btrace, gdbserver: read branch trace incrementally
[deliverable/binutils-gdb.git] / gdb / doc / gdb.texinfo
1 \input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
2 @c Copyright (C) 1988-2014 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{} 1988-2014 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) 1988-2014 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 @node Sample Session
545 @chapter A Sample @value{GDBN} Session
546
547 You can use this manual at your leisure to read all about @value{GDBN}.
548 However, a handful of commands are enough to get started using the
549 debugger. This chapter illustrates those commands.
550
551 @iftex
552 In this sample session, we emphasize user input like this: @b{input},
553 to make it easier to pick out from the surrounding output.
554 @end iftex
555
556 @c FIXME: this example may not be appropriate for some configs, where
557 @c FIXME...primary interest is in remote use.
558
559 One of the preliminary versions of @sc{gnu} @code{m4} (a generic macro
560 processor) exhibits the following bug: sometimes, when we change its
561 quote strings from the default, the commands used to capture one macro
562 definition within another stop working. In the following short @code{m4}
563 session, we define a macro @code{foo} which expands to @code{0000}; we
564 then use the @code{m4} built-in @code{defn} to define @code{bar} as the
565 same thing. However, when we change the open quote string to
566 @code{<QUOTE>} and the close quote string to @code{<UNQUOTE>}, the same
567 procedure fails to define a new synonym @code{baz}:
568
569 @smallexample
570 $ @b{cd gnu/m4}
571 $ @b{./m4}
572 @b{define(foo,0000)}
573
574 @b{foo}
575 0000
576 @b{define(bar,defn(`foo'))}
577
578 @b{bar}
579 0000
580 @b{changequote(<QUOTE>,<UNQUOTE>)}
581
582 @b{define(baz,defn(<QUOTE>foo<UNQUOTE>))}
583 @b{baz}
584 @b{Ctrl-d}
585 m4: End of input: 0: fatal error: EOF in string
586 @end smallexample
587
588 @noindent
589 Let us use @value{GDBN} to try to see what is going on.
590
591 @smallexample
592 $ @b{@value{GDBP} m4}
593 @c FIXME: this falsifies the exact text played out, to permit smallbook
594 @c FIXME... format to come out better.
595 @value{GDBN} is free software and you are welcome to distribute copies
596 of it under certain conditions; type "show copying" to see
597 the conditions.
598 There is absolutely no warranty for @value{GDBN}; type "show warranty"
599 for details.
600
601 @value{GDBN} @value{GDBVN}, Copyright 1999 Free Software Foundation, Inc...
602 (@value{GDBP})
603 @end smallexample
604
605 @noindent
606 @value{GDBN} reads only enough symbol data to know where to find the
607 rest when needed; as a result, the first prompt comes up very quickly.
608 We now tell @value{GDBN} to use a narrower display width than usual, so
609 that examples fit in this manual.
610
611 @smallexample
612 (@value{GDBP}) @b{set width 70}
613 @end smallexample
614
615 @noindent
616 We need to see how the @code{m4} built-in @code{changequote} works.
617 Having looked at the source, we know the relevant subroutine is
618 @code{m4_changequote}, so we set a breakpoint there with the @value{GDBN}
619 @code{break} command.
620
621 @smallexample
622 (@value{GDBP}) @b{break m4_changequote}
623 Breakpoint 1 at 0x62f4: file builtin.c, line 879.
624 @end smallexample
625
626 @noindent
627 Using the @code{run} command, we start @code{m4} running under @value{GDBN}
628 control; as long as control does not reach the @code{m4_changequote}
629 subroutine, the program runs as usual:
630
631 @smallexample
632 (@value{GDBP}) @b{run}
633 Starting program: /work/Editorial/gdb/gnu/m4/m4
634 @b{define(foo,0000)}
635
636 @b{foo}
637 0000
638 @end smallexample
639
640 @noindent
641 To trigger the breakpoint, we call @code{changequote}. @value{GDBN}
642 suspends execution of @code{m4}, displaying information about the
643 context where it stops.
644
645 @smallexample
646 @b{changequote(<QUOTE>,<UNQUOTE>)}
647
648 Breakpoint 1, m4_changequote (argc=3, argv=0x33c70)
649 at builtin.c:879
650 879 if (bad_argc(TOKEN_DATA_TEXT(argv[0]),argc,1,3))
651 @end smallexample
652
653 @noindent
654 Now we use the command @code{n} (@code{next}) to advance execution to
655 the next line of the current function.
656
657 @smallexample
658 (@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
659 882 set_quotes((argc >= 2) ? TOKEN_DATA_TEXT(argv[1])\
660 : nil,
661 @end smallexample
662
663 @noindent
664 @code{set_quotes} looks like a promising subroutine. We can go into it
665 by using the command @code{s} (@code{step}) instead of @code{next}.
666 @code{step} goes to the next line to be executed in @emph{any}
667 subroutine, so it steps into @code{set_quotes}.
668
669 @smallexample
670 (@value{GDBP}) @b{s}
671 set_quotes (lq=0x34c78 "<QUOTE>", rq=0x34c88 "<UNQUOTE>")
672 at input.c:530
673 530 if (lquote != def_lquote)
674 @end smallexample
675
676 @noindent
677 The display that shows the subroutine where @code{m4} is now
678 suspended (and its arguments) is called a stack frame display. It
679 shows a summary of the stack. We can use the @code{backtrace}
680 command (which can also be spelled @code{bt}), to see where we are
681 in the stack as a whole: the @code{backtrace} command displays a
682 stack frame for each active subroutine.
683
684 @smallexample
685 (@value{GDBP}) @b{bt}
686 #0 set_quotes (lq=0x34c78 "<QUOTE>", rq=0x34c88 "<UNQUOTE>")
687 at input.c:530
688 #1 0x6344 in m4_changequote (argc=3, argv=0x33c70)
689 at builtin.c:882
690 #2 0x8174 in expand_macro (sym=0x33320) at macro.c:242
691 #3 0x7a88 in expand_token (obs=0x0, t=209696, td=0xf7fffa30)
692 at macro.c:71
693 #4 0x79dc in expand_input () at macro.c:40
694 #5 0x2930 in main (argc=0, argv=0xf7fffb20) at m4.c:195
695 @end smallexample
696
697 @noindent
698 We step through a few more lines to see what happens. The first two
699 times, we can use @samp{s}; the next two times we use @code{n} to avoid
700 falling into the @code{xstrdup} subroutine.
701
702 @smallexample
703 (@value{GDBP}) @b{s}
704 0x3b5c 532 if (rquote != def_rquote)
705 (@value{GDBP}) @b{s}
706 0x3b80 535 lquote = (lq == nil || *lq == '\0') ? \
707 def_lquote : xstrdup(lq);
708 (@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
709 536 rquote = (rq == nil || *rq == '\0') ? def_rquote\
710 : xstrdup(rq);
711 (@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
712 538 len_lquote = strlen(rquote);
713 @end smallexample
714
715 @noindent
716 The last line displayed looks a little odd; we can examine the variables
717 @code{lquote} and @code{rquote} to see if they are in fact the new left
718 and right quotes we specified. We use the command @code{p}
719 (@code{print}) to see their values.
720
721 @smallexample
722 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p lquote}
723 $1 = 0x35d40 "<QUOTE>"
724 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p rquote}
725 $2 = 0x35d50 "<UNQUOTE>"
726 @end smallexample
727
728 @noindent
729 @code{lquote} and @code{rquote} are indeed the new left and right quotes.
730 To look at some context, we can display ten lines of source
731 surrounding the current line with the @code{l} (@code{list}) command.
732
733 @smallexample
734 (@value{GDBP}) @b{l}
735 533 xfree(rquote);
736 534
737 535 lquote = (lq == nil || *lq == '\0') ? def_lquote\
738 : xstrdup (lq);
739 536 rquote = (rq == nil || *rq == '\0') ? def_rquote\
740 : xstrdup (rq);
741 537
742 538 len_lquote = strlen(rquote);
743 539 len_rquote = strlen(lquote);
744 540 @}
745 541
746 542 void
747 @end smallexample
748
749 @noindent
750 Let us step past the two lines that set @code{len_lquote} and
751 @code{len_rquote}, and then examine the values of those variables.
752
753 @smallexample
754 (@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
755 539 len_rquote = strlen(lquote);
756 (@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
757 540 @}
758 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p len_lquote}
759 $3 = 9
760 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p len_rquote}
761 $4 = 7
762 @end smallexample
763
764 @noindent
765 That certainly looks wrong, assuming @code{len_lquote} and
766 @code{len_rquote} are meant to be the lengths of @code{lquote} and
767 @code{rquote} respectively. We can set them to better values using
768 the @code{p} command, since it can print the value of
769 any expression---and that expression can include subroutine calls and
770 assignments.
771
772 @smallexample
773 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p len_lquote=strlen(lquote)}
774 $5 = 7
775 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p len_rquote=strlen(rquote)}
776 $6 = 9
777 @end smallexample
778
779 @noindent
780 Is that enough to fix the problem of using the new quotes with the
781 @code{m4} built-in @code{defn}? We can allow @code{m4} to continue
782 executing with the @code{c} (@code{continue}) command, and then try the
783 example that caused trouble initially:
784
785 @smallexample
786 (@value{GDBP}) @b{c}
787 Continuing.
788
789 @b{define(baz,defn(<QUOTE>foo<UNQUOTE>))}
790
791 baz
792 0000
793 @end smallexample
794
795 @noindent
796 Success! The new quotes now work just as well as the default ones. The
797 problem seems to have been just the two typos defining the wrong
798 lengths. We allow @code{m4} exit by giving it an EOF as input:
799
800 @smallexample
801 @b{Ctrl-d}
802 Program exited normally.
803 @end smallexample
804
805 @noindent
806 The message @samp{Program exited normally.} is from @value{GDBN}; it
807 indicates @code{m4} has finished executing. We can end our @value{GDBN}
808 session with the @value{GDBN} @code{quit} command.
809
810 @smallexample
811 (@value{GDBP}) @b{quit}
812 @end smallexample
813
814 @node Invocation
815 @chapter Getting In and Out of @value{GDBN}
816
817 This chapter discusses how to start @value{GDBN}, and how to get out of it.
818 The essentials are:
819 @itemize @bullet
820 @item
821 type @samp{@value{GDBP}} to start @value{GDBN}.
822 @item
823 type @kbd{quit} or @kbd{Ctrl-d} to exit.
824 @end itemize
825
826 @menu
827 * Invoking GDB:: How to start @value{GDBN}
828 * Quitting GDB:: How to quit @value{GDBN}
829 * Shell Commands:: How to use shell commands inside @value{GDBN}
830 * Logging Output:: How to log @value{GDBN}'s output to a file
831 @end menu
832
833 @node Invoking GDB
834 @section Invoking @value{GDBN}
835
836 Invoke @value{GDBN} by running the program @code{@value{GDBP}}. Once started,
837 @value{GDBN} reads commands from the terminal until you tell it to exit.
838
839 You can also run @code{@value{GDBP}} with a variety of arguments and options,
840 to specify more of your debugging environment at the outset.
841
842 The command-line options described here are designed
843 to cover a variety of situations; in some environments, some of these
844 options may effectively be unavailable.
845
846 The most usual way to start @value{GDBN} is with one argument,
847 specifying an executable program:
848
849 @smallexample
850 @value{GDBP} @var{program}
851 @end smallexample
852
853 @noindent
854 You can also start with both an executable program and a core file
855 specified:
856
857 @smallexample
858 @value{GDBP} @var{program} @var{core}
859 @end smallexample
860
861 You can, instead, specify a process ID as a second argument, if you want
862 to debug a running process:
863
864 @smallexample
865 @value{GDBP} @var{program} 1234
866 @end smallexample
867
868 @noindent
869 would attach @value{GDBN} to process @code{1234} (unless you also have a file
870 named @file{1234}; @value{GDBN} does check for a core file first).
871
872 Taking advantage of the second command-line argument requires a fairly
873 complete operating system; when you use @value{GDBN} as a remote
874 debugger attached to a bare board, there may not be any notion of
875 ``process'', and there is often no way to get a core dump. @value{GDBN}
876 will warn you if it is unable to attach or to read core dumps.
877
878 You can optionally have @code{@value{GDBP}} pass any arguments after the
879 executable file to the inferior using @code{--args}. This option stops
880 option processing.
881 @smallexample
882 @value{GDBP} --args gcc -O2 -c foo.c
883 @end smallexample
884 This will cause @code{@value{GDBP}} to debug @code{gcc}, and to set
885 @code{gcc}'s command-line arguments (@pxref{Arguments}) to @samp{-O2 -c foo.c}.
886
887 You can run @code{@value{GDBP}} without printing the front material, which describes
888 @value{GDBN}'s non-warranty, by specifying @code{-silent}:
889
890 @smallexample
891 @value{GDBP} -silent
892 @end smallexample
893
894 @noindent
895 You can further control how @value{GDBN} starts up by using command-line
896 options. @value{GDBN} itself can remind you of the options available.
897
898 @noindent
899 Type
900
901 @smallexample
902 @value{GDBP} -help
903 @end smallexample
904
905 @noindent
906 to display all available options and briefly describe their use
907 (@samp{@value{GDBP} -h} is a shorter equivalent).
908
909 All options and command line arguments you give are processed
910 in sequential order. The order makes a difference when the
911 @samp{-x} option is used.
912
913
914 @menu
915 * File Options:: Choosing files
916 * Mode Options:: Choosing modes
917 * Startup:: What @value{GDBN} does during startup
918 @end menu
919
920 @node File Options
921 @subsection Choosing Files
922
923 When @value{GDBN} starts, it reads any arguments other than options as
924 specifying an executable file and core file (or process ID). This is
925 the same as if the arguments were specified by the @samp{-se} and
926 @samp{-c} (or @samp{-p}) options respectively. (@value{GDBN} reads the
927 first argument that does not have an associated option flag as
928 equivalent to the @samp{-se} option followed by that argument; and the
929 second argument that does not have an associated option flag, if any, as
930 equivalent to the @samp{-c}/@samp{-p} option followed by that argument.)
931 If the second argument begins with a decimal digit, @value{GDBN} will
932 first attempt to attach to it as a process, and if that fails, attempt
933 to open it as a corefile. If you have a corefile whose name begins with
934 a digit, you can prevent @value{GDBN} from treating it as a pid by
935 prefixing it with @file{./}, e.g.@: @file{./12345}.
936
937 If @value{GDBN} has not been configured to included core file support,
938 such as for most embedded targets, then it will complain about a second
939 argument and ignore it.
940
941 Many options have both long and short forms; both are shown in the
942 following list. @value{GDBN} also recognizes the long forms if you truncate
943 them, so long as enough of the option is present to be unambiguous.
944 (If you prefer, you can flag option arguments with @samp{--} rather
945 than @samp{-}, though we illustrate the more usual convention.)
946
947 @c NOTE: the @cindex entries here use double dashes ON PURPOSE. This
948 @c way, both those who look for -foo and --foo in the index, will find
949 @c it.
950
951 @table @code
952 @item -symbols @var{file}
953 @itemx -s @var{file}
954 @cindex @code{--symbols}
955 @cindex @code{-s}
956 Read symbol table from file @var{file}.
957
958 @item -exec @var{file}
959 @itemx -e @var{file}
960 @cindex @code{--exec}
961 @cindex @code{-e}
962 Use file @var{file} as the executable file to execute when appropriate,
963 and for examining pure data in conjunction with a core dump.
964
965 @item -se @var{file}
966 @cindex @code{--se}
967 Read symbol table from file @var{file} and use it as the executable
968 file.
969
970 @item -core @var{file}
971 @itemx -c @var{file}
972 @cindex @code{--core}
973 @cindex @code{-c}
974 Use file @var{file} as a core dump to examine.
975
976 @item -pid @var{number}
977 @itemx -p @var{number}
978 @cindex @code{--pid}
979 @cindex @code{-p}
980 Connect to process ID @var{number}, as with the @code{attach} command.
981
982 @item -command @var{file}
983 @itemx -x @var{file}
984 @cindex @code{--command}
985 @cindex @code{-x}
986 Execute commands from file @var{file}. The contents of this file is
987 evaluated exactly as the @code{source} command would.
988 @xref{Command Files,, Command files}.
989
990 @item -eval-command @var{command}
991 @itemx -ex @var{command}
992 @cindex @code{--eval-command}
993 @cindex @code{-ex}
994 Execute a single @value{GDBN} command.
995
996 This option may be used multiple times to call multiple commands. It may
997 also be interleaved with @samp{-command} as required.
998
999 @smallexample
1000 @value{GDBP} -ex 'target sim' -ex 'load' \
1001 -x setbreakpoints -ex 'run' a.out
1002 @end smallexample
1003
1004 @item -init-command @var{file}
1005 @itemx -ix @var{file}
1006 @cindex @code{--init-command}
1007 @cindex @code{-ix}
1008 Execute commands from file @var{file} before loading the inferior (but
1009 after loading gdbinit files).
1010 @xref{Startup}.
1011
1012 @item -init-eval-command @var{command}
1013 @itemx -iex @var{command}
1014 @cindex @code{--init-eval-command}
1015 @cindex @code{-iex}
1016 Execute a single @value{GDBN} command before loading the inferior (but
1017 after loading gdbinit files).
1018 @xref{Startup}.
1019
1020 @item -directory @var{directory}
1021 @itemx -d @var{directory}
1022 @cindex @code{--directory}
1023 @cindex @code{-d}
1024 Add @var{directory} to the path to search for source and script files.
1025
1026 @item -r
1027 @itemx -readnow
1028 @cindex @code{--readnow}
1029 @cindex @code{-r}
1030 Read each symbol file's entire symbol table immediately, rather than
1031 the default, which is to read it incrementally as it is needed.
1032 This makes startup slower, but makes future operations faster.
1033
1034 @end table
1035
1036 @node Mode Options
1037 @subsection Choosing Modes
1038
1039 You can run @value{GDBN} in various alternative modes---for example, in
1040 batch mode or quiet mode.
1041
1042 @table @code
1043 @anchor{-nx}
1044 @item -nx
1045 @itemx -n
1046 @cindex @code{--nx}
1047 @cindex @code{-n}
1048 Do not execute commands found in any initialization file.
1049 There are three init files, loaded in the following order:
1050
1051 @table @code
1052 @item @file{system.gdbinit}
1053 This is the system-wide init file.
1054 Its location is specified with the @code{--with-system-gdbinit}
1055 configure option (@pxref{System-wide configuration}).
1056 It is loaded first when @value{GDBN} starts, before command line options
1057 have been processed.
1058 @item @file{~/.gdbinit}
1059 This is the init file in your home directory.
1060 It is loaded next, after @file{system.gdbinit}, and before
1061 command options have been processed.
1062 @item @file{./.gdbinit}
1063 This is the init file in the current directory.
1064 It is loaded last, after command line options other than @code{-x} and
1065 @code{-ex} have been processed. Command line options @code{-x} and
1066 @code{-ex} are processed last, after @file{./.gdbinit} has been loaded.
1067 @end table
1068
1069 For further documentation on startup processing, @xref{Startup}.
1070 For documentation on how to write command files,
1071 @xref{Command Files,,Command Files}.
1072
1073 @anchor{-nh}
1074 @item -nh
1075 @cindex @code{--nh}
1076 Do not execute commands found in @file{~/.gdbinit}, the init file
1077 in your home directory.
1078 @xref{Startup}.
1079
1080 @item -quiet
1081 @itemx -silent
1082 @itemx -q
1083 @cindex @code{--quiet}
1084 @cindex @code{--silent}
1085 @cindex @code{-q}
1086 ``Quiet''. Do not print the introductory and copyright messages. These
1087 messages are also suppressed in batch mode.
1088
1089 @item -batch
1090 @cindex @code{--batch}
1091 Run in batch mode. Exit with status @code{0} after processing all the
1092 command files specified with @samp{-x} (and all commands from
1093 initialization files, if not inhibited with @samp{-n}). Exit with
1094 nonzero status if an error occurs in executing the @value{GDBN} commands
1095 in the command files. Batch mode also disables pagination, sets unlimited
1096 terminal width and height @pxref{Screen Size}, and acts as if @kbd{set confirm
1097 off} were in effect (@pxref{Messages/Warnings}).
1098
1099 Batch mode may be useful for running @value{GDBN} as a filter, for
1100 example to download and run a program on another computer; in order to
1101 make this more useful, the message
1102
1103 @smallexample
1104 Program exited normally.
1105 @end smallexample
1106
1107 @noindent
1108 (which is ordinarily issued whenever a program running under
1109 @value{GDBN} control terminates) is not issued when running in batch
1110 mode.
1111
1112 @item -batch-silent
1113 @cindex @code{--batch-silent}
1114 Run in batch mode exactly like @samp{-batch}, but totally silently. All
1115 @value{GDBN} output to @code{stdout} is prevented (@code{stderr} is
1116 unaffected). This is much quieter than @samp{-silent} and would be useless
1117 for an interactive session.
1118
1119 This is particularly useful when using targets that give @samp{Loading section}
1120 messages, for example.
1121
1122 Note that targets that give their output via @value{GDBN}, as opposed to
1123 writing directly to @code{stdout}, will also be made silent.
1124
1125 @item -return-child-result
1126 @cindex @code{--return-child-result}
1127 The return code from @value{GDBN} will be the return code from the child
1128 process (the process being debugged), with the following exceptions:
1129
1130 @itemize @bullet
1131 @item
1132 @value{GDBN} exits abnormally. E.g., due to an incorrect argument or an
1133 internal error. In this case the exit code is the same as it would have been
1134 without @samp{-return-child-result}.
1135 @item
1136 The user quits with an explicit value. E.g., @samp{quit 1}.
1137 @item
1138 The child process never runs, or is not allowed to terminate, in which case
1139 the exit code will be -1.
1140 @end itemize
1141
1142 This option is useful in conjunction with @samp{-batch} or @samp{-batch-silent},
1143 when @value{GDBN} is being used as a remote program loader or simulator
1144 interface.
1145
1146 @item -nowindows
1147 @itemx -nw
1148 @cindex @code{--nowindows}
1149 @cindex @code{-nw}
1150 ``No windows''. If @value{GDBN} comes with a graphical user interface
1151 (GUI) built in, then this option tells @value{GDBN} to only use the command-line
1152 interface. If no GUI is available, this option has no effect.
1153
1154 @item -windows
1155 @itemx -w
1156 @cindex @code{--windows}
1157 @cindex @code{-w}
1158 If @value{GDBN} includes a GUI, then this option requires it to be
1159 used if possible.
1160
1161 @item -cd @var{directory}
1162 @cindex @code{--cd}
1163 Run @value{GDBN} using @var{directory} as its working directory,
1164 instead of the current directory.
1165
1166 @item -data-directory @var{directory}
1167 @cindex @code{--data-directory}
1168 Run @value{GDBN} using @var{directory} as its data directory.
1169 The data directory is where @value{GDBN} searches for its
1170 auxiliary files. @xref{Data Files}.
1171
1172 @item -fullname
1173 @itemx -f
1174 @cindex @code{--fullname}
1175 @cindex @code{-f}
1176 @sc{gnu} Emacs sets this option when it runs @value{GDBN} as a
1177 subprocess. It tells @value{GDBN} to output the full file name and line
1178 number in a standard, recognizable fashion each time a stack frame is
1179 displayed (which includes each time your program stops). This
1180 recognizable format looks like two @samp{\032} characters, followed by
1181 the file name, line number and character position separated by colons,
1182 and a newline. The Emacs-to-@value{GDBN} interface program uses the two
1183 @samp{\032} characters as a signal to display the source code for the
1184 frame.
1185
1186 @item -annotate @var{level}
1187 @cindex @code{--annotate}
1188 This option sets the @dfn{annotation level} inside @value{GDBN}. Its
1189 effect is identical to using @samp{set annotate @var{level}}
1190 (@pxref{Annotations}). The annotation @var{level} controls how much
1191 information @value{GDBN} prints together with its prompt, values of
1192 expressions, source lines, and other types of output. Level 0 is the
1193 normal, level 1 is for use when @value{GDBN} is run as a subprocess of
1194 @sc{gnu} Emacs, level 3 is the maximum annotation suitable for programs
1195 that control @value{GDBN}, and level 2 has been deprecated.
1196
1197 The annotation mechanism has largely been superseded by @sc{gdb/mi}
1198 (@pxref{GDB/MI}).
1199
1200 @item --args
1201 @cindex @code{--args}
1202 Change interpretation of command line so that arguments following the
1203 executable file are passed as command line arguments to the inferior.
1204 This option stops option processing.
1205
1206 @item -baud @var{bps}
1207 @itemx -b @var{bps}
1208 @cindex @code{--baud}
1209 @cindex @code{-b}
1210 Set the line speed (baud rate or bits per second) of any serial
1211 interface used by @value{GDBN} for remote debugging.
1212
1213 @item -l @var{timeout}
1214 @cindex @code{-l}
1215 Set the timeout (in seconds) of any communication used by @value{GDBN}
1216 for remote debugging.
1217
1218 @item -tty @var{device}
1219 @itemx -t @var{device}
1220 @cindex @code{--tty}
1221 @cindex @code{-t}
1222 Run using @var{device} for your program's standard input and output.
1223 @c FIXME: kingdon thinks there is more to -tty. Investigate.
1224
1225 @c resolve the situation of these eventually
1226 @item -tui
1227 @cindex @code{--tui}
1228 Activate the @dfn{Text User Interface} when starting. The Text User
1229 Interface manages several text windows on the terminal, showing
1230 source, assembly, registers and @value{GDBN} command outputs
1231 (@pxref{TUI, ,@value{GDBN} Text User Interface}). Do not use this
1232 option if you run @value{GDBN} from Emacs (@pxref{Emacs, ,
1233 Using @value{GDBN} under @sc{gnu} Emacs}).
1234
1235 @c @item -xdb
1236 @c @cindex @code{--xdb}
1237 @c Run in XDB compatibility mode, allowing the use of certain XDB commands.
1238 @c For information, see the file @file{xdb_trans.html}, which is usually
1239 @c installed in the directory @code{/opt/langtools/wdb/doc} on HP-UX
1240 @c systems.
1241
1242 @item -interpreter @var{interp}
1243 @cindex @code{--interpreter}
1244 Use the interpreter @var{interp} for interface with the controlling
1245 program or device. This option is meant to be set by programs which
1246 communicate with @value{GDBN} using it as a back end.
1247 @xref{Interpreters, , Command Interpreters}.
1248
1249 @samp{--interpreter=mi} (or @samp{--interpreter=mi2}) causes
1250 @value{GDBN} to use the @dfn{@sc{gdb/mi} interface} (@pxref{GDB/MI, ,
1251 The @sc{gdb/mi} Interface}) included since @value{GDBN} version 6.0. The
1252 previous @sc{gdb/mi} interface, included in @value{GDBN} version 5.3 and
1253 selected with @samp{--interpreter=mi1}, is deprecated. Earlier
1254 @sc{gdb/mi} interfaces are no longer supported.
1255
1256 @item -write
1257 @cindex @code{--write}
1258 Open the executable and core files for both reading and writing. This
1259 is equivalent to the @samp{set write on} command inside @value{GDBN}
1260 (@pxref{Patching}).
1261
1262 @item -statistics
1263 @cindex @code{--statistics}
1264 This option causes @value{GDBN} to print statistics about time and
1265 memory usage after it completes each command and returns to the prompt.
1266
1267 @item -version
1268 @cindex @code{--version}
1269 This option causes @value{GDBN} to print its version number and
1270 no-warranty blurb, and exit.
1271
1272 @item -configuration
1273 @cindex @code{--configuration}
1274 This option causes @value{GDBN} to print details about its build-time
1275 configuration parameters, and then exit. These details can be
1276 important when reporting @value{GDBN} bugs (@pxref{GDB Bugs}).
1277
1278 @end table
1279
1280 @node Startup
1281 @subsection What @value{GDBN} Does During Startup
1282 @cindex @value{GDBN} startup
1283
1284 Here's the description of what @value{GDBN} does during session startup:
1285
1286 @enumerate
1287 @item
1288 Sets up the command interpreter as specified by the command line
1289 (@pxref{Mode Options, interpreter}).
1290
1291 @item
1292 @cindex init file
1293 Reads the system-wide @dfn{init file} (if @option{--with-system-gdbinit} was
1294 used when building @value{GDBN}; @pxref{System-wide configuration,
1295 ,System-wide configuration and settings}) and executes all the commands in
1296 that file.
1297
1298 @anchor{Home Directory Init File}
1299 @item
1300 Reads the init file (if any) in your home directory@footnote{On
1301 DOS/Windows systems, the home directory is the one pointed to by the
1302 @code{HOME} environment variable.} and executes all the commands in
1303 that file.
1304
1305 @anchor{Option -init-eval-command}
1306 @item
1307 Executes commands and command files specified by the @samp{-iex} and
1308 @samp{-ix} options in their specified order. Usually you should use the
1309 @samp{-ex} and @samp{-x} options instead, but this way you can apply
1310 settings before @value{GDBN} init files get executed and before inferior
1311 gets loaded.
1312
1313 @item
1314 Processes command line options and operands.
1315
1316 @anchor{Init File in the Current Directory during Startup}
1317 @item
1318 Reads and executes the commands from init file (if any) in the current
1319 working directory as long as @samp{set auto-load local-gdbinit} is set to
1320 @samp{on} (@pxref{Init File in the Current Directory}).
1321 This is only done if the current directory is
1322 different from your home directory. Thus, you can have more than one
1323 init file, one generic in your home directory, and another, specific
1324 to the program you are debugging, in the directory where you invoke
1325 @value{GDBN}.
1326
1327 @item
1328 If the command line specified a program to debug, or a process to
1329 attach to, or a core file, @value{GDBN} loads any auto-loaded
1330 scripts provided for the program or for its loaded shared libraries.
1331 @xref{Auto-loading}.
1332
1333 If you wish to disable the auto-loading during startup,
1334 you must do something like the following:
1335
1336 @smallexample
1337 $ gdb -iex "set auto-load python-scripts off" myprogram
1338 @end smallexample
1339
1340 Option @samp{-ex} does not work because the auto-loading is then turned
1341 off too late.
1342
1343 @item
1344 Executes commands and command files specified by the @samp{-ex} and
1345 @samp{-x} options in their specified order. @xref{Command Files}, for
1346 more details about @value{GDBN} command files.
1347
1348 @item
1349 Reads the command history recorded in the @dfn{history file}.
1350 @xref{Command History}, for more details about the command history and the
1351 files where @value{GDBN} records it.
1352 @end enumerate
1353
1354 Init files use the same syntax as @dfn{command files} (@pxref{Command
1355 Files}) and are processed by @value{GDBN} in the same way. The init
1356 file in your home directory can set options (such as @samp{set
1357 complaints}) that affect subsequent processing of command line options
1358 and operands. Init files are not executed if you use the @samp{-nx}
1359 option (@pxref{Mode Options, ,Choosing Modes}).
1360
1361 To display the list of init files loaded by gdb at startup, you
1362 can use @kbd{gdb --help}.
1363
1364 @cindex init file name
1365 @cindex @file{.gdbinit}
1366 @cindex @file{gdb.ini}
1367 The @value{GDBN} init files are normally called @file{.gdbinit}.
1368 The DJGPP port of @value{GDBN} uses the name @file{gdb.ini}, due to
1369 the limitations of file names imposed by DOS filesystems. The Windows
1370 port of @value{GDBN} uses the standard name, but if it finds a
1371 @file{gdb.ini} file in your home directory, it warns you about that
1372 and suggests to rename the file to the standard name.
1373
1374
1375 @node Quitting GDB
1376 @section Quitting @value{GDBN}
1377 @cindex exiting @value{GDBN}
1378 @cindex leaving @value{GDBN}
1379
1380 @table @code
1381 @kindex quit @r{[}@var{expression}@r{]}
1382 @kindex q @r{(@code{quit})}
1383 @item quit @r{[}@var{expression}@r{]}
1384 @itemx q
1385 To exit @value{GDBN}, use the @code{quit} command (abbreviated
1386 @code{q}), or type an end-of-file character (usually @kbd{Ctrl-d}). If you
1387 do not supply @var{expression}, @value{GDBN} will terminate normally;
1388 otherwise it will terminate using the result of @var{expression} as the
1389 error code.
1390 @end table
1391
1392 @cindex interrupt
1393 An interrupt (often @kbd{Ctrl-c}) does not exit from @value{GDBN}, but rather
1394 terminates the action of any @value{GDBN} command that is in progress and
1395 returns to @value{GDBN} command level. It is safe to type the interrupt
1396 character at any time because @value{GDBN} does not allow it to take effect
1397 until a time when it is safe.
1398
1399 If you have been using @value{GDBN} to control an attached process or
1400 device, you can release it with the @code{detach} command
1401 (@pxref{Attach, ,Debugging an Already-running Process}).
1402
1403 @node Shell Commands
1404 @section Shell Commands
1405
1406 If you need to execute occasional shell commands during your
1407 debugging session, there is no need to leave or suspend @value{GDBN}; you can
1408 just use the @code{shell} command.
1409
1410 @table @code
1411 @kindex shell
1412 @kindex !
1413 @cindex shell escape
1414 @item shell @var{command-string}
1415 @itemx !@var{command-string}
1416 Invoke a standard shell to execute @var{command-string}.
1417 Note that no space is needed between @code{!} and @var{command-string}.
1418 If it exists, the environment variable @code{SHELL} determines which
1419 shell to run. Otherwise @value{GDBN} uses the default shell
1420 (@file{/bin/sh} on Unix systems, @file{COMMAND.COM} on MS-DOS, etc.).
1421 @end table
1422
1423 The utility @code{make} is often needed in development environments.
1424 You do not have to use the @code{shell} command for this purpose in
1425 @value{GDBN}:
1426
1427 @table @code
1428 @kindex make
1429 @cindex calling make
1430 @item make @var{make-args}
1431 Execute the @code{make} program with the specified
1432 arguments. This is equivalent to @samp{shell make @var{make-args}}.
1433 @end table
1434
1435 @node Logging Output
1436 @section Logging Output
1437 @cindex logging @value{GDBN} output
1438 @cindex save @value{GDBN} output to a file
1439
1440 You may want to save the output of @value{GDBN} commands to a file.
1441 There are several commands to control @value{GDBN}'s logging.
1442
1443 @table @code
1444 @kindex set logging
1445 @item set logging on
1446 Enable logging.
1447 @item set logging off
1448 Disable logging.
1449 @cindex logging file name
1450 @item set logging file @var{file}
1451 Change the name of the current logfile. The default logfile is @file{gdb.txt}.
1452 @item set logging overwrite [on|off]
1453 By default, @value{GDBN} will append to the logfile. Set @code{overwrite} if
1454 you want @code{set logging on} to overwrite the logfile instead.
1455 @item set logging redirect [on|off]
1456 By default, @value{GDBN} output will go to both the terminal and the logfile.
1457 Set @code{redirect} if you want output to go only to the log file.
1458 @kindex show logging
1459 @item show logging
1460 Show the current values of the logging settings.
1461 @end table
1462
1463 @node Commands
1464 @chapter @value{GDBN} Commands
1465
1466 You can abbreviate a @value{GDBN} command to the first few letters of the command
1467 name, if that abbreviation is unambiguous; and you can repeat certain
1468 @value{GDBN} commands by typing just @key{RET}. You can also use the @key{TAB}
1469 key to get @value{GDBN} to fill out the rest of a word in a command (or to
1470 show you the alternatives available, if there is more than one possibility).
1471
1472 @menu
1473 * Command Syntax:: How to give commands to @value{GDBN}
1474 * Completion:: Command completion
1475 * Help:: How to ask @value{GDBN} for help
1476 @end menu
1477
1478 @node Command Syntax
1479 @section Command Syntax
1480
1481 A @value{GDBN} command is a single line of input. There is no limit on
1482 how long it can be. It starts with a command name, which is followed by
1483 arguments whose meaning depends on the command name. For example, the
1484 command @code{step} accepts an argument which is the number of times to
1485 step, as in @samp{step 5}. You can also use the @code{step} command
1486 with no arguments. Some commands do not allow any arguments.
1487
1488 @cindex abbreviation
1489 @value{GDBN} command names may always be truncated if that abbreviation is
1490 unambiguous. Other possible command abbreviations are listed in the
1491 documentation for individual commands. In some cases, even ambiguous
1492 abbreviations are allowed; for example, @code{s} is specially defined as
1493 equivalent to @code{step} even though there are other commands whose
1494 names start with @code{s}. You can test abbreviations by using them as
1495 arguments to the @code{help} command.
1496
1497 @cindex repeating commands
1498 @kindex RET @r{(repeat last command)}
1499 A blank line as input to @value{GDBN} (typing just @key{RET}) means to
1500 repeat the previous command. Certain commands (for example, @code{run})
1501 will not repeat this way; these are commands whose unintentional
1502 repetition might cause trouble and which you are unlikely to want to
1503 repeat. User-defined commands can disable this feature; see
1504 @ref{Define, dont-repeat}.
1505
1506 The @code{list} and @code{x} commands, when you repeat them with
1507 @key{RET}, construct new arguments rather than repeating
1508 exactly as typed. This permits easy scanning of source or memory.
1509
1510 @value{GDBN} can also use @key{RET} in another way: to partition lengthy
1511 output, in a way similar to the common utility @code{more}
1512 (@pxref{Screen Size,,Screen Size}). Since it is easy to press one
1513 @key{RET} too many in this situation, @value{GDBN} disables command
1514 repetition after any command that generates this sort of display.
1515
1516 @kindex # @r{(a comment)}
1517 @cindex comment
1518 Any text from a @kbd{#} to the end of the line is a comment; it does
1519 nothing. This is useful mainly in command files (@pxref{Command
1520 Files,,Command Files}).
1521
1522 @cindex repeating command sequences
1523 @kindex Ctrl-o @r{(operate-and-get-next)}
1524 The @kbd{Ctrl-o} binding is useful for repeating a complex sequence of
1525 commands. This command accepts the current line, like @key{RET}, and
1526 then fetches the next line relative to the current line from the history
1527 for editing.
1528
1529 @node Completion
1530 @section Command Completion
1531
1532 @cindex completion
1533 @cindex word completion
1534 @value{GDBN} can fill in the rest of a word in a command for you, if there is
1535 only one possibility; it can also show you what the valid possibilities
1536 are for the next word in a command, at any time. This works for @value{GDBN}
1537 commands, @value{GDBN} subcommands, and the names of symbols in your program.
1538
1539 Press the @key{TAB} key whenever you want @value{GDBN} to fill out the rest
1540 of a word. If there is only one possibility, @value{GDBN} fills in the
1541 word, and waits for you to finish the command (or press @key{RET} to
1542 enter it). For example, if you type
1543
1544 @c FIXME "@key" does not distinguish its argument sufficiently to permit
1545 @c complete accuracy in these examples; space introduced for clarity.
1546 @c If texinfo enhancements make it unnecessary, it would be nice to
1547 @c replace " @key" by "@key" in the following...
1548 @smallexample
1549 (@value{GDBP}) info bre @key{TAB}
1550 @end smallexample
1551
1552 @noindent
1553 @value{GDBN} fills in the rest of the word @samp{breakpoints}, since that is
1554 the only @code{info} subcommand beginning with @samp{bre}:
1555
1556 @smallexample
1557 (@value{GDBP}) info breakpoints
1558 @end smallexample
1559
1560 @noindent
1561 You can either press @key{RET} at this point, to run the @code{info
1562 breakpoints} command, or backspace and enter something else, if
1563 @samp{breakpoints} does not look like the command you expected. (If you
1564 were sure you wanted @code{info breakpoints} in the first place, you
1565 might as well just type @key{RET} immediately after @samp{info bre},
1566 to exploit command abbreviations rather than command completion).
1567
1568 If there is more than one possibility for the next word when you press
1569 @key{TAB}, @value{GDBN} sounds a bell. You can either supply more
1570 characters and try again, or just press @key{TAB} a second time;
1571 @value{GDBN} displays all the possible completions for that word. For
1572 example, you might want to set a breakpoint on a subroutine whose name
1573 begins with @samp{make_}, but when you type @kbd{b make_@key{TAB}} @value{GDBN}
1574 just sounds the bell. Typing @key{TAB} again displays all the
1575 function names in your program that begin with those characters, for
1576 example:
1577
1578 @smallexample
1579 (@value{GDBP}) b make_ @key{TAB}
1580 @exdent @value{GDBN} sounds bell; press @key{TAB} again, to see:
1581 make_a_section_from_file make_environ
1582 make_abs_section make_function_type
1583 make_blockvector make_pointer_type
1584 make_cleanup make_reference_type
1585 make_command make_symbol_completion_list
1586 (@value{GDBP}) b make_
1587 @end smallexample
1588
1589 @noindent
1590 After displaying the available possibilities, @value{GDBN} copies your
1591 partial input (@samp{b make_} in the example) so you can finish the
1592 command.
1593
1594 If you just want to see the list of alternatives in the first place, you
1595 can press @kbd{M-?} rather than pressing @key{TAB} twice. @kbd{M-?}
1596 means @kbd{@key{META} ?}. You can type this either by holding down a
1597 key designated as the @key{META} shift on your keyboard (if there is
1598 one) while typing @kbd{?}, or as @key{ESC} followed by @kbd{?}.
1599
1600 @cindex quotes in commands
1601 @cindex completion of quoted strings
1602 Sometimes the string you need, while logically a ``word'', may contain
1603 parentheses or other characters that @value{GDBN} normally excludes from
1604 its notion of a word. To permit word completion to work in this
1605 situation, you may enclose words in @code{'} (single quote marks) in
1606 @value{GDBN} commands.
1607
1608 The most likely situation where you might need this is in typing the
1609 name of a C@t{++} function. This is because C@t{++} allows function
1610 overloading (multiple definitions of the same function, distinguished
1611 by argument type). For example, when you want to set a breakpoint you
1612 may need to distinguish whether you mean the version of @code{name}
1613 that takes an @code{int} parameter, @code{name(int)}, or the version
1614 that takes a @code{float} parameter, @code{name(float)}. To use the
1615 word-completion facilities in this situation, type a single quote
1616 @code{'} at the beginning of the function name. This alerts
1617 @value{GDBN} that it may need to consider more information than usual
1618 when you press @key{TAB} or @kbd{M-?} to request word completion:
1619
1620 @smallexample
1621 (@value{GDBP}) b 'bubble( @kbd{M-?}
1622 bubble(double,double) bubble(int,int)
1623 (@value{GDBP}) b 'bubble(
1624 @end smallexample
1625
1626 In some cases, @value{GDBN} can tell that completing a name requires using
1627 quotes. When this happens, @value{GDBN} inserts the quote for you (while
1628 completing as much as it can) if you do not type the quote in the first
1629 place:
1630
1631 @smallexample
1632 (@value{GDBP}) b bub @key{TAB}
1633 @exdent @value{GDBN} alters your input line to the following, and rings a bell:
1634 (@value{GDBP}) b 'bubble(
1635 @end smallexample
1636
1637 @noindent
1638 In general, @value{GDBN} can tell that a quote is needed (and inserts it) if
1639 you have not yet started typing the argument list when you ask for
1640 completion on an overloaded symbol.
1641
1642 For more information about overloaded functions, see @ref{C Plus Plus
1643 Expressions, ,C@t{++} Expressions}. You can use the command @code{set
1644 overload-resolution off} to disable overload resolution;
1645 see @ref{Debugging C Plus Plus, ,@value{GDBN} Features for C@t{++}}.
1646
1647 @cindex completion of structure field names
1648 @cindex structure field name completion
1649 @cindex completion of union field names
1650 @cindex union field name completion
1651 When completing in an expression which looks up a field in a
1652 structure, @value{GDBN} also tries@footnote{The completer can be
1653 confused by certain kinds of invalid expressions. Also, it only
1654 examines the static type of the expression, not the dynamic type.} to
1655 limit completions to the field names available in the type of the
1656 left-hand-side:
1657
1658 @smallexample
1659 (@value{GDBP}) p gdb_stdout.@kbd{M-?}
1660 magic to_fputs to_rewind
1661 to_data to_isatty to_write
1662 to_delete to_put to_write_async_safe
1663 to_flush to_read
1664 @end smallexample
1665
1666 @noindent
1667 This is because the @code{gdb_stdout} is a variable of the type
1668 @code{struct ui_file} that is defined in @value{GDBN} sources as
1669 follows:
1670
1671 @smallexample
1672 struct ui_file
1673 @{
1674 int *magic;
1675 ui_file_flush_ftype *to_flush;
1676 ui_file_write_ftype *to_write;
1677 ui_file_write_async_safe_ftype *to_write_async_safe;
1678 ui_file_fputs_ftype *to_fputs;
1679 ui_file_read_ftype *to_read;
1680 ui_file_delete_ftype *to_delete;
1681 ui_file_isatty_ftype *to_isatty;
1682 ui_file_rewind_ftype *to_rewind;
1683 ui_file_put_ftype *to_put;
1684 void *to_data;
1685 @}
1686 @end smallexample
1687
1688
1689 @node Help
1690 @section Getting Help
1691 @cindex online documentation
1692 @kindex help
1693
1694 You can always ask @value{GDBN} itself for information on its commands,
1695 using the command @code{help}.
1696
1697 @table @code
1698 @kindex h @r{(@code{help})}
1699 @item help
1700 @itemx h
1701 You can use @code{help} (abbreviated @code{h}) with no arguments to
1702 display a short list of named classes of commands:
1703
1704 @smallexample
1705 (@value{GDBP}) help
1706 List of classes of commands:
1707
1708 aliases -- Aliases of other commands
1709 breakpoints -- Making program stop at certain points
1710 data -- Examining data
1711 files -- Specifying and examining files
1712 internals -- Maintenance commands
1713 obscure -- Obscure features
1714 running -- Running the program
1715 stack -- Examining the stack
1716 status -- Status inquiries
1717 support -- Support facilities
1718 tracepoints -- Tracing of program execution without
1719 stopping the program
1720 user-defined -- User-defined commands
1721
1722 Type "help" followed by a class name for a list of
1723 commands in that class.
1724 Type "help" followed by command name for full
1725 documentation.
1726 Command name abbreviations are allowed if unambiguous.
1727 (@value{GDBP})
1728 @end smallexample
1729 @c the above line break eliminates huge line overfull...
1730
1731 @item help @var{class}
1732 Using one of the general help classes as an argument, you can get a
1733 list of the individual commands in that class. For example, here is the
1734 help display for the class @code{status}:
1735
1736 @smallexample
1737 (@value{GDBP}) help status
1738 Status inquiries.
1739
1740 List of commands:
1741
1742 @c Line break in "show" line falsifies real output, but needed
1743 @c to fit in smallbook page size.
1744 info -- Generic command for showing things
1745 about the program being debugged
1746 show -- Generic command for showing things
1747 about the debugger
1748
1749 Type "help" followed by command name for full
1750 documentation.
1751 Command name abbreviations are allowed if unambiguous.
1752 (@value{GDBP})
1753 @end smallexample
1754
1755 @item help @var{command}
1756 With a command name as @code{help} argument, @value{GDBN} displays a
1757 short paragraph on how to use that command.
1758
1759 @kindex apropos
1760 @item apropos @var{args}
1761 The @code{apropos} command searches through all of the @value{GDBN}
1762 commands, and their documentation, for the regular expression specified in
1763 @var{args}. It prints out all matches found. For example:
1764
1765 @smallexample
1766 apropos alias
1767 @end smallexample
1768
1769 @noindent
1770 results in:
1771
1772 @smallexample
1773 @c @group
1774 alias -- Define a new command that is an alias of an existing command
1775 aliases -- Aliases of other commands
1776 d -- Delete some breakpoints or auto-display expressions
1777 del -- Delete some breakpoints or auto-display expressions
1778 delete -- Delete some breakpoints or auto-display expressions
1779 @c @end group
1780 @end smallexample
1781
1782 @kindex complete
1783 @item complete @var{args}
1784 The @code{complete @var{args}} command lists all the possible completions
1785 for the beginning of a command. Use @var{args} to specify the beginning of the
1786 command you want completed. For example:
1787
1788 @smallexample
1789 complete i
1790 @end smallexample
1791
1792 @noindent results in:
1793
1794 @smallexample
1795 @group
1796 if
1797 ignore
1798 info
1799 inspect
1800 @end group
1801 @end smallexample
1802
1803 @noindent This is intended for use by @sc{gnu} Emacs.
1804 @end table
1805
1806 In addition to @code{help}, you can use the @value{GDBN} commands @code{info}
1807 and @code{show} to inquire about the state of your program, or the state
1808 of @value{GDBN} itself. Each command supports many topics of inquiry; this
1809 manual introduces each of them in the appropriate context. The listings
1810 under @code{info} and under @code{show} in the Command, Variable, and
1811 Function Index point to all the sub-commands. @xref{Command and Variable
1812 Index}.
1813
1814 @c @group
1815 @table @code
1816 @kindex info
1817 @kindex i @r{(@code{info})}
1818 @item info
1819 This command (abbreviated @code{i}) is for describing the state of your
1820 program. For example, you can show the arguments passed to a function
1821 with @code{info args}, list the registers currently in use with @code{info
1822 registers}, or list the breakpoints you have set with @code{info breakpoints}.
1823 You can get a complete list of the @code{info} sub-commands with
1824 @w{@code{help info}}.
1825
1826 @kindex set
1827 @item set
1828 You can assign the result of an expression to an environment variable with
1829 @code{set}. For example, you can set the @value{GDBN} prompt to a $-sign with
1830 @code{set prompt $}.
1831
1832 @kindex show
1833 @item show
1834 In contrast to @code{info}, @code{show} is for describing the state of
1835 @value{GDBN} itself.
1836 You can change most of the things you can @code{show}, by using the
1837 related command @code{set}; for example, you can control what number
1838 system is used for displays with @code{set radix}, or simply inquire
1839 which is currently in use with @code{show radix}.
1840
1841 @kindex info set
1842 To display all the settable parameters and their current
1843 values, you can use @code{show} with no arguments; you may also use
1844 @code{info set}. Both commands produce the same display.
1845 @c FIXME: "info set" violates the rule that "info" is for state of
1846 @c FIXME...program. Ck w/ GNU: "info set" to be called something else,
1847 @c FIXME...or change desc of rule---eg "state of prog and debugging session"?
1848 @end table
1849 @c @end group
1850
1851 Here are several miscellaneous @code{show} subcommands, all of which are
1852 exceptional in lacking corresponding @code{set} commands:
1853
1854 @table @code
1855 @kindex show version
1856 @cindex @value{GDBN} version number
1857 @item show version
1858 Show what version of @value{GDBN} is running. You should include this
1859 information in @value{GDBN} bug-reports. If multiple versions of
1860 @value{GDBN} are in use at your site, you may need to determine which
1861 version of @value{GDBN} you are running; as @value{GDBN} evolves, new
1862 commands are introduced, and old ones may wither away. Also, many
1863 system vendors ship variant versions of @value{GDBN}, and there are
1864 variant versions of @value{GDBN} in @sc{gnu}/Linux distributions as well.
1865 The version number is the same as the one announced when you start
1866 @value{GDBN}.
1867
1868 @kindex show copying
1869 @kindex info copying
1870 @cindex display @value{GDBN} copyright
1871 @item show copying
1872 @itemx info copying
1873 Display information about permission for copying @value{GDBN}.
1874
1875 @kindex show warranty
1876 @kindex info warranty
1877 @item show warranty
1878 @itemx info warranty
1879 Display the @sc{gnu} ``NO WARRANTY'' statement, or a warranty,
1880 if your version of @value{GDBN} comes with one.
1881
1882 @kindex show configuration
1883 @item show configuration
1884 Display detailed information about the way @value{GDBN} was configured
1885 when it was built. This displays the optional arguments passed to the
1886 @file{configure} script and also configuration parameters detected
1887 automatically by @command{configure}. When reporting a @value{GDBN}
1888 bug (@pxref{GDB Bugs}), it is important to include this information in
1889 your report.
1890
1891 @end table
1892
1893 @node Running
1894 @chapter Running Programs Under @value{GDBN}
1895
1896 When you run a program under @value{GDBN}, you must first generate
1897 debugging information when you compile it.
1898
1899 You may start @value{GDBN} with its arguments, if any, in an environment
1900 of your choice. If you are doing native debugging, you may redirect
1901 your program's input and output, debug an already running process, or
1902 kill a child process.
1903
1904 @menu
1905 * Compilation:: Compiling for debugging
1906 * Starting:: Starting your program
1907 * Arguments:: Your program's arguments
1908 * Environment:: Your program's environment
1909
1910 * Working Directory:: Your program's working directory
1911 * Input/Output:: Your program's input and output
1912 * Attach:: Debugging an already-running process
1913 * Kill Process:: Killing the child process
1914
1915 * Inferiors and Programs:: Debugging multiple inferiors and programs
1916 * Threads:: Debugging programs with multiple threads
1917 * Forks:: Debugging forks
1918 * Checkpoint/Restart:: Setting a @emph{bookmark} to return to later
1919 @end menu
1920
1921 @node Compilation
1922 @section Compiling for Debugging
1923
1924 In order to debug a program effectively, you need to generate
1925 debugging information when you compile it. This debugging information
1926 is stored in the object file; it describes the data type of each
1927 variable or function and the correspondence between source line numbers
1928 and addresses in the executable code.
1929
1930 To request debugging information, specify the @samp{-g} option when you run
1931 the compiler.
1932
1933 Programs that are to be shipped to your customers are compiled with
1934 optimizations, using the @samp{-O} compiler option. However, some
1935 compilers are unable to handle the @samp{-g} and @samp{-O} options
1936 together. Using those compilers, you cannot generate optimized
1937 executables containing debugging information.
1938
1939 @value{NGCC}, the @sc{gnu} C/C@t{++} compiler, supports @samp{-g} with or
1940 without @samp{-O}, making it possible to debug optimized code. We
1941 recommend that you @emph{always} use @samp{-g} whenever you compile a
1942 program. You may think your program is correct, but there is no sense
1943 in pushing your luck. For more information, see @ref{Optimized Code}.
1944
1945 Older versions of the @sc{gnu} C compiler permitted a variant option
1946 @w{@samp{-gg}} for debugging information. @value{GDBN} no longer supports this
1947 format; if your @sc{gnu} C compiler has this option, do not use it.
1948
1949 @value{GDBN} knows about preprocessor macros and can show you their
1950 expansion (@pxref{Macros}). Most compilers do not include information
1951 about preprocessor macros in the debugging information if you specify
1952 the @option{-g} flag alone. Version 3.1 and later of @value{NGCC},
1953 the @sc{gnu} C compiler, provides macro information if you are using
1954 the DWARF debugging format, and specify the option @option{-g3}.
1955
1956 @xref{Debugging Options,,Options for Debugging Your Program or GCC,
1957 gcc.info, Using the @sc{gnu} Compiler Collection (GCC)}, for more
1958 information on @value{NGCC} options affecting debug information.
1959
1960 You will have the best debugging experience if you use the latest
1961 version of the DWARF debugging format that your compiler supports.
1962 DWARF is currently the most expressive and best supported debugging
1963 format in @value{GDBN}.
1964
1965 @need 2000
1966 @node Starting
1967 @section Starting your Program
1968 @cindex starting
1969 @cindex running
1970
1971 @table @code
1972 @kindex run
1973 @kindex r @r{(@code{run})}
1974 @item run
1975 @itemx r
1976 Use the @code{run} command to start your program under @value{GDBN}.
1977 You must first specify the program name (except on VxWorks) with an
1978 argument to @value{GDBN} (@pxref{Invocation, ,Getting In and Out of
1979 @value{GDBN}}), or by using the @code{file} or @code{exec-file} command
1980 (@pxref{Files, ,Commands to Specify Files}).
1981
1982 @end table
1983
1984 If you are running your program in an execution environment that
1985 supports processes, @code{run} creates an inferior process and makes
1986 that process run your program. In some environments without processes,
1987 @code{run} jumps to the start of your program. Other targets,
1988 like @samp{remote}, are always running. If you get an error
1989 message like this one:
1990
1991 @smallexample
1992 The "remote" target does not support "run".
1993 Try "help target" or "continue".
1994 @end smallexample
1995
1996 @noindent
1997 then use @code{continue} to run your program. You may need @code{load}
1998 first (@pxref{load}).
1999
2000 The execution of a program is affected by certain information it
2001 receives from its superior. @value{GDBN} provides ways to specify this
2002 information, which you must do @emph{before} starting your program. (You
2003 can change it after starting your program, but such changes only affect
2004 your program the next time you start it.) This information may be
2005 divided into four categories:
2006
2007 @table @asis
2008 @item The @emph{arguments.}
2009 Specify the arguments to give your program as the arguments of the
2010 @code{run} command. If a shell is available on your target, the shell
2011 is used to pass the arguments, so that you may use normal conventions
2012 (such as wildcard expansion or variable substitution) in describing
2013 the arguments.
2014 In Unix systems, you can control which shell is used with the
2015 @code{SHELL} environment variable. If you do not define @code{SHELL},
2016 @value{GDBN} uses the default shell (@file{/bin/sh}). You can disable
2017 use of any shell with the @code{set startup-with-shell} command (see
2018 below for details).
2019
2020 @item The @emph{environment.}
2021 Your program normally inherits its environment from @value{GDBN}, but you can
2022 use the @value{GDBN} commands @code{set environment} and @code{unset
2023 environment} to change parts of the environment that affect
2024 your program. @xref{Environment, ,Your Program's Environment}.
2025
2026 @item The @emph{working directory.}
2027 Your program inherits its working directory from @value{GDBN}. You can set
2028 the @value{GDBN} working directory with the @code{cd} command in @value{GDBN}.
2029 @xref{Working Directory, ,Your Program's Working Directory}.
2030
2031 @item The @emph{standard input and output.}
2032 Your program normally uses the same device for standard input and
2033 standard output as @value{GDBN} is using. You can redirect input and output
2034 in the @code{run} command line, or you can use the @code{tty} command to
2035 set a different device for your program.
2036 @xref{Input/Output, ,Your Program's Input and Output}.
2037
2038 @cindex pipes
2039 @emph{Warning:} While input and output redirection work, you cannot use
2040 pipes to pass the output of the program you are debugging to another
2041 program; if you attempt this, @value{GDBN} is likely to wind up debugging the
2042 wrong program.
2043 @end table
2044
2045 When you issue the @code{run} command, your program begins to execute
2046 immediately. @xref{Stopping, ,Stopping and Continuing}, for discussion
2047 of how to arrange for your program to stop. Once your program has
2048 stopped, you may call functions in your program, using the @code{print}
2049 or @code{call} commands. @xref{Data, ,Examining Data}.
2050
2051 If the modification time of your symbol file has changed since the last
2052 time @value{GDBN} read its symbols, @value{GDBN} discards its symbol
2053 table, and reads it again. When it does this, @value{GDBN} tries to retain
2054 your current breakpoints.
2055
2056 @table @code
2057 @kindex start
2058 @item start
2059 @cindex run to main procedure
2060 The name of the main procedure can vary from language to language.
2061 With C or C@t{++}, the main procedure name is always @code{main}, but
2062 other languages such as Ada do not require a specific name for their
2063 main procedure. The debugger provides a convenient way to start the
2064 execution of the program and to stop at the beginning of the main
2065 procedure, depending on the language used.
2066
2067 The @samp{start} command does the equivalent of setting a temporary
2068 breakpoint at the beginning of the main procedure and then invoking
2069 the @samp{run} command.
2070
2071 @cindex elaboration phase
2072 Some programs contain an @dfn{elaboration} phase where some startup code is
2073 executed before the main procedure is called. This depends on the
2074 languages used to write your program. In C@t{++}, for instance,
2075 constructors for static and global objects are executed before
2076 @code{main} is called. It is therefore possible that the debugger stops
2077 before reaching the main procedure. However, the temporary breakpoint
2078 will remain to halt execution.
2079
2080 Specify the arguments to give to your program as arguments to the
2081 @samp{start} command. These arguments will be given verbatim to the
2082 underlying @samp{run} command. Note that the same arguments will be
2083 reused if no argument is provided during subsequent calls to
2084 @samp{start} or @samp{run}.
2085
2086 It is sometimes necessary to debug the program during elaboration. In
2087 these cases, using the @code{start} command would stop the execution of
2088 your program too late, as the program would have already completed the
2089 elaboration phase. Under these circumstances, insert breakpoints in your
2090 elaboration code before running your program.
2091
2092 @anchor{set exec-wrapper}
2093 @kindex set exec-wrapper
2094 @item set exec-wrapper @var{wrapper}
2095 @itemx show exec-wrapper
2096 @itemx unset exec-wrapper
2097 When @samp{exec-wrapper} is set, the specified wrapper is used to
2098 launch programs for debugging. @value{GDBN} starts your program
2099 with a shell command of the form @kbd{exec @var{wrapper}
2100 @var{program}}. Quoting is added to @var{program} and its
2101 arguments, but not to @var{wrapper}, so you should add quotes if
2102 appropriate for your shell. The wrapper runs until it executes
2103 your program, and then @value{GDBN} takes control.
2104
2105 You can use any program that eventually calls @code{execve} with
2106 its arguments as a wrapper. Several standard Unix utilities do
2107 this, e.g.@: @code{env} and @code{nohup}. Any Unix shell script ending
2108 with @code{exec "$@@"} will also work.
2109
2110 For example, you can use @code{env} to pass an environment variable to
2111 the debugged program, without setting the variable in your shell's
2112 environment:
2113
2114 @smallexample
2115 (@value{GDBP}) set exec-wrapper env 'LD_PRELOAD=libtest.so'
2116 (@value{GDBP}) run
2117 @end smallexample
2118
2119 This command is available when debugging locally on most targets, excluding
2120 @sc{djgpp}, Cygwin, MS Windows, and QNX Neutrino.
2121
2122 @kindex set startup-with-shell
2123 @item set startup-with-shell
2124 @itemx set startup-with-shell on
2125 @itemx set startup-with-shell off
2126 @itemx show set startup-with-shell
2127 On Unix systems, by default, if a shell is available on your target,
2128 @value{GDBN}) uses it to start your program. Arguments of the
2129 @code{run} command are passed to the shell, which does variable
2130 substitution, expands wildcard characters and performs redirection of
2131 I/O. In some circumstances, it may be useful to disable such use of a
2132 shell, for example, when debugging the shell itself or diagnosing
2133 startup failures such as:
2134
2135 @smallexample
2136 (@value{GDBP}) run
2137 Starting program: ./a.out
2138 During startup program terminated with signal SIGSEGV, Segmentation fault.
2139 @end smallexample
2140
2141 @noindent
2142 which indicates the shell or the wrapper specified with
2143 @samp{exec-wrapper} crashed, not your program. Most often, this is
2144 caused by something odd in your shell's non-interactive mode
2145 initialization file---such as @file{.cshrc} for C-shell,
2146 $@file{.zshenv} for the Z shell, or the file specified in the
2147 @samp{BASH_ENV} environment variable for BASH.
2148
2149 @kindex set disable-randomization
2150 @item set disable-randomization
2151 @itemx set disable-randomization on
2152 This option (enabled by default in @value{GDBN}) will turn off the native
2153 randomization of the virtual address space of the started program. This option
2154 is useful for multiple debugging sessions to make the execution better
2155 reproducible and memory addresses reusable across debugging sessions.
2156
2157 This feature is implemented only on certain targets, including @sc{gnu}/Linux.
2158 On @sc{gnu}/Linux you can get the same behavior using
2159
2160 @smallexample
2161 (@value{GDBP}) set exec-wrapper setarch `uname -m` -R
2162 @end smallexample
2163
2164 @item set disable-randomization off
2165 Leave the behavior of the started executable unchanged. Some bugs rear their
2166 ugly heads only when the program is loaded at certain addresses. If your bug
2167 disappears when you run the program under @value{GDBN}, that might be because
2168 @value{GDBN} by default disables the address randomization on platforms, such
2169 as @sc{gnu}/Linux, which do that for stand-alone programs. Use @kbd{set
2170 disable-randomization off} to try to reproduce such elusive bugs.
2171
2172 On targets where it is available, virtual address space randomization
2173 protects the programs against certain kinds of security attacks. In these
2174 cases the attacker needs to know the exact location of a concrete executable
2175 code. Randomizing its location makes it impossible to inject jumps misusing
2176 a code at its expected addresses.
2177
2178 Prelinking shared libraries provides a startup performance advantage but it
2179 makes addresses in these libraries predictable for privileged processes by
2180 having just unprivileged access at the target system. Reading the shared
2181 library binary gives enough information for assembling the malicious code
2182 misusing it. Still even a prelinked shared library can get loaded at a new
2183 random address just requiring the regular relocation process during the
2184 startup. Shared libraries not already prelinked are always loaded at
2185 a randomly chosen address.
2186
2187 Position independent executables (PIE) contain position independent code
2188 similar to the shared libraries and therefore such executables get loaded at
2189 a randomly chosen address upon startup. PIE executables always load even
2190 already prelinked shared libraries at a random address. You can build such
2191 executable using @command{gcc -fPIE -pie}.
2192
2193 Heap (malloc storage), stack and custom mmap areas are always placed randomly
2194 (as long as the randomization is enabled).
2195
2196 @item show disable-randomization
2197 Show the current setting of the explicit disable of the native randomization of
2198 the virtual address space of the started program.
2199
2200 @end table
2201
2202 @node Arguments
2203 @section Your Program's Arguments
2204
2205 @cindex arguments (to your program)
2206 The arguments to your program can be specified by the arguments of the
2207 @code{run} command.
2208 They are passed to a shell, which expands wildcard characters and
2209 performs redirection of I/O, and thence to your program. Your
2210 @code{SHELL} environment variable (if it exists) specifies what shell
2211 @value{GDBN} uses. If you do not define @code{SHELL}, @value{GDBN} uses
2212 the default shell (@file{/bin/sh} on Unix).
2213
2214 On non-Unix systems, the program is usually invoked directly by
2215 @value{GDBN}, which emulates I/O redirection via the appropriate system
2216 calls, and the wildcard characters are expanded by the startup code of
2217 the program, not by the shell.
2218
2219 @code{run} with no arguments uses the same arguments used by the previous
2220 @code{run}, or those set by the @code{set args} command.
2221
2222 @table @code
2223 @kindex set args
2224 @item set args
2225 Specify the arguments to be used the next time your program is run. If
2226 @code{set args} has no arguments, @code{run} executes your program
2227 with no arguments. Once you have run your program with arguments,
2228 using @code{set args} before the next @code{run} is the only way to run
2229 it again without arguments.
2230
2231 @kindex show args
2232 @item show args
2233 Show the arguments to give your program when it is started.
2234 @end table
2235
2236 @node Environment
2237 @section Your Program's Environment
2238
2239 @cindex environment (of your program)
2240 The @dfn{environment} consists of a set of environment variables and
2241 their values. Environment variables conventionally record such things as
2242 your user name, your home directory, your terminal type, and your search
2243 path for programs to run. Usually you set up environment variables with
2244 the shell and they are inherited by all the other programs you run. When
2245 debugging, it can be useful to try running your program with a modified
2246 environment without having to start @value{GDBN} over again.
2247
2248 @table @code
2249 @kindex path
2250 @item path @var{directory}
2251 Add @var{directory} to the front of the @code{PATH} environment variable
2252 (the search path for executables) that will be passed to your program.
2253 The value of @code{PATH} used by @value{GDBN} does not change.
2254 You may specify several directory names, separated by whitespace or by a
2255 system-dependent separator character (@samp{:} on Unix, @samp{;} on
2256 MS-DOS and MS-Windows). If @var{directory} is already in the path, it
2257 is moved to the front, so it is searched sooner.
2258
2259 You can use the string @samp{$cwd} to refer to whatever is the current
2260 working directory at the time @value{GDBN} searches the path. If you
2261 use @samp{.} instead, it refers to the directory where you executed the
2262 @code{path} command. @value{GDBN} replaces @samp{.} in the
2263 @var{directory} argument (with the current path) before adding
2264 @var{directory} to the search path.
2265 @c 'path' is explicitly nonrepeatable, but RMS points out it is silly to
2266 @c document that, since repeating it would be a no-op.
2267
2268 @kindex show paths
2269 @item show paths
2270 Display the list of search paths for executables (the @code{PATH}
2271 environment variable).
2272
2273 @kindex show environment
2274 @item show environment @r{[}@var{varname}@r{]}
2275 Print the value of environment variable @var{varname} to be given to
2276 your program when it starts. If you do not supply @var{varname},
2277 print the names and values of all environment variables to be given to
2278 your program. You can abbreviate @code{environment} as @code{env}.
2279
2280 @kindex set environment
2281 @item set environment @var{varname} @r{[}=@var{value}@r{]}
2282 Set environment variable @var{varname} to @var{value}. The value
2283 changes for your program (and the shell @value{GDBN} uses to launch
2284 it), not for @value{GDBN} itself. @var{value} may be any string; the
2285 values of environment variables are just strings, and any
2286 interpretation is supplied by your program itself. The @var{value}
2287 parameter is optional; if it is eliminated, the variable is set to a
2288 null value.
2289 @c "any string" here does not include leading, trailing
2290 @c blanks. Gnu asks: does anyone care?
2291
2292 For example, this command:
2293
2294 @smallexample
2295 set env USER = foo
2296 @end smallexample
2297
2298 @noindent
2299 tells the debugged program, when subsequently run, that its user is named
2300 @samp{foo}. (The spaces around @samp{=} are used for clarity here; they
2301 are not actually required.)
2302
2303 Note that on Unix systems, @value{GDBN} runs your program via a shell,
2304 which also inherits the environment set with @code{set environment}.
2305 If necessary, you can avoid that by using the @samp{env} program as a
2306 wrapper instead of using @code{set environment}. @xref{set
2307 exec-wrapper}, for an example doing just that.
2308
2309 @kindex unset environment
2310 @item unset environment @var{varname}
2311 Remove variable @var{varname} from the environment to be passed to your
2312 program. This is different from @samp{set env @var{varname} =};
2313 @code{unset environment} removes the variable from the environment,
2314 rather than assigning it an empty value.
2315 @end table
2316
2317 @emph{Warning:} On Unix systems, @value{GDBN} runs your program using
2318 the shell indicated by your @code{SHELL} environment variable if it
2319 exists (or @code{/bin/sh} if not). If your @code{SHELL} variable
2320 names a shell that runs an initialization file when started
2321 non-interactively---such as @file{.cshrc} for C-shell, $@file{.zshenv}
2322 for the Z shell, or the file specified in the @samp{BASH_ENV}
2323 environment variable for BASH---any variables you set in that file
2324 affect your program. You may wish to move setting of environment
2325 variables to files that are only run when you sign on, such as
2326 @file{.login} or @file{.profile}.
2327
2328 @node Working Directory
2329 @section Your Program's Working Directory
2330
2331 @cindex working directory (of your program)
2332 Each time you start your program with @code{run}, it inherits its
2333 working directory from the current working directory of @value{GDBN}.
2334 The @value{GDBN} working directory is initially whatever it inherited
2335 from its parent process (typically the shell), but you can specify a new
2336 working directory in @value{GDBN} with the @code{cd} command.
2337
2338 The @value{GDBN} working directory also serves as a default for the commands
2339 that specify files for @value{GDBN} to operate on. @xref{Files, ,Commands to
2340 Specify Files}.
2341
2342 @table @code
2343 @kindex cd
2344 @cindex change working directory
2345 @item cd @r{[}@var{directory}@r{]}
2346 Set the @value{GDBN} working directory to @var{directory}. If not
2347 given, @var{directory} uses @file{'~'}.
2348
2349 @kindex pwd
2350 @item pwd
2351 Print the @value{GDBN} working directory.
2352 @end table
2353
2354 It is generally impossible to find the current working directory of
2355 the process being debugged (since a program can change its directory
2356 during its run). If you work on a system where @value{GDBN} is
2357 configured with the @file{/proc} support, you can use the @code{info
2358 proc} command (@pxref{SVR4 Process Information}) to find out the
2359 current working directory of the debuggee.
2360
2361 @node Input/Output
2362 @section Your Program's Input and Output
2363
2364 @cindex redirection
2365 @cindex i/o
2366 @cindex terminal
2367 By default, the program you run under @value{GDBN} does input and output to
2368 the same terminal that @value{GDBN} uses. @value{GDBN} switches the terminal
2369 to its own terminal modes to interact with you, but it records the terminal
2370 modes your program was using and switches back to them when you continue
2371 running your program.
2372
2373 @table @code
2374 @kindex info terminal
2375 @item info terminal
2376 Displays information recorded by @value{GDBN} about the terminal modes your
2377 program is using.
2378 @end table
2379
2380 You can redirect your program's input and/or output using shell
2381 redirection with the @code{run} command. For example,
2382
2383 @smallexample
2384 run > outfile
2385 @end smallexample
2386
2387 @noindent
2388 starts your program, diverting its output to the file @file{outfile}.
2389
2390 @kindex tty
2391 @cindex controlling terminal
2392 Another way to specify where your program should do input and output is
2393 with the @code{tty} command. This command accepts a file name as
2394 argument, and causes this file to be the default for future @code{run}
2395 commands. It also resets the controlling terminal for the child
2396 process, for future @code{run} commands. For example,
2397
2398 @smallexample
2399 tty /dev/ttyb
2400 @end smallexample
2401
2402 @noindent
2403 directs that processes started with subsequent @code{run} commands
2404 default to do input and output on the terminal @file{/dev/ttyb} and have
2405 that as their controlling terminal.
2406
2407 An explicit redirection in @code{run} overrides the @code{tty} command's
2408 effect on the input/output device, but not its effect on the controlling
2409 terminal.
2410
2411 When you use the @code{tty} command or redirect input in the @code{run}
2412 command, only the input @emph{for your program} is affected. The input
2413 for @value{GDBN} still comes from your terminal. @code{tty} is an alias
2414 for @code{set inferior-tty}.
2415
2416 @cindex inferior tty
2417 @cindex set inferior controlling terminal
2418 You can use the @code{show inferior-tty} command to tell @value{GDBN} to
2419 display the name of the terminal that will be used for future runs of your
2420 program.
2421
2422 @table @code
2423 @item set inferior-tty /dev/ttyb
2424 @kindex set inferior-tty
2425 Set the tty for the program being debugged to /dev/ttyb.
2426
2427 @item show inferior-tty
2428 @kindex show inferior-tty
2429 Show the current tty for the program being debugged.
2430 @end table
2431
2432 @node Attach
2433 @section Debugging an Already-running Process
2434 @kindex attach
2435 @cindex attach
2436
2437 @table @code
2438 @item attach @var{process-id}
2439 This command attaches to a running process---one that was started
2440 outside @value{GDBN}. (@code{info files} shows your active
2441 targets.) The command takes as argument a process ID. The usual way to
2442 find out the @var{process-id} of a Unix process is with the @code{ps} utility,
2443 or with the @samp{jobs -l} shell command.
2444
2445 @code{attach} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} a second time after
2446 executing the command.
2447 @end table
2448
2449 To use @code{attach}, your program must be running in an environment
2450 which supports processes; for example, @code{attach} does not work for
2451 programs on bare-board targets that lack an operating system. You must
2452 also have permission to send the process a signal.
2453
2454 When you use @code{attach}, the debugger finds the program running in
2455 the process first by looking in the current working directory, then (if
2456 the program is not found) by using the source file search path
2457 (@pxref{Source Path, ,Specifying Source Directories}). You can also use
2458 the @code{file} command to load the program. @xref{Files, ,Commands to
2459 Specify Files}.
2460
2461 The first thing @value{GDBN} does after arranging to debug the specified
2462 process is to stop it. You can examine and modify an attached process
2463 with all the @value{GDBN} commands that are ordinarily available when
2464 you start processes with @code{run}. You can insert breakpoints; you
2465 can step and continue; you can modify storage. If you would rather the
2466 process continue running, you may use the @code{continue} command after
2467 attaching @value{GDBN} to the process.
2468
2469 @table @code
2470 @kindex detach
2471 @item detach
2472 When you have finished debugging the attached process, you can use the
2473 @code{detach} command to release it from @value{GDBN} control. Detaching
2474 the process continues its execution. After the @code{detach} command,
2475 that process and @value{GDBN} become completely independent once more, and you
2476 are ready to @code{attach} another process or start one with @code{run}.
2477 @code{detach} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} again after
2478 executing the command.
2479 @end table
2480
2481 If you exit @value{GDBN} while you have an attached process, you detach
2482 that process. If you use the @code{run} command, you kill that process.
2483 By default, @value{GDBN} asks for confirmation if you try to do either of these
2484 things; you can control whether or not you need to confirm by using the
2485 @code{set confirm} command (@pxref{Messages/Warnings, ,Optional Warnings and
2486 Messages}).
2487
2488 @node Kill Process
2489 @section Killing the Child Process
2490
2491 @table @code
2492 @kindex kill
2493 @item kill
2494 Kill the child process in which your program is running under @value{GDBN}.
2495 @end table
2496
2497 This command is useful if you wish to debug a core dump instead of a
2498 running process. @value{GDBN} ignores any core dump file while your program
2499 is running.
2500
2501 On some operating systems, a program cannot be executed outside @value{GDBN}
2502 while you have breakpoints set on it inside @value{GDBN}. You can use the
2503 @code{kill} command in this situation to permit running your program
2504 outside the debugger.
2505
2506 The @code{kill} command is also useful if you wish to recompile and
2507 relink your program, since on many systems it is impossible to modify an
2508 executable file while it is running in a process. In this case, when you
2509 next type @code{run}, @value{GDBN} notices that the file has changed, and
2510 reads the symbol table again (while trying to preserve your current
2511 breakpoint settings).
2512
2513 @node Inferiors and Programs
2514 @section Debugging Multiple Inferiors and Programs
2515
2516 @value{GDBN} lets you run and debug multiple programs in a single
2517 session. In addition, @value{GDBN} on some systems may let you run
2518 several programs simultaneously (otherwise you have to exit from one
2519 before starting another). In the most general case, you can have
2520 multiple threads of execution in each of multiple processes, launched
2521 from multiple executables.
2522
2523 @cindex inferior
2524 @value{GDBN} represents the state of each program execution with an
2525 object called an @dfn{inferior}. An inferior typically corresponds to
2526 a process, but is more general and applies also to targets that do not
2527 have processes. Inferiors may be created before a process runs, and
2528 may be retained after a process exits. Inferiors have unique
2529 identifiers that are different from process ids. Usually each
2530 inferior will also have its own distinct address space, although some
2531 embedded targets may have several inferiors running in different parts
2532 of a single address space. Each inferior may in turn have multiple
2533 threads running in it.
2534
2535 To find out what inferiors exist at any moment, use @w{@code{info
2536 inferiors}}:
2537
2538 @table @code
2539 @kindex info inferiors
2540 @item info inferiors
2541 Print a list of all inferiors currently being managed by @value{GDBN}.
2542
2543 @value{GDBN} displays for each inferior (in this order):
2544
2545 @enumerate
2546 @item
2547 the inferior number assigned by @value{GDBN}
2548
2549 @item
2550 the target system's inferior identifier
2551
2552 @item
2553 the name of the executable the inferior is running.
2554
2555 @end enumerate
2556
2557 @noindent
2558 An asterisk @samp{*} preceding the @value{GDBN} inferior number
2559 indicates the current inferior.
2560
2561 For example,
2562 @end table
2563 @c end table here to get a little more width for example
2564
2565 @smallexample
2566 (@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
2567 Num Description Executable
2568 2 process 2307 hello
2569 * 1 process 3401 goodbye
2570 @end smallexample
2571
2572 To switch focus between inferiors, use the @code{inferior} command:
2573
2574 @table @code
2575 @kindex inferior @var{infno}
2576 @item inferior @var{infno}
2577 Make inferior number @var{infno} the current inferior. The argument
2578 @var{infno} is the inferior number assigned by @value{GDBN}, as shown
2579 in the first field of the @samp{info inferiors} display.
2580 @end table
2581
2582
2583 You can get multiple executables into a debugging session via the
2584 @code{add-inferior} and @w{@code{clone-inferior}} commands. On some
2585 systems @value{GDBN} can add inferiors to the debug session
2586 automatically by following calls to @code{fork} and @code{exec}. To
2587 remove inferiors from the debugging session use the
2588 @w{@code{remove-inferiors}} command.
2589
2590 @table @code
2591 @kindex add-inferior
2592 @item add-inferior [ -copies @var{n} ] [ -exec @var{executable} ]
2593 Adds @var{n} inferiors to be run using @var{executable} as the
2594 executable. @var{n} defaults to 1. If no executable is specified,
2595 the inferiors begins empty, with no program. You can still assign or
2596 change the program assigned to the inferior at any time by using the
2597 @code{file} command with the executable name as its argument.
2598
2599 @kindex clone-inferior
2600 @item clone-inferior [ -copies @var{n} ] [ @var{infno} ]
2601 Adds @var{n} inferiors ready to execute the same program as inferior
2602 @var{infno}. @var{n} defaults to 1. @var{infno} defaults to the
2603 number of the current inferior. This is a convenient command when you
2604 want to run another instance of the inferior you are debugging.
2605
2606 @smallexample
2607 (@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
2608 Num Description Executable
2609 * 1 process 29964 helloworld
2610 (@value{GDBP}) clone-inferior
2611 Added inferior 2.
2612 1 inferiors added.
2613 (@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
2614 Num Description Executable
2615 2 <null> helloworld
2616 * 1 process 29964 helloworld
2617 @end smallexample
2618
2619 You can now simply switch focus to inferior 2 and run it.
2620
2621 @kindex remove-inferiors
2622 @item remove-inferiors @var{infno}@dots{}
2623 Removes the inferior or inferiors @var{infno}@dots{}. It is not
2624 possible to remove an inferior that is running with this command. For
2625 those, use the @code{kill} or @code{detach} command first.
2626
2627 @end table
2628
2629 To quit debugging one of the running inferiors that is not the current
2630 inferior, you can either detach from it by using the @w{@code{detach
2631 inferior}} command (allowing it to run independently), or kill it
2632 using the @w{@code{kill inferiors}} command:
2633
2634 @table @code
2635 @kindex detach inferiors @var{infno}@dots{}
2636 @item detach inferior @var{infno}@dots{}
2637 Detach from the inferior or inferiors identified by @value{GDBN}
2638 inferior number(s) @var{infno}@dots{}. Note that the inferior's entry
2639 still stays on the list of inferiors shown by @code{info inferiors},
2640 but its Description will show @samp{<null>}.
2641
2642 @kindex kill inferiors @var{infno}@dots{}
2643 @item kill inferiors @var{infno}@dots{}
2644 Kill the inferior or inferiors identified by @value{GDBN} inferior
2645 number(s) @var{infno}@dots{}. Note that the inferior's entry still
2646 stays on the list of inferiors shown by @code{info inferiors}, but its
2647 Description will show @samp{<null>}.
2648 @end table
2649
2650 After the successful completion of a command such as @code{detach},
2651 @code{detach inferiors}, @code{kill} or @code{kill inferiors}, or after
2652 a normal process exit, the inferior is still valid and listed with
2653 @code{info inferiors}, ready to be restarted.
2654
2655
2656 To be notified when inferiors are started or exit under @value{GDBN}'s
2657 control use @w{@code{set print inferior-events}}:
2658
2659 @table @code
2660 @kindex set print inferior-events
2661 @cindex print messages on inferior start and exit
2662 @item set print inferior-events
2663 @itemx set print inferior-events on
2664 @itemx set print inferior-events off
2665 The @code{set print inferior-events} command allows you to enable or
2666 disable printing of messages when @value{GDBN} notices that new
2667 inferiors have started or that inferiors have exited or have been
2668 detached. By default, these messages will not be printed.
2669
2670 @kindex show print inferior-events
2671 @item show print inferior-events
2672 Show whether messages will be printed when @value{GDBN} detects that
2673 inferiors have started, exited or have been detached.
2674 @end table
2675
2676 Many commands will work the same with multiple programs as with a
2677 single program: e.g., @code{print myglobal} will simply display the
2678 value of @code{myglobal} in the current inferior.
2679
2680
2681 Occasionaly, when debugging @value{GDBN} itself, it may be useful to
2682 get more info about the relationship of inferiors, programs, address
2683 spaces in a debug session. You can do that with the @w{@code{maint
2684 info program-spaces}} command.
2685
2686 @table @code
2687 @kindex maint info program-spaces
2688 @item maint info program-spaces
2689 Print a list of all program spaces currently being managed by
2690 @value{GDBN}.
2691
2692 @value{GDBN} displays for each program space (in this order):
2693
2694 @enumerate
2695 @item
2696 the program space number assigned by @value{GDBN}
2697
2698 @item
2699 the name of the executable loaded into the program space, with e.g.,
2700 the @code{file} command.
2701
2702 @end enumerate
2703
2704 @noindent
2705 An asterisk @samp{*} preceding the @value{GDBN} program space number
2706 indicates the current program space.
2707
2708 In addition, below each program space line, @value{GDBN} prints extra
2709 information that isn't suitable to display in tabular form. For
2710 example, the list of inferiors bound to the program space.
2711
2712 @smallexample
2713 (@value{GDBP}) maint info program-spaces
2714 Id Executable
2715 2 goodbye
2716 Bound inferiors: ID 1 (process 21561)
2717 * 1 hello
2718 @end smallexample
2719
2720 Here we can see that no inferior is running the program @code{hello},
2721 while @code{process 21561} is running the program @code{goodbye}. On
2722 some targets, it is possible that multiple inferiors are bound to the
2723 same program space. The most common example is that of debugging both
2724 the parent and child processes of a @code{vfork} call. For example,
2725
2726 @smallexample
2727 (@value{GDBP}) maint info program-spaces
2728 Id Executable
2729 * 1 vfork-test
2730 Bound inferiors: ID 2 (process 18050), ID 1 (process 18045)
2731 @end smallexample
2732
2733 Here, both inferior 2 and inferior 1 are running in the same program
2734 space as a result of inferior 1 having executed a @code{vfork} call.
2735 @end table
2736
2737 @node Threads
2738 @section Debugging Programs with Multiple Threads
2739
2740 @cindex threads of execution
2741 @cindex multiple threads
2742 @cindex switching threads
2743 In some operating systems, such as HP-UX and Solaris, a single program
2744 may have more than one @dfn{thread} of execution. The precise semantics
2745 of threads differ from one operating system to another, but in general
2746 the threads of a single program are akin to multiple processes---except
2747 that they share one address space (that is, they can all examine and
2748 modify the same variables). On the other hand, each thread has its own
2749 registers and execution stack, and perhaps private memory.
2750
2751 @value{GDBN} provides these facilities for debugging multi-thread
2752 programs:
2753
2754 @itemize @bullet
2755 @item automatic notification of new threads
2756 @item @samp{thread @var{threadno}}, a command to switch among threads
2757 @item @samp{info threads}, a command to inquire about existing threads
2758 @item @samp{thread apply [@var{threadno}] [@var{all}] @var{args}},
2759 a command to apply a command to a list of threads
2760 @item thread-specific breakpoints
2761 @item @samp{set print thread-events}, which controls printing of
2762 messages on thread start and exit.
2763 @item @samp{set libthread-db-search-path @var{path}}, which lets
2764 the user specify which @code{libthread_db} to use if the default choice
2765 isn't compatible with the program.
2766 @end itemize
2767
2768 @quotation
2769 @emph{Warning:} These facilities are not yet available on every
2770 @value{GDBN} configuration where the operating system supports threads.
2771 If your @value{GDBN} does not support threads, these commands have no
2772 effect. For example, a system without thread support shows no output
2773 from @samp{info threads}, and always rejects the @code{thread} command,
2774 like this:
2775
2776 @smallexample
2777 (@value{GDBP}) info threads
2778 (@value{GDBP}) thread 1
2779 Thread ID 1 not known. Use the "info threads" command to
2780 see the IDs of currently known threads.
2781 @end smallexample
2782 @c FIXME to implementors: how hard would it be to say "sorry, this GDB
2783 @c doesn't support threads"?
2784 @end quotation
2785
2786 @cindex focus of debugging
2787 @cindex current thread
2788 The @value{GDBN} thread debugging facility allows you to observe all
2789 threads while your program runs---but whenever @value{GDBN} takes
2790 control, one thread in particular is always the focus of debugging.
2791 This thread is called the @dfn{current thread}. Debugging commands show
2792 program information from the perspective of the current thread.
2793
2794 @cindex @code{New} @var{systag} message
2795 @cindex thread identifier (system)
2796 @c FIXME-implementors!! It would be more helpful if the [New...] message
2797 @c included GDB's numeric thread handle, so you could just go to that
2798 @c thread without first checking `info threads'.
2799 Whenever @value{GDBN} detects a new thread in your program, it displays
2800 the target system's identification for the thread with a message in the
2801 form @samp{[New @var{systag}]}. @var{systag} is a thread identifier
2802 whose form varies depending on the particular system. For example, on
2803 @sc{gnu}/Linux, you might see
2804
2805 @smallexample
2806 [New Thread 0x41e02940 (LWP 25582)]
2807 @end smallexample
2808
2809 @noindent
2810 when @value{GDBN} notices a new thread. In contrast, on an SGI system,
2811 the @var{systag} is simply something like @samp{process 368}, with no
2812 further qualifier.
2813
2814 @c FIXME!! (1) Does the [New...] message appear even for the very first
2815 @c thread of a program, or does it only appear for the
2816 @c second---i.e.@: when it becomes obvious we have a multithread
2817 @c program?
2818 @c (2) *Is* there necessarily a first thread always? Or do some
2819 @c multithread systems permit starting a program with multiple
2820 @c threads ab initio?
2821
2822 @cindex thread number
2823 @cindex thread identifier (GDB)
2824 For debugging purposes, @value{GDBN} associates its own thread
2825 number---always a single integer---with each thread in your program.
2826
2827 @table @code
2828 @kindex info threads
2829 @item info threads @r{[}@var{id}@dots{}@r{]}
2830 Display a summary of all threads currently in your program. Optional
2831 argument @var{id}@dots{} is one or more thread ids separated by spaces, and
2832 means to print information only about the specified thread or threads.
2833 @value{GDBN} displays for each thread (in this order):
2834
2835 @enumerate
2836 @item
2837 the thread number assigned by @value{GDBN}
2838
2839 @item
2840 the target system's thread identifier (@var{systag})
2841
2842 @item
2843 the thread's name, if one is known. A thread can either be named by
2844 the user (see @code{thread name}, below), or, in some cases, by the
2845 program itself.
2846
2847 @item
2848 the current stack frame summary for that thread
2849 @end enumerate
2850
2851 @noindent
2852 An asterisk @samp{*} to the left of the @value{GDBN} thread number
2853 indicates the current thread.
2854
2855 For example,
2856 @end table
2857 @c end table here to get a little more width for example
2858
2859 @smallexample
2860 (@value{GDBP}) info threads
2861 Id Target Id Frame
2862 3 process 35 thread 27 0x34e5 in sigpause ()
2863 2 process 35 thread 23 0x34e5 in sigpause ()
2864 * 1 process 35 thread 13 main (argc=1, argv=0x7ffffff8)
2865 at threadtest.c:68
2866 @end smallexample
2867
2868 On Solaris, you can display more information about user threads with a
2869 Solaris-specific command:
2870
2871 @table @code
2872 @item maint info sol-threads
2873 @kindex maint info sol-threads
2874 @cindex thread info (Solaris)
2875 Display info on Solaris user threads.
2876 @end table
2877
2878 @table @code
2879 @kindex thread @var{threadno}
2880 @item thread @var{threadno}
2881 Make thread number @var{threadno} the current thread. The command
2882 argument @var{threadno} is the internal @value{GDBN} thread number, as
2883 shown in the first field of the @samp{info threads} display.
2884 @value{GDBN} responds by displaying the system identifier of the thread
2885 you selected, and its current stack frame summary:
2886
2887 @smallexample
2888 (@value{GDBP}) thread 2
2889 [Switching to thread 2 (Thread 0xb7fdab70 (LWP 12747))]
2890 #0 some_function (ignore=0x0) at example.c:8
2891 8 printf ("hello\n");
2892 @end smallexample
2893
2894 @noindent
2895 As with the @samp{[New @dots{}]} message, the form of the text after
2896 @samp{Switching to} depends on your system's conventions for identifying
2897 threads.
2898
2899 @vindex $_thread@r{, convenience variable}
2900 The debugger convenience variable @samp{$_thread} contains the number
2901 of the current thread. You may find this useful in writing breakpoint
2902 conditional expressions, command scripts, and so forth. See
2903 @xref{Convenience Vars,, Convenience Variables}, for general
2904 information on convenience variables.
2905
2906 @kindex thread apply
2907 @cindex apply command to several threads
2908 @item thread apply [@var{threadno} | all] @var{command}
2909 The @code{thread apply} command allows you to apply the named
2910 @var{command} to one or more threads. Specify the numbers of the
2911 threads that you want affected with the command argument
2912 @var{threadno}. It can be a single thread number, one of the numbers
2913 shown in the first field of the @samp{info threads} display; or it
2914 could be a range of thread numbers, as in @code{2-4}. To apply a
2915 command to all threads, type @kbd{thread apply all @var{command}}.
2916
2917 @kindex thread name
2918 @cindex name a thread
2919 @item thread name [@var{name}]
2920 This command assigns a name to the current thread. If no argument is
2921 given, any existing user-specified name is removed. The thread name
2922 appears in the @samp{info threads} display.
2923
2924 On some systems, such as @sc{gnu}/Linux, @value{GDBN} is able to
2925 determine the name of the thread as given by the OS. On these
2926 systems, a name specified with @samp{thread name} will override the
2927 system-give name, and removing the user-specified name will cause
2928 @value{GDBN} to once again display the system-specified name.
2929
2930 @kindex thread find
2931 @cindex search for a thread
2932 @item thread find [@var{regexp}]
2933 Search for and display thread ids whose name or @var{systag}
2934 matches the supplied regular expression.
2935
2936 As well as being the complement to the @samp{thread name} command,
2937 this command also allows you to identify a thread by its target
2938 @var{systag}. For instance, on @sc{gnu}/Linux, the target @var{systag}
2939 is the LWP id.
2940
2941 @smallexample
2942 (@value{GDBN}) thread find 26688
2943 Thread 4 has target id 'Thread 0x41e02940 (LWP 26688)'
2944 (@value{GDBN}) info thread 4
2945 Id Target Id Frame
2946 4 Thread 0x41e02940 (LWP 26688) 0x00000031ca6cd372 in select ()
2947 @end smallexample
2948
2949 @kindex set print thread-events
2950 @cindex print messages on thread start and exit
2951 @item set print thread-events
2952 @itemx set print thread-events on
2953 @itemx set print thread-events off
2954 The @code{set print thread-events} command allows you to enable or
2955 disable printing of messages when @value{GDBN} notices that new threads have
2956 started or that threads have exited. By default, these messages will
2957 be printed if detection of these events is supported by the target.
2958 Note that these messages cannot be disabled on all targets.
2959
2960 @kindex show print thread-events
2961 @item show print thread-events
2962 Show whether messages will be printed when @value{GDBN} detects that threads
2963 have started and exited.
2964 @end table
2965
2966 @xref{Thread Stops,,Stopping and Starting Multi-thread Programs}, for
2967 more information about how @value{GDBN} behaves when you stop and start
2968 programs with multiple threads.
2969
2970 @xref{Set Watchpoints,,Setting Watchpoints}, for information about
2971 watchpoints in programs with multiple threads.
2972
2973 @anchor{set libthread-db-search-path}
2974 @table @code
2975 @kindex set libthread-db-search-path
2976 @cindex search path for @code{libthread_db}
2977 @item set libthread-db-search-path @r{[}@var{path}@r{]}
2978 If this variable is set, @var{path} is a colon-separated list of
2979 directories @value{GDBN} will use to search for @code{libthread_db}.
2980 If you omit @var{path}, @samp{libthread-db-search-path} will be reset to
2981 its default value (@code{$sdir:$pdir} on @sc{gnu}/Linux and Solaris systems).
2982 Internally, the default value comes from the @code{LIBTHREAD_DB_SEARCH_PATH}
2983 macro.
2984
2985 On @sc{gnu}/Linux and Solaris systems, @value{GDBN} uses a ``helper''
2986 @code{libthread_db} library to obtain information about threads in the
2987 inferior process. @value{GDBN} will use @samp{libthread-db-search-path}
2988 to find @code{libthread_db}. @value{GDBN} also consults first if inferior
2989 specific thread debugging library loading is enabled
2990 by @samp{set auto-load libthread-db} (@pxref{libthread_db.so.1 file}).
2991
2992 A special entry @samp{$sdir} for @samp{libthread-db-search-path}
2993 refers to the default system directories that are
2994 normally searched for loading shared libraries. The @samp{$sdir} entry
2995 is the only kind not needing to be enabled by @samp{set auto-load libthread-db}
2996 (@pxref{libthread_db.so.1 file}).
2997
2998 A special entry @samp{$pdir} for @samp{libthread-db-search-path}
2999 refers to the directory from which @code{libpthread}
3000 was loaded in the inferior process.
3001
3002 For any @code{libthread_db} library @value{GDBN} finds in above directories,
3003 @value{GDBN} attempts to initialize it with the current inferior process.
3004 If this initialization fails (which could happen because of a version
3005 mismatch between @code{libthread_db} and @code{libpthread}), @value{GDBN}
3006 will unload @code{libthread_db}, and continue with the next directory.
3007 If none of @code{libthread_db} libraries initialize successfully,
3008 @value{GDBN} will issue a warning and thread debugging will be disabled.
3009
3010 Setting @code{libthread-db-search-path} is currently implemented
3011 only on some platforms.
3012
3013 @kindex show libthread-db-search-path
3014 @item show libthread-db-search-path
3015 Display current libthread_db search path.
3016
3017 @kindex set debug libthread-db
3018 @kindex show debug libthread-db
3019 @cindex debugging @code{libthread_db}
3020 @item set debug libthread-db
3021 @itemx show debug libthread-db
3022 Turns on or off display of @code{libthread_db}-related events.
3023 Use @code{1} to enable, @code{0} to disable.
3024 @end table
3025
3026 @node Forks
3027 @section Debugging Forks
3028
3029 @cindex fork, debugging programs which call
3030 @cindex multiple processes
3031 @cindex processes, multiple
3032 On most systems, @value{GDBN} has no special support for debugging
3033 programs which create additional processes using the @code{fork}
3034 function. When a program forks, @value{GDBN} will continue to debug the
3035 parent process and the child process will run unimpeded. If you have
3036 set a breakpoint in any code which the child then executes, the child
3037 will get a @code{SIGTRAP} signal which (unless it catches the signal)
3038 will cause it to terminate.
3039
3040 However, if you want to debug the child process there is a workaround
3041 which isn't too painful. Put a call to @code{sleep} in the code which
3042 the child process executes after the fork. It may be useful to sleep
3043 only if a certain environment variable is set, or a certain file exists,
3044 so that the delay need not occur when you don't want to run @value{GDBN}
3045 on the child. While the child is sleeping, use the @code{ps} program to
3046 get its process ID. Then tell @value{GDBN} (a new invocation of
3047 @value{GDBN} if you are also debugging the parent process) to attach to
3048 the child process (@pxref{Attach}). From that point on you can debug
3049 the child process just like any other process which you attached to.
3050
3051 On some systems, @value{GDBN} provides support for debugging programs that
3052 create additional processes using the @code{fork} or @code{vfork} functions.
3053 Currently, the only platforms with this feature are HP-UX (11.x and later
3054 only?) and @sc{gnu}/Linux (kernel version 2.5.60 and later).
3055
3056 By default, when a program forks, @value{GDBN} will continue to debug
3057 the parent process and the child process will run unimpeded.
3058
3059 If you want to follow the child process instead of the parent process,
3060 use the command @w{@code{set follow-fork-mode}}.
3061
3062 @table @code
3063 @kindex set follow-fork-mode
3064 @item set follow-fork-mode @var{mode}
3065 Set the debugger response to a program call of @code{fork} or
3066 @code{vfork}. A call to @code{fork} or @code{vfork} creates a new
3067 process. The @var{mode} argument can be:
3068
3069 @table @code
3070 @item parent
3071 The original process is debugged after a fork. The child process runs
3072 unimpeded. This is the default.
3073
3074 @item child
3075 The new process is debugged after a fork. The parent process runs
3076 unimpeded.
3077
3078 @end table
3079
3080 @kindex show follow-fork-mode
3081 @item show follow-fork-mode
3082 Display the current debugger response to a @code{fork} or @code{vfork} call.
3083 @end table
3084
3085 @cindex debugging multiple processes
3086 On Linux, if you want to debug both the parent and child processes, use the
3087 command @w{@code{set detach-on-fork}}.
3088
3089 @table @code
3090 @kindex set detach-on-fork
3091 @item set detach-on-fork @var{mode}
3092 Tells gdb whether to detach one of the processes after a fork, or
3093 retain debugger control over them both.
3094
3095 @table @code
3096 @item on
3097 The child process (or parent process, depending on the value of
3098 @code{follow-fork-mode}) will be detached and allowed to run
3099 independently. This is the default.
3100
3101 @item off
3102 Both processes will be held under the control of @value{GDBN}.
3103 One process (child or parent, depending on the value of
3104 @code{follow-fork-mode}) is debugged as usual, while the other
3105 is held suspended.
3106
3107 @end table
3108
3109 @kindex show detach-on-fork
3110 @item show detach-on-fork
3111 Show whether detach-on-fork mode is on/off.
3112 @end table
3113
3114 If you choose to set @samp{detach-on-fork} mode off, then @value{GDBN}
3115 will retain control of all forked processes (including nested forks).
3116 You can list the forked processes under the control of @value{GDBN} by
3117 using the @w{@code{info inferiors}} command, and switch from one fork
3118 to another by using the @code{inferior} command (@pxref{Inferiors and
3119 Programs, ,Debugging Multiple Inferiors and Programs}).
3120
3121 To quit debugging one of the forked processes, you can either detach
3122 from it by using the @w{@code{detach inferiors}} command (allowing it
3123 to run independently), or kill it using the @w{@code{kill inferiors}}
3124 command. @xref{Inferiors and Programs, ,Debugging Multiple Inferiors
3125 and Programs}.
3126
3127 If you ask to debug a child process and a @code{vfork} is followed by an
3128 @code{exec}, @value{GDBN} executes the new target up to the first
3129 breakpoint in the new target. If you have a breakpoint set on
3130 @code{main} in your original program, the breakpoint will also be set on
3131 the child process's @code{main}.
3132
3133 On some systems, when a child process is spawned by @code{vfork}, you
3134 cannot debug the child or parent until an @code{exec} call completes.
3135
3136 If you issue a @code{run} command to @value{GDBN} after an @code{exec}
3137 call executes, the new target restarts. To restart the parent
3138 process, use the @code{file} command with the parent executable name
3139 as its argument. By default, after an @code{exec} call executes,
3140 @value{GDBN} discards the symbols of the previous executable image.
3141 You can change this behaviour with the @w{@code{set follow-exec-mode}}
3142 command.
3143
3144 @table @code
3145 @kindex set follow-exec-mode
3146 @item set follow-exec-mode @var{mode}
3147
3148 Set debugger response to a program call of @code{exec}. An
3149 @code{exec} call replaces the program image of a process.
3150
3151 @code{follow-exec-mode} can be:
3152
3153 @table @code
3154 @item new
3155 @value{GDBN} creates a new inferior and rebinds the process to this
3156 new inferior. The program the process was running before the
3157 @code{exec} call can be restarted afterwards by restarting the
3158 original inferior.
3159
3160 For example:
3161
3162 @smallexample
3163 (@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
3164 (gdb) info inferior
3165 Id Description Executable
3166 * 1 <null> prog1
3167 (@value{GDBP}) run
3168 process 12020 is executing new program: prog2
3169 Program exited normally.
3170 (@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
3171 Id Description Executable
3172 * 2 <null> prog2
3173 1 <null> prog1
3174 @end smallexample
3175
3176 @item same
3177 @value{GDBN} keeps the process bound to the same inferior. The new
3178 executable image replaces the previous executable loaded in the
3179 inferior. Restarting the inferior after the @code{exec} call, with
3180 e.g., the @code{run} command, restarts the executable the process was
3181 running after the @code{exec} call. This is the default mode.
3182
3183 For example:
3184
3185 @smallexample
3186 (@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
3187 Id Description Executable
3188 * 1 <null> prog1
3189 (@value{GDBP}) run
3190 process 12020 is executing new program: prog2
3191 Program exited normally.
3192 (@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
3193 Id Description Executable
3194 * 1 <null> prog2
3195 @end smallexample
3196
3197 @end table
3198 @end table
3199
3200 You can use the @code{catch} command to make @value{GDBN} stop whenever
3201 a @code{fork}, @code{vfork}, or @code{exec} call is made. @xref{Set
3202 Catchpoints, ,Setting Catchpoints}.
3203
3204 @node Checkpoint/Restart
3205 @section Setting a @emph{Bookmark} to Return to Later
3206
3207 @cindex checkpoint
3208 @cindex restart
3209 @cindex bookmark
3210 @cindex snapshot of a process
3211 @cindex rewind program state
3212
3213 On certain operating systems@footnote{Currently, only
3214 @sc{gnu}/Linux.}, @value{GDBN} is able to save a @dfn{snapshot} of a
3215 program's state, called a @dfn{checkpoint}, and come back to it
3216 later.
3217
3218 Returning to a checkpoint effectively undoes everything that has
3219 happened in the program since the @code{checkpoint} was saved. This
3220 includes changes in memory, registers, and even (within some limits)
3221 system state. Effectively, it is like going back in time to the
3222 moment when the checkpoint was saved.
3223
3224 Thus, if you're stepping thru a program and you think you're
3225 getting close to the point where things go wrong, you can save
3226 a checkpoint. Then, if you accidentally go too far and miss
3227 the critical statement, instead of having to restart your program
3228 from the beginning, you can just go back to the checkpoint and
3229 start again from there.
3230
3231 This can be especially useful if it takes a lot of time or
3232 steps to reach the point where you think the bug occurs.
3233
3234 To use the @code{checkpoint}/@code{restart} method of debugging:
3235
3236 @table @code
3237 @kindex checkpoint
3238 @item checkpoint
3239 Save a snapshot of the debugged program's current execution state.
3240 The @code{checkpoint} command takes no arguments, but each checkpoint
3241 is assigned a small integer id, similar to a breakpoint id.
3242
3243 @kindex info checkpoints
3244 @item info checkpoints
3245 List the checkpoints that have been saved in the current debugging
3246 session. For each checkpoint, the following information will be
3247 listed:
3248
3249 @table @code
3250 @item Checkpoint ID
3251 @item Process ID
3252 @item Code Address
3253 @item Source line, or label
3254 @end table
3255
3256 @kindex restart @var{checkpoint-id}
3257 @item restart @var{checkpoint-id}
3258 Restore the program state that was saved as checkpoint number
3259 @var{checkpoint-id}. All program variables, registers, stack frames
3260 etc.@: will be returned to the values that they had when the checkpoint
3261 was saved. In essence, gdb will ``wind back the clock'' to the point
3262 in time when the checkpoint was saved.
3263
3264 Note that breakpoints, @value{GDBN} variables, command history etc.
3265 are not affected by restoring a checkpoint. In general, a checkpoint
3266 only restores things that reside in the program being debugged, not in
3267 the debugger.
3268
3269 @kindex delete checkpoint @var{checkpoint-id}
3270 @item delete checkpoint @var{checkpoint-id}
3271 Delete the previously-saved checkpoint identified by @var{checkpoint-id}.
3272
3273 @end table
3274
3275 Returning to a previously saved checkpoint will restore the user state
3276 of the program being debugged, plus a significant subset of the system
3277 (OS) state, including file pointers. It won't ``un-write'' data from
3278 a file, but it will rewind the file pointer to the previous location,
3279 so that the previously written data can be overwritten. For files
3280 opened in read mode, the pointer will also be restored so that the
3281 previously read data can be read again.
3282
3283 Of course, characters that have been sent to a printer (or other
3284 external device) cannot be ``snatched back'', and characters received
3285 from eg.@: a serial device can be removed from internal program buffers,
3286 but they cannot be ``pushed back'' into the serial pipeline, ready to
3287 be received again. Similarly, the actual contents of files that have
3288 been changed cannot be restored (at this time).
3289
3290 However, within those constraints, you actually can ``rewind'' your
3291 program to a previously saved point in time, and begin debugging it
3292 again --- and you can change the course of events so as to debug a
3293 different execution path this time.
3294
3295 @cindex checkpoints and process id
3296 Finally, there is one bit of internal program state that will be
3297 different when you return to a checkpoint --- the program's process
3298 id. Each checkpoint will have a unique process id (or @var{pid}),
3299 and each will be different from the program's original @var{pid}.
3300 If your program has saved a local copy of its process id, this could
3301 potentially pose a problem.
3302
3303 @subsection A Non-obvious Benefit of Using Checkpoints
3304
3305 On some systems such as @sc{gnu}/Linux, address space randomization
3306 is performed on new processes for security reasons. This makes it
3307 difficult or impossible to set a breakpoint, or watchpoint, on an
3308 absolute address if you have to restart the program, since the
3309 absolute location of a symbol will change from one execution to the
3310 next.
3311
3312 A checkpoint, however, is an @emph{identical} copy of a process.
3313 Therefore if you create a checkpoint at (eg.@:) the start of main,
3314 and simply return to that checkpoint instead of restarting the
3315 process, you can avoid the effects of address randomization and
3316 your symbols will all stay in the same place.
3317
3318 @node Stopping
3319 @chapter Stopping and Continuing
3320
3321 The principal purposes of using a debugger are so that you can stop your
3322 program before it terminates; or so that, if your program runs into
3323 trouble, you can investigate and find out why.
3324
3325 Inside @value{GDBN}, your program may stop for any of several reasons,
3326 such as a signal, a breakpoint, or reaching a new line after a
3327 @value{GDBN} command such as @code{step}. You may then examine and
3328 change variables, set new breakpoints or remove old ones, and then
3329 continue execution. Usually, the messages shown by @value{GDBN} provide
3330 ample explanation of the status of your program---but you can also
3331 explicitly request this information at any time.
3332
3333 @table @code
3334 @kindex info program
3335 @item info program
3336 Display information about the status of your program: whether it is
3337 running or not, what process it is, and why it stopped.
3338 @end table
3339
3340 @menu
3341 * Breakpoints:: Breakpoints, watchpoints, and catchpoints
3342 * Continuing and Stepping:: Resuming execution
3343 * Skipping Over Functions and Files::
3344 Skipping over functions and files
3345 * Signals:: Signals
3346 * Thread Stops:: Stopping and starting multi-thread programs
3347 @end menu
3348
3349 @node Breakpoints
3350 @section Breakpoints, Watchpoints, and Catchpoints
3351
3352 @cindex breakpoints
3353 A @dfn{breakpoint} makes your program stop whenever a certain point in
3354 the program is reached. For each breakpoint, you can add conditions to
3355 control in finer detail whether your program stops. You can set
3356 breakpoints with the @code{break} command and its variants (@pxref{Set
3357 Breaks, ,Setting Breakpoints}), to specify the place where your program
3358 should stop by line number, function name or exact address in the
3359 program.
3360
3361 On some systems, you can set breakpoints in shared libraries before
3362 the executable is run. There is a minor limitation on HP-UX systems:
3363 you must wait until the executable is run in order to set breakpoints
3364 in shared library routines that are not called directly by the program
3365 (for example, routines that are arguments in a @code{pthread_create}
3366 call).
3367
3368 @cindex watchpoints
3369 @cindex data breakpoints
3370 @cindex memory tracing
3371 @cindex breakpoint on memory address
3372 @cindex breakpoint on variable modification
3373 A @dfn{watchpoint} is a special breakpoint that stops your program
3374 when the value of an expression changes. The expression may be a value
3375 of a variable, or it could involve values of one or more variables
3376 combined by operators, such as @samp{a + b}. This is sometimes called
3377 @dfn{data breakpoints}. You must use a different command to set
3378 watchpoints (@pxref{Set Watchpoints, ,Setting Watchpoints}), but aside
3379 from that, you can manage a watchpoint like any other breakpoint: you
3380 enable, disable, and delete both breakpoints and watchpoints using the
3381 same commands.
3382
3383 You can arrange to have values from your program displayed automatically
3384 whenever @value{GDBN} stops at a breakpoint. @xref{Auto Display,,
3385 Automatic Display}.
3386
3387 @cindex catchpoints
3388 @cindex breakpoint on events
3389 A @dfn{catchpoint} is another special breakpoint that stops your program
3390 when a certain kind of event occurs, such as the throwing of a C@t{++}
3391 exception or the loading of a library. As with watchpoints, you use a
3392 different command to set a catchpoint (@pxref{Set Catchpoints, ,Setting
3393 Catchpoints}), but aside from that, you can manage a catchpoint like any
3394 other breakpoint. (To stop when your program receives a signal, use the
3395 @code{handle} command; see @ref{Signals, ,Signals}.)
3396
3397 @cindex breakpoint numbers
3398 @cindex numbers for breakpoints
3399 @value{GDBN} assigns a number to each breakpoint, watchpoint, or
3400 catchpoint when you create it; these numbers are successive integers
3401 starting with one. In many of the commands for controlling various
3402 features of breakpoints you use the breakpoint number to say which
3403 breakpoint you want to change. Each breakpoint may be @dfn{enabled} or
3404 @dfn{disabled}; if disabled, it has no effect on your program until you
3405 enable it again.
3406
3407 @cindex breakpoint ranges
3408 @cindex ranges of breakpoints
3409 Some @value{GDBN} commands accept a range of breakpoints on which to
3410 operate. A breakpoint range is either a single breakpoint number, like
3411 @samp{5}, or two such numbers, in increasing order, separated by a
3412 hyphen, like @samp{5-7}. When a breakpoint range is given to a command,
3413 all breakpoints in that range are operated on.
3414
3415 @menu
3416 * Set Breaks:: Setting breakpoints
3417 * Set Watchpoints:: Setting watchpoints
3418 * Set Catchpoints:: Setting catchpoints
3419 * Delete Breaks:: Deleting breakpoints
3420 * Disabling:: Disabling breakpoints
3421 * Conditions:: Break conditions
3422 * Break Commands:: Breakpoint command lists
3423 * Dynamic Printf:: Dynamic printf
3424 * Save Breakpoints:: How to save breakpoints in a file
3425 * Static Probe Points:: Listing static probe points
3426 * Error in Breakpoints:: ``Cannot insert breakpoints''
3427 * Breakpoint-related Warnings:: ``Breakpoint address adjusted...''
3428 @end menu
3429
3430 @node Set Breaks
3431 @subsection Setting Breakpoints
3432
3433 @c FIXME LMB what does GDB do if no code on line of breakpt?
3434 @c consider in particular declaration with/without initialization.
3435 @c
3436 @c FIXME 2 is there stuff on this already? break at fun start, already init?
3437
3438 @kindex break
3439 @kindex b @r{(@code{break})}
3440 @vindex $bpnum@r{, convenience variable}
3441 @cindex latest breakpoint
3442 Breakpoints are set with the @code{break} command (abbreviated
3443 @code{b}). The debugger convenience variable @samp{$bpnum} records the
3444 number of the breakpoint you've set most recently; see @ref{Convenience
3445 Vars,, Convenience Variables}, for a discussion of what you can do with
3446 convenience variables.
3447
3448 @table @code
3449 @item break @var{location}
3450 Set a breakpoint at the given @var{location}, which can specify a
3451 function name, a line number, or an address of an instruction.
3452 (@xref{Specify Location}, for a list of all the possible ways to
3453 specify a @var{location}.) The breakpoint will stop your program just
3454 before it executes any of the code in the specified @var{location}.
3455
3456 When using source languages that permit overloading of symbols, such as
3457 C@t{++}, a function name may refer to more than one possible place to break.
3458 @xref{Ambiguous Expressions,,Ambiguous Expressions}, for a discussion of
3459 that situation.
3460
3461 It is also possible to insert a breakpoint that will stop the program
3462 only if a specific thread (@pxref{Thread-Specific Breakpoints})
3463 or a specific task (@pxref{Ada Tasks}) hits that breakpoint.
3464
3465 @item break
3466 When called without any arguments, @code{break} sets a breakpoint at
3467 the next instruction to be executed in the selected stack frame
3468 (@pxref{Stack, ,Examining the Stack}). In any selected frame but the
3469 innermost, this makes your program stop as soon as control
3470 returns to that frame. This is similar to the effect of a
3471 @code{finish} command in the frame inside the selected frame---except
3472 that @code{finish} does not leave an active breakpoint. If you use
3473 @code{break} without an argument in the innermost frame, @value{GDBN} stops
3474 the next time it reaches the current location; this may be useful
3475 inside loops.
3476
3477 @value{GDBN} normally ignores breakpoints when it resumes execution, until at
3478 least one instruction has been executed. If it did not do this, you
3479 would be unable to proceed past a breakpoint without first disabling the
3480 breakpoint. This rule applies whether or not the breakpoint already
3481 existed when your program stopped.
3482
3483 @item break @dots{} if @var{cond}
3484 Set a breakpoint with condition @var{cond}; evaluate the expression
3485 @var{cond} each time the breakpoint is reached, and stop only if the
3486 value is nonzero---that is, if @var{cond} evaluates as true.
3487 @samp{@dots{}} stands for one of the possible arguments described
3488 above (or no argument) specifying where to break. @xref{Conditions,
3489 ,Break Conditions}, for more information on breakpoint conditions.
3490
3491 @kindex tbreak
3492 @item tbreak @var{args}
3493 Set a breakpoint enabled only for one stop. @var{args} are the
3494 same as for the @code{break} command, and the breakpoint is set in the same
3495 way, but the breakpoint is automatically deleted after the first time your
3496 program stops there. @xref{Disabling, ,Disabling Breakpoints}.
3497
3498 @kindex hbreak
3499 @cindex hardware breakpoints
3500 @item hbreak @var{args}
3501 Set a hardware-assisted breakpoint. @var{args} are the same as for the
3502 @code{break} command and the breakpoint is set in the same way, but the
3503 breakpoint requires hardware support and some target hardware may not
3504 have this support. The main purpose of this is EPROM/ROM code
3505 debugging, so you can set a breakpoint at an instruction without
3506 changing the instruction. This can be used with the new trap-generation
3507 provided by SPARClite DSU and most x86-based targets. These targets
3508 will generate traps when a program accesses some data or instruction
3509 address that is assigned to the debug registers. However the hardware
3510 breakpoint registers can take a limited number of breakpoints. For
3511 example, on the DSU, only two data breakpoints can be set at a time, and
3512 @value{GDBN} will reject this command if more than two are used. Delete
3513 or disable unused hardware breakpoints before setting new ones
3514 (@pxref{Disabling, ,Disabling Breakpoints}).
3515 @xref{Conditions, ,Break Conditions}.
3516 For remote targets, you can restrict the number of hardware
3517 breakpoints @value{GDBN} will use, see @ref{set remote
3518 hardware-breakpoint-limit}.
3519
3520 @kindex thbreak
3521 @item thbreak @var{args}
3522 Set a hardware-assisted breakpoint enabled only for one stop. @var{args}
3523 are the same as for the @code{hbreak} command and the breakpoint is set in
3524 the same way. However, like the @code{tbreak} command,
3525 the breakpoint is automatically deleted after the
3526 first time your program stops there. Also, like the @code{hbreak}
3527 command, the breakpoint requires hardware support and some target hardware
3528 may not have this support. @xref{Disabling, ,Disabling Breakpoints}.
3529 See also @ref{Conditions, ,Break Conditions}.
3530
3531 @kindex rbreak
3532 @cindex regular expression
3533 @cindex breakpoints at functions matching a regexp
3534 @cindex set breakpoints in many functions
3535 @item rbreak @var{regex}
3536 Set breakpoints on all functions matching the regular expression
3537 @var{regex}. This command sets an unconditional breakpoint on all
3538 matches, printing a list of all breakpoints it set. Once these
3539 breakpoints are set, they are treated just like the breakpoints set with
3540 the @code{break} command. You can delete them, disable them, or make
3541 them conditional the same way as any other breakpoint.
3542
3543 The syntax of the regular expression is the standard one used with tools
3544 like @file{grep}. Note that this is different from the syntax used by
3545 shells, so for instance @code{foo*} matches all functions that include
3546 an @code{fo} followed by zero or more @code{o}s. There is an implicit
3547 @code{.*} leading and trailing the regular expression you supply, so to
3548 match only functions that begin with @code{foo}, use @code{^foo}.
3549
3550 @cindex non-member C@t{++} functions, set breakpoint in
3551 When debugging C@t{++} programs, @code{rbreak} is useful for setting
3552 breakpoints on overloaded functions that are not members of any special
3553 classes.
3554
3555 @cindex set breakpoints on all functions
3556 The @code{rbreak} command can be used to set breakpoints in
3557 @strong{all} the functions in a program, like this:
3558
3559 @smallexample
3560 (@value{GDBP}) rbreak .
3561 @end smallexample
3562
3563 @item rbreak @var{file}:@var{regex}
3564 If @code{rbreak} is called with a filename qualification, it limits
3565 the search for functions matching the given regular expression to the
3566 specified @var{file}. This can be used, for example, to set breakpoints on
3567 every function in a given file:
3568
3569 @smallexample
3570 (@value{GDBP}) rbreak file.c:.
3571 @end smallexample
3572
3573 The colon separating the filename qualifier from the regex may
3574 optionally be surrounded by spaces.
3575
3576 @kindex info breakpoints
3577 @cindex @code{$_} and @code{info breakpoints}
3578 @item info breakpoints @r{[}@var{n}@dots{}@r{]}
3579 @itemx info break @r{[}@var{n}@dots{}@r{]}
3580 Print a table of all breakpoints, watchpoints, and catchpoints set and
3581 not deleted. Optional argument @var{n} means print information only
3582 about the specified breakpoint(s) (or watchpoint(s) or catchpoint(s)).
3583 For each breakpoint, following columns are printed:
3584
3585 @table @emph
3586 @item Breakpoint Numbers
3587 @item Type
3588 Breakpoint, watchpoint, or catchpoint.
3589 @item Disposition
3590 Whether the breakpoint is marked to be disabled or deleted when hit.
3591 @item Enabled or Disabled
3592 Enabled breakpoints are marked with @samp{y}. @samp{n} marks breakpoints
3593 that are not enabled.
3594 @item Address
3595 Where the breakpoint is in your program, as a memory address. For a
3596 pending breakpoint whose address is not yet known, this field will
3597 contain @samp{<PENDING>}. Such breakpoint won't fire until a shared
3598 library that has the symbol or line referred by breakpoint is loaded.
3599 See below for details. A breakpoint with several locations will
3600 have @samp{<MULTIPLE>} in this field---see below for details.
3601 @item What
3602 Where the breakpoint is in the source for your program, as a file and
3603 line number. For a pending breakpoint, the original string passed to
3604 the breakpoint command will be listed as it cannot be resolved until
3605 the appropriate shared library is loaded in the future.
3606 @end table
3607
3608 @noindent
3609 If a breakpoint is conditional, there are two evaluation modes: ``host'' and
3610 ``target''. If mode is ``host'', breakpoint condition evaluation is done by
3611 @value{GDBN} on the host's side. If it is ``target'', then the condition
3612 is evaluated by the target. The @code{info break} command shows
3613 the condition on the line following the affected breakpoint, together with
3614 its condition evaluation mode in between parentheses.
3615
3616 Breakpoint commands, if any, are listed after that. A pending breakpoint is
3617 allowed to have a condition specified for it. The condition is not parsed for
3618 validity until a shared library is loaded that allows the pending
3619 breakpoint to resolve to a valid location.
3620
3621 @noindent
3622 @code{info break} with a breakpoint
3623 number @var{n} as argument lists only that breakpoint. The
3624 convenience variable @code{$_} and the default examining-address for
3625 the @code{x} command are set to the address of the last breakpoint
3626 listed (@pxref{Memory, ,Examining Memory}).
3627
3628 @noindent
3629 @code{info break} displays a count of the number of times the breakpoint
3630 has been hit. This is especially useful in conjunction with the
3631 @code{ignore} command. You can ignore a large number of breakpoint
3632 hits, look at the breakpoint info to see how many times the breakpoint
3633 was hit, and then run again, ignoring one less than that number. This
3634 will get you quickly to the last hit of that breakpoint.
3635
3636 @noindent
3637 For a breakpoints with an enable count (xref) greater than 1,
3638 @code{info break} also displays that count.
3639
3640 @end table
3641
3642 @value{GDBN} allows you to set any number of breakpoints at the same place in
3643 your program. There is nothing silly or meaningless about this. When
3644 the breakpoints are conditional, this is even useful
3645 (@pxref{Conditions, ,Break Conditions}).
3646
3647 @cindex multiple locations, breakpoints
3648 @cindex breakpoints, multiple locations
3649 It is possible that a breakpoint corresponds to several locations
3650 in your program. Examples of this situation are:
3651
3652 @itemize @bullet
3653 @item
3654 Multiple functions in the program may have the same name.
3655
3656 @item
3657 For a C@t{++} constructor, the @value{NGCC} compiler generates several
3658 instances of the function body, used in different cases.
3659
3660 @item
3661 For a C@t{++} template function, a given line in the function can
3662 correspond to any number of instantiations.
3663
3664 @item
3665 For an inlined function, a given source line can correspond to
3666 several places where that function is inlined.
3667 @end itemize
3668
3669 In all those cases, @value{GDBN} will insert a breakpoint at all
3670 the relevant locations.
3671
3672 A breakpoint with multiple locations is displayed in the breakpoint
3673 table using several rows---one header row, followed by one row for
3674 each breakpoint location. The header row has @samp{<MULTIPLE>} in the
3675 address column. The rows for individual locations contain the actual
3676 addresses for locations, and show the functions to which those
3677 locations belong. The number column for a location is of the form
3678 @var{breakpoint-number}.@var{location-number}.
3679
3680 For example:
3681
3682 @smallexample
3683 Num Type Disp Enb Address What
3684 1 breakpoint keep y <MULTIPLE>
3685 stop only if i==1
3686 breakpoint already hit 1 time
3687 1.1 y 0x080486a2 in void foo<int>() at t.cc:8
3688 1.2 y 0x080486ca in void foo<double>() at t.cc:8
3689 @end smallexample
3690
3691 Each location can be individually enabled or disabled by passing
3692 @var{breakpoint-number}.@var{location-number} as argument to the
3693 @code{enable} and @code{disable} commands. Note that you cannot
3694 delete the individual locations from the list, you can only delete the
3695 entire list of locations that belong to their parent breakpoint (with
3696 the @kbd{delete @var{num}} command, where @var{num} is the number of
3697 the parent breakpoint, 1 in the above example). Disabling or enabling
3698 the parent breakpoint (@pxref{Disabling}) affects all of the locations
3699 that belong to that breakpoint.
3700
3701 @cindex pending breakpoints
3702 It's quite common to have a breakpoint inside a shared library.
3703 Shared libraries can be loaded and unloaded explicitly,
3704 and possibly repeatedly, as the program is executed. To support
3705 this use case, @value{GDBN} updates breakpoint locations whenever
3706 any shared library is loaded or unloaded. Typically, you would
3707 set a breakpoint in a shared library at the beginning of your
3708 debugging session, when the library is not loaded, and when the
3709 symbols from the library are not available. When you try to set
3710 breakpoint, @value{GDBN} will ask you if you want to set
3711 a so called @dfn{pending breakpoint}---breakpoint whose address
3712 is not yet resolved.
3713
3714 After the program is run, whenever a new shared library is loaded,
3715 @value{GDBN} reevaluates all the breakpoints. When a newly loaded
3716 shared library contains the symbol or line referred to by some
3717 pending breakpoint, that breakpoint is resolved and becomes an
3718 ordinary breakpoint. When a library is unloaded, all breakpoints
3719 that refer to its symbols or source lines become pending again.
3720
3721 This logic works for breakpoints with multiple locations, too. For
3722 example, if you have a breakpoint in a C@t{++} template function, and
3723 a newly loaded shared library has an instantiation of that template,
3724 a new location is added to the list of locations for the breakpoint.
3725
3726 Except for having unresolved address, pending breakpoints do not
3727 differ from regular breakpoints. You can set conditions or commands,
3728 enable and disable them and perform other breakpoint operations.
3729
3730 @value{GDBN} provides some additional commands for controlling what
3731 happens when the @samp{break} command cannot resolve breakpoint
3732 address specification to an address:
3733
3734 @kindex set breakpoint pending
3735 @kindex show breakpoint pending
3736 @table @code
3737 @item set breakpoint pending auto
3738 This is the default behavior. When @value{GDBN} cannot find the breakpoint
3739 location, it queries you whether a pending breakpoint should be created.
3740
3741 @item set breakpoint pending on
3742 This indicates that an unrecognized breakpoint location should automatically
3743 result in a pending breakpoint being created.
3744
3745 @item set breakpoint pending off
3746 This indicates that pending breakpoints are not to be created. Any
3747 unrecognized breakpoint location results in an error. This setting does
3748 not affect any pending breakpoints previously created.
3749
3750 @item show breakpoint pending
3751 Show the current behavior setting for creating pending breakpoints.
3752 @end table
3753
3754 The settings above only affect the @code{break} command and its
3755 variants. Once breakpoint is set, it will be automatically updated
3756 as shared libraries are loaded and unloaded.
3757
3758 @cindex automatic hardware breakpoints
3759 For some targets, @value{GDBN} can automatically decide if hardware or
3760 software breakpoints should be used, depending on whether the
3761 breakpoint address is read-only or read-write. This applies to
3762 breakpoints set with the @code{break} command as well as to internal
3763 breakpoints set by commands like @code{next} and @code{finish}. For
3764 breakpoints set with @code{hbreak}, @value{GDBN} will always use hardware
3765 breakpoints.
3766
3767 You can control this automatic behaviour with the following commands::
3768
3769 @kindex set breakpoint auto-hw
3770 @kindex show breakpoint auto-hw
3771 @table @code
3772 @item set breakpoint auto-hw on
3773 This is the default behavior. When @value{GDBN} sets a breakpoint, it
3774 will try to use the target memory map to decide if software or hardware
3775 breakpoint must be used.
3776
3777 @item set breakpoint auto-hw off
3778 This indicates @value{GDBN} should not automatically select breakpoint
3779 type. If the target provides a memory map, @value{GDBN} will warn when
3780 trying to set software breakpoint at a read-only address.
3781 @end table
3782
3783 @value{GDBN} normally implements breakpoints by replacing the program code
3784 at the breakpoint address with a special instruction, which, when
3785 executed, given control to the debugger. By default, the program
3786 code is so modified only when the program is resumed. As soon as
3787 the program stops, @value{GDBN} restores the original instructions. This
3788 behaviour guards against leaving breakpoints inserted in the
3789 target should gdb abrubptly disconnect. However, with slow remote
3790 targets, inserting and removing breakpoint can reduce the performance.
3791 This behavior can be controlled with the following commands::
3792
3793 @kindex set breakpoint always-inserted
3794 @kindex show breakpoint always-inserted
3795 @table @code
3796 @item set breakpoint always-inserted off
3797 All breakpoints, including newly added by the user, are inserted in
3798 the target only when the target is resumed. All breakpoints are
3799 removed from the target when it stops.
3800
3801 @item set breakpoint always-inserted on
3802 Causes all breakpoints to be inserted in the target at all times. If
3803 the user adds a new breakpoint, or changes an existing breakpoint, the
3804 breakpoints in the target are updated immediately. A breakpoint is
3805 removed from the target only when breakpoint itself is removed.
3806
3807 @cindex non-stop mode, and @code{breakpoint always-inserted}
3808 @item set breakpoint always-inserted auto
3809 This is the default mode. If @value{GDBN} is controlling the inferior
3810 in non-stop mode (@pxref{Non-Stop Mode}), gdb behaves as if
3811 @code{breakpoint always-inserted} mode is on. If @value{GDBN} is
3812 controlling the inferior in all-stop mode, @value{GDBN} behaves as if
3813 @code{breakpoint always-inserted} mode is off.
3814 @end table
3815
3816 @value{GDBN} handles conditional breakpoints by evaluating these conditions
3817 when a breakpoint breaks. If the condition is true, then the process being
3818 debugged stops, otherwise the process is resumed.
3819
3820 If the target supports evaluating conditions on its end, @value{GDBN} may
3821 download the breakpoint, together with its conditions, to it.
3822
3823 This feature can be controlled via the following commands:
3824
3825 @kindex set breakpoint condition-evaluation
3826 @kindex show breakpoint condition-evaluation
3827 @table @code
3828 @item set breakpoint condition-evaluation host
3829 This option commands @value{GDBN} to evaluate the breakpoint
3830 conditions on the host's side. Unconditional breakpoints are sent to
3831 the target which in turn receives the triggers and reports them back to GDB
3832 for condition evaluation. This is the standard evaluation mode.
3833
3834 @item set breakpoint condition-evaluation target
3835 This option commands @value{GDBN} to download breakpoint conditions
3836 to the target at the moment of their insertion. The target
3837 is responsible for evaluating the conditional expression and reporting
3838 breakpoint stop events back to @value{GDBN} whenever the condition
3839 is true. Due to limitations of target-side evaluation, some conditions
3840 cannot be evaluated there, e.g., conditions that depend on local data
3841 that is only known to the host. Examples include
3842 conditional expressions involving convenience variables, complex types
3843 that cannot be handled by the agent expression parser and expressions
3844 that are too long to be sent over to the target, specially when the
3845 target is a remote system. In these cases, the conditions will be
3846 evaluated by @value{GDBN}.
3847
3848 @item set breakpoint condition-evaluation auto
3849 This is the default mode. If the target supports evaluating breakpoint
3850 conditions on its end, @value{GDBN} will download breakpoint conditions to
3851 the target (limitations mentioned previously apply). If the target does
3852 not support breakpoint condition evaluation, then @value{GDBN} will fallback
3853 to evaluating all these conditions on the host's side.
3854 @end table
3855
3856
3857 @cindex negative breakpoint numbers
3858 @cindex internal @value{GDBN} breakpoints
3859 @value{GDBN} itself sometimes sets breakpoints in your program for
3860 special purposes, such as proper handling of @code{longjmp} (in C
3861 programs). These internal breakpoints are assigned negative numbers,
3862 starting with @code{-1}; @samp{info breakpoints} does not display them.
3863 You can see these breakpoints with the @value{GDBN} maintenance command
3864 @samp{maint info breakpoints} (@pxref{maint info breakpoints}).
3865
3866
3867 @node Set Watchpoints
3868 @subsection Setting Watchpoints
3869
3870 @cindex setting watchpoints
3871 You can use a watchpoint to stop execution whenever the value of an
3872 expression changes, without having to predict a particular place where
3873 this may happen. (This is sometimes called a @dfn{data breakpoint}.)
3874 The expression may be as simple as the value of a single variable, or
3875 as complex as many variables combined by operators. Examples include:
3876
3877 @itemize @bullet
3878 @item
3879 A reference to the value of a single variable.
3880
3881 @item
3882 An address cast to an appropriate data type. For example,
3883 @samp{*(int *)0x12345678} will watch a 4-byte region at the specified
3884 address (assuming an @code{int} occupies 4 bytes).
3885
3886 @item
3887 An arbitrarily complex expression, such as @samp{a*b + c/d}. The
3888 expression can use any operators valid in the program's native
3889 language (@pxref{Languages}).
3890 @end itemize
3891
3892 You can set a watchpoint on an expression even if the expression can
3893 not be evaluated yet. For instance, you can set a watchpoint on
3894 @samp{*global_ptr} before @samp{global_ptr} is initialized.
3895 @value{GDBN} will stop when your program sets @samp{global_ptr} and
3896 the expression produces a valid value. If the expression becomes
3897 valid in some other way than changing a variable (e.g.@: if the memory
3898 pointed to by @samp{*global_ptr} becomes readable as the result of a
3899 @code{malloc} call), @value{GDBN} may not stop until the next time
3900 the expression changes.
3901
3902 @cindex software watchpoints
3903 @cindex hardware watchpoints
3904 Depending on your system, watchpoints may be implemented in software or
3905 hardware. @value{GDBN} does software watchpointing by single-stepping your
3906 program and testing the variable's value each time, which is hundreds of
3907 times slower than normal execution. (But this may still be worth it, to
3908 catch errors where you have no clue what part of your program is the
3909 culprit.)
3910
3911 On some systems, such as HP-UX, PowerPC, @sc{gnu}/Linux and most other
3912 x86-based targets, @value{GDBN} includes support for hardware
3913 watchpoints, which do not slow down the running of your program.
3914
3915 @table @code
3916 @kindex watch
3917 @item watch @r{[}-l@r{|}-location@r{]} @var{expr} @r{[}thread @var{threadnum}@r{]} @r{[}mask @var{maskvalue}@r{]}
3918 Set a watchpoint for an expression. @value{GDBN} will break when the
3919 expression @var{expr} is written into by the program and its value
3920 changes. The simplest (and the most popular) use of this command is
3921 to watch the value of a single variable:
3922
3923 @smallexample
3924 (@value{GDBP}) watch foo
3925 @end smallexample
3926
3927 If the command includes a @code{@r{[}thread @var{threadnum}@r{]}}
3928 argument, @value{GDBN} breaks only when the thread identified by
3929 @var{threadnum} changes the value of @var{expr}. If any other threads
3930 change the value of @var{expr}, @value{GDBN} will not break. Note
3931 that watchpoints restricted to a single thread in this way only work
3932 with Hardware Watchpoints.
3933
3934 Ordinarily a watchpoint respects the scope of variables in @var{expr}
3935 (see below). The @code{-location} argument tells @value{GDBN} to
3936 instead watch the memory referred to by @var{expr}. In this case,
3937 @value{GDBN} will evaluate @var{expr}, take the address of the result,
3938 and watch the memory at that address. The type of the result is used
3939 to determine the size of the watched memory. If the expression's
3940 result does not have an address, then @value{GDBN} will print an
3941 error.
3942
3943 The @code{@r{[}mask @var{maskvalue}@r{]}} argument allows creation
3944 of masked watchpoints, if the current architecture supports this
3945 feature (e.g., PowerPC Embedded architecture, see @ref{PowerPC
3946 Embedded}.) A @dfn{masked watchpoint} specifies a mask in addition
3947 to an address to watch. The mask specifies that some bits of an address
3948 (the bits which are reset in the mask) should be ignored when matching
3949 the address accessed by the inferior against the watchpoint address.
3950 Thus, a masked watchpoint watches many addresses simultaneously---those
3951 addresses whose unmasked bits are identical to the unmasked bits in the
3952 watchpoint address. The @code{mask} argument implies @code{-location}.
3953 Examples:
3954
3955 @smallexample
3956 (@value{GDBP}) watch foo mask 0xffff00ff
3957 (@value{GDBP}) watch *0xdeadbeef mask 0xffffff00
3958 @end smallexample
3959
3960 @kindex rwatch
3961 @item rwatch @r{[}-l@r{|}-location@r{]} @var{expr} @r{[}thread @var{threadnum}@r{]} @r{[}mask @var{maskvalue}@r{]}
3962 Set a watchpoint that will break when the value of @var{expr} is read
3963 by the program.
3964
3965 @kindex awatch
3966 @item awatch @r{[}-l@r{|}-location@r{]} @var{expr} @r{[}thread @var{threadnum}@r{]} @r{[}mask @var{maskvalue}@r{]}
3967 Set a watchpoint that will break when @var{expr} is either read from
3968 or written into by the program.
3969
3970 @kindex info watchpoints @r{[}@var{n}@dots{}@r{]}
3971 @item info watchpoints @r{[}@var{n}@dots{}@r{]}
3972 This command prints a list of watchpoints, using the same format as
3973 @code{info break} (@pxref{Set Breaks}).
3974 @end table
3975
3976 If you watch for a change in a numerically entered address you need to
3977 dereference it, as the address itself is just a constant number which will
3978 never change. @value{GDBN} refuses to create a watchpoint that watches
3979 a never-changing value:
3980
3981 @smallexample
3982 (@value{GDBP}) watch 0x600850
3983 Cannot watch constant value 0x600850.
3984 (@value{GDBP}) watch *(int *) 0x600850
3985 Watchpoint 1: *(int *) 6293584
3986 @end smallexample
3987
3988 @value{GDBN} sets a @dfn{hardware watchpoint} if possible. Hardware
3989 watchpoints execute very quickly, and the debugger reports a change in
3990 value at the exact instruction where the change occurs. If @value{GDBN}
3991 cannot set a hardware watchpoint, it sets a software watchpoint, which
3992 executes more slowly and reports the change in value at the next
3993 @emph{statement}, not the instruction, after the change occurs.
3994
3995 @cindex use only software watchpoints
3996 You can force @value{GDBN} to use only software watchpoints with the
3997 @kbd{set can-use-hw-watchpoints 0} command. With this variable set to
3998 zero, @value{GDBN} will never try to use hardware watchpoints, even if
3999 the underlying system supports them. (Note that hardware-assisted
4000 watchpoints that were set @emph{before} setting
4001 @code{can-use-hw-watchpoints} to zero will still use the hardware
4002 mechanism of watching expression values.)
4003
4004 @table @code
4005 @item set can-use-hw-watchpoints
4006 @kindex set can-use-hw-watchpoints
4007 Set whether or not to use hardware watchpoints.
4008
4009 @item show can-use-hw-watchpoints
4010 @kindex show can-use-hw-watchpoints
4011 Show the current mode of using hardware watchpoints.
4012 @end table
4013
4014 For remote targets, you can restrict the number of hardware
4015 watchpoints @value{GDBN} will use, see @ref{set remote
4016 hardware-breakpoint-limit}.
4017
4018 When you issue the @code{watch} command, @value{GDBN} reports
4019
4020 @smallexample
4021 Hardware watchpoint @var{num}: @var{expr}
4022 @end smallexample
4023
4024 @noindent
4025 if it was able to set a hardware watchpoint.
4026
4027 Currently, the @code{awatch} and @code{rwatch} commands can only set
4028 hardware watchpoints, because accesses to data that don't change the
4029 value of the watched expression cannot be detected without examining
4030 every instruction as it is being executed, and @value{GDBN} does not do
4031 that currently. If @value{GDBN} finds that it is unable to set a
4032 hardware breakpoint with the @code{awatch} or @code{rwatch} command, it
4033 will print a message like this:
4034
4035 @smallexample
4036 Expression cannot be implemented with read/access watchpoint.
4037 @end smallexample
4038
4039 Sometimes, @value{GDBN} cannot set a hardware watchpoint because the
4040 data type of the watched expression is wider than what a hardware
4041 watchpoint on the target machine can handle. For example, some systems
4042 can only watch regions that are up to 4 bytes wide; on such systems you
4043 cannot set hardware watchpoints for an expression that yields a
4044 double-precision floating-point number (which is typically 8 bytes
4045 wide). As a work-around, it might be possible to break the large region
4046 into a series of smaller ones and watch them with separate watchpoints.
4047
4048 If you set too many hardware watchpoints, @value{GDBN} might be unable
4049 to insert all of them when you resume the execution of your program.
4050 Since the precise number of active watchpoints is unknown until such
4051 time as the program is about to be resumed, @value{GDBN} might not be
4052 able to warn you about this when you set the watchpoints, and the
4053 warning will be printed only when the program is resumed:
4054
4055 @smallexample
4056 Hardware watchpoint @var{num}: Could not insert watchpoint
4057 @end smallexample
4058
4059 @noindent
4060 If this happens, delete or disable some of the watchpoints.
4061
4062 Watching complex expressions that reference many variables can also
4063 exhaust the resources available for hardware-assisted watchpoints.
4064 That's because @value{GDBN} needs to watch every variable in the
4065 expression with separately allocated resources.
4066
4067 If you call a function interactively using @code{print} or @code{call},
4068 any watchpoints you have set will be inactive until @value{GDBN} reaches another
4069 kind of breakpoint or the call completes.
4070
4071 @value{GDBN} automatically deletes watchpoints that watch local
4072 (automatic) variables, or expressions that involve such variables, when
4073 they go out of scope, that is, when the execution leaves the block in
4074 which these variables were defined. In particular, when the program
4075 being debugged terminates, @emph{all} local variables go out of scope,
4076 and so only watchpoints that watch global variables remain set. If you
4077 rerun the program, you will need to set all such watchpoints again. One
4078 way of doing that would be to set a code breakpoint at the entry to the
4079 @code{main} function and when it breaks, set all the watchpoints.
4080
4081 @cindex watchpoints and threads
4082 @cindex threads and watchpoints
4083 In multi-threaded programs, watchpoints will detect changes to the
4084 watched expression from every thread.
4085
4086 @quotation
4087 @emph{Warning:} In multi-threaded programs, software watchpoints
4088 have only limited usefulness. If @value{GDBN} creates a software
4089 watchpoint, it can only watch the value of an expression @emph{in a
4090 single thread}. If you are confident that the expression can only
4091 change due to the current thread's activity (and if you are also
4092 confident that no other thread can become current), then you can use
4093 software watchpoints as usual. However, @value{GDBN} may not notice
4094 when a non-current thread's activity changes the expression. (Hardware
4095 watchpoints, in contrast, watch an expression in all threads.)
4096 @end quotation
4097
4098 @xref{set remote hardware-watchpoint-limit}.
4099
4100 @node Set Catchpoints
4101 @subsection Setting Catchpoints
4102 @cindex catchpoints, setting
4103 @cindex exception handlers
4104 @cindex event handling
4105
4106 You can use @dfn{catchpoints} to cause the debugger to stop for certain
4107 kinds of program events, such as C@t{++} exceptions or the loading of a
4108 shared library. Use the @code{catch} command to set a catchpoint.
4109
4110 @table @code
4111 @kindex catch
4112 @item catch @var{event}
4113 Stop when @var{event} occurs. @var{event} can be any of the following:
4114
4115 @table @code
4116 @item throw @r{[}@var{regexp}@r{]}
4117 @itemx rethrow @r{[}@var{regexp}@r{]}
4118 @itemx catch @r{[}@var{regexp}@r{]}
4119 @kindex catch throw
4120 @kindex catch rethrow
4121 @kindex catch catch
4122 @cindex stop on C@t{++} exceptions
4123 The throwing, re-throwing, or catching of a C@t{++} exception.
4124
4125 If @var{regexp} is given, then only exceptions whose type matches the
4126 regular expression will be caught.
4127
4128 @vindex $_exception@r{, convenience variable}
4129 The convenience variable @code{$_exception} is available at an
4130 exception-related catchpoint, on some systems. This holds the
4131 exception being thrown.
4132
4133 There are currently some limitations to C@t{++} exception handling in
4134 @value{GDBN}:
4135
4136 @itemize @bullet
4137 @item
4138 The support for these commands is system-dependent. Currently, only
4139 systems using the @samp{gnu-v3} C@t{++} ABI (@pxref{ABI}) are
4140 supported.
4141
4142 @item
4143 The regular expression feature and the @code{$_exception} convenience
4144 variable rely on the presence of some SDT probes in @code{libstdc++}.
4145 If these probes are not present, then these features cannot be used.
4146 These probes were first available in the GCC 4.8 release, but whether
4147 or not they are available in your GCC also depends on how it was
4148 built.
4149
4150 @item
4151 The @code{$_exception} convenience variable is only valid at the
4152 instruction at which an exception-related catchpoint is set.
4153
4154 @item
4155 When an exception-related catchpoint is hit, @value{GDBN} stops at a
4156 location in the system library which implements runtime exception
4157 support for C@t{++}, usually @code{libstdc++}. You can use @code{up}
4158 (@pxref{Selection}) to get to your code.
4159
4160 @item
4161 If you call a function interactively, @value{GDBN} normally returns
4162 control to you when the function has finished executing. If the call
4163 raises an exception, however, the call may bypass the mechanism that
4164 returns control to you and cause your program either to abort or to
4165 simply continue running until it hits a breakpoint, catches a signal
4166 that @value{GDBN} is listening for, or exits. This is the case even if
4167 you set a catchpoint for the exception; catchpoints on exceptions are
4168 disabled within interactive calls. @xref{Calling}, for information on
4169 controlling this with @code{set unwind-on-terminating-exception}.
4170
4171 @item
4172 You cannot raise an exception interactively.
4173
4174 @item
4175 You cannot install an exception handler interactively.
4176 @end itemize
4177
4178 @item exception
4179 @kindex catch exception
4180 @cindex Ada exception catching
4181 @cindex catch Ada exceptions
4182 An Ada exception being raised. If an exception name is specified
4183 at the end of the command (eg @code{catch exception Program_Error}),
4184 the debugger will stop only when this specific exception is raised.
4185 Otherwise, the debugger stops execution when any Ada exception is raised.
4186
4187 When inserting an exception catchpoint on a user-defined exception whose
4188 name is identical to one of the exceptions defined by the language, the
4189 fully qualified name must be used as the exception name. Otherwise,
4190 @value{GDBN} will assume that it should stop on the pre-defined exception
4191 rather than the user-defined one. For instance, assuming an exception
4192 called @code{Constraint_Error} is defined in package @code{Pck}, then
4193 the command to use to catch such exceptions is @kbd{catch exception
4194 Pck.Constraint_Error}.
4195
4196 @item exception unhandled
4197 @kindex catch exception unhandled
4198 An exception that was raised but is not handled by the program.
4199
4200 @item assert
4201 @kindex catch assert
4202 A failed Ada assertion.
4203
4204 @item exec
4205 @kindex catch exec
4206 @cindex break on fork/exec
4207 A call to @code{exec}. This is currently only available for HP-UX
4208 and @sc{gnu}/Linux.
4209
4210 @item syscall
4211 @itemx syscall @r{[}@var{name} @r{|} @var{number}@r{]} @dots{}
4212 @kindex catch syscall
4213 @cindex break on a system call.
4214 A call to or return from a system call, a.k.a.@: @dfn{syscall}. A
4215 syscall is a mechanism for application programs to request a service
4216 from the operating system (OS) or one of the OS system services.
4217 @value{GDBN} can catch some or all of the syscalls issued by the
4218 debuggee, and show the related information for each syscall. If no
4219 argument is specified, calls to and returns from all system calls
4220 will be caught.
4221
4222 @var{name} can be any system call name that is valid for the
4223 underlying OS. Just what syscalls are valid depends on the OS. On
4224 GNU and Unix systems, you can find the full list of valid syscall
4225 names on @file{/usr/include/asm/unistd.h}.
4226
4227 @c For MS-Windows, the syscall names and the corresponding numbers
4228 @c can be found, e.g., on this URL:
4229 @c http://www.metasploit.com/users/opcode/syscalls.html
4230 @c but we don't support Windows syscalls yet.
4231
4232 Normally, @value{GDBN} knows in advance which syscalls are valid for
4233 each OS, so you can use the @value{GDBN} command-line completion
4234 facilities (@pxref{Completion,, command completion}) to list the
4235 available choices.
4236
4237 You may also specify the system call numerically. A syscall's
4238 number is the value passed to the OS's syscall dispatcher to
4239 identify the requested service. When you specify the syscall by its
4240 name, @value{GDBN} uses its database of syscalls to convert the name
4241 into the corresponding numeric code, but using the number directly
4242 may be useful if @value{GDBN}'s database does not have the complete
4243 list of syscalls on your system (e.g., because @value{GDBN} lags
4244 behind the OS upgrades).
4245
4246 The example below illustrates how this command works if you don't provide
4247 arguments to it:
4248
4249 @smallexample
4250 (@value{GDBP}) catch syscall
4251 Catchpoint 1 (syscall)
4252 (@value{GDBP}) r
4253 Starting program: /tmp/catch-syscall
4254
4255 Catchpoint 1 (call to syscall 'close'), \
4256 0xffffe424 in __kernel_vsyscall ()
4257 (@value{GDBP}) c
4258 Continuing.
4259
4260 Catchpoint 1 (returned from syscall 'close'), \
4261 0xffffe424 in __kernel_vsyscall ()
4262 (@value{GDBP})
4263 @end smallexample
4264
4265 Here is an example of catching a system call by name:
4266
4267 @smallexample
4268 (@value{GDBP}) catch syscall chroot
4269 Catchpoint 1 (syscall 'chroot' [61])
4270 (@value{GDBP}) r
4271 Starting program: /tmp/catch-syscall
4272
4273 Catchpoint 1 (call to syscall 'chroot'), \
4274 0xffffe424 in __kernel_vsyscall ()
4275 (@value{GDBP}) c
4276 Continuing.
4277
4278 Catchpoint 1 (returned from syscall 'chroot'), \
4279 0xffffe424 in __kernel_vsyscall ()
4280 (@value{GDBP})
4281 @end smallexample
4282
4283 An example of specifying a system call numerically. In the case
4284 below, the syscall number has a corresponding entry in the XML
4285 file, so @value{GDBN} finds its name and prints it:
4286
4287 @smallexample
4288 (@value{GDBP}) catch syscall 252
4289 Catchpoint 1 (syscall(s) 'exit_group')
4290 (@value{GDBP}) r
4291 Starting program: /tmp/catch-syscall
4292
4293 Catchpoint 1 (call to syscall 'exit_group'), \
4294 0xffffe424 in __kernel_vsyscall ()
4295 (@value{GDBP}) c
4296 Continuing.
4297
4298 Program exited normally.
4299 (@value{GDBP})
4300 @end smallexample
4301
4302 However, there can be situations when there is no corresponding name
4303 in XML file for that syscall number. In this case, @value{GDBN} prints
4304 a warning message saying that it was not able to find the syscall name,
4305 but the catchpoint will be set anyway. See the example below:
4306
4307 @smallexample
4308 (@value{GDBP}) catch syscall 764
4309 warning: The number '764' does not represent a known syscall.
4310 Catchpoint 2 (syscall 764)
4311 (@value{GDBP})
4312 @end smallexample
4313
4314 If you configure @value{GDBN} using the @samp{--without-expat} option,
4315 it will not be able to display syscall names. Also, if your
4316 architecture does not have an XML file describing its system calls,
4317 you will not be able to see the syscall names. It is important to
4318 notice that these two features are used for accessing the syscall
4319 name database. In either case, you will see a warning like this:
4320
4321 @smallexample
4322 (@value{GDBP}) catch syscall
4323 warning: Could not open "syscalls/i386-linux.xml"
4324 warning: Could not load the syscall XML file 'syscalls/i386-linux.xml'.
4325 GDB will not be able to display syscall names.
4326 Catchpoint 1 (syscall)
4327 (@value{GDBP})
4328 @end smallexample
4329
4330 Of course, the file name will change depending on your architecture and system.
4331
4332 Still using the example above, you can also try to catch a syscall by its
4333 number. In this case, you would see something like:
4334
4335 @smallexample
4336 (@value{GDBP}) catch syscall 252
4337 Catchpoint 1 (syscall(s) 252)
4338 @end smallexample
4339
4340 Again, in this case @value{GDBN} would not be able to display syscall's names.
4341
4342 @item fork
4343 @kindex catch fork
4344 A call to @code{fork}. This is currently only available for HP-UX
4345 and @sc{gnu}/Linux.
4346
4347 @item vfork
4348 @kindex catch vfork
4349 A call to @code{vfork}. This is currently only available for HP-UX
4350 and @sc{gnu}/Linux.
4351
4352 @item load @r{[}regexp@r{]}
4353 @itemx unload @r{[}regexp@r{]}
4354 @kindex catch load
4355 @kindex catch unload
4356 The loading or unloading of a shared library. If @var{regexp} is
4357 given, then the catchpoint will stop only if the regular expression
4358 matches one of the affected libraries.
4359
4360 @item signal @r{[}@var{signal}@dots{} @r{|} @samp{all}@r{]}
4361 @kindex catch signal
4362 The delivery of a signal.
4363
4364 With no arguments, this catchpoint will catch any signal that is not
4365 used internally by @value{GDBN}, specifically, all signals except
4366 @samp{SIGTRAP} and @samp{SIGINT}.
4367
4368 With the argument @samp{all}, all signals, including those used by
4369 @value{GDBN}, will be caught. This argument cannot be used with other
4370 signal names.
4371
4372 Otherwise, the arguments are a list of signal names as given to
4373 @code{handle} (@pxref{Signals}). Only signals specified in this list
4374 will be caught.
4375
4376 One reason that @code{catch signal} can be more useful than
4377 @code{handle} is that you can attach commands and conditions to the
4378 catchpoint.
4379
4380 When a signal is caught by a catchpoint, the signal's @code{stop} and
4381 @code{print} settings, as specified by @code{handle}, are ignored.
4382 However, whether the signal is still delivered to the inferior depends
4383 on the @code{pass} setting; this can be changed in the catchpoint's
4384 commands.
4385
4386 @end table
4387
4388 @item tcatch @var{event}
4389 @kindex tcatch
4390 Set a catchpoint that is enabled only for one stop. The catchpoint is
4391 automatically deleted after the first time the event is caught.
4392
4393 @end table
4394
4395 Use the @code{info break} command to list the current catchpoints.
4396
4397
4398 @node Delete Breaks
4399 @subsection Deleting Breakpoints
4400
4401 @cindex clearing breakpoints, watchpoints, catchpoints
4402 @cindex deleting breakpoints, watchpoints, catchpoints
4403 It is often necessary to eliminate a breakpoint, watchpoint, or
4404 catchpoint once it has done its job and you no longer want your program
4405 to stop there. This is called @dfn{deleting} the breakpoint. A
4406 breakpoint that has been deleted no longer exists; it is forgotten.
4407
4408 With the @code{clear} command you can delete breakpoints according to
4409 where they are in your program. With the @code{delete} command you can
4410 delete individual breakpoints, watchpoints, or catchpoints by specifying
4411 their breakpoint numbers.
4412
4413 It is not necessary to delete a breakpoint to proceed past it. @value{GDBN}
4414 automatically ignores breakpoints on the first instruction to be executed
4415 when you continue execution without changing the execution address.
4416
4417 @table @code
4418 @kindex clear
4419 @item clear
4420 Delete any breakpoints at the next instruction to be executed in the
4421 selected stack frame (@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}). When
4422 the innermost frame is selected, this is a good way to delete a
4423 breakpoint where your program just stopped.
4424
4425 @item clear @var{location}
4426 Delete any breakpoints set at the specified @var{location}.
4427 @xref{Specify Location}, for the various forms of @var{location}; the
4428 most useful ones are listed below:
4429
4430 @table @code
4431 @item clear @var{function}
4432 @itemx clear @var{filename}:@var{function}
4433 Delete any breakpoints set at entry to the named @var{function}.
4434
4435 @item clear @var{linenum}
4436 @itemx clear @var{filename}:@var{linenum}
4437 Delete any breakpoints set at or within the code of the specified
4438 @var{linenum} of the specified @var{filename}.
4439 @end table
4440
4441 @cindex delete breakpoints
4442 @kindex delete
4443 @kindex d @r{(@code{delete})}
4444 @item delete @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} @r{[}@var{range}@dots{}@r{]}
4445 Delete the breakpoints, watchpoints, or catchpoints of the breakpoint
4446 ranges specified as arguments. If no argument is specified, delete all
4447 breakpoints (@value{GDBN} asks confirmation, unless you have @code{set
4448 confirm off}). You can abbreviate this command as @code{d}.
4449 @end table
4450
4451 @node Disabling
4452 @subsection Disabling Breakpoints
4453
4454 @cindex enable/disable a breakpoint
4455 Rather than deleting a breakpoint, watchpoint, or catchpoint, you might
4456 prefer to @dfn{disable} it. This makes the breakpoint inoperative as if
4457 it had been deleted, but remembers the information on the breakpoint so
4458 that you can @dfn{enable} it again later.
4459
4460 You disable and enable breakpoints, watchpoints, and catchpoints with
4461 the @code{enable} and @code{disable} commands, optionally specifying
4462 one or more breakpoint numbers as arguments. Use @code{info break} to
4463 print a list of all breakpoints, watchpoints, and catchpoints if you
4464 do not know which numbers to use.
4465
4466 Disabling and enabling a breakpoint that has multiple locations
4467 affects all of its locations.
4468
4469 A breakpoint, watchpoint, or catchpoint can have any of several
4470 different states of enablement:
4471
4472 @itemize @bullet
4473 @item
4474 Enabled. The breakpoint stops your program. A breakpoint set
4475 with the @code{break} command starts out in this state.
4476 @item
4477 Disabled. The breakpoint has no effect on your program.
4478 @item
4479 Enabled once. The breakpoint stops your program, but then becomes
4480 disabled.
4481 @item
4482 Enabled for a count. The breakpoint stops your program for the next
4483 N times, then becomes disabled.
4484 @item
4485 Enabled for deletion. The breakpoint stops your program, but
4486 immediately after it does so it is deleted permanently. A breakpoint
4487 set with the @code{tbreak} command starts out in this state.
4488 @end itemize
4489
4490 You can use the following commands to enable or disable breakpoints,
4491 watchpoints, and catchpoints:
4492
4493 @table @code
4494 @kindex disable
4495 @kindex dis @r{(@code{disable})}
4496 @item disable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} @r{[}@var{range}@dots{}@r{]}
4497 Disable the specified breakpoints---or all breakpoints, if none are
4498 listed. A disabled breakpoint has no effect but is not forgotten. All
4499 options such as ignore-counts, conditions and commands are remembered in
4500 case the breakpoint is enabled again later. You may abbreviate
4501 @code{disable} as @code{dis}.
4502
4503 @kindex enable
4504 @item enable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} @r{[}@var{range}@dots{}@r{]}
4505 Enable the specified breakpoints (or all defined breakpoints). They
4506 become effective once again in stopping your program.
4507
4508 @item enable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} once @var{range}@dots{}
4509 Enable the specified breakpoints temporarily. @value{GDBN} disables any
4510 of these breakpoints immediately after stopping your program.
4511
4512 @item enable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} count @var{count} @var{range}@dots{}
4513 Enable the specified breakpoints temporarily. @value{GDBN} records
4514 @var{count} with each of the specified breakpoints, and decrements a
4515 breakpoint's count when it is hit. When any count reaches 0,
4516 @value{GDBN} disables that breakpoint. If a breakpoint has an ignore
4517 count (@pxref{Conditions, ,Break Conditions}), that will be
4518 decremented to 0 before @var{count} is affected.
4519
4520 @item enable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} delete @var{range}@dots{}
4521 Enable the specified breakpoints to work once, then die. @value{GDBN}
4522 deletes any of these breakpoints as soon as your program stops there.
4523 Breakpoints set by the @code{tbreak} command start out in this state.
4524 @end table
4525
4526 @c FIXME: I think the following ``Except for [...] @code{tbreak}'' is
4527 @c confusing: tbreak is also initially enabled.
4528 Except for a breakpoint set with @code{tbreak} (@pxref{Set Breaks,
4529 ,Setting Breakpoints}), breakpoints that you set are initially enabled;
4530 subsequently, they become disabled or enabled only when you use one of
4531 the commands above. (The command @code{until} can set and delete a
4532 breakpoint of its own, but it does not change the state of your other
4533 breakpoints; see @ref{Continuing and Stepping, ,Continuing and
4534 Stepping}.)
4535
4536 @node Conditions
4537 @subsection Break Conditions
4538 @cindex conditional breakpoints
4539 @cindex breakpoint conditions
4540
4541 @c FIXME what is scope of break condition expr? Context where wanted?
4542 @c in particular for a watchpoint?
4543 The simplest sort of breakpoint breaks every time your program reaches a
4544 specified place. You can also specify a @dfn{condition} for a
4545 breakpoint. A condition is just a Boolean expression in your
4546 programming language (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}). A breakpoint with
4547 a condition evaluates the expression each time your program reaches it,
4548 and your program stops only if the condition is @emph{true}.
4549
4550 This is the converse of using assertions for program validation; in that
4551 situation, you want to stop when the assertion is violated---that is,
4552 when the condition is false. In C, if you want to test an assertion expressed
4553 by the condition @var{assert}, you should set the condition
4554 @samp{! @var{assert}} on the appropriate breakpoint.
4555
4556 Conditions are also accepted for watchpoints; you may not need them,
4557 since a watchpoint is inspecting the value of an expression anyhow---but
4558 it might be simpler, say, to just set a watchpoint on a variable name,
4559 and specify a condition that tests whether the new value is an interesting
4560 one.
4561
4562 Break conditions can have side effects, and may even call functions in
4563 your program. This can be useful, for example, to activate functions
4564 that log program progress, or to use your own print functions to
4565 format special data structures. The effects are completely predictable
4566 unless there is another enabled breakpoint at the same address. (In
4567 that case, @value{GDBN} might see the other breakpoint first and stop your
4568 program without checking the condition of this one.) Note that
4569 breakpoint commands are usually more convenient and flexible than break
4570 conditions for the
4571 purpose of performing side effects when a breakpoint is reached
4572 (@pxref{Break Commands, ,Breakpoint Command Lists}).
4573
4574 Breakpoint conditions can also be evaluated on the target's side if
4575 the target supports it. Instead of evaluating the conditions locally,
4576 @value{GDBN} encodes the expression into an agent expression
4577 (@pxref{Agent Expressions}) suitable for execution on the target,
4578 independently of @value{GDBN}. Global variables become raw memory
4579 locations, locals become stack accesses, and so forth.
4580
4581 In this case, @value{GDBN} will only be notified of a breakpoint trigger
4582 when its condition evaluates to true. This mechanism may provide faster
4583 response times depending on the performance characteristics of the target
4584 since it does not need to keep @value{GDBN} informed about
4585 every breakpoint trigger, even those with false conditions.
4586
4587 Break conditions can be specified when a breakpoint is set, by using
4588 @samp{if} in the arguments to the @code{break} command. @xref{Set
4589 Breaks, ,Setting Breakpoints}. They can also be changed at any time
4590 with the @code{condition} command.
4591
4592 You can also use the @code{if} keyword with the @code{watch} command.
4593 The @code{catch} command does not recognize the @code{if} keyword;
4594 @code{condition} is the only way to impose a further condition on a
4595 catchpoint.
4596
4597 @table @code
4598 @kindex condition
4599 @item condition @var{bnum} @var{expression}
4600 Specify @var{expression} as the break condition for breakpoint,
4601 watchpoint, or catchpoint number @var{bnum}. After you set a condition,
4602 breakpoint @var{bnum} stops your program only if the value of
4603 @var{expression} is true (nonzero, in C). When you use
4604 @code{condition}, @value{GDBN} checks @var{expression} immediately for
4605 syntactic correctness, and to determine whether symbols in it have
4606 referents in the context of your breakpoint. If @var{expression} uses
4607 symbols not referenced in the context of the breakpoint, @value{GDBN}
4608 prints an error message:
4609
4610 @smallexample
4611 No symbol "foo" in current context.
4612 @end smallexample
4613
4614 @noindent
4615 @value{GDBN} does
4616 not actually evaluate @var{expression} at the time the @code{condition}
4617 command (or a command that sets a breakpoint with a condition, like
4618 @code{break if @dots{}}) is given, however. @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}.
4619
4620 @item condition @var{bnum}
4621 Remove the condition from breakpoint number @var{bnum}. It becomes
4622 an ordinary unconditional breakpoint.
4623 @end table
4624
4625 @cindex ignore count (of breakpoint)
4626 A special case of a breakpoint condition is to stop only when the
4627 breakpoint has been reached a certain number of times. This is so
4628 useful that there is a special way to do it, using the @dfn{ignore
4629 count} of the breakpoint. Every breakpoint has an ignore count, which
4630 is an integer. Most of the time, the ignore count is zero, and
4631 therefore has no effect. But if your program reaches a breakpoint whose
4632 ignore count is positive, then instead of stopping, it just decrements
4633 the ignore count by one and continues. As a result, if the ignore count
4634 value is @var{n}, the breakpoint does not stop the next @var{n} times
4635 your program reaches it.
4636
4637 @table @code
4638 @kindex ignore
4639 @item ignore @var{bnum} @var{count}
4640 Set the ignore count of breakpoint number @var{bnum} to @var{count}.
4641 The next @var{count} times the breakpoint is reached, your program's
4642 execution does not stop; other than to decrement the ignore count, @value{GDBN}
4643 takes no action.
4644
4645 To make the breakpoint stop the next time it is reached, specify
4646 a count of zero.
4647
4648 When you use @code{continue} to resume execution of your program from a
4649 breakpoint, you can specify an ignore count directly as an argument to
4650 @code{continue}, rather than using @code{ignore}. @xref{Continuing and
4651 Stepping,,Continuing and Stepping}.
4652
4653 If a breakpoint has a positive ignore count and a condition, the
4654 condition is not checked. Once the ignore count reaches zero,
4655 @value{GDBN} resumes checking the condition.
4656
4657 You could achieve the effect of the ignore count with a condition such
4658 as @w{@samp{$foo-- <= 0}} using a debugger convenience variable that
4659 is decremented each time. @xref{Convenience Vars, ,Convenience
4660 Variables}.
4661 @end table
4662
4663 Ignore counts apply to breakpoints, watchpoints, and catchpoints.
4664
4665
4666 @node Break Commands
4667 @subsection Breakpoint Command Lists
4668
4669 @cindex breakpoint commands
4670 You can give any breakpoint (or watchpoint or catchpoint) a series of
4671 commands to execute when your program stops due to that breakpoint. For
4672 example, you might want to print the values of certain expressions, or
4673 enable other breakpoints.
4674
4675 @table @code
4676 @kindex commands
4677 @kindex end@r{ (breakpoint commands)}
4678 @item commands @r{[}@var{range}@dots{}@r{]}
4679 @itemx @dots{} @var{command-list} @dots{}
4680 @itemx end
4681 Specify a list of commands for the given breakpoints. The commands
4682 themselves appear on the following lines. Type a line containing just
4683 @code{end} to terminate the commands.
4684
4685 To remove all commands from a breakpoint, type @code{commands} and
4686 follow it immediately with @code{end}; that is, give no commands.
4687
4688 With no argument, @code{commands} refers to the last breakpoint,
4689 watchpoint, or catchpoint set (not to the breakpoint most recently
4690 encountered). If the most recent breakpoints were set with a single
4691 command, then the @code{commands} will apply to all the breakpoints
4692 set by that command. This applies to breakpoints set by
4693 @code{rbreak}, and also applies when a single @code{break} command
4694 creates multiple breakpoints (@pxref{Ambiguous Expressions,,Ambiguous
4695 Expressions}).
4696 @end table
4697
4698 Pressing @key{RET} as a means of repeating the last @value{GDBN} command is
4699 disabled within a @var{command-list}.
4700
4701 You can use breakpoint commands to start your program up again. Simply
4702 use the @code{continue} command, or @code{step}, or any other command
4703 that resumes execution.
4704
4705 Any other commands in the command list, after a command that resumes
4706 execution, are ignored. This is because any time you resume execution
4707 (even with a simple @code{next} or @code{step}), you may encounter
4708 another breakpoint---which could have its own command list, leading to
4709 ambiguities about which list to execute.
4710
4711 @kindex silent
4712 If the first command you specify in a command list is @code{silent}, the
4713 usual message about stopping at a breakpoint is not printed. This may
4714 be desirable for breakpoints that are to print a specific message and
4715 then continue. If none of the remaining commands print anything, you
4716 see no sign that the breakpoint was reached. @code{silent} is
4717 meaningful only at the beginning of a breakpoint command list.
4718
4719 The commands @code{echo}, @code{output}, and @code{printf} allow you to
4720 print precisely controlled output, and are often useful in silent
4721 breakpoints. @xref{Output, ,Commands for Controlled Output}.
4722
4723 For example, here is how you could use breakpoint commands to print the
4724 value of @code{x} at entry to @code{foo} whenever @code{x} is positive.
4725
4726 @smallexample
4727 break foo if x>0
4728 commands
4729 silent
4730 printf "x is %d\n",x
4731 cont
4732 end
4733 @end smallexample
4734
4735 One application for breakpoint commands is to compensate for one bug so
4736 you can test for another. Put a breakpoint just after the erroneous line
4737 of code, give it a condition to detect the case in which something
4738 erroneous has been done, and give it commands to assign correct values
4739 to any variables that need them. End with the @code{continue} command
4740 so that your program does not stop, and start with the @code{silent}
4741 command so that no output is produced. Here is an example:
4742
4743 @smallexample
4744 break 403
4745 commands
4746 silent
4747 set x = y + 4
4748 cont
4749 end
4750 @end smallexample
4751
4752 @node Dynamic Printf
4753 @subsection Dynamic Printf
4754
4755 @cindex dynamic printf
4756 @cindex dprintf
4757 The dynamic printf command @code{dprintf} combines a breakpoint with
4758 formatted printing of your program's data to give you the effect of
4759 inserting @code{printf} calls into your program on-the-fly, without
4760 having to recompile it.
4761
4762 In its most basic form, the output goes to the GDB console. However,
4763 you can set the variable @code{dprintf-style} for alternate handling.
4764 For instance, you can ask to format the output by calling your
4765 program's @code{printf} function. This has the advantage that the
4766 characters go to the program's output device, so they can recorded in
4767 redirects to files and so forth.
4768
4769 If you are doing remote debugging with a stub or agent, you can also
4770 ask to have the printf handled by the remote agent. In addition to
4771 ensuring that the output goes to the remote program's device along
4772 with any other output the program might produce, you can also ask that
4773 the dprintf remain active even after disconnecting from the remote
4774 target. Using the stub/agent is also more efficient, as it can do
4775 everything without needing to communicate with @value{GDBN}.
4776
4777 @table @code
4778 @kindex dprintf
4779 @item dprintf @var{location},@var{template},@var{expression}[,@var{expression}@dots{}]
4780 Whenever execution reaches @var{location}, print the values of one or
4781 more @var{expressions} under the control of the string @var{template}.
4782 To print several values, separate them with commas.
4783
4784 @item set dprintf-style @var{style}
4785 Set the dprintf output to be handled in one of several different
4786 styles enumerated below. A change of style affects all existing
4787 dynamic printfs immediately. (If you need individual control over the
4788 print commands, simply define normal breakpoints with
4789 explicitly-supplied command lists.)
4790
4791 @item gdb
4792 @kindex dprintf-style gdb
4793 Handle the output using the @value{GDBN} @code{printf} command.
4794
4795 @item call
4796 @kindex dprintf-style call
4797 Handle the output by calling a function in your program (normally
4798 @code{printf}).
4799
4800 @item agent
4801 @kindex dprintf-style agent
4802 Have the remote debugging agent (such as @code{gdbserver}) handle
4803 the output itself. This style is only available for agents that
4804 support running commands on the target.
4805
4806 @item set dprintf-function @var{function}
4807 Set the function to call if the dprintf style is @code{call}. By
4808 default its value is @code{printf}. You may set it to any expression.
4809 that @value{GDBN} can evaluate to a function, as per the @code{call}
4810 command.
4811
4812 @item set dprintf-channel @var{channel}
4813 Set a ``channel'' for dprintf. If set to a non-empty value,
4814 @value{GDBN} will evaluate it as an expression and pass the result as
4815 a first argument to the @code{dprintf-function}, in the manner of
4816 @code{fprintf} and similar functions. Otherwise, the dprintf format
4817 string will be the first argument, in the manner of @code{printf}.
4818
4819 As an example, if you wanted @code{dprintf} output to go to a logfile
4820 that is a standard I/O stream assigned to the variable @code{mylog},
4821 you could do the following:
4822
4823 @example
4824 (gdb) set dprintf-style call
4825 (gdb) set dprintf-function fprintf
4826 (gdb) set dprintf-channel mylog
4827 (gdb) dprintf 25,"at line 25, glob=%d\n",glob
4828 Dprintf 1 at 0x123456: file main.c, line 25.
4829 (gdb) info break
4830 1 dprintf keep y 0x00123456 in main at main.c:25
4831 call (void) fprintf (mylog,"at line 25, glob=%d\n",glob)
4832 continue
4833 (gdb)
4834 @end example
4835
4836 Note that the @code{info break} displays the dynamic printf commands
4837 as normal breakpoint commands; you can thus easily see the effect of
4838 the variable settings.
4839
4840 @item set disconnected-dprintf on
4841 @itemx set disconnected-dprintf off
4842 @kindex set disconnected-dprintf
4843 Choose whether @code{dprintf} commands should continue to run if
4844 @value{GDBN} has disconnected from the target. This only applies
4845 if the @code{dprintf-style} is @code{agent}.
4846
4847 @item show disconnected-dprintf off
4848 @kindex show disconnected-dprintf
4849 Show the current choice for disconnected @code{dprintf}.
4850
4851 @end table
4852
4853 @value{GDBN} does not check the validity of function and channel,
4854 relying on you to supply values that are meaningful for the contexts
4855 in which they are being used. For instance, the function and channel
4856 may be the values of local variables, but if that is the case, then
4857 all enabled dynamic prints must be at locations within the scope of
4858 those locals. If evaluation fails, @value{GDBN} will report an error.
4859
4860 @node Save Breakpoints
4861 @subsection How to save breakpoints to a file
4862
4863 To save breakpoint definitions to a file use the @w{@code{save
4864 breakpoints}} command.
4865
4866 @table @code
4867 @kindex save breakpoints
4868 @cindex save breakpoints to a file for future sessions
4869 @item save breakpoints [@var{filename}]
4870 This command saves all current breakpoint definitions together with
4871 their commands and ignore counts, into a file @file{@var{filename}}
4872 suitable for use in a later debugging session. This includes all
4873 types of breakpoints (breakpoints, watchpoints, catchpoints,
4874 tracepoints). To read the saved breakpoint definitions, use the
4875 @code{source} command (@pxref{Command Files}). Note that watchpoints
4876 with expressions involving local variables may fail to be recreated
4877 because it may not be possible to access the context where the
4878 watchpoint is valid anymore. Because the saved breakpoint definitions
4879 are simply a sequence of @value{GDBN} commands that recreate the
4880 breakpoints, you can edit the file in your favorite editing program,
4881 and remove the breakpoint definitions you're not interested in, or
4882 that can no longer be recreated.
4883 @end table
4884
4885 @node Static Probe Points
4886 @subsection Static Probe Points
4887
4888 @cindex static probe point, SystemTap
4889 @value{GDBN} supports @dfn{SDT} probes in the code. @acronym{SDT} stands
4890 for Statically Defined Tracing, and the probes are designed to have a tiny
4891 runtime code and data footprint, and no dynamic relocations. They are
4892 usable from assembly, C and C@t{++} languages. See
4893 @uref{http://sourceware.org/systemtap/wiki/UserSpaceProbeImplementation}
4894 for a good reference on how the @acronym{SDT} probes are implemented.
4895
4896 Currently, @code{SystemTap} (@uref{http://sourceware.org/systemtap/})
4897 @acronym{SDT} probes are supported on ELF-compatible systems. See
4898 @uref{http://sourceware.org/systemtap/wiki/AddingUserSpaceProbingToApps}
4899 for more information on how to add @code{SystemTap} @acronym{SDT} probes
4900 in your applications.
4901
4902 @cindex semaphores on static probe points
4903 Some probes have an associated semaphore variable; for instance, this
4904 happens automatically if you defined your probe using a DTrace-style
4905 @file{.d} file. If your probe has a semaphore, @value{GDBN} will
4906 automatically enable it when you specify a breakpoint using the
4907 @samp{-probe-stap} notation. But, if you put a breakpoint at a probe's
4908 location by some other method (e.g., @code{break file:line}), then
4909 @value{GDBN} will not automatically set the semaphore.
4910
4911 You can examine the available static static probes using @code{info
4912 probes}, with optional arguments:
4913
4914 @table @code
4915 @kindex info probes
4916 @item info probes stap @r{[}@var{provider} @r{[}@var{name} @r{[}@var{objfile}@r{]}@r{]}@r{]}
4917 If given, @var{provider} is a regular expression used to match against provider
4918 names when selecting which probes to list. If omitted, probes by all
4919 probes from all providers are listed.
4920
4921 If given, @var{name} is a regular expression to match against probe names
4922 when selecting which probes to list. If omitted, probe names are not
4923 considered when deciding whether to display them.
4924
4925 If given, @var{objfile} is a regular expression used to select which
4926 object files (executable or shared libraries) to examine. If not
4927 given, all object files are considered.
4928
4929 @item info probes all
4930 List the available static probes, from all types.
4931 @end table
4932
4933 @vindex $_probe_arg@r{, convenience variable}
4934 A probe may specify up to twelve arguments. These are available at the
4935 point at which the probe is defined---that is, when the current PC is
4936 at the probe's location. The arguments are available using the
4937 convenience variables (@pxref{Convenience Vars})
4938 @code{$_probe_arg0}@dots{}@code{$_probe_arg11}. Each probe argument is
4939 an integer of the appropriate size; types are not preserved. The
4940 convenience variable @code{$_probe_argc} holds the number of arguments
4941 at the current probe point.
4942
4943 These variables are always available, but attempts to access them at
4944 any location other than a probe point will cause @value{GDBN} to give
4945 an error message.
4946
4947
4948 @c @ifclear BARETARGET
4949 @node Error in Breakpoints
4950 @subsection ``Cannot insert breakpoints''
4951
4952 If you request too many active hardware-assisted breakpoints and
4953 watchpoints, you will see this error message:
4954
4955 @c FIXME: the precise wording of this message may change; the relevant
4956 @c source change is not committed yet (Sep 3, 1999).
4957 @smallexample
4958 Stopped; cannot insert breakpoints.
4959 You may have requested too many hardware breakpoints and watchpoints.
4960 @end smallexample
4961
4962 @noindent
4963 This message is printed when you attempt to resume the program, since
4964 only then @value{GDBN} knows exactly how many hardware breakpoints and
4965 watchpoints it needs to insert.
4966
4967 When this message is printed, you need to disable or remove some of the
4968 hardware-assisted breakpoints and watchpoints, and then continue.
4969
4970 @node Breakpoint-related Warnings
4971 @subsection ``Breakpoint address adjusted...''
4972 @cindex breakpoint address adjusted
4973
4974 Some processor architectures place constraints on the addresses at
4975 which breakpoints may be placed. For architectures thus constrained,
4976 @value{GDBN} will attempt to adjust the breakpoint's address to comply
4977 with the constraints dictated by the architecture.
4978
4979 One example of such an architecture is the Fujitsu FR-V. The FR-V is
4980 a VLIW architecture in which a number of RISC-like instructions may be
4981 bundled together for parallel execution. The FR-V architecture
4982 constrains the location of a breakpoint instruction within such a
4983 bundle to the instruction with the lowest address. @value{GDBN}
4984 honors this constraint by adjusting a breakpoint's address to the
4985 first in the bundle.
4986
4987 It is not uncommon for optimized code to have bundles which contain
4988 instructions from different source statements, thus it may happen that
4989 a breakpoint's address will be adjusted from one source statement to
4990 another. Since this adjustment may significantly alter @value{GDBN}'s
4991 breakpoint related behavior from what the user expects, a warning is
4992 printed when the breakpoint is first set and also when the breakpoint
4993 is hit.
4994
4995 A warning like the one below is printed when setting a breakpoint
4996 that's been subject to address adjustment:
4997
4998 @smallexample
4999 warning: Breakpoint address adjusted from 0x00010414 to 0x00010410.
5000 @end smallexample
5001
5002 Such warnings are printed both for user settable and @value{GDBN}'s
5003 internal breakpoints. If you see one of these warnings, you should
5004 verify that a breakpoint set at the adjusted address will have the
5005 desired affect. If not, the breakpoint in question may be removed and
5006 other breakpoints may be set which will have the desired behavior.
5007 E.g., it may be sufficient to place the breakpoint at a later
5008 instruction. A conditional breakpoint may also be useful in some
5009 cases to prevent the breakpoint from triggering too often.
5010
5011 @value{GDBN} will also issue a warning when stopping at one of these
5012 adjusted breakpoints:
5013
5014 @smallexample
5015 warning: Breakpoint 1 address previously adjusted from 0x00010414
5016 to 0x00010410.
5017 @end smallexample
5018
5019 When this warning is encountered, it may be too late to take remedial
5020 action except in cases where the breakpoint is hit earlier or more
5021 frequently than expected.
5022
5023 @node Continuing and Stepping
5024 @section Continuing and Stepping
5025
5026 @cindex stepping
5027 @cindex continuing
5028 @cindex resuming execution
5029 @dfn{Continuing} means resuming program execution until your program
5030 completes normally. In contrast, @dfn{stepping} means executing just
5031 one more ``step'' of your program, where ``step'' may mean either one
5032 line of source code, or one machine instruction (depending on what
5033 particular command you use). Either when continuing or when stepping,
5034 your program may stop even sooner, due to a breakpoint or a signal. (If
5035 it stops due to a signal, you may want to use @code{handle}, or use
5036 @samp{signal 0} to resume execution. @xref{Signals, ,Signals}.)
5037
5038 @table @code
5039 @kindex continue
5040 @kindex c @r{(@code{continue})}
5041 @kindex fg @r{(resume foreground execution)}
5042 @item continue @r{[}@var{ignore-count}@r{]}
5043 @itemx c @r{[}@var{ignore-count}@r{]}
5044 @itemx fg @r{[}@var{ignore-count}@r{]}
5045 Resume program execution, at the address where your program last stopped;
5046 any breakpoints set at that address are bypassed. The optional argument
5047 @var{ignore-count} allows you to specify a further number of times to
5048 ignore a breakpoint at this location; its effect is like that of
5049 @code{ignore} (@pxref{Conditions, ,Break Conditions}).
5050
5051 The argument @var{ignore-count} is meaningful only when your program
5052 stopped due to a breakpoint. At other times, the argument to
5053 @code{continue} is ignored.
5054
5055 The synonyms @code{c} and @code{fg} (for @dfn{foreground}, as the
5056 debugged program is deemed to be the foreground program) are provided
5057 purely for convenience, and have exactly the same behavior as
5058 @code{continue}.
5059 @end table
5060
5061 To resume execution at a different place, you can use @code{return}
5062 (@pxref{Returning, ,Returning from a Function}) to go back to the
5063 calling function; or @code{jump} (@pxref{Jumping, ,Continuing at a
5064 Different Address}) to go to an arbitrary location in your program.
5065
5066 A typical technique for using stepping is to set a breakpoint
5067 (@pxref{Breakpoints, ,Breakpoints; Watchpoints; and Catchpoints}) at the
5068 beginning of the function or the section of your program where a problem
5069 is believed to lie, run your program until it stops at that breakpoint,
5070 and then step through the suspect area, examining the variables that are
5071 interesting, until you see the problem happen.
5072
5073 @table @code
5074 @kindex step
5075 @kindex s @r{(@code{step})}
5076 @item step
5077 Continue running your program until control reaches a different source
5078 line, then stop it and return control to @value{GDBN}. This command is
5079 abbreviated @code{s}.
5080
5081 @quotation
5082 @c "without debugging information" is imprecise; actually "without line
5083 @c numbers in the debugging information". (gcc -g1 has debugging info but
5084 @c not line numbers). But it seems complex to try to make that
5085 @c distinction here.
5086 @emph{Warning:} If you use the @code{step} command while control is
5087 within a function that was compiled without debugging information,
5088 execution proceeds until control reaches a function that does have
5089 debugging information. Likewise, it will not step into a function which
5090 is compiled without debugging information. To step through functions
5091 without debugging information, use the @code{stepi} command, described
5092 below.
5093 @end quotation
5094
5095 The @code{step} command only stops at the first instruction of a source
5096 line. This prevents the multiple stops that could otherwise occur in
5097 @code{switch} statements, @code{for} loops, etc. @code{step} continues
5098 to stop if a function that has debugging information is called within
5099 the line. In other words, @code{step} @emph{steps inside} any functions
5100 called within the line.
5101
5102 Also, the @code{step} command only enters a function if there is line
5103 number information for the function. Otherwise it acts like the
5104 @code{next} command. This avoids problems when using @code{cc -gl}
5105 on @acronym{MIPS} machines. Previously, @code{step} entered subroutines if there
5106 was any debugging information about the routine.
5107
5108 @item step @var{count}
5109 Continue running as in @code{step}, but do so @var{count} times. If a
5110 breakpoint is reached, or a signal not related to stepping occurs before
5111 @var{count} steps, stepping stops right away.
5112
5113 @kindex next
5114 @kindex n @r{(@code{next})}
5115 @item next @r{[}@var{count}@r{]}
5116 Continue to the next source line in the current (innermost) stack frame.
5117 This is similar to @code{step}, but function calls that appear within
5118 the line of code are executed without stopping. Execution stops when
5119 control reaches a different line of code at the original stack level
5120 that was executing when you gave the @code{next} command. This command
5121 is abbreviated @code{n}.
5122
5123 An argument @var{count} is a repeat count, as for @code{step}.
5124
5125
5126 @c FIX ME!! Do we delete this, or is there a way it fits in with
5127 @c the following paragraph? --- Vctoria
5128 @c
5129 @c @code{next} within a function that lacks debugging information acts like
5130 @c @code{step}, but any function calls appearing within the code of the
5131 @c function are executed without stopping.
5132
5133 The @code{next} command only stops at the first instruction of a
5134 source line. This prevents multiple stops that could otherwise occur in
5135 @code{switch} statements, @code{for} loops, etc.
5136
5137 @kindex set step-mode
5138 @item set step-mode
5139 @cindex functions without line info, and stepping
5140 @cindex stepping into functions with no line info
5141 @itemx set step-mode on
5142 The @code{set step-mode on} command causes the @code{step} command to
5143 stop at the first instruction of a function which contains no debug line
5144 information rather than stepping over it.
5145
5146 This is useful in cases where you may be interested in inspecting the
5147 machine instructions of a function which has no symbolic info and do not
5148 want @value{GDBN} to automatically skip over this function.
5149
5150 @item set step-mode off
5151 Causes the @code{step} command to step over any functions which contains no
5152 debug information. This is the default.
5153
5154 @item show step-mode
5155 Show whether @value{GDBN} will stop in or step over functions without
5156 source line debug information.
5157
5158 @kindex finish
5159 @kindex fin @r{(@code{finish})}
5160 @item finish
5161 Continue running until just after function in the selected stack frame
5162 returns. Print the returned value (if any). This command can be
5163 abbreviated as @code{fin}.
5164
5165 Contrast this with the @code{return} command (@pxref{Returning,
5166 ,Returning from a Function}).
5167
5168 @kindex until
5169 @kindex u @r{(@code{until})}
5170 @cindex run until specified location
5171 @item until
5172 @itemx u
5173 Continue running until a source line past the current line, in the
5174 current stack frame, is reached. This command is used to avoid single
5175 stepping through a loop more than once. It is like the @code{next}
5176 command, except that when @code{until} encounters a jump, it
5177 automatically continues execution until the program counter is greater
5178 than the address of the jump.
5179
5180 This means that when you reach the end of a loop after single stepping
5181 though it, @code{until} makes your program continue execution until it
5182 exits the loop. In contrast, a @code{next} command at the end of a loop
5183 simply steps back to the beginning of the loop, which forces you to step
5184 through the next iteration.
5185
5186 @code{until} always stops your program if it attempts to exit the current
5187 stack frame.
5188
5189 @code{until} may produce somewhat counterintuitive results if the order
5190 of machine code does not match the order of the source lines. For
5191 example, in the following excerpt from a debugging session, the @code{f}
5192 (@code{frame}) command shows that execution is stopped at line
5193 @code{206}; yet when we use @code{until}, we get to line @code{195}:
5194
5195 @smallexample
5196 (@value{GDBP}) f
5197 #0 main (argc=4, argv=0xf7fffae8) at m4.c:206
5198 206 expand_input();
5199 (@value{GDBP}) until
5200 195 for ( ; argc > 0; NEXTARG) @{
5201 @end smallexample
5202
5203 This happened because, for execution efficiency, the compiler had
5204 generated code for the loop closure test at the end, rather than the
5205 start, of the loop---even though the test in a C @code{for}-loop is
5206 written before the body of the loop. The @code{until} command appeared
5207 to step back to the beginning of the loop when it advanced to this
5208 expression; however, it has not really gone to an earlier
5209 statement---not in terms of the actual machine code.
5210
5211 @code{until} with no argument works by means of single
5212 instruction stepping, and hence is slower than @code{until} with an
5213 argument.
5214
5215 @item until @var{location}
5216 @itemx u @var{location}
5217 Continue running your program until either the specified location is
5218 reached, or the current stack frame returns. @var{location} is any of
5219 the forms described in @ref{Specify Location}.
5220 This form of the command uses temporary breakpoints, and
5221 hence is quicker than @code{until} without an argument. The specified
5222 location is actually reached only if it is in the current frame. This
5223 implies that @code{until} can be used to skip over recursive function
5224 invocations. For instance in the code below, if the current location is
5225 line @code{96}, issuing @code{until 99} will execute the program up to
5226 line @code{99} in the same invocation of factorial, i.e., after the inner
5227 invocations have returned.
5228
5229 @smallexample
5230 94 int factorial (int value)
5231 95 @{
5232 96 if (value > 1) @{
5233 97 value *= factorial (value - 1);
5234 98 @}
5235 99 return (value);
5236 100 @}
5237 @end smallexample
5238
5239
5240 @kindex advance @var{location}
5241 @item advance @var{location}
5242 Continue running the program up to the given @var{location}. An argument is
5243 required, which should be of one of the forms described in
5244 @ref{Specify Location}.
5245 Execution will also stop upon exit from the current stack
5246 frame. This command is similar to @code{until}, but @code{advance} will
5247 not skip over recursive function calls, and the target location doesn't
5248 have to be in the same frame as the current one.
5249
5250
5251 @kindex stepi
5252 @kindex si @r{(@code{stepi})}
5253 @item stepi
5254 @itemx stepi @var{arg}
5255 @itemx si
5256 Execute one machine instruction, then stop and return to the debugger.
5257
5258 It is often useful to do @samp{display/i $pc} when stepping by machine
5259 instructions. This makes @value{GDBN} automatically display the next
5260 instruction to be executed, each time your program stops. @xref{Auto
5261 Display,, Automatic Display}.
5262
5263 An argument is a repeat count, as in @code{step}.
5264
5265 @need 750
5266 @kindex nexti
5267 @kindex ni @r{(@code{nexti})}
5268 @item nexti
5269 @itemx nexti @var{arg}
5270 @itemx ni
5271 Execute one machine instruction, but if it is a function call,
5272 proceed until the function returns.
5273
5274 An argument is a repeat count, as in @code{next}.
5275
5276 @end table
5277
5278 @anchor{range stepping}
5279 @cindex range stepping
5280 @cindex target-assisted range stepping
5281 By default, and if available, @value{GDBN} makes use of
5282 target-assisted @dfn{range stepping}. In other words, whenever you
5283 use a stepping command (e.g., @code{step}, @code{next}), @value{GDBN}
5284 tells the target to step the corresponding range of instruction
5285 addresses instead of issuing multiple single-steps. This speeds up
5286 line stepping, particularly for remote targets. Ideally, there should
5287 be no reason you would want to turn range stepping off. However, it's
5288 possible that a bug in the debug info, a bug in the remote stub (for
5289 remote targets), or even a bug in @value{GDBN} could make line
5290 stepping behave incorrectly when target-assisted range stepping is
5291 enabled. You can use the following command to turn off range stepping
5292 if necessary:
5293
5294 @table @code
5295 @kindex set range-stepping
5296 @kindex show range-stepping
5297 @item set range-stepping
5298 @itemx show range-stepping
5299 Control whether range stepping is enabled.
5300
5301 If @code{on}, and the target supports it, @value{GDBN} tells the
5302 target to step a range of addresses itself, instead of issuing
5303 multiple single-steps. If @code{off}, @value{GDBN} always issues
5304 single-steps, even if range stepping is supported by the target. The
5305 default is @code{on}.
5306
5307 @end table
5308
5309 @node Skipping Over Functions and Files
5310 @section Skipping Over Functions and Files
5311 @cindex skipping over functions and files
5312
5313 The program you are debugging may contain some functions which are
5314 uninteresting to debug. The @code{skip} comand lets you tell @value{GDBN} to
5315 skip a function or all functions in a file when stepping.
5316
5317 For example, consider the following C function:
5318
5319 @smallexample
5320 101 int func()
5321 102 @{
5322 103 foo(boring());
5323 104 bar(boring());
5324 105 @}
5325 @end smallexample
5326
5327 @noindent
5328 Suppose you wish to step into the functions @code{foo} and @code{bar}, but you
5329 are not interested in stepping through @code{boring}. If you run @code{step}
5330 at line 103, you'll enter @code{boring()}, but if you run @code{next}, you'll
5331 step over both @code{foo} and @code{boring}!
5332
5333 One solution is to @code{step} into @code{boring} and use the @code{finish}
5334 command to immediately exit it. But this can become tedious if @code{boring}
5335 is called from many places.
5336
5337 A more flexible solution is to execute @kbd{skip boring}. This instructs
5338 @value{GDBN} never to step into @code{boring}. Now when you execute
5339 @code{step} at line 103, you'll step over @code{boring} and directly into
5340 @code{foo}.
5341
5342 You can also instruct @value{GDBN} to skip all functions in a file, with, for
5343 example, @code{skip file boring.c}.
5344
5345 @table @code
5346 @kindex skip function
5347 @item skip @r{[}@var{linespec}@r{]}
5348 @itemx skip function @r{[}@var{linespec}@r{]}
5349 After running this command, the function named by @var{linespec} or the
5350 function containing the line named by @var{linespec} will be skipped over when
5351 stepping. @xref{Specify Location}.
5352
5353 If you do not specify @var{linespec}, the function you're currently debugging
5354 will be skipped.
5355
5356 (If you have a function called @code{file} that you want to skip, use
5357 @kbd{skip function file}.)
5358
5359 @kindex skip file
5360 @item skip file @r{[}@var{filename}@r{]}
5361 After running this command, any function whose source lives in @var{filename}
5362 will be skipped over when stepping.
5363
5364 If you do not specify @var{filename}, functions whose source lives in the file
5365 you're currently debugging will be skipped.
5366 @end table
5367
5368 Skips can be listed, deleted, disabled, and enabled, much like breakpoints.
5369 These are the commands for managing your list of skips:
5370
5371 @table @code
5372 @kindex info skip
5373 @item info skip @r{[}@var{range}@r{]}
5374 Print details about the specified skip(s). If @var{range} is not specified,
5375 print a table with details about all functions and files marked for skipping.
5376 @code{info skip} prints the following information about each skip:
5377
5378 @table @emph
5379 @item Identifier
5380 A number identifying this skip.
5381 @item Type
5382 The type of this skip, either @samp{function} or @samp{file}.
5383 @item Enabled or Disabled
5384 Enabled skips are marked with @samp{y}. Disabled skips are marked with @samp{n}.
5385 @item Address
5386 For function skips, this column indicates the address in memory of the function
5387 being skipped. If you've set a function skip on a function which has not yet
5388 been loaded, this field will contain @samp{<PENDING>}. Once a shared library
5389 which has the function is loaded, @code{info skip} will show the function's
5390 address here.
5391 @item What
5392 For file skips, this field contains the filename being skipped. For functions
5393 skips, this field contains the function name and its line number in the file
5394 where it is defined.
5395 @end table
5396
5397 @kindex skip delete
5398 @item skip delete @r{[}@var{range}@r{]}
5399 Delete the specified skip(s). If @var{range} is not specified, delete all
5400 skips.
5401
5402 @kindex skip enable
5403 @item skip enable @r{[}@var{range}@r{]}
5404 Enable the specified skip(s). If @var{range} is not specified, enable all
5405 skips.
5406
5407 @kindex skip disable
5408 @item skip disable @r{[}@var{range}@r{]}
5409 Disable the specified skip(s). If @var{range} is not specified, disable all
5410 skips.
5411
5412 @end table
5413
5414 @node Signals
5415 @section Signals
5416 @cindex signals
5417
5418 A signal is an asynchronous event that can happen in a program. The
5419 operating system defines the possible kinds of signals, and gives each
5420 kind a name and a number. For example, in Unix @code{SIGINT} is the
5421 signal a program gets when you type an interrupt character (often @kbd{Ctrl-c});
5422 @code{SIGSEGV} is the signal a program gets from referencing a place in
5423 memory far away from all the areas in use; @code{SIGALRM} occurs when
5424 the alarm clock timer goes off (which happens only if your program has
5425 requested an alarm).
5426
5427 @cindex fatal signals
5428 Some signals, including @code{SIGALRM}, are a normal part of the
5429 functioning of your program. Others, such as @code{SIGSEGV}, indicate
5430 errors; these signals are @dfn{fatal} (they kill your program immediately) if the
5431 program has not specified in advance some other way to handle the signal.
5432 @code{SIGINT} does not indicate an error in your program, but it is normally
5433 fatal so it can carry out the purpose of the interrupt: to kill the program.
5434
5435 @value{GDBN} has the ability to detect any occurrence of a signal in your
5436 program. You can tell @value{GDBN} in advance what to do for each kind of
5437 signal.
5438
5439 @cindex handling signals
5440 Normally, @value{GDBN} is set up to let the non-erroneous signals like
5441 @code{SIGALRM} be silently passed to your program
5442 (so as not to interfere with their role in the program's functioning)
5443 but to stop your program immediately whenever an error signal happens.
5444 You can change these settings with the @code{handle} command.
5445
5446 @table @code
5447 @kindex info signals
5448 @kindex info handle
5449 @item info signals
5450 @itemx info handle
5451 Print a table of all the kinds of signals and how @value{GDBN} has been told to
5452 handle each one. You can use this to see the signal numbers of all
5453 the defined types of signals.
5454
5455 @item info signals @var{sig}
5456 Similar, but print information only about the specified signal number.
5457
5458 @code{info handle} is an alias for @code{info signals}.
5459
5460 @item catch signal @r{[}@var{signal}@dots{} @r{|} @samp{all}@r{]}
5461 Set a catchpoint for the indicated signals. @xref{Set Catchpoints},
5462 for details about this command.
5463
5464 @kindex handle
5465 @item handle @var{signal} @r{[}@var{keywords}@dots{}@r{]}
5466 Change the way @value{GDBN} handles signal @var{signal}. @var{signal}
5467 can be the number of a signal or its name (with or without the
5468 @samp{SIG} at the beginning); a list of signal numbers of the form
5469 @samp{@var{low}-@var{high}}; or the word @samp{all}, meaning all the
5470 known signals. Optional arguments @var{keywords}, described below,
5471 say what change to make.
5472 @end table
5473
5474 @c @group
5475 The keywords allowed by the @code{handle} command can be abbreviated.
5476 Their full names are:
5477
5478 @table @code
5479 @item nostop
5480 @value{GDBN} should not stop your program when this signal happens. It may
5481 still print a message telling you that the signal has come in.
5482
5483 @item stop
5484 @value{GDBN} should stop your program when this signal happens. This implies
5485 the @code{print} keyword as well.
5486
5487 @item print
5488 @value{GDBN} should print a message when this signal happens.
5489
5490 @item noprint
5491 @value{GDBN} should not mention the occurrence of the signal at all. This
5492 implies the @code{nostop} keyword as well.
5493
5494 @item pass
5495 @itemx noignore
5496 @value{GDBN} should allow your program to see this signal; your program
5497 can handle the signal, or else it may terminate if the signal is fatal
5498 and not handled. @code{pass} and @code{noignore} are synonyms.
5499
5500 @item nopass
5501 @itemx ignore
5502 @value{GDBN} should not allow your program to see this signal.
5503 @code{nopass} and @code{ignore} are synonyms.
5504 @end table
5505 @c @end group
5506
5507 When a signal stops your program, the signal is not visible to the
5508 program until you
5509 continue. Your program sees the signal then, if @code{pass} is in
5510 effect for the signal in question @emph{at that time}. In other words,
5511 after @value{GDBN} reports a signal, you can use the @code{handle}
5512 command with @code{pass} or @code{nopass} to control whether your
5513 program sees that signal when you continue.
5514
5515 The default is set to @code{nostop}, @code{noprint}, @code{pass} for
5516 non-erroneous signals such as @code{SIGALRM}, @code{SIGWINCH} and
5517 @code{SIGCHLD}, and to @code{stop}, @code{print}, @code{pass} for the
5518 erroneous signals.
5519
5520 You can also use the @code{signal} command to prevent your program from
5521 seeing a signal, or cause it to see a signal it normally would not see,
5522 or to give it any signal at any time. For example, if your program stopped
5523 due to some sort of memory reference error, you might store correct
5524 values into the erroneous variables and continue, hoping to see more
5525 execution; but your program would probably terminate immediately as
5526 a result of the fatal signal once it saw the signal. To prevent this,
5527 you can continue with @samp{signal 0}. @xref{Signaling, ,Giving your
5528 Program a Signal}.
5529
5530 @cindex extra signal information
5531 @anchor{extra signal information}
5532
5533 On some targets, @value{GDBN} can inspect extra signal information
5534 associated with the intercepted signal, before it is actually
5535 delivered to the program being debugged. This information is exported
5536 by the convenience variable @code{$_siginfo}, and consists of data
5537 that is passed by the kernel to the signal handler at the time of the
5538 receipt of a signal. The data type of the information itself is
5539 target dependent. You can see the data type using the @code{ptype
5540 $_siginfo} command. On Unix systems, it typically corresponds to the
5541 standard @code{siginfo_t} type, as defined in the @file{signal.h}
5542 system header.
5543
5544 Here's an example, on a @sc{gnu}/Linux system, printing the stray
5545 referenced address that raised a segmentation fault.
5546
5547 @smallexample
5548 @group
5549 (@value{GDBP}) continue
5550 Program received signal SIGSEGV, Segmentation fault.
5551 0x0000000000400766 in main ()
5552 69 *(int *)p = 0;
5553 (@value{GDBP}) ptype $_siginfo
5554 type = struct @{
5555 int si_signo;
5556 int si_errno;
5557 int si_code;
5558 union @{
5559 int _pad[28];
5560 struct @{...@} _kill;
5561 struct @{...@} _timer;
5562 struct @{...@} _rt;
5563 struct @{...@} _sigchld;
5564 struct @{...@} _sigfault;
5565 struct @{...@} _sigpoll;
5566 @} _sifields;
5567 @}
5568 (@value{GDBP}) ptype $_siginfo._sifields._sigfault
5569 type = struct @{
5570 void *si_addr;
5571 @}
5572 (@value{GDBP}) p $_siginfo._sifields._sigfault.si_addr
5573 $1 = (void *) 0x7ffff7ff7000
5574 @end group
5575 @end smallexample
5576
5577 Depending on target support, @code{$_siginfo} may also be writable.
5578
5579 @node Thread Stops
5580 @section Stopping and Starting Multi-thread Programs
5581
5582 @cindex stopped threads
5583 @cindex threads, stopped
5584
5585 @cindex continuing threads
5586 @cindex threads, continuing
5587
5588 @value{GDBN} supports debugging programs with multiple threads
5589 (@pxref{Threads,, Debugging Programs with Multiple Threads}). There
5590 are two modes of controlling execution of your program within the
5591 debugger. In the default mode, referred to as @dfn{all-stop mode},
5592 when any thread in your program stops (for example, at a breakpoint
5593 or while being stepped), all other threads in the program are also stopped by
5594 @value{GDBN}. On some targets, @value{GDBN} also supports
5595 @dfn{non-stop mode}, in which other threads can continue to run freely while
5596 you examine the stopped thread in the debugger.
5597
5598 @menu
5599 * All-Stop Mode:: All threads stop when GDB takes control
5600 * Non-Stop Mode:: Other threads continue to execute
5601 * Background Execution:: Running your program asynchronously
5602 * Thread-Specific Breakpoints:: Controlling breakpoints
5603 * Interrupted System Calls:: GDB may interfere with system calls
5604 * Observer Mode:: GDB does not alter program behavior
5605 @end menu
5606
5607 @node All-Stop Mode
5608 @subsection All-Stop Mode
5609
5610 @cindex all-stop mode
5611
5612 In all-stop mode, whenever your program stops under @value{GDBN} for any reason,
5613 @emph{all} threads of execution stop, not just the current thread. This
5614 allows you to examine the overall state of the program, including
5615 switching between threads, without worrying that things may change
5616 underfoot.
5617
5618 Conversely, whenever you restart the program, @emph{all} threads start
5619 executing. @emph{This is true even when single-stepping} with commands
5620 like @code{step} or @code{next}.
5621
5622 In particular, @value{GDBN} cannot single-step all threads in lockstep.
5623 Since thread scheduling is up to your debugging target's operating
5624 system (not controlled by @value{GDBN}), other threads may
5625 execute more than one statement while the current thread completes a
5626 single step. Moreover, in general other threads stop in the middle of a
5627 statement, rather than at a clean statement boundary, when the program
5628 stops.
5629
5630 You might even find your program stopped in another thread after
5631 continuing or even single-stepping. This happens whenever some other
5632 thread runs into a breakpoint, a signal, or an exception before the
5633 first thread completes whatever you requested.
5634
5635 @cindex automatic thread selection
5636 @cindex switching threads automatically
5637 @cindex threads, automatic switching
5638 Whenever @value{GDBN} stops your program, due to a breakpoint or a
5639 signal, it automatically selects the thread where that breakpoint or
5640 signal happened. @value{GDBN} alerts you to the context switch with a
5641 message such as @samp{[Switching to Thread @var{n}]} to identify the
5642 thread.
5643
5644 On some OSes, you can modify @value{GDBN}'s default behavior by
5645 locking the OS scheduler to allow only a single thread to run.
5646
5647 @table @code
5648 @item set scheduler-locking @var{mode}
5649 @cindex scheduler locking mode
5650 @cindex lock scheduler
5651 Set the scheduler locking mode. If it is @code{off}, then there is no
5652 locking and any thread may run at any time. If @code{on}, then only the
5653 current thread may run when the inferior is resumed. The @code{step}
5654 mode optimizes for single-stepping; it prevents other threads
5655 from preempting the current thread while you are stepping, so that
5656 the focus of debugging does not change unexpectedly.
5657 Other threads only rarely (or never) get a chance to run
5658 when you step. They are more likely to run when you @samp{next} over a
5659 function call, and they are completely free to run when you use commands
5660 like @samp{continue}, @samp{until}, or @samp{finish}. However, unless another
5661 thread hits a breakpoint during its timeslice, @value{GDBN} does not change
5662 the current thread away from the thread that you are debugging.
5663
5664 @item show scheduler-locking
5665 Display the current scheduler locking mode.
5666 @end table
5667
5668 @cindex resume threads of multiple processes simultaneously
5669 By default, when you issue one of the execution commands such as
5670 @code{continue}, @code{next} or @code{step}, @value{GDBN} allows only
5671 threads of the current inferior to run. For example, if @value{GDBN}
5672 is attached to two inferiors, each with two threads, the
5673 @code{continue} command resumes only the two threads of the current
5674 inferior. This is useful, for example, when you debug a program that
5675 forks and you want to hold the parent stopped (so that, for instance,
5676 it doesn't run to exit), while you debug the child. In other
5677 situations, you may not be interested in inspecting the current state
5678 of any of the processes @value{GDBN} is attached to, and you may want
5679 to resume them all until some breakpoint is hit. In the latter case,
5680 you can instruct @value{GDBN} to allow all threads of all the
5681 inferiors to run with the @w{@code{set schedule-multiple}} command.
