1999-01-19 Fernando Nasser <fnasser@totem.to.cygnus.com>
[deliverable/binutils-gdb.git] / gdb / doc / gdb.texinfo
CommitLineData
29a2b744 1\input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
d390cad1 2@c Copyright 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998
f886dc0f 3@c Free Software Foundation, Inc.
18fae2a8 4@c
29a2b744 5@c %**start of header
18fae2a8 6@c makeinfo ignores cmds prev to setfilename, so its arg cannot make use
1d7c3357 7@c of @set vars. However, you can override filename with makeinfo -o.
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8@setfilename gdb.info
9@c
361daf65 10@include gdb-cfg.texi
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11@c
12@ifset GENERIC
13@settitle Debugging with @value{GDBN}
14@end ifset
15@ifclear GENERIC
1d7c3357 16@settitle Debugging with @value{GDBN} (@value{TARGET})
18fae2a8 17@end ifclear
af215b1a 18@clear RENAMED
29a2b744 19@setchapternewpage odd
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20@c %**end of header
21
ed447b95 22@iftex
51b65b74 23@c @smallbook
fe715d06 24@c @cropmarks
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25@end iftex
26
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27@finalout
28@syncodeindex ky cp
29
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30@c readline appendices use @vindex
31@syncodeindex vr cp
32
9897afc6 33@ifclear HPPA
0cb95a9c 34@c !!set GDB manual's edition---not the same as GDB version!
9897afc6 35@set EDITION Sixth
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36
37@c !!set GDB manual's revision date
b90b2ac2 38@set DATE April 1998
9897afc6 39@end ifclear
29a2b744 40
9c3ad547 41@c THIS MANUAL REQUIRES TEXINFO-2 macros and info-makers to format properly.
29a2b744 42
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43@ifset HPPA
44@c !!set GDB manual's edition---not the same as GDB version!
45@set EDITION Sixth-HP
46
47@c !!set GDB manual's revision date
48@set DATE November 1997
49
50@c !!set HP version
51@set HPVER HP WDB Version 0.75
52@end ifset
53
b7becc8f 54@ifinfo
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55@c This is a dir.info fragment to support semi-automated addition of
56@c manuals to an info tree. zoo@cygnus.com is developing this facility.
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57@format
58START-INFO-DIR-ENTRY
af215b1a 59* Gdb: (gdb). The @sc{gnu} debugger.
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60END-INFO-DIR-ENTRY
61@end format
62@end ifinfo
18fae2a8 63@c
70b88761 64@c
70b88761 65@ifinfo
af215b1a 66This file documents the @sc{gnu} debugger @value{GDBN}.
70b88761 67
0cb95a9c 68
b90b2ac2 69This is the @value{EDITION} Edition, @value{DATE},
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70of @cite{Debugging with @value{GDBN}: the @sc{gnu} Source-Level Debugger}
71for @value{GDBN} Version @value{GDBVN}.
29a2b744 72
b90b2ac2 73Copyright (C) 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998
f886dc0f 74Free Software Foundation, Inc.
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75
76Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
77this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
78are preserved on all copies.
79
80@ignore
81Permission is granted to process this file through TeX and print the
82results, provided the printed document carries copying permission
83notice identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph
84(this paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual).
85
86@end ignore
87Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
88manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that the
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89entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
90permission notice identical to this one.
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91
92Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
d55320a0 93into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions.
70b88761 94@end ifinfo
1041a570 95
70b88761 96@titlepage
18fae2a8 97@title Debugging with @value{GDBN}
af215b1a 98@subtitle The @sc{gnu} Source-Level Debugger
18fae2a8 99@ifclear GENERIC
a64a6c2b 100@subtitle (@value{TARGET})
18fae2a8 101@end ifclear
70b88761 102@sp 1
9897afc6 103@ifclear HPPA
b90b2ac2 104@subtitle @value{EDITION} Edition, for @value{GDBN} version @value{GDBVN}
0cb95a9c 105@subtitle @value{DATE}
1fe1c717 106@author Richard M. Stallman and Roland H. Pesch
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107@end ifclear
108@ifset HPPA
109@subtitle Edition @value{EDITION}, for @value{HPVER} (based on @value{GDBN} @value{GDBVN})
110@subtitle @value{DATE}
111@author Richard M. Stallman and Roland H. Pesch (modified by HP)
112@end ifset
70b88761 113@page
9897afc6 114@ifclear HPPA
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115@tex
116{\parskip=0pt
18fae2a8 117\hfill (Send bugs and comments on @value{GDBN} to bug-gdb\@prep.ai.mit.edu.)\par
ed447b95 118\hfill {\it Debugging with @value{GDBN}}\par
70b88761 119\hfill \TeX{}info \texinfoversion\par
af215b1a 120\hfill doc\@cygnus.com\par
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121}
122@end tex
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123@end ifclear
124@ifset HPPA
125@tex
126{\parskip=0pt
127\hfill {\it Debugging with @value{GDBN}}\par
128\hfill \TeX{}info \texinfoversion\par
129}
130@end tex
131@end ifset
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132
133@vskip 0pt plus 1filll
b90b2ac2 134Copyright @copyright{} 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998
f886dc0f 135Free Software Foundation, Inc.
6b51acad 136@sp 2
9897afc6 137@ifclear HPPA
6b51acad 138Published by the Free Software Foundation @*
6c9638b4
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13959 Temple Place - Suite 330, @*
140Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA @*
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141Printed copies are available for $20 each. @*
142ISBN 1-882114-11-6 @*
9897afc6 143@end ifclear
af215b1a 144
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145Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
146this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
147are preserved on all copies.
148
149Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
150manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that the
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151entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
152permission notice identical to this one.
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153
154Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
d55320a0 155into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions.
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156@end titlepage
157@page
158
70b88761 159@ifinfo
9897afc6 160@node Top, Summary, (dir), (dir)
18fae2a8 161@top Debugging with @value{GDBN}
29a2b744 162
af215b1a 163This file describes @value{GDBN}, the @sc{gnu} symbolic debugger.
29a2b744 164
b90b2ac2 165This is the @value{EDITION} Edition, @value{DATE}, for @value{GDBN} Version
af215b1a 166@value{GDBVN}.
70b88761 167
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168Copyright (C) 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997
169Free Software Foundation, Inc.
70b88761 170@menu
18fae2a8 171* Summary:: Summary of @value{GDBN}
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172@ifclear BARETARGET
173* Sample Session:: A sample @value{GDBN} session
174@end ifclear
b0157555 175
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176* Invocation:: Getting in and out of @value{GDBN}
177* Commands:: @value{GDBN} commands
178* Running:: Running programs under @value{GDBN}
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179* Stopping:: Stopping and continuing
180* Stack:: Examining the stack
181* Source:: Examining source files
182* Data:: Examining data
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183@ifclear CONLY
184* Languages:: Using @value{GDBN} with different languages
185@end ifclear
9897afc6 186
18fae2a8 187@ifset CONLY
1d7c3357 188* C:: C language support
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189@end ifset
190
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191* Symbols:: Examining the symbol table
192* Altering:: Altering execution
93918348 193* GDB Files:: @value{GDBN} files
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194* Targets:: Specifying a debugging target
195* Controlling GDB:: Controlling @value{GDBN}
196* Sequences:: Canned sequences of commands
18fae2a8 197@ifclear DOSHOST
af215b1a 198* Emacs:: Using @value{GDBN} under @sc{gnu} Emacs
18fae2a8 199@end ifclear
b0157555 200
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201@ifset LUCID
202* Energize::
203@end ifset
204
18fae2a8 205* GDB Bugs:: Reporting bugs in @value{GDBN}
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206@ifset NOVEL
207@ifset RENAMED
208* Renamed Commands:: @c @end ifset
209@end ifset
210
211@end ifset
212
1d7c3357 213@ifclear PRECONFIGURED
9897afc6 214@ifclear HPPA
af215b1a 215* Formatting Documentation:: How to format and print @value{GDBN} documentation
18fae2a8 216@end ifclear
b0157555 217
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218@end ifclear
219
220* Command Line Editing:: Command Line Editing
d6dc9580 221* Using History Interactively:: Using History Interactively
9897afc6 222* Installing GDB:: Installing GDB
18fae2a8 223* Index:: Index
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224
225 --- The Detailed Node Listing ---
226
227Summary of @value{GDBN}
228
229* Free Software:: Freely redistributable software
230* Contributors:: Contributors to GDB
231
232Getting In and Out of @value{GDBN}
233
234* Invoking GDB:: How to start @value{GDBN}
235* Quitting GDB:: How to quit @value{GDBN}
236* Shell Commands:: How to use shell commands inside @value{GDBN}
237
238Invoking @value{GDBN}
239
240* File Options:: Choosing files
241* Mode Options:: Choosing modes
242
243@value{GDBN} Commands
244
245* Command Syntax:: How to give commands to @value{GDBN}
246* Completion:: Command completion
247* Help:: How to ask @value{GDBN} for help
248
249Running Programs Under @value{GDBN}
250
251* Compilation:: Compiling for debugging
252* Starting:: Starting your program
253@ifclear BARETARGET
254* Arguments:: Your program's arguments
255* Environment:: Your program's environment
256@end ifclear
257
258* Working Directory:: Your program's working directory
259* Input/Output:: Your program's input and output
260* Attach:: Debugging an already-running process
261* Kill Process:: Killing the child process
262@ifclear HPPA
263* Process Information:: Additional process information
264@end ifclear
265
266* Threads:: Debugging programs with multiple threads
267* Processes:: Debugging programs with multiple processes
268
269Stopping and Continuing
270
271@ifclear CONLY
272@ifclear HPPA
273* Breakpoints:: Breakpoints, watchpoints, and exceptions
274@end ifclear
275
276@ifset HPPA
277* Breakpoints:: Breakpoints, watchpoints, and catchpoints
278@end ifset
279
280@end ifclear
281
282@ifset CONLY
283* Breakpoints:: Breakpoints and watchpoints
284@end ifset
285
286* Continuing and Stepping:: Resuming execution
287@ifset POSIX
288* Signals:: Signals
289@end ifset
290
291@ifclear BARETARGET
292* Thread Stops:: Stopping and starting multi-thread programs
293@end ifclear
294
295Breakpoints and watchpoints
296
297* Set Breaks:: Setting breakpoints
298* Set Watchpoints:: Setting watchpoints
299@ifclear CONLY
300@ifclear HPPA
301* Exception Handling:: Breakpoints and exceptions
302@end ifclear
303
304@ifset HPPA
305* Set Catchpoints:: Setting catchpoints
306@end ifset
307
308@end ifclear
309
310* Delete Breaks:: Deleting breakpoints
311* Disabling:: Disabling breakpoints
312* Conditions:: Break conditions
313* Break Commands:: Breakpoint command lists
314@ifclear CONLY
315* Breakpoint Menus:: Breakpoint menus
316@end ifclear
317
318Examining the Stack
319
320* Frames:: Stack frames
321* Backtrace:: Backtraces
322* Selection:: Selecting a frame
323* Frame Info:: Information on a frame
324@ifset MIPS
325* MIPS Stack:: MIPS machines and the function stack
326@end ifset
327
328Examining Source Files
329
330* List:: Printing source lines
331@ifclear DOSHOST
332* Search:: Searching source files
333@end ifclear
334
335* Source Path:: Specifying source directories
336* Machine Code:: Source and machine code
337
338Examining Data
339
340* Expressions:: Expressions
341* Variables:: Program variables
342* Arrays:: Artificial arrays
343* Output Formats:: Output formats
344* Memory:: Examining memory
345* Auto Display:: Automatic display
346* Print Settings:: Print settings
347* Value History:: Value history
348* Convenience Vars:: Convenience variables
349* Registers:: Registers
350@ifclear HAVE-FLOAT
351* Floating Point Hardware:: Floating point hardware
352@end ifclear
353
354Using @value{GDBN} with Different Languages
355
356* Setting:: Switching between source languages
357* Show:: Displaying the language
358@ifset MOD2
359* Checks:: Type and range checks
360@end ifset
361
362* Support:: Supported languages
363
364Switching between source languages
365
366* Filenames:: Filename extensions and languages.
367* Manually:: Setting the working language manually
368* Automatically:: Having @value{GDBN} infer the source language
369
370@ifset MOD2
371Type and range checking
372
373* Type Checking:: An overview of type checking
374* Range Checking:: An overview of range checking
375@end ifset
376
377Supported languages
378
379@ifset MOD2
380* C:: C and C++
381
382C Language Support
383
384* C Operators:: C operators
385
386C Language Support
387@end ifset
388
389* C Operators:: C and C++ operators
390* C Constants:: C and C++ constants
391* Cplus expressions:: C++ expressions
392* C Defaults:: Default settings for C and C++
393@ifset MOD2
394* C Checks:: C and C++ type and range checks
395@end ifset
396* Debugging C:: @value{GDBN} and C
397* Debugging C plus plus:: @value{GDBN} features for C++
398
399@ifset MOD2
400Modula-2
401
402* M2 Operators:: Built-in operators
403* Built-In Func/Proc:: Built-in functions and procedures
404* M2 Constants:: Modula-2 constants
405* M2 Defaults:: Default settings for Modula-2
406* Deviations:: Deviations from standard Modula-2
407* M2 Checks:: Modula-2 type and range checks
408* M2 Scope:: The scope operators @code{::} and @code{.}
409* GDB/M2:: @value{GDBN} and Modula-2
410@end ifset
411
412Altering Execution
413
414* Assignment:: Assignment to variables
415* Jumping:: Continuing at a different address
416@ifclear BARETARGET
417* Signaling:: Giving your program a signal
418@end ifclear
419
420* Returning:: Returning from a function
421* Calling:: Calling your program's functions
422* Patching:: Patching your program
423
424@value{GDBN} Files
425
426* Files:: Commands to specify files
427* Symbol Errors:: Errors reading symbol files
428
429Specifying a Debugging Target
430
431* Active Targets:: Active targets
432* Target Commands:: Commands for managing targets
433@ifclear HPPA
434* Byte Order:: Choosing target byte order
435* Remote:: Remote debugging
436
437Remote debugging
438@end ifclear
439
440@ifset REMOTESTUB
441* Remote Serial:: @value{GDBN} remote serial protocol
442@end ifset
443
444@ifset I960
445* i960-Nindy Remote:: @value{GDBN} with a remote i960 (Nindy)
446@end ifset
447
448@ifset AMD29K
449* UDI29K Remote:: The UDI protocol for AMD29K
450* EB29K Remote:: The EBMON protocol for AMD29K
451@end ifset
452
453@ifset VXWORKS
454* VxWorks Remote:: @value{GDBN} and VxWorks
455@end ifset
456
457@ifset ST2000
458* ST2000 Remote:: @value{GDBN} with a Tandem ST2000
459@end ifset
460
461@ifset H8
462* Hitachi Remote:: @value{GDBN} and Hitachi Microprocessors
463@end ifset
464
465@ifset MIPS
466* MIPS Remote:: @value{GDBN} and MIPS boards
467@end ifset
468
469@ifset SIMS
470* Simulator:: Simulated CPU target
471@end ifset
472
473Controlling @value{GDBN}
474
475* Prompt:: Prompt
476* Editing:: Command editing
477* History:: Command history
478* Screen Size:: Screen size
479* Numbers:: Numbers
480* Messages/Warnings:: Optional warnings and messages
481
482Canned Sequences of Commands
483
484* Define:: User-defined commands
485* Hooks:: User-defined command hooks
486* Command Files:: Command files
487* Output:: Commands for controlled output
488
489Reporting Bugs in @value{GDBN}
490
491* Bug Criteria:: Have you found a bug?
492* Bug Reporting:: How to report bugs
493
494Installing @value{GDBN}
495
496* Separate Objdir:: Compiling @value{GDBN} in another directory
497* Config Names:: Specifying names for hosts and targets
498* Configure Options:: Summary of options for configure
18fae2a8 499@end menu
9897afc6 500
18fae2a8 501@end ifinfo
70b88761 502
9897afc6 503@node Summary, Sample Session, Top, Top
18fae2a8 504@unnumbered Summary of @value{GDBN}
70b88761 505
18fae2a8 506The purpose of a debugger such as @value{GDBN} is to allow you to see what is
70b88761 507going on ``inside'' another program while it executes---or what another
1041a570 508program was doing at the moment it crashed.
70b88761 509
18fae2a8 510@value{GDBN} can do four main kinds of things (plus other things in support of
1041a570 511these) to help you catch bugs in the act:
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512
513@itemize @bullet
514@item
515Start your program, specifying anything that might affect its behavior.
516
517@item
518Make your program stop on specified conditions.
519
520@item
521Examine what has happened, when your program has stopped.
522
523@item
524Change things in your program, so you can experiment with correcting the
525effects of one bug and go on to learn about another.
526@end itemize
527
18fae2a8 528@ifclear CONLY
9934dce8 529You can use @value{GDBN} to debug programs written in C or C++.
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530@c "MOD2" used as a "miscellaneous languages" flag here.
531@c This is acceptable while there is no real doc for Chill and Pascal.
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532@ifclear MOD2
533For more information, see @ref{Support,,Supported languages}.
534@end ifclear
535@ifset MOD2
536For more information, see @ref{C,,C and C++}.
537
3f73b7c8 538Support for Modula-2 and Chill is partial. For information on Modula-2,
2ae6d007 539see @ref{Modula-2,,Modula-2}. There is no further documentation on Chill yet.
3f73b7c8 540
b1955f0b 541Debugging Pascal programs which use sets, subranges, file variables, or nested
22b5dba5 542functions does not currently work. @value{GDBN} does not support
b1955f0b 543entering expressions, printing values, or similar features using Pascal syntax.
09934a2b 544@end ifset
9897afc6 545
09934a2b 546@ifset FORTRAN
11e7b867 547@cindex Fortran
3ff8a96f 548@value{GDBN} can be used to debug programs written in Fortran, although
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549it does not yet support entering expressions, printing values, or
550similar features using Fortran syntax. It may be necessary to refer to
551some variables with a trailing underscore.
09934a2b 552@end ifset
18fae2a8 553@end ifclear
70b88761 554
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555@ifset HPPA
556This version of the manual documents HP Wildebeest (WDB) Version 0.75,
557implemented on HP 9000 systems running Release 10.20, 10.30, or 11.0 of
558the HP-UX operating system. HP WDB 0.75 can be used to debug code
559generated by the HP ANSI C and HP ANSI C++ compilers as well as the
560@sc{gnu} C and C++ compilers. It does not support the debugging of
561Fortran, Modula-2, or Chill programs.
562@end ifset
563
70b88761 564@menu
ed447b95 565* Free Software:: Freely redistributable software
b80282d5 566* Contributors:: Contributors to GDB
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567@end menu
568
9897afc6 569@node Free Software, Contributors, Summary, Summary
93928b60 570@unnumberedsec Free software
1041a570 571
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572@value{GDBN} is @dfn{free software}, protected by the @sc{gnu}
573General Public License
1041a570 574(GPL). The GPL gives you the freedom to copy or adapt a licensed
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575program---but every person getting a copy also gets with it the
576freedom to modify that copy (which means that they must get access to
577the source code), and the freedom to distribute further copies.
578Typical software companies use copyrights to limit your freedoms; the
579Free Software Foundation uses the GPL to preserve these freedoms.
580
581Fundamentally, the General Public License is a license which says that
29a2b744 582you have these freedoms and that you cannot take these freedoms away
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583from anyone else.
584
9897afc6 585@node Contributors, , Free Software, Summary
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586@unnumberedsec Contributors to GDB
587
af215b1a 588Richard Stallman was the original author of GDB, and of many other @sc{gnu}
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589programs. Many others have contributed to its development. This
590section attempts to credit major contributors. One of the virtues of
591free software is that everyone is free to contribute to it; with
592regret, we cannot actually acknowledge everyone here. The file
af215b1a 593@file{ChangeLog} in the @value{GDBN} distribution approximates a blow-by-blow
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594account.
595
596Changes much prior to version 2.0 are lost in the mists of time.
597
598@quotation
599@emph{Plea:} Additions to this section are particularly welcome. If you
93918348 600or your friends (or enemies, to be evenhanded) have been unfairly
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601omitted from this list, we would like to add your names!
602@end quotation
603
604So that they may not regard their long labor as thankless, we
356bc67b 605particularly thank those who shepherded GDB through major releases:
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606Stan Shebs (release 4.14),
607Fred Fish (releases 4.13, 4.12, 4.11, 4.10, and 4.9),
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608Stu Grossman and John Gilmore (releases 4.8, 4.7, 4.6, 4.5, and 4.4),
609John Gilmore (releases 4.3, 4.2, 4.1, 4.0, and 3.9);
610Jim Kingdon (releases 3.5, 3.4, and 3.3);
611and Randy Smith (releases 3.2, 3.1, and 3.0).
af215b1a 612As major maintainer of @value{GDBN} for some period, each
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613contributed significantly to the structure, stability, and capabilities
614of the entire debugger.
70b88761 615
6b51acad 616Richard Stallman, assisted at various times by Peter TerMaat, Chris
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617Hanson, and Richard Mlynarik, handled releases through 2.8.
618
1d7c3357 619@ifclear CONLY
af215b1a 620Michael Tiemann is the author of most of the @sc{gnu} C++ support in GDB,
70b88761 621with significant additional contributions from Per Bothner. James
af215b1a 622Clark wrote the @sc{gnu} C++ demangler. Early work on C++ was by Peter
70b88761 623TerMaat (who also did much general update work leading to release 3.0).
1d7c3357 624@end ifclear
70b88761 625
af215b1a 626@value{GDBN} 4 uses the BFD subroutine library to examine multiple
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627object-file formats; BFD was a joint project of David V.
628Henkel-Wallace, Rich Pixley, Steve Chamberlain, and John Gilmore.
70b88761 629
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630David Johnson wrote the original COFF support; Pace Willison did
631the original support for encapsulated COFF.
70b88761 632
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633Brent Benson of Harris Computer Systems contributed DWARF 2 support.
634
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635Adam de Boor and Bradley Davis contributed the ISI Optimum V support.
636Per Bothner, Noboyuki Hikichi, and Alessandro Forin contributed MIPS
1041a570 637support.
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638Jean-Daniel Fekete contributed Sun 386i support.
639Chris Hanson improved the HP9000 support.
640Noboyuki Hikichi and Tomoyuki Hasei contributed Sony/News OS 3 support.
641David Johnson contributed Encore Umax support.
642Jyrki Kuoppala contributed Altos 3068 support.
643Jeff Law contributed HP PA and SOM support.
644Keith Packard contributed NS32K support.
645Doug Rabson contributed Acorn Risc Machine support.
646Bob Rusk contributed Harris Nighthawk CX-UX support.
647Chris Smith contributed Convex support (and Fortran debugging).
648Jonathan Stone contributed Pyramid support.
649Michael Tiemann contributed SPARC support.
650Tim Tucker contributed support for the Gould NP1 and Gould Powernode.
651Pace Willison contributed Intel 386 support.
652Jay Vosburgh contributed Symmetry support.
70b88761 653
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654Rich Schaefer and Peter Schauer helped with support of SunOS shared
655libraries.
70b88761 656
af215b1a 657Jay Fenlason and Roland McGrath ensured that @value{GDBN} and GAS agree about
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658several machine instruction sets.
659
d390cad1
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660Patrick Duval, Ted Goldstein, Vikram Koka and Glenn Engel helped develop
661remote debugging. Intel Corporation, Wind River Systems, AMD, and ARM
662contributed remote debugging modules for the i960, VxWorks, A29K UDI,
663and RDI targets, respectively.
70b88761 664
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665Brian Fox is the author of the readline libraries providing
666command-line editing and command history.
70b88761 667
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668Andrew Beers of SUNY Buffalo wrote the language-switching code,
669@ifset MOD2
670the Modula-2 support,
671@end ifset
672and contributed the Languages chapter of this manual.
c2bbbb22 673
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674Fred Fish wrote most of the support for Unix System Vr4.
675@ifclear CONLY
676He also enhanced the command-completion support to cover C++ overloaded
677symbols.
678@end ifclear
679
a64a6c2b 680Hitachi America, Ltd. sponsored the support for Hitachi microprocessors.
14d01801 681
356bc67b
SS
682Kung Hsu, Jeff Law, and Rick Sladkey added support for hardware
683watchpoints.
684
d390cad1
SS
685Michael Snyder added support for tracepoints.
686
356bc67b
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687Stu Grossman wrote gdbserver.
688
689Jim Kingdon, Peter Schauer, Ian Taylor, and Stu Grossman made
690nearly innumerable bug fixes and cleanups throughout GDB.
691
d390cad1
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692Cygnus Solutions has sponsored GDB maintenance and much of its
693development since 1991.
694
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695@ifset HPPA
696The following people at the Hewlett-Packard Company contributed
697support for the PA-RISC 2.0 architecture, HP-UX 10.20, 10.30, and 11.0
698(narrow mode), HP's implementation of kernel threads, HP's aC++
699compiler, and the terminal user interface: Ben Krepp, Richard Title,
700John Bishop, Susan Macchia, Kathy Mann, Satish Pai, India Paul, Steve
701Rehrauer, and Elena Zannoni. Kim Haase provided HP-specific
702information in this manual.
703@end ifset
704
18fae2a8 705@ifclear BARETARGET
9897afc6 706@node Sample Session, Invocation, Summary, Top
18fae2a8 707@chapter A Sample @value{GDBN} Session
70b88761 708
18fae2a8 709You can use this manual at your leisure to read all about @value{GDBN}.
70b88761 710However, a handful of commands are enough to get started using the
ed447b95 711debugger. This chapter illustrates those commands.
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712
713@iftex
6ca72cc6 714In this sample session, we emphasize user input like this: @b{input},
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715to make it easier to pick out from the surrounding output.
716@end iftex
717
718@c FIXME: this example may not be appropriate for some configs, where
719@c FIXME...primary interest is in remote use.
18fae2a8 720
af215b1a 721One of the preliminary versions of @sc{gnu} @code{m4} (a generic macro
70b88761 722processor) exhibits the following bug: sometimes, when we change its
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723quote strings from the default, the commands used to capture one macro
724definition within another stop working. In the following short @code{m4}
70b88761 725session, we define a macro @code{foo} which expands to @code{0000}; we
29a2b744 726then use the @code{m4} built-in @code{defn} to define @code{bar} as the
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727same thing. However, when we change the open quote string to
728@code{<QUOTE>} and the close quote string to @code{<UNQUOTE>}, the same
729procedure fails to define a new synonym @code{baz}:
730
731@smallexample
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732$ @b{cd gnu/m4}
733$ @b{./m4}
734@b{define(foo,0000)}
70b88761 735
6ca72cc6 736@b{foo}
70b88761 7370000
6ca72cc6 738@b{define(bar,defn(`foo'))}
70b88761 739
6ca72cc6 740@b{bar}
70b88761 7410000
6ca72cc6 742@b{changequote(<QUOTE>,<UNQUOTE>)}
70b88761 743
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744@b{define(baz,defn(<QUOTE>foo<UNQUOTE>))}
745@b{baz}
746@b{C-d}
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747m4: End of input: 0: fatal error: EOF in string
748@end smallexample
749
750@noindent
93918348 751Let us use @value{GDBN} to try to see what is going on.
70b88761 752
9897afc6 753@ifclear HPPA
70b88761 754@smallexample
18fae2a8 755$ @b{@value{GDBP} m4}
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756@c FIXME: this falsifies the exact text played out, to permit smallbook
757@c FIXME... format to come out better.
af215b1a 758@value{GDBN} is free software and you are welcome to distribute copies
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759 of it under certain conditions; type "show copying" to see
760 the conditions.
af215b1a 761There is absolutely no warranty for @value{GDBN}; type "show warranty"
ed447b95 762 for details.
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763
764@value{GDBN} @value{GDBVN}, Copyright 1995 Free Software Foundation, Inc...
18fae2a8 765(@value{GDBP})
70b88761 766@end smallexample
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767@end ifclear
768@ifset HPPA
769@smallexample
770$ @b{@value{GDBP} m4}
771Wildebeest is free software and you are welcome to distribute copies of
772it under certain conditions; type "show copying" to see the conditions.
773There is absolutely no warranty for Wildebeest; type "show warranty"
774for details.
775
776Hewlett-Packard Wildebeest 0.75 (based on GDB 4.16)
777(built for PA-RISC 1.1 or 2.0, HP-UX 10.20)
778Copyright 1996, 1997 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
779(@value{GDBP})
780@end smallexample
781@end ifset
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782
783@noindent
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784@value{GDBN} reads only enough symbol data to know where to find the
785rest when needed; as a result, the first prompt comes up very quickly.
786We now tell @value{GDBN} to use a narrower display width than usual, so
787that examples fit in this manual.
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788
789@smallexample
18fae2a8 790(@value{GDBP}) @b{set width 70}
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791@end smallexample
792
e251e767 793@noindent
93918348 794We need to see how the @code{m4} built-in @code{changequote} works.
70b88761 795Having looked at the source, we know the relevant subroutine is
93918348 796@code{m4_changequote}, so we set a breakpoint there with the @value{GDBN}
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797@code{break} command.
798
799@smallexample
18fae2a8 800(@value{GDBP}) @b{break m4_changequote}
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801Breakpoint 1 at 0x62f4: file builtin.c, line 879.
802@end smallexample
803
804@noindent
18fae2a8 805Using the @code{run} command, we start @code{m4} running under @value{GDBN}
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806control; as long as control does not reach the @code{m4_changequote}
807subroutine, the program runs as usual:
808
809@smallexample
18fae2a8 810(@value{GDBP}) @b{run}
e251e767 811Starting program: /work/Editorial/gdb/gnu/m4/m4
6ca72cc6 812@b{define(foo,0000)}
70b88761 813
6ca72cc6 814@b{foo}
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8150000
816@end smallexample
817
818@noindent
18fae2a8 819To trigger the breakpoint, we call @code{changequote}. @value{GDBN}
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820suspends execution of @code{m4}, displaying information about the
821context where it stops.
822
823@smallexample
6ca72cc6 824@b{changequote(<QUOTE>,<UNQUOTE>)}
70b88761 825
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826Breakpoint 1, m4_changequote (argc=3, argv=0x33c70)
827 at builtin.c:879
38962738 828879 if (bad_argc(TOKEN_DATA_TEXT(argv[0]),argc,1,3))
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829@end smallexample
830
831@noindent
832Now we use the command @code{n} (@code{next}) to advance execution to
833the next line of the current function.
834
835@smallexample
18fae2a8 836(@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
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837882 set_quotes((argc >= 2) ? TOKEN_DATA_TEXT(argv[1])\
838 : nil,
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839@end smallexample
840
841@noindent
842@code{set_quotes} looks like a promising subroutine. We can go into it
843by using the command @code{s} (@code{step}) instead of @code{next}.
844@code{step} goes to the next line to be executed in @emph{any}
e251e767 845subroutine, so it steps into @code{set_quotes}.
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846
847@smallexample
18fae2a8 848(@value{GDBP}) @b{s}
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849set_quotes (lq=0x34c78 "<QUOTE>", rq=0x34c88 "<UNQUOTE>")
850 at input.c:530
851530 if (lquote != def_lquote)
852@end smallexample
853
854@noindent
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855The display that shows the subroutine where @code{m4} is now
856suspended (and its arguments) is called a stack frame display. It
857shows a summary of the stack. We can use the @code{backtrace}
858command (which can also be spelled @code{bt}), to see where we are
859in the stack as a whole: the @code{backtrace} command displays a
860stack frame for each active subroutine.
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861
862@smallexample
18fae2a8 863(@value{GDBP}) @b{bt}
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864#0 set_quotes (lq=0x34c78 "<QUOTE>", rq=0x34c88 "<UNQUOTE>")
865 at input.c:530
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866#1 0x6344 in m4_changequote (argc=3, argv=0x33c70)
867 at builtin.c:882
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868#2 0x8174 in expand_macro (sym=0x33320) at macro.c:242
869#3 0x7a88 in expand_token (obs=0x0, t=209696, td=0xf7fffa30)
870 at macro.c:71
871#4 0x79dc in expand_input () at macro.c:40
872#5 0x2930 in main (argc=0, argv=0xf7fffb20) at m4.c:195
873@end smallexample
874
875@noindent
9a27b06e 876We step through a few more lines to see what happens. The first two
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877times, we can use @samp{s}; the next two times we use @code{n} to avoid
878falling into the @code{xstrdup} subroutine.
1041a570 879
70b88761 880@smallexample
18fae2a8 881(@value{GDBP}) @b{s}
70b88761 8820x3b5c 532 if (rquote != def_rquote)
18fae2a8 883(@value{GDBP}) @b{s}
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RP
8840x3b80 535 lquote = (lq == nil || *lq == '\0') ? \
885def_lquote : xstrdup(lq);
18fae2a8 886(@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
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RP
887536 rquote = (rq == nil || *rq == '\0') ? def_rquote\
888 : xstrdup(rq);
18fae2a8 889(@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
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890538 len_lquote = strlen(rquote);
891@end smallexample
892
893@noindent
93918348 894The last line displayed looks a little odd; we can examine the variables
70b88761 895@code{lquote} and @code{rquote} to see if they are in fact the new left
93918348 896and right quotes we specified. We use the command @code{p}
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897(@code{print}) to see their values.
898
899@smallexample
18fae2a8 900(@value{GDBP}) @b{p lquote}
70b88761 901$1 = 0x35d40 "<QUOTE>"
18fae2a8 902(@value{GDBP}) @b{p rquote}
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903$2 = 0x35d50 "<UNQUOTE>"
904@end smallexample
905
906@noindent
907@code{lquote} and @code{rquote} are indeed the new left and right quotes.
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908To look at some context, we can display ten lines of source
909surrounding the current line with the @code{l} (@code{list}) command.
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910
911@smallexample
18fae2a8 912(@value{GDBP}) @b{l}
70b88761 913533 xfree(rquote);
e251e767 914534
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RP
915535 lquote = (lq == nil || *lq == '\0') ? def_lquote\
916 : xstrdup (lq);
917536 rquote = (rq == nil || *rq == '\0') ? def_rquote\
918 : xstrdup (rq);
e251e767 919537
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RP
920538 len_lquote = strlen(rquote);
921539 len_rquote = strlen(lquote);
922540 @}
e251e767 923541
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924542 void
925@end smallexample
926
927@noindent
93918348 928Let us step past the two lines that set @code{len_lquote} and
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RP
929@code{len_rquote}, and then examine the values of those variables.
