var{linenum}
4744 @itemx clear @var{filename}:@var{linenum}
4745 Delete any breakpoints set at or within the code of the specified
4746 @var{linenum} of the specified @var{filename}.
4747 @end table
4748
4749 @cindex delete breakpoints
4750 @kindex delete
4751 @kindex d @r{(@code{delete})}
4752 @item delete @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} @r{[}@var{list}@dots{}@r{]}
4753 Delete the breakpoints, watchpoints, or catchpoints of the breakpoint
4754 list specified as argument. If no argument is specified, delete all
4755 breakpoints (@value{GDBN} asks confirmation, unless you have @code{set
4756 confirm off}). You can abbreviate this command as @code{d}.
4757 @end table
4758
4759 @node Disabling
4760 @subsection Disabling Breakpoints
4761
4762 @cindex enable/disable a breakpoint
4763 Rather than deleting a breakpoint, watchpoint, or catchpoint, you might
4764 prefer to @dfn{disable} it. This makes the breakpoint inoperative as if
4765 it had been deleted, but remembers the information on the breakpoint so
4766 that you can @dfn{enable} it again later.
4767
4768 You disable and enable breakpoints, watchpoints, and catchpoints with
4769 the @code{enable} and @code{disable} commands, optionally specifying
4770 one or more breakpoint numbers as arguments. Use @code{info break} to
4771 print a list of all breakpoints, watchpoints, and catchpoints if you
4772 do not know which numbers to use.
4773
4774 Disabling and enabling a breakpoint that has multiple locations
4775 affects all of its locations.
4776
4777 A breakpoint, watchpoint, or catchpoint can have any of several
4778 different states of enablement:
4779
4780 @itemize @bullet
4781 @item
4782 Enabled. The breakpoint stops your program. A breakpoint set
4783 with the @code{break} command starts out in this state.
4784 @item
4785 Disabled. The breakpoint has no effect on your program.
4786 @item
4787 Enabled once. The breakpoint stops your program, but then becomes
4788 disabled.
4789 @item
4790 Enabled for a count. The breakpoint stops your program for the next
4791 N times, then becomes disabled.
4792 @item
4793 Enabled for deletion. The breakpoint stops your program, but
4794 immediately after it does so it is deleted permanently. A breakpoint
4795 set with the @code{tbreak} command starts out in this state.
4796 @end itemize
4797
4798 You can use the following commands to enable or disable breakpoints,
4799 watchpoints, and catchpoints:
4800
4801 @table @code
4802 @kindex disable
4803 @kindex dis @r{(@code{disable})}
4804 @item disable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} @r{[}@var{list}@dots{}@r{]}
4805 Disable the specified breakpoints---or all breakpoints, if none are
4806 listed. A disabled breakpoint has no effect but is not forgotten. All
4807 options such as ignore-counts, conditions and commands are remembered in
4808 case the breakpoint is enabled again later. You may abbreviate
4809 @code{disable} as @code{dis}.
4810
4811 @kindex enable
4812 @item enable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} @r{[}@var{list}@dots{}@r{]}
4813 Enable the specified breakpoints (or all defined breakpoints). They
4814 become effective once again in stopping your program.
4815
4816 @item enable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} once @var{list}@dots{}
4817 Enable the specified breakpoints temporarily. @value{GDBN} disables any
4818 of these breakpoints immediately after stopping your program.
4819
4820 @item enable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} count @var{count} @var{list}@dots{}
4821 Enable the specified breakpoints temporarily. @value{GDBN} records
4822 @var{count} with each of the specified breakpoints, and decrements a
4823 breakpoint's count when it is hit. When any count reaches 0,
4824 @value{GDBN} disables that breakpoint. If a breakpoint has an ignore
4825 count (@pxref{Conditions, ,Break Conditions}), that will be
4826 decremented to 0 before @var{count} is affected.
4827
4828 @item enable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} delete @var{list}@dots{}
4829 Enable the specified breakpoints to work once, then die. @value{GDBN}
4830 deletes any of these breakpoints as soon as your program stops there.
4831 Breakpoints set by the @code{tbreak} command start out in this state.
4832 @end table
4833
4834 @c FIXME: I think the following ``Except for [...] @code{tbreak}'' is
4835 @c confusing: tbreak is also initially enabled.
4836 Except for a breakpoint set with @code{tbreak} (@pxref{Set Breaks,
4837 ,Setting Breakpoints}), breakpoints that you set are initially enabled;
4838 subsequently, they become disabled or enabled only when you use one of
4839 the commands above. (The command @code{until} can set and delete a
4840 breakpoint of its own, but it does not change the state of your other
4841 breakpoints; see @ref{Continuing and Stepping, ,Continuing and
4842 Stepping}.)
4843
4844 @node Conditions
4845 @subsection Break Conditions
4846 @cindex conditional breakpoints
4847 @cindex breakpoint conditions
4848
4849 @c FIXME what is scope of break condition expr? Context where wanted?
4850 @c in particular for a watchpoint?
4851 The simplest sort of breakpoint breaks every time your program reaches a
4852 specified place. You can also specify a @dfn{condition} for a
4853 breakpoint. A condition is just a Boolean expression in your
4854 programming language (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}). A breakpoint with
4855 a condition evaluates the expression each time your program reaches it,
4856 and your program stops only if the condition is @emph{true}.
4857
4858 This is the converse of using assertions for program validation; in that
4859 situation, you want to stop when the assertion is violated---that is,
4860 when the condition is false. In C, if you want to test an assertion expressed
4861 by the condition @var{assert}, you should set the condition
4862 @samp{! @var{assert}} on the appropriate breakpoint.
4863
4864 Conditions are also accepted for watchpoints; you may not need them,
4865 since a watchpoint is inspecting the value of an expression anyhow---but
4866 it might be simpler, say, to just set a watchpoint on a variable name,
4867 and specify a condition that tests whether the new value is an interesting
4868 one.
4869
4870 Break conditions can have side effects, and may even call functions in
4871 your program. This can be useful, for example, to activate functions
4872 that log program progress, or to use your own print functions to
4873 format special data structures. The effects are completely predictable
4874 unless there is another enabled breakpoint at the same address. (In
4875 that case, @value{GDBN} might see the other breakpoint first and stop your
4876 program without checking the condition of this one.) Note that
4877 breakpoint commands are usually more convenient and flexible than break
4878 conditions for the
4879 purpose of performing side effects when a breakpoint is reached
4880 (@pxref{Break Commands, ,Breakpoint Command Lists}).
4881
4882 Breakpoint conditions can also be evaluated on the target's side if
4883 the target supports it. Instead of evaluating the conditions locally,
4884 @value{GDBN} encodes the expression into an agent expression
4885 (@pxref{Agent Expressions}) suitable for execution on the target,
4886 independently of @value{GDBN}. Global variables become raw memory
4887 locations, locals become stack accesses, and so forth.
4888
4889 In this case, @value{GDBN} will only be notified of a breakpoint trigger
4890 when its condition evaluates to true. This mechanism may provide faster
4891 response times depending on the performance characteristics of the target
4892 since it does not need to keep @value{GDBN} informed about
4893 every breakpoint trigger, even those with false conditions.
4894
4895 Break conditions can be specified when a breakpoint is set, by using
4896 @samp{if} in the arguments to the @code{break} command. @xref{Set
4897 Breaks, ,Setting Breakpoints}. They can also be changed at any time
4898 with the @code{condition} command.
4899
4900 You can also use the @code{if} keyword with the @code{watch} command.
4901 The @code{catch} command does not recognize the @code{if} keyword;
4902 @code{condition} is the only way to impose a further condition on a
4903 catchpoint.
4904
4905 @table @code
4906 @kindex condition
4907 @item condition @var{bnum} @var{expression}
4908 Specify @var{expression} as the break condition for breakpoint,
4909 watchpoint, or catchpoint number @var{bnum}. After you set a condition,
4910 breakpoint @var{bnum} stops your program only if the value of
4911 @var{expression} is true (nonzero, in C). When you use
4912 @code{condition}, @value{GDBN} checks @var{expression} immediately for
4913 syntactic correctness, and to determine whether symbols in it have
4914 referents in the context of your breakpoint. If @var{expression} uses
4915 symbols not referenced in the context of the breakpoint, @value{GDBN}
4916 prints an error message:
4917
4918 @smallexample
4919 No symbol "foo" in current context.
4920 @end smallexample
4921
4922 @noindent
4923 @value{GDBN} does
4924 not actually evaluate @var{expression} at the time the @code{condition}
4925 command (or a command that sets a breakpoint with a condition, like
4926 @code{break if @dots{}}) is given, however. @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}.
4927
4928 @item condition @var{bnum}
4929 Remove the condition from breakpoint number @var{bnum}. It becomes
4930 an ordinary unconditional breakpoint.
4931 @end table
4932
4933 @cindex ignore count (of breakpoint)
4934 A special case of a breakpoint condition is to stop only when the
4935 breakpoint has been reached a certain number of times. This is so
4936 useful that there is a special way to do it, using the @dfn{ignore
4937 count} of the breakpoint. Every breakpoint has an ignore count, which
4938 is an integer. Most of the time, the ignore count is zero, and
4939 therefore has no effect. But if your program reaches a breakpoint whose
4940 ignore count is positive, then instead of stopping, it just decrements
4941 the ignore count by one and continues. As a result, if the ignore count
4942 value is @var{n}, the breakpoint does not stop the next @var{n} times
4943 your program reaches it.
4944
4945 @table @code
4946 @kindex ignore
4947 @item ignore @var{bnum} @var{count}
4948 Set the ignore count of breakpoint number @var{bnum} to @var{count}.
4949 The next @var{count} times the breakpoint is reached, your program's
4950 execution does not stop; other than to decrement the ignore count, @value{GDBN}
4951 takes no action.
4952
4953 To make the breakpoint stop the next time it is reached, specify
4954 a count of zero.
4955
4956 When you use @code{continue} to resume execution of your program from a
4957 breakpoint, you can specify an ignore count directly as an argument to
4958 @code{continue}, rather than using @code{ignore}. @xref{Continuing and
4959 Stepping,,Continuing and Stepping}.
4960
4961 If a breakpoint has a positive ignore count and a condition, the
4962 condition is not checked. Once the ignore count reaches zero,
4963 @value{GDBN} resumes checking the condition.
4964
4965 You could achieve the effect of the ignore count with a condition such
4966 as @w{@samp{$foo-- <= 0}} using a debugger convenience variable that
4967 is decremented each time. @xref{Convenience Vars, ,Convenience
4968 Variables}.
4969 @end table
4970
4971 Ignore counts apply to breakpoints, watchpoints, and catchpoints.
4972
4973
4974 @node Break Commands
4975 @subsection Breakpoint Command Lists
4976
4977 @cindex breakpoint commands
4978 You can give any breakpoint (or watchpoint or catchpoint) a series of
4979 commands to execute when your program stops due to that breakpoint. For
4980 example, you might want to print the values of certain expressions, or
4981 enable other breakpoints.
4982
4983 @table @code
4984 @kindex commands
4985 @kindex end@r{ (breakpoint commands)}
4986 @item commands @r{[}@var{list}@dots{}@r{]}
4987 @itemx @dots{} @var{command-list} @dots{}
4988 @itemx end
4989 Specify a list of commands for the given breakpoints. The commands
4990 themselves appear on the following lines. Type a line containing just
4991 @code{end} to terminate the commands.
4992
4993 To remove all commands from a breakpoint, type @code{commands} and
4994 follow it immediately with @code{end}; that is, give no commands.
4995
4996 With no argument, @code{commands} refers to the last breakpoint,
4997 watchpoint, or catchpoint set (not to the breakpoint most recently
4998 encountered). If the most recent breakpoints were set with a single
4999 command, then the @code{commands} will apply to all the breakpoints
5000 set by that command. This applies to breakpoints set by
5001 @code{rbreak}, and also applies when a single @code{break} command
5002 creates multiple breakpoints (@pxref{Ambiguous Expressions,,Ambiguous
5003 Expressions}).
5004 @end table
5005
5006 Pressing @key{RET} as a means of repeating the last @value{GDBN} command is
5007 disabled within a @var{command-list}.
5008
5009 You can use breakpoint commands to start your program up again. Simply
5010 use the @code{continue} command, or @code{step}, or any other command
5011 that resumes execution.
5012
5013 Any other commands in the command list, after a command that resumes
5014 execution, are ignored. This is because any time you resume execution
5015 (even with a simple @code{next} or @code{step}), you may encounter
5016 another breakpoint---which could have its own command list, leading to
5017 ambiguities about which list to execute.
5018
5019 @kindex silent
5020 If the first command you specify in a command list is @code{silent}, the
5021 usual message about stopping at a breakpoint is not printed. This may
5022 be desirable for breakpoints that are to print a specific message and
5023 then continue. If none of the remaining commands print anything, you
5024 see no sign that the breakpoint was reached. @code{silent} is
5025 meaningful only at the beginning of a breakpoint command list.
5026
5027 The commands @code{echo}, @code{output}, and @code{printf} allow you to
5028 print precisely controlled output, and are often useful in silent
5029 breakpoints. @xref{Output, ,Commands for Controlled Output}.
5030
5031 For example, here is how you could use breakpoint commands to print the
5032 value of @code{x} at entry to @code{foo} whenever @code{x} is positive.
5033
5034 @smallexample
5035 break foo if x>0
5036 commands
5037 silent
5038 printf "x is %d\n",x
5039 cont
5040 end
5041 @end smallexample
5042
5043 One application for breakpoint commands is to compensate for one bug so
5044 you can test for another. Put a breakpoint just after the erroneous line
5045 of code, give it a condition to detect the case in which something
5046 erroneous has been done, and give it commands to assign correct values
5047 to any variables that need them. End with the @code{continue} command
5048 so that your program does not stop, and start with the @code{silent}
5049 command so that no output is produced. Here is an example:
5050
5051 @smallexample
5052 break 403
5053 commands
5054 silent
5055 set x = y + 4
5056 cont
5057 end
5058 @end smallexample
5059
5060 @node Dynamic Printf
5061 @subsection Dynamic Printf
5062
5063 @cindex dynamic printf
5064 @cindex dprintf
5065 The dynamic printf command @code{dprintf} combines a breakpoint with
5066 formatted printing of your program's data to give you the effect of
5067 inserting @code{printf} calls into your program on-the-fly, without
5068 having to recompile it.
5069
5070 In its most basic form, the output goes to the GDB console. However,
5071 you can set the variable @code{dprintf-style} for alternate handling.
5072 For instance, you can ask to format the output by calling your
5073 program's @code{printf} function. This has the advantage that the
5074 characters go to the program's output device, so they can recorded in
5075 redirects to files and so forth.
5076
5077 If you are doing remote debugging with a stub or agent, you can also
5078 ask to have the printf handled by the remote agent. In addition to
5079 ensuring that the output goes to the remote program's device along
5080 with any other output the program might produce, you can also ask that
5081 the dprintf remain active even after disconnecting from the remote
5082 target. Using the stub/agent is also more efficient, as it can do
5083 everything without needing to communicate with @value{GDBN}.
5084
5085 @table @code
5086 @kindex dprintf
5087 @item dprintf @var{location},@var{template},@var{expression}[,@var{expression}@dots{}]
5088 Whenever execution reaches @var{location}, print the values of one or
5089 more @var{expressions} under the control of the string @var{template}.
5090 To print several values, separate them with commas.
5091
5092 @item set dprintf-style @var{style}
5093 Set the dprintf output to be handled in one of several different
5094 styles enumerated below. A change of style affects all existing
5095 dynamic printfs immediately. (If you need individual control over the
5096 print commands, simply define normal breakpoints with
5097 explicitly-supplied command lists.)
5098
5099 @table @code
5100 @item gdb
5101 @kindex dprintf-style gdb
5102 Handle the output using the @value{GDBN} @code{printf} command.
5103
5104 @item call
5105 @kindex dprintf-style call
5106 Handle the output by calling a function in your program (normally
5107 @code{printf}).
5108
5109 @item agent
5110 @kindex dprintf-style agent
5111 Have the remote debugging agent (such as @code{gdbserver}) handle
5112 the output itself. This style is only available for agents that
5113 support running commands on the target.
5114 @end table
5115
5116 @item set dprintf-function @var{function}
5117 Set the function to call if the dprintf style is @code{call}. By
5118 default its value is @code{printf}. You may set it to any expression.
5119 that @value{GDBN} can evaluate to a function, as per the @code{call}
5120 command.
5121
5122 @item set dprintf-channel @var{channel}
5123 Set a ``channel'' for dprintf. If set to a non-empty value,
5124 @value{GDBN} will evaluate it as an expression and pass the result as
5125 a first argument to the @code{dprintf-function}, in the manner of
5126 @code{fprintf} and similar functions. Otherwise, the dprintf format
5127 string will be the first argument, in the manner of @code{printf}.
5128
5129 As an example, if you wanted @code{dprintf} output to go to a logfile
5130 that is a standard I/O stream assigned to the variable @code{mylog},
5131 you could do the following:
5132
5133 @example
5134 (gdb) set dprintf-style call
5135 (gdb) set dprintf-function fprintf
5136 (gdb) set dprintf-channel mylog
5137 (gdb) dprintf 25,"at line 25, glob=%d\n",glob
5138 Dprintf 1 at 0x123456: file main.c, line 25.
5139 (gdb) info break
5140 1 dprintf keep y 0x00123456 in main at main.c:25
5141 call (void) fprintf (mylog,"at line 25, glob=%d\n",glob)
5142 continue
5143 (gdb)
5144 @end example
5145
5146 Note that the @code{info break} displays the dynamic printf commands
5147 as normal breakpoint commands; you can thus easily see the effect of
5148 the variable settings.
5149
5150 @item set disconnected-dprintf on
5151 @itemx set disconnected-dprintf off
5152 @kindex set disconnected-dprintf
5153 Choose whether @code{dprintf} commands should continue to run if
5154 @value{GDBN} has disconnected from the target. This only applies
5155 if the @code{dprintf-style} is @code{agent}.
5156
5157 @item show disconnected-dprintf off
5158 @kindex show disconnected-dprintf
5159 Show the current choice for disconnected @code{dprintf}.
5160
5161 @end table
5162
5163 @value{GDBN} does not check the validity of function and channel,
5164 relying on you to supply values that are meaningful for the contexts
5165 in which they are being used. For instance, the function and channel
5166 may be the values of local variables, but if that is the case, then
5167 all enabled dynamic prints must be at locations within the scope of
5168 those locals. If evaluation fails, @value{GDBN} will report an error.
5169
5170 @node Save Breakpoints
5171 @subsection How to save breakpoints to a file
5172
5173 To save breakpoint definitions to a file use the @w{@code{save
5174 breakpoints}} command.
5175
5176 @table @code
5177 @kindex save breakpoints
5178 @cindex save breakpoints to a file for future sessions
5179 @item save breakpoints [@var{filename}]
5180 This command saves all current breakpoint definitions together with
5181 their commands and ignore counts, into a file @file{@var{filename}}
5182 suitable for use in a later debugging session. This includes all
5183 types of breakpoints (breakpoints, watchpoints, catchpoints,
5184 tracepoints). To read the saved breakpoint definitions, use the
5185 @code{source} command (@pxref{Command Files}). Note that watchpoints
5186 with expressions involving local variables may fail to be recreated
5187 because it may not be possible to access the context where the
5188 watchpoint is valid anymore. Because the saved breakpoint definitions
5189 are simply a sequence of @value{GDBN} commands that recreate the
5190 breakpoints, you can edit the file in your favorite editing program,
5191 and remove the breakpoint definitions you're not interested in, or
5192 that can no longer be recreated.
5193 @end table
5194
5195 @node Static Probe Points
5196 @subsection Static Probe Points
5197
5198 @cindex static probe point, SystemTap
5199 @cindex static probe point, DTrace
5200 @value{GDBN} supports @dfn{SDT} probes in the code. @acronym{SDT} stands
5201 for Statically Defined Tracing, and the probes are designed to have a tiny
5202 runtime code and data footprint, and no dynamic relocations.
5203
5204 Currently, the following types of probes are supported on
5205 ELF-compatible systems:
5206
5207 @itemize @bullet
5208
5209 @item @code{SystemTap} (@uref{http://sourceware.org/systemtap/})
5210 @acronym{SDT} probes@footnote{See
5211 @uref{http://sourceware.org/systemtap/wiki/AddingUserSpaceProbingToApps}
5212 for more information on how to add @code{SystemTap} @acronym{SDT}
5213 probes in your applications.}. @code{SystemTap} probes are usable
5214 from assembly, C and C@t{++} languages@footnote{See
5215 @uref{http://sourceware.org/systemtap/wiki/UserSpaceProbeImplementation}
5216 for a good reference on how the @acronym{SDT} probes are implemented.}.
5217
5218 @item @code{DTrace} (@uref{http://oss.oracle.com/projects/DTrace})
5219 @acronym{USDT} probes. @code{DTrace} probes are usable from C and
5220 C@t{++} languages.
5221 @end itemize
5222
5223 @cindex semaphores on static probe points
5224 Some @code{SystemTap} probes have an associated semaphore variable;
5225 for instance, this happens automatically if you defined your probe
5226 using a DTrace-style @file{.d} file. If your probe has a semaphore,
5227 @value{GDBN} will automatically enable it when you specify a
5228 breakpoint using the @samp{-probe-stap} notation. But, if you put a
5229 breakpoint at a probe's location by some other method (e.g.,
5230 @code{break file:line}), then @value{GDBN} will not automatically set
5231 the semaphore. @code{DTrace} probes do not support semaphores.
5232
5233 You can examine the available static static probes using @code{info
5234 probes}, with optional arguments:
5235
5236 @table @code
5237 @kindex info probes
5238 @item info probes @r{[}@var{type}@r{]} @r{[}@var{provider} @r{[}@var{name} @r{[}@var{objfile}@r{]}@r{]}@r{]}
5239 If given, @var{type} is either @code{stap} for listing
5240 @code{SystemTap} probes or @code{dtrace} for listing @code{DTrace}
5241 probes. If omitted all probes are listed regardless of their types.
5242
5243 If given, @var{provider} is a regular expression used to match against provider
5244 names when selecting which probes to list. If omitted, probes by all
5245 probes from all providers are listed.
5246
5247 If given, @var{name} is a regular expression to match against probe names
5248 when selecting which probes to list. If omitted, probe names are not
5249 considered when deciding whether to display them.
5250
5251 If given, @var{objfile} is a regular expression used to select which
5252 object files (executable or shared libraries) to examine. If not
5253 given, all object files are considered.
5254
5255 @item info probes all
5256 List the available static probes, from all types.
5257 @end table
5258
5259 @cindex enabling and disabling probes
5260 Some probe points can be enabled and/or disabled. The effect of
5261 enabling or disabling a probe depends on the type of probe being
5262 handled. Some @code{DTrace} probes can be enabled or
5263 disabled, but @code{SystemTap} probes cannot be disabled.
5264
5265 You can enable (or disable) one or more probes using the following
5266 commands, with optional arguments:
5267
5268 @table @code
5269 @kindex enable probes
5270 @item enable probes @r{[}@var{provider} @r{[}@var{name} @r{[}@var{objfile}@r{]}@r{]}@r{]}
5271 If given, @var{provider} is a regular expression used to match against
5272 provider names when selecting which probes to enable. If omitted,
5273 all probes from all providers are enabled.
5274
5275 If given, @var{name} is a regular expression to match against probe
5276 names when selecting which probes to enable. If omitted, probe names
5277 are not considered when deciding whether to enable them.
5278
5279 If given, @var{objfile} is a regular expression used to select which
5280 object files (executable or shared libraries) to examine. If not
5281 given, all object files are considered.
5282
5283 @kindex disable probes
5284 @item disable probes @r{[}@var{provider} @r{[}@var{name} @r{[}@var{objfile}@r{]}@r{]}@r{]}
5285 See the @code{enable probes} command above for a description of the
5286 optional arguments accepted by this command.
5287 @end table
5288
5289 @vindex $_probe_arg@r{, convenience variable}
5290 A probe may specify up to twelve arguments. These are available at the
5291 point at which the probe is defined---that is, when the current PC is
5292 at the probe's location. The arguments are available using the
5293 convenience variables (@pxref{Convenience Vars})
5294 @code{$_probe_arg0}@dots{}@code{$_probe_arg11}. In @code{SystemTap}
5295 probes each probe argument is an integer of the appropriate size;
5296 types are not preserved. In @code{DTrace} probes types are preserved
5297 provided that they are recognized as such by @value{GDBN}; otherwise
5298 the value of the probe argument will be a long integer. The
5299 convenience variable @code{$_probe_argc} holds the number of arguments
5300 at the current probe point.
5301
5302 These variables are always available, but attempts to access them at
5303 any location other than a probe point will cause @value{GDBN} to give
5304 an error message.
5305
5306
5307 @c @ifclear BARETARGET
5308 @node Error in Breakpoints
5309 @subsection ``Cannot insert breakpoints''
5310
5311 If you request too many active hardware-assisted breakpoints and
5312 watchpoints, you will see this error message:
5313
5314 @c FIXME: the precise wording of this message may change; the relevant
5315 @c source change is not committed yet (Sep 3, 1999).
5316 @smallexample
5317 Stopped; cannot insert breakpoints.
5318 You may have requested too many hardware breakpoints and watchpoints.
5319 @end smallexample
5320
5321 @noindent
5322 This message is printed when you attempt to resume the program, since
5323 only then @value{GDBN} knows exactly how many hardware breakpoints and
5324 watchpoints it needs to insert.
5325
5326 When this message is printed, you need to disable or remove some of the
5327 hardware-assisted breakpoints and watchpoints, and then continue.
5328
5329 @node Breakpoint-related Warnings
5330 @subsection ``Breakpoint address adjusted...''
5331 @cindex breakpoint address adjusted
5332
5333 Some processor architectures place constraints on the addresses at
5334 which breakpoints may be placed. For architectures thus constrained,
5335 @value{GDBN} will attempt to adjust the breakpoint's address to comply
5336 with the constraints dictated by the architecture.
5337
5338 One example of such an architecture is the Fujitsu FR-V. The FR-V is
5339 a VLIW architecture in which a number of RISC-like instructions may be
5340 bundled together for parallel execution. The FR-V architecture
5341 constrains the location of a breakpoint instruction within such a
5342 bundle to the instruction with the lowest address. @value{GDBN}
5343 honors this constraint by adjusting a breakpoint's address to the
5344 first in the bundle.
5345
5346 It is not uncommon for optimized code to have bundles which contain
5347 instructions from different source statements, thus it may happen that
5348 a breakpoint's address will be adjusted from one source statement to
5349 another. Since this adjustment may significantly alter @value{GDBN}'s
5350 breakpoint related behavior from what the user expects, a warning is
5351 printed when the breakpoint is first set and also when the breakpoint
5352 is hit.
5353
5354 A warning like the one below is printed when setting a breakpoint
5355 that's been subject to address adjustment:
5356
5357 @smallexample
5358 warning: Breakpoint address adjusted from 0x00010414 to 0x00010410.
5359 @end smallexample
5360
5361 Such warnings are printed both for user settable and @value{GDBN}'s
5362 internal breakpoints. If you see one of these warnings, you should
5363 verify that a breakpoint set at the adjusted address will have the
5364 desired affect. If not, the breakpoint in question may be removed and
5365 other breakpoints may be set which will have the desired behavior.
5366 E.g., it may be sufficient to place the breakpoint at a later
5367 instruction. A conditional breakpoint may also be useful in some
5368 cases to prevent the breakpoint from triggering too often.
5369
5370 @value{GDBN} will also issue a warning when stopping at one of these
5371 adjusted breakpoints:
5372
5373 @smallexample
5374 warning: Breakpoint 1 address previously adjusted from 0x00010414
5375 to 0x00010410.
5376 @end smallexample
5377
5378 When this warning is encountered, it may be too late to take remedial
5379 action except in cases where the breakpoint is hit earlier or more
5380 frequently than expected.
5381
5382 @node Continuing and Stepping
5383 @section Continuing and Stepping
5384
5385 @cindex stepping
5386 @cindex continuing
5387 @cindex resuming execution
5388 @dfn{Continuing} means resuming program execution until your program
5389 completes normally. In contrast, @dfn{stepping} means executing just
5390 one more ``step'' of your program, where ``step'' may mean either one
5391 line of source code, or one machine instruction (depending on what
5392 particular command you use). Either when continuing or when stepping,
5393 your program may stop even sooner, due to a breakpoint or a signal. (If
5394 it stops due to a signal, you may want to use @code{handle}, or use
5395 @samp{signal 0} to resume execution (@pxref{Signals, ,Signals}),
5396 or you may step into the signal's handler (@pxref{stepping and signal
5397 handlers}).)
5398
5399 @table @code
5400 @kindex continue
5401 @kindex c @r{(@code{continue})}
5402 @kindex fg @r{(resume foreground execution)}
5403 @item continue @r{[}@var{ignore-count}@r{]}
5404 @itemx c @r{[}@var{ignore-count}@r{]}
5405 @itemx fg @r{[}@var{ignore-count}@r{]}
5406 Resume program execution, at the address where your program last stopped;
5407 any breakpoints set at that address are bypassed. The optional argument
5408 @var{ignore-count} allows you to specify a further number of times to
5409 ignore a breakpoint at this location; its effect is like that of
5410 @code{ignore} (@pxref{Conditions, ,Break Conditions}).
5411
5412 The argument @var{ignore-count} is meaningful only when your program
5413 stopped due to a breakpoint. At other times, the argument to
5414 @code{continue} is ignored.
5415
5416 The synonyms @code{c} and @code{fg} (for @dfn{foreground}, as the
5417 debugged program is deemed to be the foreground program) are provided
5418 purely for convenience, and have exactly the same behavior as
5419 @code{continue}.
5420 @end table
5421
5422 To resume execution at a different place, you can use @code{return}
5423 (@pxref{Returning, ,Returning from a Function}) to go back to the
5424 calling function; or @code{jump} (@pxref{Jumping, ,Continuing at a
5425 Different Address}) to go to an arbitrary location in your program.
5426
5427 A typical technique for using stepping is to set a breakpoint
5428 (@pxref{Breakpoints, ,Breakpoints; Watchpoints; and Catchpoints}) at the
5429 beginning of the function or the section of your program where a problem
5430 is believed to lie, run your program until it stops at that breakpoint,
5431 and then step through the suspect area, examining the variables that are
5432 interesting, until you see the problem happen.
5433
5434 @table @code
5435 @kindex step
5436 @kindex s @r{(@code{step})}
5437 @item step
5438 Continue running your program until control reaches a different source
5439 line, then stop it and return control to @value{GDBN}. This command is
5440 abbreviated @code{s}.
5441
5442 @quotation
5443 @c "without debugging information" is imprecise; actually "without line
5444 @c numbers in the debugging information". (gcc -g1 has debugging info but
5445 @c not line numbers). But it seems complex to try to make that
5446 @c distinction here.
5447 @emph{Warning:} If you use the @code{step} command while control is
5448 within a function that was compiled without debugging information,
5449 execution proceeds until control reaches a function that does have
5450 debugging information. Likewise, it will not step into a function which
5451 is compiled without debugging information. To step through functions
5452 without debugging information, use the @code{stepi} command, described
5453 below.
5454 @end quotation
5455
5456 The @code{step} command only stops at the first instruction of a source
5457 line. This prevents the multiple stops that could otherwise occur in
5458 @code{switch} statements, @code{for} loops, etc. @code{step} continues
5459 to stop if a function that has debugging information is called within
5460 the line. In other words, @code{step} @emph{steps inside} any functions
5461 called within the line.
5462
5463 Also, the @code{step} command only enters a function if there is line
5464 number information for the function. Otherwise it acts like the
5465 @code{next} command. This avoids problems when using @code{cc -gl}
5466 on @acronym{MIPS} machines. Previously, @code{step} entered subroutines if there
5467 was any debugging information about the routine.
5468
5469 @item step @var{count}
5470 Continue running as in @code{step}, but do so @var{count} times. If a
5471 breakpoint is reached, or a signal not related to stepping occurs before
5472 @var{count} steps, stepping stops right away.
5473
5474 @kindex next
5475 @kindex n @r{(@code{next})}
5476 @item next @r{[}@var{count}@r{]}
5477 Continue to the next source line in the current (innermost) stack frame.
5478 This is similar to @code{step}, but function calls that appear within
5479 the line of code are executed without stopping. Execution stops when
5480 control reaches a different line of code at the original stack level
5481 that was executing when you gave the @code{next} command. This command
5482 is abbreviated @code{n}.
5483
5484 An argument @var{count} is a repeat count, as for @code{step}.
5485
5486
5487 @c FIX ME!! Do we delete this, or is there a way it fits in with
5488 @c the following paragraph? --- Vctoria
5489 @c
5490 @c @code{next} within a function that lacks debugging information acts like
5491 @c @code{step}, but any function calls appearing within the code of the
5492 @c function are executed without stopping.
5493
5494 The @code{next} command only stops at the first instruction of a
5495 source line. This prevents multiple stops that could otherwise occur in
5496 @code{switch} statements, @code{for} loops, etc.
5497
5498 @kindex set step-mode
5499 @item set step-mode
5500 @cindex functions without line info, and stepping
5501 @cindex stepping into functions with no line info
5502 @itemx set step-mode on
5503 The @code{set step-mode on} command causes the @code{step} command to
5504 stop at the first instruction of a function which contains no debug line
5505 information rather than stepping over it.
5506
5507 This is useful in cases where you may be interested in inspecting the
5508 machine instructions of a function which has no symbolic info and do not
5509 want @value{GDBN} to automatically skip over this function.
5510
5511 @item set step-mode off
5512 Causes the @code{step} command to step over any functions which contains no
5513 debug information. This is the default.
5514
5515 @item show step-mode
5516 Show whether @value{GDBN} will stop in or step over functions without
5517 source line debug information.
5518
5519 @kindex finish
5520 @kindex fin @r{(@code{finish})}
5521 @item finish
5522 Continue running until just after function in the selected stack frame
5523 returns. Print the returned value (if any). This command can be
5524 abbreviated as @code{fin}.
5525
5526 Contrast this with the @code{return} command (@pxref{Returning,
5527 ,Returning from a Function}).
5528
5529 @kindex until
5530 @kindex u @r{(@code{until})}
5531 @cindex run until specified location
5532 @item until
5533 @itemx u
5534 Continue running until a source line past the current line, in the
5535 current stack frame, is reached. This command is used to avoid single
5536 stepping through a loop more than once. It is like the @code{next}
5537 command, except that when @code{until} encounters a jump, it
5538 automatically continues execution until the program counter is greater
5539 than the address of the jump.
5540
5541 This means that when you reach the end of a loop after single stepping
5542 though it, @code{until} makes your program continue execution until it
5543 exits the loop. In contrast, a @code{next} command at the end of a loop
5544 simply steps back to the beginning of the loop, which forces you to step
5545 through the next iteration.
5546
5547 @code{until} always stops your program if it attempts to exit the current
5548 stack frame.
5549
5550 @code{until} may produce somewhat counterintuitive results if the order
5551 of machine code does not match the order of the source lines. For
5552 example, in the following excerpt from a debugging session, the @code{f}
5553 (@code{frame}) command shows that execution is stopped at line
5554 @code{206}; yet when we use @code{until}, we get to line @code{195}:
5555
5556 @smallexample
5557 (@value{GDBP}) f
5558 #0 main (argc=4, argv=0xf7fffae8) at m4.c:206
5559 206 expand_input();
5560 (@value{GDBP}) until
5561 195 for ( ; argc > 0; NEXTARG) @{
5562 @end smallexample
5563
5564 This happened because, for execution efficiency, the compiler had
5565 generated code for the loop closure test at the end, rather than the
5566 start, of the loop---even though the test in a C @code{for}-loop is
5567 written before the body of the loop. The @code{until} command appeared
5568 to step back to the beginning of the loop when it advanced to this
5569 expression; however, it has not really gone to an earlier
5570 statement---not in terms of the actual machine code.
5571
5572 @code{until} with no argument works by means of single
5573 instruction stepping, and hence is slower than @code{until} with an
5574 argument.
5575
5576 @item until @var{location}
5577 @itemx u @var{location}
5578 Continue running your program until either the specified @var{location} is
5579 reached, or the current stack frame returns. The location is any of
5580 the forms described in @ref{Specify Location}.
5581 This form of the command uses temporary breakpoints, and
5582 hence is quicker than @code{until} without an argument. The specified
5583 location is actually reached only if it is in the current frame. This
5584 implies that @code{until} can be used to skip over recursive function
5585 invocations. For instance in the code below, if the current location is
5586 line @code{96}, issuing @code{until 99} will execute the program up to
5587 line @code{99} in the same invocation of factorial, i.e., after the inner
5588 invocations have returned.
5589
5590 @smallexample
5591 94 int factorial (int value)
5592 95 @{
5593 96 if (value > 1) @{
5594 97 value *= factorial (value - 1);
5595 98 @}
5596 99 return (value);
5597 100 @}
5598 @end smallexample
5599
5600
5601 @kindex advance @var{location}
5602 @item advance @var{location}
5603 Continue running the program up to the given @var{location}. An argument is
5604 required, which should be of one of the forms described in
5605 @ref{Specify Location}.
5606 Execution will also stop upon exit from the current stack
5607 frame. This command is similar to @code{until}, but @code{advance} will
5608 not skip over recursive function calls, and the target location doesn't
5609 have to be in the same frame as the current one.
5610
5611
5612 @kindex stepi
5613 @kindex si @r{(@code{stepi})}
5614 @item stepi
5615 @itemx stepi @var{arg}
5616 @itemx si
5617 Execute one machine instruction, then stop and return to the debugger.
5618
5619 It is often useful to do @samp{display/i $pc} when stepping by machine
5620 instructions. This makes @value{GDBN} automatically display the next
5621 instruction to be executed, each time your program stops. @xref{Auto
5622 Display,, Automatic Display}.
5623
5624 An argument is a repeat count, as in @code{step}.
5625
5626 @need 750
5627 @kindex nexti
5628 @kindex ni @r{(@code{nexti})}
5629 @item nexti
5630 @itemx nexti @var{arg}
5631 @itemx ni
5632 Execute one machine instruction, but if it is a function call,
5633 proceed until the function returns.
5634
5635 An argument is a repeat count, as in @code{next}.
5636
5637 @end table
5638
5639 @anchor{range stepping}
5640 @cindex range stepping
5641 @cindex target-assisted range stepping
5642 By default, and if available, @value{GDBN} makes use of
5643 target-assisted @dfn{range stepping}. In other words, whenever you
5644 use a stepping command (e.g., @code{step}, @code{next}), @value{GDBN}
5645 tells the target to step the corresponding range of instruction
5646 addresses instead of issuing multiple single-steps. This speeds up
5647 line stepping, particularly for remote targets. Ideally, there should
5648 be no reason you would want to turn range stepping off. However, it's
5649 possible that a bug in the debug info, a bug in the remote stub (for
5650 remote targets), or even a bug in @value{GDBN} could make line
5651 stepping behave incorrectly when target-assisted range stepping is
5652 enabled. You can use the following command to turn off range stepping
5653 if necessary:
5654
5655 @table @code
5656 @kindex set range-stepping
5657 @kindex show range-stepping
5658 @item set range-stepping
5659 @itemx show range-stepping
5660 Control whether range stepping is enabled.
5661
5662 If @code{on}, and the target supports it, @value{GDBN} tells the
5663 target to step a range of addresses itself, instead of issuing
5664 multiple single-steps. If @code{off}, @value{GDBN} always issues
5665 single-steps, even if range stepping is supported by the target. The
5666 default is @code{on}.
5667
5668 @end table
5669
5670 @node Skipping Over Functions and Files
5671 @section Skipping Over Functions and Files
5672 @cindex skipping over functions and files
5673
5674 The program you are debugging may contain some functions which are
5675 uninteresting to debug. The @code{skip} command lets you tell @value{GDBN} to
5676 skip a function, all functions in a file or a particular function in
5677 a particular file when stepping.
5678
5679 For example, consider the following C function:
5680
5681 @smallexample
5682 101 int func()
5683 102 @{
5684 103 foo(boring());
5685 104 bar(boring());
5686 105 @}
5687 @end smallexample
5688
5689 @noindent
5690 Suppose you wish to step into the functions @code{foo} and @code{bar}, but you
5691 are not interested in stepping through @code{boring}. If you run @code{step}
5692 at line 103, you'll enter @code{boring()}, but if you run @code{next}, you'll
5693 step over both @code{foo} and @code{boring}!
5694
5695 One solution is to @code{step} into @code{boring} and use the @code{finish}
5696 command to immediately exit it. But this can become tedious if @code{boring}
5697 is called from many places.
5698
5699 A more flexible solution is to execute @kbd{skip boring}. This instructs
5700 @value{GDBN} never to step into @code{boring}. Now when you execute
5701 @code{step} at line 103, you'll step over @code{boring} and directly into
5702 @code{foo}.
5703
5704 Functions may be skipped by providing either a function name, linespec
5705 (@pxref{Specify Location}), regular expression that matches the function's
5706 name, file name or a @code{glob}-style pattern that matches the file name.
5707
5708 On Posix systems the form of the regular expression is
5709 ``Extended Regular Expressions''. See for example @samp{man 7 regex}
5710 on @sc{gnu}/Linux systems. On non-Posix systems the form of the regular
5711 expression is whatever is provided by the @code{regcomp} function of
5712 the underlying system.
5713 See for example @samp{man 7 glob} on @sc{gnu}/Linux systems for a
5714 description of @code{glob}-style patterns.
5715
5716 @table @code
5717 @kindex skip
5718 @item skip @r{[}@var{options}@r{]}
5719 The basic form of the @code{skip} command takes zero or more options
5720 that specify what to skip.
5721 The @var{options} argument is any useful combination of the following:
5722
5723 @table @code
5724 @item -file @var{file}
5725 @itemx -fi @var{file}
5726 Functions in @var{file} will be skipped over when stepping.
5727
5728 @item -gfile @var{file-glob-pattern}
5729 @itemx -gfi @var{file-glob-pattern}
5730 @cindex skipping over files via glob-style patterns
5731 Functions in files matching @var{file-glob-pattern} will be skipped
5732 over when stepping.
5733
5734 @smallexample
5735 (gdb) skip -gfi utils/*.c
5736 @end smallexample
5737
5738 @item -function @var{linespec}
5739 @itemx -fu @var{linespec}
5740 Functions named by @var{linespec} or the function containing the line
5741 named by @var{linespec} will be skipped over when stepping.
5742 @xref{Specify Location}.
5743
5744 @item -rfunction @var{regexp}
5745 @itemx -rfu @var{regexp}
5746 @cindex skipping over functions via regular expressions
5747 Functions whose name matches @var{regexp} will be skipped over when stepping.
5748
5749 This form is useful for complex function names.
5750 For example, there is generally no need to step into C@t{++} @code{std::string}
5751 constructors or destructors. Plus with C@t{++} templates it can be hard to
5752 write out the full name of the function, and often it doesn't matter what
5753 the template arguments are. Specifying the function to be skipped as a
5754 regular expression makes this easier.
5755
5756 @smallexample
5757 (gdb) skip -rfu ^std::(allocator|basic_string)<.*>::~?\1 *\(
5758 @end smallexample
5759
5760 If you want to skip every templated C@t{++} constructor and destructor
5761 in the @code{std} namespace you can do:
5762
5763 @smallexample
5764 (gdb) skip -rfu ^std::([a-zA-z0-9_]+)<.*>::~?\1 *\(
5765 @end smallexample
5766 @end table
5767
5768 If no options are specified, the function you're currently debugging
5769 will be skipped.
5770
5771 @kindex skip function
5772 @item skip function @r{[}@var{linespec}@r{]}
5773 After running this command, the function named by @var{linespec} or the
5774 function containing the line named by @var{linespec} will be skipped over when
5775 stepping. @xref{Specify Location}.
5776
5777 If you do not specify @var{linespec}, the function you're currently debugging
5778 will be skipped.
5779
5780 (If you have a function called @code{file} that you want to skip, use
5781 @kbd{skip function file}.)
5782
5783 @kindex skip file
5784 @item skip file @r{[}@var{filename}@r{]}
5785 After running this command, any function whose source lives in @var{filename}
5786 will be skipped over when stepping.
5787
5788 @smallexample
5789 (gdb) skip file boring.c
5790 File boring.c will be skipped when stepping.
5791 @end smallexample
5792
5793 If you do not specify @var{filename}, functions whose source lives in the file
5794 you're currently debugging will be skipped.
5795 @end table
5796
5797 Skips can be listed, deleted, disabled, and enabled, much like breakpoints.
5798 These are the commands for managing your list of skips:
5799
5800 @table @code
5801 @kindex info skip
5802 @item info skip @r{[}@var{range}@r{]}
5803 Print details about the specified skip(s). If @var{range} is not specified,
5804 print a table with details about all functions and files marked for skipping.
5805 @code{info skip} prints the following information about each skip:
5806
5807 @table @emph
5808 @item Identifier
5809 A number identifying this skip.
5810 @item Enabled or Disabled
5811 Enabled skips are marked with @samp{y}.
5812 Disabled skips are marked with @samp{n}.
5813 @item Glob
5814 If the file name is a @samp{glob} pattern this is @samp{y}.
5815 Otherwise it is @samp{n}.
5816 @item File
5817 The name or @samp{glob} pattern of the file to be skipped.
5818 If no file is specified this is @samp{<none>}.
5819 @item RE
5820 If the function name is a @samp{regular expression} this is @samp{y}.
5821 Otherwise it is @samp{n}.
5822 @item Function
5823 The name or regular expression of the function to skip.
5824 If no function is specified this is @samp{<none>}.
5825 @end table
5826
5827 @kindex skip delete
5828 @item skip delete @r{[}@var{range}@r{]}
5829 Delete the specified skip(s). If @var{range} is not specified, delete all
5830 skips.
5831
5832 @kindex skip enable
5833 @item skip enable @r{[}@var{range}@r{]}
5834 Enable the specified skip(s). If @var{range} is not specified, enable all
5835 skips.
5836
5837 @kindex skip disable
5838 @item skip disable @r{[}@var{range}@r{]}
5839 Disable the specified skip(s). If @var{range} is not specified, disable all
5840 skips.
5841
5842 @end table
5843
5844 @node Signals
5845 @section Signals
5846 @cindex signals
5847
5848 A signal is an asynchronous event that can happen in a program. The
5849 operating system defines the possible kinds of signals, and gives each
5850 kind a name and a number. For example, in Unix @code{SIGINT} is the
5851 signal a program gets when you type an interrupt character (often @kbd{Ctrl-c});
5852 @code{SIGSEGV} is the signal a program gets from referencing a place in
5853 memory far away from all the areas in use; @code{SIGALRM} occurs when
5854 the alarm clock timer goes off (which happens only if your program has
5855 requested an alarm).
5856
5857 @cindex fatal signals
5858 Some signals, including @code{SIGALRM}, are a normal part of the
5859 functioning of your program. Others, such as @code{SIGSEGV}, indicate
5860 errors; these signals are @dfn{fatal} (they kill your program immediately) if the
5861 program has not specified in advance some other way to handle the signal.
5862 @code{SIGINT} does not indicate an error in your program, but it is normally
5863 fatal so it can carry out the purpose of the interrupt: to kill the program.
5864
5865 @value{GDBN} has the ability to detect any occurrence of a signal in your
5866 program. You can tell @value{GDBN} in advance what to do for each kind of
5867 signal.
5868
5869 @cindex handling signals
5870 Normally, @value{GDBN} is set up to let the non-erroneous signals like
5871 @code{SIGALRM} be silently passed to your program
5872 (so as not to interfere with their role in the program's functioning)
5873 but to stop your program immediately whenever an error signal happens.
5874 You can change these settings with the @code{handle} command.
5875
5876 @table @code
5877 @kindex info signals
5878 @kindex info handle
5879 @item info signals
5880 @itemx info handle
5881 Print a table of all the kinds of signals and how @value{GDBN} has been told to
5882 handle each one. You can use this to see the signal numbers of all
5883 the defined types of signals.
5884
5885 @item info signals @var{sig}
5886 Similar, but print information only about the specified signal number.
5887
5888 @code{info handle} is an alias for @code{info signals}.
5889
5890 @item catch signal @r{[}@var{signal}@dots{} @r{|} @samp{all}@r{]}
5891 Set a catchpoint for the indicated signals. @xref{Set Catchpoints},
5892 for details about this command.
5893
5894 @kindex handle
5895 @item handle @var{signal} @r{[}@var{keywords}@dots{}@r{]}
5896 Change the way @value{GDBN} handles signal @var{signal}. The @var{signal}
5897 can be the number of a signal or its name (with or without the
5898 @samp{SIG} at the beginning); a list of signal numbers of the form
5899 @samp{@var{low}-@var{high}}; or the word @samp{all}, meaning all the
5900 known signals. Optional arguments @var{keywords}, described below,
5901 say what change to make.
5902 @end table
5903
5904 @c @group
5905 The keywords allowed by the @code{handle} command can be abbreviated.
5906 Their full names are:
5907
5908 @table @code
5909 @item nostop
5910 @value{GDBN} should not stop your program when this signal happens. It may
5911 still print a message telling you that the signal has come in.
5912
5913 @item stop
5914 @value{GDBN} should stop your program when this signal happens. This implies
5915 the @code{print} keyword as well.
5916
5917 @item print
5918 @value{GDBN} should print a message when this signal happens.
5919
5920 @item noprint
5921 @value{GDBN} should not mention the occurrence of the signal at all. This
5922 implies the @code{nostop} keyword as well.
5923
5924 @item pass
5925 @itemx noignore
5926 @value{GDBN} should allow your program to see this signal; your program
5927 can handle the signal, or else it may terminate if the signal is fatal
5928 and not handled. @code{pass} and @code{noignore} are synonyms.
5929
5930 @item nopass
5931 @itemx ignore
5932 @value{GDBN} should not allow your program to see this signal.
5933 @code{nopass} and @code{ignore} are synonyms.
5934 @end table
5935 @c @end group
5936
5937 When a signal stops your program, the signal is not visible to the
5938 program until you
5939 continue. Your program sees the signal then, if @code{pass} is in
5940 effect for the signal in question @emph{at that time}. In other words,
5941 after @value{GDBN} reports a signal, you can use the @code{handle}
5942 command with @code{pass} or @code{nopass} to control whether your
5943 program sees that signal when you continue.
5944
5945 The default is set to @code{nostop}, @code{noprint}, @code{pass} for
5946 non-erroneous signals such as @code{SIGALRM}, @code{SIGWINCH} and
5947 @code{SIGCHLD}, and to @code{stop}, @code{print}, @code{pass} for the
5948 erroneous signals.
5949
5950 You can also use the @code{signal} command to prevent your program from
5951 seeing a signal, or cause it to see a signal it normally would not see,
5952 or to give it any signal at any time. For example, if your program stopped
5953 due to some sort of memory reference error, you might store correct
5954 values into the erroneous variables and continue, hoping to see more
5955 execution; but your program would probably terminate immediately as
5956 a result of the fatal signal once it saw the signal. To prevent this,
5957 you can continue with @samp{signal 0}. @xref{Signaling, ,Giving your
5958 Program a Signal}.
5959
5960 @cindex stepping and signal handlers
5961 @anchor{stepping and signal handlers}
5962
5963 @value{GDBN} optimizes for stepping the mainline code. If a signal
5964 that has @code{handle nostop} and @code{handle pass} set arrives while
5965 a stepping command (e.g., @code{stepi}, @code{step}, @code{next}) is
5966 in progress, @value{GDBN} lets the signal handler run and then resumes
5967 stepping the mainline code once the signal handler returns. In other
5968 words, @value{GDBN} steps over the signal handler. This prevents
5969 signals that you've specified as not interesting (with @code{handle
5970 nostop}) from changing the focus of debugging unexpectedly. Note that
5971 the signal handler itself may still hit a breakpoint, stop for another
5972 signal that has @code{handle stop} in effect, or for any other event
5973 that normally results in stopping the stepping command sooner. Also
5974 note that @value{GDBN} still informs you that the program received a
5975 signal if @code{handle print} is set.
5976
5977 @anchor{stepping into signal handlers}
5978
5979 If you set @code{handle pass} for a signal, and your program sets up a
5980 handler for it, then issuing a stepping command, such as @code{step}
5981 or @code{stepi}, when your program is stopped due to the signal will
5982 step @emph{into} the signal handler (if the target supports that).
5983
5984 Likewise, if you use the @code{queue-signal} command to queue a signal
5985 to be delivered to the current thread when execution of the thread
5986 resumes (@pxref{Signaling, ,Giving your Program a Signal}), then a
5987 stepping command will step into the signal handler.
5988
5989 Here's an example, using @code{stepi} to step to the first instruction
5990 of @code{SIGUSR1}'s handler:
5991
5992 @smallexample
5993 (@value{GDBP}) handle SIGUSR1
5994 Signal Stop Print Pass to program Description
5995 SIGUSR1 Yes Yes Yes User defined signal 1
5996 (@value{GDBP}) c
5997 Continuing.
5998
5999 Program received signal SIGUSR1, User defined signal 1.
6000 main () sigusr1.c:28
6001 28 p = 0;
6002 (@value{GDBP}) si
6003 sigusr1_handler () at sigusr1.c:9
6004 9 @{
6005 @end smallexample
6006
6007 The same, but using @code{queue-signal} instead of waiting for the
6008 program to receive the signal first:
6009
6010 @smallexample
6011 (@value{GDBP}) n
6012 28 p = 0;
6013 (@value{GDBP}) queue-signal SIGUSR1
6014 (@value{GDBP}) si
6015 sigusr1_handler () at sigusr1.c:9
6016 9 @{
6017 (@value{GDBP})
6018 @end smallexample
6019
6020 @cindex extra signal information
6021 @anchor{extra signal information}
6022
6023 On some targets, @value{GDBN} can inspect extra signal information
6024 associated with the intercepted signal, before it is actually
6025 delivered to the program being debugged. This information is exported
6026 by the convenience variable @code{$_siginfo}, and consists of data
6027 that is passed by the kernel to the signal handler at the time of the
6028 receipt of a signal. The data type of the information itself is
6029 target dependent. You can see the data type using the @code{ptype
6030 $_siginfo} command. On Unix systems, it typically corresponds to the
6031 standard @code{siginfo_t} type, as defined in the @file{signal.h}
6032 system header.
6033
6034 Here's an example, on a @sc{gnu}/Linux system, printing the stray
6035 referenced address that raised a segmentation fault.
6036
6037 @smallexample
6038 @group
6039 (@value{GDBP}) continue
6040 Program received signal SIGSEGV, Segmentation fault.
6041 0x0000000000400766 in main ()
6042 69 *(int *)p = 0;
6043 (@value{GDBP}) ptype $_siginfo
6044 type = struct @{
6045 int si_signo;
6046 int si_errno;
6047 int si_code;
6048 union @{
6049 int _pad[28];
6050 struct @{...@} _kill;
6051 struct @{...@} _timer;
6052 struct @{...@} _rt;
6053 struct @{...@} _sigchld;
6054 struct @{...@} _sigfault;
6055 struct @{...@} _sigpoll;
6056 @} _sifields;
6057 @}
6058 (@value{GDBP}) ptype $_siginfo._sifields._sigfault
6059 type = struct @{
6060 void *si_addr;
6061 @}
6062 (@value{GDBP}) p $_siginfo._sifields._sigfault.si_addr
6063 $1 = (void *) 0x7ffff7ff7000
6064 @end group
6065 @end smallexample
6066
6067 Depending on target support, @code{$_siginfo} may also be writable.
6068
6069 @cindex Intel MPX boundary violations
6070 @cindex boundary violations, Intel MPX
6071 On some targets, a @code{SIGSEGV} can be caused by a boundary
6072 violation, i.e., accessing an address outside of the allowed range.
6073 In those cases @value{GDBN} may displays additional information,
6074 depending on how @value{GDBN} has been told to handle the signal.
6075 With @code{handle stop SIGSEGV}, @value{GDBN} displays the violation
6076 kind: "Upper" or "Lower", the memory address accessed and the
6077 bounds, while with @code{handle nostop SIGSEGV} no additional
6078 information is displayed.
6079
6080 The usual output of a segfault is:
6081 @smallexample
6082 Program received signal SIGSEGV, Segmentation fault
6083 0x0000000000400d7c in upper () at i386-mpx-sigsegv.c:68
6084 68 value = *(p + len);
6085 @end smallexample
6086
6087 While a bound violation is presented as:
6088 @smallexample
6089 Program received signal SIGSEGV, Segmentation fault
6090 Upper bound violation while accessing address 0x7fffffffc3b3
6091 Bounds: [lower = 0x7fffffffc390, upper = 0x7fffffffc3a3]
6092 0x0000000000400d7c in upper () at i386-mpx-sigsegv.c:68
6093 68 value = *(p + len);
6094 @end smallexample
6095
6096 @node Thread Stops
6097 @section Stopping and Starting Multi-thread Programs
6098
6099 @cindex stopped threads
6100 @cindex threads, stopped
6101
6102 @cindex continuing threads
6103 @cindex threads, continuing
6104
6105 @value{GDBN} supports debugging programs with multiple threads
6106 (@pxref{Threads,, Debugging Programs with Multiple Threads}). There
6107 are two modes of controlling execution of your program within the
6108 debugger. In the default mode, referred to as @dfn{all-stop mode},
6109 when any thread in your program stops (for example, at a breakpoint
6110 or while being stepped), all other threads in the program are also stopped by
6111 @value{GDBN}. On some targets, @value{GDBN} also supports
6112 @dfn{non-stop mode}, in which other threads can continue to run freely while
6113 you examine the stopped thread in the debugger.
6114
6115 @menu
6116 * All-Stop Mode:: All threads stop when GDB takes control
6117 * Non-Stop Mode:: Other threads continue to execute
6118 * Background Execution:: Running your program asynchronously
6119 * Thread-Specific Breakpoints:: Controlling breakpoints
6120 * Interrupted System Calls:: GDB may interfere with system calls
6121 * Observer Mode:: GDB does not alter program behavior
6122 @end menu
6123
6124 @node All-Stop Mode
6125 @subsection All-Stop Mode
6126
6127 @cindex all-stop mode
6128
6129 In all-stop mode, whenever your program stops under @value{GDBN} for any reason,
6130 @emph{all} threads of execution stop, not just the current thread. This
6131 allows you to examine the overall state of the program, including
6132 switching between threads, without worrying that things may change
6133 underfoot.
6134
6135 Conversely, whenever you restart the program, @emph{all} threads start
6136 executing. @emph{This is true even when single-stepping} with commands
6137 like @code{step} or @code{next}.
6138
6139 In particular, @value{GDBN} cannot single-step all threads in lockstep.
6140 Since thread scheduling is up to your debugging target's operating
6141 system (not controlled by @value{GDBN}), other threads may
6142 execute more than one statement while the current thread completes a
6143 single step. Moreover, in general other threads stop in the middle of a
6144 statement, rather than at a clean statement boundary, when the program
6145 stops.
6146
6147 You might even find your program stopped in another thread after
6148 continuing or even single-stepping. This happens whenever some other
6149 thread runs into a breakpoint, a signal, or an exception before the
6150 first thread completes whatever you requested.
6151
6152 @cindex automatic thread selection
6153 @cindex switching threads automatically
6154 @cindex threads, automatic switching
6155 Whenever @value{GDBN} stops your program, due to a breakpoint or a
6156 signal, it automatically selects the thread where that breakpoint or
6157 signal happened. @value{GDBN} alerts you to the context switch with a
6158 message such as @samp{[Switching to Thread @var{n}]} to identify the
6159 thread.
6160
6161 On some OSes, you can modify @value{GDBN}'s default behavior by
6162 locking the OS scheduler to allow only a single thread to run.
6163
6164 @table @code
6165 @item set scheduler-locking @var{mode}
6166 @cindex scheduler locking mode
6167 @cindex lock scheduler
6168 Set the scheduler locking mode. It applies to normal execution,
6169 record mode, and replay mode. If it is @code{off}, then there is no
6170 locking and any thread may run at any time. If @code{on}, then only
6171 the current thread may run when the inferior is resumed. The
6172 @code{step} mode optimizes for single-stepping; it prevents other
6173 threads from preempting the current thread while you are stepping, so
6174 that the focus of debugging does not change unexpectedly. Other
6175 threads never get a chance to run when you step, and they are
6176 completely free to run when you use commands like @samp{continue},
6177 @samp{until}, or @samp{finish}. However, unless another thread hits a
6178 breakpoint during its timeslice, @value{GDBN} does not change the
6179 current thread away from the thread that you are debugging. The
6180 @code{replay} mode behaves like @code{off} in record mode and like
6181 @code{on} in replay mode.
6182
6183 @item show scheduler-locking
6184 Display the current scheduler locking mode.
6185 @end table
6186
6187 @cindex resume threads of multiple processes simultaneously
6188 By default, when you issue one of the execution commands such as
6189 @code{continue}, @code{next} or @code{step}, @value{GDBN} allows only
6190 threads of the current inferior to run. For example, if @value{GDBN}
6191 is attached to two inferiors, each with two threads, the
6192 @code{continue} command resumes only the two threads of the current
6193 inferior. This is useful, for example, when you debug a program that
6194 forks and you want to hold the parent stopped (so that, for instance,
6195 it doesn't run to exit), while you debug the child. In other
6196 situations, you may not be interested in inspecting the current state
6197 of any of the processes @value{GDBN} is attached to, and you may want
6198 to resume them all until some breakpoint is hit. In the latter case,
6199 you can instruct @value{GDBN} to allow all threads of all the
6200 inferiors to run with the @w{@code{set schedule-multiple}} command.
6201
6202 @table @code
6203 @kindex set schedule-multiple
6204 @item set schedule-multiple
6205 Set the mode for allowing threads of multiple processes to be resumed
6206 when an execution command is issued. When @code{on}, all threads of
6207 all processes are allowed to run. When @code{off}, only the threads
6208 of the current process are resumed. The default is @code{off}. The
6209 @code{scheduler-locking} mode takes precedence when set to @code{on},
6210 or while you are stepping and set to @code{step}.
6211
6212 @item show schedule-multiple
6213 Display the current mode for resuming the execution of threads of
6214 multiple processes.
6215 @end table
6216
6217 @node Non-Stop Mode
6218 @subsection Non-Stop Mode
6219
6220 @cindex non-stop mode
6221
6222 @c This section is really only a place-holder, and needs to be expanded
6223 @c with more details.
6224
6225 For some multi-threaded targets, @value{GDBN} supports an optional
6226 mode of operation in which you can examine stopped program threads in
6227 the debugger while other threads continue to execute freely. This
6228 minimizes intrusion when debugging live systems, such as programs
6229 where some threads have real-time constraints or must continue to
6230 respond to external events. This is referred to as @dfn{non-stop} mode.
6231
6232 In non-stop mode, when a thread stops to report a debugging event,
6233 @emph{only} that thread is stopped; @value{GDBN} does not stop other
6234 threads as well, in contrast to the all-stop mode behavior. Additionally,
6235 execution commands such as @code{continue} and @code{step} apply by default
6236 only to the current thread in non-stop mode, rather than all threads as
6237 in all-stop mode. This allows you to control threads explicitly in
6238 ways that are not possible in all-stop mode --- for example, stepping
6239 one thread while allowing others to run freely, stepping
6240 one thread while holding all others stopped, or stepping several threads
6241 independently and simultaneously.
6242
6243 To enter non-stop mode, use this sequence of commands before you run
6244 or attach to your program:
6245
6246 @smallexample
6247 # If using the CLI, pagination breaks non-stop.
6248 set pagination off
6249
6250 # Finally, turn it on!
6251 set non-stop on
6252 @end smallexample
6253
6254 You can use these commands to manipulate the non-stop mode setting:
6255
6256 @table @code
6257 @kindex set non-stop
6258 @item set non-stop on
6259 Enable selection of non-stop mode.
6260 @item set non-stop off
6261 Disable selection of non-stop mode.
6262 @kindex show non-stop
6263 @item show non-stop
6264 Show the current non-stop enablement setting.
6265 @end table
6266
6267 Note these commands only reflect whether non-stop mode is enabled,
6268 not whether the currently-executing program is being run in non-stop mode.
6269 In particular, the @code{set non-stop} preference is only consulted when
6270 @value{GDBN} starts or connects to the target program, and it is generally
6271 not possible to switch modes once debugging has started. Furthermore,
6272 since not all targets support non-stop mode, even when you have enabled
6273 non-stop mode, @value{GDBN} may still fall back to all-stop operation by
6274 default.
6275
6276 In non-stop mode, all execution commands apply only to the current thread
6277 by default. That is, @code{continue} only continues one thread.
6278 To continue all threads, issue @code{continue -a} or @code{c -a}.
6279
6280 You can use @value{GDBN}'s background execution commands
6281 (@pxref{Background Execution}) to run some threads in the background
6282 while you continue to examine or step others from @value{GDBN}.
6283 The MI execution commands (@pxref{GDB/MI Program Execution}) are
6284 always executed asynchronously in non-stop mode.
6285
6286 Suspending execution is done with the @code{interrupt} command when
6287 running in the background, or @kbd{Ctrl-c} during foreground execution.
6288 In all-stop mode, this stops the whole process;
6289 but in non-stop mode the interrupt applies only to the current thread.
6290 To stop the whole program, use @code{interrupt -a}.
6291
6292 Other execution commands do not currently support the @code{-a} option.
6293
6294 In non-stop mode, when a thread stops, @value{GDBN} doesn't automatically make
6295 that thread current, as it does in all-stop mode. This is because the
6296 thread stop notifications are asynchronous with respect to @value{GDBN}'s
6297 command interpreter, and it would be confusing if @value{GDBN} unexpectedly
6298 changed to a different thread just as you entered a command to operate on the
6299 previously current thread.
6300
6301 @node Background Execution
6302 @subsection Background Execution
6303
6304 @cindex foreground execution
6305 @cindex background execution
6306 @cindex asynchronous execution
6307 @cindex execution, foreground, background and asynchronous
6308
6309 @value{GDBN}'s execution commands have two variants: the normal
6310 foreground (synchronous) behavior, and a background
6311 (asynchronous) behavior. In foreground execution, @value{GDBN} waits for
6312 the program to report that some thread has stopped before prompting for
6313 another command. In background execution, @value{GDBN} immediately gives
6314 a command prompt so that you can issue other commands while your program runs.
6315
6316 If the target doesn't support async mode, @value{GDBN} issues an error
6317 message if you attempt to use the background execution commands.
6318
6319 To specify background execution, add a @code{&} to the command. For example,
6320 the background form of the @code{continue} command is @code{continue&}, or
6321 just @code{c&}. The execution commands that accept background execution
6322 are:
6323
6324 @table @code
6325 @kindex run&
6326 @item run
6327 @xref{Starting, , Starting your Program}.
6328
6329 @item attach
6330 @kindex attach&
6331 @xref{Attach, , Debugging an Already-running Process}.
6332
6333 @item step
6334 @kindex step&
6335 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, step}.
6336
6337 @item stepi
6338 @kindex stepi&
6339 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, stepi}.
6340
6341 @item next
6342 @kindex next&
6343 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, next}.
6344
6345 @item nexti
6346 @kindex nexti&
6347 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, nexti}.
6348
6349 @item continue
6350 @kindex continue&
6351 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, continue}.
6352
6353 @item finish
6354 @kindex finish&
6355 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, finish}.
6356
6357 @item until
6358 @kindex until&
6359 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, until}.
6360
6361 @end table
6362
6363 Background execution is especially useful in conjunction with non-stop
6364 mode for debugging programs with multiple threads; see @ref{Non-Stop Mode}.
6365 However, you can also use these commands in the normal all-stop mode with
6366 the restriction that you cannot issue another execution command until the
6367 previous one finishes. Examples of commands that are valid in all-stop
6368 mode while the program is running include @code{help} and @code{info break}.
6369
6370 You can interrupt your program while it is running in the background by
6371 using the @code{interrupt} command.
6372
6373 @table @code
6374 @kindex interrupt
6375 @item interrupt
6376 @itemx interrupt -a
6377
6378 Suspend execution of the running program. In all-stop mode,
6379 @code{interrupt} stops the whole process, but in non-stop mode, it stops
6380 only the current thread. To stop the whole program in non-stop mode,
6381 use @code{interrupt -a}.
6382 @end table
6383
6384 @node Thread-Specific Breakpoints
6385 @subsection Thread-Specific Breakpoints
6386
6387 When your program has multiple threads (@pxref{Threads,, Debugging
6388 Programs with Multiple Threads}), you can choose whether to set
6389 breakpoints on all threads, or on a particular thread.
6390
6391 @table @code
6392 @cindex breakpoints and threads
6393 @cindex thread breakpoints
6394 @kindex break @dots{} thread @var{thread-id}
6395 @item break @var{location} thread @var{thread-id}
6396 @itemx break @var{location} thread @var{thread-id} if @dots{}
6397 @var{location} specifies source lines; there are several ways of
6398 writing them (@pxref{Specify Location}), but the effect is always to
6399 specify some source line.
6400
6401 Use the qualifier @samp{thread @var{thread-id}} with a breakpoint command
6402 to specify that you only want @value{GDBN} to stop the program when a
6403 particular thread reaches this breakpoint. The @var{thread-id} specifier
6404 is one of the thread identifiers assigned by @value{GDBN}, shown
6405 in the first column of the @samp{info threads} display.
6406
6407 If you do not specify @samp{thread @var{thread-id}} when you set a
6408 breakpoint, the breakpoint applies to @emph{all} threads of your
6409 program.
6410
6411 You can use the @code{thread} qualifier on conditional breakpoints as
6412 well; in this case, place @samp{thread @var{thread-id}} before or
6413 after the breakpoint condition, like this:
6414
6415 @smallexample
6416 (@value{GDBP}) break frik.c:13 thread 28 if bartab > lim
6417 @end smallexample
6418
6419 @end table
6420
6421 Thread-specific breakpoints are automatically deleted when
6422 @value{GDBN} detects the corresponding thread is no longer in the
6423 thread list. For example:
6424
6425 @smallexample
6426 (@value{GDBP}) c
6427 Thread-specific breakpoint 3 deleted - thread 28 no longer in the thread list.
6428 @end smallexample
6429
6430 There are several ways for a thread to disappear, such as a regular
6431 thread exit, but also when you detach from the process with the
6432 @code{detach} command (@pxref{Attach, ,Debugging an Already-running
6433 Process}), or if @value{GDBN} loses the remote connection
6434 (@pxref{Remote Debugging}), etc. Note that with some targets,
6435 @value{GDBN} is only able to detect a thread has exited when the user
6436 explictly asks for the thread list with the @code{info threads}
6437 command.
6438
6439 @node Interrupted System Calls
6440 @subsection Interrupted System Calls
6441
6442 @cindex thread breakpoints and system calls
6443 @cindex system calls and thread breakpoints
6444 @cindex premature return from system calls
6445 There is an unfortunate side effect when using @value{GDBN} to debug
6446 multi-threaded programs. If one thread stops for a
6447 breakpoint, or for some other reason, and another thread is blocked in a
6448 system call, then the system call may return prematurely. This is a
6449 consequence of the interaction between multiple threads and the signals
6450 that @value{GDBN} uses to implement breakpoints and other events that
6451 stop execution.
6452
6453 To handle this problem, your program should check the return value of
6454 each system call and react appropriately. This is good programming
6455 style anyways.
6456
6457 For example, do not write code like this:
6458
6459 @smallexample
6460 sleep (10);
6461 @end smallexample
6462
6463 The call to @code{sleep} will return early if a different thread stops
6464 at a breakpoint or for some other reason.
6465
6466 Instead, write this:
6467
6468 @smallexample
6469 int unslept = 10;
6470 while (unslept > 0)
6471 unslept = sleep (unslept);
6472 @end smallexample
6473
6474 A system call is allowed to return early, so the system is still
6475 conforming to its specification. But @value{GDBN} does cause your
6476 multi-threaded program to behave differently than it would without
6477 @value{GDBN}.
6478
6479 Also, @value{GDBN} uses internal breakpoints in the thread library to
6480 monitor certain events such as thread creation and thread destruction.
6481 When such an event happens, a system call in another thread may return
6482 prematurely, even though your program does not appear to stop.
6483
6484 @node Observer Mode
6485 @subsection Observer Mode
6486
6487 If you want to build on non-stop mode and observe program behavior
6488 without any chance of disruption by @value{GDBN}, you can set
6489 variables to disable all of the debugger's attempts to modify state,
6490 whether by writing memory, inserting breakpoints, etc. These operate
6491 at a low level, intercepting operations from all commands.
6492
6493 When all of these are set to @code{off}, then @value{GDBN} is said to
6494 be @dfn{observer mode}. As a convenience, the variable
6495 @code{observer} can be set to disable these, plus enable non-stop
6496 mode.
6497
6498 Note that @value{GDBN} will not prevent you from making nonsensical
6499 combinations of these settings. For instance, if you have enabled
6500 @code{may-insert-breakpoints} but disabled @code{may-write-memory},
6501 then breakpoints that work by writing trap instructions into the code
6502 stream will still not be able to be placed.
6503
6504 @table @code
6505
6506 @kindex observer
6507 @item set observer on
6508 @itemx set observer off
6509 When set to @code{on}, this disables all the permission variables
6510 below (except for @code{insert-fast-tracepoints}), plus enables
6511 non-stop debugging. Setting this to @code{off} switches back to
6512 normal debugging, though remaining in non-stop mode.
6513
6514 @item show observer
6515 Show whether observer mode is on or off.
6516
6517 @kindex may-write-registers
6518 @item set may-write-registers on
6519 @itemx set may-write-registers off
6520 This controls whether @value{GDBN} will attempt to alter the values of
6521 registers, such as with assignment expressions in @code{print}, or the
6522 @code{jump} command. It defaults to @code{on}.
6523
6524 @item show may-write-registers
6525 Show the current permission to write registers.
6526
6527 @kindex may-write-memory
6528 @item set may-write-memory on
6529 @itemx set may-write-memory off
6530 This controls whether @value{GDBN} will attempt to alter the contents
6531 of memory, such as with assignment expressions in @code{print}. It
6532 defaults to @code{on}.
6533
6534 @item show may-write-memory
6535 Show the current permission to write memory.
6536
6537 @kindex may-insert-breakpoints
6538 @item set may-insert-breakpoints on
6539 @itemx set may-insert-breakpoints off
6540 This controls whether @value{GDBN} will attempt to insert breakpoints.
6541 This affects all breakpoints, including internal breakpoints defined
6542 by @value{GDBN}. It defaults to @code{on}.
6543
6544 @item show may-insert-breakpoints
6545 Show the current permission to insert breakpoints.
6546
6547 @kindex may-insert-tracepoints
6548 @item set may-insert-tracepoints on
6549 @itemx set may-insert-tracepoints off
6550 This controls whether @value{GDBN} will attempt to insert (regular)
6551 tracepoints at the beginning of a tracing experiment. It affects only
6552 non-fast tracepoints, fast tracepoints being under the control of
6553 @code{may-insert-fast-tracepoints}. It defaults to @code{on}.
6554
6555 @item show may-insert-tracepoints
6556 Show the current permission to insert tracepoints.
6557
6558 @kindex may-insert-fast-tracepoints
6559 @item set may-insert-fast-tracepoints on
6560 @itemx set may-insert-fast-tracepoints off
6561 This controls whether @value{GDBN} will attempt to insert fast
6562 tracepoints at the beginning of a tracing experiment. It affects only
6563 fast tracepoints, regular (non-fast) tracepoints being under the
6564 control of @code{may-insert-tracepoints}. It defaults to @code{on}.
6565
6566 @item show may-insert-fast-tracepoints
6567 Show the current permission to insert fast tracepoints.
6568
6569 @kindex may-interrupt
6570 @item set may-interrupt on
6571 @itemx set may-interrupt off
6572 This controls whether @value{GDBN} will attempt to interrupt or stop
6573 program execution. When this variable is @code{off}, the
6574 @code{interrupt} command will have no effect, nor will
6575 @kbd{Ctrl-c}. It defaults to @code{on}.
6576
6577 @item show may-interrupt
6578 Show the current permission to interrupt or stop the program.
6579
6580 @end table
6581
6582 @node Reverse Execution
6583 @chapter Running programs backward
6584 @cindex reverse execution
6585 @cindex running programs backward
6586
6587 When you are debugging a program, it is not unusual to realize that
6588 you have gone too far, and some event of interest has already happened.
6589 If the target environment supports it, @value{GDBN} can allow you to
6590 ``rewind'' the program by running it backward.
6591
6592 A target environment that supports reverse execution should be able
6593 to ``undo'' the changes in machine state that have taken place as the
6594 program was executing normally. Variables, registers etc.@: should
6595 revert to their previous values. Obviously this requires a great
6596 deal of sophistication on the part of the target environment; not
6597 all target environments can support reverse execution.
6598
6599 When a program is executed in reverse, the instructions that
6600 have most recently been executed are ``un-executed'', in reverse
6601 order. The program counter runs backward, following the previous
6602 thread of execution in reverse. As each instruction is ``un-executed'',
6603 the values of memory and/or registers that were changed by that
6604 instruction are reverted to their previous states. After executing
6605 a piece of source code in reverse, all side effects of that code
6606 should be ``undone'', and all variables should be returned to their
6607 prior values@footnote{
6608 Note that some side effects are easier to undo than others. For instance,
6609 memory and registers are relatively easy, but device I/O is hard. Some
6610 targets may be able undo things like device I/O, and some may not.
6611
6612 The contract between @value{GDBN} and the reverse executing target
6613 requires only that the target do something reasonable when
6614 @value{GDBN} tells it to execute backwards, and then report the
6615 results back to @value{GDBN}. Whatever the target reports back to
6616 @value{GDBN}, @value{GDBN} will report back to the user. @value{GDBN}
6617 assumes that the memory and registers that the target reports are in a
6618 consistant state, but @value{GDBN} accepts whatever it is given.
6619 }.
6620
6621 If you are debugging in a target environment that supports
6622 reverse execution, @value{GDBN} provides the following commands.
6623
6624 @table @code
6625 @kindex reverse-continue
6626 @kindex rc @r{(@code{reverse-continue})}
6627 @item reverse-continue @r{[}@var{ignore-count}@r{]}
6628 @itemx rc @r{[}@var{ignore-count}@r{]}
6629 Beginning at the point where your program last stopped, start executing
6630 in reverse. Reverse execution will stop for breakpoints and synchronous
6631 exceptions (signals), just like normal execution. Behavior of
6632 asynchronous signals depends on the target environment.
6633
6634 @kindex reverse-step
6635 @kindex rs @r{(@code{step})}
6636 @item reverse-step @r{[}@var{count}@r{]}
6637 Run the program backward until control reaches the start of a
6638 different source line; then stop it, and return control to @value{GDBN}.
6639
6640 Like the @code{step} command, @code{reverse-step} will only stop
6641 at the beginning of a source line. It ``un-executes'' the previously
6642 executed source line. If the previous source line included calls to
6643 debuggable functions, @code{reverse-step} will step (backward) into
6644 the called function, stopping at the beginning of the @emph{last}
6645 statement in the called function (typically a return statement).
6646
6647 Also, as with the @code{step} command, if non-debuggable functions are
6648 called, @code{reverse-step} will run thru them backward without stopping.
6649
6650 @kindex reverse-stepi
6651 @kindex rsi @r{(@code{reverse-stepi})}
6652 @item reverse-stepi @r{[}@var{count}@r{]}
6653 Reverse-execute one machine instruction. Note that the instruction
6654 to be reverse-executed is @emph{not} the one pointed to by the program
6655 counter, but the instruction executed prior to that one. For instance,
6656 if the last instruction was a jump, @code{reverse-stepi} will take you
6657 back from the destination of the jump to the jump instruction itself.
6658
6659 @kindex reverse-next
6660 @kindex rn @r{(@code{reverse-next})}
6661 @item reverse-next @r{[}@var{count}@r{]}
6662 Run backward to the beginning of the previous line executed in
6663 the current (innermost) stack frame. If the line contains function
6664 calls, they will be ``un-executed'' without stopping. Starting from
6665 the first line of a function, @code{reverse-next} will take you back
6666 to the caller of that function, @emph{before} the function was called,
6667 just as the normal @code{next} command would take you from the last
6668 line of a function back to its return to its caller
6669 @footnote{Unless the code is too heavily optimized.}.
6670
6671 @kindex reverse-nexti
6672 @kindex rni @r{(@code{reverse-nexti})}
6673 @item reverse-nexti @r{[}@var{count}@r{]}
6674 Like @code{nexti}, @code{reverse-nexti} executes a single instruction
6675 in reverse, except that called functions are ``un-executed'' atomically.
6676 That is, if the previously executed instruction was a return from
6677 another function, @code{reverse-nexti} will continue to execute
6678 in reverse until the call to that function (from the current stack
6679 frame) is reached.
6680
6681 @kindex reverse-finish
6682 @item reverse-finish
6683 Just as the @code{finish} command takes you to the point where the
6684 current function returns, @code{reverse-finish} takes you to the point
6685 where it was called. Instead of ending up at the end of the current
6686 function invocation, you end up at the beginning.
6687
6688 @kindex set exec-direction
6689 @item set exec-direction
6690 Set the direction of target execution.
6691 @item set exec-direction reverse
6692 @cindex execute forward or backward in time
6693 @value{GDBN} will perform all execution commands in reverse, until the
6694 exec-direction mode is changed to ``forward''. Affected commands include
6695 @code{step, stepi, next, nexti, continue, and finish}. The @code{return}
6696 command cannot be used in reverse mode.
6697 @item set exec-direction forward
6698 @value{GDBN} will perform all execution commands in the normal fashion.
6699 This is the default.
6700 @end table
6701
6702
6703 @node Process Record and Replay
6704 @chapter Recording Inferior's Execution and Replaying It
6705 @cindex process record and replay
6706 @cindex recording inferior's execution and replaying it
6707
6708 On some platforms, @value{GDBN} provides a special @dfn{process record
6709 and replay} target that can record a log of the process execution, and
6710 replay it later with both forward and reverse execution commands.
6711
6712 @cindex replay mode
6713 When this target is in use, if the execution log includes the record
6714 for the next instruction, @value{GDBN} will debug in @dfn{replay
6715 mode}. In the replay mode, the inferior does not really execute code
6716 instructions. Instead, all the events that normally happen during
6717 code execution are taken from the execution log. While code is not
6718 really executed in replay mode, the values of registers (including the
6719 program counter register) and the memory of the inferior are still
6720 changed as they normally would. Their contents are taken from the
6721 execution log.
6722
6723 @cindex record mode
6724 If the record for the next instruction is not in the execution log,
6725 @value{GDBN} will debug in @dfn{record mode}. In this mode, the
6726 inferior executes normally, and @value{GDBN} records the execution log
6727 for future replay.
6728
6729 The process record and replay target supports reverse execution
6730 (@pxref{Reverse Execution}), even if the platform on which the
6731 inferior runs does not. However, the reverse execution is limited in
6732 this case by the range of the instructions recorded in the execution
6733 log. In other words, reverse execution on platforms that don't
6734 support it directly can only be done in the replay mode.
6735
6736 When debugging in the reverse direction, @value{GDBN} will work in
6737 replay mode as long as the execution log includes the record for the
6738 previous instruction; otherwise, it will work in record mode, if the
6739 platform supports reverse execution, or stop if not.
6740
6741 For architecture environments that support process record and replay,
6742 @value{GDBN} provides the following commands:
6743
6744 @table @code
6745 @kindex target record
6746 @kindex target record-full
6747 @kindex target record-btrace
6748 @kindex record
6749 @kindex record full
6750 @kindex record btrace
6751 @kindex record btrace bts
6752 @kindex record btrace pt
6753 @kindex record bts
6754 @kindex record pt
6755 @kindex rec
6756 @kindex rec full
6757 @kindex rec btrace
6758 @kindex rec btrace bts
6759 @kindex rec btrace pt
6760 @kindex rec bts
6761 @kindex rec pt
6762 @item record @var{method}
6763 This command starts the process record and replay target. The
6764 recording method can be specified as parameter. Without a parameter
6765 the command uses the @code{full} recording method. The following
6766 recording methods are available:
6767
6768 @table @code
6769 @item full
6770 Full record/replay recording using @value{GDBN}'s software record and
6771 replay implementation. This method allows replaying and reverse
6772 execution.
6773
6774 @item btrace @var{format}
6775 Hardware-supported instruction recording. This method does not record
6776 data. Further, the data is collected in a ring buffer so old data will
6777 be overwritten when the buffer is full. It allows limited reverse
6778 execution. Variables and registers are not available during reverse
6779 execution. In remote debugging, recording continues on disconnect.
6780 Recorded data can be inspected after reconnecting. The recording may
6781 be stopped using @code{record stop}.
6782
6783 The recording format can be specified as parameter. Without a parameter
6784 the command chooses the recording format. The following recording
6785 formats are available:
6786
6787 @table @code
6788 @item bts
6789 @cindex branch trace store
6790 Use the @dfn{Branch Trace Store} (@acronym{BTS}) recording format. In
6791 this format, the processor stores a from/to record for each executed
6792 branch in the btrace ring buffer.
6793
6794 @item pt
6795 @cindex Intel Processor Trace
6796 Use the @dfn{Intel Processor Trace} recording format. In this
6797 format, the processor stores the execution trace in a compressed form
6798 that is afterwards decoded by @value{GDBN}.
6799
6800 The trace can be recorded with very low overhead. The compressed
6801 trace format also allows small trace buffers to already contain a big
6802 number of instructions compared to @acronym{BTS}.
6803
6804 Decoding the recorded execution trace, on the other hand, is more
6805 expensive than decoding @acronym{BTS} trace. This is mostly due to the
6806 increased number of instructions to process. You should increase the
6807 buffer-size with care.
6808 @end table
6809
6810 Not all recording formats may be available on all processors.
6811 @end table
6812
6813 The process record and replay target can only debug a process that is
6814 already running. Therefore, you need first to start the process with
6815 the @kbd{run} or @kbd{start} commands, and then start the recording
6816 with the @kbd{record @var{method}} command.
6817
6818 @cindex displaced stepping, and process record and replay
6819 Displaced stepping (@pxref{Maintenance Commands,, displaced stepping})
6820 will be automatically disabled when process record and replay target
6821 is started. That's because the process record and replay target
6822 doesn't support displaced stepping.
6823
6824 @cindex non-stop mode, and process record and replay
6825 @cindex asynchronous execution, and process record and replay
6826 If the inferior is in the non-stop mode (@pxref{Non-Stop Mode}) or in
6827 the asynchronous execution mode (@pxref{Background Execution}), not
6828 all recording methods are available. The @code{full} recording method
6829 does not support these two modes.
6830
6831 @kindex record stop
6832 @kindex rec s
6833 @item record stop
6834 Stop the process record and replay target. When process record and
6835 replay target stops, the entire execution log will be deleted and the
6836 inferior will either be terminated, or will remain in its final state.
6837
6838 When you stop the process record and replay target in record mode (at
6839 the end of the execution log), the inferior will be stopped at the
6840 next instruction that would have been recorded. In other words, if
6841 you record for a while and then stop recording, the inferior process
6842 will be left in the same state as if the recording never happened.
6843
6844 On the other hand, if the process record and replay target is stopped
6845 while in replay mode (that is, not at the end of the execution log,
6846 but at some earlier point), the inferior process will become ``live''
6847 at that earlier state, and it will then be possible to continue the
6848 usual ``live'' debugging of the process from that state.
6849
6850 When the inferior process exits, or @value{GDBN} detaches from it,
6851 process record and replay target will automatically stop itself.
6852
6853 @kindex record goto
6854 @item record goto
6855 Go to a specific location in the execution log. There are several
6856 ways to specify the location to go to:
6857
6858 @table @code
6859 @item record goto begin
6860 @itemx record goto start
6861 Go to the beginning of the execution log.
6862
6863 @item record goto end
6864 Go to the end of the execution log.
6865
6866 @item record goto @var{n}
6867 Go to instruction number @var{n} in the execution log.
6868 @end table
6869
6870 @kindex record save
6871 @item record save @var{filename}
6872 Save the execution log to a file @file{@var{filename}}.
6873 Default filename is @file{gdb_record.@var{process_id}}, where
6874 @var{process_id} is the process ID of the inferior.
6875
6876 This command may not be available for all recording methods.
6877
6878 @kindex record restore
6879 @item record restore @var{filename}
6880 Restore the execution log from a file @file{@var{filename}}.
6881 File must have been created with @code{record save}.
6882
6883 @kindex set record full
6884 @item set record full insn-number-max @var{limit}
6885 @itemx set record full insn-number-max unlimited
6886 Set the limit of instructions to be recorded for the @code{full}
6887 recording method. Default value is 200000.
6888
6889 If @var{limit} is a positive number, then @value{GDBN} will start
6890 deleting instructions from the log once the number of the record
6891 instructions becomes greater than @var{limit}. For every new recorded
6892 instruction, @value{GDBN} will delete the earliest recorded
6893 instruction to keep the number of recorded instructions at the limit.
6894 (Since deleting recorded instructions loses information, @value{GDBN}
6895 lets you control what happens when the limit is reached, by means of
6896 the @code{stop-at-limit} option, described below.)
6897
6898 If @var{limit} is @code{unlimited} or zero, @value{GDBN} will never
6899 delete recorded instructions from the execution log. The number of
6900 recorded instructions is limited only by the available memory.
6901
6902 @kindex show record full
6903 @item show record full insn-number-max
6904 Show the limit of instructions to be recorded with the @code{full}
6905 recording method.
6906
6907 @item set record full stop-at-limit
6908 Control the behavior of the @code{full} recording method when the
6909 number of recorded instructions reaches the limit. If ON (the
6910 default), @value{GDBN} will stop when the limit is reached for the
6911 first time and ask you whether you want to stop the inferior or
6912 continue running it and recording the execution log. If you decide
6913 to continue recording, each new recorded instruction will cause the
6914 oldest one to be deleted.
6915
6916 If this option is OFF, @value{GDBN} will automatically delete the
6917 oldest record to make room for each new one, without asking.
6918
6919 @item show record full stop-at-limit
6920 Show the current setting of @code{stop-at-limit}.
6921
6922 @item set record full memory-query
6923 Control the behavior when @value{GDBN} is unable to record memory
6924 changes caused by an instruction for the @code{full} recording method.
6925 If ON, @value{GDBN} will query whether to stop the inferior in that
6926 case.
6927
6928 If this option is OFF (the default), @value{GDBN} will automatically
6929 ignore the effect of such instructions on memory. Later, when
6930 @value{GDBN} replays this execution log, it will mark the log of this
6931 instruction as not accessible, and it will not affect the replay
6932 results.
6933
6934 @item show record full memory-query
6935 Show the current setting of @code{memory-query}.
6936
6937 @kindex set record btrace
6938 The @code{btrace} record target does not trace data. As a
6939 convenience, when replaying, @value{GDBN} reads read-only memory off
6940 the live program directly, assuming that the addresses of the
6941 read-only areas don't change. This for example makes it possible to
6942 disassemble code while replaying, but not to print variables.
6943 In some cases, being able to inspect variables might be useful.
6944 You can use the following command for that:
6945
6946 @item set record btrace replay-memory-access
6947 Control the behavior of the @code{btrace} recording method when
6948 accessing memory during replay. If @code{read-only} (the default),
6949 @value{GDBN} will only allow accesses to read-only memory.
6950 If @code{read-write}, @value{GDBN} will allow accesses to read-only
6951 and to read-write memory. Beware that the accessed memory corresponds
6952 to the live target and not necessarily to the current replay
6953 position.
6954
6955 @item set record btrace cpu @var{identifier}
6956 Set the processor to be used for enabling workarounds for processor
6957 errata when decoding the trace.
6958
6959 Processor errata are defects in processor operation, caused by its
6960 design or manufacture. They can cause a trace not to match the
6961 specification. This, in turn, may cause trace decode to fail.
6962 @value{GDBN} can detect erroneous trace packets and correct them, thus
6963 avoiding the decoding failures. These corrections are known as
6964 @dfn{errata workarounds}, and are enabled based on the processor on
6965 which the trace was recorded.
6966
6967 By default, @value{GDBN} attempts to detect the processor
6968 automatically, and apply the necessary workarounds for it. However,
6969 you may need to specify the processor if @value{GDBN} does not yet
6970 support it. This command allows you to do that, and also allows to
6971 disable the workarounds.
6972
6973 The argument @var{identifier} identifies the @sc{cpu} and is of the
6974 form: @code{@var{vendor}:@var{procesor identifier}}. In addition,
6975 there are two special identifiers, @code{none} and @code{auto}
6976 (default).
6977
6978 The following vendor identifiers and corresponding processor
6979 identifiers are currently supported:
6980
6981 @multitable @columnfractions .1 .9
6982
6983 @item @code{intel}
6984 @tab @var{family}/@var{model}[/@var{stepping}]
6985
6986 @end multitable
6987
6988 On GNU/Linux systems, the processor @var{family}, @var{model}, and
6989 @var{stepping} can be obtained from @code{/proc/cpuinfo}.
6990
6991 If @var{identifier} is @code{auto}, enable errata workarounds for the
6992 processor on which the trace was recorded. If @var{identifier} is
6993 @code{none}, errata workarounds are disabled.
6994
6995 For example, when using an old @value{GDBN} on a new system, decode
6996 may fail because @value{GDBN} does not support the new processor. It
6997 often suffices to specify an older processor that @value{GDBN}
6998 supports.
6999
7000 @smallexample
7001 (gdb) info record
7002 Active record target: record-btrace
7003 Recording format: Intel Processor Trace.
7004 Buffer size: 16kB.
7005 Failed to configure the Intel Processor Trace decoder: unknown cpu.
7006 (gdb) set record btrace cpu intel:6/158
7007 (gdb) info record
7008 Active record target: record-btrace
7009 Recording format: Intel Processor Trace.
7010 Buffer size: 16kB.
7011 Recorded 84872 instructions in 3189 functions (0 gaps) for thread 1 (...).
7012 @end smallexample
7013
7014 @kindex show record btrace
7015 @item show record btrace replay-memory-access
7016 Show the current setting of @code{replay-memory-access}.
7017
7018 @item show record btrace cpu
7019 Show the processor to be used for enabling trace decode errata
7020 workarounds.
7021
7022 @kindex set record btrace bts
7023 @item set record btrace bts buffer-size @var{size}
7024 @itemx set record btrace bts buffer-size unlimited
7025 Set the requested ring buffer size for branch tracing in @acronym{BTS}
7026 format. Default is 64KB.
7027
7028 If @var{size} is a positive number, then @value{GDBN} will try to
7029 allocate a buffer of at least @var{size} bytes for each new thread
7030 that uses the btrace recording method and the @acronym{BTS} format.
7031 The actually obtained buffer size may differ from the requested
7032 @var{size}. Use the @code{info record} command to see the actual
7033 buffer size for each thread that uses the btrace recording method and
7034 the @acronym{BTS} format.
7035
7036 If @var{limit} is @code{unlimited} or zero, @value{GDBN} will try to
7037 allocate a buffer of 4MB.
7038
7039 Bigger buffers mean longer traces. On the other hand, @value{GDBN} will
7040 also need longer to process the branch trace data before it can be used.
7041
7042 @item show record btrace bts buffer-size @var{size}
7043 Show the current setting of the requested ring buffer size for branch
7044 tracing in @acronym{BTS} format.
7045
7046 @kindex set record btrace pt
7047 @item set record btrace pt buffer-size @var{size}
7048 @itemx set record btrace pt buffer-size unlimited
7049 Set the requested ring buffer size for branch tracing in Intel
7050 Processor Trace format. Default is 16KB.
7051
7052 If @var{size} is a positive number, then @value{GDBN} will try to
7053 allocate a buffer of at least @var{size} bytes for each new thread
7054 that uses the btrace recording method and the Intel Processor Trace
7055 format. The actually obtained buffer size may differ from the
7056 requested @var{size}. Use the @code{info record} command to see the
7057 actual buffer size for each thread.
7058
7059 If @var{limit} is @code{unlimited} or zero, @value{GDBN} will try to
7060 allocate a buffer of 4MB.
7061
7062 Bigger buffers mean longer traces. On the other hand, @value{GDBN} will
7063 also need longer to process the branch trace data before it can be used.
7064
7065 @item show record btrace pt buffer-size @var{size}
7066 Show the current setting of the requested ring buffer size for branch
7067 tracing in Intel Processor Trace format.
7068
7069 @kindex info record
7070 @item info record
7071 Show various statistics about the recording depending on the recording
7072 method:
7073
7074 @table @code
7075 @item full
7076 For the @code{full} recording method, it shows the state of process
7077 record and its in-memory execution log buffer, including:
7078
7079 @itemize @bullet
7080 @item
7081 Whether in record mode or replay mode.
7082 @item
7083 Lowest recorded instruction number (counting from when the current execution log started recording instructions).
7084 @item
7085 Highest recorded instruction number.
7086 @item
7087 Current instruction about to be replayed (if in replay mode).
7088 @item
7089 Number of instructions contained in the execution log.
7090 @item
7091 Maximum number of instructions that may be contained in the execution log.
7092 @end itemize
7093
7094 @item btrace
7095 For the @code{btrace} recording method, it shows:
7096
7097 @itemize @bullet
7098 @item
7099 Recording format.
7100 @item
7101 Number of instructions that have been recorded.
7102 @item
7103 Number of blocks of sequential control-flow formed by the recorded
7104 instructions.
7105 @item
7106 Whether in record mode or replay mode.
7107 @end itemize
7108
7109 For the @code{bts} recording format, it also shows:
7110 @itemize @bullet
7111 @item
7112 Size of the perf ring buffer.
7113 @end itemize
7114
7115 For the @code{pt} recording format, it also shows:
7116 @itemize @bullet
7117 @item
7118 Size of the perf ring buffer.
7119 @end itemize
7120 @end table
7121
7122 @kindex record delete
7123 @kindex rec del
7124 @item record delete
7125 When record target runs in replay mode (``in the past''), delete the
7126 subsequent execution log and begin to record a new execution log starting
7127 from the current address. This means you will abandon the previously
7128 recorded ``future'' and begin recording a new ``future''.
7129
7130 @kindex record instruction-history
7131 @kindex rec instruction-history
7132 @item record instruction-history
7133 Disassembles instructions from the recorded execution log. By
7134 default, ten instructions are disassembled. This can be changed using
7135 the @code{set record instruction-history-size} command. Instructions
7136 are printed in execution order.
7137
7138 It can also print mixed source+disassembly if you specify the the
7139 @code{/m} or @code{/s} modifier, and print the raw instructions in hex
7140 as well as in symbolic form by specifying the @code{/r} modifier.
7141
7142 The current position marker is printed for the instruction at the
7143 current program counter value. This instruction can appear multiple
7144 times in the trace and the current position marker will be printed
7145 every time. To omit the current position marker, specify the
7146 @code{/p} modifier.
7147
7148 To better align the printed instructions when the trace contains
7149 instructions from more than one function, the function name may be
7150 omitted by specifying the @code{/f} modifier.
7151
7152 Speculatively executed instructions are prefixed with @samp{?}. This
7153 feature is not available for all recording formats.
7154
7155 There are several ways to specify what part of the execution log to
7156 disassemble:
7157
7158 @table @code
7159 @item record instruction-history @var{insn}
7160 Disassembles ten instructions starting from instruction number
7161 @var{insn}.
7162
7163 @item record instruction-history @var{insn}, +/-@var{n}
7164 Disassembles @var{n} instructions around instruction number
7165 @var{insn}. If @var{n} is preceded with @code{+}, disassembles
7166 @var{n} instructions after instruction number @var{insn}. If
7167 @var{n} is preceded with @code{-}, disassembles @var{n}
7168 instructions before instruction number @var{insn}.
7169
7170 @item record instruction-history
7171 Disassembles ten more instructions after the last disassembly.
7172
7173 @item record instruction-history -
7174 Disassembles ten more instructions before the last disassembly.
7175
7176 @item record instruction-history @var{begin}, @var{end}
7177 Disassembles instructions beginning with instruction number
7178 @var{begin} until instruction number @var{end}. The instruction
7179 number @var{end} is included.
7180 @end table
7181
7182 This command may not be available for all recording methods.
7183
7184 @kindex set record
7185 @item set record instruction-history-size @var{size}
7186 @itemx set record instruction-history-size unlimited
7187 Define how many instructions to disassemble in the @code{record
7188 instruction-history} command. The default value is 10.
7189 A @var{size} of @code{unlimited} means unlimited instructions.
7190
7191 @kindex show record
7192 @item show record instruction-history-size
7193 Show how many instructions to disassemble in the @code{record
7194 instruction-history} command.
7195
7196 @kindex record function-call-history
7197 @kindex rec function-call-history
7198 @item record function-call-history
7199 Prints the execution history at function granularity. It prints one
7200 line for each sequence of instructions that belong to the same
7201 function giving the name of that function, the source lines
7202 for this instruction sequence (if the @code{/l} modifier is
7203 specified), and the instructions numbers that form the sequence (if
7204 the @code{/i} modifier is specified). The function names are indented
7205 to reflect the call stack depth if the @code{/c} modifier is
7206 specified. The @code{/l}, @code{/i}, and @code{/c} modifiers can be
7207 given together.
7208
7209 @smallexample
7210 (@value{GDBP}) @b{list 1, 10}
7211 1 void foo (void)
7212 2 @{
7213 3 @}
7214 4
7215 5 void bar (void)
7216 6 @{
7217 7 ...
7218 8 foo ();
7219 9 ...
7220 10 @}
7221 (@value{GDBP}) @b{record function-call-history /ilc}
7222 1 bar inst 1,4 at foo.c:6,8
7223 2 foo inst 5,10 at foo.c:2,3
7224 3 bar inst 11,13 at foo.c:9,10
7225 @end smallexample
7226
7227 By default, ten lines are printed. This can be changed using the
7228 @code{set record function-call-history-size} command. Functions are
7229 printed in execution order. There are several ways to specify what
7230 to print:
7231
7232 @table @code
7233 @item record function-call-history @var{func}
7234 Prints ten functions starting from function number @var{func}.
7235
7236 @item record function-call-history @var{func}, +/-@var{n}
7237 Prints @var{n} functions around function number @var{func}. If
7238 @var{n} is preceded with @code{+}, prints @var{n} functions after
7239 function number @var{func}. If @var{n} is preceded with @code{-},
7240 prints @var{n} functions before function number @var{func}.
7241
7242 @item record function-call-history
7243 Prints ten more functions after the last ten-line print.
7244
7245 @item record function-call-history -
7246 Prints ten more functions before the last ten-line print.
7247
7248 @item record function-call-history @var{begin}, @var{end}
7249 Prints functions beginning with function number @var{begin} until
7250 function number @var{end}. The function number @var{end} is included.
7251 @end table
7252
7253 This command may not be available for all recording methods.
7254
7255 @item set record function-call-history-size @var{size}
7256 @itemx set record function-call-history-size unlimited
7257 Define how many lines to print in the
7258 @code{record function-call-history} command. The default value is 10.
7259 A size of @code{unlimited} means unlimited lines.
7260
7261 @item show record function-call-history-size
7262 Show how many lines to print in the
7263 @code{record function-call-history} command.
7264 @end table
7265
7266
7267 @node Stack
7268 @chapter Examining the Stack
7269
7270 When your program has stopped, the first thing you need to know is where it
7271 stopped and how it got there.
7272
7273 @cindex call stack
7274 Each time your program performs a function call, information about the call
7275 is generated.
7276 That information includes the location of the call in your program,
7277 the arguments of the call,
7278 and the local variables of the function being called.
7279 The information is saved in a block of data called a @dfn{stack frame}.
7280 The stack frames are allocated in a region of memory called the @dfn{call
7281 stack}.
7282
7283 When your program stops, the @value{GDBN} commands for examining the
7284 stack allow you to see all of this information.
7285
7286 @cindex selected frame
7287 One of the stack frames is @dfn{selected} by @value{GDBN} and many
7288 @value{GDBN} commands refer implicitly to the selected frame. In
7289 particular, whenever you ask @value{GDBN} for the value of a variable in
7290 your program, the value is found in the selected frame. There are
7291 special @value{GDBN} commands to select whichever frame you are
7292 interested in. @xref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}.
7293
7294 When your program stops, @value{GDBN} automatically selects the
7295 currently executing frame and describes it briefly, similar to the
7296 @code{frame} command (@pxref{Frame Info, ,Information about a Frame}).
7297
7298 @menu
7299 * Frames:: Stack frames
7300 * Backtrace:: Backtraces
7301 * Selection:: Selecting a frame
7302 * Frame Info:: Information on a frame
7303 * Frame Filter Management:: Managing frame filters
7304
7305 @end menu
7306
7307 @node Frames
7308 @section Stack Frames
7309
7310 @cindex frame, definition
7311 @cindex stack frame
7312 The call stack is divided up into contiguous pieces called @dfn{stack
7313 frames}, or @dfn{frames} for short; each frame is the data associated
7314 with one call to one function. The frame contains the arguments given
7315 to the function, the function's local variables, and the address at
7316 which the function is executing.
7317
7318 @cindex initial frame
7319 @cindex outermost frame
7320 @cindex innermost frame
7321 When your program is started, the stack has only one frame, that of the
7322 function @code{main}. This is called the @dfn{initial} frame or the
7323 @dfn{outermost} frame. Each time a function is called, a new frame is
7324 made. Each time a function returns, the frame for that function invocation
7325 is eliminated. If a function is recursive, there can be many frames for
7326 the same function. The frame for the function in which execution is
7327 actually occurring is called the @dfn{innermost} frame. This is the most
7328 recently created of all the stack frames that still exist.
7329
7330 @cindex frame pointer
7331 Inside your program, stack frames are identified by their addresses. A
7332 stack frame consists of many bytes, each of which has its own address; each
7333 kind of computer has a convention for choosing one byte whose
7334 address serves as the address of the frame. Usually this address is kept
7335 in a register called the @dfn{frame pointer register}
7336 (@pxref{Registers, $fp}) while execution is going on in that frame.
7337
7338 @cindex frame number
7339 @value{GDBN} assigns numbers to all existing stack frames, starting with
7340 zero for the innermost frame, one for the frame that called it,
7341 and so on upward. These numbers do not really exist in your program;
7342 they are assigned by @value{GDBN} to give you a way of designating stack
7343 frames in @value{GDBN} commands.
7344
7345 @c The -fomit-frame-pointer below perennially causes hbox overflow
7346 @c underflow problems.
7347 @cindex frameless execution
7348 Some compilers provide a way to compile functions so that they operate
7349 without stack frames. (For example, the @value{NGCC} option
7350 @smallexample
7351 @samp{-fomit-frame-pointer}
7352 @end smallexample
7353 generates functions without a frame.)
7354 This is occasionally done with heavily used library functions to save
7355 the frame setup time. @value{GDBN} has limited facilities for dealing
7356 with these function invocations. If the innermost function invocation
7357 has no stack frame, @value{GDBN} nevertheless regards it as though
7358 it had a separate frame, which is numbered zero as usual, allowing
7359 correct tracing of the function call chain. However, @value{GDBN} has
7360 no provision for frameless functions elsewhere in the stack.
7361
7362 @node Backtrace
7363 @section Backtraces
7364
7365 @cindex traceback
7366 @cindex call stack traces
7367 A backtrace is a summary of how your program got where it is. It shows one
7368 line per frame, for many frames, starting with the currently executing
7369 frame (frame zero), followed by its caller (frame one), and on up the
7370 stack.
7371
7372 @anchor{backtrace-command}
7373 @kindex backtrace
7374 @kindex bt @r{(@code{backtrace})}
7375 To print a backtrace of the entire stack, use the @code{backtrace}
7376 command, or its alias @code{bt}. This command will print one line per
7377 frame for frames in the stack. By default, all stack frames are
7378 printed. You can stop the backtrace at any time by typing the system
7379 interrupt character, normally @kbd{Ctrl-c}.
7380
7381 @table @code
7382 @item backtrace [@var{args}@dots{}]
7383 @itemx bt [@var{args}@dots{}]
7384 Print the backtrace of the entire stack. The optional @var{args} can
7385 be one of the following:
7386
7387 @table @code
7388 @item @var{n}
7389 @itemx @var{n}
7390 Print only the innermost @var{n} frames, where @var{n} is a positive
7391 number.
7392
7393 @item -@var{n}
7394 @itemx -@var{n}
7395 Print only the outermost @var{n} frames, where @var{n} is a positive
7396 number.
7397
7398 @item full
7399 Print the values of the local variables also. This can be combined
7400 with a number to limit the number of frames shown.
7401
7402 @item no-filters
7403 Do not run Python frame filters on this backtrace. @xref{Frame
7404 Filter API}, for more information. Additionally use @ref{disable
7405 frame-filter all} to turn off all frame filters. This is only
7406 relevant when @value{GDBN} has been configured with @code{Python}
7407 support.
7408
7409 @item hide
7410 A Python frame filter might decide to ``elide'' some frames. Normally
7411 such elided frames are still printed, but they are indented relative
7412 to the filtered frames that cause them to be elided. The @code{hide}
7413 option causes elided frames to not be printed at all.
7414 @end table
7415 @end table
7416
7417 @kindex where
7418 @kindex info stack
7419 The names @code{where} and @code{info stack} (abbreviated @code{info s})
7420 are additional aliases for @code{backtrace}.
7421
7422 @cindex multiple threads, backtrace
7423 In a multi-threaded program, @value{GDBN} by default shows the
7424 backtrace only for the current thread. To display the backtrace for
7425 several or all of the threads, use the command @code{thread apply}
7426 (@pxref{Threads, thread apply}). For example, if you type @kbd{thread
7427 apply all backtrace}, @value{GDBN} will display the backtrace for all
7428 the threads; this is handy when you debug a core dump of a
7429 multi-threaded program.
7430
7431 Each line in the backtrace shows the frame number and the function name.
7432 The program counter value is also shown---unless you use @code{set
7433 print address off}. The backtrace also shows the source file name and
7434 line number, as well as the arguments to the function. The program
7435 counter value is omitted if it is at the beginning of the code for that
7436 line number.
7437
7438 Here is an example of a backtrace. It was made with the command
7439 @samp{bt 3}, so it shows the innermost three frames.
7440
7441 @smallexample
7442 @group
7443 #0 m4_traceon (obs=0x24eb0, argc=1, argv=0x2b8c8)
7444 at builtin.c:993
7445 #1 0x6e38 in expand_macro (sym=0x2b600, data=...) at macro.c:242
7446 #2 0x6840 in expand_token (obs=0x0, t=177664, td=0xf7fffb08)
7447 at macro.c:71
7448 (More stack frames follow...)
7449 @end group
7450 @end smallexample
7451
7452 @noindent
7453 The display for frame zero does not begin with a program counter
7454 value, indicating that your program has stopped at the beginning of the
7455 code for line @code{993} of @code{builtin.c}.
7456
7457 @noindent
7458 The value of parameter @code{data} in frame 1 has been replaced by
7459 @code{@dots{}}. By default, @value{GDBN} prints the value of a parameter
7460 only if it is a scalar (integer, pointer, enumeration, etc). See command
7461 @kbd{set print frame-arguments} in @ref{Print Settings} for more details
7462 on how to configure the way function parameter values are printed.
7463
7464 @cindex optimized out, in backtrace
7465 @cindex function call arguments, optimized out
7466 If your program was compiled with optimizations, some compilers will
7467 optimize away arguments passed to functions if those arguments are
7468 never used after the call. Such optimizations generate code that
7469 passes arguments through registers, but doesn't store those arguments
7470 in the stack frame. @value{GDBN} has no way of displaying such
7471 arguments in stack frames other than the innermost one. Here's what
7472 such a backtrace might look like:
7473
7474 @smallexample
7475 @group
7476 #0 m4_traceon (obs=0x24eb0, argc=1, argv=0x2b8c8)
7477 at builtin.c:993
7478 #1 0x6e38 in expand_macro (sym=<optimized out>) at macro.c:242
7479 #2 0x6840 in expand_token (obs=0x0, t=<optimized out>, td=0xf7fffb08)
7480 at macro.c:71
7481 (More stack frames follow...)
7482 @end group
7483 @end smallexample
7484
7485 @noindent
7486 The values of arguments that were not saved in their stack frames are
7487 shown as @samp{<optimized out>}.
7488
7489 If you need to display the values of such optimized-out arguments,
7490 either deduce that from other variables whose values depend on the one
7491 you are interested in, or recompile without optimizations.
7492
7493 @cindex backtrace beyond @code{main} function
7494 @cindex program entry point
7495 @cindex startup code, and backtrace
7496 Most programs have a standard user entry point---a place where system
7497 libraries and startup code transition into user code. For C this is
7498 @code{main}@footnote{
7499 Note that embedded programs (the so-called ``free-standing''
7500 environment) are not required to have a @code{main} function as the
7501 entry point. They could even have multiple entry points.}.
7502 When @value{GDBN} finds the entry function in a backtrace
7503 it will terminate the backtrace, to avoid tracing into highly
7504 system-specific (and generally uninteresting) code.
7505
7506 If you need to examine the startup code, or limit the number of levels
7507 in a backtrace, you can change this behavior:
7508
7509 @table @code
7510 @item set backtrace past-main
7511 @itemx set backtrace past-main on
7512 @kindex set backtrace
7513 Backtraces will continue past the user entry point.
7514
7515 @item set backtrace past-main off
7516 Backtraces will stop when they encounter the user entry point. This is the
7517 default.
7518
7519 @item show backtrace past-main
7520 @kindex show backtrace
7521 Display the current user entry point backtrace policy.
7522
7523 @item set backtrace past-entry
7524 @itemx set backtrace past-entry on
7525 Backtraces will continue past the internal entry point of an application.
7526 This entry point is encoded by the linker when the application is built,
7527 and is likely before the user entry point @code{main} (or equivalent) is called.
7528
7529 @item set backtrace past-entry off
7530 Backtraces will stop when they encounter the internal entry point of an
7531 application. This is the default.
7532
7533 @item show backtrace past-entry
7534 Display the current internal entry point backtrace policy.
7535
7536 @item set backtrace limit @var{n}
7537 @itemx set backtrace limit 0
7538 @itemx set backtrace limit unlimited
7539 @cindex backtrace limit
7540 Limit the backtrace to @var{n} levels. A value of @code{unlimited}
7541 or zero means unlimited levels.
7542
7543 @item show backtrace limit
7544 Display the current limit on backtrace levels.
7545 @end table
7546
7547 You can control how file names are displayed.
7548
7549 @table @code
7550 @item set filename-display
7551 @itemx set filename-display relative
7552 @cindex filename-display
7553 Display file names relative to the compilation directory. This is the default.
7554
7555 @item set filename-display basename
7556 Display only basename of a filename.
7557
7558 @item set filename-display absolute
7559 Display an absolute filename.
7560
7561 @item show filename-display
7562 Show the current way to display filenames.
7563 @end table
7564
7565 @node Selection
7566 @section Selecting a Frame
7567
7568 Most commands for examining the stack and other data in your program work on
7569 whichever stack frame is selected at the moment. Here are the commands for
7570 selecting a stack frame; all of them finish by printing a brief description
7571 of the stack frame just selected.
7572
7573 @table @code
7574 @kindex frame@r{, selecting}
7575 @kindex f @r{(@code{frame})}
7576 @item frame @var{n}
7577 @itemx f @var{n}
7578 Select frame number @var{n}. Recall that frame zero is the innermost
7579 (currently executing) frame, frame one is the frame that called the
7580 innermost one, and so on. The highest-numbered frame is the one for
7581 @code{main}.
7582
7583 @item frame @var{stack-addr} [ @var{pc-addr} ]
7584 @itemx f @var{stack-addr} [ @var{pc-addr} ]
7585 Select the frame at address @var{stack-addr}. This is useful mainly if the
7586 chaining of stack frames has been damaged by a bug, making it
7587 impossible for @value{GDBN} to assign numbers properly to all frames. In
7588 addition, this can be useful when your program has multiple stacks and
7589 switches between them. The optional @var{pc-addr} can also be given to
7590 specify the value of PC for the stack frame.
7591
7592 @kindex up
7593 @item up @var{n}
7594 Move @var{n} frames up the stack; @var{n} defaults to 1. For positive
7595 numbers @var{n}, this advances toward the outermost frame, to higher
7596 frame numbers, to frames that have existed longer.
7597
7598 @kindex down
7599 @kindex do @r{(@code{down})}
7600 @item down @var{n}
7601 Move @var{n} frames down the stack; @var{n} defaults to 1. For
7602 positive numbers @var{n}, this advances toward the innermost frame, to
7603 lower frame numbers, to frames that were created more recently.
7604 You may abbreviate @code{down} as @code{do}.
7605 @end table
7606
7607 All of these commands end by printing two lines of output describing the
7608 frame. The first line shows the frame number, the function name, the
7609 arguments, and the source file and line number of execution in that
7610 frame. The second line shows the text of that source line.
7611
7612 @need 1000
7613 For example:
7614
7615 @smallexample
7616 @group
7617 (@value{GDBP}) up
7618 #1 0x22f0 in main (argc=1, argv=0xf7fffbf4, env=0xf7fffbfc)
7619 at env.c:10
7620 10 read_input_file (argv[i]);
7621 @end group
7622 @end smallexample
7623
7624 After such a printout, the @code{list} command with no arguments
7625 prints ten lines centered on the point of execution in the frame.
7626 You can also edit the program at the point of execution with your favorite
7627 editing program by typing @code{edit}.
7628 @xref{List, ,Printing Source Lines},
7629 for details.
7630
7631 @table @code
7632 @kindex select-frame
7633 @item select-frame
7634 The @code{select-frame} command is a variant of @code{frame} that does
7635 not display the new frame after selecting it. This command is
7636 intended primarily for use in @value{GDBN} command scripts, where the
7637 output might be unnecessary and distracting.
7638
7639 @kindex down-silently
7640 @kindex up-silently
7641 @item up-silently @var{n}
7642 @itemx down-silently @var{n}
7643 These two commands are variants of @code{up} and @code{down},
7644 respectively; they differ in that they do their work silently, without
7645 causing display of the new frame. They are intended primarily for use
7646 in @value{GDBN} command scripts, where the output might be unnecessary and
7647 distracting.
7648 @end table
7649
7650 @node Frame Info
7651 @section Information About a Frame
7652
7653 There are several other commands to print information about the selected
7654 stack frame.
7655
7656 @table @code
7657 @item frame
7658 @itemx f
7659 When used without any argument, this command does not change which
7660 frame is selected, but prints a brief description of the currently
7661 selected stack frame. It can be abbreviated @code{f}. With an
7662 argument, this command is used to select a stack frame.
7663 @xref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}.
7664
7665 @kindex info frame
7666 @kindex info f @r{(@code{info frame})}
7667 @item info frame
7668 @itemx info f
7669 This command prints a verbose description of the selected stack frame,
7670 including:
7671
7672 @itemize @bullet
7673 @item
7674 the address of the frame
7675 @item
7676 the address of the next frame down (called by this frame)
7677 @item
7678 the address of the next frame up (caller of this frame)
7679 @item
7680 the language in which the source code corresponding to this frame is written
7681 @item
7682 the address of the frame's arguments
7683 @item
7684 the address of the frame's local variables
7685 @item
7686 the program counter saved in it (the address of execution in the caller frame)
7687 @item
7688 which registers were saved in the frame
7689 @end itemize
7690
7691 @noindent The verbose description is useful when
7692 something has gone wrong that has made the stack format fail to fit
7693 the usual conventions.
7694
7695 @item info frame @var{addr}
7696 @itemx info f @var{addr}
7697 Print a verbose description of the frame at address @var{addr}, without
7698 selecting that frame. The selected frame remains unchanged by this
7699 command. This requires the same kind of address (more than one for some
7700 architectures) that you specify in the @code{frame} command.
7701 @xref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}.
7702
7703 @kindex info args
7704 @item info args
7705 Print the arguments of the selected frame, each on a separate line.
7706
7707 @item info locals
7708 @kindex info locals
7709 Print the local variables of the selected frame, each on a separate
7710 line. These are all variables (declared either static or automatic)
7711 accessible at the point of execution of the selected frame.
7712
7713 @end table
7714
7715 @node Frame Filter Management
7716 @section Management of Frame Filters.
7717 @cindex managing frame filters
7718
7719 Frame filters are Python based utilities to manage and decorate the
7720 output of frames. @xref{Frame Filter API}, for further information.
7721
7722 Managing frame filters is performed by several commands available
7723 within @value{GDBN}, detailed here.
7724
7725 @table @code
7726 @kindex info frame-filter
7727 @item info frame-filter
7728 Print a list of installed frame filters from all dictionaries, showing
7729 their name, priority and enabled status.
7730
7731 @kindex disable frame-filter
7732 @anchor{disable frame-filter all}
7733 @item disable frame-filter @var{filter-dictionary} @var{filter-name}
7734 Disable a frame filter in the dictionary matching
7735 @var{filter-dictionary} and @var{filter-name}. The
7736 @var{filter-dictionary} may be @code{all}, @code{global},
7737 @code{progspace}, or the name of the object file where the frame filter
7738 dictionary resides. When @code{all} is specified, all frame filters
7739 across all dictionaries are disabled. The @var{filter-name} is the name
7740 of the frame filter and is used when @code{all} is not the option for
7741 @var{filter-dictionary}. A disabled frame-filter is not deleted, it
7742 may be enabled again later.
7743
7744 @kindex enable frame-filter
7745 @item enable frame-filter @var{filter-dictionary} @var{filter-name}
7746 Enable a frame filter in the dictionary matching
7747 @var{filter-dictionary} and @var{filter-name}. The
7748 @var{filter-dictionary} may be @code{all}, @code{global},
7749 @code{progspace} or the name of the object file where the frame filter
7750 dictionary resides. When @code{all} is specified, all frame filters across
7751 all dictionaries are enabled. The @var{filter-name} is the name of the frame
7752 filter and is used when @code{all} is not the option for
7753 @var{filter-dictionary}.
7754
7755 Example:
7756
7757 @smallexample
7758 (gdb) info frame-filter
7759
7760 global frame-filters:
7761 Priority Enabled Name
7762 1000 No PrimaryFunctionFilter
7763 100 Yes Reverse
7764
7765 progspace /build/test frame-filters:
7766 Priority Enabled Name
7767 100 Yes ProgspaceFilter
7768
7769 objfile /build/test frame-filters:
7770 Priority Enabled Name
7771 999 Yes BuildProgra Filter
7772
7773 (gdb) disable frame-filter /build/test BuildProgramFilter
7774 (gdb) info frame-filter
7775
7776 global frame-filters:
7777 Priority Enabled Name
7778 1000 No PrimaryFunctionFilter
7779 100 Yes Reverse
7780
7781 progspace /build/test frame-filters:
7782 Priority Enabled Name
7783 100 Yes ProgspaceFilter
7784
7785 objfile /build/test frame-filters:
7786 Priority Enabled Name
7787 999 No BuildProgramFilter
7788
7789 (gdb) enable frame-filter global PrimaryFunctionFilter
7790 (gdb) info frame-filter
7791
7792 global frame-filters:
7793 Priority Enabled Name
7794 1000 Yes PrimaryFunctionFilter
7795 100 Yes Reverse
7796
7797 progspace /build/test frame-filters:
7798 Priority Enabled Name
7799 100 Yes ProgspaceFilter
7800
7801 objfile /build/test frame-filters:
7802 Priority Enabled Name
7803 999 No BuildProgramFilter
7804 @end smallexample
7805
7806 @kindex set frame-filter priority
7807 @item set frame-filter priority @var{filter-dictionary} @var{filter-name} @var{priority}
7808 Set the @var{priority} of a frame filter in the dictionary matching
7809 @var{filter-dictionary}, and the frame filter name matching
7810 @var{filter-name}. The @var{filter-dictionary} may be @code{global},
7811 @code{progspace} or the name of the object file where the frame filter
7812 dictionary resides. The @var{priority} is an integer.
7813
7814 @kindex show frame-filter priority
7815 @item show frame-filter priority @var{filter-dictionary} @var{filter-name}
7816 Show the @var{priority} of a frame filter in the dictionary matching
7817 @var{filter-dictionary}, and the frame filter name matching
7818 @var{filter-name}. The @var{filter-dictionary} may be @code{global},
7819 @code{progspace} or the name of the object file where the frame filter
7820 dictionary resides.
7821
7822 Example:
7823
7824 @smallexample
7825 (gdb) info frame-filter
7826
7827 global frame-filters:
7828 Priority Enabled Name
7829 1000 Yes PrimaryFunctionFilter
7830 100 Yes Reverse
7831
7832 progspace /build/test frame-filters:
7833 Priority Enabled Name
7834 100 Yes ProgspaceFilter
7835
7836 objfile /build/test frame-filters:
7837 Priority Enabled Name
7838 999 No BuildProgramFilter
7839
7840 (gdb) set frame-filter priority global Reverse 50
7841 (gdb) info frame-filter
7842
7843 global frame-filters:
7844 Priority Enabled Name
7845 1000 Yes PrimaryFunctionFilter
7846 50 Yes Reverse
7847
7848 progspace /build/test frame-filters:
7849 Priority Enabled Name
7850 100 Yes ProgspaceFilter
7851
7852 objfile /build/test frame-filters:
7853 Priority Enabled Name
7854 999 No BuildProgramFilter
7855 @end smallexample
7856 @end table
7857
7858 @node Source
7859 @chapter Examining Source Files
7860
7861 @value{GDBN} can print parts of your program's source, since the debugging
7862 information recorded in the program tells @value{GDBN} what source files were
7863 used to build it. When your program stops, @value{GDBN} spontaneously prints
7864 the line where it stopped. Likewise, when you select a stack frame
7865 (@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}), @value{GDBN} prints the line where
7866 execution in that frame has stopped. You can print other portions of
7867 source files by explicit command.
7868
7869 If you use @value{GDBN} through its @sc{gnu} Emacs interface, you may
7870 prefer to use Emacs facilities to view source; see @ref{Emacs, ,Using
7871 @value{GDBN} under @sc{gnu} Emacs}.
7872
7873 @menu
7874 * List:: Printing source lines
7875 * Specify Location:: How to specify code locations
7876 * Edit:: Editing source files
7877 * Search:: Searching source files
7878 * Source Path:: Specifying source directories
7879 * Machine Code:: Source and machine code
7880 @end menu
7881
7882 @node List
7883 @section Printing Source Lines
7884
7885 @kindex list
7886 @kindex l @r{(@code{list})}
7887 To print lines from a source file, use the @code{list} command
7888 (abbreviated @code{l}). By default, ten lines are printed.
7889 There are several ways to specify what part of the file you want to
7890 print; see @ref{Specify Location}, for the full list.
7891
7892 Here are the forms of the @code{list} command most commonly used:
7893
7894 @table @code
7895 @item list @var{linenum}
7896 Print lines centered around line number @var{linenum} in the
7897 current source file.
7898
7899 @item list @var{function}
7900 Print lines centered around the beginning of function
7901 @var{function}.
7902
7903 @item list
7904 Print more lines. If the last lines printed were printed with a
7905 @code{list} command, this prints lines following the last lines
7906 printed; however, if the last line printed was a solitary line printed
7907 as part of displaying a stack frame (@pxref{Stack, ,Examining the
7908 Stack}), this prints lines centered around that line.
7909
7910 @item list -
7911 Print lines just before the lines last printed.
7912 @end table
7913
7914 @cindex @code{list}, how many lines to display
7915 By default, @value{GDBN} prints ten source lines with any of these forms of
7916 the @code{list} command. You can change this using @code{set listsize}:
7917
7918 @table @code
7919 @kindex set listsize
7920 @item set listsize @var{count}
7921 @itemx set listsize unlimited
7922 Make the @code{list} command display @var{count} source lines (unless
7923 the @code{list} argument explicitly specifies some other number).
7924 Setting @var{count} to @code{unlimited} or 0 means there's no limit.
7925
7926 @kindex show listsize
7927 @item show listsize
7928 Display the number of lines that @code{list} prints.
7929 @end table
7930
7931 Repeating a @code{list} command with @key{RET} discards the argument,
7932 so it is equivalent to typing just @code{list}. This is more useful
7933 than listing the same lines again. An exception is made for an
7934 argument of @samp{-}; that argument is preserved in repetition so that
7935 each repetition moves up in the source file.
7936
7937 In general, the @code{list} command expects you to supply zero, one or two
7938 @dfn{locations}. Locations specify source lines; there are several ways
7939 of writing them (@pxref{Specify Location}), but the effect is always
7940 to specify some source line.
7941
7942 Here is a complete description of the possible arguments for @code{list}:
7943
7944 @table @code
7945 @item list @var{location}
7946 Print lines centered around the line specified by @var{location}.
7947
7948 @item list @var{first},@var{last}
7949 Print lines from @var{first} to @var{last}. Both arguments are
7950 locations. When a @code{list} command has two locations, and the
7951 source file of the second location is omitted, this refers to
7952 the same source file as the first location.
7953
7954 @item list ,@var{last}
7955 Print lines ending with @var{last}.
7956
7957 @item list @var{first},
7958 Print lines starting with @var{first}.
7959
7960 @item list +
7961 Print lines just after the lines last printed.
7962
7963 @item list -
7964 Print lines just before the lines last printed.
7965
7966 @item list
7967 As described in the preceding table.
7968 @end table
7969
7970 @node Specify Location
7971 @section Specifying a Location
7972 @cindex specifying location
7973 @cindex location
7974 @cindex source location
7975
7976 @menu
7977 * Linespec Locations:: Linespec locations
7978 * Explicit Locations:: Explicit locations
7979 * Address Locations:: Address locations
7980 @end menu
7981
7982 Several @value{GDBN} commands accept arguments that specify a location
7983 of your program's code. Since @value{GDBN} is a source-level
7984 debugger, a location usually specifies some line in the source code.
7985 Locations may be specified using three different formats:
7986 linespec locations, explicit locations, or address locations.
7987
7988 @node Linespec Locations
7989 @subsection Linespec Locations
7990 @cindex linespec locations
7991
7992 A @dfn{linespec} is a colon-separated list of source location parameters such
7993 as file name, function name, etc. Here are all the different ways of
7994 specifying a linespec:
7995
7996 @table @code
7997 @item @var{linenum}
7998 Specifies the line number @var{linenum} of the current source file.
7999
8000 @item -@var{offset}
8001 @itemx +@var{offset}
8002 Specifies the line @var{offset} lines before or after the @dfn{current
8003 line}. For the @code{list} command, the current line is the last one
8004 printed; for the breakpoint commands, this is the line at which
8005 execution stopped in the currently selected @dfn{stack frame}
8006 (@pxref{Frames, ,Frames}, for a description of stack frames.) When
8007 used as the second of the two linespecs in a @code{list} command,
8008 this specifies the line @var{offset} lines up or down from the first
8009 linespec.
8010
8011 @item @var{filename}:@var{linenum}
8012 Specifies the line @var{linenum} in the source file @var{filename}.
8013 If @var{filename} is a relative file name, then it will match any
8014 source file name with the same trailing components. For example, if
8015 @var{filename} is @samp{gcc/expr.c}, then it will match source file
8016 name of @file{/build/trunk/gcc/expr.c}, but not
8017 @file{/build/trunk/libcpp/expr.c} or @file{/build/trunk/gcc/x-expr.c}.
8018
8019 @item @var{function}
8020 Specifies the line that begins the body of the function @var{function}.
8021 For example, in C, this is the line with the open brace.
8022
8023 By default, in C@t{++} and Ada, @var{function} is interpreted as
8024 specifying all functions named @var{function} in all scopes. For
8025 C@t{++}, this means in all namespaces and classes. For Ada, this
8026 means in all packages.
8027
8028 For example, assuming a program with C@t{++} symbols named
8029 @code{A::B::func} and @code{B::func}, both commands @w{@kbd{break
8030 func}} and @w{@kbd{break B::func}} set a breakpoint on both symbols.
8031
8032 Commands that accept a linespec let you override this with the
8033 @code{-qualified} option. For example, @w{@kbd{break -qualified
8034 func}} sets a breakpoint on a free-function named @code{func} ignoring
8035 any C@t{++} class methods and namespace functions called @code{func}.
8036
8037 @xref{Explicit Locations}.
8038
8039 @item @var{function}:@var{label}
8040 Specifies the line where @var{label} appears in @var{function}.
8041
8042 @item @var{filename}:@var{function}
8043 Specifies the line that begins the body of the function @var{function}
8044 in the file @var{filename}. You only need the file name with a
8045 function name to avoid ambiguity when there are identically named
8046 functions in different source files.
8047
8048 @item @var{label}
8049 Specifies the line at which the label named @var{label} appears
8050 in the function corresponding to the currently selected stack frame.
8051 If there is no current selected stack frame (for instance, if the inferior
8052 is not running), then @value{GDBN} will not search for a label.
8053
8054 @cindex breakpoint at static probe point
8055 @item -pstap|-probe-stap @r{[}@var{objfile}:@r{[}@var{provider}:@r{]}@r{]}@var{name}
8056 The @sc{gnu}/Linux tool @code{SystemTap} provides a way for
8057 applications to embed static probes. @xref{Static Probe Points}, for more
8058 information on finding and using static probes. This form of linespec
8059 specifies the location of such a static probe.
8060
8061 If @var{objfile} is given, only probes coming from that shared library
8062 or executable matching @var{objfile} as a regular expression are considered.
8063 If @var{provider} is given, then only probes from that provider are considered.
8064 If several probes match the spec, @value{GDBN} will insert a breakpoint at
8065 each one of those probes.
8066 @end table
8067
8068 @node Explicit Locations
8069 @subsection Explicit Locations
8070 @cindex explicit locations
8071
8072 @dfn{Explicit locations} allow the user to directly specify the source
8073 location's parameters using option-value pairs.
8074
8075 Explicit locations are useful when several functions, labels, or
8076 file names have the same name (base name for files) in the program's
8077 sources. In these cases, explicit locations point to the source
8078 line you meant more accurately and unambiguously. Also, using
8079 explicit locations might be faster in large programs.
8080
8081 For example, the linespec @samp{foo:bar} may refer to a function @code{bar}
8082 defined in the file named @file{foo} or the label @code{bar} in a function
8083 named @code{foo}. @value{GDBN} must search either the file system or
8084 the symbol table to know.
8085
8086 The list of valid explicit location options is summarized in the
8087 following table:
8088
8089 @table @code
8090 @item -source @var{filename}
8091 The value specifies the source file name. To differentiate between
8092 files with the same base name, prepend as many directories as is necessary
8093 to uniquely identify the desired file, e.g., @file{foo/bar/baz.c}. Otherwise
8094 @value{GDBN} will use the first file it finds with the given base
8095 name. This option requires the use of either @code{-function} or @code{-line}.
8096
8097 @item -function @var{function}
8098 The value specifies the name of a function. Operations
8099 on function locations unmodified by other options (such as @code{-label}
8100 or @code{-line}) refer to the line that begins the body of the function.
8101 In C, for example, this is the line with the open brace.
8102
8103 By default, in C@t{++} and Ada, @var{function} is interpreted as
8104 specifying all functions named @var{function} in all scopes. For
8105 C@t{++}, this means in all namespaces and classes. For Ada, this
8106 means in all packages.
8107
8108 For example, assuming a program with C@t{++} symbols named
8109 @code{A::B::func} and @code{B::func}, both commands @w{@kbd{break
8110 -function func}} and @w{@kbd{break -function B::func}} set a
8111 breakpoint on both symbols.
8112
8113 You can use the @kbd{-qualified} flag to override this (see below).
8114
8115 @item -qualified
8116
8117 This flag makes @value{GDBN} interpret a function name specified with
8118 @kbd{-function} as a complete fully-qualified name.
8119
8120 For example, assuming a C@t{++} program with symbols named
8121 @code{A::B::func} and @code{B::func}, the @w{@kbd{break -qualified
8122 -function B::func}} command sets a breakpoint on @code{B::func}, only.
8123
8124 (Note: the @kbd{-qualified} option can precede a linespec as well
8125 (@pxref{Linespec Locations}), so the particular example above could be
8126 simplified as @w{@kbd{break -qualified B::func}}.)
8127
8128 @item -label @var{label}
8129 The value specifies the name of a label. When the function
8130 name is not specified, the label is searched in the function of the currently
8131 selected stack frame.
8132
8133 @item -line @var{number}
8134 The value specifies a line offset for the location. The offset may either
8135 be absolute (@code{-line 3}) or relative (@code{-line +3}), depending on
8136 the command. When specified without any other options, the line offset is
8137 relative to the current line.
8138 @end table
8139
8140 Explicit location options may be abbreviated by omitting any non-unique
8141 trailing characters from the option name, e.g., @w{@kbd{break -s main.c -li 3}}.
8142
8143 @node Address Locations
8144 @subsection Address Locations
8145 @cindex address locations
8146
8147 @dfn{Address locations} indicate a specific program address. They have
8148 the generalized form *@var{address}.
8149
8150 For line-oriented commands, such as @code{list} and @code{edit}, this
8151 specifies a source line that contains @var{address}. For @code{break} and
8152 other breakpoint-oriented commands, this can be used to set breakpoints in
8153 parts of your program which do not have debugging information or
8154 source files.
8155
8156 Here @var{address} may be any expression valid in the current working
8157 language (@pxref{Languages, working language}) that specifies a code
8158 address. In addition, as a convenience, @value{GDBN} extends the
8159 semantics of expressions used in locations to cover several situations
8160 that frequently occur during debugging. Here are the various forms
8161 of @var{address}:
8162
8163 @table @code
8164 @item @var{expression}
8165 Any expression valid in the current working language.
8166
8167 @item @var{funcaddr}
8168 An address of a function or procedure derived from its name. In C,
8169 C@t{++}, Objective-C, Fortran, minimal, and assembly, this is
8170 simply the function's name @var{function} (and actually a special case
8171 of a valid expression). In Pascal and Modula-2, this is
8172 @code{&@var{function}}. In Ada, this is @code{@var{function}'Address}
8173 (although the Pascal form also works).
8174
8175 This form specifies the address of the function's first instruction,
8176 before the stack frame and arguments have been set up.
8177
8178 @item '@var{filename}':@var{funcaddr}
8179 Like @var{funcaddr} above, but also specifies the name of the source
8180 file explicitly. This is useful if the name of the function does not
8181 specify the function unambiguously, e.g., if there are several
8182 functions with identical names in different source files.
8183 @end table
8184
8185 @node Edit
8186 @section Editing Source Files
8187 @cindex editing source files
8188
8189 @kindex edit
8190 @kindex e @r{(@code{edit})}
8191 To edit the lines in a source file, use the @code{edit} command.
8192 The editing program of your choice
8193 is invoked with the current line set to
8194 the active line in the program.
8195 Alternatively, there are several ways to specify what part of the file you
8196 want to print if you want to see other parts of the program:
8197
8198 @table @code
8199 @item edit @var{location}
8200 Edit the source file specified by @code{location}. Editing starts at
8201 that @var{location}, e.g., at the specified source line of the
8202 specified file. @xref{Specify Location}, for all the possible forms
8203 of the @var{location} argument; here are the forms of the @code{edit}
8204 command most commonly used:
8205
8206 @table @code
8207 @item edit @var{number}
8208 Edit the current source file with @var{number} as the active line number.
8209
8210 @item edit @var{function}
8211 Edit the file containing @var{function} at the beginning of its definition.
8212 @end table
8213
8214 @end table
8215
8216 @subsection Choosing your Editor
8217 You can customize @value{GDBN} to use any editor you want
8218 @footnote{
8219 The only restriction is that your editor (say @code{ex}), recognizes the
8220 following command-line syntax:
8221 @smallexample
8222 ex +@var{number} file
8223 @end smallexample
8224 The optional numeric value +@var{number} specifies the number of the line in
8225 the file where to start editing.}.
8226 By default, it is @file{@value{EDITOR}}, but you can change this
8227 by setting the environment variable @code{EDITOR} before using
8228 @value{GDBN}. For example, to configure @value{GDBN} to use the
8229 @code{vi} editor, you could use these commands with the @code{sh} shell:
8230 @smallexample
8231 EDITOR=/usr/bin/vi
8232 export EDITOR
8233 gdb @dots{}
8234 @end smallexample
8235 or in the @code{csh} shell,
8236 @smallexample
8237 setenv EDITOR /usr/bin/vi
8238 gdb @dots{}
8239 @end smallexample
8240
8241 @node Search
8242 @section Searching Source Files
8243 @cindex searching source files
8244
8245 There are two commands for searching through the current source file for a
8246 regular expression.
8247
8248 @table @code
8249 @kindex search
8250 @kindex forward-search
8251 @kindex fo @r{(@code{forward-search})}
8252 @item forward-search @var{regexp}
8253 @itemx search @var{regexp}
8254 The command @samp{forward-search @var{regexp}} checks each line,
8255 starting with the one following the last line listed, for a match for
8256 @var{regexp}. It lists the line that is found. You can use the
8257 synonym @samp{search @var{regexp}} or abbreviate the command name as
8258 @code{fo}.
8259
8260 @kindex reverse-search
8261 @item reverse-search @var{regexp}
8262 The command @samp{reverse-search @var{regexp}} checks each line, starting
8263 with the one before the last line listed and going backward, for a match
8264 for @var{regexp}. It lists the line that is found. You can abbreviate
8265 this command as @code{rev}.
8266 @end table
8267
8268 @node Source Path
8269 @section Specifying Source Directories
8270
8271 @cindex source path
8272 @cindex directories for source files
8273 Executable programs sometimes do not record the directories of the source
8274 files from which they were compiled, just the names. Even when they do,
8275 the directories could be moved between the compilation and your debugging
8276 session. @value{GDBN} has a list of directories to search for source files;
8277 this is called the @dfn{source path}. Each time @value{GDBN} wants a source file,
8278 it tries all the directories in the list, in the order they are present
8279 in the list, until it finds a file with the desired name.
8280
8281 For example, suppose an executable references the file
8282 @file{/usr/src/foo-1.0/lib/foo.c}, and our source path is
8283 @file{/mnt/cross}. The file is first looked up literally; if this
8284 fails, @file{/mnt/cross/usr/src/foo-1.0/lib/foo.c} is tried; if this
8285 fails, @file{/mnt/cross/foo.c} is opened; if this fails, an error
8286 message is printed. @value{GDBN} does not look up the parts of the
8287 source file name, such as @file{/mnt/cross/src/foo-1.0/lib/foo.c}.
8288 Likewise, the subdirectories of the source path are not searched: if
8289 the source path is @file{/mnt/cross}, and the binary refers to
8290 @file{foo.c}, @value{GDBN} would not find it under
8291 @file{/mnt/cross/usr/src/foo-1.0/lib}.
8292
8293 Plain file names, relative file names with leading directories, file
8294 names containing dots, etc.@: are all treated as described above; for
8295 instance, if the source path is @file{/mnt/cross}, and the source file
8296 is recorded as @file{../lib/foo.c}, @value{GDBN} would first try
8297 @file{../lib/foo.c}, then @file{/mnt/cross/../lib/foo.c}, and after
8298 that---@file{/mnt/cross/foo.c}.
8299
8300 Note that the executable search path is @emph{not} used to locate the
8301 source files.
8302
8303 Whenever you reset or rearrange the source path, @value{GDBN} clears out
8304 any information it has cached about where source files are found and where
8305 each line is in the file.
8306
8307 @kindex directory
8308 @kindex dir
8309 When you start @value{GDBN}, its source path includes only @samp{cdir}
8310 and @samp{cwd}, in that order.
8311 To add other directories, use the @code{directory} command.
8312
8313 The search path is used to find both program source files and @value{GDBN}
8314 script files (read using the @samp{-command} option and @samp{source} command).
8315
8316 In addition to the source path, @value{GDBN} provides a set of commands
8317 that manage a list of source path substitution rules. A @dfn{substitution
8318 rule} specifies how to rewrite source directories stored in the program's
8319 debug information in case the sources were moved to a different
8320 directory between compilation and debugging. A rule is made of
8321 two strings, the first specifying what needs to be rewritten in
8322 the path, and the second specifying how it should be rewritten.
8323 In @ref{set substitute-path}, we name these two parts @var{from} and
8324 @var{to} respectively. @value{GDBN} does a simple string replacement
8325 of @var{from} with @var{to} at the start of the directory part of the
8326 source file name, and uses that result instead of the original file
8327 name to look up the sources.
8328
8329 Using the previous example, suppose the @file{foo-1.0} tree has been
8330 moved from @file{/usr/src} to @file{/mnt/cross}, then you can tell
8331 @value{GDBN} to replace @file{/usr/src} in all source path names with
8332 @file{/mnt/cross}. The first lookup will then be
8333 @file{/mnt/cross/foo-1.0/lib/foo.c} in place of the original location
8334 of @file{/usr/src/foo-1.0/lib/foo.c}. To define a source path
8335 substitution rule, use the @code{set substitute-path} command
8336 (@pxref{set substitute-path}).
8337
8338 To avoid unexpected substitution results, a rule is applied only if the
8339 @var{from} part of the directory name ends at a directory separator.
8340 For instance, a rule substituting @file{/usr/source} into
8341 @file{/mnt/cross} will be applied to @file{/usr/source/foo-1.0} but
8342 not to @file{/usr/sourceware/foo-2.0}. And because the substitution
8343 is applied only at the beginning of the directory name, this rule will
8344 not be applied to @file{/root/usr/source/baz.c} either.
8345
8346 In many cases, you can achieve the same result using the @code{directory}
8347 command. However, @code{set substitute-path} can be more efficient in
8348 the case where the sources are organized in a complex tree with multiple
8349 subdirectories. With the @code{directory} command, you need to add each
8350 subdirectory of your project. If you moved the entire tree while
8351 preserving its internal organization, then @code{set substitute-path}
8352 allows you to direct the debugger to all the sources with one single
8353 command.
8354
8355 @code{set substitute-path} is also more than just a shortcut command.
8356 The source path is only used if the file at the original location no
8357 longer exists. On the other hand, @code{set substitute-path} modifies
8358 the debugger behavior to look at the rewritten location instead. So, if
8359 for any reason a source file that is not relevant to your executable is
8360 located at the original location, a substitution rule is the only
8361 method available to point @value{GDBN} at the new location.
8362
8363 @cindex @samp{--with-relocated-sources}
8364 @cindex default source path substitution
8365 You can configure a default source path substitution rule by
8366 configuring @value{GDBN} with the
8367 @samp{--with-relocated-sources=@var{dir}} option. The @var{dir}
8368 should be the name of a directory under @value{GDBN}'s configured
8369 prefix (set with @samp{--prefix} or @samp{--exec-prefix}), and
8370 directory names in debug information under @var{dir} will be adjusted
8371 automatically if the installed @value{GDBN} is moved to a new
8372 location. This is useful if @value{GDBN}, libraries or executables
8373 with debug information and corresponding source code are being moved
8374 together.
8375
8376 @table @code
8377 @item directory @var{dirname} @dots{}
8378 @item dir @var{dirname} @dots{}
8379 Add directory @var{dirname} to the front of the source path. Several
8380 directory names may be given to this command, separated by @samp{:}
8381 (@samp{;} on MS-DOS and MS-Windows, where @samp{:} usually appears as
8382 part of absolute file names) or
8383 whitespace. You may specify a directory that is already in the source
8384 path; this moves it forward, so @value{GDBN} searches it sooner.
8385
8386 @kindex cdir
8387 @kindex cwd
8388 @vindex $cdir@r{, convenience variable}
8389 @vindex $cwd@r{, convenience variable}
8390 @cindex compilation directory
8391 @cindex current directory
8392 @cindex working directory
8393 @cindex directory, current
8394 @cindex directory, compilation
8395 You can use the string @samp{$cdir} to refer to the compilation
8396 directory (if one is recorded), and @samp{$cwd} to refer to the current
8397 working directory. @samp{$cwd} is not the same as @samp{.}---the former
8398 tracks the current working directory as it changes during your @value{GDBN}
8399 session, while the latter is immediately expanded to the current
8400 directory at the time you add an entry to the source path.
8401
8402 @item directory
8403 Reset the source path to its default value (@samp{$cdir:$cwd} on Unix systems). This requires confirmation.
8404
8405 @c RET-repeat for @code{directory} is explicitly disabled, but since
8406 @c repeating it would be a no-op we do not say that. (thanks to RMS)
8407
8408 @item set directories @var{path-list}
8409 @kindex set directories
8410 Set the source path to @var{path-list}.
8411 @samp{$cdir:$cwd} are added if missing.
8412
8413 @item show directories
8414 @kindex show directories
8415 Print the source path: show which directories it contains.
8416
8417 @anchor{set substitute-path}
8418 @item set substitute-path @var{from} @var{to}
8419 @kindex set substitute-path
8420 Define a source path substitution rule, and add it at the end of the
8421 current list of existing substitution rules. If a rule with the same
8422 @var{from} was already defined, then the old rule is also deleted.
8423
8424 For example, if the file @file{/foo/bar/baz.c} was moved to
8425 @file{/mnt/cross/baz.c}, then the command
8426
8427 @smallexample
8428 (@value{GDBP}) set substitute-path /foo/bar /mnt/cross
8429 @end smallexample
8430
8431 @noindent
8432 will tell @value{GDBN} to replace @samp{/foo/bar} with
8433 @samp{/mnt/cross}, which will allow @value{GDBN} to find the file
8434 @file{baz.c} even though it was moved.
8435
8436 In the case when more than one substitution rule have been defined,
8437 the rules are evaluated one by one in the order where they have been
8438 defined. The first one matching, if any, is selected to perform
8439 the substitution.
8440
8441 For instance, if we had entered the following commands:
8442
8443 @smallexample
8444 (@value{GDBP}) set substitute-path /usr/src/include /mnt/include
8445 (@value{GDBP}) set substitute-path /usr/src /mnt/src
8446 @end smallexample
8447
8448 @noindent
8449 @value{GDBN} would then rewrite @file{/usr/src/include/defs.h} into
8450 @file{/mnt/include/defs.h} by using the first rule. However, it would
8451 use the second rule to rewrite @file{/usr/src/lib/foo.c} into
8452 @file{/mnt/src/lib/foo.c}.
8453
8454
8455 @item unset substitute-path [path]
8456 @kindex unset substitute-path
8457 If a path is specified, search the current list of substitution rules
8458 for a rule that would rewrite that path. Delete that rule if found.
8459 A warning is emitted by the debugger if no rule could be found.
8460
8461 If no path is specified, then all substitution rules are deleted.
8462
8463 @item show substitute-path [path]
8464 @kindex show substitute-path
8465 If a path is specified, then print the source path substitution rule
8466 which would rewrite that path, if any.
8467
8468 If no path is specified, then print all existing source path substitution
8469 rules.
8470
8471 @end table
8472
8473 If your source path is cluttered with directories that are no longer of
8474 interest, @value{GDBN} may sometimes cause confusion by finding the wrong
8475 versions of source. You can correct the situation as follows:
8476
8477 @enumerate
8478 @item
8479 Use @code{directory} with no argument to reset the source path to its default value.
8480
8481 @item
8482 Use @code{directory} with suitable arguments to reinstall the
8483 directories you want in the source path. You can add all the
8484 directories in one command.
8485 @end enumerate
8486
8487 @node Machine Code
8488 @section Source and Machine Code
8489 @cindex source line and its code address
8490
8491 You can use the command @code{info line} to map source lines to program
8492 addresses (and vice versa), and the command @code{disassemble} to display
8493 a range of addresses as machine instructions. You can use the command
8494 @code{set disassemble-next-line} to set whether to disassemble next
8495 source line when execution stops. When run under @sc{gnu} Emacs
8496 mode, the @code{info line} command causes the arrow to point to the
8497 line specified. Also, @code{info line} prints addresses in symbolic form as
8498 well as hex.
8499
8500 @table @code
8501 @kindex info line
8502 @item info line
8503 @itemx info line @var{location}
8504 Print the starting and ending addresses of the compiled code for
8505 source line @var{location}. You can specify source lines in any of
8506 the ways documented in @ref{Specify Location}. With no @var{location}
8507 information about the current source line is printed.
8508 @end table
8509
8510 For example, we can use @code{info line} to discover the location of
8511 the object code for the first line of function
8512 @code{m4_changequote}:
8513
8514 @smallexample
8515 (@value{GDBP}) info line m4_changequote
8516 Line 895 of "builtin.c" starts at pc 0x634c <m4_changequote> and \
8517 ends at 0x6350 <m4_changequote+4>.
8518 @end smallexample
8519
8520 @noindent
8521 @cindex code address and its source line
8522 We can also inquire (using @code{*@var{addr}} as the form for
8523 @var{location}) what source line covers a particular address:
8524 @smallexample
8525 (@value{GDBP}) info line *0x63ff
8526 Line 926 of "builtin.c" starts at pc 0x63e4 <m4_changequote+152> and \
8527 ends at 0x6404 <m4_changequote+184>.
8528 @end smallexample
8529
8530 @cindex @code{$_} and @code{info line}
8531 @cindex @code{x} command, default address
8532 @kindex x@r{(examine), and} info line
8533 After @code{info line}, the default address for the @code{x} command
8534 is changed to the starting address of the line, so that @samp{x/i} is
8535 sufficient to begin examining the machine code (@pxref{Memory,
8536 ,Examining Memory}). Also, this address is saved as the value of the
8537 convenience variable @code{$_} (@pxref{Convenience Vars, ,Convenience
8538 Variables}).
8539
8540 @cindex info line, repeated calls
8541 After @code{info line}, using @code{info line} again without
8542 specifying a location will display information about the next source
8543 line.
8544
8545 @table @code
8546 @kindex disassemble
8547 @cindex assembly instructions
8548 @cindex instructions, assembly
8549 @cindex machine instructions
8550 @cindex listing machine instructions
8551 @item disassemble
8552 @itemx disassemble /m
8553 @itemx disassemble /s
8554 @itemx disassemble /r
8555 This specialized command dumps a range of memory as machine
8556 instructions. It can also print mixed source+disassembly by specifying
8557 the @code{/m} or @code{/s} modifier and print the raw instructions in hex
8558 as well as in symbolic form by specifying the @code{/r} modifier.
8559 The default memory range is the function surrounding the
8560 program counter of the selected frame. A single argument to this
8561 command is a program counter value; @value{GDBN} dumps the function
8562 surrounding this value. When two arguments are given, they should
8563 be separated by a comma, possibly surrounded by whitespace. The
8564 arguments specify a range of addresses to dump, in one of two forms:
8565
8566 @table @code
8567 @item @var{start},@var{end}
8568 the addresses from @var{start} (inclusive) to @var{end} (exclusive)
8569 @item @var{start},+@var{length}
8570 the addresses from @var{start} (inclusive) to
8571 @code{@var{start}+@var{length}} (exclusive).
8572 @end table
8573
8574 @noindent
8575 When 2 arguments are specified, the name of the function is also
8576 printed (since there could be several functions in the given range).
8577
8578 The argument(s) can be any expression yielding a numeric value, such as
8579 @samp{0x32c4}, @samp{&main+10} or @samp{$pc - 8}.
8580
8581 If the range of memory being disassembled contains current program counter,
8582 the instruction at that location is shown with a @code{=>} marker.
8583 @end table
8584
8585 The following example shows the disassembly of a range of addresses of
8586 HP PA-RISC 2.0 code:
8587
8588 @smallexample
8589 (@value{GDBP}) disas 0x32c4, 0x32e4
8590 Dump of assembler code from 0x32c4 to 0x32e4:
8591 0x32c4 <main+204>: addil 0,dp
8592 0x32c8 <main+208>: ldw 0x22c(sr0,r1),r26
8593 0x32cc <main+212>: ldil 0x3000,r31
8594 0x32d0 <main+216>: ble 0x3f8(sr4,r31)
8595 0x32d4 <main+220>: ldo 0(r31),rp
8596 0x32d8 <main+224>: addil -0x800,dp
8597 0x32dc <main+228>: ldo 0x588(r1),r26
8598 0x32e0 <main+232>: ldil 0x3000,r31
8599 End of assembler dump.
8600 @end smallexample
8601
8602 Here is an example showing mixed source+assembly for Intel x86
8603 with @code{/m} or @code{/s}, when the program is stopped just after
8604 function prologue in a non-optimized function with no inline code.
8605
8606 @smallexample
8607 (@value{GDBP}) disas /m main
8608 Dump of assembler code for function main:
8609 5 @{
8610 0x08048330 <+0>: push %ebp
8611 0x08048331 <+1>: mov %esp,%ebp
8612 0x08048333 <+3>: sub $0x8,%esp
8613 0x08048336 <+6>: and $0xfffffff0,%esp
8614 0x08048339 <+9>: sub $0x10,%esp
8615
8616 6 printf ("Hello.\n");
8617 => 0x0804833c <+12>: movl $0x8048440,(%esp)
8618 0x08048343 <+19>: call 0x8048284 <puts@@plt>
8619
8620 7 return 0;
8621 8 @}
8622 0x08048348 <+24>: mov $0x0,%eax
8623 0x0804834d <+29>: leave
8624 0x0804834e <+30>: ret
8625
8626 End of assembler dump.
8627 @end smallexample
8628
8629 The @code{/m} option is deprecated as its output is not useful when
8630 there is either inlined code or re-ordered code.
8631 The @code{/s} option is the preferred choice.
8632 Here is an example for AMD x86-64 showing the difference between
8633 @code{/m} output and @code{/s} output.
8634 This example has one inline function defined in a header file,
8635 and the code is compiled with @samp{-O2} optimization.
8636 Note how the @code{/m} output is missing the disassembly of
8637 several instructions that are present in the @code{/s} output.
8638
8639 @file{foo.h}:
8640
8641 @smallexample
8642 int
8643 foo (int a)
8644 @{
8645 if (a < 0)
8646 return a * 2;
8647 if (a == 0)
8648 return 1;
8649 return a + 10;
8650 @}
8651 @end smallexample
8652
8653 @file{foo.c}:
8654
8655 @smallexample
8656 #include "foo.h"
8657 volatile int x, y;
8658 int
8659 main ()
8660 @{
8661 x = foo (y);
8662 return 0;
8663 @}
8664 @end smallexample
8665
8666 @smallexample
8667 (@value{GDBP}) disas /m main
8668 Dump of assembler code for function main:
8669 5 @{
8670
8671 6 x = foo (y);
8672 0x0000000000400400 <+0>: mov 0x200c2e(%rip),%eax # 0x601034 <y>
8673 0x0000000000400417 <+23>: mov %eax,0x200c13(%rip) # 0x601030 <x>
8674
8675 7 return 0;
8676 8 @}
8677 0x000000000040041d <+29>: xor %eax,%eax
8678 0x000000000040041f <+31>: retq
8679 0x0000000000400420 <+32>: add %eax,%eax
8680 0x0000000000400422 <+34>: jmp 0x400417 <main+23>
8681
8682 End of assembler dump.
8683 (@value{GDBP}) disas /s main
8684 Dump of assembler code for function main:
8685 foo.c:
8686 5 @{
8687 6 x = foo (y);
8688 0x0000000000400400 <+0>: mov 0x200c2e(%rip),%eax # 0x601034 <y>
8689
8690 foo.h:
8691 4 if (a < 0)
8692 0x0000000000400406 <+6>: test %eax,%eax
8693 0x0000000000400408 <+8>: js 0x400420 <main+32>
8694
8695 6 if (a == 0)
8696 7 return 1;
8697 8 return a + 10;
8698 0x000000000040040a <+10>: lea 0xa(%rax),%edx
8699 0x000000000040040d <+13>: test %eax,%eax
8700 0x000000000040040f <+15>: mov $0x1,%eax
8701 0x0000000000400414 <+20>: cmovne %edx,%eax
8702
8703 foo.c:
8704 6 x = foo (y);
8705 0x0000000000400417 <+23>: mov %eax,0x200c13(%rip) # 0x601030 <x>
8706
8707 7 return 0;
8708 8 @}
8709 0x000000000040041d <+29>: xor %eax,%eax
8710 0x000000000040041f <+31>: retq
8711
8712 foo.h:
8713 5 return a * 2;
8714 0x0000000000400420 <+32>: add %eax,%eax
8715 0x0000000000400422 <+34>: jmp 0x400417 <main+23>
8716 End of assembler dump.
8717 @end smallexample
8718
8719 Here is another example showing raw instructions in hex for AMD x86-64,
8720
8721 @smallexample
8722 (gdb) disas /r 0x400281,+10
8723 Dump of assembler code from 0x400281 to 0x40028b:
8724 0x0000000000400281: 38 36 cmp %dh,(%rsi)
8725 0x0000000000400283: 2d 36 34 2e 73 sub $0x732e3436,%eax
8726 0x0000000000400288: 6f outsl %ds:(%rsi),(%dx)
8727 0x0000000000400289: 2e 32 00 xor %cs:(%rax),%al
8728 End of assembler dump.
8729 @end smallexample
8730
8731 Addresses cannot be specified as a location (@pxref{Specify Location}).
8732 So, for example, if you want to disassemble function @code{bar}
8733 in file @file{foo.c}, you must type @samp{disassemble 'foo.c'::bar}
8734 and not @samp{disassemble foo.c:bar}.
8735
8736 Some architectures have more than one commonly-used set of instruction
8737 mnemonics or other syntax.
8738
8739 For programs that were dynamically linked and use shared libraries,
8740 instructions that call functions or branch to locations in the shared
8741 libraries might show a seemingly bogus location---it's actually a
8742 location of the relocation table. On some architectures, @value{GDBN}
8743 might be able to resolve these to actual function names.
8744
8745 @table @code
8746 @kindex set disassembler-options
8747 @cindex disassembler options
8748 @item set disassembler-options @var{option1}[,@var{option2}@dots{}]
8749 This command controls the passing of target specific information to
8750 the disassembler. For a list of valid options, please refer to the
8751 @code{-M}/@code{--disassembler-options} section of the @samp{objdump}
8752 manual and/or the output of @kbd{objdump --help}
8753 (@pxref{objdump,,objdump,binutils.info,The GNU Binary Utilities}).
8754 The default value is the empty string.
8755
8756 If it is necessary to specify more than one disassembler option, then
8757 multiple options can be placed together into a comma separated list.
8758 Currently this command is only supported on targets ARM, PowerPC
8759 and S/390.
8760
8761 @kindex show disassembler-options
8762 @item show disassembler-options
8763 Show the current setting of the disassembler options.
8764 @end table
8765
8766 @table @code
8767 @kindex set disassembly-flavor
8768 @cindex Intel disassembly flavor
8769 @cindex AT&T disassembly flavor
8770 @item set disassembly-flavor @var{instruction-set}
8771 Select the instruction set to use when disassembling the
8772 program via the @code{disassemble} or @code{x/i} commands.
8773
8774 Currently this command is only defined for the Intel x86 family. You
8775 can set @var{instruction-set} to either @code{intel} or @code{att}.
8776 The default is @code{att}, the AT&T flavor used by default by Unix
8777 assemblers for x86-based targets.
8778
8779 @kindex show disassembly-flavor
8780 @item show disassembly-flavor
8781 Show the current setting of the disassembly flavor.
8782 @end table
8783
8784 @table @code
8785 @kindex set disassemble-next-line
8786 @kindex show disassemble-next-line
8787 @item set disassemble-next-line
8788 @itemx show disassemble-next-line
8789 Control whether or not @value{GDBN} will disassemble the next source
8790 line or instruction when execution stops. If ON, @value{GDBN} will
8791 display disassembly of the next source line when execution of the
8792 program being debugged stops. This is @emph{in addition} to
8793 displaying the source line itself, which @value{GDBN} always does if
8794 possible. If the next source line cannot be displayed for some reason
8795 (e.g., if @value{GDBN} cannot find the source file, or there's no line
8796 info in the debug info), @value{GDBN} will display disassembly of the
8797 next @emph{instruction} instead of showing the next source line. If
8798 AUTO, @value{GDBN} will display disassembly of next instruction only
8799 if the source line cannot be displayed. This setting causes
8800 @value{GDBN} to display some feedback when you step through a function
8801 with no line info or whose source file is unavailable. The default is
8802 OFF, which means never display the disassembly of the next line or
8803 instruction.
8804 @end table
8805
8806
8807 @node Data
8808 @chapter Examining Data
8809
8810 @cindex printing data
8811 @cindex examining data
8812 @kindex print
8813 @kindex inspect
8814 The usual way to examine data in your program is with the @code{print}
8815 command (abbreviated @code{p}), or its synonym @code{inspect}. It
8816 evaluates and prints the value of an expression of the language your
8817 program is written in (@pxref{Languages, ,Using @value{GDBN} with
8818 Different Languages}). It may also print the expression using a
8819 Python-based pretty-printer (@pxref{Pretty Printing}).
8820
8821 @table @code
8822 @item print @var{expr}
8823 @itemx print /@var{f} @var{expr}
8824 @var{expr} is an expression (in the source language). By default the
8825 value of @var{expr} is printed in a format appropriate to its data type;
8826 you can choose a different format by specifying @samp{/@var{f}}, where
8827 @var{f} is a letter specifying the format; see @ref{Output Formats,,Output
8828 Formats}.
8829
8830 @item print
8831 @itemx print /@var{f}
8832 @cindex reprint the last value
8833 If you omit @var{expr}, @value{GDBN} displays the last value again (from the
8834 @dfn{value history}; @pxref{Value History, ,Value History}). This allows you to
8835 conveniently inspect the same value in an alternative format.
8836 @end table
8837
8838 A more low-level way of examining data is with the @code{x} command.
8839 It examines data in memory at a specified address and prints it in a
8840 specified format. @xref{Memory, ,Examining Memory}.
8841
8842 If you are interested in information about types, or about how the
8843 fields of a struct or a class are declared, use the @code{ptype @var{exp}}
8844 command rather than @code{print}. @xref{Symbols, ,Examining the Symbol
8845 Table}.
8846
8847 @cindex exploring hierarchical data structures
8848 @kindex explore
8849 Another way of examining values of expressions and type information is
8850 through the Python extension command @code{explore} (available only if
8851 the @value{GDBN} build is configured with @code{--with-python}). It
8852 offers an interactive way to start at the highest level (or, the most
8853 abstract level) of the data type of an expression (or, the data type
8854 itself) and explore all the way down to leaf scalar values/fields
8855 embedded in the higher level data types.
8856
8857 @table @code
8858 @item explore @var{arg}
8859 @var{arg} is either an expression (in the source language), or a type
8860 visible in the current context of the program being debugged.
8861 @end table
8862
8863 The working of the @code{explore} command can be illustrated with an
8864 example. If a data type @code{struct ComplexStruct} is defined in your
8865 C program as
8866
8867 @smallexample
8868 struct SimpleStruct
8869 @{
8870 int i;
8871 double d;
8872 @};
8873
8874 struct ComplexStruct
8875 @{
8876 struct SimpleStruct *ss_p;
8877 int arr[10];
8878 @};
8879 @end smallexample
8880
8881 @noindent
8882 followed by variable declarations as
8883
8884 @smallexample
8885 struct SimpleStruct ss = @{ 10, 1.11 @};
8886 struct ComplexStruct cs = @{ &ss, @{ 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 @} @};
8887 @end smallexample
8888
8889 @noindent
8890 then, the value of the variable @code{cs} can be explored using the
8891 @code{explore} command as follows.
8892
8893 @smallexample
8894 (gdb) explore cs
8895 The value of `cs' is a struct/class of type `struct ComplexStruct' with
8896 the following fields:
8897
8898 ss_p = <Enter 0 to explore this field of type `struct SimpleStruct *'>
8899 arr = <Enter 1 to explore this field of type `int [10]'>
8900
8901 Enter the field number of choice:
8902 @end smallexample
8903
8904 @noindent
8905 Since the fields of @code{cs} are not scalar values, you are being
8906 prompted to chose the field you want to explore. Let's say you choose
8907 the field @code{ss_p} by entering @code{0}. Then, since this field is a
8908 pointer, you will be asked if it is pointing to a single value. From
8909 the declaration of @code{cs} above, it is indeed pointing to a single
8910 value, hence you enter @code{y}. If you enter @code{n}, then you will
8911 be asked if it were pointing to an array of values, in which case this
8912 field will be explored as if it were an array.
8913
8914 @smallexample
8915 `cs.ss_p' is a pointer to a value of type `struct SimpleStruct'
8916 Continue exploring it as a pointer to a single value [y/n]: y
8917 The value of `*(cs.ss_p)' is a struct/class of type `struct
8918 SimpleStruct' with the following fields:
8919
8920 i = 10 .. (Value of type `int')
8921 d = 1.1100000000000001 .. (Value of type `double')
8922
8923 Press enter to return to parent value:
8924 @end smallexample
8925
8926 @noindent
8927 If the field @code{arr} of @code{cs} was chosen for exploration by
8928 entering @code{1} earlier, then since it is as array, you will be
8929 prompted to enter the index of the element in the array that you want
8930 to explore.
8931
8932 @smallexample
8933 `cs.arr' is an array of `int'.
8934 Enter the index of the element you want to explore in `cs.arr': 5
8935
8936 `(cs.arr)[5]' is a scalar value of type `int'.
8937
8938 (cs.arr)[5] = 4
8939
8940 Press enter to return to parent value:
8941 @end smallexample
8942
8943 In general, at any stage of exploration, you can go deeper towards the
8944 leaf values by responding to the prompts appropriately, or hit the
8945 return key to return to the enclosing data structure (the @i{higher}
8946 level data structure).
8947
8948 Similar to exploring values, you can use the @code{explore} command to
8949 explore types. Instead of specifying a value (which is typically a
8950 variable name or an expression valid in the current context of the
8951 program being debugged), you specify a type name. If you consider the
8952 same example as above, your can explore the type
8953 @code{struct ComplexStruct} by passing the argument
8954 @code{struct ComplexStruct} to the @code{explore} command.
8955
8956 @smallexample
8957 (gdb) explore struct ComplexStruct
8958 @end smallexample
8959
8960 @noindent
8961 By responding to the prompts appropriately in the subsequent interactive
8962 session, you can explore the type @code{struct ComplexStruct} in a
8963 manner similar to how the value @code{cs} was explored in the above
8964 example.
8965
8966 The @code{explore} command also has two sub-commands,
8967 @code{explore value} and @code{explore type}. The former sub-command is
8968 a way to explicitly specify that value exploration of the argument is
8969 being invoked, while the latter is a way to explicitly specify that type
8970 exploration of the argument is being invoked.
8971
8972 @table @code
8973 @item explore value @var{expr}
8974 @cindex explore value
8975 This sub-command of @code{explore} explores the value of the
8976 expression @var{expr} (if @var{expr} is an expression valid in the
8977 current context of the program being debugged). The behavior of this
8978 command is identical to that of the behavior of the @code{explore}
8979 command being passed the argument @var{expr}.
8980
8981 @item explore type @var{arg}
8982 @cindex explore type
8983 This sub-command of @code{explore} explores the type of @var{arg} (if
8984 @var{arg} is a type visible in the current context of program being
8985 debugged), or the type of the value/expression @var{arg} (if @var{arg}
8986 is an expression valid in the current context of the program being
8987 debugged). If @var{arg} is a type, then the behavior of this command is
8988 identical to that of the @code{explore} command being passed the
8989 argument @var{arg}. If @var{arg} is an expression, then the behavior of
8990 this command will be identical to that of the @code{explore} command
8991 being passed the type of @var{arg} as the argument.
8992 @end table
8993
8994 @menu
8995 * Expressions:: Expressions
8996 * Ambiguous Expressions:: Ambiguous Expressions
8997 * Variables:: Program variables
8998 * Arrays:: Artificial arrays
8999 * Output Formats:: Output formats
9000 * Memory:: Examining memory
9001 * Auto Display:: Automatic display
9002 * Print Settings:: Print settings
9003 * Pretty Printing:: Python pretty printing
9004 * Value History:: Value history
9005 * Convenience Vars:: Convenience variables
9006 * Convenience Funs:: Convenience functions
9007 * Registers:: Registers
9008 * Floating Point Hardware:: Floating point hardware
9009 * Vector Unit:: Vector Unit
9010 * OS Information:: Auxiliary data provided by operating system
9011 * Memory Region Attributes:: Memory region attributes
9012 * Dump/Restore Files:: Copy between memory and a file
9013 * Core File Generation:: Cause a program dump its core
9014 * Character Sets:: Debugging programs that use a different
9015 character set than GDB does
9016 * Caching Target Data:: Data caching for targets
9017 * Searching Memory:: Searching memory for a sequence of bytes
9018 * Value Sizes:: Managing memory allocated for values
9019 @end menu
9020
9021 @node Expressions
9022 @section Expressions
9023
9024 @cindex expressions
9025 @code{print} and many other @value{GDBN} commands accept an expression and
9026 compute its value. Any kind of constant, variable or operator defined
9027 by the programming language you are using is valid in an expression in
9028 @value{GDBN}. This includes conditional expressions, function calls,
9029 casts, and string constants. It also includes preprocessor macros, if
9030 you compiled your program to include this information; see
9031 @ref{Compilation}.
9032
9033 @cindex arrays in expressions
9034 @value{GDBN} supports array constants in expressions input by
9035 the user. The syntax is @{@var{element}, @var{element}@dots{}@}. For example,
9036 you can use the command @code{print @{1, 2, 3@}} to create an array
9037 of three integers. If you pass an array to a function or assign it
9038 to a program variable, @value{GDBN} copies the array to memory that
9039 is @code{malloc}ed in the target program.
9040
9041 Because C is so widespread, most of the expressions shown in examples in
9042 this manual are in C. @xref{Languages, , Using @value{GDBN} with Different
9043 Languages}, for information on how to use expressions in other
9044 languages.
9045
9046 In this section, we discuss operators that you can use in @value{GDBN}
9047 expressions regardless of your programming language.
9048
9049 @cindex casts, in expressions
9050 Casts are supported in all languages, not just in C, because it is so
9051 useful to cast a number into a pointer in order to examine a structure
9052 at that address in memory.
9053 @c FIXME: casts supported---Mod2 true?
9054
9055 @value{GDBN} supports these operators, in addition to those common
9056 to programming languages:
9057
9058 @table @code
9059 @item @@
9060 @samp{@@} is a binary operator for treating parts of memory as arrays.
9061 @xref{Arrays, ,Artificial Arrays}, for more information.
9062
9063 @item ::
9064 @samp{::} allows you to specify a variable in terms of the file or
9065 function where it is defined. @xref{Variables, ,Program Variables}.
9066
9067 @cindex @{@var{type}@}
9068 @cindex type casting memory
9069 @cindex memory, viewing as typed object
9070 @cindex casts, to view memory
9071 @item @{@var{type}@} @var{addr}
9072 Refers to an object of type @var{type} stored at address @var{addr} in
9073 memory. The address @var{addr} may be any expression whose value is
9074 an integer or pointer (but parentheses are required around binary
9075 operators, just as in a cast). This construct is allowed regardless
9076 of what kind of data is normally supposed to reside at @var{addr}.
9077 @end table
9078
9079 @node Ambiguous Expressions
9080 @section Ambiguous Expressions
9081 @cindex ambiguous expressions
9082
9083 Expressions can sometimes contain some ambiguous elements. For instance,
9084 some programming languages (notably Ada, C@t{++} and Objective-C) permit
9085 a single function name to be defined several times, for application in
9086 different contexts. This is called @dfn{overloading}. Another example
9087 involving Ada is generics. A @dfn{generic package} is similar to C@t{++}
9088 templates and is typically instantiated several times, resulting in
9089 the same function name being defined in different contexts.
9090
9091 In some cases and depending on the language, it is possible to adjust
9092 the expression to remove the ambiguity. For instance in C@t{++}, you
9093 can specify the signature of the function you want to break on, as in
9094 @kbd{break @var{function}(@var{types})}. In Ada, using the fully
9095 qualified name of your function often makes the expression unambiguous
9096 as well.
9097
9098 When an ambiguity that needs to be resolved is detected, the debugger
9099 has the capability to display a menu of numbered choices for each
9100 possibility, and then waits for the selection with the prompt @samp{>}.
9101 The first option is always @samp{[0] cancel}, and typing @kbd{0 @key{RET}}
9102 aborts the current command. If the command in which the expression was
9103 used allows more than one choice to be selected, the next option in the
9104 menu is @samp{[1] all}, and typing @kbd{1 @key{RET}} selects all possible
9105 choices.
9106
9107 For example, the following session excerpt shows an attempt to set a
9108 breakpoint at the overloaded symbol @code{String::after}.
9109 We choose three particular definitions of that function name:
9110
9111 @c FIXME! This is likely to change to show arg type lists, at least
9112 @smallexample
9113 @group
9114 (@value{GDBP}) b String::after
9115 [0] cancel
9116 [1] all
9117 [2] file:String.cc; line number:867
9118 [3] file:String.cc; line number:860
9119 [4] file:String.cc; line number:875
9120 [5] file:String.cc; line number:853
9121 [6] file:String.cc; line number:846
9122 [7] file:String.cc; line number:735
9123 > 2 4 6
9124 Breakpoint 1 at 0xb26c: file String.cc, line 867.
9125 Breakpoint 2 at 0xb344: file String.cc, line 875.
9126 Breakpoint 3 at 0xafcc: file String.cc, line 846.
9127 Multiple breakpoints were set.
9128 Use the "delete" command to delete unwanted
9129 breakpoints.
9130 (@value{GDBP})
9131 @end group
9132 @end smallexample
9133
9134 @table @code
9135 @kindex set multiple-symbols
9136 @item set multiple-symbols @var{mode}
9137 @cindex multiple-symbols menu
9138
9139 This option allows you to adjust the debugger behavior when an expression
9140 is ambiguous.
9141
9142 By default, @var{mode} is set to @code{all}. If the command with which
9143 the expression is used allows more than one choice, then @value{GDBN}
9144 automatically selects all possible choices. For instance, inserting
9145 a breakpoint on a function using an ambiguous name results in a breakpoint
9146 inserted on each possible match. However, if a unique choice must be made,
9147 then @value{GDBN} uses the menu to help you disambiguate the expression.
9148 For instance, printing the address of an overloaded function will result
9149 in the use of the menu.
9150
9151 When @var{mode} is set to @code{ask}, the debugger always uses the menu
9152 when an ambiguity is detected.
9153
9154 Finally, when @var{mode} is set to @code{cancel}, the debugger reports
9155 an error due to the ambiguity and the command is aborted.
9156
9157 @kindex show multiple-symbols
9158 @item show multiple-symbols
9159 Show the current value of the @code{multiple-symbols} setting.
9160 @end table
9161
9162 @node Variables
9163 @section Program Variables
9164
9165 The most common kind of expression to use is the name of a variable
9166 in your program.
9167
9168 Variables in expressions are understood in the selected stack frame
9169 (@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}); they must be either:
9170
9171 @itemize @bullet
9172 @item
9173 global (or file-static)
9174 @end itemize
9175
9176 @noindent or
9177
9178 @itemize @bullet
9179 @item
9180 visible according to the scope rules of the
9181 programming language from the point of execution in that frame
9182 @end itemize
9183
9184 @noindent This means that in the function
9185
9186 @smallexample
9187 foo (a)
9188 int a;
9189 @{
9190 bar (a);
9191 @{
9192 int b = test ();
9193 bar (b);
9194 @}
9195 @}
9196 @end smallexample
9197
9198 @noindent
9199 you can examine and use the variable @code{a} whenever your program is
9200 executing within the function @code{foo}, but you can only use or
9201 examine the variable @code{b} while your program is executing inside
9202 the block where @code{b} is declared.
9203
9204 @cindex variable name conflict
9205 There is an exception: you can refer to a variable or function whose
9206 scope is a single source file even if the current execution point is not
9207 in this file. But it is possible to have more than one such variable or
9208 function with the same name (in different source files). If that
9209 happens, referring to that name has unpredictable effects. If you wish,
9210 you can specify a static variable in a particular function or file by
9211 using the colon-colon (@code{::}) notation:
9212
9213 @cindex colon-colon, context for variables/functions
9214 @ifnotinfo
9215 @c info cannot cope with a :: index entry, but why deprive hard copy readers?
9216 @cindex @code{::}, context for variables/functions
9217 @end ifnotinfo
9218 @smallexample
9219 @var{file}::@var{variable}
9220 @var{function}::@var{variable}
9221 @end smallexample
9222
9223 @noindent
9224 Here @var{file} or @var{function} is the name of the context for the
9225 static @var{variable}. In the case of file names, you can use quotes to
9226 make sure @value{GDBN} parses the file name as a single word---for example,
9227 to print a global value of @code{x} defined in @file{f2.c}:
9228
9229 @smallexample
9230 (@value{GDBP}) p 'f2.c'::x
9231 @end smallexample
9232
9233 The @code{::} notation is normally used for referring to
9234 static variables, since you typically disambiguate uses of local variables
9235 in functions by selecting the appropriate frame and using the
9236 simple name of the variable. However, you may also use this notation
9237 to refer to local variables in frames enclosing the selected frame:
9238
9239 @smallexample
9240 void
9241 foo (int a)
9242 @{
9243 if (a < 10)
9244 bar (a);
9245 else
9246 process (a); /* Stop here */
9247 @}
9248
9249 int
9250 bar (int a)
9251 @{
9252 foo (a + 5);
9253 @}
9254 @end smallexample
9255
9256 @noindent
9257 For example, if there is a breakpoint at the commented line,
9258 here is what you might see
9259 when the program stops after executing the call @code{bar(0)}:
9260
9261 @smallexample
9262 (@value{GDBP}) p a
9263 $1 = 10
9264 (@value{GDBP}) p bar::a
9265 $2 = 5
9266 (@value{GDBP}) up 2
9267 #2 0x080483d0 in foo (a=5) at foobar.c:12
9268 (@value{GDBP}) p a
9269 $3 = 5
9270 (@value{GDBP}) p bar::a
9271 $4 = 0
9272 @end smallexample
9273
9274 @cindex C@t{++} scope resolution
9275 These uses of @samp{::} are very rarely in conflict with the very
9276 similar use of the same notation in C@t{++}. When they are in
9277 conflict, the C@t{++} meaning takes precedence; however, this can be
9278 overridden by quoting the file or function name with single quotes.
9279
9280 For example, suppose the program is stopped in a method of a class
9281 that has a field named @code{includefile}, and there is also an
9282 include file named @file{includefile} that defines a variable,
9283 @code{some_global}.
9284
9285 @smallexample
9286 (@value{GDBP}) p includefile
9287 $1 = 23
9288 (@value{GDBP}) p includefile::some_global
9289 A syntax error in expression, near `'.
9290 (@value{GDBP}) p 'includefile'::some_global
9291 $2 = 27
9292 @end smallexample
9293
9294 @cindex wrong values
9295 @cindex variable values, wrong
9296 @cindex function entry/exit, wrong values of variables
9297 @cindex optimized code, wrong values of variables
9298 @quotation
9299 @emph{Warning:} Occasionally, a local variable may appear to have the
9300 wrong value at certain points in a function---just after entry to a new
9301 scope, and just before exit.
9302 @end quotation
9303 You may see this problem when you are stepping by machine instructions.
9304 This is because, on most machines, it takes more than one instruction to
9305 set up a stack frame (including local variable definitions); if you are
9306 stepping by machine instructions, variables may appear to have the wrong
9307 values until the stack frame is completely built. On exit, it usually
9308 also takes more than one machine instruction to destroy a stack frame;
9309 after you begin stepping through that group of instructions, local
9310 variable definitions may be gone.
9311
9312 This may also happen when the compiler does significant optimizations.
9313 To be sure of always seeing accurate values, turn off all optimization
9314 when compiling.
9315
9316 @cindex ``No symbol "foo" in current context''
9317 Another possible effect of compiler optimizations is to optimize
9318 unused variables out of existence, or assign variables to registers (as
9319 opposed to memory addresses). Depending on the support for such cases
9320 offered by the debug info format used by the compiler, @value{GDBN}
9321 might not be able to display values for such local variables. If that
9322 happens, @value{GDBN} will print a message like this:
9323
9324 @smallexample
9325 No symbol "foo" in current context.
9326 @end smallexample
9327
9328 To solve such problems, either recompile without optimizations, or use a
9329 different debug info format, if the compiler supports several such
9330 formats. @xref{Compilation}, for more information on choosing compiler
9331 options. @xref{C, ,C and C@t{++}}, for more information about debug
9332 info formats that are best suited to C@t{++} programs.
9333
9334 If you ask to print an object whose contents are unknown to
9335 @value{GDBN}, e.g., because its data type is not completely specified
9336 by the debug information, @value{GDBN} will say @samp{<incomplete
9337 type>}. @xref{Symbols, incomplete type}, for more about this.
9338
9339 @cindex no debug info variables
9340 If you try to examine or use the value of a (global) variable for
9341 which @value{GDBN} has no type information, e.g., because the program
9342 includes no debug information, @value{GDBN} displays an error message.
9343 @xref{Symbols, unknown type}, for more about unknown types. If you
9344 cast the variable to its declared type, @value{GDBN} gets the
9345 variable's value using the cast-to type as the variable's type. For
9346 example, in a C program:
9347
9348 @smallexample
9349 (@value{GDBP}) p var
9350 'var' has unknown type; cast it to its declared type
9351 (@value{GDBP}) p (float) var
9352 $1 = 3.14
9353 @end smallexample
9354
9355 If you append @kbd{@@entry} string to a function parameter name you get its
9356 value at the time the function got called. If the value is not available an
9357 error message is printed. Entry values are available only with some compilers.
9358 Entry values are normally also printed at the function parameter list according
9359 to @ref{set print entry-values}.
9360
9361 @smallexample
9362 Breakpoint 1, d (i=30) at gdb.base/entry-value.c:29
9363 29 i++;
9364 (gdb) next
9365 30 e (i);
9366 (gdb) print i
9367 $1 = 31
9368 (gdb) print i@@entry
9369 $2 = 30
9370 @end smallexample
9371
9372 Strings are identified as arrays of @code{char} values without specified
9373 signedness. Arrays of either @code{signed char} or @code{unsigned char} get
9374 printed as arrays of 1 byte sized integers. @code{-fsigned-char} or
9375 @code{-funsigned-char} @value{NGCC} options have no effect as @value{GDBN}
9376 defines literal string type @code{"char"} as @code{char} without a sign.