5682
5683 @table @code
5684 @kindex set schedule-multiple
5685 @item set schedule-multiple
5686 Set the mode for allowing threads of multiple processes to be resumed
5687 when an execution command is issued. When @code{on}, all threads of
5688 all processes are allowed to run. When @code{off}, only the threads
5689 of the current process are resumed. The default is @code{off}. The
5690 @code{scheduler-locking} mode takes precedence when set to @code{on},
5691 or while you are stepping and set to @code{step}.
5692
5693 @item show schedule-multiple
5694 Display the current mode for resuming the execution of threads of
5695 multiple processes.
5696 @end table
5697
5698 @node Non-Stop Mode
5699 @subsection Non-Stop Mode
5700
5701 @cindex non-stop mode
5702
5703 @c This section is really only a place-holder, and needs to be expanded
5704 @c with more details.
5705
5706 For some multi-threaded targets, @value{GDBN} supports an optional
5707 mode of operation in which you can examine stopped program threads in
5708 the debugger while other threads continue to execute freely. This
5709 minimizes intrusion when debugging live systems, such as programs
5710 where some threads have real-time constraints or must continue to
5711 respond to external events. This is referred to as @dfn{non-stop} mode.
5712
5713 In non-stop mode, when a thread stops to report a debugging event,
5714 @emph{only} that thread is stopped; @value{GDBN} does not stop other
5715 threads as well, in contrast to the all-stop mode behavior. Additionally,
5716 execution commands such as @code{continue} and @code{step} apply by default
5717 only to the current thread in non-stop mode, rather than all threads as
5718 in all-stop mode. This allows you to control threads explicitly in
5719 ways that are not possible in all-stop mode --- for example, stepping
5720 one thread while allowing others to run freely, stepping
5721 one thread while holding all others stopped, or stepping several threads
5722 independently and simultaneously.
5723
5724 To enter non-stop mode, use this sequence of commands before you run
5725 or attach to your program:
5726
5727 @smallexample
5728 # Enable the async interface.
5729 set target-async 1
5730
5731 # If using the CLI, pagination breaks non-stop.
5732 set pagination off
5733
5734 # Finally, turn it on!
5735 set non-stop on
5736 @end smallexample
5737
5738 You can use these commands to manipulate the non-stop mode setting:
5739
5740 @table @code
5741 @kindex set non-stop
5742 @item set non-stop on
5743 Enable selection of non-stop mode.
5744 @item set non-stop off
5745 Disable selection of non-stop mode.
5746 @kindex show non-stop
5747 @item show non-stop
5748 Show the current non-stop enablement setting.
5749 @end table
5750
5751 Note these commands only reflect whether non-stop mode is enabled,
5752 not whether the currently-executing program is being run in non-stop mode.
5753 In particular, the @code{set non-stop} preference is only consulted when
5754 @value{GDBN} starts or connects to the target program, and it is generally
5755 not possible to switch modes once debugging has started. Furthermore,
5756 since not all targets support non-stop mode, even when you have enabled
5757 non-stop mode, @value{GDBN} may still fall back to all-stop operation by
5758 default.
5759
5760 In non-stop mode, all execution commands apply only to the current thread
5761 by default. That is, @code{continue} only continues one thread.
5762 To continue all threads, issue @code{continue -a} or @code{c -a}.
5763
5764 You can use @value{GDBN}'s background execution commands
5765 (@pxref{Background Execution}) to run some threads in the background
5766 while you continue to examine or step others from @value{GDBN}.
5767 The MI execution commands (@pxref{GDB/MI Program Execution}) are
5768 always executed asynchronously in non-stop mode.
5769
5770 Suspending execution is done with the @code{interrupt} command when
5771 running in the background, or @kbd{Ctrl-c} during foreground execution.
5772 In all-stop mode, this stops the whole process;
5773 but in non-stop mode the interrupt applies only to the current thread.
5774 To stop the whole program, use @code{interrupt -a}.
5775
5776 Other execution commands do not currently support the @code{-a} option.
5777
5778 In non-stop mode, when a thread stops, @value{GDBN} doesn't automatically make
5779 that thread current, as it does in all-stop mode. This is because the
5780 thread stop notifications are asynchronous with respect to @value{GDBN}'s
5781 command interpreter, and it would be confusing if @value{GDBN} unexpectedly
5782 changed to a different thread just as you entered a command to operate on the
5783 previously current thread.
5784
5785 @node Background Execution
5786 @subsection Background Execution
5787
5788 @cindex foreground execution
5789 @cindex background execution
5790 @cindex asynchronous execution
5791 @cindex execution, foreground, background and asynchronous
5792
5793 @value{GDBN}'s execution commands have two variants: the normal
5794 foreground (synchronous) behavior, and a background
5795 (asynchronous) behavior. In foreground execution, @value{GDBN} waits for
5796 the program to report that some thread has stopped before prompting for
5797 another command. In background execution, @value{GDBN} immediately gives
5798 a command prompt so that you can issue other commands while your program runs.
5799
5800 You need to explicitly enable asynchronous mode before you can use
5801 background execution commands. You can use these commands to
5802 manipulate the asynchronous mode setting:
5803
5804 @table @code
5805 @kindex set target-async
5806 @item set target-async on
5807 Enable asynchronous mode.
5808 @item set target-async off
5809 Disable asynchronous mode.
5810 @kindex show target-async
5811 @item show target-async
5812 Show the current target-async setting.
5813 @end table
5814
5815 If the target doesn't support async mode, @value{GDBN} issues an error
5816 message if you attempt to use the background execution commands.
5817
5818 To specify background execution, add a @code{&} to the command. For example,
5819 the background form of the @code{continue} command is @code{continue&}, or
5820 just @code{c&}. The execution commands that accept background execution
5821 are:
5822
5823 @table @code
5824 @kindex run&
5825 @item run
5826 @xref{Starting, , Starting your Program}.
5827
5828 @item attach
5829 @kindex attach&
5830 @xref{Attach, , Debugging an Already-running Process}.
5831
5832 @item step
5833 @kindex step&
5834 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, step}.
5835
5836 @item stepi
5837 @kindex stepi&
5838 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, stepi}.
5839
5840 @item next
5841 @kindex next&
5842 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, next}.
5843
5844 @item nexti
5845 @kindex nexti&
5846 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, nexti}.
5847
5848 @item continue
5849 @kindex continue&
5850 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, continue}.
5851
5852 @item finish
5853 @kindex finish&
5854 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, finish}.
5855
5856 @item until
5857 @kindex until&
5858 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, until}.
5859
5860 @end table
5861
5862 Background execution is especially useful in conjunction with non-stop
5863 mode for debugging programs with multiple threads; see @ref{Non-Stop Mode}.
5864 However, you can also use these commands in the normal all-stop mode with
5865 the restriction that you cannot issue another execution command until the
5866 previous one finishes. Examples of commands that are valid in all-stop
5867 mode while the program is running include @code{help} and @code{info break}.
5868
5869 You can interrupt your program while it is running in the background by
5870 using the @code{interrupt} command.
5871
5872 @table @code
5873 @kindex interrupt
5874 @item interrupt
5875 @itemx interrupt -a
5876
5877 Suspend execution of the running program. In all-stop mode,
5878 @code{interrupt} stops the whole process, but in non-stop mode, it stops
5879 only the current thread. To stop the whole program in non-stop mode,
5880 use @code{interrupt -a}.
5881 @end table
5882
5883 @node Thread-Specific Breakpoints
5884 @subsection Thread-Specific Breakpoints
5885
5886 When your program has multiple threads (@pxref{Threads,, Debugging
5887 Programs with Multiple Threads}), you can choose whether to set
5888 breakpoints on all threads, or on a particular thread.
5889
5890 @table @code
5891 @cindex breakpoints and threads
5892 @cindex thread breakpoints
5893 @kindex break @dots{} thread @var{threadno}
5894 @item break @var{linespec} thread @var{threadno}
5895 @itemx break @var{linespec} thread @var{threadno} if @dots{}
5896 @var{linespec} specifies source lines; there are several ways of
5897 writing them (@pxref{Specify Location}), but the effect is always to
5898 specify some source line.
5899
5900 Use the qualifier @samp{thread @var{threadno}} with a breakpoint command
5901 to specify that you only want @value{GDBN} to stop the program when a
5902 particular thread reaches this breakpoint. @var{threadno} is one of the
5903 numeric thread identifiers assigned by @value{GDBN}, shown in the first
5904 column of the @samp{info threads} display.
5905
5906 If you do not specify @samp{thread @var{threadno}} when you set a
5907 breakpoint, the breakpoint applies to @emph{all} threads of your
5908 program.
5909
5910 You can use the @code{thread} qualifier on conditional breakpoints as
5911 well; in this case, place @samp{thread @var{threadno}} before or
5912 after the breakpoint condition, like this:
5913
5914 @smallexample
5915 (@value{GDBP}) break frik.c:13 thread 28 if bartab > lim
5916 @end smallexample
5917
5918 @end table
5919
5920 Thread-specific breakpoints are automatically deleted when
5921 @value{GDBN} detects the corresponding thread is no longer in the
5922 thread list. For example:
5923
5924 @smallexample
5925 (@value{GDBP}) c
5926 Thread-specific breakpoint 3 deleted - thread 28 no longer in the thread list.
5927 @end smallexample
5928
5929 There are several ways for a thread to disappear, such as a regular
5930 thread exit, but also when you detach from the process with the
5931 @code{detach} command (@pxref{Attach, ,Debugging an Already-running
5932 Process}), or if @value{GDBN} loses the remote connection
5933 (@pxref{Remote Debugging}), etc. Note that with some targets,
5934 @value{GDBN} is only able to detect a thread has exited when the user
5935 explictly asks for the thread list with the @code{info threads}
5936 command.
5937
5938 @node Interrupted System Calls
5939 @subsection Interrupted System Calls
5940
5941 @cindex thread breakpoints and system calls
5942 @cindex system calls and thread breakpoints
5943 @cindex premature return from system calls
5944 There is an unfortunate side effect when using @value{GDBN} to debug
5945 multi-threaded programs. If one thread stops for a
5946 breakpoint, or for some other reason, and another thread is blocked in a
5947 system call, then the system call may return prematurely. This is a
5948 consequence of the interaction between multiple threads and the signals
5949 that @value{GDBN} uses to implement breakpoints and other events that
5950 stop execution.
5951
5952 To handle this problem, your program should check the return value of
5953 each system call and react appropriately. This is good programming
5954 style anyways.
5955
5956 For example, do not write code like this:
5957
5958 @smallexample
5959 sleep (10);
5960 @end smallexample
5961
5962 The call to @code{sleep} will return early if a different thread stops
5963 at a breakpoint or for some other reason.
5964
5965 Instead, write this:
5966
5967 @smallexample
5968 int unslept = 10;
5969 while (unslept > 0)
5970 unslept = sleep (unslept);
5971 @end smallexample
5972
5973 A system call is allowed to return early, so the system is still
5974 conforming to its specification. But @value{GDBN} does cause your
5975 multi-threaded program to behave differently than it would without
5976 @value{GDBN}.
5977
5978 Also, @value{GDBN} uses internal breakpoints in the thread library to
5979 monitor certain events such as thread creation and thread destruction.
5980 When such an event happens, a system call in another thread may return
5981 prematurely, even though your program does not appear to stop.
5982
5983 @node Observer Mode
5984 @subsection Observer Mode
5985
5986 If you want to build on non-stop mode and observe program behavior
5987 without any chance of disruption by @value{GDBN}, you can set
5988 variables to disable all of the debugger's attempts to modify state,
5989 whether by writing memory, inserting breakpoints, etc. These operate
5990 at a low level, intercepting operations from all commands.
5991
5992 When all of these are set to @code{off}, then @value{GDBN} is said to
5993 be @dfn{observer mode}. As a convenience, the variable
5994 @code{observer} can be set to disable these, plus enable non-stop
5995 mode.
5996
5997 Note that @value{GDBN} will not prevent you from making nonsensical
5998 combinations of these settings. For instance, if you have enabled
5999 @code{may-insert-breakpoints} but disabled @code{may-write-memory},
6000 then breakpoints that work by writing trap instructions into the code
6001 stream will still not be able to be placed.
6002
6003 @table @code
6004
6005 @kindex observer
6006 @item set observer on
6007 @itemx set observer off
6008 When set to @code{on}, this disables all the permission variables
6009 below (except for @code{insert-fast-tracepoints}), plus enables
6010 non-stop debugging. Setting this to @code{off} switches back to
6011 normal debugging, though remaining in non-stop mode.
6012
6013 @item show observer
6014 Show whether observer mode is on or off.
6015
6016 @kindex may-write-registers
6017 @item set may-write-registers on
6018 @itemx set may-write-registers off
6019 This controls whether @value{GDBN} will attempt to alter the values of
6020 registers, such as with assignment expressions in @code{print}, or the
6021 @code{jump} command. It defaults to @code{on}.
6022
6023 @item show may-write-registers
6024 Show the current permission to write registers.
6025
6026 @kindex may-write-memory
6027 @item set may-write-memory on
6028 @itemx set may-write-memory off
6029 This controls whether @value{GDBN} will attempt to alter the contents
6030 of memory, such as with assignment expressions in @code{print}. It
6031 defaults to @code{on}.
6032
6033 @item show may-write-memory
6034 Show the current permission to write memory.
6035
6036 @kindex may-insert-breakpoints
6037 @item set may-insert-breakpoints on
6038 @itemx set may-insert-breakpoints off
6039 This controls whether @value{GDBN} will attempt to insert breakpoints.
6040 This affects all breakpoints, including internal breakpoints defined
6041 by @value{GDBN}. It defaults to @code{on}.
6042
6043 @item show may-insert-breakpoints
6044 Show the current permission to insert breakpoints.
6045
6046 @kindex may-insert-tracepoints
6047 @item set may-insert-tracepoints on
6048 @itemx set may-insert-tracepoints off
6049 This controls whether @value{GDBN} will attempt to insert (regular)
6050 tracepoints at the beginning of a tracing experiment. It affects only
6051 non-fast tracepoints, fast tracepoints being under the control of
6052 @code{may-insert-fast-tracepoints}. It defaults to @code{on}.
6053
6054 @item show may-insert-tracepoints
6055 Show the current permission to insert tracepoints.
6056
6057 @kindex may-insert-fast-tracepoints
6058 @item set may-insert-fast-tracepoints on
6059 @itemx set may-insert-fast-tracepoints off
6060 This controls whether @value{GDBN} will attempt to insert fast
6061 tracepoints at the beginning of a tracing experiment. It affects only
6062 fast tracepoints, regular (non-fast) tracepoints being under the
6063 control of @code{may-insert-tracepoints}. It defaults to @code{on}.
6064
6065 @item show may-insert-fast-tracepoints
6066 Show the current permission to insert fast tracepoints.
6067
6068 @kindex may-interrupt
6069 @item set may-interrupt on
6070 @itemx set may-interrupt off
6071 This controls whether @value{GDBN} will attempt to interrupt or stop
6072 program execution. When this variable is @code{off}, the
6073 @code{interrupt} command will have no effect, nor will
6074 @kbd{Ctrl-c}. It defaults to @code{on}.
6075
6076 @item show may-interrupt
6077 Show the current permission to interrupt or stop the program.
6078
6079 @end table
6080
6081 @node Reverse Execution
6082 @chapter Running programs backward
6083 @cindex reverse execution
6084 @cindex running programs backward
6085
6086 When you are debugging a program, it is not unusual to realize that
6087 you have gone too far, and some event of interest has already happened.
6088 If the target environment supports it, @value{GDBN} can allow you to
6089 ``rewind'' the program by running it backward.
6090
6091 A target environment that supports reverse execution should be able
6092 to ``undo'' the changes in machine state that have taken place as the
6093 program was executing normally. Variables, registers etc.@: should
6094 revert to their previous values. Obviously this requires a great
6095 deal of sophistication on the part of the target environment; not
6096 all target environments can support reverse execution.
6097
6098 When a program is executed in reverse, the instructions that
6099 have most recently been executed are ``un-executed'', in reverse
6100 order. The program counter runs backward, following the previous
6101 thread of execution in reverse. As each instruction is ``un-executed'',
6102 the values of memory and/or registers that were changed by that
6103 instruction are reverted to their previous states. After executing
6104 a piece of source code in reverse, all side effects of that code
6105 should be ``undone'', and all variables should be returned to their
6106 prior values@footnote{
6107 Note that some side effects are easier to undo than others. For instance,
6108 memory and registers are relatively easy, but device I/O is hard. Some
6109 targets may be able undo things like device I/O, and some may not.
6110
6111 The contract between @value{GDBN} and the reverse executing target
6112 requires only that the target do something reasonable when
6113 @value{GDBN} tells it to execute backwards, and then report the
6114 results back to @value{GDBN}. Whatever the target reports back to
6115 @value{GDBN}, @value{GDBN} will report back to the user. @value{GDBN}
6116 assumes that the memory and registers that the target reports are in a
6117 consistant state, but @value{GDBN} accepts whatever it is given.
6118 }.
6119
6120 If you are debugging in a target environment that supports
6121 reverse execution, @value{GDBN} provides the following commands.
6122
6123 @table @code
6124 @kindex reverse-continue
6125 @kindex rc @r{(@code{reverse-continue})}
6126 @item reverse-continue @r{[}@var{ignore-count}@r{]}
6127 @itemx rc @r{[}@var{ignore-count}@r{]}
6128 Beginning at the point where your program last stopped, start executing
6129 in reverse. Reverse execution will stop for breakpoints and synchronous
6130 exceptions (signals), just like normal execution. Behavior of
6131 asynchronous signals depends on the target environment.
6132
6133 @kindex reverse-step
6134 @kindex rs @r{(@code{step})}
6135 @item reverse-step @r{[}@var{count}@r{]}
6136 Run the program backward until control reaches the start of a
6137 different source line; then stop it, and return control to @value{GDBN}.
6138
6139 Like the @code{step} command, @code{reverse-step} will only stop
6140 at the beginning of a source line. It ``un-executes'' the previously
6141 executed source line. If the previous source line included calls to
6142 debuggable functions, @code{reverse-step} will step (backward) into
6143 the called function, stopping at the beginning of the @emph{last}
6144 statement in the called function (typically a return statement).
6145
6146 Also, as with the @code{step} command, if non-debuggable functions are
6147 called, @code{reverse-step} will run thru them backward without stopping.
6148
6149 @kindex reverse-stepi
6150 @kindex rsi @r{(@code{reverse-stepi})}
6151 @item reverse-stepi @r{[}@var{count}@r{]}
6152 Reverse-execute one machine instruction. Note that the instruction
6153 to be reverse-executed is @emph{not} the one pointed to by the program
6154 counter, but the instruction executed prior to that one. For instance,
6155 if the last instruction was a jump, @code{reverse-stepi} will take you
6156 back from the destination of the jump to the jump instruction itself.
6157
6158 @kindex reverse-next
6159 @kindex rn @r{(@code{reverse-next})}
6160 @item reverse-next @r{[}@var{count}@r{]}
6161 Run backward to the beginning of the previous line executed in
6162 the current (innermost) stack frame. If the line contains function
6163 calls, they will be ``un-executed'' without stopping. Starting from
6164 the first line of a function, @code{reverse-next} will take you back
6165 to the caller of that function, @emph{before} the function was called,
6166 just as the normal @code{next} command would take you from the last
6167 line of a function back to its return to its caller
6168 @footnote{Unless the code is too heavily optimized.}.
6169
6170 @kindex reverse-nexti
6171 @kindex rni @r{(@code{reverse-nexti})}
6172 @item reverse-nexti @r{[}@var{count}@r{]}
6173 Like @code{nexti}, @code{reverse-nexti} executes a single instruction
6174 in reverse, except that called functions are ``un-executed'' atomically.
6175 That is, if the previously executed instruction was a return from
6176 another function, @code{reverse-nexti} will continue to execute
6177 in reverse until the call to that function (from the current stack
6178 frame) is reached.
6179
6180 @kindex reverse-finish
6181 @item reverse-finish
6182 Just as the @code{finish} command takes you to the point where the
6183 current function returns, @code{reverse-finish} takes you to the point
6184 where it was called. Instead of ending up at the end of the current
6185 function invocation, you end up at the beginning.
6186
6187 @kindex set exec-direction
6188 @item set exec-direction
6189 Set the direction of target execution.
6190 @item set exec-direction reverse
6191 @cindex execute forward or backward in time
6192 @value{GDBN} will perform all execution commands in reverse, until the
6193 exec-direction mode is changed to ``forward''. Affected commands include
6194 @code{step, stepi, next, nexti, continue, and finish}. The @code{return}
6195 command cannot be used in reverse mode.
6196 @item set exec-direction forward
6197 @value{GDBN} will perform all execution commands in the normal fashion.
6198 This is the default.
6199 @end table
6200
6201
6202 @node Process Record and Replay
6203 @chapter Recording Inferior's Execution and Replaying It
6204 @cindex process record and replay
6205 @cindex recording inferior's execution and replaying it
6206
6207 On some platforms, @value{GDBN} provides a special @dfn{process record
6208 and replay} target that can record a log of the process execution, and
6209 replay it later with both forward and reverse execution commands.
6210
6211 @cindex replay mode
6212 When this target is in use, if the execution log includes the record
6213 for the next instruction, @value{GDBN} will debug in @dfn{replay
6214 mode}. In the replay mode, the inferior does not really execute code
6215 instructions. Instead, all the events that normally happen during
6216 code execution are taken from the execution log. While code is not
6217 really executed in replay mode, the values of registers (including the
6218 program counter register) and the memory of the inferior are still
6219 changed as they normally would. Their contents are taken from the
6220 execution log.
6221
6222 @cindex record mode
6223 If the record for the next instruction is not in the execution log,
6224 @value{GDBN} will debug in @dfn{record mode}. In this mode, the
6225 inferior executes normally, and @value{GDBN} records the execution log
6226 for future replay.
6227
6228 The process record and replay target supports reverse execution
6229 (@pxref{Reverse Execution}), even if the platform on which the
6230 inferior runs does not. However, the reverse execution is limited in
6231 this case by the range of the instructions recorded in the execution
6232 log. In other words, reverse execution on platforms that don't
6233 support it directly can only be done in the replay mode.
6234
6235 When debugging in the reverse direction, @value{GDBN} will work in
6236 replay mode as long as the execution log includes the record for the
6237 previous instruction; otherwise, it will work in record mode, if the
6238 platform supports reverse execution, or stop if not.
6239
6240 For architecture environments that support process record and replay,
6241 @value{GDBN} provides the following commands:
6242
6243 @table @code
6244 @kindex target record
6245 @kindex target record-full
6246 @kindex target record-btrace
6247 @kindex record
6248 @kindex record full
6249 @kindex record btrace
6250 @kindex rec
6251 @kindex rec full
6252 @kindex rec btrace
6253 @item record @var{method}
6254 This command starts the process record and replay target. The
6255 recording method can be specified as parameter. Without a parameter
6256 the command uses the @code{full} recording method. The following
6257 recording methods are available:
6258
6259 @table @code
6260 @item full
6261 Full record/replay recording using @value{GDBN}'s software record and
6262 replay implementation. This method allows replaying and reverse
6263 execution.
6264
6265 @item btrace
6266 Hardware-supported instruction recording. This method does not allow
6267 replaying and reverse execution.
6268
6269 This recording method may not be available on all processors.
6270 @end table
6271
6272 The process record and replay target can only debug a process that is
6273 already running. Therefore, you need first to start the process with
6274 the @kbd{run} or @kbd{start} commands, and then start the recording
6275 with the @kbd{record @var{method}} command.
6276
6277 Both @code{record @var{method}} and @code{rec @var{method}} are
6278 aliases of @code{target record-@var{method}}.
6279
6280 @cindex displaced stepping, and process record and replay
6281 Displaced stepping (@pxref{Maintenance Commands,, displaced stepping})
6282 will be automatically disabled when process record and replay target
6283 is started. That's because the process record and replay target
6284 doesn't support displaced stepping.
6285
6286 @cindex non-stop mode, and process record and replay
6287 @cindex asynchronous execution, and process record and replay
6288 If the inferior is in the non-stop mode (@pxref{Non-Stop Mode}) or in
6289 the asynchronous execution mode (@pxref{Background Execution}), not
6290 all recording methods are available. The @code{full} recording method
6291 does not support these two modes.
6292
6293 @kindex record stop
6294 @kindex rec s
6295 @item record stop
6296 Stop the process record and replay target. When process record and
6297 replay target stops, the entire execution log will be deleted and the
6298 inferior will either be terminated, or will remain in its final state.
6299
6300 When you stop the process record and replay target in record mode (at
6301 the end of the execution log), the inferior will be stopped at the
6302 next instruction that would have been recorded. In other words, if
6303 you record for a while and then stop recording, the inferior process
6304 will be left in the same state as if the recording never happened.
6305
6306 On the other hand, if the process record and replay target is stopped
6307 while in replay mode (that is, not at the end of the execution log,
6308 but at some earlier point), the inferior process will become ``live''
6309 at that earlier state, and it will then be possible to continue the
6310 usual ``live'' debugging of the process from that state.
6311
6312 When the inferior process exits, or @value{GDBN} detaches from it,
6313 process record and replay target will automatically stop itself.
6314
6315 @kindex record goto
6316 @item record goto
6317 Go to a specific location in the execution log. There are several
6318 ways to specify the location to go to:
6319
6320 @table @code
6321 @item record goto begin
6322 @itemx record goto start
6323 Go to the beginning of the execution log.
6324
6325 @item record goto end
6326 Go to the end of the execution log.
6327
6328 @item record goto @var{n}
6329 Go to instruction number @var{n} in the execution log.
6330 @end table
6331
6332 @kindex record save
6333 @item record save @var{filename}
6334 Save the execution log to a file @file{@var{filename}}.
6335 Default filename is @file{gdb_record.@var{process_id}}, where
6336 @var{process_id} is the process ID of the inferior.
6337
6338 This command may not be available for all recording methods.
6339
6340 @kindex record restore
6341 @item record restore @var{filename}
6342 Restore the execution log from a file @file{@var{filename}}.
6343 File must have been created with @code{record save}.
6344
6345 @kindex set record full
6346 @item set record full insn-number-max @var{limit}
6347 @itemx set record full insn-number-max unlimited
6348 Set the limit of instructions to be recorded for the @code{full}
6349 recording method. Default value is 200000.
6350
6351 If @var{limit} is a positive number, then @value{GDBN} will start
6352 deleting instructions from the log once the number of the record
6353 instructions becomes greater than @var{limit}. For every new recorded
6354 instruction, @value{GDBN} will delete the earliest recorded
6355 instruction to keep the number of recorded instructions at the limit.
6356 (Since deleting recorded instructions loses information, @value{GDBN}
6357 lets you control what happens when the limit is reached, by means of
6358 the @code{stop-at-limit} option, described below.)
6359
6360 If @var{limit} is @code{unlimited} or zero, @value{GDBN} will never
6361 delete recorded instructions from the execution log. The number of
6362 recorded instructions is limited only by the available memory.
6363
6364 @kindex show record full
6365 @item show record full insn-number-max
6366 Show the limit of instructions to be recorded with the @code{full}
6367 recording method.
6368
6369 @item set record full stop-at-limit
6370 Control the behavior of the @code{full} recording method when the
6371 number of recorded instructions reaches the limit. If ON (the
6372 default), @value{GDBN} will stop when the limit is reached for the
6373 first time and ask you whether you want to stop the inferior or
6374 continue running it and recording the execution log. If you decide
6375 to continue recording, each new recorded instruction will cause the
6376 oldest one to be deleted.
6377
6378 If this option is OFF, @value{GDBN} will automatically delete the
6379 oldest record to make room for each new one, without asking.
6380
6381 @item show record full stop-at-limit
6382 Show the current setting of @code{stop-at-limit}.
6383
6384 @item set record full memory-query
6385 Control the behavior when @value{GDBN} is unable to record memory
6386 changes caused by an instruction for the @code{full} recording method.
6387 If ON, @value{GDBN} will query whether to stop the inferior in that
6388 case.
6389
6390 If this option is OFF (the default), @value{GDBN} will automatically
6391 ignore the effect of such instructions on memory. Later, when
6392 @value{GDBN} replays this execution log, it will mark the log of this
6393 instruction as not accessible, and it will not affect the replay
6394 results.
6395
6396 @item show record full memory-query
6397 Show the current setting of @code{memory-query}.
6398
6399 @kindex info record
6400 @item info record
6401 Show various statistics about the recording depending on the recording
6402 method:
6403
6404 @table @code
6405 @item full
6406 For the @code{full} recording method, it shows the state of process
6407 record and its in-memory execution log buffer, including:
6408
6409 @itemize @bullet
6410 @item
6411 Whether in record mode or replay mode.
6412 @item
6413 Lowest recorded instruction number (counting from when the current execution log started recording instructions).
6414 @item
6415 Highest recorded instruction number.
6416 @item
6417 Current instruction about to be replayed (if in replay mode).
6418 @item
6419 Number of instructions contained in the execution log.
6420 @item
6421 Maximum number of instructions that may be contained in the execution log.
6422 @end itemize
6423
6424 @item btrace
6425 For the @code{btrace} recording method, it shows the number of
6426 instructions that have been recorded and the number of blocks of
6427 sequential control-flow that is formed by the recorded instructions.
6428 @end table
6429
6430 @kindex record delete
6431 @kindex rec del
6432 @item record delete
6433 When record target runs in replay mode (``in the past''), delete the
6434 subsequent execution log and begin to record a new execution log starting
6435 from the current address. This means you will abandon the previously
6436 recorded ``future'' and begin recording a new ``future''.
6437
6438 @kindex record instruction-history
6439 @kindex rec instruction-history
6440 @item record instruction-history
6441 Disassembles instructions from the recorded execution log. By
6442 default, ten instructions are disassembled. This can be changed using
6443 the @code{set record instruction-history-size} command. Instructions
6444 are printed in execution order. There are several ways to specify
6445 what part of the execution log to disassemble:
6446
6447 @table @code
6448 @item record instruction-history @var{insn}
6449 Disassembles ten instructions starting from instruction number
6450 @var{insn}.
6451
6452 @item record instruction-history @var{insn}, +/-@var{n}
6453 Disassembles @var{n} instructions around instruction number
6454 @var{insn}. If @var{n} is preceded with @code{+}, disassembles
6455 @var{n} instructions after instruction number @var{insn}. If
6456 @var{n} is preceded with @code{-}, disassembles @var{n}
6457 instructions before instruction number @var{insn}.
6458
6459 @item record instruction-history
6460 Disassembles ten more instructions after the last disassembly.
6461
6462 @item record instruction-history -
6463 Disassembles ten more instructions before the last disassembly.
6464
6465 @item record instruction-history @var{begin} @var{end}
6466 Disassembles instructions beginning with instruction number
6467 @var{begin} until instruction number @var{end}. The instruction
6468 number @var{end} is included.
6469 @end table
6470
6471 This command may not be available for all recording methods.
6472
6473 @kindex set record
6474 @item set record instruction-history-size @var{size}
6475 @itemx set record instruction-history-size unlimited
6476 Define how many instructions to disassemble in the @code{record
6477 instruction-history} command. The default value is 10.
6478 A @var{size} of @code{unlimited} means unlimited instructions.
6479
6480 @kindex show record
6481 @item show record instruction-history-size
6482 Show how many instructions to disassemble in the @code{record
6483 instruction-history} command.
6484
6485 @kindex record function-call-history
6486 @kindex rec function-call-history
6487 @item record function-call-history
6488 Prints the execution history at function granularity. It prints one
6489 line for each sequence of instructions that belong to the same
6490 function giving the name of that function, the source lines
6491 for this instruction sequence (if the @code{/l} modifier is
6492 specified), and the instructions numbers that form the sequence (if
6493 the @code{/i} modifier is specified). The function names are indented
6494 to reflect the call stack depth if the @code{/c} modifier is
6495 specified. The @code{/l}, @code{/i}, and @code{/c} modifiers can be
6496 given together.
6497
6498 @smallexample
6499 (@value{GDBP}) @b{list 1, 10}
6500 1 void foo (void)
6501 2 @{
6502 3 @}
6503 4
6504 5 void bar (void)
6505 6 @{
6506 7 ...
6507 8 foo ();
6508 9 ...
6509 10 @}
6510 (@value{GDBP}) @b{record function-call-history /ilc}
6511 1 bar inst 1,4 at foo.c:6,8
6512 2 foo inst 5,10 at foo.c:2,3
6513 3 bar inst 11,13 at foo.c:9,10
6514 @end smallexample
6515
6516 By default, ten lines are printed. This can be changed using the
6517 @code{set record function-call-history-size} command. Functions are
6518 printed in execution order. There are several ways to specify what
6519 to print:
6520
6521 @table @code
6522 @item record function-call-history @var{func}
6523 Prints ten functions starting from function number @var{func}.
6524
6525 @item record function-call-history @var{func}, +/-@var{n}
6526 Prints @var{n} functions around function number @var{func}. If
6527 @var{n} is preceded with @code{+}, prints @var{n} functions after
6528 function number @var{func}. If @var{n} is preceded with @code{-},
6529 prints @var{n} functions before function number @var{func}.
6530
6531 @item record function-call-history
6532 Prints ten more functions after the last ten-line print.
6533
6534 @item record function-call-history -
6535 Prints ten more functions before the last ten-line print.
6536
6537 @item record function-call-history @var{begin} @var{end}
6538 Prints functions beginning with function number @var{begin} until
6539 function number @var{end}. The function number @var{end} is included.
6540 @end table
6541
6542 This command may not be available for all recording methods.
6543
6544 @item set record function-call-history-size @var{size}
6545 @itemx set record function-call-history-size unlimited
6546 Define how many lines to print in the
6547 @code{record function-call-history} command. The default value is 10.
6548 A size of @code{unlimited} means unlimited lines.
6549
6550 @item show record function-call-history-size
6551 Show how many lines to print in the
6552 @code{record function-call-history} command.
6553 @end table
6554
6555
6556 @node Stack
6557 @chapter Examining the Stack
6558
6559 When your program has stopped, the first thing you need to know is where it
6560 stopped and how it got there.
6561
6562 @cindex call stack
6563 Each time your program performs a function call, information about the call
6564 is generated.
6565 That information includes the location of the call in your program,
6566 the arguments of the call,
6567 and the local variables of the function being called.
6568 The information is saved in a block of data called a @dfn{stack frame}.
6569 The stack frames are allocated in a region of memory called the @dfn{call
6570 stack}.
6571
6572 When your program stops, the @value{GDBN} commands for examining the
6573 stack allow you to see all of this information.
6574
6575 @cindex selected frame
6576 One of the stack frames is @dfn{selected} by @value{GDBN} and many
6577 @value{GDBN} commands refer implicitly to the selected frame. In
6578 particular, whenever you ask @value{GDBN} for the value of a variable in
6579 your program, the value is found in the selected frame. There are
6580 special @value{GDBN} commands to select whichever frame you are
6581 interested in. @xref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}.
6582
6583 When your program stops, @value{GDBN} automatically selects the
6584 currently executing frame and describes it briefly, similar to the
6585 @code{frame} command (@pxref{Frame Info, ,Information about a Frame}).
6586
6587 @menu
6588 * Frames:: Stack frames
6589 * Backtrace:: Backtraces
6590 * Frame Filter Management:: Managing frame filters
6591 * Selection:: Selecting a frame
6592 * Frame Info:: Information on a frame
6593
6594 @end menu
6595
6596 @node Frames
6597 @section Stack Frames
6598
6599 @cindex frame, definition
6600 @cindex stack frame
6601 The call stack is divided up into contiguous pieces called @dfn{stack
6602 frames}, or @dfn{frames} for short; each frame is the data associated
6603 with one call to one function. The frame contains the arguments given
6604 to the function, the function's local variables, and the address at
6605 which the function is executing.
6606
6607 @cindex initial frame
6608 @cindex outermost frame
6609 @cindex innermost frame
6610 When your program is started, the stack has only one frame, that of the
6611 function @code{main}. This is called the @dfn{initial} frame or the
6612 @dfn{outermost} frame. Each time a function is called, a new frame is
6613 made. Each time a function returns, the frame for that function invocation
6614 is eliminated. If a function is recursive, there can be many frames for
6615 the same function. The frame for the function in which execution is
6616 actually occurring is called the @dfn{innermost} frame. This is the most
6617 recently created of all the stack frames that still exist.
6618
6619 @cindex frame pointer
6620 Inside your program, stack frames are identified by their addresses. A
6621 stack frame consists of many bytes, each of which has its own address; each
6622 kind of computer has a convention for choosing one byte whose
6623 address serves as the address of the frame. Usually this address is kept
6624 in a register called the @dfn{frame pointer register}
6625 (@pxref{Registers, $fp}) while execution is going on in that frame.
6626
6627 @cindex frame number
6628 @value{GDBN} assigns numbers to all existing stack frames, starting with
6629 zero for the innermost frame, one for the frame that called it,
6630 and so on upward. These numbers do not really exist in your program;
6631 they are assigned by @value{GDBN} to give you a way of designating stack
6632 frames in @value{GDBN} commands.
6633
6634 @c The -fomit-frame-pointer below perennially causes hbox overflow
6635 @c underflow problems.
6636 @cindex frameless execution
6637 Some compilers provide a way to compile functions so that they operate
6638 without stack frames. (For example, the @value{NGCC} option
6639 @smallexample
6640 @samp{-fomit-frame-pointer}
6641 @end smallexample
6642 generates functions without a frame.)
6643 This is occasionally done with heavily used library functions to save
6644 the frame setup time. @value{GDBN} has limited facilities for dealing
6645 with these function invocations. If the innermost function invocation
6646 has no stack frame, @value{GDBN} nevertheless regards it as though
6647 it had a separate frame, which is numbered zero as usual, allowing
6648 correct tracing of the function call chain. However, @value{GDBN} has
6649 no provision for frameless functions elsewhere in the stack.
6650
6651 @table @code
6652 @kindex frame@r{, command}
6653 @cindex current stack frame
6654 @item frame @var{args}
6655 The @code{frame} command allows you to move from one stack frame to another,
6656 and to print the stack frame you select. @var{args} may be either the
6657 address of the frame or the stack frame number. Without an argument,
6658 @code{frame} prints the current stack frame.
6659
6660 @kindex select-frame
6661 @cindex selecting frame silently
6662 @item select-frame
6663 The @code{select-frame} command allows you to move from one stack frame
6664 to another without printing the frame. This is the silent version of
6665 @code{frame}.
6666 @end table
6667
6668 @node Backtrace
6669 @section Backtraces
6670
6671 @cindex traceback
6672 @cindex call stack traces
6673 A backtrace is a summary of how your program got where it is. It shows one
6674 line per frame, for many frames, starting with the currently executing
6675 frame (frame zero), followed by its caller (frame one), and on up the
6676 stack.
6677
6678 @anchor{backtrace-command}
6679 @table @code
6680 @kindex backtrace
6681 @kindex bt @r{(@code{backtrace})}
6682 @item backtrace
6683 @itemx bt
6684 Print a backtrace of the entire stack: one line per frame for all
6685 frames in the stack.
6686
6687 You can stop the backtrace at any time by typing the system interrupt
6688 character, normally @kbd{Ctrl-c}.
6689
6690 @item backtrace @var{n}
6691 @itemx bt @var{n}
6692 Similar, but print only the innermost @var{n} frames.
6693
6694 @item backtrace -@var{n}
6695 @itemx bt -@var{n}
6696 Similar, but print only the outermost @var{n} frames.
6697
6698 @item backtrace full
6699 @itemx bt full
6700 @itemx bt full @var{n}
6701 @itemx bt full -@var{n}
6702 Print the values of the local variables also. @var{n} specifies the
6703 number of frames to print, as described above.
6704
6705 @item backtrace no-filters
6706 @itemx bt no-filters
6707 @itemx bt no-filters @var{n}
6708 @itemx bt no-filters -@var{n}
6709 @itemx bt no-filters full
6710 @itemx bt no-filters full @var{n}
6711 @itemx bt no-filters full -@var{n}
6712 Do not run Python frame filters on this backtrace. @xref{Frame
6713 Filter API}, for more information. Additionally use @ref{disable
6714 frame-filter all} to turn off all frame filters. This is only
6715 relevant when @value{GDBN} has been configured with @code{Python}
6716 support.
6717 @end table
6718
6719 @kindex where
6720 @kindex info stack
6721 The names @code{where} and @code{info stack} (abbreviated @code{info s})
6722 are additional aliases for @code{backtrace}.
6723
6724 @cindex multiple threads, backtrace
6725 In a multi-threaded program, @value{GDBN} by default shows the
6726 backtrace only for the current thread. To display the backtrace for
6727 several or all of the threads, use the command @code{thread apply}
6728 (@pxref{Threads, thread apply}). For example, if you type @kbd{thread
6729 apply all backtrace}, @value{GDBN} will display the backtrace for all
6730 the threads; this is handy when you debug a core dump of a
6731 multi-threaded program.
6732
6733 Each line in the backtrace shows the frame number and the function name.
6734 The program counter value is also shown---unless you use @code{set
6735 print address off}. The backtrace also shows the source file name and
6736 line number, as well as the arguments to the function. The program
6737 counter value is omitted if it is at the beginning of the code for that
6738 line number.
6739
6740 Here is an example of a backtrace. It was made with the command
6741 @samp{bt 3}, so it shows the innermost three frames.
6742
6743 @smallexample
6744 @group
6745 #0 m4_traceon (obs=0x24eb0, argc=1, argv=0x2b8c8)
6746 at builtin.c:993
6747 #1 0x6e38 in expand_macro (sym=0x2b600, data=...) at macro.c:242
6748 #2 0x6840 in expand_token (obs=0x0, t=177664, td=0xf7fffb08)
6749 at macro.c:71
6750 (More stack frames follow...)
6751 @end group
6752 @end smallexample
6753
6754 @noindent
6755 The display for frame zero does not begin with a program counter
6756 value, indicating that your program has stopped at the beginning of the
6757 code for line @code{993} of @code{builtin.c}.
6758
6759 @noindent
6760 The value of parameter @code{data} in frame 1 has been replaced by
6761 @code{@dots{}}. By default, @value{GDBN} prints the value of a parameter
6762 only if it is a scalar (integer, pointer, enumeration, etc). See command
6763 @kbd{set print frame-arguments} in @ref{Print Settings} for more details
6764 on how to configure the way function parameter values are printed.
6765
6766 @cindex optimized out, in backtrace
6767 @cindex function call arguments, optimized out
6768 If your program was compiled with optimizations, some compilers will
6769 optimize away arguments passed to functions if those arguments are
6770 never used after the call. Such optimizations generate code that
6771 passes arguments through registers, but doesn't store those arguments
6772 in the stack frame. @value{GDBN} has no way of displaying such
6773 arguments in stack frames other than the innermost one. Here's what
6774 such a backtrace might look like:
6775
6776 @smallexample
6777 @group
6778 #0 m4_traceon (obs=0x24eb0, argc=1, argv=0x2b8c8)
6779 at builtin.c:993
6780 #1 0x6e38 in expand_macro (sym=<optimized out>) at macro.c:242
6781 #2 0x6840 in expand_token (obs=0x0, t=<optimized out>, td=0xf7fffb08)
6782 at macro.c:71
6783 (More stack frames follow...)
6784 @end group
6785 @end smallexample
6786
6787 @noindent
6788 The values of arguments that were not saved in their stack frames are
6789 shown as @samp{<optimized out>}.
6790
6791 If you need to display the values of such optimized-out arguments,
6792 either deduce that from other variables whose values depend on the one
6793 you are interested in, or recompile without optimizations.
6794
6795 @cindex backtrace beyond @code{main} function
6796 @cindex program entry point
6797 @cindex startup code, and backtrace
6798 Most programs have a standard user entry point---a place where system
6799 libraries and startup code transition into user code. For C this is
6800 @code{main}@footnote{
6801 Note that embedded programs (the so-called ``free-standing''
6802 environment) are not required to have a @code{main} function as the
6803 entry point. They could even have multiple entry points.}.
6804 When @value{GDBN} finds the entry function in a backtrace
6805 it will terminate the backtrace, to avoid tracing into highly
6806 system-specific (and generally uninteresting) code.
6807
6808 If you need to examine the startup code, or limit the number of levels
6809 in a backtrace, you can change this behavior:
6810
6811 @table @code
6812 @item set backtrace past-main
6813 @itemx set backtrace past-main on
6814 @kindex set backtrace
6815 Backtraces will continue past the user entry point.
6816
6817 @item set backtrace past-main off
6818 Backtraces will stop when they encounter the user entry point. This is the
6819 default.
6820
6821 @item show backtrace past-main
6822 @kindex show backtrace
6823 Display the current user entry point backtrace policy.
6824
6825 @item set backtrace past-entry
6826 @itemx set backtrace past-entry on
6827 Backtraces will continue past the internal entry point of an application.
6828 This entry point is encoded by the linker when the application is built,
6829 and is likely before the user entry point @code{main} (or equivalent) is called.
6830
6831 @item set backtrace past-entry off
6832 Backtraces will stop when they encounter the internal entry point of an
6833 application. This is the default.
6834
6835 @item show backtrace past-entry
6836 Display the current internal entry point backtrace policy.
6837
6838 @item set backtrace limit @var{n}
6839 @itemx set backtrace limit 0
6840 @itemx set backtrace limit unlimited
6841 @cindex backtrace limit
6842 Limit the backtrace to @var{n} levels. A value of @code{unlimited}
6843 or zero means unlimited levels.
6844
6845 @item show backtrace limit
6846 Display the current limit on backtrace levels.
6847 @end table
6848
6849 You can control how file names are displayed.
6850
6851 @table @code
6852 @item set filename-display
6853 @itemx set filename-display relative
6854 @cindex filename-display
6855 Display file names relative to the compilation directory. This is the default.
6856
6857 @item set filename-display basename
6858 Display only basename of a filename.
6859
6860 @item set filename-display absolute
6861 Display an absolute filename.
6862
6863 @item show filename-display
6864 Show the current way to display filenames.
6865 @end table
6866
6867 @node Frame Filter Management
6868 @section Management of Frame Filters.
6869 @cindex managing frame filters
6870
6871 Frame filters are Python based utilities to manage and decorate the
6872 output of frames. @xref{Frame Filter API}, for further information.
6873
6874 Managing frame filters is performed by several commands available
6875 within @value{GDBN}, detailed here.
6876
6877 @table @code
6878 @kindex info frame-filter
6879 @item info frame-filter
6880 Print a list of installed frame filters from all dictionaries, showing
6881 their name, priority and enabled status.
6882
6883 @kindex disable frame-filter
6884 @anchor{disable frame-filter all}
6885 @item disable frame-filter @var{filter-dictionary} @var{filter-name}
6886 Disable a frame filter in the dictionary matching
6887 @var{filter-dictionary}, or @code{all}, and @var{filter-name}.
6888 @var{filter-dictionary} may be @code{all}, @code{global},
6889 @code{progspace} or the name of the object file where the frame filter
6890 dictionary resides. When @code{all} is specified, all frame filters
6891 across all dictionaries are disabled. @var{filter-name} is the name
6892 of the frame filter and is used when @code{all} is not the option for
6893 @var{filter-dictionary}. A disabled frame-filter is not deleted, it
6894 may be enabled again later.
6895
6896 @kindex enable frame-filter
6897 @item enable frame-filter @var{filter-dictionary} @var{filter-name}
6898 Enable a frame filter in the dictionary matching
6899 @var{filter-dictionary}, or @code{all}, and @var{filter-name}.
6900 @var{filter-dictionary} may be @code{all}, @code{global},
6901 @code{progspace} or the name of the object file where the frame filter
6902 dictionary resides. When @code{all} is specified, all frame filters across
6903 all dictionaries are enabled. @var{filter-name} is the name of the frame
6904 filter and is used when @code{all} is not the option for
6905 @var{filter-dictionary}.
6906
6907 Example:
6908
6909 @smallexample
6910 (gdb) info frame-filter
6911
6912 global frame-filters:
6913 Priority Enabled Name
6914 1000 No PrimaryFunctionFilter
6915 100 Yes Reverse
6916
6917 progspace /build/test frame-filters:
6918 Priority Enabled Name
6919 100 Yes ProgspaceFilter
6920
6921 objfile /build/test frame-filters:
6922 Priority Enabled Name
6923 999 Yes BuildProgra Filter
6924
6925 (gdb) disable frame-filter /build/test BuildProgramFilter
6926 (gdb) info frame-filter
6927
6928 global frame-filters:
6929 Priority Enabled Name
6930 1000 No PrimaryFunctionFilter
6931 100 Yes Reverse
6932
6933 progspace /build/test frame-filters:
6934 Priority Enabled Name
6935 100 Yes ProgspaceFilter
6936
6937 objfile /build/test frame-filters:
6938 Priority Enabled Name
6939 999 No BuildProgramFilter
6940
6941 (gdb) enable frame-filter global PrimaryFunctionFilter
6942 (gdb) info frame-filter
6943
6944 global frame-filters:
6945 Priority Enabled Name
6946 1000 Yes PrimaryFunctionFilter
6947 100 Yes Reverse
6948
6949 progspace /build/test frame-filters:
6950 Priority Enabled Name
6951 100 Yes ProgspaceFilter
6952
6953 objfile /build/test frame-filters:
6954 Priority Enabled Name
6955 999 No BuildProgramFilter
6956 @end smallexample
6957
6958 @kindex set frame-filter priority
6959 @item set frame-filter priority @var{filter-dictionary} @var{filter-name} @var{priority}
6960 Set the @var{priority} of a frame filter in the dictionary matching
6961 @var{filter-dictionary}, and the frame filter name matching
6962 @var{filter-name}. @var{filter-dictionary} may be @code{global},
6963 @code{progspace} or the name of the object file where the frame filter
6964 dictionary resides. @var{priority} is an integer.
6965
6966 @kindex show frame-filter priority
6967 @item show frame-filter priority @var{filter-dictionary} @var{filter-name}
6968 Show the @var{priority} of a frame filter in the dictionary matching
6969 @var{filter-dictionary}, and the frame filter name matching
6970 @var{filter-name}. @var{filter-dictionary} may be @code{global},
6971 @code{progspace} or the name of the object file where the frame filter
6972 dictionary resides.
6973
6974 Example:
6975
6976 @smallexample
6977 (gdb) info frame-filter
6978
6979 global frame-filters:
6980 Priority Enabled Name
6981 1000 Yes PrimaryFunctionFilter
6982 100 Yes Reverse
6983
6984 progspace /build/test frame-filters:
6985 Priority Enabled Name
6986 100 Yes ProgspaceFilter
6987
6988 objfile /build/test frame-filters:
6989 Priority Enabled Name
6990 999 No BuildProgramFilter
6991
6992 (gdb) set frame-filter priority global Reverse 50
6993 (gdb) info frame-filter
6994
6995 global frame-filters:
6996 Priority Enabled Name
6997 1000 Yes PrimaryFunctionFilter
6998 50 Yes Reverse
6999
7000 progspace /build/test frame-filters:
7001 Priority Enabled Name
7002 100 Yes ProgspaceFilter
7003
7004 objfile /build/test frame-filters:
7005 Priority Enabled Name
7006 999 No BuildProgramFilter
7007 @end smallexample
7008 @end table
7009
7010 @node Selection
7011 @section Selecting a Frame
7012
7013 Most commands for examining the stack and other data in your program work on
7014 whichever stack frame is selected at the moment. Here are the commands for
7015 selecting a stack frame; all of them finish by printing a brief description
7016 of the stack frame just selected.
7017
7018 @table @code
7019 @kindex frame@r{, selecting}
7020 @kindex f @r{(@code{frame})}
7021 @item frame @var{n}
7022 @itemx f @var{n}
7023 Select frame number @var{n}. Recall that frame zero is the innermost
7024 (currently executing) frame, frame one is the frame that called the
7025 innermost one, and so on. The highest-numbered frame is the one for
7026 @code{main}.
7027
7028 @item frame @var{addr}
7029 @itemx f @var{addr}
7030 Select the frame at address @var{addr}. This is useful mainly if the
7031 chaining of stack frames has been damaged by a bug, making it
7032 impossible for @value{GDBN} to assign numbers properly to all frames. In
7033 addition, this can be useful when your program has multiple stacks and
7034 switches between them.
7035
7036 On the SPARC architecture, @code{frame} needs two addresses to
7037 select an arbitrary frame: a frame pointer and a stack pointer.
7038
7039 On the @acronym{MIPS} and Alpha architecture, it needs two addresses: a stack
7040 pointer and a program counter.
7041
7042 On the 29k architecture, it needs three addresses: a register stack
7043 pointer, a program counter, and a memory stack pointer.
7044
7045 @kindex up
7046 @item up @var{n}
7047 Move @var{n} frames up the stack. For positive numbers @var{n}, this
7048 advances toward the outermost frame, to higher frame numbers, to frames
7049 that have existed longer. @var{n} defaults to one.
7050
7051 @kindex down
7052 @kindex do @r{(@code{down})}
7053 @item down @var{n}
7054 Move @var{n} frames down the stack. For positive numbers @var{n}, this
7055 advances toward the innermost frame, to lower frame numbers, to frames
7056 that were created more recently. @var{n} defaults to one. You may
7057 abbreviate @code{down} as @code{do}.
7058 @end table
7059
7060 All of these commands end by printing two lines of output describing the
7061 frame. The first line shows the frame number, the function name, the
7062 arguments, and the source file and line number of execution in that
7063 frame. The second line shows the text of that source line.
7064
7065 @need 1000
7066 For example:
7067
7068 @smallexample
7069 @group
7070 (@value{GDBP}) up
7071 #1 0x22f0 in main (argc=1, argv=0xf7fffbf4, env=0xf7fffbfc)
7072 at env.c:10
7073 10 read_input_file (argv[i]);
7074 @end group
7075 @end smallexample
7076
7077 After such a printout, the @code{list} command with no arguments
7078 prints ten lines centered on the point of execution in the frame.
7079 You can also edit the program at the point of execution with your favorite
7080 editing program by typing @code{edit}.
7081 @xref{List, ,Printing Source Lines},
7082 for details.
7083
7084 @table @code
7085 @kindex down-silently
7086 @kindex up-silently
7087 @item up-silently @var{n}
7088 @itemx down-silently @var{n}
7089 These two commands are variants of @code{up} and @code{down},
7090 respectively; they differ in that they do their work silently, without
7091 causing display of the new frame. They are intended primarily for use
7092 in @value{GDBN} command scripts, where the output might be unnecessary and
7093 distracting.
7094 @end table
7095
7096 @node Frame Info
7097 @section Information About a Frame
7098
7099 There are several other commands to print information about the selected
7100 stack frame.
7101
7102 @table @code
7103 @item frame
7104 @itemx f
7105 When used without any argument, this command does not change which
7106 frame is selected, but prints a brief description of the currently
7107 selected stack frame. It can be abbreviated @code{f}. With an
7108 argument, this command is used to select a stack frame.
7109 @xref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}.
7110
7111 @kindex info frame
7112 @kindex info f @r{(@code{info frame})}
7113 @item info frame
7114 @itemx info f
7115 This command prints a verbose description of the selected stack frame,
7116 including:
7117
7118 @itemize @bullet
7119 @item
7120 the address of the frame
7121 @item
7122 the address of the next frame down (called by this frame)
7123 @item
7124 the address of the next frame up (caller of this frame)
7125 @item
7126 the language in which the source code corresponding to this frame is written
7127 @item
7128 the address of the frame's arguments
7129 @item
7130 the address of the frame's local variables
7131 @item
7132 the program counter saved in it (the address of execution in the caller frame)
7133 @item
7134 which registers were saved in the frame
7135 @end itemize
7136
7137 @noindent The verbose description is useful when
7138 something has gone wrong that has made the stack format fail to fit
7139 the usual conventions.
7140
7141 @item info frame @var{addr}
7142 @itemx info f @var{addr}
7143 Print a verbose description of the frame at address @var{addr}, without
7144 selecting that frame. The selected frame remains unchanged by this
7145 command. This requires the same kind of address (more than one for some
7146 architectures) that you specify in the @code{frame} command.
7147 @xref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}.
7148
7149 @kindex info args
7150 @item info args
7151 Print the arguments of the selected frame, each on a separate line.
7152
7153 @item info locals
7154 @kindex info locals
7155 Print the local variables of the selected frame, each on a separate
7156 line. These are all variables (declared either static or automatic)
7157 accessible at the point of execution of the selected frame.
7158
7159 @end table
7160
7161
7162 @node Source
7163 @chapter Examining Source Files
7164
7165 @value{GDBN} can print parts of your program's source, since the debugging
7166 information recorded in the program tells @value{GDBN} what source files were
7167 used to build it. When your program stops, @value{GDBN} spontaneously prints
7168 the line where it stopped. Likewise, when you select a stack frame
7169 (@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}), @value{GDBN} prints the line where
7170 execution in that frame has stopped. You can print other portions of
7171 source files by explicit command.
7172
7173 If you use @value{GDBN} through its @sc{gnu} Emacs interface, you may
7174 prefer to use Emacs facilities to view source; see @ref{Emacs, ,Using
7175 @value{GDBN} under @sc{gnu} Emacs}.
7176
7177 @menu
7178 * List:: Printing source lines
7179 * Specify Location:: How to specify code locations
7180 * Edit:: Editing source files
7181 * Search:: Searching source files
7182 * Source Path:: Specifying source directories
7183 * Machine Code:: Source and machine code
7184 @end menu
7185
7186 @node List
7187 @section Printing Source Lines
7188
7189 @kindex list
7190 @kindex l @r{(@code{list})}
7191 To print lines from a source file, use the @code{list} command
7192 (abbreviated @code{l}). By default, ten lines are printed.
7193 There are several ways to specify what part of the file you want to
7194 print; see @ref{Specify Location}, for the full list.
7195
7196 Here are the forms of the @code{list} command most commonly used:
7197
7198 @table @code
7199 @item list @var{linenum}
7200 Print lines centered around line number @var{linenum} in the
7201 current source file.
7202
7203 @item list @var{function}
7204 Print lines centered around the beginning of function
7205 @var{function}.
7206
7207 @item list
7208 Print more lines. If the last lines printed were printed with a
7209 @code{list} command, this prints lines following the last lines
7210 printed; however, if the last line printed was a solitary line printed
7211 as part of displaying a stack frame (@pxref{Stack, ,Examining the
7212 Stack}), this prints lines centered around that line.
7213
7214 @item list -
7215 Print lines just before the lines last printed.
7216 @end table
7217
7218 @cindex @code{list}, how many lines to display
7219 By default, @value{GDBN} prints ten source lines with any of these forms of
7220 the @code{list} command. You can change this using @code{set listsize}:
7221
7222 @table @code
7223 @kindex set listsize
7224 @item set listsize @var{count}
7225 @itemx set listsize unlimited
7226 Make the @code{list} command display @var{count} source lines (unless
7227 the @code{list} argument explicitly specifies some other number).
7228 Setting @var{count} to @code{unlimited} or 0 means there's no limit.
7229
7230 @kindex show listsize
7231 @item show listsize
7232 Display the number of lines that @code{list} prints.
7233 @end table
7234
7235 Repeating a @code{list} command with @key{RET} discards the argument,
7236 so it is equivalent to typing just @code{list}. This is more useful
7237 than listing the same lines again. An exception is made for an
7238 argument of @samp{-}; that argument is preserved in repetition so that
7239 each repetition moves up in the source file.
7240
7241 In general, the @code{list} command expects you to supply zero, one or two
7242 @dfn{linespecs}. Linespecs specify source lines; there are several ways
7243 of writing them (@pxref{Specify Location}), but the effect is always
7244 to specify some source line.
7245
7246 Here is a complete description of the possible arguments for @code{list}:
7247
7248 @table @code
7249 @item list @var{linespec}
7250 Print lines centered around the line specified by @var{linespec}.
7251
7252 @item list @var{first},@var{last}
7253 Print lines from @var{first} to @var{last}. Both arguments are
7254 linespecs. When a @code{list} command has two linespecs, and the
7255 source file of the second linespec is omitted, this refers to
7256 the same source file as the first linespec.
7257
7258 @item list ,@var{last}
7259 Print lines ending with @var{last}.
7260
7261 @item list @var{first},
7262 Print lines starting with @var{first}.
7263
7264 @item list +
7265 Print lines just after the lines last printed.
7266
7267 @item list -
7268 Print lines just before the lines last printed.
7269
7270 @item list
7271 As described in the preceding table.
7272 @end table
7273
7274 @node Specify Location
7275 @section Specifying a Location
7276 @cindex specifying location
7277 @cindex linespec
7278
7279 Several @value{GDBN} commands accept arguments that specify a location
7280 of your program's code. Since @value{GDBN} is a source-level
7281 debugger, a location usually specifies some line in the source code;
7282 for that reason, locations are also known as @dfn{linespecs}.
7283
7284 Here are all the different ways of specifying a code location that
7285 @value{GDBN} understands:
7286
7287 @table @code
7288 @item @var{linenum}
7289 Specifies the line number @var{linenum} of the current source file.
7290
7291 @item -@var{offset}
7292 @itemx +@var{offset}
7293 Specifies the line @var{offset} lines before or after the @dfn{current
7294 line}. For the @code{list} command, the current line is the last one
7295 printed; for the breakpoint commands, this is the line at which
7296 execution stopped in the currently selected @dfn{stack frame}
7297 (@pxref{Frames, ,Frames}, for a description of stack frames.) When
7298 used as the second of the two linespecs in a @code{list} command,
7299 this specifies the line @var{offset} lines up or down from the first
7300 linespec.
7301
7302 @item @var{filename}:@var{linenum}
7303 Specifies the line @var{linenum} in the source file @var{filename}.
7304 If @var{filename} is a relative file name, then it will match any
7305 source file name with the same trailing components. For example, if
7306 @var{filename} is @samp{gcc/expr.c}, then it will match source file
7307 name of @file{/build/trunk/gcc/expr.c}, but not
7308 @file{/build/trunk/libcpp/expr.c} or @file{/build/trunk/gcc/x-expr.c}.
7309
7310 @item @var{function}
7311 Specifies the line that begins the body of the function @var{function}.
7312 For example, in C, this is the line with the open brace.
7313
7314 @item @var{function}:@var{label}
7315 Specifies the line where @var{label} appears in @var{function}.
7316
7317 @item @var{filename}:@var{function}
7318 Specifies the line that begins the body of the function @var{function}
7319 in the file @var{filename}. You only need the file name with a
7320 function name to avoid ambiguity when there are identically named
7321 functions in different source files.
7322
7323 @item @var{label}
7324 Specifies the line at which the label named @var{label} appears.
7325 @value{GDBN} searches for the label in the function corresponding to
7326 the currently selected stack frame. If there is no current selected
7327 stack frame (for instance, if the inferior is not running), then
7328 @value{GDBN} will not search for a label.
7329
7330 @item *@var{address}
7331 Specifies the program address @var{address}. For line-oriented
7332 commands, such as @code{list} and @code{edit}, this specifies a source
7333 line that contains @var{address}. For @code{break} and other
7334 breakpoint oriented commands, this can be used to set breakpoints in
7335 parts of your program which do not have debugging information or
7336 source files.
7337
7338 Here @var{address} may be any expression valid in the current working
7339 language (@pxref{Languages, working language}) that specifies a code
7340 address. In addition, as a convenience, @value{GDBN} extends the
7341 semantics of expressions used in locations to cover the situations
7342 that frequently happen during debugging. Here are the various forms
7343 of @var{address}:
7344
7345 @table @code
7346 @item @var{expression}
7347 Any expression valid in the current working language.
7348
7349 @item @var{funcaddr}
7350 An address of a function or procedure derived from its name. In C,
7351 C@t{++}, Java, Objective-C, Fortran, minimal, and assembly, this is
7352 simply the function's name @var{function} (and actually a special case
7353 of a valid expression). In Pascal and Modula-2, this is
7354 @code{&@var{function}}. In Ada, this is @code{@var{function}'Address}
7355 (although the Pascal form also works).
7356
7357 This form specifies the address of the function's first instruction,
7358 before the stack frame and arguments have been set up.
7359
7360 @item '@var{filename}'::@var{funcaddr}
7361 Like @var{funcaddr} above, but also specifies the name of the source
7362 file explicitly. This is useful if the name of the function does not
7363 specify the function unambiguously, e.g., if there are several
7364 functions with identical names in different source files.
7365 @end table
7366
7367 @cindex breakpoint at static probe point
7368 @item -pstap|-probe-stap @r{[}@var{objfile}:@r{[}@var{provider}:@r{]}@r{]}@var{name}
7369 The @sc{gnu}/Linux tool @code{SystemTap} provides a way for
7370 applications to embed static probes. @xref{Static Probe Points}, for more
7371 information on finding and using static probes. This form of linespec
7372 specifies the location of such a static probe.
7373
7374 If @var{objfile} is given, only probes coming from that shared library
7375 or executable matching @var{objfile} as a regular expression are considered.
7376 If @var{provider} is given, then only probes from that provider are considered.
7377 If several probes match the spec, @value{GDBN} will insert a breakpoint at
7378 each one of those probes.
7379
7380 @end table
7381
7382
7383 @node Edit
7384 @section Editing Source Files
7385 @cindex editing source files
7386
7387 @kindex edit
7388 @kindex e @r{(@code{edit})}
7389 To edit the lines in a source file, use the @code{edit} command.
7390 The editing program of your choice
7391 is invoked with the current line set to
7392 the active line in the program.
7393 Alternatively, there are several ways to specify what part of the file you
7394 want to print if you want to see other parts of the program:
7395
7396 @table @code
7397 @item edit @var{location}
7398 Edit the source file specified by @code{location}. Editing starts at
7399 that @var{location}, e.g., at the specified source line of the
7400 specified file. @xref{Specify Location}, for all the possible forms
7401 of the @var{location} argument; here are the forms of the @code{edit}
7402 command most commonly used:
7403
7404 @table @code
7405 @item edit @var{number}
7406 Edit the current source file with @var{number} as the active line number.
7407
7408 @item edit @var{function}
7409 Edit the file containing @var{function} at the beginning of its definition.
7410 @end table
7411
7412 @end table
7413
7414 @subsection Choosing your Editor
7415 You can customize @value{GDBN} to use any editor you want
7416 @footnote{
7417 The only restriction is that your editor (say @code{ex}), recognizes the
7418 following command-line syntax:
7419 @smallexample
7420 ex +@var{number} file
7421 @end smallexample
7422 The optional numeric value +@var{number} specifies the number of the line in
7423 the file where to start editing.}.
7424 By default, it is @file{@value{EDITOR}}, but you can change this
7425 by setting the environment variable @code{EDITOR} before using
7426 @value{GDBN}. For example, to configure @value{GDBN} to use the
7427 @code{vi} editor, you could use these commands with the @code{sh} shell:
7428 @smallexample
7429 EDITOR=/usr/bin/vi
7430 export EDITOR
7431 gdb @dots{}
7432 @end smallexample
7433 or in the @code{csh} shell,
7434 @smallexample
7435 setenv EDITOR /usr/bin/vi
7436 gdb @dots{}
7437 @end smallexample
7438
7439 @node Search
7440 @section Searching Source Files
7441 @cindex searching source files
7442
7443 There are two commands for searching through the current source file for a
7444 regular expression.
7445
7446 @table @code
7447 @kindex search
7448 @kindex forward-search
7449 @kindex fo @r{(@code{forward-search})}
7450 @item forward-search @var{regexp}
7451 @itemx search @var{regexp}
7452 The command @samp{forward-search @var{regexp}} checks each line,
7453 starting with the one following the last line listed, for a match for
7454 @var{regexp}. It lists the line that is found. You can use the
7455 synonym @samp{search @var{regexp}} or abbreviate the command name as
7456 @code{fo}.
7457
7458 @kindex reverse-search
7459 @item reverse-search @var{regexp}
7460 The command @samp{reverse-search @var{regexp}} checks each line, starting
7461 with the one before the last line listed and going backward, for a match
7462 for @var{regexp}. It lists the line that is found. You can abbreviate
7463 this command as @code{rev}.
7464 @end table
7465
7466 @node Source Path
7467 @section Specifying Source Directories
7468
7469 @cindex source path
7470 @cindex directories for source files
7471 Executable programs sometimes do not record the directories of the source
7472 files from which they were compiled, just the names. Even when they do,
7473 the directories could be moved between the compilation and your debugging
7474 session. @value{GDBN} has a list of directories to search for source files;
7475 this is called the @dfn{source path}. Each time @value{GDBN} wants a source file,
7476 it tries all the directories in the list, in the order they are present
7477 in the list, until it finds a file with the desired name.
7478
7479 For example, suppose an executable references the file
7480 @file{/usr/src/foo-1.0/lib/foo.c}, and our source path is
7481 @file{/mnt/cross}. The file is first looked up literally; if this
7482 fails, @file{/mnt/cross/usr/src/foo-1.0/lib/foo.c} is tried; if this
7483 fails, @file{/mnt/cross/foo.c} is opened; if this fails, an error
7484 message is printed. @value{GDBN} does not look up the parts of the
7485 source file name, such as @file{/mnt/cross/src/foo-1.0/lib/foo.c}.
7486 Likewise, the subdirectories of the source path are not searched: if
7487 the source path is @file{/mnt/cross}, and the binary refers to
7488 @file{foo.c}, @value{GDBN} would not find it under
7489 @file{/mnt/cross/usr/src/foo-1.0/lib}.
7490
7491 Plain file names, relative file names with leading directories, file
7492 names containing dots, etc.@: are all treated as described above; for
7493 instance, if the source path is @file{/mnt/cross}, and the source file
7494 is recorded as @file{../lib/foo.c}, @value{GDBN} would first try
7495 @file{../lib/foo.c}, then @file{/mnt/cross/../lib/foo.c}, and after
7496 that---@file{/mnt/cross/foo.c}.
7497
7498 Note that the executable search path is @emph{not} used to locate the
7499 source files.
7500
7501 Whenever you reset or rearrange the source path, @value{GDBN} clears out
7502 any information it has cached about where source files are found and where
7503 each line is in the file.
7504
7505 @kindex directory
7506 @kindex dir
7507 When you start @value{GDBN}, its source path includes only @samp{cdir}
7508 and @samp{cwd}, in that order.
7509 To add other directories, use the @code{directory} command.
7510
7511 The search path is used to find both program source files and @value{GDBN}
7512 script files (read using the @samp{-command} option and @samp{source} command).
7513
7514 In addition to the source path, @value{GDBN} provides a set of commands
7515 that manage a list of source path substitution rules. A @dfn{substitution
7516 rule} specifies how to rewrite source directories stored in the program's
7517 debug information in case the sources were moved to a different
7518 directory between compilation and debugging. A rule is made of
7519 two strings, the first specifying what needs to be rewritten in
7520 the path, and the second specifying how it should be rewritten.
7521 In @ref{set substitute-path}, we name these two parts @var{from} and
7522 @var{to} respectively. @value{GDBN} does a simple string replacement
7523 of @var{from} with @var{to} at the start of the directory part of the
7524 source file name, and uses that result instead of the original file
7525 name to look up the sources.
7526
7527 Using the previous example, suppose the @file{foo-1.0} tree has been
7528 moved from @file{/usr/src} to @file{/mnt/cross}, then you can tell
7529 @value{GDBN} to replace @file{/usr/src} in all source path names with
7530 @file{/mnt/cross}. The first lookup will then be
7531 @file{/mnt/cross/foo-1.0/lib/foo.c} in place of the original location
7532 of @file{/usr/src/foo-1.0/lib/foo.c}. To define a source path
7533 substitution rule, use the @code{set substitute-path} command
7534 (@pxref{set substitute-path}).
7535
7536 To avoid unexpected substitution results, a rule is applied only if the
7537 @var{from} part of the directory name ends at a directory separator.
7538 For instance, a rule substituting @file{/usr/source} into
7539 @file{/mnt/cross} will be applied to @file{/usr/source/foo-1.0} but
7540 not to @file{/usr/sourceware/foo-2.0}. And because the substitution
7541 is applied only at the beginning of the directory name, this rule will
7542 not be applied to @file{/root/usr/source/baz.c} either.
7543
7544 In many cases, you can achieve the same result using the @code{directory}
7545 command. However, @code{set substitute-path} can be more efficient in
7546 the case where the sources are organized in a complex tree with multiple
7547 subdirectories. With the @code{directory} command, you need to add each
7548 subdirectory of your project. If you moved the entire tree while
7549 preserving its internal organization, then @code{set substitute-path}
7550 allows you to direct the debugger to all the sources with one single
7551 command.
7552
7553 @code{set substitute-path} is also more than just a shortcut command.
7554 The source path is only used if the file at the original location no
7555 longer exists. On the other hand, @code{set substitute-path} modifies
7556 the debugger behavior to look at the rewritten location instead. So, if
7557 for any reason a source file that is not relevant to your executable is
7558 located at the original location, a substitution rule is the only
7559 method available to point @value{GDBN} at the new location.
7560
7561 @cindex @samp{--with-relocated-sources}
7562 @cindex default source path substitution
7563 You can configure a default source path substitution rule by
7564 configuring @value{GDBN} with the
7565 @samp{--with-relocated-sources=@var{dir}} option. The @var{dir}
7566 should be the name of a directory under @value{GDBN}'s configured
7567 prefix (set with @samp{--prefix} or @samp{--exec-prefix}), and
7568 directory names in debug information under @var{dir} will be adjusted
7569 automatically if the installed @value{GDBN} is moved to a new
7570 location. This is useful if @value{GDBN}, libraries or executables
7571 with debug information and corresponding source code are being moved
7572 together.
7573
7574 @table @code
7575 @item directory @var{dirname} @dots{}
7576 @item dir @var{dirname} @dots{}
7577 Add directory @var{dirname} to the front of the source path. Several
7578 directory names may be given to this command, separated by @samp{:}
7579 (@samp{;} on MS-DOS and MS-Windows, where @samp{:} usually appears as
7580 part of absolute file names) or
7581 whitespace. You may specify a directory that is already in the source
7582 path; this moves it forward, so @value{GDBN} searches it sooner.
7583
7584 @kindex cdir
7585 @kindex cwd
7586 @vindex $cdir@r{, convenience variable}
7587 @vindex $cwd@r{, convenience variable}
7588 @cindex compilation directory
7589 @cindex current directory
7590 @cindex working directory
7591 @cindex directory, current
7592 @cindex directory, compilation
7593 You can use the string @samp{$cdir} to refer to the compilation
7594 directory (if one is recorded), and @samp{$cwd} to refer to the current
7595 working directory. @samp{$cwd} is not the same as @samp{.}---the former
7596 tracks the current working directory as it changes during your @value{GDBN}
7597 session, while the latter is immediately expanded to the current
7598 directory at the time you add an entry to the source path.
7599
7600 @item directory
7601 Reset the source path to its default value (@samp{$cdir:$cwd} on Unix systems). This requires confirmation.
7602
7603 @c RET-repeat for @code{directory} is explicitly disabled, but since
7604 @c repeating it would be a no-op we do not say that. (thanks to RMS)
7605
7606 @item set directories @var{path-list}
7607 @kindex set directories
7608 Set the source path to @var{path-list}.
7609 @samp{$cdir:$cwd} are added if missing.
7610
7611 @item show directories
7612 @kindex show directories
7613 Print the source path: show which directories it contains.
7614
7615 @anchor{set substitute-path}
7616 @item set substitute-path @var{from} @var{to}
7617 @kindex set substitute-path
7618 Define a source path substitution rule, and add it at the end of the
7619 current list of existing substitution rules. If a rule with the same
7620 @var{from} was already defined, then the old rule is also deleted.
7621
7622 For example, if the file @file{/foo/bar/baz.c} was moved to
7623 @file{/mnt/cross/baz.c}, then the command
7624
7625 @smallexample
7626 (@value{GDBP}) set substitute-path /usr/src /mnt/cross
7627 @end smallexample
7628
7629 @noindent
7630 will tell @value{GDBN} to replace @samp{/usr/src} with
7631 @samp{/mnt/cross}, which will allow @value{GDBN} to find the file
7632 @file{baz.c} even though it was moved.
7633
7634 In the case when more than one substitution rule have been defined,
7635 the rules are evaluated one by one in the order where they have been
7636 defined. The first one matching, if any, is selected to perform
7637 the substitution.
7638
7639 For instance, if we had entered the following commands:
7640
7641 @smallexample
7642 (@value{GDBP}) set substitute-path /usr/src/include /mnt/include
7643 (@value{GDBP}) set substitute-path /usr/src /mnt/src
7644 @end smallexample
7645
7646 @noindent
7647 @value{GDBN} would then rewrite @file{/usr/src/include/defs.h} into
7648 @file{/mnt/include/defs.h} by using the first rule. However, it would
7649 use the second rule to rewrite @file{/usr/src/lib/foo.c} into
7650 @file{/mnt/src/lib/foo.c}.
7651
7652
7653 @item unset substitute-path [path]
7654 @kindex unset substitute-path
7655 If a path is specified, search the current list of substitution rules
7656 for a rule that would rewrite that path. Delete that rule if found.
7657 A warning is emitted by the debugger if no rule could be found.
7658
7659 If no path is specified, then all substitution rules are deleted.
7660
7661 @item show substitute-path [path]
7662 @kindex show substitute-path
7663 If a path is specified, then print the source path substitution rule
7664 which would rewrite that path, if any.
7665
7666 If no path is specified, then print all existing source path substitution
7667 rules.
7668
7669 @end table
7670
7671 If your source path is cluttered with directories that are no longer of
7672 interest, @value{GDBN} may sometimes cause confusion by finding the wrong
7673 versions of source. You can correct the situation as follows:
7674
7675 @enumerate
7676 @item
7677 Use @code{directory} with no argument to reset the source path to its default value.
7678
7679 @item
7680 Use @code{directory} with suitable arguments to reinstall the
7681 directories you want in the source path. You can add all the
7682 directories in one command.
7683 @end enumerate
7684
7685 @node Machine Code
7686 @section Source and Machine Code
7687 @cindex source line and its code address
7688
7689 You can use the command @code{info line} to map source lines to program
7690 addresses (and vice versa), and the command @code{disassemble} to display
7691 a range of addresses as machine instructions. You can use the command
7692 @code{set disassemble-next-line} to set whether to disassemble next
7693 source line when execution stops. When run under @sc{gnu} Emacs
7694 mode, the @code{info line} command causes the arrow to point to the
7695 line specified. Also, @code{info line} prints addresses in symbolic form as
7696 well as hex.
7697
7698 @table @code
7699 @kindex info line
7700 @item info line @var{linespec}
7701 Print the starting and ending addresses of the compiled code for
7702 source line @var{linespec}. You can specify source lines in any of
7703 the ways documented in @ref{Specify Location}.
7704 @end table
7705
7706 For example, we can use @code{info line} to discover the location of
7707 the object code for the first line of function
7708 @code{m4_changequote}:
7709
7710 @c FIXME: I think this example should also show the addresses in
7711 @c symbolic form, as they usually would be displayed.
7712 @smallexample
7713 (@value{GDBP}) info line m4_changequote
7714 Line 895 of "builtin.c" starts at pc 0x634c and ends at 0x6350.
7715 @end smallexample
7716
7717 @noindent
7718 @cindex code address and its source line
7719 We can also inquire (using @code{*@var{addr}} as the form for
7720 @var{linespec}) what source line covers a particular address:
7721 @smallexample
7722 (@value{GDBP}) info line *0x63ff
7723 Line 926 of "builtin.c" starts at pc 0x63e4 and ends at 0x6404.
7724 @end smallexample
7725
7726 @cindex @code{$_} and @code{info line}
7727 @cindex @code{x} command, default address
7728 @kindex x@r{(examine), and} info line
7729 After @code{info line}, the default address for the @code{x} command
7730 is changed to the starting address of the line, so that @samp{x/i} is
7731 sufficient to begin examining the machine code (@pxref{Memory,
7732 ,Examining Memory}). Also, this address is saved as the value of the
7733 convenience variable @code{$_} (@pxref{Convenience Vars, ,Convenience
7734 Variables}).
7735
7736 @table @code
7737 @kindex disassemble
7738 @cindex assembly instructions
7739 @cindex instructions, assembly
7740 @cindex machine instructions
7741 @cindex listing machine instructions
7742 @item disassemble
7743 @itemx disassemble /m
7744 @itemx disassemble /r
7745 This specialized command dumps a range of memory as machine
7746 instructions. It can also print mixed source+disassembly by specifying
7747 the @code{/m} modifier and print the raw instructions in hex as well as
7748 in symbolic form by specifying the @code{/r}.
7749 The default memory range is the function surrounding the
7750 program counter of the selected frame. A single argument to this
7751 command is a program counter value; @value{GDBN} dumps the function
7752 surrounding this value. When two arguments are given, they should
7753 be separated by a comma, possibly surrounded by whitespace. The
7754 arguments specify a range of addresses to dump, in one of two forms:
7755
7756 @table @code
7757 @item @var{start},@var{end}
7758 the addresses from @var{start} (inclusive) to @var{end} (exclusive)
7759 @item @var{start},+@var{length}
7760 the addresses from @var{start} (inclusive) to
7761 @code{@var{start}+@var{length}} (exclusive).
7762 @end table
7763
7764 @noindent
7765 When 2 arguments are specified, the name of the function is also
7766 printed (since there could be several functions in the given range).
7767
7768 The argument(s) can be any expression yielding a numeric value, such as
7769 @samp{0x32c4}, @samp{&main+10} or @samp{$pc - 8}.
7770
7771 If the range of memory being disassembled contains current program counter,
7772 the instruction at that location is shown with a @code{=>} marker.
7773 @end table
7774
7775 The following example shows the disassembly of a range of addresses of
7776 HP PA-RISC 2.0 code:
7777
7778 @smallexample
7779 (@value{GDBP}) disas 0x32c4, 0x32e4
7780 Dump of assembler code from 0x32c4 to 0x32e4:
7781 0x32c4 <main+204>: addil 0,dp
7782 0x32c8 <main+208>: ldw 0x22c(sr0,r1),r26
7783 0x32cc <main+212>: ldil 0x3000,r31
7784 0x32d0 <main+216>: ble 0x3f8(sr4,r31)
7785 0x32d4 <main+220>: ldo 0(r31),rp
7786 0x32d8 <main+224>: addil -0x800,dp
7787 0x32dc <main+228>: ldo 0x588(r1),r26
7788 0x32e0 <main+232>: ldil 0x3000,r31
7789 End of assembler dump.
7790 @end smallexample
7791
7792 Here is an example showing mixed source+assembly for Intel x86, when the
7793 program is stopped just after function prologue:
7794
7795 @smallexample
7796 (@value{GDBP}) disas /m main
7797 Dump of assembler code for function main:
7798 5 @{
7799 0x08048330 <+0>: push %ebp
7800 0x08048331 <+1>: mov %esp,%ebp
7801 0x08048333 <+3>: sub $0x8,%esp
7802 0x08048336 <+6>: and $0xfffffff0,%esp
7803 0x08048339 <+9>: sub $0x10,%esp
7804
7805 6 printf ("Hello.\n");
7806 => 0x0804833c <+12>: movl $0x8048440,(%esp)
7807 0x08048343 <+19>: call 0x8048284 <puts@@plt>
7808
7809 7 return 0;
7810 8 @}
7811 0x08048348 <+24>: mov $0x0,%eax
7812 0x0804834d <+29>: leave
7813 0x0804834e <+30>: ret
7814
7815 End of assembler dump.
7816 @end smallexample
7817
7818 Here is another example showing raw instructions in hex for AMD x86-64,
7819
7820 @smallexample
7821 (gdb) disas /r 0x400281,+10
7822 Dump of assembler code from 0x400281 to 0x40028b:
7823 0x0000000000400281: 38 36 cmp %dh,(%rsi)
7824 0x0000000000400283: 2d 36 34 2e 73 sub $0x732e3436,%eax
7825 0x0000000000400288: 6f outsl %ds:(%rsi),(%dx)
7826 0x0000000000400289: 2e 32 00 xor %cs:(%rax),%al
7827 End of assembler dump.
7828 @end smallexample
7829
7830 Addresses cannot be specified as a linespec (@pxref{Specify Location}).
7831 So, for example, if you want to disassemble function @code{bar}
7832 in file @file{foo.c}, you must type @samp{disassemble 'foo.c'::bar}
7833 and not @samp{disassemble foo.c:bar}.
7834
7835 Some architectures have more than one commonly-used set of instruction
7836 mnemonics or other syntax.
7837
7838 For programs that were dynamically linked and use shared libraries,
7839 instructions that call functions or branch to locations in the shared
7840 libraries might show a seemingly bogus location---it's actually a
7841 location of the relocation table. On some architectures, @value{GDBN}
7842 might be able to resolve these to actual function names.
7843
7844 @table @code
7845 @kindex set disassembly-flavor
7846 @cindex Intel disassembly flavor
7847 @cindex AT&T disassembly flavor
7848 @item set disassembly-flavor @var{instruction-set}
7849 Select the instruction set to use when disassembling the
7850 program via the @code{disassemble} or @code{x/i} commands.
7851
7852 Currently this command is only defined for the Intel x86 family. You
7853 can set @var{instruction-set} to either @code{intel} or @code{att}.
7854 The default is @code{att}, the AT&T flavor used by default by Unix
7855 assemblers for x86-based targets.
7856
7857 @kindex show disassembly-flavor
7858 @item show disassembly-flavor
7859 Show the current setting of the disassembly flavor.
7860 @end table
7861
7862 @table @code
7863 @kindex set disassemble-next-line
7864 @kindex show disassemble-next-line
7865 @item set disassemble-next-line
7866 @itemx show disassemble-next-line
7867 Control whether or not @value{GDBN} will disassemble the next source
7868 line or instruction when execution stops. If ON, @value{GDBN} will
7869 display disassembly of the next source line when execution of the
7870 program being debugged stops. This is @emph{in addition} to
7871 displaying the source line itself, which @value{GDBN} always does if
7872 possible. If the next source line cannot be displayed for some reason
7873 (e.g., if @value{GDBN} cannot find the source file, or there's no line
7874 info in the debug info), @value{GDBN} will display disassembly of the
7875 next @emph{instruction} instead of showing the next source line. If
7876 AUTO, @value{GDBN} will display disassembly of next instruction only
7877 if the source line cannot be displayed. This setting causes
7878 @value{GDBN} to display some feedback when you step through a function
7879 with no line info or whose source file is unavailable. The default is
7880 OFF, which means never display the disassembly of the next line or
7881 instruction.
7882 @end table
7883
7884
7885 @node Data
7886 @chapter Examining Data
7887
7888 @cindex printing data
7889 @cindex examining data
7890 @kindex print
7891 @kindex inspect
7892 The usual way to examine data in your program is with the @code{print}
7893 command (abbreviated @code{p}), or its synonym @code{inspect}. It
7894 evaluates and prints the value of an expression of the language your
7895 program is written in (@pxref{Languages, ,Using @value{GDBN} with
7896 Different Languages}). It may also print the expression using a
7897 Python-based pretty-printer (@pxref{Pretty Printing}).
7898
7899 @table @code
7900 @item print @var{expr}
7901 @itemx print /@var{f} @var{expr}
7902 @var{expr} is an expression (in the source language). By default the
7903 value of @var{expr} is printed in a format appropriate to its data type;
7904 you can choose a different format by specifying @samp{/@var{f}}, where
7905 @var{f} is a letter specifying the format; see @ref{Output Formats,,Output
7906 Formats}.
7907
7908 @item print
7909 @itemx print /@var{f}
7910 @cindex reprint the last value
7911 If you omit @var{expr}, @value{GDBN} displays the last value again (from the
7912 @dfn{value history}; @pxref{Value History, ,Value History}). This allows you to
7913 conveniently inspect the same value in an alternative format.
7914 @end table
7915
7916 A more low-level way of examining data is with the @code{x} command.
7917 It examines data in memory at a specified address and prints it in a
7918 specified format. @xref{Memory, ,Examining Memory}.
7919
7920 If you are interested in information about types, or about how the
7921 fields of a struct or a class are declared, use the @code{ptype @var{exp}}
7922 command rather than @code{print}. @xref{Symbols, ,Examining the Symbol
7923 Table}.
7924
7925 @cindex exploring hierarchical data structures
7926 @kindex explore
7927 Another way of examining values of expressions and type information is
7928 through the Python extension command @code{explore} (available only if
7929 the @value{GDBN} build is configured with @code{--with-python}). It
7930 offers an interactive way to start at the highest level (or, the most
7931 abstract level) of the data type of an expression (or, the data type
7932 itself) and explore all the way down to leaf scalar values/fields
7933 embedded in the higher level data types.
7934
7935 @table @code
7936 @item explore @var{arg}
7937 @var{arg} is either an expression (in the source language), or a type
7938 visible in the current context of the program being debugged.
7939 @end table
7940
7941 The working of the @code{explore} command can be illustrated with an
7942 example. If a data type @code{struct ComplexStruct} is defined in your
7943 C program as
7944
7945 @smallexample
7946 struct SimpleStruct
7947 @{
7948 int i;
7949 double d;
7950 @};
7951
7952 struct ComplexStruct
7953 @{
7954 struct SimpleStruct *ss_p;
7955 int arr[10];
7956 @};
7957 @end smallexample
7958
7959 @noindent
7960 followed by variable declarations as
7961
7962 @smallexample
7963 struct SimpleStruct ss = @{ 10, 1.11 @};
7964 struct ComplexStruct cs = @{ &ss, @{ 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 @} @};
7965 @end smallexample
7966
7967 @noindent
7968 then, the value of the variable @code{cs} can be explored using the
7969 @code{explore} command as follows.
7970
7971 @smallexample
7972 (gdb) explore cs
7973 The value of `cs' is a struct/class of type `struct ComplexStruct' with
7974 the following fields:
7975
7976 ss_p = <Enter 0 to explore this field of type `struct SimpleStruct *'>
7977 arr = <Enter 1 to explore this field of type `int [10]'>
7978
7979 Enter the field number of choice:
7980 @end smallexample
7981
7982 @noindent
7983 Since the fields of @code{cs} are not scalar values, you are being
7984 prompted to chose the field you want to explore. Let's say you choose
7985 the field @code{ss_p} by entering @code{0}. Then, since this field is a
7986 pointer, you will be asked if it is pointing to a single value. From
7987 the declaration of @code{cs} above, it is indeed pointing to a single
7988 value, hence you enter @code{y}. If you enter @code{n}, then you will
7989 be asked if it were pointing to an array of values, in which case this
7990 field will be explored as if it were an array.
7991
7992 @smallexample
7993 `cs.ss_p' is a pointer to a value of type `struct SimpleStruct'
7994 Continue exploring it as a pointer to a single value [y/n]: y
7995 The value of `*(cs.ss_p)' is a struct/class of type `struct
7996 SimpleStruct' with the following fields:
7997
7998 i = 10 .. (Value of type `int')
7999 d = 1.1100000000000001 .. (Value of type `double')
8000
8001 Press enter to return to parent value:
8002 @end smallexample
8003
8004 @noindent
8005 If the field @code{arr} of @code{cs} was chosen for exploration by
8006 entering @code{1} earlier, then since it is as array, you will be
8007 prompted to enter the index of the element in the array that you want
8008 to explore.
8009
8010 @smallexample
8011 `cs.arr' is an array of `int'.
8012 Enter the index of the element you want to explore in `cs.arr': 5
8013
8014 `(cs.arr)[5]' is a scalar value of type `int'.
8015
8016 (cs.arr)[5] = 4
8017
8018 Press enter to return to parent value:
8019 @end smallexample
8020
8021 In general, at any stage of exploration, you can go deeper towards the
8022 leaf values by responding to the prompts appropriately, or hit the
8023 return key to return to the enclosing data structure (the @i{higher}
8024 level data structure).
8025
8026 Similar to exploring values, you can use the @code{explore} command to
8027 explore types. Instead of specifying a value (which is typically a
8028 variable name or an expression valid in the current context of the
8029 program being debugged), you specify a type name. If you consider the
8030 same example as above, your can explore the type
8031 @code{struct ComplexStruct} by passing the argument
8032 @code{struct ComplexStruct} to the @code{explore} command.
8033
8034 @smallexample
8035 (gdb) explore struct ComplexStruct
8036 @end smallexample
8037
8038 @noindent
8039 By responding to the prompts appropriately in the subsequent interactive
8040 session, you can explore the type @code{struct ComplexStruct} in a
8041 manner similar to how the value @code{cs} was explored in the above
8042 example.
8043
8044 The @code{explore} command also has two sub-commands,
8045 @code{explore value} and @code{explore type}. The former sub-command is
8046 a way to explicitly specify that value exploration of the argument is
8047 being invoked, while the latter is a way to explicitly specify that type
8048 exploration of the argument is being invoked.
8049
8050 @table @code
8051 @item explore value @var{expr}
8052 @cindex explore value
8053 This sub-command of @code{explore} explores the value of the
8054 expression @var{expr} (if @var{expr} is an expression valid in the
8055 current context of the program being debugged). The behavior of this
8056 command is identical to that of the behavior of the @code{explore}
8057 command being passed the argument @var{expr}.
8058
8059 @item explore type @var{arg}
8060 @cindex explore type
8061 This sub-command of @code{explore} explores the type of @var{arg} (if
8062 @var{arg} is a type visible in the current context of program being
8063 debugged), or the type of the value/expression @var{arg} (if @var{arg}
8064 is an expression valid in the current context of the program being
8065 debugged). If @var{arg} is a type, then the behavior of this command is
8066 identical to that of the @code{explore} command being passed the
8067 argument @var{arg}. If @var{arg} is an expression, then the behavior of
8068 this command will be identical to that of the @code{explore} command
8069 being passed the type of @var{arg} as the argument.
8070 @end table
8071
8072 @menu
8073 * Expressions:: Expressions
8074 * Ambiguous Expressions:: Ambiguous Expressions
8075 * Variables:: Program variables
8076 * Arrays:: Artificial arrays
8077 * Output Formats:: Output formats
8078 * Memory:: Examining memory
8079 * Auto Display:: Automatic display
8080 * Print Settings:: Print settings
8081 * Pretty Printing:: Python pretty printing
8082 * Value History:: Value history
8083 * Convenience Vars:: Convenience variables
8084 * Convenience Funs:: Convenience functions
8085 * Registers:: Registers
8086 * Floating Point Hardware:: Floating point hardware
8087 * Vector Unit:: Vector Unit
8088 * OS Information:: Auxiliary data provided by operating system
8089 * Memory Region Attributes:: Memory region attributes
8090 * Dump/Restore Files:: Copy between memory and a file
8091 * Core File Generation:: Cause a program dump its core
8092 * Character Sets:: Debugging programs that use a different
8093 character set than GDB does
8094 * Caching Target Data:: Data caching for targets
8095 * Searching Memory:: Searching memory for a sequence of bytes
8096 @end menu
8097
8098 @node Expressions
8099 @section Expressions
8100
8101 @cindex expressions
8102 @code{print} and many other @value{GDBN} commands accept an expression and
8103 compute its value. Any kind of constant, variable or operator defined
8104 by the programming language you are using is valid in an expression in
8105 @value{GDBN}. This includes conditional expressions, function calls,
8106 casts, and string constants. It also includes preprocessor macros, if
8107 you compiled your program to include this information; see
8108 @ref{Compilation}.
8109
8110 @cindex arrays in expressions
8111 @value{GDBN} supports array constants in expressions input by
8112 the user. The syntax is @{@var{element}, @var{element}@dots{}@}. For example,
8113 you can use the command @code{print @{1, 2, 3@}} to create an array
8114 of three integers. If you pass an array to a function or assign it
8115 to a program variable, @value{GDBN} copies the array to memory that
8116 is @code{malloc}ed in the target program.
8117
8118 Because C is so widespread, most of the expressions shown in examples in
8119 this manual are in C. @xref{Languages, , Using @value{GDBN} with Different
8120 Languages}, for information on how to use expressions in other
8121 languages.
8122
8123 In this section, we discuss operators that you can use in @value{GDBN}
8124 expressions regardless of your programming language.
8125
8126 @cindex casts, in expressions
8127 Casts are supported in all languages, not just in C, because it is so
8128 useful to cast a number into a pointer in order to examine a structure
8129 at that address in memory.
8130 @c FIXME: casts supported---Mod2 true?
8131
8132 @value{GDBN} supports these operators, in addition to those common
8133 to programming languages:
8134
8135 @table @code
8136 @item @@
8137 @samp{@@} is a binary operator for treating parts of memory as arrays.
8138 @xref{Arrays, ,Artificial Arrays}, for more information.
8139
8140 @item ::
8141 @samp{::} allows you to specify a variable in terms of the file or
8142 function where it is defined. @xref{Variables, ,Program Variables}.
8143
8144 @cindex @{@var{type}@}
8145 @cindex type casting memory
8146 @cindex memory, viewing as typed object
8147 @cindex casts, to view memory
8148 @item @{@var{type}@} @var{addr}
8149 Refers to an object of type @var{type} stored at address @var{addr} in
8150 memory. @var{addr} may be any expression whose value is an integer or
8151 pointer (but parentheses are required around binary operators, just as in
8152 a cast). This construct is allowed regardless of what kind of data is
8153 normally supposed to reside at @var{addr}.
8154 @end table
8155
8156 @node Ambiguous Expressions
8157 @section Ambiguous Expressions
8158 @cindex ambiguous expressions
8159
8160 Expressions can sometimes contain some ambiguous elements. For instance,
8161 some programming languages (notably Ada, C@t{++} and Objective-C) permit
8162 a single function name to be defined several times, for application in
8163 different contexts. This is called @dfn{overloading}. Another example
8164 involving Ada is generics. A @dfn{generic package} is similar to C@t{++}
8165 templates and is typically instantiated several times, resulting in
8166 the same function name being defined in different contexts.
8167
8168 In some cases and depending on the language, it is possible to adjust
8169 the expression to remove the ambiguity. For instance in C@t{++}, you
8170 can specify the signature of the function you want to break on, as in
8171 @kbd{break @var{function}(@var{types})}. In Ada, using the fully
8172 qualified name of your function often makes the expression unambiguous
8173 as well.
8174
8175 When an ambiguity that needs to be resolved is detected, the debugger
8176 has the capability to display a menu of numbered choices for each
8177 possibility, and then waits for the selection with the prompt @samp{>}.
8178 The first option is always @samp{[0] cancel}, and typing @kbd{0 @key{RET}}
8179 aborts the current command. If the command in which the expression was
8180 used allows more than one choice to be selected, the next option in the
8181 menu is @samp{[1] all}, and typing @kbd{1 @key{RET}} selects all possible
8182 choices.
8183
8184 For example, the following session excerpt shows an attempt to set a
8185 breakpoint at the overloaded symbol @code{String::after}.
8186 We choose three particular definitions of that function name:
8187
8188 @c FIXME! This is likely to change to show arg type lists, at least
8189 @smallexample
8190 @group
8191 (@value{GDBP}) b String::after
8192 [0] cancel
8193 [1] all
8194 [2] file:String.cc; line number:867
8195 [3] file:String.cc; line number:860
8196 [4] file:String.cc; line number:875
8197 [5] file:String.cc; line number:853
8198 [6] file:String.cc; line number:846
8199 [7] file:String.cc; line number:735
8200 > 2 4 6
8201 Breakpoint 1 at 0xb26c: file String.cc, line 867.
8202 Breakpoint 2 at 0xb344: file String.cc, line 875.
8203 Breakpoint 3 at 0xafcc: file String.cc, line 846.
8204 Multiple breakpoints were set.
8205 Use the "delete" command to delete unwanted
8206 breakpoints.
8207 (@value{GDBP})
8208 @end group
8209 @end smallexample
8210
8211 @table @code
8212 @kindex set multiple-symbols
8213 @item set multiple-symbols @var{mode}
8214 @cindex multiple-symbols menu
8215
8216 This option allows you to adjust the debugger behavior when an expression
8217 is ambiguous.
8218
8219 By default, @var{mode} is set to @code{all}. If the command with which
8220 the expression is used allows more than one choice, then @value{GDBN}
8221 automatically selects all possible choices. For instance, inserting
8222 a breakpoint on a function using an ambiguous name results in a breakpoint
8223 inserted on each possible match. However, if a unique choice must be made,
8224 then @value{GDBN} uses the menu to help you disambiguate the expression.
8225 For instance, printing the address of an overloaded function will result
8226 in the use of the menu.
8227
8228 When @var{mode} is set to @code{ask}, the debugger always uses the menu
8229 when an ambiguity is detected.
8230
8231 Finally, when @var{mode} is set to @code{cancel}, the debugger reports
8232 an error due to the ambiguity and the command is aborted.
8233
8234 @kindex show multiple-symbols
8235 @item show multiple-symbols
8236 Show the current value of the @code{multiple-symbols} setting.
8237 @end table
8238
8239 @node Variables
8240 @section Program Variables
8241
8242 The most common kind of expression to use is the name of a variable
8243 in your program.
8244
8245 Variables in expressions are understood in the selected stack frame
8246 (@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}); they must be either:
8247
8248 @itemize @bullet
8249 @item
8250 global (or file-static)
8251 @end itemize
8252
8253 @noindent or
8254
8255 @itemize @bullet
8256 @item
8257 visible according to the scope rules of the
8258 programming language from the point of execution in that frame
8259 @end itemize
8260
8261 @noindent This means that in the function
8262
8263 @smallexample
8264 foo (a)
8265 int a;
8266 @{
8267 bar (a);
8268 @{
8269 int b = test ();
8270 bar (b);
8271 @}
8272 @}
8273 @end smallexample
8274
8275 @noindent
8276 you can examine and use the variable @code{a} whenever your program is
8277 executing within the function @code{foo}, but you can only use or
8278 examine the variable @code{b} while your program is executing inside
8279 the block where @code{b} is declared.
8280
8281 @cindex variable name conflict
8282 There is an exception: you can refer to a variable or function whose
8283 scope is a single source file even if the current execution point is not
8284 in this file. But it is possible to have more than one such variable or
8285 function with the same name (in different source files). If that
8286 happens, referring to that name has unpredictable effects. If you wish,
8287 you can specify a static variable in a particular function or file by
8288 using the colon-colon (@code{::}) notation:
8289
8290 @cindex colon-colon, context for variables/functions
8291 @ifnotinfo
8292 @c info cannot cope with a :: index entry, but why deprive hard copy readers?
8293 @cindex @code{::}, context for variables/functions
8294 @end ifnotinfo
8295 @smallexample
8296 @var{file}::@var{variable}
8297 @var{function}::@var{variable}
8298 @end smallexample
8299
8300 @noindent
8301 Here @var{file} or @var{function} is the name of the context for the
8302 static @var{variable}. In the case of file names, you can use quotes to
8303 make sure @value{GDBN} parses the file name as a single word---for example,
8304 to print a global value of @code{x} defined in @file{f2.c}:
8305
8306 @smallexample
8307 (@value{GDBP}) p 'f2.c'::x
8308 @end smallexample
8309
8310 The @code{::} notation is normally used for referring to
8311 static variables, since you typically disambiguate uses of local variables
8312 in functions by selecting the appropriate frame and using the
8313 simple name of the variable. However, you may also use this notation
8314 to refer to local variables in frames enclosing the selected frame:
8315
8316 @smallexample
8317 void
8318 foo (int a)
8319 @{
8320 if (a < 10)
8321 bar (a);
8322 else
8323 process (a); /* Stop here */
8324 @}
8325
8326 int
8327 bar (int a)
8328 @{
8329 foo (a + 5);
8330 @}
8331 @end smallexample
8332
8333 @noindent
8334 For example, if there is a breakpoint at the commented line,
8335 here is what you might see
8336 when the program stops after executing the call @code{bar(0)}:
8337
8338 @smallexample
8339 (@value{GDBP}) p a
8340 $1 = 10
8341 (@value{GDBP}) p bar::a
8342 $2 = 5
8343 (@value{GDBP}) up 2
8344 #2 0x080483d0 in foo (a=5) at foobar.c:12
8345 (@value{GDBP}) p a
8346 $3 = 5
8347 (@value{GDBP}) p bar::a
8348 $4 = 0
8349 @end smallexample
8350
8351 @cindex C@t{++} scope resolution
8352 These uses of @samp{::} are very rarely in conflict with the very
8353 similar use of the same notation in C@t{++}. When they are in
8354 conflict, the C@t{++} meaning takes precedence; however, this can be
8355 overridden by quoting the file or function name with single quotes.
8356
8357 For example, suppose the program is stopped in a method of a class
8358 that has a field named @code{includefile}, and there is also an
8359 include file named @file{includefile} that defines a variable,
8360 @code{some_global}.
8361
8362 @smallexample
8363 (@value{GDBP}) p includefile
8364 $1 = 23
8365 (@value{GDBP}) p includefile::some_global
8366 A syntax error in expression, near `'.
8367 (@value{GDBP}) p 'includefile'::some_global
8368 $2 = 27
8369 @end smallexample
8370
8371 @cindex wrong values
8372 @cindex variable values, wrong
8373 @cindex function entry/exit, wrong values of variables
8374 @cindex optimized code, wrong values of variables
8375 @quotation
8376 @emph{Warning:} Occasionally, a local variable may appear to have the
8377 wrong value at certain points in a function---just after entry to a new
8378 scope, and just before exit.
8379 @end quotation
8380 You may see this problem when you are stepping by machine instructions.
8381 This is because, on most machines, it takes more than one instruction to
8382 set up a stack frame (including local variable definitions); if you are
8383 stepping by machine instructions, variables may appear to have the wrong
8384 values until the stack frame is completely built. On exit, it usually
8385 also takes more than one machine instruction to destroy a stack frame;
8386 after you begin stepping through that group of instructions, local
8387 variable definitions may be gone.
8388
8389 This may also happen when the compiler does significant optimizations.
8390 To be sure of always seeing accurate values, turn off all optimization
8391 when compiling.
8392
8393 @cindex ``No symbol "foo" in current context''
8394 Another possible effect of compiler optimizations is to optimize
8395 unused variables out of existence, or assign variables to registers (as
8396 opposed to memory addresses). Depending on the support for such cases
8397 offered by the debug info format used by the compiler, @value{GDBN}
8398 might not be able to display values for such local variables. If that
8399 happens, @value{GDBN} will print a message like this:
8400
8401 @smallexample
8402 No symbol "foo" in current context.
8403 @end smallexample
8404
8405 To solve such problems, either recompile without optimizations, or use a
8406 different debug info format, if the compiler supports several such
8407 formats. @xref{Compilation}, for more information on choosing compiler
8408 options. @xref{C, ,C and C@t{++}}, for more information about debug
8409 info formats that are best suited to C@t{++} programs.
8410
8411 If you ask to print an object whose contents are unknown to
8412 @value{GDBN}, e.g., because its data type is not completely specified
8413 by the debug information, @value{GDBN} will say @samp{<incomplete
8414 type>}. @xref{Symbols, incomplete type}, for more about this.
8415
8416 If you append @kbd{@@entry} string to a function parameter name you get its
8417 value at the time the function got called. If the value is not available an
8418 error message is printed. Entry values are available only with some compilers.
8419 Entry values are normally also printed at the function parameter list according
8420 to @ref{set print entry-values}.
8421
8422 @smallexample
8423 Breakpoint 1, d (i=30) at gdb.base/entry-value.c:29
8424 29 i++;
8425 (gdb) next
8426 30 e (i);
8427 (gdb) print i
8428 $1 = 31
8429 (gdb) print i@@entry
8430 $2 = 30
8431 @end smallexample
8432
8433 Strings are identified as arrays of @code{char} values without specified
8434 signedness. Arrays of either @code{signed char} or @code{unsigned char} get
8435 printed as arrays of 1 byte sized integers. @code{-fsigned-char} or
8436 @code{-funsigned-char} @value{NGCC} options have no effect as @value{GDBN}
8437 defines literal string type @code{"char"} as @code{char} without a sign.
8438 For program code
8439
8440 @smallexample
8441 char var0[] = "A";
8442 signed char var1[] = "A";
8443 @end smallexample
8444
8445 You get during debugging
8446 @smallexample
8447 (gdb) print var0
8448 $1 = "A"
8449 (gdb) print var1
8450 $2 = @{65 'A', 0 '\0'@}
8451 @end smallexample
8452
8453 @node Arrays
8454 @section Artificial Arrays
8455
8456 @cindex artificial array
8457 @cindex arrays
8458 @kindex @@@r{, referencing memory as an array}
8459 It is often useful to print out several successive objects of the
8460 same type in memory; a section of an array, or an array of
8461 dynamically determined size for which only a pointer exists in the
8462 program.
8463
8464 You can do this by referring to a contiguous span of memory as an
8465 @dfn{artificial array}, using the binary operator @samp{@@}. The left
8466 operand of @samp{@@} should be the first element of the desired array
8467 and be an individual object. The right operand should be the desired length
8468 of the array. The result is an array value whose elements are all of
8469 the type of the left argument. The first element is actually the left
8470 argument; the second element comes from bytes of memory immediately
8471 following those that hold the first element, and so on. Here is an
8472 example. If a program says
8473
8474 @smallexample
8475 int *array = (int *) malloc (len * sizeof (int));
8476 @end smallexample
8477
8478 @noindent
8479 you can print the contents of @code{array} with
8480
8481 @smallexample
8482 p *array@@len
8483 @end smallexample
8484
8485 The left operand of @samp{@@} must reside in memory. Array values made
8486 with @samp{@@} in this way behave just like other arrays in terms of
8487 subscripting, and are coerced to pointers when used in expressions.
8488 Artificial arrays most often appear in expressions via the value history
8489 (@pxref{Value History, ,Value History}), after printing one out.
8490
8491 Another way to create an artificial array is to use a cast.
8492 This re-interprets a value as if it were an array.
8493 The value need not be in memory:
8494 @smallexample
8495 (@value{GDBP}) p/x (short[2])0x12345678
8496 $1 = @{0x1234, 0x5678@}
8497 @end smallexample
8498
8499 As a convenience, if you leave the array length out (as in
8500 @samp{(@var{type}[])@var{value}}) @value{GDBN} calculates the size to fill
8501 the value (as @samp{sizeof(@var{value})/sizeof(@var{type})}:
8502 @smallexample
8503 (@value{GDBP}) p/x (short[])0x12345678
8504 $2 = @{0x1234, 0x5678@}
8505 @end smallexample
8506
8507 Sometimes the artificial array mechanism is not quite enough; in
8508 moderately complex data structures, the elements of interest may not
8509 actually be adjacent---for example, if you are interested in the values
8510 of pointers in an array. One useful work-around in this situation is
8511 to use a convenience variable (@pxref{Convenience Vars, ,Convenience
8512 Variables}) as a counter in an expression that prints the first
8513 interesting value, and then repeat that expression via @key{RET}. For
8514 instance, suppose you have an array @code{dtab} of pointers to
8515 structures, and you are interested in the values of a field @code{fv}
8516 in each structure. Here is an example of what you might type:
8517
8518 @smallexample
8519 set $i = 0
8520 p dtab[$i++]->fv
8521 @key{RET}
8522 @key{RET}
8523 @dots{}
8524 @end smallexample
8525
8526 @node Output Formats
8527 @section Output Formats
8528
8529 @cindex formatted output
8530 @cindex output formats
8531 By default, @value{GDBN} prints a value according to its data type. Sometimes
8532 this is not what you want. For example, you might want to print a number
8533 in hex, or a pointer in decimal. Or you might want to view data in memory
8534 at a certain address as a character string or as an instruction. To do
8535 these things, specify an @dfn{output format} when you print a value.
8536
8537 The simplest use of output formats is to say how to print a value
8538 already computed. This is done by starting the arguments of the
8539 @code{print} command with a slash and a format letter. The format
8540 letters supported are:
8541
8542 @table @code
8543 @item x
8544 Regard the bits of the value as an integer, and print the integer in
8545 hexadecimal.
8546
8547 @item d
8548 Print as integer in signed decimal.
8549
8550 @item u
8551 Print as integer in unsigned decimal.
8552
8553 @item o
8554 Print as integer in octal.
8555
8556 @item t
8557 Print as integer in binary. The letter @samp{t} stands for ``two''.
8558 @footnote{@samp{b} cannot be used because these format letters are also
8559 used with the @code{x} command, where @samp{b} stands for ``byte'';
8560 see @ref{Memory,,Examining Memory}.}
8561
8562 @item a
8563 @cindex unknown address, locating
8564 @cindex locate address
8565 Print as an address, both absolute in hexadecimal and as an offset from
8566 the nearest preceding symbol. You can use this format used to discover
8567 where (in what function) an unknown address is located:
8568
8569 @smallexample
8570 (@value{GDBP}) p/a 0x54320
8571 $3 = 0x54320 <_initialize_vx+396>
8572 @end smallexample
8573
8574 @noindent
8575 The command @code{info symbol 0x54320} yields similar results.
8576 @xref{Symbols, info symbol}.
8577
8578 @item c
8579 Regard as an integer and print it as a character constant. This
8580 prints both the numerical value and its character representation. The
8581 character representation is replaced with the octal escape @samp{\nnn}
8582 for characters outside the 7-bit @sc{ascii} range.
8583
8584 Without this format, @value{GDBN} displays @code{char},
8585 @w{@code{unsigned char}}, and @w{@code{signed char}} data as character
8586 constants. Single-byte members of vectors are displayed as integer
8587 data.
8588
8589 @item f
8590 Regard the bits of the value as a floating point number and print
8591 using typical floating point syntax.
8592
8593 @item s
8594 @cindex printing strings
8595 @cindex printing byte arrays
8596 Regard as a string, if possible. With this format, pointers to single-byte
8597 data are displayed as null-terminated strings and arrays of single-byte data
8598 are displayed as fixed-length strings. Other values are displayed in their
8599 natural types.
8600
8601 Without this format, @value{GDBN} displays pointers to and arrays of
8602 @code{char}, @w{@code{unsigned char}}, and @w{@code{signed char}} as
8603 strings. Single-byte members of a vector are displayed as an integer
8604 array.
8605
8606 @item z
8607 Like @samp{x} formatting, the value is treated as an integer and
8608 printed as hexadecimal, but leading zeros are printed to pad the value
8609 to the size of the integer type.
8610
8611 @item r
8612 @cindex raw printing
8613 Print using the @samp{raw} formatting. By default, @value{GDBN} will
8614 use a Python-based pretty-printer, if one is available (@pxref{Pretty
8615 Printing}). This typically results in a higher-level display of the
8616 value's contents. The @samp{r} format bypasses any Python
8617 pretty-printer which might exist.
8618 @end table
8619
8620 For example, to print the program counter in hex (@pxref{Registers}), type
8621
8622 @smallexample
8623 p/x $pc
8624 @end smallexample
8625
8626 @noindent
8627 Note that no space is required before the slash; this is because command
8628 names in @value{GDBN} cannot contain a slash.
8629
8630 To reprint the last value in the value history with a different format,
8631 you can use the @code{print} command with just a format and no
8632 expression. For example, @samp{p/x} reprints the last value in hex.
8633
8634 @node Memory
8635 @section Examining Memory
8636
8637 You can use the command @code{x} (for ``examine'') to examine memory in
8638 any of several formats, independently of your program's data types.
8639
8640 @cindex examining memory
8641 @table @code
8642 @kindex x @r{(examine memory)}
8643 @item x/@var{nfu} @var{addr}
8644 @itemx x @var{addr}
8645 @itemx x
8646 Use the @code{x} command to examine memory.
8647 @end table
8648
8649 @var{n}, @var{f}, and @var{u} are all optional parameters that specify how
8650 much memory to display and how to format it; @var{addr} is an
8651 expression giving the address where you want to start displaying memory.
8652 If you use defaults for @var{nfu}, you need not type the slash @samp{/}.
8653 Several commands set convenient defaults for @var{addr}.
8654
8655 @table @r
8656 @item @var{n}, the repeat count
8657 The repeat count is a decimal integer; the default is 1. It specifies
8658 how much memory (counting by units @var{u}) to display.
8659 @c This really is **decimal**; unaffected by 'set radix' as of GDB
8660 @c 4.1.2.
8661
8662 @item @var{f}, the display format
8663 The display format is one of the formats used by @code{print}
8664 (@samp{x}, @samp{d}, @samp{u}, @samp{o}, @samp{t}, @samp{a}, @samp{c},
8665 @samp{f}, @samp{s}), and in addition @samp{i} (for machine instructions).
8666 The default is @samp{x} (hexadecimal) initially. The default changes
8667 each time you use either @code{x} or @code{print}.
8668
8669 @item @var{u}, the unit size
8670 The unit size is any of
8671
8672 @table @code
8673 @item b
8674 Bytes.
8675 @item h
8676 Halfwords (two bytes).
8677 @item w
8678 Words (four bytes). This is the initial default.
8679 @item g
8680 Giant words (eight bytes).
8681 @end table
8682
8683 Each time you specify a unit size with @code{x}, that size becomes the
8684 default unit the next time you use @code{x}. For the @samp{i} format,
8685 the unit size is ignored and is normally not written. For the @samp{s} format,
8686 the unit size defaults to @samp{b}, unless it is explicitly given.
8687 Use @kbd{x /hs} to display 16-bit char strings and @kbd{x /ws} to display
8688 32-bit strings. The next use of @kbd{x /s} will again display 8-bit strings.
8689 Note that the results depend on the programming language of the
8690 current compilation unit. If the language is C, the @samp{s}
8691 modifier will use the UTF-16 encoding while @samp{w} will use
8692 UTF-32. The encoding is set by the programming language and cannot
8693 be altered.
8694
8695 @item @var{addr}, starting display address
8696 @var{addr} is the address where you want @value{GDBN} to begin displaying
8697 memory. The expression need not have a pointer value (though it may);
8698 it is always interpreted as an integer address of a byte of memory.
8699 @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}, for more information on expressions. The default for
8700 @var{addr} is usually just after the last address examined---but several
8701 other commands also set the default address: @code{info breakpoints} (to
8702 the address of the last breakpoint listed), @code{info line} (to the
8703 starting address of a line), and @code{print} (if you use it to display
8704 a value from memory).
8705 @end table
8706
8707 For example, @samp{x/3uh 0x54320} is a request to display three halfwords
8708 (@code{h}) of memory, formatted as unsigned decimal integers (@samp{u}),
8709 starting at address @code{0x54320}. @samp{x/4xw $sp} prints the four
8710 words (@samp{w}) of memory above the stack pointer (here, @samp{$sp};
8711 @pxref{Registers, ,Registers}) in hexadecimal (@samp{x}).
8712
8713 Since the letters indicating unit sizes are all distinct from the
8714 letters specifying output formats, you do not have to remember whether
8715 unit size or format comes first; either order works. The output
8716 specifications @samp{4xw} and @samp{4wx} mean exactly the same thing.
8717 (However, the count @var{n} must come first; @samp{wx4} does not work.)
8718
8719 Even though the unit size @var{u} is ignored for the formats @samp{s}
8720 and @samp{i}, you might still want to use a count @var{n}; for example,
8721 @samp{3i} specifies that you want to see three machine instructions,
8722 including any operands. For convenience, especially when used with
8723 the @code{display} command, the @samp{i} format also prints branch delay
8724 slot instructions, if any, beyond the count specified, which immediately
8725 follow the last instruction that is within the count. The command
8726 @code{disassemble} gives an alternative way of inspecting machine
8727 instructions; see @ref{Machine Code,,Source and Machine Code}.
8728
8729 All the defaults for the arguments to @code{x} are designed to make it
8730 easy to continue scanning memory with minimal specifications each time
8731 you use @code{x}. For example, after you have inspected three machine
8732 instructions with @samp{x/3i @var{addr}}, you can inspect the next seven
8733 with just @samp{x/7}. If you use @key{RET} to repeat the @code{x} command,
8734 the repeat count @var{n} is used again; the other arguments default as
8735 for successive uses of @code{x}.
8736
8737 When examining machine instructions, the instruction at current program
8738 counter is shown with a @code{=>} marker. For example:
8739
8740 @smallexample
8741 (@value{GDBP}) x/5i $pc-6
8742 0x804837f <main+11>: mov %esp,%ebp
8743 0x8048381 <main+13>: push %ecx
8744 0x8048382 <main+14>: sub $0x4,%esp
8745 => 0x8048385 <main+17>: movl $0x8048460,(%esp)
8746 0x804838c <main+24>: call 0x80482d4 <puts@@plt>
8747 @end smallexample
8748
8749 @cindex @code{$_}, @code{$__}, and value history
8750 The addresses and contents printed by the @code{x} command are not saved
8751 in the value history because there is often too much of them and they
8752 would get in the way. Instead, @value{GDBN} makes these values available for
8753 subsequent use in expressions as values of the convenience variables
8754 @code{$_} and @code{$__}. After an @code{x} command, the last address
8755 examined is available for use in expressions in the convenience variable
8756 @code{$_}. The contents of that address, as examined, are available in
8757 the convenience variable @code{$__}.
8758
8759 If the @code{x} command has a repeat count, the address and contents saved
8760 are from the last memory unit printed; this is not the same as the last
8761 address printed if several units were printed on the last line of output.
8762
8763 @cindex remote memory comparison
8764 @cindex verify remote memory image
8765 When you are debugging a program running on a remote target machine
8766 (@pxref{Remote Debugging}), you may wish to verify the program's image in the
8767 remote machine's memory against the executable file you downloaded to
8768 the target. The @code{compare-sections} command is provided for such
8769 situations.
8770
8771 @table @code
8772 @kindex compare-sections
8773 @item compare-sections @r{[}@var{section-name}@r{]}
8774 Compare the data of a loadable section @var{section-name} in the
8775 executable file of the program being debugged with the same section in
8776 the remote machine's memory, and report any mismatches. With no
8777 arguments, compares all loadable sections. This command's
8778 availability depends on the target's support for the @code{"qCRC"}
8779 remote request.
8780 @end table
8781
8782 @node Auto Display
8783 @section Automatic Display
8784 @cindex automatic display
8785 @cindex display of expressions
8786
8787 If you find that you want to print the value of an expression frequently
8788 (to see how it changes), you might want to add it to the @dfn{automatic
8789 display list} so that @value{GDBN} prints its value each time your program stops.
8790 Each expression added to the list is given a number to identify it;
8791 to remove an expression from the list, you specify that number.
8792 The automatic display looks like this:
8793
8794 @smallexample
8795 2: foo = 38
8796 3: bar[5] = (struct hack *) 0x3804
8797 @end smallexample
8798
8799 @noindent
8800 This display shows item numbers, expressions and their current values. As with
8801 displays you request manually using @code{x} or @code{print}, you can
8802 specify the output format you prefer; in fact, @code{display} decides
8803 whether to use @code{print} or @code{x} depending your format
8804 specification---it uses @code{x} if you specify either the @samp{i}
8805 or @samp{s} format, or a unit size; otherwise it uses @code{print}.
8806
8807 @table @code
8808 @kindex display
8809 @item display @var{expr}
8810 Add the expression @var{expr} to the list of expressions to display
8811 each time your program stops. @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}.
8812
8813 @code{display} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} again after using it.
8814
8815 @item display/@var{fmt} @var{expr}
8816 For @var{fmt} specifying only a display format and not a size or
8817 count, add the expression @var{expr} to the auto-display list but
8818 arrange to display it each time in the specified format @var{fmt}.
8819 @xref{Output Formats,,Output Formats}.
8820
8821 @item display/@var{fmt} @var{addr}
8822 For @var{fmt} @samp{i} or @samp{s}, or including a unit-size or a
8823 number of units, add the expression @var{addr} as a memory address to
8824 be examined each time your program stops. Examining means in effect
8825 doing @samp{x/@var{fmt} @var{addr}}. @xref{Memory, ,Examining Memory}.
8826 @end table
8827
8828 For example, @samp{display/i $pc} can be helpful, to see the machine
8829 instruction about to be executed each time execution stops (@samp{$pc}
8830 is a common name for the program counter; @pxref{Registers, ,Registers}).
8831
8832 @table @code
8833 @kindex delete display
8834 @kindex undisplay
8835 @item undisplay @var{dnums}@dots{}
8836 @itemx delete display @var{dnums}@dots{}
8837 Remove items from the list of expressions to display. Specify the
8838 numbers of the displays that you want affected with the command
8839 argument @var{dnums}. It can be a single display number, one of the
8840 numbers shown in the first field of the @samp{info display} display;
8841 or it could be a range of display numbers, as in @code{2-4}.
8842
8843 @code{undisplay} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} after using it.
8844 (Otherwise you would just get the error @samp{No display number @dots{}}.)
8845
8846 @kindex disable display
8847 @item disable display @var{dnums}@dots{}
8848 Disable the display of item numbers @var{dnums}. A disabled display
8849 item is not printed automatically, but is not forgotten. It may be
8850 enabled again later. Specify the numbers of the displays that you
8851 want affected with the command argument @var{dnums}. It can be a
8852 single display number, one of the numbers shown in the first field of
8853 the @samp{info display} display; or it could be a range of display
8854 numbers, as in @code{2-4}.
8855
8856 @kindex enable display
8857 @item enable display @var{dnums}@dots{}
8858 Enable display of item numbers @var{dnums}. It becomes effective once
8859 again in auto display of its expression, until you specify otherwise.
8860 Specify the numbers of the displays that you want affected with the
8861 command argument @var{dnums}. It can be a single display number, one
8862 of the numbers shown in the first field of the @samp{info display}
8863 display; or it could be a range of display numbers, as in @code{2-4}.
8864
8865 @item display
8866 Display the current values of the expressions on the list, just as is
8867 done when your program stops.
8868
8869 @kindex info display
8870 @item info display
8871 Print the list of expressions previously set up to display
8872 automatically, each one with its item number, but without showing the
8873 values. This includes disabled expressions, which are marked as such.
8874 It also includes expressions which would not be displayed right now
8875 because they refer to automatic variables not currently available.
8876 @end table
8877
8878 @cindex display disabled out of scope
8879 If a display expression refers to local variables, then it does not make
8880 sense outside the lexical context for which it was set up. Such an
8881 expression is disabled when execution enters a context where one of its
8882 variables is not defined. For example, if you give the command
8883 @code{display last_char} while inside a function with an argument
8884 @code{last_char}, @value{GDBN} displays this argument while your program
8885 continues to stop inside that function. When it stops elsewhere---where
8886 there is no variable @code{last_char}---the display is disabled
8887 automatically. The next time your program stops where @code{last_char}
8888 is meaningful, you can enable the display expression once again.
8889
8890 @node Print Settings
8891 @section Print Settings
8892
8893 @cindex format options
8894 @cindex print settings
8895 @value{GDBN} provides the following ways to control how arrays, structures,
8896 and symbols are printed.
8897
8898 @noindent
8899 These settings are useful for debugging programs in any language:
8900
8901 @table @code
8902 @kindex set print
8903 @item set print address
8904 @itemx set print address on
8905 @cindex print/don't print memory addresses
8906 @value{GDBN} prints memory addresses showing the location of stack
8907 traces, structure values, pointer values, breakpoints, and so forth,
8908 even when it also displays the contents of those addresses. The default
8909 is @code{on}. For example, this is what a stack frame display looks like with
8910 @code{set print address on}:
8911
8912 @smallexample
8913 @group
8914 (@value{GDBP}) f
8915 #0 set_quotes (lq=0x34c78 "<<", rq=0x34c88 ">>")
8916 at input.c:530
8917 530 if (lquote != def_lquote)
8918 @end group
8919 @end smallexample
8920
8921 @item set print address off
8922 Do not print addresses when displaying their contents. For example,
8923 this is the same stack frame displayed with @code{set print address off}:
8924
8925 @smallexample
8926 @group
8927 (@value{GDBP}) set print addr off
8928 (@value{GDBP}) f
8929 #0 set_quotes (lq="<<", rq=">>") at input.c:530
8930 530 if (lquote != def_lquote)
8931 @end group
8932 @end smallexample
8933
8934 You can use @samp{set print address off} to eliminate all machine
8935 dependent displays from the @value{GDBN} interface. For example, with
8936 @code{print address off}, you should get the same text for backtraces on
8937 all machines---whether or not they involve pointer arguments.
8938
8939 @kindex show print
8940 @item show print address
8941 Show whether or not addresses are to be printed.
8942 @end table
8943
8944 When @value{GDBN} prints a symbolic address, it normally prints the
8945 closest earlier symbol plus an offset. If that symbol does not uniquely
8946 identify the address (for example, it is a name whose scope is a single
8947 source file), you may need to clarify. One way to do this is with
8948 @code{info line}, for example @samp{info line *0x4537}. Alternately,
8949 you can set @value{GDBN} to print the source file and line number when
8950 it prints a symbolic address:
8951
8952 @table @code
8953 @item set print symbol-filename on
8954 @cindex source file and line of a symbol
8955 @cindex symbol, source file and line
8956 Tell @value{GDBN} to print the source file name and line number of a
8957 symbol in the symbolic form of an address.
8958
8959 @item set print symbol-filename off
8960 Do not print source file name and line number of a symbol. This is the
8961 default.
8962
8963 @item show print symbol-filename
8964 Show whether or not @value{GDBN} will print the source file name and
8965 line number of a symbol in the symbolic form of an address.
8966 @end table
8967
8968 Another situation where it is helpful to show symbol filenames and line
8969 numbers is when disassembling code; @value{GDBN} shows you the line
8970 number and source file that corresponds to each instruction.
8971
8972 Also, you may wish to see the symbolic form only if the address being
8973 printed is reasonably close to the closest earlier symbol:
8974
8975 @table @code
8976 @item set print max-symbolic-offset @var{max-offset}
8977 @itemx set print max-symbolic-offset unlimited
8978 @cindex maximum value for offset of closest symbol
8979 Tell @value{GDBN} to only display the symbolic form of an address if the
8980 offset between the closest earlier symbol and the address is less than
8981 @var{max-offset}. The default is @code{unlimited}, which tells @value{GDBN}
8982 to always print the symbolic form of an address if any symbol precedes
8983 it. Zero is equivalent to @code{unlimited}.
8984
8985 @item show print max-symbolic-offset
8986 Ask how large the maximum offset is that @value{GDBN} prints in a
8987 symbolic address.
8988 @end table
8989
8990 @cindex wild pointer, interpreting
8991 @cindex pointer, finding referent
8992 If you have a pointer and you are not sure where it points, try
8993 @samp{set print symbol-filename on}. Then you can determine the name
8994 and source file location of the variable where it points, using
8995 @samp{p/a @var{pointer}}. This interprets the address in symbolic form.
8996 For example, here @value{GDBN} shows that a variable @code{ptt} points
8997 at another variable @code{t}, defined in @file{hi2.c}:
8998
8999 @smallexample
9000 (@value{GDBP}) set print symbol-filename on
9001 (@value{GDBP}) p/a ptt
9002 $4 = 0xe008 <t in hi2.c>
9003 @end smallexample
9004
9005 @quotation
9006 @emph{Warning:} For pointers that point to a local variable, @samp{p/a}
9007 does not show the symbol name and filename of the referent, even with
9008 the appropriate @code{set print} options turned on.
9009 @end quotation
9010
9011 You can also enable @samp{/a}-like formatting all the time using
9012 @samp{set print symbol on}:
9013
9014 @table @code
9015 @item set print symbol on
9016 Tell @value{GDBN} to print the symbol corresponding to an address, if
9017 one exists.
9018
9019 @item set print symbol off
9020 Tell @value{GDBN} not to print the symbol corresponding to an
9021 address. In this mode, @value{GDBN} will still print the symbol
9022 corresponding to pointers to functions. This is the default.
9023
9024 @item show print symbol
9025 Show whether @value{GDBN} will display the symbol corresponding to an
9026 address.
9027 @end table
9028
9029 Other settings control how different kinds of objects are printed:
9030
9031 @table @code
9032 @item set print array
9033 @itemx set print array on
9034 @cindex pretty print arrays
9035 Pretty print arrays. This format is more convenient to read,
9036 but uses more space. The default is off.
9037
9038 @item set print array off
9039 Return to compressed format for arrays.
9040
9041 @item show print array
9042 Show whether compressed or pretty format is selected for displaying
9043 arrays.
9044
9045 @cindex print array indexes
9046 @item set print array-indexes
9047 @itemx set print array-indexes on
9048 Print the index of each element when displaying arrays. May be more
9049 convenient to locate a given element in the array or quickly find the
9050 index of a given element in that printed array. The default is off.
9051
9052 @item set print array-indexes off
9053 Stop printing element indexes when displaying arrays.
9054
9055 @item show print array-indexes
9056 Show whether the index of each element is printed when displaying
9057 arrays.
9058
9059 @item set print elements @var{number-of-elements}
9060 @itemx set print elements unlimited
9061 @cindex number of array elements to print
9062 @cindex limit on number of printed array elements
9063 Set a limit on how many elements of an array @value{GDBN} will print.
9064 If @value{GDBN} is printing a large array, it stops printing after it has
9065 printed the number of elements set by the @code{set print elements} command.
9066 This limit also applies to the display of strings.
9067 When @value{GDBN} starts, this limit is set to 200.
9068 Setting @var{number-of-elements} to @code{unlimited} or zero means
9069 that the number of elements to print is unlimited.
9070
9071 @item show print elements
9072 Display the number of elements of a large array that @value{GDBN} will print.
9073 If the number is 0, then the printing is unlimited.
9074
9075 @item set print frame-arguments @var{value}
9076 @kindex set print frame-arguments
9077 @cindex printing frame argument values
9078 @cindex print all frame argument values
9079 @cindex print frame argument values for scalars only
9080 @cindex do not print frame argument values
9081 This command allows to control how the values of arguments are printed
9082 when the debugger prints a frame (@pxref{Frames}). The possible
9083 values are:
9084
9085 @table @code
9086 @item all
9087 The values of all arguments are printed.
9088
9089 @item scalars
9090 Print the value of an argument only if it is a scalar. The value of more
9091 complex arguments such as arrays, structures, unions, etc, is replaced
9092 by @code{@dots{}}. This is the default. Here is an example where
9093 only scalar arguments are shown:
9094
9095 @smallexample
9096 #1 0x08048361 in call_me (i=3, s=@dots{}, ss=0xbf8d508c, u=@dots{}, e=green)
9097 at frame-args.c:23
9098 @end smallexample
9099
9100 @item none
9101 None of the argument values are printed. Instead, the value of each argument
9102 is replaced by @code{@dots{}}. In this case, the example above now becomes:
9103
9104 @smallexample
9105 #1 0x08048361 in call_me (i=@dots{}, s=@dots{}, ss=@dots{}, u=@dots{}, e=@dots{})
9106 at frame-args.c:23
9107 @end smallexample
9108 @end table
9109
9110 By default, only scalar arguments are printed. This command can be used
9111 to configure the debugger to print the value of all arguments, regardless
9112 of their type. However, it is often advantageous to not print the value
9113 of more complex parameters. For instance, it reduces the amount of
9114 information printed in each frame, making the backtrace more readable.
9115 Also, it improves performance when displaying Ada frames, because
9116 the computation of large arguments can sometimes be CPU-intensive,
9117 especially in large applications. Setting @code{print frame-arguments}
9118 to @code{scalars} (the default) or @code{none} avoids this computation,
9119 thus speeding up the display of each Ada frame.
9120
9121 @item show print frame-arguments
9122 Show how the value of arguments should be displayed when printing a frame.
9123
9124 @item set print raw frame-arguments on
9125 Print frame arguments in raw, non pretty-printed, form.
9126
9127 @item set print raw frame-arguments off
9128 Print frame arguments in pretty-printed form, if there is a pretty-printer
9129 for the value (@pxref{Pretty Printing}),
9130 otherwise print the value in raw form.
9131 This is the default.
9132
9133 @item show print raw frame-arguments
9134 Show whether to print frame arguments in raw form.
9135
9136 @anchor{set print entry-values}
9137 @item set print entry-values @var{value}
9138 @kindex set print entry-values
9139 Set printing of frame argument values at function entry. In some cases
9140 @value{GDBN} can determine the value of function argument which was passed by
9141 the function caller, even if the value was modified inside the called function
9142 and therefore is different. With optimized code, the current value could be
9143 unavailable, but the entry value may still be known.
9144
9145 The default value is @code{default} (see below for its description). Older
9146 @value{GDBN} behaved as with the setting @code{no}. Compilers not supporting
9147 this feature will behave in the @code{default} setting the same way as with the
9148 @code{no} setting.
9149
9150 This functionality is currently supported only by DWARF 2 debugging format and
9151 the compiler has to produce @samp{DW_TAG_GNU_call_site} tags. With
9152 @value{NGCC}, you need to specify @option{-O -g} during compilation, to get
9153 this information.
9154
9155 The @var{value} parameter can be one of the following:
9156
9157 @table @code
9158 @item no
9159 Print only actual parameter values, never print values from function entry
9160 point.
9161 @smallexample
9162 #0 equal (val=5)
9163 #0 different (val=6)
9164 #0 lost (val=<optimized out>)
9165 #0 born (val=10)
9166 #0 invalid (val=<optimized out>)
9167 @end smallexample
9168
9169 @item only
9170 Print only parameter values from function entry point. The actual parameter
9171 values are never printed.
9172 @smallexample
9173 #0 equal (val@@entry=5)
9174 #0 different (val@@entry=5)
9175 #0 lost (val@@entry=5)
9176 #0 born (val@@entry=<optimized out>)
9177 #0 invalid (val@@entry=<optimized out>)
9178 @end smallexample
9179
9180 @item preferred
9181 Print only parameter values from function entry point. If value from function
9182 entry point is not known while the actual value is known, print the actual
9183 value for such parameter.
9184 @smallexample
9185 #0 equal (val@@entry=5)
9186 #0 different (val@@entry=5)
9187 #0 lost (val@@entry=5)
9188 #0 born (val=10)
9189 #0 invalid (val@@entry=<optimized out>)
9190 @end smallexample
9191
9192 @item if-needed
9193 Print actual parameter values. If actual parameter value is not known while
9194 value from function entry point is known, print the entry point value for such
9195 parameter.
9196 @smallexample
9197 #0 equal (val=5)
9198 #0 different (val=6)
9199 #0 lost (val@@entry=5)
9200 #0 born (val=10)
9201 #0 invalid (val=<optimized out>)
9202 @end smallexample
9203
9204 @item both
9205 Always print both the actual parameter value and its value from function entry
9206 point, even if values of one or both are not available due to compiler
9207 optimizations.
9208 @smallexample
9209 #0 equal (val=5, val@@entry=5)
9210 #0 different (val=6, val@@entry=5)
9211 #0 lost (val=<optimized out>, val@@entry=5)
9212 #0 born (val=10, val@@entry=<optimized out>)
9213 #0 invalid (val=<optimized out>, val@@entry=<optimized out>)
9214 @end smallexample
9215
9216 @item compact
9217 Print the actual parameter value if it is known and also its value from
9218 function entry point if it is known. If neither is known, print for the actual
9219 value @code{<optimized out>}. If not in MI mode (@pxref{GDB/MI}) and if both
9220 values are known and identical, print the shortened
9221 @code{param=param@@entry=VALUE} notation.
9222 @smallexample
9223 #0 equal (val=val@@entry=5)
9224 #0 different (val=6, val@@entry=5)
9225 #0 lost (val@@entry=5)
9226 #0 born (val=10)
9227 #0 invalid (val=<optimized out>)
9228 @end smallexample
9229
9230 @item default
9231 Always print the actual parameter value. Print also its value from function
9232 entry point, but only if it is known. If not in MI mode (@pxref{GDB/MI}) and
9233 if both values are known and identical, print the shortened
9234 @code{param=param@@entry=VALUE} notation.
9235 @smallexample
9236 #0 equal (val=val@@entry=5)
9237 #0 different (val=6, val@@entry=5)
9238 #0 lost (val=<optimized out>, val@@entry=5)
9239 #0 born (val=10)
9240 #0 invalid (val=<optimized out>)
9241 @end smallexample
9242 @end table
9243
9244 For analysis messages on possible failures of frame argument values at function
9245 entry resolution see @ref{set debug entry-values}.
9246
9247 @item show print entry-values
9248 Show the method being used for printing of frame argument values at function
9249 entry.
9250
9251 @item set print repeats @var{number-of-repeats}
9252 @itemx set print repeats unlimited
9253 @cindex repeated array elements
9254 Set the threshold for suppressing display of repeated array
9255 elements. When the number of consecutive identical elements of an
9256 array exceeds the threshold, @value{GDBN} prints the string
9257 @code{"<repeats @var{n} times>"}, where @var{n} is the number of
9258 identical repetitions, instead of displaying the identical elements
9259 themselves. Setting the threshold to @code{unlimited} or zero will
9260 cause all elements to be individually printed. The default threshold
9261 is 10.
9262
9263 @item show print repeats
9264 Display the current threshold for printing repeated identical
9265 elements.
9266
9267 @item set print null-stop
9268 @cindex @sc{null} elements in arrays
9269 Cause @value{GDBN} to stop printing the characters of an array when the first
9270 @sc{null} is encountered. This is useful when large arrays actually
9271 contain only short strings.
9272 The default is off.
9273
9274 @item show print null-stop
9275 Show whether @value{GDBN} stops printing an array on the first
9276 @sc{null} character.
9277
9278 @item set print pretty on
9279 @cindex print structures in indented form
9280 @cindex indentation in structure display
9281 Cause @value{GDBN} to print structures in an indented format with one member
9282 per line, like this:
9283
9284 @smallexample
9285 @group
9286 $1 = @{
9287 next = 0x0,
9288 flags = @{
9289 sweet = 1,
9290 sour = 1
9291 @},
9292 meat = 0x54 "Pork"
9293 @}
9294 @end group
9295 @end smallexample
9296
9297 @item set print pretty off
9298 Cause @value{GDBN} to print structures in a compact format, like this:
9299
9300 @smallexample
9301 @group
9302 $1 = @{next = 0x0, flags = @{sweet = 1, sour = 1@}, \
9303 meat = 0x54 "Pork"@}
9304 @end group
9305 @end smallexample
9306
9307 @noindent
9308 This is the default format.
9309
9310 @item show print pretty
9311 Show which format @value{GDBN} is using to print structures.
9312
9313 @item set print sevenbit-strings on
9314 @cindex eight-bit characters in strings
9315 @cindex octal escapes in strings
9316 Print using only seven-bit characters; if this option is set,
9317 @value{GDBN} displays any eight-bit characters (in strings or
9318 character values) using the notation @code{\}@var{nnn}. This setting is
9319 best if you are working in English (@sc{ascii}) and you use the
9320 high-order bit of characters as a marker or ``meta'' bit.
9321
9322 @item set print sevenbit-strings off
9323 Print full eight-bit characters. This allows the use of more
9324 international character sets, and is the default.
9325
9326 @item show print sevenbit-strings
9327 Show whether or not @value{GDBN} is printing only seven-bit characters.
9328
9329 @item set print union on
9330 @cindex unions in structures, printing
9331 Tell @value{GDBN} to print unions which are contained in structures
9332 and other unions. This is the default setting.
9333
9334 @item set print union off
9335 Tell @value{GDBN} not to print unions which are contained in
9336 structures and other unions. @value{GDBN} will print @code{"@{...@}"}
9337 instead.
9338
9339 @item show print union
9340 Ask @value{GDBN} whether or not it will print unions which are contained in
9341 structures and other unions.
9342
9343 For example, given the declarations
9344
9345 @smallexample
9346 typedef enum @{Tree, Bug@} Species;
9347 typedef enum @{Big_tree, Acorn, Seedling@} Tree_forms;
9348 typedef enum @{Caterpillar, Cocoon, Butterfly@}
9349 Bug_forms;
9350
9351 struct thing @{
9352 Species it;
9353 union @{
9354 Tree_forms tree;
9355 Bug_forms bug;
9356 @} form;
9357 @};
9358
9359 struct thing foo = @{Tree, @{Acorn@}@};
9360 @end smallexample
9361
9362 @noindent
9363 with @code{set print union on} in effect @samp{p foo} would print
9364
9365 @smallexample
9366 $1 = @{it = Tree, form = @{tree = Acorn, bug = Cocoon@}@}
9367 @end smallexample
9368
9369 @noindent
9370 and with @code{set print union off} in effect it would print
9371
9372 @smallexample
9373 $1 = @{it = Tree, form = @{...@}@}
9374 @end smallexample
9375
9376 @noindent
9377 @code{set print union} affects programs written in C-like languages
9378 and in Pascal.
9379 @end table
9380
9381 @need 1000
9382 @noindent
9383 These settings are of interest when debugging C@t{++} programs:
9384
9385 @table @code
9386 @cindex demangling C@t{++} names
9387 @item set print demangle
9388 @itemx set print demangle on
9389 Print C@t{++} names in their source form rather than in the encoded
9390 (``mangled'') form passed to the assembler and linker for type-safe
9391 linkage. The default is on.
9392
9393 @item show print demangle
9394 Show whether C@t{++} names are printed in mangled or demangled form.
9395
9396 @item set print asm-demangle
9397 @itemx set print asm-demangle on
9398 Print C@t{++} names in their source form rather than their mangled form, even
9399 in assembler code printouts such as instruction disassemblies.
9400 The default is off.
9401
9402 @item show print asm-demangle
9403 Show whether C@t{++} names in assembly listings are printed in mangled
9404 or demangled form.
9405
9406 @cindex C@t{++} symbol decoding style
9407 @cindex symbol decoding style, C@t{++}
9408 @kindex set demangle-style
9409 @item set demangle-style @var{style}
9410 Choose among several encoding schemes used by different compilers to
9411 represent C@t{++} names. The choices for @var{style} are currently:
9412
9413 @table @code
9414 @item auto
9415 Allow @value{GDBN} to choose a decoding style by inspecting your program.
9416 This is the default.
9417
9418 @item gnu
9419 Decode based on the @sc{gnu} C@t{++} compiler (@code{g++}) encoding algorithm.
9420
9421 @item hp
9422 Decode based on the HP ANSI C@t{++} (@code{aCC}) encoding algorithm.
9423
9424 @item lucid
9425 Decode based on the Lucid C@t{++} compiler (@code{lcc}) encoding algorithm.
9426
9427 @item arm
9428 Decode using the algorithm in the @cite{C@t{++} Annotated Reference Manual}.
9429 @strong{Warning:} this setting alone is not sufficient to allow
9430 debugging @code{cfront}-generated executables. @value{GDBN} would
9431 require further enhancement to permit that.
9432
9433 @end table
9434 If you omit @var{style}, you will see a list of possible formats.
9435
9436 @item show demangle-style
9437 Display the encoding style currently in use for decoding C@t{++} symbols.
9438
9439 @item set print object
9440 @itemx set print object on
9441 @cindex derived type of an object, printing
9442 @cindex display derived types
9443 When displaying a pointer to an object, identify the @emph{actual}
9444 (derived) type of the object rather than the @emph{declared} type, using
9445 the virtual function table. Note that the virtual function table is
9446 required---this feature can only work for objects that have run-time
9447 type identification; a single virtual method in the object's declared
9448 type is sufficient. Note that this setting is also taken into account when
9449 working with variable objects via MI (@pxref{GDB/MI}).
9450
9451 @item set print object off
9452 Display only the declared type of objects, without reference to the
9453 virtual function table. This is the default setting.
9454
9455 @item show print object
9456 Show whether actual, or declared, object types are displayed.
9457
9458 @item set print static-members
9459 @itemx set print static-members on
9460 @cindex static members of C@t{++} objects
9461 Print static members when displaying a C@t{++} object. The default is on.
9462
9463 @item set print static-members off
9464 Do not print static members when displaying a C@t{++} object.
9465
9466 @item show print static-members
9467 Show whether C@t{++} static members are printed or not.
9468
9469 @item set print pascal_static-members
9470 @itemx set print pascal_static-members on
9471 @cindex static members of Pascal objects
9472 @cindex Pascal objects, static members display
9473 Print static members when displaying a Pascal object. The default is on.
9474
9475 @item set print pascal_static-members off
9476 Do not print static members when displaying a Pascal object.
9477
9478 @item show print pascal_static-members
9479 Show whether Pascal static members are printed or not.
9480
9481 @c These don't work with HP ANSI C++ yet.
9482 @item set print vtbl
9483 @itemx set print vtbl on
9484 @cindex pretty print C@t{++} virtual function tables
9485 @cindex virtual functions (C@t{++}) display
9486 @cindex VTBL display
9487 Pretty print C@t{++} virtual function tables. The default is off.
9488 (The @code{vtbl} commands do not work on programs compiled with the HP
9489 ANSI C@t{++} compiler (@code{aCC}).)
9490
9491 @item set print vtbl off
9492 Do not pretty print C@t{++} virtual function tables.
9493
9494 @item show print vtbl
9495 Show whether C@t{++} virtual function tables are pretty printed, or not.
9496 @end table
9497
9498 @node Pretty Printing
9499 @section Pretty Printing
9500
9501 @value{GDBN} provides a mechanism to allow pretty-printing of values using
9502 Python code. It greatly simplifies the display of complex objects. This
9503 mechanism works for both MI and the CLI.
9504
9505 @menu
9506 * Pretty-Printer Introduction:: Introduction to pretty-printers
9507 * Pretty-Printer Example:: An example pretty-printer
9508 * Pretty-Printer Commands:: Pretty-printer commands
9509 @end menu
9510
9511 @node Pretty-Printer Introduction
9512 @subsection Pretty-Printer Introduction
9513
9514 When @value{GDBN} prints a value, it first sees if there is a pretty-printer
9515 registered for the value. If there is then @value{GDBN} invokes the
9516 pretty-printer to print the value. Otherwise the value is printed normally.
9517
9518 Pretty-printers are normally named. This makes them easy to manage.
9519 The @samp{info pretty-printer} command will list all the installed
9520 pretty-printers with their names.
9521 If a pretty-printer can handle multiple data types, then its
9522 @dfn{subprinters} are the printers for the individual data types.
9523 Each such subprinter has its own name.
9524 The format of the name is @var{printer-name};@var{subprinter-name}.
9525
9526 Pretty-printers are installed by @dfn{registering} them with @value{GDBN}.
9527 Typically they are automatically loaded and registered when the corresponding
9528 debug information is loaded, thus making them available without having to
9529 do anything special.
9530
9531 There are three places where a pretty-printer can be registered.
9532
9533 @itemize @bullet
9534 @item
9535 Pretty-printers registered globally are available when debugging
9536 all inferiors.
9537
9538 @item
9539 Pretty-printers registered with a program space are available only
9540 when debugging that program.
9541 @xref{Progspaces In Python}, for more details on program spaces in Python.
9542
9543 @item
9544 Pretty-printers registered with an objfile are loaded and unloaded
9545 with the corresponding objfile (e.g., shared library).
9546 @xref{Objfiles In Python}, for more details on objfiles in Python.
9547 @end itemize
9548
9549 @xref{Selecting Pretty-Printers}, for further information on how
9550 pretty-printers are selected,
9551
9552 @xref{Writing a Pretty-Printer}, for implementing pretty printers
9553 for new types.
9554
9555 @node Pretty-Printer Example
9556 @subsection Pretty-Printer Example
9557
9558 Here is how a C@t{++} @code{std::string} looks without a pretty-printer:
9559
9560 @smallexample
9561 (@value{GDBP}) print s
9562 $1 = @{
9563 static npos = 4294967295,
9564 _M_dataplus = @{
9565 <std::allocator<char>> = @{
9566 <__gnu_cxx::new_allocator<char>> = @{
9567 <No data fields>@}, <No data fields>
9568 @},
9569 members of std::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>,
9570 std::allocator<char> >::_Alloc_hider:
9571 _M_p = 0x804a014 "abcd"
9572 @}
9573 @}
9574 @end smallexample
9575
9576 With a pretty-printer for @code{std::string} only the contents are printed:
9577
9578 @smallexample
9579 (@value{GDBP}) print s
9580 $2 = "abcd"
9581 @end smallexample
9582
9583 @node Pretty-Printer Commands
9584 @subsection Pretty-Printer Commands
9585 @cindex pretty-printer commands
9586
9587 @table @code
9588 @kindex info pretty-printer
9589 @item info pretty-printer [@var{object-regexp} [@var{name-regexp}]]
9590 Print the list of installed pretty-printers.
9591 This includes disabled pretty-printers, which are marked as such.
9592
9593 @var{object-regexp} is a regular expression matching the objects
9594 whose pretty-printers to list.
9595 Objects can be @code{global}, the program space's file
9596 (@pxref{Progspaces In Python}),
9597 and the object files within that program space (@pxref{Objfiles In Python}).
9598 @xref{Selecting Pretty-Printers}, for details on how @value{GDBN}
9599 looks up a printer from these three objects.
9600
9601 @var{name-regexp} is a regular expression matching the name of the printers
9602 to list.
9603
9604 @kindex disable pretty-printer
9605 @item disable pretty-printer [@var{object-regexp} [@var{name-regexp}]]
9606 Disable pretty-printers matching @var{object-regexp} and @var{name-regexp}.
9607 A disabled pretty-printer is not forgotten, it may be enabled again later.
9608
9609 @kindex enable pretty-printer
9610 @item enable pretty-printer [@var{object-regexp} [@var{name-regexp}]]
9611 Enable pretty-printers matching @var{object-regexp} and @var{name-regexp}.
9612 @end table
9613
9614 Example:
9615
9616 Suppose we have three pretty-printers installed: one from library1.so
9617 named @code{foo} that prints objects of type @code{foo}, and
9618 another from library2.so named @code{bar} that prints two types of objects,
9619 @code{bar1} and @code{bar2}.
9620
9621 @smallexample
9622 (gdb) info pretty-printer
9623 library1.so:
9624 foo
9625 library2.so:
9626 bar
9627 bar1
9628 bar2
9629 (gdb) info pretty-printer library2
9630 library2.so:
9631 bar
9632 bar1
9633 bar2
9634 (gdb) disable pretty-printer library1
9635 1 printer disabled
9636 2 of 3 printers enabled
9637 (gdb) info pretty-printer
9638 library1.so:
9639 foo [disabled]
9640 library2.so:
9641 bar
9642 bar1
9643 bar2
9644 (gdb) disable pretty-printer library2 bar:bar1
9645 1 printer disabled
9646 1 of 3 printers enabled
9647 (gdb) info pretty-printer library2
9648 library1.so:
9649 foo [disabled]
9650 library2.so:
9651 bar
9652 bar1 [disabled]
9653 bar2
9654 (gdb) disable pretty-printer library2 bar
9655 1 printer disabled
9656 0 of 3 printers enabled
9657 (gdb) info pretty-printer library2
9658 library1.so:
9659 foo [disabled]
9660 library2.so:
9661 bar [disabled]
9662 bar1 [disabled]
9663 bar2
9664 @end smallexample
9665
9666 Note that for @code{bar} the entire printer can be disabled,
9667 as can each individual subprinter.
9668
9669 @node Value History
9670 @section Value History
9671
9672 @cindex value history
9673 @cindex history of values printed by @value{GDBN}
9674 Values printed by the @code{print} command are saved in the @value{GDBN}
9675 @dfn{value history}. This allows you to refer to them in other expressions.
9676 Values are kept until the symbol table is re-read or discarded
9677 (for example with the @code{file} or @code{symbol-file} commands).
9678 When the symbol table changes, the value history is discarded,
9679 since the values may contain pointers back to the types defined in the
9680 symbol table.
9681
9682 @cindex @code{$}
9683 @cindex @code{$$}
9684 @cindex history number
9685 The values printed are given @dfn{history numbers} by which you can
9686 refer to them. These are successive integers starting with one.
9687 @code{print} shows you the history number assigned to a value by
9688 printing @samp{$@var{num} = } before the value; here @var{num} is the
9689 history number.
9690
9691 To refer to any previous value, use @samp{$} followed by the value's
9692 history number. The way @code{print} labels its output is designed to
9693 remind you of this. Just @code{$} refers to the most recent value in
9694 the history, and @code{$$} refers to the value before that.
9695 @code{$$@var{n}} refers to the @var{n}th value from the end; @code{$$2}
9696 is the value just prior to @code{$$}, @code{$$1} is equivalent to
9697 @code{$$}, and @code{$$0} is equivalent to @code{$}.
9698
9699 For example, suppose you have just printed a pointer to a structure and
9700 want to see the contents of the structure. It suffices to type
9701
9702 @smallexample
9703 p *$
9704 @end smallexample
9705
9706 If you have a chain of structures where the component @code{next} points
9707 to the next one, you can print the contents of the next one with this:
9708
9709 @smallexample
9710 p *$.next
9711 @end smallexample
9712
9713 @noindent
9714 You can print successive links in the chain by repeating this
9715 command---which you can do by just typing @key{RET}.
9716
9717 Note that the history records values, not expressions. If the value of
9718 @code{x} is 4 and you type these commands:
9719
9720 @smallexample
9721 print x
9722 set x=5
9723 @end smallexample
9724
9725 @noindent
9726 then the value recorded in the value history by the @code{print} command
9727 remains 4 even though the value of @code{x} has changed.
9728
9729 @table @code
9730 @kindex show values
9731 @item show values
9732 Print the last ten values in the value history, with their item numbers.
9733 This is like @samp{p@ $$9} repeated ten times, except that @code{show
9734 values} does not change the history.
9735
9736 @item show values @var{n}
9737 Print ten history values centered on history item number @var{n}.
9738
9739 @item show values +
9740 Print ten history values just after the values last printed. If no more
9741 values are available, @code{show values +} produces no display.
9742 @end table
9743
9744 Pressing @key{RET} to repeat @code{show values @var{n}} has exactly the
9745 same effect as @samp{show values +}.
9746
9747 @node Convenience Vars
9748 @section Convenience Variables
9749
9750 @cindex convenience variables
9751 @cindex user-defined variables
9752 @value{GDBN} provides @dfn{convenience variables} that you can use within
9753 @value{GDBN} to hold on to a value and refer to it later. These variables
9754 exist entirely within @value{GDBN}; they are not part of your program, and
9755 setting a convenience variable has no direct effect on further execution
9756 of your program. That is why you can use them freely.
9757
9758 Convenience variables are prefixed with @samp{$}. Any name preceded by
9759 @samp{$} can be used for a convenience variable, unless it is one of
9760 the predefined machine-specific register names (@pxref{Registers, ,Registers}).
9761 (Value history references, in contrast, are @emph{numbers} preceded
9762 by @samp{$}. @xref{Value History, ,Value History}.)
9763
9764 You can save a value in a convenience variable with an assignment
9765 expression, just as you would set a variable in your program.
9766 For example:
9767
9768 @smallexample
9769 set $foo = *object_ptr
9770 @end smallexample
9771
9772 @noindent
9773 would save in @code{$foo} the value contained in the object pointed to by
9774 @code{object_ptr}.
9775
9776 Using a convenience variable for the first time creates it, but its
9777 value is @code{void} until you assign a new value. You can alter the
9778 value with another assignment at any time.
9779
9780 Convenience variables have no fixed types. You can assign a convenience
9781 variable any type of value, including structures and arrays, even if
9782 that variable already has a value of a different type. The convenience
9783 variable, when used as an expression, has the type of its current value.
9784
9785 @table @code
9786 @kindex show convenience
9787 @cindex show all user variables and functions
9788 @item show convenience
9789 Print a list of convenience variables used so far, and their values,
9790 as well as a list of the convenience functions.
9791 Abbreviated @code{show conv}.
9792
9793 @kindex init-if-undefined
9794 @cindex convenience variables, initializing
9795 @item init-if-undefined $@var{variable} = @var{expression}
9796 Set a convenience variable if it has not already been set. This is useful
9797 for user-defined commands that keep some state. It is similar, in concept,
9798 to using local static variables with initializers in C (except that
9799 convenience variables are global). It can also be used to allow users to
9800 override default values used in a command script.
9801
9802 If the variable is already defined then the expression is not evaluated so
9803 any side-effects do not occur.
9804 @end table
9805
9806 One of the ways to use a convenience variable is as a counter to be
9807 incremented or a pointer to be advanced. For example, to print
9808 a field from successive elements of an array of structures:
9809
9810 @smallexample
9811 set $i = 0
9812 print bar[$i++]->contents
9813 @end smallexample
9814
9815 @noindent
9816 Repeat that command by typing @key{RET}.
9817
9818 Some convenience variables are created automatically by @value{GDBN} and given
9819 values likely to be useful.
9820
9821 @table @code
9822 @vindex $_@r{, convenience variable}
9823 @item $_
9824 The variable @code{$_} is automatically set by the @code{x} command to
9825 the last address examined (@pxref{Memory, ,Examining Memory}). Other
9826 commands which provide a default address for @code{x} to examine also
9827 set @code{$_} to that address; these commands include @code{info line}
9828 and @code{info breakpoint}. The type of @code{$_} is @code{void *}
9829 except when set by the @code{x} command, in which case it is a pointer
9830 to the type of @code{$__}.
9831
9832 @vindex $__@r{, convenience variable}
9833 @item $__
9834 The variable @code{$__} is automatically set by the @code{x} command
9835 to the value found in the last address examined. Its type is chosen
9836 to match the format in which the data was printed.
9837
9838 @item $_exitcode
9839 @vindex $_exitcode@r{, convenience variable}
9840 When the program being debugged terminates normally, @value{GDBN}
9841 automatically sets this variable to the exit code of the program, and
9842 resets @code{$_exitsignal} to @code{void}.
9843
9844 @item $_exitsignal
9845 @vindex $_exitsignal@r{, convenience variable}
9846 When the program being debugged dies due to an uncaught signal,
9847 @value{GDBN} automatically sets this variable to that signal's number,
9848 and resets @code{$_exitcode} to @code{void}.
9849
9850 To distinguish between whether the program being debugged has exited
9851 (i.e., @code{$_exitcode} is not @code{void}) or signalled (i.e.,
9852 @code{$_exitsignal} is not @code{void}), the convenience function
9853 @code{$_isvoid} can be used (@pxref{Convenience Funs,, Convenience
9854 Functions}). For example, considering the following source code:
9855
9856 @smallexample
9857 #include <signal.h>
9858
9859 int
9860 main (int argc, char *argv[])
9861 @{
9862 raise (SIGALRM);
9863 return 0;
9864 @}
9865 @end smallexample
9866
9867 A valid way of telling whether the program being debugged has exited
9868 or signalled would be:
9869
9870 @smallexample
9871 (@value{GDBP}) define has_exited_or_signalled
9872 Type commands for definition of ``has_exited_or_signalled''.
9873 End with a line saying just ``end''.
9874 >if $_isvoid ($_exitsignal)
9875 >echo The program has exited\n
9876 >else
9877 >echo The program has signalled\n
9878 >end
9879 >end
9880 (@value{GDBP}) run
9881 Starting program:
9882
9883 Program terminated with signal SIGALRM, Alarm clock.
9884 The program no longer exists.
9885 (@value{GDBP}) has_exited_or_signalled
9886 The program has signalled
9887 @end smallexample
9888
9889 As can be seen, @value{GDBN} correctly informs that the program being
9890 debugged has signalled, since it calls @code{raise} and raises a
9891 @code{SIGALRM} signal. If the program being debugged had not called
9892 @code{raise}, then @value{GDBN} would report a normal exit:
9893
9894 @smallexample
9895 (@value{GDBP}) has_exited_or_signalled
9896 The program has exited
9897 @end smallexample
9898
9899 @item $_exception
9900 The variable @code{$_exception} is set to the exception object being
9901 thrown at an exception-related catchpoint. @xref{Set Catchpoints}.
9902
9903 @item $_probe_argc
9904 @itemx $_probe_arg0@dots{}$_probe_arg11
9905 Arguments to a static probe. @xref{Static Probe Points}.
9906
9907 @item $_sdata
9908 @vindex $_sdata@r{, inspect, convenience variable}
9909 The variable @code{$_sdata} contains extra collected static tracepoint
9910 data. @xref{Tracepoint Actions,,Tracepoint Action Lists}. Note that
9911 @code{$_sdata} could be empty, if not inspecting a trace buffer, or
9912 if extra static tracepoint data has not been collected.
9913
9914 @item $_siginfo
9915 @vindex $_siginfo@r{, convenience variable}
9916 The variable @code{$_siginfo} contains extra signal information
9917 (@pxref{extra signal information}). Note that @code{$_siginfo}
9918 could be empty, if the application has not yet received any signals.
9919 For example, it will be empty before you execute the @code{run} command.
9920
9921 @item $_tlb
9922 @vindex $_tlb@r{, convenience variable}
9923 The variable @code{$_tlb} is automatically set when debugging
9924 applications running on MS-Windows in native mode or connected to
9925 gdbserver that supports the @code{qGetTIBAddr} request.
9926 @xref{General Query Packets}.
9927 This variable contains the address of the thread information block.
9928
9929 @end table
9930
9931 On HP-UX systems, if you refer to a function or variable name that
9932 begins with a dollar sign, @value{GDBN} searches for a user or system
9933 name first, before it searches for a convenience variable.
9934
9935 @node Convenience Funs
9936 @section Convenience Functions
9937
9938 @cindex convenience functions
9939 @value{GDBN} also supplies some @dfn{convenience functions}. These
9940 have a syntax similar to convenience variables. A convenience
9941 function can be used in an expression just like an ordinary function;
9942 however, a convenience function is implemented internally to
9943 @value{GDBN}.
9944
9945 These functions do not require @value{GDBN} to be configured with
9946 @code{Python} support, which means that they are always available.
9947
9948 @table @code
9949
9950 @item $_isvoid (@var{expr})
9951 @findex $_isvoid@r{, convenience function}
9952 Return one if the expression @var{expr} is @code{void}. Otherwise it
9953 returns zero.
9954
9955 A @code{void} expression is an expression where the type of the result
9956 is @code{void}. For example, you can examine a convenience variable
9957 (see @ref{Convenience Vars,, Convenience Variables}) to check whether
9958 it is @code{void}:
9959
9960 @smallexample
9961 (@value{GDBP}) print $_exitcode
9962 $1 = void
9963 (@value{GDBP}) print $_isvoid ($_exitcode)
9964 $2 = 1
9965 (@value{GDBP}) run
9966 Starting program: ./a.out
9967 [Inferior 1 (process 29572) exited normally]
9968 (@value{GDBP}) print $_exitcode
9969 $3 = 0
9970 (@value{GDBP}) print $_isvoid ($_exitcode)
9971 $4 = 0
9972 @end smallexample
9973
9974 In the example above, we used @code{$_isvoid} to check whether
9975 @code{$_exitcode} is @code{void} before and after the execution of the
9976 program being debugged. Before the execution there is no exit code to
9977 be examined, therefore @code{$_exitcode} is @code{void}. After the
9978 execution the program being debugged returned zero, therefore
9979 @code{$_exitcode} is zero, which means that it is not @code{void}
9980 anymore.
9981
9982 The @code{void} expression can also be a call of a function from the
9983 program being debugged. For example, given the following function:
9984
9985 @smallexample
9986 void
9987 foo (void)
9988 @{
9989 @}
9990 @end smallexample
9991
9992 The result of calling it inside @value{GDBN} is @code{void}:
9993
9994 @smallexample
9995 (@value{GDBP}) print foo ()
9996 $1 = void
9997 (@value{GDBP}) print $_isvoid (foo ())
9998 $2 = 1
9999 (@value{GDBP}) set $v = foo ()
10000 (@value{GDBP}) print $v
10001 $3 = void
10002 (@value{GDBP}) print $_isvoid ($v)
10003 $4 = 1
10004 @end smallexample
10005
10006 @end table
10007
10008 These functions require @value{GDBN} to be configured with
10009 @code{Python} support.
10010
10011 @table @code
10012
10013 @item $_memeq(@var{buf1}, @var{buf2}, @var{length})
10014 @findex $_memeq@r{, convenience function}
10015 Returns one if the @var{length} bytes at the addresses given by
10016 @var{buf1} and @var{buf2} are equal.
10017 Otherwise it returns zero.
10018
10019 @item $_regex(@var{str}, @var{regex})
10020 @findex $_regex@r{, convenience function}
10021 Returns one if the string @var{str} matches the regular expression
10022 @var{regex}. Otherwise it returns zero.
10023 The syntax of the regular expression is that specified by @code{Python}'s
10024 regular expression support.
10025
10026 @item $_streq(@var{str1}, @var{str2})
10027 @findex $_streq@r{, convenience function}
10028 Returns one if the strings @var{str1} and @var{str2} are equal.
10029 Otherwise it returns zero.
10030
10031 @item $_strlen(@var{str})
10032 @findex $_strlen@r{, convenience function}
10033 Returns the length of string @var{str}.
10034
10035 @end table
10036
10037 @value{GDBN} provides the ability to list and get help on
10038 convenience functions.
10039
10040 @table @code
10041 @item help function
10042 @kindex help function
10043 @cindex show all convenience functions
10044 Print a list of all convenience functions.
10045 @end table
10046
10047 @node Registers
10048 @section Registers
10049
10050 @cindex registers
10051 You can refer to machine register contents, in expressions, as variables
10052 with names starting with @samp{$}. The names of registers are different
10053 for each machine; use @code{info registers} to see the names used on
10054 your machine.
10055
10056 @table @code
10057 @kindex info registers
10058 @item info registers
10059 Print the names and values of all registers except floating-point
10060 and vector registers (in the selected stack frame).
10061
10062 @kindex info all-registers
10063 @cindex floating point registers
10064 @item info all-registers
10065 Print the names and values of all registers, including floating-point
10066 and vector registers (in the selected stack frame).
10067
10068 @item info registers @var{regname} @dots{}
10069 Print the @dfn{relativized} value of each specified register @var{regname}.
10070 As discussed in detail below, register values are normally relative to
10071 the selected stack frame. @var{regname} may be any register name valid on
10072 the machine you are using, with or without the initial @samp{$}.
10073 @end table
10074
10075 @cindex stack pointer register
10076 @cindex program counter register
10077 @cindex process status register
10078 @cindex frame pointer register
10079 @cindex standard registers
10080 @value{GDBN} has four ``standard'' register names that are available (in
10081 expressions) on most machines---whenever they do not conflict with an
10082 architecture's canonical mnemonics for registers. The register names
10083 @code{$pc} and @code{$sp} are used for the program counter register and
10084 the stack pointer. @code{$fp} is used for a register that contains a
10085 pointer to the current stack frame, and @code{$ps} is used for a
10086 register that contains the processor status. For example,
10087 you could print the program counter in hex with
10088
10089 @smallexample
10090 p/x $pc
10091 @end smallexample
10092
10093 @noindent
10094 or print the instruction to be executed next with
10095
10096 @smallexample
10097 x/i $pc
10098 @end smallexample
10099
10100 @noindent
10101 or add four to the stack pointer@footnote{This is a way of removing
10102 one word from the stack, on machines where stacks grow downward in
10103 memory (most machines, nowadays). This assumes that the innermost
10104 stack frame is selected; setting @code{$sp} is not allowed when other
10105 stack frames are selected. To pop entire frames off the stack,
10106 regardless of machine architecture, use @code{return};
10107 see @ref{Returning, ,Returning from a Function}.} with
10108
10109 @smallexample
10110 set $sp += 4
10111 @end smallexample
10112
10113 Whenever possible, these four standard register names are available on
10114 your machine even though the machine has different canonical mnemonics,
10115 so long as there is no conflict. The @code{info registers} command
10116 shows the canonical names. For example, on the SPARC, @code{info
10117 registers} displays the processor status register as @code{$psr} but you
10118 can also refer to it as @code{$ps}; and on x86-based machines @code{$ps}
10119 is an alias for the @sc{eflags} register.
10120
10121 @value{GDBN} always considers the contents of an ordinary register as an
10122 integer when the register is examined in this way. Some machines have
10123 special registers which can hold nothing but floating point; these
10124 registers are considered to have floating point values. There is no way
10125 to refer to the contents of an ordinary register as floating point value
10126 (although you can @emph{print} it as a floating point value with
10127 @samp{print/f $@var{regname}}).
10128
10129 Some registers have distinct ``raw'' and ``virtual'' data formats. This
10130 means that the data format in which the register contents are saved by
10131 the operating system is not the same one that your program normally
10132 sees. For example, the registers of the 68881 floating point
10133 coprocessor are always saved in ``extended'' (raw) format, but all C
10134 programs expect to work with ``double'' (virtual) format. In such
10135 cases, @value{GDBN} normally works with the virtual format only (the format
10136 that makes sense for your program), but the @code{info registers} command
10137 prints the data in both formats.
10138
10139 @cindex SSE registers (x86)
10140 @cindex MMX registers (x86)
10141 Some machines have special registers whose contents can be interpreted
10142 in several different ways. For example, modern x86-based machines
10143 have SSE and MMX registers that can hold several values packed
10144 together in several different formats. @value{GDBN} refers to such
10145 registers in @code{struct} notation:
10146
10147 @smallexample
10148 (@value{GDBP}) print $xmm1
10149 $1 = @{
10150 v4_float = @{0, 3.43859137e-038, 1.54142831e-044, 1.821688e-044@},
10151 v2_double = @{9.92129282474342e-303, 2.7585945287983262e-313@},
10152 v16_int8 = "\000\000\000\000\3706;\001\v\000\000\000\r\000\000",
10153 v8_int16 = @{0, 0, 14072, 315, 11, 0, 13, 0@},
10154 v4_int32 = @{0, 20657912, 11, 13@},
10155 v2_int64 = @{88725056443645952, 55834574859@},
10156 uint128 = 0x0000000d0000000b013b36f800000000
10157 @}
10158 @end smallexample
10159
10160 @noindent
10161 To set values of such registers, you need to tell @value{GDBN} which
10162 view of the register you wish to change, as if you were assigning
10163 value to a @code{struct} member:
10164
10165 @smallexample
10166 (@value{GDBP}) set $xmm1.uint128 = 0x000000000000000000000000FFFFFFFF
10167 @end smallexample
10168
10169 Normally, register values are relative to the selected stack frame
10170 (@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}). This means that you get the
10171 value that the register would contain if all stack frames farther in
10172 were exited and their saved registers restored. In order to see the
10173 true contents of hardware registers, you must select the innermost
10174 frame (with @samp{frame 0}).
10175
10176 @cindex caller-saved registers
10177 @cindex call-clobbered registers
10178 @cindex volatile registers
10179 @cindex <not saved> values
10180 Usually ABIs reserve some registers as not needed to be saved by the
10181 callee (a.k.a.: ``caller-saved'', ``call-clobbered'' or ``volatile''
10182 registers). It may therefore not be possible for @value{GDBN} to know
10183 the value a register had before the call (in other words, in the outer
10184 frame), if the register value has since been changed by the callee.
10185 @value{GDBN} tries to deduce where the inner frame saved
10186 (``callee-saved'') registers, from the debug info, unwind info, or the
10187 machine code generated by your compiler. If some register is not
10188 saved, and @value{GDBN} knows the register is ``caller-saved'' (via
10189 its own knowledge of the ABI, or because the debug/unwind info
10190 explicitly says the register's value is undefined), @value{GDBN}
10191 displays @w{@samp{<not saved>}} as the register's value. With targets
10192 that @value{GDBN} has no knowledge of the register saving convention,
10193 if a register was not saved by the callee, then its value and location
10194 in the outer frame are assumed to be the same of the inner frame.
10195 This is usually harmless, because if the register is call-clobbered,
10196 the caller either does not care what is in the register after the
10197 call, or has code to restore the value that it does care about. Note,
10198 however, that if you change such a register in the outer frame, you
10199 may also be affecting the inner frame. Also, the more ``outer'' the
10200 frame is you're looking at, the more likely a call-clobbered
10201 register's value is to be wrong, in the sense that it doesn't actually
10202 represent the value the register had just before the call.
10203
10204 @node Floating Point Hardware
10205 @section Floating Point Hardware
10206 @cindex floating point
10207
10208 Depending on the configuration, @value{GDBN} may be able to give
10209 you more information about the status of the floating point hardware.
10210
10211 @table @code
10212 @kindex info float
10213 @item info float
10214 Display hardware-dependent information about the floating
10215 point unit. The exact contents and layout vary depending on the
10216 floating point chip. Currently, @samp{info float} is supported on
10217 the ARM and x86 machines.
10218 @end table
10219
10220 @node Vector Unit
10221 @section Vector Unit
10222 @cindex vector unit
10223
10224 Depending on the configuration, @value{GDBN} may be able to give you
10225 more information about the status of the vector unit.
10226
10227 @table @code
10228 @kindex info vector
10229 @item info vector
10230 Display information about the vector unit. The exact contents and
10231 layout vary depending on the hardware.
10232 @end table
10233
10234 @node OS Information
10235 @section Operating System Auxiliary Information
10236 @cindex OS information
10237
10238 @value{GDBN} provides interfaces to useful OS facilities that can help
10239 you debug your program.
10240
10241 @cindex auxiliary vector
10242 @cindex vector, auxiliary
10243 Some operating systems supply an @dfn{auxiliary vector} to programs at
10244 startup. This is akin to the arguments and environment that you
10245 specify for a program, but contains a system-dependent variety of
10246 binary values that tell system libraries important details about the
10247 hardware, operating system, and process. Each value's purpose is
10248 identified by an integer tag; the meanings are well-known but system-specific.
10249 Depending on the configuration and operating system facilities,
10250 @value{GDBN} may be able to show you this information. For remote
10251 targets, this functionality may further depend on the remote stub's
10252 support of the @samp{qXfer:auxv:read} packet, see
10253 @ref{qXfer auxiliary vector read}.
10254
10255 @table @code
10256 @kindex info auxv
10257 @item info auxv
10258 Display the auxiliary vector of the inferior, which can be either a
10259 live process or a core dump file. @value{GDBN} prints each tag value
10260 numerically, and also shows names and text descriptions for recognized
10261 tags. Some values in the vector are numbers, some bit masks, and some
10262 pointers to strings or other data. @value{GDBN} displays each value in the
10263 most appropriate form for a recognized tag, and in hexadecimal for
10264 an unrecognized tag.
10265 @end table
10266
10267 On some targets, @value{GDBN} can access operating system-specific
10268 information and show it to you. The types of information available
10269 will differ depending on the type of operating system running on the
10270 target. The mechanism used to fetch the data is described in
10271 @ref{Operating System Information}. For remote targets, this
10272 functionality depends on the remote stub's support of the
10273 @samp{qXfer:osdata:read} packet, see @ref{qXfer osdata read}.
10274
10275 @table @code
10276 @kindex info os
10277 @item info os @var{infotype}
10278
10279 Display OS information of the requested type.
10280
10281 On @sc{gnu}/Linux, the following values of @var{infotype} are valid:
10282
10283 @anchor{linux info os infotypes}
10284 @table @code
10285 @kindex info os processes
10286 @item processes
10287 Display the list of processes on the target. For each process,
10288 @value{GDBN} prints the process identifier, the name of the user, the
10289 command corresponding to the process, and the list of processor cores
10290 that the process is currently running on. (To understand what these
10291 properties mean, for this and the following info types, please consult
10292 the general @sc{gnu}/Linux documentation.)
10293
10294 @kindex info os procgroups
10295 @item procgroups
10296 Display the list of process groups on the target. For each process,
10297 @value{GDBN} prints the identifier of the process group that it belongs
10298 to, the command corresponding to the process group leader, the process
10299 identifier, and the command line of the process. The list is sorted
10300 first by the process group identifier, then by the process identifier,
10301 so that processes belonging to the same process group are grouped together
10302 and the process group leader is listed first.
10303
10304 @kindex info os threads
10305 @item threads
10306 Display the list of threads running on the target. For each thread,
10307 @value{GDBN} prints the identifier of the process that the thread
10308 belongs to, the command of the process, the thread identifier, and the
10309 processor core that it is currently running on. The main thread of a
10310 process is not listed.
10311
10312 @kindex info os files
10313 @item files
10314 Display the list of open file descriptors on the target. For each
10315 file descriptor, @value{GDBN} prints the identifier of the process
10316 owning the descriptor, the command of the owning process, the value
10317 of the descriptor, and the target of the descriptor.
10318
10319 @kindex info os sockets
10320 @item sockets
10321 Display the list of Internet-domain sockets on the target. For each
10322 socket, @value{GDBN} prints the address and port of the local and
10323 remote endpoints, the current state of the connection, the creator of
10324 the socket, the IP address family of the socket, and the type of the
10325 connection.
10326
10327 @kindex info os shm
10328 @item shm
10329 Display the list of all System V shared-memory regions on the target.
10330 For each shared-memory region, @value{GDBN} prints the region key,
10331 the shared-memory identifier, the access permissions, the size of the
10332 region, the process that created the region, the process that last
10333 attached to or detached from the region, the current number of live
10334 attaches to the region, and the times at which the region was last
10335 attached to, detach from, and changed.
10336
10337 @kindex info os semaphores
10338 @item semaphores
10339 Display the list of all System V semaphore sets on the target. For each
10340 semaphore set, @value{GDBN} prints the semaphore set key, the semaphore
10341 set identifier, the access permissions, the number of semaphores in the
10342 set, the user and group of the owner and creator of the semaphore set,
10343 and the times at which the semaphore set was operated upon and changed.
10344
10345 @kindex info os msg
10346 @item msg
10347 Display the list of all System V message queues on the target. For each
10348 message queue, @value{GDBN} prints the message queue key, the message
10349 queue identifier, the access permissions, the current number of bytes
10350 on the queue, the current number of messages on the queue, the processes
10351 that last sent and received a message on the queue, the user and group
10352 of the owner and creator of the message queue, the times at which a
10353 message was last sent and received on the queue, and the time at which
10354 the message queue was last changed.
10355
10356 @kindex info os modules
10357 @item modules
10358 Display the list of all loaded kernel modules on the target. For each
10359 module, @value{GDBN} prints the module name, the size of the module in
10360 bytes, the number of times the module is used, the dependencies of the
10361 module, the status of the module, and the address of the loaded module
10362 in memory.
10363 @end table
10364
10365 @item info os
10366 If @var{infotype} is omitted, then list the possible values for
10367 @var{infotype} and the kind of OS information available for each
10368 @var{infotype}. If the target does not return a list of possible
10369 types, this command will report an error.
10370 @end table
10371
10372 @node Memory Region Attributes
10373 @section Memory Region Attributes
10374 @cindex memory region attributes
10375
10376 @dfn{Memory region attributes} allow you to describe special handling
10377 required by regions of your target's memory. @value{GDBN} uses
10378 attributes to determine whether to allow certain types of memory
10379 accesses; whether to use specific width accesses; and whether to cache
10380 target memory. By default the description of memory regions is
10381 fetched from the target (if the current target supports this), but the
10382 user can override the fetched regions.
10383
10384 Defined memory regions can be individually enabled and disabled. When a
10385 memory region is disabled, @value{GDBN} uses the default attributes when
10386 accessing memory in that region. Similarly, if no memory regions have
10387 been defined, @value{GDBN} uses the default attributes when accessing
10388 all memory.
10389
10390 When a memory region is defined, it is given a number to identify it;
10391 to enable, disable, or remove a memory region, you specify that number.
10392
10393 @table @code
10394 @kindex mem
10395 @item mem @var{lower} @var{upper} @var{attributes}@dots{}
10396 Define a memory region bounded by @var{lower} and @var{upper} with
10397 attributes @var{attributes}@dots{}, and add it to the list of regions
10398 monitored by @value{GDBN}. Note that @var{upper} == 0 is a special
10399 case: it is treated as the target's maximum memory address.
10400 (0xffff on 16 bit targets, 0xffffffff on 32 bit targets, etc.)
10401
10402 @item mem auto
10403 Discard any user changes to the memory regions and use target-supplied
10404 regions, if available, or no regions if the target does not support.
10405
10406 @kindex delete mem
10407 @item delete mem @var{nums}@dots{}
10408 Remove memory regions @var{nums}@dots{} from the list of regions
10409 monitored by @value{GDBN}.
10410
10411 @kindex disable mem
10412 @item disable mem @var{nums}@dots{}
10413 Disable monitoring of memory regions @var{nums}@dots{}.
10414 A disabled memory region is not forgotten.
10415 It may be enabled again later.
10416
10417 @kindex enable mem
10418 @item enable mem @var{nums}@dots{}
10419 Enable monitoring of memory regions @var{nums}@dots{}.
10420
10421 @kindex info mem
10422 @item info mem
10423 Print a table of all defined memory regions, with the following columns
10424 for each region:
10425
10426 @table @emph
10427 @item Memory Region Number
10428 @item Enabled or Disabled.
10429 Enabled memory regions are marked with @samp{y}.
10430 Disabled memory regions are marked with @samp{n}.
10431
10432 @item Lo Address
10433 The address defining the inclusive lower bound of the memory region.
10434
10435 @item Hi Address
10436 The address defining the exclusive upper bound of the memory region.
10437
10438 @item Attributes
10439 The list of attributes set for this memory region.
10440 @end table
10441 @end table
10442
10443
10444 @subsection Attributes
10445
10446 @subsubsection Memory Access Mode
10447 The access mode attributes set whether @value{GDBN} may make read or
10448 write accesses to a memory region.
10449
10450 While these attributes prevent @value{GDBN} from performing invalid
10451 memory accesses, they do nothing to prevent the target system, I/O DMA,
10452 etc.@: from accessing memory.
10453
10454 @table @code
10455 @item ro
10456 Memory is read only.
10457 @item wo
10458 Memory is write only.
10459 @item rw
10460 Memory is read/write. This is the default.
10461 @end table
10462
10463 @subsubsection Memory Access Size
10464 The access size attribute tells @value{GDBN} to use specific sized
10465 accesses in the memory region. Often memory mapped device registers
10466 require specific sized accesses. If no access size attribute is
10467 specified, @value{GDBN} may use accesses of any size.
10468
10469 @table @code
10470 @item 8
10471 Use 8 bit memory accesses.
10472 @item 16
10473 Use 16 bit memory accesses.
10474 @item 32
10475 Use 32 bit memory accesses.
10476 @item 64
10477 Use 64 bit memory accesses.
10478 @end table
10479
10480 @c @subsubsection Hardware/Software Breakpoints
10481 @c The hardware/software breakpoint attributes set whether @value{GDBN}
10482 @c will use hardware or software breakpoints for the internal breakpoints
10483 @c used by the step, next, finish, until, etc. commands.
10484 @c
10485 @c @table @code
10486 @c @item hwbreak
10487 @c Always use hardware breakpoints
10488 @c @item swbreak (default)
10489 @c @end table
10490
10491 @subsubsection Data Cache
10492 The data cache attributes set whether @value{GDBN} will cache target
10493 memory. While this generally improves performance by reducing debug
10494 protocol overhead, it can lead to incorrect results because @value{GDBN}
10495 does not know about volatile variables or memory mapped device
10496 registers.
10497
10498 @table @code
10499 @item cache
10500 Enable @value{GDBN} to cache target memory.
10501 @item nocache
10502 Disable @value{GDBN} from caching target memory. This is the default.
10503 @end table
10504
10505 @subsection Memory Access Checking
10506 @value{GDBN} can be instructed to refuse accesses to memory that is
10507 not explicitly described. This can be useful if accessing such
10508 regions has undesired effects for a specific target, or to provide
10509 better error checking. The following commands control this behaviour.
10510
10511 @table @code
10512 @kindex set mem inaccessible-by-default
10513 @item set mem inaccessible-by-default [on|off]
10514 If @code{on} is specified, make @value{GDBN} treat memory not
10515 explicitly described by the memory ranges as non-existent and refuse accesses
10516 to such memory. The checks are only performed if there's at least one
10517 memory range defined. If @code{off} is specified, make @value{GDBN}
10518 treat the memory not explicitly described by the memory ranges as RAM.
10519 The default value is @code{on}.
10520 @kindex show mem inaccessible-by-default
10521 @item show mem inaccessible-by-default
10522 Show the current handling of accesses to unknown memory.
10523 @end table
10524
10525
10526 @c @subsubsection Memory Write Verification
10527 @c The memory write verification attributes set whether @value{GDBN}
10528 @c will re-reads data after each write to verify the write was successful.
10529 @c
10530 @c @table @code
10531 @c @item verify
10532 @c @item noverify (default)
10533 @c @end table
10534
10535 @node Dump/Restore Files
10536 @section Copy Between Memory and a File
10537 @cindex dump/restore files
10538 @cindex append data to a file
10539 @cindex dump data to a file
10540 @cindex restore data from a file
10541
10542 You can use the commands @code{dump}, @code{append}, and
10543 @code{restore} to copy data between target memory and a file. The
10544 @code{dump} and @code{append} commands write data to a file, and the
10545 @code{restore} command reads data from a file back into the inferior's
10546 memory. Files may be in binary, Motorola S-record, Intel hex, or
10547 Tektronix Hex format; however, @value{GDBN} can only append to binary
10548 files.
10549
10550 @table @code
10551
10552 @kindex dump
10553 @item dump @r{[}@var{format}@r{]} memory @var{filename} @var{start_addr} @var{end_addr}
10554 @itemx dump @r{[}@var{format}@r{]} value @var{filename} @var{expr}
10555 Dump the contents of memory from @var{start_addr} to @var{end_addr},
10556 or the value of @var{expr}, to @var{filename} in the given format.
10557
10558 The @var{format} parameter may be any one of:
10559 @table @code
10560 @item binary
10561 Raw binary form.
10562 @item ihex
10563 Intel hex format.
10564 @item srec
10565 Motorola S-record format.
10566 @item tekhex
10567 Tektronix Hex format.
10568 @end table
10569
10570 @value{GDBN} uses the same definitions of these formats as the
10571 @sc{gnu} binary utilities, like @samp{objdump} and @samp{objcopy}. If
10572 @var{format} is omitted, @value{GDBN} dumps the data in raw binary
10573 form.
10574
10575 @kindex append
10576 @item append @r{[}binary@r{]} memory @var{filename} @var{start_addr} @var{end_addr}
10577 @itemx append @r{[}binary@r{]} value @var{filename} @var{expr}
10578 Append the contents of memory from @var{start_addr} to @var{end_addr},
10579 or the value of @var{expr}, to the file @var{filename}, in raw binary form.
10580 (@value{GDBN} can only append data to files in raw binary form.)
10581
10582 @kindex restore
10583 @item restore @var{filename} @r{[}binary@r{]} @var{bias} @var{start} @var{end}
10584 Restore the contents of file @var{filename} into memory. The
10585 @code{restore} command can automatically recognize any known @sc{bfd}
10586 file format, except for raw binary. To restore a raw binary file you
10587 must specify the optional keyword @code{binary} after the filename.
10588
10589 If @var{bias} is non-zero, its value will be added to the addresses
10590 contained in the file. Binary files always start at address zero, so
10591 they will be restored at address @var{bias}. Other bfd files have
10592 a built-in location; they will be restored at offset @var{bias}
10593 from that location.
10594
10595 If @var{start} and/or @var{end} are non-zero, then only data between
10596 file offset @var{start} and file offset @var{end} will be restored.
10597 These offsets are relative to the addresses in the file, before
10598 the @var{bias} argument is applied.
10599
10600 @end table
10601
10602 @node Core File Generation
10603 @section How to Produce a Core File from Your Program
10604 @cindex dump core from inferior
10605
10606 A @dfn{core file} or @dfn{core dump} is a file that records the memory
10607 image of a running process and its process status (register values
10608 etc.). Its primary use is post-mortem debugging of a program that
10609 crashed while it ran outside a debugger. A program that crashes
10610 automatically produces a core file, unless this feature is disabled by
10611 the user. @xref{Files}, for information on invoking @value{GDBN} in
10612 the post-mortem debugging mode.
10613
10614 Occasionally, you may wish to produce a core file of the program you
10615 are debugging in order to preserve a snapshot of its state.
10616 @value{GDBN} has a special command for that.
10617
10618 @table @code
10619 @kindex gcore
10620 @kindex generate-core-file
10621 @item generate-core-file [@var{file}]
10622 @itemx gcore [@var{file}]
10623 Produce a core dump of the inferior process. The optional argument
10624 @var{file} specifies the file name where to put the core dump. If not
10625 specified, the file name defaults to @file{core.@var{pid}}, where
10626 @var{pid} is the inferior process ID.
10627
10628 Note that this command is implemented only for some systems (as of
10629 this writing, @sc{gnu}/Linux, FreeBSD, Solaris, and S390).
10630 @end table
10631
10632 @node Character Sets
10633 @section Character Sets
10634 @cindex character sets
10635 @cindex charset
10636 @cindex translating between character sets
10637 @cindex host character set
10638 @cindex target character set
10639
10640 If the program you are debugging uses a different character set to
10641 represent characters and strings than the one @value{GDBN} uses itself,
10642 @value{GDBN} can automatically translate between the character sets for
10643 you. The character set @value{GDBN} uses we call the @dfn{host
10644 character set}; the one the inferior program uses we call the
10645 @dfn{target character set}.
10646
10647 For example, if you are running @value{GDBN} on a @sc{gnu}/Linux system, which
10648 uses the ISO Latin 1 character set, but you are using @value{GDBN}'s
10649 remote protocol (@pxref{Remote Debugging}) to debug a program
10650 running on an IBM mainframe, which uses the @sc{ebcdic} character set,
10651 then the host character set is Latin-1, and the target character set is
10652 @sc{ebcdic}. If you give @value{GDBN} the command @code{set
10653 target-charset EBCDIC-US}, then @value{GDBN} translates between
10654 @sc{ebcdic} and Latin 1 as you print character or string values, or use
10655 character and string literals in expressions.
10656
10657 @value{GDBN} has no way to automatically recognize which character set
10658 the inferior program uses; you must tell it, using the @code{set
10659 target-charset} command, described below.
10660
10661 Here are the commands for controlling @value{GDBN}'s character set
10662 support:
10663
10664 @table @code
10665 @item set target-charset @var{charset}
10666 @kindex set target-charset
10667 Set the current target character set to @var{charset}. To display the
10668 list of supported target character sets, type
10669 @kbd{@w{set target-charset @key{TAB}@key{TAB}}}.
10670
10671 @item set host-charset @var{charset}
10672 @kindex set host-charset
10673 Set the current host character set to @var{charset}.
10674
10675 By default, @value{GDBN} uses a host character set appropriate to the
10676 system it is running on; you can override that default using the
10677 @code{set host-charset} command. On some systems, @value{GDBN} cannot
10678 automatically determine the appropriate host character set. In this
10679 case, @value{GDBN} uses @samp{UTF-8}.
10680
10681 @value{GDBN} can only use certain character sets as its host character
10682 set. If you type @kbd{@w{set host-charset @key{TAB}@key{TAB}}},
10683 @value{GDBN} will list the host character sets it supports.
10684
10685 @item set charset @var{charset}
10686 @kindex set charset
10687 Set the current host and target character sets to @var{charset}. As
10688 above, if you type @kbd{@w{set charset @key{TAB}@key{TAB}}},
10689 @value{GDBN} will list the names of the character sets that can be used
10690 for both host and target.
10691
10692 @item show charset
10693 @kindex show charset
10694 Show the names of the current host and target character sets.
10695
10696 @item show host-charset
10697 @kindex show host-charset
10698 Show the name of the current host character set.
10699
10700 @item show target-charset
10701 @kindex show target-charset
10702 Show the name of the current target character set.
10703
10704 @item set target-wide-charset @var{charset}
10705 @kindex set target-wide-charset
10706 Set the current target's wide character set to @var{charset}. This is
10707 the character set used by the target's @code{wchar_t} type. To
10708 display the list of supported wide character sets, type
10709 @kbd{@w{set target-wide-charset @key{TAB}@key{TAB}}}.
10710
10711 @item show target-wide-charset
10712 @kindex show target-wide-charset
10713 Show the name of the current target's wide character set.
10714 @end table
10715
10716 Here is an example of @value{GDBN}'s character set support in action.
10717 Assume that the following source code has been placed in the file
10718 @file{charset-test.c}:
10719
10720 @smallexample
10721 #include <stdio.h>
10722
10723 char ascii_hello[]
10724 = @{72, 101, 108, 108, 111, 44, 32, 119,
10725 111, 114, 108, 100, 33, 10, 0@};
10726 char ibm1047_hello[]
10727 = @{200, 133, 147, 147, 150, 107, 64, 166,
10728 150, 153, 147, 132, 90, 37, 0@};
10729
10730 main ()
10731 @{
10732 printf ("Hello, world!\n");
10733 @}
10734 @end smallexample
10735
10736 In this program, @code{ascii_hello} and @code{ibm1047_hello} are arrays
10737 containing the string @samp{Hello, world!} followed by a newline,
10738 encoded in the @sc{ascii} and @sc{ibm1047} character sets.
10739
10740 We compile the program, and invoke the debugger on it:
10741
10742 @smallexample
10743 $ gcc -g charset-test.c -o charset-test
10744 $ gdb -nw charset-test
10745 GNU gdb 2001-12-19-cvs
10746 Copyright 2001 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
10747 @dots{}
10748 (@value{GDBP})
10749 @end smallexample
10750
10751 We can use the @code{show charset} command to see what character sets
10752 @value{GDBN} is currently using to interpret and display characters and
10753 strings:
10754
10755 @smallexample
10756 (@value{GDBP}) show charset
10757 The current host and target character set is `ISO-8859-1'.
10758 (@value{GDBP})
10759 @end smallexample
10760
10761 For the sake of printing this manual, let's use @sc{ascii} as our
10762 initial character set:
10763 @smallexample
10764 (@value{GDBP}) set charset ASCII
10765 (@value{GDBP}) show charset
10766 The current host and target character set is `ASCII'.
10767 (@value{GDBP})
10768 @end smallexample
10769
10770 Let's assume that @sc{ascii} is indeed the correct character set for our
10771 host system --- in other words, let's assume that if @value{GDBN} prints
10772 characters using the @sc{ascii} character set, our terminal will display
10773 them properly. Since our current target character set is also
10774 @sc{ascii}, the contents of @code{ascii_hello} print legibly:
10775
10776 @smallexample
10777 (@value{GDBP}) print ascii_hello
10778 $1 = 0x401698 "Hello, world!\n"
10779 (@value{GDBP}) print ascii_hello[0]
10780 $2 = 72 'H'
10781 (@value{GDBP})
10782 @end smallexample
10783
10784 @value{GDBN} uses the target character set for character and string
10785 literals you use in expressions:
10786
10787 @smallexample
10788 (@value{GDBP}) print '+'
10789 $3 = 43 '+'
10790 (@value{GDBP})
10791 @end smallexample
10792
10793 The @sc{ascii} character set uses the number 43 to encode the @samp{+}
10794 character.
10795
10796 @value{GDBN} relies on the user to tell it which character set the
10797 target program uses. If we print @code{ibm1047_hello} while our target
10798 character set is still @sc{ascii}, we get jibberish:
10799
10800 @smallexample
10801 (@value{GDBP}) print ibm1047_hello
10802 $4 = 0x4016a8 "\310\205\223\223\226k@@\246\226\231\223\204Z%"
10803 (@value{GDBP}) print ibm1047_hello[0]
10804 $5 = 200 '\310'
10805 (@value{GDBP})
10806 @end smallexample
10807
10808 If we invoke the @code{set target-charset} followed by @key{TAB}@key{TAB},
10809 @value{GDBN} tells us the character sets it supports:
10810
10811 @smallexample
10812 (@value{GDBP}) set target-charset
10813 ASCII EBCDIC-US IBM1047 ISO-8859-1
10814 (@value{GDBP}) set target-charset
10815 @end smallexample
10816
10817 We can select @sc{ibm1047} as our target character set, and examine the
10818 program's strings again. Now the @sc{ascii} string is wrong, but
10819 @value{GDBN} translates the contents of @code{ibm1047_hello} from the
10820 target character set, @sc{ibm1047}, to the host character set,
10821 @sc{ascii}, and they display correctly:
10822
10823 @smallexample
10824 (@value{GDBP}) set target-charset IBM1047
10825 (@value{GDBP}) show charset
10826 The current host character set is `ASCII'.
10827 The current target character set is `IBM1047'.
10828 (@value{GDBP}) print ascii_hello
10829 $6 = 0x401698 "\110\145%%?\054\040\167?\162%\144\041\012"
10830 (@value{GDBP}) print ascii_hello[0]
10831 $7 = 72 '\110'
10832 (@value{GDBP}) print ibm1047_hello
10833 $8 = 0x4016a8 "Hello, world!\n"
10834 (@value{GDBP}) print ibm1047_hello[0]
10835 $9 = 200 'H'
10836 (@value{GDBP})
10837 @end smallexample
10838
10839 As above, @value{GDBN} uses the target character set for character and
10840 string literals you use in expressions:
10841
10842 @smallexample
10843 (@value{GDBP}) print '+'
10844 $10 = 78 '+'
10845 (@value{GDBP})
10846 @end smallexample
10847
10848 The @sc{ibm1047} character set uses the number 78 to encode the @samp{+}
10849 character.
10850
10851 @node Caching Target Data
10852 @section Caching Data of Targets
10853 @cindex caching data of targets
10854
10855 @value{GDBN} caches data exchanged between the debugger and a target.
10856 Each cache is associated with the address space of the inferior.
10857 @xref{Inferiors and Programs}, about inferior and address space.
10858 Such caching generally improves performance in remote debugging
10859 (@pxref{Remote Debugging}), because it reduces the overhead of the
10860 remote protocol by bundling memory reads and writes into large chunks.
10861 Unfortunately, simply caching everything would lead to incorrect results,
10862 since @value{GDBN} does not necessarily know anything about volatile
10863 values, memory-mapped I/O addresses, etc. Furthermore, in non-stop mode
10864 (@pxref{Non-Stop Mode}) memory can be changed @emph{while} a gdb command
10865 is executing.
10866 Therefore, by default, @value{GDBN} only caches data
10867 known to be on the stack@footnote{In non-stop mode, it is moderately
10868 rare for a running thread to modify the stack of a stopped thread
10869 in a way that would interfere with a backtrace, and caching of
10870 stack reads provides a significant speed up of remote backtraces.} or
10871 in the code segment.
10872 Other regions of memory can be explicitly marked as
10873 cacheable; @pxref{Memory Region Attributes}.
10874
10875 @table @code
10876 @kindex set remotecache
10877 @item set remotecache on
10878 @itemx set remotecache off
10879 This option no longer does anything; it exists for compatibility
10880 with old scripts.
10881
10882 @kindex show remotecache
10883 @item show remotecache
10884 Show the current state of the obsolete remotecache flag.
10885
10886 @kindex set stack-cache
10887 @item set stack-cache on
10888 @itemx set stack-cache off
10889 Enable or disable caching of stack accesses. When @code{on}, use
10890 caching. By default, this option is @code{on}.
10891
10892 @kindex show stack-cache
10893 @item show stack-cache
10894 Show the current state of data caching for memory accesses.
10895
10896 @kindex set code-cache
10897 @item set code-cache on
10898 @itemx set code-cache off
10899 Enable or disable caching of code segment accesses. When @code{on},
10900 use caching. By default, this option is @code{on}. This improves
10901 performance of disassembly in remote debugging.
10902
10903 @kindex show code-cache
10904 @item show code-cache
10905 Show the current state of target memory cache for code segment
10906 accesses.
10907
10908 @kindex info dcache
10909 @item info dcache @r{[}line@r{]}
10910 Print the information about the performance of data cache of the
10911 current inferior's address space. The information displayed
10912 includes the dcache width and depth, and for each cache line, its
10913 number, address, and how many times it was referenced. This
10914 command is useful for debugging the data cache operation.
10915
10916 If a line number is specified, the contents of that line will be
10917 printed in hex.
10918
10919 @item set dcache size @var{size}
10920 @cindex dcache size
10921 @kindex set dcache size
10922 Set maximum number of entries in dcache (dcache depth above).
10923
10924 @item set dcache line-size @var{line-size}
10925 @cindex dcache line-size
10926 @kindex set dcache line-size
10927 Set number of bytes each dcache entry caches (dcache width above).
10928 Must be a power of 2.
10929
10930 @item show dcache size
10931 @kindex show dcache size
10932 Show maximum number of dcache entries. @xref{Caching Target Data, info dcache}.
10933
10934 @item show dcache line-size
10935 @kindex show dcache line-size
10936 Show default size of dcache lines.
10937
10938 @end table
10939
10940 @node Searching Memory
10941 @section Search Memory
10942 @cindex searching memory
10943
10944 Memory can be searched for a particular sequence of bytes with the
10945 @code{find} command.
10946
10947 @table @code
10948 @kindex find
10949 @item find @r{[}/@var{sn}@r{]} @var{start_addr}, +@var{len}, @var{val1} @r{[}, @var{val2}, @dots{}@r{]}
10950 @itemx find @r{[}/@var{sn}@r{]} @var{start_addr}, @var{end_addr}, @var{val1} @r{[}, @var{val2}, @dots{}@r{]}
10951 Search memory for the sequence of bytes specified by @var{val1}, @var{val2},
10952 etc. The search begins at address @var{start_addr} and continues for either
10953 @var{len} bytes or through to @var{end_addr} inclusive.
10954 @end table
10955
10956 @var{s} and @var{n} are optional parameters.
10957 They may be specified in either order, apart or together.
10958
10959 @table @r
10960 @item @var{s}, search query size
10961 The size of each search query value.
10962
10963 @table @code
10964 @item b
10965 bytes
10966 @item h
10967 halfwords (two bytes)
10968 @item w
10969 words (four bytes)
10970 @item g
10971 giant words (eight bytes)
10972 @end table
10973
10974 All values are interpreted in the current language.
10975 This means, for example, that if the current source language is C/C@t{++}
10976 then searching for the string ``hello'' includes the trailing '\0'.
10977
10978 If the value size is not specified, it is taken from the
10979 value's type in the current language.
10980 This is useful when one wants to specify the search
10981 pattern as a mixture of types.
10982 Note that this means, for example, that in the case of C-like languages
10983 a search for an untyped 0x42 will search for @samp{(int) 0x42}
10984 which is typically four bytes.
10985
10986 @item @var{n}, maximum number of finds
10987 The maximum number of matches to print. The default is to print all finds.
10988 @end table
10989
10990 You can use strings as search values. Quote them with double-quotes
10991 (@code{"}).
10992 The string value is copied into the search pattern byte by byte,
10993 regardless of the endianness of the target and the size specification.
10994
10995 The address of each match found is printed as well as a count of the
10996 number of matches found.
10997
10998 The address of the last value found is stored in convenience variable
10999 @samp{$_}.
11000 A count of the number of matches is stored in @samp{$numfound}.
11001
11002 For example, if stopped at the @code{printf} in this function:
11003
11004 @smallexample
11005 void
11006 hello ()
11007 @{
11008 static char hello[] = "hello-hello";
11009 static struct @{ char c; short s; int i; @}
11010 __attribute__ ((packed)) mixed
11011 = @{ 'c', 0x1234, 0x87654321 @};
11012 printf ("%s\n", hello);
11013 @}
11014 @end smallexample
11015
11016 @noindent
11017 you get during debugging:
11018
11019 @smallexample
11020 (gdb) find &hello[0], +sizeof(hello), "hello"
11021 0x804956d <hello.1620+6>
11022 1 pattern found
11023 (gdb) find &hello[0], +sizeof(hello), 'h', 'e', 'l', 'l', 'o'
11024 0x8049567 <hello.1620>
11025 0x804956d <hello.1620+6>
11026 2 patterns found
11027 (gdb) find /b1 &hello[0], +sizeof(hello), 'h', 0x65, 'l'
11028 0x8049567 <hello.1620>
11029 1 pattern found
11030 (gdb) find &mixed, +sizeof(mixed), (char) 'c', (short) 0x1234, (int) 0x87654321
11031 0x8049560 <mixed.1625>
11032 1 pattern found
11033 (gdb) print $numfound
11034 $1 = 1
11035 (gdb) print $_
11036 $2 = (void *) 0x8049560
11037 @end smallexample
11038
11039 @node Optimized Code
11040 @chapter Debugging Optimized Code
11041 @cindex optimized code, debugging
11042 @cindex debugging optimized code
11043
11044 Almost all compilers support optimization. With optimization
11045 disabled, the compiler generates assembly code that corresponds
11046 directly to your source code, in a simplistic way. As the compiler
11047 applies more powerful optimizations, the generated assembly code
11048 diverges from your original source code. With help from debugging
11049 information generated by the compiler, @value{GDBN} can map from
11050 the running program back to constructs from your original source.
11051
11052 @value{GDBN} is more accurate with optimization disabled. If you
11053 can recompile without optimization, it is easier to follow the
11054 progress of your program during debugging. But, there are many cases
11055 where you may need to debug an optimized version.
11056
11057 When you debug a program compiled with @samp{-g -O}, remember that the
11058 optimizer has rearranged your code; the debugger shows you what is
11059 really there. Do not be too surprised when the execution path does not
11060 exactly match your source file! An extreme example: if you define a
11061 variable, but never use it, @value{GDBN} never sees that
11062 variable---because the compiler optimizes it out of existence.
11063
11064 Some things do not work as well with @samp{-g -O} as with just
11065 @samp{-g}, particularly on machines with instruction scheduling. If in
11066 doubt, recompile with @samp{-g} alone, and if this fixes the problem,
11067 please report it to us as a bug (including a test case!).
11068 @xref{Variables}, for more information about debugging optimized code.
11069
11070 @menu
11071 * Inline Functions:: How @value{GDBN} presents inlining
11072 * Tail Call Frames:: @value{GDBN} analysis of jumps to functions
11073 @end menu
11074
11075 @node Inline Functions
11076 @section Inline Functions
11077 @cindex inline functions, debugging
11078
11079 @dfn{Inlining} is an optimization that inserts a copy of the function
11080 body directly at each call site, instead of jumping to a shared
11081 routine. @value{GDBN} displays inlined functions just like
11082 non-inlined functions. They appear in backtraces. You can view their
11083 arguments and local variables, step into them with @code{step}, skip
11084 them with @code{next}, and escape from them with @code{finish}.
11085 You can check whether a function was inlined by using the
11086 @code{info frame} command.
11087
11088 For @value{GDBN} to support inlined functions, the compiler must
11089 record information about inlining in the debug information ---
11090 @value{NGCC} using the @sc{dwarf 2} format does this, and several
11091 other compilers do also. @value{GDBN} only supports inlined functions
11092 when using @sc{dwarf 2}. Versions of @value{NGCC} before 4.1
11093 do not emit two required attributes (@samp{DW_AT_call_file} and
11094 @samp{DW_AT_call_line}); @value{GDBN} does not display inlined
11095 function calls with earlier versions of @value{NGCC}. It instead
11096 displays the arguments and local variables of inlined functions as
11097 local variables in the caller.
11098
11099 The body of an inlined function is directly included at its call site;
11100 unlike a non-inlined function, there are no instructions devoted to
11101 the call. @value{GDBN} still pretends that the call site and the
11102 start of the inlined function are different instructions. Stepping to
11103 the call site shows the call site, and then stepping again shows
11104 the first line of the inlined function, even though no additional
11105 instructions are executed.
11106
11107 This makes source-level debugging much clearer; you can see both the
11108 context of the call and then the effect of the call. Only stepping by
11109 a single instruction using @code{stepi} or @code{nexti} does not do
11110 this; single instruction steps always show the inlined body.