930
931@smallexample
18fae2a8 932(@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
70b88761 933539 len_rquote = strlen(lquote);
18fae2a8 934(@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
70b88761 935540 @}
18fae2a8 936(@value{GDBP}) @b{p len_lquote}
70b88761 937$3 = 9
18fae2a8 938(@value{GDBP}) @b{p len_rquote}
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939$4 = 7
940@end smallexample
941
942@noindent
943That certainly looks wrong, assuming @code{len_lquote} and
944@code{len_rquote} are meant to be the lengths of @code{lquote} and
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RP
945@code{rquote} respectively. We can set them to better values using
946the @code{p} command, since it can print the value of
70b88761 947any expression---and that expression can include subroutine calls and
e251e767 948assignments.
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949
950@smallexample
18fae2a8 951(@value{GDBP}) @b{p len_lquote=strlen(lquote)}
70b88761 952$5 = 7
18fae2a8 953(@value{GDBP}) @b{p len_rquote=strlen(rquote)}
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954$6 = 9
955@end smallexample
956
957@noindent
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958Is that enough to fix the problem of using the new quotes with the
959@code{m4} built-in @code{defn}? We can allow @code{m4} to continue
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960executing with the @code{c} (@code{continue}) command, and then try the
961example that caused trouble initially:
962
963@smallexample
18fae2a8 964(@value{GDBP}) @b{c}
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965Continuing.
966
6ca72cc6 967@b{define(baz,defn(<QUOTE>foo<UNQUOTE>))}
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968
969baz
9700000
971@end smallexample
972
973@noindent
974Success! The new quotes now work just as well as the default ones. The
975problem seems to have been just the two typos defining the wrong
93918348 976lengths. We allow @code{m4} exit by giving it an EOF as input:
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977
978@smallexample
6ca72cc6 979@b{C-d}
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980Program exited normally.
981@end smallexample
982
e251e767 983@noindent
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RP
984The message @samp{Program exited normally.} is from @value{GDBN}; it
985indicates @code{m4} has finished executing. We can end our @value{GDBN}
986session with the @value{GDBN} @code{quit} command.
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987
988@smallexample
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RP
989(@value{GDBP}) @b{quit}
990@end smallexample
991@end ifclear
70b88761 992
9897afc6 993@node Invocation, Commands, Sample Session, Top
18fae2a8 994@chapter Getting In and Out of @value{GDBN}
70b88761 995
18fae2a8 996This chapter discusses how to start @value{GDBN}, and how to get out of it.
af215b1a
VM
997The essentials are:
998@itemize @bullet
999@item
1000type @samp{@value{GDBP}} to start GDB.
1001@item
1002type @kbd{quit} or @kbd{C-d} to exit.
1003@end itemize
29a2b744 1004
70b88761 1005@menu
ed447b95 1006* Invoking GDB:: How to start @value{GDBN}
9897afc6 1007* Quitting GDB:: How to quit @value{GDBN}
ed447b95 1008* Shell Commands:: How to use shell commands inside @value{GDBN}
70b88761 1009@end menu
18fae2a8 1010
9897afc6 1011@node Invoking GDB, Quitting GDB, Invocation, Invocation
ed447b95 1012@section Invoking @value{GDBN}
18fae2a8 1013
a64a6c2b 1014@ifset H8EXCLUSIVE
18fae2a8 1015For details on starting up @value{GDBP} as a
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RP
1016remote debugger attached to a Hitachi microprocessor, see @ref{Hitachi
1017Remote,,@value{GDBN} and Hitachi Microprocessors}.
18fae2a8 1018@end ifset
4eb4cf57 1019
ed447b95 1020Invoke @value{GDBN} by running the program @code{@value{GDBP}}. Once started,
18fae2a8 1021@value{GDBN} reads commands from the terminal until you tell it to exit.
70b88761 1022
18fae2a8 1023You can also run @code{@value{GDBP}} with a variety of arguments and options,
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1024to specify more of your debugging environment at the outset.
1025
18fae2a8 1026@ifset GENERIC
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1027The command-line options described here are designed
1028to cover a variety of situations; in some environments, some of these
1029options may effectively be unavailable.
18fae2a8 1030@end ifset
c7cb8acb 1031
18fae2a8 1032The most usual way to start @value{GDBN} is with one argument,
4eb4cf57 1033specifying an executable program:
1041a570 1034
70b88761 1035@example
18fae2a8 1036@value{GDBP} @var{program}
70b88761 1037@end example
1041a570 1038
18fae2a8 1039@ifclear BARETARGET
70b88761 1040@noindent
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1041You can also start with both an executable program and a core file
1042specified:
1041a570 1043
70b88761 1044@example
18fae2a8 1045@value{GDBP} @var{program} @var{core}
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1046@end example
1047
b80282d5
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1048You can, instead, specify a process ID as a second argument, if you want
1049to debug a running process:
1041a570 1050
b80282d5 1051@example
18fae2a8 1052@value{GDBP} @var{program} 1234
b80282d5 1053@end example
1041a570 1054
b80282d5 1055@noindent
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RP
1056would attach @value{GDBN} to process @code{1234} (unless you also have a file
1057named @file{1234}; @value{GDBN} does check for a core file first).
b80282d5 1058
9897afc6 1059@ifclear HPPA
c7cb8acb 1060Taking advantage of the second command-line argument requires a fairly
18fae2a8 1061complete operating system; when you use @value{GDBN} as a remote debugger
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1062attached to a bare board, there may not be any notion of ``process'',
1063and there is often no way to get a core dump.
18fae2a8 1064@end ifclear
9897afc6 1065@end ifclear
c7cb8acb 1066
af215b1a
VM
1067You can run @code{gdb} without printing the front material, which describes
1068@value{GDBN}'s non-warranty, by specifying @code{-silent}:
1069
1070@smallexample
9897afc6 1071@value{GDBP} -silent
af215b1a
VM
1072@end smallexample
1073
70b88761 1074@noindent
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RP
1075You can further control how @value{GDBN} starts up by using command-line
1076options. @value{GDBN} itself can remind you of the options available.
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1077
1078@noindent
1079Type
1080
70b88761 1081@example
18fae2a8 1082@value{GDBP} -help
70b88761 1083@end example
29a2b744 1084
70b88761 1085@noindent
29a2b744 1086to display all available options and briefly describe their use
18fae2a8 1087(@samp{@value{GDBP} -h} is a shorter equivalent).
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1088
1089All options and command line arguments you give are processed
1090in sequential order. The order makes a difference when the
e251e767 1091@samp{-x} option is used.
70b88761 1092
18fae2a8 1093
70b88761 1094@menu
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1095@ifclear GENERIC
1096@ifset REMOTESTUB
1097* Remote Serial:: @value{GDBN} remote serial protocol
1098@end ifset
a64a6c2b 1099@ifset I960
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1100* i960-Nindy Remote:: @value{GDBN} with a remote i960 (Nindy)
1101@end ifset
a64a6c2b 1102@ifset AMD29K
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1103* UDI29K Remote:: The UDI protocol for AMD29K
1104* EB29K Remote:: The EBMON protocol for AMD29K
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1105@end ifset
1106@ifset VXWORKS
1107* VxWorks Remote:: @value{GDBN} and VxWorks
1108@end ifset
a64a6c2b 1109@ifset ST2000
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1110* ST2000 Remote:: @value{GDBN} with a Tandem ST2000
1111@end ifset
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1112@ifset H8
1113* Hitachi Remote:: @value{GDBN} and Hitachi Microprocessors
18fae2a8 1114@end ifset
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1115@ifset MIPS
1116* MIPS Remote:: @value{GDBN} and MIPS boards
1117@end ifset
146ff252
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1118@ifset SPARCLET
1119* Sparclet Remote:: @value{GDBN} and Sparclet boards
1120@end ifset
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1121@ifset SIMS
1122* Simulator:: Simulated CPU target
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RP
1123@end ifset
1124@end ifclear
1d7c3357 1125@c remnant makeinfo bug requires this blank line after *two* end-ifblahs:
18fae2a8 1126
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1127* File Options:: Choosing files
1128* Mode Options:: Choosing modes
18fae2a8 1129@end menu
18fae2a8
RP
1130
1131@ifclear GENERIC
9897afc6 1132@ifclear HPPA
4af6d502 1133@include remote.texi
18fae2a8 1134@end ifclear
9897afc6 1135@end ifclear
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1136
1137@node File Options
93928b60 1138@subsection Choosing files
70b88761 1139
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1140@ifclear BARETARGET
1141When @value{GDBN} starts, it reads any arguments other than options as
29a2b744
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1142specifying an executable file and core file (or process ID). This is
1143the same as if the arguments were specified by the @samp{-se} and
18fae2a8 1144@samp{-c} options respectively. (@value{GDBN} reads the first argument
29a2b744
RP
1145that does not have an associated option flag as equivalent to the
1146@samp{-se} option followed by that argument; and the second argument
1147that does not have an associated option flag, if any, as equivalent to
1148the @samp{-c} option followed by that argument.)
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RP
1149@end ifclear
1150@ifset BARETARGET
1151When @value{GDBN} starts, it reads any argument other than options as
4eb4cf57
RP
1152specifying an executable file. This is the same as if the argument was
1153specified by the @samp{-se} option.
18fae2a8 1154@end ifset
29a2b744
RP
1155
1156Many options have both long and short forms; both are shown in the
18fae2a8 1157following list. @value{GDBN} also recognizes the long forms if you truncate
29a2b744
RP
1158them, so long as enough of the option is present to be unambiguous.
1159(If you prefer, you can flag option arguments with @samp{--} rather
1160than @samp{-}, though we illustrate the more usual convention.)
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1161
1162@table @code
6b51acad 1163@item -symbols @var{file}
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RP
1164@itemx -s @var{file}
1165Read symbol table from file @var{file}.
1166
6b51acad 1167@item -exec @var{file}
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RP
1168@itemx -e @var{file}
1169Use file @var{file} as the executable file to execute when
1d7c3357
RP
1170@ifset BARETARGET
1171appropriate.
1172@end ifset
1173@ifclear BARETARGET
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RP
1174appropriate, and for examining pure data in conjunction with a core
1175dump.
1d7c3357 1176@end ifclear
70b88761 1177
6b51acad 1178@item -se @var{file}
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RP
1179Read symbol table from file @var{file} and use it as the executable
1180file.
1181
18fae2a8 1182@ifclear BARETARGET
6b51acad 1183@item -core @var{file}
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RP
1184@itemx -c @var{file}
1185Use file @var{file} as a core dump to examine.
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RP
1186
1187@item -c @var{number}
1188Connect to process ID @var{number}, as with the @code{attach} command
1189(unless there is a file in core-dump format named @var{number}, in which
1190case @samp{-c} specifies that file as a core dump to read).
18fae2a8 1191@end ifclear
70b88761 1192
6b51acad 1193@item -command @var{file}
70b88761 1194@itemx -x @var{file}
93928b60
RP
1195Execute @value{GDBN} commands from file @var{file}. @xref{Command
1196Files,, Command files}.
70b88761 1197
6b51acad 1198@item -directory @var{directory}
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RP
1199@itemx -d @var{directory}
1200Add @var{directory} to the path to search for source files.
14d01801 1201
18fae2a8 1202@ifclear BARETARGET
9897afc6 1203@ifclear HPPA
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RP
1204@item -m
1205@itemx -mapped
1206@emph{Warning: this option depends on operating system facilities that are not
1207supported on all systems.}@*
77b46d13
JG
1208If memory-mapped files are available on your system through the @code{mmap}
1209system call, you can use this option
18fae2a8 1210to have @value{GDBN} write the symbols from your
77b46d13 1211program into a reusable file in the current directory. If the program you are debugging is
9a27b06e
RP
1212called @file{/tmp/fred}, the mapped symbol file is @file{./fred.syms}.
1213Future @value{GDBN} debugging sessions notice the presence of this file,
1214and can quickly map in symbol information from it, rather than reading
77b46d13
JG
1215the symbol table from the executable program.
1216
1d7c3357
RP
1217The @file{.syms} file is specific to the host machine where @value{GDBN}
1218is run. It holds an exact image of the internal @value{GDBN} symbol
1219table. It cannot be shared across multiple host platforms.
18fae2a8 1220@end ifclear
9897afc6 1221@end ifclear
77b46d13 1222
9897afc6 1223@ifclear HPPA
77b46d13
JG
1224@item -r
1225@itemx -readnow
1226Read each symbol file's entire symbol table immediately, rather than
1227the default, which is to read it incrementally as it is needed.
1228This makes startup slower, but makes future operations faster.
9897afc6 1229@end ifclear
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1230@end table
1231
18fae2a8 1232@ifclear BARETARGET
9897afc6 1233@ifclear HPPA
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RP
1234The @code{-mapped} and @code{-readnow} options are typically combined in
1235order to build a @file{.syms} file that contains complete symbol
9897afc6
EE
1236information. (@xref{Files,,Commands to specify files}, for
1237information on @file{.syms} files.) A simple GDB invocation to do
1238nothing but build a @file{.syms} file for future use is:
77b46d13
JG
1239
1240@example
1241 gdb -batch -nx -mapped -readnow programname
1242@end example
18fae2a8 1243@end ifclear
9897afc6 1244@end ifclear
77b46d13 1245
9897afc6 1246@node Mode Options, , File Options, Invoking GDB
93928b60 1247@subsection Choosing modes
1041a570 1248
18fae2a8 1249You can run @value{GDBN} in various alternative modes---for example, in
29a2b744 1250batch mode or quiet mode.
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1251
1252@table @code
1253@item -nx
1254@itemx -n
d55320a0
RP
1255Do not execute commands from any initialization files (normally called
1256@file{@value{GDBINIT}}). Normally, the commands in these files are
1257executed after all the command options and arguments have been
1258processed. @xref{Command Files,,Command files}.
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1259
1260@item -quiet
1261@itemx -q
1262``Quiet''. Do not print the introductory and copyright messages. These
c338a2fd 1263messages are also suppressed in batch mode.
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1264
1265@item -batch
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RP
1266Run in batch mode. Exit with status @code{0} after processing all the
1267command files specified with @samp{-x} (and all commands from
1268initialization files, if not inhibited with @samp{-n}). Exit with
1269nonzero status if an error occurs in executing the @value{GDBN} commands
1270in the command files.
70b88761 1271
18fae2a8 1272Batch mode may be useful for running @value{GDBN} as a filter, for example to
70b88761 1273download and run a program on another computer; in order to make this
e251e767 1274more useful, the message
1041a570 1275
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RP
1276@example
1277Program exited normally.
1278@end example
1041a570 1279
70b88761 1280@noindent
18fae2a8 1281(which is ordinarily issued whenever a program running under @value{GDBN} control
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RP
1282terminates) is not issued when running in batch mode.
1283
6b51acad 1284@item -cd @var{directory}
18fae2a8 1285Run @value{GDBN} using @var{directory} as its working directory,
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RP
1286instead of the current directory.
1287
18fae2a8 1288@ifset LUCID
45c53080 1289@item -context @var{authentication}
18fae2a8 1290When the Energize programming system starts up @value{GDBN}, it uses this
6ca72cc6 1291option to trigger an alternate mode of interaction.
18fae2a8 1292@var{authentication} is a pair of numeric codes that identify @value{GDBN}
6ca72cc6 1293as a client in the Energize environment. Avoid this option when you run
18fae2a8
RP
1294@value{GDBN} directly from the command line. See @ref{Energize,,Using
1295@value{GDBN} with Energize} for more discussion of using @value{GDBN} with Energize.
1296@end ifset
6ca72cc6 1297
1d7c3357 1298@ifclear DOSHOST
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1299@item -fullname
1300@itemx -f
af215b1a 1301@sc{gnu} Emacs sets this option when it runs @value{GDBN} as a subprocess. It tells @value{GDBN}
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RP
1302to output the full file name and line number in a standard,
1303recognizable fashion each time a stack frame is displayed (which
29a2b744 1304includes each time your program stops). This recognizable format looks
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RP
1305like two @samp{\032} characters, followed by the file name, line number
1306and character position separated by colons, and a newline. The
18fae2a8 1307Emacs-to-@value{GDBN} interface program uses the two @samp{\032} characters as
70b88761 1308a signal to display the source code for the frame.
1d7c3357 1309@end ifclear
70b88761 1310
18fae2a8 1311@ifset SERIAL
9897afc6 1312@ifclear HPPA
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RP
1313@item -b @var{bps}
1314Set the line speed (baud rate or bits per second) of any serial
18fae2a8 1315interface used by @value{GDBN} for remote debugging.
9897afc6 1316@end ifclear
70b88761 1317
6b51acad 1318@item -tty @var{device}
70b88761 1319Run using @var{device} for your program's standard input and output.
29a2b744 1320@c FIXME: kingdon thinks there is more to -tty. Investigate.
18fae2a8 1321@end ifset
9897afc6
EE
1322
1323@ifset HPPA
1324@item -tui
1325Use a Terminal User Interface. For information, use your Web browser to
1326read the file @file{TUI.html}, which is usually installed in the
1327directory @code{/opt/langtools/wdb/doc} on HP-UX systems. Do not use
1328this option if you run @value{GDBN} from Emacs (see @pxref{Emacs, ,Using
1329@value{GDBN} under @sc{gnu} Emacs}).
1330
1331@item -xdb
1332Run in XDB compatibility mode, allowing the use of certain XDB commands.
1333For information, see the file @file{xdb_trans.html}, which is usually
1334installed in the directory @code{/opt/langtools/wdb/doc} on HP-UX
1335systems.
1336@end ifset
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RP
1337@end table
1338
9897afc6 1339@node Quitting GDB, Shell Commands, Invoking GDB, Invocation
ed447b95 1340@section Quitting @value{GDBN}
18fae2a8 1341@cindex exiting @value{GDBN}
ed447b95 1342@cindex leaving @value{GDBN}
1041a570 1343
70b88761 1344@table @code
f94cadf9 1345@kindex quit @r{[}@var{expression}@r{]}
70b88761 1346@kindex q
af215b1a
VM
1347@item quit
1348To exit @value{GDBN}, use the @code{quit} command (abbreviated @code{q}), or
f94cadf9
SS
1349type an end-of-file character (usually @kbd{C-d}). If you do not supply
1350@var{expression}, @value{GDBN} will terminate normally; otherwise it will
1351terminate using the result of @var{expression} as the error code.
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RP
1352@end table
1353
1354@cindex interrupt
9a27b06e
RP
1355An interrupt (often @kbd{C-c}) does not exit from @value{GDBN}, but rather
1356terminates the action of any @value{GDBN} command that is in progress and
1357returns to @value{GDBN} command level. It is safe to type the interrupt
18fae2a8 1358character at any time because @value{GDBN} does not allow it to take effect
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RP
1359until a time when it is safe.
1360
18fae2a8 1361@ifclear BARETARGET
ed447b95
RP
1362If you have been using @value{GDBN} to control an attached process or
1363device, you can release it with the @code{detach} command
93928b60 1364(@pxref{Attach, ,Debugging an already-running process}).
18fae2a8 1365@end ifclear
70b88761 1366
9897afc6 1367@node Shell Commands, , Quitting GDB, Invocation
93928b60 1368@section Shell commands
1041a570 1369
70b88761 1370If you need to execute occasional shell commands during your
18fae2a8 1371debugging session, there is no need to leave or suspend @value{GDBN}; you can
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1372just use the @code{shell} command.
1373
1374@table @code
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RP
1375@kindex shell
1376@cindex shell escape
af215b1a 1377@item shell @var{command string}
9897afc6 1378Invoke a standard shell to execute @var{command string}.
a1eff6c2 1379@ifclear DOSHOST
75f844cc
RP
1380If it exists, the environment variable @code{SHELL} determines which
1381shell to run. Otherwise @value{GDBN} uses @code{/bin/sh}.
a1eff6c2 1382@end ifclear
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RP
1383@end table
1384
1385The utility @code{make} is often needed in development environments.
a1eff6c2
RP
1386You do not have to use the @code{shell} command for this purpose in
1387@value{GDBN}:
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RP
1388
1389@table @code
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RP
1390@kindex make
1391@cindex calling make
af215b1a 1392@item make @var{make-args}
a1eff6c2 1393Execute the @code{make} program with the specified
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RP
1394arguments. This is equivalent to @samp{shell make @var{make-args}}.
1395@end table
1396
9897afc6 1397@node Commands, Running, Invocation, Top
18fae2a8 1398@chapter @value{GDBN} Commands
70b88761 1399
18fae2a8 1400You can abbreviate a @value{GDBN} command to the first few letters of the command
6f3ec223 1401name, if that abbreviation is unambiguous; and you can repeat certain
18fae2a8
RP
1402@value{GDBN} commands by typing just @key{RET}. You can also use the @key{TAB}
1403key to get @value{GDBN} to fill out the rest of a word in a command (or to
93918348 1404show you the alternatives available, if there is more than one possibility).
29a2b744 1405
70b88761 1406@menu
ed447b95
RP
1407* Command Syntax:: How to give commands to @value{GDBN}
1408* Completion:: Command completion
1409* Help:: How to ask @value{GDBN} for help
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RP
1410@end menu
1411
9897afc6 1412@node Command Syntax, Completion, Commands, Commands
93928b60 1413@section Command syntax
1041a570 1414
fe715d06
RP
1415A @value{GDBN} command is a single line of input. There is no limit on
1416how long it can be. It starts with a command name, which is followed by
1417arguments whose meaning depends on the command name. For example, the
1418command @code{step} accepts an argument which is the number of times to
1419step, as in @samp{step 5}. You can also use the @code{step} command
1420with no arguments. Some command names do not allow any arguments.
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RP
1421
1422@cindex abbreviation
18fae2a8 1423@value{GDBN} command names may always be truncated if that abbreviation is
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RP
1424unambiguous. Other possible command abbreviations are listed in the
1425documentation for individual commands. In some cases, even ambiguous
1426abbreviations are allowed; for example, @code{s} is specially defined as
1427equivalent to @code{step} even though there are other commands whose
1428names start with @code{s}. You can test abbreviations by using them as
7463aadd 1429arguments to the @code{help} command.
70b88761 1430
e251e767 1431@cindex repeating commands
70b88761 1432@kindex RET
18fae2a8 1433A blank line as input to @value{GDBN} (typing just @key{RET}) means to
70b88761 1434repeat the previous command. Certain commands (for example, @code{run})
9a27b06e 1435will not repeat this way; these are commands whose unintentional
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RP
1436repetition might cause trouble and which you are unlikely to want to
1437repeat.
1438
1439The @code{list} and @code{x} commands, when you repeat them with
1440@key{RET}, construct new arguments rather than repeating
1441exactly as typed. This permits easy scanning of source or memory.
1442
18fae2a8 1443@value{GDBN} can also use @key{RET} in another way: to partition lengthy
b80282d5 1444output, in a way similar to the common utility @code{more}
93928b60
RP
1445(@pxref{Screen Size,,Screen size}). Since it is easy to press one
1446@key{RET} too many in this situation, @value{GDBN} disables command
1447repetition after any command that generates this sort of display.
b80282d5 1448
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RP
1449@kindex #
1450@cindex comment
fe715d06
RP
1451Any text from a @kbd{#} to the end of the line is a comment; it does
1452nothing. This is useful mainly in command files (@pxref{Command
1453Files,,Command files}).
70b88761 1454
9897afc6 1455@node Completion, Help, Command Syntax, Commands
93928b60 1456@section Command completion
6f3ec223
RP
1457
1458@cindex completion
1459@cindex word completion
93918348 1460@value{GDBN} can fill in the rest of a word in a command for you, if there is
6f3ec223 1461only one possibility; it can also show you what the valid possibilities
18fae2a8
RP
1462are for the next word in a command, at any time. This works for @value{GDBN}
1463commands, @value{GDBN} subcommands, and the names of symbols in your program.
6f3ec223 1464
18fae2a8 1465Press the @key{TAB} key whenever you want @value{GDBN} to fill out the rest
9a27b06e
RP
1466of a word. If there is only one possibility, @value{GDBN} fills in the
1467word, and waits for you to finish the command (or press @key{RET} to
6f3ec223
RP
1468enter it). For example, if you type
1469
93918348 1470@c FIXME "@key" does not distinguish its argument sufficiently to permit
0fdc6e27
RP
1471@c complete accuracy in these examples; space introduced for clarity.
1472@c If texinfo enhancements make it unnecessary, it would be nice to
1473@c replace " @key" by "@key" in the following...
6f3ec223 1474@example
18fae2a8 1475(@value{GDBP}) info bre @key{TAB}
6f3ec223
RP
1476@end example
1477
1478@noindent
93918348 1479@value{GDBN} fills in the rest of the word @samp{breakpoints}, since that is
6f3ec223
RP
1480the only @code{info} subcommand beginning with @samp{bre}:
1481
1482@example
18fae2a8 1483(@value{GDBP}) info breakpoints
6f3ec223
RP
1484@end example
1485
1486@noindent
1487You can either press @key{RET} at this point, to run the @code{info
1488breakpoints} command, or backspace and enter something else, if
93918348 1489@samp{breakpoints} does not look like the command you expected. (If you
6f3ec223
RP
1490were sure you wanted @code{info breakpoints} in the first place, you
1491might as well just type @key{RET} immediately after @samp{info bre},
1492to exploit command abbreviations rather than command completion).
1493
1494If there is more than one possibility for the next word when you press
9a27b06e
RP
1495@key{TAB}, @value{GDBN} sounds a bell. You can either supply more
1496characters and try again, or just press @key{TAB} a second time;
1497@value{GDBN} displays all the possible completions for that word. For
6f3ec223 1498example, you might want to set a breakpoint on a subroutine whose name
18fae2a8 1499begins with @samp{make_}, but when you type @kbd{b make_@key{TAB}} @value{GDBN}
9a27b06e 1500just sounds the bell. Typing @key{TAB} again displays all the
6f3ec223
RP
1501function names in your program that begin with those characters, for
1502example:
1503
1504@example
18fae2a8
RP
1505(@value{GDBP}) b make_ @key{TAB}
1506@exdent @value{GDBN} sounds bell; press @key{TAB} again, to see:
6f3ec223
RP
1507make_a_section_from_file make_environ
1508make_abs_section make_function_type
1509make_blockvector make_pointer_type
1510make_cleanup make_reference_type
1511make_command make_symbol_completion_list
18fae2a8 1512(@value{GDBP}) b make_
6f3ec223
RP
1513@end example
1514
1515@noindent
18fae2a8 1516After displaying the available possibilities, @value{GDBN} copies your
b1385986 1517partial input (@samp{b make_} in the example) so you can finish the
6f3ec223
RP
1518command.
1519
1520If you just want to see the list of alternatives in the first place, you
b1385986 1521can press @kbd{M-?} rather than pressing @key{TAB} twice. @kbd{M-?}
0f153e74 1522means @kbd{@key{META} ?}. You can type this
18fae2a8 1523@ifclear DOSHOST
0f153e74 1524either by holding down a
b1385986 1525key designated as the @key{META} shift on your keyboard (if there is
0f153e74 1526one) while typing @kbd{?}, or
18fae2a8 1527@end ifclear
0f153e74 1528as @key{ESC} followed by @kbd{?}.
6f3ec223
RP
1529
1530@cindex quotes in commands
1531@cindex completion of quoted strings
1532Sometimes the string you need, while logically a ``word'', may contain
18fae2a8 1533parentheses or other characters that @value{GDBN} normally excludes from its
6f3ec223 1534notion of a word. To permit word completion to work in this situation,
18fae2a8 1535you may enclose words in @code{'} (single quote marks) in @value{GDBN} commands.
6f3ec223 1536
1d7c3357 1537@ifclear CONLY
6f3ec223
RP
1538The most likely situation where you might need this is in typing the
1539name of a C++ function. This is because C++ allows function overloading
1540(multiple definitions of the same function, distinguished by argument
b1385986
RP
1541type). For example, when you want to set a breakpoint you may need to
1542distinguish whether you mean the version of @code{name} that takes an
1543@code{int} parameter, @code{name(int)}, or the version that takes a
1544@code{float} parameter, @code{name(float)}. To use the word-completion
1545facilities in this situation, type a single quote @code{'} at the
18fae2a8 1546beginning of the function name. This alerts @value{GDBN} that it may need to
b1385986
RP
1547consider more information than usual when you press @key{TAB} or
1548@kbd{M-?} to request word completion:
6f3ec223
RP
1549
1550@example
18fae2a8 1551(@value{GDBP}) b 'bubble( @key{M-?}
0fdc6e27 1552bubble(double,double) bubble(int,int)
18fae2a8 1553(@value{GDBP}) b 'bubble(
6f3ec223
RP
1554@end example
1555
9a27b06e
RP
1556In some cases, @value{GDBN} can tell that completing a name requires using
1557quotes. When this happens, @value{GDBN} inserts the quote for you (while
0fdc6e27
RP
1558completing as much as it can) if you do not type the quote in the first
1559place:
1560
1561@example
18fae2a8
RP
1562(@value{GDBP}) b bub @key{TAB}
1563@exdent @value{GDBN} alters your input line to the following, and rings a bell:
1564(@value{GDBP}) b 'bubble(
0fdc6e27
RP
1565@end example
1566
1567@noindent
18fae2a8 1568In general, @value{GDBN} can tell that a quote is needed (and inserts it) if
0fdc6e27
RP
1569you have not yet started typing the argument list when you ask for
1570completion on an overloaded symbol.
9897afc6
EE
1571
1572For more information about overloaded functions, @pxref{Cplus
1573expressions, ,C++ expressions}. You can use the command @code{set
1574overload-resolution off} to disable overload resolution;
1575@pxref{Debugging C plus plus, ,@value{GDBN} features for C++}.
1d7c3357 1576@end ifclear
0fdc6e27
RP
1577
1578
9897afc6 1579@node Help, , Completion, Commands
93928b60 1580@section Getting help
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1581@cindex online documentation
1582@kindex help
1041a570 1583
af215b1a
VM
1584You can always ask @value{GDBN} itself for information on its commands,
1585using the command @code{help}.
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RP
1586
1587@table @code
af215b1a 1588@kindex h
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1589@item help
1590@itemx h
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RP
1591You can use @code{help} (abbreviated @code{h}) with no arguments to
1592display a short list of named classes of commands:
1041a570 1593
70b88761 1594@smallexample
18fae2a8 1595(@value{GDBP}) help
70b88761
RP
1596List of classes of commands:
1597
1598running -- Running the program
1599stack -- Examining the stack
1600data -- Examining data
1601breakpoints -- Making program stop at certain points
1602files -- Specifying and examining files
1603status -- Status inquiries
1604support -- Support facilities
1605user-defined -- User-defined commands
1606aliases -- Aliases of other commands
1607obscure -- Obscure features
1608
203eea5d
RP
1609Type "help" followed by a class name for a list of
1610commands in that class.
1611Type "help" followed by command name for full
1612documentation.
70b88761 1613Command name abbreviations are allowed if unambiguous.
18fae2a8 1614(@value{GDBP})
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RP
1615@end smallexample
1616
1617@item help @var{class}
1618Using one of the general help classes as an argument, you can get a
1619list of the individual commands in that class. For example, here is the
1620help display for the class @code{status}:
1041a570 1621
70b88761 1622@smallexample
18fae2a8 1623(@value{GDBP}) help status
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1624Status inquiries.
1625
1626List of commands:
1627
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1628@c Line break in "show" line falsifies real output, but needed
1629@c to fit in smallbook page size.
1630show -- Generic command for showing things set
1631 with "set"
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1632info -- Generic command for printing status
1633
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1634Type "help" followed by command name for full
1635documentation.
70b88761 1636Command name abbreviations are allowed if unambiguous.
18fae2a8 1637(@value{GDBP})
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1638@end smallexample
1639
1640@item help @var{command}
9a27b06e 1641With a command name as @code{help} argument, @value{GDBN} displays a
e251e767 1642short paragraph on how to use that command.
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1643
1644@kindex complete
1645@item complete @var{args}
1646The @code{complete @var{args}} command lists all the possible completions
1647for the beginning of a command. Use @var{args} to specify the beginning of the
1648command you want completed. For example:
1649
1650@smallexample
1651complete i
1652@end smallexample
1653
1654@noindent results in:
1655
1656@smallexample
9897afc6 1657@group
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1658info
1659inspect
1660ignore
9897afc6 1661@end group
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VM
1662@end smallexample
1663
1664@noindent This is intended for use by @sc{gnu} Emacs.
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1665@end table
1666
18fae2a8 1667In addition to @code{help}, you can use the @value{GDBN} commands @code{info}
70b88761 1668and @code{show} to inquire about the state of your program, or the state
18fae2a8 1669of @value{GDBN} itself. Each command supports many topics of inquiry; this
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1670manual introduces each of them in the appropriate context. The listings
1671under @code{info} and under @code{show} in the Index point to
29a2b744 1672all the sub-commands. @xref{Index}.
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1673
1674@c @group
1675@table @code
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1676@kindex info
1677@kindex i
af215b1a 1678@item info
70b88761 1679This command (abbreviated @code{i}) is for describing the state of your
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1680program. For example, you can list the arguments given to your program
1681with @code{info args}, list the registers currently in use with @code{info
1682registers}, or list the breakpoints you have set with @code{info breakpoints}.
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1683You can get a complete list of the @code{info} sub-commands with
1684@w{@code{help info}}.
1685
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VM
1686@kindex set
1687@item set
1688You can assign the result of an expresson to an environment variable with
1689@code{set}. For example, you can set the @value{GDBN} prompt to a $-sign with
1690@code{set prompt $}.
1691
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1692@kindex show
1693@item show
af215b1a
VM
1694In contrast to @code{info}, @code{show} is for describing the state of
1695@value{GDBN} itself.
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1696You can change most of the things you can @code{show}, by using the
1697related command @code{set}; for example, you can control what number
1698system is used for displays with @code{set radix}, or simply inquire
e251e767 1699which is currently in use with @code{show radix}.
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1700
1701@kindex info set
1702To display all the settable parameters and their current
1703values, you can use @code{show} with no arguments; you may also use
1704@code{info set}. Both commands produce the same display.
1705@c FIXME: "info set" violates the rule that "info" is for state of
1706@c FIXME...program. Ck w/ GNU: "info set" to be called something else,
1707@c FIXME...or change desc of rule---eg "state of prog and debugging session"?
1708@end table
1709@c @end group
1710
1711Here are three miscellaneous @code{show} subcommands, all of which are
1712exceptional in lacking corresponding @code{set} commands:
1713
1714@table @code
1715@kindex show version
3d3ab540 1716@cindex version number
70b88761 1717@item show version
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1718Show what version of @value{GDBN} is running. You should include this
1719information in @value{GDBN} bug-reports. If multiple versions of @value{GDBN} are in
ed447b95 1720use at your site, you may occasionally want to determine which version
18fae2a8 1721of @value{GDBN} you are running; as @value{GDBN} evolves, new commands are introduced,
1041a570 1722and old ones may wither away. The version number is also announced
d55320a0 1723when you start @value{GDBN}.