9377 For program code
9378
9379 @smallexample
9380 char var0[] = "A";
9381 signed char var1[] = "A";
9382 @end smallexample
9383
9384 You get during debugging
9385 @smallexample
9386 (gdb) print var0
9387 $1 = "A"
9388 (gdb) print var1
9389 $2 = @{65 'A', 0 '\0'@}
9390 @end smallexample
9391
9392 @node Arrays
9393 @section Artificial Arrays
9394
9395 @cindex artificial array
9396 @cindex arrays
9397 @kindex @@@r{, referencing memory as an array}
9398 It is often useful to print out several successive objects of the
9399 same type in memory; a section of an array, or an array of
9400 dynamically determined size for which only a pointer exists in the
9401 program.
9402
9403 You can do this by referring to a contiguous span of memory as an
9404 @dfn{artificial array}, using the binary operator @samp{@@}. The left
9405 operand of @samp{@@} should be the first element of the desired array
9406 and be an individual object. The right operand should be the desired length
9407 of the array. The result is an array value whose elements are all of
9408 the type of the left argument. The first element is actually the left
9409 argument; the second element comes from bytes of memory immediately
9410 following those that hold the first element, and so on. Here is an
9411 example. If a program says
9412
9413 @smallexample
9414 int *array = (int *) malloc (len * sizeof (int));
9415 @end smallexample
9416
9417 @noindent
9418 you can print the contents of @code{array} with
9419
9420 @smallexample
9421 p *array@@len
9422 @end smallexample
9423
9424 The left operand of @samp{@@} must reside in memory. Array values made
9425 with @samp{@@} in this way behave just like other arrays in terms of
9426 subscripting, and are coerced to pointers when used in expressions.
9427 Artificial arrays most often appear in expressions via the value history
9428 (@pxref{Value History, ,Value History}), after printing one out.
9429
9430 Another way to create an artificial array is to use a cast.
9431 This re-interprets a value as if it were an array.
9432 The value need not be in memory:
9433 @smallexample
9434 (@value{GDBP}) p/x (short[2])0x12345678
9435 $1 = @{0x1234, 0x5678@}
9436 @end smallexample
9437
9438 As a convenience, if you leave the array length out (as in
9439 @samp{(@var{type}[])@var{value}}) @value{GDBN} calculates the size to fill
9440 the value (as @samp{sizeof(@var{value})/sizeof(@var{type})}:
9441 @smallexample
9442 (@value{GDBP}) p/x (short[])0x12345678
9443 $2 = @{0x1234, 0x5678@}
9444 @end smallexample
9445
9446 Sometimes the artificial array mechanism is not quite enough; in
9447 moderately complex data structures, the elements of interest may not
9448 actually be adjacent---for example, if you are interested in the values
9449 of pointers in an array. One useful work-around in this situation is
9450 to use a convenience variable (@pxref{Convenience Vars, ,Convenience
9451 Variables}) as a counter in an expression that prints the first
9452 interesting value, and then repeat that expression via @key{RET}. For
9453 instance, suppose you have an array @code{dtab} of pointers to
9454 structures, and you are interested in the values of a field @code{fv}
9455 in each structure. Here is an example of what you might type:
9456
9457 @smallexample
9458 set $i = 0
9459 p dtab[$i++]->fv
9460 @key{RET}
9461 @key{RET}
9462 @dots{}
9463 @end smallexample
9464
9465 @node Output Formats
9466 @section Output Formats
9467
9468 @cindex formatted output
9469 @cindex output formats
9470 By default, @value{GDBN} prints a value according to its data type. Sometimes
9471 this is not what you want. For example, you might want to print a number
9472 in hex, or a pointer in decimal. Or you might want to view data in memory
9473 at a certain address as a character string or as an instruction. To do
9474 these things, specify an @dfn{output format} when you print a value.
9475
9476 The simplest use of output formats is to say how to print a value
9477 already computed. This is done by starting the arguments of the
9478 @code{print} command with a slash and a format letter. The format
9479 letters supported are:
9480
9481 @table @code
9482 @item x
9483 Regard the bits of the value as an integer, and print the integer in
9484 hexadecimal.
9485
9486 @item d
9487 Print as integer in signed decimal.
9488
9489 @item u
9490 Print as integer in unsigned decimal.
9491
9492 @item o
9493 Print as integer in octal.
9494
9495 @item t
9496 Print as integer in binary. The letter @samp{t} stands for ``two''.
9497 @footnote{@samp{b} cannot be used because these format letters are also
9498 used with the @code{x} command, where @samp{b} stands for ``byte'';
9499 see @ref{Memory,,Examining Memory}.}
9500
9501 @item a
9502 @cindex unknown address, locating
9503 @cindex locate address
9504 Print as an address, both absolute in hexadecimal and as an offset from
9505 the nearest preceding symbol. You can use this format used to discover
9506 where (in what function) an unknown address is located:
9507
9508 @smallexample
9509 (@value{GDBP}) p/a 0x54320
9510 $3 = 0x54320 <_initialize_vx+396>
9511 @end smallexample
9512
9513 @noindent
9514 The command @code{info symbol 0x54320} yields similar results.
9515 @xref{Symbols, info symbol}.
9516
9517 @item c
9518 Regard as an integer and print it as a character constant. This
9519 prints both the numerical value and its character representation. The
9520 character representation is replaced with the octal escape @samp{\nnn}
9521 for characters outside the 7-bit @sc{ascii} range.
9522
9523 Without this format, @value{GDBN} displays @code{char},
9524 @w{@code{unsigned char}}, and @w{@code{signed char}} data as character
9525 constants. Single-byte members of vectors are displayed as integer
9526 data.
9527
9528 @item f
9529 Regard the bits of the value as a floating point number and print
9530 using typical floating point syntax.
9531
9532 @item s
9533 @cindex printing strings
9534 @cindex printing byte arrays
9535 Regard as a string, if possible. With this format, pointers to single-byte
9536 data are displayed as null-terminated strings and arrays of single-byte data
9537 are displayed as fixed-length strings. Other values are displayed in their
9538 natural types.
9539
9540 Without this format, @value{GDBN} displays pointers to and arrays of
9541 @code{char}, @w{@code{unsigned char}}, and @w{@code{signed char}} as
9542 strings. Single-byte members of a vector are displayed as an integer
9543 array.
9544
9545 @item z
9546 Like @samp{x} formatting, the value is treated as an integer and
9547 printed as hexadecimal, but leading zeros are printed to pad the value
9548 to the size of the integer type.
9549
9550 @item r
9551 @cindex raw printing
9552 Print using the @samp{raw} formatting. By default, @value{GDBN} will
9553 use a Python-based pretty-printer, if one is available (@pxref{Pretty
9554 Printing}). This typically results in a higher-level display of the
9555 value's contents. The @samp{r} format bypasses any Python
9556 pretty-printer which might exist.
9557 @end table
9558
9559 For example, to print the program counter in hex (@pxref{Registers}), type
9560
9561 @smallexample
9562 p/x $pc
9563 @end smallexample
9564
9565 @noindent
9566 Note that no space is required before the slash; this is because command
9567 names in @value{GDBN} cannot contain a slash.
9568
9569 To reprint the last value in the value history with a different format,
9570 you can use the @code{print} command with just a format and no
9571 expression. For example, @samp{p/x} reprints the last value in hex.
9572
9573 @node Memory
9574 @section Examining Memory
9575
9576 You can use the command @code{x} (for ``examine'') to examine memory in
9577 any of several formats, independently of your program's data types.
9578
9579 @cindex examining memory
9580 @table @code
9581 @kindex x @r{(examine memory)}
9582 @item x/@var{nfu} @var{addr}
9583 @itemx x @var{addr}
9584 @itemx x
9585 Use the @code{x} command to examine memory.
9586 @end table
9587
9588 @var{n}, @var{f}, and @var{u} are all optional parameters that specify how
9589 much memory to display and how to format it; @var{addr} is an
9590 expression giving the address where you want to start displaying memory.
9591 If you use defaults for @var{nfu}, you need not type the slash @samp{/}.
9592 Several commands set convenient defaults for @var{addr}.
9593
9594 @table @r
9595 @item @var{n}, the repeat count
9596 The repeat count is a decimal integer; the default is 1. It specifies
9597 how much memory (counting by units @var{u}) to display. If a negative
9598 number is specified, memory is examined backward from @var{addr}.
9599 @c This really is **decimal**; unaffected by 'set radix' as of GDB
9600 @c 4.1.2.
9601
9602 @item @var{f}, the display format
9603 The display format is one of the formats used by @code{print}
9604 (@samp{x}, @samp{d}, @samp{u}, @samp{o}, @samp{t}, @samp{a}, @samp{c},
9605 @samp{f}, @samp{s}), and in addition @samp{i} (for machine instructions).
9606 The default is @samp{x} (hexadecimal) initially. The default changes
9607 each time you use either @code{x} or @code{print}.
9608
9609 @item @var{u}, the unit size
9610 The unit size is any of
9611
9612 @table @code
9613 @item b
9614 Bytes.
9615 @item h
9616 Halfwords (two bytes).
9617 @item w
9618 Words (four bytes). This is the initial default.
9619 @item g
9620 Giant words (eight bytes).
9621 @end table
9622
9623 Each time you specify a unit size with @code{x}, that size becomes the
9624 default unit the next time you use @code{x}. For the @samp{i} format,
9625 the unit size is ignored and is normally not written. For the @samp{s} format,
9626 the unit size defaults to @samp{b}, unless it is explicitly given.
9627 Use @kbd{x /hs} to display 16-bit char strings and @kbd{x /ws} to display
9628 32-bit strings. The next use of @kbd{x /s} will again display 8-bit strings.
9629 Note that the results depend on the programming language of the
9630 current compilation unit. If the language is C, the @samp{s}
9631 modifier will use the UTF-16 encoding while @samp{w} will use
9632 UTF-32. The encoding is set by the programming language and cannot
9633 be altered.
9634
9635 @item @var{addr}, starting display address
9636 @var{addr} is the address where you want @value{GDBN} to begin displaying
9637 memory. The expression need not have a pointer value (though it may);
9638 it is always interpreted as an integer address of a byte of memory.
9639 @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}, for more information on expressions. The default for
9640 @var{addr} is usually just after the last address examined---but several
9641 other commands also set the default address: @code{info breakpoints} (to
9642 the address of the last breakpoint listed), @code{info line} (to the
9643 starting address of a line), and @code{print} (if you use it to display
9644 a value from memory).
9645 @end table
9646
9647 For example, @samp{x/3uh 0x54320} is a request to display three halfwords
9648 (@code{h}) of memory, formatted as unsigned decimal integers (@samp{u}),
9649 starting at address @code{0x54320}. @samp{x/4xw $sp} prints the four
9650 words (@samp{w}) of memory above the stack pointer (here, @samp{$sp};
9651 @pxref{Registers, ,Registers}) in hexadecimal (@samp{x}).
9652
9653 You can also specify a negative repeat count to examine memory backward
9654 from the given address. For example, @samp{x/-3uh 0x54320} prints three
9655 halfwords (@code{h}) at @code{0x54314}, @code{0x54328}, and @code{0x5431c}.
9656
9657 Since the letters indicating unit sizes are all distinct from the
9658 letters specifying output formats, you do not have to remember whether
9659 unit size or format comes first; either order works. The output
9660 specifications @samp{4xw} and @samp{4wx} mean exactly the same thing.
9661 (However, the count @var{n} must come first; @samp{wx4} does not work.)
9662
9663 Even though the unit size @var{u} is ignored for the formats @samp{s}
9664 and @samp{i}, you might still want to use a count @var{n}; for example,
9665 @samp{3i} specifies that you want to see three machine instructions,
9666 including any operands. For convenience, especially when used with
9667 the @code{display} command, the @samp{i} format also prints branch delay
9668 slot instructions, if any, beyond the count specified, which immediately
9669 follow the last instruction that is within the count. The command
9670 @code{disassemble} gives an alternative way of inspecting machine
9671 instructions; see @ref{Machine Code,,Source and Machine Code}.
9672
9673 If a negative repeat count is specified for the formats @samp{s} or @samp{i},
9674 the command displays null-terminated strings or instructions before the given
9675 address as many as the absolute value of the given number. For the @samp{i}
9676 format, we use line number information in the debug info to accurately locate
9677 instruction boundaries while disassembling backward. If line info is not
9678 available, the command stops examining memory with an error message.
9679
9680 All the defaults for the arguments to @code{x} are designed to make it
9681 easy to continue scanning memory with minimal specifications each time
9682 you use @code{x}. For example, after you have inspected three machine
9683 instructions with @samp{x/3i @var{addr}}, you can inspect the next seven
9684 with just @samp{x/7}. If you use @key{RET} to repeat the @code{x} command,
9685 the repeat count @var{n} is used again; the other arguments default as
9686 for successive uses of @code{x}.
9687
9688 When examining machine instructions, the instruction at current program
9689 counter is shown with a @code{=>} marker. For example:
9690
9691 @smallexample
9692 (@value{GDBP}) x/5i $pc-6
9693 0x804837f <main+11>: mov %esp,%ebp
9694 0x8048381 <main+13>: push %ecx
9695 0x8048382 <main+14>: sub $0x4,%esp
9696 => 0x8048385 <main+17>: movl $0x8048460,(%esp)
9697 0x804838c <main+24>: call 0x80482d4 <puts@@plt>
9698 @end smallexample
9699
9700 @cindex @code{$_}, @code{$__}, and value history
9701 The addresses and contents printed by the @code{x} command are not saved
9702 in the value history because there is often too much of them and they
9703 would get in the way. Instead, @value{GDBN} makes these values available for
9704 subsequent use in expressions as values of the convenience variables
9705 @code{$_} and @code{$__}. After an @code{x} command, the last address
9706 examined is available for use in expressions in the convenience variable
9707 @code{$_}. The contents of that address, as examined, are available in
9708 the convenience variable @code{$__}.
9709
9710 If the @code{x} command has a repeat count, the address and contents saved
9711 are from the last memory unit printed; this is not the same as the last
9712 address printed if several units were printed on the last line of output.
9713
9714 @anchor{addressable memory unit}
9715 @cindex addressable memory unit
9716 Most targets have an addressable memory unit size of 8 bits. This means
9717 that to each memory address are associated 8 bits of data. Some
9718 targets, however, have other addressable memory unit sizes.
9719 Within @value{GDBN} and this document, the term
9720 @dfn{addressable memory unit} (or @dfn{memory unit} for short) is used
9721 when explicitly referring to a chunk of data of that size. The word
9722 @dfn{byte} is used to refer to a chunk of data of 8 bits, regardless of
9723 the addressable memory unit size of the target. For most systems,
9724 addressable memory unit is a synonym of byte.
9725
9726 @cindex remote memory comparison
9727 @cindex target memory comparison
9728 @cindex verify remote memory image
9729 @cindex verify target memory image
9730 When you are debugging a program running on a remote target machine
9731 (@pxref{Remote Debugging}), you may wish to verify the program's image
9732 in the remote machine's memory against the executable file you
9733 downloaded to the target. Or, on any target, you may want to check
9734 whether the program has corrupted its own read-only sections. The
9735 @code{compare-sections} command is provided for such situations.
9736
9737 @table @code
9738 @kindex compare-sections
9739 @item compare-sections @r{[}@var{section-name}@r{|}@code{-r}@r{]}
9740 Compare the data of a loadable section @var{section-name} in the
9741 executable file of the program being debugged with the same section in
9742 the target machine's memory, and report any mismatches. With no
9743 arguments, compares all loadable sections. With an argument of
9744 @code{-r}, compares all loadable read-only sections.
9745
9746 Note: for remote targets, this command can be accelerated if the
9747 target supports computing the CRC checksum of a block of memory
9748 (@pxref{qCRC packet}).
9749 @end table
9750
9751 @node Auto Display
9752 @section Automatic Display
9753 @cindex automatic display
9754 @cindex display of expressions
9755
9756 If you find that you want to print the value of an expression frequently
9757 (to see how it changes), you might want to add it to the @dfn{automatic
9758 display list} so that @value{GDBN} prints its value each time your program stops.
9759 Each expression added to the list is given a number to identify it;
9760 to remove an expression from the list, you specify that number.
9761 The automatic display looks like this:
9762
9763 @smallexample
9764 2: foo = 38
9765 3: bar[5] = (struct hack *) 0x3804
9766 @end smallexample
9767
9768 @noindent
9769 This display shows item numbers, expressions and their current values. As with
9770 displays you request manually using @code{x} or @code{print}, you can
9771 specify the output format you prefer; in fact, @code{display} decides
9772 whether to use @code{print} or @code{x} depending your format
9773 specification---it uses @code{x} if you specify either the @samp{i}
9774 or @samp{s} format, or a unit size; otherwise it uses @code{print}.
9775
9776 @table @code
9777 @kindex display
9778 @item display @var{expr}
9779 Add the expression @var{expr} to the list of expressions to display
9780 each time your program stops. @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}.
9781
9782 @code{display} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} again after using it.
9783
9784 @item display/@var{fmt} @var{expr}
9785 For @var{fmt} specifying only a display format and not a size or
9786 count, add the expression @var{expr} to the auto-display list but
9787 arrange to display it each time in the specified format @var{fmt}.
9788 @xref{Output Formats,,Output Formats}.
9789
9790 @item display/@var{fmt} @var{addr}
9791 For @var{fmt} @samp{i} or @samp{s}, or including a unit-size or a
9792 number of units, add the expression @var{addr} as a memory address to
9793 be examined each time your program stops. Examining means in effect
9794 doing @samp{x/@var{fmt} @var{addr}}. @xref{Memory, ,Examining Memory}.
9795 @end table
9796
9797 For example, @samp{display/i $pc} can be helpful, to see the machine
9798 instruction about to be executed each time execution stops (@samp{$pc}
9799 is a common name for the program counter; @pxref{Registers, ,Registers}).
9800
9801 @table @code
9802 @kindex delete display
9803 @kindex undisplay
9804 @item undisplay @var{dnums}@dots{}
9805 @itemx delete display @var{dnums}@dots{}
9806 Remove items from the list of expressions to display. Specify the
9807 numbers of the displays that you want affected with the command
9808 argument @var{dnums}. It can be a single display number, one of the
9809 numbers shown in the first field of the @samp{info display} display;
9810 or it could be a range of display numbers, as in @code{2-4}.
9811
9812 @code{undisplay} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} after using it.
9813 (Otherwise you would just get the error @samp{No display number @dots{}}.)
9814
9815 @kindex disable display
9816 @item disable display @var{dnums}@dots{}
9817 Disable the display of item numbers @var{dnums}. A disabled display
9818 item is not printed automatically, but is not forgotten. It may be
9819 enabled again later. Specify the numbers of the displays that you
9820 want affected with the command argument @var{dnums}. It can be a
9821 single display number, one of the numbers shown in the first field of
9822 the @samp{info display} display; or it could be a range of display
9823 numbers, as in @code{2-4}.
9824
9825 @kindex enable display
9826 @item enable display @var{dnums}@dots{}
9827 Enable display of item numbers @var{dnums}. It becomes effective once
9828 again in auto display of its expression, until you specify otherwise.
9829 Specify the numbers of the displays that you want affected with the
9830 command argument @var{dnums}. It can be a single display number, one
9831 of the numbers shown in the first field of the @samp{info display}
9832 display; or it could be a range of display numbers, as in @code{2-4}.
9833
9834 @item display
9835 Display the current values of the expressions on the list, just as is
9836 done when your program stops.
9837
9838 @kindex info display
9839 @item info display
9840 Print the list of expressions previously set up to display
9841 automatically, each one with its item number, but without showing the
9842 values. This includes disabled expressions, which are marked as such.
9843 It also includes expressions which would not be displayed right now
9844 because they refer to automatic variables not currently available.
9845 @end table
9846
9847 @cindex display disabled out of scope
9848 If a display expression refers to local variables, then it does not make
9849 sense outside the lexical context for which it was set up. Such an
9850 expression is disabled when execution enters a context where one of its
9851 variables is not defined. For example, if you give the command
9852 @code{display last_char} while inside a function with an argument
9853 @code{last_char}, @value{GDBN} displays this argument while your program
9854 continues to stop inside that function. When it stops elsewhere---where
9855 there is no variable @code{last_char}---the display is disabled
9856 automatically. The next time your program stops where @code{last_char}
9857 is meaningful, you can enable the display expression once again.
9858
9859 @node Print Settings
9860 @section Print Settings
9861
9862 @cindex format options
9863 @cindex print settings
9864 @value{GDBN} provides the following ways to control how arrays, structures,
9865 and symbols are printed.
9866
9867 @noindent
9868 These settings are useful for debugging programs in any language:
9869
9870 @table @code
9871 @kindex set print
9872 @item set print address
9873 @itemx set print address on
9874 @cindex print/don't print memory addresses
9875 @value{GDBN} prints memory addresses showing the location of stack
9876 traces, structure values, pointer values, breakpoints, and so forth,
9877 even when it also displays the contents of those addresses. The default
9878 is @code{on}. For example, this is what a stack frame display looks like with
9879 @code{set print address on}:
9880
9881 @smallexample
9882 @group
9883 (@value{GDBP}) f
9884 #0 set_quotes (lq=0x34c78 "<<", rq=0x34c88 ">>")
9885 at input.c:530
9886 530 if (lquote != def_lquote)
9887 @end group
9888 @end smallexample
9889
9890 @item set print address off
9891 Do not print addresses when displaying their contents. For example,
9892 this is the same stack frame displayed with @code{set print address off}:
9893
9894 @smallexample
9895 @group
9896 (@value{GDBP}) set print addr off
9897 (@value{GDBP}) f
9898 #0 set_quotes (lq="<<", rq=">>") at input.c:530
9899 530 if (lquote != def_lquote)
9900 @end group
9901 @end smallexample
9902
9903 You can use @samp{set print address off} to eliminate all machine
9904 dependent displays from the @value{GDBN} interface. For example, with
9905 @code{print address off}, you should get the same text for backtraces on
9906 all machines---whether or not they involve pointer arguments.
9907
9908 @kindex show print
9909 @item show print address
9910 Show whether or not addresses are to be printed.
9911 @end table
9912
9913 When @value{GDBN} prints a symbolic address, it normally prints the
9914 closest earlier symbol plus an offset. If that symbol does not uniquely
9915 identify the address (for example, it is a name whose scope is a single
9916 source file), you may need to clarify. One way to do this is with
9917 @code{info line}, for example @samp{info line *0x4537}. Alternately,
9918 you can set @value{GDBN} to print the source file and line number when
9919 it prints a symbolic address:
9920
9921 @table @code
9922 @item set print symbol-filename on
9923 @cindex source file and line of a symbol
9924 @cindex symbol, source file and line
9925 Tell @value{GDBN} to print the source file name and line number of a
9926 symbol in the symbolic form of an address.
9927
9928 @item set print symbol-filename off
9929 Do not print source file name and line number of a symbol. This is the
9930 default.
9931
9932 @item show print symbol-filename
9933 Show whether or not @value{GDBN} will print the source file name and
9934 line number of a symbol in the symbolic form of an address.
9935 @end table
9936
9937 Another situation where it is helpful to show symbol filenames and line
9938 numbers is when disassembling code; @value{GDBN} shows you the line
9939 number and source file that corresponds to each instruction.
9940
9941 Also, you may wish to see the symbolic form only if the address being
9942 printed is reasonably close to the closest earlier symbol:
9943
9944 @table @code
9945 @item set print max-symbolic-offset @var{max-offset}
9946 @itemx set print max-symbolic-offset unlimited
9947 @cindex maximum value for offset of closest symbol
9948 Tell @value{GDBN} to only display the symbolic form of an address if the
9949 offset between the closest earlier symbol and the address is less than
9950 @var{max-offset}. The default is @code{unlimited}, which tells @value{GDBN}
9951 to always print the symbolic form of an address if any symbol precedes
9952 it. Zero is equivalent to @code{unlimited}.
9953
9954 @item show print max-symbolic-offset
9955 Ask how large the maximum offset is that @value{GDBN} prints in a
9956 symbolic address.
9957 @end table
9958
9959 @cindex wild pointer, interpreting
9960 @cindex pointer, finding referent
9961 If you have a pointer and you are not sure where it points, try
9962 @samp{set print symbol-filename on}. Then you can determine the name
9963 and source file location of the variable where it points, using
9964 @samp{p/a @var{pointer}}. This interprets the address in symbolic form.
9965 For example, here @value{GDBN} shows that a variable @code{ptt} points
9966 at another variable @code{t}, defined in @file{hi2.c}:
9967
9968 @smallexample
9969 (@value{GDBP}) set print symbol-filename on
9970 (@value{GDBP}) p/a ptt
9971 $4 = 0xe008 <t in hi2.c>
9972 @end smallexample
9973
9974 @quotation
9975 @emph{Warning:} For pointers that point to a local variable, @samp{p/a}
9976 does not show the symbol name and filename of the referent, even with
9977 the appropriate @code{set print} options turned on.
9978 @end quotation
9979
9980 You can also enable @samp{/a}-like formatting all the time using
9981 @samp{set print symbol on}:
9982
9983 @table @code
9984 @item set print symbol on
9985 Tell @value{GDBN} to print the symbol corresponding to an address, if
9986 one exists.
9987
9988 @item set print symbol off
9989 Tell @value{GDBN} not to print the symbol corresponding to an
9990 address. In this mode, @value{GDBN} will still print the symbol
9991 corresponding to pointers to functions. This is the default.
9992
9993 @item show print symbol
9994 Show whether @value{GDBN} will display the symbol corresponding to an
9995 address.
9996 @end table
9997
9998 Other settings control how different kinds of objects are printed:
9999
10000 @table @code
10001 @item set print array
10002 @itemx set print array on
10003 @cindex pretty print arrays
10004 Pretty print arrays. This format is more convenient to read,
10005 but uses more space. The default is off.
10006
10007 @item set print array off
10008 Return to compressed format for arrays.
10009
10010 @item show print array
10011 Show whether compressed or pretty format is selected for displaying
10012 arrays.
10013
10014 @cindex print array indexes
10015 @item set print array-indexes
10016 @itemx set print array-indexes on
10017 Print the index of each element when displaying arrays. May be more
10018 convenient to locate a given element in the array or quickly find the
10019 index of a given element in that printed array. The default is off.
10020
10021 @item set print array-indexes off
10022 Stop printing element indexes when displaying arrays.
10023
10024 @item show print array-indexes
10025 Show whether the index of each element is printed when displaying
10026 arrays.
10027
10028 @item set print elements @var{number-of-elements}
10029 @itemx set print elements unlimited
10030 @cindex number of array elements to print
10031 @cindex limit on number of printed array elements
10032 Set a limit on how many elements of an array @value{GDBN} will print.
10033 If @value{GDBN} is printing a large array, it stops printing after it has
10034 printed the number of elements set by the @code{set print elements} command.
10035 This limit also applies to the display of strings.
10036 When @value{GDBN} starts, this limit is set to 200.
10037 Setting @var{number-of-elements} to @code{unlimited} or zero means
10038 that the number of elements to print is unlimited.
10039
10040 @item show print elements
10041 Display the number of elements of a large array that @value{GDBN} will print.
10042 If the number is 0, then the printing is unlimited.
10043
10044 @item set print frame-arguments @var{value}
10045 @kindex set print frame-arguments
10046 @cindex printing frame argument values
10047 @cindex print all frame argument values
10048 @cindex print frame argument values for scalars only
10049 @cindex do not print frame argument values
10050 This command allows to control how the values of arguments are printed
10051 when the debugger prints a frame (@pxref{Frames}). The possible
10052 values are:
10053
10054 @table @code
10055 @item all
10056 The values of all arguments are printed.
10057
10058 @item scalars
10059 Print the value of an argument only if it is a scalar. The value of more
10060 complex arguments such as arrays, structures, unions, etc, is replaced
10061 by @code{@dots{}}. This is the default. Here is an example where
10062 only scalar arguments are shown:
10063
10064 @smallexample
10065 #1 0x08048361 in call_me (i=3, s=@dots{}, ss=0xbf8d508c, u=@dots{}, e=green)
10066 at frame-args.c:23
10067 @end smallexample
10068
10069 @item none
10070 None of the argument values are printed. Instead, the value of each argument
10071 is replaced by @code{@dots{}}. In this case, the example above now becomes:
10072
10073 @smallexample
10074 #1 0x08048361 in call_me (i=@dots{}, s=@dots{}, ss=@dots{}, u=@dots{}, e=@dots{})
10075 at frame-args.c:23
10076 @end smallexample
10077 @end table
10078
10079 By default, only scalar arguments are printed. This command can be used
10080 to configure the debugger to print the value of all arguments, regardless
10081 of their type. However, it is often advantageous to not print the value
10082 of more complex parameters. For instance, it reduces the amount of
10083 information printed in each frame, making the backtrace more readable.
10084 Also, it improves performance when displaying Ada frames, because
10085 the computation of large arguments can sometimes be CPU-intensive,
10086 especially in large applications. Setting @code{print frame-arguments}
10087 to @code{scalars} (the default) or @code{none} avoids this computation,
10088 thus speeding up the display of each Ada frame.
10089
10090 @item show print frame-arguments
10091 Show how the value of arguments should be displayed when printing a frame.
10092
10093 @item set print raw frame-arguments on
10094 Print frame arguments in raw, non pretty-printed, form.
10095
10096 @item set print raw frame-arguments off
10097 Print frame arguments in pretty-printed form, if there is a pretty-printer
10098 for the value (@pxref{Pretty Printing}),
10099 otherwise print the value in raw form.
10100 This is the default.
10101
10102 @item show print raw frame-arguments
10103 Show whether to print frame arguments in raw form.
10104
10105 @anchor{set print entry-values}
10106 @item set print entry-values @var{value}
10107 @kindex set print entry-values
10108 Set printing of frame argument values at function entry. In some cases
10109 @value{GDBN} can determine the value of function argument which was passed by
10110 the function caller, even if the value was modified inside the called function
10111 and therefore is different. With optimized code, the current value could be
10112 unavailable, but the entry value may still be known.
10113
10114 The default value is @code{default} (see below for its description). Older
10115 @value{GDBN} behaved as with the setting @code{no}. Compilers not supporting
10116 this feature will behave in the @code{default} setting the same way as with the
10117 @code{no} setting.
10118
10119 This functionality is currently supported only by DWARF 2 debugging format and
10120 the compiler has to produce @samp{DW_TAG_call_site} tags. With
10121 @value{NGCC}, you need to specify @option{-O -g} during compilation, to get
10122 this information.
10123
10124 The @var{value} parameter can be one of the following:
10125
10126 @table @code
10127 @item no
10128 Print only actual parameter values, never print values from function entry
10129 point.
10130 @smallexample
10131 #0 equal (val=5)
10132 #0 different (val=6)
10133 #0 lost (val=<optimized out>)
10134 #0 born (val=10)
10135 #0 invalid (val=<optimized out>)
10136 @end smallexample
10137
10138 @item only
10139 Print only parameter values from function entry point. The actual parameter
10140 values are never printed.
10141 @smallexample
10142 #0 equal (val@@entry=5)
10143 #0 different (val@@entry=5)
10144 #0 lost (val@@entry=5)
10145 #0 born (val@@entry=<optimized out>)
10146 #0 invalid (val@@entry=<optimized out>)
10147 @end smallexample
10148
10149 @item preferred
10150 Print only parameter values from function entry point. If value from function
10151 entry point is not known while the actual value is known, print the actual
10152 value for such parameter.
10153 @smallexample
10154 #0 equal (val@@entry=5)
10155 #0 different (val@@entry=5)
10156 #0 lost (val@@entry=5)
10157 #0 born (val=10)
10158 #0 invalid (val@@entry=<optimized out>)
10159 @end smallexample
10160
10161 @item if-needed
10162 Print actual parameter values. If actual parameter value is not known while
10163 value from function entry point is known, print the entry point value for such
10164 parameter.
10165 @smallexample
10166 #0 equal (val=5)
10167 #0 different (val=6)
10168 #0 lost (val@@entry=5)
10169 #0 born (val=10)
10170 #0 invalid (val=<optimized out>)
10171 @end smallexample
10172
10173 @item both
10174 Always print both the actual parameter value and its value from function entry
10175 point, even if values of one or both are not available due to compiler
10176 optimizations.
10177 @smallexample
10178 #0 equal (val=5, val@@entry=5)
10179 #0 different (val=6, val@@entry=5)
10180 #0 lost (val=<optimized out>, val@@entry=5)
10181 #0 born (val=10, val@@entry=<optimized out>)
10182 #0 invalid (val=<optimized out>, val@@entry=<optimized out>)
10183 @end smallexample
10184
10185 @item compact
10186 Print the actual parameter value if it is known and also its value from
10187 function entry point if it is known. If neither is known, print for the actual
10188 value @code{<optimized out>}. If not in MI mode (@pxref{GDB/MI}) and if both
10189 values are known and identical, print the shortened
10190 @code{param=param@@entry=VALUE} notation.
10191 @smallexample
10192 #0 equal (val=val@@entry=5)
10193 #0 different (val=6, val@@entry=5)
10194 #0 lost (val@@entry=5)
10195 #0 born (val=10)
10196 #0 invalid (val=<optimized out>)
10197 @end smallexample
10198
10199 @item default
10200 Always print the actual parameter value. Print also its value from function
10201 entry point, but only if it is known. If not in MI mode (@pxref{GDB/MI}) and
10202 if both values are known and identical, print the shortened
10203 @code{param=param@@entry=VALUE} notation.
10204 @smallexample
10205 #0 equal (val=val@@entry=5)
10206 #0 different (val=6, val@@entry=5)
10207 #0 lost (val=<optimized out>, val@@entry=5)
10208 #0 born (val=10)
10209 #0 invalid (val=<optimized out>)
10210 @end smallexample
10211 @end table
10212
10213 For analysis messages on possible failures of frame argument values at function
10214 entry resolution see @ref{set debug entry-values}.
10215
10216 @item show print entry-values
10217 Show the method being used for printing of frame argument values at function
10218 entry.
10219
10220 @item set print repeats @var{number-of-repeats}
10221 @itemx set print repeats unlimited
10222 @cindex repeated array elements
10223 Set the threshold for suppressing display of repeated array
10224 elements. When the number of consecutive identical elements of an
10225 array exceeds the threshold, @value{GDBN} prints the string
10226 @code{"<repeats @var{n} times>"}, where @var{n} is the number of
10227 identical repetitions, instead of displaying the identical elements
10228 themselves. Setting the threshold to @code{unlimited} or zero will
10229 cause all elements to be individually printed. The default threshold
10230 is 10.
10231
10232 @item show print repeats
10233 Display the current threshold for printing repeated identical
10234 elements.
10235
10236 @item set print null-stop
10237 @cindex @sc{null} elements in arrays
10238 Cause @value{GDBN} to stop printing the characters of an array when the first
10239 @sc{null} is encountered. This is useful when large arrays actually
10240 contain only short strings.
10241 The default is off.
10242
10243 @item show print null-stop
10244 Show whether @value{GDBN} stops printing an array on the first
10245 @sc{null} character.
10246
10247 @item set print pretty on
10248 @cindex print structures in indented form
10249 @cindex indentation in structure display
10250 Cause @value{GDBN} to print structures in an indented format with one member
10251 per line, like this:
10252
10253 @smallexample
10254 @group
10255 $1 = @{
10256 next = 0x0,
10257 flags = @{
10258 sweet = 1,
10259 sour = 1
10260 @},
10261 meat = 0x54 "Pork"
10262 @}
10263 @end group
10264 @end smallexample
10265
10266 @item set print pretty off
10267 Cause @value{GDBN} to print structures in a compact format, like this:
10268
10269 @smallexample
10270 @group
10271 $1 = @{next = 0x0, flags = @{sweet = 1, sour = 1@}, \
10272 meat = 0x54 "Pork"@}
10273 @end group
10274 @end smallexample
10275
10276 @noindent
10277 This is the default format.
10278
10279 @item show print pretty
10280 Show which format @value{GDBN} is using to print structures.
10281
10282 @item set print sevenbit-strings on
10283 @cindex eight-bit characters in strings
10284 @cindex octal escapes in strings
10285 Print using only seven-bit characters; if this option is set,
10286 @value{GDBN} displays any eight-bit characters (in strings or
10287 character values) using the notation @code{\}@var{nnn}. This setting is
10288 best if you are working in English (@sc{ascii}) and you use the
10289 high-order bit of characters as a marker or ``meta'' bit.
10290
10291 @item set print sevenbit-strings off
10292 Print full eight-bit characters. This allows the use of more
10293 international character sets, and is the default.
10294
10295 @item show print sevenbit-strings
10296 Show whether or not @value{GDBN} is printing only seven-bit characters.
10297
10298 @item set print union on
10299 @cindex unions in structures, printing
10300 Tell @value{GDBN} to print unions which are contained in structures
10301 and other unions. This is the default setting.
10302
10303 @item set print union off
10304 Tell @value{GDBN} not to print unions which are contained in
10305 structures and other unions. @value{GDBN} will print @code{"@{...@}"}
10306 instead.
10307
10308 @item show print union
10309 Ask @value{GDBN} whether or not it will print unions which are contained in
10310 structures and other unions.
10311
10312 For example, given the declarations
10313
10314 @smallexample
10315 typedef enum @{Tree, Bug@} Species;
10316 typedef enum @{Big_tree, Acorn, Seedling@} Tree_forms;
10317 typedef enum @{Caterpillar, Cocoon, Butterfly@}
10318 Bug_forms;
10319
10320 struct thing @{
10321 Species it;
10322 union @{
10323 Tree_forms tree;
10324 Bug_forms bug;
10325 @} form;
10326 @};
10327
10328 struct thing foo = @{Tree, @{Acorn@}@};
10329 @end smallexample
10330
10331 @noindent
10332 with @code{set print union on} in effect @samp{p foo} would print
10333
10334 @smallexample
10335 $1 = @{it = Tree, form = @{tree = Acorn, bug = Cocoon@}@}
10336 @end smallexample
10337
10338 @noindent
10339 and with @code{set print union off} in effect it would print
10340
10341 @smallexample
10342 $1 = @{it = Tree, form = @{...@}@}
10343 @end smallexample
10344
10345 @noindent
10346 @code{set print union} affects programs written in C-like languages
10347 and in Pascal.
10348 @end table
10349
10350 @need 1000
10351 @noindent
10352 These settings are of interest when debugging C@t{++} programs:
10353
10354 @table @code
10355 @cindex demangling C@t{++} names
10356 @item set print demangle
10357 @itemx set print demangle on
10358 Print C@t{++} names in their source form rather than in the encoded
10359 (``mangled'') form passed to the assembler and linker for type-safe
10360 linkage. The default is on.
10361
10362 @item show print demangle
10363 Show whether C@t{++} names are printed in mangled or demangled form.
10364
10365 @item set print asm-demangle
10366 @itemx set print asm-demangle on
10367 Print C@t{++} names in their source form rather than their mangled form, even
10368 in assembler code printouts such as instruction disassemblies.
10369 The default is off.
10370
10371 @item show print asm-demangle
10372 Show whether C@t{++} names in assembly listings are printed in mangled
10373 or demangled form.
10374
10375 @cindex C@t{++} symbol decoding style
10376 @cindex symbol decoding style, C@t{++}
10377 @kindex set demangle-style
10378 @item set demangle-style @var{style}
10379 Choose among several encoding schemes used by different compilers to
10380 represent C@t{++} names. The choices for @var{style} are currently:
10381
10382 @table @code
10383 @item auto
10384 Allow @value{GDBN} to choose a decoding style by inspecting your program.
10385 This is the default.
10386
10387 @item gnu
10388 Decode based on the @sc{gnu} C@t{++} compiler (@code{g++}) encoding algorithm.
10389
10390 @item hp
10391 Decode based on the HP ANSI C@t{++} (@code{aCC}) encoding algorithm.
10392
10393 @item lucid
10394 Decode based on the Lucid C@t{++} compiler (@code{lcc}) encoding algorithm.
10395
10396 @item arm
10397 Decode using the algorithm in the @cite{C@t{++} Annotated Reference Manual}.
10398 @strong{Warning:} this setting alone is not sufficient to allow
10399 debugging @code{cfront}-generated executables. @value{GDBN} would
10400 require further enhancement to permit that.
10401
10402 @end table
10403 If you omit @var{style}, you will see a list of possible formats.
10404
10405 @item show demangle-style
10406 Display the encoding style currently in use for decoding C@t{++} symbols.
10407
10408 @item set print object
10409 @itemx set print object on
10410 @cindex derived type of an object, printing
10411 @cindex display derived types
10412 When displaying a pointer to an object, identify the @emph{actual}
10413 (derived) type of the object rather than the @emph{declared} type, using
10414 the virtual function table. Note that the virtual function table is
10415 required---this feature can only work for objects that have run-time
10416 type identification; a single virtual method in the object's declared
10417 type is sufficient. Note that this setting is also taken into account when
10418 working with variable objects via MI (@pxref{GDB/MI}).
10419
10420 @item set print object off
10421 Display only the declared type of objects, without reference to the
10422 virtual function table. This is the default setting.
10423
10424 @item show print object
10425 Show whether actual, or declared, object types are displayed.
10426
10427 @item set print static-members
10428 @itemx set print static-members on
10429 @cindex static members of C@t{++} objects
10430 Print static members when displaying a C@t{++} object. The default is on.
10431
10432 @item set print static-members off
10433 Do not print static members when displaying a C@t{++} object.
10434
10435 @item show print static-members
10436 Show whether C@t{++} static members are printed or not.
10437
10438 @item set print pascal_static-members
10439 @itemx set print pascal_static-members on
10440 @cindex static members of Pascal objects
10441 @cindex Pascal objects, static members display
10442 Print static members when displaying a Pascal object. The default is on.
10443
10444 @item set print pascal_static-members off
10445 Do not print static members when displaying a Pascal object.
10446
10447 @item show print pascal_static-members
10448 Show whether Pascal static members are printed or not.
10449
10450 @c These don't work with HP ANSI C++ yet.
10451 @item set print vtbl
10452 @itemx set print vtbl on
10453 @cindex pretty print C@t{++} virtual function tables
10454 @cindex virtual functions (C@t{++}) display
10455 @cindex VTBL display
10456 Pretty print C@t{++} virtual function tables. The default is off.
10457 (The @code{vtbl} commands do not work on programs compiled with the HP
10458 ANSI C@t{++} compiler (@code{aCC}).)
10459
10460 @item set print vtbl off
10461 Do not pretty print C@t{++} virtual function tables.
10462
10463 @item show print vtbl
10464 Show whether C@t{++} virtual function tables are pretty printed, or not.
10465 @end table
10466
10467 @node Pretty Printing
10468 @section Pretty Printing
10469
10470 @value{GDBN} provides a mechanism to allow pretty-printing of values using
10471 Python code. It greatly simplifies the display of complex objects. This
10472 mechanism works for both MI and the CLI.
10473
10474 @menu
10475 * Pretty-Printer Introduction:: Introduction to pretty-printers
10476 * Pretty-Printer Example:: An example pretty-printer
10477 * Pretty-Printer Commands:: Pretty-printer commands
10478 @end menu
10479
10480 @node Pretty-Printer Introduction
10481 @subsection Pretty-Printer Introduction
10482
10483 When @value{GDBN} prints a value, it first sees if there is a pretty-printer
10484 registered for the value. If there is then @value{GDBN} invokes the
10485 pretty-printer to print the value. Otherwise the value is printed normally.
10486
10487 Pretty-printers are normally named. This makes them easy to manage.
10488 The @samp{info pretty-printer} command will list all the installed
10489 pretty-printers with their names.
10490 If a pretty-printer can handle multiple data types, then its
10491 @dfn{subprinters} are the printers for the individual data types.
10492 Each such subprinter has its own name.
10493 The format of the name is @var{printer-name};@var{subprinter-name}.
10494
10495 Pretty-printers are installed by @dfn{registering} them with @value{GDBN}.
10496 Typically they are automatically loaded and registered when the corresponding
10497 debug information is loaded, thus making them available without having to
10498 do anything special.
10499
10500 There are three places where a pretty-printer can be registered.
10501
10502 @itemize @bullet
10503 @item
10504 Pretty-printers registered globally are available when debugging
10505 all inferiors.
10506
10507 @item
10508 Pretty-printers registered with a program space are available only
10509 when debugging that program.
10510 @xref{Progspaces In Python}, for more details on program spaces in Python.
10511
10512 @item
10513 Pretty-printers registered with an objfile are loaded and unloaded
10514 with the corresponding objfile (e.g., shared library).
10515 @xref{Objfiles In Python}, for more details on objfiles in Python.
10516 @end itemize
10517
10518 @xref{Selecting Pretty-Printers}, for further information on how
10519 pretty-printers are selected,
10520
10521 @xref{Writing a Pretty-Printer}, for implementing pretty printers
10522 for new types.
10523
10524 @node Pretty-Printer Example
10525 @subsection Pretty-Printer Example
10526
10527 Here is how a C@t{++} @code{std::string} looks without a pretty-printer:
10528
10529 @smallexample
10530 (@value{GDBP}) print s
10531 $1 = @{
10532 static npos = 4294967295,
10533 _M_dataplus = @{
10534 <std::allocator<char>> = @{
10535 <__gnu_cxx::new_allocator<char>> = @{
10536 <No data fields>@}, <No data fields>
10537 @},
10538 members of std::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>,
10539 std::allocator<char> >::_Alloc_hider:
10540 _M_p = 0x804a014 "abcd"
10541 @}
10542 @}
10543 @end smallexample
10544
10545 With a pretty-printer for @code{std::string} only the contents are printed:
10546
10547 @smallexample
10548 (@value{GDBP}) print s
10549 $2 = "abcd"
10550 @end smallexample
10551
10552 @node Pretty-Printer Commands
10553 @subsection Pretty-Printer Commands
10554 @cindex pretty-printer commands
10555
10556 @table @code
10557 @kindex info pretty-printer
10558 @item info pretty-printer [@var{object-regexp} [@var{name-regexp}]]
10559 Print the list of installed pretty-printers.
10560 This includes disabled pretty-printers, which are marked as such.
10561
10562 @var{object-regexp} is a regular expression matching the objects
10563 whose pretty-printers to list.
10564 Objects can be @code{global}, the program space's file
10565 (@pxref{Progspaces In Python}),
10566 and the object files within that program space (@pxref{Objfiles In Python}).
10567 @xref{Selecting Pretty-Printers}, for details on how @value{GDBN}
10568 looks up a printer from these three objects.
10569
10570 @var{name-regexp} is a regular expression matching the name of the printers
10571 to list.
10572
10573 @kindex disable pretty-printer
10574 @item disable pretty-printer [@var{object-regexp} [@var{name-regexp}]]
10575 Disable pretty-printers matching @var{object-regexp} and @var{name-regexp}.
10576 A disabled pretty-printer is not forgotten, it may be enabled again later.
10577
10578 @kindex enable pretty-printer
10579 @item enable pretty-printer [@var{object-regexp} [@var{name-regexp}]]
10580 Enable pretty-printers matching @var{object-regexp} and @var{name-regexp}.
10581 @end table
10582
10583 Example:
10584
10585 Suppose we have three pretty-printers installed: one from library1.so
10586 named @code{foo} that prints objects of type @code{foo}, and
10587 another from library2.so named @code{bar} that prints two types of objects,
10588 @code{bar1} and @code{bar2}.
10589
10590 @smallexample
10591 (gdb) info pretty-printer
10592 library1.so:
10593 foo
10594 library2.so:
10595 bar
10596 bar1
10597 bar2
10598 (gdb) info pretty-printer library2
10599 library2.so:
10600 bar
10601 bar1
10602 bar2
10603 (gdb) disable pretty-printer library1
10604 1 printer disabled
10605 2 of 3 printers enabled
10606 (gdb) info pretty-printer
10607 library1.so:
10608 foo [disabled]
10609 library2.so:
10610 bar
10611 bar1
10612 bar2
10613 (gdb) disable pretty-printer library2 bar:bar1
10614 1 printer disabled
10615 1 of 3 printers enabled
10616 (gdb) info pretty-printer library2
10617 library1.so:
10618 foo [disabled]
10619 library2.so:
10620 bar
10621 bar1 [disabled]
10622 bar2
10623 (gdb) disable pretty-printer library2 bar
10624 1 printer disabled
10625 0 of 3 printers enabled
10626 (gdb) info pretty-printer library2
10627 library1.so:
10628 foo [disabled]
10629 library2.so:
10630 bar [disabled]
10631 bar1 [disabled]
10632 bar2
10633 @end smallexample
10634
10635 Note that for @code{bar} the entire printer can be disabled,
10636 as can each individual subprinter.
10637
10638 @node Value History
10639 @section Value History
10640
10641 @cindex value history
10642 @cindex history of values printed by @value{GDBN}
10643 Values printed by the @code{print} command are saved in the @value{GDBN}
10644 @dfn{value history}. This allows you to refer to them in other expressions.
10645 Values are kept until the symbol table is re-read or discarded
10646 (for example with the @code{file} or @code{symbol-file} commands).
10647 When the symbol table changes, the value history is discarded,
10648 since the values may contain pointers back to the types defined in the
10649 symbol table.
10650
10651 @cindex @code{$}
10652 @cindex @code{$$}
10653 @cindex history number
10654 The values printed are given @dfn{history numbers} by which you can
10655 refer to them. These are successive integers starting with one.
10656 @code{print} shows you the history number assigned to a value by
10657 printing @samp{$@var{num} = } before the value; here @var{num} is the
10658 history number.
10659
10660 To refer to any previous value, use @samp{$} followed by the value's
10661 history number. The way @code{print} labels its output is designed to
10662 remind you of this. Just @code{$} refers to the most recent value in
10663 the history, and @code{$$} refers to the value before that.
10664 @code{$$@var{n}} refers to the @var{n}th value from the end; @code{$$2}
10665 is the value just prior to @code{$$}, @code{$$1} is equivalent to
10666 @code{$$}, and @code{$$0} is equivalent to @code{$}.
10667
10668 For example, suppose you have just printed a pointer to a structure and
10669 want to see the contents of the structure. It suffices to type
10670
10671 @smallexample
10672 p *$
10673 @end smallexample
10674
10675 If you have a chain of structures where the component @code{next} points
10676 to the next one, you can print the contents of the next one with this:
10677
10678 @smallexample
10679 p *$.next
10680 @end smallexample
10681
10682 @noindent
10683 You can print successive links in the chain by repeating this
10684 command---which you can do by just typing @key{RET}.
10685
10686 Note that the history records values, not expressions. If the value of
10687 @code{x} is 4 and you type these commands:
10688
10689 @smallexample
10690 print x
10691 set x=5
10692 @end smallexample
10693
10694 @noindent
10695 then the value recorded in the value history by the @code{print} command
10696 remains 4 even though the value of @code{x} has changed.
10697
10698 @table @code
10699 @kindex show values
10700 @item show values
10701 Print the last ten values in the value history, with their item numbers.
10702 This is like @samp{p@ $$9} repeated ten times, except that @code{show
10703 values} does not change the history.
10704
10705 @item show values @var{n}
10706 Print ten history values centered on history item number @var{n}.
10707
10708 @item show values +
10709 Print ten history values just after the values last printed. If no more
10710 values are available, @code{show values +} produces no display.
10711 @end table
10712
10713 Pressing @key{RET} to repeat @code{show values @var{n}} has exactly the
10714 same effect as @samp{show values +}.
10715
10716 @node Convenience Vars
10717 @section Convenience Variables
10718
10719 @cindex convenience variables
10720 @cindex user-defined variables
10721 @value{GDBN} provides @dfn{convenience variables} that you can use within
10722 @value{GDBN} to hold on to a value and refer to it later. These variables
10723 exist entirely within @value{GDBN}; they are not part of your program, and
10724 setting a convenience variable has no direct effect on further execution
10725 of your program. That is why you can use them freely.
10726
10727 Convenience variables are prefixed with @samp{$}. Any name preceded by
10728 @samp{$} can be used for a convenience variable, unless it is one of
10729 the predefined machine-specific register names (@pxref{Registers, ,Registers}).
10730 (Value history references, in contrast, are @emph{numbers} preceded
10731 by @samp{$}. @xref{Value History, ,Value History}.)
10732
10733 You can save a value in a convenience variable with an assignment
10734 expression, just as you would set a variable in your program.
10735 For example:
10736
10737 @smallexample
10738 set $foo = *object_ptr
10739 @end smallexample
10740
10741 @noindent
10742 would save in @code{$foo} the value contained in the object pointed to by
10743 @code{object_ptr}.
10744
10745 Using a convenience variable for the first time creates it, but its
10746 value is @code{void} until you assign a new value. You can alter the
10747 value with another assignment at any time.
10748
10749 Convenience variables have no fixed types. You can assign a convenience
10750 variable any type of value, including structures and arrays, even if
10751 that variable already has a value of a different type. The convenience
10752 variable, when used as an expression, has the type of its current value.
10753
10754 @table @code
10755 @kindex show convenience
10756 @cindex show all user variables and functions
10757 @item show convenience
10758 Print a list of convenience variables used so far, and their values,
10759 as well as a list of the convenience functions.
10760 Abbreviated @code{show conv}.
10761
10762 @kindex init-if-undefined
10763 @cindex convenience variables, initializing
10764 @item init-if-undefined $@var{variable} = @var{expression}
10765 Set a convenience variable if it has not already been set. This is useful
10766 for user-defined commands that keep some state. It is similar, in concept,
10767 to using local static variables with initializers in C (except that
10768 convenience variables are global). It can also be used to allow users to
10769 override default values used in a command script.
10770
10771 If the variable is already defined then the expression is not evaluated so
10772 any side-effects do not occur.
10773 @end table
10774
10775 One of the ways to use a convenience variable is as a counter to be
10776 incremented or a pointer to be advanced. For example, to print
10777 a field from successive elements of an array of structures:
10778
10779 @smallexample
10780 set $i = 0
10781 print bar[$i++]->contents
10782 @end smallexample
10783
10784 @noindent
10785 Repeat that command by typing @key{RET}.
10786
10787 Some convenience variables are created automatically by @value{GDBN} and given
10788 values likely to be useful.
10789
10790 @table @code
10791 @vindex $_@r{, convenience variable}
10792 @item $_
10793 The variable @code{$_} is automatically set by the @code{x} command to
10794 the last address examined (@pxref{Memory, ,Examining Memory}). Other
10795 commands which provide a default address for @code{x} to examine also
10796 set @code{$_} to that address; these commands include @code{info line}
10797 and @code{info breakpoint}. The type of @code{$_} is @code{void *}
10798 except when set by the @code{x} command, in which case it is a pointer
10799 to the type of @code{$__}.
10800
10801 @vindex $__@r{, convenience variable}
10802 @item $__
10803 The variable @code{$__} is automatically set by the @code{x} command
10804 to the value found in the last address examined. Its type is chosen
10805 to match the format in which the data was printed.
10806
10807 @item $_exitcode
10808 @vindex $_exitcode@r{, convenience variable}
10809 When the program being debugged terminates normally, @value{GDBN}
10810 automatically sets this variable to the exit code of the program, and
10811 resets @code{$_exitsignal} to @code{void}.
10812
10813 @item $_exitsignal
10814 @vindex $_exitsignal@r{, convenience variable}
10815 When the program being debugged dies due to an uncaught signal,
10816 @value{GDBN} automatically sets this variable to that signal's number,
10817 and resets @code{$_exitcode} to @code{void}.
10818
10819 To distinguish between whether the program being debugged has exited
10820 (i.e., @code{$_exitcode} is not @code{void}) or signalled (i.e.,
10821 @code{$_exitsignal} is not @code{void}), the convenience function
10822 @code{$_isvoid} can be used (@pxref{Convenience Funs,, Convenience
10823 Functions}). For example, considering the following source code:
10824
10825 @smallexample
10826 #include <signal.h>
10827
10828 int
10829 main (int argc, char *argv[])
10830 @{
10831 raise (SIGALRM);
10832 return 0;
10833 @}
10834 @end smallexample
10835
10836 A valid way of telling whether the program being debugged has exited
10837 or signalled would be:
10838
10839 @smallexample
10840 (@value{GDBP}) define has_exited_or_signalled
10841 Type commands for definition of ``has_exited_or_signalled''.
10842 End with a line saying just ``end''.
10843 >if $_isvoid ($_exitsignal)
10844 >echo The program has exited\n
10845 >else
10846 >echo The program has signalled\n
10847 >end
10848 >end
10849 (@value{GDBP}) run
10850 Starting program:
10851
10852 Program terminated with signal SIGALRM, Alarm clock.
10853 The program no longer exists.
10854 (@value{GDBP}) has_exited_or_signalled
10855 The program has signalled
10856 @end smallexample
10857
10858 As can be seen, @value{GDBN} correctly informs that the program being
10859 debugged has signalled, since it calls @code{raise} and raises a
10860 @code{SIGALRM} signal. If the program being debugged had not called
10861 @code{raise}, then @value{GDBN} would report a normal exit:
10862
10863 @smallexample
10864 (@value{GDBP}) has_exited_or_signalled
10865 The program has exited
10866 @end smallexample
10867
10868 @item $_exception
10869 The variable @code{$_exception} is set to the exception object being
10870 thrown at an exception-related catchpoint. @xref{Set Catchpoints}.
10871
10872 @item $_probe_argc
10873 @itemx $_probe_arg0@dots{}$_probe_arg11
10874 Arguments to a static probe. @xref{Static Probe Points}.
10875
10876 @item $_sdata
10877 @vindex $_sdata@r{, inspect, convenience variable}
10878 The variable @code{$_sdata} contains extra collected static tracepoint
10879 data. @xref{Tracepoint Actions,,Tracepoint Action Lists}. Note that
10880 @code{$_sdata} could be empty, if not inspecting a trace buffer, or
10881 if extra static tracepoint data has not been collected.
10882
10883 @item $_siginfo
10884 @vindex $_siginfo@r{, convenience variable}
10885 The variable @code{$_siginfo} contains extra signal information
10886 (@pxref{extra signal information}). Note that @code{$_siginfo}
10887 could be empty, if the application has not yet received any signals.
10888 For example, it will be empty before you execute the @code{run} command.
10889
10890 @item $_tlb
10891 @vindex $_tlb@r{, convenience variable}
10892 The variable @code{$_tlb} is automatically set when debugging
10893 applications running on MS-Windows in native mode or connected to
10894 gdbserver that supports the @code{qGetTIBAddr} request.
10895 @xref{General Query Packets}.
10896 This variable contains the address of the thread information block.
10897
10898 @item $_inferior
10899 The number of the current inferior. @xref{Inferiors and
10900 Programs, ,Debugging Multiple Inferiors and Programs}.
10901
10902 @item $_thread
10903 The thread number of the current thread. @xref{thread numbers}.
10904
10905 @item $_gthread
10906 The global number of the current thread. @xref{global thread numbers}.
10907
10908 @end table
10909
10910 @node Convenience Funs
10911 @section Convenience Functions
10912
10913 @cindex convenience functions
10914 @value{GDBN} also supplies some @dfn{convenience functions}. These
10915 have a syntax similar to convenience variables. A convenience
10916 function can be used in an expression just like an ordinary function;
10917 however, a convenience function is implemented internally to
10918 @value{GDBN}.
10919
10920 These functions do not require @value{GDBN} to be configured with
10921 @code{Python} support, which means that they are always available.
10922
10923 @table @code
10924
10925 @item $_isvoid (@var{expr})
10926 @findex $_isvoid@r{, convenience function}
10927 Return one if the expression @var{expr} is @code{void}. Otherwise it
10928 returns zero.
10929
10930 A @code{void} expression is an expression where the type of the result
10931 is @code{void}. For example, you can examine a convenience variable
10932 (see @ref{Convenience Vars,, Convenience Variables}) to check whether
10933 it is @code{void}:
10934
10935 @smallexample
10936 (@value{GDBP}) print $_exitcode
10937 $1 = void
10938 (@value{GDBP}) print $_isvoid ($_exitcode)
10939 $2 = 1
10940 (@value{GDBP}) run
10941 Starting program: ./a.out
10942 [Inferior 1 (process 29572) exited normally]
10943 (@value{GDBP}) print $_exitcode
10944 $3 = 0
10945 (@value{GDBP}) print $_isvoid ($_exitcode)
10946 $4 = 0
10947 @end smallexample
10948
10949 In the example above, we used @code{$_isvoid} to check whether
10950 @code{$_exitcode} is @code{void} before and after the execution of the
10951 program being debugged. Before the execution there is no exit code to
10952 be examined, therefore @code{$_exitcode} is @code{void}. After the
10953 execution the program being debugged returned zero, therefore
10954 @code{$_exitcode} is zero, which means that it is not @code{void}
10955 anymore.
10956
10957 The @code{void} expression can also be a call of a function from the
10958 program being debugged. For example, given the following function:
10959
10960 @smallexample
10961 void
10962 foo (void)
10963 @{
10964 @}
10965 @end smallexample
10966
10967 The result of calling it inside @value{GDBN} is @code{void}:
10968
10969 @smallexample
10970 (@value{GDBP}) print foo ()
10971 $1 = void
10972 (@value{GDBP}) print $_isvoid (foo ())
10973 $2 = 1
10974 (@value{GDBP}) set $v = foo ()
10975 (@value{GDBP}) print $v
10976 $3 = void
10977 (@value{GDBP}) print $_isvoid ($v)
10978 $4 = 1
10979 @end smallexample
10980
10981 @end table
10982
10983 These functions require @value{GDBN} to be configured with
10984 @code{Python} support.
10985
10986 @table @code
10987
10988 @item $_memeq(@var{buf1}, @var{buf2}, @var{length})
10989 @findex $_memeq@r{, convenience function}
10990 Returns one if the @var{length} bytes at the addresses given by
10991 @var{buf1} and @var{buf2} are equal.
10992 Otherwise it returns zero.
10993
10994 @item $_regex(@var{str}, @var{regex})
10995 @findex $_regex@r{, convenience function}
10996 Returns one if the string @var{str} matches the regular expression
10997 @var{regex}. Otherwise it returns zero.
10998 The syntax of the regular expression is that specified by @code{Python}'s
10999 regular expression support.
11000
11001 @item $_streq(@var{str1}, @var{str2})
11002 @findex $_streq@r{, convenience function}
11003 Returns one if the strings @var{str1} and @var{str2} are equal.
11004 Otherwise it returns zero.
11005
11006 @item $_strlen(@var{str})
11007 @findex $_strlen@r{, convenience function}
11008 Returns the length of string @var{str}.
11009
11010 @item $_caller_is(@var{name}@r{[}, @var{number_of_frames}@r{]})
11011 @findex $_caller_is@r{, convenience function}
11012 Returns one if the calling function's name is equal to @var{name}.
11013 Otherwise it returns zero.
11014
11015 If the optional argument @var{number_of_frames} is provided,
11016 it is the number of frames up in the stack to look.
11017 The default is 1.
11018
11019 Example:
11020
11021 @smallexample
11022 (gdb) backtrace
11023 #0 bottom_func ()
11024 at testsuite/gdb.python/py-caller-is.c:21
11025 #1 0x00000000004005a0 in middle_func ()
11026 at testsuite/gdb.python/py-caller-is.c:27
11027 #2 0x00000000004005ab in top_func ()
11028 at testsuite/gdb.python/py-caller-is.c:33
11029 #3 0x00000000004005b6 in main ()
11030 at testsuite/gdb.python/py-caller-is.c:39
11031 (gdb) print $_caller_is ("middle_func")
11032 $1 = 1
11033 (gdb) print $_caller_is ("top_func", 2)
11034 $1 = 1
11035 @end smallexample
11036
11037 @item $_caller_matches(@var{regexp}@r{[}, @var{number_of_frames}@r{]})
11038 @findex $_caller_matches@r{, convenience function}
11039 Returns one if the calling function's name matches the regular expression
11040 @var{regexp}. Otherwise it returns zero.
11041
11042 If the optional argument @var{number_of_frames} is provided,
11043 it is the number of frames up in the stack to look.
11044 The default is 1.
11045
11046 @item $_any_caller_is(@var{name}@r{[}, @var{number_of_frames}@r{]})
11047 @findex $_any_caller_is@r{, convenience function}
11048 Returns one if any calling function's name is equal to @var{name}.
11049 Otherwise it returns zero.
11050
11051 If the optional argument @var{number_of_frames} is provided,
11052 it is the number of frames up in the stack to look.
11053 The default is 1.
11054
11055 This function differs from @code{$_caller_is} in that this function
11056 checks all stack frames from the immediate caller to the frame specified
11057 by @var{number_of_frames}, whereas @code{$_caller_is} only checks the
11058 frame specified by @var{number_of_frames}.
11059
11060 @item $_any_caller_matches(@var{regexp}@r{[}, @var{number_of_frames}@r{]})
11061 @findex $_any_caller_matches@r{, convenience function}
11062 Returns one if any calling function's name matches the regular expression
11063 @var{regexp}. Otherwise it returns zero.
11064
11065 If the optional argument @var{number_of_frames} is provided,
11066 it is the number of frames up in the stack to look.
11067 The default is 1.
11068
11069 This function differs from @code{$_caller_matches} in that this function
11070 checks all stack frames from the immediate caller to the frame specified
11071 by @var{number_of_frames}, whereas @code{$_caller_matches} only checks the
11072 frame specified by @var{number_of_frames}.
11073
11074 @item $_as_string(@var{value})
11075 @findex $_as_string@r{, convenience function}
11076 Return the string representation of @var{value}.
11077
11078 This function is useful to obtain the textual label (enumerator) of an
11079 enumeration value. For example, assuming the variable @var{node} is of
11080 an enumerated type:
11081
11082 @smallexample
11083 (gdb) printf "Visiting node of type %s\n", $_as_string(node)
11084 Visiting node of type NODE_INTEGER
11085 @end smallexample
11086
11087 @end table
11088
11089 @value{GDBN} provides the ability to list and get help on
11090 convenience functions.
11091
11092 @table @code
11093 @item help function
11094 @kindex help function
11095 @cindex show all convenience functions
11096 Print a list of all convenience functions.
11097 @end table
11098
11099 @node Registers
11100 @section Registers
11101
11102 @cindex registers
11103 You can refer to machine register contents, in expressions, as variables
11104 with names starting with @samp{$}. The names of registers are different
11105 for each machine; use @code{info registers} to see the names used on
11106 your machine.
11107
11108 @table @code
11109 @kindex info registers
11110 @item info registers
11111 Print the names and values of all registers except floating-point
11112 and vector registers (in the selected stack frame).
11113
11114 @kindex info all-registers
11115 @cindex floating point registers
11116 @item info all-registers
11117 Print the names and values of all registers, including floating-point
11118 and vector registers (in the selected stack frame).
11119
11120 @item info registers @var{reggroup} @dots{}
11121 Print the name and value of the registers in each of the specified
11122 @var{reggroup}s. The @var{reggoup} can be any of those returned by
11123 @code{maint print reggroups} (@pxref{Maintenance Commands}).
11124
11125 @item info registers @var{regname} @dots{}
11126 Print the @dfn{relativized} value of each specified register @var{regname}.
11127 As discussed in detail below, register values are normally relative to
11128 the selected stack frame. The @var{regname} may be any register name valid on
11129 the machine you are using, with or without the initial @samp{$}.
11130 @end table
11131
11132 @anchor{standard registers}
11133 @cindex stack pointer register
11134 @cindex program counter register
11135 @cindex process status register
11136 @cindex frame pointer register
11137 @cindex standard registers
11138 @value{GDBN} has four ``standard'' register names that are available (in
11139 expressions) on most machines---whenever they do not conflict with an
11140 architecture's canonical mnemonics for registers. The register names
11141 @code{$pc} and @code{$sp} are used for the program counter register and
11142 the stack pointer. @code{$fp} is used for a register that contains a
11143 pointer to the current stack frame, and @code{$ps} is used for a
11144 register that contains the processor status. For example,
11145 you could print the program counter in hex with
11146
11147 @smallexample
11148 p/x $pc
11149 @end smallexample
11150
11151 @noindent
11152 or print the instruction to be executed next with
11153
11154 @smallexample
11155 x/i $pc
11156 @end smallexample
11157
11158 @noindent
11159 or add four to the stack pointer@footnote{This is a way of removing
11160 one word from the stack, on machines where stacks grow downward in
11161 memory (most machines, nowadays). This assumes that the innermost
11162 stack frame is selected; setting @code{$sp} is not allowed when other
11163 stack frames are selected. To pop entire frames off the stack,
11164 regardless of machine architecture, use @code{return};
11165 see @ref{Returning, ,Returning from a Function}.} with
11166
11167 @smallexample
11168 set $sp += 4
11169 @end smallexample
11170
11171 Whenever possible, these four standard register names are available on
11172 your machine even though the machine has different canonical mnemonics,
11173 so long as there is no conflict. The @code{info registers} command
11174 shows the canonical names. For example, on the SPARC, @code{info
11175 registers} displays the processor status register as @code{$psr} but you
11176 can also refer to it as @code{$ps}; and on x86-based machines @code{$ps}
11177 is an alias for the @sc{eflags} register.
11178
11179 @value{GDBN} always considers the contents of an ordinary register as an
11180 integer when the register is examined in this way. Some machines have
11181 special registers which can hold nothing but floating point; these
11182 registers are considered to have floating point values. There is no way
11183 to refer to the contents of an ordinary register as floating point value
11184 (although you can @emph{print} it as a floating point value with
11185 @samp{print/f $@var{regname}}).
11186
11187 Some registers have distinct ``raw'' and ``virtual'' data formats. This
11188 means that the data format in which the register contents are saved by
11189 the operating system is not the same one that your program normally
11190 sees. For example, the registers of the 68881 floating point
11191 coprocessor are always saved in ``extended'' (raw) format, but all C
11192 programs expect to work with ``double'' (virtual) format. In such
11193 cases, @value{GDBN} normally works with the virtual format only (the format
11194 that makes sense for your program), but the @code{info registers} command
11195 prints the data in both formats.
11196
11197 @cindex SSE registers (x86)
11198 @cindex MMX registers (x86)
11199 Some machines have special registers whose contents can be interpreted
11200 in several different ways. For example, modern x86-based machines
11201 have SSE and MMX registers that can hold several values packed
11202 together in several different formats. @value{GDBN} refers to such
11203 registers in @code{struct} notation:
11204
11205 @smallexample
11206 (@value{GDBP}) print $xmm1
11207 $1 = @{
11208 v4_float = @{0, 3.43859137e-038, 1.54142831e-044, 1.821688e-044@},
11209 v2_double = @{9.92129282474342e-303, 2.7585945287983262e-313@},
11210 v16_int8 = "\000\000\000\000\3706;\001\v\000\000\000\r\000\000",
11211 v8_int16 = @{0, 0, 14072, 315, 11, 0, 13, 0@},
11212 v4_int32 = @{0, 20657912, 11, 13@},
11213 v2_int64 = @{88725056443645952, 55834574859@},
11214 uint128 = 0x0000000d0000000b013b36f800000000
11215 @}
11216 @end smallexample
11217
11218 @noindent
11219 To set values of such registers, you need to tell @value{GDBN} which
11220 view of the register you wish to change, as if you were assigning
11221 value to a @code{struct} member:
11222
11223 @smallexample
11224 (@value{GDBP}) set $xmm1.uint128 = 0x000000000000000000000000FFFFFFFF
11225 @end smallexample
11226
11227 Normally, register values are relative to the selected stack frame
11228 (@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}). This means that you get the
11229 value that the register would contain if all stack frames farther in
11230 were exited and their saved registers restored. In order to see the
11231 true contents of hardware registers, you must select the innermost
11232 frame (with @samp{frame 0}).
11233
11234 @cindex caller-saved registers
11235 @cindex call-clobbered registers
11236 @cindex volatile registers
11237 @cindex <not saved> values
11238 Usually ABIs reserve some registers as not needed to be saved by the
11239 callee (a.k.a.: ``caller-saved'', ``call-clobbered'' or ``volatile''
11240 registers). It may therefore not be possible for @value{GDBN} to know
11241 the value a register had before the call (in other words, in the outer
11242 frame), if the register value has since been changed by the callee.
11243 @value{GDBN} tries to deduce where the inner frame saved
11244 (``callee-saved'') registers, from the debug info, unwind info, or the
11245 machine code generated by your compiler. If some register is not
11246 saved, and @value{GDBN} knows the register is ``caller-saved'' (via
11247 its own knowledge of the ABI, or because the debug/unwind info
11248 explicitly says the register's value is undefined), @value{GDBN}
11249 displays @w{@samp{<not saved>}} as the register's value. With targets
11250 that @value{GDBN} has no knowledge of the register saving convention,
11251 if a register was not saved by the callee, then its value and location
11252 in the outer frame are assumed to be the same of the inner frame.
11253 This is usually harmless, because if the register is call-clobbered,
11254 the caller either does not care what is in the register after the
11255 call, or has code to restore the value that it does care about. Note,
11256 however, that if you change such a register in the outer frame, you
11257 may also be affecting the inner frame. Also, the more ``outer'' the
11258 frame is you're looking at, the more likely a call-clobbered
11259 register's value is to be wrong, in the sense that it doesn't actually
11260 represent the value the register had just before the call.
11261
11262 @node Floating Point Hardware
11263 @section Floating Point Hardware
11264 @cindex floating point
11265
11266 Depending on the configuration, @value{GDBN} may be able to give
11267 you more information about the status of the floating point hardware.
11268
11269 @table @code
11270 @kindex info float
11271 @item info float
11272 Display hardware-dependent information about the floating
11273 point unit. The exact contents and layout vary depending on the
11274 floating point chip. Currently, @samp{info float} is supported on
11275 the ARM and x86 machines.
11276 @end table
11277
11278 @node Vector Unit
11279 @section Vector Unit
11280 @cindex vector unit
11281
11282 Depending on the configuration, @value{GDBN} may be able to give you
11283 more information about the status of the vector unit.
11284
11285 @table @code
11286 @kindex info vector
11287 @item info vector
11288 Display information about the vector unit. The exact contents and
11289 layout vary depending on the hardware.
11290 @end table
11291
11292 @node OS Information
11293 @section Operating System Auxiliary Information
11294 @cindex OS information
11295
11296 @value{GDBN} provides interfaces to useful OS facilities that can help
11297 you debug your program.
11298
11299 @cindex auxiliary vector
11300 @cindex vector, auxiliary
11301 Some operating systems supply an @dfn{auxiliary vector} to programs at
11302 startup. This is akin to the arguments and environment that you
11303 specify for a program, but contains a system-dependent variety of
11304 binary values that tell system libraries important details about the
11305 hardware, operating system, and process. Each value's purpose is
11306 identified by an integer tag; the meanings are well-known but system-specific.
11307 Depending on the configuration and operating system facilities,
11308 @value{GDBN} may be able to show you this information. For remote
11309 targets, this functionality may further depend on the remote stub's
11310 support of the @samp{qXfer:auxv:read} packet, see
11311 @ref{qXfer auxiliary vector read}.
11312
11313 @table @code
11314 @kindex info auxv
11315 @item info auxv
11316 Display the auxiliary vector of the inferior, which can be either a
11317 live process or a core dump file. @value{GDBN} prints each tag value
11318 numerically, and also shows names and text descriptions for recognized
11319 tags. Some values in the vector are numbers, some bit masks, and some
11320 pointers to strings or other data. @value{GDBN} displays each value in the
11321 most appropriate form for a recognized tag, and in hexadecimal for
11322 an unrecognized tag.
11323 @end table
11324
11325 On some targets, @value{GDBN} can access operating system-specific
11326 information and show it to you. The types of information available
11327 will differ depending on the type of operating system running on the
11328 target. The mechanism used to fetch the data is described in
11329 @ref{Operating System Information}. For remote targets, this
11330 functionality depends on the remote stub's support of the
11331 @samp{qXfer:osdata:read} packet, see @ref{qXfer osdata read}.
11332
11333 @table @code
11334 @kindex info os
11335 @item info os @var{infotype}
11336
11337 Display OS information of the requested type.
11338
11339 On @sc{gnu}/Linux, the following values of @var{infotype} are valid:
11340
11341 @anchor{linux info os infotypes}
11342 @table @code
11343 @kindex info os cpus
11344 @item cpus
11345 Display the list of all CPUs/cores. For each CPU/core, @value{GDBN} prints
11346 the available fields from /proc/cpuinfo. For each supported architecture
11347 different fields are available. Two common entries are processor which gives
11348 CPU number and bogomips; a system constant that is calculated during
11349 kernel initialization.
11350
11351 @kindex info os files
11352 @item files
11353 Display the list of open file descriptors on the target. For each
11354 file descriptor, @value{GDBN} prints the identifier of the process
11355 owning the descriptor, the command of the owning process, the value
11356 of the descriptor, and the target of the descriptor.
11357
11358 @kindex info os modules
11359 @item modules
11360 Display the list of all loaded kernel modules on the target. For each
11361 module, @value{GDBN} prints the module name, the size of the module in
11362 bytes, the number of times the module is used, the dependencies of the
11363 module, the status of the module, and the address of the loaded module
11364 in memory.
11365
11366 @kindex info os msg
11367 @item msg
11368 Display the list of all System V message queues on the target. For each
11369 message queue, @value{GDBN} prints the message queue key, the message
11370 queue identifier, the access permissions, the current number of bytes
11371 on the queue, the current number of messages on the queue, the processes
11372 that last sent and received a message on the queue, the user and group
11373 of the owner and creator of the message queue, the times at which a
11374 message was last sent and received on the queue, and the time at which
11375 the message queue was last changed.
11376
11377 @kindex info os processes
11378 @item processes
11379 Display the list of processes on the target. For each process,
11380 @value{GDBN} prints the process identifier, the name of the user, the
11381 command corresponding to the process, and the list of processor cores
11382 that the process is currently running on. (To understand what these
11383 properties mean, for this and the following info types, please consult
11384 the general @sc{gnu}/Linux documentation.)
11385
11386 @kindex info os procgroups
11387 @item procgroups
11388 Display the list of process groups on the target. For each process,
11389 @value{GDBN} prints the identifier of the process group that it belongs
11390 to, the command corresponding to the process group leader, the process
11391 identifier, and the command line of the process. The list is sorted
11392 first by the process group identifier, then by the process identifier,
11393 so that processes belonging to the same process group are grouped together
11394 and the process group leader is listed first.
11395
11396 @kindex info os semaphores
11397 @item semaphores
11398 Display the list of all System V semaphore sets on the target. For each
11399 semaphore set, @value{GDBN} prints the semaphore set key, the semaphore
11400 set identifier, the access permissions, the number of semaphores in the
11401 set, the user and group of the owner and creator of the semaphore set,
11402 and the times at which the semaphore set was operated upon and changed.
11403
11404 @kindex info os shm
11405 @item shm
11406 Display the list of all System V shared-memory regions on the target.
11407 For each shared-memory region, @value{GDBN} prints the region key,
11408 the shared-memory identifier, the access permissions, the size of the
11409 region, the process that created the region, the process that last
11410 attached to or detached from the region, the current number of live
11411 attaches to the region, and the times at which the region was last
11412 attached to, detach from, and changed.
11413
11414 @kindex info os sockets
11415 @item sockets
11416 Display the list of Internet-domain sockets on the target. For each
11417 socket, @value{GDBN} prints the address and port of the local and
11418 remote endpoints, the current state of the connection, the creator of
11419 the socket, the IP address family of the socket, and the type of the
11420 connection.
11421
11422 @kindex info os threads
11423 @item threads
11424 Display the list of threads running on the target. For each thread,
11425 @value{GDBN} prints the identifier of the process that the thread
11426 belongs to, the command of the process, the thread identifier, and the
11427 processor core that it is currently running on. The main thread of a
11428 process is not listed.
11429 @end table
11430
11431 @item info os
11432 If @var{infotype} is omitted, then list the possible values for
11433 @var{infotype} and the kind of OS information available for each
11434 @var{infotype}. If the target does not return a list of possible
11435 types, this command will report an error.
11436 @end table
11437
11438 @node Memory Region Attributes
11439 @section Memory Region Attributes
11440 @cindex memory region attributes
11441
11442 @dfn{Memory region attributes} allow you to describe special handling
11443 required by regions of your target's memory. @value{GDBN} uses
11444 attributes to determine whether to allow certain types of memory
11445 accesses; whether to use specific width accesses; and whether to cache
11446 target memory. By default the description of memory regions is
11447 fetched from the target (if the current target supports this), but the
11448 user can override the fetched regions.
11449
11450 Defined memory regions can be individually enabled and disabled. When a
11451 memory region is disabled, @value{GDBN} uses the default attributes when
11452 accessing memory in that region. Similarly, if no memory regions have
11453 been defined, @value{GDBN} uses the default attributes when accessing
11454 all memory.
11455
11456 When a memory region is defined, it is given a number to identify it;
11457 to enable, disable, or remove a memory region, you specify that number.
11458
11459 @table @code
11460 @kindex mem
11461 @item mem @var{lower} @var{upper} @var{attributes}@dots{}
11462 Define a memory region bounded by @var{lower} and @var{upper} with
11463 attributes @var{attributes}@dots{}, and add it to the list of regions
11464 monitored by @value{GDBN}. Note that @var{upper} == 0 is a special
11465 case: it is treated as the target's maximum memory address.
11466 (0xffff on 16 bit targets, 0xffffffff on 32 bit targets, etc.)
11467
11468 @item mem auto
11469 Discard any user changes to the memory regions and use target-supplied
11470 regions, if available, or no regions if the target does not support.
11471
11472 @kindex delete mem
11473 @item delete mem @var{nums}@dots{}
11474 Remove memory regions @var{nums}@dots{} from the list of regions
11475 monitored by @value{GDBN}.
11476
11477 @kindex disable mem
11478 @item disable mem @var{nums}@dots{}
11479 Disable monitoring of memory regions @var{nums}@dots{}.
11480 A disabled memory region is not forgotten.
11481 It may be enabled again later.
11482
11483 @kindex enable mem
11484 @item enable mem @var{nums}@dots{}
11485 Enable monitoring of memory regions @var{nums}@dots{}.
11486
11487 @kindex info mem
11488 @item info mem
11489 Print a table of all defined memory regions, with the following columns
11490 for each region:
11491
11492 @table @emph
11493 @item Memory Region Number
11494 @item Enabled or Disabled.
11495 Enabled memory regions are marked with @samp{y}.
11496 Disabled memory regions are marked with @samp{n}.
11497
11498 @item Lo Address
11499 The address defining the inclusive lower bound of the memory region.
11500
11501 @item Hi Address
11502 The address defining the exclusive upper bound of the memory region.
11503
11504 @item Attributes
11505 The list of attributes set for this memory region.
11506 @end table
11507 @end table
11508
11509
11510 @subsection Attributes
11511
11512 @subsubsection Memory Access Mode
11513 The access mode attributes set whether @value{GDBN} may make read or
11514 write accesses to a memory region.
11515
11516 While these attributes prevent @value{GDBN} from performing invalid
11517 memory accesses, they do nothing to prevent the target system, I/O DMA,
11518 etc.@: from accessing memory.
11519
11520 @table @code
11521 @item ro
11522 Memory is read only.
11523 @item wo
11524 Memory is write only.
11525 @item rw
11526 Memory is read/write. This is the default.
11527 @end table
11528
11529 @subsubsection Memory Access Size
11530 The access size attribute tells @value{GDBN} to use specific sized
11531 accesses in the memory region. Often memory mapped device registers
11532 require specific sized accesses. If no access size attribute is
11533 specified, @value{GDBN} may use accesses of any size.
11534
11535 @table @code
11536 @item 8
11537 Use 8 bit memory accesses.
11538 @item 16
11539 Use 16 bit memory accesses.
11540 @item 32
11541 Use 32 bit memory accesses.
11542 @item 64
11543 Use 64 bit memory accesses.
11544 @end table
11545
11546 @c @subsubsection Hardware/Software Breakpoints
11547 @c The hardware/software breakpoint attributes set whether @value{GDBN}
11548 @c will use hardware or software breakpoints for the internal breakpoints
11549 @c used by the step, next, finish, until, etc. commands.
11550 @c
11551 @c @table @code
11552 @c @item hwbreak
11553 @c Always use hardware breakpoints
11554 @c @item swbreak (default)
11555 @c @end table
11556
11557 @subsubsection Data Cache
11558 The data cache attributes set whether @value{GDBN} will cache target
11559 memory. While this generally improves performance by reducing debug
11560 protocol overhead, it can lead to incorrect results because @value{GDBN}
11561 does not know about volatile variables or memory mapped device
11562 registers.
11563
11564 @table @code
11565 @item cache
11566 Enable @value{GDBN} to cache target memory.
11567 @item nocache
11568 Disable @value{GDBN} from caching target memory. This is the default.
11569 @end table
11570
11571 @subsection Memory Access Checking
11572 @value{GDBN} can be instructed to refuse accesses to memory that is
11573 not explicitly described. This can be useful if accessing such
11574 regions has undesired effects for a specific target, or to provide
11575 better error checking. The following commands control this behaviour.
11576
11577 @table @code
11578 @kindex set mem inaccessible-by-default
11579 @item set mem inaccessible-by-default [on|off]
11580 If @code{on} is specified, make @value{GDBN} treat memory not
11581 explicitly described by the memory ranges as non-existent and refuse accesses
11582 to such memory. The checks are only performed if there's at least one
11583 memory range defined. If @code{off} is specified, make @value{GDBN}
11584 treat the memory not explicitly described by the memory ranges as RAM.
11585 The default value is @code{on}.
11586 @kindex show mem inaccessible-by-default
11587 @item show mem inaccessible-by-default
11588 Show the current handling of accesses to unknown memory.
11589 @end table
11590
11591
11592 @c @subsubsection Memory Write Verification
11593 @c The memory write verification attributes set whether @value{GDBN}
11594 @c will re-reads data after each write to verify the write was successful.
11595 @c
11596 @c @table @code
11597 @c @item verify
11598 @c @item noverify (default)
11599 @c @end table
11600
11601 @node Dump/Restore Files
11602 @section Copy Between Memory and a File
11603 @cindex dump/restore files
11604 @cindex append data to a file
11605 @cindex dump data to a file
11606 @cindex restore data from a file
11607
11608 You can use the commands @code{dump}, @code{append}, and
11609 @code{restore} to copy data between target memory and a file. The
11610 @code{dump} and @code{append} commands write data to a file, and the
11611 @code{restore} command reads data from a file back into the inferior's
11612 memory. Files may be in binary, Motorola S-record, Intel hex,
11613 Tektronix Hex, or Verilog Hex format; however, @value{GDBN} can only
11614 append to binary files, and cannot read from Verilog Hex files.
11615
11616 @table @code
11617
11618 @kindex dump
11619 @item dump @r{[}@var{format}@r{]} memory @var{filename} @var{start_addr} @var{end_addr}
11620 @itemx dump @r{[}@var{format}@r{]} value @var{filename} @var{expr}
11621 Dump the contents of memory from @var{start_addr} to @var{end_addr},
11622 or the value of @var{expr}, to @var{filename} in the given format.
11623
11624 The @var{format} parameter may be any one of:
11625 @table @code
11626 @item binary
11627 Raw binary form.
11628 @item ihex
11629 Intel hex format.
11630 @item srec
11631 Motorola S-record format.
11632 @item tekhex
11633 Tektronix Hex format.
11634 @item verilog
11635 Verilog Hex format.
11636 @end table
11637
11638 @value{GDBN} uses the same definitions of these formats as the
11639 @sc{gnu} binary utilities, like @samp{objdump} and @samp{objcopy}. If
11640 @var{format} is omitted, @value{GDBN} dumps the data in raw binary
11641 form.
11642
11643 @kindex append
11644 @item append @r{[}binary@r{]} memory @var{filename} @var{start_addr} @var{end_addr}
11645 @itemx append @r{[}binary@r{]} value @var{filename} @var{expr}
11646 Append the contents of memory from @var{start_addr} to @var{end_addr},
11647 or the value of @var{expr}, to the file @var{filename}, in raw binary form.
11648 (@value{GDBN} can only append data to files in raw binary form.)
11649
11650 @kindex restore
11651 @item restore @var{filename} @r{[}binary@r{]} @var{bias} @var{start} @var{end}
11652 Restore the contents of file @var{filename} into memory. The
11653 @code{restore} command can automatically recognize any known @sc{bfd}
11654 file format, except for raw binary. To restore a raw binary file you
11655 must specify the optional keyword @code{binary} after the filename.
11656
11657 If @var{bias} is non-zero, its value will be added to the addresses
11658 contained in the file. Binary files always start at address zero, so
11659 they will be restored at address @var{bias}. Other bfd files have
11660 a built-in location; they will be restored at offset @var{bias}
11661 from that location.
11662
11663 If @var{start} and/or @var{end} are non-zero, then only data between
11664 file offset @var{start} and file offset @var{end} will be restored.
11665 These offsets are relative to the addresses in the file, before
11666 the @var{bias} argument is applied.
11667
11668 @end table
11669
11670 @node Core File Generation
11671 @section How to Produce a Core File from Your Program
11672 @cindex dump core from inferior
11673
11674 A @dfn{core file} or @dfn{core dump} is a file that records the memory
11675 image of a running process and its process status (register values
11676 etc.). Its primary use is post-mortem debugging of a program that
11677 crashed while it ran outside a debugger. A program that crashes
11678 automatically produces a core file, unless this feature is disabled by
11679 the user. @xref{Files}, for information on invoking @value{GDBN} in
11680 the post-mortem debugging mode.
11681
11682 Occasionally, you may wish to produce a core file of the program you
11683 are debugging in order to preserve a snapshot of its state.
11684 @value{GDBN} has a special command for that.
11685
11686 @table @code
11687 @kindex gcore
11688 @kindex generate-core-file
11689 @item generate-core-file [@var{file}]
11690 @itemx gcore [@var{file}]
11691 Produce a core dump of the inferior process. The optional argument
11692 @var{file} specifies the file name where to put the core dump. If not
11693 specified, the file name defaults to @file{core.@var{pid}}, where
11694 @var{pid} is the inferior process ID.
11695
11696 Note that this command is implemented only for some systems (as of
11697 this writing, @sc{gnu}/Linux, FreeBSD, Solaris, and S390).
11698
11699 On @sc{gnu}/Linux, this command can take into account the value of the
11700 file @file{/proc/@var{pid}/coredump_filter} when generating the core
11701 dump (@pxref{set use-coredump-filter}), and by default honors the
11702 @code{VM_DONTDUMP} flag for mappings where it is present in the file
11703 @file{/proc/@var{pid}/smaps} (@pxref{set dump-excluded-mappings}).
11704
11705 @kindex set use-coredump-filter
11706 @anchor{set use-coredump-filter}
11707 @item set use-coredump-filter on
11708 @itemx set use-coredump-filter off
11709 Enable or disable the use of the file
11710 @file{/proc/@var{pid}/coredump_filter} when generating core dump
11711 files. This file is used by the Linux kernel to decide what types of
11712 memory mappings will be dumped or ignored when generating a core dump
11713 file. @var{pid} is the process ID of a currently running process.
11714
11715 To make use of this feature, you have to write in the
11716 @file{/proc/@var{pid}/coredump_filter} file a value, in hexadecimal,
11717 which is a bit mask representing the memory mapping types. If a bit
11718 is set in the bit mask, then the memory mappings of the corresponding
11719 types will be dumped; otherwise, they will be ignored. This
11720 configuration is inherited by child processes. For more information
11721 about the bits that can be set in the
11722 @file{/proc/@var{pid}/coredump_filter} file, please refer to the
11723 manpage of @code{core(5)}.
11724
11725 By default, this option is @code{on}. If this option is turned
11726 @code{off}, @value{GDBN} does not read the @file{coredump_filter} file
11727 and instead uses the same default value as the Linux kernel in order
11728 to decide which pages will be dumped in the core dump file. This
11729 value is currently @code{0x33}, which means that bits @code{0}
11730 (anonymous private mappings), @code{1} (anonymous shared mappings),
11731 @code{4} (ELF headers) and @code{5} (private huge pages) are active.
11732 This will cause these memory mappings to be dumped automatically.
11733
11734 @kindex set dump-excluded-mappings
11735 @anchor{set dump-excluded-mappings}
11736 @item set dump-excluded-mappings on
11737 @itemx set dump-excluded-mappings off
11738 If @code{on} is specified, @value{GDBN} will dump memory mappings
11739 marked with the @code{VM_DONTDUMP} flag. This flag is represented in
11740 the file @file{/proc/@var{pid}/smaps} with the acronym @code{dd}.
11741
11742 The default value is @code{off}.
11743 @end table
11744
11745 @node Character Sets
11746 @section Character Sets
11747 @cindex character sets
11748 @cindex charset
11749 @cindex translating between character sets
11750 @cindex host character set
11751 @cindex target character set
11752
11753 If the program you are debugging uses a different character set to
11754 represent characters and strings than the one @value{GDBN} uses itself,
11755 @value{GDBN} can automatically translate between the character sets for
11756 you. The character set @value{GDBN} uses we call the @dfn{host
11757 character set}; the one the inferior program uses we call the
11758 @dfn{target character set}.
11759
11760 For example, if you are running @value{GDBN} on a @sc{gnu}/Linux system, which
11761 uses the ISO Latin 1 character set, but you are using @value{GDBN}'s
11762 remote protocol (@pxref{Remote Debugging}) to debug a program
11763 running on an IBM mainframe, which uses the @sc{ebcdic} character set,
11764 then the host character set is Latin-1, and the target character set is
11765 @sc{ebcdic}. If you give @value{GDBN} the command @code{set
11766 target-charset EBCDIC-US}, then @value{GDBN} translates between
11767 @sc{ebcdic} and Latin 1 as you print character or string values, or use
11768 character and string literals in expressions.
11769
11770 @value{GDBN} has no way to automatically recognize which character set
11771 the inferior program uses; you must tell it, using the @code{set
11772 target-charset} command, described below.
11773
11774 Here are the commands for controlling @value{GDBN}'s character set
11775 support:
11776
11777 @table @code
11778 @item set target-charset @var{charset}
11779 @kindex set target-charset
11780 Set the current target character set to @var{charset}. To display the
11781 list of supported target character sets, type
11782 @kbd{@w{set target-charset @key{TAB}@key{TAB}}}.
11783
11784 @item set host-charset @var{charset}
11785 @kindex set host-charset
11786 Set the current host character set to @var{charset}.
11787
11788 By default, @value{GDBN} uses a host character set appropriate to the
11789 system it is running on; you can override that default using the
11790 @code{set host-charset} command. On some systems, @value{GDBN} cannot
11791 automatically determine the appropriate host character set. In this
11792 case, @value{GDBN} uses @samp{UTF-8}.
11793
11794 @value{GDBN} can only use certain character sets as its host character
11795 set. If you type @kbd{@w{set host-charset @key{TAB}@key{TAB}}},
11796 @value{GDBN} will list the host character sets it supports.
11797
11798 @item set charset @var{charset}
11799 @kindex set charset
11800 Set the current host and target character sets to @var{charset}. As
11801 above, if you type @kbd{@w{set charset @key{TAB}@key{TAB}}},
11802 @value{GDBN} will list the names of the character sets that can be used
11803 for both host and target.
11804
11805 @item show charset
11806 @kindex show charset
11807 Show the names of the current host and target character sets.
11808
11809 @item show host-charset
11810 @kindex show host-charset
11811 Show the name of the current host character set.
11812
11813 @item show target-charset
11814 @kindex show target-charset
11815 Show the name of the current target character set.
11816
11817 @item set target-wide-charset @var{charset}
11818 @kindex set target-wide-charset
11819 Set the current target's wide character set to @var{charset}. This is
11820 the character set used by the target's @code{wchar_t} type. To
11821 display the list of supported wide character sets, type
11822 @kbd{@w{set target-wide-charset @key{TAB}@key{TAB}}}.
11823
11824 @item show target-wide-charset
11825 @kindex show target-wide-charset
11826 Show the name of the current target's wide character set.
11827 @end table
11828
11829 Here is an example of @value{GDBN}'s character set support in action.
11830 Assume that the following source code has been placed in the file
11831 @file{charset-test.c}:
11832
11833 @smallexample
11834 #include <stdio.h>
11835
11836 char ascii_hello[]
11837 = @{72, 101, 108, 108, 111, 44, 32, 119,
11838 111, 114, 108, 100, 33, 10, 0@};
11839 char ibm1047_hello[]
11840 = @{200, 133, 147, 147, 150, 107, 64, 166,
11841 150, 153, 147, 132, 90, 37, 0@};
11842
11843 main ()
11844 @{
11845 printf ("Hello, world!\n");
11846 @}
11847 @end smallexample
11848
11849 In this program, @code{ascii_hello} and @code{ibm1047_hello} are arrays
11850 containing the string @samp{Hello, world!} followed by a newline,
11851 encoded in the @sc{ascii} and @sc{ibm1047} character sets.
11852
11853 We compile the program, and invoke the debugger on it:
11854
11855 @smallexample
11856 $ gcc -g charset-test.c -o charset-test
11857 $ gdb -nw charset-test
11858 GNU gdb 2001-12-19-cvs
11859 Copyright 2001 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
11860 @dots{}
11861 (@value{GDBP})
11862 @end smallexample
11863
11864 We can use the @code{show charset} command to see what character sets
11865 @value{GDBN} is currently using to interpret and display characters and
11866 strings:
11867
11868 @smallexample
11869 (@value{GDBP}) show charset
11870 The current host and target character set is `ISO-8859-1'.
11871 (@value{GDBP})
11872 @end smallexample
11873
11874 For the sake of printing this manual, let's use @sc{ascii} as our
11875 initial character set:
11876 @smallexample
11877 (@value{GDBP}) set charset ASCII
11878 (@value{GDBP}) show charset
11879 The current host and target character set is `ASCII'.
11880 (@value{GDBP})
11881 @end smallexample
11882
11883 Let's assume that @sc{ascii} is indeed the correct character set for our
11884 host system --- in other words, let's assume that if @value{GDBN} prints
11885 characters using the @sc{ascii} character set, our terminal will display
11886 them properly. Since our current target character set is also
11887 @sc{ascii}, the contents of @code{ascii_hello} print legibly:
11888
11889 @smallexample
11890 (@value{GDBP}) print ascii_hello
11891 $1 = 0x401698 "Hello, world!\n"
11892 (@value{GDBP}) print ascii_hello[0]
11893 $2 = 72 'H'
11894 (@value{GDBP})
11895 @end smallexample
11896
11897 @value{GDBN} uses the target character set for character and string
11898 literals you use in expressions:
11899
11900 @smallexample
11901 (@value{GDBP}) print '+'
11902 $3 = 43 '+'
11903 (@value{GDBP})
11904 @end smallexample
11905
11906 The @sc{ascii} character set uses the number 43 to encode the @samp{+}
11907 character.
11908
11909 @value{GDBN} relies on the user to tell it which character set the
11910 target program uses. If we print @code{ibm1047_hello} while our target
11911 character set is still @sc{ascii}, we get jibberish:
11912
11913 @smallexample
11914 (@value{GDBP}) print ibm1047_hello
11915 $4 = 0x4016a8 "\310\205\223\223\226k@@\246\226\231\223\204Z%"
11916 (@value{GDBP}) print ibm1047_hello[0]
11917 $5 = 200 '\310'
11918 (@value{GDBP})
11919 @end smallexample
11920
11921 If we invoke the @code{set target-charset} followed by @key{TAB}@key{TAB},
11922 @value{GDBN} tells us the character sets it supports:
11923
11924 @smallexample
11925 (@value{GDBP}) set target-charset
11926 ASCII EBCDIC-US IBM1047 ISO-8859-1
11927 (@value{GDBP}) set target-charset
11928 @end smallexample
11929
11930 We can select @sc{ibm1047} as our target character set, and examine the
11931 program's strings again. Now the @sc{ascii} string is wrong, but
11932 @value{GDBN} translates the contents of @code{ibm1047_hello} from the
11933 target character set, @sc{ibm1047}, to the host character set,
11934 @sc{ascii}, and they display correctly:
11935
11936 @smallexample
11937 (@value{GDBP}) set target-charset IBM1047
11938 (@value{GDBP}) show charset
11939 The current host character set is `ASCII'.
11940 The current target character set is `IBM1047'.
11941 (@value{GDBP}) print ascii_hello
11942 $6 = 0x401698 "\110\145%%?\054\040\167?\162%\144\041\012"
11943 (@value{GDBP}) print ascii_hello[0]
11944 $7 = 72 '\110'
11945 (@value{GDBP}) print ibm1047_hello
11946 $8 = 0x4016a8 "Hello, world!\n"
11947 (@value{GDBP}) print ibm1047_hello[0]
11948 $9 = 200 'H'
11949 (@value{GDBP})
11950 @end smallexample
11951
11952 As above, @value{GDBN} uses the target character set for character and
11953 string literals you use in expressions:
11954
11955 @smallexample
11956 (@value{GDBP}) print '+'
11957 $10 = 78 '+'
11958 (@value{GDBP})
11959 @end smallexample
11960
11961 The @sc{ibm1047} character set uses the number 78 to encode the @samp{+}
11962 character.
11963
11964 @node Caching Target Data
11965 @section Caching Data of Targets
11966 @cindex caching data of targets
11967
11968 @value{GDBN} caches data exchanged between the debugger and a target.
11969 Each cache is associated with the address space of the inferior.
11970 @xref{Inferiors and Programs}, about inferior and address space.
11971 Such caching generally improves performance in remote debugging
11972 (@pxref{Remote Debugging}), because it reduces the overhead of the
11973 remote protocol by bundling memory reads and writes into large chunks.
11974 Unfortunately, simply caching everything would lead to incorrect results,
11975 since @value{GDBN} does not necessarily know anything about volatile
11976 values, memory-mapped I/O addresses, etc. Furthermore, in non-stop mode
11977 (@pxref{Non-Stop Mode}) memory can be changed @emph{while} a gdb command
11978 is executing.
11979 Therefore, by default, @value{GDBN} only caches data
11980 known to be on the stack@footnote{In non-stop mode, it is moderately
11981 rare for a running thread to modify the stack of a stopped thread
11982 in a way that would interfere with a backtrace, and caching of
11983 stack reads provides a significant speed up of remote backtraces.} or
11984 in the code segment.
11985 Other regions of memory can be explicitly marked as
11986 cacheable; @pxref{Memory Region Attributes}.
11987
11988 @table @code
11989 @kindex set remotecache
11990 @item set remotecache on
11991 @itemx set remotecache off
11992 This option no longer does anything; it exists for compatibility
11993 with old scripts.
11994
11995 @kindex show remotecache
11996 @item show remotecache
11997 Show the current state of the obsolete remotecache flag.
11998
11999 @kindex set stack-cache
12000 @item set stack-cache on
12001 @itemx set stack-cache off
12002 Enable or disable caching of stack accesses. When @code{on}, use
12003 caching. By default, this option is @code{on}.
12004
12005 @kindex show stack-cache
12006 @item show stack-cache
12007 Show the current state of data caching for memory accesses.
12008
12009 @kindex set code-cache
12010 @item set code-cache on
12011 @itemx set code-cache off
12012 Enable or disable caching of code segment accesses. When @code{on},
12013 use caching. By default, this option is @code{on}. This improves
12014 performance of disassembly in remote debugging.
12015
12016 @kindex show code-cache
12017 @item show code-cache
12018 Show the current state of target memory cache for code segment
12019 accesses.
12020
12021 @kindex info dcache
12022 @item info dcache @r{[}line@r{]}
12023 Print the information about the performance of data cache of the
12024 current inferior's address space. The information displayed
12025 includes the dcache width and depth, and for each cache line, its
12026 number, address, and how many times it was referenced. This
12027 command is useful for debugging the data cache operation.
12028
12029 If a line number is specified, the contents of that line will be
12030 printed in hex.
12031
12032 @item set dcache size @var{size}
12033 @cindex dcache size
12034 @kindex set dcache size
12035 Set maximum number of entries in dcache (dcache depth above).
12036
12037 @item set dcache line-size @var{line-size}
12038 @cindex dcache line-size
12039 @kindex set dcache line-size
12040 Set number of bytes each dcache entry caches (dcache width above).
12041 Must be a power of 2.
12042
12043 @item show dcache size
12044 @kindex show dcache size
12045 Show maximum number of dcache entries. @xref{Caching Target Data, info dcache}.
12046
12047 @item show dcache line-size
12048 @kindex show dcache line-size
12049 Show default size of dcache lines.
12050
12051 @end table
12052
12053 @node Searching Memory
12054 @section Search Memory
12055 @cindex searching memory
12056
12057 Memory can be searched for a particular sequence of bytes with the
12058 @code{find} command.
12059
12060 @table @code
12061 @kindex find
12062 @item find @r{[}/@var{sn}@r{]} @var{start_addr}, +@var{len}, @var{val1} @r{[}, @var{val2}, @dots{}@r{]}
12063 @itemx find @r{[}/@var{sn}@r{]} @var{start_addr}, @var{end_addr}, @var{val1} @r{[}, @var{val2}, @dots{}@r{]}
12064 Search memory for the sequence of bytes specified by @var{val1}, @var{val2},
12065 etc. The search begins at address @var{start_addr} and continues for either
12066 @var{len} bytes or through to @var{end_addr} inclusive.
12067 @end table
12068
12069 @var{s} and @var{n} are optional parameters.
12070 They may be specified in either order, apart or together.
12071
12072 @table @r
12073 @item @var{s}, search query size
12074 The size of each search query value.
12075
12076 @table @code
12077 @item b
12078 bytes
12079 @item h
12080 halfwords (two bytes)
12081 @item w
12082 words (four bytes)
12083 @item g
12084 giant words (eight bytes)
12085 @end table
12086
12087 All values are interpreted in the current language.
12088 This means, for example, that if the current source language is C/C@t{++}
12089 then searching for the string ``hello'' includes the trailing '\0'.
12090 The null terminator can be removed from searching by using casts,
12091 e.g.: @samp{@{char[5]@}"hello"}.
12092
12093 If the value size is not specified, it is taken from the
12094 value's type in the current language.
12095 This is useful when one wants to specify the search
12096 pattern as a mixture of types.
12097 Note that this means, for example, that in the case of C-like languages
12098 a search for an untyped 0x42 will search for @samp{(int) 0x42}
12099 which is typically four bytes.
12100
12101 @item @var{n}, maximum number of finds
12102 The maximum number of matches to print. The default is to print all finds.
12103 @end table
12104
12105 You can use strings as search values. Quote them with double-quotes
12106 (@code{"}).
12107 The string value is copied into the search pattern byte by byte,
12108 regardless of the endianness of the target and the size specification.
12109
12110 The address of each match found is printed as well as a count of the
12111 number of matches found.
12112
12113 The address of the last value found is stored in convenience variable
12114 @samp{$_}.
12115 A count of the number of matches is stored in @samp{$numfound}.
12116
12117 For example, if stopped at the @code{printf} in this function:
12118
12119 @smallexample
12120 void
12121 hello ()
12122 @{
12123 static char hello[] = "hello-hello";
12124 static struct @{ char c; short s; int i; @}
12125 __attribute__ ((packed)) mixed
12126 = @{ 'c', 0x1234, 0x87654321 @};
12127 printf ("%s\n", hello);
12128 @}
12129 @end smallexample
12130
12131 @noindent
12132 you get during debugging:
12133
12134 @smallexample
12135 (gdb) find &hello[0], +sizeof(hello), "hello"
12136 0x804956d <hello.1620+6>
12137 1 pattern found
12138 (gdb) find &hello[0], +sizeof(hello), 'h', 'e', 'l', 'l', 'o'
12139 0x8049567 <hello.1620>
12140 0x804956d <hello.1620+6>
12141 2 patterns found.
12142 (gdb) find &hello[0], +sizeof(hello), @{char[5]@}"hello"
12143 0x8049567 <hello.1620>
12144 0x804956d <hello.1620+6>
12145 2 patterns found.
12146 (gdb) find /b1 &hello[0], +sizeof(hello), 'h', 0x65, 'l'
12147 0x8049567 <hello.1620>
12148 1 pattern found
12149 (gdb) find &mixed, +sizeof(mixed), (char) 'c', (short) 0x1234, (int) 0x87654321
12150 0x8049560 <mixed.1625>
12151 1 pattern found
12152 (gdb) print $numfound
12153 $1 = 1
12154 (gdb) print $_
12155 $2 = (void *) 0x8049560
12156 @end smallexample
12157
12158 @node Value Sizes
12159 @section Value Sizes
12160
12161 Whenever @value{GDBN} prints a value memory will be allocated within
12162 @value{GDBN} to hold the contents of the value. It is possible in
12163 some languages with dynamic typing systems, that an invalid program
12164 may indicate a value that is incorrectly large, this in turn may cause
12165 @value{GDBN} to try and allocate an overly large ammount of memory.
12166
12167 @table @code
12168 @kindex set max-value-size
12169 @item set max-value-size @var{bytes}
12170 @itemx set max-value-size unlimited
12171 Set the maximum size of memory that @value{GDBN} will allocate for the
12172 contents of a value to @var{bytes}, trying to display a value that
12173 requires more memory than that will result in an error.
12174
12175 Setting this variable does not effect values that have already been
12176 allocated within @value{GDBN}, only future allocations.
12177
12178 There's a minimum size that @code{max-value-size} can be set to in
12179 order that @value{GDBN} can still operate correctly, this minimum is
12180 currently 16 bytes.
12181
12182 The limit applies to the results of some subexpressions as well as to
12183 complete expressions. For example, an expression denoting a simple
12184 integer component, such as @code{x.y.z}, may fail if the size of
12185 @var{x.y} is dynamic and exceeds @var{bytes}. On the other hand,
12186 @value{GDBN} is sometimes clever; the expression @code{A[i]}, where
12187 @var{A} is an array variable with non-constant size, will generally
12188 succeed regardless of the bounds on @var{A}, as long as the component
12189 size is less than @var{bytes}.
12190
12191 The default value of @code{max-value-size} is currently 64k.
12192
12193 @kindex show max-value-size
12194 @item show max-value-size
12195 Show the maximum size of memory, in bytes, that @value{GDBN} will
12196 allocate for the contents of a value.
12197 @end table
12198
12199 @node Optimized Code
12200 @chapter Debugging Optimized Code
12201 @cindex optimized code, debugging
12202 @cindex debugging optimized code
12203
12204 Almost all compilers support optimization. With optimization
12205 disabled, the compiler generates assembly code that corresponds
12206 directly to your source code, in a simplistic way. As the compiler
12207 applies more powerful optimizations, the generated assembly code
12208 diverges from your original source code. With help from debugging
12209 information generated by the compiler, @value{GDBN} can map from
12210 the running program back to constructs from your original source.
12211
12212 @value{GDBN} is more accurate with optimization disabled. If you
12213 can recompile without optimization, it is easier to follow the
12214 progress of your program during debugging. But, there are many cases
12215 where you may need to debug an optimized version.
12216
12217 When you debug a program compiled with @samp{-g -O}, remember that the
12218 optimizer has rearranged your code; the debugger shows you what is
12219 really there. Do not be too surprised when the execution path does not
12220 exactly match your source file! An extreme example: if you define a
12221 variable, but never use it, @value{GDBN} never sees that
12222 variable---because the compiler optimizes it out of existence.
12223
12224 Some things do not work as well with @samp{-g -O} as with just
12225 @samp{-g}, particularly on machines with instruction scheduling. If in
12226 doubt, recompile with @samp{-g} alone, and if this fixes the problem,
12227 please report it to us as a bug (including a test case!).
12228 @xref{Variables}, for more information about debugging optimized code.
12229
12230 @menu
12231 * Inline Functions:: How @value{GDBN} presents inlining
12232 * Tail Call Frames:: @value{GDBN} analysis of jumps to functions
12233 @end menu
12234
12235 @node Inline Functions
12236 @section Inline Functions
12237 @cindex inline functions, debugging
12238
12239 @dfn{Inlining} is an optimization that inserts a copy of the function
12240 body directly at each call site, instead of jumping to a shared
12241 routine. @value{GDBN} displays inlined functions just like
12242 non-inlined functions. They appear in backtraces. You can view their
12243 arguments and local variables, step into them with @code{step}, skip
12244 them with @code{next}, and escape from them with @code{finish}.
12245 You can check whether a function was inlined by using the
12246 @code{info frame} command.
12247
12248 For @value{GDBN} to support inlined functions, the compiler must
12249 record information about inlining in the debug information ---
12250 @value{NGCC} using the @sc{dwarf 2} format does this, and several
12251 other compilers do also. @value{GDBN} only supports inlined functions
12252 when using @sc{dwarf 2}. Versions of @value{NGCC} before 4.1
12253 do not emit two required attributes (@samp{DW_AT_call_file} and
12254 @samp{DW_AT_call_line}); @value{GDBN} does not display inlined
12255 function calls with earlier versions of @value{NGCC}. It instead
12256 displays the arguments and local variables of inlined functions as
12257 local variables in the caller.
12258
12259 The body of an inlined function is directly included at its call site;
12260 unlike a non-inlined function, there are no instructions devoted to
12261 the call. @value{GDBN} still pretends that the call site and the
12262 start of the inlined function are different instructions. Stepping to
12263 the call site shows the call site, and then stepping again shows
12264 the first line of the inlined function, even though no additional
12265 instructions are executed.
12266
12267 This makes source-level debugging much clearer; you can see both the
12268 context of the call and then the effect of the call. Only stepping by
12269 a single instruction using @code{stepi} or @code{nexti} does not do
12270 this; single instruction steps always show the inlined body.
12271
12272 There are some ways that @value{GDBN} does not pretend that inlined
12273 function calls are the same as normal calls:
12274
12275 @itemize @bullet
12276 @item
12277 Setting breakpoints at the call site of an inlined function may not
12278 work, because the call site does not contain any code. @value{GDBN}
12279 may incorrectly move the breakpoint to the next line of the enclosing
12280 function, after the call. This limitation will be removed in a future
12281 version of @value{GDBN}; until then, set a breakpoint on an earlier line
12282 or inside the inlined function instead.
12283
12284 @item
12285 @value{GDBN} cannot locate the return value of inlined calls after
12286 using the @code{finish} command. This is a limitation of compiler-generated
12287 debugging information; after @code{finish}, you can step to the next line
12288 and print a variable where your program stored the return value.
12289
12290 @end itemize
12291
12292 @node Tail Call Frames
12293 @section Tail Call Frames
12294 @cindex tail call frames, debugging
12295
12296 Function @code{B} can call function @code{C} in its very last statement. In
12297 unoptimized compilation the call of @code{C} is immediately followed by return
12298 instruction at the end of @code{B} code. Optimizing compiler may replace the
12299 call and return in function @code{B} into one jump to function @code{C}
12300 instead. Such use of a jump instruction is called @dfn{tail call}.
12301
12302 During execution of function @code{C}, there will be no indication in the
12303 function call stack frames that it was tail-called from @code{B}. If function
12304 @code{A} regularly calls function @code{B} which tail-calls function @code{C},
12305 then @value{GDBN} will see @code{A} as the caller of @code{C}. However, in
12306 some cases @value{GDBN} can determine that @code{C} was tail-called from
12307 @code{B}, and it will then create fictitious call frame for that, with the
12308 return address set up as if @code{B} called @code{C} normally.
12309
12310 This functionality is currently supported only by DWARF 2 debugging format and
12311 the compiler has to produce @samp{DW_TAG_call_site} tags. With
12312 @value{NGCC}, you need to specify @option{-O -g} during compilation, to get
12313 this information.
12314
12315 @kbd{info frame} command (@pxref{Frame Info}) will indicate the tail call frame
12316 kind by text @code{tail call frame} such as in this sample @value{GDBN} output:
12317
12318 @smallexample
12319 (gdb) x/i $pc - 2
12320 0x40066b <b(int, double)+11>: jmp 0x400640 <c(int, double)>
12321 (gdb) info frame
12322 Stack level 1, frame at 0x7fffffffda30:
12323 rip = 0x40066d in b (amd64-entry-value.cc:59); saved rip 0x4004c5
12324 tail call frame, caller of frame at 0x7fffffffda30
12325 source language c++.
12326 Arglist at unknown address.
12327 Locals at unknown address, Previous frame's sp is 0x7fffffffda30
12328 @end smallexample
12329
12330 The detection of all the possible code path executions can find them ambiguous.
12331 There is no execution history stored (possible @ref{Reverse Execution} is never
12332 used for this purpose) and the last known caller could have reached the known
12333 callee by multiple different jump sequences. In such case @value{GDBN} still
12334 tries to show at least all the unambiguous top tail callers and all the
12335 unambiguous bottom tail calees, if any.
12336
12337 @table @code
12338 @anchor{set debug entry-values}
12339 @item set debug entry-values
12340 @kindex set debug entry-values
12341 When set to on, enables printing of analysis messages for both frame argument
12342 values at function entry and tail calls. It will show all the possible valid
12343 tail calls code paths it has considered. It will also print the intersection
12344 of them with the final unambiguous (possibly partial or even empty) code path
12345 result.
12346
12347 @item show debug entry-values
12348 @kindex show debug entry-values
12349 Show the current state of analysis messages printing for both frame argument
12350 values at function entry and tail calls.
12351 @end table
12352
12353 The analysis messages for tail calls can for example show why the virtual tail
12354 call frame for function @code{c} has not been recognized (due to the indirect
12355 reference by variable @code{x}):
12356
12357 @smallexample
12358 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) c (void);
12359 void (*x) (void) = c;
12360 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) a (void) @{ x++; @}
12361 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) c (void) @{ a (); @}
12362 int main (void) @{ x (); return 0; @}
12363
12364 Breakpoint 1, DW_OP_entry_value resolving cannot find
12365 DW_TAG_call_site 0x40039a in main
12366 a () at t.c:3
12367 3 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) a (void) @{ x++; @}
12368 (gdb) bt
12369 #0 a () at t.c:3
12370 #1 0x000000000040039a in main () at t.c:5
12371 @end smallexample
12372
12373 Another possibility is an ambiguous virtual tail call frames resolution:
12374
12375 @smallexample
12376 int i;
12377 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) f (void) @{ i++; @}
12378 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) e (void) @{ f (); @}
12379 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) d (void) @{ f (); @}
12380 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) c (void) @{ d (); @}
12381 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) b (void)
12382 @{ if (i) c (); else e (); @}
12383 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) a (void) @{ b (); @}
12384 int main (void) @{ a (); return 0; @}
12385
12386 tailcall: initial: 0x4004d2(a) 0x4004ce(b) 0x4004b2(c) 0x4004a2(d)
12387 tailcall: compare: 0x4004d2(a) 0x4004cc(b) 0x400492(e)
12388 tailcall: reduced: 0x4004d2(a) |
12389 (gdb) bt
12390 #0 f () at t.c:2
12391 #1 0x00000000004004d2 in a () at t.c:8
12392 #2 0x0000000000400395 in main () at t.c:9
12393 @end smallexample
12394
12395 @set CALLSEQ1A @code{main@value{ARROW}a@value{ARROW}b@value{ARROW}c@value{ARROW}d@value{ARROW}f}
12396 @set CALLSEQ2A @code{main@value{ARROW}a@value{ARROW}b@value{ARROW}e@value{ARROW}f}
12397
12398 @c Convert CALLSEQ#A to CALLSEQ#B depending on HAVE_MAKEINFO_CLICK.
12399 @ifset HAVE_MAKEINFO_CLICK
12400 @set ARROW @click{}
12401 @set CALLSEQ1B @clicksequence{@value{CALLSEQ1A}}
12402 @set CALLSEQ2B @clicksequence{@value{CALLSEQ2A}}
12403 @end ifset
12404 @ifclear HAVE_MAKEINFO_CLICK
12405 @set ARROW ->
12406 @set CALLSEQ1B @value{CALLSEQ1A}
12407 @set CALLSEQ2B @value{CALLSEQ2A}
12408 @end ifclear
12409
12410 Frames #0 and #2 are real, #1 is a virtual tail call frame.
12411 The code can have possible execution paths @value{CALLSEQ1B} or
12412 @value{CALLSEQ2B}, @value{GDBN} cannot find which one from the inferior state.
12413
12414 @code{initial:} state shows some random possible calling sequence @value{GDBN}
12415 has found. It then finds another possible calling sequcen - that one is
12416 prefixed by @code{compare:}. The non-ambiguous intersection of these two is
12417 printed as the @code{reduced:} calling sequence. That one could have many
12418 futher @code{compare:} and @code{reduced:} statements as long as there remain
12419 any non-ambiguous sequence entries.
12420
12421 For the frame of function @code{b} in both cases there are different possible
12422 @code{$pc} values (@code{0x4004cc} or @code{0x4004ce}), therefore this frame is
12423 also ambigous. The only non-ambiguous frame is the one for function @code{a},
12424 therefore this one is displayed to the user while the ambiguous frames are
12425 omitted.
12426
12427 There can be also reasons why printing of frame argument values at function
12428 entry may fail:
12429
12430 @smallexample
12431 int v;
12432 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) c (int i) @{ v++; @}
12433 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) a (int i);
12434 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) b (int i) @{ a (i); @}
12435 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) a (int i)
12436 @{ if (i) b (i - 1); else c (0); @}
12437 int main (void) @{ a (5); return 0; @}
12438
12439 (gdb) bt
12440 #0 c (i=i@@entry=0) at t.c:2
12441 #1 0x0000000000400428 in a (DW_OP_entry_value resolving has found
12442 function "a" at 0x400420 can call itself via tail calls
12443 i=<optimized out>) at t.c:6
12444 #2 0x000000000040036e in main () at t.c:7
12445 @end smallexample
12446
12447 @value{GDBN} cannot find out from the inferior state if and how many times did
12448 function @code{a} call itself (via function @code{b}) as these calls would be
12449 tail calls. Such tail calls would modify thue @code{i} variable, therefore
12450 @value{GDBN} cannot be sure the value it knows would be right - @value{GDBN}
12451 prints @code{<optimized out>} instead.
12452
12453 @node Macros
12454 @chapter C Preprocessor Macros
12455
12456 Some languages, such as C and C@t{++}, provide a way to define and invoke
12457 ``preprocessor macros'' which expand into strings of tokens.
12458 @value{GDBN} can evaluate expressions containing macro invocations, show
12459 the result of macro expansion, and show a macro's definition, including
12460 where it was defined.
12461
12462 You may need to compile your program specially to provide @value{GDBN}
12463 with information about preprocessor macros. Most compilers do not
12464 include macros in their debugging information, even when you compile
12465 with the @option{-g} flag. @xref{Compilation}.
12466
12467 A program may define a macro at one point, remove that definition later,
12468 and then provide a different definition after that. Thus, at different
12469 points in the program, a macro may have different definitions, or have
12470 no definition at all. If there is a current stack frame, @value{GDBN}
12471 uses the macros in scope at that frame's source code line. Otherwise,
12472 @value{GDBN} uses the macros in scope at the current listing location;
12473 see @ref{List}.
12474
12475 Whenever @value{GDBN} evaluates an expression, it always expands any
12476 macro invocations present in the expression. @value{GDBN} also provides
12477 the following commands for working with macros explicitly.
12478
12479 @table @code
12480
12481 @kindex macro expand
12482 @cindex macro expansion, showing the results of preprocessor
12483 @cindex preprocessor macro expansion, showing the results of
12484 @cindex expanding preprocessor macros
12485 @item macro expand @var{expression}
12486 @itemx macro exp @var{expression}
12487 Show the results of expanding all preprocessor macro invocations in
12488 @var{expression}. Since @value{GDBN} simply expands macros, but does
12489 not parse the result, @var{expression} need not be a valid expression;
12490 it can be any string of tokens.
12491
12492 @kindex macro exp1
12493 @item macro expand-once @var{expression}
12494 @itemx macro exp1 @var{expression}
12495 @cindex expand macro once
12496 @i{(This command is not yet implemented.)} Show the results of
12497 expanding those preprocessor macro invocations that appear explicitly in
12498 @var{expression}. Macro invocations appearing in that expansion are
12499 left unchanged. This command allows you to see the effect of a
12500 particular macro more clearly, without being confused by further
12501 expansions. Since @value{GDBN} simply expands macros, but does not
12502 parse the result, @var{expression} need not be a valid expression; it
12503 can be any string of tokens.
12504
12505 @kindex info macro
12506 @cindex macro definition, showing
12507 @cindex definition of a macro, showing
12508 @cindex macros, from debug info
12509 @item info macro [-a|-all] [--] @var{macro}
12510 Show the current definition or all definitions of the named @var{macro},
12511 and describe the source location or compiler command-line where that
12512 definition was established. The optional double dash is to signify the end of
12513 argument processing and the beginning of @var{macro} for non C-like macros where
12514 the macro may begin with a hyphen.
12515
12516 @kindex info macros
12517 @item info macros @var{location}
12518 Show all macro definitions that are in effect at the location specified
12519 by @var{location}, and describe the source location or compiler
12520 command-line where those definitions were established.
12521
12522 @kindex macro define
12523 @cindex user-defined macros
12524 @cindex defining macros interactively
12525 @cindex macros, user-defined
12526 @item macro define @var{macro} @var{replacement-list}
12527 @itemx macro define @var{macro}(@var{arglist}) @var{replacement-list}
12528 Introduce a definition for a preprocessor macro named @var{macro},
12529 invocations of which are replaced by the tokens given in
12530 @var{replacement-list}. The first form of this command defines an
12531 ``object-like'' macro, which takes no arguments; the second form
12532 defines a ``function-like'' macro, which takes the arguments given in
12533 @var{arglist}.
12534
12535 A definition introduced by this command is in scope in every
12536 expression evaluated in @value{GDBN}, until it is removed with the
12537 @code{macro undef} command, described below. The definition overrides
12538 all definitions for @var{macro} present in the program being debugged,
12539 as well as any previous user-supplied definition.
12540
12541 @kindex macro undef
12542 @item macro undef @var{macro}
12543 Remove any user-supplied definition for the macro named @var{macro}.
12544 This command only affects definitions provided with the @code{macro
12545 define} command, described above; it cannot remove definitions present
12546 in the program being debugged.
12547
12548 @kindex macro list
12549 @item macro list
12550 List all the macros defined using the @code{macro define} command.
12551 @end table
12552
12553 @cindex macros, example of debugging with
12554 Here is a transcript showing the above commands in action. First, we
12555 show our source files:
12556
12557 @smallexample
12558 $ cat sample.c
12559 #include <stdio.h>
12560 #include "sample.h"
12561
12562 #define M 42
12563 #define ADD(x) (M + x)
12564
12565 main ()
12566 @{
12567 #define N 28
12568 printf ("Hello, world!\n");
12569 #undef N
12570 printf ("We're so creative.\n");
12571 #define N 1729
12572 printf ("Goodbye, world!\n");
12573 @}
12574 $ cat sample.h
12575 #define Q <
12576 $
12577 @end smallexample
12578
12579 Now, we compile the program using the @sc{gnu} C compiler,
12580 @value{NGCC}. We pass the @option{-gdwarf-2}@footnote{This is the
12581 minimum. Recent versions of @value{NGCC} support @option{-gdwarf-3}
12582 and @option{-gdwarf-4}; we recommend always choosing the most recent
12583 version of DWARF.} @emph{and} @option{-g3} flags to ensure the compiler
12584 includes information about preprocessor macros in the debugging
12585 information.
12586
12587 @smallexample
12588 $ gcc -gdwarf-2 -g3 sample.c -o sample
12589 $
12590 @end smallexample
12591
12592 Now, we start @value{GDBN} on our sample program:
12593
12594 @smallexample
12595 $ gdb -nw sample
12596 GNU gdb 2002-05-06-cvs
12597 Copyright 2002 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
12598 GDB is free software, @dots{}
12599 (@value{GDBP})
12600 @end smallexample
12601
12602 We can expand macros and examine their definitions, even when the
12603 program is not running. @value{GDBN} uses the current listing position
12604 to decide which macro definitions are in scope:
12605
12606 @smallexample
12607 (@value{GDBP}) list main
12608 3
12609 4 #define M 42
12610 5 #define ADD(x) (M + x)
12611 6
12612 7 main ()
12613 8 @{
12614 9 #define N 28
12615 10 printf ("Hello, world!\n");
12616 11 #undef N
12617 12 printf ("We're so creative.\n");
12618 (@value{GDBP}) info macro ADD
12619 Defined at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.c:5
12620 #define ADD(x) (M + x)
12621 (@value{GDBP}) info macro Q
12622 Defined at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.h:1
12623 included at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.c:2
12624 #define Q <
12625 (@value{GDBP}) macro expand ADD(1)
12626 expands to: (42 + 1)
12627 (@value{GDBP}) macro expand-once ADD(1)
12628 expands to: once (M + 1)
12629 (@value{GDBP})
12630 @end smallexample
12631
12632 In the example above, note that @code{macro expand-once} expands only
12633 the macro invocation explicit in the original text --- the invocation of
12634 @code{ADD} --- but does not expand the invocation of the macro @code{M},
12635 which was introduced by @code{ADD}.
12636
12637 Once the program is running, @value{GDBN} uses the macro definitions in
12638 force at the source line of the current stack frame:
12639
12640 @smallexample
12641 (@value{GDBP}) break main
12642 Breakpoint 1 at 0x8048370: file sample.c, line 10.
12643 (@value{GDBP}) run
12644 Starting program: /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample
12645
12646 Breakpoint 1, main () at sample.c:10
12647 10 printf ("Hello, world!\n");
12648 (@value{GDBP})
12649 @end smallexample
12650
12651 At line 10, the definition of the macro @code{N} at line 9 is in force:
12652
12653 @smallexample
12654 (@value{GDBP}) info macro N
12655 Defined at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.c:9
12656 #define N 28
12657 (@value{GDBP}) macro expand N Q M
12658 expands to: 28 < 42
12659 (@value{GDBP}) print N Q M
12660 $1 = 1
12661 (@value{GDBP})
12662 @end smallexample
12663
12664 As we step over directives that remove @code{N}'s definition, and then
12665 give it a new definition, @value{GDBN} finds the definition (or lack
12666 thereof) in force at each point:
12667
12668 @smallexample
12669 (@value{GDBP}) next
12670 Hello, world!
12671 12 printf ("We're so creative.\n");
12672 (@value{GDBP}) info macro N
12673 The symbol `N' has no definition as a C/C++ preprocessor macro
12674 at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.c:12
12675 (@value{GDBP}) next
12676 We're so creative.
12677 14 printf ("Goodbye, world!\n");
12678 (@value{GDBP}) info macro N
12679 Defined at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.c:13
12680 #define N 1729
12681 (@value{GDBP}) macro expand N Q M
12682 expands to: 1729 < 42
12683 (@value{GDBP}) print N Q M
12684 $2 = 0
12685 (@value{GDBP})
12686 @end smallexample
12687
12688 In addition to source files, macros can be defined on the compilation command
12689 line using the @option{-D@var{name}=@var{value}} syntax. For macros defined in
12690 such a way, @value{GDBN} displays the location of their definition as line zero
12691 of the source file submitted to the compiler.
12692
12693 @smallexample
12694 (@value{GDBP}) info macro __STDC__
12695 Defined at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.c:0
12696 -D__STDC__=1
12697 (@value{GDBP})
12698 @end smallexample
12699
12700
12701 @node Tracepoints
12702 @chapter Tracepoints
12703 @c This chapter is based on the documentation written by Michael
12704 @c Snyder, David Taylor, Jim Blandy, and Elena Zannoni.
12705
12706 @cindex tracepoints
12707 In some applications, it is not feasible for the debugger to interrupt
12708 the program's execution long enough for the developer to learn
12709 anything helpful about its behavior. If the program's correctness
12710 depends on its real-time behavior, delays introduced by a debugger
12711 might cause the program to change its behavior drastically, or perhaps
12712 fail, even when the code itself is correct. It is useful to be able
12713 to observe the program's behavior without interrupting it.
12714
12715 Using @value{GDBN}'s @code{trace} and @code{collect} commands, you can
12716 specify locations in the program, called @dfn{tracepoints}, and
12717 arbitrary expressions to evaluate when those tracepoints are reached.
12718 Later, using the @code{tfind} command, you can examine the values
12719 those expressions had when the program hit the tracepoints. The
12720 expressions may also denote objects in memory---structures or arrays,
12721 for example---whose values @value{GDBN} should record; while visiting
12722 a particular tracepoint, you may inspect those objects as if they were
12723 in memory at that moment. However, because @value{GDBN} records these
12724 values without interacting with you, it can do so quickly and
12725 unobtrusively, hopefully not disturbing the program's behavior.
12726
12727 The tracepoint facility is currently available only for remote
12728 targets. @xref{Targets}. In addition, your remote target must know
12729 how to collect trace data. This functionality is implemented in the
12730 remote stub; however, none of the stubs distributed with @value{GDBN}
12731 support tracepoints as of this writing. The format of the remote
12732 packets used to implement tracepoints are described in @ref{Tracepoint
12733 Packets}.
12734
12735 It is also possible to get trace data from a file, in a manner reminiscent
12736 of corefiles; you specify the filename, and use @code{tfind} to search
12737 through the file. @xref{Trace Files}, for more details.
12738
12739 This chapter describes the tracepoint commands and features.
12740
12741 @menu
12742 * Set Tracepoints::
12743 * Analyze Collected Data::
12744 * Tracepoint Variables::
12745 * Trace Files::
12746 @end menu
12747
12748 @node Set Tracepoints
12749 @section Commands to Set Tracepoints
12750
12751 Before running such a @dfn{trace experiment}, an arbitrary number of
12752 tracepoints can be set. A tracepoint is actually a special type of
12753 breakpoint (@pxref{Set Breaks}), so you can manipulate it using
12754 standard breakpoint commands. For instance, as with breakpoints,
12755 tracepoint numbers are successive integers starting from one, and many
12756 of the commands associated with tracepoints take the tracepoint number
12757 as their argument, to identify which tracepoint to work on.
12758
12759 For each tracepoint, you can specify, in advance, some arbitrary set
12760 of data that you want the target to collect in the trace buffer when
12761 it hits that tracepoint. The collected data can include registers,
12762 local variables, or global data. Later, you can use @value{GDBN}
12763 commands to examine the values these data had at the time the
12764 tracepoint was hit.
12765
12766 Tracepoints do not support every breakpoint feature. Ignore counts on
12767 tracepoints have no effect, and tracepoints cannot run @value{GDBN}
12768 commands when they are hit. Tracepoints may not be thread-specific
12769 either.
12770
12771 @cindex fast tracepoints
12772 Some targets may support @dfn{fast tracepoints}, which are inserted in
12773 a different way (such as with a jump instead of a trap), that is
12774 faster but possibly restricted in where they may be installed.
12775
12776 @cindex static tracepoints
12777 @cindex markers, static tracepoints
12778 @cindex probing markers, static tracepoints
12779 Regular and fast tracepoints are dynamic tracing facilities, meaning
12780 that they can be used to insert tracepoints at (almost) any location
12781 in the target. Some targets may also support controlling @dfn{static
12782 tracepoints} from @value{GDBN}. With static tracing, a set of
12783 instrumentation points, also known as @dfn{markers}, are embedded in
12784 the target program, and can be activated or deactivated by name or
12785 address. These are usually placed at locations which facilitate
12786 investigating what the target is actually doing. @value{GDBN}'s
12787 support for static tracing includes being able to list instrumentation
12788 points, and attach them with @value{GDBN} defined high level
12789 tracepoints that expose the whole range of convenience of
12790 @value{GDBN}'s tracepoints support. Namely, support for collecting
12791 registers values and values of global or local (to the instrumentation
12792 point) variables; tracepoint conditions and trace state variables.
12793 The act of installing a @value{GDBN} static tracepoint on an
12794 instrumentation point, or marker, is referred to as @dfn{probing} a
12795 static tracepoint marker.
12796
12797 @code{gdbserver} supports tracepoints on some target systems.
12798 @xref{Server,,Tracepoints support in @code{gdbserver}}.
12799
12800 This section describes commands to set tracepoints and associated
12801 conditions and actions.
12802
12803 @menu
12804 * Create and Delete Tracepoints::
12805 * Enable and Disable Tracepoints::
12806 * Tracepoint Passcounts::
12807 * Tracepoint Conditions::
12808 * Trace State Variables::
12809 * Tracepoint Actions::
12810 * Listing Tracepoints::
12811 * Listing Static Tracepoint Markers::
12812 * Starting and Stopping Trace Experiments::
12813 * Tracepoint Restrictions::
12814 @end menu
12815
12816 @node Create and Delete Tracepoints
12817 @subsection Create and Delete Tracepoints
12818
12819 @table @code
12820 @cindex set tracepoint
12821 @kindex trace
12822 @item trace @var{location}
12823 The @code{trace} command is very similar to the @code{break} command.
12824 Its argument @var{location} can be any valid location.
12825 @xref{Specify Location}. The @code{trace} command defines a tracepoint,
12826 which is a point in the target program where the debugger will briefly stop,
12827 collect some data, and then allow the program to continue. Setting a tracepoint
12828 or changing its actions takes effect immediately if the remote stub
12829 supports the @samp{InstallInTrace} feature (@pxref{install tracepoint
12830 in tracing}).
12831 If remote stub doesn't support the @samp{InstallInTrace} feature, all
12832 these changes don't take effect until the next @code{tstart}
12833 command, and once a trace experiment is running, further changes will
12834 not have any effect until the next trace experiment starts. In addition,
12835 @value{GDBN} supports @dfn{pending tracepoints}---tracepoints whose
12836 address is not yet resolved. (This is similar to pending breakpoints.)
12837 Pending tracepoints are not downloaded to the target and not installed
12838 until they are resolved. The resolution of pending tracepoints requires
12839 @value{GDBN} support---when debugging with the remote target, and
12840 @value{GDBN} disconnects from the remote stub (@pxref{disconnected
12841 tracing}), pending tracepoints can not be resolved (and downloaded to
12842 the remote stub) while @value{GDBN} is disconnected.
12843
12844 Here are some examples of using the @code{trace} command:
12845
12846 @smallexample
12847 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace foo.c:121} // a source file and line number
12848
12849 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace +2} // 2 lines forward
12850
12851 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace my_function} // first source line of function
12852
12853 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace *my_function} // EXACT start address of function
12854
12855 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace *0x2117c4} // an address
12856 @end smallexample
12857
12858 @noindent
12859 You can abbreviate @code{trace} as @code{tr}.
12860
12861 @item trace @var{location} if @var{cond}
12862 Set a tracepoint with condition @var{cond}; evaluate the expression
12863 @var{cond} each time the tracepoint is reached, and collect data only
12864 if the value is nonzero---that is, if @var{cond} evaluates as true.
12865 @xref{Tracepoint Conditions, ,Tracepoint Conditions}, for more
12866 information on tracepoint conditions.
12867
12868 @item ftrace @var{location} [ if @var{cond} ]
12869 @cindex set fast tracepoint
12870 @cindex fast tracepoints, setting
12871 @kindex ftrace
12872 The @code{ftrace} command sets a fast tracepoint. For targets that
12873 support them, fast tracepoints will use a more efficient but possibly
12874 less general technique to trigger data collection, such as a jump
12875 instruction instead of a trap, or some sort of hardware support. It
12876 may not be possible to create a fast tracepoint at the desired
12877 location, in which case the command will exit with an explanatory
12878 message.
12879
12880 @value{GDBN} handles arguments to @code{ftrace} exactly as for
12881 @code{trace}.
12882
12883 On 32-bit x86-architecture systems, fast tracepoints normally need to
12884 be placed at an instruction that is 5 bytes or longer, but can be
12885 placed at 4-byte instructions if the low 64K of memory of the target
12886 program is available to install trampolines. Some Unix-type systems,
12887 such as @sc{gnu}/Linux, exclude low addresses from the program's
12888 address space; but for instance with the Linux kernel it is possible
12889 to let @value{GDBN} use this area by doing a @command{sysctl} command
12890 to set the @code{mmap_min_addr} kernel parameter, as in
12891
12892 @example
12893 sudo sysctl -w vm.mmap_min_addr=32768
12894 @end example
12895
12896 @noindent
12897 which sets the low address to 32K, which leaves plenty of room for
12898 trampolines. The minimum address should be set to a page boundary.
12899
12900 @item strace @var{location} [ if @var{cond} ]
12901 @cindex set static tracepoint
12902 @cindex static tracepoints, setting
12903 @cindex probe static tracepoint marker
12904 @kindex strace
12905 The @code{strace} command sets a static tracepoint. For targets that
12906 support it, setting a static tracepoint probes a static
12907 instrumentation point, or marker, found at @var{location}. It may not
12908 be possible to set a static tracepoint at the desired location, in
12909 which case the command will exit with an explanatory message.
12910
12911 @value{GDBN} handles arguments to @code{strace} exactly as for
12912 @code{trace}, with the addition that the user can also specify
12913 @code{-m @var{marker}} as @var{location}. This probes the marker
12914 identified by the @var{marker} string identifier. This identifier
12915 depends on the static tracepoint backend library your program is
12916 using. You can find all the marker identifiers in the @samp{ID} field
12917 of the @code{info static-tracepoint-markers} command output.
12918 @xref{Listing Static Tracepoint Markers,,Listing Static Tracepoint
12919 Markers}. For example, in the following small program using the UST
12920 tracing engine:
12921
12922 @smallexample
12923 main ()
12924 @{
12925 trace_mark(ust, bar33, "str %s", "FOOBAZ");
12926 @}
12927 @end smallexample
12928
12929 @noindent
12930 the marker id is composed of joining the first two arguments to the
12931 @code{trace_mark} call with a slash, which translates to:
12932
12933 @smallexample
12934 (@value{GDBP}) info static-tracepoint-markers
12935 Cnt Enb ID Address What
12936 1 n ust/bar33 0x0000000000400ddc in main at stexample.c:22
12937 Data: "str %s"
12938 [etc...]
12939 @end smallexample
12940
12941 @noindent
12942 so you may probe the marker above with:
12943
12944 @smallexample
12945 (@value{GDBP}) strace -m ust/bar33
12946 @end smallexample
12947
12948 Static tracepoints accept an extra collect action --- @code{collect
12949 $_sdata}. This collects arbitrary user data passed in the probe point
12950 call to the tracing library. In the UST example above, you'll see
12951 that the third argument to @code{trace_mark} is a printf-like format
12952 string. The user data is then the result of running that formating
12953 string against the following arguments. Note that @code{info
12954 static-tracepoint-markers} command output lists that format string in
12955 the @samp{Data:} field.
12956
12957 You can inspect this data when analyzing the trace buffer, by printing
12958 the $_sdata variable like any other variable available to
12959 @value{GDBN}. @xref{Tracepoint Actions,,Tracepoint Action Lists}.
12960
12961 @vindex $tpnum
12962 @cindex last tracepoint number
12963 @cindex recent tracepoint number
12964 @cindex tracepoint number
12965 The convenience variable @code{$tpnum} records the tracepoint number
12966 of the most recently set tracepoint.
12967
12968 @kindex delete tracepoint
12969 @cindex tracepoint deletion
12970 @item delete tracepoint @r{[}@var{num}@r{]}
12971 Permanently delete one or more tracepoints. With no argument, the
12972 default is to delete all tracepoints. Note that the regular
12973 @code{delete} command can remove tracepoints also.
12974
12975 Examples:
12976
12977 @smallexample
12978 (@value{GDBP}) @b{delete trace 1 2 3} // remove three tracepoints
12979
12980 (@value{GDBP}) @b{delete trace} // remove all tracepoints
12981 @end smallexample
12982
12983 @noindent
12984 You can abbreviate this command as @code{del tr}.
12985 @end table
12986
12987 @node Enable and Disable Tracepoints
12988 @subsection Enable and Disable Tracepoints
12989
12990 These commands are deprecated; they are equivalent to plain @code{disable} and @code{enable}.
12991
12992 @table @code
12993 @kindex disable tracepoint
12994 @item disable tracepoint @r{[}@var{num}@r{]}
12995 Disable tracepoint @var{num}, or all tracepoints if no argument
12996 @var{num} is given. A disabled tracepoint will have no effect during
12997 a trace experiment, but it is not forgotten. You can re-enable
12998 a disabled tracepoint using the @code{enable tracepoint} command.
12999 If the command is issued during a trace experiment and the debug target
13000 has support for disabling tracepoints during a trace experiment, then the
13001 change will be effective immediately. Otherwise, it will be applied to the
13002 next trace experiment.
13003
13004 @kindex enable tracepoint
13005 @item enable tracepoint @r{[}@var{num}@r{]}
13006 Enable tracepoint @var{num}, or all tracepoints. If this command is
13007 issued during a trace experiment and the debug target supports enabling
13008 tracepoints during a trace experiment, then the enabled tracepoints will
13009 become effective immediately. Otherwise, they will become effective the
13010 next time a trace experiment is run.
13011 @end table
13012
13013 @node Tracepoint Passcounts
13014 @subsection Tracepoint Passcounts
13015
13016 @table @code
13017 @kindex passcount
13018 @cindex tracepoint pass count
13019 @item passcount @r{[}@var{n} @r{[}@var{num}@r{]]}
13020 Set the @dfn{passcount} of a tracepoint. The passcount is a way to
13021 automatically stop a trace experiment. If a tracepoint's passcount is
13022 @var{n}, then the trace experiment will be automatically stopped on
13023 the @var{n}'th time that tracepoint is hit. If the tracepoint number
13024 @var{num} is not specified, the @code{passcount} command sets the
13025 passcount of the most recently defined tracepoint. If no passcount is
13026 given, the trace experiment will run until stopped explicitly by the
13027 user.
13028
13029 Examples:
13030
13031 @smallexample
13032 (@value{GDBP}) @b{passcount 5 2} // Stop on the 5th execution of
13033 @exdent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @code{// tracepoint 2}
13034
13035 (@value{GDBP}) @b{passcount 12} // Stop on the 12th execution of the
13036 @exdent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @code{// most recently defined tracepoint.}
13037 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace foo}
13038 (@value{GDBP}) @b{pass 3}
13039 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace bar}
13040 (@value{GDBP}) @b{pass 2}
13041 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace baz}
13042 (@value{GDBP}) @b{pass 1} // Stop tracing when foo has been
13043 @exdent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @code{// executed 3 times OR when bar has}
13044 @exdent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @code{// been executed 2 times}
13045 @exdent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @code{// OR when baz has been executed 1 time.}
13046 @end smallexample
13047 @end table
13048
13049 @node Tracepoint Conditions
13050 @subsection Tracepoint Conditions
13051 @cindex conditional tracepoints
13052 @cindex tracepoint conditions
13053
13054 The simplest sort of tracepoint collects data every time your program
13055 reaches a specified place. You can also specify a @dfn{condition} for
13056 a tracepoint. A condition is just a Boolean expression in your
13057 programming language (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}). A
13058 tracepoint with a condition evaluates the expression each time your
13059 program reaches it, and data collection happens only if the condition
13060 is true.
13061
13062 Tracepoint conditions can be specified when a tracepoint is set, by
13063 using @samp{if} in the arguments to the @code{trace} command.
13064 @xref{Create and Delete Tracepoints, ,Setting Tracepoints}. They can
13065 also be set or changed at any time with the @code{condition} command,
13066 just as with breakpoints.
13067
13068 Unlike breakpoint conditions, @value{GDBN} does not actually evaluate
13069 the conditional expression itself. Instead, @value{GDBN} encodes the
13070 expression into an agent expression (@pxref{Agent Expressions})
13071 suitable for execution on the target, independently of @value{GDBN}.
13072 Global variables become raw memory locations, locals become stack
13073 accesses, and so forth.
13074
13075 For instance, suppose you have a function that is usually called
13076 frequently, but should not be called after an error has occurred. You
13077 could use the following tracepoint command to collect data about calls
13078 of that function that happen while the error code is propagating
13079 through the program; an unconditional tracepoint could end up
13080 collecting thousands of useless trace frames that you would have to
13081 search through.
13082
13083 @smallexample
13084 (@value{GDBP}) @kbd{trace normal_operation if errcode > 0}
13085 @end smallexample
13086
13087 @node Trace State Variables
13088 @subsection Trace State Variables
13089 @cindex trace state variables
13090
13091 A @dfn{trace state variable} is a special type of variable that is
13092 created and managed by target-side code. The syntax is the same as
13093 that for GDB's convenience variables (a string prefixed with ``$''),
13094 but they are stored on the target. They must be created explicitly,
13095 using a @code{tvariable} command. They are always 64-bit signed
13096 integers.
13097
13098 Trace state variables are remembered by @value{GDBN}, and downloaded
13099 to the target along with tracepoint information when the trace
13100 experiment starts. There are no intrinsic limits on the number of
13101 trace state variables, beyond memory limitations of the target.
13102
13103 @cindex convenience variables, and trace state variables
13104 Although trace state variables are managed by the target, you can use
13105 them in print commands and expressions as if they were convenience
13106 variables; @value{GDBN} will get the current value from the target
13107 while the trace experiment is running. Trace state variables share
13108 the same namespace as other ``$'' variables, which means that you
13109 cannot have trace state variables with names like @code{$23} or
13110 @code{$pc}, nor can you have a trace state variable and a convenience
13111 variable with the same name.
13112
13113 @table @code
13114
13115 @item tvariable $@var{name} [ = @var{expression} ]
13116 @kindex tvariable
13117 The @code{tvariable} command creates a new trace state variable named
13118 @code{$@var{name}}, and optionally gives it an initial value of
13119 @var{expression}. The @var{expression} is evaluated when this command is
13120 entered; the result will be converted to an integer if possible,
13121 otherwise @value{GDBN} will report an error. A subsequent
13122 @code{tvariable} command specifying the same name does not create a
13123 variable, but instead assigns the supplied initial value to the
13124 existing variable of that name, overwriting any previous initial
13125 value. The default initial value is 0.
13126
13127 @item info tvariables
13128 @kindex info tvariables
13129 List all the trace state variables along with their initial values.
13130 Their current values may also be displayed, if the trace experiment is
13131 currently running.
13132
13133 @item delete tvariable @r{[} $@var{name} @dots{} @r{]}
13134 @kindex delete tvariable
13135 Delete the given trace state variables, or all of them if no arguments
13136 are specified.
13137
13138 @end table
13139
13140 @node Tracepoint Actions
13141 @subsection Tracepoint Action Lists
13142
13143 @table @code
13144 @kindex actions
13145 @cindex tracepoint actions
13146 @item actions @r{[}@var{num}@r{]}
13147 This command will prompt for a list of actions to be taken when the
13148 tracepoint is hit. If the tracepoint number @var{num} is not
13149 specified, this command sets the actions for the one that was most
13150 recently defined (so that you can define a tracepoint and then say
13151 @code{actions} without bothering about its number). You specify the
13152 actions themselves on the following lines, one action at a time, and
13153 terminate the actions list with a line containing just @code{end}. So
13154 far, the only defined actions are @code{collect}, @code{teval}, and
13155 @code{while-stepping}.
13156
13157 @code{actions} is actually equivalent to @code{commands} (@pxref{Break
13158 Commands, ,Breakpoint Command Lists}), except that only the defined
13159 actions are allowed; any other @value{GDBN} command is rejected.
13160
13161 @cindex remove actions from a tracepoint
13162 To remove all actions from a tracepoint, type @samp{actions @var{num}}
13163 and follow it immediately with @samp{end}.
13164
13165 @smallexample
13166 (@value{GDBP}) @b{collect @var{data}} // collect some data
13167
13168 (@value{GDBP}) @b{while-stepping 5} // single-step 5 times, collect data
13169
13170 (@value{GDBP}) @b{end} // signals the end of actions.
13171 @end smallexample
13172
13173 In the following example, the action list begins with @code{collect}
13174 commands indicating the things to be collected when the tracepoint is
13175 hit. Then, in order to single-step and collect additional data
13176 following the tracepoint, a @code{while-stepping} command is used,
13177 followed by the list of things to be collected after each step in a
13178 sequence of single steps. The @code{while-stepping} command is
13179 terminated by its own separate @code{end} command. Lastly, the action
13180 list is terminated by an @code{end} command.
13181
13182 @smallexample
13183 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace foo}
13184 (@value{GDBP}) @b{actions}
13185 Enter actions for tracepoint 1, one per line:
13186 > collect bar,baz
13187 > collect $regs
13188 > while-stepping 12
13189 > collect $pc, arr[i]
13190 > end
13191 end
13192 @end smallexample
13193
13194 @kindex collect @r{(tracepoints)}
13195 @item collect@r{[}/@var{mods}@r{]} @var{expr1}, @var{expr2}, @dots{}
13196 Collect values of the given expressions when the tracepoint is hit.
13197 This command accepts a comma-separated list of any valid expressions.
13198 In addition to global, static, or local variables, the following
13199 special arguments are supported:
13200
13201 @table @code
13202 @item $regs
13203 Collect all registers.
13204
13205 @item $args
13206 Collect all function arguments.
13207
13208 @item $locals
13209 Collect all local variables.
13210
13211 @item $_ret
13212 Collect the return address. This is helpful if you want to see more
13213 of a backtrace.
13214
13215 @emph{Note:} The return address location can not always be reliably
13216 determined up front, and the wrong address / registers may end up
13217 collected instead. On some architectures the reliability is higher
13218 for tracepoints at function entry, while on others it's the opposite.
13219 When this happens, backtracing will stop because the return address is
13220 found unavailable (unless another collect rule happened to match it).
13221
13222 @item $_probe_argc
13223 Collects the number of arguments from the static probe at which the
13224 tracepoint is located.
13225 @xref{Static Probe Points}.
13226
13227 @item $_probe_arg@var{n}
13228 @var{n} is an integer between 0 and 11. Collects the @var{n}th argument
13229 from the static probe at which the tracepoint is located.
13230 @xref{Static Probe Points}.
13231
13232 @item $_sdata
13233 @vindex $_sdata@r{, collect}
13234 Collect static tracepoint marker specific data. Only available for
13235 static tracepoints. @xref{Tracepoint Actions,,Tracepoint Action
13236 Lists}. On the UST static tracepoints library backend, an
13237 instrumentation point resembles a @code{printf} function call. The
13238 tracing library is able to collect user specified data formatted to a
13239 character string using the format provided by the programmer that
13240 instrumented the program. Other backends have similar mechanisms.
13241 Here's an example of a UST marker call:
13242
13243 @smallexample
13244 const char master_name[] = "$your_name";
13245 trace_mark(channel1, marker1, "hello %s", master_name)
13246 @end smallexample
13247
13248 In this case, collecting @code{$_sdata} collects the string
13249 @samp{hello $yourname}. When analyzing the trace buffer, you can
13250 inspect @samp{$_sdata} like any other variable available to
13251 @value{GDBN}.
13252 @end table
13253
13254 You can give several consecutive @code{collect} commands, each one
13255 with a single argument, or one @code{collect} command with several
13256 arguments separated by commas; the effect is the same.
13257
13258 The optional @var{mods} changes the usual handling of the arguments.
13259 @code{s} requests that pointers to chars be handled as strings, in
13260 particular collecting the contents of the memory being pointed at, up
13261 to the first zero. The upper bound is by default the value of the
13262 @code{print elements} variable; if @code{s} is followed by a decimal
13263 number, that is the upper bound instead. So for instance
13264 @samp{collect/s25 mystr} collects as many as 25 characters at
13265 @samp{mystr}.
13266
13267 The command @code{info scope} (@pxref{Symbols, info scope}) is
13268 particularly useful for figuring out what data to collect.
13269
13270 @kindex teval @r{(tracepoints)}
13271 @item teval @var{expr1}, @var{expr2}, @dots{}
13272 Evaluate the given expressions when the tracepoint is hit. This
13273 command accepts a comma-separated list of expressions. The results
13274 are discarded, so this is mainly useful for assigning values to trace
13275 state variables (@pxref{Trace State Variables}) without adding those
13276 values to the trace buffer, as would be the case if the @code{collect}
13277 action were used.
13278
13279 @kindex while-stepping @r{(tracepoints)}
13280 @item while-stepping @var{n}
13281 Perform @var{n} single-step instruction traces after the tracepoint,
13282 collecting new data after each step. The @code{while-stepping}
13283 command is followed by the list of what to collect while stepping
13284 (followed by its own @code{end} command):
13285
13286 @smallexample
13287 > while-stepping 12
13288 > collect $regs, myglobal
13289 > end
13290 >
13291 @end smallexample
13292
13293 @noindent
13294 Note that @code{$pc} is not automatically collected by
13295 @code{while-stepping}; you need to explicitly collect that register if
13296 you need it. You may abbreviate @code{while-stepping} as @code{ws} or
13297 @code{stepping}.
13298
13299 @item set default-collect @var{expr1}, @var{expr2}, @dots{}
13300 @kindex set default-collect
13301 @cindex default collection action
13302 This variable is a list of expressions to collect at each tracepoint
13303 hit. It is effectively an additional @code{collect} action prepended
13304 to every tracepoint action list. The expressions are parsed
13305 individually for each tracepoint, so for instance a variable named
13306 @code{xyz} may be interpreted as a global for one tracepoint, and a
13307 local for another, as appropriate to the tracepoint's location.
13308
13309 @item show default-collect
13310 @kindex show default-collect
13311 Show the list of expressions that are collected by default at each
13312 tracepoint hit.
13313
13314 @end table
13315
13316 @node Listing Tracepoints
13317 @subsection Listing Tracepoints
13318
13319 @table @code
13320 @kindex info tracepoints @r{[}@var{n}@dots{}@r{]}
13321 @kindex info tp @r{[}@var{n}@dots{}@r{]}
13322 @cindex information about tracepoints
13323 @item info tracepoints @r{[}@var{num}@dots{}@r{]}
13324 Display information about the tracepoint @var{num}. If you don't
13325 specify a tracepoint number, displays information about all the
13326 tracepoints defined so far. The format is similar to that used for
13327 @code{info breakpoints}; in fact, @code{info tracepoints} is the same
13328 command, simply restricting itself to tracepoints.
13329
13330 A tracepoint's listing may include additional information specific to
13331 tracing:
13332
13333 @itemize @bullet
13334 @item
13335 its passcount as given by the @code{passcount @var{n}} command
13336
13337 @item
13338 the state about installed on target of each location
13339 @end itemize
13340
13341 @smallexample
13342 (@value{GDBP}) @b{info trace}
13343 Num Type Disp Enb Address What
13344 1 tracepoint keep y 0x0804ab57 in foo() at main.cxx:7
13345 while-stepping 20
13346 collect globfoo, $regs
13347 end
13348 collect globfoo2
13349 end
13350 pass count 1200
13351 2 tracepoint keep y <MULTIPLE>
13352 collect $eip
13353 2.1 y 0x0804859c in func4 at change-loc.h:35
13354 installed on target
13355 2.2 y 0xb7ffc480 in func4 at change-loc.h:35
13356 installed on target
13357 2.3 y <PENDING> set_tracepoint
13358 3 tracepoint keep y 0x080485b1 in foo at change-loc.c:29
13359 not installed on target
13360 (@value{GDBP})
13361 @end smallexample
13362
13363 @noindent
13364 This command can be abbreviated @code{info tp}.
13365 @end table
13366
13367 @node Listing Static Tracepoint Markers
13368 @subsection Listing Static Tracepoint Markers
13369
13370 @table @code
13371 @kindex info static-tracepoint-markers
13372 @cindex information about static tracepoint markers
13373 @item info static-tracepoint-markers
13374 Display information about all static tracepoint markers defined in the
13375 program.
13376
13377 For each marker, the following columns are printed:
13378
13379 @table @emph
13380 @item Count
13381 An incrementing counter, output to help readability. This is not a
13382 stable identifier.
13383 @item ID
13384 The marker ID, as reported by the target.
13385 @item Enabled or Disabled
13386 Probed markers are tagged with @samp{y}. @samp{n} identifies marks
13387 that are not enabled.
13388 @item Address
13389 Where the marker is in your program, as a memory address.
13390 @item What
13391 Where the marker is in the source for your program, as a file and line
13392 number. If the debug information included in the program does not
13393 allow @value{GDBN} to locate the source of the marker, this column
13394 will be left blank.
13395 @end table
13396
13397 @noindent
13398 In addition, the following information may be printed for each marker:
13399
13400 @table @emph
13401 @item Data
13402 User data passed to the tracing library by the marker call. In the
13403 UST backend, this is the format string passed as argument to the
13404 marker call.
13405 @item Static tracepoints probing the marker
13406 The list of static tracepoints attached to the marker.
13407 @end table
13408
13409 @smallexample
13410 (@value{GDBP}) info static-tracepoint-markers
13411 Cnt ID Enb Address What
13412 1 ust/bar2 y 0x0000000000400e1a in main at stexample.c:25
13413 Data: number1 %d number2 %d
13414 Probed by static tracepoints: #2
13415 2 ust/bar33 n 0x0000000000400c87 in main at stexample.c:24
13416 Data: str %s
13417 (@value{GDBP})
13418 @end smallexample
13419 @end table
13420
13421 @node Starting and Stopping Trace Experiments
13422 @subsection Starting and Stopping Trace Experiments
13423
13424 @table @code
13425 @kindex tstart [ @var{notes} ]
13426 @cindex start a new trace experiment
13427 @cindex collected data discarded
13428 @item tstart
13429 This command starts the trace experiment, and begins collecting data.
13430 It has the side effect of discarding all the data collected in the
13431 trace buffer during the previous trace experiment. If any arguments
13432 are supplied, they are taken as a note and stored with the trace
13433 experiment's state. The notes may be arbitrary text, and are
13434 especially useful with disconnected tracing in a multi-user context;
13435 the notes can explain what the trace is doing, supply user contact
13436 information, and so forth.
13437
13438 @kindex tstop [ @var{notes} ]
13439 @cindex stop a running trace experiment
13440 @item tstop
13441 This command stops the trace experiment. If any arguments are
13442 supplied, they are recorded with the experiment as a note. This is
13443 useful if you are stopping a trace started by someone else, for
13444 instance if the trace is interfering with the system's behavior and
13445 needs to be stopped quickly.
13446
13447 @strong{Note}: a trace experiment and data collection may stop
13448 automatically if any tracepoint's passcount is reached
13449 (@pxref{Tracepoint Passcounts}), or if the trace buffer becomes full.
13450
13451 @kindex tstatus
13452 @cindex status of trace data collection
13453 @cindex trace experiment, status of
13454 @item tstatus
13455 This command displays the status of the current trace data
13456 collection.
13457 @end table
13458
13459 Here is an example of the commands we described so far:
13460
13461 @smallexample
13462 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace gdb_c_test}
13463 (@value{GDBP}) @b{actions}
13464 Enter actions for tracepoint #1, one per line.
13465 > collect $regs,$locals,$args
13466 > while-stepping 11
13467 > collect $regs
13468 > end
13469 > end
13470 (@value{GDBP}) @b{tstart}
13471 [time passes @dots{}]
13472 (@value{GDBP}) @b{tstop}
13473 @end smallexample
13474
13475 @anchor{disconnected tracing}
13476 @cindex disconnected tracing
13477 You can choose to continue running the trace experiment even if
13478 @value{GDBN} disconnects from the target, voluntarily or
13479 involuntarily. For commands such as @code{detach}, the debugger will
13480 ask what you want to do with the trace. But for unexpected
13481 terminations (@value{GDBN} crash, network outage), it would be
13482 unfortunate to lose hard-won trace data, so the variable
13483 @code{disconnected-tracing} lets you decide whether the trace should
13484 continue running without @value{GDBN}.
13485
13486 @table @code
13487 @item set disconnected-tracing on
13488 @itemx set disconnected-tracing off
13489 @kindex set disconnected-tracing
13490 Choose whether a tracing run should continue to run if @value{GDBN}
13491 has disconnected from the target. Note that @code{detach} or
13492 @code{quit} will ask you directly what to do about a running trace no
13493 matter what this variable's setting, so the variable is mainly useful
13494 for handling unexpected situations, such as loss of the network.
13495
13496 @item show disconnected-tracing
13497 @kindex show disconnected-tracing
13498 Show the current choice for disconnected tracing.
13499
13500 @end table
13501
13502 When you reconnect to the target, the trace experiment may or may not
13503 still be running; it might have filled the trace buffer in the
13504 meantime, or stopped for one of the other reasons. If it is running,
13505 it will continue after reconnection.
13506
13507 Upon reconnection, the target will upload information about the
13508 tracepoints in effect. @value{GDBN} will then compare that
13509 information to the set of tracepoints currently defined, and attempt
13510 to match them up, allowing for the possibility that the numbers may
13511 have changed due to creation and deletion in the meantime. If one of
13512 the target's tracepoints does not match any in @value{GDBN}, the
13513 debugger will create a new tracepoint, so that you have a number with
13514 which to specify that tracepoint. This matching-up process is
13515 necessarily heuristic, and it may result in useless tracepoints being
13516 created; you may simply delete them if they are of no use.
13517
13518 @cindex circular trace buffer
13519 If your target agent supports a @dfn{circular trace buffer}, then you
13520 can run a trace experiment indefinitely without filling the trace
13521 buffer; when space runs out, the agent deletes already-collected trace
13522 frames, oldest first, until there is enough room to continue
13523 collecting. This is especially useful if your tracepoints are being
13524 hit too often, and your trace gets terminated prematurely because the
13525 buffer is full. To ask for a circular trace buffer, simply set
13526 @samp{circular-trace-buffer} to on. You can set this at any time,
13527 including during tracing; if the agent can do it, it will change
13528 buffer handling on the fly, otherwise it will not take effect until
13529 the next run.
13530
13531 @table @code
13532 @item set circular-trace-buffer on
13533 @itemx set circular-trace-buffer off
13534 @kindex set circular-trace-buffer
13535 Choose whether a tracing run should use a linear or circular buffer
13536 for trace data. A linear buffer will not lose any trace data, but may
13537 fill up prematurely, while a circular buffer will discard old trace
13538 data, but it will have always room for the latest tracepoint hits.
13539
13540 @item show circular-trace-buffer
13541 @kindex show circular-trace-buffer
13542 Show the current choice for the trace buffer. Note that this may not
13543 match the agent's current buffer handling, nor is it guaranteed to
13544 match the setting that might have been in effect during a past run,
13545 for instance if you are looking at frames from a trace file.
13546
13547 @end table
13548
13549 @table @code
13550 @item set trace-buffer-size @var{n}
13551 @itemx set trace-buffer-size unlimited
13552 @kindex set trace-buffer-size
13553 Request that the target use a trace buffer of @var{n} bytes. Not all
13554 targets will honor the request; they may have a compiled-in size for
13555 the trace buffer, or some other limitation. Set to a value of
13556 @code{unlimited} or @code{-1} to let the target use whatever size it
13557 likes. This is also the default.
13558
13559 @item show trace-buffer-size
13560 @kindex show trace-buffer-size
13561 Show the current requested size for the trace buffer. Note that this
13562 will only match the actual size if the target supports size-setting,
13563 and was able to handle the requested size. For instance, if the
13564 target can only change buffer size between runs, this variable will
13565 not reflect the change until the next run starts. Use @code{tstatus}
13566 to get a report of the actual buffer size.
13567 @end table
13568
13569 @table @code
13570 @item set trace-user @var{text}
13571 @kindex set trace-user
13572
13573 @item show trace-user
13574 @kindex show trace-user
13575
13576 @item set trace-notes @var{text}
13577 @kindex set trace-notes
13578 Set the trace run's notes.
13579
13580 @item show trace-notes
13581 @kindex show trace-notes
13582 Show the trace run's notes.
13583
13584 @item set trace-stop-notes @var{text}
13585 @kindex set trace-stop-notes
13586 Set the trace run's stop notes. The handling of the note is as for
13587 @code{tstop} arguments; the set command is convenient way to fix a
13588 stop note that is mistaken or incomplete.
13589
13590 @item show trace-stop-notes
13591 @kindex show trace-stop-notes
13592 Show the trace run's stop notes.
13593
13594 @end table
13595
13596 @node Tracepoint Restrictions
13597 @subsection Tracepoint Restrictions
13598
13599 @cindex tracepoint restrictions
13600 There are a number of restrictions on the use of tracepoints. As
13601 described above, tracepoint data gathering occurs on the target
13602 without interaction from @value{GDBN}. Thus the full capabilities of
13603 the debugger are not available during data gathering, and then at data
13604 examination time, you will be limited by only having what was
13605 collected. The following items describe some common problems, but it
13606 is not exhaustive, and you may run into additional difficulties not
13607 mentioned here.
13608
13609 @itemize @bullet
13610
13611 @item
13612 Tracepoint expressions are intended to gather objects (lvalues). Thus
13613 the full flexibility of GDB's expression evaluator is not available.
13614 You cannot call functions, cast objects to aggregate types, access
13615 convenience variables or modify values (except by assignment to trace
13616 state variables). Some language features may implicitly call
13617 functions (for instance Objective-C fields with accessors), and therefore
13618 cannot be collected either.
13619
13620 @item
13621 Collection of local variables, either individually or in bulk with
13622 @code{$locals} or @code{$args}, during @code{while-stepping} may
13623 behave erratically. The stepping action may enter a new scope (for
13624 instance by stepping into a function), or the location of the variable
13625 may change (for instance it is loaded into a register). The
13626 tracepoint data recorded uses the location information for the
13627 variables that is correct for the tracepoint location. When the
13628 tracepoint is created, it is not possible, in general, to determine
13629 where the steps of a @code{while-stepping} sequence will advance the
13630 program---particularly if a conditional branch is stepped.
13631
13632 @item
13633 Collection of an incompletely-initialized or partially-destroyed object
13634 may result in something that @value{GDBN} cannot display, or displays
13635 in a misleading way.
13636
13637 @item
13638 When @value{GDBN} displays a pointer to character it automatically
13639 dereferences the pointer to also display characters of the string
13640 being pointed to. However, collecting the pointer during tracing does
13641 not automatically collect the string. You need to explicitly
13642 dereference the pointer and provide size information if you want to
13643 collect not only the pointer, but the memory pointed to. For example,
13644 @code{*ptr@@50} can be used to collect the 50 element array pointed to
13645 by @code{ptr}.
13646
13647 @item
13648 It is not possible to collect a complete stack backtrace at a
13649 tracepoint. Instead, you may collect the registers and a few hundred
13650 bytes from the stack pointer with something like @code{*(unsigned char *)$esp@@300}
13651 (adjust to use the name of the actual stack pointer register on your
13652 target architecture, and the amount of stack you wish to capture).
13653 Then the @code{backtrace} command will show a partial backtrace when
13654 using a trace frame. The number of stack frames that can be examined
13655 depends on the sizes of the frames in the collected stack. Note that
13656 if you ask for a block so large that it goes past the bottom of the
13657 stack, the target agent may report an error trying to read from an
13658 invalid address.
13659
13660 @item
13661 If you do not collect registers at a tracepoint, @value{GDBN} can
13662 infer that the value of @code{$pc} must be the same as the address of
13663 the tracepoint and use that when you are looking at a trace frame
13664 for that tracepoint. However, this cannot work if the tracepoint has
13665 multiple locations (for instance if it was set in a function that was
13666 inlined), or if it has a @code{while-stepping} loop. In those cases
13667 @value{GDBN} will warn you that it can't infer @code{$pc}, and default
13668 it to zero.
13669
13670 @end itemize
13671
13672 @node Analyze Collected Data
13673 @section Using the Collected Data
13674
13675 After the tracepoint experiment ends, you use @value{GDBN} commands
13676 for examining the trace data. The basic idea is that each tracepoint
13677 collects a trace @dfn{snapshot} every time it is hit and another
13678 snapshot every time it single-steps. All these snapshots are
13679 consecutively numbered from zero and go into a buffer, and you can
13680 examine them later. The way you examine them is to @dfn{focus} on a
13681 specific trace snapshot. When the remote stub is focused on a trace
13682 snapshot, it will respond to all @value{GDBN} requests for memory and
13683 registers by reading from the buffer which belongs to that snapshot,
13684 rather than from @emph{real} memory or registers of the program being
13685 debugged. This means that @strong{all} @value{GDBN} commands
13686 (@code{print}, @code{info registers}, @code{backtrace}, etc.) will
13687 behave as if we were currently debugging the program state as it was
13688 when the tracepoint occurred. Any requests for data that are not in
13689 the buffer will fail.
13690
13691 @menu
13692 * tfind:: How to select a trace snapshot
13693 * tdump:: How to display all data for a snapshot
13694 * save tracepoints:: How to save tracepoints for a future run
13695 @end menu
13696
13697 @node tfind
13698 @subsection @code{tfind @var{n}}
13699
13700 @kindex tfind
13701 @cindex select trace snapshot
13702 @cindex find trace snapshot
13703 The basic command for selecting a trace snapshot from the buffer is
13704 @code{tfind @var{n}}, which finds trace snapshot number @var{n},
13705 counting from zero. If no argument @var{n} is given, the next
13706 snapshot is selected.
13707
13708 Here are the various forms of using the @code{tfind} command.
13709
13710 @table @code
13711 @item tfind start
13712 Find the first snapshot in the buffer. This is a synonym for
13713 @code{tfind 0} (since 0 is the number of the first snapshot).
13714
13715 @item tfind none
13716 Stop debugging trace snapshots, resume @emph{live} debugging.
13717
13718 @item tfind end
13719 Same as @samp{tfind none}.
13720
13721 @item tfind
13722 No argument means find the next trace snapshot or find the first
13723 one if no trace snapshot is selected.
13724
13725 @item tfind -
13726 Find the previous trace snapshot before the current one. This permits
13727 retracing earlier steps.
13728
13729 @item tfind tracepoint @var{num}
13730 Find the next snapshot associated with tracepoint @var{num}. Search
13731 proceeds forward from the last examined trace snapshot. If no
13732 argument @var{num} is given, it means find the next snapshot collected
13733 for the same tracepoint as the current snapshot.
13734
13735 @item tfind pc @var{addr}
13736 Find the next snapshot associated with the value @var{addr} of the
13737 program counter. Search proceeds forward from the last examined trace
13738 snapshot. If no argument @var{addr} is given, it means find the next
13739 snapshot with the same value of PC as the current snapshot.
13740
13741 @item tfind outside @var{addr1}, @var{addr2}
13742 Find the next snapshot whose PC is outside the given range of
13743 addresses (exclusive).
13744
13745 @item tfind range @var{addr1}, @var{addr2}
13746 Find the next snapshot whose PC is between @var{addr1} and
13747 @var{addr2} (inclusive).
13748
13749 @item tfind line @r{[}@var{file}:@r{]}@var{n}
13750 Find the next snapshot associated with the source line @var{n}. If
13751 the optional argument @var{file} is given, refer to line @var{n} in
13752 that source file. Search proceeds forward from the last examined
13753 trace snapshot. If no argument @var{n} is given, it means find the
13754 next line other than the one currently being examined; thus saying
13755 @code{tfind line} repeatedly can appear to have the same effect as
13756 stepping from line to line in a @emph{live} debugging session.
13757 @end table
13758
13759 The default arguments for the @code{tfind} commands are specifically
13760 designed to make it easy to scan through the trace buffer. For
13761 instance, @code{tfind} with no argument selects the next trace
13762 snapshot, and @code{tfind -} with no argument selects the previous
13763 trace snapshot. So, by giving one @code{tfind} command, and then
13764 simply hitting @key{RET} repeatedly you can examine all the trace
13765 snapshots in order. Or, by saying @code{tfind -} and then hitting
13766 @key{RET} repeatedly you can examine the snapshots in reverse order.
13767 The @code{tfind line} command with no argument selects the snapshot
13768 for the next source line executed. The @code{tfind pc} command with
13769 no argument selects the next snapshot with the same program counter
13770 (PC) as the current frame. The @code{tfind tracepoint} command with
13771 no argument selects the next trace snapshot collected by the same
13772 tracepoint as the current one.
13773
13774 In addition to letting you scan through the trace buffer manually,
13775 these commands make it easy to construct @value{GDBN} scripts that
13776 scan through the trace buffer and print out whatever collected data
13777 you are interested in. Thus, if we want to examine the PC, FP, and SP
13778 registers from each trace frame in the buffer, we can say this:
13779
13780 @smallexample
13781 (@value{GDBP}) @b{tfind start}
13782 (@value{GDBP}) @b{while ($trace_frame != -1)}
13783 > printf "Frame %d, PC = %08X, SP = %08X, FP = %08X\n", \
13784 $trace_frame, $pc, $sp, $fp
13785 > tfind
13786 > end
13787
13788 Frame 0, PC = 0020DC64, SP = 0030BF3C, FP = 0030BF44
13789 Frame 1, PC = 0020DC6C, SP = 0030BF38, FP = 0030BF44
13790 Frame 2, PC = 0020DC70, SP = 0030BF34, FP = 0030BF44
13791 Frame 3, PC = 0020DC74, SP = 0030BF30, FP = 0030BF44
13792 Frame 4, PC = 0020DC78, SP = 0030BF2C, FP = 0030BF44
13793 Frame 5, PC = 0020DC7C, SP = 0030BF28, FP = 0030BF44
13794 Frame 6, PC = 0020DC80, SP = 0030BF24, FP = 0030BF44
13795 Frame 7, PC = 0020DC84, SP = 0030BF20, FP = 0030BF44
13796 Frame 8, PC = 0020DC88, SP = 0030BF1C, FP = 0030BF44
13797 Frame 9, PC = 0020DC8E, SP = 0030BF18, FP = 0030BF44
13798 Frame 10, PC = 00203F6C, SP = 0030BE3C, FP = 0030BF14
13799 @end smallexample
13800
13801 Or, if we want to examine the variable @code{X} at each source line in
13802 the buffer:
13803
13804 @smallexample
13805 (@value{GDBP}) @b{tfind start}
13806 (@value{GDBP}) @b{while ($trace_frame != -1)}
13807 > printf "Frame %d, X == %d\n", $trace_frame, X
13808 > tfind line
13809 > end
13810
13811 Frame 0, X = 1
13812 Frame 7, X = 2
13813 Frame 13, X = 255
13814 @end smallexample
13815
13816 @node tdump
13817 @subsection @code{tdump}
13818 @kindex tdump
13819 @cindex dump all data collected at tracepoint
13820 @cindex tracepoint data, display
13821
13822 This command takes no arguments. It prints all the data collected at
13823 the current trace snapshot.
13824
13825 @smallexample
13826 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace 444}
13827 (@value{GDBP}) @b{actions}
13828 Enter actions for tracepoint #2, one per line:
13829 > collect $regs, $locals, $args, gdb_long_test
13830 > end
13831
13832 (@value{GDBP}) @b{tstart}
13833
13834 (@value{GDBP}) @b{tfind line 444}
13835 #0 gdb_test (p1=0x11, p2=0x22, p3=0x33, p4=0x44, p5=0x55, p6=0x66)
13836 at gdb_test.c:444
13837 444 printp( "%s: arguments = 0x%X 0x%X 0x%X 0x%X 0x%X 0x%X\n", )
13838
13839 (@value{GDBP}) @b{tdump}
13840 Data collected at tracepoint 2, trace frame 1:
13841 d0 0xc4aa0085 -995491707
13842 d1 0x18 24
13843 d2 0x80 128
13844 d3 0x33 51
13845 d4 0x71aea3d 119204413
13846 d5 0x22 34
13847 d6 0xe0 224
13848 d7 0x380035 3670069
13849 a0 0x19e24a 1696330
13850 a1 0x3000668 50333288
13851 a2 0x100 256
13852 a3 0x322000 3284992
13853 a4 0x3000698 50333336
13854 a5 0x1ad3cc 1758156
13855 fp 0x30bf3c 0x30bf3c
13856 sp 0x30bf34 0x30bf34
13857 ps 0x0 0
13858 pc 0x20b2c8 0x20b2c8
13859 fpcontrol 0x0 0
13860 fpstatus 0x0 0
13861 fpiaddr 0x0 0
13862 p = 0x20e5b4 "gdb-test"
13863 p1 = (void *) 0x11
13864 p2 = (void *) 0x22
13865 p3 = (void *) 0x33
13866 p4 = (void *) 0x44
13867 p5 = (void *) 0x55
13868 p6 = (void *) 0x66
13869 gdb_long_test = 17 '\021'
13870
13871 (@value{GDBP})
13872 @end smallexample
13873
13874 @code{tdump} works by scanning the tracepoint's current collection
13875 actions and printing the value of each expression listed. So
13876 @code{tdump} can fail, if after a run, you change the tracepoint's
13877 actions to mention variables that were not collected during the run.
13878
13879 Also, for tracepoints with @code{while-stepping} loops, @code{tdump}
13880 uses the collected value of @code{$pc} to distinguish between trace
13881 frames that were collected at the tracepoint hit, and frames that were
13882 collected while stepping. This allows it to correctly choose whether
13883 to display the basic list of collections, or the collections from the
13884 body of the while-stepping loop. However, if @code{$pc} was not collected,
13885 then @code{tdump} will always attempt to dump using the basic collection
13886 list, and may fail if a while-stepping frame does not include all the
13887 same data that is collected at the tracepoint hit.
13888 @c This is getting pretty arcane, example would be good.
13889
13890 @node save tracepoints
13891 @subsection @code{save tracepoints @var{filename}}
13892 @kindex save tracepoints
13893 @kindex save-tracepoints
13894 @cindex save tracepoints for future sessions
13895
13896 This command saves all current tracepoint definitions together with
13897 their actions and passcounts, into a file @file{@var{filename}}
13898 suitable for use in a later debugging session. To read the saved
13899 tracepoint definitions, use the @code{source} command (@pxref{Command
13900 Files}). The @w{@code{save-tracepoints}} command is a deprecated
13901 alias for @w{@code{save tracepoints}}
13902
13903 @node Tracepoint Variables
13904 @section Convenience Variables for Tracepoints
13905 @cindex tracepoint variables
13906 @cindex convenience variables for tracepoints
13907
13908 @table @code
13909 @vindex $trace_frame
13910 @item (int) $trace_frame
13911 The current trace snapshot (a.k.a.@: @dfn{frame}) number, or -1 if no
13912 snapshot is selected.
13913
13914 @vindex $tracepoint
13915 @item (int) $tracepoint
13916 The tracepoint for the current trace snapshot.
13917
13918 @vindex $trace_line
13919 @item (int) $trace_line
13920 The line number for the current trace snapshot.
13921
13922 @vindex $trace_file
13923 @item (char []) $trace_file
13924 The source file for the current trace snapshot.
13925
13926 @vindex $trace_func
13927 @item (char []) $trace_func
13928 The name of the function containing @code{$tracepoint}.
13929 @end table
13930
13931 Note: @code{$trace_file} is not suitable for use in @code{printf},
13932 use @code{output} instead.
13933
13934 Here's a simple example of using these convenience variables for
13935 stepping through all the trace snapshots and printing some of their
13936 data. Note that these are not the same as trace state variables,
13937 which are managed by the target.
13938
13939 @smallexample
13940 (@value{GDBP}) @b{tfind start}
13941
13942 (@value{GDBP}) @b{while $trace_frame != -1}
13943 > output $trace_file
13944 > printf ", line %d (tracepoint #%d)\n", $trace_line, $tracepoint
13945 > tfind
13946 > end
13947 @end smallexample
13948
13949 @node Trace Files
13950 @section Using Trace Files
13951 @cindex trace files
13952
13953 In some situations, the target running a trace experiment may no
13954 longer be available; perhaps it crashed, or the hardware was needed
13955 for a different activity. To handle these cases, you can arrange to
13956 dump the trace data into a file, and later use that file as a source
13957 of trace data, via the @code{target tfile} command.
13958
13959 @table @code
13960
13961 @kindex tsave
13962 @item tsave [ -r ] @var{filename}
13963 @itemx tsave [-ctf] @var{dirname}
13964 Save the trace data to @var{filename}. By default, this command
13965 assumes that @var{filename} refers to the host filesystem, so if
13966 necessary @value{GDBN} will copy raw trace data up from the target and
13967 then save it. If the target supports it, you can also supply the
13968 optional argument @code{-r} (``remote'') to direct the target to save
13969 the data directly into @var{filename} in its own filesystem, which may be
13970 more efficient if the trace buffer is very large. (Note, however, that
13971 @code{target tfile} can only read from files accessible to the host.)
13972 By default, this command will save trace frame in tfile format.
13973 You can supply the optional argument @code{-ctf} to save data in CTF
13974 format. The @dfn{Common Trace Format} (CTF) is proposed as a trace format
13975 that can be shared by multiple debugging and tracing tools. Please go to
13976 @indicateurl{http://www.efficios.com/ctf} to get more information.
13977
13978 @kindex target tfile
13979 @kindex tfile
13980 @kindex target ctf
13981 @kindex ctf
13982 @item target tfile @var{filename}
13983 @itemx target ctf @var{dirname}
13984 Use the file named @var{filename} or directory named @var{dirname} as
13985 a source of trace data. Commands that examine data work as they do with
13986 a live target, but it is not possible to run any new trace experiments.
13987 @code{tstatus} will report the state of the trace run at the moment
13988 the data was saved, as well as the current trace frame you are examining.
13989 Both @var{filename} and @var{dirname} must be on a filesystem accessible to
13990 the host.
13991
13992 @smallexample
13993 (@value{GDBP}) target ctf ctf.ctf
13994 (@value{GDBP}) tfind
13995 Found trace frame 0, tracepoint 2
13996 39 ++a; /* set tracepoint 1 here */
13997 (@value{GDBP}) tdump
13998 Data collected at tracepoint 2, trace frame 0:
13999 i = 0
14000 a = 0
14001 b = 1 '\001'
14002 c = @{"123", "456", "789", "123", "456", "789"@}
14003 d = @{@{@{a = 1, b = 2@}, @{a = 3, b = 4@}@}, @{@{a = 5, b = 6@}, @{a = 7, b = 8@}@}@}
14004 (@value{GDBP}) p b
14005 $1 = 1
14006 @end smallexample
14007
14008 @end table
14009
14010 @node Overlays
14011 @chapter Debugging Programs That Use Overlays
14012 @cindex overlays
14013
14014 If your program is too large to fit completely in your target system's
14015 memory, you can sometimes use @dfn{overlays} to work around this
14016 problem. @value{GDBN} provides some support for debugging programs that
14017 use overlays.
14018
14019 @menu
14020 * How Overlays Work:: A general explanation of overlays.
14021 * Overlay Commands:: Managing overlays in @value{GDBN}.
14022 * Automatic Overlay Debugging:: @value{GDBN} can find out which overlays are
14023 mapped by asking the inferior.
