- README for gdb-4.3 release
- John Gilmore 7 Dec 1991
+ README for gdb-4.18 release
+ Updated 4 Apr 1999 by Jim Blandy
-This is GDB, the GNU source-level debugger, presently running under un*x.
-A summary of features new since gdb-3.5 is in the file `WHATS.NEW'.
+This is GDB, the GNU source-level debugger.
+A summary of new features is in the file `NEWS'.
+
+See the GDB home page at http://sourceware.cygnus.com/gdb/ for up to
+date release information, mailing list links and archives, etc.
Unpacking and Installation -- quick overview
==========================
In this release, the GDB debugger sources, the generic GNU include
-files, the BFD ("binary file description") library, the readline library,
-and a miscellaneous library all have directories of their own underneath
-the gdb-4.3 directory. The idea is that a variety of GNU tools can
-share a common copy of these things. Configuration scripts and
-makefiles exist to cruise up and down this directory tree and
-automatically build all the pieces in the right order.
-
-When you unpack the gdb-4.3.tar.Z file, you'll get a directory called
-`gdb-4.3', which contains:
-
- Makefile.in config/ gdb/ texinfo/
- README config.sub* include/
- README.configure configure* libiberty/
- bfd/ configure.in readline/
+files, the BFD ("binary file description") library, the readline
+library, and other libraries all have directories of their own
+underneath the gdb-4.18 directory. The idea is that a variety of GNU
+tools can share a common copy of these things. Be aware of variation
+over time--for example don't try to build gdb with a copy of bfd from
+a release other than the gdb release (such as a binutils or gas
+release), especially if the releases are more than a few weeks apart.
+Configuration scripts and makefiles exist to cruise up and down this
+directory tree and automatically build all the pieces in the right
+order.
+
+When you unpack the gdb-4.18.tar.gz file, you'll find a directory
+called `gdb-4.18', which contains:
+
+ COPYING config.sub* libiberty/ opcodes/
+ COPYING.LIB configure* mmalloc/ readline/
+ Makefile.in configure.in move-if-change* sim/
+ README etc/ mpw-README texinfo/
+ bfd/ gdb/ mpw-build.in utils/
+ config/ include/ mpw-config.in
+ config.guess* install.sh* mpw-configure
To build GDB, you can just do:
- cd gdb-4.3
- ./configure HOSTTYPE (e.g. sun4, decstation)
+ cd gdb-4.18
+ ./configure
make
cp gdb/gdb /usr/local/bin/gdb (or wherever you want)
This will configure and build all the libraries as well as GDB.
+If `configure' can't determine your system type, specify one as its
+argument, e.g., sun4 or decstation.
+
If you get compiler warnings during this stage, see the `Reporting Bugs'
section below; there are a few known problems.
+GDB requires an ANSI C compiler. If you do not have an ANSI C
+compiler for your system, you may be able to download and install the
+GNU CC compiler. It is available via anonymous FTP from ftp.gnu.org,
+in /pub/gnu/gcc (as a URL, that's ftp://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/gcc).
+
GDB can be used as a cross-debugger, running on a machine of one type
while debugging a program running on a machine of another type. See below.
More Documentation
-==================
-
- The GDB 4.3 release includes an already-formatted reference card,
-ready for printing on a PostScript printer, as
-`gdb-4.3/gdb/refcard.ps'. It uses the most common PostScript fonts:
-the Times family, Courier, and Symbol. If you have a PostScript
-printer, you can print the reference card by just sending `refcard.ps'
-to the printer.
+******************
+
+ All the documentation for GDB comes as part of the machine-readable
+distribution. The documentation is written in Texinfo format, which is
+a documentation system that uses a single source file to produce both
+on-line information and a printed manual. You can use one of the Info
+formatting commands to create the on-line version of the documentation
+and TeX (or `texi2roff') to typeset the printed version.
+
+ GDB includes an already formatted copy of the on-line Info version of
+this manual in the `gdb/doc' subdirectory. The main Info file is
+`gdb-4.18/gdb/doc/gdb.info', and it refers to subordinate files matching
+`gdb.info*' in the same directory. If necessary, you can print out
+these files, or read them with any editor; but they are easier to read
+using the `info' subsystem in GNU Emacs or the standalone `info' program,
+available as part of the GNU Texinfo distribution.
+
+ If you want to format these Info files yourself, you need one of the
+Info formatting programs, such as `texinfo-format-buffer' or
+`makeinfo'.
+
+ If you have `makeinfo' installed, and are in the top level GDB
+source directory (`gdb-4.18', in the case of version 4.18), you can make
+the Info file by typing:
+
+ cd gdb/doc
+ make info
+
+ If you want to typeset and print copies of this manual, you need
+TeX, a program to print its DVI output files, and `texinfo.tex', the
+Texinfo definitions file. This file is included in the GDB
+distribution, in the directory `gdb-4.18/texinfo'.
+
+ TeX is a typesetting program; it does not print files directly, but
+produces output files called DVI files. To print a typeset document,
+you need a program to print DVI files. If your system has TeX
+installed, chances are it has such a program. The precise command to
+use depends on your system; `lpr -d' is common; another (for PostScript
+devices) is `dvips'. The DVI print command may require a file name
+without any extension or a `.dvi' extension.
