find out whether anyone else is working on it.
- Known problems in GDB 5.0
- =========================
+ Known problems in GDB 5.0
+ =========================
Below is a list of problems identified during the GDB 5.0 release
cycle. People hope to have these problems fixed in a follow-on
--
-Generic: lin-thread cannot handle thread exit (Mark Kettenis, Michael
-Snyder) http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00525.html
-
-The thread_db assisted debugging code doesn't handle exiting threads
-properly, at least in combination with glibc 2.1.3 (the framework is
-there, just not the actual code). There are at least two problems
-that prevent this from working.
-
-As an additional reference point, the pre thread_db code did not work
-either.
-
---
-
-Java (Anthony Green, David Taylor)
-
-Anthony Green has a number of Java patches that did not make it into
-the 5.0 release.
-
-Patch: java tests
-http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00512.html
-
-Patch: java booleans
-http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00515.html
-
-Patch: handle N_MAIN stab
-http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00527.html
-
---
-
-Pascal (Pierre Muller, David Taylor)
-
-Pierre Muller has contributed patches for adding Pascal Language
-support to GDB.
-
-2 pascal language patches inserted in database
-http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00521.html
-
-Indent -gnu ?
-http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00496.html
-
---
-
-GNU/Linux/x86 and random thread signals (and Solaris/SPARC but not
-Solaris/x86).
-http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00336.html
-
-Christopher Blizzard writes:
-
-So, I've done some more digging into this and it looks like Jim
-Kingdon has reported this problem in the past:
-
-http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/bug-gdb/1999-10/msg00058.html
-
-I can reproduce this problem both with and without Tom's patch. Has
-anyone seen this before? Maybe have a solution for it hanging around?
-:)
-
-There's a test case for this documented at:
-
-when debugging threaded applications you get extra SIGTRAPs
-http://bugzilla.redhat.com/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=9565
-
-[There should be a GDB testcase - cagney]
-
---
-
Possible regressions with some devel GCCs.
http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00475.html
--
-GDB5 TOT on unixware 7
-http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-04/msg00119.html
+ Code Cleanups: Next Release
+ ===========================
-Robert Lipe writes:
-> I just spun the top of tree of the GDB5 branch on UnixWare 7. As a
-> practical matter, the current thread support is somewhat more annoying
-> than when GDB was thread-unaware.
+The following are small cleanups that will hopefully be completed by
+the follow on to 5.0.
--
- Code Cleanups
- =============
+Delete macro TARGET_BYTE_ORDER_SELECTABLE.
-The following are small cleanups that will hopefully be completed by
-the follow on to 5.0.
+Patches in the database.
+
+--
+
+Purge PARAMS
+
+Eliminate all uses of PARAMS in GDB's source code.
+
+--
+
+Elimination of make_cleanup_func. (Andrew Cagney)
+
+make_cleanup_func elimination
+http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00791.html
+http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00814.html
+
+--
+
+ Code Cleanups: General
+ ======================
+
+The following are more general cleanups and fixes. They are not tied
+to any specific release.
--
--
-Delete macro TARGET_BYTE_ORDER_SELECTABLE.
+Elimination of ``(catch_errors_ftype *) func''.
-Patches in the database.
+Like make_cleanup_func it isn't portable.
+
+--
+
+Nuke USG define.
+
+--
+
+[PATCH/5] src/intl/Makefile.in:distclean additions
+http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-04/msg00363.html
+
+Do not forget to merge the patch back into the trunk.
+
+--
+
+Rationalize the host-endian code (grep for HOST_BYTE_ORDER).
+
+At present defs.h includes <endian.h> (which is linux specific) yet
+almost nothing depends on it. Suggest "gdb_endian.h" which can also
+handle <machine/endian.h> and only include that where it is really
+needed.
+
+--
+
+Replace asprintf() calls with xasprintf() calls.
+
+As with things like strdup() most calls to asprintf() don't check the
+return value.