14024 * Overlay Sample Program:: A sample program using overlays.
14025 @end menu
14026
14027 @node How Overlays Work
14028 @section How Overlays Work
14029 @cindex mapped overlays
14030 @cindex unmapped overlays
14031 @cindex load address, overlay's
14032 @cindex mapped address
14033 @cindex overlay area
14034
14035 Suppose you have a computer whose instruction address space is only 64
14036 kilobytes long, but which has much more memory which can be accessed by
14037 other means: special instructions, segment registers, or memory
14038 management hardware, for example. Suppose further that you want to
14039 adapt a program which is larger than 64 kilobytes to run on this system.
14040
14041 One solution is to identify modules of your program which are relatively
14042 independent, and need not call each other directly; call these modules
14043 @dfn{overlays}. Separate the overlays from the main program, and place
14044 their machine code in the larger memory. Place your main program in
14045 instruction memory, but leave at least enough space there to hold the
14046 largest overlay as well.
14047
14048 Now, to call a function located in an overlay, you must first copy that
14049 overlay's machine code from the large memory into the space set aside
14050 for it in the instruction memory, and then jump to its entry point
14051 there.
14052
14053 @c NB: In the below the mapped area's size is greater or equal to the
14054 @c size of all overlays. This is intentional to remind the developer
14055 @c that overlays don't necessarily need to be the same size.
14056
14057 @smallexample
14058 @group
14059 Data Instruction Larger
14060 Address Space Address Space Address Space
14061 +-----------+ +-----------+ +-----------+
14062 | | | | | |
14063 +-----------+ +-----------+ +-----------+<-- overlay 1
14064 | program | | main | .----| overlay 1 | load address
14065 | variables | | program | | +-----------+
14066 | and heap | | | | | |
14067 +-----------+ | | | +-----------+<-- overlay 2
14068 | | +-----------+ | | | load address
14069 +-----------+ | | | .-| overlay 2 |
14070 | | | | | |
14071 mapped --->+-----------+ | | +-----------+
14072 address | | | | | |
14073 | overlay | <-' | | |
14074 | area | <---' +-----------+<-- overlay 3
14075 | | <---. | | load address
14076 +-----------+ `--| overlay 3 |
14077 | | | |
14078 +-----------+ | |
14079 +-----------+
14080 | |
14081 +-----------+
14082
14083 @anchor{A code overlay}A code overlay
14084 @end group
14085 @end smallexample
14086
14087 The diagram (@pxref{A code overlay}) shows a system with separate data
14088 and instruction address spaces. To map an overlay, the program copies
14089 its code from the larger address space to the instruction address space.
14090 Since the overlays shown here all use the same mapped address, only one
14091 may be mapped at a time. For a system with a single address space for
14092 data and instructions, the diagram would be similar, except that the
14093 program variables and heap would share an address space with the main
14094 program and the overlay area.
14095
14096 An overlay loaded into instruction memory and ready for use is called a
14097 @dfn{mapped} overlay; its @dfn{mapped address} is its address in the
14098 instruction memory. An overlay not present (or only partially present)
14099 in instruction memory is called @dfn{unmapped}; its @dfn{load address}
14100 is its address in the larger memory. The mapped address is also called
14101 the @dfn{virtual memory address}, or @dfn{VMA}; the load address is also
14102 called the @dfn{load memory address}, or @dfn{LMA}.
14103
14104 Unfortunately, overlays are not a completely transparent way to adapt a
14105 program to limited instruction memory. They introduce a new set of
14106 global constraints you must keep in mind as you design your program:
14107
14108 @itemize @bullet
14109
14110 @item
14111 Before calling or returning to a function in an overlay, your program
14112 must make sure that overlay is actually mapped. Otherwise, the call or
14113 return will transfer control to the right address, but in the wrong
14114 overlay, and your program will probably crash.
14115
14116 @item
14117 If the process of mapping an overlay is expensive on your system, you
14118 will need to choose your overlays carefully to minimize their effect on
14119 your program's performance.
14120
14121 @item
14122 The executable file you load onto your system must contain each
14123 overlay's instructions, appearing at the overlay's load address, not its
14124 mapped address. However, each overlay's instructions must be relocated
14125 and its symbols defined as if the overlay were at its mapped address.
14126 You can use GNU linker scripts to specify different load and relocation
14127 addresses for pieces of your program; see @ref{Overlay Description,,,
14128 ld.info, Using ld: the GNU linker}.
14129
14130 @item
14131 The procedure for loading executable files onto your system must be able
14132 to load their contents into the larger address space as well as the
14133 instruction and data spaces.
14134
14135 @end itemize
14136
14137 The overlay system described above is rather simple, and could be
14138 improved in many ways:
14139
14140 @itemize @bullet
14141
14142 @item
14143 If your system has suitable bank switch registers or memory management
14144 hardware, you could use those facilities to make an overlay's load area
14145 contents simply appear at their mapped address in instruction space.
14146 This would probably be faster than copying the overlay to its mapped
14147 area in the usual way.
14148
14149 @item
14150 If your overlays are small enough, you could set aside more than one
14151 overlay area, and have more than one overlay mapped at a time.
14152
14153 @item
14154 You can use overlays to manage data, as well as instructions. In
14155 general, data overlays are even less transparent to your design than
14156 code overlays: whereas code overlays only require care when you call or
14157 return to functions, data overlays require care every time you access
14158 the data. Also, if you change the contents of a data overlay, you
14159 must copy its contents back out to its load address before you can copy a
14160 different data overlay into the same mapped area.
14161
14162 @end itemize
14163
14164
14165 @node Overlay Commands
14166 @section Overlay Commands
14167
14168 To use @value{GDBN}'s overlay support, each overlay in your program must
14169 correspond to a separate section of the executable file. The section's
14170 virtual memory address and load memory address must be the overlay's
14171 mapped and load addresses. Identifying overlays with sections allows
14172 @value{GDBN} to determine the appropriate address of a function or
14173 variable, depending on whether the overlay is mapped or not.
14174
14175 @value{GDBN}'s overlay commands all start with the word @code{overlay};
14176 you can abbreviate this as @code{ov} or @code{ovly}. The commands are:
14177
14178 @table @code
14179 @item overlay off
14180 @kindex overlay
14181 Disable @value{GDBN}'s overlay support. When overlay support is
14182 disabled, @value{GDBN} assumes that all functions and variables are
14183 always present at their mapped addresses. By default, @value{GDBN}'s
14184 overlay support is disabled.
14185
14186 @item overlay manual
14187 @cindex manual overlay debugging
14188 Enable @dfn{manual} overlay debugging. In this mode, @value{GDBN}
14189 relies on you to tell it which overlays are mapped, and which are not,
14190 using the @code{overlay map-overlay} and @code{overlay unmap-overlay}
14191 commands described below.
14192
14193 @item overlay map-overlay @var{overlay}
14194 @itemx overlay map @var{overlay}
14195 @cindex map an overlay
14196 Tell @value{GDBN} that @var{overlay} is now mapped; @var{overlay} must
14197 be the name of the object file section containing the overlay. When an
14198 overlay is mapped, @value{GDBN} assumes it can find the overlay's
14199 functions and variables at their mapped addresses. @value{GDBN} assumes
14200 that any other overlays whose mapped ranges overlap that of
14201 @var{overlay} are now unmapped.
14202
14203 @item overlay unmap-overlay @var{overlay}
14204 @itemx overlay unmap @var{overlay}
14205 @cindex unmap an overlay
14206 Tell @value{GDBN} that @var{overlay} is no longer mapped; @var{overlay}
14207 must be the name of the object file section containing the overlay.
14208 When an overlay is unmapped, @value{GDBN} assumes it can find the
14209 overlay's functions and variables at their load addresses.
14210
14211 @item overlay auto
14212 Enable @dfn{automatic} overlay debugging. In this mode, @value{GDBN}
14213 consults a data structure the overlay manager maintains in the inferior
14214 to see which overlays are mapped. For details, see @ref{Automatic
14215 Overlay Debugging}.
14216
14217 @item overlay load-target
14218 @itemx overlay load
14219 @cindex reloading the overlay table
14220 Re-read the overlay table from the inferior. Normally, @value{GDBN}
14221 re-reads the table @value{GDBN} automatically each time the inferior
14222 stops, so this command should only be necessary if you have changed the
14223 overlay mapping yourself using @value{GDBN}. This command is only
14224 useful when using automatic overlay debugging.
14225
14226 @item overlay list-overlays
14227 @itemx overlay list
14228 @cindex listing mapped overlays
14229 Display a list of the overlays currently mapped, along with their mapped
14230 addresses, load addresses, and sizes.
14231
14232 @end table
14233
14234 Normally, when @value{GDBN} prints a code address, it includes the name
14235 of the function the address falls in:
14236
14237 @smallexample
14238 (@value{GDBP}) print main
14239 $3 = @{int ()@} 0x11a0 <main>
14240 @end smallexample
14241 @noindent
14242 When overlay debugging is enabled, @value{GDBN} recognizes code in
14243 unmapped overlays, and prints the names of unmapped functions with
14244 asterisks around them. For example, if @code{foo} is a function in an
14245 unmapped overlay, @value{GDBN} prints it this way:
14246
14247 @smallexample
14248 (@value{GDBP}) overlay list
14249 No sections are mapped.
14250 (@value{GDBP}) print foo
14251 $5 = @{int (int)@} 0x100000 <*foo*>
14252 @end smallexample
14253 @noindent
14254 When @code{foo}'s overlay is mapped, @value{GDBN} prints the function's
14255 name normally:
14256
14257 @smallexample
14258 (@value{GDBP}) overlay list
14259 Section .ov.foo.text, loaded at 0x100000 - 0x100034,
14260 mapped at 0x1016 - 0x104a
14261 (@value{GDBP}) print foo
14262 $6 = @{int (int)@} 0x1016 <foo>
14263 @end smallexample
14264
14265 When overlay debugging is enabled, @value{GDBN} can find the correct
14266 address for functions and variables in an overlay, whether or not the
14267 overlay is mapped. This allows most @value{GDBN} commands, like
14268 @code{break} and @code{disassemble}, to work normally, even on unmapped
14269 code. However, @value{GDBN}'s breakpoint support has some limitations:
14270
14271 @itemize @bullet
14272 @item
14273 @cindex breakpoints in overlays
14274 @cindex overlays, setting breakpoints in
14275 You can set breakpoints in functions in unmapped overlays, as long as
14276 @value{GDBN} can write to the overlay at its load address.
14277 @item
14278 @value{GDBN} can not set hardware or simulator-based breakpoints in
14279 unmapped overlays. However, if you set a breakpoint at the end of your
14280 overlay manager (and tell @value{GDBN} which overlays are now mapped, if
14281 you are using manual overlay management), @value{GDBN} will re-set its
14282 breakpoints properly.
14283 @end itemize
14284
14285
14286 @node Automatic Overlay Debugging
14287 @section Automatic Overlay Debugging
14288 @cindex automatic overlay debugging
14289
14290 @value{GDBN} can automatically track which overlays are mapped and which
14291 are not, given some simple co-operation from the overlay manager in the
14292 inferior. If you enable automatic overlay debugging with the
14293 @code{overlay auto} command (@pxref{Overlay Commands}), @value{GDBN}
14294 looks in the inferior's memory for certain variables describing the
14295 current state of the overlays.
14296
14297 Here are the variables your overlay manager must define to support
14298 @value{GDBN}'s automatic overlay debugging:
14299
14300 @table @asis
14301
14302 @item @code{_ovly_table}:
14303 This variable must be an array of the following structures:
14304
14305 @smallexample
14306 struct
14307 @{
14308 /* The overlay's mapped address. */
14309 unsigned long vma;
14310
14311 /* The size of the overlay, in bytes. */
14312 unsigned long size;
14313
14314 /* The overlay's load address. */
14315 unsigned long lma;
14316
14317 /* Non-zero if the overlay is currently mapped;
14318 zero otherwise. */
14319 unsigned long mapped;
14320 @}
14321 @end smallexample
14322
14323 @item @code{_novlys}:
14324 This variable must be a four-byte signed integer, holding the total
14325 number of elements in @code{_ovly_table}.
14326
14327 @end table
14328
14329 To decide whether a particular overlay is mapped or not, @value{GDBN}
14330 looks for an entry in @w{@code{_ovly_table}} whose @code{vma} and
14331 @code{lma} members equal the VMA and LMA of the overlay's section in the
14332 executable file. When @value{GDBN} finds a matching entry, it consults
14333 the entry's @code{mapped} member to determine whether the overlay is
14334 currently mapped.
14335
14336 In addition, your overlay manager may define a function called
14337 @code{_ovly_debug_event}. If this function is defined, @value{GDBN}
14338 will silently set a breakpoint there. If the overlay manager then
14339 calls this function whenever it has changed the overlay table, this
14340 will enable @value{GDBN} to accurately keep track of which overlays
14341 are in program memory, and update any breakpoints that may be set
14342 in overlays. This will allow breakpoints to work even if the
14343 overlays are kept in ROM or other non-writable memory while they
14344 are not being executed.
14345
14346 @node Overlay Sample Program
14347 @section Overlay Sample Program
14348 @cindex overlay example program
14349
14350 When linking a program which uses overlays, you must place the overlays
14351 at their load addresses, while relocating them to run at their mapped
14352 addresses. To do this, you must write a linker script (@pxref{Overlay
14353 Description,,, ld.info, Using ld: the GNU linker}). Unfortunately,
14354 since linker scripts are specific to a particular host system, target
14355 architecture, and target memory layout, this manual cannot provide
14356 portable sample code demonstrating @value{GDBN}'s overlay support.
14357
14358 However, the @value{GDBN} source distribution does contain an overlaid
14359 program, with linker scripts for a few systems, as part of its test
14360 suite. The program consists of the following files from
14361 @file{gdb/testsuite/gdb.base}:
14362
14363 @table @file
14364 @item overlays.c
14365 The main program file.
14366 @item ovlymgr.c
14367 A simple overlay manager, used by @file{overlays.c}.
14368 @item foo.c
14369 @itemx bar.c
14370 @itemx baz.c
14371 @itemx grbx.c
14372 Overlay modules, loaded and used by @file{overlays.c}.
14373 @item d10v.ld
14374 @itemx m32r.ld
14375 Linker scripts for linking the test program on the @code{d10v-elf}
14376 and @code{m32r-elf} targets.
14377 @end table
14378
14379 You can build the test program using the @code{d10v-elf} GCC
14380 cross-compiler like this:
14381
14382 @smallexample
14383 $ d10v-elf-gcc -g -c overlays.c
14384 $ d10v-elf-gcc -g -c ovlymgr.c
14385 $ d10v-elf-gcc -g -c foo.c
14386 $ d10v-elf-gcc -g -c bar.c
14387 $ d10v-elf-gcc -g -c baz.c
14388 $ d10v-elf-gcc -g -c grbx.c
14389 $ d10v-elf-gcc -g overlays.o ovlymgr.o foo.o bar.o \
14390 baz.o grbx.o -Wl,-Td10v.ld -o overlays
14391 @end smallexample
14392
14393 The build process is identical for any other architecture, except that
14394 you must substitute the appropriate compiler and linker script for the
14395 target system for @code{d10v-elf-gcc} and @code{d10v.ld}.
14396
14397
14398 @node Languages
14399 @chapter Using @value{GDBN} with Different Languages
14400 @cindex languages
14401
14402 Although programming languages generally have common aspects, they are
14403 rarely expressed in the same manner. For instance, in ANSI C,
14404 dereferencing a pointer @code{p} is accomplished by @code{*p}, but in
14405 Modula-2, it is accomplished by @code{p^}. Values can also be
14406 represented (and displayed) differently. Hex numbers in C appear as
14407 @samp{0x1ae}, while in Modula-2 they appear as @samp{1AEH}.
14408
14409 @cindex working language
14410 Language-specific information is built into @value{GDBN} for some languages,
14411 allowing you to express operations like the above in your program's
14412 native language, and allowing @value{GDBN} to output values in a manner
14413 consistent with the syntax of your program's native language. The
14414 language you use to build expressions is called the @dfn{working
14415 language}.
14416
14417 @menu
14418 * Setting:: Switching between source languages
14419 * Show:: Displaying the language
14420 * Checks:: Type and range checks
14421 * Supported Languages:: Supported languages
14422 * Unsupported Languages:: Unsupported languages
14423 @end menu
14424
14425 @node Setting
14426 @section Switching Between Source Languages
14427
14428 There are two ways to control the working language---either have @value{GDBN}
14429 set it automatically, or select it manually yourself. You can use the
14430 @code{set language} command for either purpose. On startup, @value{GDBN}
14431 defaults to setting the language automatically. The working language is
14432 used to determine how expressions you type are interpreted, how values
14433 are printed, etc.
14434
14435 In addition to the working language, every source file that
14436 @value{GDBN} knows about has its own working language. For some object
14437 file formats, the compiler might indicate which language a particular
14438 source file is in. However, most of the time @value{GDBN} infers the
14439 language from the name of the file. The language of a source file
14440 controls whether C@t{++} names are demangled---this way @code{backtrace} can
14441 show each frame appropriately for its own language. There is no way to
14442 set the language of a source file from within @value{GDBN}, but you can
14443 set the language associated with a filename extension. @xref{Show, ,
14444 Displaying the Language}.
14445
14446 This is most commonly a problem when you use a program, such
14447 as @code{cfront} or @code{f2c}, that generates C but is written in
14448 another language. In that case, make the
14449 program use @code{#line} directives in its C output; that way
14450 @value{GDBN} will know the correct language of the source code of the original
14451 program, and will display that source code, not the generated C code.
14452
14453 @menu
14454 * Filenames:: Filename extensions and languages.
14455 * Manually:: Setting the working language manually
14456 * Automatically:: Having @value{GDBN} infer the source language
14457 @end menu
14458
14459 @node Filenames
14460 @subsection List of Filename Extensions and Languages
14461
14462 If a source file name ends in one of the following extensions, then
14463 @value{GDBN} infers that its language is the one indicated.
14464
14465 @table @file
14466 @item .ada
14467 @itemx .ads
14468 @itemx .adb
14469 @itemx .a
14470 Ada source file.
14471
14472 @item .c
14473 C source file
14474
14475 @item .C
14476 @itemx .cc
14477 @itemx .cp
14478 @itemx .cpp
14479 @itemx .cxx
14480 @itemx .c++
14481 C@t{++} source file
14482
14483 @item .d
14484 D source file
14485
14486 @item .m
14487 Objective-C source file
14488
14489 @item .f
14490 @itemx .F
14491 Fortran source file
14492
14493 @item .mod
14494 Modula-2 source file
14495
14496 @item .s
14497 @itemx .S
14498 Assembler source file. This actually behaves almost like C, but
14499 @value{GDBN} does not skip over function prologues when stepping.
14500 @end table
14501
14502 In addition, you may set the language associated with a filename
14503 extension. @xref{Show, , Displaying the Language}.
14504
14505 @node Manually
14506 @subsection Setting the Working Language
14507
14508 If you allow @value{GDBN} to set the language automatically,
14509 expressions are interpreted the same way in your debugging session and
14510 your program.
14511
14512 @kindex set language
14513 If you wish, you may set the language manually. To do this, issue the
14514 command @samp{set language @var{lang}}, where @var{lang} is the name of
14515 a language, such as
14516 @code{c} or @code{modula-2}.
14517 For a list of the supported languages, type @samp{set language}.
14518
14519 Setting the language manually prevents @value{GDBN} from updating the working
14520 language automatically. This can lead to confusion if you try
14521 to debug a program when the working language is not the same as the
14522 source language, when an expression is acceptable to both
14523 languages---but means different things. For instance, if the current
14524 source file were written in C, and @value{GDBN} was parsing Modula-2, a
14525 command such as:
14526
14527 @smallexample
14528 print a = b + c
14529 @end smallexample
14530
14531 @noindent
14532 might not have the effect you intended. In C, this means to add
14533 @code{b} and @code{c} and place the result in @code{a}. The result
14534 printed would be the value of @code{a}. In Modula-2, this means to compare
14535 @code{a} to the result of @code{b+c}, yielding a @code{BOOLEAN} value.
14536
14537 @node Automatically
14538 @subsection Having @value{GDBN} Infer the Source Language
14539
14540 To have @value{GDBN} set the working language automatically, use
14541 @samp{set language local} or @samp{set language auto}. @value{GDBN}
14542 then infers the working language. That is, when your program stops in a
14543 frame (usually by encountering a breakpoint), @value{GDBN} sets the
14544 working language to the language recorded for the function in that
14545 frame. If the language for a frame is unknown (that is, if the function
14546 or block corresponding to the frame was defined in a source file that
14547 does not have a recognized extension), the current working language is
14548 not changed, and @value{GDBN} issues a warning.
14549
14550 This may not seem necessary for most programs, which are written
14551 entirely in one source language. However, program modules and libraries
14552 written in one source language can be used by a main program written in
14553 a different source language. Using @samp{set language auto} in this
14554 case frees you from having to set the working language manually.
14555
14556 @node Show
14557 @section Displaying the Language
14558
14559 The following commands help you find out which language is the
14560 working language, and also what language source files were written in.
14561
14562 @table @code
14563 @item show language
14564 @anchor{show language}
14565 @kindex show language
14566 Display the current working language. This is the
14567 language you can use with commands such as @code{print} to
14568 build and compute expressions that may involve variables in your program.
14569
14570 @item info frame
14571 @kindex info frame@r{, show the source language}
14572 Display the source language for this frame. This language becomes the
14573 working language if you use an identifier from this frame.
14574 @xref{Frame Info, ,Information about a Frame}, to identify the other
14575 information listed here.
14576
14577 @item info source
14578 @kindex info source@r{, show the source language}
14579 Display the source language of this source file.
14580 @xref{Symbols, ,Examining the Symbol Table}, to identify the other
14581 information listed here.
14582 @end table
14583
14584 In unusual circumstances, you may have source files with extensions
14585 not in the standard list. You can then set the extension associated
14586 with a language explicitly:
14587
14588 @table @code
14589 @item set extension-language @var{ext} @var{language}
14590 @kindex set extension-language
14591 Tell @value{GDBN} that source files with extension @var{ext} are to be
14592 assumed as written in the source language @var{language}.
14593
14594 @item info extensions
14595 @kindex info extensions
14596 List all the filename extensions and the associated languages.
14597 @end table
14598
14599 @node Checks
14600 @section Type and Range Checking
14601
14602 Some languages are designed to guard you against making seemingly common
14603 errors through a series of compile- and run-time checks. These include
14604 checking the type of arguments to functions and operators and making
14605 sure mathematical overflows are caught at run time. Checks such as
14606 these help to ensure a program's correctness once it has been compiled
14607 by eliminating type mismatches and providing active checks for range
14608 errors when your program is running.
14609
14610 By default @value{GDBN} checks for these errors according to the
14611 rules of the current source language. Although @value{GDBN} does not check
14612 the statements in your program, it can check expressions entered directly
14613 into @value{GDBN} for evaluation via the @code{print} command, for example.
14614
14615 @menu
14616 * Type Checking:: An overview of type checking
14617 * Range Checking:: An overview of range checking
14618 @end menu
14619
14620 @cindex type checking
14621 @cindex checks, type
14622 @node Type Checking
14623 @subsection An Overview of Type Checking
14624
14625 Some languages, such as C and C@t{++}, are strongly typed, meaning that the
14626 arguments to operators and functions have to be of the correct type,
14627 otherwise an error occurs. These checks prevent type mismatch
14628 errors from ever causing any run-time problems. For example,
14629
14630 @smallexample
14631 int klass::my_method(char *b) @{ return b ? 1 : 2; @}
14632
14633 (@value{GDBP}) print obj.my_method (0)
14634 $1 = 2
14635 @exdent but
14636 (@value{GDBP}) print obj.my_method (0x1234)
14637 Cannot resolve method klass::my_method to any overloaded instance
14638 @end smallexample
14639
14640 The second example fails because in C@t{++} the integer constant
14641 @samp{0x1234} is not type-compatible with the pointer parameter type.
14642
14643 For the expressions you use in @value{GDBN} commands, you can tell
14644 @value{GDBN} to not enforce strict type checking or
14645 to treat any mismatches as errors and abandon the expression;
14646 When type checking is disabled, @value{GDBN} successfully evaluates
14647 expressions like the second example above.
14648
14649 Even if type checking is off, there may be other reasons
14650 related to type that prevent @value{GDBN} from evaluating an expression.
14651 For instance, @value{GDBN} does not know how to add an @code{int} and
14652 a @code{struct foo}. These particular type errors have nothing to do
14653 with the language in use and usually arise from expressions which make
14654 little sense to evaluate anyway.
14655
14656 @value{GDBN} provides some additional commands for controlling type checking:
14657
14658 @kindex set check type
14659 @kindex show check type
14660 @table @code
14661 @item set check type on
14662 @itemx set check type off
14663 Set strict type checking on or off. If any type mismatches occur in
14664 evaluating an expression while type checking is on, @value{GDBN} prints a
14665 message and aborts evaluation of the expression.
14666
14667 @item show check type
14668 Show the current setting of type checking and whether @value{GDBN}
14669 is enforcing strict type checking rules.
14670 @end table
14671
14672 @cindex range checking
14673 @cindex checks, range
14674 @node Range Checking
14675 @subsection An Overview of Range Checking
14676
14677 In some languages (such as Modula-2), it is an error to exceed the
14678 bounds of a type; this is enforced with run-time checks. Such range
14679 checking is meant to ensure program correctness by making sure
14680 computations do not overflow, or indices on an array element access do
14681 not exceed the bounds of the array.
14682
14683 For expressions you use in @value{GDBN} commands, you can tell
14684 @value{GDBN} to treat range errors in one of three ways: ignore them,
14685 always treat them as errors and abandon the expression, or issue
14686 warnings but evaluate the expression anyway.
14687
14688 A range error can result from numerical overflow, from exceeding an
14689 array index bound, or when you type a constant that is not a member
14690 of any type. Some languages, however, do not treat overflows as an
14691 error. In many implementations of C, mathematical overflow causes the
14692 result to ``wrap around'' to lower values---for example, if @var{m} is
14693 the largest integer value, and @var{s} is the smallest, then
14694
14695 @smallexample
14696 @var{m} + 1 @result{} @var{s}
14697 @end smallexample
14698
14699 This, too, is specific to individual languages, and in some cases
14700 specific to individual compilers or machines. @xref{Supported Languages, ,
14701 Supported Languages}, for further details on specific languages.
14702
14703 @value{GDBN} provides some additional commands for controlling the range checker:
14704
14705 @kindex set check range
14706 @kindex show check range
14707 @table @code
14708 @item set check range auto
14709 Set range checking on or off based on the current working language.
14710 @xref{Supported Languages, ,Supported Languages}, for the default settings for
14711 each language.
14712
14713 @item set check range on
14714 @itemx set check range off
14715 Set range checking on or off, overriding the default setting for the
14716 current working language. A warning is issued if the setting does not
14717 match the language default. If a range error occurs and range checking is on,
14718 then a message is printed and evaluation of the expression is aborted.
14719
14720 @item set check range warn
14721 Output messages when the @value{GDBN} range checker detects a range error,
14722 but attempt to evaluate the expression anyway. Evaluating the
14723 expression may still be impossible for other reasons, such as accessing
14724 memory that the process does not own (a typical example from many Unix
14725 systems).
14726
14727 @item show range
14728 Show the current setting of the range checker, and whether or not it is
14729 being set automatically by @value{GDBN}.
14730 @end table
14731
14732 @node Supported Languages
14733 @section Supported Languages
14734
14735 @value{GDBN} supports C, C@t{++}, D, Go, Objective-C, Fortran,
14736 OpenCL C, Pascal, Rust, assembly, Modula-2, and Ada.
14737 @c This is false ...
14738 Some @value{GDBN} features may be used in expressions regardless of the
14739 language you use: the @value{GDBN} @code{@@} and @code{::} operators,
14740 and the @samp{@{type@}addr} construct (@pxref{Expressions,
14741 ,Expressions}) can be used with the constructs of any supported
14742 language.
14743
14744 The following sections detail to what degree each source language is
14745 supported by @value{GDBN}. These sections are not meant to be language
14746 tutorials or references, but serve only as a reference guide to what the
14747 @value{GDBN} expression parser accepts, and what input and output
14748 formats should look like for different languages. There are many good
14749 books written on each of these languages; please look to these for a
14750 language reference or tutorial.
14751
14752 @menu
14753 * C:: C and C@t{++}
14754 * D:: D
14755 * Go:: Go
14756 * Objective-C:: Objective-C
14757 * OpenCL C:: OpenCL C
14758 * Fortran:: Fortran
14759 * Pascal:: Pascal
14760 * Rust:: Rust
14761 * Modula-2:: Modula-2
14762 * Ada:: Ada
14763 @end menu
14764
14765 @node C
14766 @subsection C and C@t{++}
14767
14768 @cindex C and C@t{++}
14769 @cindex expressions in C or C@t{++}
14770
14771 Since C and C@t{++} are so closely related, many features of @value{GDBN} apply
14772 to both languages. Whenever this is the case, we discuss those languages
14773 together.
14774
14775 @cindex C@t{++}
14776 @cindex @code{g++}, @sc{gnu} C@t{++} compiler
14777 @cindex @sc{gnu} C@t{++}
14778 The C@t{++} debugging facilities are jointly implemented by the C@t{++}
14779 compiler and @value{GDBN}. Therefore, to debug your C@t{++} code
14780 effectively, you must compile your C@t{++} programs with a supported
14781 C@t{++} compiler, such as @sc{gnu} @code{g++}, or the HP ANSI C@t{++}
14782 compiler (@code{aCC}).
14783
14784 @menu
14785 * C Operators:: C and C@t{++} operators
14786 * C Constants:: C and C@t{++} constants
14787 * C Plus Plus Expressions:: C@t{++} expressions
14788 * C Defaults:: Default settings for C and C@t{++}
14789 * C Checks:: C and C@t{++} type and range checks
14790 * Debugging C:: @value{GDBN} and C
14791 * Debugging C Plus Plus:: @value{GDBN} features for C@t{++}
14792 * Decimal Floating Point:: Numbers in Decimal Floating Point format
14793 @end menu
14794
14795 @node C Operators
14796 @subsubsection C and C@t{++} Operators
14797
14798 @cindex C and C@t{++} operators
14799
14800 Operators must be defined on values of specific types. For instance,
14801 @code{+} is defined on numbers, but not on structures. Operators are
14802 often defined on groups of types.
14803
14804 For the purposes of C and C@t{++}, the following definitions hold:
14805
14806 @itemize @bullet
14807
14808 @item
14809 @emph{Integral types} include @code{int} with any of its storage-class
14810 specifiers; @code{char}; @code{enum}; and, for C@t{++}, @code{bool}.
14811
14812 @item
14813 @emph{Floating-point types} include @code{float}, @code{double}, and
14814 @code{long double} (if supported by the target platform).
14815
14816 @item
14817 @emph{Pointer types} include all types defined as @code{(@var{type} *)}.
14818
14819 @item
14820 @emph{Scalar types} include all of the above.
14821
14822 @end itemize
14823
14824 @noindent
14825 The following operators are supported. They are listed here
14826 in order of increasing precedence:
14827
14828 @table @code
14829 @item ,
14830 The comma or sequencing operator. Expressions in a comma-separated list
14831 are evaluated from left to right, with the result of the entire
14832 expression being the last expression evaluated.
14833
14834 @item =
14835 Assignment. The value of an assignment expression is the value
14836 assigned. Defined on scalar types.
14837
14838 @item @var{op}=
14839 Used in an expression of the form @w{@code{@var{a} @var{op}= @var{b}}},
14840 and translated to @w{@code{@var{a} = @var{a op b}}}.
14841 @w{@code{@var{op}=}} and @code{=} have the same precedence. The operator
14842 @var{op} is any one of the operators @code{|}, @code{^}, @code{&},
14843 @code{<<}, @code{>>}, @code{+}, @code{-}, @code{*}, @code{/}, @code{%}.
14844
14845 @item ?:
14846 The ternary operator. @code{@var{a} ? @var{b} : @var{c}} can be thought
14847 of as: if @var{a} then @var{b} else @var{c}. The argument @var{a}
14848 should be of an integral type.
14849
14850 @item ||
14851 Logical @sc{or}. Defined on integral types.
14852
14853 @item &&
14854 Logical @sc{and}. Defined on integral types.
14855
14856 @item |
14857 Bitwise @sc{or}. Defined on integral types.
14858
14859 @item ^
14860 Bitwise exclusive-@sc{or}. Defined on integral types.
14861
14862 @item &
14863 Bitwise @sc{and}. Defined on integral types.
14864
14865 @item ==@r{, }!=
14866 Equality and inequality. Defined on scalar types. The value of these
14867 expressions is 0 for false and non-zero for true.
14868
14869 @item <@r{, }>@r{, }<=@r{, }>=
14870 Less than, greater than, less than or equal, greater than or equal.
14871 Defined on scalar types. The value of these expressions is 0 for false
14872 and non-zero for true.
14873
14874 @item <<@r{, }>>
14875 left shift, and right shift. Defined on integral types.
14876
14877 @item @@
14878 The @value{GDBN} ``artificial array'' operator (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}).
14879
14880 @item +@r{, }-
14881 Addition and subtraction. Defined on integral types, floating-point types and
14882 pointer types.
14883
14884 @item *@r{, }/@r{, }%
14885 Multiplication, division, and modulus. Multiplication and division are
14886 defined on integral and floating-point types. Modulus is defined on
14887 integral types.
14888
14889 @item ++@r{, }--
14890 Increment and decrement. When appearing before a variable, the
14891 operation is performed before the variable is used in an expression;
14892 when appearing after it, the variable's value is used before the
14893 operation takes place.
14894
14895 @item *
14896 Pointer dereferencing. Defined on pointer types. Same precedence as
14897 @code{++}.
14898
14899 @item &
14900 Address operator. Defined on variables. Same precedence as @code{++}.
14901
14902 For debugging C@t{++}, @value{GDBN} implements a use of @samp{&} beyond what is
14903 allowed in the C@t{++} language itself: you can use @samp{&(&@var{ref})}
14904 to examine the address
14905 where a C@t{++} reference variable (declared with @samp{&@var{ref}}) is
14906 stored.
14907
14908 @item -
14909 Negative. Defined on integral and floating-point types. Same
14910 precedence as @code{++}.
14911
14912 @item !
14913 Logical negation. Defined on integral types. Same precedence as
14914 @code{++}.
14915
14916 @item ~
14917 Bitwise complement operator. Defined on integral types. Same precedence as
14918 @code{++}.
14919
14920
14921 @item .@r{, }->
14922 Structure member, and pointer-to-structure member. For convenience,
14923 @value{GDBN} regards the two as equivalent, choosing whether to dereference a
14924 pointer based on the stored type information.
14925 Defined on @code{struct} and @code{union} data.
14926
14927 @item .*@r{, }->*
14928 Dereferences of pointers to members.
14929
14930 @item []
14931 Array indexing. @code{@var{a}[@var{i}]} is defined as
14932 @code{*(@var{a}+@var{i})}. Same precedence as @code{->}.
14933
14934 @item ()
14935 Function parameter list. Same precedence as @code{->}.
14936
14937 @item ::
14938 C@t{++} scope resolution operator. Defined on @code{struct}, @code{union},
14939 and @code{class} types.
14940
14941 @item ::
14942 Doubled colons also represent the @value{GDBN} scope operator
14943 (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}). Same precedence as @code{::},
14944 above.
14945 @end table
14946
14947 If an operator is redefined in the user code, @value{GDBN} usually
14948 attempts to invoke the redefined version instead of using the operator's
14949 predefined meaning.
14950
14951 @node C Constants
14952 @subsubsection C and C@t{++} Constants
14953
14954 @cindex C and C@t{++} constants
14955
14956 @value{GDBN} allows you to express the constants of C and C@t{++} in the
14957 following ways:
14958
14959 @itemize @bullet
14960 @item
14961 Integer constants are a sequence of digits. Octal constants are
14962 specified by a leading @samp{0} (i.e.@: zero), and hexadecimal constants
14963 by a leading @samp{0x} or @samp{0X}. Constants may also end with a letter
14964 @samp{l}, specifying that the constant should be treated as a
14965 @code{long} value.
14966
14967 @item
14968 Floating point constants are a sequence of digits, followed by a decimal
14969 point, followed by a sequence of digits, and optionally followed by an
14970 exponent. An exponent is of the form:
14971 @samp{@w{e@r{[[}+@r{]|}-@r{]}@var{nnn}}}, where @var{nnn} is another
14972 sequence of digits. The @samp{+} is optional for positive exponents.
14973 A floating-point constant may also end with a letter @samp{f} or
14974 @samp{F}, specifying that the constant should be treated as being of
14975 the @code{float} (as opposed to the default @code{double}) type; or with
14976 a letter @samp{l} or @samp{L}, which specifies a @code{long double}
14977 constant.
14978
14979 @item
14980 Enumerated constants consist of enumerated identifiers, or their
14981 integral equivalents.
14982
14983 @item
14984 Character constants are a single character surrounded by single quotes
14985 (@code{'}), or a number---the ordinal value of the corresponding character
14986 (usually its @sc{ascii} value). Within quotes, the single character may
14987 be represented by a letter or by @dfn{escape sequences}, which are of
14988 the form @samp{\@var{nnn}}, where @var{nnn} is the octal representation
14989 of the character's ordinal value; or of the form @samp{\@var{x}}, where
14990 @samp{@var{x}} is a predefined special character---for example,
14991 @samp{\n} for newline.
14992
14993 Wide character constants can be written by prefixing a character
14994 constant with @samp{L}, as in C. For example, @samp{L'x'} is the wide
14995 form of @samp{x}. The target wide character set is used when
14996 computing the value of this constant (@pxref{Character Sets}).
14997
14998 @item
14999 String constants are a sequence of character constants surrounded by
15000 double quotes (@code{"}). Any valid character constant (as described
15001 above) may appear. Double quotes within the string must be preceded by
15002 a backslash, so for instance @samp{"a\"b'c"} is a string of five
15003 characters.
15004
15005 Wide string constants can be written by prefixing a string constant
15006 with @samp{L}, as in C. The target wide character set is used when
15007 computing the value of this constant (@pxref{Character Sets}).
15008
15009 @item
15010 Pointer constants are an integral value. You can also write pointers
15011 to constants using the C operator @samp{&}.
15012
15013 @item
15014 Array constants are comma-separated lists surrounded by braces @samp{@{}
15015 and @samp{@}}; for example, @samp{@{1,2,3@}} is a three-element array of
15016 integers, @samp{@{@{1,2@}, @{3,4@}, @{5,6@}@}} is a three-by-two array,
15017 and @samp{@{&"hi", &"there", &"fred"@}} is a three-element array of pointers.
15018 @end itemize
15019
15020 @node C Plus Plus Expressions
15021 @subsubsection C@t{++} Expressions
15022
15023 @cindex expressions in C@t{++}
15024 @value{GDBN} expression handling can interpret most C@t{++} expressions.
15025
15026 @cindex debugging C@t{++} programs
15027 @cindex C@t{++} compilers
15028 @cindex debug formats and C@t{++}
15029 @cindex @value{NGCC} and C@t{++}
15030 @quotation
15031 @emph{Warning:} @value{GDBN} can only debug C@t{++} code if you use
15032 the proper compiler and the proper debug format. Currently,
15033 @value{GDBN} works best when debugging C@t{++} code that is compiled
15034 with the most recent version of @value{NGCC} possible. The DWARF
15035 debugging format is preferred; @value{NGCC} defaults to this on most
15036 popular platforms. Other compilers and/or debug formats are likely to
15037 work badly or not at all when using @value{GDBN} to debug C@t{++}
15038 code. @xref{Compilation}.
15039 @end quotation
15040
15041 @enumerate
15042
15043 @cindex member functions
15044 @item
15045 Member function calls are allowed; you can use expressions like
15046
15047 @smallexample
15048 count = aml->GetOriginal(x, y)
15049 @end smallexample
15050
15051 @vindex this@r{, inside C@t{++} member functions}
15052 @cindex namespace in C@t{++}
15053 @item
15054 While a member function is active (in the selected stack frame), your
15055 expressions have the same namespace available as the member function;
15056 that is, @value{GDBN} allows implicit references to the class instance
15057 pointer @code{this} following the same rules as C@t{++}. @code{using}
15058 declarations in the current scope are also respected by @value{GDBN}.
15059
15060 @cindex call overloaded functions
15061 @cindex overloaded functions, calling
15062 @cindex type conversions in C@t{++}
15063 @item
15064 You can call overloaded functions; @value{GDBN} resolves the function
15065 call to the right definition, with some restrictions. @value{GDBN} does not
15066 perform overload resolution involving user-defined type conversions,
15067 calls to constructors, or instantiations of templates that do not exist
15068 in the program. It also cannot handle ellipsis argument lists or
15069 default arguments.
15070
15071 It does perform integral conversions and promotions, floating-point
15072 promotions, arithmetic conversions, pointer conversions, conversions of
15073 class objects to base classes, and standard conversions such as those of
15074 functions or arrays to pointers; it requires an exact match on the
15075 number of function arguments.
15076
15077 Overload resolution is always performed, unless you have specified
15078 @code{set overload-resolution off}. @xref{Debugging C Plus Plus,
15079 ,@value{GDBN} Features for C@t{++}}.
15080
15081 You must specify @code{set overload-resolution off} in order to use an
15082 explicit function signature to call an overloaded function, as in
15083 @smallexample
15084 p 'foo(char,int)'('x', 13)
15085 @end smallexample
15086
15087 The @value{GDBN} command-completion facility can simplify this;
15088 see @ref{Completion, ,Command Completion}.
15089
15090 @cindex reference declarations
15091 @item
15092 @value{GDBN} understands variables declared as C@t{++} lvalue or rvalue
15093 references; you can use them in expressions just as you do in C@t{++}
15094 source---they are automatically dereferenced.
15095
15096 In the parameter list shown when @value{GDBN} displays a frame, the values of
15097 reference variables are not displayed (unlike other variables); this
15098 avoids clutter, since references are often used for large structures.
15099 The @emph{address} of a reference variable is always shown, unless
15100 you have specified @samp{set print address off}.
15101
15102 @item
15103 @value{GDBN} supports the C@t{++} name resolution operator @code{::}---your
15104 expressions can use it just as expressions in your program do. Since
15105 one scope may be defined in another, you can use @code{::} repeatedly if
15106 necessary, for example in an expression like
15107 @samp{@var{scope1}::@var{scope2}::@var{name}}. @value{GDBN} also allows
15108 resolving name scope by reference to source files, in both C and C@t{++}
15109 debugging (@pxref{Variables, ,Program Variables}).
15110
15111 @item
15112 @value{GDBN} performs argument-dependent lookup, following the C@t{++}
15113 specification.
15114 @end enumerate
15115
15116 @node C Defaults
15117 @subsubsection C and C@t{++} Defaults
15118
15119 @cindex C and C@t{++} defaults
15120
15121 If you allow @value{GDBN} to set range checking automatically, it
15122 defaults to @code{off} whenever the working language changes to
15123 C or C@t{++}. This happens regardless of whether you or @value{GDBN}
15124 selects the working language.
15125
15126 If you allow @value{GDBN} to set the language automatically, it
15127 recognizes source files whose names end with @file{.c}, @file{.C}, or
15128 @file{.cc}, etc, and when @value{GDBN} enters code compiled from one of
15129 these files, it sets the working language to C or C@t{++}.
15130 @xref{Automatically, ,Having @value{GDBN} Infer the Source Language},
15131 for further details.
15132
15133 @node C Checks
15134 @subsubsection C and C@t{++} Type and Range Checks
15135
15136 @cindex C and C@t{++} checks
15137
15138 By default, when @value{GDBN} parses C or C@t{++} expressions, strict type
15139 checking is used. However, if you turn type checking off, @value{GDBN}
15140 will allow certain non-standard conversions, such as promoting integer
15141 constants to pointers.
15142
15143 Range checking, if turned on, is done on mathematical operations. Array
15144 indices are not checked, since they are often used to index a pointer
15145 that is not itself an array.
15146
15147 @node Debugging C
15148 @subsubsection @value{GDBN} and C
15149
15150 The @code{set print union} and @code{show print union} commands apply to
15151 the @code{union} type. When set to @samp{on}, any @code{union} that is
15152 inside a @code{struct} or @code{class} is also printed. Otherwise, it
15153 appears as @samp{@{...@}}.
15154
15155 The @code{@@} operator aids in the debugging of dynamic arrays, formed
15156 with pointers and a memory allocation function. @xref{Expressions,
15157 ,Expressions}.
15158
15159 @node Debugging C Plus Plus
15160 @subsubsection @value{GDBN} Features for C@t{++}
15161
15162 @cindex commands for C@t{++}
15163
15164 Some @value{GDBN} commands are particularly useful with C@t{++}, and some are
15165 designed specifically for use with C@t{++}. Here is a summary:
15166
15167 @table @code
15168 @cindex break in overloaded functions
15169 @item @r{breakpoint menus}
15170 When you want a breakpoint in a function whose name is overloaded,
15171 @value{GDBN} has the capability to display a menu of possible breakpoint
15172 locations to help you specify which function definition you want.
15173 @xref{Ambiguous Expressions,,Ambiguous Expressions}.
15174
15175 @cindex overloading in C@t{++}
15176 @item rbreak @var{regex}
15177 Setting breakpoints using regular expressions is helpful for setting
15178 breakpoints on overloaded functions that are not members of any special
15179 classes.
15180 @xref{Set Breaks, ,Setting Breakpoints}.
15181
15182 @cindex C@t{++} exception handling
15183 @item catch throw
15184 @itemx catch rethrow
15185 @itemx catch catch
15186 Debug C@t{++} exception handling using these commands. @xref{Set
15187 Catchpoints, , Setting Catchpoints}.
15188
15189 @cindex inheritance
15190 @item ptype @var{typename}
15191 Print inheritance relationships as well as other information for type
15192 @var{typename}.
15193 @xref{Symbols, ,Examining the Symbol Table}.
15194
15195 @item info vtbl @var{expression}.
15196 The @code{info vtbl} command can be used to display the virtual
15197 method tables of the object computed by @var{expression}. This shows
15198 one entry per virtual table; there may be multiple virtual tables when
15199 multiple inheritance is in use.
15200
15201 @cindex C@t{++} demangling
15202 @item demangle @var{name}
15203 Demangle @var{name}.
15204 @xref{Symbols}, for a more complete description of the @code{demangle} command.
15205
15206 @cindex C@t{++} symbol display
15207 @item set print demangle
15208 @itemx show print demangle
15209 @itemx set print asm-demangle
15210 @itemx show print asm-demangle
15211 Control whether C@t{++} symbols display in their source form, both when
15212 displaying code as C@t{++} source and when displaying disassemblies.
15213 @xref{Print Settings, ,Print Settings}.
15214
15215 @item set print object
15216 @itemx show print object
15217 Choose whether to print derived (actual) or declared types of objects.
15218 @xref{Print Settings, ,Print Settings}.
15219
15220 @item set print vtbl
15221 @itemx show print vtbl
15222 Control the format for printing virtual function tables.
15223 @xref{Print Settings, ,Print Settings}.
15224 (The @code{vtbl} commands do not work on programs compiled with the HP
15225 ANSI C@t{++} compiler (@code{aCC}).)
15226
15227 @kindex set overload-resolution
15228 @cindex overloaded functions, overload resolution
15229 @item set overload-resolution on
15230 Enable overload resolution for C@t{++} expression evaluation. The default
15231 is on. For overloaded functions, @value{GDBN} evaluates the arguments
15232 and searches for a function whose signature matches the argument types,
15233 using the standard C@t{++} conversion rules (see @ref{C Plus Plus
15234 Expressions, ,C@t{++} Expressions}, for details).
15235 If it cannot find a match, it emits a message.
15236
15237 @item set overload-resolution off
15238 Disable overload resolution for C@t{++} expression evaluation. For
15239 overloaded functions that are not class member functions, @value{GDBN}
15240 chooses the first function of the specified name that it finds in the
15241 symbol table, whether or not its arguments are of the correct type. For
15242 overloaded functions that are class member functions, @value{GDBN}
15243 searches for a function whose signature @emph{exactly} matches the
15244 argument types.
15245
15246 @kindex show overload-resolution
15247 @item show overload-resolution
15248 Show the current setting of overload resolution.
15249
15250 @item @r{Overloaded symbol names}
15251 You can specify a particular definition of an overloaded symbol, using
15252 the same notation that is used to declare such symbols in C@t{++}: type
15253 @code{@var{symbol}(@var{types})} rather than just @var{symbol}. You can
15254 also use the @value{GDBN} command-line word completion facilities to list the
15255 available choices, or to finish the type list for you.
15256 @xref{Completion,, Command Completion}, for details on how to do this.
15257
15258 @item @r{Breakpoints in functions with ABI tags}
15259
15260 The GNU C@t{++} compiler introduced the notion of ABI ``tags'', which
15261 correspond to changes in the ABI of a type, function, or variable that
15262 would not otherwise be reflected in a mangled name. See
15263 @url{https://developers.redhat.com/blog/2015/02/05/gcc5-and-the-c11-abi/}
15264 for more detail.
15265
15266 The ABI tags are visible in C@t{++} demangled names. For example, a
15267 function that returns a std::string:
15268
15269 @smallexample
15270 std::string function(int);
15271 @end smallexample
15272
15273 @noindent
15274 when compiled for the C++11 ABI is marked with the @code{cxx11} ABI
15275 tag, and @value{GDBN} displays the symbol like this:
15276
15277 @smallexample
15278 function[abi:cxx11](int)
15279 @end smallexample
15280
15281 You can set a breakpoint on such functions simply as if they had no
15282 tag. For example:
15283
15284 @smallexample
15285 (gdb) b function(int)
15286 Breakpoint 2 at 0x40060d: file main.cc, line 10.
15287 (gdb) info breakpoints
15288 Num Type Disp Enb Address What
15289 1 breakpoint keep y 0x0040060d in function[abi:cxx11](int)
15290 at main.cc:10
15291 @end smallexample
15292
15293 On the rare occasion you need to disambiguate between different ABI
15294 tags, you can do so by simply including the ABI tag in the function
15295 name, like:
15296
15297 @smallexample
15298 (@value{GDBP}) b ambiguous[abi:other_tag](int)
15299 @end smallexample
15300 @end table
15301
15302 @node Decimal Floating Point
15303 @subsubsection Decimal Floating Point format
15304 @cindex decimal floating point format
15305
15306 @value{GDBN} can examine, set and perform computations with numbers in
15307 decimal floating point format, which in the C language correspond to the
15308 @code{_Decimal32}, @code{_Decimal64} and @code{_Decimal128} types as
15309 specified by the extension to support decimal floating-point arithmetic.
15310
15311 There are two encodings in use, depending on the architecture: BID (Binary
15312 Integer Decimal) for x86 and x86-64, and DPD (Densely Packed Decimal) for
15313 PowerPC and S/390. @value{GDBN} will use the appropriate encoding for the
15314 configured target.
15315
15316 Because of a limitation in @file{libdecnumber}, the library used by @value{GDBN}
15317 to manipulate decimal floating point numbers, it is not possible to convert
15318 (using a cast, for example) integers wider than 32-bit to decimal float.
15319
15320 In addition, in order to imitate @value{GDBN}'s behaviour with binary floating
15321 point computations, error checking in decimal float operations ignores
15322 underflow, overflow and divide by zero exceptions.
15323
15324 In the PowerPC architecture, @value{GDBN} provides a set of pseudo-registers
15325 to inspect @code{_Decimal128} values stored in floating point registers.
15326 See @ref{PowerPC,,PowerPC} for more details.
15327
15328 @node D
15329 @subsection D
15330
15331 @cindex D
15332 @value{GDBN} can be used to debug programs written in D and compiled with
15333 GDC, LDC or DMD compilers. Currently @value{GDBN} supports only one D
15334 specific feature --- dynamic arrays.
15335
15336 @node Go
15337 @subsection Go
15338
15339 @cindex Go (programming language)
15340 @value{GDBN} can be used to debug programs written in Go and compiled with
15341 @file{gccgo} or @file{6g} compilers.
15342
15343 Here is a summary of the Go-specific features and restrictions:
15344
15345 @table @code
15346 @cindex current Go package
15347 @item The current Go package
15348 The name of the current package does not need to be specified when
15349 specifying global variables and functions.
15350
15351 For example, given the program:
15352
15353 @example
15354 package main
15355 var myglob = "Shall we?"
15356 func main () @{
15357 // ...
15358 @}
15359 @end example
15360
15361 When stopped inside @code{main} either of these work:
15362
15363 @example
15364 (gdb) p myglob
15365 (gdb) p main.myglob
15366 @end example
15367
15368 @cindex builtin Go types
15369 @item Builtin Go types
15370 The @code{string} type is recognized by @value{GDBN} and is printed
15371 as a string.
15372
15373 @cindex builtin Go functions
15374 @item Builtin Go functions
15375 The @value{GDBN} expression parser recognizes the @code{unsafe.Sizeof}
15376 function and handles it internally.
15377
15378 @cindex restrictions on Go expressions
15379 @item Restrictions on Go expressions
15380 All Go operators are supported except @code{&^}.
15381 The Go @code{_} ``blank identifier'' is not supported.
15382 Automatic dereferencing of pointers is not supported.
15383 @end table
15384
15385 @node Objective-C
15386 @subsection Objective-C
15387
15388 @cindex Objective-C
15389 This section provides information about some commands and command
15390 options that are useful for debugging Objective-C code. See also
15391 @ref{Symbols, info classes}, and @ref{Symbols, info selectors}, for a
15392 few more commands specific to Objective-C support.
15393
15394 @menu
15395 * Method Names in Commands::
15396 * The Print Command with Objective-C::
15397 @end menu
15398
15399 @node Method Names in Commands
15400 @subsubsection Method Names in Commands
15401
15402 The following commands have been extended to accept Objective-C method
15403 names as line specifications:
15404
15405 @kindex clear@r{, and Objective-C}
15406 @kindex break@r{, and Objective-C}
15407 @kindex info line@r{, and Objective-C}
15408 @kindex jump@r{, and Objective-C}
15409 @kindex list@r{, and Objective-C}
15410 @itemize
15411 @item @code{clear}
15412 @item @code{break}
15413 @item @code{info line}
15414 @item @code{jump}
15415 @item @code{list}
15416 @end itemize
15417
15418 A fully qualified Objective-C method name is specified as
15419
15420 @smallexample
15421 -[@var{Class} @var{methodName}]
15422 @end smallexample
15423
15424 where the minus sign is used to indicate an instance method and a
15425 plus sign (not shown) is used to indicate a class method. The class
15426 name @var{Class} and method name @var{methodName} are enclosed in
15427 brackets, similar to the way messages are specified in Objective-C
15428 source code. For example, to set a breakpoint at the @code{create}
15429 instance method of class @code{Fruit} in the program currently being
15430 debugged, enter:
15431
15432 @smallexample
15433 break -[Fruit create]
15434 @end smallexample
15435
15436 To list ten program lines around the @code{initialize} class method,
15437 enter:
15438
15439 @smallexample
15440 list +[NSText initialize]
15441 @end smallexample
15442
15443 In the current version of @value{GDBN}, the plus or minus sign is
15444 required. In future versions of @value{GDBN}, the plus or minus
15445 sign will be optional, but you can use it to narrow the search. It
15446 is also possible to specify just a method name:
15447
15448 @smallexample
15449 break create
15450 @end smallexample
15451
15452 You must specify the complete method name, including any colons. If
15453 your program's source files contain more than one @code{create} method,
15454 you'll be presented with a numbered list of classes that implement that
15455 method. Indicate your choice by number, or type @samp{0} to exit if
15456 none apply.
15457
15458 As another example, to clear a breakpoint established at the
15459 @code{makeKeyAndOrderFront:} method of the @code{NSWindow} class, enter:
15460
15461 @smallexample
15462 clear -[NSWindow makeKeyAndOrderFront:]
15463 @end smallexample
15464
15465 @node The Print Command with Objective-C
15466 @subsubsection The Print Command With Objective-C
15467 @cindex Objective-C, print objects
15468 @kindex print-object
15469 @kindex po @r{(@code{print-object})}
15470
15471 The print command has also been extended to accept methods. For example:
15472
15473 @smallexample
15474 print -[@var{object} hash]
15475 @end smallexample
15476
15477 @cindex print an Objective-C object description
15478 @cindex @code{_NSPrintForDebugger}, and printing Objective-C objects
15479 @noindent
15480 will tell @value{GDBN} to send the @code{hash} message to @var{object}
15481 and print the result. Also, an additional command has been added,
15482 @code{print-object} or @code{po} for short, which is meant to print
15483 the description of an object. However, this command may only work
15484 with certain Objective-C libraries that have a particular hook
15485 function, @code{_NSPrintForDebugger}, defined.
15486
15487 @node OpenCL C
15488 @subsection OpenCL C
15489
15490 @cindex OpenCL C
15491 This section provides information about @value{GDBN}s OpenCL C support.
15492
15493 @menu
15494 * OpenCL C Datatypes::
15495 * OpenCL C Expressions::
15496 * OpenCL C Operators::
15497 @end menu
15498
15499 @node OpenCL C Datatypes
15500 @subsubsection OpenCL C Datatypes
15501
15502 @cindex OpenCL C Datatypes
15503 @value{GDBN} supports the builtin scalar and vector datatypes specified
15504 by OpenCL 1.1. In addition the half- and double-precision floating point
15505 data types of the @code{cl_khr_fp16} and @code{cl_khr_fp64} OpenCL
15506 extensions are also known to @value{GDBN}.
15507
15508 @node OpenCL C Expressions
15509 @subsubsection OpenCL C Expressions
15510
15511 @cindex OpenCL C Expressions
15512 @value{GDBN} supports accesses to vector components including the access as
15513 lvalue where possible. Since OpenCL C is based on C99 most C expressions
15514 supported by @value{GDBN} can be used as well.
15515
15516 @node OpenCL C Operators
15517 @subsubsection OpenCL C Operators
15518
15519 @cindex OpenCL C Operators
15520 @value{GDBN} supports the operators specified by OpenCL 1.1 for scalar and
15521 vector data types.
15522
15523 @node Fortran
15524 @subsection Fortran
15525 @cindex Fortran-specific support in @value{GDBN}
15526
15527 @value{GDBN} can be used to debug programs written in Fortran, but it
15528 currently supports only the features of Fortran 77 language.
15529
15530 @cindex trailing underscore, in Fortran symbols
15531 Some Fortran compilers (@sc{gnu} Fortran 77 and Fortran 95 compilers
15532 among them) append an underscore to the names of variables and
15533 functions. When you debug programs compiled by those compilers, you
15534 will need to refer to variables and functions with a trailing
15535 underscore.
15536
15537 @menu
15538 * Fortran Operators:: Fortran operators and expressions
15539 * Fortran Defaults:: Default settings for Fortran
15540 * Special Fortran Commands:: Special @value{GDBN} commands for Fortran
15541 @end menu
15542
15543 @node Fortran Operators
15544 @subsubsection Fortran Operators and Expressions
15545
15546 @cindex Fortran operators and expressions
15547
15548 Operators must be defined on values of specific types. For instance,
15549 @code{+} is defined on numbers, but not on characters or other non-
15550 arithmetic types. Operators are often defined on groups of types.
15551
15552 @table @code
15553 @item **
15554 The exponentiation operator. It raises the first operand to the power
15555 of the second one.
15556
15557 @item :
15558 The range operator. Normally used in the form of array(low:high) to
15559 represent a section of array.
15560
15561 @item %
15562 The access component operator. Normally used to access elements in derived
15563 types. Also suitable for unions. As unions aren't part of regular Fortran,
15564 this can only happen when accessing a register that uses a gdbarch-defined
15565 union type.
15566 @end table
15567
15568 @node Fortran Defaults
15569 @subsubsection Fortran Defaults
15570
15571 @cindex Fortran Defaults
15572
15573 Fortran symbols are usually case-insensitive, so @value{GDBN} by
15574 default uses case-insensitive matches for Fortran symbols. You can
15575 change that with the @samp{set case-insensitive} command, see
15576 @ref{Symbols}, for the details.
15577
15578 @node Special Fortran Commands
15579 @subsubsection Special Fortran Commands
15580
15581 @cindex Special Fortran commands
15582
15583 @value{GDBN} has some commands to support Fortran-specific features,
15584 such as displaying common blocks.
15585
15586 @table @code
15587 @cindex @code{COMMON} blocks, Fortran
15588 @kindex info common
15589 @item info common @r{[}@var{common-name}@r{]}
15590 This command prints the values contained in the Fortran @code{COMMON}
15591 block whose name is @var{common-name}. With no argument, the names of
15592 all @code{COMMON} blocks visible at the current program location are
15593 printed.
15594 @end table
15595
15596 @node Pascal
15597 @subsection Pascal
15598
15599 @cindex Pascal support in @value{GDBN}, limitations
15600 Debugging Pascal programs which use sets, subranges, file variables, or
15601 nested functions does not currently work. @value{GDBN} does not support
15602 entering expressions, printing values, or similar features using Pascal
15603 syntax.
15604
15605 The Pascal-specific command @code{set print pascal_static-members}
15606 controls whether static members of Pascal objects are displayed.
15607 @xref{Print Settings, pascal_static-members}.
15608
15609 @node Rust
15610 @subsection Rust
15611
15612 @value{GDBN} supports the @url{https://www.rust-lang.org/, Rust
15613 Programming Language}. Type- and value-printing, and expression
15614 parsing, are reasonably complete. However, there are a few
15615 peculiarities and holes to be aware of.
15616
15617 @itemize @bullet
15618 @item
15619 Linespecs (@pxref{Specify Location}) are never relative to the current
15620 crate. Instead, they act as if there were a global namespace of
15621 crates, somewhat similar to the way @code{extern crate} behaves.
15622
15623 That is, if @value{GDBN} is stopped at a breakpoint in a function in
15624 crate @samp{A}, module @samp{B}, then @code{break B::f} will attempt
15625 to set a breakpoint in a function named @samp{f} in a crate named
15626 @samp{B}.
15627
15628 As a consequence of this approach, linespecs also cannot refer to
15629 items using @samp{self::} or @samp{super::}.
15630
15631 @item
15632 Because @value{GDBN} implements Rust name-lookup semantics in
15633 expressions, it will sometimes prepend the current crate to a name.
15634 For example, if @value{GDBN} is stopped at a breakpoint in the crate
15635 @samp{K}, then @code{print ::x::y} will try to find the symbol
15636 @samp{K::x::y}.
15637
15638 However, since it is useful to be able to refer to other crates when
15639 debugging, @value{GDBN} provides the @code{extern} extension to
15640 circumvent this. To use the extension, just put @code{extern} before
15641 a path expression to refer to the otherwise unavailable ``global''
15642 scope.
15643
15644 In the above example, if you wanted to refer to the symbol @samp{y} in
15645 the crate @samp{x}, you would use @code{print extern x::y}.
15646
15647 @item
15648 The Rust expression evaluator does not support ``statement-like''
15649 expressions such as @code{if} or @code{match}, or lambda expressions.
15650
15651 @item
15652 Tuple expressions are not implemented.
15653
15654 @item
15655 The Rust expression evaluator does not currently implement the
15656 @code{Drop} trait. Objects that may be created by the evaluator will
15657 never be destroyed.
15658
15659 @item
15660 @value{GDBN} does not implement type inference for generics. In order
15661 to call generic functions or otherwise refer to generic items, you
15662 will have to specify the type parameters manually.
15663
15664 @item
15665 @value{GDBN} currently uses the C@t{++} demangler for Rust. In most
15666 cases this does not cause any problems. However, in an expression
15667 context, completing a generic function name will give syntactically
15668 invalid results. This happens because Rust requires the @samp{::}
15669 operator between the function name and its generic arguments. For
15670 example, @value{GDBN} might provide a completion like
15671 @code{crate::f<u32>}, where the parser would require
15672 @code{crate::f::<u32>}.
15673
15674 @item
15675 As of this writing, the Rust compiler (version 1.8) has a few holes in
15676 the debugging information it generates. These holes prevent certain
15677 features from being implemented by @value{GDBN}:
15678 @itemize @bullet
15679
15680 @item
15681 Method calls cannot be made via traits.
15682
15683 @item
15684 Operator overloading is not implemented.
15685
15686 @item
15687 When debugging in a monomorphized function, you cannot use the generic
15688 type names.
15689
15690 @item
15691 The type @code{Self} is not available.
15692
15693 @item
15694 @code{use} statements are not available, so some names may not be
15695 available in the crate.
15696 @end itemize
15697 @end itemize
15698
15699 @node Modula-2
15700 @subsection Modula-2
15701
15702 @cindex Modula-2, @value{GDBN} support
15703
15704 The extensions made to @value{GDBN} to support Modula-2 only support
15705 output from the @sc{gnu} Modula-2 compiler (which is currently being
15706 developed). Other Modula-2 compilers are not currently supported, and
15707 attempting to debug executables produced by them is most likely
15708 to give an error as @value{GDBN} reads in the executable's symbol
15709 table.
15710
15711 @cindex expressions in Modula-2
15712 @menu
15713 * M2 Operators:: Built-in operators
15714 * Built-In Func/Proc:: Built-in functions and procedures
15715 * M2 Constants:: Modula-2 constants
15716 * M2 Types:: Modula-2 types
15717 * M2 Defaults:: Default settings for Modula-2
15718 * Deviations:: Deviations from standard Modula-2
15719 * M2 Checks:: Modula-2 type and range checks
15720 * M2 Scope:: The scope operators @code{::} and @code{.}
15721 * GDB/M2:: @value{GDBN} and Modula-2
15722 @end menu
15723
15724 @node M2 Operators
15725 @subsubsection Operators
15726 @cindex Modula-2 operators
15727
15728 Operators must be defined on values of specific types. For instance,
15729 @code{+} is defined on numbers, but not on structures. Operators are
15730 often defined on groups of types. For the purposes of Modula-2, the
15731 following definitions hold:
15732
15733 @itemize @bullet
15734
15735 @item
15736 @emph{Integral types} consist of @code{INTEGER}, @code{CARDINAL}, and
15737 their subranges.
15738
15739 @item
15740 @emph{Character types} consist of @code{CHAR} and its subranges.
15741
15742 @item
15743 @emph{Floating-point types} consist of @code{REAL}.
15744
15745 @item
15746 @emph{Pointer types} consist of anything declared as @code{POINTER TO
15747 @var{type}}.
15748
15749 @item
15750 @emph{Scalar types} consist of all of the above.
15751
15752 @item
15753 @emph{Set types} consist of @code{SET} and @code{BITSET} types.
15754
15755 @item
15756 @emph{Boolean types} consist of @code{BOOLEAN}.
15757 @end itemize
15758
15759 @noindent
15760 The following operators are supported, and appear in order of
15761 increasing precedence:
15762
15763 @table @code
15764 @item ,
15765 Function argument or array index separator.
15766
15767 @item :=
15768 Assignment. The value of @var{var} @code{:=} @var{value} is
15769 @var{value}.
15770
15771 @item <@r{, }>
15772 Less than, greater than on integral, floating-point, or enumerated
15773 types.
15774
15775 @item <=@r{, }>=
15776 Less than or equal to, greater than or equal to
15777 on integral, floating-point and enumerated types, or set inclusion on
15778 set types. Same precedence as @code{<}.
15779
15780 @item =@r{, }<>@r{, }#
15781 Equality and two ways of expressing inequality, valid on scalar types.
15782 Same precedence as @code{<}. In @value{GDBN} scripts, only @code{<>} is
15783 available for inequality, since @code{#} conflicts with the script
15784 comment character.
15785
15786 @item IN
15787 Set membership. Defined on set types and the types of their members.
15788 Same precedence as @code{<}.
15789
15790 @item OR
15791 Boolean disjunction. Defined on boolean types.
15792
15793 @item AND@r{, }&
15794 Boolean conjunction. Defined on boolean types.
15795
15796 @item @@
15797 The @value{GDBN} ``artificial array'' operator (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}).
15798
15799 @item +@r{, }-
15800 Addition and subtraction on integral and floating-point types, or union
15801 and difference on set types.
15802
15803 @item *
15804 Multiplication on integral and floating-point types, or set intersection
15805 on set types.
15806
15807 @item /
15808 Division on floating-point types, or symmetric set difference on set
15809 types. Same precedence as @code{*}.
15810
15811 @item DIV@r{, }MOD
15812 Integer division and remainder. Defined on integral types. Same
15813 precedence as @code{*}.
15814
15815 @item -
15816 Negative. Defined on @code{INTEGER} and @code{REAL} data.
15817
15818 @item ^
15819 Pointer dereferencing. Defined on pointer types.
15820
15821 @item NOT
15822 Boolean negation. Defined on boolean types. Same precedence as
15823 @code{^}.
15824
15825 @item .
15826 @code{RECORD} field selector. Defined on @code{RECORD} data. Same
15827 precedence as @code{^}.
15828
15829 @item []
15830 Array indexing. Defined on @code{ARRAY} data. Same precedence as @code{^}.
15831
15832 @item ()
15833 Procedure argument list. Defined on @code{PROCEDURE} objects. Same precedence
15834 as @code{^}.
15835
15836 @item ::@r{, }.
15837 @value{GDBN} and Modula-2 scope operators.
15838 @end table
15839
15840 @quotation
15841 @emph{Warning:} Set expressions and their operations are not yet supported, so @value{GDBN}
15842 treats the use of the operator @code{IN}, or the use of operators
15843 @code{+}, @code{-}, @code{*}, @code{/}, @code{=}, , @code{<>}, @code{#},
15844 @code{<=}, and @code{>=} on sets as an error.
15845 @end quotation
15846
15847
15848 @node Built-In Func/Proc
15849 @subsubsection Built-in Functions and Procedures
15850 @cindex Modula-2 built-ins
15851
15852 Modula-2 also makes available several built-in procedures and functions.
15853 In describing these, the following metavariables are used:
15854
15855 @table @var
15856
15857 @item a
15858 represents an @code{ARRAY} variable.
15859
15860 @item c
15861 represents a @code{CHAR} constant or variable.
15862
15863 @item i
15864 represents a variable or constant of integral type.
15865
15866 @item m
15867 represents an identifier that belongs to a set. Generally used in the
15868 same function with the metavariable @var{s}. The type of @var{s} should
15869 be @code{SET OF @var{mtype}} (where @var{mtype} is the type of @var{m}).
15870
15871 @item n
15872 represents a variable or constant of integral or floating-point type.
15873
15874 @item r
15875 represents a variable or constant of floating-point type.
15876
15877 @item t
15878 represents a type.
15879
15880 @item v
15881 represents a variable.
15882
15883 @item x
15884 represents a variable or constant of one of many types. See the
15885 explanation of the function for details.
15886 @end table
15887
15888 All Modula-2 built-in procedures also return a result, described below.
15889
15890 @table @code
15891 @item ABS(@var{n})
15892 Returns the absolute value of @var{n}.
15893
15894 @item CAP(@var{c})
15895 If @var{c} is a lower case letter, it returns its upper case
15896 equivalent, otherwise it returns its argument.
15897
15898 @item CHR(@var{i})
15899 Returns the character whose ordinal value is @var{i}.
15900
15901 @item DEC(@var{v})
15902 Decrements the value in the variable @var{v} by one. Returns the new value.
15903
15904 @item DEC(@var{v},@var{i})
15905 Decrements the value in the variable @var{v} by @var{i}. Returns the
15906 new value.
15907
15908 @item EXCL(@var{m},@var{s})
15909 Removes the element @var{m} from the set @var{s}. Returns the new
15910 set.
15911
15912 @item FLOAT(@var{i})
15913 Returns the floating point equivalent of the integer @var{i}.
15914
15915 @item HIGH(@var{a})
15916 Returns the index of the last member of @var{a}.
15917
15918 @item INC(@var{v})
15919 Increments the value in the variable @var{v} by one. Returns the new value.
15920
15921 @item INC(@var{v},@var{i})
15922 Increments the value in the variable @var{v} by @var{i}. Returns the
15923 new value.
15924
15925 @item INCL(@var{m},@var{s})
15926 Adds the element @var{m} to the set @var{s} if it is not already
15927 there. Returns the new set.
15928
15929 @item MAX(@var{t})
15930 Returns the maximum value of the type @var{t}.
15931
15932 @item MIN(@var{t})
15933 Returns the minimum value of the type @var{t}.
15934
15935 @item ODD(@var{i})
15936 Returns boolean TRUE if @var{i} is an odd number.
15937
15938 @item ORD(@var{x})
15939 Returns the ordinal value of its argument. For example, the ordinal
15940 value of a character is its @sc{ascii} value (on machines supporting
15941 the @sc{ascii} character set). The argument @var{x} must be of an
15942 ordered type, which include integral, character and enumerated types.
15943
15944 @item SIZE(@var{x})
15945 Returns the size of its argument. The argument @var{x} can be a
15946 variable or a type.
15947
15948 @item TRUNC(@var{r})
15949 Returns the integral part of @var{r}.
15950
15951 @item TSIZE(@var{x})
15952 Returns the size of its argument. The argument @var{x} can be a
15953 variable or a type.
15954
15955 @item VAL(@var{t},@var{i})
15956 Returns the member of the type @var{t} whose ordinal value is @var{i}.
15957 @end table
15958
15959 @quotation
15960 @emph{Warning:} Sets and their operations are not yet supported, so
15961 @value{GDBN} treats the use of procedures @code{INCL} and @code{EXCL} as
15962 an error.
15963 @end quotation
15964
15965 @cindex Modula-2 constants
15966 @node M2 Constants
15967 @subsubsection Constants
15968
15969 @value{GDBN} allows you to express the constants of Modula-2 in the following
15970 ways:
15971
15972 @itemize @bullet
15973
15974 @item
15975 Integer constants are simply a sequence of digits. When used in an
15976 expression, a constant is interpreted to be type-compatible with the
15977 rest of the expression. Hexadecimal integers are specified by a
15978 trailing @samp{H}, and octal integers by a trailing @samp{B}.
15979
15980 @item
15981 Floating point constants appear as a sequence of digits, followed by a
15982 decimal point and another sequence of digits. An optional exponent can
15983 then be specified, in the form @samp{E@r{[}+@r{|}-@r{]}@var{nnn}}, where
15984 @samp{@r{[}+@r{|}-@r{]}@var{nnn}} is the desired exponent. All of the
15985 digits of the floating point constant must be valid decimal (base 10)
15986 digits.
15987
15988 @item
15989 Character constants consist of a single character enclosed by a pair of
15990 like quotes, either single (@code{'}) or double (@code{"}). They may
15991 also be expressed by their ordinal value (their @sc{ascii} value, usually)
15992 followed by a @samp{C}.
15993
15994 @item
15995 String constants consist of a sequence of characters enclosed by a
15996 pair of like quotes, either single (@code{'}) or double (@code{"}).
15997 Escape sequences in the style of C are also allowed. @xref{C
15998 Constants, ,C and C@t{++} Constants}, for a brief explanation of escape
15999 sequences.
16000
16001 @item
16002 Enumerated constants consist of an enumerated identifier.
16003
16004 @item
16005 Boolean constants consist of the identifiers @code{TRUE} and
16006 @code{FALSE}.
16007
16008 @item
16009 Pointer constants consist of integral values only.
16010
16011 @item
16012 Set constants are not yet supported.
16013 @end itemize
16014
16015 @node M2 Types
16016 @subsubsection Modula-2 Types
16017 @cindex Modula-2 types
16018
16019 Currently @value{GDBN} can print the following data types in Modula-2
16020 syntax: array types, record types, set types, pointer types, procedure
16021 types, enumerated types, subrange types and base types. You can also
16022 print the contents of variables declared using these type.
16023 This section gives a number of simple source code examples together with
16024 sample @value{GDBN} sessions.
16025
16026 The first example contains the following section of code:
16027
16028 @smallexample
16029 VAR
16030 s: SET OF CHAR ;
16031 r: [20..40] ;
16032 @end smallexample
16033
16034 @noindent
16035 and you can request @value{GDBN} to interrogate the type and value of
16036 @code{r} and @code{s}.
16037
16038 @smallexample
16039 (@value{GDBP}) print s
16040 @{'A'..'C', 'Z'@}
16041 (@value{GDBP}) ptype s
16042 SET OF CHAR
16043 (@value{GDBP}) print r
16044 21
16045 (@value{GDBP}) ptype r
16046 [20..40]
16047 @end smallexample
16048
16049 @noindent
16050 Likewise if your source code declares @code{s} as:
16051
16052 @smallexample
16053 VAR
16054 s: SET ['A'..'Z'] ;
16055 @end smallexample
16056
16057 @noindent
16058 then you may query the type of @code{s} by:
16059
16060 @smallexample
16061 (@value{GDBP}) ptype s
16062 type = SET ['A'..'Z']
16063 @end smallexample
16064
16065 @noindent
16066 Note that at present you cannot interactively manipulate set
16067 expressions using the debugger.
16068
16069 The following example shows how you might declare an array in Modula-2
16070 and how you can interact with @value{GDBN} to print its type and contents:
16071
16072 @smallexample
16073 VAR
16074 s: ARRAY [-10..10] OF CHAR ;
16075 @end smallexample
16076
16077 @smallexample
16078 (@value{GDBP}) ptype s
16079 ARRAY [-10..10] OF CHAR
16080 @end smallexample
16081
16082 Note that the array handling is not yet complete and although the type
16083 is printed correctly, expression handling still assumes that all
16084 arrays have a lower bound of zero and not @code{-10} as in the example
16085 above.
16086
16087 Here are some more type related Modula-2 examples:
16088
16089 @smallexample
16090 TYPE
16091 colour = (blue, red, yellow, green) ;
16092 t = [blue..yellow] ;
16093 VAR
16094 s: t ;
16095 BEGIN
16096 s := blue ;
16097 @end smallexample
16098
16099 @noindent
16100 The @value{GDBN} interaction shows how you can query the data type
16101 and value of a variable.
16102
16103 @smallexample
16104 (@value{GDBP}) print s
16105 $1 = blue
16106 (@value{GDBP}) ptype t
16107 type = [blue..yellow]
16108 @end smallexample
16109
16110 @noindent
16111 In this example a Modula-2 array is declared and its contents
16112 displayed. Observe that the contents are written in the same way as
16113 their @code{C} counterparts.
16114
16115 @smallexample
16116 VAR
16117 s: ARRAY [1..5] OF CARDINAL ;
16118 BEGIN
16119 s[1] := 1 ;
16120 @end smallexample
16121
16122 @smallexample
16123 (@value{GDBP}) print s
16124 $1 = @{1, 0, 0, 0, 0@}
16125 (@value{GDBP}) ptype s
16126 type = ARRAY [1..5] OF CARDINAL
16127 @end smallexample
16128
16129 The Modula-2 language interface to @value{GDBN} also understands
16130 pointer types as shown in this example:
16131
16132 @smallexample
16133 VAR
16134 s: POINTER TO ARRAY [1..5] OF CARDINAL ;
16135 BEGIN
16136 NEW(s) ;
16137 s^[1] := 1 ;
16138 @end smallexample
16139
16140 @noindent
16141 and you can request that @value{GDBN} describes the type of @code{s}.
16142
16143 @smallexample
16144 (@value{GDBP}) ptype s
16145 type = POINTER TO ARRAY [1..5] OF CARDINAL
16146 @end smallexample
16147
16148 @value{GDBN} handles compound types as we can see in this example.
16149 Here we combine array types, record types, pointer types and subrange
16150 types:
16151
16152 @smallexample
16153 TYPE
16154 foo = RECORD
16155 f1: CARDINAL ;
16156 f2: CHAR ;
16157 f3: myarray ;
16158 END ;
16159
16160 myarray = ARRAY myrange OF CARDINAL ;
16161 myrange = [-2..2] ;
16162 VAR
16163 s: POINTER TO ARRAY myrange OF foo ;
16164 @end smallexample
16165
16166 @noindent
16167 and you can ask @value{GDBN} to describe the type of @code{s} as shown
16168 below.
16169
16170 @smallexample
16171 (@value{GDBP}) ptype s
16172 type = POINTER TO ARRAY [-2..2] OF foo = RECORD
16173 f1 : CARDINAL;
16174 f2 : CHAR;
16175 f3 : ARRAY [-2..2] OF CARDINAL;
16176 END
16177 @end smallexample
16178
16179 @node M2 Defaults
16180 @subsubsection Modula-2 Defaults
16181 @cindex Modula-2 defaults
16182
16183 If type and range checking are set automatically by @value{GDBN}, they
16184 both default to @code{on} whenever the working language changes to
16185 Modula-2. This happens regardless of whether you or @value{GDBN}
16186 selected the working language.
16187
16188 If you allow @value{GDBN} to set the language automatically, then entering
16189 code compiled from a file whose name ends with @file{.mod} sets the
16190 working language to Modula-2. @xref{Automatically, ,Having @value{GDBN}
16191 Infer the Source Language}, for further details.
16192
16193 @node Deviations
16194 @subsubsection Deviations from Standard Modula-2
16195 @cindex Modula-2, deviations from
16196
16197 A few changes have been made to make Modula-2 programs easier to debug.
16198 This is done primarily via loosening its type strictness:
16199
16200 @itemize @bullet
16201 @item
16202 Unlike in standard Modula-2, pointer constants can be formed by
16203 integers. This allows you to modify pointer variables during
16204 debugging. (In standard Modula-2, the actual address contained in a
16205 pointer variable is hidden from you; it can only be modified
16206 through direct assignment to another pointer variable or expression that
16207 returned a pointer.)
16208
16209 @item
16210 C escape sequences can be used in strings and characters to represent
16211 non-printable characters. @value{GDBN} prints out strings with these
16212 escape sequences embedded. Single non-printable characters are
16213 printed using the @samp{CHR(@var{nnn})} format.
16214
16215 @item
16216 The assignment operator (@code{:=}) returns the value of its right-hand
16217 argument.
16218
16219 @item
16220 All built-in procedures both modify @emph{and} return their argument.
16221 @end itemize
16222
16223 @node M2 Checks
16224 @subsubsection Modula-2 Type and Range Checks
16225 @cindex Modula-2 checks
16226
16227 @quotation
16228 @emph{Warning:} in this release, @value{GDBN} does not yet perform type or
16229 range checking.
16230 @end quotation
16231 @c FIXME remove warning when type/range checks added
16232
16233 @value{GDBN} considers two Modula-2 variables type equivalent if:
16234
16235 @itemize @bullet
16236 @item
16237 They are of types that have been declared equivalent via a @code{TYPE
16238 @var{t1} = @var{t2}} statement
16239
16240 @item
16241 They have been declared on the same line. (Note: This is true of the
16242 @sc{gnu} Modula-2 compiler, but it may not be true of other compilers.)
16243 @end itemize
16244
16245 As long as type checking is enabled, any attempt to combine variables
16246 whose types are not equivalent is an error.
16247
16248 Range checking is done on all mathematical operations, assignment, array
16249 index bounds, and all built-in functions and procedures.
16250
16251 @node M2 Scope
16252 @subsubsection The Scope Operators @code{::} and @code{.}
16253 @cindex scope
16254 @cindex @code{.}, Modula-2 scope operator
16255 @cindex colon, doubled as scope operator
16256 @ifinfo
16257 @vindex colon-colon@r{, in Modula-2}
16258 @c Info cannot handle :: but TeX can.
16259 @end ifinfo
16260 @ifnotinfo
16261 @vindex ::@r{, in Modula-2}
16262 @end ifnotinfo
16263
16264 There are a few subtle differences between the Modula-2 scope operator
16265 (@code{.}) and the @value{GDBN} scope operator (@code{::}). The two have
16266 similar syntax:
16267
16268 @smallexample
16269
16270 @var{module} . @var{id}
16271 @var{scope} :: @var{id}
16272 @end smallexample
16273
16274 @noindent
16275 where @var{scope} is the name of a module or a procedure,
16276 @var{module} the name of a module, and @var{id} is any declared
16277 identifier within your program, except another module.
16278
16279 Using the @code{::} operator makes @value{GDBN} search the scope
16280 specified by @var{scope} for the identifier @var{id}. If it is not
16281 found in the specified scope, then @value{GDBN} searches all scopes
16282 enclosing the one specified by @var{scope}.
16283
16284 Using the @code{.} operator makes @value{GDBN} search the current scope for
16285 the identifier specified by @var{id} that was imported from the
16286 definition module specified by @var{module}. With this operator, it is
16287 an error if the identifier @var{id} was not imported from definition
16288 module @var{module}, or if @var{id} is not an identifier in
16289 @var{module}.
16290
16291 @node GDB/M2
16292 @subsubsection @value{GDBN} and Modula-2
16293
16294 Some @value{GDBN} commands have little use when debugging Modula-2 programs.
16295 Five subcommands of @code{set print} and @code{show print} apply
16296 specifically to C and C@t{++}: @samp{vtbl}, @samp{demangle},
16297 @samp{asm-demangle}, @samp{object}, and @samp{union}. The first four
16298 apply to C@t{++}, and the last to the C @code{union} type, which has no direct
16299 analogue in Modula-2.
16300
16301 The @code{@@} operator (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}), while available
16302 with any language, is not useful with Modula-2. Its
16303 intent is to aid the debugging of @dfn{dynamic arrays}, which cannot be
16304 created in Modula-2 as they can in C or C@t{++}. However, because an
16305 address can be specified by an integral constant, the construct
16306 @samp{@{@var{type}@}@var{adrexp}} is still useful.
16307
16308 @cindex @code{#} in Modula-2
16309 In @value{GDBN} scripts, the Modula-2 inequality operator @code{#} is
16310 interpreted as the beginning of a comment. Use @code{<>} instead.
16311
16312 @node Ada
16313 @subsection Ada
16314 @cindex Ada
16315
16316 The extensions made to @value{GDBN} for Ada only support
16317 output from the @sc{gnu} Ada (GNAT) compiler.
16318 Other Ada compilers are not currently supported, and
16319 attempting to debug executables produced by them is most likely
16320 to be difficult.
16321
16322
16323 @cindex expressions in Ada
16324 @menu
16325 * Ada Mode Intro:: General remarks on the Ada syntax
16326 and semantics supported by Ada mode
16327 in @value{GDBN}.
16328 * Omissions from Ada:: Restrictions on the Ada expression syntax.
16329 * Additions to Ada:: Extensions of the Ada expression syntax.
16330 * Overloading support for Ada:: Support for expressions involving overloaded
16331 subprograms.
16332 * Stopping Before Main Program:: Debugging the program during elaboration.
16333 * Ada Exceptions:: Ada Exceptions
16334 * Ada Tasks:: Listing and setting breakpoints in tasks.
16335 * Ada Tasks and Core Files:: Tasking Support when Debugging Core Files
16336 * Ravenscar Profile:: Tasking Support when using the Ravenscar
16337 Profile
16338 * Ada Settings:: New settable GDB parameters for Ada.
16339 * Ada Glitches:: Known peculiarities of Ada mode.
16340 @end menu
16341
16342 @node Ada Mode Intro
16343 @subsubsection Introduction
16344 @cindex Ada mode, general
16345
16346 The Ada mode of @value{GDBN} supports a fairly large subset of Ada expression
16347 syntax, with some extensions.
16348 The philosophy behind the design of this subset is
16349
16350 @itemize @bullet
16351 @item
16352 That @value{GDBN} should provide basic literals and access to operations for
16353 arithmetic, dereferencing, field selection, indexing, and subprogram calls,
16354 leaving more sophisticated computations to subprograms written into the
16355 program (which therefore may be called from @value{GDBN}).
16356
16357 @item
16358 That type safety and strict adherence to Ada language restrictions
16359 are not particularly important to the @value{GDBN} user.
16360
16361 @item
16362 That brevity is important to the @value{GDBN} user.
16363 @end itemize
16364
16365 Thus, for brevity, the debugger acts as if all names declared in
16366 user-written packages are directly visible, even if they are not visible
16367 according to Ada rules, thus making it unnecessary to fully qualify most
16368 names with their packages, regardless of context. Where this causes
16369 ambiguity, @value{GDBN} asks the user's intent.
16370
16371 The debugger will start in Ada mode if it detects an Ada main program.
16372 As for other languages, it will enter Ada mode when stopped in a program that
16373 was translated from an Ada source file.
16374
16375 While in Ada mode, you may use `@t{--}' for comments. This is useful
16376 mostly for documenting command files. The standard @value{GDBN} comment
16377 (@samp{#}) still works at the beginning of a line in Ada mode, but not in the
16378 middle (to allow based literals).
16379
16380 @node Omissions from Ada
16381 @subsubsection Omissions from Ada
16382 @cindex Ada, omissions from
16383
16384 Here are the notable omissions from the subset:
16385
16386 @itemize @bullet
16387 @item
16388 Only a subset of the attributes are supported:
16389
16390 @itemize @minus
16391 @item
16392 @t{'First}, @t{'Last}, and @t{'Length}
16393 on array objects (not on types and subtypes).
16394
16395 @item
16396 @t{'Min} and @t{'Max}.
16397
16398 @item
16399 @t{'Pos} and @t{'Val}.
16400
16401 @item
16402 @t{'Tag}.
16403
16404 @item
16405 @t{'Range} on array objects (not subtypes), but only as the right
16406 operand of the membership (@code{in}) operator.
16407
16408 @item
16409 @t{'Access}, @t{'Unchecked_Access}, and
16410 @t{'Unrestricted_Access} (a GNAT extension).
16411
16412 @item
16413 @t{'Address}.
16414 @end itemize
16415
16416 @item
16417 The names in
16418 @code{Characters.Latin_1} are not available and
16419 concatenation is not implemented. Thus, escape characters in strings are
16420 not currently available.
16421
16422 @item
16423 Equality tests (@samp{=} and @samp{/=}) on arrays test for bitwise
16424 equality of representations. They will generally work correctly
16425 for strings and arrays whose elements have integer or enumeration types.
16426 They may not work correctly for arrays whose element
16427 types have user-defined equality, for arrays of real values
16428 (in particular, IEEE-conformant floating point, because of negative
16429 zeroes and NaNs), and for arrays whose elements contain unused bits with
16430 indeterminate values.
16431
16432 @item
16433 The other component-by-component array operations (@code{and}, @code{or},
16434 @code{xor}, @code{not}, and relational tests other than equality)
16435 are not implemented.
16436
16437 @item
16438 @cindex array aggregates (Ada)
16439 @cindex record aggregates (Ada)
16440 @cindex aggregates (Ada)
16441 There is limited support for array and record aggregates. They are
16442 permitted only on the right sides of assignments, as in these examples:
16443
16444 @smallexample
16445 (@value{GDBP}) set An_Array := (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
16446 (@value{GDBP}) set An_Array := (1, others => 0)
16447 (@value{GDBP}) set An_Array := (0|4 => 1, 1..3 => 2, 5 => 6)
16448 (@value{GDBP}) set A_2D_Array := ((1, 2, 3), (4, 5, 6), (7, 8, 9))
16449 (@value{GDBP}) set A_Record := (1, "Peter", True);
16450 (@value{GDBP}) set A_Record := (Name => "Peter", Id => 1, Alive => True)
16451 @end smallexample
16452
16453 Changing a
16454 discriminant's value by assigning an aggregate has an
16455 undefined effect if that discriminant is used within the record.
16456 However, you can first modify discriminants by directly assigning to
16457 them (which normally would not be allowed in Ada), and then performing an
16458 aggregate assignment. For example, given a variable @code{A_Rec}
16459 declared to have a type such as:
16460
16461 @smallexample
16462 type Rec (Len : Small_Integer := 0) is record
16463 Id : Integer;
16464 Vals : IntArray (1 .. Len);
16465 end record;
16466 @end smallexample
16467
16468 you can assign a value with a different size of @code{Vals} with two
16469 assignments:
16470
16471 @smallexample
16472 (@value{GDBP}) set A_Rec.Len := 4
16473 (@value{GDBP}) set A_Rec := (Id => 42, Vals => (1, 2, 3, 4))
16474 @end smallexample
16475
16476 As this example also illustrates, @value{GDBN} is very loose about the usual
16477 rules concerning aggregates. You may leave out some of the
16478 components of an array or record aggregate (such as the @code{Len}
16479 component in the assignment to @code{A_Rec} above); they will retain their
16480 original values upon assignment. You may freely use dynamic values as
16481 indices in component associations. You may even use overlapping or
16482 redundant component associations, although which component values are
16483 assigned in such cases is not defined.
16484
16485 @item
16486 Calls to dispatching subprograms are not implemented.
16487
16488 @item
16489 The overloading algorithm is much more limited (i.e., less selective)
16490 than that of real Ada. It makes only limited use of the context in
16491 which a subexpression appears to resolve its meaning, and it is much
16492 looser in its rules for allowing type matches. As a result, some
16493 function calls will be ambiguous, and the user will be asked to choose
16494 the proper resolution.
16495
16496 @item
16497 The @code{new} operator is not implemented.
16498
16499 @item
16500 Entry calls are not implemented.
16501
16502 @item
16503 Aside from printing, arithmetic operations on the native VAX floating-point
16504 formats are not supported.
16505
16506 @item
16507 It is not possible to slice a packed array.
16508
16509 @item
16510 The names @code{True} and @code{False}, when not part of a qualified name,
16511 are interpreted as if implicitly prefixed by @code{Standard}, regardless of
16512 context.
16513 Should your program
16514 redefine these names in a package or procedure (at best a dubious practice),
16515 you will have to use fully qualified names to access their new definitions.
16516 @end itemize
16517
16518 @node Additions to Ada
16519 @subsubsection Additions to Ada
16520 @cindex Ada, deviations from
16521
16522 As it does for other languages, @value{GDBN} makes certain generic
16523 extensions to Ada (@pxref{Expressions}):
16524
16525 @itemize @bullet
16526 @item
16527 If the expression @var{E} is a variable residing in memory (typically
16528 a local variable or array element) and @var{N} is a positive integer,
16529 then @code{@var{E}@@@var{N}} displays the values of @var{E} and the
16530 @var{N}-1 adjacent variables following it in memory as an array. In
16531 Ada, this operator is generally not necessary, since its prime use is
16532 in displaying parts of an array, and slicing will usually do this in
16533 Ada. However, there are occasional uses when debugging programs in
16534 which certain debugging information has been optimized away.
16535
16536 @item
16537 @code{@var{B}::@var{var}} means ``the variable named @var{var} that
16538 appears in function or file @var{B}.'' When @var{B} is a file name,
16539 you must typically surround it in single quotes.
16540
16541 @item
16542 The expression @code{@{@var{type}@} @var{addr}} means ``the variable of type
16543 @var{type} that appears at address @var{addr}.''
16544
16545 @item
16546 A name starting with @samp{$} is a convenience variable
16547 (@pxref{Convenience Vars}) or a machine register (@pxref{Registers}).
16548 @end itemize
16549
16550 In addition, @value{GDBN} provides a few other shortcuts and outright
16551 additions specific to Ada:
16552
16553 @itemize @bullet
16554 @item
16555 The assignment statement is allowed as an expression, returning
16556 its right-hand operand as its value. Thus, you may enter
16557
16558 @smallexample
16559 (@value{GDBP}) set x := y + 3
16560 (@value{GDBP}) print A(tmp := y + 1)
16561 @end smallexample
16562
16563 @item
16564 The semicolon is allowed as an ``operator,'' returning as its value
16565 the value of its right-hand operand.
16566 This allows, for example,
16567 complex conditional breaks:
16568
16569 @smallexample
16570 (@value{GDBP}) break f
16571 (@value{GDBP}) condition 1 (report(i); k += 1; A(k) > 100)
16572 @end smallexample
16573
16574 @item
16575 Rather than use catenation and symbolic character names to introduce special
16576 characters into strings, one may instead use a special bracket notation,
16577 which is also used to print strings. A sequence of characters of the form
16578 @samp{["@var{XX}"]} within a string or character literal denotes the
16579 (single) character whose numeric encoding is @var{XX} in hexadecimal. The
16580 sequence of characters @samp{["""]} also denotes a single quotation mark
16581 in strings. For example,
16582 @smallexample
16583 "One line.["0a"]Next line.["0a"]"
16584 @end smallexample
16585 @noindent
16586 contains an ASCII newline character (@code{Ada.Characters.Latin_1.LF})
16587 after each period.
16588
16589 @item
16590 The subtype used as a prefix for the attributes @t{'Pos}, @t{'Min}, and
16591 @t{'Max} is optional (and is ignored in any case). For example, it is valid
16592 to write
16593
16594 @smallexample
16595 (@value{GDBP}) print 'max(x, y)
16596 @end smallexample
16597
16598 @item
16599 When printing arrays, @value{GDBN} uses positional notation when the
16600 array has a lower bound of 1, and uses a modified named notation otherwise.
16601 For example, a one-dimensional array of three integers with a lower bound
16602 of 3 might print as
16603
16604 @smallexample
16605 (3 => 10, 17, 1)
16606 @end smallexample
16607
16608 @noindent
16609 That is, in contrast to valid Ada, only the first component has a @code{=>}
16610 clause.
16611
16612 @item
16613 You may abbreviate attributes in expressions with any unique,
16614 multi-character subsequence of
16615 their names (an exact match gets preference).
16616 For example, you may use @t{a'len}, @t{a'gth}, or @t{a'lh}
16617 in place of @t{a'length}.
16618
16619 @item
16620 @cindex quoting Ada internal identifiers
16621 Since Ada is case-insensitive, the debugger normally maps identifiers you type
16622 to lower case. The GNAT compiler uses upper-case characters for
16623 some of its internal identifiers, which are normally of no interest to users.
16624 For the rare occasions when you actually have to look at them,
16625 enclose them in angle brackets to avoid the lower-case mapping.
16626 For example,
16627 @smallexample
16628 (@value{GDBP}) print <JMPBUF_SAVE>[0]
16629 @end smallexample
16630
16631 @item
16632 Printing an object of class-wide type or dereferencing an
16633 access-to-class-wide value will display all the components of the object's
16634 specific type (as indicated by its run-time tag). Likewise, component
16635 selection on such a value will operate on the specific type of the
16636 object.
16637
16638 @end itemize
16639
16640 @node Overloading support for Ada
16641 @subsubsection Overloading support for Ada
16642 @cindex overloading, Ada
16643
16644 The debugger supports limited overloading. Given a subprogram call in which
16645 the function symbol has multiple definitions, it will use the number of
16646 actual parameters and some information about their types to attempt to narrow
16647 the set of definitions. It also makes very limited use of context, preferring
16648 procedures to functions in the context of the @code{call} command, and
16649 functions to procedures elsewhere.
16650
16651 If, after narrowing, the set of matching definitions still contains more than
16652 one definition, @value{GDBN} will display a menu to query which one it should
16653 use, for instance:
16654
16655 @smallexample
16656 (@value{GDBP}) print f(1)
16657 Multiple matches for f
16658 [0] cancel
16659 [1] foo.f (integer) return boolean at foo.adb:23
16660 [2] foo.f (foo.new_integer) return boolean at foo.adb:28
16661 >
16662 @end smallexample
16663
16664 In this case, just select one menu entry either to cancel expression evaluation
16665 (type @kbd{0} and press @key{RET}) or to continue evaluation with a specific
16666 instance (type the corresponding number and press @key{RET}).
16667
16668 Here are a couple of commands to customize @value{GDBN}'s behavior in this
16669 case:
16670
16671 @table @code
16672
16673 @kindex set ada print-signatures
16674 @item set ada print-signatures
16675 Control whether parameter types and return types are displayed in overloads
16676 selection menus. It is @code{on} by default.
16677 @xref{Overloading support for Ada}.
16678
16679 @kindex show ada print-signatures
16680 @item show ada print-signatures
16681 Show the current setting for displaying parameter types and return types in
16682 overloads selection menu.
16683 @xref{Overloading support for Ada}.
16684
16685 @end table
16686
16687 @node Stopping Before Main Program
16688 @subsubsection Stopping at the Very Beginning
16689
16690 @cindex breakpointing Ada elaboration code
16691 It is sometimes necessary to debug the program during elaboration, and
16692 before reaching the main procedure.
16693 As defined in the Ada Reference
16694 Manual, the elaboration code is invoked from a procedure called
16695 @code{adainit}. To run your program up to the beginning of
16696 elaboration, simply use the following two commands:
16697 @code{tbreak adainit} and @code{run}.
16698
16699 @node Ada Exceptions
16700 @subsubsection Ada Exceptions
16701
16702 A command is provided to list all Ada exceptions:
16703
16704 @table @code
16705 @kindex info exceptions
16706 @item info exceptions
16707 @itemx info exceptions @var{regexp}
16708 The @code{info exceptions} command allows you to list all Ada exceptions
16709 defined within the program being debugged, as well as their addresses.
16710 With a regular expression, @var{regexp}, as argument, only those exceptions
16711 whose names match @var{regexp} are listed.
16712 @end table
16713
16714 Below is a small example, showing how the command can be used, first
16715 without argument, and next with a regular expression passed as an
16716 argument.
16717
16718 @smallexample
16719 (@value{GDBP}) info exceptions
16720 All defined Ada exceptions:
16721 constraint_error: 0x613da0
16722 program_error: 0x613d20
16723 storage_error: 0x613ce0
16724 tasking_error: 0x613ca0
16725 const.aint_global_e: 0x613b00
16726 (@value{GDBP}) info exceptions const.aint
16727 All Ada exceptions matching regular expression "const.aint":
16728 constraint_error: 0x613da0
16729 const.aint_global_e: 0x613b00
16730 @end smallexample
16731
16732 It is also possible to ask @value{GDBN} to stop your program's execution
16733 when an exception is raised. For more details, see @ref{Set Catchpoints}.
16734
16735 @node Ada Tasks
16736 @subsubsection Extensions for Ada Tasks
16737 @cindex Ada, tasking
16738
16739 Support for Ada tasks is analogous to that for threads (@pxref{Threads}).
16740 @value{GDBN} provides the following task-related commands:
16741
16742 @table @code
16743 @kindex info tasks
16744 @item info tasks
16745 This command shows a list of current Ada tasks, as in the following example:
16746
16747
16748 @smallexample
16749 @iftex
16750 @leftskip=0.5cm
16751 @end iftex
16752 (@value{GDBP}) info tasks
16753 ID TID P-ID Pri State Name
16754 1 8088000 0 15 Child Activation Wait main_task
16755 2 80a4000 1 15 Accept Statement b
16756 3 809a800 1 15 Child Activation Wait a
16757 * 4 80ae800 3 15 Runnable c
16758
16759 @end smallexample
16760
16761 @noindent
16762 In this listing, the asterisk before the last task indicates it to be the
16763 task currently being inspected.
16764
16765 @table @asis
16766 @item ID
16767 Represents @value{GDBN}'s internal task number.
16768
16769 @item TID
16770 The Ada task ID.
16771
16772 @item P-ID
16773 The parent's task ID (@value{GDBN}'s internal task number).
16774
16775 @item Pri
16776 The base priority of the task.
16777
16778 @item State
16779 Current state of the task.
16780
16781 @table @code
16782 @item Unactivated
16783 The task has been created but has not been activated. It cannot be
16784 executing.
16785
16786 @item Runnable
16787 The task is not blocked for any reason known to Ada. (It may be waiting
16788 for a mutex, though.) It is conceptually "executing" in normal mode.
16789
16790 @item Terminated
16791 The task is terminated, in the sense of ARM 9.3 (5). Any dependents
16792 that were waiting on terminate alternatives have been awakened and have
16793 terminated themselves.
16794
16795 @item Child Activation Wait
16796 The task is waiting for created tasks to complete activation.
16797
16798 @item Accept Statement
16799 The task is waiting on an accept or selective wait statement.
16800
16801 @item Waiting on entry call
16802 The task is waiting on an entry call.
16803
16804 @item Async Select Wait
16805 The task is waiting to start the abortable part of an asynchronous
16806 select statement.
16807
16808 @item Delay Sleep
16809 The task is waiting on a select statement with only a delay
16810 alternative open.
16811
16812 @item Child Termination Wait
16813 The task is sleeping having completed a master within itself, and is
16814 waiting for the tasks dependent on that master to become terminated or
16815 waiting on a terminate Phase.
16816
16817 @item Wait Child in Term Alt
16818 The task is sleeping waiting for tasks on terminate alternatives to
16819 finish terminating.
16820
16821 @item Accepting RV with @var{taskno}
16822 The task is accepting a rendez-vous with the task @var{taskno}.
16823 @end table
16824
16825 @item Name
16826 Name of the task in the program.
16827
16828 @end table
16829
16830 @kindex info task @var{taskno}
16831 @item info task @var{taskno}
16832 This command shows detailled informations on the specified task, as in
16833 the following example:
16834 @smallexample
16835 @iftex
16836 @leftskip=0.5cm
16837 @end iftex
16838 (@value{GDBP}) info tasks
16839 ID TID P-ID Pri State Name
16840 1 8077880 0 15 Child Activation Wait main_task
16841 * 2 807c468 1 15 Runnable task_1
16842 (@value{GDBP}) info task 2
16843 Ada Task: 0x807c468
16844 Name: task_1
16845 Thread: 0x807f378
16846 Parent: 1 (main_task)
16847 Base Priority: 15
16848 State: Runnable
16849 @end smallexample
16850
16851 @item task
16852 @kindex task@r{ (Ada)}
16853 @cindex current Ada task ID
16854 This command prints the ID of the current task.
16855
16856 @smallexample
16857 @iftex
16858 @leftskip=0.5cm
16859 @end iftex
16860 (@value{GDBP}) info tasks
16861 ID TID P-ID Pri State Name
16862 1 8077870 0 15 Child Activation Wait main_task
16863 * 2 807c458 1 15 Runnable t
16864 (@value{GDBP}) task
16865 [Current task is 2]
16866 @end smallexample
16867
16868 @item task @var{taskno}
16869 @cindex Ada task switching
16870 This command is like the @code{thread @var{thread-id}}
16871 command (@pxref{Threads}). It switches the context of debugging
16872 from the current task to the given task.
16873
16874 @smallexample
16875 @iftex
16876 @leftskip=0.5cm
16877 @end iftex
16878 (@value{GDBP}) info tasks
16879 ID TID P-ID Pri State Name
16880 1 8077870 0 15 Child Activation Wait main_task
16881 * 2 807c458 1 15 Runnable t
16882 (@value{GDBP}) task 1
16883 [Switching to task 1]
16884 #0 0x8067726 in pthread_cond_wait ()
16885 (@value{GDBP}) bt
16886 #0 0x8067726 in pthread_cond_wait ()
16887 #1 0x8056714 in system.os_interface.pthread_cond_wait ()
16888 #2 0x805cb63 in system.task_primitives.operations.sleep ()
16889 #3 0x806153e in system.tasking.stages.activate_tasks ()
16890 #4 0x804aacc in un () at un.adb:5
16891 @end smallexample
16892
16893 @item break @var{location} task @var{taskno}
16894 @itemx break @var{location} task @var{taskno} if @dots{}
16895 @cindex breakpoints and tasks, in Ada
16896 @cindex task breakpoints, in Ada
16897 @kindex break @dots{} task @var{taskno}@r{ (Ada)}
16898 These commands are like the @code{break @dots{} thread @dots{}}
16899 command (@pxref{Thread Stops}). The
16900 @var{location} argument specifies source lines, as described
16901 in @ref{Specify Location}.
16902
16903 Use the qualifier @samp{task @var{taskno}} with a breakpoint command
16904 to specify that you only want @value{GDBN} to stop the program when a
16905 particular Ada task reaches this breakpoint. The @var{taskno} is one of the
16906 numeric task identifiers assigned by @value{GDBN}, shown in the first
16907 column of the @samp{info tasks} display.
16908
16909 If you do not specify @samp{task @var{taskno}} when you set a
16910 breakpoint, the breakpoint applies to @emph{all} tasks of your
16911 program.
16912
16913 You can use the @code{task} qualifier on conditional breakpoints as
16914 well; in this case, place @samp{task @var{taskno}} before the
16915 breakpoint condition (before the @code{if}).
16916
16917 For example,
16918
16919 @smallexample
16920 @iftex
16921 @leftskip=0.5cm
16922 @end iftex
16923 (@value{GDBP}) info tasks
16924 ID TID P-ID Pri State Name
16925 1 140022020 0 15 Child Activation Wait main_task
16926 2 140045060 1 15 Accept/Select Wait t2
16927 3 140044840 1 15 Runnable t1
16928 * 4 140056040 1 15 Runnable t3
16929 (@value{GDBP}) b 15 task 2
16930 Breakpoint 5 at 0x120044cb0: file test_task_debug.adb, line 15.
16931 (@value{GDBP}) cont
16932 Continuing.
16933 task # 1 running
16934 task # 2 running
16935
16936 Breakpoint 5, test_task_debug () at test_task_debug.adb:15
16937 15 flush;
16938 (@value{GDBP}) info tasks
16939 ID TID P-ID Pri State Name
16940 1 140022020 0 15 Child Activation Wait main_task
16941 * 2 140045060 1 15 Runnable t2
16942 3 140044840 1 15 Runnable t1
16943 4 140056040 1 15 Delay Sleep t3
16944 @end smallexample
16945 @end table
16946
16947 @node Ada Tasks and Core Files
16948 @subsubsection Tasking Support when Debugging Core Files
16949 @cindex Ada tasking and core file debugging
16950
16951 When inspecting a core file, as opposed to debugging a live program,
16952 tasking support may be limited or even unavailable, depending on
16953 the platform being used.
16954 For instance, on x86-linux, the list of tasks is available, but task
16955 switching is not supported.
16956
16957 On certain platforms, the debugger needs to perform some
16958 memory writes in order to provide Ada tasking support. When inspecting
16959 a core file, this means that the core file must be opened with read-write
16960 privileges, using the command @samp{"set write on"} (@pxref{Patching}).
16961 Under these circumstances, you should make a backup copy of the core
16962 file before inspecting it with @value{GDBN}.
16963
16964 @node Ravenscar Profile
16965 @subsubsection Tasking Support when using the Ravenscar Profile
16966 @cindex Ravenscar Profile
16967
16968 The @dfn{Ravenscar Profile} is a subset of the Ada tasking features,
16969 specifically designed for systems with safety-critical real-time
16970 requirements.
16971
16972 @table @code
16973 @kindex set ravenscar task-switching on
16974 @cindex task switching with program using Ravenscar Profile
16975 @item set ravenscar task-switching on
16976 Allows task switching when debugging a program that uses the Ravenscar
16977 Profile. This is the default.
16978
16979 @kindex set ravenscar task-switching off
16980 @item set ravenscar task-switching off
16981 Turn off task switching when debugging a program that uses the Ravenscar
16982 Profile. This is mostly intended to disable the code that adds support
16983 for the Ravenscar Profile, in case a bug in either @value{GDBN} or in
16984 the Ravenscar runtime is preventing @value{GDBN} from working properly.
16985 To be effective, this command should be run before the program is started.
16986
16987 @kindex show ravenscar task-switching
16988 @item show ravenscar task-switching
16989 Show whether it is possible to switch from task to task in a program
16990 using the Ravenscar Profile.
16991
16992 @end table
16993
16994 @node Ada Settings
16995 @subsubsection Ada Settings
16996 @cindex Ada settings
16997
16998 @table @code
16999 @kindex set varsize-limit
17000 @item set varsize-limit @var{size}
17001 Prevent @value{GDBN} from attempting to evaluate objects whose size
17002 is above the given limit (@var{size}) when those sizes are computed
17003 from run-time quantities. This is typically the case when the object
17004 has a variable size, such as an array whose bounds are not known at
17005 compile time for example. Setting @var{size} to @code{unlimited}
17006 removes the size limitation. By default, the limit is about 65KB.
17007
17008 The purpose of having such a limit is to prevent @value{GDBN} from
17009 trying to grab enormous chunks of virtual memory when asked to evaluate
17010 a quantity whose bounds have been corrupted or have not yet been fully
17011 initialized. The limit applies to the results of some subexpressions
17012 as well as to complete expressions. For example, an expression denoting
17013 a simple integer component, such as @code{x.y.z}, may fail if the size of
17014 @code{x.y} is variable and exceeds @code{size}. On the other hand,
17015 @value{GDBN} is sometimes clever; the expression @code{A(i)}, where
17016 @code{A} is an array variable with non-constant size, will generally
17017 succeed regardless of the bounds on @code{A}, as long as the component
17018 size is less than @var{size}.
17019
17020 @kindex show varsize-limit
17021 @item show varsize-limit
17022 Show the limit on types whose size is determined by run-time quantities.
17023 @end table
17024
17025 @node Ada Glitches
17026 @subsubsection Known Peculiarities of Ada Mode
17027 @cindex Ada, problems
17028
17029 Besides the omissions listed previously (@pxref{Omissions from Ada}),
17030 we know of several problems with and limitations of Ada mode in
17031 @value{GDBN},
17032 some of which will be fixed with planned future releases of the debugger
17033 and the GNU Ada compiler.
17034
17035 @itemize @bullet
17036 @item
17037 Static constants that the compiler chooses not to materialize as objects in
17038 storage are invisible to the debugger.
17039
17040 @item
17041 Named parameter associations in function argument lists are ignored (the
17042 argument lists are treated as positional).
17043
17044 @item
17045 Many useful library packages are currently invisible to the debugger.
17046
17047 @item
17048 Fixed-point arithmetic, conversions, input, and output is carried out using
17049 floating-point arithmetic, and may give results that only approximate those on
17050 the host machine.
17051
17052 @item
17053 The GNAT compiler never generates the prefix @code{Standard} for any of
17054 the standard symbols defined by the Ada language. @value{GDBN} knows about
17055 this: it will strip the prefix from names when you use it, and will never
17056 look for a name you have so qualified among local symbols, nor match against
17057 symbols in other packages or subprograms. If you have
17058 defined entities anywhere in your program other than parameters and
17059 local variables whose simple names match names in @code{Standard},
17060 GNAT's lack of qualification here can cause confusion. When this happens,
17061 you can usually resolve the confusion
17062 by qualifying the problematic names with package
17063 @code{Standard} explicitly.
17064 @end itemize
17065
17066 Older versions of the compiler sometimes generate erroneous debugging
17067 information, resulting in the debugger incorrectly printing the value
17068 of affected entities. In some cases, the debugger is able to work
17069 around an issue automatically. In other cases, the debugger is able
17070 to work around the issue, but the work-around has to be specifically
17071 enabled.
17072
17073 @kindex set ada trust-PAD-over-XVS
17074 @kindex show ada trust-PAD-over-XVS
17075 @table @code
17076
17077 @item set ada trust-PAD-over-XVS on
17078 Configure GDB to strictly follow the GNAT encoding when computing the
17079 value of Ada entities, particularly when @code{PAD} and @code{PAD___XVS}
17080 types are involved (see @code{ada/exp_dbug.ads} in the GCC sources for
17081 a complete description of the encoding used by the GNAT compiler).
17082 This is the default.
17083
17084 @item set ada trust-PAD-over-XVS off
17085 This is related to the encoding using by the GNAT compiler. If @value{GDBN}
17086 sometimes prints the wrong value for certain entities, changing @code{ada
17087 trust-PAD-over-XVS} to @code{off} activates a work-around which may fix
17088 the issue. It is always safe to set @code{ada trust-PAD-over-XVS} to
17089 @code{off}, but this incurs a slight performance penalty, so it is
17090 recommended to leave this setting to @code{on} unless necessary.
17091
17092 @end table
17093
17094 @cindex GNAT descriptive types
17095 @cindex GNAT encoding
17096 Internally, the debugger also relies on the compiler following a number
17097 of conventions known as the @samp{GNAT Encoding}, all documented in
17098 @file{gcc/ada/exp_dbug.ads} in the GCC sources. This encoding describes
17099 how the debugging information should be generated for certain types.
17100 In particular, this convention makes use of @dfn{descriptive types},
17101 which are artificial types generated purely to help the debugger.
17102
17103 These encodings were defined at a time when the debugging information
17104 format used was not powerful enough to describe some of the more complex
17105 types available in Ada. Since DWARF allows us to express nearly all
17106 Ada features, the long-term goal is to slowly replace these descriptive
17107 types by their pure DWARF equivalent. To facilitate that transition,
17108 a new maintenance option is available to force the debugger to ignore
17109 those descriptive types. It allows the user to quickly evaluate how
17110 well @value{GDBN} works without them.
17111
17112 @table @code
17113
17114 @kindex maint ada set ignore-descriptive-types
17115 @item maintenance ada set ignore-descriptive-types [on|off]
17116 Control whether the debugger should ignore descriptive types.
17117 The default is not to ignore descriptives types (@code{off}).
17118
17119 @kindex maint ada show ignore-descriptive-types
17120 @item maintenance ada show ignore-descriptive-types
17121 Show if descriptive types are ignored by @value{GDBN}.
17122
17123 @end table
17124
17125 @node Unsupported Languages
17126 @section Unsupported Languages
17127
17128 @cindex unsupported languages
17129 @cindex minimal language
17130 In addition to the other fully-supported programming languages,
17131 @value{GDBN} also provides a pseudo-language, called @code{minimal}.
17132 It does not represent a real programming language, but provides a set
17133 of capabilities close to what the C or assembly languages provide.
17134 This should allow most simple operations to be performed while debugging
17135 an application that uses a language currently not supported by @value{GDBN}.
17136
17137 If the language is set to @code{auto}, @value{GDBN} will automatically
17138 select this language if the current frame corresponds to an unsupported
17139 language.
17140
17141 @node Symbols
17142 @chapter Examining the Symbol Table
17143
17144 The commands described in this chapter allow you to inquire about the
17145 symbols (names of variables, functions and types) defined in your
17146 program. This information is inherent in the text of your program and
17147 does not change as your program executes. @value{GDBN} finds it in your
17148 program's symbol table, in the file indicated when you started @value{GDBN}
17149 (@pxref{File Options, ,Choosing Files}), or by one of the
17150 file-management commands (@pxref{Files, ,Commands to Specify Files}).
17151
17152 @cindex symbol names
17153 @cindex names of symbols
17154 @cindex quoting names
17155 @anchor{quoting names}
17156 Occasionally, you may need to refer to symbols that contain unusual
17157 characters, which @value{GDBN} ordinarily treats as word delimiters. The
17158 most frequent case is in referring to static variables in other
17159 source files (@pxref{Variables,,Program Variables}). File names
17160 are recorded in object files as debugging symbols, but @value{GDBN} would
17161 ordinarily parse a typical file name, like @file{foo.c}, as the three words
17162 @samp{foo} @samp{.} @samp{c}. To allow @value{GDBN} to recognize
17163 @samp{foo.c} as a single symbol, enclose it in single quotes; for example,
17164
17165 @smallexample
17166 p 'foo.c'::x
17167 @end smallexample
17168
17169 @noindent
17170 looks up the value of @code{x} in the scope of the file @file{foo.c}.
17171
17172 @table @code
17173 @cindex case-insensitive symbol names
17174 @cindex case sensitivity in symbol names
17175 @kindex set case-sensitive
17176 @item set case-sensitive on
17177 @itemx set case-sensitive off
17178 @itemx set case-sensitive auto
17179 Normally, when @value{GDBN} looks up symbols, it matches their names
17180 with case sensitivity determined by the current source language.
17181 Occasionally, you may wish to control that. The command @code{set
17182 case-sensitive} lets you do that by specifying @code{on} for
17183 case-sensitive matches or @code{off} for case-insensitive ones. If
17184 you specify @code{auto}, case sensitivity is reset to the default
17185 suitable for the source language. The default is case-sensitive
17186 matches for all languages except for Fortran, for which the default is
17187 case-insensitive matches.
17188
17189 @kindex show case-sensitive
17190 @item show case-sensitive
17191 This command shows the current setting of case sensitivity for symbols
17192 lookups.
17193
17194 @kindex set print type methods
17195 @item set print type methods
17196 @itemx set print type methods on
17197 @itemx set print type methods off
17198 Normally, when @value{GDBN} prints a class, it displays any methods
17199 declared in that class. You can control this behavior either by
17200 passing the appropriate flag to @code{ptype}, or using @command{set
17201 print type methods}. Specifying @code{on} will cause @value{GDBN} to
17202 display the methods; this is the default. Specifying @code{off} will
17203 cause @value{GDBN} to omit the methods.
17204
17205 @kindex show print type methods
17206 @item show print type methods
17207 This command shows the current setting of method display when printing
17208 classes.
17209
17210 @kindex set print type nested-type-limit
17211 @item set print type nested-type-limit @var{limit}
17212 @itemx set print type nested-type-limit unlimited
17213 Set the limit of displayed nested types that the type printer will
17214 show. A @var{limit} of @code{unlimited} or @code{-1} will show all
17215 nested definitions. By default, the type printer will not show any nested
17216 types defined in classes.
17217
17218 @kindex show print type nested-type-limit
17219 @item show print type nested-type-limit
17220 This command shows the current display limit of nested types when
17221 printing classes.
17222
17223 @kindex set print type typedefs
17224 @item set print type typedefs
17225 @itemx set print type typedefs on
17226 @itemx set print type typedefs off
17227
17228 Normally, when @value{GDBN} prints a class, it displays any typedefs
17229 defined in that class. You can control this behavior either by
17230 passing the appropriate flag to @code{ptype}, or using @command{set
17231 print type typedefs}. Specifying @code{on} will cause @value{GDBN} to
17232 display the typedef definitions; this is the default. Specifying
17233 @code{off} will cause @value{GDBN} to omit the typedef definitions.
17234 Note that this controls whether the typedef definition itself is
17235 printed, not whether typedef names are substituted when printing other
17236 types.
17237
17238 @kindex show print type typedefs
17239 @item show print type typedefs
17240 This command shows the current setting of typedef display when
17241 printing classes.
17242
17243 @kindex info address
17244 @cindex address of a symbol
17245 @item info address @var{symbol}
17246 Describe where the data for @var{symbol} is stored. For a register
17247 variable, this says which register it is kept in. For a non-register
17248 local variable, this prints the stack-frame offset at which the variable
17249 is always stored.
17250
17251 Note the contrast with @samp{print &@var{symbol}}, which does not work
17252 at all for a register variable, and for a stack local variable prints
17253 the exact address of the current instantiation of the variable.
17254
17255 @kindex info symbol
17256 @cindex symbol from address
17257 @cindex closest symbol and offset for an address
17258 @item info symbol @var{addr}
17259 Print the name of a symbol which is stored at the address @var{addr}.
17260 If no symbol is stored exactly at @var{addr}, @value{GDBN} prints the
17261 nearest symbol and an offset from it:
17262
17263 @smallexample
17264 (@value{GDBP}) info symbol 0x54320
17265 _initialize_vx + 396 in section .text
17266 @end smallexample
17267
17268 @noindent
17269 This is the opposite of the @code{info address} command. You can use
17270 it to find out the name of a variable or a function given its address.
17271
17272 For dynamically linked executables, the name of executable or shared
17273 library containing the symbol is also printed:
17274
17275 @smallexample
17276 (@value{GDBP}) info symbol 0x400225
17277 _start + 5 in section .text of /tmp/a.out
17278 (@value{GDBP}) info symbol 0x2aaaac2811cf
17279 __read_nocancel + 6 in section .text of /usr/lib64/libc.so.6
17280 @end smallexample
17281
17282 @kindex demangle
17283 @cindex demangle
17284 @item demangle @r{[}-l @var{language}@r{]} @r{[}@var{--}@r{]} @var{name}
17285 Demangle @var{name}.
17286 If @var{language} is provided it is the name of the language to demangle
17287 @var{name} in. Otherwise @var{name} is demangled in the current language.
17288
17289 The @samp{--} option specifies the end of options,
17290 and is useful when @var{name} begins with a dash.
17291
17292 The parameter @code{demangle-style} specifies how to interpret the kind
17293 of mangling used. @xref{Print Settings}.
17294
17295 @kindex whatis
17296 @item whatis[/@var{flags}] [@var{arg}]
17297 Print the data type of @var{arg}, which can be either an expression
17298 or a name of a data type. With no argument, print the data type of
17299 @code{$}, the last value in the value history.
17300
17301 If @var{arg} is an expression (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}), it
17302 is not actually evaluated, and any side-effecting operations (such as
17303 assignments or function calls) inside it do not take place.
17304
17305 If @var{arg} is a variable or an expression, @code{whatis} prints its
17306 literal type as it is used in the source code. If the type was
17307 defined using a @code{typedef}, @code{whatis} will @emph{not} print
17308 the data type underlying the @code{typedef}. If the type of the
17309 variable or the expression is a compound data type, such as
17310 @code{struct} or @code{class}, @code{whatis} never prints their
17311 fields or methods. It just prints the @code{struct}/@code{class}
17312 name (a.k.a.@: its @dfn{tag}). If you want to see the members of
17313 such a compound data type, use @code{ptype}.
17314
17315 If @var{arg} is a type name that was defined using @code{typedef},
17316 @code{whatis} @dfn{unrolls} only one level of that @code{typedef}.
17317 Unrolling means that @code{whatis} will show the underlying type used
17318 in the @code{typedef} declaration of @var{arg}. However, if that
17319 underlying type is also a @code{typedef}, @code{whatis} will not
17320 unroll it.
17321
17322 For C code, the type names may also have the form @samp{class
17323 @var{class-name}}, @samp{struct @var{struct-tag}}, @samp{union
17324 @var{union-tag}} or @samp{enum @var{enum-tag}}.
17325
17326 @var{flags} can be used to modify how the type is displayed.
17327 Available flags are:
17328
17329 @table @code
17330 @item r
17331 Display in ``raw'' form. Normally, @value{GDBN} substitutes template
17332 parameters and typedefs defined in a class when printing the class'
17333 members. The @code{/r} flag disables this.
17334
17335 @item m
17336 Do not print methods defined in the class.
17337
17338 @item M
17339 Print methods defined in the class. This is the default, but the flag
17340 exists in case you change the default with @command{set print type methods}.
17341
17342 @item t
17343 Do not print typedefs defined in the class. Note that this controls
17344 whether the typedef definition itself is printed, not whether typedef
17345 names are substituted when printing other types.
17346
17347 @item T
17348 Print typedefs defined in the class. This is the default, but the flag
17349 exists in case you change the default with @command{set print type typedefs}.
17350
17351 @item o
17352 Print the offsets and sizes of fields in a struct, similar to what the
17353 @command{pahole} tool does. This option implies the @code{/tm} flags.
17354
17355 For example, given the following declarations:
17356
17357 @smallexample
17358 struct tuv
17359 @{
17360 int a1;
17361 char *a2;
17362 int a3;
17363 @};
17364
17365 struct xyz
17366 @{
17367 int f1;
17368 char f2;
17369 void *f3;
17370 struct tuv f4;
17371 @};
17372
17373 union qwe
17374 @{
17375 struct tuv fff1;
17376 struct xyz fff2;
17377 @};
17378
17379 struct tyu
17380 @{
17381 int a1 : 1;
17382 int a2 : 3;
17383 int a3 : 23;
17384 char a4 : 2;
17385 int64_t a5;
17386 int a6 : 5;
17387 int64_t a7 : 3;
17388 @};
17389 @end smallexample
17390
17391 Issuing a @kbd{ptype /o struct tuv} command would print:
17392
17393 @smallexample
17394 (@value{GDBP}) ptype /o struct tuv
17395 /* offset | size */ type = struct tuv @{
17396 /* 0 | 4 */ int a1;
17397 /* XXX 4-byte hole */
17398 /* 8 | 8 */ char *a2;
17399 /* 16 | 4 */ int a3;
17400
17401 /* total size (bytes): 24 */
17402 @}
17403 @end smallexample
17404
17405 Notice the format of the first column of comments. There, you can
17406 find two parts separated by the @samp{|} character: the @emph{offset},
17407 which indicates where the field is located inside the struct, in
17408 bytes, and the @emph{size} of the field. Another interesting line is
17409 the marker of a @emph{hole} in the struct, indicating that it may be
17410 possible to pack the struct and make it use less space by reorganizing
17411 its fields.
17412
17413 It is also possible to print offsets inside an union:
17414
17415 @smallexample
17416 (@value{GDBP}) ptype /o union qwe
17417 /* offset | size */ type = union qwe @{
17418 /* 24 */ struct tuv @{
17419 /* 0 | 4 */ int a1;
17420 /* XXX 4-byte hole */
17421 /* 8 | 8 */ char *a2;
17422 /* 16 | 4 */ int a3;
17423
17424 /* total size (bytes): 24 */
17425 @} fff1;
17426 /* 40 */ struct xyz @{
17427 /* 0 | 4 */ int f1;
17428 /* 4 | 1 */ char f2;
17429 /* XXX 3-byte hole */
17430 /* 8 | 8 */ void *f3;
17431 /* 16 | 24 */ struct tuv @{
17432 /* 16 | 4 */ int a1;
17433 /* XXX 4-byte hole */
17434 /* 24 | 8 */ char *a2;
17435 /* 32 | 4 */ int a3;
17436
17437 /* total size (bytes): 24 */
17438 @} f4;
17439
17440 /* total size (bytes): 40 */
17441 @} fff2;
17442
17443 /* total size (bytes): 40 */
17444 @}
17445 @end smallexample
17446
17447 In this case, since @code{struct tuv} and @code{struct xyz} occupy the
17448 same space (because we are dealing with an union), the offset is not
17449 printed for them. However, you can still examine the offset of each
17450 of these structures' fields.
17451
17452 Another useful scenario is printing the offsets of a struct containing
17453 bitfields:
17454
17455 @smallexample
17456 (@value{GDBP}) ptype /o struct tyu
17457 /* offset | size */ type = struct tyu @{
17458 /* 0:31 | 4 */ int a1 : 1;
17459 /* 0:28 | 4 */ int a2 : 3;
17460 /* 0: 5 | 4 */ int a3 : 23;
17461 /* 3: 3 | 1 */ signed char a4 : 2;
17462 /* XXX 3-bit hole */
17463 /* XXX 4-byte hole */
17464 /* 8 | 8 */ int64_t a5;
17465 /* 16:27 | 4 */ int a6 : 5;
17466 /* 16:56 | 8 */ int64_t a7 : 3;
17467
17468 /* total size (bytes): 24 */
17469 @}
17470 @end smallexample
17471
17472 Note how the offset information is now extended to also include how
17473 many bits are left to be used in each bitfield.
17474 @end table
17475
17476 @kindex ptype
17477 @item ptype[/@var{flags}] [@var{arg}]
17478 @code{ptype} accepts the same arguments as @code{whatis}, but prints a
17479 detailed description of the type, instead of just the name of the type.
17480 @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}.
17481
17482 Contrary to @code{whatis}, @code{ptype} always unrolls any
17483 @code{typedef}s in its argument declaration, whether the argument is
17484 a variable, expression, or a data type. This means that @code{ptype}
17485 of a variable or an expression will not print literally its type as
17486 present in the source code---use @code{whatis} for that. @code{typedef}s at
17487 the pointer or reference targets are also unrolled. Only @code{typedef}s of
17488 fields, methods and inner @code{class typedef}s of @code{struct}s,
17489 @code{class}es and @code{union}s are not unrolled even with @code{ptype}.
17490
17491 For example, for this variable declaration:
17492
17493 @smallexample
17494 typedef double real_t;
17495 struct complex @{ real_t real; double imag; @};
17496 typedef struct complex complex_t;
17497 complex_t var;
17498 real_t *real_pointer_var;
17499 @end smallexample
17500
17501 @noindent
17502 the two commands give this output:
17503
17504 @smallexample
17505 @group
17506 (@value{GDBP}) whatis var
17507 type = complex_t
17508 (@value{GDBP}) ptype var
17509 type = struct complex @{
17510 real_t real;
17511 double imag;
17512 @}
17513 (@value{GDBP}) whatis complex_t
17514 type = struct complex
17515 (@value{GDBP}) whatis struct complex
17516 type = struct complex
17517 (@value{GDBP}) ptype struct complex
17518 type = struct complex @{
17519 real_t real;
17520 double imag;
17521 @}
17522 (@value{GDBP}) whatis real_pointer_var
17523 type = real_t *
17524 (@value{GDBP}) ptype real_pointer_var
17525 type = double *
17526 @end group
17527 @end smallexample
17528
17529 @noindent
17530 As with @code{whatis}, using @code{ptype} without an argument refers to
17531 the type of @code{$}, the last value in the value history.
17532
17533 @cindex incomplete type
17534 Sometimes, programs use opaque data types or incomplete specifications
17535 of complex data structure. If the debug information included in the
17536 program does not allow @value{GDBN} to display a full declaration of
17537 the data type, it will say @samp{<incomplete type>}. For example,
17538 given these declarations:
17539
17540 @smallexample
17541 struct foo;
17542 struct foo *fooptr;
17543 @end smallexample
17544
17545 @noindent
17546 but no definition for @code{struct foo} itself, @value{GDBN} will say:
17547
17548 @smallexample
17549 (@value{GDBP}) ptype foo
17550 $1 = <incomplete type>
17551 @end smallexample
17552
17553 @noindent
17554 ``Incomplete type'' is C terminology for data types that are not
17555 completely specified.
17556
17557 @cindex unknown type
17558 Othertimes, information about a variable's type is completely absent
17559 from the debug information included in the program. This most often
17560 happens when the program or library where the variable is defined
17561 includes no debug information at all. @value{GDBN} knows the variable
17562 exists from inspecting the linker/loader symbol table (e.g., the ELF
17563 dynamic symbol table), but such symbols do not contain type
17564 information. Inspecting the type of a (global) variable for which
17565 @value{GDBN} has no type information shows:
17566
17567 @smallexample
17568 (@value{GDBP}) ptype var
17569 type = <data variable, no debug info>
17570 @end smallexample
17571
17572 @xref{Variables, no debug info variables}, for how to print the values
17573 of such variables.
17574
17575 @kindex info types
17576 @item info types @var{regexp}
17577 @itemx info types
17578 Print a brief description of all types whose names match the regular
17579 expression @var{regexp} (or all types in your program, if you supply
17580 no argument). Each complete typename is matched as though it were a
17581 complete line; thus, @samp{i type value} gives information on all
17582 types in your program whose names include the string @code{value}, but
17583 @samp{i type ^value$} gives information only on types whose complete
17584 name is @code{value}.
17585
17586 This command differs from @code{ptype} in two ways: first, like
17587 @code{whatis}, it does not print a detailed description; second, it
17588 lists all source files where a type is defined.
17589
17590 @kindex info type-printers
17591 @item info type-printers
17592 Versions of @value{GDBN} that ship with Python scripting enabled may
17593 have ``type printers'' available. When using @command{ptype} or
17594 @command{whatis}, these printers are consulted when the name of a type
17595 is needed. @xref{Type Printing API}, for more information on writing
17596 type printers.
17597
17598 @code{info type-printers} displays all the available type printers.
17599
17600 @kindex enable type-printer
17601 @kindex disable type-printer
17602 @item enable type-printer @var{name}@dots{}
17603 @item disable type-printer @var{name}@dots{}
17604 These commands can be used to enable or disable type printers.
17605
17606 @kindex info scope
17607 @cindex local variables
17608 @item info scope @var{location}
17609 List all the variables local to a particular scope. This command
17610 accepts a @var{location} argument---a function name, a source line, or
17611 an address preceded by a @samp{*}, and prints all the variables local
17612 to the scope defined by that location. (@xref{Specify Location}, for
17613 details about supported forms of @var{location}.) For example:
17614
17615 @smallexample
17616 (@value{GDBP}) @b{info scope command_line_handler}
17617 Scope for command_line_handler:
17618 Symbol rl is an argument at stack/frame offset 8, length 4.
17619 Symbol linebuffer is in static storage at address 0x150a18, length 4.
17620 Symbol linelength is in static storage at address 0x150a1c, length 4.
17621 Symbol p is a local variable in register $esi, length 4.
17622 Symbol p1 is a local variable in register $ebx, length 4.
17623 Symbol nline is a local variable in register $edx, length 4.
17624 Symbol repeat is a local variable at frame offset -8, length 4.
17625 @end smallexample
17626
17627 @noindent
17628 This command is especially useful for determining what data to collect
17629 during a @dfn{trace experiment}, see @ref{Tracepoint Actions,
17630 collect}.
17631
17632 @kindex info source
17633 @item info source
17634 Show information about the current source file---that is, the source file for
17635 the function containing the current point of execution:
17636 @itemize @bullet
17637 @item
17638 the name of the source file, and the directory containing it,
17639 @item
17640 the directory it was compiled in,
17641 @item
17642 its length, in lines,
17643 @item
17644 which programming language it is written in,
17645 @item
17646 if the debug information provides it, the program that compiled the file
17647 (which may include, e.g., the compiler version and command line arguments),
17648 @item
17649 whether the executable includes debugging information for that file, and
17650 if so, what format the information is in (e.g., STABS, Dwarf 2, etc.), and
17651 @item
17652 whether the debugging information includes information about
17653 preprocessor macros.
17654 @end itemize
17655
17656
17657 @kindex info sources
17658 @item info sources
17659 Print the names of all source files in your program for which there is
17660 debugging information, organized into two lists: files whose symbols
17661 have already been read, and files whose symbols will be read when needed.
17662
17663 @kindex info functions
17664 @item info functions
17665 Print the names and data types of all defined functions.
17666
17667 @item info functions @var{regexp}
17668 Print the names and data types of all defined functions
17669 whose names contain a match for regular expression @var{regexp}.
17670 Thus, @samp{info fun step} finds all functions whose names
17671 include @code{step}; @samp{info fun ^step} finds those whose names
17672 start with @code{step}. If a function name contains characters
17673 that conflict with the regular expression language (e.g.@:
17674 @samp{operator*()}), they may be quoted with a backslash.
17675
17676 @kindex info variables
17677 @item info variables
17678 Print the names and data types of all variables that are defined
17679 outside of functions (i.e.@: excluding local variables).
17680
17681 @item info variables @var{regexp}
17682 Print the names and data types of all variables (except for local
17683 variables) whose names contain a match for regular expression
17684 @var{regexp}.
17685
17686 @kindex info classes
17687 @cindex Objective-C, classes and selectors
17688 @item info classes
17689 @itemx info classes @var{regexp}
17690 Display all Objective-C classes in your program, or
17691 (with the @var{regexp} argument) all those matching a particular regular
17692 expression.
17693
17694 @kindex info selectors
17695 @item info selectors
17696 @itemx info selectors @var{regexp}
17697 Display all Objective-C selectors in your program, or
17698 (with the @var{regexp} argument) all those matching a particular regular
17699 expression.
17700
17701 @ignore
17702 This was never implemented.
17703 @kindex info methods
17704 @item info methods
17705 @itemx info methods @var{regexp}
17706 The @code{info methods} command permits the user to examine all defined
17707 methods within C@t{++} program, or (with the @var{regexp} argument) a
17708 specific set of methods found in the various C@t{++} classes. Many
17709 C@t{++} classes provide a large number of methods. Thus, the output
17710 from the @code{ptype} command can be overwhelming and hard to use. The
17711 @code{info-methods} command filters the methods, printing only those
17712 which match the regular-expression @var{regexp}.
17713 @end ignore
17714
17715 @cindex opaque data types
17716 @kindex set opaque-type-resolution
17717 @item set opaque-type-resolution on
17718 Tell @value{GDBN} to resolve opaque types. An opaque type is a type
17719 declared as a pointer to a @code{struct}, @code{class}, or
17720 @code{union}---for example, @code{struct MyType *}---that is used in one
17721 source file although the full declaration of @code{struct MyType} is in
17722 another source file. The default is on.
17723
17724 A change in the setting of this subcommand will not take effect until
17725 the next time symbols for a file are loaded.
17726
17727 @item set opaque-type-resolution off
17728 Tell @value{GDBN} not to resolve opaque types. In this case, the type
17729 is printed as follows:
17730 @smallexample
17731 @{<no data fields>@}
17732 @end smallexample
17733
17734 @kindex show opaque-type-resolution
17735 @item show opaque-type-resolution
17736 Show whether opaque types are resolved or not.
17737
17738 @kindex set print symbol-loading
17739 @cindex print messages when symbols are loaded
17740 @item set print symbol-loading
17741 @itemx set print symbol-loading full
17742 @itemx set print symbol-loading brief
17743 @itemx set print symbol-loading off
17744 The @code{set print symbol-loading} command allows you to control the
17745 printing of messages when @value{GDBN} loads symbol information.
17746 By default a message is printed for the executable and one for each
17747 shared library, and normally this is what you want. However, when
17748 debugging apps with large numbers of shared libraries these messages
17749 can be annoying.
17750 When set to @code{brief} a message is printed for each executable,
17751 and when @value{GDBN} loads a collection of shared libraries at once
17752 it will only print one message regardless of the number of shared
17753 libraries. When set to @code{off} no messages are printed.
17754
17755 @kindex show print symbol-loading
17756 @item show print symbol-loading
17757 Show whether messages will be printed when a @value{GDBN} command
17758 entered from the keyboard causes symbol information to be loaded.
17759
17760 @kindex maint print symbols
17761 @cindex symbol dump
17762 @kindex maint print psymbols
17763 @cindex partial symbol dump
17764 @kindex maint print msymbols
17765 @cindex minimal symbol dump
17766 @item maint print symbols @r{[}-pc @var{address}@r{]} @r{[}@var{filename}@r{]}
17767 @itemx maint print symbols @r{[}-objfile @var{objfile}@r{]} @r{[}-source @var{source}@r{]} @r{[}--@r{]} @r{[}@var{filename}@r{]}
17768 @itemx maint print psymbols @r{[}-objfile @var{objfile}@r{]} @r{[}-pc @var{address}@r{]} @r{[}--@r{]} @r{[}@var{filename}@r{]}
17769 @itemx maint print psymbols @r{[}-objfile @var{objfile}@r{]} @r{[}-source @var{source}@r{]} @r{[}--@r{]} @r{[}@var{filename}@r{]}
17770 @itemx maint print msymbols @r{[}-objfile @var{objfile}@r{]} @r{[}--@r{]} @r{[}@var{filename}@r{]}
17771 Write a dump of debugging symbol data into the file @var{filename} or
17772 the terminal if @var{filename} is unspecified.
17773 If @code{-objfile @var{objfile}} is specified, only dump symbols for
17774 that objfile.
17775 If @code{-pc @var{address}} is specified, only dump symbols for the file
17776 with code at that address. Note that @var{address} may be a symbol like
17777 @code{main}.
17778 If @code{-source @var{source}} is specified, only dump symbols for that
17779 source file.
17780
17781 These commands are used to debug the @value{GDBN} symbol-reading code.
17782 These commands do not modify internal @value{GDBN} state, therefore
17783 @samp{maint print symbols} will only print symbols for already expanded symbol
17784 tables.
17785 You can use the command @code{info sources} to find out which files these are.
17786 If you use @samp{maint print psymbols} instead, the dump shows information
17787 about symbols that @value{GDBN} only knows partially---that is, symbols
17788 defined in files that @value{GDBN} has skimmed, but not yet read completely.
17789 Finally, @samp{maint print msymbols} just dumps ``minimal symbols'', e.g.,
17790 ``ELF symbols''.
17791
17792 @xref{Files, ,Commands to Specify Files}, for a discussion of how
17793 @value{GDBN} reads symbols (in the description of @code{symbol-file}).
17794
17795 @kindex maint info symtabs
17796 @kindex maint info psymtabs
17797 @cindex listing @value{GDBN}'s internal symbol tables
17798 @cindex symbol tables, listing @value{GDBN}'s internal
17799 @cindex full symbol tables, listing @value{GDBN}'s internal
17800 @cindex partial symbol tables, listing @value{GDBN}'s internal
17801 @item maint info symtabs @r{[} @var{regexp} @r{]}
17802 @itemx maint info psymtabs @r{[} @var{regexp} @r{]}
17803
17804 List the @code{struct symtab} or @code{struct partial_symtab}
17805 structures whose names match @var{regexp}. If @var{regexp} is not
17806 given, list them all. The output includes expressions which you can
17807 copy into a @value{GDBN} debugging this one to examine a particular
17808 structure in more detail. For example:
17809
17810 @smallexample
17811 (@value{GDBP}) maint info psymtabs dwarf2read
17812 @{ objfile /home/gnu/build/gdb/gdb
17813 ((struct objfile *) 0x82e69d0)
17814 @{ psymtab /home/gnu/src/gdb/dwarf2read.c
17815 ((struct partial_symtab *) 0x8474b10)
17816 readin no
17817 fullname (null)
17818 text addresses 0x814d3c8 -- 0x8158074
17819 globals (* (struct partial_symbol **) 0x8507a08 @@ 9)
17820 statics (* (struct partial_symbol **) 0x40e95b78 @@ 2882)
17821 dependencies (none)
17822 @}
17823 @}
17824 (@value{GDBP}) maint info symtabs
17825 (@value{GDBP})
17826 @end smallexample
17827 @noindent
17828 We see that there is one partial symbol table whose filename contains
17829 the string @samp{dwarf2read}, belonging to the @samp{gdb} executable;
17830 and we see that @value{GDBN} has not read in any symtabs yet at all.
17831 If we set a breakpoint on a function, that will cause @value{GDBN} to
17832 read the symtab for the compilation unit containing that function:
17833
17834 @smallexample
17835 (@value{GDBP}) break dwarf2_psymtab_to_symtab
17836 Breakpoint 1 at 0x814e5da: file /home/gnu/src/gdb/dwarf2read.c,
17837 line 1574.
17838 (@value{GDBP}) maint info symtabs
17839 @{ objfile /home/gnu/build/gdb/gdb
17840 ((struct objfile *) 0x82e69d0)
17841 @{ symtab /home/gnu/src/gdb/dwarf2read.c
17842 ((struct symtab *) 0x86c1f38)
17843 dirname (null)
17844 fullname (null)
17845 blockvector ((struct blockvector *) 0x86c1bd0) (primary)
17846 linetable ((struct linetable *) 0x8370fa0)
17847 debugformat DWARF 2
17848 @}
17849 @}
17850 (@value{GDBP})
17851 @end smallexample
17852
17853 @kindex maint info line-table
17854 @cindex listing @value{GDBN}'s internal line tables
17855 @cindex line tables, listing @value{GDBN}'s internal
17856 @item maint info line-table @r{[} @var{regexp} @r{]}
17857
17858 List the @code{struct linetable} from all @code{struct symtab}
17859 instances whose name matches @var{regexp}. If @var{regexp} is not
17860 given, list the @code{struct linetable} from all @code{struct symtab}.
17861
17862 @kindex maint set symbol-cache-size
17863 @cindex symbol cache size
17864 @item maint set symbol-cache-size @var{size}
17865 Set the size of the symbol cache to @var{size}.
17866 The default size is intended to be good enough for debugging
17867 most applications. This option exists to allow for experimenting
17868 with different sizes.
17869
17870 @kindex maint show symbol-cache-size
17871 @item maint show symbol-cache-size
17872 Show the size of the symbol cache.
17873
17874 @kindex maint print symbol-cache
17875 @cindex symbol cache, printing its contents
17876 @item maint print symbol-cache
17877 Print the contents of the symbol cache.
17878 This is useful when debugging symbol cache issues.
17879
17880 @kindex maint print symbol-cache-statistics
17881 @cindex symbol cache, printing usage statistics
17882 @item maint print symbol-cache-statistics
17883 Print symbol cache usage statistics.
17884 This helps determine how well the cache is being utilized.
17885
17886 @kindex maint flush-symbol-cache
17887 @cindex symbol cache, flushing
17888 @item maint flush-symbol-cache
17889 Flush the contents of the symbol cache, all entries are removed.
17890 This command is useful when debugging the symbol cache.
17891 It is also useful when collecting performance data.
17892
17893 @end table
17894
17895 @node Altering
17896 @chapter Altering Execution
17897
17898 Once you think you have found an error in your program, you might want to
17899 find out for certain whether correcting the apparent error would lead to
17900 correct results in the rest of the run. You can find the answer by
17901 experiment, using the @value{GDBN} features for altering execution of the
17902 program.
17903
17904 For example, you can store new values into variables or memory
17905 locations, give your program a signal, restart it at a different
17906 address, or even return prematurely from a function.
17907
17908 @menu
17909 * Assignment:: Assignment to variables
17910 * Jumping:: Continuing at a different address
17911 * Signaling:: Giving your program a signal
17912 * Returning:: Returning from a function
17913 * Calling:: Calling your program's functions
17914 * Patching:: Patching your program
17915 * Compiling and Injecting Code:: Compiling and injecting code in @value{GDBN}
17916 @end menu
17917
17918 @node Assignment
17919 @section Assignment to Variables
17920
17921 @cindex assignment
17922 @cindex setting variables
17923 To alter the value of a variable, evaluate an assignment expression.
17924 @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}. For example,
17925
17926 @smallexample
17927 print x=4
17928 @end smallexample
17929
17930 @noindent
17931 stores the value 4 into the variable @code{x}, and then prints the
17932 value of the assignment expression (which is 4).
17933 @xref{Languages, ,Using @value{GDBN} with Different Languages}, for more
17934 information on operators in supported languages.
17935
17936 @kindex set variable
17937 @cindex variables, setting
17938 If you are not interested in seeing the value of the assignment, use the
17939 @code{set} command instead of the @code{print} command. @code{set} is
17940 really the same as @code{print} except that the expression's value is
17941 not printed and is not put in the value history (@pxref{Value History,
17942 ,Value History}). The expression is evaluated only for its effects.
17943
17944 If the beginning of the argument string of the @code{set} command
17945 appears identical to a @code{set} subcommand, use the @code{set
17946 variable} command instead of just @code{set}. This command is identical
17947 to @code{set} except for its lack of subcommands. For example, if your
17948 program has a variable @code{width}, you get an error if you try to set
17949 a new value with just @samp{set width=13}, because @value{GDBN} has the
17950 command @code{set width}:
17951
17952 @smallexample
17953 (@value{GDBP}) whatis width
17954 type = double
17955 (@value{GDBP}) p width
17956 $4 = 13
17957 (@value{GDBP}) set width=47
17958 Invalid syntax in expression.
17959 @end smallexample
17960
17961 @noindent
17962 The invalid expression, of course, is @samp{=47}. In
17963 order to actually set the program's variable @code{width}, use
17964
17965 @smallexample
17966 (@value{GDBP}) set var width=47
17967 @end smallexample
17968
17969 Because the @code{set} command has many subcommands that can conflict
17970 with the names of program variables, it is a good idea to use the
17971 @code{set variable} command instead of just @code{set}. For example, if
17972 your program has a variable @code{g}, you run into problems if you try
17973 to set a new value with just @samp{set g=4}, because @value{GDBN} has
17974 the command @code{set gnutarget}, abbreviated @code{set g}:
17975
17976 @smallexample
17977 @group
17978 (@value{GDBP}) whatis g
17979 type = double
17980 (@value{GDBP}) p g
17981 $1 = 1
17982 (@value{GDBP}) set g=4
17983 (@value{GDBP}) p g
17984 $2 = 1
17985 (@value{GDBP}) r
17986 The program being debugged has been started already.
17987 Start it from the beginning? (y or n) y
17988 Starting program: /home/smith/cc_progs/a.out
17989 "/home/smith/cc_progs/a.out": can't open to read symbols:
17990 Invalid bfd target.
17991 (@value{GDBP}) show g
17992 The current BFD target is "=4".
17993 @end group
17994 @end smallexample
17995
17996 @noindent
17997 The program variable @code{g} did not change, and you silently set the
17998 @code{gnutarget} to an invalid value. In order to set the variable
17999 @code{g}, use
18000
18001 @smallexample
18002 (@value{GDBP}) set var g=4
18003 @end smallexample
18004
18005 @value{GDBN} allows more implicit conversions in assignments than C; you can
18006 freely store an integer value into a pointer variable or vice versa,
18007 and you can convert any structure to any other structure that is the
18008 same length or shorter.
18009 @comment FIXME: how do structs align/pad in these conversions?
18010 @comment /doc@cygnus.com 18dec1990
18011
18012 To store values into arbitrary places in memory, use the @samp{@{@dots{}@}}
18013 construct to generate a value of specified type at a specified address
18014 (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}). For example, @code{@{int@}0x83040} refers
18015 to memory location @code{0x83040} as an integer (which implies a certain size
18016 and representation in memory), and
18017
18018 @smallexample
18019 set @{int@}0x83040 = 4
18020 @end smallexample
18021
18022 @noindent
18023 stores the value 4 into that memory location.
18024
18025 @node Jumping
18026 @section Continuing at a Different Address
18027
18028 Ordinarily, when you continue your program, you do so at the place where
18029 it stopped, with the @code{continue} command. You can instead continue at
18030 an address of your own choosing, with the following commands:
18031
18032 @table @code
18033 @kindex jump
18034 @kindex j @r{(@code{jump})}
18035 @item jump @var{location}
18036 @itemx j @var{location}
18037 Resume execution at @var{location}. Execution stops again immediately
18038 if there is a breakpoint there. @xref{Specify Location}, for a description
18039 of the different forms of @var{location}. It is common
18040 practice to use the @code{tbreak} command in conjunction with
18041 @code{jump}. @xref{Set Breaks, ,Setting Breakpoints}.
18042
18043 The @code{jump} command does not change the current stack frame, or
18044 the stack pointer, or the contents of any memory location or any
18045 register other than the program counter. If @var{location} is in
18046 a different function from the one currently executing, the results may
18047 be bizarre if the two functions expect different patterns of arguments or
18048 of local variables. For this reason, the @code{jump} command requests
18049 confirmation if the specified line is not in the function currently
18050 executing. However, even bizarre results are predictable if you are
18051 well acquainted with the machine-language code of your program.
18052 @end table
18053
18054 On many systems, you can get much the same effect as the @code{jump}
18055 command by storing a new value into the register @code{$pc}. The
18056 difference is that this does not start your program running; it only
18057 changes the address of where it @emph{will} run when you continue. For
18058 example,
18059
18060 @smallexample
18061 set $pc = 0x485
18062 @end smallexample
18063
18064 @noindent
18065 makes the next @code{continue} command or stepping command execute at
18066 address @code{0x485}, rather than at the address where your program stopped.
18067 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, ,Continuing and Stepping}.
18068
18069 The most common occasion to use the @code{jump} command is to back
18070 up---perhaps with more breakpoints set---over a portion of a program
18071 that has already executed, in order to examine its execution in more
18072 detail.
18073
18074 @c @group
18075 @node Signaling
18076 @section Giving your Program a Signal
18077 @cindex deliver a signal to a program
18078
18079 @table @code
18080 @kindex signal
18081 @item signal @var{signal}
18082 Resume execution where your program is stopped, but immediately give it the
18083 signal @var{signal}. The @var{signal} can be the name or the number of a
18084 signal. For example, on many systems @code{signal 2} and @code{signal
18085 SIGINT} are both ways of sending an interrupt signal.
18086
18087 Alternatively, if @var{signal} is zero, continue execution without
18088 giving a signal. This is useful when your program stopped on account of
18089 a signal and would ordinarily see the signal when resumed with the
18090 @code{continue} command; @samp{signal 0} causes it to resume without a
18091 signal.
18092
18093 @emph{Note:} When resuming a multi-threaded program, @var{signal} is
18094 delivered to the currently selected thread, not the thread that last
18095 reported a stop. This includes the situation where a thread was
18096 stopped due to a signal. So if you want to continue execution
18097 suppressing the signal that stopped a thread, you should select that
18098 same thread before issuing the @samp{signal 0} command. If you issue
18099 the @samp{signal 0} command with another thread as the selected one,
18100 @value{GDBN} detects that and asks for confirmation.
18101
18102 Invoking the @code{signal} command is not the same as invoking the
18103 @code{kill} utility from the shell. Sending a signal with @code{kill}
18104 causes @value{GDBN} to decide what to do with the signal depending on
18105 the signal handling tables (@pxref{Signals}). The @code{signal} command
18106 passes the signal directly to your program.
18107
18108 @code{signal} does not repeat when you press @key{RET} a second time
18109 after executing the command.
18110
18111 @kindex queue-signal
18112 @item queue-signal @var{signal}
18113 Queue @var{signal} to be delivered immediately to the current thread
18114 when execution of the thread resumes. The @var{signal} can be the name or
18115 the number of a signal. For example, on many systems @code{signal 2} and
18116 @code{signal SIGINT} are both ways of sending an interrupt signal.
18117 The handling of the signal must be set to pass the signal to the program,
18118 otherwise @value{GDBN} will report an error.
18119 You can control the handling of signals from @value{GDBN} with the
18120 @code{handle} command (@pxref{Signals}).
18121
18122 Alternatively, if @var{signal} is zero, any currently queued signal
18123 for the current thread is discarded and when execution resumes no signal
18124 will be delivered. This is useful when your program stopped on account
18125 of a signal and would ordinarily see the signal when resumed with the
18126 @code{continue} command.
18127
18128 This command differs from the @code{signal} command in that the signal
18129 is just queued, execution is not resumed. And @code{queue-signal} cannot
18130 be used to pass a signal whose handling state has been set to @code{nopass}
18131 (@pxref{Signals}).
18132 @end table
18133 @c @end group
18134
18135 @xref{stepping into signal handlers}, for information on how stepping
18136 commands behave when the thread has a signal queued.
18137
18138 @node Returning
18139 @section Returning from a Function
18140
18141 @table @code
18142 @cindex returning from a function
18143 @kindex return
18144 @item return
18145 @itemx return @var{expression}
18146 You can cancel execution of a function call with the @code{return}
18147 command. If you give an
18148 @var{expression} argument, its value is used as the function's return
18149 value.
18150 @end table
18151
18152 When you use @code{return}, @value{GDBN} discards the selected stack frame
18153 (and all frames within it). You can think of this as making the
18154 discarded frame return prematurely. If you wish to specify a value to
18155 be returned, give that value as the argument to @code{return}.
18156
18157 This pops the selected stack frame (@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a
18158 Frame}), and any other frames inside of it, leaving its caller as the
18159 innermost remaining frame. That frame becomes selected. The
18160 specified value is stored in the registers used for returning values
18161 of functions.
18162
18163 The @code{return} command does not resume execution; it leaves the
18164 program stopped in the state that would exist if the function had just
18165 returned. In contrast, the @code{finish} command (@pxref{Continuing
18166 and Stepping, ,Continuing and Stepping}) resumes execution until the
18167 selected stack frame returns naturally.
18168
18169 @value{GDBN} needs to know how the @var{expression} argument should be set for
18170 the inferior. The concrete registers assignment depends on the OS ABI and the
18171 type being returned by the selected stack frame. For example it is common for
18172 OS ABI to return floating point values in FPU registers while integer values in
18173 CPU registers. Still some ABIs return even floating point values in CPU
18174 registers. Larger integer widths (such as @code{long long int}) also have
18175 specific placement rules. @value{GDBN} already knows the OS ABI from its
18176 current target so it needs to find out also the type being returned to make the
18177 assignment into the right register(s).
18178
18179 Normally, the selected stack frame has debug info. @value{GDBN} will always
18180 use the debug info instead of the implicit type of @var{expression} when the
18181 debug info is available. For example, if you type @kbd{return -1}, and the
18182 function in the current stack frame is declared to return a @code{long long
18183 int}, @value{GDBN} transparently converts the implicit @code{int} value of -1
18184 into a @code{long long int}:
18185
18186 @smallexample
18187 Breakpoint 1, func () at gdb.base/return-nodebug.c:29
18188 29 return 31;
18189 (@value{GDBP}) return -1
18190 Make func return now? (y or n) y
18191 #0 0x004004f6 in main () at gdb.base/return-nodebug.c:43
18192 43 printf ("result=%lld\n", func ());
18193 (@value{GDBP})
18194 @end smallexample
18195
18196 However, if the selected stack frame does not have a debug info, e.g., if the
18197 function was compiled without debug info, @value{GDBN} has to find out the type
18198 to return from user. Specifying a different type by mistake may set the value
18199 in different inferior registers than the caller code expects. For example,
18200 typing @kbd{return -1} with its implicit type @code{int} would set only a part
18201 of a @code{long long int} result for a debug info less function (on 32-bit
18202 architectures). Therefore the user is required to specify the return type by
18203 an appropriate cast explicitly:
18204
18205 @smallexample
18206 Breakpoint 2, 0x0040050b in func ()
18207 (@value{GDBP}) return -1
18208 Return value type not available for selected stack frame.
18209 Please use an explicit cast of the value to return.
18210 (@value{GDBP}) return (long long int) -1
18211 Make selected stack frame return now? (y or n) y
18212 #0 0x00400526 in main ()
18213 (@value{GDBP})
18214 @end smallexample
18215
18216 @node Calling
18217 @section Calling Program Functions
18218
18219 @table @code
18220 @cindex calling functions
18221 @cindex inferior functions, calling
18222 @item print @var{expr}
18223 Evaluate the expression @var{expr} and display the resulting value.
18224 The expression may include calls to functions in the program being
18225 debugged.
18226
18227 @kindex call
18228 @item call @var{expr}
18229 Evaluate the expression @var{expr} without displaying @code{void}
18230 returned values.
18231
18232 You can use this variant of the @code{print} command if you want to
18233 execute a function from your program that does not return anything
18234 (a.k.a.@: @dfn{a void function}), but without cluttering the output
18235 with @code{void} returned values that @value{GDBN} will otherwise
18236 print. If the result is not void, it is printed and saved in the
18237 value history.
18238 @end table
18239
18240 It is possible for the function you call via the @code{print} or
18241 @code{call} command to generate a signal (e.g., if there's a bug in
18242 the function, or if you passed it incorrect arguments). What happens
18243 in that case is controlled by the @code{set unwindonsignal} command.
18244
18245 Similarly, with a C@t{++} program it is possible for the function you
18246 call via the @code{print} or @code{call} command to generate an
18247 exception that is not handled due to the constraints of the dummy
18248 frame. In this case, any exception that is raised in the frame, but has
18249 an out-of-frame exception handler will not be found. GDB builds a
18250 dummy-frame for the inferior function call, and the unwinder cannot
18251 seek for exception handlers outside of this dummy-frame. What happens
18252 in that case is controlled by the
18253 @code{set unwind-on-terminating-exception} command.
18254
18255 @table @code
18256 @item set unwindonsignal
18257 @kindex set unwindonsignal
18258 @cindex unwind stack in called functions
18259 @cindex call dummy stack unwinding
18260 Set unwinding of the stack if a signal is received while in a function
18261 that @value{GDBN} called in the program being debugged. If set to on,
18262 @value{GDBN} unwinds the stack it created for the call and restores
18263 the context to what it was before the call. If set to off (the
18264 default), @value{GDBN} stops in the frame where the signal was
18265 received.
18266
18267 @item show unwindonsignal
18268 @kindex show unwindonsignal
18269 Show the current setting of stack unwinding in the functions called by
18270 @value{GDBN}.
18271
18272 @item set unwind-on-terminating-exception
18273 @kindex set unwind-on-terminating-exception
18274 @cindex unwind stack in called functions with unhandled exceptions
18275 @cindex call dummy stack unwinding on unhandled exception.
18276 Set unwinding of the stack if a C@t{++} exception is raised, but left
18277 unhandled while in a function that @value{GDBN} called in the program being
18278 debugged. If set to on (the default), @value{GDBN} unwinds the stack
18279 it created for the call and restores the context to what it was before
18280 the call. If set to off, @value{GDBN} the exception is delivered to
18281 the default C@t{++} exception handler and the inferior terminated.
18282
18283 @item show unwind-on-terminating-exception
18284 @kindex show unwind-on-terminating-exception
18285 Show the current setting of stack unwinding in the functions called by
18286 @value{GDBN}.
18287
18288 @end table
18289
18290 @subsection Calling functions with no debug info
18291
18292 @cindex no debug info functions
18293 Sometimes, a function you wish to call is missing debug information.
18294 In such case, @value{GDBN} does not know the type of the function,
18295 including the types of the function's parameters. To avoid calling
18296 the inferior function incorrectly, which could result in the called
18297 function functioning erroneously and even crash, @value{GDBN} refuses
18298 to call the function unless you tell it the type of the function.
18299
18300 For prototyped (i.e.@: ANSI/ISO style) functions, there are two ways
18301 to do that. The simplest is to cast the call to the function's
18302 declared return type. For example:
18303
18304 @smallexample
18305 (@value{GDBP}) p getenv ("PATH")
18306 'getenv' has unknown return type; cast the call to its declared return type
18307 (@value{GDBP}) p (char *) getenv ("PATH")
18308 $1 = 0x7fffffffe7ba "/usr/local/bin:/"...
18309 @end smallexample
18310
18311 Casting the return type of a no-debug function is equivalent to
18312 casting the function to a pointer to a prototyped function that has a
18313 prototype that matches the types of the passed-in arguments, and
18314 calling that. I.e., the call above is equivalent to:
18315
18316 @smallexample
18317 (@value{GDBP}) p ((char * (*) (const char *)) getenv) ("PATH")
18318 @end smallexample
18319
18320 @noindent
18321 and given this prototyped C or C++ function with float parameters:
18322
18323 @smallexample
18324 float multiply (float v1, float v2) @{ return v1 * v2; @}
18325 @end smallexample
18326
18327 @noindent
18328 these calls are equivalent:
18329
18330 @smallexample
18331 (@value{GDBP}) p (float) multiply (2.0f, 3.0f)
18332 (@value{GDBP}) p ((float (*) (float, float)) multiply) (2.0f, 3.0f)
18333 @end smallexample
18334
18335 If the function you wish to call is declared as unprototyped (i.e.@:
18336 old K&R style), you must use the cast-to-function-pointer syntax, so
18337 that @value{GDBN} knows that it needs to apply default argument
18338 promotions (promote float arguments to double). @xref{ABI, float
18339 promotion}. For example, given this unprototyped C function with
18340 float parameters, and no debug info:
18341
18342 @smallexample
18343 float
18344 multiply_noproto (v1, v2)
18345 float v1, v2;
18346 @{
18347 return v1 * v2;
18348 @}
18349 @end smallexample
18350
18351 @noindent
18352 you call it like this:
18353
18354 @smallexample
18355 (@value{GDBP}) p ((float (*) ()) multiply_noproto) (2.0f, 3.0f)
18356 @end smallexample
18357
18358 @node Patching
18359 @section Patching Programs
18360
18361 @cindex patching binaries
18362 @cindex writing into executables
18363 @cindex writing into corefiles
18364
18365 By default, @value{GDBN} opens the file containing your program's
18366 executable code (or the corefile) read-only. This prevents accidental
18367 alterations to machine code; but it also prevents you from intentionally
18368 patching your program's binary.
18369
18370 If you'd like to be able to patch the binary, you can specify that
18371 explicitly with the @code{set write} command. For example, you might
18372 want to turn on internal debugging flags, or even to make emergency
18373 repairs.
18374
18375 @table @code
18376 @kindex set write
18377 @item set write on
18378 @itemx set write off
18379 If you specify @samp{set write on}, @value{GDBN} opens executable and
18380 core files for both reading and writing; if you specify @kbd{set write
18381 off} (the default), @value{GDBN} opens them read-only.
18382
18383 If you have already loaded a file, you must load it again (using the
18384 @code{exec-file} or @code{core-file} command) after changing @code{set
18385 write}, for your new setting to take effect.
18386
18387 @item show write
18388 @kindex show write
18389 Display whether executable files and core files are opened for writing
18390 as well as reading.
18391 @end table
18392
18393 @node Compiling and Injecting Code
18394 @section Compiling and injecting code in @value{GDBN}
18395 @cindex injecting code
18396 @cindex writing into executables
18397 @cindex compiling code
18398
18399 @value{GDBN} supports on-demand compilation and code injection into
18400 programs running under @value{GDBN}. GCC 5.0 or higher built with
18401 @file{libcc1.so} must be installed for this functionality to be enabled.
18402 This functionality is implemented with the following commands.
18403
18404 @table @code
18405 @kindex compile code
18406 @item compile code @var{source-code}
18407 @itemx compile code -raw @var{--} @var{source-code}
18408 Compile @var{source-code} with the compiler language found as the current
18409 language in @value{GDBN} (@pxref{Languages}). If compilation and
18410 injection is not supported with the current language specified in
18411 @value{GDBN}, or the compiler does not support this feature, an error
18412 message will be printed. If @var{source-code} compiles and links
18413 successfully, @value{GDBN} will load the object-code emitted,
18414 and execute it within the context of the currently selected inferior.
18415 It is important to note that the compiled code is executed immediately.
18416 After execution, the compiled code is removed from @value{GDBN} and any
18417 new types or variables you have defined will be deleted.
18418
18419 The command allows you to specify @var{source-code} in two ways.
18420 The simplest method is to provide a single line of code to the command.
18421 E.g.:
18422
18423 @smallexample
18424 compile code printf ("hello world\n");
18425 @end smallexample
18426
18427 If you specify options on the command line as well as source code, they
18428 may conflict. The @samp{--} delimiter can be used to separate options
18429 from actual source code. E.g.:
18430
18431 @smallexample
18432 compile code -r -- printf ("hello world\n");
18433 @end smallexample
18434
18435 Alternatively you can enter source code as multiple lines of text. To
18436 enter this mode, invoke the @samp{compile code} command without any text
18437 following the command. This will start the multiple-line editor and
18438 allow you to type as many lines of source code as required. When you
18439 have completed typing, enter @samp{end} on its own line to exit the
18440 editor.
18441
18442 @smallexample
18443 compile code
18444 >printf ("hello\n");
18445 >printf ("world\n");
18446 >end
18447 @end smallexample
18448
18449 Specifying @samp{-raw}, prohibits @value{GDBN} from wrapping the
18450 provided @var{source-code} in a callable scope. In this case, you must
18451 specify the entry point of the code by defining a function named
18452 @code{_gdb_expr_}. The @samp{-raw} code cannot access variables of the
18453 inferior. Using @samp{-raw} option may be needed for example when
18454 @var{source-code} requires @samp{#include} lines which may conflict with
18455 inferior symbols otherwise.
18456
18457 @kindex compile file
18458 @item compile file @var{filename}
18459 @itemx compile file -raw @var{filename}
18460 Like @code{compile code}, but take the source code from @var{filename}.
18461
18462 @smallexample
18463 compile file /home/user/example.c
18464 @end smallexample
18465 @end table
18466
18467 @table @code
18468 @item compile print @var{expr}
18469 @itemx compile print /@var{f} @var{expr}
18470 Compile and execute @var{expr} with the compiler language found as the
18471 current language in @value{GDBN} (@pxref{Languages}). By default the
18472 value of @var{expr} is printed in a format appropriate to its data type;
18473 you can choose a different format by specifying @samp{/@var{f}}, where
18474 @var{f} is a letter specifying the format; see @ref{Output Formats,,Output
18475 Formats}.
18476
18477 @item compile print
18478 @itemx compile print /@var{f}
18479 @cindex reprint the last value
18480 Alternatively you can enter the expression (source code producing it) as
18481 multiple lines of text. To enter this mode, invoke the @samp{compile print}
18482 command without any text following the command. This will start the
18483 multiple-line editor.
18484 @end table
18485
18486 @noindent
18487 The process of compiling and injecting the code can be inspected using:
18488
18489 @table @code
18490 @anchor{set debug compile}
18491 @item set debug compile
18492 @cindex compile command debugging info
18493 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} process of compiling and
18494 injecting the code. The default is off.
18495
18496 @item show debug compile
18497 Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} process of
18498 compiling and injecting the code.
18499 @end table
18500
18501 @subsection Compilation options for the @code{compile} command
18502
18503 @value{GDBN} needs to specify the right compilation options for the code
18504 to be injected, in part to make its ABI compatible with the inferior
18505 and in part to make the injected code compatible with @value{GDBN}'s
18506 injecting process.
18507
18508 @noindent
18509 The options used, in increasing precedence:
18510
18511 @table @asis
18512 @item target architecture and OS options (@code{gdbarch})
18513 These options depend on target processor type and target operating
18514 system, usually they specify at least 32-bit (@code{-m32}) or 64-bit
18515 (@code{-m64}) compilation option.
18516
18517 @item compilation options recorded in the target
18518 @value{NGCC} (since version 4.7) stores the options used for compilation
18519 into @code{DW_AT_producer} part of DWARF debugging information according
18520 to the @value{NGCC} option @code{-grecord-gcc-switches}. One has to
18521 explicitly specify @code{-g} during inferior compilation otherwise
18522 @value{NGCC} produces no DWARF. This feature is only relevant for
18523 platforms where @code{-g} produces DWARF by default, otherwise one may
18524 try to enforce DWARF by using @code{-gdwarf-4}.
18525
18526 @item compilation options set by @code{set compile-args}
18527 @end table
18528
18529 @noindent
18530 You can override compilation options using the following command:
18531
18532 @table @code
18533 @item set compile-args
18534 @cindex compile command options override
18535 Set compilation options used for compiling and injecting code with the
18536 @code{compile} commands. These options override any conflicting ones
18537 from the target architecture and/or options stored during inferior
18538 compilation.
18539
18540 @item show compile-args
18541 Displays the current state of compilation options override.
18542 This does not show all the options actually used during compilation,
18543 use @ref{set debug compile} for that.
18544 @end table
18545
18546 @subsection Caveats when using the @code{compile} command
18547
18548 There are a few caveats to keep in mind when using the @code{compile}
18549 command. As the caveats are different per language, the table below
18550 highlights specific issues on a per language basis.
18551
18552 @table @asis
18553 @item C code examples and caveats
18554 When the language in @value{GDBN} is set to @samp{C}, the compiler will
18555 attempt to compile the source code with a @samp{C} compiler. The source
18556 code provided to the @code{compile} command will have much the same
18557 access to variables and types as it normally would if it were part of
18558 the program currently being debugged in @value{GDBN}.
18559
18560 Below is a sample program that forms the basis of the examples that
18561 follow. This program has been compiled and loaded into @value{GDBN},
18562 much like any other normal debugging session.
18563
18564 @smallexample
18565 void function1 (void)
18566 @{
18567 int i = 42;
18568 printf ("function 1\n");
18569 @}
18570
18571 void function2 (void)
18572 @{
18573 int j = 12;
18574 function1 ();
18575 @}
18576
18577 int main(void)
18578 @{
18579 int k = 6;
18580 int *p;
18581 function2 ();
18582 return 0;
18583 @}
18584 @end smallexample
18585
18586 For the purposes of the examples in this section, the program above has
18587 been compiled, loaded into @value{GDBN}, stopped at the function
18588 @code{main}, and @value{GDBN} is awaiting input from the user.
18589
18590 To access variables and types for any program in @value{GDBN}, the
18591 program must be compiled and packaged with debug information. The
18592 @code{compile} command is not an exception to this rule. Without debug
18593 information, you can still use the @code{compile} command, but you will
18594 be very limited in what variables and types you can access.
18595
18596 So with that in mind, the example above has been compiled with debug
18597 information enabled. The @code{compile} command will have access to
18598 all variables and types (except those that may have been optimized
18599 out). Currently, as @value{GDBN} has stopped the program in the
18600 @code{main} function, the @code{compile} command would have access to
18601 the variable @code{k}. You could invoke the @code{compile} command
18602 and type some source code to set the value of @code{k}. You can also
18603 read it, or do anything with that variable you would normally do in
18604 @code{C}. Be aware that changes to inferior variables in the
18605 @code{compile} command are persistent. In the following example:
18606
18607 @smallexample
18608 compile code k = 3;
18609 @end smallexample
18610
18611 @noindent
18612 the variable @code{k} is now 3. It will retain that value until
18613 something else in the example program changes it, or another
18614 @code{compile} command changes it.
18615
18616 Normal scope and access rules apply to source code compiled and
18617 injected by the @code{compile} command. In the example, the variables
18618 @code{j} and @code{k} are not accessible yet, because the program is
18619 currently stopped in the @code{main} function, where these variables
18620 are not in scope. Therefore, the following command
18621
18622 @smallexample
18623 compile code j = 3;
18624 @end smallexample
18625
18626 @noindent
18627 will result in a compilation error message.
18628
18629 Once the program is continued, execution will bring these variables in
18630 scope, and they will become accessible; then the code you specify via
18631 the @code{compile} command will be able to access them.
18632
18633 You can create variables and types with the @code{compile} command as
18634 part of your source code. Variables and types that are created as part
18635 of the @code{compile} command are not visible to the rest of the program for
18636 the duration of its run. This example is valid:
18637
18638 @smallexample
18639 compile code int ff = 5; printf ("ff is %d\n", ff);
18640 @end smallexample
18641
18642 However, if you were to type the following into @value{GDBN} after that
18643 command has completed:
18644
18645 @smallexample
18646 compile code printf ("ff is %d\n'', ff);
18647 @end smallexample
18648
18649 @noindent
18650 a compiler error would be raised as the variable @code{ff} no longer
18651 exists. Object code generated and injected by the @code{compile}
18652 command is removed when its execution ends. Caution is advised
18653 when assigning to program variables values of variables created by the
18654 code submitted to the @code{compile} command. This example is valid:
18655
18656 @smallexample
18657 compile code int ff = 5; k = ff;
18658 @end smallexample
18659
18660 The value of the variable @code{ff} is assigned to @code{k}. The variable
18661 @code{k} does not require the existence of @code{ff} to maintain the value
18662 it has been assigned. However, pointers require particular care in
18663 assignment. If the source code compiled with the @code{compile} command
18664 changed the address of a pointer in the example program, perhaps to a
18665 variable created in the @code{compile} command, that pointer would point
18666 to an invalid location when the command exits. The following example
18667 would likely cause issues with your debugged program:
18668
18669 @smallexample
18670 compile code int ff = 5; p = &ff;
18671 @end smallexample
18672
18673 In this example, @code{p} would point to @code{ff} when the
18674 @code{compile} command is executing the source code provided to it.
18675 However, as variables in the (example) program persist with their
18676 assigned values, the variable @code{p} would point to an invalid
18677 location when the command exists. A general rule should be followed
18678 in that you should either assign @code{NULL} to any assigned pointers,
18679 or restore a valid location to the pointer before the command exits.
18680
18681 Similar caution must be exercised with any structs, unions, and typedefs
18682 defined in @code{compile} command. Types defined in the @code{compile}
18683 command will no longer be available in the next @code{compile} command.
18684 Therefore, if you cast a variable to a type defined in the
18685 @code{compile} command, care must be taken to ensure that any future
18686 need to resolve the type can be achieved.
18687
18688 @smallexample
18689 (gdb) compile code static struct a @{ int a; @} v = @{ 42 @}; argv = &v;
18690 (gdb) compile code printf ("%d\n", ((struct a *) argv)->a);
18691 gdb command line:1:36: error: dereferencing pointer to incomplete type ‘struct a’
18692 Compilation failed.
18693 (gdb) compile code struct a @{ int a; @}; printf ("%d\n", ((struct a *) argv)->a);
18694 42
18695 @end smallexample
18696
18697 Variables that have been optimized away by the compiler are not
18698 accessible to the code submitted to the @code{compile} command.
18699 Access to those variables will generate a compiler error which @value{GDBN}
18700 will print to the console.
18701 @end table
18702
18703 @subsection Compiler search for the @code{compile} command
18704
18705 @value{GDBN} needs to find @value{NGCC} for the inferior being debugged
18706 which may not be obvious for remote targets of different architecture
18707 than where @value{GDBN} is running. Environment variable @code{PATH} on
18708 @value{GDBN} host is searched for @value{NGCC} binary matching the
18709 target architecture and operating system. This search can be overriden
18710 by @code{set compile-gcc} @value{GDBN} command below. @code{PATH} is
18711 taken from shell that executed @value{GDBN}, it is not the value set by
18712 @value{GDBN} command @code{set environment}). @xref{Environment}.
18713
18714
18715 Specifically @code{PATH} is searched for binaries matching regular expression
18716 @code{@var{arch}(-[^-]*)?-@var{os}-gcc} according to the inferior target being
18717 debugged. @var{arch} is processor name --- multiarch is supported, so for
18718 example both @code{i386} and @code{x86_64} targets look for pattern
18719 @code{(x86_64|i.86)} and both @code{s390} and @code{s390x} targets look
18720 for pattern @code{s390x?}. @var{os} is currently supported only for
18721 pattern @code{linux(-gnu)?}.
18722
18723 On Posix hosts the compiler driver @value{GDBN} needs to find also
18724 shared library @file{libcc1.so} from the compiler. It is searched in
18725 default shared library search path (overridable with usual environment
18726 variable @code{LD_LIBRARY_PATH}), unrelated to @code{PATH} or @code{set
18727 compile-gcc} settings. Contrary to it @file{libcc1plugin.so} is found
18728 according to the installation of the found compiler --- as possibly
18729 specified by the @code{set compile-gcc} command.
18730
18731 @table @code
18732 @item set compile-gcc
18733 @cindex compile command driver filename override
18734 Set compilation command used for compiling and injecting code with the
18735 @code{compile} commands. If this option is not set (it is set to
18736 an empty string), the search described above will occur --- that is the
18737 default.
18738
18739 @item show compile-gcc
18740 Displays the current compile command @value{NGCC} driver filename.
18741 If set, it is the main command @command{gcc}, found usually for example
18742 under name @file{x86_64-linux-gnu-gcc}.
18743 @end table
18744
18745 @node GDB Files
18746 @chapter @value{GDBN} Files
18747
18748 @value{GDBN} needs to know the file name of the program to be debugged,
18749 both in order to read its symbol table and in order to start your
18750 program. To debug a core dump of a previous run, you must also tell
18751 @value{GDBN} the name of the core dump file.
18752
18753 @menu
18754 * Files:: Commands to specify files
18755 * File Caching:: Information about @value{GDBN}'s file caching
18756 * Separate Debug Files:: Debugging information in separate files
18757 * MiniDebugInfo:: Debugging information in a special section
18758 * Index Files:: Index files speed up GDB
18759 * Symbol Errors:: Errors reading symbol files
18760 * Data Files:: GDB data files
18761 @end menu
18762
18763 @node Files
18764 @section Commands to Specify Files
18765
18766 @cindex symbol table
18767 @cindex core dump file
18768
18769 You may want to specify executable and core dump file names. The usual
18770 way to do this is at start-up time, using the arguments to
18771 @value{GDBN}'s start-up commands (@pxref{Invocation, , Getting In and
18772 Out of @value{GDBN}}).
18773
18774 Occasionally it is necessary to change to a different file during a
18775 @value{GDBN} session. Or you may run @value{GDBN} and forget to
18776 specify a file you want to use. Or you are debugging a remote target
18777 via @code{gdbserver} (@pxref{Server, file, Using the @code{gdbserver}
18778 Program}). In these situations the @value{GDBN} commands to specify
18779 new files are useful.
18780
18781 @table @code
18782 @cindex executable file
18783 @kindex file
18784 @item file @var{filename}
18785 Use @var{filename} as the program to be debugged. It is read for its
18786 symbols and for the contents of pure memory. It is also the program
18787 executed when you use the @code{run} command. If you do not specify a
18788 directory and the file is not found in the @value{GDBN} working directory,
18789 @value{GDBN} uses the environment variable @code{PATH} as a list of
18790 directories to search, just as the shell does when looking for a program
18791 to run. You can change the value of this variable, for both @value{GDBN}
18792 and your program, using the @code{path} command.
18793
18794 @cindex unlinked object files
18795 @cindex patching object files
18796 You can load unlinked object @file{.o} files into @value{GDBN} using
18797 the @code{file} command. You will not be able to ``run'' an object
18798 file, but you can disassemble functions and inspect variables. Also,
18799 if the underlying BFD functionality supports it, you could use
18800 @kbd{gdb -write} to patch object files using this technique. Note
18801 that @value{GDBN} can neither interpret nor modify relocations in this
18802 case, so branches and some initialized variables will appear to go to
18803 the wrong place. But this feature is still handy from time to time.
18804
18805 @item file
18806 @code{file} with no argument makes @value{GDBN} discard any information it
18807 has on both executable file and the symbol table.
18808
18809 @kindex exec-file
18810 @item exec-file @r{[} @var{filename} @r{]}
18811 Specify that the program to be run (but not the symbol table) is found
18812 in @var{filename}. @value{GDBN} searches the environment variable @code{PATH}
18813 if necessary to locate your program. Omitting @var{filename} means to
18814 discard information on the executable file.
18815
18816 @kindex symbol-file
18817 @item symbol-file @r{[} @var{filename} @r{]}
18818 Read symbol table information from file @var{filename}. @code{PATH} is
18819 searched when necessary. Use the @code{file} command to get both symbol
18820 table and program to run from the same file.
18821
18822 @code{symbol-file} with no argument clears out @value{GDBN} information on your
18823 program's symbol table.
18824
18825 The @code{symbol-file} command causes @value{GDBN} to forget the contents of
18826 some breakpoints and auto-display expressions. This is because they may
18827 contain pointers to the internal data recording symbols and data types,
18828 which are part of the old symbol table data being discarded inside
18829 @value{GDBN}.
18830
18831 @code{symbol-file} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} again after
18832 executing it once.
18833
18834 When @value{GDBN} is configured for a particular environment, it
18835 understands debugging information in whatever format is the standard
18836 generated for that environment; you may use either a @sc{gnu} compiler, or
18837 other compilers that adhere to the local conventions.
18838 Best results are usually obtained from @sc{gnu} compilers; for example,
18839 using @code{@value{NGCC}} you can generate debugging information for
18840 optimized code.
18841
18842 For most kinds of object files, with the exception of old SVR3 systems
18843 using COFF, the @code{symbol-file} command does not normally read the
18844 symbol table in full right away. Instead, it scans the symbol table
18845 quickly to find which source files and which symbols are present. The
18846 details are read later, one source file at a time, as they are needed.
18847
18848 The purpose of this two-stage reading strategy is to make @value{GDBN}
18849 start up faster. For the most part, it is invisible except for
18850 occasional pauses while the symbol table details for a particular source
18851 file are being read. (The @code{set verbose} command can turn these
18852 pauses into messages if desired. @xref{Messages/Warnings, ,Optional
18853 Warnings and Messages}.)
18854
18855 We have not implemented the two-stage strategy for COFF yet. When the
18856 symbol table is stored in COFF format, @code{symbol-file} reads the
18857 symbol table data in full right away. Note that ``stabs-in-COFF''
18858 still does the two-stage strategy, since the debug info is actually
18859 in stabs format.