+
+ TeX also requires a macro definitions file called `texinfo.tex'.
+This file tells TeX how to typeset a document written in Texinfo
+format. On its own, TeX cannot read, much less typeset a Texinfo file.
+ `texinfo.tex' is distributed with GDB and is located in the
+`gdb-4.18/texinfo' directory.
+
+ If you have TeX and a DVI printer program installed, you can typeset
+and print this manual. First switch to the the `gdb' subdirectory of
+the main source directory (for example, to `gdb-4.18/gdb') and then type:
- The release also includes the online Info version of this manual
-already formatted: the main Info file is `gdb-4.3/gdb/gdb.info', and it
-refers to subordinate files matching `gdb.info*' in the same directory.
-
- If you want to make these Info files yourself from the GDB manual's
-source, you need the GNU `makeinfo' program. Once you have it, you
-can type
+ make gdb.dvi
- cd gdb-4.3/gdb
- make gdb.info
-to make the Info file.
+Installing GDB
+**************
- If you want to format and print copies of the manual, you need
-several things:
+ GDB comes with a `configure' script that automates the process of
+preparing GDB for installation; you can then use `make' to build the
+`gdb' program.
- * TeX, the public domain typesetting program written by Donald
- Knuth, must be installed on your system and available through
- your execution path.
+ The GDB distribution includes all the source code you need for GDB in
+a single directory, whose name is usually composed by appending the
+version number to `gdb'.
- * `gdb-4.3/texinfo': TeX macros defining the GNU Documentation
- Format.
+ For example, the GDB version 4.18 distribution is in the `gdb-4.18'
+directory. That directory contains:
- * *A DVI output program.* TeX does not actually make marks on
- paper; it produces output files called DVI files. If your system
- has TeX installed, chances are it has a program for printing out
- these files; one popular example is `dvips', which can print DVI
- files on PostScript printers.
+`gdb-4.18/{COPYING,COPYING.LIB}'
+ Standard GNU license files. Please read them.
-Once you have these things, you can type
+`gdb-4.18/bfd'
+ source for the Binary File Descriptor library
- cd gdb-4.3/gdb
- make gdb.dvi
+`gdb-4.18/config*'
+ script for configuring GDB, along with other support files
-to format the text of this manual, and print it with the usual output
-method for TeX DVI files at your site.
+`gdb-4.18/gdb'
+ the source specific to GDB itself
- If you want to print the reference card, but do not have a
-PostScript printer, or you want to use Computer Modern fonts instead,
-you can still print it if you have TeX. Format the reference card by
-typing
+`gdb-4.18/include'
+ GNU include files
- cd gdb-4.3/gdb
- make refcard.dvi
+`gdb-4.18/libiberty'
+ source for the `-liberty' free software library
-The GDB reference card is designed to print in landscape mode on US
-"letter" size paper; that is, on a sheet 11 inches wide by 8.5 inches
-high. You will need to specify this form of printing as an option to
-your DVI output program.
+`gdb-4.18/mmalloc'
+ source for the GNU memory-mapped malloc package
+`gdb-4.18/opcodes'
+ source for the library of opcode tables and disassemblers
-Installing GDB
-==============
+`gdb-4.18/readline'
+ source for the GNU command-line interface
+ NOTE: The readline library is compiled for use by GDB, but will
+ not be installed on your system when "make install" is issued.
- GDB comes with a `configure' script that automates the process of
-preparing GDB for installation; you can then use `make' to build the
-`gdb' program.
+`gdb-4.18/sim'
+ source for some simulators (ARM, D10V, SPARC, M32R, MIPS, PPC, V850, etc)
- The gdb distribution includes all the source code you need for gdb
-in a single directory `gdb-4.3'. That directory in turn contains:
+`gdb-4.18/intl'
+ source for the GNU gettext library, for internationalization.
+ This is slightly modified from the standalone gettext
+ distribution you can get from GNU.
-`gdb-4.3/configure (and supporting files)'
- script for configuring GDB and all its supporting libraries.
+`gdb-4.18/texinfo'
+ The `texinfo.tex' file, which you need in order to make a printed
+ manual using TeX.
-`gdb-4.3/gdb'
- the source specific to GDB itself
+`gdb-4.18/etc'
+ Coding standards, useful files for editing GDB, and other
+ miscellanea.
-`gdb-4.3/bfd'
- source for the Binary File Descriptor Library
+`gdb-4.18/utils'
+ A grab bag of random utilities.
-`gdb-4.3/include'
- GNU include files
-`gdb-4.3/libiberty'
- source for the `-liberty' free software library
+ The simplest way to configure and build GDB is to run `configure'
+from the `gdb-VERSION-NUMBER' source directory, which in this example
+is the `gdb-4.18' directory.
-`gdb-4.3/readline'
- source for the GNU command-line interface
+ First switch to the `gdb-VERSION-NUMBER' source directory if you are
+not already in it; then run `configure'.
-It is most convenient to run `configure' from the `gdb-4.3' directory.