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1724
1725@kindex show copying
1726@item show copying
18fae2a8 1727Display information about permission for copying @value{GDBN}.
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1728
1729@kindex show warranty
1730@item show warranty
af215b1a 1731Display the @sc{gnu} ``NO WARRANTY'' statement.
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1732@end table
1733
9897afc6 1734@node Running, Stopping, Commands, Top
18fae2a8 1735@chapter Running Programs Under @value{GDBN}
70b88761 1736
ed447b95 1737When you run a program under @value{GDBN}, you must first generate
1d7c3357 1738debugging information when you compile it.
18fae2a8 1739@ifclear BARETARGET
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1740You may start @value{GDBN} with its arguments, if any, in an environment
1741of your choice. You may redirect your program's input and output, debug an
1d7c3357 1742already running process, or kill a child process.
18fae2a8 1743@end ifclear
18fae2a8 1744
18fae2a8 1745@menu
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1746* Compilation:: Compiling for debugging
1747* Starting:: Starting your program
1d7c3357 1748@ifclear BARETARGET
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1749* Arguments:: Your program's arguments
1750* Environment:: Your program's environment
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1751@end ifclear
1752
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1753* Working Directory:: Your program's working directory
1754* Input/Output:: Your program's input and output
1755* Attach:: Debugging an already-running process
1756* Kill Process:: Killing the child process
9897afc6 1757@ifclear HPPA
ed447b95 1758* Process Information:: Additional process information
18fae2a8 1759@end ifclear
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1760
1761* Threads:: Debugging programs with multiple threads
1762* Processes:: Debugging programs with multiple processes
18fae2a8 1763@end menu
70b88761 1764
9897afc6 1765@node Compilation, Starting, Running, Running
93928b60 1766@section Compiling for debugging
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1767
1768In order to debug a program effectively, you need to generate
1769debugging information when you compile it. This debugging information
1770is stored in the object file; it describes the data type of each
1771variable or function and the correspondence between source line numbers
1772and addresses in the executable code.
1773
1774To request debugging information, specify the @samp{-g} option when you run
1775the compiler.
1776
1777Many C compilers are unable to handle the @samp{-g} and @samp{-O}
1778options together. Using those compilers, you cannot generate optimized
1779executables containing debugging information.
1780
9897afc6 1781@ifclear HPPA
af215b1a 1782@value{NGCC}, the @sc{gnu} C compiler, supports @samp{-g} with or without
9897afc6
EE
1783@end ifclear
1784@ifset HPPA
1785The HP ANSI C and C++ compilers, as well as @value{NGCC}, the @sc{gnu} C
1786compiler, support @samp{-g} with or without
1787@end ifset
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1788@samp{-O}, making it possible to debug optimized code. We recommend
1789that you @emph{always} use @samp{-g} whenever you compile a program.
1790You may think your program is correct, but there is no sense in pushing
1791your luck.
70b88761 1792
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1793@cindex optimized code, debugging
1794@cindex debugging optimized code
1795When you debug a program compiled with @samp{-g -O}, remember that the
9a27b06e 1796optimizer is rearranging your code; the debugger shows you what is
93918348 1797really there. Do not be too surprised when the execution path does not
6ca72cc6 1798exactly match your source file! An extreme example: if you define a
9a27b06e 1799variable, but never use it, @value{GDBN} never sees that
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1800variable---because the compiler optimizes it out of existence.
1801
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1802Some things do not work as well with @samp{-g -O} as with just
1803@samp{-g}, particularly on machines with instruction scheduling. If in
1804doubt, recompile with @samp{-g} alone, and if this fixes the problem,
af215b1a 1805please report it to us as a bug (including a test case!).
70b88761 1806
af215b1a 1807Older versions of the @sc{gnu} C compiler permitted a variant option
18fae2a8 1808@w{@samp{-gg}} for debugging information. @value{GDBN} no longer supports this
af215b1a 1809format; if your @sc{gnu} C compiler has this option, do not use it.
70b88761 1810
d55320a0 1811@need 2000
9897afc6 1812@node Starting, Arguments, Compilation, Running
93928b60 1813@section Starting your program
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1814@cindex starting
1815@cindex running
1041a570 1816
70b88761 1817@table @code
af215b1a 1818@kindex run
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1819@item run
1820@itemx r
18fae2a8 1821Use the @code{run} command to start your program under @value{GDBN}. You must
1041a570 1822first specify the program name
18fae2a8 1823@ifset VXWORKS
7463aadd 1824(except on VxWorks)
18fae2a8 1825@end ifset
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1826with an argument to @value{GDBN} (@pxref{Invocation, ,Getting In and
1827Out of @value{GDBN}}), or by using the @code{file} or @code{exec-file}
93928b60 1828command (@pxref{Files, ,Commands to specify files}).
1041a570 1829
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1830@end table
1831
18fae2a8 1832@ifclear BARETARGET
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1833If you are running your program in an execution environment that
1834supports processes, @code{run} creates an inferior process and makes
1835that process run your program. (In environments without processes,
1836@code{run} jumps to the start of your program.)
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1837
1838The execution of a program is affected by certain information it
18fae2a8 1839receives from its superior. @value{GDBN} provides ways to specify this
6ca72cc6 1840information, which you must do @emph{before} starting your program. (You
9a27b06e 1841can change it after starting your program, but such changes only affect
29a2b744 1842your program the next time you start it.) This information may be
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1843divided into four categories:
1844
1845@table @asis
6ca72cc6 1846@item The @emph{arguments.}
29a2b744 1847Specify the arguments to give your program as the arguments of the
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1848@code{run} command. If a shell is available on your target, the shell
1849is used to pass the arguments, so that you may use normal conventions
1850(such as wildcard expansion or variable substitution) in describing
9897afc6
EE
1851the arguments.
1852In Unix systems, you can control which shell is used with the
1853@code{SHELL} environment variable.
1854@xref{Arguments, ,Your program's arguments}.
70b88761 1855
6ca72cc6 1856@item The @emph{environment.}
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RP
1857Your program normally inherits its environment from @value{GDBN}, but you can
1858use the @value{GDBN} commands @code{set environment} and @code{unset
9a27b06e 1859environment} to change parts of the environment that affect
93928b60 1860your program. @xref{Environment, ,Your program's environment}.
70b88761 1861
6ca72cc6 1862@item The @emph{working directory.}
18fae2a8 1863Your program inherits its working directory from @value{GDBN}. You can set
93918348 1864the @value{GDBN} working directory with the @code{cd} command in @value{GDBN}.
93928b60 1865@xref{Working Directory, ,Your program's working directory}.
70b88761 1866
6ca72cc6 1867@item The @emph{standard input and output.}
70b88761 1868Your program normally uses the same device for standard input and
18fae2a8 1869standard output as @value{GDBN} is using. You can redirect input and output
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1870in the @code{run} command line, or you can use the @code{tty} command to
1871set a different device for your program.
93928b60 1872@xref{Input/Output, ,Your program's input and output}.
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1873
1874@cindex pipes
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1875@emph{Warning:} While input and output redirection work, you cannot use
1876pipes to pass the output of the program you are debugging to another
18fae2a8 1877program; if you attempt this, @value{GDBN} is likely to wind up debugging the
3d3ab540 1878wrong program.
70b88761 1879@end table
18fae2a8 1880@end ifclear
70b88761 1881
1041a570 1882When you issue the @code{run} command, your program begins to execute
93928b60 1883immediately. @xref{Stopping, ,Stopping and continuing}, for discussion
4eb4cf57 1884of how to arrange for your program to stop. Once your program has
6b51acad 1885stopped, you may call functions in your program, using the @code{print}
4eb4cf57 1886or @code{call} commands. @xref{Data, ,Examining Data}.
70b88761 1887
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1888If the modification time of your symbol file has changed since the last
1889time @value{GDBN} read its symbols, @value{GDBN} discards its symbol
1890table, and reads it again. When it does this, @value{GDBN} tries to retain
1891your current breakpoints.
70b88761 1892
18fae2a8 1893@ifclear BARETARGET
9897afc6 1894@node Arguments, Environment, Starting, Running
93928b60 1895@section Your program's arguments
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1896
1897@cindex arguments (to your program)
1898The arguments to your program can be specified by the arguments of the
9897afc6
EE
1899@code{run} command.
1900They are passed to a shell, which expands wildcard characters and
1901performs redirection of I/O, and thence to your program. Your
1902@code{SHELL} environment variable (if it exists) specifies what shell
1903@value{GDBN} uses. If you do not define @code{SHELL}, @value{GDBN} uses
1904@code{/bin/sh}.
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1905
1906@code{run} with no arguments uses the same arguments used by the previous
1907@code{run}, or those set by the @code{set args} command.
1908
1909@kindex set args
1910@table @code
1911@item set args
1912Specify the arguments to be used the next time your program is run. If
9a27b06e 1913@code{set args} has no arguments, @code{run} executes your program
e251e767 1914with no arguments. Once you have run your program with arguments,
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1915using @code{set args} before the next @code{run} is the only way to run
1916it again without arguments.
1917
70b88761 1918@kindex show args
af215b1a 1919@item show args
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1920Show the arguments to give your program when it is started.
1921@end table
1922
9897afc6 1923@node Environment, Working Directory, Arguments, Running
93928b60 1924@section Your program's environment
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1925
1926@cindex environment (of your program)
1927The @dfn{environment} consists of a set of environment variables and
1928their values. Environment variables conventionally record such things as
1929your user name, your home directory, your terminal type, and your search
1930path for programs to run. Usually you set up environment variables with
1931the shell and they are inherited by all the other programs you run. When
29a2b744 1932debugging, it can be useful to try running your program with a modified
18fae2a8 1933environment without having to start @value{GDBN} over again.
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1934
1935@table @code
70b88761 1936@kindex path
af215b1a 1937@item path @var{directory}
70b88761 1938Add @var{directory} to the front of the @code{PATH} environment variable
18fae2a8 1939(the search path for executables), for both @value{GDBN} and your program.
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1940You may specify several directory names, separated by @samp{:} or
1941whitespace. If @var{directory} is already in the path, it is moved to
9a27b06e 1942the front, so it is searched sooner.
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1943
1944You can use the string @samp{$cwd} to refer to whatever is the current
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1945working directory at the time @value{GDBN} searches the path. If you
1946use @samp{.} instead, it refers to the directory where you executed the
1947@code{path} command. @value{GDBN} replaces @samp{.} in the
1948@var{directory} argument (with the current path) before adding
1949@var{directory} to the search path.
29a2b744 1950@c 'path' is explicitly nonrepeatable, but RMS points out it is silly to
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1951@c document that, since repeating it would be a no-op.
1952
70b88761 1953@kindex show paths
af215b1a 1954@item show paths
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1955Display the list of search paths for executables (the @code{PATH}
1956environment variable).
1957
70b88761 1958@kindex show environment
af215b1a 1959@item show environment @r{[}@var{varname}@r{]}
70b88761 1960Print the value of environment variable @var{varname} to be given to
29a2b744 1961your program when it starts. If you do not supply @var{varname},
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1962print the names and values of all environment variables to be given to
1963your program. You can abbreviate @code{environment} as @code{env}.
1964
70b88761 1965@kindex set environment
af215b1a 1966@item set environment @var{varname} @r{[}=@r{]} @var{value}
ed447b95 1967Set environment variable @var{varname} to @var{value}. The value
18fae2a8 1968changes for your program only, not for @value{GDBN} itself. @var{value} may
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1969be any string; the values of environment variables are just strings, and
1970any interpretation is supplied by your program itself. The @var{value}
1971parameter is optional; if it is eliminated, the variable is set to a
1972null value.
29a2b744 1973@c "any string" here does not include leading, trailing
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1974@c blanks. Gnu asks: does anyone care?
1975
1976For example, this command:
1977
1978@example
1979set env USER = foo
1980@end example
1981
1982@noindent
1983tells a Unix program, when subsequently run, that its user is named
1984@samp{foo}. (The spaces around @samp{=} are used for clarity here; they
1985are not actually required.)
1986
70b88761 1987@kindex unset environment
af215b1a 1988@item unset environment @var{varname}
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1989Remove variable @var{varname} from the environment to be passed to your
1990program. This is different from @samp{set env @var{varname} =};
1991@code{unset environment} removes the variable from the environment,
e251e767 1992rather than assigning it an empty value.
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1993@end table
1994
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1995@emph{Warning:} @value{GDBN} runs your program using the shell indicated
1996by your @code{SHELL} environment variable if it exists (or
1997@code{/bin/sh} if not). If your @code{SHELL} variable names a shell
1998that runs an initialization file---such as @file{.cshrc} for C-shell, or
9a27b06e 1999@file{.bashrc} for BASH---any variables you set in that file affect
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2000your program. You may wish to move setting of environment variables to
2001files that are only run when you sign on, such as @file{.login} or
2002@file{.profile}.
562a18b2 2003
9897afc6 2004@node Working Directory, Input/Output, Environment, Running
93928b60 2005@section Your program's working directory
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2006
2007@cindex working directory (of your program)
2008Each time you start your program with @code{run}, it inherits its
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2009working directory from the current working directory of @value{GDBN}.
2010The @value{GDBN} working directory is initially whatever it inherited
2011from its parent process (typically the shell), but you can specify a new
2012working directory in @value{GDBN} with the @code{cd} command.
70b88761 2013
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2014The @value{GDBN} working directory also serves as a default for the commands
2015that specify files for @value{GDBN} to operate on. @xref{Files, ,Commands to
93928b60 2016specify files}.
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2017
2018@table @code
70b88761 2019@kindex cd
af215b1a 2020@item cd @var{directory}
93918348 2021Set the @value{GDBN} working directory to @var{directory}.
70b88761 2022
70b88761 2023@kindex pwd
af215b1a 2024@item pwd
93918348 2025Print the @value{GDBN} working directory.
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2026@end table
2027
9897afc6 2028@node Input/Output, Attach, Working Directory, Running
93928b60 2029@section Your program's input and output
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2030
2031@cindex redirection
2032@cindex i/o
2033@cindex terminal
18fae2a8 2034By default, the program you run under @value{GDBN} does input and output to
af215b1a
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2035the same terminal that @value{GDBN} uses. @value{GDBN} switches the terminal
2036to its own terminal modes to interact with you, but it records the terminal
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2037modes your program was using and switches back to them when you continue
2038running your program.
2039
2040@table @code
70b88761 2041@kindex info terminal
af215b1a 2042@item info terminal
93918348 2043Displays information recorded by @value{GDBN} about the terminal modes your
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2044program is using.
2045@end table
2046
29a2b744 2047You can redirect your program's input and/or output using shell
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2048redirection with the @code{run} command. For example,
2049
18fae2a8 2050@example
70b88761 2051run > outfile
18fae2a8 2052@end example
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2053
2054@noindent
29a2b744 2055starts your program, diverting its output to the file @file{outfile}.
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2056
2057@kindex tty
2058@cindex controlling terminal
29a2b744 2059Another way to specify where your program should do input and output is
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2060with the @code{tty} command. This command accepts a file name as
2061argument, and causes this file to be the default for future @code{run}
2062commands. It also resets the controlling terminal for the child
2063process, for future @code{run} commands. For example,
2064
2065@example
2066tty /dev/ttyb
2067@end example
2068
2069@noindent
2070directs that processes started with subsequent @code{run} commands
2071default to do input and output on the terminal @file{/dev/ttyb} and have
2072that as their controlling terminal.
2073
2074An explicit redirection in @code{run} overrides the @code{tty} command's
2075effect on the input/output device, but not its effect on the controlling
2076terminal.
2077
2078When you use the @code{tty} command or redirect input in the @code{run}
2079command, only the input @emph{for your program} is affected. The input
18fae2a8 2080for @value{GDBN} still comes from your terminal.
70b88761 2081
9897afc6 2082@node Attach, Kill Process, Input/Output, Running
93928b60 2083@section Debugging an already-running process
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2084@kindex attach
2085@cindex attach
2086
2087@table @code
2088@item attach @var{process-id}
1d7c3357 2089This command attaches to a running process---one that was started
9a27b06e 2090outside @value{GDBN}. (@code{info files} shows your active
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2091targets.) The command takes as argument a process ID. The usual way to
2092find out the process-id of a Unix process is with the @code{ps} utility,
2093or with the @samp{jobs -l} shell command.
70b88761 2094
9a27b06e 2095@code{attach} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} a second time after
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2096executing the command.
2097@end table
2098
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2099To use @code{attach}, your program must be running in an environment
2100which supports processes; for example, @code{attach} does not work for
2101programs on bare-board targets that lack an operating system. You must
2102also have permission to send the process a signal.
70b88761 2103
9897afc6
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2104When you use @code{attach}, the debugger finds the program running in
2105the process first by looking in the current working directory, then (if
2106the program is not found) by using the source file search path
2107(@pxref{Source Path, ,Specifying source directories}). You can also use
2108the @code{file} command to load the program. @xref{Files, ,Commands to
2109Specify Files}.
70b88761 2110
18fae2a8 2111The first thing @value{GDBN} does after arranging to debug the specified
70b88761 2112process is to stop it. You can examine and modify an attached process
18fae2a8 2113with all the @value{GDBN} commands that are ordinarily available when you start
9897afc6 2114@ifclear HPPA
70b88761 2115processes with @code{run}. You can insert breakpoints; you can step and
9897afc6
EE
2116@end ifclear
2117@ifset HPPA
2118processes with @code{run}. You can insert breakpoints (except in shared
2119libraries); you can step and
2120@end ifset
70b88761
RP
2121continue; you can modify storage. If you would rather the process
2122continue running, you may use the @code{continue} command after
18fae2a8 2123attaching @value{GDBN} to the process.
70b88761
RP
2124
2125@table @code
70b88761 2126@kindex detach
af215b1a 2127@item detach
70b88761 2128When you have finished debugging the attached process, you can use the
93918348 2129@code{detach} command to release it from @value{GDBN} control. Detaching
70b88761 2130the process continues its execution. After the @code{detach} command,
18fae2a8 2131that process and @value{GDBN} become completely independent once more, and you
70b88761 2132are ready to @code{attach} another process or start one with @code{run}.
9a27b06e 2133@code{detach} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} again after
70b88761
RP
2134executing the command.
2135@end table
2136
9a27b06e
RP
2137If you exit @value{GDBN} or use the @code{run} command while you have an
2138attached process, you kill that process. By default, @value{GDBN} asks
2139for confirmation if you try to do either of these things; you can
2140control whether or not you need to confirm by using the @code{set
2141confirm} command (@pxref{Messages/Warnings, ,Optional warnings and
2142messages}).
70b88761 2143
9897afc6
EE
2144@ifset HPPA
2145@node Kill Process, Threads, Attach, Running
93928b60 2146@section Killing the child process
9897afc6
EE
2147@end ifset
2148@ifclear HPPA
2149@node Kill Process, Process Information, Attach, Running
2150@section Killing the child process
2151@end ifclear
70b88761
RP
2152
2153@table @code
70b88761 2154@kindex kill
af215b1a 2155@item kill
18fae2a8 2156Kill the child process in which your program is running under @value{GDBN}.
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RP
2157@end table
2158
2159This command is useful if you wish to debug a core dump instead of a
18fae2a8 2160running process. @value{GDBN} ignores any core dump file while your program
70b88761 2161is running.
70b88761 2162
18fae2a8
RP
2163On some operating systems, a program cannot be executed outside @value{GDBN}
2164while you have breakpoints set on it inside @value{GDBN}. You can use the
29a2b744 2165@code{kill} command in this situation to permit running your program
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RP
2166outside the debugger.
2167
2168The @code{kill} command is also useful if you wish to recompile and
29a2b744 2169relink your program, since on many systems it is impossible to modify an
70b88761 2170executable file while it is running in a process. In this case, when you
9a27b06e
RP
2171next type @code{run}, @value{GDBN} notices that the file has changed, and
2172reads the symbol table again (while trying to preserve your current
70b88761
RP
2173breakpoint settings).
2174
9897afc6
EE
2175@ifclear HPPA
2176@node Process Information, Threads, Kill Process, Running
93928b60 2177@section Additional process information
d24e0922
RP
2178
2179@kindex /proc
2180@cindex process image
2181Some operating systems provide a facility called @samp{/proc} that can
cc9bc574 2182be used to examine the image of a running process using file-system
18fae2a8 2183subroutines. If @value{GDBN} is configured for an operating system with this
cc9bc574 2184facility, the command @code{info proc} is available to report on several
af215b1a
VM
2185kinds of information about the process running your program.
2186@code{info proc} works only on SVR4 systems that support @code{procfs}.
d24e0922
RP
2187
2188@table @code
d24e0922 2189@kindex info proc
af215b1a 2190@item info proc
d24e0922
RP
2191Summarize available information about the process.
2192
d24e0922 2193@kindex info proc mappings
af215b1a 2194@item info proc mappings
d24e0922
RP
2195Report on the address ranges accessible in the program, with information
2196on whether your program may read, write, or execute each range.
2197
d24e0922 2198@kindex info proc times
af215b1a 2199@item info proc times
d24e0922
RP
2200Starting time, user CPU time, and system CPU time for your program and
2201its children.
2202
d24e0922 2203@kindex info proc id
af215b1a 2204@item info proc id
93918348
RP
2205Report on the process IDs related to your program: its own process ID,
2206the ID of its parent, the process group ID, and the session ID.
d24e0922 2207
d24e0922 2208@kindex info proc status
af215b1a 2209@item info proc status
d24e0922
RP
2210General information on the state of the process. If the process is
2211stopped, this report includes the reason for stopping, and any signal
2212received.
cc9bc574
RP
2213
2214@item info proc all
2215Show all the above information about the process.
d24e0922 2216@end table
9897afc6 2217@end ifclear
0cb95a9c 2218
9897afc6
EE
2219@ifset HPPA
2220@node Threads, Processes, Kill Process, Running
2221@section Debugging programs with multiple threads
2222@end ifset
2223@ifclear HPPA
2224@node Threads, Processes, Process Information, Running
0cb95a9c 2225@section Debugging programs with multiple threads
9897afc6 2226@end ifclear
0cb95a9c
RP
2227
2228@cindex threads of execution
2229@cindex multiple threads
2230@cindex switching threads
9897afc6
EE
2231In some operating systems,
2232@ifset HPPA
2233including HP-UX,
2234@end ifset
2235a single program may have more than one
0cb95a9c
RP
2236@dfn{thread} of execution. The precise semantics of threads differ from
2237one operating system to another, but in general the threads of a single
2238program are akin to multiple processes---except that they share one
2239address space (that is, they can all examine and modify the same
2240variables). On the other hand, each thread has its own registers and
2241execution stack, and perhaps private memory.
2242
22b5dba5 2243@value{GDBN} provides these facilities for debugging multi-thread
0cb95a9c
RP
2244programs:
2245
2246@itemize @bullet
2247@item automatic notification of new threads
2248@item @samp{thread @var{threadno}}, a command to switch among threads
2249@item @samp{info threads}, a command to inquire about existing threads
af215b1a
VM
2250@item @samp{thread apply [@var{threadno}] [@var{all}] @var{args}},
2251a command to apply a command to a list of threads
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RP
2252@item thread-specific breakpoints
2253@end itemize
2254
9897afc6 2255@ifclear HPPA
0cb95a9c
RP
2256@quotation
2257@emph{Warning:} These facilities are not yet available on every
2258@value{GDBN} configuration where the operating system supports threads.
2259If your @value{GDBN} does not support threads, these commands have no
2260effect. For example, a system without thread support shows no output
2261from @samp{info threads}, and always rejects the @code{thread} command,
2262like this:
2263
2264@smallexample
2265(@value{GDBP}) info threads
2266(@value{GDBP}) thread 1
2267Thread ID 1 not known. Use the "info threads" command to
2268see the IDs of currently known threads.
2269@end smallexample
2270@c FIXME to implementors: how hard would it be to say "sorry, this GDB
2271@c doesn't support threads"?
2272@end quotation
9897afc6 2273@end ifclear
0cb95a9c
RP
2274
2275@cindex focus of debugging
2276@cindex current thread
2277The @value{GDBN} thread debugging facility allows you to observe all
2278threads while your program runs---but whenever @value{GDBN} takes
2279control, one thread in particular is always the focus of debugging.
2280This thread is called the @dfn{current thread}. Debugging commands show
2281program information from the perspective of the current thread.
2282
9897afc6 2283@ifclear HPPA
0cb95a9c
RP
2284@kindex New @var{systag}
2285@cindex thread identifier (system)
2286@c FIXME-implementors!! It would be more helpful if the [New...] message
2287@c included GDB's numeric thread handle, so you could just go to that
2288@c thread without first checking `info threads'.
2289Whenever @value{GDBN} detects a new thread in your program, it displays
22b5dba5
RP
2290the target system's identification for the thread with a message in the
2291form @samp{[New @var{systag}]}. @var{systag} is a thread identifier
2292whose form varies depending on the particular system. For example, on
2293LynxOS, you might see
0cb95a9c
RP
2294
2295@example
2296[New process 35 thread 27]
2297@end example
2298
2299@noindent
2300when @value{GDBN} notices a new thread. In contrast, on an SGI system,
2301the @var{systag} is simply something like @samp{process 368}, with no
2302further qualifier.
2303
2304@c FIXME!! (1) Does the [New...] message appear even for the very first
2305@c thread of a program, or does it only appear for the
2306@c second---i.e., when it becomes obvious we have a multithread
2307@c program?
2308@c (2) *Is* there necessarily a first thread always? Or do some
2309@c multithread systems permit starting a program with multiple
2310@c threads ab initio?
2311
2312@cindex thread number
2313@cindex thread identifier (GDB)
2314For debugging purposes, @value{GDBN} associates its own thread
2315number---always a single integer---with each thread in your program.
2316
2317@table @code
0cb95a9c 2318@kindex info threads
af215b1a 2319@item info threads
0cb95a9c
RP
2320Display a summary of all threads currently in your
2321program. @value{GDBN} displays for each thread (in this order):
2322
2323@enumerate
22b5dba5 2324@item the thread number assigned by @value{GDBN}
0cb95a9c 2325
22b5dba5 2326@item the target system's thread identifier (@var{systag})
0cb95a9c
RP
2327
2328@item the current stack frame summary for that thread
2329@end enumerate
2330
2331@noindent
2332An asterisk @samp{*} to the left of the @value{GDBN} thread number
2333indicates the current thread.
2334
2335For example,
2336@end table
2337@c end table here to get a little more width for example
2338
2339@smallexample
2340(@value{GDBP}) info threads
2341 3 process 35 thread 27 0x34e5 in sigpause ()
2342 2 process 35 thread 23 0x34e5 in sigpause ()
2343* 1 process 35 thread 13 main (argc=1, argv=0x7ffffff8)
2344 at threadtest.c:68
2345@end smallexample
9897afc6
EE
2346@end ifclear
2347@ifset HPPA
2348
2349@cindex thread number
2350@cindex thread identifier (GDB)
2351For debugging purposes, @value{GDBN} associates its own thread
2352number---a small integer assigned in thread-creation order---with each
2353thread in your program.
2354
2355@kindex New @var{systag}
2356@cindex thread identifier (system)
2357@c FIXME-implementors!! It would be more helpful if the [New...] message
2358@c included GDB's numeric thread handle, so you could just go to that
2359@c thread without first checking `info threads'.
2360Whenever @value{GDBN} detects a new thread in your program, it displays
2361both @value{GDBN}'s thread number and the target system's identification for the thread with a message in the
2362form @samp{[New @var{systag}]}. @var{systag} is a thread identifier
2363whose form varies depending on the particular system. For example, on
2364HP-UX, you see
2365
2366@example
2367[New thread 2 (system thread 26594)]
2368@end example
2369
2370@noindent
2371when @value{GDBN} notices a new thread.
2372
2373@table @code
2374@kindex info threads
2375@item info threads
2376Display a summary of all threads currently in your
2377program. @value{GDBN} displays for each thread (in this order):
2378
2379@enumerate
2380@item the thread number assigned by @value{GDBN}
2381
2382@item the target system's thread identifier (@var{systag})
2383
2384@item the current stack frame summary for that thread
2385@end enumerate
2386
2387@noindent
2388An asterisk @samp{*} to the left of the @value{GDBN} thread number
2389indicates the current thread.
2390
2391For example,
2392@end table
2393@c end table here to get a little more width for example
2394
2395@example
2396(@value{GDBP}) info threads
2397 * 3 system thread 26607 worker (wptr=0x7b09c318 "@@") at quicksort.c:137
2398 2 system thread 26606 0x7b0030d8 in __ksleep () from /usr/lib/libc.2
2399 1 system thread 27905 0x7b003498 in _brk () from /usr/lib/libc.2
2400@end example
2401@end ifset
0cb95a9c
RP
2402
2403@table @code
22b5dba5 2404@kindex thread @var{threadno}
af215b1a 2405@item thread @var{threadno}
0cb95a9c
RP
2406Make thread number @var{threadno} the current thread. The command
2407argument @var{threadno} is the internal @value{GDBN} thread number, as
2408shown in the first field of the @samp{info threads} display.
2409@value{GDBN} responds by displaying the system identifier of the thread
2410you selected, and its current stack frame summary:
2411
2412@smallexample
af215b1a 2413@c FIXME!! This example made up; find a @value{GDBN} w/threads and get real one
0cb95a9c 2414(@value{GDBP}) thread 2
9897afc6 2415@ifclear HPPA
0cb95a9c 2416[Switching to process 35 thread 23]
9897afc6
EE
2417@end ifclear
2418@ifset HPPA
2419[Switching to thread 2 (system thread 26594)]
2420@end ifset
0cb95a9c
RP
24210x34e5 in sigpause ()
2422@end smallexample
2423
2424@noindent
2425As with the @samp{[New @dots{}]} message, the form of the text after
2426@samp{Switching to} depends on your system's conventions for identifying
2427threads.
af215b1a
VM
2428
2429@kindex thread apply
2430@item thread apply [@var{threadno}] [@var{all}] @var{args}
2431The @code{thread apply} command allows you to apply a command to one or
2432more threads. Specify the numbers of the threads that you want affected
2433with the command argument @var{threadno}. @var{threadno} is the internal
2434@value{GDBN} thread number, as shown in the first field of the @samp{info
2435threads} display. To apply a command to all threads, use
2436@code{thread apply all} @var{args}.
0cb95a9c
RP
2437@end table
2438
2439@cindex automatic thread selection
2440@cindex switching threads automatically
2441@cindex threads, automatic switching
2442Whenever @value{GDBN} stops your program, due to a breakpoint or a
2443signal, it automatically selects the thread where that breakpoint or
2444signal happened. @value{GDBN} alerts you to the context switch with a
2445message of the form @samp{[Switching to @var{systag}]} to identify the
2446thread.
2447
2448@xref{Thread Stops,,Stopping and starting multi-thread programs}, for
2449more information about how @value{GDBN} behaves when you stop and start
2450programs with multiple threads.
22b5dba5
RP
2451
2452@xref{Set Watchpoints,,Setting watchpoints}, for information about
2453watchpoints in programs with multiple threads.
18fae2a8 2454@end ifclear
d24e0922 2455
9897afc6
EE
2456@ifclear HPPA
2457@node Processes, , Threads, Running
1b0c5a4f
JK
2458@section Debugging programs with multiple processes
2459
2460@cindex fork, debugging programs which call
2461@cindex multiple processes
2462@cindex processes, multiple
2463@value{GDBN} has no special support for debugging programs which create
2464additional processes using the @code{fork} function. When a program
2465forks, @value{GDBN} will continue to debug the parent process and the
2466child process will run unimpeded. If you have set a breakpoint in any
2467code which the child then executes, the child will get a @code{SIGTRAP}
2468signal which (unless it catches the signal) will cause it to terminate.
2469
2470However, if you want to debug the child process there is a workaround
2471which isn't too painful. Put a call to @code{sleep} in the code which
2472the child process executes after the fork. It may be useful to sleep
2473only if a certain environment variable is set, or a certain file exists,
2474so that the delay need not occur when you don't want to run @value{GDBN}
2475on the child. While the child is sleeping, use the @code{ps} program to
2476get its process ID. Then tell @value{GDBN} (a new invocation of
2477@value{GDBN} if you are also debugging the parent process) to attach to
2478the child process (see @ref{Attach}). From that point on you can debug
2479the child process just like any other process which you attached to.
9897afc6
EE
2480@end ifclear
2481@ifset HPPA
2482@node Processes, , Threads, Running
2483@section Debugging programs with multiple processes
2484
2485@cindex fork, debugging programs which call
2486@cindex multiple processes
2487@cindex processes, multiple
2488
2489@value{GDBN} provides support for debugging programs that create
2490additional processes using the @code{fork} or @code{vfork} function.
2491
2492By default, when a program forks, @value{GDBN} will continue to debug
2493the parent process and the child process will run unimpeded.
2494
2495If you want to follow the child process instead of the parent process,
2496use the command @w{@code{set follow-fork-mode}}.
2497
2498@table @code
2499@kindex set follow-fork-mode
2500@item set follow-fork-mode @var{mode}
2501Set the debugger response to a program call of @code{fork} or
2502@code{vfork}. A call to @code{fork} or @code{vfork} creates a new
2503process. The @var{mode} can be:
2504
2505@table @code
2506@item parent
2507The original process is debugged after a fork. The child process runs
2508unimpeded.
2509
2510@item child
2511The new process is debugged after a fork. The parent process runs
2512unimpeded.
2513
2514@item ask
2515The debugger will ask for one of the above choices.
2516@end table
1b0c5a4f 2517
9897afc6
EE
2518@item show follow-fork-mode
2519Display the current debugger response to a fork or vfork call.
2520@end table
2521
2522If you ask to debug a child process and a @code{vfork} is followed by an
2523@code{exec}, @value{GDBN} executes the new target up to the first
2524breakpoint in the new target. If you have a breakpoint set on
2525@code{main} in your original program, the breakpoint will also be set on
2526the child process's @code{main}.
2527
2528When a child process is spawned by @code{vfork}, you cannot debug the
2529child or parent until an @code{exec} call completes.
2530
2531If you issue a @code{run} command to @value{GDBN} after an @code{exec}
2532call executes, the new target restarts. To restart the parent process,
2533use the @code{file} command with the parent executable name as its
2534argument.
2535
2536You can use the @code{catch} command to make @value{GDBN} stop whenever
2537a @code{fork}, @code{vfork}, or @code{exec} call is made. @xref{Set
2538Catchpoints, ,Setting catchpoints}.
2539@end ifset
2540
2541@node Stopping, Stack, Running, Top
70b88761
RP
2542@chapter Stopping and Continuing
2543
ed447b95 2544The principal purposes of using a debugger are so that you can stop your
29a2b744 2545program before it terminates; or so that, if your program runs into
70b88761
RP
2546trouble, you can investigate and find out why.