+
+--
+
+Replace strsave() + mstrsave() with libiberty:xstrdup().
+
+--
+
+Replace savestring() with something from libiberty.
+
+An xstrldup()? but that would have different semantics.
+
+--
+
+Rationalize use of floatformat_unknown in GDB sources.
+
+Instead of defaulting to floatformat_unknown, should hosts/targets
+specify the value explicitly?
+
+http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-05/msg00447.html
+
+--
+
+Add a ``name'' member to include/floatformat.h:struct floatformat.
+Print that name in gdbarch.c.
+
+--
+
+Sort out the harris mess in include/floatformat.h (it hardwires two
+different floating point formats).
+
+--
+
+See of the GDB local floatformat_do_doublest() and libiberty's
+floatformat_to_double (which was once GDB's ...) can be merged some
+how.
+
+--
+
+Eliminate mmalloc() from GDB.
+
+Also eliminate it from defs.h.
+
+--
+
+Eliminate PTR. ISO-C allows ``void *''.
+
+--
+
+Eliminate abort ().
+
+GDB should never abort. GDB should either throw ``error ()'' or
+``internal_error ()''. Better still GDB should naturally unwind with
+an error status.
+
+--
+
+GDB probably doesn't build on FreeBSD pre 2.2.x
+http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-05/msg00378.html
+
+Fixes to get FreeBSD working on 2.2.x, 3.x and 4.x caused the code to
+suffer bit rot.
--
--
-Purge PARAMS
+ New Features and Fixes
+ ======================
-Eliminate all uses of PARAMS in GDB's source code.
+These are harder than cleanups but easier than work involving
+fundamental architectural change.
--
-Elimination of make_cleanup_func. (Andrew Cagney)
+Add built-by, build-date, tm, xm, nm and anything else into gdb binary
+so that you can see how the GDB was created.
-make_cleanup_func elimination
-http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00791.html
-http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00814.html
+Some of these (*m.h) would be added to the generated config.h. That
+in turn would fix a long standing bug where by the build process many
+not notice a changed tm.h file. Since everything depends on config.h,
+a change to *m.h forces a change to config.h and, consequently forces
+a rebuild.
--
-Elimination of ``(catch_errors_ftype *) func''.
+Add an "info bfd" command that displays supported object formats,
+similarly to objdump -i.
-Like make_cleanup_func it isn't portable.
+Is there a command already?
--
-Re: Various C++ things
+Fix ``I'm sorry, Dave, I can't do that.'' from symfile.c.
-value_headof/value_from_vtable_info are worthless, and should be removed.
-The one place in printcmd.c that uses it should use the RTTI functions.
+This requires internationalization.
-RTTI for g++ should be using the typeinfo functions rather than the vtables.
-The typeinfo functions are always at offset 4 from the beginning of the vtable,
-and are always right. The vtables will have weird names like E::VB sometimes.
-The typeinfo function will always be "E type_info function", or somesuch.
+--
-value_virtual_fn_field needs to be fixed so there are no failures for virtual
-functions for C++ using g++.
+Convert GDB build process to AUTOMAKE.
-Testsuite cases are the major priority right now for C++ support, since i have
-to make a lot of changes that could potentially break each other.
+See also sub-directory configure below.
--
-Fix ``set architecture <tab>''
+Cleanup configury support for optional sub-directories.
-This command should expand to a list of all supported architectures.
-At present ``info architecture'' needs to be used. That is simply
-wrong. It involves the use of add_set_enum_cmd().
+Check how GCC handles multiple front ends for an example of how things
+could work. A tentative first step is to rationalize things so that
+all sub directories are handled in a fashion similar to gdb/mi.
+
+See also automake above.
--
-GDBARCH cleanup (Andrew Cagney)
+Restructure gdb directory tree so that it avoids any 8.3 and 14
+filename problems.
-The non-generated parts of gdbarch.{sh,h,c} should be separated out
-into arch-utils.[hc].
+--
-Document that gdbarch_init_ftype could easily fail because it didn't
-identify an architecture.
