- README for gdb-4.3 release
- John Gilmore 7 Dec 1991
+ README for gdb-6.3 release
+ Updated 20, November, 2006
-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 `gdb/NEWS'.
-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:
+Check the GDB home page at http://www.gnu.org/software/gdb/ for up to
+date release information, mailing list links and archives, etc.
- Makefile.in config/ gdb/ texinfo/
- README config.sub* include/
- README.configure configure* libiberty/
- bfd/ configure.in readline/
+The file `gdb/PROBLEMS' contains information on problems identified
+late in the release cycle. GDB's bug tracking data base at
+http://www.gnu.org/software/gdb/bugs/ contains a more complete list of
+bugs.
-To build GDB, you can just do:
- cd gdb-4.3
- ./configure HOSTTYPE (e.g. sun4, decstation)
- 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 you get compiler warnings during this stage, see the `Reporting Bugs'
-section below; there are a few known problems.
+Unpacking and Installation -- quick overview
+==========================
-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.
+ In this release, the GDB debugger sources, the generic GNU include
+files, the BFD ("binary file description") library, the readline
+library, and other libraries all have directories of their own
+underneath the gdb-6.3 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 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-6.3.tar.gz file, you'll find a directory
+called `gdb-6.3', which contains:
+
+ COPYING config-ml.in gettext.m4 ltconfig sim
+ COPYING.LIB config.guess include ltmain.sh src-release
+ Makefile.def config.sub install-sh md5.sum symlink-tree
+ Makefile.in configure libiberty missing texinfo
+ Makefile.tpl configure.in libtool.m4 mkinstalldirs ylwrap
+ README djunpack.bat ltcf-c.sh move-if-change
+ bfd etc ltcf-cxx.sh opcodes
+ config gdb ltcf-gcj.sh readline
+
+You can build GDB right in the source directory:
+
+ cd gdb-6.3
+ ./configure
+ make
+ cp gdb/gdb /usr/local/bin/gdb (or wherever you want)
+
+However, we recommend that an empty directory be used instead.
+This way you do not clutter your source tree with binary files
+and will be able to create different builds with different
+configuration options.
+
+You can build GDB in any empty build directory:
+
+ mkdir build
+ cd build
+ <full path to your sources>/gdb-6.3/configure
+ make
+ cp gdb/gdb /usr/local/bin/gdb (or wherever you want)
+
+(Building GDB with DJGPP tools for MS-DOS/MS-Windows is slightly
+different; see the file gdb-6.3/gdb/config/djgpp/README for details.)
+
+ 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., `./configure sun4' or `./configure decstation'.
+
+ Make sure that your 'configure' line ends in 'gdb-6.3/configure':
+
+ /berman/migchain/source/gdb-6.3/configure # RIGHT
+ /berman/migchain/source/gdb-6.3/gdb/configure # WRONG
+
+ The gdb package contains several subdirectories, such as 'gdb',
+'bfd', and 'readline'. If your 'configure' line ends in
+'gdb-6.3/gdb/configure', then you are configuring only the gdb
+subdirectory, not the whole gdb package. This leads to build errors
+such as:
+
+ make: *** No rule to make target `../bfd/bfd.h', needed by `gdb.o'. Stop.
+
+ If you get other compiler errors during this stage, see the `Reporting
+Bugs' section below; there are a few known problems.
+
+ GDB requires an ISO C (ANSI C) compiler. If you do not have an ISO
+C compiler for your system, you may be able to download and install
+the GNU CC compiler. It is available via anonymous FTP from the
+directory `ftp://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/gcc'. GDB also requires an ISO
+C standard library. The GDB remote server, gdbserver, builds with some
+non-ISO standard libraries - e.g. for Windows CE.
+
+ GDB uses Expat, an XML parsing library, to implement some target-specific
+features. Expat will be linked in if it is available at build time, or
+those features will be disabled. The latest version of Expat should be
+available from `http://expat.sourceforge.net'.
+
+ 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.
+******************
- 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.
+ 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.
- 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
+ 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-6.3/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.
- cd gdb-4.3/gdb
- make gdb.info
+ If you want to format these Info files yourself, you need one of the
+Info formatting programs, such as `texinfo-format-buffer' or
+`makeinfo'.
-to make the Info file.
+ If you have `makeinfo' installed, and are in the top level GDB
+source directory (`gdb-6.3', in the case of version 6.3), you can make
+the Info file by typing:
- If you want to format and print copies of the manual, you need
-several things:
+ cd gdb/doc
+ make info
- * TeX, the public domain typesetting program written by Donald
- Knuth, must be installed on your system and available through
- your execution path.
+ 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-6.3/texinfo'.
- * `gdb-4.3/texinfo': TeX macros defining the GNU Documentation
- Format.
+ 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.
- * *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.
+ 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-6.3/texinfo' directory.
-Once you have these things, you can type
+ 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-6.3/gdb') and then type:
- cd gdb-4.3/gdb
- make gdb.dvi
+ make doc/gdb.dvi
-to format the text of this manual, and print it with the usual output
-method for TeX DVI files at your site.
+ If you prefer to have the manual in PDF format, type this from the
+`gdb/doc' subdirectory of the main source directory:
- 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
+ make gdb.pdf
- cd gdb-4.3/gdb
- make refcard.dvi
-
-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.
+For this to work, you will need the PDFTeX package to be installed.
Installing GDB
-==============
+**************
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.
- The gdb distribution includes all the source code you need for gdb
-in a single directory `gdb-4.3'. That directory in turn contains:
+ 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/configure (and supporting files)'
- script for configuring GDB and all its supporting libraries.