2547
18fae2a8 2548Inside @value{GDBN}, your program may stop for any of several reasons, such
1d7c3357
RP
2549as
2550@ifclear BARETARGET
2551a signal,
2552@end ifclear
2553a breakpoint, or reaching a new line after a @value{GDBN}
70b88761
RP
2554command such as @code{step}. You may then examine and change
2555variables, set new breakpoints or remove old ones, and then continue
18fae2a8 2556execution. Usually, the messages shown by @value{GDBN} provide ample
70b88761
RP
2557explanation of the status of your program---but you can also explicitly
2558request this information at any time.
2559
2560@table @code
70b88761 2561@kindex info program
af215b1a 2562@item info program
70b88761 2563Display information about the status of your program: whether it is
1d7c3357
RP
2564running or not,
2565@ifclear BARETARGET
2566what process it is,
2567@end ifclear
2568and why it stopped.
70b88761
RP
2569@end table
2570
18fae2a8
RP
2571@menu
2572@ifclear CONLY
9897afc6 2573@ifclear HPPA
ed447b95 2574* Breakpoints:: Breakpoints, watchpoints, and exceptions
18fae2a8 2575@end ifclear
9897afc6
EE
2576
2577@ifset HPPA
2578* Breakpoints:: Breakpoints, watchpoints, and catchpoints
2579@end ifset
2580
2581@end ifclear
2582
18fae2a8 2583@ifset CONLY
ed447b95 2584* Breakpoints:: Breakpoints and watchpoints
18fae2a8 2585@end ifset
18fae2a8 2586
ed447b95 2587* Continuing and Stepping:: Resuming execution
18fae2a8 2588@ifset POSIX
b80282d5 2589* Signals:: Signals
18fae2a8 2590@end ifset
9897afc6 2591
0cb95a9c 2592@ifclear BARETARGET
9897afc6 2593* Thread Stops:: Stopping and starting multi-thread programs
0cb95a9c 2594@end ifclear
9897afc6 2595
18fae2a8 2596@end menu
70b88761 2597
1d7c3357 2598@c makeinfo node-defaulting requires adjacency of @node and sectioning cmds
18fae2a8
RP
2599@c ...hence distribute @node Breakpoints over two possible @if expansions.
2600@c
2601@ifclear CONLY
9897afc6
EE
2602@ifclear HPPA
2603@node Breakpoints, Continuing and Stepping, Stopping, Stopping
93928b60 2604@section Breakpoints, watchpoints, and exceptions
18fae2a8 2605@end ifclear
9897afc6
EE
2606@ifset HPPA
2607@node Breakpoints, Continuing and Stepping, Stopping, Stopping
2608@section Breakpoints, watchpoints, and catchpoints
2609@end ifset
2610@end ifclear
18fae2a8 2611@ifset CONLY
9897afc6 2612@node Breakpoints, Continuing and Stepping, Stopping, Stopping
93928b60 2613@section Breakpoints and watchpoints
18fae2a8 2614@end ifset
70b88761
RP
2615
2616@cindex breakpoints
2617A @dfn{breakpoint} makes your program stop whenever a certain point in
9a27b06e
RP
2618the program is reached. For each breakpoint, you can add
2619conditions to control in finer detail whether your program stops.
70b88761 2620You can set breakpoints with the @code{break} command and its variants
93928b60 2621(@pxref{Set Breaks, ,Setting breakpoints}), to specify the place where
29a2b744 2622your program should stop by line number, function name or exact address
0f153e74 2623in the program.
18fae2a8 2624@ifclear CONLY
9897afc6 2625@ifclear HPPA
af215b1a 2626In languages with exception handling (such as @sc{gnu} C++), you can also set
0cb95a9c
RP
2627breakpoints where an exception is raised (@pxref{Exception Handling,,
2628Breakpoints and exceptions}).
18fae2a8 2629@end ifclear
9897afc6 2630@end ifclear
70b88761 2631
9897afc6 2632In HP-UX, SunOS 4.x, SVR4, and Alpha OSF/1 configurations, you can set
af215b1a 2633breakpoints in shared libraries before the executable is run.
9897afc6
EE
2634@ifset HPPA
2635There is a minor limitation on HP-UX systems: you must wait until the
2636executable is run in order to set breakpoints in shared library routines
2637that are not called directly by the program (for example, routines that
2638are arguments in a @code{pthread_create} call).
2639@end ifset
af215b1a 2640
70b88761 2641@cindex watchpoints
6ca72cc6
RP
2642@cindex memory tracing
2643@cindex breakpoint on memory address
2644@cindex breakpoint on variable modification
29a2b744
RP
2645A @dfn{watchpoint} is a special breakpoint that stops your program
2646when the value of an expression changes. You must use a different
2647command to set watchpoints (@pxref{Set Watchpoints, ,Setting
93928b60 2648watchpoints}), but aside from that, you can manage a watchpoint like
29a2b744 2649any other breakpoint: you enable, disable, and delete both breakpoints
1041a570 2650and watchpoints using the same commands.
70b88761 2651
fe715d06 2652You can arrange to have values from your program displayed automatically
0cb95a9c
RP
2653whenever @value{GDBN} stops at a breakpoint. @xref{Auto Display,,
2654Automatic display}.
fe715d06 2655
9897afc6
EE
2656@cindex catchpoints
2657@cindex breakpoint on events
2658A @dfn{catchpoint} is another special breakpoint that stops your program
2659when a certain kind of event occurs, such as the throwing of a C++
2660exception or the loading of a library. As with watchpoints, you use a
2661different command to set a catchpoint (@pxref{Set Catchpoints, ,Setting
2662catchpoints}), but aside from that, you can manage a catchpoint like any
2663other breakpoint. (To stop when your program receives a signal, use the
2664@code{handle} command; @pxref{Signals, ,Signals}.)
2665
6ca72cc6
RP
2666@cindex breakpoint numbers
2667@cindex numbers for breakpoints
9897afc6 2668@ifclear HPPA
18fae2a8 2669@value{GDBN} assigns a number to each breakpoint or watchpoint when you
9897afc6
EE
2670@end ifclear
2671@ifset HPPA
2672@value{GDBN} assigns a number to each breakpoint, watchpoint, or
2673catchpoint when you
2674@end ifset
6ca72cc6
RP
2675create it; these numbers are successive integers starting with one. In
2676many of the commands for controlling various features of breakpoints you
2677use the breakpoint number to say which breakpoint you want to change.
2678Each breakpoint may be @dfn{enabled} or @dfn{disabled}; if disabled, it has
29a2b744 2679no effect on your program until you enable it again.
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RP
2680
2681@menu
ed447b95
RP
2682* Set Breaks:: Setting breakpoints
2683* Set Watchpoints:: Setting watchpoints
1d7c3357 2684@ifclear CONLY
9897afc6 2685@ifclear HPPA
ed447b95 2686* Exception Handling:: Breakpoints and exceptions
1d7c3357 2687@end ifclear
b0157555 2688
9897afc6
EE
2689@ifset HPPA
2690* Set Catchpoints:: Setting catchpoints
2691@end ifset
2692
2693@end ifclear
2694
ed447b95
RP
2695* Delete Breaks:: Deleting breakpoints
2696* Disabling:: Disabling breakpoints
2697* Conditions:: Break conditions
2698* Break Commands:: Breakpoint command lists
1d7c3357 2699@ifclear CONLY
ed447b95 2700* Breakpoint Menus:: Breakpoint menus
1d7c3357 2701@end ifclear
9897afc6 2702
af215b1a
VM
2703@c @ifclear BARETARGET
2704@c * Error in Breakpoints:: ``Cannot insert breakpoints''
2705@c @end ifclear
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RP
2706@end menu
2707
9897afc6 2708@node Set Breaks, Set Watchpoints, Breakpoints, Breakpoints
93928b60 2709@subsection Setting breakpoints
70b88761 2710
4906534f
RP
2711@c FIXME LMB what does GDB do if no code on line of breakpt?
2712@c consider in particular declaration with/without initialization.
2713@c
2714@c FIXME 2 is there stuff on this already? break at fun start, already init?
2715
70b88761
RP
2716@kindex break
2717@kindex b
6ca72cc6
RP
2718@kindex $bpnum
2719@cindex latest breakpoint
2720Breakpoints are set with the @code{break} command (abbreviated
2721@code{b}). The debugger convenience variable @samp{$bpnum} records the
af215b1a 2722number of the breakpoints you've set most recently; see @ref{Convenience
93928b60 2723Vars,, Convenience variables}, for a discussion of what you can do with
6ca72cc6 2724convenience variables.
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RP
2725
2726You have several ways to say where the breakpoint should go.
2727
2728@table @code
2729@item break @var{function}
0f153e74 2730Set a breakpoint at entry to function @var{function}.
18fae2a8 2731@ifclear CONLY
0f153e74
RP
2732When using source languages that permit overloading of symbols, such as
2733C++, @var{function} may refer to more than one possible place to break.
93928b60 2734@xref{Breakpoint Menus,,Breakpoint menus}, for a discussion of that situation.
18fae2a8 2735@end ifclear
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RP
2736
2737@item break +@var{offset}
2738@itemx break -@var{offset}
2739Set a breakpoint some number of lines forward or back from the position
2740at which execution stopped in the currently selected frame.
2741
2742@item break @var{linenum}
2743Set a breakpoint at line @var{linenum} in the current source file.
2744That file is the last file whose source text was printed. This
9a27b06e 2745breakpoint stops your program just before it executes any of the
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RP
2746code on that line.
2747
2748@item break @var{filename}:@var{linenum}
2749Set a breakpoint at line @var{linenum} in source file @var{filename}.
2750
2751@item break @var{filename}:@var{function}
2752Set a breakpoint at entry to function @var{function} found in file
2753@var{filename}. Specifying a file name as well as a function name is
2754superfluous except when multiple files contain similarly named
2755functions.
2756
2757@item break *@var{address}
2758Set a breakpoint at address @var{address}. You can use this to set
29a2b744 2759breakpoints in parts of your program which do not have debugging
70b88761
RP
2760information or source files.
2761
2762@item break
29a2b744
RP
2763When called without any arguments, @code{break} sets a breakpoint at
2764the next instruction to be executed in the selected stack frame
2765(@pxref{Stack, ,Examining the Stack}). In any selected frame but the
9a27b06e 2766innermost, this makes your program stop as soon as control
29a2b744
RP
2767returns to that frame. This is similar to the effect of a
2768@code{finish} command in the frame inside the selected frame---except
2769that @code{finish} does not leave an active breakpoint. If you use
9a27b06e 2770@code{break} without an argument in the innermost frame, @value{GDBN} stops
1041a570
RP
2771the next time it reaches the current location; this may be useful
2772inside loops.
70b88761 2773
18fae2a8 2774@value{GDBN} normally ignores breakpoints when it resumes execution, until at
70b88761
RP
2775least one instruction has been executed. If it did not do this, you
2776would be unable to proceed past a breakpoint without first disabling the
2777breakpoint. This rule applies whether or not the breakpoint already
29a2b744 2778existed when your program stopped.
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RP
2779
2780@item break @dots{} if @var{cond}
2781Set a breakpoint with condition @var{cond}; evaluate the expression
2782@var{cond} each time the breakpoint is reached, and stop only if the
3d3ab540 2783value is nonzero---that is, if @var{cond} evaluates as true.
1041a570
RP
2784@samp{@dots{}} stands for one of the possible arguments described
2785above (or no argument) specifying where to break. @xref{Conditions,
93928b60 2786,Break conditions}, for more information on breakpoint conditions.
70b88761 2787
70b88761 2788@kindex tbreak
af215b1a 2789@item tbreak @var{args}
70b88761
RP
2790Set a breakpoint enabled only for one stop. @var{args} are the
2791same as for the @code{break} command, and the breakpoint is set in the same
cfcafcba 2792way, but the breakpoint is automatically deleted after the first time your
93928b60 2793program stops there. @xref{Disabling, ,Disabling breakpoints}.
70b88761 2794
9897afc6 2795@ifclear HPPA
af215b1a
VM
2796@kindex hbreak
2797@item hbreak @var{args}
2798Set a hardware-assisted breakpoint. @var{args} are the same as for the
2799@code{break} command and the breakpoint is set in the same way, but the
2800breakpoint requires hardware support and some target hardware may not
2801have this support. The main purpose of this is EPROM/ROM code
2802debugging, so you can set a breakpoint at an instruction without
2803changing the instruction. This can be used with the new trap-generation
2804provided by SPARClite DSU. DSU will generate traps when a program accesses
8387d6df 2805some data or instruction address that is assigned to the debug registers.
af215b1a
VM
2806However the hardware breakpoint registers can only take two data breakpoints,
2807and @value{GDBN} will reject this command if more than two are used.
2808Delete or disable usused hardware breakpoints before setting
2809new ones. @xref{Conditions, ,Break conditions}.
2810
2811@kindex thbreak
2812@item thbreak @var{args}
2813Set a hardware-assisted breakpoint enabled only for one stop. @var{args}
2814are the same as for the @code{hbreak} command and the breakpoint is set in
2815the same way. However, like the @code{tbreak} command,
2816the breakpoint is automatically deleted after the
2817first time your program stops there. Also, like the @code{hbreak}
2818command, the breakpoint requires hardware support and some target hardware
2819may not have this support. @xref{Disabling, ,Disabling breakpoints}.
2820Also @xref{Conditions, ,Break conditions}.
9897afc6 2821@end ifclear
af215b1a 2822
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RP
2823@kindex rbreak
2824@cindex regular expression
af215b1a 2825@item rbreak @var{regex}
4906534f 2826@c FIXME what kind of regexp?
70b88761 2827Set breakpoints on all functions matching the regular expression
b80282d5 2828@var{regex}. This command
70b88761 2829sets an unconditional breakpoint on all matches, printing a list of all
b1955f0b
RP
2830breakpoints it set. Once these breakpoints are set, they are treated
2831just like the breakpoints set with the @code{break} command. You can
2832delete them, disable them, or make them conditional the same way as any
2833other breakpoint.
70b88761 2834
18fae2a8 2835@ifclear CONLY
b80282d5
RP
2836When debugging C++ programs, @code{rbreak} is useful for setting
2837breakpoints on overloaded functions that are not members of any special
2838classes.
18fae2a8 2839@end ifclear
b80282d5 2840
70b88761 2841@kindex info breakpoints
c338a2fd 2842@cindex @code{$_} and @code{info breakpoints}
70b88761 2843@item info breakpoints @r{[}@var{n}@r{]}
6ca72cc6
RP
2844@itemx info break @r{[}@var{n}@r{]}
2845@itemx info watchpoints @r{[}@var{n}@r{]}
9897afc6 2846@ifclear HPPA
6ca72cc6
RP
2847Print a table of all breakpoints and watchpoints set and not
2848deleted, with the following columns for each breakpoint:
9897afc6
EE
2849@end ifclear
2850@ifset HPPA
2851Print a table of all breakpoints, watchpoints, and catchpoints set and
2852not deleted, with the following columns for each breakpoint:
2853@end ifset
6ca72cc6
RP
2854
2855@table @emph
2856@item Breakpoint Numbers
2857@item Type
9897afc6 2858@ifclear HPPA
6ca72cc6 2859Breakpoint or watchpoint.
9897afc6
EE
2860@end ifclear
2861@ifset HPPA
2862Breakpoint, watchpoint, or catchpoint.
2863@end ifset
6ca72cc6
RP
2864@item Disposition
2865Whether the breakpoint is marked to be disabled or deleted when hit.
2866@item Enabled or Disabled
d24e0922 2867Enabled breakpoints are marked with @samp{y}. @samp{n} marks breakpoints
6ca72cc6
RP
2868that are not enabled.
2869@item Address
2870Where the breakpoint is in your program, as a memory address
2871@item What
2872Where the breakpoint is in the source for your program, as a file and
2873line number.
2874@end table
2875
2876@noindent
d55320a0
RP
2877If a breakpoint is conditional, @code{info break} shows the condition on
2878the line following the affected breakpoint; breakpoint commands, if any,
2879are listed after that.
6ca72cc6
RP
2880
2881@noindent
2882@code{info break} with a breakpoint
29a2b744
RP
2883number @var{n} as argument lists only that breakpoint. The
2884convenience variable @code{$_} and the default examining-address for
2885the @code{x} command are set to the address of the last breakpoint
93928b60 2886listed (@pxref{Memory, ,Examining memory}).
af215b1a
VM
2887
2888@noindent
9897afc6
EE
2889@code{info break} displays a count of the number of times the breakpoint
2890has been hit. This is especially useful in conjunction with the
2891@code{ignore} command. You can ignore a large number of breakpoint
2892hits, look at the breakpoint info to see how many times the breakpoint
2893was hit, and then run again, ignoring one less than that number. This
2894will get you quickly to the last hit of that breakpoint.
1041a570 2895@end table
70b88761 2896
18fae2a8 2897@value{GDBN} allows you to set any number of breakpoints at the same place in
1041a570
RP
2898your program. There is nothing silly or meaningless about this. When
2899the breakpoints are conditional, this is even useful
93928b60 2900(@pxref{Conditions, ,Break conditions}).
70b88761 2901
6ca72cc6 2902@cindex negative breakpoint numbers
18fae2a8
RP
2903@cindex internal @value{GDBN} breakpoints
2904@value{GDBN} itself sometimes sets breakpoints in your program for special
6ca72cc6
RP
2905purposes, such as proper handling of @code{longjmp} (in C programs).
2906These internal breakpoints are assigned negative numbers, starting with
5a2c1d85 2907@code{-1}; @samp{info breakpoints} does not display them.
d48da190 2908
18fae2a8 2909You can see these breakpoints with the @value{GDBN} maintenance command
5a2c1d85 2910@samp{maint info breakpoints}.
6ca72cc6
RP
2911
2912@table @code
d48da190
RP
2913@kindex maint info breakpoints
2914@item maint info breakpoints
6ca72cc6 2915Using the same format as @samp{info breakpoints}, display both the
18fae2a8 2916breakpoints you've set explicitly, and those @value{GDBN} is using for
6ca72cc6
RP
2917internal purposes. Internal breakpoints are shown with negative
2918breakpoint numbers. The type column identifies what kind of breakpoint
2919is shown:
2920
2921@table @code
2922@item breakpoint
2923Normal, explicitly set breakpoint.
2924
2925@item watchpoint
2926Normal, explicitly set watchpoint.
2927
2928@item longjmp
2929Internal breakpoint, used to handle correctly stepping through
2930@code{longjmp} calls.
2931
2932@item longjmp resume
2933Internal breakpoint at the target of a @code{longjmp}.
2934
2935@item until
18fae2a8 2936Temporary internal breakpoint used by the @value{GDBN} @code{until} command.
6ca72cc6
RP
2937
2938@item finish
18fae2a8 2939Temporary internal breakpoint used by the @value{GDBN} @code{finish} command.
6ca72cc6 2940
9897afc6
EE
2941@ifset HPPA
2942@item shlib events
2943Shared library events.
2944@end ifset
2945@end table
6ca72cc6
RP
2946@end table
2947
2948
9897afc6
EE
2949@ifclear HPPA
2950@node Set Watchpoints, Exception Handling, Set Breaks, Breakpoints
2951@subsection Setting watchpoints
2952@end ifclear
2953@ifset HPPA
2954@node Set Watchpoints, Set Catchpoints, Set Breaks, Breakpoints
93928b60 2955@subsection Setting watchpoints
9897afc6 2956@end ifset
70b88761 2957@cindex setting watchpoints
1041a570 2958
70b88761 2959You can use a watchpoint to stop execution whenever the value of an
e251e767 2960expression changes, without having to predict a particular place
70b88761
RP
2961where this may happen.
2962
9897afc6 2963@ifclear HPPA
70b88761 2964Watchpoints currently execute two orders of magnitude more slowly than
6b51acad 2965other breakpoints, but this can be well worth it to catch errors where
9a27b06e 2966you have no clue what part of your program is the culprit.
9897afc6 2967@end ifclear
9a27b06e 2968
af215b1a
VM
2969@c FIXME - did Stan mean to @ignore this out?
2970@ignore
9a27b06e 2971Some processors provide special hardware to support watchpoint
f886dc0f
SS
2972evaluation; @value{GDBN} will use such hardware if it is available,
2973and if the support code has been added for that configuration.
af215b1a 2974@end ignore
70b88761
RP
2975
2976@table @code
e251e767 2977@kindex watch
70b88761 2978@item watch @var{expr}
af215b1a
VM
2979Set a watchpoint for an expression. @value{GDBN} will break when @var{expr}
2980is written into by the program and its value changes.
9897afc6 2981@ifclear HPPA
af215b1a
VM
2982This can be used with the new trap-generation provided by
2983SPARClite DSU. DSU will generate traps when a program accesses
8387d6df 2984some data or instruction address that is assigned to the debug registers.
af215b1a
VM
2985For the data addresses, DSU facilitates the @code{watch} command.
2986However the hardware breakpoint registers can only take two data watchpoints,
2987and both watchpoints must be the same kind. For example, you can set two
2988watchpoints with @code{watch} commands, two with @code{rwatch}
2989commands, @strong{or} two with @code{awatch} commands, but you cannot set one
2990watchpoint with one command and the other with a different command.
e97b18f7 2991@value{GDBN} will reject the command if you try to mix watchpoints.
af215b1a
VM
2992Delete or disable unused watchpoint commands before setting new ones.
2993
2994@kindex rwatch
2995@item rwatch @var{expr}
9897afc6 2996Set a watchpoint that will break when watch @var{expr} is read by the program.
af215b1a
VM
2997If you use both watchpoints, both must be set with the @code{rwatch}
2998command.
2999
3000@kindex awatch
3001@item awatch @var{expr}
3002Set a watchpoint that will break when @var{args} is read and written into
3003by the program. If you use both watchpoints, both must be set with the
3004@code{awatch} command.
9897afc6 3005@end ifclear
70b88761
RP
3006
3007@kindex info watchpoints
3008@item info watchpoints
9897afc6 3009@ifclear HPPA
6ca72cc6
RP
3010This command prints a list of watchpoints and breakpoints; it is the
3011same as @code{info break}.
9897afc6
EE
3012@end ifclear
3013@ifset HPPA
3014This command prints a list of watchpoints, breakpoints, and catchpoints;
3015it is the same as @code{info break}.
3016@end ifset
70b88761
RP
3017@end table
3018
9897afc6
EE
3019@ifset HPPA
3020@value{GDBN} sets a @dfn{hardware watchpoint} if possible. Hardware
3021watchpoints execute very quickly, and the debugger reports a change in
3022value at the exact instruction where the change occurs. If @value{GDBN}
3023cannot set a hardware watchpoint, it sets a software watchpoint, which
3024executes more slowly and reports the change in value at the next
3025statement, not the instruction, after the change occurs.
3026
3027When you issue the @code{watch} command, @value{GDBN} reports
3028
3029@example
3030Hardware watchpoint @var{num}: @var{expr}
3031@end example
3032
3033@noindent
3034if it was able to set a hardware watchpoint.
3035@end ifset
3036
3037If you call a function interactively using @code{print} or @code{call},
3038any watchpoints you have set will be inactive until GDB reaches another
3039kind of breakpoint or the call completes.
3040
0cb95a9c
RP
3041@ifclear BARETARGET
3042@quotation
3043@cindex watchpoints and threads
3044@cindex threads and watchpoints
9897afc6
EE
3045@ifclear HPPA
3046@emph{Warning:} In multi-thread programs, watchpoints have only limited
0cb95a9c
RP
3047usefulness. With the current watchpoint implementation, @value{GDBN}
3048can only watch the value of an expression @emph{in a single thread}. If
3049you are confident that the expression can only change due to the current
9a27b06e
RP
3050thread's activity (and if you are also confident that no other thread
3051can become current), then you can use watchpoints as usual. However,
0cb95a9c
RP
3052@value{GDBN} may not notice when a non-current thread's activity changes
3053the expression.
9897afc6
EE
3054@end ifclear
3055@ifset HPPA
3056@emph{Warning:} In multi-thread programs, software watchpoints have only
3057limited usefulness. If @value{GDBN} creates a software watchpoint, it
3058can only watch the value of an expression @emph{in a single thread}. If
3059you are confident that the expression can only change due to the current
3060thread's activity (and if you are also confident that no other thread
3061can become current), then you can use software watchpoints as usual.
3062However, @value{GDBN} may not notice when a non-current thread's
3063activity changes the expression. (Hardware watchpoints, in contrast,
3064watch an expression in all threads.)
3065@end ifset
0cb95a9c
RP
3066@end quotation
3067@end ifclear
3068
1d7c3357 3069@ifclear CONLY
9897afc6
EE
3070@ifclear HPPA
3071@node Exception Handling, Delete Breaks, Set Watchpoints, Breakpoints
93928b60 3072@subsection Breakpoints and exceptions
70b88761
RP
3073@cindex exception handlers
3074
af215b1a 3075Some languages, such as @sc{gnu} C++, implement exception handling. You can
18fae2a8 3076use @value{GDBN} to examine what caused your program to raise an exception,
29a2b744 3077and to list the exceptions your program is prepared to handle at a
70b88761
RP
3078given point in time.
3079
3080@table @code
70b88761 3081@kindex catch
af215b1a 3082@item catch @var{exceptions}
70b88761
RP
3083You can set breakpoints at active exception handlers by using the
3084@code{catch} command. @var{exceptions} is a list of names of exceptions
9897afc6 3085to catch.
70b88761
RP
3086@end table
3087
29a2b744 3088You can use @code{info catch} to list active exception handlers.
93928b60 3089@xref{Frame Info, ,Information about a frame}.
70b88761 3090
9a27b06e 3091There are currently some limitations to exception handling in @value{GDBN}:
70b88761
RP
3092
3093@itemize @bullet
3094@item
18fae2a8 3095If you call a function interactively, @value{GDBN} normally returns
70b88761
RP
3096control to you when the function has finished executing. If the call
3097raises an exception, however, the call may bypass the mechanism that
29a2b744 3098returns control to you and cause your program to simply continue
18fae2a8 3099running until it hits a breakpoint, catches a signal that @value{GDBN} is
70b88761 3100listening for, or exits.
9a27b06e 3101
70b88761
RP
3102@item
3103You cannot raise an exception interactively.
9a27b06e 3104
70b88761 3105@item
9a27b06e 3106You cannot install an exception handler interactively.
70b88761
RP
3107@end itemize
3108
3109@cindex raise exceptions
3110Sometimes @code{catch} is not the best way to debug exception handling:
29a2b744 3111if you need to know exactly where an exception is raised, it is better to
70b88761
RP
3112stop @emph{before} the exception handler is called, since that way you
3113can see the stack before any unwinding takes place. If you set a
3114breakpoint in an exception handler instead, it may not be easy to find
3115out where the exception was raised.
3116
3117To stop just before an exception handler is called, you need some
af215b1a 3118knowledge of the implementation. In the case of @sc{gnu} C++, exceptions are
70b88761
RP
3119raised by calling a library function named @code{__raise_exception}
3120which has the following ANSI C interface:
3121
3122@example
b80282d5 3123 /* @var{addr} is where the exception identifier is stored.
70b88761
RP
3124 ID is the exception identifier. */
3125 void __raise_exception (void **@var{addr}, void *@var{id});
3126@end example
3127
3128@noindent
3129To make the debugger catch all exceptions before any stack
3130unwinding takes place, set a breakpoint on @code{__raise_exception}
93928b60 3131(@pxref{Breakpoints, ,Breakpoints; watchpoints; and exceptions}).
70b88761 3132
93928b60 3133With a conditional breakpoint (@pxref{Conditions, ,Break conditions})
29a2b744
RP
3134that depends on the value of @var{id}, you can stop your program when
3135a specific exception is raised. You can use multiple conditional
3136breakpoints to stop your program when any of a number of exceptions are
3137raised.
1d7c3357 3138@end ifclear
70b88761 3139
9897afc6
EE
3140@ifset HPPA
3141@node Set Catchpoints, Delete Breaks, Set Watchpoints, Breakpoints
3142@subsection Setting catchpoints
3143@cindex catchpoints
3144@cindex exception handlers
3145@cindex event handling
3146
3147You can use @dfn{catchpoints} to cause the debugger to stop for certain
3148kinds of program events, such as C++ exceptions or the loading of a
3149shared library. Use the @code{catch} command to set a catchpoint.
3150
3151@table @code
3152@kindex catch
3153@item catch @var{event}
3154Stop when @var{event} occurs. @var{event} can be any of the following:
3155@table @code
3156@item throw
3157@kindex catch throw
3158The throwing of a C++ exception.
3159
3160@item catch
3161@kindex catch catch
3162The catching of a C++ exception.
3163
3164@item exec
3165@kindex catch exec
3166A call to @code{exec}.
3167
3168@item fork
3169@kindex catch fork
3170A call to @code{fork}.
3171
3172@item vfork
3173@kindex catch vfork
3174A call to @code{vfork}.
3175
3176@item load
3177@itemx load @var{libname}
3178@kindex catch load
3179The dynamic loading of any shared library, or the loading of the library
3180@var{libname}.
3181
3182@item unload
3183@itemx unload @var{libname}
3184@kindex catch unload
3185The unloading of any dynamically loaded shared library, or the unloading
3186of the library @var{libname}.
3187@end table
3188
3189@item tcatch @var{event}
3190Set a catchpoint that is enabled only for one stop. The catchpoint is
3191automatically deleted after the first time the event is caught.
3192
3193@end table
3194
3195Use the @code{info break} command to list the current catchpoints.
3196
3197There are currently some limitations to C++ exception handling
3198(@code{catch throw} and @code{catch catch}) in @value{GDBN}:
3199
3200@itemize @bullet
3201@item
3202If you call a function interactively, @value{GDBN} normally returns
3203control to you when the function has finished executing. If the call
3204raises an exception, however, the call may bypass the mechanism that
3205returns control to you and cause your program either to abort or to
3206simply continue running until it hits a breakpoint, catches a signal
3207that @value{GDBN} is listening for, or exits. This is the case even if
3208you set a catchpoint for the exception; catchpoints on exceptions are
3209disabled within interactive calls.
3210
3211@item
3212You cannot raise an exception interactively.
3213
3214@item
3215You cannot install an exception handler interactively.
3216@end itemize
3217@end ifset
3218@end ifclear
3219
3220@node Delete Breaks, Disabling, Set Catchpoints, Breakpoints
93928b60 3221@subsection Deleting breakpoints
70b88761 3222
9897afc6 3223@ifclear HPPA
70b88761
RP
3224@cindex clearing breakpoints, watchpoints
3225@cindex deleting breakpoints, watchpoints
3226It is often necessary to eliminate a breakpoint or watchpoint once it
9897afc6
EE
3227@end ifclear
3228@ifset HPPA
3229@cindex clearing breakpoints, watchpoints, catchpoints
3230@cindex deleting breakpoints, watchpoints, catchpoints
3231It is often necessary to eliminate a breakpoint, watchpoint, or
3232catchpoint once it
3233@end ifset
29a2b744 3234has done its job and you no longer want your program to stop there. This
70b88761
RP
3235is called @dfn{deleting} the breakpoint. A breakpoint that has been
3236deleted no longer exists; it is forgotten.
3237
3238With the @code{clear} command you can delete breakpoints according to
29a2b744 3239where they are in your program. With the @code{delete} command you can
9897afc6 3240@ifclear HPPA
70b88761 3241delete individual breakpoints or watchpoints by specifying their
9897afc6
EE
3242@end ifclear
3243@ifset HPPA
3244delete individual breakpoints, watchpoints, or catchpoints by specifying
3245their
3246@end ifset
70b88761
RP
3247breakpoint numbers.
3248
18fae2a8 3249It is not necessary to delete a breakpoint to proceed past it. @value{GDBN}
70b88761
RP
3250automatically ignores breakpoints on the first instruction to be executed
3251when you continue execution without changing the execution address.
3252
3253@table @code
70b88761 3254@kindex clear
9897afc6 3255@item clear
70b88761 3256Delete any breakpoints at the next instruction to be executed in the
93928b60 3257selected stack frame (@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a frame}). When
29a2b744
RP
3258the innermost frame is selected, this is a good way to delete a
3259breakpoint where your program just stopped.
70b88761
RP
3260
3261@item clear @var{function}
3262@itemx clear @var{filename}:@var{function}
3263Delete any breakpoints set at entry to the function @var{function}.
3264
3265@item clear @var{linenum}
3266@itemx clear @var{filename}:@var{linenum}
3267Delete any breakpoints set at or within the code of the specified line.
3268
70b88761
RP
3269@cindex delete breakpoints
3270@kindex delete
3271@kindex d
af215b1a 3272@item delete @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} @r{[}@var{bnums}@dots{}@r{]}
9897afc6 3273@ifclear HPPA
70b88761 3274Delete the breakpoints or watchpoints of the numbers specified as
9897afc6
EE
3275@end ifclear
3276@ifset HPPA
3277Delete the breakpoints, watchpoints, or catchpoints of the numbers
3278specified as
3279@end ifset
18fae2a8 3280arguments. If no argument is specified, delete all breakpoints (@value{GDBN}
1041a570 3281asks confirmation, unless you have @code{set confirm off}). You
70b88761
RP
3282can abbreviate this command as @code{d}.
3283@end table
3284
9897afc6 3285@node Disabling, Conditions, Delete Breaks, Breakpoints
93928b60 3286@subsection Disabling breakpoints
70b88761 3287
af215b1a
VM
3288@kindex disable breakpoints
3289@kindex enable breakpoints
9897afc6 3290@ifclear HPPA
70b88761 3291Rather than deleting a breakpoint or watchpoint, you might prefer to
9897afc6
EE
3292@end ifclear
3293@ifset HPPA
3294Rather than deleting a breakpoint, watchpoint, or catchpoint, you might
3295prefer to
3296@end ifset
70b88761
RP
3297@dfn{disable} it. This makes the breakpoint inoperative as if it had
3298been deleted, but remembers the information on the breakpoint so that
3299you can @dfn{enable} it again later.
3300
9897afc6 3301@ifclear HPPA
70b88761 3302You disable and enable breakpoints and watchpoints with the
9897afc6
EE
3303@end ifclear
3304@ifset HPPA
3305You disable and enable breakpoints, watchpoints, and catchpoints with
3306the
3307@end ifset
70b88761
RP
3308@code{enable} and @code{disable} commands, optionally specifying one or
3309more breakpoint numbers as arguments. Use @code{info break} or
9897afc6 3310@ifclear HPPA
70b88761 3311@code{info watch} to print a list of breakpoints or watchpoints if you
9897afc6
EE
3312@end ifclear
3313@ifset HPPA
3314@code{info watch} to print a list of breakpoints, watchpoints, and
3315catchpoints if you
3316@end ifset
29a2b744 3317do not know which numbers to use.