+Add a transcript mechanism to GDB.
+
+Such a mechanism might log all gdb input and output to a file in a
+form that would allow it to be replayed. It could involve ``gdb
+--transcript=FILE'' or it could involve ``(gdb) transcript file''.
--
-Migrate qfThreadInfo packet -> qThreadInfo. (Andrew Cagney)
+Can the xdep files be replaced by autoconf?
-Add support for packet enable/disable commands with these thread
-packets. General cleanup.
+--
-[PATCH] Document the ThreadInfo remote protocol queries
-http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00832.html
+Document trace machinery
-[PATCH] "info threads" queries for remote.c
-http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00831.html
+--
+
+Document overlay machinery.
--
- General Cleanups / Fixes
- ========================
+``(gdb) catch signal SIGNAL''
-The following are more general cleanups and fixes. They are not tied
-to any specific release.
+Overlaps with ``handle SIGNAL'' but the implied behavour is different.
+You can attach commands to a catch but not a handle. A handle has a
+limited number of hardwired actions.
--
-Nuke USG define.
+Get the TUI working on all platforms.
--
-[PATCH/5] src/intl/Makefile.in:distclean additions
-http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-04/msg00363.html
+Add support for ``gdb --- PROGRAM ARGS ...''.
+Add support for ``gdb -cmd=...''
-Do not forget to merge the patch back into the trunk.
+Along with many variations. Check:
+
+????? for a full discussion.
+
+for a discussion.
--
-Update ALPHA so that it uses ``struct frame_extra_info'' instead of
-EXTRA_FRAME_INFO.
+Implement ``(gdb) !ls''.
-This is a barrier to replacing mips_extra_func_info with something
-that works with multi-arch.
+Which is very different from ``(gdb) ! ls''. Implementing the latter
+is trivial.
+
+http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00034.html
--
-Multi-arch mips_extra_func_info.
+Replace the code that uses the host FPU with an emulator of the target
+FPU.
-This first needs the alpha to be updated so that it uses ``struct
-frame_extra_info''.
+--
+
+ Thread Support
+ ==============
--
-Send normal output to gdb_stdout.
-Send error messages to gdb_stderror.
-Send debug and log output log gdb_stdlog.
+Generic: lin-thread cannot handle thread exit (Mark Kettenis, Michael
+Snyder) http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00525.html
-GDB still contains many cases where (f)printf or printf_filtered () is
-used when it should be sending the messages to gdb_stderror or
-gdb_stdlog. The thought of #defining printf to something has crossed
-peoples minds ;-)
+The thread_db assisted debugging code doesn't handle exiting threads
+properly, at least in combination with glibc 2.1.3 (the framework is
+there, just not the actual code). There are at least two problems
+that prevent this from working.
+
+As an additional reference point, the pre thread_db code did not work
+either.
--
-Rationalize the host-endian code (grep for HOST_BYTE_ORDER).
+GNU/Linux/x86 and random thread signals (and Solaris/SPARC but not
+Solaris/x86).
+http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00336.html
-At present defs.h includes <endian.h> (which is linux specific) yet
-almost nothing depends on it. Suggest "gdb_endian.h" which can also
-handle <machine/endian.h> and only include that where it is really
-needed.
+Christopher Blizzard writes:
+
+So, I've done some more digging into this and it looks like Jim
+Kingdon has reported this problem in the past:
+
+http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/bug-gdb/1999-10/msg00058.html
+
+I can reproduce this problem both with and without Tom's patch. Has
+anyone seen this before? Maybe have a solution for it hanging around?
+:)
+
+There's a test case for this documented at:
+
+when debugging threaded applications you get extra SIGTRAPs
+http://bugzilla.redhat.com/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=9565
+
+[There should be a GDB testcase - cagney]
--
-Replace asprintf() calls with xasprintf() calls.
+GDB5 TOT on unixware 7
+http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-04/msg00119.html
-As with things like strdup() most calls to asprintf() don't check the
-return value.