11111
11112 There are some ways that @value{GDBN} does not pretend that inlined
11113 function calls are the same as normal calls:
11114
11115 @itemize @bullet
11116 @item
11117 Setting breakpoints at the call site of an inlined function may not
11118 work, because the call site does not contain any code. @value{GDBN}
11119 may incorrectly move the breakpoint to the next line of the enclosing
11120 function, after the call. This limitation will be removed in a future
11121 version of @value{GDBN}; until then, set a breakpoint on an earlier line
11122 or inside the inlined function instead.
11123
11124 @item
11125 @value{GDBN} cannot locate the return value of inlined calls after
11126 using the @code{finish} command. This is a limitation of compiler-generated
11127 debugging information; after @code{finish}, you can step to the next line
11128 and print a variable where your program stored the return value.
11129
11130 @end itemize
11131
11132 @node Tail Call Frames
11133 @section Tail Call Frames
11134 @cindex tail call frames, debugging
11135
11136 Function @code{B} can call function @code{C} in its very last statement. In
11137 unoptimized compilation the call of @code{C} is immediately followed by return
11138 instruction at the end of @code{B} code. Optimizing compiler may replace the
11139 call and return in function @code{B} into one jump to function @code{C}
11140 instead. Such use of a jump instruction is called @dfn{tail call}.
11141
11142 During execution of function @code{C}, there will be no indication in the
11143 function call stack frames that it was tail-called from @code{B}. If function
11144 @code{A} regularly calls function @code{B} which tail-calls function @code{C},
11145 then @value{GDBN} will see @code{A} as the caller of @code{C}. However, in
11146 some cases @value{GDBN} can determine that @code{C} was tail-called from
11147 @code{B}, and it will then create fictitious call frame for that, with the
11148 return address set up as if @code{B} called @code{C} normally.
11149
11150 This functionality is currently supported only by DWARF 2 debugging format and
11151 the compiler has to produce @samp{DW_TAG_GNU_call_site} tags. With
11152 @value{NGCC}, you need to specify @option{-O -g} during compilation, to get
11153 this information.
11154
11155 @kbd{info frame} command (@pxref{Frame Info}) will indicate the tail call frame
11156 kind by text @code{tail call frame} such as in this sample @value{GDBN} output:
11157
11158 @smallexample
11159 (gdb) x/i $pc - 2
11160 0x40066b <b(int, double)+11>: jmp 0x400640 <c(int, double)>
11161 (gdb) info frame
11162 Stack level 1, frame at 0x7fffffffda30:
11163 rip = 0x40066d in b (amd64-entry-value.cc:59); saved rip 0x4004c5
11164 tail call frame, caller of frame at 0x7fffffffda30
11165 source language c++.
11166 Arglist at unknown address.
11167 Locals at unknown address, Previous frame's sp is 0x7fffffffda30
11168 @end smallexample
11169
11170 The detection of all the possible code path executions can find them ambiguous.
11171 There is no execution history stored (possible @ref{Reverse Execution} is never
11172 used for this purpose) and the last known caller could have reached the known
11173 callee by multiple different jump sequences. In such case @value{GDBN} still
11174 tries to show at least all the unambiguous top tail callers and all the
11175 unambiguous bottom tail calees, if any.
11176
11177 @table @code
11178 @anchor{set debug entry-values}
11179 @item set debug entry-values
11180 @kindex set debug entry-values
11181 When set to on, enables printing of analysis messages for both frame argument
11182 values at function entry and tail calls. It will show all the possible valid
11183 tail calls code paths it has considered. It will also print the intersection
11184 of them with the final unambiguous (possibly partial or even empty) code path
11185 result.
11186
11187 @item show debug entry-values
11188 @kindex show debug entry-values
11189 Show the current state of analysis messages printing for both frame argument
11190 values at function entry and tail calls.
11191 @end table
11192
11193 The analysis messages for tail calls can for example show why the virtual tail
11194 call frame for function @code{c} has not been recognized (due to the indirect
11195 reference by variable @code{x}):
11196
11197 @smallexample
11198 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) c (void);
11199 void (*x) (void) = c;
11200 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) a (void) @{ x++; @}
11201 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) c (void) @{ a (); @}
11202 int main (void) @{ x (); return 0; @}
11203
11204 Breakpoint 1, DW_OP_GNU_entry_value resolving cannot find
11205 DW_TAG_GNU_call_site 0x40039a in main
11206 a () at t.c:3
11207 3 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) a (void) @{ x++; @}
11208 (gdb) bt
11209 #0 a () at t.c:3
11210 #1 0x000000000040039a in main () at t.c:5
11211 @end smallexample
11212
11213 Another possibility is an ambiguous virtual tail call frames resolution:
11214
11215 @smallexample
11216 int i;
11217 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) f (void) @{ i++; @}
11218 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) e (void) @{ f (); @}
11219 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) d (void) @{ f (); @}
11220 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) c (void) @{ d (); @}
11221 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) b (void)
11222 @{ if (i) c (); else e (); @}
11223 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) a (void) @{ b (); @}
11224 int main (void) @{ a (); return 0; @}
11225
11226 tailcall: initial: 0x4004d2(a) 0x4004ce(b) 0x4004b2(c) 0x4004a2(d)
11227 tailcall: compare: 0x4004d2(a) 0x4004cc(b) 0x400492(e)
11228 tailcall: reduced: 0x4004d2(a) |
11229 (gdb) bt
11230 #0 f () at t.c:2
11231 #1 0x00000000004004d2 in a () at t.c:8
11232 #2 0x0000000000400395 in main () at t.c:9
11233 @end smallexample
11234
11235 @set CALLSEQ1A @code{main@value{ARROW}a@value{ARROW}b@value{ARROW}c@value{ARROW}d@value{ARROW}f}
11236 @set CALLSEQ2A @code{main@value{ARROW}a@value{ARROW}b@value{ARROW}e@value{ARROW}f}
11237
11238 @c Convert CALLSEQ#A to CALLSEQ#B depending on HAVE_MAKEINFO_CLICK.
11239 @ifset HAVE_MAKEINFO_CLICK
11240 @set ARROW @click{}
11241 @set CALLSEQ1B @clicksequence{@value{CALLSEQ1A}}
11242 @set CALLSEQ2B @clicksequence{@value{CALLSEQ2A}}
11243 @end ifset
11244 @ifclear HAVE_MAKEINFO_CLICK
11245 @set ARROW ->
11246 @set CALLSEQ1B @value{CALLSEQ1A}
11247 @set CALLSEQ2B @value{CALLSEQ2A}
11248 @end ifclear
11249
11250 Frames #0 and #2 are real, #1 is a virtual tail call frame.
11251 The code can have possible execution paths @value{CALLSEQ1B} or
11252 @value{CALLSEQ2B}, @value{GDBN} cannot find which one from the inferior state.
11253
11254 @code{initial:} state shows some random possible calling sequence @value{GDBN}
11255 has found. It then finds another possible calling sequcen - that one is
11256 prefixed by @code{compare:}. The non-ambiguous intersection of these two is
11257 printed as the @code{reduced:} calling sequence. That one could have many
11258 futher @code{compare:} and @code{reduced:} statements as long as there remain
11259 any non-ambiguous sequence entries.
11260
11261 For the frame of function @code{b} in both cases there are different possible
11262 @code{$pc} values (@code{0x4004cc} or @code{0x4004ce}), therefore this frame is
11263 also ambigous. The only non-ambiguous frame is the one for function @code{a},
11264 therefore this one is displayed to the user while the ambiguous frames are
11265 omitted.
11266
11267 There can be also reasons why printing of frame argument values at function
11268 entry may fail:
11269
11270 @smallexample
11271 int v;
11272 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) c (int i) @{ v++; @}
11273 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) a (int i);
11274 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) b (int i) @{ a (i); @}
11275 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) a (int i)
11276 @{ if (i) b (i - 1); else c (0); @}
11277 int main (void) @{ a (5); return 0; @}
11278
11279 (gdb) bt
11280 #0 c (i=i@@entry=0) at t.c:2
11281 #1 0x0000000000400428 in a (DW_OP_GNU_entry_value resolving has found
11282 function "a" at 0x400420 can call itself via tail calls
11283 i=<optimized out>) at t.c:6
11284 #2 0x000000000040036e in main () at t.c:7
11285 @end smallexample
11286
11287 @value{GDBN} cannot find out from the inferior state if and how many times did
11288 function @code{a} call itself (via function @code{b}) as these calls would be
11289 tail calls. Such tail calls would modify thue @code{i} variable, therefore
11290 @value{GDBN} cannot be sure the value it knows would be right - @value{GDBN}
11291 prints @code{<optimized out>} instead.
11292
11293 @node Macros
11294 @chapter C Preprocessor Macros
11295
11296 Some languages, such as C and C@t{++}, provide a way to define and invoke
11297 ``preprocessor macros'' which expand into strings of tokens.
11298 @value{GDBN} can evaluate expressions containing macro invocations, show
11299 the result of macro expansion, and show a macro's definition, including
11300 where it was defined.
11301
11302 You may need to compile your program specially to provide @value{GDBN}
11303 with information about preprocessor macros. Most compilers do not
11304 include macros in their debugging information, even when you compile
11305 with the @option{-g} flag. @xref{Compilation}.
11306
11307 A program may define a macro at one point, remove that definition later,
11308 and then provide a different definition after that. Thus, at different
11309 points in the program, a macro may have different definitions, or have
11310 no definition at all. If there is a current stack frame, @value{GDBN}
11311 uses the macros in scope at that frame's source code line. Otherwise,
11312 @value{GDBN} uses the macros in scope at the current listing location;
11313 see @ref{List}.
11314
11315 Whenever @value{GDBN} evaluates an expression, it always expands any
11316 macro invocations present in the expression. @value{GDBN} also provides
11317 the following commands for working with macros explicitly.
11318
11319 @table @code
11320
11321 @kindex macro expand
11322 @cindex macro expansion, showing the results of preprocessor
11323 @cindex preprocessor macro expansion, showing the results of
11324 @cindex expanding preprocessor macros
11325 @item macro expand @var{expression}
11326 @itemx macro exp @var{expression}
11327 Show the results of expanding all preprocessor macro invocations in
11328 @var{expression}. Since @value{GDBN} simply expands macros, but does
11329 not parse the result, @var{expression} need not be a valid expression;
11330 it can be any string of tokens.
11331
11332 @kindex macro exp1
11333 @item macro expand-once @var{expression}
11334 @itemx macro exp1 @var{expression}
11335 @cindex expand macro once
11336 @i{(This command is not yet implemented.)} Show the results of
11337 expanding those preprocessor macro invocations that appear explicitly in
11338 @var{expression}. Macro invocations appearing in that expansion are
11339 left unchanged. This command allows you to see the effect of a
11340 particular macro more clearly, without being confused by further
11341 expansions. Since @value{GDBN} simply expands macros, but does not
11342 parse the result, @var{expression} need not be a valid expression; it
11343 can be any string of tokens.
11344
11345 @kindex info macro
11346 @cindex macro definition, showing
11347 @cindex definition of a macro, showing
11348 @cindex macros, from debug info
11349 @item info macro [-a|-all] [--] @var{macro}
11350 Show the current definition or all definitions of the named @var{macro},
11351 and describe the source location or compiler command-line where that
11352 definition was established. The optional double dash is to signify the end of
11353 argument processing and the beginning of @var{macro} for non C-like macros where
11354 the macro may begin with a hyphen.
11355
11356 @kindex info macros
11357 @item info macros @var{linespec}
11358 Show all macro definitions that are in effect at the location specified
11359 by @var{linespec}, and describe the source location or compiler
11360 command-line where those definitions were established.
11361
11362 @kindex macro define
11363 @cindex user-defined macros
11364 @cindex defining macros interactively
11365 @cindex macros, user-defined
11366 @item macro define @var{macro} @var{replacement-list}
11367 @itemx macro define @var{macro}(@var{arglist}) @var{replacement-list}
11368 Introduce a definition for a preprocessor macro named @var{macro},
11369 invocations of which are replaced by the tokens given in
11370 @var{replacement-list}. The first form of this command defines an
11371 ``object-like'' macro, which takes no arguments; the second form
11372 defines a ``function-like'' macro, which takes the arguments given in
11373 @var{arglist}.
11374
11375 A definition introduced by this command is in scope in every
11376 expression evaluated in @value{GDBN}, until it is removed with the
11377 @code{macro undef} command, described below. The definition overrides
11378 all definitions for @var{macro} present in the program being debugged,
11379 as well as any previous user-supplied definition.
11380
11381 @kindex macro undef
11382 @item macro undef @var{macro}
11383 Remove any user-supplied definition for the macro named @var{macro}.
11384 This command only affects definitions provided with the @code{macro
11385 define} command, described above; it cannot remove definitions present
11386 in the program being debugged.
11387
11388 @kindex macro list
11389 @item macro list
11390 List all the macros defined using the @code{macro define} command.
11391 @end table
11392
11393 @cindex macros, example of debugging with
11394 Here is a transcript showing the above commands in action. First, we
11395 show our source files:
11396
11397 @smallexample
11398 $ cat sample.c
11399 #include <stdio.h>
11400 #include "sample.h"
11401
11402 #define M 42
11403 #define ADD(x) (M + x)
11404
11405 main ()
11406 @{
11407 #define N 28
11408 printf ("Hello, world!\n");
11409 #undef N
11410 printf ("We're so creative.\n");
11411 #define N 1729
11412 printf ("Goodbye, world!\n");
11413 @}
11414 $ cat sample.h
11415 #define Q <
11416 $
11417 @end smallexample
11418
11419 Now, we compile the program using the @sc{gnu} C compiler,
11420 @value{NGCC}. We pass the @option{-gdwarf-2}@footnote{This is the
11421 minimum. Recent versions of @value{NGCC} support @option{-gdwarf-3}
11422 and @option{-gdwarf-4}; we recommend always choosing the most recent
11423 version of DWARF.} @emph{and} @option{-g3} flags to ensure the compiler
11424 includes information about preprocessor macros in the debugging
11425 information.
11426
11427 @smallexample
11428 $ gcc -gdwarf-2 -g3 sample.c -o sample
11429 $
11430 @end smallexample
11431
11432 Now, we start @value{GDBN} on our sample program:
11433
11434 @smallexample
11435 $ gdb -nw sample
11436 GNU gdb 2002-05-06-cvs
11437 Copyright 2002 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
11438 GDB is free software, @dots{}
11439 (@value{GDBP})
11440 @end smallexample
11441
11442 We can expand macros and examine their definitions, even when the
11443 program is not running. @value{GDBN} uses the current listing position
11444 to decide which macro definitions are in scope:
11445
11446 @smallexample
11447 (@value{GDBP}) list main
11448 3
11449 4 #define M 42
11450 5 #define ADD(x) (M + x)
11451 6
11452 7 main ()
11453 8 @{
11454 9 #define N 28
11455 10 printf ("Hello, world!\n");
11456 11 #undef N
11457 12 printf ("We're so creative.\n");
11458 (@value{GDBP}) info macro ADD
11459 Defined at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.c:5
11460 #define ADD(x) (M + x)
11461 (@value{GDBP}) info macro Q
11462 Defined at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.h:1
11463 included at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.c:2
11464 #define Q <
11465 (@value{GDBP}) macro expand ADD(1)
11466 expands to: (42 + 1)
11467 (@value{GDBP}) macro expand-once ADD(1)
11468 expands to: once (M + 1)
11469 (@value{GDBP})
11470 @end smallexample
11471
11472 In the example above, note that @code{macro expand-once} expands only
11473 the macro invocation explicit in the original text --- the invocation of
11474 @code{ADD} --- but does not expand the invocation of the macro @code{M},
11475 which was introduced by @code{ADD}.
11476
11477 Once the program is running, @value{GDBN} uses the macro definitions in
11478 force at the source line of the current stack frame:
11479
11480 @smallexample
11481 (@value{GDBP}) break main
11482 Breakpoint 1 at 0x8048370: file sample.c, line 10.
11483 (@value{GDBP}) run
11484 Starting program: /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample
11485
11486 Breakpoint 1, main () at sample.c:10
11487 10 printf ("Hello, world!\n");
11488 (@value{GDBP})
11489 @end smallexample
11490
11491 At line 10, the definition of the macro @code{N} at line 9 is in force:
11492
11493 @smallexample
11494 (@value{GDBP}) info macro N
11495 Defined at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.c:9
11496 #define N 28
11497 (@value{GDBP}) macro expand N Q M
11498 expands to: 28 < 42
11499 (@value{GDBP}) print N Q M
11500 $1 = 1
11501 (@value{GDBP})
11502 @end smallexample
11503
11504 As we step over directives that remove @code{N}'s definition, and then
11505 give it a new definition, @value{GDBN} finds the definition (or lack
11506 thereof) in force at each point:
11507
11508 @smallexample
11509 (@value{GDBP}) next
11510 Hello, world!
11511 12 printf ("We're so creative.\n");
11512 (@value{GDBP}) info macro N
11513 The symbol `N' has no definition as a C/C++ preprocessor macro
11514 at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.c:12
11515 (@value{GDBP}) next
11516 We're so creative.
11517 14 printf ("Goodbye, world!\n");
11518 (@value{GDBP}) info macro N
11519 Defined at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.c:13
11520 #define N 1729
11521 (@value{GDBP}) macro expand N Q M
11522 expands to: 1729 < 42
11523 (@value{GDBP}) print N Q M
11524 $2 = 0
11525 (@value{GDBP})
11526 @end smallexample
11527
11528 In addition to source files, macros can be defined on the compilation command
11529 line using the @option{-D@var{name}=@var{value}} syntax. For macros defined in
11530 such a way, @value{GDBN} displays the location of their definition as line zero
11531 of the source file submitted to the compiler.
11532
11533 @smallexample
11534 (@value{GDBP}) info macro __STDC__
11535 Defined at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.c:0
11536 -D__STDC__=1
11537 (@value{GDBP})
11538 @end smallexample
11539
11540
11541 @node Tracepoints
11542 @chapter Tracepoints
11543 @c This chapter is based on the documentation written by Michael
11544 @c Snyder, David Taylor, Jim Blandy, and Elena Zannoni.
11545
11546 @cindex tracepoints
11547 In some applications, it is not feasible for the debugger to interrupt
11548 the program's execution long enough for the developer to learn
11549 anything helpful about its behavior. If the program's correctness
11550 depends on its real-time behavior, delays introduced by a debugger
11551 might cause the program to change its behavior drastically, or perhaps
11552 fail, even when the code itself is correct. It is useful to be able
11553 to observe the program's behavior without interrupting it.
11554
11555 Using @value{GDBN}'s @code{trace} and @code{collect} commands, you can
11556 specify locations in the program, called @dfn{tracepoints}, and
11557 arbitrary expressions to evaluate when those tracepoints are reached.
11558 Later, using the @code{tfind} command, you can examine the values
11559 those expressions had when the program hit the tracepoints. The
11560 expressions may also denote objects in memory---structures or arrays,
11561 for example---whose values @value{GDBN} should record; while visiting
11562 a particular tracepoint, you may inspect those objects as if they were
11563 in memory at that moment. However, because @value{GDBN} records these
11564 values without interacting with you, it can do so quickly and
11565 unobtrusively, hopefully not disturbing the program's behavior.
11566
11567 The tracepoint facility is currently available only for remote
11568 targets. @xref{Targets}. In addition, your remote target must know
11569 how to collect trace data. This functionality is implemented in the
11570 remote stub; however, none of the stubs distributed with @value{GDBN}
11571 support tracepoints as of this writing. The format of the remote
11572 packets used to implement tracepoints are described in @ref{Tracepoint
11573 Packets}.
11574
11575 It is also possible to get trace data from a file, in a manner reminiscent
11576 of corefiles; you specify the filename, and use @code{tfind} to search
11577 through the file. @xref{Trace Files}, for more details.
11578
11579 This chapter describes the tracepoint commands and features.
11580
11581 @menu
11582 * Set Tracepoints::
11583 * Analyze Collected Data::
11584 * Tracepoint Variables::
11585 * Trace Files::
11586 @end menu
11587
11588 @node Set Tracepoints
11589 @section Commands to Set Tracepoints
11590
11591 Before running such a @dfn{trace experiment}, an arbitrary number of
11592 tracepoints can be set. A tracepoint is actually a special type of
11593 breakpoint (@pxref{Set Breaks}), so you can manipulate it using
11594 standard breakpoint commands. For instance, as with breakpoints,
11595 tracepoint numbers are successive integers starting from one, and many
11596 of the commands associated with tracepoints take the tracepoint number
11597 as their argument, to identify which tracepoint to work on.
11598
11599 For each tracepoint, you can specify, in advance, some arbitrary set
11600 of data that you want the target to collect in the trace buffer when
11601 it hits that tracepoint. The collected data can include registers,
11602 local variables, or global data. Later, you can use @value{GDBN}
11603 commands to examine the values these data had at the time the
11604 tracepoint was hit.
11605
11606 Tracepoints do not support every breakpoint feature. Ignore counts on
11607 tracepoints have no effect, and tracepoints cannot run @value{GDBN}
11608 commands when they are hit. Tracepoints may not be thread-specific
11609 either.
11610
11611 @cindex fast tracepoints
11612 Some targets may support @dfn{fast tracepoints}, which are inserted in
11613 a different way (such as with a jump instead of a trap), that is
11614 faster but possibly restricted in where they may be installed.
11615
11616 @cindex static tracepoints
11617 @cindex markers, static tracepoints
11618 @cindex probing markers, static tracepoints
11619 Regular and fast tracepoints are dynamic tracing facilities, meaning
11620 that they can be used to insert tracepoints at (almost) any location
11621 in the target. Some targets may also support controlling @dfn{static
11622 tracepoints} from @value{GDBN}. With static tracing, a set of
11623 instrumentation points, also known as @dfn{markers}, are embedded in
11624 the target program, and can be activated or deactivated by name or
11625 address. These are usually placed at locations which facilitate
11626 investigating what the target is actually doing. @value{GDBN}'s
11627 support for static tracing includes being able to list instrumentation
11628 points, and attach them with @value{GDBN} defined high level
11629 tracepoints that expose the whole range of convenience of
11630 @value{GDBN}'s tracepoints support. Namely, support for collecting
11631 registers values and values of global or local (to the instrumentation
11632 point) variables; tracepoint conditions and trace state variables.
11633 The act of installing a @value{GDBN} static tracepoint on an
11634 instrumentation point, or marker, is referred to as @dfn{probing} a
11635 static tracepoint marker.
11636
11637 @code{gdbserver} supports tracepoints on some target systems.
11638 @xref{Server,,Tracepoints support in @code{gdbserver}}.
11639
11640 This section describes commands to set tracepoints and associated
11641 conditions and actions.
11642
11643 @menu
11644 * Create and Delete Tracepoints::
11645 * Enable and Disable Tracepoints::
11646 * Tracepoint Passcounts::
11647 * Tracepoint Conditions::
11648 * Trace State Variables::
11649 * Tracepoint Actions::
11650 * Listing Tracepoints::
11651 * Listing Static Tracepoint Markers::
11652 * Starting and Stopping Trace Experiments::
11653 * Tracepoint Restrictions::
11654 @end menu
11655
11656 @node Create and Delete Tracepoints
11657 @subsection Create and Delete Tracepoints
11658
11659 @table @code
11660 @cindex set tracepoint
11661 @kindex trace
11662 @item trace @var{location}
11663 The @code{trace} command is very similar to the @code{break} command.
11664 Its argument @var{location} can be a source line, a function name, or
11665 an address in the target program. @xref{Specify Location}. The
11666 @code{trace} command defines a tracepoint, which is a point in the
11667 target program where the debugger will briefly stop, collect some
11668 data, and then allow the program to continue. Setting a tracepoint or
11669 changing its actions takes effect immediately if the remote stub
11670 supports the @samp{InstallInTrace} feature (@pxref{install tracepoint
11671 in tracing}).
11672 If remote stub doesn't support the @samp{InstallInTrace} feature, all
11673 these changes don't take effect until the next @code{tstart}
11674 command, and once a trace experiment is running, further changes will
11675 not have any effect until the next trace experiment starts. In addition,
11676 @value{GDBN} supports @dfn{pending tracepoints}---tracepoints whose
11677 address is not yet resolved. (This is similar to pending breakpoints.)
11678 Pending tracepoints are not downloaded to the target and not installed
11679 until they are resolved. The resolution of pending tracepoints requires
11680 @value{GDBN} support---when debugging with the remote target, and
11681 @value{GDBN} disconnects from the remote stub (@pxref{disconnected
11682 tracing}), pending tracepoints can not be resolved (and downloaded to
11683 the remote stub) while @value{GDBN} is disconnected.
11684
11685 Here are some examples of using the @code{trace} command:
11686
11687 @smallexample
11688 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace foo.c:121} // a source file and line number
11689
11690 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace +2} // 2 lines forward
11691
11692 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace my_function} // first source line of function
11693
11694 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace *my_function} // EXACT start address of function
11695
11696 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace *0x2117c4} // an address
11697 @end smallexample
11698
11699 @noindent
11700 You can abbreviate @code{trace} as @code{tr}.
11701
11702 @item trace @var{location} if @var{cond}
11703 Set a tracepoint with condition @var{cond}; evaluate the expression
11704 @var{cond} each time the tracepoint is reached, and collect data only
11705 if the value is nonzero---that is, if @var{cond} evaluates as true.
11706 @xref{Tracepoint Conditions, ,Tracepoint Conditions}, for more
11707 information on tracepoint conditions.
11708
11709 @item ftrace @var{location} [ if @var{cond} ]
11710 @cindex set fast tracepoint
11711 @cindex fast tracepoints, setting
11712 @kindex ftrace
11713 The @code{ftrace} command sets a fast tracepoint. For targets that
11714 support them, fast tracepoints will use a more efficient but possibly
11715 less general technique to trigger data collection, such as a jump
11716 instruction instead of a trap, or some sort of hardware support. It
11717 may not be possible to create a fast tracepoint at the desired
11718 location, in which case the command will exit with an explanatory
11719 message.
11720
11721 @value{GDBN} handles arguments to @code{ftrace} exactly as for
11722 @code{trace}.
11723
11724 On 32-bit x86-architecture systems, fast tracepoints normally need to
11725 be placed at an instruction that is 5 bytes or longer, but can be
11726 placed at 4-byte instructions if the low 64K of memory of the target
11727 program is available to install trampolines. Some Unix-type systems,
11728 such as @sc{gnu}/Linux, exclude low addresses from the program's
11729 address space; but for instance with the Linux kernel it is possible
11730 to let @value{GDBN} use this area by doing a @command{sysctl} command
11731 to set the @code{mmap_min_addr} kernel parameter, as in
11732
11733 @example
11734 sudo sysctl -w vm.mmap_min_addr=32768
11735 @end example
11736
11737 @noindent
11738 which sets the low address to 32K, which leaves plenty of room for
11739 trampolines. The minimum address should be set to a page boundary.
11740
11741 @item strace @var{location} [ if @var{cond} ]
11742 @cindex set static tracepoint
11743 @cindex static tracepoints, setting
11744 @cindex probe static tracepoint marker
11745 @kindex strace
11746 The @code{strace} command sets a static tracepoint. For targets that
11747 support it, setting a static tracepoint probes a static
11748 instrumentation point, or marker, found at @var{location}. It may not
11749 be possible to set a static tracepoint at the desired location, in
11750 which case the command will exit with an explanatory message.
11751
11752 @value{GDBN} handles arguments to @code{strace} exactly as for
11753 @code{trace}, with the addition that the user can also specify
11754 @code{-m @var{marker}} as @var{location}. This probes the marker
11755 identified by the @var{marker} string identifier. This identifier
11756 depends on the static tracepoint backend library your program is
11757 using. You can find all the marker identifiers in the @samp{ID} field
11758 of the @code{info static-tracepoint-markers} command output.
11759 @xref{Listing Static Tracepoint Markers,,Listing Static Tracepoint
11760 Markers}. For example, in the following small program using the UST
11761 tracing engine:
11762
11763 @smallexample
11764 main ()
11765 @{
11766 trace_mark(ust, bar33, "str %s", "FOOBAZ");
11767 @}
11768 @end smallexample
11769
11770 @noindent
11771 the marker id is composed of joining the first two arguments to the
11772 @code{trace_mark} call with a slash, which translates to:
11773
11774 @smallexample
11775 (@value{GDBP}) info static-tracepoint-markers
11776 Cnt Enb ID Address What
11777 1 n ust/bar33 0x0000000000400ddc in main at stexample.c:22
11778 Data: "str %s"
11779 [etc...]
11780 @end smallexample
11781
11782 @noindent
11783 so you may probe the marker above with:
11784
11785 @smallexample
11786 (@value{GDBP}) strace -m ust/bar33
11787 @end smallexample
11788
11789 Static tracepoints accept an extra collect action --- @code{collect
11790 $_sdata}. This collects arbitrary user data passed in the probe point
11791 call to the tracing library. In the UST example above, you'll see
11792 that the third argument to @code{trace_mark} is a printf-like format
11793 string. The user data is then the result of running that formating
11794 string against the following arguments. Note that @code{info
11795 static-tracepoint-markers} command output lists that format string in
11796 the @samp{Data:} field.
11797
11798 You can inspect this data when analyzing the trace buffer, by printing
11799 the $_sdata variable like any other variable available to
11800 @value{GDBN}. @xref{Tracepoint Actions,,Tracepoint Action Lists}.
11801
11802 @vindex $tpnum
11803 @cindex last tracepoint number
11804 @cindex recent tracepoint number
11805 @cindex tracepoint number
11806 The convenience variable @code{$tpnum} records the tracepoint number
11807 of the most recently set tracepoint.
11808
11809 @kindex delete tracepoint
11810 @cindex tracepoint deletion
11811 @item delete tracepoint @r{[}@var{num}@r{]}
11812 Permanently delete one or more tracepoints. With no argument, the
11813 default is to delete all tracepoints. Note that the regular
11814 @code{delete} command can remove tracepoints also.
11815
11816 Examples:
11817
11818 @smallexample
11819 (@value{GDBP}) @b{delete trace 1 2 3} // remove three tracepoints
11820
11821 (@value{GDBP}) @b{delete trace} // remove all tracepoints
11822 @end smallexample
11823
11824 @noindent
11825 You can abbreviate this command as @code{del tr}.
11826 @end table
11827
11828 @node Enable and Disable Tracepoints
11829 @subsection Enable and Disable Tracepoints
11830
11831 These commands are deprecated; they are equivalent to plain @code{disable} and @code{enable}.
11832
11833 @table @code
11834 @kindex disable tracepoint
11835 @item disable tracepoint @r{[}@var{num}@r{]}
11836 Disable tracepoint @var{num}, or all tracepoints if no argument
11837 @var{num} is given. A disabled tracepoint will have no effect during
11838 a trace experiment, but it is not forgotten. You can re-enable
11839 a disabled tracepoint using the @code{enable tracepoint} command.
11840 If the command is issued during a trace experiment and the debug target
11841 has support for disabling tracepoints during a trace experiment, then the
11842 change will be effective immediately. Otherwise, it will be applied to the
11843 next trace experiment.
11844
11845 @kindex enable tracepoint
11846 @item enable tracepoint @r{[}@var{num}@r{]}
11847 Enable tracepoint @var{num}, or all tracepoints. If this command is
11848 issued during a trace experiment and the debug target supports enabling
11849 tracepoints during a trace experiment, then the enabled tracepoints will
11850 become effective immediately. Otherwise, they will become effective the
11851 next time a trace experiment is run.
11852 @end table
11853
11854 @node Tracepoint Passcounts
11855 @subsection Tracepoint Passcounts
11856
11857 @table @code
11858 @kindex passcount
11859 @cindex tracepoint pass count
11860 @item passcount @r{[}@var{n} @r{[}@var{num}@r{]]}
11861 Set the @dfn{passcount} of a tracepoint. The passcount is a way to
11862 automatically stop a trace experiment. If a tracepoint's passcount is
11863 @var{n}, then the trace experiment will be automatically stopped on
11864 the @var{n}'th time that tracepoint is hit. If the tracepoint number
11865 @var{num} is not specified, the @code{passcount} command sets the
11866 passcount of the most recently defined tracepoint. If no passcount is
11867 given, the trace experiment will run until stopped explicitly by the
11868 user.
11869
11870 Examples:
11871
11872 @smallexample
11873 (@value{GDBP}) @b{passcount 5 2} // Stop on the 5th execution of
11874 @exdent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @code{// tracepoint 2}
11875
11876 (@value{GDBP}) @b{passcount 12} // Stop on the 12th execution of the
11877 @exdent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @code{// most recently defined tracepoint.}
11878 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace foo}
11879 (@value{GDBP}) @b{pass 3}
11880 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace bar}
11881 (@value{GDBP}) @b{pass 2}
11882 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace baz}
11883 (@value{GDBP}) @b{pass 1} // Stop tracing when foo has been
11884 @exdent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @code{// executed 3 times OR when bar has}
11885 @exdent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @code{// been executed 2 times}
11886 @exdent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @code{// OR when baz has been executed 1 time.}
11887 @end smallexample
11888 @end table
11889
11890 @node Tracepoint Conditions
11891 @subsection Tracepoint Conditions
11892 @cindex conditional tracepoints
11893 @cindex tracepoint conditions
11894
11895 The simplest sort of tracepoint collects data every time your program
11896 reaches a specified place. You can also specify a @dfn{condition} for
11897 a tracepoint. A condition is just a Boolean expression in your
11898 programming language (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}). A
11899 tracepoint with a condition evaluates the expression each time your
11900 program reaches it, and data collection happens only if the condition
11901 is true.
11902
11903 Tracepoint conditions can be specified when a tracepoint is set, by
11904 using @samp{if} in the arguments to the @code{trace} command.
11905 @xref{Create and Delete Tracepoints, ,Setting Tracepoints}. They can
11906 also be set or changed at any time with the @code{condition} command,
11907 just as with breakpoints.
11908
11909 Unlike breakpoint conditions, @value{GDBN} does not actually evaluate
11910 the conditional expression itself. Instead, @value{GDBN} encodes the
11911 expression into an agent expression (@pxref{Agent Expressions})
11912 suitable for execution on the target, independently of @value{GDBN}.
11913 Global variables become raw memory locations, locals become stack
11914 accesses, and so forth.
11915
11916 For instance, suppose you have a function that is usually called
11917 frequently, but should not be called after an error has occurred. You
11918 could use the following tracepoint command to collect data about calls
11919 of that function that happen while the error code is propagating
11920 through the program; an unconditional tracepoint could end up
11921 collecting thousands of useless trace frames that you would have to
11922 search through.
11923
11924 @smallexample
11925 (@value{GDBP}) @kbd{trace normal_operation if errcode > 0}
11926 @end smallexample
11927
11928 @node Trace State Variables
11929 @subsection Trace State Variables
11930 @cindex trace state variables
11931
11932 A @dfn{trace state variable} is a special type of variable that is
11933 created and managed by target-side code. The syntax is the same as
11934 that for GDB's convenience variables (a string prefixed with ``$''),
11935 but they are stored on the target. They must be created explicitly,
11936 using a @code{tvariable} command. They are always 64-bit signed
11937 integers.
11938
11939 Trace state variables are remembered by @value{GDBN}, and downloaded
11940 to the target along with tracepoint information when the trace
11941 experiment starts. There are no intrinsic limits on the number of
11942 trace state variables, beyond memory limitations of the target.
11943
11944 @cindex convenience variables, and trace state variables
11945 Although trace state variables are managed by the target, you can use
11946 them in print commands and expressions as if they were convenience
11947 variables; @value{GDBN} will get the current value from the target
11948 while the trace experiment is running. Trace state variables share
11949 the same namespace as other ``$'' variables, which means that you
11950 cannot have trace state variables with names like @code{$23} or
11951 @code{$pc}, nor can you have a trace state variable and a convenience
11952 variable with the same name.
11953
11954 @table @code
11955
11956 @item tvariable $@var{name} [ = @var{expression} ]
11957 @kindex tvariable
11958 The @code{tvariable} command creates a new trace state variable named
11959 @code{$@var{name}}, and optionally gives it an initial value of
11960 @var{expression}. @var{expression} is evaluated when this command is
11961 entered; the result will be converted to an integer if possible,
11962 otherwise @value{GDBN} will report an error. A subsequent
11963 @code{tvariable} command specifying the same name does not create a
11964 variable, but instead assigns the supplied initial value to the
11965 existing variable of that name, overwriting any previous initial
11966 value. The default initial value is 0.
11967
11968 @item info tvariables
11969 @kindex info tvariables
11970 List all the trace state variables along with their initial values.
11971 Their current values may also be displayed, if the trace experiment is
11972 currently running.
11973
11974 @item delete tvariable @r{[} $@var{name} @dots{} @r{]}
11975 @kindex delete tvariable
11976 Delete the given trace state variables, or all of them if no arguments
11977 are specified.
11978
11979 @end table
11980
11981 @node Tracepoint Actions
11982 @subsection Tracepoint Action Lists
11983
11984 @table @code
11985 @kindex actions
11986 @cindex tracepoint actions
11987 @item actions @r{[}@var{num}@r{]}
11988 This command will prompt for a list of actions to be taken when the
11989 tracepoint is hit. If the tracepoint number @var{num} is not
11990 specified, this command sets the actions for the one that was most
11991 recently defined (so that you can define a tracepoint and then say
11992 @code{actions} without bothering about its number). You specify the
11993 actions themselves on the following lines, one action at a time, and
11994 terminate the actions list with a line containing just @code{end}. So
11995 far, the only defined actions are @code{collect}, @code{teval}, and
11996 @code{while-stepping}.
11997
11998 @code{actions} is actually equivalent to @code{commands} (@pxref{Break
11999 Commands, ,Breakpoint Command Lists}), except that only the defined
12000 actions are allowed; any other @value{GDBN} command is rejected.
12001
12002 @cindex remove actions from a tracepoint
12003 To remove all actions from a tracepoint, type @samp{actions @var{num}}
12004 and follow it immediately with @samp{end}.
12005
12006 @smallexample
12007 (@value{GDBP}) @b{collect @var{data}} // collect some data
12008
12009 (@value{GDBP}) @b{while-stepping 5} // single-step 5 times, collect data
12010
12011 (@value{GDBP}) @b{end} // signals the end of actions.
12012 @end smallexample
12013
12014 In the following example, the action list begins with @code{collect}
12015 commands indicating the things to be collected when the tracepoint is
12016 hit. Then, in order to single-step and collect additional data
12017 following the tracepoint, a @code{while-stepping} command is used,
12018 followed by the list of things to be collected after each step in a
12019 sequence of single steps. The @code{while-stepping} command is
12020 terminated by its own separate @code{end} command. Lastly, the action
12021 list is terminated by an @code{end} command.
12022
12023 @smallexample
12024 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace foo}
12025 (@value{GDBP}) @b{actions}
12026 Enter actions for tracepoint 1, one per line:
12027 > collect bar,baz
12028 > collect $regs
12029 > while-stepping 12
12030 > collect $pc, arr[i]
12031 > end
12032 end
12033 @end smallexample
12034
12035 @kindex collect @r{(tracepoints)}
12036 @item collect@r{[}/@var{mods}@r{]} @var{expr1}, @var{expr2}, @dots{}
12037 Collect values of the given expressions when the tracepoint is hit.
12038 This command accepts a comma-separated list of any valid expressions.
12039 In addition to global, static, or local variables, the following
12040 special arguments are supported:
12041
12042 @table @code
12043 @item $regs
12044 Collect all registers.
12045
12046 @item $args
12047 Collect all function arguments.
12048
12049 @item $locals
12050 Collect all local variables.
12051
12052 @item $_ret
12053 Collect the return address. This is helpful if you want to see more
12054 of a backtrace.
12055
12056 @item $_probe_argc
12057 Collects the number of arguments from the static probe at which the
12058 tracepoint is located.
12059 @xref{Static Probe Points}.
12060
12061 @item $_probe_arg@var{n}
12062 @var{n} is an integer between 0 and 11. Collects the @var{n}th argument
12063 from the static probe at which the tracepoint is located.
12064 @xref{Static Probe Points}.
12065
12066 @item $_sdata
12067 @vindex $_sdata@r{, collect}
12068 Collect static tracepoint marker specific data. Only available for
12069 static tracepoints. @xref{Tracepoint Actions,,Tracepoint Action
12070 Lists}. On the UST static tracepoints library backend, an
12071 instrumentation point resembles a @code{printf} function call. The
12072 tracing library is able to collect user specified data formatted to a
12073 character string using the format provided by the programmer that
12074 instrumented the program. Other backends have similar mechanisms.
12075 Here's an example of a UST marker call:
12076
12077 @smallexample
12078 const char master_name[] = "$your_name";
12079 trace_mark(channel1, marker1, "hello %s", master_name)
12080 @end smallexample
12081
12082 In this case, collecting @code{$_sdata} collects the string
12083 @samp{hello $yourname}. When analyzing the trace buffer, you can
12084 inspect @samp{$_sdata} like any other variable available to
12085 @value{GDBN}.
12086 @end table
12087
12088 You can give several consecutive @code{collect} commands, each one
12089 with a single argument, or one @code{collect} command with several
12090 arguments separated by commas; the effect is the same.
12091
12092 The optional @var{mods} changes the usual handling of the arguments.
12093 @code{s} requests that pointers to chars be handled as strings, in
12094 particular collecting the contents of the memory being pointed at, up
12095 to the first zero. The upper bound is by default the value of the
12096 @code{print elements} variable; if @code{s} is followed by a decimal
12097 number, that is the upper bound instead. So for instance
12098 @samp{collect/s25 mystr} collects as many as 25 characters at
12099 @samp{mystr}.
12100
12101 The command @code{info scope} (@pxref{Symbols, info scope}) is
12102 particularly useful for figuring out what data to collect.
12103
12104 @kindex teval @r{(tracepoints)}
12105 @item teval @var{expr1}, @var{expr2}, @dots{}
12106 Evaluate the given expressions when the tracepoint is hit. This
12107 command accepts a comma-separated list of expressions. The results
12108 are discarded, so this is mainly useful for assigning values to trace
12109 state variables (@pxref{Trace State Variables}) without adding those
12110 values to the trace buffer, as would be the case if the @code{collect}
12111 action were used.
12112
12113 @kindex while-stepping @r{(tracepoints)}
12114 @item while-stepping @var{n}
12115 Perform @var{n} single-step instruction traces after the tracepoint,
12116 collecting new data after each step. The @code{while-stepping}
12117 command is followed by the list of what to collect while stepping
12118 (followed by its own @code{end} command):
12119
12120 @smallexample
12121 > while-stepping 12
12122 > collect $regs, myglobal
12123 > end
12124 >
12125 @end smallexample
12126
12127 @noindent
12128 Note that @code{$pc} is not automatically collected by
12129 @code{while-stepping}; you need to explicitly collect that register if
12130 you need it. You may abbreviate @code{while-stepping} as @code{ws} or
12131 @code{stepping}.
12132
12133 @item set default-collect @var{expr1}, @var{expr2}, @dots{}
12134 @kindex set default-collect
12135 @cindex default collection action
12136 This variable is a list of expressions to collect at each tracepoint
12137 hit. It is effectively an additional @code{collect} action prepended
12138 to every tracepoint action list. The expressions are parsed
12139 individually for each tracepoint, so for instance a variable named
12140 @code{xyz} may be interpreted as a global for one tracepoint, and a
12141 local for another, as appropriate to the tracepoint's location.
12142
12143 @item show default-collect
12144 @kindex show default-collect
12145 Show the list of expressions that are collected by default at each
12146 tracepoint hit.
12147
12148 @end table
12149
12150 @node Listing Tracepoints
12151 @subsection Listing Tracepoints
12152
12153 @table @code
12154 @kindex info tracepoints @r{[}@var{n}@dots{}@r{]}
12155 @kindex info tp @r{[}@var{n}@dots{}@r{]}
12156 @cindex information about tracepoints
12157 @item info tracepoints @r{[}@var{num}@dots{}@r{]}
12158 Display information about the tracepoint @var{num}. If you don't
12159 specify a tracepoint number, displays information about all the
12160 tracepoints defined so far. The format is similar to that used for
12161 @code{info breakpoints}; in fact, @code{info tracepoints} is the same
12162 command, simply restricting itself to tracepoints.
12163
12164 A tracepoint's listing may include additional information specific to
12165 tracing:
12166
12167 @itemize @bullet
12168 @item
12169 its passcount as given by the @code{passcount @var{n}} command
12170
12171 @item
12172 the state about installed on target of each location
12173 @end itemize
12174
12175 @smallexample
12176 (@value{GDBP}) @b{info trace}
12177 Num Type Disp Enb Address What
12178 1 tracepoint keep y 0x0804ab57 in foo() at main.cxx:7
12179 while-stepping 20
12180 collect globfoo, $regs
12181 end
12182 collect globfoo2
12183 end
12184 pass count 1200
12185 2 tracepoint keep y <MULTIPLE>
12186 collect $eip
12187 2.1 y 0x0804859c in func4 at change-loc.h:35
12188 installed on target
12189 2.2 y 0xb7ffc480 in func4 at change-loc.h:35
12190 installed on target
12191 2.3 y <PENDING> set_tracepoint
12192 3 tracepoint keep y 0x080485b1 in foo at change-loc.c:29
12193 not installed on target
12194 (@value{GDBP})
12195 @end smallexample
12196
12197 @noindent
12198 This command can be abbreviated @code{info tp}.
12199 @end table
12200
12201 @node Listing Static Tracepoint Markers
12202 @subsection Listing Static Tracepoint Markers
12203
12204 @table @code
12205 @kindex info static-tracepoint-markers
12206 @cindex information about static tracepoint markers
12207 @item info static-tracepoint-markers
12208 Display information about all static tracepoint markers defined in the
12209 program.
12210
12211 For each marker, the following columns are printed:
12212
12213 @table @emph
12214 @item Count
12215 An incrementing counter, output to help readability. This is not a
12216 stable identifier.
12217 @item ID
12218 The marker ID, as reported by the target.
12219 @item Enabled or Disabled
12220 Probed markers are tagged with @samp{y}. @samp{n} identifies marks
12221 that are not enabled.
12222 @item Address
12223 Where the marker is in your program, as a memory address.
12224 @item What
12225 Where the marker is in the source for your program, as a file and line
12226 number. If the debug information included in the program does not
12227 allow @value{GDBN} to locate the source of the marker, this column
12228 will be left blank.
12229 @end table
12230
12231 @noindent
12232 In addition, the following information may be printed for each marker:
12233
12234 @table @emph
12235 @item Data
12236 User data passed to the tracing library by the marker call. In the
12237 UST backend, this is the format string passed as argument to the
12238 marker call.
12239 @item Static tracepoints probing the marker
12240 The list of static tracepoints attached to the marker.
12241 @end table
12242
12243 @smallexample
12244 (@value{GDBP}) info static-tracepoint-markers
12245 Cnt ID Enb Address What
12246 1 ust/bar2 y 0x0000000000400e1a in main at stexample.c:25
12247 Data: number1 %d number2 %d
12248 Probed by static tracepoints: #2
12249 2 ust/bar33 n 0x0000000000400c87 in main at stexample.c:24
12250 Data: str %s
12251 (@value{GDBP})
12252 @end smallexample
12253 @end table
12254
12255 @node Starting and Stopping Trace Experiments
12256 @subsection Starting and Stopping Trace Experiments
12257
12258 @table @code
12259 @kindex tstart [ @var{notes} ]
12260 @cindex start a new trace experiment
12261 @cindex collected data discarded
12262 @item tstart
12263 This command starts the trace experiment, and begins collecting data.
12264 It has the side effect of discarding all the data collected in the
12265 trace buffer during the previous trace experiment. If any arguments
12266 are supplied, they are taken as a note and stored with the trace
12267 experiment's state. The notes may be arbitrary text, and are
12268 especially useful with disconnected tracing in a multi-user context;
12269 the notes can explain what the trace is doing, supply user contact
12270 information, and so forth.
12271
12272 @kindex tstop [ @var{notes} ]
12273 @cindex stop a running trace experiment
12274 @item tstop
12275 This command stops the trace experiment. If any arguments are
12276 supplied, they are recorded with the experiment as a note. This is
12277 useful if you are stopping a trace started by someone else, for
12278 instance if the trace is interfering with the system's behavior and
12279 needs to be stopped quickly.
12280
12281 @strong{Note}: a trace experiment and data collection may stop
12282 automatically if any tracepoint's passcount is reached
12283 (@pxref{Tracepoint Passcounts}), or if the trace buffer becomes full.
12284
12285 @kindex tstatus
12286 @cindex status of trace data collection
12287 @cindex trace experiment, status of
12288 @item tstatus
12289 This command displays the status of the current trace data
12290 collection.
12291 @end table
12292
12293 Here is an example of the commands we described so far:
12294
12295 @smallexample
12296 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace gdb_c_test}
12297 (@value{GDBP}) @b{actions}
12298 Enter actions for tracepoint #1, one per line.
12299 > collect $regs,$locals,$args
12300 > while-stepping 11
12301 > collect $regs
12302 > end
12303 > end
12304 (@value{GDBP}) @b{tstart}
12305 [time passes @dots{}]
12306 (@value{GDBP}) @b{tstop}
12307 @end smallexample
12308
12309 @anchor{disconnected tracing}
12310 @cindex disconnected tracing
12311 You can choose to continue running the trace experiment even if
12312 @value{GDBN} disconnects from the target, voluntarily or
12313 involuntarily. For commands such as @code{detach}, the debugger will
12314 ask what you want to do with the trace. But for unexpected
12315 terminations (@value{GDBN} crash, network outage), it would be
12316 unfortunate to lose hard-won trace data, so the variable
12317 @code{disconnected-tracing} lets you decide whether the trace should
12318 continue running without @value{GDBN}.
12319
12320 @table @code
12321 @item set disconnected-tracing on
12322 @itemx set disconnected-tracing off
12323 @kindex set disconnected-tracing
12324 Choose whether a tracing run should continue to run if @value{GDBN}
12325 has disconnected from the target. Note that @code{detach} or
12326 @code{quit} will ask you directly what to do about a running trace no
12327 matter what this variable's setting, so the variable is mainly useful
12328 for handling unexpected situations, such as loss of the network.
12329
12330 @item show disconnected-tracing
12331 @kindex show disconnected-tracing
12332 Show the current choice for disconnected tracing.
12333
12334 @end table
12335
12336 When you reconnect to the target, the trace experiment may or may not
12337 still be running; it might have filled the trace buffer in the
12338 meantime, or stopped for one of the other reasons. If it is running,
12339 it will continue after reconnection.
12340
12341 Upon reconnection, the target will upload information about the
12342 tracepoints in effect. @value{GDBN} will then compare that
12343 information to the set of tracepoints currently defined, and attempt
12344 to match them up, allowing for the possibility that the numbers may
12345 have changed due to creation and deletion in the meantime. If one of
12346 the target's tracepoints does not match any in @value{GDBN}, the
12347 debugger will create a new tracepoint, so that you have a number with
12348 which to specify that tracepoint. This matching-up process is
12349 necessarily heuristic, and it may result in useless tracepoints being
12350 created; you may simply delete them if they are of no use.
12351
12352 @cindex circular trace buffer
12353 If your target agent supports a @dfn{circular trace buffer}, then you
12354 can run a trace experiment indefinitely without filling the trace
12355 buffer; when space runs out, the agent deletes already-collected trace
12356 frames, oldest first, until there is enough room to continue
12357 collecting. This is especially useful if your tracepoints are being
12358 hit too often, and your trace gets terminated prematurely because the
12359 buffer is full. To ask for a circular trace buffer, simply set
12360 @samp{circular-trace-buffer} to on. You can set this at any time,
12361 including during tracing; if the agent can do it, it will change
12362 buffer handling on the fly, otherwise it will not take effect until
12363 the next run.
12364
12365 @table @code
12366 @item set circular-trace-buffer on
12367 @itemx set circular-trace-buffer off
12368 @kindex set circular-trace-buffer
12369 Choose whether a tracing run should use a linear or circular buffer
12370 for trace data. A linear buffer will not lose any trace data, but may
12371 fill up prematurely, while a circular buffer will discard old trace
12372 data, but it will have always room for the latest tracepoint hits.
12373
12374 @item show circular-trace-buffer
12375 @kindex show circular-trace-buffer
12376 Show the current choice for the trace buffer. Note that this may not
12377 match the agent's current buffer handling, nor is it guaranteed to
12378 match the setting that might have been in effect during a past run,
12379 for instance if you are looking at frames from a trace file.
12380
12381 @end table
12382
12383 @table @code
12384 @item set trace-buffer-size @var{n}
12385 @itemx set trace-buffer-size unlimited
12386 @kindex set trace-buffer-size
12387 Request that the target use a trace buffer of @var{n} bytes. Not all
12388 targets will honor the request; they may have a compiled-in size for
12389 the trace buffer, or some other limitation. Set to a value of
12390 @code{unlimited} or @code{-1} to let the target use whatever size it
12391 likes. This is also the default.
12392
12393 @item show trace-buffer-size
12394 @kindex show trace-buffer-size
12395 Show the current requested size for the trace buffer. Note that this
12396 will only match the actual size if the target supports size-setting,
12397 and was able to handle the requested size. For instance, if the
12398 target can only change buffer size between runs, this variable will
12399 not reflect the change until the next run starts. Use @code{tstatus}
12400 to get a report of the actual buffer size.
12401 @end table
12402
12403 @table @code
12404 @item set trace-user @var{text}
12405 @kindex set trace-user
12406
12407 @item show trace-user
12408 @kindex show trace-user
12409
12410 @item set trace-notes @var{text}
12411 @kindex set trace-notes
12412 Set the trace run's notes.
12413
12414 @item show trace-notes
12415 @kindex show trace-notes
12416 Show the trace run's notes.
12417
12418 @item set trace-stop-notes @var{text}
12419 @kindex set trace-stop-notes
12420 Set the trace run's stop notes. The handling of the note is as for
12421 @code{tstop} arguments; the set command is convenient way to fix a
12422 stop note that is mistaken or incomplete.
12423
12424 @item show trace-stop-notes
12425 @kindex show trace-stop-notes
12426 Show the trace run's stop notes.
12427
12428 @end table
12429
12430 @node Tracepoint Restrictions
12431 @subsection Tracepoint Restrictions
12432
12433 @cindex tracepoint restrictions
12434 There are a number of restrictions on the use of tracepoints. As
12435 described above, tracepoint data gathering occurs on the target
12436 without interaction from @value{GDBN}. Thus the full capabilities of
12437 the debugger are not available during data gathering, and then at data
12438 examination time, you will be limited by only having what was
12439 collected. The following items describe some common problems, but it
12440 is not exhaustive, and you may run into additional difficulties not
12441 mentioned here.
12442
12443 @itemize @bullet
12444
12445 @item
12446 Tracepoint expressions are intended to gather objects (lvalues). Thus
12447 the full flexibility of GDB's expression evaluator is not available.
12448 You cannot call functions, cast objects to aggregate types, access
12449 convenience variables or modify values (except by assignment to trace
12450 state variables). Some language features may implicitly call
12451 functions (for instance Objective-C fields with accessors), and therefore
12452 cannot be collected either.
12453
12454 @item
12455 Collection of local variables, either individually or in bulk with
12456 @code{$locals} or @code{$args}, during @code{while-stepping} may
12457 behave erratically. The stepping action may enter a new scope (for
12458 instance by stepping into a function), or the location of the variable
12459 may change (for instance it is loaded into a register). The
12460 tracepoint data recorded uses the location information for the
12461 variables that is correct for the tracepoint location. When the
12462 tracepoint is created, it is not possible, in general, to determine
12463 where the steps of a @code{while-stepping} sequence will advance the
12464 program---particularly if a conditional branch is stepped.
12465
12466 @item
12467 Collection of an incompletely-initialized or partially-destroyed object
12468 may result in something that @value{GDBN} cannot display, or displays
12469 in a misleading way.
12470
12471 @item
12472 When @value{GDBN} displays a pointer to character it automatically
12473 dereferences the pointer to also display characters of the string
12474 being pointed to. However, collecting the pointer during tracing does
12475 not automatically collect the string. You need to explicitly
12476 dereference the pointer and provide size information if you want to
12477 collect not only the pointer, but the memory pointed to. For example,
12478 @code{*ptr@@50} can be used to collect the 50 element array pointed to
12479 by @code{ptr}.
12480
12481 @item
12482 It is not possible to collect a complete stack backtrace at a
12483 tracepoint. Instead, you may collect the registers and a few hundred
12484 bytes from the stack pointer with something like @code{*(unsigned char *)$esp@@300}
12485 (adjust to use the name of the actual stack pointer register on your
12486 target architecture, and the amount of stack you wish to capture).
12487 Then the @code{backtrace} command will show a partial backtrace when
12488 using a trace frame. The number of stack frames that can be examined
12489 depends on the sizes of the frames in the collected stack. Note that
12490 if you ask for a block so large that it goes past the bottom of the
12491 stack, the target agent may report an error trying to read from an
12492 invalid address.
12493
12494 @item
12495 If you do not collect registers at a tracepoint, @value{GDBN} can
12496 infer that the value of @code{$pc} must be the same as the address of
12497 the tracepoint and use that when you are looking at a trace frame
12498 for that tracepoint. However, this cannot work if the tracepoint has
12499 multiple locations (for instance if it was set in a function that was
12500 inlined), or if it has a @code{while-stepping} loop. In those cases
12501 @value{GDBN} will warn you that it can't infer @code{$pc}, and default
12502 it to zero.
12503
12504 @end itemize
12505
12506 @node Analyze Collected Data
12507 @section Using the Collected Data
12508
12509 After the tracepoint experiment ends, you use @value{GDBN} commands
12510 for examining the trace data. The basic idea is that each tracepoint
12511 collects a trace @dfn{snapshot} every time it is hit and another
12512 snapshot every time it single-steps. All these snapshots are
12513 consecutively numbered from zero and go into a buffer, and you can
12514 examine them later. The way you examine them is to @dfn{focus} on a
12515 specific trace snapshot. When the remote stub is focused on a trace
12516 snapshot, it will respond to all @value{GDBN} requests for memory and
12517 registers by reading from the buffer which belongs to that snapshot,
12518 rather than from @emph{real} memory or registers of the program being
12519 debugged. This means that @strong{all} @value{GDBN} commands
12520 (@code{print}, @code{info registers}, @code{backtrace}, etc.) will
12521 behave as if we were currently debugging the program state as it was
12522 when the tracepoint occurred. Any requests for data that are not in
12523 the buffer will fail.
12524
12525 @menu
12526 * tfind:: How to select a trace snapshot
12527 * tdump:: How to display all data for a snapshot
12528 * save tracepoints:: How to save tracepoints for a future run
12529 @end menu
12530
12531 @node tfind
12532 @subsection @code{tfind @var{n}}
12533
12534 @kindex tfind
12535 @cindex select trace snapshot
12536 @cindex find trace snapshot
12537 The basic command for selecting a trace snapshot from the buffer is
12538 @code{tfind @var{n}}, which finds trace snapshot number @var{n},
12539 counting from zero. If no argument @var{n} is given, the next
12540 snapshot is selected.
12541
12542 Here are the various forms of using the @code{tfind} command.
12543
12544 @table @code
12545 @item tfind start
12546 Find the first snapshot in the buffer. This is a synonym for
12547 @code{tfind 0} (since 0 is the number of the first snapshot).
12548
12549 @item tfind none
12550 Stop debugging trace snapshots, resume @emph{live} debugging.
12551
12552 @item tfind end
12553 Same as @samp{tfind none}.
12554
12555 @item tfind
12556 No argument means find the next trace snapshot.
12557
12558 @item tfind -
12559 Find the previous trace snapshot before the current one. This permits
12560 retracing earlier steps.
12561
12562 @item tfind tracepoint @var{num}
12563 Find the next snapshot associated with tracepoint @var{num}. Search
12564 proceeds forward from the last examined trace snapshot. If no
12565 argument @var{num} is given, it means find the next snapshot collected
12566 for the same tracepoint as the current snapshot.
12567
12568 @item tfind pc @var{addr}
12569 Find the next snapshot associated with the value @var{addr} of the
12570 program counter. Search proceeds forward from the last examined trace
12571 snapshot. If no argument @var{addr} is given, it means find the next
12572 snapshot with the same value of PC as the current snapshot.
12573
12574 @item tfind outside @var{addr1}, @var{addr2}
12575 Find the next snapshot whose PC is outside the given range of
12576 addresses (exclusive).
12577
12578 @item tfind range @var{addr1}, @var{addr2}
12579 Find the next snapshot whose PC is between @var{addr1} and
12580 @var{addr2} (inclusive).
12581
12582 @item tfind line @r{[}@var{file}:@r{]}@var{n}
12583 Find the next snapshot associated with the source line @var{n}. If
12584 the optional argument @var{file} is given, refer to line @var{n} in
12585 that source file. Search proceeds forward from the last examined
12586 trace snapshot. If no argument @var{n} is given, it means find the
12587 next line other than the one currently being examined; thus saying
12588 @code{tfind line} repeatedly can appear to have the same effect as
12589 stepping from line to line in a @emph{live} debugging session.
12590 @end table
12591
12592 The default arguments for the @code{tfind} commands are specifically
12593 designed to make it easy to scan through the trace buffer. For
12594 instance, @code{tfind} with no argument selects the next trace
12595 snapshot, and @code{tfind -} with no argument selects the previous
12596 trace snapshot. So, by giving one @code{tfind} command, and then
12597 simply hitting @key{RET} repeatedly you can examine all the trace
12598 snapshots in order. Or, by saying @code{tfind -} and then hitting
12599 @key{RET} repeatedly you can examine the snapshots in reverse order.
12600 The @code{tfind line} command with no argument selects the snapshot
12601 for the next source line executed. The @code{tfind pc} command with
12602 no argument selects the next snapshot with the same program counter
12603 (PC) as the current frame. The @code{tfind tracepoint} command with
12604 no argument selects the next trace snapshot collected by the same
12605 tracepoint as the current one.
12606
12607 In addition to letting you scan through the trace buffer manually,
12608 these commands make it easy to construct @value{GDBN} scripts that
12609 scan through the trace buffer and print out whatever collected data
12610 you are interested in. Thus, if we want to examine the PC, FP, and SP
12611 registers from each trace frame in the buffer, we can say this:
12612
12613 @smallexample
12614 (@value{GDBP}) @b{tfind start}
12615 (@value{GDBP}) @b{while ($trace_frame != -1)}
12616 > printf "Frame %d, PC = %08X, SP = %08X, FP = %08X\n", \
12617 $trace_frame, $pc, $sp, $fp
12618 > tfind
12619 > end
12620
12621 Frame 0, PC = 0020DC64, SP = 0030BF3C, FP = 0030BF44
12622 Frame 1, PC = 0020DC6C, SP = 0030BF38, FP = 0030BF44
12623 Frame 2, PC = 0020DC70, SP = 0030BF34, FP = 0030BF44
12624 Frame 3, PC = 0020DC74, SP = 0030BF30, FP = 0030BF44
12625 Frame 4, PC = 0020DC78, SP = 0030BF2C, FP = 0030BF44
12626 Frame 5, PC = 0020DC7C, SP = 0030BF28, FP = 0030BF44
12627 Frame 6, PC = 0020DC80, SP = 0030BF24, FP = 0030BF44
12628 Frame 7, PC = 0020DC84, SP = 0030BF20, FP = 0030BF44
12629 Frame 8, PC = 0020DC88, SP = 0030BF1C, FP = 0030BF44
12630 Frame 9, PC = 0020DC8E, SP = 0030BF18, FP = 0030BF44
12631 Frame 10, PC = 00203F6C, SP = 0030BE3C, FP = 0030BF14
12632 @end smallexample
12633
12634 Or, if we want to examine the variable @code{X} at each source line in
12635 the buffer:
12636
12637 @smallexample
12638 (@value{GDBP}) @b{tfind start}
12639 (@value{GDBP}) @b{while ($trace_frame != -1)}
12640 > printf "Frame %d, X == %d\n", $trace_frame, X
12641 > tfind line
12642 > end
12643
12644 Frame 0, X = 1
12645 Frame 7, X = 2
12646 Frame 13, X = 255
12647 @end smallexample
12648
12649 @node tdump
12650 @subsection @code{tdump}
12651 @kindex tdump
12652 @cindex dump all data collected at tracepoint
12653 @cindex tracepoint data, display
12654
12655 This command takes no arguments. It prints all the data collected at
12656 the current trace snapshot.
12657
12658 @smallexample
12659 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace 444}
12660 (@value{GDBP}) @b{actions}
12661 Enter actions for tracepoint #2, one per line:
12662 > collect $regs, $locals, $args, gdb_long_test
12663 > end
12664
12665 (@value{GDBP}) @b{tstart}
12666
12667 (@value{GDBP}) @b{tfind line 444}
12668 #0 gdb_test (p1=0x11, p2=0x22, p3=0x33, p4=0x44, p5=0x55, p6=0x66)
12669 at gdb_test.c:444
12670 444 printp( "%s: arguments = 0x%X 0x%X 0x%X 0x%X 0x%X 0x%X\n", )
12671
12672 (@value{GDBP}) @b{tdump}
12673 Data collected at tracepoint 2, trace frame 1:
12674 d0 0xc4aa0085 -995491707
12675 d1 0x18 24
12676 d2 0x80 128
12677 d3 0x33 51
12678 d4 0x71aea3d 119204413
12679 d5 0x22 34
12680 d6 0xe0 224
12681 d7 0x380035 3670069
12682 a0 0x19e24a 1696330
12683 a1 0x3000668 50333288
12684 a2 0x100 256
12685 a3 0x322000 3284992
12686 a4 0x3000698 50333336
12687 a5 0x1ad3cc 1758156
12688 fp 0x30bf3c 0x30bf3c
12689 sp 0x30bf34 0x30bf34
12690 ps 0x0 0
12691 pc 0x20b2c8 0x20b2c8
12692 fpcontrol 0x0 0
12693 fpstatus 0x0 0
12694 fpiaddr 0x0 0
12695 p = 0x20e5b4 "gdb-test"
12696 p1 = (void *) 0x11
12697 p2 = (void *) 0x22
12698 p3 = (void *) 0x33
12699 p4 = (void *) 0x44
12700 p5 = (void *) 0x55
12701 p6 = (void *) 0x66
12702 gdb_long_test = 17 '\021'
12703
12704 (@value{GDBP})
12705 @end smallexample
12706
12707 @code{tdump} works by scanning the tracepoint's current collection
12708 actions and printing the value of each expression listed. So
12709 @code{tdump} can fail, if after a run, you change the tracepoint's
12710 actions to mention variables that were not collected during the run.
12711
12712 Also, for tracepoints with @code{while-stepping} loops, @code{tdump}
12713 uses the collected value of @code{$pc} to distinguish between trace
12714 frames that were collected at the tracepoint hit, and frames that were
12715 collected while stepping. This allows it to correctly choose whether
12716 to display the basic list of collections, or the collections from the
12717 body of the while-stepping loop. However, if @code{$pc} was not collected,
12718 then @code{tdump} will always attempt to dump using the basic collection
12719 list, and may fail if a while-stepping frame does not include all the
12720 same data that is collected at the tracepoint hit.
12721 @c This is getting pretty arcane, example would be good.
12722
12723 @node save tracepoints
12724 @subsection @code{save tracepoints @var{filename}}
12725 @kindex save tracepoints
12726 @kindex save-tracepoints
12727 @cindex save tracepoints for future sessions
12728
12729 This command saves all current tracepoint definitions together with
12730 their actions and passcounts, into a file @file{@var{filename}}
12731 suitable for use in a later debugging session. To read the saved
12732 tracepoint definitions, use the @code{source} command (@pxref{Command
12733 Files}). The @w{@code{save-tracepoints}} command is a deprecated
12734 alias for @w{@code{save tracepoints}}
12735
12736 @node Tracepoint Variables
12737 @section Convenience Variables for Tracepoints
12738 @cindex tracepoint variables
12739 @cindex convenience variables for tracepoints
12740
12741 @table @code
12742 @vindex $trace_frame
12743 @item (int) $trace_frame
12744 The current trace snapshot (a.k.a.@: @dfn{frame}) number, or -1 if no
12745 snapshot is selected.
12746
12747 @vindex $tracepoint
12748 @item (int) $tracepoint
12749 The tracepoint for the current trace snapshot.
12750
12751 @vindex $trace_line
12752 @item (int) $trace_line
12753 The line number for the current trace snapshot.
12754
12755 @vindex $trace_file
12756 @item (char []) $trace_file
12757 The source file for the current trace snapshot.
12758
12759 @vindex $trace_func
12760 @item (char []) $trace_func
12761 The name of the function containing @code{$tracepoint}.
12762 @end table
12763
12764 Note: @code{$trace_file} is not suitable for use in @code{printf},
12765 use @code{output} instead.
12766
12767 Here's a simple example of using these convenience variables for
12768 stepping through all the trace snapshots and printing some of their
12769 data. Note that these are not the same as trace state variables,
12770 which are managed by the target.
12771
12772 @smallexample
12773 (@value{GDBP}) @b{tfind start}
12774
12775 (@value{GDBP}) @b{while $trace_frame != -1}
12776 > output $trace_file
12777 > printf ", line %d (tracepoint #%d)\n", $trace_line, $tracepoint
12778 > tfind
12779 > end
12780 @end smallexample
12781
12782 @node Trace Files
12783 @section Using Trace Files
12784 @cindex trace files
12785
12786 In some situations, the target running a trace experiment may no
12787 longer be available; perhaps it crashed, or the hardware was needed
12788 for a different activity. To handle these cases, you can arrange to
12789 dump the trace data into a file, and later use that file as a source
12790 of trace data, via the @code{target tfile} command.
12791
12792 @table @code
12793
12794 @kindex tsave
12795 @item tsave [ -r ] @var{filename}
12796 @itemx tsave [-ctf] @var{dirname}
12797 Save the trace data to @var{filename}. By default, this command
12798 assumes that @var{filename} refers to the host filesystem, so if
12799 necessary @value{GDBN} will copy raw trace data up from the target and
12800 then save it. If the target supports it, you can also supply the
12801 optional argument @code{-r} (``remote'') to direct the target to save
12802 the data directly into @var{filename} in its own filesystem, which may be
12803 more efficient if the trace buffer is very large. (Note, however, that
12804 @code{target tfile} can only read from files accessible to the host.)
12805 By default, this command will save trace frame in tfile format.
12806 You can supply the optional argument @code{-ctf} to save date in CTF
12807 format. The @dfn{Common Trace Format} (CTF) is proposed as a trace format
12808 that can be shared by multiple debugging and tracing tools. Please go to
12809 @indicateurl{http://www.efficios.com/ctf} to get more information.
12810
12811 @kindex target tfile
12812 @kindex tfile
12813 @kindex target ctf
12814 @kindex ctf
12815 @item target tfile @var{filename}
12816 @itemx target ctf @var{dirname}
12817 Use the file named @var{filename} or directory named @var{dirname} as
12818 a source of trace data. Commands that examine data work as they do with
12819 a live target, but it is not possible to run any new trace experiments.
12820 @code{tstatus} will report the state of the trace run at the moment
12821 the data was saved, as well as the current trace frame you are examining.
12822 @var{filename} or @var{dirname} must be on a filesystem accessible to
12823 the host.
12824
12825 @smallexample
12826 (@value{GDBP}) target ctf ctf.ctf
12827 (@value{GDBP}) tfind
12828 Found trace frame 0, tracepoint 2
12829 39 ++a; /* set tracepoint 1 here */
12830 (@value{GDBP}) tdump
12831 Data collected at tracepoint 2, trace frame 0:
12832 i = 0
12833 a = 0
12834 b = 1 '\001'
12835 c = @{"123", "456", "789", "123", "456", "789"@}
12836 d = @{@{@{a = 1, b = 2@}, @{a = 3, b = 4@}@}, @{@{a = 5, b = 6@}, @{a = 7, b = 8@}@}@}
12837 (@value{GDBP}) p b
12838 $1 = 1
12839 @end smallexample
12840
12841 @end table
12842
12843 @node Overlays
12844 @chapter Debugging Programs That Use Overlays
12845 @cindex overlays
12846
12847 If your program is too large to fit completely in your target system's
12848 memory, you can sometimes use @dfn{overlays} to work around this
12849 problem. @value{GDBN} provides some support for debugging programs that
12850 use overlays.
12851
12852 @menu
12853 * How Overlays Work:: A general explanation of overlays.
12854 * Overlay Commands:: Managing overlays in @value{GDBN}.
12855 * Automatic Overlay Debugging:: @value{GDBN} can find out which overlays are
12856 mapped by asking the inferior.
12857 * Overlay Sample Program:: A sample program using overlays.
12858 @end menu
12859
12860 @node How Overlays Work
12861 @section How Overlays Work
12862 @cindex mapped overlays
12863 @cindex unmapped overlays
12864 @cindex load address, overlay's
12865 @cindex mapped address
12866 @cindex overlay area
12867
12868 Suppose you have a computer whose instruction address space is only 64
12869 kilobytes long, but which has much more memory which can be accessed by
12870 other means: special instructions, segment registers, or memory
12871 management hardware, for example. Suppose further that you want to
12872 adapt a program which is larger than 64 kilobytes to run on this system.
12873
12874 One solution is to identify modules of your program which are relatively
12875 independent, and need not call each other directly; call these modules
12876 @dfn{overlays}. Separate the overlays from the main program, and place
12877 their machine code in the larger memory. Place your main program in
12878 instruction memory, but leave at least enough space there to hold the
12879 largest overlay as well.
12880
12881 Now, to call a function located in an overlay, you must first copy that
12882 overlay's machine code from the large memory into the space set aside
12883 for it in the instruction memory, and then jump to its entry point
12884 there.
12885
12886 @c NB: In the below the mapped area's size is greater or equal to the
12887 @c size of all overlays. This is intentional to remind the developer
12888 @c that overlays don't necessarily need to be the same size.
12889
12890 @smallexample
12891 @group
12892 Data Instruction Larger
12893 Address Space Address Space Address Space
12894 +-----------+ +-----------+ +-----------+
12895 | | | | | |
12896 +-----------+ +-----------+ +-----------+<-- overlay 1
12897 | program | | main | .----| overlay 1 | load address
12898 | variables | | program | | +-----------+
12899 | and heap | | | | | |
12900 +-----------+ | | | +-----------+<-- overlay 2
12901 | | +-----------+ | | | load address
12902 +-----------+ | | | .-| overlay 2 |
12903 | | | | | |
12904 mapped --->+-----------+ | | +-----------+
12905 address | | | | | |
12906 | overlay | <-' | | |
12907 | area | <---' +-----------+<-- overlay 3
12908 | | <---. | | load address
12909 +-----------+ `--| overlay 3 |
12910 | | | |
12911 +-----------+ | |
12912 +-----------+
12913 | |
12914 +-----------+
12915
12916 @anchor{A code overlay}A code overlay
12917 @end group
12918 @end smallexample
12919
12920 The diagram (@pxref{A code overlay}) shows a system with separate data
12921 and instruction address spaces. To map an overlay, the program copies
12922 its code from the larger address space to the instruction address space.
12923 Since the overlays shown here all use the same mapped address, only one
12924 may be mapped at a time. For a system with a single address space for
12925 data and instructions, the diagram would be similar, except that the
12926 program variables and heap would share an address space with the main
12927 program and the overlay area.
12928
12929 An overlay loaded into instruction memory and ready for use is called a
12930 @dfn{mapped} overlay; its @dfn{mapped address} is its address in the
12931 instruction memory. An overlay not present (or only partially present)
12932 in instruction memory is called @dfn{unmapped}; its @dfn{load address}
12933 is its address in the larger memory. The mapped address is also called
12934 the @dfn{virtual memory address}, or @dfn{VMA}; the load address is also
12935 called the @dfn{load memory address}, or @dfn{LMA}.
12936
12937 Unfortunately, overlays are not a completely transparent way to adapt a
12938 program to limited instruction memory. They introduce a new set of
12939 global constraints you must keep in mind as you design your program:
12940
12941 @itemize @bullet
12942
12943 @item
12944 Before calling or returning to a function in an overlay, your program
12945 must make sure that overlay is actually mapped. Otherwise, the call or
12946 return will transfer control to the right address, but in the wrong
12947 overlay, and your program will probably crash.
12948
12949 @item
12950 If the process of mapping an overlay is expensive on your system, you
12951 will need to choose your overlays carefully to minimize their effect on
12952 your program's performance.
12953
12954 @item
12955 The executable file you load onto your system must contain each
12956 overlay's instructions, appearing at the overlay's load address, not its
12957 mapped address. However, each overlay's instructions must be relocated
12958 and its symbols defined as if the overlay were at its mapped address.
12959 You can use GNU linker scripts to specify different load and relocation
12960 addresses for pieces of your program; see @ref{Overlay Description,,,
12961 ld.info, Using ld: the GNU linker}.
12962
12963 @item
12964 The procedure for loading executable files onto your system must be able
12965 to load their contents into the larger address space as well as the
12966 instruction and data spaces.
12967
12968 @end itemize
12969
12970 The overlay system described above is rather simple, and could be
12971 improved in many ways:
12972
12973 @itemize @bullet
12974
12975 @item
12976 If your system has suitable bank switch registers or memory management
12977 hardware, you could use those facilities to make an overlay's load area
12978 contents simply appear at their mapped address in instruction space.
12979 This would probably be faster than copying the overlay to its mapped
12980 area in the usual way.
12981
12982 @item
12983 If your overlays are small enough, you could set aside more than one
12984 overlay area, and have more than one overlay mapped at a time.
12985
12986 @item
12987 You can use overlays to manage data, as well as instructions. In
12988 general, data overlays are even less transparent to your design than
12989 code overlays: whereas code overlays only require care when you call or
12990 return to functions, data overlays require care every time you access
12991 the data. Also, if you change the contents of a data overlay, you
12992 must copy its contents back out to its load address before you can copy a
12993 different data overlay into the same mapped area.
12994
12995 @end itemize
12996
12997
12998 @node Overlay Commands
12999 @section Overlay Commands
13000
13001 To use @value{GDBN}'s overlay support, each overlay in your program must
13002 correspond to a separate section of the executable file. The section's
13003 virtual memory address and load memory address must be the overlay's
13004 mapped and load addresses. Identifying overlays with sections allows
13005 @value{GDBN} to determine the appropriate address of a function or
13006 variable, depending on whether the overlay is mapped or not.
13007
13008 @value{GDBN}'s overlay commands all start with the word @code{overlay};
13009 you can abbreviate this as @code{ov} or @code{ovly}. The commands are:
13010
13011 @table @code
13012 @item overlay off
13013 @kindex overlay
13014 Disable @value{GDBN}'s overlay support. When overlay support is
13015 disabled, @value{GDBN} assumes that all functions and variables are
13016 always present at their mapped addresses. By default, @value{GDBN}'s
13017 overlay support is disabled.
13018
13019 @item overlay manual
13020 @cindex manual overlay debugging
13021 Enable @dfn{manual} overlay debugging. In this mode, @value{GDBN}
13022 relies on you to tell it which overlays are mapped, and which are not,
13023 using the @code{overlay map-overlay} and @code{overlay unmap-overlay}
13024 commands described below.
13025
13026 @item overlay map-overlay @var{overlay}
13027 @itemx overlay map @var{overlay}
13028 @cindex map an overlay
13029 Tell @value{GDBN} that @var{overlay} is now mapped; @var{overlay} must
13030 be the name of the object file section containing the overlay. When an
13031 overlay is mapped, @value{GDBN} assumes it can find the overlay's
13032 functions and variables at their mapped addresses. @value{GDBN} assumes
13033 that any other overlays whose mapped ranges overlap that of
13034 @var{overlay} are now unmapped.
13035
13036 @item overlay unmap-overlay @var{overlay}
13037 @itemx overlay unmap @var{overlay}
13038 @cindex unmap an overlay
13039 Tell @value{GDBN} that @var{overlay} is no longer mapped; @var{overlay}
13040 must be the name of the object file section containing the overlay.
13041 When an overlay is unmapped, @value{GDBN} assumes it can find the
13042 overlay's functions and variables at their load addresses.
13043
13044 @item overlay auto
13045 Enable @dfn{automatic} overlay debugging. In this mode, @value{GDBN}
13046 consults a data structure the overlay manager maintains in the inferior
13047 to see which overlays are mapped. For details, see @ref{Automatic
13048 Overlay Debugging}.
13049
13050 @item overlay load-target
13051 @itemx overlay load
13052 @cindex reloading the overlay table
13053 Re-read the overlay table from the inferior. Normally, @value{GDBN}
13054 re-reads the table @value{GDBN} automatically each time the inferior
13055 stops, so this command should only be necessary if you have changed the
13056 overlay mapping yourself using @value{GDBN}. This command is only
13057 useful when using automatic overlay debugging.
13058
13059 @item overlay list-overlays
13060 @itemx overlay list
13061 @cindex listing mapped overlays
13062 Display a list of the overlays currently mapped, along with their mapped
13063 addresses, load addresses, and sizes.
13064
13065 @end table
13066
13067 Normally, when @value{GDBN} prints a code address, it includes the name
13068 of the function the address falls in:
13069
13070 @smallexample
13071 (@value{GDBP}) print main
13072 $3 = @{int ()@} 0x11a0 <main>
13073 @end smallexample
13074 @noindent
13075 When overlay debugging is enabled, @value{GDBN} recognizes code in
13076 unmapped overlays, and prints the names of unmapped functions with
13077 asterisks around them. For example, if @code{foo} is a function in an
13078 unmapped overlay, @value{GDBN} prints it this way:
13079
13080 @smallexample
13081 (@value{GDBP}) overlay list
13082 No sections are mapped.
13083 (@value{GDBP}) print foo
13084 $5 = @{int (int)@} 0x100000 <*foo*>
13085 @end smallexample
13086 @noindent
13087 When @code{foo}'s overlay is mapped, @value{GDBN} prints the function's
13088 name normally:
13089
13090 @smallexample
13091 (@value{GDBP}) overlay list
13092 Section .ov.foo.text, loaded at 0x100000 - 0x100034,
13093 mapped at 0x1016 - 0x104a
13094 (@value{GDBP}) print foo
13095 $6 = @{int (int)@} 0x1016 <foo>
13096 @end smallexample
13097
13098 When overlay debugging is enabled, @value{GDBN} can find the correct
13099 address for functions and variables in an overlay, whether or not the
13100 overlay is mapped. This allows most @value{GDBN} commands, like
13101 @code{break} and @code{disassemble}, to work normally, even on unmapped
13102 code. However, @value{GDBN}'s breakpoint support has some limitations:
13103
13104 @itemize @bullet
13105 @item
13106 @cindex breakpoints in overlays
13107 @cindex overlays, setting breakpoints in
13108 You can set breakpoints in functions in unmapped overlays, as long as
13109 @value{GDBN} can write to the overlay at its load address.
13110 @item
13111 @value{GDBN} can not set hardware or simulator-based breakpoints in
13112 unmapped overlays. However, if you set a breakpoint at the end of your
13113 overlay manager (and tell @value{GDBN} which overlays are now mapped, if
13114 you are using manual overlay management), @value{GDBN} will re-set its
13115 breakpoints properly.
13116 @end itemize
13117
13118
13119 @node Automatic Overlay Debugging
13120 @section Automatic Overlay Debugging
13121 @cindex automatic overlay debugging
13122
13123 @value{GDBN} can automatically track which overlays are mapped and which
13124 are not, given some simple co-operation from the overlay manager in the
13125 inferior. If you enable automatic overlay debugging with the
13126 @code{overlay auto} command (@pxref{Overlay Commands}), @value{GDBN}
13127 looks in the inferior's memory for certain variables describing the
13128 current state of the overlays.
13129
13130 Here are the variables your overlay manager must define to support
13131 @value{GDBN}'s automatic overlay debugging:
13132
13133 @table @asis
13134
13135 @item @code{_ovly_table}:
13136 This variable must be an array of the following structures:
13137
13138 @smallexample
13139 struct
13140 @{
13141 /* The overlay's mapped address. */
13142 unsigned long vma;
13143
13144 /* The size of the overlay, in bytes. */
13145 unsigned long size;
13146
13147 /* The overlay's load address. */
13148 unsigned long lma;
13149
13150 /* Non-zero if the overlay is currently mapped;
13151 zero otherwise. */
13152 unsigned long mapped;
13153 @}
13154 @end smallexample
13155
13156 @item @code{_novlys}:
13157 This variable must be a four-byte signed integer, holding the total
13158 number of elements in @code{_ovly_table}.
13159
13160 @end table
13161
13162 To decide whether a particular overlay is mapped or not, @value{GDBN}
13163 looks for an entry in @w{@code{_ovly_table}} whose @code{vma} and
13164 @code{lma} members equal the VMA and LMA of the overlay's section in the
13165 executable file. When @value{GDBN} finds a matching entry, it consults
13166 the entry's @code{mapped} member to determine whether the overlay is
13167 currently mapped.
13168
13169 In addition, your overlay manager may define a function called
13170 @code{_ovly_debug_event}. If this function is defined, @value{GDBN}
13171 will silently set a breakpoint there. If the overlay manager then
13172 calls this function whenever it has changed the overlay table, this
13173 will enable @value{GDBN} to accurately keep track of which overlays
13174 are in program memory, and update any breakpoints that may be set
13175 in overlays. This will allow breakpoints to work even if the
13176 overlays are kept in ROM or other non-writable memory while they
13177 are not being executed.
13178
13179 @node Overlay Sample Program
13180 @section Overlay Sample Program
13181 @cindex overlay example program
13182
13183 When linking a program which uses overlays, you must place the overlays
13184 at their load addresses, while relocating them to run at their mapped
13185 addresses. To do this, you must write a linker script (@pxref{Overlay
13186 Description,,, ld.info, Using ld: the GNU linker}). Unfortunately,
13187 since linker scripts are specific to a particular host system, target
13188 architecture, and target memory layout, this manual cannot provide
13189 portable sample code demonstrating @value{GDBN}'s overlay support.
13190
13191 However, the @value{GDBN} source distribution does contain an overlaid
13192 program, with linker scripts for a few systems, as part of its test
13193 suite. The program consists of the following files from
13194 @file{gdb/testsuite/gdb.base}:
13195
13196 @table @file
13197 @item overlays.c
13198 The main program file.
13199 @item ovlymgr.c
13200 A simple overlay manager, used by @file{overlays.c}.
13201 @item foo.c
13202 @itemx bar.c
13203 @itemx baz.c
13204 @itemx grbx.c
13205 Overlay modules, loaded and used by @file{overlays.c}.
13206 @item d10v.ld
13207 @itemx m32r.ld
13208 Linker scripts for linking the test program on the @code{d10v-elf}
13209 and @code{m32r-elf} targets.
13210 @end table
13211
13212 You can build the test program using the @code{d10v-elf} GCC
13213 cross-compiler like this:
13214
13215 @smallexample
13216 $ d10v-elf-gcc -g -c overlays.c
13217 $ d10v-elf-gcc -g -c ovlymgr.c
13218 $ d10v-elf-gcc -g -c foo.c
13219 $ d10v-elf-gcc -g -c bar.c
13220 $ d10v-elf-gcc -g -c baz.c
13221 $ d10v-elf-gcc -g -c grbx.c
13222 $ d10v-elf-gcc -g overlays.o ovlymgr.o foo.o bar.o \
13223 baz.o grbx.o -Wl,-Td10v.ld -o overlays
13224 @end smallexample
13225
13226 The build process is identical for any other architecture, except that
13227 you must substitute the appropriate compiler and linker script for the
13228 target system for @code{d10v-elf-gcc} and @code{d10v.ld}.
13229
13230
13231 @node Languages
13232 @chapter Using @value{GDBN} with Different Languages
13233 @cindex languages
13234
13235 Although programming languages generally have common aspects, they are
13236 rarely expressed in the same manner. For instance, in ANSI C,
13237 dereferencing a pointer @code{p} is accomplished by @code{*p}, but in
13238 Modula-2, it is accomplished by @code{p^}. Values can also be
13239 represented (and displayed) differently. Hex numbers in C appear as
13240 @samp{0x1ae}, while in Modula-2 they appear as @samp{1AEH}.
13241
13242 @cindex working language
13243 Language-specific information is built into @value{GDBN} for some languages,
13244 allowing you to express operations like the above in your program's
13245 native language, and allowing @value{GDBN} to output values in a manner
13246 consistent with the syntax of your program's native language. The
13247 language you use to build expressions is called the @dfn{working
13248 language}.
13249
13250 @menu
13251 * Setting:: Switching between source languages
13252 * Show:: Displaying the language
13253 * Checks:: Type and range checks
13254 * Supported Languages:: Supported languages
13255 * Unsupported Languages:: Unsupported languages
13256 @end menu
13257
13258 @node Setting
13259 @section Switching Between Source Languages
13260
13261 There are two ways to control the working language---either have @value{GDBN}
13262 set it automatically, or select it manually yourself. You can use the
13263 @code{set language} command for either purpose. On startup, @value{GDBN}
13264 defaults to setting the language automatically. The working language is
13265 used to determine how expressions you type are interpreted, how values
13266 are printed, etc.
13267
13268 In addition to the working language, every source file that
13269 @value{GDBN} knows about has its own working language. For some object
13270 file formats, the compiler might indicate which language a particular
13271 source file is in. However, most of the time @value{GDBN} infers the
13272 language from the name of the file. The language of a source file
13273 controls whether C@t{++} names are demangled---this way @code{backtrace} can
13274 show each frame appropriately for its own language. There is no way to
13275 set the language of a source file from within @value{GDBN}, but you can
13276 set the language associated with a filename extension. @xref{Show, ,
13277 Displaying the Language}.
13278
13279 This is most commonly a problem when you use a program, such
13280 as @code{cfront} or @code{f2c}, that generates C but is written in
13281 another language. In that case, make the
13282 program use @code{#line} directives in its C output; that way
13283 @value{GDBN} will know the correct language of the source code of the original
13284 program, and will display that source code, not the generated C code.
13285
13286 @menu
13287 * Filenames:: Filename extensions and languages.
13288 * Manually:: Setting the working language manually
13289 * Automatically:: Having @value{GDBN} infer the source language
13290 @end menu
13291
13292 @node Filenames
13293 @subsection List of Filename Extensions and Languages
13294
13295 If a source file name ends in one of the following extensions, then
13296 @value{GDBN} infers that its language is the one indicated.
13297
13298 @table @file
13299 @item .ada
13300 @itemx .ads
13301 @itemx .adb
13302 @itemx .a
13303 Ada source file.
13304
13305 @item .c
13306 C source file
13307
13308 @item .C
13309 @itemx .cc
13310 @itemx .cp
13311 @itemx .cpp
13312 @itemx .cxx
13313 @itemx .c++
13314 C@t{++} source file
13315
13316 @item .d
13317 D source file
13318
13319 @item .m
13320 Objective-C source file
13321
13322 @item .f
13323 @itemx .F
13324 Fortran source file
13325
13326 @item .mod
13327 Modula-2 source file
13328
13329 @item .s
13330 @itemx .S
13331 Assembler source file. This actually behaves almost like C, but
13332 @value{GDBN} does not skip over function prologues when stepping.
13333 @end table
13334
13335 In addition, you may set the language associated with a filename
13336 extension. @xref{Show, , Displaying the Language}.
13337
13338 @node Manually
13339 @subsection Setting the Working Language
13340
13341 If you allow @value{GDBN} to set the language automatically,
13342 expressions are interpreted the same way in your debugging session and
13343 your program.
13344
13345 @kindex set language
13346 If you wish, you may set the language manually. To do this, issue the
13347 command @samp{set language @var{lang}}, where @var{lang} is the name of
13348 a language, such as
13349 @code{c} or @code{modula-2}.
13350 For a list of the supported languages, type @samp{set language}.
13351
13352 Setting the language manually prevents @value{GDBN} from updating the working
13353 language automatically. This can lead to confusion if you try
13354 to debug a program when the working language is not the same as the
13355 source language, when an expression is acceptable to both
13356 languages---but means different things. For instance, if the current
13357 source file were written in C, and @value{GDBN} was parsing Modula-2, a
13358 command such as:
13359
13360 @smallexample
13361 print a = b + c
13362 @end smallexample
13363
13364 @noindent
13365 might not have the effect you intended. In C, this means to add
13366 @code{b} and @code{c} and place the result in @code{a}. The result
13367 printed would be the value of @code{a}. In Modula-2, this means to compare
13368 @code{a} to the result of @code{b+c}, yielding a @code{BOOLEAN} value.
13369
13370 @node Automatically
13371 @subsection Having @value{GDBN} Infer the Source Language
13372
13373 To have @value{GDBN} set the working language automatically, use
13374 @samp{set language local} or @samp{set language auto}. @value{GDBN}
13375 then infers the working language. That is, when your program stops in a
13376 frame (usually by encountering a breakpoint), @value{GDBN} sets the
13377 working language to the language recorded for the function in that
13378 frame. If the language for a frame is unknown (that is, if the function
13379 or block corresponding to the frame was defined in a source file that
13380 does not have a recognized extension), the current working language is
13381 not changed, and @value{GDBN} issues a warning.
13382
13383 This may not seem necessary for most programs, which are written
13384 entirely in one source language. However, program modules and libraries
13385 written in one source language can be used by a main program written in
13386 a different source language. Using @samp{set language auto} in this
13387 case frees you from having to set the working language manually.
13388
13389 @node Show
13390 @section Displaying the Language
13391
13392 The following commands help you find out which language is the
13393 working language, and also what language source files were written in.
13394
13395 @table @code
13396 @item show language
13397 @anchor{show language}
13398 @kindex show language
13399 Display the current working language. This is the
13400 language you can use with commands such as @code{print} to
13401 build and compute expressions that may involve variables in your program.
13402
13403 @item info frame
13404 @kindex info frame@r{, show the source language}
13405 Display the source language for this frame. This language becomes the
13406 working language if you use an identifier from this frame.
13407 @xref{Frame Info, ,Information about a Frame}, to identify the other
13408 information listed here.
13409
13410 @item info source
13411 @kindex info source@r{, show the source language}
13412 Display the source language of this source file.
13413 @xref{Symbols, ,Examining the Symbol Table}, to identify the other
13414 information listed here.
13415 @end table
13416
13417 In unusual circumstances, you may have source files with extensions
13418 not in the standard list. You can then set the extension associated
13419 with a language explicitly:
13420
13421 @table @code
13422 @item set extension-language @var{ext} @var{language}
13423 @kindex set extension-language
13424 Tell @value{GDBN} that source files with extension @var{ext} are to be
13425 assumed as written in the source language @var{language}.
13426
13427 @item info extensions
13428 @kindex info extensions
13429 List all the filename extensions and the associated languages.
13430 @end table
13431
13432 @node Checks
13433 @section Type and Range Checking
13434
13435 Some languages are designed to guard you against making seemingly common
13436 errors through a series of compile- and run-time checks. These include
13437 checking the type of arguments to functions and operators and making
13438 sure mathematical overflows are caught at run time. Checks such as
13439 these help to ensure a program's correctness once it has been compiled
13440 by eliminating type mismatches and providing active checks for range
13441 errors when your program is running.
13442
13443 By default @value{GDBN} checks for these errors according to the
13444 rules of the current source language. Although @value{GDBN} does not check
13445 the statements in your program, it can check expressions entered directly
13446 into @value{GDBN} for evaluation via the @code{print} command, for example.
13447
13448 @menu
13449 * Type Checking:: An overview of type checking
13450 * Range Checking:: An overview of range checking
13451 @end menu
13452
13453 @cindex type checking
13454 @cindex checks, type
13455 @node Type Checking
13456 @subsection An Overview of Type Checking
13457
13458 Some languages, such as C and C@t{++}, are strongly typed, meaning that the
13459 arguments to operators and functions have to be of the correct type,
13460 otherwise an error occurs. These checks prevent type mismatch
13461 errors from ever causing any run-time problems. For example,
13462
13463 @smallexample
13464 int klass::my_method(char *b) @{ return b ? 1 : 2; @}
13465
13466 (@value{GDBP}) print obj.my_method (0)
13467 $1 = 2
13468 @exdent but
13469 (@value{GDBP}) print obj.my_method (0x1234)
13470 Cannot resolve method klass::my_method to any overloaded instance
13471 @end smallexample
13472
13473 The second example fails because in C@t{++} the integer constant
13474 @samp{0x1234} is not type-compatible with the pointer parameter type.
13475
13476 For the expressions you use in @value{GDBN} commands, you can tell
13477 @value{GDBN} to not enforce strict type checking or
13478 to treat any mismatches as errors and abandon the expression;
13479 When type checking is disabled, @value{GDBN} successfully evaluates
13480 expressions like the second example above.
13481
13482 Even if type checking is off, there may be other reasons
13483 related to type that prevent @value{GDBN} from evaluating an expression.
13484 For instance, @value{GDBN} does not know how to add an @code{int} and
13485 a @code{struct foo}. These particular type errors have nothing to do
13486 with the language in use and usually arise from expressions which make
13487 little sense to evaluate anyway.
13488
13489 @value{GDBN} provides some additional commands for controlling type checking:
13490
13491 @kindex set check type
13492 @kindex show check type
13493 @table @code
13494 @item set check type on
13495 @itemx set check type off
13496 Set strict type checking on or off. If any type mismatches occur in
13497 evaluating an expression while type checking is on, @value{GDBN} prints a
13498 message and aborts evaluation of the expression.
13499
13500 @item show check type
13501 Show the current setting of type checking and whether @value{GDBN}
13502 is enforcing strict type checking rules.
13503 @end table
13504
13505 @cindex range checking
13506 @cindex checks, range
13507 @node Range Checking
13508 @subsection An Overview of Range Checking
13509
13510 In some languages (such as Modula-2), it is an error to exceed the
13511 bounds of a type; this is enforced with run-time checks. Such range
13512 checking is meant to ensure program correctness by making sure
13513 computations do not overflow, or indices on an array element access do
13514 not exceed the bounds of the array.
13515
13516 For expressions you use in @value{GDBN} commands, you can tell
13517 @value{GDBN} to treat range errors in one of three ways: ignore them,
13518 always treat them as errors and abandon the expression, or issue
13519 warnings but evaluate the expression anyway.
13520
13521 A range error can result from numerical overflow, from exceeding an
13522 array index bound, or when you type a constant that is not a member
13523 of any type. Some languages, however, do not treat overflows as an
13524 error. In many implementations of C, mathematical overflow causes the
13525 result to ``wrap around'' to lower values---for example, if @var{m} is
13526 the largest integer value, and @var{s} is the smallest, then
13527
13528 @smallexample
13529 @var{m} + 1 @result{} @var{s}
13530 @end smallexample
13531
13532 This, too, is specific to individual languages, and in some cases
13533 specific to individual compilers or machines. @xref{Supported Languages, ,
13534 Supported Languages}, for further details on specific languages.
13535
13536 @value{GDBN} provides some additional commands for controlling the range checker:
13537
13538 @kindex set check range
13539 @kindex show check range
13540 @table @code
13541 @item set check range auto
13542 Set range checking on or off based on the current working language.
13543 @xref{Supported Languages, ,Supported Languages}, for the default settings for
13544 each language.
13545
13546 @item set check range on
13547 @itemx set check range off
13548 Set range checking on or off, overriding the default setting for the
13549 current working language. A warning is issued if the setting does not
13550 match the language default. If a range error occurs and range checking is on,
13551 then a message is printed and evaluation of the expression is aborted.
13552
13553 @item set check range warn
13554 Output messages when the @value{GDBN} range checker detects a range error,
13555 but attempt to evaluate the expression anyway. Evaluating the
13556 expression may still be impossible for other reasons, such as accessing
13557 memory that the process does not own (a typical example from many Unix
13558 systems).
13559
13560 @item show range
13561 Show the current setting of the range checker, and whether or not it is
13562 being set automatically by @value{GDBN}.
13563 @end table
13564
13565 @node Supported Languages
13566 @section Supported Languages
13567
13568 @value{GDBN} supports C, C@t{++}, D, Go, Objective-C, Fortran, Java,
13569 OpenCL C, Pascal, assembly, Modula-2, and Ada.
13570 @c This is false ...
13571 Some @value{GDBN} features may be used in expressions regardless of the
13572 language you use: the @value{GDBN} @code{@@} and @code{::} operators,
13573 and the @samp{@{type@}addr} construct (@pxref{Expressions,
13574 ,Expressions}) can be used with the constructs of any supported
13575 language.
13576
13577 The following sections detail to what degree each source language is
13578 supported by @value{GDBN}. These sections are not meant to be language
13579 tutorials or references, but serve only as a reference guide to what the
13580 @value{GDBN} expression parser accepts, and what input and output
13581 formats should look like for different languages. There are many good
13582 books written on each of these languages; please look to these for a
13583 language reference or tutorial.
13584
13585 @menu
13586 * C:: C and C@t{++}
13587 * D:: D
13588 * Go:: Go
13589 * Objective-C:: Objective-C
13590 * OpenCL C:: OpenCL C
13591 * Fortran:: Fortran
13592 * Pascal:: Pascal
13593 * Modula-2:: Modula-2
13594 * Ada:: Ada
13595 @end menu
13596
13597 @node C
13598 @subsection C and C@t{++}
13599
13600 @cindex C and C@t{++}
13601 @cindex expressions in C or C@t{++}
13602
13603 Since C and C@t{++} are so closely related, many features of @value{GDBN} apply
13604 to both languages. Whenever this is the case, we discuss those languages
13605 together.
13606
13607 @cindex C@t{++}
13608 @cindex @code{g++}, @sc{gnu} C@t{++} compiler
13609 @cindex @sc{gnu} C@t{++}
13610 The C@t{++} debugging facilities are jointly implemented by the C@t{++}
13611 compiler and @value{GDBN}. Therefore, to debug your C@t{++} code
13612 effectively, you must compile your C@t{++} programs with a supported
13613 C@t{++} compiler, such as @sc{gnu} @code{g++}, or the HP ANSI C@t{++}
13614 compiler (@code{aCC}).
13615
13616 @menu
13617 * C Operators:: C and C@t{++} operators
13618 * C Constants:: C and C@t{++} constants
13619 * C Plus Plus Expressions:: C@t{++} expressions
13620 * C Defaults:: Default settings for C and C@t{++}
13621 * C Checks:: C and C@t{++} type and range checks
13622 * Debugging C:: @value{GDBN} and C
13623 * Debugging C Plus Plus:: @value{GDBN} features for C@t{++}
13624 * Decimal Floating Point:: Numbers in Decimal Floating Point format
13625 @end menu
13626
13627 @node C Operators
13628 @subsubsection C and C@t{++} Operators
13629
13630 @cindex C and C@t{++} operators
13631
13632 Operators must be defined on values of specific types. For instance,
13633 @code{+} is defined on numbers, but not on structures. Operators are
13634 often defined on groups of types.
13635
13636 For the purposes of C and C@t{++}, the following definitions hold:
13637
13638 @itemize @bullet
13639
13640 @item
13641 @emph{Integral types} include @code{int} with any of its storage-class
13642 specifiers; @code{char}; @code{enum}; and, for C@t{++}, @code{bool}.
13643
13644 @item
13645 @emph{Floating-point types} include @code{float}, @code{double}, and
13646 @code{long double} (if supported by the target platform).
13647
13648 @item
13649 @emph{Pointer types} include all types defined as @code{(@var{type} *)}.
13650
13651 @item
13652 @emph{Scalar types} include all of the above.
13653
13654 @end itemize
13655
13656 @noindent
13657 The following operators are supported. They are listed here
13658 in order of increasing precedence:
13659
13660 @table @code
13661 @item ,
13662 The comma or sequencing operator. Expressions in a comma-separated list
13663 are evaluated from left to right, with the result of the entire
13664 expression being the last expression evaluated.
13665
13666 @item =
13667 Assignment. The value of an assignment expression is the value
13668 assigned. Defined on scalar types.
13669
13670 @item @var{op}=
13671 Used in an expression of the form @w{@code{@var{a} @var{op}= @var{b}}},
13672 and translated to @w{@code{@var{a} = @var{a op b}}}.
13673 @w{@code{@var{op}=}} and @code{=} have the same precedence.
13674 @var{op} is any one of the operators @code{|}, @code{^}, @code{&},
13675 @code{<<}, @code{>>}, @code{+}, @code{-}, @code{*}, @code{/}, @code{%}.
13676
13677 @item ?:
13678 The ternary operator. @code{@var{a} ? @var{b} : @var{c}} can be thought
13679 of as: if @var{a} then @var{b} else @var{c}. @var{a} should be of an
13680 integral type.
13681
13682 @item ||
13683 Logical @sc{or}. Defined on integral types.
13684
13685 @item &&
13686 Logical @sc{and}. Defined on integral types.
13687
13688 @item |
13689 Bitwise @sc{or}. Defined on integral types.
13690
13691 @item ^
13692 Bitwise exclusive-@sc{or}. Defined on integral types.
13693
13694 @item &
13695 Bitwise @sc{and}. Defined on integral types.
13696
13697 @item ==@r{, }!=
13698 Equality and inequality. Defined on scalar types. The value of these
13699 expressions is 0 for false and non-zero for true.
13700
13701 @item <@r{, }>@r{, }<=@r{, }>=
13702 Less than, greater than, less than or equal, greater than or equal.
13703 Defined on scalar types. The value of these expressions is 0 for false
13704 and non-zero for true.
13705
13706 @item <<@r{, }>>
13707 left shift, and right shift. Defined on integral types.
13708
13709 @item @@
13710 The @value{GDBN} ``artificial array'' operator (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}).
13711
13712 @item +@r{, }-
13713 Addition and subtraction. Defined on integral types, floating-point types and
13714 pointer types.
13715
13716 @item *@r{, }/@r{, }%
13717 Multiplication, division, and modulus. Multiplication and division are
13718 defined on integral and floating-point types. Modulus is defined on
13719 integral types.
13720
13721 @item ++@r{, }--
13722 Increment and decrement. When appearing before a variable, the
13723 operation is performed before the variable is used in an expression;
13724 when appearing after it, the variable's value is used before the
13725 operation takes place.
13726
13727 @item *
13728 Pointer dereferencing. Defined on pointer types. Same precedence as
13729 @code{++}.
13730
13731 @item &
13732 Address operator. Defined on variables. Same precedence as @code{++}.
13733
13734 For debugging C@t{++}, @value{GDBN} implements a use of @samp{&} beyond what is
13735 allowed in the C@t{++} language itself: you can use @samp{&(&@var{ref})}
13736 to examine the address
13737 where a C@t{++} reference variable (declared with @samp{&@var{ref}}) is
13738 stored.
13739
13740 @item -
13741 Negative. Defined on integral and floating-point types. Same
13742 precedence as @code{++}.
13743
13744 @item !
13745 Logical negation. Defined on integral types. Same precedence as
13746 @code{++}.
13747
13748 @item ~
13749 Bitwise complement operator. Defined on integral types. Same precedence as
13750 @code{++}.
13751
13752
13753 @item .@r{, }->
13754 Structure member, and pointer-to-structure member. For convenience,
13755 @value{GDBN} regards the two as equivalent, choosing whether to dereference a
13756 pointer based on the stored type information.
13757 Defined on @code{struct} and @code{union} data.
13758
13759 @item .*@r{, }->*
13760 Dereferences of pointers to members.
13761
13762 @item []
13763 Array indexing. @code{@var{a}[@var{i}]} is defined as
13764 @code{*(@var{a}+@var{i})}. Same precedence as @code{->}.
13765
13766 @item ()
13767 Function parameter list. Same precedence as @code{->}.
13768
13769 @item ::
13770 C@t{++} scope resolution operator. Defined on @code{struct}, @code{union},
13771 and @code{class} types.
13772
13773 @item ::
13774 Doubled colons also represent the @value{GDBN} scope operator
13775 (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}). Same precedence as @code{::},
13776 above.
13777 @end table
13778
13779 If an operator is redefined in the user code, @value{GDBN} usually
13780 attempts to invoke the redefined version instead of using the operator's
13781 predefined meaning.
13782
13783 @node C Constants
13784 @subsubsection C and C@t{++} Constants
13785
13786 @cindex C and C@t{++} constants
13787
13788 @value{GDBN} allows you to express the constants of C and C@t{++} in the
13789 following ways:
13790
13791 @itemize @bullet
13792 @item
13793 Integer constants are a sequence of digits. Octal constants are
13794 specified by a leading @samp{0} (i.e.@: zero), and hexadecimal constants
13795 by a leading @samp{0x} or @samp{0X}. Constants may also end with a letter
13796 @samp{l}, specifying that the constant should be treated as a
13797 @code{long} value.
13798
13799 @item
13800 Floating point constants are a sequence of digits, followed by a decimal
13801 point, followed by a sequence of digits, and optionally followed by an
13802 exponent. An exponent is of the form:
13803 @samp{@w{e@r{[[}+@r{]|}-@r{]}@var{nnn}}}, where @var{nnn} is another
13804 sequence of digits. The @samp{+} is optional for positive exponents.
13805 A floating-point constant may also end with a letter @samp{f} or
13806 @samp{F}, specifying that the constant should be treated as being of
13807 the @code{float} (as opposed to the default @code{double}) type; or with
13808 a letter @samp{l} or @samp{L}, which specifies a @code{long double}
13809 constant.
13810
13811 @item
13812 Enumerated constants consist of enumerated identifiers, or their
13813 integral equivalents.
13814
13815 @item
13816 Character constants are a single character surrounded by single quotes
13817 (@code{'}), or a number---the ordinal value of the corresponding character
13818 (usually its @sc{ascii} value). Within quotes, the single character may
13819 be represented by a letter or by @dfn{escape sequences}, which are of
13820 the form @samp{\@var{nnn}}, where @var{nnn} is the octal representation
13821 of the character's ordinal value; or of the form @samp{\@var{x}}, where
13822 @samp{@var{x}} is a predefined special character---for example,
13823 @samp{\n} for newline.
13824
13825 Wide character constants can be written by prefixing a character
13826 constant with @samp{L}, as in C. For example, @samp{L'x'} is the wide
13827 form of @samp{x}. The target wide character set is used when
13828 computing the value of this constant (@pxref{Character Sets}).
13829
13830 @item
13831 String constants are a sequence of character constants surrounded by
13832 double quotes (@code{"}). Any valid character constant (as described
13833 above) may appear. Double quotes within the string must be preceded by
13834 a backslash, so for instance @samp{"a\"b'c"} is a string of five
13835 characters.
13836
13837 Wide string constants can be written by prefixing a string constant
13838 with @samp{L}, as in C. The target wide character set is used when
13839 computing the value of this constant (@pxref{Character Sets}).
13840
13841 @item
13842 Pointer constants are an integral value. You can also write pointers
13843 to constants using the C operator @samp{&}.
13844
13845 @item
13846 Array constants are comma-separated lists surrounded by braces @samp{@{}
13847 and @samp{@}}; for example, @samp{@{1,2,3@}} is a three-element array of
13848 integers, @samp{@{@{1,2@}, @{3,4@}, @{5,6@}@}} is a three-by-two array,
13849 and @samp{@{&"hi", &"there", &"fred"@}} is a three-element array of pointers.
13850 @end itemize
13851
13852 @node C Plus Plus Expressions
13853 @subsubsection C@t{++} Expressions
13854
13855 @cindex expressions in C@t{++}
13856 @value{GDBN} expression handling can interpret most C@t{++} expressions.
13857
13858 @cindex debugging C@t{++} programs
13859 @cindex C@t{++} compilers
13860 @cindex debug formats and C@t{++}
13861 @cindex @value{NGCC} and C@t{++}
13862 @quotation
13863 @emph{Warning:} @value{GDBN} can only debug C@t{++} code if you use
13864 the proper compiler and the proper debug format. Currently,
13865 @value{GDBN} works best when debugging C@t{++} code that is compiled
13866 with the most recent version of @value{NGCC} possible. The DWARF
13867 debugging format is preferred; @value{NGCC} defaults to this on most
13868 popular platforms. Other compilers and/or debug formats are likely to
13869 work badly or not at all when using @value{GDBN} to debug C@t{++}
13870 code. @xref{Compilation}.
13871 @end quotation
13872
13873 @enumerate
13874
13875 @cindex member functions
13876 @item
13877 Member function calls are allowed; you can use expressions like
13878
13879 @smallexample
13880 count = aml->GetOriginal(x, y)
13881 @end smallexample
13882
13883 @vindex this@r{, inside C@t{++} member functions}
13884 @cindex namespace in C@t{++}
13885 @item
13886 While a member function is active (in the selected stack frame), your
13887 expressions have the same namespace available as the member function;
13888 that is, @value{GDBN} allows implicit references to the class instance
13889 pointer @code{this} following the same rules as C@t{++}. @code{using}
13890 declarations in the current scope are also respected by @value{GDBN}.
13891
13892 @cindex call overloaded functions
13893 @cindex overloaded functions, calling
13894 @cindex type conversions in C@t{++}
13895 @item
13896 You can call overloaded functions; @value{GDBN} resolves the function
13897 call to the right definition, with some restrictions. @value{GDBN} does not
13898 perform overload resolution involving user-defined type conversions,
13899 calls to constructors, or instantiations of templates that do not exist
13900 in the program. It also cannot handle ellipsis argument lists or
13901 default arguments.
13902
13903 It does perform integral conversions and promotions, floating-point
13904 promotions, arithmetic conversions, pointer conversions, conversions of
13905 class objects to base classes, and standard conversions such as those of
13906 functions or arrays to pointers; it requires an exact match on the
13907 number of function arguments.
13908
13909 Overload resolution is always performed, unless you have specified
13910 @code{set overload-resolution off}. @xref{Debugging C Plus Plus,
13911 ,@value{GDBN} Features for C@t{++}}.
13912
13913 You must specify @code{set overload-resolution off} in order to use an
13914 explicit function signature to call an overloaded function, as in
13915 @smallexample
13916 p 'foo(char,int)'('x', 13)
13917 @end smallexample
13918
13919 The @value{GDBN} command-completion facility can simplify this;
13920 see @ref{Completion, ,Command Completion}.
13921
13922 @cindex reference declarations
13923 @item
13924 @value{GDBN} understands variables declared as C@t{++} references; you can use
13925 them in expressions just as you do in C@t{++} source---they are automatically
13926 dereferenced.
13927
13928 In the parameter list shown when @value{GDBN} displays a frame, the values of
13929 reference variables are not displayed (unlike other variables); this
13930 avoids clutter, since references are often used for large structures.
13931 The @emph{address} of a reference variable is always shown, unless
13932 you have specified @samp{set print address off}.
13933
13934 @item
13935 @value{GDBN} supports the C@t{++} name resolution operator @code{::}---your
13936 expressions can use it just as expressions in your program do. Since
13937 one scope may be defined in another, you can use @code{::} repeatedly if
13938 necessary, for example in an expression like
13939 @samp{@var{scope1}::@var{scope2}::@var{name}}. @value{GDBN} also allows
13940 resolving name scope by reference to source files, in both C and C@t{++}
13941 debugging (@pxref{Variables, ,Program Variables}).
13942
13943 @item
13944 @value{GDBN} performs argument-dependent lookup, following the C@t{++}
13945 specification.
13946 @end enumerate
13947
13948 @node C Defaults
13949 @subsubsection C and C@t{++} Defaults
13950
13951 @cindex C and C@t{++} defaults
13952
13953 If you allow @value{GDBN} to set range checking automatically, it
13954 defaults to @code{off} whenever the working language changes to
13955 C or C@t{++}. This happens regardless of whether you or @value{GDBN}
13956 selects the working language.
13957
13958 If you allow @value{GDBN} to set the language automatically, it
13959 recognizes source files whose names end with @file{.c}, @file{.C}, or
13960 @file{.cc}, etc, and when @value{GDBN} enters code compiled from one of
13961 these files, it sets the working language to C or C@t{++}.
13962 @xref{Automatically, ,Having @value{GDBN} Infer the Source Language},
13963 for further details.
13964
13965 @node C Checks
13966 @subsubsection C and C@t{++} Type and Range Checks
13967
13968 @cindex C and C@t{++} checks
13969
13970 By default, when @value{GDBN} parses C or C@t{++} expressions, strict type
13971 checking is used. However, if you turn type checking off, @value{GDBN}
13972 will allow certain non-standard conversions, such as promoting integer
13973 constants to pointers.
13974
13975 Range checking, if turned on, is done on mathematical operations. Array
13976 indices are not checked, since they are often used to index a pointer
13977 that is not itself an array.
13978
13979 @node Debugging C
13980 @subsubsection @value{GDBN} and C
13981
13982 The @code{set print union} and @code{show print union} commands apply to
13983 the @code{union} type. When set to @samp{on}, any @code{union} that is
13984 inside a @code{struct} or @code{class} is also printed. Otherwise, it
13985 appears as @samp{@{...@}}.
13986
13987 The @code{@@} operator aids in the debugging of dynamic arrays, formed
13988 with pointers and a memory allocation function. @xref{Expressions,
13989 ,Expressions}.
13990
13991 @node Debugging C Plus Plus
13992 @subsubsection @value{GDBN} Features for C@t{++}
13993
13994 @cindex commands for C@t{++}
13995
13996 Some @value{GDBN} commands are particularly useful with C@t{++}, and some are
13997 designed specifically for use with C@t{++}. Here is a summary:
13998
13999 @table @code
14000 @cindex break in overloaded functions
14001 @item @r{breakpoint menus}
14002 When you want a breakpoint in a function whose name is overloaded,
14003 @value{GDBN} has the capability to display a menu of possible breakpoint
14004 locations to help you specify which function definition you want.
14005 @xref{Ambiguous Expressions,,Ambiguous Expressions}.
14006
14007 @cindex overloading in C@t{++}
14008 @item rbreak @var{regex}
14009 Setting breakpoints using regular expressions is helpful for setting
14010 breakpoints on overloaded functions that are not members of any special
14011 classes.
14012 @xref{Set Breaks, ,Setting Breakpoints}.
14013
14014 @cindex C@t{++} exception handling
14015 @item catch throw
14016 @itemx catch rethrow
14017 @itemx catch catch
14018 Debug C@t{++} exception handling using these commands. @xref{Set
14019 Catchpoints, , Setting Catchpoints}.
14020
14021 @cindex inheritance
14022 @item ptype @var{typename}
14023 Print inheritance relationships as well as other information for type
14024 @var{typename}.
14025 @xref{Symbols, ,Examining the Symbol Table}.
14026
14027 @item info vtbl @var{expression}.
14028 The @code{info vtbl} command can be used to display the virtual
14029 method tables of the object computed by @var{expression}. This shows
14030 one entry per virtual table; there may be multiple virtual tables when
14031 multiple inheritance is in use.
14032
14033 @cindex C@t{++} symbol display
14034 @item set print demangle
14035 @itemx show print demangle
14036 @itemx set print asm-demangle
14037 @itemx show print asm-demangle
14038 Control whether C@t{++} symbols display in their source form, both when
14039 displaying code as C@t{++} source and when displaying disassemblies.
14040 @xref{Print Settings, ,Print Settings}.
14041
14042 @item set print object
14043 @itemx show print object
14044 Choose whether to print derived (actual) or declared types of objects.
14045 @xref{Print Settings, ,Print Settings}.
14046
14047 @item set print vtbl
14048 @itemx show print vtbl
14049 Control the format for printing virtual function tables.
14050 @xref{Print Settings, ,Print Settings}.
14051 (The @code{vtbl} commands do not work on programs compiled with the HP
14052 ANSI C@t{++} compiler (@code{aCC}).)
14053
14054 @kindex set overload-resolution
14055 @cindex overloaded functions, overload resolution
14056 @item set overload-resolution on
14057 Enable overload resolution for C@t{++} expression evaluation. The default
14058 is on. For overloaded functions, @value{GDBN} evaluates the arguments
14059 and searches for a function whose signature matches the argument types,
14060 using the standard C@t{++} conversion rules (see @ref{C Plus Plus
14061 Expressions, ,C@t{++} Expressions}, for details).
14062 If it cannot find a match, it emits a message.
14063
14064 @item set overload-resolution off
14065 Disable overload resolution for C@t{++} expression evaluation. For
14066 overloaded functions that are not class member functions, @value{GDBN}
14067 chooses the first function of the specified name that it finds in the
14068 symbol table, whether or not its arguments are of the correct type. For
14069 overloaded functions that are class member functions, @value{GDBN}
14070 searches for a function whose signature @emph{exactly} matches the
14071 argument types.
14072
14073 @kindex show overload-resolution
14074 @item show overload-resolution
14075 Show the current setting of overload resolution.
14076
14077 @item @r{Overloaded symbol names}
14078 You can specify a particular definition of an overloaded symbol, using
14079 the same notation that is used to declare such symbols in C@t{++}: type
14080 @code{@var{symbol}(@var{types})} rather than just @var{symbol}. You can
14081 also use the @value{GDBN} command-line word completion facilities to list the
14082 available choices, or to finish the type list for you.
14083 @xref{Completion,, Command Completion}, for details on how to do this.
14084 @end table
14085
14086 @node Decimal Floating Point
14087 @subsubsection Decimal Floating Point format
14088 @cindex decimal floating point format
14089
14090 @value{GDBN} can examine, set and perform computations with numbers in
14091 decimal floating point format, which in the C language correspond to the
14092 @code{_Decimal32}, @code{_Decimal64} and @code{_Decimal128} types as
14093 specified by the extension to support decimal floating-point arithmetic.
14094
14095 There are two encodings in use, depending on the architecture: BID (Binary
14096 Integer Decimal) for x86 and x86-64, and DPD (Densely Packed Decimal) for
14097 PowerPC and S/390. @value{GDBN} will use the appropriate encoding for the
14098 configured target.
14099
14100 Because of a limitation in @file{libdecnumber}, the library used by @value{GDBN}
14101 to manipulate decimal floating point numbers, it is not possible to convert
14102 (using a cast, for example) integers wider than 32-bit to decimal float.
14103
14104 In addition, in order to imitate @value{GDBN}'s behaviour with binary floating
14105 point computations, error checking in decimal float operations ignores
14106 underflow, overflow and divide by zero exceptions.
14107
14108 In the PowerPC architecture, @value{GDBN} provides a set of pseudo-registers
14109 to inspect @code{_Decimal128} values stored in floating point registers.
14110 See @ref{PowerPC,,PowerPC} for more details.
14111
14112 @node D
14113 @subsection D
14114
14115 @cindex D
14116 @value{GDBN} can be used to debug programs written in D and compiled with
14117 GDC, LDC or DMD compilers. Currently @value{GDBN} supports only one D
14118 specific feature --- dynamic arrays.
14119
14120 @node Go
14121 @subsection Go
14122
14123 @cindex Go (programming language)
14124 @value{GDBN} can be used to debug programs written in Go and compiled with
14125 @file{gccgo} or @file{6g} compilers.
14126
14127 Here is a summary of the Go-specific features and restrictions:
14128
14129 @table @code
14130 @cindex current Go package
14131 @item The current Go package
14132 The name of the current package does not need to be specified when
14133 specifying global variables and functions.
14134
14135 For example, given the program:
14136
14137 @example
14138 package main
14139 var myglob = "Shall we?"
14140 func main () @{
14141 // ...
14142 @}
14143 @end example
14144
14145 When stopped inside @code{main} either of these work:
14146
14147 @example
14148 (gdb) p myglob
14149 (gdb) p main.myglob
14150 @end example
14151
14152 @cindex builtin Go types
14153 @item Builtin Go types
14154 The @code{string} type is recognized by @value{GDBN} and is printed
14155 as a string.
14156
14157 @cindex builtin Go functions
14158 @item Builtin Go functions
14159 The @value{GDBN} expression parser recognizes the @code{unsafe.Sizeof}
14160 function and handles it internally.
14161
14162 @cindex restrictions on Go expressions
14163 @item Restrictions on Go expressions
14164 All Go operators are supported except @code{&^}.
14165 The Go @code{_} ``blank identifier'' is not supported.
14166 Automatic dereferencing of pointers is not supported.
14167 @end table
14168
14169 @node Objective-C
14170 @subsection Objective-C
14171
14172 @cindex Objective-C
14173 This section provides information about some commands and command
14174 options that are useful for debugging Objective-C code. See also
14175 @ref{Symbols, info classes}, and @ref{Symbols, info selectors}, for a
14176 few more commands specific to Objective-C support.
14177
14178 @menu
14179 * Method Names in Commands::
14180 * The Print Command with Objective-C::
14181 @end menu
14182
14183 @node Method Names in Commands
14184 @subsubsection Method Names in Commands
14185
14186 The following commands have been extended to accept Objective-C method
14187 names as line specifications:
14188
14189 @kindex clear@r{, and Objective-C}
14190 @kindex break@r{, and Objective-C}
14191 @kindex info line@r{, and Objective-C}
14192 @kindex jump@r{, and Objective-C}
14193 @kindex list@r{, and Objective-C}
14194 @itemize
14195 @item @code{clear}
14196 @item @code{break}
14197 @item @code{info line}
14198 @item @code{jump}
14199 @item @code{list}
14200 @end itemize
14201
14202 A fully qualified Objective-C method name is specified as
14203
14204 @smallexample
14205 -[@var{Class} @var{methodName}]
14206 @end smallexample
14207
14208 where the minus sign is used to indicate an instance method and a
14209 plus sign (not shown) is used to indicate a class method. The class
14210 name @var{Class} and method name @var{methodName} are enclosed in
14211 brackets, similar to the way messages are specified in Objective-C
14212 source code. For example, to set a breakpoint at the @code{create}
14213 instance method of class @code{Fruit} in the program currently being
14214 debugged, enter:
14215
14216 @smallexample
14217 break -[Fruit create]
14218 @end smallexample
14219
14220 To list ten program lines around the @code{initialize} class method,
14221 enter:
14222
14223 @smallexample
14224 list +[NSText initialize]
14225 @end smallexample
14226
14227 In the current version of @value{GDBN}, the plus or minus sign is
14228 required. In future versions of @value{GDBN}, the plus or minus
14229 sign will be optional, but you can use it to narrow the search. It
14230 is also possible to specify just a method name:
14231
14232 @smallexample
14233 break create
14234 @end smallexample
14235
14236 You must specify the complete method name, including any colons. If
14237 your program's source files contain more than one @code{create} method,
14238 you'll be presented with a numbered list of classes that implement that
14239 method. Indicate your choice by number, or type @samp{0} to exit if
14240 none apply.
14241
14242 As another example, to clear a breakpoint established at the
14243 @code{makeKeyAndOrderFront:} method of the @code{NSWindow} class, enter:
14244
14245 @smallexample
14246 clear -[NSWindow makeKeyAndOrderFront:]
14247 @end smallexample
14248
14249 @node The Print Command with Objective-C
14250 @subsubsection The Print Command With Objective-C
14251 @cindex Objective-C, print objects
14252 @kindex print-object
14253 @kindex po @r{(@code{print-object})}
14254
14255 The print command has also been extended to accept methods. For example:
14256
14257 @smallexample
14258 print -[@var{object} hash]
14259 @end smallexample
14260
14261 @cindex print an Objective-C object description
14262 @cindex @code{_NSPrintForDebugger}, and printing Objective-C objects
14263 @noindent
14264 will tell @value{GDBN} to send the @code{hash} message to @var{object}
14265 and print the result. Also, an additional command has been added,
14266 @code{print-object} or @code{po} for short, which is meant to print
14267 the description of an object. However, this command may only work
14268 with certain Objective-C libraries that have a particular hook
14269 function, @code{_NSPrintForDebugger}, defined.
14270
14271 @node OpenCL C
14272 @subsection OpenCL C
14273
14274 @cindex OpenCL C
14275 This section provides information about @value{GDBN}s OpenCL C support.
14276
14277 @menu
14278 * OpenCL C Datatypes::
14279 * OpenCL C Expressions::
14280 * OpenCL C Operators::
14281 @end menu
14282
14283 @node OpenCL C Datatypes
14284 @subsubsection OpenCL C Datatypes
14285
14286 @cindex OpenCL C Datatypes
14287 @value{GDBN} supports the builtin scalar and vector datatypes specified
14288 by OpenCL 1.1. In addition the half- and double-precision floating point
14289 data types of the @code{cl_khr_fp16} and @code{cl_khr_fp64} OpenCL
14290 extensions are also known to @value{GDBN}.
14291
14292 @node OpenCL C Expressions
14293 @subsubsection OpenCL C Expressions
14294
14295 @cindex OpenCL C Expressions
14296 @value{GDBN} supports accesses to vector components including the access as
14297 lvalue where possible. Since OpenCL C is based on C99 most C expressions
14298 supported by @value{GDBN} can be used as well.
14299
14300 @node OpenCL C Operators
14301 @subsubsection OpenCL C Operators
14302
14303 @cindex OpenCL C Operators
14304 @value{GDBN} supports the operators specified by OpenCL 1.1 for scalar and
14305 vector data types.
14306
14307 @node Fortran
14308 @subsection Fortran
14309 @cindex Fortran-specific support in @value{GDBN}
14310
14311 @value{GDBN} can be used to debug programs written in Fortran, but it
14312 currently supports only the features of Fortran 77 language.
14313
14314 @cindex trailing underscore, in Fortran symbols
14315 Some Fortran compilers (@sc{gnu} Fortran 77 and Fortran 95 compilers
14316 among them) append an underscore to the names of variables and
14317 functions. When you debug programs compiled by those compilers, you
14318 will need to refer to variables and functions with a trailing
14319 underscore.
14320
14321 @menu
14322 * Fortran Operators:: Fortran operators and expressions
14323 * Fortran Defaults:: Default settings for Fortran
14324 * Special Fortran Commands:: Special @value{GDBN} commands for Fortran
14325 @end menu
14326
14327 @node Fortran Operators
14328 @subsubsection Fortran Operators and Expressions
14329
14330 @cindex Fortran operators and expressions
14331
14332 Operators must be defined on values of specific types. For instance,
14333 @code{+} is defined on numbers, but not on characters or other non-
14334 arithmetic types. Operators are often defined on groups of types.
14335
14336 @table @code
14337 @item **
14338 The exponentiation operator. It raises the first operand to the power
14339 of the second one.
14340
14341 @item :
14342 The range operator. Normally used in the form of array(low:high) to
14343 represent a section of array.
14344
14345 @item %
14346 The access component operator. Normally used to access elements in derived
14347 types. Also suitable for unions. As unions aren't part of regular Fortran,
14348 this can only happen when accessing a register that uses a gdbarch-defined
14349 union type.
14350 @end table
14351
14352 @node Fortran Defaults
14353 @subsubsection Fortran Defaults
14354
14355 @cindex Fortran Defaults
14356
14357 Fortran symbols are usually case-insensitive, so @value{GDBN} by
14358 default uses case-insensitive matches for Fortran symbols. You can
14359 change that with the @samp{set case-insensitive} command, see
14360 @ref{Symbols}, for the details.
14361
14362 @node Special Fortran Commands
14363 @subsubsection Special Fortran Commands
14364
14365 @cindex Special Fortran commands
14366
14367 @value{GDBN} has some commands to support Fortran-specific features,
14368 such as displaying common blocks.
14369
14370 @table @code
14371 @cindex @code{COMMON} blocks, Fortran
14372 @kindex info common
14373 @item info common @r{[}@var{common-name}@r{]}
14374 This command prints the values contained in the Fortran @code{COMMON}
14375 block whose name is @var{common-name}. With no argument, the names of
14376 all @code{COMMON} blocks visible at the current program location are
14377 printed.
14378 @end table
14379
14380 @node Pascal
14381 @subsection Pascal
14382
14383 @cindex Pascal support in @value{GDBN}, limitations
14384 Debugging Pascal programs which use sets, subranges, file variables, or
14385 nested functions does not currently work. @value{GDBN} does not support
14386 entering expressions, printing values, or similar features using Pascal
14387 syntax.
14388
14389 The Pascal-specific command @code{set print pascal_static-members}
14390 controls whether static members of Pascal objects are displayed.
14391 @xref{Print Settings, pascal_static-members}.
14392
14393 @node Modula-2
14394 @subsection Modula-2
14395
14396 @cindex Modula-2, @value{GDBN} support
14397
14398 The extensions made to @value{GDBN} to support Modula-2 only support
14399 output from the @sc{gnu} Modula-2 compiler (which is currently being
14400 developed). Other Modula-2 compilers are not currently supported, and
14401 attempting to debug executables produced by them is most likely
14402 to give an error as @value{GDBN} reads in the executable's symbol
14403 table.
14404
14405 @cindex expressions in Modula-2
14406 @menu
14407 * M2 Operators:: Built-in operators
14408 * Built-In Func/Proc:: Built-in functions and procedures
14409 * M2 Constants:: Modula-2 constants
14410 * M2 Types:: Modula-2 types
14411 * M2 Defaults:: Default settings for Modula-2
14412 * Deviations:: Deviations from standard Modula-2
14413 * M2 Checks:: Modula-2 type and range checks
14414 * M2 Scope:: The scope operators @code{::} and @code{.}
14415 * GDB/M2:: @value{GDBN} and Modula-2
14416 @end menu
14417
14418 @node M2 Operators
14419 @subsubsection Operators
14420 @cindex Modula-2 operators
14421
14422 Operators must be defined on values of specific types. For instance,
14423 @code{+} is defined on numbers, but not on structures. Operators are
14424 often defined on groups of types. For the purposes of Modula-2, the
14425 following definitions hold:
14426
14427 @itemize @bullet
14428
14429 @item
14430 @emph{Integral types} consist of @code{INTEGER}, @code{CARDINAL}, and
14431 their subranges.
14432
14433 @item
14434 @emph{Character types} consist of @code{CHAR} and its subranges.
14435
14436 @item
14437 @emph{Floating-point types} consist of @code{REAL}.
14438
14439 @item
14440 @emph{Pointer types} consist of anything declared as @code{POINTER TO
14441 @var{type}}.
14442
14443 @item
14444 @emph{Scalar types} consist of all of the above.
14445
14446 @item
14447 @emph{Set types} consist of @code{SET} and @code{BITSET} types.
14448
14449 @item
14450 @emph{Boolean types} consist of @code{BOOLEAN}.
14451 @end itemize
14452
14453 @noindent
14454 The following operators are supported, and appear in order of
14455 increasing precedence:
14456
14457 @table @code
14458 @item ,
14459 Function argument or array index separator.
14460
14461 @item :=
14462 Assignment. The value of @var{var} @code{:=} @var{value} is
14463 @var{value}.
14464
14465 @item <@r{, }>
14466 Less than, greater than on integral, floating-point, or enumerated
14467 types.
14468
14469 @item <=@r{, }>=
14470 Less than or equal to, greater than or equal to
14471 on integral, floating-point and enumerated types, or set inclusion on
14472 set types. Same precedence as @code{<}.
14473
14474 @item =@r{, }<>@r{, }#
14475 Equality and two ways of expressing inequality, valid on scalar types.
14476 Same precedence as @code{<}. In @value{GDBN} scripts, only @code{<>} is
14477 available for inequality, since @code{#} conflicts with the script
14478 comment character.
14479
14480 @item IN
14481 Set membership. Defined on set types and the types of their members.
14482 Same precedence as @code{<}.
14483
14484 @item OR
14485 Boolean disjunction. Defined on boolean types.
14486
14487 @item AND@r{, }&
14488 Boolean conjunction. Defined on boolean types.
14489
14490 @item @@
14491 The @value{GDBN} ``artificial array'' operator (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}).
14492
14493 @item +@r{, }-
14494 Addition and subtraction on integral and floating-point types, or union
14495 and difference on set types.
14496
14497 @item *
14498 Multiplication on integral and floating-point types, or set intersection
14499 on set types.
14500
14501 @item /
14502 Division on floating-point types, or symmetric set difference on set
14503 types. Same precedence as @code{*}.
14504
14505 @item DIV@r{, }MOD
14506 Integer division and remainder. Defined on integral types. Same
14507 precedence as @code{*}.
14508
14509 @item -
14510 Negative. Defined on @code{INTEGER} and @code{REAL} data.
14511
14512 @item ^
14513 Pointer dereferencing. Defined on pointer types.
14514
14515 @item NOT
14516 Boolean negation. Defined on boolean types. Same precedence as
14517 @code{^}.
14518
14519 @item .
14520 @code{RECORD} field selector. Defined on @code{RECORD} data. Same
14521 precedence as @code{^}.
14522
14523 @item []
14524 Array indexing. Defined on @code{ARRAY} data. Same precedence as @code{^}.
14525
14526 @item ()
14527 Procedure argument list. Defined on @code{PROCEDURE} objects. Same precedence
14528 as @code{^}.
14529
14530 @item ::@r{, }.
14531 @value{GDBN} and Modula-2 scope operators.
14532 @end table
14533
14534 @quotation
14535 @emph{Warning:} Set expressions and their operations are not yet supported, so @value{GDBN}
14536 treats the use of the operator @code{IN}, or the use of operators
14537 @code{+}, @code{-}, @code{*}, @code{/}, @code{=}, , @code{<>}, @code{#},
14538 @code{<=}, and @code{>=} on sets as an error.
14539 @end quotation
14540
14541
14542 @node Built-In Func/Proc
14543 @subsubsection Built-in Functions and Procedures
14544 @cindex Modula-2 built-ins
14545
14546 Modula-2 also makes available several built-in procedures and functions.
14547 In describing these, the following metavariables are used:
14548
14549 @table @var
14550
14551 @item a
14552 represents an @code{ARRAY} variable.
14553
14554 @item c
14555 represents a @code{CHAR} constant or variable.
14556
14557 @item i
14558 represents a variable or constant of integral type.
14559
14560 @item m
14561 represents an identifier that belongs to a set. Generally used in the
14562 same function with the metavariable @var{s}. The type of @var{s} should
14563 be @code{SET OF @var{mtype}} (where @var{mtype} is the type of @var{m}).
14564
14565 @item n
14566 represents a variable or constant of integral or floating-point type.
14567
14568 @item r
14569 represents a variable or constant of floating-point type.
14570
14571 @item t
14572 represents a type.
14573
14574 @item v
14575 represents a variable.
14576
14577 @item x
14578 represents a variable or constant of one of many types. See the
14579 explanation of the function for details.
14580 @end table
14581
14582 All Modula-2 built-in procedures also return a result, described below.
14583
14584 @table @code
14585 @item ABS(@var{n})
14586 Returns the absolute value of @var{n}.
14587
14588 @item CAP(@var{c})
14589 If @var{c} is a lower case letter, it returns its upper case
14590 equivalent, otherwise it returns its argument.
14591
14592 @item CHR(@var{i})
14593 Returns the character whose ordinal value is @var{i}.
14594
14595 @item DEC(@var{v})
14596 Decrements the value in the variable @var{v} by one. Returns the new value.
14597
14598 @item DEC(@var{v},@var{i})
14599 Decrements the value in the variable @var{v} by @var{i}. Returns the
14600 new value.
14601
14602 @item EXCL(@var{m},@var{s})
14603 Removes the element @var{m} from the set @var{s}. Returns the new
14604 set.
14605
14606 @item FLOAT(@var{i})
14607 Returns the floating point equivalent of the integer @var{i}.
14608
14609 @item HIGH(@var{a})
14610 Returns the index of the last member of @var{a}.
14611
14612 @item INC(@var{v})
14613 Increments the value in the variable @var{v} by one. Returns the new value.
14614
14615 @item INC(@var{v},@var{i})
14616 Increments the value in the variable @var{v} by @var{i}. Returns the
14617 new value.
14618
14619 @item INCL(@var{m},@var{s})
14620 Adds the element @var{m} to the set @var{s} if it is not already
14621 there. Returns the new set.
14622
14623 @item MAX(@var{t})
14624 Returns the maximum value of the type @var{t}.
14625
14626 @item MIN(@var{t})
14627 Returns the minimum value of the type @var{t}.
14628
14629 @item ODD(@var{i})
14630 Returns boolean TRUE if @var{i} is an odd number.
14631
14632 @item ORD(@var{x})
14633 Returns the ordinal value of its argument. For example, the ordinal
14634 value of a character is its @sc{ascii} value (on machines supporting the
14635 @sc{ascii} character set). @var{x} must be of an ordered type, which include
14636 integral, character and enumerated types.
14637
14638 @item SIZE(@var{x})
14639 Returns the size of its argument. @var{x} can be a variable or a type.
14640
14641 @item TRUNC(@var{r})
14642 Returns the integral part of @var{r}.
14643
14644 @item TSIZE(@var{x})
14645 Returns the size of its argument. @var{x} can be a variable or a type.
14646
14647 @item VAL(@var{t},@var{i})
14648 Returns the member of the type @var{t} whose ordinal value is @var{i}.
14649 @end table
14650
14651 @quotation
14652 @emph{Warning:} Sets and their operations are not yet supported, so
14653 @value{GDBN} treats the use of procedures @code{INCL} and @code{EXCL} as
14654 an error.
14655 @end quotation
14656
14657 @cindex Modula-2 constants
14658 @node M2 Constants
14659 @subsubsection Constants
14660
14661 @value{GDBN} allows you to express the constants of Modula-2 in the following
14662 ways:
14663
14664 @itemize @bullet
14665
14666 @item
14667 Integer constants are simply a sequence of digits. When used in an
14668 expression, a constant is interpreted to be type-compatible with the
14669 rest of the expression. Hexadecimal integers are specified by a
14670 trailing @samp{H}, and octal integers by a trailing @samp{B}.
14671
14672 @item
14673 Floating point constants appear as a sequence of digits, followed by a
14674 decimal point and another sequence of digits. An optional exponent can
14675 then be specified, in the form @samp{E@r{[}+@r{|}-@r{]}@var{nnn}}, where
14676 @samp{@r{[}+@r{|}-@r{]}@var{nnn}} is the desired exponent. All of the
14677 digits of the floating point constant must be valid decimal (base 10)
14678 digits.
14679
14680 @item
14681 Character constants consist of a single character enclosed by a pair of
14682 like quotes, either single (@code{'}) or double (@code{"}). They may
14683 also be expressed by their ordinal value (their @sc{ascii} value, usually)
14684 followed by a @samp{C}.
14685
14686 @item
14687 String constants consist of a sequence of characters enclosed by a
14688 pair of like quotes, either single (@code{'}) or double (@code{"}).
14689 Escape sequences in the style of C are also allowed. @xref{C
14690 Constants, ,C and C@t{++} Constants}, for a brief explanation of escape
14691 sequences.
14692
14693 @item
14694 Enumerated constants consist of an enumerated identifier.
14695
14696 @item
14697 Boolean constants consist of the identifiers @code{TRUE} and
14698 @code{FALSE}.
14699
14700 @item
14701 Pointer constants consist of integral values only.
14702
14703 @item
14704 Set constants are not yet supported.
14705 @end itemize
14706
14707 @node M2 Types
14708 @subsubsection Modula-2 Types
14709 @cindex Modula-2 types
14710
14711 Currently @value{GDBN} can print the following data types in Modula-2
14712 syntax: array types, record types, set types, pointer types, procedure
14713 types, enumerated types, subrange types and base types. You can also
14714 print the contents of variables declared using these type.
14715 This section gives a number of simple source code examples together with
14716 sample @value{GDBN} sessions.
14717
14718 The first example contains the following section of code:
14719
14720 @smallexample
14721 VAR
14722 s: SET OF CHAR ;
14723 r: [20..40] ;
14724 @end smallexample
14725
14726 @noindent
14727 and you can request @value{GDBN} to interrogate the type and value of
14728 @code{r} and @code{s}.
14729
14730 @smallexample
14731 (@value{GDBP}) print s
14732 @{'A'..'C', 'Z'@}
14733 (@value{GDBP}) ptype s
14734 SET OF CHAR
14735 (@value{GDBP}) print r
14736 21
14737 (@value{GDBP}) ptype r
14738 [20..40]
14739 @end smallexample
14740
14741 @noindent
14742 Likewise if your source code declares @code{s} as:
14743
14744 @smallexample
14745 VAR
14746 s: SET ['A'..'Z'] ;
14747 @end smallexample
14748
14749 @noindent
14750 then you may query the type of @code{s} by:
14751
14752 @smallexample
14753 (@value{GDBP}) ptype s
14754 type = SET ['A'..'Z']
14755 @end smallexample
14756
14757 @noindent
14758 Note that at present you cannot interactively manipulate set
14759 expressions using the debugger.
14760
14761 The following example shows how you might declare an array in Modula-2
14762 and how you can interact with @value{GDBN} to print its type and contents:
14763
14764 @smallexample
14765 VAR
14766 s: ARRAY [-10..10] OF CHAR ;
14767 @end smallexample
14768
14769 @smallexample
14770 (@value{GDBP}) ptype s
14771 ARRAY [-10..10] OF CHAR
14772 @end smallexample
14773
14774 Note that the array handling is not yet complete and although the type
14775 is printed correctly, expression handling still assumes that all
14776 arrays have a lower bound of zero and not @code{-10} as in the example
14777 above.
14778
14779 Here are some more type related Modula-2 examples:
14780
14781 @smallexample
14782 TYPE
14783 colour = (blue, red, yellow, green) ;
14784 t = [blue..yellow] ;
14785 VAR
14786 s: t ;
14787 BEGIN
14788 s := blue ;
14789 @end smallexample
14790
14791 @noindent
14792 The @value{GDBN} interaction shows how you can query the data type
14793 and value of a variable.
14794
14795 @smallexample
14796 (@value{GDBP}) print s
14797 $1 = blue
14798 (@value{GDBP}) ptype t
14799 type = [blue..yellow]
14800 @end smallexample
14801
14802 @noindent
14803 In this example a Modula-2 array is declared and its contents
14804 displayed. Observe that the contents are written in the same way as
14805 their @code{C} counterparts.
14806
14807 @smallexample
14808 VAR
14809 s: ARRAY [1..5] OF CARDINAL ;
14810 BEGIN
14811 s[1] := 1 ;
14812 @end smallexample
14813
14814 @smallexample
14815 (@value{GDBP}) print s
14816 $1 = @{1, 0, 0, 0, 0@}
14817 (@value{GDBP}) ptype s
14818 type = ARRAY [1..5] OF CARDINAL
14819 @end smallexample
14820
14821 The Modula-2 language interface to @value{GDBN} also understands
14822 pointer types as shown in this example:
14823
14824 @smallexample
14825 VAR
14826 s: POINTER TO ARRAY [1..5] OF CARDINAL ;
14827 BEGIN
14828 NEW(s) ;
14829 s^[1] := 1 ;
14830 @end smallexample
14831
14832 @noindent
14833 and you can request that @value{GDBN} describes the type of @code{s}.
14834
14835 @smallexample
14836 (@value{GDBP}) ptype s
14837 type = POINTER TO ARRAY [1..5] OF CARDINAL
14838 @end smallexample
14839
14840 @value{GDBN} handles compound types as we can see in this example.
14841 Here we combine array types, record types, pointer types and subrange
14842 types:
14843
14844 @smallexample
14845 TYPE
14846 foo = RECORD
14847 f1: CARDINAL ;
14848 f2: CHAR ;
14849 f3: myarray ;
14850 END ;
14851
14852 myarray = ARRAY myrange OF CARDINAL ;
14853 myrange = [-2..2] ;
14854 VAR
14855 s: POINTER TO ARRAY myrange OF foo ;
14856 @end smallexample
14857
14858 @noindent
14859 and you can ask @value{GDBN} to describe the type of @code{s} as shown
14860 below.
14861
14862 @smallexample
14863 (@value{GDBP}) ptype s
14864 type = POINTER TO ARRAY [-2..2] OF foo = RECORD
14865 f1 : CARDINAL;
14866 f2 : CHAR;
14867 f3 : ARRAY [-2..2] OF CARDINAL;
14868 END
14869 @end smallexample
14870
14871 @node M2 Defaults
14872 @subsubsection Modula-2 Defaults
14873 @cindex Modula-2 defaults
14874
14875 If type and range checking are set automatically by @value{GDBN}, they
14876 both default to @code{on} whenever the working language changes to
14877 Modula-2. This happens regardless of whether you or @value{GDBN}
14878 selected the working language.
14879
14880 If you allow @value{GDBN} to set the language automatically, then entering
14881 code compiled from a file whose name ends with @file{.mod} sets the
14882 working language to Modula-2. @xref{Automatically, ,Having @value{GDBN}
14883 Infer the Source Language}, for further details.
14884
14885 @node Deviations
14886 @subsubsection Deviations from Standard Modula-2
14887 @cindex Modula-2, deviations from
14888
14889 A few changes have been made to make Modula-2 programs easier to debug.
14890 This is done primarily via loosening its type strictness:
14891
14892 @itemize @bullet
14893 @item
14894 Unlike in standard Modula-2, pointer constants can be formed by
14895 integers. This allows you to modify pointer variables during
14896 debugging. (In standard Modula-2, the actual address contained in a
14897 pointer variable is hidden from you; it can only be modified
14898 through direct assignment to another pointer variable or expression that
14899 returned a pointer.)
14900
14901 @item
14902 C escape sequences can be used in strings and characters to represent
14903 non-printable characters. @value{GDBN} prints out strings with these
14904 escape sequences embedded. Single non-printable characters are
14905 printed using the @samp{CHR(@var{nnn})} format.
14906
14907 @item
14908 The assignment operator (@code{:=}) returns the value of its right-hand
14909 argument.
14910
14911 @item
14912 All built-in procedures both modify @emph{and} return their argument.
14913 @end itemize
14914
14915 @node M2 Checks
14916 @subsubsection Modula-2 Type and Range Checks
14917 @cindex Modula-2 checks
14918
14919 @quotation
14920 @emph{Warning:} in this release, @value{GDBN} does not yet perform type or
14921 range checking.
14922 @end quotation
14923 @c FIXME remove warning when type/range checks added
14924
14925 @value{GDBN} considers two Modula-2 variables type equivalent if:
14926
14927 @itemize @bullet
14928 @item
14929 They are of types that have been declared equivalent via a @code{TYPE
14930 @var{t1} = @var{t2}} statement
14931
14932 @item
14933 They have been declared on the same line. (Note: This is true of the
14934 @sc{gnu} Modula-2 compiler, but it may not be true of other compilers.)
14935 @end itemize
14936
14937 As long as type checking is enabled, any attempt to combine variables
14938 whose types are not equivalent is an error.
14939
14940 Range checking is done on all mathematical operations, assignment, array
14941 index bounds, and all built-in functions and procedures.
14942
14943 @node M2 Scope
14944 @subsubsection The Scope Operators @code{::} and @code{.}
14945 @cindex scope
14946 @cindex @code{.}, Modula-2 scope operator
14947 @cindex colon, doubled as scope operator
14948 @ifinfo
14949 @vindex colon-colon@r{, in Modula-2}
14950 @c Info cannot handle :: but TeX can.
14951 @end ifinfo
14952 @ifnotinfo
14953 @vindex ::@r{, in Modula-2}
14954 @end ifnotinfo
14955
14956 There are a few subtle differences between the Modula-2 scope operator
14957 (@code{.}) and the @value{GDBN} scope operator (@code{::}). The two have
14958 similar syntax:
14959
14960 @smallexample
14961
14962 @var{module} . @var{id}
14963 @var{scope} :: @var{id}
14964 @end smallexample
14965
14966 @noindent
14967 where @var{scope} is the name of a module or a procedure,
14968 @var{module} the name of a module, and @var{id} is any declared
14969 identifier within your program, except another module.
14970
14971 Using the @code{::} operator makes @value{GDBN} search the scope
14972 specified by @var{scope} for the identifier @var{id}. If it is not
14973 found in the specified scope, then @value{GDBN} searches all scopes
14974 enclosing the one specified by @var{scope}.
14975
14976 Using the @code{.} operator makes @value{GDBN} search the current scope for
14977 the identifier specified by @var{id} that was imported from the
14978 definition module specified by @var{module}. With this operator, it is
14979 an error if the identifier @var{id} was not imported from definition
14980 module @var{module}, or if @var{id} is not an identifier in
14981 @var{module}.
14982
14983 @node GDB/M2
14984 @subsubsection @value{GDBN} and Modula-2
14985
14986 Some @value{GDBN} commands have little use when debugging Modula-2 programs.
14987 Five subcommands of @code{set print} and @code{show print} apply
14988 specifically to C and C@t{++}: @samp{vtbl}, @samp{demangle},
14989 @samp{asm-demangle}, @samp{object}, and @samp{union}. The first four
14990 apply to C@t{++}, and the last to the C @code{union} type, which has no direct
14991 analogue in Modula-2.
14992
14993 The @code{@@} operator (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}), while available
14994 with any language, is not useful with Modula-2. Its
14995 intent is to aid the debugging of @dfn{dynamic arrays}, which cannot be
14996 created in Modula-2 as they can in C or C@t{++}. However, because an
14997 address can be specified by an integral constant, the construct
14998 @samp{@{@var{type}@}@var{adrexp}} is still useful.
14999
15000 @cindex @code{#} in Modula-2
15001 In @value{GDBN} scripts, the Modula-2 inequality operator @code{#} is
15002 interpreted as the beginning of a comment. Use @code{<>} instead.
15003
15004 @node Ada
15005 @subsection Ada
15006 @cindex Ada
15007
15008 The extensions made to @value{GDBN} for Ada only support
15009 output from the @sc{gnu} Ada (GNAT) compiler.
15010 Other Ada compilers are not currently supported, and
15011 attempting to debug executables produced by them is most likely
15012 to be difficult.
15013
15014
15015 @cindex expressions in Ada
15016 @menu
15017 * Ada Mode Intro:: General remarks on the Ada syntax
15018 and semantics supported by Ada mode
15019 in @value{GDBN}.
15020 * Omissions from Ada:: Restrictions on the Ada expression syntax.
15021 * Additions to Ada:: Extensions of the Ada expression syntax.
15022 * Stopping Before Main Program:: Debugging the program during elaboration.
15023 * Ada Exceptions:: Ada Exceptions
15024 * Ada Tasks:: Listing and setting breakpoints in tasks.
15025 * Ada Tasks and Core Files:: Tasking Support when Debugging Core Files
15026 * Ravenscar Profile:: Tasking Support when using the Ravenscar
15027 Profile
15028 * Ada Glitches:: Known peculiarities of Ada mode.
15029 @end menu
15030
15031 @node Ada Mode Intro
15032 @subsubsection Introduction
15033 @cindex Ada mode, general
15034
15035 The Ada mode of @value{GDBN} supports a fairly large subset of Ada expression
15036 syntax, with some extensions.
15037 The philosophy behind the design of this subset is
15038
15039 @itemize @bullet
15040 @item
15041 That @value{GDBN} should provide basic literals and access to operations for
15042 arithmetic, dereferencing, field selection, indexing, and subprogram calls,
15043 leaving more sophisticated computations to subprograms written into the
15044 program (which therefore may be called from @value{GDBN}).
15045
15046 @item
15047 That type safety and strict adherence to Ada language restrictions
15048 are not particularly important to the @value{GDBN} user.
15049
15050 @item
15051 That brevity is important to the @value{GDBN} user.
15052 @end itemize
15053
15054 Thus, for brevity, the debugger acts as if all names declared in
15055 user-written packages are directly visible, even if they are not visible
15056 according to Ada rules, thus making it unnecessary to fully qualify most
15057 names with their packages, regardless of context. Where this causes
15058 ambiguity, @value{GDBN} asks the user's intent.
15059
15060 The debugger will start in Ada mode if it detects an Ada main program.
15061 As for other languages, it will enter Ada mode when stopped in a program that
15062 was translated from an Ada source file.
15063
15064 While in Ada mode, you may use `@t{--}' for comments. This is useful
15065 mostly for documenting command files. The standard @value{GDBN} comment
15066 (@samp{#}) still works at the beginning of a line in Ada mode, but not in the
15067 middle (to allow based literals).
15068
15069 The debugger supports limited overloading. Given a subprogram call in which
15070 the function symbol has multiple definitions, it will use the number of
15071 actual parameters and some information about their types to attempt to narrow
15072 the set of definitions. It also makes very limited use of context, preferring
15073 procedures to functions in the context of the @code{call} command, and
15074 functions to procedures elsewhere.
15075
15076 @node Omissions from Ada
15077 @subsubsection Omissions from Ada
15078 @cindex Ada, omissions from
15079
15080 Here are the notable omissions from the subset:
15081
15082 @itemize @bullet
15083 @item
15084 Only a subset of the attributes are supported:
15085
15086 @itemize @minus
15087 @item
15088 @t{'First}, @t{'Last}, and @t{'Length}
15089 on array objects (not on types and subtypes).
15090
15091 @item
15092 @t{'Min} and @t{'Max}.
15093
15094 @item
15095 @t{'Pos} and @t{'Val}.
15096
15097 @item
15098 @t{'Tag}.
15099
15100 @item
15101 @t{'Range} on array objects (not subtypes), but only as the right
15102 operand of the membership (@code{in}) operator.
15103
15104 @item
15105 @t{'Access}, @t{'Unchecked_Access}, and
15106 @t{'Unrestricted_Access} (a GNAT extension).
15107
15108 @item
15109 @t{'Address}.
15110 @end itemize
15111
15112 @item
15113 The names in
15114 @code{Characters.Latin_1} are not available and
15115 concatenation is not implemented. Thus, escape characters in strings are
15116 not currently available.
15117
15118 @item
15119 Equality tests (@samp{=} and @samp{/=}) on arrays test for bitwise
15120 equality of representations. They will generally work correctly
15121 for strings and arrays whose elements have integer or enumeration types.
15122 They may not work correctly for arrays whose element
15123 types have user-defined equality, for arrays of real values
15124 (in particular, IEEE-conformant floating point, because of negative
15125 zeroes and NaNs), and for arrays whose elements contain unused bits with
15126 indeterminate values.
15127
15128 @item
15129 The other component-by-component array operations (@code{and}, @code{or},
15130 @code{xor}, @code{not}, and relational tests other than equality)
15131 are not implemented.
15132
15133 @item
15134 @cindex array aggregates (Ada)
15135 @cindex record aggregates (Ada)
15136 @cindex aggregates (Ada)
15137 There is limited support for array and record aggregates. They are
15138 permitted only on the right sides of assignments, as in these examples:
15139
15140 @smallexample
15141 (@value{GDBP}) set An_Array := (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
15142 (@value{GDBP}) set An_Array := (1, others => 0)
15143 (@value{GDBP}) set An_Array := (0|4 => 1, 1..3 => 2, 5 => 6)
15144 (@value{GDBP}) set A_2D_Array := ((1, 2, 3), (4, 5, 6), (7, 8, 9))
15145 (@value{GDBP}) set A_Record := (1, "Peter", True);
15146 (@value{GDBP}) set A_Record := (Name => "Peter", Id => 1, Alive => True)
15147 @end smallexample
15148
15149 Changing a
15150 discriminant's value by assigning an aggregate has an
15151 undefined effect if that discriminant is used within the record.
15152 However, you can first modify discriminants by directly assigning to
15153 them (which normally would not be allowed in Ada), and then performing an
15154 aggregate assignment. For example, given a variable @code{A_Rec}
15155 declared to have a type such as:
15156
15157 @smallexample
15158 type Rec (Len : Small_Integer := 0) is record
15159 Id : Integer;
15160 Vals : IntArray (1 .. Len);
15161 end record;
15162 @end smallexample
15163
15164 you can assign a value with a different size of @code{Vals} with two
15165 assignments:
15166
15167 @smallexample
15168 (@value{GDBP}) set A_Rec.Len := 4
15169 (@value{GDBP}) set A_Rec := (Id => 42, Vals => (1, 2, 3, 4))
15170 @end smallexample
15171
15172 As this example also illustrates, @value{GDBN} is very loose about the usual
15173 rules concerning aggregates. You may leave out some of the
15174 components of an array or record aggregate (such as the @code{Len}
15175 component in the assignment to @code{A_Rec} above); they will retain their
15176 original values upon assignment. You may freely use dynamic values as
15177 indices in component associations. You may even use overlapping or
15178 redundant component associations, although which component values are
15179 assigned in such cases is not defined.
15180
15181 @item
15182 Calls to dispatching subprograms are not implemented.
15183
15184 @item
15185 The overloading algorithm is much more limited (i.e., less selective)
15186 than that of real Ada. It makes only limited use of the context in
15187 which a subexpression appears to resolve its meaning, and it is much
15188 looser in its rules for allowing type matches. As a result, some
15189 function calls will be ambiguous, and the user will be asked to choose
15190 the proper resolution.
15191
15192 @item
15193 The @code{new} operator is not implemented.
15194
15195 @item
15196 Entry calls are not implemented.
15197
15198 @item
15199 Aside from printing, arithmetic operations on the native VAX floating-point
15200 formats are not supported.
15201
15202 @item
15203 It is not possible to slice a packed array.
15204
15205 @item
15206 The names @code{True} and @code{False}, when not part of a qualified name,
15207 are interpreted as if implicitly prefixed by @code{Standard}, regardless of
15208 context.
15209 Should your program
15210 redefine these names in a package or procedure (at best a dubious practice),
15211 you will have to use fully qualified names to access their new definitions.
15212 @end itemize
15213
15214 @node Additions to Ada
15215 @subsubsection Additions to Ada
15216 @cindex Ada, deviations from
15217
15218 As it does for other languages, @value{GDBN} makes certain generic
15219 extensions to Ada (@pxref{Expressions}):
15220
15221 @itemize @bullet
15222 @item
15223 If the expression @var{E} is a variable residing in memory (typically
15224 a local variable or array element) and @var{N} is a positive integer,
15225 then @code{@var{E}@@@var{N}} displays the values of @var{E} and the
15226 @var{N}-1 adjacent variables following it in memory as an array. In
15227 Ada, this operator is generally not necessary, since its prime use is
15228 in displaying parts of an array, and slicing will usually do this in
15229 Ada. However, there are occasional uses when debugging programs in
15230 which certain debugging information has been optimized away.
15231
15232 @item
15233 @code{@var{B}::@var{var}} means ``the variable named @var{var} that
15234 appears in function or file @var{B}.'' When @var{B} is a file name,
15235 you must typically surround it in single quotes.
15236
15237 @item
15238 The expression @code{@{@var{type}@} @var{addr}} means ``the variable of type
15239 @var{type} that appears at address @var{addr}.''
15240
15241 @item
15242 A name starting with @samp{$} is a convenience variable
15243 (@pxref{Convenience Vars}) or a machine register (@pxref{Registers}).
15244 @end itemize
15245
15246 In addition, @value{GDBN} provides a few other shortcuts and outright
15247 additions specific to Ada:
15248
15249 @itemize @bullet
15250 @item
15251 The assignment statement is allowed as an expression, returning
15252 its right-hand operand as its value. Thus, you may enter
15253
15254 @smallexample
15255 (@value{GDBP}) set x := y + 3
15256 (@value{GDBP}) print A(tmp := y + 1)
15257 @end smallexample
15258
15259 @item
15260 The semicolon is allowed as an ``operator,'' returning as its value
15261 the value of its right-hand operand.
15262 This allows, for example,
15263 complex conditional breaks:
15264
15265 @smallexample
15266 (@value{GDBP}) break f
15267 (@value{GDBP}) condition 1 (report(i); k += 1; A(k) > 100)
15268 @end smallexample
15269
15270 @item
15271 Rather than use catenation and symbolic character names to introduce special
15272 characters into strings, one may instead use a special bracket notation,
15273 which is also used to print strings. A sequence of characters of the form
15274 @samp{["@var{XX}"]} within a string or character literal denotes the
15275 (single) character whose numeric encoding is @var{XX} in hexadecimal. The
15276 sequence of characters @samp{["""]} also denotes a single quotation mark
15277 in strings. For example,
15278 @smallexample
15279 "One line.["0a"]Next line.["0a"]"
15280 @end smallexample
15281 @noindent
15282 contains an ASCII newline character (@code{Ada.Characters.Latin_1.LF})
15283 after each period.
15284
15285 @item
15286 The subtype used as a prefix for the attributes @t{'Pos}, @t{'Min}, and
15287 @t{'Max} is optional (and is ignored in any case). For example, it is valid
15288 to write
15289
15290 @smallexample
15291 (@value{GDBP}) print 'max(x, y)
15292 @end smallexample
15293
15294 @item
15295 When printing arrays, @value{GDBN} uses positional notation when the
15296 array has a lower bound of 1, and uses a modified named notation otherwise.
15297 For example, a one-dimensional array of three integers with a lower bound
15298 of 3 might print as
15299
15300 @smallexample
15301 (3 => 10, 17, 1)
15302 @end smallexample
15303
15304 @noindent
15305 That is, in contrast to valid Ada, only the first component has a @code{=>}
15306 clause.
15307
15308 @item
15309 You may abbreviate attributes in expressions with any unique,
15310 multi-character subsequence of
15311 their names (an exact match gets preference).
15312 For example, you may use @t{a'len}, @t{a'gth}, or @t{a'lh}
15313 in place of @t{a'length}.
15314
15315 @item
15316 @cindex quoting Ada internal identifiers
15317 Since Ada is case-insensitive, the debugger normally maps identifiers you type
15318 to lower case. The GNAT compiler uses upper-case characters for
15319 some of its internal identifiers, which are normally of no interest to users.
15320 For the rare occasions when you actually have to look at them,
15321 enclose them in angle brackets to avoid the lower-case mapping.
15322 For example,
15323 @smallexample
15324 (@value{GDBP}) print <JMPBUF_SAVE>[0]
15325 @end smallexample
15326
15327 @item
15328 Printing an object of class-wide type or dereferencing an
15329 access-to-class-wide value will display all the components of the object's
15330 specific type (as indicated by its run-time tag). Likewise, component
15331 selection on such a value will operate on the specific type of the
15332 object.
15333
15334 @end itemize
15335
15336 @node Stopping Before Main Program
15337 @subsubsection Stopping at the Very Beginning
15338
15339 @cindex breakpointing Ada elaboration code
15340 It is sometimes necessary to debug the program during elaboration, and
15341 before reaching the main procedure.
15342 As defined in the Ada Reference
15343 Manual, the elaboration code is invoked from a procedure called
15344 @code{adainit}. To run your program up to the beginning of
15345 elaboration, simply use the following two commands:
15346 @code{tbreak adainit} and @code{run}.
15347
15348 @node Ada Exceptions
15349 @subsubsection Ada Exceptions
15350
15351 A command is provided to list all Ada exceptions:
15352
15353 @table @code
15354 @kindex info exceptions
15355 @item info exceptions
15356 @itemx info exceptions @var{regexp}
15357 The @code{info exceptions} command allows you to list all Ada exceptions
15358 defined within the program being debugged, as well as their addresses.
15359 With a regular expression, @var{regexp}, as argument, only those exceptions
15360 whose names match @var{regexp} are listed.
15361 @end table
15362
15363 Below is a small example, showing how the command can be used, first
15364 without argument, and next with a regular expression passed as an
15365 argument.
15366
15367 @smallexample
15368 (@value{GDBP}) info exceptions
15369 All defined Ada exceptions:
15370 constraint_error: 0x613da0
15371 program_error: 0x613d20
15372 storage_error: 0x613ce0
15373 tasking_error: 0x613ca0
15374 const.aint_global_e: 0x613b00
15375 (@value{GDBP}) info exceptions const.aint
15376 All Ada exceptions matching regular expression "const.aint":
15377 constraint_error: 0x613da0
15378 const.aint_global_e: 0x613b00
15379 @end smallexample
15380
15381 It is also possible to ask @value{GDBN} to stop your program's execution
15382 when an exception is raised. For more details, see @ref{Set Catchpoints}.
15383
15384 @node Ada Tasks
15385 @subsubsection Extensions for Ada Tasks
15386 @cindex Ada, tasking
15387
15388 Support for Ada tasks is analogous to that for threads (@pxref{Threads}).
15389 @value{GDBN} provides the following task-related commands:
15390
15391 @table @code
15392 @kindex info tasks
15393 @item info tasks
15394 This command shows a list of current Ada tasks, as in the following example:
15395
15396
15397 @smallexample
15398 @iftex
15399 @leftskip=0.5cm
15400 @end iftex
15401 (@value{GDBP}) info tasks
15402 ID TID P-ID Pri State Name
15403 1 8088000 0 15 Child Activation Wait main_task
15404 2 80a4000 1 15 Accept Statement b
15405 3 809a800 1 15 Child Activation Wait a
15406 * 4 80ae800 3 15 Runnable c
15407
15408 @end smallexample
15409
15410 @noindent
15411 In this listing, the asterisk before the last task indicates it to be the
15412 task currently being inspected.
15413
15414 @table @asis
15415 @item ID
15416 Represents @value{GDBN}'s internal task number.
15417
15418 @item TID
15419 The Ada task ID.
15420
15421 @item P-ID
15422 The parent's task ID (@value{GDBN}'s internal task number).
15423
15424 @item Pri
15425 The base priority of the task.
15426
15427 @item State
15428 Current state of the task.
15429
15430 @table @code
15431 @item Unactivated
15432 The task has been created but has not been activated. It cannot be
15433 executing.
15434
15435 @item Runnable
15436 The task is not blocked for any reason known to Ada. (It may be waiting
15437 for a mutex, though.) It is conceptually "executing" in normal mode.
15438
15439 @item Terminated
15440 The task is terminated, in the sense of ARM 9.3 (5). Any dependents
15441 that were waiting on terminate alternatives have been awakened and have
15442 terminated themselves.
15443
15444 @item Child Activation Wait
15445 The task is waiting for created tasks to complete activation.
15446
15447 @item Accept Statement
15448 The task is waiting on an accept or selective wait statement.
15449
15450 @item Waiting on entry call
15451 The task is waiting on an entry call.
15452
15453 @item Async Select Wait
15454 The task is waiting to start the abortable part of an asynchronous
15455 select statement.
15456
15457 @item Delay Sleep
15458 The task is waiting on a select statement with only a delay
15459 alternative open.
15460
15461 @item Child Termination Wait
15462 The task is sleeping having completed a master within itself, and is
15463 waiting for the tasks dependent on that master to become terminated or
15464 waiting on a terminate Phase.
15465
15466 @item Wait Child in Term Alt
15467 The task is sleeping waiting for tasks on terminate alternatives to
15468 finish terminating.
15469
15470 @item Accepting RV with @var{taskno}
15471 The task is accepting a rendez-vous with the task @var{taskno}.
15472 @end table
15473
15474 @item Name
15475 Name of the task in the program.
15476
15477 @end table
15478
15479 @kindex info task @var{taskno}
15480 @item info task @var{taskno}
15481 This command shows detailled informations on the specified task, as in
15482 the following example:
15483 @smallexample
15484 @iftex
15485 @leftskip=0.5cm
15486 @end iftex
15487 (@value{GDBP}) info tasks
15488 ID TID P-ID Pri State Name
15489 1 8077880 0 15 Child Activation Wait main_task
15490 * 2 807c468 1 15 Runnable task_1
15491 (@value{GDBP}) info task 2
15492 Ada Task: 0x807c468
15493 Name: task_1
15494 Thread: 0x807f378
15495 Parent: 1 (main_task)
15496 Base Priority: 15
15497 State: Runnable
15498 @end smallexample
15499
15500 @item task
15501 @kindex task@r{ (Ada)}
15502 @cindex current Ada task ID
15503 This command prints the ID of the current task.
15504
15505 @smallexample
15506 @iftex
15507 @leftskip=0.5cm
15508 @end iftex
15509 (@value{GDBP}) info tasks
15510 ID TID P-ID Pri State Name
15511 1 8077870 0 15 Child Activation Wait main_task
15512 * 2 807c458 1 15 Runnable t
15513 (@value{GDBP}) task
15514 [Current task is 2]
15515 @end smallexample
15516
15517 @item task @var{taskno}
15518 @cindex Ada task switching
15519 This command is like the @code{thread @var{threadno}}
15520 command (@pxref{Threads}). It switches the context of debugging
15521 from the current task to the given task.
15522
15523 @smallexample
15524 @iftex
15525 @leftskip=0.5cm
15526 @end iftex
15527 (@value{GDBP}) info tasks
15528 ID TID P-ID Pri State Name
15529 1 8077870 0 15 Child Activation Wait main_task
15530 * 2 807c458 1 15 Runnable t
15531 (@value{GDBP}) task 1
15532 [Switching to task 1]
15533 #0 0x8067726 in pthread_cond_wait ()
15534 (@value{GDBP}) bt
15535 #0 0x8067726 in pthread_cond_wait ()
15536 #1 0x8056714 in system.os_interface.pthread_cond_wait ()
15537 #2 0x805cb63 in system.task_primitives.operations.sleep ()
15538 #3 0x806153e in system.tasking.stages.activate_tasks ()
15539 #4 0x804aacc in un () at un.adb:5
15540 @end smallexample
15541
15542 @item break @var{linespec} task @var{taskno}
15543 @itemx break @var{linespec} task @var{taskno} if @dots{}
15544 @cindex breakpoints and tasks, in Ada
15545 @cindex task breakpoints, in Ada
15546 @kindex break @dots{} task @var{taskno}@r{ (Ada)}
15547 These commands are like the @code{break @dots{} thread @dots{}}
15548 command (@pxref{Thread Stops}).
15549 @var{linespec} specifies source lines, as described
15550 in @ref{Specify Location}.
15551
15552 Use the qualifier @samp{task @var{taskno}} with a breakpoint command
15553 to specify that you only want @value{GDBN} to stop the program when a
15554 particular Ada task reaches this breakpoint. @var{taskno} is one of the
15555 numeric task identifiers assigned by @value{GDBN}, shown in the first
15556 column of the @samp{info tasks} display.
15557
15558 If you do not specify @samp{task @var{taskno}} when you set a
15559 breakpoint, the breakpoint applies to @emph{all} tasks of your
15560 program.
15561
15562 You can use the @code{task} qualifier on conditional breakpoints as
15563 well; in this case, place @samp{task @var{taskno}} before the
15564 breakpoint condition (before the @code{if}).
15565
15566 For example,
15567
15568 @smallexample
15569 @iftex
15570 @leftskip=0.5cm
15571 @end iftex
15572 (@value{GDBP}) info tasks
15573 ID TID P-ID Pri State Name
15574 1 140022020 0 15 Child Activation Wait main_task
15575 2 140045060 1 15 Accept/Select Wait t2
15576 3 140044840 1 15 Runnable t1
15577 * 4 140056040 1 15 Runnable t3
15578 (@value{GDBP}) b 15 task 2
15579 Breakpoint 5 at 0x120044cb0: file test_task_debug.adb, line 15.
15580 (@value{GDBP}) cont
15581 Continuing.
15582 task # 1 running
15583 task # 2 running
15584
15585 Breakpoint 5, test_task_debug () at test_task_debug.adb:15
15586 15 flush;
15587 (@value{GDBP}) info tasks
15588 ID TID P-ID Pri State Name
15589 1 140022020 0 15 Child Activation Wait main_task
15590 * 2 140045060 1 15 Runnable t2
15591 3 140044840 1 15 Runnable t1
15592 4 140056040 1 15 Delay Sleep t3
15593 @end smallexample
15594 @end table
15595
15596 @node Ada Tasks and Core Files
15597 @subsubsection Tasking Support when Debugging Core Files
15598 @cindex Ada tasking and core file debugging
15599
15600 When inspecting a core file, as opposed to debugging a live program,
15601 tasking support may be limited or even unavailable, depending on
15602 the platform being used.
15603 For instance, on x86-linux, the list of tasks is available, but task
15604 switching is not supported. On Tru64, however, task switching will work
15605 as usual.
15606
15607 On certain platforms, including Tru64, the debugger needs to perform some
15608 memory writes in order to provide Ada tasking support. When inspecting
15609 a core file, this means that the core file must be opened with read-write
15610 privileges, using the command @samp{"set write on"} (@pxref{Patching}).
15611 Under these circumstances, you should make a backup copy of the core
15612 file before inspecting it with @value{GDBN}.
15613
15614 @node Ravenscar Profile
15615 @subsubsection Tasking Support when using the Ravenscar Profile
15616 @cindex Ravenscar Profile
15617
15618 The @dfn{Ravenscar Profile} is a subset of the Ada tasking features,
15619 specifically designed for systems with safety-critical real-time
15620 requirements.
15621
15622 @table @code
15623 @kindex set ravenscar task-switching on
15624 @cindex task switching with program using Ravenscar Profile
15625 @item set ravenscar task-switching on
15626 Allows task switching when debugging a program that uses the Ravenscar
15627 Profile. This is the default.
15628
15629 @kindex set ravenscar task-switching off
15630 @item set ravenscar task-switching off
15631 Turn off task switching when debugging a program that uses the Ravenscar
15632 Profile. This is mostly intended to disable the code that adds support
15633 for the Ravenscar Profile, in case a bug in either @value{GDBN} or in
15634 the Ravenscar runtime is preventing @value{GDBN} from working properly.
15635 To be effective, this command should be run before the program is started.
15636
15637 @kindex show ravenscar task-switching
15638 @item show ravenscar task-switching
15639 Show whether it is possible to switch from task to task in a program
15640 using the Ravenscar Profile.
15641
15642 @end table
15643
15644 @node Ada Glitches
15645 @subsubsection Known Peculiarities of Ada Mode
15646 @cindex Ada, problems
15647
15648 Besides the omissions listed previously (@pxref{Omissions from Ada}),
15649 we know of several problems with and limitations of Ada mode in
15650 @value{GDBN},
15651 some of which will be fixed with planned future releases of the debugger
15652 and the GNU Ada compiler.
15653
15654 @itemize @bullet
15655 @item
15656 Static constants that the compiler chooses not to materialize as objects in
15657 storage are invisible to the debugger.
15658
15659 @item
15660 Named parameter associations in function argument lists are ignored (the
15661 argument lists are treated as positional).
15662
15663 @item
15664 Many useful library packages are currently invisible to the debugger.
15665
15666 @item
15667 Fixed-point arithmetic, conversions, input, and output is carried out using
15668 floating-point arithmetic, and may give results that only approximate those on
15669 the host machine.
15670
15671 @item
15672 The GNAT compiler never generates the prefix @code{Standard} for any of
15673 the standard symbols defined by the Ada language. @value{GDBN} knows about
15674 this: it will strip the prefix from names when you use it, and will never
15675 look for a name you have so qualified among local symbols, nor match against
15676 symbols in other packages or subprograms. If you have
15677 defined entities anywhere in your program other than parameters and
15678 local variables whose simple names match names in @code{Standard},
15679 GNAT's lack of qualification here can cause confusion. When this happens,
15680 you can usually resolve the confusion
15681 by qualifying the problematic names with package
15682 @code{Standard} explicitly.
15683 @end itemize
15684
15685 Older versions of the compiler sometimes generate erroneous debugging
15686 information, resulting in the debugger incorrectly printing the value
15687 of affected entities. In some cases, the debugger is able to work
15688 around an issue automatically. In other cases, the debugger is able
15689 to work around the issue, but the work-around has to be specifically
15690 enabled.
15691
15692 @kindex set ada trust-PAD-over-XVS
15693 @kindex show ada trust-PAD-over-XVS
15694 @table @code
15695
15696 @item set ada trust-PAD-over-XVS on
15697 Configure GDB to strictly follow the GNAT encoding when computing the
15698 value of Ada entities, particularly when @code{PAD} and @code{PAD___XVS}
15699 types are involved (see @code{ada/exp_dbug.ads} in the GCC sources for
15700 a complete description of the encoding used by the GNAT compiler).
15701 This is the default.
15702
15703 @item set ada trust-PAD-over-XVS off
15704 This is related to the encoding using by the GNAT compiler. If @value{GDBN}
15705 sometimes prints the wrong value for certain entities, changing @code{ada
15706 trust-PAD-over-XVS} to @code{off} activates a work-around which may fix
15707 the issue. It is always safe to set @code{ada trust-PAD-over-XVS} to
15708 @code{off}, but this incurs a slight performance penalty, so it is
15709 recommended to leave this setting to @code{on} unless necessary.
15710
15711 @end table
15712
15713 @node Unsupported Languages
15714 @section Unsupported Languages
15715
15716 @cindex unsupported languages
15717 @cindex minimal language
15718 In addition to the other fully-supported programming languages,
15719 @value{GDBN} also provides a pseudo-language, called @code{minimal}.
15720 It does not represent a real programming language, but provides a set
15721 of capabilities close to what the C or assembly languages provide.
15722 This should allow most simple operations to be performed while debugging
15723 an application that uses a language currently not supported by @value{GDBN}.
15724
15725 If the language is set to @code{auto}, @value{GDBN} will automatically
15726 select this language if the current frame corresponds to an unsupported
15727 language.
15728
15729 @node Symbols
15730 @chapter Examining the Symbol Table
15731
15732 The commands described in this chapter allow you to inquire about the
15733 symbols (names of variables, functions and types) defined in your
15734 program. This information is inherent in the text of your program and
15735 does not change as your program executes. @value{GDBN} finds it in your
15736 program's symbol table, in the file indicated when you started @value{GDBN}
15737 (@pxref{File Options, ,Choosing Files}), or by one of the
15738 file-management commands (@pxref{Files, ,Commands to Specify Files}).
15739
15740 @cindex symbol names
15741 @cindex names of symbols
15742 @cindex quoting names
15743 Occasionally, you may need to refer to symbols that contain unusual
15744 characters, which @value{GDBN} ordinarily treats as word delimiters. The
15745 most frequent case is in referring to static variables in other
15746 source files (@pxref{Variables,,Program Variables}). File names
15747 are recorded in object files as debugging symbols, but @value{GDBN} would
15748 ordinarily parse a typical file name, like @file{foo.c}, as the three words
15749 @samp{foo} @samp{.} @samp{c}. To allow @value{GDBN} to recognize
15750 @samp{foo.c} as a single symbol, enclose it in single quotes; for example,
15751
15752 @smallexample
15753 p 'foo.c'::x
15754 @end smallexample
15755
15756 @noindent
15757 looks up the value of @code{x} in the scope of the file @file{foo.c}.
15758
15759 @table @code
15760 @cindex case-insensitive symbol names
15761 @cindex case sensitivity in symbol names
15762 @kindex set case-sensitive
15763 @item set case-sensitive on
15764 @itemx set case-sensitive off
15765 @itemx set case-sensitive auto
15766 Normally, when @value{GDBN} looks up symbols, it matches their names
15767 with case sensitivity determined by the current source language.
15768 Occasionally, you may wish to control that. The command @code{set
15769 case-sensitive} lets you do that by specifying @code{on} for
15770 case-sensitive matches or @code{off} for case-insensitive ones. If
15771 you specify @code{auto}, case sensitivity is reset to the default
15772 suitable for the source language. The default is case-sensitive
15773 matches for all languages except for Fortran, for which the default is
15774 case-insensitive matches.
15775
15776 @kindex show case-sensitive
15777 @item show case-sensitive
15778 This command shows the current setting of case sensitivity for symbols
15779 lookups.
15780
15781 @kindex set print type methods
15782 @item set print type methods
15783 @itemx set print type methods on
15784 @itemx set print type methods off
15785 Normally, when @value{GDBN} prints a class, it displays any methods
15786 declared in that class. You can control this behavior either by
15787 passing the appropriate flag to @code{ptype}, or using @command{set
15788 print type methods}. Specifying @code{on} will cause @value{GDBN} to
15789 display the methods; this is the default. Specifying @code{off} will
15790 cause @value{GDBN} to omit the methods.
15791
15792 @kindex show print type methods
15793 @item show print type methods
15794 This command shows the current setting of method display when printing
15795 classes.
15796
15797 @kindex set print type typedefs
15798 @item set print type typedefs
15799 @itemx set print type typedefs on
15800 @itemx set print type typedefs off
15801
15802 Normally, when @value{GDBN} prints a class, it displays any typedefs
15803 defined in that class. You can control this behavior either by
15804 passing the appropriate flag to @code{ptype}, or using @command{set
15805 print type typedefs}. Specifying @code{on} will cause @value{GDBN} to
15806 display the typedef definitions; this is the default. Specifying
15807 @code{off} will cause @value{GDBN} to omit the typedef definitions.
15808 Note that this controls whether the typedef definition itself is
15809 printed, not whether typedef names are substituted when printing other
15810 types.
15811
15812 @kindex show print type typedefs
15813 @item show print type typedefs
15814 This command shows the current setting of typedef display when
15815 printing classes.
15816
15817 @kindex info address
15818 @cindex address of a symbol
15819 @item info address @var{symbol}
15820 Describe where the data for @var{symbol} is stored. For a register
15821 variable, this says which register it is kept in. For a non-register
15822 local variable, this prints the stack-frame offset at which the variable
15823 is always stored.
15824
15825 Note the contrast with @samp{print &@var{symbol}}, which does not work
15826 at all for a register variable, and for a stack local variable prints
15827 the exact address of the current instantiation of the variable.
15828
15829 @kindex info symbol
15830 @cindex symbol from address
15831 @cindex closest symbol and offset for an address
15832 @item info symbol @var{addr}
15833 Print the name of a symbol which is stored at the address @var{addr}.
15834 If no symbol is stored exactly at @var{addr}, @value{GDBN} prints the
15835 nearest symbol and an offset from it:
15836
15837 @smallexample
15838 (@value{GDBP}) info symbol 0x54320
15839 _initialize_vx + 396 in section .text
15840 @end smallexample
15841
15842 @noindent
15843 This is the opposite of the @code{info address} command. You can use
15844 it to find out the name of a variable or a function given its address.
15845
15846 For dynamically linked executables, the name of executable or shared
15847 library containing the symbol is also printed:
15848
15849 @smallexample
15850 (@value{GDBP}) info symbol 0x400225
15851 _start + 5 in section .text of /tmp/a.out
15852 (@value{GDBP}) info symbol 0x2aaaac2811cf
15853 __read_nocancel + 6 in section .text of /usr/lib64/libc.so.6
15854 @end smallexample
15855
15856 @kindex whatis
15857 @item whatis[/@var{flags}] [@var{arg}]
15858 Print the data type of @var{arg}, which can be either an expression
15859 or a name of a data type. With no argument, print the data type of
15860 @code{$}, the last value in the value history.
15861
15862 If @var{arg} is an expression (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}), it
15863 is not actually evaluated, and any side-effecting operations (such as
15864 assignments or function calls) inside it do not take place.
15865
15866 If @var{arg} is a variable or an expression, @code{whatis} prints its
15867 literal type as it is used in the source code. If the type was
15868 defined using a @code{typedef}, @code{whatis} will @emph{not} print
15869 the data type underlying the @code{typedef}. If the type of the
15870 variable or the expression is a compound data type, such as
15871 @code{struct} or @code{class}, @code{whatis} never prints their
15872 fields or methods. It just prints the @code{struct}/@code{class}
15873 name (a.k.a.@: its @dfn{tag}). If you want to see the members of
15874 such a compound data type, use @code{ptype}.
15875
15876 If @var{arg} is a type name that was defined using @code{typedef},
15877 @code{whatis} @dfn{unrolls} only one level of that @code{typedef}.
15878 Unrolling means that @code{whatis} will show the underlying type used
15879 in the @code{typedef} declaration of @var{arg}. However, if that
15880 underlying type is also a @code{typedef}, @code{whatis} will not
15881 unroll it.
15882
15883 For C code, the type names may also have the form @samp{class
15884 @var{class-name}}, @samp{struct @var{struct-tag}}, @samp{union
15885 @var{union-tag}} or @samp{enum @var{enum-tag}}.
15886
15887 @var{flags} can be used to modify how the type is displayed.
15888 Available flags are:
15889
15890 @table @code
15891 @item r
15892 Display in ``raw'' form. Normally, @value{GDBN} substitutes template
15893 parameters and typedefs defined in a class when printing the class'
15894 members. The @code{/r} flag disables this.
15895
15896 @item m
15897 Do not print methods defined in the class.
15898
15899 @item M
15900 Print methods defined in the class. This is the default, but the flag
15901 exists in case you change the default with @command{set print type methods}.
15902
15903 @item t
15904 Do not print typedefs defined in the class. Note that this controls
15905 whether the typedef definition itself is printed, not whether typedef
15906 names are substituted when printing other types.
15907
15908 @item T
15909 Print typedefs defined in the class. This is the default, but the flag
15910 exists in case you change the default with @command{set print type typedefs}.
15911 @end table
15912
15913 @kindex ptype
15914 @item ptype[/@var{flags}] [@var{arg}]
15915 @code{ptype} accepts the same arguments as @code{whatis}, but prints a
15916 detailed description of the type, instead of just the name of the type.
15917 @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}.
15918
15919 Contrary to @code{whatis}, @code{ptype} always unrolls any
15920 @code{typedef}s in its argument declaration, whether the argument is
15921 a variable, expression, or a data type. This means that @code{ptype}
15922 of a variable or an expression will not print literally its type as
15923 present in the source code---use @code{whatis} for that. @code{typedef}s at
15924 the pointer or reference targets are also unrolled. Only @code{typedef}s of
15925 fields, methods and inner @code{class typedef}s of @code{struct}s,
15926 @code{class}es and @code{union}s are not unrolled even with @code{ptype}.
15927
15928 For example, for this variable declaration:
15929
15930 @smallexample
15931 typedef double real_t;
15932 struct complex @{ real_t real; double imag; @};
15933 typedef struct complex complex_t;
15934 complex_t var;
15935 real_t *real_pointer_var;
15936 @end smallexample
15937
15938 @noindent
15939 the two commands give this output:
15940
15941 @smallexample
15942 @group
15943 (@value{GDBP}) whatis var
15944 type = complex_t
15945 (@value{GDBP}) ptype var
15946 type = struct complex @{
15947 real_t real;
15948 double imag;
15949 @}
15950 (@value{GDBP}) whatis complex_t
15951 type = struct complex
15952 (@value{GDBP}) whatis struct complex
15953 type = struct complex
15954 (@value{GDBP}) ptype struct complex
15955 type = struct complex @{
15956 real_t real;
15957 double imag;
15958 @}
15959 (@value{GDBP}) whatis real_pointer_var
15960 type = real_t *
15961 (@value{GDBP}) ptype real_pointer_var
15962 type = double *
15963 @end group
15964 @end smallexample
15965
15966 @noindent
15967 As with @code{whatis}, using @code{ptype} without an argument refers to
15968 the type of @code{$}, the last value in the value history.
15969
15970 @cindex incomplete type
15971 Sometimes, programs use opaque data types or incomplete specifications
15972 of complex data structure. If the debug information included in the
15973 program does not allow @value{GDBN} to display a full declaration of
15974 the data type, it will say @samp{<incomplete type>}. For example,
15975 given these declarations:
15976
15977 @smallexample
15978 struct foo;
15979 struct foo *fooptr;
15980 @end smallexample
15981
15982 @noindent
15983 but no definition for @code{struct foo} itself, @value{GDBN} will say:
15984
15985 @smallexample
15986 (@value{GDBP}) ptype foo
15987 $1 = <incomplete type>
15988 @end smallexample
15989
15990 @noindent
15991 ``Incomplete type'' is C terminology for data types that are not
15992 completely specified.
15993
15994 @kindex info types
15995 @item info types @var{regexp}
15996 @itemx info types
15997 Print a brief description of all types whose names match the regular
15998 expression @var{regexp} (or all types in your program, if you supply
15999 no argument). Each complete typename is matched as though it were a
16000 complete line; thus, @samp{i type value} gives information on all
16001 types in your program whose names include the string @code{value}, but
16002 @samp{i type ^value$} gives information only on types whose complete
16003 name is @code{value}.
16004
16005 This command differs from @code{ptype} in two ways: first, like
16006 @code{whatis}, it does not print a detailed description; second, it
16007 lists all source files where a type is defined.
16008
16009 @kindex info type-printers
16010 @item info type-printers
16011 Versions of @value{GDBN} that ship with Python scripting enabled may
16012 have ``type printers'' available. When using @command{ptype} or
16013 @command{whatis}, these printers are consulted when the name of a type
16014 is needed. @xref{Type Printing API}, for more information on writing
16015 type printers.
16016
16017 @code{info type-printers} displays all the available type printers.
16018
16019 @kindex enable type-printer
16020 @kindex disable type-printer
16021 @item enable type-printer @var{name}@dots{}
16022 @item disable type-printer @var{name}@dots{}
16023 These commands can be used to enable or disable type printers.
16024
16025 @kindex info scope
16026 @cindex local variables
16027 @item info scope @var{location}
16028 List all the variables local to a particular scope. This command
16029 accepts a @var{location} argument---a function name, a source line, or
16030 an address preceded by a @samp{*}, and prints all the variables local
16031 to the scope defined by that location. (@xref{Specify Location}, for
16032 details about supported forms of @var{location}.) For example:
16033
16034 @smallexample
16035 (@value{GDBP}) @b{info scope command_line_handler}
16036 Scope for command_line_handler:
16037 Symbol rl is an argument at stack/frame offset 8, length 4.
16038 Symbol linebuffer is in static storage at address 0x150a18, length 4.
16039 Symbol linelength is in static storage at address 0x150a1c, length 4.
16040 Symbol p is a local variable in register $esi, length 4.
16041 Symbol p1 is a local variable in register $ebx, length 4.
16042 Symbol nline is a local variable in register $edx, length 4.
16043 Symbol repeat is a local variable at frame offset -8, length 4.
16044 @end smallexample
16045
16046 @noindent
16047 This command is especially useful for determining what data to collect
16048 during a @dfn{trace experiment}, see @ref{Tracepoint Actions,
16049 collect}.
16050
16051 @kindex info source
16052 @item info source
16053 Show information about the current source file---that is, the source file for
16054 the function containing the current point of execution:
16055 @itemize @bullet
16056 @item
16057 the name of the source file, and the directory containing it,
16058 @item
16059 the directory it was compiled in,
16060 @item
16061 its length, in lines,
16062 @item
16063 which programming language it is written in,
16064 @item
16065 whether the executable includes debugging information for that file, and
16066 if so, what format the information is in (e.g., STABS, Dwarf 2, etc.), and
16067 @item
16068 whether the debugging information includes information about
16069 preprocessor macros.
16070 @end itemize
16071
16072
16073 @kindex info sources
16074 @item info sources
16075 Print the names of all source files in your program for which there is
16076 debugging information, organized into two lists: files whose symbols
16077 have already been read, and files whose symbols will be read when needed.
16078
16079 @kindex info functions
16080 @item info functions
16081 Print the names and data types of all defined functions.
16082
16083 @item info functions @var{regexp}
16084 Print the names and data types of all defined functions
16085 whose names contain a match for regular expression @var{regexp}.
16086 Thus, @samp{info fun step} finds all functions whose names
16087 include @code{step}; @samp{info fun ^step} finds those whose names
16088 start with @code{step}. If a function name contains characters
16089 that conflict with the regular expression language (e.g.@:
16090 @samp{operator*()}), they may be quoted with a backslash.
16091
16092 @kindex info variables
16093 @item info variables
16094 Print the names and data types of all variables that are defined
16095 outside of functions (i.e.@: excluding local variables).
16096
16097 @item info variables @var{regexp}
16098 Print the names and data types of all variables (except for local
16099 variables) whose names contain a match for regular expression
16100 @var{regexp}.
16101
16102 @kindex info classes
16103 @cindex Objective-C, classes and selectors
16104 @item info classes
16105 @itemx info classes @var{regexp}
16106 Display all Objective-C classes in your program, or
16107 (with the @var{regexp} argument) all those matching a particular regular
16108 expression.
16109
16110 @kindex info selectors
16111 @item info selectors
16112 @itemx info selectors @var{regexp}
16113 Display all Objective-C selectors in your program, or
16114 (with the @var{regexp} argument) all those matching a particular regular
16115 expression.
16116
16117 @ignore
16118 This was never implemented.
16119 @kindex info methods
16120 @item info methods
16121 @itemx info methods @var{regexp}
16122 The @code{info methods} command permits the user to examine all defined
16123 methods within C@t{++} program, or (with the @var{regexp} argument) a
16124 specific set of methods found in the various C@t{++} classes. Many
16125 C@t{++} classes provide a large number of methods. Thus, the output
16126 from the @code{ptype} command can be overwhelming and hard to use. The
16127 @code{info-methods} command filters the methods, printing only those
16128 which match the regular-expression @var{regexp}.
16129 @end ignore
16130
16131 @cindex opaque data types
16132 @kindex set opaque-type-resolution
16133 @item set opaque-type-resolution on
16134 Tell @value{GDBN} to resolve opaque types. An opaque type is a type
16135 declared as a pointer to a @code{struct}, @code{class}, or
16136 @code{union}---for example, @code{struct MyType *}---that is used in one
16137 source file although the full declaration of @code{struct MyType} is in
16138 another source file. The default is on.
16139
16140 A change in the setting of this subcommand will not take effect until
16141 the next time symbols for a file are loaded.
16142
16143 @item set opaque-type-resolution off
16144 Tell @value{GDBN} not to resolve opaque types. In this case, the type
16145 is printed as follows:
16146 @smallexample
16147 @{<no data fields>@}
16148 @end smallexample
16149
16150 @kindex show opaque-type-resolution
16151 @item show opaque-type-resolution
16152 Show whether opaque types are resolved or not.
16153
16154 @kindex maint print symbols
16155 @cindex symbol dump
16156 @kindex maint print psymbols
16157 @cindex partial symbol dump
16158 @kindex maint print msymbols
16159 @cindex minimal symbol dump
16160 @item maint print symbols @var{filename}
16161 @itemx maint print psymbols @var{filename}
16162 @itemx maint print msymbols @var{filename}
16163 Write a dump of debugging symbol data into the file @var{filename}.
16164 These commands are used to debug the @value{GDBN} symbol-reading code. Only
16165 symbols with debugging data are included. If you use @samp{maint print
16166 symbols}, @value{GDBN} includes all the symbols for which it has already
16167 collected full details: that is, @var{filename} reflects symbols for
16168 only those files whose symbols @value{GDBN} has read. You can use the
16169 command @code{info sources} to find out which files these are. If you
16170 use @samp{maint print psymbols} instead, the dump shows information about
16171 symbols that @value{GDBN} only knows partially---that is, symbols defined in
16172 files that @value{GDBN} has skimmed, but not yet read completely. Finally,
16173 @samp{maint print msymbols} dumps just the minimal symbol information
16174 required for each object file from which @value{GDBN} has read some symbols.
16175 @xref{Files, ,Commands to Specify Files}, for a discussion of how
16176 @value{GDBN} reads symbols (in the description of @code{symbol-file}).
16177
16178 @kindex maint info symtabs
16179 @kindex maint info psymtabs
16180 @cindex listing @value{GDBN}'s internal symbol tables
16181 @cindex symbol tables, listing @value{GDBN}'s internal
16182 @cindex full symbol tables, listing @value{GDBN}'s internal
16183 @cindex partial symbol tables, listing @value{GDBN}'s internal
16184 @item maint info symtabs @r{[} @var{regexp} @r{]}
16185 @itemx maint info psymtabs @r{[} @var{regexp} @r{]}
16186
16187 List the @code{struct symtab} or @code{struct partial_symtab}
16188 structures whose names match @var{regexp}. If @var{regexp} is not
16189 given, list them all. The output includes expressions which you can
16190 copy into a @value{GDBN} debugging this one to examine a particular
16191 structure in more detail. For example:
16192
16193 @smallexample
16194 (@value{GDBP}) maint info psymtabs dwarf2read
16195 @{ objfile /home/gnu/build/gdb/gdb
16196 ((struct objfile *) 0x82e69d0)
16197 @{ psymtab /home/gnu/src/gdb/dwarf2read.c
16198 ((struct partial_symtab *) 0x8474b10)
16199 readin no
16200 fullname (null)
16201 text addresses 0x814d3c8 -- 0x8158074
16202 globals (* (struct partial_symbol **) 0x8507a08 @@ 9)
16203 statics (* (struct partial_symbol **) 0x40e95b78 @@ 2882)
16204 dependencies (none)
16205 @}
16206 @}
16207 (@value{GDBP}) maint info symtabs
16208 (@value{GDBP})
16209 @end smallexample
16210 @noindent
16211 We see that there is one partial symbol table whose filename contains
16212 the string @samp{dwarf2read}, belonging to the @samp{gdb} executable;
16213 and we see that @value{GDBN} has not read in any symtabs yet at all.
16214 If we set a breakpoint on a function, that will cause @value{GDBN} to
16215 read the symtab for the compilation unit containing that function:
16216
16217 @smallexample
16218 (@value{GDBP}) break dwarf2_psymtab_to_symtab
16219 Breakpoint 1 at 0x814e5da: file /home/gnu/src/gdb/dwarf2read.c,
16220 line 1574.
16221 (@value{GDBP}) maint info symtabs
16222 @{ objfile /home/gnu/build/gdb/gdb
16223 ((struct objfile *) 0x82e69d0)
16224 @{ symtab /home/gnu/src/gdb/dwarf2read.c
16225 ((struct symtab *) 0x86c1f38)
16226 dirname (null)
16227 fullname (null)
16228 blockvector ((struct blockvector *) 0x86c1bd0) (primary)
16229 linetable ((struct linetable *) 0x8370fa0)
16230 debugformat DWARF 2
16231 @}
16232 @}
16233 (@value{GDBP})
16234 @end smallexample
16235 @end table
16236
16237
16238 @node Altering
16239 @chapter Altering Execution
16240
16241 Once you think you have found an error in your program, you might want to
16242 find out for certain whether correcting the apparent error would lead to
16243 correct results in the rest of the run. You can find the answer by
16244 experiment, using the @value{GDBN} features for altering execution of the
16245 program.
16246
16247 For example, you can store new values into variables or memory
16248 locations, give your program a signal, restart it at a different
16249 address, or even return prematurely from a function.
16250
16251 @menu
16252 * Assignment:: Assignment to variables
16253 * Jumping:: Continuing at a different address
16254 * Signaling:: Giving your program a signal
16255 * Returning:: Returning from a function
16256 * Calling:: Calling your program's functions
16257 * Patching:: Patching your program
16258 @end menu
16259
16260 @node Assignment
16261 @section Assignment to Variables
16262
16263 @cindex assignment
16264 @cindex setting variables
16265 To alter the value of a variable, evaluate an assignment expression.
16266 @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}. For example,
16267
16268 @smallexample
16269 print x=4
16270 @end smallexample
16271
16272 @noindent
16273 stores the value 4 into the variable @code{x}, and then prints the
16274 value of the assignment expression (which is 4).
16275 @xref{Languages, ,Using @value{GDBN} with Different Languages}, for more
16276 information on operators in supported languages.
16277
16278 @kindex set variable
16279 @cindex variables, setting
16280 If you are not interested in seeing the value of the assignment, use the
16281 @code{set} command instead of the @code{print} command. @code{set} is
16282 really the same as @code{print} except that the expression's value is
16283 not printed and is not put in the value history (@pxref{Value History,
16284 ,Value History}). The expression is evaluated only for its effects.
16285
16286 If the beginning of the argument string of the @code{set} command
16287 appears identical to a @code{set} subcommand, use the @code{set
16288 variable} command instead of just @code{set}. This command is identical
16289 to @code{set} except for its lack of subcommands. For example, if your
16290 program has a variable @code{width}, you get an error if you try to set
16291 a new value with just @samp{set width=13}, because @value{GDBN} has the
16292 command @code{set width}:
16293
16294 @smallexample
16295 (@value{GDBP}) whatis width
16296 type = double
16297 (@value{GDBP}) p width
16298 $4 = 13
16299 (@value{GDBP}) set width=47
16300 Invalid syntax in expression.
16301 @end smallexample
16302
16303 @noindent
16304 The invalid expression, of course, is @samp{=47}. In
16305 order to actually set the program's variable @code{width}, use
16306
16307 @smallexample
16308 (@value{GDBP}) set var width=47
16309 @end smallexample
16310
16311 Because the @code{set} command has many subcommands that can conflict
16312 with the names of program variables, it is a good idea to use the
16313 @code{set variable} command instead of just @code{set}. For example, if
16314 your program has a variable @code{g}, you run into problems if you try
16315 to set a new value with just @samp{set g=4}, because @value{GDBN} has
16316 the command @code{set gnutarget}, abbreviated @code{set g}:
16317
16318 @smallexample
16319 @group
16320 (@value{GDBP}) whatis g
16321 type = double
16322 (@value{GDBP}) p g
16323 $1 = 1
16324 (@value{GDBP}) set g=4
16325 (@value{GDBP}) p g
16326 $2 = 1
16327 (@value{GDBP}) r
16328 The program being debugged has been started already.
16329 Start it from the beginning? (y or n) y
16330 Starting program: /home/smith/cc_progs/a.out
16331 "/home/smith/cc_progs/a.out": can't open to read symbols:
16332 Invalid bfd target.
16333 (@value{GDBP}) show g
16334 The current BFD target is "=4".
16335 @end group
16336 @end smallexample
16337
16338 @noindent
16339 The program variable @code{g} did not change, and you silently set the
16340 @code{gnutarget} to an invalid value. In order to set the variable
16341 @code{g}, use
16342
16343 @smallexample
16344 (@value{GDBP}) set var g=4
16345 @end smallexample
16346
16347 @value{GDBN} allows more implicit conversions in assignments than C; you can
16348 freely store an integer value into a pointer variable or vice versa,
16349 and you can convert any structure to any other structure that is the
16350 same length or shorter.
16351 @comment FIXME: how do structs align/pad in these conversions?
16352 @comment /doc@cygnus.com 18dec1990
16353
16354 To store values into arbitrary places in memory, use the @samp{@{@dots{}@}}
16355 construct to generate a value of specified type at a specified address
16356 (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}). For example, @code{@{int@}0x83040} refers
16357 to memory location @code{0x83040} as an integer (which implies a certain size
16358 and representation in memory), and
16359
16360 @smallexample
16361 set @{int@}0x83040 = 4
16362 @end smallexample
16363
16364 @noindent
16365 stores the value 4 into that memory location.
16366
16367 @node Jumping
16368 @section Continuing at a Different Address
16369
16370 Ordinarily, when you continue your program, you do so at the place where
16371 it stopped, with the @code{continue} command. You can instead continue at
16372 an address of your own choosing, with the following commands:
16373
16374 @table @code
16375 @kindex jump
16376 @kindex j @r{(@code{jump})}
16377 @item jump @var{linespec}
16378 @itemx j @var{linespec}
16379 @itemx jump @var{location}
16380 @itemx j @var{location}
16381 Resume execution at line @var{linespec} or at address given by
16382 @var{location}. Execution stops again immediately if there is a
16383 breakpoint there. @xref{Specify Location}, for a description of the
16384 different forms of @var{linespec} and @var{location}. It is common
16385 practice to use the @code{tbreak} command in conjunction with
16386 @code{jump}. @xref{Set Breaks, ,Setting Breakpoints}.
16387
16388 The @code{jump} command does not change the current stack frame, or
16389 the stack pointer, or the contents of any memory location or any
16390 register other than the program counter. If line @var{linespec} is in
16391 a different function from the one currently executing, the results may
16392 be bizarre if the two functions expect different patterns of arguments or
16393 of local variables. For this reason, the @code{jump} command requests
16394 confirmation if the specified line is not in the function currently
16395 executing. However, even bizarre results are predictable if you are
16396 well acquainted with the machine-language code of your program.
16397 @end table
16398
16399 @c Doesn't work on HP-UX; have to set $pcoqh and $pcoqt.
16400 On many systems, you can get much the same effect as the @code{jump}
16401 command by storing a new value into the register @code{$pc}. The
16402 difference is that this does not start your program running; it only
16403 changes the address of where it @emph{will} run when you continue. For
16404 example,
16405
16406 @smallexample
16407 set $pc = 0x485
16408 @end smallexample
16409
16410 @noindent
16411 makes the next @code{continue} command or stepping command execute at
16412 address @code{0x485}, rather than at the address where your program stopped.
16413 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, ,Continuing and Stepping}.
16414
16415 The most common occasion to use the @code{jump} command is to back
16416 up---perhaps with more breakpoints set---over a portion of a program
16417 that has already executed, in order to examine its execution in more
16418 detail.
16419
16420 @c @group
16421 @node Signaling
16422 @section Giving your Program a Signal
16423 @cindex deliver a signal to a program
16424
16425 @table @code
16426 @kindex signal
16427 @item signal @var{signal}
16428 Resume execution where your program stopped, but immediately give it the
16429 signal @var{signal}. @var{signal} can be the name or the number of a
16430 signal. For example, on many systems @code{signal 2} and @code{signal
16431 SIGINT} are both ways of sending an interrupt signal.
16432
16433 Alternatively, if @var{signal} is zero, continue execution without
16434 giving a signal. This is useful when your program stopped on account of
16435 a signal and would ordinarily see the signal when resumed with the
16436 @code{continue} command; @samp{signal 0} causes it to resume without a
16437 signal.
16438
16439 @code{signal} does not repeat when you press @key{RET} a second time
16440 after executing the command.
16441 @end table
16442 @c @end group
16443
16444 Invoking the @code{signal} command is not the same as invoking the
16445 @code{kill} utility from the shell. Sending a signal with @code{kill}
16446 causes @value{GDBN} to decide what to do with the signal depending on
16447 the signal handling tables (@pxref{Signals}). The @code{signal} command
16448 passes the signal directly to your program.
16449
16450
16451 @node Returning
16452 @section Returning from a Function
16453
16454 @table @code
16455 @cindex returning from a function
16456 @kindex return
16457 @item return
16458 @itemx return @var{expression}
16459 You can cancel execution of a function call with the @code{return}
16460 command. If you give an
16461 @var{expression} argument, its value is used as the function's return
16462 value.
16463 @end table
16464
16465 When you use @code{return}, @value{GDBN} discards the selected stack frame
16466 (and all frames within it). You can think of this as making the
16467 discarded frame return prematurely. If you wish to specify a value to
16468 be returned, give that value as the argument to @code{return}.
16469
16470 This pops the selected stack frame (@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a
16471 Frame}), and any other frames inside of it, leaving its caller as the
16472 innermost remaining frame. That frame becomes selected. The
16473 specified value is stored in the registers used for returning values
16474 of functions.
16475
16476 The @code{return} command does not resume execution; it leaves the
16477 program stopped in the state that would exist if the function had just
16478 returned. In contrast, the @code{finish} command (@pxref{Continuing
16479 and Stepping, ,Continuing and Stepping}) resumes execution until the
16480 selected stack frame returns naturally.
16481
16482 @value{GDBN} needs to know how the @var{expression} argument should be set for
16483 the inferior. The concrete registers assignment depends on the OS ABI and the
16484 type being returned by the selected stack frame. For example it is common for
16485 OS ABI to return floating point values in FPU registers while integer values in
16486 CPU registers. Still some ABIs return even floating point values in CPU
16487 registers. Larger integer widths (such as @code{long long int}) also have
16488 specific placement rules. @value{GDBN} already knows the OS ABI from its
16489 current target so it needs to find out also the type being returned to make the
16490 assignment into the right register(s).