- The simplest way to configure and build GDB is the following:
+ For example:
- cd gdb-4.3
- ./configure HOST
+ cd gdb-4.18
+ ./configure
make
-where HOST is something like `sun4' or `decstation', that identifies
-the platform where GDB will run. This builds the three libraries
-`bfd', `readline', and `libiberty', then `gdb' itself. The configured
-source files, and the binaries, are left in the corresponding source
-directories.
+ Running `configure' followed by `make' builds the `bfd',
+`readline', `mmalloc', and `libiberty' libraries, then `gdb' itself.
+The configured source files, and the binaries, are left in the
+corresponding source directories.
`configure' is a Bourne-shell (`/bin/sh') script; if your system
does not recognize this automatically when you run a different shell,
-you may need to run `sh' on it explicitly: `sh configure HOST'.
+you may need to run `sh' on it explicitly:
+
+ sh configure
+
+ If you run `configure' from a directory that contains source
+directories for multiple libraries or programs, such as the `gdb-4.18'
+source directory for version 4.18, `configure' creates configuration
+files for every directory level underneath (unless you tell it not to,
+with the `--norecursion' option).
- You can *run* the `configure' script from any of the subordinate
-directories in the GDB distribution (if you only want to configure
-that subdirectory); but be sure to specify a path to it. For example,
-to configure only the `bfd' subdirectory,
+ You can run the `configure' script from any of the subordinate
+directories in the GDB distribution, if you only want to configure that
+subdirectory; but be sure to specify a path to it.
- cd gdb-4.3/bfd
- ../configure HOST
+ For example, with version 4.18, type the following to configure only
+the `bfd' subdirectory:
- You can install `gdb' anywhere; it has no hardwired paths. Simply
-copy `gdb/gdb' to the desired directory.
+ cd gdb-4.18/bfd
+ ../configure
- However, you should make sure that the shell on your path (named by
-the `SHELL' environment variable) is publicly readable; some systems
-refuse to let GDB debug child processes whose programs are not
-readable, and GDB uses the shell to start your program.
+ You can install `gdb' anywhere; it has no hardwired paths. However,
+you should make sure that the shell on your path (named by the `SHELL'
+environment variable) is publicly readable. Remember that GDB uses the
+shell to start your program--some systems refuse to let GDB debug child
+processes whose programs are not readable.
-Configuration Subdirectories
-============================
+Compiling GDB in another directory
+==================================
If you want to run GDB versions for several host or target machines,
-you'll need a different gdb compiled for each combination of host and
+you need a different `gdb' compiled for each combination of host and
target. `configure' is designed to make this easy by allowing you to
-generate each configuration in a separate subdirectory. If your
-`make' program handles the `VPATH' feature (GNU `make' does), running
-`make' in each of these directories then builds the gdb program
+generate each configuration in a separate subdirectory, rather than in
+the source directory. If your `make' program handles the `VPATH'
+feature correctly (GNU `make' and SunOS 'make' are two that should),
+running `make' in each of these directories builds the `gdb' program
specified there.
- `configure' creates these subdirectories for you when you
-simultaneously specify several configurations; but it is a good habit
-even for a single configuration. You can specify the use of
-subdirectories using the `+subdirs' option (abbreviated `+sub'). For
-example, you can build GDB this way on a Sun 4 as follows:
+ To build `gdb' in a separate directory, run `configure' with the
+`--srcdir' option to specify where to find the source. (You also need
+to specify a path to find `configure' itself from your working
+directory. If the path to `configure' would be the same as the
+argument to `--srcdir', you can leave out the `--srcdir' option; it
+will be assumed.)
- cd gdb-4.3
- ./configure +sub sun4
- cd H-sun4/T-sun4
+ For example, with version 4.18, you can build GDB in a separate
+directory for a Sun 4 like this:
+
+ cd gdb-4.18
+ mkdir ../gdb-sun4
+ cd ../gdb-sun4
+ ../gdb-4.18/configure sun4
make
- When `configure' uses subdirectories to build programs or
-libraries, it creates nested directories `H-HOST/T-TARGET'.
-`configure' uses these two directory levels because GDB can be
-configured for cross-compiling: GDB can run on one machine (the host)
-while debugging programs that run on another machine (the target).
-You specify cross-debugging targets by giving the `+target=TARGET'
-option to `configure'. Specifying only hosts still gives you two
-levels of subdirectory for each host, with the same configuration
-suffix on both; that is, if you give any number of hosts but no
-targets, GDB will be configured for native debugging on each host. On
-the other hand, whenever you specify both hosts and targets on the
-same command line, `configure' creates all combinations of the hosts
-and targets you list.
-
- If you run `configure' from a directory (notably, `gdb-4.3') that
-contains source directories for multiple libraries or programs,
-`configure' creates the `H-HOST/T-TARGET' subdirectories in each
-library or program's source directory. For example, typing:
-
- cd gdb-4.3
- configure sun4 +target=vxworks960
-
-creates the following directories:
-
- gdb-4.3/H-sun4/T-vxworks960
- gdb-4.3/bfd/H-sun4/T-vxworks960
- gdb-4.3/gdb/H-sun4/T-vxworks960
- gdb-4.3/libiberty/H-sun4/T-vxworks960
- gdb-4.3/readline/H-sun4/T-vxworks960
+ When `configure' builds a configuration using a remote source
+directory, it creates a tree for the binaries with the same structure
+(and using the same names) as the tree under the source directory. In
+the example, you'd find the Sun 4 library `libiberty.a' in the
+directory `gdb-sun4/libiberty', and GDB itself in `gdb-sun4/gdb'.