70b88761 3318
9897afc6 3319@ifclear HPPA
70b88761 3320A breakpoint or watchpoint can have any of four different states of
9897afc6
EE
3321@end ifclear
3322@ifset HPPA
3323A breakpoint, watchpoint, or catchpoint can have any of four different
3324states of
3325@end ifset
70b88761
RP
3326enablement:
3327
3328@itemize @bullet
3329@item
9a27b06e 3330Enabled. The breakpoint stops your program. A breakpoint set
70b88761
RP
3331with the @code{break} command starts out in this state.
3332@item
29a2b744 3333Disabled. The breakpoint has no effect on your program.
70b88761 3334@item
9a27b06e
RP
3335Enabled once. The breakpoint stops your program, but then becomes
3336disabled. A breakpoint set with the @code{tbreak} command starts out in
3337this state.
70b88761 3338@item
9a27b06e
RP
3339Enabled for deletion. The breakpoint stops your program, but
3340immediately after it does so it is deleted permanently.
70b88761
RP
3341@end itemize
3342
9897afc6 3343@ifclear HPPA
70b88761
RP
3344You can use the following commands to enable or disable breakpoints and
3345watchpoints:
9897afc6
EE
3346@end ifclear
3347@ifset HPPA
3348You can use the following commands to enable or disable breakpoints,
3349watchpoints, and catchpoints:
3350@end ifset
70b88761
RP
3351
3352@table @code
70b88761
RP
3353@kindex disable breakpoints
3354@kindex disable
3355@kindex dis
af215b1a 3356@item disable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} @r{[}@var{bnums}@dots{}@r{]}
70b88761
RP
3357Disable the specified breakpoints---or all breakpoints, if none are
3358listed. A disabled breakpoint has no effect but is not forgotten. All
3359options such as ignore-counts, conditions and commands are remembered in
3360case the breakpoint is enabled again later. You may abbreviate
3361@code{disable} as @code{dis}.
3362
70b88761
RP
3363@kindex enable breakpoints
3364@kindex enable
af215b1a 3365@item enable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} @r{[}@var{bnums}@dots{}@r{]}
70b88761 3366Enable the specified breakpoints (or all defined breakpoints). They
29a2b744 3367become effective once again in stopping your program.
70b88761
RP
3368
3369@item enable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} once @var{bnums}@dots{}
9a27b06e
RP
3370Enable the specified breakpoints temporarily. @value{GDBN} disables any
3371of these breakpoints immediately after stopping your program.
70b88761
RP
3372
3373@item enable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} delete @var{bnums}@dots{}
9a27b06e
RP
3374Enable the specified breakpoints to work once, then die. @value{GDBN}
3375deletes any of these breakpoints as soon as your program stops there.
70b88761
RP
3376@end table
3377
af215b1a 3378Except for a breakpoint set with @code{tbreak} (@pxref{Set Breaks,
93928b60
RP
3379,Setting breakpoints}), breakpoints that you set are initially enabled;
3380subsequently, they become disabled or enabled only when you use one of
3381the commands above. (The command @code{until} can set and delete a
9a27b06e 3382breakpoint of its own, but it does not change the state of your other
93928b60
RP
3383breakpoints; see @ref{Continuing and Stepping, ,Continuing and
3384stepping}.)
70b88761 3385
9897afc6 3386@node Conditions, Break Commands, Disabling, Breakpoints
93928b60 3387@subsection Break conditions
70b88761
RP
3388@cindex conditional breakpoints
3389@cindex breakpoint conditions
3390
4906534f
RP
3391@c FIXME what is scope of break condition expr? Context where wanted?
3392@c in particular for a watchpoint?
29a2b744 3393The simplest sort of breakpoint breaks every time your program reaches a
70b88761
RP
3394specified place. You can also specify a @dfn{condition} for a
3395breakpoint. A condition is just a Boolean expression in your
1041a570
RP
3396programming language (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}). A breakpoint with
3397a condition evaluates the expression each time your program reaches it,
3398and your program stops only if the condition is @emph{true}.
3d3ab540
RP
3399
3400This is the converse of using assertions for program validation; in that
3401situation, you want to stop when the assertion is violated---that is,
3402when the condition is false. In C, if you want to test an assertion expressed
e251e767 3403by the condition @var{assert}, you should set the condition
3d3ab540 3404@samp{! @var{assert}} on the appropriate breakpoint.
70b88761
RP
3405
3406Conditions are also accepted for watchpoints; you may not need them,
3407since a watchpoint is inspecting the value of an expression anyhow---but
3408it might be simpler, say, to just set a watchpoint on a variable name,
3409and specify a condition that tests whether the new value is an interesting
e251e767 3410one.
70b88761 3411
29a2b744 3412Break conditions can have side effects, and may even call functions in
70b88761 3413your program. This can be useful, for example, to activate functions
29a2b744
RP
3414that log program progress, or to use your own print functions to
3415format special data structures. The effects are completely predictable
3416unless there is another enabled breakpoint at the same address. (In
18fae2a8 3417that case, @value{GDBN} might see the other breakpoint first and stop your
29a2b744
RP
3418program without checking the condition of this one.) Note that
3419breakpoint commands are usually more convenient and flexible for the
3420purpose of performing side effects when a breakpoint is reached
93928b60 3421(@pxref{Break Commands, ,Breakpoint command lists}).
70b88761
RP
3422
3423Break conditions can be specified when a breakpoint is set, by using
29a2b744 3424@samp{if} in the arguments to the @code{break} command. @xref{Set
93928b60 3425Breaks, ,Setting breakpoints}. They can also be changed at any time
9897afc6
EE
3426with the @code{condition} command.
3427@ifclear HPPA
3428@c The watch command now seems to recognize the if keyword.
3429@c catch doesn't, though.
3430The @code{watch} command does not recognize the @code{if} keyword;
3431@code{condition} is the only way to impose a further condition on a
3432watchpoint.
3433@end ifclear
3434@ifset HPPA
3435You can also use the @code{if} keyword with the @code{watch} command.
3436The @code{catch} command does not recognize the @code{if} keyword;
3437@code{condition} is the only way to impose a further condition on a
3438catchpoint.
3439@end ifset
70b88761 3440
e251e767 3441@table @code
e251e767 3442@kindex condition
af215b1a 3443@item condition @var{bnum} @var{expression}
9897afc6 3444@ifclear HPPA
70b88761 3445Specify @var{expression} as the break condition for breakpoint or
9a27b06e 3446watchpoint number @var{bnum}. After you set a condition, breakpoint
9897afc6
EE
3447@end ifclear
3448@ifset HPPA
3449Specify @var{expression} as the break condition for breakpoint,
3450watchpoint, or catchpoint number @var{bnum}. After you set a condition,
3451breakpoint
3452@end ifset
9a27b06e
RP
3453@var{bnum} stops your program only if the value of @var{expression} is
3454true (nonzero, in C). When you use @code{condition}, @value{GDBN}
3455checks @var{expression} immediately for syntactic correctness, and to
3456determine whether symbols in it have referents in the context of your
3457breakpoint.
29a2b744 3458@c FIXME so what does GDB do if there is no referent? Moreover, what
4906534f 3459@c about watchpoints?
18fae2a8 3460@value{GDBN} does
70b88761 3461not actually evaluate @var{expression} at the time the @code{condition}
1041a570 3462command is given, however. @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}.
70b88761
RP
3463
3464@item condition @var{bnum}
3465Remove the condition from breakpoint number @var{bnum}. It becomes
3466an ordinary unconditional breakpoint.
3467@end table
3468
3469@cindex ignore count (of breakpoint)
3470A special case of a breakpoint condition is to stop only when the
3471breakpoint has been reached a certain number of times. This is so
3472useful that there is a special way to do it, using the @dfn{ignore
3473count} of the breakpoint. Every breakpoint has an ignore count, which
3474is an integer. Most of the time, the ignore count is zero, and
29a2b744 3475therefore has no effect. But if your program reaches a breakpoint whose
70b88761
RP
3476ignore count is positive, then instead of stopping, it just decrements
3477the ignore count by one and continues. As a result, if the ignore count
9a27b06e
RP
3478value is @var{n}, the breakpoint does not stop the next @var{n} times
3479your program reaches it.
70b88761
RP
3480
3481@table @code
70b88761 3482@kindex ignore
af215b1a 3483@item ignore @var{bnum} @var{count}
70b88761
RP
3484Set the ignore count of breakpoint number @var{bnum} to @var{count}.
3485The next @var{count} times the breakpoint is reached, your program's
9a27b06e 3486execution does not stop; other than to decrement the ignore count, @value{GDBN}
70b88761
RP
3487takes no action.
3488
3489To make the breakpoint stop the next time it is reached, specify
3490a count of zero.
3491
d55320a0
RP
3492When you use @code{continue} to resume execution of your program from a
3493breakpoint, you can specify an ignore count directly as an argument to
3494@code{continue}, rather than using @code{ignore}. @xref{Continuing and
3495Stepping,,Continuing and stepping}.
70b88761 3496
9a27b06e
RP
3497If a breakpoint has a positive ignore count and a condition, the
3498condition is not checked. Once the ignore count reaches zero,
3499@value{GDBN} resumes checking the condition.
70b88761 3500
29a2b744 3501You could achieve the effect of the ignore count with a condition such
18fae2a8 3502as @w{@samp{$foo-- <= 0}} using a debugger convenience variable that
1041a570 3503is decremented each time. @xref{Convenience Vars, ,Convenience
93928b60 3504variables}.
d55320a0 3505@end table
70b88761 3506
9897afc6
EE
3507@ifset HPPA
3508Ignore counts apply to breakpoints, watchpoints, and catchpoints.
3509@end ifset
3510
3511
3512@node Break Commands, Breakpoint Menus, Conditions, Breakpoints
93928b60 3513@subsection Breakpoint command lists
70b88761
RP
3514
3515@cindex breakpoint commands
9897afc6 3516@ifclear HPPA
70b88761 3517You can give any breakpoint (or watchpoint) a series of commands to
9897afc6
EE
3518@end ifclear
3519@ifset HPPA
3520You can give any breakpoint (or watchpoint or catchpoint) a series of
3521commands to
3522@end ifset
29a2b744 3523execute when your program stops due to that breakpoint. For example, you
70b88761
RP
3524might want to print the values of certain expressions, or enable other
3525breakpoints.
3526
3527@table @code
af215b1a
VM
3528@kindex commands
3529@kindex end
70b88761
RP
3530@item commands @r{[}@var{bnum}@r{]}
3531@itemx @dots{} @var{command-list} @dots{}
3532@itemx end
70b88761
RP
3533Specify a list of commands for breakpoint number @var{bnum}. The commands
3534themselves appear on the following lines. Type a line containing just
3535@code{end} to terminate the commands.
3536
203eea5d
RP
3537To remove all commands from a breakpoint, type @code{commands} and
3538follow it immediately with @code{end}; that is, give no commands.
70b88761
RP
3539
3540With no @var{bnum} argument, @code{commands} refers to the last
9897afc6 3541@ifclear HPPA
70b88761 3542breakpoint or watchpoint set (not to the breakpoint most recently
9897afc6
EE
3543@end ifclear
3544@ifset HPPA
3545breakpoint, watchpoint, or catchpoint set (not to the breakpoint most
3546recently
3547@end ifset
70b88761
RP
3548encountered).
3549@end table
3550
18fae2a8 3551Pressing @key{RET} as a means of repeating the last @value{GDBN} command is
70b88761
RP
3552disabled within a @var{command-list}.
3553
29a2b744 3554You can use breakpoint commands to start your program up again. Simply
70b88761 3555use the @code{continue} command, or @code{step}, or any other command
fe715d06
RP
3556that resumes execution.
3557
3558Any other commands in the command list, after a command that resumes
3559execution, are ignored. This is because any time you resume execution
3560(even with a simple @code{next} or @code{step}), you may encounter
3561another breakpoint---which could have its own command list, leading to
3562ambiguities about which list to execute.
70b88761
RP
3563
3564@kindex silent
fe715d06
RP
3565If the first command you specify in a command list is @code{silent}, the
3566usual message about stopping at a breakpoint is not printed. This may
3567be desirable for breakpoints that are to print a specific message and
3568then continue. If none of the remaining commands print anything, you
9a27b06e 3569see no sign that the breakpoint was reached. @code{silent} is
fe715d06 3570meaningful only at the beginning of a breakpoint command list.
70b88761 3571
d55320a0
RP
3572The commands @code{echo}, @code{output}, and @code{printf} allow you to
3573print precisely controlled output, and are often useful in silent
3574breakpoints. @xref{Output, ,Commands for controlled output}.
70b88761
RP
3575
3576For example, here is how you could use breakpoint commands to print the
3577value of @code{x} at entry to @code{foo} whenever @code{x} is positive.
3578
18fae2a8 3579@example
70b88761
RP
3580break foo if x>0
3581commands
3582silent
d55320a0 3583printf "x is %d\n",x
70b88761
RP
3584cont
3585end
18fae2a8 3586@end example
70b88761
RP
3587
3588One application for breakpoint commands is to compensate for one bug so
3589you can test for another. Put a breakpoint just after the erroneous line
3590of code, give it a condition to detect the case in which something
3591erroneous has been done, and give it commands to assign correct values
3592to any variables that need them. End with the @code{continue} command
29a2b744 3593so that your program does not stop, and start with the @code{silent}
70b88761
RP
3594command so that no output is produced. Here is an example:
3595
3596@example
3597break 403
3598commands
3599silent
3600set x = y + 4
3601cont
3602end
3603@end example
3604
1d7c3357 3605@ifclear CONLY
9897afc6 3606@node Breakpoint Menus, , Break Commands, Breakpoints
93928b60 3607@subsection Breakpoint menus
b80282d5 3608@cindex overloading
e251e767 3609@cindex symbol overloading
70b88761
RP
3610
3611Some programming languages (notably C++) permit a single function name
3612to be defined several times, for application in different contexts.
3613This is called @dfn{overloading}. When a function name is overloaded,
18fae2a8 3614@samp{break @var{function}} is not enough to tell @value{GDBN} where you want
9a27b06e 3615a breakpoint. If you realize this is a problem, you can use
6f3ec223 3616something like @samp{break @var{function}(@var{types})} to specify which
18fae2a8 3617particular version of the function you want. Otherwise, @value{GDBN} offers
6f3ec223
RP
3618you a menu of numbered choices for different possible breakpoints, and
3619waits for your selection with the prompt @samp{>}. The first two
3620options are always @samp{[0] cancel} and @samp{[1] all}. Typing @kbd{1}
3621sets a breakpoint at each definition of @var{function}, and typing
3622@kbd{0} aborts the @code{break} command without setting any new
3623breakpoints.
70b88761
RP
3624
3625For example, the following session excerpt shows an attempt to set a
e251e767 3626breakpoint at the overloaded symbol @code{String::after}.
70b88761
RP
3627We choose three particular definitions of that function name:
3628
6f3ec223 3629@c FIXME! This is likely to change to show arg type lists, at least
d55320a0 3630@smallexample
9897afc6 3631@group
18fae2a8 3632(@value{GDBP}) b String::after
70b88761
RP
3633[0] cancel
3634[1] all
3635[2] file:String.cc; line number:867
3636[3] file:String.cc; line number:860
3637[4] file:String.cc; line number:875
3638[5] file:String.cc; line number:853
3639[6] file:String.cc; line number:846
3640[7] file:String.cc; line number:735
3641> 2 4 6
3642Breakpoint 1 at 0xb26c: file String.cc, line 867.
3643Breakpoint 2 at 0xb344: file String.cc, line 875.
3644Breakpoint 3 at 0xafcc: file String.cc, line 846.
3645Multiple breakpoints were set.
d55320a0
RP
3646Use the "delete" command to delete unwanted
3647 breakpoints.
18fae2a8 3648(@value{GDBP})
9897afc6 3649@end group
d55320a0 3650@end smallexample
1d7c3357 3651@end ifclear
70b88761 3652
af215b1a
VM
3653@c @ifclear BARETARGET
3654@c @node Error in Breakpoints
3655@c @subsection ``Cannot insert breakpoints''
3656@c
3657@c FIXME!! 14/6/95 Is there a real example of this? Let's use it.
3658@c
3659@c Under some operating systems, breakpoints cannot be used in a program if
3660@c any other process is running that program. In this situation,
3661@c attempting to run or continue a program with a breakpoint causes
3662@c @value{GDBN} to stop the other process.
3663@c
3664@c When this happens, you have three ways to proceed:
3665@c
3666@c @enumerate
3667@c @item
3668@c Remove or disable the breakpoints, then continue.
3669@c
3670@c @item
3671@c Suspend @value{GDBN}, and copy the file containing your program to a new
3672@c name. Resume @value{GDBN} and use the @code{exec-file} command to specify
3673@c that @value{GDBN} should run your program under that name.
3674@c Then start your program again.
3675@c
3676@c @item
3677@c Relink your program so that the text segment is nonsharable, using the
3678@c linker option @samp{-N}. The operating system limitation may not apply
3679@c to nonsharable executables.
3680@c @end enumerate
3681@c @end ifclear
70b88761 3682
9897afc6 3683@node Continuing and Stepping, Signals, Breakpoints, Stopping
93928b60 3684@section Continuing and stepping
70b88761
RP
3685
3686@cindex stepping
7463aadd
RP
3687@cindex continuing
3688@cindex resuming execution
3d3ab540 3689@dfn{Continuing} means resuming program execution until your program
cedaf8bc
RP
3690completes normally. In contrast, @dfn{stepping} means executing just
3691one more ``step'' of your program, where ``step'' may mean either one
3692line of source code, or one machine instruction (depending on what
3693particular command you use). Either when continuing
4eb4cf57 3694or when stepping, your program may stop even sooner, due to
18fae2a8 3695@ifset BARETARGET
4eb4cf57 3696a breakpoint.
18fae2a8
RP
3697@end ifset
3698@ifclear BARETARGET
6b51acad 3699a breakpoint or a signal. (If due to a signal, you may want to use
4eb4cf57
RP
3700@code{handle}, or use @samp{signal 0} to resume execution.
3701@xref{Signals, ,Signals}.)
18fae2a8 3702@end ifclear
3d3ab540
RP
3703
3704@table @code
3d3ab540 3705@kindex continue
d55320a0
RP
3706@kindex c
3707@kindex fg
af215b1a
VM
3708@item continue @r{[}@var{ignore-count}@r{]}
3709@itemx c @r{[}@var{ignore-count}@r{]}
3710@itemx fg @r{[}@var{ignore-count}@r{]}
6b51acad
RP
3711Resume program execution, at the address where your program last stopped;
3712any breakpoints set at that address are bypassed. The optional argument
3713@var{ignore-count} allows you to specify a further number of times to
3714ignore a breakpoint at this location; its effect is like that of
3715@code{ignore} (@pxref{Conditions, ,Break conditions}).
3716
3717The argument @var{ignore-count} is meaningful only when your program
d55320a0
RP
3718stopped due to a breakpoint. At other times, the argument to
3719@code{continue} is ignored.
3720
3721The synonyms @code{c} and @code{fg} are provided purely for convenience,
3722and have exactly the same behavior as @code{continue}.
3723@end table
3724
3d3ab540 3725To resume execution at a different place, you can use @code{return}
93928b60 3726(@pxref{Returning, ,Returning from a function}) to go back to the
29a2b744 3727calling function; or @code{jump} (@pxref{Jumping, ,Continuing at a
93928b60 3728different address}) to go to an arbitrary location in your program.
7463aadd
RP
3729
3730A typical technique for using stepping is to set a breakpoint
93928b60 3731@ifclear CONLY
9897afc6 3732@ifclear HPPA
93928b60
RP
3733(@pxref{Breakpoints, ,Breakpoints; watchpoints; and exceptions})
3734@end ifclear
9897afc6
EE
3735@ifset HPPA
3736(@pxref{Breakpoints, ,Breakpoints; watchpoints; and catchpoints})
3737@end ifset
3738@end ifclear
93928b60
RP
3739@ifset CONLY
3740(@pxref{Breakpoints, ,Breakpoints and watchpoints})
3741@end ifset
3742at the
29a2b744
RP
3743beginning of the function or the section of your program where a
3744problem is believed to lie, run your program until it stops at that
3745breakpoint, and then step through the suspect area, examining the
3746variables that are interesting, until you see the problem happen.
70b88761
RP
3747
3748@table @code
70b88761
RP
3749@kindex step
3750@kindex s
af215b1a 3751@item step
29a2b744 3752Continue running your program until control reaches a different source
18fae2a8 3753line, then stop it and return control to @value{GDBN}. This command is
70b88761
RP
3754abbreviated @code{s}.
3755
3d3ab540 3756@quotation
068b06f2
JK
3757@c "without debugging information" is imprecise; actually "without line
3758@c numbers in the debugging information". (gcc -g1 has debugging info but
3759@c not line numbers). But it seems complex to try to make that
3760@c distinction here.
3d3ab540
RP
3761@emph{Warning:} If you use the @code{step} command while control is
3762within a function that was compiled without debugging information,
d55320a0 3763execution proceeds until control reaches a function that does have
068b06f2
JK
3764debugging information. Likewise, it will not step into a function which
3765is compiled without debugging information. To step through functions
3766without debugging information, use the @code{stepi} command, described
3767below.
3d3ab540 3768@end quotation
70b88761 3769
af215b1a
VM
3770The @code{step} command now only stops at the first instruction of a
3771source line. This prevents the multiple stops that used to occur in
3772switch statements, for loops, etc. @code{step} continues to stop if a
3773function that has debugging information is called within the line.
3774
3775Also, the @code{step} command now only enters a subroutine if there is line
3776number information for the subroutine. Otherwise it acts like the
3777@code{next} command. This avoids problems when using @code{cc -gl}
3778on MIPS machines. Previously, @code{step} entered subroutines if there
3779was any debugging information about the routine.
3780
70b88761
RP
3781@item step @var{count}
3782Continue running as in @code{step}, but do so @var{count} times. If a
1d7c3357
RP
3783breakpoint is reached,
3784@ifclear BARETARGET
3785or a signal not related to stepping occurs before @var{count} steps,
3786@end ifclear
3787stepping stops right away.
70b88761 3788
70b88761
RP
3789@kindex next
3790@kindex n
af215b1a 3791@item next @r{[}@var{count}@r{]}
7463aadd 3792Continue to the next source line in the current (innermost) stack frame.
af215b1a 3793This is similar to @code{step}, but function calls that appear within the line
7463aadd 3794of code are executed without stopping. Execution stops when control
af215b1a
VM
3795reaches a different line of code at the original stack level that was
3796executing when you gave the @code{next} command. This command is abbreviated
7463aadd 3797@code{n}.
70b88761 3798
7463aadd 3799An argument @var{count} is a repeat count, as for @code{step}.
70b88761 3800
70b88761 3801
af215b1a
VM
3802@c FIX ME!! Do we delete this, or is there a way it fits in with
3803@c the following paragraph? --- Vctoria
3804@c
3805@c @code{next} within a function that lacks debugging information acts like
3806@c @code{step}, but any function calls appearing within the code of the
3807@c function are executed without stopping.
3808
3809The @code{next} command now only stops at the first instruction of a
3810source line. This prevents the multiple stops that used to occur in
9897afc6 3811switch statements, for loops, etc.
af215b1a 3812
70b88761 3813@kindex finish
af215b1a 3814@item finish
7463aadd
RP
3815Continue running until just after function in the selected stack frame
3816returns. Print the returned value (if any).
70b88761 3817
29a2b744 3818Contrast this with the @code{return} command (@pxref{Returning,
93928b60 3819,Returning from a function}).
70b88761 3820
70b88761 3821@kindex until
70b88761 3822@kindex u
af215b1a 3823@item until
9897afc6 3824@itemx u
70b88761
RP
3825Continue running until a source line past the current line, in the
3826current stack frame, is reached. This command is used to avoid single
3827stepping through a loop more than once. It is like the @code{next}
3828command, except that when @code{until} encounters a jump, it
3829automatically continues execution until the program counter is greater
3830than the address of the jump.
3831
3832This means that when you reach the end of a loop after single stepping
9a27b06e
RP
3833though it, @code{until} makes your program continue execution until it
3834exits the loop. In contrast, a @code{next} command at the end of a loop
3835simply steps back to the beginning of the loop, which forces you to step
3836through the next iteration.
70b88761 3837
29a2b744 3838@code{until} always stops your program if it attempts to exit the current
70b88761
RP
3839stack frame.
3840
3841@code{until} may produce somewhat counterintuitive results if the order
7463aadd 3842of machine code does not match the order of the source lines. For
70b88761
RP
3843example, in the following excerpt from a debugging session, the @code{f}
3844(@code{frame}) command shows that execution is stopped at line
3845@code{206}; yet when we use @code{until}, we get to line @code{195}:
3846
3847@example
18fae2a8 3848(@value{GDBP}) f
70b88761 3849#0 main (argc=4, argv=0xf7fffae8) at m4.c:206
b80282d5 3850206 expand_input();
18fae2a8 3851(@value{GDBP}) until
b80282d5 3852195 for ( ; argc > 0; NEXTARG) @{
70b88761
RP
3853@end example
3854
7463aadd
RP
3855This happened because, for execution efficiency, the compiler had
3856generated code for the loop closure test at the end, rather than the
3857start, of the loop---even though the test in a C @code{for}-loop is
3858written before the body of the loop. The @code{until} command appeared
3859to step back to the beginning of the loop when it advanced to this
3860expression; however, it has not really gone to an earlier
3861statement---not in terms of the actual machine code.
70b88761
RP
3862
3863@code{until} with no argument works by means of single
3864instruction stepping, and hence is slower than @code{until} with an
3865argument.
3866
3867@item until @var{location}
6b51acad 3868@itemx u @var{location}
29a2b744
RP
3869Continue running your program until either the specified location is
3870reached, or the current stack frame returns. @var{location} is any of
3871the forms of argument acceptable to @code{break} (@pxref{Set Breaks,
93928b60 3872,Setting breakpoints}). This form of the command uses breakpoints,
1041a570 3873and hence is quicker than @code{until} without an argument.
70b88761 3874
70b88761
RP
3875@kindex stepi
3876@kindex si
af215b1a
VM
3877@item stepi
3878@itemx si
70b88761
RP
3879Execute one machine instruction, then stop and return to the debugger.
3880
3881It is often useful to do @samp{display/i $pc} when stepping by machine
9a27b06e
RP
3882instructions. This makes @value{GDBN} automatically display the next
3883instruction to be executed, each time your program stops. @xref{Auto
3884Display,, Automatic display}.
70b88761
RP
3885
3886An argument is a repeat count, as in @code{step}.
3887
ed447b95 3888@need 750
70b88761
RP
3889@kindex nexti
3890@kindex ni
af215b1a
VM
3891@item nexti
3892@itemx ni
70b88761
RP
3893Execute one machine instruction, but if it is a function call,
3894proceed until the function returns.
3895
3896An argument is a repeat count, as in @code{next}.
70b88761
RP
3897@end table
3898
18fae2a8 3899@ifset POSIX
9897afc6 3900@node Signals, Thread Stops, Continuing and Stepping, Stopping
70b88761
RP
3901@section Signals
3902@cindex signals
3903
3904A signal is an asynchronous event that can happen in a program. The
3905operating system defines the possible kinds of signals, and gives each
3906kind a name and a number. For example, in Unix @code{SIGINT} is the
3907signal a program gets when you type an interrupt (often @kbd{C-c});
3908@code{SIGSEGV} is the signal a program gets from referencing a place in
3909memory far away from all the areas in use; @code{SIGALRM} occurs when
29a2b744 3910the alarm clock timer goes off (which happens only if your program has
70b88761
RP
3911requested an alarm).
3912
3913@cindex fatal signals
3914Some signals, including @code{SIGALRM}, are a normal part of the
29a2b744
RP
3915functioning of your program. Others, such as @code{SIGSEGV}, indicate
3916errors; these signals are @dfn{fatal} (kill your program immediately) if the
70b88761 3917program has not specified in advance some other way to handle the signal.
29a2b744 3918@code{SIGINT} does not indicate an error in your program, but it is normally
70b88761
RP
3919fatal so it can carry out the purpose of the interrupt: to kill the program.
3920
18fae2a8
RP
3921@value{GDBN} has the ability to detect any occurrence of a signal in your
3922program. You can tell @value{GDBN} in advance what to do for each kind of
29a2b744 3923signal.
70b88761
RP
3924
3925@cindex handling signals
18fae2a8 3926Normally, @value{GDBN} is set up to ignore non-erroneous signals like @code{SIGALRM}
29a2b744
RP
3927(so as not to interfere with their role in the functioning of your program)
3928but to stop your program immediately whenever an error signal happens.
70b88761
RP
3929You can change these settings with the @code{handle} command.
3930
3931@table @code
70b88761 3932@kindex info signals
af215b1a 3933@item info signals
18fae2a8 3934Print a table of all the kinds of signals and how @value{GDBN} has been told to
70b88761
RP
3935handle each one. You can use this to see the signal numbers of all
3936the defined types of signals.
3937
af215b1a
VM
3938@code{info handle} is the new alias for @code{info signals}.
3939
70b88761 3940@kindex handle
af215b1a
VM
3941@item handle @var{signal} @var{keywords}@dots{}
3942Change the way @value{GDBN} handles signal @var{signal}. @var{signal} can
3943be the number of a signal or its name (with or without the @samp{SIG} at the
70b88761
RP
3944beginning). The @var{keywords} say what change to make.
3945@end table
3946
3947@c @group
3948The keywords allowed by the @code{handle} command can be abbreviated.
3949Their full names are:
3950
3951@table @code
3952@item nostop
18fae2a8 3953@value{GDBN} should not stop your program when this signal happens. It may
70b88761
RP
3954still print a message telling you that the signal has come in.
3955
3956@item stop
18fae2a8 3957@value{GDBN} should stop your program when this signal happens. This implies
70b88761
RP
3958the @code{print} keyword as well.
3959
3960@item print
18fae2a8 3961@value{GDBN} should print a message when this signal happens.
70b88761
RP
3962
3963@item noprint
18fae2a8 3964@value{GDBN} should not mention the occurrence of the signal at all. This
70b88761
RP
3965implies the @code{nostop} keyword as well.
3966
3967@item pass
9a27b06e
RP
3968@value{GDBN} should allow your program to see this signal; your program
3969can handle the signal, or else it may terminate if the signal is fatal
70b88761
RP
3970and not handled.
3971
3972@item nopass
18fae2a8 3973@value{GDBN} should not allow your program to see this signal.
70b88761
RP
3974@end table
3975@c @end group
3976
ed447b95 3977When a signal stops your program, the signal is not visible until you
9a27b06e 3978continue. Your program sees the signal then, if @code{pass} is in
ed447b95
RP
3979effect for the signal in question @emph{at that time}. In other words,
3980after @value{GDBN} reports a signal, you can use the @code{handle}
9a27b06e
RP
3981command with @code{pass} or @code{nopass} to control whether your
3982program sees that signal when you continue.
70b88761 3983
29a2b744 3984You can also use the @code{signal} command to prevent your program from
70b88761 3985seeing a signal, or cause it to see a signal it normally would not see,
29a2b744 3986or to give it any signal at any time. For example, if your program stopped
7463aadd
RP
3987due to some sort of memory reference error, you might store correct
3988values into the erroneous variables and continue, hoping to see more
29a2b744
RP
3989execution; but your program would probably terminate immediately as
3990a result of the fatal signal once it saw the signal. To prevent this,
3991you can continue with @samp{signal 0}. @xref{Signaling, ,Giving your
93928b60 3992program a signal}.
18fae2a8 3993@end ifset
70b88761 3994
0cb95a9c 3995@ifclear BARETARGET
9897afc6 3996@node Thread Stops, , Signals, Stopping
0cb95a9c
RP
3997@section Stopping and starting multi-thread programs
3998
3999When your program has multiple threads (@pxref{Threads,, Debugging
4000programs with multiple threads}), you can choose whether to set
4001breakpoints on all threads, or on a particular thread.
4002
4003@table @code
22b5dba5
RP
4004@cindex breakpoints and threads
4005@cindex thread breakpoints
0cb95a9c
RP
4006@kindex break @dots{} thread @var{threadno}
4007@item break @var{linespec} thread @var{threadno}
4008@itemx break @var{linespec} thread @var{threadno} if @dots{}
af215b1a
VM
4009@var{linespec} specifies source lines; there are several ways of
4010writing them, but the effect is always to specify some source line.
4011
0cb95a9c
RP
4012Use the qualifier @samp{thread @var{threadno}} with a breakpoint command
4013to specify that you only want @value{GDBN} to stop the program when a
22b5dba5
RP
4014particular thread reaches this breakpoint. @var{threadno} is one of the
4015numeric thread identifiers assigned by @value{GDBN}, shown in the first
4016column of the @samp{info threads} display.
0cb95a9c
RP
4017
4018If you do not specify @samp{thread @var{threadno}} when you set a
4019breakpoint, the breakpoint applies to @emph{all} threads of your
4020program.
22b5dba5
RP
4021
4022You can use the @code{thread} qualifier on conditional breakpoints as
4023well; in this case, place @samp{thread @var{threadno}} before the
4024breakpoint condition, like this:
4025
4026@smallexample
4027(gdb) break frik.c:13 thread 28 if bartab > lim
4028@end smallexample
af215b1a 4029
0cb95a9c
RP
4030@end table
4031
4032@cindex stopped threads
4033@cindex threads, stopped
4034Whenever your program stops under @value{GDBN} for any reason,
4035@emph{all} threads of execution stop, not just the current thread. This
4036allows you to examine the overall state of the program, including
4037switching between threads, without worrying that things may change
4038underfoot.
4039
4040@cindex continuing threads
4041@cindex threads, continuing
4042Conversely, whenever you restart the program, @emph{all} threads start
4043executing. @emph{This is true even when single-stepping} with commands
4044like @code{step} or @code{next}.
4045
4046In particular, @value{GDBN} cannot single-step all threads in lockstep.
22b5dba5
RP
4047Since thread scheduling is up to your debugging target's operating
4048system (not controlled by @value{GDBN}), other threads may
4049execute more than one statement while the current thread completes a
4050single step. Moreover, in general other threads stop in the middle of a
4051statement, rather than at a clean statement boundary, when the program
4052stops.
0cb95a9c
RP
4053
4054You might even find your program stopped in another thread after
4055continuing or even single-stepping. This happens whenever some other
4056thread runs into a breakpoint, a signal, or an exception before the
4057first thread completes whatever you requested.
4058@end ifclear
4059
9897afc6 4060@node Stack, Source, Stopping, Top
70b88761
RP
4061@chapter Examining the Stack
4062
4063When your program has stopped, the first thing you need to know is where it
4064stopped and how it got there.