+Robert Lipe writes:
+> I just spun the top of tree of the GDB5 branch on UnixWare 7. As a
+> practical matter, the current thread support is somewhat more annoying
+> than when GDB was thread-unaware.
--
-Rationaize savestring(), msavestring() and mstrsave().
+Migrate qfThreadInfo packet -> qThreadInfo. (Andrew Cagney)
-In general libiberty's xstrdup () can be used.
+Add support for packet enable/disable commands with these thread
+packets. General cleanup.
+
+[PATCH] Document the ThreadInfo remote protocol queries
+http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00832.html
+
+[PATCH] "info threads" queries for remote.c
+http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00831.html
--
-Eliminate mmalloc() from GDB.
+ Language Support
+ ================
-Also eliminate it from defs.h.
+New languages come onto the scene all the time.
--
-Check/cleanup MI documentation.
+Pascal (Pierre Muller, David Taylor)
-The list of commands specified in the documentation needs to be
-checked against the mi-cmds.c table in a mechanical way (so that they
-two can be kept up-to-date).
+Pierre Muller has contributed patches for adding Pascal Language
+support to GDB.
+
+2 pascal language patches inserted in database
+http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00521.html
+
+Indent -gnu ?
+http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00496.html
+
+--
+
+Java (Anthony Green, David Taylor)
+
+Anthony Green has a number of Java patches that did not make it into
+the 5.0 release.
+
+Patch: java tests
+http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00512.html
+
+Patch: java booleans
+http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00515.html
+
+Patch: handle N_MAIN stab
+http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00527.html
+
+--
+
+[Comming...]
+
+Modify gdb to work correctly with Pascal.
+
+--
+
+Re: Various C++ things
+
+value_headof/value_from_vtable_info are worthless, and should be removed.
+The one place in printcmd.c that uses it should use the RTTI functions.
+
+RTTI for g++ should be using the typeinfo functions rather than the vtables.
+The typeinfo functions are always at offset 4 from the beginning of the vtable,
+and are always right. The vtables will have weird names like E::VB sometimes.
+The typeinfo function will always be "E type_info function", or somesuch.
+
+value_virtual_fn_field needs to be fixed so there are no failures for virtual
+functions for C++ using g++.
+
+Testsuite cases are the major priority right now for C++ support, since i have
+to make a lot of changes that could potentially break each other.
--
-Eliminate error_begin().
+Add support for Modula3
-With ui_file, there is no need for the statefull error_begin ()
-function.
+Get DEC/Compaq to contribute their Modula-3 support.
--
-Add built-by, build-date, tm, xm, nm and anything else into gdb binary
-so that you can see how the GDB was created.
-
-Some of these (*m.h) would be added to the generated config.h. That
-in turn would fix a long standing bug where by the build process many
-not notice a changed tm.h file. Since everything depends on config.h,
-a change to *m.h forces a change to config.h and, consequently forces
-a rebuild.
+ Remote Protocol Support
+ =======================
--
-Replace gdb_stdtarg with gdb_targout (and possibly gdb_targerr).
+set/show remote X-packet ...
-gdb_stdtarg is easily confused with gdb_stdarg.
+``(gdb) help set remote X-packet'' doesn't list the applicable
+responses. The help message needs to be expanded.
--
Too much feedback to mention needs to be merged in (901660). Search
for the word ``remote''.
+
+http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00023.html
+http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00056.html
+http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00382.html
+
--
-set/show remote X-packet ...
+GDB doesn't recover gracefully from remote protocol errors.
-``(gdb) help set remote X-packet'' doesn't list the applicable
-responses. The help message needs to be expanded.
+GDB wasn't checking for NAKs from the remote target. Instead a NAK is
+ignored and a timeout is required before GDB retries. A pre-cursor to
+fixing this this is making GDB's remote protocol packet more robust.