- When you run `make' to build a program or library, you must run it
-in a configured directory. If you made a single configuration,
-without subdirectories, run `make' in the source directory. If you
-have `H-HOST/T-TARGET' subdirectories, run `make' in those
-subdirectories.
+ One popular reason to build several GDB configurations in separate
+directories is to configure GDB for cross-compiling (where GDB runs on
+one machine--the host--while debugging programs that run on another
+machine--the target). You specify a cross-debugging target by giving
+the `--target=TARGET' option to `configure'.
- The `Makefile' generated by `configure' for each source directory
-runs recursively, so that typing `make' in `gdb-4.3' (or in a
-`gdb-4.3/H-HOST/T-TARGET' subdirectory) builds all the required
-libraries, then GDB.
+ When you run `make' to build a program or library, you must run it
+in a configured directory--whatever directory you were in when you
+called `configure' (or one of its subdirectories).
- When you have multiple hosts or targets configured, you can run
-`make' on them in parallel (for example, if they are NFS-mounted on
-each of the hosts); they will not interfere with each other.
+ The `Makefile' that `configure' generates in each source directory
+also runs recursively. If you type `make' in a source directory such
+as `gdb-4.18' (or in a separate configured directory configured with
+`--srcdir=PATH/gdb-4.18'), you will build all the required libraries,
+and then build GDB.
- You can also use the `+objdir=ALTROOT' option to have the
-configured files placed in a parallel directory structure rather than
-alongside the source files; *note configure Options::..
+ When you have multiple hosts or targets configured in separate
+directories, you can run `make' on them in parallel (for example, if
+they are NFS-mounted on each of the hosts); they will not interfere
+with each other.
-Specifying Names for Hosts and Targets
+Specifying names for hosts and targets
======================================
The specifications used for hosts and targets in the `configure'
ARCHITECTURE-VENDOR-OS
- For example, you can use the alias `sun4' as a HOST argument or in
-a `+target=TARGET' option, but the equivalent full name is
+ For example, you can use the alias `sun4' as a HOST argument or in a
+`--target=TARGET' option. The equivalent full name is
`sparc-sun-sunos4'.
- The following table shows all the architectures, hosts, and OS
-prefixes that `configure' recognizes in GDB 4.3. Entries in the "OS
-prefix" column ending in a `*' may be followed by a release number.
-
-
- ARCHITECTURE VENDOR OS prefix
- ------------+--------------------------+---------------------------
- | |
- 580 | altos hp | aix* msdos*
- a29k | amd ibm | amigados newsos*
- alliant | amdahl intel | aout nindy*
- arm | aout isi | bout osf*
- c1 | apollo little | bsd* sco*
- c2 | att mips | coff sunos*
- cray2 | bcs motorola | ctix* svr4
- h8300 | bout ncr | dgux* sym*
- i386 | bull next | dynix* sysv*
- i860 | cbm nyu | ebmon ultrix*
- i960 | coff sco | esix* unicos*
- m68000 | convergent sequent | hds unos*
- m68k | convex sgi | hpux* uts
- m88k | cray sony | irix* v88r*
- mips | dec sun | isc* vms*
- ns32k | encore unicom | kern vxworks*
- pyramid | gould utek | mach*
- romp | hitachi wrs |
- rs6000 | |
- sparc | |
- tahoe | |
- tron | |
- vax | |
- xmp | |
- ymp | |
-
- *Warning:* `configure' can represent a very large number of
- combinations of architecture, vendor, and OS. There is by no
- means support available for all possible combinations!
-
- The `configure' script accompanying GDB 4.3 does not provide any
-query facility to list all supported host and target names or aliases.
- `configure' calls the Bourne shell script `config.sub' to map
+ The `configure' script accompanying GDB does not provide any query
+facility to list all supported host and target names or aliases.
+`configure' calls the Bourne shell script `config.sub' to map
abbreviations to full names; you can read the script, if you wish, or
you can use it to test your guesses on abbreviations--for example:
% sh config.sub sun4
- sparc-sun-sunos4
+ sparc-sun-sunos4.1.1
% sh config.sub sun3
- m68k-sun-sunos4
+ m68k-sun-sunos4.1.1
% sh config.sub decstation
- mips-dec-ultrix
+ mips-dec-ultrix4.2
% sh config.sub hp300bsd
m68k-hp-bsd
% sh config.sub i386v
- i386-none-sysv
- % sh config.sub i486v
- *** Configuration "i486v" not recognized
+ i386-pc-sysv
+ % sh config.sub i786v
+ Invalid configuration `i786v': machine `i786v' not recognized
-`config.sub' is also distributed in the directory `gdb-4.3'.
+`config.sub' is also distributed in the GDB source directory
+(`gdb-4.18', for version 4.18).