16491
16492 Normally, the selected stack frame has debug info. @value{GDBN} will always
16493 use the debug info instead of the implicit type of @var{expression} when the
16494 debug info is available. For example, if you type @kbd{return -1}, and the
16495 function in the current stack frame is declared to return a @code{long long
16496 int}, @value{GDBN} transparently converts the implicit @code{int} value of -1
16497 into a @code{long long int}:
16498
16499 @smallexample
16500 Breakpoint 1, func () at gdb.base/return-nodebug.c:29
16501 29 return 31;
16502 (@value{GDBP}) return -1
16503 Make func return now? (y or n) y
16504 #0 0x004004f6 in main () at gdb.base/return-nodebug.c:43
16505 43 printf ("result=%lld\n", func ());
16506 (@value{GDBP})
16507 @end smallexample
16508
16509 However, if the selected stack frame does not have a debug info, e.g., if the
16510 function was compiled without debug info, @value{GDBN} has to find out the type
16511 to return from user. Specifying a different type by mistake may set the value
16512 in different inferior registers than the caller code expects. For example,
16513 typing @kbd{return -1} with its implicit type @code{int} would set only a part
16514 of a @code{long long int} result for a debug info less function (on 32-bit
16515 architectures). Therefore the user is required to specify the return type by
16516 an appropriate cast explicitly:
16517
16518 @smallexample
16519 Breakpoint 2, 0x0040050b in func ()
16520 (@value{GDBP}) return -1
16521 Return value type not available for selected stack frame.
16522 Please use an explicit cast of the value to return.
16523 (@value{GDBP}) return (long long int) -1
16524 Make selected stack frame return now? (y or n) y
16525 #0 0x00400526 in main ()
16526 (@value{GDBP})
16527 @end smallexample
16528
16529 @node Calling
16530 @section Calling Program Functions
16531
16532 @table @code
16533 @cindex calling functions
16534 @cindex inferior functions, calling
16535 @item print @var{expr}
16536 Evaluate the expression @var{expr} and display the resulting value.
16537 @var{expr} may include calls to functions in the program being
16538 debugged.
16539
16540 @kindex call
16541 @item call @var{expr}
16542 Evaluate the expression @var{expr} without displaying @code{void}
16543 returned values.
16544
16545 You can use this variant of the @code{print} command if you want to
16546 execute a function from your program that does not return anything
16547 (a.k.a.@: @dfn{a void function}), but without cluttering the output
16548 with @code{void} returned values that @value{GDBN} will otherwise
16549 print. If the result is not void, it is printed and saved in the
16550 value history.
16551 @end table
16552
16553 It is possible for the function you call via the @code{print} or
16554 @code{call} command to generate a signal (e.g., if there's a bug in
16555 the function, or if you passed it incorrect arguments). What happens
16556 in that case is controlled by the @code{set unwindonsignal} command.
16557
16558 Similarly, with a C@t{++} program it is possible for the function you
16559 call via the @code{print} or @code{call} command to generate an
16560 exception that is not handled due to the constraints of the dummy
16561 frame. In this case, any exception that is raised in the frame, but has
16562 an out-of-frame exception handler will not be found. GDB builds a
16563 dummy-frame for the inferior function call, and the unwinder cannot
16564 seek for exception handlers outside of this dummy-frame. What happens
16565 in that case is controlled by the
16566 @code{set unwind-on-terminating-exception} command.
16567
16568 @table @code
16569 @item set unwindonsignal
16570 @kindex set unwindonsignal
16571 @cindex unwind stack in called functions
16572 @cindex call dummy stack unwinding
16573 Set unwinding of the stack if a signal is received while in a function
16574 that @value{GDBN} called in the program being debugged. If set to on,
16575 @value{GDBN} unwinds the stack it created for the call and restores
16576 the context to what it was before the call. If set to off (the
16577 default), @value{GDBN} stops in the frame where the signal was
16578 received.
16579
16580 @item show unwindonsignal
16581 @kindex show unwindonsignal
16582 Show the current setting of stack unwinding in the functions called by
16583 @value{GDBN}.
16584
16585 @item set unwind-on-terminating-exception
16586 @kindex set unwind-on-terminating-exception
16587 @cindex unwind stack in called functions with unhandled exceptions
16588 @cindex call dummy stack unwinding on unhandled exception.
16589 Set unwinding of the stack if a C@t{++} exception is raised, but left
16590 unhandled while in a function that @value{GDBN} called in the program being
16591 debugged. If set to on (the default), @value{GDBN} unwinds the stack
16592 it created for the call and restores the context to what it was before
16593 the call. If set to off, @value{GDBN} the exception is delivered to
16594 the default C@t{++} exception handler and the inferior terminated.
16595
16596 @item show unwind-on-terminating-exception
16597 @kindex show unwind-on-terminating-exception
16598 Show the current setting of stack unwinding in the functions called by
16599 @value{GDBN}.
16600
16601 @end table
16602
16603 @cindex weak alias functions
16604 Sometimes, a function you wish to call is actually a @dfn{weak alias}
16605 for another function. In such case, @value{GDBN} might not pick up
16606 the type information, including the types of the function arguments,
16607 which causes @value{GDBN} to call the inferior function incorrectly.
16608 As a result, the called function will function erroneously and may
16609 even crash. A solution to that is to use the name of the aliased
16610 function instead.
16611
16612 @node Patching
16613 @section Patching Programs
16614
16615 @cindex patching binaries
16616 @cindex writing into executables
16617 @cindex writing into corefiles
16618
16619 By default, @value{GDBN} opens the file containing your program's
16620 executable code (or the corefile) read-only. This prevents accidental
16621 alterations to machine code; but it also prevents you from intentionally
16622 patching your program's binary.
16623
16624 If you'd like to be able to patch the binary, you can specify that
16625 explicitly with the @code{set write} command. For example, you might
16626 want to turn on internal debugging flags, or even to make emergency
16627 repairs.
16628
16629 @table @code
16630 @kindex set write
16631 @item set write on
16632 @itemx set write off
16633 If you specify @samp{set write on}, @value{GDBN} opens executable and
16634 core files for both reading and writing; if you specify @kbd{set write
16635 off} (the default), @value{GDBN} opens them read-only.
16636
16637 If you have already loaded a file, you must load it again (using the
16638 @code{exec-file} or @code{core-file} command) after changing @code{set
16639 write}, for your new setting to take effect.
16640
16641 @item show write
16642 @kindex show write
16643 Display whether executable files and core files are opened for writing
16644 as well as reading.
16645 @end table
16646
16647 @node GDB Files
16648 @chapter @value{GDBN} Files
16649
16650 @value{GDBN} needs to know the file name of the program to be debugged,
16651 both in order to read its symbol table and in order to start your
16652 program. To debug a core dump of a previous run, you must also tell
16653 @value{GDBN} the name of the core dump file.
16654
16655 @menu
16656 * Files:: Commands to specify files
16657 * Separate Debug Files:: Debugging information in separate files
16658 * MiniDebugInfo:: Debugging information in a special section
16659 * Index Files:: Index files speed up GDB
16660 * Symbol Errors:: Errors reading symbol files
16661 * Data Files:: GDB data files
16662 @end menu
16663
16664 @node Files
16665 @section Commands to Specify Files
16666
16667 @cindex symbol table
16668 @cindex core dump file
16669
16670 You may want to specify executable and core dump file names. The usual
16671 way to do this is at start-up time, using the arguments to
16672 @value{GDBN}'s start-up commands (@pxref{Invocation, , Getting In and
16673 Out of @value{GDBN}}).
16674
16675 Occasionally it is necessary to change to a different file during a
16676 @value{GDBN} session. Or you may run @value{GDBN} and forget to
16677 specify a file you want to use. Or you are debugging a remote target
16678 via @code{gdbserver} (@pxref{Server, file, Using the @code{gdbserver}
16679 Program}). In these situations the @value{GDBN} commands to specify
16680 new files are useful.
16681
16682 @table @code
16683 @cindex executable file
16684 @kindex file
16685 @item file @var{filename}
16686 Use @var{filename} as the program to be debugged. It is read for its
16687 symbols and for the contents of pure memory. It is also the program
16688 executed when you use the @code{run} command. If you do not specify a
16689 directory and the file is not found in the @value{GDBN} working directory,
16690 @value{GDBN} uses the environment variable @code{PATH} as a list of
16691 directories to search, just as the shell does when looking for a program
16692 to run. You can change the value of this variable, for both @value{GDBN}
16693 and your program, using the @code{path} command.
16694
16695 @cindex unlinked object files
16696 @cindex patching object files
16697 You can load unlinked object @file{.o} files into @value{GDBN} using
16698 the @code{file} command. You will not be able to ``run'' an object
16699 file, but you can disassemble functions and inspect variables. Also,
16700 if the underlying BFD functionality supports it, you could use
16701 @kbd{gdb -write} to patch object files using this technique. Note
16702 that @value{GDBN} can neither interpret nor modify relocations in this
16703 case, so branches and some initialized variables will appear to go to
16704 the wrong place. But this feature is still handy from time to time.
16705
16706 @item file
16707 @code{file} with no argument makes @value{GDBN} discard any information it
16708 has on both executable file and the symbol table.
16709
16710 @kindex exec-file
16711 @item exec-file @r{[} @var{filename} @r{]}
16712 Specify that the program to be run (but not the symbol table) is found
16713 in @var{filename}. @value{GDBN} searches the environment variable @code{PATH}
16714 if necessary to locate your program. Omitting @var{filename} means to
16715 discard information on the executable file.
16716
16717 @kindex symbol-file
16718 @item symbol-file @r{[} @var{filename} @r{]}
16719 Read symbol table information from file @var{filename}. @code{PATH} is
16720 searched when necessary. Use the @code{file} command to get both symbol
16721 table and program to run from the same file.
16722
16723 @code{symbol-file} with no argument clears out @value{GDBN} information on your
16724 program's symbol table.
16725
16726 The @code{symbol-file} command causes @value{GDBN} to forget the contents of
16727 some breakpoints and auto-display expressions. This is because they may
16728 contain pointers to the internal data recording symbols and data types,
16729 which are part of the old symbol table data being discarded inside
16730 @value{GDBN}.
16731
16732 @code{symbol-file} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} again after
16733 executing it once.
16734
16735 When @value{GDBN} is configured for a particular environment, it
16736 understands debugging information in whatever format is the standard
16737 generated for that environment; you may use either a @sc{gnu} compiler, or
16738 other compilers that adhere to the local conventions.
16739 Best results are usually obtained from @sc{gnu} compilers; for example,
16740 using @code{@value{NGCC}} you can generate debugging information for
16741 optimized code.
16742
16743 For most kinds of object files, with the exception of old SVR3 systems
16744 using COFF, the @code{symbol-file} command does not normally read the
16745 symbol table in full right away. Instead, it scans the symbol table
16746 quickly to find which source files and which symbols are present. The
16747 details are read later, one source file at a time, as they are needed.
16748
16749 The purpose of this two-stage reading strategy is to make @value{GDBN}
16750 start up faster. For the most part, it is invisible except for
16751 occasional pauses while the symbol table details for a particular source
16752 file are being read. (The @code{set verbose} command can turn these
16753 pauses into messages if desired. @xref{Messages/Warnings, ,Optional
16754 Warnings and Messages}.)
16755
16756 We have not implemented the two-stage strategy for COFF yet. When the
16757 symbol table is stored in COFF format, @code{symbol-file} reads the
16758 symbol table data in full right away. Note that ``stabs-in-COFF''
16759 still does the two-stage strategy, since the debug info is actually
16760 in stabs format.
16761
16762 @kindex readnow
16763 @cindex reading symbols immediately
16764 @cindex symbols, reading immediately
16765 @item symbol-file @r{[} -readnow @r{]} @var{filename}
16766 @itemx file @r{[} -readnow @r{]} @var{filename}
16767 You can override the @value{GDBN} two-stage strategy for reading symbol
16768 tables by using the @samp{-readnow} option with any of the commands that
16769 load symbol table information, if you want to be sure @value{GDBN} has the
16770 entire symbol table available.
16771
16772 @c FIXME: for now no mention of directories, since this seems to be in
16773 @c flux. 13mar1992 status is that in theory GDB would look either in
16774 @c current dir or in same dir as myprog; but issues like competing
16775 @c GDB's, or clutter in system dirs, mean that in practice right now
16776 @c only current dir is used. FFish says maybe a special GDB hierarchy
16777 @c (eg rooted in val of env var GDBSYMS) could exist for mappable symbol
16778 @c files.
16779
16780 @kindex core-file
16781 @item core-file @r{[}@var{filename}@r{]}
16782 @itemx core
16783 Specify the whereabouts of a core dump file to be used as the ``contents
16784 of memory''. Traditionally, core files contain only some parts of the
16785 address space of the process that generated them; @value{GDBN} can access the
16786 executable file itself for other parts.
16787
16788 @code{core-file} with no argument specifies that no core file is
16789 to be used.
16790
16791 Note that the core file is ignored when your program is actually running
16792 under @value{GDBN}. So, if you have been running your program and you
16793 wish to debug a core file instead, you must kill the subprocess in which
16794 the program is running. To do this, use the @code{kill} command
16795 (@pxref{Kill Process, ,Killing the Child Process}).
16796
16797 @kindex add-symbol-file
16798 @cindex dynamic linking
16799 @item add-symbol-file @var{filename} @var{address}
16800 @itemx add-symbol-file @var{filename} @var{address} @r{[} -readnow @r{]}
16801 @itemx add-symbol-file @var{filename} @var{address} -s @var{section} @var{address} @dots{}
16802 The @code{add-symbol-file} command reads additional symbol table
16803 information from the file @var{filename}. You would use this command
16804 when @var{filename} has been dynamically loaded (by some other means)
16805 into the program that is running. @var{address} should be the memory
16806 address at which the file has been loaded; @value{GDBN} cannot figure
16807 this out for itself. You can additionally specify an arbitrary number
16808 of @samp{-s @var{section} @var{address}} pairs, to give an explicit
16809 section name and base address for that section. You can specify any
16810 @var{address} as an expression.
16811
16812 The symbol table of the file @var{filename} is added to the symbol table
16813 originally read with the @code{symbol-file} command. You can use the
16814 @code{add-symbol-file} command any number of times; the new symbol data
16815 thus read is kept in addition to the old.
16816
16817 Changes can be reverted using the command @code{remove-symbol-file}.
16818
16819 @cindex relocatable object files, reading symbols from
16820 @cindex object files, relocatable, reading symbols from
16821 @cindex reading symbols from relocatable object files
16822 @cindex symbols, reading from relocatable object files
16823 @cindex @file{.o} files, reading symbols from
16824 Although @var{filename} is typically a shared library file, an
16825 executable file, or some other object file which has been fully
16826 relocated for loading into a process, you can also load symbolic
16827 information from relocatable @file{.o} files, as long as:
16828
16829 @itemize @bullet
16830 @item
16831 the file's symbolic information refers only to linker symbols defined in
16832 that file, not to symbols defined by other object files,
16833 @item
16834 every section the file's symbolic information refers to has actually
16835 been loaded into the inferior, as it appears in the file, and
16836 @item
16837 you can determine the address at which every section was loaded, and
16838 provide these to the @code{add-symbol-file} command.
16839 @end itemize
16840
16841 @noindent
16842 Some embedded operating systems, like Sun Chorus and VxWorks, can load
16843 relocatable files into an already running program; such systems
16844 typically make the requirements above easy to meet. However, it's
16845 important to recognize that many native systems use complex link
16846 procedures (@code{.linkonce} section factoring and C@t{++} constructor table
16847 assembly, for example) that make the requirements difficult to meet. In
16848 general, one cannot assume that using @code{add-symbol-file} to read a
16849 relocatable object file's symbolic information will have the same effect
16850 as linking the relocatable object file into the program in the normal
16851 way.
16852
16853 @code{add-symbol-file} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} after using it.
16854
16855 @kindex remove-symbol-file
16856 @item remove-symbol-file @var{filename}
16857 @item remove-symbol-file -a @var{address}
16858 Remove a symbol file added via the @code{add-symbol-file} command. The
16859 file to remove can be identified by its @var{filename} or by an @var{address}
16860 that lies within the boundaries of this symbol file in memory. Example:
16861
16862 @smallexample
16863 (gdb) add-symbol-file /home/user/gdb/mylib.so 0x7ffff7ff9480
16864 add symbol table from file "/home/user/gdb/mylib.so" at
16865 .text_addr = 0x7ffff7ff9480
16866 (y or n) y
16867 Reading symbols from /home/user/gdb/mylib.so...done.
16868 (gdb) remove-symbol-file -a 0x7ffff7ff9480
16869 Remove symbol table from file "/home/user/gdb/mylib.so"? (y or n) y
16870 (gdb)
16871 @end smallexample
16872
16873
16874 @code{remove-symbol-file} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} after using it.
16875
16876 @kindex add-symbol-file-from-memory
16877 @cindex @code{syscall DSO}
16878 @cindex load symbols from memory
16879 @item add-symbol-file-from-memory @var{address}
16880 Load symbols from the given @var{address} in a dynamically loaded
16881 object file whose image is mapped directly into the inferior's memory.
16882 For example, the Linux kernel maps a @code{syscall DSO} into each
16883 process's address space; this DSO provides kernel-specific code for
16884 some system calls. The argument can be any expression whose
16885 evaluation yields the address of the file's shared object file header.
16886 For this command to work, you must have used @code{symbol-file} or
16887 @code{exec-file} commands in advance.
16888
16889 @kindex add-shared-symbol-files
16890 @kindex assf
16891 @item add-shared-symbol-files @var{library-file}
16892 @itemx assf @var{library-file}
16893 The @code{add-shared-symbol-files} command can currently be used only
16894 in the Cygwin build of @value{GDBN} on MS-Windows OS, where it is an
16895 alias for the @code{dll-symbols} command (@pxref{Cygwin Native}).
16896 @value{GDBN} automatically looks for shared libraries, however if
16897 @value{GDBN} does not find yours, you can invoke
16898 @code{add-shared-symbol-files}. It takes one argument: the shared
16899 library's file name. @code{assf} is a shorthand alias for
16900 @code{add-shared-symbol-files}.
16901
16902 @kindex section
16903 @item section @var{section} @var{addr}
16904 The @code{section} command changes the base address of the named
16905 @var{section} of the exec file to @var{addr}. This can be used if the
16906 exec file does not contain section addresses, (such as in the
16907 @code{a.out} format), or when the addresses specified in the file
16908 itself are wrong. Each section must be changed separately. The
16909 @code{info files} command, described below, lists all the sections and
16910 their addresses.
16911
16912 @kindex info files
16913 @kindex info target
16914 @item info files
16915 @itemx info target
16916 @code{info files} and @code{info target} are synonymous; both print the
16917 current target (@pxref{Targets, ,Specifying a Debugging Target}),
16918 including the names of the executable and core dump files currently in
16919 use by @value{GDBN}, and the files from which symbols were loaded. The
16920 command @code{help target} lists all possible targets rather than
16921 current ones.
16922
16923 @kindex maint info sections
16924 @item maint info sections
16925 Another command that can give you extra information about program sections
16926 is @code{maint info sections}. In addition to the section information
16927 displayed by @code{info files}, this command displays the flags and file
16928 offset of each section in the executable and core dump files. In addition,
16929 @code{maint info sections} provides the following command options (which
16930 may be arbitrarily combined):
16931
16932 @table @code
16933 @item ALLOBJ
16934 Display sections for all loaded object files, including shared libraries.
16935 @item @var{sections}
16936 Display info only for named @var{sections}.
16937 @item @var{section-flags}
16938 Display info only for sections for which @var{section-flags} are true.
16939 The section flags that @value{GDBN} currently knows about are:
16940 @table @code
16941 @item ALLOC
16942 Section will have space allocated in the process when loaded.
16943 Set for all sections except those containing debug information.
16944 @item LOAD
16945 Section will be loaded from the file into the child process memory.
16946 Set for pre-initialized code and data, clear for @code{.bss} sections.
16947 @item RELOC
16948 Section needs to be relocated before loading.
16949 @item READONLY
16950 Section cannot be modified by the child process.
16951 @item CODE
16952 Section contains executable code only.
16953 @item DATA
16954 Section contains data only (no executable code).
16955 @item ROM
16956 Section will reside in ROM.
16957 @item CONSTRUCTOR
16958 Section contains data for constructor/destructor lists.
16959 @item HAS_CONTENTS
16960 Section is not empty.
16961 @item NEVER_LOAD
16962 An instruction to the linker to not output the section.
16963 @item COFF_SHARED_LIBRARY
16964 A notification to the linker that the section contains
16965 COFF shared library information.
16966 @item IS_COMMON
16967 Section contains common symbols.
16968 @end table
16969 @end table
16970 @kindex set trust-readonly-sections
16971 @cindex read-only sections
16972 @item set trust-readonly-sections on
16973 Tell @value{GDBN} that readonly sections in your object file
16974 really are read-only (i.e.@: that their contents will not change).
16975 In that case, @value{GDBN} can fetch values from these sections
16976 out of the object file, rather than from the target program.
16977 For some targets (notably embedded ones), this can be a significant
16978 enhancement to debugging performance.
16979
16980 The default is off.
16981
16982 @item set trust-readonly-sections off
16983 Tell @value{GDBN} not to trust readonly sections. This means that
16984 the contents of the section might change while the program is running,
16985 and must therefore be fetched from the target when needed.
16986
16987 @item show trust-readonly-sections
16988 Show the current setting of trusting readonly sections.
16989 @end table
16990
16991 All file-specifying commands allow both absolute and relative file names
16992 as arguments. @value{GDBN} always converts the file name to an absolute file
16993 name and remembers it that way.
16994
16995 @cindex shared libraries
16996 @anchor{Shared Libraries}
16997 @value{GDBN} supports @sc{gnu}/Linux, MS-Windows, HP-UX, SunOS, SVr4, Irix,
16998 and IBM RS/6000 AIX shared libraries.
16999
17000 On MS-Windows @value{GDBN} must be linked with the Expat library to support
17001 shared libraries. @xref{Expat}.
17002
17003 @value{GDBN} automatically loads symbol definitions from shared libraries
17004 when you use the @code{run} command, or when you examine a core file.
17005 (Before you issue the @code{run} command, @value{GDBN} does not understand
17006 references to a function in a shared library, however---unless you are
17007 debugging a core file).
17008
17009 On HP-UX, if the program loads a library explicitly, @value{GDBN}
17010 automatically loads the symbols at the time of the @code{shl_load} call.
17011
17012 @c FIXME: some @value{GDBN} release may permit some refs to undef
17013 @c FIXME...symbols---eg in a break cmd---assuming they are from a shared
17014 @c FIXME...lib; check this from time to time when updating manual
17015
17016 There are times, however, when you may wish to not automatically load
17017 symbol definitions from shared libraries, such as when they are
17018 particularly large or there are many of them.
17019
17020 To control the automatic loading of shared library symbols, use the
17021 commands:
17022
17023 @table @code
17024 @kindex set auto-solib-add
17025 @item set auto-solib-add @var{mode}
17026 If @var{mode} is @code{on}, symbols from all shared object libraries
17027 will be loaded automatically when the inferior begins execution, you
17028 attach to an independently started inferior, or when the dynamic linker
17029 informs @value{GDBN} that a new library has been loaded. If @var{mode}
17030 is @code{off}, symbols must be loaded manually, using the
17031 @code{sharedlibrary} command. The default value is @code{on}.
17032
17033 @cindex memory used for symbol tables
17034 If your program uses lots of shared libraries with debug info that
17035 takes large amounts of memory, you can decrease the @value{GDBN}
17036 memory footprint by preventing it from automatically loading the
17037 symbols from shared libraries. To that end, type @kbd{set
17038 auto-solib-add off} before running the inferior, then load each
17039 library whose debug symbols you do need with @kbd{sharedlibrary
17040 @var{regexp}}, where @var{regexp} is a regular expression that matches
17041 the libraries whose symbols you want to be loaded.
17042
17043 @kindex show auto-solib-add
17044 @item show auto-solib-add
17045 Display the current autoloading mode.
17046 @end table
17047
17048 @cindex load shared library
17049 To explicitly load shared library symbols, use the @code{sharedlibrary}
17050 command:
17051
17052 @table @code
17053 @kindex info sharedlibrary
17054 @kindex info share
17055 @item info share @var{regex}
17056 @itemx info sharedlibrary @var{regex}
17057 Print the names of the shared libraries which are currently loaded
17058 that match @var{regex}. If @var{regex} is omitted then print
17059 all shared libraries that are loaded.
17060
17061 @kindex sharedlibrary
17062 @kindex share
17063 @item sharedlibrary @var{regex}
17064 @itemx share @var{regex}
17065 Load shared object library symbols for files matching a
17066 Unix regular expression.
17067 As with files loaded automatically, it only loads shared libraries
17068 required by your program for a core file or after typing @code{run}. If
17069 @var{regex} is omitted all shared libraries required by your program are
17070 loaded.
17071
17072 @item nosharedlibrary
17073 @kindex nosharedlibrary
17074 @cindex unload symbols from shared libraries
17075 Unload all shared object library symbols. This discards all symbols
17076 that have been loaded from all shared libraries. Symbols from shared
17077 libraries that were loaded by explicit user requests are not
17078 discarded.
17079 @end table
17080
17081 Sometimes you may wish that @value{GDBN} stops and gives you control
17082 when any of shared library events happen. The best way to do this is
17083 to use @code{catch load} and @code{catch unload} (@pxref{Set
17084 Catchpoints}).
17085
17086 @value{GDBN} also supports the the @code{set stop-on-solib-events}
17087 command for this. This command exists for historical reasons. It is
17088 less useful than setting a catchpoint, because it does not allow for
17089 conditions or commands as a catchpoint does.
17090
17091 @table @code
17092 @item set stop-on-solib-events
17093 @kindex set stop-on-solib-events
17094 This command controls whether @value{GDBN} should give you control
17095 when the dynamic linker notifies it about some shared library event.
17096 The most common event of interest is loading or unloading of a new
17097 shared library.
17098
17099 @item show stop-on-solib-events
17100 @kindex show stop-on-solib-events
17101 Show whether @value{GDBN} stops and gives you control when shared
17102 library events happen.
17103 @end table
17104
17105 Shared libraries are also supported in many cross or remote debugging
17106 configurations. @value{GDBN} needs to have access to the target's libraries;
17107 this can be accomplished either by providing copies of the libraries
17108 on the host system, or by asking @value{GDBN} to automatically retrieve the
17109 libraries from the target. If copies of the target libraries are
17110 provided, they need to be the same as the target libraries, although the
17111 copies on the target can be stripped as long as the copies on the host are
17112 not.
17113
17114 @cindex where to look for shared libraries
17115 For remote debugging, you need to tell @value{GDBN} where the target
17116 libraries are, so that it can load the correct copies---otherwise, it
17117 may try to load the host's libraries. @value{GDBN} has two variables
17118 to specify the search directories for target libraries.
17119
17120 @table @code
17121 @cindex prefix for shared library file names
17122 @cindex system root, alternate
17123 @kindex set solib-absolute-prefix
17124 @kindex set sysroot
17125 @item set sysroot @var{path}
17126 Use @var{path} as the system root for the program being debugged. Any
17127 absolute shared library paths will be prefixed with @var{path}; many
17128 runtime loaders store the absolute paths to the shared library in the
17129 target program's memory. If you use @code{set sysroot} to find shared
17130 libraries, they need to be laid out in the same way that they are on
17131 the target, with e.g.@: a @file{/lib} and @file{/usr/lib} hierarchy
17132 under @var{path}.
17133
17134 If @var{path} starts with the sequence @file{remote:}, @value{GDBN} will
17135 retrieve the target libraries from the remote system. This is only
17136 supported when using a remote target that supports the @code{remote get}
17137 command (@pxref{File Transfer,,Sending files to a remote system}).
17138 The part of @var{path} following the initial @file{remote:}
17139 (if present) is used as system root prefix on the remote file system.
17140 @footnote{If you want to specify a local system root using a directory
17141 that happens to be named @file{remote:}, you need to use some equivalent
17142 variant of the name like @file{./remote:}.}
17143
17144 For targets with an MS-DOS based filesystem, such as MS-Windows and
17145 SymbianOS, @value{GDBN} tries prefixing a few variants of the target
17146 absolute file name with @var{path}. But first, on Unix hosts,
17147 @value{GDBN} converts all backslash directory separators into forward
17148 slashes, because the backslash is not a directory separator on Unix:
17149
17150 @smallexample
17151 c:\foo\bar.dll @result{} c:/foo/bar.dll
17152 @end smallexample
17153
17154 Then, @value{GDBN} attempts prefixing the target file name with
17155 @var{path}, and looks for the resulting file name in the host file
17156 system:
17157
17158 @smallexample
17159 c:/foo/bar.dll @result{} /path/to/sysroot/c:/foo/bar.dll
17160 @end smallexample
17161
17162 If that does not find the shared library, @value{GDBN} tries removing
17163 the @samp{:} character from the drive spec, both for convenience, and,
17164 for the case of the host file system not supporting file names with
17165 colons:
17166
17167 @smallexample
17168 c:/foo/bar.dll @result{} /path/to/sysroot/c/foo/bar.dll
17169 @end smallexample
17170
17171 This makes it possible to have a system root that mirrors a target
17172 with more than one drive. E.g., you may want to setup your local
17173 copies of the target system shared libraries like so (note @samp{c} vs
17174 @samp{z}):
17175
17176 @smallexample
17177 @file{/path/to/sysroot/c/sys/bin/foo.dll}
17178 @file{/path/to/sysroot/c/sys/bin/bar.dll}
17179 @file{/path/to/sysroot/z/sys/bin/bar.dll}
17180 @end smallexample
17181
17182 @noindent
17183 and point the system root at @file{/path/to/sysroot}, so that
17184 @value{GDBN} can find the correct copies of both
17185 @file{c:\sys\bin\foo.dll}, and @file{z:\sys\bin\bar.dll}.
17186
17187 If that still does not find the shared library, @value{GDBN} tries
17188 removing the whole drive spec from the target file name:
17189
17190 @smallexample
17191 c:/foo/bar.dll @result{} /path/to/sysroot/foo/bar.dll
17192 @end smallexample
17193
17194 This last lookup makes it possible to not care about the drive name,
17195 if you don't want or need to.
17196
17197 The @code{set solib-absolute-prefix} command is an alias for @code{set
17198 sysroot}.
17199
17200 @cindex default system root
17201 @cindex @samp{--with-sysroot}
17202 You can set the default system root by using the configure-time
17203 @samp{--with-sysroot} option. If the system root is inside
17204 @value{GDBN}'s configured binary prefix (set with @samp{--prefix} or
17205 @samp{--exec-prefix}), then the default system root will be updated
17206 automatically if the installed @value{GDBN} is moved to a new
17207 location.
17208
17209 @kindex show sysroot
17210 @item show sysroot
17211 Display the current shared library prefix.
17212
17213 @kindex set solib-search-path
17214 @item set solib-search-path @var{path}
17215 If this variable is set, @var{path} is a colon-separated list of
17216 directories to search for shared libraries. @samp{solib-search-path}
17217 is used after @samp{sysroot} fails to locate the library, or if the
17218 path to the library is relative instead of absolute. If you want to
17219 use @samp{solib-search-path} instead of @samp{sysroot}, be sure to set
17220 @samp{sysroot} to a nonexistent directory to prevent @value{GDBN} from
17221 finding your host's libraries. @samp{sysroot} is preferred; setting
17222 it to a nonexistent directory may interfere with automatic loading
17223 of shared library symbols.
17224
17225 @kindex show solib-search-path
17226 @item show solib-search-path
17227 Display the current shared library search path.
17228
17229 @cindex DOS file-name semantics of file names.
17230 @kindex set target-file-system-kind (unix|dos-based|auto)
17231 @kindex show target-file-system-kind
17232 @item set target-file-system-kind @var{kind}
17233 Set assumed file system kind for target reported file names.
17234
17235 Shared library file names as reported by the target system may not
17236 make sense as is on the system @value{GDBN} is running on. For
17237 example, when remote debugging a target that has MS-DOS based file
17238 system semantics, from a Unix host, the target may be reporting to
17239 @value{GDBN} a list of loaded shared libraries with file names such as
17240 @file{c:\Windows\kernel32.dll}. On Unix hosts, there's no concept of
17241 drive letters, so the @samp{c:\} prefix is not normally understood as
17242 indicating an absolute file name, and neither is the backslash
17243 normally considered a directory separator character. In that case,
17244 the native file system would interpret this whole absolute file name
17245 as a relative file name with no directory components. This would make
17246 it impossible to point @value{GDBN} at a copy of the remote target's
17247 shared libraries on the host using @code{set sysroot}, and impractical
17248 with @code{set solib-search-path}. Setting
17249 @code{target-file-system-kind} to @code{dos-based} tells @value{GDBN}
17250 to interpret such file names similarly to how the target would, and to
17251 map them to file names valid on @value{GDBN}'s native file system
17252 semantics. The value of @var{kind} can be @code{"auto"}, in addition
17253 to one of the supported file system kinds. In that case, @value{GDBN}
17254 tries to determine the appropriate file system variant based on the
17255 current target's operating system (@pxref{ABI, ,Configuring the
17256 Current ABI}). The supported file system settings are:
17257
17258 @table @code
17259 @item unix
17260 Instruct @value{GDBN} to assume the target file system is of Unix
17261 kind. Only file names starting the forward slash (@samp{/}) character
17262 are considered absolute, and the directory separator character is also
17263 the forward slash.
17264
17265 @item dos-based
17266 Instruct @value{GDBN} to assume the target file system is DOS based.
17267 File names starting with either a forward slash, or a drive letter
17268 followed by a colon (e.g., @samp{c:}), are considered absolute, and
17269 both the slash (@samp{/}) and the backslash (@samp{\\}) characters are
17270 considered directory separators.
17271
17272 @item auto
17273 Instruct @value{GDBN} to use the file system kind associated with the
17274 target operating system (@pxref{ABI, ,Configuring the Current ABI}).
17275 This is the default.
17276 @end table
17277 @end table
17278
17279 @cindex file name canonicalization
17280 @cindex base name differences
17281 When processing file names provided by the user, @value{GDBN}
17282 frequently needs to compare them to the file names recorded in the
17283 program's debug info. Normally, @value{GDBN} compares just the
17284 @dfn{base names} of the files as strings, which is reasonably fast
17285 even for very large programs. (The base name of a file is the last
17286 portion of its name, after stripping all the leading directories.)
17287 This shortcut in comparison is based upon the assumption that files
17288 cannot have more than one base name. This is usually true, but
17289 references to files that use symlinks or similar filesystem
17290 facilities violate that assumption. If your program records files
17291 using such facilities, or if you provide file names to @value{GDBN}
17292 using symlinks etc., you can set @code{basenames-may-differ} to
17293 @code{true} to instruct @value{GDBN} to completely canonicalize each
17294 pair of file names it needs to compare. This will make file-name
17295 comparisons accurate, but at a price of a significant slowdown.
17296
17297 @table @code
17298 @item set basenames-may-differ
17299 @kindex set basenames-may-differ
17300 Set whether a source file may have multiple base names.
17301
17302 @item show basenames-may-differ
17303 @kindex show basenames-may-differ
17304 Show whether a source file may have multiple base names.
17305 @end table
17306
17307 @node Separate Debug Files
17308 @section Debugging Information in Separate Files
17309 @cindex separate debugging information files
17310 @cindex debugging information in separate files
17311 @cindex @file{.debug} subdirectories
17312 @cindex debugging information directory, global
17313 @cindex global debugging information directories
17314 @cindex build ID, and separate debugging files
17315 @cindex @file{.build-id} directory
17316
17317 @value{GDBN} allows you to put a program's debugging information in a
17318 file separate from the executable itself, in a way that allows
17319 @value{GDBN} to find and load the debugging information automatically.
17320 Since debugging information can be very large---sometimes larger
17321 than the executable code itself---some systems distribute debugging
17322 information for their executables in separate files, which users can
17323 install only when they need to debug a problem.
17324
17325 @value{GDBN} supports two ways of specifying the separate debug info
17326 file:
17327
17328 @itemize @bullet
17329 @item
17330 The executable contains a @dfn{debug link} that specifies the name of
17331 the separate debug info file. The separate debug file's name is
17332 usually @file{@var{executable}.debug}, where @var{executable} is the
17333 name of the corresponding executable file without leading directories
17334 (e.g., @file{ls.debug} for @file{/usr/bin/ls}). In addition, the
17335 debug link specifies a 32-bit @dfn{Cyclic Redundancy Check} (CRC)
17336 checksum for the debug file, which @value{GDBN} uses to validate that
17337 the executable and the debug file came from the same build.
17338
17339 @item
17340 The executable contains a @dfn{build ID}, a unique bit string that is
17341 also present in the corresponding debug info file. (This is supported
17342 only on some operating systems, notably those which use the ELF format
17343 for binary files and the @sc{gnu} Binutils.) For more details about
17344 this feature, see the description of the @option{--build-id}
17345 command-line option in @ref{Options, , Command Line Options, ld.info,
17346 The GNU Linker}. The debug info file's name is not specified
17347 explicitly by the build ID, but can be computed from the build ID, see
17348 below.
17349 @end itemize
17350
17351 Depending on the way the debug info file is specified, @value{GDBN}
17352 uses two different methods of looking for the debug file:
17353
17354 @itemize @bullet
17355 @item
17356 For the ``debug link'' method, @value{GDBN} looks up the named file in
17357 the directory of the executable file, then in a subdirectory of that
17358 directory named @file{.debug}, and finally under each one of the global debug
17359 directories, in a subdirectory whose name is identical to the leading
17360 directories of the executable's absolute file name.
17361
17362 @item
17363 For the ``build ID'' method, @value{GDBN} looks in the
17364 @file{.build-id} subdirectory of each one of the global debug directories for
17365 a file named @file{@var{nn}/@var{nnnnnnnn}.debug}, where @var{nn} are the
17366 first 2 hex characters of the build ID bit string, and @var{nnnnnnnn}
17367 are the rest of the bit string. (Real build ID strings are 32 or more
17368 hex characters, not 10.)
17369 @end itemize
17370
17371 So, for example, suppose you ask @value{GDBN} to debug
17372 @file{/usr/bin/ls}, which has a debug link that specifies the
17373 file @file{ls.debug}, and a build ID whose value in hex is
17374 @code{abcdef1234}. If the list of the global debug directories includes
17375 @file{/usr/lib/debug}, then @value{GDBN} will look for the following
17376 debug information files, in the indicated order:
17377
17378 @itemize @minus
17379 @item
17380 @file{/usr/lib/debug/.build-id/ab/cdef1234.debug}
17381 @item
17382 @file{/usr/bin/ls.debug}
17383 @item
17384 @file{/usr/bin/.debug/ls.debug}
17385 @item
17386 @file{/usr/lib/debug/usr/bin/ls.debug}.
17387 @end itemize
17388
17389 @anchor{debug-file-directory}
17390 Global debugging info directories default to what is set by @value{GDBN}
17391 configure option @option{--with-separate-debug-dir}. During @value{GDBN} run
17392 you can also set the global debugging info directories, and view the list
17393 @value{GDBN} is currently using.
17394
17395 @table @code
17396
17397 @kindex set debug-file-directory
17398 @item set debug-file-directory @var{directories}
17399 Set the directories which @value{GDBN} searches for separate debugging
17400 information files to @var{directory}. Multiple path components can be set
17401 concatenating them by a path separator.
17402
17403 @kindex show debug-file-directory
17404 @item show debug-file-directory
17405 Show the directories @value{GDBN} searches for separate debugging
17406 information files.
17407
17408 @end table
17409
17410 @cindex @code{.gnu_debuglink} sections
17411 @cindex debug link sections
17412 A debug link is a special section of the executable file named
17413 @code{.gnu_debuglink}. The section must contain:
17414
17415 @itemize
17416 @item
17417 A filename, with any leading directory components removed, followed by
17418 a zero byte,
17419 @item
17420 zero to three bytes of padding, as needed to reach the next four-byte
17421 boundary within the section, and
17422 @item
17423 a four-byte CRC checksum, stored in the same endianness used for the
17424 executable file itself. The checksum is computed on the debugging
17425 information file's full contents by the function given below, passing
17426 zero as the @var{crc} argument.
17427 @end itemize
17428
17429 Any executable file format can carry a debug link, as long as it can
17430 contain a section named @code{.gnu_debuglink} with the contents
17431 described above.
17432
17433 @cindex @code{.note.gnu.build-id} sections
17434 @cindex build ID sections
17435 The build ID is a special section in the executable file (and in other
17436 ELF binary files that @value{GDBN} may consider). This section is
17437 often named @code{.note.gnu.build-id}, but that name is not mandatory.
17438 It contains unique identification for the built files---the ID remains
17439 the same across multiple builds of the same build tree. The default
17440 algorithm SHA1 produces 160 bits (40 hexadecimal characters) of the
17441 content for the build ID string. The same section with an identical
17442 value is present in the original built binary with symbols, in its
17443 stripped variant, and in the separate debugging information file.
17444
17445 The debugging information file itself should be an ordinary
17446 executable, containing a full set of linker symbols, sections, and
17447 debugging information. The sections of the debugging information file
17448 should have the same names, addresses, and sizes as the original file,
17449 but they need not contain any data---much like a @code{.bss} section
17450 in an ordinary executable.
17451
17452 The @sc{gnu} binary utilities (Binutils) package includes the
17453 @samp{objcopy} utility that can produce
17454 the separated executable / debugging information file pairs using the
17455 following commands:
17456
17457 @smallexample
17458 @kbd{objcopy --only-keep-debug foo foo.debug}
17459 @kbd{strip -g foo}
17460 @end smallexample
17461
17462 @noindent
17463 These commands remove the debugging
17464 information from the executable file @file{foo} and place it in the file
17465 @file{foo.debug}. You can use the first, second or both methods to link the
17466 two files:
17467
17468 @itemize @bullet
17469 @item
17470 The debug link method needs the following additional command to also leave
17471 behind a debug link in @file{foo}:
17472
17473 @smallexample
17474 @kbd{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.debug foo}
17475 @end smallexample
17476
17477 Ulrich Drepper's @file{elfutils} package, starting with version 0.53, contains
17478 a version of the @code{strip} command such that the command @kbd{strip foo -f
17479 foo.debug} has the same functionality as the two @code{objcopy} commands and
17480 the @code{ln -s} command above, together.
17481
17482 @item
17483 Build ID gets embedded into the main executable using @code{ld --build-id} or
17484 the @value{NGCC} counterpart @code{gcc -Wl,--build-id}. Build ID support plus
17485 compatibility fixes for debug files separation are present in @sc{gnu} binary
17486 utilities (Binutils) package since version 2.18.
17487 @end itemize
17488
17489 @noindent
17490
17491 @cindex CRC algorithm definition
17492 The CRC used in @code{.gnu_debuglink} is the CRC-32 defined in
17493 IEEE 802.3 using the polynomial:
17494
17495 @c TexInfo requires naked braces for multi-digit exponents for Tex
17496 @c output, but this causes HTML output to barf. HTML has to be set using
17497 @c raw commands. So we end up having to specify this equation in 2
17498 @c different ways!
17499 @ifhtml
17500 @display
17501 @html
17502 <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>
17503 + <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
17504 @end html
17505 @end display
17506 @end ifhtml
17507 @ifnothtml
17508 @display
17509 @math{x^{32} + x^{26} + x^{23} + x^{22} + x^{16} + x^{12} + x^{11}}
17510 @math{+ x^{10} + x^8 + x^7 + x^5 + x^4 + x^2 + x + 1}
17511 @end display
17512 @end ifnothtml
17513
17514 The function is computed byte at a time, taking the least
17515 significant bit of each byte first. The initial pattern
17516 @code{0xffffffff} is used, to ensure leading zeros affect the CRC and
17517 the final result is inverted to ensure trailing zeros also affect the
17518 CRC.
17519
17520 @emph{Note:} This is the same CRC polynomial as used in handling the
17521 @dfn{Remote Serial Protocol} @code{qCRC} packet (@pxref{Remote Protocol,
17522 , @value{GDBN} Remote Serial Protocol}). However in the
17523 case of the Remote Serial Protocol, the CRC is computed @emph{most}
17524 significant bit first, and the result is not inverted, so trailing
17525 zeros have no effect on the CRC value.
17526
17527 To complete the description, we show below the code of the function
17528 which produces the CRC used in @code{.gnu_debuglink}. Inverting the
17529 initially supplied @code{crc} argument means that an initial call to
17530 this function passing in zero will start computing the CRC using
17531 @code{0xffffffff}.
17532
17533 @kindex gnu_debuglink_crc32
17534 @smallexample
17535 unsigned long
17536 gnu_debuglink_crc32 (unsigned long crc,
17537 unsigned char *buf, size_t len)
17538 @{
17539 static const unsigned long crc32_table[256] =
17540 @{
17541 0x00000000, 0x77073096, 0xee0e612c, 0x990951ba, 0x076dc419,
17542 0x706af48f, 0xe963a535, 0x9e6495a3, 0x0edb8832, 0x79dcb8a4,
17543 0xe0d5e91e, 0x97d2d988, 0x09b64c2b, 0x7eb17cbd, 0xe7b82d07,
17544 0x90bf1d91, 0x1db71064, 0x6ab020f2, 0xf3b97148, 0x84be41de,
17545 0x1adad47d, 0x6ddde4eb, 0xf4d4b551, 0x83d385c7, 0x136c9856,
17546 0x646ba8c0, 0xfd62f97a, 0x8a65c9ec, 0x14015c4f, 0x63066cd9,
17547 0xfa0f3d63, 0x8d080df5, 0x3b6e20c8, 0x4c69105e, 0xd56041e4,
17548 0xa2677172, 0x3c03e4d1, 0x4b04d447, 0xd20d85fd, 0xa50ab56b,
17549 0x35b5a8fa, 0x42b2986c, 0xdbbbc9d6, 0xacbcf940, 0x32d86ce3,
17550 0x45df5c75, 0xdcd60dcf, 0xabd13d59, 0x26d930ac, 0x51de003a,
17551 0xc8d75180, 0xbfd06116, 0x21b4f4b5, 0x56b3c423, 0xcfba9599,
17552 0xb8bda50f, 0x2802b89e, 0x5f058808, 0xc60cd9b2, 0xb10be924,
17553 0x2f6f7c87, 0x58684c11, 0xc1611dab, 0xb6662d3d, 0x76dc4190,
17554 0x01db7106, 0x98d220bc, 0xefd5102a, 0x71b18589, 0x06b6b51f,
17555 0x9fbfe4a5, 0xe8b8d433, 0x7807c9a2, 0x0f00f934, 0x9609a88e,
17556 0xe10e9818, 0x7f6a0dbb, 0x086d3d2d, 0x91646c97, 0xe6635c01,
17557 0x6b6b51f4, 0x1c6c6162, 0x856530d8, 0xf262004e, 0x6c0695ed,
17558 0x1b01a57b, 0x8208f4c1, 0xf50fc457, 0x65b0d9c6, 0x12b7e950,
17559 0x8bbeb8ea, 0xfcb9887c, 0x62dd1ddf, 0x15da2d49, 0x8cd37cf3,
17560 0xfbd44c65, 0x4db26158, 0x3ab551ce, 0xa3bc0074, 0xd4bb30e2,
17561 0x4adfa541, 0x3dd895d7, 0xa4d1c46d, 0xd3d6f4fb, 0x4369e96a,
17562 0x346ed9fc, 0xad678846, 0xda60b8d0, 0x44042d73, 0x33031de5,
17563 0xaa0a4c5f, 0xdd0d7cc9, 0x5005713c, 0x270241aa, 0xbe0b1010,
17564 0xc90c2086, 0x5768b525, 0x206f85b3, 0xb966d409, 0xce61e49f,
17565 0x5edef90e, 0x29d9c998, 0xb0d09822, 0xc7d7a8b4, 0x59b33d17,
17566 0x2eb40d81, 0xb7bd5c3b, 0xc0ba6cad, 0xedb88320, 0x9abfb3b6,
17567 0x03b6e20c, 0x74b1d29a, 0xead54739, 0x9dd277af, 0x04db2615,
17568 0x73dc1683, 0xe3630b12, 0x94643b84, 0x0d6d6a3e, 0x7a6a5aa8,
17569 0xe40ecf0b, 0x9309ff9d, 0x0a00ae27, 0x7d079eb1, 0xf00f9344,
17570 0x8708a3d2, 0x1e01f268, 0x6906c2fe, 0xf762575d, 0x806567cb,
17571 0x196c3671, 0x6e6b06e7, 0xfed41b76, 0x89d32be0, 0x10da7a5a,
17572 0x67dd4acc, 0xf9b9df6f, 0x8ebeeff9, 0x17b7be43, 0x60b08ed5,
17573 0xd6d6a3e8, 0xa1d1937e, 0x38d8c2c4, 0x4fdff252, 0xd1bb67f1,
17574 0xa6bc5767, 0x3fb506dd, 0x48b2364b, 0xd80d2bda, 0xaf0a1b4c,
17575 0x36034af6, 0x41047a60, 0xdf60efc3, 0xa867df55, 0x316e8eef,
17576 0x4669be79, 0xcb61b38c, 0xbc66831a, 0x256fd2a0, 0x5268e236,
17577 0xcc0c7795, 0xbb0b4703, 0x220216b9, 0x5505262f, 0xc5ba3bbe,
17578 0xb2bd0b28, 0x2bb45a92, 0x5cb36a04, 0xc2d7ffa7, 0xb5d0cf31,
17579 0x2cd99e8b, 0x5bdeae1d, 0x9b64c2b0, 0xec63f226, 0x756aa39c,
17580 0x026d930a, 0x9c0906a9, 0xeb0e363f, 0x72076785, 0x05005713,
17581 0x95bf4a82, 0xe2b87a14, 0x7bb12bae, 0x0cb61b38, 0x92d28e9b,
17582 0xe5d5be0d, 0x7cdcefb7, 0x0bdbdf21, 0x86d3d2d4, 0xf1d4e242,
17583 0x68ddb3f8, 0x1fda836e, 0x81be16cd, 0xf6b9265b, 0x6fb077e1,
17584 0x18b74777, 0x88085ae6, 0xff0f6a70, 0x66063bca, 0x11010b5c,
17585 0x8f659eff, 0xf862ae69, 0x616bffd3, 0x166ccf45, 0xa00ae278,
17586 0xd70dd2ee, 0x4e048354, 0x3903b3c2, 0xa7672661, 0xd06016f7,
17587 0x4969474d, 0x3e6e77db, 0xaed16a4a, 0xd9d65adc, 0x40df0b66,
17588 0x37d83bf0, 0xa9bcae53, 0xdebb9ec5, 0x47b2cf7f, 0x30b5ffe9,
17589 0xbdbdf21c, 0xcabac28a, 0x53b39330, 0x24b4a3a6, 0xbad03605,
17590 0xcdd70693, 0x54de5729, 0x23d967bf, 0xb3667a2e, 0xc4614ab8,
17591 0x5d681b02, 0x2a6f2b94, 0xb40bbe37, 0xc30c8ea1, 0x5a05df1b,
17592 0x2d02ef8d
17593 @};
17594 unsigned char *end;
17595
17596 crc = ~crc & 0xffffffff;
17597 for (end = buf + len; buf < end; ++buf)
17598 crc = crc32_table[(crc ^ *buf) & 0xff] ^ (crc >> 8);
17599 return ~crc & 0xffffffff;
17600 @}
17601 @end smallexample
17602
17603 @noindent
17604 This computation does not apply to the ``build ID'' method.
17605
17606 @node MiniDebugInfo
17607 @section Debugging information in a special section
17608 @cindex separate debug sections
17609 @cindex @samp{.gnu_debugdata} section
17610
17611 Some systems ship pre-built executables and libraries that have a
17612 special @samp{.gnu_debugdata} section. This feature is called
17613 @dfn{MiniDebugInfo}. This section holds an LZMA-compressed object and
17614 is used to supply extra symbols for backtraces.
17615
17616 The intent of this section is to provide extra minimal debugging
17617 information for use in simple backtraces. It is not intended to be a
17618 replacement for full separate debugging information (@pxref{Separate
17619 Debug Files}). The example below shows the intended use; however,
17620 @value{GDBN} does not currently put restrictions on what sort of
17621 debugging information might be included in the section.
17622
17623 @value{GDBN} has support for this extension. If the section exists,
17624 then it is used provided that no other source of debugging information
17625 can be found, and that @value{GDBN} was configured with LZMA support.
17626
17627 This section can be easily created using @command{objcopy} and other
17628 standard utilities:
17629
17630 @smallexample
17631 # Extract the dynamic symbols from the main binary, there is no need
17632 # to also have these in the normal symbol table.
17633 nm -D @var{binary} --format=posix --defined-only \
17634 | awk '@{ print $1 @}' | sort > dynsyms
17635
17636 # Extract all the text (i.e. function) symbols from the debuginfo.
17637 # (Note that we actually also accept "D" symbols, for the benefit
17638 # of platforms like PowerPC64 that use function descriptors.)
17639 nm @var{binary} --format=posix --defined-only \
17640 | awk '@{ if ($2 == "T" || $2 == "t" || $2 == "D") print $1 @}' \
17641 | sort > funcsyms
17642
17643 # Keep all the function symbols not already in the dynamic symbol
17644 # table.
17645 comm -13 dynsyms funcsyms > keep_symbols
17646
17647 # Separate full debug info into debug binary.
17648 objcopy --only-keep-debug @var{binary} debug
17649
17650 # Copy the full debuginfo, keeping only a minimal set of symbols and
17651 # removing some unnecessary sections.
17652 objcopy -S --remove-section .gdb_index --remove-section .comment \
17653 --keep-symbols=keep_symbols debug mini_debuginfo
17654
17655 # Drop the full debug info from the original binary.
17656 strip --strip-all -R .comment @var{binary}
17657
17658 # Inject the compressed data into the .gnu_debugdata section of the
17659 # original binary.
17660 xz mini_debuginfo
17661 objcopy --add-section .gnu_debugdata=mini_debuginfo.xz @var{binary}
17662 @end smallexample
17663
17664 @node Index Files
17665 @section Index Files Speed Up @value{GDBN}
17666 @cindex index files
17667 @cindex @samp{.gdb_index} section
17668
17669 When @value{GDBN} finds a symbol file, it scans the symbols in the
17670 file in order to construct an internal symbol table. This lets most
17671 @value{GDBN} operations work quickly---at the cost of a delay early
17672 on. For large programs, this delay can be quite lengthy, so
17673 @value{GDBN} provides a way to build an index, which speeds up
17674 startup.
17675
17676 The index is stored as a section in the symbol file. @value{GDBN} can
17677 write the index to a file, then you can put it into the symbol file
17678 using @command{objcopy}.
17679
17680 To create an index file, use the @code{save gdb-index} command:
17681
17682 @table @code
17683 @item save gdb-index @var{directory}
17684 @kindex save gdb-index
17685 Create an index file for each symbol file currently known by
17686 @value{GDBN}. Each file is named after its corresponding symbol file,
17687 with @samp{.gdb-index} appended, and is written into the given
17688 @var{directory}.
17689 @end table
17690
17691 Once you have created an index file you can merge it into your symbol
17692 file, here named @file{symfile}, using @command{objcopy}:
17693
17694 @smallexample
17695 $ objcopy --add-section .gdb_index=symfile.gdb-index \
17696 --set-section-flags .gdb_index=readonly symfile symfile
17697 @end smallexample
17698
17699 @value{GDBN} will normally ignore older versions of @file{.gdb_index}
17700 sections that have been deprecated. Usually they are deprecated because
17701 they are missing a new feature or have performance issues.
17702 To tell @value{GDBN} to use a deprecated index section anyway
17703 specify @code{set use-deprecated-index-sections on}.
17704 The default is @code{off}.
17705 This can speed up startup, but may result in some functionality being lost.
17706 @xref{Index Section Format}.
17707
17708 @emph{Warning:} Setting @code{use-deprecated-index-sections} to @code{on}
17709 must be done before gdb reads the file. The following will not work:
17710
17711 @smallexample
17712 $ gdb -ex "set use-deprecated-index-sections on" <program>
17713 @end smallexample
17714
17715 Instead you must do, for example,
17716
17717 @smallexample
17718 $ gdb -iex "set use-deprecated-index-sections on" <program>
17719 @end smallexample
17720
17721 There are currently some limitation on indices. They only work when
17722 for DWARF debugging information, not stabs. And, they do not
17723 currently work for programs using Ada.
17724
17725 @node Symbol Errors
17726 @section Errors Reading Symbol Files
17727
17728 While reading a symbol file, @value{GDBN} occasionally encounters problems,
17729 such as symbol types it does not recognize, or known bugs in compiler
17730 output. By default, @value{GDBN} does not notify you of such problems, since
17731 they are relatively common and primarily of interest to people
17732 debugging compilers. If you are interested in seeing information
17733 about ill-constructed symbol tables, you can either ask @value{GDBN} to print
17734 only one message about each such type of problem, no matter how many
17735 times the problem occurs; or you can ask @value{GDBN} to print more messages,
17736 to see how many times the problems occur, with the @code{set
17737 complaints} command (@pxref{Messages/Warnings, ,Optional Warnings and
17738 Messages}).
17739
17740 The messages currently printed, and their meanings, include:
17741
17742 @table @code
17743 @item inner block not inside outer block in @var{symbol}
17744
17745 The symbol information shows where symbol scopes begin and end
17746 (such as at the start of a function or a block of statements). This
17747 error indicates that an inner scope block is not fully contained
17748 in its outer scope blocks.
17749
17750 @value{GDBN} circumvents the problem by treating the inner block as if it had
17751 the same scope as the outer block. In the error message, @var{symbol}
17752 may be shown as ``@code{(don't know)}'' if the outer block is not a
17753 function.
17754
17755 @item block at @var{address} out of order
17756
17757 The symbol information for symbol scope blocks should occur in
17758 order of increasing addresses. This error indicates that it does not
17759 do so.
17760
17761 @value{GDBN} does not circumvent this problem, and has trouble
17762 locating symbols in the source file whose symbols it is reading. (You
17763 can often determine what source file is affected by specifying
17764 @code{set verbose on}. @xref{Messages/Warnings, ,Optional Warnings and
17765 Messages}.)
17766
17767 @item bad block start address patched
17768
17769 The symbol information for a symbol scope block has a start address
17770 smaller than the address of the preceding source line. This is known
17771 to occur in the SunOS 4.1.1 (and earlier) C compiler.
17772
17773 @value{GDBN} circumvents the problem by treating the symbol scope block as
17774 starting on the previous source line.
17775
17776 @item bad string table offset in symbol @var{n}
17777
17778 @cindex foo
17779 Symbol number @var{n} contains a pointer into the string table which is
17780 larger than the size of the string table.
17781
17782 @value{GDBN} circumvents the problem by considering the symbol to have the
17783 name @code{foo}, which may cause other problems if many symbols end up
17784 with this name.
17785
17786 @item unknown symbol type @code{0x@var{nn}}
17787
17788 The symbol information contains new data types that @value{GDBN} does
17789 not yet know how to read. @code{0x@var{nn}} is the symbol type of the
17790 uncomprehended information, in hexadecimal.
17791
17792 @value{GDBN} circumvents the error by ignoring this symbol information.
17793 This usually allows you to debug your program, though certain symbols
17794 are not accessible. If you encounter such a problem and feel like
17795 debugging it, you can debug @code{@value{GDBP}} with itself, breakpoint
17796 on @code{complain}, then go up to the function @code{read_dbx_symtab}
17797 and examine @code{*bufp} to see the symbol.
17798
17799 @item stub type has NULL name
17800
17801 @value{GDBN} could not find the full definition for a struct or class.
17802
17803 @item const/volatile indicator missing (ok if using g++ v1.x), got@dots{}
17804 The symbol information for a C@t{++} member function is missing some
17805 information that recent versions of the compiler should have output for
17806 it.
17807
17808 @item info mismatch between compiler and debugger
17809
17810 @value{GDBN} could not parse a type specification output by the compiler.
17811
17812 @end table
17813
17814 @node Data Files
17815 @section GDB Data Files
17816
17817 @cindex prefix for data files
17818 @value{GDBN} will sometimes read an auxiliary data file. These files
17819 are kept in a directory known as the @dfn{data directory}.
17820
17821 You can set the data directory's name, and view the name @value{GDBN}
17822 is currently using.
17823
17824 @table @code
17825 @kindex set data-directory
17826 @item set data-directory @var{directory}
17827 Set the directory which @value{GDBN} searches for auxiliary data files
17828 to @var{directory}.
17829
17830 @kindex show data-directory
17831 @item show data-directory
17832 Show the directory @value{GDBN} searches for auxiliary data files.
17833 @end table
17834
17835 @cindex default data directory
17836 @cindex @samp{--with-gdb-datadir}
17837 You can set the default data directory by using the configure-time
17838 @samp{--with-gdb-datadir} option. If the data directory is inside
17839 @value{GDBN}'s configured binary prefix (set with @samp{--prefix} or
17840 @samp{--exec-prefix}), then the default data directory will be updated
17841 automatically if the installed @value{GDBN} is moved to a new
17842 location.
17843
17844 The data directory may also be specified with the
17845 @code{--data-directory} command line option.
17846 @xref{Mode Options}.
17847
17848 @node Targets
17849 @chapter Specifying a Debugging Target
17850
17851 @cindex debugging target
17852 A @dfn{target} is the execution environment occupied by your program.
17853
17854 Often, @value{GDBN} runs in the same host environment as your program;
17855 in that case, the debugging target is specified as a side effect when
17856 you use the @code{file} or @code{core} commands. When you need more
17857 flexibility---for example, running @value{GDBN} on a physically separate
17858 host, or controlling a standalone system over a serial port or a
17859 realtime system over a TCP/IP connection---you can use the @code{target}
17860 command to specify one of the target types configured for @value{GDBN}
17861 (@pxref{Target Commands, ,Commands for Managing Targets}).
17862
17863 @cindex target architecture
17864 It is possible to build @value{GDBN} for several different @dfn{target
17865 architectures}. When @value{GDBN} is built like that, you can choose
17866 one of the available architectures with the @kbd{set architecture}
17867 command.
17868
17869 @table @code
17870 @kindex set architecture
17871 @kindex show architecture
17872 @item set architecture @var{arch}
17873 This command sets the current target architecture to @var{arch}. The
17874 value of @var{arch} can be @code{"auto"}, in addition to one of the
17875 supported architectures.
17876
17877 @item show architecture
17878 Show the current target architecture.
17879
17880 @item set processor
17881 @itemx processor
17882 @kindex set processor
17883 @kindex show processor
17884 These are alias commands for, respectively, @code{set architecture}
17885 and @code{show architecture}.
17886 @end table
17887
17888 @menu
17889 * Active Targets:: Active targets
17890 * Target Commands:: Commands for managing targets
17891 * Byte Order:: Choosing target byte order
17892 @end menu
17893
17894 @node Active Targets
17895 @section Active Targets
17896
17897 @cindex stacking targets
17898 @cindex active targets
17899 @cindex multiple targets
17900
17901 There are multiple classes of targets such as: processes, executable files or
17902 recording sessions. Core files belong to the process class, making core file
17903 and process mutually exclusive. Otherwise, @value{GDBN} can work concurrently
17904 on multiple active targets, one in each class. This allows you to (for
17905 example) start a process and inspect its activity, while still having access to
17906 the executable file after the process finishes. Or if you start process
17907 recording (@pxref{Reverse Execution}) and @code{reverse-step} there, you are
17908 presented a virtual layer of the recording target, while the process target
17909 remains stopped at the chronologically last point of the process execution.
17910
17911 Use the @code{core-file} and @code{exec-file} commands to select a new core
17912 file or executable target (@pxref{Files, ,Commands to Specify Files}). To
17913 specify as a target a process that is already running, use the @code{attach}
17914 command (@pxref{Attach, ,Debugging an Already-running Process}).
17915
17916 @node Target Commands
17917 @section Commands for Managing Targets
17918
17919 @table @code
17920 @item target @var{type} @var{parameters}
17921 Connects the @value{GDBN} host environment to a target machine or
17922 process. A target is typically a protocol for talking to debugging
17923 facilities. You use the argument @var{type} to specify the type or
17924 protocol of the target machine.
17925
17926 Further @var{parameters} are interpreted by the target protocol, but
17927 typically include things like device names or host names to connect
17928 with, process numbers, and baud rates.
17929
17930 The @code{target} command does not repeat if you press @key{RET} again
17931 after executing the command.
17932
17933 @kindex help target
17934 @item help target
17935 Displays the names of all targets available. To display targets
17936 currently selected, use either @code{info target} or @code{info files}
17937 (@pxref{Files, ,Commands to Specify Files}).
17938
17939 @item help target @var{name}
17940 Describe a particular target, including any parameters necessary to
17941 select it.
17942
17943 @kindex set gnutarget
17944 @item set gnutarget @var{args}
17945 @value{GDBN} uses its own library BFD to read your files. @value{GDBN}
17946 knows whether it is reading an @dfn{executable},
17947 a @dfn{core}, or a @dfn{.o} file; however, you can specify the file format
17948 with the @code{set gnutarget} command. Unlike most @code{target} commands,
17949 with @code{gnutarget} the @code{target} refers to a program, not a machine.
17950
17951 @quotation
17952 @emph{Warning:} To specify a file format with @code{set gnutarget},
17953 you must know the actual BFD name.
17954 @end quotation
17955
17956 @noindent
17957 @xref{Files, , Commands to Specify Files}.
17958
17959 @kindex show gnutarget
17960 @item show gnutarget
17961 Use the @code{show gnutarget} command to display what file format
17962 @code{gnutarget} is set to read. If you have not set @code{gnutarget},
17963 @value{GDBN} will determine the file format for each file automatically,
17964 and @code{show gnutarget} displays @samp{The current BFD target is "auto"}.
17965 @end table
17966
17967 @cindex common targets
17968 Here are some common targets (available, or not, depending on the GDB
17969 configuration):
17970
17971 @table @code
17972 @kindex target
17973 @item target exec @var{program}
17974 @cindex executable file target
17975 An executable file. @samp{target exec @var{program}} is the same as
17976 @samp{exec-file @var{program}}.
17977
17978 @item target core @var{filename}
17979 @cindex core dump file target
17980 A core dump file. @samp{target core @var{filename}} is the same as
17981 @samp{core-file @var{filename}}.
17982
17983 @item target remote @var{medium}
17984 @cindex remote target
17985 A remote system connected to @value{GDBN} via a serial line or network
17986 connection. This command tells @value{GDBN} to use its own remote
17987 protocol over @var{medium} for debugging. @xref{Remote Debugging}.
17988
17989 For example, if you have a board connected to @file{/dev/ttya} on the
17990 machine running @value{GDBN}, you could say:
17991
17992 @smallexample
17993 target remote /dev/ttya
17994 @end smallexample
17995
17996 @code{target remote} supports the @code{load} command. This is only
17997 useful if you have some other way of getting the stub to the target
17998 system, and you can put it somewhere in memory where it won't get
17999 clobbered by the download.
18000
18001 @item target sim @r{[}@var{simargs}@r{]} @dots{}
18002 @cindex built-in simulator target
18003 Builtin CPU simulator. @value{GDBN} includes simulators for most architectures.
18004 In general,
18005 @smallexample
18006 target sim
18007 load
18008 run
18009 @end smallexample
18010 @noindent
18011 works; however, you cannot assume that a specific memory map, device
18012 drivers, or even basic I/O is available, although some simulators do
18013 provide these. For info about any processor-specific simulator details,
18014 see the appropriate section in @ref{Embedded Processors, ,Embedded
18015 Processors}.
18016
18017 @end table
18018
18019 Different targets are available on different configurations of @value{GDBN};
18020 your configuration may have more or fewer targets.
18021
18022 Many remote targets require you to download the executable's code once
18023 you've successfully established a connection. You may wish to control
18024 various aspects of this process.
18025
18026 @table @code
18027
18028 @item set hash
18029 @kindex set hash@r{, for remote monitors}
18030 @cindex hash mark while downloading
18031 This command controls whether a hash mark @samp{#} is displayed while
18032 downloading a file to the remote monitor. If on, a hash mark is
18033 displayed after each S-record is successfully downloaded to the
18034 monitor.
18035
18036 @item show hash
18037 @kindex show hash@r{, for remote monitors}
18038 Show the current status of displaying the hash mark.
18039
18040 @item set debug monitor
18041 @kindex set debug monitor
18042 @cindex display remote monitor communications
18043 Enable or disable display of communications messages between
18044 @value{GDBN} and the remote monitor.
18045
18046 @item show debug monitor
18047 @kindex show debug monitor
18048 Show the current status of displaying communications between
18049 @value{GDBN} and the remote monitor.
18050 @end table
18051
18052 @table @code
18053
18054 @kindex load @var{filename}
18055 @item load @var{filename}
18056 @anchor{load}
18057 Depending on what remote debugging facilities are configured into
18058 @value{GDBN}, the @code{load} command may be available. Where it exists, it
18059 is meant to make @var{filename} (an executable) available for debugging
18060 on the remote system---by downloading, or dynamic linking, for example.
18061 @code{load} also records the @var{filename} symbol table in @value{GDBN}, like
18062 the @code{add-symbol-file} command.
18063
18064 If your @value{GDBN} does not have a @code{load} command, attempting to
18065 execute it gets the error message ``@code{You can't do that when your
18066 target is @dots{}}''
18067
18068 The file is loaded at whatever address is specified in the executable.
18069 For some object file formats, you can specify the load address when you
18070 link the program; for other formats, like a.out, the object file format
18071 specifies a fixed address.
18072 @c FIXME! This would be a good place for an xref to the GNU linker doc.
18073
18074 Depending on the remote side capabilities, @value{GDBN} may be able to
18075 load programs into flash memory.
18076
18077 @code{load} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} again after using it.
18078 @end table
18079
18080 @node Byte Order
18081 @section Choosing Target Byte Order
18082
18083 @cindex choosing target byte order
18084 @cindex target byte order
18085
18086 Some types of processors, such as the @acronym{MIPS}, PowerPC, and Renesas SH,
18087 offer the ability to run either big-endian or little-endian byte
18088 orders. Usually the executable or symbol will include a bit to
18089 designate the endian-ness, and you will not need to worry about
18090 which to use. However, you may still find it useful to adjust
18091 @value{GDBN}'s idea of processor endian-ness manually.
18092
18093 @table @code
18094 @kindex set endian
18095 @item set endian big
18096 Instruct @value{GDBN} to assume the target is big-endian.
18097
18098 @item set endian little
18099 Instruct @value{GDBN} to assume the target is little-endian.
18100
18101 @item set endian auto
18102 Instruct @value{GDBN} to use the byte order associated with the
18103 executable.
18104
18105 @item show endian
18106 Display @value{GDBN}'s current idea of the target byte order.
18107
18108 @end table
18109
18110 Note that these commands merely adjust interpretation of symbolic
18111 data on the host, and that they have absolutely no effect on the
18112 target system.
18113
18114
18115 @node Remote Debugging
18116 @chapter Debugging Remote Programs
18117 @cindex remote debugging
18118
18119 If you are trying to debug a program running on a machine that cannot run
18120 @value{GDBN} in the usual way, it is often useful to use remote debugging.
18121 For example, you might use remote debugging on an operating system kernel,
18122 or on a small system which does not have a general purpose operating system
18123 powerful enough to run a full-featured debugger.
18124
18125 Some configurations of @value{GDBN} have special serial or TCP/IP interfaces
18126 to make this work with particular debugging targets. In addition,
18127 @value{GDBN} comes with a generic serial protocol (specific to @value{GDBN},
18128 but not specific to any particular target system) which you can use if you
18129 write the remote stubs---the code that runs on the remote system to
18130 communicate with @value{GDBN}.
18131
18132 Other remote targets may be available in your
18133 configuration of @value{GDBN}; use @code{help target} to list them.
18134
18135 @menu
18136 * Connecting:: Connecting to a remote target
18137 * File Transfer:: Sending files to a remote system
18138 * Server:: Using the gdbserver program
18139 * Remote Configuration:: Remote configuration
18140 * Remote Stub:: Implementing a remote stub
18141 @end menu
18142
18143 @node Connecting
18144 @section Connecting to a Remote Target
18145
18146 On the @value{GDBN} host machine, you will need an unstripped copy of
18147 your program, since @value{GDBN} needs symbol and debugging information.
18148 Start up @value{GDBN} as usual, using the name of the local copy of your
18149 program as the first argument.
18150
18151 @cindex @code{target remote}
18152 @value{GDBN} can communicate with the target over a serial line, or
18153 over an @acronym{IP} network using @acronym{TCP} or @acronym{UDP}. In
18154 each case, @value{GDBN} uses the same protocol for debugging your
18155 program; only the medium carrying the debugging packets varies. The
18156 @code{target remote} command establishes a connection to the target.
18157 Its arguments indicate which medium to use:
18158
18159 @table @code
18160
18161 @item target remote @var{serial-device}
18162 @cindex serial line, @code{target remote}
18163 Use @var{serial-device} to communicate with the target. For example,
18164 to use a serial line connected to the device named @file{/dev/ttyb}:
18165
18166 @smallexample
18167 target remote /dev/ttyb
18168 @end smallexample
18169
18170 If you're using a serial line, you may want to give @value{GDBN} the
18171 @samp{--baud} option, or use the @code{set serial baud} command
18172 (@pxref{Remote Configuration, set serial baud}) before the
18173 @code{target} command.
18174
18175 @item target remote @code{@var{host}:@var{port}}
18176 @itemx target remote @code{tcp:@var{host}:@var{port}}
18177 @cindex @acronym{TCP} port, @code{target remote}
18178 Debug using a @acronym{TCP} connection to @var{port} on @var{host}.
18179 The @var{host} may be either a host name or a numeric @acronym{IP}
18180 address; @var{port} must be a decimal number. The @var{host} could be
18181 the target machine itself, if it is directly connected to the net, or
18182 it might be a terminal server which in turn has a serial line to the
18183 target.
18184
18185 For example, to connect to port 2828 on a terminal server named
18186 @code{manyfarms}:
18187
18188 @smallexample
18189 target remote manyfarms:2828
18190 @end smallexample
18191
18192 If your remote target is actually running on the same machine as your
18193 debugger session (e.g.@: a simulator for your target running on the
18194 same host), you can omit the hostname. For example, to connect to
18195 port 1234 on your local machine:
18196
18197 @smallexample
18198 target remote :1234
18199 @end smallexample
18200 @noindent
18201
18202 Note that the colon is still required here.
18203
18204 @item target remote @code{udp:@var{host}:@var{port}}
18205 @cindex @acronym{UDP} port, @code{target remote}
18206 Debug using @acronym{UDP} packets to @var{port} on @var{host}. For example, to
18207 connect to @acronym{UDP} port 2828 on a terminal server named @code{manyfarms}:
18208
18209 @smallexample
18210 target remote udp:manyfarms:2828
18211 @end smallexample
18212
18213 When using a @acronym{UDP} connection for remote debugging, you should
18214 keep in mind that the `U' stands for ``Unreliable''. @acronym{UDP}
18215 can silently drop packets on busy or unreliable networks, which will
18216 cause havoc with your debugging session.
18217
18218 @item target remote | @var{command}
18219 @cindex pipe, @code{target remote} to
18220 Run @var{command} in the background and communicate with it using a
18221 pipe. The @var{command} is a shell command, to be parsed and expanded
18222 by the system's command shell, @code{/bin/sh}; it should expect remote
18223 protocol packets on its standard input, and send replies on its
18224 standard output. You could use this to run a stand-alone simulator
18225 that speaks the remote debugging protocol, to make net connections
18226 using programs like @code{ssh}, or for other similar tricks.
18227
18228 If @var{command} closes its standard output (perhaps by exiting),
18229 @value{GDBN} will try to send it a @code{SIGTERM} signal. (If the
18230 program has already exited, this will have no effect.)
18231
18232 @end table
18233
18234 Once the connection has been established, you can use all the usual
18235 commands to examine and change data. The remote program is already
18236 running; you can use @kbd{step} and @kbd{continue}, and you do not
18237 need to use @kbd{run}.
18238
18239 @cindex interrupting remote programs
18240 @cindex remote programs, interrupting
18241 Whenever @value{GDBN} is waiting for the remote program, if you type the
18242 interrupt character (often @kbd{Ctrl-c}), @value{GDBN} attempts to stop the
18243 program. This may or may not succeed, depending in part on the hardware
18244 and the serial drivers the remote system uses. If you type the
18245 interrupt character once again, @value{GDBN} displays this prompt:
18246
18247 @smallexample
18248 Interrupted while waiting for the program.
18249 Give up (and stop debugging it)? (y or n)
18250 @end smallexample
18251
18252 If you type @kbd{y}, @value{GDBN} abandons the remote debugging session.
18253 (If you decide you want to try again later, you can use @samp{target
18254 remote} again to connect once more.) If you type @kbd{n}, @value{GDBN}
18255 goes back to waiting.
18256
18257 @table @code
18258 @kindex detach (remote)
18259 @item detach
18260 When you have finished debugging the remote program, you can use the
18261 @code{detach} command to release it from @value{GDBN} control.
18262 Detaching from the target normally resumes its execution, but the results
18263 will depend on your particular remote stub. After the @code{detach}
18264 command, @value{GDBN} is free to connect to another target.
18265
18266 @kindex disconnect
18267 @item disconnect
18268 The @code{disconnect} command behaves like @code{detach}, except that
18269 the target is generally not resumed. It will wait for @value{GDBN}
18270 (this instance or another one) to connect and continue debugging. After
18271 the @code{disconnect} command, @value{GDBN} is again free to connect to
18272 another target.
18273
18274 @cindex send command to remote monitor
18275 @cindex extend @value{GDBN} for remote targets
18276 @cindex add new commands for external monitor
18277 @kindex monitor
18278 @item monitor @var{cmd}
18279 This command allows you to send arbitrary commands directly to the
18280 remote monitor. Since @value{GDBN} doesn't care about the commands it
18281 sends like this, this command is the way to extend @value{GDBN}---you
18282 can add new commands that only the external monitor will understand
18283 and implement.
18284 @end table
18285
18286 @node File Transfer
18287 @section Sending files to a remote system
18288 @cindex remote target, file transfer
18289 @cindex file transfer
18290 @cindex sending files to remote systems
18291
18292 Some remote targets offer the ability to transfer files over the same
18293 connection used to communicate with @value{GDBN}. This is convenient
18294 for targets accessible through other means, e.g.@: @sc{gnu}/Linux systems
18295 running @code{gdbserver} over a network interface. For other targets,
18296 e.g.@: embedded devices with only a single serial port, this may be
18297 the only way to upload or download files.
18298
18299 Not all remote targets support these commands.
18300
18301 @table @code
18302 @kindex remote put
18303 @item remote put @var{hostfile} @var{targetfile}
18304 Copy file @var{hostfile} from the host system (the machine running
18305 @value{GDBN}) to @var{targetfile} on the target system.
18306
18307 @kindex remote get
18308 @item remote get @var{targetfile} @var{hostfile}
18309 Copy file @var{targetfile} from the target system to @var{hostfile}
18310 on the host system.
18311
18312 @kindex remote delete
18313 @item remote delete @var{targetfile}
18314 Delete @var{targetfile} from the target system.
18315
18316 @end table
18317
18318 @node Server
18319 @section Using the @code{gdbserver} Program
18320
18321 @kindex gdbserver
18322 @cindex remote connection without stubs
18323 @code{gdbserver} is a control program for Unix-like systems, which
18324 allows you to connect your program with a remote @value{GDBN} via
18325 @code{target remote}---but without linking in the usual debugging stub.
18326
18327 @code{gdbserver} is not a complete replacement for the debugging stubs,
18328 because it requires essentially the same operating-system facilities
18329 that @value{GDBN} itself does. In fact, a system that can run
18330 @code{gdbserver} to connect to a remote @value{GDBN} could also run
18331 @value{GDBN} locally! @code{gdbserver} is sometimes useful nevertheless,
18332 because it is a much smaller program than @value{GDBN} itself. It is
18333 also easier to port than all of @value{GDBN}, so you may be able to get
18334 started more quickly on a new system by using @code{gdbserver}.
18335 Finally, if you develop code for real-time systems, you may find that
18336 the tradeoffs involved in real-time operation make it more convenient to
18337 do as much development work as possible on another system, for example
18338 by cross-compiling. You can use @code{gdbserver} to make a similar
18339 choice for debugging.
18340
18341 @value{GDBN} and @code{gdbserver} communicate via either a serial line
18342 or a TCP connection, using the standard @value{GDBN} remote serial
18343 protocol.
18344
18345 @quotation
18346 @emph{Warning:} @code{gdbserver} does not have any built-in security.
18347 Do not run @code{gdbserver} connected to any public network; a
18348 @value{GDBN} connection to @code{gdbserver} provides access to the
18349 target system with the same privileges as the user running
18350 @code{gdbserver}.
18351 @end quotation
18352
18353 @subsection Running @code{gdbserver}
18354 @cindex arguments, to @code{gdbserver}
18355 @cindex @code{gdbserver}, command-line arguments
18356
18357 Run @code{gdbserver} on the target system. You need a copy of the
18358 program you want to debug, including any libraries it requires.
18359 @code{gdbserver} does not need your program's symbol table, so you can
18360 strip the program if necessary to save space. @value{GDBN} on the host
18361 system does all the symbol handling.
18362
18363 To use the server, you must tell it how to communicate with @value{GDBN};
18364 the name of your program; and the arguments for your program. The usual
18365 syntax is:
18366
18367 @smallexample
18368 target> gdbserver @var{comm} @var{program} [ @var{args} @dots{} ]
18369 @end smallexample
18370
18371 @var{comm} is either a device name (to use a serial line), or a TCP
18372 hostname and portnumber, or @code{-} or @code{stdio} to use
18373 stdin/stdout of @code{gdbserver}.
18374 For example, to debug Emacs with the argument
18375 @samp{foo.txt} and communicate with @value{GDBN} over the serial port
18376 @file{/dev/com1}:
18377
18378 @smallexample
18379 target> gdbserver /dev/com1 emacs foo.txt
18380 @end smallexample
18381
18382 @code{gdbserver} waits passively for the host @value{GDBN} to communicate
18383 with it.
18384
18385 To use a TCP connection instead of a serial line:
18386
18387 @smallexample
18388 target> gdbserver host:2345 emacs foo.txt
18389 @end smallexample
18390
18391 The only difference from the previous example is the first argument,
18392 specifying that you are communicating with the host @value{GDBN} via
18393 TCP. The @samp{host:2345} argument means that @code{gdbserver} is to
18394 expect a TCP connection from machine @samp{host} to local TCP port 2345.
18395 (Currently, the @samp{host} part is ignored.) You can choose any number
18396 you want for the port number as long as it does not conflict with any
18397 TCP ports already in use on the target system (for example, @code{23} is
18398 reserved for @code{telnet}).@footnote{If you choose a port number that
18399 conflicts with another service, @code{gdbserver} prints an error message
18400 and exits.} You must use the same port number with the host @value{GDBN}
18401 @code{target remote} command.
18402
18403 The @code{stdio} connection is useful when starting @code{gdbserver}
18404 with ssh:
18405
18406 @smallexample
18407 (gdb) target remote | ssh -T hostname gdbserver - hello
18408 @end smallexample
18409
18410 The @samp{-T} option to ssh is provided because we don't need a remote pty,
18411 and we don't want escape-character handling. Ssh does this by default when
18412 a command is provided, the flag is provided to make it explicit.
18413 You could elide it if you want to.
18414
18415 Programs started with stdio-connected gdbserver have @file{/dev/null} for
18416 @code{stdin}, and @code{stdout},@code{stderr} are sent back to gdb for
18417 display through a pipe connected to gdbserver.
18418 Both @code{stdout} and @code{stderr} use the same pipe.
18419
18420 @subsubsection Attaching to a Running Program
18421 @cindex attach to a program, @code{gdbserver}
18422 @cindex @option{--attach}, @code{gdbserver} option
18423
18424 On some targets, @code{gdbserver} can also attach to running programs.
18425 This is accomplished via the @code{--attach} argument. The syntax is:
18426
18427 @smallexample
18428 target> gdbserver --attach @var{comm} @var{pid}
18429 @end smallexample
18430
18431 @var{pid} is the process ID of a currently running process. It isn't necessary
18432 to point @code{gdbserver} at a binary for the running process.
18433
18434 @pindex pidof
18435 You can debug processes by name instead of process ID if your target has the
18436 @code{pidof} utility:
18437
18438 @smallexample
18439 target> gdbserver --attach @var{comm} `pidof @var{program}`
18440 @end smallexample
18441
18442 In case more than one copy of @var{program} is running, or @var{program}
18443 has multiple threads, most versions of @code{pidof} support the
18444 @code{-s} option to only return the first process ID.
18445
18446 @subsubsection Multi-Process Mode for @code{gdbserver}
18447 @cindex @code{gdbserver}, multiple processes
18448 @cindex multiple processes with @code{gdbserver}
18449
18450 When you connect to @code{gdbserver} using @code{target remote},
18451 @code{gdbserver} debugs the specified program only once. When the
18452 program exits, or you detach from it, @value{GDBN} closes the connection
18453 and @code{gdbserver} exits.
18454
18455 If you connect using @kbd{target extended-remote}, @code{gdbserver}
18456 enters multi-process mode. When the debugged program exits, or you
18457 detach from it, @value{GDBN} stays connected to @code{gdbserver} even
18458 though no program is running. The @code{run} and @code{attach}
18459 commands instruct @code{gdbserver} to run or attach to a new program.
18460 The @code{run} command uses @code{set remote exec-file} (@pxref{set
18461 remote exec-file}) to select the program to run. Command line
18462 arguments are supported, except for wildcard expansion and I/O
18463 redirection (@pxref{Arguments}).
18464
18465 @cindex @option{--multi}, @code{gdbserver} option
18466 To start @code{gdbserver} without supplying an initial command to run
18467 or process ID to attach, use the @option{--multi} command line option.
18468 Then you can connect using @kbd{target extended-remote} and start
18469 the program you want to debug.
18470
18471 In multi-process mode @code{gdbserver} does not automatically exit unless you
18472 use the option @option{--once}. You can terminate it by using
18473 @code{monitor exit} (@pxref{Monitor Commands for gdbserver}). Note that the
18474 conditions under which @code{gdbserver} terminates depend on how @value{GDBN}
18475 connects to it (@kbd{target remote} or @kbd{target extended-remote}). The
18476 @option{--multi} option to @code{gdbserver} has no influence on that.
18477
18478 @subsubsection TCP port allocation lifecycle of @code{gdbserver}
18479
18480 This section applies only when @code{gdbserver} is run to listen on a TCP port.
18481
18482 @code{gdbserver} normally terminates after all of its debugged processes have
18483 terminated in @kbd{target remote} mode. On the other hand, for @kbd{target
18484 extended-remote}, @code{gdbserver} stays running even with no processes left.
18485 @value{GDBN} normally terminates the spawned debugged process on its exit,
18486 which normally also terminates @code{gdbserver} in the @kbd{target remote}
18487 mode. Therefore, when the connection drops unexpectedly, and @value{GDBN}
18488 cannot ask @code{gdbserver} to kill its debugged processes, @code{gdbserver}
18489 stays running even in the @kbd{target remote} mode.
18490
18491 When @code{gdbserver} stays running, @value{GDBN} can connect to it again later.
18492 Such reconnecting is useful for features like @ref{disconnected tracing}. For
18493 completeness, at most one @value{GDBN} can be connected at a time.
18494
18495 @cindex @option{--once}, @code{gdbserver} option
18496 By default, @code{gdbserver} keeps the listening TCP port open, so that
18497 subsequent connections are possible. However, if you start @code{gdbserver}
18498 with the @option{--once} option, it will stop listening for any further
18499 connection attempts after connecting to the first @value{GDBN} session. This
18500 means no further connections to @code{gdbserver} will be possible after the
18501 first one. It also means @code{gdbserver} will terminate after the first
18502 connection with remote @value{GDBN} has closed, even for unexpectedly closed
18503 connections and even in the @kbd{target extended-remote} mode. The
18504 @option{--once} option allows reusing the same port number for connecting to
18505 multiple instances of @code{gdbserver} running on the same host, since each
18506 instance closes its port after the first connection.
18507
18508 @subsubsection Other Command-Line Arguments for @code{gdbserver}
18509
18510 @cindex @option{--debug}, @code{gdbserver} option
18511 The @option{--debug} option tells @code{gdbserver} to display extra
18512 status information about the debugging process.
18513 @cindex @option{--remote-debug}, @code{gdbserver} option
18514 The @option{--remote-debug} option tells @code{gdbserver} to display
18515 remote protocol debug output. These options are intended for
18516 @code{gdbserver} development and for bug reports to the developers.
18517
18518 @cindex @option{--wrapper}, @code{gdbserver} option
18519 The @option{--wrapper} option specifies a wrapper to launch programs
18520 for debugging. The option should be followed by the name of the
18521 wrapper, then any command-line arguments to pass to the wrapper, then
18522 @kbd{--} indicating the end of the wrapper arguments.
18523
18524 @code{gdbserver} runs the specified wrapper program with a combined
18525 command line including the wrapper arguments, then the name of the
18526 program to debug, then any arguments to the program. The wrapper
18527 runs until it executes your program, and then @value{GDBN} gains control.
18528
18529 You can use any program that eventually calls @code{execve} with
18530 its arguments as a wrapper. Several standard Unix utilities do
18531 this, e.g.@: @code{env} and @code{nohup}. Any Unix shell script ending
18532 with @code{exec "$@@"} will also work.
18533
18534 For example, you can use @code{env} to pass an environment variable to
18535 the debugged program, without setting the variable in @code{gdbserver}'s
18536 environment:
18537
18538 @smallexample
18539 $ gdbserver --wrapper env LD_PRELOAD=libtest.so -- :2222 ./testprog
18540 @end smallexample
18541
18542 @subsection Connecting to @code{gdbserver}
18543
18544 Run @value{GDBN} on the host system.
18545
18546 First make sure you have the necessary symbol files. Load symbols for
18547 your application using the @code{file} command before you connect. Use
18548 @code{set sysroot} to locate target libraries (unless your @value{GDBN}
18549 was compiled with the correct sysroot using @code{--with-sysroot}).
18550
18551 The symbol file and target libraries must exactly match the executable
18552 and libraries on the target, with one exception: the files on the host
18553 system should not be stripped, even if the files on the target system
18554 are. Mismatched or missing files will lead to confusing results
18555 during debugging. On @sc{gnu}/Linux targets, mismatched or missing
18556 files may also prevent @code{gdbserver} from debugging multi-threaded
18557 programs.
18558
18559 Connect to your target (@pxref{Connecting,,Connecting to a Remote Target}).
18560 For TCP connections, you must start up @code{gdbserver} prior to using
18561 the @code{target remote} command. Otherwise you may get an error whose
18562 text depends on the host system, but which usually looks something like
18563 @samp{Connection refused}. Don't use the @code{load}
18564 command in @value{GDBN} when using @code{gdbserver}, since the program is
18565 already on the target.
18566
18567 @subsection Monitor Commands for @code{gdbserver}
18568 @cindex monitor commands, for @code{gdbserver}
18569 @anchor{Monitor Commands for gdbserver}
18570
18571 During a @value{GDBN} session using @code{gdbserver}, you can use the
18572 @code{monitor} command to send special requests to @code{gdbserver}.
18573 Here are the available commands.
18574
18575 @table @code
18576 @item monitor help
18577 List the available monitor commands.
18578
18579 @item monitor set debug 0
18580 @itemx monitor set debug 1
18581 Disable or enable general debugging messages.
18582
18583 @item monitor set remote-debug 0
18584 @itemx monitor set remote-debug 1
18585 Disable or enable specific debugging messages associated with the remote
18586 protocol (@pxref{Remote Protocol}).
18587
18588 @item monitor set libthread-db-search-path [PATH]
18589 @cindex gdbserver, search path for @code{libthread_db}
18590 When this command is issued, @var{path} is a colon-separated list of
18591 directories to search for @code{libthread_db} (@pxref{Threads,,set
18592 libthread-db-search-path}). If you omit @var{path},
18593 @samp{libthread-db-search-path} will be reset to its default value.
18594
18595 The special entry @samp{$pdir} for @samp{libthread-db-search-path} is
18596 not supported in @code{gdbserver}.
18597
18598 @item monitor exit
18599 Tell gdbserver to exit immediately. This command should be followed by
18600 @code{disconnect} to close the debugging session. @code{gdbserver} will
18601 detach from any attached processes and kill any processes it created.
18602 Use @code{monitor exit} to terminate @code{gdbserver} at the end
18603 of a multi-process mode debug session.
18604
18605 @end table
18606
18607 @subsection Tracepoints support in @code{gdbserver}
18608 @cindex tracepoints support in @code{gdbserver}
18609
18610 On some targets, @code{gdbserver} supports tracepoints, fast
18611 tracepoints and static tracepoints.
18612
18613 For fast or static tracepoints to work, a special library called the
18614 @dfn{in-process agent} (IPA), must be loaded in the inferior process.
18615 This library is built and distributed as an integral part of
18616 @code{gdbserver}. In addition, support for static tracepoints
18617 requires building the in-process agent library with static tracepoints
18618 support. At present, the UST (LTTng Userspace Tracer,
18619 @url{http://lttng.org/ust}) tracing engine is supported. This support
18620 is automatically available if UST development headers are found in the
18621 standard include path when @code{gdbserver} is built, or if
18622 @code{gdbserver} was explicitly configured using @option{--with-ust}
18623 to point at such headers. You can explicitly disable the support
18624 using @option{--with-ust=no}.
18625
18626 There are several ways to load the in-process agent in your program:
18627
18628 @table @code
18629 @item Specifying it as dependency at link time
18630
18631 You can link your program dynamically with the in-process agent
18632 library. On most systems, this is accomplished by adding
18633 @code{-linproctrace} to the link command.
18634
18635 @item Using the system's preloading mechanisms
18636
18637 You can force loading the in-process agent at startup time by using
18638 your system's support for preloading shared libraries. Many Unixes
18639 support the concept of preloading user defined libraries. In most
18640 cases, you do that by specifying @code{LD_PRELOAD=libinproctrace.so}
18641 in the environment. See also the description of @code{gdbserver}'s
18642 @option{--wrapper} command line option.
18643
18644 @item Using @value{GDBN} to force loading the agent at run time
18645
18646 On some systems, you can force the inferior to load a shared library,
18647 by calling a dynamic loader function in the inferior that takes care
18648 of dynamically looking up and loading a shared library. On most Unix
18649 systems, the function is @code{dlopen}. You'll use the @code{call}
18650 command for that. For example:
18651
18652 @smallexample
18653 (@value{GDBP}) call dlopen ("libinproctrace.so", ...)
18654 @end smallexample
18655
18656 Note that on most Unix systems, for the @code{dlopen} function to be
18657 available, the program needs to be linked with @code{-ldl}.
18658 @end table
18659
18660 On systems that have a userspace dynamic loader, like most Unix
18661 systems, when you connect to @code{gdbserver} using @code{target
18662 remote}, you'll find that the program is stopped at the dynamic
18663 loader's entry point, and no shared library has been loaded in the
18664 program's address space yet, including the in-process agent. In that
18665 case, before being able to use any of the fast or static tracepoints
18666 features, you need to let the loader run and load the shared
18667 libraries. The simplest way to do that is to run the program to the
18668 main procedure. E.g., if debugging a C or C@t{++} program, start
18669 @code{gdbserver} like so:
18670
18671 @smallexample
18672 $ gdbserver :9999 myprogram
18673 @end smallexample
18674
18675 Start GDB and connect to @code{gdbserver} like so, and run to main:
18676
18677 @smallexample
18678 $ gdb myprogram
18679 (@value{GDBP}) target remote myhost:9999
18680 0x00007f215893ba60 in ?? () from /lib64/ld-linux-x86-64.so.2
18681 (@value{GDBP}) b main
18682 (@value{GDBP}) continue
18683 @end smallexample
18684
18685 The in-process tracing agent library should now be loaded into the
18686 process; you can confirm it with the @code{info sharedlibrary}
18687 command, which will list @file{libinproctrace.so} as loaded in the
18688 process. You are now ready to install fast tracepoints, list static
18689 tracepoint markers, probe static tracepoints markers, and start
18690 tracing.
18691
18692 @node Remote Configuration
18693 @section Remote Configuration
18694
18695 @kindex set remote
18696 @kindex show remote
18697 This section documents the configuration options available when
18698 debugging remote programs. For the options related to the File I/O
18699 extensions of the remote protocol, see @ref{system,
18700 system-call-allowed}.
18701
18702 @table @code
18703 @item set remoteaddresssize @var{bits}
18704 @cindex address size for remote targets
18705 @cindex bits in remote address
18706 Set the maximum size of address in a memory packet to the specified
18707 number of bits. @value{GDBN} will mask off the address bits above
18708 that number, when it passes addresses to the remote target. The
18709 default value is the number of bits in the target's address.
18710
18711 @item show remoteaddresssize
18712 Show the current value of remote address size in bits.
18713
18714 @item set serial baud @var{n}
18715 @cindex baud rate for remote targets
18716 Set the baud rate for the remote serial I/O to @var{n} baud. The
18717 value is used to set the speed of the serial port used for debugging
18718 remote targets.
18719
18720 @item show serial baud
18721 Show the current speed of the remote connection.
18722
18723 @item set remotebreak
18724 @cindex interrupt remote programs
18725 @cindex BREAK signal instead of Ctrl-C
18726 @anchor{set remotebreak}
18727 If set to on, @value{GDBN} sends a @code{BREAK} signal to the remote
18728 when you type @kbd{Ctrl-c} to interrupt the program running
18729 on the remote. If set to off, @value{GDBN} sends the @samp{Ctrl-C}
18730 character instead. The default is off, since most remote systems
18731 expect to see @samp{Ctrl-C} as the interrupt signal.
18732
18733 @item show remotebreak
18734 Show whether @value{GDBN} sends @code{BREAK} or @samp{Ctrl-C} to
18735 interrupt the remote program.
18736
18737 @item set remoteflow on
18738 @itemx set remoteflow off
18739 @kindex set remoteflow
18740 Enable or disable hardware flow control (@code{RTS}/@code{CTS})
18741 on the serial port used to communicate to the remote target.
18742
18743 @item show remoteflow
18744 @kindex show remoteflow
18745 Show the current setting of hardware flow control.
18746
18747 @item set remotelogbase @var{base}
18748 Set the base (a.k.a.@: radix) of logging serial protocol
18749 communications to @var{base}. Supported values of @var{base} are:
18750 @code{ascii}, @code{octal}, and @code{hex}. The default is
18751 @code{ascii}.
18752
18753 @item show remotelogbase
18754 Show the current setting of the radix for logging remote serial
18755 protocol.
18756
18757 @item set remotelogfile @var{file}
18758 @cindex record serial communications on file
18759 Record remote serial communications on the named @var{file}. The
18760 default is not to record at all.
18761
18762 @item show remotelogfile.
18763 Show the current setting of the file name on which to record the
18764 serial communications.
18765
18766 @item set remotetimeout @var{num}
18767 @cindex timeout for serial communications
18768 @cindex remote timeout
18769 Set the timeout limit to wait for the remote target to respond to
18770 @var{num} seconds. The default is 2 seconds.
18771
18772 @item show remotetimeout
18773 Show the current number of seconds to wait for the remote target
18774 responses.
18775
18776 @cindex limit hardware breakpoints and watchpoints
18777 @cindex remote target, limit break- and watchpoints
18778 @anchor{set remote hardware-watchpoint-limit}
18779 @anchor{set remote hardware-breakpoint-limit}
18780 @item set remote hardware-watchpoint-limit @var{limit}
18781 @itemx set remote hardware-breakpoint-limit @var{limit}
18782 Restrict @value{GDBN} to using @var{limit} remote hardware breakpoint or
18783 watchpoints. A limit of -1, the default, is treated as unlimited.
18784
18785 @cindex limit hardware watchpoints length
18786 @cindex remote target, limit watchpoints length
18787 @anchor{set remote hardware-watchpoint-length-limit}
18788 @item set remote hardware-watchpoint-length-limit @var{limit}
18789 Restrict @value{GDBN} to using @var{limit} bytes for the maximum length of
18790 a remote hardware watchpoint. A limit of -1, the default, is treated
18791 as unlimited.
18792
18793 @item show remote hardware-watchpoint-length-limit
18794 Show the current limit (in bytes) of the maximum length of
18795 a remote hardware watchpoint.
18796
18797 @item set remote exec-file @var{filename}
18798 @itemx show remote exec-file
18799 @anchor{set remote exec-file}
18800 @cindex executable file, for remote target
18801 Select the file used for @code{run} with @code{target
18802 extended-remote}. This should be set to a filename valid on the
18803 target system. If it is not set, the target will use a default
18804 filename (e.g.@: the last program run).
18805
18806 @item set remote interrupt-sequence
18807 @cindex interrupt remote programs
18808 @cindex select Ctrl-C, BREAK or BREAK-g
18809 Allow the user to select one of @samp{Ctrl-C}, a @code{BREAK} or
18810 @samp{BREAK-g} as the
18811 sequence to the remote target in order to interrupt the execution.
18812 @samp{Ctrl-C} is a default. Some system prefers @code{BREAK} which
18813 is high level of serial line for some certain time.
18814 Linux kernel prefers @samp{BREAK-g}, a.k.a Magic SysRq g.
18815 It is @code{BREAK} signal followed by character @code{g}.
18816
18817 @item show interrupt-sequence
18818 Show which of @samp{Ctrl-C}, @code{BREAK} or @code{BREAK-g}
18819 is sent by @value{GDBN} to interrupt the remote program.
18820 @code{BREAK-g} is BREAK signal followed by @code{g} and
18821 also known as Magic SysRq g.
18822
18823 @item set remote interrupt-on-connect
18824 @cindex send interrupt-sequence on start
18825 Specify whether interrupt-sequence is sent to remote target when
18826 @value{GDBN} connects to it. This is mostly needed when you debug
18827 Linux kernel. Linux kernel expects @code{BREAK} followed by @code{g}
18828 which is known as Magic SysRq g in order to connect @value{GDBN}.
18829
18830 @item show interrupt-on-connect
18831 Show whether interrupt-sequence is sent
18832 to remote target when @value{GDBN} connects to it.
18833
18834 @kindex set tcp
18835 @kindex show tcp
18836 @item set tcp auto-retry on
18837 @cindex auto-retry, for remote TCP target
18838 Enable auto-retry for remote TCP connections. This is useful if the remote
18839 debugging agent is launched in parallel with @value{GDBN}; there is a race
18840 condition because the agent may not become ready to accept the connection
18841 before @value{GDBN} attempts to connect. When auto-retry is
18842 enabled, if the initial attempt to connect fails, @value{GDBN} reattempts
18843 to establish the connection using the timeout specified by
18844 @code{set tcp connect-timeout}.
18845
18846 @item set tcp auto-retry off
18847 Do not auto-retry failed TCP connections.
18848
18849 @item show tcp auto-retry
18850 Show the current auto-retry setting.
18851
18852 @item set tcp connect-timeout @var{seconds}
18853 @itemx set tcp connect-timeout unlimited
18854 @cindex connection timeout, for remote TCP target
18855 @cindex timeout, for remote target connection
18856 Set the timeout for establishing a TCP connection to the remote target to
18857 @var{seconds}. The timeout affects both polling to retry failed connections
18858 (enabled by @code{set tcp auto-retry on}) and waiting for connections
18859 that are merely slow to complete, and represents an approximate cumulative
18860 value. If @var{seconds} is @code{unlimited}, there is no timeout and
18861 @value{GDBN} will keep attempting to establish a connection forever,
18862 unless interrupted with @kbd{Ctrl-c}. The default is 15 seconds.
18863
18864 @item show tcp connect-timeout
18865 Show the current connection timeout setting.
18866 @end table
18867
18868 @cindex remote packets, enabling and disabling
18869 The @value{GDBN} remote protocol autodetects the packets supported by
18870 your debugging stub. If you need to override the autodetection, you
18871 can use these commands to enable or disable individual packets. Each
18872 packet can be set to @samp{on} (the remote target supports this
18873 packet), @samp{off} (the remote target does not support this packet),
18874 or @samp{auto} (detect remote target support for this packet). They
18875 all default to @samp{auto}. For more information about each packet,
18876 see @ref{Remote Protocol}.
18877
18878 During normal use, you should not have to use any of these commands.
18879 If you do, that may be a bug in your remote debugging stub, or a bug
18880 in @value{GDBN}. You may want to report the problem to the
18881 @value{GDBN} developers.
18882
18883 For each packet @var{name}, the command to enable or disable the
18884 packet is @code{set remote @var{name}-packet}. The available settings
18885 are:
18886
18887 @multitable @columnfractions 0.28 0.32 0.25
18888 @item Command Name
18889 @tab Remote Packet
18890 @tab Related Features
18891
18892 @item @code{fetch-register}
18893 @tab @code{p}
18894 @tab @code{info registers}
18895
18896 @item @code{set-register}
18897 @tab @code{P}
18898 @tab @code{set}
18899
18900 @item @code{binary-download}
18901 @tab @code{X}
18902 @tab @code{load}, @code{set}
18903
18904 @item @code{read-aux-vector}
18905 @tab @code{qXfer:auxv:read}
18906 @tab @code{info auxv}
18907
18908 @item @code{symbol-lookup}
18909 @tab @code{qSymbol}
18910 @tab Detecting multiple threads
18911
18912 @item @code{attach}
18913 @tab @code{vAttach}
18914 @tab @code{attach}
18915
18916 @item @code{verbose-resume}
18917 @tab @code{vCont}
18918 @tab Stepping or resuming multiple threads
18919
18920 @item @code{run}
18921 @tab @code{vRun}
18922 @tab @code{run}
18923
18924 @item @code{software-breakpoint}
18925 @tab @code{Z0}
18926 @tab @code{break}
18927
18928 @item @code{hardware-breakpoint}
18929 @tab @code{Z1}
18930 @tab @code{hbreak}
18931
18932 @item @code{write-watchpoint}
18933 @tab @code{Z2}
18934 @tab @code{watch}
18935
18936 @item @code{read-watchpoint}
18937 @tab @code{Z3}
18938 @tab @code{rwatch}
18939
18940 @item @code{access-watchpoint}
18941 @tab @code{Z4}
18942 @tab @code{awatch}
18943
18944 @item @code{target-features}
18945 @tab @code{qXfer:features:read}
18946 @tab @code{set architecture}
18947
18948 @item @code{library-info}
18949 @tab @code{qXfer:libraries:read}
18950 @tab @code{info sharedlibrary}
18951
18952 @item @code{memory-map}
18953 @tab @code{qXfer:memory-map:read}
18954 @tab @code{info mem}
18955
18956 @item @code{read-sdata-object}
18957 @tab @code{qXfer:sdata:read}
18958 @tab @code{print $_sdata}
18959
18960 @item @code{read-spu-object}
18961 @tab @code{qXfer:spu:read}
18962 @tab @code{info spu}
18963
18964 @item @code{write-spu-object}
18965 @tab @code{qXfer:spu:write}
18966 @tab @code{info spu}
18967
18968 @item @code{read-siginfo-object}
18969 @tab @code{qXfer:siginfo:read}
18970 @tab @code{print $_siginfo}
18971
18972 @item @code{write-siginfo-object}
18973 @tab @code{qXfer:siginfo:write}
18974 @tab @code{set $_siginfo}
18975
18976 @item @code{threads}
18977 @tab @code{qXfer:threads:read}
18978 @tab @code{info threads}
18979
18980 @item @code{get-thread-local-@*storage-address}
18981 @tab @code{qGetTLSAddr}
18982 @tab Displaying @code{__thread} variables
18983
18984 @item @code{get-thread-information-block-address}
18985 @tab @code{qGetTIBAddr}
18986 @tab Display MS-Windows Thread Information Block.
18987
18988 @item @code{search-memory}
18989 @tab @code{qSearch:memory}
18990 @tab @code{find}
18991
18992 @item @code{supported-packets}
18993 @tab @code{qSupported}
18994 @tab Remote communications parameters
18995
18996 @item @code{pass-signals}
18997 @tab @code{QPassSignals}
18998 @tab @code{handle @var{signal}}
18999
19000 @item @code{program-signals}
19001 @tab @code{QProgramSignals}
19002 @tab @code{handle @var{signal}}
19003
19004 @item @code{hostio-close-packet}
19005 @tab @code{vFile:close}
19006 @tab @code{remote get}, @code{remote put}
19007
19008 @item @code{hostio-open-packet}
19009 @tab @code{vFile:open}
19010 @tab @code{remote get}, @code{remote put}
19011
19012 @item @code{hostio-pread-packet}
19013 @tab @code{vFile:pread}
19014 @tab @code{remote get}, @code{remote put}
19015
19016 @item @code{hostio-pwrite-packet}
19017 @tab @code{vFile:pwrite}
19018 @tab @code{remote get}, @code{remote put}
19019
19020 @item @code{hostio-unlink-packet}
19021 @tab @code{vFile:unlink}
19022 @tab @code{remote delete}
19023
19024 @item @code{hostio-readlink-packet}
19025 @tab @code{vFile:readlink}
19026 @tab Host I/O
19027
19028 @item @code{noack-packet}
19029 @tab @code{QStartNoAckMode}
19030 @tab Packet acknowledgment
19031
19032 @item @code{osdata}
19033 @tab @code{qXfer:osdata:read}
19034 @tab @code{info os}
19035
19036 @item @code{query-attached}
19037 @tab @code{qAttached}
19038 @tab Querying remote process attach state.
19039
19040 @item @code{trace-buffer-size}
19041 @tab @code{QTBuffer:size}
19042 @tab @code{set trace-buffer-size}
19043
19044 @item @code{trace-status}
19045 @tab @code{qTStatus}
19046 @tab @code{tstatus}
19047
19048 @item @code{traceframe-info}
19049 @tab @code{qXfer:traceframe-info:read}
19050 @tab Traceframe info
19051
19052 @item @code{install-in-trace}
19053 @tab @code{InstallInTrace}
19054 @tab Install tracepoint in tracing
19055
19056 @item @code{disable-randomization}
19057 @tab @code{QDisableRandomization}
19058 @tab @code{set disable-randomization}
19059
19060 @item @code{conditional-breakpoints-packet}
19061 @tab @code{Z0 and Z1}
19062 @tab @code{Support for target-side breakpoint condition evaluation}
19063 @end multitable
19064
19065 @node Remote Stub
19066 @section Implementing a Remote Stub
19067
19068 @cindex debugging stub, example
19069 @cindex remote stub, example
19070 @cindex stub example, remote debugging
19071 The stub files provided with @value{GDBN} implement the target side of the
19072 communication protocol, and the @value{GDBN} side is implemented in the
19073 @value{GDBN} source file @file{remote.c}. Normally, you can simply allow
19074 these subroutines to communicate, and ignore the details. (If you're
19075 implementing your own stub file, you can still ignore the details: start
19076 with one of the existing stub files. @file{sparc-stub.c} is the best
19077 organized, and therefore the easiest to read.)
19078
19079 @cindex remote serial debugging, overview
19080 To debug a program running on another machine (the debugging
19081 @dfn{target} machine), you must first arrange for all the usual
19082 prerequisites for the program to run by itself. For example, for a C
19083 program, you need:
19084
19085 @enumerate
19086 @item
19087 A startup routine to set up the C runtime environment; these usually
19088 have a name like @file{crt0}. The startup routine may be supplied by
19089 your hardware supplier, or you may have to write your own.
19090
19091 @item
19092 A C subroutine library to support your program's
19093 subroutine calls, notably managing input and output.
19094
19095 @item
19096 A way of getting your program to the other machine---for example, a
19097 download program. These are often supplied by the hardware
19098 manufacturer, but you may have to write your own from hardware
19099 documentation.
19100 @end enumerate
19101
19102 The next step is to arrange for your program to use a serial port to
19103 communicate with the machine where @value{GDBN} is running (the @dfn{host}
19104 machine). In general terms, the scheme looks like this:
19105
19106 @table @emph
19107 @item On the host,
19108 @value{GDBN} already understands how to use this protocol; when everything
19109 else is set up, you can simply use the @samp{target remote} command
19110 (@pxref{Targets,,Specifying a Debugging Target}).
19111
19112 @item On the target,
19113 you must link with your program a few special-purpose subroutines that
19114 implement the @value{GDBN} remote serial protocol. The file containing these
19115 subroutines is called a @dfn{debugging stub}.
19116
19117 On certain remote targets, you can use an auxiliary program
19118 @code{gdbserver} instead of linking a stub into your program.
19119 @xref{Server,,Using the @code{gdbserver} Program}, for details.
19120 @end table
19121
19122 The debugging stub is specific to the architecture of the remote
19123 machine; for example, use @file{sparc-stub.c} to debug programs on
19124 @sc{sparc} boards.
19125
19126 @cindex remote serial stub list
19127 These working remote stubs are distributed with @value{GDBN}:
19128
19129 @table @code
19130
19131 @item i386-stub.c
19132 @cindex @file{i386-stub.c}
19133 @cindex Intel
19134 @cindex i386
19135 For Intel 386 and compatible architectures.
19136
19137 @item m68k-stub.c
19138 @cindex @file{m68k-stub.c}
19139 @cindex Motorola 680x0
19140 @cindex m680x0
19141 For Motorola 680x0 architectures.
19142
19143 @item sh-stub.c
19144 @cindex @file{sh-stub.c}
19145 @cindex Renesas
19146 @cindex SH
19147 For Renesas SH architectures.
19148
19149 @item sparc-stub.c
19150 @cindex @file{sparc-stub.c}
19151 @cindex Sparc
19152 For @sc{sparc} architectures.
19153
19154 @item sparcl-stub.c
19155 @cindex @file{sparcl-stub.c}
19156 @cindex Fujitsu
19157 @cindex SparcLite
19158 For Fujitsu @sc{sparclite} architectures.
19159
19160 @end table
19161
19162 The @file{README} file in the @value{GDBN} distribution may list other
19163 recently added stubs.
19164
19165 @menu
19166 * Stub Contents:: What the stub can do for you
19167 * Bootstrapping:: What you must do for the stub
19168 * Debug Session:: Putting it all together
19169 @end menu
19170
19171 @node Stub Contents
19172 @subsection What the Stub Can Do for You
19173
19174 @cindex remote serial stub
19175 The debugging stub for your architecture supplies these three
19176 subroutines:
19177
19178 @table @code
19179 @item set_debug_traps
19180 @findex set_debug_traps
19181 @cindex remote serial stub, initialization
19182 This routine arranges for @code{handle_exception} to run when your
19183 program stops. You must call this subroutine explicitly in your
19184 program's startup code.
19185
19186 @item handle_exception
19187 @findex handle_exception
19188 @cindex remote serial stub, main routine
19189 This is the central workhorse, but your program never calls it
19190 explicitly---the setup code arranges for @code{handle_exception} to
19191 run when a trap is triggered.
19192
19193 @code{handle_exception} takes control when your program stops during
19194 execution (for example, on a breakpoint), and mediates communications
19195 with @value{GDBN} on the host machine. This is where the communications
19196 protocol is implemented; @code{handle_exception} acts as the @value{GDBN}
19197 representative on the target machine. It begins by sending summary
19198 information on the state of your program, then continues to execute,
19199 retrieving and transmitting any information @value{GDBN} needs, until you
19200 execute a @value{GDBN} command that makes your program resume; at that point,
19201 @code{handle_exception} returns control to your own code on the target
19202 machine.
19203
19204 @item breakpoint
19205 @cindex @code{breakpoint} subroutine, remote
19206 Use this auxiliary subroutine to make your program contain a
19207 breakpoint. Depending on the particular situation, this may be the only
19208 way for @value{GDBN} to get control. For instance, if your target
19209 machine has some sort of interrupt button, you won't need to call this;
19210 pressing the interrupt button transfers control to
19211 @code{handle_exception}---in effect, to @value{GDBN}. On some machines,
19212 simply receiving characters on the serial port may also trigger a trap;
19213 again, in that situation, you don't need to call @code{breakpoint} from
19214 your own program---simply running @samp{target remote} from the host
19215 @value{GDBN} session gets control.
19216
19217 Call @code{breakpoint} if none of these is true, or if you simply want
19218 to make certain your program stops at a predetermined point for the
19219 start of your debugging session.
19220 @end table
19221
19222 @node Bootstrapping
19223 @subsection What You Must Do for the Stub
19224
19225 @cindex remote stub, support routines
19226 The debugging stubs that come with @value{GDBN} are set up for a particular
19227 chip architecture, but they have no information about the rest of your
19228 debugging target machine.
19229
19230 First of all you need to tell the stub how to communicate with the
19231 serial port.
19232
19233 @table @code
19234 @item int getDebugChar()
19235 @findex getDebugChar
19236 Write this subroutine to read a single character from the serial port.
19237 It may be identical to @code{getchar} for your target system; a
19238 different name is used to allow you to distinguish the two if you wish.
19239
19240 @item void putDebugChar(int)
19241 @findex putDebugChar
19242 Write this subroutine to write a single character to the serial port.
19243 It may be identical to @code{putchar} for your target system; a
19244 different name is used to allow you to distinguish the two if you wish.
19245 @end table
19246
19247 @cindex control C, and remote debugging
19248 @cindex interrupting remote targets
19249 If you want @value{GDBN} to be able to stop your program while it is
19250 running, you need to use an interrupt-driven serial driver, and arrange
19251 for it to stop when it receives a @code{^C} (@samp{\003}, the control-C
19252 character). That is the character which @value{GDBN} uses to tell the
19253 remote system to stop.
19254
19255 Getting the debugging target to return the proper status to @value{GDBN}
19256 probably requires changes to the standard stub; one quick and dirty way
19257 is to just execute a breakpoint instruction (the ``dirty'' part is that
19258 @value{GDBN} reports a @code{SIGTRAP} instead of a @code{SIGINT}).
19259
19260 Other routines you need to supply are:
19261
19262 @table @code
19263 @item void exceptionHandler (int @var{exception_number}, void *@var{exception_address})
19264 @findex exceptionHandler
19265 Write this function to install @var{exception_address} in the exception
19266 handling tables. You need to do this because the stub does not have any
19267 way of knowing what the exception handling tables on your target system
19268 are like (for example, the processor's table might be in @sc{rom},
19269 containing entries which point to a table in @sc{ram}).
19270 @var{exception_number} is the exception number which should be changed;
19271 its meaning is architecture-dependent (for example, different numbers
19272 might represent divide by zero, misaligned access, etc). When this
19273 exception occurs, control should be transferred directly to
19274 @var{exception_address}, and the processor state (stack, registers,
19275 and so on) should be just as it is when a processor exception occurs. So if
19276 you want to use a jump instruction to reach @var{exception_address}, it
19277 should be a simple jump, not a jump to subroutine.
19278
19279 For the 386, @var{exception_address} should be installed as an interrupt
19280 gate so that interrupts are masked while the handler runs. The gate
19281 should be at privilege level 0 (the most privileged level). The
19282 @sc{sparc} and 68k stubs are able to mask interrupts themselves without
19283 help from @code{exceptionHandler}.
19284
19285 @item void flush_i_cache()
19286 @findex flush_i_cache
19287 On @sc{sparc} and @sc{sparclite} only, write this subroutine to flush the
19288 instruction cache, if any, on your target machine. If there is no
19289 instruction cache, this subroutine may be a no-op.
19290
19291 On target machines that have instruction caches, @value{GDBN} requires this
19292 function to make certain that the state of your program is stable.
19293 @end table
19294
19295 @noindent
19296 You must also make sure this library routine is available:
19297
19298 @table @code
19299 @item void *memset(void *, int, int)
19300 @findex memset
19301 This is the standard library function @code{memset} that sets an area of
19302 memory to a known value. If you have one of the free versions of
19303 @code{libc.a}, @code{memset} can be found there; otherwise, you must
19304 either obtain it from your hardware manufacturer, or write your own.
19305 @end table
19306
19307 If you do not use the GNU C compiler, you may need other standard
19308 library subroutines as well; this varies from one stub to another,
19309 but in general the stubs are likely to use any of the common library
19310 subroutines which @code{@value{NGCC}} generates as inline code.
19311
19312
19313 @node Debug Session
19314 @subsection Putting it All Together
19315
19316 @cindex remote serial debugging summary
19317 In summary, when your program is ready to debug, you must follow these
19318 steps.
19319
19320 @enumerate
19321 @item
19322 Make sure you have defined the supporting low-level routines
19323 (@pxref{Bootstrapping,,What You Must Do for the Stub}):
19324 @display
19325 @code{getDebugChar}, @code{putDebugChar},
19326 @code{flush_i_cache}, @code{memset}, @code{exceptionHandler}.
19327 @end display
19328
19329 @item
19330 Insert these lines in your program's startup code, before the main
19331 procedure is called:
19332
19333 @smallexample
19334 set_debug_traps();
19335 breakpoint();
19336 @end smallexample
19337
19338 On some machines, when a breakpoint trap is raised, the hardware
19339 automatically makes the PC point to the instruction after the
19340 breakpoint. If your machine doesn't do that, you may need to adjust
19341 @code{handle_exception} to arrange for it to return to the instruction
19342 after the breakpoint on this first invocation, so that your program
19343 doesn't keep hitting the initial breakpoint instead of making
19344 progress.
19345
19346 @item
19347 For the 680x0 stub only, you need to provide a variable called
19348 @code{exceptionHook}. Normally you just use:
19349
19350 @smallexample
19351 void (*exceptionHook)() = 0;
19352 @end smallexample
19353
19354 @noindent
19355 but if before calling @code{set_debug_traps}, you set it to point to a
19356 function in your program, that function is called when
19357 @code{@value{GDBN}} continues after stopping on a trap (for example, bus
19358 error). The function indicated by @code{exceptionHook} is called with
19359 one parameter: an @code{int} which is the exception number.
19360
19361 @item
19362 Compile and link together: your program, the @value{GDBN} debugging stub for
19363 your target architecture, and the supporting subroutines.
19364
19365 @item
19366 Make sure you have a serial connection between your target machine and
19367 the @value{GDBN} host, and identify the serial port on the host.
19368
19369 @item
19370 @c The "remote" target now provides a `load' command, so we should
19371 @c document that. FIXME.
19372 Download your program to your target machine (or get it there by
19373 whatever means the manufacturer provides), and start it.
19374
19375 @item
19376 Start @value{GDBN} on the host, and connect to the target
19377 (@pxref{Connecting,,Connecting to a Remote Target}).
19378
19379 @end enumerate
19380
19381 @node Configurations
19382 @chapter Configuration-Specific Information
19383
19384 While nearly all @value{GDBN} commands are available for all native and
19385 cross versions of the debugger, there are some exceptions. This chapter
19386 describes things that are only available in certain configurations.
19387
19388 There are three major categories of configurations: native
19389 configurations, where the host and target are the same, embedded
19390 operating system configurations, which are usually the same for several
19391 different processor architectures, and bare embedded processors, which
19392 are quite different from each other.
19393
19394 @menu
19395 * Native::
19396 * Embedded OS::
19397 * Embedded Processors::
19398 * Architectures::
19399 @end menu
19400
19401 @node Native
19402 @section Native
19403
19404 This section describes details specific to particular native
19405 configurations.
19406
19407 @menu
19408 * HP-UX:: HP-UX
19409 * BSD libkvm Interface:: Debugging BSD kernel memory images
19410 * SVR4 Process Information:: SVR4 process information
19411 * DJGPP Native:: Features specific to the DJGPP port
19412 * Cygwin Native:: Features specific to the Cygwin port
19413 * Hurd Native:: Features specific to @sc{gnu} Hurd
19414 * Darwin:: Features specific to Darwin
19415 @end menu
19416
19417 @node HP-UX
19418 @subsection HP-UX
19419
19420 On HP-UX systems, if you refer to a function or variable name that
19421 begins with a dollar sign, @value{GDBN} searches for a user or system
19422 name first, before it searches for a convenience variable.
19423
19424
19425 @node BSD libkvm Interface
19426 @subsection BSD libkvm Interface
19427
19428 @cindex libkvm
19429 @cindex kernel memory image
19430 @cindex kernel crash dump
19431
19432 BSD-derived systems (FreeBSD/NetBSD/OpenBSD) have a kernel memory
19433 interface that provides a uniform interface for accessing kernel virtual
19434 memory images, including live systems and crash dumps. @value{GDBN}
19435 uses this interface to allow you to debug live kernels and kernel crash
19436 dumps on many native BSD configurations. This is implemented as a
19437 special @code{kvm} debugging target. For debugging a live system, load
19438 the currently running kernel into @value{GDBN} and connect to the
19439 @code{kvm} target:
19440
19441 @smallexample
19442 (@value{GDBP}) @b{target kvm}
19443 @end smallexample
19444
19445 For debugging crash dumps, provide the file name of the crash dump as an
19446 argument:
19447
19448 @smallexample
19449 (@value{GDBP}) @b{target kvm /var/crash/bsd.0}
19450 @end smallexample
19451
19452 Once connected to the @code{kvm} target, the following commands are
19453 available:
19454
19455 @table @code
19456 @kindex kvm
19457 @item kvm pcb
19458 Set current context from the @dfn{Process Control Block} (PCB) address.
19459
19460 @item kvm proc
19461 Set current context from proc address. This command isn't available on
19462 modern FreeBSD systems.
19463 @end table
19464
19465 @node SVR4 Process Information
19466 @subsection SVR4 Process Information
19467 @cindex /proc
19468 @cindex examine process image
19469 @cindex process info via @file{/proc}
19470
19471 Many versions of SVR4 and compatible systems provide a facility called
19472 @samp{/proc} that can be used to examine the image of a running
19473 process using file-system subroutines.
19474
19475 If @value{GDBN} is configured for an operating system with this
19476 facility, the command @code{info proc} is available to report
19477 information about the process running your program, or about any
19478 process running on your system. This includes, as of this writing,
19479 @sc{gnu}/Linux, OSF/1 (Digital Unix), Solaris, and Irix, but
19480 not HP-UX, for example.
19481
19482 This command may also work on core files that were created on a system
19483 that has the @samp{/proc} facility.
19484
19485 @table @code
19486 @kindex info proc
19487 @cindex process ID
19488 @item info proc
19489 @itemx info proc @var{process-id}
19490 Summarize available information about any running process. If a
19491 process ID is specified by @var{process-id}, display information about
19492 that process; otherwise display information about the program being
19493 debugged. The summary includes the debugged process ID, the command
19494 line used to invoke it, its current working directory, and its
19495 executable file's absolute file name.
19496
19497 On some systems, @var{process-id} can be of the form
19498 @samp{[@var{pid}]/@var{tid}} which specifies a certain thread ID
19499 within a process. If the optional @var{pid} part is missing, it means
19500 a thread from the process being debugged (the leading @samp{/} still
19501 needs to be present, or else @value{GDBN} will interpret the number as
19502 a process ID rather than a thread ID).
19503
19504 @item info proc cmdline
19505 @cindex info proc cmdline
19506 Show the original command line of the process. This command is
19507 specific to @sc{gnu}/Linux.
19508
19509 @item info proc cwd
19510 @cindex info proc cwd
19511 Show the current working directory of the process. This command is
19512 specific to @sc{gnu}/Linux.
19513
19514 @item info proc exe
19515 @cindex info proc exe
19516 Show the name of executable of the process. This command is specific
19517 to @sc{gnu}/Linux.
19518
19519 @item info proc mappings
19520 @cindex memory address space mappings
19521 Report the memory address space ranges accessible in the program, with
19522 information on whether the process has read, write, or execute access
19523 rights to each range. On @sc{gnu}/Linux systems, each memory range
19524 includes the object file which is mapped to that range, instead of the
19525 memory access rights to that range.
19526
19527 @item info proc stat
19528 @itemx info proc status
19529 @cindex process detailed status information
19530 These subcommands are specific to @sc{gnu}/Linux systems. They show
19531 the process-related information, including the user ID and group ID;
19532 how many threads are there in the process; its virtual memory usage;
19533 the signals that are pending, blocked, and ignored; its TTY; its
19534 consumption of system and user time; its stack size; its @samp{nice}
19535 value; etc. For more information, see the @samp{proc} man page
19536 (type @kbd{man 5 proc} from your shell prompt).
19537
19538 @item info proc all
19539 Show all the information about the process described under all of the
19540 above @code{info proc} subcommands.
19541
19542 @ignore
19543 @comment These sub-options of 'info proc' were not included when
19544 @comment procfs.c was re-written. Keep their descriptions around
19545 @comment against the day when someone finds the time to put them back in.
19546 @kindex info proc times
19547 @item info proc times
19548 Starting time, user CPU time, and system CPU time for your program and
19549 its children.
19550
19551 @kindex info proc id
19552 @item info proc id
19553 Report on the process IDs related to your program: its own process ID,
19554 the ID of its parent, the process group ID, and the session ID.
19555 @end ignore
19556
19557 @item set procfs-trace
19558 @kindex set procfs-trace
19559 @cindex @code{procfs} API calls
19560 This command enables and disables tracing of @code{procfs} API calls.
19561
19562 @item show procfs-trace
19563 @kindex show procfs-trace
19564 Show the current state of @code{procfs} API call tracing.
19565
19566 @item set procfs-file @var{file}
19567 @kindex set procfs-file
19568 Tell @value{GDBN} to write @code{procfs} API trace to the named
19569 @var{file}. @value{GDBN} appends the trace info to the previous
19570 contents of the file. The default is to display the trace on the
19571 standard output.
19572
19573 @item show procfs-file
19574 @kindex show procfs-file
19575 Show the file to which @code{procfs} API trace is written.
19576
19577 @item proc-trace-entry
19578 @itemx proc-trace-exit
19579 @itemx proc-untrace-entry
19580 @itemx proc-untrace-exit
19581 @kindex proc-trace-entry
19582 @kindex proc-trace-exit
19583 @kindex proc-untrace-entry
19584 @kindex proc-untrace-exit
19585 These commands enable and disable tracing of entries into and exits
19586 from the @code{syscall} interface.
19587
19588 @item info pidlist
19589 @kindex info pidlist
19590 @cindex process list, QNX Neutrino
19591 For QNX Neutrino only, this command displays the list of all the
19592 processes and all the threads within each process.
19593
19594 @item info meminfo
19595 @kindex info meminfo
19596 @cindex mapinfo list, QNX Neutrino
19597 For QNX Neutrino only, this command displays the list of all mapinfos.
19598 @end table
19599
19600 @node DJGPP Native
19601 @subsection Features for Debugging @sc{djgpp} Programs
19602 @cindex @sc{djgpp} debugging
19603 @cindex native @sc{djgpp} debugging
19604 @cindex MS-DOS-specific commands
19605
19606 @cindex DPMI
19607 @sc{djgpp} is a port of the @sc{gnu} development tools to MS-DOS and
19608 MS-Windows. @sc{djgpp} programs are 32-bit protected-mode programs
19609 that use the @dfn{DPMI} (DOS Protected-Mode Interface) API to run on
19610 top of real-mode DOS systems and their emulations.
19611
19612 @value{GDBN} supports native debugging of @sc{djgpp} programs, and
19613 defines a few commands specific to the @sc{djgpp} port. This
19614 subsection describes those commands.
19615
19616 @table @code
19617 @kindex info dos
19618 @item info dos
19619 This is a prefix of @sc{djgpp}-specific commands which print
19620 information about the target system and important OS structures.
19621
19622 @kindex sysinfo
19623 @cindex MS-DOS system info
19624 @cindex free memory information (MS-DOS)
19625 @item info dos sysinfo
19626 This command displays assorted information about the underlying
19627 platform: the CPU type and features, the OS version and flavor, the
19628 DPMI version, and the available conventional and DPMI memory.
19629
19630 @cindex GDT
19631 @cindex LDT
19632 @cindex IDT
19633 @cindex segment descriptor tables
19634 @cindex descriptor tables display
19635 @item info dos gdt
19636 @itemx info dos ldt
19637 @itemx info dos idt
19638 These 3 commands display entries from, respectively, Global, Local,
19639 and Interrupt Descriptor Tables (GDT, LDT, and IDT). The descriptor
19640 tables are data structures which store a descriptor for each segment
19641 that is currently in use. The segment's selector is an index into a
19642 descriptor table; the table entry for that index holds the
19643 descriptor's base address and limit, and its attributes and access
19644 rights.
19645
19646 A typical @sc{djgpp} program uses 3 segments: a code segment, a data
19647 segment (used for both data and the stack), and a DOS segment (which
19648 allows access to DOS/BIOS data structures and absolute addresses in
19649 conventional memory). However, the DPMI host will usually define
19650 additional segments in order to support the DPMI environment.
19651
19652 @cindex garbled pointers
19653 These commands allow to display entries from the descriptor tables.
19654 Without an argument, all entries from the specified table are
19655 displayed. An argument, which should be an integer expression, means
19656 display a single entry whose index is given by the argument. For
19657 example, here's a convenient way to display information about the
19658 debugged program's data segment:
19659
19660 @smallexample
19661 @exdent @code{(@value{GDBP}) info dos ldt $ds}
19662 @exdent @code{0x13f: base=0x11970000 limit=0x0009ffff 32-Bit Data (Read/Write, Exp-up)}
19663 @end smallexample
19664
19665 @noindent
19666 This comes in handy when you want to see whether a pointer is outside
19667 the data segment's limit (i.e.@: @dfn{garbled}).
19668
19669 @cindex page tables display (MS-DOS)
19670 @item info dos pde
19671 @itemx info dos pte
19672 These two commands display entries from, respectively, the Page
19673 Directory and the Page Tables. Page Directories and Page Tables are
19674 data structures which control how virtual memory addresses are mapped
19675 into physical addresses. A Page Table includes an entry for every
19676 page of memory that is mapped into the program's address space; there
19677 may be several Page Tables, each one holding up to 4096 entries. A
19678 Page Directory has up to 4096 entries, one each for every Page Table
19679 that is currently in use.
19680
19681 Without an argument, @kbd{info dos pde} displays the entire Page
19682 Directory, and @kbd{info dos pte} displays all the entries in all of
19683 the Page Tables. An argument, an integer expression, given to the
19684 @kbd{info dos pde} command means display only that entry from the Page
19685 Directory table. An argument given to the @kbd{info dos pte} command
19686 means display entries from a single Page Table, the one pointed to by
19687 the specified entry in the Page Directory.
19688
19689 @cindex direct memory access (DMA) on MS-DOS
19690 These commands are useful when your program uses @dfn{DMA} (Direct
19691 Memory Access), which needs physical addresses to program the DMA
19692 controller.
19693
19694 These commands are supported only with some DPMI servers.
19695
19696 @cindex physical address from linear address
19697 @item info dos address-pte @var{addr}
19698 This command displays the Page Table entry for a specified linear
19699 address. The argument @var{addr} is a linear address which should
19700 already have the appropriate segment's base address added to it,
19701 because this command accepts addresses which may belong to @emph{any}
19702 segment. For example, here's how to display the Page Table entry for
19703 the page where a variable @code{i} is stored:
19704
19705 @smallexample
19706 @exdent @code{(@value{GDBP}) info dos address-pte __djgpp_base_address + (char *)&i}
19707 @exdent @code{Page Table entry for address 0x11a00d30:}
19708 @exdent @code{Base=0x02698000 Dirty Acc. Not-Cached Write-Back Usr Read-Write +0xd30}
19709 @end smallexample
19710
19711 @noindent
19712 This says that @code{i} is stored at offset @code{0xd30} from the page
19713 whose physical base address is @code{0x02698000}, and shows all the
19714 attributes of that page.
19715
19716 Note that you must cast the addresses of variables to a @code{char *},
19717 since otherwise the value of @code{__djgpp_base_address}, the base
19718 address of all variables and functions in a @sc{djgpp} program, will
19719 be added using the rules of C pointer arithmetics: if @code{i} is
19720 declared an @code{int}, @value{GDBN} will add 4 times the value of
19721 @code{__djgpp_base_address} to the address of @code{i}.
19722
19723 Here's another example, it displays the Page Table entry for the
19724 transfer buffer:
19725
19726 @smallexample
19727 @exdent @code{(@value{GDBP}) info dos address-pte *((unsigned *)&_go32_info_block + 3)}
19728 @exdent @code{Page Table entry for address 0x29110:}
19729 @exdent @code{Base=0x00029000 Dirty Acc. Not-Cached Write-Back Usr Read-Write +0x110}
19730 @end smallexample
19731
19732 @noindent
19733 (The @code{+ 3} offset is because the transfer buffer's address is the
19734 3rd member of the @code{_go32_info_block} structure.) The output
19735 clearly shows that this DPMI server maps the addresses in conventional
19736 memory 1:1, i.e.@: the physical (@code{0x00029000} + @code{0x110}) and
19737 linear (@code{0x29110}) addresses are identical.
19738
19739 This command is supported only with some DPMI servers.
19740 @end table
19741
19742 @cindex DOS serial data link, remote debugging
19743 In addition to native debugging, the DJGPP port supports remote
19744 debugging via a serial data link. The following commands are specific
19745 to remote serial debugging in the DJGPP port of @value{GDBN}.
19746
19747 @table @code
19748 @kindex set com1base
19749 @kindex set com1irq
19750 @kindex set com2base
19751 @kindex set com2irq
19752 @kindex set com3base
19753 @kindex set com3irq
19754 @kindex set com4base
19755 @kindex set com4irq
19756 @item set com1base @var{addr}
19757 This command sets the base I/O port address of the @file{COM1} serial
19758 port.
19759
19760 @item set com1irq @var{irq}
19761 This command sets the @dfn{Interrupt Request} (@code{IRQ}) line to use
19762 for the @file{COM1} serial port.
19763
19764 There are similar commands @samp{set com2base}, @samp{set com3irq},
19765 etc.@: for setting the port address and the @code{IRQ} lines for the
19766 other 3 COM ports.
19767
19768 @kindex show com1base
19769 @kindex show com1irq
19770 @kindex show com2base
19771 @kindex show com2irq
19772 @kindex show com3base
19773 @kindex show com3irq
19774 @kindex show com4base
19775 @kindex show com4irq
19776 The related commands @samp{show com1base}, @samp{show com1irq} etc.@:
19777 display the current settings of the base address and the @code{IRQ}
19778 lines used by the COM ports.
19779
19780 @item info serial
19781 @kindex info serial
19782 @cindex DOS serial port status
19783 This command prints the status of the 4 DOS serial ports. For each
19784 port, it prints whether it's active or not, its I/O base address and
19785 IRQ number, whether it uses a 16550-style FIFO, its baudrate, and the
19786 counts of various errors encountered so far.
19787 @end table
19788
19789
19790 @node Cygwin Native
19791 @subsection Features for Debugging MS Windows PE Executables
19792 @cindex MS Windows debugging
19793 @cindex native Cygwin debugging
19794 @cindex Cygwin-specific commands
19795
19796 @value{GDBN} supports native debugging of MS Windows programs, including
19797 DLLs with and without symbolic debugging information.
19798
19799 @cindex Ctrl-BREAK, MS-Windows
19800 @cindex interrupt debuggee on MS-Windows
19801 MS-Windows programs that call @code{SetConsoleMode} to switch off the
19802 special meaning of the @samp{Ctrl-C} keystroke cannot be interrupted
19803 by typing @kbd{C-c}. For this reason, @value{GDBN} on MS-Windows
19804 supports @kbd{C-@key{BREAK}} as an alternative interrupt key
19805 sequence, which can be used to interrupt the debuggee even if it
19806 ignores @kbd{C-c}.
19807
19808 There are various additional Cygwin-specific commands, described in
19809 this section. Working with DLLs that have no debugging symbols is
19810 described in @ref{Non-debug DLL Symbols}.
19811
19812 @table @code
19813 @kindex info w32
19814 @item info w32
19815 This is a prefix of MS Windows-specific commands which print
19816 information about the target system and important OS structures.
19817
19818 @item info w32 selector
19819 This command displays information returned by
19820 the Win32 API @code{GetThreadSelectorEntry} function.
19821 It takes an optional argument that is evaluated to
19822 a long value to give the information about this given selector.
19823 Without argument, this command displays information
19824 about the six segment registers.
19825
19826 @item info w32 thread-information-block
19827 This command displays thread specific information stored in the
19828 Thread Information Block (readable on the X86 CPU family using @code{$fs}
19829 selector for 32-bit programs and @code{$gs} for 64-bit programs).
19830
19831 @kindex info dll
19832 @item info dll
19833 This is a Cygwin-specific alias of @code{info shared}.
19834
19835 @kindex dll-symbols
19836 @item dll-symbols
19837 This command loads symbols from a dll similarly to
19838 add-sym command but without the need to specify a base address.
19839
19840 @kindex set cygwin-exceptions
19841 @cindex debugging the Cygwin DLL
19842 @cindex Cygwin DLL, debugging
19843 @item set cygwin-exceptions @var{mode}
19844 If @var{mode} is @code{on}, @value{GDBN} will break on exceptions that
19845 happen inside the Cygwin DLL. If @var{mode} is @code{off},
19846 @value{GDBN} will delay recognition of exceptions, and may ignore some
19847 exceptions which seem to be caused by internal Cygwin DLL
19848 ``bookkeeping''. This option is meant primarily for debugging the
19849 Cygwin DLL itself; the default value is @code{off} to avoid annoying
19850 @value{GDBN} users with false @code{SIGSEGV} signals.
19851
19852 @kindex show cygwin-exceptions
19853 @item show cygwin-exceptions
19854 Displays whether @value{GDBN} will break on exceptions that happen
19855 inside the Cygwin DLL itself.
19856
19857 @kindex set new-console
19858 @item set new-console @var{mode}
19859 If @var{mode} is @code{on} the debuggee will
19860 be started in a new console on next start.
19861 If @var{mode} is @code{off}, the debuggee will
19862 be started in the same console as the debugger.
19863
19864 @kindex show new-console
19865 @item show new-console
19866 Displays whether a new console is used
19867 when the debuggee is started.
19868
19869 @kindex set new-group
19870 @item set new-group @var{mode}
19871 This boolean value controls whether the debuggee should
19872 start a new group or stay in the same group as the debugger.
19873 This affects the way the Windows OS handles
19874 @samp{Ctrl-C}.
19875
19876 @kindex show new-group
19877 @item show new-group
19878 Displays current value of new-group boolean.
19879
19880 @kindex set debugevents
19881 @item set debugevents
19882 This boolean value adds debug output concerning kernel events related
19883 to the debuggee seen by the debugger. This includes events that
19884 signal thread and process creation and exit, DLL loading and
19885 unloading, console interrupts, and debugging messages produced by the
19886 Windows @code{OutputDebugString} API call.
19887
19888 @kindex set debugexec
19889 @item set debugexec
19890 This boolean value adds debug output concerning execute events
19891 (such as resume thread) seen by the debugger.
19892
19893 @kindex set debugexceptions
19894 @item set debugexceptions
19895 This boolean value adds debug output concerning exceptions in the
19896 debuggee seen by the debugger.
19897
19898 @kindex set debugmemory
19899 @item set debugmemory
19900 This boolean value adds debug output concerning debuggee memory reads
19901 and writes by the debugger.
19902
19903 @kindex set shell
19904 @item set shell
19905 This boolean values specifies whether the debuggee is called
19906 via a shell or directly (default value is on).
19907
19908 @kindex show shell
19909 @item show shell
19910 Displays if the debuggee will be started with a shell.
19911
19912 @end table
19913
19914 @menu
19915 * Non-debug DLL Symbols:: Support for DLLs without debugging symbols
19916 @end menu
19917
19918 @node Non-debug DLL Symbols
19919 @subsubsection Support for DLLs without Debugging Symbols
19920 @cindex DLLs with no debugging symbols
19921 @cindex Minimal symbols and DLLs
19922
19923 Very often on windows, some of the DLLs that your program relies on do
19924 not include symbolic debugging information (for example,
19925 @file{kernel32.dll}). When @value{GDBN} doesn't recognize any debugging
19926 symbols in a DLL, it relies on the minimal amount of symbolic
19927 information contained in the DLL's export table. This section
19928 describes working with such symbols, known internally to @value{GDBN} as
19929 ``minimal symbols''.
19930
19931 Note that before the debugged program has started execution, no DLLs
19932 will have been loaded. The easiest way around this problem is simply to
19933 start the program --- either by setting a breakpoint or letting the
19934 program run once to completion. It is also possible to force
19935 @value{GDBN} to load a particular DLL before starting the executable ---
19936 see the shared library information in @ref{Files}, or the
19937 @code{dll-symbols} command in @ref{Cygwin Native}. Currently,
19938 explicitly loading symbols from a DLL with no debugging information will
19939 cause the symbol names to be duplicated in @value{GDBN}'s lookup table,
19940 which may adversely affect symbol lookup performance.
19941
19942 @subsubsection DLL Name Prefixes
19943
19944 In keeping with the naming conventions used by the Microsoft debugging
19945 tools, DLL export symbols are made available with a prefix based on the
19946 DLL name, for instance @code{KERNEL32!CreateFileA}. The plain name is
19947 also entered into the symbol table, so @code{CreateFileA} is often
19948 sufficient. In some cases there will be name clashes within a program
19949 (particularly if the executable itself includes full debugging symbols)
19950 necessitating the use of the fully qualified name when referring to the
19951 contents of the DLL. Use single-quotes around the name to avoid the
19952 exclamation mark (``!'') being interpreted as a language operator.
19953
19954 Note that the internal name of the DLL may be all upper-case, even
19955 though the file name of the DLL is lower-case, or vice-versa. Since
19956 symbols within @value{GDBN} are @emph{case-sensitive} this may cause
19957 some confusion. If in doubt, try the @code{info functions} and
19958 @code{info variables} commands or even @code{maint print msymbols}
19959 (@pxref{Symbols}). Here's an example:
19960
19961 @smallexample
19962 (@value{GDBP}) info function CreateFileA
19963 All functions matching regular expression "CreateFileA":
19964
19965 Non-debugging symbols:
19966 0x77e885f4 CreateFileA
19967 0x77e885f4 KERNEL32!CreateFileA
19968 @end smallexample
19969
19970 @smallexample
19971 (@value{GDBP}) info function !
19972 All functions matching regular expression "!":
19973
19974 Non-debugging symbols:
19975 0x6100114c cygwin1!__assert
19976 0x61004034 cygwin1!_dll_crt0@@0
19977 0x61004240 cygwin1!dll_crt0(per_process *)
19978 [etc...]
19979 @end smallexample
19980
19981 @subsubsection Working with Minimal Symbols
19982
19983 Symbols extracted from a DLL's export table do not contain very much
19984 type information. All that @value{GDBN} can do is guess whether a symbol
19985 refers to a function or variable depending on the linker section that
19986 contains the symbol. Also note that the actual contents of the memory
19987 contained in a DLL are not available unless the program is running. This
19988 means that you cannot examine the contents of a variable or disassemble
19989 a function within a DLL without a running program.
19990
19991 Variables are generally treated as pointers and dereferenced
19992 automatically. For this reason, it is often necessary to prefix a
19993 variable name with the address-of operator (``&'') and provide explicit
19994 type information in the command. Here's an example of the type of
19995 problem:
19996
19997 @smallexample
19998 (@value{GDBP}) print 'cygwin1!__argv'
19999 $1 = 268572168
20000 @end smallexample
20001
20002 @smallexample
20003 (@value{GDBP}) x 'cygwin1!__argv'
20004 0x10021610: "\230y\""
20005 @end smallexample
20006
20007 And two possible solutions:
20008
20009 @smallexample
20010 (@value{GDBP}) print ((char **)'cygwin1!__argv')[0]
20011 $2 = 0x22fd98 "/cygdrive/c/mydirectory/myprogram"
20012 @end smallexample
20013
20014 @smallexample
20015 (@value{GDBP}) x/2x &'cygwin1!__argv'
20016 0x610c0aa8 <cygwin1!__argv>: 0x10021608 0x00000000
20017 (@value{GDBP}) x/x 0x10021608
20018 0x10021608: 0x0022fd98
20019 (@value{GDBP}) x/s 0x0022fd98
20020 0x22fd98: "/cygdrive/c/mydirectory/myprogram"
20021 @end smallexample
20022
20023 Setting a break point within a DLL is possible even before the program
20024 starts execution. However, under these circumstances, @value{GDBN} can't
20025 examine the initial instructions of the function in order to skip the
20026 function's frame set-up code. You can work around this by using ``*&''
20027 to set the breakpoint at a raw memory address:
20028
20029 @smallexample
20030 (@value{GDBP}) break *&'python22!PyOS_Readline'
20031 Breakpoint 1 at 0x1e04eff0
20032 @end smallexample
20033
20034 The author of these extensions is not entirely convinced that setting a
20035 break point within a shared DLL like @file{kernel32.dll} is completely
20036 safe.
20037
20038 @node Hurd Native
20039 @subsection Commands Specific to @sc{gnu} Hurd Systems
20040 @cindex @sc{gnu} Hurd debugging
20041
20042 This subsection describes @value{GDBN} commands specific to the
20043 @sc{gnu} Hurd native debugging.
20044
20045 @table @code
20046 @item set signals
20047 @itemx set sigs
20048 @kindex set signals@r{, Hurd command}
20049 @kindex set sigs@r{, Hurd command}
20050 This command toggles the state of inferior signal interception by
20051 @value{GDBN}. Mach exceptions, such as breakpoint traps, are not
20052 affected by this command. @code{sigs} is a shorthand alias for
20053 @code{signals}.
20054
20055 @item show signals
20056 @itemx show sigs
20057 @kindex show signals@r{, Hurd command}
20058 @kindex show sigs@r{, Hurd command}
20059 Show the current state of intercepting inferior's signals.
20060
20061 @item set signal-thread
20062 @itemx set sigthread
20063 @kindex set signal-thread
20064 @kindex set sigthread
20065 This command tells @value{GDBN} which thread is the @code{libc} signal
20066 thread. That thread is run when a signal is delivered to a running
20067 process. @code{set sigthread} is the shorthand alias of @code{set
20068 signal-thread}.
20069
20070 @item show signal-thread
20071 @itemx show sigthread
20072 @kindex show signal-thread
20073 @kindex show sigthread
20074 These two commands show which thread will run when the inferior is
20075 delivered a signal.
20076
20077 @item set stopped
20078 @kindex set stopped@r{, Hurd command}
20079 This commands tells @value{GDBN} that the inferior process is stopped,
20080 as with the @code{SIGSTOP} signal. The stopped process can be
20081 continued by delivering a signal to it.
20082
20083 @item show stopped
20084 @kindex show stopped@r{, Hurd command}
20085 This command shows whether @value{GDBN} thinks the debuggee is
20086 stopped.
20087
20088 @item set exceptions
20089 @kindex set exceptions@r{, Hurd command}
20090 Use this command to turn off trapping of exceptions in the inferior.
20091 When exception trapping is off, neither breakpoints nor
20092 single-stepping will work. To restore the default, set exception
20093 trapping on.
20094
20095 @item show exceptions
20096 @kindex show exceptions@r{, Hurd command}
20097 Show the current state of trapping exceptions in the inferior.
20098
20099 @item set task pause
20100 @kindex set task@r{, Hurd commands}
20101 @cindex task attributes (@sc{gnu} Hurd)
20102 @cindex pause current task (@sc{gnu} Hurd)
20103 This command toggles task suspension when @value{GDBN} has control.
20104 Setting it to on takes effect immediately, and the task is suspended
20105 whenever @value{GDBN} gets control. Setting it to off will take
20106 effect the next time the inferior is continued. If this option is set
20107 to off, you can use @code{set thread default pause on} or @code{set
20108 thread pause on} (see below) to pause individual threads.
20109
20110 @item show task pause
20111 @kindex show task@r{, Hurd commands}
20112 Show the current state of task suspension.
20113
20114 @item set task detach-suspend-count
20115 @cindex task suspend count
20116 @cindex detach from task, @sc{gnu} Hurd
20117 This command sets the suspend count the task will be left with when
20118 @value{GDBN} detaches from it.
20119
20120 @item show task detach-suspend-count
20121 Show the suspend count the task will be left with when detaching.
20122
20123 @item set task exception-port
20124 @itemx set task excp
20125 @cindex task exception port, @sc{gnu} Hurd
20126 This command sets the task exception port to which @value{GDBN} will
20127 forward exceptions. The argument should be the value of the @dfn{send
20128 rights} of the task. @code{set task excp} is a shorthand alias.
20129
20130 @item set noninvasive
20131 @cindex noninvasive task options
20132 This command switches @value{GDBN} to a mode that is the least
20133 invasive as far as interfering with the inferior is concerned. This
20134 is the same as using @code{set task pause}, @code{set exceptions}, and
20135 @code{set signals} to values opposite to the defaults.
20136
20137 @item info send-rights
20138 @itemx info receive-rights
20139 @itemx info port-rights
20140 @itemx info port-sets
20141 @itemx info dead-names
20142 @itemx info ports
20143 @itemx info psets
20144 @cindex send rights, @sc{gnu} Hurd
20145 @cindex receive rights, @sc{gnu} Hurd
20146 @cindex port rights, @sc{gnu} Hurd
20147 @cindex port sets, @sc{gnu} Hurd
20148 @cindex dead names, @sc{gnu} Hurd
20149 These commands display information about, respectively, send rights,
20150 receive rights, port rights, port sets, and dead names of a task.
20151 There are also shorthand aliases: @code{info ports} for @code{info
20152 port-rights} and @code{info psets} for @code{info port-sets}.
20153
20154 @item set thread pause
20155 @kindex set thread@r{, Hurd command}
20156 @cindex thread properties, @sc{gnu} Hurd
20157 @cindex pause current thread (@sc{gnu} Hurd)
20158 This command toggles current thread suspension when @value{GDBN} has
20159 control. Setting it to on takes effect immediately, and the current
20160 thread is suspended whenever @value{GDBN} gets control. Setting it to
20161 off will take effect the next time the inferior is continued.
20162 Normally, this command has no effect, since when @value{GDBN} has
20163 control, the whole task is suspended. However, if you used @code{set
20164 task pause off} (see above), this command comes in handy to suspend
20165 only the current thread.
20166
20167 @item show thread pause
20168 @kindex show thread@r{, Hurd command}
20169 This command shows the state of current thread suspension.
20170
20171 @item set thread run
20172 This command sets whether the current thread is allowed to run.
20173
20174 @item show thread run
20175 Show whether the current thread is allowed to run.
20176
20177 @item set thread detach-suspend-count
20178 @cindex thread suspend count, @sc{gnu} Hurd
20179 @cindex detach from thread, @sc{gnu} Hurd
20180 This command sets the suspend count @value{GDBN} will leave on a
20181 thread when detaching. This number is relative to the suspend count
20182 found by @value{GDBN} when it notices the thread; use @code{set thread
20183 takeover-suspend-count} to force it to an absolute value.
20184
20185 @item show thread detach-suspend-count
20186 Show the suspend count @value{GDBN} will leave on the thread when
20187 detaching.
20188
20189 @item set thread exception-port
20190 @itemx set thread excp
20191 Set the thread exception port to which to forward exceptions. This
20192 overrides the port set by @code{set task exception-port} (see above).
20193 @code{set thread excp} is the shorthand alias.
20194
20195 @item set thread takeover-suspend-count
20196 Normally, @value{GDBN}'s thread suspend counts are relative to the
20197 value @value{GDBN} finds when it notices each thread. This command
20198 changes the suspend counts to be absolute instead.
20199
20200 @item set thread default
20201 @itemx show thread default
20202 @cindex thread default settings, @sc{gnu} Hurd
20203 Each of the above @code{set thread} commands has a @code{set thread
20204 default} counterpart (e.g., @code{set thread default pause}, @code{set
20205 thread default exception-port}, etc.). The @code{thread default}
20206 variety of commands sets the default thread properties for all
20207 threads; you can then change the properties of individual threads with
20208 the non-default commands.
20209 @end table
20210
20211 @node Darwin
20212 @subsection Darwin
20213 @cindex Darwin
20214
20215 @value{GDBN} provides the following commands specific to the Darwin target:
20216
20217 @table @code
20218 @item set debug darwin @var{num}
20219 @kindex set debug darwin
20220 When set to a non zero value, enables debugging messages specific to
20221 the Darwin support. Higher values produce more verbose output.
20222
20223 @item show debug darwin
20224 @kindex show debug darwin
20225 Show the current state of Darwin messages.
20226
20227 @item set debug mach-o @var{num}
20228 @kindex set debug mach-o
20229 When set to a non zero value, enables debugging messages while
20230 @value{GDBN} is reading Darwin object files. (@dfn{Mach-O} is the
20231 file format used on Darwin for object and executable files.) Higher
20232 values produce more verbose output. This is a command to diagnose
20233 problems internal to @value{GDBN} and should not be needed in normal
20234 usage.
20235
20236 @item show debug mach-o
20237 @kindex show debug mach-o
20238 Show the current state of Mach-O file messages.
20239
20240 @item set mach-exceptions on
20241 @itemx set mach-exceptions off
20242 @kindex set mach-exceptions
20243 On Darwin, faults are first reported as a Mach exception and are then
20244 mapped to a Posix signal. Use this command to turn on trapping of
20245 Mach exceptions in the inferior. This might be sometimes useful to
20246 better understand the cause of a fault. The default is off.
20247
20248 @item show mach-exceptions
20249 @kindex show mach-exceptions
20250 Show the current state of exceptions trapping.
20251 @end table
20252
20253
20254 @node Embedded OS
20255 @section Embedded Operating Systems
20256
20257 This section describes configurations involving the debugging of
20258 embedded operating systems that are available for several different
20259 architectures.
20260
20261 @menu
20262 * VxWorks:: Using @value{GDBN} with VxWorks
20263 @end menu
20264
20265 @value{GDBN} includes the ability to debug programs running on
20266 various real-time operating systems.
20267
20268 @node VxWorks
20269 @subsection Using @value{GDBN} with VxWorks
20270
20271 @cindex VxWorks
20272
20273 @table @code
20274
20275 @kindex target vxworks
20276 @item target vxworks @var{machinename}
20277 A VxWorks system, attached via TCP/IP. The argument @var{machinename}
20278 is the target system's machine name or IP address.
20279
20280 @end table
20281
20282 On VxWorks, @code{load} links @var{filename} dynamically on the
20283 current target system as well as adding its symbols in @value{GDBN}.
20284
20285 @value{GDBN} enables developers to spawn and debug tasks running on networked
20286 VxWorks targets from a Unix host. Already-running tasks spawned from
20287 the VxWorks shell can also be debugged. @value{GDBN} uses code that runs on
20288 both the Unix host and on the VxWorks target. The program
20289 @code{@value{GDBP}} is installed and executed on the Unix host. (It may be
20290 installed with the name @code{vxgdb}, to distinguish it from a
20291 @value{GDBN} for debugging programs on the host itself.)
20292
20293 @table @code
20294 @item VxWorks-timeout @var{args}
20295 @kindex vxworks-timeout
20296 All VxWorks-based targets now support the option @code{vxworks-timeout}.
20297 This option is set by the user, and @var{args} represents the number of
20298 seconds @value{GDBN} waits for responses to rpc's. You might use this if
20299 your VxWorks target is a slow software simulator or is on the far side
20300 of a thin network line.
20301 @end table
20302
20303 The following information on connecting to VxWorks was current when
20304 this manual was produced; newer releases of VxWorks may use revised
20305 procedures.
20306
20307 @findex INCLUDE_RDB
20308 To use @value{GDBN} with VxWorks, you must rebuild your VxWorks kernel
20309 to include the remote debugging interface routines in the VxWorks
20310 library @file{rdb.a}. To do this, define @code{INCLUDE_RDB} in the
20311 VxWorks configuration file @file{configAll.h} and rebuild your VxWorks
20312 kernel. The resulting kernel contains @file{rdb.a}, and spawns the
20313 source debugging task @code{tRdbTask} when VxWorks is booted. For more
20314 information on configuring and remaking VxWorks, see the manufacturer's
20315 manual.
20316 @c VxWorks, see the @cite{VxWorks Programmer's Guide}.
20317
20318 Once you have included @file{rdb.a} in your VxWorks system image and set
20319 your Unix execution search path to find @value{GDBN}, you are ready to
20320 run @value{GDBN}. From your Unix host, run @code{@value{GDBP}} (or
20321 @code{vxgdb}, depending on your installation).
20322
20323 @value{GDBN} comes up showing the prompt:
20324
20325 @smallexample
20326 (vxgdb)
20327 @end smallexample
20328
20329 @menu
20330 * VxWorks Connection:: Connecting to VxWorks
20331 * VxWorks Download:: VxWorks download
20332 * VxWorks Attach:: Running tasks
20333 @end menu
20334
20335 @node VxWorks Connection
20336 @subsubsection Connecting to VxWorks
20337
20338 The @value{GDBN} command @code{target} lets you connect to a VxWorks target on the
20339 network. To connect to a target whose host name is ``@code{tt}'', type:
20340
20341 @smallexample
20342 (vxgdb) target vxworks tt
20343 @end smallexample
20344
20345 @need 750
20346 @value{GDBN} displays messages like these:
20347
20348 @smallexample
20349 Attaching remote machine across net...
20350 Connected to tt.
20351 @end smallexample
20352
20353 @need 1000
20354 @value{GDBN} then attempts to read the symbol tables of any object modules
20355 loaded into the VxWorks target since it was last booted. @value{GDBN} locates
20356 these files by searching the directories listed in the command search
20357 path (@pxref{Environment, ,Your Program's Environment}); if it fails
20358 to find an object file, it displays a message such as:
20359
20360 @smallexample
20361 prog.o: No such file or directory.
20362 @end smallexample
20363
20364 When this happens, add the appropriate directory to the search path with
20365 the @value{GDBN} command @code{path}, and execute the @code{target}
20366 command again.
20367
20368 @node VxWorks Download
20369 @subsubsection VxWorks Download
20370
20371 @cindex download to VxWorks
20372 If you have connected to the VxWorks target and you want to debug an
20373 object that has not yet been loaded, you can use the @value{GDBN}
20374 @code{load} command to download a file from Unix to VxWorks
20375 incrementally. The object file given as an argument to the @code{load}
20376 command is actually opened twice: first by the VxWorks target in order
20377 to download the code, then by @value{GDBN} in order to read the symbol
20378 table. This can lead to problems if the current working directories on
20379 the two systems differ. If both systems have NFS mounted the same
20380 filesystems, you can avoid these problems by using absolute paths.
20381 Otherwise, it is simplest to set the working directory on both systems
20382 to the directory in which the object file resides, and then to reference
20383 the file by its name, without any path. For instance, a program
20384 @file{prog.o} may reside in @file{@var{vxpath}/vw/demo/rdb} in VxWorks
20385 and in @file{@var{hostpath}/vw/demo/rdb} on the host. To load this
20386 program, type this on VxWorks:
20387
20388 @smallexample
20389 -> cd "@var{vxpath}/vw/demo/rdb"
20390 @end smallexample
20391
20392 @noindent
20393 Then, in @value{GDBN}, type:
20394
20395 @smallexample
20396 (vxgdb) cd @var{hostpath}/vw/demo/rdb
20397 (vxgdb) load prog.o
20398 @end smallexample
20399
20400 @value{GDBN} displays a response similar to this:
20401
20402 @smallexample
20403 Reading symbol data from wherever/vw/demo/rdb/prog.o... done.
20404 @end smallexample
20405
20406 You can also use the @code{load} command to reload an object module
20407 after editing and recompiling the corresponding source file. Note that
20408 this makes @value{GDBN} delete all currently-defined breakpoints,
20409 auto-displays, and convenience variables, and to clear the value
20410 history. (This is necessary in order to preserve the integrity of
20411 debugger's data structures that reference the target system's symbol
20412 table.)
20413
20414 @node VxWorks Attach
20415 @subsubsection Running Tasks
20416
20417 @cindex running VxWorks tasks
20418 You can also attach to an existing task using the @code{attach} command as
20419 follows:
20420
20421 @smallexample
20422 (vxgdb) attach @var{task}
20423 @end smallexample
20424
20425 @noindent
20426 where @var{task} is the VxWorks hexadecimal task ID. The task can be running
20427 or suspended when you attach to it. Running tasks are suspended at
20428 the time of attachment.
20429
20430 @node Embedded Processors
20431 @section Embedded Processors
20432
20433 This section goes into details specific to particular embedded
20434 configurations.
20435
20436 @cindex send command to simulator
20437 Whenever a specific embedded processor has a simulator, @value{GDBN}
20438 allows to send an arbitrary command to the simulator.
20439
20440 @table @code
20441 @item sim @var{command}
20442 @kindex sim@r{, a command}
20443 Send an arbitrary @var{command} string to the simulator. Consult the
20444 documentation for the specific simulator in use for information about
20445 acceptable commands.
20446 @end table
20447
20448
20449 @menu
20450 * ARM:: ARM RDI
20451 * M32R/D:: Renesas M32R/D
20452 * M68K:: Motorola M68K
20453 * MicroBlaze:: Xilinx MicroBlaze
20454 * MIPS Embedded:: MIPS Embedded
20455 * PowerPC Embedded:: PowerPC Embedded
20456 * PA:: HP PA Embedded
20457 * Sparclet:: Tsqware Sparclet
20458 * Sparclite:: Fujitsu Sparclite
20459 * Z8000:: Zilog Z8000
20460 * AVR:: Atmel AVR
20461 * CRIS:: CRIS
20462 * Super-H:: Renesas Super-H
20463 @end menu
20464
20465 @node ARM
20466 @subsection ARM
20467 @cindex ARM RDI
20468
20469 @table @code
20470 @kindex target rdi
20471 @item target rdi @var{dev}
20472 ARM Angel monitor, via RDI library interface to ADP protocol. You may
20473 use this target to communicate with both boards running the Angel
20474 monitor, or with the EmbeddedICE JTAG debug device.
20475
20476 @kindex target rdp
20477 @item target rdp @var{dev}
20478 ARM Demon monitor.
20479
20480 @end table
20481
20482 @value{GDBN} provides the following ARM-specific commands:
20483
20484 @table @code
20485 @item set arm disassembler
20486 @kindex set arm
20487 This commands selects from a list of disassembly styles. The
20488 @code{"std"} style is the standard style.
20489
20490 @item show arm disassembler
20491 @kindex show arm
20492 Show the current disassembly style.
20493
20494 @item set arm apcs32
20495 @cindex ARM 32-bit mode
20496 This command toggles ARM operation mode between 32-bit and 26-bit.
20497
20498 @item show arm apcs32
20499 Display the current usage of the ARM 32-bit mode.
20500
20501 @item set arm fpu @var{fputype}
20502 This command sets the ARM floating-point unit (FPU) type. The
20503 argument @var{fputype} can be one of these:
20504
20505 @table @code
20506 @item auto
20507 Determine the FPU type by querying the OS ABI.
20508 @item softfpa
20509 Software FPU, with mixed-endian doubles on little-endian ARM
20510 processors.
20511 @item fpa
20512 GCC-compiled FPA co-processor.
20513 @item softvfp
20514 Software FPU with pure-endian doubles.
20515 @item vfp
20516 VFP co-processor.
20517 @end table
20518
20519 @item show arm fpu
20520 Show the current type of the FPU.
20521
20522 @item set arm abi
20523 This command forces @value{GDBN} to use the specified ABI.
20524
20525 @item show arm abi
20526 Show the currently used ABI.
20527
20528 @item set arm fallback-mode (arm|thumb|auto)
20529 @value{GDBN} uses the symbol table, when available, to determine
20530 whether instructions are ARM or Thumb. This command controls
20531 @value{GDBN}'s default behavior when the symbol table is not
20532 available. The default is @samp{auto}, which causes @value{GDBN} to
20533 use the current execution mode (from the @code{T} bit in the @code{CPSR}
20534 register).
20535
20536 @item show arm fallback-mode
20537 Show the current fallback instruction mode.
20538
20539 @item set arm force-mode (arm|thumb|auto)
20540 This command overrides use of the symbol table to determine whether
20541 instructions are ARM or Thumb. The default is @samp{auto}, which
20542 causes @value{GDBN} to use the symbol table and then the setting
20543 of @samp{set arm fallback-mode}.
20544
20545 @item show arm force-mode
20546 Show the current forced instruction mode.
20547
20548 @item set debug arm
20549 Toggle whether to display ARM-specific debugging messages from the ARM
20550 target support subsystem.
20551
20552 @item show debug arm
20553 Show whether ARM-specific debugging messages are enabled.
20554 @end table
20555
20556 The following commands are available when an ARM target is debugged
20557 using the RDI interface:
20558
20559 @table @code
20560 @item rdilogfile @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
20561 @kindex rdilogfile
20562 @cindex ADP (Angel Debugger Protocol) logging
20563 Set the filename for the ADP (Angel Debugger Protocol) packet log.
20564 With an argument, sets the log file to the specified @var{file}. With
20565 no argument, show the current log file name. The default log file is
20566 @file{rdi.log}.
20567
20568 @item rdilogenable @r{[}@var{arg}@r{]}
20569 @kindex rdilogenable
20570 Control logging of ADP packets. With an argument of 1 or @code{"yes"}
20571 enables logging, with an argument 0 or @code{"no"} disables it. With
20572 no arguments displays the current setting. When logging is enabled,
20573 ADP packets exchanged between @value{GDBN} and the RDI target device
20574 are logged to a file.
20575
20576 @item set rdiromatzero
20577 @kindex set rdiromatzero
20578 @cindex ROM at zero address, RDI
20579 Tell @value{GDBN} whether the target has ROM at address 0. If on,
20580 vector catching is disabled, so that zero address can be used. If off
20581 (the default), vector catching is enabled. For this command to take
20582 effect, it needs to be invoked prior to the @code{target rdi} command.
20583
20584 @item show rdiromatzero
20585 @kindex show rdiromatzero
20586 Show the current setting of ROM at zero address.
20587
20588 @item set rdiheartbeat
20589 @kindex set rdiheartbeat
20590 @cindex RDI heartbeat
20591 Enable or disable RDI heartbeat packets. It is not recommended to
20592 turn on this option, since it confuses ARM and EPI JTAG interface, as
20593 well as the Angel monitor.
20594
20595 @item show rdiheartbeat
20596 @kindex show rdiheartbeat
20597 Show the setting of RDI heartbeat packets.
20598 @end table
20599
20600 @table @code
20601 @item target sim @r{[}@var{simargs}@r{]} @dots{}
20602 The @value{GDBN} ARM simulator accepts the following optional arguments.
20603
20604 @table @code
20605 @item --swi-support=@var{type}
20606 Tell the simulator which SWI interfaces to support.
20607 @var{type} may be a comma separated list of the following values.
20608 The default value is @code{all}.
20609
20610 @table @code
20611 @item none
20612 @item demon
20613 @item angel
20614 @item redboot
20615 @item all
20616 @end table
20617 @end table
20618 @end table
20619
20620 @node M32R/D
20621 @subsection Renesas M32R/D and M32R/SDI
20622
20623 @table @code
20624 @kindex target m32r
20625 @item target m32r @var{dev}
20626 Renesas M32R/D ROM monitor.
20627
20628 @kindex target m32rsdi
20629 @item target m32rsdi @var{dev}
20630 Renesas M32R SDI server, connected via parallel port to the board.
20631 @end table
20632
20633 The following @value{GDBN} commands are specific to the M32R monitor:
20634
20635 @table @code
20636 @item set download-path @var{path}
20637 @kindex set download-path
20638 @cindex find downloadable @sc{srec} files (M32R)
20639 Set the default path for finding downloadable @sc{srec} files.
20640
20641 @item show download-path
20642 @kindex show download-path
20643 Show the default path for downloadable @sc{srec} files.
20644
20645 @item set board-address @var{addr}
20646 @kindex set board-address
20647 @cindex M32-EVA target board address
20648 Set the IP address for the M32R-EVA target board.
20649
20650 @item show board-address
20651 @kindex show board-address
20652 Show the current IP address of the target board.
20653
20654 @item set server-address @var{addr}
20655 @kindex set server-address
20656 @cindex download server address (M32R)
20657 Set the IP address for the download server, which is the @value{GDBN}'s
20658 host machine.
20659
20660 @item show server-address
20661 @kindex show server-address
20662 Display the IP address of the download server.
20663
20664 @item upload @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
20665 @kindex upload@r{, M32R}
20666 Upload the specified @sc{srec} @var{file} via the monitor's Ethernet
20667 upload capability. If no @var{file} argument is given, the current
20668 executable file is uploaded.
20669
20670 @item tload @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
20671 @kindex tload@r{, M32R}
20672 Test the @code{upload} command.
20673 @end table
20674
20675 The following commands are available for M32R/SDI:
20676
20677 @table @code
20678 @item sdireset
20679 @kindex sdireset
20680 @cindex reset SDI connection, M32R
20681 This command resets the SDI connection.
20682
20683 @item sdistatus
20684 @kindex sdistatus
20685 This command shows the SDI connection status.
20686
20687 @item debug_chaos
20688 @kindex debug_chaos
20689 @cindex M32R/Chaos debugging
20690 Instructs the remote that M32R/Chaos debugging is to be used.
20691
20692 @item use_debug_dma
20693 @kindex use_debug_dma
20694 Instructs the remote to use the DEBUG_DMA method of accessing memory.
20695
20696 @item use_mon_code
20697 @kindex use_mon_code
20698 Instructs the remote to use the MON_CODE method of accessing memory.
20699
20700 @item use_ib_break
20701 @kindex use_ib_break
20702 Instructs the remote to set breakpoints by IB break.
20703
20704 @item use_dbt_break
20705 @kindex use_dbt_break
20706 Instructs the remote to set breakpoints by DBT.
20707 @end table
20708
20709 @node M68K
20710 @subsection M68k
20711
20712 The Motorola m68k configuration includes ColdFire support, and a
20713 target command for the following ROM monitor.
20714
20715 @table @code
20716
20717 @kindex target dbug
20718 @item target dbug @var{dev}
20719 dBUG ROM monitor for Motorola ColdFire.
20720
20721 @end table
20722
20723 @node MicroBlaze
20724 @subsection MicroBlaze
20725 @cindex Xilinx MicroBlaze
20726 @cindex XMD, Xilinx Microprocessor Debugger
20727
20728 The MicroBlaze is a soft-core processor supported on various Xilinx
20729 FPGAs, such as Spartan or Virtex series. Boards with these processors
20730 usually have JTAG ports which connect to a host system running the Xilinx
20731 Embedded Development Kit (EDK) or Software Development Kit (SDK).
20732 This host system is used to download the configuration bitstream to
20733 the target FPGA. The Xilinx Microprocessor Debugger (XMD) program
20734 communicates with the target board using the JTAG interface and
20735 presents a @code{gdbserver} interface to the board. By default
20736 @code{xmd} uses port @code{1234}. (While it is possible to change
20737 this default port, it requires the use of undocumented @code{xmd}
20738 commands. Contact Xilinx support if you need to do this.)
20739
20740 Use these GDB commands to connect to the MicroBlaze target processor.
20741
20742 @table @code
20743 @item target remote :1234
20744 Use this command to connect to the target if you are running @value{GDBN}
20745 on the same system as @code{xmd}.
20746
20747 @item target remote @var{xmd-host}:1234
20748 Use this command to connect to the target if it is connected to @code{xmd}
20749 running on a different system named @var{xmd-host}.
20750
20751 @item load
20752 Use this command to download a program to the MicroBlaze target.
20753
20754 @item set debug microblaze @var{n}
20755 Enable MicroBlaze-specific debugging messages if non-zero.
20756
20757 @item show debug microblaze @var{n}
20758 Show MicroBlaze-specific debugging level.
20759 @end table
20760
20761 @node MIPS Embedded
20762 @subsection @acronym{MIPS} Embedded
20763
20764 @cindex @acronym{MIPS} boards
20765 @value{GDBN} can use the @acronym{MIPS} remote debugging protocol to talk to a
20766 @acronym{MIPS} board attached to a serial line. This is available when
20767 you configure @value{GDBN} with @samp{--target=mips-elf}.
20768
20769 @need 1000
20770 Use these @value{GDBN} commands to specify the connection to your target board:
20771
20772 @table @code
20773 @item target mips @var{port}
20774 @kindex target mips @var{port}
20775 To run a program on the board, start up @code{@value{GDBP}} with the
20776 name of your program as the argument. To connect to the board, use the
20777 command @samp{target mips @var{port}}, where @var{port} is the name of
20778 the serial port connected to the board. If the program has not already
20779 been downloaded to the board, you may use the @code{load} command to
20780 download it. You can then use all the usual @value{GDBN} commands.
20781
20782 For example, this sequence connects to the target board through a serial
20783 port, and loads and runs a program called @var{prog} through the
20784 debugger:
20785
20786 @smallexample
20787 host$ @value{GDBP} @var{prog}
20788 @value{GDBN} is free software and @dots{}
20789 (@value{GDBP}) target mips /dev/ttyb
20790 (@value{GDBP}) load @var{prog}
20791 (@value{GDBP}) run
20792 @end smallexample
20793
20794 @item target mips @var{hostname}:@var{portnumber}
20795 On some @value{GDBN} host configurations, you can specify a TCP
20796 connection (for instance, to a serial line managed by a terminal
20797 concentrator) instead of a serial port, using the syntax
20798 @samp{@var{hostname}:@var{portnumber}}.
20799
20800 @item target pmon @var{port}
20801 @kindex target pmon @var{port}
20802 PMON ROM monitor.
20803
20804 @item target ddb @var{port}
20805 @kindex target ddb @var{port}
20806 NEC's DDB variant of PMON for Vr4300.
20807
20808 @item target lsi @var{port}
20809 @kindex target lsi @var{port}
20810 LSI variant of PMON.
20811
20812 @kindex target r3900
20813 @item target r3900 @var{dev}
20814 Densan DVE-R3900 ROM monitor for Toshiba R3900 Mips.
20815
20816 @kindex target array
20817 @item target array @var{dev}
20818 Array Tech LSI33K RAID controller board.
20819
20820 @end table
20821
20822
20823 @noindent
20824 @value{GDBN} also supports these special commands for @acronym{MIPS} targets:
20825
20826 @table @code
20827 @item set mipsfpu double
20828 @itemx set mipsfpu single
20829 @itemx set mipsfpu none
20830 @itemx set mipsfpu auto
20831 @itemx show mipsfpu
20832 @kindex set mipsfpu
20833 @kindex show mipsfpu
20834 @cindex @acronym{MIPS} remote floating point
20835 @cindex floating point, @acronym{MIPS} remote
20836 If your target board does not support the @acronym{MIPS} floating point
20837 coprocessor, you should use the command @samp{set mipsfpu none} (if you
20838 need this, you may wish to put the command in your @value{GDBN} init
20839 file). This tells @value{GDBN} how to find the return value of
20840 functions which return floating point values. It also allows
20841 @value{GDBN} to avoid saving the floating point registers when calling
20842 functions on the board. If you are using a floating point coprocessor
20843 with only single precision floating point support, as on the @sc{r4650}
20844 processor, use the command @samp{set mipsfpu single}. The default
20845 double precision floating point coprocessor may be selected using
20846 @samp{set mipsfpu double}.
20847
20848 In previous versions the only choices were double precision or no
20849 floating point, so @samp{set mipsfpu on} will select double precision
20850 and @samp{set mipsfpu off} will select no floating point.
20851
20852 As usual, you can inquire about the @code{mipsfpu} variable with
20853 @samp{show mipsfpu}.
20854
20855 @item set timeout @var{seconds}
20856 @itemx set retransmit-timeout @var{seconds}
20857 @itemx show timeout
20858 @itemx show retransmit-timeout
20859 @cindex @code{timeout}, @acronym{MIPS} protocol
20860 @cindex @code{retransmit-timeout}, @acronym{MIPS} protocol
20861 @kindex set timeout
20862 @kindex show timeout
20863 @kindex set retransmit-timeout
20864 @kindex show retransmit-timeout
20865 You can control the timeout used while waiting for a packet, in the @acronym{MIPS}
20866 remote protocol, with the @code{set timeout @var{seconds}} command. The
20867 default is 5 seconds. Similarly, you can control the timeout used while
20868 waiting for an acknowledgment of a packet with the @code{set
20869 retransmit-timeout @var{seconds}} command. The default is 3 seconds.
20870 You can inspect both values with @code{show timeout} and @code{show
20871 retransmit-timeout}. (These commands are @emph{only} available when
20872 @value{GDBN} is configured for @samp{--target=mips-elf}.)
20873
20874 The timeout set by @code{set timeout} does not apply when @value{GDBN}
20875 is waiting for your program to stop. In that case, @value{GDBN} waits
20876 forever because it has no way of knowing how long the program is going
20877 to run before stopping.
20878
20879 @item set syn-garbage-limit @var{num}
20880 @kindex set syn-garbage-limit@r{, @acronym{MIPS} remote}
20881 @cindex synchronize with remote @acronym{MIPS} target
20882 Limit the maximum number of characters @value{GDBN} should ignore when
20883 it tries to synchronize with the remote target. The default is 10
20884 characters. Setting the limit to -1 means there's no limit.
20885
20886 @item show syn-garbage-limit
20887 @kindex show syn-garbage-limit@r{, @acronym{MIPS} remote}
20888 Show the current limit on the number of characters to ignore when
20889 trying to synchronize with the remote system.
20890
20891 @item set monitor-prompt @var{prompt}
20892 @kindex set monitor-prompt@r{, @acronym{MIPS} remote}
20893 @cindex remote monitor prompt
20894 Tell @value{GDBN} to expect the specified @var{prompt} string from the
20895 remote monitor. The default depends on the target:
20896 @table @asis
20897 @item pmon target
20898 @samp{PMON}
20899 @item ddb target
20900 @samp{NEC010}
20901 @item lsi target
20902 @samp{PMON>}
20903 @end table
20904
20905 @item show monitor-prompt
20906 @kindex show monitor-prompt@r{, @acronym{MIPS} remote}
20907 Show the current strings @value{GDBN} expects as the prompt from the
20908 remote monitor.
20909
20910 @item set monitor-warnings
20911 @kindex set monitor-warnings@r{, @acronym{MIPS} remote}
20912 Enable or disable monitor warnings about hardware breakpoints. This
20913 has effect only for the @code{lsi} target. When on, @value{GDBN} will
20914 display warning messages whose codes are returned by the @code{lsi}
20915 PMON monitor for breakpoint commands.
20916
20917 @item show monitor-warnings
20918 @kindex show monitor-warnings@r{, @acronym{MIPS} remote}
20919 Show the current setting of printing monitor warnings.
20920
20921 @item pmon @var{command}
20922 @kindex pmon@r{, @acronym{MIPS} remote}
20923 @cindex send PMON command
20924 This command allows sending an arbitrary @var{command} string to the
20925 monitor. The monitor must be in debug mode for this to work.
20926 @end table
20927
20928 @node PowerPC Embedded
20929 @subsection PowerPC Embedded
20930
20931 @cindex DVC register
20932 @value{GDBN} supports using the DVC (Data Value Compare) register to
20933 implement in hardware simple hardware watchpoint conditions of the form:
20934
20935 @smallexample
20936 (@value{GDBP}) watch @var{ADDRESS|VARIABLE} \
20937 if @var{ADDRESS|VARIABLE} == @var{CONSTANT EXPRESSION}
20938 @end smallexample
20939
20940 The DVC register will be automatically used when @value{GDBN} detects
20941 such pattern in a condition expression, and the created watchpoint uses one
20942 debug register (either the @code{exact-watchpoints} option is on and the
20943 variable is scalar, or the variable has a length of one byte). This feature
20944 is available in native @value{GDBN} running on a Linux kernel version 2.6.34
20945 or newer.
20946
20947 When running on PowerPC embedded processors, @value{GDBN} automatically uses
20948 ranged hardware watchpoints, unless the @code{exact-watchpoints} option is on,
20949 in which case watchpoints using only one debug register are created when
20950 watching variables of scalar types.
20951
20952 You can create an artificial array to watch an arbitrary memory
20953 region using one of the following commands (@pxref{Expressions}):
20954
20955 @smallexample
20956 (@value{GDBP}) watch *((char *) @var{address})@@@var{length}
20957 (@value{GDBP}) watch @{char[@var{length}]@} @var{address}
20958 @end smallexample
20959
20960 PowerPC embedded processors support masked watchpoints. See the discussion
20961 about the @code{mask} argument in @ref{Set Watchpoints}.
20962
20963 @cindex ranged breakpoint
20964 PowerPC embedded processors support hardware accelerated
20965 @dfn{ranged breakpoints}. A ranged breakpoint stops execution of
20966 the inferior whenever it executes an instruction at any address within
20967 the range it specifies. To set a ranged breakpoint in @value{GDBN},
20968 use the @code{break-range} command.
20969
20970 @value{GDBN} provides the following PowerPC-specific commands:
20971
20972 @table @code
20973 @kindex break-range
20974 @item break-range @var{start-location}, @var{end-location}
20975 Set a breakpoint for an address range.
20976 @var{start-location} and @var{end-location} can specify a function name,
20977 a line number, an offset of lines from the current line or from the start
20978 location, or an address of an instruction (see @ref{Specify Location},
20979 for a list of all the possible ways to specify a @var{location}.)
20980 The breakpoint will stop execution of the inferior whenever it
20981 executes an instruction at any address within the specified range,
20982 (including @var{start-location} and @var{end-location}.)
20983
20984 @kindex set powerpc
20985 @item set powerpc soft-float
20986 @itemx show powerpc soft-float
20987 Force @value{GDBN} to use (or not use) a software floating point calling
20988 convention. By default, @value{GDBN} selects the calling convention based
20989 on the selected architecture and the provided executable file.
20990
20991 @item set powerpc vector-abi
20992 @itemx show powerpc vector-abi
20993 Force @value{GDBN} to use the specified calling convention for vector
20994 arguments and return values. The valid options are @samp{auto};
20995 @samp{generic}, to avoid vector registers even if they are present;
20996 @samp{altivec}, to use AltiVec registers; and @samp{spe} to use SPE
20997 registers. By default, @value{GDBN} selects the calling convention
20998 based on the selected architecture and the provided executable file.
20999
21000 @item set powerpc exact-watchpoints
21001 @itemx show powerpc exact-watchpoints
21002 Allow @value{GDBN} to use only one debug register when watching a variable
21003 of scalar type, thus assuming that the variable is accessed through the
21004 address of its first byte.
21005
21006 @kindex target dink32
21007 @item target dink32 @var{dev}
21008 DINK32 ROM monitor.
21009
21010 @kindex target ppcbug
21011 @item target ppcbug @var{dev}
21012 @kindex target ppcbug1
21013 @item target ppcbug1 @var{dev}
21014 PPCBUG ROM monitor for PowerPC.
21015
21016 @kindex target sds
21017 @item target sds @var{dev}
21018 SDS monitor, running on a PowerPC board (such as Motorola's ADS).
21019 @end table
21020
21021 @cindex SDS protocol
21022 The following commands specific to the SDS protocol are supported
21023 by @value{GDBN}:
21024
21025 @table @code
21026 @item set sdstimeout @var{nsec}
21027 @kindex set sdstimeout
21028 Set the timeout for SDS protocol reads to be @var{nsec} seconds. The
21029 default is 2 seconds.
21030
21031 @item show sdstimeout
21032 @kindex show sdstimeout
21033 Show the current value of the SDS timeout.
21034
21035 @item sds @var{command}
21036 @kindex sds@r{, a command}
21037 Send the specified @var{command} string to the SDS monitor.
21038 @end table
21039
21040
21041 @node PA
21042 @subsection HP PA Embedded
21043
21044 @table @code
21045
21046 @kindex target op50n
21047 @item target op50n @var{dev}
21048 OP50N monitor, running on an OKI HPPA board.
21049
21050 @kindex target w89k
21051 @item target w89k @var{dev}
21052 W89K monitor, running on a Winbond HPPA board.
21053
21054 @end table
21055
21056 @node Sparclet
21057 @subsection Tsqware Sparclet
21058
21059 @cindex Sparclet
21060
21061 @value{GDBN} enables developers to debug tasks running on
21062 Sparclet targets from a Unix host.
21063 @value{GDBN} uses code that runs on
21064 both the Unix host and on the Sparclet target. The program
21065 @code{@value{GDBP}} is installed and executed on the Unix host.
21066
21067 @table @code
21068 @item remotetimeout @var{args}
21069 @kindex remotetimeout
21070 @value{GDBN} supports the option @code{remotetimeout}.
21071 This option is set by the user, and @var{args} represents the number of
21072 seconds @value{GDBN} waits for responses.
21073 @end table
21074
21075 @cindex compiling, on Sparclet
21076 When compiling for debugging, include the options @samp{-g} to get debug
21077 information and @samp{-Ttext} to relocate the program to where you wish to
21078 load it on the target. You may also want to add the options @samp{-n} or
21079 @samp{-N} in order to reduce the size of the sections. Example:
21080
21081 @smallexample
21082 sparclet-aout-gcc prog.c -Ttext 0x12010000 -g -o prog -N
21083 @end smallexample
21084
21085 You can use @code{objdump} to verify that the addresses are what you intended:
21086
21087 @smallexample
21088 sparclet-aout-objdump --headers --syms prog
21089 @end smallexample
21090
21091 @cindex running, on Sparclet
21092 Once you have set
21093 your Unix execution search path to find @value{GDBN}, you are ready to
21094 run @value{GDBN}. From your Unix host, run @code{@value{GDBP}}
21095 (or @code{sparclet-aout-gdb}, depending on your installation).
21096
21097 @value{GDBN} comes up showing the prompt:
21098
21099 @smallexample
21100 (gdbslet)
21101 @end smallexample
21102
21103 @menu
21104 * Sparclet File:: Setting the file to debug
21105 * Sparclet Connection:: Connecting to Sparclet
21106 * Sparclet Download:: Sparclet download
21107 * Sparclet Execution:: Running and debugging
21108 @end menu
21109
21110 @node Sparclet File
21111 @subsubsection Setting File to Debug
21112
21113 The @value{GDBN} command @code{file} lets you choose with program to debug.
21114
21115 @smallexample
21116 (gdbslet) file prog
21117 @end smallexample
21118
21119 @need 1000
21120 @value{GDBN} then attempts to read the symbol table of @file{prog}.
21121 @value{GDBN} locates
21122 the file by searching the directories listed in the command search
21123 path.
21124 If the file was compiled with debug information (option @samp{-g}), source
21125 files will be searched as well.
21126 @value{GDBN} locates
21127 the source files by searching the directories listed in the directory search
21128 path (@pxref{Environment, ,Your Program's Environment}).
21129 If it fails
21130 to find a file, it displays a message such as:
21131
21132 @smallexample
21133 prog: No such file or directory.
21134 @end smallexample
21135
21136 When this happens, add the appropriate directories to the search paths with
21137 the @value{GDBN} commands @code{path} and @code{dir}, and execute the
21138 @code{target} command again.
21139
21140 @node Sparclet Connection
21141 @subsubsection Connecting to Sparclet
21142
21143 The @value{GDBN} command @code{target} lets you connect to a Sparclet target.
21144 To connect to a target on serial port ``@code{ttya}'', type:
21145
21146 @smallexample
21147 (gdbslet) target sparclet /dev/ttya
21148 Remote target sparclet connected to /dev/ttya
21149 main () at ../prog.c:3
21150 @end smallexample
21151
21152 @need 750
21153 @value{GDBN} displays messages like these:
21154
21155 @smallexample
21156 Connected to ttya.
21157 @end smallexample
21158
21159 @node Sparclet Download
21160 @subsubsection Sparclet Download
21161
21162 @cindex download to Sparclet
21163 Once connected to the Sparclet target,
21164 you can use the @value{GDBN}
21165 @code{load} command to download the file from the host to the target.
21166 The file name and load offset should be given as arguments to the @code{load}
21167 command.
21168 Since the file format is aout, the program must be loaded to the starting
21169 address. You can use @code{objdump} to find out what this value is. The load
21170 offset is an offset which is added to the VMA (virtual memory address)
21171 of each of the file's sections.
21172 For instance, if the program
21173 @file{prog} was linked to text address 0x1201000, with data at 0x12010160
21174 and bss at 0x12010170, in @value{GDBN}, type:
21175
21176 @smallexample
21177 (gdbslet) load prog 0x12010000
21178 Loading section .text, size 0xdb0 vma 0x12010000
21179 @end smallexample
21180
21181 If the code is loaded at a different address then what the program was linked
21182 to, you may need to use the @code{section} and @code{add-symbol-file} commands
21183 to tell @value{GDBN} where to map the symbol table.
21184
21185 @node Sparclet Execution
21186 @subsubsection Running and Debugging
21187
21188 @cindex running and debugging Sparclet programs
21189 You can now begin debugging the task using @value{GDBN}'s execution control
21190 commands, @code{b}, @code{step}, @code{run}, etc. See the @value{GDBN}
21191 manual for the list of commands.
21192
21193 @smallexample
21194 (gdbslet) b main
21195 Breakpoint 1 at 0x12010000: file prog.c, line 3.
21196 (gdbslet) run
21197 Starting program: prog
21198 Breakpoint 1, main (argc=1, argv=0xeffff21c) at prog.c:3
21199 3 char *symarg = 0;
21200 (gdbslet) step
21201 4 char *execarg = "hello!";
21202 (gdbslet)
21203 @end smallexample
21204
21205 @node Sparclite
21206 @subsection Fujitsu Sparclite
21207
21208 @table @code
21209
21210 @kindex target sparclite
21211 @item target sparclite @var{dev}
21212 Fujitsu sparclite boards, used only for the purpose of loading.
21213 You must use an additional command to debug the program.
21214 For example: target remote @var{dev} using @value{GDBN} standard
21215 remote protocol.
21216
21217 @end table
21218
21219 @node Z8000
21220 @subsection Zilog Z8000
21221
21222 @cindex Z8000
21223 @cindex simulator, Z8000
21224 @cindex Zilog Z8000 simulator
21225
21226 When configured for debugging Zilog Z8000 targets, @value{GDBN} includes
21227 a Z8000 simulator.
21228
21229 For the Z8000 family, @samp{target sim} simulates either the Z8002 (the
21230 unsegmented variant of the Z8000 architecture) or the Z8001 (the
21231 segmented variant). The simulator recognizes which architecture is
21232 appropriate by inspecting the object code.
21233
21234 @table @code
21235 @item target sim @var{args}
21236 @kindex sim
21237 @kindex target sim@r{, with Z8000}
21238 Debug programs on a simulated CPU. If the simulator supports setup
21239 options, specify them via @var{args}.
21240 @end table
21241
21242 @noindent
21243 After specifying this target, you can debug programs for the simulated
21244 CPU in the same style as programs for your host computer; use the
21245 @code{file} command to load a new program image, the @code{run} command
21246 to run your program, and so on.
21247
21248 As well as making available all the usual machine registers
21249 (@pxref{Registers, ,Registers}), the Z8000 simulator provides three
21250 additional items of information as specially named registers:
21251
21252 @table @code
21253
21254 @item cycles
21255 Counts clock-ticks in the simulator.
21256
21257 @item insts
21258 Counts instructions run in the simulator.
21259
21260 @item time
21261 Execution time in 60ths of a second.
21262
21263 @end table
21264
21265 You can refer to these values in @value{GDBN} expressions with the usual
21266 conventions; for example, @w{@samp{b fputc if $cycles>5000}} sets a
21267 conditional breakpoint that suspends only after at least 5000
21268 simulated clock ticks.
21269
21270 @node AVR
21271 @subsection Atmel AVR
21272 @cindex AVR
21273
21274 When configured for debugging the Atmel AVR, @value{GDBN} supports the
21275 following AVR-specific commands:
21276
21277 @table @code
21278 @item info io_registers
21279 @kindex info io_registers@r{, AVR}
21280 @cindex I/O registers (Atmel AVR)
21281 This command displays information about the AVR I/O registers. For
21282 each register, @value{GDBN} prints its number and value.
21283 @end table
21284
21285 @node CRIS
21286 @subsection CRIS
21287 @cindex CRIS
21288
21289 When configured for debugging CRIS, @value{GDBN} provides the
21290 following CRIS-specific commands:
21291
21292 @table @code
21293 @item set cris-version @var{ver}
21294 @cindex CRIS version
21295 Set the current CRIS version to @var{ver}, either @samp{10} or @samp{32}.
21296 The CRIS version affects register names and sizes. This command is useful in
21297 case autodetection of the CRIS version fails.
21298
21299 @item show cris-version
21300 Show the current CRIS version.
21301
21302 @item set cris-dwarf2-cfi
21303 @cindex DWARF-2 CFI and CRIS
21304 Set the usage of DWARF-2 CFI for CRIS debugging. The default is @samp{on}.
21305 Change to @samp{off} when using @code{gcc-cris} whose version is below
21306 @code{R59}.
21307
21308 @item show cris-dwarf2-cfi
21309 Show the current state of using DWARF-2 CFI.
21310
21311 @item set cris-mode @var{mode}
21312 @cindex CRIS mode
21313 Set the current CRIS mode to @var{mode}. It should only be changed when
21314 debugging in guru mode, in which case it should be set to
21315 @samp{guru} (the default is @samp{normal}).
21316
21317 @item show cris-mode
21318 Show the current CRIS mode.
21319 @end table
21320
21321 @node Super-H
21322 @subsection Renesas Super-H
21323 @cindex Super-H
21324
21325 For the Renesas Super-H processor, @value{GDBN} provides these
21326 commands:
21327
21328 @table @code
21329 @item set sh calling-convention @var{convention}
21330 @kindex set sh calling-convention
21331 Set the calling-convention used when calling functions from @value{GDBN}.
21332 Allowed values are @samp{gcc}, which is the default setting, and @samp{renesas}.
21333 With the @samp{gcc} setting, functions are called using the @value{NGCC} calling
21334 convention. If the DWARF-2 information of the called function specifies
21335 that the function follows the Renesas calling convention, the function
21336 is called using the Renesas calling convention. If the calling convention
21337 is set to @samp{renesas}, the Renesas calling convention is always used,
21338 regardless of the DWARF-2 information. This can be used to override the
21339 default of @samp{gcc} if debug information is missing, or the compiler
21340 does not emit the DWARF-2 calling convention entry for a function.
21341
21342 @item show sh calling-convention
21343 @kindex show sh calling-convention
21344 Show the current calling convention setting.
21345
21346 @end table
21347
21348
21349 @node Architectures
21350 @section Architectures
21351
21352 This section describes characteristics of architectures that affect
21353 all uses of @value{GDBN} with the architecture, both native and cross.
21354
21355 @menu
21356 * AArch64::
21357 * i386::
21358 * Alpha::
21359 * MIPS::
21360 * HPPA:: HP PA architecture
21361 * SPU:: Cell Broadband Engine SPU architecture
21362 * PowerPC::
21363 * Nios II::
21364 @end menu
21365
21366 @node AArch64
21367 @subsection AArch64
21368 @cindex AArch64 support
21369
21370 When @value{GDBN} is debugging the AArch64 architecture, it provides the
21371 following special commands:
21372
21373 @table @code
21374 @item set debug aarch64
21375 @kindex set debug aarch64
21376 This command determines whether AArch64 architecture-specific debugging
21377 messages are to be displayed.
21378
21379 @item show debug aarch64
21380 Show whether AArch64 debugging messages are displayed.
21381
21382 @end table
21383
21384 @node i386
21385 @subsection x86 Architecture-specific Issues
21386
21387 @table @code
21388 @item set struct-convention @var{mode}
21389 @kindex set struct-convention
21390 @cindex struct return convention
21391 @cindex struct/union returned in registers
21392 Set the convention used by the inferior to return @code{struct}s and
21393 @code{union}s from functions to @var{mode}. Possible values of
21394 @var{mode} are @code{"pcc"}, @code{"reg"}, and @code{"default"} (the
21395 default). @code{"default"} or @code{"pcc"} means that @code{struct}s
21396 are returned on the stack, while @code{"reg"} means that a
21397 @code{struct} or a @code{union} whose size is 1, 2, 4, or 8 bytes will
21398 be returned in a register.
21399
21400 @item show struct-convention
21401 @kindex show struct-convention
21402 Show the current setting of the convention to return @code{struct}s
21403 from functions.
21404 @end table
21405
21406 @subsubsection Intel(R) @dfn{Memory Protection Extensions} (MPX).
21407 @cindex Intel(R) Memory Protection Extensions (MPX).
21408
21409 Memory Protection Extension (MPX) adds the bound registers @samp{BND0}
21410 @footnote{The register named with capital letters represent the architecture
21411 registers.} through @samp{BND3}. Bound registers store a pair of 64-bit values
21412 which are the lower bound and upper bound. Bounds are effective addresses or
21413 memory locations. The upper bounds are architecturally represented in 1's
21414 complement form. A bound having lower bound = 0, and upper bound = 0
21415 (1's complement of all bits set) will allow access to the entire address space.
21416
21417 @samp{BND0} through @samp{BND3} are represented in @value{GDBN} as @samp{bnd0raw}
21418 through @samp{bnd3raw}. Pseudo registers @samp{bnd0} through @samp{bnd3}
21419 display the upper bound performing the complement of one operation on the
21420 upper bound value, i.e.@ when upper bound in @samp{bnd0raw} is 0 in the
21421 @value{GDBN} @samp{bnd0} it will be @code{0xfff@dots{}}. In this sense it
21422 can also be noted that the upper bounds are inclusive.
21423
21424 As an example, assume that the register BND0 holds bounds for a pointer having
21425 access allowed for the range between 0x32 and 0x71. The values present on
21426 bnd0raw and bnd registers are presented as follows:
21427
21428 @smallexample
21429 bnd0raw = @{0x32, 0xffffffff8e@}
21430 bnd0 = @{lbound = 0x32, ubound = 0x71@} : size 64
21431 @end smallexample
21432
21433 This way the raw value can be accessed via bnd0raw@dots{}bnd3raw. Any
21434 change on bnd0@dots{}bnd3 or bnd0raw@dots{}bnd3raw is reflect on its
21435 counterpart. When the bnd0@dots{}bnd3 registers are displayed via
21436 Python, the display includes the memory size, in bits, accessible to
21437 the pointer.
21438
21439 @node Alpha
21440 @subsection Alpha
21441
21442 See the following section.
21443
21444 @node MIPS
21445 @subsection @acronym{MIPS}
21446
21447 @cindex stack on Alpha
21448 @cindex stack on @acronym{MIPS}
21449 @cindex Alpha stack
21450 @cindex @acronym{MIPS} stack
21451 Alpha- and @acronym{MIPS}-based computers use an unusual stack frame, which
21452 sometimes requires @value{GDBN} to search backward in the object code to
21453 find the beginning of a function.
21454
21455 @cindex response time, @acronym{MIPS} debugging
21456 To improve response time (especially for embedded applications, where
21457 @value{GDBN} may be restricted to a slow serial line for this search)
21458 you may want to limit the size of this search, using one of these
21459 commands:
21460
21461 @table @code
21462 @cindex @code{heuristic-fence-post} (Alpha, @acronym{MIPS})
21463 @item set heuristic-fence-post @var{limit}
21464 Restrict @value{GDBN} to examining at most @var{limit} bytes in its
21465 search for the beginning of a function. A value of @var{0} (the
21466 default) means there is no limit. However, except for @var{0}, the
21467 larger the limit the more bytes @code{heuristic-fence-post} must search
21468 and therefore the longer it takes to run. You should only need to use
21469 this command when debugging a stripped executable.
21470
21471 @item show heuristic-fence-post
21472 Display the current limit.
21473 @end table
21474
21475 @noindent
21476 These commands are available @emph{only} when @value{GDBN} is configured
21477 for debugging programs on Alpha or @acronym{MIPS} processors.
21478
21479 Several @acronym{MIPS}-specific commands are available when debugging @acronym{MIPS}
21480 programs:
21481
21482 @table @code
21483 @item set mips abi @var{arg}
21484 @kindex set mips abi
21485 @cindex set ABI for @acronym{MIPS}
21486 Tell @value{GDBN} which @acronym{MIPS} ABI is used by the inferior. Possible
21487 values of @var{arg} are:
21488
21489 @table @samp
21490 @item auto
21491 The default ABI associated with the current binary (this is the
21492 default).
21493 @item o32
21494 @item o64
21495 @item n32
21496 @item n64
21497 @item eabi32
21498 @item eabi64
21499 @end table
21500
21501 @item show mips abi
21502 @kindex show mips abi
21503 Show the @acronym{MIPS} ABI used by @value{GDBN} to debug the inferior.
21504
21505 @item set mips compression @var{arg}
21506 @kindex set mips compression
21507 @cindex code compression, @acronym{MIPS}
21508 Tell @value{GDBN} which @acronym{MIPS} compressed
21509 @acronym{ISA, Instruction Set Architecture} encoding is used by the
21510 inferior. @value{GDBN} uses this for code disassembly and other
21511 internal interpretation purposes. This setting is only referred to
21512 when no executable has been associated with the debugging session or
21513 the executable does not provide information about the encoding it uses.
21514 Otherwise this setting is automatically updated from information
21515 provided by the executable.
21516
21517 Possible values of @var{arg} are @samp{mips16} and @samp{micromips}.
21518 The default compressed @acronym{ISA} encoding is @samp{mips16}, as
21519 executables containing @acronym{MIPS16} code frequently are not
21520 identified as such.
21521
21522 This setting is ``sticky''; that is, it retains its value across
21523 debugging sessions until reset either explicitly with this command or
21524 implicitly from an executable.
21525
21526 The compiler and/or assembler typically add symbol table annotations to
21527 identify functions compiled for the @acronym{MIPS16} or
21528 @acronym{microMIPS} @acronym{ISA}s. If these function-scope annotations
21529 are present, @value{GDBN} uses them in preference to the global
21530 compressed @acronym{ISA} encoding setting.
21531
21532 @item show mips compression
21533 @kindex show mips compression
21534 Show the @acronym{MIPS} compressed @acronym{ISA} encoding used by
21535 @value{GDBN} to debug the inferior.
21536
21537 @item set mipsfpu
21538 @itemx show mipsfpu
21539 @xref{MIPS Embedded, set mipsfpu}.
21540
21541 @item set mips mask-address @var{arg}
21542 @kindex set mips mask-address
21543 @cindex @acronym{MIPS} addresses, masking
21544 This command determines whether the most-significant 32 bits of 64-bit
21545 @acronym{MIPS} addresses are masked off. The argument @var{arg} can be
21546 @samp{on}, @samp{off}, or @samp{auto}. The latter is the default
21547 setting, which lets @value{GDBN} determine the correct value.
21548
21549 @item show mips mask-address
21550 @kindex show mips mask-address
21551 Show whether the upper 32 bits of @acronym{MIPS} addresses are masked off or
21552 not.
21553
21554 @item set remote-mips64-transfers-32bit-regs
21555 @kindex set remote-mips64-transfers-32bit-regs
21556 This command controls compatibility with 64-bit @acronym{MIPS} targets that
21557 transfer data in 32-bit quantities. If you have an old @acronym{MIPS} 64 target
21558 that transfers 32 bits for some registers, like @sc{sr} and @sc{fsr},
21559 and 64 bits for other registers, set this option to @samp{on}.
21560
21561 @item show remote-mips64-transfers-32bit-regs
21562 @kindex show remote-mips64-transfers-32bit-regs
21563 Show the current setting of compatibility with older @acronym{MIPS} 64 targets.
21564
21565 @item set debug mips
21566 @kindex set debug mips
21567 This command turns on and off debugging messages for the @acronym{MIPS}-specific
21568 target code in @value{GDBN}.
21569
21570 @item show debug mips
21571 @kindex show debug mips
21572 Show the current setting of @acronym{MIPS} debugging messages.
21573 @end table
21574
21575
21576 @node HPPA
21577 @subsection HPPA
21578 @cindex HPPA support
21579
21580 When @value{GDBN} is debugging the HP PA architecture, it provides the
21581 following special commands:
21582
21583 @table @code
21584 @item set debug hppa
21585 @kindex set debug hppa
21586 This command determines whether HPPA architecture-specific debugging
21587 messages are to be displayed.
21588
21589 @item show debug hppa
21590 Show whether HPPA debugging messages are displayed.
21591
21592 @item maint print unwind @var{address}
21593 @kindex maint print unwind@r{, HPPA}
21594 This command displays the contents of the unwind table entry at the
21595 given @var{address}.
21596
21597 @end table
21598
21599
21600 @node SPU
21601 @subsection Cell Broadband Engine SPU architecture
21602 @cindex Cell Broadband Engine
21603 @cindex SPU
21604
21605 When @value{GDBN} is debugging the Cell Broadband Engine SPU architecture,
21606 it provides the following special commands:
21607
21608 @table @code
21609 @item info spu event
21610 @kindex info spu
21611 Display SPU event facility status. Shows current event mask
21612 and pending event status.
21613
21614 @item info spu signal
21615 Display SPU signal notification facility status. Shows pending
21616 signal-control word and signal notification mode of both signal
21617 notification channels.
21618
21619 @item info spu mailbox
21620 Display SPU mailbox facility status. Shows all pending entries,
21621 in order of processing, in each of the SPU Write Outbound,
21622 SPU Write Outbound Interrupt, and SPU Read Inbound mailboxes.
21623
21624 @item info spu dma
21625 Display MFC DMA status. Shows all pending commands in the MFC
21626 DMA queue. For each entry, opcode, tag, class IDs, effective
21627 and local store addresses and transfer size are shown.
21628
21629 @item info spu proxydma
21630 Display MFC Proxy-DMA status. Shows all pending commands in the MFC
21631 Proxy-DMA queue. For each entry, opcode, tag, class IDs, effective
21632 and local store addresses and transfer size are shown.
21633
21634 @end table
21635
21636 When @value{GDBN} is debugging a combined PowerPC/SPU application
21637 on the Cell Broadband Engine, it provides in addition the following
21638 special commands:
21639
21640 @table @code
21641 @item set spu stop-on-load @var{arg}
21642 @kindex set spu
21643 Set whether to stop for new SPE threads. When set to @code{on}, @value{GDBN}
21644 will give control to the user when a new SPE thread enters its @code{main}
21645 function. The default is @code{off}.
21646
21647 @item show spu stop-on-load
21648 @kindex show spu
21649 Show whether to stop for new SPE threads.
21650
21651 @item set spu auto-flush-cache @var{arg}
21652 Set whether to automatically flush the software-managed cache. When set to
21653 @code{on}, @value{GDBN} will automatically cause the SPE software-managed
21654 cache to be flushed whenever SPE execution stops. This provides a consistent
21655 view of PowerPC memory that is accessed via the cache. If an application
21656 does not use the software-managed cache, this option has no effect.
21657
21658 @item show spu auto-flush-cache
21659 Show whether to automatically flush the software-managed cache.
21660
21661 @end table
21662
21663 @node PowerPC
21664 @subsection PowerPC
21665 @cindex PowerPC architecture
21666
21667 When @value{GDBN} is debugging the PowerPC architecture, it provides a set of
21668 pseudo-registers to enable inspection of 128-bit wide Decimal Floating Point
21669 numbers stored in the floating point registers. These values must be stored
21670 in two consecutive registers, always starting at an even register like
21671 @code{f0} or @code{f2}.