18860
18861 @kindex readnow
18862 @cindex reading symbols immediately
18863 @cindex symbols, reading immediately
18864 @item symbol-file @r{[} -readnow @r{]} @var{filename}
18865 @itemx file @r{[} -readnow @r{]} @var{filename}
18866 You can override the @value{GDBN} two-stage strategy for reading symbol
18867 tables by using the @samp{-readnow} option with any of the commands that
18868 load symbol table information, if you want to be sure @value{GDBN} has the
18869 entire symbol table available.
18870
18871 @cindex @code{-readnever}, option for symbol-file command
18872 @cindex never read symbols
18873 @cindex symbols, never read
18874 @item symbol-file @r{[} -readnever @r{]} @var{filename}
18875 @itemx file @r{[} -readnever @r{]} @var{filename}
18876 You can instruct @value{GDBN} to never read the symbolic information
18877 contained in @var{filename} by using the @samp{-readnever} option.
18878 @xref{--readnever}.
18879
18880 @c FIXME: for now no mention of directories, since this seems to be in
18881 @c flux. 13mar1992 status is that in theory GDB would look either in
18882 @c current dir or in same dir as myprog; but issues like competing
18883 @c GDB's, or clutter in system dirs, mean that in practice right now
18884 @c only current dir is used. FFish says maybe a special GDB hierarchy
18885 @c (eg rooted in val of env var GDBSYMS) could exist for mappable symbol
18886 @c files.
18887
18888 @kindex core-file
18889 @item core-file @r{[}@var{filename}@r{]}
18890 @itemx core
18891 Specify the whereabouts of a core dump file to be used as the ``contents
18892 of memory''. Traditionally, core files contain only some parts of the
18893 address space of the process that generated them; @value{GDBN} can access the
18894 executable file itself for other parts.
18895
18896 @code{core-file} with no argument specifies that no core file is
18897 to be used.
18898
18899 Note that the core file is ignored when your program is actually running
18900 under @value{GDBN}. So, if you have been running your program and you
18901 wish to debug a core file instead, you must kill the subprocess in which
18902 the program is running. To do this, use the @code{kill} command
18903 (@pxref{Kill Process, ,Killing the Child Process}).
18904
18905 @kindex add-symbol-file
18906 @cindex dynamic linking
18907 @item add-symbol-file @var{filename} @var{address}
18908 @itemx add-symbol-file @var{filename} @var{address} @r{[} -readnow @r{|} -readnever @r{]}
18909 @itemx add-symbol-file @var{filename} @var{address} -s @var{section} @var{address} @dots{}
18910 The @code{add-symbol-file} command reads additional symbol table
18911 information from the file @var{filename}. You would use this command
18912 when @var{filename} has been dynamically loaded (by some other means)
18913 into the program that is running. The @var{address} should give the memory
18914 address at which the file has been loaded; @value{GDBN} cannot figure
18915 this out for itself. You can additionally specify an arbitrary number
18916 of @samp{-s @var{section} @var{address}} pairs, to give an explicit
18917 section name and base address for that section. You can specify any
18918 @var{address} as an expression.
18919
18920 The symbol table of the file @var{filename} is added to the symbol table
18921 originally read with the @code{symbol-file} command. You can use the
18922 @code{add-symbol-file} command any number of times; the new symbol data
18923 thus read is kept in addition to the old.
18924
18925 Changes can be reverted using the command @code{remove-symbol-file}.
18926
18927 @cindex relocatable object files, reading symbols from
18928 @cindex object files, relocatable, reading symbols from
18929 @cindex reading symbols from relocatable object files
18930 @cindex symbols, reading from relocatable object files
18931 @cindex @file{.o} files, reading symbols from
18932 Although @var{filename} is typically a shared library file, an
18933 executable file, or some other object file which has been fully
18934 relocated for loading into a process, you can also load symbolic
18935 information from relocatable @file{.o} files, as long as:
18936
18937 @itemize @bullet
18938 @item
18939 the file's symbolic information refers only to linker symbols defined in
18940 that file, not to symbols defined by other object files,
18941 @item
18942 every section the file's symbolic information refers to has actually
18943 been loaded into the inferior, as it appears in the file, and
18944 @item
18945 you can determine the address at which every section was loaded, and
18946 provide these to the @code{add-symbol-file} command.
18947 @end itemize
18948
18949 @noindent
18950 Some embedded operating systems, like Sun Chorus and VxWorks, can load
18951 relocatable files into an already running program; such systems
18952 typically make the requirements above easy to meet. However, it's
18953 important to recognize that many native systems use complex link
18954 procedures (@code{.linkonce} section factoring and C@t{++} constructor table
18955 assembly, for example) that make the requirements difficult to meet. In
18956 general, one cannot assume that using @code{add-symbol-file} to read a
18957 relocatable object file's symbolic information will have the same effect
18958 as linking the relocatable object file into the program in the normal
18959 way.
18960
18961 @code{add-symbol-file} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} after using it.
18962
18963 @kindex remove-symbol-file
18964 @item remove-symbol-file @var{filename}
18965 @item remove-symbol-file -a @var{address}
18966 Remove a symbol file added via the @code{add-symbol-file} command. The
18967 file to remove can be identified by its @var{filename} or by an @var{address}
18968 that lies within the boundaries of this symbol file in memory. Example:
18969
18970 @smallexample
18971 (gdb) add-symbol-file /home/user/gdb/mylib.so 0x7ffff7ff9480
18972 add symbol table from file "/home/user/gdb/mylib.so" at
18973 .text_addr = 0x7ffff7ff9480
18974 (y or n) y
18975 Reading symbols from /home/user/gdb/mylib.so...done.
18976 (gdb) remove-symbol-file -a 0x7ffff7ff9480
18977 Remove symbol table from file "/home/user/gdb/mylib.so"? (y or n) y
18978 (gdb)
18979 @end smallexample
18980
18981
18982 @code{remove-symbol-file} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} after using it.
18983
18984 @kindex add-symbol-file-from-memory
18985 @cindex @code{syscall DSO}
18986 @cindex load symbols from memory
18987 @item add-symbol-file-from-memory @var{address}
18988 Load symbols from the given @var{address} in a dynamically loaded
18989 object file whose image is mapped directly into the inferior's memory.
18990 For example, the Linux kernel maps a @code{syscall DSO} into each
18991 process's address space; this DSO provides kernel-specific code for
18992 some system calls. The argument can be any expression whose
18993 evaluation yields the address of the file's shared object file header.
18994 For this command to work, you must have used @code{symbol-file} or
18995 @code{exec-file} commands in advance.
18996
18997 @kindex section
18998 @item section @var{section} @var{addr}
18999 The @code{section} command changes the base address of the named
19000 @var{section} of the exec file to @var{addr}. This can be used if the
19001 exec file does not contain section addresses, (such as in the
19002 @code{a.out} format), or when the addresses specified in the file
19003 itself are wrong. Each section must be changed separately. The
19004 @code{info files} command, described below, lists all the sections and
19005 their addresses.
19006
19007 @kindex info files
19008 @kindex info target
19009 @item info files
19010 @itemx info target
19011 @code{info files} and @code{info target} are synonymous; both print the
19012 current target (@pxref{Targets, ,Specifying a Debugging Target}),
19013 including the names of the executable and core dump files currently in
19014 use by @value{GDBN}, and the files from which symbols were loaded. The
19015 command @code{help target} lists all possible targets rather than
19016 current ones.
19017
19018 @kindex maint info sections
19019 @item maint info sections
19020 Another command that can give you extra information about program sections
19021 is @code{maint info sections}. In addition to the section information
19022 displayed by @code{info files}, this command displays the flags and file
19023 offset of each section in the executable and core dump files. In addition,
19024 @code{maint info sections} provides the following command options (which
19025 may be arbitrarily combined):
19026
19027 @table @code
19028 @item ALLOBJ
19029 Display sections for all loaded object files, including shared libraries.
19030 @item @var{sections}
19031 Display info only for named @var{sections}.
19032 @item @var{section-flags}
19033 Display info only for sections for which @var{section-flags} are true.
19034 The section flags that @value{GDBN} currently knows about are:
19035 @table @code
19036 @item ALLOC
19037 Section will have space allocated in the process when loaded.
19038 Set for all sections except those containing debug information.
19039 @item LOAD
19040 Section will be loaded from the file into the child process memory.
19041 Set for pre-initialized code and data, clear for @code{.bss} sections.
19042 @item RELOC
19043 Section needs to be relocated before loading.
19044 @item READONLY
19045 Section cannot be modified by the child process.
19046 @item CODE
19047 Section contains executable code only.
19048 @item DATA
19049 Section contains data only (no executable code).
19050 @item ROM
19051 Section will reside in ROM.
19052 @item CONSTRUCTOR
19053 Section contains data for constructor/destructor lists.
19054 @item HAS_CONTENTS
19055 Section is not empty.
19056 @item NEVER_LOAD
19057 An instruction to the linker to not output the section.
19058 @item COFF_SHARED_LIBRARY
19059 A notification to the linker that the section contains
19060 COFF shared library information.
19061 @item IS_COMMON
19062 Section contains common symbols.
19063 @end table
19064 @end table
19065 @kindex set trust-readonly-sections
19066 @cindex read-only sections
19067 @item set trust-readonly-sections on
19068 Tell @value{GDBN} that readonly sections in your object file
19069 really are read-only (i.e.@: that their contents will not change).
19070 In that case, @value{GDBN} can fetch values from these sections
19071 out of the object file, rather than from the target program.
19072 For some targets (notably embedded ones), this can be a significant
19073 enhancement to debugging performance.
19074
19075 The default is off.
19076
19077 @item set trust-readonly-sections off
19078 Tell @value{GDBN} not to trust readonly sections. This means that
19079 the contents of the section might change while the program is running,
19080 and must therefore be fetched from the target when needed.
19081
19082 @item show trust-readonly-sections
19083 Show the current setting of trusting readonly sections.
19084 @end table
19085
19086 All file-specifying commands allow both absolute and relative file names
19087 as arguments. @value{GDBN} always converts the file name to an absolute file
19088 name and remembers it that way.
19089
19090 @cindex shared libraries
19091 @anchor{Shared Libraries}
19092 @value{GDBN} supports @sc{gnu}/Linux, MS-Windows, SunOS,
19093 Darwin/Mach-O, SVr4, IBM RS/6000 AIX, QNX Neutrino, FDPIC (FR-V), and
19094 DSBT (TIC6X) shared libraries.
19095
19096 On MS-Windows @value{GDBN} must be linked with the Expat library to support
19097 shared libraries. @xref{Expat}.
19098
19099 @value{GDBN} automatically loads symbol definitions from shared libraries
19100 when you use the @code{run} command, or when you examine a core file.
19101 (Before you issue the @code{run} command, @value{GDBN} does not understand
19102 references to a function in a shared library, however---unless you are
19103 debugging a core file).
19104
19105 @c FIXME: some @value{GDBN} release may permit some refs to undef
19106 @c FIXME...symbols---eg in a break cmd---assuming they are from a shared
19107 @c FIXME...lib; check this from time to time when updating manual
19108
19109 There are times, however, when you may wish to not automatically load
19110 symbol definitions from shared libraries, such as when they are
19111 particularly large or there are many of them.
19112
19113 To control the automatic loading of shared library symbols, use the
19114 commands:
19115
19116 @table @code
19117 @kindex set auto-solib-add
19118 @item set auto-solib-add @var{mode}
19119 If @var{mode} is @code{on}, symbols from all shared object libraries
19120 will be loaded automatically when the inferior begins execution, you
19121 attach to an independently started inferior, or when the dynamic linker
19122 informs @value{GDBN} that a new library has been loaded. If @var{mode}
19123 is @code{off}, symbols must be loaded manually, using the
19124 @code{sharedlibrary} command. The default value is @code{on}.
19125
19126 @cindex memory used for symbol tables
19127 If your program uses lots of shared libraries with debug info that
19128 takes large amounts of memory, you can decrease the @value{GDBN}
19129 memory footprint by preventing it from automatically loading the
19130 symbols from shared libraries. To that end, type @kbd{set
19131 auto-solib-add off} before running the inferior, then load each
19132 library whose debug symbols you do need with @kbd{sharedlibrary
19133 @var{regexp}}, where @var{regexp} is a regular expression that matches
19134 the libraries whose symbols you want to be loaded.
19135
19136 @kindex show auto-solib-add
19137 @item show auto-solib-add
19138 Display the current autoloading mode.
19139 @end table
19140
19141 @cindex load shared library
19142 To explicitly load shared library symbols, use the @code{sharedlibrary}
19143 command:
19144
19145 @table @code
19146 @kindex info sharedlibrary
19147 @kindex info share
19148 @item info share @var{regex}
19149 @itemx info sharedlibrary @var{regex}
19150 Print the names of the shared libraries which are currently loaded
19151 that match @var{regex}. If @var{regex} is omitted then print
19152 all shared libraries that are loaded.
19153
19154 @kindex info dll
19155 @item info dll @var{regex}
19156 This is an alias of @code{info sharedlibrary}.
19157
19158 @kindex sharedlibrary
19159 @kindex share
19160 @item sharedlibrary @var{regex}
19161 @itemx share @var{regex}
19162 Load shared object library symbols for files matching a
19163 Unix regular expression.
19164 As with files loaded automatically, it only loads shared libraries
19165 required by your program for a core file or after typing @code{run}. If
19166 @var{regex} is omitted all shared libraries required by your program are
19167 loaded.
19168
19169 @item nosharedlibrary
19170 @kindex nosharedlibrary
19171 @cindex unload symbols from shared libraries
19172 Unload all shared object library symbols. This discards all symbols
19173 that have been loaded from all shared libraries. Symbols from shared
19174 libraries that were loaded by explicit user requests are not
19175 discarded.
19176 @end table
19177
19178 Sometimes you may wish that @value{GDBN} stops and gives you control
19179 when any of shared library events happen. The best way to do this is
19180 to use @code{catch load} and @code{catch unload} (@pxref{Set
19181 Catchpoints}).
19182
19183 @value{GDBN} also supports the the @code{set stop-on-solib-events}
19184 command for this. This command exists for historical reasons. It is
19185 less useful than setting a catchpoint, because it does not allow for
19186 conditions or commands as a catchpoint does.
19187
19188 @table @code
19189 @item set stop-on-solib-events
19190 @kindex set stop-on-solib-events
19191 This command controls whether @value{GDBN} should give you control
19192 when the dynamic linker notifies it about some shared library event.
19193 The most common event of interest is loading or unloading of a new
19194 shared library.
19195
19196 @item show stop-on-solib-events
19197 @kindex show stop-on-solib-events
19198 Show whether @value{GDBN} stops and gives you control when shared
19199 library events happen.
19200 @end table
19201
19202 Shared libraries are also supported in many cross or remote debugging
19203 configurations. @value{GDBN} needs to have access to the target's libraries;
19204 this can be accomplished either by providing copies of the libraries
19205 on the host system, or by asking @value{GDBN} to automatically retrieve the
19206 libraries from the target. If copies of the target libraries are
19207 provided, they need to be the same as the target libraries, although the
19208 copies on the target can be stripped as long as the copies on the host are
19209 not.
19210
19211 @cindex where to look for shared libraries
19212 For remote debugging, you need to tell @value{GDBN} where the target
19213 libraries are, so that it can load the correct copies---otherwise, it
19214 may try to load the host's libraries. @value{GDBN} has two variables
19215 to specify the search directories for target libraries.
19216
19217 @table @code
19218 @cindex prefix for executable and shared library file names
19219 @cindex system root, alternate
19220 @kindex set solib-absolute-prefix
19221 @kindex set sysroot
19222 @item set sysroot @var{path}
19223 Use @var{path} as the system root for the program being debugged. Any
19224 absolute shared library paths will be prefixed with @var{path}; many
19225 runtime loaders store the absolute paths to the shared library in the
19226 target program's memory. When starting processes remotely, and when
19227 attaching to already-running processes (local or remote), their
19228 executable filenames will be prefixed with @var{path} if reported to
19229 @value{GDBN} as absolute by the operating system. If you use
19230 @code{set sysroot} to find executables and shared libraries, they need
19231 to be laid out in the same way that they are on the target, with
19232 e.g.@: a @file{/bin}, @file{/lib} and @file{/usr/lib} hierarchy under
19233 @var{path}.
19234
19235 If @var{path} starts with the sequence @file{target:} and the target
19236 system is remote then @value{GDBN} will retrieve the target binaries
19237 from the remote system. This is only supported when using a remote
19238 target that supports the @code{remote get} command (@pxref{File
19239 Transfer,,Sending files to a remote system}). The part of @var{path}
19240 following the initial @file{target:} (if present) is used as system
19241 root prefix on the remote file system. If @var{path} starts with the
19242 sequence @file{remote:} this is converted to the sequence
19243 @file{target:} by @code{set sysroot}@footnote{Historically the
19244 functionality to retrieve binaries from the remote system was
19245 provided by prefixing @var{path} with @file{remote:}}. If you want
19246 to specify a local system root using a directory that happens to be
19247 named @file{target:} or @file{remote:}, you need to use some
19248 equivalent variant of the name like @file{./target:}.
19249
19250 For targets with an MS-DOS based filesystem, such as MS-Windows and
19251 SymbianOS, @value{GDBN} tries prefixing a few variants of the target
19252 absolute file name with @var{path}. But first, on Unix hosts,
19253 @value{GDBN} converts all backslash directory separators into forward
19254 slashes, because the backslash is not a directory separator on Unix:
19255
19256 @smallexample
19257 c:\foo\bar.dll @result{} c:/foo/bar.dll
19258 @end smallexample
19259
19260 Then, @value{GDBN} attempts prefixing the target file name with
19261 @var{path}, and looks for the resulting file name in the host file
19262 system:
19263
19264 @smallexample
19265 c:/foo/bar.dll @result{} /path/to/sysroot/c:/foo/bar.dll
19266 @end smallexample
19267
19268 If that does not find the binary, @value{GDBN} tries removing
19269 the @samp{:} character from the drive spec, both for convenience, and,
19270 for the case of the host file system not supporting file names with
19271 colons:
19272
19273 @smallexample
19274 c:/foo/bar.dll @result{} /path/to/sysroot/c/foo/bar.dll
19275 @end smallexample
19276
19277 This makes it possible to have a system root that mirrors a target
19278 with more than one drive. E.g., you may want to setup your local
19279 copies of the target system shared libraries like so (note @samp{c} vs
19280 @samp{z}):
19281
19282 @smallexample
19283 @file{/path/to/sysroot/c/sys/bin/foo.dll}
19284 @file{/path/to/sysroot/c/sys/bin/bar.dll}
19285 @file{/path/to/sysroot/z/sys/bin/bar.dll}
19286 @end smallexample
19287
19288 @noindent
19289 and point the system root at @file{/path/to/sysroot}, so that
19290 @value{GDBN} can find the correct copies of both
19291 @file{c:\sys\bin\foo.dll}, and @file{z:\sys\bin\bar.dll}.
19292
19293 If that still does not find the binary, @value{GDBN} tries
19294 removing the whole drive spec from the target file name:
19295
19296 @smallexample
19297 c:/foo/bar.dll @result{} /path/to/sysroot/foo/bar.dll
19298 @end smallexample
19299
19300 This last lookup makes it possible to not care about the drive name,
19301 if you don't want or need to.
19302
19303 The @code{set solib-absolute-prefix} command is an alias for @code{set
19304 sysroot}.
19305
19306 @cindex default system root
19307 @cindex @samp{--with-sysroot}
19308 You can set the default system root by using the configure-time
19309 @samp{--with-sysroot} option. If the system root is inside
19310 @value{GDBN}'s configured binary prefix (set with @samp{--prefix} or
19311 @samp{--exec-prefix}), then the default system root will be updated
19312 automatically if the installed @value{GDBN} is moved to a new
19313 location.
19314
19315 @kindex show sysroot
19316 @item show sysroot
19317 Display the current executable and shared library prefix.
19318
19319 @kindex set solib-search-path
19320 @item set solib-search-path @var{path}
19321 If this variable is set, @var{path} is a colon-separated list of
19322 directories to search for shared libraries. @samp{solib-search-path}
19323 is used after @samp{sysroot} fails to locate the library, or if the
19324 path to the library is relative instead of absolute. If you want to
19325 use @samp{solib-search-path} instead of @samp{sysroot}, be sure to set
19326 @samp{sysroot} to a nonexistent directory to prevent @value{GDBN} from
19327 finding your host's libraries. @samp{sysroot} is preferred; setting
19328 it to a nonexistent directory may interfere with automatic loading
19329 of shared library symbols.
19330
19331 @kindex show solib-search-path
19332 @item show solib-search-path
19333 Display the current shared library search path.
19334
19335 @cindex DOS file-name semantics of file names.
19336 @kindex set target-file-system-kind (unix|dos-based|auto)
19337 @kindex show target-file-system-kind
19338 @item set target-file-system-kind @var{kind}
19339 Set assumed file system kind for target reported file names.
19340
19341 Shared library file names as reported by the target system may not
19342 make sense as is on the system @value{GDBN} is running on. For
19343 example, when remote debugging a target that has MS-DOS based file
19344 system semantics, from a Unix host, the target may be reporting to
19345 @value{GDBN} a list of loaded shared libraries with file names such as
19346 @file{c:\Windows\kernel32.dll}. On Unix hosts, there's no concept of
19347 drive letters, so the @samp{c:\} prefix is not normally understood as
19348 indicating an absolute file name, and neither is the backslash
19349 normally considered a directory separator character. In that case,
19350 the native file system would interpret this whole absolute file name
19351 as a relative file name with no directory components. This would make
19352 it impossible to point @value{GDBN} at a copy of the remote target's
19353 shared libraries on the host using @code{set sysroot}, and impractical
19354 with @code{set solib-search-path}. Setting
19355 @code{target-file-system-kind} to @code{dos-based} tells @value{GDBN}
19356 to interpret such file names similarly to how the target would, and to
19357 map them to file names valid on @value{GDBN}'s native file system
19358 semantics. The value of @var{kind} can be @code{"auto"}, in addition
19359 to one of the supported file system kinds. In that case, @value{GDBN}
19360 tries to determine the appropriate file system variant based on the
19361 current target's operating system (@pxref{ABI, ,Configuring the
19362 Current ABI}). The supported file system settings are:
19363
19364 @table @code
19365 @item unix
19366 Instruct @value{GDBN} to assume the target file system is of Unix
19367 kind. Only file names starting the forward slash (@samp{/}) character
19368 are considered absolute, and the directory separator character is also
19369 the forward slash.
19370
19371 @item dos-based
19372 Instruct @value{GDBN} to assume the target file system is DOS based.
19373 File names starting with either a forward slash, or a drive letter
19374 followed by a colon (e.g., @samp{c:}), are considered absolute, and
19375 both the slash (@samp{/}) and the backslash (@samp{\\}) characters are
19376 considered directory separators.
19377
19378 @item auto
19379 Instruct @value{GDBN} to use the file system kind associated with the
19380 target operating system (@pxref{ABI, ,Configuring the Current ABI}).
19381 This is the default.
19382 @end table
19383 @end table
19384
19385 @cindex file name canonicalization
19386 @cindex base name differences
19387 When processing file names provided by the user, @value{GDBN}
19388 frequently needs to compare them to the file names recorded in the
19389 program's debug info. Normally, @value{GDBN} compares just the
19390 @dfn{base names} of the files as strings, which is reasonably fast
19391 even for very large programs. (The base name of a file is the last
19392 portion of its name, after stripping all the leading directories.)
19393 This shortcut in comparison is based upon the assumption that files
19394 cannot have more than one base name. This is usually true, but
19395 references to files that use symlinks or similar filesystem
19396 facilities violate that assumption. If your program records files
19397 using such facilities, or if you provide file names to @value{GDBN}
19398 using symlinks etc., you can set @code{basenames-may-differ} to
19399 @code{true} to instruct @value{GDBN} to completely canonicalize each
19400 pair of file names it needs to compare. This will make file-name
19401 comparisons accurate, but at a price of a significant slowdown.
19402
19403 @table @code
19404 @item set basenames-may-differ
19405 @kindex set basenames-may-differ
19406 Set whether a source file may have multiple base names.
19407
19408 @item show basenames-may-differ
19409 @kindex show basenames-may-differ
19410 Show whether a source file may have multiple base names.
19411 @end table
19412
19413 @node File Caching
19414 @section File Caching
19415 @cindex caching of opened files
19416 @cindex caching of bfd objects
19417
19418 To speed up file loading, and reduce memory usage, @value{GDBN} will
19419 reuse the @code{bfd} objects used to track open files. @xref{Top, ,
19420 BFD, bfd, The Binary File Descriptor Library}. The following commands
19421 allow visibility and control of the caching behavior.
19422
19423 @table @code
19424 @kindex maint info bfds
19425 @item maint info bfds
19426 This prints information about each @code{bfd} object that is known to
19427 @value{GDBN}.
19428
19429 @kindex maint set bfd-sharing
19430 @kindex maint show bfd-sharing
19431 @kindex bfd caching
19432 @item maint set bfd-sharing
19433 @item maint show bfd-sharing
19434 Control whether @code{bfd} objects can be shared. When sharing is
19435 enabled @value{GDBN} reuses already open @code{bfd} objects rather
19436 than reopening the same file. Turning sharing off does not cause
19437 already shared @code{bfd} objects to be unshared, but all future files
19438 that are opened will create a new @code{bfd} object. Similarly,
19439 re-enabling sharing does not cause multiple existing @code{bfd}
19440 objects to be collapsed into a single shared @code{bfd} object.
19441
19442 @kindex set debug bfd-cache @var{level}
19443 @kindex bfd caching
19444 @item set debug bfd-cache @var{level}
19445 Turns on debugging of the bfd cache, setting the level to @var{level}.
19446
19447 @kindex show debug bfd-cache
19448 @kindex bfd caching
19449 @item show debug bfd-cache
19450 Show the current debugging level of the bfd cache.
19451 @end table
19452
19453 @node Separate Debug Files
19454 @section Debugging Information in Separate Files
19455 @cindex separate debugging information files
19456 @cindex debugging information in separate files
19457 @cindex @file{.debug} subdirectories
19458 @cindex debugging information directory, global
19459 @cindex global debugging information directories
19460 @cindex build ID, and separate debugging files
19461 @cindex @file{.build-id} directory
19462
19463 @value{GDBN} allows you to put a program's debugging information in a
19464 file separate from the executable itself, in a way that allows
19465 @value{GDBN} to find and load the debugging information automatically.
19466 Since debugging information can be very large---sometimes larger
19467 than the executable code itself---some systems distribute debugging
19468 information for their executables in separate files, which users can
19469 install only when they need to debug a problem.
19470
19471 @value{GDBN} supports two ways of specifying the separate debug info
19472 file:
19473
19474 @itemize @bullet
19475 @item
19476 The executable contains a @dfn{debug link} that specifies the name of
19477 the separate debug info file. The separate debug file's name is
19478 usually @file{@var{executable}.debug}, where @var{executable} is the
19479 name of the corresponding executable file without leading directories
19480 (e.g., @file{ls.debug} for @file{/usr/bin/ls}). In addition, the
19481 debug link specifies a 32-bit @dfn{Cyclic Redundancy Check} (CRC)
19482 checksum for the debug file, which @value{GDBN} uses to validate that
19483 the executable and the debug file came from the same build.
19484
19485 @item
19486 The executable contains a @dfn{build ID}, a unique bit string that is
19487 also present in the corresponding debug info file. (This is supported
19488 only on some operating systems, when using the ELF or PE file formats
19489 for binary files and the @sc{gnu} Binutils.) For more details about
19490 this feature, see the description of the @option{--build-id}
19491 command-line option in @ref{Options, , Command Line Options, ld.info,
19492 The GNU Linker}. The debug info file's name is not specified
19493 explicitly by the build ID, but can be computed from the build ID, see
19494 below.
19495 @end itemize
19496
19497 Depending on the way the debug info file is specified, @value{GDBN}
19498 uses two different methods of looking for the debug file:
19499
19500 @itemize @bullet
19501 @item
19502 For the ``debug link'' method, @value{GDBN} looks up the named file in
19503 the directory of the executable file, then in a subdirectory of that
19504 directory named @file{.debug}, and finally under each one of the global debug
19505 directories, in a subdirectory whose name is identical to the leading
19506 directories of the executable's absolute file name.
19507
19508 @item
19509 For the ``build ID'' method, @value{GDBN} looks in the
19510 @file{.build-id} subdirectory of each one of the global debug directories for
19511 a file named @file{@var{nn}/@var{nnnnnnnn}.debug}, where @var{nn} are the
19512 first 2 hex characters of the build ID bit string, and @var{nnnnnnnn}
19513 are the rest of the bit string. (Real build ID strings are 32 or more
19514 hex characters, not 10.)
19515 @end itemize
19516
19517 So, for example, suppose you ask @value{GDBN} to debug
19518 @file{/usr/bin/ls}, which has a debug link that specifies the
19519 file @file{ls.debug}, and a build ID whose value in hex is
19520 @code{abcdef1234}. If the list of the global debug directories includes
19521 @file{/usr/lib/debug}, then @value{GDBN} will look for the following
19522 debug information files, in the indicated order:
19523
19524 @itemize @minus
19525 @item
19526 @file{/usr/lib/debug/.build-id/ab/cdef1234.debug}
19527 @item
19528 @file{/usr/bin/ls.debug}
19529 @item
19530 @file{/usr/bin/.debug/ls.debug}
19531 @item
19532 @file{/usr/lib/debug/usr/bin/ls.debug}.
19533 @end itemize
19534
19535 @anchor{debug-file-directory}
19536 Global debugging info directories default to what is set by @value{GDBN}
19537 configure option @option{--with-separate-debug-dir}. During @value{GDBN} run
19538 you can also set the global debugging info directories, and view the list
19539 @value{GDBN} is currently using.
19540
19541 @table @code
19542
19543 @kindex set debug-file-directory
19544 @item set debug-file-directory @var{directories}
19545 Set the directories which @value{GDBN} searches for separate debugging
19546 information files to @var{directory}. Multiple path components can be set
19547 concatenating them by a path separator.
19548
19549 @kindex show debug-file-directory
19550 @item show debug-file-directory
19551 Show the directories @value{GDBN} searches for separate debugging
19552 information files.
19553
19554 @end table
19555
19556 @cindex @code{.gnu_debuglink} sections
19557 @cindex debug link sections
19558 A debug link is a special section of the executable file named
19559 @code{.gnu_debuglink}. The section must contain:
19560
19561 @itemize
19562 @item
19563 A filename, with any leading directory components removed, followed by
19564 a zero byte,
19565 @item
19566 zero to three bytes of padding, as needed to reach the next four-byte
19567 boundary within the section, and
19568 @item
19569 a four-byte CRC checksum, stored in the same endianness used for the
19570 executable file itself. The checksum is computed on the debugging
19571 information file's full contents by the function given below, passing
19572 zero as the @var{crc} argument.
19573 @end itemize
19574
19575 Any executable file format can carry a debug link, as long as it can
19576 contain a section named @code{.gnu_debuglink} with the contents
19577 described above.
19578
19579 @cindex @code{.note.gnu.build-id} sections
19580 @cindex build ID sections
19581 The build ID is a special section in the executable file (and in other
19582 ELF binary files that @value{GDBN} may consider). This section is
19583 often named @code{.note.gnu.build-id}, but that name is not mandatory.
19584 It contains unique identification for the built files---the ID remains
19585 the same across multiple builds of the same build tree. The default
19586 algorithm SHA1 produces 160 bits (40 hexadecimal characters) of the
19587 content for the build ID string. The same section with an identical
19588 value is present in the original built binary with symbols, in its
19589 stripped variant, and in the separate debugging information file.
19590
19591 The debugging information file itself should be an ordinary
19592 executable, containing a full set of linker symbols, sections, and
19593 debugging information. The sections of the debugging information file
19594 should have the same names, addresses, and sizes as the original file,
19595 but they need not contain any data---much like a @code{.bss} section
19596 in an ordinary executable.
19597
19598 The @sc{gnu} binary utilities (Binutils) package includes the
19599 @samp{objcopy} utility that can produce
19600 the separated executable / debugging information file pairs using the
19601 following commands:
19602
19603 @smallexample
19604 @kbd{objcopy --only-keep-debug foo foo.debug}
19605 @kbd{strip -g foo}
19606 @end smallexample
19607
19608 @noindent
19609 These commands remove the debugging
19610 information from the executable file @file{foo} and place it in the file
19611 @file{foo.debug}. You can use the first, second or both methods to link the
19612 two files:
19613
19614 @itemize @bullet
19615 @item
19616 The debug link method needs the following additional command to also leave
19617 behind a debug link in @file{foo}:
19618
19619 @smallexample
19620 @kbd{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.debug foo}
19621 @end smallexample
19622
19623 Ulrich Drepper's @file{elfutils} package, starting with version 0.53, contains
19624 a version of the @code{strip} command such that the command @kbd{strip foo -f
19625 foo.debug} has the same functionality as the two @code{objcopy} commands and
19626 the @code{ln -s} command above, together.
19627
19628 @item
19629 Build ID gets embedded into the main executable using @code{ld --build-id} or
19630 the @value{NGCC} counterpart @code{gcc -Wl,--build-id}. Build ID support plus
19631 compatibility fixes for debug files separation are present in @sc{gnu} binary
19632 utilities (Binutils) package since version 2.18.
19633 @end itemize
19634
19635 @noindent
19636
19637 @cindex CRC algorithm definition
19638 The CRC used in @code{.gnu_debuglink} is the CRC-32 defined in
19639 IEEE 802.3 using the polynomial:
19640
19641 @c TexInfo requires naked braces for multi-digit exponents for Tex
19642 @c output, but this causes HTML output to barf. HTML has to be set using
19643 @c raw commands. So we end up having to specify this equation in 2
19644 @c different ways!
19645 @ifhtml
19646 @display
19647 @html
19648 <em>x</em><sup>32</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>26</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>23</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>22</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>16</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>12</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>11</sup>
19649 + <em>x</em><sup>10</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>8</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>7</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>5</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>4</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>2</sup> + <em>x</em> + 1
19650 @end html
19651 @end display
19652 @end ifhtml
19653 @ifnothtml
19654 @display
19655 @math{x^{32} + x^{26} + x^{23} + x^{22} + x^{16} + x^{12} + x^{11}}
19656 @math{+ x^{10} + x^8 + x^7 + x^5 + x^4 + x^2 + x + 1}
19657 @end display
19658 @end ifnothtml
19659
19660 The function is computed byte at a time, taking the least
19661 significant bit of each byte first. The initial pattern
19662 @code{0xffffffff} is used, to ensure leading zeros affect the CRC and
19663 the final result is inverted to ensure trailing zeros also affect the
19664 CRC.
19665
19666 @emph{Note:} This is the same CRC polynomial as used in handling the
19667 @dfn{Remote Serial Protocol} @code{qCRC} packet (@pxref{qCRC packet}).
19668 However in the case of the Remote Serial Protocol, the CRC is computed
19669 @emph{most} significant bit first, and the result is not inverted, so
19670 trailing zeros have no effect on the CRC value.
19671
19672 To complete the description, we show below the code of the function
19673 which produces the CRC used in @code{.gnu_debuglink}. Inverting the
19674 initially supplied @code{crc} argument means that an initial call to
19675 this function passing in zero will start computing the CRC using
19676 @code{0xffffffff}.
19677
19678 @kindex gnu_debuglink_crc32
19679 @smallexample
19680 unsigned long
19681 gnu_debuglink_crc32 (unsigned long crc,
19682 unsigned char *buf, size_t len)
19683 @{
19684 static const unsigned long crc32_table[256] =
19685 @{
19686 0x00000000, 0x77073096, 0xee0e612c, 0x990951ba, 0x076dc419,
19687 0x706af48f, 0xe963a535, 0x9e6495a3, 0x0edb8832, 0x79dcb8a4,
19688 0xe0d5e91e, 0x97d2d988, 0x09b64c2b, 0x7eb17cbd, 0xe7b82d07,
19689 0x90bf1d91, 0x1db71064, 0x6ab020f2, 0xf3b97148, 0x84be41de,
19690 0x1adad47d, 0x6ddde4eb, 0xf4d4b551, 0x83d385c7, 0x136c9856,
19691 0x646ba8c0, 0xfd62f97a, 0x8a65c9ec, 0x14015c4f, 0x63066cd9,
19692 0xfa0f3d63, 0x8d080df5, 0x3b6e20c8, 0x4c69105e, 0xd56041e4,
19693 0xa2677172, 0x3c03e4d1, 0x4b04d447, 0xd20d85fd, 0xa50ab56b,
19694 0x35b5a8fa, 0x42b2986c, 0xdbbbc9d6, 0xacbcf940, 0x32d86ce3,
19695 0x45df5c75, 0xdcd60dcf, 0xabd13d59, 0x26d930ac, 0x51de003a,
19696 0xc8d75180, 0xbfd06116, 0x21b4f4b5, 0x56b3c423, 0xcfba9599,
19697 0xb8bda50f, 0x2802b89e, 0x5f058808, 0xc60cd9b2, 0xb10be924,
19698 0x2f6f7c87, 0x58684c11, 0xc1611dab, 0xb6662d3d, 0x76dc4190,
19699 0x01db7106, 0x98d220bc, 0xefd5102a, 0x71b18589, 0x06b6b51f,
19700 0x9fbfe4a5, 0xe8b8d433, 0x7807c9a2, 0x0f00f934, 0x9609a88e,
19701 0xe10e9818, 0x7f6a0dbb, 0x086d3d2d, 0x91646c97, 0xe6635c01,
19702 0x6b6b51f4, 0x1c6c6162, 0x856530d8, 0xf262004e, 0x6c0695ed,
19703 0x1b01a57b, 0x8208f4c1, 0xf50fc457, 0x65b0d9c6, 0x12b7e950,
19704 0x8bbeb8ea, 0xfcb9887c, 0x62dd1ddf, 0x15da2d49, 0x8cd37cf3,
19705 0xfbd44c65, 0x4db26158, 0x3ab551ce, 0xa3bc0074, 0xd4bb30e2,
19706 0x4adfa541, 0x3dd895d7, 0xa4d1c46d, 0xd3d6f4fb, 0x4369e96a,
19707 0x346ed9fc, 0xad678846, 0xda60b8d0, 0x44042d73, 0x33031de5,
19708 0xaa0a4c5f, 0xdd0d7cc9, 0x5005713c, 0x270241aa, 0xbe0b1010,
19709 0xc90c2086, 0x5768b525, 0x206f85b3, 0xb966d409, 0xce61e49f,
19710 0x5edef90e, 0x29d9c998, 0xb0d09822, 0xc7d7a8b4, 0x59b33d17,
19711 0x2eb40d81, 0xb7bd5c3b, 0xc0ba6cad, 0xedb88320, 0x9abfb3b6,
19712 0x03b6e20c, 0x74b1d29a, 0xead54739, 0x9dd277af, 0x04db2615,
19713 0x73dc1683, 0xe3630b12, 0x94643b84, 0x0d6d6a3e, 0x7a6a5aa8,
19714 0xe40ecf0b, 0x9309ff9d, 0x0a00ae27, 0x7d079eb1, 0xf00f9344,
19715 0x8708a3d2, 0x1e01f268, 0x6906c2fe, 0xf762575d, 0x806567cb,
19716 0x196c3671, 0x6e6b06e7, 0xfed41b76, 0x89d32be0, 0x10da7a5a,
19717 0x67dd4acc, 0xf9b9df6f, 0x8ebeeff9, 0x17b7be43, 0x60b08ed5,
19718 0xd6d6a3e8, 0xa1d1937e, 0x38d8c2c4, 0x4fdff252, 0xd1bb67f1,
19719 0xa6bc5767, 0x3fb506dd, 0x48b2364b, 0xd80d2bda, 0xaf0a1b4c,
19720 0x36034af6, 0x41047a60, 0xdf60efc3, 0xa867df55, 0x316e8eef,
19721 0x4669be79, 0xcb61b38c, 0xbc66831a, 0x256fd2a0, 0x5268e236,
19722 0xcc0c7795, 0xbb0b4703, 0x220216b9, 0x5505262f, 0xc5ba3bbe,
19723 0xb2bd0b28, 0x2bb45a92, 0x5cb36a04, 0xc2d7ffa7, 0xb5d0cf31,
19724 0x2cd99e8b, 0x5bdeae1d, 0x9b64c2b0, 0xec63f226, 0x756aa39c,
19725 0x026d930a, 0x9c0906a9, 0xeb0e363f, 0x72076785, 0x05005713,
19726 0x95bf4a82, 0xe2b87a14, 0x7bb12bae, 0x0cb61b38, 0x92d28e9b,
19727 0xe5d5be0d, 0x7cdcefb7, 0x0bdbdf21, 0x86d3d2d4, 0xf1d4e242,
19728 0x68ddb3f8, 0x1fda836e, 0x81be16cd, 0xf6b9265b, 0x6fb077e1,
19729 0x18b74777, 0x88085ae6, 0xff0f6a70, 0x66063bca, 0x11010b5c,
19730 0x8f659eff, 0xf862ae69, 0x616bffd3, 0x166ccf45, 0xa00ae278,
19731 0xd70dd2ee, 0x4e048354, 0x3903b3c2, 0xa7672661, 0xd06016f7,
19732 0x4969474d, 0x3e6e77db, 0xaed16a4a, 0xd9d65adc, 0x40df0b66,
19733 0x37d83bf0, 0xa9bcae53, 0xdebb9ec5, 0x47b2cf7f, 0x30b5ffe9,
19734 0xbdbdf21c, 0xcabac28a, 0x53b39330, 0x24b4a3a6, 0xbad03605,
19735 0xcdd70693, 0x54de5729, 0x23d967bf, 0xb3667a2e, 0xc4614ab8,
19736 0x5d681b02, 0x2a6f2b94, 0xb40bbe37, 0xc30c8ea1, 0x5a05df1b,
19737 0x2d02ef8d
19738 @};
19739 unsigned char *end;
19740
19741 crc = ~crc & 0xffffffff;
19742 for (end = buf + len; buf < end; ++buf)
19743 crc = crc32_table[(crc ^ *buf) & 0xff] ^ (crc >> 8);
19744 return ~crc & 0xffffffff;
19745 @}
19746 @end smallexample
19747
19748 @noindent
19749 This computation does not apply to the ``build ID'' method.
19750
19751 @node MiniDebugInfo
19752 @section Debugging information in a special section
19753 @cindex separate debug sections
19754 @cindex @samp{.gnu_debugdata} section
19755
19756 Some systems ship pre-built executables and libraries that have a
19757 special @samp{.gnu_debugdata} section. This feature is called
19758 @dfn{MiniDebugInfo}. This section holds an LZMA-compressed object and
19759 is used to supply extra symbols for backtraces.
19760
19761 The intent of this section is to provide extra minimal debugging
19762 information for use in simple backtraces. It is not intended to be a
19763 replacement for full separate debugging information (@pxref{Separate
19764 Debug Files}). The example below shows the intended use; however,
19765 @value{GDBN} does not currently put restrictions on what sort of
19766 debugging information might be included in the section.
19767
19768 @value{GDBN} has support for this extension. If the section exists,
19769 then it is used provided that no other source of debugging information
19770 can be found, and that @value{GDBN} was configured with LZMA support.
19771
19772 This section can be easily created using @command{objcopy} and other
19773 standard utilities:
19774
19775 @smallexample
19776 # Extract the dynamic symbols from the main binary, there is no need
19777 # to also have these in the normal symbol table.
19778 nm -D @var{binary} --format=posix --defined-only \
19779 | awk '@{ print $1 @}' | sort > dynsyms
19780
19781 # Extract all the text (i.e. function) symbols from the debuginfo.
19782 # (Note that we actually also accept "D" symbols, for the benefit
19783 # of platforms like PowerPC64 that use function descriptors.)
19784 nm @var{binary} --format=posix --defined-only \
19785 | awk '@{ if ($2 == "T" || $2 == "t" || $2 == "D") print $1 @}' \
19786 | sort > funcsyms
19787
19788 # Keep all the function symbols not already in the dynamic symbol
19789 # table.
19790 comm -13 dynsyms funcsyms > keep_symbols
19791
19792 # Separate full debug info into debug binary.
19793 objcopy --only-keep-debug @var{binary} debug
19794
19795 # Copy the full debuginfo, keeping only a minimal set of symbols and
19796 # removing some unnecessary sections.
19797 objcopy -S --remove-section .gdb_index --remove-section .comment \
19798 --keep-symbols=keep_symbols debug mini_debuginfo
19799
19800 # Drop the full debug info from the original binary.
19801 strip --strip-all -R .comment @var{binary}
19802
19803 # Inject the compressed data into the .gnu_debugdata section of the
19804 # original binary.
19805 xz mini_debuginfo
19806 objcopy --add-section .gnu_debugdata=mini_debuginfo.xz @var{binary}
19807 @end smallexample
19808
19809 @node Index Files
19810 @section Index Files Speed Up @value{GDBN}
19811 @cindex index files
19812 @cindex @samp{.gdb_index} section
19813
19814 When @value{GDBN} finds a symbol file, it scans the symbols in the
19815 file in order to construct an internal symbol table. This lets most
19816 @value{GDBN} operations work quickly---at the cost of a delay early
19817 on. For large programs, this delay can be quite lengthy, so
19818 @value{GDBN} provides a way to build an index, which speeds up
19819 startup.
19820
19821 For convenience, @value{GDBN} comes with a program,
19822 @command{gdb-add-index}, which can be used to add the index to a
19823 symbol file. It takes the symbol file as its only argument:
19824
19825 @smallexample
19826 $ gdb-add-index symfile
19827 @end smallexample
19828
19829 @xref{gdb-add-index}.
19830
19831 It is also possible to do the work manually. Here is what
19832 @command{gdb-add-index} does behind the curtains.
19833
19834 The index is stored as a section in the symbol file. @value{GDBN} can
19835 write the index to a file, then you can put it into the symbol file
19836 using @command{objcopy}.
19837
19838 To create an index file, use the @code{save gdb-index} command:
19839
19840 @table @code
19841 @item save gdb-index [-dwarf-5] @var{directory}
19842 @kindex save gdb-index
19843 Create index files for all symbol files currently known by
19844 @value{GDBN}. For each known @var{symbol-file}, this command by
19845 default creates it produces a single file
19846 @file{@var{symbol-file}.gdb-index}. If you invoke this command with
19847 the @option{-dwarf-5} option, it produces 2 files:
19848 @file{@var{symbol-file}.debug_names} and
19849 @file{@var{symbol-file}.debug_str}. The files are created in the
19850 given @var{directory}.
19851 @end table
19852
19853 Once you have created an index file you can merge it into your symbol
19854 file, here named @file{symfile}, using @command{objcopy}:
19855
19856 @smallexample
19857 $ objcopy --add-section .gdb_index=symfile.gdb-index \
19858 --set-section-flags .gdb_index=readonly symfile symfile
19859 @end smallexample
19860
19861 Or for @code{-dwarf-5}:
19862
19863 @smallexample
19864 $ objcopy --dump-section .debug_str=symfile.debug_str.new symfile
19865 $ cat symfile.debug_str >>symfile.debug_str.new
19866 $ objcopy --add-section .debug_names=symfile.gdb-index \
19867 --set-section-flags .debug_names=readonly \
19868 --update-section .debug_str=symfile.debug_str.new symfile symfile
19869 @end smallexample
19870
19871 @value{GDBN} will normally ignore older versions of @file{.gdb_index}
19872 sections that have been deprecated. Usually they are deprecated because
19873 they are missing a new feature or have performance issues.
19874 To tell @value{GDBN} to use a deprecated index section anyway
19875 specify @code{set use-deprecated-index-sections on}.
19876 The default is @code{off}.
19877 This can speed up startup, but may result in some functionality being lost.
19878 @xref{Index Section Format}.
19879
19880 @emph{Warning:} Setting @code{use-deprecated-index-sections} to @code{on}
19881 must be done before gdb reads the file. The following will not work:
19882
19883 @smallexample
19884 $ gdb -ex "set use-deprecated-index-sections on" <program>
19885 @end smallexample
19886
19887 Instead you must do, for example,
19888
19889 @smallexample
19890 $ gdb -iex "set use-deprecated-index-sections on" <program>
19891 @end smallexample
19892
19893 There are currently some limitation on indices. They only work when
19894 for DWARF debugging information, not stabs. And, they do not
19895 currently work for programs using Ada.
19896
19897 @node Symbol Errors
19898 @section Errors Reading Symbol Files
19899
19900 While reading a symbol file, @value{GDBN} occasionally encounters problems,
19901 such as symbol types it does not recognize, or known bugs in compiler
19902 output. By default, @value{GDBN} does not notify you of such problems, since
19903 they are relatively common and primarily of interest to people
19904 debugging compilers. If you are interested in seeing information
19905 about ill-constructed symbol tables, you can either ask @value{GDBN} to print
19906 only one message about each such type of problem, no matter how many
19907 times the problem occurs; or you can ask @value{GDBN} to print more messages,
19908 to see how many times the problems occur, with the @code{set
19909 complaints} command (@pxref{Messages/Warnings, ,Optional Warnings and
19910 Messages}).
19911
19912 The messages currently printed, and their meanings, include:
19913
19914 @table @code
19915 @item inner block not inside outer block in @var{symbol}
19916
19917 The symbol information shows where symbol scopes begin and end
19918 (such as at the start of a function or a block of statements). This
19919 error indicates that an inner scope block is not fully contained
19920 in its outer scope blocks.
19921
19922 @value{GDBN} circumvents the problem by treating the inner block as if it had
19923 the same scope as the outer block. In the error message, @var{symbol}
19924 may be shown as ``@code{(don't know)}'' if the outer block is not a
19925 function.
19926
19927 @item block at @var{address} out of order
19928
19929 The symbol information for symbol scope blocks should occur in
19930 order of increasing addresses. This error indicates that it does not
19931 do so.
19932
19933 @value{GDBN} does not circumvent this problem, and has trouble
19934 locating symbols in the source file whose symbols it is reading. (You
19935 can often determine what source file is affected by specifying
19936 @code{set verbose on}. @xref{Messages/Warnings, ,Optional Warnings and
19937 Messages}.)
19938
19939 @item bad block start address patched
19940
19941 The symbol information for a symbol scope block has a start address
19942 smaller than the address of the preceding source line. This is known
19943 to occur in the SunOS 4.1.1 (and earlier) C compiler.
19944
19945 @value{GDBN} circumvents the problem by treating the symbol scope block as
19946 starting on the previous source line.
19947
19948 @item bad string table offset in symbol @var{n}
19949
19950 @cindex foo
19951 Symbol number @var{n} contains a pointer into the string table which is
19952 larger than the size of the string table.
19953
19954 @value{GDBN} circumvents the problem by considering the symbol to have the
19955 name @code{foo}, which may cause other problems if many symbols end up
19956 with this name.
19957
19958 @item unknown symbol type @code{0x@var{nn}}
19959
19960 The symbol information contains new data types that @value{GDBN} does
19961 not yet know how to read. @code{0x@var{nn}} is the symbol type of the
19962 uncomprehended information, in hexadecimal.
19963
19964 @value{GDBN} circumvents the error by ignoring this symbol information.
19965 This usually allows you to debug your program, though certain symbols
19966 are not accessible. If you encounter such a problem and feel like
19967 debugging it, you can debug @code{@value{GDBP}} with itself, breakpoint
19968 on @code{complain}, then go up to the function @code{read_dbx_symtab}
19969 and examine @code{*bufp} to see the symbol.
19970
19971 @item stub type has NULL name
19972
19973 @value{GDBN} could not find the full definition for a struct or class.
19974
19975 @item const/volatile indicator missing (ok if using g++ v1.x), got@dots{}
19976 The symbol information for a C@t{++} member function is missing some
19977 information that recent versions of the compiler should have output for
19978 it.
19979
19980 @item info mismatch between compiler and debugger
19981
19982 @value{GDBN} could not parse a type specification output by the compiler.
19983
19984 @end table
19985
19986 @node Data Files
19987 @section GDB Data Files
19988
19989 @cindex prefix for data files
19990 @value{GDBN} will sometimes read an auxiliary data file. These files
19991 are kept in a directory known as the @dfn{data directory}.
19992
19993 You can set the data directory's name, and view the name @value{GDBN}
19994 is currently using.
19995
19996 @table @code
19997 @kindex set data-directory
19998 @item set data-directory @var{directory}
19999 Set the directory which @value{GDBN} searches for auxiliary data files
20000 to @var{directory}.
20001
20002 @kindex show data-directory
20003 @item show data-directory
20004 Show the directory @value{GDBN} searches for auxiliary data files.
20005 @end table
20006
20007 @cindex default data directory
20008 @cindex @samp{--with-gdb-datadir}
20009 You can set the default data directory by using the configure-time
20010 @samp{--with-gdb-datadir} option. If the data directory is inside
20011 @value{GDBN}'s configured binary prefix (set with @samp{--prefix} or
20012 @samp{--exec-prefix}), then the default data directory will be updated
20013 automatically if the installed @value{GDBN} is moved to a new
20014 location.
20015
20016 The data directory may also be specified with the
20017 @code{--data-directory} command line option.
20018 @xref{Mode Options}.
20019
20020 @node Targets
20021 @chapter Specifying a Debugging Target
20022
20023 @cindex debugging target
20024 A @dfn{target} is the execution environment occupied by your program.
20025
20026 Often, @value{GDBN} runs in the same host environment as your program;
20027 in that case, the debugging target is specified as a side effect when
20028 you use the @code{file} or @code{core} commands. When you need more
20029 flexibility---for example, running @value{GDBN} on a physically separate
20030 host, or controlling a standalone system over a serial port or a
20031 realtime system over a TCP/IP connection---you can use the @code{target}
20032 command to specify one of the target types configured for @value{GDBN}
20033 (@pxref{Target Commands, ,Commands for Managing Targets}).
20034
20035 @cindex target architecture
20036 It is possible to build @value{GDBN} for several different @dfn{target
20037 architectures}. When @value{GDBN} is built like that, you can choose
20038 one of the available architectures with the @kbd{set architecture}
20039 command.
20040
20041 @table @code
20042 @kindex set architecture
20043 @kindex show architecture
20044 @item set architecture @var{arch}
20045 This command sets the current target architecture to @var{arch}. The
20046 value of @var{arch} can be @code{"auto"}, in addition to one of the
20047 supported architectures.
20048
20049 @item show architecture
20050 Show the current target architecture.
20051
20052 @item set processor
20053 @itemx processor
20054 @kindex set processor
20055 @kindex show processor
20056 These are alias commands for, respectively, @code{set architecture}
20057 and @code{show architecture}.
20058 @end table
20059
20060 @menu
20061 * Active Targets:: Active targets
20062 * Target Commands:: Commands for managing targets
20063 * Byte Order:: Choosing target byte order
20064 @end menu
20065
20066 @node Active Targets
20067 @section Active Targets
20068
20069 @cindex stacking targets
20070 @cindex active targets
20071 @cindex multiple targets
20072
20073 There are multiple classes of targets such as: processes, executable files or
20074 recording sessions. Core files belong to the process class, making core file
20075 and process mutually exclusive. Otherwise, @value{GDBN} can work concurrently
20076 on multiple active targets, one in each class. This allows you to (for
20077 example) start a process and inspect its activity, while still having access to
20078 the executable file after the process finishes. Or if you start process
20079 recording (@pxref{Reverse Execution}) and @code{reverse-step} there, you are
20080 presented a virtual layer of the recording target, while the process target
20081 remains stopped at the chronologically last point of the process execution.
20082
20083 Use the @code{core-file} and @code{exec-file} commands to select a new core
20084 file or executable target (@pxref{Files, ,Commands to Specify Files}). To
20085 specify as a target a process that is already running, use the @code{attach}
20086 command (@pxref{Attach, ,Debugging an Already-running Process}).
20087
20088 @node Target Commands
20089 @section Commands for Managing Targets
20090
20091 @table @code
20092 @item target @var{type} @var{parameters}
20093 Connects the @value{GDBN} host environment to a target machine or
20094 process. A target is typically a protocol for talking to debugging
20095 facilities. You use the argument @var{type} to specify the type or
20096 protocol of the target machine.
20097
20098 Further @var{parameters} are interpreted by the target protocol, but
20099 typically include things like device names or host names to connect
20100 with, process numbers, and baud rates.
20101
20102 The @code{target} command does not repeat if you press @key{RET} again
20103 after executing the command.
20104
20105 @kindex help target
20106 @item help target
20107 Displays the names of all targets available. To display targets
20108 currently selected, use either @code{info target} or @code{info files}
20109 (@pxref{Files, ,Commands to Specify Files}).
20110
20111 @item help target @var{name}
20112 Describe a particular target, including any parameters necessary to
20113 select it.
20114
20115 @kindex set gnutarget
20116 @item set gnutarget @var{args}
20117 @value{GDBN} uses its own library BFD to read your files. @value{GDBN}
20118 knows whether it is reading an @dfn{executable},
20119 a @dfn{core}, or a @dfn{.o} file; however, you can specify the file format
20120 with the @code{set gnutarget} command. Unlike most @code{target} commands,
20121 with @code{gnutarget} the @code{target} refers to a program, not a machine.
20122
20123 @quotation
20124 @emph{Warning:} To specify a file format with @code{set gnutarget},
20125 you must know the actual BFD name.
20126 @end quotation
20127
20128 @noindent
20129 @xref{Files, , Commands to Specify Files}.
20130
20131 @kindex show gnutarget
20132 @item show gnutarget
20133 Use the @code{show gnutarget} command to display what file format
20134 @code{gnutarget} is set to read. If you have not set @code{gnutarget},
20135 @value{GDBN} will determine the file format for each file automatically,
20136 and @code{show gnutarget} displays @samp{The current BFD target is "auto"}.
20137 @end table
20138
20139 @cindex common targets
20140 Here are some common targets (available, or not, depending on the GDB
20141 configuration):
20142
20143 @table @code
20144 @kindex target
20145 @item target exec @var{program}
20146 @cindex executable file target
20147 An executable file. @samp{target exec @var{program}} is the same as
20148 @samp{exec-file @var{program}}.
20149
20150 @item target core @var{filename}
20151 @cindex core dump file target
20152 A core dump file. @samp{target core @var{filename}} is the same as
20153 @samp{core-file @var{filename}}.
20154
20155 @item target remote @var{medium}
20156 @cindex remote target
20157 A remote system connected to @value{GDBN} via a serial line or network
20158 connection. This command tells @value{GDBN} to use its own remote
20159 protocol over @var{medium} for debugging. @xref{Remote Debugging}.
20160
20161 For example, if you have a board connected to @file{/dev/ttya} on the
20162 machine running @value{GDBN}, you could say:
20163
20164 @smallexample
20165 target remote /dev/ttya
20166 @end smallexample
20167
20168 @code{target remote} supports the @code{load} command. This is only
20169 useful if you have some other way of getting the stub to the target
20170 system, and you can put it somewhere in memory where it won't get
20171 clobbered by the download.
20172
20173 @item target sim @r{[}@var{simargs}@r{]} @dots{}
20174 @cindex built-in simulator target
20175 Builtin CPU simulator. @value{GDBN} includes simulators for most architectures.
20176 In general,
20177 @smallexample
20178 target sim
20179 load
20180 run
20181 @end smallexample
20182 @noindent
20183 works; however, you cannot assume that a specific memory map, device
20184 drivers, or even basic I/O is available, although some simulators do
20185 provide these. For info about any processor-specific simulator details,
20186 see the appropriate section in @ref{Embedded Processors, ,Embedded
20187 Processors}.
20188
20189 @item target native
20190 @cindex native target
20191 Setup for local/native process debugging. Useful to make the
20192 @code{run} command spawn native processes (likewise @code{attach},
20193 etc.@:) even when @code{set auto-connect-native-target} is @code{off}
20194 (@pxref{set auto-connect-native-target}).
20195
20196 @end table
20197
20198 Different targets are available on different configurations of @value{GDBN};
20199 your configuration may have more or fewer targets.
20200
20201 Many remote targets require you to download the executable's code once
20202 you've successfully established a connection. You may wish to control
20203 various aspects of this process.
20204
20205 @table @code
20206
20207 @item set hash
20208 @kindex set hash@r{, for remote monitors}
20209 @cindex hash mark while downloading
20210 This command controls whether a hash mark @samp{#} is displayed while
20211 downloading a file to the remote monitor. If on, a hash mark is
20212 displayed after each S-record is successfully downloaded to the
20213 monitor.
20214
20215 @item show hash
20216 @kindex show hash@r{, for remote monitors}
20217 Show the current status of displaying the hash mark.
20218
20219 @item set debug monitor
20220 @kindex set debug monitor
20221 @cindex display remote monitor communications
20222 Enable or disable display of communications messages between
20223 @value{GDBN} and the remote monitor.
20224
20225 @item show debug monitor
20226 @kindex show debug monitor
20227 Show the current status of displaying communications between
20228 @value{GDBN} and the remote monitor.
20229 @end table
20230
20231 @table @code
20232
20233 @kindex load @var{filename} @var{offset}
20234 @item load @var{filename} @var{offset}
20235 @anchor{load}
20236 Depending on what remote debugging facilities are configured into
20237 @value{GDBN}, the @code{load} command may be available. Where it exists, it
20238 is meant to make @var{filename} (an executable) available for debugging
20239 on the remote system---by downloading, or dynamic linking, for example.
20240 @code{load} also records the @var{filename} symbol table in @value{GDBN}, like
20241 the @code{add-symbol-file} command.
20242
20243 If your @value{GDBN} does not have a @code{load} command, attempting to
20244 execute it gets the error message ``@code{You can't do that when your
20245 target is @dots{}}''
20246
20247 The file is loaded at whatever address is specified in the executable.
20248 For some object file formats, you can specify the load address when you
20249 link the program; for other formats, like a.out, the object file format
20250 specifies a fixed address.
20251 @c FIXME! This would be a good place for an xref to the GNU linker doc.
20252
20253 It is also possible to tell @value{GDBN} to load the executable file at a
20254 specific offset described by the optional argument @var{offset}. When
20255 @var{offset} is provided, @var{filename} must also be provided.
20256
20257 Depending on the remote side capabilities, @value{GDBN} may be able to
20258 load programs into flash memory.
20259
20260 @code{load} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} again after using it.
20261 @end table
20262
20263 @table @code
20264
20265 @kindex flash-erase
20266 @item flash-erase
20267 @anchor{flash-erase}
20268
20269 Erases all known flash memory regions on the target.
20270
20271 @end table
20272
20273 @node Byte Order
20274 @section Choosing Target Byte Order
20275
20276 @cindex choosing target byte order
20277 @cindex target byte order
20278
20279 Some types of processors, such as the @acronym{MIPS}, PowerPC, and Renesas SH,
20280 offer the ability to run either big-endian or little-endian byte
20281 orders. Usually the executable or symbol will include a bit to
20282 designate the endian-ness, and you will not need to worry about
20283 which to use. However, you may still find it useful to adjust
20284 @value{GDBN}'s idea of processor endian-ness manually.
20285
20286 @table @code
20287 @kindex set endian
20288 @item set endian big
20289 Instruct @value{GDBN} to assume the target is big-endian.
20290
20291 @item set endian little
20292 Instruct @value{GDBN} to assume the target is little-endian.
20293
20294 @item set endian auto
20295 Instruct @value{GDBN} to use the byte order associated with the
20296 executable.
20297
20298 @item show endian
20299 Display @value{GDBN}'s current idea of the target byte order.
20300
20301 @end table
20302
20303 Note that these commands merely adjust interpretation of symbolic
20304 data on the host, and that they have absolutely no effect on the
20305 target system.
20306
20307
20308 @node Remote Debugging
20309 @chapter Debugging Remote Programs
20310 @cindex remote debugging
20311
20312 If you are trying to debug a program running on a machine that cannot run
20313 @value{GDBN} in the usual way, it is often useful to use remote debugging.
20314 For example, you might use remote debugging on an operating system kernel,
20315 or on a small system which does not have a general purpose operating system
20316 powerful enough to run a full-featured debugger.
20317
20318 Some configurations of @value{GDBN} have special serial or TCP/IP interfaces
20319 to make this work with particular debugging targets. In addition,
20320 @value{GDBN} comes with a generic serial protocol (specific to @value{GDBN},
20321 but not specific to any particular target system) which you can use if you
20322 write the remote stubs---the code that runs on the remote system to
20323 communicate with @value{GDBN}.
20324
20325 Other remote targets may be available in your
20326 configuration of @value{GDBN}; use @code{help target} to list them.
20327
20328 @menu
20329 * Connecting:: Connecting to a remote target
20330 * File Transfer:: Sending files to a remote system
20331 * Server:: Using the gdbserver program
20332 * Remote Configuration:: Remote configuration
20333 * Remote Stub:: Implementing a remote stub
20334 @end menu
20335
20336 @node Connecting
20337 @section Connecting to a Remote Target
20338 @cindex remote debugging, connecting
20339 @cindex @code{gdbserver}, connecting
20340 @cindex remote debugging, types of connections
20341 @cindex @code{gdbserver}, types of connections
20342 @cindex @code{gdbserver}, @code{target remote} mode
20343 @cindex @code{gdbserver}, @code{target extended-remote} mode
20344
20345 This section describes how to connect to a remote target, including the
20346 types of connections and their differences, how to set up executable and
20347 symbol files on the host and target, and the commands used for
20348 connecting to and disconnecting from the remote target.
20349
20350 @subsection Types of Remote Connections
20351
20352 @value{GDBN} supports two types of remote connections, @code{target remote}
20353 mode and @code{target extended-remote} mode. Note that many remote targets
20354 support only @code{target remote} mode. There are several major
20355 differences between the two types of connections, enumerated here:
20356
20357 @table @asis
20358
20359 @cindex remote debugging, detach and program exit
20360 @item Result of detach or program exit
20361 @strong{With target remote mode:} When the debugged program exits or you
20362 detach from it, @value{GDBN} disconnects from the target. When using
20363 @code{gdbserver}, @code{gdbserver} will exit.
20364
20365 @strong{With target extended-remote mode:} When the debugged program exits or
20366 you detach from it, @value{GDBN} remains connected to the target, even
20367 though no program is running. You can rerun the program, attach to a
20368 running program, or use @code{monitor} commands specific to the target.
20369
20370 When using @code{gdbserver} in this case, it does not exit unless it was
20371 invoked using the @option{--once} option. If the @option{--once} option
20372 was not used, you can ask @code{gdbserver} to exit using the
20373 @code{monitor exit} command (@pxref{Monitor Commands for gdbserver}).
20374
20375 @item Specifying the program to debug
20376 For both connection types you use the @code{file} command to specify the
20377 program on the host system. If you are using @code{gdbserver} there are
20378 some differences in how to specify the location of the program on the
20379 target.
20380
20381 @strong{With target remote mode:} You must either specify the program to debug
20382 on the @code{gdbserver} command line or use the @option{--attach} option
20383 (@pxref{Attaching to a program,,Attaching to a Running Program}).
20384
20385 @cindex @option{--multi}, @code{gdbserver} option
20386 @strong{With target extended-remote mode:} You may specify the program to debug
20387 on the @code{gdbserver} command line, or you can load the program or attach
20388 to it using @value{GDBN} commands after connecting to @code{gdbserver}.
20389
20390 @anchor{--multi Option in Types of Remote Connnections}
20391 You can start @code{gdbserver} without supplying an initial command to run
20392 or process ID to attach. To do this, use the @option{--multi} command line
20393 option. Then you can connect using @code{target extended-remote} and start
20394 the program you want to debug (see below for details on using the
20395 @code{run} command in this scenario). Note that the conditions under which
20396 @code{gdbserver} terminates depend on how @value{GDBN} connects to it
20397 (@code{target remote} or @code{target extended-remote}). The
20398 @option{--multi} option to @code{gdbserver} has no influence on that.
20399
20400 @item The @code{run} command
20401 @strong{With target remote mode:} The @code{run} command is not
20402 supported. Once a connection has been established, you can use all
20403 the usual @value{GDBN} commands to examine and change data. The
20404 remote program is already running, so you can use commands like
20405 @kbd{step} and @kbd{continue}.
20406
20407 @strong{With target extended-remote mode:} The @code{run} command is
20408 supported. The @code{run} command uses the value set by
20409 @code{set remote exec-file} (@pxref{set remote exec-file}) to select
20410 the program to run. Command line arguments are supported, except for
20411 wildcard expansion and I/O redirection (@pxref{Arguments}).
20412
20413 If you specify the program to debug on the command line, then the
20414 @code{run} command is not required to start execution, and you can
20415 resume using commands like @kbd{step} and @kbd{continue} as with
20416 @code{target remote} mode.
20417
20418 @anchor{Attaching in Types of Remote Connections}
20419 @item Attaching
20420 @strong{With target remote mode:} The @value{GDBN} command @code{attach} is
20421 not supported. To attach to a running program using @code{gdbserver}, you
20422 must use the @option{--attach} option (@pxref{Running gdbserver}).
20423
20424 @strong{With target extended-remote mode:} To attach to a running program,
20425 you may use the @code{attach} command after the connection has been
20426 established. If you are using @code{gdbserver}, you may also invoke
20427 @code{gdbserver} using the @option{--attach} option
20428 (@pxref{Running gdbserver}).
20429
20430 @end table
20431
20432 @anchor{Host and target files}
20433 @subsection Host and Target Files
20434 @cindex remote debugging, symbol files
20435 @cindex symbol files, remote debugging
20436
20437 @value{GDBN}, running on the host, needs access to symbol and debugging
20438 information for your program running on the target. This requires
20439 access to an unstripped copy of your program, and possibly any associated
20440 symbol files. Note that this section applies equally to both @code{target
20441 remote} mode and @code{target extended-remote} mode.
20442
20443 Some remote targets (@pxref{qXfer executable filename read}, and
20444 @pxref{Host I/O Packets}) allow @value{GDBN} to access program files over
20445 the same connection used to communicate with @value{GDBN}. With such a
20446 target, if the remote program is unstripped, the only command you need is
20447 @code{target remote} (or @code{target extended-remote}).
20448
20449 If the remote program is stripped, or the target does not support remote
20450 program file access, start up @value{GDBN} using the name of the local
20451 unstripped copy of your program as the first argument, or use the
20452 @code{file} command. Use @code{set sysroot} to specify the location (on
20453 the host) of target libraries (unless your @value{GDBN} was compiled with
20454 the correct sysroot using @code{--with-sysroot}). Alternatively, you
20455 may use @code{set solib-search-path} to specify how @value{GDBN} locates
20456 target libraries.
20457
20458 The symbol file and target libraries must exactly match the executable
20459 and libraries on the target, with one exception: the files on the host
20460 system should not be stripped, even if the files on the target system
20461 are. Mismatched or missing files will lead to confusing results
20462 during debugging. On @sc{gnu}/Linux targets, mismatched or missing
20463 files may also prevent @code{gdbserver} from debugging multi-threaded
20464 programs.
20465
20466 @subsection Remote Connection Commands
20467 @cindex remote connection commands
20468 @value{GDBN} can communicate with the target over a serial line, or
20469 over an @acronym{IP} network using @acronym{TCP} or @acronym{UDP}. In
20470 each case, @value{GDBN} uses the same protocol for debugging your
20471 program; only the medium carrying the debugging packets varies. The
20472 @code{target remote} and @code{target extended-remote} commands
20473 establish a connection to the target. Both commands accept the same
20474 arguments, which indicate the medium to use:
20475
20476 @table @code
20477
20478 @item target remote @var{serial-device}
20479 @itemx target extended-remote @var{serial-device}
20480 @cindex serial line, @code{target remote}
20481 Use @var{serial-device} to communicate with the target. For example,
20482 to use a serial line connected to the device named @file{/dev/ttyb}:
20483
20484 @smallexample
20485 target remote /dev/ttyb
20486 @end smallexample
20487
20488 If you're using a serial line, you may want to give @value{GDBN} the
20489 @samp{--baud} option, or use the @code{set serial baud} command
20490 (@pxref{Remote Configuration, set serial baud}) before the
20491 @code{target} command.
20492
20493 @item target remote @code{@var{host}:@var{port}}
20494 @itemx target remote @code{tcp:@var{host}:@var{port}}
20495 @itemx target extended-remote @code{@var{host}:@var{port}}
20496 @itemx target extended-remote @code{tcp:@var{host}:@var{port}}
20497 @cindex @acronym{TCP} port, @code{target remote}
20498 Debug using a @acronym{TCP} connection to @var{port} on @var{host}.
20499 The @var{host} may be either a host name or a numeric @acronym{IP}
20500 address; @var{port} must be a decimal number. The @var{host} could be
20501 the target machine itself, if it is directly connected to the net, or
20502 it might be a terminal server which in turn has a serial line to the
20503 target.
20504
20505 For example, to connect to port 2828 on a terminal server named
20506 @code{manyfarms}:
20507
20508 @smallexample
20509 target remote manyfarms:2828
20510 @end smallexample
20511
20512 If your remote target is actually running on the same machine as your
20513 debugger session (e.g.@: a simulator for your target running on the
20514 same host), you can omit the hostname. For example, to connect to
20515 port 1234 on your local machine:
20516
20517 @smallexample
20518 target remote :1234
20519 @end smallexample
20520 @noindent
20521
20522 Note that the colon is still required here.
20523
20524 @item target remote @code{udp:@var{host}:@var{port}}
20525 @itemx target extended-remote @code{udp:@var{host}:@var{port}}
20526 @cindex @acronym{UDP} port, @code{target remote}
20527 Debug using @acronym{UDP} packets to @var{port} on @var{host}. For example, to
20528 connect to @acronym{UDP} port 2828 on a terminal server named @code{manyfarms}:
20529
20530 @smallexample
20531 target remote udp:manyfarms:2828
20532 @end smallexample
20533
20534 When using a @acronym{UDP} connection for remote debugging, you should
20535 keep in mind that the `U' stands for ``Unreliable''. @acronym{UDP}
20536 can silently drop packets on busy or unreliable networks, which will
20537 cause havoc with your debugging session.
20538
20539 @item target remote | @var{command}
20540 @itemx target extended-remote | @var{command}
20541 @cindex pipe, @code{target remote} to
20542 Run @var{command} in the background and communicate with it using a
20543 pipe. The @var{command} is a shell command, to be parsed and expanded
20544 by the system's command shell, @code{/bin/sh}; it should expect remote
20545 protocol packets on its standard input, and send replies on its
20546 standard output. You could use this to run a stand-alone simulator
20547 that speaks the remote debugging protocol, to make net connections
20548 using programs like @code{ssh}, or for other similar tricks.
20549
20550 If @var{command} closes its standard output (perhaps by exiting),
20551 @value{GDBN} will try to send it a @code{SIGTERM} signal. (If the
20552 program has already exited, this will have no effect.)
20553
20554 @end table
20555
20556 @cindex interrupting remote programs
20557 @cindex remote programs, interrupting
20558 Whenever @value{GDBN} is waiting for the remote program, if you type the
20559 interrupt character (often @kbd{Ctrl-c}), @value{GDBN} attempts to stop the
20560 program. This may or may not succeed, depending in part on the hardware
20561 and the serial drivers the remote system uses. If you type the
20562 interrupt character once again, @value{GDBN} displays this prompt:
20563
20564 @smallexample
20565 Interrupted while waiting for the program.
20566 Give up (and stop debugging it)? (y or n)
20567 @end smallexample
20568
20569 In @code{target remote} mode, if you type @kbd{y}, @value{GDBN} abandons
20570 the remote debugging session. (If you decide you want to try again later,
20571 you can use @kbd{target remote} again to connect once more.) If you type
20572 @kbd{n}, @value{GDBN} goes back to waiting.
20573
20574 In @code{target extended-remote} mode, typing @kbd{n} will leave
20575 @value{GDBN} connected to the target.
20576
20577 @table @code
20578 @kindex detach (remote)
20579 @item detach
20580 When you have finished debugging the remote program, you can use the
20581 @code{detach} command to release it from @value{GDBN} control.
20582 Detaching from the target normally resumes its execution, but the results
20583 will depend on your particular remote stub. After the @code{detach}
20584 command in @code{target remote} mode, @value{GDBN} is free to connect to
20585 another target. In @code{target extended-remote} mode, @value{GDBN} is
20586 still connected to the target.
20587
20588 @kindex disconnect
20589 @item disconnect
20590 The @code{disconnect} command closes the connection to the target, and
20591 the target is generally not resumed. It will wait for @value{GDBN}
20592 (this instance or another one) to connect and continue debugging. After
20593 the @code{disconnect} command, @value{GDBN} is again free to connect to
20594 another target.
20595
20596 @cindex send command to remote monitor
20597 @cindex extend @value{GDBN} for remote targets
20598 @cindex add new commands for external monitor
20599 @kindex monitor
20600 @item monitor @var{cmd}
20601 This command allows you to send arbitrary commands directly to the
20602 remote monitor. Since @value{GDBN} doesn't care about the commands it
20603 sends like this, this command is the way to extend @value{GDBN}---you
20604 can add new commands that only the external monitor will understand
20605 and implement.
20606 @end table
20607
20608 @node File Transfer
20609 @section Sending files to a remote system
20610 @cindex remote target, file transfer
20611 @cindex file transfer
20612 @cindex sending files to remote systems
20613
20614 Some remote targets offer the ability to transfer files over the same
20615 connection used to communicate with @value{GDBN}. This is convenient
20616 for targets accessible through other means, e.g.@: @sc{gnu}/Linux systems
20617 running @code{gdbserver} over a network interface. For other targets,
20618 e.g.@: embedded devices with only a single serial port, this may be
20619 the only way to upload or download files.
20620
20621 Not all remote targets support these commands.
20622
20623 @table @code
20624 @kindex remote put
20625 @item remote put @var{hostfile} @var{targetfile}
20626 Copy file @var{hostfile} from the host system (the machine running
20627 @value{GDBN}) to @var{targetfile} on the target system.
20628
20629 @kindex remote get
20630 @item remote get @var{targetfile} @var{hostfile}
20631 Copy file @var{targetfile} from the target system to @var{hostfile}
20632 on the host system.
20633
20634 @kindex remote delete
20635 @item remote delete @var{targetfile}
20636 Delete @var{targetfile} from the target system.
20637
20638 @end table
20639
20640 @node Server
20641 @section Using the @code{gdbserver} Program
20642
20643 @kindex gdbserver
20644 @cindex remote connection without stubs
20645 @code{gdbserver} is a control program for Unix-like systems, which
20646 allows you to connect your program with a remote @value{GDBN} via
20647 @code{target remote} or @code{target extended-remote}---but without
20648 linking in the usual debugging stub.
20649
20650 @code{gdbserver} is not a complete replacement for the debugging stubs,
20651 because it requires essentially the same operating-system facilities
20652 that @value{GDBN} itself does. In fact, a system that can run
20653 @code{gdbserver} to connect to a remote @value{GDBN} could also run
20654 @value{GDBN} locally! @code{gdbserver} is sometimes useful nevertheless,
20655 because it is a much smaller program than @value{GDBN} itself. It is
20656 also easier to port than all of @value{GDBN}, so you may be able to get
20657 started more quickly on a new system by using @code{gdbserver}.
20658 Finally, if you develop code for real-time systems, you may find that
20659 the tradeoffs involved in real-time operation make it more convenient to
20660 do as much development work as possible on another system, for example
20661 by cross-compiling. You can use @code{gdbserver} to make a similar
20662 choice for debugging.
20663
20664 @value{GDBN} and @code{gdbserver} communicate via either a serial line
20665 or a TCP connection, using the standard @value{GDBN} remote serial
20666 protocol.
20667
20668 @quotation
20669 @emph{Warning:} @code{gdbserver} does not have any built-in security.
20670 Do not run @code{gdbserver} connected to any public network; a
20671 @value{GDBN} connection to @code{gdbserver} provides access to the
20672 target system with the same privileges as the user running
20673 @code{gdbserver}.
20674 @end quotation
20675
20676 @anchor{Running gdbserver}
20677 @subsection Running @code{gdbserver}
20678 @cindex arguments, to @code{gdbserver}
20679 @cindex @code{gdbserver}, command-line arguments
20680
20681 Run @code{gdbserver} on the target system. You need a copy of the
20682 program you want to debug, including any libraries it requires.
20683 @code{gdbserver} does not need your program's symbol table, so you can
20684 strip the program if necessary to save space. @value{GDBN} on the host
20685 system does all the symbol handling.
20686
20687 To use the server, you must tell it how to communicate with @value{GDBN};
20688 the name of your program; and the arguments for your program. The usual
20689 syntax is:
20690
20691 @smallexample
20692 target> gdbserver @var{comm} @var{program} [ @var{args} @dots{} ]
20693 @end smallexample
20694
20695 @var{comm} is either a device name (to use a serial line), or a TCP
20696 hostname and portnumber, or @code{-} or @code{stdio} to use
20697 stdin/stdout of @code{gdbserver}.
20698 For example, to debug Emacs with the argument
20699 @samp{foo.txt} and communicate with @value{GDBN} over the serial port
20700 @file{/dev/com1}:
20701
20702 @smallexample
20703 target> gdbserver /dev/com1 emacs foo.txt
20704 @end smallexample
20705
20706 @code{gdbserver} waits passively for the host @value{GDBN} to communicate
20707 with it.
20708
20709 To use a TCP connection instead of a serial line:
20710
20711 @smallexample
20712 target> gdbserver host:2345 emacs foo.txt
20713 @end smallexample
20714
20715 The only difference from the previous example is the first argument,
20716 specifying that you are communicating with the host @value{GDBN} via
20717 TCP. The @samp{host:2345} argument means that @code{gdbserver} is to
20718 expect a TCP connection from machine @samp{host} to local TCP port 2345.
20719 (Currently, the @samp{host} part is ignored.) You can choose any number
20720 you want for the port number as long as it does not conflict with any
20721 TCP ports already in use on the target system (for example, @code{23} is
20722 reserved for @code{telnet}).@footnote{If you choose a port number that
20723 conflicts with another service, @code{gdbserver} prints an error message
20724 and exits.} You must use the same port number with the host @value{GDBN}
20725 @code{target remote} command.
20726
20727 The @code{stdio} connection is useful when starting @code{gdbserver}
20728 with ssh:
20729
20730 @smallexample
20731 (gdb) target remote | ssh -T hostname gdbserver - hello
20732 @end smallexample
20733
20734 The @samp{-T} option to ssh is provided because we don't need a remote pty,
20735 and we don't want escape-character handling. Ssh does this by default when
20736 a command is provided, the flag is provided to make it explicit.
20737 You could elide it if you want to.
20738
20739 Programs started with stdio-connected gdbserver have @file{/dev/null} for
20740 @code{stdin}, and @code{stdout},@code{stderr} are sent back to gdb for
20741 display through a pipe connected to gdbserver.
20742 Both @code{stdout} and @code{stderr} use the same pipe.
20743
20744 @anchor{Attaching to a program}
20745 @subsubsection Attaching to a Running Program
20746 @cindex attach to a program, @code{gdbserver}
20747 @cindex @option{--attach}, @code{gdbserver} option
20748
20749 On some targets, @code{gdbserver} can also attach to running programs.
20750 This is accomplished via the @code{--attach} argument. The syntax is:
20751
20752 @smallexample
20753 target> gdbserver --attach @var{comm} @var{pid}
20754 @end smallexample
20755
20756 @var{pid} is the process ID of a currently running process. It isn't
20757 necessary to point @code{gdbserver} at a binary for the running process.
20758
20759 In @code{target extended-remote} mode, you can also attach using the
20760 @value{GDBN} attach command
20761 (@pxref{Attaching in Types of Remote Connections}).
20762
20763 @pindex pidof
20764 You can debug processes by name instead of process ID if your target has the
20765 @code{pidof} utility:
20766
20767 @smallexample
20768 target> gdbserver --attach @var{comm} `pidof @var{program}`
20769 @end smallexample
20770
20771 In case more than one copy of @var{program} is running, or @var{program}
20772 has multiple threads, most versions of @code{pidof} support the
20773 @code{-s} option to only return the first process ID.
20774
20775 @subsubsection TCP port allocation lifecycle of @code{gdbserver}
20776
20777 This section applies only when @code{gdbserver} is run to listen on a TCP
20778 port.
20779
20780 @code{gdbserver} normally terminates after all of its debugged processes have
20781 terminated in @kbd{target remote} mode. On the other hand, for @kbd{target
20782 extended-remote}, @code{gdbserver} stays running even with no processes left.
20783 @value{GDBN} normally terminates the spawned debugged process on its exit,
20784 which normally also terminates @code{gdbserver} in the @kbd{target remote}
20785 mode. Therefore, when the connection drops unexpectedly, and @value{GDBN}
20786 cannot ask @code{gdbserver} to kill its debugged processes, @code{gdbserver}
20787 stays running even in the @kbd{target remote} mode.
20788
20789 When @code{gdbserver} stays running, @value{GDBN} can connect to it again later.
20790 Such reconnecting is useful for features like @ref{disconnected tracing}. For
20791 completeness, at most one @value{GDBN} can be connected at a time.
20792
20793 @cindex @option{--once}, @code{gdbserver} option
20794 By default, @code{gdbserver} keeps the listening TCP port open, so that
20795 subsequent connections are possible. However, if you start @code{gdbserver}
20796 with the @option{--once} option, it will stop listening for any further
20797 connection attempts after connecting to the first @value{GDBN} session. This
20798 means no further connections to @code{gdbserver} will be possible after the
20799 first one. It also means @code{gdbserver} will terminate after the first
20800 connection with remote @value{GDBN} has closed, even for unexpectedly closed
20801 connections and even in the @kbd{target extended-remote} mode. The
20802 @option{--once} option allows reusing the same port number for connecting to
20803 multiple instances of @code{gdbserver} running on the same host, since each
20804 instance closes its port after the first connection.
20805
20806 @anchor{Other Command-Line Arguments for gdbserver}
20807 @subsubsection Other Command-Line Arguments for @code{gdbserver}
20808
20809 You can use the @option{--multi} option to start @code{gdbserver} without
20810 specifying a program to debug or a process to attach to. Then you can
20811 attach in @code{target extended-remote} mode and run or attach to a
20812 program. For more information,
20813 @pxref{--multi Option in Types of Remote Connnections}.
20814
20815 @cindex @option{--debug}, @code{gdbserver} option
20816 The @option{--debug} option tells @code{gdbserver} to display extra
20817 status information about the debugging process.
20818 @cindex @option{--remote-debug}, @code{gdbserver} option
20819 The @option{--remote-debug} option tells @code{gdbserver} to display
20820 remote protocol debug output. These options are intended for
20821 @code{gdbserver} development and for bug reports to the developers.
20822
20823 @cindex @option{--debug-format}, @code{gdbserver} option
20824 The @option{--debug-format=option1[,option2,...]} option tells
20825 @code{gdbserver} to include additional information in each output.
20826 Possible options are:
20827
20828 @table @code
20829 @item none
20830 Turn off all extra information in debugging output.
20831 @item all
20832 Turn on all extra information in debugging output.
20833 @item timestamps
20834 Include a timestamp in each line of debugging output.
20835 @end table
20836
20837 Options are processed in order. Thus, for example, if @option{none}
20838 appears last then no additional information is added to debugging output.
20839
20840 @cindex @option{--wrapper}, @code{gdbserver} option
20841 The @option{--wrapper} option specifies a wrapper to launch programs
20842 for debugging. The option should be followed by the name of the
20843 wrapper, then any command-line arguments to pass to the wrapper, then
20844 @kbd{--} indicating the end of the wrapper arguments.
20845
20846 @code{gdbserver} runs the specified wrapper program with a combined
20847 command line including the wrapper arguments, then the name of the
20848 program to debug, then any arguments to the program. The wrapper
20849 runs until it executes your program, and then @value{GDBN} gains control.
20850
20851 You can use any program that eventually calls @code{execve} with
20852 its arguments as a wrapper. Several standard Unix utilities do
20853 this, e.g.@: @code{env} and @code{nohup}. Any Unix shell script ending
20854 with @code{exec "$@@"} will also work.
20855
20856 For example, you can use @code{env} to pass an environment variable to
20857 the debugged program, without setting the variable in @code{gdbserver}'s
20858 environment:
20859
20860 @smallexample
20861 $ gdbserver --wrapper env LD_PRELOAD=libtest.so -- :2222 ./testprog
20862 @end smallexample
20863
20864 @cindex @option{--selftest}
20865 The @option{--selftest} option runs the self tests in @code{gdbserver}:
20866
20867 @smallexample
20868 $ gdbserver --selftest
20869 Ran 2 unit tests, 0 failed
20870 @end smallexample
20871
20872 These tests are disabled in release.
20873 @subsection Connecting to @code{gdbserver}
20874
20875 The basic procedure for connecting to the remote target is:
20876 @itemize
20877
20878 @item
20879 Run @value{GDBN} on the host system.
20880
20881 @item
20882 Make sure you have the necessary symbol files
20883 (@pxref{Host and target files}).
20884 Load symbols for your application using the @code{file} command before you
20885 connect. Use @code{set sysroot} to locate target libraries (unless your
20886 @value{GDBN} was compiled with the correct sysroot using
20887 @code{--with-sysroot}).
20888
20889 @item
20890 Connect to your target (@pxref{Connecting,,Connecting to a Remote Target}).
20891 For TCP connections, you must start up @code{gdbserver} prior to using
20892 the @code{target} command. Otherwise you may get an error whose
20893 text depends on the host system, but which usually looks something like
20894 @samp{Connection refused}. Don't use the @code{load}
20895 command in @value{GDBN} when using @code{target remote} mode, since the
20896 program is already on the target.
20897
20898 @end itemize
20899
20900 @anchor{Monitor Commands for gdbserver}
20901 @subsection Monitor Commands for @code{gdbserver}
20902 @cindex monitor commands, for @code{gdbserver}
20903
20904 During a @value{GDBN} session using @code{gdbserver}, you can use the
20905 @code{monitor} command to send special requests to @code{gdbserver}.
20906 Here are the available commands.
20907
20908 @table @code
20909 @item monitor help
20910 List the available monitor commands.
20911
20912 @item monitor set debug 0
20913 @itemx monitor set debug 1
20914 Disable or enable general debugging messages.
20915
20916 @item monitor set remote-debug 0
20917 @itemx monitor set remote-debug 1
20918 Disable or enable specific debugging messages associated with the remote
20919 protocol (@pxref{Remote Protocol}).
20920
20921 @item monitor set debug-format option1@r{[},option2,...@r{]}
20922 Specify additional text to add to debugging messages.
20923 Possible options are:
20924
20925 @table @code
20926 @item none
20927 Turn off all extra information in debugging output.
20928 @item all
20929 Turn on all extra information in debugging output.
20930 @item timestamps
20931 Include a timestamp in each line of debugging output.
20932 @end table
20933
20934 Options are processed in order. Thus, for example, if @option{none}
20935 appears last then no additional information is added to debugging output.
20936
20937 @item monitor set libthread-db-search-path [PATH]
20938 @cindex gdbserver, search path for @code{libthread_db}
20939 When this command is issued, @var{path} is a colon-separated list of
20940 directories to search for @code{libthread_db} (@pxref{Threads,,set
20941 libthread-db-search-path}). If you omit @var{path},
20942 @samp{libthread-db-search-path} will be reset to its default value.
20943
20944 The special entry @samp{$pdir} for @samp{libthread-db-search-path} is
20945 not supported in @code{gdbserver}.
20946
20947 @item monitor exit
20948 Tell gdbserver to exit immediately. This command should be followed by
20949 @code{disconnect} to close the debugging session. @code{gdbserver} will
20950 detach from any attached processes and kill any processes it created.
20951 Use @code{monitor exit} to terminate @code{gdbserver} at the end
20952 of a multi-process mode debug session.
20953
20954 @end table
20955
20956 @subsection Tracepoints support in @code{gdbserver}
20957 @cindex tracepoints support in @code{gdbserver}
20958
20959 On some targets, @code{gdbserver} supports tracepoints, fast
20960 tracepoints and static tracepoints.
20961
20962 For fast or static tracepoints to work, a special library called the
20963 @dfn{in-process agent} (IPA), must be loaded in the inferior process.
20964 This library is built and distributed as an integral part of
20965 @code{gdbserver}. In addition, support for static tracepoints
20966 requires building the in-process agent library with static tracepoints
20967 support. At present, the UST (LTTng Userspace Tracer,
20968 @url{http://lttng.org/ust}) tracing engine is supported. This support
20969 is automatically available if UST development headers are found in the
20970 standard include path when @code{gdbserver} is built, or if
20971 @code{gdbserver} was explicitly configured using @option{--with-ust}
20972 to point at such headers. You can explicitly disable the support
20973 using @option{--with-ust=no}.
20974
20975 There are several ways to load the in-process agent in your program:
20976
20977 @table @code
20978 @item Specifying it as dependency at link time
20979
20980 You can link your program dynamically with the in-process agent
20981 library. On most systems, this is accomplished by adding
20982 @code{-linproctrace} to the link command.
20983
20984 @item Using the system's preloading mechanisms
20985
20986 You can force loading the in-process agent at startup time by using
20987 your system's support for preloading shared libraries. Many Unixes
20988 support the concept of preloading user defined libraries. In most
20989 cases, you do that by specifying @code{LD_PRELOAD=libinproctrace.so}
20990 in the environment. See also the description of @code{gdbserver}'s
20991 @option{--wrapper} command line option.
20992
20993 @item Using @value{GDBN} to force loading the agent at run time
20994
20995 On some systems, you can force the inferior to load a shared library,
20996 by calling a dynamic loader function in the inferior that takes care
20997 of dynamically looking up and loading a shared library. On most Unix
20998 systems, the function is @code{dlopen}. You'll use the @code{call}
20999 command for that. For example:
21000
21001 @smallexample
21002 (@value{GDBP}) call dlopen ("libinproctrace.so", ...)
21003 @end smallexample
21004
21005 Note that on most Unix systems, for the @code{dlopen} function to be
21006 available, the program needs to be linked with @code{-ldl}.
21007 @end table
21008
21009 On systems that have a userspace dynamic loader, like most Unix
21010 systems, when you connect to @code{gdbserver} using @code{target
21011 remote}, you'll find that the program is stopped at the dynamic
21012 loader's entry point, and no shared library has been loaded in the
21013 program's address space yet, including the in-process agent. In that
21014 case, before being able to use any of the fast or static tracepoints
21015 features, you need to let the loader run and load the shared
21016 libraries. The simplest way to do that is to run the program to the
21017 main procedure. E.g., if debugging a C or C@t{++} program, start
21018 @code{gdbserver} like so:
21019
21020 @smallexample
21021 $ gdbserver :9999 myprogram
21022 @end smallexample
21023
21024 Start GDB and connect to @code{gdbserver} like so, and run to main:
21025
21026 @smallexample
21027 $ gdb myprogram
21028 (@value{GDBP}) target remote myhost:9999
21029 0x00007f215893ba60 in ?? () from /lib64/ld-linux-x86-64.so.2
21030 (@value{GDBP}) b main
21031 (@value{GDBP}) continue
21032 @end smallexample
21033
21034 The in-process tracing agent library should now be loaded into the
21035 process; you can confirm it with the @code{info sharedlibrary}
21036 command, which will list @file{libinproctrace.so} as loaded in the
21037 process. You are now ready to install fast tracepoints, list static
21038 tracepoint markers, probe static tracepoints markers, and start
21039 tracing.
21040
21041 @node Remote Configuration
21042 @section Remote Configuration
21043
21044 @kindex set remote
21045 @kindex show remote
21046 This section documents the configuration options available when
21047 debugging remote programs. For the options related to the File I/O
21048 extensions of the remote protocol, see @ref{system,
21049 system-call-allowed}.
21050
21051 @table @code
21052 @item set remoteaddresssize @var{bits}
21053 @cindex address size for remote targets
21054 @cindex bits in remote address
21055 Set the maximum size of address in a memory packet to the specified
21056 number of bits. @value{GDBN} will mask off the address bits above
21057 that number, when it passes addresses to the remote target. The
21058 default value is the number of bits in the target's address.
21059
21060 @item show remoteaddresssize
21061 Show the current value of remote address size in bits.
21062
21063 @item set serial baud @var{n}
21064 @cindex baud rate for remote targets
21065 Set the baud rate for the remote serial I/O to @var{n} baud. The
21066 value is used to set the speed of the serial port used for debugging
21067 remote targets.
21068
21069 @item show serial baud
21070 Show the current speed of the remote connection.
21071
21072 @item set serial parity @var{parity}
21073 Set the parity for the remote serial I/O. Supported values of @var{parity} are:
21074 @code{even}, @code{none}, and @code{odd}. The default is @code{none}.
21075
21076 @item show serial parity
21077 Show the current parity of the serial port.
21078
21079 @item set remotebreak
21080 @cindex interrupt remote programs
21081 @cindex BREAK signal instead of Ctrl-C
21082 @anchor{set remotebreak}
21083 If set to on, @value{GDBN} sends a @code{BREAK} signal to the remote
21084 when you type @kbd{Ctrl-c} to interrupt the program running
21085 on the remote. If set to off, @value{GDBN} sends the @samp{Ctrl-C}
21086 character instead. The default is off, since most remote systems
21087 expect to see @samp{Ctrl-C} as the interrupt signal.
21088
21089 @item show remotebreak
21090 Show whether @value{GDBN} sends @code{BREAK} or @samp{Ctrl-C} to
21091 interrupt the remote program.
21092
21093 @item set remoteflow on
21094 @itemx set remoteflow off
21095 @kindex set remoteflow
21096 Enable or disable hardware flow control (@code{RTS}/@code{CTS})
21097 on the serial port used to communicate to the remote target.
21098
21099 @item show remoteflow
21100 @kindex show remoteflow
21101 Show the current setting of hardware flow control.
21102
21103 @item set remotelogbase @var{base}
21104 Set the base (a.k.a.@: radix) of logging serial protocol
21105 communications to @var{base}. Supported values of @var{base} are:
21106 @code{ascii}, @code{octal}, and @code{hex}. The default is
21107 @code{ascii}.
21108
21109 @item show remotelogbase
21110 Show the current setting of the radix for logging remote serial
21111 protocol.
21112
21113 @item set remotelogfile @var{file}
21114 @cindex record serial communications on file
21115 Record remote serial communications on the named @var{file}. The
21116 default is not to record at all.
21117
21118 @item show remotelogfile.
21119 Show the current setting of the file name on which to record the
21120 serial communications.
21121
21122 @item set remotetimeout @var{num}
21123 @cindex timeout for serial communications
21124 @cindex remote timeout
21125 Set the timeout limit to wait for the remote target to respond to
21126 @var{num} seconds. The default is 2 seconds.
21127
21128 @item show remotetimeout
21129 Show the current number of seconds to wait for the remote target
21130 responses.
21131
21132 @cindex limit hardware breakpoints and watchpoints
21133 @cindex remote target, limit break- and watchpoints
21134 @anchor{set remote hardware-watchpoint-limit}
21135 @anchor{set remote hardware-breakpoint-limit}
21136 @item set remote hardware-watchpoint-limit @var{limit}
21137 @itemx set remote hardware-breakpoint-limit @var{limit}
21138 Restrict @value{GDBN} to using @var{limit} remote hardware breakpoint or
21139 watchpoints. A limit of -1, the default, is treated as unlimited.
21140
21141 @cindex limit hardware watchpoints length
21142 @cindex remote target, limit watchpoints length
21143 @anchor{set remote hardware-watchpoint-length-limit}
21144 @item set remote hardware-watchpoint-length-limit @var{limit}
21145 Restrict @value{GDBN} to using @var{limit} bytes for the maximum length of
21146 a remote hardware watchpoint. A limit of -1, the default, is treated
21147 as unlimited.
21148
21149 @item show remote hardware-watchpoint-length-limit
21150 Show the current limit (in bytes) of the maximum length of
21151 a remote hardware watchpoint.
21152
21153 @item set remote exec-file @var{filename}
21154 @itemx show remote exec-file
21155 @anchor{set remote exec-file}
21156 @cindex executable file, for remote target
21157 Select the file used for @code{run} with @code{target
21158 extended-remote}. This should be set to a filename valid on the
21159 target system. If it is not set, the target will use a default
21160 filename (e.g.@: the last program run).
21161
21162 @item set remote interrupt-sequence
21163 @cindex interrupt remote programs
21164 @cindex select Ctrl-C, BREAK or BREAK-g
21165 Allow the user to select one of @samp{Ctrl-C}, a @code{BREAK} or
21166 @samp{BREAK-g} as the
21167 sequence to the remote target in order to interrupt the execution.
21168 @samp{Ctrl-C} is a default. Some system prefers @code{BREAK} which
21169 is high level of serial line for some certain time.
21170 Linux kernel prefers @samp{BREAK-g}, a.k.a Magic SysRq g.
21171 It is @code{BREAK} signal followed by character @code{g}.
21172
21173 @item show interrupt-sequence
21174 Show which of @samp{Ctrl-C}, @code{BREAK} or @code{BREAK-g}
21175 is sent by @value{GDBN} to interrupt the remote program.
21176 @code{BREAK-g} is BREAK signal followed by @code{g} and
21177 also known as Magic SysRq g.
21178
21179 @item set remote interrupt-on-connect
21180 @cindex send interrupt-sequence on start
21181 Specify whether interrupt-sequence is sent to remote target when
21182 @value{GDBN} connects to it. This is mostly needed when you debug
21183 Linux kernel. Linux kernel expects @code{BREAK} followed by @code{g}
21184 which is known as Magic SysRq g in order to connect @value{GDBN}.
21185
21186 @item show interrupt-on-connect
21187 Show whether interrupt-sequence is sent
21188 to remote target when @value{GDBN} connects to it.
21189
21190 @kindex set tcp
21191 @kindex show tcp
21192 @item set tcp auto-retry on
21193 @cindex auto-retry, for remote TCP target
21194 Enable auto-retry for remote TCP connections. This is useful if the remote
21195 debugging agent is launched in parallel with @value{GDBN}; there is a race
21196 condition because the agent may not become ready to accept the connection
21197 before @value{GDBN} attempts to connect. When auto-retry is
21198 enabled, if the initial attempt to connect fails, @value{GDBN} reattempts
21199 to establish the connection using the timeout specified by
21200 @code{set tcp connect-timeout}.
21201
21202 @item set tcp auto-retry off
21203 Do not auto-retry failed TCP connections.
21204
21205 @item show tcp auto-retry
21206 Show the current auto-retry setting.
21207
21208 @item set tcp connect-timeout @var{seconds}
21209 @itemx set tcp connect-timeout unlimited
21210 @cindex connection timeout, for remote TCP target
21211 @cindex timeout, for remote target connection
21212 Set the timeout for establishing a TCP connection to the remote target to
21213 @var{seconds}. The timeout affects both polling to retry failed connections
21214 (enabled by @code{set tcp auto-retry on}) and waiting for connections
21215 that are merely slow to complete, and represents an approximate cumulative
21216 value. If @var{seconds} is @code{unlimited}, there is no timeout and
21217 @value{GDBN} will keep attempting to establish a connection forever,
21218 unless interrupted with @kbd{Ctrl-c}. The default is 15 seconds.
21219
21220 @item show tcp connect-timeout
21221 Show the current connection timeout setting.
21222 @end table
21223
21224 @cindex remote packets, enabling and disabling
21225 The @value{GDBN} remote protocol autodetects the packets supported by
21226 your debugging stub. If you need to override the autodetection, you
21227 can use these commands to enable or disable individual packets. Each
21228 packet can be set to @samp{on} (the remote target supports this
21229 packet), @samp{off} (the remote target does not support this packet),
21230 or @samp{auto} (detect remote target support for this packet). They
21231 all default to @samp{auto}. For more information about each packet,
21232 see @ref{Remote Protocol}.
21233
21234 During normal use, you should not have to use any of these commands.
21235 If you do, that may be a bug in your remote debugging stub, or a bug
21236 in @value{GDBN}. You may want to report the problem to the
21237 @value{GDBN} developers.
21238
21239 For each packet @var{name}, the command to enable or disable the
21240 packet is @code{set remote @var{name}-packet}. The available settings
21241 are:
21242
21243 @multitable @columnfractions 0.28 0.32 0.25
21244 @item Command Name
21245 @tab Remote Packet
21246 @tab Related Features
21247
21248 @item @code{fetch-register}
21249 @tab @code{p}
21250 @tab @code{info registers}
21251
21252 @item @code{set-register}
21253 @tab @code{P}
21254 @tab @code{set}
21255
21256 @item @code{binary-download}
21257 @tab @code{X}
21258 @tab @code{load}, @code{set}
21259
21260 @item @code{read-aux-vector}
21261 @tab @code{qXfer:auxv:read}
21262 @tab @code{info auxv}
21263
21264 @item @code{symbol-lookup}
21265 @tab @code{qSymbol}
21266 @tab Detecting multiple threads
21267
21268 @item @code{attach}
21269 @tab @code{vAttach}
21270 @tab @code{attach}
21271
21272 @item @code{verbose-resume}
21273 @tab @code{vCont}
21274 @tab Stepping or resuming multiple threads
21275
21276 @item @code{run}
21277 @tab @code{vRun}
21278 @tab @code{run}
21279
21280 @item @code{software-breakpoint}
21281 @tab @code{Z0}
21282 @tab @code{break}
21283
21284 @item @code{hardware-breakpoint}
21285 @tab @code{Z1}
21286 @tab @code{hbreak}
21287
21288 @item @code{write-watchpoint}
21289 @tab @code{Z2}
21290 @tab @code{watch}
21291
21292 @item @code{read-watchpoint}
21293 @tab @code{Z3}
21294 @tab @code{rwatch}
21295
21296 @item @code{access-watchpoint}
21297 @tab @code{Z4}
21298 @tab @code{awatch}
21299
21300 @item @code{pid-to-exec-file}
21301 @tab @code{qXfer:exec-file:read}
21302 @tab @code{attach}, @code{run}
21303
21304 @item @code{target-features}
21305 @tab @code{qXfer:features:read}
21306 @tab @code{set architecture}
21307
21308 @item @code{library-info}
21309 @tab @code{qXfer:libraries:read}
21310 @tab @code{info sharedlibrary}
21311
21312 @item @code{memory-map}
21313 @tab @code{qXfer:memory-map:read}
21314 @tab @code{info mem}
21315
21316 @item @code{read-sdata-object}
21317 @tab @code{qXfer:sdata:read}
21318 @tab @code{print $_sdata}
21319
21320 @item @code{read-spu-object}
21321 @tab @code{qXfer:spu:read}
21322 @tab @code{info spu}
21323
21324 @item @code{write-spu-object}
21325 @tab @code{qXfer:spu:write}
21326 @tab @code{info spu}
21327
21328 @item @code{read-siginfo-object}
21329 @tab @code{qXfer:siginfo:read}
21330 @tab @code{print $_siginfo}
21331
21332 @item @code{write-siginfo-object}
21333 @tab @code{qXfer:siginfo:write}
21334 @tab @code{set $_siginfo}
21335
21336 @item @code{threads}
21337 @tab @code{qXfer:threads:read}
21338 @tab @code{info threads}
21339
21340 @item @code{get-thread-local-@*storage-address}
21341 @tab @code{qGetTLSAddr}
21342 @tab Displaying @code{__thread} variables
21343
21344 @item @code{get-thread-information-block-address}
21345 @tab @code{qGetTIBAddr}
21346 @tab Display MS-Windows Thread Information Block.
21347
21348 @item @code{search-memory}
21349 @tab @code{qSearch:memory}
21350 @tab @code{find}
21351
21352 @item @code{supported-packets}
21353 @tab @code{qSupported}
21354 @tab Remote communications parameters
21355
21356 @item @code{catch-syscalls}
21357 @tab @code{QCatchSyscalls}
21358 @tab @code{catch syscall}
21359
21360 @item @code{pass-signals}
21361 @tab @code{QPassSignals}
21362 @tab @code{handle @var{signal}}
21363
21364 @item @code{program-signals}
21365 @tab @code{QProgramSignals}
21366 @tab @code{handle @var{signal}}
21367
21368 @item @code{hostio-close-packet}
21369 @tab @code{vFile:close}
21370 @tab @code{remote get}, @code{remote put}
21371
21372 @item @code{hostio-open-packet}
21373 @tab @code{vFile:open}
21374 @tab @code{remote get}, @code{remote put}
21375
21376 @item @code{hostio-pread-packet}
21377 @tab @code{vFile:pread}
21378 @tab @code{remote get}, @code{remote put}
21379
21380 @item @code{hostio-pwrite-packet}
21381 @tab @code{vFile:pwrite}
21382 @tab @code{remote get}, @code{remote put}
21383
21384 @item @code{hostio-unlink-packet}
21385 @tab @code{vFile:unlink}
21386 @tab @code{remote delete}
21387
21388 @item @code{hostio-readlink-packet}
21389 @tab @code{vFile:readlink}
21390 @tab Host I/O
21391
21392 @item @code{hostio-fstat-packet}
21393 @tab @code{vFile:fstat}
21394 @tab Host I/O
21395
21396 @item @code{hostio-setfs-packet}
21397 @tab @code{vFile:setfs}
21398 @tab Host I/O
21399
21400 @item @code{noack-packet}
21401 @tab @code{QStartNoAckMode}
21402 @tab Packet acknowledgment
21403
21404 @item @code{osdata}
21405 @tab @code{qXfer:osdata:read}
21406 @tab @code{info os}
21407
21408 @item @code{query-attached}
21409 @tab @code{qAttached}
21410 @tab Querying remote process attach state.
21411
21412 @item @code{trace-buffer-size}
21413 @tab @code{QTBuffer:size}
21414 @tab @code{set trace-buffer-size}
21415
21416 @item @code{trace-status}
21417 @tab @code{qTStatus}
21418 @tab @code{tstatus}
21419
21420 @item @code{traceframe-info}
21421 @tab @code{qXfer:traceframe-info:read}
21422 @tab Traceframe info
21423
21424 @item @code{install-in-trace}
21425 @tab @code{InstallInTrace}
21426 @tab Install tracepoint in tracing
21427
21428 @item @code{disable-randomization}
21429 @tab @code{QDisableRandomization}
21430 @tab @code{set disable-randomization}
21431
21432 @item @code{startup-with-shell}
21433 @tab @code{QStartupWithShell}
21434 @tab @code{set startup-with-shell}
21435
21436 @item @code{environment-hex-encoded}
21437 @tab @code{QEnvironmentHexEncoded}
21438 @tab @code{set environment}
21439
21440 @item @code{environment-unset}
21441 @tab @code{QEnvironmentUnset}
21442 @tab @code{unset environment}
21443
21444 @item @code{environment-reset}
21445 @tab @code{QEnvironmentReset}
21446 @tab @code{Reset the inferior environment (i.e., unset user-set variables)}
21447
21448 @item @code{set-working-dir}
21449 @tab @code{QSetWorkingDir}
21450 @tab @code{set cwd}
21451
21452 @item @code{conditional-breakpoints-packet}
21453 @tab @code{Z0 and Z1}
21454 @tab @code{Support for target-side breakpoint condition evaluation}
21455
21456 @item @code{multiprocess-extensions}
21457 @tab @code{multiprocess extensions}
21458 @tab Debug multiple processes and remote process PID awareness
21459
21460 @item @code{swbreak-feature}
21461 @tab @code{swbreak stop reason}
21462 @tab @code{break}
21463
21464 @item @code{hwbreak-feature}
21465 @tab @code{hwbreak stop reason}
21466 @tab @code{hbreak}
21467
21468 @item @code{fork-event-feature}
21469 @tab @code{fork stop reason}
21470 @tab @code{fork}
21471
21472 @item @code{vfork-event-feature}
21473 @tab @code{vfork stop reason}
21474 @tab @code{vfork}
21475
21476 @item @code{exec-event-feature}
21477 @tab @code{exec stop reason}
21478 @tab @code{exec}
21479
21480 @item @code{thread-events}
21481 @tab @code{QThreadEvents}
21482 @tab Tracking thread lifetime.
21483
21484 @item @code{no-resumed-stop-reply}
21485 @tab @code{no resumed thread left stop reply}
21486 @tab Tracking thread lifetime.
21487
21488 @end multitable
21489
21490 @node Remote Stub
21491 @section Implementing a Remote Stub
21492
21493 @cindex debugging stub, example
21494 @cindex remote stub, example
21495 @cindex stub example, remote debugging
21496 The stub files provided with @value{GDBN} implement the target side of the
21497 communication protocol, and the @value{GDBN} side is implemented in the
21498 @value{GDBN} source file @file{remote.c}. Normally, you can simply allow
21499 these subroutines to communicate, and ignore the details. (If you're
21500 implementing your own stub file, you can still ignore the details: start
21501 with one of the existing stub files. @file{sparc-stub.c} is the best
21502 organized, and therefore the easiest to read.)
21503
21504 @cindex remote serial debugging, overview
21505 To debug a program running on another machine (the debugging
21506 @dfn{target} machine), you must first arrange for all the usual
21507 prerequisites for the program to run by itself. For example, for a C
21508 program, you need:
21509
21510 @enumerate
21511 @item
21512 A startup routine to set up the C runtime environment; these usually
21513 have a name like @file{crt0}. The startup routine may be supplied by
21514 your hardware supplier, or you may have to write your own.
21515
21516 @item
21517 A C subroutine library to support your program's
21518 subroutine calls, notably managing input and output.
21519
21520 @item
21521 A way of getting your program to the other machine---for example, a
21522 download program. These are often supplied by the hardware
21523 manufacturer, but you may have to write your own from hardware
21524 documentation.
21525 @end enumerate
21526
21527 The next step is to arrange for your program to use a serial port to
21528 communicate with the machine where @value{GDBN} is running (the @dfn{host}
21529 machine). In general terms, the scheme looks like this:
21530
21531 @table @emph
21532 @item On the host,
21533 @value{GDBN} already understands how to use this protocol; when everything
21534 else is set up, you can simply use the @samp{target remote} command
21535 (@pxref{Targets,,Specifying a Debugging Target}).
21536
21537 @item On the target,
21538 you must link with your program a few special-purpose subroutines that
21539 implement the @value{GDBN} remote serial protocol. The file containing these
21540 subroutines is called a @dfn{debugging stub}.
21541
21542 On certain remote targets, you can use an auxiliary program
21543 @code{gdbserver} instead of linking a stub into your program.
21544 @xref{Server,,Using the @code{gdbserver} Program}, for details.
21545 @end table
21546
21547 The debugging stub is specific to the architecture of the remote
21548 machine; for example, use @file{sparc-stub.c} to debug programs on
21549 @sc{sparc} boards.
21550
21551 @cindex remote serial stub list
21552 These working remote stubs are distributed with @value{GDBN}:
21553
21554 @table @code
21555
21556 @item i386-stub.c
21557 @cindex @file{i386-stub.c}
21558 @cindex Intel
21559 @cindex i386
21560 For Intel 386 and compatible architectures.
21561
21562 @item m68k-stub.c
21563 @cindex @file{m68k-stub.c}
21564 @cindex Motorola 680x0
21565 @cindex m680x0
21566 For Motorola 680x0 architectures.
21567
21568 @item sh-stub.c
21569 @cindex @file{sh-stub.c}
21570 @cindex Renesas
21571 @cindex SH
21572 For Renesas SH architectures.
21573
21574 @item sparc-stub.c
21575 @cindex @file{sparc-stub.c}
21576 @cindex Sparc
21577 For @sc{sparc} architectures.
21578
21579 @item sparcl-stub.c
21580 @cindex @file{sparcl-stub.c}
21581 @cindex Fujitsu
21582 @cindex SparcLite
21583 For Fujitsu @sc{sparclite} architectures.
21584
21585 @end table
21586
21587 The @file{README} file in the @value{GDBN} distribution may list other
21588 recently added stubs.
21589
21590 @menu
21591 * Stub Contents:: What the stub can do for you
21592 * Bootstrapping:: What you must do for the stub
21593 * Debug Session:: Putting it all together
21594 @end menu
21595
21596 @node Stub Contents
21597 @subsection What the Stub Can Do for You
21598
21599 @cindex remote serial stub
21600 The debugging stub for your architecture supplies these three
21601 subroutines:
21602
21603 @table @code
21604 @item set_debug_traps
21605 @findex set_debug_traps
21606 @cindex remote serial stub, initialization
21607 This routine arranges for @code{handle_exception} to run when your
21608 program stops. You must call this subroutine explicitly in your
21609 program's startup code.
21610
21611 @item handle_exception
21612 @findex handle_exception
21613 @cindex remote serial stub, main routine
21614 This is the central workhorse, but your program never calls it
21615 explicitly---the setup code arranges for @code{handle_exception} to
21616 run when a trap is triggered.
21617
21618 @code{handle_exception} takes control when your program stops during
21619 execution (for example, on a breakpoint), and mediates communications
21620 with @value{GDBN} on the host machine. This is where the communications
21621 protocol is implemented; @code{handle_exception} acts as the @value{GDBN}
21622 representative on the target machine. It begins by sending summary
21623 information on the state of your program, then continues to execute,
21624 retrieving and transmitting any information @value{GDBN} needs, until you
21625 execute a @value{GDBN} command that makes your program resume; at that point,
21626 @code{handle_exception} returns control to your own code on the target
21627 machine.
21628
21629 @item breakpoint
21630 @cindex @code{breakpoint} subroutine, remote
21631 Use this auxiliary subroutine to make your program contain a
21632 breakpoint. Depending on the particular situation, this may be the only
21633 way for @value{GDBN} to get control. For instance, if your target
21634 machine has some sort of interrupt button, you won't need to call this;
21635 pressing the interrupt button transfers control to
21636 @code{handle_exception}---in effect, to @value{GDBN}. On some machines,
21637 simply receiving characters on the serial port may also trigger a trap;
21638 again, in that situation, you don't need to call @code{breakpoint} from
21639 your own program---simply running @samp{target remote} from the host
21640 @value{GDBN} session gets control.
21641
21642 Call @code{breakpoint} if none of these is true, or if you simply want
21643 to make certain your program stops at a predetermined point for the
21644 start of your debugging session.
21645 @end table
21646
21647 @node Bootstrapping
21648 @subsection What You Must Do for the Stub
21649
21650 @cindex remote stub, support routines
21651 The debugging stubs that come with @value{GDBN} are set up for a particular
21652 chip architecture, but they have no information about the rest of your
21653 debugging target machine.
21654
21655 First of all you need to tell the stub how to communicate with the
21656 serial port.
21657
21658 @table @code
21659 @item int getDebugChar()
21660 @findex getDebugChar
21661 Write this subroutine to read a single character from the serial port.
21662 It may be identical to @code{getchar} for your target system; a
21663 different name is used to allow you to distinguish the two if you wish.
21664
21665 @item void putDebugChar(int)
21666 @findex putDebugChar
21667 Write this subroutine to write a single character to the serial port.
21668 It may be identical to @code{putchar} for your target system; a
21669 different name is used to allow you to distinguish the two if you wish.
21670 @end table
21671
21672 @cindex control C, and remote debugging
21673 @cindex interrupting remote targets
21674 If you want @value{GDBN} to be able to stop your program while it is
21675 running, you need to use an interrupt-driven serial driver, and arrange
21676 for it to stop when it receives a @code{^C} (@samp{\003}, the control-C
21677 character). That is the character which @value{GDBN} uses to tell the
21678 remote system to stop.
21679
21680 Getting the debugging target to return the proper status to @value{GDBN}
21681 probably requires changes to the standard stub; one quick and dirty way
21682 is to just execute a breakpoint instruction (the ``dirty'' part is that
21683 @value{GDBN} reports a @code{SIGTRAP} instead of a @code{SIGINT}).
21684
21685 Other routines you need to supply are:
21686
21687 @table @code
21688 @item void exceptionHandler (int @var{exception_number}, void *@var{exception_address})
21689 @findex exceptionHandler
21690 Write this function to install @var{exception_address} in the exception
21691 handling tables. You need to do this because the stub does not have any
21692 way of knowing what the exception handling tables on your target system
21693 are like (for example, the processor's table might be in @sc{rom},
21694 containing entries which point to a table in @sc{ram}).
21695 The @var{exception_number} specifies the exception which should be changed;
21696 its meaning is architecture-dependent (for example, different numbers
21697 might represent divide by zero, misaligned access, etc). When this
21698 exception occurs, control should be transferred directly to
21699 @var{exception_address}, and the processor state (stack, registers,
21700 and so on) should be just as it is when a processor exception occurs. So if
21701 you want to use a jump instruction to reach @var{exception_address}, it
21702 should be a simple jump, not a jump to subroutine.
21703
21704 For the 386, @var{exception_address} should be installed as an interrupt
21705 gate so that interrupts are masked while the handler runs. The gate
21706 should be at privilege level 0 (the most privileged level). The
21707 @sc{sparc} and 68k stubs are able to mask interrupts themselves without
21708 help from @code{exceptionHandler}.
21709
21710 @item void flush_i_cache()
21711 @findex flush_i_cache
21712 On @sc{sparc} and @sc{sparclite} only, write this subroutine to flush the
21713 instruction cache, if any, on your target machine. If there is no
21714 instruction cache, this subroutine may be a no-op.
21715
21716 On target machines that have instruction caches, @value{GDBN} requires this
21717 function to make certain that the state of your program is stable.
21718 @end table
21719
21720 @noindent
21721 You must also make sure this library routine is available:
21722
21723 @table @code
21724 @item void *memset(void *, int, int)
21725 @findex memset
21726 This is the standard library function @code{memset} that sets an area of
21727 memory to a known value. If you have one of the free versions of
21728 @code{libc.a}, @code{memset} can be found there; otherwise, you must
21729 either obtain it from your hardware manufacturer, or write your own.
21730 @end table
21731
21732 If you do not use the GNU C compiler, you may need other standard
21733 library subroutines as well; this varies from one stub to another,
21734 but in general the stubs are likely to use any of the common library
21735 subroutines which @code{@value{NGCC}} generates as inline code.
21736
21737
21738 @node Debug Session
21739 @subsection Putting it All Together
21740
21741 @cindex remote serial debugging summary
21742 In summary, when your program is ready to debug, you must follow these
21743 steps.
21744
21745 @enumerate
21746 @item
21747 Make sure you have defined the supporting low-level routines
21748 (@pxref{Bootstrapping,,What You Must Do for the Stub}):
21749 @display
21750 @code{getDebugChar}, @code{putDebugChar},
21751 @code{flush_i_cache}, @code{memset}, @code{exceptionHandler}.
21752 @end display
21753
21754 @item
21755 Insert these lines in your program's startup code, before the main
21756 procedure is called:
21757
21758 @smallexample
21759 set_debug_traps();
21760 breakpoint();
21761 @end smallexample
21762
21763 On some machines, when a breakpoint trap is raised, the hardware
21764 automatically makes the PC point to the instruction after the
21765 breakpoint. If your machine doesn't do that, you may need to adjust
21766 @code{handle_exception} to arrange for it to return to the instruction
21767 after the breakpoint on this first invocation, so that your program
21768 doesn't keep hitting the initial breakpoint instead of making
21769 progress.
21770
21771 @item
21772 For the 680x0 stub only, you need to provide a variable called
21773 @code{exceptionHook}. Normally you just use:
21774
21775 @smallexample
21776 void (*exceptionHook)() = 0;
21777 @end smallexample
21778
21779 @noindent
21780 but if before calling @code{set_debug_traps}, you set it to point to a
21781 function in your program, that function is called when
21782 @code{@value{GDBN}} continues after stopping on a trap (for example, bus
21783 error). The function indicated by @code{exceptionHook} is called with
21784 one parameter: an @code{int} which is the exception number.
21785
21786 @item
21787 Compile and link together: your program, the @value{GDBN} debugging stub for
21788 your target architecture, and the supporting subroutines.
21789
21790 @item
21791 Make sure you have a serial connection between your target machine and
21792 the @value{GDBN} host, and identify the serial port on the host.
21793
21794 @item
21795 @c The "remote" target now provides a `load' command, so we should
21796 @c document that. FIXME.
21797 Download your program to your target machine (or get it there by
21798 whatever means the manufacturer provides), and start it.
21799
21800 @item
21801 Start @value{GDBN} on the host, and connect to the target
21802 (@pxref{Connecting,,Connecting to a Remote Target}).
21803
21804 @end enumerate
21805
21806 @node Configurations
21807 @chapter Configuration-Specific Information
21808
21809 While nearly all @value{GDBN} commands are available for all native and
21810 cross versions of the debugger, there are some exceptions. This chapter
21811 describes things that are only available in certain configurations.
21812
21813 There are three major categories of configurations: native
21814 configurations, where the host and target are the same, embedded
21815 operating system configurations, which are usually the same for several
21816 different processor architectures, and bare embedded processors, which
21817 are quite different from each other.
21818
21819 @menu
21820 * Native::
21821 * Embedded OS::
21822 * Embedded Processors::
21823 * Architectures::
21824 @end menu
21825
21826 @node Native
21827 @section Native
21828
21829 This section describes details specific to particular native
21830 configurations.
21831
21832 @menu
21833 * BSD libkvm Interface:: Debugging BSD kernel memory images
21834 * Process Information:: Process information
21835 * DJGPP Native:: Features specific to the DJGPP port
21836 * Cygwin Native:: Features specific to the Cygwin port
21837 * Hurd Native:: Features specific to @sc{gnu} Hurd
21838 * Darwin:: Features specific to Darwin
21839 @end menu
21840
21841 @node BSD libkvm Interface
21842 @subsection BSD libkvm Interface
21843
21844 @cindex libkvm
21845 @cindex kernel memory image
21846 @cindex kernel crash dump
21847
21848 BSD-derived systems (FreeBSD/NetBSD/OpenBSD) have a kernel memory
21849 interface that provides a uniform interface for accessing kernel virtual
21850 memory images, including live systems and crash dumps. @value{GDBN}
21851 uses this interface to allow you to debug live kernels and kernel crash
21852 dumps on many native BSD configurations. This is implemented as a
21853 special @code{kvm} debugging target. For debugging a live system, load
21854 the currently running kernel into @value{GDBN} and connect to the
21855 @code{kvm} target:
21856
21857 @smallexample
21858 (@value{GDBP}) @b{target kvm}
21859 @end smallexample
21860
21861 For debugging crash dumps, provide the file name of the crash dump as an
21862 argument:
21863
21864 @smallexample
21865 (@value{GDBP}) @b{target kvm /var/crash/bsd.0}
21866 @end smallexample
21867
21868 Once connected to the @code{kvm} target, the following commands are
21869 available:
21870
21871 @table @code
21872 @kindex kvm
21873 @item kvm pcb
21874 Set current context from the @dfn{Process Control Block} (PCB) address.
21875
21876 @item kvm proc
21877 Set current context from proc address. This command isn't available on
21878 modern FreeBSD systems.
21879 @end table
21880
21881 @node Process Information
21882 @subsection Process Information
21883 @cindex /proc
21884 @cindex examine process image
21885 @cindex process info via @file{/proc}
21886
21887 Some operating systems provide interfaces to fetch additional
21888 information about running processes beyond memory and per-thread
21889 register state. If @value{GDBN} is configured for an operating system
21890 with a supported interface, the command @code{info proc} is available
21891 to report information about the process running your program, or about
21892 any process running on your system.
21893
21894 One supported interface is a facility called @samp{/proc} that can be
21895 used to examine the image of a running process using file-system
21896 subroutines. This facility is supported on @sc{gnu}/Linux and Solaris
21897 systems.
21898
21899 On FreeBSD systems, system control nodes are used to query process
21900 information.
21901
21902 In addition, some systems may provide additional process information
21903 in core files. Note that a core file may include a subset of the
21904 information available from a live process. Process information is
21905 currently avaiable from cores created on @sc{gnu}/Linux and FreeBSD
21906 systems.
21907
21908 @table @code
21909 @kindex info proc
21910 @cindex process ID
21911 @item info proc
21912 @itemx info proc @var{process-id}
21913 Summarize available information about any running process. If a
21914 process ID is specified by @var{process-id}, display information about
21915 that process; otherwise display information about the program being
21916 debugged. The summary includes the debugged process ID, the command
21917 line used to invoke it, its current working directory, and its
21918 executable file's absolute file name.
21919
21920 On some systems, @var{process-id} can be of the form
21921 @samp{[@var{pid}]/@var{tid}} which specifies a certain thread ID
21922 within a process. If the optional @var{pid} part is missing, it means
21923 a thread from the process being debugged (the leading @samp{/} still
21924 needs to be present, or else @value{GDBN} will interpret the number as
21925 a process ID rather than a thread ID).
21926
21927 @item info proc cmdline
21928 @cindex info proc cmdline
21929 Show the original command line of the process. This command is
21930 supported on @sc{gnu}/Linux and FreeBSD.
21931
21932 @item info proc cwd
21933 @cindex info proc cwd
21934 Show the current working directory of the process. This command is
21935 supported on @sc{gnu}/Linux and FreeBSD.
21936
21937 @item info proc exe
21938 @cindex info proc exe
21939 Show the name of executable of the process. This command is supported
21940 on @sc{gnu}/Linux and FreeBSD.
21941
21942 @item info proc mappings
21943 @cindex memory address space mappings
21944 Report the memory address space ranges accessible in the program. On
21945 Solaris and FreeBSD systems, each memory range includes information on
21946 whether the process has read, write, or execute access rights to each
21947 range. On @sc{gnu}/Linux and FreeBSD systems, each memory range
21948 includes the object file which is mapped to that range.
21949
21950 @item info proc stat
21951 @itemx info proc status
21952 @cindex process detailed status information
21953 Show additional process-related information, including the user ID and
21954 group ID; virtual memory usage; the signals that are pending, blocked,
21955 and ignored; its TTY; its consumption of system and user time; its
21956 stack size; its @samp{nice} value; etc. These commands are supported
21957 on @sc{gnu}/Linux and FreeBSD.
21958
21959 For @sc{gnu}/Linux systems, see the @samp{proc} man page for more
21960 information (type @kbd{man 5 proc} from your shell prompt).
21961
21962 For FreeBSD systems, @code{info proc stat} is an alias for @code{info
21963 proc status}.
21964
21965 @item info proc all
21966 Show all the information about the process described under all of the
21967 above @code{info proc} subcommands.
21968
21969 @ignore
21970 @comment These sub-options of 'info proc' were not included when
21971 @comment procfs.c was re-written. Keep their descriptions around
21972 @comment against the day when someone finds the time to put them back in.
21973 @kindex info proc times
21974 @item info proc times
21975 Starting time, user CPU time, and system CPU time for your program and
21976 its children.
21977
21978 @kindex info proc id
21979 @item info proc id
21980 Report on the process IDs related to your program: its own process ID,
21981 the ID of its parent, the process group ID, and the session ID.
21982 @end ignore
21983
21984 @item set procfs-trace
21985 @kindex set procfs-trace
21986 @cindex @code{procfs} API calls
21987 This command enables and disables tracing of @code{procfs} API calls.
21988
21989 @item show procfs-trace
21990 @kindex show procfs-trace
21991 Show the current state of @code{procfs} API call tracing.
21992
21993 @item set procfs-file @var{file}
21994 @kindex set procfs-file
21995 Tell @value{GDBN} to write @code{procfs} API trace to the named
21996 @var{file}. @value{GDBN} appends the trace info to the previous
21997 contents of the file. The default is to display the trace on the
21998 standard output.
21999
22000 @item show procfs-file
22001 @kindex show procfs-file
22002 Show the file to which @code{procfs} API trace is written.
22003
22004 @item proc-trace-entry
22005 @itemx proc-trace-exit
22006 @itemx proc-untrace-entry
22007 @itemx proc-untrace-exit
22008 @kindex proc-trace-entry
22009 @kindex proc-trace-exit
22010 @kindex proc-untrace-entry
22011 @kindex proc-untrace-exit
22012 These commands enable and disable tracing of entries into and exits
22013 from the @code{syscall} interface.
22014
22015 @item info pidlist
22016 @kindex info pidlist
22017 @cindex process list, QNX Neutrino
22018 For QNX Neutrino only, this command displays the list of all the
22019 processes and all the threads within each process.
22020
22021 @item info meminfo
22022 @kindex info meminfo
22023 @cindex mapinfo list, QNX Neutrino
22024 For QNX Neutrino only, this command displays the list of all mapinfos.
22025 @end table
22026
22027 @node DJGPP Native
22028 @subsection Features for Debugging @sc{djgpp} Programs
22029 @cindex @sc{djgpp} debugging
22030 @cindex native @sc{djgpp} debugging
22031 @cindex MS-DOS-specific commands
22032
22033 @cindex DPMI
22034 @sc{djgpp} is a port of the @sc{gnu} development tools to MS-DOS and
22035 MS-Windows. @sc{djgpp} programs are 32-bit protected-mode programs
22036 that use the @dfn{DPMI} (DOS Protected-Mode Interface) API to run on
22037 top of real-mode DOS systems and their emulations.
22038
22039 @value{GDBN} supports native debugging of @sc{djgpp} programs, and
22040 defines a few commands specific to the @sc{djgpp} port. This
22041 subsection describes those commands.
22042
22043 @table @code
22044 @kindex info dos
22045 @item info dos
22046 This is a prefix of @sc{djgpp}-specific commands which print
22047 information about the target system and important OS structures.
22048
22049 @kindex sysinfo
22050 @cindex MS-DOS system info
22051 @cindex free memory information (MS-DOS)
22052 @item info dos sysinfo
22053 This command displays assorted information about the underlying
22054 platform: the CPU type and features, the OS version and flavor, the
22055 DPMI version, and the available conventional and DPMI memory.
22056
22057 @cindex GDT
22058 @cindex LDT
22059 @cindex IDT
22060 @cindex segment descriptor tables
22061 @cindex descriptor tables display
22062 @item info dos gdt
22063 @itemx info dos ldt
22064 @itemx info dos idt
22065 These 3 commands display entries from, respectively, Global, Local,
22066 and Interrupt Descriptor Tables (GDT, LDT, and IDT). The descriptor
22067 tables are data structures which store a descriptor for each segment
22068 that is currently in use. The segment's selector is an index into a
22069 descriptor table; the table entry for that index holds the
22070 descriptor's base address and limit, and its attributes and access
22071 rights.
22072
22073 A typical @sc{djgpp} program uses 3 segments: a code segment, a data
22074 segment (used for both data and the stack), and a DOS segment (which
22075 allows access to DOS/BIOS data structures and absolute addresses in
22076 conventional memory). However, the DPMI host will usually define
22077 additional segments in order to support the DPMI environment.
22078
22079 @cindex garbled pointers
22080 These commands allow to display entries from the descriptor tables.
22081 Without an argument, all entries from the specified table are
22082 displayed. An argument, which should be an integer expression, means
22083 display a single entry whose index is given by the argument. For
22084 example, here's a convenient way to display information about the
22085 debugged program's data segment:
22086
22087 @smallexample
22088 @exdent @code{(@value{GDBP}) info dos ldt $ds}
22089 @exdent @code{0x13f: base=0x11970000 limit=0x0009ffff 32-Bit Data (Read/Write, Exp-up)}
22090 @end smallexample
22091
22092 @noindent
22093 This comes in handy when you want to see whether a pointer is outside
22094 the data segment's limit (i.e.@: @dfn{garbled}).
22095
22096 @cindex page tables display (MS-DOS)
22097 @item info dos pde
22098 @itemx info dos pte
22099 These two commands display entries from, respectively, the Page
22100 Directory and the Page Tables. Page Directories and Page Tables are
22101 data structures which control how virtual memory addresses are mapped
22102 into physical addresses. A Page Table includes an entry for every
22103 page of memory that is mapped into the program's address space; there
22104 may be several Page Tables, each one holding up to 4096 entries. A
22105 Page Directory has up to 4096 entries, one each for every Page Table
22106 that is currently in use.
22107
22108 Without an argument, @kbd{info dos pde} displays the entire Page
22109 Directory, and @kbd{info dos pte} displays all the entries in all of
22110 the Page Tables. An argument, an integer expression, given to the
22111 @kbd{info dos pde} command means display only that entry from the Page
22112 Directory table. An argument given to the @kbd{info dos pte} command
22113 means display entries from a single Page Table, the one pointed to by
22114 the specified entry in the Page Directory.
22115
22116 @cindex direct memory access (DMA) on MS-DOS
22117 These commands are useful when your program uses @dfn{DMA} (Direct
22118 Memory Access), which needs physical addresses to program the DMA
22119 controller.
22120
22121 These commands are supported only with some DPMI servers.
22122
22123 @cindex physical address from linear address
22124 @item info dos address-pte @var{addr}
22125 This command displays the Page Table entry for a specified linear
22126 address. The argument @var{addr} is a linear address which should
22127 already have the appropriate segment's base address added to it,
22128 because this command accepts addresses which may belong to @emph{any}
22129 segment. For example, here's how to display the Page Table entry for
22130 the page where a variable @code{i} is stored:
22131
22132 @smallexample
22133 @exdent @code{(@value{GDBP}) info dos address-pte __djgpp_base_address + (char *)&i}
22134 @exdent @code{Page Table entry for address 0x11a00d30:}
22135 @exdent @code{Base=0x02698000 Dirty Acc. Not-Cached Write-Back Usr Read-Write +0xd30}
22136 @end smallexample
22137
22138 @noindent
22139 This says that @code{i} is stored at offset @code{0xd30} from the page
22140 whose physical base address is @code{0x02698000}, and shows all the
22141 attributes of that page.
22142
22143 Note that you must cast the addresses of variables to a @code{char *},
22144 since otherwise the value of @code{__djgpp_base_address}, the base
22145 address of all variables and functions in a @sc{djgpp} program, will
22146 be added using the rules of C pointer arithmetics: if @code{i} is
22147 declared an @code{int}, @value{GDBN} will add 4 times the value of
22148 @code{__djgpp_base_address} to the address of @code{i}.
22149
22150 Here's another example, it displays the Page Table entry for the
22151 transfer buffer:
22152
22153 @smallexample
22154 @exdent @code{(@value{GDBP}) info dos address-pte *((unsigned *)&_go32_info_block + 3)}
22155 @exdent @code{Page Table entry for address 0x29110:}
22156 @exdent @code{Base=0x00029000 Dirty Acc. Not-Cached Write-Back Usr Read-Write +0x110}
22157 @end smallexample
22158
22159 @noindent
22160 (The @code{+ 3} offset is because the transfer buffer's address is the
22161 3rd member of the @code{_go32_info_block} structure.) The output
22162 clearly shows that this DPMI server maps the addresses in conventional
22163 memory 1:1, i.e.@: the physical (@code{0x00029000} + @code{0x110}) and
22164 linear (@code{0x29110}) addresses are identical.
22165
22166 This command is supported only with some DPMI servers.
22167 @end table
22168
22169 @cindex DOS serial data link, remote debugging
22170 In addition to native debugging, the DJGPP port supports remote
22171 debugging via a serial data link. The following commands are specific
22172 to remote serial debugging in the DJGPP port of @value{GDBN}.
22173
22174 @table @code
22175 @kindex set com1base
22176 @kindex set com1irq
22177 @kindex set com2base
22178 @kindex set com2irq
22179 @kindex set com3base
22180 @kindex set com3irq
22181 @kindex set com4base
22182 @kindex set com4irq
22183 @item set com1base @var{addr}
22184 This command sets the base I/O port address of the @file{COM1} serial
22185 port.
22186
22187 @item set com1irq @var{irq}
22188 This command sets the @dfn{Interrupt Request} (@code{IRQ}) line to use
22189 for the @file{COM1} serial port.
22190
22191 There are similar commands @samp{set com2base}, @samp{set com3irq},
22192 etc.@: for setting the port address and the @code{IRQ} lines for the
22193 other 3 COM ports.
22194
22195 @kindex show com1base
22196 @kindex show com1irq
22197 @kindex show com2base
22198 @kindex show com2irq
22199 @kindex show com3base
22200 @kindex show com3irq
22201 @kindex show com4base
22202 @kindex show com4irq
22203 The related commands @samp{show com1base}, @samp{show com1irq} etc.@:
22204 display the current settings of the base address and the @code{IRQ}
22205 lines used by the COM ports.
22206
22207 @item info serial
22208 @kindex info serial
22209 @cindex DOS serial port status
22210 This command prints the status of the 4 DOS serial ports. For each
22211 port, it prints whether it's active or not, its I/O base address and
22212 IRQ number, whether it uses a 16550-style FIFO, its baudrate, and the
22213 counts of various errors encountered so far.
22214 @end table
22215
22216
22217 @node Cygwin Native
22218 @subsection Features for Debugging MS Windows PE Executables
22219 @cindex MS Windows debugging
22220 @cindex native Cygwin debugging
22221 @cindex Cygwin-specific commands
22222
22223 @value{GDBN} supports native debugging of MS Windows programs, including
22224 DLLs with and without symbolic debugging information.
22225
22226 @cindex Ctrl-BREAK, MS-Windows
22227 @cindex interrupt debuggee on MS-Windows
22228 MS-Windows programs that call @code{SetConsoleMode} to switch off the
22229 special meaning of the @samp{Ctrl-C} keystroke cannot be interrupted
22230 by typing @kbd{C-c}. For this reason, @value{GDBN} on MS-Windows
22231 supports @kbd{C-@key{BREAK}} as an alternative interrupt key
22232 sequence, which can be used to interrupt the debuggee even if it
22233 ignores @kbd{C-c}.
22234
22235 There are various additional Cygwin-specific commands, described in
22236 this section. Working with DLLs that have no debugging symbols is
22237 described in @ref{Non-debug DLL Symbols}.
22238
22239 @table @code
22240 @kindex info w32
22241 @item info w32
22242 This is a prefix of MS Windows-specific commands which print
22243 information about the target system and important OS structures.
22244
22245 @item info w32 selector
22246 This command displays information returned by
22247 the Win32 API @code{GetThreadSelectorEntry} function.
22248 It takes an optional argument that is evaluated to
22249 a long value to give the information about this given selector.
22250 Without argument, this command displays information
22251 about the six segment registers.
22252
22253 @item info w32 thread-information-block
22254 This command displays thread specific information stored in the
22255 Thread Information Block (readable on the X86 CPU family using @code{$fs}
22256 selector for 32-bit programs and @code{$gs} for 64-bit programs).
22257
22258 @kindex signal-event
22259 @item signal-event @var{id}
22260 This command signals an event with user-provided @var{id}. Used to resume
22261 crashing process when attached to it using MS-Windows JIT debugging (AeDebug).
22262
22263 To use it, create or edit the following keys in
22264 @code{HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AeDebug} and/or
22265 @code{HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AeDebug}
22266 (for x86_64 versions):
22267
22268 @itemize @minus
22269 @item
22270 @code{Debugger} (REG_SZ) --- a command to launch the debugger.
22271 Suggested command is: @code{@var{fully-qualified-path-to-gdb.exe} -ex
22272 "attach %ld" -ex "signal-event %ld" -ex "continue"}.
22273
22274 The first @code{%ld} will be replaced by the process ID of the
22275 crashing process, the second @code{%ld} will be replaced by the ID of
22276 the event that blocks the crashing process, waiting for @value{GDBN}
22277 to attach.
22278
22279 @item
22280 @code{Auto} (REG_SZ) --- either @code{1} or @code{0}. @code{1} will
22281 make the system run debugger specified by the Debugger key
22282 automatically, @code{0} will cause a dialog box with ``OK'' and
22283 ``Cancel'' buttons to appear, which allows the user to either
22284 terminate the crashing process (OK) or debug it (Cancel).
22285 @end itemize
22286
22287 @kindex set cygwin-exceptions
22288 @cindex debugging the Cygwin DLL
22289 @cindex Cygwin DLL, debugging
22290 @item set cygwin-exceptions @var{mode}
22291 If @var{mode} is @code{on}, @value{GDBN} will break on exceptions that
22292 happen inside the Cygwin DLL. If @var{mode} is @code{off},
22293 @value{GDBN} will delay recognition of exceptions, and may ignore some
22294 exceptions which seem to be caused by internal Cygwin DLL
22295 ``bookkeeping''. This option is meant primarily for debugging the
22296 Cygwin DLL itself; the default value is @code{off} to avoid annoying
22297 @value{GDBN} users with false @code{SIGSEGV} signals.
22298
22299 @kindex show cygwin-exceptions
22300 @item show cygwin-exceptions
22301 Displays whether @value{GDBN} will break on exceptions that happen
22302 inside the Cygwin DLL itself.
22303
22304 @kindex set new-console
22305 @item set new-console @var{mode}
22306 If @var{mode} is @code{on} the debuggee will
22307 be started in a new console on next start.
22308 If @var{mode} is @code{off}, the debuggee will
22309 be started in the same console as the debugger.
22310
22311 @kindex show new-console
22312 @item show new-console
22313 Displays whether a new console is used
22314 when the debuggee is started.
22315
22316 @kindex set new-group
22317 @item set new-group @var{mode}
22318 This boolean value controls whether the debuggee should
22319 start a new group or stay in the same group as the debugger.
22320 This affects the way the Windows OS handles
22321 @samp{Ctrl-C}.
22322
22323 @kindex show new-group
22324 @item show new-group
22325 Displays current value of new-group boolean.
22326
22327 @kindex set debugevents
22328 @item set debugevents
22329 This boolean value adds debug output concerning kernel events related
22330 to the debuggee seen by the debugger. This includes events that
22331 signal thread and process creation and exit, DLL loading and
22332 unloading, console interrupts, and debugging messages produced by the
22333 Windows @code{OutputDebugString} API call.
22334
22335 @kindex set debugexec
22336 @item set debugexec
22337 This boolean value adds debug output concerning execute events
22338 (such as resume thread) seen by the debugger.
22339
22340 @kindex set debugexceptions
22341 @item set debugexceptions
22342 This boolean value adds debug output concerning exceptions in the
22343 debuggee seen by the debugger.
22344
22345 @kindex set debugmemory
22346 @item set debugmemory
22347 This boolean value adds debug output concerning debuggee memory reads
22348 and writes by the debugger.
22349
22350 @kindex set shell
22351 @item set shell
22352 This boolean values specifies whether the debuggee is called
22353 via a shell or directly (default value is on).
22354
22355 @kindex show shell
22356 @item show shell
22357 Displays if the debuggee will be started with a shell.
22358
22359 @end table
22360
22361 @menu
22362 * Non-debug DLL Symbols:: Support for DLLs without debugging symbols
22363 @end menu
22364
22365 @node Non-debug DLL Symbols
22366 @subsubsection Support for DLLs without Debugging Symbols
22367 @cindex DLLs with no debugging symbols
22368 @cindex Minimal symbols and DLLs
22369
22370 Very often on windows, some of the DLLs that your program relies on do
22371 not include symbolic debugging information (for example,
22372 @file{kernel32.dll}). When @value{GDBN} doesn't recognize any debugging
22373 symbols in a DLL, it relies on the minimal amount of symbolic
22374 information contained in the DLL's export table. This section
22375 describes working with such symbols, known internally to @value{GDBN} as
22376 ``minimal symbols''.
22377
22378 Note that before the debugged program has started execution, no DLLs
22379 will have been loaded. The easiest way around this problem is simply to
22380 start the program --- either by setting a breakpoint or letting the
22381 program run once to completion.
22382
22383 @subsubsection DLL Name Prefixes
22384
22385 In keeping with the naming conventions used by the Microsoft debugging
22386 tools, DLL export symbols are made available with a prefix based on the
22387 DLL name, for instance @code{KERNEL32!CreateFileA}. The plain name is
22388 also entered into the symbol table, so @code{CreateFileA} is often
22389 sufficient. In some cases there will be name clashes within a program
22390 (particularly if the executable itself includes full debugging symbols)
22391 necessitating the use of the fully qualified name when referring to the
22392 contents of the DLL. Use single-quotes around the name to avoid the
22393 exclamation mark (``!'') being interpreted as a language operator.
22394
22395 Note that the internal name of the DLL may be all upper-case, even
22396 though the file name of the DLL is lower-case, or vice-versa. Since
22397 symbols within @value{GDBN} are @emph{case-sensitive} this may cause
22398 some confusion. If in doubt, try the @code{info functions} and
22399 @code{info variables} commands or even @code{maint print msymbols}
22400 (@pxref{Symbols}). Here's an example:
22401
22402 @smallexample
22403 (@value{GDBP}) info function CreateFileA
22404 All functions matching regular expression "CreateFileA":
22405
22406 Non-debugging symbols:
22407 0x77e885f4 CreateFileA
22408 0x77e885f4 KERNEL32!CreateFileA
22409 @end smallexample
22410
22411 @smallexample
22412 (@value{GDBP}) info function !
22413 All functions matching regular expression "!":
22414
22415 Non-debugging symbols:
22416 0x6100114c cygwin1!__assert
22417 0x61004034 cygwin1!_dll_crt0@@0
22418 0x61004240 cygwin1!dll_crt0(per_process *)
22419 [etc...]
22420 @end smallexample
22421
22422 @subsubsection Working with Minimal Symbols
22423
22424 Symbols extracted from a DLL's export table do not contain very much
22425 type information. All that @value{GDBN} can do is guess whether a symbol
22426 refers to a function or variable depending on the linker section that
22427 contains the symbol. Also note that the actual contents of the memory
22428 contained in a DLL are not available unless the program is running. This
22429 means that you cannot examine the contents of a variable or disassemble
22430 a function within a DLL without a running program.
22431
22432 Variables are generally treated as pointers and dereferenced
22433 automatically. For this reason, it is often necessary to prefix a
22434 variable name with the address-of operator (``&'') and provide explicit
22435 type information in the command. Here's an example of the type of
22436 problem:
22437
22438 @smallexample
22439 (@value{GDBP}) print 'cygwin1!__argv'
22440 'cygwin1!__argv' has unknown type; cast it to its declared type
22441 @end smallexample
22442
22443 @smallexample
22444 (@value{GDBP}) x 'cygwin1!__argv'
22445 'cygwin1!__argv' has unknown type; cast it to its declared type
22446 @end smallexample
22447
22448 And two possible solutions:
22449
22450 @smallexample
22451 (@value{GDBP}) print ((char **)'cygwin1!__argv')[0]
22452 $2 = 0x22fd98 "/cygdrive/c/mydirectory/myprogram"
22453 @end smallexample
22454
22455 @smallexample
22456 (@value{GDBP}) x/2x &'cygwin1!__argv'
22457 0x610c0aa8 <cygwin1!__argv>: 0x10021608 0x00000000
22458 (@value{GDBP}) x/x 0x10021608
22459 0x10021608: 0x0022fd98
22460 (@value{GDBP}) x/s 0x0022fd98
22461 0x22fd98: "/cygdrive/c/mydirectory/myprogram"
22462 @end smallexample
22463
22464 Setting a break point within a DLL is possible even before the program
22465 starts execution. However, under these circumstances, @value{GDBN} can't
22466 examine the initial instructions of the function in order to skip the
22467 function's frame set-up code. You can work around this by using ``*&''
22468 to set the breakpoint at a raw memory address:
22469
22470 @smallexample
22471 (@value{GDBP}) break *&'python22!PyOS_Readline'
22472 Breakpoint 1 at 0x1e04eff0
22473 @end smallexample
22474
22475 The author of these extensions is not entirely convinced that setting a
22476 break point within a shared DLL like @file{kernel32.dll} is completely
22477 safe.
22478
22479 @node Hurd Native
22480 @subsection Commands Specific to @sc{gnu} Hurd Systems
22481 @cindex @sc{gnu} Hurd debugging
22482
22483 This subsection describes @value{GDBN} commands specific to the
22484 @sc{gnu} Hurd native debugging.
22485
22486 @table @code
22487 @item set signals
22488 @itemx set sigs
22489 @kindex set signals@r{, Hurd command}
22490 @kindex set sigs@r{, Hurd command}
22491 This command toggles the state of inferior signal interception by
22492 @value{GDBN}. Mach exceptions, such as breakpoint traps, are not
22493 affected by this command. @code{sigs} is a shorthand alias for
22494 @code{signals}.
22495
22496 @item show signals
22497 @itemx show sigs
22498 @kindex show signals@r{, Hurd command}
22499 @kindex show sigs@r{, Hurd command}
22500 Show the current state of intercepting inferior's signals.
22501
22502 @item set signal-thread
22503 @itemx set sigthread
22504 @kindex set signal-thread
22505 @kindex set sigthread
22506 This command tells @value{GDBN} which thread is the @code{libc} signal
22507 thread. That thread is run when a signal is delivered to a running
22508 process. @code{set sigthread} is the shorthand alias of @code{set
22509 signal-thread}.
22510
22511 @item show signal-thread
22512 @itemx show sigthread
22513 @kindex show signal-thread
22514 @kindex show sigthread
22515 These two commands show which thread will run when the inferior is
22516 delivered a signal.
22517
22518 @item set stopped
22519 @kindex set stopped@r{, Hurd command}
22520 This commands tells @value{GDBN} that the inferior process is stopped,
22521 as with the @code{SIGSTOP} signal. The stopped process can be
22522 continued by delivering a signal to it.
22523
22524 @item show stopped
22525 @kindex show stopped@r{, Hurd command}
22526 This command shows whether @value{GDBN} thinks the debuggee is
22527 stopped.
22528
22529 @item set exceptions
22530 @kindex set exceptions@r{, Hurd command}
22531 Use this command to turn off trapping of exceptions in the inferior.
22532 When exception trapping is off, neither breakpoints nor
22533 single-stepping will work. To restore the default, set exception
22534 trapping on.
22535
22536 @item show exceptions
22537 @kindex show exceptions@r{, Hurd command}
22538 Show the current state of trapping exceptions in the inferior.
22539
22540 @item set task pause
22541 @kindex set task@r{, Hurd commands}
22542 @cindex task attributes (@sc{gnu} Hurd)
22543 @cindex pause current task (@sc{gnu} Hurd)
22544 This command toggles task suspension when @value{GDBN} has control.
22545 Setting it to on takes effect immediately, and the task is suspended
22546 whenever @value{GDBN} gets control. Setting it to off will take
22547 effect the next time the inferior is continued. If this option is set
22548 to off, you can use @code{set thread default pause on} or @code{set
22549 thread pause on} (see below) to pause individual threads.
22550
22551 @item show task pause
22552 @kindex show task@r{, Hurd commands}
22553 Show the current state of task suspension.
22554
22555 @item set task detach-suspend-count
22556 @cindex task suspend count
22557 @cindex detach from task, @sc{gnu} Hurd
22558 This command sets the suspend count the task will be left with when
22559 @value{GDBN} detaches from it.
22560
22561 @item show task detach-suspend-count
22562 Show the suspend count the task will be left with when detaching.
22563
22564 @item set task exception-port
22565 @itemx set task excp
22566 @cindex task exception port, @sc{gnu} Hurd
22567 This command sets the task exception port to which @value{GDBN} will
22568 forward exceptions. The argument should be the value of the @dfn{send
22569 rights} of the task. @code{set task excp} is a shorthand alias.
22570
22571 @item set noninvasive
22572 @cindex noninvasive task options
22573 This command switches @value{GDBN} to a mode that is the least
22574 invasive as far as interfering with the inferior is concerned. This
22575 is the same as using @code{set task pause}, @code{set exceptions}, and
22576 @code{set signals} to values opposite to the defaults.
22577
22578 @item info send-rights
22579 @itemx info receive-rights
22580 @itemx info port-rights
22581 @itemx info port-sets
22582 @itemx info dead-names
22583 @itemx info ports
22584 @itemx info psets
22585 @cindex send rights, @sc{gnu} Hurd
22586 @cindex receive rights, @sc{gnu} Hurd
22587 @cindex port rights, @sc{gnu} Hurd
22588 @cindex port sets, @sc{gnu} Hurd
22589 @cindex dead names, @sc{gnu} Hurd
22590 These commands display information about, respectively, send rights,
22591 receive rights, port rights, port sets, and dead names of a task.
22592 There are also shorthand aliases: @code{info ports} for @code{info
22593 port-rights} and @code{info psets} for @code{info port-sets}.
22594
22595 @item set thread pause
22596 @kindex set thread@r{, Hurd command}
22597 @cindex thread properties, @sc{gnu} Hurd
22598 @cindex pause current thread (@sc{gnu} Hurd)
22599 This command toggles current thread suspension when @value{GDBN} has
22600 control. Setting it to on takes effect immediately, and the current
22601 thread is suspended whenever @value{GDBN} gets control. Setting it to
22602 off will take effect the next time the inferior is continued.
22603 Normally, this command has no effect, since when @value{GDBN} has
22604 control, the whole task is suspended. However, if you used @code{set
22605 task pause off} (see above), this command comes in handy to suspend
22606 only the current thread.
22607
22608 @item show thread pause
22609 @kindex show thread@r{, Hurd command}
22610 This command shows the state of current thread suspension.
22611
22612 @item set thread run
22613 This command sets whether the current thread is allowed to run.
22614
22615 @item show thread run
22616 Show whether the current thread is allowed to run.
22617
22618 @item set thread detach-suspend-count
22619 @cindex thread suspend count, @sc{gnu} Hurd
22620 @cindex detach from thread, @sc{gnu} Hurd
22621 This command sets the suspend count @value{GDBN} will leave on a
22622 thread when detaching. This number is relative to the suspend count
22623 found by @value{GDBN} when it notices the thread; use @code{set thread
22624 takeover-suspend-count} to force it to an absolute value.
22625
22626 @item show thread detach-suspend-count
22627 Show the suspend count @value{GDBN} will leave on the thread when
22628 detaching.
22629
22630 @item set thread exception-port
22631 @itemx set thread excp
22632 Set the thread exception port to which to forward exceptions. This
22633 overrides the port set by @code{set task exception-port} (see above).
22634 @code{set thread excp} is the shorthand alias.
22635
22636 @item set thread takeover-suspend-count
22637 Normally, @value{GDBN}'s thread suspend counts are relative to the
22638 value @value{GDBN} finds when it notices each thread. This command
22639 changes the suspend counts to be absolute instead.
22640
22641 @item set thread default
22642 @itemx show thread default
22643 @cindex thread default settings, @sc{gnu} Hurd
22644 Each of the above @code{set thread} commands has a @code{set thread
22645 default} counterpart (e.g., @code{set thread default pause}, @code{set
22646 thread default exception-port}, etc.). The @code{thread default}
22647 variety of commands sets the default thread properties for all
22648 threads; you can then change the properties of individual threads with
22649 the non-default commands.
22650 @end table
22651
22652 @node Darwin
22653 @subsection Darwin
22654 @cindex Darwin
22655
22656 @value{GDBN} provides the following commands specific to the Darwin target:
22657
22658 @table @code
22659 @item set debug darwin @var{num}
22660 @kindex set debug darwin
22661 When set to a non zero value, enables debugging messages specific to
22662 the Darwin support. Higher values produce more verbose output.
22663
22664 @item show debug darwin
22665 @kindex show debug darwin
22666 Show the current state of Darwin messages.
22667
22668 @item set debug mach-o @var{num}
22669 @kindex set debug mach-o
22670 When set to a non zero value, enables debugging messages while
22671 @value{GDBN} is reading Darwin object files. (@dfn{Mach-O} is the
22672 file format used on Darwin for object and executable files.) Higher
22673 values produce more verbose output. This is a command to diagnose
22674 problems internal to @value{GDBN} and should not be needed in normal
22675 usage.
22676
22677 @item show debug mach-o
22678 @kindex show debug mach-o
22679 Show the current state of Mach-O file messages.
22680
22681 @item set mach-exceptions on
22682 @itemx set mach-exceptions off
22683 @kindex set mach-exceptions
22684 On Darwin, faults are first reported as a Mach exception and are then
22685 mapped to a Posix signal. Use this command to turn on trapping of
22686 Mach exceptions in the inferior. This might be sometimes useful to
22687 better understand the cause of a fault. The default is off.
22688
22689 @item show mach-exceptions
22690 @kindex show mach-exceptions
22691 Show the current state of exceptions trapping.
22692 @end table
22693
22694
22695 @node Embedded OS
22696 @section Embedded Operating Systems
22697
22698 This section describes configurations involving the debugging of
22699 embedded operating systems that are available for several different
22700 architectures.
22701
22702 @value{GDBN} includes the ability to debug programs running on
22703 various real-time operating systems.
22704
22705 @node Embedded Processors
22706 @section Embedded Processors
22707
22708 This section goes into details specific to particular embedded
22709 configurations.
22710
22711 @cindex send command to simulator
22712 Whenever a specific embedded processor has a simulator, @value{GDBN}
22713 allows to send an arbitrary command to the simulator.
22714
22715 @table @code
22716 @item sim @var{command}
22717 @kindex sim@r{, a command}
22718 Send an arbitrary @var{command} string to the simulator. Consult the
22719 documentation for the specific simulator in use for information about
22720 acceptable commands.
22721 @end table
22722
22723
22724 @menu
22725 * ARC:: Synopsys ARC
22726 * ARM:: ARM
22727 * M68K:: Motorola M68K
22728 * MicroBlaze:: Xilinx MicroBlaze
22729 * MIPS Embedded:: MIPS Embedded
22730 * OpenRISC 1000:: OpenRISC 1000 (or1k)
22731 * PowerPC Embedded:: PowerPC Embedded
22732 * AVR:: Atmel AVR
22733 * CRIS:: CRIS
22734 * Super-H:: Renesas Super-H
22735 @end menu
22736
22737 @node ARC
22738 @subsection Synopsys ARC
22739 @cindex Synopsys ARC
22740 @cindex ARC specific commands
22741 @cindex ARC600
22742 @cindex ARC700
22743 @cindex ARC EM
22744 @cindex ARC HS
22745
22746 @value{GDBN} provides the following ARC-specific commands:
22747
22748 @table @code
22749 @item set debug arc
22750 @kindex set debug arc
22751 Control the level of ARC specific debug messages. Use 0 for no messages (the
22752 default), 1 for debug messages, and 2 for even more debug messages.
22753
22754 @item show debug arc
22755 @kindex show debug arc
22756 Show the level of ARC specific debugging in operation.
22757
22758 @item maint print arc arc-instruction @var{address}
22759 @kindex maint print arc arc-instruction
22760 Print internal disassembler information about instruction at a given address.
22761
22762 @end table
22763
22764 @node ARM
22765 @subsection ARM
22766
22767 @value{GDBN} provides the following ARM-specific commands:
22768
22769 @table @code
22770 @item set arm disassembler
22771 @kindex set arm
22772 This commands selects from a list of disassembly styles. The
22773 @code{"std"} style is the standard style.
22774
22775 @item show arm disassembler
22776 @kindex show arm
22777 Show the current disassembly style.
22778
22779 @item set arm apcs32
22780 @cindex ARM 32-bit mode
22781 This command toggles ARM operation mode between 32-bit and 26-bit.
22782
22783 @item show arm apcs32
22784 Display the current usage of the ARM 32-bit mode.
22785
22786 @item set arm fpu @var{fputype}
22787 This command sets the ARM floating-point unit (FPU) type. The
22788 argument @var{fputype} can be one of these:
22789
22790 @table @code
22791 @item auto
22792 Determine the FPU type by querying the OS ABI.
22793 @item softfpa
22794 Software FPU, with mixed-endian doubles on little-endian ARM
22795 processors.
22796 @item fpa
22797 GCC-compiled FPA co-processor.
22798 @item softvfp
22799 Software FPU with pure-endian doubles.
22800 @item vfp
22801 VFP co-processor.
22802 @end table
22803
22804 @item show arm fpu
22805 Show the current type of the FPU.
22806
22807 @item set arm abi
22808 This command forces @value{GDBN} to use the specified ABI.
22809
22810 @item show arm abi
22811 Show the currently used ABI.
22812
22813 @item set arm fallback-mode (arm|thumb|auto)
22814 @value{GDBN} uses the symbol table, when available, to determine
22815 whether instructions are ARM or Thumb. This command controls
22816 @value{GDBN}'s default behavior when the symbol table is not
22817 available. The default is @samp{auto}, which causes @value{GDBN} to
22818 use the current execution mode (from the @code{T} bit in the @code{CPSR}
22819 register).
22820
22821 @item show arm fallback-mode
22822 Show the current fallback instruction mode.
22823
22824 @item set arm force-mode (arm|thumb|auto)
22825 This command overrides use of the symbol table to determine whether
22826 instructions are ARM or Thumb. The default is @samp{auto}, which
22827 causes @value{GDBN} to use the symbol table and then the setting
22828 of @samp{set arm fallback-mode}.
22829
22830 @item show arm force-mode
22831 Show the current forced instruction mode.
22832
22833 @item set debug arm
22834 Toggle whether to display ARM-specific debugging messages from the ARM
22835 target support subsystem.
22836
22837 @item show debug arm
22838 Show whether ARM-specific debugging messages are enabled.
22839 @end table
22840
22841 @table @code
22842 @item target sim @r{[}@var{simargs}@r{]} @dots{}
22843 The @value{GDBN} ARM simulator accepts the following optional arguments.
22844
22845 @table @code
22846 @item --swi-support=@var{type}
22847 Tell the simulator which SWI interfaces to support. The argument
22848 @var{type} may be a comma separated list of the following values.
22849 The default value is @code{all}.
22850
22851 @table @code
22852 @item none
22853 @item demon
22854 @item angel
22855 @item redboot
22856 @item all
22857 @end table
22858 @end table
22859 @end table
22860
22861 @node M68K
22862 @subsection M68k
22863
22864 The Motorola m68k configuration includes ColdFire support.
22865
22866 @node MicroBlaze
22867 @subsection MicroBlaze
22868 @cindex Xilinx MicroBlaze
22869 @cindex XMD, Xilinx Microprocessor Debugger
22870
22871 The MicroBlaze is a soft-core processor supported on various Xilinx
22872 FPGAs, such as Spartan or Virtex series. Boards with these processors
22873 usually have JTAG ports which connect to a host system running the Xilinx
22874 Embedded Development Kit (EDK) or Software Development Kit (SDK).
22875 This host system is used to download the configuration bitstream to
22876 the target FPGA. The Xilinx Microprocessor Debugger (XMD) program
22877 communicates with the target board using the JTAG interface and
22878 presents a @code{gdbserver} interface to the board. By default
22879 @code{xmd} uses port @code{1234}. (While it is possible to change
22880 this default port, it requires the use of undocumented @code{xmd}
22881 commands. Contact Xilinx support if you need to do this.)
22882
22883 Use these GDB commands to connect to the MicroBlaze target processor.
22884
22885 @table @code
22886 @item target remote :1234
22887 Use this command to connect to the target if you are running @value{GDBN}
22888 on the same system as @code{xmd}.
22889
22890 @item target remote @var{xmd-host}:1234
22891 Use this command to connect to the target if it is connected to @code{xmd}
22892 running on a different system named @var{xmd-host}.
22893
22894 @item load
22895 Use this command to download a program to the MicroBlaze target.
22896
22897 @item set debug microblaze @var{n}
22898 Enable MicroBlaze-specific debugging messages if non-zero.
22899
22900 @item show debug microblaze @var{n}
22901 Show MicroBlaze-specific debugging level.
22902 @end table
22903
22904 @node MIPS Embedded
22905 @subsection @acronym{MIPS} Embedded
22906
22907 @noindent
22908 @value{GDBN} supports these special commands for @acronym{MIPS} targets:
22909
22910 @table @code
22911 @item set mipsfpu double
22912 @itemx set mipsfpu single
22913 @itemx set mipsfpu none
22914 @itemx set mipsfpu auto
22915 @itemx show mipsfpu
22916 @kindex set mipsfpu
22917 @kindex show mipsfpu
22918 @cindex @acronym{MIPS} remote floating point
22919 @cindex floating point, @acronym{MIPS} remote
22920 If your target board does not support the @acronym{MIPS} floating point
22921 coprocessor, you should use the command @samp{set mipsfpu none} (if you
22922 need this, you may wish to put the command in your @value{GDBN} init
22923 file). This tells @value{GDBN} how to find the return value of
22924 functions which return floating point values. It also allows
22925 @value{GDBN} to avoid saving the floating point registers when calling
22926 functions on the board. If you are using a floating point coprocessor
22927 with only single precision floating point support, as on the @sc{r4650}
22928 processor, use the command @samp{set mipsfpu single}. The default
22929 double precision floating point coprocessor may be selected using
22930 @samp{set mipsfpu double}.
22931
22932 In previous versions the only choices were double precision or no
22933 floating point, so @samp{set mipsfpu on} will select double precision
22934 and @samp{set mipsfpu off} will select no floating point.
22935
22936 As usual, you can inquire about the @code{mipsfpu} variable with
22937 @samp{show mipsfpu}.
22938 @end table
22939
22940 @node OpenRISC 1000
22941 @subsection OpenRISC 1000
22942 @cindex OpenRISC 1000
22943
22944 @noindent
22945 The OpenRISC 1000 provides a free RISC instruction set architecture. It is
22946 mainly provided as a soft-core which can run on Xilinx, Altera and other
22947 FPGA's.
22948
22949 @value{GDBN} for OpenRISC supports the below commands when connecting to
22950 a target:
22951
22952 @table @code
22953
22954 @kindex target sim
22955 @item target sim
22956
22957 Runs the builtin CPU simulator which can run very basic
22958 programs but does not support most hardware functions like MMU.
22959 For more complex use cases the user is advised to run an external
22960 target, and connect using @samp{target remote}.
22961
22962 Example: @code{target sim}
22963
22964 @item set debug or1k
22965 Toggle whether to display OpenRISC-specific debugging messages from the
22966 OpenRISC target support subsystem.
22967
22968 @item show debug or1k
22969 Show whether OpenRISC-specific debugging messages are enabled.
22970 @end table
22971
22972 @node PowerPC Embedded
22973 @subsection PowerPC Embedded
22974
22975 @cindex DVC register
22976 @value{GDBN} supports using the DVC (Data Value Compare) register to
22977 implement in hardware simple hardware watchpoint conditions of the form:
22978
22979 @smallexample
22980 (@value{GDBP}) watch @var{ADDRESS|VARIABLE} \
22981 if @var{ADDRESS|VARIABLE} == @var{CONSTANT EXPRESSION}
22982 @end smallexample
22983
22984 The DVC register will be automatically used when @value{GDBN} detects
22985 such pattern in a condition expression, and the created watchpoint uses one
22986 debug register (either the @code{exact-watchpoints} option is on and the
22987 variable is scalar, or the variable has a length of one byte). This feature
22988 is available in native @value{GDBN} running on a Linux kernel version 2.6.34
22989 or newer.
22990
22991 When running on PowerPC embedded processors, @value{GDBN} automatically uses
22992 ranged hardware watchpoints, unless the @code{exact-watchpoints} option is on,
22993 in which case watchpoints using only one debug register are created when
22994 watching variables of scalar types.
22995
22996 You can create an artificial array to watch an arbitrary memory
22997 region using one of the following commands (@pxref{Expressions}):
22998
22999 @smallexample
23000 (@value{GDBP}) watch *((char *) @var{address})@@@var{length}
23001 (@value{GDBP}) watch @{char[@var{length}]@} @var{address}
23002 @end smallexample
23003
23004 PowerPC embedded processors support masked watchpoints. See the discussion
23005 about the @code{mask} argument in @ref{Set Watchpoints}.
23006
23007 @cindex ranged breakpoint
23008 PowerPC embedded processors support hardware accelerated
23009 @dfn{ranged breakpoints}. A ranged breakpoint stops execution of
23010 the inferior whenever it executes an instruction at any address within
23011 the range it specifies. To set a ranged breakpoint in @value{GDBN},
23012 use the @code{break-range} command.
23013
23014 @value{GDBN} provides the following PowerPC-specific commands:
23015
23016 @table @code
23017 @kindex break-range
23018 @item break-range @var{start-location}, @var{end-location}
23019 Set a breakpoint for an address range given by
23020 @var{start-location} and @var{end-location}, which can specify a function name,
23021 a line number, an offset of lines from the current line or from the start
23022 location, or an address of an instruction (see @ref{Specify Location},
23023 for a list of all the possible ways to specify a @var{location}.)
23024 The breakpoint will stop execution of the inferior whenever it
23025 executes an instruction at any address within the specified range,
23026 (including @var{start-location} and @var{end-location}.)
23027
23028 @kindex set powerpc
23029 @item set powerpc soft-float
23030 @itemx show powerpc soft-float
23031 Force @value{GDBN} to use (or not use) a software floating point calling
23032 convention. By default, @value{GDBN} selects the calling convention based
23033 on the selected architecture and the provided executable file.
23034
23035 @item set powerpc vector-abi
23036 @itemx show powerpc vector-abi
23037 Force @value{GDBN} to use the specified calling convention for vector
23038 arguments and return values. The valid options are @samp{auto};
23039 @samp{generic}, to avoid vector registers even if they are present;
23040 @samp{altivec}, to use AltiVec registers; and @samp{spe} to use SPE
23041 registers. By default, @value{GDBN} selects the calling convention
23042 based on the selected architecture and the provided executable file.
23043
23044 @item set powerpc exact-watchpoints
23045 @itemx show powerpc exact-watchpoints
23046 Allow @value{GDBN} to use only one debug register when watching a variable
23047 of scalar type, thus assuming that the variable is accessed through the
23048 address of its first byte.
23049
23050 @end table
23051
23052 @node AVR
23053 @subsection Atmel AVR
23054 @cindex AVR
23055
23056 When configured for debugging the Atmel AVR, @value{GDBN} supports the
23057 following AVR-specific commands:
23058
23059 @table @code
23060 @item info io_registers
23061 @kindex info io_registers@r{, AVR}
23062 @cindex I/O registers (Atmel AVR)
23063 This command displays information about the AVR I/O registers. For
23064 each register, @value{GDBN} prints its number and value.
23065 @end table
23066
23067 @node CRIS
23068 @subsection CRIS
23069 @cindex CRIS
23070
23071 When configured for debugging CRIS, @value{GDBN} provides the
23072 following CRIS-specific commands:
23073
23074 @table @code
23075 @item set cris-version @var{ver}
23076 @cindex CRIS version
23077 Set the current CRIS version to @var{ver}, either @samp{10} or @samp{32}.
23078 The CRIS version affects register names and sizes. This command is useful in
23079 case autodetection of the CRIS version fails.
23080
23081 @item show cris-version
23082 Show the current CRIS version.
23083
23084 @item set cris-dwarf2-cfi
23085 @cindex DWARF-2 CFI and CRIS
23086 Set the usage of DWARF-2 CFI for CRIS debugging. The default is @samp{on}.
23087 Change to @samp{off} when using @code{gcc-cris} whose version is below
23088 @code{R59}.
23089
23090 @item show cris-dwarf2-cfi
23091 Show the current state of using DWARF-2 CFI.
23092
23093 @item set cris-mode @var{mode}
23094 @cindex CRIS mode
23095 Set the current CRIS mode to @var{mode}. It should only be changed when
23096 debugging in guru mode, in which case it should be set to
23097 @samp{guru} (the default is @samp{normal}).
23098
23099 @item show cris-mode
23100 Show the current CRIS mode.
23101 @end table
23102
23103 @node Super-H
23104 @subsection Renesas Super-H
23105 @cindex Super-H
23106
23107 For the Renesas Super-H processor, @value{GDBN} provides these
23108 commands:
23109
23110 @table @code
23111 @item set sh calling-convention @var{convention}
23112 @kindex set sh calling-convention
23113 Set the calling-convention used when calling functions from @value{GDBN}.
23114 Allowed values are @samp{gcc}, which is the default setting, and @samp{renesas}.
23115 With the @samp{gcc} setting, functions are called using the @value{NGCC} calling
23116 convention. If the DWARF-2 information of the called function specifies
23117 that the function follows the Renesas calling convention, the function
23118 is called using the Renesas calling convention. If the calling convention
23119 is set to @samp{renesas}, the Renesas calling convention is always used,
23120 regardless of the DWARF-2 information. This can be used to override the
23121 default of @samp{gcc} if debug information is missing, or the compiler
23122 does not emit the DWARF-2 calling convention entry for a function.
23123
23124 @item show sh calling-convention
23125 @kindex show sh calling-convention
23126 Show the current calling convention setting.
23127
23128 @end table
23129
23130
23131 @node Architectures
23132 @section Architectures
23133
23134 This section describes characteristics of architectures that affect
23135 all uses of @value{GDBN} with the architecture, both native and cross.
23136
23137 @menu
23138 * AArch64::
23139 * i386::
23140 * Alpha::
23141 * MIPS::
23142 * HPPA:: HP PA architecture
23143 * SPU:: Cell Broadband Engine SPU architecture
23144 * PowerPC::
23145 * Nios II::
23146 * Sparc64::
23147 @end menu
23148
23149 @node AArch64
23150 @subsection AArch64
23151 @cindex AArch64 support
23152
23153 When @value{GDBN} is debugging the AArch64 architecture, it provides the
23154 following special commands:
23155
23156 @table @code
23157 @item set debug aarch64
23158 @kindex set debug aarch64
23159 This command determines whether AArch64 architecture-specific debugging
23160 messages are to be displayed.
23161
23162 @item show debug aarch64
23163 Show whether AArch64 debugging messages are displayed.
23164
23165 @end table
23166
23167 @node i386
23168 @subsection x86 Architecture-specific Issues
23169
23170 @table @code
23171 @item set struct-convention @var{mode}
23172 @kindex set struct-convention
23173 @cindex struct return convention
23174 @cindex struct/union returned in registers
23175 Set the convention used by the inferior to return @code{struct}s and
23176 @code{union}s from functions to @var{mode}. Possible values of
23177 @var{mode} are @code{"pcc"}, @code{"reg"}, and @code{"default"} (the
23178 default). @code{"default"} or @code{"pcc"} means that @code{struct}s
23179 are returned on the stack, while @code{"reg"} means that a
23180 @code{struct} or a @code{union} whose size is 1, 2, 4, or 8 bytes will
23181 be returned in a register.
23182
23183 @item show struct-convention
23184 @kindex show struct-convention
23185 Show the current setting of the convention to return @code{struct}s
23186 from functions.
23187 @end table
23188
23189
23190 @subsubsection Intel @dfn{Memory Protection Extensions} (MPX).
23191 @cindex Intel Memory Protection Extensions (MPX).
23192
23193 Memory Protection Extension (MPX) adds the bound registers @samp{BND0}
23194 @footnote{The register named with capital letters represent the architecture
23195 registers.} through @samp{BND3}. Bound registers store a pair of 64-bit values
23196 which are the lower bound and upper bound. Bounds are effective addresses or
23197 memory locations. The upper bounds are architecturally represented in 1's
23198 complement form. A bound having lower bound = 0, and upper bound = 0
23199 (1's complement of all bits set) will allow access to the entire address space.
23200
23201 @samp{BND0} through @samp{BND3} are represented in @value{GDBN} as @samp{bnd0raw}
23202 through @samp{bnd3raw}. Pseudo registers @samp{bnd0} through @samp{bnd3}
23203 display the upper bound performing the complement of one operation on the
23204 upper bound value, i.e.@ when upper bound in @samp{bnd0raw} is 0 in the
23205 @value{GDBN} @samp{bnd0} it will be @code{0xfff@dots{}}. In this sense it
23206 can also be noted that the upper bounds are inclusive.
23207
23208 As an example, assume that the register BND0 holds bounds for a pointer having
23209 access allowed for the range between 0x32 and 0x71. The values present on
23210 bnd0raw and bnd registers are presented as follows:
23211
23212 @smallexample
23213 bnd0raw = @{0x32, 0xffffffff8e@}
23214 bnd0 = @{lbound = 0x32, ubound = 0x71@} : size 64
23215 @end smallexample
23216
23217 This way the raw value can be accessed via bnd0raw@dots{}bnd3raw. Any
23218 change on bnd0@dots{}bnd3 or bnd0raw@dots{}bnd3raw is reflect on its
23219 counterpart. When the bnd0@dots{}bnd3 registers are displayed via
23220 Python, the display includes the memory size, in bits, accessible to
23221 the pointer.
23222
23223 Bounds can also be stored in bounds tables, which are stored in
23224 application memory. These tables store bounds for pointers by specifying
23225 the bounds pointer's value along with its bounds. Evaluating and changing
23226 bounds located in bound tables is therefore interesting while investigating
23227 bugs on MPX context. @value{GDBN} provides commands for this purpose:
23228
23229 @table @code
23230 @item show mpx bound @var{pointer}
23231 @kindex show mpx bound
23232 Display bounds of the given @var{pointer}.
23233
23234 @item set mpx bound @var{pointer}, @var{lbound}, @var{ubound}
23235 @kindex set mpx bound
23236 Set the bounds of a pointer in the bound table.
23237 This command takes three parameters: @var{pointer} is the pointers
23238 whose bounds are to be changed, @var{lbound} and @var{ubound} are new values
23239 for lower and upper bounds respectively.
23240 @end table
23241
23242 When you call an inferior function on an Intel MPX enabled program,
23243 GDB sets the inferior's bound registers to the init (disabled) state
23244 before calling the function. As a consequence, bounds checks for the
23245 pointer arguments passed to the function will always pass.
23246
23247 This is necessary because when you call an inferior function, the
23248 program is usually in the middle of the execution of other function.
23249 Since at that point bound registers are in an arbitrary state, not
23250 clearing them would lead to random bound violations in the called
23251 function.
23252
23253 You can still examine the influence of the bound registers on the
23254 execution of the called function by stopping the execution of the
23255 called function at its prologue, setting bound registers, and
23256 continuing the execution. For example:
23257
23258 @smallexample
23259 $ break *upper
23260 Breakpoint 2 at 0x4009de: file i386-mpx-call.c, line 47.
23261 $ print upper (a, b, c, d, 1)
23262 Breakpoint 2, upper (a=0x0, b=0x6e0000005b, c=0x0, d=0x0, len=48)....
23263 $ print $bnd0
23264 @{lbound = 0x0, ubound = ffffffff@} : size -1
23265 @end smallexample
23266
23267 At this last step the value of bnd0 can be changed for investigation of bound
23268 violations caused along the execution of the call. In order to know how to
23269 set the bound registers or bound table for the call consult the ABI.
23270
23271 @node Alpha
23272 @subsection Alpha
23273
23274 See the following section.
23275
23276 @node MIPS
23277 @subsection @acronym{MIPS}
23278
23279 @cindex stack on Alpha
23280 @cindex stack on @acronym{MIPS}
23281 @cindex Alpha stack
23282 @cindex @acronym{MIPS} stack
23283 Alpha- and @acronym{MIPS}-based computers use an unusual stack frame, which
23284 sometimes requires @value{GDBN} to search backward in the object code to
23285 find the beginning of a function.
23286
23287 @cindex response time, @acronym{MIPS} debugging
23288 To improve response time (especially for embedded applications, where
23289 @value{GDBN} may be restricted to a slow serial line for this search)
23290 you may want to limit the size of this search, using one of these
23291 commands:
23292
23293 @table @code
23294 @cindex @code{heuristic-fence-post} (Alpha, @acronym{MIPS})
23295 @item set heuristic-fence-post @var{limit}
23296 Restrict @value{GDBN} to examining at most @var{limit} bytes in its
23297 search for the beginning of a function. A value of @var{0} (the
23298 default) means there is no limit. However, except for @var{0}, the
23299 larger the limit the more bytes @code{heuristic-fence-post} must search
23300 and therefore the longer it takes to run. You should only need to use
23301 this command when debugging a stripped executable.
23302
23303 @item show heuristic-fence-post
23304 Display the current limit.
23305 @end table
23306
23307 @noindent
23308 These commands are available @emph{only} when @value{GDBN} is configured
23309 for debugging programs on Alpha or @acronym{MIPS} processors.
23310
23311 Several @acronym{MIPS}-specific commands are available when debugging @acronym{MIPS}
23312 programs:
23313
23314 @table @code
23315 @item set mips abi @var{arg}
23316 @kindex set mips abi
23317 @cindex set ABI for @acronym{MIPS}
23318 Tell @value{GDBN} which @acronym{MIPS} ABI is used by the inferior. Possible
23319 values of @var{arg} are:
23320
23321 @table @samp
23322 @item auto
23323 The default ABI associated with the current binary (this is the
23324 default).
23325 @item o32
23326 @item o64
23327 @item n32
23328 @item n64
23329 @item eabi32
23330 @item eabi64
23331 @end table
23332
23333 @item show mips abi
23334 @kindex show mips abi
23335 Show the @acronym{MIPS} ABI used by @value{GDBN} to debug the inferior.
23336
23337 @item set mips compression @var{arg}
23338 @kindex set mips compression
23339 @cindex code compression, @acronym{MIPS}
23340 Tell @value{GDBN} which @acronym{MIPS} compressed
23341 @acronym{ISA, Instruction Set Architecture} encoding is used by the
23342 inferior. @value{GDBN} uses this for code disassembly and other
23343 internal interpretation purposes. This setting is only referred to
23344 when no executable has been associated with the debugging session or
23345 the executable does not provide information about the encoding it uses.
23346 Otherwise this setting is automatically updated from information
23347 provided by the executable.
23348
23349 Possible values of @var{arg} are @samp{mips16} and @samp{micromips}.
23350 The default compressed @acronym{ISA} encoding is @samp{mips16}, as
23351 executables containing @acronym{MIPS16} code frequently are not
23352 identified as such.
23353
23354 This setting is ``sticky''; that is, it retains its value across
23355 debugging sessions until reset either explicitly with this command or
23356 implicitly from an executable.
23357
23358 The compiler and/or assembler typically add symbol table annotations to
23359 identify functions compiled for the @acronym{MIPS16} or
23360 @acronym{microMIPS} @acronym{ISA}s. If these function-scope annotations
23361 are present, @value{GDBN} uses them in preference to the global
23362 compressed @acronym{ISA} encoding setting.
23363
23364 @item show mips compression
23365 @kindex show mips compression
23366 Show the @acronym{MIPS} compressed @acronym{ISA} encoding used by
23367 @value{GDBN} to debug the inferior.
23368
23369 @item set mipsfpu
23370 @itemx show mipsfpu
23371 @xref{MIPS Embedded, set mipsfpu}.
23372
23373 @item set mips mask-address @var{arg}
23374 @kindex set mips mask-address
23375 @cindex @acronym{MIPS} addresses, masking
23376 This command determines whether the most-significant 32 bits of 64-bit
23377 @acronym{MIPS} addresses are masked off. The argument @var{arg} can be
23378 @samp{on}, @samp{off}, or @samp{auto}. The latter is the default
23379 setting, which lets @value{GDBN} determine the correct value.