-`configure' Options
+`configure' options
===================
- Here is a summary of all the `configure' options and arguments that
-you might use for building GDB:
-
- configure [+destdir=DIR] [+subdirs]
- [+objdir=ALTROOT] [+norecursion] [+rm]
- [+target=TARGET...] HOST...
-
-You may introduce options with the character `-' rather than `+' if
-you prefer; but you may abbreviate option names if you use `+'.
-
-`+destdir=DIR'
- DIR is an installation directory *path prefix*. After you
- configure with this option, `make install' will install GDB as
- `DIR/bin/gdb', and the libraries in `DIR/lib'. If you specify
- `+destdir=/usr/local', for example, `make install' creates
- `/usr/local/bin/gdb'.
-
-`+subdirs'
- Write configuration specific files in subdirectories of the form
-
- H-HOST/T-TARGET
-
- (and configure the `Makefile' to generate object code in
- subdirectories of this form as well). Without this option, if you
- specify only one configuration for GDB, `configure' will use the
- same directory for source, configured files, and binaries. This
- option is used automatically if you specify more than one HOST or
- more than one `+target=TARGET' option on the `configure' command
- line.
-
-`+norecursion'
- Configure only the directory where `configure' is executed; do not
- propagate configuration to subdirectories.
-
-`+objdir=ALTROOT'
- ALTROOT is an alternative directory used as the root for
- configured files. `configure' will create directories under
- ALTROOT in parallel to the source directories. If you use
- `+objdir=ALTROOT' with `+subdirs', `configure' also builds the
- `H-HOST/T-TARGET' subdirectories in the directory tree rooted in
- ALTROOT.
-
-`+rm'
+ Here is a summary of the `configure' options and arguments that are
+most often useful for building GDB. `configure' also has several other
+options not listed here. *note : (configure.info)What Configure Does,
+for a full explanation of `configure'.
+
+ configure [--help]
+ [--prefix=DIR]
+ [--srcdir=PATH]
+ [--norecursion] [--rm]
+ [--enable-build-warnings]
+ [--target=TARGET]
+ [--host=HOST]
+ [HOST]
+
+You may introduce options with a single `-' rather than `--' if you
+prefer; but you may abbreviate option names if you use `--'.
+
+`--help'
+ Display a quick summary of how to invoke `configure'.
+
+`-prefix=DIR'
+ Configure the source to install programs and files under directory
+ `DIR'.
+
+`--srcdir=PATH'
+ *Warning: using this option requires GNU `make', or another `make'
+ that compatibly implements the `VPATH' feature.*
+ Use this option to make configurations in directories separate
+ from the GDB source directories. Among other things, you can use
+ this to build (or maintain) several configurations simultaneously,
+ in separate directories. `configure' writes configuration
+ specific files in the current directory, but arranges for them to
+ use the source in the directory PATH. `configure' will create
+ directories under the working directory in parallel to the source
+ directories below PATH.
+
+`--norecursion'
+ Configure only the directory level where `configure' is executed;
+ do not propagate configuration to subdirectories.
+
+`--rm'
Remove the configuration that the other arguments specify.
-`+target=TARGET ...'
- Configure GDB for cross-debugging programs running on each
- specified TARGET. You may specify as many `+target' options as
- you wish. Without this option, GDB is configured to debug
- programs that run on the same machine (HOST) as GDB itself.
+`--enable-build-warnings'
+ When building the GDB sources, ask the compiler to warn about any
+ code which looks even vaguely suspicious. You should only using
+ this feature if you're compiling with GNU CC. It passes the
+ following flags:
+ -Wall
+ -Wpointer-arith
+ -Wstrict-prototypes
+ -Wmissing-prototypes
+ -Wmissing-declarations
+
+`--target=TARGET'
+ Configure GDB for cross-debugging programs running on the specified
+ TARGET. Without this option, GDB is configured to debug programs
+ that run on the same machine (HOST) as GDB itself.
There is no convenient way to generate a list of all available
targets.
-`HOST ...'
- Configure GDB to run on each specified HOST. You may specify as
- many host names as you wish.
+`--host=HOST'
+ Configure GDB to run on the specified HOST.
There is no convenient way to generate a list of all available
hosts.
+`HOST ...'
+ Same as `--host=HOST'. If you omit this, GDB will guess; it's
+ quite accurate.
+
`configure' accepts other options, for compatibility with configuring
-other GNU tools recursively; but these are the only options that
-affect GDB or its supporting libraries.
+other GNU tools recursively; but these are the only options that affect
+GDB or its supporting libraries.
- Languages other than C
+Languages other than C
+=======================
-C++ support has been integrated into gdb. Partial Modula-2 support is
-now in GDB. GDB should work with FORTRAN programs. (If you have
-problems, please send a bug report; you may have to refer to some
-FORTRAN variables with a trailing underscore). I am not aware of
-anyone who is working on getting gdb to use the syntax of any other
-language. Pascal programs which use sets, subranges, file variables,
-or nested functions will not currently work.
+See the GDB manual (gdb/doc/gdb.texinfo) for information on this.
- Kernel debugging
+Kernel debugging
+=================
I have't done this myself so I can't really offer any advice.
Remote debugging over serial lines works fine, but the kernel debugging
-code in here has not been tested in years. Van Jacobson claims to have
-better kernel debugging, but won't release it for ordinary mortals.