+
+While downloading to a remote protocol target, gdb ignores packet
+errors in so far as it will continue to edownload with chunk N+1 even
+if chunk N was not correctly sent. This causes gdb.base/remote.exp to
+take a painfully long time to run. As a PS that test needs to be
+fixed so that it builds on 16 bit machines.
--
-Extra ui_file methods - dump.
+Add the cycle step command.
-These are for debugging / testing. An aside is to set up a whitebox
-testsuite for key internals such as ui_file.
+http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00237.html
--
-Add an "info bfd" command that displays supported object formats,
-similarly to objdump -i.
+ Symbol Support
+ ==============
-Is there a command already?
+If / when GDB starts to support the debugging of multi-processor
+(rather than multi-thread) applications the symtab code will need to
+be updated a little so that several independant symbol tables are
+active at a given time.
+
+The other interesting change is a clarification of the exact meaning
+of CORE_ADDR and that has had consequences for a few targets (that
+were abusing that data type).
--
-Eliminate PTR. ISO-C allows ``void *''.
+Investiagate ways of reducing memory.
--
-Eliminate abort ().
+Investigate ways of improving load time.
-GDB should never abort. GDB should either throw ``error ()'' or
-``internal_error ()''. Better still GDB should naturally unwind with
-an error status.
+--
+
+Get the d10v to use POINTER_TO_ADDRESS and ADDRESS_TO_POINTER.
+
+Consequence of recent symtab clarification. No marks for figuring out
+who maintains the d10v.
--
-GDB probably doesn't build on FreeBSD pre 2.2.x
-http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-05/msg00378.html
+Get the MIPS to correctly sign extend all address <-> pointer
+conversions.
-Fixes to get FreeBSD working on 2.2.x, 3.x and 4.x caused the code to
-suffer bit rot.
+Consequence of recent symtab clarification. No marks for figuring out
+who maintains the MIPS.
--
- Architectural Changes
- =====================
+ Architectural Changes: General
+ ==============================
These are harder than simple cleanups / fixes and, consequently
involve more work. Typically an Architectural Change will be broken
--
+Cleanup software single step.
+
+At present many targets implement software single step by directly
+blatting memory (see rs6000-tdep.c). Those targets should register
+the applicable breakpoints using the breakpoint framework. Perhaphs a
+new internal breakpoint class ``step'' is needed.
+
+--
+
Replace READ_FP() with FRAME_HANDLE().
READ_FP() is a hangover from the days of the vax when the ABI really
--
-MI's input does not use buffering.
-
-At present the MI interface reads raw characters of from an unbuffered
-FD. This is to avoid several nasty buffer/race conditions. That code
-should be changed so that it registers its self with the event loop
-(on the input FD) and then push commands up to MI as they arrive.
-
-The serial code already does this.
-
---
-
Register Cache Cleanup (below from Andrew Cagney)
I would depict the current register architecture as something like:
--
-Fix ``I'm sorry, Dave, I can't do that.'' from symfile.c.
-
-This requires internationalization.
-
---
-
Check that GDB can handle all BFD architectures (Andrew Cagney)
There should be a test that checks that BFD/GDB are in sync with
--
-Add support for Modula3
+ Architectural Change: Multi-arch et al.
+ =======================================
-Get DEC/Compaq to contribute their Modula-3 support.
+The long term objective is to remove all assumptions that there is a
+single target with a single address space with a single instruction
+set architecture and single application binary interface.
---
+This is an ongoing effort. The first milestone is to enable
+``multi-arch'' where by all architectural decisions are made at
+runtime.
-Convert ALL architectures to MULTI-ARCH.
+It should be noted that ``gdbarch'' is really ``gdbabi'' and
+``gdbisa''. Once things are multi-arched breaking that down correctly
+will become much easier.
--
-Convert GDB build process to AUTOMAKE.
+GDBARCH cleanup (Andrew Cagney)
-See also sub-directory configure below.
+The non-generated parts of gdbarch.{sh,h,c} should be separated out
+into arch-utils.[hc].