23380
23381 @item show mips mask-address
23382 @kindex show mips mask-address
23383 Show whether the upper 32 bits of @acronym{MIPS} addresses are masked off or
23384 not.
23385
23386 @item set remote-mips64-transfers-32bit-regs
23387 @kindex set remote-mips64-transfers-32bit-regs
23388 This command controls compatibility with 64-bit @acronym{MIPS} targets that
23389 transfer data in 32-bit quantities. If you have an old @acronym{MIPS} 64 target
23390 that transfers 32 bits for some registers, like @sc{sr} and @sc{fsr},
23391 and 64 bits for other registers, set this option to @samp{on}.
23392
23393 @item show remote-mips64-transfers-32bit-regs
23394 @kindex show remote-mips64-transfers-32bit-regs
23395 Show the current setting of compatibility with older @acronym{MIPS} 64 targets.
23396
23397 @item set debug mips
23398 @kindex set debug mips
23399 This command turns on and off debugging messages for the @acronym{MIPS}-specific
23400 target code in @value{GDBN}.
23401
23402 @item show debug mips
23403 @kindex show debug mips
23404 Show the current setting of @acronym{MIPS} debugging messages.
23405 @end table
23406
23407
23408 @node HPPA
23409 @subsection HPPA
23410 @cindex HPPA support
23411
23412 When @value{GDBN} is debugging the HP PA architecture, it provides the
23413 following special commands:
23414
23415 @table @code
23416 @item set debug hppa
23417 @kindex set debug hppa
23418 This command determines whether HPPA architecture-specific debugging
23419 messages are to be displayed.
23420
23421 @item show debug hppa
23422 Show whether HPPA debugging messages are displayed.
23423
23424 @item maint print unwind @var{address}
23425 @kindex maint print unwind@r{, HPPA}
23426 This command displays the contents of the unwind table entry at the
23427 given @var{address}.
23428
23429 @end table
23430
23431
23432 @node SPU
23433 @subsection Cell Broadband Engine SPU architecture
23434 @cindex Cell Broadband Engine
23435 @cindex SPU
23436
23437 When @value{GDBN} is debugging the Cell Broadband Engine SPU architecture,
23438 it provides the following special commands:
23439
23440 @table @code
23441 @item info spu event
23442 @kindex info spu
23443 Display SPU event facility status. Shows current event mask
23444 and pending event status.
23445
23446 @item info spu signal
23447 Display SPU signal notification facility status. Shows pending
23448 signal-control word and signal notification mode of both signal
23449 notification channels.
23450
23451 @item info spu mailbox
23452 Display SPU mailbox facility status. Shows all pending entries,
23453 in order of processing, in each of the SPU Write Outbound,
23454 SPU Write Outbound Interrupt, and SPU Read Inbound mailboxes.
23455
23456 @item info spu dma
23457 Display MFC DMA status. Shows all pending commands in the MFC
23458 DMA queue. For each entry, opcode, tag, class IDs, effective
23459 and local store addresses and transfer size are shown.
23460
23461 @item info spu proxydma
23462 Display MFC Proxy-DMA status. Shows all pending commands in the MFC
23463 Proxy-DMA queue. For each entry, opcode, tag, class IDs, effective
23464 and local store addresses and transfer size are shown.
23465
23466 @end table
23467
23468 When @value{GDBN} is debugging a combined PowerPC/SPU application
23469 on the Cell Broadband Engine, it provides in addition the following
23470 special commands:
23471
23472 @table @code
23473 @item set spu stop-on-load @var{arg}
23474 @kindex set spu
23475 Set whether to stop for new SPE threads. When set to @code{on}, @value{GDBN}
23476 will give control to the user when a new SPE thread enters its @code{main}
23477 function. The default is @code{off}.
23478
23479 @item show spu stop-on-load
23480 @kindex show spu
23481 Show whether to stop for new SPE threads.
23482
23483 @item set spu auto-flush-cache @var{arg}
23484 Set whether to automatically flush the software-managed cache. When set to
23485 @code{on}, @value{GDBN} will automatically cause the SPE software-managed
23486 cache to be flushed whenever SPE execution stops. This provides a consistent
23487 view of PowerPC memory that is accessed via the cache. If an application
23488 does not use the software-managed cache, this option has no effect.
23489
23490 @item show spu auto-flush-cache
23491 Show whether to automatically flush the software-managed cache.
23492
23493 @end table
23494
23495 @node PowerPC
23496 @subsection PowerPC
23497 @cindex PowerPC architecture
23498
23499 When @value{GDBN} is debugging the PowerPC architecture, it provides a set of
23500 pseudo-registers to enable inspection of 128-bit wide Decimal Floating Point
23501 numbers stored in the floating point registers. These values must be stored
23502 in two consecutive registers, always starting at an even register like
23503 @code{f0} or @code{f2}.
23504
23505 The pseudo-registers go from @code{$dl0} through @code{$dl15}, and are formed
23506 by joining the even/odd register pairs @code{f0} and @code{f1} for @code{$dl0},
23507 @code{f2} and @code{f3} for @code{$dl1} and so on.
23508
23509 For POWER7 processors, @value{GDBN} provides a set of pseudo-registers, the 64-bit
23510 wide Extended Floating Point Registers (@samp{f32} through @samp{f63}).
23511
23512 @node Nios II
23513 @subsection Nios II
23514 @cindex Nios II architecture
23515
23516 When @value{GDBN} is debugging the Nios II architecture,
23517 it provides the following special commands:
23518
23519 @table @code
23520
23521 @item set debug nios2
23522 @kindex set debug nios2
23523 This command turns on and off debugging messages for the Nios II
23524 target code in @value{GDBN}.
23525
23526 @item show debug nios2
23527 @kindex show debug nios2
23528 Show the current setting of Nios II debugging messages.
23529 @end table
23530
23531 @node Sparc64
23532 @subsection Sparc64
23533 @cindex Sparc64 support
23534 @cindex Application Data Integrity
23535 @subsubsection ADI Support
23536
23537 The M7 processor supports an Application Data Integrity (ADI) feature that
23538 detects invalid data accesses. When software allocates memory and enables
23539 ADI on the allocated memory, it chooses a 4-bit version number, sets the
23540 version in the upper 4 bits of the 64-bit pointer to that data, and stores
23541 the 4-bit version in every cacheline of that data. Hardware saves the latter
23542 in spare bits in the cache and memory hierarchy. On each load and store,
23543 the processor compares the upper 4 VA (virtual address) bits to the
23544 cacheline's version. If there is a mismatch, the processor generates a
23545 version mismatch trap which can be either precise or disrupting. The trap
23546 is an error condition which the kernel delivers to the process as a SIGSEGV
23547 signal.
23548
23549 Note that only 64-bit applications can use ADI and need to be built with
23550 ADI-enabled.
23551
23552 Values of the ADI version tags, which are in granularity of a
23553 cacheline (64 bytes), can be viewed or modified.
23554
23555
23556 @table @code
23557 @kindex adi examine
23558 @item adi (examine | x) [ / @var{n} ] @var{addr}
23559
23560 The @code{adi examine} command displays the value of one ADI version tag per
23561 cacheline.
23562
23563 @var{n} is a decimal integer specifying the number in bytes; the default
23564 is 1. It specifies how much ADI version information, at the ratio of 1:ADI
23565 block size, to display.
23566
23567 @var{addr} is the address in user address space where you want @value{GDBN}
23568 to begin displaying the ADI version tags.
23569
23570 Below is an example of displaying ADI versions of variable "shmaddr".
23571
23572 @smallexample
23573 (@value{GDBP}) adi x/100 shmaddr
23574 0xfff800010002c000: 0 0
23575 @end smallexample
23576
23577 @kindex adi assign
23578 @item adi (assign | a) [ / @var{n} ] @var{addr} = @var{tag}
23579
23580 The @code{adi assign} command is used to assign new ADI version tag
23581 to an address.
23582
23583 @var{n} is a decimal integer specifying the number in bytes;
23584 the default is 1. It specifies how much ADI version information, at the
23585 ratio of 1:ADI block size, to modify.
23586
23587 @var{addr} is the address in user address space where you want @value{GDBN}
23588 to begin modifying the ADI version tags.
23589
23590 @var{tag} is the new ADI version tag.
23591
23592 For example, do the following to modify then verify ADI versions of
23593 variable "shmaddr":
23594
23595 @smallexample
23596 (@value{GDBP}) adi a/100 shmaddr = 7
23597 (@value{GDBP}) adi x/100 shmaddr
23598 0xfff800010002c000: 7 7
23599 @end smallexample
23600
23601 @end table
23602
23603 @node Controlling GDB
23604 @chapter Controlling @value{GDBN}
23605
23606 You can alter the way @value{GDBN} interacts with you by using the
23607 @code{set} command. For commands controlling how @value{GDBN} displays
23608 data, see @ref{Print Settings, ,Print Settings}. Other settings are
23609 described here.
23610
23611 @menu
23612 * Prompt:: Prompt
23613 * Editing:: Command editing
23614 * Command History:: Command history
23615 * Screen Size:: Screen size
23616 * Numbers:: Numbers
23617 * ABI:: Configuring the current ABI
23618 * Auto-loading:: Automatically loading associated files
23619 * Messages/Warnings:: Optional warnings and messages
23620 * Debugging Output:: Optional messages about internal happenings
23621 * Other Misc Settings:: Other Miscellaneous Settings
23622 @end menu
23623
23624 @node Prompt
23625 @section Prompt
23626
23627 @cindex prompt
23628
23629 @value{GDBN} indicates its readiness to read a command by printing a string
23630 called the @dfn{prompt}. This string is normally @samp{(@value{GDBP})}. You
23631 can change the prompt string with the @code{set prompt} command. For
23632 instance, when debugging @value{GDBN} with @value{GDBN}, it is useful to change
23633 the prompt in one of the @value{GDBN} sessions so that you can always tell
23634 which one you are talking to.
23635
23636 @emph{Note:} @code{set prompt} does not add a space for you after the
23637 prompt you set. This allows you to set a prompt which ends in a space
23638 or a prompt that does not.
23639
23640 @table @code
23641 @kindex set prompt
23642 @item set prompt @var{newprompt}
23643 Directs @value{GDBN} to use @var{newprompt} as its prompt string henceforth.
23644
23645 @kindex show prompt
23646 @item show prompt
23647 Prints a line of the form: @samp{Gdb's prompt is: @var{your-prompt}}
23648 @end table
23649
23650 Versions of @value{GDBN} that ship with Python scripting enabled have
23651 prompt extensions. The commands for interacting with these extensions
23652 are:
23653
23654 @table @code
23655 @kindex set extended-prompt
23656 @item set extended-prompt @var{prompt}
23657 Set an extended prompt that allows for substitutions.
23658 @xref{gdb.prompt}, for a list of escape sequences that can be used for
23659 substitution. Any escape sequences specified as part of the prompt
23660 string are replaced with the corresponding strings each time the prompt
23661 is displayed.
23662
23663 For example:
23664
23665 @smallexample
23666 set extended-prompt Current working directory: \w (gdb)
23667 @end smallexample
23668
23669 Note that when an extended-prompt is set, it takes control of the
23670 @var{prompt_hook} hook. @xref{prompt_hook}, for further information.
23671
23672 @kindex show extended-prompt
23673 @item show extended-prompt
23674 Prints the extended prompt. Any escape sequences specified as part of
23675 the prompt string with @code{set extended-prompt}, are replaced with the
23676 corresponding strings each time the prompt is displayed.
23677 @end table
23678
23679 @node Editing
23680 @section Command Editing
23681 @cindex readline
23682 @cindex command line editing
23683
23684 @value{GDBN} reads its input commands via the @dfn{Readline} interface. This
23685 @sc{gnu} library provides consistent behavior for programs which provide a
23686 command line interface to the user. Advantages are @sc{gnu} Emacs-style
23687 or @dfn{vi}-style inline editing of commands, @code{csh}-like history
23688 substitution, and a storage and recall of command history across
23689 debugging sessions.
23690
23691 You may control the behavior of command line editing in @value{GDBN} with the
23692 command @code{set}.
23693
23694 @table @code
23695 @kindex set editing
23696 @cindex editing
23697 @item set editing
23698 @itemx set editing on
23699 Enable command line editing (enabled by default).
23700
23701 @item set editing off
23702 Disable command line editing.
23703
23704 @kindex show editing
23705 @item show editing
23706 Show whether command line editing is enabled.
23707 @end table
23708
23709 @ifset SYSTEM_READLINE
23710 @xref{Command Line Editing, , , rluserman, GNU Readline Library},
23711 @end ifset
23712 @ifclear SYSTEM_READLINE
23713 @xref{Command Line Editing},
23714 @end ifclear
23715 for more details about the Readline
23716 interface. Users unfamiliar with @sc{gnu} Emacs or @code{vi} are
23717 encouraged to read that chapter.
23718
23719 @node Command History
23720 @section Command History
23721 @cindex command history
23722
23723 @value{GDBN} can keep track of the commands you type during your
23724 debugging sessions, so that you can be certain of precisely what
23725 happened. Use these commands to manage the @value{GDBN} command
23726 history facility.
23727
23728 @value{GDBN} uses the @sc{gnu} History library, a part of the Readline
23729 package, to provide the history facility.
23730 @ifset SYSTEM_READLINE
23731 @xref{Using History Interactively, , , history, GNU History Library},
23732 @end ifset
23733 @ifclear SYSTEM_READLINE
23734 @xref{Using History Interactively},
23735 @end ifclear
23736 for the detailed description of the History library.
23737
23738 To issue a command to @value{GDBN} without affecting certain aspects of
23739 the state which is seen by users, prefix it with @samp{server }
23740 (@pxref{Server Prefix}). This
23741 means that this command will not affect the command history, nor will it
23742 affect @value{GDBN}'s notion of which command to repeat if @key{RET} is
23743 pressed on a line by itself.
23744
23745 @cindex @code{server}, command prefix
23746 The server prefix does not affect the recording of values into the value
23747 history; to print a value without recording it into the value history,
23748 use the @code{output} command instead of the @code{print} command.
23749
23750 Here is the description of @value{GDBN} commands related to command
23751 history.
23752
23753 @table @code
23754 @cindex history substitution
23755 @cindex history file
23756 @kindex set history filename
23757 @cindex @env{GDBHISTFILE}, environment variable
23758 @item set history filename @var{fname}
23759 Set the name of the @value{GDBN} command history file to @var{fname}.
23760 This is the file where @value{GDBN} reads an initial command history
23761 list, and where it writes the command history from this session when it
23762 exits. You can access this list through history expansion or through
23763 the history command editing characters listed below. This file defaults
23764 to the value of the environment variable @code{GDBHISTFILE}, or to
23765 @file{./.gdb_history} (@file{./_gdb_history} on MS-DOS) if this variable
23766 is not set.
23767
23768 @cindex save command history
23769 @kindex set history save
23770 @item set history save
23771 @itemx set history save on
23772 Record command history in a file, whose name may be specified with the
23773 @code{set history filename} command. By default, this option is disabled.
23774
23775 @item set history save off
23776 Stop recording command history in a file.
23777
23778 @cindex history size
23779 @kindex set history size
23780 @cindex @env{GDBHISTSIZE}, environment variable
23781 @item set history size @var{size}
23782 @itemx set history size unlimited
23783 Set the number of commands which @value{GDBN} keeps in its history list.
23784 This defaults to the value of the environment variable @env{GDBHISTSIZE}, or
23785 to 256 if this variable is not set. Non-numeric values of @env{GDBHISTSIZE}
23786 are ignored. If @var{size} is @code{unlimited} or if @env{GDBHISTSIZE} is
23787 either a negative number or the empty string, then the number of commands
23788 @value{GDBN} keeps in the history list is unlimited.
23789
23790 @cindex remove duplicate history
23791 @kindex set history remove-duplicates
23792 @item set history remove-duplicates @var{count}
23793 @itemx set history remove-duplicates unlimited
23794 Control the removal of duplicate history entries in the command history list.
23795 If @var{count} is non-zero, @value{GDBN} will look back at the last @var{count}
23796 history entries and remove the first entry that is a duplicate of the current
23797 entry being added to the command history list. If @var{count} is
23798 @code{unlimited} then this lookbehind is unbounded. If @var{count} is 0, then
23799 removal of duplicate history entries is disabled.
23800
23801 Only history entries added during the current session are considered for
23802 removal. This option is set to 0 by default.
23803
23804 @end table
23805
23806 History expansion assigns special meaning to the character @kbd{!}.
23807 @ifset SYSTEM_READLINE
23808 @xref{Event Designators, , , history, GNU History Library},
23809 @end ifset
23810 @ifclear SYSTEM_READLINE
23811 @xref{Event Designators},
23812 @end ifclear
23813 for more details.
23814
23815 @cindex history expansion, turn on/off
23816 Since @kbd{!} is also the logical not operator in C, history expansion
23817 is off by default. If you decide to enable history expansion with the
23818 @code{set history expansion on} command, you may sometimes need to
23819 follow @kbd{!} (when it is used as logical not, in an expression) with
23820 a space or a tab to prevent it from being expanded. The readline
23821 history facilities do not attempt substitution on the strings
23822 @kbd{!=} and @kbd{!(}, even when history expansion is enabled.
23823
23824 The commands to control history expansion are:
23825
23826 @table @code
23827 @item set history expansion on
23828 @itemx set history expansion
23829 @kindex set history expansion
23830 Enable history expansion. History expansion is off by default.
23831
23832 @item set history expansion off
23833 Disable history expansion.
23834
23835 @c @group
23836 @kindex show history
23837 @item show history
23838 @itemx show history filename
23839 @itemx show history save
23840 @itemx show history size
23841 @itemx show history expansion
23842 These commands display the state of the @value{GDBN} history parameters.
23843 @code{show history} by itself displays all four states.
23844 @c @end group
23845 @end table
23846
23847 @table @code
23848 @kindex show commands
23849 @cindex show last commands
23850 @cindex display command history
23851 @item show commands
23852 Display the last ten commands in the command history.
23853
23854 @item show commands @var{n}
23855 Print ten commands centered on command number @var{n}.
23856
23857 @item show commands +
23858 Print ten commands just after the commands last printed.
23859 @end table
23860
23861 @node Screen Size
23862 @section Screen Size
23863 @cindex size of screen
23864 @cindex screen size
23865 @cindex pagination
23866 @cindex page size
23867 @cindex pauses in output
23868
23869 Certain commands to @value{GDBN} may produce large amounts of
23870 information output to the screen. To help you read all of it,
23871 @value{GDBN} pauses and asks you for input at the end of each page of
23872 output. Type @key{RET} when you want to continue the output, or @kbd{q}
23873 to discard the remaining output. Also, the screen width setting
23874 determines when to wrap lines of output. Depending on what is being
23875 printed, @value{GDBN} tries to break the line at a readable place,
23876 rather than simply letting it overflow onto the following line.
23877
23878 Normally @value{GDBN} knows the size of the screen from the terminal
23879 driver software. For example, on Unix @value{GDBN} uses the termcap data base
23880 together with the value of the @code{TERM} environment variable and the
23881 @code{stty rows} and @code{stty cols} settings. If this is not correct,
23882 you can override it with the @code{set height} and @code{set
23883 width} commands:
23884
23885 @table @code
23886 @kindex set height
23887 @kindex set width
23888 @kindex show width
23889 @kindex show height
23890 @item set height @var{lpp}
23891 @itemx set height unlimited
23892 @itemx show height
23893 @itemx set width @var{cpl}
23894 @itemx set width unlimited
23895 @itemx show width
23896 These @code{set} commands specify a screen height of @var{lpp} lines and
23897 a screen width of @var{cpl} characters. The associated @code{show}
23898 commands display the current settings.
23899
23900 If you specify a height of either @code{unlimited} or zero lines,
23901 @value{GDBN} does not pause during output no matter how long the
23902 output is. This is useful if output is to a file or to an editor
23903 buffer.
23904
23905 Likewise, you can specify @samp{set width unlimited} or @samp{set
23906 width 0} to prevent @value{GDBN} from wrapping its output.
23907
23908 @item set pagination on
23909 @itemx set pagination off
23910 @kindex set pagination
23911 Turn the output pagination on or off; the default is on. Turning
23912 pagination off is the alternative to @code{set height unlimited}. Note that
23913 running @value{GDBN} with the @option{--batch} option (@pxref{Mode
23914 Options, -batch}) also automatically disables pagination.
23915
23916 @item show pagination
23917 @kindex show pagination
23918 Show the current pagination mode.
23919 @end table
23920
23921 @node Numbers
23922 @section Numbers
23923 @cindex number representation
23924 @cindex entering numbers
23925
23926 You can always enter numbers in octal, decimal, or hexadecimal in
23927 @value{GDBN} by the usual conventions: octal numbers begin with
23928 @samp{0}, decimal numbers end with @samp{.}, and hexadecimal numbers
23929 begin with @samp{0x}. Numbers that neither begin with @samp{0} or
23930 @samp{0x}, nor end with a @samp{.} are, by default, entered in base
23931 10; likewise, the default display for numbers---when no particular
23932 format is specified---is base 10. You can change the default base for
23933 both input and output with the commands described below.
23934
23935 @table @code
23936 @kindex set input-radix
23937 @item set input-radix @var{base}
23938 Set the default base for numeric input. Supported choices
23939 for @var{base} are decimal 8, 10, or 16. The base must itself be
23940 specified either unambiguously or using the current input radix; for
23941 example, any of
23942
23943 @smallexample
23944 set input-radix 012
23945 set input-radix 10.
23946 set input-radix 0xa
23947 @end smallexample
23948
23949 @noindent
23950 sets the input base to decimal. On the other hand, @samp{set input-radix 10}
23951 leaves the input radix unchanged, no matter what it was, since
23952 @samp{10}, being without any leading or trailing signs of its base, is
23953 interpreted in the current radix. Thus, if the current radix is 16,
23954 @samp{10} is interpreted in hex, i.e.@: as 16 decimal, which doesn't
23955 change the radix.
23956
23957 @kindex set output-radix
23958 @item set output-radix @var{base}
23959 Set the default base for numeric display. Supported choices
23960 for @var{base} are decimal 8, 10, or 16. The base must itself be
23961 specified either unambiguously or using the current input radix.
23962
23963 @kindex show input-radix
23964 @item show input-radix
23965 Display the current default base for numeric input.
23966
23967 @kindex show output-radix
23968 @item show output-radix
23969 Display the current default base for numeric display.
23970
23971 @item set radix @r{[}@var{base}@r{]}
23972 @itemx show radix
23973 @kindex set radix
23974 @kindex show radix
23975 These commands set and show the default base for both input and output
23976 of numbers. @code{set radix} sets the radix of input and output to
23977 the same base; without an argument, it resets the radix back to its
23978 default value of 10.
23979
23980 @end table
23981
23982 @node ABI
23983 @section Configuring the Current ABI
23984
23985 @value{GDBN} can determine the @dfn{ABI} (Application Binary Interface) of your
23986 application automatically. However, sometimes you need to override its
23987 conclusions. Use these commands to manage @value{GDBN}'s view of the
23988 current ABI.
23989
23990 @cindex OS ABI
23991 @kindex set osabi
23992 @kindex show osabi
23993 @cindex Newlib OS ABI and its influence on the longjmp handling
23994
23995 One @value{GDBN} configuration can debug binaries for multiple operating
23996 system targets, either via remote debugging or native emulation.
23997 @value{GDBN} will autodetect the @dfn{OS ABI} (Operating System ABI) in use,
23998 but you can override its conclusion using the @code{set osabi} command.
23999 One example where this is useful is in debugging of binaries which use
24000 an alternate C library (e.g.@: @sc{uClibc} for @sc{gnu}/Linux) which does
24001 not have the same identifying marks that the standard C library for your
24002 platform provides.
24003
24004 When @value{GDBN} is debugging the AArch64 architecture, it provides a
24005 ``Newlib'' OS ABI. This is useful for handling @code{setjmp} and
24006 @code{longjmp} when debugging binaries that use the @sc{newlib} C library.
24007 The ``Newlib'' OS ABI can be selected by @code{set osabi Newlib}.
24008
24009 @table @code
24010 @item show osabi
24011 Show the OS ABI currently in use.
24012
24013 @item set osabi
24014 With no argument, show the list of registered available OS ABI's.
24015
24016 @item set osabi @var{abi}
24017 Set the current OS ABI to @var{abi}.
24018 @end table
24019
24020 @cindex float promotion
24021
24022 Generally, the way that an argument of type @code{float} is passed to a
24023 function depends on whether the function is prototyped. For a prototyped
24024 (i.e.@: ANSI/ISO style) function, @code{float} arguments are passed unchanged,
24025 according to the architecture's convention for @code{float}. For unprototyped
24026 (i.e.@: K&R style) functions, @code{float} arguments are first promoted to type
24027 @code{double} and then passed.
24028
24029 Unfortunately, some forms of debug information do not reliably indicate whether
24030 a function is prototyped. If @value{GDBN} calls a function that is not marked
24031 as prototyped, it consults @kbd{set coerce-float-to-double}.
24032
24033 @table @code
24034 @kindex set coerce-float-to-double
24035 @item set coerce-float-to-double
24036 @itemx set coerce-float-to-double on
24037 Arguments of type @code{float} will be promoted to @code{double} when passed
24038 to an unprototyped function. This is the default setting.
24039
24040 @item set coerce-float-to-double off
24041 Arguments of type @code{float} will be passed directly to unprototyped
24042 functions.
24043
24044 @kindex show coerce-float-to-double
24045 @item show coerce-float-to-double
24046 Show the current setting of promoting @code{float} to @code{double}.
24047 @end table
24048
24049 @kindex set cp-abi
24050 @kindex show cp-abi
24051 @value{GDBN} needs to know the ABI used for your program's C@t{++}
24052 objects. The correct C@t{++} ABI depends on which C@t{++} compiler was
24053 used to build your application. @value{GDBN} only fully supports
24054 programs with a single C@t{++} ABI; if your program contains code using
24055 multiple C@t{++} ABI's or if @value{GDBN} can not identify your
24056 program's ABI correctly, you can tell @value{GDBN} which ABI to use.
24057 Currently supported ABI's include ``gnu-v2'', for @code{g++} versions
24058 before 3.0, ``gnu-v3'', for @code{g++} versions 3.0 and later, and
24059 ``hpaCC'' for the HP ANSI C@t{++} compiler. Other C@t{++} compilers may
24060 use the ``gnu-v2'' or ``gnu-v3'' ABI's as well. The default setting is
24061 ``auto''.
24062
24063 @table @code
24064 @item show cp-abi
24065 Show the C@t{++} ABI currently in use.
24066
24067 @item set cp-abi
24068 With no argument, show the list of supported C@t{++} ABI's.
24069
24070 @item set cp-abi @var{abi}
24071 @itemx set cp-abi auto
24072 Set the current C@t{++} ABI to @var{abi}, or return to automatic detection.
24073 @end table
24074
24075 @node Auto-loading
24076 @section Automatically loading associated files
24077 @cindex auto-loading
24078
24079 @value{GDBN} sometimes reads files with commands and settings automatically,
24080 without being explicitly told so by the user. We call this feature
24081 @dfn{auto-loading}. While auto-loading is useful for automatically adapting
24082 @value{GDBN} to the needs of your project, it can sometimes produce unexpected
24083 results or introduce security risks (e.g., if the file comes from untrusted
24084 sources).
24085
24086 @menu
24087 * Init File in the Current Directory:: @samp{set/show/info auto-load local-gdbinit}
24088 * libthread_db.so.1 file:: @samp{set/show/info auto-load libthread-db}
24089
24090 * Auto-loading safe path:: @samp{set/show/info auto-load safe-path}
24091 * Auto-loading verbose mode:: @samp{set/show debug auto-load}
24092 @end menu
24093
24094 There are various kinds of files @value{GDBN} can automatically load.
24095 In addition to these files, @value{GDBN} supports auto-loading code written
24096 in various extension languages. @xref{Auto-loading extensions}.
24097
24098 Note that loading of these associated files (including the local @file{.gdbinit}
24099 file) requires accordingly configured @code{auto-load safe-path}
24100 (@pxref{Auto-loading safe path}).
24101
24102 For these reasons, @value{GDBN} includes commands and options to let you
24103 control when to auto-load files and which files should be auto-loaded.
24104
24105 @table @code
24106 @anchor{set auto-load off}
24107 @kindex set auto-load off
24108 @item set auto-load off
24109 Globally disable loading of all auto-loaded files.
24110 You may want to use this command with the @samp{-iex} option
24111 (@pxref{Option -init-eval-command}) such as:
24112 @smallexample
24113 $ @kbd{gdb -iex "set auto-load off" untrusted-executable corefile}
24114 @end smallexample
24115
24116 Be aware that system init file (@pxref{System-wide configuration})
24117 and init files from your home directory (@pxref{Home Directory Init File})
24118 still get read (as they come from generally trusted directories).
24119 To prevent @value{GDBN} from auto-loading even those init files, use the
24120 @option{-nx} option (@pxref{Mode Options}), in addition to
24121 @code{set auto-load no}.
24122
24123 @anchor{show auto-load}
24124 @kindex show auto-load
24125 @item show auto-load
24126 Show whether auto-loading of each specific @samp{auto-load} file(s) is enabled
24127 or disabled.
24128
24129 @smallexample
24130 (gdb) show auto-load
24131 gdb-scripts: Auto-loading of canned sequences of commands scripts is on.
24132 libthread-db: Auto-loading of inferior specific libthread_db is on.
24133 local-gdbinit: Auto-loading of .gdbinit script from current directory
24134 is on.
24135 python-scripts: Auto-loading of Python scripts is on.
24136 safe-path: List of directories from which it is safe to auto-load files
24137 is $debugdir:$datadir/auto-load.
24138 scripts-directory: List of directories from which to load auto-loaded scripts
24139 is $debugdir:$datadir/auto-load.
24140 @end smallexample
24141
24142 @anchor{info auto-load}
24143 @kindex info auto-load
24144 @item info auto-load
24145 Print whether each specific @samp{auto-load} file(s) have been auto-loaded or
24146 not.
24147
24148 @smallexample
24149 (gdb) info auto-load
24150 gdb-scripts:
24151 Loaded Script
24152 Yes /home/user/gdb/gdb-gdb.gdb
24153 libthread-db: No auto-loaded libthread-db.
24154 local-gdbinit: Local .gdbinit file "/home/user/gdb/.gdbinit" has been
24155 loaded.
24156 python-scripts:
24157 Loaded Script
24158 Yes /home/user/gdb/gdb-gdb.py
24159 @end smallexample
24160 @end table
24161
24162 These are @value{GDBN} control commands for the auto-loading:
24163
24164 @multitable @columnfractions .5 .5
24165 @item @xref{set auto-load off}.
24166 @tab Disable auto-loading globally.
24167 @item @xref{show auto-load}.
24168 @tab Show setting of all kinds of files.
24169 @item @xref{info auto-load}.
24170 @tab Show state of all kinds of files.
24171 @item @xref{set auto-load gdb-scripts}.
24172 @tab Control for @value{GDBN} command scripts.
24173 @item @xref{show auto-load gdb-scripts}.
24174 @tab Show setting of @value{GDBN} command scripts.
24175 @item @xref{info auto-load gdb-scripts}.
24176 @tab Show state of @value{GDBN} command scripts.
24177 @item @xref{set auto-load python-scripts}.
24178 @tab Control for @value{GDBN} Python scripts.
24179 @item @xref{show auto-load python-scripts}.
24180 @tab Show setting of @value{GDBN} Python scripts.
24181 @item @xref{info auto-load python-scripts}.
24182 @tab Show state of @value{GDBN} Python scripts.
24183 @item @xref{set auto-load guile-scripts}.
24184 @tab Control for @value{GDBN} Guile scripts.
24185 @item @xref{show auto-load guile-scripts}.
24186 @tab Show setting of @value{GDBN} Guile scripts.
24187 @item @xref{info auto-load guile-scripts}.
24188 @tab Show state of @value{GDBN} Guile scripts.
24189 @item @xref{set auto-load scripts-directory}.
24190 @tab Control for @value{GDBN} auto-loaded scripts location.
24191 @item @xref{show auto-load scripts-directory}.
24192 @tab Show @value{GDBN} auto-loaded scripts location.
24193 @item @xref{add-auto-load-scripts-directory}.
24194 @tab Add directory for auto-loaded scripts location list.
24195 @item @xref{set auto-load local-gdbinit}.
24196 @tab Control for init file in the current directory.
24197 @item @xref{show auto-load local-gdbinit}.
24198 @tab Show setting of init file in the current directory.
24199 @item @xref{info auto-load local-gdbinit}.
24200 @tab Show state of init file in the current directory.
24201 @item @xref{set auto-load libthread-db}.
24202 @tab Control for thread debugging library.
24203 @item @xref{show auto-load libthread-db}.
24204 @tab Show setting of thread debugging library.
24205 @item @xref{info auto-load libthread-db}.
24206 @tab Show state of thread debugging library.
24207 @item @xref{set auto-load safe-path}.
24208 @tab Control directories trusted for automatic loading.
24209 @item @xref{show auto-load safe-path}.
24210 @tab Show directories trusted for automatic loading.
24211 @item @xref{add-auto-load-safe-path}.
24212 @tab Add directory trusted for automatic loading.
24213 @end multitable
24214
24215 @node Init File in the Current Directory
24216 @subsection Automatically loading init file in the current directory
24217 @cindex auto-loading init file in the current directory
24218
24219 By default, @value{GDBN} reads and executes the canned sequences of commands
24220 from init file (if any) in the current working directory,
24221 see @ref{Init File in the Current Directory during Startup}.
24222
24223 Note that loading of this local @file{.gdbinit} file also requires accordingly
24224 configured @code{auto-load safe-path} (@pxref{Auto-loading safe path}).
24225
24226 @table @code
24227 @anchor{set auto-load local-gdbinit}
24228 @kindex set auto-load local-gdbinit
24229 @item set auto-load local-gdbinit [on|off]
24230 Enable or disable the auto-loading of canned sequences of commands
24231 (@pxref{Sequences}) found in init file in the current directory.
24232
24233 @anchor{show auto-load local-gdbinit}
24234 @kindex show auto-load local-gdbinit
24235 @item show auto-load local-gdbinit
24236 Show whether auto-loading of canned sequences of commands from init file in the
24237 current directory is enabled or disabled.
24238
24239 @anchor{info auto-load local-gdbinit}
24240 @kindex info auto-load local-gdbinit
24241 @item info auto-load local-gdbinit
24242 Print whether canned sequences of commands from init file in the
24243 current directory have been auto-loaded.
24244 @end table
24245
24246 @node libthread_db.so.1 file
24247 @subsection Automatically loading thread debugging library
24248 @cindex auto-loading libthread_db.so.1
24249
24250 This feature is currently present only on @sc{gnu}/Linux native hosts.
24251
24252 @value{GDBN} reads in some cases thread debugging library from places specific
24253 to the inferior (@pxref{set libthread-db-search-path}).
24254
24255 The special @samp{libthread-db-search-path} entry @samp{$sdir} is processed
24256 without checking this @samp{set auto-load libthread-db} switch as system
24257 libraries have to be trusted in general. In all other cases of
24258 @samp{libthread-db-search-path} entries @value{GDBN} checks first if @samp{set
24259 auto-load libthread-db} is enabled before trying to open such thread debugging
24260 library.
24261
24262 Note that loading of this debugging library also requires accordingly configured
24263 @code{auto-load safe-path} (@pxref{Auto-loading safe path}).
24264
24265 @table @code
24266 @anchor{set auto-load libthread-db}
24267 @kindex set auto-load libthread-db
24268 @item set auto-load libthread-db [on|off]
24269 Enable or disable the auto-loading of inferior specific thread debugging library.
24270
24271 @anchor{show auto-load libthread-db}
24272 @kindex show auto-load libthread-db
24273 @item show auto-load libthread-db
24274 Show whether auto-loading of inferior specific thread debugging library is
24275 enabled or disabled.
24276
24277 @anchor{info auto-load libthread-db}
24278 @kindex info auto-load libthread-db
24279 @item info auto-load libthread-db
24280 Print the list of all loaded inferior specific thread debugging libraries and
24281 for each such library print list of inferior @var{pid}s using it.
24282 @end table
24283
24284 @node Auto-loading safe path
24285 @subsection Security restriction for auto-loading
24286 @cindex auto-loading safe-path
24287
24288 As the files of inferior can come from untrusted source (such as submitted by
24289 an application user) @value{GDBN} does not always load any files automatically.
24290 @value{GDBN} provides the @samp{set auto-load safe-path} setting to list
24291 directories trusted for loading files not explicitly requested by user.
24292 Each directory can also be a shell wildcard pattern.
24293
24294 If the path is not set properly you will see a warning and the file will not
24295 get loaded:
24296
24297 @smallexample
24298 $ ./gdb -q ./gdb
24299 Reading symbols from /home/user/gdb/gdb...done.
24300 warning: File "/home/user/gdb/gdb-gdb.gdb" auto-loading has been
24301 declined by your `auto-load safe-path' set
24302 to "$debugdir:$datadir/auto-load".
24303 warning: File "/home/user/gdb/gdb-gdb.py" auto-loading has been
24304 declined by your `auto-load safe-path' set
24305 to "$debugdir:$datadir/auto-load".
24306 @end smallexample
24307
24308 @noindent
24309 To instruct @value{GDBN} to go ahead and use the init files anyway,
24310 invoke @value{GDBN} like this:
24311
24312 @smallexample
24313 $ gdb -q -iex "set auto-load safe-path /home/user/gdb" ./gdb
24314 @end smallexample
24315
24316 The list of trusted directories is controlled by the following commands:
24317
24318 @table @code
24319 @anchor{set auto-load safe-path}
24320 @kindex set auto-load safe-path
24321 @item set auto-load safe-path @r{[}@var{directories}@r{]}
24322 Set the list of directories (and their subdirectories) trusted for automatic
24323 loading and execution of scripts. You can also enter a specific trusted file.
24324 Each directory can also be a shell wildcard pattern; wildcards do not match
24325 directory separator - see @code{FNM_PATHNAME} for system function @code{fnmatch}
24326 (@pxref{Wildcard Matching, fnmatch, , libc, GNU C Library Reference Manual}).
24327 If you omit @var{directories}, @samp{auto-load safe-path} will be reset to
24328 its default value as specified during @value{GDBN} compilation.
24329
24330 The list of directories uses path separator (@samp{:} on GNU and Unix
24331 systems, @samp{;} on MS-Windows and MS-DOS) to separate directories, similarly
24332 to the @env{PATH} environment variable.
24333
24334 @anchor{show auto-load safe-path}
24335 @kindex show auto-load safe-path
24336 @item show auto-load safe-path
24337 Show the list of directories trusted for automatic loading and execution of
24338 scripts.
24339
24340 @anchor{add-auto-load-safe-path}
24341 @kindex add-auto-load-safe-path
24342 @item add-auto-load-safe-path
24343 Add an entry (or list of entries) to the list of directories trusted for
24344 automatic loading and execution of scripts. Multiple entries may be delimited
24345 by the host platform path separator in use.
24346 @end table
24347
24348 This variable defaults to what @code{--with-auto-load-dir} has been configured
24349 to (@pxref{with-auto-load-dir}). @file{$debugdir} and @file{$datadir}
24350 substitution applies the same as for @ref{set auto-load scripts-directory}.
24351 The default @code{set auto-load safe-path} value can be also overriden by
24352 @value{GDBN} configuration option @option{--with-auto-load-safe-path}.
24353
24354 Setting this variable to @file{/} disables this security protection,
24355 corresponding @value{GDBN} configuration option is
24356 @option{--without-auto-load-safe-path}.
24357 This variable is supposed to be set to the system directories writable by the
24358 system superuser only. Users can add their source directories in init files in
24359 their home directories (@pxref{Home Directory Init File}). See also deprecated
24360 init file in the current directory
24361 (@pxref{Init File in the Current Directory during Startup}).
24362
24363 To force @value{GDBN} to load the files it declined to load in the previous
24364 example, you could use one of the following ways:
24365
24366 @table @asis
24367 @item @file{~/.gdbinit}: @samp{add-auto-load-safe-path ~/src/gdb}
24368 Specify this trusted directory (or a file) as additional component of the list.
24369 You have to specify also any existing directories displayed by
24370 by @samp{show auto-load safe-path} (such as @samp{/usr:/bin} in this example).
24371
24372 @item @kbd{gdb -iex "set auto-load safe-path /usr:/bin:~/src/gdb" @dots{}}
24373 Specify this directory as in the previous case but just for a single
24374 @value{GDBN} session.
24375
24376 @item @kbd{gdb -iex "set auto-load safe-path /" @dots{}}
24377 Disable auto-loading safety for a single @value{GDBN} session.
24378 This assumes all the files you debug during this @value{GDBN} session will come
24379 from trusted sources.
24380
24381 @item @kbd{./configure --without-auto-load-safe-path}
24382 During compilation of @value{GDBN} you may disable any auto-loading safety.
24383 This assumes all the files you will ever debug with this @value{GDBN} come from
24384 trusted sources.
24385 @end table
24386
24387 On the other hand you can also explicitly forbid automatic files loading which
24388 also suppresses any such warning messages:
24389
24390 @table @asis
24391 @item @kbd{gdb -iex "set auto-load no" @dots{}}
24392 You can use @value{GDBN} command-line option for a single @value{GDBN} session.
24393
24394 @item @file{~/.gdbinit}: @samp{set auto-load no}
24395 Disable auto-loading globally for the user
24396 (@pxref{Home Directory Init File}). While it is improbable, you could also
24397 use system init file instead (@pxref{System-wide configuration}).
24398 @end table
24399
24400 This setting applies to the file names as entered by user. If no entry matches
24401 @value{GDBN} tries as a last resort to also resolve all the file names into
24402 their canonical form (typically resolving symbolic links) and compare the
24403 entries again. @value{GDBN} already canonicalizes most of the filenames on its
24404 own before starting the comparison so a canonical form of directories is
24405 recommended to be entered.
24406
24407 @node Auto-loading verbose mode
24408 @subsection Displaying files tried for auto-load
24409 @cindex auto-loading verbose mode
24410
24411 For better visibility of all the file locations where you can place scripts to
24412 be auto-loaded with inferior --- or to protect yourself against accidental
24413 execution of untrusted scripts --- @value{GDBN} provides a feature for printing
24414 all the files attempted to be loaded. Both existing and non-existing files may
24415 be printed.
24416
24417 For example the list of directories from which it is safe to auto-load files
24418 (@pxref{Auto-loading safe path}) applies also to canonicalized filenames which
24419 may not be too obvious while setting it up.
24420
24421 @smallexample
24422 (gdb) set debug auto-load on
24423 (gdb) file ~/src/t/true
24424 auto-load: Loading canned sequences of commands script "/tmp/true-gdb.gdb"
24425 for objfile "/tmp/true".
24426 auto-load: Updating directories of "/usr:/opt".
24427 auto-load: Using directory "/usr".
24428 auto-load: Using directory "/opt".
24429 warning: File "/tmp/true-gdb.gdb" auto-loading has been declined
24430 by your `auto-load safe-path' set to "/usr:/opt".
24431 @end smallexample
24432
24433 @table @code
24434 @anchor{set debug auto-load}
24435 @kindex set debug auto-load
24436 @item set debug auto-load [on|off]
24437 Set whether to print the filenames attempted to be auto-loaded.
24438
24439 @anchor{show debug auto-load}
24440 @kindex show debug auto-load
24441 @item show debug auto-load
24442 Show whether printing of the filenames attempted to be auto-loaded is turned
24443 on or off.
24444 @end table
24445
24446 @node Messages/Warnings
24447 @section Optional Warnings and Messages
24448
24449 @cindex verbose operation
24450 @cindex optional warnings
24451 By default, @value{GDBN} is silent about its inner workings. If you are
24452 running on a slow machine, you may want to use the @code{set verbose}
24453 command. This makes @value{GDBN} tell you when it does a lengthy
24454 internal operation, so you will not think it has crashed.
24455
24456 Currently, the messages controlled by @code{set verbose} are those
24457 which announce that the symbol table for a source file is being read;
24458 see @code{symbol-file} in @ref{Files, ,Commands to Specify Files}.
24459
24460 @table @code
24461 @kindex set verbose
24462 @item set verbose on
24463 Enables @value{GDBN} output of certain informational messages.
24464
24465 @item set verbose off
24466 Disables @value{GDBN} output of certain informational messages.
24467
24468 @kindex show verbose
24469 @item show verbose
24470 Displays whether @code{set verbose} is on or off.
24471 @end table
24472
24473 By default, if @value{GDBN} encounters bugs in the symbol table of an
24474 object file, it is silent; but if you are debugging a compiler, you may
24475 find this information useful (@pxref{Symbol Errors, ,Errors Reading
24476 Symbol Files}).
24477
24478 @table @code
24479
24480 @kindex set complaints
24481 @item set complaints @var{limit}
24482 Permits @value{GDBN} to output @var{limit} complaints about each type of
24483 unusual symbols before becoming silent about the problem. Set
24484 @var{limit} to zero to suppress all complaints; set it to a large number
24485 to prevent complaints from being suppressed.
24486
24487 @kindex show complaints
24488 @item show complaints
24489 Displays how many symbol complaints @value{GDBN} is permitted to produce.
24490
24491 @end table
24492
24493 @anchor{confirmation requests}
24494 By default, @value{GDBN} is cautious, and asks what sometimes seems to be a
24495 lot of stupid questions to confirm certain commands. For example, if
24496 you try to run a program which is already running:
24497
24498 @smallexample
24499 (@value{GDBP}) run
24500 The program being debugged has been started already.
24501 Start it from the beginning? (y or n)
24502 @end smallexample
24503
24504 If you are willing to unflinchingly face the consequences of your own
24505 commands, you can disable this ``feature'':
24506
24507 @table @code
24508
24509 @kindex set confirm
24510 @cindex flinching
24511 @cindex confirmation
24512 @cindex stupid questions
24513 @item set confirm off
24514 Disables confirmation requests. Note that running @value{GDBN} with
24515 the @option{--batch} option (@pxref{Mode Options, -batch}) also
24516 automatically disables confirmation requests.
24517
24518 @item set confirm on
24519 Enables confirmation requests (the default).
24520
24521 @kindex show confirm
24522 @item show confirm
24523 Displays state of confirmation requests.
24524
24525 @end table
24526
24527 @cindex command tracing
24528 If you need to debug user-defined commands or sourced files you may find it
24529 useful to enable @dfn{command tracing}. In this mode each command will be
24530 printed as it is executed, prefixed with one or more @samp{+} symbols, the
24531 quantity denoting the call depth of each command.
24532
24533 @table @code
24534 @kindex set trace-commands
24535 @cindex command scripts, debugging
24536 @item set trace-commands on
24537 Enable command tracing.
24538 @item set trace-commands off
24539 Disable command tracing.
24540 @item show trace-commands
24541 Display the current state of command tracing.
24542 @end table
24543
24544 @node Debugging Output
24545 @section Optional Messages about Internal Happenings
24546 @cindex optional debugging messages
24547
24548 @value{GDBN} has commands that enable optional debugging messages from
24549 various @value{GDBN} subsystems; normally these commands are of
24550 interest to @value{GDBN} maintainers, or when reporting a bug. This
24551 section documents those commands.
24552
24553 @table @code
24554 @kindex set exec-done-display
24555 @item set exec-done-display
24556 Turns on or off the notification of asynchronous commands'
24557 completion. When on, @value{GDBN} will print a message when an
24558 asynchronous command finishes its execution. The default is off.
24559 @kindex show exec-done-display
24560 @item show exec-done-display
24561 Displays the current setting of asynchronous command completion
24562 notification.
24563 @kindex set debug
24564 @cindex ARM AArch64
24565 @item set debug aarch64
24566 Turns on or off display of debugging messages related to ARM AArch64.
24567 The default is off.
24568 @kindex show debug
24569 @item show debug aarch64
24570 Displays the current state of displaying debugging messages related to
24571 ARM AArch64.
24572 @cindex gdbarch debugging info
24573 @cindex architecture debugging info
24574 @item set debug arch
24575 Turns on or off display of gdbarch debugging info. The default is off
24576 @item show debug arch
24577 Displays the current state of displaying gdbarch debugging info.
24578 @item set debug aix-solib
24579 @cindex AIX shared library debugging
24580 Control display of debugging messages from the AIX shared library
24581 support module. The default is off.
24582 @item show debug aix-thread
24583 Show the current state of displaying AIX shared library debugging messages.
24584 @item set debug aix-thread
24585 @cindex AIX threads
24586 Display debugging messages about inner workings of the AIX thread
24587 module.
24588 @item show debug aix-thread
24589 Show the current state of AIX thread debugging info display.
24590 @item set debug check-physname
24591 @cindex physname
24592 Check the results of the ``physname'' computation. When reading DWARF
24593 debugging information for C@t{++}, @value{GDBN} attempts to compute
24594 each entity's name. @value{GDBN} can do this computation in two
24595 different ways, depending on exactly what information is present.
24596 When enabled, this setting causes @value{GDBN} to compute the names
24597 both ways and display any discrepancies.
24598 @item show debug check-physname
24599 Show the current state of ``physname'' checking.
24600 @item set debug coff-pe-read
24601 @cindex COFF/PE exported symbols
24602 Control display of debugging messages related to reading of COFF/PE
24603 exported symbols. The default is off.
24604 @item show debug coff-pe-read
24605 Displays the current state of displaying debugging messages related to
24606 reading of COFF/PE exported symbols.
24607 @item set debug dwarf-die
24608 @cindex DWARF DIEs
24609 Dump DWARF DIEs after they are read in.
24610 The value is the number of nesting levels to print.
24611 A value of zero turns off the display.
24612 @item show debug dwarf-die
24613 Show the current state of DWARF DIE debugging.
24614 @item set debug dwarf-line
24615 @cindex DWARF Line Tables
24616 Turns on or off display of debugging messages related to reading
24617 DWARF line tables. The default is 0 (off).
24618 A value of 1 provides basic information.
24619 A value greater than 1 provides more verbose information.
24620 @item show debug dwarf-line
24621 Show the current state of DWARF line table debugging.
24622 @item set debug dwarf-read
24623 @cindex DWARF Reading
24624 Turns on or off display of debugging messages related to reading
24625 DWARF debug info. The default is 0 (off).
24626 A value of 1 provides basic information.
24627 A value greater than 1 provides more verbose information.
24628 @item show debug dwarf-read
24629 Show the current state of DWARF reader debugging.
24630 @item set debug displaced
24631 @cindex displaced stepping debugging info
24632 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} debugging info for the
24633 displaced stepping support. The default is off.
24634 @item show debug displaced
24635 Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} debugging info
24636 related to displaced stepping.
24637 @item set debug event
24638 @cindex event debugging info
24639 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} event debugging info. The
24640 default is off.
24641 @item show debug event
24642 Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} event debugging
24643 info.
24644 @item set debug expression
24645 @cindex expression debugging info
24646 Turns on or off display of debugging info about @value{GDBN}
24647 expression parsing. The default is off.
24648 @item show debug expression
24649 Displays the current state of displaying debugging info about
24650 @value{GDBN} expression parsing.
24651 @item set debug fbsd-lwp
24652 @cindex FreeBSD LWP debug messages
24653 Turns on or off debugging messages from the FreeBSD LWP debug support.
24654 @item show debug fbsd-lwp
24655 Show the current state of FreeBSD LWP debugging messages.
24656 @item set debug fbsd-nat
24657 @cindex FreeBSD native target debug messages
24658 Turns on or off debugging messages from the FreeBSD native target.
24659 @item show debug fbsd-nat
24660 Show the current state of FreeBSD native target debugging messages.
24661 @item set debug frame
24662 @cindex frame debugging info
24663 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} frame debugging info. The
24664 default is off.
24665 @item show debug frame
24666 Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} frame debugging
24667 info.
24668 @item set debug gnu-nat
24669 @cindex @sc{gnu}/Hurd debug messages
24670 Turn on or off debugging messages from the @sc{gnu}/Hurd debug support.
24671 @item show debug gnu-nat
24672 Show the current state of @sc{gnu}/Hurd debugging messages.
24673 @item set debug infrun
24674 @cindex inferior debugging info
24675 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} debugging info for running the inferior.
24676 The default is off. @file{infrun.c} contains GDB's runtime state machine used
24677 for implementing operations such as single-stepping the inferior.
24678 @item show debug infrun
24679 Displays the current state of @value{GDBN} inferior debugging.
24680 @item set debug jit
24681 @cindex just-in-time compilation, debugging messages
24682 Turn on or off debugging messages from JIT debug support.
24683 @item show debug jit
24684 Displays the current state of @value{GDBN} JIT debugging.
24685 @item set debug lin-lwp
24686 @cindex @sc{gnu}/Linux LWP debug messages
24687 @cindex Linux lightweight processes
24688 Turn on or off debugging messages from the Linux LWP debug support.
24689 @item show debug lin-lwp
24690 Show the current state of Linux LWP debugging messages.
24691 @item set debug linux-namespaces
24692 @cindex @sc{gnu}/Linux namespaces debug messages
24693 Turn on or off debugging messages from the Linux namespaces debug support.
24694 @item show debug linux-namespaces
24695 Show the current state of Linux namespaces debugging messages.
24696 @item set debug mach-o
24697 @cindex Mach-O symbols processing
24698 Control display of debugging messages related to Mach-O symbols
24699 processing. The default is off.
24700 @item show debug mach-o
24701 Displays the current state of displaying debugging messages related to
24702 reading of COFF/PE exported symbols.
24703 @item set debug notification
24704 @cindex remote async notification debugging info
24705 Turn on or off debugging messages about remote async notification.
24706 The default is off.
24707 @item show debug notification
24708 Displays the current state of remote async notification debugging messages.
24709 @item set debug observer
24710 @cindex observer debugging info
24711 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} observer debugging. This
24712 includes info such as the notification of observable events.
24713 @item show debug observer
24714 Displays the current state of observer debugging.
24715 @item set debug overload
24716 @cindex C@t{++} overload debugging info
24717 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} C@t{++} overload debugging
24718 info. This includes info such as ranking of functions, etc. The default
24719 is off.
24720 @item show debug overload
24721 Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} C@t{++} overload
24722 debugging info.
24723 @cindex expression parser, debugging info
24724 @cindex debug expression parser
24725 @item set debug parser
24726 Turns on or off the display of expression parser debugging output.
24727 Internally, this sets the @code{yydebug} variable in the expression
24728 parser. @xref{Tracing, , Tracing Your Parser, bison, Bison}, for
24729 details. The default is off.
24730 @item show debug parser
24731 Show the current state of expression parser debugging.
24732 @cindex packets, reporting on stdout
24733 @cindex serial connections, debugging
24734 @cindex debug remote protocol
24735 @cindex remote protocol debugging
24736 @cindex display remote packets
24737 @item set debug remote
24738 Turns on or off display of reports on all packets sent back and forth across
24739 the serial line to the remote machine. The info is printed on the
24740 @value{GDBN} standard output stream. The default is off.
24741 @item show debug remote
24742 Displays the state of display of remote packets.
24743
24744 @item set debug separate-debug-file
24745 Turns on or off display of debug output about separate debug file search.
24746 @item show debug separate-debug-file
24747 Displays the state of separate debug file search debug output.
24748
24749 @item set debug serial
24750 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} serial debugging info. The
24751 default is off.
24752 @item show debug serial
24753 Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} serial debugging
24754 info.
24755 @item set debug solib-frv
24756 @cindex FR-V shared-library debugging
24757 Turn on or off debugging messages for FR-V shared-library code.
24758 @item show debug solib-frv
24759 Display the current state of FR-V shared-library code debugging
24760 messages.
24761 @item set debug symbol-lookup
24762 @cindex symbol lookup
24763 Turns on or off display of debugging messages related to symbol lookup.
24764 The default is 0 (off).
24765 A value of 1 provides basic information.
24766 A value greater than 1 provides more verbose information.
24767 @item show debug symbol-lookup
24768 Show the current state of symbol lookup debugging messages.
24769 @item set debug symfile
24770 @cindex symbol file functions
24771 Turns on or off display of debugging messages related to symbol file functions.
24772 The default is off. @xref{Files}.
24773 @item show debug symfile
24774 Show the current state of symbol file debugging messages.
24775 @item set debug symtab-create
24776 @cindex symbol table creation
24777 Turns on or off display of debugging messages related to symbol table creation.
24778 The default is 0 (off).
24779 A value of 1 provides basic information.
24780 A value greater than 1 provides more verbose information.
24781 @item show debug symtab-create
24782 Show the current state of symbol table creation debugging.
24783 @item set debug target
24784 @cindex target debugging info
24785 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} target debugging info. This info
24786 includes what is going on at the target level of GDB, as it happens. The
24787 default is 0. Set it to 1 to track events, and to 2 to also track the
24788 value of large memory transfers.
24789 @item show debug target
24790 Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} target debugging
24791 info.
24792 @item set debug timestamp
24793 @cindex timestampping debugging info
24794 Turns on or off display of timestamps with @value{GDBN} debugging info.
24795 When enabled, seconds and microseconds are displayed before each debugging
24796 message.
24797 @item show debug timestamp
24798 Displays the current state of displaying timestamps with @value{GDBN}
24799 debugging info.
24800 @item set debug varobj
24801 @cindex variable object debugging info
24802 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} variable object debugging
24803 info. The default is off.
24804 @item show debug varobj
24805 Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} variable object
24806 debugging info.
24807 @item set debug xml
24808 @cindex XML parser debugging
24809 Turn on or off debugging messages for built-in XML parsers.
24810 @item show debug xml
24811 Displays the current state of XML debugging messages.
24812 @end table
24813
24814 @node Other Misc Settings
24815 @section Other Miscellaneous Settings
24816 @cindex miscellaneous settings
24817
24818 @table @code
24819 @kindex set interactive-mode
24820 @item set interactive-mode
24821 If @code{on}, forces @value{GDBN} to assume that GDB was started
24822 in a terminal. In practice, this means that @value{GDBN} should wait
24823 for the user to answer queries generated by commands entered at
24824 the command prompt. If @code{off}, forces @value{GDBN} to operate
24825 in the opposite mode, and it uses the default answers to all queries.
24826 If @code{auto} (the default), @value{GDBN} tries to determine whether
24827 its standard input is a terminal, and works in interactive-mode if it
24828 is, non-interactively otherwise.
24829
24830 In the vast majority of cases, the debugger should be able to guess
24831 correctly which mode should be used. But this setting can be useful
24832 in certain specific cases, such as running a MinGW @value{GDBN}
24833 inside a cygwin window.
24834
24835 @kindex show interactive-mode
24836 @item show interactive-mode
24837 Displays whether the debugger is operating in interactive mode or not.
24838 @end table
24839
24840 @node Extending GDB
24841 @chapter Extending @value{GDBN}
24842 @cindex extending GDB
24843
24844 @value{GDBN} provides several mechanisms for extension.
24845 @value{GDBN} also provides the ability to automatically load
24846 extensions when it reads a file for debugging. This allows the
24847 user to automatically customize @value{GDBN} for the program
24848 being debugged.
24849
24850 @menu
24851 * Sequences:: Canned Sequences of @value{GDBN} Commands
24852 * Python:: Extending @value{GDBN} using Python
24853 * Guile:: Extending @value{GDBN} using Guile
24854 * Auto-loading extensions:: Automatically loading extensions
24855 * Multiple Extension Languages:: Working with multiple extension languages
24856 * Aliases:: Creating new spellings of existing commands
24857 @end menu
24858
24859 To facilitate the use of extension languages, @value{GDBN} is capable
24860 of evaluating the contents of a file. When doing so, @value{GDBN}
24861 can recognize which extension language is being used by looking at
24862 the filename extension. Files with an unrecognized filename extension
24863 are always treated as a @value{GDBN} Command Files.
24864 @xref{Command Files,, Command files}.
24865
24866 You can control how @value{GDBN} evaluates these files with the following
24867 setting:
24868
24869 @table @code
24870 @kindex set script-extension
24871 @kindex show script-extension
24872 @item set script-extension off
24873 All scripts are always evaluated as @value{GDBN} Command Files.
24874
24875 @item set script-extension soft
24876 The debugger determines the scripting language based on filename
24877 extension. If this scripting language is supported, @value{GDBN}
24878 evaluates the script using that language. Otherwise, it evaluates
24879 the file as a @value{GDBN} Command File.
24880
24881 @item set script-extension strict
24882 The debugger determines the scripting language based on filename
24883 extension, and evaluates the script using that language. If the
24884 language is not supported, then the evaluation fails.
24885
24886 @item show script-extension
24887 Display the current value of the @code{script-extension} option.
24888
24889 @end table
24890
24891 @node Sequences
24892 @section Canned Sequences of Commands
24893
24894 Aside from breakpoint commands (@pxref{Break Commands, ,Breakpoint
24895 Command Lists}), @value{GDBN} provides two ways to store sequences of
24896 commands for execution as a unit: user-defined commands and command
24897 files.
24898
24899 @menu
24900 * Define:: How to define your own commands
24901 * Hooks:: Hooks for user-defined commands
24902 * Command Files:: How to write scripts of commands to be stored in a file
24903 * Output:: Commands for controlled output
24904 * Auto-loading sequences:: Controlling auto-loaded command files
24905 @end menu
24906
24907 @node Define
24908 @subsection User-defined Commands
24909
24910 @cindex user-defined command
24911 @cindex arguments, to user-defined commands
24912 A @dfn{user-defined command} is a sequence of @value{GDBN} commands to
24913 which you assign a new name as a command. This is done with the
24914 @code{define} command. User commands may accept an unlimited number of arguments
24915 separated by whitespace. Arguments are accessed within the user command
24916 via @code{$arg0@dots{}$argN}. A trivial example:
24917
24918 @smallexample
24919 define adder
24920 print $arg0 + $arg1 + $arg2
24921 end
24922 @end smallexample
24923
24924 @noindent
24925 To execute the command use:
24926
24927 @smallexample
24928 adder 1 2 3
24929 @end smallexample
24930
24931 @noindent
24932 This defines the command @code{adder}, which prints the sum of
24933 its three arguments. Note the arguments are text substitutions, so they may
24934 reference variables, use complex expressions, or even perform inferior
24935 functions calls.
24936
24937 @cindex argument count in user-defined commands
24938 @cindex how many arguments (user-defined commands)
24939 In addition, @code{$argc} may be used to find out how many arguments have
24940 been passed.
24941
24942 @smallexample
24943 define adder
24944 if $argc == 2
24945 print $arg0 + $arg1
24946 end
24947 if $argc == 3
24948 print $arg0 + $arg1 + $arg2
24949 end
24950 end
24951 @end smallexample
24952
24953 Combining with the @code{eval} command (@pxref{eval}) makes it easier
24954 to process a variable number of arguments:
24955
24956 @smallexample
24957 define adder
24958 set $i = 0
24959 set $sum = 0
24960 while $i < $argc
24961 eval "set $sum = $sum + $arg%d", $i
24962 set $i = $i + 1
24963 end
24964 print $sum
24965 end
24966 @end smallexample
24967
24968 @table @code
24969
24970 @kindex define
24971 @item define @var{commandname}
24972 Define a command named @var{commandname}. If there is already a command
24973 by that name, you are asked to confirm that you want to redefine it.
24974 The argument @var{commandname} may be a bare command name consisting of letters,
24975 numbers, dashes, and underscores. It may also start with any predefined
24976 prefix command. For example, @samp{define target my-target} creates
24977 a user-defined @samp{target my-target} command.
24978
24979 The definition of the command is made up of other @value{GDBN} command lines,
24980 which are given following the @code{define} command. The end of these
24981 commands is marked by a line containing @code{end}.
24982
24983 @kindex document
24984 @kindex end@r{ (user-defined commands)}
24985 @item document @var{commandname}
24986 Document the user-defined command @var{commandname}, so that it can be
24987 accessed by @code{help}. The command @var{commandname} must already be
24988 defined. This command reads lines of documentation just as @code{define}
24989 reads the lines of the command definition, ending with @code{end}.
24990 After the @code{document} command is finished, @code{help} on command
24991 @var{commandname} displays the documentation you have written.
24992
24993 You may use the @code{document} command again to change the
24994 documentation of a command. Redefining the command with @code{define}
24995 does not change the documentation.
24996
24997 @kindex dont-repeat
24998 @cindex don't repeat command
24999 @item dont-repeat
25000 Used inside a user-defined command, this tells @value{GDBN} that this
25001 command should not be repeated when the user hits @key{RET}
25002 (@pxref{Command Syntax, repeat last command}).
25003
25004 @kindex help user-defined
25005 @item help user-defined
25006 List all user-defined commands and all python commands defined in class
25007 COMAND_USER. The first line of the documentation or docstring is
25008 included (if any).
25009
25010 @kindex show user
25011 @item show user
25012 @itemx show user @var{commandname}
25013 Display the @value{GDBN} commands used to define @var{commandname} (but
25014 not its documentation). If no @var{commandname} is given, display the
25015 definitions for all user-defined commands.
25016 This does not work for user-defined python commands.
25017
25018 @cindex infinite recursion in user-defined commands
25019 @kindex show max-user-call-depth
25020 @kindex set max-user-call-depth
25021 @item show max-user-call-depth
25022 @itemx set max-user-call-depth
25023 The value of @code{max-user-call-depth} controls how many recursion
25024 levels are allowed in user-defined commands before @value{GDBN} suspects an
25025 infinite recursion and aborts the command.
25026 This does not apply to user-defined python commands.
25027 @end table
25028
25029 In addition to the above commands, user-defined commands frequently
25030 use control flow commands, described in @ref{Command Files}.
25031
25032 When user-defined commands are executed, the
25033 commands of the definition are not printed. An error in any command
25034 stops execution of the user-defined command.
25035
25036 If used interactively, commands that would ask for confirmation proceed
25037 without asking when used inside a user-defined command. Many @value{GDBN}
25038 commands that normally print messages to say what they are doing omit the
25039 messages when used in a user-defined command.
25040
25041 @node Hooks
25042 @subsection User-defined Command Hooks
25043 @cindex command hooks
25044 @cindex hooks, for commands
25045 @cindex hooks, pre-command
25046
25047 @kindex hook
25048 You may define @dfn{hooks}, which are a special kind of user-defined
25049 command. Whenever you run the command @samp{foo}, if the user-defined
25050 command @samp{hook-foo} exists, it is executed (with no arguments)
25051 before that command.
25052
25053 @cindex hooks, post-command
25054 @kindex hookpost
25055 A hook may also be defined which is run after the command you executed.
25056 Whenever you run the command @samp{foo}, if the user-defined command
25057 @samp{hookpost-foo} exists, it is executed (with no arguments) after
25058 that command. Post-execution hooks may exist simultaneously with
25059 pre-execution hooks, for the same command.
25060
25061 It is valid for a hook to call the command which it hooks. If this
25062 occurs, the hook is not re-executed, thereby avoiding infinite recursion.
25063
25064 @c It would be nice if hookpost could be passed a parameter indicating
25065 @c if the command it hooks executed properly or not. FIXME!
25066
25067 @kindex stop@r{, a pseudo-command}
25068 In addition, a pseudo-command, @samp{stop} exists. Defining
25069 (@samp{hook-stop}) makes the associated commands execute every time
25070 execution stops in your program: before breakpoint commands are run,
25071 displays are printed, or the stack frame is printed.
25072
25073 For example, to ignore @code{SIGALRM} signals while
25074 single-stepping, but treat them normally during normal execution,
25075 you could define:
25076
25077 @smallexample
25078 define hook-stop
25079 handle SIGALRM nopass
25080 end
25081
25082 define hook-run
25083 handle SIGALRM pass
25084 end
25085
25086 define hook-continue
25087 handle SIGALRM pass
25088 end
25089 @end smallexample
25090
25091 As a further example, to hook at the beginning and end of the @code{echo}
25092 command, and to add extra text to the beginning and end of the message,
25093 you could define:
25094
25095 @smallexample
25096 define hook-echo
25097 echo <<<---
25098 end
25099
25100 define hookpost-echo
25101 echo --->>>\n
25102 end
25103
25104 (@value{GDBP}) echo Hello World
25105 <<<---Hello World--->>>
25106 (@value{GDBP})
25107
25108 @end smallexample
25109
25110 You can define a hook for any single-word command in @value{GDBN}, but
25111 not for command aliases; you should define a hook for the basic command
25112 name, e.g.@: @code{backtrace} rather than @code{bt}.
25113 @c FIXME! So how does Joe User discover whether a command is an alias
25114 @c or not?
25115 You can hook a multi-word command by adding @code{hook-} or
25116 @code{hookpost-} to the last word of the command, e.g.@:
25117 @samp{define target hook-remote} to add a hook to @samp{target remote}.
25118
25119 If an error occurs during the execution of your hook, execution of
25120 @value{GDBN} commands stops and @value{GDBN} issues a prompt
25121 (before the command that you actually typed had a chance to run).
25122
25123 If you try to define a hook which does not match any known command, you
25124 get a warning from the @code{define} command.
25125
25126 @node Command Files
25127 @subsection Command Files
25128
25129 @cindex command files
25130 @cindex scripting commands
25131 A command file for @value{GDBN} is a text file made of lines that are
25132 @value{GDBN} commands. Comments (lines starting with @kbd{#}) may
25133 also be included. An empty line in a command file does nothing; it
25134 does not mean to repeat the last command, as it would from the
25135 terminal.
25136
25137 You can request the execution of a command file with the @code{source}
25138 command. Note that the @code{source} command is also used to evaluate
25139 scripts that are not Command Files. The exact behavior can be configured
25140 using the @code{script-extension} setting.
25141 @xref{Extending GDB,, Extending GDB}.
25142
25143 @table @code
25144 @kindex source
25145 @cindex execute commands from a file
25146 @item source [-s] [-v] @var{filename}
25147 Execute the command file @var{filename}.
25148 @end table
25149
25150 The lines in a command file are generally executed sequentially,
25151 unless the order of execution is changed by one of the
25152 @emph{flow-control commands} described below. The commands are not
25153 printed as they are executed. An error in any command terminates
25154 execution of the command file and control is returned to the console.
25155
25156 @value{GDBN} first searches for @var{filename} in the current directory.
25157 If the file is not found there, and @var{filename} does not specify a
25158 directory, then @value{GDBN} also looks for the file on the source search path
25159 (specified with the @samp{directory} command);
25160 except that @file{$cdir} is not searched because the compilation directory
25161 is not relevant to scripts.
25162
25163 If @code{-s} is specified, then @value{GDBN} searches for @var{filename}
25164 on the search path even if @var{filename} specifies a directory.
25165 The search is done by appending @var{filename} to each element of the
25166 search path. So, for example, if @var{filename} is @file{mylib/myscript}
25167 and the search path contains @file{/home/user} then @value{GDBN} will
25168 look for the script @file{/home/user/mylib/myscript}.
25169 The search is also done if @var{filename} is an absolute path.
25170 For example, if @var{filename} is @file{/tmp/myscript} and
25171 the search path contains @file{/home/user} then @value{GDBN} will
25172 look for the script @file{/home/user/tmp/myscript}.
25173 For DOS-like systems, if @var{filename} contains a drive specification,
25174 it is stripped before concatenation. For example, if @var{filename} is
25175 @file{d:myscript} and the search path contains @file{c:/tmp} then @value{GDBN}
25176 will look for the script @file{c:/tmp/myscript}.
25177
25178 If @code{-v}, for verbose mode, is given then @value{GDBN} displays
25179 each command as it is executed. The option must be given before
25180 @var{filename}, and is interpreted as part of the filename anywhere else.
25181
25182 Commands that would ask for confirmation if used interactively proceed
25183 without asking when used in a command file. Many @value{GDBN} commands that
25184 normally print messages to say what they are doing omit the messages
25185 when called from command files.
25186
25187 @value{GDBN} also accepts command input from standard input. In this
25188 mode, normal output goes to standard output and error output goes to
25189 standard error. Errors in a command file supplied on standard input do
25190 not terminate execution of the command file---execution continues with
25191 the next command.
25192
25193 @smallexample
25194 gdb < cmds > log 2>&1
25195 @end smallexample
25196
25197 (The syntax above will vary depending on the shell used.) This example
25198 will execute commands from the file @file{cmds}. All output and errors
25199 would be directed to @file{log}.
25200
25201 Since commands stored on command files tend to be more general than
25202 commands typed interactively, they frequently need to deal with
25203 complicated situations, such as different or unexpected values of
25204 variables and symbols, changes in how the program being debugged is
25205 built, etc. @value{GDBN} provides a set of flow-control commands to
25206 deal with these complexities. Using these commands, you can write
25207 complex scripts that loop over data structures, execute commands
25208 conditionally, etc.
25209
25210 @table @code
25211 @kindex if
25212 @kindex else
25213 @item if
25214 @itemx else
25215 This command allows to include in your script conditionally executed
25216 commands. The @code{if} command takes a single argument, which is an
25217 expression to evaluate. It is followed by a series of commands that
25218 are executed only if the expression is true (its value is nonzero).
25219 There can then optionally be an @code{else} line, followed by a series
25220 of commands that are only executed if the expression was false. The
25221 end of the list is marked by a line containing @code{end}.
25222
25223 @kindex while
25224 @item while
25225 This command allows to write loops. Its syntax is similar to
25226 @code{if}: the command takes a single argument, which is an expression
25227 to evaluate, and must be followed by the commands to execute, one per
25228 line, terminated by an @code{end}. These commands are called the
25229 @dfn{body} of the loop. The commands in the body of @code{while} are
25230 executed repeatedly as long as the expression evaluates to true.
25231
25232 @kindex loop_break
25233 @item loop_break
25234 This command exits the @code{while} loop in whose body it is included.
25235 Execution of the script continues after that @code{while}s @code{end}
25236 line.
25237
25238 @kindex loop_continue
25239 @item loop_continue
25240 This command skips the execution of the rest of the body of commands
25241 in the @code{while} loop in whose body it is included. Execution
25242 branches to the beginning of the @code{while} loop, where it evaluates
25243 the controlling expression.
25244
25245 @kindex end@r{ (if/else/while commands)}
25246 @item end
25247 Terminate the block of commands that are the body of @code{if},
25248 @code{else}, or @code{while} flow-control commands.
25249 @end table
25250
25251
25252 @node Output
25253 @subsection Commands for Controlled Output
25254
25255 During the execution of a command file or a user-defined command, normal
25256 @value{GDBN} output is suppressed; the only output that appears is what is
25257 explicitly printed by the commands in the definition. This section
25258 describes three commands useful for generating exactly the output you
25259 want.
25260
25261 @table @code
25262 @kindex echo
25263 @item echo @var{text}
25264 @c I do not consider backslash-space a standard C escape sequence
25265 @c because it is not in ANSI.
25266 Print @var{text}. Nonprinting characters can be included in
25267 @var{text} using C escape sequences, such as @samp{\n} to print a
25268 newline. @strong{No newline is printed unless you specify one.}
25269 In addition to the standard C escape sequences, a backslash followed
25270 by a space stands for a space. This is useful for displaying a
25271 string with spaces at the beginning or the end, since leading and
25272 trailing spaces are otherwise trimmed from all arguments.
25273 To print @samp{@w{ }and foo =@w{ }}, use the command
25274 @samp{echo \@w{ }and foo = \@w{ }}.
25275
25276 A backslash at the end of @var{text} can be used, as in C, to continue
25277 the command onto subsequent lines. For example,
25278
25279 @smallexample
25280 echo This is some text\n\
25281 which is continued\n\
25282 onto several lines.\n
25283 @end smallexample
25284
25285 produces the same output as
25286
25287 @smallexample
25288 echo This is some text\n
25289 echo which is continued\n
25290 echo onto several lines.\n
25291 @end smallexample
25292
25293 @kindex output
25294 @item output @var{expression}
25295 Print the value of @var{expression} and nothing but that value: no
25296 newlines, no @samp{$@var{nn} = }. The value is not entered in the
25297 value history either. @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}, for more information
25298 on expressions.
25299
25300 @item output/@var{fmt} @var{expression}
25301 Print the value of @var{expression} in format @var{fmt}. You can use
25302 the same formats as for @code{print}. @xref{Output Formats,,Output
25303 Formats}, for more information.
25304
25305 @kindex printf
25306 @item printf @var{template}, @var{expressions}@dots{}
25307 Print the values of one or more @var{expressions} under the control of
25308 the string @var{template}. To print several values, make
25309 @var{expressions} be a comma-separated list of individual expressions,
25310 which may be either numbers or pointers. Their values are printed as
25311 specified by @var{template}, exactly as a C program would do by
25312 executing the code below:
25313
25314 @smallexample
25315 printf (@var{template}, @var{expressions}@dots{});
25316 @end smallexample
25317
25318 As in @code{C} @code{printf}, ordinary characters in @var{template}
25319 are printed verbatim, while @dfn{conversion specification} introduced
25320 by the @samp{%} character cause subsequent @var{expressions} to be
25321 evaluated, their values converted and formatted according to type and
25322 style information encoded in the conversion specifications, and then
25323 printed.
25324
25325 For example, you can print two values in hex like this:
25326
25327 @smallexample
25328 printf "foo, bar-foo = 0x%x, 0x%x\n", foo, bar-foo
25329 @end smallexample
25330
25331 @code{printf} supports all the standard @code{C} conversion
25332 specifications, including the flags and modifiers between the @samp{%}
25333 character and the conversion letter, with the following exceptions:
25334
25335 @itemize @bullet
25336 @item
25337 The argument-ordering modifiers, such as @samp{2$}, are not supported.
25338
25339 @item
25340 The modifier @samp{*} is not supported for specifying precision or
25341 width.
25342
25343 @item
25344 The @samp{'} flag (for separation of digits into groups according to
25345 @code{LC_NUMERIC'}) is not supported.
25346
25347 @item
25348 The type modifiers @samp{hh}, @samp{j}, @samp{t}, and @samp{z} are not
25349 supported.
25350
25351 @item
25352 The conversion letter @samp{n} (as in @samp{%n}) is not supported.
25353
25354 @item
25355 The conversion letters @samp{a} and @samp{A} are not supported.
25356 @end itemize
25357
25358 @noindent
25359 Note that the @samp{ll} type modifier is supported only if the
25360 underlying @code{C} implementation used to build @value{GDBN} supports
25361 the @code{long long int} type, and the @samp{L} type modifier is
25362 supported only if @code{long double} type is available.
25363
25364 As in @code{C}, @code{printf} supports simple backslash-escape
25365 sequences, such as @code{\n}, @samp{\t}, @samp{\\}, @samp{\"},
25366 @samp{\a}, and @samp{\f}, that consist of backslash followed by a
25367 single character. Octal and hexadecimal escape sequences are not
25368 supported.
25369
25370 Additionally, @code{printf} supports conversion specifications for DFP
25371 (@dfn{Decimal Floating Point}) types using the following length modifiers
25372 together with a floating point specifier.
25373 letters:
25374
25375 @itemize @bullet
25376 @item
25377 @samp{H} for printing @code{Decimal32} types.
25378
25379 @item
25380 @samp{D} for printing @code{Decimal64} types.
25381
25382 @item
25383 @samp{DD} for printing @code{Decimal128} types.
25384 @end itemize
25385
25386 If the underlying @code{C} implementation used to build @value{GDBN} has
25387 support for the three length modifiers for DFP types, other modifiers
25388 such as width and precision will also be available for @value{GDBN} to use.
25389
25390 In case there is no such @code{C} support, no additional modifiers will be
25391 available and the value will be printed in the standard way.
25392
25393 Here's an example of printing DFP types using the above conversion letters:
25394 @smallexample
25395 printf "D32: %Hf - D64: %Df - D128: %DDf\n",1.2345df,1.2E10dd,1.2E1dl
25396 @end smallexample
25397
25398 @anchor{eval}
25399 @kindex eval
25400 @item eval @var{template}, @var{expressions}@dots{}
25401 Convert the values of one or more @var{expressions} under the control of
25402 the string @var{template} to a command line, and call it.
25403
25404 @end table
25405
25406 @node Auto-loading sequences
25407 @subsection Controlling auto-loading native @value{GDBN} scripts
25408 @cindex native script auto-loading
25409
25410 When a new object file is read (for example, due to the @code{file}
25411 command, or because the inferior has loaded a shared library),
25412 @value{GDBN} will look for the command file @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.gdb}.
25413 @xref{Auto-loading extensions}.
25414
25415 Auto-loading can be enabled or disabled,
25416 and the list of auto-loaded scripts can be printed.
25417
25418 @table @code
25419 @anchor{set auto-load gdb-scripts}
25420 @kindex set auto-load gdb-scripts
25421 @item set auto-load gdb-scripts [on|off]
25422 Enable or disable the auto-loading of canned sequences of commands scripts.
25423
25424 @anchor{show auto-load gdb-scripts}
25425 @kindex show auto-load gdb-scripts
25426 @item show auto-load gdb-scripts
25427 Show whether auto-loading of canned sequences of commands scripts is enabled or
25428 disabled.
25429
25430 @anchor{info auto-load gdb-scripts}
25431 @kindex info auto-load gdb-scripts
25432 @cindex print list of auto-loaded canned sequences of commands scripts
25433 @item info auto-load gdb-scripts [@var{regexp}]
25434 Print the list of all canned sequences of commands scripts that @value{GDBN}
25435 auto-loaded.
25436 @end table
25437
25438 If @var{regexp} is supplied only canned sequences of commands scripts with
25439 matching names are printed.
25440
25441 @c Python docs live in a separate file.
25442 @include python.texi
25443
25444 @c Guile docs live in a separate file.
25445 @include guile.texi
25446
25447 @node Auto-loading extensions
25448 @section Auto-loading extensions
25449 @cindex auto-loading extensions
25450
25451 @value{GDBN} provides two mechanisms for automatically loading extensions
25452 when a new object file is read (for example, due to the @code{file}
25453 command, or because the inferior has loaded a shared library):
25454 @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.@var{ext}} and the @code{.debug_gdb_scripts}
25455 section of modern file formats like ELF.
25456
25457 @menu
25458 * objfile-gdb.ext file: objfile-gdbdotext file. The @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.@var{ext}} file
25459 * .debug_gdb_scripts section: dotdebug_gdb_scripts section. The @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} section
25460 * Which flavor to choose?::
25461 @end menu
25462
25463 The auto-loading feature is useful for supplying application-specific
25464 debugging commands and features.
25465
25466 Auto-loading can be enabled or disabled,
25467 and the list of auto-loaded scripts can be printed.
25468 See the @samp{auto-loading} section of each extension language
25469 for more information.
25470 For @value{GDBN} command files see @ref{Auto-loading sequences}.
25471 For Python files see @ref{Python Auto-loading}.
25472
25473 Note that loading of this script file also requires accordingly configured
25474 @code{auto-load safe-path} (@pxref{Auto-loading safe path}).
25475
25476 @node objfile-gdbdotext file
25477 @subsection The @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.@var{ext}} file
25478 @cindex @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.gdb}
25479 @cindex @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.py}
25480 @cindex @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.scm}
25481
25482 When a new object file is read, @value{GDBN} looks for a file named
25483 @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.@var{ext}} (we call it @var{script-name} below),
25484 where @var{objfile} is the object file's name and
25485 where @var{ext} is the file extension for the extension language:
25486
25487 @table @code
25488 @item @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.gdb}
25489 GDB's own command language
25490 @item @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.py}
25491 Python
25492 @item @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.scm}
25493 Guile
25494 @end table
25495
25496 @var{script-name} is formed by ensuring that the file name of @var{objfile}
25497 is absolute, following all symlinks, and resolving @code{.} and @code{..}
25498 components, and appending the @file{-gdb.@var{ext}} suffix.
25499 If this file exists and is readable, @value{GDBN} will evaluate it as a
25500 script in the specified extension language.
25501
25502 If this file does not exist, then @value{GDBN} will look for
25503 @var{script-name} file in all of the directories as specified below.
25504
25505 Note that loading of these files requires an accordingly configured
25506 @code{auto-load safe-path} (@pxref{Auto-loading safe path}).
25507
25508 For object files using @file{.exe} suffix @value{GDBN} tries to load first the
25509 scripts normally according to its @file{.exe} filename. But if no scripts are
25510 found @value{GDBN} also tries script filenames matching the object file without
25511 its @file{.exe} suffix. This @file{.exe} stripping is case insensitive and it
25512 is attempted on any platform. This makes the script filenames compatible
25513 between Unix and MS-Windows hosts.
25514
25515 @table @code
25516 @anchor{set auto-load scripts-directory}
25517 @kindex set auto-load scripts-directory
25518 @item set auto-load scripts-directory @r{[}@var{directories}@r{]}
25519 Control @value{GDBN} auto-loaded scripts location. Multiple directory entries
25520 may be delimited by the host platform path separator in use
25521 (@samp{:} on Unix, @samp{;} on MS-Windows and MS-DOS).
25522
25523 Each entry here needs to be covered also by the security setting
25524 @code{set auto-load safe-path} (@pxref{set auto-load safe-path}).
25525
25526 @anchor{with-auto-load-dir}
25527 This variable defaults to @file{$debugdir:$datadir/auto-load}. The default
25528 @code{set auto-load safe-path} value can be also overriden by @value{GDBN}
25529 configuration option @option{--with-auto-load-dir}.
25530
25531 Any reference to @file{$debugdir} will get replaced by
25532 @var{debug-file-directory} value (@pxref{Separate Debug Files}) and any
25533 reference to @file{$datadir} will get replaced by @var{data-directory} which is
25534 determined at @value{GDBN} startup (@pxref{Data Files}). @file{$debugdir} and
25535 @file{$datadir} must be placed as a directory component --- either alone or
25536 delimited by @file{/} or @file{\} directory separators, depending on the host
25537 platform.
25538
25539 The list of directories uses path separator (@samp{:} on GNU and Unix
25540 systems, @samp{;} on MS-Windows and MS-DOS) to separate directories, similarly
25541 to the @env{PATH} environment variable.
25542
25543 @anchor{show auto-load scripts-directory}
25544 @kindex show auto-load scripts-directory
25545 @item show auto-load scripts-directory
25546 Show @value{GDBN} auto-loaded scripts location.
25547
25548 @anchor{add-auto-load-scripts-directory}
25549 @kindex add-auto-load-scripts-directory
25550 @item add-auto-load-scripts-directory @r{[}@var{directories}@dots{}@r{]}
25551 Add an entry (or list of entries) to the list of auto-loaded scripts locations.
25552 Multiple entries may be delimited by the host platform path separator in use.
25553 @end table
25554
25555 @value{GDBN} does not track which files it has already auto-loaded this way.
25556 @value{GDBN} will load the associated script every time the corresponding
25557 @var{objfile} is opened.
25558 So your @file{-gdb.@var{ext}} file should be careful to avoid errors if it
25559 is evaluated more than once.
25560
25561 @node dotdebug_gdb_scripts section
25562 @subsection The @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} section
25563 @cindex @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} section
25564
25565 For systems using file formats like ELF and COFF,
25566 when @value{GDBN} loads a new object file
25567 it will look for a special section named @code{.debug_gdb_scripts}.
25568 If this section exists, its contents is a list of null-terminated entries
25569 specifying scripts to load. Each entry begins with a non-null prefix byte that
25570 specifies the kind of entry, typically the extension language and whether the
25571 script is in a file or inlined in @code{.debug_gdb_scripts}.
25572
25573 The following entries are supported:
25574
25575 @table @code
25576 @item SECTION_SCRIPT_ID_PYTHON_FILE = 1
25577 @item SECTION_SCRIPT_ID_SCHEME_FILE = 3
25578 @item SECTION_SCRIPT_ID_PYTHON_TEXT = 4
25579 @item SECTION_SCRIPT_ID_SCHEME_TEXT = 6
25580 @end table
25581
25582 @subsubsection Script File Entries
25583
25584 If the entry specifies a file, @value{GDBN} will look for the file first
25585 in the current directory and then along the source search path
25586 (@pxref{Source Path, ,Specifying Source Directories}),
25587 except that @file{$cdir} is not searched, since the compilation
25588 directory is not relevant to scripts.
25589
25590 File entries can be placed in section @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} with,
25591 for example, this GCC macro for Python scripts.
25592
25593 @example
25594 /* Note: The "MS" section flags are to remove duplicates. */
25595 #define DEFINE_GDB_PY_SCRIPT(script_name) \
25596 asm("\
25597 .pushsection \".debug_gdb_scripts\", \"MS\",@@progbits,1\n\
25598 .byte 1 /* Python */\n\
25599 .asciz \"" script_name "\"\n\
25600 .popsection \n\
25601 ");
25602 @end example
25603
25604 @noindent
25605 For Guile scripts, replace @code{.byte 1} with @code{.byte 3}.
25606 Then one can reference the macro in a header or source file like this:
25607
25608 @example
25609 DEFINE_GDB_PY_SCRIPT ("my-app-scripts.py")
25610 @end example
25611
25612 The script name may include directories if desired.
25613
25614 Note that loading of this script file also requires accordingly configured
25615 @code{auto-load safe-path} (@pxref{Auto-loading safe path}).
25616
25617 If the macro invocation is put in a header, any application or library
25618 using this header will get a reference to the specified script,
25619 and with the use of @code{"MS"} attributes on the section, the linker
25620 will remove duplicates.
25621
25622 @subsubsection Script Text Entries
25623
25624 Script text entries allow to put the executable script in the entry
25625 itself instead of loading it from a file.
25626 The first line of the entry, everything after the prefix byte and up to
25627 the first newline (@code{0xa}) character, is the script name, and must not
25628 contain any kind of space character, e.g., spaces or tabs.
25629 The rest of the entry, up to the trailing null byte, is the script to
25630 execute in the specified language. The name needs to be unique among
25631 all script names, as @value{GDBN} executes each script only once based
25632 on its name.
25633
25634 Here is an example from file @file{py-section-script.c} in the @value{GDBN}
25635 testsuite.
25636
25637 @example
25638 #include "symcat.h"
25639 #include "gdb/section-scripts.h"
25640 asm(
25641 ".pushsection \".debug_gdb_scripts\", \"MS\",@@progbits,1\n"
25642 ".byte " XSTRING (SECTION_SCRIPT_ID_PYTHON_TEXT) "\n"
25643 ".ascii \"gdb.inlined-script\\n\"\n"
25644 ".ascii \"class test_cmd (gdb.Command):\\n\"\n"
25645 ".ascii \" def __init__ (self):\\n\"\n"
25646 ".ascii \" super (test_cmd, self).__init__ ("
25647 "\\\"test-cmd\\\", gdb.COMMAND_OBSCURE)\\n\"\n"
25648 ".ascii \" def invoke (self, arg, from_tty):\\n\"\n"
25649 ".ascii \" print (\\\"test-cmd output, arg = %s\\\" % arg)\\n\"\n"
25650 ".ascii \"test_cmd ()\\n\"\n"
25651 ".byte 0\n"
25652 ".popsection\n"
25653 );
25654 @end example
25655
25656 Loading of inlined scripts requires a properly configured
25657 @code{auto-load safe-path} (@pxref{Auto-loading safe path}).
25658 The path to specify in @code{auto-load safe-path} is the path of the file
25659 containing the @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} section.
25660
25661 @node Which flavor to choose?
25662 @subsection Which flavor to choose?
25663
25664 Given the multiple ways of auto-loading extensions, it might not always
25665 be clear which one to choose. This section provides some guidance.
25666
25667 @noindent
25668 Benefits of the @file{-gdb.@var{ext}} way:
25669
25670 @itemize @bullet
25671 @item
25672 Can be used with file formats that don't support multiple sections.
25673
25674 @item
25675 Ease of finding scripts for public libraries.
25676
25677 Scripts specified in the @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} section are searched for
25678 in the source search path.
25679 For publicly installed libraries, e.g., @file{libstdc++}, there typically
25680 isn't a source directory in which to find the script.
25681
25682 @item
25683 Doesn't require source code additions.
25684 @end itemize
25685
25686 @noindent
25687 Benefits of the @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} way:
25688
25689 @itemize @bullet
25690 @item
25691 Works with static linking.
25692
25693 Scripts for libraries done the @file{-gdb.@var{ext}} way require an objfile to
25694 trigger their loading. When an application is statically linked the only
25695 objfile available is the executable, and it is cumbersome to attach all the
25696 scripts from all the input libraries to the executable's
25697 @file{-gdb.@var{ext}} script.
25698
25699 @item
25700 Works with classes that are entirely inlined.
25701
25702 Some classes can be entirely inlined, and thus there may not be an associated
25703 shared library to attach a @file{-gdb.@var{ext}} script to.
25704
25705 @item
25706 Scripts needn't be copied out of the source tree.
25707
25708 In some circumstances, apps can be built out of large collections of internal
25709 libraries, and the build infrastructure necessary to install the
25710 @file{-gdb.@var{ext}} scripts in a place where @value{GDBN} can find them is
25711 cumbersome. It may be easier to specify the scripts in the
25712 @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} section as relative paths, and add a path to the
25713 top of the source tree to the source search path.
25714 @end itemize
25715
25716 @node Multiple Extension Languages
25717 @section Multiple Extension Languages
25718
25719 The Guile and Python extension languages do not share any state,
25720 and generally do not interfere with each other.
25721 There are some things to be aware of, however.
25722
25723 @subsection Python comes first
25724
25725 Python was @value{GDBN}'s first extension language, and to avoid breaking
25726 existing behaviour Python comes first. This is generally solved by the
25727 ``first one wins'' principle. @value{GDBN} maintains a list of enabled
25728 extension languages, and when it makes a call to an extension language,
25729 (say to pretty-print a value), it tries each in turn until an extension
25730 language indicates it has performed the request (e.g., has returned the
25731 pretty-printed form of a value).
25732 This extends to errors while performing such requests: If an error happens
25733 while, for example, trying to pretty-print an object then the error is
25734 reported and any following extension languages are not tried.
25735
25736 @node Aliases
25737 @section Creating new spellings of existing commands
25738 @cindex aliases for commands
25739
25740 It is often useful to define alternate spellings of existing commands.
25741 For example, if a new @value{GDBN} command defined in Python has
25742 a long name to type, it is handy to have an abbreviated version of it
25743 that involves less typing.
25744
25745 @value{GDBN} itself uses aliases. For example @samp{s} is an alias
25746 of the @samp{step} command even though it is otherwise an ambiguous
25747 abbreviation of other commands like @samp{set} and @samp{show}.
25748
25749 Aliases are also used to provide shortened or more common versions
25750 of multi-word commands. For example, @value{GDBN} provides the
25751 @samp{tty} alias of the @samp{set inferior-tty} command.
25752
25753 You can define a new alias with the @samp{alias} command.
25754
25755 @table @code
25756
25757 @kindex alias
25758 @item alias [-a] [--] @var{ALIAS} = @var{COMMAND}
25759
25760 @end table
25761
25762 @var{ALIAS} specifies the name of the new alias.
25763 Each word of @var{ALIAS} must consist of letters, numbers, dashes and
25764 underscores.
25765
25766 @var{COMMAND} specifies the name of an existing command
25767 that is being aliased.
25768
25769 The @samp{-a} option specifies that the new alias is an abbreviation
25770 of the command. Abbreviations are not shown in command
25771 lists displayed by the @samp{help} command.
25772
25773 The @samp{--} option specifies the end of options,
25774 and is useful when @var{ALIAS} begins with a dash.
25775
25776 Here is a simple example showing how to make an abbreviation
25777 of a command so that there is less to type.
25778 Suppose you were tired of typing @samp{disas}, the current
25779 shortest unambiguous abbreviation of the @samp{disassemble} command
25780 and you wanted an even shorter version named @samp{di}.
25781 The following will accomplish this.
25782
25783 @smallexample
25784 (gdb) alias -a di = disas
25785 @end smallexample
25786
25787 Note that aliases are different from user-defined commands.
25788 With a user-defined command, you also need to write documentation
25789 for it with the @samp{document} command.
25790 An alias automatically picks up the documentation of the existing command.
25791
25792 Here is an example where we make @samp{elms} an abbreviation of
25793 @samp{elements} in the @samp{set print elements} command.
25794 This is to show that you can make an abbreviation of any part
25795 of a command.
25796
25797 @smallexample
25798 (gdb) alias -a set print elms = set print elements
25799 (gdb) alias -a show print elms = show print elements
25800 (gdb) set p elms 20
25801 (gdb) show p elms
25802 Limit on string chars or array elements to print is 200.
25803 @end smallexample
25804
25805 Note that if you are defining an alias of a @samp{set} command,
25806 and you want to have an alias for the corresponding @samp{show}
25807 command, then you need to define the latter separately.
25808
25809 Unambiguously abbreviated commands are allowed in @var{COMMAND} and
25810 @var{ALIAS}, just as they are normally.
25811
25812 @smallexample
25813 (gdb) alias -a set pr elms = set p ele
25814 @end smallexample
25815
25816 Finally, here is an example showing the creation of a one word
25817 alias for a more complex command.
25818 This creates alias @samp{spe} of the command @samp{set print elements}.
25819
25820 @smallexample
25821 (gdb) alias spe = set print elements
25822 (gdb) spe 20
25823 @end smallexample
25824
25825 @node Interpreters
25826 @chapter Command Interpreters
25827 @cindex command interpreters
25828
25829 @value{GDBN} supports multiple command interpreters, and some command
25830 infrastructure to allow users or user interface writers to switch
25831 between interpreters or run commands in other interpreters.
25832
25833 @value{GDBN} currently supports two command interpreters, the console
25834 interpreter (sometimes called the command-line interpreter or @sc{cli})
25835 and the machine interface interpreter (or @sc{gdb/mi}). This manual
25836 describes both of these interfaces in great detail.
25837
25838 By default, @value{GDBN} will start with the console interpreter.
25839 However, the user may choose to start @value{GDBN} with another
25840 interpreter by specifying the @option{-i} or @option{--interpreter}
25841 startup options. Defined interpreters include:
25842
25843 @table @code
25844 @item console
25845 @cindex console interpreter
25846 The traditional console or command-line interpreter. This is the most often
25847 used interpreter with @value{GDBN}. With no interpreter specified at runtime,
25848 @value{GDBN} will use this interpreter.
25849
25850 @item mi
25851 @cindex mi interpreter
25852 The newest @sc{gdb/mi} interface (currently @code{mi2}). Used primarily
25853 by programs wishing to use @value{GDBN} as a backend for a debugger GUI
25854 or an IDE. For more information, see @ref{GDB/MI, ,The @sc{gdb/mi}
25855 Interface}.
25856
25857 @item mi2
25858 @cindex mi2 interpreter
25859 The current @sc{gdb/mi} interface.
25860
25861 @item mi1
25862 @cindex mi1 interpreter
25863 The @sc{gdb/mi} interface included in @value{GDBN} 5.1, 5.2, and 5.3.
25864
25865 @end table
25866
25867 @cindex invoke another interpreter
25868
25869 @kindex interpreter-exec
25870 You may execute commands in any interpreter from the current
25871 interpreter using the appropriate command. If you are running the
25872 console interpreter, simply use the @code{interpreter-exec} command:
25873
25874 @smallexample
25875 interpreter-exec mi "-data-list-register-names"
25876 @end smallexample
25877
25878 @sc{gdb/mi} has a similar command, although it is only available in versions of
25879 @value{GDBN} which support @sc{gdb/mi} version 2 (or greater).
25880
25881 Note that @code{interpreter-exec} only changes the interpreter for the
25882 duration of the specified command. It does not change the interpreter
25883 permanently.
25884
25885 @cindex start a new independent interpreter
25886
25887 Although you may only choose a single interpreter at startup, it is
25888 possible to run an independent interpreter on a specified input/output
25889 device (usually a tty).
25890
25891 For example, consider a debugger GUI or IDE that wants to provide a
25892 @value{GDBN} console view. It may do so by embedding a terminal
25893 emulator widget in its GUI, starting @value{GDBN} in the traditional
25894 command-line mode with stdin/stdout/stderr redirected to that
25895 terminal, and then creating an MI interpreter running on a specified
25896 input/output device. The console interpreter created by @value{GDBN}
25897 at startup handles commands the user types in the terminal widget,
25898 while the GUI controls and synchronizes state with @value{GDBN} using
25899 the separate MI interpreter.
25900
25901 To start a new secondary @dfn{user interface} running MI, use the
25902 @code{new-ui} command:
25903
25904 @kindex new-ui
25905 @cindex new user interface
25906 @smallexample
25907 new-ui @var{interpreter} @var{tty}
25908 @end smallexample
25909
25910 The @var{interpreter} parameter specifies the interpreter to run.
25911 This accepts the same values as the @code{interpreter-exec} command.
25912 For example, @samp{console}, @samp{mi}, @samp{mi2}, etc. The
25913 @var{tty} parameter specifies the name of the bidirectional file the
25914 interpreter uses for input/output, usually the name of a
25915 pseudoterminal slave on Unix systems. For example:
25916
25917 @smallexample
25918 (@value{GDBP}) new-ui mi /dev/pts/9
25919 @end smallexample
25920
25921 @noindent
25922 runs an MI interpreter on @file{/dev/pts/9}.
25923
25924 @node TUI
25925 @chapter @value{GDBN} Text User Interface
25926 @cindex TUI
25927 @cindex Text User Interface
25928
25929 @menu
25930 * TUI Overview:: TUI overview
25931 * TUI Keys:: TUI key bindings
25932 * TUI Single Key Mode:: TUI single key mode
25933 * TUI Commands:: TUI-specific commands
25934 * TUI Configuration:: TUI configuration variables
25935 @end menu
25936
25937 The @value{GDBN} Text User Interface (TUI) is a terminal
25938 interface which uses the @code{curses} library to show the source
25939 file, the assembly output, the program registers and @value{GDBN}
25940 commands in separate text windows. The TUI mode is supported only
25941 on platforms where a suitable version of the @code{curses} library
25942 is available.
25943
25944 The TUI mode is enabled by default when you invoke @value{GDBN} as
25945 @samp{@value{GDBP} -tui}.
25946 You can also switch in and out of TUI mode while @value{GDBN} runs by
25947 using various TUI commands and key bindings, such as @command{tui
25948 enable} or @kbd{C-x C-a}. @xref{TUI Commands, ,TUI Commands}, and
25949 @ref{TUI Keys, ,TUI Key Bindings}.
25950
25951 @node TUI Overview
25952 @section TUI Overview
25953
25954 In TUI mode, @value{GDBN} can display several text windows:
25955
25956 @table @emph
25957 @item command
25958 This window is the @value{GDBN} command window with the @value{GDBN}
25959 prompt and the @value{GDBN} output. The @value{GDBN} input is still
25960 managed using readline.
25961
25962 @item source
25963 The source window shows the source file of the program. The current
25964 line and active breakpoints are displayed in this window.
25965
25966 @item assembly
25967 The assembly window shows the disassembly output of the program.
25968
25969 @item register
25970 This window shows the processor registers. Registers are highlighted
25971 when their values change.
25972 @end table
25973
25974 The source and assembly windows show the current program position
25975 by highlighting the current line and marking it with a @samp{>} marker.
25976 Breakpoints are indicated with two markers. The first marker
25977 indicates the breakpoint type:
25978
25979 @table @code
25980 @item B
25981 Breakpoint which was hit at least once.
25982
25983 @item b
25984 Breakpoint which was never hit.
25985
25986 @item H
25987 Hardware breakpoint which was hit at least once.
25988
25989 @item h
25990 Hardware breakpoint which was never hit.
25991 @end table
25992
25993 The second marker indicates whether the breakpoint is enabled or not:
25994
25995 @table @code
25996 @item +
25997 Breakpoint is enabled.
25998
25999 @item -
26000 Breakpoint is disabled.
26001 @end table
26002
26003 The source, assembly and register windows are updated when the current
26004 thread changes, when the frame changes, or when the program counter
26005 changes.
26006
26007 These windows are not all visible at the same time. The command
26008 window is always visible. The others can be arranged in several
26009 layouts:
26010
26011 @itemize @bullet
26012 @item
26013 source only,
26014
26015 @item
26016 assembly only,
26017
26018 @item
26019 source and assembly,
26020
26021 @item
26022 source and registers, or
26023
26024 @item
26025 assembly and registers.
26026 @end itemize
26027
26028 A status line above the command window shows the following information:
26029
26030 @table @emph
26031 @item target
26032 Indicates the current @value{GDBN} target.
26033 (@pxref{Targets, ,Specifying a Debugging Target}).
26034
26035 @item process
26036 Gives the current process or thread number.
26037 When no process is being debugged, this field is set to @code{No process}.
26038
26039 @item function
26040 Gives the current function name for the selected frame.
26041 The name is demangled if demangling is turned on (@pxref{Print Settings}).
26042 When there is no symbol corresponding to the current program counter,
26043 the string @code{??} is displayed.
26044
26045 @item line
26046 Indicates the current line number for the selected frame.
26047 When the current line number is not known, the string @code{??} is displayed.
26048
26049 @item pc
26050 Indicates the current program counter address.
26051 @end table
26052
26053 @node TUI Keys
26054 @section TUI Key Bindings
26055 @cindex TUI key bindings
26056
26057 The TUI installs several key bindings in the readline keymaps
26058 @ifset SYSTEM_READLINE
26059 (@pxref{Command Line Editing, , , rluserman, GNU Readline Library}).
26060 @end ifset
26061 @ifclear SYSTEM_READLINE
26062 (@pxref{Command Line Editing}).
26063 @end ifclear
26064 The following key bindings are installed for both TUI mode and the
26065 @value{GDBN} standard mode.
26066
26067 @table @kbd
26068 @kindex C-x C-a
26069 @item C-x C-a
26070 @kindex C-x a
26071 @itemx C-x a
26072 @kindex C-x A
26073 @itemx C-x A
26074 Enter or leave the TUI mode. When leaving the TUI mode,
26075 the curses window management stops and @value{GDBN} operates using
26076 its standard mode, writing on the terminal directly. When reentering
26077 the TUI mode, control is given back to the curses windows.
26078 The screen is then refreshed.
26079
26080 @kindex C-x 1
26081 @item C-x 1
26082 Use a TUI layout with only one window. The layout will
26083 either be @samp{source} or @samp{assembly}. When the TUI mode
26084 is not active, it will switch to the TUI mode.
26085
26086 Think of this key binding as the Emacs @kbd{C-x 1} binding.
26087
26088 @kindex C-x 2
26089 @item C-x 2
26090 Use a TUI layout with at least two windows. When the current
26091 layout already has two windows, the next layout with two windows is used.
26092 When a new layout is chosen, one window will always be common to the
26093 previous layout and the new one.
26094
26095 Think of it as the Emacs @kbd{C-x 2} binding.
26096
26097 @kindex C-x o
26098 @item C-x o
26099 Change the active window. The TUI associates several key bindings
26100 (like scrolling and arrow keys) with the active window. This command
26101 gives the focus to the next TUI window.
26102
26103 Think of it as the Emacs @kbd{C-x o} binding.
26104
26105 @kindex C-x s
26106 @item C-x s
26107 Switch in and out of the TUI SingleKey mode that binds single
26108 keys to @value{GDBN} commands (@pxref{TUI Single Key Mode}).
26109 @end table
26110
26111 The following key bindings only work in the TUI mode:
26112
26113 @table @asis
26114 @kindex PgUp
26115 @item @key{PgUp}
26116 Scroll the active window one page up.
26117
26118 @kindex PgDn
26119 @item @key{PgDn}
26120 Scroll the active window one page down.
26121
26122 @kindex Up
26123 @item @key{Up}
26124 Scroll the active window one line up.
26125
26126 @kindex Down
26127 @item @key{Down}
26128 Scroll the active window one line down.
26129
26130 @kindex Left
26131 @item @key{Left}
26132 Scroll the active window one column left.
26133
26134 @kindex Right
26135 @item @key{Right}
26136 Scroll the active window one column right.
26137
26138 @kindex C-L
26139 @item @kbd{C-L}
26140 Refresh the screen.
26141 @end table
26142
26143 Because the arrow keys scroll the active window in the TUI mode, they
26144 are not available for their normal use by readline unless the command
26145 window has the focus. When another window is active, you must use
26146 other readline key bindings such as @kbd{C-p}, @kbd{C-n}, @kbd{C-b}
26147 and @kbd{C-f} to control the command window.
26148
26149 @node TUI Single Key Mode
26150 @section TUI Single Key Mode
26151 @cindex TUI single key mode
26152
26153 The TUI also provides a @dfn{SingleKey} mode, which binds several
26154 frequently used @value{GDBN} commands to single keys. Type @kbd{C-x s} to
26155 switch into this mode, where the following key bindings are used:
26156
26157 @table @kbd
26158 @kindex c @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
26159 @item c
26160 continue
26161
26162 @kindex d @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
26163 @item d
26164 down
26165
26166 @kindex f @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
26167 @item f
26168 finish
26169
26170 @kindex n @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
26171 @item n
26172 next
26173
26174 @kindex o @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
26175 @item o
26176 nexti. The shortcut letter @samp{o} stands for ``step Over''.
26177
26178 @kindex q @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
26179 @item q
26180 exit the SingleKey mode.
26181
26182 @kindex r @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
26183 @item r
26184 run
26185
26186 @kindex s @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
26187 @item s
26188 step
26189
26190 @kindex i @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
26191 @item i
26192 stepi. The shortcut letter @samp{i} stands for ``step Into''.
26193
26194 @kindex u @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
26195 @item u
26196 up
26197
26198 @kindex v @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
26199 @item v
26200 info locals
26201
26202 @kindex w @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
26203 @item w
26204 where
26205 @end table
26206
26207 Other keys temporarily switch to the @value{GDBN} command prompt.
26208 The key that was pressed is inserted in the editing buffer so that
26209 it is possible to type most @value{GDBN} commands without interaction
26210 with the TUI SingleKey mode. Once the command is entered the TUI
26211 SingleKey mode is restored. The only way to permanently leave
26212 this mode is by typing @kbd{q} or @kbd{C-x s}.
26213
26214
26215 @node TUI Commands
26216 @section TUI-specific Commands
26217 @cindex TUI commands
26218
26219 The TUI has specific commands to control the text windows.
26220 These commands are always available, even when @value{GDBN} is not in
26221 the TUI mode. When @value{GDBN} is in the standard mode, most
26222 of these commands will automatically switch to the TUI mode.
26223
26224 Note that if @value{GDBN}'s @code{stdout} is not connected to a
26225 terminal, or @value{GDBN} has been started with the machine interface
26226 interpreter (@pxref{GDB/MI, ,The @sc{gdb/mi} Interface}), most of
26227 these commands will fail with an error, because it would not be
26228 possible or desirable to enable curses window management.
26229
26230 @table @code
26231 @item tui enable
26232 @kindex tui enable
26233 Activate TUI mode. The last active TUI window layout will be used if
26234 TUI mode has prevsiouly been used in the current debugging session,
26235 otherwise a default layout is used.
26236
26237 @item tui disable
26238 @kindex tui disable
26239 Disable TUI mode, returning to the console interpreter.
26240
26241 @item info win
26242 @kindex info win
26243 List and give the size of all displayed windows.
26244
26245 @item layout @var{name}
26246 @kindex layout
26247 Changes which TUI windows are displayed. In each layout the command
26248 window is always displayed, the @var{name} parameter controls which
26249 additional windows are displayed, and can be any of the following:
26250
26251 @table @code
26252 @item next
26253 Display the next layout.
26254
26255 @item prev
26256 Display the previous layout.
26257
26258 @item src
26259 Display the source and command windows.
26260
26261 @item asm
26262 Display the assembly and command windows.
26263
26264 @item split
26265 Display the source, assembly, and command windows.
26266
26267 @item regs
26268 When in @code{src} layout display the register, source, and command
26269 windows. When in @code{asm} or @code{split} layout display the
26270 register, assembler, and command windows.
26271 @end table
26272
26273 @item focus @var{name}
26274 @kindex focus
26275 Changes which TUI window is currently active for scrolling. The
26276 @var{name} parameter can be any of the following:
26277
26278 @table @code
26279 @item next
26280 Make the next window active for scrolling.
26281
26282 @item prev
26283 Make the previous window active for scrolling.
26284
26285 @item src
26286 Make the source window active for scrolling.
26287
26288 @item asm
26289 Make the assembly window active for scrolling.
26290
26291 @item regs
26292 Make the register window active for scrolling.
26293
26294 @item cmd
26295 Make the command window active for scrolling.
26296 @end table
26297
26298 @item refresh
26299 @kindex refresh
26300 Refresh the screen. This is similar to typing @kbd{C-L}.
26301
26302 @item tui reg @var{group}
26303 @kindex tui reg
26304 Changes the register group displayed in the tui register window to
26305 @var{group}. If the register window is not currently displayed this
26306 command will cause the register window to be displayed. The list of
26307 register groups, as well as their order is target specific. The
26308 following groups are available on most targets:
26309 @table @code
26310 @item next
26311 Repeatedly selecting this group will cause the display to cycle
26312 through all of the available register groups.
26313
26314 @item prev
26315 Repeatedly selecting this group will cause the display to cycle
26316 through all of the available register groups in the reverse order to
26317 @var{next}.
26318
26319 @item general
26320 Display the general registers.
26321 @item float
26322 Display the floating point registers.
26323 @item system
26324 Display the system registers.
26325 @item vector
26326 Display the vector registers.
26327 @item all
26328 Display all registers.
26329 @end table
26330
26331 @item update
26332 @kindex update
26333 Update the source window and the current execution point.
26334
26335 @item winheight @var{name} +@var{count}
26336 @itemx winheight @var{name} -@var{count}
26337 @kindex winheight
26338 Change the height of the window @var{name} by @var{count}
26339 lines. Positive counts increase the height, while negative counts
26340 decrease it. The @var{name} parameter can be one of @code{src} (the
26341 source window), @code{cmd} (the command window), @code{asm} (the
26342 disassembly window), or @code{regs} (the register display window).
26343
26344 @item tabset @var{nchars}
26345 @kindex tabset
26346 Set the width of tab stops to be @var{nchars} characters. This
26347 setting affects the display of TAB characters in the source and
26348 assembly windows.
26349 @end table
26350
26351 @node TUI Configuration
26352 @section TUI Configuration Variables
26353 @cindex TUI configuration variables
26354
26355 Several configuration variables control the appearance of TUI windows.
26356
26357 @table @code
26358 @item set tui border-kind @var{kind}
26359 @kindex set tui border-kind
26360 Select the border appearance for the source, assembly and register windows.
26361 The possible values are the following:
26362 @table @code
26363 @item space
26364 Use a space character to draw the border.
26365
26366 @item ascii
26367 Use @sc{ascii} characters @samp{+}, @samp{-} and @samp{|} to draw the border.
26368
26369 @item acs
26370 Use the Alternate Character Set to draw the border. The border is
26371 drawn using character line graphics if the terminal supports them.
26372 @end table
26373
26374 @item set tui border-mode @var{mode}
26375 @kindex set tui border-mode
26376 @itemx set tui active-border-mode @var{mode}
26377 @kindex set tui active-border-mode
26378 Select the display attributes for the borders of the inactive windows
26379 or the active window. The @var{mode} can be one of the following:
26380 @table @code
26381 @item normal
26382 Use normal attributes to display the border.
26383
26384 @item standout
26385 Use standout mode.
26386
26387 @item reverse
26388 Use reverse video mode.
26389
26390 @item half
26391 Use half bright mode.
26392
26393 @item half-standout
26394 Use half bright and standout mode.
26395
26396 @item bold
26397 Use extra bright or bold mode.
26398
26399 @item bold-standout
26400 Use extra bright or bold and standout mode.
26401 @end table
26402 @end table
26403
26404 @node Emacs
26405 @chapter Using @value{GDBN} under @sc{gnu} Emacs
26406
26407 @cindex Emacs
26408 @cindex @sc{gnu} Emacs
26409 A special interface allows you to use @sc{gnu} Emacs to view (and
26410 edit) the source files for the program you are debugging with
26411 @value{GDBN}.
26412
26413 To use this interface, use the command @kbd{M-x gdb} in Emacs. Give the
26414 executable file you want to debug as an argument. This command starts
26415 @value{GDBN} as a subprocess of Emacs, with input and output through a newly
26416 created Emacs buffer.
26417 @c (Do not use the @code{-tui} option to run @value{GDBN} from Emacs.)
26418
26419 Running @value{GDBN} under Emacs can be just like running @value{GDBN} normally except for two
26420 things:
26421
26422 @itemize @bullet
26423 @item
26424 All ``terminal'' input and output goes through an Emacs buffer, called
26425 the GUD buffer.
26426
26427 This applies both to @value{GDBN} commands and their output, and to the input
26428 and output done by the program you are debugging.
26429
26430 This is useful because it means that you can copy the text of previous
26431 commands and input them again; you can even use parts of the output
26432 in this way.
26433
26434 All the facilities of Emacs' Shell mode are available for interacting
26435 with your program. In particular, you can send signals the usual
26436 way---for example, @kbd{C-c C-c} for an interrupt, @kbd{C-c C-z} for a
26437 stop.
26438
26439 @item
26440 @value{GDBN} displays source code through Emacs.
26441
26442 Each time @value{GDBN} displays a stack frame, Emacs automatically finds the
26443 source file for that frame and puts an arrow (@samp{=>}) at the
26444 left margin of the current line. Emacs uses a separate buffer for
26445 source display, and splits the screen to show both your @value{GDBN} session
26446 and the source.
26447
26448 Explicit @value{GDBN} @code{list} or search commands still produce output as
26449 usual, but you probably have no reason to use them from Emacs.
26450 @end itemize
26451
26452 We call this @dfn{text command mode}. Emacs 22.1, and later, also uses
26453 a graphical mode, enabled by default, which provides further buffers
26454 that can control the execution and describe the state of your program.
26455 @xref{GDB Graphical Interface,,, Emacs, The @sc{gnu} Emacs Manual}.
26456
26457 If you specify an absolute file name when prompted for the @kbd{M-x
26458 gdb} argument, then Emacs sets your current working directory to where
26459 your program resides. If you only specify the file name, then Emacs
26460 sets your current working directory to the directory associated
26461 with the previous buffer. In this case, @value{GDBN} may find your
26462 program by searching your environment's @code{PATH} variable, but on
26463 some operating systems it might not find the source. So, although the
26464 @value{GDBN} input and output session proceeds normally, the auxiliary
26465 buffer does not display the current source and line of execution.
26466
26467 The initial working directory of @value{GDBN} is printed on the top
26468 line of the GUD buffer and this serves as a default for the commands
26469 that specify files for @value{GDBN} to operate on. @xref{Files,
26470 ,Commands to Specify Files}.
26471
26472 By default, @kbd{M-x gdb} calls the program called @file{gdb}. If you
26473 need to call @value{GDBN} by a different name (for example, if you
26474 keep several configurations around, with different names) you can
26475 customize the Emacs variable @code{gud-gdb-command-name} to run the
26476 one you want.
26477
26478 In the GUD buffer, you can use these special Emacs commands in
26479 addition to the standard Shell mode commands:
26480
26481 @table @kbd
26482 @item C-h m
26483 Describe the features of Emacs' GUD Mode.
26484
26485 @item C-c C-s
26486 Execute to another source line, like the @value{GDBN} @code{step} command; also
26487 update the display window to show the current file and location.
26488
26489 @item C-c C-n
26490 Execute to next source line in this function, skipping all function
26491 calls, like the @value{GDBN} @code{next} command. Then update the display window
26492 to show the current file and location.
26493
26494 @item C-c C-i
26495 Execute one instruction, like the @value{GDBN} @code{stepi} command; update
26496 display window accordingly.
26497
26498 @item C-c C-f
26499 Execute until exit from the selected stack frame, like the @value{GDBN}
26500 @code{finish} command.
26501
26502 @item C-c C-r
26503 Continue execution of your program, like the @value{GDBN} @code{continue}
26504 command.
26505
26506 @item C-c <
26507 Go up the number of frames indicated by the numeric argument
26508 (@pxref{Arguments, , Numeric Arguments, Emacs, The @sc{gnu} Emacs Manual}),
26509 like the @value{GDBN} @code{up} command.
26510
26511 @item C-c >
26512 Go down the number of frames indicated by the numeric argument, like the
26513 @value{GDBN} @code{down} command.
26514 @end table
26515
26516 In any source file, the Emacs command @kbd{C-x @key{SPC}} (@code{gud-break})
26517 tells @value{GDBN} to set a breakpoint on the source line point is on.
26518
26519 In text command mode, if you type @kbd{M-x speedbar}, Emacs displays a
26520 separate frame which shows a backtrace when the GUD buffer is current.
26521 Move point to any frame in the stack and type @key{RET} to make it
26522 become the current frame and display the associated source in the
26523 source buffer. Alternatively, click @kbd{Mouse-2} to make the
26524 selected frame become the current one. In graphical mode, the
26525 speedbar displays watch expressions.
26526
26527 If you accidentally delete the source-display buffer, an easy way to get
26528 it back is to type the command @code{f} in the @value{GDBN} buffer, to
26529 request a frame display; when you run under Emacs, this recreates
26530 the source buffer if necessary to show you the context of the current
26531 frame.
26532
26533 The source files displayed in Emacs are in ordinary Emacs buffers
26534 which are visiting the source files in the usual way. You can edit
26535 the files with these buffers if you wish; but keep in mind that @value{GDBN}
26536 communicates with Emacs in terms of line numbers. If you add or
26537 delete lines from the text, the line numbers that @value{GDBN} knows cease
26538 to correspond properly with the code.
26539
26540 A more detailed description of Emacs' interaction with @value{GDBN} is
26541 given in the Emacs manual (@pxref{Debuggers,,, Emacs, The @sc{gnu}
26542 Emacs Manual}).
26543
26544 @node GDB/MI
26545 @chapter The @sc{gdb/mi} Interface
26546
26547 @unnumberedsec Function and Purpose
26548
26549 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, its purpose
26550 @sc{gdb/mi} is a line based machine oriented text interface to
26551 @value{GDBN} and is activated by specifying using the
26552 @option{--interpreter} command line option (@pxref{Mode Options}). It
26553 is specifically intended to support the development of systems which
26554 use the debugger as just one small component of a larger system.
26555
26556 This chapter is a specification of the @sc{gdb/mi} interface. It is written
26557 in the form of a reference manual.
26558
26559 Note that @sc{gdb/mi} is still under construction, so some of the
26560 features described below are incomplete and subject to change
26561 (@pxref{GDB/MI Development and Front Ends, , @sc{gdb/mi} Development and Front Ends}).
26562
26563 @unnumberedsec Notation and Terminology
26564
26565 @cindex notational conventions, for @sc{gdb/mi}
26566 This chapter uses the following notation:
26567
26568 @itemize @bullet
26569 @item
26570 @code{|} separates two alternatives.
26571
26572 @item
26573 @code{[ @var{something} ]} indicates that @var{something} is optional:
26574 it may or may not be given.
26575
26576 @item
26577 @code{( @var{group} )*} means that @var{group} inside the parentheses
26578 may repeat zero or more times.
26579
26580 @item
26581 @code{( @var{group} )+} means that @var{group} inside the parentheses
26582 may repeat one or more times.
26583
26584 @item
26585 @code{"@var{string}"} means a literal @var{string}.
26586 @end itemize
26587
26588 @ignore
26589 @heading Dependencies
26590 @end ignore
26591
26592 @menu
26593 * GDB/MI General Design::
26594 * GDB/MI Command Syntax::
26595 * GDB/MI Compatibility with CLI::
26596 * GDB/MI Development and Front Ends::
26597 * GDB/MI Output Records::
26598 * GDB/MI Simple Examples::
26599 * GDB/MI Command Description Format::
26600 * GDB/MI Breakpoint Commands::
26601 * GDB/MI Catchpoint Commands::
26602 * GDB/MI Program Context::
26603 * GDB/MI Thread Commands::
26604 * GDB/MI Ada Tasking Commands::
26605 * GDB/MI Program Execution::
26606 * GDB/MI Stack Manipulation::
26607 * GDB/MI Variable Objects::
26608 * GDB/MI Data Manipulation::
26609 * GDB/MI Tracepoint Commands::
26610 * GDB/MI Symbol Query::
26611 * GDB/MI File Commands::
26612 @ignore
26613 * GDB/MI Kod Commands::
26614 * GDB/MI Memory Overlay Commands::
26615 * GDB/MI Signal Handling Commands::
26616 @end ignore
26617 * GDB/MI Target Manipulation::
26618 * GDB/MI File Transfer Commands::
26619 * GDB/MI Ada Exceptions Commands::
26620 * GDB/MI Support Commands::
26621 * GDB/MI Miscellaneous Commands::
26622 @end menu
26623
26624 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
26625 @node GDB/MI General Design
26626 @section @sc{gdb/mi} General Design
26627 @cindex GDB/MI General Design
26628
26629 Interaction of a @sc{GDB/MI} frontend with @value{GDBN} involves three
26630 parts---commands sent to @value{GDBN}, responses to those commands
26631 and notifications. Each command results in exactly one response,
26632 indicating either successful completion of the command, or an error.
26633 For the commands that do not resume the target, the response contains the
26634 requested information. For the commands that resume the target, the
26635 response only indicates whether the target was successfully resumed.
26636 Notifications is the mechanism for reporting changes in the state of the
26637 target, or in @value{GDBN} state, that cannot conveniently be associated with
26638 a command and reported as part of that command response.
26639
26640 The important examples of notifications are:
26641 @itemize @bullet
26642
26643 @item
26644 Exec notifications. These are used to report changes in
26645 target state---when a target is resumed, or stopped. It would not
26646 be feasible to include this information in response of resuming
26647 commands, because one resume commands can result in multiple events in
26648 different threads. Also, quite some time may pass before any event
26649 happens in the target, while a frontend needs to know whether the resuming
26650 command itself was successfully executed.
26651
26652 @item
26653 Console output, and status notifications. Console output
26654 notifications are used to report output of CLI commands, as well as
26655 diagnostics for other commands. Status notifications are used to
26656 report the progress of a long-running operation. Naturally, including
26657 this information in command response would mean no output is produced
26658 until the command is finished, which is undesirable.
26659
26660 @item
26661 General notifications. Commands may have various side effects on
26662 the @value{GDBN} or target state beyond their official purpose. For example,
26663 a command may change the selected thread. Although such changes can
26664 be included in command response, using notification allows for more
26665 orthogonal frontend design.
26666
26667 @end itemize
26668
26669 There's no guarantee that whenever an MI command reports an error,
26670 @value{GDBN} or the target are in any specific state, and especially,
26671 the state is not reverted to the state before the MI command was
26672 processed. Therefore, whenever an MI command results in an error,
26673 we recommend that the frontend refreshes all the information shown in
26674 the user interface.
26675
26676
26677 @menu
26678 * Context management::
26679 * Asynchronous and non-stop modes::
26680 * Thread groups::
26681 @end menu
26682
26683 @node Context management
26684 @subsection Context management
26685
26686 @subsubsection Threads and Frames
26687
26688 In most cases when @value{GDBN} accesses the target, this access is
26689 done in context of a specific thread and frame (@pxref{Frames}).
26690 Often, even when accessing global data, the target requires that a thread
26691 be specified. The CLI interface maintains the selected thread and frame,
26692 and supplies them to target on each command. This is convenient,
26693 because a command line user would not want to specify that information
26694 explicitly on each command, and because user interacts with
26695 @value{GDBN} via a single terminal, so no confusion is possible as
26696 to what thread and frame are the current ones.
26697
26698 In the case of MI, the concept of selected thread and frame is less
26699 useful. First, a frontend can easily remember this information
26700 itself. Second, a graphical frontend can have more than one window,
26701 each one used for debugging a different thread, and the frontend might
26702 want to access additional threads for internal purposes. This
26703 increases the risk that by relying on implicitly selected thread, the
26704 frontend may be operating on a wrong one. Therefore, each MI command
26705 should explicitly specify which thread and frame to operate on. To
26706 make it possible, each MI command accepts the @samp{--thread} and
26707 @samp{--frame} options, the value to each is @value{GDBN} global
26708 identifier for thread and frame to operate on.
26709
26710 Usually, each top-level window in a frontend allows the user to select
26711 a thread and a frame, and remembers the user selection for further
26712 operations. However, in some cases @value{GDBN} may suggest that the
26713 current thread or frame be changed. For example, when stopping on a
26714 breakpoint it is reasonable to switch to the thread where breakpoint is
26715 hit. For another example, if the user issues the CLI @samp{thread} or
26716 @samp{frame} commands via the frontend, it is desirable to change the
26717 frontend's selection to the one specified by user. @value{GDBN}
26718 communicates the suggestion to change current thread and frame using the
26719 @samp{=thread-selected} notification.
26720
26721 Note that historically, MI shares the selected thread with CLI, so
26722 frontends used the @code{-thread-select} to execute commands in the
26723 right context. However, getting this to work right is cumbersome. The
26724 simplest way is for frontend to emit @code{-thread-select} command
26725 before every command. This doubles the number of commands that need
26726 to be sent. The alternative approach is to suppress @code{-thread-select}
26727 if the selected thread in @value{GDBN} is supposed to be identical to the
26728 thread the frontend wants to operate on. However, getting this
26729 optimization right can be tricky. In particular, if the frontend
26730 sends several commands to @value{GDBN}, and one of the commands changes the
26731 selected thread, then the behaviour of subsequent commands will
26732 change. So, a frontend should either wait for response from such
26733 problematic commands, or explicitly add @code{-thread-select} for
26734 all subsequent commands. No frontend is known to do this exactly
26735 right, so it is suggested to just always pass the @samp{--thread} and
26736 @samp{--frame} options.
26737
26738 @subsubsection Language
26739
26740 The execution of several commands depends on which language is selected.
26741 By default, the current language (@pxref{show language}) is used.
26742 But for commands known to be language-sensitive, it is recommended
26743 to use the @samp{--language} option. This option takes one argument,
26744 which is the name of the language to use while executing the command.
26745 For instance:
26746
26747 @smallexample
26748 -data-evaluate-expression --language c "sizeof (void*)"
26749 ^done,value="4"
26750 (gdb)
26751 @end smallexample
26752
26753 The valid language names are the same names accepted by the
26754 @samp{set language} command (@pxref{Manually}), excluding @samp{auto},
26755 @samp{local} or @samp{unknown}.
26756
26757 @node Asynchronous and non-stop modes
26758 @subsection Asynchronous command execution and non-stop mode
26759
26760 On some targets, @value{GDBN} is capable of processing MI commands
26761 even while the target is running. This is called @dfn{asynchronous
26762 command execution} (@pxref{Background Execution}). The frontend may
26763 specify a preferrence for asynchronous execution using the
26764 @code{-gdb-set mi-async 1} command, which should be emitted before
26765 either running the executable or attaching to the target. After the
26766 frontend has started the executable or attached to the target, it can
26767 find if asynchronous execution is enabled using the
26768 @code{-list-target-features} command.
26769
26770 @table @code
26771 @item -gdb-set mi-async on
26772 @item -gdb-set mi-async off
26773 Set whether MI is in asynchronous mode.
26774
26775 When @code{off}, which is the default, MI execution commands (e.g.,
26776 @code{-exec-continue}) are foreground commands, and @value{GDBN} waits
26777 for the program to stop before processing further commands.
26778
26779 When @code{on}, MI execution commands are background execution
26780 commands (e.g., @code{-exec-continue} becomes the equivalent of the
26781 @code{c&} CLI command), and so @value{GDBN} is capable of processing
26782 MI commands even while the target is running.
26783
26784 @item -gdb-show mi-async
26785 Show whether MI asynchronous mode is enabled.
26786 @end table
26787
26788 Note: In @value{GDBN} version 7.7 and earlier, this option was called
26789 @code{target-async} instead of @code{mi-async}, and it had the effect
26790 of both putting MI in asynchronous mode and making CLI background
26791 commands possible. CLI background commands are now always possible
26792 ``out of the box'' if the target supports them. The old spelling is
26793 kept as a deprecated alias for backwards compatibility.
26794
26795 Even if @value{GDBN} can accept a command while target is running,
26796 many commands that access the target do not work when the target is
26797 running. Therefore, asynchronous command execution is most useful
26798 when combined with non-stop mode (@pxref{Non-Stop Mode}). Then,
26799 it is possible to examine the state of one thread, while other threads
26800 are running.
26801
26802 When a given thread is running, MI commands that try to access the
26803 target in the context of that thread may not work, or may work only on
26804 some targets. In particular, commands that try to operate on thread's
26805 stack will not work, on any target. Commands that read memory, or
26806 modify breakpoints, may work or not work, depending on the target. Note
26807 that even commands that operate on global state, such as @code{print},
26808 @code{set}, and breakpoint commands, still access the target in the
26809 context of a specific thread, so frontend should try to find a
26810 stopped thread and perform the operation on that thread (using the
26811 @samp{--thread} option).
26812
26813 Which commands will work in the context of a running thread is
26814 highly target dependent. However, the two commands
26815 @code{-exec-interrupt}, to stop a thread, and @code{-thread-info},
26816 to find the state of a thread, will always work.
26817
26818 @node Thread groups
26819 @subsection Thread groups
26820 @value{GDBN} may be used to debug several processes at the same time.
26821 On some platfroms, @value{GDBN} may support debugging of several
26822 hardware systems, each one having several cores with several different
26823 processes running on each core. This section describes the MI
26824 mechanism to support such debugging scenarios.
26825
26826 The key observation is that regardless of the structure of the
26827 target, MI can have a global list of threads, because most commands that
26828 accept the @samp{--thread} option do not need to know what process that
26829 thread belongs to. Therefore, it is not necessary to introduce
26830 neither additional @samp{--process} option, nor an notion of the
26831 current process in the MI interface. The only strictly new feature
26832 that is required is the ability to find how the threads are grouped
26833 into processes.
26834
26835 To allow the user to discover such grouping, and to support arbitrary
26836 hierarchy of machines/cores/processes, MI introduces the concept of a
26837 @dfn{thread group}. Thread group is a collection of threads and other
26838 thread groups. A thread group always has a string identifier, a type,
26839 and may have additional attributes specific to the type. A new
26840 command, @code{-list-thread-groups}, returns the list of top-level
26841 thread groups, which correspond to processes that @value{GDBN} is
26842 debugging at the moment. By passing an identifier of a thread group
26843 to the @code{-list-thread-groups} command, it is possible to obtain
26844 the members of specific thread group.
26845
26846 To allow the user to easily discover processes, and other objects, he
26847 wishes to debug, a concept of @dfn{available thread group} is
26848 introduced. Available thread group is an thread group that
26849 @value{GDBN} is not debugging, but that can be attached to, using the
26850 @code{-target-attach} command. The list of available top-level thread
26851 groups can be obtained using @samp{-list-thread-groups --available}.
26852 In general, the content of a thread group may be only retrieved only
26853 after attaching to that thread group.
26854
26855 Thread groups are related to inferiors (@pxref{Inferiors and
26856 Programs}). Each inferior corresponds to a thread group of a special
26857 type @samp{process}, and some additional operations are permitted on
26858 such thread groups.
26859
26860 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
26861 @node GDB/MI Command Syntax
26862 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Command Syntax
26863
26864 @menu
26865 * GDB/MI Input Syntax::
26866 * GDB/MI Output Syntax::
26867 @end menu
26868
26869 @node GDB/MI Input Syntax
26870 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Input Syntax
26871
26872 @cindex input syntax for @sc{gdb/mi}
26873 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, input syntax
26874 @table @code
26875 @item @var{command} @expansion{}
26876 @code{@var{cli-command} | @var{mi-command}}
26877
26878 @item @var{cli-command} @expansion{}
26879 @code{[ @var{token} ] @var{cli-command} @var{nl}}, where
26880 @var{cli-command} is any existing @value{GDBN} CLI command.
26881
26882 @item @var{mi-command} @expansion{}
26883 @code{[ @var{token} ] "-" @var{operation} ( " " @var{option} )*
26884 @code{[} " --" @code{]} ( " " @var{parameter} )* @var{nl}}
26885
26886 @item @var{token} @expansion{}
26887 "any sequence of digits"
26888
26889 @item @var{option} @expansion{}
26890 @code{"-" @var{parameter} [ " " @var{parameter} ]}
26891
26892 @item @var{parameter} @expansion{}
26893 @code{@var{non-blank-sequence} | @var{c-string}}
26894
26895 @item @var{operation} @expansion{}
26896 @emph{any of the operations described in this chapter}
26897
26898 @item @var{non-blank-sequence} @expansion{}
26899 @emph{anything, provided it doesn't contain special characters such as
26900 "-", @var{nl}, """ and of course " "}
26901
26902 @item @var{c-string} @expansion{}
26903 @code{""" @var{seven-bit-iso-c-string-content} """}
26904
26905 @item @var{nl} @expansion{}
26906 @code{CR | CR-LF}
26907 @end table
26908
26909 @noindent
26910 Notes:
26911
26912 @itemize @bullet
26913 @item
26914 The CLI commands are still handled by the @sc{mi} interpreter; their
26915 output is described below.
26916
26917 @item
26918 The @code{@var{token}}, when present, is passed back when the command
26919 finishes.
26920
26921 @item
26922 Some @sc{mi} commands accept optional arguments as part of the parameter
26923 list. Each option is identified by a leading @samp{-} (dash) and may be
26924 followed by an optional argument parameter. Options occur first in the
26925 parameter list and can be delimited from normal parameters using
26926 @samp{--} (this is useful when some parameters begin with a dash).
26927 @end itemize
26928
26929 Pragmatics:
26930
26931 @itemize @bullet
26932 @item
26933 We want easy access to the existing CLI syntax (for debugging).
26934
26935 @item
26936 We want it to be easy to spot a @sc{mi} operation.
26937 @end itemize
26938
26939 @node GDB/MI Output Syntax
26940 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Output Syntax
26941
26942 @cindex output syntax of @sc{gdb/mi}
26943 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, output syntax
26944 The output from @sc{gdb/mi} consists of zero or more out-of-band records
26945 followed, optionally, by a single result record. This result record
26946 is for the most recent command. The sequence of output records is
26947 terminated by @samp{(gdb)}.
26948
26949 If an input command was prefixed with a @code{@var{token}} then the
26950 corresponding output for that command will also be prefixed by that same
26951 @var{token}.
26952
26953 @table @code
26954 @item @var{output} @expansion{}
26955 @code{( @var{out-of-band-record} )* [ @var{result-record} ] "(gdb)" @var{nl}}
26956
26957 @item @var{result-record} @expansion{}
26958 @code{ [ @var{token} ] "^" @var{result-class} ( "," @var{result} )* @var{nl}}
26959
26960 @item @var{out-of-band-record} @expansion{}
26961 @code{@var{async-record} | @var{stream-record}}
26962
26963 @item @var{async-record} @expansion{}
26964 @code{@var{exec-async-output} | @var{status-async-output} | @var{notify-async-output}}
26965
26966 @item @var{exec-async-output} @expansion{}
26967 @code{[ @var{token} ] "*" @var{async-output nl}}
26968
26969 @item @var{status-async-output} @expansion{}
26970 @code{[ @var{token} ] "+" @var{async-output nl}}
26971
26972 @item @var{notify-async-output} @expansion{}
26973 @code{[ @var{token} ] "=" @var{async-output nl}}
26974
26975 @item @var{async-output} @expansion{}
26976 @code{@var{async-class} ( "," @var{result} )*}
26977
26978 @item @var{result-class} @expansion{}
26979 @code{"done" | "running" | "connected" | "error" | "exit"}
26980
26981 @item @var{async-class} @expansion{}
26982 @code{"stopped" | @var{others}} (where @var{others} will be added
26983 depending on the needs---this is still in development).
26984
26985 @item @var{result} @expansion{}
26986 @code{ @var{variable} "=" @var{value}}
26987
26988 @item @var{variable} @expansion{}
26989 @code{ @var{string} }
26990
26991 @item @var{value} @expansion{}
26992 @code{ @var{const} | @var{tuple} | @var{list} }
26993
26994 @item @var{const} @expansion{}
26995 @code{@var{c-string}}
26996
26997 @item @var{tuple} @expansion{}
26998 @code{ "@{@}" | "@{" @var{result} ( "," @var{result} )* "@}" }
26999
27000 @item @var{list} @expansion{}
27001 @code{ "[]" | "[" @var{value} ( "," @var{value} )* "]" | "["
27002 @var{result} ( "," @var{result} )* "]" }
27003
27004 @item @var{stream-record} @expansion{}
27005 @code{@var{console-stream-output} | @var{target-stream-output} | @var{log-stream-output}}
27006
27007 @item @var{console-stream-output} @expansion{}
27008 @code{"~" @var{c-string nl}}
27009
27010 @item @var{target-stream-output} @expansion{}
27011 @code{"@@" @var{c-string nl}}
27012
27013 @item @var{log-stream-output} @expansion{}
27014 @code{"&" @var{c-string nl}}
27015
27016 @item @var{nl} @expansion{}
27017 @code{CR | CR-LF}
27018
27019 @item @var{token} @expansion{}
27020 @emph{any sequence of digits}.
27021 @end table
27022
27023 @noindent
27024 Notes:
27025
27026 @itemize @bullet
27027 @item
27028 All output sequences end in a single line containing a period.
27029
27030 @item
27031 The @code{@var{token}} is from the corresponding request. Note that
27032 for all async output, while the token is allowed by the grammar and
27033 may be output by future versions of @value{GDBN} for select async
27034 output messages, it is generally omitted. Frontends should treat
27035 all async output as reporting general changes in the state of the
27036 target and there should be no need to associate async output to any
27037 prior command.
27038
27039 @item
27040 @cindex status output in @sc{gdb/mi}
27041 @var{status-async-output} contains on-going status information about the
27042 progress of a slow operation. It can be discarded. All status output is
27043 prefixed by @samp{+}.
27044
27045 @item
27046 @cindex async output in @sc{gdb/mi}
27047 @var{exec-async-output} contains asynchronous state change on the target
27048 (stopped, started, disappeared). All async output is prefixed by
27049 @samp{*}.
27050
27051 @item
27052 @cindex notify output in @sc{gdb/mi}
27053 @var{notify-async-output} contains supplementary information that the
27054 client should handle (e.g., a new breakpoint information). All notify
27055 output is prefixed by @samp{=}.
27056
27057 @item
27058 @cindex console output in @sc{gdb/mi}
27059 @var{console-stream-output} is output that should be displayed as is in the
27060 console. It is the textual response to a CLI command. All the console
27061 output is prefixed by @samp{~}.
27062
27063 @item
27064 @cindex target output in @sc{gdb/mi}
27065 @var{target-stream-output} is the output produced by the target program.
27066 All the target output is prefixed by @samp{@@}.
27067
27068 @item
27069 @cindex log output in @sc{gdb/mi}
27070 @var{log-stream-output} is output text coming from @value{GDBN}'s internals, for
27071 instance messages that should be displayed as part of an error log. All
27072 the log output is prefixed by @samp{&}.
27073
27074 @item
27075 @cindex list output in @sc{gdb/mi}
27076 New @sc{gdb/mi} commands should only output @var{lists} containing
27077 @var{values}.
27078
27079
27080 @end itemize
27081
27082 @xref{GDB/MI Stream Records, , @sc{gdb/mi} Stream Records}, for more
27083 details about the various output records.
27084
27085 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
27086 @node GDB/MI Compatibility with CLI
27087 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Compatibility with CLI
27088
27089 @cindex compatibility, @sc{gdb/mi} and CLI
27090 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, compatibility with CLI
27091
27092 For the developers convenience CLI commands can be entered directly,
27093 but there may be some unexpected behaviour. For example, commands
27094 that query the user will behave as if the user replied yes, breakpoint
27095 command lists are not executed and some CLI commands, such as
27096 @code{if}, @code{when} and @code{define}, prompt for further input with
27097 @samp{>}, which is not valid MI output.
27098
27099 This feature may be removed at some stage in the future and it is
27100 recommended that front ends use the @code{-interpreter-exec} command
27101 (@pxref{-interpreter-exec}).
27102
27103 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
27104 @node GDB/MI Development and Front Ends
27105 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Development and Front Ends
27106 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi} development
27107
27108 The application which takes the MI output and presents the state of the
27109 program being debugged to the user is called a @dfn{front end}.
27110
27111 Although @sc{gdb/mi} is still incomplete, it is currently being used
27112 by a variety of front ends to @value{GDBN}. This makes it difficult
27113 to introduce new functionality without breaking existing usage. This
27114 section tries to minimize the problems by describing how the protocol
27115 might change.
27116
27117 Some changes in MI need not break a carefully designed front end, and
27118 for these the MI version will remain unchanged. The following is a
27119 list of changes that may occur within one level, so front ends should
27120 parse MI output in a way that can handle them:
27121
27122 @itemize @bullet
27123 @item
27124 New MI commands may be added.
27125
27126 @item
27127 New fields may be added to the output of any MI command.
27128
27129 @item
27130 The range of values for fields with specified values, e.g.,
27131 @code{in_scope} (@pxref{-var-update}) may be extended.
27132
27133 @c The format of field's content e.g type prefix, may change so parse it
27134 @c at your own risk. Yes, in general?
27135
27136 @c The order of fields may change? Shouldn't really matter but it might
27137 @c resolve inconsistencies.
27138 @end itemize
27139
27140 If the changes are likely to break front ends, the MI version level
27141 will be increased by one. This will allow the front end to parse the
27142 output according to the MI version. Apart from mi0, new versions of
27143 @value{GDBN} will not support old versions of MI and it will be the
27144 responsibility of the front end to work with the new one.
27145
27146 @c Starting with mi3, add a new command -mi-version that prints the MI
27147 @c version?
27148
27149 The best way to avoid unexpected changes in MI that might break your front
27150 end is to make your project known to @value{GDBN} developers and
27151 follow development on @email{gdb@@sourceware.org} and
27152 @email{gdb-patches@@sourceware.org}.
27153 @cindex mailing lists
27154
27155 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
27156 @node GDB/MI Output Records
27157 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Output Records
27158
27159 @menu
27160 * GDB/MI Result Records::
27161 * GDB/MI Stream Records::
27162 * GDB/MI Async Records::
27163 * GDB/MI Breakpoint Information::
27164 * GDB/MI Frame Information::
27165 * GDB/MI Thread Information::
27166 * GDB/MI Ada Exception Information::
27167 @end menu
27168
27169 @node GDB/MI Result Records
27170 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Result Records
27171
27172 @cindex result records in @sc{gdb/mi}
27173 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, result records
27174 In addition to a number of out-of-band notifications, the response to a
27175 @sc{gdb/mi} command includes one of the following result indications:
27176
27177 @table @code
27178 @findex ^done
27179 @item "^done" [ "," @var{results} ]
27180 The synchronous operation was successful, @code{@var{results}} are the return
27181 values.
27182
27183 @item "^running"
27184 @findex ^running
27185 This result record is equivalent to @samp{^done}. Historically, it
27186 was output instead of @samp{^done} if the command has resumed the
27187 target. This behaviour is maintained for backward compatibility, but
27188 all frontends should treat @samp{^done} and @samp{^running}
27189 identically and rely on the @samp{*running} output record to determine
27190 which threads are resumed.
27191
27192 @item "^connected"
27193 @findex ^connected
27194 @value{GDBN} has connected to a remote target.
27195
27196 @item "^error" "," "msg=" @var{c-string} [ "," "code=" @var{c-string} ]
27197 @findex ^error
27198 The operation failed. The @code{msg=@var{c-string}} variable contains
27199 the corresponding error message.
27200
27201 If present, the @code{code=@var{c-string}} variable provides an error
27202 code on which consumers can rely on to detect the corresponding
27203 error condition. At present, only one error code is defined:
27204
27205 @table @samp
27206 @item "undefined-command"
27207 Indicates that the command causing the error does not exist.
27208 @end table
27209
27210 @item "^exit"
27211 @findex ^exit
27212 @value{GDBN} has terminated.
27213
27214 @end table
27215
27216 @node GDB/MI Stream Records
27217 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Stream Records
27218
27219 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, stream records
27220 @cindex stream records in @sc{gdb/mi}
27221 @value{GDBN} internally maintains a number of output streams: the console, the
27222 target, and the log. The output intended for each of these streams is
27223 funneled through the @sc{gdb/mi} interface using @dfn{stream records}.
27224
27225 Each stream record begins with a unique @dfn{prefix character} which
27226 identifies its stream (@pxref{GDB/MI Output Syntax, , @sc{gdb/mi} Output
27227 Syntax}). In addition to the prefix, each stream record contains a
27228 @code{@var{string-output}}. This is either raw text (with an implicit new
27229 line) or a quoted C string (which does not contain an implicit newline).
27230
27231 @table @code
27232 @item "~" @var{string-output}
27233 The console output stream contains text that should be displayed in the
27234 CLI console window. It contains the textual responses to CLI commands.
27235
27236 @item "@@" @var{string-output}
27237 The target output stream contains any textual output from the running
27238 target. This is only present when GDB's event loop is truly
27239 asynchronous, which is currently only the case for remote targets.
27240
27241 @item "&" @var{string-output}
27242 The log stream contains debugging messages being produced by @value{GDBN}'s
27243 internals.
27244 @end table
27245
27246 @node GDB/MI Async Records
27247 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Async Records
27248
27249 @cindex async records in @sc{gdb/mi}
27250 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, async records
27251 @dfn{Async} records are used to notify the @sc{gdb/mi} client of
27252 additional changes that have occurred. Those changes can either be a
27253 consequence of @sc{gdb/mi} commands (e.g., a breakpoint modified) or a result of
27254 target activity (e.g., target stopped).
27255
27256 The following is the list of possible async records:
27257
27258 @table @code
27259
27260 @item *running,thread-id="@var{thread}"
27261 The target is now running. The @var{thread} field can be the global
27262 thread ID of the the thread that is now running, and it can be
27263 @samp{all} if all threads are running. The frontend should assume
27264 that no interaction with a running thread is possible after this
27265 notification is produced. The frontend should not assume that this
27266 notification is output only once for any command. @value{GDBN} may
27267 emit this notification several times, either for different threads,
27268 because it cannot resume all threads together, or even for a single
27269 thread, if the thread must be stepped though some code before letting
27270 it run freely.
27271
27272 @item *stopped,reason="@var{reason}",thread-id="@var{id}",stopped-threads="@var{stopped}",core="@var{core}"
27273 The target has stopped. The @var{reason} field can have one of the
27274 following values:
27275
27276 @table @code
27277 @item breakpoint-hit
27278 A breakpoint was reached.
27279 @item watchpoint-trigger
27280 A watchpoint was triggered.
27281 @item read-watchpoint-trigger
27282 A read watchpoint was triggered.
27283 @item access-watchpoint-trigger
27284 An access watchpoint was triggered.
27285 @item function-finished
27286 An -exec-finish or similar CLI command was accomplished.
27287 @item location-reached
27288 An -exec-until or similar CLI command was accomplished.
27289 @item watchpoint-scope
27290 A watchpoint has gone out of scope.
27291 @item end-stepping-range
27292 An -exec-next, -exec-next-instruction, -exec-step, -exec-step-instruction or
27293 similar CLI command was accomplished.
27294 @item exited-signalled
27295 The inferior exited because of a signal.
27296 @item exited
27297 The inferior exited.
27298 @item exited-normally
27299 The inferior exited normally.
27300 @item signal-received
27301 A signal was received by the inferior.
27302 @item solib-event
27303 The inferior has stopped due to a library being loaded or unloaded.
27304 This can happen when @code{stop-on-solib-events} (@pxref{Files}) is
27305 set or when a @code{catch load} or @code{catch unload} catchpoint is
27306 in use (@pxref{Set Catchpoints}).
27307 @item fork
27308 The inferior has forked. This is reported when @code{catch fork}
27309 (@pxref{Set Catchpoints}) has been used.
27310 @item vfork
27311 The inferior has vforked. This is reported in when @code{catch vfork}
27312 (@pxref{Set Catchpoints}) has been used.
27313 @item syscall-entry
27314 The inferior entered a system call. This is reported when @code{catch
27315 syscall} (@pxref{Set Catchpoints}) has been used.
27316 @item syscall-return
27317 The inferior returned from a system call. This is reported when
27318 @code{catch syscall} (@pxref{Set Catchpoints}) has been used.
27319 @item exec
27320 The inferior called @code{exec}. This is reported when @code{catch exec}
27321 (@pxref{Set Catchpoints}) has been used.
27322 @end table
27323
27324 The @var{id} field identifies the global thread ID of the thread
27325 that directly caused the stop -- for example by hitting a breakpoint.
27326 Depending on whether all-stop
27327 mode is in effect (@pxref{All-Stop Mode}), @value{GDBN} may either
27328 stop all threads, or only the thread that directly triggered the stop.
27329 If all threads are stopped, the @var{stopped} field will have the
27330 value of @code{"all"}. Otherwise, the value of the @var{stopped}
27331 field will be a list of thread identifiers. Presently, this list will
27332 always include a single thread, but frontend should be prepared to see
27333 several threads in the list. The @var{core} field reports the
27334 processor core on which the stop event has happened. This field may be absent
27335 if such information is not available.
27336
27337 @item =thread-group-added,id="@var{id}"
27338 @itemx =thread-group-removed,id="@var{id}"
27339 A thread group was either added or removed. The @var{id} field
27340 contains the @value{GDBN} identifier of the thread group. When a thread
27341 group is added, it generally might not be associated with a running
27342 process. When a thread group is removed, its id becomes invalid and
27343 cannot be used in any way.
27344
27345 @item =thread-group-started,id="@var{id}",pid="@var{pid}"
27346 A thread group became associated with a running program,
27347 either because the program was just started or the thread group
27348 was attached to a program. The @var{id} field contains the
27349 @value{GDBN} identifier of the thread group. The @var{pid} field
27350 contains process identifier, specific to the operating system.
27351
27352 @item =thread-group-exited,id="@var{id}"[,exit-code="@var{code}"]
27353 A thread group is no longer associated with a running program,
27354 either because the program has exited, or because it was detached
27355 from. The @var{id} field contains the @value{GDBN} identifier of the
27356 thread group. The @var{code} field is the exit code of the inferior; it exists
27357 only when the inferior exited with some code.
27358
27359 @item =thread-created,id="@var{id}",group-id="@var{gid}"
27360 @itemx =thread-exited,id="@var{id}",group-id="@var{gid}"
27361 A thread either was created, or has exited. The @var{id} field
27362 contains the global @value{GDBN} identifier of the thread. The @var{gid}
27363 field identifies the thread group this thread belongs to.
27364
27365 @item =thread-selected,id="@var{id}"[,frame="@var{frame}"]
27366 Informs that the selected thread or frame were changed. This notification
27367 is not emitted as result of the @code{-thread-select} or
27368 @code{-stack-select-frame} commands, but is emitted whenever an MI command
27369 that is not documented to change the selected thread and frame actually
27370 changes them. In particular, invoking, directly or indirectly
27371 (via user-defined command), the CLI @code{thread} or @code{frame} commands,
27372 will generate this notification. Changing the thread or frame from another
27373 user interface (see @ref{Interpreters}) will also generate this notification.
27374
27375 The @var{frame} field is only present if the newly selected thread is
27376 stopped. See @ref{GDB/MI Frame Information} for the format of its value.
27377
27378 We suggest that in response to this notification, front ends
27379 highlight the selected thread and cause subsequent commands to apply to
27380 that thread.
27381
27382 @item =library-loaded,...
27383 Reports that a new library file was loaded by the program. This
27384 notification has 5 fields---@var{id}, @var{target-name},
27385 @var{host-name}, @var{symbols-loaded} and @var{ranges}. The @var{id} field is an
27386 opaque identifier of the library. For remote debugging case,
27387 @var{target-name} and @var{host-name} fields give the name of the
27388 library file on the target, and on the host respectively. For native
27389 debugging, both those fields have the same value. The
27390 @var{symbols-loaded} field is emitted only for backward compatibility
27391 and should not be relied on to convey any useful information. The
27392 @var{thread-group} field, if present, specifies the id of the thread
27393 group in whose context the library was loaded. If the field is
27394 absent, it means the library was loaded in the context of all present
27395 thread groups. The @var{ranges} field specifies the ranges of addresses belonging
27396 to this library.
27397
27398 @item =library-unloaded,...
27399 Reports that a library was unloaded by the program. This notification
27400 has 3 fields---@var{id}, @var{target-name} and @var{host-name} with
27401 the same meaning as for the @code{=library-loaded} notification.
27402 The @var{thread-group} field, if present, specifies the id of the
27403 thread group in whose context the library was unloaded. If the field is
27404 absent, it means the library was unloaded in the context of all present
27405 thread groups.
27406
27407 @item =traceframe-changed,num=@var{tfnum},tracepoint=@var{tpnum}
27408 @itemx =traceframe-changed,end
27409 Reports that the trace frame was changed and its new number is
27410 @var{tfnum}. The number of the tracepoint associated with this trace
27411 frame is @var{tpnum}.
27412
27413 @item =tsv-created,name=@var{name},initial=@var{initial}
27414 Reports that the new trace state variable @var{name} is created with
27415 initial value @var{initial}.
27416
27417 @item =tsv-deleted,name=@var{name}
27418 @itemx =tsv-deleted
27419 Reports that the trace state variable @var{name} is deleted or all
27420 trace state variables are deleted.
27421
27422 @item =tsv-modified,name=@var{name},initial=@var{initial}[,current=@var{current}]
27423 Reports that the trace state variable @var{name} is modified with
27424 the initial value @var{initial}. The current value @var{current} of
27425 trace state variable is optional and is reported if the current
27426 value of trace state variable is known.
27427
27428 @item =breakpoint-created,bkpt=@{...@}
27429 @itemx =breakpoint-modified,bkpt=@{...@}
27430 @itemx =breakpoint-deleted,id=@var{number}
27431 Reports that a breakpoint was created, modified, or deleted,
27432 respectively. Only user-visible breakpoints are reported to the MI
27433 user.
27434
27435 The @var{bkpt} argument is of the same form as returned by the various
27436 breakpoint commands; @xref{GDB/MI Breakpoint Commands}. The
27437 @var{number} is the ordinal number of the breakpoint.
27438
27439 Note that if a breakpoint is emitted in the result record of a
27440 command, then it will not also be emitted in an async record.
27441
27442 @item =record-started,thread-group="@var{id}",method="@var{method}"[,format="@var{format}"]
27443 @itemx =record-stopped,thread-group="@var{id}"
27444 Execution log recording was either started or stopped on an
27445 inferior. The @var{id} is the @value{GDBN} identifier of the thread
27446 group corresponding to the affected inferior.
27447
27448 The @var{method} field indicates the method used to record execution. If the
27449 method in use supports multiple recording formats, @var{format} will be present
27450 and contain the currently used format. @xref{Process Record and Replay},
27451 for existing method and format values.
27452
27453 @item =cmd-param-changed,param=@var{param},value=@var{value}
27454 Reports that a parameter of the command @code{set @var{param}} is
27455 changed to @var{value}. In the multi-word @code{set} command,
27456 the @var{param} is the whole parameter list to @code{set} command.
27457 For example, In command @code{set check type on}, @var{param}
27458 is @code{check type} and @var{value} is @code{on}.
27459
27460 @item =memory-changed,thread-group=@var{id},addr=@var{addr},len=@var{len}[,type="code"]
27461 Reports that bytes from @var{addr} to @var{data} + @var{len} were
27462 written in an inferior. The @var{id} is the identifier of the
27463 thread group corresponding to the affected inferior. The optional
27464 @code{type="code"} part is reported if the memory written to holds
27465 executable code.
27466 @end table
27467
27468 @node GDB/MI Breakpoint Information
27469 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Breakpoint Information
27470
27471 When @value{GDBN} reports information about a breakpoint, a
27472 tracepoint, a watchpoint, or a catchpoint, it uses a tuple with the
27473 following fields:
27474
27475 @table @code
27476 @item number
27477 The breakpoint number. For a breakpoint that represents one location
27478 of a multi-location breakpoint, this will be a dotted pair, like
27479 @samp{1.2}.
27480
27481 @item type
27482 The type of the breakpoint. For ordinary breakpoints this will be
27483 @samp{breakpoint}, but many values are possible.
27484
27485 @item catch-type
27486 If the type of the breakpoint is @samp{catchpoint}, then this
27487 indicates the exact type of catchpoint.
27488
27489 @item disp
27490 This is the breakpoint disposition---either @samp{del}, meaning that
27491 the breakpoint will be deleted at the next stop, or @samp{keep},
27492 meaning that the breakpoint will not be deleted.
27493
27494 @item enabled
27495 This indicates whether the breakpoint is enabled, in which case the
27496 value is @samp{y}, or disabled, in which case the value is @samp{n}.
27497 Note that this is not the same as the field @code{enable}.
27498
27499 @item addr
27500 The address of the breakpoint. This may be a hexidecimal number,
27501 giving the address; or the string @samp{<PENDING>}, for a pending
27502 breakpoint; or the string @samp{<MULTIPLE>}, for a breakpoint with
27503 multiple locations. This field will not be present if no address can
27504 be determined. For example, a watchpoint does not have an address.
27505
27506 @item func
27507 If known, the function in which the breakpoint appears.
27508 If not known, this field is not present.
27509
27510 @item filename
27511 The name of the source file which contains this function, if known.
27512 If not known, this field is not present.
27513
27514 @item fullname
27515 The full file name of the source file which contains this function, if
27516 known. If not known, this field is not present.
27517
27518 @item line
27519 The line number at which this breakpoint appears, if known.
27520 If not known, this field is not present.
27521
27522 @item at
27523 If the source file is not known, this field may be provided. If
27524 provided, this holds the address of the breakpoint, possibly followed
27525 by a symbol name.
27526
27527 @item pending
27528 If this breakpoint is pending, this field is present and holds the
27529 text used to set the breakpoint, as entered by the user.
27530
27531 @item evaluated-by
27532 Where this breakpoint's condition is evaluated, either @samp{host} or
27533 @samp{target}.
27534
27535 @item thread
27536 If this is a thread-specific breakpoint, then this identifies the
27537 thread in which the breakpoint can trigger.
27538
27539 @item task
27540 If this breakpoint is restricted to a particular Ada task, then this
27541 field will hold the task identifier.
27542
27543 @item cond
27544 If the breakpoint is conditional, this is the condition expression.
27545
27546 @item ignore
27547 The ignore count of the breakpoint.
27548
27549 @item enable
27550 The enable count of the breakpoint.
27551
27552 @item traceframe-usage
27553 FIXME.
27554
27555 @item static-tracepoint-marker-string-id
27556 For a static tracepoint, the name of the static tracepoint marker.
27557
27558 @item mask
27559 For a masked watchpoint, this is the mask.
27560
27561 @item pass
27562 A tracepoint's pass count.
27563
27564 @item original-location
27565 The location of the breakpoint as originally specified by the user.
27566 This field is optional.
27567
27568 @item times
27569 The number of times the breakpoint has been hit.
27570
27571 @item installed
27572 This field is only given for tracepoints. This is either @samp{y},
27573 meaning that the tracepoint is installed, or @samp{n}, meaning that it
27574 is not.
27575
27576 @item what
27577 Some extra data, the exact contents of which are type-dependent.
27578
27579 @end table
27580
27581 For example, here is what the output of @code{-break-insert}
27582 (@pxref{GDB/MI Breakpoint Commands}) might be:
27583
27584 @smallexample
27585 -> -break-insert main
27586 <- ^done,bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",
27587 enabled="y",addr="0x08048564",func="main",file="myprog.c",
27588 fullname="/home/nickrob/myprog.c",line="68",thread-groups=["i1"],
27589 times="0"@}
27590 <- (gdb)
27591 @end smallexample
27592
27593 @node GDB/MI Frame Information
27594 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Frame Information
27595
27596 Response from many MI commands includes an information about stack
27597 frame. This information is a tuple that may have the following
27598 fields:
27599
27600 @table @code
27601 @item level
27602 The level of the stack frame. The innermost frame has the level of
27603 zero. This field is always present.
27604
27605 @item func
27606 The name of the function corresponding to the frame. This field may
27607 be absent if @value{GDBN} is unable to determine the function name.
27608
27609 @item addr
27610 The code address for the frame. This field is always present.
27611
27612 @item file
27613 The name of the source files that correspond to the frame's code
27614 address. This field may be absent.
27615
27616 @item line
27617 The source line corresponding to the frames' code address. This field
27618 may be absent.
27619
27620 @item from
27621 The name of the binary file (either executable or shared library) the
27622 corresponds to the frame's code address. This field may be absent.
27623
27624 @end table
27625
27626 @node GDB/MI Thread Information
27627 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Thread Information
27628
27629 Whenever @value{GDBN} has to report an information about a thread, it
27630 uses a tuple with the following fields. The fields are always present unless
27631 stated otherwise.
27632
27633 @table @code
27634 @item id
27635 The global numeric id assigned to the thread by @value{GDBN}.
27636
27637 @item target-id
27638 The target-specific string identifying the thread.
27639
27640 @item details
27641 Additional information about the thread provided by the target.
27642 It is supposed to be human-readable and not interpreted by the
27643 frontend. This field is optional.
27644
27645 @item name
27646 The name of the thread. If the user specified a name using the
27647 @code{thread name} command, then this name is given. Otherwise, if
27648 @value{GDBN} can extract the thread name from the target, then that
27649 name is given. If @value{GDBN} cannot find the thread name, then this
27650 field is omitted.
27651
27652 @item state
27653 The execution state of the thread, either @samp{stopped} or @samp{running},
27654 depending on whether the thread is presently running.
27655
27656 @item frame
27657 The stack frame currently executing in the thread. This field is only present
27658 if the thread is stopped. Its format is documented in
27659 @ref{GDB/MI Frame Information}.
27660
27661 @item core
27662 The value of this field is an integer number of the processor core the
27663 thread was last seen on. This field is optional.
27664 @end table
27665
27666 @node GDB/MI Ada Exception Information
27667 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Ada Exception Information
27668
27669 Whenever a @code{*stopped} record is emitted because the program
27670 stopped after hitting an exception catchpoint (@pxref{Set Catchpoints}),
27671 @value{GDBN} provides the name of the exception that was raised via
27672 the @code{exception-name} field. Also, for exceptions that were raised
27673 with an exception message, @value{GDBN} provides that message via
27674 the @code{exception-message} field.
27675
27676 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
27677 @node GDB/MI Simple Examples
27678 @section Simple Examples of @sc{gdb/mi} Interaction
27679 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, simple examples
27680
27681 This subsection presents several simple examples of interaction using
27682 the @sc{gdb/mi} interface. In these examples, @samp{->} means that the
27683 following line is passed to @sc{gdb/mi} as input, while @samp{<-} means
27684 the output received from @sc{gdb/mi}.
27685
27686 Note the line breaks shown in the examples are here only for
27687 readability, they don't appear in the real output.
27688
27689 @subheading Setting a Breakpoint
27690
27691 Setting a breakpoint generates synchronous output which contains detailed
27692 information of the breakpoint.
27693
27694 @smallexample
27695 -> -break-insert main
27696 <- ^done,bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",
27697 enabled="y",addr="0x08048564",func="main",file="myprog.c",
27698 fullname="/home/nickrob/myprog.c",line="68",thread-groups=["i1"],
27699 times="0"@}
27700 <- (gdb)
27701 @end smallexample
27702
27703 @subheading Program Execution
27704
27705 Program execution generates asynchronous records and MI gives the
27706 reason that execution stopped.
27707
27708 @smallexample
27709 -> -exec-run
27710 <- ^running
27711 <- (gdb)
27712 <- *stopped,reason="breakpoint-hit",disp="keep",bkptno="1",thread-id="0",
27713 frame=@{addr="0x08048564",func="main",
27714 args=[@{name="argc",value="1"@},@{name="argv",value="0xbfc4d4d4"@}],
27715 file="myprog.c",fullname="/home/nickrob/myprog.c",line="68"@}
27716 <- (gdb)
27717 -> -exec-continue
27718 <- ^running
27719 <- (gdb)
27720 <- *stopped,reason="exited-normally"
27721 <- (gdb)
27722 @end smallexample
27723
27724 @subheading Quitting @value{GDBN}
27725
27726 Quitting @value{GDBN} just prints the result class @samp{^exit}.
27727
27728 @smallexample
27729 -> (gdb)
27730 <- -gdb-exit
27731 <- ^exit
27732 @end smallexample
27733
27734 Please note that @samp{^exit} is printed immediately, but it might
27735 take some time for @value{GDBN} to actually exit. During that time, @value{GDBN}
27736 performs necessary cleanups, including killing programs being debugged
27737 or disconnecting from debug hardware, so the frontend should wait till
27738 @value{GDBN} exits and should only forcibly kill @value{GDBN} if it
27739 fails to exit in reasonable time.
27740
27741 @subheading A Bad Command
27742
27743 Here's what happens if you pass a non-existent command:
27744
27745 @smallexample
27746 -> -rubbish
27747 <- ^error,msg="Undefined MI command: rubbish"
27748 <- (gdb)
27749 @end smallexample
27750
27751
27752 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
27753 @node GDB/MI Command Description Format
27754 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Command Description Format
27755
27756 The remaining sections describe blocks of commands. Each block of
27757 commands is laid out in a fashion similar to this section.
27758
27759 @subheading Motivation
27760
27761 The motivation for this collection of commands.
27762
27763 @subheading Introduction
27764
27765 A brief introduction to this collection of commands as a whole.
27766
27767 @subheading Commands
27768
27769 For each command in the block, the following is described:
27770
27771 @subsubheading Synopsis
27772
27773 @smallexample
27774 -command @var{args}@dots{}
27775 @end smallexample
27776
27777 @subsubheading Result
27778
27779 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27780
27781 The corresponding @value{GDBN} CLI command(s), if any.
27782
27783 @subsubheading Example
27784
27785 Example(s) formatted for readability. Some of the described commands have
27786 not been implemented yet and these are labeled N.A.@: (not available).
27787
27788
27789 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
27790 @node GDB/MI Breakpoint Commands
27791 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Breakpoint Commands
27792
27793 @cindex breakpoint commands for @sc{gdb/mi}
27794 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, breakpoint commands
27795 This section documents @sc{gdb/mi} commands for manipulating
27796 breakpoints.
27797
27798 @subheading The @code{-break-after} Command
27799 @findex -break-after
27800
27801 @subsubheading Synopsis
27802
27803 @smallexample
27804 -break-after @var{number} @var{count}
27805 @end smallexample
27806
27807 The breakpoint number @var{number} is not in effect until it has been
27808 hit @var{count} times. To see how this is reflected in the output of
27809 the @samp{-break-list} command, see the description of the
27810 @samp{-break-list} command below.
27811
27812 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27813
27814 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{ignore}.
27815
27816 @subsubheading Example
27817
27818 @smallexample
27819 (gdb)
27820 -break-insert main
27821 ^done,bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",
27822 enabled="y",addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",
27823 fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",line="5",thread-groups=["i1"],
27824 times="0"@}
27825 (gdb)
27826 -break-after 1 3
27827 ~
27828 ^done
27829 (gdb)
27830 -break-list
27831 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="1",nr_cols="6",
27832 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
27833 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
27834 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
27835 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
27836 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
27837 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
27838 body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
27839 addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",
27840 line="5",thread-groups=["i1"],times="0",ignore="3"@}]@}
27841 (gdb)
27842 @end smallexample
27843
27844 @ignore
27845 @subheading The @code{-break-catch} Command
27846 @findex -break-catch
27847 @end ignore
27848
27849 @subheading The @code{-break-commands} Command
27850 @findex -break-commands
27851
27852 @subsubheading Synopsis
27853
27854 @smallexample
27855 -break-commands @var{number} [ @var{command1} ... @var{commandN} ]
27856 @end smallexample
27857
27858 Specifies the CLI commands that should be executed when breakpoint
27859 @var{number} is hit. The parameters @var{command1} to @var{commandN}
27860 are the commands. If no command is specified, any previously-set
27861 commands are cleared. @xref{Break Commands}. Typical use of this
27862 functionality is tracing a program, that is, printing of values of
27863 some variables whenever breakpoint is hit and then continuing.
27864
27865 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27866
27867 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{commands}.
27868
27869 @subsubheading Example
27870
27871 @smallexample
27872 (gdb)
27873 -break-insert main
27874 ^done,bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",
27875 enabled="y",addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",
27876 fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",line="5",thread-groups=["i1"],
27877 times="0"@}
27878 (gdb)
27879 -break-commands 1 "print v" "continue"
27880 ^done
27881 (gdb)
27882 @end smallexample
27883
27884 @subheading The @code{-break-condition} Command
27885 @findex -break-condition
27886
27887 @subsubheading Synopsis
27888
27889 @smallexample
27890 -break-condition @var{number} @var{expr}
27891 @end smallexample
27892
27893 Breakpoint @var{number} will stop the program only if the condition in
27894 @var{expr} is true. The condition becomes part of the
27895 @samp{-break-list} output (see the description of the @samp{-break-list}
27896 command below).
27897
27898 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27899
27900 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{condition}.
27901
27902 @subsubheading Example
27903
27904 @smallexample
27905 (gdb)
27906 -break-condition 1 1
27907 ^done
27908 (gdb)
27909 -break-list
27910 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="1",nr_cols="6",
27911 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
27912 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
27913 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
27914 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
27915 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
27916 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
27917 body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
27918 addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",
27919 line="5",cond="1",thread-groups=["i1"],times="0",ignore="3"@}]@}
27920 (gdb)
27921 @end smallexample
27922
27923 @subheading The @code{-break-delete} Command
27924 @findex -break-delete
27925
27926 @subsubheading Synopsis
27927
27928 @smallexample
27929 -break-delete ( @var{breakpoint} )+
27930 @end smallexample
27931
27932 Delete the breakpoint(s) whose number(s) are specified in the argument
27933 list. This is obviously reflected in the breakpoint list.
27934
27935 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27936
27937 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{delete}.
27938
27939 @subsubheading Example
27940
27941 @smallexample
27942 (gdb)
27943 -break-delete 1
27944 ^done
27945 (gdb)
27946 -break-list
27947 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="0",nr_cols="6",
27948 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
27949 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
27950 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
27951 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
27952 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
27953 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
27954 body=[]@}
27955 (gdb)
27956 @end smallexample
27957
27958 @subheading The @code{-break-disable} Command
27959 @findex -break-disable
27960
27961 @subsubheading Synopsis
27962
27963 @smallexample
27964 -break-disable ( @var{breakpoint} )+
27965 @end smallexample
27966
27967 Disable the named @var{breakpoint}(s). The field @samp{enabled} in the
27968 break list is now set to @samp{n} for the named @var{breakpoint}(s).
27969
27970 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27971
27972 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{disable}.
27973
27974 @subsubheading Example
27975
27976 @smallexample
27977 (gdb)
27978 -break-disable 2
27979 ^done
27980 (gdb)
27981 -break-list
27982 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="1",nr_cols="6",
27983 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
27984 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
27985 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
27986 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
27987 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
27988 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
27989 body=[bkpt=@{number="2",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="n",
27990 addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",
27991 line="5",thread-groups=["i1"],times="0"@}]@}
27992 (gdb)
27993 @end smallexample
27994
27995 @subheading The @code{-break-enable} Command
27996 @findex -break-enable
27997
27998 @subsubheading Synopsis
27999
28000 @smallexample
28001 -break-enable ( @var{breakpoint} )+
28002 @end smallexample
28003
28004 Enable (previously disabled) @var{breakpoint}(s).
28005
28006 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28007
28008 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{enable}.
28009
28010 @subsubheading Example
28011
28012 @smallexample
28013 (gdb)
28014 -break-enable 2
28015 ^done
28016 (gdb)
28017 -break-list
28018 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="1",nr_cols="6",
28019 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
28020 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
28021 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
28022 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
28023 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
28024 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
28025 body=[bkpt=@{number="2",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
28026 addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",
28027 line="5",thread-groups=["i1"],times="0"@}]@}
28028 (gdb)
28029 @end smallexample
28030
28031 @subheading The @code{-break-info} Command
28032 @findex -break-info
28033
28034 @subsubheading Synopsis
28035
28036 @smallexample
28037 -break-info @var{breakpoint}
28038 @end smallexample
28039
28040 @c REDUNDANT???
28041 Get information about a single breakpoint.
28042
28043 The result is a table of breakpoints. @xref{GDB/MI Breakpoint
28044 Information}, for details on the format of each breakpoint in the
28045 table.
28046
28047 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28048
28049 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info break @var{breakpoint}}.
28050
28051 @subsubheading Example
28052 N.A.
28053
28054 @subheading The @code{-break-insert} Command
28055 @findex -break-insert
28056 @anchor{-break-insert}
28057
28058 @subsubheading Synopsis
28059
28060 @smallexample
28061 -break-insert [ -t ] [ -h ] [ -f ] [ -d ] [ -a ]
28062 [ -c @var{condition} ] [ -i @var{ignore-count} ]
28063 [ -p @var{thread-id} ] [ @var{location} ]
28064 @end smallexample
28065
28066 @noindent
28067 If specified, @var{location}, can be one of:
28068
28069 @table @var
28070 @item linespec location
28071 A linespec location. @xref{Linespec Locations}.
28072
28073 @item explicit location
28074 An explicit location. @sc{gdb/mi} explicit locations are
28075 analogous to the CLI's explicit locations using the option names
28076 listed below. @xref{Explicit Locations}.
28077
28078 @table @samp
28079 @item --source @var{filename}
28080 The source file name of the location. This option requires the use
28081 of either @samp{--function} or @samp{--line}.
28082
28083 @item --function @var{function}
28084 The name of a function or method.
28085
28086 @item --label @var{label}
28087 The name of a label.
28088
28089 @item --line @var{lineoffset}
28090 An absolute or relative line offset from the start of the location.
28091 @end table
28092
28093 @item address location
28094 An address location, *@var{address}. @xref{Address Locations}.
28095 @end table
28096
28097 @noindent
28098 The possible optional parameters of this command are:
28099
28100 @table @samp
28101 @item -t
28102 Insert a temporary breakpoint.
28103 @item -h
28104 Insert a hardware breakpoint.
28105 @item -f
28106 If @var{location} cannot be parsed (for example if it
28107 refers to unknown files or functions), create a pending
28108 breakpoint. Without this flag, @value{GDBN} will report
28109 an error, and won't create a breakpoint, if @var{location}
28110 cannot be parsed.
28111 @item -d
28112 Create a disabled breakpoint.
28113 @item -a
28114 Create a tracepoint. @xref{Tracepoints}. When this parameter
28115 is used together with @samp{-h}, a fast tracepoint is created.
28116 @item -c @var{condition}
28117 Make the breakpoint conditional on @var{condition}.
28118 @item -i @var{ignore-count}
28119 Initialize the @var{ignore-count}.
28120 @item -p @var{thread-id}
28121 Restrict the breakpoint to the thread with the specified global
28122 @var{thread-id}.
28123 @end table
28124
28125 @subsubheading Result
28126
28127 @xref{GDB/MI Breakpoint Information}, for details on the format of the
28128 resulting breakpoint.
28129
28130 Note: this format is open to change.
28131 @c An out-of-band breakpoint instead of part of the result?
28132
28133 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28134
28135 The corresponding @value{GDBN} commands are @samp{break}, @samp{tbreak},
28136 @samp{hbreak}, and @samp{thbreak}. @c and @samp{rbreak}.
28137
28138 @subsubheading Example
28139
28140 @smallexample
28141 (gdb)
28142 -break-insert main
28143 ^done,bkpt=@{number="1",addr="0x0001072c",file="recursive2.c",
28144 fullname="/home/foo/recursive2.c,line="4",thread-groups=["i1"],
28145 times="0"@}
28146 (gdb)
28147 -break-insert -t foo
28148 ^done,bkpt=@{number="2",addr="0x00010774",file="recursive2.c",
28149 fullname="/home/foo/recursive2.c,line="11",thread-groups=["i1"],
28150 times="0"@}
28151 (gdb)
28152 -break-list
28153 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="2",nr_cols="6",
28154 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
28155 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
28156 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
28157 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
28158 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
28159 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
28160 body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
28161 addr="0x0001072c", func="main",file="recursive2.c",
28162 fullname="/home/foo/recursive2.c,"line="4",thread-groups=["i1"],
28163 times="0"@},
28164 bkpt=@{number="2",type="breakpoint",disp="del",enabled="y",
28165 addr="0x00010774",func="foo",file="recursive2.c",
28166 fullname="/home/foo/recursive2.c",line="11",thread-groups=["i1"],
28167 times="0"@}]@}
28168 (gdb)
28169 @c -break-insert -r foo.*
28170 @c ~int foo(int, int);
28171 @c ^done,bkpt=@{number="3",addr="0x00010774",file="recursive2.c,
28172 @c "fullname="/home/foo/recursive2.c",line="11",thread-groups=["i1"],
28173 @c times="0"@}
28174 @c (gdb)
28175 @end smallexample
28176
28177 @subheading The @code{-dprintf-insert} Command
28178 @findex -dprintf-insert
28179
28180 @subsubheading Synopsis
28181
28182 @smallexample
28183 -dprintf-insert [ -t ] [ -f ] [ -d ]
28184 [ -c @var{condition} ] [ -i @var{ignore-count} ]
28185 [ -p @var{thread-id} ] [ @var{location} ] [ @var{format} ]
28186 [ @var{argument} ]
28187 @end smallexample
28188
28189 @noindent
28190 If supplied, @var{location} may be specified the same way as for
28191 the @code{-break-insert} command. @xref{-break-insert}.
28192
28193 The possible optional parameters of this command are:
28194
28195 @table @samp
28196 @item -t
28197 Insert a temporary breakpoint.
28198 @item -f
28199 If @var{location} cannot be parsed (for example, if it
28200 refers to unknown files or functions), create a pending
28201 breakpoint. Without this flag, @value{GDBN} will report
28202 an error, and won't create a breakpoint, if @var{location}
28203 cannot be parsed.
28204 @item -d
28205 Create a disabled breakpoint.
28206 @item -c @var{condition}
28207 Make the breakpoint conditional on @var{condition}.
28208 @item -i @var{ignore-count}
28209 Set the ignore count of the breakpoint (@pxref{Conditions, ignore count})
28210 to @var{ignore-count}.
28211 @item -p @var{thread-id}
28212 Restrict the breakpoint to the thread with the specified global
28213 @var{thread-id}.
28214 @end table
28215
28216 @subsubheading Result
28217
28218 @xref{GDB/MI Breakpoint Information}, for details on the format of the
28219 resulting breakpoint.
28220
28221 @c An out-of-band breakpoint instead of part of the result?
28222
28223 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28224
28225 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{dprintf}.
28226
28227 @subsubheading Example
28228
28229 @smallexample
28230 (gdb)
28231 4-dprintf-insert foo "At foo entry\n"
28232 4^done,bkpt=@{number="1",type="dprintf",disp="keep",enabled="y",
28233 addr="0x000000000040061b",func="foo",file="mi-dprintf.c",
28234 fullname="mi-dprintf.c",line="25",thread-groups=["i1"],
28235 times="0",script=@{"printf \"At foo entry\\n\"","continue"@},
28236 original-location="foo"@}
28237 (gdb)
28238 5-dprintf-insert 26 "arg=%d, g=%d\n" arg g
28239 5^done,bkpt=@{number="2",type="dprintf",disp="keep",enabled="y",
28240 addr="0x000000000040062a",func="foo",file="mi-dprintf.c",
28241 fullname="mi-dprintf.c",line="26",thread-groups=["i1"],
28242 times="0",script=@{"printf \"arg=%d, g=%d\\n\", arg, g","continue"@},
28243 original-location="mi-dprintf.c:26"@}
28244 (gdb)
28245 @end smallexample
28246
28247 @subheading The @code{-break-list} Command
28248 @findex -break-list
28249
28250 @subsubheading Synopsis
28251
28252 @smallexample
28253 -break-list
28254 @end smallexample
28255
28256 Displays the list of inserted breakpoints, showing the following fields:
28257
28258 @table @samp
28259 @item Number
28260 number of the breakpoint
28261 @item Type
28262 type of the breakpoint: @samp{breakpoint} or @samp{watchpoint}
28263 @item Disposition
28264 should the breakpoint be deleted or disabled when it is hit: @samp{keep}
28265 or @samp{nokeep}
28266 @item Enabled
28267 is the breakpoint enabled or no: @samp{y} or @samp{n}
28268 @item Address
28269 memory location at which the breakpoint is set
28270 @item What
28271 logical location of the breakpoint, expressed by function name, file
28272 name, line number
28273 @item Thread-groups
28274 list of thread groups to which this breakpoint applies
28275 @item Times
28276 number of times the breakpoint has been hit
28277 @end table
28278
28279 If there are no breakpoints or watchpoints, the @code{BreakpointTable}
28280 @code{body} field is an empty list.
28281
28282 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28283
28284 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info break}.
28285
28286 @subsubheading Example
28287
28288 @smallexample
28289 (gdb)
28290 -break-list
28291 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="2",nr_cols="6",
28292 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
28293 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
28294 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
28295 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
28296 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
28297 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
28298 body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
28299 addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",line="5",thread-groups=["i1"],
28300 times="0"@},
28301 bkpt=@{number="2",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
28302 addr="0x00010114",func="foo",file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",
28303 line="13",thread-groups=["i1"],times="0"@}]@}
28304 (gdb)
28305 @end smallexample
28306
28307 Here's an example of the result when there are no breakpoints:
28308
28309 @smallexample
28310 (gdb)
28311 -break-list
28312 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="0",nr_cols="6",
28313 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
28314 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
28315 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
28316 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
28317 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
28318 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
28319 body=[]@}
28320 (gdb)
28321 @end smallexample
28322
28323 @subheading The @code{-break-passcount} Command
28324 @findex -break-passcount
28325
28326 @subsubheading Synopsis
28327
28328 @smallexample
28329 -break-passcount @var{tracepoint-number} @var{passcount}
28330 @end smallexample
28331
28332 Set the passcount for tracepoint @var{tracepoint-number} to
28333 @var{passcount}. If the breakpoint referred to by @var{tracepoint-number}
28334 is not a tracepoint, error is emitted. This corresponds to CLI
28335 command @samp{passcount}.
28336
28337 @subheading The @code{-break-watch} Command
28338 @findex -break-watch
28339
28340 @subsubheading Synopsis
28341
28342 @smallexample
28343 -break-watch [ -a | -r ]
28344 @end smallexample
28345
28346 Create a watchpoint. With the @samp{-a} option it will create an
28347 @dfn{access} watchpoint, i.e., a watchpoint that triggers either on a
28348 read from or on a write to the memory location. With the @samp{-r}
28349 option, the watchpoint created is a @dfn{read} watchpoint, i.e., it will
28350 trigger only when the memory location is accessed for reading. Without
28351 either of the options, the watchpoint created is a regular watchpoint,
28352 i.e., it will trigger when the memory location is accessed for writing.