+code in here has not been tested in years. Van Jacobson has
+better kernel debugging, but the UC lawyers won't let FSF have it.
- Remote debugging
+Remote debugging
+=================
-The files m68k-stub.c and i386-stub.c contain two examples of remote
-stubs to be used with remote.c. They are designeded to run standalone
-on a 68k or 386 cpu and communicate properly with the remote.c stub
-over a serial line.
+The files m68k-stub.c, i386-stub.c, and sparc-stub.c are examples of
+remote stubs to be used with remote.c. They are designed to run
+standalone on an m68k, i386, or SPARC cpu and communicate properly with
+the remote.c stub over a serial line.
-The file rem-multi.shar contains a general stub that can probably
-run on various different flavors of unix to allow debugging over a
-serial line from one machine to another.
+The directory gdb/gdbserver/ contains `gdbserver', a program that
+allows remote debugging for Unix applications. gdbserver is only
+supported for some native configurations, including Sun 3, Sun 4,
+and Linux.
+
+There are a number of remote interfaces for talking to existing ROM
+monitors and other hardware:
-Some working remote interfaces for talking to existing ROM monitors
-are:
- remote-eb.c AMD 29000 "EBMON"
- remote-nindy.c Intel 960 "Nindy"
remote-adapt.c AMD 29000 "Adapt"
+ remote-array.c Array Tech RAID controller
+ remote-bug.c Motorola BUG monitor
+ remote-d10v.c GDB protocol, talking to a d10v chip
+ remote-e7000.c Hitachi E7000 ICE
+ remote-eb.c AMD 29000 "EBMON"
+ remote-es.c Ericsson 1800 monitor
+ remote-est.c EST emulator
+ remote-hms.c Hitachi Micro Systems H8/300 monitor
+ remote-mips.c MIPS remote debugging protocol
remote-mm.c AMD 29000 "minimon"
+ remote-nindy.c Intel 960 "Nindy"
+ remote-nrom.c NetROM ROM emulator
+ remote-os9k.c PC running OS/9000
+ remote-rdi.c ARM with Angel monitor
+ remote-rdp.c ARM with Demon monitor
+ remote-sds.c PowerPC SDS monitor
+ remote-sim.c Generalized simulator protocol
+ remote-st.c Tandem ST-2000 monitor
+ remote-udi.c AMD 29000 using the AMD "Universal Debug Interface"
+ remote-vx.c VxWorks realtime kernel
Remote-vx.c and the vx-share subdirectory contain a remote interface for the
VxWorks realtime kernel, which communicates over TCP using the Sun
RPC library. This would be a useful starting point for other remote-
via-ethernet back ends.
+Remote-udi.c and the 29k-share subdirectory contain a remote interface
+for AMD 29000 programs, which uses the AMD "Universal Debug Interface".
+This allows GDB to talk to software simulators, emulators, and/or bare
+hardware boards, via network or serial interfaces. Note that GDB only
+provides an interface that speaks UDI, not a complete solution. You
+will need something on the other end that also speaks UDI.
- Reporting Bugs
-The correct address for reporting bugs found in gdb is
-"bug-gdb@prep.ai.mit.edu". Please email all bugs to that address.
-Please include the GDB version number (e.g. gdb-4.3), and how
-you configured it (e.g. "sun4" or "mach386 host, i586-intel-synopsys
-target").
-
-A known bug:
+Reporting Bugs
+===============
- * If you run with a watchpoint enabled, breakpoints will become
- erratic and might not stop the program. Disabling or deleting the
- watchpoint will fix the problem.
+The correct address for reporting bugs found in gdb is
+"bug-gdb@gnu.org". Please email all bugs, and all requests for
+help with GDB, to that address. Please include the GDB version number
+(e.g., gdb-4.18), and how you configured it (e.g., "sun4" or "mach386
+host, i586-intel-synopsys target"). Since GDB now supports so many
+different configurations, it is important that you be precise about this.
+If at all possible, you should include the actual banner that GDB prints
+when it starts up, or failing that, the actual configure command that
+you used when configuring GDB.
+
+For more information on how/whether to report bugs, see the GDB Bugs
+section of the GDB manual (gdb/doc/gdb.texinfo).
+
+Known bugs:
+
+ * Under Ultrix 4.2 (DECstation-3100) or Alphas under OSF/1, we have
+ seen problems with backtraces after interrupting the inferior out
+ of a read(). The problem is caused by ptrace() returning an
+ incorrect value for the frame pointer register (register 15 or
+ 30). As far as we can tell, this is a kernel problem. Any help
+ with this would be greatly appreciated.
+
+ * Under Ultrix 4.4 (DECstation-3100), setting the TERMCAP environment
+ variable to a string without a trailing ':' can cause GDB to dump
+ core upon startup. Although the core file makes it look as though
+ GDB code failed, the crash actually occurs within a call to the
+ termcap library function tgetent(). The problem can be solved by
+ using the GNU Termcap library.
+
+ Alphas running OSF/1 (versions 1.0 through 2.1) have the same buggy
+ termcap code, but GDB behaves strangely rather than crashing.