+
+Document that gdbarch_init_ftype could easily fail because it didn't
+identify an architecture.
--
-Cleanup configury support for optional sub-directories.
+Fix BELIEVE_PPC_PROMOTION. Change it to BELIEVE_PPC_PROMOTION_P?
-Check how GCC handles multiple front ends for an example of how things
-could work. A tentative first step is to rationalize things so that
-all sub directories are handled in a fashion similar to gdb/mi.
+At present there is still #ifdef BELIEVE_PPC_PROMOTION code in the
+symtab file.
-See also automake above.
+--
+
+Fix ``set architecture <tab>''
+
+This command should expand to a list of all supported architectures.
+At present ``info architecture'' needs to be used. That is simply
+wrong. It involves the use of add_set_enum_cmd().
--
-Restructure gdb directory tree so that it avoids any 8.3 and 14
-filename problems.
+Update ALPHA so that it uses ``struct frame_extra_info'' instead of
+EXTRA_FRAME_INFO.
+
+This is a barrier to replacing mips_extra_func_info with something
+that works with multi-arch.
--
-Can the xdep files be replaced by autoconf?
-Can the tm.h and nm.h files be eliminated by multi-arch.
+Multi-arch mips_extra_func_info.
+
+This first needs the alpha to be updated so that it uses ``struct
+frame_extra_info''.
--
-Add a transcript mechanism to GDB.
+Rationalize TARGET_SINGLE_FORMAT and TARGET_SINGLE_BIT et al.
-Such a mechanism might log all gdb input and output to a file in a
-form that would allow it to be replayed. It could involve ``gdb
---transcript=FILE'' or it could involve ``(gdb) transcript file''.
+Surely one of them is redundant.
--
-Make MI interface accessable from existing CLI.
+Convert ALL architectures to MULTI-ARCH.
--
Enable the code to recognize --enable-targets=.... like BINUTILS does.
+Can the tm.h and nm.h files be eliminated by multi-arch.
+
--
-Add a breakpoint-edit command to MI.
+ Architectural Change: MI, LIBGDB and scripting languages
+ ========================================================
-It would be similar to MI's breakpoint create but would apply to an
-existing breakpoint. It saves the need to delete/create breakpoints
-when ever they are changed.
+See also architectural changes related to the event loop. LIBGDB
+can't be finished until there is a generic event loop being used by
+all targets.
+
+The long term objective is it to be possible to integrate GDB into
+scripting languages.
--
-Add directory path to MI breakpoint.
+Implement generic ``(gdb) commmand > file''
-That way the GUI's task of finding the file within which the
-breakpoint was set is simplified.
+Once everything is going through ui_file it should be come fairly
+easy.
+
+http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-04/msg00104.html
+
+--
+
+Replace gdb_stdtarg with gdb_targout (and possibly gdb_targerr).
+
+gdb_stdtarg is easily confused with gdb_stdarg.
+
+--
+
+Extra ui_file methods - dump.
+
+These are for debugging / testing. An aside is to set up a whitebox
+testsuite for key internals such as ui_file.
+
+--
+
+Eliminate error_begin().
+
+With ui_file, there is no need for the statefull error_begin ()
+function.
+
+--
+
+Send normal output to gdb_stdout.
+Send error messages to gdb_stderror.
+Send debug and log output log gdb_stdlog.
+
+GDB still contains many cases where (f)printf or printf_filtered () is
+used when it should be sending the messages to gdb_stderror or
+gdb_stdlog. The thought of #defining printf to something has crossed
+peoples minds ;-)
--
--
-Add mechanism to reject expression classes to MI
+Check/cleanup MI documentation.
+
+The list of commands specified in the documentation needs to be
+checked against the mi-cmds.c table in a mechanical way (so that they
+two can be kept up-to-date).
+
+--
+
+Convert MI into libgdb
+
+MI provides a text interface into what should be many of the libgdb
+functions. The implementation of those functions should be separated
+into the MI interface and the functions proper. Those functions being
+moved to gdb/lib say.