4065
4066@cindex call stack
af215b1a
VM
4067Each time your program performs a function call, information about the call
4068is generated.
4069That information includes the location of the call in your program,
4070the arguments of the call,
4071and the local variables of the function being called.
4072The information is saved in a block of data called a @dfn{stack frame}.
4073The stack frames are allocated in a region of memory called the @dfn{call
70b88761
RP
4074stack}.
4075
93928b60
RP
4076When your program stops, the @value{GDBN} commands for examining the
4077stack allow you to see all of this information.
70b88761
RP
4078
4079@cindex selected frame
93928b60
RP
4080One of the stack frames is @dfn{selected} by @value{GDBN} and many
4081@value{GDBN} commands refer implicitly to the selected frame. In
4082particular, whenever you ask @value{GDBN} for the value of a variable in
4083your program, the value is found in the selected frame. There are
4084special @value{GDBN} commands to select whichever frame you are
af215b1a 4085interested in. @xref{Selection, ,Selecting a frame}.
70b88761 4086
93928b60 4087When your program stops, @value{GDBN} automatically selects the
af215b1a
VM
4088currently executing frame and describes it briefly, similar to the
4089@code{frame} command (@pxref{Frame Info, ,Information about a frame}).
70b88761
RP
4090
4091@menu
ed447b95 4092* Frames:: Stack frames
b80282d5 4093* Backtrace:: Backtraces
ed447b95
RP
4094* Selection:: Selecting a frame
4095* Frame Info:: Information on a frame
572867a8
RP
4096@ifset MIPS
4097* MIPS Stack:: MIPS machines and the function stack
4098@end ifset
9897afc6 4099
70b88761
RP
4100@end menu
4101
9897afc6 4102@node Frames, Backtrace, Stack, Stack
93928b60 4103@section Stack frames
70b88761
RP
4104
4105@cindex frame
4106@cindex stack frame
4107The call stack is divided up into contiguous pieces called @dfn{stack
4108frames}, or @dfn{frames} for short; each frame is the data associated
4109with one call to one function. The frame contains the arguments given
4110to the function, the function's local variables, and the address at
4111which the function is executing.
4112
4113@cindex initial frame
4114@cindex outermost frame
4115@cindex innermost frame
4116When your program is started, the stack has only one frame, that of the
4117function @code{main}. This is called the @dfn{initial} frame or the
4118@dfn{outermost} frame. Each time a function is called, a new frame is
4119made. Each time a function returns, the frame for that function invocation
4120is eliminated. If a function is recursive, there can be many frames for
4121the same function. The frame for the function in which execution is
4122actually occurring is called the @dfn{innermost} frame. This is the most
4123recently created of all the stack frames that still exist.
4124
4125@cindex frame pointer
4126Inside your program, stack frames are identified by their addresses. A
4127stack frame consists of many bytes, each of which has its own address; each
af215b1a 4128kind of computer has a convention for choosing one byte whose
70b88761
RP
4129address serves as the address of the frame. Usually this address is kept
4130in a register called the @dfn{frame pointer register} while execution is
4131going on in that frame.
4132
4133@cindex frame number
18fae2a8 4134@value{GDBN} assigns numbers to all existing stack frames, starting with
70b88761
RP
4135zero for the innermost frame, one for the frame that called it,
4136and so on upward. These numbers do not really exist in your program;
18fae2a8
RP
4137they are assigned by @value{GDBN} to give you a way of designating stack
4138frames in @value{GDBN} commands.
70b88761 4139
6b51acad 4140@c below produces an acceptable overful hbox. --mew 13aug1993
70b88761 4141@cindex frameless execution
8c69096b 4142Some compilers provide a way to compile functions so that they operate
18fae2a8 4143without stack frames. (For example, the @code{@value{GCC}} option
9a27b06e 4144@samp{-fomit-frame-pointer} generates functions without a frame.)
70b88761 4145This is occasionally done with heavily used library functions to save
8c69096b
RP
4146the frame setup time. @value{GDBN} has limited facilities for dealing
4147with these function invocations. If the innermost function invocation
9a27b06e 4148has no stack frame, @value{GDBN} nevertheless regards it as though
8c69096b
RP
4149it had a separate frame, which is numbered zero as usual, allowing
4150correct tracing of the function call chain. However, @value{GDBN} has
4151no provision for frameless functions elsewhere in the stack.
70b88761 4152
af215b1a
VM
4153@table @code
4154@kindex frame
4155@item frame @var{args}
4156The @code{frame} command allows you to move from one stack frame to another,
4157and to print the stack frame you select. @var{args} may be either the
271fef25 4158address of the frame or the stack frame number. Without an argument,
af215b1a
VM
4159@code{frame} prints the current stack frame.
4160
4161@kindex select-frame
4162@item select-frame
4163The @code{select-frame} command allows you to move from one stack frame
4164to another without printing the frame. This is the silent version of
4165@code{frame}.
4166@end table
4167
9897afc6 4168@node Backtrace, Selection, Frames, Stack
70b88761
RP
4169@section Backtraces
4170
9897afc6
EE
4171@cindex backtraces
4172@cindex tracebacks
4173@cindex stack traces
29a2b744 4174A backtrace is a summary of how your program got where it is. It shows one
70b88761
RP
4175line per frame, for many frames, starting with the currently executing
4176frame (frame zero), followed by its caller (frame one), and on up the
4177stack.
4178
4179@table @code
70b88761
RP
4180@kindex backtrace
4181@kindex bt
af215b1a
VM
4182@item backtrace
4183@itemx bt
70b88761
RP
4184Print a backtrace of the entire stack: one line per frame for all
4185frames in the stack.
4186
4187You can stop the backtrace at any time by typing the system interrupt
4188character, normally @kbd{C-c}.
4189
4190@item backtrace @var{n}
4191@itemx bt @var{n}
4192Similar, but print only the innermost @var{n} frames.
4193
4194@item backtrace -@var{n}
4195@itemx bt -@var{n}
4196Similar, but print only the outermost @var{n} frames.
4197@end table
4198
4199@kindex where
4200@kindex info stack
4201@kindex info s
4202The names @code{where} and @code{info stack} (abbreviated @code{info s})
4203are additional aliases for @code{backtrace}.
4204
4205Each line in the backtrace shows the frame number and the function name.
4206The program counter value is also shown---unless you use @code{set
4207print address off}. The backtrace also shows the source file name and
4208line number, as well as the arguments to the function. The program
4209counter value is omitted if it is at the beginning of the code for that
4210line number.
4211
4212Here is an example of a backtrace. It was made with the command
4213@samp{bt 3}, so it shows the innermost three frames.
4214
4215@smallexample
4216@group
203eea5d
RP
4217#0 m4_traceon (obs=0x24eb0, argc=1, argv=0x2b8c8)
4218 at builtin.c:993
70b88761
RP
4219#1 0x6e38 in expand_macro (sym=0x2b600) at macro.c:242
4220#2 0x6840 in expand_token (obs=0x0, t=177664, td=0xf7fffb08)
4221 at macro.c:71
4222(More stack frames follow...)
4223@end group
4224@end smallexample
4225
4226@noindent
29a2b744
RP
4227The display for frame zero does not begin with a program counter
4228value, indicating that your program has stopped at the beginning of the
70b88761
RP
4229code for line @code{993} of @code{builtin.c}.
4230
9897afc6 4231@node Selection, Frame Info, Backtrace, Stack
93928b60 4232@section Selecting a frame
70b88761 4233
29a2b744 4234Most commands for examining the stack and other data in your program work on
70b88761
RP
4235whichever stack frame is selected at the moment. Here are the commands for
4236selecting a stack frame; all of them finish by printing a brief description
4237of the stack frame just selected.
4238
4239@table @code
70b88761
RP
4240@kindex frame
4241@kindex f
af215b1a
VM
4242@item frame @var{n}
4243@itemx f @var{n}
70b88761
RP
4244Select frame number @var{n}. Recall that frame zero is the innermost
4245(currently executing) frame, frame one is the frame that called the
93918348
RP
4246innermost one, and so on. The highest-numbered frame is the one for
4247@code{main}.
70b88761
RP
4248
4249@item frame @var{addr}
4250@itemx f @var{addr}
4251Select the frame at address @var{addr}. This is useful mainly if the
4252chaining of stack frames has been damaged by a bug, making it
18fae2a8 4253impossible for @value{GDBN} to assign numbers properly to all frames. In
29a2b744 4254addition, this can be useful when your program has multiple stacks and
70b88761
RP
4255switches between them.
4256
7e17041f 4257@ifclear H8EXCLUSIVE
9897afc6 4258@ifclear HPPA
70b88761 4259On the SPARC architecture, @code{frame} needs two addresses to
e251e767 4260select an arbitrary frame: a frame pointer and a stack pointer.
7e17041f
JK
4261
4262On the MIPS and Alpha architecture, it needs two addresses: a stack
4263pointer and a program counter.
4264
4265On the 29k architecture, it needs three addresses: a register stack
4266pointer, a program counter, and a memory stack pointer.
70b88761 4267@c note to future updaters: this is conditioned on a flag
7e17041f
JK
4268@c SETUP_ARBITRARY_FRAME in the tm-*.h files. The above is up to date
4269@c as of 27 Jan 1994.
4270@end ifclear
9897afc6 4271@end ifclear
70b88761 4272
70b88761 4273@kindex up
af215b1a 4274@item up @var{n}
70b88761
RP
4275Move @var{n} frames up the stack. For positive numbers @var{n}, this
4276advances toward the outermost frame, to higher frame numbers, to frames
4277that have existed longer. @var{n} defaults to one.
4278
70b88761
RP
4279@kindex down
4280@kindex do
af215b1a 4281@item down @var{n}
70b88761
RP
4282Move @var{n} frames down the stack. For positive numbers @var{n}, this
4283advances toward the innermost frame, to lower frame numbers, to frames
4284that were created more recently. @var{n} defaults to one. You may
4285abbreviate @code{down} as @code{do}.
4286@end table
4287
4288All of these commands end by printing two lines of output describing the
4289frame. The first line shows the frame number, the function name, the
4290arguments, and the source file and line number of execution in that
ed447b95 4291frame. The second line shows the text of that source line.
70b88761 4292
b1955f0b 4293@need 1000
ed447b95 4294For example:
b1955f0b 4295
70b88761 4296@smallexample
29a2b744 4297@group
18fae2a8 4298(@value{GDBP}) up
203eea5d
RP
4299#1 0x22f0 in main (argc=1, argv=0xf7fffbf4, env=0xf7fffbfc)
4300 at env.c:10
70b88761 430110 read_input_file (argv[i]);
29a2b744 4302@end group
70b88761
RP
4303@end smallexample
4304
9a27b06e
RP
4305After such a printout, the @code{list} command with no arguments
4306prints ten lines centered on the point of execution in the frame.
93928b60 4307@xref{List, ,Printing source lines}.
70b88761
RP
4308
4309@table @code
70b88761
RP
4310@kindex down-silently
4311@kindex up-silently
af215b1a
VM
4312@item up-silently @var{n}
4313@itemx down-silently @var{n}
70b88761
RP
4314These two commands are variants of @code{up} and @code{down},
4315respectively; they differ in that they do their work silently, without
4316causing display of the new frame. They are intended primarily for use
18fae2a8 4317in @value{GDBN} command scripts, where the output might be unnecessary and
e251e767 4318distracting.
70b88761
RP
4319@end table
4320
9897afc6
EE
4321@ifset MIPS
4322@node Frame Info, MIPS Stack, Selection, Stack
4323@section Information about a frame
4324@end ifset
4325@ifclear MIPS
4326@node Frame Info, , Selection, Stack
93928b60 4327@section Information about a frame
9897afc6 4328@end ifclear
70b88761
RP
4329
4330There are several other commands to print information about the selected
4331stack frame.
4332
4333@table @code
4334@item frame
4335@itemx f
29a2b744
RP
4336When used without any argument, this command does not change which
4337frame is selected, but prints a brief description of the currently
70b88761 4338selected stack frame. It can be abbreviated @code{f}. With an
ed447b95 4339argument, this command is used to select a stack frame.
93928b60 4340@xref{Selection, ,Selecting a frame}.
70b88761 4341
29a2b744 4342@kindex info frame
70b88761 4343@kindex info f
af215b1a
VM
4344@item info frame
4345@itemx info f
70b88761 4346This command prints a verbose description of the selected stack frame,
af215b1a
VM
4347including:
4348
d056cc31 4349@itemize @bullet
af215b1a
VM
4350@item
4351the address of the frame
4352@item
4353the address of the next frame down (called by this frame)
4354@item
4355the address of the next frame up (caller of this frame)
4356@item
4357the language in which the source code corresponding to this frame is written
4358@item
4359the address of the frame's arguments
4360@item
4361the program counter saved in it (the address of execution in the caller frame)
4362@item
4363which registers were saved in the frame
4364@end itemize
4365
4366@noindent The verbose description is useful when
70b88761
RP
4367something has gone wrong that has made the stack format fail to fit
4368the usual conventions.
4369
4370@item info frame @var{addr}
4371@itemx info f @var{addr}
7e17041f
JK
4372Print a verbose description of the frame at address @var{addr}, without
4373selecting that frame. The selected frame remains unchanged by this
4374command. This requires the same kind of address (more than one for some
4375architectures) that you specify in the @code{frame} command.
4376@xref{Selection, ,Selecting a frame}.
70b88761 4377
70b88761 4378@kindex info args
af215b1a 4379@item info args
70b88761
RP
4380Print the arguments of the selected frame, each on a separate line.
4381
4382@item info locals
4383@kindex info locals
4384Print the local variables of the selected frame, each on a separate
ed447b95
RP
4385line. These are all variables (declared either static or automatic)
4386accessible at the point of execution of the selected frame.
70b88761 4387
1d7c3357 4388@ifclear CONLY
9897afc6 4389@ifclear HPPA
70b88761
RP
4390@kindex info catch
4391@cindex catch exceptions
4392@cindex exception handlers
af215b1a 4393@item info catch
70b88761
RP
4394Print a list of all the exception handlers that are active in the
4395current stack frame at the current point of execution. To see other
4396exception handlers, visit the associated frame (using the @code{up},
4397@code{down}, or @code{frame} commands); then type @code{info catch}.
93928b60 4398@xref{Exception Handling, ,Breakpoints and exceptions}.
1d7c3357 4399@end ifclear
9897afc6 4400@end ifclear
70b88761
RP
4401@end table
4402
572867a8 4403@ifset MIPS
9897afc6 4404@node MIPS Stack, , Frame Info, Stack
572867a8
RP
4405@section MIPS machines and the function stack
4406
4407@cindex stack on MIPS
4408@cindex MIPS stack
4409MIPS based computers use an unusual stack frame, which sometimes
4410requires @value{GDBN} to search backward in the object code to find the
4411beginning of a function.
4412
4413@cindex response time, MIPS debugging
4414To improve response time (especially for embedded applications, where
4415@value{GDBN} may be restricted to a slow serial line for this search)
4416you may want to limit the size of this search, using one of these
4417commands:
572867a8 4418
572867a8 4419@table @code
af215b1a 4420@cindex @code{heuristic-fence-post} (MIPS)
572867a8 4421@item set heuristic-fence-post @var{limit}
c79890ee 4422Restrict @value{GDBN} to examining at most @var{limit} bytes in its search
af215b1a
VM
4423for the beginning of a function. A value of @var{0} (the default)
4424means there is no limit. However, except for @var{0}, the larger the
4425limit the more bytes @code{heuristic-fence-post} must search and
4426therefore the longer it takes to run.
572867a8
RP
4427
4428@item show heuristic-fence-post
4429Display the current limit.
4430@end table
4431
4432@noindent
4433These commands are available @emph{only} when @value{GDBN} is configured
4434for debugging programs on MIPS processors.
4435@end ifset
4436
9897afc6 4437@node Source, Data, Stack, Top
70b88761
RP
4438@chapter Examining Source Files
4439
18fae2a8 4440@value{GDBN} can print parts of your program's source, since the debugging
ed447b95 4441information recorded in the program tells @value{GDBN} what source files were
18fae2a8 4442used to build it. When your program stops, @value{GDBN} spontaneously prints
1041a570 4443the line where it stopped. Likewise, when you select a stack frame
93928b60 4444(@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a frame}), @value{GDBN} prints the line where
1041a570
RP
4445execution in that frame has stopped. You can print other portions of
4446source files by explicit command.
70b88761 4447
18fae2a8 4448@ifclear DOSHOST
af215b1a
VM
4449If you use @value{GDBN} through its @sc{gnu} Emacs interface, you may prefer
4450to use
4451Emacs facilities to view source; @pxref{Emacs, ,Using @value{GDBN} under @sc{gnu} Emacs}.
18fae2a8 4452@end ifclear
70b88761
RP
4453
4454@menu
ed447b95 4455* List:: Printing source lines
18fae2a8 4456@ifclear DOSHOST
ed447b95 4457* Search:: Searching source files
18fae2a8 4458@end ifclear
b0157555 4459
ed447b95
RP
4460* Source Path:: Specifying source directories
4461* Machine Code:: Source and machine code
70b88761
RP
4462@end menu
4463
9897afc6 4464@node List, Search, Source, Source
93928b60 4465@section Printing source lines
70b88761
RP
4466
4467@kindex list
4468@kindex l
4469To print lines from a source file, use the @code{list} command
af215b1a
VM
4470(abbreviated @code{l}). By default, ten lines are printed.
4471There are several ways to specify what part of the file you want to print.
70b88761
RP
4472
4473Here are the forms of the @code{list} command most commonly used:
4474
4475@table @code
4476@item list @var{linenum}
c338a2fd 4477Print lines centered around line number @var{linenum} in the
70b88761
RP
4478current source file.
4479
4480@item list @var{function}
c338a2fd 4481Print lines centered around the beginning of function
70b88761
RP
4482@var{function}.
4483
4484@item list
c338a2fd
RP
4485Print more lines. If the last lines printed were printed with a
4486@code{list} command, this prints lines following the last lines
70b88761 4487printed; however, if the last line printed was a solitary line printed
29a2b744 4488as part of displaying a stack frame (@pxref{Stack, ,Examining the
1041a570 4489Stack}), this prints lines centered around that line.
70b88761
RP
4490
4491@item list -
c338a2fd
RP
4492Print lines just before the lines last printed.
4493@end table
4494
18fae2a8 4495By default, @value{GDBN} prints ten source lines with any of these forms of
c338a2fd
RP
4496the @code{list} command. You can change this using @code{set listsize}:
4497
4498@table @code
c338a2fd 4499@kindex set listsize
af215b1a 4500@item set listsize @var{count}
c338a2fd
RP
4501Make the @code{list} command display @var{count} source lines (unless
4502the @code{list} argument explicitly specifies some other number).
4503
c338a2fd 4504@kindex show listsize
af215b1a 4505@item show listsize
9a27b06e 4506Display the number of lines that @code{list} prints.
70b88761
RP
4507@end table
4508
4509Repeating a @code{list} command with @key{RET} discards the argument,
4510so it is equivalent to typing just @code{list}. This is more useful
4511than listing the same lines again. An exception is made for an
4512argument of @samp{-}; that argument is preserved in repetition so that
4513each repetition moves up in the source file.
4514
4515@cindex linespec
4516In general, the @code{list} command expects you to supply zero, one or two
4517@dfn{linespecs}. Linespecs specify source lines; there are several ways
4518of writing them but the effect is always to specify some source line.
4519Here is a complete description of the possible arguments for @code{list}:
4520
4521@table @code
4522@item list @var{linespec}
c338a2fd 4523Print lines centered around the line specified by @var{linespec}.
70b88761
RP
4524
4525@item list @var{first},@var{last}
4526Print lines from @var{first} to @var{last}. Both arguments are
4527linespecs.
4528
4529@item list ,@var{last}
c338a2fd 4530Print lines ending with @var{last}.
70b88761
RP
4531
4532@item list @var{first},
c338a2fd 4533Print lines starting with @var{first}.
70b88761
RP
4534
4535@item list +
c338a2fd 4536Print lines just after the lines last printed.
70b88761
RP
4537
4538@item list -
c338a2fd 4539Print lines just before the lines last printed.
70b88761
RP
4540
4541@item list
4542As described in the preceding table.
4543@end table
4544
4545Here are the ways of specifying a single source line---all the
4546kinds of linespec.
4547
4548@table @code
4549@item @var{number}
4550Specifies line @var{number} of the current source file.
4551When a @code{list} command has two linespecs, this refers to
4552the same source file as the first linespec.
4553
4554@item +@var{offset}
4555Specifies the line @var{offset} lines after the last line printed.
4556When used as the second linespec in a @code{list} command that has
4557two, this specifies the line @var{offset} lines down from the
4558first linespec.
4559
4560@item -@var{offset}
4561Specifies the line @var{offset} lines before the last line printed.
4562
4563@item @var{filename}:@var{number}
4564Specifies line @var{number} in the source file @var{filename}.
4565
4566@item @var{function}
af215b1a
VM
4567Specifies the line that begins the body of the function @var{function}.
4568For example: in C, this is the line with the open brace.
70b88761
RP
4569
4570@item @var{filename}:@var{function}
4571Specifies the line of the open-brace that begins the body of the
4572function @var{function} in the file @var{filename}. You only need the
4573file name with a function name to avoid ambiguity when there are
4574identically named functions in different source files.
4575
4576@item *@var{address}
4577Specifies the line containing the program address @var{address}.
4578@var{address} may be any expression.
4579@end table
4580
18fae2a8 4581@ifclear DOSHOST
9897afc6 4582@node Search, Source Path, List, Source
93928b60 4583@section Searching source files
70b88761
RP
4584@cindex searching
4585@kindex reverse-search
4586
4587There are two commands for searching through the current source file for a
4588regular expression.
4589
4590@table @code
70b88761
RP
4591@kindex search
4592@kindex forward-search
af215b1a
VM
4593@item forward-search @var{regexp}
4594@itemx search @var{regexp}
1041a570
RP
4595The command @samp{forward-search @var{regexp}} checks each line,
4596starting with the one following the last line listed, for a match for
af215b1a 4597@var{regexp}. It lists the line that is found. You can use the
1041a570
RP
4598synonym @samp{search @var{regexp}} or abbreviate the command name as
4599@code{fo}.
70b88761
RP
4600
4601@item reverse-search @var{regexp}
4602The command @samp{reverse-search @var{regexp}} checks each line, starting
4603with the one before the last line listed and going backward, for a match
4604for @var{regexp}. It lists the line that is found. You can abbreviate
4605this command as @code{rev}.
4606@end table
18fae2a8 4607@end ifclear
70b88761 4608
9897afc6 4609@node Source Path, Machine Code, Search, Source
93928b60 4610@section Specifying source directories
70b88761
RP
4611
4612@cindex source path
4613@cindex directories for source files
4614Executable programs sometimes do not record the directories of the source
4615files from which they were compiled, just the names. Even when they do,
4616the directories could be moved between the compilation and your debugging
18fae2a8
RP
4617session. @value{GDBN} has a list of directories to search for source files;
4618this is called the @dfn{source path}. Each time @value{GDBN} wants a source file,
70b88761
RP
4619it tries all the directories in the list, in the order they are present
4620in the list, until it finds a file with the desired name. Note that
4621the executable search path is @emph{not} used for this purpose. Neither is
4622the current working directory, unless it happens to be in the source
4623path.
4624
9a27b06e
RP
4625If @value{GDBN} cannot find a source file in the source path, and the
4626object program records a directory, @value{GDBN} tries that directory
4627too. If the source path is empty, and there is no record of the
4628compilation directory, @value{GDBN} looks in the current directory as a
4629last resort.
70b88761 4630
9a27b06e 4631Whenever you reset or rearrange the source path, @value{GDBN} clears out
b1955f0b
RP
4632any information it has cached about where source files are found and where
4633each line is in the file.
70b88761
RP
4634
4635@kindex directory
af215b1a 4636@kindex dir
18fae2a8 4637When you start @value{GDBN}, its source path is empty.
70b88761
RP
4638To add other directories, use the @code{directory} command.
4639
4640@table @code
4641@item directory @var{dirname} @dots{}
af215b1a 4642@item dir @var{dirname} @dots{}
70b88761
RP
4643Add directory @var{dirname} to the front of the source path. Several
4644directory names may be given to this command, separated by @samp{:} or
4645whitespace. You may specify a directory that is already in the source
9a27b06e 4646path; this moves it forward, so @value{GDBN} searches it sooner.
7463aadd 4647
fa6df1a7
RP
4648@kindex cdir
4649@kindex cwd
a88ec213
RP
4650@kindex $cdir
4651@kindex $cwd
fa6df1a7
RP
4652@cindex compilation directory
4653@cindex current directory
4654@cindex working directory
4655@cindex directory, current
4656@cindex directory, compilation
7463aadd
RP
4657You can use the string @samp{$cdir} to refer to the compilation
4658directory (if one is recorded), and @samp{$cwd} to refer to the current
4659working directory. @samp{$cwd} is not the same as @samp{.}---the former
18fae2a8 4660tracks the current working directory as it changes during your @value{GDBN}
7463aadd
RP
4661session, while the latter is immediately expanded to the current
4662directory at the time you add an entry to the source path.
70b88761
RP
4663
4664@item directory
4665Reset the source path to empty again. This requires confirmation.
4666
4667@c RET-repeat for @code{directory} is explicitly disabled, but since
29a2b744 4668@c repeating it would be a no-op we do not say that. (thanks to RMS)
70b88761
RP
4669
4670@item show directories
4671@kindex show directories
4672Print the source path: show which directories it contains.
4673@end table
4674
4675If your source path is cluttered with directories that are no longer of
18fae2a8 4676interest, @value{GDBN} may sometimes cause confusion by finding the wrong
70b88761
RP
4677versions of source. You can correct the situation as follows:
4678
4679@enumerate
4680@item
4681Use @code{directory} with no argument to reset the source path to empty.
4682
4683@item
4684Use @code{directory} with suitable arguments to reinstall the
4685directories you want in the source path. You can add all the
4686directories in one command.
4687@end enumerate
4688
9897afc6 4689@node Machine Code, , Source Path, Source
93928b60 4690@section Source and machine code
1041a570 4691
70b88761 4692You can use the command @code{info line} to map source lines to program
ed447b95 4693addresses (and vice versa), and the command @code{disassemble} to display
af215b1a
VM
4694a range of addresses as machine instructions. When run under @sc{gnu} Emacs
4695mode, the @code{info line} command now causes the arrow to point to the
4696line specified. Also, @code{info line} prints addresses in symbolic form as
4697well as hex.
70b88761
RP
4698
4699@table @code
70b88761 4700@kindex info line
af215b1a 4701@item info line @var{linespec}
70b88761 4702Print the starting and ending addresses of the compiled code for
1041a570
RP
4703source line @var{linespec}. You can specify source lines in any of
4704the ways understood by the @code{list} command (@pxref{List, ,Printing
93928b60 4705source lines}).
70b88761
RP
4706@end table
4707
1041a570
RP
4708For example, we can use @code{info line} to discover the location of
4709the object code for the first line of function
4710@code{m4_changequote}:
4711
70b88761 4712@smallexample
18fae2a8 4713(@value{GDBP}) info line m4_changecom
70b88761
RP
4714Line 895 of "builtin.c" starts at pc 0x634c and ends at 0x6350.
4715@end smallexample
4716
4717@noindent
4718We can also inquire (using @code{*@var{addr}} as the form for
4719@var{linespec}) what source line covers a particular address:
4720@smallexample
18fae2a8 4721(@value{GDBP}) info line *0x63ff
70b88761
RP
4722Line 926 of "builtin.c" starts at pc 0x63e4 and ends at 0x6404.
4723@end smallexample
4724
c338a2fd 4725@cindex @code{$_} and @code{info line}
29a2b744
RP
4726After @code{info line}, the default address for the @code{x} command
4727is changed to the starting address of the line, so that @samp{x/i} is
4728sufficient to begin examining the machine code (@pxref{Memory,
93928b60 4729,Examining memory}). Also, this address is saved as the value of the
29a2b744 4730convenience variable @code{$_} (@pxref{Convenience Vars, ,Convenience
93928b60 4731variables}).
70b88761
RP
4732
4733@table @code
4734@kindex disassemble
c5f69ff8
RP
4735@cindex assembly instructions
4736@cindex instructions, assembly
4737@cindex machine instructions
4738@cindex listing machine instructions
af215b1a 4739@item disassemble
e94b4a2b
RP
4740This specialized command dumps a range of memory as machine
4741instructions. The default memory range is the function surrounding the
4742program counter of the selected frame. A single argument to this
9a27b06e
RP
4743command is a program counter value; @value{GDBN} dumps the function
4744surrounding this value. Two arguments specify a range of addresses
4745(first inclusive, second exclusive) to dump.
70b88761
RP
4746@end table
4747
a64a6c2b 4748@ifclear H8EXCLUSIVE
9897afc6 4749@ifclear HPPA
70b88761 4750We can use @code{disassemble} to inspect the object code
4eb4cf57
RP
4751range shown in the last @code{info line} example (the example
4752shows SPARC machine instructions):
70b88761 4753
18fae2a8 4754
70b88761 4755@smallexample
18fae2a8 4756(@value{GDBP}) disas 0x63e4 0x6404
70b88761 4757Dump of assembler code from 0x63e4 to 0x6404:
b80282d5
RP
47580x63e4 <builtin_init+5340>: ble 0x63f8 <builtin_init+5360>
47590x63e8 <builtin_init+5344>: sethi %hi(0x4c00), %o0
47600x63ec <builtin_init+5348>: ld [%i1+4], %o0
47610x63f0 <builtin_init+5352>: b 0x63fc <builtin_init+5364>
47620x63f4 <builtin_init+5356>: ld [%o0+4], %o0
47630x63f8 <builtin_init+5360>: or %o0, 0x1a4, %o0
47640x63fc <builtin_init+5364>: call 0x9288 <path_search>
e251e767 47650x6400 <builtin_init+5368>: nop
70b88761 4766End of assembler dump.
70b88761 4767@end smallexample
18fae2a8 4768@end ifclear
9897afc6 4769@end ifclear
4eb4cf57 4770
a64a6c2b 4771@ifset H8EXCLUSIVE
4eb4cf57
RP
4772For example, here is the beginning of the output for the
4773disassembly of a function @code{fact}:
70b88761 4774
18fae2a8 4775
4eb4cf57 4776@smallexample
18fae2a8 4777(@value{GDBP}) disas fact
4eb4cf57
RP
4778Dump of assembler code for function fact:
4779to 0x808c:
47800x802c <fact>: 6d f2 mov.w r2,@@-r7
47810x802e <fact+2>: 6d f3 mov.w r3,@@-r7
47820x8030 <fact+4>: 6d f6 mov.w r6,@@-r7
47830x8032 <fact+6>: 0d 76 mov.w r7,r6
47840x8034 <fact+8>: 6f 70 00 08 mov.w @@(0x8,r7),r0
47850x8038 <fact+12> 19 11 sub.w r1,r1
4786 .
4787 .
4788 .
4789@end smallexample
18fae2a8 4790@end ifset
4eb4cf57 4791
892d7e9f
SG
4792@table @code
4793@kindex set assembly-language
4794@cindex assembly instructions
4795@cindex instructions, assembly
4796@cindex machine instructions
4797@cindex listing machine instructions
4798@item set assembly-language @var{instruction-set}
4799This command selects the instruction set to use when disassembling the program via the
4800@code{disassemble} or @code{x/i} commands. It is useful for architectures that
4801have more than one native instruction set.
4802
4803Currently it is only defined for the Intel x86 family. You can set @var{instruction-set}
4804to either @code{i386} or @code{i8086}. The default is @code{i386}.
4805@end table
4806
4807
9897afc6
EE
4808@ifset HPPA
4809The following example shows the disassembly of a range of addresses of
4810HP PA-RISC 2.0 code:
4811
4812@smallexample
4813(@value{GDBP}) disas 0x32c4 0x32e4
4814Dump of assembler code from 0x32c4 to 0x32e4:
48150x32c4 <main+204>: addil 0,dp
48160x32c8 <main+208>: ldw 0x22c(sr0,r1),r26
48170x32cc <main+212>: ldil 0x3000,r31
48180x32d0 <main+216>: ble 0x3f8(sr4,r31)
48190x32d4 <main+220>: ldo 0(r31),rp
48200x32d8 <main+224>: addil -0x800,dp
48210x32dc <main+228>: ldo 0x588(r1),r26
48220x32e0 <main+232>: ldil 0x3000,r31
4823End of assembler dump.
4824@end smallexample
4825@end ifset
4826
4827@node Data, Languages, Source, Top
70b88761
RP
4828@chapter Examining Data
4829
4830@cindex printing data
4831@cindex examining data
4832@kindex print
4833@kindex inspect
1041a570 4834@c "inspect" is not quite a synonym if you are using Epoch, which we do not
29a2b744 4835@c document because it is nonstandard... Under Epoch it displays in a
70b88761
RP
4836@c different window or something like that.
4837The usual way to examine data in your program is with the @code{print}
4eb4cf57 4838command (abbreviated @code{p}), or its synonym @code{inspect}.
18fae2a8 4839@ifclear CONLY
4eb4cf57 4840It evaluates and prints the value of an expression of the language your
18fae2a8 4841program is written in (@pxref{Languages, ,Using @value{GDBN} with Different
4eb4cf57 4842Languages}).
18fae2a8 4843@end ifclear
70b88761 4844
e0dacfd1
RP
4845@table @code
4846@item print @var{exp}
4847@itemx print /@var{f} @var{exp}
93928b60
RP
4848@var{exp} is an expression (in the source language). By default the
4849value of @var{exp} is printed in a format appropriate to its data type;
4850you can choose a different format by specifying @samp{/@var{f}}, where
4851@var{f} is a letter specifying the format; @pxref{Output Formats,,Output
4852formats}.
e0dacfd1
RP
4853
4854@item print
4855@itemx print /@var{f}
18fae2a8 4856If you omit @var{exp}, @value{GDBN} displays the last value again (from the
93928b60 4857@dfn{value history}; @pxref{Value History, ,Value history}). This allows you to
e0dacfd1
RP
4858conveniently inspect the same value in an alternative format.
4859@end table
70b88761
RP
4860
4861A more low-level way of examining data is with the @code{x} command.
4862It examines data in memory at a specified address and prints it in a
93928b60 4863specified format. @xref{Memory, ,Examining memory}.
70b88761 4864
29a2b744 4865If you are interested in information about types, or about how the fields
1d7c3357
RP
4866of a struct
4867@ifclear CONLY
4868or class
18fae2a8 4869@end ifclear
1d7c3357
RP
4870are declared, use the @code{ptype @var{exp}}
4871command rather than @code{print}. @xref{Symbols, ,Examining the Symbol Table}.