+ For example, the GDB version 6.3 distribution is in the `gdb-6.3'
+directory. That directory contains:
-`gdb-4.3/gdb'
- the source specific to GDB itself
+`gdb-6.3/{COPYING,COPYING.LIB}'
+ Standard GNU license files. Please read them.
-`gdb-4.3/bfd'
- source for the Binary File Descriptor Library
+`gdb-6.3/bfd'
+ source for the Binary File Descriptor library
-`gdb-4.3/include'
+`gdb-6.3/config*'
+ script for configuring GDB, along with other support files
+
+`gdb-6.3/gdb'
+ the source specific to GDB itself
+
+`gdb-6.3/include'
GNU include files
-`gdb-4.3/libiberty'
+`gdb-6.3/libiberty'
source for the `-liberty' free software library
-`gdb-4.3/readline'
+`gdb-6.3/opcodes'
+ source for the library of opcode tables and disassemblers
+
+`gdb-6.3/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.
-It is most convenient to run `configure' from the `gdb-4.3' directory.
- The simplest way to configure and build GDB is the following:
+`gdb-6.3/sim'
+ source for some simulators (ARM, D10V, SPARC, M32R, MIPS, PPC, V850, etc)
- cd gdb-4.3
- ./configure HOST
- make
+`gdb-6.3/texinfo'
+ The `texinfo.tex' file, which you need in order to make a printed
+ manual using TeX.
-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.
+`gdb-6.3/etc'
+ Coding standards, useful files for editing GDB, and other
+ miscellanea.
+
+ Note: the following instructions are for building GDB on Unix or
+Unix-like systems. Instructions for building with DJGPP for
+MS-DOS/MS-Windows are in the file gdb/config/djgpp/README.
+
+ 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-6.3' directory.
+
+ First switch to the `gdb-VERSION-NUMBER' source directory if you are
+not already in it; then run `configure'.
+
+ For example:
+
+ cd gdb-6.3
+ ./configure
+ make
+
+ 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
- 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,
+ If you run `configure' from a directory that contains source
+directories for multiple libraries or programs, such as the `gdb-6.3'
+source directory for version 6.3, `configure' creates configuration
+files for every directory level underneath (unless you tell it not to,
+with the `--norecursion' option).
- cd gdb-4.3/bfd
- ../configure HOST
+ 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.
- You can install `gdb' anywhere; it has no hardwired paths. Simply
-copy `gdb/gdb' to the desired directory.
+ For example, with version 6.3, type the following to configure only
+the `bfd' subdirectory:
- 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.
+ cd gdb-6.3/bfd
+ ../configure
+ 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.)
+
+ For example, with version 6.3, you can build GDB in a separate
+directory for a Sun 4 like this:
- cd gdb-4.3
- ./configure +sub sun4
- cd H-sun4/T-sun4
+ cd gdb-6.3
+ mkdir ../gdb-sun4
+ cd ../gdb-sun4
+ ../gdb-6.3/configure
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-6.3' (or in a separate configured directory configured with
+`--srcdir=PATH/gdb-6.3'), 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-6.3', for version 6.3).
-`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:
+ -Wimplicit
+ -Wreturn-type
+ -Wcomment
+ -Wtrigraphs
+ -Wformat
+ -Wparentheses
+ -Wpointer-arith
+
+`--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.
+
+
+Remote debugging
+=================
+
+ 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 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:
+
+ remote-mips.c MIPS remote debugging protocol
+ remote-sds.c PowerPC SDS monitor
+ remote-sim.c Generalized simulator protocol
+
+
+Reporting Bugs in GDB
+=====================
+
+ There are several ways of reporting bugs in GDB. The prefered
+method is to use the World Wide Web:
+
+ http://www.gnu.org/software/gdb/bugs/
+
+As an alternative, the bug report can be submitted, via e-mail, to the
+address "bug-gdb@gnu.org".
+
+ When submitting a bug, please include the GDB version number (e.g.,
+gdb-6.3), 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
+Reporting Bugs chapter of the GDB manual (gdb/doc/gdb.texinfo).
+
+
+Graphical interface to GDB -- X Windows, MS Windows
+==========================
+
+ Several graphical interfaces to GDB are available. You should
+check:
+
+ http://www.gnu.org/software/gdb/links/
+
+for an up-to-date list.
+
+ Emacs users will very likely enjoy the Grand Unified Debugger mode;
+try typing `M-x gdb RET'.
+
+
+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
+=============
+
+ Included with the GDB distribution is a DejaGNU based testsuite
+that can either be used to test your newly built GDB, or for
+regression testing a GDB with local modifications.
+
+ Running the testsuite requires the prior installation of DejaGNU,
+which is generally available via ftp. The directory
+ftp://sources.redhat.com/pub/dejagnu/ will contain a recent snapshot.
+Once DejaGNU is installed, you can run the tests in one of the
+following ways:
+ (1) cd gdb-6.3
+ make check-gdb
- Languages other than C
+or
-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.
+ (2) cd gdb-6.3/gdb
+ make check
+or
- Kernel debugging
+ (3) cd gdb-6.3/gdb/testsuite
+ make site.exp (builds the site specific file)
+ runtest -tool gdb GDB=../gdb (or GDB=<somepath> as appropriate)
-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.
+The last 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.
- 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 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.
-
-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-mm.c AMD 29000 "minimon"
-
-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.
-
-
- 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:
-
- * 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.
-
-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
-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.
\f
(this is for editing this file with GNU emacs)
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