21672
21673 The pseudo-registers go from @code{$dl0} through @code{$dl15}, and are formed
21674 by joining the even/odd register pairs @code{f0} and @code{f1} for @code{$dl0},
21675 @code{f2} and @code{f3} for @code{$dl1} and so on.
21676
21677 For POWER7 processors, @value{GDBN} provides a set of pseudo-registers, the 64-bit
21678 wide Extended Floating Point Registers (@samp{f32} through @samp{f63}).
21679
21680 @node Nios II
21681 @subsection Nios II
21682 @cindex Nios II architecture
21683
21684 When @value{GDBN} is debugging the Nios II architecture,
21685 it provides the following special commands:
21686
21687 @table @code
21688
21689 @item set debug nios2
21690 @kindex set debug nios2
21691 This command turns on and off debugging messages for the Nios II
21692 target code in @value{GDBN}.
21693
21694 @item show debug nios2
21695 @kindex show debug nios2
21696 Show the current setting of Nios II debugging messages.
21697 @end table
21698
21699 @node Controlling GDB
21700 @chapter Controlling @value{GDBN}
21701
21702 You can alter the way @value{GDBN} interacts with you by using the
21703 @code{set} command. For commands controlling how @value{GDBN} displays
21704 data, see @ref{Print Settings, ,Print Settings}. Other settings are
21705 described here.
21706
21707 @menu
21708 * Prompt:: Prompt
21709 * Editing:: Command editing
21710 * Command History:: Command history
21711 * Screen Size:: Screen size
21712 * Numbers:: Numbers
21713 * ABI:: Configuring the current ABI
21714 * Auto-loading:: Automatically loading associated files
21715 * Messages/Warnings:: Optional warnings and messages
21716 * Debugging Output:: Optional messages about internal happenings
21717 * Other Misc Settings:: Other Miscellaneous Settings
21718 @end menu
21719
21720 @node Prompt
21721 @section Prompt
21722
21723 @cindex prompt
21724
21725 @value{GDBN} indicates its readiness to read a command by printing a string
21726 called the @dfn{prompt}. This string is normally @samp{(@value{GDBP})}. You
21727 can change the prompt string with the @code{set prompt} command. For
21728 instance, when debugging @value{GDBN} with @value{GDBN}, it is useful to change
21729 the prompt in one of the @value{GDBN} sessions so that you can always tell
21730 which one you are talking to.
21731
21732 @emph{Note:} @code{set prompt} does not add a space for you after the
21733 prompt you set. This allows you to set a prompt which ends in a space
21734 or a prompt that does not.
21735
21736 @table @code
21737 @kindex set prompt
21738 @item set prompt @var{newprompt}
21739 Directs @value{GDBN} to use @var{newprompt} as its prompt string henceforth.
21740
21741 @kindex show prompt
21742 @item show prompt
21743 Prints a line of the form: @samp{Gdb's prompt is: @var{your-prompt}}
21744 @end table
21745
21746 Versions of @value{GDBN} that ship with Python scripting enabled have
21747 prompt extensions. The commands for interacting with these extensions
21748 are:
21749
21750 @table @code
21751 @kindex set extended-prompt
21752 @item set extended-prompt @var{prompt}
21753 Set an extended prompt that allows for substitutions.
21754 @xref{gdb.prompt}, for a list of escape sequences that can be used for
21755 substitution. Any escape sequences specified as part of the prompt
21756 string are replaced with the corresponding strings each time the prompt
21757 is displayed.
21758
21759 For example:
21760
21761 @smallexample
21762 set extended-prompt Current working directory: \w (gdb)
21763 @end smallexample
21764
21765 Note that when an extended-prompt is set, it takes control of the
21766 @var{prompt_hook} hook. @xref{prompt_hook}, for further information.
21767
21768 @kindex show extended-prompt
21769 @item show extended-prompt
21770 Prints the extended prompt. Any escape sequences specified as part of
21771 the prompt string with @code{set extended-prompt}, are replaced with the
21772 corresponding strings each time the prompt is displayed.
21773 @end table
21774
21775 @node Editing
21776 @section Command Editing
21777 @cindex readline
21778 @cindex command line editing
21779
21780 @value{GDBN} reads its input commands via the @dfn{Readline} interface. This
21781 @sc{gnu} library provides consistent behavior for programs which provide a
21782 command line interface to the user. Advantages are @sc{gnu} Emacs-style
21783 or @dfn{vi}-style inline editing of commands, @code{csh}-like history
21784 substitution, and a storage and recall of command history across
21785 debugging sessions.
21786
21787 You may control the behavior of command line editing in @value{GDBN} with the
21788 command @code{set}.
21789
21790 @table @code
21791 @kindex set editing
21792 @cindex editing
21793 @item set editing
21794 @itemx set editing on
21795 Enable command line editing (enabled by default).
21796
21797 @item set editing off
21798 Disable command line editing.
21799
21800 @kindex show editing
21801 @item show editing
21802 Show whether command line editing is enabled.
21803 @end table
21804
21805 @ifset SYSTEM_READLINE
21806 @xref{Command Line Editing, , , rluserman, GNU Readline Library},
21807 @end ifset
21808 @ifclear SYSTEM_READLINE
21809 @xref{Command Line Editing},
21810 @end ifclear
21811 for more details about the Readline
21812 interface. Users unfamiliar with @sc{gnu} Emacs or @code{vi} are
21813 encouraged to read that chapter.
21814
21815 @node Command History
21816 @section Command History
21817 @cindex command history
21818
21819 @value{GDBN} can keep track of the commands you type during your
21820 debugging sessions, so that you can be certain of precisely what
21821 happened. Use these commands to manage the @value{GDBN} command
21822 history facility.
21823
21824 @value{GDBN} uses the @sc{gnu} History library, a part of the Readline
21825 package, to provide the history facility.
21826 @ifset SYSTEM_READLINE
21827 @xref{Using History Interactively, , , history, GNU History Library},
21828 @end ifset
21829 @ifclear SYSTEM_READLINE
21830 @xref{Using History Interactively},
21831 @end ifclear
21832 for the detailed description of the History library.
21833
21834 To issue a command to @value{GDBN} without affecting certain aspects of
21835 the state which is seen by users, prefix it with @samp{server }
21836 (@pxref{Server Prefix}). This
21837 means that this command will not affect the command history, nor will it
21838 affect @value{GDBN}'s notion of which command to repeat if @key{RET} is
21839 pressed on a line by itself.
21840
21841 @cindex @code{server}, command prefix
21842 The server prefix does not affect the recording of values into the value
21843 history; to print a value without recording it into the value history,
21844 use the @code{output} command instead of the @code{print} command.
21845
21846 Here is the description of @value{GDBN} commands related to command
21847 history.
21848
21849 @table @code
21850 @cindex history substitution
21851 @cindex history file
21852 @kindex set history filename
21853 @cindex @env{GDBHISTFILE}, environment variable
21854 @item set history filename @var{fname}
21855 Set the name of the @value{GDBN} command history file to @var{fname}.
21856 This is the file where @value{GDBN} reads an initial command history
21857 list, and where it writes the command history from this session when it
21858 exits. You can access this list through history expansion or through
21859 the history command editing characters listed below. This file defaults
21860 to the value of the environment variable @code{GDBHISTFILE}, or to
21861 @file{./.gdb_history} (@file{./_gdb_history} on MS-DOS) if this variable
21862 is not set.
21863
21864 @cindex save command history
21865 @kindex set history save
21866 @item set history save
21867 @itemx set history save on
21868 Record command history in a file, whose name may be specified with the
21869 @code{set history filename} command. By default, this option is disabled.
21870
21871 @item set history save off
21872 Stop recording command history in a file.
21873
21874 @cindex history size
21875 @kindex set history size
21876 @cindex @env{HISTSIZE}, environment variable
21877 @item set history size @var{size}
21878 @itemx set history size unlimited
21879 Set the number of commands which @value{GDBN} keeps in its history list.
21880 This defaults to the value of the environment variable
21881 @code{HISTSIZE}, or to 256 if this variable is not set. If @var{size}
21882 is @code{unlimited}, the number of commands @value{GDBN} keeps in the
21883 history list is unlimited.
21884 @end table
21885
21886 History expansion assigns special meaning to the character @kbd{!}.
21887 @ifset SYSTEM_READLINE
21888 @xref{Event Designators, , , history, GNU History Library},
21889 @end ifset
21890 @ifclear SYSTEM_READLINE
21891 @xref{Event Designators},
21892 @end ifclear
21893 for more details.
21894
21895 @cindex history expansion, turn on/off
21896 Since @kbd{!} is also the logical not operator in C, history expansion
21897 is off by default. If you decide to enable history expansion with the
21898 @code{set history expansion on} command, you may sometimes need to
21899 follow @kbd{!} (when it is used as logical not, in an expression) with
21900 a space or a tab to prevent it from being expanded. The readline
21901 history facilities do not attempt substitution on the strings
21902 @kbd{!=} and @kbd{!(}, even when history expansion is enabled.
21903
21904 The commands to control history expansion are:
21905
21906 @table @code
21907 @item set history expansion on
21908 @itemx set history expansion
21909 @kindex set history expansion
21910 Enable history expansion. History expansion is off by default.
21911
21912 @item set history expansion off
21913 Disable history expansion.
21914
21915 @c @group
21916 @kindex show history
21917 @item show history
21918 @itemx show history filename
21919 @itemx show history save
21920 @itemx show history size
21921 @itemx show history expansion
21922 These commands display the state of the @value{GDBN} history parameters.
21923 @code{show history} by itself displays all four states.
21924 @c @end group
21925 @end table
21926
21927 @table @code
21928 @kindex show commands
21929 @cindex show last commands
21930 @cindex display command history
21931 @item show commands
21932 Display the last ten commands in the command history.
21933
21934 @item show commands @var{n}
21935 Print ten commands centered on command number @var{n}.
21936
21937 @item show commands +
21938 Print ten commands just after the commands last printed.
21939 @end table
21940
21941 @node Screen Size
21942 @section Screen Size
21943 @cindex size of screen
21944 @cindex pauses in output
21945
21946 Certain commands to @value{GDBN} may produce large amounts of
21947 information output to the screen. To help you read all of it,
21948 @value{GDBN} pauses and asks you for input at the end of each page of
21949 output. Type @key{RET} when you want to continue the output, or @kbd{q}
21950 to discard the remaining output. Also, the screen width setting
21951 determines when to wrap lines of output. Depending on what is being
21952 printed, @value{GDBN} tries to break the line at a readable place,
21953 rather than simply letting it overflow onto the following line.
21954
21955 Normally @value{GDBN} knows the size of the screen from the terminal
21956 driver software. For example, on Unix @value{GDBN} uses the termcap data base
21957 together with the value of the @code{TERM} environment variable and the
21958 @code{stty rows} and @code{stty cols} settings. If this is not correct,
21959 you can override it with the @code{set height} and @code{set
21960 width} commands:
21961
21962 @table @code
21963 @kindex set height
21964 @kindex set width
21965 @kindex show width
21966 @kindex show height
21967 @item set height @var{lpp}
21968 @itemx set height unlimited
21969 @itemx show height
21970 @itemx set width @var{cpl}
21971 @itemx set width unlimited
21972 @itemx show width
21973 These @code{set} commands specify a screen height of @var{lpp} lines and
21974 a screen width of @var{cpl} characters. The associated @code{show}
21975 commands display the current settings.
21976
21977 If you specify a height of either @code{unlimited} or zero lines,
21978 @value{GDBN} does not pause during output no matter how long the
21979 output is. This is useful if output is to a file or to an editor
21980 buffer.
21981
21982 Likewise, you can specify @samp{set width unlimited} or @samp{set
21983 width 0} to prevent @value{GDBN} from wrapping its output.
21984
21985 @item set pagination on
21986 @itemx set pagination off
21987 @kindex set pagination
21988 Turn the output pagination on or off; the default is on. Turning
21989 pagination off is the alternative to @code{set height unlimited}. Note that
21990 running @value{GDBN} with the @option{--batch} option (@pxref{Mode
21991 Options, -batch}) also automatically disables pagination.
21992
21993 @item show pagination
21994 @kindex show pagination
21995 Show the current pagination mode.
21996 @end table
21997
21998 @node Numbers
21999 @section Numbers
22000 @cindex number representation
22001 @cindex entering numbers
22002
22003 You can always enter numbers in octal, decimal, or hexadecimal in
22004 @value{GDBN} by the usual conventions: octal numbers begin with
22005 @samp{0}, decimal numbers end with @samp{.}, and hexadecimal numbers
22006 begin with @samp{0x}. Numbers that neither begin with @samp{0} or
22007 @samp{0x}, nor end with a @samp{.} are, by default, entered in base
22008 10; likewise, the default display for numbers---when no particular
22009 format is specified---is base 10. You can change the default base for
22010 both input and output with the commands described below.
22011
22012 @table @code
22013 @kindex set input-radix
22014 @item set input-radix @var{base}
22015 Set the default base for numeric input. Supported choices
22016 for @var{base} are decimal 8, 10, or 16. @var{base} must itself be
22017 specified either unambiguously or using the current input radix; for
22018 example, any of
22019
22020 @smallexample
22021 set input-radix 012
22022 set input-radix 10.
22023 set input-radix 0xa
22024 @end smallexample
22025
22026 @noindent
22027 sets the input base to decimal. On the other hand, @samp{set input-radix 10}
22028 leaves the input radix unchanged, no matter what it was, since
22029 @samp{10}, being without any leading or trailing signs of its base, is
22030 interpreted in the current radix. Thus, if the current radix is 16,
22031 @samp{10} is interpreted in hex, i.e.@: as 16 decimal, which doesn't
22032 change the radix.
22033
22034 @kindex set output-radix
22035 @item set output-radix @var{base}
22036 Set the default base for numeric display. Supported choices
22037 for @var{base} are decimal 8, 10, or 16. @var{base} must itself be
22038 specified either unambiguously or using the current input radix.
22039
22040 @kindex show input-radix
22041 @item show input-radix
22042 Display the current default base for numeric input.
22043
22044 @kindex show output-radix
22045 @item show output-radix
22046 Display the current default base for numeric display.
22047
22048 @item set radix @r{[}@var{base}@r{]}
22049 @itemx show radix
22050 @kindex set radix
22051 @kindex show radix
22052 These commands set and show the default base for both input and output
22053 of numbers. @code{set radix} sets the radix of input and output to
22054 the same base; without an argument, it resets the radix back to its
22055 default value of 10.
22056
22057 @end table
22058
22059 @node ABI
22060 @section Configuring the Current ABI
22061
22062 @value{GDBN} can determine the @dfn{ABI} (Application Binary Interface) of your
22063 application automatically. However, sometimes you need to override its
22064 conclusions. Use these commands to manage @value{GDBN}'s view of the
22065 current ABI.
22066
22067 @cindex OS ABI
22068 @kindex set osabi
22069 @kindex show osabi
22070 @cindex Newlib OS ABI and its influence on the longjmp handling
22071
22072 One @value{GDBN} configuration can debug binaries for multiple operating
22073 system targets, either via remote debugging or native emulation.
22074 @value{GDBN} will autodetect the @dfn{OS ABI} (Operating System ABI) in use,
22075 but you can override its conclusion using the @code{set osabi} command.
22076 One example where this is useful is in debugging of binaries which use
22077 an alternate C library (e.g.@: @sc{uClibc} for @sc{gnu}/Linux) which does
22078 not have the same identifying marks that the standard C library for your
22079 platform provides.
22080
22081 When @value{GDBN} is debugging the AArch64 architecture, it provides a
22082 ``Newlib'' OS ABI. This is useful for handling @code{setjmp} and
22083 @code{longjmp} when debugging binaries that use the @sc{newlib} C library.
22084 The ``Newlib'' OS ABI can be selected by @code{set osabi Newlib}.
22085
22086 @table @code
22087 @item show osabi
22088 Show the OS ABI currently in use.
22089
22090 @item set osabi
22091 With no argument, show the list of registered available OS ABI's.
22092
22093 @item set osabi @var{abi}
22094 Set the current OS ABI to @var{abi}.
22095 @end table
22096
22097 @cindex float promotion
22098
22099 Generally, the way that an argument of type @code{float} is passed to a
22100 function depends on whether the function is prototyped. For a prototyped
22101 (i.e.@: ANSI/ISO style) function, @code{float} arguments are passed unchanged,
22102 according to the architecture's convention for @code{float}. For unprototyped
22103 (i.e.@: K&R style) functions, @code{float} arguments are first promoted to type
22104 @code{double} and then passed.
22105
22106 Unfortunately, some forms of debug information do not reliably indicate whether
22107 a function is prototyped. If @value{GDBN} calls a function that is not marked
22108 as prototyped, it consults @kbd{set coerce-float-to-double}.
22109
22110 @table @code
22111 @kindex set coerce-float-to-double
22112 @item set coerce-float-to-double
22113 @itemx set coerce-float-to-double on
22114 Arguments of type @code{float} will be promoted to @code{double} when passed
22115 to an unprototyped function. This is the default setting.
22116
22117 @item set coerce-float-to-double off
22118 Arguments of type @code{float} will be passed directly to unprototyped
22119 functions.
22120
22121 @kindex show coerce-float-to-double
22122 @item show coerce-float-to-double
22123 Show the current setting of promoting @code{float} to @code{double}.
22124 @end table
22125
22126 @kindex set cp-abi
22127 @kindex show cp-abi
22128 @value{GDBN} needs to know the ABI used for your program's C@t{++}
22129 objects. The correct C@t{++} ABI depends on which C@t{++} compiler was
22130 used to build your application. @value{GDBN} only fully supports
22131 programs with a single C@t{++} ABI; if your program contains code using
22132 multiple C@t{++} ABI's or if @value{GDBN} can not identify your
22133 program's ABI correctly, you can tell @value{GDBN} which ABI to use.
22134 Currently supported ABI's include ``gnu-v2'', for @code{g++} versions
22135 before 3.0, ``gnu-v3'', for @code{g++} versions 3.0 and later, and
22136 ``hpaCC'' for the HP ANSI C@t{++} compiler. Other C@t{++} compilers may
22137 use the ``gnu-v2'' or ``gnu-v3'' ABI's as well. The default setting is
22138 ``auto''.
22139
22140 @table @code
22141 @item show cp-abi
22142 Show the C@t{++} ABI currently in use.
22143
22144 @item set cp-abi
22145 With no argument, show the list of supported C@t{++} ABI's.
22146
22147 @item set cp-abi @var{abi}
22148 @itemx set cp-abi auto
22149 Set the current C@t{++} ABI to @var{abi}, or return to automatic detection.
22150 @end table
22151
22152 @node Auto-loading
22153 @section Automatically loading associated files
22154 @cindex auto-loading
22155
22156 @value{GDBN} sometimes reads files with commands and settings automatically,
22157 without being explicitly told so by the user. We call this feature
22158 @dfn{auto-loading}. While auto-loading is useful for automatically adapting
22159 @value{GDBN} to the needs of your project, it can sometimes produce unexpected
22160 results or introduce security risks (e.g., if the file comes from untrusted
22161 sources).
22162
22163 @menu
22164 * Init File in the Current Directory:: @samp{set/show/info auto-load local-gdbinit}
22165 * libthread_db.so.1 file:: @samp{set/show/info auto-load libthread-db}
22166
22167 * Auto-loading safe path:: @samp{set/show/info auto-load safe-path}
22168 * Auto-loading verbose mode:: @samp{set/show debug auto-load}
22169 @end menu
22170
22171 There are various kinds of files @value{GDBN} can automatically load.
22172 In addition to these files, @value{GDBN} supports auto-loading code written
22173 in various extension languages. @xref{Auto-loading extensions}.
22174
22175 Note that loading of these associated files (including the local @file{.gdbinit}
22176 file) requires accordingly configured @code{auto-load safe-path}
22177 (@pxref{Auto-loading safe path}).
22178
22179 For these reasons, @value{GDBN} includes commands and options to let you
22180 control when to auto-load files and which files should be auto-loaded.
22181
22182 @table @code
22183 @anchor{set auto-load off}
22184 @kindex set auto-load off
22185 @item set auto-load off
22186 Globally disable loading of all auto-loaded files.
22187 You may want to use this command with the @samp{-iex} option
22188 (@pxref{Option -init-eval-command}) such as:
22189 @smallexample
22190 $ @kbd{gdb -iex "set auto-load off" untrusted-executable corefile}
22191 @end smallexample
22192
22193 Be aware that system init file (@pxref{System-wide configuration})
22194 and init files from your home directory (@pxref{Home Directory Init File})
22195 still get read (as they come from generally trusted directories).
22196 To prevent @value{GDBN} from auto-loading even those init files, use the
22197 @option{-nx} option (@pxref{Mode Options}), in addition to
22198 @code{set auto-load no}.
22199
22200 @anchor{show auto-load}
22201 @kindex show auto-load
22202 @item show auto-load
22203 Show whether auto-loading of each specific @samp{auto-load} file(s) is enabled
22204 or disabled.
22205
22206 @smallexample
22207 (gdb) show auto-load
22208 gdb-scripts: Auto-loading of canned sequences of commands scripts is on.
22209 libthread-db: Auto-loading of inferior specific libthread_db is on.
22210 local-gdbinit: Auto-loading of .gdbinit script from current directory
22211 is on.
22212 python-scripts: Auto-loading of Python scripts is on.
22213 safe-path: List of directories from which it is safe to auto-load files
22214 is $debugdir:$datadir/auto-load.
22215 scripts-directory: List of directories from which to load auto-loaded scripts
22216 is $debugdir:$datadir/auto-load.
22217 @end smallexample
22218
22219 @anchor{info auto-load}
22220 @kindex info auto-load
22221 @item info auto-load
22222 Print whether each specific @samp{auto-load} file(s) have been auto-loaded or
22223 not.
22224
22225 @smallexample
22226 (gdb) info auto-load
22227 gdb-scripts:
22228 Loaded Script
22229 Yes /home/user/gdb/gdb-gdb.gdb
22230 libthread-db: No auto-loaded libthread-db.
22231 local-gdbinit: Local .gdbinit file "/home/user/gdb/.gdbinit" has been
22232 loaded.
22233 python-scripts:
22234 Loaded Script
22235 Yes /home/user/gdb/gdb-gdb.py
22236 @end smallexample
22237 @end table
22238
22239 These are @value{GDBN} control commands for the auto-loading:
22240
22241 @multitable @columnfractions .5 .5
22242 @item @xref{set auto-load off}.
22243 @tab Disable auto-loading globally.
22244 @item @xref{show auto-load}.
22245 @tab Show setting of all kinds of files.
22246 @item @xref{info auto-load}.
22247 @tab Show state of all kinds of files.
22248 @item @xref{set auto-load gdb-scripts}.
22249 @tab Control for @value{GDBN} command scripts.
22250 @item @xref{show auto-load gdb-scripts}.
22251 @tab Show setting of @value{GDBN} command scripts.
22252 @item @xref{info auto-load gdb-scripts}.
22253 @tab Show state of @value{GDBN} command scripts.
22254 @item @xref{set auto-load python-scripts}.
22255 @tab Control for @value{GDBN} Python scripts.
22256 @item @xref{show auto-load python-scripts}.
22257 @tab Show setting of @value{GDBN} Python scripts.
22258 @item @xref{info auto-load python-scripts}.
22259 @tab Show state of @value{GDBN} Python scripts.
22260 @item @xref{set auto-load scripts-directory}.
22261 @tab Control for @value{GDBN} auto-loaded scripts location.
22262 @item @xref{show auto-load scripts-directory}.
22263 @tab Show @value{GDBN} auto-loaded scripts location.
22264 @item @xref{set auto-load local-gdbinit}.
22265 @tab Control for init file in the current directory.
22266 @item @xref{show auto-load local-gdbinit}.
22267 @tab Show setting of init file in the current directory.
22268 @item @xref{info auto-load local-gdbinit}.
22269 @tab Show state of init file in the current directory.
22270 @item @xref{set auto-load libthread-db}.
22271 @tab Control for thread debugging library.
22272 @item @xref{show auto-load libthread-db}.
22273 @tab Show setting of thread debugging library.
22274 @item @xref{info auto-load libthread-db}.
22275 @tab Show state of thread debugging library.
22276 @item @xref{set auto-load safe-path}.
22277 @tab Control directories trusted for automatic loading.
22278 @item @xref{show auto-load safe-path}.
22279 @tab Show directories trusted for automatic loading.
22280 @item @xref{add-auto-load-safe-path}.
22281 @tab Add directory trusted for automatic loading.
22282 @end multitable
22283
22284 @node Init File in the Current Directory
22285 @subsection Automatically loading init file in the current directory
22286 @cindex auto-loading init file in the current directory
22287
22288 By default, @value{GDBN} reads and executes the canned sequences of commands
22289 from init file (if any) in the current working directory,
22290 see @ref{Init File in the Current Directory during Startup}.
22291
22292 Note that loading of this local @file{.gdbinit} file also requires accordingly
22293 configured @code{auto-load safe-path} (@pxref{Auto-loading safe path}).
22294
22295 @table @code
22296 @anchor{set auto-load local-gdbinit}
22297 @kindex set auto-load local-gdbinit
22298 @item set auto-load local-gdbinit [on|off]
22299 Enable or disable the auto-loading of canned sequences of commands
22300 (@pxref{Sequences}) found in init file in the current directory.
22301
22302 @anchor{show auto-load local-gdbinit}
22303 @kindex show auto-load local-gdbinit
22304 @item show auto-load local-gdbinit
22305 Show whether auto-loading of canned sequences of commands from init file in the
22306 current directory is enabled or disabled.
22307
22308 @anchor{info auto-load local-gdbinit}
22309 @kindex info auto-load local-gdbinit
22310 @item info auto-load local-gdbinit
22311 Print whether canned sequences of commands from init file in the
22312 current directory have been auto-loaded.
22313 @end table
22314
22315 @node libthread_db.so.1 file
22316 @subsection Automatically loading thread debugging library
22317 @cindex auto-loading libthread_db.so.1
22318
22319 This feature is currently present only on @sc{gnu}/Linux native hosts.
22320
22321 @value{GDBN} reads in some cases thread debugging library from places specific
22322 to the inferior (@pxref{set libthread-db-search-path}).
22323
22324 The special @samp{libthread-db-search-path} entry @samp{$sdir} is processed
22325 without checking this @samp{set auto-load libthread-db} switch as system
22326 libraries have to be trusted in general. In all other cases of
22327 @samp{libthread-db-search-path} entries @value{GDBN} checks first if @samp{set
22328 auto-load libthread-db} is enabled before trying to open such thread debugging
22329 library.
22330
22331 Note that loading of this debugging library also requires accordingly configured
22332 @code{auto-load safe-path} (@pxref{Auto-loading safe path}).
22333
22334 @table @code
22335 @anchor{set auto-load libthread-db}
22336 @kindex set auto-load libthread-db
22337 @item set auto-load libthread-db [on|off]
22338 Enable or disable the auto-loading of inferior specific thread debugging library.
22339
22340 @anchor{show auto-load libthread-db}
22341 @kindex show auto-load libthread-db
22342 @item show auto-load libthread-db
22343 Show whether auto-loading of inferior specific thread debugging library is
22344 enabled or disabled.
22345
22346 @anchor{info auto-load libthread-db}
22347 @kindex info auto-load libthread-db
22348 @item info auto-load libthread-db
22349 Print the list of all loaded inferior specific thread debugging libraries and
22350 for each such library print list of inferior @var{pid}s using it.
22351 @end table
22352
22353 @node Auto-loading safe path
22354 @subsection Security restriction for auto-loading
22355 @cindex auto-loading safe-path
22356
22357 As the files of inferior can come from untrusted source (such as submitted by
22358 an application user) @value{GDBN} does not always load any files automatically.
22359 @value{GDBN} provides the @samp{set auto-load safe-path} setting to list
22360 directories trusted for loading files not explicitly requested by user.
22361 Each directory can also be a shell wildcard pattern.
22362
22363 If the path is not set properly you will see a warning and the file will not
22364 get loaded:
22365
22366 @smallexample
22367 $ ./gdb -q ./gdb
22368 Reading symbols from /home/user/gdb/gdb...done.
22369 warning: File "/home/user/gdb/gdb-gdb.gdb" auto-loading has been
22370 declined by your `auto-load safe-path' set
22371 to "$debugdir:$datadir/auto-load".
22372 warning: File "/home/user/gdb/gdb-gdb.py" auto-loading has been
22373 declined by your `auto-load safe-path' set
22374 to "$debugdir:$datadir/auto-load".
22375 @end smallexample
22376
22377 @noindent
22378 To instruct @value{GDBN} to go ahead and use the init files anyway,
22379 invoke @value{GDBN} like this:
22380
22381 @smallexample
22382 $ gdb -q -iex "set auto-load safe-path /home/user/gdb" ./gdb
22383 @end smallexample
22384
22385 The list of trusted directories is controlled by the following commands:
22386
22387 @table @code
22388 @anchor{set auto-load safe-path}
22389 @kindex set auto-load safe-path
22390 @item set auto-load safe-path @r{[}@var{directories}@r{]}
22391 Set the list of directories (and their subdirectories) trusted for automatic
22392 loading and execution of scripts. You can also enter a specific trusted file.
22393 Each directory can also be a shell wildcard pattern; wildcards do not match
22394 directory separator - see @code{FNM_PATHNAME} for system function @code{fnmatch}
22395 (@pxref{Wildcard Matching, fnmatch, , libc, GNU C Library Reference Manual}).
22396 If you omit @var{directories}, @samp{auto-load safe-path} will be reset to
22397 its default value as specified during @value{GDBN} compilation.
22398
22399 The list of directories uses path separator (@samp{:} on GNU and Unix
22400 systems, @samp{;} on MS-Windows and MS-DOS) to separate directories, similarly
22401 to the @env{PATH} environment variable.
22402
22403 @anchor{show auto-load safe-path}
22404 @kindex show auto-load safe-path
22405 @item show auto-load safe-path
22406 Show the list of directories trusted for automatic loading and execution of
22407 scripts.
22408
22409 @anchor{add-auto-load-safe-path}
22410 @kindex add-auto-load-safe-path
22411 @item add-auto-load-safe-path
22412 Add an entry (or list of entries) the list of directories trusted for automatic
22413 loading and execution of scripts. Multiple entries may be delimited by the
22414 host platform path separator in use.
22415 @end table
22416
22417 This variable defaults to what @code{--with-auto-load-dir} has been configured
22418 to (@pxref{with-auto-load-dir}). @file{$debugdir} and @file{$datadir}
22419 substitution applies the same as for @ref{set auto-load scripts-directory}.
22420 The default @code{set auto-load safe-path} value can be also overriden by
22421 @value{GDBN} configuration option @option{--with-auto-load-safe-path}.
22422
22423 Setting this variable to @file{/} disables this security protection,
22424 corresponding @value{GDBN} configuration option is
22425 @option{--without-auto-load-safe-path}.
22426 This variable is supposed to be set to the system directories writable by the
22427 system superuser only. Users can add their source directories in init files in
22428 their home directories (@pxref{Home Directory Init File}). See also deprecated
22429 init file in the current directory
22430 (@pxref{Init File in the Current Directory during Startup}).
22431
22432 To force @value{GDBN} to load the files it declined to load in the previous
22433 example, you could use one of the following ways:
22434
22435 @table @asis
22436 @item @file{~/.gdbinit}: @samp{add-auto-load-safe-path ~/src/gdb}
22437 Specify this trusted directory (or a file) as additional component of the list.
22438 You have to specify also any existing directories displayed by
22439 by @samp{show auto-load safe-path} (such as @samp{/usr:/bin} in this example).
22440
22441 @item @kbd{gdb -iex "set auto-load safe-path /usr:/bin:~/src/gdb" @dots{}}
22442 Specify this directory as in the previous case but just for a single
22443 @value{GDBN} session.
22444
22445 @item @kbd{gdb -iex "set auto-load safe-path /" @dots{}}
22446 Disable auto-loading safety for a single @value{GDBN} session.
22447 This assumes all the files you debug during this @value{GDBN} session will come
22448 from trusted sources.
22449
22450 @item @kbd{./configure --without-auto-load-safe-path}
22451 During compilation of @value{GDBN} you may disable any auto-loading safety.
22452 This assumes all the files you will ever debug with this @value{GDBN} come from
22453 trusted sources.
22454 @end table
22455
22456 On the other hand you can also explicitly forbid automatic files loading which
22457 also suppresses any such warning messages:
22458
22459 @table @asis
22460 @item @kbd{gdb -iex "set auto-load no" @dots{}}
22461 You can use @value{GDBN} command-line option for a single @value{GDBN} session.
22462
22463 @item @file{~/.gdbinit}: @samp{set auto-load no}
22464 Disable auto-loading globally for the user
22465 (@pxref{Home Directory Init File}). While it is improbable, you could also
22466 use system init file instead (@pxref{System-wide configuration}).
22467 @end table
22468
22469 This setting applies to the file names as entered by user. If no entry matches
22470 @value{GDBN} tries as a last resort to also resolve all the file names into
22471 their canonical form (typically resolving symbolic links) and compare the
22472 entries again. @value{GDBN} already canonicalizes most of the filenames on its
22473 own before starting the comparison so a canonical form of directories is
22474 recommended to be entered.
22475
22476 @node Auto-loading verbose mode
22477 @subsection Displaying files tried for auto-load
22478 @cindex auto-loading verbose mode
22479
22480 For better visibility of all the file locations where you can place scripts to
22481 be auto-loaded with inferior --- or to protect yourself against accidental
22482 execution of untrusted scripts --- @value{GDBN} provides a feature for printing
22483 all the files attempted to be loaded. Both existing and non-existing files may
22484 be printed.
22485
22486 For example the list of directories from which it is safe to auto-load files
22487 (@pxref{Auto-loading safe path}) applies also to canonicalized filenames which
22488 may not be too obvious while setting it up.
22489
22490 @smallexample
22491 (gdb) set debug auto-load on
22492 (gdb) file ~/src/t/true
22493 auto-load: Loading canned sequences of commands script "/tmp/true-gdb.gdb"
22494 for objfile "/tmp/true".
22495 auto-load: Updating directories of "/usr:/opt".
22496 auto-load: Using directory "/usr".
22497 auto-load: Using directory "/opt".
22498 warning: File "/tmp/true-gdb.gdb" auto-loading has been declined
22499 by your `auto-load safe-path' set to "/usr:/opt".
22500 @end smallexample
22501
22502 @table @code
22503 @anchor{set debug auto-load}
22504 @kindex set debug auto-load
22505 @item set debug auto-load [on|off]
22506 Set whether to print the filenames attempted to be auto-loaded.
22507
22508 @anchor{show debug auto-load}
22509 @kindex show debug auto-load
22510 @item show debug auto-load
22511 Show whether printing of the filenames attempted to be auto-loaded is turned
22512 on or off.
22513 @end table
22514
22515 @node Messages/Warnings
22516 @section Optional Warnings and Messages
22517
22518 @cindex verbose operation
22519 @cindex optional warnings
22520 By default, @value{GDBN} is silent about its inner workings. If you are
22521 running on a slow machine, you may want to use the @code{set verbose}
22522 command. This makes @value{GDBN} tell you when it does a lengthy
22523 internal operation, so you will not think it has crashed.
22524
22525 Currently, the messages controlled by @code{set verbose} are those
22526 which announce that the symbol table for a source file is being read;
22527 see @code{symbol-file} in @ref{Files, ,Commands to Specify Files}.
22528
22529 @table @code
22530 @kindex set verbose
22531 @item set verbose on
22532 Enables @value{GDBN} output of certain informational messages.
22533
22534 @item set verbose off
22535 Disables @value{GDBN} output of certain informational messages.
22536
22537 @kindex show verbose
22538 @item show verbose
22539 Displays whether @code{set verbose} is on or off.
22540 @end table
22541
22542 By default, if @value{GDBN} encounters bugs in the symbol table of an
22543 object file, it is silent; but if you are debugging a compiler, you may
22544 find this information useful (@pxref{Symbol Errors, ,Errors Reading
22545 Symbol Files}).
22546
22547 @table @code
22548
22549 @kindex set complaints
22550 @item set complaints @var{limit}
22551 Permits @value{GDBN} to output @var{limit} complaints about each type of
22552 unusual symbols before becoming silent about the problem. Set
22553 @var{limit} to zero to suppress all complaints; set it to a large number
22554 to prevent complaints from being suppressed.
22555
22556 @kindex show complaints
22557 @item show complaints
22558 Displays how many symbol complaints @value{GDBN} is permitted to produce.
22559
22560 @end table
22561
22562 @anchor{confirmation requests}
22563 By default, @value{GDBN} is cautious, and asks what sometimes seems to be a
22564 lot of stupid questions to confirm certain commands. For example, if
22565 you try to run a program which is already running:
22566
22567 @smallexample
22568 (@value{GDBP}) run
22569 The program being debugged has been started already.
22570 Start it from the beginning? (y or n)
22571 @end smallexample
22572
22573 If you are willing to unflinchingly face the consequences of your own
22574 commands, you can disable this ``feature'':
22575
22576 @table @code
22577
22578 @kindex set confirm
22579 @cindex flinching
22580 @cindex confirmation
22581 @cindex stupid questions
22582 @item set confirm off
22583 Disables confirmation requests. Note that running @value{GDBN} with
22584 the @option{--batch} option (@pxref{Mode Options, -batch}) also
22585 automatically disables confirmation requests.
22586
22587 @item set confirm on
22588 Enables confirmation requests (the default).
22589
22590 @kindex show confirm
22591 @item show confirm
22592 Displays state of confirmation requests.
22593
22594 @end table
22595
22596 @cindex command tracing
22597 If you need to debug user-defined commands or sourced files you may find it
22598 useful to enable @dfn{command tracing}. In this mode each command will be
22599 printed as it is executed, prefixed with one or more @samp{+} symbols, the
22600 quantity denoting the call depth of each command.
22601
22602 @table @code
22603 @kindex set trace-commands
22604 @cindex command scripts, debugging
22605 @item set trace-commands on
22606 Enable command tracing.
22607 @item set trace-commands off
22608 Disable command tracing.
22609 @item show trace-commands
22610 Display the current state of command tracing.
22611 @end table
22612
22613 @node Debugging Output
22614 @section Optional Messages about Internal Happenings
22615 @cindex optional debugging messages
22616
22617 @value{GDBN} has commands that enable optional debugging messages from
22618 various @value{GDBN} subsystems; normally these commands are of
22619 interest to @value{GDBN} maintainers, or when reporting a bug. This
22620 section documents those commands.
22621
22622 @table @code
22623 @kindex set exec-done-display
22624 @item set exec-done-display
22625 Turns on or off the notification of asynchronous commands'
22626 completion. When on, @value{GDBN} will print a message when an
22627 asynchronous command finishes its execution. The default is off.
22628 @kindex show exec-done-display
22629 @item show exec-done-display
22630 Displays the current setting of asynchronous command completion
22631 notification.
22632 @kindex set debug
22633 @cindex ARM AArch64
22634 @item set debug aarch64
22635 Turns on or off display of debugging messages related to ARM AArch64.
22636 The default is off.
22637 @kindex show debug
22638 @item show debug aarch64
22639 Displays the current state of displaying debugging messages related to
22640 ARM AArch64.
22641 @cindex gdbarch debugging info
22642 @cindex architecture debugging info
22643 @item set debug arch
22644 Turns on or off display of gdbarch debugging info. The default is off
22645 @item show debug arch
22646 Displays the current state of displaying gdbarch debugging info.
22647 @item set debug aix-solib
22648 @cindex AIX shared library debugging
22649 Control display of debugging messages from the AIX shared library
22650 support module. The default is off.
22651 @item show debug aix-thread
22652 Show the current state of displaying AIX shared library debugging messages.
22653 @item set debug aix-thread
22654 @cindex AIX threads
22655 Display debugging messages about inner workings of the AIX thread
22656 module.
22657 @item show debug aix-thread
22658 Show the current state of AIX thread debugging info display.
22659 @item set debug check-physname
22660 @cindex physname
22661 Check the results of the ``physname'' computation. When reading DWARF
22662 debugging information for C@t{++}, @value{GDBN} attempts to compute
22663 each entity's name. @value{GDBN} can do this computation in two
22664 different ways, depending on exactly what information is present.
22665 When enabled, this setting causes @value{GDBN} to compute the names
22666 both ways and display any discrepancies.
22667 @item show debug check-physname
22668 Show the current state of ``physname'' checking.
22669 @item set debug coff-pe-read
22670 @cindex COFF/PE exported symbols
22671 Control display of debugging messages related to reading of COFF/PE
22672 exported symbols. The default is off.
22673 @item show debug coff-pe-read
22674 Displays the current state of displaying debugging messages related to
22675 reading of COFF/PE exported symbols.
22676 @item set debug dwarf2-die
22677 @cindex DWARF2 DIEs
22678 Dump DWARF2 DIEs after they are read in.
22679 The value is the number of nesting levels to print.
22680 A value of zero turns off the display.
22681 @item show debug dwarf2-die
22682 Show the current state of DWARF2 DIE debugging.
22683 @item set debug dwarf2-read
22684 @cindex DWARF2 Reading
22685 Turns on or off display of debugging messages related to reading
22686 DWARF debug info. The default is 0 (off).
22687 A value of 1 provides basic information.
22688 A value greater than 1 provides more verbose information.
22689 @item show debug dwarf2-read
22690 Show the current state of DWARF2 reader debugging.
22691 @item set debug displaced
22692 @cindex displaced stepping debugging info
22693 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} debugging info for the
22694 displaced stepping support. The default is off.
22695 @item show debug displaced
22696 Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} debugging info
22697 related to displaced stepping.
22698 @item set debug event
22699 @cindex event debugging info
22700 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} event debugging info. The
22701 default is off.
22702 @item show debug event
22703 Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} event debugging
22704 info.
22705 @item set debug expression
22706 @cindex expression debugging info
22707 Turns on or off display of debugging info about @value{GDBN}
22708 expression parsing. The default is off.
22709 @item show debug expression
22710 Displays the current state of displaying debugging info about
22711 @value{GDBN} expression parsing.
22712 @item set debug frame
22713 @cindex frame debugging info
22714 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} frame debugging info. The
22715 default is off.
22716 @item show debug frame
22717 Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} frame debugging
22718 info.
22719 @item set debug gnu-nat
22720 @cindex @sc{gnu}/Hurd debug messages
22721 Turns on or off debugging messages from the @sc{gnu}/Hurd debug support.
22722 @item show debug gnu-nat
22723 Show the current state of @sc{gnu}/Hurd debugging messages.
22724 @item set debug infrun
22725 @cindex inferior debugging info
22726 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} debugging info for running the inferior.
22727 The default is off. @file{infrun.c} contains GDB's runtime state machine used
22728 for implementing operations such as single-stepping the inferior.
22729 @item show debug infrun
22730 Displays the current state of @value{GDBN} inferior debugging.
22731 @item set debug jit
22732 @cindex just-in-time compilation, debugging messages
22733 Turns on or off debugging messages from JIT debug support.
22734 @item show debug jit
22735 Displays the current state of @value{GDBN} JIT debugging.
22736 @item set debug lin-lwp
22737 @cindex @sc{gnu}/Linux LWP debug messages
22738 @cindex Linux lightweight processes
22739 Turns on or off debugging messages from the Linux LWP debug support.
22740 @item show debug lin-lwp
22741 Show the current state of Linux LWP debugging messages.
22742 @item set debug mach-o
22743 @cindex Mach-O symbols processing
22744 Control display of debugging messages related to Mach-O symbols
22745 processing. The default is off.
22746 @item show debug mach-o
22747 Displays the current state of displaying debugging messages related to
22748 reading of COFF/PE exported symbols.
22749 @item set debug notification
22750 @cindex remote async notification debugging info
22751 Turns on or off debugging messages about remote async notification.
22752 The default is off.
22753 @item show debug notification
22754 Displays the current state of remote async notification debugging messages.
22755 @item set debug observer
22756 @cindex observer debugging info
22757 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} observer debugging. This
22758 includes info such as the notification of observable events.
22759 @item show debug observer
22760 Displays the current state of observer debugging.
22761 @item set debug overload
22762 @cindex C@t{++} overload debugging info
22763 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} C@t{++} overload debugging
22764 info. This includes info such as ranking of functions, etc. The default
22765 is off.
22766 @item show debug overload
22767 Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} C@t{++} overload
22768 debugging info.
22769 @cindex expression parser, debugging info
22770 @cindex debug expression parser
22771 @item set debug parser
22772 Turns on or off the display of expression parser debugging output.
22773 Internally, this sets the @code{yydebug} variable in the expression
22774 parser. @xref{Tracing, , Tracing Your Parser, bison, Bison}, for
22775 details. The default is off.
22776 @item show debug parser
22777 Show the current state of expression parser debugging.
22778 @cindex packets, reporting on stdout
22779 @cindex serial connections, debugging
22780 @cindex debug remote protocol
22781 @cindex remote protocol debugging
22782 @cindex display remote packets
22783 @item set debug remote
22784 Turns on or off display of reports on all packets sent back and forth across
22785 the serial line to the remote machine. The info is printed on the
22786 @value{GDBN} standard output stream. The default is off.
22787 @item show debug remote
22788 Displays the state of display of remote packets.
22789 @item set debug serial
22790 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} serial debugging info. The
22791 default is off.
22792 @item show debug serial
22793 Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} serial debugging
22794 info.
22795 @item set debug solib-frv
22796 @cindex FR-V shared-library debugging
22797 Turns on or off debugging messages for FR-V shared-library code.
22798 @item show debug solib-frv
22799 Display the current state of FR-V shared-library code debugging
22800 messages.
22801 @item set debug symfile
22802 @cindex symbol file functions
22803 Turns on or off display of debugging messages related to symbol file functions.
22804 The default is off. @xref{Files}.
22805 @item show debug symfile
22806 Show the current state of symbol file debugging messages.
22807 @item set debug symtab-create
22808 @cindex symbol table creation
22809 Turns on or off display of debugging messages related to symbol table creation.
22810 The default is 0 (off).
22811 A value of 1 provides basic information.
22812 A value greater than 1 provides more verbose information.
22813 @item show debug symtab-create
22814 Show the current state of symbol table creation debugging.
22815 @item set debug target
22816 @cindex target debugging info
22817 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} target debugging info. This info
22818 includes what is going on at the target level of GDB, as it happens. The
22819 default is 0. Set it to 1 to track events, and to 2 to also track the
22820 value of large memory transfers. Changes to this flag do not take effect
22821 until the next time you connect to a target or use the @code{run} command.
22822 @item show debug target
22823 Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} target debugging
22824 info.
22825 @item set debug timestamp
22826 @cindex timestampping debugging info
22827 Turns on or off display of timestamps with @value{GDBN} debugging info.
22828 When enabled, seconds and microseconds are displayed before each debugging
22829 message.
22830 @item show debug timestamp
22831 Displays the current state of displaying timestamps with @value{GDBN}
22832 debugging info.
22833 @item set debugvarobj
22834 @cindex variable object debugging info
22835 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} variable object debugging
22836 info. The default is off.
22837 @item show debugvarobj
22838 Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} variable object
22839 debugging info.
22840 @item set debug xml
22841 @cindex XML parser debugging
22842 Turns on or off debugging messages for built-in XML parsers.
22843 @item show debug xml
22844 Displays the current state of XML debugging messages.
22845 @end table
22846
22847 @node Other Misc Settings
22848 @section Other Miscellaneous Settings
22849 @cindex miscellaneous settings
22850
22851 @table @code
22852 @kindex set interactive-mode
22853 @item set interactive-mode
22854 If @code{on}, forces @value{GDBN} to assume that GDB was started
22855 in a terminal. In practice, this means that @value{GDBN} should wait
22856 for the user to answer queries generated by commands entered at
22857 the command prompt. If @code{off}, forces @value{GDBN} to operate
22858 in the opposite mode, and it uses the default answers to all queries.
22859 If @code{auto} (the default), @value{GDBN} tries to determine whether
22860 its standard input is a terminal, and works in interactive-mode if it
22861 is, non-interactively otherwise.
22862
22863 In the vast majority of cases, the debugger should be able to guess
22864 correctly which mode should be used. But this setting can be useful
22865 in certain specific cases, such as running a MinGW @value{GDBN}
22866 inside a cygwin window.
22867
22868 @kindex show interactive-mode
22869 @item show interactive-mode
22870 Displays whether the debugger is operating in interactive mode or not.
22871 @end table
22872
22873 @node Extending GDB
22874 @chapter Extending @value{GDBN}
22875 @cindex extending GDB
22876
22877 @value{GDBN} provides several mechanisms for extension.
22878 @value{GDBN} also provides the ability to automatically load
22879 extensions when it reads a file for debugging. This allows the
22880 user to automatically customize @value{GDBN} for the program
22881 being debugged.
22882
22883 @menu
22884 * Sequences:: Canned Sequences of @value{GDBN} Commands
22885 * Python:: Extending @value{GDBN} using Python
22886 * Auto-loading extensions:: Automatically loading extensions
22887 * Aliases:: Creating new spellings of existing commands
22888 @end menu
22889
22890 To facilitate the use of extension languages, @value{GDBN} is capable
22891 of evaluating the contents of a file. When doing so, @value{GDBN}
22892 can recognize which extension language is being used by looking at
22893 the filename extension. Files with an unrecognized filename extension
22894 are always treated as a @value{GDBN} Command Files.
22895 @xref{Command Files,, Command files}.
22896
22897 You can control how @value{GDBN} evaluates these files with the following
22898 setting:
22899
22900 @table @code
22901 @kindex set script-extension
22902 @kindex show script-extension
22903 @item set script-extension off
22904 All scripts are always evaluated as @value{GDBN} Command Files.
22905
22906 @item set script-extension soft
22907 The debugger determines the scripting language based on filename
22908 extension. If this scripting language is supported, @value{GDBN}
22909 evaluates the script using that language. Otherwise, it evaluates
22910 the file as a @value{GDBN} Command File.
22911
22912 @item set script-extension strict
22913 The debugger determines the scripting language based on filename
22914 extension, and evaluates the script using that language. If the
22915 language is not supported, then the evaluation fails.
22916
22917 @item show script-extension
22918 Display the current value of the @code{script-extension} option.
22919
22920 @end table
22921
22922 @node Sequences
22923 @section Canned Sequences of Commands
22924
22925 Aside from breakpoint commands (@pxref{Break Commands, ,Breakpoint
22926 Command Lists}), @value{GDBN} provides two ways to store sequences of
22927 commands for execution as a unit: user-defined commands and command
22928 files.
22929
22930 @menu
22931 * Define:: How to define your own commands
22932 * Hooks:: Hooks for user-defined commands
22933 * Command Files:: How to write scripts of commands to be stored in a file
22934 * Output:: Commands for controlled output
22935 * Auto-loading sequences:: Controlling auto-loaded command files
22936 @end menu
22937
22938 @node Define
22939 @subsection User-defined Commands
22940
22941 @cindex user-defined command
22942 @cindex arguments, to user-defined commands
22943 A @dfn{user-defined command} is a sequence of @value{GDBN} commands to
22944 which you assign a new name as a command. This is done with the
22945 @code{define} command. User commands may accept up to 10 arguments
22946 separated by whitespace. Arguments are accessed within the user command
22947 via @code{$arg0@dots{}$arg9}. A trivial example:
22948
22949 @smallexample
22950 define adder
22951 print $arg0 + $arg1 + $arg2
22952 end
22953 @end smallexample
22954
22955 @noindent
22956 To execute the command use:
22957
22958 @smallexample
22959 adder 1 2 3
22960 @end smallexample
22961
22962 @noindent
22963 This defines the command @code{adder}, which prints the sum of
22964 its three arguments. Note the arguments are text substitutions, so they may
22965 reference variables, use complex expressions, or even perform inferior
22966 functions calls.
22967
22968 @cindex argument count in user-defined commands
22969 @cindex how many arguments (user-defined commands)
22970 In addition, @code{$argc} may be used to find out how many arguments have
22971 been passed. This expands to a number in the range 0@dots{}10.
22972
22973 @smallexample
22974 define adder
22975 if $argc == 2
22976 print $arg0 + $arg1
22977 end
22978 if $argc == 3
22979 print $arg0 + $arg1 + $arg2
22980 end
22981 end
22982 @end smallexample
22983
22984 @table @code
22985
22986 @kindex define
22987 @item define @var{commandname}
22988 Define a command named @var{commandname}. If there is already a command
22989 by that name, you are asked to confirm that you want to redefine it.
22990 @var{commandname} may be a bare command name consisting of letters,
22991 numbers, dashes, and underscores. It may also start with any predefined
22992 prefix command. For example, @samp{define target my-target} creates
22993 a user-defined @samp{target my-target} command.
22994
22995 The definition of the command is made up of other @value{GDBN} command lines,
22996 which are given following the @code{define} command. The end of these
22997 commands is marked by a line containing @code{end}.
22998
22999 @kindex document
23000 @kindex end@r{ (user-defined commands)}
23001 @item document @var{commandname}
23002 Document the user-defined command @var{commandname}, so that it can be
23003 accessed by @code{help}. The command @var{commandname} must already be
23004 defined. This command reads lines of documentation just as @code{define}
23005 reads the lines of the command definition, ending with @code{end}.
23006 After the @code{document} command is finished, @code{help} on command
23007 @var{commandname} displays the documentation you have written.
23008
23009 You may use the @code{document} command again to change the
23010 documentation of a command. Redefining the command with @code{define}
23011 does not change the documentation.
23012
23013 @kindex dont-repeat
23014 @cindex don't repeat command
23015 @item dont-repeat
23016 Used inside a user-defined command, this tells @value{GDBN} that this
23017 command should not be repeated when the user hits @key{RET}
23018 (@pxref{Command Syntax, repeat last command}).
23019
23020 @kindex help user-defined
23021 @item help user-defined
23022 List all user-defined commands and all python commands defined in class
23023 COMAND_USER. The first line of the documentation or docstring is
23024 included (if any).
23025
23026 @kindex show user
23027 @item show user
23028 @itemx show user @var{commandname}
23029 Display the @value{GDBN} commands used to define @var{commandname} (but
23030 not its documentation). If no @var{commandname} is given, display the
23031 definitions for all user-defined commands.
23032 This does not work for user-defined python commands.
23033
23034 @cindex infinite recursion in user-defined commands
23035 @kindex show max-user-call-depth
23036 @kindex set max-user-call-depth
23037 @item show max-user-call-depth
23038 @itemx set max-user-call-depth
23039 The value of @code{max-user-call-depth} controls how many recursion
23040 levels are allowed in user-defined commands before @value{GDBN} suspects an
23041 infinite recursion and aborts the command.
23042 This does not apply to user-defined python commands.
23043 @end table
23044
23045 In addition to the above commands, user-defined commands frequently
23046 use control flow commands, described in @ref{Command Files}.
23047
23048 When user-defined commands are executed, the
23049 commands of the definition are not printed. An error in any command
23050 stops execution of the user-defined command.
23051
23052 If used interactively, commands that would ask for confirmation proceed
23053 without asking when used inside a user-defined command. Many @value{GDBN}
23054 commands that normally print messages to say what they are doing omit the
23055 messages when used in a user-defined command.
23056
23057 @node Hooks
23058 @subsection User-defined Command Hooks
23059 @cindex command hooks
23060 @cindex hooks, for commands
23061 @cindex hooks, pre-command
23062
23063 @kindex hook
23064 You may define @dfn{hooks}, which are a special kind of user-defined
23065 command. Whenever you run the command @samp{foo}, if the user-defined
23066 command @samp{hook-foo} exists, it is executed (with no arguments)
23067 before that command.
23068
23069 @cindex hooks, post-command
23070 @kindex hookpost
23071 A hook may also be defined which is run after the command you executed.
23072 Whenever you run the command @samp{foo}, if the user-defined command
23073 @samp{hookpost-foo} exists, it is executed (with no arguments) after
23074 that command. Post-execution hooks may exist simultaneously with
23075 pre-execution hooks, for the same command.
23076
23077 It is valid for a hook to call the command which it hooks. If this
23078 occurs, the hook is not re-executed, thereby avoiding infinite recursion.
23079
23080 @c It would be nice if hookpost could be passed a parameter indicating
23081 @c if the command it hooks executed properly or not. FIXME!
23082
23083 @kindex stop@r{, a pseudo-command}
23084 In addition, a pseudo-command, @samp{stop} exists. Defining
23085 (@samp{hook-stop}) makes the associated commands execute every time
23086 execution stops in your program: before breakpoint commands are run,
23087 displays are printed, or the stack frame is printed.
23088
23089 For example, to ignore @code{SIGALRM} signals while
23090 single-stepping, but treat them normally during normal execution,
23091 you could define:
23092
23093 @smallexample
23094 define hook-stop
23095 handle SIGALRM nopass
23096 end
23097
23098 define hook-run
23099 handle SIGALRM pass
23100 end
23101
23102 define hook-continue
23103 handle SIGALRM pass
23104 end
23105 @end smallexample
23106
23107 As a further example, to hook at the beginning and end of the @code{echo}
23108 command, and to add extra text to the beginning and end of the message,
23109 you could define:
23110
23111 @smallexample
23112 define hook-echo
23113 echo <<<---
23114 end
23115
23116 define hookpost-echo
23117 echo --->>>\n
23118 end
23119
23120 (@value{GDBP}) echo Hello World
23121 <<<---Hello World--->>>
23122 (@value{GDBP})
23123
23124 @end smallexample
23125
23126 You can define a hook for any single-word command in @value{GDBN}, but
23127 not for command aliases; you should define a hook for the basic command
23128 name, e.g.@: @code{backtrace} rather than @code{bt}.
23129 @c FIXME! So how does Joe User discover whether a command is an alias
23130 @c or not?
23131 You can hook a multi-word command by adding @code{hook-} or
23132 @code{hookpost-} to the last word of the command, e.g.@:
23133 @samp{define target hook-remote} to add a hook to @samp{target remote}.
23134
23135 If an error occurs during the execution of your hook, execution of
23136 @value{GDBN} commands stops and @value{GDBN} issues a prompt
23137 (before the command that you actually typed had a chance to run).
23138
23139 If you try to define a hook which does not match any known command, you
23140 get a warning from the @code{define} command.
23141
23142 @node Command Files
23143 @subsection Command Files
23144
23145 @cindex command files
23146 @cindex scripting commands
23147 A command file for @value{GDBN} is a text file made of lines that are
23148 @value{GDBN} commands. Comments (lines starting with @kbd{#}) may
23149 also be included. An empty line in a command file does nothing; it
23150 does not mean to repeat the last command, as it would from the
23151 terminal.
23152
23153 You can request the execution of a command file with the @code{source}
23154 command. Note that the @code{source} command is also used to evaluate
23155 scripts that are not Command Files. The exact behavior can be configured
23156 using the @code{script-extension} setting.
23157 @xref{Extending GDB,, Extending GDB}.
23158
23159 @table @code
23160 @kindex source
23161 @cindex execute commands from a file
23162 @item source [-s] [-v] @var{filename}
23163 Execute the command file @var{filename}.
23164 @end table
23165
23166 The lines in a command file are generally executed sequentially,
23167 unless the order of execution is changed by one of the
23168 @emph{flow-control commands} described below. The commands are not
23169 printed as they are executed. An error in any command terminates
23170 execution of the command file and control is returned to the console.
23171
23172 @value{GDBN} first searches for @var{filename} in the current directory.
23173 If the file is not found there, and @var{filename} does not specify a
23174 directory, then @value{GDBN} also looks for the file on the source search path
23175 (specified with the @samp{directory} command);
23176 except that @file{$cdir} is not searched because the compilation directory
23177 is not relevant to scripts.
23178
23179 If @code{-s} is specified, then @value{GDBN} searches for @var{filename}
23180 on the search path even if @var{filename} specifies a directory.
23181 The search is done by appending @var{filename} to each element of the
23182 search path. So, for example, if @var{filename} is @file{mylib/myscript}
23183 and the search path contains @file{/home/user} then @value{GDBN} will
23184 look for the script @file{/home/user/mylib/myscript}.
23185 The search is also done if @var{filename} is an absolute path.
23186 For example, if @var{filename} is @file{/tmp/myscript} and
23187 the search path contains @file{/home/user} then @value{GDBN} will
23188 look for the script @file{/home/user/tmp/myscript}.
23189 For DOS-like systems, if @var{filename} contains a drive specification,
23190 it is stripped before concatenation. For example, if @var{filename} is
23191 @file{d:myscript} and the search path contains @file{c:/tmp} then @value{GDBN}
23192 will look for the script @file{c:/tmp/myscript}.
23193
23194 If @code{-v}, for verbose mode, is given then @value{GDBN} displays
23195 each command as it is executed. The option must be given before
23196 @var{filename}, and is interpreted as part of the filename anywhere else.
23197
23198 Commands that would ask for confirmation if used interactively proceed
23199 without asking when used in a command file. Many @value{GDBN} commands that
23200 normally print messages to say what they are doing omit the messages
23201 when called from command files.
23202
23203 @value{GDBN} also accepts command input from standard input. In this
23204 mode, normal output goes to standard output and error output goes to
23205 standard error. Errors in a command file supplied on standard input do
23206 not terminate execution of the command file---execution continues with
23207 the next command.
23208
23209 @smallexample
23210 gdb < cmds > log 2>&1
23211 @end smallexample
23212
23213 (The syntax above will vary depending on the shell used.) This example
23214 will execute commands from the file @file{cmds}. All output and errors
23215 would be directed to @file{log}.
23216
23217 Since commands stored on command files tend to be more general than
23218 commands typed interactively, they frequently need to deal with
23219 complicated situations, such as different or unexpected values of
23220 variables and symbols, changes in how the program being debugged is
23221 built, etc. @value{GDBN} provides a set of flow-control commands to
23222 deal with these complexities. Using these commands, you can write
23223 complex scripts that loop over data structures, execute commands
23224 conditionally, etc.
23225
23226 @table @code
23227 @kindex if
23228 @kindex else
23229 @item if
23230 @itemx else
23231 This command allows to include in your script conditionally executed
23232 commands. The @code{if} command takes a single argument, which is an
23233 expression to evaluate. It is followed by a series of commands that
23234 are executed only if the expression is true (its value is nonzero).
23235 There can then optionally be an @code{else} line, followed by a series
23236 of commands that are only executed if the expression was false. The
23237 end of the list is marked by a line containing @code{end}.
23238
23239 @kindex while
23240 @item while
23241 This command allows to write loops. Its syntax is similar to
23242 @code{if}: the command takes a single argument, which is an expression
23243 to evaluate, and must be followed by the commands to execute, one per
23244 line, terminated by an @code{end}. These commands are called the
23245 @dfn{body} of the loop. The commands in the body of @code{while} are
23246 executed repeatedly as long as the expression evaluates to true.
23247
23248 @kindex loop_break
23249 @item loop_break
23250 This command exits the @code{while} loop in whose body it is included.
23251 Execution of the script continues after that @code{while}s @code{end}
23252 line.
23253
23254 @kindex loop_continue
23255 @item loop_continue
23256 This command skips the execution of the rest of the body of commands
23257 in the @code{while} loop in whose body it is included. Execution
23258 branches to the beginning of the @code{while} loop, where it evaluates
23259 the controlling expression.
23260
23261 @kindex end@r{ (if/else/while commands)}
23262 @item end
23263 Terminate the block of commands that are the body of @code{if},
23264 @code{else}, or @code{while} flow-control commands.
23265 @end table
23266
23267
23268 @node Output
23269 @subsection Commands for Controlled Output
23270
23271 During the execution of a command file or a user-defined command, normal
23272 @value{GDBN} output is suppressed; the only output that appears is what is
23273 explicitly printed by the commands in the definition. This section
23274 describes three commands useful for generating exactly the output you
23275 want.
23276
23277 @table @code
23278 @kindex echo
23279 @item echo @var{text}
23280 @c I do not consider backslash-space a standard C escape sequence
23281 @c because it is not in ANSI.
23282 Print @var{text}. Nonprinting characters can be included in
23283 @var{text} using C escape sequences, such as @samp{\n} to print a
23284 newline. @strong{No newline is printed unless you specify one.}
23285 In addition to the standard C escape sequences, a backslash followed
23286 by a space stands for a space. This is useful for displaying a
23287 string with spaces at the beginning or the end, since leading and
23288 trailing spaces are otherwise trimmed from all arguments.
23289 To print @samp{@w{ }and foo =@w{ }}, use the command
23290 @samp{echo \@w{ }and foo = \@w{ }}.
23291
23292 A backslash at the end of @var{text} can be used, as in C, to continue
23293 the command onto subsequent lines. For example,
23294
23295 @smallexample
23296 echo This is some text\n\
23297 which is continued\n\
23298 onto several lines.\n
23299 @end smallexample
23300
23301 produces the same output as
23302
23303 @smallexample
23304 echo This is some text\n
23305 echo which is continued\n
23306 echo onto several lines.\n
23307 @end smallexample
23308
23309 @kindex output
23310 @item output @var{expression}
23311 Print the value of @var{expression} and nothing but that value: no
23312 newlines, no @samp{$@var{nn} = }. The value is not entered in the
23313 value history either. @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}, for more information
23314 on expressions.
23315
23316 @item output/@var{fmt} @var{expression}
23317 Print the value of @var{expression} in format @var{fmt}. You can use
23318 the same formats as for @code{print}. @xref{Output Formats,,Output
23319 Formats}, for more information.
23320
23321 @kindex printf
23322 @item printf @var{template}, @var{expressions}@dots{}
23323 Print the values of one or more @var{expressions} under the control of
23324 the string @var{template}. To print several values, make
23325 @var{expressions} be a comma-separated list of individual expressions,
23326 which may be either numbers or pointers. Their values are printed as
23327 specified by @var{template}, exactly as a C program would do by
23328 executing the code below:
23329
23330 @smallexample
23331 printf (@var{template}, @var{expressions}@dots{});
23332 @end smallexample
23333
23334 As in @code{C} @code{printf}, ordinary characters in @var{template}
23335 are printed verbatim, while @dfn{conversion specification} introduced
23336 by the @samp{%} character cause subsequent @var{expressions} to be
23337 evaluated, their values converted and formatted according to type and
23338 style information encoded in the conversion specifications, and then
23339 printed.
23340
23341 For example, you can print two values in hex like this:
23342
23343 @smallexample
23344 printf "foo, bar-foo = 0x%x, 0x%x\n", foo, bar-foo
23345 @end smallexample
23346
23347 @code{printf} supports all the standard @code{C} conversion
23348 specifications, including the flags and modifiers between the @samp{%}
23349 character and the conversion letter, with the following exceptions:
23350
23351 @itemize @bullet
23352 @item
23353 The argument-ordering modifiers, such as @samp{2$}, are not supported.
23354
23355 @item
23356 The modifier @samp{*} is not supported for specifying precision or
23357 width.
23358
23359 @item
23360 The @samp{'} flag (for separation of digits into groups according to
23361 @code{LC_NUMERIC'}) is not supported.
23362
23363 @item
23364 The type modifiers @samp{hh}, @samp{j}, @samp{t}, and @samp{z} are not
23365 supported.
23366
23367 @item
23368 The conversion letter @samp{n} (as in @samp{%n}) is not supported.
23369
23370 @item
23371 The conversion letters @samp{a} and @samp{A} are not supported.
23372 @end itemize
23373
23374 @noindent
23375 Note that the @samp{ll} type modifier is supported only if the
23376 underlying @code{C} implementation used to build @value{GDBN} supports
23377 the @code{long long int} type, and the @samp{L} type modifier is
23378 supported only if @code{long double} type is available.
23379
23380 As in @code{C}, @code{printf} supports simple backslash-escape
23381 sequences, such as @code{\n}, @samp{\t}, @samp{\\}, @samp{\"},
23382 @samp{\a}, and @samp{\f}, that consist of backslash followed by a
23383 single character. Octal and hexadecimal escape sequences are not
23384 supported.
23385
23386 Additionally, @code{printf} supports conversion specifications for DFP
23387 (@dfn{Decimal Floating Point}) types using the following length modifiers
23388 together with a floating point specifier.
23389 letters:
23390
23391 @itemize @bullet
23392 @item
23393 @samp{H} for printing @code{Decimal32} types.
23394
23395 @item
23396 @samp{D} for printing @code{Decimal64} types.
23397
23398 @item
23399 @samp{DD} for printing @code{Decimal128} types.
23400 @end itemize
23401
23402 If the underlying @code{C} implementation used to build @value{GDBN} has
23403 support for the three length modifiers for DFP types, other modifiers
23404 such as width and precision will also be available for @value{GDBN} to use.
23405
23406 In case there is no such @code{C} support, no additional modifiers will be
23407 available and the value will be printed in the standard way.
23408
23409 Here's an example of printing DFP types using the above conversion letters:
23410 @smallexample
23411 printf "D32: %Hf - D64: %Df - D128: %DDf\n",1.2345df,1.2E10dd,1.2E1dl
23412 @end smallexample
23413
23414 @kindex eval
23415 @item eval @var{template}, @var{expressions}@dots{}
23416 Convert the values of one or more @var{expressions} under the control of
23417 the string @var{template} to a command line, and call it.
23418
23419 @end table
23420
23421 @node Auto-loading sequences
23422 @subsection Controlling auto-loading native @value{GDBN} scripts
23423 @cindex native script auto-loading
23424
23425 When a new object file is read (for example, due to the @code{file}
23426 command, or because the inferior has loaded a shared library),
23427 @value{GDBN} will look for the command file @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.gdb}.
23428 @xref{Auto-loading extensions}.
23429
23430 Auto-loading can be enabled or disabled,
23431 and the list of auto-loaded scripts can be printed.
23432
23433 @table @code
23434 @anchor{set auto-load gdb-scripts}
23435 @kindex set auto-load gdb-scripts
23436 @item set auto-load gdb-scripts [on|off]
23437 Enable or disable the auto-loading of canned sequences of commands scripts.
23438
23439 @anchor{show auto-load gdb-scripts}
23440 @kindex show auto-load gdb-scripts
23441 @item show auto-load gdb-scripts
23442 Show whether auto-loading of canned sequences of commands scripts is enabled or
23443 disabled.
23444
23445 @anchor{info auto-load gdb-scripts}
23446 @kindex info auto-load gdb-scripts
23447 @cindex print list of auto-loaded canned sequences of commands scripts
23448 @item info auto-load gdb-scripts [@var{regexp}]
23449 Print the list of all canned sequences of commands scripts that @value{GDBN}
23450 auto-loaded.
23451 @end table
23452
23453 If @var{regexp} is supplied only canned sequences of commands scripts with
23454 matching names are printed.
23455
23456 @node Python
23457 @section Extending @value{GDBN} using Python
23458 @cindex python scripting
23459 @cindex scripting with python
23460
23461 You can extend @value{GDBN} using the @uref{http://www.python.org/,
23462 Python programming language}. This feature is available only if
23463 @value{GDBN} was configured using @option{--with-python}.
23464
23465 @cindex python directory
23466 Python scripts used by @value{GDBN} should be installed in
23467 @file{@var{data-directory}/python}, where @var{data-directory} is
23468 the data directory as determined at @value{GDBN} startup (@pxref{Data Files}).
23469 This directory, known as the @dfn{python directory},
23470 is automatically added to the Python Search Path in order to allow
23471 the Python interpreter to locate all scripts installed at this location.
23472
23473 Additionally, @value{GDBN} commands and convenience functions which
23474 are written in Python and are located in the
23475 @file{@var{data-directory}/python/gdb/command} or
23476 @file{@var{data-directory}/python/gdb/function} directories are
23477 automatically imported when @value{GDBN} starts.
23478
23479 @menu
23480 * Python Commands:: Accessing Python from @value{GDBN}.
23481 * Python API:: Accessing @value{GDBN} from Python.
23482 * Python Auto-loading:: Automatically loading Python code.
23483 * Python modules:: Python modules provided by @value{GDBN}.
23484 @end menu
23485
23486 @node Python Commands
23487 @subsection Python Commands
23488 @cindex python commands
23489 @cindex commands to access python
23490
23491 @value{GDBN} provides two commands for accessing the Python interpreter,
23492 and one related setting:
23493
23494 @table @code
23495 @kindex python-interactive
23496 @kindex pi
23497 @item python-interactive @r{[}@var{command}@r{]}
23498 @itemx pi @r{[}@var{command}@r{]}
23499 Without an argument, the @code{python-interactive} command can be used
23500 to start an interactive Python prompt. To return to @value{GDBN},
23501 type the @code{EOF} character (e.g., @kbd{Ctrl-D} on an empty prompt).
23502
23503 Alternatively, a single-line Python command can be given as an
23504 argument and evaluated. If the command is an expression, the result
23505 will be printed; otherwise, nothing will be printed. For example:
23506
23507 @smallexample
23508 (@value{GDBP}) python-interactive 2 + 3
23509 5
23510 @end smallexample
23511
23512 @kindex python
23513 @kindex py
23514 @item python @r{[}@var{command}@r{]}
23515 @itemx py @r{[}@var{command}@r{]}
23516 The @code{python} command can be used to evaluate Python code.
23517
23518 If given an argument, the @code{python} command will evaluate the
23519 argument as a Python command. For example:
23520
23521 @smallexample
23522 (@value{GDBP}) python print 23
23523 23
23524 @end smallexample
23525
23526 If you do not provide an argument to @code{python}, it will act as a
23527 multi-line command, like @code{define}. In this case, the Python
23528 script is made up of subsequent command lines, given after the
23529 @code{python} command. This command list is terminated using a line
23530 containing @code{end}. For example:
23531
23532 @smallexample
23533 (@value{GDBP}) python
23534 Type python script
23535 End with a line saying just "end".
23536 >print 23
23537 >end
23538 23
23539 @end smallexample
23540
23541 @kindex set python print-stack
23542 @item set python print-stack
23543 By default, @value{GDBN} will print only the message component of a
23544 Python exception when an error occurs in a Python script. This can be
23545 controlled using @code{set python print-stack}: if @code{full}, then
23546 full Python stack printing is enabled; if @code{none}, then Python stack
23547 and message printing is disabled; if @code{message}, the default, only
23548 the message component of the error is printed.
23549 @end table
23550
23551 It is also possible to execute a Python script from the @value{GDBN}
23552 interpreter:
23553
23554 @table @code
23555 @item source @file{script-name}
23556 The script name must end with @samp{.py} and @value{GDBN} must be configured
23557 to recognize the script language based on filename extension using
23558 the @code{script-extension} setting. @xref{Extending GDB, ,Extending GDB}.
23559
23560 @item python execfile ("script-name")
23561 This method is based on the @code{execfile} Python built-in function,
23562 and thus is always available.
23563 @end table
23564
23565 @node Python API
23566 @subsection Python API
23567 @cindex python api
23568 @cindex programming in python
23569
23570 You can get quick online help for @value{GDBN}'s Python API by issuing
23571 the command @w{@kbd{python help (gdb)}}.
23572
23573 Functions and methods which have two or more optional arguments allow
23574 them to be specified using keyword syntax. This allows passing some
23575 optional arguments while skipping others. Example:
23576 @w{@code{gdb.some_function ('foo', bar = 1, baz = 2)}}.
23577
23578 @menu
23579 * Basic Python:: Basic Python Functions.
23580 * Exception Handling:: How Python exceptions are translated.
23581 * Values From Inferior:: Python representation of values.
23582 * Types In Python:: Python representation of types.
23583 * Pretty Printing API:: Pretty-printing values.
23584 * Selecting Pretty-Printers:: How GDB chooses a pretty-printer.
23585 * Writing a Pretty-Printer:: Writing a Pretty-Printer.
23586 * Type Printing API:: Pretty-printing types.
23587 * Frame Filter API:: Filtering Frames.
23588 * Frame Decorator API:: Decorating Frames.
23589 * Writing a Frame Filter:: Writing a Frame Filter.
23590 * Inferiors In Python:: Python representation of inferiors (processes)
23591 * Events In Python:: Listening for events from @value{GDBN}.
23592 * Threads In Python:: Accessing inferior threads from Python.
23593 * Commands In Python:: Implementing new commands in Python.
23594 * Parameters In Python:: Adding new @value{GDBN} parameters.
23595 * Functions In Python:: Writing new convenience functions.
23596 * Progspaces In Python:: Program spaces.
23597 * Objfiles In Python:: Object files.
23598 * Frames In Python:: Accessing inferior stack frames from Python.
23599 * Blocks In Python:: Accessing blocks from Python.
23600 * Symbols In Python:: Python representation of symbols.
23601 * Symbol Tables In Python:: Python representation of symbol tables.
23602 * Line Tables In Python:: Python representation of line tables.
23603 * Breakpoints In Python:: Manipulating breakpoints using Python.
23604 * Finish Breakpoints in Python:: Setting Breakpoints on function return
23605 using Python.
23606 * Lazy Strings In Python:: Python representation of lazy strings.
23607 * Architectures In Python:: Python representation of architectures.
23608 @end menu
23609
23610 @node Basic Python
23611 @subsubsection Basic Python
23612
23613 @cindex python stdout
23614 @cindex python pagination
23615 At startup, @value{GDBN} overrides Python's @code{sys.stdout} and
23616 @code{sys.stderr} to print using @value{GDBN}'s output-paging streams.
23617 A Python program which outputs to one of these streams may have its
23618 output interrupted by the user (@pxref{Screen Size}). In this
23619 situation, a Python @code{KeyboardInterrupt} exception is thrown.
23620
23621 Some care must be taken when writing Python code to run in
23622 @value{GDBN}. Two things worth noting in particular:
23623
23624 @itemize @bullet
23625 @item
23626 @value{GDBN} install handlers for @code{SIGCHLD} and @code{SIGINT}.
23627 Python code must not override these, or even change the options using
23628 @code{sigaction}. If your program changes the handling of these
23629 signals, @value{GDBN} will most likely stop working correctly. Note
23630 that it is unfortunately common for GUI toolkits to install a
23631 @code{SIGCHLD} handler.
23632
23633 @item
23634 @value{GDBN} takes care to mark its internal file descriptors as
23635 close-on-exec. However, this cannot be done in a thread-safe way on
23636 all platforms. Your Python programs should be aware of this and
23637 should both create new file descriptors with the close-on-exec flag
23638 set and arrange to close unneeded file descriptors before starting a
23639 child process.
23640 @end itemize
23641
23642 @cindex python functions
23643 @cindex python module
23644 @cindex gdb module
23645 @value{GDBN} introduces a new Python module, named @code{gdb}. All
23646 methods and classes added by @value{GDBN} are placed in this module.
23647 @value{GDBN} automatically @code{import}s the @code{gdb} module for
23648 use in all scripts evaluated by the @code{python} command.
23649
23650 @findex gdb.PYTHONDIR
23651 @defvar gdb.PYTHONDIR
23652 A string containing the python directory (@pxref{Python}).
23653 @end defvar
23654
23655 @findex gdb.execute
23656 @defun gdb.execute (command @r{[}, from_tty @r{[}, to_string@r{]]})
23657 Evaluate @var{command}, a string, as a @value{GDBN} CLI command.
23658 If a GDB exception happens while @var{command} runs, it is
23659 translated as described in @ref{Exception Handling,,Exception Handling}.
23660
23661 @var{from_tty} specifies whether @value{GDBN} ought to consider this
23662 command as having originated from the user invoking it interactively.
23663 It must be a boolean value. If omitted, it defaults to @code{False}.
23664
23665 By default, any output produced by @var{command} is sent to
23666 @value{GDBN}'s standard output. If the @var{to_string} parameter is
23667 @code{True}, then output will be collected by @code{gdb.execute} and
23668 returned as a string. The default is @code{False}, in which case the
23669 return value is @code{None}. If @var{to_string} is @code{True}, the
23670 @value{GDBN} virtual terminal will be temporarily set to unlimited width
23671 and height, and its pagination will be disabled; @pxref{Screen Size}.
23672 @end defun
23673
23674 @findex gdb.breakpoints
23675 @defun gdb.breakpoints ()
23676 Return a sequence holding all of @value{GDBN}'s breakpoints.
23677 @xref{Breakpoints In Python}, for more information.
23678 @end defun
23679
23680 @findex gdb.parameter
23681 @defun gdb.parameter (parameter)
23682 Return the value of a @value{GDBN} parameter. @var{parameter} is a
23683 string naming the parameter to look up; @var{parameter} may contain
23684 spaces if the parameter has a multi-part name. For example,
23685 @samp{print object} is a valid parameter name.
23686
23687 If the named parameter does not exist, this function throws a
23688 @code{gdb.error} (@pxref{Exception Handling}). Otherwise, the
23689 parameter's value is converted to a Python value of the appropriate
23690 type, and returned.
23691 @end defun
23692
23693 @findex gdb.history
23694 @defun gdb.history (number)
23695 Return a value from @value{GDBN}'s value history (@pxref{Value
23696 History}). @var{number} indicates which history element to return.
23697 If @var{number} is negative, then @value{GDBN} will take its absolute value
23698 and count backward from the last element (i.e., the most recent element) to
23699 find the value to return. If @var{number} is zero, then @value{GDBN} will
23700 return the most recent element. If the element specified by @var{number}
23701 doesn't exist in the value history, a @code{gdb.error} exception will be
23702 raised.
23703
23704 If no exception is raised, the return value is always an instance of
23705 @code{gdb.Value} (@pxref{Values From Inferior}).
23706 @end defun
23707
23708 @findex gdb.parse_and_eval
23709 @defun gdb.parse_and_eval (expression)
23710 Parse @var{expression} as an expression in the current language,
23711 evaluate it, and return the result as a @code{gdb.Value}.
23712 @var{expression} must be a string.
23713
23714 This function can be useful when implementing a new command
23715 (@pxref{Commands In Python}), as it provides a way to parse the
23716 command's argument as an expression. It is also useful simply to
23717 compute values, for example, it is the only way to get the value of a
23718 convenience variable (@pxref{Convenience Vars}) as a @code{gdb.Value}.
23719 @end defun
23720
23721 @findex gdb.find_pc_line
23722 @defun gdb.find_pc_line (pc)
23723 Return the @code{gdb.Symtab_and_line} object corresponding to the
23724 @var{pc} value. @xref{Symbol Tables In Python}. If an invalid
23725 value of @var{pc} is passed as an argument, then the @code{symtab} and
23726 @code{line} attributes of the returned @code{gdb.Symtab_and_line} object
23727 will be @code{None} and 0 respectively.
23728 @end defun
23729
23730 @findex gdb.post_event
23731 @defun gdb.post_event (event)
23732 Put @var{event}, a callable object taking no arguments, into
23733 @value{GDBN}'s internal event queue. This callable will be invoked at
23734 some later point, during @value{GDBN}'s event processing. Events
23735 posted using @code{post_event} will be run in the order in which they
23736 were posted; however, there is no way to know when they will be
23737 processed relative to other events inside @value{GDBN}.
23738
23739 @value{GDBN} is not thread-safe. If your Python program uses multiple
23740 threads, you must be careful to only call @value{GDBN}-specific
23741 functions in the main @value{GDBN} thread. @code{post_event} ensures
23742 this. For example:
23743
23744 @smallexample
23745 (@value{GDBP}) python
23746 >import threading
23747 >
23748 >class Writer():
23749 > def __init__(self, message):
23750 > self.message = message;
23751 > def __call__(self):
23752 > gdb.write(self.message)
23753 >
23754 >class MyThread1 (threading.Thread):
23755 > def run (self):
23756 > gdb.post_event(Writer("Hello "))
23757 >
23758 >class MyThread2 (threading.Thread):
23759 > def run (self):
23760 > gdb.post_event(Writer("World\n"))
23761 >
23762 >MyThread1().start()
23763 >MyThread2().start()
23764 >end
23765 (@value{GDBP}) Hello World
23766 @end smallexample
23767 @end defun
23768
23769 @findex gdb.write
23770 @defun gdb.write (string @r{[}, stream{]})
23771 Print a string to @value{GDBN}'s paginated output stream. The
23772 optional @var{stream} determines the stream to print to. The default
23773 stream is @value{GDBN}'s standard output stream. Possible stream
23774 values are:
23775
23776 @table @code
23777 @findex STDOUT
23778 @findex gdb.STDOUT
23779 @item gdb.STDOUT
23780 @value{GDBN}'s standard output stream.
23781
23782 @findex STDERR
23783 @findex gdb.STDERR
23784 @item gdb.STDERR
23785 @value{GDBN}'s standard error stream.
23786
23787 @findex STDLOG
23788 @findex gdb.STDLOG
23789 @item gdb.STDLOG
23790 @value{GDBN}'s log stream (@pxref{Logging Output}).
23791 @end table
23792
23793 Writing to @code{sys.stdout} or @code{sys.stderr} will automatically
23794 call this function and will automatically direct the output to the
23795 relevant stream.
23796 @end defun
23797
23798 @findex gdb.flush
23799 @defun gdb.flush ()
23800 Flush the buffer of a @value{GDBN} paginated stream so that the
23801 contents are displayed immediately. @value{GDBN} will flush the
23802 contents of a stream automatically when it encounters a newline in the
23803 buffer. The optional @var{stream} determines the stream to flush. The
23804 default stream is @value{GDBN}'s standard output stream. Possible
23805 stream values are:
23806
23807 @table @code
23808 @findex STDOUT
23809 @findex gdb.STDOUT
23810 @item gdb.STDOUT
23811 @value{GDBN}'s standard output stream.
23812
23813 @findex STDERR
23814 @findex gdb.STDERR
23815 @item gdb.STDERR
23816 @value{GDBN}'s standard error stream.
23817
23818 @findex STDLOG
23819 @findex gdb.STDLOG
23820 @item gdb.STDLOG
23821 @value{GDBN}'s log stream (@pxref{Logging Output}).
23822
23823 @end table
23824
23825 Flushing @code{sys.stdout} or @code{sys.stderr} will automatically
23826 call this function for the relevant stream.
23827 @end defun
23828
23829 @findex gdb.target_charset
23830 @defun gdb.target_charset ()
23831 Return the name of the current target character set (@pxref{Character
23832 Sets}). This differs from @code{gdb.parameter('target-charset')} in
23833 that @samp{auto} is never returned.
23834 @end defun
23835
23836 @findex gdb.target_wide_charset
23837 @defun gdb.target_wide_charset ()
23838 Return the name of the current target wide character set
23839 (@pxref{Character Sets}). This differs from
23840 @code{gdb.parameter('target-wide-charset')} in that @samp{auto} is
23841 never returned.
23842 @end defun
23843
23844 @findex gdb.solib_name
23845 @defun gdb.solib_name (address)
23846 Return the name of the shared library holding the given @var{address}
23847 as a string, or @code{None}.
23848 @end defun
23849
23850 @findex gdb.decode_line
23851 @defun gdb.decode_line @r{[}expression@r{]}
23852 Return locations of the line specified by @var{expression}, or of the
23853 current line if no argument was given. This function returns a Python
23854 tuple containing two elements. The first element contains a string
23855 holding any unparsed section of @var{expression} (or @code{None} if
23856 the expression has been fully parsed). The second element contains
23857 either @code{None} or another tuple that contains all the locations
23858 that match the expression represented as @code{gdb.Symtab_and_line}
23859 objects (@pxref{Symbol Tables In Python}). If @var{expression} is
23860 provided, it is decoded the way that @value{GDBN}'s inbuilt
23861 @code{break} or @code{edit} commands do (@pxref{Specify Location}).
23862 @end defun
23863
23864 @defun gdb.prompt_hook (current_prompt)
23865 @anchor{prompt_hook}
23866
23867 If @var{prompt_hook} is callable, @value{GDBN} will call the method
23868 assigned to this operation before a prompt is displayed by
23869 @value{GDBN}.
23870
23871 The parameter @code{current_prompt} contains the current @value{GDBN}
23872 prompt. This method must return a Python string, or @code{None}. If
23873 a string is returned, the @value{GDBN} prompt will be set to that
23874 string. If @code{None} is returned, @value{GDBN} will continue to use
23875 the current prompt.
23876
23877 Some prompts cannot be substituted in @value{GDBN}. Secondary prompts
23878 such as those used by readline for command input, and annotation
23879 related prompts are prohibited from being changed.
23880 @end defun
23881
23882 @node Exception Handling
23883 @subsubsection Exception Handling
23884 @cindex python exceptions
23885 @cindex exceptions, python
23886
23887 When executing the @code{python} command, Python exceptions
23888 uncaught within the Python code are translated to calls to
23889 @value{GDBN} error-reporting mechanism. If the command that called
23890 @code{python} does not handle the error, @value{GDBN} will
23891 terminate it and print an error message containing the Python
23892 exception name, the associated value, and the Python call stack
23893 backtrace at the point where the exception was raised. Example:
23894
23895 @smallexample
23896 (@value{GDBP}) python print foo
23897 Traceback (most recent call last):
23898 File "<string>", line 1, in <module>
23899 NameError: name 'foo' is not defined
23900 @end smallexample
23901
23902 @value{GDBN} errors that happen in @value{GDBN} commands invoked by
23903 Python code are converted to Python exceptions. The type of the
23904 Python exception depends on the error.
23905
23906 @ftable @code
23907 @item gdb.error
23908 This is the base class for most exceptions generated by @value{GDBN}.
23909 It is derived from @code{RuntimeError}, for compatibility with earlier
23910 versions of @value{GDBN}.
23911
23912 If an error occurring in @value{GDBN} does not fit into some more
23913 specific category, then the generated exception will have this type.
23914
23915 @item gdb.MemoryError
23916 This is a subclass of @code{gdb.error} which is thrown when an
23917 operation tried to access invalid memory in the inferior.
23918
23919 @item KeyboardInterrupt
23920 User interrupt (via @kbd{C-c} or by typing @kbd{q} at a pagination
23921 prompt) is translated to a Python @code{KeyboardInterrupt} exception.
23922 @end ftable
23923
23924 In all cases, your exception handler will see the @value{GDBN} error
23925 message as its value and the Python call stack backtrace at the Python
23926 statement closest to where the @value{GDBN} error occured as the
23927 traceback.
23928
23929 @findex gdb.GdbError
23930 When implementing @value{GDBN} commands in Python via @code{gdb.Command},
23931 it is useful to be able to throw an exception that doesn't cause a
23932 traceback to be printed. For example, the user may have invoked the
23933 command incorrectly. Use the @code{gdb.GdbError} exception
23934 to handle this case. Example:
23935
23936 @smallexample
23937 (gdb) python
23938 >class HelloWorld (gdb.Command):
23939 > """Greet the whole world."""
23940 > def __init__ (self):
23941 > super (HelloWorld, self).__init__ ("hello-world", gdb.COMMAND_USER)
23942 > def invoke (self, args, from_tty):
23943 > argv = gdb.string_to_argv (args)
23944 > if len (argv) != 0:
23945 > raise gdb.GdbError ("hello-world takes no arguments")
23946 > print "Hello, World!"
23947 >HelloWorld ()
23948 >end
23949 (gdb) hello-world 42
23950 hello-world takes no arguments
23951 @end smallexample
23952
23953 @node Values From Inferior
23954 @subsubsection Values From Inferior
23955 @cindex values from inferior, with Python
23956 @cindex python, working with values from inferior
23957
23958 @cindex @code{gdb.Value}
23959 @value{GDBN} provides values it obtains from the inferior program in
23960 an object of type @code{gdb.Value}. @value{GDBN} uses this object
23961 for its internal bookkeeping of the inferior's values, and for
23962 fetching values when necessary.
23963
23964 Inferior values that are simple scalars can be used directly in
23965 Python expressions that are valid for the value's data type. Here's
23966 an example for an integer or floating-point value @code{some_val}:
23967
23968 @smallexample
23969 bar = some_val + 2
23970 @end smallexample
23971
23972 @noindent
23973 As result of this, @code{bar} will also be a @code{gdb.Value} object
23974 whose values are of the same type as those of @code{some_val}.
23975
23976 Inferior values that are structures or instances of some class can
23977 be accessed using the Python @dfn{dictionary syntax}. For example, if
23978 @code{some_val} is a @code{gdb.Value} instance holding a structure, you
23979 can access its @code{foo} element with:
23980
23981 @smallexample
23982 bar = some_val['foo']
23983 @end smallexample
23984
23985 @cindex getting structure elements using gdb.Field objects as subscripts
23986 Again, @code{bar} will also be a @code{gdb.Value} object. Structure
23987 elements can also be accessed by using @code{gdb.Field} objects as
23988 subscripts (@pxref{Types In Python}, for more information on
23989 @code{gdb.Field} objects). For example, if @code{foo_field} is a
23990 @code{gdb.Field} object corresponding to element @code{foo} of the above
23991 structure, then @code{bar} can also be accessed as follows:
23992
23993 @smallexample
23994 bar = some_val[foo_field]
23995 @end smallexample
23996
23997 A @code{gdb.Value} that represents a function can be executed via
23998 inferior function call. Any arguments provided to the call must match
23999 the function's prototype, and must be provided in the order specified
24000 by that prototype.
24001
24002 For example, @code{some_val} is a @code{gdb.Value} instance
24003 representing a function that takes two integers as arguments. To
24004 execute this function, call it like so:
24005
24006 @smallexample
24007 result = some_val (10,20)
24008 @end smallexample
24009
24010 Any values returned from a function call will be stored as a
24011 @code{gdb.Value}.
24012
24013 The following attributes are provided:
24014
24015 @defvar Value.address
24016 If this object is addressable, this read-only attribute holds a
24017 @code{gdb.Value} object representing the address. Otherwise,
24018 this attribute holds @code{None}.
24019 @end defvar
24020
24021 @cindex optimized out value in Python
24022 @defvar Value.is_optimized_out
24023 This read-only boolean attribute is true if the compiler optimized out
24024 this value, thus it is not available for fetching from the inferior.
24025 @end defvar
24026
24027 @defvar Value.type
24028 The type of this @code{gdb.Value}. The value of this attribute is a
24029 @code{gdb.Type} object (@pxref{Types In Python}).
24030 @end defvar
24031
24032 @defvar Value.dynamic_type
24033 The dynamic type of this @code{gdb.Value}. This uses C@t{++} run-time
24034 type information (@acronym{RTTI}) to determine the dynamic type of the
24035 value. If this value is of class type, it will return the class in
24036 which the value is embedded, if any. If this value is of pointer or
24037 reference to a class type, it will compute the dynamic type of the
24038 referenced object, and return a pointer or reference to that type,
24039 respectively. In all other cases, it will return the value's static
24040 type.
24041
24042 Note that this feature will only work when debugging a C@t{++} program
24043 that includes @acronym{RTTI} for the object in question. Otherwise,
24044 it will just return the static type of the value as in @kbd{ptype foo}
24045 (@pxref{Symbols, ptype}).
24046 @end defvar
24047
24048 @defvar Value.is_lazy
24049 The value of this read-only boolean attribute is @code{True} if this
24050 @code{gdb.Value} has not yet been fetched from the inferior.
24051 @value{GDBN} does not fetch values until necessary, for efficiency.
24052 For example:
24053
24054 @smallexample
24055 myval = gdb.parse_and_eval ('somevar')
24056 @end smallexample
24057
24058 The value of @code{somevar} is not fetched at this time. It will be
24059 fetched when the value is needed, or when the @code{fetch_lazy}
24060 method is invoked.
24061 @end defvar
24062
24063 The following methods are provided:
24064
24065 @defun Value.__init__ (@var{val})
24066 Many Python values can be converted directly to a @code{gdb.Value} via
24067 this object initializer. Specifically:
24068
24069 @table @asis
24070 @item Python boolean
24071 A Python boolean is converted to the boolean type from the current
24072 language.
24073
24074 @item Python integer
24075 A Python integer is converted to the C @code{long} type for the
24076 current architecture.
24077
24078 @item Python long
24079 A Python long is converted to the C @code{long long} type for the
24080 current architecture.
24081
24082 @item Python float
24083 A Python float is converted to the C @code{double} type for the
24084 current architecture.
24085
24086 @item Python string
24087 A Python string is converted to a target string, using the current
24088 target encoding.
24089
24090 @item @code{gdb.Value}
24091 If @code{val} is a @code{gdb.Value}, then a copy of the value is made.
24092
24093 @item @code{gdb.LazyString}
24094 If @code{val} is a @code{gdb.LazyString} (@pxref{Lazy Strings In
24095 Python}), then the lazy string's @code{value} method is called, and
24096 its result is used.
24097 @end table
24098 @end defun
24099
24100 @defun Value.cast (type)
24101 Return a new instance of @code{gdb.Value} that is the result of
24102 casting this instance to the type described by @var{type}, which must
24103 be a @code{gdb.Type} object. If the cast cannot be performed for some
24104 reason, this method throws an exception.
24105 @end defun
24106
24107 @defun Value.dereference ()
24108 For pointer data types, this method returns a new @code{gdb.Value} object
24109 whose contents is the object pointed to by the pointer. For example, if
24110 @code{foo} is a C pointer to an @code{int}, declared in your C program as
24111
24112 @smallexample
24113 int *foo;
24114 @end smallexample
24115
24116 @noindent
24117 then you can use the corresponding @code{gdb.Value} to access what
24118 @code{foo} points to like this:
24119
24120 @smallexample
24121 bar = foo.dereference ()
24122 @end smallexample
24123
24124 The result @code{bar} will be a @code{gdb.Value} object holding the
24125 value pointed to by @code{foo}.
24126
24127 A similar function @code{Value.referenced_value} exists which also
24128 returns @code{gdb.Value} objects corresonding to the values pointed to
24129 by pointer values (and additionally, values referenced by reference
24130 values). However, the behavior of @code{Value.dereference}
24131 differs from @code{Value.referenced_value} by the fact that the
24132 behavior of @code{Value.dereference} is identical to applying the C
24133 unary operator @code{*} on a given value. For example, consider a
24134 reference to a pointer @code{ptrref}, declared in your C@t{++} program
24135 as
24136
24137 @smallexample
24138 typedef int *intptr;
24139 ...
24140 int val = 10;
24141 intptr ptr = &val;
24142 intptr &ptrref = ptr;
24143 @end smallexample
24144
24145 Though @code{ptrref} is a reference value, one can apply the method
24146 @code{Value.dereference} to the @code{gdb.Value} object corresponding
24147 to it and obtain a @code{gdb.Value} which is identical to that
24148 corresponding to @code{val}. However, if you apply the method
24149 @code{Value.referenced_value}, the result would be a @code{gdb.Value}
24150 object identical to that corresponding to @code{ptr}.
24151
24152 @smallexample
24153 py_ptrref = gdb.parse_and_eval ("ptrref")
24154 py_val = py_ptrref.dereference ()
24155 py_ptr = py_ptrref.referenced_value ()
24156 @end smallexample
24157
24158 The @code{gdb.Value} object @code{py_val} is identical to that
24159 corresponding to @code{val}, and @code{py_ptr} is identical to that
24160 corresponding to @code{ptr}. In general, @code{Value.dereference} can
24161 be applied whenever the C unary operator @code{*} can be applied
24162 to the corresponding C value. For those cases where applying both
24163 @code{Value.dereference} and @code{Value.referenced_value} is allowed,
24164 the results obtained need not be identical (as we have seen in the above
24165 example). The results are however identical when applied on
24166 @code{gdb.Value} objects corresponding to pointers (@code{gdb.Value}
24167 objects with type code @code{TYPE_CODE_PTR}) in a C/C@t{++} program.
24168 @end defun
24169
24170 @defun Value.referenced_value ()
24171 For pointer or reference data types, this method returns a new
24172 @code{gdb.Value} object corresponding to the value referenced by the
24173 pointer/reference value. For pointer data types,
24174 @code{Value.dereference} and @code{Value.referenced_value} produce
24175 identical results. The difference between these methods is that
24176 @code{Value.dereference} cannot get the values referenced by reference
24177 values. For example, consider a reference to an @code{int}, declared
24178 in your C@t{++} program as
24179
24180 @smallexample
24181 int val = 10;
24182 int &ref = val;
24183 @end smallexample
24184
24185 @noindent
24186 then applying @code{Value.dereference} to the @code{gdb.Value} object
24187 corresponding to @code{ref} will result in an error, while applying
24188 @code{Value.referenced_value} will result in a @code{gdb.Value} object
24189 identical to that corresponding to @code{val}.
24190
24191 @smallexample
24192 py_ref = gdb.parse_and_eval ("ref")
24193 er_ref = py_ref.dereference () # Results in error
24194 py_val = py_ref.referenced_value () # Returns the referenced value
24195 @end smallexample
24196
24197 The @code{gdb.Value} object @code{py_val} is identical to that
24198 corresponding to @code{val}.
24199 @end defun
24200
24201 @defun Value.dynamic_cast (type)
24202 Like @code{Value.cast}, but works as if the C@t{++} @code{dynamic_cast}
24203 operator were used. Consult a C@t{++} reference for details.
24204 @end defun
24205
24206 @defun Value.reinterpret_cast (type)
24207 Like @code{Value.cast}, but works as if the C@t{++} @code{reinterpret_cast}
24208 operator were used. Consult a C@t{++} reference for details.
24209 @end defun
24210
24211 @defun Value.string (@r{[}encoding@r{[}, errors@r{[}, length@r{]]]})
24212 If this @code{gdb.Value} represents a string, then this method
24213 converts the contents to a Python string. Otherwise, this method will
24214 throw an exception.
24215
24216 Strings are recognized in a language-specific way; whether a given
24217 @code{gdb.Value} represents a string is determined by the current
24218 language.
24219
24220 For C-like languages, a value is a string if it is a pointer to or an
24221 array of characters or ints. The string is assumed to be terminated
24222 by a zero of the appropriate width. However if the optional length
24223 argument is given, the string will be converted to that given length,
24224 ignoring any embedded zeros that the string may contain.
24225
24226 If the optional @var{encoding} argument is given, it must be a string
24227 naming the encoding of the string in the @code{gdb.Value}, such as
24228 @code{"ascii"}, @code{"iso-8859-6"} or @code{"utf-8"}. It accepts
24229 the same encodings as the corresponding argument to Python's
24230 @code{string.decode} method, and the Python codec machinery will be used
24231 to convert the string. If @var{encoding} is not given, or if
24232 @var{encoding} is the empty string, then either the @code{target-charset}
24233 (@pxref{Character Sets}) will be used, or a language-specific encoding
24234 will be used, if the current language is able to supply one.
24235
24236 The optional @var{errors} argument is the same as the corresponding
24237 argument to Python's @code{string.decode} method.
24238
24239 If the optional @var{length} argument is given, the string will be
24240 fetched and converted to the given length.
24241 @end defun
24242
24243 @defun Value.lazy_string (@r{[}encoding @r{[}, length@r{]]})
24244 If this @code{gdb.Value} represents a string, then this method
24245 converts the contents to a @code{gdb.LazyString} (@pxref{Lazy Strings
24246 In Python}). Otherwise, this method will throw an exception.
24247
24248 If the optional @var{encoding} argument is given, it must be a string
24249 naming the encoding of the @code{gdb.LazyString}. Some examples are:
24250 @samp{ascii}, @samp{iso-8859-6} or @samp{utf-8}. If the
24251 @var{encoding} argument is an encoding that @value{GDBN} does
24252 recognize, @value{GDBN} will raise an error.
24253
24254 When a lazy string is printed, the @value{GDBN} encoding machinery is
24255 used to convert the string during printing. If the optional
24256 @var{encoding} argument is not provided, or is an empty string,
24257 @value{GDBN} will automatically select the encoding most suitable for
24258 the string type. For further information on encoding in @value{GDBN}
24259 please see @ref{Character Sets}.
24260
24261 If the optional @var{length} argument is given, the string will be
24262 fetched and encoded to the length of characters specified. If
24263 the @var{length} argument is not provided, the string will be fetched
24264 and encoded until a null of appropriate width is found.
24265 @end defun
24266
24267 @defun Value.fetch_lazy ()
24268 If the @code{gdb.Value} object is currently a lazy value
24269 (@code{gdb.Value.is_lazy} is @code{True}), then the value is
24270 fetched from the inferior. Any errors that occur in the process
24271 will produce a Python exception.
24272
24273 If the @code{gdb.Value} object is not a lazy value, this method
24274 has no effect.
24275
24276 This method does not return a value.
24277 @end defun
24278
24279
24280 @node Types In Python
24281 @subsubsection Types In Python
24282 @cindex types in Python
24283 @cindex Python, working with types
24284
24285 @tindex gdb.Type
24286 @value{GDBN} represents types from the inferior using the class
24287 @code{gdb.Type}.
24288
24289 The following type-related functions are available in the @code{gdb}
24290 module:
24291
24292 @findex gdb.lookup_type
24293 @defun gdb.lookup_type (name @r{[}, block@r{]})
24294 This function looks up a type by name. @var{name} is the name of the
24295 type to look up. It must be a string.
24296
24297 If @var{block} is given, then @var{name} is looked up in that scope.
24298 Otherwise, it is searched for globally.
24299
24300 Ordinarily, this function will return an instance of @code{gdb.Type}.
24301 If the named type cannot be found, it will throw an exception.
24302 @end defun
24303
24304 If the type is a structure or class type, or an enum type, the fields
24305 of that type can be accessed using the Python @dfn{dictionary syntax}.
24306 For example, if @code{some_type} is a @code{gdb.Type} instance holding
24307 a structure type, you can access its @code{foo} field with:
24308
24309 @smallexample
24310 bar = some_type['foo']
24311 @end smallexample
24312
24313 @code{bar} will be a @code{gdb.Field} object; see below under the
24314 description of the @code{Type.fields} method for a description of the
24315 @code{gdb.Field} class.
24316
24317 An instance of @code{Type} has the following attributes:
24318
24319 @defvar Type.code
24320 The type code for this type. The type code will be one of the
24321 @code{TYPE_CODE_} constants defined below.
24322 @end defvar
24323
24324 @defvar Type.name
24325 The name of this type. If this type has no name, then @code{None}
24326 is returned.
24327 @end defvar
24328
24329 @defvar Type.sizeof
24330 The size of this type, in target @code{char} units. Usually, a
24331 target's @code{char} type will be an 8-bit byte. However, on some
24332 unusual platforms, this type may have a different size.
24333 @end defvar
24334
24335 @defvar Type.tag
24336 The tag name for this type. The tag name is the name after
24337 @code{struct}, @code{union}, or @code{enum} in C and C@t{++}; not all
24338 languages have this concept. If this type has no tag name, then
24339 @code{None} is returned.
24340 @end defvar
24341
24342 The following methods are provided:
24343
24344 @defun Type.fields ()
24345 For structure and union types, this method returns the fields. Range
24346 types have two fields, the minimum and maximum values. Enum types
24347 have one field per enum constant. Function and method types have one
24348 field per parameter. The base types of C@t{++} classes are also
24349 represented as fields. If the type has no fields, or does not fit
24350 into one of these categories, an empty sequence will be returned.
24351
24352 Each field is a @code{gdb.Field} object, with some pre-defined attributes:
24353 @table @code
24354 @item bitpos
24355 This attribute is not available for @code{enum} or @code{static}
24356 (as in C@t{++} or Java) fields. The value is the position, counting
24357 in bits, from the start of the containing type.
24358
24359 @item enumval
24360 This attribute is only available for @code{enum} fields, and its value
24361 is the enumeration member's integer representation.
24362
24363 @item name
24364 The name of the field, or @code{None} for anonymous fields.
24365
24366 @item artificial
24367 This is @code{True} if the field is artificial, usually meaning that
24368 it was provided by the compiler and not the user. This attribute is
24369 always provided, and is @code{False} if the field is not artificial.
24370
24371 @item is_base_class
24372 This is @code{True} if the field represents a base class of a C@t{++}
24373 structure. This attribute is always provided, and is @code{False}
24374 if the field is not a base class of the type that is the argument of
24375 @code{fields}, or if that type was not a C@t{++} class.
24376
24377 @item bitsize
24378 If the field is packed, or is a bitfield, then this will have a
24379 non-zero value, which is the size of the field in bits. Otherwise,
24380 this will be zero; in this case the field's size is given by its type.
24381
24382 @item type
24383 The type of the field. This is usually an instance of @code{Type},
24384 but it can be @code{None} in some situations.
24385
24386 @item parent_type
24387 The type which contains this field. This is an instance of
24388 @code{gdb.Type}.
24389 @end table
24390 @end defun
24391
24392 @defun Type.array (@var{n1} @r{[}, @var{n2}@r{]})
24393 Return a new @code{gdb.Type} object which represents an array of this
24394 type. If one argument is given, it is the inclusive upper bound of
24395 the array; in this case the lower bound is zero. If two arguments are
24396 given, the first argument is the lower bound of the array, and the
24397 second argument is the upper bound of the array. An array's length
24398 must not be negative, but the bounds can be.
24399 @end defun
24400
24401 @defun Type.vector (@var{n1} @r{[}, @var{n2}@r{]})
24402 Return a new @code{gdb.Type} object which represents a vector of this
24403 type. If one argument is given, it is the inclusive upper bound of
24404 the vector; in this case the lower bound is zero. If two arguments are
24405 given, the first argument is the lower bound of the vector, and the
24406 second argument is the upper bound of the vector. A vector's length
24407 must not be negative, but the bounds can be.
24408
24409 The difference between an @code{array} and a @code{vector} is that
24410 arrays behave like in C: when used in expressions they decay to a pointer
24411 to the first element whereas vectors are treated as first class values.
24412 @end defun
24413
24414 @defun Type.const ()
24415 Return a new @code{gdb.Type} object which represents a
24416 @code{const}-qualified variant of this type.
24417 @end defun
24418
24419 @defun Type.volatile ()
24420 Return a new @code{gdb.Type} object which represents a
24421 @code{volatile}-qualified variant of this type.
24422 @end defun
24423
24424 @defun Type.unqualified ()
24425 Return a new @code{gdb.Type} object which represents an unqualified
24426 variant of this type. That is, the result is neither @code{const} nor
24427 @code{volatile}.
24428 @end defun
24429
24430 @defun Type.range ()
24431 Return a Python @code{Tuple} object that contains two elements: the
24432 low bound of the argument type and the high bound of that type. If
24433 the type does not have a range, @value{GDBN} will raise a
24434 @code{gdb.error} exception (@pxref{Exception Handling}).
24435 @end defun
24436
24437 @defun Type.reference ()
24438 Return a new @code{gdb.Type} object which represents a reference to this
24439 type.
24440 @end defun
24441
24442 @defun Type.pointer ()
24443 Return a new @code{gdb.Type} object which represents a pointer to this
24444 type.
24445 @end defun
24446
24447 @defun Type.strip_typedefs ()
24448 Return a new @code{gdb.Type} that represents the real type,
24449 after removing all layers of typedefs.
24450 @end defun
24451
24452 @defun Type.target ()
24453 Return a new @code{gdb.Type} object which represents the target type
24454 of this type.
24455
24456 For a pointer type, the target type is the type of the pointed-to
24457 object. For an array type (meaning C-like arrays), the target type is
24458 the type of the elements of the array. For a function or method type,
24459 the target type is the type of the return value. For a complex type,
24460 the target type is the type of the elements. For a typedef, the
24461 target type is the aliased type.
24462
24463 If the type does not have a target, this method will throw an
24464 exception.
24465 @end defun
24466
24467 @defun Type.template_argument (n @r{[}, block@r{]})
24468 If this @code{gdb.Type} is an instantiation of a template, this will
24469 return a new @code{gdb.Type} which represents the type of the
24470 @var{n}th template argument.
24471
24472 If this @code{gdb.Type} is not a template type, this will throw an
24473 exception. Ordinarily, only C@t{++} code will have template types.
24474
24475 If @var{block} is given, then @var{name} is looked up in that scope.
24476 Otherwise, it is searched for globally.
24477 @end defun
24478
24479
24480 Each type has a code, which indicates what category this type falls
24481 into. The available type categories are represented by constants
24482 defined in the @code{gdb} module:
24483
24484 @table @code
24485 @findex TYPE_CODE_PTR
24486 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_PTR
24487 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_PTR
24488 The type is a pointer.
24489
24490 @findex TYPE_CODE_ARRAY
24491 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_ARRAY
24492 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_ARRAY
24493 The type is an array.
24494
24495 @findex TYPE_CODE_STRUCT
24496 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_STRUCT
24497 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_STRUCT
24498 The type is a structure.
24499
24500 @findex TYPE_CODE_UNION
24501 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_UNION
24502 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_UNION
24503 The type is a union.
24504
24505 @findex TYPE_CODE_ENUM
24506 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_ENUM
24507 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_ENUM
24508 The type is an enum.
24509
24510 @findex TYPE_CODE_FLAGS
24511 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_FLAGS
24512 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_FLAGS
24513 A bit flags type, used for things such as status registers.
24514
24515 @findex TYPE_CODE_FUNC
24516 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_FUNC
24517 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_FUNC
24518 The type is a function.
24519
24520 @findex TYPE_CODE_INT
24521 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_INT
24522 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_INT
24523 The type is an integer type.
24524
24525 @findex TYPE_CODE_FLT
24526 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_FLT
24527 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_FLT
24528 A floating point type.
24529
24530 @findex TYPE_CODE_VOID
24531 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_VOID
24532 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_VOID
24533 The special type @code{void}.
24534
24535 @findex TYPE_CODE_SET
24536 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_SET
24537 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_SET
24538 A Pascal set type.
24539
24540 @findex TYPE_CODE_RANGE
24541 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_RANGE
24542 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_RANGE
24543 A range type, that is, an integer type with bounds.
24544
24545 @findex TYPE_CODE_STRING
24546 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_STRING
24547 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_STRING
24548 A string type. Note that this is only used for certain languages with
24549 language-defined string types; C strings are not represented this way.
24550
24551 @findex TYPE_CODE_BITSTRING
24552 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_BITSTRING
24553 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_BITSTRING
24554 A string of bits. It is deprecated.
24555
24556 @findex TYPE_CODE_ERROR
24557 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_ERROR
24558 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_ERROR
24559 An unknown or erroneous type.
24560
24561 @findex TYPE_CODE_METHOD
24562 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_METHOD
24563 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_METHOD
24564 A method type, as found in C@t{++} or Java.
24565
24566 @findex TYPE_CODE_METHODPTR
24567 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_METHODPTR
24568 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_METHODPTR
24569 A pointer-to-member-function.
24570
24571 @findex TYPE_CODE_MEMBERPTR
24572 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_MEMBERPTR
24573 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_MEMBERPTR
24574 A pointer-to-member.
24575
24576 @findex TYPE_CODE_REF
24577 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_REF
24578 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_REF
24579 A reference type.
24580
24581 @findex TYPE_CODE_CHAR
24582 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_CHAR
24583 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_CHAR
24584 A character type.
24585
24586 @findex TYPE_CODE_BOOL
24587 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_BOOL
24588 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_BOOL
24589 A boolean type.
24590
24591 @findex TYPE_CODE_COMPLEX
24592 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_COMPLEX
24593 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_COMPLEX
24594 A complex float type.
24595
24596 @findex TYPE_CODE_TYPEDEF
24597 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_TYPEDEF
24598 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_TYPEDEF
24599 A typedef to some other type.
24600
24601 @findex TYPE_CODE_NAMESPACE
24602 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_NAMESPACE
24603 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_NAMESPACE
24604 A C@t{++} namespace.
24605
24606 @findex TYPE_CODE_DECFLOAT
24607 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_DECFLOAT
24608 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_DECFLOAT
24609 A decimal floating point type.
24610
24611 @findex TYPE_CODE_INTERNAL_FUNCTION
24612 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_INTERNAL_FUNCTION
24613 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_INTERNAL_FUNCTION
24614 A function internal to @value{GDBN}. This is the type used to represent
24615 convenience functions.
24616 @end table
24617
24618 Further support for types is provided in the @code{gdb.types}
24619 Python module (@pxref{gdb.types}).
24620
24621 @node Pretty Printing API
24622 @subsubsection Pretty Printing API
24623
24624 An example output is provided (@pxref{Pretty Printing}).
24625
24626 A pretty-printer is just an object that holds a value and implements a
24627 specific interface, defined here.
24628
24629 @defun pretty_printer.children (self)
24630 @value{GDBN} will call this method on a pretty-printer to compute the
24631 children of the pretty-printer's value.
24632
24633 This method must return an object conforming to the Python iterator
24634 protocol. Each item returned by the iterator must be a tuple holding
24635 two elements. The first element is the ``name'' of the child; the
24636 second element is the child's value. The value can be any Python
24637 object which is convertible to a @value{GDBN} value.
24638
24639 This method is optional. If it does not exist, @value{GDBN} will act
24640 as though the value has no children.
24641 @end defun
24642
24643 @defun pretty_printer.display_hint (self)
24644 The CLI may call this method and use its result to change the
24645 formatting of a value. The result will also be supplied to an MI
24646 consumer as a @samp{displayhint} attribute of the variable being
24647 printed.
24648
24649 This method is optional. If it does exist, this method must return a
24650 string.
24651
24652 Some display hints are predefined by @value{GDBN}:
24653
24654 @table @samp
24655 @item array
24656 Indicate that the object being printed is ``array-like''. The CLI
24657 uses this to respect parameters such as @code{set print elements} and
24658 @code{set print array}.
24659
24660 @item map
24661 Indicate that the object being printed is ``map-like'', and that the
24662 children of this value can be assumed to alternate between keys and
24663 values.
24664
24665 @item string
24666 Indicate that the object being printed is ``string-like''. If the
24667 printer's @code{to_string} method returns a Python string of some
24668 kind, then @value{GDBN} will call its internal language-specific
24669 string-printing function to format the string. For the CLI this means
24670 adding quotation marks, possibly escaping some characters, respecting
24671 @code{set print elements}, and the like.
24672 @end table
24673 @end defun
24674
24675 @defun pretty_printer.to_string (self)
24676 @value{GDBN} will call this method to display the string
24677 representation of the value passed to the object's constructor.
24678
24679 When printing from the CLI, if the @code{to_string} method exists,
24680 then @value{GDBN} will prepend its result to the values returned by
24681 @code{children}. Exactly how this formatting is done is dependent on
24682 the display hint, and may change as more hints are added. Also,
24683 depending on the print settings (@pxref{Print Settings}), the CLI may
24684 print just the result of @code{to_string} in a stack trace, omitting
24685 the result of @code{children}.
24686
24687 If this method returns a string, it is printed verbatim.
24688
24689 Otherwise, if this method returns an instance of @code{gdb.Value},
24690 then @value{GDBN} prints this value. This may result in a call to
24691 another pretty-printer.
24692
24693 If instead the method returns a Python value which is convertible to a
24694 @code{gdb.Value}, then @value{GDBN} performs the conversion and prints
24695 the resulting value. Again, this may result in a call to another
24696 pretty-printer. Python scalars (integers, floats, and booleans) and
24697 strings are convertible to @code{gdb.Value}; other types are not.
24698
24699 Finally, if this method returns @code{None} then no further operations
24700 are peformed in this method and nothing is printed.
24701
24702 If the result is not one of these types, an exception is raised.
24703 @end defun
24704
24705 @value{GDBN} provides a function which can be used to look up the
24706 default pretty-printer for a @code{gdb.Value}:
24707
24708 @findex gdb.default_visualizer
24709 @defun gdb.default_visualizer (value)
24710 This function takes a @code{gdb.Value} object as an argument. If a
24711 pretty-printer for this value exists, then it is returned. If no such
24712 printer exists, then this returns @code{None}.
24713 @end defun
24714
24715 @node Selecting Pretty-Printers
24716 @subsubsection Selecting Pretty-Printers
24717
24718 The Python list @code{gdb.pretty_printers} contains an array of
24719 functions or callable objects that have been registered via addition
24720 as a pretty-printer. Printers in this list are called @code{global}
24721 printers, they're available when debugging all inferiors.
24722 Each @code{gdb.Progspace} contains a @code{pretty_printers} attribute.
24723 Each @code{gdb.Objfile} also contains a @code{pretty_printers}
24724 attribute.
24725
24726 Each function on these lists is passed a single @code{gdb.Value}
24727 argument and should return a pretty-printer object conforming to the
24728 interface definition above (@pxref{Pretty Printing API}). If a function
24729 cannot create a pretty-printer for the value, it should return
24730 @code{None}.
24731
24732 @value{GDBN} first checks the @code{pretty_printers} attribute of each
24733 @code{gdb.Objfile} in the current program space and iteratively calls
24734 each enabled lookup routine in the list for that @code{gdb.Objfile}
24735 until it receives a pretty-printer object.
24736 If no pretty-printer is found in the objfile lists, @value{GDBN} then
24737 searches the pretty-printer list of the current program space,
24738 calling each enabled function until an object is returned.
24739 After these lists have been exhausted, it tries the global
24740 @code{gdb.pretty_printers} list, again calling each enabled function until an
24741 object is returned.
24742
24743 The order in which the objfiles are searched is not specified. For a
24744 given list, functions are always invoked from the head of the list,
24745 and iterated over sequentially until the end of the list, or a printer
24746 object is returned.
24747
24748 For various reasons a pretty-printer may not work.
24749 For example, the underlying data structure may have changed and
24750 the pretty-printer is out of date.
24751
24752 The consequences of a broken pretty-printer are severe enough that
24753 @value{GDBN} provides support for enabling and disabling individual
24754 printers. For example, if @code{print frame-arguments} is on,
24755 a backtrace can become highly illegible if any argument is printed
24756 with a broken printer.
24757
24758 Pretty-printers are enabled and disabled by attaching an @code{enabled}
24759 attribute to the registered function or callable object. If this attribute
24760 is present and its value is @code{False}, the printer is disabled, otherwise
24761 the printer is enabled.
24762
24763 @node Writing a Pretty-Printer
24764 @subsubsection Writing a Pretty-Printer
24765 @cindex writing a pretty-printer
24766
24767 A pretty-printer consists of two parts: a lookup function to detect
24768 if the type is supported, and the printer itself.
24769
24770 Here is an example showing how a @code{std::string} printer might be
24771 written. @xref{Pretty Printing API}, for details on the API this class
24772 must provide.
24773
24774 @smallexample
24775 class StdStringPrinter(object):
24776 "Print a std::string"
24777
24778 def __init__(self, val):
24779 self.val = val
24780
24781 def to_string(self):
24782 return self.val['_M_dataplus']['_M_p']
24783
24784 def display_hint(self):
24785 return 'string'
24786 @end smallexample
24787
24788 And here is an example showing how a lookup function for the printer
24789 example above might be written.
24790
24791 @smallexample
24792 def str_lookup_function(val):
24793 lookup_tag = val.type.tag
24794 if lookup_tag == None:
24795 return None
24796 regex = re.compile("^std::basic_string<char,.*>$")
24797 if regex.match(lookup_tag):
24798 return StdStringPrinter(val)
24799 return None
24800 @end smallexample
24801
24802 The example lookup function extracts the value's type, and attempts to
24803 match it to a type that it can pretty-print. If it is a type the
24804 printer can pretty-print, it will return a printer object. If not, it
24805 returns @code{None}.
24806
24807 We recommend that you put your core pretty-printers into a Python
24808 package. If your pretty-printers are for use with a library, we
24809 further recommend embedding a version number into the package name.
24810 This practice will enable @value{GDBN} to load multiple versions of
24811 your pretty-printers at the same time, because they will have
24812 different names.
24813
24814 You should write auto-loaded code (@pxref{Python Auto-loading}) such that it
24815 can be evaluated multiple times without changing its meaning. An
24816 ideal auto-load file will consist solely of @code{import}s of your
24817 printer modules, followed by a call to a register pretty-printers with
24818 the current objfile.
24819
24820 Taken as a whole, this approach will scale nicely to multiple
24821 inferiors, each potentially using a different library version.
24822 Embedding a version number in the Python package name will ensure that
24823 @value{GDBN} is able to load both sets of printers simultaneously.
24824 Then, because the search for pretty-printers is done by objfile, and
24825 because your auto-loaded code took care to register your library's
24826 printers with a specific objfile, @value{GDBN} will find the correct
24827 printers for the specific version of the library used by each
24828 inferior.
24829
24830 To continue the @code{std::string} example (@pxref{Pretty Printing API}),
24831 this code might appear in @code{gdb.libstdcxx.v6}:
24832
24833 @smallexample
24834 def register_printers(objfile):
24835 objfile.pretty_printers.append(str_lookup_function)
24836 @end smallexample
24837
24838 @noindent
24839 And then the corresponding contents of the auto-load file would be:
24840
24841 @smallexample
24842 import gdb.libstdcxx.v6
24843 gdb.libstdcxx.v6.register_printers(gdb.current_objfile())
24844 @end smallexample
24845
24846 The previous example illustrates a basic pretty-printer.
24847 There are a few things that can be improved on.
24848 The printer doesn't have a name, making it hard to identify in a
24849 list of installed printers. The lookup function has a name, but
24850 lookup functions can have arbitrary, even identical, names.
24851
24852 Second, the printer only handles one type, whereas a library typically has
24853 several types. One could install a lookup function for each desired type
24854 in the library, but one could also have a single lookup function recognize
24855 several types. The latter is the conventional way this is handled.
24856 If a pretty-printer can handle multiple data types, then its
24857 @dfn{subprinters} are the printers for the individual data types.
24858
24859 The @code{gdb.printing} module provides a formal way of solving these
24860 problems (@pxref{gdb.printing}).
24861 Here is another example that handles multiple types.
24862
24863 These are the types we are going to pretty-print:
24864
24865 @smallexample
24866 struct foo @{ int a, b; @};
24867 struct bar @{ struct foo x, y; @};
24868 @end smallexample
24869
24870 Here are the printers:
24871
24872 @smallexample
24873 class fooPrinter:
24874 """Print a foo object."""
24875
24876 def __init__(self, val):
24877 self.val = val
24878
24879 def to_string(self):
24880 return ("a=<" + str(self.val["a"]) +
24881 "> b=<" + str(self.val["b"]) + ">")
24882
24883 class barPrinter:
24884 """Print a bar object."""
24885
24886 def __init__(self, val):
24887 self.val = val
24888
24889 def to_string(self):
24890 return ("x=<" + str(self.val["x"]) +
24891 "> y=<" + str(self.val["y"]) + ">")
24892 @end smallexample
24893
24894 This example doesn't need a lookup function, that is handled by the
24895 @code{gdb.printing} module. Instead a function is provided to build up
24896 the object that handles the lookup.
24897
24898 @smallexample
24899 import gdb.printing
24900
24901 def build_pretty_printer():
24902 pp = gdb.printing.RegexpCollectionPrettyPrinter(
24903 "my_library")
24904 pp.add_printer('foo', '^foo$', fooPrinter)
24905 pp.add_printer('bar', '^bar$', barPrinter)
24906 return pp
24907 @end smallexample
24908
24909 And here is the autoload support:
24910
24911 @smallexample
24912 import gdb.printing
24913 import my_library
24914 gdb.printing.register_pretty_printer(
24915 gdb.current_objfile(),
24916 my_library.build_pretty_printer())
24917 @end smallexample
24918
24919 Finally, when this printer is loaded into @value{GDBN}, here is the
24920 corresponding output of @samp{info pretty-printer}:
24921
24922 @smallexample
24923 (gdb) info pretty-printer
24924 my_library.so:
24925 my_library
24926 foo
24927 bar
24928 @end smallexample
24929
24930 @node Type Printing API
24931 @subsubsection Type Printing API
24932 @cindex type printing API for Python
24933
24934 @value{GDBN} provides a way for Python code to customize type display.
24935 This is mainly useful for substituting canonical typedef names for
24936 types.
24937
24938 @cindex type printer
24939 A @dfn{type printer} is just a Python object conforming to a certain
24940 protocol. A simple base class implementing the protocol is provided;
24941 see @ref{gdb.types}. A type printer must supply at least:
24942
24943 @defivar type_printer enabled
24944 A boolean which is True if the printer is enabled, and False
24945 otherwise. This is manipulated by the @code{enable type-printer}
24946 and @code{disable type-printer} commands.
24947 @end defivar
24948
24949 @defivar type_printer name
24950 The name of the type printer. This must be a string. This is used by
24951 the @code{enable type-printer} and @code{disable type-printer}
24952 commands.
24953 @end defivar
24954
24955 @defmethod type_printer instantiate (self)
24956 This is called by @value{GDBN} at the start of type-printing. It is
24957 only called if the type printer is enabled. This method must return a
24958 new object that supplies a @code{recognize} method, as described below.
24959 @end defmethod
24960
24961
24962 When displaying a type, say via the @code{ptype} command, @value{GDBN}
24963 will compute a list of type recognizers. This is done by iterating
24964 first over the per-objfile type printers (@pxref{Objfiles In Python}),
24965 followed by the per-progspace type printers (@pxref{Progspaces In
24966 Python}), and finally the global type printers.
24967
24968 @value{GDBN} will call the @code{instantiate} method of each enabled
24969 type printer. If this method returns @code{None}, then the result is
24970 ignored; otherwise, it is appended to the list of recognizers.
24971
24972 Then, when @value{GDBN} is going to display a type name, it iterates
24973 over the list of recognizers. For each one, it calls the recognition
24974 function, stopping if the function returns a non-@code{None} value.
24975 The recognition function is defined as:
24976
24977 @defmethod type_recognizer recognize (self, type)
24978 If @var{type} is not recognized, return @code{None}. Otherwise,
24979 return a string which is to be printed as the name of @var{type}.
24980 @var{type} will be an instance of @code{gdb.Type} (@pxref{Types In
24981 Python}).
24982 @end defmethod
24983
24984 @value{GDBN} uses this two-pass approach so that type printers can
24985 efficiently cache information without holding on to it too long. For
24986 example, it can be convenient to look up type information in a type
24987 printer and hold it for a recognizer's lifetime; if a single pass were
24988 done then type printers would have to make use of the event system in
24989 order to avoid holding information that could become stale as the
24990 inferior changed.
24991
24992 @node Frame Filter API
24993 @subsubsection Filtering Frames.
24994 @cindex frame filters api
24995
24996 Frame filters are Python objects that manipulate the visibility of a
24997 frame or frames when a backtrace (@pxref{Backtrace}) is printed by
24998 @value{GDBN}.
24999
25000 Only commands that print a backtrace, or, in the case of @sc{gdb/mi}
25001 commands (@pxref{GDB/MI}), those that return a collection of frames
25002 are affected. The commands that work with frame filters are:
25003
25004 @code{backtrace} (@pxref{backtrace-command,, The backtrace command}),
25005 @code{-stack-list-frames}
25006 (@pxref{-stack-list-frames,, The -stack-list-frames command}),
25007 @code{-stack-list-variables} (@pxref{-stack-list-variables,, The
25008 -stack-list-variables command}), @code{-stack-list-arguments}
25009 @pxref{-stack-list-arguments,, The -stack-list-arguments command}) and
25010 @code{-stack-list-locals} (@pxref{-stack-list-locals,, The
25011 -stack-list-locals command}).
25012
25013 A frame filter works by taking an iterator as an argument, applying
25014 actions to the contents of that iterator, and returning another
25015 iterator (or, possibly, the same iterator it was provided in the case
25016 where the filter does not perform any operations). Typically, frame
25017 filters utilize tools such as the Python's @code{itertools} module to
25018 work with and create new iterators from the source iterator.
25019 Regardless of how a filter chooses to apply actions, it must not alter
25020 the underlying @value{GDBN} frame or frames, or attempt to alter the
25021 call-stack within @value{GDBN}. This preserves data integrity within
25022 @value{GDBN}. Frame filters are executed on a priority basis and care
25023 should be taken that some frame filters may have been executed before,
25024 and that some frame filters will be executed after.
25025
25026 An important consideration when designing frame filters, and well
25027 worth reflecting upon, is that frame filters should avoid unwinding
25028 the call stack if possible. Some stacks can run very deep, into the
25029 tens of thousands in some cases. To search every frame when a frame
25030 filter executes may be too expensive at that step. The frame filter
25031 cannot know how many frames it has to iterate over, and it may have to
25032 iterate through them all. This ends up duplicating effort as
25033 @value{GDBN} performs this iteration when it prints the frames. If
25034 the filter can defer unwinding frames until frame decorators are
25035 executed, after the last filter has executed, it should. @xref{Frame
25036 Decorator API}, for more information on decorators. Also, there are
25037 examples for both frame decorators and filters in later chapters.
25038 @xref{Writing a Frame Filter}, for more information.
25039
25040 The Python dictionary @code{gdb.frame_filters} contains key/object
25041 pairings that comprise a frame filter. Frame filters in this
25042 dictionary are called @code{global} frame filters, and they are
25043 available when debugging all inferiors. These frame filters must
25044 register with the dictionary directly. In addition to the
25045 @code{global} dictionary, there are other dictionaries that are loaded
25046 with different inferiors via auto-loading (@pxref{Python
25047 Auto-loading}). The two other areas where frame filter dictionaries
25048 can be found are: @code{gdb.Progspace} which contains a
25049 @code{frame_filters} dictionary attribute, and each @code{gdb.Objfile}
25050 object which also contains a @code{frame_filters} dictionary
25051 attribute.
25052
25053 When a command is executed from @value{GDBN} that is compatible with
25054 frame filters, @value{GDBN} combines the @code{global},
25055 @code{gdb.Progspace} and all @code{gdb.Objfile} dictionaries currently
25056 loaded. All of the @code{gdb.Objfile} dictionaries are combined, as
25057 several frames, and thus several object files, might be in use.
25058 @value{GDBN} then prunes any frame filter whose @code{enabled}
25059 attribute is @code{False}. This pruned list is then sorted according
25060 to the @code{priority} attribute in each filter.
25061
25062 Once the dictionaries are combined, pruned and sorted, @value{GDBN}
25063 creates an iterator which wraps each frame in the call stack in a
25064 @code{FrameDecorator} object, and calls each filter in order. The
25065 output from the previous filter will always be the input to the next
25066 filter, and so on.
25067
25068 Frame filters have a mandatory interface which each frame filter must
25069 implement, defined here:
25070
25071 @defun FrameFilter.filter (iterator)
25072 @value{GDBN} will call this method on a frame filter when it has
25073 reached the order in the priority list for that filter.
25074
25075 For example, if there are four frame filters:
25076
25077 @smallexample
25078 Name Priority
25079
25080 Filter1 5
25081 Filter2 10
25082 Filter3 100
25083 Filter4 1
25084 @end smallexample
25085
25086 The order that the frame filters will be called is:
25087
25088 @smallexample
25089 Filter3 -> Filter2 -> Filter1 -> Filter4
25090 @end smallexample
25091
25092 Note that the output from @code{Filter3} is passed to the input of
25093 @code{Filter2}, and so on.
25094
25095 This @code{filter} method is passed a Python iterator. This iterator
25096 contains a sequence of frame decorators that wrap each
25097 @code{gdb.Frame}, or a frame decorator that wraps another frame
25098 decorator. The first filter that is executed in the sequence of frame
25099 filters will receive an iterator entirely comprised of default
25100 @code{FrameDecorator} objects. However, after each frame filter is
25101 executed, the previous frame filter may have wrapped some or all of
25102 the frame decorators with their own frame decorator. As frame
25103 decorators must also conform to a mandatory interface, these
25104 decorators can be assumed to act in a uniform manner (@pxref{Frame
25105 Decorator API}).
25106
25107 This method must return an object conforming to the Python iterator
25108 protocol. Each item in the iterator must be an object conforming to
25109 the frame decorator interface. If a frame filter does not wish to
25110 perform any operations on this iterator, it should return that
25111 iterator untouched.
25112
25113 This method is not optional. If it does not exist, @value{GDBN} will
25114 raise and print an error.
25115 @end defun
25116
25117 @defvar FrameFilter.name
25118 The @code{name} attribute must be Python string which contains the
25119 name of the filter displayed by @value{GDBN} (@pxref{Frame Filter
25120 Management}). This attribute may contain any combination of letters
25121 or numbers. Care should be taken to ensure that it is unique. This
25122 attribute is mandatory.
25123 @end defvar
25124
25125 @defvar FrameFilter.enabled
25126 The @code{enabled} attribute must be Python boolean. This attribute
25127 indicates to @value{GDBN} whether the frame filter is enabled, and
25128 should be considered when frame filters are executed. If
25129 @code{enabled} is @code{True}, then the frame filter will be executed
25130 when any of the backtrace commands detailed earlier in this chapter
25131 are executed. If @code{enabled} is @code{False}, then the frame
25132 filter will not be executed. This attribute is mandatory.
25133 @end defvar
25134
25135 @defvar FrameFilter.priority
25136 The @code{priority} attribute must be Python integer. This attribute
25137 controls the order of execution in relation to other frame filters.
25138 There are no imposed limits on the range of @code{priority} other than
25139 it must be a valid integer. The higher the @code{priority} attribute,
25140 the sooner the frame filter will be executed in relation to other
25141 frame filters. Although @code{priority} can be negative, it is
25142 recommended practice to assume zero is the lowest priority that a
25143 frame filter can be assigned. Frame filters that have the same
25144 priority are executed in unsorted order in that priority slot. This
25145 attribute is mandatory.
25146 @end defvar
25147
25148 @node Frame Decorator API
25149 @subsubsection Decorating Frames.
25150 @cindex frame decorator api
25151
25152 Frame decorators are sister objects to frame filters (@pxref{Frame
25153 Filter API}). Frame decorators are applied by a frame filter and can
25154 only be used in conjunction with frame filters.
25155
25156 The purpose of a frame decorator is to customize the printed content
25157 of each @code{gdb.Frame} in commands where frame filters are executed.
25158 This concept is called decorating a frame. Frame decorators decorate
25159 a @code{gdb.Frame} with Python code contained within each API call.
25160 This separates the actual data contained in a @code{gdb.Frame} from
25161 the decorated data produced by a frame decorator. This abstraction is
25162 necessary to maintain integrity of the data contained in each
25163 @code{gdb.Frame}.
25164
25165 Frame decorators have a mandatory interface, defined below.
25166
25167 @value{GDBN} already contains a frame decorator called
25168 @code{FrameDecorator}. This contains substantial amounts of
25169 boilerplate code to decorate the content of a @code{gdb.Frame}. It is
25170 recommended that other frame decorators inherit and extend this
25171 object, and only to override the methods needed.
25172
25173 @defun FrameDecorator.elided (self)
25174
25175 The @code{elided} method groups frames together in a hierarchical
25176 system. An example would be an interpreter, where multiple low-level
25177 frames make up a single call in the interpreted language. In this
25178 example, the frame filter would elide the low-level frames and present
25179 a single high-level frame, representing the call in the interpreted
25180 language, to the user.
25181
25182 The @code{elided} function must return an iterable and this iterable
25183 must contain the frames that are being elided wrapped in a suitable
25184 frame decorator. If no frames are being elided this function may
25185 return an empty iterable, or @code{None}. Elided frames are indented
25186 from normal frames in a @code{CLI} backtrace, or in the case of
25187 @code{GDB/MI}, are placed in the @code{children} field of the eliding
25188 frame.
25189
25190 It is the frame filter's task to also filter out the elided frames from
25191 the source iterator. This will avoid printing the frame twice.
25192 @end defun
25193
25194 @defun FrameDecorator.function (self)
25195
25196 This method returns the name of the function in the frame that is to
25197 be printed.
25198
25199 This method must return a Python string describing the function, or
25200 @code{None}.
25201
25202 If this function returns @code{None}, @value{GDBN} will not print any
25203 data for this field.
25204 @end defun
25205
25206 @defun FrameDecorator.address (self)
25207
25208 This method returns the address of the frame that is to be printed.
25209
25210 This method must return a Python numeric integer type of sufficient
25211 size to describe the address of the frame, or @code{None}.
25212
25213 If this function returns a @code{None}, @value{GDBN} will not print
25214 any data for this field.
25215 @end defun
25216
25217 @defun FrameDecorator.filename (self)
25218
25219 This method returns the filename and path associated with this frame.
25220
25221 This method must return a Python string containing the filename and
25222 the path to the object file backing the frame, or @code{None}.
25223
25224 If this function returns a @code{None}, @value{GDBN} will not print
25225 any data for this field.
25226 @end defun
25227
25228 @defun FrameDecorator.line (self):
25229
25230 This method returns the line number associated with the current
25231 position within the function addressed by this frame.
25232
25233 This method must return a Python integer type, or @code{None}.
25234
25235 If this function returns a @code{None}, @value{GDBN} will not print
25236 any data for this field.
25237 @end defun
25238
25239 @defun FrameDecorator.frame_args (self)
25240 @anchor{frame_args}
25241
25242 This method must return an iterable, or @code{None}. Returning an
25243 empty iterable, or @code{None} means frame arguments will not be
25244 printed for this frame. This iterable must contain objects that
25245 implement two methods, described here.
25246
25247 This object must implement a @code{argument} method which takes a
25248 single @code{self} parameter and must return a @code{gdb.Symbol}
25249 (@pxref{Symbols In Python}), or a Python string. The object must also
25250 implement a @code{value} method which takes a single @code{self}
25251 parameter and must return a @code{gdb.Value} (@pxref{Values From
25252 Inferior}), a Python value, or @code{None}. If the @code{value}
25253 method returns @code{None}, and the @code{argument} method returns a
25254 @code{gdb.Symbol}, @value{GDBN} will look-up and print the value of
25255 the @code{gdb.Symbol} automatically.
25256
25257 A brief example:
25258
25259 @smallexample
25260 class SymValueWrapper():
25261
25262 def __init__(self, symbol, value):
25263 self.sym = symbol
25264 self.val = value
25265
25266 def value(self):
25267 return self.val
25268
25269 def symbol(self):
25270 return self.sym
25271
25272 class SomeFrameDecorator()
25273 ...
25274 ...
25275 def frame_args(self):
25276 args = []
25277 try:
25278 block = self.inferior_frame.block()
25279 except:
25280 return None
25281
25282 # Iterate over all symbols in a block. Only add
25283 # symbols that are arguments.
25284 for sym in block:
25285 if not sym.is_argument:
25286 continue
25287 args.append(SymValueWrapper(sym,None))
25288
25289 # Add example synthetic argument.
25290 args.append(SymValueWrapper(``foo'', 42))
25291
25292 return args
25293 @end smallexample
25294 @end defun
25295
25296 @defun FrameDecorator.frame_locals (self)
25297
25298 This method must return an iterable or @code{None}. Returning an
25299 empty iterable, or @code{None} means frame local arguments will not be
25300 printed for this frame.
25301
25302 The object interface, the description of the various strategies for
25303 reading frame locals, and the example are largely similar to those
25304 described in the @code{frame_args} function, (@pxref{frame_args,,The
25305 frame filter frame_args function}). Below is a modified example:
25306
25307 @smallexample
25308 class SomeFrameDecorator()
25309 ...
25310 ...
25311 def frame_locals(self):
25312 vars = []
25313 try:
25314 block = self.inferior_frame.block()
25315 except:
25316 return None
25317
25318 # Iterate over all symbols in a block. Add all
25319 # symbols, except arguments.
25320 for sym in block:
25321 if sym.is_argument:
25322 continue
25323 vars.append(SymValueWrapper(sym,None))
25324
25325 # Add an example of a synthetic local variable.
25326 vars.append(SymValueWrapper(``bar'', 99))
25327
25328 return vars
25329 @end smallexample
25330 @end defun
25331
25332 @defun FrameDecorator.inferior_frame (self):
25333
25334 This method must return the underlying @code{gdb.Frame} that this
25335 frame decorator is decorating. @value{GDBN} requires the underlying
25336 frame for internal frame information to determine how to print certain
25337 values when printing a frame.
25338 @end defun
25339
25340 @node Writing a Frame Filter
25341 @subsubsection Writing a Frame Filter
25342 @cindex writing a frame filter
25343
25344 There are three basic elements that a frame filter must implement: it
25345 must correctly implement the documented interface (@pxref{Frame Filter
25346 API}), it must register itself with @value{GDBN}, and finally, it must
25347 decide if it is to work on the data provided by @value{GDBN}. In all
25348 cases, whether it works on the iterator or not, each frame filter must
25349 return an iterator. A bare-bones frame filter follows the pattern in
25350 the following example.
25351
25352 @smallexample
25353 import gdb
25354
25355 class FrameFilter():
25356
25357 def __init__(self):
25358 # Frame filter attribute creation.
25359 #
25360 # 'name' is the name of the filter that GDB will display.
25361 #
25362 # 'priority' is the priority of the filter relative to other
25363 # filters.
25364 #
25365 # 'enabled' is a boolean that indicates whether this filter is
25366 # enabled and should be executed.
25367
25368 self.name = "Foo"
25369 self.priority = 100
25370 self.enabled = True
25371
25372 # Register this frame filter with the global frame_filters
25373 # dictionary.
25374 gdb.frame_filters[self.name] = self
25375
25376 def filter(self, frame_iter):
25377 # Just return the iterator.
25378 return frame_iter
25379 @end smallexample
25380
25381 The frame filter in the example above implements the three
25382 requirements for all frame filters. It implements the API, self
25383 registers, and makes a decision on the iterator (in this case, it just
25384 returns the iterator untouched).
25385
25386 The first step is attribute creation and assignment, and as shown in
25387 the comments the filter assigns the following attributes: @code{name},
25388 @code{priority} and whether the filter should be enabled with the
25389 @code{enabled} attribute.
25390
25391 The second step is registering the frame filter with the dictionary or
25392 dictionaries that the frame filter has interest in. As shown in the
25393 comments, this filter just registers itself with the global dictionary
25394 @code{gdb.frame_filters}. As noted earlier, @code{gdb.frame_filters}
25395 is a dictionary that is initialized in the @code{gdb} module when
25396 @value{GDBN} starts. What dictionary a filter registers with is an
25397 important consideration. Generally, if a filter is specific to a set
25398 of code, it should be registered either in the @code{objfile} or
25399 @code{progspace} dictionaries as they are specific to the program
25400 currently loaded in @value{GDBN}. The global dictionary is always
25401 present in @value{GDBN} and is never unloaded. Any filters registered
25402 with the global dictionary will exist until @value{GDBN} exits. To
25403 avoid filters that may conflict, it is generally better to register
25404 frame filters against the dictionaries that more closely align with
25405 the usage of the filter currently in question. @xref{Python
25406 Auto-loading}, for further information on auto-loading Python scripts.
25407
25408 @value{GDBN} takes a hands-off approach to frame filter registration,
25409 therefore it is the frame filter's responsibility to ensure
25410 registration has occurred, and that any exceptions are handled
25411 appropriately. In particular, you may wish to handle exceptions
25412 relating to Python dictionary key uniqueness. It is mandatory that
25413 the dictionary key is the same as frame filter's @code{name}
25414 attribute. When a user manages frame filters (@pxref{Frame Filter
25415 Management}), the names @value{GDBN} will display are those contained
25416 in the @code{name} attribute.
25417
25418 The final step of this example is the implementation of the
25419 @code{filter} method. As shown in the example comments, we define the
25420 @code{filter} method and note that the method must take an iterator,
25421 and also must return an iterator. In this bare-bones example, the
25422 frame filter is not very useful as it just returns the iterator
25423 untouched. However this is a valid operation for frame filters that
25424 have the @code{enabled} attribute set, but decide not to operate on
25425 any frames.
25426
25427 In the next example, the frame filter operates on all frames and
25428 utilizes a frame decorator to perform some work on the frames.
25429 @xref{Frame Decorator API}, for further information on the frame
25430 decorator interface.
25431
25432 This example works on inlined frames. It highlights frames which are
25433 inlined by tagging them with an ``[inlined]'' tag. By applying a
25434 frame decorator to all frames with the Python @code{itertools imap}
25435 method, the example defers actions to the frame decorator. Frame
25436 decorators are only processed when @value{GDBN} prints the backtrace.
25437
25438 This introduces a new decision making topic: whether to perform
25439 decision making operations at the filtering step, or at the printing
25440 step. In this example's approach, it does not perform any filtering
25441 decisions at the filtering step beyond mapping a frame decorator to
25442 each frame. This allows the actual decision making to be performed
25443 when each frame is printed. This is an important consideration, and
25444 well worth reflecting upon when designing a frame filter. An issue
25445 that frame filters should avoid is unwinding the stack if possible.
25446 Some stacks can run very deep, into the tens of thousands in some
25447 cases. To search every frame to determine if it is inlined ahead of
25448 time may be too expensive at the filtering step. The frame filter
25449 cannot know how many frames it has to iterate over, and it would have
25450 to iterate through them all. This ends up duplicating effort as
25451 @value{GDBN} performs this iteration when it prints the frames.
25452
25453 In this example decision making can be deferred to the printing step.
25454 As each frame is printed, the frame decorator can examine each frame
25455 in turn when @value{GDBN} iterates. From a performance viewpoint,
25456 this is the most appropriate decision to make as it avoids duplicating
25457 the effort that the printing step would undertake anyway. Also, if
25458 there are many frame filters unwinding the stack during filtering, it
25459 can substantially delay the printing of the backtrace which will
25460 result in large memory usage, and a poor user experience.
25461
25462 @smallexample
25463 class InlineFilter():
25464
25465 def __init__(self):
25466 self.name = "InlinedFrameFilter"
25467 self.priority = 100
25468 self.enabled = True
25469 gdb.frame_filters[self.name] = self
25470
25471 def filter(self, frame_iter):
25472 frame_iter = itertools.imap(InlinedFrameDecorator,
25473 frame_iter)
25474 return frame_iter
25475 @end smallexample
25476
25477 This frame filter is somewhat similar to the earlier example, except
25478 that the @code{filter} method applies a frame decorator object called
25479 @code{InlinedFrameDecorator} to each element in the iterator. The
25480 @code{imap} Python method is light-weight. It does not proactively
25481 iterate over the iterator, but rather creates a new iterator which
25482 wraps the existing one.
25483
25484 Below is the frame decorator for this example.
25485
25486 @smallexample
25487 class InlinedFrameDecorator(FrameDecorator):
25488
25489 def __init__(self, fobj):
25490 super(InlinedFrameDecorator, self).__init__(fobj)
25491
25492 def function(self):
25493 frame = fobj.inferior_frame()
25494 name = str(frame.name())
25495
25496 if frame.type() == gdb.INLINE_FRAME:
25497 name = name + " [inlined]"
25498
25499 return name
25500 @end smallexample
25501
25502 This frame decorator only defines and overrides the @code{function}
25503 method. It lets the supplied @code{FrameDecorator}, which is shipped
25504 with @value{GDBN}, perform the other work associated with printing
25505 this frame.
25506
25507 The combination of these two objects create this output from a
25508 backtrace:
25509
25510 @smallexample
25511 #0 0x004004e0 in bar () at inline.c:11
25512 #1 0x00400566 in max [inlined] (b=6, a=12) at inline.c:21
25513 #2 0x00400566 in main () at inline.c:31
25514 @end smallexample
25515
25516 So in the case of this example, a frame decorator is applied to all
25517 frames, regardless of whether they may be inlined or not. As
25518 @value{GDBN} iterates over the iterator produced by the frame filters,
25519 @value{GDBN} executes each frame decorator which then makes a decision
25520 on what to print in the @code{function} callback. Using a strategy
25521 like this is a way to defer decisions on the frame content to printing
25522 time.
25523
25524 @subheading Eliding Frames
25525
25526 It might be that the above example is not desirable for representing
25527 inlined frames, and a hierarchical approach may be preferred. If we
25528 want to hierarchically represent frames, the @code{elided} frame
25529 decorator interface might be preferable.
25530
25531 This example approaches the issue with the @code{elided} method. This
25532 example is quite long, but very simplistic. It is out-of-scope for
25533 this section to write a complete example that comprehensively covers
25534 all approaches of finding and printing inlined frames. However, this
25535 example illustrates the approach an author might use.
25536
25537 This example comprises of three sections.
25538
25539 @smallexample
25540 class InlineFrameFilter():
25541
25542 def __init__(self):
25543 self.name = "InlinedFrameFilter"
25544 self.priority = 100
25545 self.enabled = True
25546 gdb.frame_filters[self.name] = self
25547
25548 def filter(self, frame_iter):
25549 return ElidingInlineIterator(frame_iter)
25550 @end smallexample
25551
25552 This frame filter is very similar to the other examples. The only
25553 difference is this frame filter is wrapping the iterator provided to
25554 it (@code{frame_iter}) with a custom iterator called
25555 @code{ElidingInlineIterator}. This again defers actions to when
25556 @value{GDBN} prints the backtrace, as the iterator is not traversed
25557 until printing.
25558
25559 The iterator for this example is as follows. It is in this section of
25560 the example where decisions are made on the content of the backtrace.
25561
25562 @smallexample
25563 class ElidingInlineIterator:
25564 def __init__(self, ii):
25565 self.input_iterator = ii
25566
25567 def __iter__(self):
25568 return self
25569
25570 def next(self):
25571 frame = next(self.input_iterator)
25572
25573 if frame.inferior_frame().type() != gdb.INLINE_FRAME:
25574 return frame
25575
25576 try:
25577 eliding_frame = next(self.input_iterator)
25578 except StopIteration:
25579 return frame
25580 return ElidingFrameDecorator(eliding_frame, [frame])
25581 @end smallexample
25582
25583 This iterator implements the Python iterator protocol. When the
25584 @code{next} function is called (when @value{GDBN} prints each frame),
25585 the iterator checks if this frame decorator, @code{frame}, is wrapping
25586 an inlined frame. If it is not, it returns the existing frame decorator
25587 untouched. If it is wrapping an inlined frame, it assumes that the
25588 inlined frame was contained within the next oldest frame,
25589 @code{eliding_frame}, which it fetches. It then creates and returns a
25590 frame decorator, @code{ElidingFrameDecorator}, which contains both the
25591 elided frame, and the eliding frame.
25592
25593 @smallexample
25594 class ElidingInlineDecorator(FrameDecorator):
25595
25596 def __init__(self, frame, elided_frames):
25597 super(ElidingInlineDecorator, self).__init__(frame)
25598 self.frame = frame
25599 self.elided_frames = elided_frames
25600
25601 def elided(self):
25602 return iter(self.elided_frames)
25603 @end smallexample
25604
25605 This frame decorator overrides one function and returns the inlined
25606 frame in the @code{elided} method. As before it lets
25607 @code{FrameDecorator} do the rest of the work involved in printing
25608 this frame. This produces the following output.
25609
25610 @smallexample
25611 #0 0x004004e0 in bar () at inline.c:11
25612 #2 0x00400529 in main () at inline.c:25
25613 #1 0x00400529 in max (b=6, a=12) at inline.c:15
25614 @end smallexample
25615
25616 In that output, @code{max} which has been inlined into @code{main} is
25617 printed hierarchically. Another approach would be to combine the
25618 @code{function} method, and the @code{elided} method to both print a
25619 marker in the inlined frame, and also show the hierarchical
25620 relationship.
25621
25622 @node Inferiors In Python
25623 @subsubsection Inferiors In Python
25624 @cindex inferiors in Python
25625
25626 @findex gdb.Inferior
25627 Programs which are being run under @value{GDBN} are called inferiors
25628 (@pxref{Inferiors and Programs}). Python scripts can access
25629 information about and manipulate inferiors controlled by @value{GDBN}
25630 via objects of the @code{gdb.Inferior} class.
25631
25632 The following inferior-related functions are available in the @code{gdb}
25633 module:
25634
25635 @defun gdb.inferiors ()
25636 Return a tuple containing all inferior objects.
25637 @end defun
25638
25639 @defun gdb.selected_inferior ()
25640 Return an object representing the current inferior.
25641 @end defun
25642
25643 A @code{gdb.Inferior} object has the following attributes:
25644
25645 @defvar Inferior.num
25646 ID of inferior, as assigned by GDB.
25647 @end defvar
25648
25649 @defvar Inferior.pid
25650 Process ID of the inferior, as assigned by the underlying operating
25651 system.
25652 @end defvar
25653
25654 @defvar Inferior.was_attached
25655 Boolean signaling whether the inferior was created using `attach', or
25656 started by @value{GDBN} itself.
25657 @end defvar
25658
25659 A @code{gdb.Inferior} object has the following methods:
25660
25661 @defun Inferior.is_valid ()
25662 Returns @code{True} if the @code{gdb.Inferior} object is valid,
25663 @code{False} if not. A @code{gdb.Inferior} object will become invalid
25664 if the inferior no longer exists within @value{GDBN}. All other
25665 @code{gdb.Inferior} methods will throw an exception if it is invalid
25666 at the time the method is called.
25667 @end defun
25668
25669 @defun Inferior.threads ()
25670 This method returns a tuple holding all the threads which are valid
25671 when it is called. If there are no valid threads, the method will
25672 return an empty tuple.
25673 @end defun
25674
25675 @findex Inferior.read_memory
25676 @defun Inferior.read_memory (address, length)
25677 Read @var{length} bytes of memory from the inferior, starting at
25678 @var{address}. Returns a buffer object, which behaves much like an array
25679 or a string. It can be modified and given to the
25680 @code{Inferior.write_memory} function. In @code{Python} 3, the return
25681 value is a @code{memoryview} object.
25682 @end defun
25683
25684 @findex Inferior.write_memory
25685 @defun Inferior.write_memory (address, buffer @r{[}, length@r{]})
25686 Write the contents of @var{buffer} to the inferior, starting at
25687 @var{address}. The @var{buffer} parameter must be a Python object
25688 which supports the buffer protocol, i.e., a string, an array or the
25689 object returned from @code{Inferior.read_memory}. If given, @var{length}
25690 determines the number of bytes from @var{buffer} to be written.
25691 @end defun
25692
25693 @findex gdb.search_memory
25694 @defun Inferior.search_memory (address, length, pattern)
25695 Search a region of the inferior memory starting at @var{address} with
25696 the given @var{length} using the search pattern supplied in
25697 @var{pattern}. The @var{pattern} parameter must be a Python object
25698 which supports the buffer protocol, i.e., a string, an array or the
25699 object returned from @code{gdb.read_memory}. Returns a Python @code{Long}
25700 containing the address where the pattern was found, or @code{None} if
25701 the pattern could not be found.
25702 @end defun
25703
25704 @node Events In Python
25705 @subsubsection Events In Python
25706 @cindex inferior events in Python
25707
25708 @value{GDBN} provides a general event facility so that Python code can be
25709 notified of various state changes, particularly changes that occur in
25710 the inferior.
25711
25712 An @dfn{event} is just an object that describes some state change. The
25713 type of the object and its attributes will vary depending on the details
25714 of the change. All the existing events are described below.
25715
25716 In order to be notified of an event, you must register an event handler
25717 with an @dfn{event registry}. An event registry is an object in the
25718 @code{gdb.events} module which dispatches particular events. A registry
25719 provides methods to register and unregister event handlers:
25720
25721 @defun EventRegistry.connect (object)
25722 Add the given callable @var{object} to the registry. This object will be
25723 called when an event corresponding to this registry occurs.
25724 @end defun
25725
25726 @defun EventRegistry.disconnect (object)
25727 Remove the given @var{object} from the registry. Once removed, the object
25728 will no longer receive notifications of events.
25729 @end defun
25730
25731 Here is an example:
25732
25733 @smallexample
25734 def exit_handler (event):
25735 print "event type: exit"
25736 print "exit code: %d" % (event.exit_code)
25737
25738 gdb.events.exited.connect (exit_handler)
25739 @end smallexample
25740
25741 In the above example we connect our handler @code{exit_handler} to the
25742 registry @code{events.exited}. Once connected, @code{exit_handler} gets
25743 called when the inferior exits. The argument @dfn{event} in this example is
25744 of type @code{gdb.ExitedEvent}. As you can see in the example the
25745 @code{ExitedEvent} object has an attribute which indicates the exit code of
25746 the inferior.
25747
25748 The following is a listing of the event registries that are available and
25749 details of the events they emit:
25750
25751 @table @code
25752
25753 @item events.cont
25754 Emits @code{gdb.ThreadEvent}.
25755
25756 Some events can be thread specific when @value{GDBN} is running in non-stop
25757 mode. When represented in Python, these events all extend
25758 @code{gdb.ThreadEvent}. Note, this event is not emitted directly; instead,
25759 events which are emitted by this or other modules might extend this event.
25760 Examples of these events are @code{gdb.BreakpointEvent} and
25761 @code{gdb.ContinueEvent}.
25762
25763 @defvar ThreadEvent.inferior_thread
25764 In non-stop mode this attribute will be set to the specific thread which was
25765 involved in the emitted event. Otherwise, it will be set to @code{None}.
25766 @end defvar
25767
25768 Emits @code{gdb.ContinueEvent} which extends @code{gdb.ThreadEvent}.
25769
25770 This event indicates that the inferior has been continued after a stop. For
25771 inherited attribute refer to @code{gdb.ThreadEvent} above.
25772
25773 @item events.exited
25774 Emits @code{events.ExitedEvent} which indicates that the inferior has exited.
25775 @code{events.ExitedEvent} has two attributes:
25776 @defvar ExitedEvent.exit_code
25777 An integer representing the exit code, if available, which the inferior
25778 has returned. (The exit code could be unavailable if, for example,
25779 @value{GDBN} detaches from the inferior.) If the exit code is unavailable,
25780 the attribute does not exist.
25781 @end defvar
25782 @defvar ExitedEvent inferior
25783 A reference to the inferior which triggered the @code{exited} event.
25784 @end defvar
25785
25786 @item events.stop
25787 Emits @code{gdb.StopEvent} which extends @code{gdb.ThreadEvent}.
25788
25789 Indicates that the inferior has stopped. All events emitted by this registry
25790 extend StopEvent. As a child of @code{gdb.ThreadEvent}, @code{gdb.StopEvent}
25791 will indicate the stopped thread when @value{GDBN} is running in non-stop
25792 mode. Refer to @code{gdb.ThreadEvent} above for more details.
25793
25794 Emits @code{gdb.SignalEvent} which extends @code{gdb.StopEvent}.
25795
25796 This event indicates that the inferior or one of its threads has received as
25797 signal. @code{gdb.SignalEvent} has the following attributes:
25798
25799 @defvar SignalEvent.stop_signal
25800 A string representing the signal received by the inferior. A list of possible
25801 signal values can be obtained by running the command @code{info signals} in
25802 the @value{GDBN} command prompt.
25803 @end defvar
25804
25805 Also emits @code{gdb.BreakpointEvent} which extends @code{gdb.StopEvent}.
25806
25807 @code{gdb.BreakpointEvent} event indicates that one or more breakpoints have
25808 been hit, and has the following attributes:
25809
25810 @defvar BreakpointEvent.breakpoints
25811 A sequence containing references to all the breakpoints (type
25812 @code{gdb.Breakpoint}) that were hit.
25813 @xref{Breakpoints In Python}, for details of the @code{gdb.Breakpoint} object.
25814 @end defvar
25815 @defvar BreakpointEvent.breakpoint
25816 A reference to the first breakpoint that was hit.
25817 This function is maintained for backward compatibility and is now deprecated
25818 in favor of the @code{gdb.BreakpointEvent.breakpoints} attribute.
25819 @end defvar
25820
25821 @item events.new_objfile
25822 Emits @code{gdb.NewObjFileEvent} which indicates that a new object file has
25823 been loaded by @value{GDBN}. @code{gdb.NewObjFileEvent} has one attribute:
25824
25825 @defvar NewObjFileEvent.new_objfile
25826 A reference to the object file (@code{gdb.Objfile}) which has been loaded.
25827 @xref{Objfiles In Python}, for details of the @code{gdb.Objfile} object.
25828 @end defvar
25829
25830 @end table
25831
25832 @node Threads In Python
25833 @subsubsection Threads In Python
25834 @cindex threads in python
25835
25836 @findex gdb.InferiorThread
25837 Python scripts can access information about, and manipulate inferior threads
25838 controlled by @value{GDBN}, via objects of the @code{gdb.InferiorThread} class.
25839
25840 The following thread-related functions are available in the @code{gdb}
25841 module:
25842
25843 @findex gdb.selected_thread
25844 @defun gdb.selected_thread ()
25845 This function returns the thread object for the selected thread. If there
25846 is no selected thread, this will return @code{None}.
25847 @end defun
25848
25849 A @code{gdb.InferiorThread} object has the following attributes:
25850
25851 @defvar InferiorThread.name
25852 The name of the thread. If the user specified a name using
25853 @code{thread name}, then this returns that name. Otherwise, if an
25854 OS-supplied name is available, then it is returned. Otherwise, this
25855 returns @code{None}.
25856
25857 This attribute can be assigned to. The new value must be a string
25858 object, which sets the new name, or @code{None}, which removes any
25859 user-specified thread name.
25860 @end defvar
25861
25862 @defvar InferiorThread.num
25863 ID of the thread, as assigned by GDB.
25864 @end defvar
25865
25866 @defvar InferiorThread.ptid
25867 ID of the thread, as assigned by the operating system. This attribute is a
25868 tuple containing three integers. The first is the Process ID (PID); the second
25869 is the Lightweight Process ID (LWPID), and the third is the Thread ID (TID).
25870 Either the LWPID or TID may be 0, which indicates that the operating system
25871 does not use that identifier.
25872 @end defvar
25873
25874 A @code{gdb.InferiorThread} object has the following methods:
25875
25876 @defun InferiorThread.is_valid ()
25877 Returns @code{True} if the @code{gdb.InferiorThread} object is valid,
25878 @code{False} if not. A @code{gdb.InferiorThread} object will become
25879 invalid if the thread exits, or the inferior that the thread belongs
25880 is deleted. All other @code{gdb.InferiorThread} methods will throw an
25881 exception if it is invalid at the time the method is called.
25882 @end defun
25883
25884 @defun InferiorThread.switch ()
25885 This changes @value{GDBN}'s currently selected thread to the one represented
25886 by this object.
25887 @end defun
25888
25889 @defun InferiorThread.is_stopped ()
25890 Return a Boolean indicating whether the thread is stopped.
25891 @end defun
25892
25893 @defun InferiorThread.is_running ()
25894 Return a Boolean indicating whether the thread is running.
25895 @end defun
25896
25897 @defun InferiorThread.is_exited ()
25898 Return a Boolean indicating whether the thread is exited.
25899 @end defun
25900
25901 @node Commands In Python
25902 @subsubsection Commands In Python
25903
25904 @cindex commands in python
25905 @cindex python commands
25906 You can implement new @value{GDBN} CLI commands in Python. A CLI
25907 command is implemented using an instance of the @code{gdb.Command}
25908 class, most commonly using a subclass.
25909
25910 @defun Command.__init__ (name, @var{command_class} @r{[}, @var{completer_class} @r{[}, @var{prefix}@r{]]})
25911 The object initializer for @code{Command} registers the new command
25912 with @value{GDBN}. This initializer is normally invoked from the
25913 subclass' own @code{__init__} method.
25914
25915 @var{name} is the name of the command. If @var{name} consists of
25916 multiple words, then the initial words are looked for as prefix
25917 commands. In this case, if one of the prefix commands does not exist,
25918 an exception is raised.
25919
25920 There is no support for multi-line commands.
25921
25922 @var{command_class} should be one of the @samp{COMMAND_} constants
25923 defined below. This argument tells @value{GDBN} how to categorize the
25924 new command in the help system.
25925
25926 @var{completer_class} is an optional argument. If given, it should be
25927 one of the @samp{COMPLETE_} constants defined below. This argument
25928 tells @value{GDBN} how to perform completion for this command. If not
25929 given, @value{GDBN} will attempt to complete using the object's
25930 @code{complete} method (see below); if no such method is found, an
25931 error will occur when completion is attempted.
25932
25933 @var{prefix} is an optional argument. If @code{True}, then the new
25934 command is a prefix command; sub-commands of this command may be
25935 registered.
25936
25937 The help text for the new command is taken from the Python
25938 documentation string for the command's class, if there is one. If no
25939 documentation string is provided, the default value ``This command is
25940 not documented.'' is used.
25941 @end defun
25942
25943 @cindex don't repeat Python command
25944 @defun Command.dont_repeat ()
25945 By default, a @value{GDBN} command is repeated when the user enters a
25946 blank line at the command prompt. A command can suppress this
25947 behavior by invoking the @code{dont_repeat} method. This is similar
25948 to the user command @code{dont-repeat}, see @ref{Define, dont-repeat}.
25949 @end defun
25950
25951 @defun Command.invoke (argument, from_tty)
25952 This method is called by @value{GDBN} when this command is invoked.
25953
25954 @var{argument} is a string. It is the argument to the command, after
25955 leading and trailing whitespace has been stripped.
25956
25957 @var{from_tty} is a boolean argument. When true, this means that the
25958 command was entered by the user at the terminal; when false it means
25959 that the command came from elsewhere.
25960
25961 If this method throws an exception, it is turned into a @value{GDBN}
25962 @code{error} call. Otherwise, the return value is ignored.
25963
25964 @findex gdb.string_to_argv
25965 To break @var{argument} up into an argv-like string use
25966 @code{gdb.string_to_argv}. This function behaves identically to
25967 @value{GDBN}'s internal argument lexer @code{buildargv}.
25968 It is recommended to use this for consistency.
25969 Arguments are separated by spaces and may be quoted.
25970 Example:
25971
25972 @smallexample
25973 print gdb.string_to_argv ("1 2\ \\\"3 '4 \"5' \"6 '7\"")
25974 ['1', '2 "3', '4 "5', "6 '7"]
25975 @end smallexample
25976
25977 @end defun
25978
25979 @cindex completion of Python commands
25980 @defun Command.complete (text, word)
25981 This method is called by @value{GDBN} when the user attempts
25982 completion on this command. All forms of completion are handled by
25983 this method, that is, the @key{TAB} and @key{M-?} key bindings
25984 (@pxref{Completion}), and the @code{complete} command (@pxref{Help,
25985 complete}).
25986
25987 The arguments @var{text} and @var{word} are both strings. @var{text}
25988 holds the complete command line up to the cursor's location.
25989 @var{word} holds the last word of the command line; this is computed
25990 using a word-breaking heuristic.
25991
25992 The @code{complete} method can return several values:
25993 @itemize @bullet
25994 @item
25995 If the return value is a sequence, the contents of the sequence are
25996 used as the completions. It is up to @code{complete} to ensure that the
25997 contents actually do complete the word. A zero-length sequence is
25998 allowed, it means that there were no completions available. Only
25999 string elements of the sequence are used; other elements in the
26000 sequence are ignored.
26001
26002 @item
26003 If the return value is one of the @samp{COMPLETE_} constants defined
26004 below, then the corresponding @value{GDBN}-internal completion
26005 function is invoked, and its result is used.
26006
26007 @item
26008 All other results are treated as though there were no available
26009 completions.
26010 @end itemize
26011 @end defun
26012
26013 When a new command is registered, it must be declared as a member of
26014 some general class of commands. This is used to classify top-level
26015 commands in the on-line help system; note that prefix commands are not
26016 listed under their own category but rather that of their top-level
26017 command. The available classifications are represented by constants
26018 defined in the @code{gdb} module:
26019
26020 @table @code
26021 @findex COMMAND_NONE
26022 @findex gdb.COMMAND_NONE
26023 @item gdb.COMMAND_NONE
26024 The command does not belong to any particular class. A command in
26025 this category will not be displayed in any of the help categories.
26026
26027 @findex COMMAND_RUNNING
26028 @findex gdb.COMMAND_RUNNING
26029 @item gdb.COMMAND_RUNNING
26030 The command is related to running the inferior. For example,
26031 @code{start}, @code{step}, and @code{continue} are in this category.
26032 Type @kbd{help running} at the @value{GDBN} prompt to see a list of
26033 commands in this category.
26034
26035 @findex COMMAND_DATA
26036 @findex gdb.COMMAND_DATA
26037 @item gdb.COMMAND_DATA
26038 The command is related to data or variables. For example,
26039 @code{call}, @code{find}, and @code{print} are in this category. Type
26040 @kbd{help data} at the @value{GDBN} prompt to see a list of commands
26041 in this category.
26042
26043 @findex COMMAND_STACK
26044 @findex gdb.COMMAND_STACK
26045 @item gdb.COMMAND_STACK
26046 The command has to do with manipulation of the stack. For example,
26047 @code{backtrace}, @code{frame}, and @code{return} are in this
26048 category. Type @kbd{help stack} at the @value{GDBN} prompt to see a
26049 list of commands in this category.
26050
26051 @findex COMMAND_FILES
26052 @findex gdb.COMMAND_FILES
26053 @item gdb.COMMAND_FILES
26054 This class is used for file-related commands. For example,
26055 @code{file}, @code{list} and @code{section} are in this category.
26056 Type @kbd{help files} at the @value{GDBN} prompt to see a list of
26057 commands in this category.
26058
26059 @findex COMMAND_SUPPORT
26060 @findex gdb.COMMAND_SUPPORT
26061 @item gdb.COMMAND_SUPPORT
26062 This should be used for ``support facilities'', generally meaning
26063 things that are useful to the user when interacting with @value{GDBN},
26064 but not related to the state of the inferior. For example,
26065 @code{help}, @code{make}, and @code{shell} are in this category. Type
26066 @kbd{help support} at the @value{GDBN} prompt to see a list of
26067 commands in this category.
26068
26069 @findex COMMAND_STATUS
26070 @findex gdb.COMMAND_STATUS
26071 @item gdb.COMMAND_STATUS
26072 The command is an @samp{info}-related command, that is, related to the
26073 state of @value{GDBN} itself. For example, @code{info}, @code{macro},
26074 and @code{show} are in this category. Type @kbd{help status} at the
26075 @value{GDBN} prompt to see a list of commands in this category.
26076
26077 @findex COMMAND_BREAKPOINTS
26078 @findex gdb.COMMAND_BREAKPOINTS
26079 @item gdb.COMMAND_BREAKPOINTS
26080 The command has to do with breakpoints. For example, @code{break},
26081 @code{clear}, and @code{delete} are in this category. Type @kbd{help
26082 breakpoints} at the @value{GDBN} prompt to see a list of commands in
26083 this category.
26084
26085 @findex COMMAND_TRACEPOINTS
26086 @findex gdb.COMMAND_TRACEPOINTS
26087 @item gdb.COMMAND_TRACEPOINTS
26088 The command has to do with tracepoints. For example, @code{trace},
26089 @code{actions}, and @code{tfind} are in this category. Type
26090 @kbd{help tracepoints} at the @value{GDBN} prompt to see a list of
26091 commands in this category.
26092
26093 @findex COMMAND_USER
26094 @findex gdb.COMMAND_USER
26095 @item gdb.COMMAND_USER
26096 The command is a general purpose command for the user, and typically
26097 does not fit in one of the other categories.
26098 Type @kbd{help user-defined} at the @value{GDBN} prompt to see
26099 a list of commands in this category, as well as the list of gdb macros
26100 (@pxref{Sequences}).
26101
26102 @findex COMMAND_OBSCURE
26103 @findex gdb.COMMAND_OBSCURE
26104 @item gdb.COMMAND_OBSCURE
26105 The command is only used in unusual circumstances, or is not of
26106 general interest to users. For example, @code{checkpoint},
26107 @code{fork}, and @code{stop} are in this category. Type @kbd{help
26108 obscure} at the @value{GDBN} prompt to see a list of commands in this
26109 category.
26110
26111 @findex COMMAND_MAINTENANCE
26112 @findex gdb.COMMAND_MAINTENANCE
26113 @item gdb.COMMAND_MAINTENANCE
26114 The command is only useful to @value{GDBN} maintainers. The
26115 @code{maintenance} and @code{flushregs} commands are in this category.
26116 Type @kbd{help internals} at the @value{GDBN} prompt to see a list of
26117 commands in this category.
26118 @end table
26119
26120 A new command can use a predefined completion function, either by
26121 specifying it via an argument at initialization, or by returning it
26122 from the @code{complete} method. These predefined completion
26123 constants are all defined in the @code{gdb} module:
26124
26125 @table @code
26126 @findex COMPLETE_NONE
26127 @findex gdb.COMPLETE_NONE
26128 @item gdb.COMPLETE_NONE
26129 This constant means that no completion should be done.
26130
26131 @findex COMPLETE_FILENAME
26132 @findex gdb.COMPLETE_FILENAME
26133 @item gdb.COMPLETE_FILENAME
26134 This constant means that filename completion should be performed.
26135
26136 @findex COMPLETE_LOCATION
26137 @findex gdb.COMPLETE_LOCATION
26138 @item gdb.COMPLETE_LOCATION
26139 This constant means that location completion should be done.
26140 @xref{Specify Location}.
26141
26142 @findex COMPLETE_COMMAND
26143 @findex gdb.COMPLETE_COMMAND
26144 @item gdb.COMPLETE_COMMAND
26145 This constant means that completion should examine @value{GDBN}
26146 command names.
26147
26148 @findex COMPLETE_SYMBOL
26149 @findex gdb.COMPLETE_SYMBOL
26150 @item gdb.COMPLETE_SYMBOL
26151 This constant means that completion should be done using symbol names
26152 as the source.
26153
26154 @findex COMPLETE_EXPRESSION
26155 @findex gdb.COMPLETE_EXPRESSION
26156 @item gdb.COMPLETE_EXPRESSION
26157 This constant means that completion should be done on expressions.
26158 Often this means completing on symbol names, but some language
26159 parsers also have support for completing on field names.
26160 @end table
26161
26162 The following code snippet shows how a trivial CLI command can be
26163 implemented in Python:
26164
26165 @smallexample
26166 class HelloWorld (gdb.Command):
26167 """Greet the whole world."""
26168
26169 def __init__ (self):
26170 super (HelloWorld, self).__init__ ("hello-world", gdb.COMMAND_USER)
26171
26172 def invoke (self, arg, from_tty):
26173 print "Hello, World!"
26174
26175 HelloWorld ()
26176 @end smallexample
26177
26178 The last line instantiates the class, and is necessary to trigger the
26179 registration of the command with @value{GDBN}. Depending on how the
26180 Python code is read into @value{GDBN}, you may need to import the
26181 @code{gdb} module explicitly.
26182
26183 @node Parameters In Python
26184 @subsubsection Parameters In Python
26185
26186 @cindex parameters in python
26187 @cindex python parameters
26188 @tindex gdb.Parameter
26189 @tindex Parameter
26190 You can implement new @value{GDBN} parameters using Python. A new
26191 parameter is implemented as an instance of the @code{gdb.Parameter}
26192 class.
26193
26194 Parameters are exposed to the user via the @code{set} and
26195 @code{show} commands. @xref{Help}.
26196
26197 There are many parameters that already exist and can be set in
26198 @value{GDBN}. Two examples are: @code{set follow fork} and
26199 @code{set charset}. Setting these parameters influences certain
26200 behavior in @value{GDBN}. Similarly, you can define parameters that
26201 can be used to influence behavior in custom Python scripts and commands.
26202
26203 @defun Parameter.__init__ (name, @var{command-class}, @var{parameter-class} @r{[}, @var{enum-sequence}@r{]})
26204 The object initializer for @code{Parameter} registers the new
26205 parameter with @value{GDBN}. This initializer is normally invoked
26206 from the subclass' own @code{__init__} method.
26207
26208 @var{name} is the name of the new parameter. If @var{name} consists
26209 of multiple words, then the initial words are looked for as prefix
26210 parameters. An example of this can be illustrated with the
26211 @code{set print} set of parameters. If @var{name} is
26212 @code{print foo}, then @code{print} will be searched as the prefix
26213 parameter. In this case the parameter can subsequently be accessed in
26214 @value{GDBN} as @code{set print foo}.
26215
26216 If @var{name} consists of multiple words, and no prefix parameter group
26217 can be found, an exception is raised.
26218
26219 @var{command-class} should be one of the @samp{COMMAND_} constants
26220 (@pxref{Commands In Python}). This argument tells @value{GDBN} how to
26221 categorize the new parameter in the help system.
26222
26223 @var{parameter-class} should be one of the @samp{PARAM_} constants
26224 defined below. This argument tells @value{GDBN} the type of the new
26225 parameter; this information is used for input validation and
26226 completion.
26227
26228 If @var{parameter-class} is @code{PARAM_ENUM}, then
26229 @var{enum-sequence} must be a sequence of strings. These strings
26230 represent the possible values for the parameter.
26231
26232 If @var{parameter-class} is not @code{PARAM_ENUM}, then the presence
26233 of a fourth argument will cause an exception to be thrown.
26234
26235 The help text for the new parameter is taken from the Python
26236 documentation string for the parameter's class, if there is one. If
26237 there is no documentation string, a default value is used.
26238 @end defun
26239
26240 @defvar Parameter.set_doc
26241 If this attribute exists, and is a string, then its value is used as
26242 the help text for this parameter's @code{set} command. The value is
26243 examined when @code{Parameter.__init__} is invoked; subsequent changes
26244 have no effect.
26245 @end defvar
26246
26247 @defvar Parameter.show_doc
26248 If this attribute exists, and is a string, then its value is used as
26249 the help text for this parameter's @code{show} command. The value is
26250 examined when @code{Parameter.__init__} is invoked; subsequent changes
26251 have no effect.
26252 @end defvar
26253
26254 @defvar Parameter.value
26255 The @code{value} attribute holds the underlying value of the
26256 parameter. It can be read and assigned to just as any other
26257 attribute. @value{GDBN} does validation when assignments are made.
26258 @end defvar
26259
26260 There are two methods that should be implemented in any
26261 @code{Parameter} class. These are:
26262
26263 @defun Parameter.get_set_string (self)
26264 @value{GDBN} will call this method when a @var{parameter}'s value has
26265 been changed via the @code{set} API (for example, @kbd{set foo off}).
26266 The @code{value} attribute has already been populated with the new
26267 value and may be used in output. This method must return a string.
26268 @end defun
26269
26270 @defun Parameter.get_show_string (self, svalue)
26271 @value{GDBN} will call this method when a @var{parameter}'s
26272 @code{show} API has been invoked (for example, @kbd{show foo}). The
26273 argument @code{svalue} receives the string representation of the
26274 current value. This method must return a string.
26275 @end defun
26276
26277 When a new parameter is defined, its type must be specified. The
26278 available types are represented by constants defined in the @code{gdb}
26279 module:
26280
26281 @table @code
26282 @findex PARAM_BOOLEAN
26283 @findex gdb.PARAM_BOOLEAN
26284 @item gdb.PARAM_BOOLEAN
26285 The value is a plain boolean. The Python boolean values, @code{True}
26286 and @code{False} are the only valid values.
26287
26288 @findex PARAM_AUTO_BOOLEAN
26289 @findex gdb.PARAM_AUTO_BOOLEAN
26290 @item gdb.PARAM_AUTO_BOOLEAN
26291 The value has three possible states: true, false, and @samp{auto}. In
26292 Python, true and false are represented using boolean constants, and
26293 @samp{auto} is represented using @code{None}.
26294
26295 @findex PARAM_UINTEGER
26296 @findex gdb.PARAM_UINTEGER
26297 @item gdb.PARAM_UINTEGER
26298 The value is an unsigned integer. The value of 0 should be
26299 interpreted to mean ``unlimited''.
26300
26301 @findex PARAM_INTEGER
26302 @findex gdb.PARAM_INTEGER
26303 @item gdb.PARAM_INTEGER
26304 The value is a signed integer. The value of 0 should be interpreted
26305 to mean ``unlimited''.
26306
26307 @findex PARAM_STRING
26308 @findex gdb.PARAM_STRING
26309 @item gdb.PARAM_STRING
26310 The value is a string. When the user modifies the string, any escape
26311 sequences, such as @samp{\t}, @samp{\f}, and octal escapes, are
26312 translated into corresponding characters and encoded into the current
26313 host charset.
26314
26315 @findex PARAM_STRING_NOESCAPE
26316 @findex gdb.PARAM_STRING_NOESCAPE
26317 @item gdb.PARAM_STRING_NOESCAPE
26318 The value is a string. When the user modifies the string, escapes are
26319 passed through untranslated.
26320
26321 @findex PARAM_OPTIONAL_FILENAME
26322 @findex gdb.PARAM_OPTIONAL_FILENAME
26323 @item gdb.PARAM_OPTIONAL_FILENAME
26324 The value is a either a filename (a string), or @code{None}.
26325
26326 @findex PARAM_FILENAME
26327 @findex gdb.PARAM_FILENAME
26328 @item gdb.PARAM_FILENAME
26329 The value is a filename. This is just like
26330 @code{PARAM_STRING_NOESCAPE}, but uses file names for completion.
26331
26332 @findex PARAM_ZINTEGER
26333 @findex gdb.PARAM_ZINTEGER
26334 @item gdb.PARAM_ZINTEGER
26335 The value is an integer. This is like @code{PARAM_INTEGER}, except 0
26336 is interpreted as itself.
26337
26338 @findex PARAM_ENUM
26339 @findex gdb.PARAM_ENUM
26340 @item gdb.PARAM_ENUM
26341 The value is a string, which must be one of a collection string
26342 constants provided when the parameter is created.
26343 @end table
26344
26345 @node Functions In Python
26346 @subsubsection Writing new convenience functions
26347
26348 @cindex writing convenience functions
26349 @cindex convenience functions in python
26350 @cindex python convenience functions
26351 @tindex gdb.Function
26352 @tindex Function
26353 You can implement new convenience functions (@pxref{Convenience Vars})
26354 in Python. A convenience function is an instance of a subclass of the
26355 class @code{gdb.Function}.
26356
26357 @defun Function.__init__ (name)
26358 The initializer for @code{Function} registers the new function with
26359 @value{GDBN}. The argument @var{name} is the name of the function,
26360 a string. The function will be visible to the user as a convenience
26361 variable of type @code{internal function}, whose name is the same as
26362 the given @var{name}.
26363
26364 The documentation for the new function is taken from the documentation
26365 string for the new class.
26366 @end defun
26367
26368 @defun Function.invoke (@var{*args})
26369 When a convenience function is evaluated, its arguments are converted
26370 to instances of @code{gdb.Value}, and then the function's
26371 @code{invoke} method is called. Note that @value{GDBN} does not
26372 predetermine the arity of convenience functions. Instead, all
26373 available arguments are passed to @code{invoke}, following the
26374 standard Python calling convention. In particular, a convenience
26375 function can have default values for parameters without ill effect.
26376
26377 The return value of this method is used as its value in the enclosing
26378 expression. If an ordinary Python value is returned, it is converted
26379 to a @code{gdb.Value} following the usual rules.
26380 @end defun
26381
26382 The following code snippet shows how a trivial convenience function can
26383 be implemented in Python:
26384
26385 @smallexample
26386 class Greet (gdb.Function):
26387 """Return string to greet someone.
26388 Takes a name as argument."""
26389
26390 def __init__ (self):
26391 super (Greet, self).__init__ ("greet")
26392
26393 def invoke (self, name):
26394 return "Hello, %s!" % name.string ()
26395
26396 Greet ()
26397 @end smallexample
26398
26399 The last line instantiates the class, and is necessary to trigger the
26400 registration of the function with @value{GDBN}. Depending on how the
26401 Python code is read into @value{GDBN}, you may need to import the
26402 @code{gdb} module explicitly.
26403
26404 Now you can use the function in an expression:
26405
26406 @smallexample
26407 (gdb) print $greet("Bob")
26408 $1 = "Hello, Bob!"
26409 @end smallexample
26410
26411 @node Progspaces In Python
26412 @subsubsection Program Spaces In Python
26413
26414 @cindex progspaces in python
26415 @tindex gdb.Progspace
26416 @tindex Progspace
26417 A program space, or @dfn{progspace}, represents a symbolic view
26418 of an address space.
26419 It consists of all of the objfiles of the program.
26420 @xref{Objfiles In Python}.
26421 @xref{Inferiors and Programs, program spaces}, for more details
26422 about program spaces.
26423
26424 The following progspace-related functions are available in the
26425 @code{gdb} module:
26426
26427 @findex gdb.current_progspace
26428 @defun gdb.current_progspace ()
26429 This function returns the program space of the currently selected inferior.
26430 @xref{Inferiors and Programs}.
26431 @end defun
26432
26433 @findex gdb.progspaces
26434 @defun gdb.progspaces ()
26435 Return a sequence of all the progspaces currently known to @value{GDBN}.
26436 @end defun
26437
26438 Each progspace is represented by an instance of the @code{gdb.Progspace}
26439 class.
26440
26441 @defvar Progspace.filename
26442 The file name of the progspace as a string.
26443 @end defvar
26444
26445 @defvar Progspace.pretty_printers
26446 The @code{pretty_printers} attribute is a list of functions. It is
26447 used to look up pretty-printers. A @code{Value} is passed to each
26448 function in order; if the function returns @code{None}, then the
26449 search continues. Otherwise, the return value should be an object
26450 which is used to format the value. @xref{Pretty Printing API}, for more
26451 information.
26452 @end defvar
26453
26454 @defvar Progspace.type_printers
26455 The @code{type_printers} attribute is a list of type printer objects.
26456 @xref{Type Printing API}, for more information.
26457 @end defvar
26458
26459 @defvar Progspace.frame_filters
26460 The @code{frame_filters} attribute is a dictionary of frame filter
26461 objects. @xref{Frame Filter API}, for more information.
26462 @end defvar
26463
26464 @node Objfiles In Python
26465 @subsubsection Objfiles In Python
26466
26467 @cindex objfiles in python
26468 @tindex gdb.Objfile
26469 @tindex Objfile
26470 @value{GDBN} loads symbols for an inferior from various
26471 symbol-containing files (@pxref{Files}). These include the primary
26472 executable file, any shared libraries used by the inferior, and any
26473 separate debug info files (@pxref{Separate Debug Files}).
26474 @value{GDBN} calls these symbol-containing files @dfn{objfiles}.
26475
26476 The following objfile-related functions are available in the
26477 @code{gdb} module:
26478
26479 @findex gdb.current_objfile
26480 @defun gdb.current_objfile ()
26481 When auto-loading a Python script (@pxref{Python Auto-loading}), @value{GDBN}
26482 sets the ``current objfile'' to the corresponding objfile. This
26483 function returns the current objfile. If there is no current objfile,
26484 this function returns @code{None}.
26485 @end defun
26486
26487 @findex gdb.objfiles
26488 @defun gdb.objfiles ()
26489 Return a sequence of all the objfiles current known to @value{GDBN}.
26490 @xref{Objfiles In Python}.
26491 @end defun
26492
26493 Each objfile is represented by an instance of the @code{gdb.Objfile}
26494 class.
26495
26496 @defvar Objfile.filename
26497 The file name of the objfile as a string.
26498 @end defvar
26499
26500 @defvar Objfile.pretty_printers
26501 The @code{pretty_printers} attribute is a list of functions. It is
26502 used to look up pretty-printers. A @code{Value} is passed to each
26503 function in order; if the function returns @code{None}, then the
26504 search continues. Otherwise, the return value should be an object
26505 which is used to format the value. @xref{Pretty Printing API}, for more
26506 information.
26507 @end defvar
26508
26509 @defvar Objfile.type_printers
26510 The @code{type_printers} attribute is a list of type printer objects.
26511 @xref{Type Printing API}, for more information.
26512 @end defvar
26513
26514 @defvar Objfile.frame_filters
26515 The @code{frame_filters} attribute is a dictionary of frame filter
26516 objects. @xref{Frame Filter API}, for more information.
26517 @end defvar
26518
26519 A @code{gdb.Objfile} object has the following methods:
26520
26521 @defun Objfile.is_valid ()
26522 Returns @code{True} if the @code{gdb.Objfile} object is valid,
26523 @code{False} if not. A @code{gdb.Objfile} object can become invalid
26524 if the object file it refers to is not loaded in @value{GDBN} any
26525 longer. All other @code{gdb.Objfile} methods will throw an exception
26526 if it is invalid at the time the method is called.
26527 @end defun
26528
26529 @node Frames In Python
26530 @subsubsection Accessing inferior stack frames from Python.
26531
26532 @cindex frames in python
26533 When the debugged program stops, @value{GDBN} is able to analyze its call
26534 stack (@pxref{Frames,,Stack frames}). The @code{gdb.Frame} class
26535 represents a frame in the stack. A @code{gdb.Frame} object is only valid
26536 while its corresponding frame exists in the inferior's stack. If you try
26537 to use an invalid frame object, @value{GDBN} will throw a @code{gdb.error}
26538 exception (@pxref{Exception Handling}).
26539
26540 Two @code{gdb.Frame} objects can be compared for equality with the @code{==}
26541 operator, like:
26542
26543 @smallexample
26544 (@value{GDBP}) python print gdb.newest_frame() == gdb.selected_frame ()
26545 True
26546 @end smallexample
26547
26548 The following frame-related functions are available in the @code{gdb} module:
26549
26550 @findex gdb.selected_frame
26551 @defun gdb.selected_frame ()
26552 Return the selected frame object. (@pxref{Selection,,Selecting a Frame}).
26553 @end defun
26554
26555 @findex gdb.newest_frame
26556 @defun gdb.newest_frame ()
26557 Return the newest frame object for the selected thread.
26558 @end defun
26559
26560 @defun gdb.frame_stop_reason_string (reason)
26561 Return a string explaining the reason why @value{GDBN} stopped unwinding
26562 frames, as expressed by the given @var{reason} code (an integer, see the
26563 @code{unwind_stop_reason} method further down in this section).
26564 @end defun
26565
26566 A @code{gdb.Frame} object has the following methods:
26567
26568 @defun Frame.is_valid ()
26569 Returns true if the @code{gdb.Frame} object is valid, false if not.
26570 A frame object can become invalid if the frame it refers to doesn't
26571 exist anymore in the inferior. All @code{gdb.Frame} methods will throw
26572 an exception if it is invalid at the time the method is called.
26573 @end defun
26574
26575 @defun Frame.name ()
26576 Returns the function name of the frame, or @code{None} if it can't be
26577 obtained.
26578 @end defun
26579
26580 @defun Frame.architecture ()
26581 Returns the @code{gdb.Architecture} object corresponding to the frame's
26582 architecture. @xref{Architectures In Python}.
26583 @end defun
26584
26585 @defun Frame.type ()
26586 Returns the type of the frame. The value can be one of:
26587 @table @code
26588 @item gdb.NORMAL_FRAME
26589 An ordinary stack frame.
26590
26591 @item gdb.DUMMY_FRAME
26592 A fake stack frame that was created by @value{GDBN} when performing an
26593 inferior function call.
26594
26595 @item gdb.INLINE_FRAME
26596 A frame representing an inlined function. The function was inlined
26597 into a @code{gdb.NORMAL_FRAME} that is older than this one.
26598
26599 @item gdb.TAILCALL_FRAME
26600 A frame representing a tail call. @xref{Tail Call Frames}.
26601
26602 @item gdb.SIGTRAMP_FRAME
26603 A signal trampoline frame. This is the frame created by the OS when
26604 it calls into a signal handler.
26605
26606 @item gdb.ARCH_FRAME
26607 A fake stack frame representing a cross-architecture call.
26608
26609 @item gdb.SENTINEL_FRAME
26610 This is like @code{gdb.NORMAL_FRAME}, but it is only used for the
26611 newest frame.
26612 @end table
26613 @end defun
26614
26615 @defun Frame.unwind_stop_reason ()
26616 Return an integer representing the reason why it's not possible to find
26617 more frames toward the outermost frame. Use
26618 @code{gdb.frame_stop_reason_string} to convert the value returned by this
26619 function to a string. The value can be one of:
26620
26621 @table @code
26622 @item gdb.FRAME_UNWIND_NO_REASON
26623 No particular reason (older frames should be available).
26624
26625 @item gdb.FRAME_UNWIND_NULL_ID
26626 The previous frame's analyzer returns an invalid result. This is no
26627 longer used by @value{GDBN}, and is kept only for backward
26628 compatibility.
26629
26630 @item gdb.FRAME_UNWIND_OUTERMOST
26631 This frame is the outermost.
26632
26633 @item gdb.FRAME_UNWIND_UNAVAILABLE
26634 Cannot unwind further, because that would require knowing the
26635 values of registers or memory that have not been collected.
26636
26637 @item gdb.FRAME_UNWIND_INNER_ID
26638 This frame ID looks like it ought to belong to a NEXT frame,
26639 but we got it for a PREV frame. Normally, this is a sign of
26640 unwinder failure. It could also indicate stack corruption.
26641
26642 @item gdb.FRAME_UNWIND_SAME_ID
26643 This frame has the same ID as the previous one. That means
26644 that unwinding further would almost certainly give us another
26645 frame with exactly the same ID, so break the chain. Normally,
26646 this is a sign of unwinder failure. It could also indicate
26647 stack corruption.
26648
26649 @item gdb.FRAME_UNWIND_NO_SAVED_PC
26650 The frame unwinder did not find any saved PC, but we needed
26651 one to unwind further.
26652
26653 @item gdb.FRAME_UNWIND_FIRST_ERROR
26654 Any stop reason greater or equal to this value indicates some kind
26655 of error. This special value facilitates writing code that tests
26656 for errors in unwinding in a way that will work correctly even if
26657 the list of the other values is modified in future @value{GDBN}
26658 versions. Using it, you could write:
26659 @smallexample
26660 reason = gdb.selected_frame().unwind_stop_reason ()
26661 reason_str = gdb.frame_stop_reason_string (reason)
26662 if reason >= gdb.FRAME_UNWIND_FIRST_ERROR:
26663 print "An error occured: %s" % reason_str
26664 @end smallexample
26665 @end table
26666
26667 @end defun
26668
26669 @defun Frame.pc ()
26670 Returns the frame's resume address.
26671 @end defun
26672
26673 @defun Frame.block ()
26674 Return the frame's code block. @xref{Blocks In Python}.
26675 @end defun
26676
26677 @defun Frame.function ()
26678 Return the symbol for the function corresponding to this frame.
26679 @xref{Symbols In Python}.
26680 @end defun
26681
26682 @defun Frame.older ()
26683 Return the frame that called this frame.
26684 @end defun
26685
26686 @defun Frame.newer ()
26687 Return the frame called by this frame.
26688 @end defun
26689
26690 @defun Frame.find_sal ()
26691 Return the frame's symtab and line object.
26692 @xref{Symbol Tables In Python}.
26693 @end defun
26694
26695 @defun Frame.read_var (variable @r{[}, block@r{]})
26696 Return the value of @var{variable} in this frame. If the optional
26697 argument @var{block} is provided, search for the variable from that
26698 block; otherwise start at the frame's current block (which is
26699 determined by the frame's current program counter). @var{variable}
26700 must be a string or a @code{gdb.Symbol} object. @var{block} must be a
26701 @code{gdb.Block} object.
26702 @end defun
26703
26704 @defun Frame.select ()
26705 Set this frame to be the selected frame. @xref{Stack, ,Examining the
26706 Stack}.
26707 @end defun
26708
26709 @node Blocks In Python
26710 @subsubsection Accessing blocks from Python.
26711
26712 @cindex blocks in python
26713 @tindex gdb.Block
26714
26715 In @value{GDBN}, symbols are stored in blocks. A block corresponds
26716 roughly to a scope in the source code. Blocks are organized
26717 hierarchically, and are represented individually in Python as a
26718 @code{gdb.Block}. Blocks rely on debugging information being
26719 available.
26720
26721 A frame has a block. Please see @ref{Frames In Python}, for a more
26722 in-depth discussion of frames.
26723
26724 The outermost block is known as the @dfn{global block}. The global
26725 block typically holds public global variables and functions.
26726
26727 The block nested just inside the global block is the @dfn{static
26728 block}. The static block typically holds file-scoped variables and
26729 functions.
26730
26731 @value{GDBN} provides a method to get a block's superblock, but there
26732 is currently no way to examine the sub-blocks of a block, or to
26733 iterate over all the blocks in a symbol table (@pxref{Symbol Tables In
26734 Python}).
26735
26736 Here is a short example that should help explain blocks:
26737
26738 @smallexample
26739 /* This is in the global block. */
26740 int global;
26741
26742 /* This is in the static block. */
26743 static int file_scope;
26744
26745 /* 'function' is in the global block, and 'argument' is
26746 in a block nested inside of 'function'. */
26747 int function (int argument)
26748 @{
26749 /* 'local' is in a block inside 'function'. It may or may
26750 not be in the same block as 'argument'. */
26751 int local;
26752
26753 @{
26754 /* 'inner' is in a block whose superblock is the one holding
26755 'local'. */
26756 int inner;
26757
26758 /* If this call is expanded by the compiler, you may see
26759 a nested block here whose function is 'inline_function'
26760 and whose superblock is the one holding 'inner'. */
26761 inline_function ();
26762 @}
26763 @}
26764 @end smallexample
26765
26766 A @code{gdb.Block} is iterable. The iterator returns the symbols
26767 (@pxref{Symbols In Python}) local to the block. Python programs
26768 should not assume that a specific block object will always contain a
26769 given symbol, since changes in @value{GDBN} features and
26770 infrastructure may cause symbols move across blocks in a symbol
26771 table.
26772
26773 The following block-related functions are available in the @code{gdb}
26774 module:
26775
26776 @findex gdb.block_for_pc
26777 @defun gdb.block_for_pc (pc)
26778 Return the innermost @code{gdb.Block} containing the given @var{pc}
26779 value. If the block cannot be found for the @var{pc} value specified,
26780 the function will return @code{None}.
26781 @end defun
26782
26783 A @code{gdb.Block} object has the following methods:
26784
26785 @defun Block.is_valid ()
26786 Returns @code{True} if the @code{gdb.Block} object is valid,
26787 @code{False} if not. A block object can become invalid if the block it
26788 refers to doesn't exist anymore in the inferior. All other
26789 @code{gdb.Block} methods will throw an exception if it is invalid at
26790 the time the method is called. The block's validity is also checked
26791 during iteration over symbols of the block.
26792 @end defun
26793
26794 A @code{gdb.Block} object has the following attributes:
26795
26796 @defvar Block.start
26797 The start address of the block. This attribute is not writable.
26798 @end defvar
26799
26800 @defvar Block.end
26801 The end address of the block. This attribute is not writable.
26802 @end defvar
26803
26804 @defvar Block.function
26805 The name of the block represented as a @code{gdb.Symbol}. If the
26806 block is not named, then this attribute holds @code{None}. This
26807 attribute is not writable.
26808
26809 For ordinary function blocks, the superblock is the static block.
26810 However, you should note that it is possible for a function block to
26811 have a superblock that is not the static block -- for instance this
26812 happens for an inlined function.
26813 @end defvar
26814
26815 @defvar Block.superblock
26816 The block containing this block. If this parent block does not exist,
26817 this attribute holds @code{None}. This attribute is not writable.
26818 @end defvar
26819
26820 @defvar Block.global_block
26821 The global block associated with this block. This attribute is not
26822 writable.
26823 @end defvar
26824
26825 @defvar Block.static_block
26826 The static block associated with this block. This attribute is not
26827 writable.
26828 @end defvar
26829
26830 @defvar Block.is_global
26831 @code{True} if the @code{gdb.Block} object is a global block,
26832 @code{False} if not. This attribute is not
26833 writable.
26834 @end defvar
26835
26836 @defvar Block.is_static
26837 @code{True} if the @code{gdb.Block} object is a static block,
26838 @code{False} if not. This attribute is not writable.
26839 @end defvar
26840
26841 @node Symbols In Python
26842 @subsubsection Python representation of Symbols.
26843
26844 @cindex symbols in python
26845 @tindex gdb.Symbol
26846
26847 @value{GDBN} represents every variable, function and type as an
26848 entry in a symbol table. @xref{Symbols, ,Examining the Symbol Table}.
26849 Similarly, Python represents these symbols in @value{GDBN} with the
26850 @code{gdb.Symbol} object.
26851
26852 The following symbol-related functions are available in the @code{gdb}
26853 module:
26854
26855 @findex gdb.lookup_symbol
26856 @defun gdb.lookup_symbol (name @r{[}, block @r{[}, domain@r{]]})
26857 This function searches for a symbol by name. The search scope can be
26858 restricted to the parameters defined in the optional domain and block
26859 arguments.
26860
26861 @var{name} is the name of the symbol. It must be a string. The
26862 optional @var{block} argument restricts the search to symbols visible
26863 in that @var{block}. The @var{block} argument must be a
26864 @code{gdb.Block} object. If omitted, the block for the current frame
26865 is used. The optional @var{domain} argument restricts
26866 the search to the domain type. The @var{domain} argument must be a
26867 domain constant defined in the @code{gdb} module and described later
26868 in this chapter.
26869
26870 The result is a tuple of two elements.
26871 The first element is a @code{gdb.Symbol} object or @code{None} if the symbol
26872 is not found.
26873 If the symbol is found, the second element is @code{True} if the symbol
26874 is a field of a method's object (e.g., @code{this} in C@t{++}),
26875 otherwise it is @code{False}.
26876 If the symbol is not found, the second element is @code{False}.
26877 @end defun
26878
26879 @findex gdb.lookup_global_symbol
26880 @defun gdb.lookup_global_symbol (name @r{[}, domain@r{]})
26881 This function searches for a global symbol by name.
26882 The search scope can be restricted to by the domain argument.
26883
26884 @var{name} is the name of the symbol. It must be a string.
26885 The optional @var{domain} argument restricts the search to the domain type.
26886 The @var{domain} argument must be a domain constant defined in the @code{gdb}
26887 module and described later in this chapter.
26888
26889 The result is a @code{gdb.Symbol} object or @code{None} if the symbol
26890 is not found.
26891 @end defun
26892
26893 A @code{gdb.Symbol} object has the following attributes:
26894
26895 @defvar Symbol.type
26896 The type of the symbol or @code{None} if no type is recorded.
26897 This attribute is represented as a @code{gdb.Type} object.
26898 @xref{Types In Python}. This attribute is not writable.
26899 @end defvar
26900
26901 @defvar Symbol.symtab
26902 The symbol table in which the symbol appears. This attribute is
26903 represented as a @code{gdb.Symtab} object. @xref{Symbol Tables In
26904 Python}. This attribute is not writable.
26905 @end defvar
26906
26907 @defvar Symbol.line
26908 The line number in the source code at which the symbol was defined.
26909 This is an integer.
26910 @end defvar
26911
26912 @defvar Symbol.name
26913 The name of the symbol as a string. This attribute is not writable.
26914 @end defvar
26915
26916 @defvar Symbol.linkage_name
26917 The name of the symbol, as used by the linker (i.e., may be mangled).
26918 This attribute is not writable.
26919 @end defvar
26920
26921 @defvar Symbol.print_name
26922 The name of the symbol in a form suitable for output. This is either
26923 @code{name} or @code{linkage_name}, depending on whether the user
26924 asked @value{GDBN} to display demangled or mangled names.
26925 @end defvar
26926
26927 @defvar Symbol.addr_class
26928 The address class of the symbol. This classifies how to find the value
26929 of a symbol. Each address class is a constant defined in the
26930 @code{gdb} module and described later in this chapter.
26931 @end defvar
26932
26933 @defvar Symbol.needs_frame
26934 This is @code{True} if evaluating this symbol's value requires a frame
26935 (@pxref{Frames In Python}) and @code{False} otherwise. Typically,
26936 local variables will require a frame, but other symbols will not.
26937 @end defvar
26938
26939 @defvar Symbol.is_argument
26940 @code{True} if the symbol is an argument of a function.
26941 @end defvar
26942
26943 @defvar Symbol.is_constant
26944 @code{True} if the symbol is a constant.
26945 @end defvar
26946
26947 @defvar Symbol.is_function
26948 @code{True} if the symbol is a function or a method.
26949 @end defvar
26950
26951 @defvar Symbol.is_variable
26952 @code{True} if the symbol is a variable.
26953 @end defvar
26954
26955 A @code{gdb.Symbol} object has the following methods:
26956
26957 @defun Symbol.is_valid ()
26958 Returns @code{True} if the @code{gdb.Symbol} object is valid,
26959 @code{False} if not. A @code{gdb.Symbol} object can become invalid if
26960 the symbol it refers to does not exist in @value{GDBN} any longer.
26961 All other @code{gdb.Symbol} methods will throw an exception if it is
26962 invalid at the time the method is called.
26963 @end defun
26964
26965 @defun Symbol.value (@r{[}frame@r{]})
26966 Compute the value of the symbol, as a @code{gdb.Value}. For
26967 functions, this computes the address of the function, cast to the
26968 appropriate type. If the symbol requires a frame in order to compute
26969 its value, then @var{frame} must be given. If @var{frame} is not
26970 given, or if @var{frame} is invalid, then this method will throw an
26971 exception.
26972 @end defun
26973
26974 The available domain categories in @code{gdb.Symbol} are represented
26975 as constants in the @code{gdb} module:
26976
26977 @table @code
26978 @findex SYMBOL_UNDEF_DOMAIN
26979 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_UNDEF_DOMAIN
26980 @item gdb.SYMBOL_UNDEF_DOMAIN
26981 This is used when a domain has not been discovered or none of the
26982 following domains apply. This usually indicates an error either
26983 in the symbol information or in @value{GDBN}'s handling of symbols.
26984 @findex SYMBOL_VAR_DOMAIN
26985 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_VAR_DOMAIN
26986 @item gdb.SYMBOL_VAR_DOMAIN
26987 This domain contains variables, function names, typedef names and enum
26988 type values.
26989 @findex SYMBOL_STRUCT_DOMAIN
26990 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_STRUCT_DOMAIN
26991 @item gdb.SYMBOL_STRUCT_DOMAIN
26992 This domain holds struct, union and enum type names.
26993 @findex SYMBOL_LABEL_DOMAIN
26994 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LABEL_DOMAIN
26995 @item gdb.SYMBOL_LABEL_DOMAIN
26996 This domain contains names of labels (for gotos).
26997 @findex SYMBOL_VARIABLES_DOMAIN
26998 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_VARIABLES_DOMAIN
26999 @item gdb.SYMBOL_VARIABLES_DOMAIN
27000 This domain holds a subset of the @code{SYMBOLS_VAR_DOMAIN}; it
27001 contains everything minus functions and types.
27002 @findex SYMBOL_FUNCTIONS_DOMAIN
27003 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_FUNCTIONS_DOMAIN
27004 @item gdb.SYMBOL_FUNCTION_DOMAIN
27005 This domain contains all functions.
27006 @findex SYMBOL_TYPES_DOMAIN
27007 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_TYPES_DOMAIN
27008 @item gdb.SYMBOL_TYPES_DOMAIN
27009 This domain contains all types.
27010 @end table
27011
27012 The available address class categories in @code{gdb.Symbol} are represented
27013 as constants in the @code{gdb} module:
27014
27015 @table @code
27016 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_UNDEF
27017 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_UNDEF
27018 @item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_UNDEF
27019 If this is returned by address class, it indicates an error either in
27020 the symbol information or in @value{GDBN}'s handling of symbols.
27021 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_CONST
27022 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_CONST
27023 @item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_CONST
27024 Value is constant int.
27025 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_STATIC
27026 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_STATIC
27027 @item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_STATIC
27028 Value is at a fixed address.
27029 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_REGISTER
27030 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_REGISTER
27031 @item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_REGISTER
27032 Value is in a register.
27033 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_ARG
27034 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_ARG
27035 @item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_ARG
27036 Value is an argument. This value is at the offset stored within the
27037 symbol inside the frame's argument list.
27038 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_REF_ARG
27039 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_REF_ARG
27040 @item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_REF_ARG
27041 Value address is stored in the frame's argument list. Just like
27042 @code{LOC_ARG} except that the value's address is stored at the
27043 offset, not the value itself.