18fae2a8 4872
70b88761 4873@menu
b80282d5 4874* Expressions:: Expressions
ed447b95
RP
4875* Variables:: Program variables
4876* Arrays:: Artificial arrays
eb7faec1 4877* Output Formats:: Output formats
ed447b95
RP
4878* Memory:: Examining memory
4879* Auto Display:: Automatic display
4880* Print Settings:: Print settings
4881* Value History:: Value history
4882* Convenience Vars:: Convenience variables
b80282d5 4883* Registers:: Registers
a64a6c2b 4884@ifclear HAVE-FLOAT
ed447b95 4885* Floating Point Hardware:: Floating point hardware
18fae2a8 4886@end ifclear
9897afc6 4887
18fae2a8 4888@end menu
70b88761 4889
9897afc6 4890@node Expressions, Variables, Data, Data
70b88761
RP
4891@section Expressions
4892
4893@cindex expressions
18fae2a8 4894@code{print} and many other @value{GDBN} commands accept an expression and
70b88761 4895compute its value. Any kind of constant, variable or operator defined
fe715d06 4896by the programming language you are using is valid in an expression in
18fae2a8 4897@value{GDBN}. This includes conditional expressions, function calls, casts
70b88761 4898and string constants. It unfortunately does not include symbols defined
b80282d5 4899by preprocessor @code{#define} commands.
70b88761 4900
af215b1a 4901@value{GDBN} now supports array constants in expressions input by
fdfd6134
FF
4902the user. The syntax is @var{@{element, element@dots{}@}}. For example,
4903you can now use the command @code{print @{1, 2, 3@}} to build up an array in
af215b1a
VM
4904memory that is malloc'd in the target program.
4905
18fae2a8 4906@ifclear CONLY
c2bbbb22 4907Because C is so widespread, most of the expressions shown in examples in
18fae2a8 4908this manual are in C. @xref{Languages, , Using @value{GDBN} with Different
c2bbbb22 4909Languages}, for information on how to use expressions in other
e251e767 4910languages.
c2bbbb22 4911
18fae2a8 4912In this section, we discuss operators that you can use in @value{GDBN}
e251e767 4913expressions regardless of your programming language.
c2bbbb22 4914
70b88761 4915Casts are supported in all languages, not just in C, because it is so
af215b1a 4916useful to cast a number into a pointer in order to examine a structure
70b88761 4917at that address in memory.
c2bbbb22 4918@c FIXME: casts supported---Mod2 true?
18fae2a8 4919@end ifclear
70b88761 4920
af215b1a
VM
4921@value{GDBN} supports these operators, in addition to those common
4922to programming languages:
70b88761
RP
4923
4924@table @code
4925@item @@
4926@samp{@@} is a binary operator for treating parts of memory as arrays.
93928b60 4927@xref{Arrays, ,Artificial arrays}, for more information.
70b88761
RP
4928
4929@item ::
4930@samp{::} allows you to specify a variable in terms of the file or
93928b60 4931function where it is defined. @xref{Variables, ,Program variables}.
70b88761 4932
fe715d06
RP
4933@cindex @{@var{type}@}
4934@cindex type casting memory
4935@cindex memory, viewing as typed object
4936@cindex casts, to view memory
af215b1a 4937@item @{@var{type}@} @var{addr}
70b88761
RP
4938Refers to an object of type @var{type} stored at address @var{addr} in
4939memory. @var{addr} may be any expression whose value is an integer or
4940pointer (but parentheses are required around binary operators, just as in
4941a cast). This construct is allowed regardless of what kind of data is
1041a570 4942normally supposed to reside at @var{addr}.
70b88761
RP
4943@end table
4944
9897afc6 4945@node Variables, Arrays, Expressions, Data
93928b60 4946@section Program variables
70b88761
RP
4947
4948The most common kind of expression to use is the name of a variable
4949in your program.
4950
4951Variables in expressions are understood in the selected stack frame
af215b1a
VM
4952(@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a frame}); they must be either:
4953
d056cc31 4954@itemize @bullet
af215b1a 4955@item
9897afc6 4956global (or file-static)
af215b1a
VM
4957@end itemize
4958
4959@noindent or
4960
d056cc31 4961@itemize @bullet
af215b1a
VM
4962@item
4963visible according to the scope rules of the
4964programming language from the point of execution in that frame
4965@end itemize
4966
4967@noindent This means that in the function
70b88761
RP
4968
4969@example
4970foo (a)
4971 int a;
4972@{
4973 bar (a);
4974 @{
4975 int b = test ();
4976 bar (b);
4977 @}
4978@}
4979@end example
4980
4981@noindent
ed447b95
RP
4982you can examine and use the variable @code{a} whenever your program is
4983executing within the function @code{foo}, but you can only use or
4984examine the variable @code{b} while your program is executing inside
4985the block where @code{b} is declared.
70b88761
RP
4986
4987@cindex variable name conflict
4988There is an exception: you can refer to a variable or function whose
4989scope is a single source file even if the current execution point is not
4990in this file. But it is possible to have more than one such variable or
6ca72cc6
RP
4991function with the same name (in different source files). If that
4992happens, referring to that name has unpredictable effects. If you wish,
4993you can specify a static variable in a particular function or file,
4994using the colon-colon notation:
70b88761
RP
4995
4996@cindex colon-colon
a6d0b6d3 4997@iftex
29a2b744 4998@c info cannot cope with a :: index entry, but why deprive hard copy readers?
70b88761 4999@kindex ::
a6d0b6d3 5000@end iftex
70b88761
RP
5001@example
5002@var{file}::@var{variable}
6ca72cc6 5003@var{function}::@var{variable}
70b88761
RP
5004@end example
5005
5006@noindent
6ca72cc6 5007Here @var{file} or @var{function} is the name of the context for the
6c380b13 5008static @var{variable}. In the case of file names, you can use quotes to
18fae2a8 5009make sure @value{GDBN} parses the file name as a single word---for example,
6c380b13
RP
5010to print a global value of @code{x} defined in @file{f2.c}:
5011
5012@example
18fae2a8 5013(@value{GDBP}) p 'f2.c'::x
6c380b13 5014@end example
70b88761 5015
18fae2a8 5016@ifclear CONLY
c2bbbb22 5017@cindex C++ scope resolution
70b88761 5018This use of @samp{::} is very rarely in conflict with the very similar
18fae2a8
RP
5019use of the same notation in C++. @value{GDBN} also supports use of the C++
5020scope resolution operator in @value{GDBN} expressions.
ed447b95
RP
5021@c FIXME: Um, so what happens in one of those rare cases where it's in
5022@c conflict?? --mew
18fae2a8 5023@end ifclear
70b88761 5024
3d3ab540
RP
5025@cindex wrong values
5026@cindex variable values, wrong
5027@quotation
5028@emph{Warning:} Occasionally, a local variable may appear to have the
b0157555
RP
5029wrong value at certain points in a function---just after entry to a new
5030scope, and just before exit.
3d3ab540 5031@end quotation
b0157555 5032You may see this problem when you are stepping by machine instructions.
af215b1a 5033This is because, on most machines, it takes more than one instruction to
b0157555
RP
5034set up a stack frame (including local variable definitions); if you are
5035stepping by machine instructions, variables may appear to have the wrong
5036values until the stack frame is completely built. On exit, it usually
5037also takes more than one machine instruction to destroy a stack frame;
5038after you begin stepping through that group of instructions, local
5039variable definitions may be gone.
3d3ab540 5040
9897afc6 5041@node Arrays, Output Formats, Variables, Data
93928b60 5042@section Artificial arrays
70b88761
RP
5043
5044@cindex artificial array
5045@kindex @@
5046It is often useful to print out several successive objects of the
5047same type in memory; a section of an array, or an array of
5048dynamically determined size for which only a pointer exists in the
5049program.
5050
fe715d06
RP
5051You can do this by referring to a contiguous span of memory as an
5052@dfn{artificial array}, using the binary operator @samp{@@}. The left
af215b1a
VM
5053operand of @samp{@@} should be the first element of the desired array
5054and be an individual object. The right operand should be the desired length
fe715d06
RP
5055of the array. The result is an array value whose elements are all of
5056the type of the left argument. The first element is actually the left
5057argument; the second element comes from bytes of memory immediately
5058following those that hold the first element, and so on. Here is an
5059example. If a program says
70b88761
RP
5060
5061@example
5062int *array = (int *) malloc (len * sizeof (int));
5063@end example
5064
5065@noindent
5066you can print the contents of @code{array} with
5067
5068@example
5069p *array@@len
5070@end example
5071
5072The left operand of @samp{@@} must reside in memory. Array values made
5073with @samp{@@} in this way behave just like other arrays in terms of
5074subscripting, and are coerced to pointers when used in expressions.
5075Artificial arrays most often appear in expressions via the value history
7640fe71 5076(@pxref{Value History, ,Value history}), after printing one out.
70b88761 5077
27648f26
PB
5078Another way to create an artificial array is to use a cast.
5079This re-interprets a value as if it were an array.
5080The value need not be in memory:
5081@example
5082(@value{GDBP}) p/x (short[2])0x12345678
5083$1 = @{0x1234, 0x5678@}
5084@end example
5085
5086As a convenience, if you leave the array length out (as in
5087@samp{(@var{type})[])@var{value}}) gdb calculates the size to fill
5088the value (as @samp{sizeof(@var{value})/sizeof(@var{type})}:
5089@example
5090(@value{GDBP}) p/x (short[])0x12345678
5091$2 = @{0x1234, 0x5678@}
5092@end example
5093
1041a570 5094Sometimes the artificial array mechanism is not quite enough; in
3d3ab540 5095moderately complex data structures, the elements of interest may not
1041a570
RP
5096actually be adjacent---for example, if you are interested in the values
5097of pointers in an array. One useful work-around in this situation is
5098to use a convenience variable (@pxref{Convenience Vars, ,Convenience
93928b60 5099variables}) as a counter in an expression that prints the first
1041a570
RP
5100interesting value, and then repeat that expression via @key{RET}. For
5101instance, suppose you have an array @code{dtab} of pointers to
5102structures, and you are interested in the values of a field @code{fv}
5103in each structure. Here is an example of what you might type:
5104
3d3ab540
RP
5105@example
5106set $i = 0
5107p dtab[$i++]->fv
5108@key{RET}
5109@key{RET}
5110@dots{}
5111@end example
5112
9897afc6 5113@node Output Formats, Memory, Arrays, Data
70b88761
RP
5114@section Output formats
5115
5116@cindex formatted output
5117@cindex output formats
18fae2a8 5118By default, @value{GDBN} prints a value according to its data type. Sometimes
70b88761
RP
5119this is not what you want. For example, you might want to print a number
5120in hex, or a pointer in decimal. Or you might want to view data in memory
5121at a certain address as a character string or as an instruction. To do
5122these things, specify an @dfn{output format} when you print a value.
5123
5124The simplest use of output formats is to say how to print a value
5125already computed. This is done by starting the arguments of the
5126@code{print} command with a slash and a format letter. The format
5127letters supported are:
5128
5129@table @code
5130@item x
5131Regard the bits of the value as an integer, and print the integer in
5132hexadecimal.
5133
5134@item d
5135Print as integer in signed decimal.
5136
5137@item u
5138Print as integer in unsigned decimal.
5139
5140@item o
5141Print as integer in octal.
5142
5143@item t
5144Print as integer in binary. The letter @samp{t} stands for ``two''.
fe715d06
RP
5145@footnote{@samp{b} cannot be used because these format letters are also
5146used with the @code{x} command, where @samp{b} stands for ``byte'';
5147@pxref{Memory,,Examining memory}.}
70b88761
RP
5148
5149@item a
9a27b06e
RP
5150@cindex unknown address, locating
5151Print as an address, both absolute in hexadecimal and as an offset from
5152the nearest preceding symbol. You can use this format used to discover
5153where (in what function) an unknown address is located:
1041a570 5154
70b88761 5155@example
18fae2a8
RP
5156(@value{GDBP}) p/a 0x54320
5157$3 = 0x54320 <_initialize_vx+396>
70b88761
RP
5158@end example
5159
70b88761
RP
5160@item c
5161Regard as an integer and print it as a character constant.
5162
5163@item f
5164Regard the bits of the value as a floating point number and print
5165using typical floating point syntax.
5166@end table
5167
5168For example, to print the program counter in hex (@pxref{Registers}), type
5169
5170@example
5171p/x $pc
5172@end example
5173
5174@noindent
5175Note that no space is required before the slash; this is because command
18fae2a8 5176names in @value{GDBN} cannot contain a slash.
70b88761
RP
5177
5178To reprint the last value in the value history with a different format,
5179you can use the @code{print} command with just a format and no
5180expression. For example, @samp{p/x} reprints the last value in hex.
5181
9897afc6 5182@node Memory, Auto Display, Output Formats, Data
93928b60 5183@section Examining memory
70b88761 5184
1041a570
RP
5185You can use the command @code{x} (for ``examine'') to examine memory in
5186any of several formats, independently of your program's data types.
5187
70b88761
RP
5188@cindex examining memory
5189@table @code
5190@kindex x
cedaf8bc
RP
5191@item x/@var{nfu} @var{addr}
5192@itemx x @var{addr}
5193@itemx x
ed447b95 5194Use the @code{x} command to examine memory.
1041a570
RP
5195@end table
5196
5197@var{n}, @var{f}, and @var{u} are all optional parameters that specify how
5198much memory to display and how to format it; @var{addr} is an
cedaf8bc
RP
5199expression giving the address where you want to start displaying memory.
5200If you use defaults for @var{nfu}, you need not type the slash @samp{/}.
5201Several commands set convenient defaults for @var{addr}.
70b88761 5202
1041a570
RP
5203@table @r
5204@item @var{n}, the repeat count
5205The repeat count is a decimal integer; the default is 1. It specifies
5206how much memory (counting by units @var{u}) to display.
cedaf8bc
RP
5207@c This really is **decimal**; unaffected by 'set radix' as of GDB
5208@c 4.1.2.
70b88761 5209
1041a570
RP
5210@item @var{f}, the display format
5211The display format is one of the formats used by @code{print},
af215b1a
VM
5212@samp{s} (null-terminated string), or @samp{i} (machine instruction).
5213The default is @samp{x} (hexadecimal) initially.
5214The default changes each time you use either @code{x} or @code{print}.
70b88761 5215
1041a570
RP
5216@item @var{u}, the unit size
5217The unit size is any of
ed447b95 5218
70b88761
RP
5219@table @code
5220@item b
cedaf8bc 5221Bytes.
70b88761 5222@item h
cedaf8bc 5223Halfwords (two bytes).
70b88761 5224@item w
cedaf8bc 5225Words (four bytes). This is the initial default.
70b88761 5226@item g
cedaf8bc 5227Giant words (eight bytes).
70b88761
RP
5228@end table
5229
cedaf8bc
RP
5230Each time you specify a unit size with @code{x}, that size becomes the
5231default unit the next time you use @code{x}. (For the @samp{s} and
5232@samp{i} formats, the unit size is ignored and is normally not written.)
5233
1041a570 5234@item @var{addr}, starting display address
18fae2a8 5235@var{addr} is the address where you want @value{GDBN} to begin displaying
cedaf8bc
RP
5236memory. The expression need not have a pointer value (though it may);
5237it is always interpreted as an integer address of a byte of memory.
1041a570 5238@xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}, for more information on expressions. The default for
cedaf8bc
RP
5239@var{addr} is usually just after the last address examined---but several
5240other commands also set the default address: @code{info breakpoints} (to
5241the address of the last breakpoint listed), @code{info line} (to the
5242starting address of a line), and @code{print} (if you use it to display
5243a value from memory).
1041a570 5244@end table
70b88761 5245
cedaf8bc
RP
5246For example, @samp{x/3uh 0x54320} is a request to display three halfwords
5247(@code{h}) of memory, formatted as unsigned decimal integers (@samp{u}),
5248starting at address @code{0x54320}. @samp{x/4xw $sp} prints the four
5249words (@samp{w}) of memory above the stack pointer (here, @samp{$sp};
5250@pxref{Registers}) in hexadecimal (@samp{x}).
70b88761 5251
cedaf8bc 5252Since the letters indicating unit sizes are all distinct from the
29a2b744 5253letters specifying output formats, you do not have to remember whether
9a27b06e 5254unit size or format comes first; either order works. The output
cedaf8bc 5255specifications @samp{4xw} and @samp{4wx} mean exactly the same thing.
9a27b06e 5256(However, the count @var{n} must come first; @samp{wx4} does not work.)
cedaf8bc
RP
5257
5258Even though the unit size @var{u} is ignored for the formats @samp{s}
5259and @samp{i}, you might still want to use a count @var{n}; for example,
5260@samp{3i} specifies that you want to see three machine instructions,
5261including any operands. The command @code{disassemble} gives an
5262alternative way of inspecting machine instructions; @pxref{Machine
93928b60 5263Code,,Source and machine code}.
cedaf8bc
RP
5264
5265All the defaults for the arguments to @code{x} are designed to make it
5266easy to continue scanning memory with minimal specifications each time
1041a570 5267you use @code{x}. For example, after you have inspected three machine
cedaf8bc
RP
5268instructions with @samp{x/3i @var{addr}}, you can inspect the next seven
5269with just @samp{x/7}. If you use @key{RET} to repeat the @code{x} command,
5270the repeat count @var{n} is used again; the other arguments default as
5271for successive uses of @code{x}.
70b88761 5272
c338a2fd 5273@cindex @code{$_}, @code{$__}, and value history
cedaf8bc 5274The addresses and contents printed by the @code{x} command are not saved
70b88761 5275in the value history because there is often too much of them and they
18fae2a8 5276would get in the way. Instead, @value{GDBN} makes these values available for
70b88761
RP
5277subsequent use in expressions as values of the convenience variables
5278@code{$_} and @code{$__}. After an @code{x} command, the last address
5279examined is available for use in expressions in the convenience variable
5280@code{$_}. The contents of that address, as examined, are available in
5281the convenience variable @code{$__}.
5282
5283If the @code{x} command has a repeat count, the address and contents saved
5284are from the last memory unit printed; this is not the same as the last
5285address printed if several units were printed on the last line of output.
5286
9897afc6 5287@node Auto Display, Print Settings, Memory, Data
93928b60 5288@section Automatic display
70b88761
RP
5289@cindex automatic display
5290@cindex display of expressions
5291
5292If you find that you want to print the value of an expression frequently
5293(to see how it changes), you might want to add it to the @dfn{automatic
9a27b06e 5294display list} so that @value{GDBN} prints its value each time your program stops.
70b88761
RP
5295Each expression added to the list is given a number to identify it;
5296to remove an expression from the list, you specify that number.
5297The automatic display looks like this:
5298
5299@example
53002: foo = 38
53013: bar[5] = (struct hack *) 0x3804
5302@end example
5303
5304@noindent
ed447b95 5305This display shows item numbers, expressions and their current values. As with
70b88761
RP
5306displays you request manually using @code{x} or @code{print}, you can
5307specify the output format you prefer; in fact, @code{display} decides
5308whether to use @code{print} or @code{x} depending on how elaborate your
5309format specification is---it uses @code{x} if you specify a unit size,
5310or one of the two formats (@samp{i} and @samp{s}) that are only
5311supported by @code{x}; otherwise it uses @code{print}.
5312
5313@table @code
70b88761 5314@kindex display
af215b1a 5315@item display @var{exp}
70b88761 5316Add the expression @var{exp} to the list of expressions to display
1041a570 5317each time your program stops. @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}.
70b88761 5318
9a27b06e 5319@code{display} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} again after using it.
70b88761
RP
5320
5321@item display/@var{fmt} @var{exp}
5322For @var{fmt} specifying only a display format and not a size or
5323count, add the expression @var{exp} to the auto-display list but
7640fe71 5324arrange to display it each time in the specified format @var{fmt}.
ed447b95 5325@xref{Output Formats,,Output formats}.
70b88761
RP
5326
5327@item display/@var{fmt} @var{addr}
5328For @var{fmt} @samp{i} or @samp{s}, or including a unit-size or a
5329number of units, add the expression @var{addr} as a memory address to
29a2b744 5330be examined each time your program stops. Examining means in effect
93928b60 5331doing @samp{x/@var{fmt} @var{addr}}. @xref{Memory, ,Examining memory}.
70b88761
RP
5332@end table
5333
5334For example, @samp{display/i $pc} can be helpful, to see the machine
5335instruction about to be executed each time execution stops (@samp{$pc}
5336is a common name for the program counter; @pxref{Registers}).
5337
5338@table @code
70b88761
RP
5339@kindex delete display
5340@kindex undisplay
af215b1a
VM
5341@item undisplay @var{dnums}@dots{}
5342@itemx delete display @var{dnums}@dots{}
70b88761
RP
5343Remove item numbers @var{dnums} from the list of expressions to display.
5344
9a27b06e 5345@code{undisplay} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} after using it.
70b88761
RP
5346(Otherwise you would just get the error @samp{No display number @dots{}}.)
5347
70b88761 5348@kindex disable display
af215b1a 5349@item disable display @var{dnums}@dots{}
70b88761
RP
5350Disable the display of item numbers @var{dnums}. A disabled display
5351item is not printed automatically, but is not forgotten. It may be
5352enabled again later.
5353
70b88761 5354@kindex enable display
af215b1a 5355@item enable display @var{dnums}@dots{}
70b88761
RP
5356Enable display of item numbers @var{dnums}. It becomes effective once
5357again in auto display of its expression, until you specify otherwise.
5358
5359@item display
5360Display the current values of the expressions on the list, just as is
29a2b744 5361done when your program stops.
70b88761 5362
70b88761 5363@kindex info display
af215b1a 5364@item info display
70b88761
RP
5365Print the list of expressions previously set up to display
5366automatically, each one with its item number, but without showing the
5367values. This includes disabled expressions, which are marked as such.
5368It also includes expressions which would not be displayed right now
5369because they refer to automatic variables not currently available.
5370@end table
5371
5372If a display expression refers to local variables, then it does not make
5373sense outside the lexical context for which it was set up. Such an
5374expression is disabled when execution enters a context where one of its
5375variables is not defined. For example, if you give the command
5376@code{display last_char} while inside a function with an argument
9a27b06e 5377@code{last_char}, @value{GDBN} displays this argument while your program
70b88761 5378continues to stop inside that function. When it stops elsewhere---where
9a27b06e
RP
5379there is no variable @code{last_char}---the display is disabled
5380automatically. The next time your program stops where @code{last_char}
5381is meaningful, you can enable the display expression once again.
70b88761 5382
9897afc6 5383@node Print Settings, Value History, Auto Display, Data
93928b60 5384@section Print settings
70b88761
RP
5385
5386@cindex format options
5387@cindex print settings
18fae2a8 5388@value{GDBN} provides the following ways to control how arrays, structures,
e251e767 5389and symbols are printed.
70b88761
RP
5390
5391@noindent
5392These settings are useful for debugging programs in any language:
5393
5394@table @code
af215b1a 5395@kindex set print address
70b88761 5396@item set print address
6b51acad 5397@itemx set print address on
9a27b06e 5398@value{GDBN} prints memory addresses showing the location of stack
70b88761
RP
5399traces, structure values, pointer values, breakpoints, and so forth,
5400even when it also displays the contents of those addresses. The default
af215b1a 5401is @code{on}. For example, this is what a stack frame display looks like with
70b88761 5402@code{set print address on}:
1041a570 5403
70b88761 5404@smallexample
1041a570 5405@group
18fae2a8 5406(@value{GDBP}) f
e251e767 5407#0 set_quotes (lq=0x34c78 "<<", rq=0x34c88 ">>")
70b88761 5408 at input.c:530
b80282d5 5409530 if (lquote != def_lquote)
1041a570 5410@end group
70b88761
RP
5411@end smallexample
5412
5413@item set print address off
5414Do not print addresses when displaying their contents. For example,
5415this is the same stack frame displayed with @code{set print address off}:
1041a570 5416
d55320a0 5417@smallexample
1041a570 5418@group
18fae2a8
RP
5419(@value{GDBP}) set print addr off
5420(@value{GDBP}) f
70b88761 5421#0 set_quotes (lq="<<", rq=">>") at input.c:530
b80282d5 5422530 if (lquote != def_lquote)
1041a570 5423@end group
d55320a0 5424@end smallexample
70b88761 5425
fe715d06
RP
5426You can use @samp{set print address off} to eliminate all machine
5427dependent displays from the @value{GDBN} interface. For example, with
5428@code{print address off}, you should get the same text for backtraces on
5429all machines---whether or not they involve pointer arguments.
5430
70b88761 5431@kindex show print address
af215b1a 5432@item show print address
70b88761 5433Show whether or not addresses are to be printed.
14621224
JK
5434@end table
5435
5436When @value{GDBN} prints a symbolic address, it normally prints the
5437closest earlier symbol plus an offset. If that symbol does not uniquely
5438identify the address (for example, it is a name whose scope is a single
af215b1a 5439source file), you may need to clarify. One way to do this is with
9a27b06e 5440@code{info line}, for example @samp{info line *0x4537}. Alternately,
14621224
JK
5441you can set @value{GDBN} to print the source file and line number when
5442it prints a symbolic address:
5443
5444@table @code
14621224 5445@kindex set print symbol-filename
af215b1a 5446@item set print symbol-filename on
14621224
JK
5447Tell @value{GDBN} to print the source file name and line number of a
5448symbol in the symbolic form of an address.
5449
5450@item set print symbol-filename off
5451Do not print source file name and line number of a symbol. This is the
5452default.
5453
14621224 5454@kindex show print symbol-filename
af215b1a 5455@item show print symbol-filename
14621224
JK
5456Show whether or not @value{GDBN} will print the source file name and
5457line number of a symbol in the symbolic form of an address.
5458@end table
5459
9a27b06e
RP
5460Another situation where it is helpful to show symbol filenames and line
5461numbers is when disassembling code; @value{GDBN} shows you the line
5986c8ea
JG
5462number and source file that corresponds to each instruction.
5463
14621224
JK
5464Also, you may wish to see the symbolic form only if the address being
5465printed is reasonably close to the closest earlier symbol:
5466
5467@table @code
14621224 5468@kindex set print max-symbolic-offset
af215b1a 5469@item set print max-symbolic-offset @var{max-offset}
14621224
JK
5470Tell @value{GDBN} to only display the symbolic form of an address if the
5471offset between the closest earlier symbol and the address is less than
af215b1a
VM
5472@var{max-offset}. The default is 0, which tells @value{GDBN}
5473to always print the symbolic form of an address if any symbol precedes it.
14621224 5474
14621224 5475@kindex show print max-symbolic-offset
af215b1a 5476@item show print max-symbolic-offset
9a27b06e 5477Ask how large the maximum offset is that @value{GDBN} prints in a
14621224
JK
5478symbolic address.
5479@end table
70b88761 5480
9a27b06e
RP
5481@cindex wild pointer, interpreting
5482@cindex pointer, finding referent
5483If you have a pointer and you are not sure where it points, try
ec35141c
JK
5484@samp{set print symbol-filename on}. Then you can determine the name
5485and source file location of the variable where it points, using
5486@samp{p/a @var{pointer}}. This interprets the address in symbolic form.
5487For example, here @value{GDBN} shows that a variable @code{ptt} points
5488at another variable @code{t}, defined in @file{hi2.c}:
9a27b06e
RP
5489
5490@example
9a27b06e
RP
5491(@value{GDBP}) set print symbol-filename on
5492(@value{GDBP}) p/a ptt
5493$4 = 0xe008 <t in hi2.c>
5494@end example
5495
5496@quotation
5497@emph{Warning:} For pointers that point to a local variable, @samp{p/a}
5498does not show the symbol name and filename of the referent, even with
5499the appropriate @code{set print} options turned on.
5500@end quotation
5501
5986c8ea
JG
5502Other settings control how different kinds of objects are printed:
5503
14621224 5504@table @code
af215b1a 5505@kindex set print array
70b88761
RP
5506@item set print array
5507@itemx set print array on
af215b1a 5508Pretty print arrays. This format is more convenient to read,
70b88761
RP
5509but uses more space. The default is off.
5510
fe715d06 5511@item set print array off
70b88761
RP
5512Return to compressed format for arrays.
5513
70b88761 5514@kindex show print array
af215b1a 5515@item show print array
70b88761 5516Show whether compressed or pretty format is selected for displaying
e251e767 5517arrays.
70b88761 5518
70b88761 5519@kindex set print elements
af215b1a
VM
5520@item set print elements @var{number-of-elements}
5521Set a limit on how many elements of an array @value{GDBN} will print.
9a27b06e 5522If @value{GDBN} is printing a large array, it stops printing after it has
70b88761
RP
5523printed the number of elements set by the @code{set print elements} command.
5524This limit also applies to the display of strings.
af215b1a 5525Setting @var{number-of-elements} to zero means that the printing is unlimited.
70b88761 5526
70b88761 5527@kindex show print elements
af215b1a
VM
5528@item show print elements
5529Display the number of elements of a large array that @value{GDBN} will print.
5530If the number is 0, then the printing is unlimited.
5531
5532@kindex set print null-stop
5533@item set print null-stop
5534Cause @value{GDBN} to stop printing the characters of an array when the first
5535@sc{NULL} is encountered. This is useful when large arrays actually
5536contain only short strings.
70b88761 5537
70b88761 5538@kindex set print pretty
af215b1a
VM
5539@item set print pretty on
5540Cause @value{GDBN} to print structures in an indented format with one member
5541per line, like this:
70b88761 5542
d55320a0 5543@smallexample
1041a570 5544@group
70b88761
RP
5545$1 = @{
5546 next = 0x0,
5547 flags = @{
5548 sweet = 1,
5549 sour = 1
5550 @},
5551 meat = 0x54 "Pork"
5552@}
1041a570 5553@end group
d55320a0 5554@end smallexample
70b88761
RP
5555
5556@item set print pretty off
18fae2a8 5557Cause @value{GDBN} to print structures in a compact format, like this:
70b88761
RP
5558
5559@smallexample
1041a570 5560@group
38962738
RP
5561$1 = @{next = 0x0, flags = @{sweet = 1, sour = 1@}, \
5562meat = 0x54 "Pork"@}
1041a570 5563@end group
70b88761
RP
5564@end smallexample
5565
5566@noindent
5567This is the default format.
5568
70b88761 5569@kindex show print pretty
af215b1a 5570@item show print pretty
9a27b06e 5571Show which format @value{GDBN} is using to print structures.
70b88761 5572
f2857bd9 5573@kindex set print sevenbit-strings
af215b1a 5574@item set print sevenbit-strings on
e251e767 5575Print using only seven-bit characters; if this option is set,
9a27b06e
RP
5576@value{GDBN} displays any eight-bit characters (in strings or
5577character values) using the notation @code{\}@var{nnn}. This setting is
5578best if you are working in English (@sc{ascii}) and you use the
5579high-order bit of characters as a marker or ``meta'' bit.
70b88761
RP
5580
5581@item set print sevenbit-strings off
9a27b06e
RP
5582Print full eight-bit characters. This allows the use of more
5583international character sets, and is the default.
70b88761 5584
f2857bd9 5585@kindex show print sevenbit-strings
af215b1a 5586@item show print sevenbit-strings
9a27b06e 5587Show whether or not @value{GDBN} is printing only seven-bit characters.
70b88761 5588
70b88761 5589@kindex set print union
af215b1a
VM
5590@item set print union on
5591Tell @value{GDBN} to print unions which are contained in structures. This
5592is the default setting.
70b88761
RP
5593
5594@item set print union off
18fae2a8 5595Tell @value{GDBN} not to print unions which are contained in structures.
70b88761 5596
70b88761 5597@kindex show print union
af215b1a 5598@item show print union
18fae2a8 5599Ask @value{GDBN} whether or not it will print unions which are contained in
e251e767 5600structures.
70b88761
RP
5601
5602For example, given the declarations
5603
5604@smallexample
5605typedef enum @{Tree, Bug@} Species;
5606typedef enum @{Big_tree, Acorn, Seedling@} Tree_forms;
203eea5d
RP
5607typedef enum @{Caterpillar, Cocoon, Butterfly@}
5608 Bug_forms;
70b88761
RP
5609
5610struct thing @{
5611 Species it;
5612 union @{
5613 Tree_forms tree;
5614 Bug_forms bug;
5615 @} form;
5616@};
5617
5618struct thing foo = @{Tree, @{Acorn@}@};
5619@end smallexample
5620
5621@noindent
5622with @code{set print union on} in effect @samp{p foo} would print
5623
5624@smallexample
5625$1 = @{it = Tree, form = @{tree = Acorn, bug = Cocoon@}@}
5626@end smallexample
5627
5628@noindent
5629and with @code{set print union off} in effect it would print
5630
5631@smallexample
5632$1 = @{it = Tree, form = @{...@}@}
5633@end smallexample
5634@end table
5635
1d7c3357 5636@ifclear CONLY
d55320a0 5637@need 1000
70b88761
RP
5638@noindent
5639These settings are of interest when debugging C++ programs:
5640
5641@table @code
af215b1a
VM
5642@cindex demangling
5643@kindex set print demangle
e251e767
RP
5644@item set print demangle
5645@itemx set print demangle on
fe715d06
RP
5646Print C++ names in their source form rather than in the encoded
5647(``mangled'') form passed to the assembler and linker for type-safe
5648linkage. The default is @samp{on}.
70b88761 5649
70b88761 5650@kindex show print demangle
af215b1a 5651@item show print demangle
9a27b06e 5652Show whether C++ names are printed in mangled or demangled form.
70b88761 5653
af215b1a 5654@kindex set print asm-demangle
e251e767
RP
5655@item set print asm-demangle
5656@itemx set print asm-demangle on
70b88761
RP
5657Print C++ names in their source form rather than their mangled form, even
5658in assembler code printouts such as instruction disassemblies.
5659The default is off.
5660
70b88761 5661@kindex show print asm-demangle
af215b1a 5662@item show print asm-demangle
9a27b06e 5663Show whether C++ names in assembly listings are printed in mangled
70b88761
RP
5664or demangled form.
5665
fe715d06
RP
5666@kindex set demangle-style
5667@cindex C++ symbol decoding style
5668@cindex symbol decoding style, C++
af215b1a 5669@item set demangle-style @var{style}
fe715d06
RP
5670Choose among several encoding schemes used by different compilers to
5671represent C++ names. The choices for @var{style} are currently:
5672
5673@table @code
5674@item auto
5675Allow @value{GDBN} to choose a decoding style by inspecting your program.
5676
5677@item gnu
af215b1a 5678Decode based on the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler (@code{g++}) encoding algorithm.