+
+ * On DECstations there are warnings about shift counts out of range in
+ various BFD modules. None of them is a cause for alarm, they are actually
+ a result of bugs in the DECstation compiler.
+
+ * Notes for the DEC Alpha using OSF/1:
+ The debugging output of native cc has two known problems; we view these
+ as compiler bugs.
+ The linker miscompacts symbol tables, which causes gdb to confuse the
+ type of variables or results in `struct <illegal>' type outputs.
+ dbx has the same problems with those executables. A workaround is to
+ specify -Wl,-b when linking, but that will increase the executable size
+ considerably.
+ If a structure has incomplete type in one file (e.g., "struct foo *"
+ without a definition for "struct foo"), gdb will be unable to find the
+ structure definition from another file.
+ It has been reported that the Ultrix 4.3A compiler on decstations has the
+ same problems.
+
+ * Notes for Solaris 2.x, using the SPARCworks cc compiler:
+ You have to compile your program with the -xs option of the SPARCworks
+ compiler to be able to debug your program with gdb.
+ Under Solaris 2.3 you also need patch 101409-03 (Jumbo linker patch).
+ Under Solaris 2.2, if you have patch 101052 installed, make sure
+ that it is at least at revision 101052-06.
+
+ * Under Irix 5 for SGIs, you must have installed the `compiler_dev.hdr'
+ subsystem that is on the IDO CD, otherwise you will get complaints
+ that certain files such as `/usr/include/syms.h' cannot be found.
+
+ * Notes for BSD/386:
+ To compile gdb-4.18 on BSD/386, you must run the configure script and
+ its subscripts with bash. Here is an easy way to do this:
+
+ bash -c 'CONFIG_SHELL=/bin/bash ./configure'
+
+ (configure will report i386-unknown-bsd). Then, compile with the
+ standard "make" command.
GDB can produce warnings about symbols that it does not understand. By
default, these warnings are disabled. You can enable them by executing
`set complaint 10' (which you can put in your ~/.gdbinit if you like).
I recommend doing this if you are working on a compiler, assembler,
-linker, or gdb, since it will point out problems that you may be able
+linker, or GDB, since it will point out problems that you may be able
to fix. Warnings produced during symbol reading indicate some mismatch
between the object file and GDB's symbol reading code. In many cases,
it's a mismatch between the specs for the object file format, and what
the compiler actually outputs or the debugger actually understands.
-If you port gdb to a new machine, please send the required changes to
-bug-gdb@prep.ai.mit.edu. There's lots of information about doing your
-own port in the file gdb-4.3/gdb/doc/gdbint.texinfo, which you can
-print out, or read with `info' (see the Makefile.in there). If your
-changes are more than a few lines, obtain and send in a copyright
-assignment from gnu@prep.ai.mit.edu, as described in the section
-`Writing Code for GDB'.
-
-
- X Windows versus GDB
-
-xgdb is obsolete. We are not doing any development or support of it.
-
-There is an "xxgdb", which shows more promise, which was posted to
-comp.sources.x.
-
-For those intersted in auto display of source and the availability of
-an editor while debugging I suggest trying gdb-mode in gnu-emacs
-(Try typing M-x gdb RETURN). Comments on this mode are welcome.
-
-
- Writing Code for GDB
-
-We appreciate having users contribute code that is of general use, but
-for it to be included in future GDB releases it must be cleanly
-written. We do not want to include changes that will needlessly make
-future maintainance difficult. It is not much harder to do things
-right, and in the long term it is worth it to the GNU project, and
-probably to you individually as well.
-
-If you make substantial changes, you'll have to file a copyright
-assignment with the Free Software Foundation before we can produce a
-release that includes your changes. Send mail requesting the copyright
-assignment to gnu@prep.ai.mit.edu. Do this early, like before the
-changes actually work, or even before you start them, because a manager
-or lawyer on your end will probably make this a slow process.
-
-Please code according to the GNU coding standards. If you do not have
-a copy, you can request one by sending mail to gnu@prep.ai.mit.edu.
-
-Please try to avoid making machine-specific changes to
-machine-independent files. If this is unavoidable, put a hook in the
-machine-independent file which calls a (possibly) machine-dependent
-macro (for example, the IGNORE_SYMBOL macro can be used for any
-symbols which need to be ignored on a specific machine. Calling
-IGNORE_SYMBOL in dbxread.c is a lot cleaner than a maze of #if
-defined's). The machine-independent code should do whatever "most"
-machines want if the macro is not defined in param.h. Using #if
-defined can sometimes be OK (e.g. SET_STACK_LIMIT_HUGE) but should be
-conditionalized on a specific feature of an operating system (set in
-tm.h or xm.h) rather than something like #if defined(vax) or #if
-defined(SYSV). If you use an #ifdef on some symbol that is defined
-in a header file (e.g. #ifdef TIOCSETP), *please* make sure that you
-have #include'd the relevant header file in that module!
-
-It is better to replace entire routines which may be system-specific,
-rather than put in a whole bunch of hooks which are probably not going
-to be helpful for any purpose other than your changes. For example,
-if you want to modify dbxread.c to deal with DBX debugging symbols
-which are in COFF files rather than BSD a.out files, do something
-along the lines of a macro GET_NEXT_SYMBOL, which could have
-different definitions for COFF and a.out, rather than trying to put
-the necessary changes throughout all the code in dbxread.c that
-currently assumes BSD format.