28353 @xref{Set Watchpoints, , Setting Watchpoints}.
28354
28355 Note that @samp{-break-list} will report a single list of watchpoints and
28356 breakpoints inserted.
28357
28358 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28359
28360 The corresponding @value{GDBN} commands are @samp{watch}, @samp{awatch}, and
28361 @samp{rwatch}.
28362
28363 @subsubheading Example
28364
28365 Setting a watchpoint on a variable in the @code{main} function:
28366
28367 @smallexample
28368 (gdb)
28369 -break-watch x
28370 ^done,wpt=@{number="2",exp="x"@}
28371 (gdb)
28372 -exec-continue
28373 ^running
28374 (gdb)
28375 *stopped,reason="watchpoint-trigger",wpt=@{number="2",exp="x"@},
28376 value=@{old="-268439212",new="55"@},
28377 frame=@{func="main",args=[],file="recursive2.c",
28378 fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="5"@}
28379 (gdb)
28380 @end smallexample
28381
28382 Setting a watchpoint on a variable local to a function. @value{GDBN} will stop
28383 the program execution twice: first for the variable changing value, then
28384 for the watchpoint going out of scope.
28385
28386 @smallexample
28387 (gdb)
28388 -break-watch C
28389 ^done,wpt=@{number="5",exp="C"@}
28390 (gdb)
28391 -exec-continue
28392 ^running
28393 (gdb)
28394 *stopped,reason="watchpoint-trigger",
28395 wpt=@{number="5",exp="C"@},value=@{old="-276895068",new="3"@},
28396 frame=@{func="callee4",args=[],
28397 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
28398 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="13"@}
28399 (gdb)
28400 -exec-continue
28401 ^running
28402 (gdb)
28403 *stopped,reason="watchpoint-scope",wpnum="5",
28404 frame=@{func="callee3",args=[@{name="strarg",
28405 value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@}],
28406 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
28407 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="18"@}
28408 (gdb)
28409 @end smallexample
28410
28411 Listing breakpoints and watchpoints, at different points in the program
28412 execution. Note that once the watchpoint goes out of scope, it is
28413 deleted.
28414
28415 @smallexample
28416 (gdb)
28417 -break-watch C
28418 ^done,wpt=@{number="2",exp="C"@}
28419 (gdb)
28420 -break-list
28421 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="2",nr_cols="6",
28422 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
28423 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
28424 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
28425 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
28426 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
28427 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
28428 body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
28429 addr="0x00010734",func="callee4",
28430 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
28431 fullname="/home/foo/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c"line="8",thread-groups=["i1"],
28432 times="1"@},
28433 bkpt=@{number="2",type="watchpoint",disp="keep",
28434 enabled="y",addr="",what="C",thread-groups=["i1"],times="0"@}]@}
28435 (gdb)
28436 -exec-continue
28437 ^running
28438 (gdb)
28439 *stopped,reason="watchpoint-trigger",wpt=@{number="2",exp="C"@},
28440 value=@{old="-276895068",new="3"@},
28441 frame=@{func="callee4",args=[],
28442 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
28443 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="13"@}
28444 (gdb)
28445 -break-list
28446 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="2",nr_cols="6",
28447 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
28448 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
28449 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
28450 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
28451 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
28452 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
28453 body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
28454 addr="0x00010734",func="callee4",
28455 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
28456 fullname="/home/foo/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="8",thread-groups=["i1"],
28457 times="1"@},
28458 bkpt=@{number="2",type="watchpoint",disp="keep",
28459 enabled="y",addr="",what="C",thread-groups=["i1"],times="-5"@}]@}
28460 (gdb)
28461 -exec-continue
28462 ^running
28463 ^done,reason="watchpoint-scope",wpnum="2",
28464 frame=@{func="callee3",args=[@{name="strarg",
28465 value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@}],
28466 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
28467 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="18"@}
28468 (gdb)
28469 -break-list
28470 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="1",nr_cols="6",
28471 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
28472 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
28473 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
28474 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
28475 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
28476 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
28477 body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
28478 addr="0x00010734",func="callee4",
28479 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
28480 fullname="/home/foo/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="8",
28481 thread-groups=["i1"],times="1"@}]@}
28482 (gdb)
28483 @end smallexample
28484
28485
28486 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
28487 @node GDB/MI Catchpoint Commands
28488 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Catchpoint Commands
28489
28490 This section documents @sc{gdb/mi} commands for manipulating
28491 catchpoints.
28492
28493 @menu
28494 * Shared Library GDB/MI Catchpoint Commands::
28495 * Ada Exception GDB/MI Catchpoint Commands::
28496 @end menu
28497
28498 @node Shared Library GDB/MI Catchpoint Commands
28499 @subsection Shared Library @sc{gdb/mi} Catchpoints
28500
28501 @subheading The @code{-catch-load} Command
28502 @findex -catch-load
28503
28504 @subsubheading Synopsis
28505
28506 @smallexample
28507 -catch-load [ -t ] [ -d ] @var{regexp}
28508 @end smallexample
28509
28510 Add a catchpoint for library load events. If the @samp{-t} option is used,
28511 the catchpoint is a temporary one (@pxref{Set Breaks, ,Setting
28512 Breakpoints}). If the @samp{-d} option is used, the catchpoint is created
28513 in a disabled state. The @samp{regexp} argument is a regular
28514 expression used to match the name of the loaded library.
28515
28516
28517 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28518
28519 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{catch load}.
28520
28521 @subsubheading Example
28522
28523 @smallexample
28524 -catch-load -t foo.so
28525 ^done,bkpt=@{number="1",type="catchpoint",disp="del",enabled="y",
28526 what="load of library matching foo.so",catch-type="load",times="0"@}
28527 (gdb)
28528 @end smallexample
28529
28530
28531 @subheading The @code{-catch-unload} Command
28532 @findex -catch-unload
28533
28534 @subsubheading Synopsis
28535
28536 @smallexample
28537 -catch-unload [ -t ] [ -d ] @var{regexp}
28538 @end smallexample
28539
28540 Add a catchpoint for library unload events. If the @samp{-t} option is
28541 used, the catchpoint is a temporary one (@pxref{Set Breaks, ,Setting
28542 Breakpoints}). If the @samp{-d} option is used, the catchpoint is
28543 created in a disabled state. The @samp{regexp} argument is a regular
28544 expression used to match the name of the unloaded library.
28545
28546 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28547
28548 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{catch unload}.
28549
28550 @subsubheading Example
28551
28552 @smallexample
28553 -catch-unload -d bar.so
28554 ^done,bkpt=@{number="2",type="catchpoint",disp="keep",enabled="n",
28555 what="load of library matching bar.so",catch-type="unload",times="0"@}
28556 (gdb)
28557 @end smallexample
28558
28559 @node Ada Exception GDB/MI Catchpoint Commands
28560 @subsection Ada Exception @sc{gdb/mi} Catchpoints
28561
28562 The following @sc{gdb/mi} commands can be used to create catchpoints
28563 that stop the execution when Ada exceptions are being raised.
28564
28565 @subheading The @code{-catch-assert} Command
28566 @findex -catch-assert
28567
28568 @subsubheading Synopsis
28569
28570 @smallexample
28571 -catch-assert [ -c @var{condition}] [ -d ] [ -t ]
28572 @end smallexample
28573
28574 Add a catchpoint for failed Ada assertions.
28575
28576 The possible optional parameters for this command are:
28577
28578 @table @samp
28579 @item -c @var{condition}
28580 Make the catchpoint conditional on @var{condition}.
28581 @item -d
28582 Create a disabled catchpoint.
28583 @item -t
28584 Create a temporary catchpoint.
28585 @end table
28586
28587 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28588
28589 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{catch assert}.
28590
28591 @subsubheading Example
28592
28593 @smallexample
28594 -catch-assert
28595 ^done,bkptno="5",bkpt=@{number="5",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",
28596 enabled="y",addr="0x0000000000404888",what="failed Ada assertions",
28597 thread-groups=["i1"],times="0",
28598 original-location="__gnat_debug_raise_assert_failure"@}
28599 (gdb)
28600 @end smallexample
28601
28602 @subheading The @code{-catch-exception} Command
28603 @findex -catch-exception
28604
28605 @subsubheading Synopsis
28606
28607 @smallexample
28608 -catch-exception [ -c @var{condition}] [ -d ] [ -e @var{exception-name} ]
28609 [ -t ] [ -u ]
28610 @end smallexample
28611
28612 Add a catchpoint stopping when Ada exceptions are raised.
28613 By default, the command stops the program when any Ada exception
28614 gets raised. But it is also possible, by using some of the
28615 optional parameters described below, to create more selective
28616 catchpoints.
28617
28618 The possible optional parameters for this command are:
28619
28620 @table @samp
28621 @item -c @var{condition}
28622 Make the catchpoint conditional on @var{condition}.
28623 @item -d
28624 Create a disabled catchpoint.
28625 @item -e @var{exception-name}
28626 Only stop when @var{exception-name} is raised. This option cannot
28627 be used combined with @samp{-u}.
28628 @item -t
28629 Create a temporary catchpoint.
28630 @item -u
28631 Stop only when an unhandled exception gets raised. This option
28632 cannot be used combined with @samp{-e}.
28633 @end table
28634
28635 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28636
28637 The corresponding @value{GDBN} commands are @samp{catch exception}
28638 and @samp{catch exception unhandled}.
28639
28640 @subsubheading Example
28641
28642 @smallexample
28643 -catch-exception -e Program_Error
28644 ^done,bkptno="4",bkpt=@{number="4",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",
28645 enabled="y",addr="0x0000000000404874",
28646 what="`Program_Error' Ada exception", thread-groups=["i1"],
28647 times="0",original-location="__gnat_debug_raise_exception"@}
28648 (gdb)
28649 @end smallexample
28650
28651 @subheading The @code{-catch-handlers} Command
28652 @findex -catch-handlers
28653
28654 @subsubheading Synopsis
28655
28656 @smallexample
28657 -catch-handlers [ -c @var{condition}] [ -d ] [ -e @var{exception-name} ]
28658 [ -t ]
28659 @end smallexample
28660
28661 Add a catchpoint stopping when Ada exceptions are handled.
28662 By default, the command stops the program when any Ada exception
28663 gets handled. But it is also possible, by using some of the
28664 optional parameters described below, to create more selective
28665 catchpoints.
28666
28667 The possible optional parameters for this command are:
28668
28669 @table @samp
28670 @item -c @var{condition}
28671 Make the catchpoint conditional on @var{condition}.
28672 @item -d
28673 Create a disabled catchpoint.
28674 @item -e @var{exception-name}
28675 Only stop when @var{exception-name} is handled.
28676 @item -t
28677 Create a temporary catchpoint.
28678 @end table
28679
28680 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28681
28682 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{catch handlers}.
28683
28684 @subsubheading Example
28685
28686 @smallexample
28687 -catch-handlers -e Constraint_Error
28688 ^done,bkptno="4",bkpt=@{number="4",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",
28689 enabled="y",addr="0x0000000000402f68",
28690 what="`Constraint_Error' Ada exception handlers",thread-groups=["i1"],
28691 times="0",original-location="__gnat_begin_handler"@}
28692 (gdb)
28693 @end smallexample
28694
28695 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
28696 @node GDB/MI Program Context
28697 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Program Context
28698
28699 @subheading The @code{-exec-arguments} Command
28700 @findex -exec-arguments
28701
28702
28703 @subsubheading Synopsis
28704
28705 @smallexample
28706 -exec-arguments @var{args}
28707 @end smallexample
28708
28709 Set the inferior program arguments, to be used in the next
28710 @samp{-exec-run}.
28711
28712 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28713
28714 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{set args}.
28715
28716 @subsubheading Example
28717
28718 @smallexample
28719 (gdb)
28720 -exec-arguments -v word
28721 ^done
28722 (gdb)
28723 @end smallexample
28724
28725
28726 @ignore
28727 @subheading The @code{-exec-show-arguments} Command
28728 @findex -exec-show-arguments
28729
28730 @subsubheading Synopsis
28731
28732 @smallexample
28733 -exec-show-arguments
28734 @end smallexample
28735
28736 Print the arguments of the program.
28737
28738 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28739
28740 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{show args}.
28741
28742 @subsubheading Example
28743 N.A.
28744 @end ignore
28745
28746
28747 @subheading The @code{-environment-cd} Command
28748 @findex -environment-cd
28749
28750 @subsubheading Synopsis
28751
28752 @smallexample
28753 -environment-cd @var{pathdir}
28754 @end smallexample
28755
28756 Set @value{GDBN}'s working directory.
28757
28758 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28759
28760 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{cd}.
28761
28762 @subsubheading Example
28763
28764 @smallexample
28765 (gdb)
28766 -environment-cd /kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/devo/gdb
28767 ^done
28768 (gdb)
28769 @end smallexample
28770
28771
28772 @subheading The @code{-environment-directory} Command
28773 @findex -environment-directory
28774
28775 @subsubheading Synopsis
28776
28777 @smallexample
28778 -environment-directory [ -r ] [ @var{pathdir} ]+
28779 @end smallexample
28780
28781 Add directories @var{pathdir} to beginning of search path for source files.
28782 If the @samp{-r} option is used, the search path is reset to the default
28783 search path. If directories @var{pathdir} are supplied in addition to the
28784 @samp{-r} option, the search path is first reset and then addition
28785 occurs as normal.
28786 Multiple directories may be specified, separated by blanks. Specifying
28787 multiple directories in a single command
28788 results in the directories added to the beginning of the
28789 search path in the same order they were presented in the command.
28790 If blanks are needed as
28791 part of a directory name, double-quotes should be used around
28792 the name. In the command output, the path will show up separated
28793 by the system directory-separator character. The directory-separator
28794 character must not be used
28795 in any directory name.
28796 If no directories are specified, the current search path is displayed.
28797
28798 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28799
28800 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{dir}.
28801
28802 @subsubheading Example
28803
28804 @smallexample
28805 (gdb)
28806 -environment-directory /kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/devo/gdb
28807 ^done,source-path="/kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/devo/gdb:$cdir:$cwd"
28808 (gdb)
28809 -environment-directory ""
28810 ^done,source-path="/kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/devo/gdb:$cdir:$cwd"
28811 (gdb)
28812 -environment-directory -r /home/jjohnstn/src/gdb /usr/src
28813 ^done,source-path="/home/jjohnstn/src/gdb:/usr/src:$cdir:$cwd"
28814 (gdb)
28815 -environment-directory -r
28816 ^done,source-path="$cdir:$cwd"
28817 (gdb)
28818 @end smallexample
28819
28820
28821 @subheading The @code{-environment-path} Command
28822 @findex -environment-path
28823
28824 @subsubheading Synopsis
28825
28826 @smallexample
28827 -environment-path [ -r ] [ @var{pathdir} ]+
28828 @end smallexample
28829
28830 Add directories @var{pathdir} to beginning of search path for object files.
28831 If the @samp{-r} option is used, the search path is reset to the original
28832 search path that existed at gdb start-up. If directories @var{pathdir} are
28833 supplied in addition to the
28834 @samp{-r} option, the search path is first reset and then addition
28835 occurs as normal.
28836 Multiple directories may be specified, separated by blanks. Specifying
28837 multiple directories in a single command
28838 results in the directories added to the beginning of the
28839 search path in the same order they were presented in the command.
28840 If blanks are needed as
28841 part of a directory name, double-quotes should be used around
28842 the name. In the command output, the path will show up separated
28843 by the system directory-separator character. The directory-separator
28844 character must not be used
28845 in any directory name.
28846 If no directories are specified, the current path is displayed.
28847
28848
28849 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28850
28851 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{path}.
28852
28853 @subsubheading Example
28854
28855 @smallexample
28856 (gdb)
28857 -environment-path
28858 ^done,path="/usr/bin"
28859 (gdb)
28860 -environment-path /kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/ppc-eabi/gdb /bin
28861 ^done,path="/kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/ppc-eabi/gdb:/bin:/usr/bin"
28862 (gdb)
28863 -environment-path -r /usr/local/bin
28864 ^done,path="/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin"
28865 (gdb)
28866 @end smallexample
28867
28868
28869 @subheading The @code{-environment-pwd} Command
28870 @findex -environment-pwd
28871
28872 @subsubheading Synopsis
28873
28874 @smallexample
28875 -environment-pwd
28876 @end smallexample
28877
28878 Show the current working directory.
28879
28880 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28881
28882 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{pwd}.
28883
28884 @subsubheading Example
28885
28886 @smallexample
28887 (gdb)
28888 -environment-pwd
28889 ^done,cwd="/kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/devo/gdb"
28890 (gdb)
28891 @end smallexample
28892
28893 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
28894 @node GDB/MI Thread Commands
28895 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Thread Commands
28896
28897
28898 @subheading The @code{-thread-info} Command
28899 @findex -thread-info
28900
28901 @subsubheading Synopsis
28902
28903 @smallexample
28904 -thread-info [ @var{thread-id} ]
28905 @end smallexample
28906
28907 Reports information about either a specific thread, if the
28908 @var{thread-id} parameter is present, or about all threads.
28909 @var{thread-id} is the thread's global thread ID. When printing
28910 information about all threads, also reports the global ID of the
28911 current thread.
28912
28913 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28914
28915 The @samp{info thread} command prints the same information
28916 about all threads.
28917
28918 @subsubheading Result
28919
28920 The result contains the following attributes:
28921
28922 @table @samp
28923 @item threads
28924 A list of threads. The format of the elements of the list is described in
28925 @ref{GDB/MI Thread Information}.
28926
28927 @item current-thread-id
28928 The global id of the currently selected thread. This field is omitted if there
28929 is no selected thread (for example, when the selected inferior is not running,
28930 and therefore has no threads) or if a @var{thread-id} argument was passed to
28931 the command.
28932
28933 @end table
28934
28935 @subsubheading Example
28936
28937 @smallexample
28938 -thread-info
28939 ^done,threads=[
28940 @{id="2",target-id="Thread 0xb7e14b90 (LWP 21257)",
28941 frame=@{level="0",addr="0xffffe410",func="__kernel_vsyscall",
28942 args=[]@},state="running"@},
28943 @{id="1",target-id="Thread 0xb7e156b0 (LWP 21254)",
28944 frame=@{level="0",addr="0x0804891f",func="foo",
28945 args=[@{name="i",value="10"@}],
28946 file="/tmp/a.c",fullname="/tmp/a.c",line="158"@},
28947 state="running"@}],
28948 current-thread-id="1"
28949 (gdb)
28950 @end smallexample
28951
28952 @subheading The @code{-thread-list-ids} Command
28953 @findex -thread-list-ids
28954
28955 @subsubheading Synopsis
28956
28957 @smallexample
28958 -thread-list-ids
28959 @end smallexample
28960
28961 Produces a list of the currently known global @value{GDBN} thread ids.
28962 At the end of the list it also prints the total number of such
28963 threads.
28964
28965 This command is retained for historical reasons, the
28966 @code{-thread-info} command should be used instead.
28967
28968 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28969
28970 Part of @samp{info threads} supplies the same information.
28971
28972 @subsubheading Example
28973
28974 @smallexample
28975 (gdb)
28976 -thread-list-ids
28977 ^done,thread-ids=@{thread-id="3",thread-id="2",thread-id="1"@},
28978 current-thread-id="1",number-of-threads="3"
28979 (gdb)
28980 @end smallexample
28981
28982
28983 @subheading The @code{-thread-select} Command
28984 @findex -thread-select
28985
28986 @subsubheading Synopsis
28987
28988 @smallexample
28989 -thread-select @var{thread-id}
28990 @end smallexample
28991
28992 Make thread with global thread number @var{thread-id} the current
28993 thread. It prints the number of the new current thread, and the
28994 topmost frame for that thread.
28995
28996 This command is deprecated in favor of explicitly using the
28997 @samp{--thread} option to each command.
28998
28999 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29000
29001 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{thread}.
29002
29003 @subsubheading Example
29004
29005 @smallexample
29006 (gdb)
29007 -exec-next
29008 ^running
29009 (gdb)
29010 *stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",thread-id="2",line="187",
29011 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.threads/linux-dp.c"
29012 (gdb)
29013 -thread-list-ids
29014 ^done,
29015 thread-ids=@{thread-id="3",thread-id="2",thread-id="1"@},
29016 number-of-threads="3"
29017 (gdb)
29018 -thread-select 3
29019 ^done,new-thread-id="3",
29020 frame=@{level="0",func="vprintf",
29021 args=[@{name="format",value="0x8048e9c \"%*s%c %d %c\\n\""@},
29022 @{name="arg",value="0x2"@}],file="vprintf.c",line="31"@}
29023 (gdb)
29024 @end smallexample
29025
29026 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
29027 @node GDB/MI Ada Tasking Commands
29028 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Ada Tasking Commands
29029
29030 @subheading The @code{-ada-task-info} Command
29031 @findex -ada-task-info
29032
29033 @subsubheading Synopsis
29034
29035 @smallexample
29036 -ada-task-info [ @var{task-id} ]
29037 @end smallexample
29038
29039 Reports information about either a specific Ada task, if the
29040 @var{task-id} parameter is present, or about all Ada tasks.
29041
29042 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29043
29044 The @samp{info tasks} command prints the same information
29045 about all Ada tasks (@pxref{Ada Tasks}).
29046
29047 @subsubheading Result
29048
29049 The result is a table of Ada tasks. The following columns are
29050 defined for each Ada task:
29051
29052 @table @samp
29053 @item current
29054 This field exists only for the current thread. It has the value @samp{*}.
29055
29056 @item id
29057 The identifier that @value{GDBN} uses to refer to the Ada task.
29058
29059 @item task-id
29060 The identifier that the target uses to refer to the Ada task.
29061
29062 @item thread-id
29063 The global thread identifier of the thread corresponding to the Ada
29064 task.
29065
29066 This field should always exist, as Ada tasks are always implemented
29067 on top of a thread. But if @value{GDBN} cannot find this corresponding
29068 thread for any reason, the field is omitted.
29069
29070 @item parent-id
29071 This field exists only when the task was created by another task.
29072 In this case, it provides the ID of the parent task.
29073
29074 @item priority
29075 The base priority of the task.
29076
29077 @item state
29078 The current state of the task. For a detailed description of the
29079 possible states, see @ref{Ada Tasks}.
29080
29081 @item name
29082 The name of the task.
29083
29084 @end table
29085
29086 @subsubheading Example
29087
29088 @smallexample
29089 -ada-task-info
29090 ^done,tasks=@{nr_rows="3",nr_cols="8",
29091 hdr=[@{width="1",alignment="-1",col_name="current",colhdr=""@},
29092 @{width="3",alignment="1",col_name="id",colhdr="ID"@},
29093 @{width="9",alignment="1",col_name="task-id",colhdr="TID"@},
29094 @{width="4",alignment="1",col_name="thread-id",colhdr=""@},
29095 @{width="4",alignment="1",col_name="parent-id",colhdr="P-ID"@},
29096 @{width="3",alignment="1",col_name="priority",colhdr="Pri"@},
29097 @{width="22",alignment="-1",col_name="state",colhdr="State"@},
29098 @{width="1",alignment="2",col_name="name",colhdr="Name"@}],
29099 body=[@{current="*",id="1",task-id=" 644010",thread-id="1",priority="48",
29100 state="Child Termination Wait",name="main_task"@}]@}
29101 (gdb)
29102 @end smallexample
29103
29104 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
29105 @node GDB/MI Program Execution
29106 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Program Execution
29107
29108 These are the asynchronous commands which generate the out-of-band
29109 record @samp{*stopped}. Currently @value{GDBN} only really executes
29110 asynchronously with remote targets and this interaction is mimicked in
29111 other cases.
29112
29113 @subheading The @code{-exec-continue} Command
29114 @findex -exec-continue
29115
29116 @subsubheading Synopsis
29117
29118 @smallexample
29119 -exec-continue [--reverse] [--all|--thread-group N]
29120 @end smallexample
29121
29122 Resumes the execution of the inferior program, which will continue
29123 to execute until it reaches a debugger stop event. If the
29124 @samp{--reverse} option is specified, execution resumes in reverse until
29125 it reaches a stop event. Stop events may include
29126 @itemize @bullet
29127 @item
29128 breakpoints or watchpoints
29129 @item
29130 signals or exceptions
29131 @item
29132 the end of the process (or its beginning under @samp{--reverse})
29133 @item
29134 the end or beginning of a replay log if one is being used.
29135 @end itemize
29136 In all-stop mode (@pxref{All-Stop
29137 Mode}), may resume only one thread, or all threads, depending on the
29138 value of the @samp{scheduler-locking} variable. If @samp{--all} is
29139 specified, all threads (in all inferiors) will be resumed. The @samp{--all} option is
29140 ignored in all-stop mode. If the @samp{--thread-group} options is
29141 specified, then all threads in that thread group are resumed.
29142
29143 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29144
29145 The corresponding @value{GDBN} corresponding is @samp{continue}.
29146
29147 @subsubheading Example
29148
29149 @smallexample
29150 -exec-continue
29151 ^running
29152 (gdb)
29153 @@Hello world
29154 *stopped,reason="breakpoint-hit",disp="keep",bkptno="2",frame=@{
29155 func="foo",args=[],file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/hello.c",
29156 line="13"@}
29157 (gdb)
29158 @end smallexample
29159
29160
29161 @subheading The @code{-exec-finish} Command
29162 @findex -exec-finish
29163
29164 @subsubheading Synopsis
29165
29166 @smallexample
29167 -exec-finish [--reverse]
29168 @end smallexample
29169
29170 Resumes the execution of the inferior program until the current
29171 function is exited. Displays the results returned by the function.
29172 If the @samp{--reverse} option is specified, resumes the reverse
29173 execution of the inferior program until the point where current
29174 function was called.
29175
29176 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29177
29178 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{finish}.
29179
29180 @subsubheading Example
29181
29182 Function returning @code{void}.
29183
29184 @smallexample
29185 -exec-finish
29186 ^running
29187 (gdb)
29188 @@hello from foo
29189 *stopped,reason="function-finished",frame=@{func="main",args=[],
29190 file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/hello.c",line="7"@}
29191 (gdb)
29192 @end smallexample
29193
29194 Function returning other than @code{void}. The name of the internal
29195 @value{GDBN} variable storing the result is printed, together with the
29196 value itself.
29197
29198 @smallexample
29199 -exec-finish
29200 ^running
29201 (gdb)
29202 *stopped,reason="function-finished",frame=@{addr="0x000107b0",func="foo",
29203 args=[@{name="a",value="1"],@{name="b",value="9"@}@},
29204 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
29205 gdb-result-var="$1",return-value="0"
29206 (gdb)
29207 @end smallexample
29208
29209
29210 @subheading The @code{-exec-interrupt} Command
29211 @findex -exec-interrupt
29212
29213 @subsubheading Synopsis
29214
29215 @smallexample
29216 -exec-interrupt [--all|--thread-group N]
29217 @end smallexample
29218
29219 Interrupts the background execution of the target. Note how the token
29220 associated with the stop message is the one for the execution command
29221 that has been interrupted. The token for the interrupt itself only
29222 appears in the @samp{^done} output. If the user is trying to
29223 interrupt a non-running program, an error message will be printed.
29224
29225 Note that when asynchronous execution is enabled, this command is
29226 asynchronous just like other execution commands. That is, first the
29227 @samp{^done} response will be printed, and the target stop will be
29228 reported after that using the @samp{*stopped} notification.
29229
29230 In non-stop mode, only the context thread is interrupted by default.
29231 All threads (in all inferiors) will be interrupted if the
29232 @samp{--all} option is specified. If the @samp{--thread-group}
29233 option is specified, all threads in that group will be interrupted.
29234
29235 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29236
29237 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{interrupt}.
29238
29239 @subsubheading Example
29240
29241 @smallexample
29242 (gdb)
29243 111-exec-continue
29244 111^running
29245
29246 (gdb)
29247 222-exec-interrupt
29248 222^done
29249 (gdb)
29250 111*stopped,signal-name="SIGINT",signal-meaning="Interrupt",
29251 frame=@{addr="0x00010140",func="foo",args=[],file="try.c",
29252 fullname="/home/foo/bar/try.c",line="13"@}
29253 (gdb)
29254
29255 (gdb)
29256 -exec-interrupt
29257 ^error,msg="mi_cmd_exec_interrupt: Inferior not executing."
29258 (gdb)
29259 @end smallexample
29260
29261 @subheading The @code{-exec-jump} Command
29262 @findex -exec-jump
29263
29264 @subsubheading Synopsis
29265
29266 @smallexample
29267 -exec-jump @var{location}
29268 @end smallexample
29269
29270 Resumes execution of the inferior program at the location specified by
29271 parameter. @xref{Specify Location}, for a description of the
29272 different forms of @var{location}.
29273
29274 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29275
29276 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{jump}.
29277
29278 @subsubheading Example
29279
29280 @smallexample
29281 -exec-jump foo.c:10
29282 *running,thread-id="all"
29283 ^running
29284 @end smallexample
29285
29286
29287 @subheading The @code{-exec-next} Command
29288 @findex -exec-next
29289
29290 @subsubheading Synopsis
29291
29292 @smallexample
29293 -exec-next [--reverse]
29294 @end smallexample
29295
29296 Resumes execution of the inferior program, stopping when the beginning
29297 of the next source line is reached.
29298
29299 If the @samp{--reverse} option is specified, resumes reverse execution
29300 of the inferior program, stopping at the beginning of the previous
29301 source line. If you issue this command on the first line of a
29302 function, it will take you back to the caller of that function, to the
29303 source line where the function was called.
29304
29305
29306 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29307
29308 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{next}.
29309
29310 @subsubheading Example
29311
29312 @smallexample
29313 -exec-next
29314 ^running
29315 (gdb)
29316 *stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",line="8",file="hello.c"
29317 (gdb)
29318 @end smallexample
29319
29320
29321 @subheading The @code{-exec-next-instruction} Command
29322 @findex -exec-next-instruction
29323
29324 @subsubheading Synopsis
29325
29326 @smallexample
29327 -exec-next-instruction [--reverse]
29328 @end smallexample
29329
29330 Executes one machine instruction. If the instruction is a function
29331 call, continues until the function returns. If the program stops at an
29332 instruction in the middle of a source line, the address will be
29333 printed as well.
29334
29335 If the @samp{--reverse} option is specified, resumes reverse execution
29336 of the inferior program, stopping at the previous instruction. If the
29337 previously executed instruction was a return from another function,
29338 it will continue to execute in reverse until the call to that function
29339 (from the current stack frame) is reached.
29340
29341 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29342
29343 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{nexti}.
29344
29345 @subsubheading Example
29346
29347 @smallexample
29348 (gdb)
29349 -exec-next-instruction
29350 ^running
29351
29352 (gdb)
29353 *stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",
29354 addr="0x000100d4",line="5",file="hello.c"
29355 (gdb)
29356 @end smallexample
29357
29358
29359 @subheading The @code{-exec-return} Command
29360 @findex -exec-return
29361
29362 @subsubheading Synopsis
29363
29364 @smallexample
29365 -exec-return
29366 @end smallexample
29367
29368 Makes current function return immediately. Doesn't execute the inferior.
29369 Displays the new current frame.
29370
29371 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29372
29373 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{return}.
29374
29375 @subsubheading Example
29376
29377 @smallexample
29378 (gdb)
29379 200-break-insert callee4
29380 200^done,bkpt=@{number="1",addr="0x00010734",
29381 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="8"@}
29382 (gdb)
29383 000-exec-run
29384 000^running
29385 (gdb)
29386 000*stopped,reason="breakpoint-hit",disp="keep",bkptno="1",
29387 frame=@{func="callee4",args=[],
29388 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
29389 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="8"@}
29390 (gdb)
29391 205-break-delete
29392 205^done
29393 (gdb)
29394 111-exec-return
29395 111^done,frame=@{level="0",func="callee3",
29396 args=[@{name="strarg",
29397 value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@}],
29398 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
29399 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="18"@}
29400 (gdb)
29401 @end smallexample
29402
29403
29404 @subheading The @code{-exec-run} Command
29405 @findex -exec-run
29406
29407 @subsubheading Synopsis
29408
29409 @smallexample
29410 -exec-run [ --all | --thread-group N ] [ --start ]
29411 @end smallexample
29412
29413 Starts execution of the inferior from the beginning. The inferior
29414 executes until either a breakpoint is encountered or the program
29415 exits. In the latter case the output will include an exit code, if
29416 the program has exited exceptionally.
29417
29418 When neither the @samp{--all} nor the @samp{--thread-group} option
29419 is specified, the current inferior is started. If the
29420 @samp{--thread-group} option is specified, it should refer to a thread
29421 group of type @samp{process}, and that thread group will be started.
29422 If the @samp{--all} option is specified, then all inferiors will be started.
29423
29424 Using the @samp{--start} option instructs the debugger to stop
29425 the execution at the start of the inferior's main subprogram,
29426 following the same behavior as the @code{start} command
29427 (@pxref{Starting}).
29428
29429 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29430
29431 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{run}.
29432
29433 @subsubheading Examples
29434
29435 @smallexample
29436 (gdb)
29437 -break-insert main
29438 ^done,bkpt=@{number="1",addr="0x0001072c",file="recursive2.c",line="4"@}
29439 (gdb)
29440 -exec-run
29441 ^running
29442 (gdb)
29443 *stopped,reason="breakpoint-hit",disp="keep",bkptno="1",
29444 frame=@{func="main",args=[],file="recursive2.c",
29445 fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="4"@}
29446 (gdb)
29447 @end smallexample
29448
29449 @noindent
29450 Program exited normally:
29451
29452 @smallexample
29453 (gdb)
29454 -exec-run
29455 ^running
29456 (gdb)
29457 x = 55
29458 *stopped,reason="exited-normally"
29459 (gdb)
29460 @end smallexample
29461
29462 @noindent
29463 Program exited exceptionally:
29464
29465 @smallexample
29466 (gdb)
29467 -exec-run
29468 ^running
29469 (gdb)
29470 x = 55
29471 *stopped,reason="exited",exit-code="01"
29472 (gdb)
29473 @end smallexample
29474
29475 Another way the program can terminate is if it receives a signal such as
29476 @code{SIGINT}. In this case, @sc{gdb/mi} displays this:
29477
29478 @smallexample
29479 (gdb)
29480 *stopped,reason="exited-signalled",signal-name="SIGINT",
29481 signal-meaning="Interrupt"
29482 @end smallexample
29483
29484
29485 @c @subheading -exec-signal
29486
29487
29488 @subheading The @code{-exec-step} Command
29489 @findex -exec-step
29490
29491 @subsubheading Synopsis
29492
29493 @smallexample
29494 -exec-step [--reverse]
29495 @end smallexample
29496
29497 Resumes execution of the inferior program, stopping when the beginning
29498 of the next source line is reached, if the next source line is not a
29499 function call. If it is, stop at the first instruction of the called
29500 function. If the @samp{--reverse} option is specified, resumes reverse
29501 execution of the inferior program, stopping at the beginning of the
29502 previously executed source line.
29503
29504 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29505
29506 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{step}.
29507
29508 @subsubheading Example
29509
29510 Stepping into a function:
29511
29512 @smallexample
29513 -exec-step
29514 ^running
29515 (gdb)
29516 *stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",
29517 frame=@{func="foo",args=[@{name="a",value="10"@},
29518 @{name="b",value="0"@}],file="recursive2.c",
29519 fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="11"@}
29520 (gdb)
29521 @end smallexample
29522
29523 Regular stepping:
29524
29525 @smallexample
29526 -exec-step
29527 ^running
29528 (gdb)
29529 *stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",line="14",file="recursive2.c"
29530 (gdb)
29531 @end smallexample
29532
29533
29534 @subheading The @code{-exec-step-instruction} Command
29535 @findex -exec-step-instruction
29536
29537 @subsubheading Synopsis
29538
29539 @smallexample
29540 -exec-step-instruction [--reverse]
29541 @end smallexample
29542
29543 Resumes the inferior which executes one machine instruction. If the
29544 @samp{--reverse} option is specified, resumes reverse execution of the
29545 inferior program, stopping at the previously executed instruction.
29546 The output, once @value{GDBN} has stopped, will vary depending on
29547 whether we have stopped in the middle of a source line or not. In the
29548 former case, the address at which the program stopped will be printed
29549 as well.
29550
29551 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29552
29553 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{stepi}.
29554
29555 @subsubheading Example
29556
29557 @smallexample
29558 (gdb)
29559 -exec-step-instruction
29560 ^running
29561
29562 (gdb)
29563 *stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",
29564 frame=@{func="foo",args=[],file="try.c",
29565 fullname="/home/foo/bar/try.c",line="10"@}
29566 (gdb)
29567 -exec-step-instruction
29568 ^running
29569
29570 (gdb)
29571 *stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",
29572 frame=@{addr="0x000100f4",func="foo",args=[],file="try.c",
29573 fullname="/home/foo/bar/try.c",line="10"@}
29574 (gdb)
29575 @end smallexample
29576
29577
29578 @subheading The @code{-exec-until} Command
29579 @findex -exec-until
29580
29581 @subsubheading Synopsis
29582
29583 @smallexample
29584 -exec-until [ @var{location} ]
29585 @end smallexample
29586
29587 Executes the inferior until the @var{location} specified in the
29588 argument is reached. If there is no argument, the inferior executes
29589 until a source line greater than the current one is reached. The
29590 reason for stopping in this case will be @samp{location-reached}.
29591
29592 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29593
29594 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{until}.
29595
29596 @subsubheading Example
29597
29598 @smallexample
29599 (gdb)
29600 -exec-until recursive2.c:6
29601 ^running
29602 (gdb)
29603 x = 55
29604 *stopped,reason="location-reached",frame=@{func="main",args=[],
29605 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="6"@}
29606 (gdb)
29607 @end smallexample
29608
29609 @ignore
29610 @subheading -file-clear
29611 Is this going away????
29612 @end ignore
29613
29614 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
29615 @node GDB/MI Stack Manipulation
29616 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Stack Manipulation Commands
29617
29618 @subheading The @code{-enable-frame-filters} Command
29619 @findex -enable-frame-filters
29620
29621 @smallexample
29622 -enable-frame-filters
29623 @end smallexample
29624
29625 @value{GDBN} allows Python-based frame filters to affect the output of
29626 the MI commands relating to stack traces. As there is no way to
29627 implement this in a fully backward-compatible way, a front end must
29628 request that this functionality be enabled.
29629
29630 Once enabled, this feature cannot be disabled.
29631
29632 Note that if Python support has not been compiled into @value{GDBN},
29633 this command will still succeed (and do nothing).
29634
29635 @subheading The @code{-stack-info-frame} Command
29636 @findex -stack-info-frame
29637
29638 @subsubheading Synopsis
29639
29640 @smallexample
29641 -stack-info-frame
29642 @end smallexample
29643
29644 Get info on the selected frame.
29645
29646 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29647
29648 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info frame} or @samp{frame}
29649 (without arguments).
29650
29651 @subsubheading Example
29652
29653 @smallexample
29654 (gdb)
29655 -stack-info-frame
29656 ^done,frame=@{level="1",addr="0x0001076c",func="callee3",
29657 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
29658 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="17"@}
29659 (gdb)
29660 @end smallexample
29661
29662 @subheading The @code{-stack-info-depth} Command
29663 @findex -stack-info-depth
29664
29665 @subsubheading Synopsis
29666
29667 @smallexample
29668 -stack-info-depth [ @var{max-depth} ]
29669 @end smallexample
29670
29671 Return the depth of the stack. If the integer argument @var{max-depth}
29672 is specified, do not count beyond @var{max-depth} frames.
29673
29674 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29675
29676 There's no equivalent @value{GDBN} command.
29677
29678 @subsubheading Example
29679
29680 For a stack with frame levels 0 through 11:
29681
29682 @smallexample
29683 (gdb)
29684 -stack-info-depth
29685 ^done,depth="12"
29686 (gdb)
29687 -stack-info-depth 4
29688 ^done,depth="4"
29689 (gdb)
29690 -stack-info-depth 12
29691 ^done,depth="12"
29692 (gdb)
29693 -stack-info-depth 11
29694 ^done,depth="11"
29695 (gdb)
29696 -stack-info-depth 13
29697 ^done,depth="12"
29698 (gdb)
29699 @end smallexample
29700
29701 @anchor{-stack-list-arguments}
29702 @subheading The @code{-stack-list-arguments} Command
29703 @findex -stack-list-arguments
29704
29705 @subsubheading Synopsis
29706
29707 @smallexample
29708 -stack-list-arguments [ --no-frame-filters ] [ --skip-unavailable ] @var{print-values}
29709 [ @var{low-frame} @var{high-frame} ]
29710 @end smallexample
29711
29712 Display a list of the arguments for the frames between @var{low-frame}
29713 and @var{high-frame} (inclusive). If @var{low-frame} and
29714 @var{high-frame} are not provided, list the arguments for the whole
29715 call stack. If the two arguments are equal, show the single frame
29716 at the corresponding level. It is an error if @var{low-frame} is
29717 larger than the actual number of frames. On the other hand,
29718 @var{high-frame} may be larger than the actual number of frames, in
29719 which case only existing frames will be returned.
29720
29721 If @var{print-values} is 0 or @code{--no-values}, print only the names of
29722 the variables; if it is 1 or @code{--all-values}, print also their
29723 values; and if it is 2 or @code{--simple-values}, print the name,
29724 type and value for simple data types, and the name and type for arrays,
29725 structures and unions. If the option @code{--no-frame-filters} is
29726 supplied, then Python frame filters will not be executed.
29727
29728 If the @code{--skip-unavailable} option is specified, arguments that
29729 are not available are not listed. Partially available arguments
29730 are still displayed, however.
29731
29732 Use of this command to obtain arguments in a single frame is
29733 deprecated in favor of the @samp{-stack-list-variables} command.
29734
29735 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29736
29737 @value{GDBN} does not have an equivalent command. @code{gdbtk} has a
29738 @samp{gdb_get_args} command which partially overlaps with the
29739 functionality of @samp{-stack-list-arguments}.
29740
29741 @subsubheading Example
29742
29743 @smallexample
29744 (gdb)
29745 -stack-list-frames
29746 ^done,
29747 stack=[
29748 frame=@{level="0",addr="0x00010734",func="callee4",
29749 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
29750 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="8"@},
29751 frame=@{level="1",addr="0x0001076c",func="callee3",
29752 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
29753 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="17"@},
29754 frame=@{level="2",addr="0x0001078c",func="callee2",
29755 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
29756 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="22"@},
29757 frame=@{level="3",addr="0x000107b4",func="callee1",
29758 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
29759 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="27"@},
29760 frame=@{level="4",addr="0x000107e0",func="main",
29761 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
29762 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="32"@}]
29763 (gdb)
29764 -stack-list-arguments 0
29765 ^done,
29766 stack-args=[
29767 frame=@{level="0",args=[]@},
29768 frame=@{level="1",args=[name="strarg"]@},
29769 frame=@{level="2",args=[name="intarg",name="strarg"]@},
29770 frame=@{level="3",args=[name="intarg",name="strarg",name="fltarg"]@},
29771 frame=@{level="4",args=[]@}]
29772 (gdb)
29773 -stack-list-arguments 1
29774 ^done,
29775 stack-args=[
29776 frame=@{level="0",args=[]@},
29777 frame=@{level="1",
29778 args=[@{name="strarg",value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@}]@},
29779 frame=@{level="2",args=[
29780 @{name="intarg",value="2"@},
29781 @{name="strarg",value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@}]@},
29782 @{frame=@{level="3",args=[
29783 @{name="intarg",value="2"@},
29784 @{name="strarg",value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@},
29785 @{name="fltarg",value="3.5"@}]@},
29786 frame=@{level="4",args=[]@}]
29787 (gdb)
29788 -stack-list-arguments 0 2 2
29789 ^done,stack-args=[frame=@{level="2",args=[name="intarg",name="strarg"]@}]
29790 (gdb)
29791 -stack-list-arguments 1 2 2
29792 ^done,stack-args=[frame=@{level="2",
29793 args=[@{name="intarg",value="2"@},
29794 @{name="strarg",value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@}]@}]
29795 (gdb)
29796 @end smallexample
29797
29798 @c @subheading -stack-list-exception-handlers
29799
29800
29801 @anchor{-stack-list-frames}
29802 @subheading The @code{-stack-list-frames} Command
29803 @findex -stack-list-frames
29804
29805 @subsubheading Synopsis
29806
29807 @smallexample
29808 -stack-list-frames [ --no-frame-filters @var{low-frame} @var{high-frame} ]
29809 @end smallexample
29810
29811 List the frames currently on the stack. For each frame it displays the
29812 following info:
29813
29814 @table @samp
29815 @item @var{level}
29816 The frame number, 0 being the topmost frame, i.e., the innermost function.
29817 @item @var{addr}
29818 The @code{$pc} value for that frame.
29819 @item @var{func}
29820 Function name.
29821 @item @var{file}
29822 File name of the source file where the function lives.
29823 @item @var{fullname}
29824 The full file name of the source file where the function lives.
29825 @item @var{line}
29826 Line number corresponding to the @code{$pc}.
29827 @item @var{from}
29828 The shared library where this function is defined. This is only given
29829 if the frame's function is not known.
29830 @end table
29831
29832 If invoked without arguments, this command prints a backtrace for the
29833 whole stack. If given two integer arguments, it shows the frames whose
29834 levels are between the two arguments (inclusive). If the two arguments
29835 are equal, it shows the single frame at the corresponding level. It is
29836 an error if @var{low-frame} is larger than the actual number of
29837 frames. On the other hand, @var{high-frame} may be larger than the
29838 actual number of frames, in which case only existing frames will be
29839 returned. If the option @code{--no-frame-filters} is supplied, then
29840 Python frame filters will not be executed.
29841
29842 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29843
29844 The corresponding @value{GDBN} commands are @samp{backtrace} and @samp{where}.
29845
29846 @subsubheading Example
29847
29848 Full stack backtrace:
29849
29850 @smallexample
29851 (gdb)
29852 -stack-list-frames
29853 ^done,stack=
29854 [frame=@{level="0",addr="0x0001076c",func="foo",
29855 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="11"@},
29856 frame=@{level="1",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
29857 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
29858 frame=@{level="2",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
29859 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
29860 frame=@{level="3",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
29861 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
29862 frame=@{level="4",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
29863 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
29864 frame=@{level="5",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
29865 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
29866 frame=@{level="6",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
29867 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
29868 frame=@{level="7",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
29869 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
29870 frame=@{level="8",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
29871 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
29872 frame=@{level="9",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
29873 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
29874 frame=@{level="10",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
29875 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
29876 frame=@{level="11",addr="0x00010738",func="main",
29877 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="4"@}]
29878 (gdb)
29879 @end smallexample
29880
29881 Show frames between @var{low_frame} and @var{high_frame}:
29882
29883 @smallexample
29884 (gdb)
29885 -stack-list-frames 3 5
29886 ^done,stack=
29887 [frame=@{level="3",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
29888 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
29889 frame=@{level="4",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
29890 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
29891 frame=@{level="5",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
29892 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@}]
29893 (gdb)
29894 @end smallexample
29895
29896 Show a single frame:
29897
29898 @smallexample
29899 (gdb)
29900 -stack-list-frames 3 3
29901 ^done,stack=
29902 [frame=@{level="3",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
29903 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@}]
29904 (gdb)
29905 @end smallexample
29906
29907
29908 @subheading The @code{-stack-list-locals} Command
29909 @findex -stack-list-locals
29910 @anchor{-stack-list-locals}
29911
29912 @subsubheading Synopsis
29913
29914 @smallexample
29915 -stack-list-locals [ --no-frame-filters ] [ --skip-unavailable ] @var{print-values}
29916 @end smallexample
29917
29918 Display the local variable names for the selected frame. If
29919 @var{print-values} is 0 or @code{--no-values}, print only the names of
29920 the variables; if it is 1 or @code{--all-values}, print also their
29921 values; and if it is 2 or @code{--simple-values}, print the name,
29922 type and value for simple data types, and the name and type for arrays,
29923 structures and unions. In this last case, a frontend can immediately
29924 display the value of simple data types and create variable objects for
29925 other data types when the user wishes to explore their values in
29926 more detail. If the option @code{--no-frame-filters} is supplied, then
29927 Python frame filters will not be executed.
29928
29929 If the @code{--skip-unavailable} option is specified, local variables
29930 that are not available are not listed. Partially available local
29931 variables are still displayed, however.
29932
29933 This command is deprecated in favor of the
29934 @samp{-stack-list-variables} command.
29935
29936 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29937
29938 @samp{info locals} in @value{GDBN}, @samp{gdb_get_locals} in @code{gdbtk}.
29939
29940 @subsubheading Example
29941
29942 @smallexample
29943 (gdb)
29944 -stack-list-locals 0
29945 ^done,locals=[name="A",name="B",name="C"]
29946 (gdb)
29947 -stack-list-locals --all-values
29948 ^done,locals=[@{name="A",value="1"@},@{name="B",value="2"@},
29949 @{name="C",value="@{1, 2, 3@}"@}]
29950 -stack-list-locals --simple-values
29951 ^done,locals=[@{name="A",type="int",value="1"@},
29952 @{name="B",type="int",value="2"@},@{name="C",type="int [3]"@}]
29953 (gdb)
29954 @end smallexample
29955
29956 @anchor{-stack-list-variables}
29957 @subheading The @code{-stack-list-variables} Command
29958 @findex -stack-list-variables
29959
29960 @subsubheading Synopsis
29961
29962 @smallexample
29963 -stack-list-variables [ --no-frame-filters ] [ --skip-unavailable ] @var{print-values}
29964 @end smallexample
29965
29966 Display the names of local variables and function arguments for the selected frame. If
29967 @var{print-values} is 0 or @code{--no-values}, print only the names of
29968 the variables; if it is 1 or @code{--all-values}, print also their
29969 values; and if it is 2 or @code{--simple-values}, print the name,
29970 type and value for simple data types, and the name and type for arrays,
29971 structures and unions. If the option @code{--no-frame-filters} is
29972 supplied, then Python frame filters will not be executed.
29973
29974 If the @code{--skip-unavailable} option is specified, local variables
29975 and arguments that are not available are not listed. Partially
29976 available arguments and local variables are still displayed, however.
29977
29978 @subsubheading Example
29979
29980 @smallexample
29981 (gdb)
29982 -stack-list-variables --thread 1 --frame 0 --all-values
29983 ^done,variables=[@{name="x",value="11"@},@{name="s",value="@{a = 1, b = 2@}"@}]
29984 (gdb)
29985 @end smallexample
29986
29987
29988 @subheading The @code{-stack-select-frame} Command
29989 @findex -stack-select-frame
29990
29991 @subsubheading Synopsis
29992
29993 @smallexample
29994 -stack-select-frame @var{framenum}
29995 @end smallexample
29996
29997 Change the selected frame. Select a different frame @var{framenum} on
29998 the stack.
29999
30000 This command in deprecated in favor of passing the @samp{--frame}
30001 option to every command.
30002
30003 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30004
30005 The corresponding @value{GDBN} commands are @samp{frame}, @samp{up},
30006 @samp{down}, @samp{select-frame}, @samp{up-silent}, and @samp{down-silent}.
30007
30008 @subsubheading Example
30009
30010 @smallexample
30011 (gdb)
30012 -stack-select-frame 2
30013 ^done
30014 (gdb)
30015 @end smallexample
30016
30017 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
30018 @node GDB/MI Variable Objects
30019 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Variable Objects
30020
30021 @ignore
30022
30023 @subheading Motivation for Variable Objects in @sc{gdb/mi}
30024
30025 For the implementation of a variable debugger window (locals, watched
30026 expressions, etc.), we are proposing the adaptation of the existing code
30027 used by @code{Insight}.
30028
30029 The two main reasons for that are:
30030
30031 @enumerate 1
30032 @item
30033 It has been proven in practice (it is already on its second generation).
30034
30035 @item
30036 It will shorten development time (needless to say how important it is
30037 now).
30038 @end enumerate
30039
30040 The original interface was designed to be used by Tcl code, so it was
30041 slightly changed so it could be used through @sc{gdb/mi}. This section
30042 describes the @sc{gdb/mi} operations that will be available and gives some
30043 hints about their use.
30044
30045 @emph{Note}: In addition to the set of operations described here, we
30046 expect the @sc{gui} implementation of a variable window to require, at
30047 least, the following operations:
30048
30049 @itemize @bullet
30050 @item @code{-gdb-show} @code{output-radix}
30051 @item @code{-stack-list-arguments}
30052 @item @code{-stack-list-locals}
30053 @item @code{-stack-select-frame}
30054 @end itemize
30055
30056 @end ignore
30057
30058 @subheading Introduction to Variable Objects
30059
30060 @cindex variable objects in @sc{gdb/mi}
30061
30062 Variable objects are "object-oriented" MI interface for examining and
30063 changing values of expressions. Unlike some other MI interfaces that
30064 work with expressions, variable objects are specifically designed for
30065 simple and efficient presentation in the frontend. A variable object
30066 is identified by string name. When a variable object is created, the
30067 frontend specifies the expression for that variable object. The
30068 expression can be a simple variable, or it can be an arbitrary complex
30069 expression, and can even involve CPU registers. After creating a
30070 variable object, the frontend can invoke other variable object
30071 operations---for example to obtain or change the value of a variable
30072 object, or to change display format.
30073
30074 Variable objects have hierarchical tree structure. Any variable object
30075 that corresponds to a composite type, such as structure in C, has
30076 a number of child variable objects, for example corresponding to each
30077 element of a structure. A child variable object can itself have
30078 children, recursively. Recursion ends when we reach
30079 leaf variable objects, which always have built-in types. Child variable
30080 objects are created only by explicit request, so if a frontend
30081 is not interested in the children of a particular variable object, no
30082 child will be created.
30083
30084 For a leaf variable object it is possible to obtain its value as a
30085 string, or set the value from a string. String value can be also
30086 obtained for a non-leaf variable object, but it's generally a string
30087 that only indicates the type of the object, and does not list its
30088 contents. Assignment to a non-leaf variable object is not allowed.
30089
30090 A frontend does not need to read the values of all variable objects each time
30091 the program stops. Instead, MI provides an update command that lists all
30092 variable objects whose values has changed since the last update
30093 operation. This considerably reduces the amount of data that must
30094 be transferred to the frontend. As noted above, children variable
30095 objects are created on demand, and only leaf variable objects have a
30096 real value. As result, gdb will read target memory only for leaf
30097 variables that frontend has created.
30098
30099 The automatic update is not always desirable. For example, a frontend
30100 might want to keep a value of some expression for future reference,
30101 and never update it. For another example, fetching memory is
30102 relatively slow for embedded targets, so a frontend might want
30103 to disable automatic update for the variables that are either not
30104 visible on the screen, or ``closed''. This is possible using so
30105 called ``frozen variable objects''. Such variable objects are never
30106 implicitly updated.
30107
30108 Variable objects can be either @dfn{fixed} or @dfn{floating}. For the
30109 fixed variable object, the expression is parsed when the variable
30110 object is created, including associating identifiers to specific
30111 variables. The meaning of expression never changes. For a floating
30112 variable object the values of variables whose names appear in the
30113 expressions are re-evaluated every time in the context of the current
30114 frame. Consider this example:
30115
30116 @smallexample
30117 void do_work(...)
30118 @{
30119 struct work_state state;
30120
30121 if (...)
30122 do_work(...);
30123 @}
30124 @end smallexample
30125
30126 If a fixed variable object for the @code{state} variable is created in
30127 this function, and we enter the recursive call, the variable
30128 object will report the value of @code{state} in the top-level
30129 @code{do_work} invocation. On the other hand, a floating variable
30130 object will report the value of @code{state} in the current frame.
30131
30132 If an expression specified when creating a fixed variable object
30133 refers to a local variable, the variable object becomes bound to the
30134 thread and frame in which the variable object is created. When such
30135 variable object is updated, @value{GDBN} makes sure that the
30136 thread/frame combination the variable object is bound to still exists,
30137 and re-evaluates the variable object in context of that thread/frame.
30138
30139 The following is the complete set of @sc{gdb/mi} operations defined to
30140 access this functionality:
30141
30142 @multitable @columnfractions .4 .6
30143 @item @strong{Operation}
30144 @tab @strong{Description}
30145
30146 @item @code{-enable-pretty-printing}
30147 @tab enable Python-based pretty-printing
30148 @item @code{-var-create}
30149 @tab create a variable object
30150 @item @code{-var-delete}
30151 @tab delete the variable object and/or its children
30152 @item @code{-var-set-format}
30153 @tab set the display format of this variable
30154 @item @code{-var-show-format}
30155 @tab show the display format of this variable
30156 @item @code{-var-info-num-children}
30157 @tab tells how many children this object has
30158 @item @code{-var-list-children}
30159 @tab return a list of the object's children
30160 @item @code{-var-info-type}
30161 @tab show the type of this variable object
30162 @item @code{-var-info-expression}
30163 @tab print parent-relative expression that this variable object represents
30164 @item @code{-var-info-path-expression}
30165 @tab print full expression that this variable object represents
30166 @item @code{-var-show-attributes}
30167 @tab is this variable editable? does it exist here?
30168 @item @code{-var-evaluate-expression}
30169 @tab get the value of this variable
30170 @item @code{-var-assign}
30171 @tab set the value of this variable
30172 @item @code{-var-update}
30173 @tab update the variable and its children
30174 @item @code{-var-set-frozen}
30175 @tab set frozeness attribute
30176 @item @code{-var-set-update-range}
30177 @tab set range of children to display on update
30178 @end multitable
30179
30180 In the next subsection we describe each operation in detail and suggest
30181 how it can be used.
30182
30183 @subheading Description And Use of Operations on Variable Objects
30184
30185 @subheading The @code{-enable-pretty-printing} Command
30186 @findex -enable-pretty-printing
30187
30188 @smallexample
30189 -enable-pretty-printing
30190 @end smallexample
30191
30192 @value{GDBN} allows Python-based visualizers to affect the output of the
30193 MI variable object commands. However, because there was no way to
30194 implement this in a fully backward-compatible way, a front end must
30195 request that this functionality be enabled.
30196
30197 Once enabled, this feature cannot be disabled.
30198
30199 Note that if Python support has not been compiled into @value{GDBN},
30200 this command will still succeed (and do nothing).
30201
30202 This feature is currently (as of @value{GDBN} 7.0) experimental, and
30203 may work differently in future versions of @value{GDBN}.
30204
30205 @subheading The @code{-var-create} Command
30206 @findex -var-create
30207
30208 @subsubheading Synopsis
30209
30210 @smallexample
30211 -var-create @{@var{name} | "-"@}
30212 @{@var{frame-addr} | "*" | "@@"@} @var{expression}
30213 @end smallexample
30214
30215 This operation creates a variable object, which allows the monitoring of
30216 a variable, the result of an expression, a memory cell or a CPU
30217 register.
30218
30219 The @var{name} parameter is the string by which the object can be
30220 referenced. It must be unique. If @samp{-} is specified, the varobj
30221 system will generate a string ``varNNNNNN'' automatically. It will be
30222 unique provided that one does not specify @var{name} of that format.
30223 The command fails if a duplicate name is found.
30224
30225 The frame under which the expression should be evaluated can be
30226 specified by @var{frame-addr}. A @samp{*} indicates that the current
30227 frame should be used. A @samp{@@} indicates that a floating variable
30228 object must be created.
30229
30230 @var{expression} is any expression valid on the current language set (must not
30231 begin with a @samp{*}), or one of the following:
30232
30233 @itemize @bullet
30234 @item
30235 @samp{*@var{addr}}, where @var{addr} is the address of a memory cell
30236
30237 @item
30238 @samp{*@var{addr}-@var{addr}} --- a memory address range (TBD)
30239
30240 @item
30241 @samp{$@var{regname}} --- a CPU register name
30242 @end itemize
30243
30244 @cindex dynamic varobj
30245 A varobj's contents may be provided by a Python-based pretty-printer. In this
30246 case the varobj is known as a @dfn{dynamic varobj}. Dynamic varobjs
30247 have slightly different semantics in some cases. If the
30248 @code{-enable-pretty-printing} command is not sent, then @value{GDBN}
30249 will never create a dynamic varobj. This ensures backward
30250 compatibility for existing clients.
30251
30252 @subsubheading Result
30253
30254 This operation returns attributes of the newly-created varobj. These
30255 are:
30256
30257 @table @samp
30258 @item name
30259 The name of the varobj.
30260
30261 @item numchild
30262 The number of children of the varobj. This number is not necessarily
30263 reliable for a dynamic varobj. Instead, you must examine the
30264 @samp{has_more} attribute.
30265
30266 @item value
30267 The varobj's scalar value. For a varobj whose type is some sort of
30268 aggregate (e.g., a @code{struct}), or for a dynamic varobj, this value
30269 will not be interesting.
30270
30271 @item type
30272 The varobj's type. This is a string representation of the type, as
30273 would be printed by the @value{GDBN} CLI. If @samp{print object}
30274 (@pxref{Print Settings, set print object}) is set to @code{on}, the
30275 @emph{actual} (derived) type of the object is shown rather than the
30276 @emph{declared} one.
30277
30278 @item thread-id
30279 If a variable object is bound to a specific thread, then this is the
30280 thread's global identifier.
30281
30282 @item has_more
30283 For a dynamic varobj, this indicates whether there appear to be any
30284 children available. For a non-dynamic varobj, this will be 0.
30285
30286 @item dynamic
30287 This attribute will be present and have the value @samp{1} if the
30288 varobj is a dynamic varobj. If the varobj is not a dynamic varobj,
30289 then this attribute will not be present.
30290
30291 @item displayhint
30292 A dynamic varobj can supply a display hint to the front end. The
30293 value comes directly from the Python pretty-printer object's
30294 @code{display_hint} method. @xref{Pretty Printing API}.
30295 @end table
30296
30297 Typical output will look like this:
30298
30299 @smallexample
30300 name="@var{name}",numchild="@var{N}",type="@var{type}",thread-id="@var{M}",
30301 has_more="@var{has_more}"
30302 @end smallexample
30303
30304
30305 @subheading The @code{-var-delete} Command
30306 @findex -var-delete
30307
30308 @subsubheading Synopsis
30309
30310 @smallexample
30311 -var-delete [ -c ] @var{name}
30312 @end smallexample
30313
30314 Deletes a previously created variable object and all of its children.
30315 With the @samp{-c} option, just deletes the children.
30316
30317 Returns an error if the object @var{name} is not found.
30318
30319
30320 @subheading The @code{-var-set-format} Command
30321 @findex -var-set-format
30322
30323 @subsubheading Synopsis
30324
30325 @smallexample
30326 -var-set-format @var{name} @var{format-spec}
30327 @end smallexample
30328
30329 Sets the output format for the value of the object @var{name} to be
30330 @var{format-spec}.
30331
30332 @anchor{-var-set-format}
30333 The syntax for the @var{format-spec} is as follows:
30334
30335 @smallexample
30336 @var{format-spec} @expansion{}
30337 @{binary | decimal | hexadecimal | octal | natural | zero-hexadecimal@}
30338 @end smallexample
30339
30340 The natural format is the default format choosen automatically
30341 based on the variable type (like decimal for an @code{int}, hex
30342 for pointers, etc.).
30343
30344 The zero-hexadecimal format has a representation similar to hexadecimal
30345 but with padding zeroes to the left of the value. For example, a 32-bit
30346 hexadecimal value of 0x1234 would be represented as 0x00001234 in the
30347 zero-hexadecimal format.
30348
30349 For a variable with children, the format is set only on the
30350 variable itself, and the children are not affected.
30351
30352 @subheading The @code{-var-show-format} Command
30353 @findex -var-show-format
30354
30355 @subsubheading Synopsis
30356
30357 @smallexample
30358 -var-show-format @var{name}
30359 @end smallexample
30360
30361 Returns the format used to display the value of the object @var{name}.
30362
30363 @smallexample
30364 @var{format} @expansion{}
30365 @var{format-spec}
30366 @end smallexample
30367
30368
30369 @subheading The @code{-var-info-num-children} Command
30370 @findex -var-info-num-children
30371
30372 @subsubheading Synopsis
30373
30374 @smallexample
30375 -var-info-num-children @var{name}
30376 @end smallexample
30377
30378 Returns the number of children of a variable object @var{name}:
30379
30380 @smallexample
30381 numchild=@var{n}
30382 @end smallexample
30383
30384 Note that this number is not completely reliable for a dynamic varobj.
30385 It will return the current number of children, but more children may
30386 be available.
30387
30388
30389 @subheading The @code{-var-list-children} Command
30390 @findex -var-list-children
30391
30392 @subsubheading Synopsis
30393
30394 @smallexample
30395 -var-list-children [@var{print-values}] @var{name} [@var{from} @var{to}]
30396 @end smallexample
30397 @anchor{-var-list-children}
30398
30399 Return a list of the children of the specified variable object and
30400 create variable objects for them, if they do not already exist. With
30401 a single argument or if @var{print-values} has a value of 0 or
30402 @code{--no-values}, print only the names of the variables; if
30403 @var{print-values} is 1 or @code{--all-values}, also print their
30404 values; and if it is 2 or @code{--simple-values} print the name and
30405 value for simple data types and just the name for arrays, structures
30406 and unions.
30407
30408 @var{from} and @var{to}, if specified, indicate the range of children
30409 to report. If @var{from} or @var{to} is less than zero, the range is
30410 reset and all children will be reported. Otherwise, children starting
30411 at @var{from} (zero-based) and up to and excluding @var{to} will be
30412 reported.
30413
30414 If a child range is requested, it will only affect the current call to
30415 @code{-var-list-children}, but not future calls to @code{-var-update}.
30416 For this, you must instead use @code{-var-set-update-range}. The
30417 intent of this approach is to enable a front end to implement any
30418 update approach it likes; for example, scrolling a view may cause the
30419 front end to request more children with @code{-var-list-children}, and
30420 then the front end could call @code{-var-set-update-range} with a
30421 different range to ensure that future updates are restricted to just
30422 the visible items.
30423
30424 For each child the following results are returned:
30425
30426 @table @var
30427
30428 @item name
30429 Name of the variable object created for this child.
30430
30431 @item exp
30432 The expression to be shown to the user by the front end to designate this child.
30433 For example this may be the name of a structure member.
30434
30435 For a dynamic varobj, this value cannot be used to form an
30436 expression. There is no way to do this at all with a dynamic varobj.
30437
30438 For C/C@t{++} structures there are several pseudo children returned to
30439 designate access qualifiers. For these pseudo children @var{exp} is
30440 @samp{public}, @samp{private}, or @samp{protected}. In this case the
30441 type and value are not present.
30442
30443 A dynamic varobj will not report the access qualifying
30444 pseudo-children, regardless of the language. This information is not
30445 available at all with a dynamic varobj.
30446
30447 @item numchild
30448 Number of children this child has. For a dynamic varobj, this will be
30449 0.
30450
30451 @item type
30452 The type of the child. If @samp{print object}
30453 (@pxref{Print Settings, set print object}) is set to @code{on}, the
30454 @emph{actual} (derived) type of the object is shown rather than the
30455 @emph{declared} one.
30456
30457 @item value
30458 If values were requested, this is the value.
30459
30460 @item thread-id
30461 If this variable object is associated with a thread, this is the
30462 thread's global thread id. Otherwise this result is not present.
30463
30464 @item frozen
30465 If the variable object is frozen, this variable will be present with a value of 1.
30466
30467 @item displayhint
30468 A dynamic varobj can supply a display hint to the front end. The
30469 value comes directly from the Python pretty-printer object's
30470 @code{display_hint} method. @xref{Pretty Printing API}.
30471
30472 @item dynamic
30473 This attribute will be present and have the value @samp{1} if the
30474 varobj is a dynamic varobj. If the varobj is not a dynamic varobj,
30475 then this attribute will not be present.
30476
30477 @end table
30478
30479 The result may have its own attributes:
30480
30481 @table @samp
30482 @item displayhint
30483 A dynamic varobj can supply a display hint to the front end. The
30484 value comes directly from the Python pretty-printer object's
30485 @code{display_hint} method. @xref{Pretty Printing API}.
30486
30487 @item has_more
30488 This is an integer attribute which is nonzero if there are children
30489 remaining after the end of the selected range.
30490 @end table
30491
30492 @subsubheading Example
30493
30494 @smallexample
30495 (gdb)
30496 -var-list-children n
30497 ^done,numchild=@var{n},children=[child=@{name=@var{name},exp=@var{exp},
30498 numchild=@var{n},type=@var{type}@},@r{(repeats N times)}]
30499 (gdb)
30500 -var-list-children --all-values n
30501 ^done,numchild=@var{n},children=[child=@{name=@var{name},exp=@var{exp},
30502 numchild=@var{n},value=@var{value},type=@var{type}@},@r{(repeats N times)}]
30503 @end smallexample
30504
30505
30506 @subheading The @code{-var-info-type} Command
30507 @findex -var-info-type
30508
30509 @subsubheading Synopsis
30510
30511 @smallexample
30512 -var-info-type @var{name}
30513 @end smallexample
30514
30515 Returns the type of the specified variable @var{name}. The type is
30516 returned as a string in the same format as it is output by the
30517 @value{GDBN} CLI:
30518
30519 @smallexample
30520 type=@var{typename}
30521 @end smallexample
30522
30523
30524 @subheading The @code{-var-info-expression} Command
30525 @findex -var-info-expression
30526
30527 @subsubheading Synopsis
30528
30529 @smallexample
30530 -var-info-expression @var{name}
30531 @end smallexample
30532
30533 Returns a string that is suitable for presenting this
30534 variable object in user interface. The string is generally
30535 not valid expression in the current language, and cannot be evaluated.
30536
30537 For example, if @code{a} is an array, and variable object
30538 @code{A} was created for @code{a}, then we'll get this output:
30539
30540 @smallexample
30541 (gdb) -var-info-expression A.1
30542 ^done,lang="C",exp="1"
30543 @end smallexample
30544
30545 @noindent
30546 Here, the value of @code{lang} is the language name, which can be
30547 found in @ref{Supported Languages}.
30548
30549 Note that the output of the @code{-var-list-children} command also
30550 includes those expressions, so the @code{-var-info-expression} command
30551 is of limited use.
30552
30553 @subheading The @code{-var-info-path-expression} Command
30554 @findex -var-info-path-expression
30555
30556 @subsubheading Synopsis
30557
30558 @smallexample
30559 -var-info-path-expression @var{name}
30560 @end smallexample
30561
30562 Returns an expression that can be evaluated in the current
30563 context and will yield the same value that a variable object has.
30564 Compare this with the @code{-var-info-expression} command, which
30565 result can be used only for UI presentation. Typical use of
30566 the @code{-var-info-path-expression} command is creating a
30567 watchpoint from a variable object.
30568
30569 This command is currently not valid for children of a dynamic varobj,
30570 and will give an error when invoked on one.
30571
30572 For example, suppose @code{C} is a C@t{++} class, derived from class
30573 @code{Base}, and that the @code{Base} class has a member called
30574 @code{m_size}. Assume a variable @code{c} is has the type of
30575 @code{C} and a variable object @code{C} was created for variable
30576 @code{c}. Then, we'll get this output:
30577 @smallexample
30578 (gdb) -var-info-path-expression C.Base.public.m_size
30579 ^done,path_expr=((Base)c).m_size)
30580 @end smallexample
30581
30582 @subheading The @code{-var-show-attributes} Command
30583 @findex -var-show-attributes
30584
30585 @subsubheading Synopsis
30586
30587 @smallexample
30588 -var-show-attributes @var{name}
30589 @end smallexample
30590
30591 List attributes of the specified variable object @var{name}:
30592
30593 @smallexample
30594 status=@var{attr} [ ( ,@var{attr} )* ]
30595 @end smallexample
30596
30597 @noindent
30598 where @var{attr} is @code{@{ @{ editable | noneditable @} | TBD @}}.
30599
30600 @subheading The @code{-var-evaluate-expression} Command
30601 @findex -var-evaluate-expression
30602
30603 @subsubheading Synopsis
30604
30605 @smallexample
30606 -var-evaluate-expression [-f @var{format-spec}] @var{name}
30607 @end smallexample
30608
30609 Evaluates the expression that is represented by the specified variable
30610 object and returns its value as a string. The format of the string
30611 can be specified with the @samp{-f} option. The possible values of
30612 this option are the same as for @code{-var-set-format}
30613 (@pxref{-var-set-format}). If the @samp{-f} option is not specified,
30614 the current display format will be used. The current display format
30615 can be changed using the @code{-var-set-format} command.
30616
30617 @smallexample
30618 value=@var{value}
30619 @end smallexample
30620
30621 Note that one must invoke @code{-var-list-children} for a variable
30622 before the value of a child variable can be evaluated.
30623
30624 @subheading The @code{-var-assign} Command
30625 @findex -var-assign
30626
30627 @subsubheading Synopsis
30628
30629 @smallexample
30630 -var-assign @var{name} @var{expression}
30631 @end smallexample
30632
30633 Assigns the value of @var{expression} to the variable object specified
30634 by @var{name}. The object must be @samp{editable}. If the variable's
30635 value is altered by the assign, the variable will show up in any
30636 subsequent @code{-var-update} list.
30637
30638 @subsubheading Example
30639
30640 @smallexample
30641 (gdb)
30642 -var-assign var1 3
30643 ^done,value="3"
30644 (gdb)
30645 -var-update *
30646 ^done,changelist=[@{name="var1",in_scope="true",type_changed="false"@}]
30647 (gdb)
30648 @end smallexample
30649
30650 @subheading The @code{-var-update} Command
30651 @findex -var-update
30652
30653 @subsubheading Synopsis
30654
30655 @smallexample
30656 -var-update [@var{print-values}] @{@var{name} | "*"@}
30657 @end smallexample
30658
30659 Reevaluate the expressions corresponding to the variable object
30660 @var{name} and all its direct and indirect children, and return the
30661 list of variable objects whose values have changed; @var{name} must
30662 be a root variable object. Here, ``changed'' means that the result of
30663 @code{-var-evaluate-expression} before and after the
30664 @code{-var-update} is different. If @samp{*} is used as the variable
30665 object names, all existing variable objects are updated, except
30666 for frozen ones (@pxref{-var-set-frozen}). The option
30667 @var{print-values} determines whether both names and values, or just
30668 names are printed. The possible values of this option are the same
30669 as for @code{-var-list-children} (@pxref{-var-list-children}). It is
30670 recommended to use the @samp{--all-values} option, to reduce the
30671 number of MI commands needed on each program stop.
30672
30673 With the @samp{*} parameter, if a variable object is bound to a
30674 currently running thread, it will not be updated, without any
30675 diagnostic.
30676
30677 If @code{-var-set-update-range} was previously used on a varobj, then
30678 only the selected range of children will be reported.
30679
30680 @code{-var-update} reports all the changed varobjs in a tuple named
30681 @samp{changelist}.
30682
30683 Each item in the change list is itself a tuple holding:
30684
30685 @table @samp
30686 @item name
30687 The name of the varobj.
30688
30689 @item value
30690 If values were requested for this update, then this field will be
30691 present and will hold the value of the varobj.
30692
30693 @item in_scope
30694 @anchor{-var-update}
30695 This field is a string which may take one of three values:
30696
30697 @table @code
30698 @item "true"
30699 The variable object's current value is valid.
30700
30701 @item "false"
30702 The variable object does not currently hold a valid value but it may
30703 hold one in the future if its associated expression comes back into
30704 scope.
30705
30706 @item "invalid"
30707 The variable object no longer holds a valid value.
30708 This can occur when the executable file being debugged has changed,
30709 either through recompilation or by using the @value{GDBN} @code{file}
30710 command. The front end should normally choose to delete these variable
30711 objects.
30712 @end table
30713
30714 In the future new values may be added to this list so the front should
30715 be prepared for this possibility. @xref{GDB/MI Development and Front Ends, ,@sc{GDB/MI} Development and Front Ends}.
30716
30717 @item type_changed
30718 This is only present if the varobj is still valid. If the type
30719 changed, then this will be the string @samp{true}; otherwise it will
30720 be @samp{false}.
30721
30722 When a varobj's type changes, its children are also likely to have
30723 become incorrect. Therefore, the varobj's children are automatically
30724 deleted when this attribute is @samp{true}. Also, the varobj's update
30725 range, when set using the @code{-var-set-update-range} command, is
30726 unset.
30727
30728 @item new_type
30729 If the varobj's type changed, then this field will be present and will
30730 hold the new type.
30731
30732 @item new_num_children
30733 For a dynamic varobj, if the number of children changed, or if the
30734 type changed, this will be the new number of children.
30735
30736 The @samp{numchild} field in other varobj responses is generally not
30737 valid for a dynamic varobj -- it will show the number of children that
30738 @value{GDBN} knows about, but because dynamic varobjs lazily
30739 instantiate their children, this will not reflect the number of
30740 children which may be available.
30741
30742 The @samp{new_num_children} attribute only reports changes to the
30743 number of children known by @value{GDBN}. This is the only way to
30744 detect whether an update has removed children (which necessarily can
30745 only happen at the end of the update range).
30746
30747 @item displayhint
30748 The display hint, if any.
30749
30750 @item has_more
30751 This is an integer value, which will be 1 if there are more children
30752 available outside the varobj's update range.
30753
30754 @item dynamic
30755 This attribute will be present and have the value @samp{1} if the
30756 varobj is a dynamic varobj. If the varobj is not a dynamic varobj,
30757 then this attribute will not be present.
30758
30759 @item new_children
30760 If new children were added to a dynamic varobj within the selected
30761 update range (as set by @code{-var-set-update-range}), then they will
30762 be listed in this attribute.
30763 @end table
30764
30765 @subsubheading Example
30766
30767 @smallexample
30768 (gdb)
30769 -var-assign var1 3
30770 ^done,value="3"
30771 (gdb)
30772 -var-update --all-values var1
30773 ^done,changelist=[@{name="var1",value="3",in_scope="true",
30774 type_changed="false"@}]
30775 (gdb)
30776 @end smallexample
30777
30778 @subheading The @code{-var-set-frozen} Command
30779 @findex -var-set-frozen
30780 @anchor{-var-set-frozen}
30781
30782 @subsubheading Synopsis
30783
30784 @smallexample
30785 -var-set-frozen @var{name} @var{flag}
30786 @end smallexample
30787
30788 Set the frozenness flag on the variable object @var{name}. The
30789 @var{flag} parameter should be either @samp{1} to make the variable
30790 frozen or @samp{0} to make it unfrozen. If a variable object is
30791 frozen, then neither itself, nor any of its children, are
30792 implicitly updated by @code{-var-update} of
30793 a parent variable or by @code{-var-update *}. Only
30794 @code{-var-update} of the variable itself will update its value and
30795 values of its children. After a variable object is unfrozen, it is
30796 implicitly updated by all subsequent @code{-var-update} operations.
30797 Unfreezing a variable does not update it, only subsequent
30798 @code{-var-update} does.
30799
30800 @subsubheading Example
30801
30802 @smallexample
30803 (gdb)
30804 -var-set-frozen V 1
30805 ^done
30806 (gdb)
30807 @end smallexample
30808
30809 @subheading The @code{-var-set-update-range} command
30810 @findex -var-set-update-range
30811 @anchor{-var-set-update-range}
30812
30813 @subsubheading Synopsis
30814
30815 @smallexample
30816 -var-set-update-range @var{name} @var{from} @var{to}
30817 @end smallexample
30818
30819 Set the range of children to be returned by future invocations of
30820 @code{-var-update}.
30821
30822 @var{from} and @var{to} indicate the range of children to report. If
30823 @var{from} or @var{to} is less than zero, the range is reset and all
30824 children will be reported. Otherwise, children starting at @var{from}
30825 (zero-based) and up to and excluding @var{to} will be reported.
30826
30827 @subsubheading Example
30828
30829 @smallexample
30830 (gdb)
30831 -var-set-update-range V 1 2
30832 ^done
30833 @end smallexample
30834
30835 @subheading The @code{-var-set-visualizer} command
30836 @findex -var-set-visualizer
30837 @anchor{-var-set-visualizer}
30838
30839 @subsubheading Synopsis
30840
30841 @smallexample
30842 -var-set-visualizer @var{name} @var{visualizer}
30843 @end smallexample
30844
30845 Set a visualizer for the variable object @var{name}.
30846
30847 @var{visualizer} is the visualizer to use. The special value
30848 @samp{None} means to disable any visualizer in use.
30849
30850 If not @samp{None}, @var{visualizer} must be a Python expression.
30851 This expression must evaluate to a callable object which accepts a
30852 single argument. @value{GDBN} will call this object with the value of
30853 the varobj @var{name} as an argument (this is done so that the same
30854 Python pretty-printing code can be used for both the CLI and MI).
30855 When called, this object must return an object which conforms to the
30856 pretty-printing interface (@pxref{Pretty Printing API}).
30857
30858 The pre-defined function @code{gdb.default_visualizer} may be used to
30859 select a visualizer by following the built-in process
30860 (@pxref{Selecting Pretty-Printers}). This is done automatically when
30861 a varobj is created, and so ordinarily is not needed.
30862
30863 This feature is only available if Python support is enabled. The MI
30864 command @code{-list-features} (@pxref{GDB/MI Support Commands})
30865 can be used to check this.
30866
30867 @subsubheading Example
30868
30869 Resetting the visualizer:
30870
30871 @smallexample
30872 (gdb)
30873 -var-set-visualizer V None
30874 ^done
30875 @end smallexample
30876
30877 Reselecting the default (type-based) visualizer:
30878
30879 @smallexample
30880 (gdb)
30881 -var-set-visualizer V gdb.default_visualizer
30882 ^done
30883 @end smallexample
30884
30885 Suppose @code{SomeClass} is a visualizer class. A lambda expression
30886 can be used to instantiate this class for a varobj:
30887
30888 @smallexample
30889 (gdb)
30890 -var-set-visualizer V "lambda val: SomeClass()"
30891 ^done
30892 @end smallexample
30893
30894 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
30895 @node GDB/MI Data Manipulation
30896 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Data Manipulation
30897
30898 @cindex data manipulation, in @sc{gdb/mi}
30899 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, data manipulation
30900 This section describes the @sc{gdb/mi} commands that manipulate data:
30901 examine memory and registers, evaluate expressions, etc.
30902
30903 For details about what an addressable memory unit is,
30904 @pxref{addressable memory unit}.
30905
30906 @c REMOVED FROM THE INTERFACE.
30907 @c @subheading -data-assign
30908 @c Change the value of a program variable. Plenty of side effects.
30909 @c @subsubheading GDB Command
30910 @c set variable
30911 @c @subsubheading Example
30912 @c N.A.
30913
30914 @subheading The @code{-data-disassemble} Command
30915 @findex -data-disassemble
30916
30917 @subsubheading Synopsis
30918
30919 @smallexample
30920 -data-disassemble
30921 [ -s @var{start-addr} -e @var{end-addr} ]
30922 | [ -f @var{filename} -l @var{linenum} [ -n @var{lines} ] ]
30923 -- @var{mode}
30924 @end smallexample
30925
30926 @noindent
30927 Where:
30928
30929 @table @samp
30930 @item @var{start-addr}
30931 is the beginning address (or @code{$pc})
30932 @item @var{end-addr}
30933 is the end address
30934 @item @var{filename}
30935 is the name of the file to disassemble
30936 @item @var{linenum}
30937 is the line number to disassemble around
30938 @item @var{lines}
30939 is the number of disassembly lines to be produced. If it is -1,
30940 the whole function will be disassembled, in case no @var{end-addr} is
30941 specified. If @var{end-addr} is specified as a non-zero value, and
30942 @var{lines} is lower than the number of disassembly lines between
30943 @var{start-addr} and @var{end-addr}, only @var{lines} lines are
30944 displayed; if @var{lines} is higher than the number of lines between
30945 @var{start-addr} and @var{end-addr}, only the lines up to @var{end-addr}
30946 are displayed.
30947 @item @var{mode}
30948 is one of:
30949 @itemize @bullet
30950 @item 0 disassembly only
30951 @item 1 mixed source and disassembly (deprecated)
30952 @item 2 disassembly with raw opcodes
30953 @item 3 mixed source and disassembly with raw opcodes (deprecated)
30954 @item 4 mixed source and disassembly
30955 @item 5 mixed source and disassembly with raw opcodes
30956 @end itemize
30957
30958 Modes 1 and 3 are deprecated. The output is ``source centric''
30959 which hasn't proved useful in practice.
30960 @xref{Machine Code}, for a discussion of the difference between
30961 @code{/m} and @code{/s} output of the @code{disassemble} command.
30962 @end table
30963
30964 @subsubheading Result
30965
30966 The result of the @code{-data-disassemble} command will be a list named
30967 @samp{asm_insns}, the contents of this list depend on the @var{mode}
30968 used with the @code{-data-disassemble} command.
30969
30970 For modes 0 and 2 the @samp{asm_insns} list contains tuples with the
30971 following fields:
30972
30973 @table @code
30974 @item address
30975 The address at which this instruction was disassembled.
30976
30977 @item func-name
30978 The name of the function this instruction is within.
30979
30980 @item offset
30981 The decimal offset in bytes from the start of @samp{func-name}.
30982
30983 @item inst
30984 The text disassembly for this @samp{address}.
30985
30986 @item opcodes
30987 This field is only present for modes 2, 3 and 5. This contains the raw opcode
30988 bytes for the @samp{inst} field.
30989
30990 @end table
30991
30992 For modes 1, 3, 4 and 5 the @samp{asm_insns} list contains tuples named
30993 @samp{src_and_asm_line}, each of which has the following fields:
30994
30995 @table @code
30996 @item line
30997 The line number within @samp{file}.
30998
30999 @item file
31000 The file name from the compilation unit. This might be an absolute
31001 file name or a relative file name depending on the compile command
31002 used.
31003
31004 @item fullname
31005 Absolute file name of @samp{file}. It is converted to a canonical form
31006 using the source file search path
31007 (@pxref{Source Path, ,Specifying Source Directories})
31008 and after resolving all the symbolic links.
31009
31010 If the source file is not found this field will contain the path as
31011 present in the debug information.
31012
31013 @item line_asm_insn
31014 This is a list of tuples containing the disassembly for @samp{line} in
31015 @samp{file}. The fields of each tuple are the same as for
31016 @code{-data-disassemble} in @var{mode} 0 and 2, so @samp{address},
31017 @samp{func-name}, @samp{offset}, @samp{inst}, and optionally
31018 @samp{opcodes}.
31019
31020 @end table
31021
31022 Note that whatever included in the @samp{inst} field, is not
31023 manipulated directly by @sc{gdb/mi}, i.e., it is not possible to
31024 adjust its format.
31025
31026 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31027
31028 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{disassemble}.
31029
31030 @subsubheading Example
31031
31032 Disassemble from the current value of @code{$pc} to @code{$pc + 20}:
31033
31034 @smallexample
31035 (gdb)
31036 -data-disassemble -s $pc -e "$pc + 20" -- 0
31037 ^done,
31038 asm_insns=[
31039 @{address="0x000107c0",func-name="main",offset="4",
31040 inst="mov 2, %o0"@},
31041 @{address="0x000107c4",func-name="main",offset="8",
31042 inst="sethi %hi(0x11800), %o2"@},
31043 @{address="0x000107c8",func-name="main",offset="12",
31044 inst="or %o2, 0x140, %o1\t! 0x11940 <_lib_version+8>"@},
31045 @{address="0x000107cc",func-name="main",offset="16",
31046 inst="sethi %hi(0x11800), %o2"@},
31047 @{address="0x000107d0",func-name="main",offset="20",
31048 inst="or %o2, 0x168, %o4\t! 0x11968 <_lib_version+48>"@}]
31049 (gdb)
31050 @end smallexample
31051
31052 Disassemble the whole @code{main} function. Line 32 is part of
31053 @code{main}.
31054
31055 @smallexample
31056 -data-disassemble -f basics.c -l 32 -- 0
31057 ^done,asm_insns=[
31058 @{address="0x000107bc",func-name="main",offset="0",
31059 inst="save %sp, -112, %sp"@},
31060 @{address="0x000107c0",func-name="main",offset="4",
31061 inst="mov 2, %o0"@},
31062 @{address="0x000107c4",func-name="main",offset="8",
31063 inst="sethi %hi(0x11800), %o2"@},
31064 [@dots{}]
31065 @{address="0x0001081c",func-name="main",offset="96",inst="ret "@},
31066 @{address="0x00010820",func-name="main",offset="100",inst="restore "@}]
31067 (gdb)
31068 @end smallexample
31069
31070 Disassemble 3 instructions from the start of @code{main}:
31071
31072 @smallexample
31073 (gdb)
31074 -data-disassemble -f basics.c -l 32 -n 3 -- 0
31075 ^done,asm_insns=[
31076 @{address="0x000107bc",func-name="main",offset="0",
31077 inst="save %sp, -112, %sp"@},
31078 @{address="0x000107c0",func-name="main",offset="4",
31079 inst="mov 2, %o0"@},
31080 @{address="0x000107c4",func-name="main",offset="8",
31081 inst="sethi %hi(0x11800), %o2"@}]
31082 (gdb)
31083 @end smallexample
31084
31085 Disassemble 3 instructions from the start of @code{main} in mixed mode:
31086
31087 @smallexample
31088 (gdb)
31089 -data-disassemble -f basics.c -l 32 -n 3 -- 1
31090 ^done,asm_insns=[
31091 src_and_asm_line=@{line="31",
31092 file="../../../src/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
31093 fullname="/absolute/path/to/src/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
31094 line_asm_insn=[@{address="0x000107bc",
31095 func-name="main",offset="0",inst="save %sp, -112, %sp"@}]@},
31096 src_and_asm_line=@{line="32",
31097 file="../../../src/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
31098 fullname="/absolute/path/to/src/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
31099 line_asm_insn=[@{address="0x000107c0",
31100 func-name="main",offset="4",inst="mov 2, %o0"@},
31101 @{address="0x000107c4",func-name="main",offset="8",
31102 inst="sethi %hi(0x11800), %o2"@}]@}]
31103 (gdb)
31104 @end smallexample
31105
31106
31107 @subheading The @code{-data-evaluate-expression} Command
31108 @findex -data-evaluate-expression
31109
31110 @subsubheading Synopsis
31111
31112 @smallexample
31113 -data-evaluate-expression @var{expr}
31114 @end smallexample
31115
31116 Evaluate @var{expr} as an expression. The expression could contain an
31117 inferior function call. The function call will execute synchronously.
31118 If the expression contains spaces, it must be enclosed in double quotes.
31119
31120 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31121
31122 The corresponding @value{GDBN} commands are @samp{print}, @samp{output}, and
31123 @samp{call}. In @code{gdbtk} only, there's a corresponding
31124 @samp{gdb_eval} command.
31125
31126 @subsubheading Example
31127
31128 In the following example, the numbers that precede the commands are the
31129 @dfn{tokens} described in @ref{GDB/MI Command Syntax, ,@sc{gdb/mi}
31130 Command Syntax}. Notice how @sc{gdb/mi} returns the same tokens in its
31131 output.
31132
31133 @smallexample
31134 211-data-evaluate-expression A
31135 211^done,value="1"
31136 (gdb)
31137 311-data-evaluate-expression &A
31138 311^done,value="0xefffeb7c"
31139 (gdb)
31140 411-data-evaluate-expression A+3
31141 411^done,value="4"
31142 (gdb)
31143 511-data-evaluate-expression "A + 3"
31144 511^done,value="4"
31145 (gdb)
31146 @end smallexample
31147
31148
31149 @subheading The @code{-data-list-changed-registers} Command
31150 @findex -data-list-changed-registers
31151
31152 @subsubheading Synopsis
31153
31154 @smallexample
31155 -data-list-changed-registers
31156 @end smallexample
31157
31158 Display a list of the registers that have changed.
31159
31160 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31161
31162 @value{GDBN} doesn't have a direct analog for this command; @code{gdbtk}
31163 has the corresponding command @samp{gdb_changed_register_list}.
31164
31165 @subsubheading Example
31166
31167 On a PPC MBX board:
31168
31169 @smallexample
31170 (gdb)
31171 -exec-continue
31172 ^running
31173
31174 (gdb)
31175 *stopped,reason="breakpoint-hit",disp="keep",bkptno="1",frame=@{
31176 func="main",args=[],file="try.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/try.c",
31177 line="5"@}
31178 (gdb)
31179 -data-list-changed-registers
31180 ^done,changed-registers=["0","1","2","4","5","6","7","8","9",
31181 "10","11","13","14","15","16","17","18","19","20","21","22","23",
31182 "24","25","26","27","28","30","31","64","65","66","67","69"]
31183 (gdb)
31184 @end smallexample
31185
31186
31187 @subheading The @code{-data-list-register-names} Command
31188 @findex -data-list-register-names
31189
31190 @subsubheading Synopsis
31191
31192 @smallexample
31193 -data-list-register-names [ ( @var{regno} )+ ]
31194 @end smallexample
31195
31196 Show a list of register names for the current target. If no arguments
31197 are given, it shows a list of the names of all the registers. If
31198 integer numbers are given as arguments, it will print a list of the
31199 names of the registers corresponding to the arguments. To ensure
31200 consistency between a register name and its number, the output list may
31201 include empty register names.
31202
31203 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31204
31205 @value{GDBN} does not have a command which corresponds to
31206 @samp{-data-list-register-names}. In @code{gdbtk} there is a
31207 corresponding command @samp{gdb_regnames}.
31208
31209 @subsubheading Example
31210
31211 For the PPC MBX board:
31212 @smallexample
31213 (gdb)
31214 -data-list-register-names
31215 ^done,register-names=["r0","r1","r2","r3","r4","r5","r6","r7",
31216 "r8","r9","r10","r11","r12","r13","r14","r15","r16","r17","r18",
31217 "r19","r20","r21","r22","r23","r24","r25","r26","r27","r28","r29",
31218 "r30","r31","f0","f1","f2","f3","f4","f5","f6","f7","f8","f9",
31219 "f10","f11","f12","f13","f14","f15","f16","f17","f18","f19","f20",
31220 "f21","f22","f23","f24","f25","f26","f27","f28","f29","f30","f31",
31221 "", "pc","ps","cr","lr","ctr","xer"]
31222 (gdb)
31223 -data-list-register-names 1 2 3
31224 ^done,register-names=["r1","r2","r3"]
31225 (gdb)
31226 @end smallexample
31227
31228 @subheading The @code{-data-list-register-values} Command
31229 @findex -data-list-register-values
31230
31231 @subsubheading Synopsis
31232
31233 @smallexample
31234 -data-list-register-values
31235 [ @code{--skip-unavailable} ] @var{fmt} [ ( @var{regno} )*]
31236 @end smallexample
31237
31238 Display the registers' contents. The format according to which the
31239 registers' contents are to be returned is given by @var{fmt}, followed
31240 by an optional list of numbers specifying the registers to display. A
31241 missing list of numbers indicates that the contents of all the
31242 registers must be returned. The @code{--skip-unavailable} option
31243 indicates that only the available registers are to be returned.
31244
31245 Allowed formats for @var{fmt} are:
31246
31247 @table @code
31248 @item x
31249 Hexadecimal
31250 @item o
31251 Octal
31252 @item t
31253 Binary
31254 @item d
31255 Decimal
31256 @item r
31257 Raw
31258 @item N
31259 Natural
31260 @end table
31261
31262 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31263
31264 The corresponding @value{GDBN} commands are @samp{info reg}, @samp{info
31265 all-reg}, and (in @code{gdbtk}) @samp{gdb_fetch_registers}.
31266
31267 @subsubheading Example
31268
31269 For a PPC MBX board (note: line breaks are for readability only, they
31270 don't appear in the actual output):
31271
31272 @smallexample
31273 (gdb)
31274 -data-list-register-values r 64 65
31275 ^done,register-values=[@{number="64",value="0xfe00a300"@},
31276 @{number="65",value="0x00029002"@}]
31277 (gdb)
31278 -data-list-register-values x
31279 ^done,register-values=[@{number="0",value="0xfe0043c8"@},
31280 @{number="1",value="0x3fff88"@},@{number="2",value="0xfffffffe"@},
31281 @{number="3",value="0x0"@},@{number="4",value="0xa"@},
31282 @{number="5",value="0x3fff68"@},@{number="6",value="0x3fff58"@},
31283 @{number="7",value="0xfe011e98"@},@{number="8",value="0x2"@},
31284 @{number="9",value="0xfa202820"@},@{number="10",value="0xfa202808"@},
31285 @{number="11",value="0x1"@},@{number="12",value="0x0"@},
31286 @{number="13",value="0x4544"@},@{number="14",value="0xffdfffff"@},
31287 @{number="15",value="0xffffffff"@},@{number="16",value="0xfffffeff"@},
31288 @{number="17",value="0xefffffed"@},@{number="18",value="0xfffffffe"@},
31289 @{number="19",value="0xffffffff"@},@{number="20",value="0xffffffff"@},
31290 @{number="21",value="0xffffffff"@},@{number="22",value="0xfffffff7"@},
31291 @{number="23",value="0xffffffff"@},@{number="24",value="0xffffffff"@},
31292 @{number="25",value="0xffffffff"@},@{number="26",value="0xfffffffb"@},
31293 @{number="27",value="0xffffffff"@},@{number="28",value="0xf7bfffff"@},
31294 @{number="29",value="0x0"@},@{number="30",value="0xfe010000"@},
31295 @{number="31",value="0x0"@},@{number="32",value="0x0"@},
31296 @{number="33",value="0x0"@},@{number="34",value="0x0"@},
31297 @{number="35",value="0x0"@},@{number="36",value="0x0"@},
31298 @{number="37",value="0x0"@},@{number="38",value="0x0"@},
31299 @{number="39",value="0x0"@},@{number="40",value="0x0"@},
31300 @{number="41",value="0x0"@},@{number="42",value="0x0"@},
31301 @{number="43",value="0x0"@},@{number="44",value="0x0"@},
31302 @{number="45",value="0x0"@},@{number="46",value="0x0"@},
31303 @{number="47",value="0x0"@},@{number="48",value="0x0"@},
31304 @{number="49",value="0x0"@},@{number="50",value="0x0"@},
31305 @{number="51",value="0x0"@},@{number="52",value="0x0"@},
31306 @{number="53",value="0x0"@},@{number="54",value="0x0"@},
31307 @{number="55",value="0x0"@},@{number="56",value="0x0"@},
31308 @{number="57",value="0x0"@},@{number="58",value="0x0"@},
31309 @{number="59",value="0x0"@},@{number="60",value="0x0"@},
31310 @{number="61",value="0x0"@},@{number="62",value="0x0"@},
31311 @{number="63",value="0x0"@},@{number="64",value="0xfe00a300"@},
31312 @{number="65",value="0x29002"@},@{number="66",value="0x202f04b5"@},
31313 @{number="67",value="0xfe0043b0"@},@{number="68",value="0xfe00b3e4"@},
31314 @{number="69",value="0x20002b03"@}]
31315 (gdb)
31316 @end smallexample
31317
31318
31319 @subheading The @code{-data-read-memory} Command
31320 @findex -data-read-memory
31321
31322 This command is deprecated, use @code{-data-read-memory-bytes} instead.
31323
31324 @subsubheading Synopsis
31325
31326 @smallexample
31327 -data-read-memory [ -o @var{byte-offset} ]
31328 @var{address} @var{word-format} @var{word-size}
31329 @var{nr-rows} @var{nr-cols} [ @var{aschar} ]
31330 @end smallexample
31331
31332 @noindent
31333 where:
31334
31335 @table @samp
31336 @item @var{address}
31337 An expression specifying the address of the first memory word to be
31338 read. Complex expressions containing embedded white space should be
31339 quoted using the C convention.
31340
31341 @item @var{word-format}
31342 The format to be used to print the memory words. The notation is the
31343 same as for @value{GDBN}'s @code{print} command (@pxref{Output Formats,
31344 ,Output Formats}).
31345
31346 @item @var{word-size}
31347 The size of each memory word in bytes.
31348
31349 @item @var{nr-rows}
31350 The number of rows in the output table.
31351
31352 @item @var{nr-cols}
31353 The number of columns in the output table.
31354
31355 @item @var{aschar}
31356 If present, indicates that each row should include an @sc{ascii} dump. The
31357 value of @var{aschar} is used as a padding character when a byte is not a
31358 member of the printable @sc{ascii} character set (printable @sc{ascii}
31359 characters are those whose code is between 32 and 126, inclusively).
31360
31361 @item @var{byte-offset}
31362 An offset to add to the @var{address} before fetching memory.
31363 @end table
31364
31365 This command displays memory contents as a table of @var{nr-rows} by
31366 @var{nr-cols} words, each word being @var{word-size} bytes. In total,
31367 @code{@var{nr-rows} * @var{nr-cols} * @var{word-size}} bytes are read
31368 (returned as @samp{total-bytes}). Should less than the requested number
31369 of bytes be returned by the target, the missing words are identified
31370 using @samp{N/A}. The number of bytes read from the target is returned
31371 in @samp{nr-bytes} and the starting address used to read memory in
31372 @samp{addr}.
31373
31374 The address of the next/previous row or page is available in
31375 @samp{next-row} and @samp{prev-row}, @samp{next-page} and
31376 @samp{prev-page}.
31377
31378 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31379
31380 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{x}. @code{gdbtk} has
31381 @samp{gdb_get_mem} memory read command.
31382
31383 @subsubheading Example
31384
31385 Read six bytes of memory starting at @code{bytes+6} but then offset by
31386 @code{-6} bytes. Format as three rows of two columns. One byte per
31387 word. Display each word in hex.
31388
31389 @smallexample
31390 (gdb)
31391 9-data-read-memory -o -6 -- bytes+6 x 1 3 2
31392 9^done,addr="0x00001390",nr-bytes="6",total-bytes="6",
31393 next-row="0x00001396",prev-row="0x0000138e",next-page="0x00001396",
31394 prev-page="0x0000138a",memory=[
31395 @{addr="0x00001390",data=["0x00","0x01"]@},
31396 @{addr="0x00001392",data=["0x02","0x03"]@},
31397 @{addr="0x00001394",data=["0x04","0x05"]@}]
31398 (gdb)
31399 @end smallexample
31400
31401 Read two bytes of memory starting at address @code{shorts + 64} and
31402 display as a single word formatted in decimal.
31403
31404 @smallexample
31405 (gdb)
31406 5-data-read-memory shorts+64 d 2 1 1
31407 5^done,addr="0x00001510",nr-bytes="2",total-bytes="2",
31408 next-row="0x00001512",prev-row="0x0000150e",
31409 next-page="0x00001512",prev-page="0x0000150e",memory=[
31410 @{addr="0x00001510",data=["128"]@}]
31411 (gdb)
31412 @end smallexample
31413
31414 Read thirty two bytes of memory starting at @code{bytes+16} and format
31415 as eight rows of four columns. Include a string encoding with @samp{x}
31416 used as the non-printable character.
31417
31418 @smallexample
31419 (gdb)
31420 4-data-read-memory bytes+16 x 1 8 4 x
31421 4^done,addr="0x000013a0",nr-bytes="32",total-bytes="32",
31422 next-row="0x000013c0",prev-row="0x0000139c",
31423 next-page="0x000013c0",prev-page="0x00001380",memory=[
31424 @{addr="0x000013a0",data=["0x10","0x11","0x12","0x13"],ascii="xxxx"@},
31425 @{addr="0x000013a4",data=["0x14","0x15","0x16","0x17"],ascii="xxxx"@},
31426 @{addr="0x000013a8",data=["0x18","0x19","0x1a","0x1b"],ascii="xxxx"@},
31427 @{addr="0x000013ac",data=["0x1c","0x1d","0x1e","0x1f"],ascii="xxxx"@},
31428 @{addr="0x000013b0",data=["0x20","0x21","0x22","0x23"],ascii=" !\"#"@},
31429 @{addr="0x000013b4",data=["0x24","0x25","0x26","0x27"],ascii="$%&'"@},
31430 @{addr="0x000013b8",data=["0x28","0x29","0x2a","0x2b"],ascii="()*+"@},
31431 @{addr="0x000013bc",data=["0x2c","0x2d","0x2e","0x2f"],ascii=",-./"@}]
31432 (gdb)
31433 @end smallexample
31434
31435 @subheading The @code{-data-read-memory-bytes} Command
31436 @findex -data-read-memory-bytes
31437
31438 @subsubheading Synopsis
31439
31440 @smallexample
31441 -data-read-memory-bytes [ -o @var{offset} ]
31442 @var{address} @var{count}
31443 @end smallexample
31444
31445 @noindent
31446 where:
31447
31448 @table @samp
31449 @item @var{address}
31450 An expression specifying the address of the first addressable memory unit
31451 to be read. Complex expressions containing embedded white space should be
31452 quoted using the C convention.
31453
31454 @item @var{count}
31455 The number of addressable memory units to read. This should be an integer
31456 literal.
31457
31458 @item @var{offset}
31459 The offset relative to @var{address} at which to start reading. This
31460 should be an integer literal. This option is provided so that a frontend
31461 is not required to first evaluate address and then perform address
31462 arithmetics itself.
31463
31464 @end table
31465
31466 This command attempts to read all accessible memory regions in the
31467 specified range. First, all regions marked as unreadable in the memory
31468 map (if one is defined) will be skipped. @xref{Memory Region
31469 Attributes}. Second, @value{GDBN} will attempt to read the remaining
31470 regions. For each one, if reading full region results in an errors,
31471 @value{GDBN} will try to read a subset of the region.
31472
31473 In general, every single memory unit in the region may be readable or not,
31474 and the only way to read every readable unit is to try a read at
31475 every address, which is not practical. Therefore, @value{GDBN} will
31476 attempt to read all accessible memory units at either beginning or the end
31477 of the region, using a binary division scheme. This heuristic works
31478 well for reading accross a memory map boundary. Note that if a region
31479 has a readable range that is neither at the beginning or the end,
31480 @value{GDBN} will not read it.
31481
31482 The result record (@pxref{GDB/MI Result Records}) that is output of
31483 the command includes a field named @samp{memory} whose content is a
31484 list of tuples. Each tuple represent a successfully read memory block
31485 and has the following fields:
31486
31487 @table @code
31488 @item begin
31489 The start address of the memory block, as hexadecimal literal.
31490
31491 @item end
31492 The end address of the memory block, as hexadecimal literal.
31493
31494 @item offset
31495 The offset of the memory block, as hexadecimal literal, relative to
31496 the start address passed to @code{-data-read-memory-bytes}.
31497
31498 @item contents
31499 The contents of the memory block, in hex.
31500
31501 @end table
31502
31503
31504
31505 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31506
31507 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{x}.
31508
31509 @subsubheading Example
31510
31511 @smallexample
31512 (gdb)
31513 -data-read-memory-bytes &a 10
31514 ^done,memory=[@{begin="0xbffff154",offset="0x00000000",
31515 end="0xbffff15e",
31516 contents="01000000020000000300"@}]
31517 (gdb)
31518 @end smallexample
31519
31520
31521 @subheading The @code{-data-write-memory-bytes} Command
31522 @findex -data-write-memory-bytes
31523
31524 @subsubheading Synopsis
31525
31526 @smallexample
31527 -data-write-memory-bytes @var{address} @var{contents}
31528 -data-write-memory-bytes @var{address} @var{contents} @r{[}@var{count}@r{]}
31529 @end smallexample
31530
31531 @noindent
31532 where:
31533
31534 @table @samp
31535 @item @var{address}
31536 An expression specifying the address of the first addressable memory unit
31537 to be written. Complex expressions containing embedded white space should
31538 be quoted using the C convention.
31539
31540 @item @var{contents}
31541 The hex-encoded data to write. It is an error if @var{contents} does
31542 not represent an integral number of addressable memory units.
31543
31544 @item @var{count}
31545 Optional argument indicating the number of addressable memory units to be
31546 written. If @var{count} is greater than @var{contents}' length,
31547 @value{GDBN} will repeatedly write @var{contents} until it fills
31548 @var{count} memory units.
31549
31550 @end table
31551
31552 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31553
31554 There's no corresponding @value{GDBN} command.
31555
31556 @subsubheading Example
31557
31558 @smallexample
31559 (gdb)
31560 -data-write-memory-bytes &a "aabbccdd"
31561 ^done
31562 (gdb)
31563 @end smallexample
31564
31565 @smallexample
31566 (gdb)
31567 -data-write-memory-bytes &a "aabbccdd" 16e
31568 ^done
31569 (gdb)
31570 @end smallexample
31571
31572 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
31573 @node GDB/MI Tracepoint Commands
31574 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Tracepoint Commands
31575
31576 The commands defined in this section implement MI support for
31577 tracepoints. For detailed introduction, see @ref{Tracepoints}.
31578
31579 @subheading The @code{-trace-find} Command
31580 @findex -trace-find
31581
31582 @subsubheading Synopsis
31583
31584 @smallexample
31585 -trace-find @var{mode} [@var{parameters}@dots{}]
31586 @end smallexample
31587
31588 Find a trace frame using criteria defined by @var{mode} and
31589 @var{parameters}. The following table lists permissible
31590 modes and their parameters. For details of operation, see @ref{tfind}.
31591
31592 @table @samp
31593
31594 @item none
31595 No parameters are required. Stops examining trace frames.
31596
31597 @item frame-number
31598 An integer is required as parameter. Selects tracepoint frame with
31599 that index.
31600
31601 @item tracepoint-number
31602 An integer is required as parameter. Finds next
31603 trace frame that corresponds to tracepoint with the specified number.
31604
31605 @item pc
31606 An address is required as parameter. Finds
31607 next trace frame that corresponds to any tracepoint at the specified
31608 address.
31609
31610 @item pc-inside-range
31611 Two addresses are required as parameters. Finds next trace
31612 frame that corresponds to a tracepoint at an address inside the
31613 specified range. Both bounds are considered to be inside the range.
31614
31615 @item pc-outside-range
31616 Two addresses are required as parameters. Finds
31617 next trace frame that corresponds to a tracepoint at an address outside
31618 the specified range. Both bounds are considered to be inside the range.
31619
31620 @item line
31621 Line specification is required as parameter. @xref{Specify Location}.
31622 Finds next trace frame that corresponds to a tracepoint at
31623 the specified location.
31624
31625 @end table
31626
31627 If @samp{none} was passed as @var{mode}, the response does not
31628 have fields. Otherwise, the response may have the following fields:
31629
31630 @table @samp
31631 @item found
31632 This field has either @samp{0} or @samp{1} as the value, depending
31633 on whether a matching tracepoint was found.
31634
31635 @item traceframe
31636 The index of the found traceframe. This field is present iff
31637 the @samp{found} field has value of @samp{1}.
31638
31639 @item tracepoint
31640 The index of the found tracepoint. This field is present iff
31641 the @samp{found} field has value of @samp{1}.
31642
31643 @item frame
31644 The information about the frame corresponding to the found trace
31645 frame. This field is present only if a trace frame was found.
31646 @xref{GDB/MI Frame Information}, for description of this field.
31647
31648 @end table
31649
31650 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31651
31652 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tfind}.
31653
31654 @subheading -trace-define-variable
31655 @findex -trace-define-variable
31656
31657 @subsubheading Synopsis
31658
31659 @smallexample
31660 -trace-define-variable @var{name} [ @var{value} ]
31661 @end smallexample
31662
31663 Create trace variable @var{name} if it does not exist. If
31664 @var{value} is specified, sets the initial value of the specified
31665 trace variable to that value. Note that the @var{name} should start
31666 with the @samp{$} character.
31667
31668 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31669
31670 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tvariable}.
31671
31672 @subheading The @code{-trace-frame-collected} Command
31673 @findex -trace-frame-collected
31674
31675 @subsubheading Synopsis
31676
31677 @smallexample
31678 -trace-frame-collected
31679 [--var-print-values @var{var_pval}]
31680 [--comp-print-values @var{comp_pval}]
31681 [--registers-format @var{regformat}]
31682 [--memory-contents]
31683 @end smallexample
31684
31685 This command returns the set of collected objects, register names,
31686 trace state variable names, memory ranges and computed expressions
31687 that have been collected at a particular trace frame. The optional
31688 parameters to the command affect the output format in different ways.
31689 See the output description table below for more details.
31690
31691 The reported names can be used in the normal manner to create
31692 varobjs and inspect the objects themselves. The items returned by
31693 this command are categorized so that it is clear which is a variable,
31694 which is a register, which is a trace state variable, which is a
31695 memory range and which is a computed expression.
31696
31697 For instance, if the actions were
31698 @smallexample
31699 collect myVar, myArray[myIndex], myObj.field, myPtr->field, myCount + 2
31700 collect *(int*)0xaf02bef0@@40
31701 @end smallexample
31702
31703 @noindent
31704 the object collected in its entirety would be @code{myVar}. The
31705 object @code{myArray} would be partially collected, because only the
31706 element at index @code{myIndex} would be collected. The remaining
31707 objects would be computed expressions.
31708
31709 An example output would be:
31710
31711 @smallexample
31712 (gdb)
31713 -trace-frame-collected
31714 ^done,
31715 explicit-variables=[@{name="myVar",value="1"@}],
31716 computed-expressions=[@{name="myArray[myIndex]",value="0"@},
31717 @{name="myObj.field",value="0"@},
31718 @{name="myPtr->field",value="1"@},
31719 @{name="myCount + 2",value="3"@},
31720 @{name="$tvar1 + 1",value="43970027"@}],
31721 registers=[@{number="0",value="0x7fe2c6e79ec8"@},
31722 @{number="1",value="0x0"@},
31723 @{number="2",value="0x4"@},
31724 ...
31725 @{number="125",value="0x0"@}],
31726 tvars=[@{name="$tvar1",current="43970026"@}],
31727 memory=[@{address="0x0000000000602264",length="4"@},
31728 @{address="0x0000000000615bc0",length="4"@}]
31729 (gdb)
31730 @end smallexample
31731
31732 Where:
31733
31734 @table @code
31735 @item explicit-variables
31736 The set of objects that have been collected in their entirety (as
31737 opposed to collecting just a few elements of an array or a few struct
31738 members). For each object, its name and value are printed.
31739 The @code{--var-print-values} option affects how or whether the value
31740 field is output. If @var{var_pval} is 0, then print only the names;
31741 if it is 1, print also their values; and if it is 2, print the name,
31742 type and value for simple data types, and the name and type for
31743 arrays, structures and unions.
31744
31745 @item computed-expressions
31746 The set of computed expressions that have been collected at the
31747 current trace frame. The @code{--comp-print-values} option affects
31748 this set like the @code{--var-print-values} option affects the
31749 @code{explicit-variables} set. See above.
31750
31751 @item registers
31752 The registers that have been collected at the current trace frame.
31753 For each register collected, the name and current value are returned.
31754 The value is formatted according to the @code{--registers-format}
31755 option. See the @command{-data-list-register-values} command for a
31756 list of the allowed formats. The default is @samp{x}.
31757
31758 @item tvars
31759 The trace state variables that have been collected at the current
31760 trace frame. For each trace state variable collected, the name and
31761 current value are returned.
31762
31763 @item memory
31764 The set of memory ranges that have been collected at the current trace
31765 frame. Its content is a list of tuples. Each tuple represents a
31766 collected memory range and has the following fields:
31767
31768 @table @code
31769 @item address
31770 The start address of the memory range, as hexadecimal literal.
31771
31772 @item length
31773 The length of the memory range, as decimal literal.
31774
31775 @item contents
31776 The contents of the memory block, in hex. This field is only present
31777 if the @code{--memory-contents} option is specified.
31778
31779 @end table
31780
31781 @end table
31782
31783 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31784
31785 There is no corresponding @value{GDBN} command.
31786
31787 @subsubheading Example
31788
31789 @subheading -trace-list-variables
31790 @findex -trace-list-variables
31791
31792 @subsubheading Synopsis
31793
31794 @smallexample
31795 -trace-list-variables
31796 @end smallexample
31797
31798 Return a table of all defined trace variables. Each element of the
31799 table has the following fields:
31800
31801 @table @samp
31802 @item name
31803 The name of the trace variable. This field is always present.
31804
31805 @item initial
31806 The initial value. This is a 64-bit signed integer. This
31807 field is always present.
31808
31809 @item current
31810 The value the trace variable has at the moment. This is a 64-bit
31811 signed integer. This field is absent iff current value is
31812 not defined, for example if the trace was never run, or is
31813 presently running.
31814
31815 @end table
31816
31817 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31818
31819 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tvariables}.
31820
31821 @subsubheading Example
31822
31823 @smallexample
31824 (gdb)
31825 -trace-list-variables
31826 ^done,trace-variables=@{nr_rows="1",nr_cols="3",
31827 hdr=[@{width="15",alignment="-1",col_name="name",colhdr="Name"@},
31828 @{width="11",alignment="-1",col_name="initial",colhdr="Initial"@},
31829 @{width="11",alignment="-1",col_name="current",colhdr="Current"@}],
31830 body=[variable=@{name="$trace_timestamp",initial="0"@}
31831 variable=@{name="$foo",initial="10",current="15"@}]@}
31832 (gdb)
31833 @end smallexample
31834
31835 @subheading -trace-save
31836 @findex -trace-save
31837
31838 @subsubheading Synopsis
31839
31840 @smallexample
31841 -trace-save [ -r ] [ -ctf ] @var{filename}
31842 @end smallexample
31843
31844 Saves the collected trace data to @var{filename}. Without the
31845 @samp{-r} option, the data is downloaded from the target and saved
31846 in a local file. With the @samp{-r} option the target is asked
31847 to perform the save.
31848
31849 By default, this command will save the trace in the tfile format. You can
31850 supply the optional @samp{-ctf} argument to save it the CTF format. See
31851 @ref{Trace Files} for more information about CTF.
31852
31853 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31854
31855 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tsave}.
31856
31857
31858 @subheading -trace-start
31859 @findex -trace-start
31860
31861 @subsubheading Synopsis
31862
31863 @smallexample
31864 -trace-start
31865 @end smallexample
31866
31867 Starts a tracing experiment. The result of this command does not
31868 have any fields.
31869
31870 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31871
31872 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tstart}.
31873
31874 @subheading -trace-status
31875 @findex -trace-status
31876
31877 @subsubheading Synopsis
31878
31879 @smallexample
31880 -trace-status
31881 @end smallexample
31882
31883 Obtains the status of a tracing experiment. The result may include
31884 the following fields:
31885
31886 @table @samp
31887
31888 @item supported
31889 May have a value of either @samp{0}, when no tracing operations are
31890 supported, @samp{1}, when all tracing operations are supported, or
31891 @samp{file} when examining trace file. In the latter case, examining
31892 of trace frame is possible but new tracing experiement cannot be
31893 started. This field is always present.
31894
31895 @item running
31896 May have a value of either @samp{0} or @samp{1} depending on whether
31897 tracing experiement is in progress on target. This field is present
31898 if @samp{supported} field is not @samp{0}.
31899
31900 @item stop-reason
31901 Report the reason why the tracing was stopped last time. This field
31902 may be absent iff tracing was never stopped on target yet. The
31903 value of @samp{request} means the tracing was stopped as result of
31904 the @code{-trace-stop} command. The value of @samp{overflow} means
31905 the tracing buffer is full. The value of @samp{disconnection} means
31906 tracing was automatically stopped when @value{GDBN} has disconnected.
31907 The value of @samp{passcount} means tracing was stopped when a
31908 tracepoint was passed a maximal number of times for that tracepoint.
31909 This field is present if @samp{supported} field is not @samp{0}.
31910
31911 @item stopping-tracepoint
31912 The number of tracepoint whose passcount as exceeded. This field is
31913 present iff the @samp{stop-reason} field has the value of
31914 @samp{passcount}.
31915
31916 @item frames
31917 @itemx frames-created
31918 The @samp{frames} field is a count of the total number of trace frames
31919 in the trace buffer, while @samp{frames-created} is the total created
31920 during the run, including ones that were discarded, such as when a
31921 circular trace buffer filled up. Both fields are optional.
31922
31923 @item buffer-size
31924 @itemx buffer-free
31925 These fields tell the current size of the tracing buffer and the
31926 remaining space. These fields are optional.
31927
31928 @item circular
31929 The value of the circular trace buffer flag. @code{1} means that the
31930 trace buffer is circular and old trace frames will be discarded if
31931 necessary to make room, @code{0} means that the trace buffer is linear
31932 and may fill up.
31933
31934 @item disconnected
31935 The value of the disconnected tracing flag. @code{1} means that
31936 tracing will continue after @value{GDBN} disconnects, @code{0} means
31937 that the trace run will stop.
31938
31939 @item trace-file
31940 The filename of the trace file being examined. This field is
31941 optional, and only present when examining a trace file.
31942
31943 @end table
31944
31945 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31946
31947 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tstatus}.
31948
31949 @subheading -trace-stop
31950 @findex -trace-stop
31951
31952 @subsubheading Synopsis
31953
31954 @smallexample
31955 -trace-stop
31956 @end smallexample
31957
31958 Stops a tracing experiment. The result of this command has the same
31959 fields as @code{-trace-status}, except that the @samp{supported} and
31960 @samp{running} fields are not output.
31961
31962 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31963
31964 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tstop}.
31965
31966
31967 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
31968 @node GDB/MI Symbol Query
31969 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Symbol Query Commands
31970
31971
31972 @ignore
31973 @subheading The @code{-symbol-info-address} Command
31974 @findex -symbol-info-address
31975
31976 @subsubheading Synopsis
31977
31978 @smallexample
31979 -symbol-info-address @var{symbol}
31980 @end smallexample
31981
31982 Describe where @var{symbol} is stored.
31983
31984 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31985
31986 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info address}.
31987
31988 @subsubheading Example
31989 N.A.
31990
31991
31992 @subheading The @code{-symbol-info-file} Command
31993 @findex -symbol-info-file
31994
31995 @subsubheading Synopsis
31996
31997 @smallexample
31998 -symbol-info-file
31999 @end smallexample
32000
32001 Show the file for the symbol.
32002
32003 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
32004
32005 There's no equivalent @value{GDBN} command. @code{gdbtk} has
32006 @samp{gdb_find_file}.
32007
32008 @subsubheading Example
32009 N.A.
32010
32011
32012 @subheading The @code{-symbol-info-function} Command
32013 @findex -symbol-info-function
32014
32015 @subsubheading Synopsis
32016
32017 @smallexample
32018 -symbol-info-function
32019 @end smallexample
32020
32021 Show which function the symbol lives in.
32022
32023 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
32024
32025 @samp{gdb_get_function} in @code{gdbtk}.
32026
32027 @subsubheading Example
32028 N.A.
32029
32030
32031 @subheading The @code{-symbol-info-line} Command
32032 @findex -symbol-info-line
32033
32034 @subsubheading Synopsis
32035
32036 @smallexample
32037 -symbol-info-line
32038 @end smallexample
32039
32040 Show the core addresses of the code for a source line.
32041
32042 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
32043
32044 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info line}.
32045 @code{gdbtk} has the @samp{gdb_get_line} and @samp{gdb_get_file} commands.
32046
32047 @subsubheading Example
32048 N.A.
32049
32050
32051 @subheading The @code{-symbol-info-symbol} Command
32052 @findex -symbol-info-symbol
32053
32054 @subsubheading Synopsis
32055
32056 @smallexample
32057 -symbol-info-symbol @var{addr}
32058 @end smallexample
32059
32060 Describe what symbol is at location @var{addr}.
32061
32062 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
32063
32064 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info symbol}.
32065
32066 @subsubheading Example
32067 N.A.
32068
32069
32070 @subheading The @code{-symbol-list-functions} Command
32071 @findex -symbol-list-functions
32072
32073 @subsubheading Synopsis
32074
32075 @smallexample
32076 -symbol-list-functions
32077 @end smallexample
32078
32079 List the functions in the executable.
32080
32081 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
32082
32083 @samp{info functions} in @value{GDBN}, @samp{gdb_listfunc} and
32084 @samp{gdb_search} in @code{gdbtk}.
32085
32086 @subsubheading Example
32087 N.A.
32088 @end ignore
32089
32090
32091 @subheading The @code{-symbol-list-lines} Command
32092 @findex -symbol-list-lines
32093
32094 @subsubheading Synopsis
32095
32096 @smallexample
32097 -symbol-list-lines @var{filename}
32098 @end smallexample
32099
32100 Print the list of lines that contain code and their associated program
32101 addresses for the given source filename. The entries are sorted in
32102 ascending PC order.
32103
32104 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
32105
32106 There is no corresponding @value{GDBN} command.
32107
32108 @subsubheading Example
32109 @smallexample
32110 (gdb)
32111 -symbol-list-lines basics.c
32112 ^done,lines=[@{pc="0x08048554",line="7"@},@{pc="0x0804855a",line="8"@}]
32113 (gdb)
32114 @end smallexample
32115
32116
32117 @ignore
32118 @subheading The @code{-symbol-list-types} Command
32119 @findex -symbol-list-types
32120
32121 @subsubheading Synopsis
32122
32123 @smallexample
32124 -symbol-list-types
32125 @end smallexample
32126
32127 List all the type names.
32128
32129 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
32130
32131 The corresponding commands are @samp{info types} in @value{GDBN},
32132 @samp{gdb_search} in @code{gdbtk}.
32133
32134 @subsubheading Example
32135 N.A.
32136
32137
32138 @subheading The @code{-symbol-list-variables} Command
32139 @findex -symbol-list-variables
32140
32141 @subsubheading Synopsis
32142
32143 @smallexample
32144 -symbol-list-variables
32145 @end smallexample
32146
32147 List all the global and static variable names.
32148
32149 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
32150
32151 @samp{info variables} in @value{GDBN}, @samp{gdb_search} in @code{gdbtk}.
32152
32153 @subsubheading Example
32154 N.A.
32155
32156
32157 @subheading The @code{-symbol-locate} Command
32158 @findex -symbol-locate
32159
32160 @subsubheading Synopsis
32161
32162 @smallexample
32163 -symbol-locate
32164 @end smallexample
32165
32166 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
32167
32168 @samp{gdb_loc} in @code{gdbtk}.
32169
32170 @subsubheading Example
32171 N.A.
32172
32173
32174 @subheading The @code{-symbol-type} Command
32175 @findex -symbol-type
32176
32177 @subsubheading Synopsis
32178
32179 @smallexample
32180 -symbol-type @var{variable}
32181 @end smallexample
32182
32183 Show type of @var{variable}.
32184
32185 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
32186
32187 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{ptype}, @code{gdbtk} has
32188 @samp{gdb_obj_variable}.
32189
32190 @subsubheading Example
32191 N.A.
32192 @end ignore
32193
32194
32195 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
32196 @node GDB/MI File Commands
32197 @section @sc{gdb/mi} File Commands
32198
32199 This section describes the GDB/MI commands to specify executable file names
32200 and to read in and obtain symbol table information.
32201
32202 @subheading The @code{-file-exec-and-symbols} Command
32203 @findex -file-exec-and-symbols
32204
32205 @subsubheading Synopsis
32206
32207 @smallexample
32208 -file-exec-and-symbols @var{file}
32209 @end smallexample
32210
32211 Specify the executable file to be debugged. This file is the one from
32212 which the symbol table is also read. If no file is specified, the
32213 command clears the executable and symbol information. If breakpoints
32214 are set when using this command with no arguments, @value{GDBN} will produce
32215 error messages. Otherwise, no output is produced, except a completion
32216 notification.
32217
32218 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
32219
32220 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{file}.
32221
32222 @subsubheading Example
32223
32224 @smallexample
32225 (gdb)
32226 -file-exec-and-symbols /kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/TRUNK/mbx/hello.mbx
32227 ^done
32228 (gdb)
32229 @end smallexample
32230
32231
32232 @subheading The @code{-file-exec-file} Command
32233 @findex -file-exec-file
32234
32235 @subsubheading Synopsis
32236
32237 @smallexample
32238 -file-exec-file @var{file}
32239 @end smallexample
32240
32241 Specify the executable file to be debugged. Unlike
32242 @samp{-file-exec-and-symbols}, the symbol table is @emph{not} read
32243 from this file. If used without argument, @value{GDBN} clears the information
32244 about the executable file. No output is produced, except a completion
32245 notification.
32246
32247 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
32248
32249 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{exec-file}.
32250
32251 @subsubheading Example
32252
32253 @smallexample
32254 (gdb)
32255 -file-exec-file /kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/TRUNK/mbx/hello.mbx
32256 ^done
32257 (gdb)
32258 @end smallexample
32259
32260
32261 @ignore
32262 @subheading The @code{-file-list-exec-sections} Command
32263 @findex -file-list-exec-sections
32264
32265 @subsubheading Synopsis
32266
32267 @smallexample
32268 -file-list-exec-sections
32269 @end smallexample
32270
32271 List the sections of the current executable file.
32272
32273 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
32274
32275 The @value{GDBN} command @samp{info file} shows, among the rest, the same
32276 information as this command. @code{gdbtk} has a corresponding command
32277 @samp{gdb_load_info}.
32278
32279 @subsubheading Example
32280 N.A.
32281 @end ignore
32282
32283
32284 @subheading The @code{-file-list-exec-source-file} Command
32285 @findex -file-list-exec-source-file
32286
32287 @subsubheading Synopsis
32288
32289 @smallexample
32290 -file-list-exec-source-file
32291 @end smallexample
32292
32293 List the line number, the current source file, and the absolute path
32294 to the current source file for the current executable. The macro
32295 information field has a value of @samp{1} or @samp{0} depending on
32296 whether or not the file includes preprocessor macro information.
32297
32298 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
32299
32300 The @value{GDBN} equivalent is @samp{info source}
32301
32302 @subsubheading Example
32303
32304 @smallexample
32305 (gdb)
32306 123-file-list-exec-source-file
32307 123^done,line="1",file="foo.c",fullname="/home/bar/foo.c,macro-info="1"
32308 (gdb)
32309 @end smallexample
32310
32311
32312 @subheading The @code{-file-list-exec-source-files} Command
32313 @findex -file-list-exec-source-files
32314
32315 @subsubheading Synopsis
32316
32317 @smallexample
32318 -file-list-exec-source-files
32319 @end smallexample
32320
32321 List the source files for the current executable.
32322
32323 It will always output both the filename and fullname (absolute file
32324 name) of a source file.
32325
32326 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
32327
32328 The @value{GDBN} equivalent is @samp{info sources}.
32329 @code{gdbtk} has an analogous command @samp{gdb_listfiles}.
32330
32331 @subsubheading Example
32332 @smallexample
32333 (gdb)
32334 -file-list-exec-source-files
32335 ^done,files=[
32336 @{file=foo.c,fullname=/home/foo.c@},
32337 @{file=/home/bar.c,fullname=/home/bar.c@},
32338 @{file=gdb_could_not_find_fullpath.c@}]
32339 (gdb)
32340 @end smallexample
32341
32342 @subheading The @code{-file-list-shared-libraries} Command
32343 @findex -file-list-shared-libraries
32344
32345 @subsubheading Synopsis
32346
32347 @smallexample
32348 -file-list-shared-libraries [ @var{regexp} ]
32349 @end smallexample
32350
32351 List the shared libraries in the program.
32352 With a regular expression @var{regexp}, only those libraries whose
32353 names match @var{regexp} are listed.
32354
32355 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
32356
32357 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info shared}. The fields
32358 have a similar meaning to the @code{=library-loaded} notification.
32359 The @code{ranges} field specifies the multiple segments belonging to this
32360 library. Each range has the following fields:
32361
32362 @table @samp
32363 @item from
32364 The address defining the inclusive lower bound of the segment.
32365 @item to
32366 The address defining the exclusive upper bound of the segment.
32367 @end table
32368
32369 @subsubheading Example
32370 @smallexample
32371 (gdb)
32372 -file-list-exec-source-files
32373 ^done,shared-libraries=[
32374 @{id="/lib/libfoo.so",target-name="/lib/libfoo.so",host-name="/lib/libfoo.so",symbols-loaded="1",thread-group="i1",ranges=[@{from="0x72815989",to="0x728162c0"@}]@},
32375 @{id="/lib/libbar.so",target-name="/lib/libbar.so",host-name="/lib/libbar.so",symbols-loaded="1",thread-group="i1",ranges=[@{from="0x76ee48c0",to="0x76ee9160"@}]@}]
32376 (gdb)
32377 @end smallexample
32378
32379
32380 @ignore
32381 @subheading The @code{-file-list-symbol-files} Command
32382 @findex -file-list-symbol-files
32383
32384 @subsubheading Synopsis
32385
32386 @smallexample
32387 -file-list-symbol-files
32388 @end smallexample
32389
32390 List symbol files.
32391
32392 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
32393
32394 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info file} (part of it).
32395
32396 @subsubheading Example
32397 N.A.
32398 @end ignore
32399
32400
32401 @subheading The @code{-file-symbol-file} Command
32402 @findex -file-symbol-file
32403
32404 @subsubheading Synopsis
32405
32406 @smallexample
32407 -file-symbol-file @var{file}
32408 @end smallexample
32409
32410 Read symbol table info from the specified @var{file} argument. When
32411 used without arguments, clears @value{GDBN}'s symbol table info. No output is
32412 produced, except for a completion notification.
32413
32414 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
32415
32416 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{symbol-file}.
32417
32418 @subsubheading Example
32419
32420 @smallexample
32421 (gdb)
32422 -file-symbol-file /kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/TRUNK/mbx/hello.mbx
32423 ^done
32424 (gdb)
32425 @end smallexample
32426
32427 @ignore
32428 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
32429 @node GDB/MI Memory Overlay Commands
32430 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Memory Overlay Commands
32431
32432 The memory overlay commands are not implemented.
32433
32434 @c @subheading -overlay-auto
32435
32436 @c @subheading -overlay-list-mapping-state
32437
32438 @c @subheading -overlay-list-overlays
32439
32440 @c @subheading -overlay-map
32441
32442 @c @subheading -overlay-off
32443
32444 @c @subheading -overlay-on
32445
32446 @c @subheading -overlay-unmap
32447
32448 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
32449 @node GDB/MI Signal Handling Commands
32450 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Signal Handling Commands
32451
32452 Signal handling commands are not implemented.
32453
32454 @c @subheading -signal-handle
32455
32456 @c @subheading -signal-list-handle-actions
32457
32458 @c @subheading -signal-list-signal-types
32459 @end ignore
32460
32461
32462 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
32463 @node GDB/MI Target Manipulation
32464 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Target Manipulation Commands
32465
32466
32467 @subheading The @code{-target-attach} Command
32468 @findex -target-attach
32469
32470 @subsubheading Synopsis
32471
32472 @smallexample
32473 -target-attach @var{pid} | @var{gid} | @var{file}
32474 @end smallexample
32475
32476 Attach to a process @var{pid} or a file @var{file} outside of
32477 @value{GDBN}, or a thread group @var{gid}. If attaching to a thread
32478 group, the id previously returned by
32479 @samp{-list-thread-groups --available} must be used.
32480
32481 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
32482
32483 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{attach}.
32484
32485 @subsubheading Example
32486 @smallexample
32487 (gdb)
32488 -target-attach 34
32489 =thread-created,id="1"
32490 *stopped,thread-id="1",frame=@{addr="0xb7f7e410",func="bar",args=[]@}
32491 ^done
32492 (gdb)
32493 @end smallexample
32494
32495 @ignore
32496 @subheading The @code{-target-compare-sections} Command
32497 @findex -target-compare-sections
32498
32499 @subsubheading Synopsis
32500
32501 @smallexample
32502 -target-compare-sections [ @var{section} ]
32503 @end smallexample
32504
32505 Compare data of section @var{section} on target to the exec file.
32506 Without the argument, all sections are compared.
32507
32508 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
32509
32510 The @value{GDBN} equivalent is @samp{compare-sections}.
32511
32512 @subsubheading Example
32513 N.A.
32514 @end ignore
32515
32516
32517 @subheading The @code{-target-detach} Command
32518 @findex -target-detach
32519
32520 @subsubheading Synopsis
32521
32522 @smallexample
32523 -target-detach [ @var{pid} | @var{gid} ]
32524 @end smallexample
32525
32526 Detach from the remote target which normally resumes its execution.
32527 If either @var{pid} or @var{gid} is specified, detaches from either
32528 the specified process, or specified thread group. There's no output.
32529
32530 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
32531
32532 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{detach}.
32533
32534 @subsubheading Example
32535
32536 @smallexample
32537 (gdb)
32538 -target-detach
32539 ^done
32540 (gdb)
32541 @end smallexample
32542
32543
32544 @subheading The @code{-target-disconnect} Command
32545 @findex -target-disconnect
32546
32547 @subsubheading Synopsis
32548
32549 @smallexample
32550 -target-disconnect
32551 @end smallexample
32552
32553 Disconnect from the remote target. There's no output and the target is
32554 generally not resumed.
32555
32556 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
32557
32558 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{disconnect}.
32559
32560 @subsubheading Example
32561
32562 @smallexample
32563 (gdb)
32564 -target-disconnect
32565 ^done
32566 (gdb)
32567 @end smallexample
32568
32569
32570 @subheading The @code{-target-download} Command
32571 @findex -target-download
32572
32573 @subsubheading Synopsis
32574
32575 @smallexample
32576 -target-download
32577 @end smallexample
32578
32579 Loads the executable onto the remote target.
32580 It prints out an update message every half second, which includes the fields:
32581
32582 @table @samp
32583 @item section
32584 The name of the section.
32585 @item section-sent
32586 The size of what has been sent so far for that section.
32587 @item section-size
32588 The size of the section.
32589 @item total-sent
32590 The total size of what was sent so far (the current and the previous sections).
32591 @item total-size
32592 The size of the overall executable to download.
32593 @end table
32594
32595 @noindent
32596 Each message is sent as status record (@pxref{GDB/MI Output Syntax, ,
32597 @sc{gdb/mi} Output Syntax}).
32598
32599 In addition, it prints the name and size of the sections, as they are
32600 downloaded. These messages include the following fields:
32601
32602 @table @samp
32603 @item section
32604 The name of the section.
32605 @item section-size
32606 The size of the section.
32607 @item total-size
32608 The size of the overall executable to download.
32609 @end table
32610
32611 @noindent
32612 At the end, a summary is printed.
32613
32614 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
32615
32616 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{load}.
32617
32618 @subsubheading Example
32619
32620 Note: each status message appears on a single line. Here the messages
32621 have been broken down so that they can fit onto a page.
32622
32623 @smallexample
32624 (gdb)
32625 -target-download
32626 +download,@{section=".text",section-size="6668",total-size="9880"@}
32627 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="512",section-size="6668",
32628 total-sent="512",total-size="9880"@}
32629 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="1024",section-size="6668",
32630 total-sent="1024",total-size="9880"@}
32631 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="1536",section-size="6668",
32632 total-sent="1536",total-size="9880"@}
32633 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="2048",section-size="6668",
32634 total-sent="2048",total-size="9880"@}
32635 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="2560",section-size="6668",
32636 total-sent="2560",total-size="9880"@}
32637 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="3072",section-size="6668",
32638 total-sent="3072",total-size="9880"@}
32639 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="3584",section-size="6668",
32640 total-sent="3584",total-size="9880"@}
32641 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="4096",section-size="6668",
32642 total-sent="4096",total-size="9880"@}
32643 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="4608",section-size="6668",
32644 total-sent="4608",total-size="9880"@}
32645 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="5120",section-size="6668",
32646 total-sent="5120",total-size="9880"@}
32647 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="5632",section-size="6668",
32648 total-sent="5632",total-size="9880"@}
32649 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="6144",section-size="6668",
32650 total-sent="6144",total-size="9880"@}
32651 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="6656",section-size="6668",
32652 total-sent="6656",total-size="9880"@}
32653 +download,@{section=".init",section-size="28",total-size="9880"@}
32654 +download,@{section=".fini",section-size="28",total-size="9880"@}
32655 +download,@{section=".data",section-size="3156",total-size="9880"@}
32656 +download,@{section=".data",section-sent="512",section-size="3156",
32657 total-sent="7236",total-size="9880"@}
32658 +download,@{section=".data",section-sent="1024",section-size="3156",
32659 total-sent="7748",total-size="9880"@}
32660 +download,@{section=".data",section-sent="1536",section-size="3156",
32661 total-sent="8260",total-size="9880"@}
32662 +download,@{section=".data",section-sent="2048",section-size="3156",
32663 total-sent="8772",total-size="9880"@}
32664 +download,@{section=".data",section-sent="2560",section-size="3156",
32665 total-sent="9284",total-size="9880"@}
32666 +download,@{section=".data",section-sent="3072",section-size="3156",
32667 total-sent="9796",total-size="9880"@}
32668 ^done,address="0x10004",load-size="9880",transfer-rate="6586",
32669 write-rate="429"
32670 (gdb)
32671 @end smallexample
32672
32673
32674 @ignore
32675 @subheading The @code{-target-exec-status} Command
32676 @findex -target-exec-status
32677
32678 @subsubheading Synopsis
32679
32680 @smallexample
32681 -target-exec-status
32682 @end smallexample
32683
32684 Provide information on the state of the target (whether it is running or
32685 not, for instance).
32686
32687 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
32688
32689 There's no equivalent @value{GDBN} command.
32690
32691 @subsubheading Example
32692 N.A.
32693
32694
32695 @subheading The @code{-target-list-available-targets} Command
32696 @findex -target-list-available-targets
32697
32698 @subsubheading Synopsis
32699
32700 @smallexample
32701 -target-list-available-targets
32702 @end smallexample
32703
32704 List the possible targets to connect to.
32705
32706 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
32707
32708 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{help target}.
32709
32710 @subsubheading Example
32711 N.A.
32712
32713
32714 @subheading The @code{-target-list-current-targets} Command
32715 @findex -target-list-current-targets
32716
32717 @subsubheading Synopsis
32718
32719 @smallexample
32720 -target-list-current-targets
32721 @end smallexample
32722
32723 Describe the current target.
32724
32725 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
32726
32727 The corresponding information is printed by @samp{info file} (among
32728 other things).
32729
32730 @subsubheading Example
32731 N.A.
32732
32733
32734 @subheading The @code{-target-list-parameters} Command
32735 @findex -target-list-parameters
32736
32737 @subsubheading Synopsis
32738
32739 @smallexample
32740 -target-list-parameters
32741 @end smallexample
32742
32743 @c ????
32744 @end ignore
32745
32746 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
32747
32748 No equivalent.
32749
32750 @subsubheading Example
32751 N.A.
32752
32753 @subheading The @code{-target-flash-erase} Command
32754 @findex -target-flash-erase
32755
32756 @subsubheading Synopsis
32757
32758 @smallexample
32759 -target-flash-erase
32760 @end smallexample
32761
32762 Erases all known flash memory regions on the target.
32763
32764 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{flash-erase}.
32765
32766 The output is a list of flash regions that have been erased, with starting
32767 addresses and memory region sizes.
32768
32769 @smallexample
32770 (gdb)
32771 -target-flash-erase
32772 ^done,erased-regions=@{address="0x0",size="0x40000"@}
32773 (gdb)
32774 @end smallexample
32775
32776 @subheading The @code{-target-select} Command
32777 @findex -target-select
32778
32779 @subsubheading Synopsis
32780
32781 @smallexample
32782 -target-select @var{type} @var{parameters @dots{}}
32783 @end smallexample
32784
32785 Connect @value{GDBN} to the remote target. This command takes two args:
32786
32787 @table @samp
32788 @item @var{type}
32789 The type of target, for instance @samp{remote}, etc.
32790 @item @var{parameters}
32791 Device names, host names and the like. @xref{Target Commands, ,
32792 Commands for Managing Targets}, for more details.
32793 @end table
32794
32795 The output is a connection notification, followed by the address at
32796 which the target program is, in the following form:
32797
32798 @smallexample
32799 ^connected,addr="@var{address}",func="@var{function name}",
32800 args=[@var{arg list}]
32801 @end smallexample
32802
32803 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
32804
32805 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{target}.
32806
32807 @subsubheading Example
32808
32809 @smallexample
32810 (gdb)
32811 -target-select remote /dev/ttya
32812 ^connected,addr="0xfe00a300",func="??",args=[]
32813 (gdb)
32814 @end smallexample
32815
32816 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
32817 @node GDB/MI File Transfer Commands
32818 @section @sc{gdb/mi} File Transfer Commands
32819
32820
32821 @subheading The @code{-target-file-put} Command
32822 @findex -target-file-put
32823
32824 @subsubheading Synopsis
32825
32826 @smallexample
32827 -target-file-put @var{hostfile} @var{targetfile}
32828 @end smallexample
32829
32830 Copy file @var{hostfile} from the host system (the machine running
32831 @value{GDBN}) to @var{targetfile} on the target system.
32832
32833 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
32834
32835 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{remote put}.
32836
32837 @subsubheading Example
32838
32839 @smallexample
32840 (gdb)
32841 -target-file-put localfile remotefile
32842 ^done
32843 (gdb)
32844 @end smallexample
32845
32846
32847 @subheading The @code{-target-file-get} Command
32848 @findex -target-file-get
32849
32850 @subsubheading Synopsis
32851
32852 @smallexample
32853 -target-file-get @var{targetfile} @var{hostfile}
32854 @end smallexample
32855
32856 Copy file @var{targetfile} from the target system to @var{hostfile}
32857 on the host system.
32858
32859 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
32860
32861 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{remote get}.
32862
32863 @subsubheading Example
32864
32865 @smallexample
32866 (gdb)
32867 -target-file-get remotefile localfile
32868 ^done
32869 (gdb)
32870 @end smallexample
32871
32872
32873 @subheading The @code{-target-file-delete} Command
32874 @findex -target-file-delete
32875
32876 @subsubheading Synopsis
32877
32878 @smallexample
32879 -target-file-delete @var{targetfile}
32880 @end smallexample
32881
32882 Delete @var{targetfile} from the target system.
32883
32884 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
32885
32886 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{remote delete}.
32887
32888 @subsubheading Example
32889
32890 @smallexample
32891 (gdb)
32892 -target-file-delete remotefile
32893 ^done
32894 (gdb)
32895 @end smallexample
32896
32897
32898 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
32899 @node GDB/MI Ada Exceptions Commands
32900 @section Ada Exceptions @sc{gdb/mi} Commands
32901
32902 @subheading The @code{-info-ada-exceptions} Command
32903 @findex -info-ada-exceptions
32904
32905 @subsubheading Synopsis
32906
32907 @smallexample
32908 -info-ada-exceptions [ @var{regexp}]
32909 @end smallexample
32910
32911 List all Ada exceptions defined within the program being debugged.
32912 With a regular expression @var{regexp}, only those exceptions whose
32913 names match @var{regexp} are listed.
32914
32915 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
32916
32917 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info exceptions}.
32918
32919 @subsubheading Result
32920
32921 The result is a table of Ada exceptions. The following columns are
32922 defined for each exception:
32923
32924 @table @samp
32925 @item name
32926 The name of the exception.
32927
32928 @item address
32929 The address of the exception.
32930
32931 @end table
32932
32933 @subsubheading Example
32934
32935 @smallexample
32936 -info-ada-exceptions aint
32937 ^done,ada-exceptions=@{nr_rows="2",nr_cols="2",
32938 hdr=[@{width="1",alignment="-1",col_name="name",colhdr="Name"@},
32939 @{width="1",alignment="-1",col_name="address",colhdr="Address"@}],
32940 body=[@{name="constraint_error",address="0x0000000000613da0"@},
32941 @{name="const.aint_global_e",address="0x0000000000613b00"@}]@}
32942 @end smallexample
32943
32944 @subheading Catching Ada Exceptions
32945
32946 The commands describing how to ask @value{GDBN} to stop when a program
32947 raises an exception are described at @ref{Ada Exception GDB/MI
32948 Catchpoint Commands}.
32949
32950
32951 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
32952 @node GDB/MI Support Commands
32953 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Support Commands
32954
32955 Since new commands and features get regularly added to @sc{gdb/mi},
32956 some commands are available to help front-ends query the debugger
32957 about support for these capabilities. Similarly, it is also possible
32958 to query @value{GDBN} about target support of certain features.
32959
32960 @subheading The @code{-info-gdb-mi-command} Command
32961 @cindex @code{-info-gdb-mi-command}
32962 @findex -info-gdb-mi-command
32963
32964 @subsubheading Synopsis
32965
32966 @smallexample
32967 -info-gdb-mi-command @var{cmd_name}
32968 @end smallexample
32969
32970 Query support for the @sc{gdb/mi} command named @var{cmd_name}.
32971
32972 Note that the dash (@code{-}) starting all @sc{gdb/mi} commands
32973 is technically not part of the command name (@pxref{GDB/MI Input
32974 Syntax}), and thus should be omitted in @var{cmd_name}. However,
32975 for ease of use, this command also accepts the form with the leading
32976 dash.
32977
32978 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
32979
32980 There is no corresponding @value{GDBN} command.
32981
32982 @subsubheading Result
32983
32984 The result is a tuple. There is currently only one field:
32985
32986 @table @samp
32987 @item exists
32988 This field is equal to @code{"true"} if the @sc{gdb/mi} command exists,
32989 @code{"false"} otherwise.
32990
32991 @end table
32992
32993 @subsubheading Example
32994
32995 Here is an example where the @sc{gdb/mi} command does not exist:
32996
32997 @smallexample
32998 -info-gdb-mi-command unsupported-command
32999 ^done,command=@{exists="false"@}
33000 @end smallexample
33001
33002 @noindent
33003 And here is an example where the @sc{gdb/mi} command is known
33004 to the debugger:
33005
33006 @smallexample
33007 -info-gdb-mi-command symbol-list-lines
33008 ^done,command=@{exists="true"@}
33009 @end smallexample
33010
33011 @subheading The @code{-list-features} Command
33012 @findex -list-features
33013 @cindex supported @sc{gdb/mi} features, list
33014
33015 Returns a list of particular features of the MI protocol that
33016 this version of gdb implements. A feature can be a command,
33017 or a new field in an output of some command, or even an
33018 important bugfix. While a frontend can sometimes detect presence
33019 of a feature at runtime, it is easier to perform detection at debugger
33020 startup.
33021
33022 The command returns a list of strings, with each string naming an
33023 available feature. Each returned string is just a name, it does not
33024 have any internal structure. The list of possible feature names
33025 is given below.
33026
33027 Example output:
33028
33029 @smallexample
33030 (gdb) -list-features
33031 ^done,result=["feature1","feature2"]
33032 @end smallexample
33033
33034 The current list of features is:
33035
33036 @ftable @samp
33037 @item frozen-varobjs
33038 Indicates support for the @code{-var-set-frozen} command, as well
33039 as possible presense of the @code{frozen} field in the output
33040 of @code{-varobj-create}.
33041 @item pending-breakpoints
33042 Indicates support for the @option{-f} option to the @code{-break-insert}
33043 command.
33044 @item python
33045 Indicates Python scripting support, Python-based
33046 pretty-printing commands, and possible presence of the
33047 @samp{display_hint} field in the output of @code{-var-list-children}
33048 @item thread-info
33049 Indicates support for the @code{-thread-info} command.
33050 @item data-read-memory-bytes
33051 Indicates support for the @code{-data-read-memory-bytes} and the
33052 @code{-data-write-memory-bytes} commands.
33053 @item breakpoint-notifications
33054 Indicates that changes to breakpoints and breakpoints created via the
33055 CLI will be announced via async records.
33056 @item ada-task-info
33057 Indicates support for the @code{-ada-task-info} command.
33058 @item language-option
33059 Indicates that all @sc{gdb/mi} commands accept the @option{--language}
33060 option (@pxref{Context management}).
33061 @item info-gdb-mi-command
33062 Indicates support for the @code{-info-gdb-mi-command} command.
33063 @item undefined-command-error-code
33064 Indicates support for the "undefined-command" error code in error result
33065 records, produced when trying to execute an undefined @sc{gdb/mi} command
33066 (@pxref{GDB/MI Result Records}).
33067 @item exec-run-start-option
33068 Indicates that the @code{-exec-run} command supports the @option{--start}
33069 option (@pxref{GDB/MI Program Execution}).
33070 @end ftable
33071
33072 @subheading The @code{-list-target-features} Command
33073 @findex -list-target-features
33074
33075 Returns a list of particular features that are supported by the
33076 target. Those features affect the permitted MI commands, but
33077 unlike the features reported by the @code{-list-features} command, the
33078 features depend on which target GDB is using at the moment. Whenever
33079 a target can change, due to commands such as @code{-target-select},
33080 @code{-target-attach} or @code{-exec-run}, the list of target features
33081 may change, and the frontend should obtain it again.
33082 Example output:
33083
33084 @smallexample
33085 (gdb) -list-target-features
33086 ^done,result=["async"]
33087 @end smallexample
33088
33089 The current list of features is:
33090
33091 @table @samp
33092 @item async
33093 Indicates that the target is capable of asynchronous command
33094 execution, which means that @value{GDBN} will accept further commands
33095 while the target is running.
33096
33097 @item reverse
33098 Indicates that the target is capable of reverse execution.
33099 @xref{Reverse Execution}, for more information.
33100
33101 @end table
33102
33103 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
33104 @node GDB/MI Miscellaneous Commands
33105 @section Miscellaneous @sc{gdb/mi} Commands
33106
33107 @c @subheading -gdb-complete
33108
33109 @subheading The @code{-gdb-exit} Command
33110 @findex -gdb-exit
33111
33112 @subsubheading Synopsis
33113
33114 @smallexample
33115 -gdb-exit
33116 @end smallexample
33117
33118 Exit @value{GDBN} immediately.
33119
33120 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
33121
33122 Approximately corresponds to @samp{quit}.
33123
33124 @subsubheading Example
33125
33126 @smallexample
33127 (gdb)
33128 -gdb-exit
33129 ^exit
33130 @end smallexample
33131
33132
33133 @ignore
33134 @subheading The @code{-exec-abort} Command
33135 @findex -exec-abort
33136
33137 @subsubheading Synopsis
33138
33139 @smallexample
33140 -exec-abort
33141 @end smallexample
33142
33143 Kill the inferior running program.
33144
33145 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
33146
33147 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{kill}.
33148
33149 @subsubheading Example
33150 N.A.
33151 @end ignore
33152
33153
33154 @subheading The @code{-gdb-set} Command
33155 @findex -gdb-set
33156
33157 @subsubheading Synopsis
33158
33159 @smallexample
33160 -gdb-set
33161 @end smallexample
33162
33163 Set an internal @value{GDBN} variable.
33164 @c IS THIS A DOLLAR VARIABLE? OR SOMETHING LIKE ANNOTATE ?????
33165
33166 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
33167
33168 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{set}.
33169
33170 @subsubheading Example
33171
33172 @smallexample
33173 (gdb)
33174 -gdb-set $foo=3
33175 ^done
33176 (gdb)
33177 @end smallexample
33178
33179
33180 @subheading The @code{-gdb-show} Command
33181 @findex -gdb-show
33182
33183 @subsubheading Synopsis
33184
33185 @smallexample
33186 -gdb-show
33187 @end smallexample
33188
33189 Show the current value of a @value{GDBN} variable.
33190
33191 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
33192
33193 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{show}.
33194
33195 @subsubheading Example
33196
33197 @smallexample
33198 (gdb)
33199 -gdb-show annotate
33200 ^done,value="0"
33201 (gdb)
33202 @end smallexample
33203
33204 @c @subheading -gdb-source
33205
33206
33207 @subheading The @code{-gdb-version} Command
33208 @findex -gdb-version
33209
33210 @subsubheading Synopsis
33211
33212 @smallexample
33213 -gdb-version
33214 @end smallexample
33215
33216 Show version information for @value{GDBN}. Used mostly in testing.
33217
33218 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
33219
33220 The @value{GDBN} equivalent is @samp{show version}. @value{GDBN} by
33221 default shows this information when you start an interactive session.
33222
33223 @subsubheading Example
33224
33225 @c This example modifies the actual output from GDB to avoid overfull
33226 @c box in TeX.
33227 @smallexample
33228 (gdb)
33229 -gdb-version
33230 ~GNU gdb 5.2.1
33231 ~Copyright 2000 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
33232 ~GDB is free software, covered by the GNU General Public License, and
33233 ~you are welcome to change it and/or distribute copies of it under
33234 ~ certain conditions.
33235 ~Type "show copying" to see the conditions.
33236 ~There is absolutely no warranty for GDB. Type "show warranty" for
33237 ~ details.
33238 ~This GDB was configured as
33239 "--host=sparc-sun-solaris2.5.1 --target=ppc-eabi".
33240 ^done
33241 (gdb)
33242 @end smallexample
33243
33244 @subheading The @code{-list-thread-groups} Command
33245 @findex -list-thread-groups
33246
33247 @subheading Synopsis
33248
33249 @smallexample
33250 -list-thread-groups [ --available ] [ --recurse 1 ] [ @var{group} ... ]
33251 @end smallexample
33252
33253 Lists thread groups (@pxref{Thread groups}). When a single thread
33254 group is passed as the argument, lists the children of that group.
33255 When several thread group are passed, lists information about those
33256 thread groups. Without any parameters, lists information about all
33257 top-level thread groups.
33258
33259 Normally, thread groups that are being debugged are reported.
33260 With the @samp{--available} option, @value{GDBN} reports thread groups
33261 available on the target.
33262
33263 The output of this command may have either a @samp{threads} result or
33264 a @samp{groups} result. The @samp{thread} result has a list of tuples
33265 as value, with each tuple describing a thread (@pxref{GDB/MI Thread
33266 Information}). The @samp{groups} result has a list of tuples as value,
33267 each tuple describing a thread group. If top-level groups are
33268 requested (that is, no parameter is passed), or when several groups
33269 are passed, the output always has a @samp{groups} result. The format
33270 of the @samp{group} result is described below.
33271
33272 To reduce the number of roundtrips it's possible to list thread groups
33273 together with their children, by passing the @samp{--recurse} option
33274 and the recursion depth. Presently, only recursion depth of 1 is
33275 permitted. If this option is present, then every reported thread group
33276 will also include its children, either as @samp{group} or
33277 @samp{threads} field.
33278
33279 In general, any combination of option and parameters is permitted, with
33280 the following caveats:
33281
33282 @itemize @bullet
33283 @item
33284 When a single thread group is passed, the output will typically
33285 be the @samp{threads} result. Because threads may not contain
33286 anything, the @samp{recurse} option will be ignored.
33287
33288 @item
33289 When the @samp{--available} option is passed, limited information may
33290 be available. In particular, the list of threads of a process might
33291 be inaccessible. Further, specifying specific thread groups might
33292 not give any performance advantage over listing all thread groups.
33293 The frontend should assume that @samp{-list-thread-groups --available}
33294 is always an expensive operation and cache the results.
33295
33296 @end itemize
33297
33298 The @samp{groups} result is a list of tuples, where each tuple may
33299 have the following fields:
33300
33301 @table @code
33302 @item id
33303 Identifier of the thread group. This field is always present.
33304 The identifier is an opaque string; frontends should not try to
33305 convert it to an integer, even though it might look like one.
33306
33307 @item type
33308 The type of the thread group. At present, only @samp{process} is a
33309 valid type.
33310
33311 @item pid
33312 The target-specific process identifier. This field is only present
33313 for thread groups of type @samp{process} and only if the process exists.
33314
33315 @item exit-code
33316 The exit code of this group's last exited thread, formatted in octal.
33317 This field is only present for thread groups of type @samp{process} and
33318 only if the process is not running.
33319
33320 @item num_children
33321 The number of children this thread group has. This field may be
33322 absent for an available thread group.
33323
33324 @item threads
33325 This field has a list of tuples as value, each tuple describing a
33326 thread. It may be present if the @samp{--recurse} option is
33327 specified, and it's actually possible to obtain the threads.
33328
33329 @item cores
33330 This field is a list of integers, each identifying a core that one
33331 thread of the group is running on. This field may be absent if
33332 such information is not available.
33333
33334 @item executable
33335 The name of the executable file that corresponds to this thread group.
33336 The field is only present for thread groups of type @samp{process},
33337 and only if there is a corresponding executable file.
33338
33339 @end table
33340
33341 @subheading Example
33342
33343 @smallexample
33344 @value{GDBP}
33345 -list-thread-groups
33346 ^done,groups=[@{id="17",type="process",pid="yyy",num_children="2"@}]
33347 -list-thread-groups 17
33348 ^done,threads=[@{id="2",target-id="Thread 0xb7e14b90 (LWP 21257)",
33349 frame=@{level="0",addr="0xffffe410",func="__kernel_vsyscall",args=[]@},state="running"@},
33350 @{id="1",target-id="Thread 0xb7e156b0 (LWP 21254)",
33351 frame=@{level="0",addr="0x0804891f",func="foo",args=[@{name="i",value="10"@}],
33352 file="/tmp/a.c",fullname="/tmp/a.c",line="158"@},state="running"@}]]
33353 -list-thread-groups --available
33354 ^done,groups=[@{id="17",type="process",pid="yyy",num_children="2",cores=[1,2]@}]
33355 -list-thread-groups --available --recurse 1
33356 ^done,groups=[@{id="17", types="process",pid="yyy",num_children="2",cores=[1,2],
33357 threads=[@{id="1",target-id="Thread 0xb7e14b90",cores=[1]@},
33358 @{id="2",target-id="Thread 0xb7e14b90",cores=[2]@}]@},..]
33359 -list-thread-groups --available --recurse 1 17 18
33360 ^done,groups=[@{id="17", types="process",pid="yyy",num_children="2",cores=[1,2],
33361 threads=[@{id="1",target-id="Thread 0xb7e14b90",cores=[1]@},
33362 @{id="2",target-id="Thread 0xb7e14b90",cores=[2]@}]@},...]
33363 @end smallexample
33364
33365 @subheading The @code{-info-os} Command
33366 @findex -info-os
33367
33368 @subsubheading Synopsis
33369
33370 @smallexample
33371 -info-os [ @var{type} ]
33372 @end smallexample
33373
33374 If no argument is supplied, the command returns a table of available
33375 operating-system-specific information types. If one of these types is
33376 supplied as an argument @var{type}, then the command returns a table
33377 of data of that type.
33378
33379 The types of information available depend on the target operating
33380 system.
33381
33382 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
33383
33384 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info os}.
33385
33386 @subsubheading Example
33387
33388 When run on a @sc{gnu}/Linux system, the output will look something
33389 like this:
33390
33391 @smallexample
33392 @value{GDBP}
33393 -info-os
33394 ^done,OSDataTable=@{nr_rows="10",nr_cols="3",
33395 hdr=[@{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="col0",colhdr="Type"@},
33396 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="col1",colhdr="Description"@},
33397 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="col2",colhdr="Title"@}],
33398 body=[item=@{col0="cpus",col1="Listing of all cpus/cores on the system",
33399 col2="CPUs"@},
33400 item=@{col0="files",col1="Listing of all file descriptors",
33401 col2="File descriptors"@},
33402 item=@{col0="modules",col1="Listing of all loaded kernel modules",
33403 col2="Kernel modules"@},
33404 item=@{col0="msg",col1="Listing of all message queues",
33405 col2="Message queues"@},
33406 item=@{col0="processes",col1="Listing of all processes",
33407 col2="Processes"@},
33408 item=@{col0="procgroups",col1="Listing of all process groups",
33409 col2="Process groups"@},
33410 item=@{col0="semaphores",col1="Listing of all semaphores",
33411 col2="Semaphores"@},
33412 item=@{col0="shm",col1="Listing of all shared-memory regions",
33413 col2="Shared-memory regions"@},
33414 item=@{col0="sockets",col1="Listing of all internet-domain sockets",
33415 col2="Sockets"@},
33416 item=@{col0="threads",col1="Listing of all threads",
33417 col2="Threads"@}]
33418 @value{GDBP}
33419 -info-os processes
33420 ^done,OSDataTable=@{nr_rows="190",nr_cols="4",
33421 hdr=[@{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="col0",colhdr="pid"@},
33422 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="col1",colhdr="user"@},
33423 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="col2",colhdr="command"@},
33424 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="col3",colhdr="cores"@}],
33425 body=[item=@{col0="1",col1="root",col2="/sbin/init",col3="0"@},
33426 item=@{col0="2",col1="root",col2="[kthreadd]",col3="1"@},
33427 item=@{col0="3",col1="root",col2="[ksoftirqd/0]",col3="0"@},
33428 ...
33429 item=@{col0="26446",col1="stan",col2="bash",col3="0"@},
33430 item=@{col0="28152",col1="stan",col2="bash",col3="1"@}]@}
33431 (gdb)
33432 @end smallexample
33433
33434 (Note that the MI output here includes a @code{"Title"} column that
33435 does not appear in command-line @code{info os}; this column is useful
33436 for MI clients that want to enumerate the types of data, such as in a
33437 popup menu, but is needless clutter on the command line, and
33438 @code{info os} omits it.)
33439
33440 @subheading The @code{-add-inferior} Command
33441 @findex -add-inferior
33442
33443 @subheading Synopsis
33444
33445 @smallexample
33446 -add-inferior
33447 @end smallexample
33448
33449 Creates a new inferior (@pxref{Inferiors and Programs}). The created
33450 inferior is not associated with any executable. Such association may
33451 be established with the @samp{-file-exec-and-symbols} command
33452 (@pxref{GDB/MI File Commands}). The command response has a single
33453 field, @samp{inferior}, whose value is the identifier of the
33454 thread group corresponding to the new inferior.
33455
33456 @subheading Example
33457
33458 @smallexample
33459 @value{GDBP}
33460 -add-inferior
33461 ^done,inferior="i3"
33462 @end smallexample
33463
33464 @subheading The @code{-interpreter-exec} Command
33465 @findex -interpreter-exec
33466
33467 @subheading Synopsis
33468
33469 @smallexample
33470 -interpreter-exec @var{interpreter} @var{command}
33471 @end smallexample
33472 @anchor{-interpreter-exec}
33473
33474 Execute the specified @var{command} in the given @var{interpreter}.
33475
33476 @subheading @value{GDBN} Command
33477
33478 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{interpreter-exec}.
33479
33480 @subheading Example
33481
33482 @smallexample
33483 (gdb)
33484 -interpreter-exec console "break main"
33485 &"During symbol reading, couldn't parse type; debugger out of date?.\n"
33486 &"During symbol reading, bad structure-type format.\n"
33487 ~"Breakpoint 1 at 0x8074fc6: file ../../src/gdb/main.c, line 743.\n"
33488 ^done
33489 (gdb)
33490 @end smallexample
33491
33492 @subheading The @code{-inferior-tty-set} Command
33493 @findex -inferior-tty-set
33494
33495 @subheading Synopsis
33496
33497 @smallexample
33498 -inferior-tty-set /dev/pts/1
33499 @end smallexample
33500
33501 Set terminal for future runs of the program being debugged.
33502
33503 @subheading @value{GDBN} Command
33504
33505 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{set inferior-tty} /dev/pts/1.
33506
33507 @subheading Example
33508
33509 @smallexample
33510 (gdb)
33511 -inferior-tty-set /dev/pts/1
33512 ^done
33513 (gdb)
33514 @end smallexample
33515
33516 @subheading The @code{-inferior-tty-show} Command
33517 @findex -inferior-tty-show
33518
33519 @subheading Synopsis
33520
33521 @smallexample
33522 -inferior-tty-show
33523 @end smallexample
33524
33525 Show terminal for future runs of program being debugged.
33526
33527 @subheading @value{GDBN} Command
33528
33529 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{show inferior-tty}.
33530
33531 @subheading Example
33532
33533 @smallexample
33534 (gdb)
33535 -inferior-tty-set /dev/pts/1
33536 ^done
33537 (gdb)
33538 -inferior-tty-show
33539 ^done,inferior_tty_terminal="/dev/pts/1"
33540 (gdb)
33541 @end smallexample
33542
33543 @subheading The @code{-enable-timings} Command
33544 @findex -enable-timings
33545
33546 @subheading Synopsis
33547
33548 @smallexample
33549 -enable-timings [yes | no]
33550 @end smallexample
33551
33552 Toggle the printing of the wallclock, user and system times for an MI
33553 command as a field in its output. This command is to help frontend
33554 developers optimize the performance of their code. No argument is
33555 equivalent to @samp{yes}.
33556
33557 @subheading @value{GDBN} Command
33558
33559 No equivalent.
33560
33561 @subheading Example
33562
33563 @smallexample
33564 (gdb)
33565 -enable-timings
33566 ^done
33567 (gdb)
33568 -break-insert main
33569 ^done,bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
33570 addr="0x080484ed",func="main",file="myprog.c",
33571 fullname="/home/nickrob/myprog.c",line="73",thread-groups=["i1"],
33572 times="0"@},
33573 time=@{wallclock="0.05185",user="0.00800",system="0.00000"@}
33574 (gdb)
33575 -enable-timings no
33576 ^done
33577 (gdb)
33578 -exec-run
33579 ^running
33580 (gdb)
33581 *stopped,reason="breakpoint-hit",disp="keep",bkptno="1",thread-id="0",
33582 frame=@{addr="0x080484ed",func="main",args=[@{name="argc",value="1"@},
33583 @{name="argv",value="0xbfb60364"@}],file="myprog.c",
33584 fullname="/home/nickrob/myprog.c",line="73"@}
33585 (gdb)
33586 @end smallexample
33587
33588 @node Annotations
33589 @chapter @value{GDBN} Annotations
33590
33591 This chapter describes annotations in @value{GDBN}. Annotations were
33592 designed to interface @value{GDBN} to graphical user interfaces or other
33593 similar programs which want to interact with @value{GDBN} at a
33594 relatively high level.
33595
33596 The annotation mechanism has largely been superseded by @sc{gdb/mi}
33597 (@pxref{GDB/MI}).
33598
33599 @ignore
33600 This is Edition @value{EDITION}, @value{DATE}.
33601 @end ignore
33602
33603 @menu
33604 * Annotations Overview:: What annotations are; the general syntax.
33605 * Server Prefix:: Issuing a command without affecting user state.
33606 * Prompting:: Annotations marking @value{GDBN}'s need for input.
33607 * Errors:: Annotations for error messages.
33608 * Invalidation:: Some annotations describe things now invalid.
33609 * Annotations for Running::
33610 Whether the program is running, how it stopped, etc.
33611 * Source Annotations:: Annotations describing source code.
33612 @end menu
33613
33614 @node Annotations Overview
33615 @section What is an Annotation?
33616 @cindex annotations
33617
33618 Annotations start with a newline character, two @samp{control-z}
33619 characters, and the name of the annotation. If there is no additional
33620 information associated with this annotation, the name of the annotation
33621 is followed immediately by a newline. If there is additional
33622 information, the name of the annotation is followed by a space, the
33623 additional information, and a newline. The additional information
33624 cannot contain newline characters.
33625
33626 Any output not beginning with a newline and two @samp{control-z}
33627 characters denotes literal output from @value{GDBN}. Currently there is
33628 no need for @value{GDBN} to output a newline followed by two
33629 @samp{control-z} characters, but if there was such a need, the
33630 annotations could be extended with an @samp{escape} annotation which
33631 means those three characters as output.
33632
33633 The annotation @var{level}, which is specified using the
33634 @option{--annotate} command line option (@pxref{Mode Options}), controls
33635 how much information @value{GDBN} prints together with its prompt,
33636 values of expressions, source lines, and other types of output. Level 0
33637 is for no annotations, level 1 is for use when @value{GDBN} is run as a
33638 subprocess of @sc{gnu} Emacs, level 3 is the maximum annotation suitable
33639 for programs that control @value{GDBN}, and level 2 annotations have
33640 been made obsolete (@pxref{Limitations, , Limitations of the Annotation
33641 Interface, annotate, GDB's Obsolete Annotations}).
33642
33643 @table @code
33644 @kindex set annotate
33645 @item set annotate @var{level}
33646 The @value{GDBN} command @code{set annotate} sets the level of
33647 annotations to the specified @var{level}.
33648
33649 @item show annotate
33650 @kindex show annotate
33651 Show the current annotation level.
33652 @end table
33653
33654 This chapter describes level 3 annotations.
33655
33656 A simple example of starting up @value{GDBN} with annotations is:
33657
33658 @smallexample
33659 $ @kbd{gdb --annotate=3}
33660 GNU gdb 6.0
33661 Copyright 2003 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
33662 GDB is free software, covered by the GNU General Public License,
33663 and you are welcome to change it and/or distribute copies of it
33664 under certain conditions.
33665 Type "show copying" to see the conditions.
33666 There is absolutely no warranty for GDB. Type "show warranty"
33667 for details.
33668 This GDB was configured as "i386-pc-linux-gnu"
33669
33670 ^Z^Zpre-prompt
33671 (@value{GDBP})
33672 ^Z^Zprompt
33673 @kbd{quit}
33674
33675 ^Z^Zpost-prompt
33676 $
33677 @end smallexample
33678
33679 Here @samp{quit} is input to @value{GDBN}; the rest is output from
33680 @value{GDBN}. The three lines beginning @samp{^Z^Z} (where @samp{^Z}
33681 denotes a @samp{control-z} character) are annotations; the rest is
33682 output from @value{GDBN}.
33683
33684 @node Server Prefix
33685 @section The Server Prefix
33686 @cindex server prefix
33687
33688 If you prefix a command with @samp{server } then it will not affect
33689 the command history, nor will it affect @value{GDBN}'s notion of which
33690 command to repeat if @key{RET} is pressed on a line by itself. This
33691 means that commands can be run behind a user's back by a front-end in
33692 a transparent manner.
33693
33694 The @code{server } prefix does not affect the recording of values into
33695 the value history; to print a value without recording it into the
33696 value history, use the @code{output} command instead of the
33697 @code{print} command.
33698
33699 Using this prefix also disables confirmation requests
33700 (@pxref{confirmation requests}).
33701
33702 @node Prompting
33703 @section Annotation for @value{GDBN} Input
33704
33705 @cindex annotations for prompts
33706 When @value{GDBN} prompts for input, it annotates this fact so it is possible
33707 to know when to send output, when the output from a given command is
33708 over, etc.
33709
33710 Different kinds of input each have a different @dfn{input type}. Each
33711 input type has three annotations: a @code{pre-} annotation, which
33712 denotes the beginning of any prompt which is being output, a plain
33713 annotation, which denotes the end of the prompt, and then a @code{post-}
33714 annotation which denotes the end of any echo which may (or may not) be
33715 associated with the input. For example, the @code{prompt} input type
33716 features the following annotations:
33717
33718 @smallexample
33719 ^Z^Zpre-prompt
33720 ^Z^Zprompt
33721 ^Z^Zpost-prompt
33722 @end smallexample
33723
33724 The input types are
33725
33726 @table @code
33727 @findex pre-prompt annotation
33728 @findex prompt annotation
33729 @findex post-prompt annotation
33730 @item prompt
33731 When @value{GDBN} is prompting for a command (the main @value{GDBN} prompt).
33732
33733 @findex pre-commands annotation
33734 @findex commands annotation
33735 @findex post-commands annotation
33736 @item commands
33737 When @value{GDBN} prompts for a set of commands, like in the @code{commands}
33738 command. The annotations are repeated for each command which is input.
33739
33740 @findex pre-overload-choice annotation
33741 @findex overload-choice annotation
33742 @findex post-overload-choice annotation
33743 @item overload-choice
33744 When @value{GDBN} wants the user to select between various overloaded functions.
33745
33746 @findex pre-query annotation
33747 @findex query annotation
33748 @findex post-query annotation
33749 @item query
33750 When @value{GDBN} wants the user to confirm a potentially dangerous operation.
33751
33752 @findex pre-prompt-for-continue annotation
33753 @findex prompt-for-continue annotation
33754 @findex post-prompt-for-continue annotation
33755 @item prompt-for-continue
33756 When @value{GDBN} is asking the user to press return to continue. Note: Don't
33757 expect this to work well; instead use @code{set height 0} to disable
33758 prompting. This is because the counting of lines is buggy in the
33759 presence of annotations.
33760 @end table
33761
33762 @node Errors
33763 @section Errors
33764 @cindex annotations for errors, warnings and interrupts
33765
33766 @findex quit annotation
33767 @smallexample
33768 ^Z^Zquit
33769 @end smallexample
33770
33771 This annotation occurs right before @value{GDBN} responds to an interrupt.
33772
33773 @findex error annotation
33774 @smallexample
33775 ^Z^Zerror
33776 @end smallexample
33777
33778 This annotation occurs right before @value{GDBN} responds to an error.
33779
33780 Quit and error annotations indicate that any annotations which @value{GDBN} was
33781 in the middle of may end abruptly. For example, if a
33782 @code{value-history-begin} annotation is followed by a @code{error}, one
33783 cannot expect to receive the matching @code{value-history-end}. One
33784 cannot expect not to receive it either, however; an error annotation
33785 does not necessarily mean that @value{GDBN} is immediately returning all the way
33786 to the top level.
33787
33788 @findex error-begin annotation
33789 A quit or error annotation may be preceded by
33790
33791 @smallexample
33792 ^Z^Zerror-begin
33793 @end smallexample
33794
33795 Any output between that and the quit or error annotation is the error
33796 message.
33797
33798 Warning messages are not yet annotated.
33799 @c If we want to change that, need to fix warning(), type_error(),
33800 @c range_error(), and possibly other places.
33801
33802 @node Invalidation
33803 @section Invalidation Notices
33804
33805 @cindex annotations for invalidation messages
33806 The following annotations say that certain pieces of state may have
33807 changed.
33808
33809 @table @code
33810 @findex frames-invalid annotation
33811 @item ^Z^Zframes-invalid
33812
33813 The frames (for example, output from the @code{backtrace} command) may
33814 have changed.
33815
33816 @findex breakpoints-invalid annotation
33817 @item ^Z^Zbreakpoints-invalid
33818
33819 The breakpoints may have changed. For example, the user just added or
33820 deleted a breakpoint.
33821 @end table
33822
33823 @node Annotations for Running
33824 @section Running the Program
33825 @cindex annotations for running programs
33826
33827 @findex starting annotation
33828 @findex stopping annotation
33829 When the program starts executing due to a @value{GDBN} command such as
33830 @code{step} or @code{continue},
33831
33832 @smallexample
33833 ^Z^Zstarting
33834 @end smallexample
33835
33836 is output. When the program stops,
33837
33838 @smallexample
33839 ^Z^Zstopped
33840 @end smallexample
33841
33842 is output. Before the @code{stopped} annotation, a variety of
33843 annotations describe how the program stopped.
33844
33845 @table @code
33846 @findex exited annotation
33847 @item ^Z^Zexited @var{exit-status}
33848 The program exited, and @var{exit-status} is the exit status (zero for
33849 successful exit, otherwise nonzero).
33850
33851 @findex signalled annotation
33852 @findex signal-name annotation
33853 @findex signal-name-end annotation
33854 @findex signal-string annotation
33855 @findex signal-string-end annotation
33856 @item ^Z^Zsignalled
33857 The program exited with a signal. After the @code{^Z^Zsignalled}, the
33858 annotation continues:
33859
33860 @smallexample
33861 @var{intro-text}
33862 ^Z^Zsignal-name
33863 @var{name}
33864 ^Z^Zsignal-name-end
33865 @var{middle-text}
33866 ^Z^Zsignal-string
33867 @var{string}
33868 ^Z^Zsignal-string-end
33869 @var{end-text}
33870 @end smallexample
33871
33872 @noindent
33873 where @var{name} is the name of the signal, such as @code{SIGILL} or
33874 @code{SIGSEGV}, and @var{string} is the explanation of the signal, such
33875 as @code{Illegal Instruction} or @code{Segmentation fault}. The arguments
33876 @var{intro-text}, @var{middle-text}, and @var{end-text} are for the
33877 user's benefit and have no particular format.
33878
33879 @findex signal annotation
33880 @item ^Z^Zsignal
33881 The syntax of this annotation is just like @code{signalled}, but @value{GDBN} is
33882 just saying that the program received the signal, not that it was
33883 terminated with it.
33884
33885 @findex breakpoint annotation
33886 @item ^Z^Zbreakpoint @var{number}
33887 The program hit breakpoint number @var{number}.
33888
33889 @findex watchpoint annotation
33890 @item ^Z^Zwatchpoint @var{number}
33891 The program hit watchpoint number @var{number}.
33892 @end table
33893
33894 @node Source Annotations
33895 @section Displaying Source
33896 @cindex annotations for source display
33897
33898 @findex source annotation
33899 The following annotation is used instead of displaying source code:
33900
33901 @smallexample
33902 ^Z^Zsource @var{filename}:@var{line}:@var{character}:@var{middle}:@var{addr}
33903 @end smallexample
33904
33905 where @var{filename} is an absolute file name indicating which source
33906 file, @var{line} is the line number within that file (where 1 is the
33907 first line in the file), @var{character} is the character position
33908 within the file (where 0 is the first character in the file) (for most
33909 debug formats this will necessarily point to the beginning of a line),
33910 @var{middle} is @samp{middle} if @var{addr} is in the middle of the
33911 line, or @samp{beg} if @var{addr} is at the beginning of the line, and
33912 @var{addr} is the address in the target program associated with the
33913 source which is being displayed. The @var{addr} is in the form @samp{0x}
33914 followed by one or more lowercase hex digits (note that this does not
33915 depend on the language).
33916
33917 @node JIT Interface
33918 @chapter JIT Compilation Interface
33919 @cindex just-in-time compilation
33920 @cindex JIT compilation interface
33921
33922 This chapter documents @value{GDBN}'s @dfn{just-in-time} (JIT) compilation
33923 interface. A JIT compiler is a program or library that generates native
33924 executable code at runtime and executes it, usually in order to achieve good
33925 performance while maintaining platform independence.
33926
33927 Programs that use JIT compilation are normally difficult to debug because
33928 portions of their code are generated at runtime, instead of being loaded from
33929 object files, which is where @value{GDBN} normally finds the program's symbols
33930 and debug information. In order to debug programs that use JIT compilation,
33931 @value{GDBN} has an interface that allows the program to register in-memory
33932 symbol files with @value{GDBN} at runtime.
33933
33934 If you are using @value{GDBN} to debug a program that uses this interface, then
33935 it should work transparently so long as you have not stripped the binary. If
33936 you are developing a JIT compiler, then the interface is documented in the rest
33937 of this chapter. At this time, the only known client of this interface is the
33938 LLVM JIT.
33939
33940 Broadly speaking, the JIT interface mirrors the dynamic loader interface. The
33941 JIT compiler communicates with @value{GDBN} by writing data into a global
33942 variable and calling a fuction at a well-known symbol. When @value{GDBN}
33943 attaches, it reads a linked list of symbol files from the global variable to
33944 find existing code, and puts a breakpoint in the function so that it can find
33945 out about additional code.
33946
33947 @menu
33948 * Declarations:: Relevant C struct declarations
33949 * Registering Code:: Steps to register code
33950 * Unregistering Code:: Steps to unregister code
33951 * Custom Debug Info:: Emit debug information in a custom format
33952 @end menu
33953
33954 @node Declarations
33955 @section JIT Declarations
33956
33957 These are the relevant struct declarations that a C program should include to
33958 implement the interface:
33959
33960 @smallexample
33961 typedef enum
33962 @{
33963 JIT_NOACTION = 0,
33964 JIT_REGISTER_FN,
33965 JIT_UNREGISTER_FN
33966 @} jit_actions_t;
33967
33968 struct jit_code_entry
33969 @{
33970 struct jit_code_entry *next_entry;
33971 struct jit_code_entry *prev_entry;
33972 const char *symfile_addr;
33973 uint64_t symfile_size;
33974 @};
33975
33976 struct jit_descriptor
33977 @{
33978 uint32_t version;
33979 /* This type should be jit_actions_t, but we use uint32_t
33980 to be explicit about the bitwidth. */
33981 uint32_t action_flag;
33982 struct jit_code_entry *relevant_entry;
33983 struct jit_code_entry *first_entry;
33984 @};
33985
33986 /* GDB puts a breakpoint in this function. */
33987 void __attribute__((noinline)) __jit_debug_register_code() @{ @};
33988
33989 /* Make sure to specify the version statically, because the
33990 debugger may check the version before we can set it. */
33991 struct jit_descriptor __jit_debug_descriptor = @{ 1, 0, 0, 0 @};
33992 @end smallexample
33993
33994 If the JIT is multi-threaded, then it is important that the JIT synchronize any
33995 modifications to this global data properly, which can easily be done by putting
33996 a global mutex around modifications to these structures.
33997
33998 @node Registering Code
33999 @section Registering Code
34000
34001 To register code with @value{GDBN}, the JIT should follow this protocol:
34002
34003 @itemize @bullet
34004 @item
34005 Generate an object file in memory with symbols and other desired debug
34006 information. The file must include the virtual addresses of the sections.
34007
34008 @item
34009 Create a code entry for the file, which gives the start and size of the symbol
34010 file.
34011
34012 @item
34013 Add it to the linked list in the JIT descriptor.
34014
34015 @item
34016 Point the relevant_entry field of the descriptor at the entry.
34017
34018 @item
34019 Set @code{action_flag} to @code{JIT_REGISTER} and call
34020 @code{__jit_debug_register_code}.
34021 @end itemize
34022
34023 When @value{GDBN} is attached and the breakpoint fires, @value{GDBN} uses the
34024 @code{relevant_entry} pointer so it doesn't have to walk the list looking for
34025 new code. However, the linked list must still be maintained in order to allow
34026 @value{GDBN} to attach to a running process and still find the symbol files.
34027
34028 @node Unregistering Code
34029 @section Unregistering Code
34030
34031 If code is freed, then the JIT should use the following protocol:
34032
34033 @itemize @bullet
34034 @item
34035 Remove the code entry corresponding to the code from the linked list.
34036
34037 @item
34038 Point the @code{relevant_entry} field of the descriptor at the code entry.
34039
34040 @item
34041 Set @code{action_flag} to @code{JIT_UNREGISTER} and call
34042 @code{__jit_debug_register_code}.
34043 @end itemize
34044
34045 If the JIT frees or recompiles code without unregistering it, then @value{GDBN}
34046 and the JIT will leak the memory used for the associated symbol files.