+
+--
+
+Create libgdb.h
+
+The first part can already be found in defs.h.
+
+--
+
+MI's input does not use buffering.
+
+At present the MI interface reads raw characters of from an unbuffered
+FD. This is to avoid several nasty buffer/race conditions. That code
+should be changed so that it registers its self with the event loop
+(on the input FD) and then push commands up to MI as they arrive.
+
+The serial code already does this.
+
+--
+
+Make MI interface accessable from existing CLI.
+
+--
+
+Add a breakpoint-edit command to MI.
+
+It would be similar to MI's breakpoint create but would apply to an
+existing breakpoint. It saves the need to delete/create breakpoints
+when ever they are changed.
+
+--
+
+Add directory path to MI breakpoint.
+
+That way the GUI's task of finding the file within which the
+breakpoint was set is simplified.
+
+--
+
+Add a mechanism to reject certain expression classes to MI
There are situtations where you don't want GDB's expression
parser/evaluator to perform inferior function calls or variable
-assignments.
+assignments. A way of restricting the expression parser so that such
+operations are not accepted would be very helpful.
--
--
-GDB doesn't recover gracefully from remote protocol errors.
+Move gdb_lasterr to ui_out?
-GDB wasn't checking for NAKs from the remote target. Instead a NAK is
-ignored and a timeout is required before GDB retries. A pre-cursor to
-fixing this this is making GDB's remote protocol packet more robust.
+The way GDB throws errors and records them needs a re-think. ui_out
+handles the correct output well. It doesn't resolve what to do with
+output / error-messages when things go wrong.
-While downloading to a remote protocol target, gdb ignores packet
-errors in so far as it will continue to edownload with chunk N+1 even
-if chunk N was not correctly sent. This causes gdb.base/remote.exp to
-take a painfully long time to run. As a PS that test needs to be
-fixed so that it builds on 16 bit machines.
+--
+
+ Architectural Change: Async
+ ===========================
+
+While GDB uses an event loop when prompting the user for input. That
+event loop is not exploited by targets when they allow the target
+program to continue. Typically targets still block in (target_wait())
+until the program again halts.
+
+The closest a target comes to supporting full asynchronous mode are
+the remote targets ``async'' and ``extended-async''.
--
-Move gdb_lasterr to ui_out?
+Asynchronous expression evaluator
-The way GDB throws errors and records them needs a re-think. ui_out
-handles the correct output well. It doesn't resolve what to do with
-output / error-messages when things go wrong.
+Inferior function calls hang GDB.
--
--
-Document trace machinery
+Make "target xxx" command interruptible.
+
+As things become async this becomes possible. A target would start
+the connect and then return control to the event loop. A cntrl-c
+would notify the target that the operation is to be abandoned and the
+target code could respond.
--
-Document overlay machinery.
+Add a "suspend" subcommand of the "continue" command to suspend gdb
+while continuing execution of the subprocess. Useful when you are
+debugging servers and you want to dodge out and initiate a connection
+to a server running under gdb.
+
+[hey async!!]
--
--
-Make "target xxx" command interruptible.
-
---
-
[elena - delete this]
Handle add_file with separate text, data, and bss addresses. Maybe
--
-Add a "suspend" subcommand of the "continue" command to suspend gdb
-while continuing execution of the subprocess. Useful when you are
-debugging servers and you want to dodge out and initiate a connection
-to a server running under gdb.
-
-[hey async!!]
-
---
-
Modify the handling of symbols grouped through BINCL/EINCL stabs to
allocate a partial symtab for each BINCL/EINCL grouping. This will
seriously decrease the size of inter-psymtab dependencies and hence
--
-[Comming...]
-
-Modify gdb to work correctly with Pascal.
-
---
-
Add a command for searching memory, a la adb. It specifies size,
mask, value, start address. ADB searches until it finds it or hits
an error (or is interrupted).
projects / deliverable / binutils-gdb.git / commitdiff