-
-When generalizing GDB along a particular interface, please use an
-attribute-struct rather than inserting tests or switch statements
-everywhere. For example, GDB has been generalized to handle multiple
-kinds of remote interfaces -- not by #ifdef's everywhere, but by
-defining the "target_ops" structure and having a current target (as
-well as a stack of targets below it, for memory references). Whenever
-something needs to be done that depends on which remote interface we
-are using, a flag in the current target_ops structure is tested (e.g.
-`target_has_stack'), or a function is called through a pointer in the
-current target_ops structure. In this way, when a new remote interface
-is added, only one module needs to be touched -- the one that actually
-implements the new remote interface. Other examples of
-attribute-structs are BFD access to multiple kinds of object file
-formats, or GDB's access to multiple source languages.
-
-Please avoid duplicating code. For example, in GDB 3.x all the stuff
-in infptrace.c was duplicated in *-dep.c, and so changing something
-was very painful. In GDB 4.x, these have all been consolidated
-into infptrace.c. infptrace.c can deal with variations between
-systems the same way any system-independent file would (hooks, #if
-defined, etc.), and machines which are radically different don't need
-to use infptrace.c at all. The same was true of core_file_command
-and exec_file_command.
-
-
- Debugging gdb with itself
-
-If gdb is limping on your machine, this is the preferred way to get it
-fully functional. Be warned that in some ancient Unix systems, like
-Ultrix 4.0, a program can't be running in one process while it is being
-debugged in another. Rather than doing "./gdb ./gdb", which works on
-Suns and such, you can copy gdb to gdb2 and then do "./gdb ./gdb2".
-
-When you run gdb in the gdb source directory, it will read a ".gdbinit"
-file that sets up some simple things to make debugging gdb easier. The
-"info" command, when executed without a subcommand in a gdb being
-debugged by gdb, will pop you back up to the top level gdb. See
-.gdbinit for details.
-
-I strongly recommend printing out the reference card and using it.
-Send reference-card suggestions to bug-gdb@prep.ai.mit.edu, just like bugs.
-
-If you use emacs, you will probably want to do a "make TAGS" after you
-configure your distribution; this will put the machine dependent
-routines for your local machine where they will be accessed first by a
-M-period.
-
-Also, make sure that you've either compiled gdb with your local cc, or
-have run `fixincludes' if you are compiling with gcc.
+
+X Windows versus GDB
+=====================
+
+You should check out DDD, the Data Display Debugger. Here's the blurb
+from the DDD web site, http://www.cs.tu-bs.de/softech/ddd:
+
+ The Data Display Debugger (DDD) is a popular graphical user
+ interface for command-line debuggers such as GDB, DBX, JDB, WDB,
+ XDB, the Perl debugger, and the Python debugger. Besides ``usual''
+ front-end features such as viewing source texts, DDD has become
+ famous through its interactive graphical data display, where data
+ structures are displayed as graphs. A simple mouse click
+ dereferences pointers or views structure contents, updated each
+ time the program stops. Using DDD, you can reason about your
+ application by watching its data, not just by viewing it execute
+ lines of source code.
+
+Emacs users will very likely enjoy the Grand Unified Debugger mode;
+try typing `M-x gdb RET'.
+
+Those interested in experimenting with a new kind of gdb-mode
+should load gdb/gdba.el into GNU Emacs 19.25 or later. Comments
+on this mode are also welcome.
+
+
+Writing Code for GDB
+=====================
+
+There is a lot of information about writing code for GDB in the
+internals manual, distributed with GDB in gdb/doc/gdbint.texinfo. You
+can read it by hand, print it by using TeX and texinfo, or process it
+into an `info' file for use with Emacs' info mode or the standalone
+`info' program.
+
+If you are pondering writing anything but a short patch, especially
+take note of the information about copyrights in the node Submitting
+Patches. It can take quite a while to get all the paperwork done, so
+we encourage you to start that process as soon as you decide you are
+planning to work on something, or at least well ahead of when you
+think you will be ready to submit the patches.
+
+
+GDB Testsuite
+=============
+
+There is a DejaGNU based testsuite available for testing your newly
+built GDB, or for regression testing GDBs with local modifications.
+
+Running the testsuite requires the prior installation of DejaGNU,
+which is generally available via ftp; you'll need a pretty recent
+release. Once DejaGNU is installed, you can run the tests in one of
+two ways:
+
+ (1) cd gdb-4.18/gdb (assuming you also unpacked gdb)
+ make check
+
+or
+
+ (2) cd gdb-4.18/gdb/testsuite
+ make site.exp (builds the site specific file)
+ runtest -tool gdb GDB=../gdb (or GDB=<somepath> as appropriate)
+
+The second method gives you slightly more control in case of problems with
+building one or more test executables or if you are using the testsuite
+'standalone', without it being part of the GDB source tree.
+
+See the DejaGNU documentation for further details.
+
\f
(this is for editing this file with GNU emacs)
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