27044 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_REGPARM_ADDR
27045 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_REGPARM_ADDR
27046 @item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_REGPARM_ADDR
27047 Value is a specified register. Just like @code{LOC_REGISTER} except
27048 the register holds the address of the argument instead of the argument
27049 itself.
27050 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_LOCAL
27051 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_LOCAL
27052 @item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_LOCAL
27053 Value is a local variable.
27054 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_TYPEDEF
27055 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_TYPEDEF
27056 @item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_TYPEDEF
27057 Value not used. Symbols in the domain @code{SYMBOL_STRUCT_DOMAIN} all
27058 have this class.
27059 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_BLOCK
27060 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_BLOCK
27061 @item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_BLOCK
27062 Value is a block.
27063 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_CONST_BYTES
27064 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_CONST_BYTES
27065 @item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_CONST_BYTES
27066 Value is a byte-sequence.
27067 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_UNRESOLVED
27068 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_UNRESOLVED
27069 @item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_UNRESOLVED
27070 Value is at a fixed address, but the address of the variable has to be
27071 determined from the minimal symbol table whenever the variable is
27072 referenced.
27073 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_OPTIMIZED_OUT
27074 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_OPTIMIZED_OUT
27075 @item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_OPTIMIZED_OUT
27076 The value does not actually exist in the program.
27077 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_COMPUTED
27078 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_COMPUTED
27079 @item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_COMPUTED
27080 The value's address is a computed location.
27081 @end table
27082
27083 @node Symbol Tables In Python
27084 @subsubsection Symbol table representation in Python.
27085
27086 @cindex symbol tables in python
27087 @tindex gdb.Symtab
27088 @tindex gdb.Symtab_and_line
27089
27090 Access to symbol table data maintained by @value{GDBN} on the inferior
27091 is exposed to Python via two objects: @code{gdb.Symtab_and_line} and
27092 @code{gdb.Symtab}. Symbol table and line data for a frame is returned
27093 from the @code{find_sal} method in @code{gdb.Frame} object.
27094 @xref{Frames In Python}.
27095
27096 For more information on @value{GDBN}'s symbol table management, see
27097 @ref{Symbols, ,Examining the Symbol Table}, for more information.
27098
27099 A @code{gdb.Symtab_and_line} object has the following attributes:
27100
27101 @defvar Symtab_and_line.symtab
27102 The symbol table object (@code{gdb.Symtab}) for this frame.
27103 This attribute is not writable.
27104 @end defvar
27105
27106 @defvar Symtab_and_line.pc
27107 Indicates the start of the address range occupied by code for the
27108 current source line. This attribute is not writable.
27109 @end defvar
27110
27111 @defvar Symtab_and_line.last
27112 Indicates the end of the address range occupied by code for the current
27113 source line. This attribute is not writable.
27114 @end defvar
27115
27116 @defvar Symtab_and_line.line
27117 Indicates the current line number for this object. This
27118 attribute is not writable.
27119 @end defvar
27120
27121 A @code{gdb.Symtab_and_line} object has the following methods:
27122
27123 @defun Symtab_and_line.is_valid ()
27124 Returns @code{True} if the @code{gdb.Symtab_and_line} object is valid,
27125 @code{False} if not. A @code{gdb.Symtab_and_line} object can become
27126 invalid if the Symbol table and line object it refers to does not
27127 exist in @value{GDBN} any longer. All other
27128 @code{gdb.Symtab_and_line} methods will throw an exception if it is
27129 invalid at the time the method is called.
27130 @end defun
27131
27132 A @code{gdb.Symtab} object has the following attributes:
27133
27134 @defvar Symtab.filename
27135 The symbol table's source filename. This attribute is not writable.
27136 @end defvar
27137
27138 @defvar Symtab.objfile
27139 The symbol table's backing object file. @xref{Objfiles In Python}.
27140 This attribute is not writable.
27141 @end defvar
27142
27143 A @code{gdb.Symtab} object has the following methods:
27144
27145 @defun Symtab.is_valid ()
27146 Returns @code{True} if the @code{gdb.Symtab} object is valid,
27147 @code{False} if not. A @code{gdb.Symtab} object can become invalid if
27148 the symbol table it refers to does not exist in @value{GDBN} any
27149 longer. All other @code{gdb.Symtab} methods will throw an exception
27150 if it is invalid at the time the method is called.
27151 @end defun
27152
27153 @defun Symtab.fullname ()
27154 Return the symbol table's source absolute file name.
27155 @end defun
27156
27157 @defun Symtab.global_block ()
27158 Return the global block of the underlying symbol table.
27159 @xref{Blocks In Python}.
27160 @end defun
27161
27162 @defun Symtab.static_block ()
27163 Return the static block of the underlying symbol table.
27164 @xref{Blocks In Python}.
27165 @end defun
27166
27167 @defun Symtab.linetable ()
27168 Return the line table associated with the symbol table.
27169 @xref{Line Tables In Python}.
27170 @end defun
27171
27172 @node Line Tables In Python
27173 @subsubsection Manipulating line tables using Python
27174
27175 @cindex line tables in python
27176 @tindex gdb.LineTable
27177
27178 Python code can request and inspect line table information from a
27179 symbol table that is loaded in @value{GDBN}. A line table is a
27180 mapping of source lines to their executable locations in memory. To
27181 acquire the line table information for a particular symbol table, use
27182 the @code{linetable} function (@pxref{Symbol Tables In Python}).
27183
27184 A @code{gdb.LineTable} is iterable. The iterator returns
27185 @code{LineTableEntry} objects that correspond to the source line and
27186 address for each line table entry. @code{LineTableEntry} objects have
27187 the following attributes:
27188
27189 @defvar LineTableEntry.line
27190 The source line number for this line table entry. This number
27191 corresponds to the actual line of source. This attribute is not
27192 writable.
27193 @end defvar
27194
27195 @defvar LineTableEntry.pc
27196 The address that is associated with the line table entry where the
27197 executable code for that source line resides in memory. This
27198 attribute is not writable.
27199 @end defvar
27200
27201 As there can be multiple addresses for a single source line, you may
27202 receive multiple @code{LineTableEntry} objects with matching
27203 @code{line} attributes, but with different @code{pc} attributes. The
27204 iterator is sorted in ascending @code{pc} order. Here is a small
27205 example illustrating iterating over a line table.
27206
27207 @smallexample
27208 symtab = gdb.selected_frame().find_sal().symtab
27209 linetable = symtab.linetable()
27210 for line in linetable:
27211 print "Line: "+str(line.line)+" Address: "+hex(line.pc)
27212 @end smallexample
27213
27214 This will have the following output:
27215
27216 @smallexample
27217 Line: 33 Address: 0x4005c8L
27218 Line: 37 Address: 0x4005caL
27219 Line: 39 Address: 0x4005d2L
27220 Line: 40 Address: 0x4005f8L
27221 Line: 42 Address: 0x4005ffL
27222 Line: 44 Address: 0x400608L
27223 Line: 42 Address: 0x40060cL
27224 Line: 45 Address: 0x400615L
27225 @end smallexample
27226
27227 In addition to being able to iterate over a @code{LineTable}, it also
27228 has the following direct access methods:
27229
27230 @defun LineTable.line (line)
27231 Return a Python @code{Tuple} of @code{LineTableEntry} objects for any
27232 entries in the line table for the given @var{line}. @var{line} refers
27233 to the source code line. If there are no entries for that source code
27234 @var{line}, the Python @code{None} is returned.
27235 @end defun
27236
27237 @defun LineTable.has_line (line)
27238 Return a Python @code{Boolean} indicating whether there is an entry in
27239 the line table for this source line. Return @code{True} if an entry
27240 is found, or @code{False} if not.
27241 @end defun
27242
27243 @defun LineTable.source_lines ()
27244 Return a Python @code{List} of the source line numbers in the symbol
27245 table. Only lines with executable code locations are returned. The
27246 contents of the @code{List} will just be the source line entries
27247 represented as Python @code{Long} values.
27248 @end defun
27249
27250 @node Breakpoints In Python
27251 @subsubsection Manipulating breakpoints using Python
27252
27253 @cindex breakpoints in python
27254 @tindex gdb.Breakpoint
27255
27256 Python code can manipulate breakpoints via the @code{gdb.Breakpoint}
27257 class.
27258
27259 @defun Breakpoint.__init__ (spec @r{[}, type @r{[}, wp_class @r{[},internal @r{[},temporary@r{]]]]})
27260 Create a new breakpoint. @var{spec} is a string naming the location
27261 of the breakpoint, or an expression that defines a watchpoint. The
27262 contents can be any location recognized by the @code{break} command,
27263 or in the case of a watchpoint, by the @code{watch} command. The
27264 optional @var{type} denotes the breakpoint to create from the types
27265 defined later in this chapter. This argument can be either:
27266 @code{gdb.BP_BREAKPOINT} or @code{gdb.BP_WATCHPOINT}. @var{type}
27267 defaults to @code{gdb.BP_BREAKPOINT}. The optional @var{internal}
27268 argument allows the breakpoint to become invisible to the user. The
27269 breakpoint will neither be reported when created, nor will it be
27270 listed in the output from @code{info breakpoints} (but will be listed
27271 with the @code{maint info breakpoints} command). The optional
27272 @var{temporary} argument makes the breakpoint a temporary breakpoint.
27273 Temporary breakpoints are deleted after they have been hit. Any
27274 further access to the Python breakpoint after it has been hit will
27275 result in a runtime error (as that breakpoint has now been
27276 automatically deleted). The optional @var{wp_class} argument defines
27277 the class of watchpoint to create, if @var{type} is
27278 @code{gdb.BP_WATCHPOINT}. If a watchpoint class is not provided, it
27279 is assumed to be a @code{gdb.WP_WRITE} class.
27280 @end defun
27281
27282 @defun Breakpoint.stop (self)
27283 The @code{gdb.Breakpoint} class can be sub-classed and, in
27284 particular, you may choose to implement the @code{stop} method.
27285 If this method is defined in a sub-class of @code{gdb.Breakpoint},
27286 it will be called when the inferior reaches any location of a
27287 breakpoint which instantiates that sub-class. If the method returns
27288 @code{True}, the inferior will be stopped at the location of the
27289 breakpoint, otherwise the inferior will continue.
27290
27291 If there are multiple breakpoints at the same location with a
27292 @code{stop} method, each one will be called regardless of the
27293 return status of the previous. This ensures that all @code{stop}
27294 methods have a chance to execute at that location. In this scenario
27295 if one of the methods returns @code{True} but the others return
27296 @code{False}, the inferior will still be stopped.
27297
27298 You should not alter the execution state of the inferior (i.e.@:, step,
27299 next, etc.), alter the current frame context (i.e.@:, change the current
27300 active frame), or alter, add or delete any breakpoint. As a general
27301 rule, you should not alter any data within @value{GDBN} or the inferior
27302 at this time.
27303
27304 Example @code{stop} implementation:
27305
27306 @smallexample
27307 class MyBreakpoint (gdb.Breakpoint):
27308 def stop (self):
27309 inf_val = gdb.parse_and_eval("foo")
27310 if inf_val == 3:
27311 return True
27312 return False
27313 @end smallexample
27314 @end defun
27315
27316 The available watchpoint types represented by constants are defined in the
27317 @code{gdb} module:
27318
27319 @table @code
27320 @findex WP_READ
27321 @findex gdb.WP_READ
27322 @item gdb.WP_READ
27323 Read only watchpoint.
27324
27325 @findex WP_WRITE
27326 @findex gdb.WP_WRITE
27327 @item gdb.WP_WRITE
27328 Write only watchpoint.
27329
27330 @findex WP_ACCESS
27331 @findex gdb.WP_ACCESS
27332 @item gdb.WP_ACCESS
27333 Read/Write watchpoint.
27334 @end table
27335
27336 @defun Breakpoint.is_valid ()
27337 Return @code{True} if this @code{Breakpoint} object is valid,
27338 @code{False} otherwise. A @code{Breakpoint} object can become invalid
27339 if the user deletes the breakpoint. In this case, the object still
27340 exists, but the underlying breakpoint does not. In the cases of
27341 watchpoint scope, the watchpoint remains valid even if execution of the
27342 inferior leaves the scope of that watchpoint.
27343 @end defun
27344
27345 @defun Breakpoint.delete
27346 Permanently deletes the @value{GDBN} breakpoint. This also
27347 invalidates the Python @code{Breakpoint} object. Any further access
27348 to this object's attributes or methods will raise an error.
27349 @end defun
27350
27351 @defvar Breakpoint.enabled
27352 This attribute is @code{True} if the breakpoint is enabled, and
27353 @code{False} otherwise. This attribute is writable.
27354 @end defvar
27355
27356 @defvar Breakpoint.silent
27357 This attribute is @code{True} if the breakpoint is silent, and
27358 @code{False} otherwise. This attribute is writable.
27359
27360 Note that a breakpoint can also be silent if it has commands and the
27361 first command is @code{silent}. This is not reported by the
27362 @code{silent} attribute.
27363 @end defvar
27364
27365 @defvar Breakpoint.thread
27366 If the breakpoint is thread-specific, this attribute holds the thread
27367 id. If the breakpoint is not thread-specific, this attribute is
27368 @code{None}. This attribute is writable.
27369 @end defvar
27370
27371 @defvar Breakpoint.task
27372 If the breakpoint is Ada task-specific, this attribute holds the Ada task
27373 id. If the breakpoint is not task-specific (or the underlying
27374 language is not Ada), this attribute is @code{None}. This attribute
27375 is writable.
27376 @end defvar
27377
27378 @defvar Breakpoint.ignore_count
27379 This attribute holds the ignore count for the breakpoint, an integer.
27380 This attribute is writable.
27381 @end defvar
27382
27383 @defvar Breakpoint.number
27384 This attribute holds the breakpoint's number --- the identifier used by
27385 the user to manipulate the breakpoint. This attribute is not writable.
27386 @end defvar
27387
27388 @defvar Breakpoint.type
27389 This attribute holds the breakpoint's type --- the identifier used to
27390 determine the actual breakpoint type or use-case. This attribute is not
27391 writable.
27392 @end defvar
27393
27394 @defvar Breakpoint.visible
27395 This attribute tells whether the breakpoint is visible to the user
27396 when set, or when the @samp{info breakpoints} command is run. This
27397 attribute is not writable.
27398 @end defvar
27399
27400 @defvar Breakpoint.temporary
27401 This attribute indicates whether the breakpoint was created as a
27402 temporary breakpoint. Temporary breakpoints are automatically deleted
27403 after that breakpoint has been hit. Access to this attribute, and all
27404 other attributes and functions other than the @code{is_valid}
27405 function, will result in an error after the breakpoint has been hit
27406 (as it has been automatically deleted). This attribute is not
27407 writable.
27408 @end defvar
27409
27410 The available types are represented by constants defined in the @code{gdb}
27411 module:
27412
27413 @table @code
27414 @findex BP_BREAKPOINT
27415 @findex gdb.BP_BREAKPOINT
27416 @item gdb.BP_BREAKPOINT
27417 Normal code breakpoint.
27418
27419 @findex BP_WATCHPOINT
27420 @findex gdb.BP_WATCHPOINT
27421 @item gdb.BP_WATCHPOINT
27422 Watchpoint breakpoint.
27423
27424 @findex BP_HARDWARE_WATCHPOINT
27425 @findex gdb.BP_HARDWARE_WATCHPOINT
27426 @item gdb.BP_HARDWARE_WATCHPOINT
27427 Hardware assisted watchpoint.
27428
27429 @findex BP_READ_WATCHPOINT
27430 @findex gdb.BP_READ_WATCHPOINT
27431 @item gdb.BP_READ_WATCHPOINT
27432 Hardware assisted read watchpoint.
27433
27434 @findex BP_ACCESS_WATCHPOINT
27435 @findex gdb.BP_ACCESS_WATCHPOINT
27436 @item gdb.BP_ACCESS_WATCHPOINT
27437 Hardware assisted access watchpoint.
27438 @end table
27439
27440 @defvar Breakpoint.hit_count
27441 This attribute holds the hit count for the breakpoint, an integer.
27442 This attribute is writable, but currently it can only be set to zero.
27443 @end defvar
27444
27445 @defvar Breakpoint.location
27446 This attribute holds the location of the breakpoint, as specified by
27447 the user. It is a string. If the breakpoint does not have a location
27448 (that is, it is a watchpoint) the attribute's value is @code{None}. This
27449 attribute is not writable.
27450 @end defvar
27451
27452 @defvar Breakpoint.expression
27453 This attribute holds a breakpoint expression, as specified by
27454 the user. It is a string. If the breakpoint does not have an
27455 expression (the breakpoint is not a watchpoint) the attribute's value
27456 is @code{None}. This attribute is not writable.
27457 @end defvar
27458
27459 @defvar Breakpoint.condition
27460 This attribute holds the condition of the breakpoint, as specified by
27461 the user. It is a string. If there is no condition, this attribute's
27462 value is @code{None}. This attribute is writable.
27463 @end defvar
27464
27465 @defvar Breakpoint.commands
27466 This attribute holds the commands attached to the breakpoint. If
27467 there are commands, this attribute's value is a string holding all the
27468 commands, separated by newlines. If there are no commands, this
27469 attribute is @code{None}. This attribute is not writable.
27470 @end defvar
27471
27472 @node Finish Breakpoints in Python
27473 @subsubsection Finish Breakpoints
27474
27475 @cindex python finish breakpoints
27476 @tindex gdb.FinishBreakpoint
27477
27478 A finish breakpoint is a temporary breakpoint set at the return address of
27479 a frame, based on the @code{finish} command. @code{gdb.FinishBreakpoint}
27480 extends @code{gdb.Breakpoint}. The underlying breakpoint will be disabled
27481 and deleted when the execution will run out of the breakpoint scope (i.e.@:
27482 @code{Breakpoint.stop} or @code{FinishBreakpoint.out_of_scope} triggered).
27483 Finish breakpoints are thread specific and must be create with the right
27484 thread selected.
27485
27486 @defun FinishBreakpoint.__init__ (@r{[}frame@r{]} @r{[}, internal@r{]})
27487 Create a finish breakpoint at the return address of the @code{gdb.Frame}
27488 object @var{frame}. If @var{frame} is not provided, this defaults to the
27489 newest frame. The optional @var{internal} argument allows the breakpoint to
27490 become invisible to the user. @xref{Breakpoints In Python}, for further
27491 details about this argument.
27492 @end defun
27493
27494 @defun FinishBreakpoint.out_of_scope (self)
27495 In some circumstances (e.g.@: @code{longjmp}, C@t{++} exceptions, @value{GDBN}
27496 @code{return} command, @dots{}), a function may not properly terminate, and
27497 thus never hit the finish breakpoint. When @value{GDBN} notices such a
27498 situation, the @code{out_of_scope} callback will be triggered.
27499
27500 You may want to sub-class @code{gdb.FinishBreakpoint} and override this
27501 method:
27502
27503 @smallexample
27504 class MyFinishBreakpoint (gdb.FinishBreakpoint)
27505 def stop (self):
27506 print "normal finish"
27507 return True
27508
27509 def out_of_scope ():
27510 print "abnormal finish"
27511 @end smallexample
27512 @end defun
27513
27514 @defvar FinishBreakpoint.return_value
27515 When @value{GDBN} is stopped at a finish breakpoint and the frame
27516 used to build the @code{gdb.FinishBreakpoint} object had debug symbols, this
27517 attribute will contain a @code{gdb.Value} object corresponding to the return
27518 value of the function. The value will be @code{None} if the function return
27519 type is @code{void} or if the return value was not computable. This attribute
27520 is not writable.
27521 @end defvar
27522
27523 @node Lazy Strings In Python
27524 @subsubsection Python representation of lazy strings.
27525
27526 @cindex lazy strings in python
27527 @tindex gdb.LazyString
27528
27529 A @dfn{lazy string} is a string whose contents is not retrieved or
27530 encoded until it is needed.
27531
27532 A @code{gdb.LazyString} is represented in @value{GDBN} as an
27533 @code{address} that points to a region of memory, an @code{encoding}
27534 that will be used to encode that region of memory, and a @code{length}
27535 to delimit the region of memory that represents the string. The
27536 difference between a @code{gdb.LazyString} and a string wrapped within
27537 a @code{gdb.Value} is that a @code{gdb.LazyString} will be treated
27538 differently by @value{GDBN} when printing. A @code{gdb.LazyString} is
27539 retrieved and encoded during printing, while a @code{gdb.Value}
27540 wrapping a string is immediately retrieved and encoded on creation.
27541
27542 A @code{gdb.LazyString} object has the following functions:
27543
27544 @defun LazyString.value ()
27545 Convert the @code{gdb.LazyString} to a @code{gdb.Value}. This value
27546 will point to the string in memory, but will lose all the delayed
27547 retrieval, encoding and handling that @value{GDBN} applies to a
27548 @code{gdb.LazyString}.
27549 @end defun
27550
27551 @defvar LazyString.address
27552 This attribute holds the address of the string. This attribute is not
27553 writable.
27554 @end defvar
27555
27556 @defvar LazyString.length
27557 This attribute holds the length of the string in characters. If the
27558 length is -1, then the string will be fetched and encoded up to the
27559 first null of appropriate width. This attribute is not writable.
27560 @end defvar
27561
27562 @defvar LazyString.encoding
27563 This attribute holds the encoding that will be applied to the string
27564 when the string is printed by @value{GDBN}. If the encoding is not
27565 set, or contains an empty string, then @value{GDBN} will select the
27566 most appropriate encoding when the string is printed. This attribute
27567 is not writable.
27568 @end defvar
27569
27570 @defvar LazyString.type
27571 This attribute holds the type that is represented by the lazy string's
27572 type. For a lazy string this will always be a pointer type. To
27573 resolve this to the lazy string's character type, use the type's
27574 @code{target} method. @xref{Types In Python}. This attribute is not
27575 writable.
27576 @end defvar
27577
27578 @node Architectures In Python
27579 @subsubsection Python representation of architectures
27580 @cindex Python architectures
27581
27582 @value{GDBN} uses architecture specific parameters and artifacts in a
27583 number of its various computations. An architecture is represented
27584 by an instance of the @code{gdb.Architecture} class.
27585
27586 A @code{gdb.Architecture} class has the following methods:
27587
27588 @defun Architecture.name ()
27589 Return the name (string value) of the architecture.
27590 @end defun
27591
27592 @defun Architecture.disassemble (@var{start_pc} @r{[}, @var{end_pc} @r{[}, @var{count}@r{]]})
27593 Return a list of disassembled instructions starting from the memory
27594 address @var{start_pc}. The optional arguments @var{end_pc} and
27595 @var{count} determine the number of instructions in the returned list.
27596 If both the optional arguments @var{end_pc} and @var{count} are
27597 specified, then a list of at most @var{count} disassembled instructions
27598 whose start address falls in the closed memory address interval from
27599 @var{start_pc} to @var{end_pc} are returned. If @var{end_pc} is not
27600 specified, but @var{count} is specified, then @var{count} number of
27601 instructions starting from the address @var{start_pc} are returned. If
27602 @var{count} is not specified but @var{end_pc} is specified, then all
27603 instructions whose start address falls in the closed memory address
27604 interval from @var{start_pc} to @var{end_pc} are returned. If neither
27605 @var{end_pc} nor @var{count} are specified, then a single instruction at
27606 @var{start_pc} is returned. For all of these cases, each element of the
27607 returned list is a Python @code{dict} with the following string keys:
27608
27609 @table @code
27610
27611 @item addr
27612 The value corresponding to this key is a Python long integer capturing
27613 the memory address of the instruction.
27614
27615 @item asm
27616 The value corresponding to this key is a string value which represents
27617 the instruction with assembly language mnemonics. The assembly
27618 language flavor used is the same as that specified by the current CLI
27619 variable @code{disassembly-flavor}. @xref{Machine Code}.
27620
27621 @item length
27622 The value corresponding to this key is the length (integer value) of the
27623 instruction in bytes.
27624
27625 @end table
27626 @end defun
27627
27628 @node Python Auto-loading
27629 @subsection Python Auto-loading
27630 @cindex Python auto-loading
27631
27632 When a new object file is read (for example, due to the @code{file}
27633 command, or because the inferior has loaded a shared library),
27634 @value{GDBN} will look for Python support scripts in several ways:
27635 @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.py} and @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} section.
27636 @xref{Auto-loading extensions}.
27637
27638 The auto-loading feature is useful for supplying application-specific
27639 debugging commands and scripts.
27640
27641 Auto-loading can be enabled or disabled,
27642 and the list of auto-loaded scripts can be printed.
27643
27644 @table @code
27645 @anchor{set auto-load python-scripts}
27646 @kindex set auto-load python-scripts
27647 @item set auto-load python-scripts [on|off]
27648 Enable or disable the auto-loading of Python scripts.
27649
27650 @anchor{show auto-load python-scripts}
27651 @kindex show auto-load python-scripts
27652 @item show auto-load python-scripts
27653 Show whether auto-loading of Python scripts is enabled or disabled.
27654
27655 @anchor{info auto-load python-scripts}
27656 @kindex info auto-load python-scripts
27657 @cindex print list of auto-loaded Python scripts
27658 @item info auto-load python-scripts [@var{regexp}]
27659 Print the list of all Python scripts that @value{GDBN} auto-loaded.
27660
27661 Also printed is the list of Python scripts that were mentioned in
27662 the @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} section and were not found
27663 (@pxref{dotdebug_gdb_scripts section}).
27664 This is useful because their names are not printed when @value{GDBN}
27665 tries to load them and fails. There may be many of them, and printing
27666 an error message for each one is problematic.
27667
27668 If @var{regexp} is supplied only Python scripts with matching names are printed.
27669
27670 Example:
27671
27672 @smallexample
27673 (gdb) info auto-load python-scripts
27674 Loaded Script
27675 Yes py-section-script.py
27676 full name: /tmp/py-section-script.py
27677 No my-foo-pretty-printers.py
27678 @end smallexample
27679 @end table
27680
27681 When reading an auto-loaded file, @value{GDBN} sets the
27682 @dfn{current objfile}. This is available via the @code{gdb.current_objfile}
27683 function (@pxref{Objfiles In Python}). This can be useful for
27684 registering objfile-specific pretty-printers and frame-filters.
27685
27686 @node Python modules
27687 @subsection Python modules
27688 @cindex python modules
27689
27690 @value{GDBN} comes with several modules to assist writing Python code.
27691
27692 @menu
27693 * gdb.printing:: Building and registering pretty-printers.
27694 * gdb.types:: Utilities for working with types.
27695 * gdb.prompt:: Utilities for prompt value substitution.
27696 @end menu
27697
27698 @node gdb.printing
27699 @subsubsection gdb.printing
27700 @cindex gdb.printing
27701
27702 This module provides a collection of utilities for working with
27703 pretty-printers.
27704
27705 @table @code
27706 @item PrettyPrinter (@var{name}, @var{subprinters}=None)
27707 This class specifies the API that makes @samp{info pretty-printer},
27708 @samp{enable pretty-printer} and @samp{disable pretty-printer} work.
27709 Pretty-printers should generally inherit from this class.
27710
27711 @item SubPrettyPrinter (@var{name})
27712 For printers that handle multiple types, this class specifies the
27713 corresponding API for the subprinters.
27714
27715 @item RegexpCollectionPrettyPrinter (@var{name})
27716 Utility class for handling multiple printers, all recognized via
27717 regular expressions.
27718 @xref{Writing a Pretty-Printer}, for an example.
27719
27720 @item FlagEnumerationPrinter (@var{name})
27721 A pretty-printer which handles printing of @code{enum} values. Unlike
27722 @value{GDBN}'s built-in @code{enum} printing, this printer attempts to
27723 work properly when there is some overlap between the enumeration
27724 constants. @var{name} is the name of the printer and also the name of
27725 the @code{enum} type to look up.
27726
27727 @item register_pretty_printer (@var{obj}, @var{printer}, @var{replace}=False)
27728 Register @var{printer} with the pretty-printer list of @var{obj}.
27729 If @var{replace} is @code{True} then any existing copy of the printer
27730 is replaced. Otherwise a @code{RuntimeError} exception is raised
27731 if a printer with the same name already exists.
27732 @end table
27733
27734 @node gdb.types
27735 @subsubsection gdb.types
27736 @cindex gdb.types
27737
27738 This module provides a collection of utilities for working with
27739 @code{gdb.Type} objects.
27740
27741 @table @code
27742 @item get_basic_type (@var{type})
27743 Return @var{type} with const and volatile qualifiers stripped,
27744 and with typedefs and C@t{++} references converted to the underlying type.
27745
27746 C@t{++} example:
27747
27748 @smallexample
27749 typedef const int const_int;
27750 const_int foo (3);
27751 const_int& foo_ref (foo);
27752 int main () @{ return 0; @}
27753 @end smallexample
27754
27755 Then in gdb:
27756
27757 @smallexample
27758 (gdb) start
27759 (gdb) python import gdb.types
27760 (gdb) python foo_ref = gdb.parse_and_eval("foo_ref")
27761 (gdb) python print gdb.types.get_basic_type(foo_ref.type)
27762 int
27763 @end smallexample
27764
27765 @item has_field (@var{type}, @var{field})
27766 Return @code{True} if @var{type}, assumed to be a type with fields
27767 (e.g., a structure or union), has field @var{field}.
27768
27769 @item make_enum_dict (@var{enum_type})
27770 Return a Python @code{dictionary} type produced from @var{enum_type}.
27771
27772 @item deep_items (@var{type})
27773 Returns a Python iterator similar to the standard
27774 @code{gdb.Type.iteritems} method, except that the iterator returned
27775 by @code{deep_items} will recursively traverse anonymous struct or
27776 union fields. For example:
27777
27778 @smallexample
27779 struct A
27780 @{
27781 int a;
27782 union @{
27783 int b0;
27784 int b1;
27785 @};
27786 @};
27787 @end smallexample
27788
27789 @noindent
27790 Then in @value{GDBN}:
27791 @smallexample
27792 (@value{GDBP}) python import gdb.types
27793 (@value{GDBP}) python struct_a = gdb.lookup_type("struct A")
27794 (@value{GDBP}) python print struct_a.keys ()
27795 @{['a', '']@}
27796 (@value{GDBP}) python print [k for k,v in gdb.types.deep_items(struct_a)]
27797 @{['a', 'b0', 'b1']@}
27798 @end smallexample
27799
27800 @item get_type_recognizers ()
27801 Return a list of the enabled type recognizers for the current context.
27802 This is called by @value{GDBN} during the type-printing process
27803 (@pxref{Type Printing API}).
27804
27805 @item apply_type_recognizers (recognizers, type_obj)
27806 Apply the type recognizers, @var{recognizers}, to the type object
27807 @var{type_obj}. If any recognizer returns a string, return that
27808 string. Otherwise, return @code{None}. This is called by
27809 @value{GDBN} during the type-printing process (@pxref{Type Printing
27810 API}).
27811
27812 @item register_type_printer (locus, printer)
27813 This is a convenience function to register a type printer.
27814 @var{printer} is the type printer to register. It must implement the
27815 type printer protocol. @var{locus} is either a @code{gdb.Objfile}, in
27816 which case the printer is registered with that objfile; a
27817 @code{gdb.Progspace}, in which case the printer is registered with
27818 that progspace; or @code{None}, in which case the printer is
27819 registered globally.
27820
27821 @item TypePrinter
27822 This is a base class that implements the type printer protocol. Type
27823 printers are encouraged, but not required, to derive from this class.
27824 It defines a constructor:
27825
27826 @defmethod TypePrinter __init__ (self, name)
27827 Initialize the type printer with the given name. The new printer
27828 starts in the enabled state.
27829 @end defmethod
27830
27831 @end table
27832
27833 @node gdb.prompt
27834 @subsubsection gdb.prompt
27835 @cindex gdb.prompt
27836
27837 This module provides a method for prompt value-substitution.
27838
27839 @table @code
27840 @item substitute_prompt (@var{string})
27841 Return @var{string} with escape sequences substituted by values. Some
27842 escape sequences take arguments. You can specify arguments inside
27843 ``@{@}'' immediately following the escape sequence.
27844
27845 The escape sequences you can pass to this function are:
27846
27847 @table @code
27848 @item \\
27849 Substitute a backslash.
27850 @item \e
27851 Substitute an ESC character.
27852 @item \f
27853 Substitute the selected frame; an argument names a frame parameter.
27854 @item \n
27855 Substitute a newline.
27856 @item \p
27857 Substitute a parameter's value; the argument names the parameter.
27858 @item \r
27859 Substitute a carriage return.
27860 @item \t
27861 Substitute the selected thread; an argument names a thread parameter.
27862 @item \v
27863 Substitute the version of GDB.
27864 @item \w
27865 Substitute the current working directory.
27866 @item \[
27867 Begin a sequence of non-printing characters. These sequences are
27868 typically used with the ESC character, and are not counted in the string
27869 length. Example: ``\[\e[0;34m\](gdb)\[\e[0m\]'' will return a
27870 blue-colored ``(gdb)'' prompt where the length is five.
27871 @item \]
27872 End a sequence of non-printing characters.
27873 @end table
27874
27875 For example:
27876
27877 @smallexample
27878 substitute_prompt (``frame: \f,
27879 print arguments: \p@{print frame-arguments@}'')
27880 @end smallexample
27881
27882 @exdent will return the string:
27883
27884 @smallexample
27885 "frame: main, print arguments: scalars"
27886 @end smallexample
27887 @end table
27888
27889 @node Auto-loading extensions
27890 @section Auto-loading extensions
27891 @cindex auto-loading extensions
27892
27893 @value{GDBN} provides two mechanisms for automatically loading extensions
27894 when a new object file is read (for example, due to the @code{file}
27895 command, or because the inferior has loaded a shared library):
27896 @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.@var{ext}} and the @code{.debug_gdb_scripts}
27897 section of modern file formats like ELF.
27898
27899 @menu
27900 * objfile-gdb.ext file: objfile-gdbdotext file. The @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.@var{ext}} file
27901 * .debug_gdb_scripts section: dotdebug_gdb_scripts section. The @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} section
27902 * Which flavor to choose?::
27903 @end menu
27904
27905 The auto-loading feature is useful for supplying application-specific
27906 debugging commands and features.
27907
27908 Auto-loading can be enabled or disabled,
27909 and the list of auto-loaded scripts can be printed.
27910 See the @samp{auto-loading} section of each extension language
27911 for more information.
27912 For @value{GDBN} command files see @ref{Auto-loading sequences}.
27913 For Python files see @ref{Python Auto-loading}.
27914
27915 Note that loading of this script file also requires accordingly configured
27916 @code{auto-load safe-path} (@pxref{Auto-loading safe path}).
27917
27918 @node objfile-gdbdotext file
27919 @subsection The @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.@var{ext}} file
27920 @cindex @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.gdb}
27921 @cindex @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.py}
27922 @cindex @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.scm}
27923
27924 When a new object file is read, @value{GDBN} looks for a file named
27925 @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.@var{ext}} (we call it @var{script-name} below),
27926 where @var{objfile} is the object file's name and
27927 where @var{ext} is the file extension for the extension language:
27928
27929 @table @code
27930 @item @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.gdb}
27931 GDB's own command language
27932 @item @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.py}
27933 Python
27934 @end table
27935
27936 @var{script-name} is formed by ensuring that the file name of @var{objfile}
27937 is absolute, following all symlinks, and resolving @code{.} and @code{..}
27938 components, and appending the @file{-gdb.@var{ext}} suffix.
27939 If this file exists and is readable, @value{GDBN} will evaluate it as a
27940 script in the specified extension language.
27941
27942 If this file does not exist, then @value{GDBN} will look for
27943 @var{script-name} file in all of the directories as specified below.
27944
27945 Note that loading of these files requires an accordingly configured
27946 @code{auto-load safe-path} (@pxref{Auto-loading safe path}).
27947
27948 For object files using @file{.exe} suffix @value{GDBN} tries to load first the
27949 scripts normally according to its @file{.exe} filename. But if no scripts are
27950 found @value{GDBN} also tries script filenames matching the object file without
27951 its @file{.exe} suffix. This @file{.exe} stripping is case insensitive and it
27952 is attempted on any platform. This makes the script filenames compatible
27953 between Unix and MS-Windows hosts.
27954
27955 @table @code
27956 @anchor{set auto-load scripts-directory}
27957 @kindex set auto-load scripts-directory
27958 @item set auto-load scripts-directory @r{[}@var{directories}@r{]}
27959 Control @value{GDBN} auto-loaded scripts location. Multiple directory entries
27960 may be delimited by the host platform path separator in use
27961 (@samp{:} on Unix, @samp{;} on MS-Windows and MS-DOS).
27962
27963 Each entry here needs to be covered also by the security setting
27964 @code{set auto-load safe-path} (@pxref{set auto-load safe-path}).
27965
27966 @anchor{with-auto-load-dir}
27967 This variable defaults to @file{$debugdir:$datadir/auto-load}. The default
27968 @code{set auto-load safe-path} value can be also overriden by @value{GDBN}
27969 configuration option @option{--with-auto-load-dir}.
27970
27971 Any reference to @file{$debugdir} will get replaced by
27972 @var{debug-file-directory} value (@pxref{Separate Debug Files}) and any
27973 reference to @file{$datadir} will get replaced by @var{data-directory} which is
27974 determined at @value{GDBN} startup (@pxref{Data Files}). @file{$debugdir} and
27975 @file{$datadir} must be placed as a directory component --- either alone or
27976 delimited by @file{/} or @file{\} directory separators, depending on the host
27977 platform.
27978
27979 The list of directories uses path separator (@samp{:} on GNU and Unix
27980 systems, @samp{;} on MS-Windows and MS-DOS) to separate directories, similarly
27981 to the @env{PATH} environment variable.
27982
27983 @anchor{show auto-load scripts-directory}
27984 @kindex show auto-load scripts-directory
27985 @item show auto-load scripts-directory
27986 Show @value{GDBN} auto-loaded scripts location.
27987 @end table
27988
27989 @value{GDBN} does not track which files it has already auto-loaded this way.
27990 @value{GDBN} will load the associated script every time the corresponding
27991 @var{objfile} is opened.
27992 So your @file{-gdb.@var{ext}} file should be careful to avoid errors if it
27993 is evaluated more than once.
27994
27995 @node dotdebug_gdb_scripts section
27996 @subsection The @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} section
27997 @cindex @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} section
27998
27999 For systems using file formats like ELF and COFF,
28000 when @value{GDBN} loads a new object file
28001 it will look for a special section named @code{.debug_gdb_scripts}.
28002 If this section exists, its contents is a list of NUL-terminated names
28003 of scripts to load. Each entry begins with a non-NULL prefix byte that
28004 specifies the kind of entry, typically the extension language.
28005
28006 @value{GDBN} will look for each specified script file first in the
28007 current directory and then along the source search path
28008 (@pxref{Source Path, ,Specifying Source Directories}),
28009 except that @file{$cdir} is not searched, since the compilation
28010 directory is not relevant to scripts.
28011
28012 Entries can be placed in section @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} with,
28013 for example, this GCC macro for Python scripts.
28014
28015 @example
28016 /* Note: The "MS" section flags are to remove duplicates. */
28017 #define DEFINE_GDB_PY_SCRIPT(script_name) \
28018 asm("\
28019 .pushsection \".debug_gdb_scripts\", \"MS\",@@progbits,1\n\
28020 .byte 1 /* Python */\n\
28021 .asciz \"" script_name "\"\n\
28022 .popsection \n\
28023 ");
28024 @end example
28025
28026 @noindent
28027 Then one can reference the macro in a header or source file like this:
28028
28029 @example
28030 DEFINE_GDB_PY_SCRIPT ("my-app-scripts.py")
28031 @end example
28032
28033 The script name may include directories if desired.
28034
28035 Note that loading of this script file also requires accordingly configured
28036 @code{auto-load safe-path} (@pxref{Auto-loading safe path}).
28037
28038 If the macro invocation is put in a header, any application or library
28039 using this header will get a reference to the specified script,
28040 and with the use of @code{"MS"} attributes on the section, the linker
28041 will remove duplicates.
28042
28043 @node Which flavor to choose?
28044 @subsection Which flavor to choose?
28045
28046 Given the multiple ways of auto-loading extensions, it might not always
28047 be clear which one to choose. This section provides some guidance.
28048
28049 @noindent
28050 Benefits of the @file{-gdb.@var{ext}} way:
28051
28052 @itemize @bullet
28053 @item
28054 Can be used with file formats that don't support multiple sections.
28055
28056 @item
28057 Ease of finding scripts for public libraries.
28058
28059 Scripts specified in the @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} section are searched for
28060 in the source search path.
28061 For publicly installed libraries, e.g., @file{libstdc++}, there typically
28062 isn't a source directory in which to find the script.
28063
28064 @item
28065 Doesn't require source code additions.
28066 @end itemize
28067
28068 @noindent
28069 Benefits of the @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} way:
28070
28071 @itemize @bullet
28072 @item
28073 Works with static linking.
28074
28075 Scripts for libraries done the @file{-gdb.@var{ext}} way require an objfile to
28076 trigger their loading. When an application is statically linked the only
28077 objfile available is the executable, and it is cumbersome to attach all the
28078 scripts from all the input libraries to the executable's
28079 @file{-gdb.@var{ext}} script.
28080
28081 @item
28082 Works with classes that are entirely inlined.
28083
28084 Some classes can be entirely inlined, and thus there may not be an associated
28085 shared library to attach a @file{-gdb.@var{ext}} script to.
28086
28087 @item
28088 Scripts needn't be copied out of the source tree.
28089
28090 In some circumstances, apps can be built out of large collections of internal
28091 libraries, and the build infrastructure necessary to install the
28092 @file{-gdb.@var{ext}} scripts in a place where @value{GDBN} can find them is
28093 cumbersome. It may be easier to specify the scripts in the
28094 @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} section as relative paths, and add a path to the
28095 top of the source tree to the source search path.
28096 @end itemize
28097
28098 @node Aliases
28099 @section Creating new spellings of existing commands
28100 @cindex aliases for commands
28101
28102 It is often useful to define alternate spellings of existing commands.
28103 For example, if a new @value{GDBN} command defined in Python has
28104 a long name to type, it is handy to have an abbreviated version of it
28105 that involves less typing.
28106
28107 @value{GDBN} itself uses aliases. For example @samp{s} is an alias
28108 of the @samp{step} command even though it is otherwise an ambiguous
28109 abbreviation of other commands like @samp{set} and @samp{show}.
28110
28111 Aliases are also used to provide shortened or more common versions
28112 of multi-word commands. For example, @value{GDBN} provides the
28113 @samp{tty} alias of the @samp{set inferior-tty} command.
28114
28115 You can define a new alias with the @samp{alias} command.
28116
28117 @table @code
28118
28119 @kindex alias
28120 @item alias [-a] [--] @var{ALIAS} = @var{COMMAND}
28121
28122 @end table
28123
28124 @var{ALIAS} specifies the name of the new alias.
28125 Each word of @var{ALIAS} must consist of letters, numbers, dashes and
28126 underscores.
28127
28128 @var{COMMAND} specifies the name of an existing command
28129 that is being aliased.
28130
28131 The @samp{-a} option specifies that the new alias is an abbreviation
28132 of the command. Abbreviations are not shown in command
28133 lists displayed by the @samp{help} command.
28134
28135 The @samp{--} option specifies the end of options,
28136 and is useful when @var{ALIAS} begins with a dash.
28137
28138 Here is a simple example showing how to make an abbreviation
28139 of a command so that there is less to type.
28140 Suppose you were tired of typing @samp{disas}, the current
28141 shortest unambiguous abbreviation of the @samp{disassemble} command
28142 and you wanted an even shorter version named @samp{di}.
28143 The following will accomplish this.
28144
28145 @smallexample
28146 (gdb) alias -a di = disas
28147 @end smallexample
28148
28149 Note that aliases are different from user-defined commands.
28150 With a user-defined command, you also need to write documentation
28151 for it with the @samp{document} command.
28152 An alias automatically picks up the documentation of the existing command.
28153
28154 Here is an example where we make @samp{elms} an abbreviation of
28155 @samp{elements} in the @samp{set print elements} command.
28156 This is to show that you can make an abbreviation of any part
28157 of a command.
28158
28159 @smallexample
28160 (gdb) alias -a set print elms = set print elements
28161 (gdb) alias -a show print elms = show print elements
28162 (gdb) set p elms 20
28163 (gdb) show p elms
28164 Limit on string chars or array elements to print is 200.
28165 @end smallexample
28166
28167 Note that if you are defining an alias of a @samp{set} command,
28168 and you want to have an alias for the corresponding @samp{show}
28169 command, then you need to define the latter separately.
28170
28171 Unambiguously abbreviated commands are allowed in @var{COMMAND} and
28172 @var{ALIAS}, just as they are normally.
28173
28174 @smallexample
28175 (gdb) alias -a set pr elms = set p ele
28176 @end smallexample
28177
28178 Finally, here is an example showing the creation of a one word
28179 alias for a more complex command.
28180 This creates alias @samp{spe} of the command @samp{set print elements}.
28181
28182 @smallexample
28183 (gdb) alias spe = set print elements
28184 (gdb) spe 20
28185 @end smallexample
28186
28187 @node Interpreters
28188 @chapter Command Interpreters
28189 @cindex command interpreters
28190
28191 @value{GDBN} supports multiple command interpreters, and some command
28192 infrastructure to allow users or user interface writers to switch
28193 between interpreters or run commands in other interpreters.
28194
28195 @value{GDBN} currently supports two command interpreters, the console
28196 interpreter (sometimes called the command-line interpreter or @sc{cli})
28197 and the machine interface interpreter (or @sc{gdb/mi}). This manual
28198 describes both of these interfaces in great detail.
28199
28200 By default, @value{GDBN} will start with the console interpreter.
28201 However, the user may choose to start @value{GDBN} with another
28202 interpreter by specifying the @option{-i} or @option{--interpreter}
28203 startup options. Defined interpreters include:
28204
28205 @table @code
28206 @item console
28207 @cindex console interpreter
28208 The traditional console or command-line interpreter. This is the most often
28209 used interpreter with @value{GDBN}. With no interpreter specified at runtime,
28210 @value{GDBN} will use this interpreter.
28211
28212 @item mi
28213 @cindex mi interpreter
28214 The newest @sc{gdb/mi} interface (currently @code{mi2}). Used primarily
28215 by programs wishing to use @value{GDBN} as a backend for a debugger GUI
28216 or an IDE. For more information, see @ref{GDB/MI, ,The @sc{gdb/mi}
28217 Interface}.
28218
28219 @item mi2
28220 @cindex mi2 interpreter
28221 The current @sc{gdb/mi} interface.
28222
28223 @item mi1
28224 @cindex mi1 interpreter
28225 The @sc{gdb/mi} interface included in @value{GDBN} 5.1, 5.2, and 5.3.
28226
28227 @end table
28228
28229 @cindex invoke another interpreter
28230 The interpreter being used by @value{GDBN} may not be dynamically
28231 switched at runtime. Although possible, this could lead to a very
28232 precarious situation. Consider an IDE using @sc{gdb/mi}. If a user
28233 enters the command "interpreter-set console" in a console view,
28234 @value{GDBN} would switch to using the console interpreter, rendering
28235 the IDE inoperable!
28236
28237 @kindex interpreter-exec
28238 Although you may only choose a single interpreter at startup, you may execute
28239 commands in any interpreter from the current interpreter using the appropriate
28240 command. If you are running the console interpreter, simply use the
28241 @code{interpreter-exec} command:
28242
28243 @smallexample
28244 interpreter-exec mi "-data-list-register-names"
28245 @end smallexample
28246
28247 @sc{gdb/mi} has a similar command, although it is only available in versions of
28248 @value{GDBN} which support @sc{gdb/mi} version 2 (or greater).
28249
28250 @node TUI
28251 @chapter @value{GDBN} Text User Interface
28252 @cindex TUI
28253 @cindex Text User Interface
28254
28255 @menu
28256 * TUI Overview:: TUI overview
28257 * TUI Keys:: TUI key bindings
28258 * TUI Single Key Mode:: TUI single key mode
28259 * TUI Commands:: TUI-specific commands
28260 * TUI Configuration:: TUI configuration variables
28261 @end menu
28262
28263 The @value{GDBN} Text User Interface (TUI) is a terminal
28264 interface which uses the @code{curses} library to show the source
28265 file, the assembly output, the program registers and @value{GDBN}
28266 commands in separate text windows. The TUI mode is supported only
28267 on platforms where a suitable version of the @code{curses} library
28268 is available.
28269
28270 The TUI mode is enabled by default when you invoke @value{GDBN} as
28271 @samp{@value{GDBP} -tui}.
28272 You can also switch in and out of TUI mode while @value{GDBN} runs by
28273 using various TUI commands and key bindings, such as @kbd{C-x C-a}.
28274 @xref{TUI Keys, ,TUI Key Bindings}.
28275
28276 @node TUI Overview
28277 @section TUI Overview
28278
28279 In TUI mode, @value{GDBN} can display several text windows:
28280
28281 @table @emph
28282 @item command
28283 This window is the @value{GDBN} command window with the @value{GDBN}
28284 prompt and the @value{GDBN} output. The @value{GDBN} input is still
28285 managed using readline.
28286
28287 @item source
28288 The source window shows the source file of the program. The current
28289 line and active breakpoints are displayed in this window.
28290
28291 @item assembly
28292 The assembly window shows the disassembly output of the program.
28293
28294 @item register
28295 This window shows the processor registers. Registers are highlighted
28296 when their values change.
28297 @end table
28298
28299 The source and assembly windows show the current program position
28300 by highlighting the current line and marking it with a @samp{>} marker.
28301 Breakpoints are indicated with two markers. The first marker
28302 indicates the breakpoint type:
28303
28304 @table @code
28305 @item B
28306 Breakpoint which was hit at least once.
28307
28308 @item b
28309 Breakpoint which was never hit.
28310
28311 @item H
28312 Hardware breakpoint which was hit at least once.
28313
28314 @item h
28315 Hardware breakpoint which was never hit.
28316 @end table
28317
28318 The second marker indicates whether the breakpoint is enabled or not:
28319
28320 @table @code
28321 @item +
28322 Breakpoint is enabled.
28323
28324 @item -
28325 Breakpoint is disabled.
28326 @end table
28327
28328 The source, assembly and register windows are updated when the current
28329 thread changes, when the frame changes, or when the program counter
28330 changes.
28331
28332 These windows are not all visible at the same time. The command
28333 window is always visible. The others can be arranged in several
28334 layouts:
28335
28336 @itemize @bullet
28337 @item
28338 source only,
28339
28340 @item
28341 assembly only,
28342
28343 @item
28344 source and assembly,
28345
28346 @item
28347 source and registers, or
28348
28349 @item
28350 assembly and registers.
28351 @end itemize
28352
28353 A status line above the command window shows the following information:
28354
28355 @table @emph
28356 @item target
28357 Indicates the current @value{GDBN} target.
28358 (@pxref{Targets, ,Specifying a Debugging Target}).
28359
28360 @item process
28361 Gives the current process or thread number.
28362 When no process is being debugged, this field is set to @code{No process}.
28363
28364 @item function
28365 Gives the current function name for the selected frame.
28366 The name is demangled if demangling is turned on (@pxref{Print Settings}).
28367 When there is no symbol corresponding to the current program counter,
28368 the string @code{??} is displayed.
28369
28370 @item line
28371 Indicates the current line number for the selected frame.
28372 When the current line number is not known, the string @code{??} is displayed.
28373
28374 @item pc
28375 Indicates the current program counter address.
28376 @end table
28377
28378 @node TUI Keys
28379 @section TUI Key Bindings
28380 @cindex TUI key bindings
28381
28382 The TUI installs several key bindings in the readline keymaps
28383 @ifset SYSTEM_READLINE
28384 (@pxref{Command Line Editing, , , rluserman, GNU Readline Library}).
28385 @end ifset
28386 @ifclear SYSTEM_READLINE
28387 (@pxref{Command Line Editing}).
28388 @end ifclear
28389 The following key bindings are installed for both TUI mode and the
28390 @value{GDBN} standard mode.
28391
28392 @table @kbd
28393 @kindex C-x C-a
28394 @item C-x C-a
28395 @kindex C-x a
28396 @itemx C-x a
28397 @kindex C-x A
28398 @itemx C-x A
28399 Enter or leave the TUI mode. When leaving the TUI mode,
28400 the curses window management stops and @value{GDBN} operates using
28401 its standard mode, writing on the terminal directly. When reentering
28402 the TUI mode, control is given back to the curses windows.
28403 The screen is then refreshed.
28404
28405 @kindex C-x 1
28406 @item C-x 1
28407 Use a TUI layout with only one window. The layout will
28408 either be @samp{source} or @samp{assembly}. When the TUI mode
28409 is not active, it will switch to the TUI mode.
28410
28411 Think of this key binding as the Emacs @kbd{C-x 1} binding.
28412
28413 @kindex C-x 2
28414 @item C-x 2
28415 Use a TUI layout with at least two windows. When the current
28416 layout already has two windows, the next layout with two windows is used.
28417 When a new layout is chosen, one window will always be common to the
28418 previous layout and the new one.
28419
28420 Think of it as the Emacs @kbd{C-x 2} binding.
28421
28422 @kindex C-x o
28423 @item C-x o
28424 Change the active window. The TUI associates several key bindings
28425 (like scrolling and arrow keys) with the active window. This command
28426 gives the focus to the next TUI window.
28427
28428 Think of it as the Emacs @kbd{C-x o} binding.
28429
28430 @kindex C-x s
28431 @item C-x s
28432 Switch in and out of the TUI SingleKey mode that binds single
28433 keys to @value{GDBN} commands (@pxref{TUI Single Key Mode}).
28434 @end table
28435
28436 The following key bindings only work in the TUI mode:
28437
28438 @table @asis
28439 @kindex PgUp
28440 @item @key{PgUp}
28441 Scroll the active window one page up.
28442
28443 @kindex PgDn
28444 @item @key{PgDn}
28445 Scroll the active window one page down.
28446
28447 @kindex Up
28448 @item @key{Up}
28449 Scroll the active window one line up.
28450
28451 @kindex Down
28452 @item @key{Down}
28453 Scroll the active window one line down.
28454
28455 @kindex Left
28456 @item @key{Left}
28457 Scroll the active window one column left.
28458
28459 @kindex Right
28460 @item @key{Right}
28461 Scroll the active window one column right.
28462
28463 @kindex C-L
28464 @item @kbd{C-L}
28465 Refresh the screen.
28466 @end table
28467
28468 Because the arrow keys scroll the active window in the TUI mode, they
28469 are not available for their normal use by readline unless the command
28470 window has the focus. When another window is active, you must use
28471 other readline key bindings such as @kbd{C-p}, @kbd{C-n}, @kbd{C-b}
28472 and @kbd{C-f} to control the command window.
28473
28474 @node TUI Single Key Mode
28475 @section TUI Single Key Mode
28476 @cindex TUI single key mode
28477
28478 The TUI also provides a @dfn{SingleKey} mode, which binds several
28479 frequently used @value{GDBN} commands to single keys. Type @kbd{C-x s} to
28480 switch into this mode, where the following key bindings are used:
28481
28482 @table @kbd
28483 @kindex c @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
28484 @item c
28485 continue
28486
28487 @kindex d @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
28488 @item d
28489 down
28490
28491 @kindex f @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
28492 @item f
28493 finish
28494
28495 @kindex n @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
28496 @item n
28497 next
28498
28499 @kindex q @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
28500 @item q
28501 exit the SingleKey mode.
28502
28503 @kindex r @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
28504 @item r
28505 run
28506
28507 @kindex s @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
28508 @item s
28509 step
28510
28511 @kindex u @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
28512 @item u
28513 up
28514
28515 @kindex v @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
28516 @item v
28517 info locals
28518
28519 @kindex w @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
28520 @item w
28521 where
28522 @end table
28523
28524 Other keys temporarily switch to the @value{GDBN} command prompt.
28525 The key that was pressed is inserted in the editing buffer so that
28526 it is possible to type most @value{GDBN} commands without interaction
28527 with the TUI SingleKey mode. Once the command is entered the TUI
28528 SingleKey mode is restored. The only way to permanently leave
28529 this mode is by typing @kbd{q} or @kbd{C-x s}.
28530
28531
28532 @node TUI Commands
28533 @section TUI-specific Commands
28534 @cindex TUI commands
28535
28536 The TUI has specific commands to control the text windows.
28537 These commands are always available, even when @value{GDBN} is not in
28538 the TUI mode. When @value{GDBN} is in the standard mode, most
28539 of these commands will automatically switch to the TUI mode.
28540
28541 Note that if @value{GDBN}'s @code{stdout} is not connected to a
28542 terminal, or @value{GDBN} has been started with the machine interface
28543 interpreter (@pxref{GDB/MI, ,The @sc{gdb/mi} Interface}), most of
28544 these commands will fail with an error, because it would not be
28545 possible or desirable to enable curses window management.
28546
28547 @table @code
28548 @item info win
28549 @kindex info win
28550 List and give the size of all displayed windows.
28551
28552 @item layout next
28553 @kindex layout
28554 Display the next layout.
28555
28556 @item layout prev
28557 Display the previous layout.
28558
28559 @item layout src
28560 Display the source window only.
28561
28562 @item layout asm
28563 Display the assembly window only.
28564
28565 @item layout split
28566 Display the source and assembly window.
28567
28568 @item layout regs
28569 Display the register window together with the source or assembly window.
28570
28571 @item focus next
28572 @kindex focus
28573 Make the next window active for scrolling.
28574
28575 @item focus prev
28576 Make the previous window active for scrolling.
28577
28578 @item focus src
28579 Make the source window active for scrolling.
28580
28581 @item focus asm
28582 Make the assembly window active for scrolling.
28583
28584 @item focus regs
28585 Make the register window active for scrolling.
28586
28587 @item focus cmd
28588 Make the command window active for scrolling.
28589
28590 @item refresh
28591 @kindex refresh
28592 Refresh the screen. This is similar to typing @kbd{C-L}.
28593
28594 @item tui reg float
28595 @kindex tui reg
28596 Show the floating point registers in the register window.
28597
28598 @item tui reg general
28599 Show the general registers in the register window.
28600
28601 @item tui reg next
28602 Show the next register group. The list of register groups as well as
28603 their order is target specific. The predefined register groups are the
28604 following: @code{general}, @code{float}, @code{system}, @code{vector},
28605 @code{all}, @code{save}, @code{restore}.
28606
28607 @item tui reg system
28608 Show the system registers in the register window.
28609
28610 @item update
28611 @kindex update
28612 Update the source window and the current execution point.
28613
28614 @item winheight @var{name} +@var{count}
28615 @itemx winheight @var{name} -@var{count}
28616 @kindex winheight
28617 Change the height of the window @var{name} by @var{count}
28618 lines. Positive counts increase the height, while negative counts
28619 decrease it.
28620
28621 @item tabset @var{nchars}
28622 @kindex tabset
28623 Set the width of tab stops to be @var{nchars} characters.
28624 @end table
28625
28626 @node TUI Configuration
28627 @section TUI Configuration Variables
28628 @cindex TUI configuration variables
28629
28630 Several configuration variables control the appearance of TUI windows.
28631
28632 @table @code
28633 @item set tui border-kind @var{kind}
28634 @kindex set tui border-kind
28635 Select the border appearance for the source, assembly and register windows.
28636 The possible values are the following:
28637 @table @code
28638 @item space
28639 Use a space character to draw the border.
28640
28641 @item ascii
28642 Use @sc{ascii} characters @samp{+}, @samp{-} and @samp{|} to draw the border.
28643
28644 @item acs
28645 Use the Alternate Character Set to draw the border. The border is
28646 drawn using character line graphics if the terminal supports them.
28647 @end table
28648
28649 @item set tui border-mode @var{mode}
28650 @kindex set tui border-mode
28651 @itemx set tui active-border-mode @var{mode}
28652 @kindex set tui active-border-mode
28653 Select the display attributes for the borders of the inactive windows
28654 or the active window. The @var{mode} can be one of the following:
28655 @table @code
28656 @item normal
28657 Use normal attributes to display the border.
28658
28659 @item standout
28660 Use standout mode.
28661
28662 @item reverse
28663 Use reverse video mode.
28664
28665 @item half
28666 Use half bright mode.
28667
28668 @item half-standout
28669 Use half bright and standout mode.
28670
28671 @item bold
28672 Use extra bright or bold mode.
28673
28674 @item bold-standout
28675 Use extra bright or bold and standout mode.
28676 @end table
28677 @end table
28678
28679 @node Emacs
28680 @chapter Using @value{GDBN} under @sc{gnu} Emacs
28681
28682 @cindex Emacs
28683 @cindex @sc{gnu} Emacs
28684 A special interface allows you to use @sc{gnu} Emacs to view (and
28685 edit) the source files for the program you are debugging with
28686 @value{GDBN}.
28687
28688 To use this interface, use the command @kbd{M-x gdb} in Emacs. Give the
28689 executable file you want to debug as an argument. This command starts
28690 @value{GDBN} as a subprocess of Emacs, with input and output through a newly
28691 created Emacs buffer.
28692 @c (Do not use the @code{-tui} option to run @value{GDBN} from Emacs.)
28693
28694 Running @value{GDBN} under Emacs can be just like running @value{GDBN} normally except for two
28695 things:
28696
28697 @itemize @bullet
28698 @item
28699 All ``terminal'' input and output goes through an Emacs buffer, called
28700 the GUD buffer.
28701
28702 This applies both to @value{GDBN} commands and their output, and to the input
28703 and output done by the program you are debugging.
28704
28705 This is useful because it means that you can copy the text of previous
28706 commands and input them again; you can even use parts of the output
28707 in this way.
28708
28709 All the facilities of Emacs' Shell mode are available for interacting
28710 with your program. In particular, you can send signals the usual
28711 way---for example, @kbd{C-c C-c} for an interrupt, @kbd{C-c C-z} for a
28712 stop.
28713
28714 @item
28715 @value{GDBN} displays source code through Emacs.
28716
28717 Each time @value{GDBN} displays a stack frame, Emacs automatically finds the
28718 source file for that frame and puts an arrow (@samp{=>}) at the
28719 left margin of the current line. Emacs uses a separate buffer for
28720 source display, and splits the screen to show both your @value{GDBN} session
28721 and the source.
28722
28723 Explicit @value{GDBN} @code{list} or search commands still produce output as
28724 usual, but you probably have no reason to use them from Emacs.
28725 @end itemize
28726
28727 We call this @dfn{text command mode}. Emacs 22.1, and later, also uses
28728 a graphical mode, enabled by default, which provides further buffers
28729 that can control the execution and describe the state of your program.
28730 @xref{GDB Graphical Interface,,, Emacs, The @sc{gnu} Emacs Manual}.
28731
28732 If you specify an absolute file name when prompted for the @kbd{M-x
28733 gdb} argument, then Emacs sets your current working directory to where
28734 your program resides. If you only specify the file name, then Emacs
28735 sets your current working directory to the directory associated
28736 with the previous buffer. In this case, @value{GDBN} may find your
28737 program by searching your environment's @code{PATH} variable, but on
28738 some operating systems it might not find the source. So, although the
28739 @value{GDBN} input and output session proceeds normally, the auxiliary
28740 buffer does not display the current source and line of execution.
28741
28742 The initial working directory of @value{GDBN} is printed on the top
28743 line of the GUD buffer and this serves as a default for the commands
28744 that specify files for @value{GDBN} to operate on. @xref{Files,
28745 ,Commands to Specify Files}.
28746
28747 By default, @kbd{M-x gdb} calls the program called @file{gdb}. If you
28748 need to call @value{GDBN} by a different name (for example, if you
28749 keep several configurations around, with different names) you can
28750 customize the Emacs variable @code{gud-gdb-command-name} to run the
28751 one you want.
28752
28753 In the GUD buffer, you can use these special Emacs commands in
28754 addition to the standard Shell mode commands:
28755
28756 @table @kbd
28757 @item C-h m
28758 Describe the features of Emacs' GUD Mode.
28759
28760 @item C-c C-s
28761 Execute to another source line, like the @value{GDBN} @code{step} command; also
28762 update the display window to show the current file and location.
28763
28764 @item C-c C-n
28765 Execute to next source line in this function, skipping all function
28766 calls, like the @value{GDBN} @code{next} command. Then update the display window
28767 to show the current file and location.
28768
28769 @item C-c C-i
28770 Execute one instruction, like the @value{GDBN} @code{stepi} command; update
28771 display window accordingly.
28772
28773 @item C-c C-f
28774 Execute until exit from the selected stack frame, like the @value{GDBN}
28775 @code{finish} command.
28776
28777 @item C-c C-r
28778 Continue execution of your program, like the @value{GDBN} @code{continue}
28779 command.
28780
28781 @item C-c <
28782 Go up the number of frames indicated by the numeric argument
28783 (@pxref{Arguments, , Numeric Arguments, Emacs, The @sc{gnu} Emacs Manual}),
28784 like the @value{GDBN} @code{up} command.
28785
28786 @item C-c >
28787 Go down the number of frames indicated by the numeric argument, like the
28788 @value{GDBN} @code{down} command.
28789 @end table
28790
28791 In any source file, the Emacs command @kbd{C-x @key{SPC}} (@code{gud-break})
28792 tells @value{GDBN} to set a breakpoint on the source line point is on.
28793
28794 In text command mode, if you type @kbd{M-x speedbar}, Emacs displays a
28795 separate frame which shows a backtrace when the GUD buffer is current.
28796 Move point to any frame in the stack and type @key{RET} to make it
28797 become the current frame and display the associated source in the
28798 source buffer. Alternatively, click @kbd{Mouse-2} to make the
28799 selected frame become the current one. In graphical mode, the
28800 speedbar displays watch expressions.
28801
28802 If you accidentally delete the source-display buffer, an easy way to get
28803 it back is to type the command @code{f} in the @value{GDBN} buffer, to
28804 request a frame display; when you run under Emacs, this recreates
28805 the source buffer if necessary to show you the context of the current
28806 frame.
28807
28808 The source files displayed in Emacs are in ordinary Emacs buffers
28809 which are visiting the source files in the usual way. You can edit
28810 the files with these buffers if you wish; but keep in mind that @value{GDBN}
28811 communicates with Emacs in terms of line numbers. If you add or
28812 delete lines from the text, the line numbers that @value{GDBN} knows cease
28813 to correspond properly with the code.
28814
28815 A more detailed description of Emacs' interaction with @value{GDBN} is
28816 given in the Emacs manual (@pxref{Debuggers,,, Emacs, The @sc{gnu}
28817 Emacs Manual}).
28818
28819 @node GDB/MI
28820 @chapter The @sc{gdb/mi} Interface
28821
28822 @unnumberedsec Function and Purpose
28823
28824 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, its purpose
28825 @sc{gdb/mi} is a line based machine oriented text interface to
28826 @value{GDBN} and is activated by specifying using the
28827 @option{--interpreter} command line option (@pxref{Mode Options}). It
28828 is specifically intended to support the development of systems which
28829 use the debugger as just one small component of a larger system.
28830
28831 This chapter is a specification of the @sc{gdb/mi} interface. It is written
28832 in the form of a reference manual.
28833
28834 Note that @sc{gdb/mi} is still under construction, so some of the
28835 features described below are incomplete and subject to change
28836 (@pxref{GDB/MI Development and Front Ends, , @sc{gdb/mi} Development and Front Ends}).
28837
28838 @unnumberedsec Notation and Terminology
28839
28840 @cindex notational conventions, for @sc{gdb/mi}
28841 This chapter uses the following notation:
28842
28843 @itemize @bullet
28844 @item
28845 @code{|} separates two alternatives.
28846
28847 @item
28848 @code{[ @var{something} ]} indicates that @var{something} is optional:
28849 it may or may not be given.
28850
28851 @item
28852 @code{( @var{group} )*} means that @var{group} inside the parentheses
28853 may repeat zero or more times.
28854
28855 @item
28856 @code{( @var{group} )+} means that @var{group} inside the parentheses
28857 may repeat one or more times.
28858
28859 @item
28860 @code{"@var{string}"} means a literal @var{string}.
28861 @end itemize
28862
28863 @ignore
28864 @heading Dependencies
28865 @end ignore
28866
28867 @menu
28868 * GDB/MI General Design::
28869 * GDB/MI Command Syntax::
28870 * GDB/MI Compatibility with CLI::
28871 * GDB/MI Development and Front Ends::
28872 * GDB/MI Output Records::
28873 * GDB/MI Simple Examples::
28874 * GDB/MI Command Description Format::
28875 * GDB/MI Breakpoint Commands::
28876 * GDB/MI Catchpoint Commands::
28877 * GDB/MI Program Context::
28878 * GDB/MI Thread Commands::
28879 * GDB/MI Ada Tasking Commands::
28880 * GDB/MI Program Execution::
28881 * GDB/MI Stack Manipulation::
28882 * GDB/MI Variable Objects::
28883 * GDB/MI Data Manipulation::
28884 * GDB/MI Tracepoint Commands::
28885 * GDB/MI Symbol Query::
28886 * GDB/MI File Commands::
28887 @ignore
28888 * GDB/MI Kod Commands::
28889 * GDB/MI Memory Overlay Commands::
28890 * GDB/MI Signal Handling Commands::
28891 @end ignore
28892 * GDB/MI Target Manipulation::
28893 * GDB/MI File Transfer Commands::
28894 * GDB/MI Ada Exceptions Commands::
28895 * GDB/MI Support Commands::
28896 * GDB/MI Miscellaneous Commands::
28897 @end menu
28898
28899 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
28900 @node GDB/MI General Design
28901 @section @sc{gdb/mi} General Design
28902 @cindex GDB/MI General Design
28903
28904 Interaction of a @sc{GDB/MI} frontend with @value{GDBN} involves three
28905 parts---commands sent to @value{GDBN}, responses to those commands
28906 and notifications. Each command results in exactly one response,
28907 indicating either successful completion of the command, or an error.
28908 For the commands that do not resume the target, the response contains the
28909 requested information. For the commands that resume the target, the
28910 response only indicates whether the target was successfully resumed.
28911 Notifications is the mechanism for reporting changes in the state of the
28912 target, or in @value{GDBN} state, that cannot conveniently be associated with
28913 a command and reported as part of that command response.
28914
28915 The important examples of notifications are:
28916 @itemize @bullet
28917
28918 @item
28919 Exec notifications. These are used to report changes in
28920 target state---when a target is resumed, or stopped. It would not
28921 be feasible to include this information in response of resuming
28922 commands, because one resume commands can result in multiple events in
28923 different threads. Also, quite some time may pass before any event
28924 happens in the target, while a frontend needs to know whether the resuming
28925 command itself was successfully executed.
28926
28927 @item
28928 Console output, and status notifications. Console output
28929 notifications are used to report output of CLI commands, as well as
28930 diagnostics for other commands. Status notifications are used to
28931 report the progress of a long-running operation. Naturally, including
28932 this information in command response would mean no output is produced
28933 until the command is finished, which is undesirable.
28934
28935 @item
28936 General notifications. Commands may have various side effects on
28937 the @value{GDBN} or target state beyond their official purpose. For example,
28938 a command may change the selected thread. Although such changes can
28939 be included in command response, using notification allows for more
28940 orthogonal frontend design.
28941
28942 @end itemize
28943
28944 There's no guarantee that whenever an MI command reports an error,
28945 @value{GDBN} or the target are in any specific state, and especially,
28946 the state is not reverted to the state before the MI command was
28947 processed. Therefore, whenever an MI command results in an error,
28948 we recommend that the frontend refreshes all the information shown in
28949 the user interface.
28950
28951
28952 @menu
28953 * Context management::
28954 * Asynchronous and non-stop modes::
28955 * Thread groups::
28956 @end menu
28957
28958 @node Context management
28959 @subsection Context management
28960
28961 @subsubsection Threads and Frames
28962
28963 In most cases when @value{GDBN} accesses the target, this access is
28964 done in context of a specific thread and frame (@pxref{Frames}).
28965 Often, even when accessing global data, the target requires that a thread
28966 be specified. The CLI interface maintains the selected thread and frame,
28967 and supplies them to target on each command. This is convenient,
28968 because a command line user would not want to specify that information
28969 explicitly on each command, and because user interacts with
28970 @value{GDBN} via a single terminal, so no confusion is possible as
28971 to what thread and frame are the current ones.
28972
28973 In the case of MI, the concept of selected thread and frame is less
28974 useful. First, a frontend can easily remember this information
28975 itself. Second, a graphical frontend can have more than one window,
28976 each one used for debugging a different thread, and the frontend might
28977 want to access additional threads for internal purposes. This
28978 increases the risk that by relying on implicitly selected thread, the
28979 frontend may be operating on a wrong one. Therefore, each MI command
28980 should explicitly specify which thread and frame to operate on. To
28981 make it possible, each MI command accepts the @samp{--thread} and
28982 @samp{--frame} options, the value to each is @value{GDBN} identifier
28983 for thread and frame to operate on.
28984
28985 Usually, each top-level window in a frontend allows the user to select
28986 a thread and a frame, and remembers the user selection for further
28987 operations. However, in some cases @value{GDBN} may suggest that the
28988 current thread be changed. For example, when stopping on a breakpoint
28989 it is reasonable to switch to the thread where breakpoint is hit. For
28990 another example, if the user issues the CLI @samp{thread} command via
28991 the frontend, it is desirable to change the frontend's selected thread to the
28992 one specified by user. @value{GDBN} communicates the suggestion to
28993 change current thread using the @samp{=thread-selected} notification.
28994 No such notification is available for the selected frame at the moment.
28995
28996 Note that historically, MI shares the selected thread with CLI, so
28997 frontends used the @code{-thread-select} to execute commands in the
28998 right context. However, getting this to work right is cumbersome. The
28999 simplest way is for frontend to emit @code{-thread-select} command
29000 before every command. This doubles the number of commands that need
29001 to be sent. The alternative approach is to suppress @code{-thread-select}
29002 if the selected thread in @value{GDBN} is supposed to be identical to the
29003 thread the frontend wants to operate on. However, getting this
29004 optimization right can be tricky. In particular, if the frontend
29005 sends several commands to @value{GDBN}, and one of the commands changes the
29006 selected thread, then the behaviour of subsequent commands will
29007 change. So, a frontend should either wait for response from such
29008 problematic commands, or explicitly add @code{-thread-select} for
29009 all subsequent commands. No frontend is known to do this exactly
29010 right, so it is suggested to just always pass the @samp{--thread} and
29011 @samp{--frame} options.
29012
29013 @subsubsection Language
29014
29015 The execution of several commands depends on which language is selected.
29016 By default, the current language (@pxref{show language}) is used.
29017 But for commands known to be language-sensitive, it is recommended
29018 to use the @samp{--language} option. This option takes one argument,
29019 which is the name of the language to use while executing the command.
29020 For instance:
29021
29022 @smallexample
29023 -data-evaluate-expression --language c "sizeof (void*)"
29024 ^done,value="4"
29025 (gdb)
29026 @end smallexample
29027
29028 The valid language names are the same names accepted by the
29029 @samp{set language} command (@pxref{Manually}), excluding @samp{auto},
29030 @samp{local} or @samp{unknown}.
29031
29032 @node Asynchronous and non-stop modes
29033 @subsection Asynchronous command execution and non-stop mode
29034
29035 On some targets, @value{GDBN} is capable of processing MI commands
29036 even while the target is running. This is called @dfn{asynchronous
29037 command execution} (@pxref{Background Execution}). The frontend may
29038 specify a preferrence for asynchronous execution using the
29039 @code{-gdb-set target-async 1} command, which should be emitted before
29040 either running the executable or attaching to the target. After the
29041 frontend has started the executable or attached to the target, it can
29042 find if asynchronous execution is enabled using the
29043 @code{-list-target-features} command.
29044
29045 Even if @value{GDBN} can accept a command while target is running,
29046 many commands that access the target do not work when the target is
29047 running. Therefore, asynchronous command execution is most useful
29048 when combined with non-stop mode (@pxref{Non-Stop Mode}). Then,
29049 it is possible to examine the state of one thread, while other threads
29050 are running.
29051
29052 When a given thread is running, MI commands that try to access the
29053 target in the context of that thread may not work, or may work only on
29054 some targets. In particular, commands that try to operate on thread's
29055 stack will not work, on any target. Commands that read memory, or
29056 modify breakpoints, may work or not work, depending on the target. Note
29057 that even commands that operate on global state, such as @code{print},
29058 @code{set}, and breakpoint commands, still access the target in the
29059 context of a specific thread, so frontend should try to find a
29060 stopped thread and perform the operation on that thread (using the
29061 @samp{--thread} option).
29062
29063 Which commands will work in the context of a running thread is
29064 highly target dependent. However, the two commands
29065 @code{-exec-interrupt}, to stop a thread, and @code{-thread-info},
29066 to find the state of a thread, will always work.
29067
29068 @node Thread groups
29069 @subsection Thread groups
29070 @value{GDBN} may be used to debug several processes at the same time.
29071 On some platfroms, @value{GDBN} may support debugging of several
29072 hardware systems, each one having several cores with several different
29073 processes running on each core. This section describes the MI
29074 mechanism to support such debugging scenarios.
29075
29076 The key observation is that regardless of the structure of the
29077 target, MI can have a global list of threads, because most commands that
29078 accept the @samp{--thread} option do not need to know what process that
29079 thread belongs to. Therefore, it is not necessary to introduce
29080 neither additional @samp{--process} option, nor an notion of the
29081 current process in the MI interface. The only strictly new feature
29082 that is required is the ability to find how the threads are grouped
29083 into processes.
29084
29085 To allow the user to discover such grouping, and to support arbitrary
29086 hierarchy of machines/cores/processes, MI introduces the concept of a
29087 @dfn{thread group}. Thread group is a collection of threads and other
29088 thread groups. A thread group always has a string identifier, a type,
29089 and may have additional attributes specific to the type. A new
29090 command, @code{-list-thread-groups}, returns the list of top-level
29091 thread groups, which correspond to processes that @value{GDBN} is
29092 debugging at the moment. By passing an identifier of a thread group
29093 to the @code{-list-thread-groups} command, it is possible to obtain
29094 the members of specific thread group.
29095
29096 To allow the user to easily discover processes, and other objects, he
29097 wishes to debug, a concept of @dfn{available thread group} is
29098 introduced. Available thread group is an thread group that
29099 @value{GDBN} is not debugging, but that can be attached to, using the
29100 @code{-target-attach} command. The list of available top-level thread
29101 groups can be obtained using @samp{-list-thread-groups --available}.
29102 In general, the content of a thread group may be only retrieved only
29103 after attaching to that thread group.
29104
29105 Thread groups are related to inferiors (@pxref{Inferiors and
29106 Programs}). Each inferior corresponds to a thread group of a special
29107 type @samp{process}, and some additional operations are permitted on
29108 such thread groups.
29109
29110 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
29111 @node GDB/MI Command Syntax
29112 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Command Syntax
29113
29114 @menu
29115 * GDB/MI Input Syntax::
29116 * GDB/MI Output Syntax::
29117 @end menu
29118
29119 @node GDB/MI Input Syntax
29120 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Input Syntax
29121
29122 @cindex input syntax for @sc{gdb/mi}
29123 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, input syntax
29124 @table @code
29125 @item @var{command} @expansion{}
29126 @code{@var{cli-command} | @var{mi-command}}
29127
29128 @item @var{cli-command} @expansion{}
29129 @code{[ @var{token} ] @var{cli-command} @var{nl}}, where
29130 @var{cli-command} is any existing @value{GDBN} CLI command.
29131
29132 @item @var{mi-command} @expansion{}
29133 @code{[ @var{token} ] "-" @var{operation} ( " " @var{option} )*
29134 @code{[} " --" @code{]} ( " " @var{parameter} )* @var{nl}}
29135
29136 @item @var{token} @expansion{}
29137 "any sequence of digits"
29138
29139 @item @var{option} @expansion{}
29140 @code{"-" @var{parameter} [ " " @var{parameter} ]}
29141
29142 @item @var{parameter} @expansion{}
29143 @code{@var{non-blank-sequence} | @var{c-string}}
29144
29145 @item @var{operation} @expansion{}
29146 @emph{any of the operations described in this chapter}
29147
29148 @item @var{non-blank-sequence} @expansion{}
29149 @emph{anything, provided it doesn't contain special characters such as
29150 "-", @var{nl}, """ and of course " "}
29151
29152 @item @var{c-string} @expansion{}
29153 @code{""" @var{seven-bit-iso-c-string-content} """}
29154
29155 @item @var{nl} @expansion{}
29156 @code{CR | CR-LF}
29157 @end table
29158
29159 @noindent
29160 Notes:
29161
29162 @itemize @bullet
29163 @item
29164 The CLI commands are still handled by the @sc{mi} interpreter; their
29165 output is described below.
29166
29167 @item
29168 The @code{@var{token}}, when present, is passed back when the command
29169 finishes.
29170
29171 @item
29172 Some @sc{mi} commands accept optional arguments as part of the parameter
29173 list. Each option is identified by a leading @samp{-} (dash) and may be
29174 followed by an optional argument parameter. Options occur first in the
29175 parameter list and can be delimited from normal parameters using
29176 @samp{--} (this is useful when some parameters begin with a dash).
29177 @end itemize
29178
29179 Pragmatics:
29180
29181 @itemize @bullet
29182 @item
29183 We want easy access to the existing CLI syntax (for debugging).
29184
29185 @item
29186 We want it to be easy to spot a @sc{mi} operation.
29187 @end itemize
29188
29189 @node GDB/MI Output Syntax
29190 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Output Syntax
29191
29192 @cindex output syntax of @sc{gdb/mi}
29193 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, output syntax
29194 The output from @sc{gdb/mi} consists of zero or more out-of-band records
29195 followed, optionally, by a single result record. This result record
29196 is for the most recent command. The sequence of output records is
29197 terminated by @samp{(gdb)}.
29198
29199 If an input command was prefixed with a @code{@var{token}} then the
29200 corresponding output for that command will also be prefixed by that same
29201 @var{token}.
29202
29203 @table @code
29204 @item @var{output} @expansion{}
29205 @code{( @var{out-of-band-record} )* [ @var{result-record} ] "(gdb)" @var{nl}}
29206
29207 @item @var{result-record} @expansion{}
29208 @code{ [ @var{token} ] "^" @var{result-class} ( "," @var{result} )* @var{nl}}
29209
29210 @item @var{out-of-band-record} @expansion{}
29211 @code{@var{async-record} | @var{stream-record}}
29212
29213 @item @var{async-record} @expansion{}
29214 @code{@var{exec-async-output} | @var{status-async-output} | @var{notify-async-output}}
29215
29216 @item @var{exec-async-output} @expansion{}
29217 @code{[ @var{token} ] "*" @var{async-output nl}}
29218
29219 @item @var{status-async-output} @expansion{}
29220 @code{[ @var{token} ] "+" @var{async-output nl}}
29221
29222 @item @var{notify-async-output} @expansion{}
29223 @code{[ @var{token} ] "=" @var{async-output nl}}
29224
29225 @item @var{async-output} @expansion{}
29226 @code{@var{async-class} ( "," @var{result} )*}
29227
29228 @item @var{result-class} @expansion{}
29229 @code{"done" | "running" | "connected" | "error" | "exit"}
29230
29231 @item @var{async-class} @expansion{}
29232 @code{"stopped" | @var{others}} (where @var{others} will be added
29233 depending on the needs---this is still in development).
29234
29235 @item @var{result} @expansion{}
29236 @code{ @var{variable} "=" @var{value}}
29237
29238 @item @var{variable} @expansion{}
29239 @code{ @var{string} }
29240
29241 @item @var{value} @expansion{}
29242 @code{ @var{const} | @var{tuple} | @var{list} }
29243
29244 @item @var{const} @expansion{}
29245 @code{@var{c-string}}
29246
29247 @item @var{tuple} @expansion{}
29248 @code{ "@{@}" | "@{" @var{result} ( "," @var{result} )* "@}" }
29249
29250 @item @var{list} @expansion{}
29251 @code{ "[]" | "[" @var{value} ( "," @var{value} )* "]" | "["
29252 @var{result} ( "," @var{result} )* "]" }
29253
29254 @item @var{stream-record} @expansion{}
29255 @code{@var{console-stream-output} | @var{target-stream-output} | @var{log-stream-output}}
29256
29257 @item @var{console-stream-output} @expansion{}
29258 @code{"~" @var{c-string nl}}
29259
29260 @item @var{target-stream-output} @expansion{}
29261 @code{"@@" @var{c-string nl}}
29262
29263 @item @var{log-stream-output} @expansion{}
29264 @code{"&" @var{c-string nl}}
29265
29266 @item @var{nl} @expansion{}
29267 @code{CR | CR-LF}
29268
29269 @item @var{token} @expansion{}
29270 @emph{any sequence of digits}.
29271 @end table
29272
29273 @noindent
29274 Notes:
29275
29276 @itemize @bullet
29277 @item
29278 All output sequences end in a single line containing a period.
29279
29280 @item
29281 The @code{@var{token}} is from the corresponding request. Note that
29282 for all async output, while the token is allowed by the grammar and
29283 may be output by future versions of @value{GDBN} for select async
29284 output messages, it is generally omitted. Frontends should treat
29285 all async output as reporting general changes in the state of the
29286 target and there should be no need to associate async output to any
29287 prior command.
29288
29289 @item
29290 @cindex status output in @sc{gdb/mi}
29291 @var{status-async-output} contains on-going status information about the
29292 progress of a slow operation. It can be discarded. All status output is
29293 prefixed by @samp{+}.
29294
29295 @item
29296 @cindex async output in @sc{gdb/mi}
29297 @var{exec-async-output} contains asynchronous state change on the target
29298 (stopped, started, disappeared). All async output is prefixed by
29299 @samp{*}.
29300
29301 @item
29302 @cindex notify output in @sc{gdb/mi}
29303 @var{notify-async-output} contains supplementary information that the
29304 client should handle (e.g., a new breakpoint information). All notify
29305 output is prefixed by @samp{=}.
29306
29307 @item
29308 @cindex console output in @sc{gdb/mi}
29309 @var{console-stream-output} is output that should be displayed as is in the
29310 console. It is the textual response to a CLI command. All the console
29311 output is prefixed by @samp{~}.
29312
29313 @item
29314 @cindex target output in @sc{gdb/mi}
29315 @var{target-stream-output} is the output produced by the target program.
29316 All the target output is prefixed by @samp{@@}.
29317
29318 @item
29319 @cindex log output in @sc{gdb/mi}
29320 @var{log-stream-output} is output text coming from @value{GDBN}'s internals, for
29321 instance messages that should be displayed as part of an error log. All
29322 the log output is prefixed by @samp{&}.
29323
29324 @item
29325 @cindex list output in @sc{gdb/mi}
29326 New @sc{gdb/mi} commands should only output @var{lists} containing
29327 @var{values}.
29328
29329
29330 @end itemize
29331
29332 @xref{GDB/MI Stream Records, , @sc{gdb/mi} Stream Records}, for more
29333 details about the various output records.
29334
29335 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
29336 @node GDB/MI Compatibility with CLI
29337 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Compatibility with CLI
29338
29339 @cindex compatibility, @sc{gdb/mi} and CLI
29340 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, compatibility with CLI
29341
29342 For the developers convenience CLI commands can be entered directly,
29343 but there may be some unexpected behaviour. For example, commands
29344 that query the user will behave as if the user replied yes, breakpoint
29345 command lists are not executed and some CLI commands, such as
29346 @code{if}, @code{when} and @code{define}, prompt for further input with
29347 @samp{>}, which is not valid MI output.
29348
29349 This feature may be removed at some stage in the future and it is
29350 recommended that front ends use the @code{-interpreter-exec} command
29351 (@pxref{-interpreter-exec}).
29352
29353 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
29354 @node GDB/MI Development and Front Ends
29355 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Development and Front Ends
29356 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi} development
29357
29358 The application which takes the MI output and presents the state of the
29359 program being debugged to the user is called a @dfn{front end}.
29360
29361 Although @sc{gdb/mi} is still incomplete, it is currently being used
29362 by a variety of front ends to @value{GDBN}. This makes it difficult
29363 to introduce new functionality without breaking existing usage. This
29364 section tries to minimize the problems by describing how the protocol
29365 might change.
29366
29367 Some changes in MI need not break a carefully designed front end, and
29368 for these the MI version will remain unchanged. The following is a
29369 list of changes that may occur within one level, so front ends should
29370 parse MI output in a way that can handle them:
29371
29372 @itemize @bullet
29373 @item
29374 New MI commands may be added.
29375
29376 @item
29377 New fields may be added to the output of any MI command.
29378
29379 @item
29380 The range of values for fields with specified values, e.g.,
29381 @code{in_scope} (@pxref{-var-update}) may be extended.
29382
29383 @c The format of field's content e.g type prefix, may change so parse it
29384 @c at your own risk. Yes, in general?
29385
29386 @c The order of fields may change? Shouldn't really matter but it might
29387 @c resolve inconsistencies.
29388 @end itemize
29389
29390 If the changes are likely to break front ends, the MI version level
29391 will be increased by one. This will allow the front end to parse the
29392 output according to the MI version. Apart from mi0, new versions of
29393 @value{GDBN} will not support old versions of MI and it will be the
29394 responsibility of the front end to work with the new one.
29395
29396 @c Starting with mi3, add a new command -mi-version that prints the MI
29397 @c version?
29398
29399 The best way to avoid unexpected changes in MI that might break your front
29400 end is to make your project known to @value{GDBN} developers and
29401 follow development on @email{gdb@@sourceware.org} and
29402 @email{gdb-patches@@sourceware.org}.
29403 @cindex mailing lists
29404
29405 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
29406 @node GDB/MI Output Records
29407 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Output Records
29408
29409 @menu
29410 * GDB/MI Result Records::
29411 * GDB/MI Stream Records::
29412 * GDB/MI Async Records::
29413 * GDB/MI Breakpoint Information::
29414 * GDB/MI Frame Information::
29415 * GDB/MI Thread Information::
29416 * GDB/MI Ada Exception Information::
29417 @end menu
29418
29419 @node GDB/MI Result Records
29420 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Result Records
29421
29422 @cindex result records in @sc{gdb/mi}
29423 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, result records
29424 In addition to a number of out-of-band notifications, the response to a
29425 @sc{gdb/mi} command includes one of the following result indications:
29426
29427 @table @code
29428 @findex ^done
29429 @item "^done" [ "," @var{results} ]
29430 The synchronous operation was successful, @code{@var{results}} are the return
29431 values.
29432
29433 @item "^running"
29434 @findex ^running
29435 This result record is equivalent to @samp{^done}. Historically, it
29436 was output instead of @samp{^done} if the command has resumed the
29437 target. This behaviour is maintained for backward compatibility, but
29438 all frontends should treat @samp{^done} and @samp{^running}
29439 identically and rely on the @samp{*running} output record to determine
29440 which threads are resumed.
29441
29442 @item "^connected"
29443 @findex ^connected
29444 @value{GDBN} has connected to a remote target.
29445
29446 @item "^error" "," "msg=" @var{c-string} [ "," "code=" @var{c-string} ]
29447 @findex ^error
29448 The operation failed. The @code{msg=@var{c-string}} variable contains
29449 the corresponding error message.
29450
29451 If present, the @code{code=@var{c-string}} variable provides an error
29452 code on which consumers can rely on to detect the corresponding
29453 error condition. At present, only one error code is defined:
29454
29455 @table @samp
29456 @item "undefined-command"
29457 Indicates that the command causing the error does not exist.
29458 @end table
29459
29460 @item "^exit"
29461 @findex ^exit
29462 @value{GDBN} has terminated.
29463
29464 @end table
29465
29466 @node GDB/MI Stream Records
29467 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Stream Records
29468
29469 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, stream records
29470 @cindex stream records in @sc{gdb/mi}
29471 @value{GDBN} internally maintains a number of output streams: the console, the
29472 target, and the log. The output intended for each of these streams is
29473 funneled through the @sc{gdb/mi} interface using @dfn{stream records}.
29474
29475 Each stream record begins with a unique @dfn{prefix character} which
29476 identifies its stream (@pxref{GDB/MI Output Syntax, , @sc{gdb/mi} Output
29477 Syntax}). In addition to the prefix, each stream record contains a
29478 @code{@var{string-output}}. This is either raw text (with an implicit new
29479 line) or a quoted C string (which does not contain an implicit newline).
29480
29481 @table @code
29482 @item "~" @var{string-output}
29483 The console output stream contains text that should be displayed in the
29484 CLI console window. It contains the textual responses to CLI commands.
29485
29486 @item "@@" @var{string-output}
29487 The target output stream contains any textual output from the running
29488 target. This is only present when GDB's event loop is truly
29489 asynchronous, which is currently only the case for remote targets.
29490
29491 @item "&" @var{string-output}
29492 The log stream contains debugging messages being produced by @value{GDBN}'s
29493 internals.
29494 @end table
29495
29496 @node GDB/MI Async Records
29497 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Async Records
29498
29499 @cindex async records in @sc{gdb/mi}
29500 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, async records
29501 @dfn{Async} records are used to notify the @sc{gdb/mi} client of
29502 additional changes that have occurred. Those changes can either be a
29503 consequence of @sc{gdb/mi} commands (e.g., a breakpoint modified) or a result of
29504 target activity (e.g., target stopped).
29505
29506 The following is the list of possible async records:
29507
29508 @table @code
29509
29510 @item *running,thread-id="@var{thread}"
29511 The target is now running. The @var{thread} field tells which
29512 specific thread is now running, and can be @samp{all} if all threads
29513 are running. The frontend should assume that no interaction with a
29514 running thread is possible after this notification is produced.
29515 The frontend should not assume that this notification is output
29516 only once for any command. @value{GDBN} may emit this notification
29517 several times, either for different threads, because it cannot resume
29518 all threads together, or even for a single thread, if the thread must
29519 be stepped though some code before letting it run freely.
29520
29521 @item *stopped,reason="@var{reason}",thread-id="@var{id}",stopped-threads="@var{stopped}",core="@var{core}"
29522 The target has stopped. The @var{reason} field can have one of the
29523 following values:
29524
29525 @table @code
29526 @item breakpoint-hit
29527 A breakpoint was reached.
29528 @item watchpoint-trigger
29529 A watchpoint was triggered.
29530 @item read-watchpoint-trigger
29531 A read watchpoint was triggered.
29532 @item access-watchpoint-trigger
29533 An access watchpoint was triggered.
29534 @item function-finished
29535 An -exec-finish or similar CLI command was accomplished.
29536 @item location-reached
29537 An -exec-until or similar CLI command was accomplished.
29538 @item watchpoint-scope
29539 A watchpoint has gone out of scope.
29540 @item end-stepping-range
29541 An -exec-next, -exec-next-instruction, -exec-step, -exec-step-instruction or
29542 similar CLI command was accomplished.
29543 @item exited-signalled
29544 The inferior exited because of a signal.
29545 @item exited
29546 The inferior exited.
29547 @item exited-normally
29548 The inferior exited normally.
29549 @item signal-received
29550 A signal was received by the inferior.
29551 @item solib-event
29552 The inferior has stopped due to a library being loaded or unloaded.
29553 This can happen when @code{stop-on-solib-events} (@pxref{Files}) is
29554 set or when a @code{catch load} or @code{catch unload} catchpoint is
29555 in use (@pxref{Set Catchpoints}).
29556 @item fork
29557 The inferior has forked. This is reported when @code{catch fork}
29558 (@pxref{Set Catchpoints}) has been used.
29559 @item vfork
29560 The inferior has vforked. This is reported in when @code{catch vfork}
29561 (@pxref{Set Catchpoints}) has been used.
29562 @item syscall-entry
29563 The inferior entered a system call. This is reported when @code{catch
29564 syscall} (@pxref{Set Catchpoints}) has been used.
29565 @item syscall-entry
29566 The inferior returned from a system call. This is reported when
29567 @code{catch syscall} (@pxref{Set Catchpoints}) has been used.
29568 @item exec
29569 The inferior called @code{exec}. This is reported when @code{catch exec}
29570 (@pxref{Set Catchpoints}) has been used.
29571 @end table
29572
29573 The @var{id} field identifies the thread that directly caused the stop
29574 -- for example by hitting a breakpoint. Depending on whether all-stop
29575 mode is in effect (@pxref{All-Stop Mode}), @value{GDBN} may either
29576 stop all threads, or only the thread that directly triggered the stop.
29577 If all threads are stopped, the @var{stopped} field will have the
29578 value of @code{"all"}. Otherwise, the value of the @var{stopped}
29579 field will be a list of thread identifiers. Presently, this list will
29580 always include a single thread, but frontend should be prepared to see
29581 several threads in the list. The @var{core} field reports the
29582 processor core on which the stop event has happened. This field may be absent
29583 if such information is not available.
29584
29585 @item =thread-group-added,id="@var{id}"
29586 @itemx =thread-group-removed,id="@var{id}"
29587 A thread group was either added or removed. The @var{id} field
29588 contains the @value{GDBN} identifier of the thread group. When a thread
29589 group is added, it generally might not be associated with a running
29590 process. When a thread group is removed, its id becomes invalid and
29591 cannot be used in any way.
29592
29593 @item =thread-group-started,id="@var{id}",pid="@var{pid}"
29594 A thread group became associated with a running program,
29595 either because the program was just started or the thread group
29596 was attached to a program. The @var{id} field contains the
29597 @value{GDBN} identifier of the thread group. The @var{pid} field
29598 contains process identifier, specific to the operating system.
29599
29600 @item =thread-group-exited,id="@var{id}"[,exit-code="@var{code}"]
29601 A thread group is no longer associated with a running program,
29602 either because the program has exited, or because it was detached
29603 from. The @var{id} field contains the @value{GDBN} identifier of the
29604 thread group. @var{code} is the exit code of the inferior; it exists
29605 only when the inferior exited with some code.
29606
29607 @item =thread-created,id="@var{id}",group-id="@var{gid}"
29608 @itemx =thread-exited,id="@var{id}",group-id="@var{gid}"
29609 A thread either was created, or has exited. The @var{id} field
29610 contains the @value{GDBN} identifier of the thread. The @var{gid}
29611 field identifies the thread group this thread belongs to.
29612
29613 @item =thread-selected,id="@var{id}"
29614 Informs that the selected thread was changed as result of the last
29615 command. This notification is not emitted as result of @code{-thread-select}
29616 command but is emitted whenever an MI command that is not documented
29617 to change the selected thread actually changes it. In particular,
29618 invoking, directly or indirectly (via user-defined command), the CLI
29619 @code{thread} command, will generate this notification.
29620
29621 We suggest that in response to this notification, front ends
29622 highlight the selected thread and cause subsequent commands to apply to
29623 that thread.
29624
29625 @item =library-loaded,...
29626 Reports that a new library file was loaded by the program. This
29627 notification has 4 fields---@var{id}, @var{target-name},
29628 @var{host-name}, and @var{symbols-loaded}. The @var{id} field is an
29629 opaque identifier of the library. For remote debugging case,
29630 @var{target-name} and @var{host-name} fields give the name of the
29631 library file on the target, and on the host respectively. For native
29632 debugging, both those fields have the same value. The
29633 @var{symbols-loaded} field is emitted only for backward compatibility
29634 and should not be relied on to convey any useful information. The
29635 @var{thread-group} field, if present, specifies the id of the thread
29636 group in whose context the library was loaded. If the field is
29637 absent, it means the library was loaded in the context of all present
29638 thread groups.
29639
29640 @item =library-unloaded,...
29641 Reports that a library was unloaded by the program. This notification
29642 has 3 fields---@var{id}, @var{target-name} and @var{host-name} with
29643 the same meaning as for the @code{=library-loaded} notification.
29644 The @var{thread-group} field, if present, specifies the id of the
29645 thread group in whose context the library was unloaded. If the field is
29646 absent, it means the library was unloaded in the context of all present
29647 thread groups.
29648
29649 @item =traceframe-changed,num=@var{tfnum},tracepoint=@var{tpnum}
29650 @itemx =traceframe-changed,end
29651 Reports that the trace frame was changed and its new number is
29652 @var{tfnum}. The number of the tracepoint associated with this trace
29653 frame is @var{tpnum}.
29654
29655 @item =tsv-created,name=@var{name},initial=@var{initial}
29656 Reports that the new trace state variable @var{name} is created with
29657 initial value @var{initial}.
29658
29659 @item =tsv-deleted,name=@var{name}
29660 @itemx =tsv-deleted
29661 Reports that the trace state variable @var{name} is deleted or all
29662 trace state variables are deleted.
29663
29664 @item =tsv-modified,name=@var{name},initial=@var{initial}[,current=@var{current}]
29665 Reports that the trace state variable @var{name} is modified with
29666 the initial value @var{initial}. The current value @var{current} of
29667 trace state variable is optional and is reported if the current
29668 value of trace state variable is known.
29669
29670 @item =breakpoint-created,bkpt=@{...@}
29671 @itemx =breakpoint-modified,bkpt=@{...@}
29672 @itemx =breakpoint-deleted,id=@var{number}
29673 Reports that a breakpoint was created, modified, or deleted,
29674 respectively. Only user-visible breakpoints are reported to the MI
29675 user.
29676
29677 The @var{bkpt} argument is of the same form as returned by the various
29678 breakpoint commands; @xref{GDB/MI Breakpoint Commands}. The
29679 @var{number} is the ordinal number of the breakpoint.
29680
29681 Note that if a breakpoint is emitted in the result record of a
29682 command, then it will not also be emitted in an async record.
29683
29684 @item =record-started,thread-group="@var{id}"
29685 @itemx =record-stopped,thread-group="@var{id}"
29686 Execution log recording was either started or stopped on an
29687 inferior. The @var{id} is the @value{GDBN} identifier of the thread
29688 group corresponding to the affected inferior.
29689
29690 @item =cmd-param-changed,param=@var{param},value=@var{value}
29691 Reports that a parameter of the command @code{set @var{param}} is
29692 changed to @var{value}. In the multi-word @code{set} command,
29693 the @var{param} is the whole parameter list to @code{set} command.
29694 For example, In command @code{set check type on}, @var{param}
29695 is @code{check type} and @var{value} is @code{on}.
29696
29697 @item =memory-changed,thread-group=@var{id},addr=@var{addr},len=@var{len}[,type="code"]
29698 Reports that bytes from @var{addr} to @var{data} + @var{len} were
29699 written in an inferior. The @var{id} is the identifier of the
29700 thread group corresponding to the affected inferior. The optional
29701 @code{type="code"} part is reported if the memory written to holds
29702 executable code.
29703 @end table
29704
29705 @node GDB/MI Breakpoint Information
29706 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Breakpoint Information
29707
29708 When @value{GDBN} reports information about a breakpoint, a
29709 tracepoint, a watchpoint, or a catchpoint, it uses a tuple with the
29710 following fields:
29711
29712 @table @code
29713 @item number
29714 The breakpoint number. For a breakpoint that represents one location
29715 of a multi-location breakpoint, this will be a dotted pair, like
29716 @samp{1.2}.
29717
29718 @item type
29719 The type of the breakpoint. For ordinary breakpoints this will be
29720 @samp{breakpoint}, but many values are possible.
29721
29722 @item catch-type
29723 If the type of the breakpoint is @samp{catchpoint}, then this
29724 indicates the exact type of catchpoint.
29725
29726 @item disp
29727 This is the breakpoint disposition---either @samp{del}, meaning that
29728 the breakpoint will be deleted at the next stop, or @samp{keep},
29729 meaning that the breakpoint will not be deleted.
29730
29731 @item enabled
29732 This indicates whether the breakpoint is enabled, in which case the
29733 value is @samp{y}, or disabled, in which case the value is @samp{n}.
29734 Note that this is not the same as the field @code{enable}.
29735
29736 @item addr
29737 The address of the breakpoint. This may be a hexidecimal number,
29738 giving the address; or the string @samp{<PENDING>}, for a pending
29739 breakpoint; or the string @samp{<MULTIPLE>}, for a breakpoint with
29740 multiple locations. This field will not be present if no address can
29741 be determined. For example, a watchpoint does not have an address.
29742
29743 @item func
29744 If known, the function in which the breakpoint appears.
29745 If not known, this field is not present.
29746
29747 @item filename
29748 The name of the source file which contains this function, if known.
29749 If not known, this field is not present.
29750
29751 @item fullname
29752 The full file name of the source file which contains this function, if
29753 known. If not known, this field is not present.
29754
29755 @item line
29756 The line number at which this breakpoint appears, if known.
29757 If not known, this field is not present.
29758
29759 @item at
29760 If the source file is not known, this field may be provided. If
29761 provided, this holds the address of the breakpoint, possibly followed
29762 by a symbol name.
29763
29764 @item pending
29765 If this breakpoint is pending, this field is present and holds the
29766 text used to set the breakpoint, as entered by the user.
29767
29768 @item evaluated-by
29769 Where this breakpoint's condition is evaluated, either @samp{host} or
29770 @samp{target}.
29771
29772 @item thread
29773 If this is a thread-specific breakpoint, then this identifies the
29774 thread in which the breakpoint can trigger.
29775
29776 @item task
29777 If this breakpoint is restricted to a particular Ada task, then this
29778 field will hold the task identifier.
29779
29780 @item cond
29781 If the breakpoint is conditional, this is the condition expression.
29782
29783 @item ignore
29784 The ignore count of the breakpoint.
29785
29786 @item enable
29787 The enable count of the breakpoint.
29788
29789 @item traceframe-usage
29790 FIXME.
29791
29792 @item static-tracepoint-marker-string-id
29793 For a static tracepoint, the name of the static tracepoint marker.
29794
29795 @item mask
29796 For a masked watchpoint, this is the mask.
29797
29798 @item pass
29799 A tracepoint's pass count.
29800
29801 @item original-location
29802 The location of the breakpoint as originally specified by the user.
29803 This field is optional.
29804
29805 @item times
29806 The number of times the breakpoint has been hit.
29807
29808 @item installed
29809 This field is only given for tracepoints. This is either @samp{y},
29810 meaning that the tracepoint is installed, or @samp{n}, meaning that it
29811 is not.
29812
29813 @item what
29814 Some extra data, the exact contents of which are type-dependent.
29815
29816 @end table
29817
29818 For example, here is what the output of @code{-break-insert}
29819 (@pxref{GDB/MI Breakpoint Commands}) might be:
29820
29821 @smallexample
29822 -> -break-insert main
29823 <- ^done,bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",
29824 enabled="y",addr="0x08048564",func="main",file="myprog.c",
29825 fullname="/home/nickrob/myprog.c",line="68",thread-groups=["i1"],
29826 times="0"@}
29827 <- (gdb)
29828 @end smallexample
29829
29830 @node GDB/MI Frame Information
29831 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Frame Information
29832
29833 Response from many MI commands includes an information about stack
29834 frame. This information is a tuple that may have the following
29835 fields:
29836
29837 @table @code
29838 @item level
29839 The level of the stack frame. The innermost frame has the level of
29840 zero. This field is always present.
29841
29842 @item func
29843 The name of the function corresponding to the frame. This field may
29844 be absent if @value{GDBN} is unable to determine the function name.
29845
29846 @item addr
29847 The code address for the frame. This field is always present.
29848
29849 @item file
29850 The name of the source files that correspond to the frame's code
29851 address. This field may be absent.
29852
29853 @item line
29854 The source line corresponding to the frames' code address. This field
29855 may be absent.
29856
29857 @item from
29858 The name of the binary file (either executable or shared library) the
29859 corresponds to the frame's code address. This field may be absent.
29860
29861 @end table
29862
29863 @node GDB/MI Thread Information
29864 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Thread Information
29865
29866 Whenever @value{GDBN} has to report an information about a thread, it
29867 uses a tuple with the following fields:
29868
29869 @table @code
29870 @item id
29871 The numeric id assigned to the thread by @value{GDBN}. This field is
29872 always present.
29873
29874 @item target-id
29875 Target-specific string identifying the thread. This field is always present.
29876
29877 @item details
29878 Additional information about the thread provided by the target.
29879 It is supposed to be human-readable and not interpreted by the
29880 frontend. This field is optional.
29881
29882 @item state
29883 Either @samp{stopped} or @samp{running}, depending on whether the
29884 thread is presently running. This field is always present.
29885
29886 @item core
29887 The value of this field is an integer number of the processor core the
29888 thread was last seen on. This field is optional.
29889 @end table
29890
29891 @node GDB/MI Ada Exception Information
29892 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Ada Exception Information
29893
29894 Whenever a @code{*stopped} record is emitted because the program
29895 stopped after hitting an exception catchpoint (@pxref{Set Catchpoints}),
29896 @value{GDBN} provides the name of the exception that was raised via
29897 the @code{exception-name} field.
29898
29899 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
29900 @node GDB/MI Simple Examples
29901 @section Simple Examples of @sc{gdb/mi} Interaction
29902 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, simple examples
29903
29904 This subsection presents several simple examples of interaction using
29905 the @sc{gdb/mi} interface. In these examples, @samp{->} means that the
29906 following line is passed to @sc{gdb/mi} as input, while @samp{<-} means
29907 the output received from @sc{gdb/mi}.
29908
29909 Note the line breaks shown in the examples are here only for
29910 readability, they don't appear in the real output.
29911
29912 @subheading Setting a Breakpoint
29913
29914 Setting a breakpoint generates synchronous output which contains detailed
29915 information of the breakpoint.
29916
29917 @smallexample
29918 -> -break-insert main
29919 <- ^done,bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",
29920 enabled="y",addr="0x08048564",func="main",file="myprog.c",
29921 fullname="/home/nickrob/myprog.c",line="68",thread-groups=["i1"],
29922 times="0"@}
29923 <- (gdb)
29924 @end smallexample
29925
29926 @subheading Program Execution
29927
29928 Program execution generates asynchronous records and MI gives the
29929 reason that execution stopped.
29930
29931 @smallexample
29932 -> -exec-run
29933 <- ^running
29934 <- (gdb)
29935 <- *stopped,reason="breakpoint-hit",disp="keep",bkptno="1",thread-id="0",
29936 frame=@{addr="0x08048564",func="main",
29937 args=[@{name="argc",value="1"@},@{name="argv",value="0xbfc4d4d4"@}],
29938 file="myprog.c",fullname="/home/nickrob/myprog.c",line="68"@}
29939 <- (gdb)
29940 -> -exec-continue
29941 <- ^running
29942 <- (gdb)
29943 <- *stopped,reason="exited-normally"
29944 <- (gdb)
29945 @end smallexample
29946
29947 @subheading Quitting @value{GDBN}
29948
29949 Quitting @value{GDBN} just prints the result class @samp{^exit}.
29950
29951 @smallexample
29952 -> (gdb)
29953 <- -gdb-exit
29954 <- ^exit
29955 @end smallexample
29956
29957 Please note that @samp{^exit} is printed immediately, but it might
29958 take some time for @value{GDBN} to actually exit. During that time, @value{GDBN}
29959 performs necessary cleanups, including killing programs being debugged
29960 or disconnecting from debug hardware, so the frontend should wait till
29961 @value{GDBN} exits and should only forcibly kill @value{GDBN} if it
29962 fails to exit in reasonable time.
29963
29964 @subheading A Bad Command
29965
29966 Here's what happens if you pass a non-existent command:
29967
29968 @smallexample
29969 -> -rubbish
29970 <- ^error,msg="Undefined MI command: rubbish"
29971 <- (gdb)
29972 @end smallexample
29973
29974
29975 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
29976 @node GDB/MI Command Description Format
29977 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Command Description Format
29978
29979 The remaining sections describe blocks of commands. Each block of
29980 commands is laid out in a fashion similar to this section.
29981
29982 @subheading Motivation
29983
29984 The motivation for this collection of commands.
29985
29986 @subheading Introduction
29987
29988 A brief introduction to this collection of commands as a whole.
29989
29990 @subheading Commands
29991
29992 For each command in the block, the following is described:
29993
29994 @subsubheading Synopsis
29995
29996 @smallexample
29997 -command @var{args}@dots{}
29998 @end smallexample
29999
30000 @subsubheading Result
30001
30002 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30003
30004 The corresponding @value{GDBN} CLI command(s), if any.
30005
30006 @subsubheading Example
30007
30008 Example(s) formatted for readability. Some of the described commands have
30009 not been implemented yet and these are labeled N.A.@: (not available).
30010
30011
30012 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
30013 @node GDB/MI Breakpoint Commands
30014 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Breakpoint Commands
30015
30016 @cindex breakpoint commands for @sc{gdb/mi}
30017 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, breakpoint commands
30018 This section documents @sc{gdb/mi} commands for manipulating
30019 breakpoints.
30020
30021 @subheading The @code{-break-after} Command
30022 @findex -break-after
30023
30024 @subsubheading Synopsis
30025
30026 @smallexample
30027 -break-after @var{number} @var{count}
30028 @end smallexample
30029
30030 The breakpoint number @var{number} is not in effect until it has been
30031 hit @var{count} times. To see how this is reflected in the output of
30032 the @samp{-break-list} command, see the description of the
30033 @samp{-break-list} command below.
30034
30035 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30036
30037 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{ignore}.
30038
30039 @subsubheading Example
30040
30041 @smallexample
30042 (gdb)
30043 -break-insert main
30044 ^done,bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",
30045 enabled="y",addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",
30046 fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",line="5",thread-groups=["i1"],
30047 times="0"@}
30048 (gdb)
30049 -break-after 1 3
30050 ~
30051 ^done
30052 (gdb)
30053 -break-list
30054 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="1",nr_cols="6",
30055 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
30056 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
30057 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
30058 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
30059 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
30060 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
30061 body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
30062 addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",
30063 line="5",thread-groups=["i1"],times="0",ignore="3"@}]@}
30064 (gdb)
30065 @end smallexample
30066
30067 @ignore
30068 @subheading The @code{-break-catch} Command
30069 @findex -break-catch
30070 @end ignore
30071
30072 @subheading The @code{-break-commands} Command
30073 @findex -break-commands
30074
30075 @subsubheading Synopsis
30076
30077 @smallexample
30078 -break-commands @var{number} [ @var{command1} ... @var{commandN} ]
30079 @end smallexample
30080
30081 Specifies the CLI commands that should be executed when breakpoint
30082 @var{number} is hit. The parameters @var{command1} to @var{commandN}
30083 are the commands. If no command is specified, any previously-set
30084 commands are cleared. @xref{Break Commands}. Typical use of this
30085 functionality is tracing a program, that is, printing of values of
30086 some variables whenever breakpoint is hit and then continuing.
30087
30088 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30089
30090 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{commands}.
30091
30092 @subsubheading Example
30093
30094 @smallexample
30095 (gdb)
30096 -break-insert main
30097 ^done,bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",
30098 enabled="y",addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",
30099 fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",line="5",thread-groups=["i1"],
30100 times="0"@}
30101 (gdb)
30102 -break-commands 1 "print v" "continue"
30103 ^done
30104 (gdb)
30105 @end smallexample
30106
30107 @subheading The @code{-break-condition} Command
30108 @findex -break-condition
30109
30110 @subsubheading Synopsis
30111
30112 @smallexample
30113 -break-condition @var{number} @var{expr}
30114 @end smallexample
30115
30116 Breakpoint @var{number} will stop the program only if the condition in
30117 @var{expr} is true. The condition becomes part of the
30118 @samp{-break-list} output (see the description of the @samp{-break-list}
30119 command below).
30120
30121 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30122
30123 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{condition}.
30124
30125 @subsubheading Example
30126
30127 @smallexample
30128 (gdb)
30129 -break-condition 1 1
30130 ^done
30131 (gdb)
30132 -break-list
30133 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="1",nr_cols="6",
30134 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
30135 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
30136 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
30137 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
30138 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
30139 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
30140 body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
30141 addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",
30142 line="5",cond="1",thread-groups=["i1"],times="0",ignore="3"@}]@}
30143 (gdb)
30144 @end smallexample
30145
30146 @subheading The @code{-break-delete} Command
30147 @findex -break-delete
30148
30149 @subsubheading Synopsis
30150
30151 @smallexample
30152 -break-delete ( @var{breakpoint} )+
30153 @end smallexample
30154
30155 Delete the breakpoint(s) whose number(s) are specified in the argument
30156 list. This is obviously reflected in the breakpoint list.
30157
30158 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30159
30160 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{delete}.
30161
30162 @subsubheading Example
30163
30164 @smallexample
30165 (gdb)
30166 -break-delete 1
30167 ^done
30168 (gdb)
30169 -break-list
30170 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="0",nr_cols="6",
30171 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
30172 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
30173 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
30174 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
30175 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
30176 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
30177 body=[]@}
30178 (gdb)
30179 @end smallexample
30180
30181 @subheading The @code{-break-disable} Command
30182 @findex -break-disable
30183
30184 @subsubheading Synopsis
30185
30186 @smallexample
30187 -break-disable ( @var{breakpoint} )+
30188 @end smallexample
30189
30190 Disable the named @var{breakpoint}(s). The field @samp{enabled} in the
30191 break list is now set to @samp{n} for the named @var{breakpoint}(s).
30192
30193 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30194
30195 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{disable}.
30196
30197 @subsubheading Example
30198
30199 @smallexample
30200 (gdb)
30201 -break-disable 2
30202 ^done
30203 (gdb)
30204 -break-list
30205 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="1",nr_cols="6",
30206 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
30207 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
30208 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
30209 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
30210 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
30211 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
30212 body=[bkpt=@{number="2",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="n",
30213 addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",
30214 line="5",thread-groups=["i1"],times="0"@}]@}
30215 (gdb)
30216 @end smallexample
30217
30218 @subheading The @code{-break-enable} Command
30219 @findex -break-enable
30220
30221 @subsubheading Synopsis
30222
30223 @smallexample
30224 -break-enable ( @var{breakpoint} )+
30225 @end smallexample
30226
30227 Enable (previously disabled) @var{breakpoint}(s).
30228
30229 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30230
30231 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{enable}.
30232
30233 @subsubheading Example
30234
30235 @smallexample
30236 (gdb)
30237 -break-enable 2
30238 ^done
30239 (gdb)
30240 -break-list
30241 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="1",nr_cols="6",
30242 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
30243 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
30244 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
30245 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
30246 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
30247 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
30248 body=[bkpt=@{number="2",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
30249 addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",
30250 line="5",thread-groups=["i1"],times="0"@}]@}
30251 (gdb)
30252 @end smallexample
30253
30254 @subheading The @code{-break-info} Command
30255 @findex -break-info
30256
30257 @subsubheading Synopsis
30258
30259 @smallexample
30260 -break-info @var{breakpoint}
30261 @end smallexample
30262
30263 @c REDUNDANT???
30264 Get information about a single breakpoint.
30265
30266 The result is a table of breakpoints. @xref{GDB/MI Breakpoint
30267 Information}, for details on the format of each breakpoint in the
30268 table.
30269
30270 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30271
30272 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info break @var{breakpoint}}.
30273
30274 @subsubheading Example
30275 N.A.
30276
30277 @subheading The @code{-break-insert} Command
30278 @findex -break-insert
30279
30280 @subsubheading Synopsis
30281
30282 @smallexample
30283 -break-insert [ -t ] [ -h ] [ -f ] [ -d ] [ -a ]
30284 [ -c @var{condition} ] [ -i @var{ignore-count} ]
30285 [ -p @var{thread-id} ] [ @var{location} ]
30286 @end smallexample
30287
30288 @noindent
30289 If specified, @var{location}, can be one of:
30290
30291 @itemize @bullet
30292 @item function
30293 @c @item +offset
30294 @c @item -offset
30295 @c @item linenum
30296 @item filename:linenum
30297 @item filename:function
30298 @item *address
30299 @end itemize
30300
30301 The possible optional parameters of this command are:
30302
30303 @table @samp
30304 @item -t
30305 Insert a temporary breakpoint.
30306 @item -h
30307 Insert a hardware breakpoint.
30308 @item -f
30309 If @var{location} cannot be parsed (for example if it
30310 refers to unknown files or functions), create a pending
30311 breakpoint. Without this flag, @value{GDBN} will report
30312 an error, and won't create a breakpoint, if @var{location}
30313 cannot be parsed.
30314 @item -d
30315 Create a disabled breakpoint.
30316 @item -a
30317 Create a tracepoint. @xref{Tracepoints}. When this parameter
30318 is used together with @samp{-h}, a fast tracepoint is created.
30319 @item -c @var{condition}
30320 Make the breakpoint conditional on @var{condition}.
30321 @item -i @var{ignore-count}
30322 Initialize the @var{ignore-count}.
30323 @item -p @var{thread-id}
30324 Restrict the breakpoint to the specified @var{thread-id}.
30325 @end table
30326
30327 @subsubheading Result
30328
30329 @xref{GDB/MI Breakpoint Information}, for details on the format of the
30330 resulting breakpoint.
30331
30332 Note: this format is open to change.
30333 @c An out-of-band breakpoint instead of part of the result?
30334
30335 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30336
30337 The corresponding @value{GDBN} commands are @samp{break}, @samp{tbreak},
30338 @samp{hbreak}, and @samp{thbreak}. @c and @samp{rbreak}.
30339
30340 @subsubheading Example
30341
30342 @smallexample
30343 (gdb)
30344 -break-insert main
30345 ^done,bkpt=@{number="1",addr="0x0001072c",file="recursive2.c",
30346 fullname="/home/foo/recursive2.c,line="4",thread-groups=["i1"],
30347 times="0"@}
30348 (gdb)
30349 -break-insert -t foo
30350 ^done,bkpt=@{number="2",addr="0x00010774",file="recursive2.c",
30351 fullname="/home/foo/recursive2.c,line="11",thread-groups=["i1"],
30352 times="0"@}
30353 (gdb)
30354 -break-list
30355 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="2",nr_cols="6",
30356 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
30357 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
30358 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
30359 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
30360 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
30361 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
30362 body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
30363 addr="0x0001072c", func="main",file="recursive2.c",
30364 fullname="/home/foo/recursive2.c,"line="4",thread-groups=["i1"],
30365 times="0"@},
30366 bkpt=@{number="2",type="breakpoint",disp="del",enabled="y",
30367 addr="0x00010774",func="foo",file="recursive2.c",
30368 fullname="/home/foo/recursive2.c",line="11",thread-groups=["i1"],
30369 times="0"@}]@}
30370 (gdb)
30371 @c -break-insert -r foo.*
30372 @c ~int foo(int, int);
30373 @c ^done,bkpt=@{number="3",addr="0x00010774",file="recursive2.c,
30374 @c "fullname="/home/foo/recursive2.c",line="11",thread-groups=["i1"],
30375 @c times="0"@}
30376 @c (gdb)
30377 @end smallexample
30378
30379 @subheading The @code{-dprintf-insert} Command
30380 @findex -dprintf-insert
30381
30382 @subsubheading Synopsis
30383
30384 @smallexample
30385 -dprintf-insert [ -t ] [ -f ] [ -d ]
30386 [ -c @var{condition} ] [ -i @var{ignore-count} ]
30387 [ -p @var{thread-id} ] [ @var{location} ] [ @var{format} ]
30388 [ @var{argument} ]
30389 @end smallexample
30390
30391 @noindent
30392 If specified, @var{location}, can be one of:
30393
30394 @itemize @bullet
30395 @item @var{function}
30396 @c @item +offset
30397 @c @item -offset
30398 @c @item @var{linenum}
30399 @item @var{filename}:@var{linenum}
30400 @item @var{filename}:function
30401 @item *@var{address}
30402 @end itemize
30403
30404 The possible optional parameters of this command are:
30405
30406 @table @samp
30407 @item -t
30408 Insert a temporary breakpoint.
30409 @item -f
30410 If @var{location} cannot be parsed (for example, if it
30411 refers to unknown files or functions), create a pending
30412 breakpoint. Without this flag, @value{GDBN} will report
30413 an error, and won't create a breakpoint, if @var{location}
30414 cannot be parsed.
30415 @item -d
30416 Create a disabled breakpoint.
30417 @item -c @var{condition}
30418 Make the breakpoint conditional on @var{condition}.
30419 @item -i @var{ignore-count}
30420 Set the ignore count of the breakpoint (@pxref{Conditions, ignore count})
30421 to @var{ignore-count}.
30422 @item -p @var{thread-id}
30423 Restrict the breakpoint to the specified @var{thread-id}.
30424 @end table
30425
30426 @subsubheading Result
30427
30428 @xref{GDB/MI Breakpoint Information}, for details on the format of the
30429 resulting breakpoint.
30430
30431 @c An out-of-band breakpoint instead of part of the result?
30432
30433 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30434
30435 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{dprintf}.
30436
30437 @subsubheading Example
30438
30439 @smallexample
30440 (gdb)
30441 4-dprintf-insert foo "At foo entry\n"
30442 4^done,bkpt=@{number="1",type="dprintf",disp="keep",enabled="y",
30443 addr="0x000000000040061b",func="foo",file="mi-dprintf.c",
30444 fullname="mi-dprintf.c",line="25",thread-groups=["i1"],
30445 times="0",script=@{"printf \"At foo entry\\n\"","continue"@},
30446 original-location="foo"@}
30447 (gdb)
30448 5-dprintf-insert 26 "arg=%d, g=%d\n" arg g
30449 5^done,bkpt=@{number="2",type="dprintf",disp="keep",enabled="y",
30450 addr="0x000000000040062a",func="foo",file="mi-dprintf.c",
30451 fullname="mi-dprintf.c",line="26",thread-groups=["i1"],
30452 times="0",script=@{"printf \"arg=%d, g=%d\\n\", arg, g","continue"@},
30453 original-location="mi-dprintf.c:26"@}
30454 (gdb)
30455 @end smallexample
30456
30457 @subheading The @code{-break-list} Command
30458 @findex -break-list
30459
30460 @subsubheading Synopsis
30461
30462 @smallexample
30463 -break-list
30464 @end smallexample
30465
30466 Displays the list of inserted breakpoints, showing the following fields:
30467
30468 @table @samp
30469 @item Number
30470 number of the breakpoint
30471 @item Type
30472 type of the breakpoint: @samp{breakpoint} or @samp{watchpoint}
30473 @item Disposition
30474 should the breakpoint be deleted or disabled when it is hit: @samp{keep}
30475 or @samp{nokeep}
30476 @item Enabled
30477 is the breakpoint enabled or no: @samp{y} or @samp{n}
30478 @item Address
30479 memory location at which the breakpoint is set
30480 @item What
30481 logical location of the breakpoint, expressed by function name, file
30482 name, line number
30483 @item Thread-groups
30484 list of thread groups to which this breakpoint applies
30485 @item Times
30486 number of times the breakpoint has been hit
30487 @end table
30488
30489 If there are no breakpoints or watchpoints, the @code{BreakpointTable}
30490 @code{body} field is an empty list.
30491
30492 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30493
30494 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info break}.
30495
30496 @subsubheading Example
30497
30498 @smallexample
30499 (gdb)
30500 -break-list
30501 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="2",nr_cols="6",
30502 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
30503 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
30504 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
30505 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
30506 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
30507 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
30508 body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
30509 addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",line="5",thread-groups=["i1"],
30510 times="0"@},
30511 bkpt=@{number="2",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
30512 addr="0x00010114",func="foo",file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",
30513 line="13",thread-groups=["i1"],times="0"@}]@}
30514 (gdb)
30515 @end smallexample
30516
30517 Here's an example of the result when there are no breakpoints:
30518
30519 @smallexample
30520 (gdb)
30521 -break-list
30522 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="0",nr_cols="6",
30523 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
30524 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
30525 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
30526 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
30527 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
30528 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
30529 body=[]@}
30530 (gdb)
30531 @end smallexample
30532
30533 @subheading The @code{-break-passcount} Command
30534 @findex -break-passcount
30535
30536 @subsubheading Synopsis
30537
30538 @smallexample
30539 -break-passcount @var{tracepoint-number} @var{passcount}
30540 @end smallexample
30541
30542 Set the passcount for tracepoint @var{tracepoint-number} to
30543 @var{passcount}. If the breakpoint referred to by @var{tracepoint-number}
30544 is not a tracepoint, error is emitted. This corresponds to CLI
30545 command @samp{passcount}.
30546
30547 @subheading The @code{-break-watch} Command
30548 @findex -break-watch
30549
30550 @subsubheading Synopsis
30551
30552 @smallexample
30553 -break-watch [ -a | -r ]
30554 @end smallexample
30555
30556 Create a watchpoint. With the @samp{-a} option it will create an
30557 @dfn{access} watchpoint, i.e., a watchpoint that triggers either on a
30558 read from or on a write to the memory location. With the @samp{-r}
30559 option, the watchpoint created is a @dfn{read} watchpoint, i.e., it will
30560 trigger only when the memory location is accessed for reading. Without
30561 either of the options, the watchpoint created is a regular watchpoint,
30562 i.e., it will trigger when the memory location is accessed for writing.
30563 @xref{Set Watchpoints, , Setting Watchpoints}.
30564
30565 Note that @samp{-break-list} will report a single list of watchpoints and
30566 breakpoints inserted.
30567
30568 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30569
30570 The corresponding @value{GDBN} commands are @samp{watch}, @samp{awatch}, and
30571 @samp{rwatch}.
30572
30573 @subsubheading Example
30574
30575 Setting a watchpoint on a variable in the @code{main} function:
30576
30577 @smallexample
30578 (gdb)
30579 -break-watch x
30580 ^done,wpt=@{number="2",exp="x"@}
30581 (gdb)
30582 -exec-continue
30583 ^running
30584 (gdb)
30585 *stopped,reason="watchpoint-trigger",wpt=@{number="2",exp="x"@},
30586 value=@{old="-268439212",new="55"@},
30587 frame=@{func="main",args=[],file="recursive2.c",
30588 fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="5"@}
30589 (gdb)
30590 @end smallexample
30591
30592 Setting a watchpoint on a variable local to a function. @value{GDBN} will stop
30593 the program execution twice: first for the variable changing value, then
30594 for the watchpoint going out of scope.
30595
30596 @smallexample
30597 (gdb)
30598 -break-watch C
30599 ^done,wpt=@{number="5",exp="C"@}
30600 (gdb)
30601 -exec-continue
30602 ^running
30603 (gdb)
30604 *stopped,reason="watchpoint-trigger",
30605 wpt=@{number="5",exp="C"@},value=@{old="-276895068",new="3"@},
30606 frame=@{func="callee4",args=[],
30607 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
30608 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="13"@}
30609 (gdb)
30610 -exec-continue
30611 ^running
30612 (gdb)
30613 *stopped,reason="watchpoint-scope",wpnum="5",
30614 frame=@{func="callee3",args=[@{name="strarg",
30615 value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@}],
30616 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
30617 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="18"@}
30618 (gdb)
30619 @end smallexample
30620
30621 Listing breakpoints and watchpoints, at different points in the program
30622 execution. Note that once the watchpoint goes out of scope, it is
30623 deleted.
30624
30625 @smallexample
30626 (gdb)
30627 -break-watch C
30628 ^done,wpt=@{number="2",exp="C"@}
30629 (gdb)
30630 -break-list
30631 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="2",nr_cols="6",
30632 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
30633 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
30634 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
30635 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
30636 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
30637 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
30638 body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
30639 addr="0x00010734",func="callee4",
30640 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
30641 fullname="/home/foo/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c"line="8",thread-groups=["i1"],
30642 times="1"@},
30643 bkpt=@{number="2",type="watchpoint",disp="keep",
30644 enabled="y",addr="",what="C",thread-groups=["i1"],times="0"@}]@}
30645 (gdb)
30646 -exec-continue
30647 ^running
30648 (gdb)
30649 *stopped,reason="watchpoint-trigger",wpt=@{number="2",exp="C"@},
30650 value=@{old="-276895068",new="3"@},
30651 frame=@{func="callee4",args=[],
30652 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
30653 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="13"@}
30654 (gdb)
30655 -break-list
30656 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="2",nr_cols="6",
30657 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
30658 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
30659 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
30660 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
30661 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
30662 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
30663 body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
30664 addr="0x00010734",func="callee4",
30665 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
30666 fullname="/home/foo/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="8",thread-groups=["i1"],
30667 times="1"@},
30668 bkpt=@{number="2",type="watchpoint",disp="keep",
30669 enabled="y",addr="",what="C",thread-groups=["i1"],times="-5"@}]@}
30670 (gdb)
30671 -exec-continue
30672 ^running
30673 ^done,reason="watchpoint-scope",wpnum="2",
30674 frame=@{func="callee3",args=[@{name="strarg",
30675 value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@}],
30676 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
30677 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="18"@}
30678 (gdb)
30679 -break-list
30680 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="1",nr_cols="6",
30681 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
30682 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
30683 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
30684 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
30685 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
30686 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
30687 body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
30688 addr="0x00010734",func="callee4",
30689 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
30690 fullname="/home/foo/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="8",
30691 thread-groups=["i1"],times="1"@}]@}
30692 (gdb)
30693 @end smallexample
30694
30695
30696 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
30697 @node GDB/MI Catchpoint Commands
30698 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Catchpoint Commands
30699
30700 This section documents @sc{gdb/mi} commands for manipulating
30701 catchpoints.
30702
30703 @menu
30704 * Shared Library GDB/MI Catchpoint Commands::
30705 * Ada Exception GDB/MI Catchpoint Commands::
30706 @end menu
30707
30708 @node Shared Library GDB/MI Catchpoint Commands
30709 @subsection Shared Library @sc{gdb/mi} Catchpoints
30710
30711 @subheading The @code{-catch-load} Command
30712 @findex -catch-load
30713
30714 @subsubheading Synopsis
30715
30716 @smallexample
30717 -catch-load [ -t ] [ -d ] @var{regexp}
30718 @end smallexample
30719
30720 Add a catchpoint for library load events. If the @samp{-t} option is used,
30721 the catchpoint is a temporary one (@pxref{Set Breaks, ,Setting
30722 Breakpoints}). If the @samp{-d} option is used, the catchpoint is created
30723 in a disabled state. The @samp{regexp} argument is a regular
30724 expression used to match the name of the loaded library.
30725
30726
30727 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30728
30729 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{catch load}.
30730
30731 @subsubheading Example
30732
30733 @smallexample
30734 -catch-load -t foo.so
30735 ^done,bkpt=@{number="1",type="catchpoint",disp="del",enabled="y",
30736 what="load of library matching foo.so",catch-type="load",times="0"@}
30737 (gdb)
30738 @end smallexample
30739
30740
30741 @subheading The @code{-catch-unload} Command
30742 @findex -catch-unload
30743
30744 @subsubheading Synopsis
30745
30746 @smallexample
30747 -catch-unload [ -t ] [ -d ] @var{regexp}
30748 @end smallexample
30749
30750 Add a catchpoint for library unload events. If the @samp{-t} option is
30751 used, the catchpoint is a temporary one (@pxref{Set Breaks, ,Setting
30752 Breakpoints}). If the @samp{-d} option is used, the catchpoint is
30753 created in a disabled state. The @samp{regexp} argument is a regular
30754 expression used to match the name of the unloaded library.
30755
30756 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30757
30758 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{catch unload}.
30759
30760 @subsubheading Example
30761
30762 @smallexample
30763 -catch-unload -d bar.so
30764 ^done,bkpt=@{number="2",type="catchpoint",disp="keep",enabled="n",
30765 what="load of library matching bar.so",catch-type="unload",times="0"@}
30766 (gdb)
30767 @end smallexample
30768
30769 @node Ada Exception GDB/MI Catchpoint Commands
30770 @subsection Ada Exception @sc{gdb/mi} Catchpoints
30771
30772 The following @sc{gdb/mi} commands can be used to create catchpoints
30773 that stop the execution when Ada exceptions are being raised.
30774
30775 @subheading The @code{-catch-assert} Command
30776 @findex -catch-assert
30777
30778 @subsubheading Synopsis
30779
30780 @smallexample
30781 -catch-assert [ -c @var{condition}] [ -d ] [ -t ]
30782 @end smallexample
30783
30784 Add a catchpoint for failed Ada assertions.
30785
30786 The possible optional parameters for this command are:
30787
30788 @table @samp
30789 @item -c @var{condition}
30790 Make the catchpoint conditional on @var{condition}.
30791 @item -d
30792 Create a disabled catchpoint.
30793 @item -t
30794 Create a temporary catchpoint.
30795 @end table
30796
30797 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30798
30799 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{catch assert}.
30800
30801 @subsubheading Example
30802
30803 @smallexample
30804 -catch-assert
30805 ^done,bkptno="5",bkpt=@{number="5",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",
30806 enabled="y",addr="0x0000000000404888",what="failed Ada assertions",
30807 thread-groups=["i1"],times="0",
30808 original-location="__gnat_debug_raise_assert_failure"@}
30809 (gdb)
30810 @end smallexample
30811
30812 @subheading The @code{-catch-exception} Command
30813 @findex -catch-exception
30814
30815 @subsubheading Synopsis
30816
30817 @smallexample
30818 -catch-exception [ -c @var{condition}] [ -d ] [ -e @var{exception-name} ]
30819 [ -t ] [ -u ]
30820 @end smallexample
30821
30822 Add a catchpoint stopping when Ada exceptions are raised.
30823 By default, the command stops the program when any Ada exception
30824 gets raised. But it is also possible, by using some of the
30825 optional parameters described below, to create more selective
30826 catchpoints.
30827
30828 The possible optional parameters for this command are:
30829
30830 @table @samp
30831 @item -c @var{condition}
30832 Make the catchpoint conditional on @var{condition}.
30833 @item -d
30834 Create a disabled catchpoint.
30835 @item -e @var{exception-name}
30836 Only stop when @var{exception-name} is raised. This option cannot
30837 be used combined with @samp{-u}.
30838 @item -t
30839 Create a temporary catchpoint.
30840 @item -u
30841 Stop only when an unhandled exception gets raised. This option
30842 cannot be used combined with @samp{-e}.
30843 @end table
30844
30845 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30846
30847 The corresponding @value{GDBN} commands are @samp{catch exception}
30848 and @samp{catch exception unhandled}.
30849
30850 @subsubheading Example
30851
30852 @smallexample
30853 -catch-exception -e Program_Error
30854 ^done,bkptno="4",bkpt=@{number="4",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",
30855 enabled="y",addr="0x0000000000404874",
30856 what="`Program_Error' Ada exception", thread-groups=["i1"],
30857 times="0",original-location="__gnat_debug_raise_exception"@}
30858 (gdb)
30859 @end smallexample
30860
30861 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
30862 @node GDB/MI Program Context
30863 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Program Context
30864
30865 @subheading The @code{-exec-arguments} Command
30866 @findex -exec-arguments
30867
30868
30869 @subsubheading Synopsis
30870
30871 @smallexample
30872 -exec-arguments @var{args}
30873 @end smallexample
30874
30875 Set the inferior program arguments, to be used in the next
30876 @samp{-exec-run}.
30877
30878 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30879
30880 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{set args}.
30881
30882 @subsubheading Example
30883
30884 @smallexample
30885 (gdb)
30886 -exec-arguments -v word
30887 ^done
30888 (gdb)
30889 @end smallexample
30890
30891
30892 @ignore
30893 @subheading The @code{-exec-show-arguments} Command
30894 @findex -exec-show-arguments
30895
30896 @subsubheading Synopsis
30897
30898 @smallexample
30899 -exec-show-arguments
30900 @end smallexample
30901
30902 Print the arguments of the program.
30903
30904 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30905
30906 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{show args}.
30907
30908 @subsubheading Example
30909 N.A.
30910 @end ignore
30911
30912
30913 @subheading The @code{-environment-cd} Command
30914 @findex -environment-cd
30915
30916 @subsubheading Synopsis
30917
30918 @smallexample
30919 -environment-cd @var{pathdir}
30920 @end smallexample
30921
30922 Set @value{GDBN}'s working directory.
30923
30924 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30925
30926 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{cd}.
30927
30928 @subsubheading Example
30929
30930 @smallexample
30931 (gdb)
30932 -environment-cd /kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/devo/gdb
30933 ^done
30934 (gdb)
30935 @end smallexample
30936
30937
30938 @subheading The @code{-environment-directory} Command
30939 @findex -environment-directory
30940
30941 @subsubheading Synopsis
30942
30943 @smallexample
30944 -environment-directory [ -r ] [ @var{pathdir} ]+
30945 @end smallexample
30946
30947 Add directories @var{pathdir} to beginning of search path for source files.
30948 If the @samp{-r} option is used, the search path is reset to the default
30949 search path. If directories @var{pathdir} are supplied in addition to the
30950 @samp{-r} option, the search path is first reset and then addition
30951 occurs as normal.
30952 Multiple directories may be specified, separated by blanks. Specifying
30953 multiple directories in a single command
30954 results in the directories added to the beginning of the
30955 search path in the same order they were presented in the command.
30956 If blanks are needed as
30957 part of a directory name, double-quotes should be used around
30958 the name. In the command output, the path will show up separated
30959 by the system directory-separator character. The directory-separator
30960 character must not be used
30961 in any directory name.
30962 If no directories are specified, the current search path is displayed.
30963
30964 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30965
30966 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{dir}.
30967
30968 @subsubheading Example
30969
30970 @smallexample
30971 (gdb)
30972 -environment-directory /kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/devo/gdb
30973 ^done,source-path="/kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/devo/gdb:$cdir:$cwd"
30974 (gdb)
30975 -environment-directory ""
30976 ^done,source-path="/kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/devo/gdb:$cdir:$cwd"
30977 (gdb)
30978 -environment-directory -r /home/jjohnstn/src/gdb /usr/src
30979 ^done,source-path="/home/jjohnstn/src/gdb:/usr/src:$cdir:$cwd"
30980 (gdb)
30981 -environment-directory -r
30982 ^done,source-path="$cdir:$cwd"
30983 (gdb)
30984 @end smallexample
30985
30986
30987 @subheading The @code{-environment-path} Command
30988 @findex -environment-path
30989
30990 @subsubheading Synopsis
30991
30992 @smallexample
30993 -environment-path [ -r ] [ @var{pathdir} ]+
30994 @end smallexample
30995
30996 Add directories @var{pathdir} to beginning of search path for object files.
30997 If the @samp{-r} option is used, the search path is reset to the original
30998 search path that existed at gdb start-up. If directories @var{pathdir} are
30999 supplied in addition to the
31000 @samp{-r} option, the search path is first reset and then addition
31001 occurs as normal.
31002 Multiple directories may be specified, separated by blanks. Specifying
31003 multiple directories in a single command
31004 results in the directories added to the beginning of the
31005 search path in the same order they were presented in the command.
31006 If blanks are needed as
31007 part of a directory name, double-quotes should be used around
31008 the name. In the command output, the path will show up separated
31009 by the system directory-separator character. The directory-separator
31010 character must not be used
31011 in any directory name.
31012 If no directories are specified, the current path is displayed.
31013
31014
31015 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31016
31017 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{path}.
31018
31019 @subsubheading Example
31020
31021 @smallexample
31022 (gdb)
31023 -environment-path
31024 ^done,path="/usr/bin"
31025 (gdb)
31026 -environment-path /kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/ppc-eabi/gdb /bin
31027 ^done,path="/kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/ppc-eabi/gdb:/bin:/usr/bin"
31028 (gdb)
31029 -environment-path -r /usr/local/bin
31030 ^done,path="/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin"
31031 (gdb)
31032 @end smallexample
31033
31034
31035 @subheading The @code{-environment-pwd} Command
31036 @findex -environment-pwd
31037
31038 @subsubheading Synopsis
31039
31040 @smallexample
31041 -environment-pwd
31042 @end smallexample
31043
31044 Show the current working directory.
31045
31046 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31047
31048 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{pwd}.
31049
31050 @subsubheading Example
31051
31052 @smallexample
31053 (gdb)
31054 -environment-pwd
31055 ^done,cwd="/kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/devo/gdb"
31056 (gdb)
31057 @end smallexample
31058
31059 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
31060 @node GDB/MI Thread Commands
31061 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Thread Commands
31062
31063
31064 @subheading The @code{-thread-info} Command
31065 @findex -thread-info
31066
31067 @subsubheading Synopsis
31068
31069 @smallexample
31070 -thread-info [ @var{thread-id} ]
31071 @end smallexample
31072
31073 Reports information about either a specific thread, if
31074 the @var{thread-id} parameter is present, or about all
31075 threads. When printing information about all threads,
31076 also reports the current thread.
31077
31078 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31079
31080 The @samp{info thread} command prints the same information
31081 about all threads.
31082
31083 @subsubheading Result
31084
31085 The result is a list of threads. The following attributes are
31086 defined for a given thread:
31087
31088 @table @samp
31089 @item current
31090 This field exists only for the current thread. It has the value @samp{*}.
31091
31092 @item id
31093 The identifier that @value{GDBN} uses to refer to the thread.
31094
31095 @item target-id
31096 The identifier that the target uses to refer to the thread.
31097
31098 @item details
31099 Extra information about the thread, in a target-specific format. This
31100 field is optional.
31101
31102 @item name
31103 The name of the thread. If the user specified a name using the
31104 @code{thread name} command, then this name is given. Otherwise, if
31105 @value{GDBN} can extract the thread name from the target, then that
31106 name is given. If @value{GDBN} cannot find the thread name, then this
31107 field is omitted.
31108
31109 @item frame
31110 The stack frame currently executing in the thread.
31111
31112 @item state
31113 The thread's state. The @samp{state} field may have the following
31114 values:
31115
31116 @table @code
31117 @item stopped
31118 The thread is stopped. Frame information is available for stopped
31119 threads.
31120
31121 @item running
31122 The thread is running. There's no frame information for running
31123 threads.
31124
31125 @end table
31126
31127 @item core
31128 If @value{GDBN} can find the CPU core on which this thread is running,
31129 then this field is the core identifier. This field is optional.
31130
31131 @end table
31132
31133 @subsubheading Example
31134
31135 @smallexample
31136 -thread-info
31137 ^done,threads=[
31138 @{id="2",target-id="Thread 0xb7e14b90 (LWP 21257)",
31139 frame=@{level="0",addr="0xffffe410",func="__kernel_vsyscall",
31140 args=[]@},state="running"@},
31141 @{id="1",target-id="Thread 0xb7e156b0 (LWP 21254)",
31142 frame=@{level="0",addr="0x0804891f",func="foo",
31143 args=[@{name="i",value="10"@}],
31144 file="/tmp/a.c",fullname="/tmp/a.c",line="158"@},
31145 state="running"@}],
31146 current-thread-id="1"
31147 (gdb)
31148 @end smallexample
31149
31150 @subheading The @code{-thread-list-ids} Command
31151 @findex -thread-list-ids
31152
31153 @subsubheading Synopsis
31154
31155 @smallexample
31156 -thread-list-ids
31157 @end smallexample
31158
31159 Produces a list of the currently known @value{GDBN} thread ids. At the
31160 end of the list it also prints the total number of such threads.
31161
31162 This command is retained for historical reasons, the
31163 @code{-thread-info} command should be used instead.
31164
31165 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31166
31167 Part of @samp{info threads} supplies the same information.
31168
31169 @subsubheading Example
31170
31171 @smallexample
31172 (gdb)
31173 -thread-list-ids
31174 ^done,thread-ids=@{thread-id="3",thread-id="2",thread-id="1"@},
31175 current-thread-id="1",number-of-threads="3"
31176 (gdb)
31177 @end smallexample
31178
31179
31180 @subheading The @code{-thread-select} Command
31181 @findex -thread-select
31182
31183 @subsubheading Synopsis
31184
31185 @smallexample
31186 -thread-select @var{threadnum}
31187 @end smallexample
31188
31189 Make @var{threadnum} the current thread. It prints the number of the new
31190 current thread, and the topmost frame for that thread.
31191
31192 This command is deprecated in favor of explicitly using the
31193 @samp{--thread} option to each command.
31194
31195 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31196
31197 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{thread}.
31198
31199 @subsubheading Example
31200
31201 @smallexample
31202 (gdb)
31203 -exec-next
31204 ^running
31205 (gdb)
31206 *stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",thread-id="2",line="187",
31207 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.threads/linux-dp.c"
31208 (gdb)
31209 -thread-list-ids
31210 ^done,
31211 thread-ids=@{thread-id="3",thread-id="2",thread-id="1"@},
31212 number-of-threads="3"
31213 (gdb)
31214 -thread-select 3
31215 ^done,new-thread-id="3",
31216 frame=@{level="0",func="vprintf",
31217 args=[@{name="format",value="0x8048e9c \"%*s%c %d %c\\n\""@},
31218 @{name="arg",value="0x2"@}],file="vprintf.c",line="31"@}
31219 (gdb)
31220 @end smallexample
31221
31222 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
31223 @node GDB/MI Ada Tasking Commands
31224 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Ada Tasking Commands
31225
31226 @subheading The @code{-ada-task-info} Command
31227 @findex -ada-task-info
31228
31229 @subsubheading Synopsis
31230
31231 @smallexample
31232 -ada-task-info [ @var{task-id} ]
31233 @end smallexample
31234
31235 Reports information about either a specific Ada task, if the
31236 @var{task-id} parameter is present, or about all Ada tasks.
31237
31238 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31239
31240 The @samp{info tasks} command prints the same information
31241 about all Ada tasks (@pxref{Ada Tasks}).
31242
31243 @subsubheading Result
31244
31245 The result is a table of Ada tasks. The following columns are
31246 defined for each Ada task:
31247
31248 @table @samp
31249 @item current
31250 This field exists only for the current thread. It has the value @samp{*}.
31251
31252 @item id
31253 The identifier that @value{GDBN} uses to refer to the Ada task.
31254
31255 @item task-id
31256 The identifier that the target uses to refer to the Ada task.
31257
31258 @item thread-id
31259 The identifier of the thread corresponding to the Ada task.
31260
31261 This field should always exist, as Ada tasks are always implemented
31262 on top of a thread. But if @value{GDBN} cannot find this corresponding
31263 thread for any reason, the field is omitted.
31264
31265 @item parent-id
31266 This field exists only when the task was created by another task.
31267 In this case, it provides the ID of the parent task.
31268
31269 @item priority
31270 The base priority of the task.
31271
31272 @item state
31273 The current state of the task. For a detailed description of the
31274 possible states, see @ref{Ada Tasks}.
31275
31276 @item name
31277 The name of the task.
31278
31279 @end table
31280
31281 @subsubheading Example
31282
31283 @smallexample
31284 -ada-task-info
31285 ^done,tasks=@{nr_rows="3",nr_cols="8",
31286 hdr=[@{width="1",alignment="-1",col_name="current",colhdr=""@},
31287 @{width="3",alignment="1",col_name="id",colhdr="ID"@},
31288 @{width="9",alignment="1",col_name="task-id",colhdr="TID"@},
31289 @{width="4",alignment="1",col_name="thread-id",colhdr=""@},
31290 @{width="4",alignment="1",col_name="parent-id",colhdr="P-ID"@},
31291 @{width="3",alignment="1",col_name="priority",colhdr="Pri"@},
31292 @{width="22",alignment="-1",col_name="state",colhdr="State"@},
31293 @{width="1",alignment="2",col_name="name",colhdr="Name"@}],
31294 body=[@{current="*",id="1",task-id=" 644010",thread-id="1",priority="48",
31295 state="Child Termination Wait",name="main_task"@}]@}
31296 (gdb)
31297 @end smallexample
31298
31299 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
31300 @node GDB/MI Program Execution
31301 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Program Execution
31302
31303 These are the asynchronous commands which generate the out-of-band
31304 record @samp{*stopped}. Currently @value{GDBN} only really executes
31305 asynchronously with remote targets and this interaction is mimicked in
31306 other cases.
31307
31308 @subheading The @code{-exec-continue} Command
31309 @findex -exec-continue
31310
31311 @subsubheading Synopsis
31312
31313 @smallexample
31314 -exec-continue [--reverse] [--all|--thread-group N]
31315 @end smallexample
31316
31317 Resumes the execution of the inferior program, which will continue
31318 to execute until it reaches a debugger stop event. If the
31319 @samp{--reverse} option is specified, execution resumes in reverse until
31320 it reaches a stop event. Stop events may include
31321 @itemize @bullet
31322 @item
31323 breakpoints or watchpoints
31324 @item
31325 signals or exceptions
31326 @item
31327 the end of the process (or its beginning under @samp{--reverse})
31328 @item
31329 the end or beginning of a replay log if one is being used.
31330 @end itemize
31331 In all-stop mode (@pxref{All-Stop
31332 Mode}), may resume only one thread, or all threads, depending on the
31333 value of the @samp{scheduler-locking} variable. If @samp{--all} is
31334 specified, all threads (in all inferiors) will be resumed. The @samp{--all} option is
31335 ignored in all-stop mode. If the @samp{--thread-group} options is
31336 specified, then all threads in that thread group are resumed.
31337
31338 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31339
31340 The corresponding @value{GDBN} corresponding is @samp{continue}.
31341
31342 @subsubheading Example
31343
31344 @smallexample
31345 -exec-continue
31346 ^running
31347 (gdb)
31348 @@Hello world
31349 *stopped,reason="breakpoint-hit",disp="keep",bkptno="2",frame=@{
31350 func="foo",args=[],file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/hello.c",
31351 line="13"@}
31352 (gdb)
31353 @end smallexample
31354
31355
31356 @subheading The @code{-exec-finish} Command
31357 @findex -exec-finish
31358
31359 @subsubheading Synopsis
31360
31361 @smallexample
31362 -exec-finish [--reverse]
31363 @end smallexample
31364
31365 Resumes the execution of the inferior program until the current
31366 function is exited. Displays the results returned by the function.
31367 If the @samp{--reverse} option is specified, resumes the reverse
31368 execution of the inferior program until the point where current
31369 function was called.
31370
31371 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31372
31373 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{finish}.
31374
31375 @subsubheading Example
31376
31377 Function returning @code{void}.
31378
31379 @smallexample
31380 -exec-finish
31381 ^running
31382 (gdb)
31383 @@hello from foo
31384 *stopped,reason="function-finished",frame=@{func="main",args=[],
31385 file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/hello.c",line="7"@}
31386 (gdb)
31387 @end smallexample
31388
31389 Function returning other than @code{void}. The name of the internal
31390 @value{GDBN} variable storing the result is printed, together with the
31391 value itself.
31392
31393 @smallexample
31394 -exec-finish
31395 ^running
31396 (gdb)
31397 *stopped,reason="function-finished",frame=@{addr="0x000107b0",func="foo",
31398 args=[@{name="a",value="1"],@{name="b",value="9"@}@},
31399 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
31400 gdb-result-var="$1",return-value="0"
31401 (gdb)
31402 @end smallexample
31403
31404
31405 @subheading The @code{-exec-interrupt} Command
31406 @findex -exec-interrupt
31407
31408 @subsubheading Synopsis
31409
31410 @smallexample
31411 -exec-interrupt [--all|--thread-group N]
31412 @end smallexample
31413
31414 Interrupts the background execution of the target. Note how the token
31415 associated with the stop message is the one for the execution command
31416 that has been interrupted. The token for the interrupt itself only
31417 appears in the @samp{^done} output. If the user is trying to
31418 interrupt a non-running program, an error message will be printed.
31419
31420 Note that when asynchronous execution is enabled, this command is
31421 asynchronous just like other execution commands. That is, first the
31422 @samp{^done} response will be printed, and the target stop will be
31423 reported after that using the @samp{*stopped} notification.
31424
31425 In non-stop mode, only the context thread is interrupted by default.
31426 All threads (in all inferiors) will be interrupted if the
31427 @samp{--all} option is specified. If the @samp{--thread-group}
31428 option is specified, all threads in that group will be interrupted.
31429
31430 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31431
31432 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{interrupt}.
31433
31434 @subsubheading Example
31435
31436 @smallexample
31437 (gdb)
31438 111-exec-continue
31439 111^running
31440
31441 (gdb)
31442 222-exec-interrupt
31443 222^done
31444 (gdb)
31445 111*stopped,signal-name="SIGINT",signal-meaning="Interrupt",
31446 frame=@{addr="0x00010140",func="foo",args=[],file="try.c",
31447 fullname="/home/foo/bar/try.c",line="13"@}
31448 (gdb)
31449
31450 (gdb)
31451 -exec-interrupt
31452 ^error,msg="mi_cmd_exec_interrupt: Inferior not executing."
31453 (gdb)
31454 @end smallexample
31455
31456 @subheading The @code{-exec-jump} Command
31457 @findex -exec-jump
31458
31459 @subsubheading Synopsis
31460
31461 @smallexample
31462 -exec-jump @var{location}
31463 @end smallexample
31464
31465 Resumes execution of the inferior program at the location specified by
31466 parameter. @xref{Specify Location}, for a description of the
31467 different forms of @var{location}.
31468
31469 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31470
31471 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{jump}.
31472
31473 @subsubheading Example
31474
31475 @smallexample
31476 -exec-jump foo.c:10
31477 *running,thread-id="all"
31478 ^running
31479 @end smallexample
31480
31481
31482 @subheading The @code{-exec-next} Command
31483 @findex -exec-next
31484
31485 @subsubheading Synopsis
31486
31487 @smallexample
31488 -exec-next [--reverse]
31489 @end smallexample
31490
31491 Resumes execution of the inferior program, stopping when the beginning
31492 of the next source line is reached.
31493
31494 If the @samp{--reverse} option is specified, resumes reverse execution
31495 of the inferior program, stopping at the beginning of the previous
31496 source line. If you issue this command on the first line of a
31497 function, it will take you back to the caller of that function, to the
31498 source line where the function was called.
31499
31500
31501 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31502
31503 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{next}.
31504
31505 @subsubheading Example
31506
31507 @smallexample
31508 -exec-next
31509 ^running
31510 (gdb)
31511 *stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",line="8",file="hello.c"
31512 (gdb)
31513 @end smallexample
31514
31515
31516 @subheading The @code{-exec-next-instruction} Command
31517 @findex -exec-next-instruction
31518
31519 @subsubheading Synopsis
31520
31521 @smallexample
31522 -exec-next-instruction [--reverse]
31523 @end smallexample
31524
31525 Executes one machine instruction. If the instruction is a function
31526 call, continues until the function returns. If the program stops at an
31527 instruction in the middle of a source line, the address will be
31528 printed as well.
31529
31530 If the @samp{--reverse} option is specified, resumes reverse execution
31531 of the inferior program, stopping at the previous instruction. If the
31532 previously executed instruction was a return from another function,
31533 it will continue to execute in reverse until the call to that function
31534 (from the current stack frame) is reached.
31535
31536 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31537
31538 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{nexti}.
31539
31540 @subsubheading Example
31541
31542 @smallexample
31543 (gdb)
31544 -exec-next-instruction
31545 ^running
31546
31547 (gdb)
31548 *stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",
31549 addr="0x000100d4",line="5",file="hello.c"
31550 (gdb)
31551 @end smallexample
31552
31553
31554 @subheading The @code{-exec-return} Command
31555 @findex -exec-return
31556
31557 @subsubheading Synopsis
31558
31559 @smallexample
31560 -exec-return
31561 @end smallexample
31562
31563 Makes current function return immediately. Doesn't execute the inferior.
31564 Displays the new current frame.
31565
31566 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31567
31568 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{return}.
31569
31570 @subsubheading Example
31571
31572 @smallexample
31573 (gdb)
31574 200-break-insert callee4
31575 200^done,bkpt=@{number="1",addr="0x00010734",
31576 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="8"@}
31577 (gdb)
31578 000-exec-run
31579 000^running
31580 (gdb)
31581 000*stopped,reason="breakpoint-hit",disp="keep",bkptno="1",
31582 frame=@{func="callee4",args=[],
31583 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
31584 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="8"@}
31585 (gdb)
31586 205-break-delete
31587 205^done
31588 (gdb)
31589 111-exec-return
31590 111^done,frame=@{level="0",func="callee3",
31591 args=[@{name="strarg",
31592 value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@}],
31593 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
31594 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="18"@}
31595 (gdb)
31596 @end smallexample
31597
31598
31599 @subheading The @code{-exec-run} Command
31600 @findex -exec-run
31601
31602 @subsubheading Synopsis
31603
31604 @smallexample
31605 -exec-run [ --all | --thread-group N ] [ --start ]
31606 @end smallexample
31607
31608 Starts execution of the inferior from the beginning. The inferior
31609 executes until either a breakpoint is encountered or the program
31610 exits. In the latter case the output will include an exit code, if
31611 the program has exited exceptionally.
31612
31613 When neither the @samp{--all} nor the @samp{--thread-group} option
31614 is specified, the current inferior is started. If the
31615 @samp{--thread-group} option is specified, it should refer to a thread
31616 group of type @samp{process}, and that thread group will be started.
31617 If the @samp{--all} option is specified, then all inferiors will be started.
31618
31619 Using the @samp{--start} option instructs the debugger to stop
31620 the execution at the start of the inferior's main subprogram,
31621 following the same behavior as the @code{start} command
31622 (@pxref{Starting}).
31623
31624 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31625
31626 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{run}.
31627
31628 @subsubheading Examples
31629
31630 @smallexample
31631 (gdb)
31632 -break-insert main
31633 ^done,bkpt=@{number="1",addr="0x0001072c",file="recursive2.c",line="4"@}
31634 (gdb)
31635 -exec-run
31636 ^running
31637 (gdb)
31638 *stopped,reason="breakpoint-hit",disp="keep",bkptno="1",
31639 frame=@{func="main",args=[],file="recursive2.c",
31640 fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="4"@}
31641 (gdb)
31642 @end smallexample
31643
31644 @noindent
31645 Program exited normally:
31646
31647 @smallexample
31648 (gdb)
31649 -exec-run
31650 ^running
31651 (gdb)
31652 x = 55
31653 *stopped,reason="exited-normally"
31654 (gdb)
31655 @end smallexample
31656
31657 @noindent
31658 Program exited exceptionally:
31659
31660 @smallexample
31661 (gdb)
31662 -exec-run
31663 ^running
31664 (gdb)
31665 x = 55
31666 *stopped,reason="exited",exit-code="01"
31667 (gdb)
31668 @end smallexample
31669
31670 Another way the program can terminate is if it receives a signal such as
31671 @code{SIGINT}. In this case, @sc{gdb/mi} displays this:
31672
31673 @smallexample
31674 (gdb)
31675 *stopped,reason="exited-signalled",signal-name="SIGINT",
31676 signal-meaning="Interrupt"
31677 @end smallexample
31678
31679
31680 @c @subheading -exec-signal
31681
31682
31683 @subheading The @code{-exec-step} Command
31684 @findex -exec-step
31685
31686 @subsubheading Synopsis
31687
31688 @smallexample
31689 -exec-step [--reverse]
31690 @end smallexample
31691
31692 Resumes execution of the inferior program, stopping when the beginning
31693 of the next source line is reached, if the next source line is not a
31694 function call. If it is, stop at the first instruction of the called
31695 function. If the @samp{--reverse} option is specified, resumes reverse
31696 execution of the inferior program, stopping at the beginning of the
31697 previously executed source line.
31698
31699 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31700
31701 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{step}.
31702
31703 @subsubheading Example
31704
31705 Stepping into a function:
31706
31707 @smallexample
31708 -exec-step
31709 ^running
31710 (gdb)
31711 *stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",
31712 frame=@{func="foo",args=[@{name="a",value="10"@},
31713 @{name="b",value="0"@}],file="recursive2.c",
31714 fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="11"@}
31715 (gdb)
31716 @end smallexample
31717
31718 Regular stepping:
31719
31720 @smallexample
31721 -exec-step
31722 ^running
31723 (gdb)
31724 *stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",line="14",file="recursive2.c"
31725 (gdb)
31726 @end smallexample
31727
31728
31729 @subheading The @code{-exec-step-instruction} Command
31730 @findex -exec-step-instruction
31731
31732 @subsubheading Synopsis
31733
31734 @smallexample
31735 -exec-step-instruction [--reverse]
31736 @end smallexample
31737
31738 Resumes the inferior which executes one machine instruction. If the
31739 @samp{--reverse} option is specified, resumes reverse execution of the
31740 inferior program, stopping at the previously executed instruction.
31741 The output, once @value{GDBN} has stopped, will vary depending on
31742 whether we have stopped in the middle of a source line or not. In the
31743 former case, the address at which the program stopped will be printed
31744 as well.
31745
31746 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31747
31748 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{stepi}.
31749
31750 @subsubheading Example
31751
31752 @smallexample
31753 (gdb)
31754 -exec-step-instruction
31755 ^running
31756
31757 (gdb)
31758 *stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",
31759 frame=@{func="foo",args=[],file="try.c",
31760 fullname="/home/foo/bar/try.c",line="10"@}
31761 (gdb)
31762 -exec-step-instruction
31763 ^running
31764
31765 (gdb)
31766 *stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",
31767 frame=@{addr="0x000100f4",func="foo",args=[],file="try.c",
31768 fullname="/home/foo/bar/try.c",line="10"@}
31769 (gdb)
31770 @end smallexample
31771
31772
31773 @subheading The @code{-exec-until} Command
31774 @findex -exec-until
31775
31776 @subsubheading Synopsis
31777
31778 @smallexample
31779 -exec-until [ @var{location} ]
31780 @end smallexample
31781
31782 Executes the inferior until the @var{location} specified in the
31783 argument is reached. If there is no argument, the inferior executes
31784 until a source line greater than the current one is reached. The
31785 reason for stopping in this case will be @samp{location-reached}.
31786
31787 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31788
31789 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{until}.
31790
31791 @subsubheading Example
31792
31793 @smallexample
31794 (gdb)
31795 -exec-until recursive2.c:6
31796 ^running
31797 (gdb)
31798 x = 55
31799 *stopped,reason="location-reached",frame=@{func="main",args=[],
31800 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="6"@}
31801 (gdb)
31802 @end smallexample
31803
31804 @ignore
31805 @subheading -file-clear
31806 Is this going away????
31807 @end ignore
31808
31809 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
31810 @node GDB/MI Stack Manipulation
31811 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Stack Manipulation Commands
31812
31813 @subheading The @code{-enable-frame-filters} Command
31814 @findex -enable-frame-filters
31815
31816 @smallexample
31817 -enable-frame-filters
31818 @end smallexample
31819
31820 @value{GDBN} allows Python-based frame filters to affect the output of
31821 the MI commands relating to stack traces. As there is no way to
31822 implement this in a fully backward-compatible way, a front end must
31823 request that this functionality be enabled.
31824
31825 Once enabled, this feature cannot be disabled.
31826
31827 Note that if Python support has not been compiled into @value{GDBN},
31828 this command will still succeed (and do nothing).
31829
31830 @subheading The @code{-stack-info-frame} Command
31831 @findex -stack-info-frame
31832
31833 @subsubheading Synopsis
31834
31835 @smallexample
31836 -stack-info-frame
31837 @end smallexample
31838
31839 Get info on the selected frame.
31840
31841 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31842
31843 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info frame} or @samp{frame}
31844 (without arguments).
31845
31846 @subsubheading Example
31847
31848 @smallexample
31849 (gdb)
31850 -stack-info-frame
31851 ^done,frame=@{level="1",addr="0x0001076c",func="callee3",
31852 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
31853 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="17"@}
31854 (gdb)
31855 @end smallexample
31856
31857 @subheading The @code{-stack-info-depth} Command
31858 @findex -stack-info-depth
31859
31860 @subsubheading Synopsis
31861
31862 @smallexample
31863 -stack-info-depth [ @var{max-depth} ]
31864 @end smallexample
31865
31866 Return the depth of the stack. If the integer argument @var{max-depth}
31867 is specified, do not count beyond @var{max-depth} frames.
31868
31869 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31870
31871 There's no equivalent @value{GDBN} command.
31872
31873 @subsubheading Example
31874
31875 For a stack with frame levels 0 through 11:
31876
31877 @smallexample
31878 (gdb)
31879 -stack-info-depth
31880 ^done,depth="12"
31881 (gdb)
31882 -stack-info-depth 4
31883 ^done,depth="4"
31884 (gdb)
31885 -stack-info-depth 12
31886 ^done,depth="12"
31887 (gdb)
31888 -stack-info-depth 11
31889 ^done,depth="11"
31890 (gdb)
31891 -stack-info-depth 13
31892 ^done,depth="12"
31893 (gdb)
31894 @end smallexample
31895
31896 @anchor{-stack-list-arguments}
31897 @subheading The @code{-stack-list-arguments} Command
31898 @findex -stack-list-arguments
31899
31900 @subsubheading Synopsis
31901
31902 @smallexample
31903 -stack-list-arguments [ --no-frame-filters ] [ --skip-unavailable ] @var{print-values}
31904 [ @var{low-frame} @var{high-frame} ]
31905 @end smallexample
31906
31907 Display a list of the arguments for the frames between @var{low-frame}
31908 and @var{high-frame} (inclusive). If @var{low-frame} and
31909 @var{high-frame} are not provided, list the arguments for the whole
31910 call stack. If the two arguments are equal, show the single frame
31911 at the corresponding level. It is an error if @var{low-frame} is
31912 larger than the actual number of frames. On the other hand,
31913 @var{high-frame} may be larger than the actual number of frames, in
31914 which case only existing frames will be returned.
31915
31916 If @var{print-values} is 0 or @code{--no-values}, print only the names of
31917 the variables; if it is 1 or @code{--all-values}, print also their
31918 values; and if it is 2 or @code{--simple-values}, print the name,
31919 type and value for simple data types, and the name and type for arrays,
31920 structures and unions. If the option @code{--no-frame-filters} is
31921 supplied, then Python frame filters will not be executed.
31922
31923 If the @code{--skip-unavailable} option is specified, arguments that
31924 are not available are not listed. Partially available arguments
31925 are still displayed, however.
31926
31927 Use of this command to obtain arguments in a single frame is
31928 deprecated in favor of the @samp{-stack-list-variables} command.
31929
31930 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31931
31932 @value{GDBN} does not have an equivalent command. @code{gdbtk} has a
31933 @samp{gdb_get_args} command which partially overlaps with the
31934 functionality of @samp{-stack-list-arguments}.
31935
31936 @subsubheading Example
31937
31938 @smallexample
31939 (gdb)
31940 -stack-list-frames
31941 ^done,
31942 stack=[
31943 frame=@{level="0",addr="0x00010734",func="callee4",
31944 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
31945 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="8"@},
31946 frame=@{level="1",addr="0x0001076c",func="callee3",
31947 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
31948 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="17"@},
31949 frame=@{level="2",addr="0x0001078c",func="callee2",
31950 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
31951 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="22"@},
31952 frame=@{level="3",addr="0x000107b4",func="callee1",
31953 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
31954 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="27"@},
31955 frame=@{level="4",addr="0x000107e0",func="main",
31956 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
31957 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="32"@}]
31958 (gdb)
31959 -stack-list-arguments 0
31960 ^done,
31961 stack-args=[
31962 frame=@{level="0",args=[]@},
31963 frame=@{level="1",args=[name="strarg"]@},
31964 frame=@{level="2",args=[name="intarg",name="strarg"]@},
31965 frame=@{level="3",args=[name="intarg",name="strarg",name="fltarg"]@},
31966 frame=@{level="4",args=[]@}]
31967 (gdb)
31968 -stack-list-arguments 1
31969 ^done,
31970 stack-args=[
31971 frame=@{level="0",args=[]@},
31972 frame=@{level="1",
31973 args=[@{name="strarg",value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@}]@},
31974 frame=@{level="2",args=[
31975 @{name="intarg",value="2"@},
31976 @{name="strarg",value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@}]@},
31977 @{frame=@{level="3",args=[
31978 @{name="intarg",value="2"@},
31979 @{name="strarg",value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@},
31980 @{name="fltarg",value="3.5"@}]@},
31981 frame=@{level="4",args=[]@}]
31982 (gdb)
31983 -stack-list-arguments 0 2 2
31984 ^done,stack-args=[frame=@{level="2",args=[name="intarg",name="strarg"]@}]
31985 (gdb)
31986 -stack-list-arguments 1 2 2
31987 ^done,stack-args=[frame=@{level="2",
31988 args=[@{name="intarg",value="2"@},
31989 @{name="strarg",value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@}]@}]
31990 (gdb)
31991 @end smallexample
31992
31993 @c @subheading -stack-list-exception-handlers
31994
31995
31996 @anchor{-stack-list-frames}
31997 @subheading The @code{-stack-list-frames} Command
31998 @findex -stack-list-frames
31999
32000 @subsubheading Synopsis
32001
32002 @smallexample
32003 -stack-list-frames [ --no-frame-filters @var{low-frame} @var{high-frame} ]
32004 @end smallexample
32005
32006 List the frames currently on the stack. For each frame it displays the
32007 following info:
32008
32009 @table @samp
32010 @item @var{level}
32011 The frame number, 0 being the topmost frame, i.e., the innermost function.
32012 @item @var{addr}
32013 The @code{$pc} value for that frame.
32014 @item @var{func}
32015 Function name.
32016 @item @var{file}
32017 File name of the source file where the function lives.
32018 @item @var{fullname}
32019 The full file name of the source file where the function lives.
32020 @item @var{line}
32021 Line number corresponding to the @code{$pc}.
32022 @item @var{from}
32023 The shared library where this function is defined. This is only given
32024 if the frame's function is not known.
32025 @end table
32026
32027 If invoked without arguments, this command prints a backtrace for the
32028 whole stack. If given two integer arguments, it shows the frames whose
32029 levels are between the two arguments (inclusive). If the two arguments
32030 are equal, it shows the single frame at the corresponding level. It is
32031 an error if @var{low-frame} is larger than the actual number of
32032 frames. On the other hand, @var{high-frame} may be larger than the
32033 actual number of frames, in which case only existing frames will be
32034 returned. If the option @code{--no-frame-filters} is supplied, then
32035 Python frame filters will not be executed.
32036
32037 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
32038
32039 The corresponding @value{GDBN} commands are @samp{backtrace} and @samp{where}.
32040
32041 @subsubheading Example
32042
32043 Full stack backtrace:
32044
32045 @smallexample
32046 (gdb)
32047 -stack-list-frames
32048 ^done,stack=
32049 [frame=@{level="0",addr="0x0001076c",func="foo",
32050 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="11"@},
32051 frame=@{level="1",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
32052 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
32053 frame=@{level="2",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
32054 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
32055 frame=@{level="3",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
32056 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
32057 frame=@{level="4",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
32058 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
32059 frame=@{level="5",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
32060 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
32061 frame=@{level="6",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
32062 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
32063 frame=@{level="7",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
32064 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
32065 frame=@{level="8",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
32066 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
32067 frame=@{level="9",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
32068 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
32069 frame=@{level="10",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
32070 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
32071 frame=@{level="11",addr="0x00010738",func="main",
32072 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="4"@}]
32073 (gdb)
32074 @end smallexample
32075
32076 Show frames between @var{low_frame} and @var{high_frame}:
32077
32078 @smallexample
32079 (gdb)
32080 -stack-list-frames 3 5
32081 ^done,stack=
32082 [frame=@{level="3",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
32083 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
32084 frame=@{level="4",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
32085 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
32086 frame=@{level="5",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
32087 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@}]
32088 (gdb)
32089 @end smallexample
32090
32091 Show a single frame:
32092
32093 @smallexample
32094 (gdb)
32095 -stack-list-frames 3 3
32096 ^done,stack=
32097 [frame=@{level="3",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
32098 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@}]
32099 (gdb)
32100 @end smallexample
32101
32102
32103 @subheading The @code{-stack-list-locals} Command
32104 @findex -stack-list-locals
32105 @anchor{-stack-list-locals}
32106
32107 @subsubheading Synopsis
32108
32109 @smallexample
32110 -stack-list-locals [ --no-frame-filters ] [ --skip-unavailable ] @var{print-values}
32111 @end smallexample
32112
32113 Display the local variable names for the selected frame. If
32114 @var{print-values} is 0 or @code{--no-values}, print only the names of
32115 the variables; if it is 1 or @code{--all-values}, print also their
32116 values; and if it is 2 or @code{--simple-values}, print the name,
32117 type and value for simple data types, and the name and type for arrays,
32118 structures and unions. In this last case, a frontend can immediately
32119 display the value of simple data types and create variable objects for
32120 other data types when the user wishes to explore their values in
32121 more detail. If the option @code{--no-frame-filters} is supplied, then
32122 Python frame filters will not be executed.
32123
32124 If the @code{--skip-unavailable} option is specified, local variables
32125 that are not available are not listed. Partially available local
32126 variables are still displayed, however.
32127
32128 This command is deprecated in favor of the
32129 @samp{-stack-list-variables} command.
32130
32131 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
32132
32133 @samp{info locals} in @value{GDBN}, @samp{gdb_get_locals} in @code{gdbtk}.
32134
32135 @subsubheading Example
32136
32137 @smallexample
32138 (gdb)
32139 -stack-list-locals 0
32140 ^done,locals=[name="A",name="B",name="C"]
32141 (gdb)
32142 -stack-list-locals --all-values
32143 ^done,locals=[@{name="A",value="1"@},@{name="B",value="2"@},
32144 @{name="C",value="@{1, 2, 3@}"@}]
32145 -stack-list-locals --simple-values
32146 ^done,locals=[@{name="A",type="int",value="1"@},
32147 @{name="B",type="int",value="2"@},@{name="C",type="int [3]"@}]
32148 (gdb)
32149 @end smallexample
32150
32151 @anchor{-stack-list-variables}
32152 @subheading The @code{-stack-list-variables} Command
32153 @findex -stack-list-variables
32154
32155 @subsubheading Synopsis
32156
32157 @smallexample
32158 -stack-list-variables [ --no-frame-filters ] [ --skip-unavailable ] @var{print-values}
32159 @end smallexample
32160
32161 Display the names of local variables and function arguments for the selected frame. If
32162 @var{print-values} is 0 or @code{--no-values}, print only the names of
32163 the variables; if it is 1 or @code{--all-values}, print also their
32164 values; and if it is 2 or @code{--simple-values}, print the name,
32165 type and value for simple data types, and the name and type for arrays,
32166 structures and unions. If the option @code{--no-frame-filters} is
32167 supplied, then Python frame filters will not be executed.
32168
32169 If the @code{--skip-unavailable} option is specified, local variables
32170 and arguments that are not available are not listed. Partially
32171 available arguments and local variables are still displayed, however.
32172
32173 @subsubheading Example
32174
32175 @smallexample
32176 (gdb)
32177 -stack-list-variables --thread 1 --frame 0 --all-values
32178 ^done,variables=[@{name="x",value="11"@},@{name="s",value="@{a = 1, b = 2@}"@}]
32179 (gdb)
32180 @end smallexample
32181
32182
32183 @subheading The @code{-stack-select-frame} Command
32184 @findex -stack-select-frame
32185
32186 @subsubheading Synopsis
32187
32188 @smallexample
32189 -stack-select-frame @var{framenum}
32190 @end smallexample
32191
32192 Change the selected frame. Select a different frame @var{framenum} on
32193 the stack.
32194
32195 This command in deprecated in favor of passing the @samp{--frame}
32196 option to every command.
32197
32198 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
32199
32200 The corresponding @value{GDBN} commands are @samp{frame}, @samp{up},
32201 @samp{down}, @samp{select-frame}, @samp{up-silent}, and @samp{down-silent}.
32202
32203 @subsubheading Example
32204
32205 @smallexample
32206 (gdb)
32207 -stack-select-frame 2
32208 ^done
32209 (gdb)
32210 @end smallexample
32211
32212 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
32213 @node GDB/MI Variable Objects
32214 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Variable Objects
32215
32216 @ignore
32217
32218 @subheading Motivation for Variable Objects in @sc{gdb/mi}
32219
32220 For the implementation of a variable debugger window (locals, watched
32221 expressions, etc.), we are proposing the adaptation of the existing code
32222 used by @code{Insight}.
32223
32224 The two main reasons for that are:
32225
32226 @enumerate 1
32227 @item
32228 It has been proven in practice (it is already on its second generation).
32229
32230 @item
32231 It will shorten development time (needless to say how important it is
32232 now).
32233 @end enumerate
32234
32235 The original interface was designed to be used by Tcl code, so it was
32236 slightly changed so it could be used through @sc{gdb/mi}. This section
32237 describes the @sc{gdb/mi} operations that will be available and gives some
32238 hints about their use.
32239
32240 @emph{Note}: In addition to the set of operations described here, we
32241 expect the @sc{gui} implementation of a variable window to require, at
32242 least, the following operations:
32243
32244 @itemize @bullet
32245 @item @code{-gdb-show} @code{output-radix}
32246 @item @code{-stack-list-arguments}
32247 @item @code{-stack-list-locals}
32248 @item @code{-stack-select-frame}
32249 @end itemize
32250
32251 @end ignore
32252
32253 @subheading Introduction to Variable Objects
32254
32255 @cindex variable objects in @sc{gdb/mi}
32256
32257 Variable objects are "object-oriented" MI interface for examining and
32258 changing values of expressions. Unlike some other MI interfaces that
32259 work with expressions, variable objects are specifically designed for
32260 simple and efficient presentation in the frontend. A variable object
32261 is identified by string name. When a variable object is created, the
32262 frontend specifies the expression for that variable object. The
32263 expression can be a simple variable, or it can be an arbitrary complex
32264 expression, and can even involve CPU registers. After creating a
32265 variable object, the frontend can invoke other variable object
32266 operations---for example to obtain or change the value of a variable
32267 object, or to change display format.
32268
32269 Variable objects have hierarchical tree structure. Any variable object
32270 that corresponds to a composite type, such as structure in C, has
32271 a number of child variable objects, for example corresponding to each
32272 element of a structure. A child variable object can itself have
32273 children, recursively. Recursion ends when we reach
32274 leaf variable objects, which always have built-in types. Child variable
32275 objects are created only by explicit request, so if a frontend
32276 is not interested in the children of a particular variable object, no
32277 child will be created.
32278
32279 For a leaf variable object it is possible to obtain its value as a
32280 string, or set the value from a string. String value can be also
32281 obtained for a non-leaf variable object, but it's generally a string
32282 that only indicates the type of the object, and does not list its
32283 contents. Assignment to a non-leaf variable object is not allowed.
32284
32285 A frontend does not need to read the values of all variable objects each time
32286 the program stops. Instead, MI provides an update command that lists all
32287 variable objects whose values has changed since the last update
32288 operation. This considerably reduces the amount of data that must
32289 be transferred to the frontend. As noted above, children variable
32290 objects are created on demand, and only leaf variable objects have a
32291 real value. As result, gdb will read target memory only for leaf
32292 variables that frontend has created.
32293
32294 The automatic update is not always desirable. For example, a frontend
32295 might want to keep a value of some expression for future reference,
32296 and never update it. For another example, fetching memory is
32297 relatively slow for embedded targets, so a frontend might want
32298 to disable automatic update for the variables that are either not
32299 visible on the screen, or ``closed''. This is possible using so
32300 called ``frozen variable objects''. Such variable objects are never
32301 implicitly updated.
32302
32303 Variable objects can be either @dfn{fixed} or @dfn{floating}. For the
32304 fixed variable object, the expression is parsed when the variable
32305 object is created, including associating identifiers to specific
32306 variables. The meaning of expression never changes. For a floating
32307 variable object the values of variables whose names appear in the
32308 expressions are re-evaluated every time in the context of the current
32309 frame. Consider this example:
32310
32311 @smallexample
32312 void do_work(...)
32313 @{
32314 struct work_state state;
32315
32316 if (...)
32317 do_work(...);
32318 @}
32319 @end smallexample
32320
32321 If a fixed variable object for the @code{state} variable is created in
32322 this function, and we enter the recursive call, the variable
32323 object will report the value of @code{state} in the top-level
32324 @code{do_work} invocation. On the other hand, a floating variable
32325 object will report the value of @code{state} in the current frame.
32326
32327 If an expression specified when creating a fixed variable object
32328 refers to a local variable, the variable object becomes bound to the
32329 thread and frame in which the variable object is created. When such
32330 variable object is updated, @value{GDBN} makes sure that the
32331 thread/frame combination the variable object is bound to still exists,
32332 and re-evaluates the variable object in context of that thread/frame.
32333
32334 The following is the complete set of @sc{gdb/mi} operations defined to
32335 access this functionality:
32336
32337 @multitable @columnfractions .4 .6
32338 @item @strong{Operation}
32339 @tab @strong{Description}
32340
32341 @item @code{-enable-pretty-printing}
32342 @tab enable Python-based pretty-printing
32343 @item @code{-var-create}
32344 @tab create a variable object
32345 @item @code{-var-delete}
32346 @tab delete the variable object and/or its children
32347 @item @code{-var-set-format}
32348 @tab set the display format of this variable
32349 @item @code{-var-show-format}
32350 @tab show the display format of this variable
32351 @item @code{-var-info-num-children}
32352 @tab tells how many children this object has
32353 @item @code{-var-list-children}
32354 @tab return a list of the object's children
32355 @item @code{-var-info-type}
32356 @tab show the type of this variable object
32357 @item @code{-var-info-expression}
32358 @tab print parent-relative expression that this variable object represents
32359 @item @code{-var-info-path-expression}
32360 @tab print full expression that this variable object represents
32361 @item @code{-var-show-attributes}
32362 @tab is this variable editable? does it exist here?
32363 @item @code{-var-evaluate-expression}
32364 @tab get the value of this variable
32365 @item @code{-var-assign}
32366 @tab set the value of this variable
32367 @item @code{-var-update}
32368 @tab update the variable and its children
32369 @item @code{-var-set-frozen}
32370 @tab set frozeness attribute
32371 @item @code{-var-set-update-range}
32372 @tab set range of children to display on update
32373 @end multitable
32374
32375 In the next subsection we describe each operation in detail and suggest
32376 how it can be used.
32377
32378 @subheading Description And Use of Operations on Variable Objects
32379
32380 @subheading The @code{-enable-pretty-printing} Command
32381 @findex -enable-pretty-printing
32382
32383 @smallexample
32384 -enable-pretty-printing
32385 @end smallexample
32386
32387 @value{GDBN} allows Python-based visualizers to affect the output of the
32388 MI variable object commands. However, because there was no way to
32389 implement this in a fully backward-compatible way, a front end must
32390 request that this functionality be enabled.
32391
32392 Once enabled, this feature cannot be disabled.
32393
32394 Note that if Python support has not been compiled into @value{GDBN},
32395 this command will still succeed (and do nothing).
32396
32397 This feature is currently (as of @value{GDBN} 7.0) experimental, and
32398 may work differently in future versions of @value{GDBN}.
32399
32400 @subheading The @code{-var-create} Command
32401 @findex -var-create
32402
32403 @subsubheading Synopsis
32404
32405 @smallexample
32406 -var-create @{@var{name} | "-"@}
32407 @{@var{frame-addr} | "*" | "@@"@} @var{expression}
32408 @end smallexample
32409
32410 This operation creates a variable object, which allows the monitoring of
32411 a variable, the result of an expression, a memory cell or a CPU
32412 register.
32413
32414 The @var{name} parameter is the string by which the object can be
32415 referenced. It must be unique. If @samp{-} is specified, the varobj
32416 system will generate a string ``varNNNNNN'' automatically. It will be
32417 unique provided that one does not specify @var{name} of that format.
32418 The command fails if a duplicate name is found.
32419
32420 The frame under which the expression should be evaluated can be
32421 specified by @var{frame-addr}. A @samp{*} indicates that the current
32422 frame should be used. A @samp{@@} indicates that a floating variable
32423 object must be created.
32424
32425 @var{expression} is any expression valid on the current language set (must not
32426 begin with a @samp{*}), or one of the following:
32427
32428 @itemize @bullet
32429 @item
32430 @samp{*@var{addr}}, where @var{addr} is the address of a memory cell
32431
32432 @item
32433 @samp{*@var{addr}-@var{addr}} --- a memory address range (TBD)
32434
32435 @item
32436 @samp{$@var{regname}} --- a CPU register name
32437 @end itemize
32438
32439 @cindex dynamic varobj
32440 A varobj's contents may be provided by a Python-based pretty-printer. In this
32441 case the varobj is known as a @dfn{dynamic varobj}. Dynamic varobjs
32442 have slightly different semantics in some cases. If the
32443 @code{-enable-pretty-printing} command is not sent, then @value{GDBN}
32444 will never create a dynamic varobj. This ensures backward
32445 compatibility for existing clients.
32446
32447 @subsubheading Result
32448
32449 This operation returns attributes of the newly-created varobj. These
32450 are:
32451
32452 @table @samp
32453 @item name
32454 The name of the varobj.
32455
32456 @item numchild
32457 The number of children of the varobj. This number is not necessarily
32458 reliable for a dynamic varobj. Instead, you must examine the
32459 @samp{has_more} attribute.
32460
32461 @item value
32462 The varobj's scalar value. For a varobj whose type is some sort of
32463 aggregate (e.g., a @code{struct}), or for a dynamic varobj, this value
32464 will not be interesting.
32465
32466 @item type
32467 The varobj's type. This is a string representation of the type, as
32468 would be printed by the @value{GDBN} CLI. If @samp{print object}
32469 (@pxref{Print Settings, set print object}) is set to @code{on}, the
32470 @emph{actual} (derived) type of the object is shown rather than the
32471 @emph{declared} one.
32472
32473 @item thread-id
32474 If a variable object is bound to a specific thread, then this is the
32475 thread's identifier.
32476
32477 @item has_more
32478 For a dynamic varobj, this indicates whether there appear to be any
32479 children available. For a non-dynamic varobj, this will be 0.
32480
32481 @item dynamic
32482 This attribute will be present and have the value @samp{1} if the
32483 varobj is a dynamic varobj. If the varobj is not a dynamic varobj,
32484 then this attribute will not be present.
32485
32486 @item displayhint
32487 A dynamic varobj can supply a display hint to the front end. The
32488 value comes directly from the Python pretty-printer object's
32489 @code{display_hint} method. @xref{Pretty Printing API}.
32490 @end table
32491
32492 Typical output will look like this:
32493
32494 @smallexample
32495 name="@var{name}",numchild="@var{N}",type="@var{type}",thread-id="@var{M}",
32496 has_more="@var{has_more}"
32497 @end smallexample
32498
32499
32500 @subheading The @code{-var-delete} Command
32501 @findex -var-delete
32502
32503 @subsubheading Synopsis
32504
32505 @smallexample
32506 -var-delete [ -c ] @var{name}
32507 @end smallexample
32508
32509 Deletes a previously created variable object and all of its children.
32510 With the @samp{-c} option, just deletes the children.
32511
32512 Returns an error if the object @var{name} is not found.
32513
32514
32515 @subheading The @code{-var-set-format} Command
32516 @findex -var-set-format
32517
32518 @subsubheading Synopsis
32519
32520 @smallexample
32521 -var-set-format @var{name} @var{format-spec}
32522 @end smallexample
32523
32524 Sets the output format for the value of the object @var{name} to be
32525 @var{format-spec}.
32526
32527 @anchor{-var-set-format}
32528 The syntax for the @var{format-spec} is as follows:
32529
32530 @smallexample
32531 @var{format-spec} @expansion{}
32532 @{binary | decimal | hexadecimal | octal | natural@}
32533 @end smallexample
32534
32535 The natural format is the default format choosen automatically
32536 based on the variable type (like decimal for an @code{int}, hex
32537 for pointers, etc.).
32538
32539 For a variable with children, the format is set only on the
32540 variable itself, and the children are not affected.
32541
32542 @subheading The @code{-var-show-format} Command
32543 @findex -var-show-format
32544
32545 @subsubheading Synopsis
32546
32547 @smallexample
32548 -var-show-format @var{name}
32549 @end smallexample
32550
32551 Returns the format used to display the value of the object @var{name}.
32552
32553 @smallexample
32554 @var{format} @expansion{}
32555 @var{format-spec}
32556 @end smallexample
32557
32558
32559 @subheading The @code{-var-info-num-children} Command
32560 @findex -var-info-num-children
32561
32562 @subsubheading Synopsis
32563
32564 @smallexample
32565 -var-info-num-children @var{name}
32566 @end smallexample
32567
32568 Returns the number of children of a variable object @var{name}:
32569
32570 @smallexample
32571 numchild=@var{n}
32572 @end smallexample
32573
32574 Note that this number is not completely reliable for a dynamic varobj.
32575 It will return the current number of children, but more children may
32576 be available.
32577
32578
32579 @subheading The @code{-var-list-children} Command
32580 @findex -var-list-children
32581
32582 @subsubheading Synopsis
32583
32584 @smallexample
32585 -var-list-children [@var{print-values}] @var{name} [@var{from} @var{to}]
32586 @end smallexample
32587 @anchor{-var-list-children}
32588
32589 Return a list of the children of the specified variable object and
32590 create variable objects for them, if they do not already exist. With
32591 a single argument or if @var{print-values} has a value of 0 or
32592 @code{--no-values}, print only the names of the variables; if
32593 @var{print-values} is 1 or @code{--all-values}, also print their
32594 values; and if it is 2 or @code{--simple-values} print the name and
32595 value for simple data types and just the name for arrays, structures
32596 and unions.
32597
32598 @var{from} and @var{to}, if specified, indicate the range of children
32599 to report. If @var{from} or @var{to} is less than zero, the range is
32600 reset and all children will be reported. Otherwise, children starting
32601 at @var{from} (zero-based) and up to and excluding @var{to} will be
32602 reported.
32603
32604 If a child range is requested, it will only affect the current call to
32605 @code{-var-list-children}, but not future calls to @code{-var-update}.
32606 For this, you must instead use @code{-var-set-update-range}. The
32607 intent of this approach is to enable a front end to implement any
32608 update approach it likes; for example, scrolling a view may cause the
32609 front end to request more children with @code{-var-list-children}, and
32610 then the front end could call @code{-var-set-update-range} with a
32611 different range to ensure that future updates are restricted to just
32612 the visible items.
32613
32614 For each child the following results are returned:
32615
32616 @table @var
32617
32618 @item name
32619 Name of the variable object created for this child.
32620
32621 @item exp
32622 The expression to be shown to the user by the front end to designate this child.
32623 For example this may be the name of a structure member.
32624
32625 For a dynamic varobj, this value cannot be used to form an
32626 expression. There is no way to do this at all with a dynamic varobj.
32627
32628 For C/C@t{++} structures there are several pseudo children returned to
32629 designate access qualifiers. For these pseudo children @var{exp} is
32630 @samp{public}, @samp{private}, or @samp{protected}. In this case the
32631 type and value are not present.
32632
32633 A dynamic varobj will not report the access qualifying
32634 pseudo-children, regardless of the language. This information is not
32635 available at all with a dynamic varobj.
32636
32637 @item numchild
32638 Number of children this child has. For a dynamic varobj, this will be
32639 0.
32640
32641 @item type
32642 The type of the child. If @samp{print object}
32643 (@pxref{Print Settings, set print object}) is set to @code{on}, the
32644 @emph{actual} (derived) type of the object is shown rather than the
32645 @emph{declared} one.
32646
32647 @item value
32648 If values were requested, this is the value.
32649
32650 @item thread-id
32651 If this variable object is associated with a thread, this is the thread id.
32652 Otherwise this result is not present.
32653
32654 @item frozen
32655 If the variable object is frozen, this variable will be present with a value of 1.
32656
32657 @item displayhint
32658 A dynamic varobj can supply a display hint to the front end. The
32659 value comes directly from the Python pretty-printer object's
32660 @code{display_hint} method. @xref{Pretty Printing API}.
32661
32662 @item dynamic
32663 This attribute will be present and have the value @samp{1} if the
32664 varobj is a dynamic varobj. If the varobj is not a dynamic varobj,
32665 then this attribute will not be present.
32666
32667 @end table
32668
32669 The result may have its own attributes:
32670
32671 @table @samp
32672 @item displayhint
32673 A dynamic varobj can supply a display hint to the front end. The
32674 value comes directly from the Python pretty-printer object's
32675 @code{display_hint} method. @xref{Pretty Printing API}.
32676
32677 @item has_more
32678 This is an integer attribute which is nonzero if there are children
32679 remaining after the end of the selected range.
32680 @end table
32681
32682 @subsubheading Example
32683
32684 @smallexample
32685 (gdb)
32686 -var-list-children n
32687 ^done,numchild=@var{n},children=[child=@{name=@var{name},exp=@var{exp},
32688 numchild=@var{n},type=@var{type}@},@r{(repeats N times)}]
32689 (gdb)
32690 -var-list-children --all-values n
32691 ^done,numchild=@var{n},children=[child=@{name=@var{name},exp=@var{exp},
32692 numchild=@var{n},value=@var{value},type=@var{type}@},@r{(repeats N times)}]
32693 @end smallexample
32694
32695
32696 @subheading The @code{-var-info-type} Command
32697 @findex -var-info-type
32698
32699 @subsubheading Synopsis
32700
32701 @smallexample
32702 -var-info-type @var{name}
32703 @end smallexample
32704
32705 Returns the type of the specified variable @var{name}. The type is
32706 returned as a string in the same format as it is output by the
32707 @value{GDBN} CLI:
32708
32709 @smallexample
32710 type=@var{typename}
32711 @end smallexample
32712
32713
32714 @subheading The @code{-var-info-expression} Command
32715 @findex -var-info-expression
32716
32717 @subsubheading Synopsis
32718
32719 @smallexample
32720 -var-info-expression @var{name}
32721 @end smallexample
32722
32723 Returns a string that is suitable for presenting this
32724 variable object in user interface. The string is generally
32725 not valid expression in the current language, and cannot be evaluated.
32726
32727 For example, if @code{a} is an array, and variable object
32728 @code{A} was created for @code{a}, then we'll get this output:
32729
32730 @smallexample
32731 (gdb) -var-info-expression A.1
32732 ^done,lang="C",exp="1"
32733 @end smallexample
32734
32735 @noindent
32736 Here, the value of @code{lang} is the language name, which can be
32737 found in @ref{Supported Languages}.
32738
32739 Note that the output of the @code{-var-list-children} command also
32740 includes those expressions, so the @code{-var-info-expression} command
32741 is of limited use.
32742
32743 @subheading The @code{-var-info-path-expression} Command
32744 @findex -var-info-path-expression
32745
32746 @subsubheading Synopsis
32747
32748 @smallexample
32749 -var-info-path-expression @var{name}
32750 @end smallexample
32751
32752 Returns an expression that can be evaluated in the current
32753 context and will yield the same value that a variable object has.
32754 Compare this with the @code{-var-info-expression} command, which
32755 result can be used only for UI presentation. Typical use of
32756 the @code{-var-info-path-expression} command is creating a
32757 watchpoint from a variable object.
32758
32759 This command is currently not valid for children of a dynamic varobj,
32760 and will give an error when invoked on one.
32761
32762 For example, suppose @code{C} is a C@t{++} class, derived from class
32763 @code{Base}, and that the @code{Base} class has a member called
32764 @code{m_size}. Assume a variable @code{c} is has the type of
32765 @code{C} and a variable object @code{C} was created for variable
32766 @code{c}. Then, we'll get this output:
32767 @smallexample
32768 (gdb) -var-info-path-expression C.Base.public.m_size
32769 ^done,path_expr=((Base)c).m_size)
32770 @end smallexample
32771
32772 @subheading The @code{-var-show-attributes} Command
32773 @findex -var-show-attributes
32774
32775 @subsubheading Synopsis
32776
32777 @smallexample
32778 -var-show-attributes @var{name}
32779 @end smallexample
32780
32781 List attributes of the specified variable object @var{name}:
32782
32783 @smallexample
32784 status=@var{attr} [ ( ,@var{attr} )* ]
32785 @end smallexample
32786
32787 @noindent
32788 where @var{attr} is @code{@{ @{ editable | noneditable @} | TBD @}}.
32789
32790 @subheading The @code{-var-evaluate-expression} Command
32791 @findex -var-evaluate-expression
32792
32793 @subsubheading Synopsis
32794
32795 @smallexample
32796 -var-evaluate-expression [-f @var{format-spec}] @var{name}
32797 @end smallexample
32798
32799 Evaluates the expression that is represented by the specified variable
32800 object and returns its value as a string. The format of the string
32801 can be specified with the @samp{-f} option. The possible values of
32802 this option are the same as for @code{-var-set-format}
32803 (@pxref{-var-set-format}). If the @samp{-f} option is not specified,
32804 the current display format will be used. The current display format
32805 can be changed using the @code{-var-set-format} command.
32806
32807 @smallexample
32808 value=@var{value}
32809 @end smallexample
32810
32811 Note that one must invoke @code{-var-list-children} for a variable
32812 before the value of a child variable can be evaluated.
32813
32814 @subheading The @code{-var-assign} Command
32815 @findex -var-assign
32816
32817 @subsubheading Synopsis
32818
32819 @smallexample
32820 -var-assign @var{name} @var{expression}
32821 @end smallexample
32822
32823 Assigns the value of @var{expression} to the variable object specified
32824 by @var{name}. The object must be @samp{editable}. If the variable's
32825 value is altered by the assign, the variable will show up in any
32826 subsequent @code{-var-update} list.
32827
32828 @subsubheading Example
32829
32830 @smallexample
32831 (gdb)
32832 -var-assign var1 3
32833 ^done,value="3"
32834 (gdb)
32835 -var-update *
32836 ^done,changelist=[@{name="var1",in_scope="true",type_changed="false"@}]
32837 (gdb)
32838 @end smallexample
32839
32840 @subheading The @code{-var-update} Command
32841 @findex -var-update
32842
32843 @subsubheading Synopsis
32844
32845 @smallexample
32846 -var-update [@var{print-values}] @{@var{name} | "*"@}
32847 @end smallexample
32848
32849 Reevaluate the expressions corresponding to the variable object
32850 @var{name} and all its direct and indirect children, and return the
32851 list of variable objects whose values have changed; @var{name} must
32852 be a root variable object. Here, ``changed'' means that the result of
32853 @code{-var-evaluate-expression} before and after the
32854 @code{-var-update} is different. If @samp{*} is used as the variable
32855 object names, all existing variable objects are updated, except
32856 for frozen ones (@pxref{-var-set-frozen}). The option
32857 @var{print-values} determines whether both names and values, or just
32858 names are printed. The possible values of this option are the same
32859 as for @code{-var-list-children} (@pxref{-var-list-children}). It is
32860 recommended to use the @samp{--all-values} option, to reduce the
32861 number of MI commands needed on each program stop.
32862
32863 With the @samp{*} parameter, if a variable object is bound to a
32864 currently running thread, it will not be updated, without any
32865 diagnostic.
32866
32867 If @code{-var-set-update-range} was previously used on a varobj, then
32868 only the selected range of children will be reported.
32869
32870 @code{-var-update} reports all the changed varobjs in a tuple named
32871 @samp{changelist}.
32872
32873 Each item in the change list is itself a tuple holding:
32874
32875 @table @samp
32876 @item name
32877 The name of the varobj.
32878
32879 @item value
32880 If values were requested for this update, then this field will be
32881 present and will hold the value of the varobj.
32882
32883 @item in_scope
32884 @anchor{-var-update}
32885 This field is a string which may take one of three values:
32886
32887 @table @code
32888 @item "true"
32889 The variable object's current value is valid.
32890
32891 @item "false"
32892 The variable object does not currently hold a valid value but it may
32893 hold one in the future if its associated expression comes back into
32894 scope.
32895
32896 @item "invalid"
32897 The variable object no longer holds a valid value.
32898 This can occur when the executable file being debugged has changed,
32899 either through recompilation or by using the @value{GDBN} @code{file}
32900 command. The front end should normally choose to delete these variable
32901 objects.
32902 @end table
32903
32904 In the future new values may be added to this list so the front should
32905 be prepared for this possibility. @xref{GDB/MI Development and Front Ends, ,@sc{GDB/MI} Development and Front Ends}.
32906
32907 @item type_changed
32908 This is only present if the varobj is still valid. If the type
32909 changed, then this will be the string @samp{true}; otherwise it will
32910 be @samp{false}.
32911
32912 When a varobj's type changes, its children are also likely to have
32913 become incorrect. Therefore, the varobj's children are automatically
32914 deleted when this attribute is @samp{true}. Also, the varobj's update
32915 range, when set using the @code{-var-set-update-range} command, is
32916 unset.
32917
32918 @item new_type
32919 If the varobj's type changed, then this field will be present and will
32920 hold the new type.
32921
32922 @item new_num_children
32923 For a dynamic varobj, if the number of children changed, or if the
32924 type changed, this will be the new number of children.
32925
32926 The @samp{numchild} field in other varobj responses is generally not
32927 valid for a dynamic varobj -- it will show the number of children that
32928 @value{GDBN} knows about, but because dynamic varobjs lazily
32929 instantiate their children, this will not reflect the number of
32930 children which may be available.
32931
32932 The @samp{new_num_children} attribute only reports changes to the
32933 number of children known by @value{GDBN}. This is the only way to
32934 detect whether an update has removed children (which necessarily can
32935 only happen at the end of the update range).
32936
32937 @item displayhint
32938 The display hint, if any.
32939
32940 @item has_more
32941 This is an integer value, which will be 1 if there are more children
32942 available outside the varobj's update range.
32943
32944 @item dynamic
32945 This attribute will be present and have the value @samp{1} if the
32946 varobj is a dynamic varobj. If the varobj is not a dynamic varobj,
32947 then this attribute will not be present.
32948
32949 @item new_children
32950 If new children were added to a dynamic varobj within the selected
32951 update range (as set by @code{-var-set-update-range}), then they will
32952 be listed in this attribute.
32953 @end table
32954
32955 @subsubheading Example
32956
32957 @smallexample
32958 (gdb)
32959 -var-assign var1 3
32960 ^done,value="3"
32961 (gdb)
32962 -var-update --all-values var1
32963 ^done,changelist=[@{name="var1",value="3",in_scope="true",
32964 type_changed="false"@}]
32965 (gdb)
32966 @end smallexample
32967
32968 @subheading The @code{-var-set-frozen} Command
32969 @findex -var-set-frozen
32970 @anchor{-var-set-frozen}
32971
32972 @subsubheading Synopsis
32973
32974 @smallexample
32975 -var-set-frozen @var{name} @var{flag}
32976 @end smallexample
32977
32978 Set the frozenness flag on the variable object @var{name}. The
32979 @var{flag} parameter should be either @samp{1} to make the variable
32980 frozen or @samp{0} to make it unfrozen. If a variable object is
32981 frozen, then neither itself, nor any of its children, are
32982 implicitly updated by @code{-var-update} of
32983 a parent variable or by @code{-var-update *}. Only
32984 @code{-var-update} of the variable itself will update its value and
32985 values of its children. After a variable object is unfrozen, it is
32986 implicitly updated by all subsequent @code{-var-update} operations.
32987 Unfreezing a variable does not update it, only subsequent
32988 @code{-var-update} does.
32989
32990 @subsubheading Example
32991
32992 @smallexample
32993 (gdb)
32994 -var-set-frozen V 1
32995 ^done
32996 (gdb)
32997 @end smallexample
32998
32999 @subheading The @code{-var-set-update-range} command
33000 @findex -var-set-update-range
33001 @anchor{-var-set-update-range}
33002
33003 @subsubheading Synopsis
33004
33005 @smallexample
33006 -var-set-update-range @var{name} @var{from} @var{to}
33007 @end smallexample
33008
33009 Set the range of children to be returned by future invocations of
33010 @code{-var-update}.
33011
33012 @var{from} and @var{to} indicate the range of children to report. If
33013 @var{from} or @var{to} is less than zero, the range is reset and all
33014 children will be reported. Otherwise, children starting at @var{from}
33015 (zero-based) and up to and excluding @var{to} will be reported.
33016
33017 @subsubheading Example
33018
33019 @smallexample
33020 (gdb)
33021 -var-set-update-range V 1 2
33022 ^done
33023 @end smallexample
33024
33025 @subheading The @code{-var-set-visualizer} command
33026 @findex -var-set-visualizer
33027 @anchor{-var-set-visualizer}
33028
33029 @subsubheading Synopsis
33030
33031 @smallexample
33032 -var-set-visualizer @var{name} @var{visualizer}
33033 @end smallexample
33034
33035 Set a visualizer for the variable object @var{name}.
33036
33037 @var{visualizer} is the visualizer to use. The special value
33038 @samp{None} means to disable any visualizer in use.
33039
33040 If not @samp{None}, @var{visualizer} must be a Python expression.
33041 This expression must evaluate to a callable object which accepts a
33042 single argument. @value{GDBN} will call this object with the value of
33043 the varobj @var{name} as an argument (this is done so that the same
33044 Python pretty-printing code can be used for both the CLI and MI).
33045 When called, this object must return an object which conforms to the
33046 pretty-printing interface (@pxref{Pretty Printing API}).
33047
33048 The pre-defined function @code{gdb.default_visualizer} may be used to
33049 select a visualizer by following the built-in process
33050 (@pxref{Selecting Pretty-Printers}). This is done automatically when
33051 a varobj is created, and so ordinarily is not needed.
33052
33053 This feature is only available if Python support is enabled. The MI
33054 command @code{-list-features} (@pxref{GDB/MI Support Commands})
33055 can be used to check this.
33056
33057 @subsubheading Example
33058
33059 Resetting the visualizer:
33060
33061 @smallexample
33062 (gdb)
33063 -var-set-visualizer V None
33064 ^done
33065 @end smallexample
33066
33067 Reselecting the default (type-based) visualizer:
33068
33069 @smallexample
33070 (gdb)
33071 -var-set-visualizer V gdb.default_visualizer
33072 ^done
33073 @end smallexample
33074
33075 Suppose @code{SomeClass} is a visualizer class. A lambda expression
33076 can be used to instantiate this class for a varobj:
33077
33078 @smallexample
33079 (gdb)
33080 -var-set-visualizer V "lambda val: SomeClass()"
33081 ^done
33082 @end smallexample
33083
33084 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
33085 @node GDB/MI Data Manipulation
33086 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Data Manipulation
33087
33088 @cindex data manipulation, in @sc{gdb/mi}
33089 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, data manipulation
33090 This section describes the @sc{gdb/mi} commands that manipulate data:
33091 examine memory and registers, evaluate expressions, etc.
33092
33093 @c REMOVED FROM THE INTERFACE.
33094 @c @subheading -data-assign
33095 @c Change the value of a program variable. Plenty of side effects.
33096 @c @subsubheading GDB Command
33097 @c set variable
33098 @c @subsubheading Example
33099 @c N.A.
33100
33101 @subheading The @code{-data-disassemble} Command
33102 @findex -data-disassemble
33103
33104 @subsubheading Synopsis
33105
33106 @smallexample
33107 -data-disassemble
33108 [ -s @var{start-addr} -e @var{end-addr} ]
33109 | [ -f @var{filename} -l @var{linenum} [ -n @var{lines} ] ]
33110 -- @var{mode}
33111 @end smallexample
33112
33113 @noindent
33114 Where:
33115
33116 @table @samp
33117 @item @var{start-addr}
33118 is the beginning address (or @code{$pc})
33119 @item @var{end-addr}
33120 is the end address
33121 @item @var{filename}
33122 is the name of the file to disassemble
33123 @item @var{linenum}
33124 is the line number to disassemble around
33125 @item @var{lines}
33126 is the number of disassembly lines to be produced. If it is -1,
33127 the whole function will be disassembled, in case no @var{end-addr} is
33128 specified. If @var{end-addr} is specified as a non-zero value, and
33129 @var{lines} is lower than the number of disassembly lines between
33130 @var{start-addr} and @var{end-addr}, only @var{lines} lines are
33131 displayed; if @var{lines} is higher than the number of lines between
33132 @var{start-addr} and @var{end-addr}, only the lines up to @var{end-addr}
33133 are displayed.