34047
34048 @node Custom Debug Info
34049 @section Custom Debug Info
34050 @cindex custom JIT debug info
34051 @cindex JIT debug info reader
34052
34053 Generating debug information in platform-native file formats (like ELF
34054 or COFF) may be an overkill for JIT compilers; especially if all the
34055 debug info is used for is displaying a meaningful backtrace. The
34056 issue can be resolved by having the JIT writers decide on a debug info
34057 format and also provide a reader that parses the debug info generated
34058 by the JIT compiler. This section gives a brief overview on writing
34059 such a parser. More specific details can be found in the source file
34060 @file{gdb/jit-reader.in}, which is also installed as a header at
34061 @file{@var{includedir}/gdb/jit-reader.h} for easy inclusion.
34062
34063 The reader is implemented as a shared object (so this functionality is
34064 not available on platforms which don't allow loading shared objects at
34065 runtime). Two @value{GDBN} commands, @code{jit-reader-load} and
34066 @code{jit-reader-unload} are provided, to be used to load and unload
34067 the readers from a preconfigured directory. Once loaded, the shared
34068 object is used the parse the debug information emitted by the JIT
34069 compiler.
34070
34071 @menu
34072 * Using JIT Debug Info Readers:: How to use supplied readers correctly
34073 * Writing JIT Debug Info Readers:: Creating a debug-info reader
34074 @end menu
34075
34076 @node Using JIT Debug Info Readers
34077 @subsection Using JIT Debug Info Readers
34078 @kindex jit-reader-load
34079 @kindex jit-reader-unload
34080
34081 Readers can be loaded and unloaded using the @code{jit-reader-load}
34082 and @code{jit-reader-unload} commands.
34083
34084 @table @code
34085 @item jit-reader-load @var{reader}
34086 Load the JIT reader named @var{reader}, which is a shared
34087 object specified as either an absolute or a relative file name. In
34088 the latter case, @value{GDBN} will try to load the reader from a
34089 pre-configured directory, usually @file{@var{libdir}/gdb/} on a UNIX
34090 system (here @var{libdir} is the system library directory, often
34091 @file{/usr/local/lib}).
34092
34093 Only one reader can be active at a time; trying to load a second
34094 reader when one is already loaded will result in @value{GDBN}
34095 reporting an error. A new JIT reader can be loaded by first unloading
34096 the current one using @code{jit-reader-unload} and then invoking
34097 @code{jit-reader-load}.
34098
34099 @item jit-reader-unload
34100 Unload the currently loaded JIT reader.
34101
34102 @end table
34103
34104 @node Writing JIT Debug Info Readers
34105 @subsection Writing JIT Debug Info Readers
34106 @cindex writing JIT debug info readers
34107
34108 As mentioned, a reader is essentially a shared object conforming to a
34109 certain ABI. This ABI is described in @file{jit-reader.h}.
34110
34111 @file{jit-reader.h} defines the structures, macros and functions
34112 required to write a reader. It is installed (along with
34113 @value{GDBN}), in @file{@var{includedir}/gdb} where @var{includedir} is
34114 the system include directory.
34115
34116 Readers need to be released under a GPL compatible license. A reader
34117 can be declared as released under such a license by placing the macro
34118 @code{GDB_DECLARE_GPL_COMPATIBLE_READER} in a source file.
34119
34120 The entry point for readers is the symbol @code{gdb_init_reader},
34121 which is expected to be a function with the prototype
34122
34123 @findex gdb_init_reader
34124 @smallexample
34125 extern struct gdb_reader_funcs *gdb_init_reader (void);
34126 @end smallexample
34127
34128 @cindex @code{struct gdb_reader_funcs}
34129
34130 @code{struct gdb_reader_funcs} contains a set of pointers to callback
34131 functions. These functions are executed to read the debug info
34132 generated by the JIT compiler (@code{read}), to unwind stack frames
34133 (@code{unwind}) and to create canonical frame IDs
34134 (@code{get_Frame_id}). It also has a callback that is called when the
34135 reader is being unloaded (@code{destroy}). The struct looks like this
34136
34137 @smallexample
34138 struct gdb_reader_funcs
34139 @{
34140 /* Must be set to GDB_READER_INTERFACE_VERSION. */
34141 int reader_version;
34142
34143 /* For use by the reader. */
34144 void *priv_data;
34145
34146 gdb_read_debug_info *read;
34147 gdb_unwind_frame *unwind;
34148 gdb_get_frame_id *get_frame_id;
34149 gdb_destroy_reader *destroy;
34150 @};
34151 @end smallexample
34152
34153 @cindex @code{struct gdb_symbol_callbacks}
34154 @cindex @code{struct gdb_unwind_callbacks}
34155
34156 The callbacks are provided with another set of callbacks by
34157 @value{GDBN} to do their job. For @code{read}, these callbacks are
34158 passed in a @code{struct gdb_symbol_callbacks} and for @code{unwind}
34159 and @code{get_frame_id}, in a @code{struct gdb_unwind_callbacks}.
34160 @code{struct gdb_symbol_callbacks} has callbacks to create new object
34161 files and new symbol tables inside those object files. @code{struct
34162 gdb_unwind_callbacks} has callbacks to read registers off the current
34163 frame and to write out the values of the registers in the previous
34164 frame. Both have a callback (@code{target_read}) to read bytes off the
34165 target's address space.
34166
34167 @node In-Process Agent
34168 @chapter In-Process Agent
34169 @cindex debugging agent
34170 The traditional debugging model is conceptually low-speed, but works fine,
34171 because most bugs can be reproduced in debugging-mode execution. However,
34172 as multi-core or many-core processors are becoming mainstream, and
34173 multi-threaded programs become more and more popular, there should be more
34174 and more bugs that only manifest themselves at normal-mode execution, for
34175 example, thread races, because debugger's interference with the program's
34176 timing may conceal the bugs. On the other hand, in some applications,
34177 it is not feasible for the debugger to interrupt the program's execution
34178 long enough for the developer to learn anything helpful about its behavior.
34179 If the program's correctness depends on its real-time behavior, delays
34180 introduced by a debugger might cause the program to fail, even when the
34181 code itself is correct. It is useful to be able to observe the program's
34182 behavior without interrupting it.
34183
34184 Therefore, traditional debugging model is too intrusive to reproduce
34185 some bugs. In order to reduce the interference with the program, we can
34186 reduce the number of operations performed by debugger. The
34187 @dfn{In-Process Agent}, a shared library, is running within the same
34188 process with inferior, and is able to perform some debugging operations
34189 itself. As a result, debugger is only involved when necessary, and
34190 performance of debugging can be improved accordingly. Note that
34191 interference with program can be reduced but can't be removed completely,
34192 because the in-process agent will still stop or slow down the program.
34193
34194 The in-process agent can interpret and execute Agent Expressions
34195 (@pxref{Agent Expressions}) during performing debugging operations. The
34196 agent expressions can be used for different purposes, such as collecting
34197 data in tracepoints, and condition evaluation in breakpoints.
34198
34199 @anchor{Control Agent}
34200 You can control whether the in-process agent is used as an aid for
34201 debugging with the following commands:
34202
34203 @table @code
34204 @kindex set agent on
34205 @item set agent on
34206 Causes the in-process agent to perform some operations on behalf of the
34207 debugger. Just which operations requested by the user will be done
34208 by the in-process agent depends on the its capabilities. For example,
34209 if you request to evaluate breakpoint conditions in the in-process agent,
34210 and the in-process agent has such capability as well, then breakpoint
34211 conditions will be evaluated in the in-process agent.
34212
34213 @kindex set agent off
34214 @item set agent off
34215 Disables execution of debugging operations by the in-process agent. All
34216 of the operations will be performed by @value{GDBN}.
34217
34218 @kindex show agent
34219 @item show agent
34220 Display the current setting of execution of debugging operations by
34221 the in-process agent.
34222 @end table
34223
34224 @menu
34225 * In-Process Agent Protocol::
34226 @end menu
34227
34228 @node In-Process Agent Protocol
34229 @section In-Process Agent Protocol
34230 @cindex in-process agent protocol
34231
34232 The in-process agent is able to communicate with both @value{GDBN} and
34233 GDBserver (@pxref{In-Process Agent}). This section documents the protocol
34234 used for communications between @value{GDBN} or GDBserver and the IPA.
34235 In general, @value{GDBN} or GDBserver sends commands
34236 (@pxref{IPA Protocol Commands}) and data to in-process agent, and then
34237 in-process agent replies back with the return result of the command, or
34238 some other information. The data sent to in-process agent is composed
34239 of primitive data types, such as 4-byte or 8-byte type, and composite
34240 types, which are called objects (@pxref{IPA Protocol Objects}).
34241
34242 @menu
34243 * IPA Protocol Objects::
34244 * IPA Protocol Commands::
34245 @end menu
34246
34247 @node IPA Protocol Objects
34248 @subsection IPA Protocol Objects
34249 @cindex ipa protocol objects
34250
34251 The commands sent to and results received from agent may contain some
34252 complex data types called @dfn{objects}.
34253
34254 The in-process agent is running on the same machine with @value{GDBN}
34255 or GDBserver, so it doesn't have to handle as much differences between
34256 two ends as remote protocol (@pxref{Remote Protocol}) tries to handle.
34257 However, there are still some differences of two ends in two processes:
34258
34259 @enumerate
34260 @item
34261 word size. On some 64-bit machines, @value{GDBN} or GDBserver can be
34262 compiled as a 64-bit executable, while in-process agent is a 32-bit one.
34263 @item
34264 ABI. Some machines may have multiple types of ABI, @value{GDBN} or
34265 GDBserver is compiled with one, and in-process agent is compiled with
34266 the other one.
34267 @end enumerate
34268
34269 Here are the IPA Protocol Objects:
34270
34271 @enumerate
34272 @item
34273 agent expression object. It represents an agent expression
34274 (@pxref{Agent Expressions}).
34275 @anchor{agent expression object}
34276 @item
34277 tracepoint action object. It represents a tracepoint action
34278 (@pxref{Tracepoint Actions,,Tracepoint Action Lists}) to collect registers,
34279 memory, static trace data and to evaluate expression.
34280 @anchor{tracepoint action object}
34281 @item
34282 tracepoint object. It represents a tracepoint (@pxref{Tracepoints}).
34283 @anchor{tracepoint object}
34284
34285 @end enumerate
34286
34287 The following table describes important attributes of each IPA protocol
34288 object:
34289
34290 @multitable @columnfractions .30 .20 .50
34291 @headitem Name @tab Size @tab Description
34292 @item @emph{agent expression object} @tab @tab
34293 @item length @tab 4 @tab length of bytes code
34294 @item byte code @tab @var{length} @tab contents of byte code
34295 @item @emph{tracepoint action for collecting memory} @tab @tab
34296 @item 'M' @tab 1 @tab type of tracepoint action
34297 @item addr @tab 8 @tab if @var{basereg} is @samp{-1}, @var{addr} is the
34298 address of the lowest byte to collect, otherwise @var{addr} is the offset
34299 of @var{basereg} for memory collecting.
34300 @item len @tab 8 @tab length of memory for collecting
34301 @item basereg @tab 4 @tab the register number containing the starting
34302 memory address for collecting.
34303 @item @emph{tracepoint action for collecting registers} @tab @tab
34304 @item 'R' @tab 1 @tab type of tracepoint action
34305 @item @emph{tracepoint action for collecting static trace data} @tab @tab
34306 @item 'L' @tab 1 @tab type of tracepoint action
34307 @item @emph{tracepoint action for expression evaluation} @tab @tab
34308 @item 'X' @tab 1 @tab type of tracepoint action
34309 @item agent expression @tab length of @tab @ref{agent expression object}
34310 @item @emph{tracepoint object} @tab @tab
34311 @item number @tab 4 @tab number of tracepoint
34312 @item address @tab 8 @tab address of tracepoint inserted on
34313 @item type @tab 4 @tab type of tracepoint
34314 @item enabled @tab 1 @tab enable or disable of tracepoint
34315 @item step_count @tab 8 @tab step
34316 @item pass_count @tab 8 @tab pass
34317 @item numactions @tab 4 @tab number of tracepoint actions
34318 @item hit count @tab 8 @tab hit count
34319 @item trace frame usage @tab 8 @tab trace frame usage
34320 @item compiled_cond @tab 8 @tab compiled condition
34321 @item orig_size @tab 8 @tab orig size
34322 @item condition @tab 4 if condition is NULL otherwise length of
34323 @ref{agent expression object}
34324 @tab zero if condition is NULL, otherwise is
34325 @ref{agent expression object}
34326 @item actions @tab variable
34327 @tab numactions number of @ref{tracepoint action object}
34328 @end multitable
34329
34330 @node IPA Protocol Commands
34331 @subsection IPA Protocol Commands
34332 @cindex ipa protocol commands
34333
34334 The spaces in each command are delimiters to ease reading this commands
34335 specification. They don't exist in real commands.
34336
34337 @table @samp
34338
34339 @item FastTrace:@var{tracepoint_object} @var{gdb_jump_pad_head}
34340 Installs a new fast tracepoint described by @var{tracepoint_object}
34341 (@pxref{tracepoint object}). The @var{gdb_jump_pad_head}, 8-byte long, is the
34342 head of @dfn{jumppad}, which is used to jump to data collection routine
34343 in IPA finally.
34344
34345 Replies:
34346 @table @samp
34347 @item OK @var{target_address} @var{gdb_jump_pad_head} @var{fjump_size} @var{fjump}
34348 @var{target_address} is address of tracepoint in the inferior.
34349 The @var{gdb_jump_pad_head} is updated head of jumppad. Both of
34350 @var{target_address} and @var{gdb_jump_pad_head} are 8-byte long.
34351 The @var{fjump} contains a sequence of instructions jump to jumppad entry.
34352 The @var{fjump_size}, 4-byte long, is the size of @var{fjump}.
34353 @item E @var{NN}
34354 for an error
34355
34356 @end table
34357
34358 @item close
34359 Closes the in-process agent. This command is sent when @value{GDBN} or GDBserver
34360 is about to kill inferiors.
34361
34362 @item qTfSTM
34363 @xref{qTfSTM}.
34364 @item qTsSTM
34365 @xref{qTsSTM}.
34366 @item qTSTMat
34367 @xref{qTSTMat}.
34368 @item probe_marker_at:@var{address}
34369 Asks in-process agent to probe the marker at @var{address}.
34370
34371 Replies:
34372 @table @samp
34373 @item E @var{NN}
34374 for an error
34375 @end table
34376 @item unprobe_marker_at:@var{address}
34377 Asks in-process agent to unprobe the marker at @var{address}.
34378 @end table
34379
34380 @node GDB Bugs
34381 @chapter Reporting Bugs in @value{GDBN}
34382 @cindex bugs in @value{GDBN}
34383 @cindex reporting bugs in @value{GDBN}
34384
34385 Your bug reports play an essential role in making @value{GDBN} reliable.
34386
34387 Reporting a bug may help you by bringing a solution to your problem, or it
34388 may not. But in any case the principal function of a bug report is to help
34389 the entire community by making the next version of @value{GDBN} work better. Bug
34390 reports are your contribution to the maintenance of @value{GDBN}.
34391
34392 In order for a bug report to serve its purpose, you must include the
34393 information that enables us to fix the bug.
34394
34395 @menu
34396 * Bug Criteria:: Have you found a bug?
34397 * Bug Reporting:: How to report bugs
34398 @end menu
34399
34400 @node Bug Criteria
34401 @section Have You Found a Bug?
34402 @cindex bug criteria
34403
34404 If you are not sure whether you have found a bug, here are some guidelines:
34405
34406 @itemize @bullet
34407 @cindex fatal signal
34408 @cindex debugger crash
34409 @cindex crash of debugger
34410 @item
34411 If the debugger gets a fatal signal, for any input whatever, that is a
34412 @value{GDBN} bug. Reliable debuggers never crash.
34413
34414 @cindex error on valid input
34415 @item
34416 If @value{GDBN} produces an error message for valid input, that is a
34417 bug. (Note that if you're cross debugging, the problem may also be
34418 somewhere in the connection to the target.)
34419
34420 @cindex invalid input
34421 @item
34422 If @value{GDBN} does not produce an error message for invalid input,
34423 that is a bug. However, you should note that your idea of
34424 ``invalid input'' might be our idea of ``an extension'' or ``support
34425 for traditional practice''.
34426
34427 @item
34428 If you are an experienced user of debugging tools, your suggestions
34429 for improvement of @value{GDBN} are welcome in any case.
34430 @end itemize
34431
34432 @node Bug Reporting
34433 @section How to Report Bugs
34434 @cindex bug reports
34435 @cindex @value{GDBN} bugs, reporting
34436
34437 A number of companies and individuals offer support for @sc{gnu} products.
34438 If you obtained @value{GDBN} from a support organization, we recommend you
34439 contact that organization first.
34440
34441 You can find contact information for many support companies and
34442 individuals in the file @file{etc/SERVICE} in the @sc{gnu} Emacs
34443 distribution.
34444 @c should add a web page ref...
34445
34446 @ifset BUGURL
34447 @ifset BUGURL_DEFAULT
34448 In any event, we also recommend that you submit bug reports for
34449 @value{GDBN}. The preferred method is to submit them directly using
34450 @uref{http://www.gnu.org/software/gdb/bugs/, @value{GDBN}'s Bugs web
34451 page}. Alternatively, the @email{bug-gdb@@gnu.org, e-mail gateway} can
34452 be used.
34453
34454 @strong{Do not send bug reports to @samp{info-gdb}, or to
34455 @samp{help-gdb}, or to any newsgroups.} Most users of @value{GDBN} do
34456 not want to receive bug reports. Those that do have arranged to receive
34457 @samp{bug-gdb}.
34458
34459 The mailing list @samp{bug-gdb} has a newsgroup @samp{gnu.gdb.bug} which
34460 serves as a repeater. The mailing list and the newsgroup carry exactly
34461 the same messages. Often people think of posting bug reports to the
34462 newsgroup instead of mailing them. This appears to work, but it has one
34463 problem which can be crucial: a newsgroup posting often lacks a mail
34464 path back to the sender. Thus, if we need to ask for more information,
34465 we may be unable to reach you. For this reason, it is better to send
34466 bug reports to the mailing list.
34467 @end ifset
34468 @ifclear BUGURL_DEFAULT
34469 In any event, we also recommend that you submit bug reports for
34470 @value{GDBN} to @value{BUGURL}.
34471 @end ifclear
34472 @end ifset
34473
34474 The fundamental principle of reporting bugs usefully is this:
34475 @strong{report all the facts}. If you are not sure whether to state a
34476 fact or leave it out, state it!
34477
34478 Often people omit facts because they think they know what causes the
34479 problem and assume that some details do not matter. Thus, you might
34480 assume that the name of the variable you use in an example does not matter.
34481 Well, probably it does not, but one cannot be sure. Perhaps the bug is a
34482 stray memory reference which happens to fetch from the location where that
34483 name is stored in memory; perhaps, if the name were different, the contents
34484 of that location would fool the debugger into doing the right thing despite
34485 the bug. Play it safe and give a specific, complete example. That is the
34486 easiest thing for you to do, and the most helpful.
34487
34488 Keep in mind that the purpose of a bug report is to enable us to fix the
34489 bug. It may be that the bug has been reported previously, but neither
34490 you nor we can know that unless your bug report is complete and
34491 self-contained.
34492
34493 Sometimes people give a few sketchy facts and ask, ``Does this ring a
34494 bell?'' Those bug reports are useless, and we urge everyone to
34495 @emph{refuse to respond to them} except to chide the sender to report
34496 bugs properly.
34497
34498 To enable us to fix the bug, you should include all these things:
34499
34500 @itemize @bullet
34501 @item
34502 The version of @value{GDBN}. @value{GDBN} announces it if you start
34503 with no arguments; you can also print it at any time using @code{show
34504 version}.
34505
34506 Without this, we will not know whether there is any point in looking for
34507 the bug in the current version of @value{GDBN}.
34508
34509 @item
34510 The type of machine you are using, and the operating system name and
34511 version number.
34512
34513 @item
34514 The details of the @value{GDBN} build-time configuration.
34515 @value{GDBN} shows these details if you invoke it with the
34516 @option{--configuration} command-line option, or if you type
34517 @code{show configuration} at @value{GDBN}'s prompt.
34518
34519 @item
34520 What compiler (and its version) was used to compile @value{GDBN}---e.g.@:
34521 ``@value{GCC}--2.8.1''.
34522
34523 @item
34524 What compiler (and its version) was used to compile the program you are
34525 debugging---e.g.@: ``@value{GCC}--2.8.1'', or ``HP92453-01 A.10.32.03 HP
34526 C Compiler''. For @value{NGCC}, you can say @kbd{@value{GCC} --version}
34527 to get this information; for other compilers, see the documentation for
34528 those compilers.
34529
34530 @item
34531 The command arguments you gave the compiler to compile your example and
34532 observe the bug. For example, did you use @samp{-O}? To guarantee
34533 you will not omit something important, list them all. A copy of the
34534 Makefile (or the output from make) is sufficient.
34535
34536 If we were to try to guess the arguments, we would probably guess wrong
34537 and then we might not encounter the bug.
34538
34539 @item
34540 A complete input script, and all necessary source files, that will
34541 reproduce the bug.
34542
34543 @item
34544 A description of what behavior you observe that you believe is
34545 incorrect. For example, ``It gets a fatal signal.''
34546
34547 Of course, if the bug is that @value{GDBN} gets a fatal signal, then we
34548 will certainly notice it. But if the bug is incorrect output, we might
34549 not notice unless it is glaringly wrong. You might as well not give us
34550 a chance to make a mistake.
34551
34552 Even if the problem you experience is a fatal signal, you should still
34553 say so explicitly. Suppose something strange is going on, such as, your
34554 copy of @value{GDBN} is out of synch, or you have encountered a bug in
34555 the C library on your system. (This has happened!) Your copy might
34556 crash and ours would not. If you told us to expect a crash, then when
34557 ours fails to crash, we would know that the bug was not happening for
34558 us. If you had not told us to expect a crash, then we would not be able
34559 to draw any conclusion from our observations.
34560
34561 @pindex script
34562 @cindex recording a session script
34563 To collect all this information, you can use a session recording program
34564 such as @command{script}, which is available on many Unix systems.
34565 Just run your @value{GDBN} session inside @command{script} and then
34566 include the @file{typescript} file with your bug report.
34567
34568 Another way to record a @value{GDBN} session is to run @value{GDBN}
34569 inside Emacs and then save the entire buffer to a file.
34570
34571 @item
34572 If you wish to suggest changes to the @value{GDBN} source, send us context
34573 diffs. If you even discuss something in the @value{GDBN} source, refer to
34574 it by context, not by line number.
34575
34576 The line numbers in our development sources will not match those in your
34577 sources. Your line numbers would convey no useful information to us.
34578
34579 @end itemize
34580
34581 Here are some things that are not necessary:
34582
34583 @itemize @bullet
34584 @item
34585 A description of the envelope of the bug.
34586
34587 Often people who encounter a bug spend a lot of time investigating
34588 which changes to the input file will make the bug go away and which
34589 changes will not affect it.
34590
34591 This is often time consuming and not very useful, because the way we
34592 will find the bug is by running a single example under the debugger
34593 with breakpoints, not by pure deduction from a series of examples.
34594 We recommend that you save your time for something else.
34595
34596 Of course, if you can find a simpler example to report @emph{instead}
34597 of the original one, that is a convenience for us. Errors in the
34598 output will be easier to spot, running under the debugger will take
34599 less time, and so on.
34600
34601 However, simplification is not vital; if you do not want to do this,
34602 report the bug anyway and send us the entire test case you used.
34603
34604 @item
34605 A patch for the bug.
34606
34607 A patch for the bug does help us if it is a good one. But do not omit
34608 the necessary information, such as the test case, on the assumption that
34609 a patch is all we need. We might see problems with your patch and decide
34610 to fix the problem another way, or we might not understand it at all.
34611
34612 Sometimes with a program as complicated as @value{GDBN} it is very hard to
34613 construct an example that will make the program follow a certain path
34614 through the code. If you do not send us the example, we will not be able
34615 to construct one, so we will not be able to verify that the bug is fixed.
34616
34617 And if we cannot understand what bug you are trying to fix, or why your
34618 patch should be an improvement, we will not install it. A test case will
34619 help us to understand.
34620
34621 @item
34622 A guess about what the bug is or what it depends on.
34623
34624 Such guesses are usually wrong. Even we cannot guess right about such
34625 things without first using the debugger to find the facts.
34626 @end itemize
34627
34628 @c The readline documentation is distributed with the readline code
34629 @c and consists of the two following files:
34630 @c rluser.texi
34631 @c hsuser.texi
34632 @c Use -I with makeinfo to point to the appropriate directory,
34633 @c environment var TEXINPUTS with TeX.
34634 @ifclear SYSTEM_READLINE
34635 @include rluser.texi
34636 @include hsuser.texi
34637 @end ifclear
34638
34639 @node In Memoriam
34640 @appendix In Memoriam
34641
34642 The @value{GDBN} project mourns the loss of the following long-time
34643 contributors:
34644
34645 @table @code
34646 @item Fred Fish
34647 Fred was a long-standing contributor to @value{GDBN} (1991-2006), and
34648 to Free Software in general. Outside of @value{GDBN}, he was known in
34649 the Amiga world for his series of Fish Disks, and the GeekGadget project.
34650
34651 @item Michael Snyder
34652 Michael was one of the Global Maintainers of the @value{GDBN} project,
34653 with contributions recorded as early as 1996, until 2011. In addition
34654 to his day to day participation, he was a large driving force behind
34655 adding Reverse Debugging to @value{GDBN}.
34656 @end table
34657
34658 Beyond their technical contributions to the project, they were also
34659 enjoyable members of the Free Software Community. We will miss them.
34660
34661 @node Formatting Documentation
34662 @appendix Formatting Documentation
34663
34664 @cindex @value{GDBN} reference card
34665 @cindex reference card
34666 The @value{GDBN} 4 release includes an already-formatted reference card, ready
34667 for printing with PostScript or Ghostscript, in the @file{gdb}
34668 subdirectory of the main source directory@footnote{In
34669 @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}/gdb/refcard.ps} of the version @value{GDBVN}
34670 release.}. If you can use PostScript or Ghostscript with your printer,
34671 you can print the reference card immediately with @file{refcard.ps}.
34672
34673 The release also includes the source for the reference card. You
34674 can format it, using @TeX{}, by typing:
34675
34676 @smallexample
34677 make refcard.dvi
34678 @end smallexample
34679
34680 The @value{GDBN} reference card is designed to print in @dfn{landscape}
34681 mode on US ``letter'' size paper;
34682 that is, on a sheet 11 inches wide by 8.5 inches
34683 high. You will need to specify this form of printing as an option to
34684 your @sc{dvi} output program.
34685
34686 @cindex documentation
34687
34688 All the documentation for @value{GDBN} comes as part of the machine-readable
34689 distribution. The documentation is written in Texinfo format, which is
34690 a documentation system that uses a single source file to produce both
34691 on-line information and a printed manual. You can use one of the Info
34692 formatting commands to create the on-line version of the documentation
34693 and @TeX{} (or @code{texi2roff}) to typeset the printed version.
34694
34695 @value{GDBN} includes an already formatted copy of the on-line Info
34696 version of this manual in the @file{gdb} subdirectory. The main Info
34697 file is @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}/gdb/gdb.info}, and it refers to
34698 subordinate files matching @samp{gdb.info*} in the same directory. If
34699 necessary, you can print out these files, or read them with any editor;
34700 but they are easier to read using the @code{info} subsystem in @sc{gnu}
34701 Emacs or the standalone @code{info} program, available as part of the
34702 @sc{gnu} Texinfo distribution.
34703
34704 If you want to format these Info files yourself, you need one of the
34705 Info formatting programs, such as @code{texinfo-format-buffer} or
34706 @code{makeinfo}.
34707
34708 If you have @code{makeinfo} installed, and are in the top level
34709 @value{GDBN} source directory (@file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}}, in the case of
34710 version @value{GDBVN}), you can make the Info file by typing:
34711
34712 @smallexample
34713 cd gdb
34714 make gdb.info
34715 @end smallexample
34716
34717 If you want to typeset and print copies of this manual, you need @TeX{},
34718 a program to print its @sc{dvi} output files, and @file{texinfo.tex}, the
34719 Texinfo definitions file.
34720
34721 @TeX{} is a typesetting program; it does not print files directly, but
34722 produces output files called @sc{dvi} files. To print a typeset
34723 document, you need a program to print @sc{dvi} files. If your system
34724 has @TeX{} installed, chances are it has such a program. The precise
34725 command to use depends on your system; @kbd{lpr -d} is common; another
34726 (for PostScript devices) is @kbd{dvips}. The @sc{dvi} print command may
34727 require a file name without any extension or a @samp{.dvi} extension.
34728
34729 @TeX{} also requires a macro definitions file called
34730 @file{texinfo.tex}. This file tells @TeX{} how to typeset a document
34731 written in Texinfo format. On its own, @TeX{} cannot either read or
34732 typeset a Texinfo file. @file{texinfo.tex} is distributed with GDB
34733 and is located in the @file{gdb-@var{version-number}/texinfo}
34734 directory.
34735
34736 If you have @TeX{} and a @sc{dvi} printer program installed, you can
34737 typeset and print this manual. First switch to the @file{gdb}
34738 subdirectory of the main source directory (for example, to
34739 @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}/gdb}) and type:
34740
34741 @smallexample
34742 make gdb.dvi
34743 @end smallexample
34744
34745 Then give @file{gdb.dvi} to your @sc{dvi} printing program.
34746
34747 @node Installing GDB
34748 @appendix Installing @value{GDBN}
34749 @cindex installation
34750
34751 @menu
34752 * Requirements:: Requirements for building @value{GDBN}
34753 * Running Configure:: Invoking the @value{GDBN} @file{configure} script
34754 * Separate Objdir:: Compiling @value{GDBN} in another directory
34755 * Config Names:: Specifying names for hosts and targets
34756 * Configure Options:: Summary of options for configure
34757 * System-wide configuration:: Having a system-wide init file
34758 @end menu
34759
34760 @node Requirements
34761 @section Requirements for Building @value{GDBN}
34762 @cindex building @value{GDBN}, requirements for
34763
34764 Building @value{GDBN} requires various tools and packages to be available.
34765 Other packages will be used only if they are found.
34766
34767 @heading Tools/Packages Necessary for Building @value{GDBN}
34768 @table @asis
34769 @item ISO C90 compiler
34770 @value{GDBN} is written in ISO C90. It should be buildable with any
34771 working C90 compiler, e.g.@: GCC.
34772
34773 @end table
34774
34775 @heading Tools/Packages Optional for Building @value{GDBN}
34776 @table @asis
34777 @item Expat
34778 @anchor{Expat}
34779 @value{GDBN} can use the Expat XML parsing library. This library may be
34780 included with your operating system distribution; if it is not, you
34781 can get the latest version from @url{http://expat.sourceforge.net}.
34782 The @file{configure} script will search for this library in several
34783 standard locations; if it is installed in an unusual path, you can
34784 use the @option{--with-libexpat-prefix} option to specify its location.
34785
34786 Expat is used for:
34787
34788 @itemize @bullet
34789 @item
34790 Remote protocol memory maps (@pxref{Memory Map Format})
34791 @item
34792 Target descriptions (@pxref{Target Descriptions})
34793 @item
34794 Remote shared library lists (@xref{Library List Format},
34795 or alternatively @pxref{Library List Format for SVR4 Targets})
34796 @item
34797 MS-Windows shared libraries (@pxref{Shared Libraries})
34798 @item
34799 Traceframe info (@pxref{Traceframe Info Format})
34800 @item
34801 Branch trace (@pxref{Branch Trace Format},
34802 @pxref{Branch Trace Configuration Format})
34803 @end itemize
34804
34805 @item MPFR
34806 @anchor{MPFR}
34807 @value{GDBN} can use the GNU MPFR multiple-precision floating-point
34808 library. This library may be included with your operating system
34809 distribution; if it is not, you can get the latest version from
34810 @url{http://www.mpfr.org}. The @file{configure} script will search
34811 for this library in several standard locations; if it is installed
34812 in an unusual path, you can use the @option{--with-libmpfr-prefix}
34813 option to specify its location.
34814
34815 GNU MPFR is used to emulate target floating-point arithmetic during
34816 expression evaluation when the target uses different floating-point
34817 formats than the host. If GNU MPFR it is not available, @value{GDBN}
34818 will fall back to using host floating-point arithmetic.
34819
34820 @item zlib
34821 @cindex compressed debug sections
34822 @value{GDBN} will use the @samp{zlib} library, if available, to read
34823 compressed debug sections. Some linkers, such as GNU gold, are capable
34824 of producing binaries with compressed debug sections. If @value{GDBN}
34825 is compiled with @samp{zlib}, it will be able to read the debug
34826 information in such binaries.
34827
34828 The @samp{zlib} library is likely included with your operating system
34829 distribution; if it is not, you can get the latest version from
34830 @url{http://zlib.net}.
34831
34832 @item iconv
34833 @value{GDBN}'s features related to character sets (@pxref{Character
34834 Sets}) require a functioning @code{iconv} implementation. If you are
34835 on a GNU system, then this is provided by the GNU C Library. Some
34836 other systems also provide a working @code{iconv}.
34837
34838 If @value{GDBN} is using the @code{iconv} program which is installed
34839 in a non-standard place, you will need to tell @value{GDBN} where to find it.
34840 This is done with @option{--with-iconv-bin} which specifies the
34841 directory that contains the @code{iconv} program.
34842
34843 On systems without @code{iconv}, you can install GNU Libiconv. If you
34844 have previously installed Libiconv, you can use the
34845 @option{--with-libiconv-prefix} option to configure.
34846
34847 @value{GDBN}'s top-level @file{configure} and @file{Makefile} will
34848 arrange to build Libiconv if a directory named @file{libiconv} appears
34849 in the top-most source directory. If Libiconv is built this way, and
34850 if the operating system does not provide a suitable @code{iconv}
34851 implementation, then the just-built library will automatically be used
34852 by @value{GDBN}. One easy way to set this up is to download GNU
34853 Libiconv, unpack it, and then rename the directory holding the
34854 Libiconv source code to @samp{libiconv}.
34855 @end table
34856
34857 @node Running Configure
34858 @section Invoking the @value{GDBN} @file{configure} Script
34859 @cindex configuring @value{GDBN}
34860 @value{GDBN} comes with a @file{configure} script that automates the process
34861 of preparing @value{GDBN} for installation; you can then use @code{make} to
34862 build the @code{gdb} program.
34863 @iftex
34864 @c irrelevant in info file; it's as current as the code it lives with.
34865 @footnote{If you have a more recent version of @value{GDBN} than @value{GDBVN},
34866 look at the @file{README} file in the sources; we may have improved the
34867 installation procedures since publishing this manual.}
34868 @end iftex
34869
34870 The @value{GDBN} distribution includes all the source code you need for
34871 @value{GDBN} in a single directory, whose name is usually composed by
34872 appending the version number to @samp{gdb}.
34873
34874 For example, the @value{GDBN} version @value{GDBVN} distribution is in the
34875 @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}} directory. That directory contains:
34876
34877 @table @code
34878 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/configure @r{(and supporting files)}
34879 script for configuring @value{GDBN} and all its supporting libraries
34880
34881 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/gdb
34882 the source specific to @value{GDBN} itself
34883
34884 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/bfd
34885 source for the Binary File Descriptor library
34886
34887 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/include
34888 @sc{gnu} include files
34889
34890 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/libiberty
34891 source for the @samp{-liberty} free software library
34892
34893 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/opcodes
34894 source for the library of opcode tables and disassemblers
34895
34896 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/readline
34897 source for the @sc{gnu} command-line interface
34898
34899 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/glob
34900 source for the @sc{gnu} filename pattern-matching subroutine
34901
34902 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/mmalloc
34903 source for the @sc{gnu} memory-mapped malloc package
34904 @end table
34905
34906 The simplest way to configure and build @value{GDBN} is to run @file{configure}
34907 from the @file{gdb-@var{version-number}} source directory, which in
34908 this example is the @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}} directory.
34909
34910 First switch to the @file{gdb-@var{version-number}} source directory
34911 if you are not already in it; then run @file{configure}. Pass the
34912 identifier for the platform on which @value{GDBN} will run as an
34913 argument.
34914
34915 For example:
34916
34917 @smallexample
34918 cd gdb-@value{GDBVN}
34919 ./configure @var{host}
34920 make
34921 @end smallexample
34922
34923 @noindent
34924 where @var{host} is an identifier such as @samp{sun4} or
34925 @samp{decstation}, that identifies the platform where @value{GDBN} will run.
34926 (You can often leave off @var{host}; @file{configure} tries to guess the
34927 correct value by examining your system.)
34928
34929 Running @samp{configure @var{host}} and then running @code{make} builds the
34930 @file{bfd}, @file{readline}, @file{mmalloc}, and @file{libiberty}
34931 libraries, then @code{gdb} itself. The configured source files, and the
34932 binaries, are left in the corresponding source directories.
34933
34934 @need 750
34935 @file{configure} is a Bourne-shell (@code{/bin/sh}) script; if your
34936 system does not recognize this automatically when you run a different
34937 shell, you may need to run @code{sh} on it explicitly:
34938
34939 @smallexample
34940 sh configure @var{host}
34941 @end smallexample
34942
34943 If you run @file{configure} from a directory that contains source
34944 directories for multiple libraries or programs, such as the
34945 @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}} source directory for version @value{GDBVN},
34946 @file{configure}
34947 creates configuration files for every directory level underneath (unless
34948 you tell it not to, with the @samp{--norecursion} option).
34949
34950 You should run the @file{configure} script from the top directory in the
34951 source tree, the @file{gdb-@var{version-number}} directory. If you run
34952 @file{configure} from one of the subdirectories, you will configure only
34953 that subdirectory. That is usually not what you want. In particular,
34954 if you run the first @file{configure} from the @file{gdb} subdirectory
34955 of the @file{gdb-@var{version-number}} directory, you will omit the
34956 configuration of @file{bfd}, @file{readline}, and other sibling
34957 directories of the @file{gdb} subdirectory. This leads to build errors
34958 about missing include files such as @file{bfd/bfd.h}.
34959
34960 You can install @code{@value{GDBP}} anywhere; it has no hardwired paths.
34961 However, you should make sure that the shell on your path (named by
34962 the @samp{SHELL} environment variable) is publicly readable. Remember
34963 that @value{GDBN} uses the shell to start your program---some systems refuse to
34964 let @value{GDBN} debug child processes whose programs are not readable.
34965
34966 @node Separate Objdir
34967 @section Compiling @value{GDBN} in Another Directory
34968
34969 If you want to run @value{GDBN} versions for several host or target machines,
34970 you need a different @code{gdb} compiled for each combination of
34971 host and target. @file{configure} is designed to make this easy by
34972 allowing you to generate each configuration in a separate subdirectory,
34973 rather than in the source directory. If your @code{make} program
34974 handles the @samp{VPATH} feature (@sc{gnu} @code{make} does), running
34975 @code{make} in each of these directories builds the @code{gdb}
34976 program specified there.
34977
34978 To build @code{gdb} in a separate directory, run @file{configure}
34979 with the @samp{--srcdir} option to specify where to find the source.
34980 (You also need to specify a path to find @file{configure}
34981 itself from your working directory. If the path to @file{configure}
34982 would be the same as the argument to @samp{--srcdir}, you can leave out
34983 the @samp{--srcdir} option; it is assumed.)
34984
34985 For example, with version @value{GDBVN}, you can build @value{GDBN} in a
34986 separate directory for a Sun 4 like this:
34987
34988 @smallexample
34989 @group
34990 cd gdb-@value{GDBVN}
34991 mkdir ../gdb-sun4
34992 cd ../gdb-sun4
34993 ../gdb-@value{GDBVN}/configure sun4
34994 make
34995 @end group
34996 @end smallexample
34997
34998 When @file{configure} builds a configuration using a remote source
34999 directory, it creates a tree for the binaries with the same structure
35000 (and using the same names) as the tree under the source directory. In
35001 the example, you'd find the Sun 4 library @file{libiberty.a} in the
35002 directory @file{gdb-sun4/libiberty}, and @value{GDBN} itself in
35003 @file{gdb-sun4/gdb}.
35004
35005 Make sure that your path to the @file{configure} script has just one
35006 instance of @file{gdb} in it. If your path to @file{configure} looks
35007 like @file{../gdb-@value{GDBVN}/gdb/configure}, you are configuring only
35008 one subdirectory of @value{GDBN}, not the whole package. This leads to
35009 build errors about missing include files such as @file{bfd/bfd.h}.
35010
35011 One popular reason to build several @value{GDBN} configurations in separate
35012 directories is to configure @value{GDBN} for cross-compiling (where
35013 @value{GDBN} runs on one machine---the @dfn{host}---while debugging
35014 programs that run on another machine---the @dfn{target}).
35015 You specify a cross-debugging target by
35016 giving the @samp{--target=@var{target}} option to @file{configure}.
35017
35018 When you run @code{make} to build a program or library, you must run
35019 it in a configured directory---whatever directory you were in when you
35020 called @file{configure} (or one of its subdirectories).
35021
35022 The @code{Makefile} that @file{configure} generates in each source
35023 directory also runs recursively. If you type @code{make} in a source
35024 directory such as @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}} (or in a separate configured
35025 directory configured with @samp{--srcdir=@var{dirname}/gdb-@value{GDBVN}}), you
35026 will build all the required libraries, and then build GDB.
35027
35028 When you have multiple hosts or targets configured in separate
35029 directories, you can run @code{make} on them in parallel (for example,
35030 if they are NFS-mounted on each of the hosts); they will not interfere
35031 with each other.
35032
35033 @node Config Names
35034 @section Specifying Names for Hosts and Targets
35035
35036 The specifications used for hosts and targets in the @file{configure}
35037 script are based on a three-part naming scheme, but some short predefined
35038 aliases are also supported. The full naming scheme encodes three pieces
35039 of information in the following pattern:
35040
35041 @smallexample
35042 @var{architecture}-@var{vendor}-@var{os}
35043 @end smallexample
35044
35045 For example, you can use the alias @code{sun4} as a @var{host} argument,
35046 or as the value for @var{target} in a @code{--target=@var{target}}
35047 option. The equivalent full name is @samp{sparc-sun-sunos4}.
35048
35049 The @file{configure} script accompanying @value{GDBN} does not provide
35050 any query facility to list all supported host and target names or
35051 aliases. @file{configure} calls the Bourne shell script
35052 @code{config.sub} to map abbreviations to full names; you can read the
35053 script, if you wish, or you can use it to test your guesses on
35054 abbreviations---for example:
35055
35056 @smallexample
35057 % sh config.sub i386-linux
35058 i386-pc-linux-gnu
35059 % sh config.sub alpha-linux
35060 alpha-unknown-linux-gnu
35061 % sh config.sub hp9k700
35062 hppa1.1-hp-hpux
35063 % sh config.sub sun4
35064 sparc-sun-sunos4.1.1
35065 % sh config.sub sun3
35066 m68k-sun-sunos4.1.1
35067 % sh config.sub i986v
35068 Invalid configuration `i986v': machine `i986v' not recognized
35069 @end smallexample
35070
35071 @noindent
35072 @code{config.sub} is also distributed in the @value{GDBN} source
35073 directory (@file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}}, for version @value{GDBVN}).
35074
35075 @node Configure Options
35076 @section @file{configure} Options
35077
35078 Here is a summary of the @file{configure} options and arguments that
35079 are most often useful for building @value{GDBN}. @file{configure} also has
35080 several other options not listed here. @inforef{What Configure
35081 Does,,configure.info}, for a full explanation of @file{configure}.
35082
35083 @smallexample
35084 configure @r{[}--help@r{]}
35085 @r{[}--prefix=@var{dir}@r{]}
35086 @r{[}--exec-prefix=@var{dir}@r{]}
35087 @r{[}--srcdir=@var{dirname}@r{]}
35088 @r{[}--norecursion@r{]} @r{[}--rm@r{]}
35089 @r{[}--target=@var{target}@r{]}
35090 @var{host}
35091 @end smallexample
35092
35093 @noindent
35094 You may introduce options with a single @samp{-} rather than
35095 @samp{--} if you prefer; but you may abbreviate option names if you use
35096 @samp{--}.
35097
35098 @table @code
35099 @item --help
35100 Display a quick summary of how to invoke @file{configure}.
35101
35102 @item --prefix=@var{dir}
35103 Configure the source to install programs and files under directory
35104 @file{@var{dir}}.
35105
35106 @item --exec-prefix=@var{dir}
35107 Configure the source to install programs under directory
35108 @file{@var{dir}}.
35109
35110 @c avoid splitting the warning from the explanation:
35111 @need 2000
35112 @item --srcdir=@var{dirname}
35113 @strong{Warning: using this option requires @sc{gnu} @code{make}, or another
35114 @code{make} that implements the @code{VPATH} feature.}@*
35115 Use this option to make configurations in directories separate from the
35116 @value{GDBN} source directories. Among other things, you can use this to
35117 build (or maintain) several configurations simultaneously, in separate
35118 directories. @file{configure} writes configuration-specific files in
35119 the current directory, but arranges for them to use the source in the
35120 directory @var{dirname}. @file{configure} creates directories under
35121 the working directory in parallel to the source directories below
35122 @var{dirname}.
35123
35124 @item --norecursion
35125 Configure only the directory level where @file{configure} is executed; do not
35126 propagate configuration to subdirectories.
35127
35128 @item --target=@var{target}
35129 Configure @value{GDBN} for cross-debugging programs running on the specified
35130 @var{target}. Without this option, @value{GDBN} is configured to debug
35131 programs that run on the same machine (@var{host}) as @value{GDBN} itself.
35132
35133 There is no convenient way to generate a list of all available targets.
35134
35135 @item @var{host} @dots{}
35136 Configure @value{GDBN} to run on the specified @var{host}.
35137
35138 There is no convenient way to generate a list of all available hosts.
35139 @end table
35140
35141 There are many other options available as well, but they are generally
35142 needed for special purposes only.
35143
35144 @node System-wide configuration
35145 @section System-wide configuration and settings
35146 @cindex system-wide init file
35147
35148 @value{GDBN} can be configured to have a system-wide init file;
35149 this file will be read and executed at startup (@pxref{Startup, , What
35150 @value{GDBN} does during startup}).
35151
35152 Here is the corresponding configure option:
35153
35154 @table @code
35155 @item --with-system-gdbinit=@var{file}
35156 Specify that the default location of the system-wide init file is
35157 @var{file}.
35158 @end table
35159
35160 If @value{GDBN} has been configured with the option @option{--prefix=$prefix},
35161 it may be subject to relocation. Two possible cases:
35162
35163 @itemize @bullet
35164 @item
35165 If the default location of this init file contains @file{$prefix},
35166 it will be subject to relocation. Suppose that the configure options
35167 are @option{--prefix=$prefix --with-system-gdbinit=$prefix/etc/gdbinit};
35168 if @value{GDBN} is moved from @file{$prefix} to @file{$install}, the system
35169 init file is looked for as @file{$install/etc/gdbinit} instead of
35170 @file{$prefix/etc/gdbinit}.
35171
35172 @item
35173 By contrast, if the default location does not contain the prefix,
35174 it will not be relocated. E.g.@: if @value{GDBN} has been configured with
35175 @option{--prefix=/usr/local --with-system-gdbinit=/usr/share/gdb/gdbinit},
35176 then @value{GDBN} will always look for @file{/usr/share/gdb/gdbinit},
35177 wherever @value{GDBN} is installed.
35178 @end itemize
35179
35180 If the configured location of the system-wide init file (as given by the
35181 @option{--with-system-gdbinit} option at configure time) is in the
35182 data-directory (as specified by @option{--with-gdb-datadir} at configure
35183 time) or in one of its subdirectories, then @value{GDBN} will look for the
35184 system-wide init file in the directory specified by the
35185 @option{--data-directory} command-line option.
35186 Note that the system-wide init file is only read once, during @value{GDBN}
35187 initialization. If the data-directory is changed after @value{GDBN} has
35188 started with the @code{set data-directory} command, the file will not be
35189 reread.
35190
35191 @menu
35192 * System-wide Configuration Scripts:: Installed System-wide Configuration Scripts
35193 @end menu
35194
35195 @node System-wide Configuration Scripts
35196 @subsection Installed System-wide Configuration Scripts
35197 @cindex system-wide configuration scripts
35198
35199 The @file{system-gdbinit} directory, located inside the data-directory
35200 (as specified by @option{--with-gdb-datadir} at configure time) contains
35201 a number of scripts which can be used as system-wide init files. To
35202 automatically source those scripts at startup, @value{GDBN} should be
35203 configured with @option{--with-system-gdbinit}. Otherwise, any user
35204 should be able to source them by hand as needed.
35205
35206 The following scripts are currently available:
35207 @itemize @bullet
35208
35209 @item @file{elinos.py}
35210 @pindex elinos.py
35211 @cindex ELinOS system-wide configuration script
35212 This script is useful when debugging a program on an ELinOS target.
35213 It takes advantage of the environment variables defined in a standard
35214 ELinOS environment in order to determine the location of the system
35215 shared libraries, and then sets the @samp{solib-absolute-prefix}
35216 and @samp{solib-search-path} variables appropriately.
35217
35218 @item @file{wrs-linux.py}
35219 @pindex wrs-linux.py
35220 @cindex Wind River Linux system-wide configuration script
35221 This script is useful when debugging a program on a target running
35222 Wind River Linux. It expects the @env{ENV_PREFIX} to be set to
35223 the host-side sysroot used by the target system.
35224
35225 @end itemize
35226
35227 @node Maintenance Commands
35228 @appendix Maintenance Commands
35229 @cindex maintenance commands
35230 @cindex internal commands
35231
35232 In addition to commands intended for @value{GDBN} users, @value{GDBN}
35233 includes a number of commands intended for @value{GDBN} developers,
35234 that are not documented elsewhere in this manual. These commands are
35235 provided here for reference. (For commands that turn on debugging
35236 messages, see @ref{Debugging Output}.)
35237
35238 @table @code
35239 @kindex maint agent
35240 @kindex maint agent-eval
35241 @item maint agent @r{[}-at @var{location}@r{,}@r{]} @var{expression}
35242 @itemx maint agent-eval @r{[}-at @var{location}@r{,}@r{]} @var{expression}
35243 Translate the given @var{expression} into remote agent bytecodes.
35244 This command is useful for debugging the Agent Expression mechanism
35245 (@pxref{Agent Expressions}). The @samp{agent} version produces an
35246 expression useful for data collection, such as by tracepoints, while
35247 @samp{maint agent-eval} produces an expression that evaluates directly
35248 to a result. For instance, a collection expression for @code{globa +
35249 globb} will include bytecodes to record four bytes of memory at each
35250 of the addresses of @code{globa} and @code{globb}, while discarding
35251 the result of the addition, while an evaluation expression will do the
35252 addition and return the sum.
35253 If @code{-at} is given, generate remote agent bytecode for @var{location}.
35254 If not, generate remote agent bytecode for current frame PC address.
35255
35256 @kindex maint agent-printf
35257 @item maint agent-printf @var{format},@var{expr},...
35258 Translate the given format string and list of argument expressions
35259 into remote agent bytecodes and display them as a disassembled list.
35260 This command is useful for debugging the agent version of dynamic
35261 printf (@pxref{Dynamic Printf}).
35262
35263 @kindex maint info breakpoints
35264 @item @anchor{maint info breakpoints}maint info breakpoints
35265 Using the same format as @samp{info breakpoints}, display both the
35266 breakpoints you've set explicitly, and those @value{GDBN} is using for
35267 internal purposes. Internal breakpoints are shown with negative
35268 breakpoint numbers. The type column identifies what kind of breakpoint
35269 is shown:
35270
35271 @table @code
35272 @item breakpoint
35273 Normal, explicitly set breakpoint.
35274
35275 @item watchpoint
35276 Normal, explicitly set watchpoint.
35277
35278 @item longjmp
35279 Internal breakpoint, used to handle correctly stepping through
35280 @code{longjmp} calls.
35281
35282 @item longjmp resume
35283 Internal breakpoint at the target of a @code{longjmp}.
35284
35285 @item until
35286 Temporary internal breakpoint used by the @value{GDBN} @code{until} command.
35287
35288 @item finish
35289 Temporary internal breakpoint used by the @value{GDBN} @code{finish} command.
35290
35291 @item shlib events
35292 Shared library events.
35293
35294 @end table
35295
35296 @kindex maint info btrace
35297 @item maint info btrace
35298 Pint information about raw branch tracing data.
35299
35300 @kindex maint btrace packet-history
35301 @item maint btrace packet-history
35302 Print the raw branch trace packets that are used to compute the
35303 execution history for the @samp{record btrace} command. Both the
35304 information and the format in which it is printed depend on the btrace
35305 recording format.
35306
35307 @table @code
35308 @item bts
35309 For the BTS recording format, print a list of blocks of sequential
35310 code. For each block, the following information is printed:
35311
35312 @table @asis
35313 @item Block number
35314 Newer blocks have higher numbers. The oldest block has number zero.
35315 @item Lowest @samp{PC}
35316 @item Highest @samp{PC}
35317 @end table
35318
35319 @item pt
35320 For the Intel Processor Trace recording format, print a list of
35321 Intel Processor Trace packets. For each packet, the following
35322 information is printed:
35323
35324 @table @asis
35325 @item Packet number
35326 Newer packets have higher numbers. The oldest packet has number zero.
35327 @item Trace offset
35328 The packet's offset in the trace stream.
35329 @item Packet opcode and payload
35330 @end table
35331 @end table
35332
35333 @kindex maint btrace clear-packet-history
35334 @item maint btrace clear-packet-history
35335 Discards the cached packet history printed by the @samp{maint btrace
35336 packet-history} command. The history will be computed again when
35337 needed.
35338
35339 @kindex maint btrace clear
35340 @item maint btrace clear
35341 Discard the branch trace data. The data will be fetched anew and the
35342 branch trace will be recomputed when needed.
35343
35344 This implicitly truncates the branch trace to a single branch trace
35345 buffer. When updating branch trace incrementally, the branch trace
35346 available to @value{GDBN} may be bigger than a single branch trace
35347 buffer.
35348
35349 @kindex maint set btrace pt skip-pad
35350 @item maint set btrace pt skip-pad
35351 @kindex maint show btrace pt skip-pad
35352 @item maint show btrace pt skip-pad
35353 Control whether @value{GDBN} will skip PAD packets when computing the
35354 packet history.
35355
35356 @kindex set displaced-stepping
35357 @kindex show displaced-stepping
35358 @cindex displaced stepping support
35359 @cindex out-of-line single-stepping
35360 @item set displaced-stepping
35361 @itemx show displaced-stepping
35362 Control whether or not @value{GDBN} will do @dfn{displaced stepping}
35363 if the target supports it. Displaced stepping is a way to single-step
35364 over breakpoints without removing them from the inferior, by executing
35365 an out-of-line copy of the instruction that was originally at the
35366 breakpoint location. It is also known as out-of-line single-stepping.
35367
35368 @table @code
35369 @item set displaced-stepping on
35370 If the target architecture supports it, @value{GDBN} will use
35371 displaced stepping to step over breakpoints.
35372
35373 @item set displaced-stepping off
35374 @value{GDBN} will not use displaced stepping to step over breakpoints,
35375 even if such is supported by the target architecture.
35376
35377 @cindex non-stop mode, and @samp{set displaced-stepping}
35378 @item set displaced-stepping auto
35379 This is the default mode. @value{GDBN} will use displaced stepping
35380 only if non-stop mode is active (@pxref{Non-Stop Mode}) and the target
35381 architecture supports displaced stepping.
35382 @end table
35383
35384 @kindex maint check-psymtabs
35385 @item maint check-psymtabs
35386 Check the consistency of currently expanded psymtabs versus symtabs.
35387 Use this to check, for example, whether a symbol is in one but not the other.
35388
35389 @kindex maint check-symtabs
35390 @item maint check-symtabs
35391 Check the consistency of currently expanded symtabs.
35392
35393 @kindex maint expand-symtabs
35394 @item maint expand-symtabs [@var{regexp}]
35395 Expand symbol tables.
35396 If @var{regexp} is specified, only expand symbol tables for file
35397 names matching @var{regexp}.
35398
35399 @kindex maint set catch-demangler-crashes
35400 @kindex maint show catch-demangler-crashes
35401 @cindex demangler crashes
35402 @item maint set catch-demangler-crashes [on|off]
35403 @itemx maint show catch-demangler-crashes
35404 Control whether @value{GDBN} should attempt to catch crashes in the
35405 symbol name demangler. The default is to attempt to catch crashes.
35406 If enabled, the first time a crash is caught, a core file is created,
35407 the offending symbol is displayed and the user is presented with the
35408 option to terminate the current session.
35409
35410 @kindex maint cplus first_component
35411 @item maint cplus first_component @var{name}
35412 Print the first C@t{++} class/namespace component of @var{name}.
35413
35414 @kindex maint cplus namespace
35415 @item maint cplus namespace
35416 Print the list of possible C@t{++} namespaces.
35417
35418 @kindex maint deprecate
35419 @kindex maint undeprecate
35420 @cindex deprecated commands
35421 @item maint deprecate @var{command} @r{[}@var{replacement}@r{]}
35422 @itemx maint undeprecate @var{command}
35423 Deprecate or undeprecate the named @var{command}. Deprecated commands
35424 cause @value{GDBN} to issue a warning when you use them. The optional
35425 argument @var{replacement} says which newer command should be used in
35426 favor of the deprecated one; if it is given, @value{GDBN} will mention
35427 the replacement as part of the warning.
35428
35429 @kindex maint dump-me
35430 @item maint dump-me
35431 @cindex @code{SIGQUIT} signal, dump core of @value{GDBN}
35432 Cause a fatal signal in the debugger and force it to dump its core.
35433 This is supported only on systems which support aborting a program
35434 with the @code{SIGQUIT} signal.
35435
35436 @kindex maint internal-error
35437 @kindex maint internal-warning
35438 @kindex maint demangler-warning
35439 @cindex demangler crashes
35440 @item maint internal-error @r{[}@var{message-text}@r{]}
35441 @itemx maint internal-warning @r{[}@var{message-text}@r{]}
35442 @itemx maint demangler-warning @r{[}@var{message-text}@r{]}
35443
35444 Cause @value{GDBN} to call the internal function @code{internal_error},
35445 @code{internal_warning} or @code{demangler_warning} and hence behave
35446 as though an internal problem has been detected. In addition to
35447 reporting the internal problem, these functions give the user the
35448 opportunity to either quit @value{GDBN} or (for @code{internal_error}
35449 and @code{internal_warning}) create a core file of the current
35450 @value{GDBN} session.
35451
35452 These commands take an optional parameter @var{message-text} that is
35453 used as the text of the error or warning message.
35454
35455 Here's an example of using @code{internal-error}:
35456
35457 @smallexample
35458 (@value{GDBP}) @kbd{maint internal-error testing, 1, 2}
35459 @dots{}/maint.c:121: internal-error: testing, 1, 2
35460 A problem internal to GDB has been detected. Further
35461 debugging may prove unreliable.
35462 Quit this debugging session? (y or n) @kbd{n}
35463 Create a core file? (y or n) @kbd{n}
35464 (@value{GDBP})
35465 @end smallexample
35466
35467 @cindex @value{GDBN} internal error
35468 @cindex internal errors, control of @value{GDBN} behavior
35469 @cindex demangler crashes
35470
35471 @kindex maint set internal-error
35472 @kindex maint show internal-error
35473 @kindex maint set internal-warning
35474 @kindex maint show internal-warning
35475 @kindex maint set demangler-warning
35476 @kindex maint show demangler-warning
35477 @item maint set internal-error @var{action} [ask|yes|no]
35478 @itemx maint show internal-error @var{action}
35479 @itemx maint set internal-warning @var{action} [ask|yes|no]
35480 @itemx maint show internal-warning @var{action}
35481 @itemx maint set demangler-warning @var{action} [ask|yes|no]
35482 @itemx maint show demangler-warning @var{action}
35483 When @value{GDBN} reports an internal problem (error or warning) it
35484 gives the user the opportunity to both quit @value{GDBN} and create a
35485 core file of the current @value{GDBN} session. These commands let you
35486 override the default behaviour for each particular @var{action},
35487 described in the table below.
35488
35489 @table @samp
35490 @item quit
35491 You can specify that @value{GDBN} should always (yes) or never (no)
35492 quit. The default is to ask the user what to do.
35493
35494 @item corefile
35495 You can specify that @value{GDBN} should always (yes) or never (no)
35496 create a core file. The default is to ask the user what to do. Note
35497 that there is no @code{corefile} option for @code{demangler-warning}:
35498 demangler warnings always create a core file and this cannot be
35499 disabled.
35500 @end table
35501
35502 @kindex maint packet
35503 @item maint packet @var{text}
35504 If @value{GDBN} is talking to an inferior via the serial protocol,
35505 then this command sends the string @var{text} to the inferior, and
35506 displays the response packet. @value{GDBN} supplies the initial
35507 @samp{$} character, the terminating @samp{#} character, and the
35508 checksum.
35509
35510 @kindex maint print architecture
35511 @item maint print architecture @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
35512 Print the entire architecture configuration. The optional argument
35513 @var{file} names the file where the output goes.
35514
35515 @kindex maint print c-tdesc @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
35516 @item maint print c-tdesc
35517 Print the target description (@pxref{Target Descriptions}) as
35518 a C source file. By default, the target description is for the current
35519 target, but if the optional argument @var{file} is provided, that file
35520 is used to produce the description. The @var{file} should be an XML
35521 document, of the form described in @ref{Target Description Format}.
35522 The created source file is built into @value{GDBN} when @value{GDBN} is
35523 built again. This command is used by developers after they add or
35524 modify XML target descriptions.
35525
35526 @kindex maint check xml-descriptions
35527 @item maint check xml-descriptions @var{dir}
35528 Check that the target descriptions dynamically created by @value{GDBN}
35529 equal the descriptions created from XML files found in @var{dir}.
35530
35531 @kindex maint print dummy-frames
35532 @item maint print dummy-frames
35533 Prints the contents of @value{GDBN}'s internal dummy-frame stack.
35534
35535 @smallexample
35536 (@value{GDBP}) @kbd{b add}
35537 @dots{}
35538 (@value{GDBP}) @kbd{print add(2,3)}
35539 Breakpoint 2, add (a=2, b=3) at @dots{}
35540 58 return (a + b);
35541 The program being debugged stopped while in a function called from GDB.
35542 @dots{}
35543 (@value{GDBP}) @kbd{maint print dummy-frames}
35544 0xa8206d8: id=@{stack=0xbfffe734,code=0xbfffe73f,!special@}, ptid=process 9353
35545 (@value{GDBP})
35546 @end smallexample
35547
35548 Takes an optional file parameter.
35549
35550 @kindex maint print registers
35551 @kindex maint print raw-registers
35552 @kindex maint print cooked-registers
35553 @kindex maint print register-groups
35554 @kindex maint print remote-registers
35555 @item maint print registers @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
35556 @itemx maint print raw-registers @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
35557 @itemx maint print cooked-registers @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
35558 @itemx maint print register-groups @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
35559 @itemx maint print remote-registers @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
35560 Print @value{GDBN}'s internal register data structures.
35561
35562 The command @code{maint print raw-registers} includes the contents of
35563 the raw register cache; the command @code{maint print
35564 cooked-registers} includes the (cooked) value of all registers,
35565 including registers which aren't available on the target nor visible
35566 to user; the command @code{maint print register-groups} includes the
35567 groups that each register is a member of; and the command @code{maint
35568 print remote-registers} includes the remote target's register numbers
35569 and offsets in the `G' packets.
35570
35571 These commands take an optional parameter, a file name to which to
35572 write the information.
35573
35574 @kindex maint print reggroups
35575 @item maint print reggroups @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
35576 Print @value{GDBN}'s internal register group data structures. The
35577 optional argument @var{file} tells to what file to write the
35578 information.
35579
35580 The register groups info looks like this:
35581
35582 @smallexample
35583 (@value{GDBP}) @kbd{maint print reggroups}
35584 Group Type
35585 general user
35586 float user
35587 all user
35588 vector user
35589 system user
35590 save internal
35591 restore internal
35592 @end smallexample
35593
35594 @kindex flushregs
35595 @item flushregs
35596 This command forces @value{GDBN} to flush its internal register cache.
35597
35598 @kindex maint print objfiles
35599 @cindex info for known object files
35600 @item maint print objfiles @r{[}@var{regexp}@r{]}
35601 Print a dump of all known object files.
35602 If @var{regexp} is specified, only print object files whose names
35603 match @var{regexp}. For each object file, this command prints its name,
35604 address in memory, and all of its psymtabs and symtabs.
35605
35606 @kindex maint print user-registers
35607 @cindex user registers
35608 @item maint print user-registers
35609 List all currently available @dfn{user registers}. User registers
35610 typically provide alternate names for actual hardware registers. They
35611 include the four ``standard'' registers @code{$fp}, @code{$pc},
35612 @code{$sp}, and @code{$ps}. @xref{standard registers}. User
35613 registers can be used in expressions in the same way as the canonical
35614 register names, but only the latter are listed by the @code{info
35615 registers} and @code{maint print registers} commands.
35616
35617 @kindex maint print section-scripts
35618 @cindex info for known .debug_gdb_scripts-loaded scripts
35619 @item maint print section-scripts [@var{regexp}]
35620 Print a dump of scripts specified in the @code{.debug_gdb_section} section.
35621 If @var{regexp} is specified, only print scripts loaded by object files
35622 matching @var{regexp}.
35623 For each script, this command prints its name as specified in the objfile,
35624 and the full path if known.
35625 @xref{dotdebug_gdb_scripts section}.
35626
35627 @kindex maint print statistics
35628 @cindex bcache statistics
35629 @item maint print statistics
35630 This command prints, for each object file in the program, various data
35631 about that object file followed by the byte cache (@dfn{bcache})
35632 statistics for the object file. The objfile data includes the number
35633 of minimal, partial, full, and stabs symbols, the number of types
35634 defined by the objfile, the number of as yet unexpanded psym tables,
35635 the number of line tables and string tables, and the amount of memory
35636 used by the various tables. The bcache statistics include the counts,
35637 sizes, and counts of duplicates of all and unique objects, max,
35638 average, and median entry size, total memory used and its overhead and
35639 savings, and various measures of the hash table size and chain
35640 lengths.
35641
35642 @kindex maint print target-stack
35643 @cindex target stack description
35644 @item maint print target-stack
35645 A @dfn{target} is an interface between the debugger and a particular
35646 kind of file or process. Targets can be stacked in @dfn{strata},
35647 so that more than one target can potentially respond to a request.
35648 In particular, memory accesses will walk down the stack of targets
35649 until they find a target that is interested in handling that particular
35650 address.
35651
35652 This command prints a short description of each layer that was pushed on
35653 the @dfn{target stack}, starting from the top layer down to the bottom one.
35654
35655 @kindex maint print type
35656 @cindex type chain of a data type
35657 @item maint print type @var{expr}
35658 Print the type chain for a type specified by @var{expr}. The argument
35659 can be either a type name or a symbol. If it is a symbol, the type of
35660 that symbol is described. The type chain produced by this command is
35661 a recursive definition of the data type as stored in @value{GDBN}'s
35662 data structures, including its flags and contained types.
35663
35664 @kindex maint selftest
35665 @cindex self tests
35666 @item maint selftest @r{[}@var{filter}@r{]}
35667 Run any self tests that were compiled in to @value{GDBN}. This will
35668 print a message showing how many tests were run, and how many failed.
35669 If a @var{filter} is passed, only the tests with @var{filter} in their
35670 name will by ran.
35671
35672 @kindex "maint info selftests"
35673 @cindex self tests
35674 @item maint info selftests
35675 List the selftests compiled in to @value{GDBN}.
35676
35677 @kindex maint set dwarf always-disassemble
35678 @kindex maint show dwarf always-disassemble
35679 @item maint set dwarf always-disassemble
35680 @item maint show dwarf always-disassemble
35681 Control the behavior of @code{info address} when using DWARF debugging
35682 information.
35683
35684 The default is @code{off}, which means that @value{GDBN} should try to
35685 describe a variable's location in an easily readable format. When
35686 @code{on}, @value{GDBN} will instead display the DWARF location
35687 expression in an assembly-like format. Note that some locations are
35688 too complex for @value{GDBN} to describe simply; in this case you will
35689 always see the disassembly form.
35690
35691 Here is an example of the resulting disassembly:
35692
35693 @smallexample
35694 (gdb) info addr argc
35695 Symbol "argc" is a complex DWARF expression:
35696 1: DW_OP_fbreg 0
35697 @end smallexample
35698
35699 For more information on these expressions, see
35700 @uref{http://www.dwarfstd.org/, the DWARF standard}.
35701
35702 @kindex maint set dwarf max-cache-age
35703 @kindex maint show dwarf max-cache-age
35704 @item maint set dwarf max-cache-age
35705 @itemx maint show dwarf max-cache-age
35706 Control the DWARF compilation unit cache.
35707
35708 @cindex DWARF compilation units cache
35709 In object files with inter-compilation-unit references, such as those
35710 produced by the GCC option @samp{-feliminate-dwarf2-dups}, the DWARF
35711 reader needs to frequently refer to previously read compilation units.
35712 This setting controls how long a compilation unit will remain in the
35713 cache if it is not referenced. A higher limit means that cached
35714 compilation units will be stored in memory longer, and more total
35715 memory will be used. Setting it to zero disables caching, which will
35716 slow down @value{GDBN} startup, but reduce memory consumption.
35717
35718 @kindex maint set profile
35719 @kindex maint show profile
35720 @cindex profiling GDB
35721 @item maint set profile
35722 @itemx maint show profile
35723 Control profiling of @value{GDBN}.
35724
35725 Profiling will be disabled until you use the @samp{maint set profile}
35726 command to enable it. When you enable profiling, the system will begin
35727 collecting timing and execution count data; when you disable profiling or
35728 exit @value{GDBN}, the results will be written to a log file. Remember that
35729 if you use profiling, @value{GDBN} will overwrite the profiling log file
35730 (often called @file{gmon.out}). If you have a record of important profiling
35731 data in a @file{gmon.out} file, be sure to move it to a safe location.
35732
35733 Configuring with @samp{--enable-profiling} arranges for @value{GDBN} to be
35734 compiled with the @samp{-pg} compiler option.
35735
35736 @kindex maint set show-debug-regs
35737 @kindex maint show show-debug-regs
35738 @cindex hardware debug registers
35739 @item maint set show-debug-regs
35740 @itemx maint show show-debug-regs
35741 Control whether to show variables that mirror the hardware debug
35742 registers. Use @code{on} to enable, @code{off} to disable. If
35743 enabled, the debug registers values are shown when @value{GDBN} inserts or
35744 removes a hardware breakpoint or watchpoint, and when the inferior
35745 triggers a hardware-assisted breakpoint or watchpoint.
35746
35747 @kindex maint set show-all-tib
35748 @kindex maint show show-all-tib
35749 @item maint set show-all-tib
35750 @itemx maint show show-all-tib
35751 Control whether to show all non zero areas within a 1k block starting
35752 at thread local base, when using the @samp{info w32 thread-information-block}
35753 command.
35754
35755 @kindex maint set target-async
35756 @kindex maint show target-async
35757 @item maint set target-async
35758 @itemx maint show target-async
35759 This controls whether @value{GDBN} targets operate in synchronous or
35760 asynchronous mode (@pxref{Background Execution}). Normally the
35761 default is asynchronous, if it is available; but this can be changed
35762 to more easily debug problems occurring only in synchronous mode.
35763
35764 @kindex maint set target-non-stop @var{mode} [on|off|auto]
35765 @kindex maint show target-non-stop
35766 @item maint set target-non-stop
35767 @itemx maint show target-non-stop
35768
35769 This controls whether @value{GDBN} targets always operate in non-stop
35770 mode even if @code{set non-stop} is @code{off} (@pxref{Non-Stop
35771 Mode}). The default is @code{auto}, meaning non-stop mode is enabled
35772 if supported by the target.
35773
35774 @table @code
35775 @item maint set target-non-stop auto
35776 This is the default mode. @value{GDBN} controls the target in
35777 non-stop mode if the target supports it.
35778
35779 @item maint set target-non-stop on
35780 @value{GDBN} controls the target in non-stop mode even if the target
35781 does not indicate support.
35782
35783 @item maint set target-non-stop off
35784 @value{GDBN} does not control the target in non-stop mode even if the
35785 target supports it.
35786 @end table
35787
35788 @kindex maint set per-command
35789 @kindex maint show per-command
35790 @item maint set per-command
35791 @itemx maint show per-command
35792 @cindex resources used by commands
35793
35794 @value{GDBN} can display the resources used by each command.
35795 This is useful in debugging performance problems.
35796
35797 @table @code
35798 @item maint set per-command space [on|off]
35799 @itemx maint show per-command space
35800 Enable or disable the printing of the memory used by GDB for each command.
35801 If enabled, @value{GDBN} will display how much memory each command
35802 took, following the command's own output.
35803 This can also be requested by invoking @value{GDBN} with the
35804 @option{--statistics} command-line switch (@pxref{Mode Options}).
35805
35806 @item maint set per-command time [on|off]
35807 @itemx maint show per-command time
35808 Enable or disable the printing of the execution time of @value{GDBN}
35809 for each command.
35810 If enabled, @value{GDBN} will display how much time it
35811 took to execute each command, following the command's own output.
35812 Both CPU time and wallclock time are printed.
35813 Printing both is useful when trying to determine whether the cost is
35814 CPU or, e.g., disk/network latency.
35815 Note that the CPU time printed is for @value{GDBN} only, it does not include
35816 the execution time of the inferior because there's no mechanism currently
35817 to compute how much time was spent by @value{GDBN} and how much time was
35818 spent by the program been debugged.
35819 This can also be requested by invoking @value{GDBN} with the
35820 @option{--statistics} command-line switch (@pxref{Mode Options}).
35821
35822 @item maint set per-command symtab [on|off]
35823 @itemx maint show per-command symtab
35824 Enable or disable the printing of basic symbol table statistics
35825 for each command.
35826 If enabled, @value{GDBN} will display the following information:
35827
35828 @enumerate a
35829 @item
35830 number of symbol tables
35831 @item
35832 number of primary symbol tables
35833 @item
35834 number of blocks in the blockvector
35835 @end enumerate
35836 @end table
35837
35838 @kindex maint space
35839 @cindex memory used by commands
35840 @item maint space @var{value}
35841 An alias for @code{maint set per-command space}.
35842 A non-zero value enables it, zero disables it.
35843
35844 @kindex maint time
35845 @cindex time of command execution
35846 @item maint time @var{value}
35847 An alias for @code{maint set per-command time}.
35848 A non-zero value enables it, zero disables it.
35849
35850 @kindex maint translate-address
35851 @item maint translate-address @r{[}@var{section}@r{]} @var{addr}
35852 Find the symbol stored at the location specified by the address
35853 @var{addr} and an optional section name @var{section}. If found,
35854 @value{GDBN} prints the name of the closest symbol and an offset from
35855 the symbol's location to the specified address. This is similar to
35856 the @code{info address} command (@pxref{Symbols}), except that this
35857 command also allows to find symbols in other sections.
35858
35859 If section was not specified, the section in which the symbol was found
35860 is also printed. For dynamically linked executables, the name of
35861 executable or shared library containing the symbol is printed as well.
35862
35863 @end table
35864
35865 The following command is useful for non-interactive invocations of
35866 @value{GDBN}, such as in the test suite.
35867
35868 @table @code
35869 @item set watchdog @var{nsec}
35870 @kindex set watchdog
35871 @cindex watchdog timer
35872 @cindex timeout for commands
35873 Set the maximum number of seconds @value{GDBN} will wait for the
35874 target operation to finish. If this time expires, @value{GDBN}
35875 reports and error and the command is aborted.
35876
35877 @item show watchdog
35878 Show the current setting of the target wait timeout.
35879 @end table
35880
35881 @node Remote Protocol
35882 @appendix @value{GDBN} Remote Serial Protocol
35883
35884 @menu
35885 * Overview::
35886 * Packets::
35887 * Stop Reply Packets::
35888 * General Query Packets::
35889 * Architecture-Specific Protocol Details::
35890 * Tracepoint Packets::
35891 * Host I/O Packets::
35892 * Interrupts::
35893 * Notification Packets::
35894 * Remote Non-Stop::
35895 * Packet Acknowledgment::
35896 * Examples::
35897 * File-I/O Remote Protocol Extension::
35898 * Library List Format::
35899 * Library List Format for SVR4 Targets::
35900 * Memory Map Format::
35901 * Thread List Format::
35902 * Traceframe Info Format::
35903 * Branch Trace Format::
35904 * Branch Trace Configuration Format::
35905 @end menu
35906
35907 @node Overview
35908 @section Overview
35909
35910 There may be occasions when you need to know something about the
35911 protocol---for example, if there is only one serial port to your target
35912 machine, you might want your program to do something special if it
35913 recognizes a packet meant for @value{GDBN}.
35914
35915 In the examples below, @samp{->} and @samp{<-} are used to indicate
35916 transmitted and received data, respectively.
35917
35918 @cindex protocol, @value{GDBN} remote serial
35919 @cindex serial protocol, @value{GDBN} remote
35920 @cindex remote serial protocol
35921 All @value{GDBN} commands and responses (other than acknowledgments
35922 and notifications, see @ref{Notification Packets}) are sent as a
35923 @var{packet}. A @var{packet} is introduced with the character
35924 @samp{$}, the actual @var{packet-data}, and the terminating character
35925 @samp{#} followed by a two-digit @var{checksum}:
35926
35927 @smallexample
35928 @code{$}@var{packet-data}@code{#}@var{checksum}
35929 @end smallexample
35930 @noindent
35931
35932 @cindex checksum, for @value{GDBN} remote
35933 @noindent
35934 The two-digit @var{checksum} is computed as the modulo 256 sum of all
35935 characters between the leading @samp{$} and the trailing @samp{#} (an
35936 eight bit unsigned checksum).
35937
35938 Implementors should note that prior to @value{GDBN} 5.0 the protocol
35939 specification also included an optional two-digit @var{sequence-id}:
35940
35941 @smallexample
35942 @code{$}@var{sequence-id}@code{:}@var{packet-data}@code{#}@var{checksum}
35943 @end smallexample
35944
35945 @cindex sequence-id, for @value{GDBN} remote
35946 @noindent
35947 That @var{sequence-id} was appended to the acknowledgment. @value{GDBN}
35948 has never output @var{sequence-id}s. Stubs that handle packets added
35949 since @value{GDBN} 5.0 must not accept @var{sequence-id}.
35950
35951 When either the host or the target machine receives a packet, the first
35952 response expected is an acknowledgment: either @samp{+} (to indicate
35953 the package was received correctly) or @samp{-} (to request
35954 retransmission):
35955
35956 @smallexample
35957 -> @code{$}@var{packet-data}@code{#}@var{checksum}
35958 <- @code{+}
35959 @end smallexample
35960 @noindent
35961
35962 The @samp{+}/@samp{-} acknowledgments can be disabled
35963 once a connection is established.
35964 @xref{Packet Acknowledgment}, for details.
35965
35966 The host (@value{GDBN}) sends @var{command}s, and the target (the
35967 debugging stub incorporated in your program) sends a @var{response}. In
35968 the case of step and continue @var{command}s, the response is only sent
35969 when the operation has completed, and the target has again stopped all
35970 threads in all attached processes. This is the default all-stop mode
35971 behavior, but the remote protocol also supports @value{GDBN}'s non-stop
35972 execution mode; see @ref{Remote Non-Stop}, for details.
35973
35974 @var{packet-data} consists of a sequence of characters with the
35975 exception of @samp{#} and @samp{$} (see @samp{X} packet for additional
35976 exceptions).
35977
35978 @cindex remote protocol, field separator
35979 Fields within the packet should be separated using @samp{,} @samp{;} or
35980 @samp{:}. Except where otherwise noted all numbers are represented in
35981 @sc{hex} with leading zeros suppressed.
35982
35983 Implementors should note that prior to @value{GDBN} 5.0, the character
35984 @samp{:} could not appear as the third character in a packet (as it
35985 would potentially conflict with the @var{sequence-id}).
35986
35987 @cindex remote protocol, binary data
35988 @anchor{Binary Data}
35989 Binary data in most packets is encoded either as two hexadecimal
35990 digits per byte of binary data. This allowed the traditional remote
35991 protocol to work over connections which were only seven-bit clean.
35992 Some packets designed more recently assume an eight-bit clean
35993 connection, and use a more efficient encoding to send and receive
35994 binary data.
35995
35996 The binary data representation uses @code{7d} (@sc{ascii} @samp{@}})
35997 as an escape character. Any escaped byte is transmitted as the escape
35998 character followed by the original character XORed with @code{0x20}.
35999 For example, the byte @code{0x7d} would be transmitted as the two
36000 bytes @code{0x7d 0x5d}. The bytes @code{0x23} (@sc{ascii} @samp{#}),
36001 @code{0x24} (@sc{ascii} @samp{$}), and @code{0x7d} (@sc{ascii}
36002 @samp{@}}) must always be escaped. Responses sent by the stub
36003 must also escape @code{0x2a} (@sc{ascii} @samp{*}), so that it
36004 is not interpreted as the start of a run-length encoded sequence
36005 (described next).
36006
36007 Response @var{data} can be run-length encoded to save space.
36008 Run-length encoding replaces runs of identical characters with one
36009 instance of the repeated character, followed by a @samp{*} and a
36010 repeat count. The repeat count is itself sent encoded, to avoid
36011 binary characters in @var{data}: a value of @var{n} is sent as
36012 @code{@var{n}+29}. For a repeat count greater or equal to 3, this
36013 produces a printable @sc{ascii} character, e.g.@: a space (@sc{ascii}
36014 code 32) for a repeat count of 3. (This is because run-length
36015 encoding starts to win for counts 3 or more.) Thus, for example,
36016 @samp{0* } is a run-length encoding of ``0000'': the space character
36017 after @samp{*} means repeat the leading @code{0} @w{@code{32 - 29 =
36018 3}} more times.
36019
36020 The printable characters @samp{#} and @samp{$} or with a numeric value
36021 greater than 126 must not be used. Runs of six repeats (@samp{#}) or
36022 seven repeats (@samp{$}) can be expanded using a repeat count of only
36023 five (@samp{"}). For example, @samp{00000000} can be encoded as
36024 @samp{0*"00}.
36025
36026 The error response returned for some packets includes a two character
36027 error number. That number is not well defined.
36028
36029 @cindex empty response, for unsupported packets
36030 For any @var{command} not supported by the stub, an empty response
36031 (@samp{$#00}) should be returned. That way it is possible to extend the
36032 protocol. A newer @value{GDBN} can tell if a packet is supported based
36033 on that response.
36034
36035 At a minimum, a stub is required to support the @samp{g} and @samp{G}
36036 commands for register access, and the @samp{m} and @samp{M} commands
36037 for memory access. Stubs that only control single-threaded targets
36038 can implement run control with the @samp{c} (continue), and @samp{s}
36039 (step) commands. Stubs that support multi-threading targets should
36040 support the @samp{vCont} command. All other commands are optional.
36041
36042 @node Packets
36043 @section Packets
36044
36045 The following table provides a complete list of all currently defined
36046 @var{command}s and their corresponding response @var{data}.
36047 @xref{File-I/O Remote Protocol Extension}, for details about the File
36048 I/O extension of the remote protocol.
36049
36050 Each packet's description has a template showing the packet's overall
36051 syntax, followed by an explanation of the packet's meaning. We
36052 include spaces in some of the templates for clarity; these are not
36053 part of the packet's syntax. No @value{GDBN} packet uses spaces to
36054 separate its components. For example, a template like @samp{foo
36055 @var{bar} @var{baz}} describes a packet beginning with the three ASCII
36056 bytes @samp{foo}, followed by a @var{bar}, followed directly by a
36057 @var{baz}. @value{GDBN} does not transmit a space character between the
36058 @samp{foo} and the @var{bar}, or between the @var{bar} and the
36059 @var{baz}.
36060
36061 @cindex @var{thread-id}, in remote protocol
36062 @anchor{thread-id syntax}
36063 Several packets and replies include a @var{thread-id} field to identify
36064 a thread. Normally these are positive numbers with a target-specific
36065 interpretation, formatted as big-endian hex strings. A @var{thread-id}
36066 can also be a literal @samp{-1} to indicate all threads, or @samp{0} to
36067 pick any thread.
36068
36069 In addition, the remote protocol supports a multiprocess feature in
36070 which the @var{thread-id} syntax is extended to optionally include both
36071 process and thread ID fields, as @samp{p@var{pid}.@var{tid}}.
36072 The @var{pid} (process) and @var{tid} (thread) components each have the
36073 format described above: a positive number with target-specific
36074 interpretation formatted as a big-endian hex string, literal @samp{-1}
36075 to indicate all processes or threads (respectively), or @samp{0} to
36076 indicate an arbitrary process or thread. Specifying just a process, as
36077 @samp{p@var{pid}}, is equivalent to @samp{p@var{pid}.-1}. It is an
36078 error to specify all processes but a specific thread, such as
36079 @samp{p-1.@var{tid}}. Note that the @samp{p} prefix is @emph{not} used
36080 for those packets and replies explicitly documented to include a process
36081 ID, rather than a @var{thread-id}.
36082
36083 The multiprocess @var{thread-id} syntax extensions are only used if both
36084 @value{GDBN} and the stub report support for the @samp{multiprocess}
36085 feature using @samp{qSupported}. @xref{multiprocess extensions}, for
36086 more information.
36087
36088 Note that all packet forms beginning with an upper- or lower-case
36089 letter, other than those described here, are reserved for future use.
36090
36091 Here are the packet descriptions.
36092
36093 @table @samp
36094
36095 @item !
36096 @cindex @samp{!} packet
36097 @anchor{extended mode}
36098 Enable extended mode. In extended mode, the remote server is made
36099 persistent. The @samp{R} packet is used to restart the program being
36100 debugged.
36101
36102 Reply:
36103 @table @samp
36104 @item OK
36105 The remote target both supports and has enabled extended mode.
36106 @end table
36107
36108 @item ?
36109 @cindex @samp{?} packet
36110 @anchor{? packet}
36111 Indicate the reason the target halted. The reply is the same as for
36112 step and continue. This packet has a special interpretation when the
36113 target is in non-stop mode; see @ref{Remote Non-Stop}.
36114
36115 Reply:
36116 @xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
36117
36118 @item A @var{arglen},@var{argnum},@var{arg},@dots{}
36119 @cindex @samp{A} packet
36120 Initialized @code{argv[]} array passed into program. @var{arglen}
36121 specifies the number of bytes in the hex encoded byte stream
36122 @var{arg}. See @code{gdbserver} for more details.
36123
36124 Reply:
36125 @table @samp
36126 @item OK
36127 The arguments were set.
36128 @item E @var{NN}
36129 An error occurred.
36130 @end table
36131
36132 @item b @var{baud}
36133 @cindex @samp{b} packet
36134 (Don't use this packet; its behavior is not well-defined.)
36135 Change the serial line speed to @var{baud}.
36136
36137 JTC: @emph{When does the transport layer state change? When it's
36138 received, or after the ACK is transmitted. In either case, there are
36139 problems if the command or the acknowledgment packet is dropped.}
36140
36141 Stan: @emph{If people really wanted to add something like this, and get
36142 it working for the first time, they ought to modify ser-unix.c to send
36143 some kind of out-of-band message to a specially-setup stub and have the
36144 switch happen "in between" packets, so that from remote protocol's point
36145 of view, nothing actually happened.}
36146
36147 @item B @var{addr},@var{mode}
36148 @cindex @samp{B} packet
36149 Set (@var{mode} is @samp{S}) or clear (@var{mode} is @samp{C}) a
36150 breakpoint at @var{addr}.
36151
36152 Don't use this packet. Use the @samp{Z} and @samp{z} packets instead
36153 (@pxref{insert breakpoint or watchpoint packet}).
36154
36155 @cindex @samp{bc} packet
36156 @anchor{bc}
36157 @item bc
36158 Backward continue. Execute the target system in reverse. No parameter.
36159 @xref{Reverse Execution}, for more information.
36160
36161 Reply:
36162 @xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
36163
36164 @cindex @samp{bs} packet
36165 @anchor{bs}
36166 @item bs
36167 Backward single step. Execute one instruction in reverse. No parameter.
36168 @xref{Reverse Execution}, for more information.
36169
36170 Reply:
36171 @xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
36172
36173 @item c @r{[}@var{addr}@r{]}
36174 @cindex @samp{c} packet
36175 Continue at @var{addr}, which is the address to resume. If @var{addr}
36176 is omitted, resume at current address.
36177
36178 This packet is deprecated for multi-threading support. @xref{vCont
36179 packet}.
36180
36181 Reply:
36182 @xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
36183
36184 @item C @var{sig}@r{[};@var{addr}@r{]}
36185 @cindex @samp{C} packet
36186 Continue with signal @var{sig} (hex signal number). If
36187 @samp{;@var{addr}} is omitted, resume at same address.
36188
36189 This packet is deprecated for multi-threading support. @xref{vCont
36190 packet}.
36191
36192 Reply:
36193 @xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
36194
36195 @item d
36196 @cindex @samp{d} packet
36197 Toggle debug flag.
36198
36199 Don't use this packet; instead, define a general set packet
36200 (@pxref{General Query Packets}).
36201
36202 @item D
36203 @itemx D;@var{pid}
36204 @cindex @samp{D} packet
36205 The first form of the packet is used to detach @value{GDBN} from the
36206 remote system. It is sent to the remote target
36207 before @value{GDBN} disconnects via the @code{detach} command.
36208
36209 The second form, including a process ID, is used when multiprocess
36210 protocol extensions are enabled (@pxref{multiprocess extensions}), to
36211 detach only a specific process. The @var{pid} is specified as a
36212 big-endian hex string.
36213
36214 Reply:
36215 @table @samp
36216 @item OK
36217 for success
36218 @item E @var{NN}
36219 for an error
36220 @end table
36221
36222 @item F @var{RC},@var{EE},@var{CF};@var{XX}
36223 @cindex @samp{F} packet
36224 A reply from @value{GDBN} to an @samp{F} packet sent by the target.
36225 This is part of the File-I/O protocol extension. @xref{File-I/O
36226 Remote Protocol Extension}, for the specification.
36227
36228 @item g
36229 @anchor{read registers packet}
36230 @cindex @samp{g} packet
36231 Read general registers.
36232
36233 Reply:
36234 @table @samp
36235 @item @var{XX@dots{}}
36236 Each byte of register data is described by two hex digits. The bytes
36237 with the register are transmitted in target byte order. The size of
36238 each register and their position within the @samp{g} packet are
36239 determined by the @value{GDBN} internal gdbarch functions
36240 @code{DEPRECATED_REGISTER_RAW_SIZE} and @code{gdbarch_register_name}.
36241
36242 When reading registers from a trace frame (@pxref{Analyze Collected
36243 Data,,Using the Collected Data}), the stub may also return a string of
36244 literal @samp{x}'s in place of the register data digits, to indicate
36245 that the corresponding register has not been collected, thus its value
36246 is unavailable. For example, for an architecture with 4 registers of
36247 4 bytes each, the following reply indicates to @value{GDBN} that
36248 registers 0 and 2 have not been collected, while registers 1 and 3
36249 have been collected, and both have zero value:
36250
36251 @smallexample
36252 -> @code{g}
36253 <- @code{xxxxxxxx00000000xxxxxxxx00000000}
36254 @end smallexample
36255
36256 @item E @var{NN}
36257 for an error.
36258 @end table
36259
36260 @item G @var{XX@dots{}}
36261 @cindex @samp{G} packet
36262 Write general registers. @xref{read registers packet}, for a
36263 description of the @var{XX@dots{}} data.
36264
36265 Reply:
36266 @table @samp
36267 @item OK
36268 for success
36269 @item E @var{NN}
36270 for an error
36271 @end table
36272
36273 @item H @var{op} @var{thread-id}
36274 @cindex @samp{H} packet
36275 Set thread for subsequent operations (@samp{m}, @samp{M}, @samp{g},
36276 @samp{G}, et.al.). Depending on the operation to be performed, @var{op}
36277 should be @samp{c} for step and continue operations (note that this
36278 is deprecated, supporting the @samp{vCont} command is a better
36279 option), and @samp{g} for other operations. The thread designator
36280 @var{thread-id} has the format and interpretation described in
36281 @ref{thread-id syntax}.
36282
36283 Reply:
36284 @table @samp
36285 @item OK
36286 for success
36287 @item E @var{NN}
36288 for an error
36289 @end table
36290
36291 @c FIXME: JTC:
36292 @c 'H': How restrictive (or permissive) is the thread model. If a
36293 @c thread is selected and stopped, are other threads allowed
36294 @c to continue to execute? As I mentioned above, I think the
36295 @c semantics of each command when a thread is selected must be
36296 @c described. For example:
36297 @c
36298 @c 'g': If the stub supports threads and a specific thread is
36299 @c selected, returns the register block from that thread;
36300 @c otherwise returns current registers.
36301 @c
36302 @c 'G' If the stub supports threads and a specific thread is
36303 @c selected, sets the registers of the register block of
36304 @c that thread; otherwise sets current registers.
36305
36306 @item i @r{[}@var{addr}@r{[},@var{nnn}@r{]]}
36307 @anchor{cycle step packet}
36308 @cindex @samp{i} packet
36309 Step the remote target by a single clock cycle. If @samp{,@var{nnn}} is
36310 present, cycle step @var{nnn} cycles. If @var{addr} is present, cycle
36311 step starting at that address.
36312
36313 @item I
36314 @cindex @samp{I} packet
36315 Signal, then cycle step. @xref{step with signal packet}. @xref{cycle
36316 step packet}.
36317
36318 @item k
36319 @cindex @samp{k} packet
36320 Kill request.
36321
36322 The exact effect of this packet is not specified.
36323
36324 For a bare-metal target, it may power cycle or reset the target
36325 system. For that reason, the @samp{k} packet has no reply.
36326
36327 For a single-process target, it may kill that process if possible.
36328
36329 A multiple-process target may choose to kill just one process, or all
36330 that are under @value{GDBN}'s control. For more precise control, use
36331 the vKill packet (@pxref{vKill packet}).
36332
36333 If the target system immediately closes the connection in response to
36334 @samp{k}, @value{GDBN} does not consider the lack of packet
36335 acknowledgment to be an error, and assumes the kill was successful.
36336
36337 If connected using @kbd{target extended-remote}, and the target does
36338 not close the connection in response to a kill request, @value{GDBN}
36339 probes the target state as if a new connection was opened
36340 (@pxref{? packet}).
36341
36342 @item m @var{addr},@var{length}
36343 @cindex @samp{m} packet
36344 Read @var{length} addressable memory units starting at address @var{addr}
36345 (@pxref{addressable memory unit}). Note that @var{addr} may not be aligned to
36346 any particular boundary.
36347
36348 The stub need not use any particular size or alignment when gathering
36349 data from memory for the response; even if @var{addr} is word-aligned
36350 and @var{length} is a multiple of the word size, the stub is free to
36351 use byte accesses, or not. For this reason, this packet may not be
36352 suitable for accessing memory-mapped I/O devices.
36353 @cindex alignment of remote memory accesses
36354 @cindex size of remote memory accesses
36355 @cindex memory, alignment and size of remote accesses
36356
36357 Reply:
36358 @table @samp
36359 @item @var{XX@dots{}}
36360 Memory contents; each byte is transmitted as a two-digit hexadecimal number.
36361 The reply may contain fewer addressable memory units than requested if the
36362 server was able to read only part of the region of memory.
36363 @item E @var{NN}
36364 @var{NN} is errno
36365 @end table
36366
36367 @item M @var{addr},@var{length}:@var{XX@dots{}}
36368 @cindex @samp{M} packet
36369 Write @var{length} addressable memory units starting at address @var{addr}
36370 (@pxref{addressable memory unit}). The data is given by @var{XX@dots{}}; each
36371 byte is transmitted as a two-digit hexadecimal number.
36372
36373 Reply:
36374 @table @samp
36375 @item OK
36376 for success
36377 @item E @var{NN}
36378 for an error (this includes the case where only part of the data was
36379 written).
36380 @end table
36381
36382 @item p @var{n}
36383 @cindex @samp{p} packet
36384 Read the value of register @var{n}; @var{n} is in hex.
36385 @xref{read registers packet}, for a description of how the returned
36386 register value is encoded.
36387
36388 Reply:
36389 @table @samp
36390 @item @var{XX@dots{}}
36391 the register's value
36392 @item E @var{NN}
36393 for an error
36394 @item @w{}
36395 Indicating an unrecognized @var{query}.
36396 @end table
36397
36398 @item P @var{n@dots{}}=@var{r@dots{}}
36399 @anchor{write register packet}
36400 @cindex @samp{P} packet
36401 Write register @var{n@dots{}} with value @var{r@dots{}}. The register
36402 number @var{n} is in hexadecimal, and @var{r@dots{}} contains two hex
36403 digits for each byte in the register (target byte order).
36404
36405 Reply:
36406 @table @samp
36407 @item OK
36408 for success
36409 @item E @var{NN}
36410 for an error
36411 @end table
36412
36413 @item q @var{name} @var{params}@dots{}
36414 @itemx Q @var{name} @var{params}@dots{}
36415 @cindex @samp{q} packet
36416 @cindex @samp{Q} packet
36417 General query (@samp{q}) and set (@samp{Q}). These packets are
36418 described fully in @ref{General Query Packets}.
36419
36420 @item r
36421 @cindex @samp{r} packet
36422 Reset the entire system.
36423
36424 Don't use this packet; use the @samp{R} packet instead.
36425
36426 @item R @var{XX}
36427 @cindex @samp{R} packet
36428 Restart the program being debugged. The @var{XX}, while needed, is ignored.
36429 This packet is only available in extended mode (@pxref{extended mode}).
36430
36431 The @samp{R} packet has no reply.
36432
36433 @item s @r{[}@var{addr}@r{]}
36434 @cindex @samp{s} packet
36435 Single step, resuming at @var{addr}. If
36436 @var{addr} is omitted, resume at same address.
36437
36438 This packet is deprecated for multi-threading support. @xref{vCont
36439 packet}.
36440
36441 Reply:
36442 @xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
36443
36444 @item S @var{sig}@r{[};@var{addr}@r{]}
36445 @anchor{step with signal packet}
36446 @cindex @samp{S} packet
36447 Step with signal. This is analogous to the @samp{C} packet, but
36448 requests a single-step, rather than a normal resumption of execution.
36449
36450 This packet is deprecated for multi-threading support. @xref{vCont
36451 packet}.
36452
36453 Reply:
36454 @xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
36455
36456 @item t @var{addr}:@var{PP},@var{MM}
36457 @cindex @samp{t} packet
36458 Search backwards starting at address @var{addr} for a match with pattern
36459 @var{PP} and mask @var{MM}, both of which are are 4 byte long.
36460 There must be at least 3 digits in @var{addr}.
36461
36462 @item T @var{thread-id}
36463 @cindex @samp{T} packet
36464 Find out if the thread @var{thread-id} is alive. @xref{thread-id syntax}.
36465
36466 Reply:
36467 @table @samp
36468 @item OK
36469 thread is still alive
36470 @item E @var{NN}
36471 thread is dead
36472 @end table
36473
36474 @item v
36475 Packets starting with @samp{v} are identified by a multi-letter name,
36476 up to the first @samp{;} or @samp{?} (or the end of the packet).
36477
36478 @item vAttach;@var{pid}
36479 @cindex @samp{vAttach} packet
36480 Attach to a new process with the specified process ID @var{pid}.
36481 The process ID is a
36482 hexadecimal integer identifying the process. In all-stop mode, all
36483 threads in the attached process are stopped; in non-stop mode, it may be
36484 attached without being stopped if that is supported by the target.
36485
36486 @c In non-stop mode, on a successful vAttach, the stub should set the
36487 @c current thread to a thread of the newly-attached process. After
36488 @c attaching, GDB queries for the attached process's thread ID with qC.
36489 @c Also note that, from a user perspective, whether or not the
36490 @c target is stopped on attach in non-stop mode depends on whether you
36491 @c use the foreground or background version of the attach command, not
36492 @c on what vAttach does; GDB does the right thing with respect to either
36493 @c stopping or restarting threads.
36494
36495 This packet is only available in extended mode (@pxref{extended mode}).
36496
36497 Reply:
36498 @table @samp
36499 @item E @var{nn}
36500 for an error
36501 @item @r{Any stop packet}
36502 for success in all-stop mode (@pxref{Stop Reply Packets})
36503 @item OK
36504 for success in non-stop mode (@pxref{Remote Non-Stop})
36505 @end table
36506
36507 @item vCont@r{[};@var{action}@r{[}:@var{thread-id}@r{]]}@dots{}
36508 @cindex @samp{vCont} packet
36509 @anchor{vCont packet}
36510 Resume the inferior, specifying different actions for each thread.
36511
36512 For each inferior thread, the leftmost action with a matching
36513 @var{thread-id} is applied. Threads that don't match any action
36514 remain in their current state. Thread IDs are specified using the
36515 syntax described in @ref{thread-id syntax}. If multiprocess
36516 extensions (@pxref{multiprocess extensions}) are supported, actions
36517 can be specified to match all threads in a process by using the
36518 @samp{p@var{pid}.-1} form of the @var{thread-id}. An action with no
36519 @var{thread-id} matches all threads. Specifying no actions is an
36520 error.
36521
36522 Currently supported actions are:
36523
36524 @table @samp
36525 @item c
36526 Continue.
36527 @item C @var{sig}
36528 Continue with signal @var{sig}. The signal @var{sig} should be two hex digits.
36529 @item s
36530 Step.
36531 @item S @var{sig}
36532 Step with signal @var{sig}. The signal @var{sig} should be two hex digits.
36533 @item t
36534 Stop.
36535 @item r @var{start},@var{end}
36536 Step once, and then keep stepping as long as the thread stops at
36537 addresses between @var{start} (inclusive) and @var{end} (exclusive).
36538 The remote stub reports a stop reply when either the thread goes out
36539 of the range or is stopped due to an unrelated reason, such as hitting
36540 a breakpoint. @xref{range stepping}.
36541
36542 If the range is empty (@var{start} == @var{end}), then the action
36543 becomes equivalent to the @samp{s} action. In other words,
36544 single-step once, and report the stop (even if the stepped instruction
36545 jumps to @var{start}).
36546
36547 (A stop reply may be sent at any point even if the PC is still within
36548 the stepping range; for example, it is valid to implement this packet
36549 in a degenerate way as a single instruction step operation.)
36550
36551 @end table
36552
36553 The optional argument @var{addr} normally associated with the
36554 @samp{c}, @samp{C}, @samp{s}, and @samp{S} packets is
36555 not supported in @samp{vCont}.
36556
36557 The @samp{t} action is only relevant in non-stop mode
36558 (@pxref{Remote Non-Stop}) and may be ignored by the stub otherwise.
36559 A stop reply should be generated for any affected thread not already stopped.
36560 When a thread is stopped by means of a @samp{t} action,
36561 the corresponding stop reply should indicate that the thread has stopped with
36562 signal @samp{0}, regardless of whether the target uses some other signal
36563 as an implementation detail.
36564
36565 The server must ignore @samp{c}, @samp{C}, @samp{s}, @samp{S}, and
36566 @samp{r} actions for threads that are already running. Conversely,
36567 the server must ignore @samp{t} actions for threads that are already
36568 stopped.
36569
36570 @emph{Note:} In non-stop mode, a thread is considered running until
36571 @value{GDBN} acknowleges an asynchronous stop notification for it with
36572 the @samp{vStopped} packet (@pxref{Remote Non-Stop}).
36573
36574 The stub must support @samp{vCont} if it reports support for
36575 multiprocess extensions (@pxref{multiprocess extensions}).
36576
36577 Reply:
36578 @xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
36579
36580 @item vCont?
36581 @cindex @samp{vCont?} packet
36582 Request a list of actions supported by the @samp{vCont} packet.
36583
36584 Reply:
36585 @table @samp
36586 @item vCont@r{[};@var{action}@dots{}@r{]}
36587 The @samp{vCont} packet is supported. Each @var{action} is a supported
36588 command in the @samp{vCont} packet.
36589 @item @w{}
36590 The @samp{vCont} packet is not supported.
36591 @end table
36592
36593 @anchor{vCtrlC packet}
36594 @item vCtrlC
36595 @cindex @samp{vCtrlC} packet
36596 Interrupt remote target as if a control-C was pressed on the remote
36597 terminal. This is the equivalent to reacting to the @code{^C}
36598 (@samp{\003}, the control-C character) character in all-stop mode
36599 while the target is running, except this works in non-stop mode.
36600 @xref{interrupting remote targets}, for more info on the all-stop
36601 variant.
36602
36603 Reply:
36604 @table @samp
36605 @item E @var{nn}
36606 for an error
36607 @item OK
36608 for success
36609 @end table
36610
36611 @item vFile:@var{operation}:@var{parameter}@dots{}
36612 @cindex @samp{vFile} packet
36613 Perform a file operation on the target system. For details,
36614 see @ref{Host I/O Packets}.
36615
36616 @item vFlashErase:@var{addr},@var{length}
36617 @cindex @samp{vFlashErase} packet
36618 Direct the stub to erase @var{length} bytes of flash starting at
36619 @var{addr}. The region may enclose any number of flash blocks, but
36620 its start and end must fall on block boundaries, as indicated by the
36621 flash block size appearing in the memory map (@pxref{Memory Map
36622 Format}). @value{GDBN} groups flash memory programming operations
36623 together, and sends a @samp{vFlashDone} request after each group; the
36624 stub is allowed to delay erase operation until the @samp{vFlashDone}
36625 packet is received.
36626
36627 Reply:
36628 @table @samp
36629 @item OK
36630 for success
36631 @item E @var{NN}
36632 for an error
36633 @end table
36634
36635 @item vFlashWrite:@var{addr}:@var{XX@dots{}}
36636 @cindex @samp{vFlashWrite} packet
36637 Direct the stub to write data to flash address @var{addr}. The data
36638 is passed in binary form using the same encoding as for the @samp{X}
36639 packet (@pxref{Binary Data}). The memory ranges specified by
36640 @samp{vFlashWrite} packets preceding a @samp{vFlashDone} packet must
36641 not overlap, and must appear in order of increasing addresses
36642 (although @samp{vFlashErase} packets for higher addresses may already
36643 have been received; the ordering is guaranteed only between
36644 @samp{vFlashWrite} packets). If a packet writes to an address that was
36645 neither erased by a preceding @samp{vFlashErase} packet nor by some other
36646 target-specific method, the results are unpredictable.
36647
36648
36649 Reply:
36650 @table @samp
36651 @item OK
36652 for success
36653 @item E.memtype
36654 for vFlashWrite addressing non-flash memory
36655 @item E @var{NN}
36656 for an error
36657 @end table
36658
36659 @item vFlashDone
36660 @cindex @samp{vFlashDone} packet
36661 Indicate to the stub that flash programming operation is finished.
36662 The stub is permitted to delay or batch the effects of a group of
36663 @samp{vFlashErase} and @samp{vFlashWrite} packets until a
36664 @samp{vFlashDone} packet is received. The contents of the affected
36665 regions of flash memory are unpredictable until the @samp{vFlashDone}
36666 request is completed.
36667
36668 @item vKill;@var{pid}
36669 @cindex @samp{vKill} packet
36670 @anchor{vKill packet}
36671 Kill the process with the specified process ID @var{pid}, which is a
36672 hexadecimal integer identifying the process. This packet is used in
36673 preference to @samp{k} when multiprocess protocol extensions are
36674 supported; see @ref{multiprocess extensions}.
36675
36676 Reply:
36677 @table @samp
36678 @item E @var{nn}
36679 for an error
36680 @item OK
36681 for success
36682 @end table
36683
36684 @item vMustReplyEmpty
36685 @cindex @samp{vMustReplyEmpty} packet
36686 The correct reply to an unknown @samp{v} packet is to return the empty
36687 string, however, some older versions of @command{gdbserver} would
36688 incorrectly return @samp{OK} for unknown @samp{v} packets.
36689
36690 The @samp{vMustReplyEmpty} is used as a feature test to check how
36691 @command{gdbserver} handles unknown packets, it is important that this
36692 packet be handled in the same way as other unknown @samp{v} packets.
36693 If this packet is handled differently to other unknown @samp{v}
36694 packets then it is possile that @value{GDBN} may run into problems in
36695 other areas, specifically around use of @samp{vFile:setfs:}.
36696
36697 @item vRun;@var{filename}@r{[};@var{argument}@r{]}@dots{}
36698 @cindex @samp{vRun} packet
36699 Run the program @var{filename}, passing it each @var{argument} on its
36700 command line. The file and arguments are hex-encoded strings. If
36701 @var{filename} is an empty string, the stub may use a default program
36702 (e.g.@: the last program run). The program is created in the stopped
36703 state.
36704
36705 @c FIXME: What about non-stop mode?
36706
36707 This packet is only available in extended mode (@pxref{extended mode}).
36708
36709 Reply:
36710 @table @samp
36711 @item E @var{nn}
36712 for an error
36713 @item @r{Any stop packet}
36714 for success (@pxref{Stop Reply Packets})
36715 @end table
36716
36717 @item vStopped
36718 @cindex @samp{vStopped} packet
36719 @xref{Notification Packets}.
36720
36721 @item X @var{addr},@var{length}:@var{XX@dots{}}
36722 @anchor{X packet}
36723 @cindex @samp{X} packet
36724 Write data to memory, where the data is transmitted in binary.
36725 Memory is specified by its address @var{addr} and number of addressable memory
36726 units @var{length} (@pxref{addressable memory unit});
36727 @samp{@var{XX}@dots{}} is binary data (@pxref{Binary Data}).
36728
36729 Reply:
36730 @table @samp
36731 @item OK
36732 for success
36733 @item E @var{NN}
36734 for an error
36735 @end table
36736
36737 @item z @var{type},@var{addr},@var{kind}
36738 @itemx Z @var{type},@var{addr},@var{kind}
36739 @anchor{insert breakpoint or watchpoint packet}
36740 @cindex @samp{z} packet
36741 @cindex @samp{Z} packets
36742 Insert (@samp{Z}) or remove (@samp{z}) a @var{type} breakpoint or
36743 watchpoint starting at address @var{address} of kind @var{kind}.
36744
36745 Each breakpoint and watchpoint packet @var{type} is documented
36746 separately.
36747
36748 @emph{Implementation notes: A remote target shall return an empty string
36749 for an unrecognized breakpoint or watchpoint packet @var{type}. A
36750 remote target shall support either both or neither of a given
36751 @samp{Z@var{type}@dots{}} and @samp{z@var{type}@dots{}} packet pair. To
36752 avoid potential problems with duplicate packets, the operations should
36753 be implemented in an idempotent way.}
36754
36755 @item z0,@var{addr},@var{kind}
36756 @itemx Z0,@var{addr},@var{kind}@r{[};@var{cond_list}@dots{}@r{]}@r{[};cmds:@var{persist},@var{cmd_list}@dots{}@r{]}
36757 @cindex @samp{z0} packet
36758 @cindex @samp{Z0} packet
36759 Insert (@samp{Z0}) or remove (@samp{z0}) a software breakpoint at address
36760 @var{addr} of type @var{kind}.
36761
36762 A software breakpoint is implemented by replacing the instruction at
36763 @var{addr} with a software breakpoint or trap instruction. The
36764 @var{kind} is target-specific and typically indicates the size of the
36765 breakpoint in bytes that should be inserted. E.g., the @sc{arm} and
36766 @sc{mips} can insert either a 2 or 4 byte breakpoint. Some
36767 architectures have additional meanings for @var{kind}
36768 (@pxref{Architecture-Specific Protocol Details}); if no
36769 architecture-specific value is being used, it should be @samp{0}.
36770 @var{kind} is hex-encoded. @var{cond_list} is an optional list of
36771 conditional expressions in bytecode form that should be evaluated on
36772 the target's side. These are the conditions that should be taken into
36773 consideration when deciding if the breakpoint trigger should be
36774 reported back to @value{GDBN}.
36775
36776 See also the @samp{swbreak} stop reason (@pxref{swbreak stop reason})
36777 for how to best report a software breakpoint event to @value{GDBN}.
36778
36779 The @var{cond_list} parameter is comprised of a series of expressions,
36780 concatenated without separators. Each expression has the following form:
36781
36782 @table @samp
36783
36784 @item X @var{len},@var{expr}
36785 @var{len} is the length of the bytecode expression and @var{expr} is the
36786 actual conditional expression in bytecode form.
36787
36788 @end table
36789
36790 The optional @var{cmd_list} parameter introduces commands that may be
36791 run on the target, rather than being reported back to @value{GDBN}.
36792 The parameter starts with a numeric flag @var{persist}; if the flag is
36793 nonzero, then the breakpoint may remain active and the commands
36794 continue to be run even when @value{GDBN} disconnects from the target.
36795 Following this flag is a series of expressions concatenated with no
36796 separators. Each expression has the following form:
36797
36798 @table @samp
36799
36800 @item X @var{len},@var{expr}
36801 @var{len} is the length of the bytecode expression and @var{expr} is the
36802 actual commands expression in bytecode form.
36803
36804 @end table
36805
36806 @emph{Implementation note: It is possible for a target to copy or move
36807 code that contains software breakpoints (e.g., when implementing
36808 overlays). The behavior of this packet, in the presence of such a
36809 target, is not defined.}
36810
36811 Reply:
36812 @table @samp
36813 @item OK
36814 success
36815 @item @w{}
36816 not supported
36817 @item E @var{NN}
36818 for an error
36819 @end table
36820
36821 @item z1,@var{addr},@var{kind}
36822 @itemx Z1,@var{addr},@var{kind}@r{[};@var{cond_list}@dots{}@r{]}@r{[};cmds:@var{persist},@var{cmd_list}@dots{}@r{]}
36823 @cindex @samp{z1} packet
36824 @cindex @samp{Z1} packet
36825 Insert (@samp{Z1}) or remove (@samp{z1}) a hardware breakpoint at
36826 address @var{addr}.
36827
36828 A hardware breakpoint is implemented using a mechanism that is not
36829 dependent on being able to modify the target's memory. The
36830 @var{kind}, @var{cond_list}, and @var{cmd_list} arguments have the
36831 same meaning as in @samp{Z0} packets.
36832
36833 @emph{Implementation note: A hardware breakpoint is not affected by code
36834 movement.}
36835
36836 Reply:
36837 @table @samp
36838 @item OK
36839 success
36840 @item @w{}
36841 not supported
36842 @item E @var{NN}
36843 for an error
36844 @end table
36845
36846 @item z2,@var{addr},@var{kind}
36847 @itemx Z2,@var{addr},@var{kind}
36848 @cindex @samp{z2} packet
36849 @cindex @samp{Z2} packet
36850 Insert (@samp{Z2}) or remove (@samp{z2}) a write watchpoint at @var{addr}.
36851 The number of bytes to watch is specified by @var{kind}.
36852
36853 Reply:
36854 @table @samp
36855 @item OK
36856 success
36857 @item @w{}
36858 not supported
36859 @item E @var{NN}
36860 for an error
36861 @end table
36862
36863 @item z3,@var{addr},@var{kind}
36864 @itemx Z3,@var{addr},@var{kind}
36865 @cindex @samp{z3} packet
36866 @cindex @samp{Z3} packet
36867 Insert (@samp{Z3}) or remove (@samp{z3}) a read watchpoint at @var{addr}.
36868 The number of bytes to watch is specified by @var{kind}.
36869
36870 Reply:
36871 @table @samp
36872 @item OK
36873 success
36874 @item @w{}
36875 not supported
36876 @item E @var{NN}
36877 for an error
36878 @end table
36879
36880 @item z4,@var{addr},@var{kind}
36881 @itemx Z4,@var{addr},@var{kind}
36882 @cindex @samp{z4} packet
36883 @cindex @samp{Z4} packet
36884 Insert (@samp{Z4}) or remove (@samp{z4}) an access watchpoint at @var{addr}.
36885 The number of bytes to watch is specified by @var{kind}.
36886
36887 Reply:
36888 @table @samp
36889 @item OK
36890 success
36891 @item @w{}
36892 not supported
36893 @item E @var{NN}
36894 for an error
36895 @end table
36896
36897 @end table
36898
36899 @node Stop Reply Packets
36900 @section Stop Reply Packets
36901 @cindex stop reply packets
36902
36903 The @samp{C}, @samp{c}, @samp{S}, @samp{s}, @samp{vCont},
36904 @samp{vAttach}, @samp{vRun}, @samp{vStopped}, and @samp{?} packets can
36905 receive any of the below as a reply. Except for @samp{?}
36906 and @samp{vStopped}, that reply is only returned
36907 when the target halts. In the below the exact meaning of @dfn{signal
36908 number} is defined by the header @file{include/gdb/signals.h} in the
36909 @value{GDBN} source code.
36910
36911 In non-stop mode, the server will simply reply @samp{OK} to commands
36912 such as @samp{vCont}; any stop will be the subject of a future
36913 notification. @xref{Remote Non-Stop}.
36914
36915 As in the description of request packets, we include spaces in the
36916 reply templates for clarity; these are not part of the reply packet's
36917 syntax. No @value{GDBN} stop reply packet uses spaces to separate its
36918 components.
36919
36920 @table @samp
36921
36922 @item S @var{AA}
36923 The program received signal number @var{AA} (a two-digit hexadecimal
36924 number). This is equivalent to a @samp{T} response with no
36925 @var{n}:@var{r} pairs.
36926
36927 @item T @var{AA} @var{n1}:@var{r1};@var{n2}:@var{r2};@dots{}
36928 @cindex @samp{T} packet reply
36929 The program received signal number @var{AA} (a two-digit hexadecimal
36930 number). This is equivalent to an @samp{S} response, except that the
36931 @samp{@var{n}:@var{r}} pairs can carry values of important registers
36932 and other information directly in the stop reply packet, reducing
36933 round-trip latency. Single-step and breakpoint traps are reported
36934 this way. Each @samp{@var{n}:@var{r}} pair is interpreted as follows:
36935
36936 @itemize @bullet
36937 @item
36938 If @var{n} is a hexadecimal number, it is a register number, and the
36939 corresponding @var{r} gives that register's value. The data @var{r} is a
36940 series of bytes in target byte order, with each byte given by a
36941 two-digit hex number.
36942
36943 @item
36944 If @var{n} is @samp{thread}, then @var{r} is the @var{thread-id} of
36945 the stopped thread, as specified in @ref{thread-id syntax}.
36946
36947 @item
36948 If @var{n} is @samp{core}, then @var{r} is the hexadecimal number of
36949 the core on which the stop event was detected.
36950
36951 @item
36952 If @var{n} is a recognized @dfn{stop reason}, it describes a more
36953 specific event that stopped the target. The currently defined stop
36954 reasons are listed below. The @var{aa} should be @samp{05}, the trap
36955 signal. At most one stop reason should be present.
36956
36957 @item
36958 Otherwise, @value{GDBN} should ignore this @samp{@var{n}:@var{r}} pair
36959 and go on to the next; this allows us to extend the protocol in the
36960 future.
36961 @end itemize
36962
36963 The currently defined stop reasons are:
36964
36965 @table @samp
36966 @item watch
36967 @itemx rwatch
36968 @itemx awatch
36969 The packet indicates a watchpoint hit, and @var{r} is the data address, in
36970 hex.
36971
36972 @item syscall_entry
36973 @itemx syscall_return
36974 The packet indicates a syscall entry or return, and @var{r} is the
36975 syscall number, in hex.
36976
36977 @cindex shared library events, remote reply
36978 @item library
36979 The packet indicates that the loaded libraries have changed.
36980 @value{GDBN} should use @samp{qXfer:libraries:read} to fetch a new
36981 list of loaded libraries. The @var{r} part is ignored.
36982
36983 @cindex replay log events, remote reply
36984 @item replaylog
36985 The packet indicates that the target cannot continue replaying
36986 logged execution events, because it has reached the end (or the
36987 beginning when executing backward) of the log. The value of @var{r}
36988 will be either @samp{begin} or @samp{end}. @xref{Reverse Execution},
36989 for more information.
36990
36991 @item swbreak
36992 @anchor{swbreak stop reason}
36993 The packet indicates a software breakpoint instruction was executed,
36994 irrespective of whether it was @value{GDBN} that planted the
36995 breakpoint or the breakpoint is hardcoded in the program. The @var{r}
36996 part must be left empty.
36997
36998 On some architectures, such as x86, at the architecture level, when a
36999 breakpoint instruction executes the program counter points at the
37000 breakpoint address plus an offset. On such targets, the stub is
37001 responsible for adjusting the PC to point back at the breakpoint
37002 address.
37003
37004 This packet should not be sent by default; older @value{GDBN} versions
37005 did not support it. @value{GDBN} requests it, by supplying an
37006 appropriate @samp{qSupported} feature (@pxref{qSupported}). The
37007 remote stub must also supply the appropriate @samp{qSupported} feature
37008 indicating support.
37009
37010 This packet is required for correct non-stop mode operation.
37011
37012 @item hwbreak
37013 The packet indicates the target stopped for a hardware breakpoint.
37014 The @var{r} part must be left empty.
37015
37016 The same remarks about @samp{qSupported} and non-stop mode above
37017 apply.
37018
37019 @cindex fork events, remote reply
37020 @item fork
37021 The packet indicates that @code{fork} was called, and @var{r}
37022 is the thread ID of the new child process. Refer to
37023 @ref{thread-id syntax} for the format of the @var{thread-id}
37024 field. This packet is only applicable to targets that support
37025 fork events.
37026
37027 This packet should not be sent by default; older @value{GDBN} versions
37028 did not support it. @value{GDBN} requests it, by supplying an
37029 appropriate @samp{qSupported} feature (@pxref{qSupported}). The
37030 remote stub must also supply the appropriate @samp{qSupported} feature
37031 indicating support.
37032
37033 @cindex vfork events, remote reply
37034 @item vfork
37035 The packet indicates that @code{vfork} was called, and @var{r}
37036 is the thread ID of the new child process. Refer to
37037 @ref{thread-id syntax} for the format of the @var{thread-id}
37038 field. This packet is only applicable to targets that support
37039 vfork events.
37040
37041 This packet should not be sent by default; older @value{GDBN} versions
37042 did not support it. @value{GDBN} requests it, by supplying an
37043 appropriate @samp{qSupported} feature (@pxref{qSupported}). The
37044 remote stub must also supply the appropriate @samp{qSupported} feature
37045 indicating support.
37046
37047 @cindex vforkdone events, remote reply
37048 @item vforkdone
37049 The packet indicates that a child process created by a vfork
37050 has either called @code{exec} or terminated, so that the
37051 address spaces of the parent and child process are no longer
37052 shared. The @var{r} part is ignored. This packet is only
37053 applicable to targets that support vforkdone events.
37054
37055 This packet should not be sent by default; older @value{GDBN} versions
37056 did not support it. @value{GDBN} requests it, by supplying an
37057 appropriate @samp{qSupported} feature (@pxref{qSupported}). The
37058 remote stub must also supply the appropriate @samp{qSupported} feature
37059 indicating support.
37060
37061 @cindex exec events, remote reply
37062 @item exec
37063 The packet indicates that @code{execve} was called, and @var{r}
37064 is the absolute pathname of the file that was executed, in hex.
37065 This packet is only applicable to targets that support exec events.
37066
37067 This packet should not be sent by default; older @value{GDBN} versions
37068 did not support it. @value{GDBN} requests it, by supplying an
37069 appropriate @samp{qSupported} feature (@pxref{qSupported}). The
37070 remote stub must also supply the appropriate @samp{qSupported} feature
37071 indicating support.
37072
37073 @cindex thread create event, remote reply
37074 @anchor{thread create event}
37075 @item create
37076 The packet indicates that the thread was just created. The new thread
37077 is stopped until @value{GDBN} sets it running with a resumption packet
37078 (@pxref{vCont packet}). This packet should not be sent by default;
37079 @value{GDBN} requests it with the @ref{QThreadEvents} packet. See
37080 also the @samp{w} (@pxref{thread exit event}) remote reply below. The
37081 @var{r} part is ignored.
37082
37083 @end table
37084
37085 @item W @var{AA}
37086 @itemx W @var{AA} ; process:@var{pid}
37087 The process exited, and @var{AA} is the exit status. This is only
37088 applicable to certain targets.
37089
37090 The second form of the response, including the process ID of the
37091 exited process, can be used only when @value{GDBN} has reported
37092 support for multiprocess protocol extensions; see @ref{multiprocess
37093 extensions}. Both @var{AA} and @var{pid} are formatted as big-endian
37094 hex strings.
37095
37096 @item X @var{AA}
37097 @itemx X @var{AA} ; process:@var{pid}
37098 The process terminated with signal @var{AA}.
37099
37100 The second form of the response, including the process ID of the
37101 terminated process, can be used only when @value{GDBN} has reported
37102 support for multiprocess protocol extensions; see @ref{multiprocess
37103 extensions}. Both @var{AA} and @var{pid} are formatted as big-endian
37104 hex strings.
37105
37106 @anchor{thread exit event}
37107 @cindex thread exit event, remote reply
37108 @item w @var{AA} ; @var{tid}
37109
37110 The thread exited, and @var{AA} is the exit status. This response
37111 should not be sent by default; @value{GDBN} requests it with the
37112 @ref{QThreadEvents} packet. See also @ref{thread create event} above.
37113 @var{AA} is formatted as a big-endian hex string.
37114
37115 @item N
37116 There are no resumed threads left in the target. In other words, even
37117 though the process is alive, the last resumed thread has exited. For
37118 example, say the target process has two threads: thread 1 and thread
37119 2. The client leaves thread 1 stopped, and resumes thread 2, which
37120 subsequently exits. At this point, even though the process is still
37121 alive, and thus no @samp{W} stop reply is sent, no thread is actually
37122 executing either. The @samp{N} stop reply thus informs the client
37123 that it can stop waiting for stop replies. This packet should not be
37124 sent by default; older @value{GDBN} versions did not support it.
37125 @value{GDBN} requests it, by supplying an appropriate
37126 @samp{qSupported} feature (@pxref{qSupported}). The remote stub must
37127 also supply the appropriate @samp{qSupported} feature indicating
37128 support.
37129
37130 @item O @var{XX}@dots{}
37131 @samp{@var{XX}@dots{}} is hex encoding of @sc{ascii} data, to be
37132 written as the program's console output. This can happen at any time
37133 while the program is running and the debugger should continue to wait
37134 for @samp{W}, @samp{T}, etc. This reply is not permitted in non-stop mode.
37135
37136 @item F @var{call-id},@var{parameter}@dots{}
37137 @var{call-id} is the identifier which says which host system call should
37138 be called. This is just the name of the function. Translation into the
37139 correct system call is only applicable as it's defined in @value{GDBN}.
37140 @xref{File-I/O Remote Protocol Extension}, for a list of implemented
37141 system calls.
37142
37143 @samp{@var{parameter}@dots{}} is a list of parameters as defined for
37144 this very system call.
37145
37146 The target replies with this packet when it expects @value{GDBN} to
37147 call a host system call on behalf of the target. @value{GDBN} replies
37148 with an appropriate @samp{F} packet and keeps up waiting for the next
37149 reply packet from the target. The latest @samp{C}, @samp{c}, @samp{S}
37150 or @samp{s} action is expected to be continued. @xref{File-I/O Remote
37151 Protocol Extension}, for more details.
37152
37153 @end table
37154
37155 @node General Query Packets
37156 @section General Query Packets
37157 @cindex remote query requests
37158
37159 Packets starting with @samp{q} are @dfn{general query packets};
37160 packets starting with @samp{Q} are @dfn{general set packets}. General
37161 query and set packets are a semi-unified form for retrieving and
37162 sending information to and from the stub.
37163
37164 The initial letter of a query or set packet is followed by a name
37165 indicating what sort of thing the packet applies to. For example,
37166 @value{GDBN} may use a @samp{qSymbol} packet to exchange symbol
37167 definitions with the stub. These packet names follow some
37168 conventions:
37169
37170 @itemize @bullet
37171 @item
37172 The name must not contain commas, colons or semicolons.
37173 @item
37174 Most @value{GDBN} query and set packets have a leading upper case
37175 letter.
37176 @item
37177 The names of custom vendor packets should use a company prefix, in
37178 lower case, followed by a period. For example, packets designed at
37179 the Acme Corporation might begin with @samp{qacme.foo} (for querying
37180 foos) or @samp{Qacme.bar} (for setting bars).
37181 @end itemize
37182
37183 The name of a query or set packet should be separated from any
37184 parameters by a @samp{:}; the parameters themselves should be
37185 separated by @samp{,} or @samp{;}. Stubs must be careful to match the
37186 full packet name, and check for a separator or the end of the packet,
37187 in case two packet names share a common prefix. New packets should not begin
37188 with @samp{qC}, @samp{qP}, or @samp{qL}@footnote{The @samp{qP} and @samp{qL}
37189 packets predate these conventions, and have arguments without any terminator
37190 for the packet name; we suspect they are in widespread use in places that
37191 are difficult to upgrade. The @samp{qC} packet has no arguments, but some
37192 existing stubs (e.g.@: RedBoot) are known to not check for the end of the
37193 packet.}.
37194
37195 Like the descriptions of the other packets, each description here
37196 has a template showing the packet's overall syntax, followed by an
37197 explanation of the packet's meaning. We include spaces in some of the
37198 templates for clarity; these are not part of the packet's syntax. No
37199 @value{GDBN} packet uses spaces to separate its components.
37200
37201 Here are the currently defined query and set packets:
37202
37203 @table @samp
37204
37205 @item QAgent:1
37206 @itemx QAgent:0
37207 Turn on or off the agent as a helper to perform some debugging operations
37208 delegated from @value{GDBN} (@pxref{Control Agent}).
37209
37210 @item QAllow:@var{op}:@var{val}@dots{}
37211 @cindex @samp{QAllow} packet
37212 Specify which operations @value{GDBN} expects to request of the
37213 target, as a semicolon-separated list of operation name and value
37214 pairs. Possible values for @var{op} include @samp{WriteReg},
37215 @samp{WriteMem}, @samp{InsertBreak}, @samp{InsertTrace},
37216 @samp{InsertFastTrace}, and @samp{Stop}. @var{val} is either 0,
37217 indicating that @value{GDBN} will not request the operation, or 1,
37218 indicating that it may. (The target can then use this to set up its
37219 own internals optimally, for instance if the debugger never expects to
37220 insert breakpoints, it may not need to install its own trap handler.)
37221
37222 @item qC
37223 @cindex current thread, remote request
37224 @cindex @samp{qC} packet
37225 Return the current thread ID.
37226
37227 Reply:
37228 @table @samp
37229 @item QC @var{thread-id}
37230 Where @var{thread-id} is a thread ID as documented in
37231 @ref{thread-id syntax}.
37232 @item @r{(anything else)}
37233 Any other reply implies the old thread ID.
37234 @end table
37235
37236 @item qCRC:@var{addr},@var{length}
37237 @cindex CRC of memory block, remote request
37238 @cindex @samp{qCRC} packet
37239 @anchor{qCRC packet}
37240 Compute the CRC checksum of a block of memory using CRC-32 defined in
37241 IEEE 802.3. The CRC is computed byte at a time, taking the most
37242 significant bit of each byte first. The initial pattern code
37243 @code{0xffffffff} is used to ensure leading zeros affect the CRC.
37244
37245 @emph{Note:} This is the same CRC used in validating separate debug
37246 files (@pxref{Separate Debug Files, , Debugging Information in Separate
37247 Files}). However the algorithm is slightly different. When validating
37248 separate debug files, the CRC is computed taking the @emph{least}
37249 significant bit of each byte first, and the final result is inverted to
37250 detect trailing zeros.
37251
37252 Reply:
37253 @table @samp
37254 @item E @var{NN}
37255 An error (such as memory fault)
37256 @item C @var{crc32}
37257 The specified memory region's checksum is @var{crc32}.
37258 @end table
37259
37260 @item QDisableRandomization:@var{value}
37261 @cindex disable address space randomization, remote request
37262 @cindex @samp{QDisableRandomization} packet
37263 Some target operating systems will randomize the virtual address space
37264 of the inferior process as a security feature, but provide a feature
37265 to disable such randomization, e.g.@: to allow for a more deterministic
37266 debugging experience. On such systems, this packet with a @var{value}
37267 of 1 directs the target to disable address space randomization for
37268 processes subsequently started via @samp{vRun} packets, while a packet
37269 with a @var{value} of 0 tells the target to enable address space
37270 randomization.
37271
37272 This packet is only available in extended mode (@pxref{extended mode}).
37273
37274 Reply:
37275 @table @samp
37276 @item OK
37277 The request succeeded.
37278
37279 @item E @var{nn}
37280 An error occurred. The error number @var{nn} is given as hex digits.
37281
37282 @item @w{}
37283 An empty reply indicates that @samp{QDisableRandomization} is not supported
37284 by the stub.
37285 @end table
37286
37287 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
37288 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
37289 This should only be done on targets that actually support disabling
37290 address space randomization.
37291
37292 @item QStartupWithShell:@var{value}
37293 @cindex startup with shell, remote request
37294 @cindex @samp{QStartupWithShell} packet
37295 On UNIX-like targets, it is possible to start the inferior using a
37296 shell program. This is the default behavior on both @value{GDBN} and
37297 @command{gdbserver} (@pxref{set startup-with-shell}). This packet is
37298 used to inform @command{gdbserver} whether it should start the
37299 inferior using a shell or not.
37300
37301 If @var{value} is @samp{0}, @command{gdbserver} will not use a shell
37302 to start the inferior. If @var{value} is @samp{1},
37303 @command{gdbserver} will use a shell to start the inferior. All other
37304 values are considered an error.
37305
37306 This packet is only available in extended mode (@pxref{extended
37307 mode}).
37308
37309 Reply:
37310 @table @samp
37311 @item OK
37312 The request succeeded.
37313
37314 @item E @var{nn}
37315 An error occurred. The error number @var{nn} is given as hex digits.
37316 @end table
37317
37318 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
37319 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response
37320 (@pxref{qSupported}). This should only be done on targets that
37321 actually support starting the inferior using a shell.
37322
37323 Use of this packet is controlled by the @code{set startup-with-shell}
37324 command; @pxref{set startup-with-shell}.
37325
37326 @item QEnvironmentHexEncoded:@var{hex-value}
37327 @anchor{QEnvironmentHexEncoded}
37328 @cindex set environment variable, remote request
37329 @cindex @samp{QEnvironmentHexEncoded} packet
37330 On UNIX-like targets, it is possible to set environment variables that
37331 will be passed to the inferior during the startup process. This
37332 packet is used to inform @command{gdbserver} of an environment
37333 variable that has been defined by the user on @value{GDBN} (@pxref{set
37334 environment}).
37335
37336 The packet is composed by @var{hex-value}, an hex encoded
37337 representation of the @var{name=value} format representing an
37338 environment variable. The name of the environment variable is
37339 represented by @var{name}, and the value to be assigned to the
37340 environment variable is represented by @var{value}. If the variable
37341 has no value (i.e., the value is @code{null}), then @var{value} will
37342 not be present.
37343
37344 This packet is only available in extended mode (@pxref{extended
37345 mode}).
37346
37347 Reply:
37348 @table @samp
37349 @item OK
37350 The request succeeded.
37351 @end table
37352
37353 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
37354 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response
37355 (@pxref{qSupported}). This should only be done on targets that
37356 actually support passing environment variables to the starting
37357 inferior.
37358
37359 This packet is related to the @code{set environment} command;
37360 @pxref{set environment}.
37361
37362 @item QEnvironmentUnset:@var{hex-value}
37363 @anchor{QEnvironmentUnset}
37364 @cindex unset environment variable, remote request
37365 @cindex @samp{QEnvironmentUnset} packet
37366 On UNIX-like targets, it is possible to unset environment variables
37367 before starting the inferior in the remote target. This packet is
37368 used to inform @command{gdbserver} of an environment variable that has
37369 been unset by the user on @value{GDBN} (@pxref{unset environment}).
37370
37371 The packet is composed by @var{hex-value}, an hex encoded
37372 representation of the name of the environment variable to be unset.
37373
37374 This packet is only available in extended mode (@pxref{extended
37375 mode}).
37376
37377 Reply:
37378 @table @samp
37379 @item OK
37380 The request succeeded.
37381 @end table
37382
37383 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
37384 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response
37385 (@pxref{qSupported}). This should only be done on targets that
37386 actually support passing environment variables to the starting
37387 inferior.
37388
37389 This packet is related to the @code{unset environment} command;
37390 @pxref{unset environment}.
37391
37392 @item QEnvironmentReset
37393 @anchor{QEnvironmentReset}
37394 @cindex reset environment, remote request
37395 @cindex @samp{QEnvironmentReset} packet
37396 On UNIX-like targets, this packet is used to reset the state of
37397 environment variables in the remote target before starting the
37398 inferior. In this context, reset means unsetting all environment
37399 variables that were previously set by the user (i.e., were not
37400 initially present in the environment). It is sent to
37401 @command{gdbserver} before the @samp{QEnvironmentHexEncoded}
37402 (@pxref{QEnvironmentHexEncoded}) and the @samp{QEnvironmentUnset}
37403 (@pxref{QEnvironmentUnset}) packets.
37404
37405 This packet is only available in extended mode (@pxref{extended
37406 mode}).
37407
37408 Reply:
37409 @table @samp
37410 @item OK
37411 The request succeeded.
37412 @end table
37413
37414 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
37415 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response
37416 (@pxref{qSupported}). This should only be done on targets that
37417 actually support passing environment variables to the starting
37418 inferior.
37419
37420 @item QSetWorkingDir:@r{[}@var{directory}@r{]}
37421 @anchor{QSetWorkingDir packet}
37422 @cindex set working directory, remote request
37423 @cindex @samp{QSetWorkingDir} packet
37424 This packet is used to inform the remote server of the intended
37425 current working directory for programs that are going to be executed.
37426
37427 The packet is composed by @var{directory}, an hex encoded
37428 representation of the directory that the remote inferior will use as
37429 its current working directory. If @var{directory} is an empty string,
37430 the remote server should reset the inferior's current working
37431 directory to its original, empty value.
37432
37433 This packet is only available in extended mode (@pxref{extended
37434 mode}).
37435
37436 Reply:
37437 @table @samp
37438 @item OK
37439 The request succeeded.
37440 @end table
37441
37442 @item qfThreadInfo
37443 @itemx qsThreadInfo
37444 @cindex list active threads, remote request
37445 @cindex @samp{qfThreadInfo} packet
37446 @cindex @samp{qsThreadInfo} packet
37447 Obtain a list of all active thread IDs from the target (OS). Since there
37448 may be too many active threads to fit into one reply packet, this query
37449 works iteratively: it may require more than one query/reply sequence to
37450 obtain the entire list of threads. The first query of the sequence will
37451 be the @samp{qfThreadInfo} query; subsequent queries in the
37452 sequence will be the @samp{qsThreadInfo} query.
37453
37454 NOTE: This packet replaces the @samp{qL} query (see below).
37455
37456 Reply:
37457 @table @samp
37458 @item m @var{thread-id}
37459 A single thread ID
37460 @item m @var{thread-id},@var{thread-id}@dots{}
37461 a comma-separated list of thread IDs
37462 @item l
37463 (lower case letter @samp{L}) denotes end of list.
37464 @end table
37465
37466 In response to each query, the target will reply with a list of one or
37467 more thread IDs, separated by commas.
37468 @value{GDBN} will respond to each reply with a request for more thread
37469 ids (using the @samp{qs} form of the query), until the target responds
37470 with @samp{l} (lower-case ell, for @dfn{last}).
37471 Refer to @ref{thread-id syntax}, for the format of the @var{thread-id}
37472 fields.
37473
37474 @emph{Note: @value{GDBN} will send the @code{qfThreadInfo} query during the
37475 initial connection with the remote target, and the very first thread ID
37476 mentioned in the reply will be stopped by @value{GDBN} in a subsequent
37477 message. Therefore, the stub should ensure that the first thread ID in
37478 the @code{qfThreadInfo} reply is suitable for being stopped by @value{GDBN}.}
37479
37480 @item qGetTLSAddr:@var{thread-id},@var{offset},@var{lm}
37481 @cindex get thread-local storage address, remote request
37482 @cindex @samp{qGetTLSAddr} packet
37483 Fetch the address associated with thread local storage specified
37484 by @var{thread-id}, @var{offset}, and @var{lm}.
37485
37486 @var{thread-id} is the thread ID associated with the
37487 thread for which to fetch the TLS address. @xref{thread-id syntax}.
37488
37489 @var{offset} is the (big endian, hex encoded) offset associated with the
37490 thread local variable. (This offset is obtained from the debug
37491 information associated with the variable.)
37492
37493 @var{lm} is the (big endian, hex encoded) OS/ABI-specific encoding of the
37494 load module associated with the thread local storage. For example,
37495 a @sc{gnu}/Linux system will pass the link map address of the shared
37496 object associated with the thread local storage under consideration.
37497 Other operating environments may choose to represent the load module
37498 differently, so the precise meaning of this parameter will vary.
37499
37500 Reply:
37501 @table @samp
37502 @item @var{XX}@dots{}
37503 Hex encoded (big endian) bytes representing the address of the thread
37504 local storage requested.
37505
37506 @item E @var{nn}
37507 An error occurred. The error number @var{nn} is given as hex digits.
37508
37509 @item @w{}
37510 An empty reply indicates that @samp{qGetTLSAddr} is not supported by the stub.
37511 @end table
37512
37513 @item qGetTIBAddr:@var{thread-id}
37514 @cindex get thread information block address
37515 @cindex @samp{qGetTIBAddr} packet
37516 Fetch address of the Windows OS specific Thread Information Block.
37517
37518 @var{thread-id} is the thread ID associated with the thread.
37519
37520 Reply:
37521 @table @samp
37522 @item @var{XX}@dots{}
37523 Hex encoded (big endian) bytes representing the linear address of the
37524 thread information block.
37525
37526 @item E @var{nn}
37527 An error occured. This means that either the thread was not found, or the
37528 address could not be retrieved.
37529
37530 @item @w{}
37531 An empty reply indicates that @samp{qGetTIBAddr} is not supported by the stub.
37532 @end table
37533
37534 @item qL @var{startflag} @var{threadcount} @var{nextthread}
37535 Obtain thread information from RTOS. Where: @var{startflag} (one hex
37536 digit) is one to indicate the first query and zero to indicate a
37537 subsequent query; @var{threadcount} (two hex digits) is the maximum
37538 number of threads the response packet can contain; and @var{nextthread}
37539 (eight hex digits), for subsequent queries (@var{startflag} is zero), is
37540 returned in the response as @var{argthread}.
37541
37542 Don't use this packet; use the @samp{qfThreadInfo} query instead (see above).
37543
37544 Reply:
37545 @table @samp
37546 @item qM @var{count} @var{done} @var{argthread} @var{thread}@dots{}
37547 Where: @var{count} (two hex digits) is the number of threads being
37548 returned; @var{done} (one hex digit) is zero to indicate more threads
37549 and one indicates no further threads; @var{argthreadid} (eight hex
37550 digits) is @var{nextthread} from the request packet; @var{thread}@dots{}
37551 is a sequence of thread IDs, @var{threadid} (eight hex
37552 digits), from the target. See @code{remote.c:parse_threadlist_response()}.
37553 @end table
37554
37555 @item qOffsets
37556 @cindex section offsets, remote request
37557 @cindex @samp{qOffsets} packet
37558 Get section offsets that the target used when relocating the downloaded
37559 image.
37560
37561 Reply:
37562 @table @samp
37563 @item Text=@var{xxx};Data=@var{yyy}@r{[};Bss=@var{zzz}@r{]}
37564 Relocate the @code{Text} section by @var{xxx} from its original address.
37565 Relocate the @code{Data} section by @var{yyy} from its original address.
37566 If the object file format provides segment information (e.g.@: @sc{elf}
37567 @samp{PT_LOAD} program headers), @value{GDBN} will relocate entire
37568 segments by the supplied offsets.
37569
37570 @emph{Note: while a @code{Bss} offset may be included in the response,
37571 @value{GDBN} ignores this and instead applies the @code{Data} offset
37572 to the @code{Bss} section.}
37573
37574 @item TextSeg=@var{xxx}@r{[};DataSeg=@var{yyy}@r{]}
37575 Relocate the first segment of the object file, which conventionally
37576 contains program code, to a starting address of @var{xxx}. If
37577 @samp{DataSeg} is specified, relocate the second segment, which
37578 conventionally contains modifiable data, to a starting address of
37579 @var{yyy}. @value{GDBN} will report an error if the object file
37580 does not contain segment information, or does not contain at least
37581 as many segments as mentioned in the reply. Extra segments are
37582 kept at fixed offsets relative to the last relocated segment.
37583 @end table
37584
37585 @item qP @var{mode} @var{thread-id}
37586 @cindex thread information, remote request
37587 @cindex @samp{qP} packet
37588 Returns information on @var{thread-id}. Where: @var{mode} is a hex
37589 encoded 32 bit mode; @var{thread-id} is a thread ID
37590 (@pxref{thread-id syntax}).
37591
37592 Don't use this packet; use the @samp{qThreadExtraInfo} query instead
37593 (see below).
37594
37595 Reply: see @code{remote.c:remote_unpack_thread_info_response()}.
37596
37597 @item QNonStop:1
37598 @itemx QNonStop:0
37599 @cindex non-stop mode, remote request
37600 @cindex @samp{QNonStop} packet
37601 @anchor{QNonStop}
37602 Enter non-stop (@samp{QNonStop:1}) or all-stop (@samp{QNonStop:0}) mode.
37603 @xref{Remote Non-Stop}, for more information.
37604
37605 Reply:
37606 @table @samp
37607 @item OK
37608 The request succeeded.
37609
37610 @item E @var{nn}
37611 An error occurred. The error number @var{nn} is given as hex digits.
37612
37613 @item @w{}
37614 An empty reply indicates that @samp{QNonStop} is not supported by
37615 the stub.
37616 @end table
37617
37618 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
37619 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
37620 Use of this packet is controlled by the @code{set non-stop} command;
37621 @pxref{Non-Stop Mode}.
37622
37623 @item QCatchSyscalls:1 @r{[};@var{sysno}@r{]}@dots{}
37624 @itemx QCatchSyscalls:0
37625 @cindex catch syscalls from inferior, remote request
37626 @cindex @samp{QCatchSyscalls} packet
37627 @anchor{QCatchSyscalls}
37628 Enable (@samp{QCatchSyscalls:1}) or disable (@samp{QCatchSyscalls:0})
37629 catching syscalls from the inferior process.
37630
37631 For @samp{QCatchSyscalls:1}, each listed syscall @var{sysno} (encoded
37632 in hex) should be reported to @value{GDBN}. If no syscall @var{sysno}
37633 is listed, every system call should be reported.
37634
37635 Note that if a syscall not in the list is reported, @value{GDBN} will
37636 still filter the event according to its own list from all corresponding
37637 @code{catch syscall} commands. However, it is more efficient to only
37638 report the requested syscalls.
37639
37640 Multiple @samp{QCatchSyscalls:1} packets do not combine; any earlier
37641 @samp{QCatchSyscalls:1} list is completely replaced by the new list.
37642
37643 If the inferior process execs, the state of @samp{QCatchSyscalls} is
37644 kept for the new process too. On targets where exec may affect syscall
37645 numbers, for example with exec between 32 and 64-bit processes, the
37646 client should send a new packet with the new syscall list.
37647
37648 Reply:
37649 @table @samp
37650 @item OK
37651 The request succeeded.
37652
37653 @item E @var{nn}
37654 An error occurred. @var{nn} are hex digits.
37655
37656 @item @w{}
37657 An empty reply indicates that @samp{QCatchSyscalls} is not supported by
37658 the stub.
37659 @end table
37660
37661 Use of this packet is controlled by the @code{set remote catch-syscalls}
37662 command (@pxref{Remote Configuration, set remote catch-syscalls}).
37663 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
37664 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
37665
37666 @item QPassSignals: @var{signal} @r{[};@var{signal}@r{]}@dots{}
37667 @cindex pass signals to inferior, remote request
37668 @cindex @samp{QPassSignals} packet
37669 @anchor{QPassSignals}
37670 Each listed @var{signal} should be passed directly to the inferior process.
37671 Signals are numbered identically to continue packets and stop replies
37672 (@pxref{Stop Reply Packets}). Each @var{signal} list item should be
37673 strictly greater than the previous item. These signals do not need to stop
37674 the inferior, or be reported to @value{GDBN}. All other signals should be
37675 reported to @value{GDBN}. Multiple @samp{QPassSignals} packets do not
37676 combine; any earlier @samp{QPassSignals} list is completely replaced by the
37677 new list. This packet improves performance when using @samp{handle
37678 @var{signal} nostop noprint pass}.
37679
37680 Reply:
37681 @table @samp
37682 @item OK
37683 The request succeeded.
37684
37685 @item E @var{nn}
37686 An error occurred. The error number @var{nn} is given as hex digits.
37687
37688 @item @w{}
37689 An empty reply indicates that @samp{QPassSignals} is not supported by
37690 the stub.
37691 @end table
37692
37693 Use of this packet is controlled by the @code{set remote pass-signals}
37694 command (@pxref{Remote Configuration, set remote pass-signals}).
37695 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
37696 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
37697
37698 @item QProgramSignals: @var{signal} @r{[};@var{signal}@r{]}@dots{}
37699 @cindex signals the inferior may see, remote request
37700 @cindex @samp{QProgramSignals} packet
37701 @anchor{QProgramSignals}
37702 Each listed @var{signal} may be delivered to the inferior process.
37703 Others should be silently discarded.
37704
37705 In some cases, the remote stub may need to decide whether to deliver a
37706 signal to the program or not without @value{GDBN} involvement. One
37707 example of that is while detaching --- the program's threads may have
37708 stopped for signals that haven't yet had a chance of being reported to
37709 @value{GDBN}, and so the remote stub can use the signal list specified
37710 by this packet to know whether to deliver or ignore those pending
37711 signals.
37712
37713 This does not influence whether to deliver a signal as requested by a
37714 resumption packet (@pxref{vCont packet}).
37715
37716 Signals are numbered identically to continue packets and stop replies
37717 (@pxref{Stop Reply Packets}). Each @var{signal} list item should be
37718 strictly greater than the previous item. Multiple
37719 @samp{QProgramSignals} packets do not combine; any earlier
37720 @samp{QProgramSignals} list is completely replaced by the new list.
37721
37722 Reply:
37723 @table @samp
37724 @item OK
37725 The request succeeded.
37726
37727 @item E @var{nn}
37728 An error occurred. The error number @var{nn} is given as hex digits.
37729
37730 @item @w{}
37731 An empty reply indicates that @samp{QProgramSignals} is not supported
37732 by the stub.
37733 @end table
37734
37735 Use of this packet is controlled by the @code{set remote program-signals}
37736 command (@pxref{Remote Configuration, set remote program-signals}).
37737 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
37738 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
37739
37740 @anchor{QThreadEvents}
37741 @item QThreadEvents:1
37742 @itemx QThreadEvents:0
37743 @cindex thread create/exit events, remote request
37744 @cindex @samp{QThreadEvents} packet
37745
37746 Enable (@samp{QThreadEvents:1}) or disable (@samp{QThreadEvents:0})
37747 reporting of thread create and exit events. @xref{thread create
37748 event}, for the reply specifications. For example, this is used in
37749 non-stop mode when @value{GDBN} stops a set of threads and
37750 synchronously waits for the their corresponding stop replies. Without
37751 exit events, if one of the threads exits, @value{GDBN} would hang
37752 forever not knowing that it should no longer expect a stop for that
37753 same thread. @value{GDBN} does not enable this feature unless the
37754 stub reports that it supports it by including @samp{QThreadEvents+} in
37755 its @samp{qSupported} reply.
37756
37757 Reply:
37758 @table @samp
37759 @item OK
37760 The request succeeded.
37761
37762 @item E @var{nn}
37763 An error occurred. The error number @var{nn} is given as hex digits.
37764
37765 @item @w{}
37766 An empty reply indicates that @samp{QThreadEvents} is not supported by
37767 the stub.
37768 @end table
37769
37770 Use of this packet is controlled by the @code{set remote thread-events}
37771 command (@pxref{Remote Configuration, set remote thread-events}).
37772
37773 @item qRcmd,@var{command}
37774 @cindex execute remote command, remote request
37775 @cindex @samp{qRcmd} packet
37776 @var{command} (hex encoded) is passed to the local interpreter for
37777 execution. Invalid commands should be reported using the output
37778 string. Before the final result packet, the target may also respond
37779 with a number of intermediate @samp{O@var{output}} console output
37780 packets. @emph{Implementors should note that providing access to a
37781 stubs's interpreter may have security implications}.
37782
37783 Reply:
37784 @table @samp
37785 @item OK
37786 A command response with no output.
37787 @item @var{OUTPUT}
37788 A command response with the hex encoded output string @var{OUTPUT}.
37789 @item E @var{NN}
37790 Indicate a badly formed request.
37791 @item @w{}
37792 An empty reply indicates that @samp{qRcmd} is not recognized.
37793 @end table
37794
37795 (Note that the @code{qRcmd} packet's name is separated from the
37796 command by a @samp{,}, not a @samp{:}, contrary to the naming
37797 conventions above. Please don't use this packet as a model for new
37798 packets.)
37799
37800 @item qSearch:memory:@var{address};@var{length};@var{search-pattern}
37801 @cindex searching memory, in remote debugging
37802 @ifnotinfo
37803 @cindex @samp{qSearch:memory} packet
37804 @end ifnotinfo
37805 @cindex @samp{qSearch memory} packet
37806 @anchor{qSearch memory}
37807 Search @var{length} bytes at @var{address} for @var{search-pattern}.
37808 Both @var{address} and @var{length} are encoded in hex;
37809 @var{search-pattern} is a sequence of bytes, also hex encoded.
37810
37811 Reply:
37812 @table @samp
37813 @item 0
37814 The pattern was not found.
37815 @item 1,address
37816 The pattern was found at @var{address}.
37817 @item E @var{NN}
37818 A badly formed request or an error was encountered while searching memory.
37819 @item @w{}
37820 An empty reply indicates that @samp{qSearch:memory} is not recognized.
37821 @end table
37822
37823 @item QStartNoAckMode
37824 @cindex @samp{QStartNoAckMode} packet
37825 @anchor{QStartNoAckMode}
37826 Request that the remote stub disable the normal @samp{+}/@samp{-}
37827 protocol acknowledgments (@pxref{Packet Acknowledgment}).
37828
37829 Reply:
37830 @table @samp
37831 @item OK
37832 The stub has switched to no-acknowledgment mode.
37833 @value{GDBN} acknowledges this reponse,
37834 but neither the stub nor @value{GDBN} shall send or expect further
37835 @samp{+}/@samp{-} acknowledgments in the current connection.
37836 @item @w{}
37837 An empty reply indicates that the stub does not support no-acknowledgment mode.
37838 @end table
37839
37840 @item qSupported @r{[}:@var{gdbfeature} @r{[};@var{gdbfeature}@r{]}@dots{} @r{]}
37841 @cindex supported packets, remote query
37842 @cindex features of the remote protocol
37843 @cindex @samp{qSupported} packet
37844 @anchor{qSupported}
37845 Tell the remote stub about features supported by @value{GDBN}, and
37846 query the stub for features it supports. This packet allows
37847 @value{GDBN} and the remote stub to take advantage of each others'
37848 features. @samp{qSupported} also consolidates multiple feature probes
37849 at startup, to improve @value{GDBN} performance---a single larger
37850 packet performs better than multiple smaller probe packets on
37851 high-latency links. Some features may enable behavior which must not
37852 be on by default, e.g.@: because it would confuse older clients or
37853 stubs. Other features may describe packets which could be
37854 automatically probed for, but are not. These features must be
37855 reported before @value{GDBN} will use them. This ``default
37856 unsupported'' behavior is not appropriate for all packets, but it
37857 helps to keep the initial connection time under control with new
37858 versions of @value{GDBN} which support increasing numbers of packets.
37859
37860 Reply:
37861 @table @samp
37862 @item @var{stubfeature} @r{[};@var{stubfeature}@r{]}@dots{}
37863 The stub supports or does not support each returned @var{stubfeature},
37864 depending on the form of each @var{stubfeature} (see below for the
37865 possible forms).
37866 @item @w{}
37867 An empty reply indicates that @samp{qSupported} is not recognized,
37868 or that no features needed to be reported to @value{GDBN}.
37869 @end table
37870
37871 The allowed forms for each feature (either a @var{gdbfeature} in the
37872 @samp{qSupported} packet, or a @var{stubfeature} in the response)
37873 are:
37874
37875 @table @samp
37876 @item @var{name}=@var{value}
37877 The remote protocol feature @var{name} is supported, and associated
37878 with the specified @var{value}. The format of @var{value} depends
37879 on the feature, but it must not include a semicolon.
37880 @item @var{name}+
37881 The remote protocol feature @var{name} is supported, and does not
37882 need an associated value.
37883 @item @var{name}-
37884 The remote protocol feature @var{name} is not supported.
37885 @item @var{name}?
37886 The remote protocol feature @var{name} may be supported, and
37887 @value{GDBN} should auto-detect support in some other way when it is
37888 needed. This form will not be used for @var{gdbfeature} notifications,
37889 but may be used for @var{stubfeature} responses.
37890 @end table
37891
37892 Whenever the stub receives a @samp{qSupported} request, the
37893 supplied set of @value{GDBN} features should override any previous
37894 request. This allows @value{GDBN} to put the stub in a known
37895 state, even if the stub had previously been communicating with
37896 a different version of @value{GDBN}.
37897
37898 The following values of @var{gdbfeature} (for the packet sent by @value{GDBN})
37899 are defined:
37900
37901 @table @samp
37902 @item multiprocess
37903 This feature indicates whether @value{GDBN} supports multiprocess
37904 extensions to the remote protocol. @value{GDBN} does not use such
37905 extensions unless the stub also reports that it supports them by
37906 including @samp{multiprocess+} in its @samp{qSupported} reply.
37907 @xref{multiprocess extensions}, for details.
37908
37909 @item xmlRegisters
37910 This feature indicates that @value{GDBN} supports the XML target
37911 description. If the stub sees @samp{xmlRegisters=} with target
37912 specific strings separated by a comma, it will report register
37913 description.
37914
37915 @item qRelocInsn
37916 This feature indicates whether @value{GDBN} supports the
37917 @samp{qRelocInsn} packet (@pxref{Tracepoint Packets,,Relocate
37918 instruction reply packet}).
37919
37920 @item swbreak
37921 This feature indicates whether @value{GDBN} supports the swbreak stop
37922 reason in stop replies. @xref{swbreak stop reason}, for details.
37923
37924 @item hwbreak
37925 This feature indicates whether @value{GDBN} supports the hwbreak stop
37926 reason in stop replies. @xref{swbreak stop reason}, for details.
37927
37928 @item fork-events
37929 This feature indicates whether @value{GDBN} supports fork event
37930 extensions to the remote protocol. @value{GDBN} does not use such
37931 extensions unless the stub also reports that it supports them by
37932 including @samp{fork-events+} in its @samp{qSupported} reply.
37933
37934 @item vfork-events
37935 This feature indicates whether @value{GDBN} supports vfork event
37936 extensions to the remote protocol. @value{GDBN} does not use such
37937 extensions unless the stub also reports that it supports them by
37938 including @samp{vfork-events+} in its @samp{qSupported} reply.
37939
37940 @item exec-events
37941 This feature indicates whether @value{GDBN} supports exec event
37942 extensions to the remote protocol. @value{GDBN} does not use such
37943 extensions unless the stub also reports that it supports them by
37944 including @samp{exec-events+} in its @samp{qSupported} reply.
37945
37946 @item vContSupported
37947 This feature indicates whether @value{GDBN} wants to know the
37948 supported actions in the reply to @samp{vCont?} packet.
37949 @end table
37950
37951 Stubs should ignore any unknown values for
37952 @var{gdbfeature}. Any @value{GDBN} which sends a @samp{qSupported}
37953 packet supports receiving packets of unlimited length (earlier
37954 versions of @value{GDBN} may reject overly long responses). Additional values
37955 for @var{gdbfeature} may be defined in the future to let the stub take
37956 advantage of new features in @value{GDBN}, e.g.@: incompatible
37957 improvements in the remote protocol---the @samp{multiprocess} feature is
37958 an example of such a feature. The stub's reply should be independent
37959 of the @var{gdbfeature} entries sent by @value{GDBN}; first @value{GDBN}
37960 describes all the features it supports, and then the stub replies with
37961 all the features it supports.
37962
37963 Similarly, @value{GDBN} will silently ignore unrecognized stub feature
37964 responses, as long as each response uses one of the standard forms.
37965
37966 Some features are flags. A stub which supports a flag feature
37967 should respond with a @samp{+} form response. Other features
37968 require values, and the stub should respond with an @samp{=}
37969 form response.
37970
37971 Each feature has a default value, which @value{GDBN} will use if
37972 @samp{qSupported} is not available or if the feature is not mentioned
37973 in the @samp{qSupported} response. The default values are fixed; a
37974 stub is free to omit any feature responses that match the defaults.
37975
37976 Not all features can be probed, but for those which can, the probing
37977 mechanism is useful: in some cases, a stub's internal
37978 architecture may not allow the protocol layer to know some information
37979 about the underlying target in advance. This is especially common in
37980 stubs which may be configured for multiple targets.
37981
37982 These are the currently defined stub features and their properties:
37983
37984 @multitable @columnfractions 0.35 0.2 0.12 0.2
37985 @c NOTE: The first row should be @headitem, but we do not yet require
37986 @c a new enough version of Texinfo (4.7) to use @headitem.
37987 @item Feature Name
37988 @tab Value Required
37989 @tab Default
37990 @tab Probe Allowed
37991
37992 @item @samp{PacketSize}
37993 @tab Yes
37994 @tab @samp{-}
37995 @tab No
37996
37997 @item @samp{qXfer:auxv:read}
37998 @tab No
37999 @tab @samp{-}
38000 @tab Yes
38001
38002 @item @samp{qXfer:btrace:read}
38003 @tab No
38004 @tab @samp{-}
38005 @tab Yes
38006
38007 @item @samp{qXfer:btrace-conf:read}
38008 @tab No
38009 @tab @samp{-}
38010 @tab Yes
38011
38012 @item @samp{qXfer:exec-file:read}
38013 @tab No
38014 @tab @samp{-}
38015 @tab Yes
38016
38017 @item @samp{qXfer:features:read}
38018 @tab No
38019 @tab @samp{-}
38020 @tab Yes
38021
38022 @item @samp{qXfer:libraries:read}
38023 @tab No
38024 @tab @samp{-}
38025 @tab Yes
38026
38027 @item @samp{qXfer:libraries-svr4:read}
38028 @tab No
38029 @tab @samp{-}
38030 @tab Yes
38031
38032 @item @samp{augmented-libraries-svr4-read}
38033 @tab No
38034 @tab @samp{-}
38035 @tab No
38036
38037 @item @samp{qXfer:memory-map:read}
38038 @tab No
38039 @tab @samp{-}
38040 @tab Yes
38041
38042 @item @samp{qXfer:sdata:read}
38043 @tab No
38044 @tab @samp{-}
38045 @tab Yes
38046
38047 @item @samp{qXfer:spu:read}
38048 @tab No
38049 @tab @samp{-}
38050 @tab Yes
38051
38052 @item @samp{qXfer:spu:write}
38053 @tab No
38054 @tab @samp{-}
38055 @tab Yes
38056
38057 @item @samp{qXfer:siginfo:read}
38058 @tab No
38059 @tab @samp{-}
38060 @tab Yes
38061
38062 @item @samp{qXfer:siginfo:write}
38063 @tab No
38064 @tab @samp{-}
38065 @tab Yes
38066
38067 @item @samp{qXfer:threads:read}
38068 @tab No
38069 @tab @samp{-}
38070 @tab Yes
38071
38072 @item @samp{qXfer:traceframe-info:read}
38073 @tab No
38074 @tab @samp{-}
38075 @tab Yes
38076
38077 @item @samp{qXfer:uib:read}
38078 @tab No
38079 @tab @samp{-}
38080 @tab Yes
38081
38082 @item @samp{qXfer:fdpic:read}
38083 @tab No
38084 @tab @samp{-}
38085 @tab Yes
38086
38087 @item @samp{Qbtrace:off}
38088 @tab Yes
38089 @tab @samp{-}
38090 @tab Yes
38091
38092 @item @samp{Qbtrace:bts}
38093 @tab Yes
38094 @tab @samp{-}
38095 @tab Yes
38096
38097 @item @samp{Qbtrace:pt}
38098 @tab Yes
38099 @tab @samp{-}
38100 @tab Yes
38101
38102 @item @samp{Qbtrace-conf:bts:size}
38103 @tab Yes
38104 @tab @samp{-}
38105 @tab Yes
38106
38107 @item @samp{Qbtrace-conf:pt:size}
38108 @tab Yes
38109 @tab @samp{-}
38110 @tab Yes
38111
38112 @item @samp{QNonStop}
38113 @tab No
38114 @tab @samp{-}
38115 @tab Yes
38116
38117 @item @samp{QCatchSyscalls}
38118 @tab No
38119 @tab @samp{-}
38120 @tab Yes
38121
38122 @item @samp{QPassSignals}
38123 @tab No
38124 @tab @samp{-}
38125 @tab Yes
38126
38127 @item @samp{QStartNoAckMode}
38128 @tab No
38129 @tab @samp{-}
38130 @tab Yes
38131
38132 @item @samp{multiprocess}
38133 @tab No
38134 @tab @samp{-}
38135 @tab No
38136
38137 @item @samp{ConditionalBreakpoints}
38138 @tab No
38139 @tab @samp{-}
38140 @tab No
38141
38142 @item @samp{ConditionalTracepoints}
38143 @tab No
38144 @tab @samp{-}
38145 @tab No
38146
38147 @item @samp{ReverseContinue}
38148 @tab No
38149 @tab @samp{-}
38150 @tab No
38151
38152 @item @samp{ReverseStep}
38153 @tab No
38154 @tab @samp{-}
38155 @tab No
38156
38157 @item @samp{TracepointSource}
38158 @tab No
38159 @tab @samp{-}
38160 @tab No
38161
38162 @item @samp{QAgent}
38163 @tab No
38164 @tab @samp{-}
38165 @tab No
38166
38167 @item @samp{QAllow}
38168 @tab No
38169 @tab @samp{-}
38170 @tab No
38171
38172 @item @samp{QDisableRandomization}
38173 @tab No
38174 @tab @samp{-}
38175 @tab No
38176
38177 @item @samp{EnableDisableTracepoints}
38178 @tab No
38179 @tab @samp{-}
38180 @tab No
38181
38182 @item @samp{QTBuffer:size}
38183 @tab No
38184 @tab @samp{-}
38185 @tab No
38186
38187 @item @samp{tracenz}
38188 @tab No
38189 @tab @samp{-}
38190 @tab No
38191
38192 @item @samp{BreakpointCommands}
38193 @tab No
38194 @tab @samp{-}
38195 @tab No
38196
38197 @item @samp{swbreak}
38198 @tab No
38199 @tab @samp{-}
38200 @tab No
38201
38202 @item @samp{hwbreak}
38203 @tab No
38204 @tab @samp{-}
38205 @tab No
38206
38207 @item @samp{fork-events}
38208 @tab No
38209 @tab @samp{-}
38210 @tab No
38211
38212 @item @samp{vfork-events}
38213 @tab No
38214 @tab @samp{-}
38215 @tab No
38216
38217 @item @samp{exec-events}
38218 @tab No
38219 @tab @samp{-}
38220 @tab No
38221
38222 @item @samp{QThreadEvents}
38223 @tab No
38224 @tab @samp{-}
38225 @tab No
38226
38227 @item @samp{no-resumed}
38228 @tab No
38229 @tab @samp{-}
38230 @tab No
38231
38232 @end multitable
38233
38234 These are the currently defined stub features, in more detail:
38235
38236 @table @samp
38237 @cindex packet size, remote protocol
38238 @item PacketSize=@var{bytes}
38239 The remote stub can accept packets up to at least @var{bytes} in
38240 length. @value{GDBN} will send packets up to this size for bulk
38241 transfers, and will never send larger packets. This is a limit on the
38242 data characters in the packet, including the frame and checksum.
38243 There is no trailing NUL byte in a remote protocol packet; if the stub
38244 stores packets in a NUL-terminated format, it should allow an extra
38245 byte in its buffer for the NUL. If this stub feature is not supported,
38246 @value{GDBN} guesses based on the size of the @samp{g} packet response.
38247
38248 @item qXfer:auxv:read
38249 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:auxv:read} packet
38250 (@pxref{qXfer auxiliary vector read}).
38251
38252 @item qXfer:btrace:read
38253 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:btrace:read}
38254 packet (@pxref{qXfer btrace read}).
38255
38256 @item qXfer:btrace-conf:read
38257 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:btrace-conf:read}
38258 packet (@pxref{qXfer btrace-conf read}).
38259
38260 @item qXfer:exec-file:read
38261 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:exec-file:read} packet
38262 (@pxref{qXfer executable filename read}).
38263
38264 @item qXfer:features:read
38265 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:features:read} packet
38266 (@pxref{qXfer target description read}).
38267
38268 @item qXfer:libraries:read
38269 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:libraries:read} packet
38270 (@pxref{qXfer library list read}).
38271
38272 @item qXfer:libraries-svr4:read
38273 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:libraries-svr4:read} packet
38274 (@pxref{qXfer svr4 library list read}).
38275
38276 @item augmented-libraries-svr4-read
38277 The remote stub understands the augmented form of the
38278 @samp{qXfer:libraries-svr4:read} packet
38279 (@pxref{qXfer svr4 library list read}).
38280
38281 @item qXfer:memory-map:read
38282 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:memory-map:read} packet
38283 (@pxref{qXfer memory map read}).
38284
38285 @item qXfer:sdata:read
38286 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:sdata:read} packet
38287 (@pxref{qXfer sdata read}).
38288
38289 @item qXfer:spu:read
38290 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:spu:read} packet
38291 (@pxref{qXfer spu read}).
38292
38293 @item qXfer:spu:write
38294 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:spu:write} packet
38295 (@pxref{qXfer spu write}).
38296
38297 @item qXfer:siginfo:read
38298 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:siginfo:read} packet
38299 (@pxref{qXfer siginfo read}).
38300
38301 @item qXfer:siginfo:write
38302 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:siginfo:write} packet
38303 (@pxref{qXfer siginfo write}).
38304
38305 @item qXfer:threads:read
38306 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:threads:read} packet
38307 (@pxref{qXfer threads read}).
38308
38309 @item qXfer:traceframe-info:read
38310 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:traceframe-info:read}
38311 packet (@pxref{qXfer traceframe info read}).
38312
38313 @item qXfer:uib:read
38314 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:uib:read}
38315 packet (@pxref{qXfer unwind info block}).
38316
38317 @item qXfer:fdpic:read
38318 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:fdpic:read}
38319 packet (@pxref{qXfer fdpic loadmap read}).
38320
38321 @item QNonStop
38322 The remote stub understands the @samp{QNonStop} packet
38323 (@pxref{QNonStop}).
38324
38325 @item QCatchSyscalls
38326 The remote stub understands the @samp{QCatchSyscalls} packet
38327 (@pxref{QCatchSyscalls}).
38328
38329 @item QPassSignals
38330 The remote stub understands the @samp{QPassSignals} packet
38331 (@pxref{QPassSignals}).
38332
38333 @item QStartNoAckMode
38334 The remote stub understands the @samp{QStartNoAckMode} packet and
38335 prefers to operate in no-acknowledgment mode. @xref{Packet Acknowledgment}.
38336
38337 @item multiprocess
38338 @anchor{multiprocess extensions}
38339 @cindex multiprocess extensions, in remote protocol
38340 The remote stub understands the multiprocess extensions to the remote
38341 protocol syntax. The multiprocess extensions affect the syntax of
38342 thread IDs in both packets and replies (@pxref{thread-id syntax}), and
38343 add process IDs to the @samp{D} packet and @samp{W} and @samp{X}
38344 replies. Note that reporting this feature indicates support for the
38345 syntactic extensions only, not that the stub necessarily supports
38346 debugging of more than one process at a time. The stub must not use
38347 multiprocess extensions in packet replies unless @value{GDBN} has also
38348 indicated it supports them in its @samp{qSupported} request.
38349
38350 @item qXfer:osdata:read
38351 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:osdata:read} packet
38352 ((@pxref{qXfer osdata read}).
38353
38354 @item ConditionalBreakpoints
38355 The target accepts and implements evaluation of conditional expressions
38356 defined for breakpoints. The target will only report breakpoint triggers
38357 when such conditions are true (@pxref{Conditions, ,Break Conditions}).
38358
38359 @item ConditionalTracepoints
38360 The remote stub accepts and implements conditional expressions defined
38361 for tracepoints (@pxref{Tracepoint Conditions}).
38362
38363 @item ReverseContinue
38364 The remote stub accepts and implements the reverse continue packet
38365 (@pxref{bc}).
38366
38367 @item ReverseStep
38368 The remote stub accepts and implements the reverse step packet
38369 (@pxref{bs}).
38370
38371 @item TracepointSource
38372 The remote stub understands the @samp{QTDPsrc} packet that supplies
38373 the source form of tracepoint definitions.
38374
38375 @item QAgent
38376 The remote stub understands the @samp{QAgent} packet.
38377
38378 @item QAllow
38379 The remote stub understands the @samp{QAllow} packet.
38380
38381 @item QDisableRandomization
38382 The remote stub understands the @samp{QDisableRandomization} packet.
38383
38384 @item StaticTracepoint
38385 @cindex static tracepoints, in remote protocol
38386 The remote stub supports static tracepoints.
38387
38388 @item InstallInTrace
38389 @anchor{install tracepoint in tracing}
38390 The remote stub supports installing tracepoint in tracing.
38391
38392 @item EnableDisableTracepoints
38393 The remote stub supports the @samp{QTEnable} (@pxref{QTEnable}) and
38394 @samp{QTDisable} (@pxref{QTDisable}) packets that allow tracepoints
38395 to be enabled and disabled while a trace experiment is running.
38396
38397 @item QTBuffer:size
38398 The remote stub supports the @samp{QTBuffer:size} (@pxref{QTBuffer-size})
38399 packet that allows to change the size of the trace buffer.
38400
38401 @item tracenz
38402 @cindex string tracing, in remote protocol
38403 The remote stub supports the @samp{tracenz} bytecode for collecting strings.
38404 See @ref{Bytecode Descriptions} for details about the bytecode.
38405
38406 @item BreakpointCommands
38407 @cindex breakpoint commands, in remote protocol
38408 The remote stub supports running a breakpoint's command list itself,
38409 rather than reporting the hit to @value{GDBN}.
38410
38411 @item Qbtrace:off
38412 The remote stub understands the @samp{Qbtrace:off} packet.
38413
38414 @item Qbtrace:bts
38415 The remote stub understands the @samp{Qbtrace:bts} packet.
38416
38417 @item Qbtrace:pt
38418 The remote stub understands the @samp{Qbtrace:pt} packet.
38419
38420 @item Qbtrace-conf:bts:size
38421 The remote stub understands the @samp{Qbtrace-conf:bts:size} packet.
38422
38423 @item Qbtrace-conf:pt:size
38424 The remote stub understands the @samp{Qbtrace-conf:pt:size} packet.
38425
38426 @item swbreak
38427 The remote stub reports the @samp{swbreak} stop reason for memory
38428 breakpoints.
38429
38430 @item hwbreak
38431 The remote stub reports the @samp{hwbreak} stop reason for hardware
38432 breakpoints.
38433
38434 @item fork-events
38435 The remote stub reports the @samp{fork} stop reason for fork events.
38436
38437 @item vfork-events
38438 The remote stub reports the @samp{vfork} stop reason for vfork events
38439 and vforkdone events.
38440
38441 @item exec-events
38442 The remote stub reports the @samp{exec} stop reason for exec events.
38443
38444 @item vContSupported
38445 The remote stub reports the supported actions in the reply to
38446 @samp{vCont?} packet.
38447
38448 @item QThreadEvents
38449 The remote stub understands the @samp{QThreadEvents} packet.
38450
38451 @item no-resumed
38452 The remote stub reports the @samp{N} stop reply.
38453
38454 @end table
38455
38456 @item qSymbol::
38457 @cindex symbol lookup, remote request
38458 @cindex @samp{qSymbol} packet
38459 Notify the target that @value{GDBN} is prepared to serve symbol lookup
38460 requests. Accept requests from the target for the values of symbols.
38461
38462 Reply:
38463 @table @samp
38464 @item OK
38465 The target does not need to look up any (more) symbols.
38466 @item qSymbol:@var{sym_name}
38467 The target requests the value of symbol @var{sym_name} (hex encoded).
38468 @value{GDBN} may provide the value by using the
38469 @samp{qSymbol:@var{sym_value}:@var{sym_name}} message, described
38470 below.
38471 @end table
38472
38473 @item qSymbol:@var{sym_value}:@var{sym_name}
38474 Set the value of @var{sym_name} to @var{sym_value}.
38475
38476 @var{sym_name} (hex encoded) is the name of a symbol whose value the
38477 target has previously requested.
38478
38479 @var{sym_value} (hex) is the value for symbol @var{sym_name}. If
38480 @value{GDBN} cannot supply a value for @var{sym_name}, then this field
38481 will be empty.
38482
38483 Reply:
38484 @table @samp
38485 @item OK
38486 The target does not need to look up any (more) symbols.
38487 @item qSymbol:@var{sym_name}
38488 The target requests the value of a new symbol @var{sym_name} (hex
38489 encoded). @value{GDBN} will continue to supply the values of symbols
38490 (if available), until the target ceases to request them.
38491 @end table
38492
38493 @item qTBuffer
38494 @itemx QTBuffer
38495 @itemx QTDisconnected
38496 @itemx QTDP
38497 @itemx QTDPsrc
38498 @itemx QTDV
38499 @itemx qTfP
38500 @itemx qTfV
38501 @itemx QTFrame
38502 @itemx qTMinFTPILen
38503
38504 @xref{Tracepoint Packets}.
38505
38506 @item qThreadExtraInfo,@var{thread-id}
38507 @cindex thread attributes info, remote request
38508 @cindex @samp{qThreadExtraInfo} packet
38509 Obtain from the target OS a printable string description of thread
38510 attributes for the thread @var{thread-id}; see @ref{thread-id syntax},
38511 for the forms of @var{thread-id}. This
38512 string may contain anything that the target OS thinks is interesting
38513 for @value{GDBN} to tell the user about the thread. The string is
38514 displayed in @value{GDBN}'s @code{info threads} display. Some
38515 examples of possible thread extra info strings are @samp{Runnable}, or
38516 @samp{Blocked on Mutex}.
38517
38518 Reply:
38519 @table @samp
38520 @item @var{XX}@dots{}
38521 Where @samp{@var{XX}@dots{}} is a hex encoding of @sc{ascii} data,
38522 comprising the printable string containing the extra information about
38523 the thread's attributes.
38524 @end table
38525
38526 (Note that the @code{qThreadExtraInfo} packet's name is separated from
38527 the command by a @samp{,}, not a @samp{:}, contrary to the naming
38528 conventions above. Please don't use this packet as a model for new
38529 packets.)
38530
38531 @item QTNotes
38532 @itemx qTP
38533 @itemx QTSave
38534 @itemx qTsP
38535 @itemx qTsV
38536 @itemx QTStart
38537 @itemx QTStop
38538 @itemx QTEnable
38539 @itemx QTDisable
38540 @itemx QTinit
38541 @itemx QTro
38542 @itemx qTStatus
38543 @itemx qTV
38544 @itemx qTfSTM
38545 @itemx qTsSTM
38546 @itemx qTSTMat
38547 @xref{Tracepoint Packets}.
38548
38549 @item qXfer:@var{object}:read:@var{annex}:@var{offset},@var{length}
38550 @cindex read special object, remote request
38551 @cindex @samp{qXfer} packet
38552 @anchor{qXfer read}
38553 Read uninterpreted bytes from the target's special data area
38554 identified by the keyword @var{object}. Request @var{length} bytes
38555 starting at @var{offset} bytes into the data. The content and
38556 encoding of @var{annex} is specific to @var{object}; it can supply
38557 additional details about what data to access.
38558
38559 Reply:
38560 @table @samp
38561 @item m @var{data}
38562 Data @var{data} (@pxref{Binary Data}) has been read from the
38563 target. There may be more data at a higher address (although
38564 it is permitted to return @samp{m} even for the last valid
38565 block of data, as long as at least one byte of data was read).
38566 It is possible for @var{data} to have fewer bytes than the @var{length} in the
38567 request.
38568
38569 @item l @var{data}
38570 Data @var{data} (@pxref{Binary Data}) has been read from the target.
38571 There is no more data to be read. It is possible for @var{data} to
38572 have fewer bytes than the @var{length} in the request.
38573
38574 @item l
38575 The @var{offset} in the request is at the end of the data.
38576 There is no more data to be read.
38577
38578 @item E00
38579 The request was malformed, or @var{annex} was invalid.
38580
38581 @item E @var{nn}
38582 The offset was invalid, or there was an error encountered reading the data.
38583 The @var{nn} part is a hex-encoded @code{errno} value.
38584
38585 @item @w{}
38586 An empty reply indicates the @var{object} string was not recognized by
38587 the stub, or that the object does not support reading.
38588 @end table
38589
38590 Here are the specific requests of this form defined so far. All the
38591 @samp{qXfer:@var{object}:read:@dots{}} requests use the same reply
38592 formats, listed above.
38593
38594 @table @samp
38595 @item qXfer:auxv:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
38596 @anchor{qXfer auxiliary vector read}
38597 Access the target's @dfn{auxiliary vector}. @xref{OS Information,
38598 auxiliary vector}. Note @var{annex} must be empty.
38599
38600 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
38601 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
38602
38603 @item qXfer:btrace:read:@var{annex}:@var{offset},@var{length}
38604 @anchor{qXfer btrace read}
38605
38606 Return a description of the current branch trace.
38607 @xref{Branch Trace Format}. The annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer}
38608 packet may have one of the following values:
38609
38610 @table @code
38611 @item all
38612 Returns all available branch trace.
38613
38614 @item new
38615 Returns all available branch trace if the branch trace changed since
38616 the last read request.
38617
38618 @item delta
38619 Returns the new branch trace since the last read request. Adds a new
38620 block to the end of the trace that begins at zero and ends at the source
38621 location of the first branch in the trace buffer. This extra block is
38622 used to stitch traces together.
38623
38624 If the trace buffer overflowed, returns an error indicating the overflow.
38625 @end table
38626
38627 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it
38628 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
38629
38630 @item qXfer:btrace-conf:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
38631 @anchor{qXfer btrace-conf read}
38632
38633 Return a description of the current branch trace configuration.
38634 @xref{Branch Trace Configuration Format}.
38635
38636 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it
38637 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
38638
38639 @item qXfer:exec-file:read:@var{annex}:@var{offset},@var{length}
38640 @anchor{qXfer executable filename read}
38641 Return the full absolute name of the file that was executed to create
38642 a process running on the remote system. The annex specifies the
38643 numeric process ID of the process to query, encoded as a hexadecimal
38644 number. If the annex part is empty the remote stub should return the
38645 filename corresponding to the currently executing process.
38646
38647 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
38648 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
38649
38650 @item qXfer:features:read:@var{annex}:@var{offset},@var{length}
38651 @anchor{qXfer target description read}
38652 Access the @dfn{target description}. @xref{Target Descriptions}. The
38653 annex specifies which XML document to access. The main description is
38654 always loaded from the @samp{target.xml} annex.
38655
38656 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
38657 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
38658
38659 @item qXfer:libraries:read:@var{annex}:@var{offset},@var{length}
38660 @anchor{qXfer library list read}
38661 Access the target's list of loaded libraries. @xref{Library List Format}.
38662 The annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet must be empty
38663 (@pxref{qXfer read}).
38664
38665 Targets which maintain a list of libraries in the program's memory do
38666 not need to implement this packet; it is designed for platforms where
38667 the operating system manages the list of loaded libraries.
38668
38669 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
38670 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
38671
38672 @item qXfer:libraries-svr4:read:@var{annex}:@var{offset},@var{length}
38673 @anchor{qXfer svr4 library list read}
38674 Access the target's list of loaded libraries when the target is an SVR4
38675 platform. @xref{Library List Format for SVR4 Targets}. The annex part
38676 of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet must be empty unless the remote
38677 stub indicated it supports the augmented form of this packet
38678 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response
38679 (@pxref{qXfer read}, @ref{qSupported}).
38680
38681 This packet is optional for better performance on SVR4 targets.
38682 @value{GDBN} uses memory read packets to read the SVR4 library list otherwise.
38683
38684 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
38685 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
38686
38687 If the remote stub indicates it supports the augmented form of this
38688 packet then the annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet may
38689 contain a semicolon-separated list of @samp{@var{name}=@var{value}}
38690 arguments. The currently supported arguments are:
38691
38692 @table @code
38693 @item start=@var{address}
38694 A hexadecimal number specifying the address of the @samp{struct
38695 link_map} to start reading the library list from. If unset or zero
38696 then the first @samp{struct link_map} in the library list will be
38697 chosen as the starting point.
38698
38699 @item prev=@var{address}
38700 A hexadecimal number specifying the address of the @samp{struct
38701 link_map} immediately preceding the @samp{struct link_map}
38702 specified by the @samp{start} argument. If unset or zero then
38703 the remote stub will expect that no @samp{struct link_map}
38704 exists prior to the starting point.
38705
38706 @end table
38707
38708 Arguments that are not understood by the remote stub will be silently
38709 ignored.
38710
38711 @item qXfer:memory-map:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
38712 @anchor{qXfer memory map read}
38713 Access the target's @dfn{memory-map}. @xref{Memory Map Format}. The
38714 annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet must be empty
38715 (@pxref{qXfer read}).