33134 @item @var{mode}
33135 is either 0 (meaning only disassembly), 1 (meaning mixed source and
33136 disassembly), 2 (meaning disassembly with raw opcodes), or 3 (meaning
33137 mixed source and disassembly with raw opcodes).
33138 @end table
33139
33140 @subsubheading Result
33141
33142 The result of the @code{-data-disassemble} command will be a list named
33143 @samp{asm_insns}, the contents of this list depend on the @var{mode}
33144 used with the @code{-data-disassemble} command.
33145
33146 For modes 0 and 2 the @samp{asm_insns} list contains tuples with the
33147 following fields:
33148
33149 @table @code
33150 @item address
33151 The address at which this instruction was disassembled.
33152
33153 @item func-name
33154 The name of the function this instruction is within.
33155
33156 @item offset
33157 The decimal offset in bytes from the start of @samp{func-name}.
33158
33159 @item inst
33160 The text disassembly for this @samp{address}.
33161
33162 @item opcodes
33163 This field is only present for mode 2. This contains the raw opcode
33164 bytes for the @samp{inst} field.
33165
33166 @end table
33167
33168 For modes 1 and 3 the @samp{asm_insns} list contains tuples named
33169 @samp{src_and_asm_line}, each of which has the following fields:
33170
33171 @table @code
33172 @item line
33173 The line number within @samp{file}.
33174
33175 @item file
33176 The file name from the compilation unit. This might be an absolute
33177 file name or a relative file name depending on the compile command
33178 used.
33179
33180 @item fullname
33181 Absolute file name of @samp{file}. It is converted to a canonical form
33182 using the source file search path
33183 (@pxref{Source Path, ,Specifying Source Directories})
33184 and after resolving all the symbolic links.
33185
33186 If the source file is not found this field will contain the path as
33187 present in the debug information.
33188
33189 @item line_asm_insn
33190 This is a list of tuples containing the disassembly for @samp{line} in
33191 @samp{file}. The fields of each tuple are the same as for
33192 @code{-data-disassemble} in @var{mode} 0 and 2, so @samp{address},
33193 @samp{func-name}, @samp{offset}, @samp{inst}, and optionally
33194 @samp{opcodes}.
33195
33196 @end table
33197
33198 Note that whatever included in the @samp{inst} field, is not
33199 manipulated directly by @sc{gdb/mi}, i.e., it is not possible to
33200 adjust its format.
33201
33202 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
33203
33204 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{disassemble}.
33205
33206 @subsubheading Example
33207
33208 Disassemble from the current value of @code{$pc} to @code{$pc + 20}:
33209
33210 @smallexample
33211 (gdb)
33212 -data-disassemble -s $pc -e "$pc + 20" -- 0
33213 ^done,
33214 asm_insns=[
33215 @{address="0x000107c0",func-name="main",offset="4",
33216 inst="mov 2, %o0"@},
33217 @{address="0x000107c4",func-name="main",offset="8",
33218 inst="sethi %hi(0x11800), %o2"@},
33219 @{address="0x000107c8",func-name="main",offset="12",
33220 inst="or %o2, 0x140, %o1\t! 0x11940 <_lib_version+8>"@},
33221 @{address="0x000107cc",func-name="main",offset="16",
33222 inst="sethi %hi(0x11800), %o2"@},
33223 @{address="0x000107d0",func-name="main",offset="20",
33224 inst="or %o2, 0x168, %o4\t! 0x11968 <_lib_version+48>"@}]
33225 (gdb)
33226 @end smallexample
33227
33228 Disassemble the whole @code{main} function. Line 32 is part of
33229 @code{main}.
33230
33231 @smallexample
33232 -data-disassemble -f basics.c -l 32 -- 0
33233 ^done,asm_insns=[
33234 @{address="0x000107bc",func-name="main",offset="0",
33235 inst="save %sp, -112, %sp"@},
33236 @{address="0x000107c0",func-name="main",offset="4",
33237 inst="mov 2, %o0"@},
33238 @{address="0x000107c4",func-name="main",offset="8",
33239 inst="sethi %hi(0x11800), %o2"@},
33240 [@dots{}]
33241 @{address="0x0001081c",func-name="main",offset="96",inst="ret "@},
33242 @{address="0x00010820",func-name="main",offset="100",inst="restore "@}]
33243 (gdb)
33244 @end smallexample
33245
33246 Disassemble 3 instructions from the start of @code{main}:
33247
33248 @smallexample
33249 (gdb)
33250 -data-disassemble -f basics.c -l 32 -n 3 -- 0
33251 ^done,asm_insns=[
33252 @{address="0x000107bc",func-name="main",offset="0",
33253 inst="save %sp, -112, %sp"@},
33254 @{address="0x000107c0",func-name="main",offset="4",
33255 inst="mov 2, %o0"@},
33256 @{address="0x000107c4",func-name="main",offset="8",
33257 inst="sethi %hi(0x11800), %o2"@}]
33258 (gdb)
33259 @end smallexample
33260
33261 Disassemble 3 instructions from the start of @code{main} in mixed mode:
33262
33263 @smallexample
33264 (gdb)
33265 -data-disassemble -f basics.c -l 32 -n 3 -- 1
33266 ^done,asm_insns=[
33267 src_and_asm_line=@{line="31",
33268 file="../../../src/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
33269 fullname="/absolute/path/to/src/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
33270 line_asm_insn=[@{address="0x000107bc",
33271 func-name="main",offset="0",inst="save %sp, -112, %sp"@}]@},
33272 src_and_asm_line=@{line="32",
33273 file="../../../src/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
33274 fullname="/absolute/path/to/src/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
33275 line_asm_insn=[@{address="0x000107c0",
33276 func-name="main",offset="4",inst="mov 2, %o0"@},
33277 @{address="0x000107c4",func-name="main",offset="8",
33278 inst="sethi %hi(0x11800), %o2"@}]@}]
33279 (gdb)
33280 @end smallexample
33281
33282
33283 @subheading The @code{-data-evaluate-expression} Command
33284 @findex -data-evaluate-expression
33285
33286 @subsubheading Synopsis
33287
33288 @smallexample
33289 -data-evaluate-expression @var{expr}
33290 @end smallexample
33291
33292 Evaluate @var{expr} as an expression. The expression could contain an
33293 inferior function call. The function call will execute synchronously.
33294 If the expression contains spaces, it must be enclosed in double quotes.
33295
33296 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
33297
33298 The corresponding @value{GDBN} commands are @samp{print}, @samp{output}, and
33299 @samp{call}. In @code{gdbtk} only, there's a corresponding
33300 @samp{gdb_eval} command.
33301
33302 @subsubheading Example
33303
33304 In the following example, the numbers that precede the commands are the
33305 @dfn{tokens} described in @ref{GDB/MI Command Syntax, ,@sc{gdb/mi}
33306 Command Syntax}. Notice how @sc{gdb/mi} returns the same tokens in its
33307 output.
33308
33309 @smallexample
33310 211-data-evaluate-expression A
33311 211^done,value="1"
33312 (gdb)
33313 311-data-evaluate-expression &A
33314 311^done,value="0xefffeb7c"
33315 (gdb)
33316 411-data-evaluate-expression A+3
33317 411^done,value="4"
33318 (gdb)
33319 511-data-evaluate-expression "A + 3"
33320 511^done,value="4"
33321 (gdb)
33322 @end smallexample
33323
33324
33325 @subheading The @code{-data-list-changed-registers} Command
33326 @findex -data-list-changed-registers
33327
33328 @subsubheading Synopsis
33329
33330 @smallexample
33331 -data-list-changed-registers
33332 @end smallexample
33333
33334 Display a list of the registers that have changed.
33335
33336 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
33337
33338 @value{GDBN} doesn't have a direct analog for this command; @code{gdbtk}
33339 has the corresponding command @samp{gdb_changed_register_list}.
33340
33341 @subsubheading Example
33342
33343 On a PPC MBX board:
33344
33345 @smallexample
33346 (gdb)
33347 -exec-continue
33348 ^running
33349
33350 (gdb)
33351 *stopped,reason="breakpoint-hit",disp="keep",bkptno="1",frame=@{
33352 func="main",args=[],file="try.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/try.c",
33353 line="5"@}
33354 (gdb)
33355 -data-list-changed-registers
33356 ^done,changed-registers=["0","1","2","4","5","6","7","8","9",
33357 "10","11","13","14","15","16","17","18","19","20","21","22","23",
33358 "24","25","26","27","28","30","31","64","65","66","67","69"]
33359 (gdb)
33360 @end smallexample
33361
33362
33363 @subheading The @code{-data-list-register-names} Command
33364 @findex -data-list-register-names
33365
33366 @subsubheading Synopsis
33367
33368 @smallexample
33369 -data-list-register-names [ ( @var{regno} )+ ]
33370 @end smallexample
33371
33372 Show a list of register names for the current target. If no arguments
33373 are given, it shows a list of the names of all the registers. If
33374 integer numbers are given as arguments, it will print a list of the
33375 names of the registers corresponding to the arguments. To ensure
33376 consistency between a register name and its number, the output list may
33377 include empty register names.
33378
33379 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
33380
33381 @value{GDBN} does not have a command which corresponds to
33382 @samp{-data-list-register-names}. In @code{gdbtk} there is a
33383 corresponding command @samp{gdb_regnames}.
33384
33385 @subsubheading Example
33386
33387 For the PPC MBX board:
33388 @smallexample
33389 (gdb)
33390 -data-list-register-names
33391 ^done,register-names=["r0","r1","r2","r3","r4","r5","r6","r7",
33392 "r8","r9","r10","r11","r12","r13","r14","r15","r16","r17","r18",
33393 "r19","r20","r21","r22","r23","r24","r25","r26","r27","r28","r29",
33394 "r30","r31","f0","f1","f2","f3","f4","f5","f6","f7","f8","f9",
33395 "f10","f11","f12","f13","f14","f15","f16","f17","f18","f19","f20",
33396 "f21","f22","f23","f24","f25","f26","f27","f28","f29","f30","f31",
33397 "", "pc","ps","cr","lr","ctr","xer"]
33398 (gdb)
33399 -data-list-register-names 1 2 3
33400 ^done,register-names=["r1","r2","r3"]
33401 (gdb)
33402 @end smallexample
33403
33404 @subheading The @code{-data-list-register-values} Command
33405 @findex -data-list-register-values
33406
33407 @subsubheading Synopsis
33408
33409 @smallexample
33410 -data-list-register-values
33411 [ @code{--skip-unavailable} ] @var{fmt} [ ( @var{regno} )*]
33412 @end smallexample
33413
33414 Display the registers' contents. @var{fmt} is the format according to
33415 which the registers' contents are to be returned, followed by an optional
33416 list of numbers specifying the registers to display. A missing list of
33417 numbers indicates that the contents of all the registers must be
33418 returned. The @code{--skip-unavailable} option indicates that only
33419 the available registers are to be returned.
33420
33421 Allowed formats for @var{fmt} are:
33422
33423 @table @code
33424 @item x
33425 Hexadecimal
33426 @item o
33427 Octal
33428 @item t
33429 Binary
33430 @item d
33431 Decimal
33432 @item r
33433 Raw
33434 @item N
33435 Natural
33436 @end table
33437
33438 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
33439
33440 The corresponding @value{GDBN} commands are @samp{info reg}, @samp{info
33441 all-reg}, and (in @code{gdbtk}) @samp{gdb_fetch_registers}.
33442
33443 @subsubheading Example
33444
33445 For a PPC MBX board (note: line breaks are for readability only, they
33446 don't appear in the actual output):
33447
33448 @smallexample
33449 (gdb)
33450 -data-list-register-values r 64 65
33451 ^done,register-values=[@{number="64",value="0xfe00a300"@},
33452 @{number="65",value="0x00029002"@}]
33453 (gdb)
33454 -data-list-register-values x
33455 ^done,register-values=[@{number="0",value="0xfe0043c8"@},
33456 @{number="1",value="0x3fff88"@},@{number="2",value="0xfffffffe"@},
33457 @{number="3",value="0x0"@},@{number="4",value="0xa"@},
33458 @{number="5",value="0x3fff68"@},@{number="6",value="0x3fff58"@},
33459 @{number="7",value="0xfe011e98"@},@{number="8",value="0x2"@},
33460 @{number="9",value="0xfa202820"@},@{number="10",value="0xfa202808"@},
33461 @{number="11",value="0x1"@},@{number="12",value="0x0"@},
33462 @{number="13",value="0x4544"@},@{number="14",value="0xffdfffff"@},
33463 @{number="15",value="0xffffffff"@},@{number="16",value="0xfffffeff"@},
33464 @{number="17",value="0xefffffed"@},@{number="18",value="0xfffffffe"@},
33465 @{number="19",value="0xffffffff"@},@{number="20",value="0xffffffff"@},
33466 @{number="21",value="0xffffffff"@},@{number="22",value="0xfffffff7"@},
33467 @{number="23",value="0xffffffff"@},@{number="24",value="0xffffffff"@},
33468 @{number="25",value="0xffffffff"@},@{number="26",value="0xfffffffb"@},
33469 @{number="27",value="0xffffffff"@},@{number="28",value="0xf7bfffff"@},
33470 @{number="29",value="0x0"@},@{number="30",value="0xfe010000"@},
33471 @{number="31",value="0x0"@},@{number="32",value="0x0"@},
33472 @{number="33",value="0x0"@},@{number="34",value="0x0"@},
33473 @{number="35",value="0x0"@},@{number="36",value="0x0"@},
33474 @{number="37",value="0x0"@},@{number="38",value="0x0"@},
33475 @{number="39",value="0x0"@},@{number="40",value="0x0"@},
33476 @{number="41",value="0x0"@},@{number="42",value="0x0"@},
33477 @{number="43",value="0x0"@},@{number="44",value="0x0"@},
33478 @{number="45",value="0x0"@},@{number="46",value="0x0"@},
33479 @{number="47",value="0x0"@},@{number="48",value="0x0"@},
33480 @{number="49",value="0x0"@},@{number="50",value="0x0"@},
33481 @{number="51",value="0x0"@},@{number="52",value="0x0"@},
33482 @{number="53",value="0x0"@},@{number="54",value="0x0"@},
33483 @{number="55",value="0x0"@},@{number="56",value="0x0"@},
33484 @{number="57",value="0x0"@},@{number="58",value="0x0"@},
33485 @{number="59",value="0x0"@},@{number="60",value="0x0"@},
33486 @{number="61",value="0x0"@},@{number="62",value="0x0"@},
33487 @{number="63",value="0x0"@},@{number="64",value="0xfe00a300"@},
33488 @{number="65",value="0x29002"@},@{number="66",value="0x202f04b5"@},
33489 @{number="67",value="0xfe0043b0"@},@{number="68",value="0xfe00b3e4"@},
33490 @{number="69",value="0x20002b03"@}]
33491 (gdb)
33492 @end smallexample
33493
33494
33495 @subheading The @code{-data-read-memory} Command
33496 @findex -data-read-memory
33497
33498 This command is deprecated, use @code{-data-read-memory-bytes} instead.
33499
33500 @subsubheading Synopsis
33501
33502 @smallexample
33503 -data-read-memory [ -o @var{byte-offset} ]
33504 @var{address} @var{word-format} @var{word-size}
33505 @var{nr-rows} @var{nr-cols} [ @var{aschar} ]
33506 @end smallexample
33507
33508 @noindent
33509 where:
33510
33511 @table @samp
33512 @item @var{address}
33513 An expression specifying the address of the first memory word to be
33514 read. Complex expressions containing embedded white space should be
33515 quoted using the C convention.
33516
33517 @item @var{word-format}
33518 The format to be used to print the memory words. The notation is the
33519 same as for @value{GDBN}'s @code{print} command (@pxref{Output Formats,
33520 ,Output Formats}).
33521
33522 @item @var{word-size}
33523 The size of each memory word in bytes.
33524
33525 @item @var{nr-rows}
33526 The number of rows in the output table.
33527
33528 @item @var{nr-cols}
33529 The number of columns in the output table.
33530
33531 @item @var{aschar}
33532 If present, indicates that each row should include an @sc{ascii} dump. The
33533 value of @var{aschar} is used as a padding character when a byte is not a
33534 member of the printable @sc{ascii} character set (printable @sc{ascii}
33535 characters are those whose code is between 32 and 126, inclusively).
33536
33537 @item @var{byte-offset}
33538 An offset to add to the @var{address} before fetching memory.
33539 @end table
33540
33541 This command displays memory contents as a table of @var{nr-rows} by
33542 @var{nr-cols} words, each word being @var{word-size} bytes. In total,
33543 @code{@var{nr-rows} * @var{nr-cols} * @var{word-size}} bytes are read
33544 (returned as @samp{total-bytes}). Should less than the requested number
33545 of bytes be returned by the target, the missing words are identified
33546 using @samp{N/A}. The number of bytes read from the target is returned
33547 in @samp{nr-bytes} and the starting address used to read memory in
33548 @samp{addr}.
33549
33550 The address of the next/previous row or page is available in
33551 @samp{next-row} and @samp{prev-row}, @samp{next-page} and
33552 @samp{prev-page}.
33553
33554 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
33555
33556 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{x}. @code{gdbtk} has
33557 @samp{gdb_get_mem} memory read command.
33558
33559 @subsubheading Example
33560
33561 Read six bytes of memory starting at @code{bytes+6} but then offset by
33562 @code{-6} bytes. Format as three rows of two columns. One byte per
33563 word. Display each word in hex.
33564
33565 @smallexample
33566 (gdb)
33567 9-data-read-memory -o -6 -- bytes+6 x 1 3 2
33568 9^done,addr="0x00001390",nr-bytes="6",total-bytes="6",
33569 next-row="0x00001396",prev-row="0x0000138e",next-page="0x00001396",
33570 prev-page="0x0000138a",memory=[
33571 @{addr="0x00001390",data=["0x00","0x01"]@},
33572 @{addr="0x00001392",data=["0x02","0x03"]@},
33573 @{addr="0x00001394",data=["0x04","0x05"]@}]
33574 (gdb)
33575 @end smallexample
33576
33577 Read two bytes of memory starting at address @code{shorts + 64} and
33578 display as a single word formatted in decimal.
33579
33580 @smallexample
33581 (gdb)
33582 5-data-read-memory shorts+64 d 2 1 1
33583 5^done,addr="0x00001510",nr-bytes="2",total-bytes="2",
33584 next-row="0x00001512",prev-row="0x0000150e",
33585 next-page="0x00001512",prev-page="0x0000150e",memory=[
33586 @{addr="0x00001510",data=["128"]@}]
33587 (gdb)
33588 @end smallexample
33589
33590 Read thirty two bytes of memory starting at @code{bytes+16} and format
33591 as eight rows of four columns. Include a string encoding with @samp{x}
33592 used as the non-printable character.
33593
33594 @smallexample
33595 (gdb)
33596 4-data-read-memory bytes+16 x 1 8 4 x
33597 4^done,addr="0x000013a0",nr-bytes="32",total-bytes="32",
33598 next-row="0x000013c0",prev-row="0x0000139c",
33599 next-page="0x000013c0",prev-page="0x00001380",memory=[
33600 @{addr="0x000013a0",data=["0x10","0x11","0x12","0x13"],ascii="xxxx"@},
33601 @{addr="0x000013a4",data=["0x14","0x15","0x16","0x17"],ascii="xxxx"@},
33602 @{addr="0x000013a8",data=["0x18","0x19","0x1a","0x1b"],ascii="xxxx"@},
33603 @{addr="0x000013ac",data=["0x1c","0x1d","0x1e","0x1f"],ascii="xxxx"@},
33604 @{addr="0x000013b0",data=["0x20","0x21","0x22","0x23"],ascii=" !\"#"@},
33605 @{addr="0x000013b4",data=["0x24","0x25","0x26","0x27"],ascii="$%&'"@},
33606 @{addr="0x000013b8",data=["0x28","0x29","0x2a","0x2b"],ascii="()*+"@},
33607 @{addr="0x000013bc",data=["0x2c","0x2d","0x2e","0x2f"],ascii=",-./"@}]
33608 (gdb)
33609 @end smallexample
33610
33611 @subheading The @code{-data-read-memory-bytes} Command
33612 @findex -data-read-memory-bytes
33613
33614 @subsubheading Synopsis
33615
33616 @smallexample
33617 -data-read-memory-bytes [ -o @var{byte-offset} ]
33618 @var{address} @var{count}
33619 @end smallexample
33620
33621 @noindent
33622 where:
33623
33624 @table @samp
33625 @item @var{address}
33626 An expression specifying the address of the first memory word to be
33627 read. Complex expressions containing embedded white space should be
33628 quoted using the C convention.
33629
33630 @item @var{count}
33631 The number of bytes to read. This should be an integer literal.
33632
33633 @item @var{byte-offset}
33634 The offsets in bytes relative to @var{address} at which to start
33635 reading. This should be an integer literal. This option is provided
33636 so that a frontend is not required to first evaluate address and then
33637 perform address arithmetics itself.
33638
33639 @end table
33640
33641 This command attempts to read all accessible memory regions in the
33642 specified range. First, all regions marked as unreadable in the memory
33643 map (if one is defined) will be skipped. @xref{Memory Region
33644 Attributes}. Second, @value{GDBN} will attempt to read the remaining
33645 regions. For each one, if reading full region results in an errors,
33646 @value{GDBN} will try to read a subset of the region.
33647
33648 In general, every single byte in the region may be readable or not,
33649 and the only way to read every readable byte is to try a read at
33650 every address, which is not practical. Therefore, @value{GDBN} will
33651 attempt to read all accessible bytes at either beginning or the end
33652 of the region, using a binary division scheme. This heuristic works
33653 well for reading accross a memory map boundary. Note that if a region
33654 has a readable range that is neither at the beginning or the end,
33655 @value{GDBN} will not read it.
33656
33657 The result record (@pxref{GDB/MI Result Records}) that is output of
33658 the command includes a field named @samp{memory} whose content is a
33659 list of tuples. Each tuple represent a successfully read memory block
33660 and has the following fields:
33661
33662 @table @code
33663 @item begin
33664 The start address of the memory block, as hexadecimal literal.
33665
33666 @item end
33667 The end address of the memory block, as hexadecimal literal.
33668
33669 @item offset
33670 The offset of the memory block, as hexadecimal literal, relative to
33671 the start address passed to @code{-data-read-memory-bytes}.
33672
33673 @item contents
33674 The contents of the memory block, in hex.
33675
33676 @end table
33677
33678
33679
33680 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
33681
33682 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{x}.
33683
33684 @subsubheading Example
33685
33686 @smallexample
33687 (gdb)
33688 -data-read-memory-bytes &a 10
33689 ^done,memory=[@{begin="0xbffff154",offset="0x00000000",
33690 end="0xbffff15e",
33691 contents="01000000020000000300"@}]
33692 (gdb)
33693 @end smallexample
33694
33695
33696 @subheading The @code{-data-write-memory-bytes} Command
33697 @findex -data-write-memory-bytes
33698
33699 @subsubheading Synopsis
33700
33701 @smallexample
33702 -data-write-memory-bytes @var{address} @var{contents}
33703 -data-write-memory-bytes @var{address} @var{contents} @r{[}@var{count}@r{]}
33704 @end smallexample
33705
33706 @noindent
33707 where:
33708
33709 @table @samp
33710 @item @var{address}
33711 An expression specifying the address of the first memory word to be
33712 read. Complex expressions containing embedded white space should be
33713 quoted using the C convention.
33714
33715 @item @var{contents}
33716 The hex-encoded bytes to write.
33717
33718 @item @var{count}
33719 Optional argument indicating the number of bytes to be written. If @var{count}
33720 is greater than @var{contents}' length, @value{GDBN} will repeatedly
33721 write @var{contents} until it fills @var{count} bytes.
33722
33723 @end table
33724
33725 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
33726
33727 There's no corresponding @value{GDBN} command.
33728
33729 @subsubheading Example
33730
33731 @smallexample
33732 (gdb)
33733 -data-write-memory-bytes &a "aabbccdd"
33734 ^done
33735 (gdb)
33736 @end smallexample
33737
33738 @smallexample
33739 (gdb)
33740 -data-write-memory-bytes &a "aabbccdd" 16e
33741 ^done
33742 (gdb)
33743 @end smallexample
33744
33745 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
33746 @node GDB/MI Tracepoint Commands
33747 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Tracepoint Commands
33748
33749 The commands defined in this section implement MI support for
33750 tracepoints. For detailed introduction, see @ref{Tracepoints}.
33751
33752 @subheading The @code{-trace-find} Command
33753 @findex -trace-find
33754
33755 @subsubheading Synopsis
33756
33757 @smallexample
33758 -trace-find @var{mode} [@var{parameters}@dots{}]
33759 @end smallexample
33760
33761 Find a trace frame using criteria defined by @var{mode} and
33762 @var{parameters}. The following table lists permissible
33763 modes and their parameters. For details of operation, see @ref{tfind}.
33764
33765 @table @samp
33766
33767 @item none
33768 No parameters are required. Stops examining trace frames.
33769
33770 @item frame-number
33771 An integer is required as parameter. Selects tracepoint frame with
33772 that index.
33773
33774 @item tracepoint-number
33775 An integer is required as parameter. Finds next
33776 trace frame that corresponds to tracepoint with the specified number.
33777
33778 @item pc
33779 An address is required as parameter. Finds
33780 next trace frame that corresponds to any tracepoint at the specified
33781 address.
33782
33783 @item pc-inside-range
33784 Two addresses are required as parameters. Finds next trace
33785 frame that corresponds to a tracepoint at an address inside the
33786 specified range. Both bounds are considered to be inside the range.
33787
33788 @item pc-outside-range
33789 Two addresses are required as parameters. Finds
33790 next trace frame that corresponds to a tracepoint at an address outside
33791 the specified range. Both bounds are considered to be inside the range.
33792
33793 @item line
33794 Line specification is required as parameter. @xref{Specify Location}.
33795 Finds next trace frame that corresponds to a tracepoint at
33796 the specified location.
33797
33798 @end table
33799
33800 If @samp{none} was passed as @var{mode}, the response does not
33801 have fields. Otherwise, the response may have the following fields:
33802
33803 @table @samp
33804 @item found
33805 This field has either @samp{0} or @samp{1} as the value, depending
33806 on whether a matching tracepoint was found.
33807
33808 @item traceframe
33809 The index of the found traceframe. This field is present iff
33810 the @samp{found} field has value of @samp{1}.
33811
33812 @item tracepoint
33813 The index of the found tracepoint. This field is present iff
33814 the @samp{found} field has value of @samp{1}.
33815
33816 @item frame
33817 The information about the frame corresponding to the found trace
33818 frame. This field is present only if a trace frame was found.
33819 @xref{GDB/MI Frame Information}, for description of this field.
33820
33821 @end table
33822
33823 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
33824
33825 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tfind}.
33826
33827 @subheading -trace-define-variable
33828 @findex -trace-define-variable
33829
33830 @subsubheading Synopsis
33831
33832 @smallexample
33833 -trace-define-variable @var{name} [ @var{value} ]
33834 @end smallexample
33835
33836 Create trace variable @var{name} if it does not exist. If
33837 @var{value} is specified, sets the initial value of the specified
33838 trace variable to that value. Note that the @var{name} should start
33839 with the @samp{$} character.
33840
33841 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
33842
33843 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tvariable}.
33844
33845 @subheading The @code{-trace-frame-collected} Command
33846 @findex -trace-frame-collected
33847
33848 @subsubheading Synopsis
33849
33850 @smallexample
33851 -trace-frame-collected
33852 [--var-print-values @var{var_pval}]
33853 [--comp-print-values @var{comp_pval}]
33854 [--registers-format @var{regformat}]
33855 [--memory-contents]
33856 @end smallexample
33857
33858 This command returns the set of collected objects, register names,
33859 trace state variable names, memory ranges and computed expressions
33860 that have been collected at a particular trace frame. The optional
33861 parameters to the command affect the output format in different ways.
33862 See the output description table below for more details.
33863
33864 The reported names can be used in the normal manner to create
33865 varobjs and inspect the objects themselves. The items returned by
33866 this command are categorized so that it is clear which is a variable,
33867 which is a register, which is a trace state variable, which is a
33868 memory range and which is a computed expression.
33869
33870 For instance, if the actions were
33871 @smallexample
33872 collect myVar, myArray[myIndex], myObj.field, myPtr->field, myCount + 2
33873 collect *(int*)0xaf02bef0@@40
33874 @end smallexample
33875
33876 @noindent
33877 the object collected in its entirety would be @code{myVar}. The
33878 object @code{myArray} would be partially collected, because only the
33879 element at index @code{myIndex} would be collected. The remaining
33880 objects would be computed expressions.
33881
33882 An example output would be:
33883
33884 @smallexample
33885 (gdb)
33886 -trace-frame-collected
33887 ^done,
33888 explicit-variables=[@{name="myVar",value="1"@}],
33889 computed-expressions=[@{name="myArray[myIndex]",value="0"@},
33890 @{name="myObj.field",value="0"@},
33891 @{name="myPtr->field",value="1"@},
33892 @{name="myCount + 2",value="3"@},
33893 @{name="$tvar1 + 1",value="43970027"@}],
33894 registers=[@{number="0",value="0x7fe2c6e79ec8"@},
33895 @{number="1",value="0x0"@},
33896 @{number="2",value="0x4"@},
33897 ...
33898 @{number="125",value="0x0"@}],
33899 tvars=[@{name="$tvar1",current="43970026"@}],
33900 memory=[@{address="0x0000000000602264",length="4"@},
33901 @{address="0x0000000000615bc0",length="4"@}]
33902 (gdb)
33903 @end smallexample
33904
33905 Where:
33906
33907 @table @code
33908 @item explicit-variables
33909 The set of objects that have been collected in their entirety (as
33910 opposed to collecting just a few elements of an array or a few struct
33911 members). For each object, its name and value are printed.
33912 The @code{--var-print-values} option affects how or whether the value
33913 field is output. If @var{var_pval} is 0, then print only the names;
33914 if it is 1, print also their values; and if it is 2, print the name,
33915 type and value for simple data types, and the name and type for
33916 arrays, structures and unions.
33917
33918 @item computed-expressions
33919 The set of computed expressions that have been collected at the
33920 current trace frame. The @code{--comp-print-values} option affects
33921 this set like the @code{--var-print-values} option affects the
33922 @code{explicit-variables} set. See above.
33923
33924 @item registers
33925 The registers that have been collected at the current trace frame.
33926 For each register collected, the name and current value are returned.
33927 The value is formatted according to the @code{--registers-format}
33928 option. See the @command{-data-list-register-values} command for a
33929 list of the allowed formats. The default is @samp{x}.
33930
33931 @item tvars
33932 The trace state variables that have been collected at the current
33933 trace frame. For each trace state variable collected, the name and
33934 current value are returned.
33935
33936 @item memory
33937 The set of memory ranges that have been collected at the current trace
33938 frame. Its content is a list of tuples. Each tuple represents a
33939 collected memory range and has the following fields:
33940
33941 @table @code
33942 @item address
33943 The start address of the memory range, as hexadecimal literal.
33944
33945 @item length
33946 The length of the memory range, as decimal literal.
33947
33948 @item contents
33949 The contents of the memory block, in hex. This field is only present
33950 if the @code{--memory-contents} option is specified.
33951
33952 @end table
33953
33954 @end table
33955
33956 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
33957
33958 There is no corresponding @value{GDBN} command.
33959
33960 @subsubheading Example
33961
33962 @subheading -trace-list-variables
33963 @findex -trace-list-variables
33964
33965 @subsubheading Synopsis
33966
33967 @smallexample
33968 -trace-list-variables
33969 @end smallexample
33970
33971 Return a table of all defined trace variables. Each element of the
33972 table has the following fields:
33973
33974 @table @samp
33975 @item name
33976 The name of the trace variable. This field is always present.
33977
33978 @item initial
33979 The initial value. This is a 64-bit signed integer. This
33980 field is always present.
33981
33982 @item current
33983 The value the trace variable has at the moment. This is a 64-bit
33984 signed integer. This field is absent iff current value is
33985 not defined, for example if the trace was never run, or is
33986 presently running.
33987
33988 @end table
33989
33990 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
33991
33992 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tvariables}.
33993
33994 @subsubheading Example
33995
33996 @smallexample
33997 (gdb)
33998 -trace-list-variables
33999 ^done,trace-variables=@{nr_rows="1",nr_cols="3",
34000 hdr=[@{width="15",alignment="-1",col_name="name",colhdr="Name"@},
34001 @{width="11",alignment="-1",col_name="initial",colhdr="Initial"@},
34002 @{width="11",alignment="-1",col_name="current",colhdr="Current"@}],
34003 body=[variable=@{name="$trace_timestamp",initial="0"@}
34004 variable=@{name="$foo",initial="10",current="15"@}]@}
34005 (gdb)
34006 @end smallexample
34007
34008 @subheading -trace-save
34009 @findex -trace-save
34010
34011 @subsubheading Synopsis
34012
34013 @smallexample
34014 -trace-save [-r ] @var{filename}
34015 @end smallexample
34016
34017 Saves the collected trace data to @var{filename}. Without the
34018 @samp{-r} option, the data is downloaded from the target and saved
34019 in a local file. With the @samp{-r} option the target is asked
34020 to perform the save.
34021
34022 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
34023
34024 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tsave}.
34025
34026
34027 @subheading -trace-start
34028 @findex -trace-start
34029
34030 @subsubheading Synopsis
34031
34032 @smallexample
34033 -trace-start
34034 @end smallexample
34035
34036 Starts a tracing experiments. The result of this command does not
34037 have any fields.
34038
34039 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
34040
34041 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tstart}.
34042
34043 @subheading -trace-status
34044 @findex -trace-status
34045
34046 @subsubheading Synopsis
34047
34048 @smallexample
34049 -trace-status
34050 @end smallexample
34051
34052 Obtains the status of a tracing experiment. The result may include
34053 the following fields:
34054
34055 @table @samp
34056
34057 @item supported
34058 May have a value of either @samp{0}, when no tracing operations are
34059 supported, @samp{1}, when all tracing operations are supported, or
34060 @samp{file} when examining trace file. In the latter case, examining
34061 of trace frame is possible but new tracing experiement cannot be
34062 started. This field is always present.
34063
34064 @item running
34065 May have a value of either @samp{0} or @samp{1} depending on whether
34066 tracing experiement is in progress on target. This field is present
34067 if @samp{supported} field is not @samp{0}.
34068
34069 @item stop-reason
34070 Report the reason why the tracing was stopped last time. This field
34071 may be absent iff tracing was never stopped on target yet. The
34072 value of @samp{request} means the tracing was stopped as result of
34073 the @code{-trace-stop} command. The value of @samp{overflow} means
34074 the tracing buffer is full. The value of @samp{disconnection} means
34075 tracing was automatically stopped when @value{GDBN} has disconnected.
34076 The value of @samp{passcount} means tracing was stopped when a
34077 tracepoint was passed a maximal number of times for that tracepoint.
34078 This field is present if @samp{supported} field is not @samp{0}.
34079
34080 @item stopping-tracepoint
34081 The number of tracepoint whose passcount as exceeded. This field is
34082 present iff the @samp{stop-reason} field has the value of
34083 @samp{passcount}.
34084
34085 @item frames
34086 @itemx frames-created
34087 The @samp{frames} field is a count of the total number of trace frames
34088 in the trace buffer, while @samp{frames-created} is the total created
34089 during the run, including ones that were discarded, such as when a
34090 circular trace buffer filled up. Both fields are optional.
34091
34092 @item buffer-size
34093 @itemx buffer-free
34094 These fields tell the current size of the tracing buffer and the
34095 remaining space. These fields are optional.
34096
34097 @item circular
34098 The value of the circular trace buffer flag. @code{1} means that the
34099 trace buffer is circular and old trace frames will be discarded if
34100 necessary to make room, @code{0} means that the trace buffer is linear
34101 and may fill up.
34102
34103 @item disconnected
34104 The value of the disconnected tracing flag. @code{1} means that
34105 tracing will continue after @value{GDBN} disconnects, @code{0} means
34106 that the trace run will stop.
34107
34108 @item trace-file
34109 The filename of the trace file being examined. This field is
34110 optional, and only present when examining a trace file.
34111
34112 @end table
34113
34114 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
34115
34116 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tstatus}.
34117
34118 @subheading -trace-stop
34119 @findex -trace-stop
34120
34121 @subsubheading Synopsis
34122
34123 @smallexample
34124 -trace-stop
34125 @end smallexample
34126
34127 Stops a tracing experiment. The result of this command has the same
34128 fields as @code{-trace-status}, except that the @samp{supported} and
34129 @samp{running} fields are not output.
34130
34131 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
34132
34133 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tstop}.
34134
34135
34136 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
34137 @node GDB/MI Symbol Query
34138 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Symbol Query Commands
34139
34140
34141 @ignore
34142 @subheading The @code{-symbol-info-address} Command
34143 @findex -symbol-info-address
34144
34145 @subsubheading Synopsis
34146
34147 @smallexample
34148 -symbol-info-address @var{symbol}
34149 @end smallexample
34150
34151 Describe where @var{symbol} is stored.
34152
34153 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
34154
34155 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info address}.
34156
34157 @subsubheading Example
34158 N.A.
34159
34160
34161 @subheading The @code{-symbol-info-file} Command
34162 @findex -symbol-info-file
34163
34164 @subsubheading Synopsis
34165
34166 @smallexample
34167 -symbol-info-file
34168 @end smallexample
34169
34170 Show the file for the symbol.
34171
34172 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
34173
34174 There's no equivalent @value{GDBN} command. @code{gdbtk} has
34175 @samp{gdb_find_file}.
34176
34177 @subsubheading Example
34178 N.A.
34179
34180
34181 @subheading The @code{-symbol-info-function} Command
34182 @findex -symbol-info-function
34183
34184 @subsubheading Synopsis
34185
34186 @smallexample
34187 -symbol-info-function
34188 @end smallexample
34189
34190 Show which function the symbol lives in.
34191
34192 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
34193
34194 @samp{gdb_get_function} in @code{gdbtk}.
34195
34196 @subsubheading Example
34197 N.A.
34198
34199
34200 @subheading The @code{-symbol-info-line} Command
34201 @findex -symbol-info-line
34202
34203 @subsubheading Synopsis
34204
34205 @smallexample
34206 -symbol-info-line
34207 @end smallexample
34208
34209 Show the core addresses of the code for a source line.
34210
34211 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
34212
34213 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info line}.
34214 @code{gdbtk} has the @samp{gdb_get_line} and @samp{gdb_get_file} commands.
34215
34216 @subsubheading Example
34217 N.A.
34218
34219
34220 @subheading The @code{-symbol-info-symbol} Command
34221 @findex -symbol-info-symbol
34222
34223 @subsubheading Synopsis
34224
34225 @smallexample
34226 -symbol-info-symbol @var{addr}
34227 @end smallexample
34228
34229 Describe what symbol is at location @var{addr}.
34230
34231 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
34232
34233 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info symbol}.
34234
34235 @subsubheading Example
34236 N.A.
34237
34238
34239 @subheading The @code{-symbol-list-functions} Command
34240 @findex -symbol-list-functions
34241
34242 @subsubheading Synopsis
34243
34244 @smallexample
34245 -symbol-list-functions
34246 @end smallexample
34247
34248 List the functions in the executable.
34249
34250 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
34251
34252 @samp{info functions} in @value{GDBN}, @samp{gdb_listfunc} and
34253 @samp{gdb_search} in @code{gdbtk}.
34254
34255 @subsubheading Example
34256 N.A.
34257 @end ignore
34258
34259
34260 @subheading The @code{-symbol-list-lines} Command
34261 @findex -symbol-list-lines
34262
34263 @subsubheading Synopsis
34264
34265 @smallexample
34266 -symbol-list-lines @var{filename}
34267 @end smallexample
34268
34269 Print the list of lines that contain code and their associated program
34270 addresses for the given source filename. The entries are sorted in
34271 ascending PC order.
34272
34273 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
34274
34275 There is no corresponding @value{GDBN} command.
34276
34277 @subsubheading Example
34278 @smallexample
34279 (gdb)
34280 -symbol-list-lines basics.c
34281 ^done,lines=[@{pc="0x08048554",line="7"@},@{pc="0x0804855a",line="8"@}]
34282 (gdb)
34283 @end smallexample
34284
34285
34286 @ignore
34287 @subheading The @code{-symbol-list-types} Command
34288 @findex -symbol-list-types
34289
34290 @subsubheading Synopsis
34291
34292 @smallexample
34293 -symbol-list-types
34294 @end smallexample
34295
34296 List all the type names.
34297
34298 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
34299
34300 The corresponding commands are @samp{info types} in @value{GDBN},
34301 @samp{gdb_search} in @code{gdbtk}.
34302
34303 @subsubheading Example
34304 N.A.
34305
34306
34307 @subheading The @code{-symbol-list-variables} Command
34308 @findex -symbol-list-variables
34309
34310 @subsubheading Synopsis
34311
34312 @smallexample
34313 -symbol-list-variables
34314 @end smallexample
34315
34316 List all the global and static variable names.
34317
34318 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
34319
34320 @samp{info variables} in @value{GDBN}, @samp{gdb_search} in @code{gdbtk}.
34321
34322 @subsubheading Example
34323 N.A.
34324
34325
34326 @subheading The @code{-symbol-locate} Command
34327 @findex -symbol-locate
34328
34329 @subsubheading Synopsis
34330
34331 @smallexample
34332 -symbol-locate
34333 @end smallexample
34334
34335 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
34336
34337 @samp{gdb_loc} in @code{gdbtk}.
34338
34339 @subsubheading Example
34340 N.A.
34341
34342
34343 @subheading The @code{-symbol-type} Command
34344 @findex -symbol-type
34345
34346 @subsubheading Synopsis
34347
34348 @smallexample
34349 -symbol-type @var{variable}
34350 @end smallexample
34351
34352 Show type of @var{variable}.
34353
34354 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
34355
34356 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{ptype}, @code{gdbtk} has
34357 @samp{gdb_obj_variable}.
34358
34359 @subsubheading Example
34360 N.A.
34361 @end ignore
34362
34363
34364 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
34365 @node GDB/MI File Commands
34366 @section @sc{gdb/mi} File Commands
34367
34368 This section describes the GDB/MI commands to specify executable file names
34369 and to read in and obtain symbol table information.
34370
34371 @subheading The @code{-file-exec-and-symbols} Command
34372 @findex -file-exec-and-symbols
34373
34374 @subsubheading Synopsis
34375
34376 @smallexample
34377 -file-exec-and-symbols @var{file}
34378 @end smallexample
34379
34380 Specify the executable file to be debugged. This file is the one from
34381 which the symbol table is also read. If no file is specified, the
34382 command clears the executable and symbol information. If breakpoints
34383 are set when using this command with no arguments, @value{GDBN} will produce
34384 error messages. Otherwise, no output is produced, except a completion
34385 notification.
34386
34387 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
34388
34389 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{file}.
34390
34391 @subsubheading Example
34392
34393 @smallexample
34394 (gdb)
34395 -file-exec-and-symbols /kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/TRUNK/mbx/hello.mbx
34396 ^done
34397 (gdb)
34398 @end smallexample
34399
34400
34401 @subheading The @code{-file-exec-file} Command
34402 @findex -file-exec-file
34403
34404 @subsubheading Synopsis
34405
34406 @smallexample
34407 -file-exec-file @var{file}
34408 @end smallexample
34409
34410 Specify the executable file to be debugged. Unlike
34411 @samp{-file-exec-and-symbols}, the symbol table is @emph{not} read
34412 from this file. If used without argument, @value{GDBN} clears the information
34413 about the executable file. No output is produced, except a completion
34414 notification.
34415
34416 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
34417
34418 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{exec-file}.
34419
34420 @subsubheading Example
34421
34422 @smallexample
34423 (gdb)
34424 -file-exec-file /kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/TRUNK/mbx/hello.mbx
34425 ^done
34426 (gdb)
34427 @end smallexample
34428
34429
34430 @ignore
34431 @subheading The @code{-file-list-exec-sections} Command
34432 @findex -file-list-exec-sections
34433
34434 @subsubheading Synopsis
34435
34436 @smallexample
34437 -file-list-exec-sections
34438 @end smallexample
34439
34440 List the sections of the current executable file.
34441
34442 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
34443
34444 The @value{GDBN} command @samp{info file} shows, among the rest, the same
34445 information as this command. @code{gdbtk} has a corresponding command
34446 @samp{gdb_load_info}.
34447
34448 @subsubheading Example
34449 N.A.
34450 @end ignore
34451
34452
34453 @subheading The @code{-file-list-exec-source-file} Command
34454 @findex -file-list-exec-source-file
34455
34456 @subsubheading Synopsis
34457
34458 @smallexample
34459 -file-list-exec-source-file
34460 @end smallexample
34461
34462 List the line number, the current source file, and the absolute path
34463 to the current source file for the current executable. The macro
34464 information field has a value of @samp{1} or @samp{0} depending on
34465 whether or not the file includes preprocessor macro information.
34466
34467 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
34468
34469 The @value{GDBN} equivalent is @samp{info source}
34470
34471 @subsubheading Example
34472
34473 @smallexample
34474 (gdb)
34475 123-file-list-exec-source-file
34476 123^done,line="1",file="foo.c",fullname="/home/bar/foo.c,macro-info="1"
34477 (gdb)
34478 @end smallexample
34479
34480
34481 @subheading The @code{-file-list-exec-source-files} Command
34482 @findex -file-list-exec-source-files
34483
34484 @subsubheading Synopsis
34485
34486 @smallexample
34487 -file-list-exec-source-files
34488 @end smallexample
34489
34490 List the source files for the current executable.
34491
34492 It will always output both the filename and fullname (absolute file
34493 name) of a source file.
34494
34495 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
34496
34497 The @value{GDBN} equivalent is @samp{info sources}.
34498 @code{gdbtk} has an analogous command @samp{gdb_listfiles}.
34499
34500 @subsubheading Example
34501 @smallexample
34502 (gdb)
34503 -file-list-exec-source-files
34504 ^done,files=[
34505 @{file=foo.c,fullname=/home/foo.c@},
34506 @{file=/home/bar.c,fullname=/home/bar.c@},
34507 @{file=gdb_could_not_find_fullpath.c@}]
34508 (gdb)
34509 @end smallexample
34510
34511 @ignore
34512 @subheading The @code{-file-list-shared-libraries} Command
34513 @findex -file-list-shared-libraries
34514
34515 @subsubheading Synopsis
34516
34517 @smallexample
34518 -file-list-shared-libraries
34519 @end smallexample
34520
34521 List the shared libraries in the program.
34522
34523 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
34524
34525 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info shared}.
34526
34527 @subsubheading Example
34528 N.A.
34529
34530
34531 @subheading The @code{-file-list-symbol-files} Command
34532 @findex -file-list-symbol-files
34533
34534 @subsubheading Synopsis
34535
34536 @smallexample
34537 -file-list-symbol-files
34538 @end smallexample
34539
34540 List symbol files.
34541
34542 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
34543
34544 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info file} (part of it).
34545
34546 @subsubheading Example
34547 N.A.
34548 @end ignore
34549
34550
34551 @subheading The @code{-file-symbol-file} Command
34552 @findex -file-symbol-file
34553
34554 @subsubheading Synopsis
34555
34556 @smallexample
34557 -file-symbol-file @var{file}
34558 @end smallexample
34559
34560 Read symbol table info from the specified @var{file} argument. When
34561 used without arguments, clears @value{GDBN}'s symbol table info. No output is
34562 produced, except for a completion notification.
34563
34564 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
34565
34566 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{symbol-file}.
34567
34568 @subsubheading Example
34569
34570 @smallexample
34571 (gdb)
34572 -file-symbol-file /kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/TRUNK/mbx/hello.mbx
34573 ^done
34574 (gdb)
34575 @end smallexample
34576
34577 @ignore
34578 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
34579 @node GDB/MI Memory Overlay Commands
34580 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Memory Overlay Commands
34581
34582 The memory overlay commands are not implemented.
34583
34584 @c @subheading -overlay-auto
34585
34586 @c @subheading -overlay-list-mapping-state
34587
34588 @c @subheading -overlay-list-overlays
34589
34590 @c @subheading -overlay-map
34591
34592 @c @subheading -overlay-off
34593
34594 @c @subheading -overlay-on
34595
34596 @c @subheading -overlay-unmap
34597
34598 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
34599 @node GDB/MI Signal Handling Commands
34600 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Signal Handling Commands
34601
34602 Signal handling commands are not implemented.
34603
34604 @c @subheading -signal-handle
34605
34606 @c @subheading -signal-list-handle-actions
34607
34608 @c @subheading -signal-list-signal-types
34609 @end ignore
34610
34611
34612 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
34613 @node GDB/MI Target Manipulation
34614 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Target Manipulation Commands
34615
34616
34617 @subheading The @code{-target-attach} Command
34618 @findex -target-attach
34619
34620 @subsubheading Synopsis
34621
34622 @smallexample
34623 -target-attach @var{pid} | @var{gid} | @var{file}
34624 @end smallexample
34625
34626 Attach to a process @var{pid} or a file @var{file} outside of
34627 @value{GDBN}, or a thread group @var{gid}. If attaching to a thread
34628 group, the id previously returned by
34629 @samp{-list-thread-groups --available} must be used.
34630
34631 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
34632
34633 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{attach}.
34634
34635 @subsubheading Example
34636 @smallexample
34637 (gdb)
34638 -target-attach 34
34639 =thread-created,id="1"
34640 *stopped,thread-id="1",frame=@{addr="0xb7f7e410",func="bar",args=[]@}
34641 ^done
34642 (gdb)
34643 @end smallexample
34644
34645 @ignore
34646 @subheading The @code{-target-compare-sections} Command
34647 @findex -target-compare-sections
34648
34649 @subsubheading Synopsis
34650
34651 @smallexample
34652 -target-compare-sections [ @var{section} ]
34653 @end smallexample
34654
34655 Compare data of section @var{section} on target to the exec file.
34656 Without the argument, all sections are compared.
34657
34658 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
34659
34660 The @value{GDBN} equivalent is @samp{compare-sections}.
34661
34662 @subsubheading Example
34663 N.A.
34664 @end ignore
34665
34666
34667 @subheading The @code{-target-detach} Command
34668 @findex -target-detach
34669
34670 @subsubheading Synopsis
34671
34672 @smallexample
34673 -target-detach [ @var{pid} | @var{gid} ]
34674 @end smallexample
34675
34676 Detach from the remote target which normally resumes its execution.
34677 If either @var{pid} or @var{gid} is specified, detaches from either
34678 the specified process, or specified thread group. There's no output.
34679
34680 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
34681
34682 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{detach}.
34683
34684 @subsubheading Example
34685
34686 @smallexample
34687 (gdb)
34688 -target-detach
34689 ^done
34690 (gdb)
34691 @end smallexample
34692
34693
34694 @subheading The @code{-target-disconnect} Command
34695 @findex -target-disconnect
34696
34697 @subsubheading Synopsis
34698
34699 @smallexample
34700 -target-disconnect
34701 @end smallexample
34702
34703 Disconnect from the remote target. There's no output and the target is
34704 generally not resumed.
34705
34706 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
34707
34708 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{disconnect}.
34709
34710 @subsubheading Example
34711
34712 @smallexample
34713 (gdb)
34714 -target-disconnect
34715 ^done
34716 (gdb)
34717 @end smallexample
34718
34719
34720 @subheading The @code{-target-download} Command
34721 @findex -target-download
34722
34723 @subsubheading Synopsis
34724
34725 @smallexample
34726 -target-download
34727 @end smallexample
34728
34729 Loads the executable onto the remote target.
34730 It prints out an update message every half second, which includes the fields:
34731
34732 @table @samp
34733 @item section
34734 The name of the section.
34735 @item section-sent
34736 The size of what has been sent so far for that section.
34737 @item section-size
34738 The size of the section.
34739 @item total-sent
34740 The total size of what was sent so far (the current and the previous sections).
34741 @item total-size
34742 The size of the overall executable to download.
34743 @end table
34744
34745 @noindent
34746 Each message is sent as status record (@pxref{GDB/MI Output Syntax, ,
34747 @sc{gdb/mi} Output Syntax}).
34748
34749 In addition, it prints the name and size of the sections, as they are
34750 downloaded. These messages include the following fields:
34751
34752 @table @samp
34753 @item section
34754 The name of the section.
34755 @item section-size
34756 The size of the section.
34757 @item total-size
34758 The size of the overall executable to download.
34759 @end table
34760
34761 @noindent
34762 At the end, a summary is printed.
34763
34764 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
34765
34766 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{load}.
34767
34768 @subsubheading Example
34769
34770 Note: each status message appears on a single line. Here the messages
34771 have been broken down so that they can fit onto a page.
34772
34773 @smallexample
34774 (gdb)
34775 -target-download
34776 +download,@{section=".text",section-size="6668",total-size="9880"@}
34777 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="512",section-size="6668",
34778 total-sent="512",total-size="9880"@}
34779 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="1024",section-size="6668",
34780 total-sent="1024",total-size="9880"@}
34781 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="1536",section-size="6668",
34782 total-sent="1536",total-size="9880"@}
34783 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="2048",section-size="6668",
34784 total-sent="2048",total-size="9880"@}
34785 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="2560",section-size="6668",
34786 total-sent="2560",total-size="9880"@}
34787 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="3072",section-size="6668",
34788 total-sent="3072",total-size="9880"@}
34789 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="3584",section-size="6668",
34790 total-sent="3584",total-size="9880"@}
34791 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="4096",section-size="6668",
34792 total-sent="4096",total-size="9880"@}
34793 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="4608",section-size="6668",
34794 total-sent="4608",total-size="9880"@}
34795 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="5120",section-size="6668",
34796 total-sent="5120",total-size="9880"@}
34797 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="5632",section-size="6668",
34798 total-sent="5632",total-size="9880"@}
34799 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="6144",section-size="6668",
34800 total-sent="6144",total-size="9880"@}
34801 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="6656",section-size="6668",
34802 total-sent="6656",total-size="9880"@}
34803 +download,@{section=".init",section-size="28",total-size="9880"@}
34804 +download,@{section=".fini",section-size="28",total-size="9880"@}
34805 +download,@{section=".data",section-size="3156",total-size="9880"@}
34806 +download,@{section=".data",section-sent="512",section-size="3156",
34807 total-sent="7236",total-size="9880"@}
34808 +download,@{section=".data",section-sent="1024",section-size="3156",
34809 total-sent="7748",total-size="9880"@}
34810 +download,@{section=".data",section-sent="1536",section-size="3156",
34811 total-sent="8260",total-size="9880"@}
34812 +download,@{section=".data",section-sent="2048",section-size="3156",
34813 total-sent="8772",total-size="9880"@}
34814 +download,@{section=".data",section-sent="2560",section-size="3156",
34815 total-sent="9284",total-size="9880"@}
34816 +download,@{section=".data",section-sent="3072",section-size="3156",
34817 total-sent="9796",total-size="9880"@}
34818 ^done,address="0x10004",load-size="9880",transfer-rate="6586",
34819 write-rate="429"
34820 (gdb)
34821 @end smallexample
34822
34823
34824 @ignore
34825 @subheading The @code{-target-exec-status} Command
34826 @findex -target-exec-status
34827
34828 @subsubheading Synopsis
34829
34830 @smallexample
34831 -target-exec-status
34832 @end smallexample
34833
34834 Provide information on the state of the target (whether it is running or
34835 not, for instance).
34836
34837 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
34838
34839 There's no equivalent @value{GDBN} command.
34840
34841 @subsubheading Example
34842 N.A.
34843
34844
34845 @subheading The @code{-target-list-available-targets} Command
34846 @findex -target-list-available-targets
34847
34848 @subsubheading Synopsis
34849
34850 @smallexample
34851 -target-list-available-targets
34852 @end smallexample
34853
34854 List the possible targets to connect to.
34855
34856 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
34857
34858 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{help target}.
34859
34860 @subsubheading Example
34861 N.A.
34862
34863
34864 @subheading The @code{-target-list-current-targets} Command
34865 @findex -target-list-current-targets
34866
34867 @subsubheading Synopsis
34868
34869 @smallexample
34870 -target-list-current-targets
34871 @end smallexample
34872
34873 Describe the current target.
34874
34875 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
34876
34877 The corresponding information is printed by @samp{info file} (among
34878 other things).
34879
34880 @subsubheading Example
34881 N.A.
34882
34883
34884 @subheading The @code{-target-list-parameters} Command
34885 @findex -target-list-parameters
34886
34887 @subsubheading Synopsis
34888
34889 @smallexample
34890 -target-list-parameters
34891 @end smallexample
34892
34893 @c ????
34894 @end ignore
34895
34896 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
34897
34898 No equivalent.
34899
34900 @subsubheading Example
34901 N.A.
34902
34903
34904 @subheading The @code{-target-select} Command
34905 @findex -target-select
34906
34907 @subsubheading Synopsis
34908
34909 @smallexample
34910 -target-select @var{type} @var{parameters @dots{}}
34911 @end smallexample
34912
34913 Connect @value{GDBN} to the remote target. This command takes two args:
34914
34915 @table @samp
34916 @item @var{type}
34917 The type of target, for instance @samp{remote}, etc.
34918 @item @var{parameters}
34919 Device names, host names and the like. @xref{Target Commands, ,
34920 Commands for Managing Targets}, for more details.
34921 @end table
34922
34923 The output is a connection notification, followed by the address at
34924 which the target program is, in the following form:
34925
34926 @smallexample
34927 ^connected,addr="@var{address}",func="@var{function name}",
34928 args=[@var{arg list}]
34929 @end smallexample
34930
34931 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
34932
34933 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{target}.
34934
34935 @subsubheading Example
34936
34937 @smallexample
34938 (gdb)
34939 -target-select remote /dev/ttya
34940 ^connected,addr="0xfe00a300",func="??",args=[]
34941 (gdb)
34942 @end smallexample
34943
34944 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
34945 @node GDB/MI File Transfer Commands
34946 @section @sc{gdb/mi} File Transfer Commands
34947
34948
34949 @subheading The @code{-target-file-put} Command
34950 @findex -target-file-put
34951
34952 @subsubheading Synopsis
34953
34954 @smallexample
34955 -target-file-put @var{hostfile} @var{targetfile}
34956 @end smallexample
34957
34958 Copy file @var{hostfile} from the host system (the machine running
34959 @value{GDBN}) to @var{targetfile} on the target system.
34960
34961 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
34962
34963 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{remote put}.
34964
34965 @subsubheading Example
34966
34967 @smallexample
34968 (gdb)
34969 -target-file-put localfile remotefile
34970 ^done
34971 (gdb)
34972 @end smallexample
34973
34974
34975 @subheading The @code{-target-file-get} Command
34976 @findex -target-file-get
34977
34978 @subsubheading Synopsis
34979
34980 @smallexample
34981 -target-file-get @var{targetfile} @var{hostfile}
34982 @end smallexample
34983
34984 Copy file @var{targetfile} from the target system to @var{hostfile}
34985 on the host system.
34986
34987 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
34988
34989 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{remote get}.
34990
34991 @subsubheading Example
34992
34993 @smallexample
34994 (gdb)
34995 -target-file-get remotefile localfile
34996 ^done
34997 (gdb)
34998 @end smallexample
34999
35000
35001 @subheading The @code{-target-file-delete} Command
35002 @findex -target-file-delete
35003
35004 @subsubheading Synopsis
35005
35006 @smallexample
35007 -target-file-delete @var{targetfile}
35008 @end smallexample
35009
35010 Delete @var{targetfile} from the target system.
35011
35012 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
35013
35014 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{remote delete}.
35015
35016 @subsubheading Example
35017
35018 @smallexample
35019 (gdb)
35020 -target-file-delete remotefile
35021 ^done
35022 (gdb)
35023 @end smallexample
35024
35025
35026 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
35027 @node GDB/MI Ada Exceptions Commands
35028 @section Ada Exceptions @sc{gdb/mi} Commands
35029
35030 @subheading The @code{-info-ada-exceptions} Command
35031 @findex -info-ada-exceptions
35032
35033 @subsubheading Synopsis
35034
35035 @smallexample
35036 -info-ada-exceptions [ @var{regexp}]
35037 @end smallexample
35038
35039 List all Ada exceptions defined within the program being debugged.
35040 With a regular expression @var{regexp}, only those exceptions whose
35041 names match @var{regexp} are listed.
35042
35043 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
35044
35045 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info exceptions}.
35046
35047 @subsubheading Result
35048
35049 The result is a table of Ada exceptions. The following columns are
35050 defined for each exception:
35051
35052 @table @samp
35053 @item name
35054 The name of the exception.
35055
35056 @item address
35057 The address of the exception.
35058
35059 @end table
35060
35061 @subsubheading Example
35062
35063 @smallexample
35064 -info-ada-exceptions aint
35065 ^done,ada-exceptions=@{nr_rows="2",nr_cols="2",
35066 hdr=[@{width="1",alignment="-1",col_name="name",colhdr="Name"@},
35067 @{width="1",alignment="-1",col_name="address",colhdr="Address"@}],
35068 body=[@{name="constraint_error",address="0x0000000000613da0"@},
35069 @{name="const.aint_global_e",address="0x0000000000613b00"@}]@}
35070 @end smallexample
35071
35072 @subheading Catching Ada Exceptions
35073
35074 The commands describing how to ask @value{GDBN} to stop when a program
35075 raises an exception are described at @ref{Ada Exception GDB/MI
35076 Catchpoint Commands}.
35077
35078
35079 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
35080 @node GDB/MI Support Commands
35081 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Support Commands
35082
35083 Since new commands and features get regularly added to @sc{gdb/mi},
35084 some commands are available to help front-ends query the debugger
35085 about support for these capabilities. Similarly, it is also possible
35086 to query @value{GDBN} about target support of certain features.
35087
35088 @subheading The @code{-info-gdb-mi-command} Command
35089 @cindex @code{-info-gdb-mi-command}
35090 @findex -info-gdb-mi-command
35091
35092 @subsubheading Synopsis
35093
35094 @smallexample
35095 -info-gdb-mi-command @var{cmd_name}
35096 @end smallexample
35097
35098 Query support for the @sc{gdb/mi} command named @var{cmd_name}.
35099
35100 Note that the dash (@code{-}) starting all @sc{gdb/mi} commands
35101 is technically not part of the command name (@pxref{GDB/MI Input
35102 Syntax}), and thus should be omitted in @var{cmd_name}. However,
35103 for ease of use, this command also accepts the form with the leading
35104 dash.
35105
35106 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
35107
35108 There is no corresponding @value{GDBN} command.
35109
35110 @subsubheading Result
35111
35112 The result is a tuple. There is currently only one field:
35113
35114 @table @samp
35115 @item exists
35116 This field is equal to @code{"true"} if the @sc{gdb/mi} command exists,
35117 @code{"false"} otherwise.
35118
35119 @end table
35120
35121 @subsubheading Example
35122
35123 Here is an example where the @sc{gdb/mi} command does not exist:
35124
35125 @smallexample
35126 -info-gdb-mi-command unsupported-command
35127 ^done,command=@{exists="false"@}
35128 @end smallexample
35129
35130 @noindent
35131 And here is an example where the @sc{gdb/mi} command is known
35132 to the debugger:
35133
35134 @smallexample
35135 -info-gdb-mi-command symbol-list-lines
35136 ^done,command=@{exists="true"@}
35137 @end smallexample
35138
35139 @subheading The @code{-list-features} Command
35140 @findex -list-features
35141 @cindex supported @sc{gdb/mi} features, list
35142
35143 Returns a list of particular features of the MI protocol that
35144 this version of gdb implements. A feature can be a command,
35145 or a new field in an output of some command, or even an
35146 important bugfix. While a frontend can sometimes detect presence
35147 of a feature at runtime, it is easier to perform detection at debugger
35148 startup.
35149
35150 The command returns a list of strings, with each string naming an
35151 available feature. Each returned string is just a name, it does not
35152 have any internal structure. The list of possible feature names
35153 is given below.
35154
35155 Example output:
35156
35157 @smallexample
35158 (gdb) -list-features
35159 ^done,result=["feature1","feature2"]
35160 @end smallexample
35161
35162 The current list of features is:
35163
35164 @ftable @samp
35165 @item frozen-varobjs
35166 Indicates support for the @code{-var-set-frozen} command, as well
35167 as possible presense of the @code{frozen} field in the output
35168 of @code{-varobj-create}.
35169 @item pending-breakpoints
35170 Indicates support for the @option{-f} option to the @code{-break-insert}
35171 command.
35172 @item python
35173 Indicates Python scripting support, Python-based
35174 pretty-printing commands, and possible presence of the
35175 @samp{display_hint} field in the output of @code{-var-list-children}
35176 @item thread-info
35177 Indicates support for the @code{-thread-info} command.
35178 @item data-read-memory-bytes
35179 Indicates support for the @code{-data-read-memory-bytes} and the
35180 @code{-data-write-memory-bytes} commands.
35181 @item breakpoint-notifications
35182 Indicates that changes to breakpoints and breakpoints created via the
35183 CLI will be announced via async records.
35184 @item ada-task-info
35185 Indicates support for the @code{-ada-task-info} command.
35186 @item language-option
35187 Indicates that all @sc{gdb/mi} commands accept the @option{--language}
35188 option (@pxref{Context management}).
35189 @item info-gdb-mi-command
35190 Indicates support for the @code{-info-gdb-mi-command} command.
35191 @item undefined-command-error-code
35192 Indicates support for the "undefined-command" error code in error result
35193 records, produced when trying to execute an undefined @sc{gdb/mi} command
35194 (@pxref{GDB/MI Result Records}).
35195 @item exec-run-start-option
35196 Indicates that the @code{-exec-run} command supports the @option{--start}
35197 option (@pxref{GDB/MI Program Execution}).
35198 @end ftable
35199
35200 @subheading The @code{-list-target-features} Command
35201 @findex -list-target-features
35202
35203 Returns a list of particular features that are supported by the
35204 target. Those features affect the permitted MI commands, but
35205 unlike the features reported by the @code{-list-features} command, the
35206 features depend on which target GDB is using at the moment. Whenever
35207 a target can change, due to commands such as @code{-target-select},
35208 @code{-target-attach} or @code{-exec-run}, the list of target features
35209 may change, and the frontend should obtain it again.
35210 Example output:
35211
35212 @smallexample
35213 (gdb) -list-target-features
35214 ^done,result=["async"]
35215 @end smallexample
35216
35217 The current list of features is:
35218
35219 @table @samp
35220 @item async
35221 Indicates that the target is capable of asynchronous command
35222 execution, which means that @value{GDBN} will accept further commands
35223 while the target is running.
35224
35225 @item reverse
35226 Indicates that the target is capable of reverse execution.
35227 @xref{Reverse Execution}, for more information.
35228
35229 @end table
35230
35231 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
35232 @node GDB/MI Miscellaneous Commands
35233 @section Miscellaneous @sc{gdb/mi} Commands
35234
35235 @c @subheading -gdb-complete
35236
35237 @subheading The @code{-gdb-exit} Command
35238 @findex -gdb-exit
35239
35240 @subsubheading Synopsis
35241
35242 @smallexample
35243 -gdb-exit
35244 @end smallexample
35245
35246 Exit @value{GDBN} immediately.
35247
35248 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
35249
35250 Approximately corresponds to @samp{quit}.
35251
35252 @subsubheading Example
35253
35254 @smallexample
35255 (gdb)
35256 -gdb-exit
35257 ^exit
35258 @end smallexample
35259
35260
35261 @ignore
35262 @subheading The @code{-exec-abort} Command
35263 @findex -exec-abort
35264
35265 @subsubheading Synopsis
35266
35267 @smallexample
35268 -exec-abort
35269 @end smallexample
35270
35271 Kill the inferior running program.
35272
35273 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
35274
35275 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{kill}.
35276
35277 @subsubheading Example
35278 N.A.
35279 @end ignore
35280
35281
35282 @subheading The @code{-gdb-set} Command
35283 @findex -gdb-set
35284
35285 @subsubheading Synopsis
35286
35287 @smallexample
35288 -gdb-set
35289 @end smallexample
35290
35291 Set an internal @value{GDBN} variable.
35292 @c IS THIS A DOLLAR VARIABLE? OR SOMETHING LIKE ANNOTATE ?????
35293
35294 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
35295
35296 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{set}.
35297
35298 @subsubheading Example
35299
35300 @smallexample
35301 (gdb)
35302 -gdb-set $foo=3
35303 ^done
35304 (gdb)
35305 @end smallexample
35306
35307
35308 @subheading The @code{-gdb-show} Command
35309 @findex -gdb-show
35310
35311 @subsubheading Synopsis
35312
35313 @smallexample
35314 -gdb-show
35315 @end smallexample
35316
35317 Show the current value of a @value{GDBN} variable.
35318
35319 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
35320
35321 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{show}.
35322
35323 @subsubheading Example
35324
35325 @smallexample
35326 (gdb)
35327 -gdb-show annotate
35328 ^done,value="0"
35329 (gdb)
35330 @end smallexample
35331
35332 @c @subheading -gdb-source
35333
35334
35335 @subheading The @code{-gdb-version} Command
35336 @findex -gdb-version
35337
35338 @subsubheading Synopsis
35339
35340 @smallexample
35341 -gdb-version
35342 @end smallexample
35343
35344 Show version information for @value{GDBN}. Used mostly in testing.
35345
35346 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
35347
35348 The @value{GDBN} equivalent is @samp{show version}. @value{GDBN} by
35349 default shows this information when you start an interactive session.
35350
35351 @subsubheading Example
35352
35353 @c This example modifies the actual output from GDB to avoid overfull
35354 @c box in TeX.
35355 @smallexample
35356 (gdb)
35357 -gdb-version
35358 ~GNU gdb 5.2.1
35359 ~Copyright 2000 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
35360 ~GDB is free software, covered by the GNU General Public License, and
35361 ~you are welcome to change it and/or distribute copies of it under
35362 ~ certain conditions.
35363 ~Type "show copying" to see the conditions.
35364 ~There is absolutely no warranty for GDB. Type "show warranty" for
35365 ~ details.
35366 ~This GDB was configured as
35367 "--host=sparc-sun-solaris2.5.1 --target=ppc-eabi".
35368 ^done
35369 (gdb)
35370 @end smallexample
35371
35372 @subheading The @code{-list-thread-groups} Command
35373 @findex -list-thread-groups
35374
35375 @subheading Synopsis
35376
35377 @smallexample
35378 -list-thread-groups [ --available ] [ --recurse 1 ] [ @var{group} ... ]
35379 @end smallexample
35380
35381 Lists thread groups (@pxref{Thread groups}). When a single thread
35382 group is passed as the argument, lists the children of that group.
35383 When several thread group are passed, lists information about those
35384 thread groups. Without any parameters, lists information about all
35385 top-level thread groups.
35386
35387 Normally, thread groups that are being debugged are reported.
35388 With the @samp{--available} option, @value{GDBN} reports thread groups
35389 available on the target.
35390
35391 The output of this command may have either a @samp{threads} result or
35392 a @samp{groups} result. The @samp{thread} result has a list of tuples
35393 as value, with each tuple describing a thread (@pxref{GDB/MI Thread
35394 Information}). The @samp{groups} result has a list of tuples as value,
35395 each tuple describing a thread group. If top-level groups are
35396 requested (that is, no parameter is passed), or when several groups
35397 are passed, the output always has a @samp{groups} result. The format
35398 of the @samp{group} result is described below.
35399
35400 To reduce the number of roundtrips it's possible to list thread groups
35401 together with their children, by passing the @samp{--recurse} option
35402 and the recursion depth. Presently, only recursion depth of 1 is
35403 permitted. If this option is present, then every reported thread group
35404 will also include its children, either as @samp{group} or
35405 @samp{threads} field.
35406
35407 In general, any combination of option and parameters is permitted, with
35408 the following caveats:
35409
35410 @itemize @bullet
35411 @item
35412 When a single thread group is passed, the output will typically
35413 be the @samp{threads} result. Because threads may not contain
35414 anything, the @samp{recurse} option will be ignored.
35415
35416 @item
35417 When the @samp{--available} option is passed, limited information may
35418 be available. In particular, the list of threads of a process might
35419 be inaccessible. Further, specifying specific thread groups might
35420 not give any performance advantage over listing all thread groups.
35421 The frontend should assume that @samp{-list-thread-groups --available}
35422 is always an expensive operation and cache the results.
35423
35424 @end itemize
35425
35426 The @samp{groups} result is a list of tuples, where each tuple may
35427 have the following fields:
35428
35429 @table @code
35430 @item id
35431 Identifier of the thread group. This field is always present.
35432 The identifier is an opaque string; frontends should not try to
35433 convert it to an integer, even though it might look like one.
35434
35435 @item type
35436 The type of the thread group. At present, only @samp{process} is a
35437 valid type.
35438
35439 @item pid
35440 The target-specific process identifier. This field is only present
35441 for thread groups of type @samp{process} and only if the process exists.
35442
35443 @item num_children
35444 The number of children this thread group has. This field may be
35445 absent for an available thread group.
35446
35447 @item threads
35448 This field has a list of tuples as value, each tuple describing a
35449 thread. It may be present if the @samp{--recurse} option is
35450 specified, and it's actually possible to obtain the threads.
35451
35452 @item cores
35453 This field is a list of integers, each identifying a core that one
35454 thread of the group is running on. This field may be absent if
35455 such information is not available.
35456
35457 @item executable
35458 The name of the executable file that corresponds to this thread group.
35459 The field is only present for thread groups of type @samp{process},
35460 and only if there is a corresponding executable file.
35461
35462 @end table
35463
35464 @subheading Example
35465
35466 @smallexample
35467 @value{GDBP}
35468 -list-thread-groups
35469 ^done,groups=[@{id="17",type="process",pid="yyy",num_children="2"@}]
35470 -list-thread-groups 17
35471 ^done,threads=[@{id="2",target-id="Thread 0xb7e14b90 (LWP 21257)",
35472 frame=@{level="0",addr="0xffffe410",func="__kernel_vsyscall",args=[]@},state="running"@},
35473 @{id="1",target-id="Thread 0xb7e156b0 (LWP 21254)",
35474 frame=@{level="0",addr="0x0804891f",func="foo",args=[@{name="i",value="10"@}],
35475 file="/tmp/a.c",fullname="/tmp/a.c",line="158"@},state="running"@}]]
35476 -list-thread-groups --available
35477 ^done,groups=[@{id="17",type="process",pid="yyy",num_children="2",cores=[1,2]@}]
35478 -list-thread-groups --available --recurse 1
35479 ^done,groups=[@{id="17", types="process",pid="yyy",num_children="2",cores=[1,2],
35480 threads=[@{id="1",target-id="Thread 0xb7e14b90",cores=[1]@},
35481 @{id="2",target-id="Thread 0xb7e14b90",cores=[2]@}]@},..]
35482 -list-thread-groups --available --recurse 1 17 18
35483 ^done,groups=[@{id="17", types="process",pid="yyy",num_children="2",cores=[1,2],
35484 threads=[@{id="1",target-id="Thread 0xb7e14b90",cores=[1]@},
35485 @{id="2",target-id="Thread 0xb7e14b90",cores=[2]@}]@},...]
35486 @end smallexample
35487
35488 @subheading The @code{-info-os} Command
35489 @findex -info-os
35490
35491 @subsubheading Synopsis
35492
35493 @smallexample
35494 -info-os [ @var{type} ]
35495 @end smallexample
35496
35497 If no argument is supplied, the command returns a table of available
35498 operating-system-specific information types. If one of these types is
35499 supplied as an argument @var{type}, then the command returns a table
35500 of data of that type.
35501
35502 The types of information available depend on the target operating
35503 system.
35504
35505 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
35506
35507 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info os}.
35508
35509 @subsubheading Example
35510
35511 When run on a @sc{gnu}/Linux system, the output will look something
35512 like this:
35513
35514 @smallexample
35515 @value{GDBP}
35516 -info-os
35517 ^done,OSDataTable=@{nr_rows="9",nr_cols="3",
35518 hdr=[@{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="col0",colhdr="Type"@},
35519 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="col1",colhdr="Description"@},
35520 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="col2",colhdr="Title"@}],
35521 body=[item=@{col0="processes",col1="Listing of all processes",
35522 col2="Processes"@},
35523 item=@{col0="procgroups",col1="Listing of all process groups",
35524 col2="Process groups"@},
35525 item=@{col0="threads",col1="Listing of all threads",
35526 col2="Threads"@},
35527 item=@{col0="files",col1="Listing of all file descriptors",
35528 col2="File descriptors"@},
35529 item=@{col0="sockets",col1="Listing of all internet-domain sockets",
35530 col2="Sockets"@},
35531 item=@{col0="shm",col1="Listing of all shared-memory regions",
35532 col2="Shared-memory regions"@},
35533 item=@{col0="semaphores",col1="Listing of all semaphores",
35534 col2="Semaphores"@},
35535 item=@{col0="msg",col1="Listing of all message queues",
35536 col2="Message queues"@},
35537 item=@{col0="modules",col1="Listing of all loaded kernel modules",
35538 col2="Kernel modules"@}]@}
35539 @value{GDBP}
35540 -info-os processes
35541 ^done,OSDataTable=@{nr_rows="190",nr_cols="4",
35542 hdr=[@{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="col0",colhdr="pid"@},
35543 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="col1",colhdr="user"@},
35544 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="col2",colhdr="command"@},
35545 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="col3",colhdr="cores"@}],
35546 body=[item=@{col0="1",col1="root",col2="/sbin/init",col3="0"@},
35547 item=@{col0="2",col1="root",col2="[kthreadd]",col3="1"@},
35548 item=@{col0="3",col1="root",col2="[ksoftirqd/0]",col3="0"@},
35549 ...
35550 item=@{col0="26446",col1="stan",col2="bash",col3="0"@},
35551 item=@{col0="28152",col1="stan",col2="bash",col3="1"@}]@}
35552 (gdb)
35553 @end smallexample
35554
35555 (Note that the MI output here includes a @code{"Title"} column that
35556 does not appear in command-line @code{info os}; this column is useful
35557 for MI clients that want to enumerate the types of data, such as in a
35558 popup menu, but is needless clutter on the command line, and
35559 @code{info os} omits it.)
35560
35561 @subheading The @code{-add-inferior} Command
35562 @findex -add-inferior
35563
35564 @subheading Synopsis
35565
35566 @smallexample
35567 -add-inferior
35568 @end smallexample
35569
35570 Creates a new inferior (@pxref{Inferiors and Programs}). The created
35571 inferior is not associated with any executable. Such association may
35572 be established with the @samp{-file-exec-and-symbols} command
35573 (@pxref{GDB/MI File Commands}). The command response has a single
35574 field, @samp{inferior}, whose value is the identifier of the
35575 thread group corresponding to the new inferior.
35576
35577 @subheading Example
35578
35579 @smallexample
35580 @value{GDBP}
35581 -add-inferior
35582 ^done,inferior="i3"
35583 @end smallexample
35584
35585 @subheading The @code{-interpreter-exec} Command
35586 @findex -interpreter-exec
35587
35588 @subheading Synopsis
35589
35590 @smallexample
35591 -interpreter-exec @var{interpreter} @var{command}
35592 @end smallexample
35593 @anchor{-interpreter-exec}
35594
35595 Execute the specified @var{command} in the given @var{interpreter}.
35596
35597 @subheading @value{GDBN} Command
35598
35599 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{interpreter-exec}.
35600
35601 @subheading Example
35602
35603 @smallexample
35604 (gdb)
35605 -interpreter-exec console "break main"
35606 &"During symbol reading, couldn't parse type; debugger out of date?.\n"
35607 &"During symbol reading, bad structure-type format.\n"
35608 ~"Breakpoint 1 at 0x8074fc6: file ../../src/gdb/main.c, line 743.\n"
35609 ^done
35610 (gdb)
35611 @end smallexample
35612
35613 @subheading The @code{-inferior-tty-set} Command
35614 @findex -inferior-tty-set
35615
35616 @subheading Synopsis
35617
35618 @smallexample
35619 -inferior-tty-set /dev/pts/1
35620 @end smallexample
35621
35622 Set terminal for future runs of the program being debugged.
35623
35624 @subheading @value{GDBN} Command
35625
35626 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{set inferior-tty} /dev/pts/1.
35627
35628 @subheading Example
35629
35630 @smallexample
35631 (gdb)
35632 -inferior-tty-set /dev/pts/1
35633 ^done
35634 (gdb)
35635 @end smallexample
35636
35637 @subheading The @code{-inferior-tty-show} Command
35638 @findex -inferior-tty-show
35639
35640 @subheading Synopsis
35641
35642 @smallexample
35643 -inferior-tty-show
35644 @end smallexample
35645
35646 Show terminal for future runs of program being debugged.
35647
35648 @subheading @value{GDBN} Command
35649
35650 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{show inferior-tty}.
35651
35652 @subheading Example
35653
35654 @smallexample
35655 (gdb)
35656 -inferior-tty-set /dev/pts/1
35657 ^done
35658 (gdb)
35659 -inferior-tty-show
35660 ^done,inferior_tty_terminal="/dev/pts/1"
35661 (gdb)
35662 @end smallexample
35663
35664 @subheading The @code{-enable-timings} Command
35665 @findex -enable-timings
35666
35667 @subheading Synopsis
35668
35669 @smallexample
35670 -enable-timings [yes | no]
35671 @end smallexample
35672
35673 Toggle the printing of the wallclock, user and system times for an MI
35674 command as a field in its output. This command is to help frontend
35675 developers optimize the performance of their code. No argument is
35676 equivalent to @samp{yes}.
35677
35678 @subheading @value{GDBN} Command
35679
35680 No equivalent.
35681
35682 @subheading Example
35683
35684 @smallexample
35685 (gdb)
35686 -enable-timings
35687 ^done
35688 (gdb)
35689 -break-insert main
35690 ^done,bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
35691 addr="0x080484ed",func="main",file="myprog.c",
35692 fullname="/home/nickrob/myprog.c",line="73",thread-groups=["i1"],
35693 times="0"@},
35694 time=@{wallclock="0.05185",user="0.00800",system="0.00000"@}
35695 (gdb)
35696 -enable-timings no
35697 ^done
35698 (gdb)
35699 -exec-run
35700 ^running
35701 (gdb)
35702 *stopped,reason="breakpoint-hit",disp="keep",bkptno="1",thread-id="0",
35703 frame=@{addr="0x080484ed",func="main",args=[@{name="argc",value="1"@},
35704 @{name="argv",value="0xbfb60364"@}],file="myprog.c",
35705 fullname="/home/nickrob/myprog.c",line="73"@}
35706 (gdb)
35707 @end smallexample
35708
35709 @node Annotations
35710 @chapter @value{GDBN} Annotations
35711
35712 This chapter describes annotations in @value{GDBN}. Annotations were
35713 designed to interface @value{GDBN} to graphical user interfaces or other
35714 similar programs which want to interact with @value{GDBN} at a
35715 relatively high level.
35716
35717 The annotation mechanism has largely been superseded by @sc{gdb/mi}
35718 (@pxref{GDB/MI}).
35719
35720 @ignore
35721 This is Edition @value{EDITION}, @value{DATE}.
35722 @end ignore
35723
35724 @menu
35725 * Annotations Overview:: What annotations are; the general syntax.
35726 * Server Prefix:: Issuing a command without affecting user state.
35727 * Prompting:: Annotations marking @value{GDBN}'s need for input.
35728 * Errors:: Annotations for error messages.
35729 * Invalidation:: Some annotations describe things now invalid.
35730 * Annotations for Running::
35731 Whether the program is running, how it stopped, etc.
35732 * Source Annotations:: Annotations describing source code.
35733 @end menu
35734
35735 @node Annotations Overview
35736 @section What is an Annotation?
35737 @cindex annotations
35738
35739 Annotations start with a newline character, two @samp{control-z}
35740 characters, and the name of the annotation. If there is no additional
35741 information associated with this annotation, the name of the annotation
35742 is followed immediately by a newline. If there is additional
35743 information, the name of the annotation is followed by a space, the
35744 additional information, and a newline. The additional information
35745 cannot contain newline characters.
35746
35747 Any output not beginning with a newline and two @samp{control-z}
35748 characters denotes literal output from @value{GDBN}. Currently there is
35749 no need for @value{GDBN} to output a newline followed by two
35750 @samp{control-z} characters, but if there was such a need, the
35751 annotations could be extended with an @samp{escape} annotation which
35752 means those three characters as output.
35753
35754 The annotation @var{level}, which is specified using the
35755 @option{--annotate} command line option (@pxref{Mode Options}), controls
35756 how much information @value{GDBN} prints together with its prompt,
35757 values of expressions, source lines, and other types of output. Level 0
35758 is for no annotations, level 1 is for use when @value{GDBN} is run as a
35759 subprocess of @sc{gnu} Emacs, level 3 is the maximum annotation suitable
35760 for programs that control @value{GDBN}, and level 2 annotations have
35761 been made obsolete (@pxref{Limitations, , Limitations of the Annotation
35762 Interface, annotate, GDB's Obsolete Annotations}).
35763
35764 @table @code
35765 @kindex set annotate
35766 @item set annotate @var{level}
35767 The @value{GDBN} command @code{set annotate} sets the level of
35768 annotations to the specified @var{level}.
35769
35770 @item show annotate
35771 @kindex show annotate
35772 Show the current annotation level.
35773 @end table
35774
35775 This chapter describes level 3 annotations.
35776
35777 A simple example of starting up @value{GDBN} with annotations is:
35778
35779 @smallexample
35780 $ @kbd{gdb --annotate=3}
35781 GNU gdb 6.0
35782 Copyright 2003 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
35783 GDB is free software, covered by the GNU General Public License,
35784 and you are welcome to change it and/or distribute copies of it
35785 under certain conditions.
35786 Type "show copying" to see the conditions.
35787 There is absolutely no warranty for GDB. Type "show warranty"
35788 for details.
35789 This GDB was configured as "i386-pc-linux-gnu"
35790
35791 ^Z^Zpre-prompt
35792 (@value{GDBP})
35793 ^Z^Zprompt
35794 @kbd{quit}
35795
35796 ^Z^Zpost-prompt
35797 $
35798 @end smallexample
35799
35800 Here @samp{quit} is input to @value{GDBN}; the rest is output from
35801 @value{GDBN}. The three lines beginning @samp{^Z^Z} (where @samp{^Z}
35802 denotes a @samp{control-z} character) are annotations; the rest is
35803 output from @value{GDBN}.
35804
35805 @node Server Prefix
35806 @section The Server Prefix
35807 @cindex server prefix
35808
35809 If you prefix a command with @samp{server } then it will not affect
35810 the command history, nor will it affect @value{GDBN}'s notion of which
35811 command to repeat if @key{RET} is pressed on a line by itself. This
35812 means that commands can be run behind a user's back by a front-end in
35813 a transparent manner.
35814
35815 The @code{server } prefix does not affect the recording of values into
35816 the value history; to print a value without recording it into the
35817 value history, use the @code{output} command instead of the
35818 @code{print} command.
35819
35820 Using this prefix also disables confirmation requests
35821 (@pxref{confirmation requests}).
35822
35823 @node Prompting
35824 @section Annotation for @value{GDBN} Input
35825
35826 @cindex annotations for prompts
35827 When @value{GDBN} prompts for input, it annotates this fact so it is possible
35828 to know when to send output, when the output from a given command is
35829 over, etc.
35830
35831 Different kinds of input each have a different @dfn{input type}. Each
35832 input type has three annotations: a @code{pre-} annotation, which
35833 denotes the beginning of any prompt which is being output, a plain
35834 annotation, which denotes the end of the prompt, and then a @code{post-}
35835 annotation which denotes the end of any echo which may (or may not) be
35836 associated with the input. For example, the @code{prompt} input type
35837 features the following annotations:
35838
35839 @smallexample
35840 ^Z^Zpre-prompt
35841 ^Z^Zprompt
35842 ^Z^Zpost-prompt
35843 @end smallexample
35844
35845 The input types are
35846
35847 @table @code
35848 @findex pre-prompt annotation
35849 @findex prompt annotation
35850 @findex post-prompt annotation
35851 @item prompt
35852 When @value{GDBN} is prompting for a command (the main @value{GDBN} prompt).
35853
35854 @findex pre-commands annotation
35855 @findex commands annotation
35856 @findex post-commands annotation
35857 @item commands
35858 When @value{GDBN} prompts for a set of commands, like in the @code{commands}
35859 command. The annotations are repeated for each command which is input.
35860
35861 @findex pre-overload-choice annotation
35862 @findex overload-choice annotation
35863 @findex post-overload-choice annotation
35864 @item overload-choice
35865 When @value{GDBN} wants the user to select between various overloaded functions.
35866
35867 @findex pre-query annotation
35868 @findex query annotation
35869 @findex post-query annotation
35870 @item query
35871 When @value{GDBN} wants the user to confirm a potentially dangerous operation.
35872
35873 @findex pre-prompt-for-continue annotation
35874 @findex prompt-for-continue annotation
35875 @findex post-prompt-for-continue annotation
35876 @item prompt-for-continue
35877 When @value{GDBN} is asking the user to press return to continue. Note: Don't
35878 expect this to work well; instead use @code{set height 0} to disable
35879 prompting. This is because the counting of lines is buggy in the
35880 presence of annotations.
35881 @end table
35882
35883 @node Errors
35884 @section Errors
35885 @cindex annotations for errors, warnings and interrupts
35886
35887 @findex quit annotation
35888 @smallexample
35889 ^Z^Zquit
35890 @end smallexample
35891
35892 This annotation occurs right before @value{GDBN} responds to an interrupt.
35893
35894 @findex error annotation
35895 @smallexample
35896 ^Z^Zerror
35897 @end smallexample
35898
35899 This annotation occurs right before @value{GDBN} responds to an error.
35900
35901 Quit and error annotations indicate that any annotations which @value{GDBN} was
35902 in the middle of may end abruptly. For example, if a
35903 @code{value-history-begin} annotation is followed by a @code{error}, one
35904 cannot expect to receive the matching @code{value-history-end}. One
35905 cannot expect not to receive it either, however; an error annotation
35906 does not necessarily mean that @value{GDBN} is immediately returning all the way
35907 to the top level.
35908
35909 @findex error-begin annotation
35910 A quit or error annotation may be preceded by
35911
35912 @smallexample
35913 ^Z^Zerror-begin
35914 @end smallexample
35915
35916 Any output between that and the quit or error annotation is the error
35917 message.
35918
35919 Warning messages are not yet annotated.
35920 @c If we want to change that, need to fix warning(), type_error(),
35921 @c range_error(), and possibly other places.
35922
35923 @node Invalidation
35924 @section Invalidation Notices
35925
35926 @cindex annotations for invalidation messages
35927 The following annotations say that certain pieces of state may have
35928 changed.
35929
35930 @table @code
35931 @findex frames-invalid annotation
35932 @item ^Z^Zframes-invalid
35933
35934 The frames (for example, output from the @code{backtrace} command) may
35935 have changed.
35936
35937 @findex breakpoints-invalid annotation
35938 @item ^Z^Zbreakpoints-invalid
35939
35940 The breakpoints may have changed. For example, the user just added or
35941 deleted a breakpoint.
35942 @end table
35943
35944 @node Annotations for Running
35945 @section Running the Program
35946 @cindex annotations for running programs
35947
35948 @findex starting annotation
35949 @findex stopping annotation
35950 When the program starts executing due to a @value{GDBN} command such as
35951 @code{step} or @code{continue},
35952
35953 @smallexample
35954 ^Z^Zstarting
35955 @end smallexample
35956
35957 is output. When the program stops,
35958
35959 @smallexample
35960 ^Z^Zstopped
35961 @end smallexample
35962
35963 is output. Before the @code{stopped} annotation, a variety of
35964 annotations describe how the program stopped.
35965
35966 @table @code
35967 @findex exited annotation
35968 @item ^Z^Zexited @var{exit-status}
35969 The program exited, and @var{exit-status} is the exit status (zero for
35970 successful exit, otherwise nonzero).
35971
35972 @findex signalled annotation
35973 @findex signal-name annotation
35974 @findex signal-name-end annotation
35975 @findex signal-string annotation
35976 @findex signal-string-end annotation
35977 @item ^Z^Zsignalled
35978 The program exited with a signal. After the @code{^Z^Zsignalled}, the
35979 annotation continues:
35980
35981 @smallexample
35982 @var{intro-text}
35983 ^Z^Zsignal-name
35984 @var{name}
35985 ^Z^Zsignal-name-end
35986 @var{middle-text}
35987 ^Z^Zsignal-string
35988 @var{string}
35989 ^Z^Zsignal-string-end
35990 @var{end-text}
35991 @end smallexample
35992
35993 @noindent
35994 where @var{name} is the name of the signal, such as @code{SIGILL} or
35995 @code{SIGSEGV}, and @var{string} is the explanation of the signal, such
35996 as @code{Illegal Instruction} or @code{Segmentation fault}.
35997 @var{intro-text}, @var{middle-text}, and @var{end-text} are for the
35998 user's benefit and have no particular format.
35999
36000 @findex signal annotation
36001 @item ^Z^Zsignal
36002 The syntax of this annotation is just like @code{signalled}, but @value{GDBN} is
36003 just saying that the program received the signal, not that it was
36004 terminated with it.
36005
36006 @findex breakpoint annotation
36007 @item ^Z^Zbreakpoint @var{number}
36008 The program hit breakpoint number @var{number}.
36009
36010 @findex watchpoint annotation
36011 @item ^Z^Zwatchpoint @var{number}
36012 The program hit watchpoint number @var{number}.
36013 @end table
36014
36015 @node Source Annotations
36016 @section Displaying Source
36017 @cindex annotations for source display
36018
36019 @findex source annotation
36020 The following annotation is used instead of displaying source code:
36021
36022 @smallexample
36023 ^Z^Zsource @var{filename}:@var{line}:@var{character}:@var{middle}:@var{addr}
36024 @end smallexample
36025
36026 where @var{filename} is an absolute file name indicating which source
36027 file, @var{line} is the line number within that file (where 1 is the
36028 first line in the file), @var{character} is the character position
36029 within the file (where 0 is the first character in the file) (for most
36030 debug formats this will necessarily point to the beginning of a line),
36031 @var{middle} is @samp{middle} if @var{addr} is in the middle of the
36032 line, or @samp{beg} if @var{addr} is at the beginning of the line, and
36033 @var{addr} is the address in the target program associated with the
36034 source which is being displayed. @var{addr} is in the form @samp{0x}
36035 followed by one or more lowercase hex digits (note that this does not
36036 depend on the language).
36037
36038 @node JIT Interface
36039 @chapter JIT Compilation Interface
36040 @cindex just-in-time compilation
36041 @cindex JIT compilation interface
36042
36043 This chapter documents @value{GDBN}'s @dfn{just-in-time} (JIT) compilation
36044 interface. A JIT compiler is a program or library that generates native
36045 executable code at runtime and executes it, usually in order to achieve good
36046 performance while maintaining platform independence.
36047
36048 Programs that use JIT compilation are normally difficult to debug because
36049 portions of their code are generated at runtime, instead of being loaded from
36050 object files, which is where @value{GDBN} normally finds the program's symbols
36051 and debug information. In order to debug programs that use JIT compilation,
36052 @value{GDBN} has an interface that allows the program to register in-memory
36053 symbol files with @value{GDBN} at runtime.
36054
36055 If you are using @value{GDBN} to debug a program that uses this interface, then
36056 it should work transparently so long as you have not stripped the binary. If
36057 you are developing a JIT compiler, then the interface is documented in the rest
36058 of this chapter. At this time, the only known client of this interface is the
36059 LLVM JIT.
36060
36061 Broadly speaking, the JIT interface mirrors the dynamic loader interface. The
36062 JIT compiler communicates with @value{GDBN} by writing data into a global
36063 variable and calling a fuction at a well-known symbol. When @value{GDBN}
36064 attaches, it reads a linked list of symbol files from the global variable to
36065 find existing code, and puts a breakpoint in the function so that it can find
36066 out about additional code.
36067
36068 @menu
36069 * Declarations:: Relevant C struct declarations
36070 * Registering Code:: Steps to register code
36071 * Unregistering Code:: Steps to unregister code
36072 * Custom Debug Info:: Emit debug information in a custom format
36073 @end menu
36074
36075 @node Declarations
36076 @section JIT Declarations
36077
36078 These are the relevant struct declarations that a C program should include to
36079 implement the interface:
36080
36081 @smallexample
36082 typedef enum
36083 @{
36084 JIT_NOACTION = 0,
36085 JIT_REGISTER_FN,
36086 JIT_UNREGISTER_FN
36087 @} jit_actions_t;
36088
36089 struct jit_code_entry
36090 @{
36091 struct jit_code_entry *next_entry;
36092 struct jit_code_entry *prev_entry;
36093 const char *symfile_addr;
36094 uint64_t symfile_size;
36095 @};
36096
36097 struct jit_descriptor
36098 @{
36099 uint32_t version;
36100 /* This type should be jit_actions_t, but we use uint32_t
36101 to be explicit about the bitwidth. */
36102 uint32_t action_flag;
36103 struct jit_code_entry *relevant_entry;
36104 struct jit_code_entry *first_entry;
36105 @};
36106
36107 /* GDB puts a breakpoint in this function. */
36108 void __attribute__((noinline)) __jit_debug_register_code() @{ @};
36109
36110 /* Make sure to specify the version statically, because the
36111 debugger may check the version before we can set it. */
36112 struct jit_descriptor __jit_debug_descriptor = @{ 1, 0, 0, 0 @};
36113 @end smallexample
36114
36115 If the JIT is multi-threaded, then it is important that the JIT synchronize any
36116 modifications to this global data properly, which can easily be done by putting
36117 a global mutex around modifications to these structures.
36118
36119 @node Registering Code
36120 @section Registering Code
36121
36122 To register code with @value{GDBN}, the JIT should follow this protocol:
36123
36124 @itemize @bullet
36125 @item
36126 Generate an object file in memory with symbols and other desired debug
36127 information. The file must include the virtual addresses of the sections.
36128
36129 @item
36130 Create a code entry for the file, which gives the start and size of the symbol
36131 file.
36132
36133 @item
36134 Add it to the linked list in the JIT descriptor.
36135
36136 @item
36137 Point the relevant_entry field of the descriptor at the entry.
36138
36139 @item
36140 Set @code{action_flag} to @code{JIT_REGISTER} and call
36141 @code{__jit_debug_register_code}.
36142 @end itemize
36143
36144 When @value{GDBN} is attached and the breakpoint fires, @value{GDBN} uses the
36145 @code{relevant_entry} pointer so it doesn't have to walk the list looking for
36146 new code. However, the linked list must still be maintained in order to allow
36147 @value{GDBN} to attach to a running process and still find the symbol files.
36148
36149 @node Unregistering Code
36150 @section Unregistering Code
36151
36152 If code is freed, then the JIT should use the following protocol:
36153
36154 @itemize @bullet
36155 @item
36156 Remove the code entry corresponding to the code from the linked list.
36157
36158 @item
36159 Point the @code{relevant_entry} field of the descriptor at the code entry.
36160
36161 @item
36162 Set @code{action_flag} to @code{JIT_UNREGISTER} and call
36163 @code{__jit_debug_register_code}.
36164 @end itemize
36165
36166 If the JIT frees or recompiles code without unregistering it, then @value{GDBN}
36167 and the JIT will leak the memory used for the associated symbol files.
36168
36169 @node Custom Debug Info
36170 @section Custom Debug Info
36171 @cindex custom JIT debug info
36172 @cindex JIT debug info reader
36173
36174 Generating debug information in platform-native file formats (like ELF
36175 or COFF) may be an overkill for JIT compilers; especially if all the
36176 debug info is used for is displaying a meaningful backtrace. The
36177 issue can be resolved by having the JIT writers decide on a debug info
36178 format and also provide a reader that parses the debug info generated
36179 by the JIT compiler. This section gives a brief overview on writing
36180 such a parser. More specific details can be found in the source file
36181 @file{gdb/jit-reader.in}, which is also installed as a header at
36182 @file{@var{includedir}/gdb/jit-reader.h} for easy inclusion.
36183
36184 The reader is implemented as a shared object (so this functionality is
36185 not available on platforms which don't allow loading shared objects at
36186 runtime). Two @value{GDBN} commands, @code{jit-reader-load} and
36187 @code{jit-reader-unload} are provided, to be used to load and unload
36188 the readers from a preconfigured directory. Once loaded, the shared
36189 object is used the parse the debug information emitted by the JIT
36190 compiler.
36191
36192 @menu
36193 * Using JIT Debug Info Readers:: How to use supplied readers correctly
36194 * Writing JIT Debug Info Readers:: Creating a debug-info reader
36195 @end menu
36196
36197 @node Using JIT Debug Info Readers
36198 @subsection Using JIT Debug Info Readers
36199 @kindex jit-reader-load
36200 @kindex jit-reader-unload
36201
36202 Readers can be loaded and unloaded using the @code{jit-reader-load}
36203 and @code{jit-reader-unload} commands.
36204
36205 @table @code
36206 @item jit-reader-load @var{reader}
36207 Load the JIT reader named @var{reader}. @var{reader} is a shared
36208 object specified as either an absolute or a relative file name. In
36209 the latter case, @value{GDBN} will try to load the reader from a
36210 pre-configured directory, usually @file{@var{libdir}/gdb/} on a UNIX
36211 system (here @var{libdir} is the system library directory, often
36212 @file{/usr/local/lib}).
36213
36214 Only one reader can be active at a time; trying to load a second
36215 reader when one is already loaded will result in @value{GDBN}
36216 reporting an error. A new JIT reader can be loaded by first unloading
36217 the current one using @code{jit-reader-unload} and then invoking
36218 @code{jit-reader-load}.
36219
36220 @item jit-reader-unload
36221 Unload the currently loaded JIT reader.
36222
36223 @end table
36224
36225 @node Writing JIT Debug Info Readers
36226 @subsection Writing JIT Debug Info Readers
36227 @cindex writing JIT debug info readers
36228
36229 As mentioned, a reader is essentially a shared object conforming to a
36230 certain ABI. This ABI is described in @file{jit-reader.h}.
36231
36232 @file{jit-reader.h} defines the structures, macros and functions
36233 required to write a reader. It is installed (along with
36234 @value{GDBN}), in @file{@var{includedir}/gdb} where @var{includedir} is
36235 the system include directory.
36236
36237 Readers need to be released under a GPL compatible license. A reader
36238 can be declared as released under such a license by placing the macro
36239 @code{GDB_DECLARE_GPL_COMPATIBLE_READER} in a source file.
36240
36241 The entry point for readers is the symbol @code{gdb_init_reader},
36242 which is expected to be a function with the prototype
36243
36244 @findex gdb_init_reader
36245 @smallexample
36246 extern struct gdb_reader_funcs *gdb_init_reader (void);
36247 @end smallexample
36248
36249 @cindex @code{struct gdb_reader_funcs}
36250
36251 @code{struct gdb_reader_funcs} contains a set of pointers to callback
36252 functions. These functions are executed to read the debug info
36253 generated by the JIT compiler (@code{read}), to unwind stack frames
36254 (@code{unwind}) and to create canonical frame IDs
36255 (@code{get_Frame_id}). It also has a callback that is called when the
36256 reader is being unloaded (@code{destroy}). The struct looks like this
36257
36258 @smallexample
36259 struct gdb_reader_funcs
36260 @{
36261 /* Must be set to GDB_READER_INTERFACE_VERSION. */
36262 int reader_version;
36263
36264 /* For use by the reader. */
36265 void *priv_data;
36266
36267 gdb_read_debug_info *read;
36268 gdb_unwind_frame *unwind;
36269 gdb_get_frame_id *get_frame_id;
36270 gdb_destroy_reader *destroy;
36271 @};
36272 @end smallexample
36273
36274 @cindex @code{struct gdb_symbol_callbacks}
36275 @cindex @code{struct gdb_unwind_callbacks}
36276
36277 The callbacks are provided with another set of callbacks by
36278 @value{GDBN} to do their job. For @code{read}, these callbacks are
36279 passed in a @code{struct gdb_symbol_callbacks} and for @code{unwind}
36280 and @code{get_frame_id}, in a @code{struct gdb_unwind_callbacks}.
36281 @code{struct gdb_symbol_callbacks} has callbacks to create new object
36282 files and new symbol tables inside those object files. @code{struct
36283 gdb_unwind_callbacks} has callbacks to read registers off the current
36284 frame and to write out the values of the registers in the previous
36285 frame. Both have a callback (@code{target_read}) to read bytes off the
36286 target's address space.
36287
36288 @node In-Process Agent
36289 @chapter In-Process Agent
36290 @cindex debugging agent
36291 The traditional debugging model is conceptually low-speed, but works fine,
36292 because most bugs can be reproduced in debugging-mode execution. However,
36293 as multi-core or many-core processors are becoming mainstream, and
36294 multi-threaded programs become more and more popular, there should be more
36295 and more bugs that only manifest themselves at normal-mode execution, for
36296 example, thread races, because debugger's interference with the program's
36297 timing may conceal the bugs. On the other hand, in some applications,
36298 it is not feasible for the debugger to interrupt the program's execution
36299 long enough for the developer to learn anything helpful about its behavior.
36300 If the program's correctness depends on its real-time behavior, delays
36301 introduced by a debugger might cause the program to fail, even when the
36302 code itself is correct. It is useful to be able to observe the program's
36303 behavior without interrupting it.
36304
36305 Therefore, traditional debugging model is too intrusive to reproduce
36306 some bugs. In order to reduce the interference with the program, we can
36307 reduce the number of operations performed by debugger. The
36308 @dfn{In-Process Agent}, a shared library, is running within the same
36309 process with inferior, and is able to perform some debugging operations
36310 itself. As a result, debugger is only involved when necessary, and
36311 performance of debugging can be improved accordingly. Note that
36312 interference with program can be reduced but can't be removed completely,
36313 because the in-process agent will still stop or slow down the program.
36314
36315 The in-process agent can interpret and execute Agent Expressions
36316 (@pxref{Agent Expressions}) during performing debugging operations. The
36317 agent expressions can be used for different purposes, such as collecting
36318 data in tracepoints, and condition evaluation in breakpoints.
36319
36320 @anchor{Control Agent}
36321 You can control whether the in-process agent is used as an aid for
36322 debugging with the following commands:
36323
36324 @table @code
36325 @kindex set agent on
36326 @item set agent on
36327 Causes the in-process agent to perform some operations on behalf of the
36328 debugger. Just which operations requested by the user will be done
36329 by the in-process agent depends on the its capabilities. For example,
36330 if you request to evaluate breakpoint conditions in the in-process agent,
36331 and the in-process agent has such capability as well, then breakpoint
36332 conditions will be evaluated in the in-process agent.
36333
36334 @kindex set agent off
36335 @item set agent off
36336 Disables execution of debugging operations by the in-process agent. All
36337 of the operations will be performed by @value{GDBN}.
36338
36339 @kindex show agent
36340 @item show agent
36341 Display the current setting of execution of debugging operations by
36342 the in-process agent.
36343 @end table
36344
36345 @menu
36346 * In-Process Agent Protocol::
36347 @end menu
36348
36349 @node In-Process Agent Protocol
36350 @section In-Process Agent Protocol
36351 @cindex in-process agent protocol
36352
36353 The in-process agent is able to communicate with both @value{GDBN} and
36354 GDBserver (@pxref{In-Process Agent}). This section documents the protocol
36355 used for communications between @value{GDBN} or GDBserver and the IPA.
36356 In general, @value{GDBN} or GDBserver sends commands
36357 (@pxref{IPA Protocol Commands}) and data to in-process agent, and then
36358 in-process agent replies back with the return result of the command, or
36359 some other information. The data sent to in-process agent is composed
36360 of primitive data types, such as 4-byte or 8-byte type, and composite
36361 types, which are called objects (@pxref{IPA Protocol Objects}).
36362
36363 @menu
36364 * IPA Protocol Objects::
36365 * IPA Protocol Commands::
36366 @end menu
36367
36368 @node IPA Protocol Objects
36369 @subsection IPA Protocol Objects
36370 @cindex ipa protocol objects
36371
36372 The commands sent to and results received from agent may contain some
36373 complex data types called @dfn{objects}.
36374
36375 The in-process agent is running on the same machine with @value{GDBN}
36376 or GDBserver, so it doesn't have to handle as much differences between
36377 two ends as remote protocol (@pxref{Remote Protocol}) tries to handle.
36378 However, there are still some differences of two ends in two processes:
36379
36380 @enumerate
36381 @item
36382 word size. On some 64-bit machines, @value{GDBN} or GDBserver can be
36383 compiled as a 64-bit executable, while in-process agent is a 32-bit one.
36384 @item
36385 ABI. Some machines may have multiple types of ABI, @value{GDBN} or
36386 GDBserver is compiled with one, and in-process agent is compiled with
36387 the other one.
36388 @end enumerate
36389
36390 Here are the IPA Protocol Objects:
36391
36392 @enumerate
36393 @item
36394 agent expression object. It represents an agent expression
36395 (@pxref{Agent Expressions}).
36396 @anchor{agent expression object}
36397 @item
36398 tracepoint action object. It represents a tracepoint action
36399 (@pxref{Tracepoint Actions,,Tracepoint Action Lists}) to collect registers,
36400 memory, static trace data and to evaluate expression.
36401 @anchor{tracepoint action object}
36402 @item
36403 tracepoint object. It represents a tracepoint (@pxref{Tracepoints}).
36404 @anchor{tracepoint object}
36405
36406 @end enumerate
36407
36408 The following table describes important attributes of each IPA protocol
36409 object:
36410
36411 @multitable @columnfractions .30 .20 .50
36412 @headitem Name @tab Size @tab Description
36413 @item @emph{agent expression object} @tab @tab
36414 @item length @tab 4 @tab length of bytes code
36415 @item byte code @tab @var{length} @tab contents of byte code
36416 @item @emph{tracepoint action for collecting memory} @tab @tab
36417 @item 'M' @tab 1 @tab type of tracepoint action
36418 @item addr @tab 8 @tab if @var{basereg} is @samp{-1}, @var{addr} is the
36419 address of the lowest byte to collect, otherwise @var{addr} is the offset
36420 of @var{basereg} for memory collecting.
36421 @item len @tab 8 @tab length of memory for collecting
36422 @item basereg @tab 4 @tab the register number containing the starting
36423 memory address for collecting.
36424 @item @emph{tracepoint action for collecting registers} @tab @tab
36425 @item 'R' @tab 1 @tab type of tracepoint action
36426 @item @emph{tracepoint action for collecting static trace data} @tab @tab
36427 @item 'L' @tab 1 @tab type of tracepoint action
36428 @item @emph{tracepoint action for expression evaluation} @tab @tab
36429 @item 'X' @tab 1 @tab type of tracepoint action
36430 @item agent expression @tab length of @tab @ref{agent expression object}
36431 @item @emph{tracepoint object} @tab @tab
36432 @item number @tab 4 @tab number of tracepoint
36433 @item address @tab 8 @tab address of tracepoint inserted on
36434 @item type @tab 4 @tab type of tracepoint
36435 @item enabled @tab 1 @tab enable or disable of tracepoint
36436 @item step_count @tab 8 @tab step
36437 @item pass_count @tab 8 @tab pass
36438 @item numactions @tab 4 @tab number of tracepoint actions
36439 @item hit count @tab 8 @tab hit count
36440 @item trace frame usage @tab 8 @tab trace frame usage
36441 @item compiled_cond @tab 8 @tab compiled condition
36442 @item orig_size @tab 8 @tab orig size
36443 @item condition @tab 4 if condition is NULL otherwise length of
36444 @ref{agent expression object}
36445 @tab zero if condition is NULL, otherwise is
36446 @ref{agent expression object}
36447 @item actions @tab variable
36448 @tab numactions number of @ref{tracepoint action object}
36449 @end multitable
36450
36451 @node IPA Protocol Commands
36452 @subsection IPA Protocol Commands
36453 @cindex ipa protocol commands
36454
36455 The spaces in each command are delimiters to ease reading this commands
36456 specification. They don't exist in real commands.
36457
36458 @table @samp
36459
36460 @item FastTrace:@var{tracepoint_object} @var{gdb_jump_pad_head}
36461 Installs a new fast tracepoint described by @var{tracepoint_object}
36462 (@pxref{tracepoint object}). @var{gdb_jump_pad_head}, 8-byte long, is the
36463 head of @dfn{jumppad}, which is used to jump to data collection routine
36464 in IPA finally.
36465
36466 Replies:
36467 @table @samp
36468 @item OK @var{target_address} @var{gdb_jump_pad_head} @var{fjump_size} @var{fjump}
36469 @var{target_address} is address of tracepoint in the inferior.
36470 @var{gdb_jump_pad_head} is updated head of jumppad. Both of
36471 @var{target_address} and @var{gdb_jump_pad_head} are 8-byte long.
36472 @var{fjump} contains a sequence of instructions jump to jumppad entry.
36473 @var{fjump_size}, 4-byte long, is the size of @var{fjump}.
36474 @item E @var{NN}
36475 for an error
36476
36477 @end table
36478
36479 @item close
36480 Closes the in-process agent. This command is sent when @value{GDBN} or GDBserver
36481 is about to kill inferiors.
36482
36483 @item qTfSTM
36484 @xref{qTfSTM}.
36485 @item qTsSTM
36486 @xref{qTsSTM}.
36487 @item qTSTMat
36488 @xref{qTSTMat}.
36489 @item probe_marker_at:@var{address}
36490 Asks in-process agent to probe the marker at @var{address}.
36491
36492 Replies:
36493 @table @samp
36494 @item E @var{NN}
36495 for an error
36496 @end table
36497 @item unprobe_marker_at:@var{address}
36498 Asks in-process agent to unprobe the marker at @var{address}.
36499 @end table
36500
36501 @node GDB Bugs
36502 @chapter Reporting Bugs in @value{GDBN}
36503 @cindex bugs in @value{GDBN}
36504 @cindex reporting bugs in @value{GDBN}
36505
36506 Your bug reports play an essential role in making @value{GDBN} reliable.
36507
36508 Reporting a bug may help you by bringing a solution to your problem, or it
36509 may not. But in any case the principal function of a bug report is to help
36510 the entire community by making the next version of @value{GDBN} work better. Bug
36511 reports are your contribution to the maintenance of @value{GDBN}.
36512
36513 In order for a bug report to serve its purpose, you must include the
36514 information that enables us to fix the bug.
36515
36516 @menu
36517 * Bug Criteria:: Have you found a bug?
36518 * Bug Reporting:: How to report bugs
36519 @end menu
36520
36521 @node Bug Criteria
36522 @section Have You Found a Bug?
36523 @cindex bug criteria
36524
36525 If you are not sure whether you have found a bug, here are some guidelines:
36526
36527 @itemize @bullet
36528 @cindex fatal signal
36529 @cindex debugger crash
36530 @cindex crash of debugger
36531 @item
36532 If the debugger gets a fatal signal, for any input whatever, that is a
36533 @value{GDBN} bug. Reliable debuggers never crash.
36534
36535 @cindex error on valid input
36536 @item
36537 If @value{GDBN} produces an error message for valid input, that is a
36538 bug. (Note that if you're cross debugging, the problem may also be
36539 somewhere in the connection to the target.)
36540
36541 @cindex invalid input
36542 @item
36543 If @value{GDBN} does not produce an error message for invalid input,
36544 that is a bug. However, you should note that your idea of
36545 ``invalid input'' might be our idea of ``an extension'' or ``support
36546 for traditional practice''.
36547
36548 @item
36549 If you are an experienced user of debugging tools, your suggestions
36550 for improvement of @value{GDBN} are welcome in any case.
36551 @end itemize
36552
36553 @node Bug Reporting
36554 @section How to Report Bugs
36555 @cindex bug reports
36556 @cindex @value{GDBN} bugs, reporting
36557
36558 A number of companies and individuals offer support for @sc{gnu} products.
36559 If you obtained @value{GDBN} from a support organization, we recommend you
36560 contact that organization first.
36561
36562 You can find contact information for many support companies and
36563 individuals in the file @file{etc/SERVICE} in the @sc{gnu} Emacs
36564 distribution.
36565 @c should add a web page ref...
36566
36567 @ifset BUGURL
36568 @ifset BUGURL_DEFAULT
36569 In any event, we also recommend that you submit bug reports for
36570 @value{GDBN}. The preferred method is to submit them directly using
36571 @uref{http://www.gnu.org/software/gdb/bugs/, @value{GDBN}'s Bugs web
36572 page}. Alternatively, the @email{bug-gdb@@gnu.org, e-mail gateway} can
36573 be used.
36574
36575 @strong{Do not send bug reports to @samp{info-gdb}, or to
36576 @samp{help-gdb}, or to any newsgroups.} Most users of @value{GDBN} do
36577 not want to receive bug reports. Those that do have arranged to receive
36578 @samp{bug-gdb}.
36579
36580 The mailing list @samp{bug-gdb} has a newsgroup @samp{gnu.gdb.bug} which
36581 serves as a repeater. The mailing list and the newsgroup carry exactly
36582 the same messages. Often people think of posting bug reports to the
36583 newsgroup instead of mailing them. This appears to work, but it has one
36584 problem which can be crucial: a newsgroup posting often lacks a mail
36585 path back to the sender. Thus, if we need to ask for more information,
36586 we may be unable to reach you. For this reason, it is better to send
36587 bug reports to the mailing list.
36588 @end ifset
36589 @ifclear BUGURL_DEFAULT
36590 In any event, we also recommend that you submit bug reports for
36591 @value{GDBN} to @value{BUGURL}.
36592 @end ifclear
36593 @end ifset
36594
36595 The fundamental principle of reporting bugs usefully is this:
36596 @strong{report all the facts}. If you are not sure whether to state a
36597 fact or leave it out, state it!
36598
36599 Often people omit facts because they think they know what causes the
36600 problem and assume that some details do not matter. Thus, you might
36601 assume that the name of the variable you use in an example does not matter.
36602 Well, probably it does not, but one cannot be sure. Perhaps the bug is a
36603 stray memory reference which happens to fetch from the location where that
36604 name is stored in memory; perhaps, if the name were different, the contents
36605 of that location would fool the debugger into doing the right thing despite
36606 the bug. Play it safe and give a specific, complete example. That is the
36607 easiest thing for you to do, and the most helpful.
36608
36609 Keep in mind that the purpose of a bug report is to enable us to fix the
36610 bug. It may be that the bug has been reported previously, but neither
36611 you nor we can know that unless your bug report is complete and
36612 self-contained.
36613
36614 Sometimes people give a few sketchy facts and ask, ``Does this ring a
36615 bell?'' Those bug reports are useless, and we urge everyone to
36616 @emph{refuse to respond to them} except to chide the sender to report
36617 bugs properly.
36618
36619 To enable us to fix the bug, you should include all these things:
36620
36621 @itemize @bullet
36622 @item
36623 The version of @value{GDBN}. @value{GDBN} announces it if you start
36624 with no arguments; you can also print it at any time using @code{show
36625 version}.
36626
36627 Without this, we will not know whether there is any point in looking for
36628 the bug in the current version of @value{GDBN}.
36629
36630 @item
36631 The type of machine you are using, and the operating system name and
36632 version number.
36633
36634 @item
36635 The details of the @value{GDBN} build-time configuration.
36636 @value{GDBN} shows these details if you invoke it with the
36637 @option{--configuration} command-line option, or if you type
36638 @code{show configuration} at @value{GDBN}'s prompt.
36639
36640 @item
36641 What compiler (and its version) was used to compile @value{GDBN}---e.g.@:
36642 ``@value{GCC}--2.8.1''.
36643
36644 @item
36645 What compiler (and its version) was used to compile the program you are
36646 debugging---e.g.@: ``@value{GCC}--2.8.1'', or ``HP92453-01 A.10.32.03 HP
36647 C Compiler''. For @value{NGCC}, you can say @kbd{@value{GCC} --version}
36648 to get this information; for other compilers, see the documentation for
36649 those compilers.
36650
36651 @item
36652 The command arguments you gave the compiler to compile your example and
36653 observe the bug. For example, did you use @samp{-O}? To guarantee
36654 you will not omit something important, list them all. A copy of the
36655 Makefile (or the output from make) is sufficient.
36656
36657 If we were to try to guess the arguments, we would probably guess wrong
36658 and then we might not encounter the bug.
36659
36660 @item
36661 A complete input script, and all necessary source files, that will
36662 reproduce the bug.
36663
36664 @item
36665 A description of what behavior you observe that you believe is
36666 incorrect. For example, ``It gets a fatal signal.''
36667
36668 Of course, if the bug is that @value{GDBN} gets a fatal signal, then we
36669 will certainly notice it. But if the bug is incorrect output, we might
36670 not notice unless it is glaringly wrong. You might as well not give us
36671 a chance to make a mistake.
36672
36673 Even if the problem you experience is a fatal signal, you should still
36674 say so explicitly. Suppose something strange is going on, such as, your
36675 copy of @value{GDBN} is out of synch, or you have encountered a bug in
36676 the C library on your system. (This has happened!) Your copy might
36677 crash and ours would not. If you told us to expect a crash, then when
36678 ours fails to crash, we would know that the bug was not happening for
36679 us. If you had not told us to expect a crash, then we would not be able
36680 to draw any conclusion from our observations.
36681
36682 @pindex script
36683 @cindex recording a session script
36684 To collect all this information, you can use a session recording program
36685 such as @command{script}, which is available on many Unix systems.
36686 Just run your @value{GDBN} session inside @command{script} and then
36687 include the @file{typescript} file with your bug report.
36688
36689 Another way to record a @value{GDBN} session is to run @value{GDBN}
36690 inside Emacs and then save the entire buffer to a file.
36691
36692 @item
36693 If you wish to suggest changes to the @value{GDBN} source, send us context
36694 diffs. If you even discuss something in the @value{GDBN} source, refer to
36695 it by context, not by line number.
36696
36697 The line numbers in our development sources will not match those in your
36698 sources. Your line numbers would convey no useful information to us.
36699
36700 @end itemize
36701
36702 Here are some things that are not necessary:
36703
36704 @itemize @bullet
36705 @item
36706 A description of the envelope of the bug.
36707
36708 Often people who encounter a bug spend a lot of time investigating
36709 which changes to the input file will make the bug go away and which
36710 changes will not affect it.
36711
36712 This is often time consuming and not very useful, because the way we
36713 will find the bug is by running a single example under the debugger
36714 with breakpoints, not by pure deduction from a series of examples.
36715 We recommend that you save your time for something else.
36716
36717 Of course, if you can find a simpler example to report @emph{instead}
36718 of the original one, that is a convenience for us. Errors in the
36719 output will be easier to spot, running under the debugger will take
36720 less time, and so on.
36721
36722 However, simplification is not vital; if you do not want to do this,
36723 report the bug anyway and send us the entire test case you used.
36724
36725 @item
36726 A patch for the bug.
36727
36728 A patch for the bug does help us if it is a good one. But do not omit
36729 the necessary information, such as the test case, on the assumption that
36730 a patch is all we need. We might see problems with your patch and decide
36731 to fix the problem another way, or we might not understand it at all.
36732
36733 Sometimes with a program as complicated as @value{GDBN} it is very hard to
36734 construct an example that will make the program follow a certain path
36735 through the code. If you do not send us the example, we will not be able
36736 to construct one, so we will not be able to verify that the bug is fixed.
36737
36738 And if we cannot understand what bug you are trying to fix, or why your
36739 patch should be an improvement, we will not install it. A test case will
36740 help us to understand.
36741
36742 @item
36743 A guess about what the bug is or what it depends on.
36744
36745 Such guesses are usually wrong. Even we cannot guess right about such
36746 things without first using the debugger to find the facts.
36747 @end itemize
36748
36749 @c The readline documentation is distributed with the readline code
36750 @c and consists of the two following files:
36751 @c rluser.texi
36752 @c hsuser.texi
36753 @c Use -I with makeinfo to point to the appropriate directory,
36754 @c environment var TEXINPUTS with TeX.
36755 @ifclear SYSTEM_READLINE
36756 @include rluser.texi
36757 @include hsuser.texi
36758 @end ifclear
36759
36760 @node In Memoriam
36761 @appendix In Memoriam
36762
36763 The @value{GDBN} project mourns the loss of the following long-time
36764 contributors:
36765
36766 @table @code
36767 @item Fred Fish
36768 Fred was a long-standing contributor to @value{GDBN} (1991-2006), and
36769 to Free Software in general. Outside of @value{GDBN}, he was known in
36770 the Amiga world for his series of Fish Disks, and the GeekGadget project.
36771
36772 @item Michael Snyder
36773 Michael was one of the Global Maintainers of the @value{GDBN} project,
36774 with contributions recorded as early as 1996, until 2011. In addition
36775 to his day to day participation, he was a large driving force behind
36776 adding Reverse Debugging to @value{GDBN}.
36777 @end table
36778
36779 Beyond their technical contributions to the project, they were also
36780 enjoyable members of the Free Software Community. We will miss them.
36781
36782 @node Formatting Documentation
36783 @appendix Formatting Documentation
36784
36785 @cindex @value{GDBN} reference card
36786 @cindex reference card
36787 The @value{GDBN} 4 release includes an already-formatted reference card, ready
36788 for printing with PostScript or Ghostscript, in the @file{gdb}
36789 subdirectory of the main source directory@footnote{In
36790 @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}/gdb/refcard.ps} of the version @value{GDBVN}
36791 release.}. If you can use PostScript or Ghostscript with your printer,
36792 you can print the reference card immediately with @file{refcard.ps}.
36793
36794 The release also includes the source for the reference card. You
36795 can format it, using @TeX{}, by typing:
36796
36797 @smallexample
36798 make refcard.dvi
36799 @end smallexample
36800
36801 The @value{GDBN} reference card is designed to print in @dfn{landscape}
36802 mode on US ``letter'' size paper;
36803 that is, on a sheet 11 inches wide by 8.5 inches
36804 high. You will need to specify this form of printing as an option to
36805 your @sc{dvi} output program.
36806
36807 @cindex documentation
36808
36809 All the documentation for @value{GDBN} comes as part of the machine-readable
36810 distribution. The documentation is written in Texinfo format, which is
36811 a documentation system that uses a single source file to produce both
36812 on-line information and a printed manual. You can use one of the Info
36813 formatting commands to create the on-line version of the documentation
36814 and @TeX{} (or @code{texi2roff}) to typeset the printed version.
36815
36816 @value{GDBN} includes an already formatted copy of the on-line Info
36817 version of this manual in the @file{gdb} subdirectory. The main Info
36818 file is @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}/gdb/gdb.info}, and it refers to
36819 subordinate files matching @samp{gdb.info*} in the same directory. If
36820 necessary, you can print out these files, or read them with any editor;
36821 but they are easier to read using the @code{info} subsystem in @sc{gnu}
36822 Emacs or the standalone @code{info} program, available as part of the
36823 @sc{gnu} Texinfo distribution.
36824
36825 If you want to format these Info files yourself, you need one of the
36826 Info formatting programs, such as @code{texinfo-format-buffer} or
36827 @code{makeinfo}.
36828
36829 If you have @code{makeinfo} installed, and are in the top level
36830 @value{GDBN} source directory (@file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}}, in the case of
36831 version @value{GDBVN}), you can make the Info file by typing:
36832
36833 @smallexample
36834 cd gdb
36835 make gdb.info
36836 @end smallexample
36837
36838 If you want to typeset and print copies of this manual, you need @TeX{},
36839 a program to print its @sc{dvi} output files, and @file{texinfo.tex}, the
36840 Texinfo definitions file.
36841
36842 @TeX{} is a typesetting program; it does not print files directly, but
36843 produces output files called @sc{dvi} files. To print a typeset
36844 document, you need a program to print @sc{dvi} files. If your system
36845 has @TeX{} installed, chances are it has such a program. The precise
36846 command to use depends on your system; @kbd{lpr -d} is common; another
36847 (for PostScript devices) is @kbd{dvips}. The @sc{dvi} print command may
36848 require a file name without any extension or a @samp{.dvi} extension.
36849
36850 @TeX{} also requires a macro definitions file called
36851 @file{texinfo.tex}. This file tells @TeX{} how to typeset a document
36852 written in Texinfo format. On its own, @TeX{} cannot either read or
36853 typeset a Texinfo file. @file{texinfo.tex} is distributed with GDB
36854 and is located in the @file{gdb-@var{version-number}/texinfo}
36855 directory.
36856
36857 If you have @TeX{} and a @sc{dvi} printer program installed, you can
36858 typeset and print this manual. First switch to the @file{gdb}
36859 subdirectory of the main source directory (for example, to
36860 @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}/gdb}) and type:
36861
36862 @smallexample
36863 make gdb.dvi
36864 @end smallexample
36865
36866 Then give @file{gdb.dvi} to your @sc{dvi} printing program.
36867
36868 @node Installing GDB
36869 @appendix Installing @value{GDBN}
36870 @cindex installation
36871
36872 @menu
36873 * Requirements:: Requirements for building @value{GDBN}
36874 * Running Configure:: Invoking the @value{GDBN} @file{configure} script
36875 * Separate Objdir:: Compiling @value{GDBN} in another directory
36876 * Config Names:: Specifying names for hosts and targets
36877 * Configure Options:: Summary of options for configure
36878 * System-wide configuration:: Having a system-wide init file
36879 @end menu
36880
36881 @node Requirements
36882 @section Requirements for Building @value{GDBN}
36883 @cindex building @value{GDBN}, requirements for
36884
36885 Building @value{GDBN} requires various tools and packages to be available.
36886 Other packages will be used only if they are found.
36887
36888 @heading Tools/Packages Necessary for Building @value{GDBN}
36889 @table @asis
36890 @item ISO C90 compiler
36891 @value{GDBN} is written in ISO C90. It should be buildable with any
36892 working C90 compiler, e.g.@: GCC.
36893
36894 @end table
36895
36896 @heading Tools/Packages Optional for Building @value{GDBN}
36897 @table @asis
36898 @item Expat
36899 @anchor{Expat}
36900 @value{GDBN} can use the Expat XML parsing library. This library may be
36901 included with your operating system distribution; if it is not, you
36902 can get the latest version from @url{http://expat.sourceforge.net}.
36903 The @file{configure} script will search for this library in several
36904 standard locations; if it is installed in an unusual path, you can
36905 use the @option{--with-libexpat-prefix} option to specify its location.
36906
36907 Expat is used for:
36908
36909 @itemize @bullet
36910 @item
36911 Remote protocol memory maps (@pxref{Memory Map Format})
36912 @item
36913 Target descriptions (@pxref{Target Descriptions})
36914 @item
36915 Remote shared library lists (@xref{Library List Format},
36916 or alternatively @pxref{Library List Format for SVR4 Targets})
36917 @item
36918 MS-Windows shared libraries (@pxref{Shared Libraries})
36919 @item
36920 Traceframe info (@pxref{Traceframe Info Format})
36921 @item
36922 Branch trace (@pxref{Branch Trace Format})
36923 @end itemize
36924
36925 @item zlib
36926 @cindex compressed debug sections
36927 @value{GDBN} will use the @samp{zlib} library, if available, to read
36928 compressed debug sections. Some linkers, such as GNU gold, are capable
36929 of producing binaries with compressed debug sections. If @value{GDBN}
36930 is compiled with @samp{zlib}, it will be able to read the debug
36931 information in such binaries.
36932
36933 The @samp{zlib} library is likely included with your operating system
36934 distribution; if it is not, you can get the latest version from
36935 @url{http://zlib.net}.
36936
36937 @item iconv
36938 @value{GDBN}'s features related to character sets (@pxref{Character
36939 Sets}) require a functioning @code{iconv} implementation. If you are
36940 on a GNU system, then this is provided by the GNU C Library. Some
36941 other systems also provide a working @code{iconv}.
36942
36943 If @value{GDBN} is using the @code{iconv} program which is installed
36944 in a non-standard place, you will need to tell @value{GDBN} where to find it.
36945 This is done with @option{--with-iconv-bin} which specifies the
36946 directory that contains the @code{iconv} program.
36947
36948 On systems without @code{iconv}, you can install GNU Libiconv. If you
36949 have previously installed Libiconv, you can use the
36950 @option{--with-libiconv-prefix} option to configure.
36951
36952 @value{GDBN}'s top-level @file{configure} and @file{Makefile} will
36953 arrange to build Libiconv if a directory named @file{libiconv} appears
36954 in the top-most source directory. If Libiconv is built this way, and
36955 if the operating system does not provide a suitable @code{iconv}
36956 implementation, then the just-built library will automatically be used
36957 by @value{GDBN}. One easy way to set this up is to download GNU
36958 Libiconv, unpack it, and then rename the directory holding the
36959 Libiconv source code to @samp{libiconv}.
36960 @end table
36961
36962 @node Running Configure
36963 @section Invoking the @value{GDBN} @file{configure} Script
36964 @cindex configuring @value{GDBN}
36965 @value{GDBN} comes with a @file{configure} script that automates the process
36966 of preparing @value{GDBN} for installation; you can then use @code{make} to
36967 build the @code{gdb} program.
36968 @iftex
36969 @c irrelevant in info file; it's as current as the code it lives with.
36970 @footnote{If you have a more recent version of @value{GDBN} than @value{GDBVN},
36971 look at the @file{README} file in the sources; we may have improved the
36972 installation procedures since publishing this manual.}
36973 @end iftex
36974
36975 The @value{GDBN} distribution includes all the source code you need for
36976 @value{GDBN} in a single directory, whose name is usually composed by
36977 appending the version number to @samp{gdb}.
36978
36979 For example, the @value{GDBN} version @value{GDBVN} distribution is in the
36980 @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}} directory. That directory contains:
36981
36982 @table @code
36983 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/configure @r{(and supporting files)}
36984 script for configuring @value{GDBN} and all its supporting libraries
36985
36986 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/gdb
36987 the source specific to @value{GDBN} itself
36988
36989 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/bfd
36990 source for the Binary File Descriptor library
36991
36992 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/include
36993 @sc{gnu} include files
36994
36995 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/libiberty
36996 source for the @samp{-liberty} free software library
36997
36998 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/opcodes
36999 source for the library of opcode tables and disassemblers
37000
37001 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/readline
37002 source for the @sc{gnu} command-line interface
37003
37004 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/glob
37005 source for the @sc{gnu} filename pattern-matching subroutine
37006
37007 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/mmalloc
37008 source for the @sc{gnu} memory-mapped malloc package
37009 @end table
37010
37011 The simplest way to configure and build @value{GDBN} is to run @file{configure}
37012 from the @file{gdb-@var{version-number}} source directory, which in
37013 this example is the @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}} directory.
37014
37015 First switch to the @file{gdb-@var{version-number}} source directory
37016 if you are not already in it; then run @file{configure}. Pass the
37017 identifier for the platform on which @value{GDBN} will run as an
37018 argument.
37019
37020 For example:
37021
37022 @smallexample
37023 cd gdb-@value{GDBVN}
37024 ./configure @var{host}
37025 make
37026 @end smallexample
37027
37028 @noindent
37029 where @var{host} is an identifier such as @samp{sun4} or
37030 @samp{decstation}, that identifies the platform where @value{GDBN} will run.
37031 (You can often leave off @var{host}; @file{configure} tries to guess the
37032 correct value by examining your system.)
37033
37034 Running @samp{configure @var{host}} and then running @code{make} builds the
37035 @file{bfd}, @file{readline}, @file{mmalloc}, and @file{libiberty}
37036 libraries, then @code{gdb} itself. The configured source files, and the
37037 binaries, are left in the corresponding source directories.
37038
37039 @need 750
37040 @file{configure} is a Bourne-shell (@code{/bin/sh}) script; if your
37041 system does not recognize this automatically when you run a different
37042 shell, you may need to run @code{sh} on it explicitly:
37043
37044 @smallexample
37045 sh configure @var{host}
37046 @end smallexample
37047
37048 If you run @file{configure} from a directory that contains source
37049 directories for multiple libraries or programs, such as the
37050 @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}} source directory for version @value{GDBVN},
37051 @file{configure}
37052 creates configuration files for every directory level underneath (unless
37053 you tell it not to, with the @samp{--norecursion} option).
37054
37055 You should run the @file{configure} script from the top directory in the
37056 source tree, the @file{gdb-@var{version-number}} directory. If you run
37057 @file{configure} from one of the subdirectories, you will configure only
37058 that subdirectory. That is usually not what you want. In particular,
37059 if you run the first @file{configure} from the @file{gdb} subdirectory
37060 of the @file{gdb-@var{version-number}} directory, you will omit the
37061 configuration of @file{bfd}, @file{readline}, and other sibling
37062 directories of the @file{gdb} subdirectory. This leads to build errors
37063 about missing include files such as @file{bfd/bfd.h}.
37064
37065 You can install @code{@value{GDBP}} anywhere; it has no hardwired paths.
37066 However, you should make sure that the shell on your path (named by
37067 the @samp{SHELL} environment variable) is publicly readable. Remember
37068 that @value{GDBN} uses the shell to start your program---some systems refuse to
37069 let @value{GDBN} debug child processes whose programs are not readable.
37070
37071 @node Separate Objdir
37072 @section Compiling @value{GDBN} in Another Directory
37073
37074 If you want to run @value{GDBN} versions for several host or target machines,
37075 you need a different @code{gdb} compiled for each combination of
37076 host and target. @file{configure} is designed to make this easy by
37077 allowing you to generate each configuration in a separate subdirectory,
37078 rather than in the source directory. If your @code{make} program
37079 handles the @samp{VPATH} feature (@sc{gnu} @code{make} does), running
37080 @code{make} in each of these directories builds the @code{gdb}
37081 program specified there.
37082
37083 To build @code{gdb} in a separate directory, run @file{configure}
37084 with the @samp{--srcdir} option to specify where to find the source.
37085 (You also need to specify a path to find @file{configure}
37086 itself from your working directory. If the path to @file{configure}
37087 would be the same as the argument to @samp{--srcdir}, you can leave out
37088 the @samp{--srcdir} option; it is assumed.)
37089
37090 For example, with version @value{GDBVN}, you can build @value{GDBN} in a
37091 separate directory for a Sun 4 like this:
37092
37093 @smallexample
37094 @group
37095 cd gdb-@value{GDBVN}
37096 mkdir ../gdb-sun4
37097 cd ../gdb-sun4
37098 ../gdb-@value{GDBVN}/configure sun4
37099 make
37100 @end group
37101 @end smallexample
37102
37103 When @file{configure} builds a configuration using a remote source
37104 directory, it creates a tree for the binaries with the same structure
37105 (and using the same names) as the tree under the source directory. In
37106 the example, you'd find the Sun 4 library @file{libiberty.a} in the
37107 directory @file{gdb-sun4/libiberty}, and @value{GDBN} itself in
37108 @file{gdb-sun4/gdb}.
37109
37110 Make sure that your path to the @file{configure} script has just one
37111 instance of @file{gdb} in it. If your path to @file{configure} looks
37112 like @file{../gdb-@value{GDBVN}/gdb/configure}, you are configuring only
37113 one subdirectory of @value{GDBN}, not the whole package. This leads to
37114 build errors about missing include files such as @file{bfd/bfd.h}.
37115
37116 One popular reason to build several @value{GDBN} configurations in separate
37117 directories is to configure @value{GDBN} for cross-compiling (where
37118 @value{GDBN} runs on one machine---the @dfn{host}---while debugging
37119 programs that run on another machine---the @dfn{target}).
37120 You specify a cross-debugging target by
37121 giving the @samp{--target=@var{target}} option to @file{configure}.
37122
37123 When you run @code{make} to build a program or library, you must run
37124 it in a configured directory---whatever directory you were in when you
37125 called @file{configure} (or one of its subdirectories).
37126
37127 The @code{Makefile} that @file{configure} generates in each source
37128 directory also runs recursively. If you type @code{make} in a source
37129 directory such as @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}} (or in a separate configured
37130 directory configured with @samp{--srcdir=@var{dirname}/gdb-@value{GDBVN}}), you
37131 will build all the required libraries, and then build GDB.
37132
37133 When you have multiple hosts or targets configured in separate
37134 directories, you can run @code{make} on them in parallel (for example,
37135 if they are NFS-mounted on each of the hosts); they will not interfere
37136 with each other.
37137
37138 @node Config Names
37139 @section Specifying Names for Hosts and Targets
37140
37141 The specifications used for hosts and targets in the @file{configure}
37142 script are based on a three-part naming scheme, but some short predefined
37143 aliases are also supported. The full naming scheme encodes three pieces
37144 of information in the following pattern:
37145
37146 @smallexample
37147 @var{architecture}-@var{vendor}-@var{os}
37148 @end smallexample
37149
37150 For example, you can use the alias @code{sun4} as a @var{host} argument,
37151 or as the value for @var{target} in a @code{--target=@var{target}}
37152 option. The equivalent full name is @samp{sparc-sun-sunos4}.
37153
37154 The @file{configure} script accompanying @value{GDBN} does not provide
37155 any query facility to list all supported host and target names or
37156 aliases. @file{configure} calls the Bourne shell script
37157 @code{config.sub} to map abbreviations to full names; you can read the
37158 script, if you wish, or you can use it to test your guesses on
37159 abbreviations---for example:
37160
37161 @smallexample
37162 % sh config.sub i386-linux
37163 i386-pc-linux-gnu
37164 % sh config.sub alpha-linux
37165 alpha-unknown-linux-gnu
37166 % sh config.sub hp9k700
37167 hppa1.1-hp-hpux
37168 % sh config.sub sun4
37169 sparc-sun-sunos4.1.1
37170 % sh config.sub sun3
37171 m68k-sun-sunos4.1.1
37172 % sh config.sub i986v
37173 Invalid configuration `i986v': machine `i986v' not recognized
37174 @end smallexample
37175
37176 @noindent
37177 @code{config.sub} is also distributed in the @value{GDBN} source
37178 directory (@file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}}, for version @value{GDBVN}).
37179
37180 @node Configure Options
37181 @section @file{configure} Options
37182
37183 Here is a summary of the @file{configure} options and arguments that
37184 are most often useful for building @value{GDBN}. @file{configure} also has
37185 several other options not listed here. @inforef{What Configure
37186 Does,,configure.info}, for a full explanation of @file{configure}.
37187
37188 @smallexample
37189 configure @r{[}--help@r{]}
37190 @r{[}--prefix=@var{dir}@r{]}
37191 @r{[}--exec-prefix=@var{dir}@r{]}
37192 @r{[}--srcdir=@var{dirname}@r{]}
37193 @r{[}--norecursion@r{]} @r{[}--rm@r{]}
37194 @r{[}--target=@var{target}@r{]}
37195 @var{host}
37196 @end smallexample
37197
37198 @noindent
37199 You may introduce options with a single @samp{-} rather than
37200 @samp{--} if you prefer; but you may abbreviate option names if you use
37201 @samp{--}.
37202
37203 @table @code
37204 @item --help
37205 Display a quick summary of how to invoke @file{configure}.
37206
37207 @item --prefix=@var{dir}
37208 Configure the source to install programs and files under directory
37209 @file{@var{dir}}.
37210
37211 @item --exec-prefix=@var{dir}
37212 Configure the source to install programs under directory
37213 @file{@var{dir}}.
37214
37215 @c avoid splitting the warning from the explanation:
37216 @need 2000
37217 @item --srcdir=@var{dirname}
37218 @strong{Warning: using this option requires @sc{gnu} @code{make}, or another
37219 @code{make} that implements the @code{VPATH} feature.}@*
37220 Use this option to make configurations in directories separate from the
37221 @value{GDBN} source directories. Among other things, you can use this to
37222 build (or maintain) several configurations simultaneously, in separate
37223 directories. @file{configure} writes configuration-specific files in
37224 the current directory, but arranges for them to use the source in the
37225 directory @var{dirname}. @file{configure} creates directories under
37226 the working directory in parallel to the source directories below
37227 @var{dirname}.
37228
37229 @item --norecursion
37230 Configure only the directory level where @file{configure} is executed; do not
37231 propagate configuration to subdirectories.
37232
37233 @item --target=@var{target}
37234 Configure @value{GDBN} for cross-debugging programs running on the specified
37235 @var{target}. Without this option, @value{GDBN} is configured to debug
37236 programs that run on the same machine (@var{host}) as @value{GDBN} itself.
37237
37238 There is no convenient way to generate a list of all available targets.
37239
37240 @item @var{host} @dots{}
37241 Configure @value{GDBN} to run on the specified @var{host}.
37242
37243 There is no convenient way to generate a list of all available hosts.
37244 @end table
37245
37246 There are many other options available as well, but they are generally
37247 needed for special purposes only.
37248
37249 @node System-wide configuration
37250 @section System-wide configuration and settings
37251 @cindex system-wide init file
37252
37253 @value{GDBN} can be configured to have a system-wide init file;
37254 this file will be read and executed at startup (@pxref{Startup, , What
37255 @value{GDBN} does during startup}).
37256
37257 Here is the corresponding configure option:
37258
37259 @table @code
37260 @item --with-system-gdbinit=@var{file}
37261 Specify that the default location of the system-wide init file is
37262 @var{file}.
37263 @end table
37264
37265 If @value{GDBN} has been configured with the option @option{--prefix=$prefix},
37266 it may be subject to relocation. Two possible cases:
37267
37268 @itemize @bullet
37269 @item
37270 If the default location of this init file contains @file{$prefix},
37271 it will be subject to relocation. Suppose that the configure options
37272 are @option{--prefix=$prefix --with-system-gdbinit=$prefix/etc/gdbinit};
37273 if @value{GDBN} is moved from @file{$prefix} to @file{$install}, the system
37274 init file is looked for as @file{$install/etc/gdbinit} instead of
37275 @file{$prefix/etc/gdbinit}.
37276
37277 @item
37278 By contrast, if the default location does not contain the prefix,
37279 it will not be relocated. E.g.@: if @value{GDBN} has been configured with
37280 @option{--prefix=/usr/local --with-system-gdbinit=/usr/share/gdb/gdbinit},
37281 then @value{GDBN} will always look for @file{/usr/share/gdb/gdbinit},
37282 wherever @value{GDBN} is installed.
37283 @end itemize
37284
37285 If the configured location of the system-wide init file (as given by the
37286 @option{--with-system-gdbinit} option at configure time) is in the
37287 data-directory (as specified by @option{--with-gdb-datadir} at configure
37288 time) or in one of its subdirectories, then @value{GDBN} will look for the
37289 system-wide init file in the directory specified by the
37290 @option{--data-directory} command-line option.
37291 Note that the system-wide init file is only read once, during @value{GDBN}
37292 initialization. If the data-directory is changed after @value{GDBN} has
37293 started with the @code{set data-directory} command, the file will not be
37294 reread.
37295
37296 @menu
37297 * System-wide Configuration Scripts:: Installed System-wide Configuration Scripts
37298 @end menu
37299
37300 @node System-wide Configuration Scripts
37301 @subsection Installed System-wide Configuration Scripts
37302 @cindex system-wide configuration scripts
37303
37304 The @file{system-gdbinit} directory, located inside the data-directory
37305 (as specified by @option{--with-gdb-datadir} at configure time) contains
37306 a number of scripts which can be used as system-wide init files. To
37307 automatically source those scripts at startup, @value{GDBN} should be
37308 configured with @option{--with-system-gdbinit}. Otherwise, any user
37309 should be able to source them by hand as needed.
37310
37311 The following scripts are currently available:
37312 @itemize @bullet
37313
37314 @item @file{elinos.py}
37315 @pindex elinos.py
37316 @cindex ELinOS system-wide configuration script
37317 This script is useful when debugging a program on an ELinOS target.
37318 It takes advantage of the environment variables defined in a standard
37319 ELinOS environment in order to determine the location of the system
37320 shared libraries, and then sets the @samp{solib-absolute-prefix}
37321 and @samp{solib-search-path} variables appropriately.
37322
37323 @item @file{wrs-linux.py}
37324 @pindex wrs-linux.py
37325 @cindex Wind River Linux system-wide configuration script
37326 This script is useful when debugging a program on a target running
37327 Wind River Linux. It expects the @env{ENV_PREFIX} to be set to
37328 the host-side sysroot used by the target system.
37329
37330 @end itemize
37331
37332 @node Maintenance Commands
37333 @appendix Maintenance Commands
37334 @cindex maintenance commands
37335 @cindex internal commands
37336
37337 In addition to commands intended for @value{GDBN} users, @value{GDBN}
37338 includes a number of commands intended for @value{GDBN} developers,
37339 that are not documented elsewhere in this manual. These commands are
37340 provided here for reference. (For commands that turn on debugging
37341 messages, see @ref{Debugging Output}.)
37342
37343 @table @code
37344 @kindex maint agent
37345 @kindex maint agent-eval
37346 @item maint agent @r{[}-at @var{location}@r{,}@r{]} @var{expression}
37347 @itemx maint agent-eval @r{[}-at @var{location}@r{,}@r{]} @var{expression}
37348 Translate the given @var{expression} into remote agent bytecodes.
37349 This command is useful for debugging the Agent Expression mechanism
37350 (@pxref{Agent Expressions}). The @samp{agent} version produces an
37351 expression useful for data collection, such as by tracepoints, while
37352 @samp{maint agent-eval} produces an expression that evaluates directly
37353 to a result. For instance, a collection expression for @code{globa +
37354 globb} will include bytecodes to record four bytes of memory at each
37355 of the addresses of @code{globa} and @code{globb}, while discarding
37356 the result of the addition, while an evaluation expression will do the
37357 addition and return the sum.
37358 If @code{-at} is given, generate remote agent bytecode for @var{location}.
37359 If not, generate remote agent bytecode for current frame PC address.
37360
37361 @kindex maint agent-printf
37362 @item maint agent-printf @var{format},@var{expr},...
37363 Translate the given format string and list of argument expressions
37364 into remote agent bytecodes and display them as a disassembled list.
37365 This command is useful for debugging the agent version of dynamic
37366 printf (@pxref{Dynamic Printf}).
37367
37368 @kindex maint info breakpoints
37369 @item @anchor{maint info breakpoints}maint info breakpoints
37370 Using the same format as @samp{info breakpoints}, display both the
37371 breakpoints you've set explicitly, and those @value{GDBN} is using for
37372 internal purposes. Internal breakpoints are shown with negative
37373 breakpoint numbers. The type column identifies what kind of breakpoint
37374 is shown:
37375
37376 @table @code
37377 @item breakpoint
37378 Normal, explicitly set breakpoint.
37379
37380 @item watchpoint
37381 Normal, explicitly set watchpoint.
37382
37383 @item longjmp
37384 Internal breakpoint, used to handle correctly stepping through
37385 @code{longjmp} calls.
37386
37387 @item longjmp resume
37388 Internal breakpoint at the target of a @code{longjmp}.
37389
37390 @item until
37391 Temporary internal breakpoint used by the @value{GDBN} @code{until} command.
37392
37393 @item finish
37394 Temporary internal breakpoint used by the @value{GDBN} @code{finish} command.
37395
37396 @item shlib events
37397 Shared library events.
37398
37399 @end table
37400
37401 @kindex maint info bfds
37402 @item maint info bfds
37403 This prints information about each @code{bfd} object that is known to
37404 @value{GDBN}. @xref{Top, , BFD, bfd, The Binary File Descriptor Library}.
37405
37406 @kindex set displaced-stepping
37407 @kindex show displaced-stepping
37408 @cindex displaced stepping support
37409 @cindex out-of-line single-stepping
37410 @item set displaced-stepping
37411 @itemx show displaced-stepping
37412 Control whether or not @value{GDBN} will do @dfn{displaced stepping}
37413 if the target supports it. Displaced stepping is a way to single-step
37414 over breakpoints without removing them from the inferior, by executing
37415 an out-of-line copy of the instruction that was originally at the
37416 breakpoint location. It is also known as out-of-line single-stepping.
37417
37418 @table @code
37419 @item set displaced-stepping on
37420 If the target architecture supports it, @value{GDBN} will use
37421 displaced stepping to step over breakpoints.
37422
37423 @item set displaced-stepping off
37424 @value{GDBN} will not use displaced stepping to step over breakpoints,
37425 even if such is supported by the target architecture.
37426
37427 @cindex non-stop mode, and @samp{set displaced-stepping}
37428 @item set displaced-stepping auto
37429 This is the default mode. @value{GDBN} will use displaced stepping
37430 only if non-stop mode is active (@pxref{Non-Stop Mode}) and the target
37431 architecture supports displaced stepping.
37432 @end table
37433
37434 @kindex maint check-psymtabs
37435 @item maint check-psymtabs
37436 Check the consistency of currently expanded psymtabs versus symtabs.
37437 Use this to check, for example, whether a symbol is in one but not the other.
37438
37439 @kindex maint check-symtabs
37440 @item maint check-symtabs
37441 Check the consistency of currently expanded symtabs.
37442
37443 @kindex maint expand-symtabs
37444 @item maint expand-symtabs [@var{regexp}]
37445 Expand symbol tables.
37446 If @var{regexp} is specified, only expand symbol tables for file
37447 names matching @var{regexp}.
37448
37449 @kindex maint cplus first_component
37450 @item maint cplus first_component @var{name}
37451 Print the first C@t{++} class/namespace component of @var{name}.
37452
37453 @kindex maint cplus namespace
37454 @item maint cplus namespace
37455 Print the list of possible C@t{++} namespaces.
37456
37457 @kindex maint demangle
37458 @item maint demangle @var{name}
37459 Demangle a C@t{++} or Objective-C mangled @var{name}.
37460
37461 @kindex maint deprecate
37462 @kindex maint undeprecate
37463 @cindex deprecated commands
37464 @item maint deprecate @var{command} @r{[}@var{replacement}@r{]}
37465 @itemx maint undeprecate @var{command}
37466 Deprecate or undeprecate the named @var{command}. Deprecated commands
37467 cause @value{GDBN} to issue a warning when you use them. The optional
37468 argument @var{replacement} says which newer command should be used in
37469 favor of the deprecated one; if it is given, @value{GDBN} will mention
37470 the replacement as part of the warning.
37471
37472 @kindex maint dump-me
37473 @item maint dump-me
37474 @cindex @code{SIGQUIT} signal, dump core of @value{GDBN}
37475 Cause a fatal signal in the debugger and force it to dump its core.
37476 This is supported only on systems which support aborting a program
37477 with the @code{SIGQUIT} signal.
37478
37479 @kindex maint internal-error
37480 @kindex maint internal-warning
37481 @item maint internal-error @r{[}@var{message-text}@r{]}
37482 @itemx maint internal-warning @r{[}@var{message-text}@r{]}
37483 Cause @value{GDBN} to call the internal function @code{internal_error}
37484 or @code{internal_warning} and hence behave as though an internal error
37485 or internal warning has been detected. In addition to reporting the
37486 internal problem, these functions give the user the opportunity to
37487 either quit @value{GDBN} or create a core file of the current
37488 @value{GDBN} session.
37489
37490 These commands take an optional parameter @var{message-text} that is
37491 used as the text of the error or warning message.
37492
37493 Here's an example of using @code{internal-error}:
37494
37495 @smallexample
37496 (@value{GDBP}) @kbd{maint internal-error testing, 1, 2}
37497 @dots{}/maint.c:121: internal-error: testing, 1, 2
37498 A problem internal to GDB has been detected. Further
37499 debugging may prove unreliable.
37500 Quit this debugging session? (y or n) @kbd{n}
37501 Create a core file? (y or n) @kbd{n}
37502 (@value{GDBP})
37503 @end smallexample
37504
37505 @cindex @value{GDBN} internal error
37506 @cindex internal errors, control of @value{GDBN} behavior
37507
37508 @kindex maint set internal-error
37509 @kindex maint show internal-error
37510 @kindex maint set internal-warning
37511 @kindex maint show internal-warning
37512 @item maint set internal-error @var{action} [ask|yes|no]
37513 @itemx maint show internal-error @var{action}
37514 @itemx maint set internal-warning @var{action} [ask|yes|no]
37515 @itemx maint show internal-warning @var{action}
37516 When @value{GDBN} reports an internal problem (error or warning) it
37517 gives the user the opportunity to both quit @value{GDBN} and create a
37518 core file of the current @value{GDBN} session. These commands let you
37519 override the default behaviour for each particular @var{action},
37520 described in the table below.
37521
37522 @table @samp
37523 @item quit
37524 You can specify that @value{GDBN} should always (yes) or never (no)
37525 quit. The default is to ask the user what to do.
37526
37527 @item corefile
37528 You can specify that @value{GDBN} should always (yes) or never (no)
37529 create a core file. The default is to ask the user what to do.
37530 @end table
37531
37532 @kindex maint packet
37533 @item maint packet @var{text}
37534 If @value{GDBN} is talking to an inferior via the serial protocol,
37535 then this command sends the string @var{text} to the inferior, and
37536 displays the response packet. @value{GDBN} supplies the initial
37537 @samp{$} character, the terminating @samp{#} character, and the
37538 checksum.
37539
37540 @kindex maint print architecture
37541 @item maint print architecture @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
37542 Print the entire architecture configuration. The optional argument
37543 @var{file} names the file where the output goes.
37544
37545 @kindex maint print c-tdesc
37546 @item maint print c-tdesc
37547 Print the current target description (@pxref{Target Descriptions}) as
37548 a C source file. The created source file can be used in @value{GDBN}
37549 when an XML parser is not available to parse the description.
37550
37551 @kindex maint print dummy-frames
37552 @item maint print dummy-frames
37553 Prints the contents of @value{GDBN}'s internal dummy-frame stack.
37554
37555 @smallexample
37556 (@value{GDBP}) @kbd{b add}
37557 @dots{}
37558 (@value{GDBP}) @kbd{print add(2,3)}
37559 Breakpoint 2, add (a=2, b=3) at @dots{}
37560 58 return (a + b);
37561 The program being debugged stopped while in a function called from GDB.
37562 @dots{}
37563 (@value{GDBP}) @kbd{maint print dummy-frames}
37564 0x1a57c80: pc=0x01014068 fp=0x0200bddc sp=0x0200bdd6
37565 top=0x0200bdd4 id=@{stack=0x200bddc,code=0x101405c@}
37566 call_lo=0x01014000 call_hi=0x01014001
37567 (@value{GDBP})
37568 @end smallexample
37569
37570 Takes an optional file parameter.
37571
37572 @kindex maint print registers
37573 @kindex maint print raw-registers
37574 @kindex maint print cooked-registers
37575 @kindex maint print register-groups
37576 @kindex maint print remote-registers
37577 @item maint print registers @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
37578 @itemx maint print raw-registers @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
37579 @itemx maint print cooked-registers @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
37580 @itemx maint print register-groups @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
37581 @itemx maint print remote-registers @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
37582 Print @value{GDBN}'s internal register data structures.
37583
37584 The command @code{maint print raw-registers} includes the contents of
37585 the raw register cache; the command @code{maint print
37586 cooked-registers} includes the (cooked) value of all registers,
37587 including registers which aren't available on the target nor visible
37588 to user; the command @code{maint print register-groups} includes the
37589 groups that each register is a member of; and the command @code{maint
37590 print remote-registers} includes the remote target's register numbers
37591 and offsets in the `G' packets.
37592
37593 These commands take an optional parameter, a file name to which to
37594 write the information.
37595
37596 @kindex maint print reggroups
37597 @item maint print reggroups @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
37598 Print @value{GDBN}'s internal register group data structures. The
37599 optional argument @var{file} tells to what file to write the
37600 information.
37601
37602 The register groups info looks like this:
37603
37604 @smallexample
37605 (@value{GDBP}) @kbd{maint print reggroups}
37606 Group Type
37607 general user
37608 float user
37609 all user
37610 vector user
37611 system user
37612 save internal
37613 restore internal
37614 @end smallexample
37615
37616 @kindex flushregs
37617 @item flushregs
37618 This command forces @value{GDBN} to flush its internal register cache.
37619
37620 @kindex maint print objfiles
37621 @cindex info for known object files
37622 @item maint print objfiles @r{[}@var{regexp}@r{]}
37623 Print a dump of all known object files.
37624 If @var{regexp} is specified, only print object files whose names
37625 match @var{regexp}. For each object file, this command prints its name,
37626 address in memory, and all of its psymtabs and symtabs.
37627
37628 @kindex maint print section-scripts
37629 @cindex info for known .debug_gdb_scripts-loaded scripts
37630 @item maint print section-scripts [@var{regexp}]
37631 Print a dump of scripts specified in the @code{.debug_gdb_section} section.
37632 If @var{regexp} is specified, only print scripts loaded by object files
37633 matching @var{regexp}.
37634 For each script, this command prints its name as specified in the objfile,
37635 and the full path if known.
37636 @xref{dotdebug_gdb_scripts section}.
37637
37638 @kindex maint print statistics
37639 @cindex bcache statistics
37640 @item maint print statistics
37641 This command prints, for each object file in the program, various data
37642 about that object file followed by the byte cache (@dfn{bcache})
37643 statistics for the object file. The objfile data includes the number
37644 of minimal, partial, full, and stabs symbols, the number of types
37645 defined by the objfile, the number of as yet unexpanded psym tables,
37646 the number of line tables and string tables, and the amount of memory
37647 used by the various tables. The bcache statistics include the counts,
37648 sizes, and counts of duplicates of all and unique objects, max,
37649 average, and median entry size, total memory used and its overhead and
37650 savings, and various measures of the hash table size and chain
37651 lengths.
37652
37653 @kindex maint print target-stack
37654 @cindex target stack description
37655 @item maint print target-stack
37656 A @dfn{target} is an interface between the debugger and a particular
37657 kind of file or process. Targets can be stacked in @dfn{strata},
37658 so that more than one target can potentially respond to a request.
37659 In particular, memory accesses will walk down the stack of targets
37660 until they find a target that is interested in handling that particular
37661 address.
37662
37663 This command prints a short description of each layer that was pushed on
37664 the @dfn{target stack}, starting from the top layer down to the bottom one.
37665
37666 @kindex maint print type
37667 @cindex type chain of a data type
37668 @item maint print type @var{expr}
37669 Print the type chain for a type specified by @var{expr}. The argument
37670 can be either a type name or a symbol. If it is a symbol, the type of
37671 that symbol is described. The type chain produced by this command is
37672 a recursive definition of the data type as stored in @value{GDBN}'s
37673 data structures, including its flags and contained types.
37674
37675 @kindex maint set dwarf2 always-disassemble
37676 @kindex maint show dwarf2 always-disassemble
37677 @item maint set dwarf2 always-disassemble
37678 @item maint show dwarf2 always-disassemble
37679 Control the behavior of @code{info address} when using DWARF debugging
37680 information.
37681
37682 The default is @code{off}, which means that @value{GDBN} should try to
37683 describe a variable's location in an easily readable format. When
37684 @code{on}, @value{GDBN} will instead display the DWARF location
37685 expression in an assembly-like format. Note that some locations are
37686 too complex for @value{GDBN} to describe simply; in this case you will
37687 always see the disassembly form.
37688
37689 Here is an example of the resulting disassembly:
37690
37691 @smallexample
37692 (gdb) info addr argc
37693 Symbol "argc" is a complex DWARF expression:
37694 1: DW_OP_fbreg 0
37695 @end smallexample
37696
37697 For more information on these expressions, see
37698 @uref{http://www.dwarfstd.org/, the DWARF standard}.
37699
37700 @kindex maint set dwarf2 max-cache-age
37701 @kindex maint show dwarf2 max-cache-age
37702 @item maint set dwarf2 max-cache-age
37703 @itemx maint show dwarf2 max-cache-age
37704 Control the DWARF 2 compilation unit cache.
37705
37706 @cindex DWARF 2 compilation units cache
37707 In object files with inter-compilation-unit references, such as those
37708 produced by the GCC option @samp{-feliminate-dwarf2-dups}, the DWARF 2
37709 reader needs to frequently refer to previously read compilation units.
37710 This setting controls how long a compilation unit will remain in the
37711 cache if it is not referenced. A higher limit means that cached
37712 compilation units will be stored in memory longer, and more total
37713 memory will be used. Setting it to zero disables caching, which will
37714 slow down @value{GDBN} startup, but reduce memory consumption.
37715
37716 @kindex maint set profile
37717 @kindex maint show profile
37718 @cindex profiling GDB
37719 @item maint set profile
37720 @itemx maint show profile
37721 Control profiling of @value{GDBN}.
37722
37723 Profiling will be disabled until you use the @samp{maint set profile}
37724 command to enable it. When you enable profiling, the system will begin
37725 collecting timing and execution count data; when you disable profiling or
37726 exit @value{GDBN}, the results will be written to a log file. Remember that
37727 if you use profiling, @value{GDBN} will overwrite the profiling log file
37728 (often called @file{gmon.out}). If you have a record of important profiling
37729 data in a @file{gmon.out} file, be sure to move it to a safe location.
37730
37731 Configuring with @samp{--enable-profiling} arranges for @value{GDBN} to be
37732 compiled with the @samp{-pg} compiler option.
37733
37734 @kindex maint set show-debug-regs
37735 @kindex maint show show-debug-regs
37736 @cindex hardware debug registers
37737 @item maint set show-debug-regs
37738 @itemx maint show show-debug-regs
37739 Control whether to show variables that mirror the hardware debug
37740 registers. Use @code{on} to enable, @code{off} to disable. If
37741 enabled, the debug registers values are shown when @value{GDBN} inserts or
37742 removes a hardware breakpoint or watchpoint, and when the inferior
37743 triggers a hardware-assisted breakpoint or watchpoint.
37744
37745 @kindex maint set show-all-tib
37746 @kindex maint show show-all-tib
37747 @item maint set show-all-tib
37748 @itemx maint show show-all-tib
37749 Control whether to show all non zero areas within a 1k block starting
37750 at thread local base, when using the @samp{info w32 thread-information-block}
37751 command.
37752
37753 @kindex maint set per-command
37754 @kindex maint show per-command
37755 @item maint set per-command
37756 @itemx maint show per-command
37757 @cindex resources used by commands
37758
37759 @value{GDBN} can display the resources used by each command.
37760 This is useful in debugging performance problems.
37761
37762 @table @code
37763 @item maint set per-command space [on|off]
37764 @itemx maint show per-command space
37765 Enable or disable the printing of the memory used by GDB for each command.
37766 If enabled, @value{GDBN} will display how much memory each command
37767 took, following the command's own output.
37768 This can also be requested by invoking @value{GDBN} with the
37769 @option{--statistics} command-line switch (@pxref{Mode Options}).
37770
37771 @item maint set per-command time [on|off]
37772 @itemx maint show per-command time
37773 Enable or disable the printing of the execution time of @value{GDBN}
37774 for each command.
37775 If enabled, @value{GDBN} will display how much time it
37776 took to execute each command, following the command's own output.
37777 Both CPU time and wallclock time are printed.
37778 Printing both is useful when trying to determine whether the cost is
37779 CPU or, e.g., disk/network latency.
37780 Note that the CPU time printed is for @value{GDBN} only, it does not include
37781 the execution time of the inferior because there's no mechanism currently
37782 to compute how much time was spent by @value{GDBN} and how much time was
37783 spent by the program been debugged.
37784 This can also be requested by invoking @value{GDBN} with the
37785 @option{--statistics} command-line switch (@pxref{Mode Options}).
37786
37787 @item maint set per-command symtab [on|off]
37788 @itemx maint show per-command symtab
37789 Enable or disable the printing of basic symbol table statistics
37790 for each command.
37791 If enabled, @value{GDBN} will display the following information:
37792
37793 @enumerate a
37794 @item
37795 number of symbol tables
37796 @item
37797 number of primary symbol tables
37798 @item
37799 number of blocks in the blockvector
37800 @end enumerate
37801 @end table
37802
37803 @kindex maint space
37804 @cindex memory used by commands
37805 @item maint space @var{value}
37806 An alias for @code{maint set per-command space}.
37807 A non-zero value enables it, zero disables it.
37808
37809 @kindex maint time
37810 @cindex time of command execution
37811 @item maint time @var{value}
37812 An alias for @code{maint set per-command time}.
37813 A non-zero value enables it, zero disables it.
37814
37815 @kindex maint translate-address
37816 @item maint translate-address @r{[}@var{section}@r{]} @var{addr}
37817 Find the symbol stored at the location specified by the address
37818 @var{addr} and an optional section name @var{section}. If found,
37819 @value{GDBN} prints the name of the closest symbol and an offset from
37820 the symbol's location to the specified address. This is similar to
37821 the @code{info address} command (@pxref{Symbols}), except that this
37822 command also allows to find symbols in other sections.
37823
37824 If section was not specified, the section in which the symbol was found
37825 is also printed. For dynamically linked executables, the name of
37826 executable or shared library containing the symbol is printed as well.
37827
37828 @end table
37829
37830 The following command is useful for non-interactive invocations of
37831 @value{GDBN}, such as in the test suite.
37832
37833 @table @code
37834 @item set watchdog @var{nsec}
37835 @kindex set watchdog
37836 @cindex watchdog timer
37837 @cindex timeout for commands
37838 Set the maximum number of seconds @value{GDBN} will wait for the
37839 target operation to finish. If this time expires, @value{GDBN}
37840 reports and error and the command is aborted.
37841
37842 @item show watchdog
37843 Show the current setting of the target wait timeout.
37844 @end table
37845
37846 @node Remote Protocol
37847 @appendix @value{GDBN} Remote Serial Protocol
37848
37849 @menu
37850 * Overview::
37851 * Packets::
37852 * Stop Reply Packets::
37853 * General Query Packets::
37854 * Architecture-Specific Protocol Details::
37855 * Tracepoint Packets::
37856 * Host I/O Packets::
37857 * Interrupts::
37858 * Notification Packets::
37859 * Remote Non-Stop::
37860 * Packet Acknowledgment::
37861 * Examples::
37862 * File-I/O Remote Protocol Extension::
37863 * Library List Format::
37864 * Library List Format for SVR4 Targets::
37865 * Memory Map Format::
37866 * Thread List Format::
37867 * Traceframe Info Format::
37868 * Branch Trace Format::
37869 @end menu
37870
37871 @node Overview
37872 @section Overview
37873
37874 There may be occasions when you need to know something about the
37875 protocol---for example, if there is only one serial port to your target
37876 machine, you might want your program to do something special if it
37877 recognizes a packet meant for @value{GDBN}.
37878
37879 In the examples below, @samp{->} and @samp{<-} are used to indicate
37880 transmitted and received data, respectively.
37881
37882 @cindex protocol, @value{GDBN} remote serial
37883 @cindex serial protocol, @value{GDBN} remote
37884 @cindex remote serial protocol
37885 All @value{GDBN} commands and responses (other than acknowledgments
37886 and notifications, see @ref{Notification Packets}) are sent as a
37887 @var{packet}. A @var{packet} is introduced with the character
37888 @samp{$}, the actual @var{packet-data}, and the terminating character
37889 @samp{#} followed by a two-digit @var{checksum}:
37890
37891 @smallexample
37892 @code{$}@var{packet-data}@code{#}@var{checksum}
37893 @end smallexample
37894 @noindent
37895
37896 @cindex checksum, for @value{GDBN} remote
37897 @noindent
37898 The two-digit @var{checksum} is computed as the modulo 256 sum of all
37899 characters between the leading @samp{$} and the trailing @samp{#} (an
37900 eight bit unsigned checksum).
37901
37902 Implementors should note that prior to @value{GDBN} 5.0 the protocol
37903 specification also included an optional two-digit @var{sequence-id}:
37904
37905 @smallexample
37906 @code{$}@var{sequence-id}@code{:}@var{packet-data}@code{#}@var{checksum}
37907 @end smallexample
37908
37909 @cindex sequence-id, for @value{GDBN} remote
37910 @noindent
37911 That @var{sequence-id} was appended to the acknowledgment. @value{GDBN}
37912 has never output @var{sequence-id}s. Stubs that handle packets added
37913 since @value{GDBN} 5.0 must not accept @var{sequence-id}.
37914
37915 When either the host or the target machine receives a packet, the first
37916 response expected is an acknowledgment: either @samp{+} (to indicate
37917 the package was received correctly) or @samp{-} (to request
37918 retransmission):
37919
37920 @smallexample
37921 -> @code{$}@var{packet-data}@code{#}@var{checksum}
37922 <- @code{+}
37923 @end smallexample
37924 @noindent
37925
37926 The @samp{+}/@samp{-} acknowledgments can be disabled
37927 once a connection is established.
37928 @xref{Packet Acknowledgment}, for details.
37929
37930 The host (@value{GDBN}) sends @var{command}s, and the target (the
37931 debugging stub incorporated in your program) sends a @var{response}. In
37932 the case of step and continue @var{command}s, the response is only sent
37933 when the operation has completed, and the target has again stopped all
37934 threads in all attached processes. This is the default all-stop mode
37935 behavior, but the remote protocol also supports @value{GDBN}'s non-stop
37936 execution mode; see @ref{Remote Non-Stop}, for details.
37937
37938 @var{packet-data} consists of a sequence of characters with the
37939 exception of @samp{#} and @samp{$} (see @samp{X} packet for additional
37940 exceptions).
37941
37942 @cindex remote protocol, field separator
37943 Fields within the packet should be separated using @samp{,} @samp{;} or
37944 @samp{:}. Except where otherwise noted all numbers are represented in
37945 @sc{hex} with leading zeros suppressed.
37946
37947 Implementors should note that prior to @value{GDBN} 5.0, the character
37948 @samp{:} could not appear as the third character in a packet (as it
37949 would potentially conflict with the @var{sequence-id}).
37950
37951 @cindex remote protocol, binary data
37952 @anchor{Binary Data}
37953 Binary data in most packets is encoded either as two hexadecimal
37954 digits per byte of binary data. This allowed the traditional remote
37955 protocol to work over connections which were only seven-bit clean.
37956 Some packets designed more recently assume an eight-bit clean
37957 connection, and use a more efficient encoding to send and receive
37958 binary data.
37959
37960 The binary data representation uses @code{7d} (@sc{ascii} @samp{@}})
37961 as an escape character. Any escaped byte is transmitted as the escape
37962 character followed by the original character XORed with @code{0x20}.
37963 For example, the byte @code{0x7d} would be transmitted as the two
37964 bytes @code{0x7d 0x5d}. The bytes @code{0x23} (@sc{ascii} @samp{#}),
37965 @code{0x24} (@sc{ascii} @samp{$}), and @code{0x7d} (@sc{ascii}
37966 @samp{@}}) must always be escaped. Responses sent by the stub
37967 must also escape @code{0x2a} (@sc{ascii} @samp{*}), so that it
37968 is not interpreted as the start of a run-length encoded sequence
37969 (described next).
37970
37971 Response @var{data} can be run-length encoded to save space.
37972 Run-length encoding replaces runs of identical characters with one
37973 instance of the repeated character, followed by a @samp{*} and a
37974 repeat count. The repeat count is itself sent encoded, to avoid
37975 binary characters in @var{data}: a value of @var{n} is sent as
37976 @code{@var{n}+29}. For a repeat count greater or equal to 3, this
37977 produces a printable @sc{ascii} character, e.g.@: a space (@sc{ascii}
37978 code 32) for a repeat count of 3. (This is because run-length
37979 encoding starts to win for counts 3 or more.) Thus, for example,
37980 @samp{0* } is a run-length encoding of ``0000'': the space character
37981 after @samp{*} means repeat the leading @code{0} @w{@code{32 - 29 =
37982 3}} more times.
37983
37984 The printable characters @samp{#} and @samp{$} or with a numeric value
37985 greater than 126 must not be used. Runs of six repeats (@samp{#}) or
37986 seven repeats (@samp{$}) can be expanded using a repeat count of only
37987 five (@samp{"}). For example, @samp{00000000} can be encoded as
37988 @samp{0*"00}.
37989
37990 The error response returned for some packets includes a two character
37991 error number. That number is not well defined.
37992
37993 @cindex empty response, for unsupported packets
37994 For any @var{command} not supported by the stub, an empty response
37995 (@samp{$#00}) should be returned. That way it is possible to extend the
37996 protocol. A newer @value{GDBN} can tell if a packet is supported based
37997 on that response.
37998
37999 At a minimum, a stub is required to support the @samp{g} and @samp{G}
38000 commands for register access, and the @samp{m} and @samp{M} commands
38001 for memory access. Stubs that only control single-threaded targets
38002 can implement run control with the @samp{c} (continue), and @samp{s}
38003 (step) commands. Stubs that support multi-threading targets should
38004 support the @samp{vCont} command. All other commands are optional.
38005
38006 @node Packets
38007 @section Packets
38008
38009 The following table provides a complete list of all currently defined
38010 @var{command}s and their corresponding response @var{data}.
38011 @xref{File-I/O Remote Protocol Extension}, for details about the File
38012 I/O extension of the remote protocol.
38013
38014 Each packet's description has a template showing the packet's overall
38015 syntax, followed by an explanation of the packet's meaning. We
38016 include spaces in some of the templates for clarity; these are not
38017 part of the packet's syntax. No @value{GDBN} packet uses spaces to
38018 separate its components. For example, a template like @samp{foo
38019 @var{bar} @var{baz}} describes a packet beginning with the three ASCII
38020 bytes @samp{foo}, followed by a @var{bar}, followed directly by a
38021 @var{baz}. @value{GDBN} does not transmit a space character between the
38022 @samp{foo} and the @var{bar}, or between the @var{bar} and the
38023 @var{baz}.
38024
38025 @cindex @var{thread-id}, in remote protocol
38026 @anchor{thread-id syntax}
38027 Several packets and replies include a @var{thread-id} field to identify
38028 a thread. Normally these are positive numbers with a target-specific
38029 interpretation, formatted as big-endian hex strings. A @var{thread-id}
38030 can also be a literal @samp{-1} to indicate all threads, or @samp{0} to
38031 pick any thread.
38032
38033 In addition, the remote protocol supports a multiprocess feature in
38034 which the @var{thread-id} syntax is extended to optionally include both
38035 process and thread ID fields, as @samp{p@var{pid}.@var{tid}}.
38036 The @var{pid} (process) and @var{tid} (thread) components each have the
38037 format described above: a positive number with target-specific
38038 interpretation formatted as a big-endian hex string, literal @samp{-1}
38039 to indicate all processes or threads (respectively), or @samp{0} to
38040 indicate an arbitrary process or thread. Specifying just a process, as
38041 @samp{p@var{pid}}, is equivalent to @samp{p@var{pid}.-1}. It is an
38042 error to specify all processes but a specific thread, such as
38043 @samp{p-1.@var{tid}}. Note that the @samp{p} prefix is @emph{not} used
38044 for those packets and replies explicitly documented to include a process
38045 ID, rather than a @var{thread-id}.
38046
38047 The multiprocess @var{thread-id} syntax extensions are only used if both
38048 @value{GDBN} and the stub report support for the @samp{multiprocess}
38049 feature using @samp{qSupported}. @xref{multiprocess extensions}, for
38050 more information.
38051
38052 Note that all packet forms beginning with an upper- or lower-case
38053 letter, other than those described here, are reserved for future use.
38054
38055 Here are the packet descriptions.
38056
38057 @table @samp
38058
38059 @item !
38060 @cindex @samp{!} packet
38061 @anchor{extended mode}
38062 Enable extended mode. In extended mode, the remote server is made
38063 persistent. The @samp{R} packet is used to restart the program being
38064 debugged.
38065
38066 Reply:
38067 @table @samp
38068 @item OK
38069 The remote target both supports and has enabled extended mode.
38070 @end table
38071
38072 @item ?
38073 @cindex @samp{?} packet
38074 Indicate the reason the target halted. The reply is the same as for
38075 step and continue. This packet has a special interpretation when the
38076 target is in non-stop mode; see @ref{Remote Non-Stop}.
38077
38078 Reply:
38079 @xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
38080
38081 @item A @var{arglen},@var{argnum},@var{arg},@dots{}
38082 @cindex @samp{A} packet
38083 Initialized @code{argv[]} array passed into program. @var{arglen}
38084 specifies the number of bytes in the hex encoded byte stream
38085 @var{arg}. See @code{gdbserver} for more details.
38086
38087 Reply:
38088 @table @samp
38089 @item OK
38090 The arguments were set.
38091 @item E @var{NN}
38092 An error occurred.
38093 @end table
38094
38095 @item b @var{baud}
38096 @cindex @samp{b} packet
38097 (Don't use this packet; its behavior is not well-defined.)
38098 Change the serial line speed to @var{baud}.
38099
38100 JTC: @emph{When does the transport layer state change? When it's
38101 received, or after the ACK is transmitted. In either case, there are
38102 problems if the command or the acknowledgment packet is dropped.}
38103
38104 Stan: @emph{If people really wanted to add something like this, and get
38105 it working for the first time, they ought to modify ser-unix.c to send
38106 some kind of out-of-band message to a specially-setup stub and have the
38107 switch happen "in between" packets, so that from remote protocol's point
38108 of view, nothing actually happened.}
38109
38110 @item B @var{addr},@var{mode}
38111 @cindex @samp{B} packet
38112 Set (@var{mode} is @samp{S}) or clear (@var{mode} is @samp{C}) a
38113 breakpoint at @var{addr}.
38114
38115 Don't use this packet. Use the @samp{Z} and @samp{z} packets instead
38116 (@pxref{insert breakpoint or watchpoint packet}).
38117
38118 @cindex @samp{bc} packet
38119 @anchor{bc}
38120 @item bc
38121 Backward continue. Execute the target system in reverse. No parameter.
38122 @xref{Reverse Execution}, for more information.
38123
38124 Reply:
38125 @xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
38126
38127 @cindex @samp{bs} packet
38128 @anchor{bs}
38129 @item bs
38130 Backward single step. Execute one instruction in reverse. No parameter.
38131 @xref{Reverse Execution}, for more information.
38132
38133 Reply:
38134 @xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
38135
38136 @item c @r{[}@var{addr}@r{]}
38137 @cindex @samp{c} packet
38138 Continue. @var{addr} is address to resume. If @var{addr} is omitted,
38139 resume at current address.
38140
38141 This packet is deprecated for multi-threading support. @xref{vCont
38142 packet}.
38143
38144 Reply:
38145 @xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
38146
38147 @item C @var{sig}@r{[};@var{addr}@r{]}
38148 @cindex @samp{C} packet
38149 Continue with signal @var{sig} (hex signal number). If
38150 @samp{;@var{addr}} is omitted, resume at same address.
38151
38152 This packet is deprecated for multi-threading support. @xref{vCont
38153 packet}.
38154
38155 Reply:
38156 @xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
38157
38158 @item d
38159 @cindex @samp{d} packet
38160 Toggle debug flag.
38161
38162 Don't use this packet; instead, define a general set packet
38163 (@pxref{General Query Packets}).
38164
38165 @item D
38166 @itemx D;@var{pid}
38167 @cindex @samp{D} packet
38168 The first form of the packet is used to detach @value{GDBN} from the
38169 remote system. It is sent to the remote target
38170 before @value{GDBN} disconnects via the @code{detach} command.
38171
38172 The second form, including a process ID, is used when multiprocess
38173 protocol extensions are enabled (@pxref{multiprocess extensions}), to
38174 detach only a specific process. The @var{pid} is specified as a
38175 big-endian hex string.
38176
38177 Reply:
38178 @table @samp
38179 @item OK
38180 for success
38181 @item E @var{NN}
38182 for an error
38183 @end table
38184
38185 @item F @var{RC},@var{EE},@var{CF};@var{XX}
38186 @cindex @samp{F} packet
38187 A reply from @value{GDBN} to an @samp{F} packet sent by the target.
38188 This is part of the File-I/O protocol extension. @xref{File-I/O
38189 Remote Protocol Extension}, for the specification.
38190
38191 @item g
38192 @anchor{read registers packet}
38193 @cindex @samp{g} packet
38194 Read general registers.
38195
38196 Reply:
38197 @table @samp
38198 @item @var{XX@dots{}}
38199 Each byte of register data is described by two hex digits. The bytes
38200 with the register are transmitted in target byte order. The size of
38201 each register and their position within the @samp{g} packet are
38202 determined by the @value{GDBN} internal gdbarch functions
38203 @code{DEPRECATED_REGISTER_RAW_SIZE} and @code{gdbarch_register_name}. The
38204 specification of several standard @samp{g} packets is specified below.
38205
38206 When reading registers from a trace frame (@pxref{Analyze Collected
38207 Data,,Using the Collected Data}), the stub may also return a string of
38208 literal @samp{x}'s in place of the register data digits, to indicate
38209 that the corresponding register has not been collected, thus its value
38210 is unavailable. For example, for an architecture with 4 registers of
38211 4 bytes each, the following reply indicates to @value{GDBN} that
38212 registers 0 and 2 have not been collected, while registers 1 and 3
38213 have been collected, and both have zero value:
38214
38215 @smallexample
38216 -> @code{g}
38217 <- @code{xxxxxxxx00000000xxxxxxxx00000000}
38218 @end smallexample
38219
38220 @item E @var{NN}
38221 for an error.
38222 @end table
38223
38224 @item G @var{XX@dots{}}
38225 @cindex @samp{G} packet
38226 Write general registers. @xref{read registers packet}, for a
38227 description of the @var{XX@dots{}} data.
38228
38229 Reply:
38230 @table @samp
38231 @item OK
38232 for success
38233 @item E @var{NN}
38234 for an error
38235 @end table
38236
38237 @item H @var{op} @var{thread-id}
38238 @cindex @samp{H} packet
38239 Set thread for subsequent operations (@samp{m}, @samp{M}, @samp{g},
38240 @samp{G}, et.al.). @var{op} depends on the operation to be performed:
38241 it should be @samp{c} for step and continue operations (note that this
38242 is deprecated, supporting the @samp{vCont} command is a better
38243 option), @samp{g} for other operations. The thread designator
38244 @var{thread-id} has the format and interpretation described in
38245 @ref{thread-id syntax}.
38246
38247 Reply:
38248 @table @samp
38249 @item OK
38250 for success
38251 @item E @var{NN}
38252 for an error
38253 @end table
38254
38255 @c FIXME: JTC:
38256 @c 'H': How restrictive (or permissive) is the thread model. If a
38257 @c thread is selected and stopped, are other threads allowed
38258 @c to continue to execute? As I mentioned above, I think the
38259 @c semantics of each command when a thread is selected must be
38260 @c described. For example:
38261 @c
38262 @c 'g': If the stub supports threads and a specific thread is
38263 @c selected, returns the register block from that thread;
38264 @c otherwise returns current registers.
38265 @c
38266 @c 'G' If the stub supports threads and a specific thread is
38267 @c selected, sets the registers of the register block of
38268 @c that thread; otherwise sets current registers.
38269
38270 @item i @r{[}@var{addr}@r{[},@var{nnn}@r{]]}
38271 @anchor{cycle step packet}
38272 @cindex @samp{i} packet
38273 Step the remote target by a single clock cycle. If @samp{,@var{nnn}} is
38274 present, cycle step @var{nnn} cycles. If @var{addr} is present, cycle
38275 step starting at that address.
38276
38277 @item I
38278 @cindex @samp{I} packet
38279 Signal, then cycle step. @xref{step with signal packet}. @xref{cycle
38280 step packet}.
38281
38282 @item k
38283 @cindex @samp{k} packet
38284 Kill request.
38285
38286 FIXME: @emph{There is no description of how to operate when a specific
38287 thread context has been selected (i.e.@: does 'k' kill only that
38288 thread?)}.
38289
38290 @item m @var{addr},@var{length}
38291 @cindex @samp{m} packet
38292 Read @var{length} bytes of memory starting at address @var{addr}.
38293 Note that @var{addr} may not be aligned to any particular boundary.
38294
38295 The stub need not use any particular size or alignment when gathering
38296 data from memory for the response; even if @var{addr} is word-aligned
38297 and @var{length} is a multiple of the word size, the stub is free to
38298 use byte accesses, or not. For this reason, this packet may not be
38299 suitable for accessing memory-mapped I/O devices.
38300 @cindex alignment of remote memory accesses
38301 @cindex size of remote memory accesses
38302 @cindex memory, alignment and size of remote accesses
38303
38304 Reply:
38305 @table @samp
38306 @item @var{XX@dots{}}
38307 Memory contents; each byte is transmitted as a two-digit hexadecimal
38308 number. The reply may contain fewer bytes than requested if the
38309 server was able to read only part of the region of memory.
38310 @item E @var{NN}
38311 @var{NN} is errno
38312 @end table
38313
38314 @item M @var{addr},@var{length}:@var{XX@dots{}}
38315 @cindex @samp{M} packet
38316 Write @var{length} bytes of memory starting at address @var{addr}.
38317 @var{XX@dots{}} is the data; each byte is transmitted as a two-digit
38318 hexadecimal number.
38319
38320 Reply:
38321 @table @samp
38322 @item OK
38323 for success
38324 @item E @var{NN}
38325 for an error (this includes the case where only part of the data was
38326 written).
38327 @end table
38328
38329 @item p @var{n}
38330 @cindex @samp{p} packet
38331 Read the value of register @var{n}; @var{n} is in hex.
38332 @xref{read registers packet}, for a description of how the returned
38333 register value is encoded.
38334
38335 Reply:
38336 @table @samp
38337 @item @var{XX@dots{}}
38338 the register's value
38339 @item E @var{NN}
38340 for an error
38341 @item @w{}
38342 Indicating an unrecognized @var{query}.
38343 @end table
38344
38345 @item P @var{n@dots{}}=@var{r@dots{}}
38346 @anchor{write register packet}
38347 @cindex @samp{P} packet
38348 Write register @var{n@dots{}} with value @var{r@dots{}}. The register
38349 number @var{n} is in hexadecimal, and @var{r@dots{}} contains two hex
38350 digits for each byte in the register (target byte order).
38351
38352 Reply:
38353 @table @samp
38354 @item OK
38355 for success
38356 @item E @var{NN}
38357 for an error
38358 @end table
38359
38360 @item q @var{name} @var{params}@dots{}
38361 @itemx Q @var{name} @var{params}@dots{}
38362 @cindex @samp{q} packet
38363 @cindex @samp{Q} packet
38364 General query (@samp{q}) and set (@samp{Q}). These packets are
38365 described fully in @ref{General Query Packets}.
38366
38367 @item r
38368 @cindex @samp{r} packet
38369 Reset the entire system.
38370
38371 Don't use this packet; use the @samp{R} packet instead.
38372
38373 @item R @var{XX}
38374 @cindex @samp{R} packet
38375 Restart the program being debugged. @var{XX}, while needed, is ignored.
38376 This packet is only available in extended mode (@pxref{extended mode}).
38377
38378 The @samp{R} packet has no reply.
38379
38380 @item s @r{[}@var{addr}@r{]}
38381 @cindex @samp{s} packet
38382 Single step. @var{addr} is the address at which to resume. If
38383 @var{addr} is omitted, resume at same address.
38384
38385 This packet is deprecated for multi-threading support. @xref{vCont
38386 packet}.
38387
38388 Reply:
38389 @xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
38390
38391 @item S @var{sig}@r{[};@var{addr}@r{]}
38392 @anchor{step with signal packet}
38393 @cindex @samp{S} packet
38394 Step with signal. This is analogous to the @samp{C} packet, but
38395 requests a single-step, rather than a normal resumption of execution.
38396
38397 This packet is deprecated for multi-threading support. @xref{vCont
38398 packet}.
38399
38400 Reply:
38401 @xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
38402
38403 @item t @var{addr}:@var{PP},@var{MM}
38404 @cindex @samp{t} packet
38405 Search backwards starting at address @var{addr} for a match with pattern
38406 @var{PP} and mask @var{MM}. @var{PP} and @var{MM} are 4 bytes.
38407 @var{addr} must be at least 3 digits.
38408
38409 @item T @var{thread-id}
38410 @cindex @samp{T} packet
38411 Find out if the thread @var{thread-id} is alive. @xref{thread-id syntax}.
38412
38413 Reply:
38414 @table @samp
38415 @item OK
38416 thread is still alive
38417 @item E @var{NN}
38418 thread is dead
38419 @end table
38420
38421 @item v
38422 Packets starting with @samp{v} are identified by a multi-letter name,
38423 up to the first @samp{;} or @samp{?} (or the end of the packet).
38424
38425 @item vAttach;@var{pid}
38426 @cindex @samp{vAttach} packet
38427 Attach to a new process with the specified process ID @var{pid}.
38428 The process ID is a
38429 hexadecimal integer identifying the process. In all-stop mode, all
38430 threads in the attached process are stopped; in non-stop mode, it may be
38431 attached without being stopped if that is supported by the target.
38432
38433 @c In non-stop mode, on a successful vAttach, the stub should set the
38434 @c current thread to a thread of the newly-attached process. After
38435 @c attaching, GDB queries for the attached process's thread ID with qC.
38436 @c Also note that, from a user perspective, whether or not the
38437 @c target is stopped on attach in non-stop mode depends on whether you
38438 @c use the foreground or background version of the attach command, not
38439 @c on what vAttach does; GDB does the right thing with respect to either
38440 @c stopping or restarting threads.
38441
38442 This packet is only available in extended mode (@pxref{extended mode}).
38443
38444 Reply:
38445 @table @samp
38446 @item E @var{nn}
38447 for an error
38448 @item @r{Any stop packet}
38449 for success in all-stop mode (@pxref{Stop Reply Packets})
38450 @item OK
38451 for success in non-stop mode (@pxref{Remote Non-Stop})
38452 @end table
38453
38454 @item vCont@r{[};@var{action}@r{[}:@var{thread-id}@r{]]}@dots{}
38455 @cindex @samp{vCont} packet
38456 @anchor{vCont packet}
38457 Resume the inferior, specifying different actions for each thread.
38458 If an action is specified with no @var{thread-id}, then it is applied to any
38459 threads that don't have a specific action specified; if no default action is
38460 specified then other threads should remain stopped in all-stop mode and
38461 in their current state in non-stop mode.
38462 Specifying multiple
38463 default actions is an error; specifying no actions is also an error.
38464 Thread IDs are specified using the syntax described in @ref{thread-id syntax}.
38465
38466 Currently supported actions are:
38467
38468 @table @samp
38469 @item c
38470 Continue.
38471 @item C @var{sig}
38472 Continue with signal @var{sig}. The signal @var{sig} should be two hex digits.
38473 @item s
38474 Step.
38475 @item S @var{sig}
38476 Step with signal @var{sig}. The signal @var{sig} should be two hex digits.
38477 @item t
38478 Stop.
38479 @item r @var{start},@var{end}
38480 Step once, and then keep stepping as long as the thread stops at
38481 addresses between @var{start} (inclusive) and @var{end} (exclusive).
38482 The remote stub reports a stop reply when either the thread goes out
38483 of the range or is stopped due to an unrelated reason, such as hitting
38484 a breakpoint. @xref{range stepping}.
38485
38486 If the range is empty (@var{start} == @var{end}), then the action
38487 becomes equivalent to the @samp{s} action. In other words,
38488 single-step once, and report the stop (even if the stepped instruction
38489 jumps to @var{start}).
38490
38491 (A stop reply may be sent at any point even if the PC is still within
38492 the stepping range; for example, it is valid to implement this packet
38493 in a degenerate way as a single instruction step operation.)
38494
38495 @end table
38496
38497 The optional argument @var{addr} normally associated with the
38498 @samp{c}, @samp{C}, @samp{s}, and @samp{S} packets is
38499 not supported in @samp{vCont}.
38500
38501 The @samp{t} action is only relevant in non-stop mode
38502 (@pxref{Remote Non-Stop}) and may be ignored by the stub otherwise.
38503 A stop reply should be generated for any affected thread not already stopped.
38504 When a thread is stopped by means of a @samp{t} action,
38505 the corresponding stop reply should indicate that the thread has stopped with
38506 signal @samp{0}, regardless of whether the target uses some other signal
38507 as an implementation detail.
38508
38509 The stub must support @samp{vCont} if it reports support for
38510 multiprocess extensions (@pxref{multiprocess extensions}). Note that in
38511 this case @samp{vCont} actions can be specified to apply to all threads
38512 in a process by using the @samp{p@var{pid}.-1} form of the
38513 @var{thread-id}.
38514
38515 Reply:
38516 @xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
38517
38518 @item vCont?
38519 @cindex @samp{vCont?} packet
38520 Request a list of actions supported by the @samp{vCont} packet.
38521
38522 Reply:
38523 @table @samp
38524 @item vCont@r{[};@var{action}@dots{}@r{]}
38525 The @samp{vCont} packet is supported. Each @var{action} is a supported
38526 command in the @samp{vCont} packet.
38527 @item @w{}
38528 The @samp{vCont} packet is not supported.
38529 @end table
38530
38531 @item vFile:@var{operation}:@var{parameter}@dots{}
38532 @cindex @samp{vFile} packet
38533 Perform a file operation on the target system. For details,
38534 see @ref{Host I/O Packets}.
38535
38536 @item vFlashErase:@var{addr},@var{length}
38537 @cindex @samp{vFlashErase} packet
38538 Direct the stub to erase @var{length} bytes of flash starting at
38539 @var{addr}. The region may enclose any number of flash blocks, but
38540 its start and end must fall on block boundaries, as indicated by the
38541 flash block size appearing in the memory map (@pxref{Memory Map
38542 Format}). @value{GDBN} groups flash memory programming operations
38543 together, and sends a @samp{vFlashDone} request after each group; the
38544 stub is allowed to delay erase operation until the @samp{vFlashDone}
38545 packet is received.
38546
38547 Reply:
38548 @table @samp
38549 @item OK
38550 for success
38551 @item E @var{NN}
38552 for an error
38553 @end table
38554
38555 @item vFlashWrite:@var{addr}:@var{XX@dots{}}
38556 @cindex @samp{vFlashWrite} packet
38557 Direct the stub to write data to flash address @var{addr}. The data
38558 is passed in binary form using the same encoding as for the @samp{X}
38559 packet (@pxref{Binary Data}). The memory ranges specified by
38560 @samp{vFlashWrite} packets preceding a @samp{vFlashDone} packet must
38561 not overlap, and must appear in order of increasing addresses
38562 (although @samp{vFlashErase} packets for higher addresses may already
38563 have been received; the ordering is guaranteed only between
38564 @samp{vFlashWrite} packets). If a packet writes to an address that was
38565 neither erased by a preceding @samp{vFlashErase} packet nor by some other
38566 target-specific method, the results are unpredictable.
38567
38568
38569 Reply:
38570 @table @samp
38571 @item OK
38572 for success
38573 @item E.memtype
38574 for vFlashWrite addressing non-flash memory
38575 @item E @var{NN}
38576 for an error
38577 @end table
38578
38579 @item vFlashDone
38580 @cindex @samp{vFlashDone} packet
38581 Indicate to the stub that flash programming operation is finished.
38582 The stub is permitted to delay or batch the effects of a group of
38583 @samp{vFlashErase} and @samp{vFlashWrite} packets until a
38584 @samp{vFlashDone} packet is received. The contents of the affected
38585 regions of flash memory are unpredictable until the @samp{vFlashDone}
38586 request is completed.
38587
38588 @item vKill;@var{pid}
38589 @cindex @samp{vKill} packet
38590 Kill the process with the specified process ID. @var{pid} is a
38591 hexadecimal integer identifying the process. This packet is used in
38592 preference to @samp{k} when multiprocess protocol extensions are
38593 supported; see @ref{multiprocess extensions}.
38594
38595 Reply:
38596 @table @samp
38597 @item E @var{nn}
38598 for an error
38599 @item OK
38600 for success
38601 @end table
38602
38603 @item vRun;@var{filename}@r{[};@var{argument}@r{]}@dots{}
38604 @cindex @samp{vRun} packet
38605 Run the program @var{filename}, passing it each @var{argument} on its
38606 command line. The file and arguments are hex-encoded strings. If
38607 @var{filename} is an empty string, the stub may use a default program
38608 (e.g.@: the last program run). The program is created in the stopped
38609 state.
38610
38611 @c FIXME: What about non-stop mode?
38612
38613 This packet is only available in extended mode (@pxref{extended mode}).
38614
38615 Reply:
38616 @table @samp
38617 @item E @var{nn}
38618 for an error
38619 @item @r{Any stop packet}
38620 for success (@pxref{Stop Reply Packets})
38621 @end table
38622
38623 @item vStopped
38624 @cindex @samp{vStopped} packet
38625 @xref{Notification Packets}.
38626
38627 @item X @var{addr},@var{length}:@var{XX@dots{}}
38628 @anchor{X packet}
38629 @cindex @samp{X} packet
38630 Write data to memory, where the data is transmitted in binary.
38631 @var{addr} is address, @var{length} is number of bytes,
38632 @samp{@var{XX}@dots{}} is binary data (@pxref{Binary Data}).
38633
38634 Reply:
38635 @table @samp
38636 @item OK
38637 for success
38638 @item E @var{NN}
38639 for an error
38640 @end table
38641
38642 @item z @var{type},@var{addr},@var{kind}
38643 @itemx Z @var{type},@var{addr},@var{kind}
38644 @anchor{insert breakpoint or watchpoint packet}
38645 @cindex @samp{z} packet
38646 @cindex @samp{Z} packets
38647 Insert (@samp{Z}) or remove (@samp{z}) a @var{type} breakpoint or
38648 watchpoint starting at address @var{address} of kind @var{kind}.
38649
38650 Each breakpoint and watchpoint packet @var{type} is documented
38651 separately.
38652
38653 @emph{Implementation notes: A remote target shall return an empty string
38654 for an unrecognized breakpoint or watchpoint packet @var{type}. A
38655 remote target shall support either both or neither of a given
38656 @samp{Z@var{type}@dots{}} and @samp{z@var{type}@dots{}} packet pair. To
38657 avoid potential problems with duplicate packets, the operations should
38658 be implemented in an idempotent way.}
38659
38660 @item z0,@var{addr},@var{kind}
38661 @itemx Z0,@var{addr},@var{kind}@r{[};@var{cond_list}@dots{}@r{]}@r{[};cmds:@var{persist},@var{cmd_list}@dots{}@r{]}
38662 @cindex @samp{z0} packet
38663 @cindex @samp{Z0} packet
38664 Insert (@samp{Z0}) or remove (@samp{z0}) a memory breakpoint at address
38665 @var{addr} of type @var{kind}.
38666
38667 A memory breakpoint is implemented by replacing the instruction at
38668 @var{addr} with a software breakpoint or trap instruction. The
38669 @var{kind} is target-specific and typically indicates the size of
38670 the breakpoint in bytes that should be inserted. E.g., the @sc{arm}
38671 and @sc{mips} can insert either a 2 or 4 byte breakpoint. Some
38672 architectures have additional meanings for @var{kind};
38673 @var{cond_list} is an optional list of conditional expressions in bytecode
38674 form that should be evaluated on the target's side. These are the
38675 conditions that should be taken into consideration when deciding if
38676 the breakpoint trigger should be reported back to @var{GDBN}.
38677
38678 The @var{cond_list} parameter is comprised of a series of expressions,
38679 concatenated without separators. Each expression has the following form:
38680
38681 @table @samp
38682
38683 @item X @var{len},@var{expr}
38684 @var{len} is the length of the bytecode expression and @var{expr} is the
38685 actual conditional expression in bytecode form.
38686
38687 @end table
38688
38689 The optional @var{cmd_list} parameter introduces commands that may be
38690 run on the target, rather than being reported back to @value{GDBN}.
38691 The parameter starts with a numeric flag @var{persist}; if the flag is
38692 nonzero, then the breakpoint may remain active and the commands
38693 continue to be run even when @value{GDBN} disconnects from the target.
38694 Following this flag is a series of expressions concatenated with no
38695 separators. Each expression has the following form:
38696
38697 @table @samp
38698
38699 @item X @var{len},@var{expr}
38700 @var{len} is the length of the bytecode expression and @var{expr} is the
38701 actual conditional expression in bytecode form.
38702
38703 @end table
38704
38705 see @ref{Architecture-Specific Protocol Details}.
38706
38707 @emph{Implementation note: It is possible for a target to copy or move
38708 code that contains memory breakpoints (e.g., when implementing
38709 overlays). The behavior of this packet, in the presence of such a
38710 target, is not defined.}
38711
38712 Reply:
38713 @table @samp
38714 @item OK
38715 success
38716 @item @w{}
38717 not supported
38718 @item E @var{NN}
38719 for an error
38720 @end table
38721
38722 @item z1,@var{addr},@var{kind}
38723 @itemx Z1,@var{addr},@var{kind}@r{[};@var{cond_list}@dots{}@r{]}
38724 @cindex @samp{z1} packet
38725 @cindex @samp{Z1} packet
38726 Insert (@samp{Z1}) or remove (@samp{z1}) a hardware breakpoint at
38727 address @var{addr}.
38728
38729 A hardware breakpoint is implemented using a mechanism that is not
38730 dependant on being able to modify the target's memory. @var{kind}
38731 and @var{cond_list} have the same meaning as in @samp{Z0} packets.
38732
38733 @emph{Implementation note: A hardware breakpoint is not affected by code
38734 movement.}
38735
38736 Reply:
38737 @table @samp
38738 @item OK
38739 success
38740 @item @w{}
38741 not supported
38742 @item E @var{NN}
38743 for an error
38744 @end table
38745
38746 @item z2,@var{addr},@var{kind}
38747 @itemx Z2,@var{addr},@var{kind}
38748 @cindex @samp{z2} packet
38749 @cindex @samp{Z2} packet
38750 Insert (@samp{Z2}) or remove (@samp{z2}) a write watchpoint at @var{addr}.
38751 @var{kind} is interpreted as the number of bytes to watch.
38752
38753 Reply:
38754 @table @samp
38755 @item OK
38756 success
38757 @item @w{}
38758 not supported
38759 @item E @var{NN}
38760 for an error
38761 @end table
38762
38763 @item z3,@var{addr},@var{kind}
38764 @itemx Z3,@var{addr},@var{kind}
38765 @cindex @samp{z3} packet
38766 @cindex @samp{Z3} packet
38767 Insert (@samp{Z3}) or remove (@samp{z3}) a read watchpoint at @var{addr}.
38768 @var{kind} is interpreted as the number of bytes to watch.
38769
38770 Reply:
38771 @table @samp
38772 @item OK
38773 success
38774 @item @w{}
38775 not supported
38776 @item E @var{NN}
38777 for an error
38778 @end table
38779
38780 @item z4,@var{addr},@var{kind}
38781 @itemx Z4,@var{addr},@var{kind}
38782 @cindex @samp{z4} packet
38783 @cindex @samp{Z4} packet
38784 Insert (@samp{Z4}) or remove (@samp{z4}) an access watchpoint at @var{addr}.
38785 @var{kind} is interpreted as the number of bytes to watch.
38786
38787 Reply:
38788 @table @samp
38789 @item OK
38790 success
38791 @item @w{}
38792 not supported
38793 @item E @var{NN}
38794 for an error
38795 @end table
38796
38797 @end table
38798
38799 @node Stop Reply Packets
38800 @section Stop Reply Packets
38801 @cindex stop reply packets
38802
38803 The @samp{C}, @samp{c}, @samp{S}, @samp{s}, @samp{vCont},
38804 @samp{vAttach}, @samp{vRun}, @samp{vStopped}, and @samp{?} packets can
38805 receive any of the below as a reply. Except for @samp{?}
38806 and @samp{vStopped}, that reply is only returned
38807 when the target halts. In the below the exact meaning of @dfn{signal
38808 number} is defined by the header @file{include/gdb/signals.h} in the
38809 @value{GDBN} source code.
38810
38811 As in the description of request packets, we include spaces in the
38812 reply templates for clarity; these are not part of the reply packet's
38813 syntax. No @value{GDBN} stop reply packet uses spaces to separate its
38814 components.
38815
38816 @table @samp
38817
38818 @item S @var{AA}
38819 The program received signal number @var{AA} (a two-digit hexadecimal
38820 number). This is equivalent to a @samp{T} response with no
38821 @var{n}:@var{r} pairs.
38822
38823 @item T @var{AA} @var{n1}:@var{r1};@var{n2}:@var{r2};@dots{}
38824 @cindex @samp{T} packet reply
38825 The program received signal number @var{AA} (a two-digit hexadecimal
38826 number). This is equivalent to an @samp{S} response, except that the
38827 @samp{@var{n}:@var{r}} pairs can carry values of important registers
38828 and other information directly in the stop reply packet, reducing
38829 round-trip latency. Single-step and breakpoint traps are reported
38830 this way. Each @samp{@var{n}:@var{r}} pair is interpreted as follows:
38831
38832 @itemize @bullet
38833 @item
38834 If @var{n} is a hexadecimal number, it is a register number, and the
38835 corresponding @var{r} gives that register's value. @var{r} is a
38836 series of bytes in target byte order, with each byte given by a
38837 two-digit hex number.
38838
38839 @item
38840 If @var{n} is @samp{thread}, then @var{r} is the @var{thread-id} of
38841 the stopped thread, as specified in @ref{thread-id syntax}.
38842
38843 @item
38844 If @var{n} is @samp{core}, then @var{r} is the hexadecimal number of
38845 the core on which the stop event was detected.
38846
38847 @item
38848 If @var{n} is a recognized @dfn{stop reason}, it describes a more
38849 specific event that stopped the target. The currently defined stop
38850 reasons are listed below. @var{aa} should be @samp{05}, the trap
38851 signal. At most one stop reason should be present.
38852
38853 @item
38854 Otherwise, @value{GDBN} should ignore this @samp{@var{n}:@var{r}} pair
38855 and go on to the next; this allows us to extend the protocol in the
38856 future.
38857 @end itemize
38858
38859 The currently defined stop reasons are:
38860
38861 @table @samp
38862 @item watch
38863 @itemx rwatch
38864 @itemx awatch
38865 The packet indicates a watchpoint hit, and @var{r} is the data address, in
38866 hex.
38867
38868 @cindex shared library events, remote reply
38869 @item library
38870 The packet indicates that the loaded libraries have changed.
38871 @value{GDBN} should use @samp{qXfer:libraries:read} to fetch a new
38872 list of loaded libraries. @var{r} is ignored.
38873
38874 @cindex replay log events, remote reply
38875 @item replaylog
38876 The packet indicates that the target cannot continue replaying
38877 logged execution events, because it has reached the end (or the
38878 beginning when executing backward) of the log. The value of @var{r}
38879 will be either @samp{begin} or @samp{end}. @xref{Reverse Execution},
38880 for more information.
38881 @end table
38882
38883 @item W @var{AA}
38884 @itemx W @var{AA} ; process:@var{pid}
38885 The process exited, and @var{AA} is the exit status. This is only
38886 applicable to certain targets.
38887
38888 The second form of the response, including the process ID of the exited
38889 process, can be used only when @value{GDBN} has reported support for
38890 multiprocess protocol extensions; see @ref{multiprocess extensions}.