38716
38717 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
38718 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
38719
38720 @item qXfer:sdata:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
38721 @anchor{qXfer sdata read}
38722
38723 Read contents of the extra collected static tracepoint marker
38724 information. The annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet must
38725 be empty (@pxref{qXfer read}). @xref{Tracepoint Actions,,Tracepoint
38726 Action Lists}.
38727
38728 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
38729 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response
38730 (@pxref{qSupported}).
38731
38732 @item qXfer:siginfo:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
38733 @anchor{qXfer siginfo read}
38734 Read contents of the extra signal information on the target
38735 system. The annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet must be
38736 empty (@pxref{qXfer read}).
38737
38738 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
38739 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response
38740 (@pxref{qSupported}).
38741
38742 @item qXfer:spu:read:@var{annex}:@var{offset},@var{length}
38743 @anchor{qXfer spu read}
38744 Read contents of an @code{spufs} file on the target system. The
38745 annex specifies which file to read; it must be of the form
38746 @file{@var{id}/@var{name}}, where @var{id} specifies an SPU context ID
38747 in the target process, and @var{name} identifes the @code{spufs} file
38748 in that context to be accessed.
38749
38750 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
38751 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response
38752 (@pxref{qSupported}).
38753
38754 @item qXfer:threads:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
38755 @anchor{qXfer threads read}
38756 Access the list of threads on target. @xref{Thread List Format}. The
38757 annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet must be empty
38758 (@pxref{qXfer read}).
38759
38760 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
38761 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
38762
38763 @item qXfer:traceframe-info:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
38764 @anchor{qXfer traceframe info read}
38765
38766 Return a description of the current traceframe's contents.
38767 @xref{Traceframe Info Format}. The annex part of the generic
38768 @samp{qXfer} packet must be empty (@pxref{qXfer read}).
38769
38770 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
38771 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
38772
38773 @item qXfer:uib:read:@var{pc}:@var{offset},@var{length}
38774 @anchor{qXfer unwind info block}
38775
38776 Return the unwind information block for @var{pc}. This packet is used
38777 on OpenVMS/ia64 to ask the kernel unwind information.
38778
38779 This packet is not probed by default.
38780
38781 @item qXfer:fdpic:read:@var{annex}:@var{offset},@var{length}
38782 @anchor{qXfer fdpic loadmap read}
38783 Read contents of @code{loadmap}s on the target system. The
38784 annex, either @samp{exec} or @samp{interp}, specifies which @code{loadmap},
38785 executable @code{loadmap} or interpreter @code{loadmap} to read.
38786
38787 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
38788 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
38789
38790 @item qXfer:osdata:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
38791 @anchor{qXfer osdata read}
38792 Access the target's @dfn{operating system information}.
38793 @xref{Operating System Information}.
38794
38795 @end table
38796
38797 @item qXfer:@var{object}:write:@var{annex}:@var{offset}:@var{data}@dots{}
38798 @cindex write data into object, remote request
38799 @anchor{qXfer write}
38800 Write uninterpreted bytes into the target's special data area
38801 identified by the keyword @var{object}, starting at @var{offset} bytes
38802 into the data. The binary-encoded data (@pxref{Binary Data}) to be
38803 written is given by @var{data}@dots{}. The content and encoding of @var{annex}
38804 is specific to @var{object}; it can supply additional details about what data
38805 to access.
38806
38807 Reply:
38808 @table @samp
38809 @item @var{nn}
38810 @var{nn} (hex encoded) is the number of bytes written.
38811 This may be fewer bytes than supplied in the request.
38812
38813 @item E00
38814 The request was malformed, or @var{annex} was invalid.
38815
38816 @item E @var{nn}
38817 The offset was invalid, or there was an error encountered writing the data.
38818 The @var{nn} part is a hex-encoded @code{errno} value.
38819
38820 @item @w{}
38821 An empty reply indicates the @var{object} string was not
38822 recognized by the stub, or that the object does not support writing.
38823 @end table
38824
38825 Here are the specific requests of this form defined so far. All the
38826 @samp{qXfer:@var{object}:write:@dots{}} requests use the same reply
38827 formats, listed above.
38828
38829 @table @samp
38830 @item qXfer:siginfo:write::@var{offset}:@var{data}@dots{}
38831 @anchor{qXfer siginfo write}
38832 Write @var{data} to the extra signal information on the target system.
38833 The annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet must be
38834 empty (@pxref{qXfer write}).
38835
38836 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
38837 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response
38838 (@pxref{qSupported}).
38839
38840 @item qXfer:spu:write:@var{annex}:@var{offset}:@var{data}@dots{}
38841 @anchor{qXfer spu write}
38842 Write @var{data} to an @code{spufs} file on the target system. The
38843 annex specifies which file to write; it must be of the form
38844 @file{@var{id}/@var{name}}, where @var{id} specifies an SPU context ID
38845 in the target process, and @var{name} identifes the @code{spufs} file
38846 in that context to be accessed.
38847
38848 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
38849 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
38850 @end table
38851
38852 @item qXfer:@var{object}:@var{operation}:@dots{}
38853 Requests of this form may be added in the future. When a stub does
38854 not recognize the @var{object} keyword, or its support for
38855 @var{object} does not recognize the @var{operation} keyword, the stub
38856 must respond with an empty packet.
38857
38858 @item qAttached:@var{pid}
38859 @cindex query attached, remote request
38860 @cindex @samp{qAttached} packet
38861 Return an indication of whether the remote server attached to an
38862 existing process or created a new process. When the multiprocess
38863 protocol extensions are supported (@pxref{multiprocess extensions}),
38864 @var{pid} is an integer in hexadecimal format identifying the target
38865 process. Otherwise, @value{GDBN} will omit the @var{pid} field and
38866 the query packet will be simplified as @samp{qAttached}.
38867
38868 This query is used, for example, to know whether the remote process
38869 should be detached or killed when a @value{GDBN} session is ended with
38870 the @code{quit} command.
38871
38872 Reply:
38873 @table @samp
38874 @item 1
38875 The remote server attached to an existing process.
38876 @item 0
38877 The remote server created a new process.
38878 @item E @var{NN}
38879 A badly formed request or an error was encountered.
38880 @end table
38881
38882 @item Qbtrace:bts
38883 Enable branch tracing for the current thread using Branch Trace Store.
38884
38885 Reply:
38886 @table @samp
38887 @item OK
38888 Branch tracing has been enabled.
38889 @item E.errtext
38890 A badly formed request or an error was encountered.
38891 @end table
38892
38893 @item Qbtrace:pt
38894 Enable branch tracing for the current thread using Intel Processor Trace.
38895
38896 Reply:
38897 @table @samp
38898 @item OK
38899 Branch tracing has been enabled.
38900 @item E.errtext
38901 A badly formed request or an error was encountered.
38902 @end table
38903
38904 @item Qbtrace:off
38905 Disable branch tracing for the current thread.
38906
38907 Reply:
38908 @table @samp
38909 @item OK
38910 Branch tracing has been disabled.
38911 @item E.errtext
38912 A badly formed request or an error was encountered.
38913 @end table
38914
38915 @item Qbtrace-conf:bts:size=@var{value}
38916 Set the requested ring buffer size for new threads that use the
38917 btrace recording method in bts format.
38918
38919 Reply:
38920 @table @samp
38921 @item OK
38922 The ring buffer size has been set.
38923 @item E.errtext
38924 A badly formed request or an error was encountered.
38925 @end table
38926
38927 @item Qbtrace-conf:pt:size=@var{value}
38928 Set the requested ring buffer size for new threads that use the
38929 btrace recording method in pt format.
38930
38931 Reply:
38932 @table @samp
38933 @item OK
38934 The ring buffer size has been set.
38935 @item E.errtext
38936 A badly formed request or an error was encountered.
38937 @end table
38938
38939 @end table
38940
38941 @node Architecture-Specific Protocol Details
38942 @section Architecture-Specific Protocol Details
38943
38944 This section describes how the remote protocol is applied to specific
38945 target architectures. Also see @ref{Standard Target Features}, for
38946 details of XML target descriptions for each architecture.
38947
38948 @menu
38949 * ARM-Specific Protocol Details::
38950 * MIPS-Specific Protocol Details::
38951 @end menu
38952
38953 @node ARM-Specific Protocol Details
38954 @subsection @acronym{ARM}-specific Protocol Details
38955
38956 @menu
38957 * ARM Breakpoint Kinds::
38958 @end menu
38959
38960 @node ARM Breakpoint Kinds
38961 @subsubsection @acronym{ARM} Breakpoint Kinds
38962 @cindex breakpoint kinds, @acronym{ARM}
38963
38964 These breakpoint kinds are defined for the @samp{Z0} and @samp{Z1} packets.
38965
38966 @table @r
38967
38968 @item 2
38969 16-bit Thumb mode breakpoint.
38970
38971 @item 3
38972 32-bit Thumb mode (Thumb-2) breakpoint.
38973
38974 @item 4
38975 32-bit @acronym{ARM} mode breakpoint.
38976
38977 @end table
38978
38979 @node MIPS-Specific Protocol Details
38980 @subsection @acronym{MIPS}-specific Protocol Details
38981
38982 @menu
38983 * MIPS Register packet Format::
38984 * MIPS Breakpoint Kinds::
38985 @end menu
38986
38987 @node MIPS Register packet Format
38988 @subsubsection @acronym{MIPS} Register Packet Format
38989 @cindex register packet format, @acronym{MIPS}
38990
38991 The following @code{g}/@code{G} packets have previously been defined.
38992 In the below, some thirty-two bit registers are transferred as
38993 sixty-four bits. Those registers should be zero/sign extended (which?)
38994 to fill the space allocated. Register bytes are transferred in target
38995 byte order. The two nibbles within a register byte are transferred
38996 most-significant -- least-significant.
38997
38998 @table @r
38999
39000 @item MIPS32
39001 All registers are transferred as thirty-two bit quantities in the order:
39002 32 general-purpose; sr; lo; hi; bad; cause; pc; 32 floating-point
39003 registers; fsr; fir; fp.
39004
39005 @item MIPS64
39006 All registers are transferred as sixty-four bit quantities (including
39007 thirty-two bit registers such as @code{sr}). The ordering is the same
39008 as @code{MIPS32}.
39009
39010 @end table
39011
39012 @node MIPS Breakpoint Kinds
39013 @subsubsection @acronym{MIPS} Breakpoint Kinds
39014 @cindex breakpoint kinds, @acronym{MIPS}
39015
39016 These breakpoint kinds are defined for the @samp{Z0} and @samp{Z1} packets.
39017
39018 @table @r
39019
39020 @item 2
39021 16-bit @acronym{MIPS16} mode breakpoint.
39022
39023 @item 3
39024 16-bit @acronym{microMIPS} mode breakpoint.
39025
39026 @item 4
39027 32-bit standard @acronym{MIPS} mode breakpoint.
39028
39029 @item 5
39030 32-bit @acronym{microMIPS} mode breakpoint.
39031
39032 @end table
39033
39034 @node Tracepoint Packets
39035 @section Tracepoint Packets
39036 @cindex tracepoint packets
39037 @cindex packets, tracepoint
39038
39039 Here we describe the packets @value{GDBN} uses to implement
39040 tracepoints (@pxref{Tracepoints}).
39041
39042 @table @samp
39043
39044 @item QTDP:@var{n}:@var{addr}:@var{ena}:@var{step}:@var{pass}[:F@var{flen}][:X@var{len},@var{bytes}]@r{[}-@r{]}
39045 @cindex @samp{QTDP} packet
39046 Create a new tracepoint, number @var{n}, at @var{addr}. If @var{ena}
39047 is @samp{E}, then the tracepoint is enabled; if it is @samp{D}, then
39048 the tracepoint is disabled. The @var{step} gives the tracepoint's step
39049 count, and @var{pass} gives its pass count. If an @samp{F} is present,
39050 then the tracepoint is to be a fast tracepoint, and the @var{flen} is
39051 the number of bytes that the target should copy elsewhere to make room
39052 for the tracepoint. If an @samp{X} is present, it introduces a
39053 tracepoint condition, which consists of a hexadecimal length, followed
39054 by a comma and hex-encoded bytes, in a manner similar to action
39055 encodings as described below. If the trailing @samp{-} is present,
39056 further @samp{QTDP} packets will follow to specify this tracepoint's
39057 actions.
39058
39059 Replies:
39060 @table @samp
39061 @item OK
39062 The packet was understood and carried out.
39063 @item qRelocInsn
39064 @xref{Tracepoint Packets,,Relocate instruction reply packet}.
39065 @item @w{}
39066 The packet was not recognized.
39067 @end table
39068
39069 @item QTDP:-@var{n}:@var{addr}:@r{[}S@r{]}@var{action}@dots{}@r{[}-@r{]}
39070 Define actions to be taken when a tracepoint is hit. The @var{n} and
39071 @var{addr} must be the same as in the initial @samp{QTDP} packet for
39072 this tracepoint. This packet may only be sent immediately after
39073 another @samp{QTDP} packet that ended with a @samp{-}. If the
39074 trailing @samp{-} is present, further @samp{QTDP} packets will follow,
39075 specifying more actions for this tracepoint.
39076
39077 In the series of action packets for a given tracepoint, at most one
39078 can have an @samp{S} before its first @var{action}. If such a packet
39079 is sent, it and the following packets define ``while-stepping''
39080 actions. Any prior packets define ordinary actions --- that is, those
39081 taken when the tracepoint is first hit. If no action packet has an
39082 @samp{S}, then all the packets in the series specify ordinary
39083 tracepoint actions.
39084
39085 The @samp{@var{action}@dots{}} portion of the packet is a series of
39086 actions, concatenated without separators. Each action has one of the
39087 following forms:
39088
39089 @table @samp
39090
39091 @item R @var{mask}
39092 Collect the registers whose bits are set in @var{mask},
39093 a hexadecimal number whose @var{i}'th bit is set if register number
39094 @var{i} should be collected. (The least significant bit is numbered
39095 zero.) Note that @var{mask} may be any number of digits long; it may
39096 not fit in a 32-bit word.
39097
39098 @item M @var{basereg},@var{offset},@var{len}
39099 Collect @var{len} bytes of memory starting at the address in register
39100 number @var{basereg}, plus @var{offset}. If @var{basereg} is
39101 @samp{-1}, then the range has a fixed address: @var{offset} is the
39102 address of the lowest byte to collect. The @var{basereg},
39103 @var{offset}, and @var{len} parameters are all unsigned hexadecimal
39104 values (the @samp{-1} value for @var{basereg} is a special case).
39105
39106 @item X @var{len},@var{expr}
39107 Evaluate @var{expr}, whose length is @var{len}, and collect memory as
39108 it directs. The agent expression @var{expr} is as described in
39109 @ref{Agent Expressions}. Each byte of the expression is encoded as a
39110 two-digit hex number in the packet; @var{len} is the number of bytes
39111 in the expression (and thus one-half the number of hex digits in the
39112 packet).
39113
39114 @end table
39115
39116 Any number of actions may be packed together in a single @samp{QTDP}
39117 packet, as long as the packet does not exceed the maximum packet
39118 length (400 bytes, for many stubs). There may be only one @samp{R}
39119 action per tracepoint, and it must precede any @samp{M} or @samp{X}
39120 actions. Any registers referred to by @samp{M} and @samp{X} actions
39121 must be collected by a preceding @samp{R} action. (The
39122 ``while-stepping'' actions are treated as if they were attached to a
39123 separate tracepoint, as far as these restrictions are concerned.)
39124
39125 Replies:
39126 @table @samp
39127 @item OK
39128 The packet was understood and carried out.
39129 @item qRelocInsn
39130 @xref{Tracepoint Packets,,Relocate instruction reply packet}.
39131 @item @w{}
39132 The packet was not recognized.
39133 @end table
39134
39135 @item QTDPsrc:@var{n}:@var{addr}:@var{type}:@var{start}:@var{slen}:@var{bytes}
39136 @cindex @samp{QTDPsrc} packet
39137 Specify a source string of tracepoint @var{n} at address @var{addr}.
39138 This is useful to get accurate reproduction of the tracepoints
39139 originally downloaded at the beginning of the trace run. The @var{type}
39140 is the name of the tracepoint part, such as @samp{cond} for the
39141 tracepoint's conditional expression (see below for a list of types), while
39142 @var{bytes} is the string, encoded in hexadecimal.
39143
39144 @var{start} is the offset of the @var{bytes} within the overall source
39145 string, while @var{slen} is the total length of the source string.
39146 This is intended for handling source strings that are longer than will
39147 fit in a single packet.
39148 @c Add detailed example when this info is moved into a dedicated
39149 @c tracepoint descriptions section.
39150
39151 The available string types are @samp{at} for the location,
39152 @samp{cond} for the conditional, and @samp{cmd} for an action command.
39153 @value{GDBN} sends a separate packet for each command in the action
39154 list, in the same order in which the commands are stored in the list.
39155
39156 The target does not need to do anything with source strings except
39157 report them back as part of the replies to the @samp{qTfP}/@samp{qTsP}
39158 query packets.
39159
39160 Although this packet is optional, and @value{GDBN} will only send it
39161 if the target replies with @samp{TracepointSource} @xref{General
39162 Query Packets}, it makes both disconnected tracing and trace files
39163 much easier to use. Otherwise the user must be careful that the
39164 tracepoints in effect while looking at trace frames are identical to
39165 the ones in effect during the trace run; even a small discrepancy
39166 could cause @samp{tdump} not to work, or a particular trace frame not
39167 be found.
39168
39169 @item QTDV:@var{n}:@var{value}:@var{builtin}:@var{name}
39170 @cindex define trace state variable, remote request
39171 @cindex @samp{QTDV} packet
39172 Create a new trace state variable, number @var{n}, with an initial
39173 value of @var{value}, which is a 64-bit signed integer. Both @var{n}
39174 and @var{value} are encoded as hexadecimal values. @value{GDBN} has
39175 the option of not using this packet for initial values of zero; the
39176 target should simply create the trace state variables as they are
39177 mentioned in expressions. The value @var{builtin} should be 1 (one)
39178 if the trace state variable is builtin and 0 (zero) if it is not builtin.
39179 @value{GDBN} only sets @var{builtin} to 1 if a previous @samp{qTfV} or
39180 @samp{qTsV} packet had it set. The contents of @var{name} is the
39181 hex-encoded name (without the leading @samp{$}) of the trace state
39182 variable.
39183
39184 @item QTFrame:@var{n}
39185 @cindex @samp{QTFrame} packet
39186 Select the @var{n}'th tracepoint frame from the buffer, and use the
39187 register and memory contents recorded there to answer subsequent
39188 request packets from @value{GDBN}.
39189
39190 A successful reply from the stub indicates that the stub has found the
39191 requested frame. The response is a series of parts, concatenated
39192 without separators, describing the frame we selected. Each part has
39193 one of the following forms:
39194
39195 @table @samp
39196 @item F @var{f}
39197 The selected frame is number @var{n} in the trace frame buffer;
39198 @var{f} is a hexadecimal number. If @var{f} is @samp{-1}, then there
39199 was no frame matching the criteria in the request packet.
39200
39201 @item T @var{t}
39202 The selected trace frame records a hit of tracepoint number @var{t};
39203 @var{t} is a hexadecimal number.
39204
39205 @end table
39206
39207 @item QTFrame:pc:@var{addr}
39208 Like @samp{QTFrame:@var{n}}, but select the first tracepoint frame after the
39209 currently selected frame whose PC is @var{addr};
39210 @var{addr} is a hexadecimal number.
39211
39212 @item QTFrame:tdp:@var{t}
39213 Like @samp{QTFrame:@var{n}}, but select the first tracepoint frame after the
39214 currently selected frame that is a hit of tracepoint @var{t}; @var{t}
39215 is a hexadecimal number.
39216
39217 @item QTFrame:range:@var{start}:@var{end}
39218 Like @samp{QTFrame:@var{n}}, but select the first tracepoint frame after the
39219 currently selected frame whose PC is between @var{start} (inclusive)
39220 and @var{end} (inclusive); @var{start} and @var{end} are hexadecimal
39221 numbers.
39222
39223 @item QTFrame:outside:@var{start}:@var{end}
39224 Like @samp{QTFrame:range:@var{start}:@var{end}}, but select the first
39225 frame @emph{outside} the given range of addresses (exclusive).
39226
39227 @item qTMinFTPILen
39228 @cindex @samp{qTMinFTPILen} packet
39229 This packet requests the minimum length of instruction at which a fast
39230 tracepoint (@pxref{Set Tracepoints}) may be placed. For instance, on
39231 the 32-bit x86 architecture, it is possible to use a 4-byte jump, but
39232 it depends on the target system being able to create trampolines in
39233 the first 64K of memory, which might or might not be possible for that
39234 system. So the reply to this packet will be 4 if it is able to
39235 arrange for that.
39236
39237 Replies:
39238
39239 @table @samp
39240 @item 0
39241 The minimum instruction length is currently unknown.
39242 @item @var{length}
39243 The minimum instruction length is @var{length}, where @var{length}
39244 is a hexadecimal number greater or equal to 1. A reply
39245 of 1 means that a fast tracepoint may be placed on any instruction
39246 regardless of size.
39247 @item E
39248 An error has occurred.
39249 @item @w{}
39250 An empty reply indicates that the request is not supported by the stub.
39251 @end table
39252
39253 @item QTStart
39254 @cindex @samp{QTStart} packet
39255 Begin the tracepoint experiment. Begin collecting data from
39256 tracepoint hits in the trace frame buffer. This packet supports the
39257 @samp{qRelocInsn} reply (@pxref{Tracepoint Packets,,Relocate
39258 instruction reply packet}).
39259
39260 @item QTStop
39261 @cindex @samp{QTStop} packet
39262 End the tracepoint experiment. Stop collecting trace frames.
39263
39264 @item QTEnable:@var{n}:@var{addr}
39265 @anchor{QTEnable}
39266 @cindex @samp{QTEnable} packet
39267 Enable tracepoint @var{n} at address @var{addr} in a started tracepoint
39268 experiment. If the tracepoint was previously disabled, then collection
39269 of data from it will resume.
39270
39271 @item QTDisable:@var{n}:@var{addr}
39272 @anchor{QTDisable}
39273 @cindex @samp{QTDisable} packet
39274 Disable tracepoint @var{n} at address @var{addr} in a started tracepoint
39275 experiment. No more data will be collected from the tracepoint unless
39276 @samp{QTEnable:@var{n}:@var{addr}} is subsequently issued.
39277
39278 @item QTinit
39279 @cindex @samp{QTinit} packet
39280 Clear the table of tracepoints, and empty the trace frame buffer.
39281
39282 @item QTro:@var{start1},@var{end1}:@var{start2},@var{end2}:@dots{}
39283 @cindex @samp{QTro} packet
39284 Establish the given ranges of memory as ``transparent''. The stub
39285 will answer requests for these ranges from memory's current contents,
39286 if they were not collected as part of the tracepoint hit.
39287
39288 @value{GDBN} uses this to mark read-only regions of memory, like those
39289 containing program code. Since these areas never change, they should
39290 still have the same contents they did when the tracepoint was hit, so
39291 there's no reason for the stub to refuse to provide their contents.
39292
39293 @item QTDisconnected:@var{value}
39294 @cindex @samp{QTDisconnected} packet
39295 Set the choice to what to do with the tracing run when @value{GDBN}
39296 disconnects from the target. A @var{value} of 1 directs the target to
39297 continue the tracing run, while 0 tells the target to stop tracing if
39298 @value{GDBN} is no longer in the picture.
39299
39300 @item qTStatus
39301 @cindex @samp{qTStatus} packet
39302 Ask the stub if there is a trace experiment running right now.
39303
39304 The reply has the form:
39305
39306 @table @samp
39307
39308 @item T@var{running}@r{[};@var{field}@r{]}@dots{}
39309 @var{running} is a single digit @code{1} if the trace is presently
39310 running, or @code{0} if not. It is followed by semicolon-separated
39311 optional fields that an agent may use to report additional status.
39312
39313 @end table
39314
39315 If the trace is not running, the agent may report any of several
39316 explanations as one of the optional fields:
39317
39318 @table @samp
39319
39320 @item tnotrun:0
39321 No trace has been run yet.
39322
39323 @item tstop[:@var{text}]:0
39324 The trace was stopped by a user-originated stop command. The optional
39325 @var{text} field is a user-supplied string supplied as part of the
39326 stop command (for instance, an explanation of why the trace was
39327 stopped manually). It is hex-encoded.
39328
39329 @item tfull:0
39330 The trace stopped because the trace buffer filled up.
39331
39332 @item tdisconnected:0
39333 The trace stopped because @value{GDBN} disconnected from the target.
39334
39335 @item tpasscount:@var{tpnum}
39336 The trace stopped because tracepoint @var{tpnum} exceeded its pass count.
39337
39338 @item terror:@var{text}:@var{tpnum}
39339 The trace stopped because tracepoint @var{tpnum} had an error. The
39340 string @var{text} is available to describe the nature of the error
39341 (for instance, a divide by zero in the condition expression); it
39342 is hex encoded.
39343
39344 @item tunknown:0
39345 The trace stopped for some other reason.
39346
39347 @end table
39348
39349 Additional optional fields supply statistical and other information.
39350 Although not required, they are extremely useful for users monitoring
39351 the progress of a trace run. If a trace has stopped, and these
39352 numbers are reported, they must reflect the state of the just-stopped
39353 trace.
39354
39355 @table @samp
39356
39357 @item tframes:@var{n}
39358 The number of trace frames in the buffer.
39359
39360 @item tcreated:@var{n}
39361 The total number of trace frames created during the run. This may
39362 be larger than the trace frame count, if the buffer is circular.
39363
39364 @item tsize:@var{n}
39365 The total size of the trace buffer, in bytes.
39366
39367 @item tfree:@var{n}
39368 The number of bytes still unused in the buffer.
39369
39370 @item circular:@var{n}
39371 The value of the circular trace buffer flag. @code{1} means that the
39372 trace buffer is circular and old trace frames will be discarded if
39373 necessary to make room, @code{0} means that the trace buffer is linear
39374 and may fill up.
39375
39376 @item disconn:@var{n}
39377 The value of the disconnected tracing flag. @code{1} means that
39378 tracing will continue after @value{GDBN} disconnects, @code{0} means
39379 that the trace run will stop.
39380
39381 @end table
39382
39383 @item qTP:@var{tp}:@var{addr}
39384 @cindex tracepoint status, remote request
39385 @cindex @samp{qTP} packet
39386 Ask the stub for the current state of tracepoint number @var{tp} at
39387 address @var{addr}.
39388
39389 Replies:
39390 @table @samp
39391 @item V@var{hits}:@var{usage}
39392 The tracepoint has been hit @var{hits} times so far during the trace
39393 run, and accounts for @var{usage} in the trace buffer. Note that
39394 @code{while-stepping} steps are not counted as separate hits, but the
39395 steps' space consumption is added into the usage number.
39396
39397 @end table
39398
39399 @item qTV:@var{var}
39400 @cindex trace state variable value, remote request
39401 @cindex @samp{qTV} packet
39402 Ask the stub for the value of the trace state variable number @var{var}.
39403
39404 Replies:
39405 @table @samp
39406 @item V@var{value}
39407 The value of the variable is @var{value}. This will be the current
39408 value of the variable if the user is examining a running target, or a
39409 saved value if the variable was collected in the trace frame that the
39410 user is looking at. Note that multiple requests may result in
39411 different reply values, such as when requesting values while the
39412 program is running.
39413
39414 @item U
39415 The value of the variable is unknown. This would occur, for example,
39416 if the user is examining a trace frame in which the requested variable
39417 was not collected.
39418 @end table
39419
39420 @item qTfP
39421 @cindex @samp{qTfP} packet
39422 @itemx qTsP
39423 @cindex @samp{qTsP} packet
39424 These packets request data about tracepoints that are being used by
39425 the target. @value{GDBN} sends @code{qTfP} to get the first piece
39426 of data, and multiple @code{qTsP} to get additional pieces. Replies
39427 to these packets generally take the form of the @code{QTDP} packets
39428 that define tracepoints. (FIXME add detailed syntax)
39429
39430 @item qTfV
39431 @cindex @samp{qTfV} packet
39432 @itemx qTsV
39433 @cindex @samp{qTsV} packet
39434 These packets request data about trace state variables that are on the
39435 target. @value{GDBN} sends @code{qTfV} to get the first vari of data,
39436 and multiple @code{qTsV} to get additional variables. Replies to
39437 these packets follow the syntax of the @code{QTDV} packets that define
39438 trace state variables.
39439
39440 @item qTfSTM
39441 @itemx qTsSTM
39442 @anchor{qTfSTM}
39443 @anchor{qTsSTM}
39444 @cindex @samp{qTfSTM} packet
39445 @cindex @samp{qTsSTM} packet
39446 These packets request data about static tracepoint markers that exist
39447 in the target program. @value{GDBN} sends @code{qTfSTM} to get the
39448 first piece of data, and multiple @code{qTsSTM} to get additional
39449 pieces. Replies to these packets take the following form:
39450
39451 Reply:
39452 @table @samp
39453 @item m @var{address}:@var{id}:@var{extra}
39454 A single marker
39455 @item m @var{address}:@var{id}:@var{extra},@var{address}:@var{id}:@var{extra}@dots{}
39456 a comma-separated list of markers
39457 @item l
39458 (lower case letter @samp{L}) denotes end of list.
39459 @item E @var{nn}
39460 An error occurred. The error number @var{nn} is given as hex digits.
39461 @item @w{}
39462 An empty reply indicates that the request is not supported by the
39463 stub.
39464 @end table
39465
39466 The @var{address} is encoded in hex;
39467 @var{id} and @var{extra} are strings encoded in hex.
39468
39469 In response to each query, the target will reply with a list of one or
39470 more markers, separated by commas. @value{GDBN} will respond to each
39471 reply with a request for more markers (using the @samp{qs} form of the
39472 query), until the target responds with @samp{l} (lower-case ell, for
39473 @dfn{last}).
39474
39475 @item qTSTMat:@var{address}
39476 @anchor{qTSTMat}
39477 @cindex @samp{qTSTMat} packet
39478 This packets requests data about static tracepoint markers in the
39479 target program at @var{address}. Replies to this packet follow the
39480 syntax of the @samp{qTfSTM} and @code{qTsSTM} packets that list static
39481 tracepoint markers.
39482
39483 @item QTSave:@var{filename}
39484 @cindex @samp{QTSave} packet
39485 This packet directs the target to save trace data to the file name
39486 @var{filename} in the target's filesystem. The @var{filename} is encoded
39487 as a hex string; the interpretation of the file name (relative vs
39488 absolute, wild cards, etc) is up to the target.
39489
39490 @item qTBuffer:@var{offset},@var{len}
39491 @cindex @samp{qTBuffer} packet
39492 Return up to @var{len} bytes of the current contents of trace buffer,
39493 starting at @var{offset}. The trace buffer is treated as if it were
39494 a contiguous collection of traceframes, as per the trace file format.
39495 The reply consists as many hex-encoded bytes as the target can deliver
39496 in a packet; it is not an error to return fewer than were asked for.
39497 A reply consisting of just @code{l} indicates that no bytes are
39498 available.
39499
39500 @item QTBuffer:circular:@var{value}
39501 This packet directs the target to use a circular trace buffer if
39502 @var{value} is 1, or a linear buffer if the value is 0.
39503
39504 @item QTBuffer:size:@var{size}
39505 @anchor{QTBuffer-size}
39506 @cindex @samp{QTBuffer size} packet
39507 This packet directs the target to make the trace buffer be of size
39508 @var{size} if possible. A value of @code{-1} tells the target to
39509 use whatever size it prefers.
39510
39511 @item QTNotes:@r{[}@var{type}:@var{text}@r{]}@r{[};@var{type}:@var{text}@r{]}@dots{}
39512 @cindex @samp{QTNotes} packet
39513 This packet adds optional textual notes to the trace run. Allowable
39514 types include @code{user}, @code{notes}, and @code{tstop}, the
39515 @var{text} fields are arbitrary strings, hex-encoded.
39516
39517 @end table
39518
39519 @subsection Relocate instruction reply packet
39520 When installing fast tracepoints in memory, the target may need to
39521 relocate the instruction currently at the tracepoint address to a
39522 different address in memory. For most instructions, a simple copy is
39523 enough, but, for example, call instructions that implicitly push the
39524 return address on the stack, and relative branches or other
39525 PC-relative instructions require offset adjustment, so that the effect
39526 of executing the instruction at a different address is the same as if
39527 it had executed in the original location.
39528
39529 In response to several of the tracepoint packets, the target may also
39530 respond with a number of intermediate @samp{qRelocInsn} request
39531 packets before the final result packet, to have @value{GDBN} handle
39532 this relocation operation. If a packet supports this mechanism, its
39533 documentation will explicitly say so. See for example the above
39534 descriptions for the @samp{QTStart} and @samp{QTDP} packets. The
39535 format of the request is:
39536
39537 @table @samp
39538 @item qRelocInsn:@var{from};@var{to}
39539
39540 This requests @value{GDBN} to copy instruction at address @var{from}
39541 to address @var{to}, possibly adjusted so that executing the
39542 instruction at @var{to} has the same effect as executing it at
39543 @var{from}. @value{GDBN} writes the adjusted instruction to target
39544 memory starting at @var{to}.
39545 @end table
39546
39547 Replies:
39548 @table @samp
39549 @item qRelocInsn:@var{adjusted_size}
39550 Informs the stub the relocation is complete. The @var{adjusted_size} is
39551 the length in bytes of resulting relocated instruction sequence.
39552 @item E @var{NN}
39553 A badly formed request was detected, or an error was encountered while
39554 relocating the instruction.
39555 @end table
39556
39557 @node Host I/O Packets
39558 @section Host I/O Packets
39559 @cindex Host I/O, remote protocol
39560 @cindex file transfer, remote protocol
39561
39562 The @dfn{Host I/O} packets allow @value{GDBN} to perform I/O
39563 operations on the far side of a remote link. For example, Host I/O is
39564 used to upload and download files to a remote target with its own
39565 filesystem. Host I/O uses the same constant values and data structure
39566 layout as the target-initiated File-I/O protocol. However, the
39567 Host I/O packets are structured differently. The target-initiated
39568 protocol relies on target memory to store parameters and buffers.
39569 Host I/O requests are initiated by @value{GDBN}, and the
39570 target's memory is not involved. @xref{File-I/O Remote Protocol
39571 Extension}, for more details on the target-initiated protocol.
39572
39573 The Host I/O request packets all encode a single operation along with
39574 its arguments. They have this format:
39575
39576 @table @samp
39577
39578 @item vFile:@var{operation}: @var{parameter}@dots{}
39579 @var{operation} is the name of the particular request; the target
39580 should compare the entire packet name up to the second colon when checking
39581 for a supported operation. The format of @var{parameter} depends on
39582 the operation. Numbers are always passed in hexadecimal. Negative
39583 numbers have an explicit minus sign (i.e.@: two's complement is not
39584 used). Strings (e.g.@: filenames) are encoded as a series of
39585 hexadecimal bytes. The last argument to a system call may be a
39586 buffer of escaped binary data (@pxref{Binary Data}).
39587
39588 @end table
39589
39590 The valid responses to Host I/O packets are:
39591
39592 @table @samp
39593
39594 @item F @var{result} [, @var{errno}] [; @var{attachment}]
39595 @var{result} is the integer value returned by this operation, usually
39596 non-negative for success and -1 for errors. If an error has occured,
39597 @var{errno} will be included in the result specifying a
39598 value defined by the File-I/O protocol (@pxref{Errno Values}). For
39599 operations which return data, @var{attachment} supplies the data as a
39600 binary buffer. Binary buffers in response packets are escaped in the
39601 normal way (@pxref{Binary Data}). See the individual packet
39602 documentation for the interpretation of @var{result} and
39603 @var{attachment}.
39604
39605 @item @w{}
39606 An empty response indicates that this operation is not recognized.
39607
39608 @end table
39609
39610 These are the supported Host I/O operations:
39611
39612 @table @samp
39613 @item vFile:open: @var{filename}, @var{flags}, @var{mode}
39614 Open a file at @var{filename} and return a file descriptor for it, or
39615 return -1 if an error occurs. The @var{filename} is a string,
39616 @var{flags} is an integer indicating a mask of open flags
39617 (@pxref{Open Flags}), and @var{mode} is an integer indicating a mask
39618 of mode bits to use if the file is created (@pxref{mode_t Values}).
39619 @xref{open}, for details of the open flags and mode values.
39620
39621 @item vFile:close: @var{fd}
39622 Close the open file corresponding to @var{fd} and return 0, or
39623 -1 if an error occurs.
39624
39625 @item vFile:pread: @var{fd}, @var{count}, @var{offset}
39626 Read data from the open file corresponding to @var{fd}. Up to
39627 @var{count} bytes will be read from the file, starting at @var{offset}
39628 relative to the start of the file. The target may read fewer bytes;
39629 common reasons include packet size limits and an end-of-file
39630 condition. The number of bytes read is returned. Zero should only be
39631 returned for a successful read at the end of the file, or if
39632 @var{count} was zero.
39633
39634 The data read should be returned as a binary attachment on success.
39635 If zero bytes were read, the response should include an empty binary
39636 attachment (i.e.@: a trailing semicolon). The return value is the
39637 number of target bytes read; the binary attachment may be longer if
39638 some characters were escaped.
39639
39640 @item vFile:pwrite: @var{fd}, @var{offset}, @var{data}
39641 Write @var{data} (a binary buffer) to the open file corresponding
39642 to @var{fd}. Start the write at @var{offset} from the start of the
39643 file. Unlike many @code{write} system calls, there is no
39644 separate @var{count} argument; the length of @var{data} in the
39645 packet is used. @samp{vFile:write} returns the number of bytes written,
39646 which may be shorter than the length of @var{data}, or -1 if an
39647 error occurred.
39648
39649 @item vFile:fstat: @var{fd}
39650 Get information about the open file corresponding to @var{fd}.
39651 On success the information is returned as a binary attachment
39652 and the return value is the size of this attachment in bytes.
39653 If an error occurs the return value is -1. The format of the
39654 returned binary attachment is as described in @ref{struct stat}.
39655
39656 @item vFile:unlink: @var{filename}
39657 Delete the file at @var{filename} on the target. Return 0,
39658 or -1 if an error occurs. The @var{filename} is a string.
39659
39660 @item vFile:readlink: @var{filename}
39661 Read value of symbolic link @var{filename} on the target. Return
39662 the number of bytes read, or -1 if an error occurs.
39663
39664 The data read should be returned as a binary attachment on success.
39665 If zero bytes were read, the response should include an empty binary
39666 attachment (i.e.@: a trailing semicolon). The return value is the
39667 number of target bytes read; the binary attachment may be longer if
39668 some characters were escaped.
39669
39670 @item vFile:setfs: @var{pid}
39671 Select the filesystem on which @code{vFile} operations with
39672 @var{filename} arguments will operate. This is required for
39673 @value{GDBN} to be able to access files on remote targets where
39674 the remote stub does not share a common filesystem with the
39675 inferior(s).
39676
39677 If @var{pid} is nonzero, select the filesystem as seen by process
39678 @var{pid}. If @var{pid} is zero, select the filesystem as seen by
39679 the remote stub. Return 0 on success, or -1 if an error occurs.
39680 If @code{vFile:setfs:} indicates success, the selected filesystem
39681 remains selected until the next successful @code{vFile:setfs:}
39682 operation.
39683
39684 @end table
39685
39686 @node Interrupts
39687 @section Interrupts
39688 @cindex interrupts (remote protocol)
39689 @anchor{interrupting remote targets}
39690
39691 In all-stop mode, when a program on the remote target is running,
39692 @value{GDBN} may attempt to interrupt it by sending a @samp{Ctrl-C},
39693 @code{BREAK} or a @code{BREAK} followed by @code{g}, control of which
39694 is specified via @value{GDBN}'s @samp{interrupt-sequence}.
39695
39696 The precise meaning of @code{BREAK} is defined by the transport
39697 mechanism and may, in fact, be undefined. @value{GDBN} does not
39698 currently define a @code{BREAK} mechanism for any of the network
39699 interfaces except for TCP, in which case @value{GDBN} sends the
39700 @code{telnet} BREAK sequence.
39701
39702 @samp{Ctrl-C}, on the other hand, is defined and implemented for all
39703 transport mechanisms. It is represented by sending the single byte
39704 @code{0x03} without any of the usual packet overhead described in
39705 the Overview section (@pxref{Overview}). When a @code{0x03} byte is
39706 transmitted as part of a packet, it is considered to be packet data
39707 and does @emph{not} represent an interrupt. E.g., an @samp{X} packet
39708 (@pxref{X packet}), used for binary downloads, may include an unescaped
39709 @code{0x03} as part of its packet.
39710
39711 @code{BREAK} followed by @code{g} is also known as Magic SysRq g.
39712 When Linux kernel receives this sequence from serial port,
39713 it stops execution and connects to gdb.
39714
39715 In non-stop mode, because packet resumptions are asynchronous
39716 (@pxref{vCont packet}), @value{GDBN} is always free to send a remote
39717 command to the remote stub, even when the target is running. For that
39718 reason, @value{GDBN} instead sends a regular packet (@pxref{vCtrlC
39719 packet}) with the usual packet framing instead of the single byte
39720 @code{0x03}.
39721
39722 Stubs are not required to recognize these interrupt mechanisms and the
39723 precise meaning associated with receipt of the interrupt is
39724 implementation defined. If the target supports debugging of multiple
39725 threads and/or processes, it should attempt to interrupt all
39726 currently-executing threads and processes.
39727 If the stub is successful at interrupting the
39728 running program, it should send one of the stop
39729 reply packets (@pxref{Stop Reply Packets}) to @value{GDBN} as a result
39730 of successfully stopping the program in all-stop mode, and a stop reply
39731 for each stopped thread in non-stop mode.
39732 Interrupts received while the
39733 program is stopped are queued and the program will be interrupted when
39734 it is resumed next time.
39735
39736 @node Notification Packets
39737 @section Notification Packets
39738 @cindex notification packets
39739 @cindex packets, notification
39740
39741 The @value{GDBN} remote serial protocol includes @dfn{notifications},
39742 packets that require no acknowledgment. Both the GDB and the stub
39743 may send notifications (although the only notifications defined at
39744 present are sent by the stub). Notifications carry information
39745 without incurring the round-trip latency of an acknowledgment, and so
39746 are useful for low-impact communications where occasional packet loss
39747 is not a problem.
39748
39749 A notification packet has the form @samp{% @var{data} #
39750 @var{checksum}}, where @var{data} is the content of the notification,
39751 and @var{checksum} is a checksum of @var{data}, computed and formatted
39752 as for ordinary @value{GDBN} packets. A notification's @var{data}
39753 never contains @samp{$}, @samp{%} or @samp{#} characters. Upon
39754 receiving a notification, the recipient sends no @samp{+} or @samp{-}
39755 to acknowledge the notification's receipt or to report its corruption.
39756
39757 Every notification's @var{data} begins with a name, which contains no
39758 colon characters, followed by a colon character.
39759
39760 Recipients should silently ignore corrupted notifications and
39761 notifications they do not understand. Recipients should restart
39762 timeout periods on receipt of a well-formed notification, whether or
39763 not they understand it.
39764
39765 Senders should only send the notifications described here when this
39766 protocol description specifies that they are permitted. In the
39767 future, we may extend the protocol to permit existing notifications in
39768 new contexts; this rule helps older senders avoid confusing newer
39769 recipients.
39770
39771 (Older versions of @value{GDBN} ignore bytes received until they see
39772 the @samp{$} byte that begins an ordinary packet, so new stubs may
39773 transmit notifications without fear of confusing older clients. There
39774 are no notifications defined for @value{GDBN} to send at the moment, but we
39775 assume that most older stubs would ignore them, as well.)
39776
39777 Each notification is comprised of three parts:
39778 @table @samp
39779 @item @var{name}:@var{event}
39780 The notification packet is sent by the side that initiates the
39781 exchange (currently, only the stub does that), with @var{event}
39782 carrying the specific information about the notification, and
39783 @var{name} specifying the name of the notification.
39784 @item @var{ack}
39785 The acknowledge sent by the other side, usually @value{GDBN}, to
39786 acknowledge the exchange and request the event.
39787 @end table
39788
39789 The purpose of an asynchronous notification mechanism is to report to
39790 @value{GDBN} that something interesting happened in the remote stub.
39791
39792 The remote stub may send notification @var{name}:@var{event}
39793 at any time, but @value{GDBN} acknowledges the notification when
39794 appropriate. The notification event is pending before @value{GDBN}
39795 acknowledges. Only one notification at a time may be pending; if
39796 additional events occur before @value{GDBN} has acknowledged the
39797 previous notification, they must be queued by the stub for later
39798 synchronous transmission in response to @var{ack} packets from
39799 @value{GDBN}. Because the notification mechanism is unreliable,
39800 the stub is permitted to resend a notification if it believes
39801 @value{GDBN} may not have received it.
39802
39803 Specifically, notifications may appear when @value{GDBN} is not
39804 otherwise reading input from the stub, or when @value{GDBN} is
39805 expecting to read a normal synchronous response or a
39806 @samp{+}/@samp{-} acknowledgment to a packet it has sent.
39807 Notification packets are distinct from any other communication from
39808 the stub so there is no ambiguity.
39809
39810 After receiving a notification, @value{GDBN} shall acknowledge it by
39811 sending a @var{ack} packet as a regular, synchronous request to the
39812 stub. Such acknowledgment is not required to happen immediately, as
39813 @value{GDBN} is permitted to send other, unrelated packets to the
39814 stub first, which the stub should process normally.
39815
39816 Upon receiving a @var{ack} packet, if the stub has other queued
39817 events to report to @value{GDBN}, it shall respond by sending a
39818 normal @var{event}. @value{GDBN} shall then send another @var{ack}
39819 packet to solicit further responses; again, it is permitted to send
39820 other, unrelated packets as well which the stub should process
39821 normally.
39822
39823 If the stub receives a @var{ack} packet and there are no additional
39824 @var{event} to report, the stub shall return an @samp{OK} response.
39825 At this point, @value{GDBN} has finished processing a notification
39826 and the stub has completed sending any queued events. @value{GDBN}
39827 won't accept any new notifications until the final @samp{OK} is
39828 received . If further notification events occur, the stub shall send
39829 a new notification, @value{GDBN} shall accept the notification, and
39830 the process shall be repeated.
39831
39832 The process of asynchronous notification can be illustrated by the
39833 following example:
39834 @smallexample
39835 <- @code{%Stop:T0505:98e7ffbf;04:4ce6ffbf;08:b1b6e54c;thread:p7526.7526;core:0;}
39836 @code{...}
39837 -> @code{vStopped}
39838 <- @code{T0505:68f37db7;04:40f37db7;08:63850408;thread:p7526.7528;core:0;}
39839 -> @code{vStopped}
39840 <- @code{T0505:68e3fdb6;04:40e3fdb6;08:63850408;thread:p7526.7529;core:0;}
39841 -> @code{vStopped}
39842 <- @code{OK}
39843 @end smallexample
39844
39845 The following notifications are defined:
39846 @multitable @columnfractions 0.12 0.12 0.38 0.38
39847
39848 @item Notification
39849 @tab Ack
39850 @tab Event
39851 @tab Description
39852
39853 @item Stop
39854 @tab vStopped
39855 @tab @var{reply}. The @var{reply} has the form of a stop reply, as
39856 described in @ref{Stop Reply Packets}. Refer to @ref{Remote Non-Stop},
39857 for information on how these notifications are acknowledged by
39858 @value{GDBN}.
39859 @tab Report an asynchronous stop event in non-stop mode.
39860
39861 @end multitable
39862
39863 @node Remote Non-Stop
39864 @section Remote Protocol Support for Non-Stop Mode
39865
39866 @value{GDBN}'s remote protocol supports non-stop debugging of
39867 multi-threaded programs, as described in @ref{Non-Stop Mode}. If the stub
39868 supports non-stop mode, it should report that to @value{GDBN} by including
39869 @samp{QNonStop+} in its @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
39870
39871 @value{GDBN} typically sends a @samp{QNonStop} packet only when
39872 establishing a new connection with the stub. Entering non-stop mode
39873 does not alter the state of any currently-running threads, but targets
39874 must stop all threads in any already-attached processes when entering
39875 all-stop mode. @value{GDBN} uses the @samp{?} packet as necessary to
39876 probe the target state after a mode change.
39877
39878 In non-stop mode, when an attached process encounters an event that
39879 would otherwise be reported with a stop reply, it uses the
39880 asynchronous notification mechanism (@pxref{Notification Packets}) to
39881 inform @value{GDBN}. In contrast to all-stop mode, where all threads
39882 in all processes are stopped when a stop reply is sent, in non-stop
39883 mode only the thread reporting the stop event is stopped. That is,
39884 when reporting a @samp{S} or @samp{T} response to indicate completion
39885 of a step operation, hitting a breakpoint, or a fault, only the
39886 affected thread is stopped; any other still-running threads continue
39887 to run. When reporting a @samp{W} or @samp{X} response, all running
39888 threads belonging to other attached processes continue to run.
39889
39890 In non-stop mode, the target shall respond to the @samp{?} packet as
39891 follows. First, any incomplete stop reply notification/@samp{vStopped}
39892 sequence in progress is abandoned. The target must begin a new
39893 sequence reporting stop events for all stopped threads, whether or not
39894 it has previously reported those events to @value{GDBN}. The first
39895 stop reply is sent as a synchronous reply to the @samp{?} packet, and
39896 subsequent stop replies are sent as responses to @samp{vStopped} packets
39897 using the mechanism described above. The target must not send
39898 asynchronous stop reply notifications until the sequence is complete.
39899 If all threads are running when the target receives the @samp{?} packet,
39900 or if the target is not attached to any process, it shall respond
39901 @samp{OK}.
39902
39903 If the stub supports non-stop mode, it should also support the
39904 @samp{swbreak} stop reason if software breakpoints are supported, and
39905 the @samp{hwbreak} stop reason if hardware breakpoints are supported
39906 (@pxref{swbreak stop reason}). This is because given the asynchronous
39907 nature of non-stop mode, between the time a thread hits a breakpoint
39908 and the time the event is finally processed by @value{GDBN}, the
39909 breakpoint may have already been removed from the target. Due to
39910 this, @value{GDBN} needs to be able to tell whether a trap stop was
39911 caused by a delayed breakpoint event, which should be ignored, as
39912 opposed to a random trap signal, which should be reported to the user.
39913 Note the @samp{swbreak} feature implies that the target is responsible
39914 for adjusting the PC when a software breakpoint triggers, if
39915 necessary, such as on the x86 architecture.
39916
39917 @node Packet Acknowledgment
39918 @section Packet Acknowledgment
39919
39920 @cindex acknowledgment, for @value{GDBN} remote
39921 @cindex packet acknowledgment, for @value{GDBN} remote
39922 By default, when either the host or the target machine receives a packet,
39923 the first response expected is an acknowledgment: either @samp{+} (to indicate
39924 the package was received correctly) or @samp{-} (to request retransmission).
39925 This mechanism allows the @value{GDBN} remote protocol to operate over
39926 unreliable transport mechanisms, such as a serial line.
39927
39928 In cases where the transport mechanism is itself reliable (such as a pipe or
39929 TCP connection), the @samp{+}/@samp{-} acknowledgments are redundant.
39930 It may be desirable to disable them in that case to reduce communication
39931 overhead, or for other reasons. This can be accomplished by means of the
39932 @samp{QStartNoAckMode} packet; @pxref{QStartNoAckMode}.
39933
39934 When in no-acknowledgment mode, neither the stub nor @value{GDBN} shall send or
39935 expect @samp{+}/@samp{-} protocol acknowledgments. The packet
39936 and response format still includes the normal checksum, as described in
39937 @ref{Overview}, but the checksum may be ignored by the receiver.
39938
39939 If the stub supports @samp{QStartNoAckMode} and prefers to operate in
39940 no-acknowledgment mode, it should report that to @value{GDBN}
39941 by including @samp{QStartNoAckMode+} in its response to @samp{qSupported};
39942 @pxref{qSupported}.
39943 If @value{GDBN} also supports @samp{QStartNoAckMode} and it has not been
39944 disabled via the @code{set remote noack-packet off} command
39945 (@pxref{Remote Configuration}),
39946 @value{GDBN} may then send a @samp{QStartNoAckMode} packet to the stub.
39947 Only then may the stub actually turn off packet acknowledgments.
39948 @value{GDBN} sends a final @samp{+} acknowledgment of the stub's @samp{OK}
39949 response, which can be safely ignored by the stub.
39950
39951 Note that @code{set remote noack-packet} command only affects negotiation
39952 between @value{GDBN} and the stub when subsequent connections are made;
39953 it does not affect the protocol acknowledgment state for any current
39954 connection.
39955 Since @samp{+}/@samp{-} acknowledgments are enabled by default when a
39956 new connection is established,
39957 there is also no protocol request to re-enable the acknowledgments
39958 for the current connection, once disabled.
39959
39960 @node Examples
39961 @section Examples
39962
39963 Example sequence of a target being re-started. Notice how the restart
39964 does not get any direct output:
39965
39966 @smallexample
39967 -> @code{R00}
39968 <- @code{+}
39969 @emph{target restarts}
39970 -> @code{?}
39971 <- @code{+}
39972 <- @code{T001:1234123412341234}
39973 -> @code{+}
39974 @end smallexample
39975
39976 Example sequence of a target being stepped by a single instruction:
39977
39978 @smallexample
39979 -> @code{G1445@dots{}}
39980 <- @code{+}
39981 -> @code{s}
39982 <- @code{+}
39983 @emph{time passes}
39984 <- @code{T001:1234123412341234}
39985 -> @code{+}
39986 -> @code{g}
39987 <- @code{+}
39988 <- @code{1455@dots{}}
39989 -> @code{+}
39990 @end smallexample
39991
39992 @node File-I/O Remote Protocol Extension
39993 @section File-I/O Remote Protocol Extension
39994 @cindex File-I/O remote protocol extension
39995
39996 @menu
39997 * File-I/O Overview::
39998 * Protocol Basics::
39999 * The F Request Packet::
40000 * The F Reply Packet::
40001 * The Ctrl-C Message::
40002 * Console I/O::
40003 * List of Supported Calls::
40004 * Protocol-specific Representation of Datatypes::
40005 * Constants::
40006 * File-I/O Examples::
40007 @end menu
40008
40009 @node File-I/O Overview
40010 @subsection File-I/O Overview
40011 @cindex file-i/o overview
40012
40013 The @dfn{File I/O remote protocol extension} (short: File-I/O) allows the
40014 target to use the host's file system and console I/O to perform various
40015 system calls. System calls on the target system are translated into a
40016 remote protocol packet to the host system, which then performs the needed
40017 actions and returns a response packet to the target system.
40018 This simulates file system operations even on targets that lack file systems.
40019
40020 The protocol is defined to be independent of both the host and target systems.
40021 It uses its own internal representation of datatypes and values. Both
40022 @value{GDBN} and the target's @value{GDBN} stub are responsible for
40023 translating the system-dependent value representations into the internal
40024 protocol representations when data is transmitted.
40025
40026 The communication is synchronous. A system call is possible only when
40027 @value{GDBN} is waiting for a response from the @samp{C}, @samp{c}, @samp{S}
40028 or @samp{s} packets. While @value{GDBN} handles the request for a system call,
40029 the target is stopped to allow deterministic access to the target's
40030 memory. Therefore File-I/O is not interruptible by target signals. On
40031 the other hand, it is possible to interrupt File-I/O by a user interrupt
40032 (@samp{Ctrl-C}) within @value{GDBN}.
40033
40034 The target's request to perform a host system call does not finish
40035 the latest @samp{C}, @samp{c}, @samp{S} or @samp{s} action. That means,
40036 after finishing the system call, the target returns to continuing the
40037 previous activity (continue, step). No additional continue or step
40038 request from @value{GDBN} is required.
40039
40040 @smallexample
40041 (@value{GDBP}) continue
40042 <- target requests 'system call X'
40043 target is stopped, @value{GDBN} executes system call
40044 -> @value{GDBN} returns result
40045 ... target continues, @value{GDBN} returns to wait for the target
40046 <- target hits breakpoint and sends a Txx packet
40047 @end smallexample
40048
40049 The protocol only supports I/O on the console and to regular files on
40050 the host file system. Character or block special devices, pipes,
40051 named pipes, sockets or any other communication method on the host
40052 system are not supported by this protocol.
40053
40054 File I/O is not supported in non-stop mode.
40055
40056 @node Protocol Basics
40057 @subsection Protocol Basics
40058 @cindex protocol basics, file-i/o
40059
40060 The File-I/O protocol uses the @code{F} packet as the request as well
40061 as reply packet. Since a File-I/O system call can only occur when
40062 @value{GDBN} is waiting for a response from the continuing or stepping target,
40063 the File-I/O request is a reply that @value{GDBN} has to expect as a result
40064 of a previous @samp{C}, @samp{c}, @samp{S} or @samp{s} packet.
40065 This @code{F} packet contains all information needed to allow @value{GDBN}
40066 to call the appropriate host system call:
40067
40068 @itemize @bullet
40069 @item
40070 A unique identifier for the requested system call.
40071
40072 @item
40073 All parameters to the system call. Pointers are given as addresses
40074 in the target memory address space. Pointers to strings are given as
40075 pointer/length pair. Numerical values are given as they are.
40076 Numerical control flags are given in a protocol-specific representation.
40077
40078 @end itemize
40079
40080 At this point, @value{GDBN} has to perform the following actions.
40081
40082 @itemize @bullet
40083 @item
40084 If the parameters include pointer values to data needed as input to a
40085 system call, @value{GDBN} requests this data from the target with a
40086 standard @code{m} packet request. This additional communication has to be
40087 expected by the target implementation and is handled as any other @code{m}
40088 packet.
40089
40090 @item
40091 @value{GDBN} translates all value from protocol representation to host
40092 representation as needed. Datatypes are coerced into the host types.
40093
40094 @item
40095 @value{GDBN} calls the system call.
40096
40097 @item
40098 It then coerces datatypes back to protocol representation.
40099
40100 @item
40101 If the system call is expected to return data in buffer space specified
40102 by pointer parameters to the call, the data is transmitted to the
40103 target using a @code{M} or @code{X} packet. This packet has to be expected
40104 by the target implementation and is handled as any other @code{M} or @code{X}
40105 packet.
40106
40107 @end itemize
40108
40109 Eventually @value{GDBN} replies with another @code{F} packet which contains all
40110 necessary information for the target to continue. This at least contains
40111
40112 @itemize @bullet
40113 @item
40114 Return value.
40115
40116 @item
40117 @code{errno}, if has been changed by the system call.
40118
40119 @item
40120 ``Ctrl-C'' flag.
40121
40122 @end itemize
40123
40124 After having done the needed type and value coercion, the target continues
40125 the latest continue or step action.
40126
40127 @node The F Request Packet
40128 @subsection The @code{F} Request Packet
40129 @cindex file-i/o request packet
40130 @cindex @code{F} request packet
40131
40132 The @code{F} request packet has the following format:
40133
40134 @table @samp
40135 @item F@var{call-id},@var{parameter@dots{}}
40136
40137 @var{call-id} is the identifier to indicate the host system call to be called.
40138 This is just the name of the function.
40139
40140 @var{parameter@dots{}} are the parameters to the system call.
40141 Parameters are hexadecimal integer values, either the actual values in case
40142 of scalar datatypes, pointers to target buffer space in case of compound
40143 datatypes and unspecified memory areas, or pointer/length pairs in case
40144 of string parameters. These are appended to the @var{call-id} as a
40145 comma-delimited list. All values are transmitted in ASCII
40146 string representation, pointer/length pairs separated by a slash.
40147
40148 @end table
40149
40150
40151
40152 @node The F Reply Packet
40153 @subsection The @code{F} Reply Packet
40154 @cindex file-i/o reply packet
40155 @cindex @code{F} reply packet
40156
40157 The @code{F} reply packet has the following format:
40158
40159 @table @samp
40160
40161 @item F@var{retcode},@var{errno},@var{Ctrl-C flag};@var{call-specific attachment}
40162
40163 @var{retcode} is the return code of the system call as hexadecimal value.
40164
40165 @var{errno} is the @code{errno} set by the call, in protocol-specific
40166 representation.
40167 This parameter can be omitted if the call was successful.
40168
40169 @var{Ctrl-C flag} is only sent if the user requested a break. In this
40170 case, @var{errno} must be sent as well, even if the call was successful.
40171 The @var{Ctrl-C flag} itself consists of the character @samp{C}:
40172
40173 @smallexample
40174 F0,0,C
40175 @end smallexample
40176
40177 @noindent
40178 or, if the call was interrupted before the host call has been performed:
40179
40180 @smallexample
40181 F-1,4,C
40182 @end smallexample
40183
40184 @noindent
40185 assuming 4 is the protocol-specific representation of @code{EINTR}.
40186
40187 @end table
40188
40189
40190 @node The Ctrl-C Message
40191 @subsection The @samp{Ctrl-C} Message
40192 @cindex ctrl-c message, in file-i/o protocol
40193
40194 If the @samp{Ctrl-C} flag is set in the @value{GDBN}
40195 reply packet (@pxref{The F Reply Packet}),
40196 the target should behave as if it had
40197 gotten a break message. The meaning for the target is ``system call
40198 interrupted by @code{SIGINT}''. Consequentially, the target should actually stop
40199 (as with a break message) and return to @value{GDBN} with a @code{T02}
40200 packet.
40201
40202 It's important for the target to know in which
40203 state the system call was interrupted. There are two possible cases:
40204
40205 @itemize @bullet
40206 @item
40207 The system call hasn't been performed on the host yet.
40208
40209 @item
40210 The system call on the host has been finished.
40211
40212 @end itemize
40213
40214 These two states can be distinguished by the target by the value of the
40215 returned @code{errno}. If it's the protocol representation of @code{EINTR}, the system
40216 call hasn't been performed. This is equivalent to the @code{EINTR} handling
40217 on POSIX systems. In any other case, the target may presume that the
40218 system call has been finished --- successfully or not --- and should behave
40219 as if the break message arrived right after the system call.
40220
40221 @value{GDBN} must behave reliably. If the system call has not been called
40222 yet, @value{GDBN} may send the @code{F} reply immediately, setting @code{EINTR} as
40223 @code{errno} in the packet. If the system call on the host has been finished
40224 before the user requests a break, the full action must be finished by
40225 @value{GDBN}. This requires sending @code{M} or @code{X} packets as necessary.
40226 The @code{F} packet may only be sent when either nothing has happened
40227 or the full action has been completed.
40228
40229 @node Console I/O
40230 @subsection Console I/O
40231 @cindex console i/o as part of file-i/o
40232
40233 By default and if not explicitly closed by the target system, the file
40234 descriptors 0, 1 and 2 are connected to the @value{GDBN} console. Output
40235 on the @value{GDBN} console is handled as any other file output operation
40236 (@code{write(1, @dots{})} or @code{write(2, @dots{})}). Console input is handled
40237 by @value{GDBN} so that after the target read request from file descriptor
40238 0 all following typing is buffered until either one of the following
40239 conditions is met:
40240
40241 @itemize @bullet
40242 @item
40243 The user types @kbd{Ctrl-c}. The behaviour is as explained above, and the
40244 @code{read}
40245 system call is treated as finished.
40246
40247 @item
40248 The user presses @key{RET}. This is treated as end of input with a trailing
40249 newline.
40250
40251 @item
40252 The user types @kbd{Ctrl-d}. This is treated as end of input. No trailing
40253 character (neither newline nor @samp{Ctrl-D}) is appended to the input.
40254
40255 @end itemize
40256
40257 If the user has typed more characters than fit in the buffer given to
40258 the @code{read} call, the trailing characters are buffered in @value{GDBN} until
40259 either another @code{read(0, @dots{})} is requested by the target, or debugging
40260 is stopped at the user's request.
40261
40262
40263 @node List of Supported Calls
40264 @subsection List of Supported Calls
40265 @cindex list of supported file-i/o calls
40266
40267 @menu
40268 * open::
40269 * close::
40270 * read::
40271 * write::
40272 * lseek::
40273 * rename::
40274 * unlink::
40275 * stat/fstat::
40276 * gettimeofday::
40277 * isatty::
40278 * system::
40279 @end menu
40280
40281 @node open
40282 @unnumberedsubsubsec open
40283 @cindex open, file-i/o system call
40284
40285 @table @asis
40286 @item Synopsis:
40287 @smallexample
40288 int open(const char *pathname, int flags);
40289 int open(const char *pathname, int flags, mode_t mode);
40290 @end smallexample
40291
40292 @item Request:
40293 @samp{Fopen,@var{pathptr}/@var{len},@var{flags},@var{mode}}
40294
40295 @noindent
40296 @var{flags} is the bitwise @code{OR} of the following values:
40297
40298 @table @code
40299 @item O_CREAT
40300 If the file does not exist it will be created. The host
40301 rules apply as far as file ownership and time stamps
40302 are concerned.
40303
40304 @item O_EXCL
40305 When used with @code{O_CREAT}, if the file already exists it is
40306 an error and open() fails.
40307
40308 @item O_TRUNC
40309 If the file already exists and the open mode allows
40310 writing (@code{O_RDWR} or @code{O_WRONLY} is given) it will be
40311 truncated to zero length.
40312
40313 @item O_APPEND
40314 The file is opened in append mode.
40315
40316 @item O_RDONLY
40317 The file is opened for reading only.
40318
40319 @item O_WRONLY
40320 The file is opened for writing only.
40321
40322 @item O_RDWR
40323 The file is opened for reading and writing.
40324 @end table
40325
40326 @noindent
40327 Other bits are silently ignored.
40328
40329
40330 @noindent
40331 @var{mode} is the bitwise @code{OR} of the following values:
40332
40333 @table @code
40334 @item S_IRUSR
40335 User has read permission.
40336
40337 @item S_IWUSR
40338 User has write permission.
40339
40340 @item S_IRGRP
40341 Group has read permission.
40342
40343 @item S_IWGRP
40344 Group has write permission.
40345
40346 @item S_IROTH
40347 Others have read permission.
40348
40349 @item S_IWOTH
40350 Others have write permission.
40351 @end table
40352
40353 @noindent
40354 Other bits are silently ignored.
40355
40356
40357 @item Return value:
40358 @code{open} returns the new file descriptor or -1 if an error
40359 occurred.
40360
40361 @item Errors:
40362
40363 @table @code
40364 @item EEXIST
40365 @var{pathname} already exists and @code{O_CREAT} and @code{O_EXCL} were used.
40366
40367 @item EISDIR
40368 @var{pathname} refers to a directory.
40369
40370 @item EACCES
40371 The requested access is not allowed.
40372
40373 @item ENAMETOOLONG
40374 @var{pathname} was too long.
40375
40376 @item ENOENT
40377 A directory component in @var{pathname} does not exist.
40378
40379 @item ENODEV
40380 @var{pathname} refers to a device, pipe, named pipe or socket.
40381
40382 @item EROFS
40383 @var{pathname} refers to a file on a read-only filesystem and
40384 write access was requested.
40385
40386 @item EFAULT
40387 @var{pathname} is an invalid pointer value.
40388
40389 @item ENOSPC
40390 No space on device to create the file.
40391
40392 @item EMFILE
40393 The process already has the maximum number of files open.
40394
40395 @item ENFILE
40396 The limit on the total number of files open on the system
40397 has been reached.
40398
40399 @item EINTR
40400 The call was interrupted by the user.
40401 @end table
40402
40403 @end table
40404
40405 @node close
40406 @unnumberedsubsubsec close
40407 @cindex close, file-i/o system call
40408
40409 @table @asis
40410 @item Synopsis:
40411 @smallexample
40412 int close(int fd);
40413 @end smallexample
40414
40415 @item Request:
40416 @samp{Fclose,@var{fd}}
40417
40418 @item Return value:
40419 @code{close} returns zero on success, or -1 if an error occurred.
40420
40421 @item Errors:
40422
40423 @table @code
40424 @item EBADF
40425 @var{fd} isn't a valid open file descriptor.
40426
40427 @item EINTR
40428 The call was interrupted by the user.
40429 @end table
40430
40431 @end table
40432
40433 @node read
40434 @unnumberedsubsubsec read
40435 @cindex read, file-i/o system call
40436
40437 @table @asis
40438 @item Synopsis:
40439 @smallexample
40440 int read(int fd, void *buf, unsigned int count);
40441 @end smallexample
40442
40443 @item Request:
40444 @samp{Fread,@var{fd},@var{bufptr},@var{count}}
40445
40446 @item Return value:
40447 On success, the number of bytes read is returned.
40448 Zero indicates end of file. If count is zero, read
40449 returns zero as well. On error, -1 is returned.
40450
40451 @item Errors:
40452
40453 @table @code
40454 @item EBADF
40455 @var{fd} is not a valid file descriptor or is not open for
40456 reading.
40457
40458 @item EFAULT
40459 @var{bufptr} is an invalid pointer value.
40460
40461 @item EINTR
40462 The call was interrupted by the user.
40463 @end table
40464
40465 @end table
40466
40467 @node write
40468 @unnumberedsubsubsec write
40469 @cindex write, file-i/o system call
40470
40471 @table @asis
40472 @item Synopsis:
40473 @smallexample
40474 int write(int fd, const void *buf, unsigned int count);
40475 @end smallexample
40476
40477 @item Request:
40478 @samp{Fwrite,@var{fd},@var{bufptr},@var{count}}
40479
40480 @item Return value:
40481 On success, the number of bytes written are returned.
40482 Zero indicates nothing was written. On error, -1
40483 is returned.
40484
40485 @item Errors:
40486
40487 @table @code
40488 @item EBADF
40489 @var{fd} is not a valid file descriptor or is not open for
40490 writing.
40491
40492 @item EFAULT
40493 @var{bufptr} is an invalid pointer value.
40494
40495 @item EFBIG
40496 An attempt was made to write a file that exceeds the
40497 host-specific maximum file size allowed.
40498
40499 @item ENOSPC
40500 No space on device to write the data.
40501
40502 @item EINTR
40503 The call was interrupted by the user.
40504 @end table
40505
40506 @end table
40507
40508 @node lseek
40509 @unnumberedsubsubsec lseek
40510 @cindex lseek, file-i/o system call
40511
40512 @table @asis
40513 @item Synopsis:
40514 @smallexample
40515 long lseek (int fd, long offset, int flag);
40516 @end smallexample
40517
40518 @item Request:
40519 @samp{Flseek,@var{fd},@var{offset},@var{flag}}
40520
40521 @var{flag} is one of:
40522
40523 @table @code
40524 @item SEEK_SET
40525 The offset is set to @var{offset} bytes.
40526
40527 @item SEEK_CUR
40528 The offset is set to its current location plus @var{offset}
40529 bytes.
40530
40531 @item SEEK_END
40532 The offset is set to the size of the file plus @var{offset}
40533 bytes.
40534 @end table
40535
40536 @item Return value:
40537 On success, the resulting unsigned offset in bytes from
40538 the beginning of the file is returned. Otherwise, a
40539 value of -1 is returned.
40540
40541 @item Errors:
40542
40543 @table @code
40544 @item EBADF
40545 @var{fd} is not a valid open file descriptor.
40546
40547 @item ESPIPE
40548 @var{fd} is associated with the @value{GDBN} console.
40549
40550 @item EINVAL
40551 @var{flag} is not a proper value.
40552
40553 @item EINTR
40554 The call was interrupted by the user.
40555 @end table
40556
40557 @end table
40558
40559 @node rename
40560 @unnumberedsubsubsec rename
40561 @cindex rename, file-i/o system call
40562
40563 @table @asis
40564 @item Synopsis:
40565 @smallexample
40566 int rename(const char *oldpath, const char *newpath);
40567 @end smallexample
40568
40569 @item Request:
40570 @samp{Frename,@var{oldpathptr}/@var{len},@var{newpathptr}/@var{len}}
40571
40572 @item Return value:
40573 On success, zero is returned. On error, -1 is returned.
40574
40575 @item Errors:
40576
40577 @table @code
40578 @item EISDIR
40579 @var{newpath} is an existing directory, but @var{oldpath} is not a
40580 directory.
40581
40582 @item EEXIST
40583 @var{newpath} is a non-empty directory.
40584
40585 @item EBUSY
40586 @var{oldpath} or @var{newpath} is a directory that is in use by some
40587 process.
40588
40589 @item EINVAL
40590 An attempt was made to make a directory a subdirectory
40591 of itself.
40592
40593 @item ENOTDIR
40594 A component used as a directory in @var{oldpath} or new
40595 path is not a directory. Or @var{oldpath} is a directory
40596 and @var{newpath} exists but is not a directory.
40597
40598 @item EFAULT
40599 @var{oldpathptr} or @var{newpathptr} are invalid pointer values.
40600
40601 @item EACCES
40602 No access to the file or the path of the file.
40603
40604 @item ENAMETOOLONG
40605
40606 @var{oldpath} or @var{newpath} was too long.
40607
40608 @item ENOENT
40609 A directory component in @var{oldpath} or @var{newpath} does not exist.
40610
40611 @item EROFS
40612 The file is on a read-only filesystem.
40613
40614 @item ENOSPC
40615 The device containing the file has no room for the new
40616 directory entry.
40617
40618 @item EINTR
40619 The call was interrupted by the user.
40620 @end table
40621
40622 @end table
40623
40624 @node unlink
40625 @unnumberedsubsubsec unlink
40626 @cindex unlink, file-i/o system call
40627
40628 @table @asis
40629 @item Synopsis:
40630 @smallexample
40631 int unlink(const char *pathname);
40632 @end smallexample
40633
40634 @item Request:
40635 @samp{Funlink,@var{pathnameptr}/@var{len}}
40636
40637 @item Return value:
40638 On success, zero is returned. On error, -1 is returned.
40639
40640 @item Errors:
40641
40642 @table @code
40643 @item EACCES
40644 No access to the file or the path of the file.
40645
40646 @item EPERM
40647 The system does not allow unlinking of directories.
40648
40649 @item EBUSY
40650 The file @var{pathname} cannot be unlinked because it's
40651 being used by another process.
40652
40653 @item EFAULT
40654 @var{pathnameptr} is an invalid pointer value.
40655
40656 @item ENAMETOOLONG
40657 @var{pathname} was too long.
40658
40659 @item ENOENT
40660 A directory component in @var{pathname} does not exist.
40661
40662 @item ENOTDIR
40663 A component of the path is not a directory.
40664
40665 @item EROFS
40666 The file is on a read-only filesystem.
40667
40668 @item EINTR
40669 The call was interrupted by the user.
40670 @end table
40671
40672 @end table
40673
40674 @node stat/fstat
40675 @unnumberedsubsubsec stat/fstat
40676 @cindex fstat, file-i/o system call
40677 @cindex stat, file-i/o system call
40678
40679 @table @asis
40680 @item Synopsis:
40681 @smallexample
40682 int stat(const char *pathname, struct stat *buf);
40683 int fstat(int fd, struct stat *buf);
40684 @end smallexample
40685
40686 @item Request:
40687 @samp{Fstat,@var{pathnameptr}/@var{len},@var{bufptr}}@*
40688 @samp{Ffstat,@var{fd},@var{bufptr}}
40689
40690 @item Return value:
40691 On success, zero is returned. On error, -1 is returned.
40692
40693 @item Errors:
40694
40695 @table @code
40696 @item EBADF
40697 @var{fd} is not a valid open file.
40698
40699 @item ENOENT
40700 A directory component in @var{pathname} does not exist or the
40701 path is an empty string.
40702
40703 @item ENOTDIR
40704 A component of the path is not a directory.
40705
40706 @item EFAULT
40707 @var{pathnameptr} is an invalid pointer value.
40708
40709 @item EACCES
40710 No access to the file or the path of the file.
40711
40712 @item ENAMETOOLONG
40713 @var{pathname} was too long.
40714
40715 @item EINTR
40716 The call was interrupted by the user.
40717 @end table
40718
40719 @end table
40720
40721 @node gettimeofday
40722 @unnumberedsubsubsec gettimeofday
40723 @cindex gettimeofday, file-i/o system call
40724
40725 @table @asis
40726 @item Synopsis:
40727 @smallexample
40728 int gettimeofday(struct timeval *tv, void *tz);
40729 @end smallexample
40730
40731 @item Request:
40732 @samp{Fgettimeofday,@var{tvptr},@var{tzptr}}
40733
40734 @item Return value:
40735 On success, 0 is returned, -1 otherwise.
40736
40737 @item Errors:
40738
40739 @table @code
40740 @item EINVAL
40741 @var{tz} is a non-NULL pointer.
40742
40743 @item EFAULT
40744 @var{tvptr} and/or @var{tzptr} is an invalid pointer value.
40745 @end table
40746
40747 @end table
40748
40749 @node isatty
40750 @unnumberedsubsubsec isatty
40751 @cindex isatty, file-i/o system call
40752
40753 @table @asis
40754 @item Synopsis:
40755 @smallexample
40756 int isatty(int fd);
40757 @end smallexample
40758
40759 @item Request:
40760 @samp{Fisatty,@var{fd}}
40761
40762 @item Return value:
40763 Returns 1 if @var{fd} refers to the @value{GDBN} console, 0 otherwise.
40764
40765 @item Errors:
40766
40767 @table @code
40768 @item EINTR
40769 The call was interrupted by the user.
40770 @end table
40771
40772 @end table
40773
40774 Note that the @code{isatty} call is treated as a special case: it returns
40775 1 to the target if the file descriptor is attached
40776 to the @value{GDBN} console, 0 otherwise. Implementing through system calls
40777 would require implementing @code{ioctl} and would be more complex than
40778 needed.
40779
40780
40781 @node system
40782 @unnumberedsubsubsec system
40783 @cindex system, file-i/o system call
40784
40785 @table @asis
40786 @item Synopsis:
40787 @smallexample
40788 int system(const char *command);
40789 @end smallexample
40790
40791 @item Request:
40792 @samp{Fsystem,@var{commandptr}/@var{len}}
40793
40794 @item Return value:
40795 If @var{len} is zero, the return value indicates whether a shell is
40796 available. A zero return value indicates a shell is not available.
40797 For non-zero @var{len}, the value returned is -1 on error and the
40798 return status of the command otherwise. Only the exit status of the
40799 command is returned, which is extracted from the host's @code{system}
40800 return value by calling @code{WEXITSTATUS(retval)}. In case
40801 @file{/bin/sh} could not be executed, 127 is returned.
40802
40803 @item Errors:
40804
40805 @table @code
40806 @item EINTR
40807 The call was interrupted by the user.
40808 @end table
40809
40810 @end table
40811
40812 @value{GDBN} takes over the full task of calling the necessary host calls
40813 to perform the @code{system} call. The return value of @code{system} on
40814 the host is simplified before it's returned
40815 to the target. Any termination signal information from the child process
40816 is discarded, and the return value consists
40817 entirely of the exit status of the called command.
40818
40819 Due to security concerns, the @code{system} call is by default refused
40820 by @value{GDBN}. The user has to allow this call explicitly with the
40821 @code{set remote system-call-allowed 1} command.
40822
40823 @table @code
40824 @item set remote system-call-allowed
40825 @kindex set remote system-call-allowed
40826 Control whether to allow the @code{system} calls in the File I/O
40827 protocol for the remote target. The default is zero (disabled).
40828
40829 @item show remote system-call-allowed
40830 @kindex show remote system-call-allowed
40831 Show whether the @code{system} calls are allowed in the File I/O
40832 protocol.
40833 @end table
40834
40835 @node Protocol-specific Representation of Datatypes
40836 @subsection Protocol-specific Representation of Datatypes
40837 @cindex protocol-specific representation of datatypes, in file-i/o protocol
40838
40839 @menu
40840 * Integral Datatypes::
40841 * Pointer Values::
40842 * Memory Transfer::
40843 * struct stat::
40844 * struct timeval::
40845 @end menu
40846
40847 @node Integral Datatypes
40848 @unnumberedsubsubsec Integral Datatypes
40849 @cindex integral datatypes, in file-i/o protocol
40850
40851 The integral datatypes used in the system calls are @code{int},
40852 @code{unsigned int}, @code{long}, @code{unsigned long},
40853 @code{mode_t}, and @code{time_t}.
40854
40855 @code{int}, @code{unsigned int}, @code{mode_t} and @code{time_t} are
40856 implemented as 32 bit values in this protocol.
40857
40858 @code{long} and @code{unsigned long} are implemented as 64 bit types.
40859
40860 @xref{Limits}, for corresponding MIN and MAX values (similar to those
40861 in @file{limits.h}) to allow range checking on host and target.
40862
40863 @code{time_t} datatypes are defined as seconds since the Epoch.
40864
40865 All integral datatypes transferred as part of a memory read or write of a
40866 structured datatype e.g.@: a @code{struct stat} have to be given in big endian
40867 byte order.
40868
40869 @node Pointer Values
40870 @unnumberedsubsubsec Pointer Values
40871 @cindex pointer values, in file-i/o protocol
40872
40873 Pointers to target data are transmitted as they are. An exception
40874 is made for pointers to buffers for which the length isn't
40875 transmitted as part of the function call, namely strings. Strings
40876 are transmitted as a pointer/length pair, both as hex values, e.g.@:
40877
40878 @smallexample
40879 @code{1aaf/12}
40880 @end smallexample
40881
40882 @noindent
40883 which is a pointer to data of length 18 bytes at position 0x1aaf.
40884 The length is defined as the full string length in bytes, including
40885 the trailing null byte. For example, the string @code{"hello world"}
40886 at address 0x123456 is transmitted as
40887
40888 @smallexample
40889 @code{123456/d}
40890 @end smallexample
40891
40892 @node Memory Transfer
40893 @unnumberedsubsubsec Memory Transfer
40894 @cindex memory transfer, in file-i/o protocol
40895
40896 Structured data which is transferred using a memory read or write (for
40897 example, a @code{struct stat}) is expected to be in a protocol-specific format
40898 with all scalar multibyte datatypes being big endian. Translation to
40899 this representation needs to be done both by the target before the @code{F}
40900 packet is sent, and by @value{GDBN} before
40901 it transfers memory to the target. Transferred pointers to structured
40902 data should point to the already-coerced data at any time.
40903
40904
40905 @node struct stat
40906 @unnumberedsubsubsec struct stat
40907 @cindex struct stat, in file-i/o protocol
40908
40909 The buffer of type @code{struct stat} used by the target and @value{GDBN}
40910 is defined as follows:
40911
40912 @smallexample
40913 struct stat @{
40914 unsigned int st_dev; /* device */
40915 unsigned int st_ino; /* inode */
40916 mode_t st_mode; /* protection */
40917 unsigned int st_nlink; /* number of hard links */
40918 unsigned int st_uid; /* user ID of owner */
40919 unsigned int st_gid; /* group ID of owner */
40920 unsigned int st_rdev; /* device type (if inode device) */
40921 unsigned long st_size; /* total size, in bytes */
40922 unsigned long st_blksize; /* blocksize for filesystem I/O */
40923 unsigned long st_blocks; /* number of blocks allocated */
40924 time_t st_atime; /* time of last access */
40925 time_t st_mtime; /* time of last modification */
40926 time_t st_ctime; /* time of last change */
40927 @};
40928 @end smallexample
40929
40930 The integral datatypes conform to the definitions given in the
40931 appropriate section (see @ref{Integral Datatypes}, for details) so this
40932 structure is of size 64 bytes.
40933
40934 The values of several fields have a restricted meaning and/or
40935 range of values.
40936
40937 @table @code
40938
40939 @item st_dev
40940 A value of 0 represents a file, 1 the console.
40941
40942 @item st_ino
40943 No valid meaning for the target. Transmitted unchanged.
40944
40945 @item st_mode
40946 Valid mode bits are described in @ref{Constants}. Any other
40947 bits have currently no meaning for the target.
40948
40949 @item st_uid
40950 @itemx st_gid
40951 @itemx st_rdev
40952 No valid meaning for the target. Transmitted unchanged.
40953
40954 @item st_atime
40955 @itemx st_mtime
40956 @itemx st_ctime
40957 These values have a host and file system dependent
40958 accuracy. Especially on Windows hosts, the file system may not
40959 support exact timing values.
40960 @end table
40961
40962 The target gets a @code{struct stat} of the above representation and is
40963 responsible for coercing it to the target representation before
40964 continuing.
40965
40966 Note that due to size differences between the host, target, and protocol
40967 representations of @code{struct stat} members, these members could eventually
40968 get truncated on the target.
40969
40970 @node struct timeval
40971 @unnumberedsubsubsec struct timeval
40972 @cindex struct timeval, in file-i/o protocol
40973
40974 The buffer of type @code{struct timeval} used by the File-I/O protocol
40975 is defined as follows:
40976
40977 @smallexample
40978 struct timeval @{
40979 time_t tv_sec; /* second */
40980 long tv_usec; /* microsecond */
40981 @};
40982 @end smallexample
40983
40984 The integral datatypes conform to the definitions given in the
40985 appropriate section (see @ref{Integral Datatypes}, for details) so this
40986 structure is of size 8 bytes.
40987
40988 @node Constants
40989 @subsection Constants
40990 @cindex constants, in file-i/o protocol
40991
40992 The following values are used for the constants inside of the
40993 protocol. @value{GDBN} and target are responsible for translating these
40994 values before and after the call as needed.
40995
40996 @menu
40997 * Open Flags::
40998 * mode_t Values::
40999 * Errno Values::
41000 * Lseek Flags::
41001 * Limits::
41002 @end menu
41003
41004 @node Open Flags
41005 @unnumberedsubsubsec Open Flags
41006 @cindex open flags, in file-i/o protocol
41007
41008 All values are given in hexadecimal representation.
41009
41010 @smallexample
41011 O_RDONLY 0x0
41012 O_WRONLY 0x1
41013 O_RDWR 0x2
41014 O_APPEND 0x8
41015 O_CREAT 0x200
41016 O_TRUNC 0x400
41017 O_EXCL 0x800
41018 @end smallexample
41019
41020 @node mode_t Values
41021 @unnumberedsubsubsec mode_t Values
41022 @cindex mode_t values, in file-i/o protocol
41023
41024 All values are given in octal representation.
41025
41026 @smallexample
41027 S_IFREG 0100000
41028 S_IFDIR 040000
41029 S_IRUSR 0400
41030 S_IWUSR 0200
41031 S_IXUSR 0100
41032 S_IRGRP 040
41033 S_IWGRP 020
41034 S_IXGRP 010
41035 S_IROTH 04
41036 S_IWOTH 02
41037 S_IXOTH 01
41038 @end smallexample
41039
41040 @node Errno Values
41041 @unnumberedsubsubsec Errno Values
41042 @cindex errno values, in file-i/o protocol
41043
41044 All values are given in decimal representation.
41045
41046 @smallexample
41047 EPERM 1
41048 ENOENT 2
41049 EINTR 4
41050 EBADF 9
41051 EACCES 13
41052 EFAULT 14
41053 EBUSY 16
41054 EEXIST 17
41055 ENODEV 19
41056 ENOTDIR 20
41057 EISDIR 21
41058 EINVAL 22
41059 ENFILE 23
41060 EMFILE 24
41061 EFBIG 27
41062 ENOSPC 28
41063 ESPIPE 29
41064 EROFS 30
41065 ENAMETOOLONG 91
41066 EUNKNOWN 9999
41067 @end smallexample
41068
41069 @code{EUNKNOWN} is used as a fallback error value if a host system returns
41070 any error value not in the list of supported error numbers.
41071
41072 @node Lseek Flags
41073 @unnumberedsubsubsec Lseek Flags
41074 @cindex lseek flags, in file-i/o protocol
41075
41076 @smallexample
41077 SEEK_SET 0
41078 SEEK_CUR 1
41079 SEEK_END 2
41080 @end smallexample
41081
41082 @node Limits
41083 @unnumberedsubsubsec Limits
41084 @cindex limits, in file-i/o protocol
41085
41086 All values are given in decimal representation.
41087
41088 @smallexample
41089 INT_MIN -2147483648
41090 INT_MAX 2147483647
41091 UINT_MAX 4294967295
41092 LONG_MIN -9223372036854775808
41093 LONG_MAX 9223372036854775807
41094 ULONG_MAX 18446744073709551615
41095 @end smallexample
41096
41097 @node File-I/O Examples
41098 @subsection File-I/O Examples
41099 @cindex file-i/o examples
41100
41101 Example sequence of a write call, file descriptor 3, buffer is at target
41102 address 0x1234, 6 bytes should be written:
41103
41104 @smallexample
41105 <- @code{Fwrite,3,1234,6}
41106 @emph{request memory read from target}
41107 -> @code{m1234,6}
41108 <- XXXXXX
41109 @emph{return "6 bytes written"}
41110 -> @code{F6}
41111 @end smallexample
41112
41113 Example sequence of a read call, file descriptor 3, buffer is at target
41114 address 0x1234, 6 bytes should be read:
41115
41116 @smallexample
41117 <- @code{Fread,3,1234,6}
41118 @emph{request memory write to target}
41119 -> @code{X1234,6:XXXXXX}
41120 @emph{return "6 bytes read"}
41121 -> @code{F6}
41122 @end smallexample
41123
41124 Example sequence of a read call, call fails on the host due to invalid
41125 file descriptor (@code{EBADF}):
41126
41127 @smallexample
41128 <- @code{Fread,3,1234,6}
41129 -> @code{F-1,9}
41130 @end smallexample
41131
41132 Example sequence of a read call, user presses @kbd{Ctrl-c} before syscall on
41133 host is called:
41134
41135 @smallexample
41136 <- @code{Fread,3,1234,6}
41137 -> @code{F-1,4,C}
41138 <- @code{T02}
41139 @end smallexample
41140
41141 Example sequence of a read call, user presses @kbd{Ctrl-c} after syscall on
41142 host is called:
41143
41144 @smallexample
41145 <- @code{Fread,3,1234,6}
41146 -> @code{X1234,6:XXXXXX}
41147 <- @code{T02}
41148 @end smallexample
41149
41150 @node Library List Format
41151 @section Library List Format
41152 @cindex library list format, remote protocol
41153
41154 On some platforms, a dynamic loader (e.g.@: @file{ld.so}) runs in the
41155 same process as your application to manage libraries. In this case,
41156 @value{GDBN} can use the loader's symbol table and normal memory
41157 operations to maintain a list of shared libraries. On other
41158 platforms, the operating system manages loaded libraries.
41159 @value{GDBN} can not retrieve the list of currently loaded libraries
41160 through memory operations, so it uses the @samp{qXfer:libraries:read}
41161 packet (@pxref{qXfer library list read}) instead. The remote stub
41162 queries the target's operating system and reports which libraries
41163 are loaded.
41164
41165 The @samp{qXfer:libraries:read} packet returns an XML document which
41166 lists loaded libraries and their offsets. Each library has an
41167 associated name and one or more segment or section base addresses,
41168 which report where the library was loaded in memory.
41169
41170 For the common case of libraries that are fully linked binaries, the
41171 library should have a list of segments. If the target supports
41172 dynamic linking of a relocatable object file, its library XML element
41173 should instead include a list of allocated sections. The segment or
41174 section bases are start addresses, not relocation offsets; they do not
41175 depend on the library's link-time base addresses.
41176
41177 @value{GDBN} must be linked with the Expat library to support XML
41178 library lists. @xref{Expat}.
41179
41180 A simple memory map, with one loaded library relocated by a single
41181 offset, looks like this:
41182
41183 @smallexample
41184 <library-list>
41185 <library name="/lib/libc.so.6">
41186 <segment address="0x10000000"/>
41187 </library>
41188 </library-list>
41189 @end smallexample
41190
41191 Another simple memory map, with one loaded library with three
41192 allocated sections (.text, .data, .bss), looks like this:
41193
41194 @smallexample
41195 <library-list>
41196 <library name="sharedlib.o">
41197 <section address="0x10000000"/>
41198 <section address="0x20000000"/>
41199 <section address="0x30000000"/>
41200 </library>
41201 </library-list>
41202 @end smallexample
41203
41204 The format of a library list is described by this DTD:
41205
41206 @smallexample
41207 <!-- library-list: Root element with versioning -->
41208 <!ELEMENT library-list (library)*>
41209 <!ATTLIST library-list version CDATA #FIXED "1.0">
41210 <!ELEMENT library (segment*, section*)>
41211 <!ATTLIST library name CDATA #REQUIRED>
41212 <!ELEMENT segment EMPTY>
41213 <!ATTLIST segment address CDATA #REQUIRED>
41214 <!ELEMENT section EMPTY>
41215 <!ATTLIST section address CDATA #REQUIRED>
41216 @end smallexample
41217
41218 In addition, segments and section descriptors cannot be mixed within a
41219 single library element, and you must supply at least one segment or
41220 section for each library.
41221
41222 @node Library List Format for SVR4 Targets
41223 @section Library List Format for SVR4 Targets
41224 @cindex library list format, remote protocol
41225
41226 On SVR4 platforms @value{GDBN} can use the symbol table of a dynamic loader
41227 (e.g.@: @file{ld.so}) and normal memory operations to maintain a list of
41228 shared libraries. Still a special library list provided by this packet is
41229 more efficient for the @value{GDBN} remote protocol.
41230
41231 The @samp{qXfer:libraries-svr4:read} packet returns an XML document which lists
41232 loaded libraries and their SVR4 linker parameters. For each library on SVR4
41233 target, the following parameters are reported:
41234
41235 @itemize @minus
41236 @item
41237 @code{name}, the absolute file name from the @code{l_name} field of
41238 @code{struct link_map}.
41239 @item
41240 @code{lm} with address of @code{struct link_map} used for TLS
41241 (Thread Local Storage) access.
41242 @item
41243 @code{l_addr}, the displacement as read from the field @code{l_addr} of
41244 @code{struct link_map}. For prelinked libraries this is not an absolute
41245 memory address. It is a displacement of absolute memory address against
41246 address the file was prelinked to during the library load.
41247 @item
41248 @code{l_ld}, which is memory address of the @code{PT_DYNAMIC} segment
41249 @end itemize
41250
41251 Additionally the single @code{main-lm} attribute specifies address of
41252 @code{struct link_map} used for the main executable. This parameter is used
41253 for TLS access and its presence is optional.
41254
41255 @value{GDBN} must be linked with the Expat library to support XML
41256 SVR4 library lists. @xref{Expat}.
41257
41258 A simple memory map, with two loaded libraries (which do not use prelink),
41259 looks like this:
41260
41261 @smallexample
41262 <library-list-svr4 version="1.0" main-lm="0xe4f8f8">
41263 <library name="/lib/ld-linux.so.2" lm="0xe4f51c" l_addr="0xe2d000"
41264 l_ld="0xe4eefc"/>
41265 <library name="/lib/libc.so.6" lm="0xe4fbe8" l_addr="0x154000"
41266 l_ld="0x152350"/>
41267 </library-list-svr>
41268 @end smallexample
41269
41270 The format of an SVR4 library list is described by this DTD:
41271
41272 @smallexample
41273 <!-- library-list-svr4: Root element with versioning -->
41274 <!ELEMENT library-list-svr4 (library)*>
41275 <!ATTLIST library-list-svr4 version CDATA #FIXED "1.0">
41276 <!ATTLIST library-list-svr4 main-lm CDATA #IMPLIED>
41277 <!ELEMENT library EMPTY>
41278 <!ATTLIST library name CDATA #REQUIRED>
41279 <!ATTLIST library lm CDATA #REQUIRED>
41280 <!ATTLIST library l_addr CDATA #REQUIRED>
41281 <!ATTLIST library l_ld CDATA #REQUIRED>
41282 @end smallexample
41283
41284 @node Memory Map Format
41285 @section Memory Map Format
41286 @cindex memory map format
41287
41288 To be able to write into flash memory, @value{GDBN} needs to obtain a
41289 memory map from the target. This section describes the format of the
41290 memory map.
41291
41292 The memory map is obtained using the @samp{qXfer:memory-map:read}
41293 (@pxref{qXfer memory map read}) packet and is an XML document that
41294 lists memory regions.
41295
41296 @value{GDBN} must be linked with the Expat library to support XML
41297 memory maps. @xref{Expat}.
41298
41299 The top-level structure of the document is shown below:
41300
41301 @smallexample
41302 <?xml version="1.0"?>
41303 <!DOCTYPE memory-map
41304 PUBLIC "+//IDN gnu.org//DTD GDB Memory Map V1.0//EN"
41305 "http://sourceware.org/gdb/gdb-memory-map.dtd">
41306 <memory-map>
41307 region...
41308 </memory-map>
41309 @end smallexample
41310
41311 Each region can be either:
41312
41313 @itemize
41314
41315 @item
41316 A region of RAM starting at @var{addr} and extending for @var{length}
41317 bytes from there:
41318
41319 @smallexample
41320 <memory type="ram" start="@var{addr}" length="@var{length}"/>
41321 @end smallexample
41322
41323
41324 @item
41325 A region of read-only memory:
41326
41327 @smallexample
41328 <memory type="rom" start="@var{addr}" length="@var{length}"/>
41329 @end smallexample
41330
41331
41332 @item
41333 A region of flash memory, with erasure blocks @var{blocksize}
41334 bytes in length:
41335
41336 @smallexample
41337 <memory type="flash" start="@var{addr}" length="@var{length}">
41338 <property name="blocksize">@var{blocksize}</property>
41339 </memory>
41340 @end smallexample
41341
41342 @end itemize
41343
41344 Regions must not overlap. @value{GDBN} assumes that areas of memory not covered
41345 by the memory map are RAM, and uses the ordinary @samp{M} and @samp{X}
41346 packets to write to addresses in such ranges.
41347
41348 The formal DTD for memory map format is given below:
41349
41350 @smallexample
41351 <!-- ................................................... -->
41352 <!-- Memory Map XML DTD ................................ -->
41353 <!-- File: memory-map.dtd .............................. -->
41354 <!-- .................................... .............. -->
41355 <!-- memory-map.dtd -->
41356 <!-- memory-map: Root element with versioning -->
41357 <!ELEMENT memory-map (memory)*>
41358 <!ATTLIST memory-map version CDATA #FIXED "1.0.0">
41359 <!ELEMENT memory (property)*>
41360 <!-- memory: Specifies a memory region,
41361 and its type, or device. -->
41362 <!ATTLIST memory type (ram|rom|flash) #REQUIRED
41363 start CDATA #REQUIRED
41364 length CDATA #REQUIRED>
41365 <!-- property: Generic attribute tag -->
41366 <!ELEMENT property (#PCDATA | property)*>
41367 <!ATTLIST property name (blocksize) #REQUIRED>
41368 @end smallexample
41369
41370 @node Thread List Format
41371 @section Thread List Format
41372 @cindex thread list format
41373
41374 To efficiently update the list of threads and their attributes,
41375 @value{GDBN} issues the @samp{qXfer:threads:read} packet
41376 (@pxref{qXfer threads read}) and obtains the XML document with
41377 the following structure:
41378
41379 @smallexample
41380 <?xml version="1.0"?>
41381 <threads>
41382 <thread id="id" core="0" name="name">
41383 ... description ...
41384 </thread>
41385 </threads>
41386 @end smallexample
41387
41388 Each @samp{thread} element must have the @samp{id} attribute that
41389 identifies the thread (@pxref{thread-id syntax}). The
41390 @samp{core} attribute, if present, specifies which processor core
41391 the thread was last executing on. The @samp{name} attribute, if
41392 present, specifies the human-readable name of the thread. The content
41393 of the of @samp{thread} element is interpreted as human-readable
41394 auxiliary information. The @samp{handle} attribute, if present,
41395 is a hex encoded representation of the thread handle.
41396
41397
41398 @node Traceframe Info Format
41399 @section Traceframe Info Format
41400 @cindex traceframe info format
41401
41402 To be able to know which objects in the inferior can be examined when
41403 inspecting a tracepoint hit, @value{GDBN} needs to obtain the list of
41404 memory ranges, registers and trace state variables that have been
41405 collected in a traceframe.
41406
41407 This list is obtained using the @samp{qXfer:traceframe-info:read}
41408 (@pxref{qXfer traceframe info read}) packet and is an XML document.
41409
41410 @value{GDBN} must be linked with the Expat library to support XML
41411 traceframe info discovery. @xref{Expat}.
41412
41413 The top-level structure of the document is shown below:
41414
41415 @smallexample
41416 <?xml version="1.0"?>
41417 <!DOCTYPE traceframe-info
41418 PUBLIC "+//IDN gnu.org//DTD GDB Memory Map V1.0//EN"
41419 "http://sourceware.org/gdb/gdb-traceframe-info.dtd">
41420 <traceframe-info>
41421 block...
41422 </traceframe-info>
41423 @end smallexample
41424
41425 Each traceframe block can be either:
41426
41427 @itemize
41428
41429 @item
41430 A region of collected memory starting at @var{addr} and extending for
41431 @var{length} bytes from there:
41432
41433 @smallexample
41434 <memory start="@var{addr}" length="@var{length}"/>
41435 @end smallexample
41436
41437 @item
41438 A block indicating trace state variable numbered @var{number} has been
41439 collected:
41440
41441 @smallexample
41442 <tvar id="@var{number}"/>
41443 @end smallexample
41444
41445 @end itemize
41446
41447 The formal DTD for the traceframe info format is given below:
41448
41449 @smallexample
41450 <!ELEMENT traceframe-info (memory | tvar)* >
41451 <!ATTLIST traceframe-info version CDATA #FIXED "1.0">
41452
41453 <!ELEMENT memory EMPTY>
41454 <!ATTLIST memory start CDATA #REQUIRED
41455 length CDATA #REQUIRED>
41456 <!ELEMENT tvar>
41457 <!ATTLIST tvar id CDATA #REQUIRED>
41458 @end smallexample
41459
41460 @node Branch Trace Format
41461 @section Branch Trace Format
41462 @cindex branch trace format
41463
41464 In order to display the branch trace of an inferior thread,
41465 @value{GDBN} needs to obtain the list of branches. This list is
41466 represented as list of sequential code blocks that are connected via
41467 branches. The code in each block has been executed sequentially.
41468
41469 This list is obtained using the @samp{qXfer:btrace:read}
41470 (@pxref{qXfer btrace read}) packet and is an XML document.
41471
41472 @value{GDBN} must be linked with the Expat library to support XML
41473 traceframe info discovery. @xref{Expat}.
41474
41475 The top-level structure of the document is shown below:
41476
41477 @smallexample
41478 <?xml version="1.0"?>
41479 <!DOCTYPE btrace
41480 PUBLIC "+//IDN gnu.org//DTD GDB Branch Trace V1.0//EN"
41481 "http://sourceware.org/gdb/gdb-btrace.dtd">
41482 <btrace>
41483 block...
41484 </btrace>
41485 @end smallexample
41486
41487 @itemize
41488
41489 @item
41490 A block of sequentially executed instructions starting at @var{begin}
41491 and ending at @var{end}:
41492
41493 @smallexample
41494 <block begin="@var{begin}" end="@var{end}"/>
41495 @end smallexample
41496
41497 @end itemize
41498
41499 The formal DTD for the branch trace format is given below:
41500
41501 @smallexample
41502 <!ELEMENT btrace (block* | pt) >
41503 <!ATTLIST btrace version CDATA #FIXED "1.0">
41504
41505 <!ELEMENT block EMPTY>
41506 <!ATTLIST block begin CDATA #REQUIRED
41507 end CDATA #REQUIRED>
41508
41509 <!ELEMENT pt (pt-config?, raw?)>
41510
41511 <!ELEMENT pt-config (cpu?)>
41512
41513 <!ELEMENT cpu EMPTY>
41514 <!ATTLIST cpu vendor CDATA #REQUIRED
41515 family CDATA #REQUIRED
41516 model CDATA #REQUIRED
41517 stepping CDATA #REQUIRED>
41518
41519 <!ELEMENT raw (#PCDATA)>
41520 @end smallexample
41521
41522 @node Branch Trace Configuration Format
41523 @section Branch Trace Configuration Format
41524 @cindex branch trace configuration format
41525
41526 For each inferior thread, @value{GDBN} can obtain the branch trace
41527 configuration using the @samp{qXfer:btrace-conf:read}
41528 (@pxref{qXfer btrace-conf read}) packet.
41529
41530 The configuration describes the branch trace format and configuration
41531 settings for that format. The following information is described:
41532
41533 @table @code
41534 @item bts
41535 This thread uses the @dfn{Branch Trace Store} (@acronym{BTS}) format.
41536 @table @code
41537 @item size
41538 The size of the @acronym{BTS} ring buffer in bytes.
41539 @end table
41540 @item pt
41541 This thread uses the @dfn{Intel Processor Trace} (@acronym{Intel
41542 PT}) format.
41543 @table @code
41544 @item size
41545 The size of the @acronym{Intel PT} ring buffer in bytes.
41546 @end table
41547 @end table
41548
41549 @value{GDBN} must be linked with the Expat library to support XML
41550 branch trace configuration discovery. @xref{Expat}.
41551
41552 The formal DTD for the branch trace configuration format is given below:
41553
41554 @smallexample
41555 <!ELEMENT btrace-conf (bts?, pt?)>
41556 <!ATTLIST btrace-conf version CDATA #FIXED "1.0">
41557
41558 <!ELEMENT bts EMPTY>
41559 <!ATTLIST bts size CDATA #IMPLIED>
41560
41561 <!ELEMENT pt EMPTY>
41562 <!ATTLIST pt size CDATA #IMPLIED>
41563 @end smallexample
41564
41565 @include agentexpr.texi
41566
41567 @node Target Descriptions
41568 @appendix Target Descriptions
41569 @cindex target descriptions
41570
41571 One of the challenges of using @value{GDBN} to debug embedded systems
41572 is that there are so many minor variants of each processor
41573 architecture in use. It is common practice for vendors to start with
41574 a standard processor core --- ARM, PowerPC, or @acronym{MIPS}, for example ---
41575 and then make changes to adapt it to a particular market niche. Some
41576 architectures have hundreds of variants, available from dozens of
41577 vendors. This leads to a number of problems:
41578
41579 @itemize @bullet
41580 @item
41581 With so many different customized processors, it is difficult for
41582 the @value{GDBN} maintainers to keep up with the changes.
41583 @item
41584 Since individual variants may have short lifetimes or limited
41585 audiences, it may not be worthwhile to carry information about every
41586 variant in the @value{GDBN} source tree.
41587 @item
41588 When @value{GDBN} does support the architecture of the embedded system
41589 at hand, the task of finding the correct architecture name to give the
41590 @command{set architecture} command can be error-prone.
41591 @end itemize
41592
41593 To address these problems, the @value{GDBN} remote protocol allows a
41594 target system to not only identify itself to @value{GDBN}, but to
41595 actually describe its own features. This lets @value{GDBN} support
41596 processor variants it has never seen before --- to the extent that the
41597 descriptions are accurate, and that @value{GDBN} understands them.
41598
41599 @value{GDBN} must be linked with the Expat library to support XML
41600 target descriptions. @xref{Expat}.
41601
41602 @menu
41603 * Retrieving Descriptions:: How descriptions are fetched from a target.
41604 * Target Description Format:: The contents of a target description.
41605 * Predefined Target Types:: Standard types available for target
41606 descriptions.
41607 * Enum Target Types:: How to define enum target types.
41608 * Standard Target Features:: Features @value{GDBN} knows about.
41609 @end menu
41610
41611 @node Retrieving Descriptions
41612 @section Retrieving Descriptions
41613
41614 Target descriptions can be read from the target automatically, or
41615 specified by the user manually. The default behavior is to read the
41616 description from the target. @value{GDBN} retrieves it via the remote
41617 protocol using @samp{qXfer} requests (@pxref{General Query Packets,
41618 qXfer}). The @var{annex} in the @samp{qXfer} packet will be
41619 @samp{target.xml}. The contents of the @samp{target.xml} annex are an
41620 XML document, of the form described in @ref{Target Description
41621 Format}.
41622
41623 Alternatively, you can specify a file to read for the target description.
41624 If a file is set, the target will not be queried. The commands to
41625 specify a file are:
41626
41627 @table @code
41628 @cindex set tdesc filename
41629 @item set tdesc filename @var{path}
41630 Read the target description from @var{path}.
41631
41632 @cindex unset tdesc filename
41633 @item unset tdesc filename
41634 Do not read the XML target description from a file. @value{GDBN}
41635 will use the description supplied by the current target.
41636
41637 @cindex show tdesc filename
41638 @item show tdesc filename
41639 Show the filename to read for a target description, if any.
41640 @end table
41641
41642
41643 @node Target Description Format
41644 @section Target Description Format
41645 @cindex target descriptions, XML format
41646
41647 A target description annex is an @uref{http://www.w3.org/XML/, XML}
41648 document which complies with the Document Type Definition provided in
41649 the @value{GDBN} sources in @file{gdb/features/gdb-target.dtd}. This
41650 means you can use generally available tools like @command{xmllint} to
41651 check that your feature descriptions are well-formed and valid.
41652 However, to help people unfamiliar with XML write descriptions for
41653 their targets, we also describe the grammar here.
41654
41655 Target descriptions can identify the architecture of the remote target
41656 and (for some architectures) provide information about custom register
41657 sets. They can also identify the OS ABI of the remote target.
41658 @value{GDBN} can use this information to autoconfigure for your
41659 target, or to warn you if you connect to an unsupported target.
41660
41661 Here is a simple target description:
41662
41663 @smallexample
41664 <target version="1.0">
41665 <architecture>i386:x86-64</architecture>
41666 </target>
41667 @end smallexample
41668
41669 @noindent
41670 This minimal description only says that the target uses
41671 the x86-64 architecture.
41672
41673 A target description has the following overall form, with [ ] marking
41674 optional elements and @dots{} marking repeatable elements. The elements
41675 are explained further below.
41676
41677 @smallexample
41678 <?xml version="1.0"?>
41679 <!DOCTYPE target SYSTEM "gdb-target.dtd">
41680 <target version="1.0">
41681 @r{[}@var{architecture}@r{]}
41682 @r{[}@var{osabi}@r{]}
41683 @r{[}@var{compatible}@r{]}
41684 @r{[}@var{feature}@dots{}@r{]}
41685 </target>
41686 @end smallexample
41687
41688 @noindent
41689 The description is generally insensitive to whitespace and line
41690 breaks, under the usual common-sense rules. The XML version
41691 declaration and document type declaration can generally be omitted
41692 (@value{GDBN} does not require them), but specifying them may be
41693 useful for XML validation tools. The @samp{version} attribute for
41694 @samp{<target>} may also be omitted, but we recommend
41695 including it; if future versions of @value{GDBN} use an incompatible
41696 revision of @file{gdb-target.dtd}, they will detect and report
41697 the version mismatch.
41698
41699 @subsection Inclusion
41700 @cindex target descriptions, inclusion
41701 @cindex XInclude
41702 @ifnotinfo
41703 @cindex <xi:include>
41704 @end ifnotinfo
41705
41706 It can sometimes be valuable to split a target description up into
41707 several different annexes, either for organizational purposes, or to
41708 share files between different possible target descriptions. You can
41709 divide a description into multiple files by replacing any element of
41710 the target description with an inclusion directive of the form:
41711
41712 @smallexample
41713 <xi:include href="@var{document}"/>
41714 @end smallexample
41715
41716 @noindent
41717 When @value{GDBN} encounters an element of this form, it will retrieve
41718 the named XML @var{document}, and replace the inclusion directive with
41719 the contents of that document. If the current description was read
41720 using @samp{qXfer}, then so will be the included document;
41721 @var{document} will be interpreted as the name of an annex. If the
41722 current description was read from a file, @value{GDBN} will look for
41723 @var{document} as a file in the same directory where it found the
41724 original description.
41725
41726 @subsection Architecture
41727 @cindex <architecture>
41728
41729 An @samp{<architecture>} element has this form:
41730
41731 @smallexample
41732 <architecture>@var{arch}</architecture>
41733 @end smallexample
41734
41735 @var{arch} is one of the architectures from the set accepted by
41736 @code{set architecture} (@pxref{Targets, ,Specifying a Debugging Target}).
41737
41738 @subsection OS ABI
41739 @cindex @code{<osabi>}
41740
41741 This optional field was introduced in @value{GDBN} version 7.0.
41742 Previous versions of @value{GDBN} ignore it.
41743
41744 An @samp{<osabi>} element has this form:
41745
41746 @smallexample
41747 <osabi>@var{abi-name}</osabi>
41748 @end smallexample
41749
41750 @var{abi-name} is an OS ABI name from the same selection accepted by
41751 @w{@code{set osabi}} (@pxref{ABI, ,Configuring the Current ABI}).
41752
41753 @subsection Compatible Architecture
41754 @cindex @code{<compatible>}
41755
41756 This optional field was introduced in @value{GDBN} version 7.0.
41757 Previous versions of @value{GDBN} ignore it.
41758
41759 A @samp{<compatible>} element has this form:
41760
41761 @smallexample
41762 <compatible>@var{arch}</compatible>
41763 @end smallexample
41764
41765 @var{arch} is one of the architectures from the set accepted by
41766 @code{set architecture} (@pxref{Targets, ,Specifying a Debugging Target}).
41767
41768 A @samp{<compatible>} element is used to specify that the target
41769 is able to run binaries in some other than the main target architecture
41770 given by the @samp{<architecture>} element. For example, on the
41771 Cell Broadband Engine, the main architecture is @code{powerpc:common}
41772 or @code{powerpc:common64}, but the system is able to run binaries
41773 in the @code{spu} architecture as well. The way to describe this
41774 capability with @samp{<compatible>} is as follows:
41775
41776 @smallexample
41777 <architecture>powerpc:common</architecture>
41778 <compatible>spu</compatible>
41779 @end smallexample
41780
41781 @subsection Features
41782 @cindex <feature>
41783
41784 Each @samp{<feature>} describes some logical portion of the target
41785 system. Features are currently used to describe available CPU
41786 registers and the types of their contents. A @samp{<feature>} element
41787 has this form:
41788
41789 @smallexample
41790 <feature name="@var{name}">
41791 @r{[}@var{type}@dots{}@r{]}
41792 @var{reg}@dots{}
41793 </feature>
41794 @end smallexample
41795
41796 @noindent
41797 Each feature's name should be unique within the description. The name
41798 of a feature does not matter unless @value{GDBN} has some special
41799 knowledge of the contents of that feature; if it does, the feature
41800 should have its standard name. @xref{Standard Target Features}.
41801
41802 @subsection Types
41803
41804 Any register's value is a collection of bits which @value{GDBN} must
41805 interpret. The default interpretation is a two's complement integer,
41806 but other types can be requested by name in the register description.
41807 Some predefined types are provided by @value{GDBN} (@pxref{Predefined
41808 Target Types}), and the description can define additional composite
41809 and enum types.
41810
41811 Each type element must have an @samp{id} attribute, which gives
41812 a unique (within the containing @samp{<feature>}) name to the type.
41813 Types must be defined before they are used.
41814
41815 @cindex <vector>
41816 Some targets offer vector registers, which can be treated as arrays
41817 of scalar elements. These types are written as @samp{<vector>} elements,
41818 specifying the array element type, @var{type}, and the number of elements,
41819 @var{count}:
41820
41821 @smallexample
41822 <vector id="@var{id}" type="@var{type}" count="@var{count}"/>
41823 @end smallexample
41824
41825 @cindex <union>
41826 If a register's value is usefully viewed in multiple ways, define it
41827 with a union type containing the useful representations. The
41828 @samp{<union>} element contains one or more @samp{<field>} elements,
41829 each of which has a @var{name} and a @var{type}:
41830
41831 @smallexample
41832 <union id="@var{id}">
41833 <field name="@var{name}" type="@var{type}"/>
41834 @dots{}
41835 </union>
41836 @end smallexample
41837
41838 @cindex <struct>
41839 @cindex <flags>
41840 If a register's value is composed from several separate values, define
41841 it with either a structure type or a flags type.
41842 A flags type may only contain bitfields.
41843 A structure type may either contain only bitfields or contain no bitfields.
41844 If the value contains only bitfields, its total size in bytes must be
41845 specified.
41846
41847 Non-bitfield values have a @var{name} and @var{type}.
41848
41849 @smallexample
41850 <struct id="@var{id}">
41851 <field name="@var{name}" type="@var{type}"/>
41852 @dots{}
41853 </struct>
41854 @end smallexample
41855
41856 Both @var{name} and @var{type} values are required.
41857 No implicit padding is added.
41858
41859 Bitfield values have a @var{name}, @var{start}, @var{end} and @var{type}.
41860
41861 @smallexample
41862 <struct id="@var{id}" size="@var{size}">
41863 <field name="@var{name}" start="@var{start}" end="@var{end}" type="@var{type}"/>
41864 @dots{}
41865 </struct>
41866 @end smallexample
41867
41868 @smallexample
41869 <flags id="@var{id}" size="@var{size}">
41870 <field name="@var{name}" start="@var{start}" end="@var{end}" type="@var{type}"/>
41871 @dots{}
41872 </flags>
41873 @end smallexample
41874
41875 The @var{name} value is required.
41876 Bitfield values may be named with the empty string, @samp{""},
41877 in which case the field is ``filler'' and its value is not printed.
41878 Not all bits need to be specified, so ``filler'' fields are optional.
41879
41880 The @var{start} and @var{end} values are required, and @var{type}
41881 is optional.
41882 The field's @var{start} must be less than or equal to its @var{end},
41883 and zero represents the least significant bit.
41884
41885 The default value of @var{type} is @code{bool} for single bit fields,
41886 and an unsigned integer otherwise.
41887
41888 Which to choose? Structures or flags?
41889
41890 Registers defined with @samp{flags} have these advantages over
41891 defining them with @samp{struct}:
41892
41893 @itemize @bullet
41894 @item
41895 Arithmetic may be performed on them as if they were integers.
41896 @item
41897 They are printed in a more readable fashion.
41898 @end itemize
41899
41900 Registers defined with @samp{struct} have one advantage over
41901 defining them with @samp{flags}:
41902
41903 @itemize @bullet
41904 @item
41905 One can fetch individual fields like in @samp{C}.
41906
41907 @smallexample
41908 (gdb) print $my_struct_reg.field3
41909 $1 = 42
41910 @end smallexample
41911
41912 @end itemize
41913
41914 @subsection Registers
41915 @cindex <reg>
41916
41917 Each register is represented as an element with this form:
41918
41919 @smallexample
41920 <reg name="@var{name}"
41921 bitsize="@var{size}"
41922 @r{[}regnum="@var{num}"@r{]}
41923 @r{[}save-restore="@var{save-restore}"@r{]}
41924 @r{[}type="@var{type}"@r{]}
41925 @r{[}group="@var{group}"@r{]}/>
41926 @end smallexample
41927
41928 @noindent
41929 The components are as follows:
41930
41931 @table @var
41932
41933 @item name
41934 The register's name; it must be unique within the target description.
41935
41936 @item bitsize
41937 The register's size, in bits.
41938
41939 @item regnum
41940 The register's number. If omitted, a register's number is one greater
41941 than that of the previous register (either in the current feature or in
41942 a preceding feature); the first register in the target description
41943 defaults to zero. This register number is used to read or write
41944 the register; e.g.@: it is used in the remote @code{p} and @code{P}
41945 packets, and registers appear in the @code{g} and @code{G} packets
41946 in order of increasing register number.
41947
41948 @item save-restore
41949 Whether the register should be preserved across inferior function
41950 calls; this must be either @code{yes} or @code{no}. The default is
41951 @code{yes}, which is appropriate for most registers except for
41952 some system control registers; this is not related to the target's
41953 ABI.
41954
41955 @item type
41956 The type of the register. It may be a predefined type, a type
41957 defined in the current feature, or one of the special types @code{int}
41958 and @code{float}. @code{int} is an integer type of the correct size
41959 for @var{bitsize}, and @code{float} is a floating point type (in the
41960 architecture's normal floating point format) of the correct size for
41961 @var{bitsize}. The default is @code{int}.
41962
41963 @item group
41964 The register group to which this register belongs. It can be one of the
41965 standard register groups @code{general}, @code{float}, @code{vector} or an
41966 arbitrary string. Group names should be limited to alphanumeric characters.
41967 If a group name is made up of multiple words the words may be separated by
41968 hyphens; e.g.@: @code{special-group} or @code{ultra-special-group}. If no
41969 @var{group} is specified, @value{GDBN} will not display the register in
41970 @code{info registers}.
41971
41972 @end table
41973
41974 @node Predefined Target Types
41975 @section Predefined Target Types
41976 @cindex target descriptions, predefined types
41977
41978 Type definitions in the self-description can build up composite types
41979 from basic building blocks, but can not define fundamental types. Instead,
41980 standard identifiers are provided by @value{GDBN} for the fundamental
41981 types. The currently supported types are:
41982
41983 @table @code
41984
41985 @item bool
41986 Boolean type, occupying a single bit.
41987
41988 @item int8
41989 @itemx int16
41990 @itemx int32
41991 @itemx int64
41992 @itemx int128
41993 Signed integer types holding the specified number of bits.
41994
41995 @item uint8
41996 @itemx uint16
41997 @itemx uint32
41998 @itemx uint64
41999 @itemx uint128
42000 Unsigned integer types holding the specified number of bits.
42001
42002 @item code_ptr
42003 @itemx data_ptr
42004 Pointers to unspecified code and data. The program counter and
42005 any dedicated return address register may be marked as code
42006 pointers; printing a code pointer converts it into a symbolic
42007 address. The stack pointer and any dedicated address registers
42008 may be marked as data pointers.
42009
42010 @item ieee_single
42011 Single precision IEEE floating point.
42012
42013 @item ieee_double
42014 Double precision IEEE floating point.
42015
42016 @item arm_fpa_ext
42017 The 12-byte extended precision format used by ARM FPA registers.
42018
42019 @item i387_ext
42020 The 10-byte extended precision format used by x87 registers.
42021
42022 @item i386_eflags
42023 32bit @sc{eflags} register used by x86.
42024
42025 @item i386_mxcsr
42026 32bit @sc{mxcsr} register used by x86.
42027
42028 @end table
42029
42030 @node Enum Target Types
42031 @section Enum Target Types
42032 @cindex target descriptions, enum types
42033
42034 Enum target types are useful in @samp{struct} and @samp{flags}
42035 register descriptions. @xref{Target Description Format}.
42036
42037 Enum types have a name, size and a list of name/value pairs.
42038
42039 @smallexample
42040 <enum id="@var{id}" size="@var{size}">
42041 <evalue name="@var{name}" value="@var{value}"/>
42042 @dots{}
42043 </enum>
42044 @end smallexample
42045
42046 Enums must be defined before they are used.
42047
42048 @smallexample
42049 <enum id="levels_type" size="4">
42050 <evalue name="low" value="0"/>
42051 <evalue name="high" value="1"/>
42052 </enum>
42053 <flags id="flags_type" size="4">
42054 <field name="X" start="0"/>
42055 <field name="LEVEL" start="1" end="1" type="levels_type"/>
42056 </flags>
42057 <reg name="flags" bitsize="32" type="flags_type"/>
42058 @end smallexample
42059
42060 Given that description, a value of 3 for the @samp{flags} register
42061 would be printed as:
42062
42063 @smallexample
42064 (gdb) info register flags
42065 flags 0x3 [ X LEVEL=high ]
42066 @end smallexample
42067
42068 @node Standard Target Features
42069 @section Standard Target Features
42070 @cindex target descriptions, standard features
42071
42072 A target description must contain either no registers or all the
42073 target's registers. If the description contains no registers, then
42074 @value{GDBN} will assume a default register layout, selected based on
42075 the architecture. If the description contains any registers, the
42076 default layout will not be used; the standard registers must be
42077 described in the target description, in such a way that @value{GDBN}
42078 can recognize them.
42079
42080 This is accomplished by giving specific names to feature elements
42081 which contain standard registers. @value{GDBN} will look for features
42082 with those names and verify that they contain the expected registers;
42083 if any known feature is missing required registers, or if any required
42084 feature is missing, @value{GDBN} will reject the target
42085 description. You can add additional registers to any of the
42086 standard features --- @value{GDBN} will display them just as if
42087 they were added to an unrecognized feature.
42088
42089 This section lists the known features and their expected contents.
42090 Sample XML documents for these features are included in the
42091 @value{GDBN} source tree, in the directory @file{gdb/features}.
42092
42093 Names recognized by @value{GDBN} should include the name of the
42094 company or organization which selected the name, and the overall
42095 architecture to which the feature applies; so e.g.@: the feature
42096 containing ARM core registers is named @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.core}.
42097
42098 The names of registers are not case sensitive for the purpose
42099 of recognizing standard features, but @value{GDBN} will only display
42100 registers using the capitalization used in the description.
42101
42102 @menu
42103 * AArch64 Features::
42104 * ARC Features::
42105 * ARM Features::
42106 * i386 Features::
42107 * MicroBlaze Features::
42108 * MIPS Features::
42109 * M68K Features::
42110 * NDS32 Features::
42111 * Nios II Features::
42112 * OpenRISC 1000 Features::
42113 * PowerPC Features::
42114 * S/390 and System z Features::
42115 * Sparc Features::
42116 * TIC6x Features::
42117 @end menu
42118
42119
42120 @node AArch64 Features
42121 @subsection AArch64 Features
42122 @cindex target descriptions, AArch64 features
42123
42124 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.aarch64.core} feature is required for AArch64
42125 targets. It should contain registers @samp{x0} through @samp{x30},
42126 @samp{sp}, @samp{pc}, and @samp{cpsr}.
42127
42128 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.aarch64.fpu} feature is optional. If present,
42129 it should contain registers @samp{v0} through @samp{v31}, @samp{fpsr},
42130 and @samp{fpcr}.
42131
42132 @node ARC Features
42133 @subsection ARC Features
42134 @cindex target descriptions, ARC Features
42135
42136 ARC processors are highly configurable, so even core registers and their number
42137 are not completely predetermined. In addition flags and PC registers which are
42138 important to @value{GDBN} are not ``core'' registers in ARC. It is required
42139 that one of the core registers features is present.
42140 @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arc.aux-minimal} feature is mandatory.
42141
42142 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arc.core.v2} feature is required for ARC EM and ARC HS
42143 targets with a normal register file. It should contain registers @samp{r0}
42144 through @samp{r25}, @samp{gp}, @samp{fp}, @samp{sp}, @samp{r30}, @samp{blink},
42145 @samp{lp_count} and @samp{pcl}. This feature may contain register @samp{ilink}
42146 and any of extension core registers @samp{r32} through @samp{r59/acch}.
42147 @samp{ilink} and extension core registers are not available to read/write, when
42148 debugging GNU/Linux applications, thus @samp{ilink} is made optional.
42149
42150 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arc.core-reduced.v2} feature is required for ARC EM and
42151 ARC HS targets with a reduced register file. It should contain registers
42152 @samp{r0} through @samp{r3}, @samp{r10} through @samp{r15}, @samp{gp},
42153 @samp{fp}, @samp{sp}, @samp{r30}, @samp{blink}, @samp{lp_count} and @samp{pcl}.
42154 This feature may contain register @samp{ilink} and any of extension core
42155 registers @samp{r32} through @samp{r59/acch}.
42156
42157 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arc.core.arcompact} feature is required for ARCompact
42158 targets with a normal register file. It should contain registers @samp{r0}
42159 through @samp{r25}, @samp{gp}, @samp{fp}, @samp{sp}, @samp{r30}, @samp{blink},
42160 @samp{lp_count} and @samp{pcl}. This feature may contain registers
42161 @samp{ilink1}, @samp{ilink2} and any of extension core registers @samp{r32}
42162 through @samp{r59/acch}. @samp{ilink1} and @samp{ilink2} and extension core
42163 registers are not available when debugging GNU/Linux applications. The only
42164 difference with @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arc.core.v2} feature is in the names of
42165 @samp{ilink1} and @samp{ilink2} registers and that @samp{r30} is mandatory in
42166 ARC v2, but @samp{ilink2} is optional on ARCompact.
42167
42168 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arc.aux-minimal} feature is required for all ARC
42169 targets. It should contain registers @samp{pc} and @samp{status32}.
42170
42171 @node ARM Features
42172 @subsection ARM Features
42173 @cindex target descriptions, ARM features
42174
42175 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.core} feature is required for non-M-profile
42176 ARM targets.
42177 It should contain registers @samp{r0} through @samp{r13}, @samp{sp},
42178 @samp{lr}, @samp{pc}, and @samp{cpsr}.
42179
42180 For M-profile targets (e.g. Cortex-M3), the @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.core}
42181 feature is replaced by @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.m-profile}. It should contain
42182 registers @samp{r0} through @samp{r13}, @samp{sp}, @samp{lr}, @samp{pc},
42183 and @samp{xpsr}.
42184
42185 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.fpa} feature is optional. If present, it
42186 should contain registers @samp{f0} through @samp{f7} and @samp{fps}.
42187
42188 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.xscale.iwmmxt} feature is optional. If present,
42189 it should contain at least registers @samp{wR0} through @samp{wR15} and
42190 @samp{wCGR0} through @samp{wCGR3}. The @samp{wCID}, @samp{wCon},
42191 @samp{wCSSF}, and @samp{wCASF} registers are optional.
42192
42193 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.vfp} feature is optional. If present, it
42194 should contain at least registers @samp{d0} through @samp{d15}. If
42195 they are present, @samp{d16} through @samp{d31} should also be included.
42196 @value{GDBN} will synthesize the single-precision registers from
42197 halves of the double-precision registers.
42198
42199 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.neon} feature is optional. It does not
42200 need to contain registers; it instructs @value{GDBN} to display the
42201 VFP double-precision registers as vectors and to synthesize the
42202 quad-precision registers from pairs of double-precision registers.
42203 If this feature is present, @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.vfp} must also
42204 be present and include 32 double-precision registers.
42205
42206 @node i386 Features
42207 @subsection i386 Features
42208 @cindex target descriptions, i386 features
42209
42210 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.i386.core} feature is required for i386/amd64
42211 targets. It should describe the following registers:
42212
42213 @itemize @minus
42214 @item
42215 @samp{eax} through @samp{edi} plus @samp{eip} for i386
42216 @item
42217 @samp{rax} through @samp{r15} plus @samp{rip} for amd64
42218 @item
42219 @samp{eflags}, @samp{cs}, @samp{ss}, @samp{ds}, @samp{es},
42220 @samp{fs}, @samp{gs}
42221 @item
42222 @samp{st0} through @samp{st7}
42223 @item
42224 @samp{fctrl}, @samp{fstat}, @samp{ftag}, @samp{fiseg}, @samp{fioff},
42225 @samp{foseg}, @samp{fooff} and @samp{fop}
42226 @end itemize
42227
42228 The register sets may be different, depending on the target.
42229
42230 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.i386.sse} feature is optional. It should
42231 describe registers:
42232
42233 @itemize @minus
42234 @item
42235 @samp{xmm0} through @samp{xmm7} for i386
42236 @item
42237 @samp{xmm0} through @samp{xmm15} for amd64
42238 @item
42239 @samp{mxcsr}
42240 @end itemize
42241
42242 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.i386.avx} feature is optional and requires the
42243 @samp{org.gnu.gdb.i386.sse} feature. It should
42244 describe the upper 128 bits of @sc{ymm} registers:
42245
42246 @itemize @minus
42247 @item
42248 @samp{ymm0h} through @samp{ymm7h} for i386
42249 @item
42250 @samp{ymm0h} through @samp{ymm15h} for amd64
42251 @end itemize
42252
42253 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.i386.mpx} is an optional feature representing Intel
42254 Memory Protection Extension (MPX). It should describe the following registers:
42255
42256 @itemize @minus
42257 @item
42258 @samp{bnd0raw} through @samp{bnd3raw} for i386 and amd64.
42259 @item
42260 @samp{bndcfgu} and @samp{bndstatus} for i386 and amd64.
42261 @end itemize
42262
42263 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.i386.linux} feature is optional. It should
42264 describe a single register, @samp{orig_eax}.
42265
42266 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.i386.segments} feature is optional. It should
42267 describe two system registers: @samp{fs_base} and @samp{gs_base}.
42268
42269 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.i386.avx512} feature is optional and requires the
42270 @samp{org.gnu.gdb.i386.avx} feature. It should
42271 describe additional @sc{xmm} registers:
42272
42273 @itemize @minus
42274 @item
42275 @samp{xmm16h} through @samp{xmm31h}, only valid for amd64.
42276 @end itemize
42277
42278 It should describe the upper 128 bits of additional @sc{ymm} registers:
42279
42280 @itemize @minus
42281 @item
42282 @samp{ymm16h} through @samp{ymm31h}, only valid for amd64.
42283 @end itemize
42284
42285 It should
42286 describe the upper 256 bits of @sc{zmm} registers:
42287
42288 @itemize @minus
42289 @item
42290 @samp{zmm0h} through @samp{zmm7h} for i386.
42291 @item
42292 @samp{zmm0h} through @samp{zmm15h} for amd64.
42293 @end itemize
42294
42295 It should
42296 describe the additional @sc{zmm} registers:
42297
42298 @itemize @minus
42299 @item
42300 @samp{zmm16h} through @samp{zmm31h}, only valid for amd64.
42301 @end itemize
42302
42303 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.i386.pkeys} feature is optional. It should
42304 describe a single register, @samp{pkru}. It is a 32-bit register
42305 valid for i386 and amd64.
42306
42307 @node MicroBlaze Features
42308 @subsection MicroBlaze Features
42309 @cindex target descriptions, MicroBlaze features
42310
42311 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.microblaze.core} feature is required for MicroBlaze
42312 targets. It should contain registers @samp{r0} through @samp{r31},
42313 @samp{rpc}, @samp{rmsr}, @samp{rear}, @samp{resr}, @samp{rfsr}, @samp{rbtr},
42314 @samp{rpvr}, @samp{rpvr1} through @samp{rpvr11}, @samp{redr}, @samp{rpid},
42315 @samp{rzpr}, @samp{rtlbx}, @samp{rtlbsx}, @samp{rtlblo}, and @samp{rtlbhi}.
42316
42317 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.microblaze.stack-protect} feature is optional.
42318 If present, it should contain registers @samp{rshr} and @samp{rslr}
42319
42320 @node MIPS Features
42321 @subsection @acronym{MIPS} Features
42322 @cindex target descriptions, @acronym{MIPS} features
42323
42324 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.mips.cpu} feature is required for @acronym{MIPS} targets.
42325 It should contain registers @samp{r0} through @samp{r31}, @samp{lo},
42326 @samp{hi}, and @samp{pc}. They may be 32-bit or 64-bit depending
42327 on the target.
42328
42329 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.mips.cp0} feature is also required. It should
42330 contain at least the @samp{status}, @samp{badvaddr}, and @samp{cause}
42331 registers. They may be 32-bit or 64-bit depending on the target.
42332
42333 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.mips.fpu} feature is currently required, though
42334 it may be optional in a future version of @value{GDBN}. It should
42335 contain registers @samp{f0} through @samp{f31}, @samp{fcsr}, and
42336 @samp{fir}. They may be 32-bit or 64-bit depending on the target.
42337
42338 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.mips.dsp} feature is optional. It should
42339 contain registers @samp{hi1} through @samp{hi3}, @samp{lo1} through
42340 @samp{lo3}, and @samp{dspctl}. The @samp{dspctl} register should
42341 be 32-bit and the rest may be 32-bit or 64-bit depending on the target.
42342
42343 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.mips.linux} feature is optional. It should
42344 contain a single register, @samp{restart}, which is used by the
42345 Linux kernel to control restartable syscalls.
42346
42347 @node M68K Features
42348 @subsection M68K Features
42349 @cindex target descriptions, M68K features
42350
42351 @table @code
42352 @item @samp{org.gnu.gdb.m68k.core}
42353 @itemx @samp{org.gnu.gdb.coldfire.core}
42354 @itemx @samp{org.gnu.gdb.fido.core}
42355 One of those features must be always present.
42356 The feature that is present determines which flavor of m68k is
42357 used. The feature that is present should contain registers
42358 @samp{d0} through @samp{d7}, @samp{a0} through @samp{a5}, @samp{fp},
42359 @samp{sp}, @samp{ps} and @samp{pc}.
42360
42361 @item @samp{org.gnu.gdb.coldfire.fp}
42362 This feature is optional. If present, it should contain registers
42363 @samp{fp0} through @samp{fp7}, @samp{fpcontrol}, @samp{fpstatus} and
42364 @samp{fpiaddr}.
42365 @end table
42366
42367 @node NDS32 Features
42368 @subsection NDS32 Features
42369 @cindex target descriptions, NDS32 features
42370
42371 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.nds32.core} feature is required for NDS32
42372 targets. It should contain at least registers @samp{r0} through
42373 @samp{r10}, @samp{r15}, @samp{fp}, @samp{gp}, @samp{lp}, @samp{sp},
42374 and @samp{pc}.
42375
42376 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.nds32.fpu} feature is optional. If present,
42377 it should contain 64-bit double-precision floating-point registers
42378 @samp{fd0} through @emph{fdN}, which should be @samp{fd3}, @samp{fd7},
42379 @samp{fd15}, or @samp{fd31} based on the FPU configuration implemented.
42380
42381 @emph{Note:} The first sixteen 64-bit double-precision floating-point
42382 registers are overlapped with the thirty-two 32-bit single-precision
42383 floating-point registers. The 32-bit single-precision registers, if
42384 not being listed explicitly, will be synthesized from halves of the
42385 overlapping 64-bit double-precision registers. Listing 32-bit
42386 single-precision registers explicitly is deprecated, and the
42387 support to it could be totally removed some day.
42388
42389 @node Nios II Features
42390 @subsection Nios II Features
42391 @cindex target descriptions, Nios II features
42392
42393 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.nios2.cpu} feature is required for Nios II
42394 targets. It should contain the 32 core registers (@samp{zero},
42395 @samp{at}, @samp{r2} through @samp{r23}, @samp{et} through @samp{ra}),
42396 @samp{pc}, and the 16 control registers (@samp{status} through
42397 @samp{mpuacc}).
42398
42399 @node OpenRISC 1000 Features
42400 @subsection Openrisc 1000 Features
42401 @cindex target descriptions, OpenRISC 1000 features
42402
42403 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.or1k.group0} feature is required for OpenRISC 1000
42404 targets. It should contain the 32 general purpose registers (@samp{r0}
42405 through @samp{r31}), @samp{ppc}, @samp{npc} and @samp{sr}.
42406
42407 @node PowerPC Features
42408 @subsection PowerPC Features
42409 @cindex target descriptions, PowerPC features
42410
42411 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.power.core} feature is required for PowerPC
42412 targets. It should contain registers @samp{r0} through @samp{r31},
42413 @samp{pc}, @samp{msr}, @samp{cr}, @samp{lr}, @samp{ctr}, and
42414 @samp{xer}. They may be 32-bit or 64-bit depending on the target.
42415
42416 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.power.fpu} feature is optional. It should
42417 contain registers @samp{f0} through @samp{f31} and @samp{fpscr}.
42418
42419 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.power.altivec} feature is optional. It should
42420 contain registers @samp{vr0} through @samp{vr31}, @samp{vscr},
42421 and @samp{vrsave}.
42422
42423 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.power.vsx} feature is optional. It should
42424 contain registers @samp{vs0h} through @samp{vs31h}. @value{GDBN}
42425 will combine these registers with the floating point registers
42426 (@samp{f0} through @samp{f31}) and the altivec registers (@samp{vr0}
42427 through @samp{vr31}) to present the 128-bit wide registers @samp{vs0}
42428 through @samp{vs63}, the set of vector registers for POWER7.
42429
42430 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.power.spe} feature is optional. It should
42431 contain registers @samp{ev0h} through @samp{ev31h}, @samp{acc}, and
42432 @samp{spefscr}. SPE targets should provide 32-bit registers in
42433 @samp{org.gnu.gdb.power.core} and provide the upper halves in
42434 @samp{ev0h} through @samp{ev31h}. @value{GDBN} will combine
42435 these to present registers @samp{ev0} through @samp{ev31} to the
42436 user.
42437
42438 @node S/390 and System z Features
42439 @subsection S/390 and System z Features
42440 @cindex target descriptions, S/390 features
42441 @cindex target descriptions, System z features
42442
42443 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.s390.core} feature is required for S/390 and
42444 System z targets. It should contain the PSW and the 16 general
42445 registers. In particular, System z targets should provide the 64-bit
42446 registers @samp{pswm}, @samp{pswa}, and @samp{r0} through @samp{r15}.
42447 S/390 targets should provide the 32-bit versions of these registers.
42448 A System z target that runs in 31-bit addressing mode should provide
42449 32-bit versions of @samp{pswm} and @samp{pswa}, as well as the general
42450 register's upper halves @samp{r0h} through @samp{r15h}, and their
42451 lower halves @samp{r0l} through @samp{r15l}.
42452
42453 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.s390.fpr} feature is required. It should
42454 contain the 64-bit registers @samp{f0} through @samp{f15}, and
42455 @samp{fpc}.
42456
42457 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.s390.acr} feature is required. It should
42458 contain the 32-bit registers @samp{acr0} through @samp{acr15}.
42459
42460 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.s390.linux} feature is optional. It should
42461 contain the register @samp{orig_r2}, which is 64-bit wide on System z
42462 targets and 32-bit otherwise. In addition, the feature may contain
42463 the @samp{last_break} register, whose width depends on the addressing
42464 mode, as well as the @samp{system_call} register, which is always
42465 32-bit wide.
42466
42467 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.s390.tdb} feature is optional. It should
42468 contain the 64-bit registers @samp{tdb0}, @samp{tac}, @samp{tct},
42469 @samp{atia}, and @samp{tr0} through @samp{tr15}.
42470
42471 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.s390.vx} feature is optional. It should contain
42472 64-bit wide registers @samp{v0l} through @samp{v15l}, which will be
42473 combined by @value{GDBN} with the floating point registers @samp{f0}
42474 through @samp{f15} to present the 128-bit wide vector registers
42475 @samp{v0} through @samp{v15}. In addition, this feature should
42476 contain the 128-bit wide vector registers @samp{v16} through
42477 @samp{v31}.
42478
42479 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.s390.gs} feature is optional. It should contain
42480 the 64-bit wide guarded-storage-control registers @samp{gsd},
42481 @samp{gssm}, and @samp{gsepla}.
42482
42483 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.s390.gsbc} feature is optional. It should contain
42484 the 64-bit wide guarded-storage broadcast control registers
42485 @samp{bc_gsd}, @samp{bc_gssm}, and @samp{bc_gsepla}.
42486
42487 @node Sparc Features
42488 @subsection Sparc Features
42489 @cindex target descriptions, sparc32 features
42490 @cindex target descriptions, sparc64 features
42491 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.sparc.cpu} feature is required for sparc32/sparc64
42492 targets. It should describe the following registers:
42493
42494 @itemize @minus
42495 @item
42496 @samp{g0} through @samp{g7}
42497 @item
42498 @samp{o0} through @samp{o7}
42499 @item
42500 @samp{l0} through @samp{l7}
42501 @item
42502 @samp{i0} through @samp{i7}
42503 @end itemize
42504
42505 They may be 32-bit or 64-bit depending on the target.
42506
42507 Also the @samp{org.gnu.gdb.sparc.fpu} feature is required for sparc32/sparc64
42508 targets. It should describe the following registers:
42509
42510 @itemize @minus
42511 @item
42512 @samp{f0} through @samp{f31}
42513 @item
42514 @samp{f32} through @samp{f62} for sparc64
42515 @end itemize
42516
42517 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.sparc.cp0} feature is required for sparc32/sparc64
42518 targets. It should describe the following registers:
42519
42520 @itemize @minus
42521 @item
42522 @samp{y}, @samp{psr}, @samp{wim}, @samp{tbr}, @samp{pc}, @samp{npc},
42523 @samp{fsr}, and @samp{csr} for sparc32
42524 @item
42525 @samp{pc}, @samp{npc}, @samp{state}, @samp{fsr}, @samp{fprs}, and @samp{y}
42526 for sparc64
42527 @end itemize
42528
42529 @node TIC6x Features
42530 @subsection TMS320C6x Features
42531 @cindex target descriptions, TIC6x features
42532 @cindex target descriptions, TMS320C6x features
42533 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.tic6x.core} feature is required for TMS320C6x
42534 targets. It should contain registers @samp{A0} through @samp{A15},
42535 registers @samp{B0} through @samp{B15}, @samp{CSR} and @samp{PC}.
42536
42537 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.tic6x.gp} feature is optional. It should
42538 contain registers @samp{A16} through @samp{A31} and @samp{B16}
42539 through @samp{B31}.
42540
42541 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.tic6x.c6xp} feature is optional. It should
42542 contain registers @samp{TSR}, @samp{ILC} and @samp{RILC}.
42543
42544 @node Operating System Information
42545 @appendix Operating System Information
42546 @cindex operating system information
42547
42548 @menu
42549 * Process list::
42550 @end menu
42551
42552 Users of @value{GDBN} often wish to obtain information about the state of
42553 the operating system running on the target---for example the list of
42554 processes, or the list of open files. This section describes the
42555 mechanism that makes it possible. This mechanism is similar to the
42556 target features mechanism (@pxref{Target Descriptions}), but focuses
42557 on a different aspect of target.
42558
42559 Operating system information is retrived from the target via the
42560 remote protocol, using @samp{qXfer} requests (@pxref{qXfer osdata
42561 read}). The object name in the request should be @samp{osdata}, and
42562 the @var{annex} identifies the data to be fetched.
42563
42564 @node Process list
42565 @appendixsection Process list
42566 @cindex operating system information, process list
42567
42568 When requesting the process list, the @var{annex} field in the
42569 @samp{qXfer} request should be @samp{processes}. The returned data is
42570 an XML document. The formal syntax of this document is defined in
42571 @file{gdb/features/osdata.dtd}.
42572
42573 An example document is:
42574
42575 @smallexample
42576 <?xml version="1.0"?>
42577 <!DOCTYPE target SYSTEM "osdata.dtd">
42578 <osdata type="processes">
42579 <item>
42580 <column name="pid">1</column>
42581 <column name="user">root</column>
42582 <column name="command">/sbin/init</column>
42583 <column name="cores">1,2,3</column>
42584 </item>
42585 </osdata>
42586 @end smallexample
42587
42588 Each item should include a column whose name is @samp{pid}. The value
42589 of that column should identify the process on the target. The
42590 @samp{user} and @samp{command} columns are optional, and will be
42591 displayed by @value{GDBN}. The @samp{cores} column, if present,
42592 should contain a comma-separated list of cores that this process
42593 is running on. Target may provide additional columns,
42594 which @value{GDBN} currently ignores.
42595
42596 @node Trace File Format
42597 @appendix Trace File Format
42598 @cindex trace file format
42599
42600 The trace file comes in three parts: a header, a textual description
42601 section, and a trace frame section with binary data.
42602
42603 The header has the form @code{\x7fTRACE0\n}. The first byte is
42604 @code{0x7f} so as to indicate that the file contains binary data,
42605 while the @code{0} is a version number that may have different values
42606 in the future.
42607
42608 The description section consists of multiple lines of @sc{ascii} text
42609 separated by newline characters (@code{0xa}). The lines may include a
42610 variety of optional descriptive or context-setting information, such
42611 as tracepoint definitions or register set size. @value{GDBN} will
42612 ignore any line that it does not recognize. An empty line marks the end
42613 of this section.
42614
42615 @table @code
42616 @item R @var{size}
42617 Specifies the size of a register block in bytes. This is equal to the
42618 size of a @code{g} packet payload in the remote protocol. @var{size}
42619 is an ascii decimal number. There should be only one such line in
42620 a single trace file.
42621
42622 @item status @var{status}
42623 Trace status. @var{status} has the same format as a @code{qTStatus}
42624 remote packet reply. There should be only one such line in a single trace
42625 file.
42626
42627 @item tp @var{payload}
42628 Tracepoint definition. The @var{payload} has the same format as
42629 @code{qTfP}/@code{qTsP} remote packet reply payload. A single tracepoint
42630 may take multiple lines of definition, corresponding to the multiple
42631 reply packets.
42632
42633 @item tsv @var{payload}
42634 Trace state variable definition. The @var{payload} has the same format as
42635 @code{qTfV}/@code{qTsV} remote packet reply payload. A single variable
42636 may take multiple lines of definition, corresponding to the multiple
42637 reply packets.
42638
42639 @item tdesc @var{payload}
42640 Target description in XML format. The @var{payload} is a single line of
42641 the XML file. All such lines should be concatenated together to get
42642 the original XML file. This file is in the same format as @code{qXfer}
42643 @code{features} payload, and corresponds to the main @code{target.xml}
42644 file. Includes are not allowed.
42645
42646 @end table
42647
42648 The trace frame section consists of a number of consecutive frames.
42649 Each frame begins with a two-byte tracepoint number, followed by a
42650 four-byte size giving the amount of data in the frame. The data in
42651 the frame consists of a number of blocks, each introduced by a
42652 character indicating its type (at least register, memory, and trace
42653 state variable). The data in this section is raw binary, not a
42654 hexadecimal or other encoding; its endianness matches the target's
42655 endianness.
42656
42657 @c FIXME bi-arch may require endianness/arch info in description section
42658
42659 @table @code
42660 @item R @var{bytes}
42661 Register block. The number and ordering of bytes matches that of a
42662 @code{g} packet in the remote protocol. Note that these are the
42663 actual bytes, in target order, not a hexadecimal encoding.
42664
42665 @item M @var{address} @var{length} @var{bytes}...
42666 Memory block. This is a contiguous block of memory, at the 8-byte
42667 address @var{address}, with a 2-byte length @var{length}, followed by
42668 @var{length} bytes.
42669
42670 @item V @var{number} @var{value}
42671 Trace state variable block. This records the 8-byte signed value
42672 @var{value} of trace state variable numbered @var{number}.
42673
42674 @end table
42675
42676 Future enhancements of the trace file format may include additional types
42677 of blocks.
42678
42679 @node Index Section Format
42680 @appendix @code{.gdb_index} section format
42681 @cindex .gdb_index section format
42682 @cindex index section format
42683
42684 This section documents the index section that is created by @code{save
42685 gdb-index} (@pxref{Index Files}). The index section is
42686 DWARF-specific; some knowledge of DWARF is assumed in this
42687 description.
42688
42689 The mapped index file format is designed to be directly
42690 @code{mmap}able on any architecture. In most cases, a datum is
42691 represented using a little-endian 32-bit integer value, called an
42692 @code{offset_type}. Big endian machines must byte-swap the values
42693 before using them. Exceptions to this rule are noted. The data is
42694 laid out such that alignment is always respected.
42695
42696 A mapped index consists of several areas, laid out in order.
42697
42698 @enumerate
42699 @item
42700 The file header. This is a sequence of values, of @code{offset_type}
42701 unless otherwise noted:
42702
42703 @enumerate
42704 @item
42705 The version number, currently 8. Versions 1, 2 and 3 are obsolete.
42706 Version 4 uses a different hashing function from versions 5 and 6.
42707 Version 6 includes symbols for inlined functions, whereas versions 4
42708 and 5 do not. Version 7 adds attributes to the CU indices in the
42709 symbol table. Version 8 specifies that symbols from DWARF type units
42710 (@samp{DW_TAG_type_unit}) refer to the type unit's symbol table and not the
42711 compilation unit (@samp{DW_TAG_comp_unit}) using the type.
42712
42713 @value{GDBN} will only read version 4, 5, or 6 indices
42714 by specifying @code{set use-deprecated-index-sections on}.
42715 GDB has a workaround for potentially broken version 7 indices so it is
42716 currently not flagged as deprecated.
42717
42718 @item
42719 The offset, from the start of the file, of the CU list.
42720
42721 @item
42722 The offset, from the start of the file, of the types CU list. Note
42723 that this area can be empty, in which case this offset will be equal
42724 to the next offset.
42725
42726 @item
42727 The offset, from the start of the file, of the address area.
42728
42729 @item
42730 The offset, from the start of the file, of the symbol table.
42731
42732 @item
42733 The offset, from the start of the file, of the constant pool.
42734 @end enumerate
42735
42736 @item
42737 The CU list. This is a sequence of pairs of 64-bit little-endian
42738 values, sorted by the CU offset. The first element in each pair is
42739 the offset of a CU in the @code{.debug_info} section. The second
42740 element in each pair is the length of that CU. References to a CU
42741 elsewhere in the map are done using a CU index, which is just the
42742 0-based index into this table. Note that if there are type CUs, then
42743 conceptually CUs and type CUs form a single list for the purposes of
42744 CU indices.
42745
42746 @item
42747 The types CU list. This is a sequence of triplets of 64-bit
42748 little-endian values. In a triplet, the first value is the CU offset,
42749 the second value is the type offset in the CU, and the third value is
42750 the type signature. The types CU list is not sorted.
42751
42752 @item
42753 The address area. The address area consists of a sequence of address
42754 entries. Each address entry has three elements:
42755
42756 @enumerate
42757 @item
42758 The low address. This is a 64-bit little-endian value.
42759
42760 @item
42761 The high address. This is a 64-bit little-endian value. Like
42762 @code{DW_AT_high_pc}, the value is one byte beyond the end.
42763
42764 @item
42765 The CU index. This is an @code{offset_type} value.
42766 @end enumerate
42767
42768 @item
42769 The symbol table. This is an open-addressed hash table. The size of
42770 the hash table is always a power of 2.
42771
42772 Each slot in the hash table consists of a pair of @code{offset_type}
42773 values. The first value is the offset of the symbol's name in the
42774 constant pool. The second value is the offset of the CU vector in the
42775 constant pool.
42776
42777 If both values are 0, then this slot in the hash table is empty. This
42778 is ok because while 0 is a valid constant pool index, it cannot be a
42779 valid index for both a string and a CU vector.
42780
42781 The hash value for a table entry is computed by applying an
42782 iterative hash function to the symbol's name. Starting with an
42783 initial value of @code{r = 0}, each (unsigned) character @samp{c} in
42784 the string is incorporated into the hash using the formula depending on the
42785 index version:
42786
42787 @table @asis
42788 @item Version 4
42789 The formula is @code{r = r * 67 + c - 113}.
42790
42791 @item Versions 5 to 7
42792 The formula is @code{r = r * 67 + tolower (c) - 113}.
42793 @end table
42794
42795 The terminating @samp{\0} is not incorporated into the hash.
42796
42797 The step size used in the hash table is computed via
42798 @code{((hash * 17) & (size - 1)) | 1}, where @samp{hash} is the hash
42799 value, and @samp{size} is the size of the hash table. The step size
42800 is used to find the next candidate slot when handling a hash
42801 collision.
42802
42803 The names of C@t{++} symbols in the hash table are canonicalized. We
42804 don't currently have a simple description of the canonicalization
42805 algorithm; if you intend to create new index sections, you must read
42806 the code.
42807
42808 @item
42809 The constant pool. This is simply a bunch of bytes. It is organized
42810 so that alignment is correct: CU vectors are stored first, followed by
42811 strings.
42812
42813 A CU vector in the constant pool is a sequence of @code{offset_type}
42814 values. The first value is the number of CU indices in the vector.
42815 Each subsequent value is the index and symbol attributes of a CU in
42816 the CU list. This element in the hash table is used to indicate which
42817 CUs define the symbol and how the symbol is used.
42818 See below for the format of each CU index+attributes entry.
42819
42820 A string in the constant pool is zero-terminated.
42821 @end enumerate
42822
42823 Attributes were added to CU index values in @code{.gdb_index} version 7.
42824 If a symbol has multiple uses within a CU then there is one
42825 CU index+attributes value for each use.
42826
42827 The format of each CU index+attributes entry is as follows
42828 (bit 0 = LSB):
42829
42830 @table @asis
42831
42832 @item Bits 0-23
42833 This is the index of the CU in the CU list.
42834 @item Bits 24-27
42835 These bits are reserved for future purposes and must be zero.
42836 @item Bits 28-30
42837 The kind of the symbol in the CU.
42838
42839 @table @asis
42840 @item 0
42841 This value is reserved and should not be used.
42842 By reserving zero the full @code{offset_type} value is backwards compatible
42843 with previous versions of the index.
42844 @item 1
42845 The symbol is a type.
42846 @item 2
42847 The symbol is a variable or an enum value.
42848 @item 3
42849 The symbol is a function.
42850 @item 4
42851 Any other kind of symbol.
42852 @item 5,6,7
42853 These values are reserved.
42854 @end table
42855
42856 @item Bit 31
42857 This bit is zero if the value is global and one if it is static.
42858
42859 The determination of whether a symbol is global or static is complicated.
42860 The authorative reference is the file @file{dwarf2read.c} in
42861 @value{GDBN} sources.
42862
42863 @end table
42864
42865 This pseudo-code describes the computation of a symbol's kind and
42866 global/static attributes in the index.
42867
42868 @smallexample
42869 is_external = get_attribute (die, DW_AT_external);
42870 language = get_attribute (cu_die, DW_AT_language);
42871 switch (die->tag)
42872 @{
42873 case DW_TAG_typedef:
42874 case DW_TAG_base_type:
42875 case DW_TAG_subrange_type:
42876 kind = TYPE;
42877 is_static = 1;
42878 break;
42879 case DW_TAG_enumerator:
42880 kind = VARIABLE;
42881 is_static = language != CPLUS;
42882 break;
42883 case DW_TAG_subprogram:
42884 kind = FUNCTION;
42885 is_static = ! (is_external || language == ADA);
42886 break;
42887 case DW_TAG_constant:
42888 kind = VARIABLE;
42889 is_static = ! is_external;
42890 break;
42891 case DW_TAG_variable:
42892 kind = VARIABLE;
42893 is_static = ! is_external;
42894 break;
42895 case DW_TAG_namespace:
42896 kind = TYPE;
42897 is_static = 0;
42898 break;
42899 case DW_TAG_class_type:
42900 case DW_TAG_interface_type:
42901 case DW_TAG_structure_type:
42902 case DW_TAG_union_type:
42903 case DW_TAG_enumeration_type:
42904 kind = TYPE;
42905 is_static = language != CPLUS;
42906 break;
42907 default:
42908 assert (0);
42909 @}
42910 @end smallexample
42911
42912 @node Man Pages
42913 @appendix Manual pages
42914 @cindex Man pages
42915
42916 @menu
42917 * gdb man:: The GNU Debugger man page
42918 * gdbserver man:: Remote Server for the GNU Debugger man page
42919 * gcore man:: Generate a core file of a running program
42920 * gdbinit man:: gdbinit scripts
42921 * gdb-add-index man:: Add index files to speed up GDB
42922 @end menu
42923
42924 @node gdb man
42925 @heading gdb man
42926
42927 @c man title gdb The GNU Debugger
42928
42929 @c man begin SYNOPSIS gdb
42930 gdb [@option{-help}] [@option{-nh}] [@option{-nx}] [@option{-q}]
42931 [@option{-batch}] [@option{-cd=}@var{dir}] [@option{-f}]
42932 [@option{-b}@w{ }@var{bps}]
42933 [@option{-tty=}@var{dev}] [@option{-s} @var{symfile}]
42934 [@option{-e}@w{ }@var{prog}] [@option{-se}@w{ }@var{prog}]
42935 [@option{-c}@w{ }@var{core}] [@option{-p}@w{ }@var{procID}]
42936 [@option{-x}@w{ }@var{cmds}] [@option{-d}@w{ }@var{dir}]
42937 [@var{prog}|@var{prog} @var{procID}|@var{prog} @var{core}]
42938 @c man end
42939
42940 @c man begin DESCRIPTION gdb
42941 The purpose of a debugger such as @value{GDBN} is to allow you to see what is
42942 going on ``inside'' another program while it executes -- or what another
42943 program was doing at the moment it crashed.
42944
42945 @value{GDBN} can do four main kinds of things (plus other things in support of
42946 these) to help you catch bugs in the act:
42947
42948 @itemize @bullet
42949 @item
42950 Start your program, specifying anything that might affect its behavior.
42951
42952 @item
42953 Make your program stop on specified conditions.
42954
42955 @item
42956 Examine what has happened, when your program has stopped.
42957
42958 @item
42959 Change things in your program, so you can experiment with correcting the
42960 effects of one bug and go on to learn about another.
42961 @end itemize
42962
42963 You can use @value{GDBN} to debug programs written in C, C@t{++}, Fortran and
42964 Modula-2.
42965
42966 @value{GDBN} is invoked with the shell command @code{gdb}. Once started, it reads
42967 commands from the terminal until you tell it to exit with the @value{GDBN}
42968 command @code{quit}. You can get online help from @value{GDBN} itself
42969 by using the command @code{help}.
42970
42971 You can run @code{gdb} with no arguments or options; but the most
42972 usual way to start @value{GDBN} is with one argument or two, specifying an
42973 executable program as the argument:
42974
42975 @smallexample
42976 gdb program
42977 @end smallexample
42978
42979 You can also start with both an executable program and a core file specified:
42980
42981 @smallexample
42982 gdb program core
42983 @end smallexample
42984
42985 You can, instead, specify a process ID as a second argument, if you want
42986 to debug a running process:
42987
42988 @smallexample
42989 gdb program 1234
42990 gdb -p 1234
42991 @end smallexample
42992
42993 @noindent
42994 would attach @value{GDBN} to process @code{1234} (unless you also have a file
42995 named @file{1234}; @value{GDBN} does check for a core file first).
42996 With option @option{-p} you can omit the @var{program} filename.
42997
42998 Here are some of the most frequently needed @value{GDBN} commands:
42999
43000 @c pod2man highlights the right hand side of the @item lines.
43001 @table @env
43002 @item break [@var{file}:]@var{function}
43003 Set a breakpoint at @var{function} (in @var{file}).
43004
43005 @item run [@var{arglist}]
43006 Start your program (with @var{arglist}, if specified).
43007
43008 @item bt
43009 Backtrace: display the program stack.
43010
43011 @item print @var{expr}
43012 Display the value of an expression.
43013
43014 @item c
43015 Continue running your program (after stopping, e.g. at a breakpoint).
43016
43017 @item next
43018 Execute next program line (after stopping); step @emph{over} any
43019 function calls in the line.
43020
43021 @item edit [@var{file}:]@var{function}
43022 look at the program line where it is presently stopped.
43023
43024 @item list [@var{file}:]@var{function}
43025 type the text of the program in the vicinity of where it is presently stopped.
43026
43027 @item step
43028 Execute next program line (after stopping); step @emph{into} any
43029 function calls in the line.
43030
43031 @item help [@var{name}]
43032 Show information about @value{GDBN} command @var{name}, or general information
43033 about using @value{GDBN}.
43034
43035 @item quit
43036 Exit from @value{GDBN}.
43037 @end table
43038
43039 @ifset man
43040 For full details on @value{GDBN},
43041 see @cite{Using GDB: A Guide to the GNU Source-Level Debugger},
43042 by Richard M. Stallman and Roland H. Pesch. The same text is available online
43043 as the @code{gdb} entry in the @code{info} program.
43044 @end ifset
43045 @c man end
43046
43047 @c man begin OPTIONS gdb
43048 Any arguments other than options specify an executable
43049 file and core file (or process ID); that is, the first argument
43050 encountered with no
43051 associated option flag is equivalent to a @option{-se} option, and the second,
43052 if any, is equivalent to a @option{-c} option if it's the name of a file.
43053 Many options have
43054 both long and short forms; both are shown here. The long forms are also
43055 recognized if you truncate them, so long as enough of the option is
43056 present to be unambiguous. (If you prefer, you can flag option
43057 arguments with @option{+} rather than @option{-}, though we illustrate the
43058 more usual convention.)
43059
43060 All the options and command line arguments you give are processed
43061 in sequential order. The order makes a difference when the @option{-x}
43062 option is used.
43063
43064 @table @env
43065 @item -help
43066 @itemx -h
43067 List all options, with brief explanations.
43068
43069 @item -symbols=@var{file}
43070 @itemx -s @var{file}
43071 Read symbol table from file @var{file}.
43072
43073 @item -write
43074 Enable writing into executable and core files.
43075
43076 @item -exec=@var{file}
43077 @itemx -e @var{file}
43078 Use file @var{file} as the executable file to execute when
43079 appropriate, and for examining pure data in conjunction with a core
43080 dump.
43081
43082 @item -se=@var{file}
43083 Read symbol table from file @var{file} and use it as the executable
43084 file.
43085
43086 @item -core=@var{file}
43087 @itemx -c @var{file}
43088 Use file @var{file} as a core dump to examine.
43089
43090 @item -command=@var{file}
43091 @itemx -x @var{file}
43092 Execute @value{GDBN} commands from file @var{file}.
43093
43094 @item -ex @var{command}
43095 Execute given @value{GDBN} @var{command}.
43096
43097 @item -directory=@var{directory}
43098 @itemx -d @var{directory}
43099 Add @var{directory} to the path to search for source files.
43100
43101 @item -nh
43102 Do not execute commands from @file{~/.gdbinit}.
43103
43104 @item -nx
43105 @itemx -n
43106 Do not execute commands from any @file{.gdbinit} initialization files.
43107
43108 @item -quiet
43109 @itemx -q
43110 ``Quiet''. Do not print the introductory and copyright messages. These
43111 messages are also suppressed in batch mode.
43112
43113 @item -batch
43114 Run in batch mode. Exit with status @code{0} after processing all the command
43115 files specified with @option{-x} (and @file{.gdbinit}, if not inhibited).
43116 Exit with nonzero status if an error occurs in executing the @value{GDBN}
43117 commands in the command files.
43118
43119 Batch mode may be useful for running @value{GDBN} as a filter, for example to
43120 download and run a program on another computer; in order to make this
43121 more useful, the message
43122
43123 @smallexample
43124 Program exited normally.
43125 @end smallexample
43126
43127 @noindent
43128 (which is ordinarily issued whenever a program running under @value{GDBN} control
43129 terminates) is not issued when running in batch mode.
43130
43131 @item -cd=@var{directory}
43132 Run @value{GDBN} using @var{directory} as its working directory,
43133 instead of the current directory.
43134
43135 @item -fullname
43136 @itemx -f
43137 Emacs sets this option when it runs @value{GDBN} as a subprocess. It tells
43138 @value{GDBN} to output the full file name and line number in a standard,
43139 recognizable fashion each time a stack frame is displayed (which
43140 includes each time the program stops). This recognizable format looks
43141 like two @samp{\032} characters, followed by the file name, line number
43142 and character position separated by colons, and a newline. The
43143 Emacs-to-@value{GDBN} interface program uses the two @samp{\032}
43144 characters as a signal to display the source code for the frame.
43145
43146 @item -b @var{bps}
43147 Set the line speed (baud rate or bits per second) of any serial
43148 interface used by @value{GDBN} for remote debugging.
43149
43150 @item -tty=@var{device}
43151 Run using @var{device} for your program's standard input and output.
43152 @end table
43153 @c man end
43154
43155 @c man begin SEEALSO gdb
43156 @ifset man
43157 The full documentation for @value{GDBN} is maintained as a Texinfo manual.
43158 If the @code{info} and @code{gdb} programs and @value{GDBN}'s Texinfo
43159 documentation are properly installed at your site, the command
43160
43161 @smallexample
43162 info gdb
43163 @end smallexample
43164
43165 @noindent
43166 should give you access to the complete manual.
43167
43168 @cite{Using GDB: A Guide to the GNU Source-Level Debugger},
43169 Richard M. Stallman and Roland H. Pesch, July 1991.
43170 @end ifset
43171 @c man end
43172
43173 @node gdbserver man
43174 @heading gdbserver man
43175
43176 @c man title gdbserver Remote Server for the GNU Debugger
43177 @format
43178 @c man begin SYNOPSIS gdbserver
43179 gdbserver @var{comm} @var{prog} [@var{args}@dots{}]
43180
43181 gdbserver --attach @var{comm} @var{pid}
43182
43183 gdbserver --multi @var{comm}
43184 @c man end
43185 @end format
43186
43187 @c man begin DESCRIPTION gdbserver
43188 @command{gdbserver} is a program that allows you to run @value{GDBN} on a different machine
43189 than the one which is running the program being debugged.
43190
43191 @ifclear man
43192 @subheading Usage (server (target) side)
43193 @end ifclear
43194 @ifset man
43195 Usage (server (target) side):
43196 @end ifset
43197
43198 First, you need to have a copy of the program you want to debug put onto
43199 the target system. The program can be stripped to save space if needed, as
43200 @command{gdbserver} doesn't care about symbols. All symbol handling is taken care of by
43201 the @value{GDBN} running on the host system.
43202
43203 To use the server, you log on to the target system, and run the @command{gdbserver}
43204 program. You must tell it (a) how to communicate with @value{GDBN}, (b) the name of
43205 your program, and (c) its arguments. The general syntax is:
43206
43207 @smallexample
43208 target> gdbserver @var{comm} @var{program} [@var{args} ...]
43209 @end smallexample
43210
43211 For example, using a serial port, you might say:
43212
43213 @smallexample
43214 @ifset man
43215 @c @file would wrap it as F</dev/com1>.
43216 target> gdbserver /dev/com1 emacs foo.txt
43217 @end ifset
43218 @ifclear man
43219 target> gdbserver @file{/dev/com1} emacs foo.txt
43220 @end ifclear
43221 @end smallexample
43222
43223 This tells @command{gdbserver} to debug emacs with an argument of foo.txt, and
43224 to communicate with @value{GDBN} via @file{/dev/com1}. @command{gdbserver} now
43225 waits patiently for the host @value{GDBN} to communicate with it.
43226
43227 To use a TCP connection, you could say:
43228
43229 @smallexample
43230 target> gdbserver host:2345 emacs foo.txt
43231 @end smallexample
43232
43233 This says pretty much the same thing as the last example, except that we are
43234 going to communicate with the @code{host} @value{GDBN} via TCP. The @code{host:2345} argument means
43235 that we are expecting to see a TCP connection from @code{host} to local TCP port
43236 2345. (Currently, the @code{host} part is ignored.) You can choose any number you
43237 want for the port number as long as it does not conflict with any existing TCP
43238 ports on the target system. This same port number must be used in the host
43239 @value{GDBN}s @code{target remote} command, which will be described shortly. Note that if
43240 you chose a port number that conflicts with another service, @command{gdbserver} will
43241 print an error message and exit.
43242
43243 @command{gdbserver} can also attach to running programs.
43244 This is accomplished via the @option{--attach} argument. The syntax is:
43245
43246 @smallexample
43247 target> gdbserver --attach @var{comm} @var{pid}
43248 @end smallexample
43249
43250 @var{pid} is the process ID of a currently running process. It isn't
43251 necessary to point @command{gdbserver} at a binary for the running process.
43252
43253 To start @code{gdbserver} without supplying an initial command to run
43254 or process ID to attach, use the @option{--multi} command line option.
43255 In such case you should connect using @kbd{target extended-remote} to start
43256 the program you want to debug.
43257
43258 @smallexample
43259 target> gdbserver --multi @var{comm}
43260 @end smallexample
43261
43262 @ifclear man
43263 @subheading Usage (host side)
43264 @end ifclear
43265 @ifset man
43266 Usage (host side):
43267 @end ifset
43268
43269 You need an unstripped copy of the target program on your host system, since
43270 @value{GDBN} needs to examine it's symbol tables and such. Start up @value{GDBN} as you normally
43271 would, with the target program as the first argument. (You may need to use the
43272 @option{--baud} option if the serial line is running at anything except 9600 baud.)
43273 That is @code{gdb TARGET-PROG}, or @code{gdb --baud BAUD TARGET-PROG}. After that, the only
43274 new command you need to know about is @code{target remote}
43275 (or @code{target extended-remote}). Its argument is either
43276 a device name (usually a serial device, like @file{/dev/ttyb}), or a @code{HOST:PORT}
43277 descriptor. For example:
43278
43279 @smallexample
43280 @ifset man
43281 @c @file would wrap it as F</dev/ttyb>.
43282 (gdb) target remote /dev/ttyb
43283 @end ifset
43284 @ifclear man
43285 (gdb) target remote @file{/dev/ttyb}
43286 @end ifclear
43287 @end smallexample
43288
43289 @noindent
43290 communicates with the server via serial line @file{/dev/ttyb}, and:
43291
43292 @smallexample
43293 (gdb) target remote the-target:2345
43294 @end smallexample
43295
43296 @noindent
43297 communicates via a TCP connection to port 2345 on host `the-target', where
43298 you previously started up @command{gdbserver} with the same port number. Note that for
43299 TCP connections, you must start up @command{gdbserver} prior to using the `target remote'
43300 command, otherwise you may get an error that looks something like
43301 `Connection refused'.
43302
43303 @command{gdbserver} can also debug multiple inferiors at once,
43304 described in
43305 @ifset man
43306 the @value{GDBN} manual in node @code{Inferiors and Programs}
43307 -- shell command @code{info -f gdb -n 'Inferiors and Programs'}.
43308 @end ifset
43309 @ifclear man
43310 @ref{Inferiors and Programs}.
43311 @end ifclear
43312 In such case use the @code{extended-remote} @value{GDBN} command variant:
43313
43314 @smallexample
43315 (gdb) target extended-remote the-target:2345
43316 @end smallexample
43317
43318 The @command{gdbserver} option @option{--multi} may or may not be used in such
43319 case.
43320 @c man end
43321
43322 @c man begin OPTIONS gdbserver
43323 There are three different modes for invoking @command{gdbserver}:
43324
43325 @itemize @bullet
43326
43327 @item
43328 Debug a specific program specified by its program name:
43329
43330 @smallexample
43331 gdbserver @var{comm} @var{prog} [@var{args}@dots{}]
43332 @end smallexample
43333
43334 The @var{comm} parameter specifies how should the server communicate
43335 with @value{GDBN}; it is either a device name (to use a serial line),
43336 a TCP port number (@code{:1234}), or @code{-} or @code{stdio} to use
43337 stdin/stdout of @code{gdbserver}. Specify the name of the program to
43338 debug in @var{prog}. Any remaining arguments will be passed to the
43339 program verbatim. When the program exits, @value{GDBN} will close the
43340 connection, and @code{gdbserver} will exit.
43341
43342 @item
43343 Debug a specific program by specifying the process ID of a running
43344 program:
43345
43346 @smallexample
43347 gdbserver --attach @var{comm} @var{pid}
43348 @end smallexample
43349
43350 The @var{comm} parameter is as described above. Supply the process ID
43351 of a running program in @var{pid}; @value{GDBN} will do everything
43352 else. Like with the previous mode, when the process @var{pid} exits,
43353 @value{GDBN} will close the connection, and @code{gdbserver} will exit.
43354
43355 @item
43356 Multi-process mode -- debug more than one program/process:
43357
43358 @smallexample
43359 gdbserver --multi @var{comm}
43360 @end smallexample
43361
43362 In this mode, @value{GDBN} can instruct @command{gdbserver} which
43363 command(s) to run. Unlike the other 2 modes, @value{GDBN} will not
43364 close the connection when a process being debugged exits, so you can
43365 debug several processes in the same session.
43366 @end itemize
43367
43368 In each of the modes you may specify these options:
43369
43370 @table @env
43371
43372 @item --help
43373 List all options, with brief explanations.
43374
43375 @item --version
43376 This option causes @command{gdbserver} to print its version number and exit.
43377
43378 @item --attach
43379 @command{gdbserver} will attach to a running program. The syntax is:
43380
43381 @smallexample
43382 target> gdbserver --attach @var{comm} @var{pid}
43383 @end smallexample
43384
43385 @var{pid} is the process ID of a currently running process. It isn't
43386 necessary to point @command{gdbserver} at a binary for the running process.
43387
43388 @item --multi
43389 To start @code{gdbserver} without supplying an initial command to run
43390 or process ID to attach, use this command line option.
43391 Then you can connect using @kbd{target extended-remote} and start
43392 the program you want to debug. The syntax is:
43393
43394 @smallexample
43395 target> gdbserver --multi @var{comm}
43396 @end smallexample
43397
43398 @item --debug
43399 Instruct @code{gdbserver} to display extra status information about the debugging
43400 process.
43401 This option is intended for @code{gdbserver} development and for bug reports to
43402 the developers.
43403
43404 @item --remote-debug
43405 Instruct @code{gdbserver} to display remote protocol debug output.
43406 This option is intended for @code{gdbserver} development and for bug reports to
43407 the developers.
43408
43409 @item --debug-format=option1@r{[},option2,...@r{]}
43410 Instruct @code{gdbserver} to include extra information in each line
43411 of debugging output.
43412 @xref{Other Command-Line Arguments for gdbserver}.
43413
43414 @item --wrapper
43415 Specify a wrapper to launch programs
43416 for debugging. The option should be followed by the name of the
43417 wrapper, then any command-line arguments to pass to the wrapper, then
43418 @kbd{--} indicating the end of the wrapper arguments.
43419
43420 @item --once
43421 By default, @command{gdbserver} keeps the listening TCP port open, so that
43422 additional connections are possible. However, if you start @code{gdbserver}
43423 with the @option{--once} option, it will stop listening for any further
43424 connection attempts after connecting to the first @value{GDBN} session.
43425
43426 @c --disable-packet is not documented for users.
43427
43428 @c --disable-randomization and --no-disable-randomization are superseded by
43429 @c QDisableRandomization.
43430
43431 @end table
43432 @c man end
43433
43434 @c man begin SEEALSO gdbserver
43435 @ifset man
43436 The full documentation for @value{GDBN} is maintained as a Texinfo manual.
43437 If the @code{info} and @code{gdb} programs and @value{GDBN}'s Texinfo
43438 documentation are properly installed at your site, the command
43439
43440 @smallexample
43441 info gdb
43442 @end smallexample
43443
43444 should give you access to the complete manual.
43445
43446 @cite{Using GDB: A Guide to the GNU Source-Level Debugger},
43447 Richard M. Stallman and Roland H. Pesch, July 1991.
43448 @end ifset
43449 @c man end
43450
43451 @node gcore man
43452 @heading gcore
43453
43454 @c man title gcore Generate a core file of a running program
43455
43456 @format
43457 @c man begin SYNOPSIS gcore
43458 gcore [-a] [-o @var{filename}] @var{pid}
43459 @c man end
43460 @end format
43461
43462 @c man begin DESCRIPTION gcore
43463 Generate a core dump of a running program with process ID @var{pid}.
43464 Produced file is equivalent to a kernel produced core file as if the process
43465 crashed (and if @kbd{ulimit -c} were used to set up an appropriate core dump
43466 limit). Unlike after a crash, after @command{gcore} the program remains
43467 running without any change.
43468 @c man end
43469
43470 @c man begin OPTIONS gcore
43471 @table @env
43472 @item -a
43473 Dump all memory mappings. The actual effect of this option depends on
43474 the Operating System. On @sc{gnu}/Linux, it will disable
43475 @code{use-coredump-filter} (@pxref{set use-coredump-filter}) and
43476 enable @code{dump-excluded-mappings} (@pxref{set
43477 dump-excluded-mappings}).
43478
43479 @item -o @var{filename}
43480 The optional argument
43481 @var{filename} specifies the file name where to put the core dump.
43482 If not specified, the file name defaults to @file{core.@var{pid}},
43483 where @var{pid} is the running program process ID.
43484 @end table
43485 @c man end
43486
43487 @c man begin SEEALSO gcore
43488 @ifset man
43489 The full documentation for @value{GDBN} is maintained as a Texinfo manual.
43490 If the @code{info} and @code{gdb} programs and @value{GDBN}'s Texinfo
43491 documentation are properly installed at your site, the command
43492
43493 @smallexample
43494 info gdb
43495 @end smallexample
43496
43497 @noindent
43498 should give you access to the complete manual.
43499
43500 @cite{Using GDB: A Guide to the GNU Source-Level Debugger},
43501 Richard M. Stallman and Roland H. Pesch, July 1991.
43502 @end ifset
43503 @c man end
43504
43505 @node gdbinit man
43506 @heading gdbinit
43507
43508 @c man title gdbinit GDB initialization scripts
43509
43510 @format
43511 @c man begin SYNOPSIS gdbinit
43512 @ifset SYSTEM_GDBINIT
43513 @value{SYSTEM_GDBINIT}
43514 @end ifset
43515
43516 ~/.gdbinit
43517
43518 ./.gdbinit
43519 @c man end
43520 @end format
43521
43522 @c man begin DESCRIPTION gdbinit
43523 These files contain @value{GDBN} commands to automatically execute during
43524 @value{GDBN} startup. The lines of contents are canned sequences of commands,
43525 described in
43526 @ifset man
43527 the @value{GDBN} manual in node @code{Sequences}
43528 -- shell command @code{info -f gdb -n Sequences}.
43529 @end ifset
43530 @ifclear man
43531 @ref{Sequences}.
43532 @end ifclear
43533
43534 Please read more in
43535 @ifset man
43536 the @value{GDBN} manual in node @code{Startup}
43537 -- shell command @code{info -f gdb -n Startup}.
43538 @end ifset
43539 @ifclear man
43540 @ref{Startup}.
43541 @end ifclear
43542
43543 @table @env
43544 @ifset SYSTEM_GDBINIT
43545 @item @value{SYSTEM_GDBINIT}
43546 @end ifset
43547 @ifclear SYSTEM_GDBINIT
43548 @item (not enabled with @code{--with-system-gdbinit} during compilation)
43549 @end ifclear
43550 System-wide initialization file. It is executed unless user specified
43551 @value{GDBN} option @code{-nx} or @code{-n}.
43552 See more in
43553 @ifset man
43554 the @value{GDBN} manual in node @code{System-wide configuration}
43555 -- shell command @code{info -f gdb -n 'System-wide configuration'}.
43556 @end ifset
43557 @ifclear man
43558 @ref{System-wide configuration}.
43559 @end ifclear
43560
43561 @item ~/.gdbinit
43562 User initialization file. It is executed unless user specified
43563 @value{GDBN} options @code{-nx}, @code{-n} or @code{-nh}.
43564
43565 @item ./.gdbinit
43566 Initialization file for current directory. It may need to be enabled with
43567 @value{GDBN} security command @code{set auto-load local-gdbinit}.
43568 See more in
43569 @ifset man
43570 the @value{GDBN} manual in node @code{Init File in the Current Directory}
43571 -- shell command @code{info -f gdb -n 'Init File in the Current Directory'}.
43572 @end ifset
43573 @ifclear man
43574 @ref{Init File in the Current Directory}.
43575 @end ifclear
43576 @end table
43577 @c man end
43578
43579 @c man begin SEEALSO gdbinit
43580 @ifset man
43581 gdb(1), @code{info -f gdb -n Startup}
43582
43583 The full documentation for @value{GDBN} is maintained as a Texinfo manual.
43584 If the @code{info} and @code{gdb} programs and @value{GDBN}'s Texinfo
43585 documentation are properly installed at your site, the command
43586
43587 @smallexample
43588 info gdb
43589 @end smallexample
43590
43591 should give you access to the complete manual.
43592
43593 @cite{Using GDB: A Guide to the GNU Source-Level Debugger},
43594 Richard M. Stallman and Roland H. Pesch, July 1991.
43595 @end ifset
43596 @c man end
43597
43598 @node gdb-add-index man
43599 @heading gdb-add-index
43600 @pindex gdb-add-index
43601 @anchor{gdb-add-index}
43602
43603 @c man title gdb-add-index Add index files to speed up GDB
43604
43605 @c man begin SYNOPSIS gdb-add-index
43606 gdb-add-index @var{filename}
43607 @c man end
43608
43609 @c man begin DESCRIPTION gdb-add-index
43610 When @value{GDBN} finds a symbol file, it scans the symbols in the
43611 file in order to construct an internal symbol table. This lets most
43612 @value{GDBN} operations work quickly--at the cost of a delay early on.
43613 For large programs, this delay can be quite lengthy, so @value{GDBN}
43614 provides a way to build an index, which speeds up startup.
43615
43616 To determine whether a file contains such an index, use the command
43617 @kbd{readelf -S filename}: the index is stored in a section named
43618 @code{.gdb_index}. The index file can only be produced on systems
43619 which use ELF binaries and DWARF debug information (i.e., sections
43620 named @code{.debug_*}).
43621
43622 @command{gdb-add-index} uses @value{GDBN} and @command{objdump} found
43623 in the @env{PATH} environment variable. If you want to use different
43624 versions of these programs, you can specify them through the
43625 @env{GDB} and @env{OBJDUMP} environment variables.
43626
43627 See more in
43628 @ifset man
43629 the @value{GDBN} manual in node @code{Index Files}
43630 -- shell command @kbd{info -f gdb -n "Index Files"}.
43631 @end ifset
43632 @ifclear man
43633 @ref{Index Files}.
43634 @end ifclear
43635 @c man end
43636
43637 @c man begin SEEALSO gdb-add-index
43638 @ifset man
43639 The full documentation for @value{GDBN} is maintained as a Texinfo manual.
43640 If the @code{info} and @code{gdb} programs and @value{GDBN}'s Texinfo
43641 documentation are properly installed at your site, the command
43642
43643 @smallexample
43644 info gdb
43645 @end smallexample
43646
43647 should give you access to the complete manual.
43648
43649 @cite{Using GDB: A Guide to the GNU Source-Level Debugger},
43650 Richard M. Stallman and Roland H. Pesch, July 1991.
43651 @end ifset
43652 @c man end
43653
43654 @include gpl.texi
43655
43656 @node GNU Free Documentation License
43657 @appendix GNU Free Documentation License
43658 @include fdl.texi
43659
43660 @node Concept Index
43661 @unnumbered Concept Index
43662
43663 @printindex cp
43664
43665 @node Command and Variable Index
43666 @unnumbered Command, Variable, and Function Index
43667
43668 @printindex fn
43669
43670 @tex
43671 % I think something like @@colophon should be in texinfo. In the
43672 % meantime:
43673 \long\def\colophon{\hbox to0pt{}\vfill
43674 \centerline{The body of this manual is set in}
43675 \centerline{\fontname\tenrm,}
43676 \centerline{with headings in {\bf\fontname\tenbf}}
43677 \centerline{and examples in {\tt\fontname\tentt}.}
43678 \centerline{{\it\fontname\tenit\/},}
43679 \centerline{{\bf\fontname\tenbf}, and}
43680 \centerline{{\sl\fontname\tensl\/}}
43681 \centerline{are used for emphasis.}\vfill}
43682 \page\colophon
43683 % Blame: doc@@cygnus.com, 1991.
43684 @end tex
43685
43686 @bye
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