38891 The @var{pid} is formatted as a big-endian hex string.
38892
38893 @item X @var{AA}
38894 @itemx X @var{AA} ; process:@var{pid}
38895 The process terminated with signal @var{AA}.
38896
38897 The second form of the response, including the process ID of the
38898 terminated process, can be used only when @value{GDBN} has reported
38899 support for multiprocess protocol extensions; see @ref{multiprocess
38900 extensions}. The @var{pid} is formatted as a big-endian hex string.
38901
38902 @item O @var{XX}@dots{}
38903 @samp{@var{XX}@dots{}} is hex encoding of @sc{ascii} data, to be
38904 written as the program's console output. This can happen at any time
38905 while the program is running and the debugger should continue to wait
38906 for @samp{W}, @samp{T}, etc. This reply is not permitted in non-stop mode.
38907
38908 @item F @var{call-id},@var{parameter}@dots{}
38909 @var{call-id} is the identifier which says which host system call should
38910 be called. This is just the name of the function. Translation into the
38911 correct system call is only applicable as it's defined in @value{GDBN}.
38912 @xref{File-I/O Remote Protocol Extension}, for a list of implemented
38913 system calls.
38914
38915 @samp{@var{parameter}@dots{}} is a list of parameters as defined for
38916 this very system call.
38917
38918 The target replies with this packet when it expects @value{GDBN} to
38919 call a host system call on behalf of the target. @value{GDBN} replies
38920 with an appropriate @samp{F} packet and keeps up waiting for the next
38921 reply packet from the target. The latest @samp{C}, @samp{c}, @samp{S}
38922 or @samp{s} action is expected to be continued. @xref{File-I/O Remote
38923 Protocol Extension}, for more details.
38924
38925 @end table
38926
38927 @node General Query Packets
38928 @section General Query Packets
38929 @cindex remote query requests
38930
38931 Packets starting with @samp{q} are @dfn{general query packets};
38932 packets starting with @samp{Q} are @dfn{general set packets}. General
38933 query and set packets are a semi-unified form for retrieving and
38934 sending information to and from the stub.
38935
38936 The initial letter of a query or set packet is followed by a name
38937 indicating what sort of thing the packet applies to. For example,
38938 @value{GDBN} may use a @samp{qSymbol} packet to exchange symbol
38939 definitions with the stub. These packet names follow some
38940 conventions:
38941
38942 @itemize @bullet
38943 @item
38944 The name must not contain commas, colons or semicolons.
38945 @item
38946 Most @value{GDBN} query and set packets have a leading upper case
38947 letter.
38948 @item
38949 The names of custom vendor packets should use a company prefix, in
38950 lower case, followed by a period. For example, packets designed at
38951 the Acme Corporation might begin with @samp{qacme.foo} (for querying
38952 foos) or @samp{Qacme.bar} (for setting bars).
38953 @end itemize
38954
38955 The name of a query or set packet should be separated from any
38956 parameters by a @samp{:}; the parameters themselves should be
38957 separated by @samp{,} or @samp{;}. Stubs must be careful to match the
38958 full packet name, and check for a separator or the end of the packet,
38959 in case two packet names share a common prefix. New packets should not begin
38960 with @samp{qC}, @samp{qP}, or @samp{qL}@footnote{The @samp{qP} and @samp{qL}
38961 packets predate these conventions, and have arguments without any terminator
38962 for the packet name; we suspect they are in widespread use in places that
38963 are difficult to upgrade. The @samp{qC} packet has no arguments, but some
38964 existing stubs (e.g.@: RedBoot) are known to not check for the end of the
38965 packet.}.
38966
38967 Like the descriptions of the other packets, each description here
38968 has a template showing the packet's overall syntax, followed by an
38969 explanation of the packet's meaning. We include spaces in some of the
38970 templates for clarity; these are not part of the packet's syntax. No
38971 @value{GDBN} packet uses spaces to separate its components.
38972
38973 Here are the currently defined query and set packets:
38974
38975 @table @samp
38976
38977 @item QAgent:1
38978 @itemx QAgent:0
38979 Turn on or off the agent as a helper to perform some debugging operations
38980 delegated from @value{GDBN} (@pxref{Control Agent}).
38981
38982 @item QAllow:@var{op}:@var{val}@dots{}
38983 @cindex @samp{QAllow} packet
38984 Specify which operations @value{GDBN} expects to request of the
38985 target, as a semicolon-separated list of operation name and value
38986 pairs. Possible values for @var{op} include @samp{WriteReg},
38987 @samp{WriteMem}, @samp{InsertBreak}, @samp{InsertTrace},
38988 @samp{InsertFastTrace}, and @samp{Stop}. @var{val} is either 0,
38989 indicating that @value{GDBN} will not request the operation, or 1,
38990 indicating that it may. (The target can then use this to set up its
38991 own internals optimally, for instance if the debugger never expects to
38992 insert breakpoints, it may not need to install its own trap handler.)
38993
38994 @item qC
38995 @cindex current thread, remote request
38996 @cindex @samp{qC} packet
38997 Return the current thread ID.
38998
38999 Reply:
39000 @table @samp
39001 @item QC @var{thread-id}
39002 Where @var{thread-id} is a thread ID as documented in
39003 @ref{thread-id syntax}.
39004 @item @r{(anything else)}
39005 Any other reply implies the old thread ID.
39006 @end table
39007
39008 @item qCRC:@var{addr},@var{length}
39009 @cindex CRC of memory block, remote request
39010 @cindex @samp{qCRC} packet
39011 Compute the CRC checksum of a block of memory using CRC-32 defined in
39012 IEEE 802.3. The CRC is computed byte at a time, taking the most
39013 significant bit of each byte first. The initial pattern code
39014 @code{0xffffffff} is used to ensure leading zeros affect the CRC.
39015
39016 @emph{Note:} This is the same CRC used in validating separate debug
39017 files (@pxref{Separate Debug Files, , Debugging Information in Separate
39018 Files}). However the algorithm is slightly different. When validating
39019 separate debug files, the CRC is computed taking the @emph{least}
39020 significant bit of each byte first, and the final result is inverted to
39021 detect trailing zeros.
39022
39023 Reply:
39024 @table @samp
39025 @item E @var{NN}
39026 An error (such as memory fault)
39027 @item C @var{crc32}
39028 The specified memory region's checksum is @var{crc32}.
39029 @end table
39030
39031 @item QDisableRandomization:@var{value}
39032 @cindex disable address space randomization, remote request
39033 @cindex @samp{QDisableRandomization} packet
39034 Some target operating systems will randomize the virtual address space
39035 of the inferior process as a security feature, but provide a feature
39036 to disable such randomization, e.g.@: to allow for a more deterministic
39037 debugging experience. On such systems, this packet with a @var{value}
39038 of 1 directs the target to disable address space randomization for
39039 processes subsequently started via @samp{vRun} packets, while a packet
39040 with a @var{value} of 0 tells the target to enable address space
39041 randomization.
39042
39043 This packet is only available in extended mode (@pxref{extended mode}).
39044
39045 Reply:
39046 @table @samp
39047 @item OK
39048 The request succeeded.
39049
39050 @item E @var{nn}
39051 An error occurred. @var{nn} are hex digits.
39052
39053 @item @w{}
39054 An empty reply indicates that @samp{QDisableRandomization} is not supported
39055 by the stub.
39056 @end table
39057
39058 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
39059 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
39060 This should only be done on targets that actually support disabling
39061 address space randomization.
39062
39063 @item qfThreadInfo
39064 @itemx qsThreadInfo
39065 @cindex list active threads, remote request
39066 @cindex @samp{qfThreadInfo} packet
39067 @cindex @samp{qsThreadInfo} packet
39068 Obtain a list of all active thread IDs from the target (OS). Since there
39069 may be too many active threads to fit into one reply packet, this query
39070 works iteratively: it may require more than one query/reply sequence to
39071 obtain the entire list of threads. The first query of the sequence will
39072 be the @samp{qfThreadInfo} query; subsequent queries in the
39073 sequence will be the @samp{qsThreadInfo} query.
39074
39075 NOTE: This packet replaces the @samp{qL} query (see below).
39076
39077 Reply:
39078 @table @samp
39079 @item m @var{thread-id}
39080 A single thread ID
39081 @item m @var{thread-id},@var{thread-id}@dots{}
39082 a comma-separated list of thread IDs
39083 @item l
39084 (lower case letter @samp{L}) denotes end of list.
39085 @end table
39086
39087 In response to each query, the target will reply with a list of one or
39088 more thread IDs, separated by commas.
39089 @value{GDBN} will respond to each reply with a request for more thread
39090 ids (using the @samp{qs} form of the query), until the target responds
39091 with @samp{l} (lower-case ell, for @dfn{last}).
39092 Refer to @ref{thread-id syntax}, for the format of the @var{thread-id}
39093 fields.
39094
39095 @item qGetTLSAddr:@var{thread-id},@var{offset},@var{lm}
39096 @cindex get thread-local storage address, remote request
39097 @cindex @samp{qGetTLSAddr} packet
39098 Fetch the address associated with thread local storage specified
39099 by @var{thread-id}, @var{offset}, and @var{lm}.
39100
39101 @var{thread-id} is the thread ID associated with the
39102 thread for which to fetch the TLS address. @xref{thread-id syntax}.
39103
39104 @var{offset} is the (big endian, hex encoded) offset associated with the
39105 thread local variable. (This offset is obtained from the debug
39106 information associated with the variable.)
39107
39108 @var{lm} is the (big endian, hex encoded) OS/ABI-specific encoding of the
39109 load module associated with the thread local storage. For example,
39110 a @sc{gnu}/Linux system will pass the link map address of the shared
39111 object associated with the thread local storage under consideration.
39112 Other operating environments may choose to represent the load module
39113 differently, so the precise meaning of this parameter will vary.
39114
39115 Reply:
39116 @table @samp
39117 @item @var{XX}@dots{}
39118 Hex encoded (big endian) bytes representing the address of the thread
39119 local storage requested.
39120
39121 @item E @var{nn}
39122 An error occurred. @var{nn} are hex digits.
39123
39124 @item @w{}
39125 An empty reply indicates that @samp{qGetTLSAddr} is not supported by the stub.
39126 @end table
39127
39128 @item qGetTIBAddr:@var{thread-id}
39129 @cindex get thread information block address
39130 @cindex @samp{qGetTIBAddr} packet
39131 Fetch address of the Windows OS specific Thread Information Block.
39132
39133 @var{thread-id} is the thread ID associated with the thread.
39134
39135 Reply:
39136 @table @samp
39137 @item @var{XX}@dots{}
39138 Hex encoded (big endian) bytes representing the linear address of the
39139 thread information block.
39140
39141 @item E @var{nn}
39142 An error occured. This means that either the thread was not found, or the
39143 address could not be retrieved.
39144
39145 @item @w{}
39146 An empty reply indicates that @samp{qGetTIBAddr} is not supported by the stub.
39147 @end table
39148
39149 @item qL @var{startflag} @var{threadcount} @var{nextthread}
39150 Obtain thread information from RTOS. Where: @var{startflag} (one hex
39151 digit) is one to indicate the first query and zero to indicate a
39152 subsequent query; @var{threadcount} (two hex digits) is the maximum
39153 number of threads the response packet can contain; and @var{nextthread}
39154 (eight hex digits), for subsequent queries (@var{startflag} is zero), is
39155 returned in the response as @var{argthread}.
39156
39157 Don't use this packet; use the @samp{qfThreadInfo} query instead (see above).
39158
39159 Reply:
39160 @table @samp
39161 @item qM @var{count} @var{done} @var{argthread} @var{thread}@dots{}
39162 Where: @var{count} (two hex digits) is the number of threads being
39163 returned; @var{done} (one hex digit) is zero to indicate more threads
39164 and one indicates no further threads; @var{argthreadid} (eight hex
39165 digits) is @var{nextthread} from the request packet; @var{thread}@dots{}
39166 is a sequence of thread IDs from the target. @var{threadid} (eight hex
39167 digits). See @code{remote.c:parse_threadlist_response()}.
39168 @end table
39169
39170 @item qOffsets
39171 @cindex section offsets, remote request
39172 @cindex @samp{qOffsets} packet
39173 Get section offsets that the target used when relocating the downloaded
39174 image.
39175
39176 Reply:
39177 @table @samp
39178 @item Text=@var{xxx};Data=@var{yyy}@r{[};Bss=@var{zzz}@r{]}
39179 Relocate the @code{Text} section by @var{xxx} from its original address.
39180 Relocate the @code{Data} section by @var{yyy} from its original address.
39181 If the object file format provides segment information (e.g.@: @sc{elf}
39182 @samp{PT_LOAD} program headers), @value{GDBN} will relocate entire
39183 segments by the supplied offsets.
39184
39185 @emph{Note: while a @code{Bss} offset may be included in the response,
39186 @value{GDBN} ignores this and instead applies the @code{Data} offset
39187 to the @code{Bss} section.}
39188
39189 @item TextSeg=@var{xxx}@r{[};DataSeg=@var{yyy}@r{]}
39190 Relocate the first segment of the object file, which conventionally
39191 contains program code, to a starting address of @var{xxx}. If
39192 @samp{DataSeg} is specified, relocate the second segment, which
39193 conventionally contains modifiable data, to a starting address of
39194 @var{yyy}. @value{GDBN} will report an error if the object file
39195 does not contain segment information, or does not contain at least
39196 as many segments as mentioned in the reply. Extra segments are
39197 kept at fixed offsets relative to the last relocated segment.
39198 @end table
39199
39200 @item qP @var{mode} @var{thread-id}
39201 @cindex thread information, remote request
39202 @cindex @samp{qP} packet
39203 Returns information on @var{thread-id}. Where: @var{mode} is a hex
39204 encoded 32 bit mode; @var{thread-id} is a thread ID
39205 (@pxref{thread-id syntax}).
39206
39207 Don't use this packet; use the @samp{qThreadExtraInfo} query instead
39208 (see below).
39209
39210 Reply: see @code{remote.c:remote_unpack_thread_info_response()}.
39211
39212 @item QNonStop:1
39213 @itemx QNonStop:0
39214 @cindex non-stop mode, remote request
39215 @cindex @samp{QNonStop} packet
39216 @anchor{QNonStop}
39217 Enter non-stop (@samp{QNonStop:1}) or all-stop (@samp{QNonStop:0}) mode.
39218 @xref{Remote Non-Stop}, for more information.
39219
39220 Reply:
39221 @table @samp
39222 @item OK
39223 The request succeeded.
39224
39225 @item E @var{nn}
39226 An error occurred. @var{nn} are hex digits.
39227
39228 @item @w{}
39229 An empty reply indicates that @samp{QNonStop} is not supported by
39230 the stub.
39231 @end table
39232
39233 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
39234 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
39235 Use of this packet is controlled by the @code{set non-stop} command;
39236 @pxref{Non-Stop Mode}.
39237
39238 @item QPassSignals: @var{signal} @r{[};@var{signal}@r{]}@dots{}
39239 @cindex pass signals to inferior, remote request
39240 @cindex @samp{QPassSignals} packet
39241 @anchor{QPassSignals}
39242 Each listed @var{signal} should be passed directly to the inferior process.
39243 Signals are numbered identically to continue packets and stop replies
39244 (@pxref{Stop Reply Packets}). Each @var{signal} list item should be
39245 strictly greater than the previous item. These signals do not need to stop
39246 the inferior, or be reported to @value{GDBN}. All other signals should be
39247 reported to @value{GDBN}. Multiple @samp{QPassSignals} packets do not
39248 combine; any earlier @samp{QPassSignals} list is completely replaced by the
39249 new list. This packet improves performance when using @samp{handle
39250 @var{signal} nostop noprint pass}.
39251
39252 Reply:
39253 @table @samp
39254 @item OK
39255 The request succeeded.
39256
39257 @item E @var{nn}
39258 An error occurred. @var{nn} are hex digits.
39259
39260 @item @w{}
39261 An empty reply indicates that @samp{QPassSignals} is not supported by
39262 the stub.
39263 @end table
39264
39265 Use of this packet is controlled by the @code{set remote pass-signals}
39266 command (@pxref{Remote Configuration, set remote pass-signals}).
39267 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
39268 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
39269
39270 @item QProgramSignals: @var{signal} @r{[};@var{signal}@r{]}@dots{}
39271 @cindex signals the inferior may see, remote request
39272 @cindex @samp{QProgramSignals} packet
39273 @anchor{QProgramSignals}
39274 Each listed @var{signal} may be delivered to the inferior process.
39275 Others should be silently discarded.
39276
39277 In some cases, the remote stub may need to decide whether to deliver a
39278 signal to the program or not without @value{GDBN} involvement. One
39279 example of that is while detaching --- the program's threads may have
39280 stopped for signals that haven't yet had a chance of being reported to
39281 @value{GDBN}, and so the remote stub can use the signal list specified
39282 by this packet to know whether to deliver or ignore those pending
39283 signals.
39284
39285 This does not influence whether to deliver a signal as requested by a
39286 resumption packet (@pxref{vCont packet}).
39287
39288 Signals are numbered identically to continue packets and stop replies
39289 (@pxref{Stop Reply Packets}). Each @var{signal} list item should be
39290 strictly greater than the previous item. Multiple
39291 @samp{QProgramSignals} packets do not combine; any earlier
39292 @samp{QProgramSignals} list is completely replaced by the new list.
39293
39294 Reply:
39295 @table @samp
39296 @item OK
39297 The request succeeded.
39298
39299 @item E @var{nn}
39300 An error occurred. @var{nn} are hex digits.
39301
39302 @item @w{}
39303 An empty reply indicates that @samp{QProgramSignals} is not supported
39304 by the stub.
39305 @end table
39306
39307 Use of this packet is controlled by the @code{set remote program-signals}
39308 command (@pxref{Remote Configuration, set remote program-signals}).
39309 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
39310 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
39311
39312 @item qRcmd,@var{command}
39313 @cindex execute remote command, remote request
39314 @cindex @samp{qRcmd} packet
39315 @var{command} (hex encoded) is passed to the local interpreter for
39316 execution. Invalid commands should be reported using the output
39317 string. Before the final result packet, the target may also respond
39318 with a number of intermediate @samp{O@var{output}} console output
39319 packets. @emph{Implementors should note that providing access to a
39320 stubs's interpreter may have security implications}.
39321
39322 Reply:
39323 @table @samp
39324 @item OK
39325 A command response with no output.
39326 @item @var{OUTPUT}
39327 A command response with the hex encoded output string @var{OUTPUT}.
39328 @item E @var{NN}
39329 Indicate a badly formed request.
39330 @item @w{}
39331 An empty reply indicates that @samp{qRcmd} is not recognized.
39332 @end table
39333
39334 (Note that the @code{qRcmd} packet's name is separated from the
39335 command by a @samp{,}, not a @samp{:}, contrary to the naming
39336 conventions above. Please don't use this packet as a model for new
39337 packets.)
39338
39339 @item qSearch:memory:@var{address};@var{length};@var{search-pattern}
39340 @cindex searching memory, in remote debugging
39341 @ifnotinfo
39342 @cindex @samp{qSearch:memory} packet
39343 @end ifnotinfo
39344 @cindex @samp{qSearch memory} packet
39345 @anchor{qSearch memory}
39346 Search @var{length} bytes at @var{address} for @var{search-pattern}.
39347 @var{address} and @var{length} are encoded in hex.
39348 @var{search-pattern} is a sequence of bytes, hex encoded.
39349
39350 Reply:
39351 @table @samp
39352 @item 0
39353 The pattern was not found.
39354 @item 1,address
39355 The pattern was found at @var{address}.
39356 @item E @var{NN}
39357 A badly formed request or an error was encountered while searching memory.
39358 @item @w{}
39359 An empty reply indicates that @samp{qSearch:memory} is not recognized.
39360 @end table
39361
39362 @item QStartNoAckMode
39363 @cindex @samp{QStartNoAckMode} packet
39364 @anchor{QStartNoAckMode}
39365 Request that the remote stub disable the normal @samp{+}/@samp{-}
39366 protocol acknowledgments (@pxref{Packet Acknowledgment}).
39367
39368 Reply:
39369 @table @samp
39370 @item OK
39371 The stub has switched to no-acknowledgment mode.
39372 @value{GDBN} acknowledges this reponse,
39373 but neither the stub nor @value{GDBN} shall send or expect further
39374 @samp{+}/@samp{-} acknowledgments in the current connection.
39375 @item @w{}
39376 An empty reply indicates that the stub does not support no-acknowledgment mode.
39377 @end table
39378
39379 @item qSupported @r{[}:@var{gdbfeature} @r{[};@var{gdbfeature}@r{]}@dots{} @r{]}
39380 @cindex supported packets, remote query
39381 @cindex features of the remote protocol
39382 @cindex @samp{qSupported} packet
39383 @anchor{qSupported}
39384 Tell the remote stub about features supported by @value{GDBN}, and
39385 query the stub for features it supports. This packet allows
39386 @value{GDBN} and the remote stub to take advantage of each others'
39387 features. @samp{qSupported} also consolidates multiple feature probes
39388 at startup, to improve @value{GDBN} performance---a single larger
39389 packet performs better than multiple smaller probe packets on
39390 high-latency links. Some features may enable behavior which must not
39391 be on by default, e.g.@: because it would confuse older clients or
39392 stubs. Other features may describe packets which could be
39393 automatically probed for, but are not. These features must be
39394 reported before @value{GDBN} will use them. This ``default
39395 unsupported'' behavior is not appropriate for all packets, but it
39396 helps to keep the initial connection time under control with new
39397 versions of @value{GDBN} which support increasing numbers of packets.
39398
39399 Reply:
39400 @table @samp
39401 @item @var{stubfeature} @r{[};@var{stubfeature}@r{]}@dots{}
39402 The stub supports or does not support each returned @var{stubfeature},
39403 depending on the form of each @var{stubfeature} (see below for the
39404 possible forms).
39405 @item @w{}
39406 An empty reply indicates that @samp{qSupported} is not recognized,
39407 or that no features needed to be reported to @value{GDBN}.
39408 @end table
39409
39410 The allowed forms for each feature (either a @var{gdbfeature} in the
39411 @samp{qSupported} packet, or a @var{stubfeature} in the response)
39412 are:
39413
39414 @table @samp
39415 @item @var{name}=@var{value}
39416 The remote protocol feature @var{name} is supported, and associated
39417 with the specified @var{value}. The format of @var{value} depends
39418 on the feature, but it must not include a semicolon.
39419 @item @var{name}+
39420 The remote protocol feature @var{name} is supported, and does not
39421 need an associated value.
39422 @item @var{name}-
39423 The remote protocol feature @var{name} is not supported.
39424 @item @var{name}?
39425 The remote protocol feature @var{name} may be supported, and
39426 @value{GDBN} should auto-detect support in some other way when it is
39427 needed. This form will not be used for @var{gdbfeature} notifications,
39428 but may be used for @var{stubfeature} responses.
39429 @end table
39430
39431 Whenever the stub receives a @samp{qSupported} request, the
39432 supplied set of @value{GDBN} features should override any previous
39433 request. This allows @value{GDBN} to put the stub in a known
39434 state, even if the stub had previously been communicating with
39435 a different version of @value{GDBN}.
39436
39437 The following values of @var{gdbfeature} (for the packet sent by @value{GDBN})
39438 are defined:
39439
39440 @table @samp
39441 @item multiprocess
39442 This feature indicates whether @value{GDBN} supports multiprocess
39443 extensions to the remote protocol. @value{GDBN} does not use such
39444 extensions unless the stub also reports that it supports them by
39445 including @samp{multiprocess+} in its @samp{qSupported} reply.
39446 @xref{multiprocess extensions}, for details.
39447
39448 @item xmlRegisters
39449 This feature indicates that @value{GDBN} supports the XML target
39450 description. If the stub sees @samp{xmlRegisters=} with target
39451 specific strings separated by a comma, it will report register
39452 description.
39453
39454 @item qRelocInsn
39455 This feature indicates whether @value{GDBN} supports the
39456 @samp{qRelocInsn} packet (@pxref{Tracepoint Packets,,Relocate
39457 instruction reply packet}).
39458 @end table
39459
39460 Stubs should ignore any unknown values for
39461 @var{gdbfeature}. Any @value{GDBN} which sends a @samp{qSupported}
39462 packet supports receiving packets of unlimited length (earlier
39463 versions of @value{GDBN} may reject overly long responses). Additional values
39464 for @var{gdbfeature} may be defined in the future to let the stub take
39465 advantage of new features in @value{GDBN}, e.g.@: incompatible
39466 improvements in the remote protocol---the @samp{multiprocess} feature is
39467 an example of such a feature. The stub's reply should be independent
39468 of the @var{gdbfeature} entries sent by @value{GDBN}; first @value{GDBN}
39469 describes all the features it supports, and then the stub replies with
39470 all the features it supports.
39471
39472 Similarly, @value{GDBN} will silently ignore unrecognized stub feature
39473 responses, as long as each response uses one of the standard forms.
39474
39475 Some features are flags. A stub which supports a flag feature
39476 should respond with a @samp{+} form response. Other features
39477 require values, and the stub should respond with an @samp{=}
39478 form response.
39479
39480 Each feature has a default value, which @value{GDBN} will use if
39481 @samp{qSupported} is not available or if the feature is not mentioned
39482 in the @samp{qSupported} response. The default values are fixed; a
39483 stub is free to omit any feature responses that match the defaults.
39484
39485 Not all features can be probed, but for those which can, the probing
39486 mechanism is useful: in some cases, a stub's internal
39487 architecture may not allow the protocol layer to know some information
39488 about the underlying target in advance. This is especially common in
39489 stubs which may be configured for multiple targets.
39490
39491 These are the currently defined stub features and their properties:
39492
39493 @multitable @columnfractions 0.35 0.2 0.12 0.2
39494 @c NOTE: The first row should be @headitem, but we do not yet require
39495 @c a new enough version of Texinfo (4.7) to use @headitem.
39496 @item Feature Name
39497 @tab Value Required
39498 @tab Default
39499 @tab Probe Allowed
39500
39501 @item @samp{PacketSize}
39502 @tab Yes
39503 @tab @samp{-}
39504 @tab No
39505
39506 @item @samp{qXfer:auxv:read}
39507 @tab No
39508 @tab @samp{-}
39509 @tab Yes
39510
39511 @item @samp{qXfer:btrace:read}
39512 @tab No
39513 @tab @samp{-}
39514 @tab Yes
39515
39516 @item @samp{qXfer:features:read}
39517 @tab No
39518 @tab @samp{-}
39519 @tab Yes
39520
39521 @item @samp{qXfer:libraries:read}
39522 @tab No
39523 @tab @samp{-}
39524 @tab Yes
39525
39526 @item @samp{qXfer:libraries-svr4:read}
39527 @tab No
39528 @tab @samp{-}
39529 @tab Yes
39530
39531 @item @samp{augmented-libraries-svr4-read}
39532 @tab No
39533 @tab @samp{-}
39534 @tab No
39535
39536 @item @samp{qXfer:memory-map:read}
39537 @tab No
39538 @tab @samp{-}
39539 @tab Yes
39540
39541 @item @samp{qXfer:sdata:read}
39542 @tab No
39543 @tab @samp{-}
39544 @tab Yes
39545
39546 @item @samp{qXfer:spu:read}
39547 @tab No
39548 @tab @samp{-}
39549 @tab Yes
39550
39551 @item @samp{qXfer:spu:write}
39552 @tab No
39553 @tab @samp{-}
39554 @tab Yes
39555
39556 @item @samp{qXfer:siginfo:read}
39557 @tab No
39558 @tab @samp{-}
39559 @tab Yes
39560
39561 @item @samp{qXfer:siginfo:write}
39562 @tab No
39563 @tab @samp{-}
39564 @tab Yes
39565
39566 @item @samp{qXfer:threads:read}
39567 @tab No
39568 @tab @samp{-}
39569 @tab Yes
39570
39571 @item @samp{qXfer:traceframe-info:read}
39572 @tab No
39573 @tab @samp{-}
39574 @tab Yes
39575
39576 @item @samp{qXfer:uib:read}
39577 @tab No
39578 @tab @samp{-}
39579 @tab Yes
39580
39581 @item @samp{qXfer:fdpic:read}
39582 @tab No
39583 @tab @samp{-}
39584 @tab Yes
39585
39586 @item @samp{Qbtrace:off}
39587 @tab Yes
39588 @tab @samp{-}
39589 @tab Yes
39590
39591 @item @samp{Qbtrace:bts}
39592 @tab Yes
39593 @tab @samp{-}
39594 @tab Yes
39595
39596 @item @samp{QNonStop}
39597 @tab No
39598 @tab @samp{-}
39599 @tab Yes
39600
39601 @item @samp{QPassSignals}
39602 @tab No
39603 @tab @samp{-}
39604 @tab Yes
39605
39606 @item @samp{QStartNoAckMode}
39607 @tab No
39608 @tab @samp{-}
39609 @tab Yes
39610
39611 @item @samp{multiprocess}
39612 @tab No
39613 @tab @samp{-}
39614 @tab No
39615
39616 @item @samp{ConditionalBreakpoints}
39617 @tab No
39618 @tab @samp{-}
39619 @tab No
39620
39621 @item @samp{ConditionalTracepoints}
39622 @tab No
39623 @tab @samp{-}
39624 @tab No
39625
39626 @item @samp{ReverseContinue}
39627 @tab No
39628 @tab @samp{-}
39629 @tab No
39630
39631 @item @samp{ReverseStep}
39632 @tab No
39633 @tab @samp{-}
39634 @tab No
39635
39636 @item @samp{TracepointSource}
39637 @tab No
39638 @tab @samp{-}
39639 @tab No
39640
39641 @item @samp{QAgent}
39642 @tab No
39643 @tab @samp{-}
39644 @tab No
39645
39646 @item @samp{QAllow}
39647 @tab No
39648 @tab @samp{-}
39649 @tab No
39650
39651 @item @samp{QDisableRandomization}
39652 @tab No
39653 @tab @samp{-}
39654 @tab No
39655
39656 @item @samp{EnableDisableTracepoints}
39657 @tab No
39658 @tab @samp{-}
39659 @tab No
39660
39661 @item @samp{QTBuffer:size}
39662 @tab No
39663 @tab @samp{-}
39664 @tab No
39665
39666 @item @samp{tracenz}
39667 @tab No
39668 @tab @samp{-}
39669 @tab No
39670
39671 @item @samp{BreakpointCommands}
39672 @tab No
39673 @tab @samp{-}
39674 @tab No
39675
39676 @end multitable
39677
39678 These are the currently defined stub features, in more detail:
39679
39680 @table @samp
39681 @cindex packet size, remote protocol
39682 @item PacketSize=@var{bytes}
39683 The remote stub can accept packets up to at least @var{bytes} in
39684 length. @value{GDBN} will send packets up to this size for bulk
39685 transfers, and will never send larger packets. This is a limit on the
39686 data characters in the packet, including the frame and checksum.
39687 There is no trailing NUL byte in a remote protocol packet; if the stub
39688 stores packets in a NUL-terminated format, it should allow an extra
39689 byte in its buffer for the NUL. If this stub feature is not supported,
39690 @value{GDBN} guesses based on the size of the @samp{g} packet response.
39691
39692 @item qXfer:auxv:read
39693 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:auxv:read} packet
39694 (@pxref{qXfer auxiliary vector read}).
39695
39696 @item qXfer:btrace:read
39697 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:btrace:read}
39698 packet (@pxref{qXfer btrace read}).
39699
39700 @item qXfer:features:read
39701 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:features:read} packet
39702 (@pxref{qXfer target description read}).
39703
39704 @item qXfer:libraries:read
39705 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:libraries:read} packet
39706 (@pxref{qXfer library list read}).
39707
39708 @item qXfer:libraries-svr4:read
39709 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:libraries-svr4:read} packet
39710 (@pxref{qXfer svr4 library list read}).
39711
39712 @item augmented-libraries-svr4-read
39713 The remote stub understands the augmented form of the
39714 @samp{qXfer:libraries-svr4:read} packet
39715 (@pxref{qXfer svr4 library list read}).
39716
39717 @item qXfer:memory-map:read
39718 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:memory-map:read} packet
39719 (@pxref{qXfer memory map read}).
39720
39721 @item qXfer:sdata:read
39722 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:sdata:read} packet
39723 (@pxref{qXfer sdata read}).
39724
39725 @item qXfer:spu:read
39726 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:spu:read} packet
39727 (@pxref{qXfer spu read}).
39728
39729 @item qXfer:spu:write
39730 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:spu:write} packet
39731 (@pxref{qXfer spu write}).
39732
39733 @item qXfer:siginfo:read
39734 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:siginfo:read} packet
39735 (@pxref{qXfer siginfo read}).
39736
39737 @item qXfer:siginfo:write
39738 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:siginfo:write} packet
39739 (@pxref{qXfer siginfo write}).
39740
39741 @item qXfer:threads:read
39742 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:threads:read} packet
39743 (@pxref{qXfer threads read}).
39744
39745 @item qXfer:traceframe-info:read
39746 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:traceframe-info:read}
39747 packet (@pxref{qXfer traceframe info read}).
39748
39749 @item qXfer:uib:read
39750 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:uib:read}
39751 packet (@pxref{qXfer unwind info block}).
39752
39753 @item qXfer:fdpic:read
39754 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:fdpic:read}
39755 packet (@pxref{qXfer fdpic loadmap read}).
39756
39757 @item QNonStop
39758 The remote stub understands the @samp{QNonStop} packet
39759 (@pxref{QNonStop}).
39760
39761 @item QPassSignals
39762 The remote stub understands the @samp{QPassSignals} packet
39763 (@pxref{QPassSignals}).
39764
39765 @item QStartNoAckMode
39766 The remote stub understands the @samp{QStartNoAckMode} packet and
39767 prefers to operate in no-acknowledgment mode. @xref{Packet Acknowledgment}.
39768
39769 @item multiprocess
39770 @anchor{multiprocess extensions}
39771 @cindex multiprocess extensions, in remote protocol
39772 The remote stub understands the multiprocess extensions to the remote
39773 protocol syntax. The multiprocess extensions affect the syntax of
39774 thread IDs in both packets and replies (@pxref{thread-id syntax}), and
39775 add process IDs to the @samp{D} packet and @samp{W} and @samp{X}
39776 replies. Note that reporting this feature indicates support for the
39777 syntactic extensions only, not that the stub necessarily supports
39778 debugging of more than one process at a time. The stub must not use
39779 multiprocess extensions in packet replies unless @value{GDBN} has also
39780 indicated it supports them in its @samp{qSupported} request.
39781
39782 @item qXfer:osdata:read
39783 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:osdata:read} packet
39784 ((@pxref{qXfer osdata read}).
39785
39786 @item ConditionalBreakpoints
39787 The target accepts and implements evaluation of conditional expressions
39788 defined for breakpoints. The target will only report breakpoint triggers
39789 when such conditions are true (@pxref{Conditions, ,Break Conditions}).
39790
39791 @item ConditionalTracepoints
39792 The remote stub accepts and implements conditional expressions defined
39793 for tracepoints (@pxref{Tracepoint Conditions}).
39794
39795 @item ReverseContinue
39796 The remote stub accepts and implements the reverse continue packet
39797 (@pxref{bc}).
39798
39799 @item ReverseStep
39800 The remote stub accepts and implements the reverse step packet
39801 (@pxref{bs}).
39802
39803 @item TracepointSource
39804 The remote stub understands the @samp{QTDPsrc} packet that supplies
39805 the source form of tracepoint definitions.
39806
39807 @item QAgent
39808 The remote stub understands the @samp{QAgent} packet.
39809
39810 @item QAllow
39811 The remote stub understands the @samp{QAllow} packet.
39812
39813 @item QDisableRandomization
39814 The remote stub understands the @samp{QDisableRandomization} packet.
39815
39816 @item StaticTracepoint
39817 @cindex static tracepoints, in remote protocol
39818 The remote stub supports static tracepoints.
39819
39820 @item InstallInTrace
39821 @anchor{install tracepoint in tracing}
39822 The remote stub supports installing tracepoint in tracing.
39823
39824 @item EnableDisableTracepoints
39825 The remote stub supports the @samp{QTEnable} (@pxref{QTEnable}) and
39826 @samp{QTDisable} (@pxref{QTDisable}) packets that allow tracepoints
39827 to be enabled and disabled while a trace experiment is running.
39828
39829 @item QTBuffer:size
39830 The remote stub supports the @samp{QTBuffer:size} (@pxref{QTBuffer-size})
39831 packet that allows to change the size of the trace buffer.
39832
39833 @item tracenz
39834 @cindex string tracing, in remote protocol
39835 The remote stub supports the @samp{tracenz} bytecode for collecting strings.
39836 See @ref{Bytecode Descriptions} for details about the bytecode.
39837
39838 @item BreakpointCommands
39839 @cindex breakpoint commands, in remote protocol
39840 The remote stub supports running a breakpoint's command list itself,
39841 rather than reporting the hit to @value{GDBN}.
39842
39843 @item Qbtrace:off
39844 The remote stub understands the @samp{Qbtrace:off} packet.
39845
39846 @item Qbtrace:bts
39847 The remote stub understands the @samp{Qbtrace:bts} packet.
39848
39849 @end table
39850
39851 @item qSymbol::
39852 @cindex symbol lookup, remote request
39853 @cindex @samp{qSymbol} packet
39854 Notify the target that @value{GDBN} is prepared to serve symbol lookup
39855 requests. Accept requests from the target for the values of symbols.
39856
39857 Reply:
39858 @table @samp
39859 @item OK
39860 The target does not need to look up any (more) symbols.
39861 @item qSymbol:@var{sym_name}
39862 The target requests the value of symbol @var{sym_name} (hex encoded).
39863 @value{GDBN} may provide the value by using the
39864 @samp{qSymbol:@var{sym_value}:@var{sym_name}} message, described
39865 below.
39866 @end table
39867
39868 @item qSymbol:@var{sym_value}:@var{sym_name}
39869 Set the value of @var{sym_name} to @var{sym_value}.
39870
39871 @var{sym_name} (hex encoded) is the name of a symbol whose value the
39872 target has previously requested.
39873
39874 @var{sym_value} (hex) is the value for symbol @var{sym_name}. If
39875 @value{GDBN} cannot supply a value for @var{sym_name}, then this field
39876 will be empty.
39877
39878 Reply:
39879 @table @samp
39880 @item OK
39881 The target does not need to look up any (more) symbols.
39882 @item qSymbol:@var{sym_name}
39883 The target requests the value of a new symbol @var{sym_name} (hex
39884 encoded). @value{GDBN} will continue to supply the values of symbols
39885 (if available), until the target ceases to request them.
39886 @end table
39887
39888 @item qTBuffer
39889 @itemx QTBuffer
39890 @itemx QTDisconnected
39891 @itemx QTDP
39892 @itemx QTDPsrc
39893 @itemx QTDV
39894 @itemx qTfP
39895 @itemx qTfV
39896 @itemx QTFrame
39897 @itemx qTMinFTPILen
39898
39899 @xref{Tracepoint Packets}.
39900
39901 @item qThreadExtraInfo,@var{thread-id}
39902 @cindex thread attributes info, remote request
39903 @cindex @samp{qThreadExtraInfo} packet
39904 Obtain a printable string description of a thread's attributes from
39905 the target OS. @var{thread-id} is a thread ID;
39906 see @ref{thread-id syntax}. This
39907 string may contain anything that the target OS thinks is interesting
39908 for @value{GDBN} to tell the user about the thread. The string is
39909 displayed in @value{GDBN}'s @code{info threads} display. Some
39910 examples of possible thread extra info strings are @samp{Runnable}, or
39911 @samp{Blocked on Mutex}.
39912
39913 Reply:
39914 @table @samp
39915 @item @var{XX}@dots{}
39916 Where @samp{@var{XX}@dots{}} is a hex encoding of @sc{ascii} data,
39917 comprising the printable string containing the extra information about
39918 the thread's attributes.
39919 @end table
39920
39921 (Note that the @code{qThreadExtraInfo} packet's name is separated from
39922 the command by a @samp{,}, not a @samp{:}, contrary to the naming
39923 conventions above. Please don't use this packet as a model for new
39924 packets.)
39925
39926 @item QTNotes
39927 @itemx qTP
39928 @itemx QTSave
39929 @itemx qTsP
39930 @itemx qTsV
39931 @itemx QTStart
39932 @itemx QTStop
39933 @itemx QTEnable
39934 @itemx QTDisable
39935 @itemx QTinit
39936 @itemx QTro
39937 @itemx qTStatus
39938 @itemx qTV
39939 @itemx qTfSTM
39940 @itemx qTsSTM
39941 @itemx qTSTMat
39942 @xref{Tracepoint Packets}.
39943
39944 @item qXfer:@var{object}:read:@var{annex}:@var{offset},@var{length}
39945 @cindex read special object, remote request
39946 @cindex @samp{qXfer} packet
39947 @anchor{qXfer read}
39948 Read uninterpreted bytes from the target's special data area
39949 identified by the keyword @var{object}. Request @var{length} bytes
39950 starting at @var{offset} bytes into the data. The content and
39951 encoding of @var{annex} is specific to @var{object}; it can supply
39952 additional details about what data to access.
39953
39954 Here are the specific requests of this form defined so far. All
39955 @samp{qXfer:@var{object}:read:@dots{}} requests use the same reply
39956 formats, listed below.
39957
39958 @table @samp
39959 @item qXfer:auxv:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
39960 @anchor{qXfer auxiliary vector read}
39961 Access the target's @dfn{auxiliary vector}. @xref{OS Information,
39962 auxiliary vector}. Note @var{annex} must be empty.
39963
39964 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
39965 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
39966
39967 @item qXfer:btrace:read:@var{annex}:@var{offset},@var{length}
39968 @anchor{qXfer btrace read}
39969
39970 Return a description of the current branch trace.
39971 @xref{Branch Trace Format}. The annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer}
39972 packet may have one of the following values:
39973
39974 @table @code
39975 @item all
39976 Returns all available branch trace.
39977
39978 @item new
39979 Returns all available branch trace if the branch trace changed since
39980 the last read request.
39981
39982 @item delta
39983 Returns the new branch trace since the last read request. Adds a new
39984 block to the end of the trace that begins at zero and ends at the source
39985 location of the first branch in the trace buffer. This extra block is
39986 used to stitch traces together.
39987
39988 If the trace buffer overflowed, returns an error indicating the overflow.
39989 @end table
39990
39991 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it
39992 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
39993
39994 @item qXfer:features:read:@var{annex}:@var{offset},@var{length}
39995 @anchor{qXfer target description read}
39996 Access the @dfn{target description}. @xref{Target Descriptions}. The
39997 annex specifies which XML document to access. The main description is
39998 always loaded from the @samp{target.xml} annex.
39999
40000 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
40001 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
40002
40003 @item qXfer:libraries:read:@var{annex}:@var{offset},@var{length}
40004 @anchor{qXfer library list read}
40005 Access the target's list of loaded libraries. @xref{Library List Format}.
40006 The annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet must be empty
40007 (@pxref{qXfer read}).
40008
40009 Targets which maintain a list of libraries in the program's memory do
40010 not need to implement this packet; it is designed for platforms where
40011 the operating system manages the list of loaded libraries.
40012
40013 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
40014 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
40015
40016 @item qXfer:libraries-svr4:read:@var{annex}:@var{offset},@var{length}
40017 @anchor{qXfer svr4 library list read}
40018 Access the target's list of loaded libraries when the target is an SVR4
40019 platform. @xref{Library List Format for SVR4 Targets}. The annex part
40020 of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet must be empty unless the remote
40021 stub indicated it supports the augmented form of this packet
40022 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response
40023 (@pxref{qXfer read}, @ref{qSupported}).
40024
40025 This packet is optional for better performance on SVR4 targets.
40026 @value{GDBN} uses memory read packets to read the SVR4 library list otherwise.
40027
40028 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
40029 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
40030
40031 If the remote stub indicates it supports the augmented form of this
40032 packet then the annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet may
40033 contain a semicolon-separated list of @samp{@var{name}=@var{value}}
40034 arguments. The currently supported arguments are:
40035
40036 @table @code
40037 @item start=@var{address}
40038 A hexadecimal number specifying the address of the @samp{struct
40039 link_map} to start reading the library list from. If unset or zero
40040 then the first @samp{struct link_map} in the library list will be
40041 chosen as the starting point.
40042
40043 @item prev=@var{address}
40044 A hexadecimal number specifying the address of the @samp{struct
40045 link_map} immediately preceding the @samp{struct link_map}
40046 specified by the @samp{start} argument. If unset or zero then
40047 the remote stub will expect that no @samp{struct link_map}
40048 exists prior to the starting point.
40049
40050 @end table
40051
40052 Arguments that are not understood by the remote stub will be silently
40053 ignored.
40054
40055 @item qXfer:memory-map:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
40056 @anchor{qXfer memory map read}
40057 Access the target's @dfn{memory-map}. @xref{Memory Map Format}. The
40058 annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet must be empty
40059 (@pxref{qXfer read}).
40060
40061 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
40062 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
40063
40064 @item qXfer:sdata:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
40065 @anchor{qXfer sdata read}
40066
40067 Read contents of the extra collected static tracepoint marker
40068 information. The annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet must
40069 be empty (@pxref{qXfer read}). @xref{Tracepoint Actions,,Tracepoint
40070 Action Lists}.
40071
40072 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
40073 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response
40074 (@pxref{qSupported}).
40075
40076 @item qXfer:siginfo:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
40077 @anchor{qXfer siginfo read}
40078 Read contents of the extra signal information on the target
40079 system. The annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet must be
40080 empty (@pxref{qXfer read}).
40081
40082 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
40083 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response
40084 (@pxref{qSupported}).
40085
40086 @item qXfer:spu:read:@var{annex}:@var{offset},@var{length}
40087 @anchor{qXfer spu read}
40088 Read contents of an @code{spufs} file on the target system. The
40089 annex specifies which file to read; it must be of the form
40090 @file{@var{id}/@var{name}}, where @var{id} specifies an SPU context ID
40091 in the target process, and @var{name} identifes the @code{spufs} file
40092 in that context to be accessed.
40093
40094 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
40095 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response
40096 (@pxref{qSupported}).
40097
40098 @item qXfer:threads:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
40099 @anchor{qXfer threads read}
40100 Access the list of threads on target. @xref{Thread List Format}. The
40101 annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet must be empty
40102 (@pxref{qXfer read}).
40103
40104 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
40105 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
40106
40107 @item qXfer:traceframe-info:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
40108 @anchor{qXfer traceframe info read}
40109
40110 Return a description of the current traceframe's contents.
40111 @xref{Traceframe Info Format}. The annex part of the generic
40112 @samp{qXfer} packet must be empty (@pxref{qXfer read}).
40113
40114 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
40115 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
40116
40117 @item qXfer:uib:read:@var{pc}:@var{offset},@var{length}
40118 @anchor{qXfer unwind info block}
40119
40120 Return the unwind information block for @var{pc}. This packet is used
40121 on OpenVMS/ia64 to ask the kernel unwind information.
40122
40123 This packet is not probed by default.
40124
40125 @item qXfer:fdpic:read:@var{annex}:@var{offset},@var{length}
40126 @anchor{qXfer fdpic loadmap read}
40127 Read contents of @code{loadmap}s on the target system. The
40128 annex, either @samp{exec} or @samp{interp}, specifies which @code{loadmap},
40129 executable @code{loadmap} or interpreter @code{loadmap} to read.
40130
40131 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
40132 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
40133
40134 @item qXfer:osdata:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
40135 @anchor{qXfer osdata read}
40136 Access the target's @dfn{operating system information}.
40137 @xref{Operating System Information}.
40138
40139 @end table
40140
40141 Reply:
40142 @table @samp
40143 @item m @var{data}
40144 Data @var{data} (@pxref{Binary Data}) has been read from the
40145 target. There may be more data at a higher address (although
40146 it is permitted to return @samp{m} even for the last valid
40147 block of data, as long as at least one byte of data was read).
40148 @var{data} may have fewer bytes than the @var{length} in the
40149 request.
40150
40151 @item l @var{data}
40152 Data @var{data} (@pxref{Binary Data}) has been read from the target.
40153 There is no more data to be read. @var{data} may have fewer bytes
40154 than the @var{length} in the request.
40155
40156 @item l
40157 The @var{offset} in the request is at the end of the data.
40158 There is no more data to be read.
40159
40160 @item E00
40161 The request was malformed, or @var{annex} was invalid.
40162
40163 @item E @var{nn}
40164 The offset was invalid, or there was an error encountered reading the data.
40165 @var{nn} is a hex-encoded @code{errno} value.
40166
40167 @item @w{}
40168 An empty reply indicates the @var{object} string was not recognized by
40169 the stub, or that the object does not support reading.
40170 @end table
40171
40172 @item qXfer:@var{object}:write:@var{annex}:@var{offset}:@var{data}@dots{}
40173 @cindex write data into object, remote request
40174 @anchor{qXfer write}
40175 Write uninterpreted bytes into the target's special data area
40176 identified by the keyword @var{object}, starting at @var{offset} bytes
40177 into the data. @var{data}@dots{} is the binary-encoded data
40178 (@pxref{Binary Data}) to be written. The content and encoding of @var{annex}
40179 is specific to @var{object}; it can supply additional details about what data
40180 to access.
40181
40182 Here are the specific requests of this form defined so far. All
40183 @samp{qXfer:@var{object}:write:@dots{}} requests use the same reply
40184 formats, listed below.
40185
40186 @table @samp
40187 @item qXfer:siginfo:write::@var{offset}:@var{data}@dots{}
40188 @anchor{qXfer siginfo write}
40189 Write @var{data} to the extra signal information on the target system.
40190 The annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet must be
40191 empty (@pxref{qXfer write}).
40192
40193 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
40194 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response
40195 (@pxref{qSupported}).
40196
40197 @item qXfer:spu:write:@var{annex}:@var{offset}:@var{data}@dots{}
40198 @anchor{qXfer spu write}
40199 Write @var{data} to an @code{spufs} file on the target system. The
40200 annex specifies which file to write; it must be of the form
40201 @file{@var{id}/@var{name}}, where @var{id} specifies an SPU context ID
40202 in the target process, and @var{name} identifes the @code{spufs} file
40203 in that context to be accessed.
40204
40205 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
40206 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
40207 @end table
40208
40209 Reply:
40210 @table @samp
40211 @item @var{nn}
40212 @var{nn} (hex encoded) is the number of bytes written.
40213 This may be fewer bytes than supplied in the request.
40214
40215 @item E00
40216 The request was malformed, or @var{annex} was invalid.
40217
40218 @item E @var{nn}
40219 The offset was invalid, or there was an error encountered writing the data.
40220 @var{nn} is a hex-encoded @code{errno} value.
40221
40222 @item @w{}
40223 An empty reply indicates the @var{object} string was not
40224 recognized by the stub, or that the object does not support writing.
40225 @end table
40226
40227 @item qXfer:@var{object}:@var{operation}:@dots{}
40228 Requests of this form may be added in the future. When a stub does
40229 not recognize the @var{object} keyword, or its support for
40230 @var{object} does not recognize the @var{operation} keyword, the stub
40231 must respond with an empty packet.
40232
40233 @item qAttached:@var{pid}
40234 @cindex query attached, remote request
40235 @cindex @samp{qAttached} packet
40236 Return an indication of whether the remote server attached to an
40237 existing process or created a new process. When the multiprocess
40238 protocol extensions are supported (@pxref{multiprocess extensions}),
40239 @var{pid} is an integer in hexadecimal format identifying the target
40240 process. Otherwise, @value{GDBN} will omit the @var{pid} field and
40241 the query packet will be simplified as @samp{qAttached}.
40242
40243 This query is used, for example, to know whether the remote process
40244 should be detached or killed when a @value{GDBN} session is ended with
40245 the @code{quit} command.
40246
40247 Reply:
40248 @table @samp
40249 @item 1
40250 The remote server attached to an existing process.
40251 @item 0
40252 The remote server created a new process.
40253 @item E @var{NN}
40254 A badly formed request or an error was encountered.
40255 @end table
40256
40257 @item Qbtrace:bts
40258 Enable branch tracing for the current thread using bts tracing.
40259
40260 Reply:
40261 @table @samp
40262 @item OK
40263 Branch tracing has been enabled.
40264 @item E.errtext
40265 A badly formed request or an error was encountered.
40266 @end table
40267
40268 @item Qbtrace:off
40269 Disable branch tracing for the current thread.
40270
40271 Reply:
40272 @table @samp
40273 @item OK
40274 Branch tracing has been disabled.
40275 @item E.errtext
40276 A badly formed request or an error was encountered.
40277 @end table
40278
40279 @end table
40280
40281 @node Architecture-Specific Protocol Details
40282 @section Architecture-Specific Protocol Details
40283
40284 This section describes how the remote protocol is applied to specific
40285 target architectures. Also see @ref{Standard Target Features}, for
40286 details of XML target descriptions for each architecture.
40287
40288 @menu
40289 * ARM-Specific Protocol Details::
40290 * MIPS-Specific Protocol Details::
40291 @end menu
40292
40293 @node ARM-Specific Protocol Details
40294 @subsection @acronym{ARM}-specific Protocol Details
40295
40296 @menu
40297 * ARM Breakpoint Kinds::
40298 @end menu
40299
40300 @node ARM Breakpoint Kinds
40301 @subsubsection @acronym{ARM} Breakpoint Kinds
40302 @cindex breakpoint kinds, @acronym{ARM}
40303
40304 These breakpoint kinds are defined for the @samp{Z0} and @samp{Z1} packets.
40305
40306 @table @r
40307
40308 @item 2
40309 16-bit Thumb mode breakpoint.
40310
40311 @item 3
40312 32-bit Thumb mode (Thumb-2) breakpoint.
40313
40314 @item 4
40315 32-bit @acronym{ARM} mode breakpoint.
40316
40317 @end table
40318
40319 @node MIPS-Specific Protocol Details
40320 @subsection @acronym{MIPS}-specific Protocol Details
40321
40322 @menu
40323 * MIPS Register packet Format::
40324 * MIPS Breakpoint Kinds::
40325 @end menu
40326
40327 @node MIPS Register packet Format
40328 @subsubsection @acronym{MIPS} Register Packet Format
40329 @cindex register packet format, @acronym{MIPS}
40330
40331 The following @code{g}/@code{G} packets have previously been defined.
40332 In the below, some thirty-two bit registers are transferred as
40333 sixty-four bits. Those registers should be zero/sign extended (which?)
40334 to fill the space allocated. Register bytes are transferred in target
40335 byte order. The two nibbles within a register byte are transferred
40336 most-significant -- least-significant.
40337
40338 @table @r
40339
40340 @item MIPS32
40341 All registers are transferred as thirty-two bit quantities in the order:
40342 32 general-purpose; sr; lo; hi; bad; cause; pc; 32 floating-point
40343 registers; fsr; fir; fp.
40344
40345 @item MIPS64
40346 All registers are transferred as sixty-four bit quantities (including
40347 thirty-two bit registers such as @code{sr}). The ordering is the same
40348 as @code{MIPS32}.
40349
40350 @end table
40351
40352 @node MIPS Breakpoint Kinds
40353 @subsubsection @acronym{MIPS} Breakpoint Kinds
40354 @cindex breakpoint kinds, @acronym{MIPS}
40355
40356 These breakpoint kinds are defined for the @samp{Z0} and @samp{Z1} packets.
40357
40358 @table @r
40359
40360 @item 2
40361 16-bit @acronym{MIPS16} mode breakpoint.
40362
40363 @item 3
40364 16-bit @acronym{microMIPS} mode breakpoint.
40365
40366 @item 4
40367 32-bit standard @acronym{MIPS} mode breakpoint.
40368
40369 @item 5
40370 32-bit @acronym{microMIPS} mode breakpoint.
40371
40372 @end table
40373
40374 @node Tracepoint Packets
40375 @section Tracepoint Packets
40376 @cindex tracepoint packets
40377 @cindex packets, tracepoint
40378
40379 Here we describe the packets @value{GDBN} uses to implement
40380 tracepoints (@pxref{Tracepoints}).
40381
40382 @table @samp
40383
40384 @item QTDP:@var{n}:@var{addr}:@var{ena}:@var{step}:@var{pass}[:F@var{flen}][:X@var{len},@var{bytes}]@r{[}-@r{]}
40385 @cindex @samp{QTDP} packet
40386 Create a new tracepoint, number @var{n}, at @var{addr}. If @var{ena}
40387 is @samp{E}, then the tracepoint is enabled; if it is @samp{D}, then
40388 the tracepoint is disabled. @var{step} is the tracepoint's step
40389 count, and @var{pass} is its pass count. If an @samp{F} is present,
40390 then the tracepoint is to be a fast tracepoint, and the @var{flen} is
40391 the number of bytes that the target should copy elsewhere to make room
40392 for the tracepoint. If an @samp{X} is present, it introduces a
40393 tracepoint condition, which consists of a hexadecimal length, followed
40394 by a comma and hex-encoded bytes, in a manner similar to action
40395 encodings as described below. If the trailing @samp{-} is present,
40396 further @samp{QTDP} packets will follow to specify this tracepoint's
40397 actions.
40398
40399 Replies:
40400 @table @samp
40401 @item OK
40402 The packet was understood and carried out.
40403 @item qRelocInsn
40404 @xref{Tracepoint Packets,,Relocate instruction reply packet}.
40405 @item @w{}
40406 The packet was not recognized.
40407 @end table
40408
40409 @item QTDP:-@var{n}:@var{addr}:@r{[}S@r{]}@var{action}@dots{}@r{[}-@r{]}
40410 Define actions to be taken when a tracepoint is hit. @var{n} and
40411 @var{addr} must be the same as in the initial @samp{QTDP} packet for
40412 this tracepoint. This packet may only be sent immediately after
40413 another @samp{QTDP} packet that ended with a @samp{-}. If the
40414 trailing @samp{-} is present, further @samp{QTDP} packets will follow,
40415 specifying more actions for this tracepoint.
40416
40417 In the series of action packets for a given tracepoint, at most one
40418 can have an @samp{S} before its first @var{action}. If such a packet
40419 is sent, it and the following packets define ``while-stepping''
40420 actions. Any prior packets define ordinary actions --- that is, those
40421 taken when the tracepoint is first hit. If no action packet has an
40422 @samp{S}, then all the packets in the series specify ordinary
40423 tracepoint actions.
40424
40425 The @samp{@var{action}@dots{}} portion of the packet is a series of
40426 actions, concatenated without separators. Each action has one of the
40427 following forms:
40428
40429 @table @samp
40430
40431 @item R @var{mask}
40432 Collect the registers whose bits are set in @var{mask}. @var{mask} is
40433 a hexadecimal number whose @var{i}'th bit is set if register number
40434 @var{i} should be collected. (The least significant bit is numbered
40435 zero.) Note that @var{mask} may be any number of digits long; it may
40436 not fit in a 32-bit word.
40437
40438 @item M @var{basereg},@var{offset},@var{len}
40439 Collect @var{len} bytes of memory starting at the address in register
40440 number @var{basereg}, plus @var{offset}. If @var{basereg} is
40441 @samp{-1}, then the range has a fixed address: @var{offset} is the
40442 address of the lowest byte to collect. The @var{basereg},
40443 @var{offset}, and @var{len} parameters are all unsigned hexadecimal
40444 values (the @samp{-1} value for @var{basereg} is a special case).
40445
40446 @item X @var{len},@var{expr}
40447 Evaluate @var{expr}, whose length is @var{len}, and collect memory as
40448 it directs. @var{expr} is an agent expression, as described in
40449 @ref{Agent Expressions}. Each byte of the expression is encoded as a
40450 two-digit hex number in the packet; @var{len} is the number of bytes
40451 in the expression (and thus one-half the number of hex digits in the
40452 packet).
40453
40454 @end table
40455
40456 Any number of actions may be packed together in a single @samp{QTDP}
40457 packet, as long as the packet does not exceed the maximum packet
40458 length (400 bytes, for many stubs). There may be only one @samp{R}
40459 action per tracepoint, and it must precede any @samp{M} or @samp{X}
40460 actions. Any registers referred to by @samp{M} and @samp{X} actions
40461 must be collected by a preceding @samp{R} action. (The
40462 ``while-stepping'' actions are treated as if they were attached to a
40463 separate tracepoint, as far as these restrictions are concerned.)
40464
40465 Replies:
40466 @table @samp
40467 @item OK
40468 The packet was understood and carried out.
40469 @item qRelocInsn
40470 @xref{Tracepoint Packets,,Relocate instruction reply packet}.
40471 @item @w{}
40472 The packet was not recognized.
40473 @end table
40474
40475 @item QTDPsrc:@var{n}:@var{addr}:@var{type}:@var{start}:@var{slen}:@var{bytes}
40476 @cindex @samp{QTDPsrc} packet
40477 Specify a source string of tracepoint @var{n} at address @var{addr}.
40478 This is useful to get accurate reproduction of the tracepoints
40479 originally downloaded at the beginning of the trace run. @var{type}
40480 is the name of the tracepoint part, such as @samp{cond} for the
40481 tracepoint's conditional expression (see below for a list of types), while
40482 @var{bytes} is the string, encoded in hexadecimal.
40483
40484 @var{start} is the offset of the @var{bytes} within the overall source
40485 string, while @var{slen} is the total length of the source string.
40486 This is intended for handling source strings that are longer than will
40487 fit in a single packet.
40488 @c Add detailed example when this info is moved into a dedicated
40489 @c tracepoint descriptions section.
40490
40491 The available string types are @samp{at} for the location,
40492 @samp{cond} for the conditional, and @samp{cmd} for an action command.
40493 @value{GDBN} sends a separate packet for each command in the action
40494 list, in the same order in which the commands are stored in the list.
40495
40496 The target does not need to do anything with source strings except
40497 report them back as part of the replies to the @samp{qTfP}/@samp{qTsP}
40498 query packets.
40499
40500 Although this packet is optional, and @value{GDBN} will only send it
40501 if the target replies with @samp{TracepointSource} @xref{General
40502 Query Packets}, it makes both disconnected tracing and trace files
40503 much easier to use. Otherwise the user must be careful that the
40504 tracepoints in effect while looking at trace frames are identical to
40505 the ones in effect during the trace run; even a small discrepancy
40506 could cause @samp{tdump} not to work, or a particular trace frame not
40507 be found.
40508
40509 @item QTDV:@var{n}:@var{value}
40510 @cindex define trace state variable, remote request
40511 @cindex @samp{QTDV} packet
40512 Create a new trace state variable, number @var{n}, with an initial
40513 value of @var{value}, which is a 64-bit signed integer. Both @var{n}
40514 and @var{value} are encoded as hexadecimal values. @value{GDBN} has
40515 the option of not using this packet for initial values of zero; the
40516 target should simply create the trace state variables as they are
40517 mentioned in expressions.
40518
40519 @item QTFrame:@var{n}
40520 @cindex @samp{QTFrame} packet
40521 Select the @var{n}'th tracepoint frame from the buffer, and use the
40522 register and memory contents recorded there to answer subsequent
40523 request packets from @value{GDBN}.
40524
40525 A successful reply from the stub indicates that the stub has found the
40526 requested frame. The response is a series of parts, concatenated
40527 without separators, describing the frame we selected. Each part has
40528 one of the following forms:
40529
40530 @table @samp
40531 @item F @var{f}
40532 The selected frame is number @var{n} in the trace frame buffer;
40533 @var{f} is a hexadecimal number. If @var{f} is @samp{-1}, then there
40534 was no frame matching the criteria in the request packet.
40535
40536 @item T @var{t}
40537 The selected trace frame records a hit of tracepoint number @var{t};
40538 @var{t} is a hexadecimal number.
40539
40540 @end table
40541
40542 @item QTFrame:pc:@var{addr}
40543 Like @samp{QTFrame:@var{n}}, but select the first tracepoint frame after the
40544 currently selected frame whose PC is @var{addr};
40545 @var{addr} is a hexadecimal number.
40546
40547 @item QTFrame:tdp:@var{t}
40548 Like @samp{QTFrame:@var{n}}, but select the first tracepoint frame after the
40549 currently selected frame that is a hit of tracepoint @var{t}; @var{t}
40550 is a hexadecimal number.
40551
40552 @item QTFrame:range:@var{start}:@var{end}
40553 Like @samp{QTFrame:@var{n}}, but select the first tracepoint frame after the
40554 currently selected frame whose PC is between @var{start} (inclusive)
40555 and @var{end} (inclusive); @var{start} and @var{end} are hexadecimal
40556 numbers.
40557
40558 @item QTFrame:outside:@var{start}:@var{end}
40559 Like @samp{QTFrame:range:@var{start}:@var{end}}, but select the first
40560 frame @emph{outside} the given range of addresses (exclusive).
40561
40562 @item qTMinFTPILen
40563 @cindex @samp{qTMinFTPILen} packet
40564 This packet requests the minimum length of instruction at which a fast
40565 tracepoint (@pxref{Set Tracepoints}) may be placed. For instance, on
40566 the 32-bit x86 architecture, it is possible to use a 4-byte jump, but
40567 it depends on the target system being able to create trampolines in
40568 the first 64K of memory, which might or might not be possible for that
40569 system. So the reply to this packet will be 4 if it is able to
40570 arrange for that.
40571
40572 Replies:
40573
40574 @table @samp
40575 @item 0
40576 The minimum instruction length is currently unknown.
40577 @item @var{length}
40578 The minimum instruction length is @var{length}, where @var{length} is greater
40579 or equal to 1. @var{length} is a hexadecimal number. A reply of 1 means
40580 that a fast tracepoint may be placed on any instruction regardless of size.
40581 @item E
40582 An error has occurred.
40583 @item @w{}
40584 An empty reply indicates that the request is not supported by the stub.
40585 @end table
40586
40587 @item QTStart
40588 @cindex @samp{QTStart} packet
40589 Begin the tracepoint experiment. Begin collecting data from
40590 tracepoint hits in the trace frame buffer. This packet supports the
40591 @samp{qRelocInsn} reply (@pxref{Tracepoint Packets,,Relocate
40592 instruction reply packet}).
40593
40594 @item QTStop
40595 @cindex @samp{QTStop} packet
40596 End the tracepoint experiment. Stop collecting trace frames.
40597
40598 @item QTEnable:@var{n}:@var{addr}
40599 @anchor{QTEnable}
40600 @cindex @samp{QTEnable} packet
40601 Enable tracepoint @var{n} at address @var{addr} in a started tracepoint
40602 experiment. If the tracepoint was previously disabled, then collection
40603 of data from it will resume.
40604
40605 @item QTDisable:@var{n}:@var{addr}
40606 @anchor{QTDisable}
40607 @cindex @samp{QTDisable} packet
40608 Disable tracepoint @var{n} at address @var{addr} in a started tracepoint
40609 experiment. No more data will be collected from the tracepoint unless
40610 @samp{QTEnable:@var{n}:@var{addr}} is subsequently issued.
40611
40612 @item QTinit
40613 @cindex @samp{QTinit} packet
40614 Clear the table of tracepoints, and empty the trace frame buffer.
40615
40616 @item QTro:@var{start1},@var{end1}:@var{start2},@var{end2}:@dots{}
40617 @cindex @samp{QTro} packet
40618 Establish the given ranges of memory as ``transparent''. The stub
40619 will answer requests for these ranges from memory's current contents,
40620 if they were not collected as part of the tracepoint hit.
40621
40622 @value{GDBN} uses this to mark read-only regions of memory, like those
40623 containing program code. Since these areas never change, they should
40624 still have the same contents they did when the tracepoint was hit, so
40625 there's no reason for the stub to refuse to provide their contents.
40626
40627 @item QTDisconnected:@var{value}
40628 @cindex @samp{QTDisconnected} packet
40629 Set the choice to what to do with the tracing run when @value{GDBN}
40630 disconnects from the target. A @var{value} of 1 directs the target to
40631 continue the tracing run, while 0 tells the target to stop tracing if
40632 @value{GDBN} is no longer in the picture.
40633
40634 @item qTStatus
40635 @cindex @samp{qTStatus} packet
40636 Ask the stub if there is a trace experiment running right now.
40637
40638 The reply has the form:
40639
40640 @table @samp
40641
40642 @item T@var{running}@r{[};@var{field}@r{]}@dots{}
40643 @var{running} is a single digit @code{1} if the trace is presently
40644 running, or @code{0} if not. It is followed by semicolon-separated
40645 optional fields that an agent may use to report additional status.
40646
40647 @end table
40648
40649 If the trace is not running, the agent may report any of several
40650 explanations as one of the optional fields:
40651
40652 @table @samp
40653
40654 @item tnotrun:0
40655 No trace has been run yet.
40656
40657 @item tstop[:@var{text}]:0
40658 The trace was stopped by a user-originated stop command. The optional
40659 @var{text} field is a user-supplied string supplied as part of the
40660 stop command (for instance, an explanation of why the trace was
40661 stopped manually). It is hex-encoded.
40662
40663 @item tfull:0
40664 The trace stopped because the trace buffer filled up.
40665
40666 @item tdisconnected:0
40667 The trace stopped because @value{GDBN} disconnected from the target.
40668
40669 @item tpasscount:@var{tpnum}
40670 The trace stopped because tracepoint @var{tpnum} exceeded its pass count.
40671
40672 @item terror:@var{text}:@var{tpnum}
40673 The trace stopped because tracepoint @var{tpnum} had an error. The
40674 string @var{text} is available to describe the nature of the error
40675 (for instance, a divide by zero in the condition expression).
40676 @var{text} is hex encoded.
40677
40678 @item tunknown:0
40679 The trace stopped for some other reason.
40680
40681 @end table
40682
40683 Additional optional fields supply statistical and other information.
40684 Although not required, they are extremely useful for users monitoring
40685 the progress of a trace run. If a trace has stopped, and these
40686 numbers are reported, they must reflect the state of the just-stopped
40687 trace.
40688
40689 @table @samp
40690
40691 @item tframes:@var{n}
40692 The number of trace frames in the buffer.
40693
40694 @item tcreated:@var{n}
40695 The total number of trace frames created during the run. This may
40696 be larger than the trace frame count, if the buffer is circular.
40697
40698 @item tsize:@var{n}
40699 The total size of the trace buffer, in bytes.
40700
40701 @item tfree:@var{n}
40702 The number of bytes still unused in the buffer.
40703
40704 @item circular:@var{n}
40705 The value of the circular trace buffer flag. @code{1} means that the
40706 trace buffer is circular and old trace frames will be discarded if
40707 necessary to make room, @code{0} means that the trace buffer is linear
40708 and may fill up.
40709
40710 @item disconn:@var{n}
40711 The value of the disconnected tracing flag. @code{1} means that
40712 tracing will continue after @value{GDBN} disconnects, @code{0} means
40713 that the trace run will stop.
40714
40715 @end table
40716
40717 @item qTP:@var{tp}:@var{addr}
40718 @cindex tracepoint status, remote request
40719 @cindex @samp{qTP} packet
40720 Ask the stub for the current state of tracepoint number @var{tp} at
40721 address @var{addr}.
40722
40723 Replies:
40724 @table @samp
40725 @item V@var{hits}:@var{usage}
40726 The tracepoint has been hit @var{hits} times so far during the trace
40727 run, and accounts for @var{usage} in the trace buffer. Note that
40728 @code{while-stepping} steps are not counted as separate hits, but the
40729 steps' space consumption is added into the usage number.
40730
40731 @end table
40732
40733 @item qTV:@var{var}
40734 @cindex trace state variable value, remote request
40735 @cindex @samp{qTV} packet
40736 Ask the stub for the value of the trace state variable number @var{var}.
40737
40738 Replies:
40739 @table @samp
40740 @item V@var{value}
40741 The value of the variable is @var{value}. This will be the current
40742 value of the variable if the user is examining a running target, or a
40743 saved value if the variable was collected in the trace frame that the
40744 user is looking at. Note that multiple requests may result in
40745 different reply values, such as when requesting values while the
40746 program is running.
40747
40748 @item U
40749 The value of the variable is unknown. This would occur, for example,
40750 if the user is examining a trace frame in which the requested variable
40751 was not collected.
40752 @end table
40753
40754 @item qTfP
40755 @cindex @samp{qTfP} packet
40756 @itemx qTsP
40757 @cindex @samp{qTsP} packet
40758 These packets request data about tracepoints that are being used by
40759 the target. @value{GDBN} sends @code{qTfP} to get the first piece
40760 of data, and multiple @code{qTsP} to get additional pieces. Replies
40761 to these packets generally take the form of the @code{QTDP} packets
40762 that define tracepoints. (FIXME add detailed syntax)
40763
40764 @item qTfV
40765 @cindex @samp{qTfV} packet
40766 @itemx qTsV
40767 @cindex @samp{qTsV} packet
40768 These packets request data about trace state variables that are on the
40769 target. @value{GDBN} sends @code{qTfV} to get the first vari of data,
40770 and multiple @code{qTsV} to get additional variables. Replies to
40771 these packets follow the syntax of the @code{QTDV} packets that define
40772 trace state variables.
40773
40774 @item qTfSTM
40775 @itemx qTsSTM
40776 @anchor{qTfSTM}
40777 @anchor{qTsSTM}
40778 @cindex @samp{qTfSTM} packet
40779 @cindex @samp{qTsSTM} packet
40780 These packets request data about static tracepoint markers that exist
40781 in the target program. @value{GDBN} sends @code{qTfSTM} to get the
40782 first piece of data, and multiple @code{qTsSTM} to get additional
40783 pieces. Replies to these packets take the following form:
40784
40785 Reply:
40786 @table @samp
40787 @item m @var{address}:@var{id}:@var{extra}
40788 A single marker
40789 @item m @var{address}:@var{id}:@var{extra},@var{address}:@var{id}:@var{extra}@dots{}
40790 a comma-separated list of markers
40791 @item l
40792 (lower case letter @samp{L}) denotes end of list.
40793 @item E @var{nn}
40794 An error occurred. @var{nn} are hex digits.
40795 @item @w{}
40796 An empty reply indicates that the request is not supported by the
40797 stub.
40798 @end table
40799
40800 @var{address} is encoded in hex.
40801 @var{id} and @var{extra} are strings encoded in hex.
40802
40803 In response to each query, the target will reply with a list of one or
40804 more markers, separated by commas. @value{GDBN} will respond to each
40805 reply with a request for more markers (using the @samp{qs} form of the
40806 query), until the target responds with @samp{l} (lower-case ell, for
40807 @dfn{last}).
40808
40809 @item qTSTMat:@var{address}
40810 @anchor{qTSTMat}
40811 @cindex @samp{qTSTMat} packet
40812 This packets requests data about static tracepoint markers in the
40813 target program at @var{address}. Replies to this packet follow the
40814 syntax of the @samp{qTfSTM} and @code{qTsSTM} packets that list static
40815 tracepoint markers.
40816
40817 @item QTSave:@var{filename}
40818 @cindex @samp{QTSave} packet
40819 This packet directs the target to save trace data to the file name
40820 @var{filename} in the target's filesystem. @var{filename} is encoded
40821 as a hex string; the interpretation of the file name (relative vs
40822 absolute, wild cards, etc) is up to the target.
40823
40824 @item qTBuffer:@var{offset},@var{len}
40825 @cindex @samp{qTBuffer} packet
40826 Return up to @var{len} bytes of the current contents of trace buffer,
40827 starting at @var{offset}. The trace buffer is treated as if it were
40828 a contiguous collection of traceframes, as per the trace file format.
40829 The reply consists as many hex-encoded bytes as the target can deliver
40830 in a packet; it is not an error to return fewer than were asked for.
40831 A reply consisting of just @code{l} indicates that no bytes are
40832 available.
40833
40834 @item QTBuffer:circular:@var{value}
40835 This packet directs the target to use a circular trace buffer if
40836 @var{value} is 1, or a linear buffer if the value is 0.
40837
40838 @item QTBuffer:size:@var{size}
40839 @anchor{QTBuffer-size}
40840 @cindex @samp{QTBuffer size} packet
40841 This packet directs the target to make the trace buffer be of size
40842 @var{size} if possible. A value of @code{-1} tells the target to
40843 use whatever size it prefers.
40844
40845 @item QTNotes:@r{[}@var{type}:@var{text}@r{]}@r{[};@var{type}:@var{text}@r{]}@dots{}
40846 @cindex @samp{QTNotes} packet
40847 This packet adds optional textual notes to the trace run. Allowable
40848 types include @code{user}, @code{notes}, and @code{tstop}, the
40849 @var{text} fields are arbitrary strings, hex-encoded.
40850
40851 @end table
40852
40853 @subsection Relocate instruction reply packet
40854 When installing fast tracepoints in memory, the target may need to
40855 relocate the instruction currently at the tracepoint address to a
40856 different address in memory. For most instructions, a simple copy is
40857 enough, but, for example, call instructions that implicitly push the
40858 return address on the stack, and relative branches or other
40859 PC-relative instructions require offset adjustment, so that the effect
40860 of executing the instruction at a different address is the same as if
40861 it had executed in the original location.
40862
40863 In response to several of the tracepoint packets, the target may also
40864 respond with a number of intermediate @samp{qRelocInsn} request
40865 packets before the final result packet, to have @value{GDBN} handle
40866 this relocation operation. If a packet supports this mechanism, its
40867 documentation will explicitly say so. See for example the above
40868 descriptions for the @samp{QTStart} and @samp{QTDP} packets. The
40869 format of the request is:
40870
40871 @table @samp
40872 @item qRelocInsn:@var{from};@var{to}
40873
40874 This requests @value{GDBN} to copy instruction at address @var{from}
40875 to address @var{to}, possibly adjusted so that executing the
40876 instruction at @var{to} has the same effect as executing it at
40877 @var{from}. @value{GDBN} writes the adjusted instruction to target
40878 memory starting at @var{to}.
40879 @end table
40880
40881 Replies:
40882 @table @samp
40883 @item qRelocInsn:@var{adjusted_size}
40884 Informs the stub the relocation is complete. @var{adjusted_size} is
40885 the length in bytes of resulting relocated instruction sequence.
40886 @item E @var{NN}
40887 A badly formed request was detected, or an error was encountered while
40888 relocating the instruction.
40889 @end table
40890
40891 @node Host I/O Packets
40892 @section Host I/O Packets
40893 @cindex Host I/O, remote protocol
40894 @cindex file transfer, remote protocol
40895
40896 The @dfn{Host I/O} packets allow @value{GDBN} to perform I/O
40897 operations on the far side of a remote link. For example, Host I/O is
40898 used to upload and download files to a remote target with its own
40899 filesystem. Host I/O uses the same constant values and data structure
40900 layout as the target-initiated File-I/O protocol. However, the
40901 Host I/O packets are structured differently. The target-initiated
40902 protocol relies on target memory to store parameters and buffers.
40903 Host I/O requests are initiated by @value{GDBN}, and the
40904 target's memory is not involved. @xref{File-I/O Remote Protocol
40905 Extension}, for more details on the target-initiated protocol.
40906
40907 The Host I/O request packets all encode a single operation along with
40908 its arguments. They have this format:
40909
40910 @table @samp
40911
40912 @item vFile:@var{operation}: @var{parameter}@dots{}
40913 @var{operation} is the name of the particular request; the target
40914 should compare the entire packet name up to the second colon when checking
40915 for a supported operation. The format of @var{parameter} depends on
40916 the operation. Numbers are always passed in hexadecimal. Negative
40917 numbers have an explicit minus sign (i.e.@: two's complement is not
40918 used). Strings (e.g.@: filenames) are encoded as a series of
40919 hexadecimal bytes. The last argument to a system call may be a
40920 buffer of escaped binary data (@pxref{Binary Data}).
40921
40922 @end table
40923
40924 The valid responses to Host I/O packets are:
40925
40926 @table @samp
40927
40928 @item F @var{result} [, @var{errno}] [; @var{attachment}]
40929 @var{result} is the integer value returned by this operation, usually
40930 non-negative for success and -1 for errors. If an error has occured,
40931 @var{errno} will be included in the result. @var{errno} will have a
40932 value defined by the File-I/O protocol (@pxref{Errno Values}). For
40933 operations which return data, @var{attachment} supplies the data as a
40934 binary buffer. Binary buffers in response packets are escaped in the
40935 normal way (@pxref{Binary Data}). See the individual packet
40936 documentation for the interpretation of @var{result} and
40937 @var{attachment}.
40938
40939 @item @w{}
40940 An empty response indicates that this operation is not recognized.
40941
40942 @end table
40943
40944 These are the supported Host I/O operations:
40945
40946 @table @samp
40947 @item vFile:open: @var{pathname}, @var{flags}, @var{mode}
40948 Open a file at @var{pathname} and return a file descriptor for it, or
40949 return -1 if an error occurs. @var{pathname} is a string,
40950 @var{flags} is an integer indicating a mask of open flags
40951 (@pxref{Open Flags}), and @var{mode} is an integer indicating a mask
40952 of mode bits to use if the file is created (@pxref{mode_t Values}).
40953 @xref{open}, for details of the open flags and mode values.
40954
40955 @item vFile:close: @var{fd}
40956 Close the open file corresponding to @var{fd} and return 0, or
40957 -1 if an error occurs.
40958
40959 @item vFile:pread: @var{fd}, @var{count}, @var{offset}
40960 Read data from the open file corresponding to @var{fd}. Up to
40961 @var{count} bytes will be read from the file, starting at @var{offset}
40962 relative to the start of the file. The target may read fewer bytes;
40963 common reasons include packet size limits and an end-of-file
40964 condition. The number of bytes read is returned. Zero should only be
40965 returned for a successful read at the end of the file, or if
40966 @var{count} was zero.
40967
40968 The data read should be returned as a binary attachment on success.
40969 If zero bytes were read, the response should include an empty binary
40970 attachment (i.e.@: a trailing semicolon). The return value is the
40971 number of target bytes read; the binary attachment may be longer if
40972 some characters were escaped.
40973
40974 @item vFile:pwrite: @var{fd}, @var{offset}, @var{data}
40975 Write @var{data} (a binary buffer) to the open file corresponding
40976 to @var{fd}. Start the write at @var{offset} from the start of the
40977 file. Unlike many @code{write} system calls, there is no
40978 separate @var{count} argument; the length of @var{data} in the
40979 packet is used. @samp{vFile:write} returns the number of bytes written,
40980 which may be shorter than the length of @var{data}, or -1 if an
40981 error occurred.
40982
40983 @item vFile:unlink: @var{pathname}
40984 Delete the file at @var{pathname} on the target. Return 0,
40985 or -1 if an error occurs. @var{pathname} is a string.
40986
40987 @item vFile:readlink: @var{filename}
40988 Read value of symbolic link @var{filename} on the target. Return
40989 the number of bytes read, or -1 if an error occurs.
40990
40991 The data read should be returned as a binary attachment on success.
40992 If zero bytes were read, the response should include an empty binary
40993 attachment (i.e.@: a trailing semicolon). The return value is the
40994 number of target bytes read; the binary attachment may be longer if
40995 some characters were escaped.
40996
40997 @end table
40998
40999 @node Interrupts
41000 @section Interrupts
41001 @cindex interrupts (remote protocol)
41002
41003 When a program on the remote target is running, @value{GDBN} may
41004 attempt to interrupt it by sending a @samp{Ctrl-C}, @code{BREAK} or
41005 a @code{BREAK} followed by @code{g},
41006 control of which is specified via @value{GDBN}'s @samp{interrupt-sequence}.
41007
41008 The precise meaning of @code{BREAK} is defined by the transport
41009 mechanism and may, in fact, be undefined. @value{GDBN} does not
41010 currently define a @code{BREAK} mechanism for any of the network
41011 interfaces except for TCP, in which case @value{GDBN} sends the
41012 @code{telnet} BREAK sequence.
41013
41014 @samp{Ctrl-C}, on the other hand, is defined and implemented for all
41015 transport mechanisms. It is represented by sending the single byte
41016 @code{0x03} without any of the usual packet overhead described in
41017 the Overview section (@pxref{Overview}). When a @code{0x03} byte is
41018 transmitted as part of a packet, it is considered to be packet data
41019 and does @emph{not} represent an interrupt. E.g., an @samp{X} packet
41020 (@pxref{X packet}), used for binary downloads, may include an unescaped
41021 @code{0x03} as part of its packet.
41022
41023 @code{BREAK} followed by @code{g} is also known as Magic SysRq g.
41024 When Linux kernel receives this sequence from serial port,
41025 it stops execution and connects to gdb.
41026
41027 Stubs are not required to recognize these interrupt mechanisms and the
41028 precise meaning associated with receipt of the interrupt is
41029 implementation defined. If the target supports debugging of multiple
41030 threads and/or processes, it should attempt to interrupt all
41031 currently-executing threads and processes.
41032 If the stub is successful at interrupting the
41033 running program, it should send one of the stop
41034 reply packets (@pxref{Stop Reply Packets}) to @value{GDBN} as a result
41035 of successfully stopping the program in all-stop mode, and a stop reply
41036 for each stopped thread in non-stop mode.
41037 Interrupts received while the
41038 program is stopped are discarded.
41039
41040 @node Notification Packets
41041 @section Notification Packets
41042 @cindex notification packets
41043 @cindex packets, notification
41044
41045 The @value{GDBN} remote serial protocol includes @dfn{notifications},
41046 packets that require no acknowledgment. Both the GDB and the stub
41047 may send notifications (although the only notifications defined at
41048 present are sent by the stub). Notifications carry information
41049 without incurring the round-trip latency of an acknowledgment, and so
41050 are useful for low-impact communications where occasional packet loss
41051 is not a problem.
41052
41053 A notification packet has the form @samp{% @var{data} #
41054 @var{checksum}}, where @var{data} is the content of the notification,
41055 and @var{checksum} is a checksum of @var{data}, computed and formatted
41056 as for ordinary @value{GDBN} packets. A notification's @var{data}
41057 never contains @samp{$}, @samp{%} or @samp{#} characters. Upon
41058 receiving a notification, the recipient sends no @samp{+} or @samp{-}
41059 to acknowledge the notification's receipt or to report its corruption.
41060
41061 Every notification's @var{data} begins with a name, which contains no
41062 colon characters, followed by a colon character.
41063
41064 Recipients should silently ignore corrupted notifications and
41065 notifications they do not understand. Recipients should restart
41066 timeout periods on receipt of a well-formed notification, whether or
41067 not they understand it.
41068
41069 Senders should only send the notifications described here when this
41070 protocol description specifies that they are permitted. In the
41071 future, we may extend the protocol to permit existing notifications in
41072 new contexts; this rule helps older senders avoid confusing newer
41073 recipients.
41074
41075 (Older versions of @value{GDBN} ignore bytes received until they see
41076 the @samp{$} byte that begins an ordinary packet, so new stubs may
41077 transmit notifications without fear of confusing older clients. There
41078 are no notifications defined for @value{GDBN} to send at the moment, but we
41079 assume that most older stubs would ignore them, as well.)
41080
41081 Each notification is comprised of three parts:
41082 @table @samp
41083 @item @var{name}:@var{event}
41084 The notification packet is sent by the side that initiates the
41085 exchange (currently, only the stub does that), with @var{event}
41086 carrying the specific information about the notification.
41087 @var{name} is the name of the notification.
41088 @item @var{ack}
41089 The acknowledge sent by the other side, usually @value{GDBN}, to
41090 acknowledge the exchange and request the event.
41091 @end table
41092
41093 The purpose of an asynchronous notification mechanism is to report to
41094 @value{GDBN} that something interesting happened in the remote stub.
41095
41096 The remote stub may send notification @var{name}:@var{event}
41097 at any time, but @value{GDBN} acknowledges the notification when
41098 appropriate. The notification event is pending before @value{GDBN}
41099 acknowledges. Only one notification at a time may be pending; if
41100 additional events occur before @value{GDBN} has acknowledged the
41101 previous notification, they must be queued by the stub for later
41102 synchronous transmission in response to @var{ack} packets from
41103 @value{GDBN}. Because the notification mechanism is unreliable,
41104 the stub is permitted to resend a notification if it believes
41105 @value{GDBN} may not have received it.
41106
41107 Specifically, notifications may appear when @value{GDBN} is not
41108 otherwise reading input from the stub, or when @value{GDBN} is
41109 expecting to read a normal synchronous response or a
41110 @samp{+}/@samp{-} acknowledgment to a packet it has sent.
41111 Notification packets are distinct from any other communication from
41112 the stub so there is no ambiguity.
41113
41114 After receiving a notification, @value{GDBN} shall acknowledge it by
41115 sending a @var{ack} packet as a regular, synchronous request to the
41116 stub. Such acknowledgment is not required to happen immediately, as
41117 @value{GDBN} is permitted to send other, unrelated packets to the
41118 stub first, which the stub should process normally.
41119
41120 Upon receiving a @var{ack} packet, if the stub has other queued
41121 events to report to @value{GDBN}, it shall respond by sending a
41122 normal @var{event}. @value{GDBN} shall then send another @var{ack}
41123 packet to solicit further responses; again, it is permitted to send
41124 other, unrelated packets as well which the stub should process
41125 normally.
41126
41127 If the stub receives a @var{ack} packet and there are no additional
41128 @var{event} to report, the stub shall return an @samp{OK} response.
41129 At this point, @value{GDBN} has finished processing a notification
41130 and the stub has completed sending any queued events. @value{GDBN}
41131 won't accept any new notifications until the final @samp{OK} is
41132 received . If further notification events occur, the stub shall send
41133 a new notification, @value{GDBN} shall accept the notification, and
41134 the process shall be repeated.
41135
41136 The process of asynchronous notification can be illustrated by the
41137 following example:
41138 @smallexample
41139 <- @code{%%Stop:T0505:98e7ffbf;04:4ce6ffbf;08:b1b6e54c;thread:p7526.7526;core:0;}
41140 @code{...}
41141 -> @code{vStopped}
41142 <- @code{T0505:68f37db7;04:40f37db7;08:63850408;thread:p7526.7528;core:0;}
41143 -> @code{vStopped}
41144 <- @code{T0505:68e3fdb6;04:40e3fdb6;08:63850408;thread:p7526.7529;core:0;}
41145 -> @code{vStopped}
41146 <- @code{OK}
41147 @end smallexample
41148
41149 The following notifications are defined:
41150 @multitable @columnfractions 0.12 0.12 0.38 0.38
41151
41152 @item Notification
41153 @tab Ack
41154 @tab Event
41155 @tab Description
41156
41157 @item Stop
41158 @tab vStopped
41159 @tab @var{reply}. The @var{reply} has the form of a stop reply, as
41160 described in @ref{Stop Reply Packets}. Refer to @ref{Remote Non-Stop},
41161 for information on how these notifications are acknowledged by
41162 @value{GDBN}.
41163 @tab Report an asynchronous stop event in non-stop mode.
41164
41165 @end multitable
41166
41167 @node Remote Non-Stop
41168 @section Remote Protocol Support for Non-Stop Mode
41169
41170 @value{GDBN}'s remote protocol supports non-stop debugging of
41171 multi-threaded programs, as described in @ref{Non-Stop Mode}. If the stub
41172 supports non-stop mode, it should report that to @value{GDBN} by including
41173 @samp{QNonStop+} in its @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
41174
41175 @value{GDBN} typically sends a @samp{QNonStop} packet only when
41176 establishing a new connection with the stub. Entering non-stop mode
41177 does not alter the state of any currently-running threads, but targets
41178 must stop all threads in any already-attached processes when entering
41179 all-stop mode. @value{GDBN} uses the @samp{?} packet as necessary to
41180 probe the target state after a mode change.
41181
41182 In non-stop mode, when an attached process encounters an event that
41183 would otherwise be reported with a stop reply, it uses the
41184 asynchronous notification mechanism (@pxref{Notification Packets}) to
41185 inform @value{GDBN}. In contrast to all-stop mode, where all threads
41186 in all processes are stopped when a stop reply is sent, in non-stop
41187 mode only the thread reporting the stop event is stopped. That is,
41188 when reporting a @samp{S} or @samp{T} response to indicate completion
41189 of a step operation, hitting a breakpoint, or a fault, only the
41190 affected thread is stopped; any other still-running threads continue
41191 to run. When reporting a @samp{W} or @samp{X} response, all running
41192 threads belonging to other attached processes continue to run.
41193
41194 In non-stop mode, the target shall respond to the @samp{?} packet as
41195 follows. First, any incomplete stop reply notification/@samp{vStopped}
41196 sequence in progress is abandoned. The target must begin a new
41197 sequence reporting stop events for all stopped threads, whether or not
41198 it has previously reported those events to @value{GDBN}. The first
41199 stop reply is sent as a synchronous reply to the @samp{?} packet, and
41200 subsequent stop replies are sent as responses to @samp{vStopped} packets
41201 using the mechanism described above. The target must not send
41202 asynchronous stop reply notifications until the sequence is complete.
41203 If all threads are running when the target receives the @samp{?} packet,
41204 or if the target is not attached to any process, it shall respond
41205 @samp{OK}.
41206
41207 @node Packet Acknowledgment
41208 @section Packet Acknowledgment
41209
41210 @cindex acknowledgment, for @value{GDBN} remote
41211 @cindex packet acknowledgment, for @value{GDBN} remote
41212 By default, when either the host or the target machine receives a packet,
41213 the first response expected is an acknowledgment: either @samp{+} (to indicate
41214 the package was received correctly) or @samp{-} (to request retransmission).
41215 This mechanism allows the @value{GDBN} remote protocol to operate over
41216 unreliable transport mechanisms, such as a serial line.
41217
41218 In cases where the transport mechanism is itself reliable (such as a pipe or
41219 TCP connection), the @samp{+}/@samp{-} acknowledgments are redundant.
41220 It may be desirable to disable them in that case to reduce communication
41221 overhead, or for other reasons. This can be accomplished by means of the
41222 @samp{QStartNoAckMode} packet; @pxref{QStartNoAckMode}.
41223
41224 When in no-acknowledgment mode, neither the stub nor @value{GDBN} shall send or
41225 expect @samp{+}/@samp{-} protocol acknowledgments. The packet
41226 and response format still includes the normal checksum, as described in
41227 @ref{Overview}, but the checksum may be ignored by the receiver.
41228
41229 If the stub supports @samp{QStartNoAckMode} and prefers to operate in
41230 no-acknowledgment mode, it should report that to @value{GDBN}
41231 by including @samp{QStartNoAckMode+} in its response to @samp{qSupported};
41232 @pxref{qSupported}.
41233 If @value{GDBN} also supports @samp{QStartNoAckMode} and it has not been
41234 disabled via the @code{set remote noack-packet off} command
41235 (@pxref{Remote Configuration}),
41236 @value{GDBN} may then send a @samp{QStartNoAckMode} packet to the stub.
41237 Only then may the stub actually turn off packet acknowledgments.
41238 @value{GDBN} sends a final @samp{+} acknowledgment of the stub's @samp{OK}
41239 response, which can be safely ignored by the stub.
41240
41241 Note that @code{set remote noack-packet} command only affects negotiation
41242 between @value{GDBN} and the stub when subsequent connections are made;
41243 it does not affect the protocol acknowledgment state for any current
41244 connection.
41245 Since @samp{+}/@samp{-} acknowledgments are enabled by default when a
41246 new connection is established,
41247 there is also no protocol request to re-enable the acknowledgments
41248 for the current connection, once disabled.
41249
41250 @node Examples
41251 @section Examples
41252
41253 Example sequence of a target being re-started. Notice how the restart
41254 does not get any direct output:
41255
41256 @smallexample
41257 -> @code{R00}
41258 <- @code{+}
41259 @emph{target restarts}
41260 -> @code{?}
41261 <- @code{+}
41262 <- @code{T001:1234123412341234}
41263 -> @code{+}
41264 @end smallexample
41265
41266 Example sequence of a target being stepped by a single instruction:
41267
41268 @smallexample
41269 -> @code{G1445@dots{}}
41270 <- @code{+}
41271 -> @code{s}
41272 <- @code{+}
41273 @emph{time passes}
41274 <- @code{T001:1234123412341234}
41275 -> @code{+}
41276 -> @code{g}
41277 <- @code{+}
41278 <- @code{1455@dots{}}
41279 -> @code{+}
41280 @end smallexample
41281
41282 @node File-I/O Remote Protocol Extension
41283 @section File-I/O Remote Protocol Extension
41284 @cindex File-I/O remote protocol extension
41285
41286 @menu
41287 * File-I/O Overview::
41288 * Protocol Basics::
41289 * The F Request Packet::
41290 * The F Reply Packet::
41291 * The Ctrl-C Message::
41292 * Console I/O::
41293 * List of Supported Calls::
41294 * Protocol-specific Representation of Datatypes::
41295 * Constants::
41296 * File-I/O Examples::
41297 @end menu
41298
41299 @node File-I/O Overview
41300 @subsection File-I/O Overview
41301 @cindex file-i/o overview
41302
41303 The @dfn{File I/O remote protocol extension} (short: File-I/O) allows the
41304 target to use the host's file system and console I/O to perform various
41305 system calls. System calls on the target system are translated into a
41306 remote protocol packet to the host system, which then performs the needed
41307 actions and returns a response packet to the target system.
41308 This simulates file system operations even on targets that lack file systems.
41309
41310 The protocol is defined to be independent of both the host and target systems.
41311 It uses its own internal representation of datatypes and values. Both
41312 @value{GDBN} and the target's @value{GDBN} stub are responsible for
41313 translating the system-dependent value representations into the internal
41314 protocol representations when data is transmitted.
41315
41316 The communication is synchronous. A system call is possible only when
41317 @value{GDBN} is waiting for a response from the @samp{C}, @samp{c}, @samp{S}
41318 or @samp{s} packets. While @value{GDBN} handles the request for a system call,
41319 the target is stopped to allow deterministic access to the target's
41320 memory. Therefore File-I/O is not interruptible by target signals. On
41321 the other hand, it is possible to interrupt File-I/O by a user interrupt
41322 (@samp{Ctrl-C}) within @value{GDBN}.
41323
41324 The target's request to perform a host system call does not finish
41325 the latest @samp{C}, @samp{c}, @samp{S} or @samp{s} action. That means,
41326 after finishing the system call, the target returns to continuing the
41327 previous activity (continue, step). No additional continue or step
41328 request from @value{GDBN} is required.
41329
41330 @smallexample
41331 (@value{GDBP}) continue
41332 <- target requests 'system call X'
41333 target is stopped, @value{GDBN} executes system call
41334 -> @value{GDBN} returns result
41335 ... target continues, @value{GDBN} returns to wait for the target
41336 <- target hits breakpoint and sends a Txx packet
41337 @end smallexample
41338
41339 The protocol only supports I/O on the console and to regular files on
41340 the host file system. Character or block special devices, pipes,
41341 named pipes, sockets or any other communication method on the host
41342 system are not supported by this protocol.
41343
41344 File I/O is not supported in non-stop mode.
41345
41346 @node Protocol Basics
41347 @subsection Protocol Basics
41348 @cindex protocol basics, file-i/o
41349
41350 The File-I/O protocol uses the @code{F} packet as the request as well
41351 as reply packet. Since a File-I/O system call can only occur when
41352 @value{GDBN} is waiting for a response from the continuing or stepping target,
41353 the File-I/O request is a reply that @value{GDBN} has to expect as a result
41354 of a previous @samp{C}, @samp{c}, @samp{S} or @samp{s} packet.
41355 This @code{F} packet contains all information needed to allow @value{GDBN}
41356 to call the appropriate host system call:
41357
41358 @itemize @bullet
41359 @item
41360 A unique identifier for the requested system call.
41361
41362 @item
41363 All parameters to the system call. Pointers are given as addresses
41364 in the target memory address space. Pointers to strings are given as
41365 pointer/length pair. Numerical values are given as they are.
41366 Numerical control flags are given in a protocol-specific representation.
41367
41368 @end itemize
41369
41370 At this point, @value{GDBN} has to perform the following actions.
41371
41372 @itemize @bullet
41373 @item
41374 If the parameters include pointer values to data needed as input to a
41375 system call, @value{GDBN} requests this data from the target with a
41376 standard @code{m} packet request. This additional communication has to be
41377 expected by the target implementation and is handled as any other @code{m}
41378 packet.
41379
41380 @item
41381 @value{GDBN} translates all value from protocol representation to host
41382 representation as needed. Datatypes are coerced into the host types.
41383
41384 @item
41385 @value{GDBN} calls the system call.
41386
41387 @item
41388 It then coerces datatypes back to protocol representation.
41389
41390 @item
41391 If the system call is expected to return data in buffer space specified
41392 by pointer parameters to the call, the data is transmitted to the
41393 target using a @code{M} or @code{X} packet. This packet has to be expected
41394 by the target implementation and is handled as any other @code{M} or @code{X}
41395 packet.
41396
41397 @end itemize
41398
41399 Eventually @value{GDBN} replies with another @code{F} packet which contains all
41400 necessary information for the target to continue. This at least contains
41401
41402 @itemize @bullet
41403 @item
41404 Return value.
41405
41406 @item
41407 @code{errno}, if has been changed by the system call.
41408
41409 @item
41410 ``Ctrl-C'' flag.
41411
41412 @end itemize
41413
41414 After having done the needed type and value coercion, the target continues
41415 the latest continue or step action.
41416
41417 @node The F Request Packet
41418 @subsection The @code{F} Request Packet
41419 @cindex file-i/o request packet
41420 @cindex @code{F} request packet
41421
41422 The @code{F} request packet has the following format:
41423
41424 @table @samp
41425 @item F@var{call-id},@var{parameter@dots{}}
41426
41427 @var{call-id} is the identifier to indicate the host system call to be called.
41428 This is just the name of the function.
41429
41430 @var{parameter@dots{}} are the parameters to the system call.
41431 Parameters are hexadecimal integer values, either the actual values in case
41432 of scalar datatypes, pointers to target buffer space in case of compound
41433 datatypes and unspecified memory areas, or pointer/length pairs in case
41434 of string parameters. These are appended to the @var{call-id} as a
41435 comma-delimited list. All values are transmitted in ASCII
41436 string representation, pointer/length pairs separated by a slash.
41437
41438 @end table
41439
41440
41441
41442 @node The F Reply Packet
41443 @subsection The @code{F} Reply Packet
41444 @cindex file-i/o reply packet
41445 @cindex @code{F} reply packet
41446
41447 The @code{F} reply packet has the following format:
41448
41449 @table @samp
41450
41451 @item F@var{retcode},@var{errno},@var{Ctrl-C flag};@var{call-specific attachment}
41452
41453 @var{retcode} is the return code of the system call as hexadecimal value.
41454
41455 @var{errno} is the @code{errno} set by the call, in protocol-specific
41456 representation.
41457 This parameter can be omitted if the call was successful.
41458
41459 @var{Ctrl-C flag} is only sent if the user requested a break. In this
41460 case, @var{errno} must be sent as well, even if the call was successful.
41461 The @var{Ctrl-C flag} itself consists of the character @samp{C}:
41462
41463 @smallexample
41464 F0,0,C
41465 @end smallexample
41466
41467 @noindent
41468 or, if the call was interrupted before the host call has been performed:
41469
41470 @smallexample
41471 F-1,4,C
41472 @end smallexample
41473
41474 @noindent
41475 assuming 4 is the protocol-specific representation of @code{EINTR}.
41476
41477 @end table
41478
41479
41480 @node The Ctrl-C Message
41481 @subsection The @samp{Ctrl-C} Message
41482 @cindex ctrl-c message, in file-i/o protocol
41483
41484 If the @samp{Ctrl-C} flag is set in the @value{GDBN}
41485 reply packet (@pxref{The F Reply Packet}),
41486 the target should behave as if it had
41487 gotten a break message. The meaning for the target is ``system call
41488 interrupted by @code{SIGINT}''. Consequentially, the target should actually stop
41489 (as with a break message) and return to @value{GDBN} with a @code{T02}
41490 packet.
41491
41492 It's important for the target to know in which
41493 state the system call was interrupted. There are two possible cases:
41494
41495 @itemize @bullet
41496 @item
41497 The system call hasn't been performed on the host yet.
41498
41499 @item
41500 The system call on the host has been finished.
41501
41502 @end itemize
41503
41504 These two states can be distinguished by the target by the value of the
41505 returned @code{errno}. If it's the protocol representation of @code{EINTR}, the system
41506 call hasn't been performed. This is equivalent to the @code{EINTR} handling
41507 on POSIX systems. In any other case, the target may presume that the
41508 system call has been finished --- successfully or not --- and should behave
41509 as if the break message arrived right after the system call.
41510
41511 @value{GDBN} must behave reliably. If the system call has not been called
41512 yet, @value{GDBN} may send the @code{F} reply immediately, setting @code{EINTR} as
41513 @code{errno} in the packet. If the system call on the host has been finished
41514 before the user requests a break, the full action must be finished by
41515 @value{GDBN}. This requires sending @code{M} or @code{X} packets as necessary.
41516 The @code{F} packet may only be sent when either nothing has happened
41517 or the full action has been completed.
41518
41519 @node Console I/O
41520 @subsection Console I/O
41521 @cindex console i/o as part of file-i/o
41522
41523 By default and if not explicitly closed by the target system, the file
41524 descriptors 0, 1 and 2 are connected to the @value{GDBN} console. Output
41525 on the @value{GDBN} console is handled as any other file output operation
41526 (@code{write(1, @dots{})} or @code{write(2, @dots{})}). Console input is handled
41527 by @value{GDBN} so that after the target read request from file descriptor
41528 0 all following typing is buffered until either one of the following
41529 conditions is met:
41530
41531 @itemize @bullet
41532 @item
41533 The user types @kbd{Ctrl-c}. The behaviour is as explained above, and the
41534 @code{read}
41535 system call is treated as finished.
41536
41537 @item
41538 The user presses @key{RET}. This is treated as end of input with a trailing
41539 newline.
41540
41541 @item
41542 The user types @kbd{Ctrl-d}. This is treated as end of input. No trailing
41543 character (neither newline nor @samp{Ctrl-D}) is appended to the input.
41544
41545 @end itemize
41546
41547 If the user has typed more characters than fit in the buffer given to
41548 the @code{read} call, the trailing characters are buffered in @value{GDBN} until
41549 either another @code{read(0, @dots{})} is requested by the target, or debugging
41550 is stopped at the user's request.
41551
41552
41553 @node List of Supported Calls
41554 @subsection List of Supported Calls
41555 @cindex list of supported file-i/o calls
41556
41557 @menu
41558 * open::
41559 * close::
41560 * read::
41561 * write::
41562 * lseek::
41563 * rename::
41564 * unlink::
41565 * stat/fstat::
41566 * gettimeofday::
41567 * isatty::
41568 * system::
41569 @end menu
41570
41571 @node open
41572 @unnumberedsubsubsec open
41573 @cindex open, file-i/o system call
41574
41575 @table @asis
41576 @item Synopsis:
41577 @smallexample
41578 int open(const char *pathname, int flags);
41579 int open(const char *pathname, int flags, mode_t mode);
41580 @end smallexample
41581
41582 @item Request:
41583 @samp{Fopen,@var{pathptr}/@var{len},@var{flags},@var{mode}}
41584
41585 @noindent
41586 @var{flags} is the bitwise @code{OR} of the following values:
41587
41588 @table @code
41589 @item O_CREAT
41590 If the file does not exist it will be created. The host
41591 rules apply as far as file ownership and time stamps
41592 are concerned.
41593
41594 @item O_EXCL
41595 When used with @code{O_CREAT}, if the file already exists it is
41596 an error and open() fails.
41597
41598 @item O_TRUNC
41599 If the file already exists and the open mode allows
41600 writing (@code{O_RDWR} or @code{O_WRONLY} is given) it will be
41601 truncated to zero length.
41602
41603 @item O_APPEND
41604 The file is opened in append mode.
41605
41606 @item O_RDONLY
41607 The file is opened for reading only.
41608
41609 @item O_WRONLY
41610 The file is opened for writing only.
41611
41612 @item O_RDWR
41613 The file is opened for reading and writing.
41614 @end table
41615
41616 @noindent
41617 Other bits are silently ignored.
41618
41619
41620 @noindent
41621 @var{mode} is the bitwise @code{OR} of the following values:
41622
41623 @table @code
41624 @item S_IRUSR
41625 User has read permission.
41626
41627 @item S_IWUSR
41628 User has write permission.
41629
41630 @item S_IRGRP
41631 Group has read permission.
41632
41633 @item S_IWGRP
41634 Group has write permission.
41635
41636 @item S_IROTH
41637 Others have read permission.
41638
41639 @item S_IWOTH
41640 Others have write permission.
41641 @end table
41642
41643 @noindent
41644 Other bits are silently ignored.
41645
41646
41647 @item Return value:
41648 @code{open} returns the new file descriptor or -1 if an error
41649 occurred.
41650
41651 @item Errors:
41652
41653 @table @code
41654 @item EEXIST
41655 @var{pathname} already exists and @code{O_CREAT} and @code{O_EXCL} were used.
41656
41657 @item EISDIR
41658 @var{pathname} refers to a directory.
41659
41660 @item EACCES
41661 The requested access is not allowed.
41662
41663 @item ENAMETOOLONG
41664 @var{pathname} was too long.
41665
41666 @item ENOENT
41667 A directory component in @var{pathname} does not exist.
41668
41669 @item ENODEV
41670 @var{pathname} refers to a device, pipe, named pipe or socket.
41671
41672 @item EROFS
41673 @var{pathname} refers to a file on a read-only filesystem and
41674 write access was requested.
41675
41676 @item EFAULT
41677 @var{pathname} is an invalid pointer value.
41678
41679 @item ENOSPC
41680 No space on device to create the file.
41681
41682 @item EMFILE
41683 The process already has the maximum number of files open.
41684
41685 @item ENFILE
41686 The limit on the total number of files open on the system
41687 has been reached.
41688
41689 @item EINTR
41690 The call was interrupted by the user.
41691 @end table
41692
41693 @end table
41694
41695 @node close
41696 @unnumberedsubsubsec close
41697 @cindex close, file-i/o system call
41698
41699 @table @asis
41700 @item Synopsis:
41701 @smallexample
41702 int close(int fd);
41703 @end smallexample
41704
41705 @item Request:
41706 @samp{Fclose,@var{fd}}
41707
41708 @item Return value:
41709 @code{close} returns zero on success, or -1 if an error occurred.
41710
41711 @item Errors:
41712
41713 @table @code
41714 @item EBADF
41715 @var{fd} isn't a valid open file descriptor.
41716
41717 @item EINTR
41718 The call was interrupted by the user.
41719 @end table
41720
41721 @end table
41722
41723 @node read
41724 @unnumberedsubsubsec read
41725 @cindex read, file-i/o system call
41726
41727 @table @asis
41728 @item Synopsis:
41729 @smallexample
41730 int read(int fd, void *buf, unsigned int count);
41731 @end smallexample
41732
41733 @item Request:
41734 @samp{Fread,@var{fd},@var{bufptr},@var{count}}
41735
41736 @item Return value:
41737 On success, the number of bytes read is returned.
41738 Zero indicates end of file. If count is zero, read
41739 returns zero as well. On error, -1 is returned.
41740
41741 @item Errors:
41742
41743 @table @code
41744 @item EBADF
41745 @var{fd} is not a valid file descriptor or is not open for
41746 reading.
41747
41748 @item EFAULT
41749 @var{bufptr} is an invalid pointer value.
41750
41751 @item EINTR
41752 The call was interrupted by the user.
41753 @end table
41754
41755 @end table
41756
41757 @node write
41758 @unnumberedsubsubsec write
41759 @cindex write, file-i/o system call
41760
41761 @table @asis
41762 @item Synopsis:
41763 @smallexample
41764 int write(int fd, const void *buf, unsigned int count);
41765 @end smallexample
41766
41767 @item Request:
41768 @samp{Fwrite,@var{fd},@var{bufptr},@var{count}}
41769
41770 @item Return value:
41771 On success, the number of bytes written are returned.
41772 Zero indicates nothing was written. On error, -1
41773 is returned.
41774
41775 @item Errors:
41776
41777 @table @code
41778 @item EBADF
41779 @var{fd} is not a valid file descriptor or is not open for
41780 writing.
41781
41782 @item EFAULT
41783 @var{bufptr} is an invalid pointer value.
41784
41785 @item EFBIG
41786 An attempt was made to write a file that exceeds the
41787 host-specific maximum file size allowed.
41788
41789 @item ENOSPC
41790 No space on device to write the data.
41791
41792 @item EINTR
41793 The call was interrupted by the user.
41794 @end table
41795
41796 @end table
41797
41798 @node lseek
41799 @unnumberedsubsubsec lseek
41800 @cindex lseek, file-i/o system call
41801
41802 @table @asis
41803 @item Synopsis:
41804 @smallexample
41805 long lseek (int fd, long offset, int flag);
41806 @end smallexample
41807
41808 @item Request:
41809 @samp{Flseek,@var{fd},@var{offset},@var{flag}}
41810
41811 @var{flag} is one of:
41812
41813 @table @code
41814 @item SEEK_SET
41815 The offset is set to @var{offset} bytes.
41816
41817 @item SEEK_CUR
41818 The offset is set to its current location plus @var{offset}
41819 bytes.
41820
41821 @item SEEK_END
41822 The offset is set to the size of the file plus @var{offset}
41823 bytes.
41824 @end table
41825
41826 @item Return value:
41827 On success, the resulting unsigned offset in bytes from
41828 the beginning of the file is returned. Otherwise, a
41829 value of -1 is returned.
41830
41831 @item Errors:
41832
41833 @table @code
41834 @item EBADF
41835 @var{fd} is not a valid open file descriptor.
41836
41837 @item ESPIPE
41838 @var{fd} is associated with the @value{GDBN} console.
41839
41840 @item EINVAL
41841 @var{flag} is not a proper value.
41842
41843 @item EINTR
41844 The call was interrupted by the user.
41845 @end table
41846
41847 @end table
41848
41849 @node rename
41850 @unnumberedsubsubsec rename
41851 @cindex rename, file-i/o system call
41852
41853 @table @asis
41854 @item Synopsis:
41855 @smallexample
41856 int rename(const char *oldpath, const char *newpath);
41857 @end smallexample
41858
41859 @item Request:
41860 @samp{Frename,@var{oldpathptr}/@var{len},@var{newpathptr}/@var{len}}
41861
41862 @item Return value:
41863 On success, zero is returned. On error, -1 is returned.
41864
41865 @item Errors:
41866
41867 @table @code
41868 @item EISDIR
41869 @var{newpath} is an existing directory, but @var{oldpath} is not a
41870 directory.
41871
41872 @item EEXIST
41873 @var{newpath} is a non-empty directory.
41874
41875 @item EBUSY
41876 @var{oldpath} or @var{newpath} is a directory that is in use by some
41877 process.
41878
41879 @item EINVAL
41880 An attempt was made to make a directory a subdirectory
41881 of itself.
41882
41883 @item ENOTDIR
41884 A component used as a directory in @var{oldpath} or new
41885 path is not a directory. Or @var{oldpath} is a directory
41886 and @var{newpath} exists but is not a directory.
41887
41888 @item EFAULT
41889 @var{oldpathptr} or @var{newpathptr} are invalid pointer values.
41890
41891 @item EACCES
41892 No access to the file or the path of the file.
41893
41894 @item ENAMETOOLONG
41895
41896 @var{oldpath} or @var{newpath} was too long.
41897
41898 @item ENOENT
41899 A directory component in @var{oldpath} or @var{newpath} does not exist.
41900
41901 @item EROFS
41902 The file is on a read-only filesystem.
41903
41904 @item ENOSPC
41905 The device containing the file has no room for the new
41906 directory entry.
41907
41908 @item EINTR
41909 The call was interrupted by the user.
41910 @end table
41911
41912 @end table
41913
41914 @node unlink
41915 @unnumberedsubsubsec unlink
41916 @cindex unlink, file-i/o system call
41917
41918 @table @asis
41919 @item Synopsis:
41920 @smallexample
41921 int unlink(const char *pathname);
41922 @end smallexample
41923
41924 @item Request:
41925 @samp{Funlink,@var{pathnameptr}/@var{len}}
41926
41927 @item Return value:
41928 On success, zero is returned. On error, -1 is returned.
41929
41930 @item Errors:
41931
41932 @table @code
41933 @item EACCES
41934 No access to the file or the path of the file.
41935
41936 @item EPERM
41937 The system does not allow unlinking of directories.
41938
41939 @item EBUSY
41940 The file @var{pathname} cannot be unlinked because it's
41941 being used by another process.
41942
41943 @item EFAULT
41944 @var{pathnameptr} is an invalid pointer value.
41945
41946 @item ENAMETOOLONG
41947 @var{pathname} was too long.
41948
41949 @item ENOENT
41950 A directory component in @var{pathname} does not exist.
41951
41952 @item ENOTDIR
41953 A component of the path is not a directory.
41954
41955 @item EROFS
41956 The file is on a read-only filesystem.
41957
41958 @item EINTR
41959 The call was interrupted by the user.
41960 @end table
41961
41962 @end table
41963
41964 @node stat/fstat
41965 @unnumberedsubsubsec stat/fstat
41966 @cindex fstat, file-i/o system call
41967 @cindex stat, file-i/o system call
41968
41969 @table @asis
41970 @item Synopsis:
41971 @smallexample
41972 int stat(const char *pathname, struct stat *buf);
41973 int fstat(int fd, struct stat *buf);
41974 @end smallexample
41975
41976 @item Request:
41977 @samp{Fstat,@var{pathnameptr}/@var{len},@var{bufptr}}@*
41978 @samp{Ffstat,@var{fd},@var{bufptr}}
41979
41980 @item Return value:
41981 On success, zero is returned. On error, -1 is returned.
41982
41983 @item Errors:
41984
41985 @table @code
41986 @item EBADF
41987 @var{fd} is not a valid open file.
41988
41989 @item ENOENT
41990 A directory component in @var{pathname} does not exist or the
41991 path is an empty string.
41992
41993 @item ENOTDIR
41994 A component of the path is not a directory.
41995
41996 @item EFAULT
41997 @var{pathnameptr} is an invalid pointer value.
41998
41999 @item EACCES
42000 No access to the file or the path of the file.
42001
42002 @item ENAMETOOLONG
42003 @var{pathname} was too long.
42004
42005 @item EINTR
42006 The call was interrupted by the user.
42007 @end table
42008
42009 @end table
42010
42011 @node gettimeofday
42012 @unnumberedsubsubsec gettimeofday
42013 @cindex gettimeofday, file-i/o system call
42014
42015 @table @asis
42016 @item Synopsis:
42017 @smallexample
42018 int gettimeofday(struct timeval *tv, void *tz);
42019 @end smallexample
42020
42021 @item Request:
42022 @samp{Fgettimeofday,@var{tvptr},@var{tzptr}}
42023
42024 @item Return value:
42025 On success, 0 is returned, -1 otherwise.
42026
42027 @item Errors:
42028
42029 @table @code
42030 @item EINVAL
42031 @var{tz} is a non-NULL pointer.
42032
42033 @item EFAULT
42034 @var{tvptr} and/or @var{tzptr} is an invalid pointer value.
42035 @end table
42036
42037 @end table
42038
42039 @node isatty
42040 @unnumberedsubsubsec isatty
42041 @cindex isatty, file-i/o system call
42042
42043 @table @asis
42044 @item Synopsis:
42045 @smallexample
42046 int isatty(int fd);
42047 @end smallexample
42048
42049 @item Request:
42050 @samp{Fisatty,@var{fd}}
42051
42052 @item Return value:
42053 Returns 1 if @var{fd} refers to the @value{GDBN} console, 0 otherwise.
42054
42055 @item Errors:
42056
42057 @table @code
42058 @item EINTR
42059 The call was interrupted by the user.
42060 @end table
42061
42062 @end table
42063
42064 Note that the @code{isatty} call is treated as a special case: it returns
42065 1 to the target if the file descriptor is attached
42066 to the @value{GDBN} console, 0 otherwise. Implementing through system calls
42067 would require implementing @code{ioctl} and would be more complex than
42068 needed.
42069
42070
42071 @node system
42072 @unnumberedsubsubsec system
42073 @cindex system, file-i/o system call
42074
42075 @table @asis
42076 @item Synopsis:
42077 @smallexample
42078 int system(const char *command);
42079 @end smallexample
42080
42081 @item Request:
42082 @samp{Fsystem,@var{commandptr}/@var{len}}
42083
42084 @item Return value:
42085 If @var{len} is zero, the return value indicates whether a shell is
42086 available. A zero return value indicates a shell is not available.
42087 For non-zero @var{len}, the value returned is -1 on error and the
42088 return status of the command otherwise. Only the exit status of the
42089 command is returned, which is extracted from the host's @code{system}
42090 return value by calling @code{WEXITSTATUS(retval)}. In case
42091 @file{/bin/sh} could not be executed, 127 is returned.
42092
42093 @item Errors:
42094
42095 @table @code
42096 @item EINTR
42097 The call was interrupted by the user.
42098 @end table
42099
42100 @end table
42101
42102 @value{GDBN} takes over the full task of calling the necessary host calls
42103 to perform the @code{system} call. The return value of @code{system} on
42104 the host is simplified before it's returned
42105 to the target. Any termination signal information from the child process
42106 is discarded, and the return value consists
42107 entirely of the exit status of the called command.
42108
42109 Due to security concerns, the @code{system} call is by default refused
42110 by @value{GDBN}. The user has to allow this call explicitly with the
42111 @code{set remote system-call-allowed 1} command.
42112
42113 @table @code
42114 @item set remote system-call-allowed
42115 @kindex set remote system-call-allowed
42116 Control whether to allow the @code{system} calls in the File I/O
42117 protocol for the remote target. The default is zero (disabled).
42118
42119 @item show remote system-call-allowed
42120 @kindex show remote system-call-allowed
42121 Show whether the @code{system} calls are allowed in the File I/O
42122 protocol.
42123 @end table
42124
42125 @node Protocol-specific Representation of Datatypes
42126 @subsection Protocol-specific Representation of Datatypes
42127 @cindex protocol-specific representation of datatypes, in file-i/o protocol
42128
42129 @menu
42130 * Integral Datatypes::
42131 * Pointer Values::
42132 * Memory Transfer::
42133 * struct stat::
42134 * struct timeval::
42135 @end menu
42136
42137 @node Integral Datatypes
42138 @unnumberedsubsubsec Integral Datatypes
42139 @cindex integral datatypes, in file-i/o protocol
42140
42141 The integral datatypes used in the system calls are @code{int},
42142 @code{unsigned int}, @code{long}, @code{unsigned long},
42143 @code{mode_t}, and @code{time_t}.
42144
42145 @code{int}, @code{unsigned int}, @code{mode_t} and @code{time_t} are
42146 implemented as 32 bit values in this protocol.
42147
42148 @code{long} and @code{unsigned long} are implemented as 64 bit types.
42149
42150 @xref{Limits}, for corresponding MIN and MAX values (similar to those
42151 in @file{limits.h}) to allow range checking on host and target.
42152
42153 @code{time_t} datatypes are defined as seconds since the Epoch.
42154
42155 All integral datatypes transferred as part of a memory read or write of a
42156 structured datatype e.g.@: a @code{struct stat} have to be given in big endian
42157 byte order.
42158
42159 @node Pointer Values
42160 @unnumberedsubsubsec Pointer Values
42161 @cindex pointer values, in file-i/o protocol
42162
42163 Pointers to target data are transmitted as they are. An exception
42164 is made for pointers to buffers for which the length isn't
42165 transmitted as part of the function call, namely strings. Strings
42166 are transmitted as a pointer/length pair, both as hex values, e.g.@:
42167
42168 @smallexample
42169 @code{1aaf/12}
42170 @end smallexample
42171
42172 @noindent
42173 which is a pointer to data of length 18 bytes at position 0x1aaf.
42174 The length is defined as the full string length in bytes, including
42175 the trailing null byte. For example, the string @code{"hello world"}
42176 at address 0x123456 is transmitted as
42177
42178 @smallexample
42179 @code{123456/d}
42180 @end smallexample
42181
42182 @node Memory Transfer
42183 @unnumberedsubsubsec Memory Transfer
42184 @cindex memory transfer, in file-i/o protocol
42185
42186 Structured data which is transferred using a memory read or write (for
42187 example, a @code{struct stat}) is expected to be in a protocol-specific format
42188 with all scalar multibyte datatypes being big endian. Translation to
42189 this representation needs to be done both by the target before the @code{F}
42190 packet is sent, and by @value{GDBN} before
42191 it transfers memory to the target. Transferred pointers to structured
42192 data should point to the already-coerced data at any time.
42193
42194
42195 @node struct stat
42196 @unnumberedsubsubsec struct stat
42197 @cindex struct stat, in file-i/o protocol
42198
42199 The buffer of type @code{struct stat} used by the target and @value{GDBN}
42200 is defined as follows:
42201
42202 @smallexample
42203 struct stat @{
42204 unsigned int st_dev; /* device */
42205 unsigned int st_ino; /* inode */
42206 mode_t st_mode; /* protection */
42207 unsigned int st_nlink; /* number of hard links */
42208 unsigned int st_uid; /* user ID of owner */
42209 unsigned int st_gid; /* group ID of owner */
42210 unsigned int st_rdev; /* device type (if inode device) */
42211 unsigned long st_size; /* total size, in bytes */
42212 unsigned long st_blksize; /* blocksize for filesystem I/O */
42213 unsigned long st_blocks; /* number of blocks allocated */
42214 time_t st_atime; /* time of last access */
42215 time_t st_mtime; /* time of last modification */
42216 time_t st_ctime; /* time of last change */
42217 @};
42218 @end smallexample
42219
42220 The integral datatypes conform to the definitions given in the
42221 appropriate section (see @ref{Integral Datatypes}, for details) so this
42222 structure is of size 64 bytes.
42223
42224 The values of several fields have a restricted meaning and/or
42225 range of values.
42226
42227 @table @code
42228
42229 @item st_dev
42230 A value of 0 represents a file, 1 the console.
42231
42232 @item st_ino
42233 No valid meaning for the target. Transmitted unchanged.
42234
42235 @item st_mode
42236 Valid mode bits are described in @ref{Constants}. Any other
42237 bits have currently no meaning for the target.
42238
42239 @item st_uid
42240 @itemx st_gid
42241 @itemx st_rdev
42242 No valid meaning for the target. Transmitted unchanged.
42243
42244 @item st_atime
42245 @itemx st_mtime
42246 @itemx st_ctime
42247 These values have a host and file system dependent
42248 accuracy. Especially on Windows hosts, the file system may not
42249 support exact timing values.
42250 @end table
42251
42252 The target gets a @code{struct stat} of the above representation and is
42253 responsible for coercing it to the target representation before
42254 continuing.
42255
42256 Note that due to size differences between the host, target, and protocol
42257 representations of @code{struct stat} members, these members could eventually
42258 get truncated on the target.
42259
42260 @node struct timeval
42261 @unnumberedsubsubsec struct timeval
42262 @cindex struct timeval, in file-i/o protocol
42263
42264 The buffer of type @code{struct timeval} used by the File-I/O protocol
42265 is defined as follows:
42266
42267 @smallexample
42268 struct timeval @{
42269 time_t tv_sec; /* second */
42270 long tv_usec; /* microsecond */
42271 @};
42272 @end smallexample
42273
42274 The integral datatypes conform to the definitions given in the
42275 appropriate section (see @ref{Integral Datatypes}, for details) so this
42276 structure is of size 8 bytes.
42277
42278 @node Constants
42279 @subsection Constants
42280 @cindex constants, in file-i/o protocol
42281
42282 The following values are used for the constants inside of the
42283 protocol. @value{GDBN} and target are responsible for translating these
42284 values before and after the call as needed.
42285
42286 @menu
42287 * Open Flags::
42288 * mode_t Values::
42289 * Errno Values::
42290 * Lseek Flags::
42291 * Limits::
42292 @end menu
42293
42294 @node Open Flags
42295 @unnumberedsubsubsec Open Flags
42296 @cindex open flags, in file-i/o protocol
42297
42298 All values are given in hexadecimal representation.
42299
42300 @smallexample
42301 O_RDONLY 0x0
42302 O_WRONLY 0x1
42303 O_RDWR 0x2
42304 O_APPEND 0x8
42305 O_CREAT 0x200
42306 O_TRUNC 0x400
42307 O_EXCL 0x800
42308 @end smallexample
42309
42310 @node mode_t Values
42311 @unnumberedsubsubsec mode_t Values
42312 @cindex mode_t values, in file-i/o protocol
42313
42314 All values are given in octal representation.
42315
42316 @smallexample
42317 S_IFREG 0100000
42318 S_IFDIR 040000
42319 S_IRUSR 0400
42320 S_IWUSR 0200
42321 S_IXUSR 0100
42322 S_IRGRP 040
42323 S_IWGRP 020
42324 S_IXGRP 010
42325 S_IROTH 04
42326 S_IWOTH 02
42327 S_IXOTH 01
42328 @end smallexample
42329
42330 @node Errno Values
42331 @unnumberedsubsubsec Errno Values
42332 @cindex errno values, in file-i/o protocol
42333
42334 All values are given in decimal representation.
42335
42336 @smallexample
42337 EPERM 1
42338 ENOENT 2
42339 EINTR 4
42340 EBADF 9
42341 EACCES 13
42342 EFAULT 14
42343 EBUSY 16
42344 EEXIST 17
42345 ENODEV 19
42346 ENOTDIR 20
42347 EISDIR 21
42348 EINVAL 22
42349 ENFILE 23
42350 EMFILE 24
42351 EFBIG 27
42352 ENOSPC 28
42353 ESPIPE 29
42354 EROFS 30
42355 ENAMETOOLONG 91
42356 EUNKNOWN 9999
42357 @end smallexample
42358
42359 @code{EUNKNOWN} is used as a fallback error value if a host system returns
42360 any error value not in the list of supported error numbers.
42361
42362 @node Lseek Flags
42363 @unnumberedsubsubsec Lseek Flags
42364 @cindex lseek flags, in file-i/o protocol
42365
42366 @smallexample
42367 SEEK_SET 0
42368 SEEK_CUR 1
42369 SEEK_END 2
42370 @end smallexample
42371
42372 @node Limits
42373 @unnumberedsubsubsec Limits
42374 @cindex limits, in file-i/o protocol
42375
42376 All values are given in decimal representation.
42377
42378 @smallexample
42379 INT_MIN -2147483648
42380 INT_MAX 2147483647
42381 UINT_MAX 4294967295
42382 LONG_MIN -9223372036854775808
42383 LONG_MAX 9223372036854775807
42384 ULONG_MAX 18446744073709551615
42385 @end smallexample
42386
42387 @node File-I/O Examples
42388 @subsection File-I/O Examples
42389 @cindex file-i/o examples
42390
42391 Example sequence of a write call, file descriptor 3, buffer is at target
42392 address 0x1234, 6 bytes should be written:
42393
42394 @smallexample
42395 <- @code{Fwrite,3,1234,6}
42396 @emph{request memory read from target}
42397 -> @code{m1234,6}
42398 <- XXXXXX
42399 @emph{return "6 bytes written"}
42400 -> @code{F6}
42401 @end smallexample
42402
42403 Example sequence of a read call, file descriptor 3, buffer is at target
42404 address 0x1234, 6 bytes should be read:
42405
42406 @smallexample
42407 <- @code{Fread,3,1234,6}
42408 @emph{request memory write to target}
42409 -> @code{X1234,6:XXXXXX}
42410 @emph{return "6 bytes read"}
42411 -> @code{F6}
42412 @end smallexample
42413
42414 Example sequence of a read call, call fails on the host due to invalid
42415 file descriptor (@code{EBADF}):
42416
42417 @smallexample
42418 <- @code{Fread,3,1234,6}
42419 -> @code{F-1,9}
42420 @end smallexample
42421
42422 Example sequence of a read call, user presses @kbd{Ctrl-c} before syscall on
42423 host is called:
42424
42425 @smallexample
42426 <- @code{Fread,3,1234,6}
42427 -> @code{F-1,4,C}
42428 <- @code{T02}
42429 @end smallexample
42430
42431 Example sequence of a read call, user presses @kbd{Ctrl-c} after syscall on
42432 host is called:
42433
42434 @smallexample
42435 <- @code{Fread,3,1234,6}
42436 -> @code{X1234,6:XXXXXX}
42437 <- @code{T02}
42438 @end smallexample
42439
42440 @node Library List Format
42441 @section Library List Format
42442 @cindex library list format, remote protocol
42443
42444 On some platforms, a dynamic loader (e.g.@: @file{ld.so}) runs in the
42445 same process as your application to manage libraries. In this case,
42446 @value{GDBN} can use the loader's symbol table and normal memory
42447 operations to maintain a list of shared libraries. On other
42448 platforms, the operating system manages loaded libraries.
42449 @value{GDBN} can not retrieve the list of currently loaded libraries
42450 through memory operations, so it uses the @samp{qXfer:libraries:read}
42451 packet (@pxref{qXfer library list read}) instead. The remote stub
42452 queries the target's operating system and reports which libraries
42453 are loaded.
42454
42455 The @samp{qXfer:libraries:read} packet returns an XML document which
42456 lists loaded libraries and their offsets. Each library has an
42457 associated name and one or more segment or section base addresses,
42458 which report where the library was loaded in memory.
42459
42460 For the common case of libraries that are fully linked binaries, the
42461 library should have a list of segments. If the target supports
42462 dynamic linking of a relocatable object file, its library XML element
42463 should instead include a list of allocated sections. The segment or
42464 section bases are start addresses, not relocation offsets; they do not
42465 depend on the library's link-time base addresses.
42466
42467 @value{GDBN} must be linked with the Expat library to support XML
42468 library lists. @xref{Expat}.
42469
42470 A simple memory map, with one loaded library relocated by a single
42471 offset, looks like this:
42472
42473 @smallexample
42474 <library-list>
42475 <library name="/lib/libc.so.6">
42476 <segment address="0x10000000"/>
42477 </library>
42478 </library-list>
42479 @end smallexample
42480
42481 Another simple memory map, with one loaded library with three
42482 allocated sections (.text, .data, .bss), looks like this:
42483
42484 @smallexample
42485 <library-list>
42486 <library name="sharedlib.o">
42487 <section address="0x10000000"/>
42488 <section address="0x20000000"/>
42489 <section address="0x30000000"/>
42490 </library>
42491 </library-list>
42492 @end smallexample
42493
42494 The format of a library list is described by this DTD:
42495
42496 @smallexample
42497 <!-- library-list: Root element with versioning -->
42498 <!ELEMENT library-list (library)*>
42499 <!ATTLIST library-list version CDATA #FIXED "1.0">
42500 <!ELEMENT library (segment*, section*)>
42501 <!ATTLIST library name CDATA #REQUIRED>
42502 <!ELEMENT segment EMPTY>
42503 <!ATTLIST segment address CDATA #REQUIRED>
42504 <!ELEMENT section EMPTY>
42505 <!ATTLIST section address CDATA #REQUIRED>
42506 @end smallexample
42507
42508 In addition, segments and section descriptors cannot be mixed within a
42509 single library element, and you must supply at least one segment or
42510 section for each library.
42511
42512 @node Library List Format for SVR4 Targets
42513 @section Library List Format for SVR4 Targets
42514 @cindex library list format, remote protocol
42515
42516 On SVR4 platforms @value{GDBN} can use the symbol table of a dynamic loader
42517 (e.g.@: @file{ld.so}) and normal memory operations to maintain a list of
42518 shared libraries. Still a special library list provided by this packet is
42519 more efficient for the @value{GDBN} remote protocol.
42520
42521 The @samp{qXfer:libraries-svr4:read} packet returns an XML document which lists
42522 loaded libraries and their SVR4 linker parameters. For each library on SVR4
42523 target, the following parameters are reported:
42524
42525 @itemize @minus
42526 @item
42527 @code{name}, the absolute file name from the @code{l_name} field of
42528 @code{struct link_map}.
42529 @item
42530 @code{lm} with address of @code{struct link_map} used for TLS
42531 (Thread Local Storage) access.
42532 @item
42533 @code{l_addr}, the displacement as read from the field @code{l_addr} of
42534 @code{struct link_map}. For prelinked libraries this is not an absolute
42535 memory address. It is a displacement of absolute memory address against
42536 address the file was prelinked to during the library load.
42537 @item
42538 @code{l_ld}, which is memory address of the @code{PT_DYNAMIC} segment
42539 @end itemize
42540
42541 Additionally the single @code{main-lm} attribute specifies address of
42542 @code{struct link_map} used for the main executable. This parameter is used
42543 for TLS access and its presence is optional.
42544
42545 @value{GDBN} must be linked with the Expat library to support XML
42546 SVR4 library lists. @xref{Expat}.
42547
42548 A simple memory map, with two loaded libraries (which do not use prelink),
42549 looks like this:
42550
42551 @smallexample
42552 <library-list-svr4 version="1.0" main-lm="0xe4f8f8">
42553 <library name="/lib/ld-linux.so.2" lm="0xe4f51c" l_addr="0xe2d000"
42554 l_ld="0xe4eefc"/>
42555 <library name="/lib/libc.so.6" lm="0xe4fbe8" l_addr="0x154000"
42556 l_ld="0x152350"/>
42557 </library-list-svr>
42558 @end smallexample
42559
42560 The format of an SVR4 library list is described by this DTD:
42561
42562 @smallexample
42563 <!-- library-list-svr4: Root element with versioning -->
42564 <!ELEMENT library-list-svr4 (library)*>
42565 <!ATTLIST library-list-svr4 version CDATA #FIXED "1.0">
42566 <!ATTLIST library-list-svr4 main-lm CDATA #IMPLIED>
42567 <!ELEMENT library EMPTY>
42568 <!ATTLIST library name CDATA #REQUIRED>
42569 <!ATTLIST library lm CDATA #REQUIRED>
42570 <!ATTLIST library l_addr CDATA #REQUIRED>
42571 <!ATTLIST library l_ld CDATA #REQUIRED>
42572 @end smallexample
42573
42574 @node Memory Map Format
42575 @section Memory Map Format
42576 @cindex memory map format
42577
42578 To be able to write into flash memory, @value{GDBN} needs to obtain a
42579 memory map from the target. This section describes the format of the
42580 memory map.
42581
42582 The memory map is obtained using the @samp{qXfer:memory-map:read}
42583 (@pxref{qXfer memory map read}) packet and is an XML document that
42584 lists memory regions.
42585
42586 @value{GDBN} must be linked with the Expat library to support XML
42587 memory maps. @xref{Expat}.
42588
42589 The top-level structure of the document is shown below:
42590
42591 @smallexample
42592 <?xml version="1.0"?>
42593 <!DOCTYPE memory-map
42594 PUBLIC "+//IDN gnu.org//DTD GDB Memory Map V1.0//EN"
42595 "http://sourceware.org/gdb/gdb-memory-map.dtd">
42596 <memory-map>
42597 region...
42598 </memory-map>
42599 @end smallexample
42600
42601 Each region can be either:
42602
42603 @itemize
42604
42605 @item
42606 A region of RAM starting at @var{addr} and extending for @var{length}
42607 bytes from there:
42608
42609 @smallexample
42610 <memory type="ram" start="@var{addr}" length="@var{length}"/>
42611 @end smallexample
42612
42613
42614 @item
42615 A region of read-only memory:
42616
42617 @smallexample
42618 <memory type="rom" start="@var{addr}" length="@var{length}"/>
42619 @end smallexample
42620
42621
42622 @item
42623 A region of flash memory, with erasure blocks @var{blocksize}
42624 bytes in length:
42625
42626 @smallexample
42627 <memory type="flash" start="@var{addr}" length="@var{length}">
42628 <property name="blocksize">@var{blocksize}</property>
42629 </memory>
42630 @end smallexample
42631
42632 @end itemize
42633
42634 Regions must not overlap. @value{GDBN} assumes that areas of memory not covered
42635 by the memory map are RAM, and uses the ordinary @samp{M} and @samp{X}
42636 packets to write to addresses in such ranges.
42637
42638 The formal DTD for memory map format is given below:
42639
42640 @smallexample
42641 <!-- ................................................... -->
42642 <!-- Memory Map XML DTD ................................ -->
42643 <!-- File: memory-map.dtd .............................. -->
42644 <!-- .................................... .............. -->
42645 <!-- memory-map.dtd -->
42646 <!-- memory-map: Root element with versioning -->
42647 <!ELEMENT memory-map (memory | property)>
42648 <!ATTLIST memory-map version CDATA #FIXED "1.0.0">
42649 <!ELEMENT memory (property)>
42650 <!-- memory: Specifies a memory region,
42651 and its type, or device. -->
42652 <!ATTLIST memory type CDATA #REQUIRED
42653 start CDATA #REQUIRED
42654 length CDATA #REQUIRED
42655 device CDATA #IMPLIED>
42656 <!-- property: Generic attribute tag -->
42657 <!ELEMENT property (#PCDATA | property)*>
42658 <!ATTLIST property name CDATA #REQUIRED>
42659 @end smallexample
42660
42661 @node Thread List Format
42662 @section Thread List Format
42663 @cindex thread list format
42664
42665 To efficiently update the list of threads and their attributes,
42666 @value{GDBN} issues the @samp{qXfer:threads:read} packet
42667 (@pxref{qXfer threads read}) and obtains the XML document with
42668 the following structure:
42669
42670 @smallexample
42671 <?xml version="1.0"?>
42672 <threads>
42673 <thread id="id" core="0">
42674 ... description ...
42675 </thread>
42676 </threads>
42677 @end smallexample
42678
42679 Each @samp{thread} element must have the @samp{id} attribute that
42680 identifies the thread (@pxref{thread-id syntax}). The
42681 @samp{core} attribute, if present, specifies which processor core
42682 the thread was last executing on. The content of the of @samp{thread}
42683 element is interpreted as human-readable auxilliary information.
42684
42685 @node Traceframe Info Format
42686 @section Traceframe Info Format
42687 @cindex traceframe info format
42688
42689 To be able to know which objects in the inferior can be examined when
42690 inspecting a tracepoint hit, @value{GDBN} needs to obtain the list of
42691 memory ranges, registers and trace state variables that have been
42692 collected in a traceframe.
42693
42694 This list is obtained using the @samp{qXfer:traceframe-info:read}
42695 (@pxref{qXfer traceframe info read}) packet and is an XML document.
42696
42697 @value{GDBN} must be linked with the Expat library to support XML
42698 traceframe info discovery. @xref{Expat}.
42699
42700 The top-level structure of the document is shown below:
42701
42702 @smallexample
42703 <?xml version="1.0"?>
42704 <!DOCTYPE traceframe-info
42705 PUBLIC "+//IDN gnu.org//DTD GDB Memory Map V1.0//EN"
42706 "http://sourceware.org/gdb/gdb-traceframe-info.dtd">
42707 <traceframe-info>
42708 block...
42709 </traceframe-info>
42710 @end smallexample
42711
42712 Each traceframe block can be either:
42713
42714 @itemize
42715
42716 @item
42717 A region of collected memory starting at @var{addr} and extending for
42718 @var{length} bytes from there:
42719
42720 @smallexample
42721 <memory start="@var{addr}" length="@var{length}"/>
42722 @end smallexample
42723
42724 @item
42725 A block indicating trace state variable numbered @var{number} has been
42726 collected:
42727
42728 @smallexample
42729 <tvar id="@var{number}"/>
42730 @end smallexample
42731
42732 @end itemize
42733
42734 The formal DTD for the traceframe info format is given below:
42735
42736 @smallexample
42737 <!ELEMENT traceframe-info (memory | tvar)* >
42738 <!ATTLIST traceframe-info version CDATA #FIXED "1.0">
42739
42740 <!ELEMENT memory EMPTY>
42741 <!ATTLIST memory start CDATA #REQUIRED
42742 length CDATA #REQUIRED>
42743 <!ELEMENT tvar>
42744 <!ATTLIST tvar id CDATA #REQUIRED>
42745 @end smallexample
42746
42747 @node Branch Trace Format
42748 @section Branch Trace Format
42749 @cindex branch trace format
42750
42751 In order to display the branch trace of an inferior thread,
42752 @value{GDBN} needs to obtain the list of branches. This list is
42753 represented as list of sequential code blocks that are connected via
42754 branches. The code in each block has been executed sequentially.
42755
42756 This list is obtained using the @samp{qXfer:btrace:read}
42757 (@pxref{qXfer btrace read}) packet and is an XML document.
42758
42759 @value{GDBN} must be linked with the Expat library to support XML
42760 traceframe info discovery. @xref{Expat}.
42761
42762 The top-level structure of the document is shown below:
42763
42764 @smallexample
42765 <?xml version="1.0"?>
42766 <!DOCTYPE btrace
42767 PUBLIC "+//IDN gnu.org//DTD GDB Branch Trace V1.0//EN"
42768 "http://sourceware.org/gdb/gdb-btrace.dtd">
42769 <btrace>
42770 block...
42771 </btrace>
42772 @end smallexample
42773
42774 @itemize
42775
42776 @item
42777 A block of sequentially executed instructions starting at @var{begin}
42778 and ending at @var{end}:
42779
42780 @smallexample
42781 <block begin="@var{begin}" end="@var{end}"/>
42782 @end smallexample
42783
42784 @end itemize
42785
42786 The formal DTD for the branch trace format is given below:
42787
42788 @smallexample
42789 <!ELEMENT btrace (block)* >
42790 <!ATTLIST btrace version CDATA #FIXED "1.0">
42791
42792 <!ELEMENT block EMPTY>
42793 <!ATTLIST block begin CDATA #REQUIRED
42794 end CDATA #REQUIRED>
42795 @end smallexample
42796
42797 @include agentexpr.texi
42798
42799 @node Target Descriptions
42800 @appendix Target Descriptions
42801 @cindex target descriptions
42802
42803 One of the challenges of using @value{GDBN} to debug embedded systems
42804 is that there are so many minor variants of each processor
42805 architecture in use. It is common practice for vendors to start with
42806 a standard processor core --- ARM, PowerPC, or @acronym{MIPS}, for example ---
42807 and then make changes to adapt it to a particular market niche. Some
42808 architectures have hundreds of variants, available from dozens of
42809 vendors. This leads to a number of problems:
42810
42811 @itemize @bullet
42812 @item
42813 With so many different customized processors, it is difficult for
42814 the @value{GDBN} maintainers to keep up with the changes.
42815 @item
42816 Since individual variants may have short lifetimes or limited
42817 audiences, it may not be worthwhile to carry information about every
42818 variant in the @value{GDBN} source tree.
42819 @item
42820 When @value{GDBN} does support the architecture of the embedded system
42821 at hand, the task of finding the correct architecture name to give the
42822 @command{set architecture} command can be error-prone.
42823 @end itemize
42824
42825 To address these problems, the @value{GDBN} remote protocol allows a
42826 target system to not only identify itself to @value{GDBN}, but to
42827 actually describe its own features. This lets @value{GDBN} support
42828 processor variants it has never seen before --- to the extent that the
42829 descriptions are accurate, and that @value{GDBN} understands them.
42830
42831 @value{GDBN} must be linked with the Expat library to support XML
42832 target descriptions. @xref{Expat}.
42833
42834 @menu
42835 * Retrieving Descriptions:: How descriptions are fetched from a target.
42836 * Target Description Format:: The contents of a target description.
42837 * Predefined Target Types:: Standard types available for target
42838 descriptions.
42839 * Standard Target Features:: Features @value{GDBN} knows about.
42840 @end menu
42841
42842 @node Retrieving Descriptions
42843 @section Retrieving Descriptions
42844
42845 Target descriptions can be read from the target automatically, or
42846 specified by the user manually. The default behavior is to read the
42847 description from the target. @value{GDBN} retrieves it via the remote
42848 protocol using @samp{qXfer} requests (@pxref{General Query Packets,
42849 qXfer}). The @var{annex} in the @samp{qXfer} packet will be
42850 @samp{target.xml}. The contents of the @samp{target.xml} annex are an
42851 XML document, of the form described in @ref{Target Description
42852 Format}.
42853
42854 Alternatively, you can specify a file to read for the target description.
42855 If a file is set, the target will not be queried. The commands to
42856 specify a file are:
42857
42858 @table @code
42859 @cindex set tdesc filename
42860 @item set tdesc filename @var{path}
42861 Read the target description from @var{path}.
42862
42863 @cindex unset tdesc filename
42864 @item unset tdesc filename
42865 Do not read the XML target description from a file. @value{GDBN}
42866 will use the description supplied by the current target.
42867
42868 @cindex show tdesc filename
42869 @item show tdesc filename
42870 Show the filename to read for a target description, if any.
42871 @end table
42872
42873
42874 @node Target Description Format
42875 @section Target Description Format
42876 @cindex target descriptions, XML format
42877
42878 A target description annex is an @uref{http://www.w3.org/XML/, XML}
42879 document which complies with the Document Type Definition provided in
42880 the @value{GDBN} sources in @file{gdb/features/gdb-target.dtd}. This
42881 means you can use generally available tools like @command{xmllint} to
42882 check that your feature descriptions are well-formed and valid.
42883 However, to help people unfamiliar with XML write descriptions for
42884 their targets, we also describe the grammar here.
42885
42886 Target descriptions can identify the architecture of the remote target
42887 and (for some architectures) provide information about custom register
42888 sets. They can also identify the OS ABI of the remote target.
42889 @value{GDBN} can use this information to autoconfigure for your
42890 target, or to warn you if you connect to an unsupported target.
42891
42892 Here is a simple target description:
42893
42894 @smallexample
42895 <target version="1.0">
42896 <architecture>i386:x86-64</architecture>
42897 </target>
42898 @end smallexample
42899
42900 @noindent
42901 This minimal description only says that the target uses
42902 the x86-64 architecture.
42903
42904 A target description has the following overall form, with [ ] marking
42905 optional elements and @dots{} marking repeatable elements. The elements
42906 are explained further below.
42907
42908 @smallexample
42909 <?xml version="1.0"?>
42910 <!DOCTYPE target SYSTEM "gdb-target.dtd">
42911 <target version="1.0">
42912 @r{[}@var{architecture}@r{]}
42913 @r{[}@var{osabi}@r{]}
42914 @r{[}@var{compatible}@r{]}
42915 @r{[}@var{feature}@dots{}@r{]}
42916 </target>
42917 @end smallexample
42918
42919 @noindent
42920 The description is generally insensitive to whitespace and line
42921 breaks, under the usual common-sense rules. The XML version
42922 declaration and document type declaration can generally be omitted
42923 (@value{GDBN} does not require them), but specifying them may be
42924 useful for XML validation tools. The @samp{version} attribute for
42925 @samp{<target>} may also be omitted, but we recommend
42926 including it; if future versions of @value{GDBN} use an incompatible
42927 revision of @file{gdb-target.dtd}, they will detect and report
42928 the version mismatch.
42929
42930 @subsection Inclusion
42931 @cindex target descriptions, inclusion
42932 @cindex XInclude
42933 @ifnotinfo
42934 @cindex <xi:include>
42935 @end ifnotinfo
42936
42937 It can sometimes be valuable to split a target description up into
42938 several different annexes, either for organizational purposes, or to
42939 share files between different possible target descriptions. You can
42940 divide a description into multiple files by replacing any element of
42941 the target description with an inclusion directive of the form:
42942
42943 @smallexample
42944 <xi:include href="@var{document}"/>
42945 @end smallexample
42946
42947 @noindent
42948 When @value{GDBN} encounters an element of this form, it will retrieve
42949 the named XML @var{document}, and replace the inclusion directive with
42950 the contents of that document. If the current description was read
42951 using @samp{qXfer}, then so will be the included document;
42952 @var{document} will be interpreted as the name of an annex. If the
42953 current description was read from a file, @value{GDBN} will look for
42954 @var{document} as a file in the same directory where it found the
42955 original description.
42956
42957 @subsection Architecture
42958 @cindex <architecture>
42959
42960 An @samp{<architecture>} element has this form:
42961
42962 @smallexample
42963 <architecture>@var{arch}</architecture>
42964 @end smallexample
42965
42966 @var{arch} is one of the architectures from the set accepted by
42967 @code{set architecture} (@pxref{Targets, ,Specifying a Debugging Target}).
42968
42969 @subsection OS ABI
42970 @cindex @code{<osabi>}
42971
42972 This optional field was introduced in @value{GDBN} version 7.0.
42973 Previous versions of @value{GDBN} ignore it.
42974
42975 An @samp{<osabi>} element has this form:
42976
42977 @smallexample
42978 <osabi>@var{abi-name}</osabi>
42979 @end smallexample
42980
42981 @var{abi-name} is an OS ABI name from the same selection accepted by
42982 @w{@code{set osabi}} (@pxref{ABI, ,Configuring the Current ABI}).
42983
42984 @subsection Compatible Architecture
42985 @cindex @code{<compatible>}
42986
42987 This optional field was introduced in @value{GDBN} version 7.0.
42988 Previous versions of @value{GDBN} ignore it.
42989
42990 A @samp{<compatible>} element has this form:
42991
42992 @smallexample
42993 <compatible>@var{arch}</compatible>
42994 @end smallexample
42995
42996 @var{arch} is one of the architectures from the set accepted by
42997 @code{set architecture} (@pxref{Targets, ,Specifying a Debugging Target}).
42998
42999 A @samp{<compatible>} element is used to specify that the target
43000 is able to run binaries in some other than the main target architecture
43001 given by the @samp{<architecture>} element. For example, on the
43002 Cell Broadband Engine, the main architecture is @code{powerpc:common}
43003 or @code{powerpc:common64}, but the system is able to run binaries
43004 in the @code{spu} architecture as well. The way to describe this
43005 capability with @samp{<compatible>} is as follows:
43006
43007 @smallexample
43008 <architecture>powerpc:common</architecture>
43009 <compatible>spu</compatible>
43010 @end smallexample
43011
43012 @subsection Features
43013 @cindex <feature>
43014
43015 Each @samp{<feature>} describes some logical portion of the target
43016 system. Features are currently used to describe available CPU
43017 registers and the types of their contents. A @samp{<feature>} element
43018 has this form:
43019
43020 @smallexample
43021 <feature name="@var{name}">
43022 @r{[}@var{type}@dots{}@r{]}
43023 @var{reg}@dots{}
43024 </feature>
43025 @end smallexample
43026
43027 @noindent
43028 Each feature's name should be unique within the description. The name
43029 of a feature does not matter unless @value{GDBN} has some special
43030 knowledge of the contents of that feature; if it does, the feature
43031 should have its standard name. @xref{Standard Target Features}.
43032
43033 @subsection Types
43034
43035 Any register's value is a collection of bits which @value{GDBN} must
43036 interpret. The default interpretation is a two's complement integer,
43037 but other types can be requested by name in the register description.
43038 Some predefined types are provided by @value{GDBN} (@pxref{Predefined
43039 Target Types}), and the description can define additional composite types.
43040
43041 Each type element must have an @samp{id} attribute, which gives
43042 a unique (within the containing @samp{<feature>}) name to the type.
43043 Types must be defined before they are used.
43044
43045 @cindex <vector>
43046 Some targets offer vector registers, which can be treated as arrays
43047 of scalar elements. These types are written as @samp{<vector>} elements,
43048 specifying the array element type, @var{type}, and the number of elements,
43049 @var{count}:
43050
43051 @smallexample
43052 <vector id="@var{id}" type="@var{type}" count="@var{count}"/>
43053 @end smallexample
43054
43055 @cindex <union>
43056 If a register's value is usefully viewed in multiple ways, define it
43057 with a union type containing the useful representations. The
43058 @samp{<union>} element contains one or more @samp{<field>} elements,
43059 each of which has a @var{name} and a @var{type}:
43060
43061 @smallexample
43062 <union id="@var{id}">
43063 <field name="@var{name}" type="@var{type}"/>
43064 @dots{}
43065 </union>
43066 @end smallexample
43067
43068 @cindex <struct>
43069 If a register's value is composed from several separate values, define
43070 it with a structure type. There are two forms of the @samp{<struct>}
43071 element; a @samp{<struct>} element must either contain only bitfields
43072 or contain no bitfields. If the structure contains only bitfields,
43073 its total size in bytes must be specified, each bitfield must have an
43074 explicit start and end, and bitfields are automatically assigned an
43075 integer type. The field's @var{start} should be less than or
43076 equal to its @var{end}, and zero represents the least significant bit.
43077
43078 @smallexample
43079 <struct id="@var{id}" size="@var{size}">
43080 <field name="@var{name}" start="@var{start}" end="@var{end}"/>
43081 @dots{}
43082 </struct>
43083 @end smallexample
43084
43085 If the structure contains no bitfields, then each field has an
43086 explicit type, and no implicit padding is added.
43087
43088 @smallexample
43089 <struct id="@var{id}">
43090 <field name="@var{name}" type="@var{type}"/>
43091 @dots{}
43092 </struct>
43093 @end smallexample
43094
43095 @cindex <flags>
43096 If a register's value is a series of single-bit flags, define it with
43097 a flags type. The @samp{<flags>} element has an explicit @var{size}
43098 and contains one or more @samp{<field>} elements. Each field has a
43099 @var{name}, a @var{start}, and an @var{end}. Only single-bit flags
43100 are supported.
43101
43102 @smallexample
43103 <flags id="@var{id}" size="@var{size}">
43104 <field name="@var{name}" start="@var{start}" end="@var{end}"/>
43105 @dots{}
43106 </flags>
43107 @end smallexample
43108
43109 @subsection Registers
43110 @cindex <reg>
43111
43112 Each register is represented as an element with this form:
43113
43114 @smallexample
43115 <reg name="@var{name}"
43116 bitsize="@var{size}"
43117 @r{[}regnum="@var{num}"@r{]}
43118 @r{[}save-restore="@var{save-restore}"@r{]}
43119 @r{[}type="@var{type}"@r{]}
43120 @r{[}group="@var{group}"@r{]}/>
43121 @end smallexample
43122
43123 @noindent
43124 The components are as follows:
43125
43126 @table @var
43127
43128 @item name
43129 The register's name; it must be unique within the target description.
43130
43131 @item bitsize
43132 The register's size, in bits.
43133
43134 @item regnum
43135 The register's number. If omitted, a register's number is one greater
43136 than that of the previous register (either in the current feature or in
43137 a preceding feature); the first register in the target description
43138 defaults to zero. This register number is used to read or write
43139 the register; e.g.@: it is used in the remote @code{p} and @code{P}
43140 packets, and registers appear in the @code{g} and @code{G} packets
43141 in order of increasing register number.
43142
43143 @item save-restore
43144 Whether the register should be preserved across inferior function
43145 calls; this must be either @code{yes} or @code{no}. The default is
43146 @code{yes}, which is appropriate for most registers except for
43147 some system control registers; this is not related to the target's
43148 ABI.
43149
43150 @item type
43151 The type of the register. @var{type} may be a predefined type, a type
43152 defined in the current feature, or one of the special types @code{int}
43153 and @code{float}. @code{int} is an integer type of the correct size
43154 for @var{bitsize}, and @code{float} is a floating point type (in the
43155 architecture's normal floating point format) of the correct size for
43156 @var{bitsize}. The default is @code{int}.
43157
43158 @item group
43159 The register group to which this register belongs. @var{group} must
43160 be either @code{general}, @code{float}, or @code{vector}. If no
43161 @var{group} is specified, @value{GDBN} will not display the register
43162 in @code{info registers}.
43163
43164 @end table
43165
43166 @node Predefined Target Types
43167 @section Predefined Target Types
43168 @cindex target descriptions, predefined types
43169
43170 Type definitions in the self-description can build up composite types
43171 from basic building blocks, but can not define fundamental types. Instead,
43172 standard identifiers are provided by @value{GDBN} for the fundamental
43173 types. The currently supported types are:
43174
43175 @table @code
43176
43177 @item int8
43178 @itemx int16
43179 @itemx int32
43180 @itemx int64
43181 @itemx int128
43182 Signed integer types holding the specified number of bits.
43183
43184 @item uint8
43185 @itemx uint16
43186 @itemx uint32
43187 @itemx uint64
43188 @itemx uint128
43189 Unsigned integer types holding the specified number of bits.
43190
43191 @item code_ptr
43192 @itemx data_ptr
43193 Pointers to unspecified code and data. The program counter and
43194 any dedicated return address register may be marked as code
43195 pointers; printing a code pointer converts it into a symbolic
43196 address. The stack pointer and any dedicated address registers
43197 may be marked as data pointers.
43198
43199 @item ieee_single
43200 Single precision IEEE floating point.
43201
43202 @item ieee_double
43203 Double precision IEEE floating point.
43204
43205 @item arm_fpa_ext
43206 The 12-byte extended precision format used by ARM FPA registers.
43207
43208 @item i387_ext
43209 The 10-byte extended precision format used by x87 registers.
43210
43211 @item i386_eflags
43212 32bit @sc{eflags} register used by x86.
43213
43214 @item i386_mxcsr
43215 32bit @sc{mxcsr} register used by x86.
43216
43217 @end table
43218
43219 @node Standard Target Features
43220 @section Standard Target Features
43221 @cindex target descriptions, standard features
43222
43223 A target description must contain either no registers or all the
43224 target's registers. If the description contains no registers, then
43225 @value{GDBN} will assume a default register layout, selected based on
43226 the architecture. If the description contains any registers, the
43227 default layout will not be used; the standard registers must be
43228 described in the target description, in such a way that @value{GDBN}
43229 can recognize them.
43230
43231 This is accomplished by giving specific names to feature elements
43232 which contain standard registers. @value{GDBN} will look for features
43233 with those names and verify that they contain the expected registers;
43234 if any known feature is missing required registers, or if any required
43235 feature is missing, @value{GDBN} will reject the target
43236 description. You can add additional registers to any of the
43237 standard features --- @value{GDBN} will display them just as if
43238 they were added to an unrecognized feature.
43239
43240 This section lists the known features and their expected contents.
43241 Sample XML documents for these features are included in the
43242 @value{GDBN} source tree, in the directory @file{gdb/features}.
43243
43244 Names recognized by @value{GDBN} should include the name of the
43245 company or organization which selected the name, and the overall
43246 architecture to which the feature applies; so e.g.@: the feature
43247 containing ARM core registers is named @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.core}.
43248
43249 The names of registers are not case sensitive for the purpose
43250 of recognizing standard features, but @value{GDBN} will only display
43251 registers using the capitalization used in the description.
43252
43253 @menu
43254 * AArch64 Features::
43255 * ARM Features::
43256 * i386 Features::
43257 * MIPS Features::
43258 * M68K Features::
43259 * Nios II Features::
43260 * PowerPC Features::
43261 * S/390 and System z Features::
43262 * TIC6x Features::
43263 @end menu
43264
43265
43266 @node AArch64 Features
43267 @subsection AArch64 Features
43268 @cindex target descriptions, AArch64 features
43269
43270 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.aarch64.core} feature is required for AArch64
43271 targets. It should contain registers @samp{x0} through @samp{x30},
43272 @samp{sp}, @samp{pc}, and @samp{cpsr}.
43273
43274 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.aarch64.fpu} feature is optional. If present,
43275 it should contain registers @samp{v0} through @samp{v31}, @samp{fpsr},
43276 and @samp{fpcr}.
43277
43278 @node ARM Features
43279 @subsection ARM Features
43280 @cindex target descriptions, ARM features
43281
43282 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.core} feature is required for non-M-profile
43283 ARM targets.
43284 It should contain registers @samp{r0} through @samp{r13}, @samp{sp},
43285 @samp{lr}, @samp{pc}, and @samp{cpsr}.
43286
43287 For M-profile targets (e.g. Cortex-M3), the @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.core}
43288 feature is replaced by @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.m-profile}. It should contain
43289 registers @samp{r0} through @samp{r13}, @samp{sp}, @samp{lr}, @samp{pc},
43290 and @samp{xpsr}.
43291
43292 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.fpa} feature is optional. If present, it
43293 should contain registers @samp{f0} through @samp{f7} and @samp{fps}.
43294
43295 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.xscale.iwmmxt} feature is optional. If present,
43296 it should contain at least registers @samp{wR0} through @samp{wR15} and
43297 @samp{wCGR0} through @samp{wCGR3}. The @samp{wCID}, @samp{wCon},
43298 @samp{wCSSF}, and @samp{wCASF} registers are optional.
43299
43300 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.vfp} feature is optional. If present, it
43301 should contain at least registers @samp{d0} through @samp{d15}. If
43302 they are present, @samp{d16} through @samp{d31} should also be included.
43303 @value{GDBN} will synthesize the single-precision registers from
43304 halves of the double-precision registers.
43305
43306 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.neon} feature is optional. It does not
43307 need to contain registers; it instructs @value{GDBN} to display the
43308 VFP double-precision registers as vectors and to synthesize the
43309 quad-precision registers from pairs of double-precision registers.
43310 If this feature is present, @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.vfp} must also
43311 be present and include 32 double-precision registers.
43312
43313 @node i386 Features
43314 @subsection i386 Features
43315 @cindex target descriptions, i386 features
43316
43317 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.i386.core} feature is required for i386/amd64
43318 targets. It should describe the following registers:
43319
43320 @itemize @minus
43321 @item
43322 @samp{eax} through @samp{edi} plus @samp{eip} for i386
43323 @item
43324 @samp{rax} through @samp{r15} plus @samp{rip} for amd64
43325 @item
43326 @samp{eflags}, @samp{cs}, @samp{ss}, @samp{ds}, @samp{es},
43327 @samp{fs}, @samp{gs}
43328 @item
43329 @samp{st0} through @samp{st7}
43330 @item
43331 @samp{fctrl}, @samp{fstat}, @samp{ftag}, @samp{fiseg}, @samp{fioff},
43332 @samp{foseg}, @samp{fooff} and @samp{fop}
43333 @end itemize
43334
43335 The register sets may be different, depending on the target.
43336
43337 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.i386.sse} feature is optional. It should
43338 describe registers:
43339
43340 @itemize @minus
43341 @item
43342 @samp{xmm0} through @samp{xmm7} for i386
43343 @item
43344 @samp{xmm0} through @samp{xmm15} for amd64
43345 @item
43346 @samp{mxcsr}
43347 @end itemize
43348
43349 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.i386.avx} feature is optional and requires the
43350 @samp{org.gnu.gdb.i386.sse} feature. It should
43351 describe the upper 128 bits of @sc{ymm} registers:
43352
43353 @itemize @minus
43354 @item
43355 @samp{ymm0h} through @samp{ymm7h} for i386
43356 @item
43357 @samp{ymm0h} through @samp{ymm15h} for amd64
43358 @end itemize
43359
43360 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.i386.mpx} is an optional feature representing Intel(R)
43361 Memory Protection Extension (MPX). It should describe the following registers:
43362
43363 @itemize @minus
43364 @item
43365 @samp{bnd0raw} through @samp{bnd3raw} for i386 and amd64.
43366 @item
43367 @samp{bndcfgu} and @samp{bndstatus} for i386 and amd64.
43368 @end itemize
43369
43370 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.i386.linux} feature is optional. It should
43371 describe a single register, @samp{orig_eax}.
43372
43373 @node MIPS Features
43374 @subsection @acronym{MIPS} Features
43375 @cindex target descriptions, @acronym{MIPS} features
43376
43377 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.mips.cpu} feature is required for @acronym{MIPS} targets.
43378 It should contain registers @samp{r0} through @samp{r31}, @samp{lo},
43379 @samp{hi}, and @samp{pc}. They may be 32-bit or 64-bit depending
43380 on the target.
43381
43382 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.mips.cp0} feature is also required. It should
43383 contain at least the @samp{status}, @samp{badvaddr}, and @samp{cause}
43384 registers. They may be 32-bit or 64-bit depending on the target.
43385
43386 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.mips.fpu} feature is currently required, though
43387 it may be optional in a future version of @value{GDBN}. It should
43388 contain registers @samp{f0} through @samp{f31}, @samp{fcsr}, and
43389 @samp{fir}. They may be 32-bit or 64-bit depending on the target.
43390
43391 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.mips.dsp} feature is optional. It should
43392 contain registers @samp{hi1} through @samp{hi3}, @samp{lo1} through
43393 @samp{lo3}, and @samp{dspctl}. The @samp{dspctl} register should
43394 be 32-bit and the rest may be 32-bit or 64-bit depending on the target.
43395
43396 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.mips.linux} feature is optional. It should
43397 contain a single register, @samp{restart}, which is used by the
43398 Linux kernel to control restartable syscalls.
43399
43400 @node M68K Features
43401 @subsection M68K Features
43402 @cindex target descriptions, M68K features
43403
43404 @table @code
43405 @item @samp{org.gnu.gdb.m68k.core}
43406 @itemx @samp{org.gnu.gdb.coldfire.core}
43407 @itemx @samp{org.gnu.gdb.fido.core}
43408 One of those features must be always present.
43409 The feature that is present determines which flavor of m68k is
43410 used. The feature that is present should contain registers
43411 @samp{d0} through @samp{d7}, @samp{a0} through @samp{a5}, @samp{fp},
43412 @samp{sp}, @samp{ps} and @samp{pc}.
43413
43414 @item @samp{org.gnu.gdb.coldfire.fp}
43415 This feature is optional. If present, it should contain registers
43416 @samp{fp0} through @samp{fp7}, @samp{fpcontrol}, @samp{fpstatus} and
43417 @samp{fpiaddr}.
43418 @end table
43419
43420 @node Nios II Features
43421 @subsection Nios II Features
43422 @cindex target descriptions, Nios II features
43423
43424 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.nios2.cpu} feature is required for Nios II
43425 targets. It should contain the 32 core registers (@samp{zero},
43426 @samp{at}, @samp{r2} through @samp{r23}, @samp{et} through @samp{ra}),
43427 @samp{pc}, and the 16 control registers (@samp{status} through
43428 @samp{mpuacc}).
43429
43430 @node PowerPC Features
43431 @subsection PowerPC Features
43432 @cindex target descriptions, PowerPC features
43433
43434 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.power.core} feature is required for PowerPC
43435 targets. It should contain registers @samp{r0} through @samp{r31},
43436 @samp{pc}, @samp{msr}, @samp{cr}, @samp{lr}, @samp{ctr}, and
43437 @samp{xer}. They may be 32-bit or 64-bit depending on the target.
43438
43439 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.power.fpu} feature is optional. It should
43440 contain registers @samp{f0} through @samp{f31} and @samp{fpscr}.
43441
43442 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.power.altivec} feature is optional. It should
43443 contain registers @samp{vr0} through @samp{vr31}, @samp{vscr},
43444 and @samp{vrsave}.
43445
43446 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.power.vsx} feature is optional. It should
43447 contain registers @samp{vs0h} through @samp{vs31h}. @value{GDBN}
43448 will combine these registers with the floating point registers
43449 (@samp{f0} through @samp{f31}) and the altivec registers (@samp{vr0}
43450 through @samp{vr31}) to present the 128-bit wide registers @samp{vs0}
43451 through @samp{vs63}, the set of vector registers for POWER7.
43452
43453 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.power.spe} feature is optional. It should
43454 contain registers @samp{ev0h} through @samp{ev31h}, @samp{acc}, and
43455 @samp{spefscr}. SPE targets should provide 32-bit registers in
43456 @samp{org.gnu.gdb.power.core} and provide the upper halves in
43457 @samp{ev0h} through @samp{ev31h}. @value{GDBN} will combine
43458 these to present registers @samp{ev0} through @samp{ev31} to the
43459 user.
43460
43461 @node S/390 and System z Features
43462 @subsection S/390 and System z Features
43463 @cindex target descriptions, S/390 features
43464 @cindex target descriptions, System z features
43465
43466 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.s390.core} feature is required for S/390 and
43467 System z targets. It should contain the PSW and the 16 general
43468 registers. In particular, System z targets should provide the 64-bit
43469 registers @samp{pswm}, @samp{pswa}, and @samp{r0} through @samp{r15}.
43470 S/390 targets should provide the 32-bit versions of these registers.
43471 A System z target that runs in 31-bit addressing mode should provide
43472 32-bit versions of @samp{pswm} and @samp{pswa}, as well as the general
43473 register's upper halves @samp{r0h} through @samp{r15h}, and their
43474 lower halves @samp{r0l} through @samp{r15l}.
43475
43476 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.s390.fpr} feature is required. It should
43477 contain the 64-bit registers @samp{f0} through @samp{f15}, and
43478 @samp{fpc}.
43479
43480 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.s390.acr} feature is required. It should
43481 contain the 32-bit registers @samp{acr0} through @samp{acr15}.
43482
43483 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.s390.linux} feature is optional. It should
43484 contain the register @samp{orig_r2}, which is 64-bit wide on System z
43485 targets and 32-bit otherwise. In addition, the feature may contain
43486 the @samp{last_break} register, whose width depends on the addressing
43487 mode, as well as the @samp{system_call} register, which is always
43488 32-bit wide.
43489
43490 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.s390.tdb} feature is optional. It should
43491 contain the 64-bit registers @samp{tdb0}, @samp{tac}, @samp{tct},
43492 @samp{atia}, and @samp{tr0} through @samp{tr15}.
43493
43494 @node TIC6x Features
43495 @subsection TMS320C6x Features
43496 @cindex target descriptions, TIC6x features
43497 @cindex target descriptions, TMS320C6x features
43498 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.tic6x.core} feature is required for TMS320C6x
43499 targets. It should contain registers @samp{A0} through @samp{A15},
43500 registers @samp{B0} through @samp{B15}, @samp{CSR} and @samp{PC}.
43501
43502 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.tic6x.gp} feature is optional. It should
43503 contain registers @samp{A16} through @samp{A31} and @samp{B16}
43504 through @samp{B31}.
43505
43506 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.tic6x.c6xp} feature is optional. It should
43507 contain registers @samp{TSR}, @samp{ILC} and @samp{RILC}.
43508
43509 @node Operating System Information
43510 @appendix Operating System Information
43511 @cindex operating system information
43512
43513 @menu
43514 * Process list::
43515 @end menu
43516
43517 Users of @value{GDBN} often wish to obtain information about the state of
43518 the operating system running on the target---for example the list of
43519 processes, or the list of open files. This section describes the
43520 mechanism that makes it possible. This mechanism is similar to the
43521 target features mechanism (@pxref{Target Descriptions}), but focuses
43522 on a different aspect of target.
43523
43524 Operating system information is retrived from the target via the
43525 remote protocol, using @samp{qXfer} requests (@pxref{qXfer osdata
43526 read}). The object name in the request should be @samp{osdata}, and
43527 the @var{annex} identifies the data to be fetched.
43528
43529 @node Process list
43530 @appendixsection Process list
43531 @cindex operating system information, process list
43532
43533 When requesting the process list, the @var{annex} field in the
43534 @samp{qXfer} request should be @samp{processes}. The returned data is
43535 an XML document. The formal syntax of this document is defined in
43536 @file{gdb/features/osdata.dtd}.
43537
43538 An example document is:
43539
43540 @smallexample
43541 <?xml version="1.0"?>
43542 <!DOCTYPE target SYSTEM "osdata.dtd">
43543 <osdata type="processes">
43544 <item>
43545 <column name="pid">1</column>
43546 <column name="user">root</column>
43547 <column name="command">/sbin/init</column>
43548 <column name="cores">1,2,3</column>
43549 </item>
43550 </osdata>
43551 @end smallexample
43552
43553 Each item should include a column whose name is @samp{pid}. The value
43554 of that column should identify the process on the target. The
43555 @samp{user} and @samp{command} columns are optional, and will be
43556 displayed by @value{GDBN}. The @samp{cores} column, if present,
43557 should contain a comma-separated list of cores that this process
43558 is running on. Target may provide additional columns,
43559 which @value{GDBN} currently ignores.
43560
43561 @node Trace File Format
43562 @appendix Trace File Format
43563 @cindex trace file format
43564
43565 The trace file comes in three parts: a header, a textual description
43566 section, and a trace frame section with binary data.
43567
43568 The header has the form @code{\x7fTRACE0\n}. The first byte is
43569 @code{0x7f} so as to indicate that the file contains binary data,
43570 while the @code{0} is a version number that may have different values
43571 in the future.
43572
43573 The description section consists of multiple lines of @sc{ascii} text
43574 separated by newline characters (@code{0xa}). The lines may include a
43575 variety of optional descriptive or context-setting information, such
43576 as tracepoint definitions or register set size. @value{GDBN} will
43577 ignore any line that it does not recognize. An empty line marks the end
43578 of this section.
43579
43580 @c FIXME add some specific types of data
43581
43582 The trace frame section consists of a number of consecutive frames.
43583 Each frame begins with a two-byte tracepoint number, followed by a
43584 four-byte size giving the amount of data in the frame. The data in
43585 the frame consists of a number of blocks, each introduced by a
43586 character indicating its type (at least register, memory, and trace
43587 state variable). The data in this section is raw binary, not a
43588 hexadecimal or other encoding; its endianness matches the target's
43589 endianness.
43590
43591 @c FIXME bi-arch may require endianness/arch info in description section
43592
43593 @table @code
43594 @item R @var{bytes}
43595 Register block. The number and ordering of bytes matches that of a
43596 @code{g} packet in the remote protocol. Note that these are the
43597 actual bytes, in target order and @value{GDBN} register order, not a
43598 hexadecimal encoding.
43599
43600 @item M @var{address} @var{length} @var{bytes}...
43601 Memory block. This is a contiguous block of memory, at the 8-byte
43602 address @var{address}, with a 2-byte length @var{length}, followed by
43603 @var{length} bytes.
43604
43605 @item V @var{number} @var{value}
43606 Trace state variable block. This records the 8-byte signed value
43607 @var{value} of trace state variable numbered @var{number}.
43608
43609 @end table
43610
43611 Future enhancements of the trace file format may include additional types
43612 of blocks.
43613
43614 @node Index Section Format
43615 @appendix @code{.gdb_index} section format
43616 @cindex .gdb_index section format
43617 @cindex index section format
43618
43619 This section documents the index section that is created by @code{save
43620 gdb-index} (@pxref{Index Files}). The index section is
43621 DWARF-specific; some knowledge of DWARF is assumed in this
43622 description.
43623
43624 The mapped index file format is designed to be directly
43625 @code{mmap}able on any architecture. In most cases, a datum is
43626 represented using a little-endian 32-bit integer value, called an
43627 @code{offset_type}. Big endian machines must byte-swap the values
43628 before using them. Exceptions to this rule are noted. The data is
43629 laid out such that alignment is always respected.
43630
43631 A mapped index consists of several areas, laid out in order.
43632
43633 @enumerate
43634 @item
43635 The file header. This is a sequence of values, of @code{offset_type}
43636 unless otherwise noted:
43637
43638 @enumerate
43639 @item
43640 The version number, currently 8. Versions 1, 2 and 3 are obsolete.
43641 Version 4 uses a different hashing function from versions 5 and 6.
43642 Version 6 includes symbols for inlined functions, whereas versions 4
43643 and 5 do not. Version 7 adds attributes to the CU indices in the
43644 symbol table. Version 8 specifies that symbols from DWARF type units
43645 (@samp{DW_TAG_type_unit}) refer to the type unit's symbol table and not the
43646 compilation unit (@samp{DW_TAG_comp_unit}) using the type.
43647
43648 @value{GDBN} will only read version 4, 5, or 6 indices
43649 by specifying @code{set use-deprecated-index-sections on}.
43650 GDB has a workaround for potentially broken version 7 indices so it is
43651 currently not flagged as deprecated.
43652
43653 @item
43654 The offset, from the start of the file, of the CU list.
43655
43656 @item
43657 The offset, from the start of the file, of the types CU list. Note
43658 that this area can be empty, in which case this offset will be equal
43659 to the next offset.
43660
43661 @item
43662 The offset, from the start of the file, of the address area.
43663
43664 @item
43665 The offset, from the start of the file, of the symbol table.
43666
43667 @item
43668 The offset, from the start of the file, of the constant pool.
43669 @end enumerate
43670
43671 @item
43672 The CU list. This is a sequence of pairs of 64-bit little-endian
43673 values, sorted by the CU offset. The first element in each pair is
43674 the offset of a CU in the @code{.debug_info} section. The second
43675 element in each pair is the length of that CU. References to a CU
43676 elsewhere in the map are done using a CU index, which is just the
43677 0-based index into this table. Note that if there are type CUs, then
43678 conceptually CUs and type CUs form a single list for the purposes of
43679 CU indices.
43680
43681 @item
43682 The types CU list. This is a sequence of triplets of 64-bit
43683 little-endian values. In a triplet, the first value is the CU offset,
43684 the second value is the type offset in the CU, and the third value is
43685 the type signature. The types CU list is not sorted.
43686
43687 @item
43688 The address area. The address area consists of a sequence of address
43689 entries. Each address entry has three elements:
43690
43691 @enumerate
43692 @item
43693 The low address. This is a 64-bit little-endian value.
43694
43695 @item
43696 The high address. This is a 64-bit little-endian value. Like
43697 @code{DW_AT_high_pc}, the value is one byte beyond the end.
43698
43699 @item
43700 The CU index. This is an @code{offset_type} value.
43701 @end enumerate
43702
43703 @item
43704 The symbol table. This is an open-addressed hash table. The size of
43705 the hash table is always a power of 2.
43706
43707 Each slot in the hash table consists of a pair of @code{offset_type}
43708 values. The first value is the offset of the symbol's name in the
43709 constant pool. The second value is the offset of the CU vector in the
43710 constant pool.
43711
43712 If both values are 0, then this slot in the hash table is empty. This
43713 is ok because while 0 is a valid constant pool index, it cannot be a
43714 valid index for both a string and a CU vector.
43715
43716 The hash value for a table entry is computed by applying an
43717 iterative hash function to the symbol's name. Starting with an
43718 initial value of @code{r = 0}, each (unsigned) character @samp{c} in
43719 the string is incorporated into the hash using the formula depending on the
43720 index version:
43721
43722 @table @asis
43723 @item Version 4
43724 The formula is @code{r = r * 67 + c - 113}.
43725
43726 @item Versions 5 to 7
43727 The formula is @code{r = r * 67 + tolower (c) - 113}.
43728 @end table
43729
43730 The terminating @samp{\0} is not incorporated into the hash.
43731
43732 The step size used in the hash table is computed via
43733 @code{((hash * 17) & (size - 1)) | 1}, where @samp{hash} is the hash
43734 value, and @samp{size} is the size of the hash table. The step size
43735 is used to find the next candidate slot when handling a hash
43736 collision.
43737
43738 The names of C@t{++} symbols in the hash table are canonicalized. We
43739 don't currently have a simple description of the canonicalization
43740 algorithm; if you intend to create new index sections, you must read
43741 the code.
43742
43743 @item
43744 The constant pool. This is simply a bunch of bytes. It is organized
43745 so that alignment is correct: CU vectors are stored first, followed by
43746 strings.
43747
43748 A CU vector in the constant pool is a sequence of @code{offset_type}
43749 values. The first value is the number of CU indices in the vector.
43750 Each subsequent value is the index and symbol attributes of a CU in
43751 the CU list. This element in the hash table is used to indicate which
43752 CUs define the symbol and how the symbol is used.
43753 See below for the format of each CU index+attributes entry.
43754
43755 A string in the constant pool is zero-terminated.
43756 @end enumerate
43757
43758 Attributes were added to CU index values in @code{.gdb_index} version 7.
43759 If a symbol has multiple uses within a CU then there is one
43760 CU index+attributes value for each use.
43761
43762 The format of each CU index+attributes entry is as follows
43763 (bit 0 = LSB):
43764
43765 @table @asis
43766
43767 @item Bits 0-23
43768 This is the index of the CU in the CU list.
43769 @item Bits 24-27
43770 These bits are reserved for future purposes and must be zero.
43771 @item Bits 28-30
43772 The kind of the symbol in the CU.
43773
43774 @table @asis
43775 @item 0
43776 This value is reserved and should not be used.
43777 By reserving zero the full @code{offset_type} value is backwards compatible
43778 with previous versions of the index.
43779 @item 1
43780 The symbol is a type.
43781 @item 2
43782 The symbol is a variable or an enum value.
43783 @item 3
43784 The symbol is a function.
43785 @item 4
43786 Any other kind of symbol.
43787 @item 5,6,7
43788 These values are reserved.
43789 @end table
43790
43791 @item Bit 31
43792 This bit is zero if the value is global and one if it is static.
43793
43794 The determination of whether a symbol is global or static is complicated.
43795 The authorative reference is the file @file{dwarf2read.c} in
43796 @value{GDBN} sources.
43797
43798 @end table
43799
43800 This pseudo-code describes the computation of a symbol's kind and
43801 global/static attributes in the index.
43802
43803 @smallexample
43804 is_external = get_attribute (die, DW_AT_external);
43805 language = get_attribute (cu_die, DW_AT_language);
43806 switch (die->tag)
43807 @{
43808 case DW_TAG_typedef:
43809 case DW_TAG_base_type:
43810 case DW_TAG_subrange_type:
43811 kind = TYPE;
43812 is_static = 1;
43813 break;
43814 case DW_TAG_enumerator:
43815 kind = VARIABLE;
43816 is_static = (language != CPLUS && language != JAVA);
43817 break;
43818 case DW_TAG_subprogram:
43819 kind = FUNCTION;
43820 is_static = ! (is_external || language == ADA);
43821 break;
43822 case DW_TAG_constant:
43823 kind = VARIABLE;
43824 is_static = ! is_external;
43825 break;
43826 case DW_TAG_variable:
43827 kind = VARIABLE;
43828 is_static = ! is_external;
43829 break;
43830 case DW_TAG_namespace:
43831 kind = TYPE;
43832 is_static = 0;
43833 break;
43834 case DW_TAG_class_type:
43835 case DW_TAG_interface_type:
43836 case DW_TAG_structure_type:
43837 case DW_TAG_union_type:
43838 case DW_TAG_enumeration_type:
43839 kind = TYPE;
43840 is_static = (language != CPLUS && language != JAVA);
43841 break;
43842 default:
43843 assert (0);
43844 @}
43845 @end smallexample
43846
43847 @node Man Pages
43848 @appendix Manual pages
43849 @cindex Man pages
43850
43851 @menu
43852 * gdb man:: The GNU Debugger man page
43853 * gdbserver man:: Remote Server for the GNU Debugger man page
43854 * gcore man:: Generate a core file of a running program
43855 * gdbinit man:: gdbinit scripts
43856 @end menu
43857
43858 @node gdb man
43859 @heading gdb man
43860
43861 @c man title gdb The GNU Debugger
43862
43863 @c man begin SYNOPSIS gdb
43864 gdb [@option{-help}] [@option{-nh}] [@option{-nx}] [@option{-q}]
43865 [@option{-batch}] [@option{-cd=}@var{dir}] [@option{-f}]
43866 [@option{-b}@w{ }@var{bps}]
43867 [@option{-tty=}@var{dev}] [@option{-s} @var{symfile}]
43868 [@option{-e}@w{ }@var{prog}] [@option{-se}@w{ }@var{prog}]
43869 [@option{-c}@w{ }@var{core}] [@option{-p}@w{ }@var{procID}]
43870 [@option{-x}@w{ }@var{cmds}] [@option{-d}@w{ }@var{dir}]
43871 [@var{prog}|@var{prog} @var{procID}|@var{prog} @var{core}]
43872 @c man end
43873
43874 @c man begin DESCRIPTION gdb
43875 The purpose of a debugger such as @value{GDBN} is to allow you to see what is
43876 going on ``inside'' another program while it executes -- or what another
43877 program was doing at the moment it crashed.
43878
43879 @value{GDBN} can do four main kinds of things (plus other things in support of
43880 these) to help you catch bugs in the act:
43881
43882 @itemize @bullet
43883 @item
43884 Start your program, specifying anything that might affect its behavior.
43885
43886 @item
43887 Make your program stop on specified conditions.
43888
43889 @item
43890 Examine what has happened, when your program has stopped.
43891
43892 @item
43893 Change things in your program, so you can experiment with correcting the
43894 effects of one bug and go on to learn about another.
43895 @end itemize
43896
43897 You can use @value{GDBN} to debug programs written in C, C@t{++}, Fortran and
43898 Modula-2.
43899
43900 @value{GDBN} is invoked with the shell command @code{gdb}. Once started, it reads
43901 commands from the terminal until you tell it to exit with the @value{GDBN}
43902 command @code{quit}. You can get online help from @value{GDBN} itself
43903 by using the command @code{help}.
43904
43905 You can run @code{gdb} with no arguments or options; but the most
43906 usual way to start @value{GDBN} is with one argument or two, specifying an
43907 executable program as the argument:
43908
43909 @smallexample
43910 gdb program
43911 @end smallexample
43912
43913 You can also start with both an executable program and a core file specified:
43914
43915 @smallexample
43916 gdb program core
43917 @end smallexample
43918
43919 You can, instead, specify a process ID as a second argument, if you want
43920 to debug a running process:
43921
43922 @smallexample
43923 gdb program 1234
43924 gdb -p 1234
43925 @end smallexample
43926
43927 @noindent
43928 would attach @value{GDBN} to process @code{1234} (unless you also have a file
43929 named @file{1234}; @value{GDBN} does check for a core file first).
43930 With option @option{-p} you can omit the @var{program} filename.
43931
43932 Here are some of the most frequently needed @value{GDBN} commands:
43933
43934 @c pod2man highlights the right hand side of the @item lines.
43935 @table @env
43936 @item break [@var{file}:]@var{functiop}
43937 Set a breakpoint at @var{function} (in @var{file}).
43938
43939 @item run [@var{arglist}]
43940 Start your program (with @var{arglist}, if specified).
43941
43942 @item bt
43943 Backtrace: display the program stack.
43944
43945 @item print @var{expr}
43946 Display the value of an expression.
43947
43948 @item c
43949 Continue running your program (after stopping, e.g. at a breakpoint).
43950
43951 @item next
43952 Execute next program line (after stopping); step @emph{over} any
43953 function calls in the line.
43954
43955 @item edit [@var{file}:]@var{function}
43956 look at the program line where it is presently stopped.
43957
43958 @item list [@var{file}:]@var{function}
43959 type the text of the program in the vicinity of where it is presently stopped.
43960
43961 @item step
43962 Execute next program line (after stopping); step @emph{into} any
43963 function calls in the line.
43964
43965 @item help [@var{name}]
43966 Show information about @value{GDBN} command @var{name}, or general information
43967 about using @value{GDBN}.
43968
43969 @item quit
43970 Exit from @value{GDBN}.
43971 @end table
43972
43973 @ifset man
43974 For full details on @value{GDBN},
43975 see @cite{Using GDB: A Guide to the GNU Source-Level Debugger},
43976 by Richard M. Stallman and Roland H. Pesch. The same text is available online
43977 as the @code{gdb} entry in the @code{info} program.
43978 @end ifset
43979 @c man end
43980
43981 @c man begin OPTIONS gdb
43982 Any arguments other than options specify an executable
43983 file and core file (or process ID); that is, the first argument
43984 encountered with no
43985 associated option flag is equivalent to a @option{-se} option, and the second,
43986 if any, is equivalent to a @option{-c} option if it's the name of a file.
43987 Many options have
43988 both long and short forms; both are shown here. The long forms are also
43989 recognized if you truncate them, so long as enough of the option is
43990 present to be unambiguous. (If you prefer, you can flag option
43991 arguments with @option{+} rather than @option{-}, though we illustrate the
43992 more usual convention.)
43993
43994 All the options and command line arguments you give are processed
43995 in sequential order. The order makes a difference when the @option{-x}
43996 option is used.
43997
43998 @table @env
43999 @item -help
44000 @itemx -h
44001 List all options, with brief explanations.
44002
44003 @item -symbols=@var{file}
44004 @itemx -s @var{file}
44005 Read symbol table from file @var{file}.
44006
44007 @item -write
44008 Enable writing into executable and core files.
44009
44010 @item -exec=@var{file}
44011 @itemx -e @var{file}
44012 Use file @var{file} as the executable file to execute when
44013 appropriate, and for examining pure data in conjunction with a core
44014 dump.
44015
44016 @item -se=@var{file}
44017 Read symbol table from file @var{file} and use it as the executable
44018 file.
44019
44020 @item -core=@var{file}
44021 @itemx -c @var{file}
44022 Use file @var{file} as a core dump to examine.
44023
44024 @item -command=@var{file}
44025 @itemx -x @var{file}
44026 Execute @value{GDBN} commands from file @var{file}.
44027
44028 @item -ex @var{command}
44029 Execute given @value{GDBN} @var{command}.
44030
44031 @item -directory=@var{directory}
44032 @itemx -d @var{directory}
44033 Add @var{directory} to the path to search for source files.
44034
44035 @item -nh
44036 Do not execute commands from @file{~/.gdbinit}.
44037
44038 @item -nx
44039 @itemx -n
44040 Do not execute commands from any @file{.gdbinit} initialization files.
44041
44042 @item -quiet
44043 @itemx -q
44044 ``Quiet''. Do not print the introductory and copyright messages. These
44045 messages are also suppressed in batch mode.
44046
44047 @item -batch
44048 Run in batch mode. Exit with status @code{0} after processing all the command
44049 files specified with @option{-x} (and @file{.gdbinit}, if not inhibited).
44050 Exit with nonzero status if an error occurs in executing the @value{GDBN}
44051 commands in the command files.
44052
44053 Batch mode may be useful for running @value{GDBN} as a filter, for example to
44054 download and run a program on another computer; in order to make this
44055 more useful, the message
44056
44057 @smallexample
44058 Program exited normally.
44059 @end smallexample
44060
44061 @noindent
44062 (which is ordinarily issued whenever a program running under @value{GDBN} control
44063 terminates) is not issued when running in batch mode.
44064
44065 @item -cd=@var{directory}
44066 Run @value{GDBN} using @var{directory} as its working directory,
44067 instead of the current directory.
44068
44069 @item -fullname
44070 @itemx -f
44071 Emacs sets this option when it runs @value{GDBN} as a subprocess. It tells
44072 @value{GDBN} to output the full file name and line number in a standard,
44073 recognizable fashion each time a stack frame is displayed (which
44074 includes each time the program stops). This recognizable format looks
44075 like two @samp{\032} characters, followed by the file name, line number
44076 and character position separated by colons, and a newline. The
44077 Emacs-to-@value{GDBN} interface program uses the two @samp{\032}
44078 characters as a signal to display the source code for the frame.
44079
44080 @item -b @var{bps}
44081 Set the line speed (baud rate or bits per second) of any serial
44082 interface used by @value{GDBN} for remote debugging.
44083
44084 @item -tty=@var{device}
44085 Run using @var{device} for your program's standard input and output.
44086 @end table
44087 @c man end
44088
44089 @c man begin SEEALSO gdb
44090 @ifset man
44091 The full documentation for @value{GDBN} is maintained as a Texinfo manual.
44092 If the @code{info} and @code{gdb} programs and @value{GDBN}'s Texinfo
44093 documentation are properly installed at your site, the command
44094
44095 @smallexample
44096 info gdb
44097 @end smallexample
44098
44099 @noindent
44100 should give you access to the complete manual.
44101
44102 @cite{Using GDB: A Guide to the GNU Source-Level Debugger},
44103 Richard M. Stallman and Roland H. Pesch, July 1991.
44104 @end ifset
44105 @c man end
44106
44107 @node gdbserver man
44108 @heading gdbserver man
44109
44110 @c man title gdbserver Remote Server for the GNU Debugger
44111 @format
44112 @c man begin SYNOPSIS gdbserver
44113 gdbserver @var{comm} @var{prog} [@var{args}@dots{}]
44114
44115 gdbserver --attach @var{comm} @var{pid}
44116
44117 gdbserver --multi @var{comm}
44118 @c man end
44119 @end format
44120
44121 @c man begin DESCRIPTION gdbserver
44122 @command{gdbserver} is a program that allows you to run @value{GDBN} on a different machine
44123 than the one which is running the program being debugged.
44124
44125 @ifclear man
44126 @subheading Usage (server (target) side)
44127 @end ifclear
44128 @ifset man
44129 Usage (server (target) side):
44130 @end ifset
44131
44132 First, you need to have a copy of the program you want to debug put onto
44133 the target system. The program can be stripped to save space if needed, as
44134 @command{gdbserver} doesn't care about symbols. All symbol handling is taken care of by
44135 the @value{GDBN} running on the host system.
44136
44137 To use the server, you log on to the target system, and run the @command{gdbserver}
44138 program. You must tell it (a) how to communicate with @value{GDBN}, (b) the name of
44139 your program, and (c) its arguments. The general syntax is:
44140
44141 @smallexample
44142 target> gdbserver @var{comm} @var{program} [@var{args} ...]
44143 @end smallexample
44144
44145 For example, using a serial port, you might say:
44146
44147 @smallexample
44148 @ifset man
44149 @c @file would wrap it as F</dev/com1>.
44150 target> gdbserver /dev/com1 emacs foo.txt
44151 @end ifset
44152 @ifclear man
44153 target> gdbserver @file{/dev/com1} emacs foo.txt
44154 @end ifclear
44155 @end smallexample
44156
44157 This tells @command{gdbserver} to debug emacs with an argument of foo.txt, and
44158 to communicate with @value{GDBN} via @file{/dev/com1}. @command{gdbserver} now
44159 waits patiently for the host @value{GDBN} to communicate with it.
44160
44161 To use a TCP connection, you could say:
44162
44163 @smallexample
44164 target> gdbserver host:2345 emacs foo.txt
44165 @end smallexample
44166
44167 This says pretty much the same thing as the last example, except that we are
44168 going to communicate with the @code{host} @value{GDBN} via TCP. The @code{host:2345} argument means
44169 that we are expecting to see a TCP connection from @code{host} to local TCP port
44170 2345. (Currently, the @code{host} part is ignored.) You can choose any number you
44171 want for the port number as long as it does not conflict with any existing TCP
44172 ports on the target system. This same port number must be used in the host
44173 @value{GDBN}s @code{target remote} command, which will be described shortly. Note that if
44174 you chose a port number that conflicts with another service, @command{gdbserver} will
44175 print an error message and exit.
44176
44177 @command{gdbserver} can also attach to running programs.
44178 This is accomplished via the @option{--attach} argument. The syntax is:
44179
44180 @smallexample
44181 target> gdbserver --attach @var{comm} @var{pid}
44182 @end smallexample
44183
44184 @var{pid} is the process ID of a currently running process. It isn't
44185 necessary to point @command{gdbserver} at a binary for the running process.
44186
44187 To start @code{gdbserver} without supplying an initial command to run
44188 or process ID to attach, use the @option{--multi} command line option.
44189 In such case you should connect using @kbd{target extended-remote} to start
44190 the program you want to debug.
44191
44192 @smallexample
44193 target> gdbserver --multi @var{comm}
44194 @end smallexample
44195
44196 @ifclear man
44197 @subheading Usage (host side)
44198 @end ifclear
44199 @ifset man
44200 Usage (host side):
44201 @end ifset
44202
44203 You need an unstripped copy of the target program on your host system, since
44204 @value{GDBN} needs to examine it's symbol tables and such. Start up @value{GDBN} as you normally
44205 would, with the target program as the first argument. (You may need to use the
44206 @option{--baud} option if the serial line is running at anything except 9600 baud.)
44207 That is @code{gdb TARGET-PROG}, or @code{gdb --baud BAUD TARGET-PROG}. After that, the only
44208 new command you need to know about is @code{target remote}
44209 (or @code{target extended-remote}). Its argument is either
44210 a device name (usually a serial device, like @file{/dev/ttyb}), or a @code{HOST:PORT}
44211 descriptor. For example:
44212
44213 @smallexample
44214 @ifset man
44215 @c @file would wrap it as F</dev/ttyb>.
44216 (gdb) target remote /dev/ttyb
44217 @end ifset
44218 @ifclear man
44219 (gdb) target remote @file{/dev/ttyb}
44220 @end ifclear
44221 @end smallexample
44222
44223 @noindent
44224 communicates with the server via serial line @file{/dev/ttyb}, and:
44225
44226 @smallexample
44227 (gdb) target remote the-target:2345
44228 @end smallexample
44229
44230 @noindent
44231 communicates via a TCP connection to port 2345 on host `the-target', where
44232 you previously started up @command{gdbserver} with the same port number. Note that for
44233 TCP connections, you must start up @command{gdbserver} prior to using the `target remote'
44234 command, otherwise you may get an error that looks something like
44235 `Connection refused'.
44236
44237 @command{gdbserver} can also debug multiple inferiors at once,
44238 described in
44239 @ifset man
44240 the @value{GDBN} manual in node @code{Inferiors and Programs}
44241 -- shell command @code{info -f gdb -n 'Inferiors and Programs'}.
44242 @end ifset
44243 @ifclear man
44244 @ref{Inferiors and Programs}.
44245 @end ifclear
44246 In such case use the @code{extended-remote} @value{GDBN} command variant:
44247
44248 @smallexample
44249 (gdb) target extended-remote the-target:2345
44250 @end smallexample
44251
44252 The @command{gdbserver} option @option{--multi} may or may not be used in such
44253 case.
44254 @c man end
44255
44256 @c man begin OPTIONS gdbserver
44257 There are three different modes for invoking @command{gdbserver}:
44258
44259 @itemize @bullet
44260
44261 @item
44262 Debug a specific program specified by its program name:
44263
44264 @smallexample
44265 gdbserver @var{comm} @var{prog} [@var{args}@dots{}]
44266 @end smallexample
44267
44268 The @var{comm} parameter specifies how should the server communicate
44269 with @value{GDBN}; it is either a device name (to use a serial line),
44270 a TCP port number (@code{:1234}), or @code{-} or @code{stdio} to use
44271 stdin/stdout of @code{gdbserver}. Specify the name of the program to
44272 debug in @var{prog}. Any remaining arguments will be passed to the
44273 program verbatim. When the program exits, @value{GDBN} will close the
44274 connection, and @code{gdbserver} will exit.
44275
44276 @item
44277 Debug a specific program by specifying the process ID of a running
44278 program:
44279
44280 @smallexample
44281 gdbserver --attach @var{comm} @var{pid}
44282 @end smallexample
44283
44284 The @var{comm} parameter is as described above. Supply the process ID
44285 of a running program in @var{pid}; @value{GDBN} will do everything
44286 else. Like with the previous mode, when the process @var{pid} exits,
44287 @value{GDBN} will close the connection, and @code{gdbserver} will exit.
44288
44289 @item
44290 Multi-process mode -- debug more than one program/process:
44291
44292 @smallexample
44293 gdbserver --multi @var{comm}
44294 @end smallexample
44295
44296 In this mode, @value{GDBN} can instruct @command{gdbserver} which
44297 command(s) to run. Unlike the other 2 modes, @value{GDBN} will not
44298 close the connection when a process being debugged exits, so you can
44299 debug several processes in the same session.
44300 @end itemize
44301
44302 In each of the modes you may specify these options:
44303
44304 @table @env
44305
44306 @item --help
44307 List all options, with brief explanations.
44308
44309 @item --version
44310 This option causes @command{gdbserver} to print its version number and exit.
44311
44312 @item --attach
44313 @command{gdbserver} will attach to a running program. The syntax is:
44314
44315 @smallexample
44316 target> gdbserver --attach @var{comm} @var{pid}
44317 @end smallexample
44318
44319 @var{pid} is the process ID of a currently running process. It isn't
44320 necessary to point @command{gdbserver} at a binary for the running process.
44321
44322 @item --multi
44323 To start @code{gdbserver} without supplying an initial command to run
44324 or process ID to attach, use this command line option.
44325 Then you can connect using @kbd{target extended-remote} and start
44326 the program you want to debug. The syntax is:
44327
44328 @smallexample
44329 target> gdbserver --multi @var{comm}
44330 @end smallexample
44331
44332 @item --debug
44333 Instruct @code{gdbserver} to display extra status information about the debugging
44334 process.
44335 This option is intended for @code{gdbserver} development and for bug reports to
44336 the developers.
44337
44338 @item --remote-debug
44339 Instruct @code{gdbserver} to display remote protocol debug output.
44340 This option is intended for @code{gdbserver} development and for bug reports to
44341 the developers.
44342
44343 @item --wrapper
44344 Specify a wrapper to launch programs
44345 for debugging. The option should be followed by the name of the
44346 wrapper, then any command-line arguments to pass to the wrapper, then
44347 @kbd{--} indicating the end of the wrapper arguments.
44348
44349 @item --once
44350 By default, @command{gdbserver} keeps the listening TCP port open, so that
44351 additional connections are possible. However, if you start @code{gdbserver}
44352 with the @option{--once} option, it will stop listening for any further
44353 connection attempts after connecting to the first @value{GDBN} session.
44354
44355 @c --disable-packet is not documented for users.
44356
44357 @c --disable-randomization and --no-disable-randomization are superseded by
44358 @c QDisableRandomization.
44359
44360 @end table
44361 @c man end
44362
44363 @c man begin SEEALSO gdbserver
44364 @ifset man
44365 The full documentation for @value{GDBN} is maintained as a Texinfo manual.
44366 If the @code{info} and @code{gdb} programs and @value{GDBN}'s Texinfo
44367 documentation are properly installed at your site, the command
44368
44369 @smallexample
44370 info gdb
44371 @end smallexample
44372
44373 should give you access to the complete manual.
44374
44375 @cite{Using GDB: A Guide to the GNU Source-Level Debugger},
44376 Richard M. Stallman and Roland H. Pesch, July 1991.
44377 @end ifset
44378 @c man end
44379
44380 @node gcore man
44381 @heading gcore
44382
44383 @c man title gcore Generate a core file of a running program
44384
44385 @format
44386 @c man begin SYNOPSIS gcore
44387 gcore [-o @var{filename}] @var{pid}
44388 @c man end
44389 @end format
44390
44391 @c man begin DESCRIPTION gcore
44392 Generate a core dump of a running program with process ID @var{pid}.
44393 Produced file is equivalent to a kernel produced core file as if the process
44394 crashed (and if @kbd{ulimit -c} were used to set up an appropriate core dump
44395 limit). Unlike after a crash, after @command{gcore} the program remains
44396 running without any change.
44397 @c man end
44398
44399 @c man begin OPTIONS gcore
44400 @table @env
44401 @item -o @var{filename}
44402 The optional argument
44403 @var{filename} specifies the file name where to put the core dump.
44404 If not specified, the file name defaults to @file{core.@var{pid}},
44405 where @var{pid} is the running program process ID.
44406 @end table
44407 @c man end
44408
44409 @c man begin SEEALSO gcore
44410 @ifset man
44411 The full documentation for @value{GDBN} is maintained as a Texinfo manual.
44412 If the @code{info} and @code{gdb} programs and @value{GDBN}'s Texinfo
44413 documentation are properly installed at your site, the command
44414
44415 @smallexample
44416 info gdb
44417 @end smallexample
44418
44419 @noindent
44420 should give you access to the complete manual.
44421
44422 @cite{Using GDB: A Guide to the GNU Source-Level Debugger},
44423 Richard M. Stallman and Roland H. Pesch, July 1991.
44424 @end ifset
44425 @c man end
44426
44427 @node gdbinit man
44428 @heading gdbinit
44429
44430 @c man title gdbinit GDB initialization scripts
44431
44432 @format
44433 @c man begin SYNOPSIS gdbinit
44434 @ifset SYSTEM_GDBINIT
44435 @value{SYSTEM_GDBINIT}
44436 @end ifset
44437
44438 ~/.gdbinit
44439
44440 ./.gdbinit
44441 @c man end
44442 @end format
44443
44444 @c man begin DESCRIPTION gdbinit
44445 These files contain @value{GDBN} commands to automatically execute during
44446 @value{GDBN} startup. The lines of contents are canned sequences of commands,
44447 described in
44448 @ifset man
44449 the @value{GDBN} manual in node @code{Sequences}
44450 -- shell command @code{info -f gdb -n Sequences}.
44451 @end ifset
44452 @ifclear man
44453 @ref{Sequences}.
44454 @end ifclear
44455
44456 Please read more in
44457 @ifset man
44458 the @value{GDBN} manual in node @code{Startup}
44459 -- shell command @code{info -f gdb -n Startup}.
44460 @end ifset
44461 @ifclear man
44462 @ref{Startup}.
44463 @end ifclear
44464
44465 @table @env
44466 @ifset SYSTEM_GDBINIT
44467 @item @value{SYSTEM_GDBINIT}
44468 @end ifset
44469 @ifclear SYSTEM_GDBINIT
44470 @item (not enabled with @code{--with-system-gdbinit} during compilation)
44471 @end ifclear
44472 System-wide initialization file. It is executed unless user specified
44473 @value{GDBN} option @code{-nx} or @code{-n}.
44474 See more in
44475 @ifset man
44476 the @value{GDBN} manual in node @code{System-wide configuration}
44477 -- shell command @code{info -f gdb -n 'System-wide configuration'}.
44478 @end ifset
44479 @ifclear man
44480 @ref{System-wide configuration}.
44481 @end ifclear
44482
44483 @item ~/.gdbinit
44484 User initialization file. It is executed unless user specified
44485 @value{GDBN} options @code{-nx}, @code{-n} or @code{-nh}.
44486
44487 @item ./.gdbinit
44488 Initialization file for current directory. It may need to be enabled with
44489 @value{GDBN} security command @code{set auto-load local-gdbinit}.
44490 See more in
44491 @ifset man
44492 the @value{GDBN} manual in node @code{Init File in the Current Directory}
44493 -- shell command @code{info -f gdb -n 'Init File in the Current Directory'}.
44494 @end ifset
44495 @ifclear man
44496 @ref{Init File in the Current Directory}.
44497 @end ifclear
44498 @end table
44499 @c man end
44500
44501 @c man begin SEEALSO gdbinit
44502 @ifset man
44503 gdb(1), @code{info -f gdb -n Startup}
44504
44505 The full documentation for @value{GDBN} is maintained as a Texinfo manual.
44506 If the @code{info} and @code{gdb} programs and @value{GDBN}'s Texinfo
44507 documentation are properly installed at your site, the command
44508
44509 @smallexample
44510 info gdb
44511 @end smallexample
44512
44513 should give you access to the complete manual.
44514
44515 @cite{Using GDB: A Guide to the GNU Source-Level Debugger},
44516 Richard M. Stallman and Roland H. Pesch, July 1991.
44517 @end ifset
44518 @c man end
44519
44520 @include gpl.texi
44521
44522 @node GNU Free Documentation License
44523 @appendix GNU Free Documentation License
44524 @include fdl.texi
44525
44526 @node Concept Index
44527 @unnumbered Concept Index
44528
44529 @printindex cp
44530
44531 @node Command and Variable Index
44532 @unnumbered Command, Variable, and Function Index
44533
44534 @printindex fn
44535
44536 @tex
44537 % I think something like @@colophon should be in texinfo. In the
44538 % meantime:
44539 \long\def\colophon{\hbox to0pt{}\vfill
44540 \centerline{The body of this manual is set in}
44541 \centerline{\fontname\tenrm,}
44542 \centerline{with headings in {\bf\fontname\tenbf}}
44543 \centerline{and examples in {\tt\fontname\tentt}.}
44544 \centerline{{\it\fontname\tenit\/},}
44545 \centerline{{\bf\fontname\tenbf}, and}
44546 \centerline{{\sl\fontname\tensl\/}}
44547 \centerline{are used for emphasis.}\vfill}
44548 \page\colophon
44549 % Blame: doc@@cygnus.com, 1991.
44550 @end tex
44551
44552 @bye
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