9897afc6 5679@ifclear HPPA
af215b1a 5680This is the default.
9897afc6
EE
5681@end ifclear
5682
5683@ifset HPPA
5684@item hp
5685Decode based on the HP ANSI C++ (@code{aCC}) encoding algorithm.
5686@end ifset
fe715d06
RP
5687
5688@item lucid
5689Decode based on the Lucid C++ compiler (@code{lcc}) encoding algorithm.
5690
a1eff6c2 5691@item arm
fe715d06 5692Decode using the algorithm in the @cite{C++ Annotated Reference Manual}.
a1eff6c2
RP
5693@strong{Warning:} this setting alone is not sufficient to allow
5694debugging @code{cfront}-generated executables. @value{GDBN} would
5695require further enhancement to permit that.
af215b1a
VM
5696
5697@item foo
5698Show the list of formats.
fe715d06
RP
5699@end table
5700
fe715d06 5701@kindex show demangle-style
af215b1a 5702@item show demangle-style
fe715d06
RP
5703Display the encoding style currently in use for decoding C++ symbols.
5704
af215b1a 5705@kindex set print object
70b88761
RP
5706@item set print object
5707@itemx set print object on
70b88761
RP
5708When displaying a pointer to an object, identify the @emph{actual}
5709(derived) type of the object rather than the @emph{declared} type, using
5710the virtual function table.
5711
5712@item set print object off
5713Display only the declared type of objects, without reference to the
5714virtual function table. This is the default setting.
5715
70b88761 5716@kindex show print object
af215b1a 5717@item show print object
9a27b06e 5718Show whether actual, or declared, object types are displayed.
70b88761 5719
be255497
PS
5720@kindex set print static-members
5721@item set print static-members
5722@itemx set print static-members on
5723Print static members when displaying a C++ object. The default is on.
5724
5725@item set print static-members off
5726Do not print static members when displaying a C++ object.
5727
5728@kindex show print static-members
5729@item show print static-members
5730Show whether C++ static members are printed, or not.
5731
9897afc6 5732@c These don't work with HP ANSI C++ yet.
af215b1a 5733@kindex set print vtbl
e251e767
RP
5734@item set print vtbl
5735@itemx set print vtbl on
70b88761 5736Pretty print C++ virtual function tables. The default is off.
9897afc6
EE
5737@ifset HPPA
5738(The @code{vtbl} commands do not work on programs compiled with the HP
5739ANSI C++ compiler (@code{aCC}).)
5740@end ifset
70b88761
RP
5741
5742@item set print vtbl off
5743Do not pretty print C++ virtual function tables.
5744
70b88761 5745@kindex show print vtbl
af215b1a 5746@item show print vtbl
70b88761 5747Show whether C++ virtual function tables are pretty printed, or not.
70b88761 5748@end table
1d7c3357 5749@end ifclear
70b88761 5750
9897afc6 5751@node Value History, Convenience Vars, Print Settings, Data
93928b60 5752@section Value history
70b88761
RP
5753
5754@cindex value history
af215b1a
VM
5755Values printed by the @code{print} command are saved in the @value{GDBN}
5756@dfn{value history}. This allows you to refer to them in other expressions.
5757Values are kept until the symbol table is re-read or discarded
5758(for example with the @code{file} or @code{symbol-file} commands).
5759When the symbol table changes, the value history is discarded,
5760since the values may contain pointers back to the types defined in the
5761symbol table.
70b88761
RP
5762
5763@cindex @code{$}
5764@cindex @code{$$}
5765@cindex history number
6b51acad
RP
5766The values printed are given @dfn{history numbers} by which you can
5767refer to them. These are successive integers starting with one.
5768@code{print} shows you the history number assigned to a value by
5769printing @samp{$@var{num} = } before the value; here @var{num} is the
5770history number.
70b88761
RP
5771
5772To refer to any previous value, use @samp{$} followed by the value's
5773history number. The way @code{print} labels its output is designed to
5774remind you of this. Just @code{$} refers to the most recent value in
5775the history, and @code{$$} refers to the value before that.
5776@code{$$@var{n}} refers to the @var{n}th value from the end; @code{$$2}
5777is the value just prior to @code{$$}, @code{$$1} is equivalent to
5778@code{$$}, and @code{$$0} is equivalent to @code{$}.
5779
5780For example, suppose you have just printed a pointer to a structure and
5781want to see the contents of the structure. It suffices to type
5782
5783@example
5784p *$
5785@end example
5786
5787If you have a chain of structures where the component @code{next} points
5788to the next one, you can print the contents of the next one with this:
5789
5790@example
5791p *$.next
5792@end example
5793
5794@noindent
5795You can print successive links in the chain by repeating this
5796command---which you can do by just typing @key{RET}.
5797
5798Note that the history records values, not expressions. If the value of
5799@code{x} is 4 and you type these commands:
5800
5801@example
5802print x
5803set x=5
5804@end example
5805
5806@noindent
5807then the value recorded in the value history by the @code{print} command
5808remains 4 even though the value of @code{x} has changed.
5809
5810@table @code
5811@kindex show values
5812@item show values
5813Print the last ten values in the value history, with their item numbers.
5814This is like @samp{p@ $$9} repeated ten times, except that @code{show
5815values} does not change the history.
5816
5817@item show values @var{n}
5818Print ten history values centered on history item number @var{n}.
5819
5820@item show values +
5821Print ten history values just after the values last printed. If no more
af215b1a 5822values are available, @code{show values +} produces no display.
70b88761
RP
5823@end table
5824
5825Pressing @key{RET} to repeat @code{show values @var{n}} has exactly the
e251e767 5826same effect as @samp{show values +}.
70b88761 5827
9897afc6 5828@node Convenience Vars, Registers, Value History, Data
93928b60 5829@section Convenience variables
70b88761
RP
5830
5831@cindex convenience variables
18fae2a8
RP
5832@value{GDBN} provides @dfn{convenience variables} that you can use within
5833@value{GDBN} to hold on to a value and refer to it later. These variables
5834exist entirely within @value{GDBN}; they are not part of your program, and
70b88761 5835setting a convenience variable has no direct effect on further execution
1041a570 5836of your program. That is why you can use them freely.
70b88761
RP
5837
5838Convenience variables are prefixed with @samp{$}. Any name preceded by
5839@samp{$} can be used for a convenience variable, unless it is one of
5840the predefined machine-specific register names (@pxref{Registers}).
5841(Value history references, in contrast, are @emph{numbers} preceded
93928b60 5842by @samp{$}. @xref{Value History, ,Value history}.)
70b88761
RP
5843
5844You can save a value in a convenience variable with an assignment
ed447b95
RP
5845expression, just as you would set a variable in your program.
5846For example:
70b88761
RP
5847
5848@example
5849set $foo = *object_ptr
5850@end example
5851
5852@noindent
5853would save in @code{$foo} the value contained in the object pointed to by
5854@code{object_ptr}.
5855
6b51acad
RP
5856Using a convenience variable for the first time creates it, but its
5857value is @code{void} until you assign a new value. You can alter the
5858value with another assignment at any time.
70b88761
RP
5859
5860Convenience variables have no fixed types. You can assign a convenience
5861variable any type of value, including structures and arrays, even if
5862that variable already has a value of a different type. The convenience
5863variable, when used as an expression, has the type of its current value.
5864
5865@table @code
70b88761 5866@kindex show convenience
af215b1a 5867@item show convenience
70b88761
RP
5868Print a list of convenience variables used so far, and their values.
5869Abbreviated @code{show con}.
5870@end table
5871
5872One of the ways to use a convenience variable is as a counter to be
5873incremented or a pointer to be advanced. For example, to print
5874a field from successive elements of an array of structures:
5875
18fae2a8 5876@example
70b88761
RP
5877set $i = 0
5878print bar[$i++]->contents
18fae2a8 5879@end example
70b88761 5880
af215b1a
VM
5881@noindent Repeat that command by typing @key{RET}.
5882
18fae2a8 5883Some convenience variables are created automatically by @value{GDBN} and given
70b88761
RP
5884values likely to be useful.
5885
5886@table @code
c338a2fd 5887@kindex $_
af215b1a 5888@item $_
70b88761 5889The variable @code{$_} is automatically set by the @code{x} command to
93928b60 5890the last address examined (@pxref{Memory, ,Examining memory}). Other
29a2b744
RP
5891commands which provide a default address for @code{x} to examine also
5892set @code{$_} to that address; these commands include @code{info line}
5893and @code{info breakpoint}. The type of @code{$_} is @code{void *}
5894except when set by the @code{x} command, in which case it is a pointer
5895to the type of @code{$__}.
70b88761 5896
c338a2fd 5897@kindex $__
af215b1a 5898@item $__
70b88761 5899The variable @code{$__} is automatically set by the @code{x} command
c2bbbb22
RP
5900to the value found in the last address examined. Its type is chosen
5901to match the format in which the data was printed.
f94cadf9
SS
5902
5903@item $_exitcode
5904@kindex $_exitcode
5905The variable @code{$_exitcode} is automatically set to the exit code when
5906the program being debugged terminates.
70b88761
RP
5907@end table
5908
9897afc6
EE
5909@ifset HPPA
5910If you refer to a function or variable name that begins with a dollar
5911sign, @value{GDBN} searches for a user or system name first, before it
5912searches for a convenience variable.
5913@end ifset
5914
5915@node Registers, Floating Point Hardware, Convenience Vars, Data
70b88761
RP
5916@section Registers
5917
5918@cindex registers
b80282d5 5919You can refer to machine register contents, in expressions, as variables
70b88761
RP
5920with names starting with @samp{$}. The names of registers are different
5921for each machine; use @code{info registers} to see the names used on
e251e767 5922your machine.
70b88761
RP
5923
5924@table @code
70b88761 5925@kindex info registers
af215b1a 5926@item info registers
b80282d5
RP
5927Print the names and values of all registers except floating-point
5928registers (in the selected stack frame).
5929
b80282d5
RP
5930@kindex info all-registers
5931@cindex floating point registers
af215b1a 5932@item info all-registers
b80282d5
RP
5933Print the names and values of all registers, including floating-point
5934registers.
70b88761 5935
4eb4cf57 5936@item info registers @var{regname} @dots{}
af215b1a
VM
5937Print the @dfn{relativized} value of each specified register @var{regname}.
5938As discussed in detail below, register values are normally relative to
5939the selected stack frame. @var{regname} may be any register name valid on
5940the machine you are using, with or without the initial @samp{$}.
70b88761
RP
5941@end table
5942
18fae2a8 5943@value{GDBN} has four ``standard'' register names that are available (in
29a2b744 5944expressions) on most machines---whenever they do not conflict with an
09267865
RP
5945architecture's canonical mnemonics for registers. The register names
5946@code{$pc} and @code{$sp} are used for the program counter register and
5947the stack pointer. @code{$fp} is used for a register that contains a
5948pointer to the current stack frame, and @code{$ps} is used for a
5949register that contains the processor status. For example,
70b88761 5950you could print the program counter in hex with
1041a570 5951
70b88761
RP
5952@example
5953p/x $pc
5954@end example
5955
5956@noindent
5957or print the instruction to be executed next with
1041a570 5958
70b88761
RP
5959@example
5960x/i $pc
5961@end example
5962
5963@noindent
ed447b95 5964or add four to the stack pointer@footnote{This is a way of removing
29a2b744
RP
5965one word from the stack, on machines where stacks grow downward in
5966memory (most machines, nowadays). This assumes that the innermost
5967stack frame is selected; setting @code{$sp} is not allowed when other
5968stack frames are selected. To pop entire frames off the stack,
5969regardless of machine architecture, use @code{return};
93928b60 5970@pxref{Returning, ,Returning from a function}.} with
1041a570 5971
70b88761
RP
5972@example
5973set $sp += 4
5974@end example
5975
09267865
RP
5976Whenever possible, these four standard register names are available on
5977your machine even though the machine has different canonical mnemonics,
5978so long as there is no conflict. The @code{info registers} command
5979shows the canonical names. For example, on the SPARC, @code{info
70b88761
RP
5980registers} displays the processor status register as @code{$psr} but you
5981can also refer to it as @code{$ps}.
5982
18fae2a8 5983@value{GDBN} always considers the contents of an ordinary register as an
70b88761
RP
5984integer when the register is examined in this way. Some machines have
5985special registers which can hold nothing but floating point; these
5986registers are considered to have floating point values. There is no way
5987to refer to the contents of an ordinary register as floating point value
5988(although you can @emph{print} it as a floating point value with
5989@samp{print/f $@var{regname}}).
5990
5991Some registers have distinct ``raw'' and ``virtual'' data formats. This
5992means that the data format in which the register contents are saved by
5993the operating system is not the same one that your program normally
5994sees. For example, the registers of the 68881 floating point
5995coprocessor are always saved in ``extended'' (raw) format, but all C
5996programs expect to work with ``double'' (virtual) format. In such
af215b1a
VM
5997cases, @value{GDBN} normally works with the virtual format only (the format
5998that makes sense for your program), but the @code{info registers} command
70b88761
RP
5999prints the data in both formats.
6000
6001Normally, register values are relative to the selected stack frame
93928b60 6002(@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a frame}). This means that you get the
29a2b744
RP
6003value that the register would contain if all stack frames farther in
6004were exited and their saved registers restored. In order to see the
6005true contents of hardware registers, you must select the innermost
6006frame (with @samp{frame 0}).
70b88761 6007
18fae2a8 6008However, @value{GDBN} must deduce where registers are saved, from the machine
70b88761 6009code generated by your compiler. If some registers are not saved, or if
18fae2a8 6010@value{GDBN} is unable to locate the saved registers, the selected stack
9a27b06e 6011frame makes no difference.
70b88761 6012
a64a6c2b 6013@ifset AMD29K
03a77779 6014@table @code
d8a68b28 6015@kindex set rstack_high_address
03a77779
RP
6016@cindex AMD 29K register stack
6017@cindex register stack, AMD29K
af215b1a 6018@item set rstack_high_address @var{address}
03a77779 6019On AMD 29000 family processors, registers are saved in a separate
18fae2a8
RP
6020``register stack''. There is no way for @value{GDBN} to determine the extent
6021of this stack. Normally, @value{GDBN} just assumes that the stack is ``large
6022enough''. This may result in @value{GDBN} referencing memory locations that
93918348 6023do not exist. If necessary, you can get around this problem by
03a77779
RP
6024specifying the ending address of the register stack with the @code{set
6025rstack_high_address} command. The argument should be an address, which
9a27b06e 6026you probably want to precede with @samp{0x} to specify in
03a77779 6027hexadecimal.
d8a68b28 6028
d8a68b28 6029@kindex show rstack_high_address
af215b1a 6030@item show rstack_high_address
03a77779
RP
6031Display the current limit of the register stack, on AMD 29000 family
6032processors.
6033@end table
18fae2a8 6034@end ifset
d8a68b28 6035
a64a6c2b 6036@ifclear HAVE-FLOAT
9897afc6 6037@node Floating Point Hardware, , Registers, Data
93928b60 6038@section Floating point hardware
70b88761 6039@cindex floating point
1041a570 6040
f886dc0f 6041Depending on the configuration, @value{GDBN} may be able to give
70b88761
RP
6042you more information about the status of the floating point hardware.
6043
6044@table @code
70b88761 6045@kindex info float
af215b1a 6046@item info float
8c69096b 6047Display hardware-dependent information about the floating
70b88761 6048point unit. The exact contents and layout vary depending on the
af215b1a
VM
6049floating point chip. Currently, @samp{info float} is supported on
6050the ARM and x86 machines.
70b88761 6051@end table
18fae2a8 6052@end ifclear
70b88761 6053
18fae2a8 6054@ifclear CONLY
9897afc6 6055@node Languages, Symbols, Data, Top
18fae2a8 6056@chapter Using @value{GDBN} with Different Languages
c2bbbb22
RP
6057@cindex languages
6058
09934a2b 6059@ifset MOD2
c2bbbb22
RP
6060Although programming languages generally have common aspects, they are
6061rarely expressed in the same manner. For instance, in ANSI C,
6062dereferencing a pointer @code{p} is accomplished by @code{*p}, but in
6063Modula-2, it is accomplished by @code{p^}. Values can also be
af215b1a
VM
6064represented (and displayed) differently. Hex numbers in C appear as
6065@samp{0x1ae}, while in Modula-2 they appear as @samp{1AEH}.
09934a2b 6066@end ifset
c2bbbb22
RP
6067
6068@cindex working language
18fae2a8 6069Language-specific information is built into @value{GDBN} for some languages,
29a2b744 6070allowing you to express operations like the above in your program's
18fae2a8 6071native language, and allowing @value{GDBN} to output values in a manner
29a2b744 6072consistent with the syntax of your program's native language. The
af215b1a
VM
6073language you use to build expressions is called the @dfn{working
6074language}.
c2bbbb22
RP
6075
6076@menu
6077* Setting:: Switching between source languages
6078* Show:: Displaying the language
09934a2b 6079@ifset MOD2
ed447b95 6080* Checks:: Type and range checks
09934a2b 6081@end ifset
da374d80 6082
c2bbbb22
RP
6083* Support:: Supported languages
6084@end menu
6085
9897afc6 6086@node Setting, Show, Languages, Languages
c2bbbb22
RP
6087@section Switching between source languages
6088
18fae2a8 6089There are two ways to control the working language---either have @value{GDBN}
c2bbbb22 6090set it automatically, or select it manually yourself. You can use the
18fae2a8 6091@code{set language} command for either purpose. On startup, @value{GDBN}
d05baf08
JK
6092defaults to setting the language automatically. The working language is
6093used to determine how expressions you type are interpreted, how values
6094are printed, etc.
6095
af215b1a 6096In addition to the working language, every source file that
d05baf08
JK
6097@value{GDBN} knows about has its own working language. For some object
6098file formats, the compiler might indicate which language a particular
af215b1a 6099source file is in. However, most of the time @value{GDBN} infers the
d05baf08
JK
6100language from the name of the file. The language of a source file
6101controls whether C++ names are demangled---this way @code{backtrace} can
6102show each frame appropriately for its own language. There is no way to
af215b1a
VM
6103set the language of a source file from within @value{GDBN}.
6104
6105This is most commonly a problem when you use a program, such
6106as @code{cfront} or @code{f2c}, that generates C but is written in
6107another language. In that case, make the
d05baf08 6108program use @code{#line} directives in its C output; that way
af215b1a
VM
6109@value{GDBN} will know the correct language of the source code of the original
6110program, and will display that source code, not the generated C code.
c2bbbb22
RP
6111
6112@menu
d05baf08 6113* Filenames:: Filename extensions and languages.
c2bbbb22 6114* Manually:: Setting the working language manually
18fae2a8 6115* Automatically:: Having @value{GDBN} infer the source language
c2bbbb22
RP
6116@end menu
6117
9897afc6 6118@node Filenames, Manually, Setting, Setting
d05baf08
JK
6119@subsection List of filename extensions and languages
6120
6121If a source file name ends in one of the following extensions, then
6122@value{GDBN} infers that its language is the one indicated.
6123
6124@table @file
6125@ifset MOD2
6126@item .mod
6127Modula-2 source file
6128@end ifset
6129
6130@item .c
6131C source file
6132
6133@item .C
6134@itemx .cc
6135@itemx .cxx
6136@itemx .cpp
6137@itemx .cp
6138@itemx .c++
6139C++ source file
6140
9897afc6 6141@ifclear HPPA
d05baf08
JK
6142@item .ch
6143@itemx .c186
6144@itemx .c286
6145CHILL source file.
9897afc6 6146@end ifclear
d05baf08
JK
6147
6148@item .s
6149@itemx .S
6150Assembler source file. This actually behaves almost like C, but
6151@value{GDBN} does not skip over function prologues when stepping.
6152@end table
6153
9897afc6 6154@node Manually, Automatically, Filenames, Setting
c2bbbb22
RP
6155@subsection Setting the working language
6156
ed447b95
RP
6157If you allow @value{GDBN} to set the language automatically,
6158expressions are interpreted the same way in your debugging session and
6159your program.
6160
c2bbbb22 6161@kindex set language
ed447b95
RP
6162If you wish, you may set the language manually. To do this, issue the
6163command @samp{set language @var{lang}}, where @var{lang} is the name of
09934a2b
RP
6164a language, such as
6165@ifclear MOD2
6166@code{c}.
6167@end ifclear
6168@ifset MOD2
6169@code{c} or @code{modula-2}.
6170@end ifset
6171For a list of the supported languages, type @samp{set language}.
c2bbbb22 6172
9897afc6
EE
6173@ifclear MOD2
6174Setting the language manually prevents @value{GDBN} from updating the
6175working language automatically. For example, if you used the @code{c}
6176setting to debug a C++ program, names might not be demangled properly,
6177overload resolution would not work, user-defined operators might not be
6178interpreted correctly, and so on.
6179@end ifclear
09934a2b 6180@ifset MOD2
18fae2a8 6181Setting the language manually prevents @value{GDBN} from updating the working
c2bbbb22
RP
6182language automatically. This can lead to confusion if you try
6183to debug a program when the working language is not the same as the
6184source language, when an expression is acceptable to both
6185languages---but means different things. For instance, if the current
18fae2a8 6186source file were written in C, and @value{GDBN} was parsing Modula-2, a
c2bbbb22
RP
6187command such as:
6188
6189@example
6190print a = b + c
6191@end example
6192
6193@noindent
6194might not have the effect you intended. In C, this means to add
6195@code{b} and @code{c} and place the result in @code{a}. The result
6196printed would be the value of @code{a}. In Modula-2, this means to compare
6197@code{a} to the result of @code{b+c}, yielding a @code{BOOLEAN} value.
09934a2b 6198@end ifset
c2bbbb22 6199
9897afc6 6200@node Automatically, , Manually, Setting
18fae2a8 6201@subsection Having @value{GDBN} infer the source language
c2bbbb22 6202
d05baf08
JK
6203To have @value{GDBN} set the working language automatically, use
6204@samp{set language local} or @samp{set language auto}. @value{GDBN}
6205then infers the working language. That is, when your program stops in a
6206frame (usually by encountering a breakpoint), @value{GDBN} sets the
6207working language to the language recorded for the function in that
6208frame. If the language for a frame is unknown (that is, if the function
6209or block corresponding to the frame was defined in a source file that
6210does not have a recognized extension), the current working language is
6211not changed, and @value{GDBN} issues a warning.
c2bbbb22
RP
6212
6213This may not seem necessary for most programs, which are written
6214entirely in one source language. However, program modules and libraries
6215written in one source language can be used by a main program written in
6216a different source language. Using @samp{set language auto} in this
6217case frees you from having to set the working language manually.
6218
9897afc6
EE
6219@ifset MOD2
6220@node Show, Checks, Setting, Languages
6221@section Displaying the language
6222@end ifset
6223@ifclear MOD2
6224@node Show, Support, Setting, Languages
c2bbbb22 6225@section Displaying the language
9897afc6 6226@end ifclear
c2bbbb22 6227
9a27b06e 6228The following commands help you find out which language is the
c2bbbb22
RP
6229working language, and also what language source files were written in.
6230
6231@kindex show language
6232@kindex info frame
6233@kindex info source
6234@table @code
6235@item show language
6236Display the current working language. This is the
6237language you can use with commands such as @code{print} to
29a2b744 6238build and compute expressions that may involve variables in your program.
c2bbbb22
RP
6239
6240@item info frame
af215b1a
VM
6241Display the source language for this frame. This language becomes the
6242working language if you use an identifier from this frame.
6243@xref{Frame Info, ,Information about a frame}, to identify the other
6244information listed here.
c2bbbb22
RP
6245
6246@item info source
af215b1a
VM
6247Display the source language of this source file.
6248@xref{Symbols, ,Examining the Symbol Table}, to identify the other
6249information listed here.
c2bbbb22
RP
6250@end table
6251
09934a2b 6252@ifset MOD2
9897afc6 6253@node Checks, Support, Show, Languages
93928b60 6254@section Type and range checking
c2bbbb22
RP
6255
6256@quotation
18fae2a8 6257@emph{Warning:} In this release, the @value{GDBN} commands for type and range
c2bbbb22
RP
6258checking are included, but they do not yet have any effect. This
6259section documents the intended facilities.
6260@end quotation
6261@c FIXME remove warning when type/range code added
6262
6263Some languages are designed to guard you against making seemingly common
6264errors through a series of compile- and run-time checks. These include
6265checking the type of arguments to functions and operators, and making
6266sure mathematical overflows are caught at run time. Checks such as
6267these help to ensure a program's correctness once it has been compiled
6268by eliminating type mismatches, and providing active checks for range
29a2b744 6269errors when your program is running.
c2bbbb22 6270
18fae2a8 6271@value{GDBN} can check for conditions like the above if you wish.
9a27b06e 6272Although @value{GDBN} does not check the statements in your program, it
18fae2a8 6273can check expressions entered directly into @value{GDBN} for evaluation via
1041a570 6274the @code{print} command, for example. As with the working language,
18fae2a8 6275@value{GDBN} can also decide whether or not to check automatically based on
93928b60 6276your program's source language. @xref{Support, ,Supported languages},
1041a570 6277for the default settings of supported languages.
c2bbbb22
RP
6278
6279@menu
6280* Type Checking:: An overview of type checking
6281* Range Checking:: An overview of range checking
6282@end menu
6283
6284@cindex type checking
6285@cindex checks, type
9897afc6 6286@node Type Checking, Range Checking, Checks, Checks
c2bbbb22
RP
6287@subsection An overview of type checking
6288
6289Some languages, such as Modula-2, are strongly typed, meaning that the
6290arguments to operators and functions have to be of the correct type,
6291otherwise an error occurs. These checks prevent type mismatch
6292errors from ever causing any run-time problems. For example,
6293
af215b1a 6294@smallexample
c2bbbb22 62951 + 2 @result{} 3
1041a570 6296@exdent but
c2bbbb22 6297@error{} 1 + 2.3
af215b1a 6298@end smallexample
c2bbbb22
RP
6299
6300The second example fails because the @code{CARDINAL} 1 is not
6301type-compatible with the @code{REAL} 2.3.
6302
af215b1a
VM
6303For the expressions you use in @value{GDBN} commands, you can tell the
6304@value{GDBN} type checker to skip checking;
6305to treat any mismatches as errors and abandon the expression;
6306or to only issue warnings when type mismatches occur,
6307but evaluate the expression anyway. When you choose the last of
18fae2a8 6308these, @value{GDBN} evaluates expressions like the second example above, but
c2bbbb22
RP
6309also issues a warning.
6310
af215b1a
VM
6311Even if you turn type checking off, there may be other reasons
6312related to type that prevent @value{GDBN} from evaluating an expression.
6313For instance, @value{GDBN} does not know how to add an @code{int} and
6314a @code{struct foo}. These particular type errors have nothing to do
6315with the language in use, and usually arise from expressions, such as
6316the one described above, which make little sense to evaluate anyway.
c2bbbb22
RP
6317
6318Each language defines to what degree it is strict about type. For
6319instance, both Modula-2 and C require the arguments to arithmetical
6320operators to be numbers. In C, enumerated types and pointers can be
6321represented as numbers, so that they are valid arguments to mathematical
93928b60 6322operators. @xref{Support, ,Supported languages}, for further
c2bbbb22
RP
6323details on specific languages.
6324
18fae2a8 6325@value{GDBN} provides some additional commands for controlling the type checker:
c2bbbb22
RP
6326
6327@kindex set check
6328@kindex set check type
6329@kindex show check type
6330@table @code
6331@item set check type auto
e251e767 6332Set type checking on or off based on the current working language.
93928b60 6333@xref{Support, ,Supported languages}, for the default settings for
c2bbbb22
RP
6334each language.
6335
6336@item set check type on
6337@itemx set check type off
6338Set type checking on or off, overriding the default setting for the
6339current working language. Issue a warning if the setting does not
93918348 6340match the language default. If any type mismatches occur in
18fae2a8 6341evaluating an expression while typechecking is on, @value{GDBN} prints a
c2bbbb22
RP
6342message and aborts evaluation of the expression.
6343
6344@item set check type warn
6345Cause the type checker to issue warnings, but to always attempt to
6346evaluate the expression. Evaluating the expression may still
18fae2a8 6347be impossible for other reasons. For example, @value{GDBN} cannot add
c2bbbb22
RP
6348numbers and structures.
6349
6350@item show type
af215b1a
VM
6351Show the current setting of the type checker, and whether or not @value{GDBN}
6352is setting it automatically.
c2bbbb22
RP
6353@end table
6354
6355@cindex range checking
6356@cindex checks, range
9897afc6 6357@node Range Checking, , Type Checking, Checks
ed447b95 6358@subsection An overview of range checking
c2bbbb22
RP
6359
6360In some languages (such as Modula-2), it is an error to exceed the
6361bounds of a type; this is enforced with run-time checks. Such range
6362checking is meant to ensure program correctness by making sure
6363computations do not overflow, or indices on an array element access do
6364not exceed the bounds of the array.
6365
ed447b95
RP
6366For expressions you use in @value{GDBN} commands, you can tell
6367@value{GDBN} to treat range errors in one of three ways: ignore them,
6368always treat them as errors and abandon the expression, or issue
6369warnings but evaluate the expression anyway.
c2bbbb22
RP
6370
6371A range error can result from numerical overflow, from exceeding an
ed447b95 6372array index bound, or when you type a constant that is not a member
c2bbbb22
RP
6373of any type. Some languages, however, do not treat overflows as an
6374error. In many implementations of C, mathematical overflow causes the
6375result to ``wrap around'' to lower values---for example, if @var{m} is
6376the largest integer value, and @var{s} is the smallest, then
1041a570 6377
c2bbbb22
RP
6378@example
6379@var{m} + 1 @result{} @var{s}
6380@end example
6381
6382This, too, is specific to individual languages, and in some cases
1041a570 6383specific to individual compilers or machines. @xref{Support, ,
93928b60 6384Supported languages}, for further details on specific languages.
c2bbbb22 6385
18fae2a8 6386@value{GDBN} provides some additional commands for controlling the range checker:
c2bbbb22
RP
6387
6388@kindex set check
6389@kindex set check range
6390@kindex show check range
6391@table @code
6392@item set check range auto
e251e767 6393Set range checking on or off based on the current working language.
93928b60 6394@xref{Support, ,Supported languages}, for the default settings for
c2bbbb22
RP
6395each language.
6396
6397@item set check range on
6398@itemx set check range off
6399Set range checking on or off, overriding the default setting for the
6400current working language. A warning is issued if the setting does not
93918348 6401match the language default. If a range error occurs, then a message
c2bbbb22
RP
6402is printed and evaluation of the expression is aborted.
6403
6404@item set check range warn
18fae2a8 6405Output messages when the @value{GDBN} range checker detects a range error,
c2bbbb22
RP
6406but attempt to evaluate the expression anyway. Evaluating the
6407expression may still be impossible for other reasons, such as accessing
6b51acad 6408memory that the process does not own (a typical example from many Unix
c2bbbb22
RP
6409systems).
6410
6411@item show range
e251e767 6412Show the current setting of the range checker, and whether or not it is
18fae2a8 6413being set automatically by @value{GDBN}.
c2bbbb22 6414@end table
09934a2b 6415@end ifset
c2bbbb22 6416
9897afc6
EE
6417@ifset MOD2
6418@node Support, , Checks, Languages
93928b60 6419@section Supported languages
9897afc6
EE
6420@end ifset
6421@ifclear MOD2
6422@node Support, , Show, Languages
6423@section Supported languages
6424@end ifclear
c2bbbb22 6425
09934a2b
RP
6426@ifset MOD2
6427@value{GDBN} 4 supports C, C++, and Modula-2.
6428@end ifset
6429@ifclear MOD2
9897afc6 6430@value{GDBN} 4 supports C and C++.
09934a2b
RP
6431@end ifclear
6432Some @value{GDBN} features may be used in expressions regardless of the
6433language you use: the @value{GDBN} @code{@@} and @code{::} operators,
6434and the @samp{@{type@}addr} construct (@pxref{Expressions,
6435,Expressions}) can be used with the constructs of any supported
6436language.
6437
6438The following sections detail to what degree each source language is
6439supported by @value{GDBN}. These sections are not meant to be language
6440tutorials or references, but serve only as a reference guide to what the
9a27b06e 6441@value{GDBN} expression parser accepts, and what input and output
09934a2b
RP
6442formats should look like for different languages. There are many good
6443books written on each of these languages; please look to these for a
6444language reference or tutorial.
6445
6446@ifset MOD2
c2bbbb22
RP
6447@menu
6448* C:: C and C++
6449* Modula-2:: Modula-2
6450@end menu
6451
9897afc6 6452@node C, Modula-2, , Support
c2bbbb22
RP
6453@subsection C and C++
6454@cindex C and C++
c2bbbb22 6455@cindex expressions in C or C++
9897afc6 6456@end ifset
0f153e74 6457
18fae2a8 6458Since C and C++ are so closely related, many features of @value{GDBN} apply
af215b1a 6459to both languages. Whenever this is the case, we discuss those languages
5a2c1d85 6460together.
9897afc6 6461
09934a2b
RP
6462@ifclear MOD2
6463@c Cancel this below, under same condition, at end of this chapter!
6370267a 6464@raisesections
09934a2b 6465@end ifclear
b80282d5 6466
9897afc6 6467@ifclear HPPA
b80282d5
RP
6468@cindex C++
6469@kindex g++
af215b1a
VM
6470@cindex @sc{gnu} C++
6471The C++ debugging facilities are jointly implemented by the @sc{gnu} C++
22b5dba5 6472compiler and @value{GDBN}. Therefore, to debug your C++ code
af215b1a 6473effectively, you must compile your C++ programs with the @sc{gnu} C++
22b5dba5
RP
6474compiler, @code{g++}.
6475
6476For best results when debugging C++ programs, use the stabs debugging
6477format. You can select that format explicitly with the @code{g++}
6478command-line options @samp{-gstabs} or @samp{-gstabs+}. See
af215b1a
VM
6479@ref{Debugging Options,,Options for Debugging Your Program or @sc{gnu} CC,
6480gcc.info, Using @sc{gnu} CC}, for more information.
18fae2a8 6481@end ifclear
9897afc6
EE
6482@ifset HPPA
6483@cindex C++
6484@kindex g++
6485@cindex @sc{gnu} C++
6486You can use @value{GDBN} to debug C programs compiled with either the HP
6487C compiler (@code{cc}) or the GNU C compiler (@code{gcc}), and to debug
6488programs compiled with either the HP ANSI C++ compiler (@code{aCC}) or
6489the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler (@code{g++}).
6490
6491If you compile with the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler, use the stabs debugging
6492format for best results when debugging. You can select that format
6493explicitly with the @code{g++} command-line options @samp{-gstabs} or
6494@samp{-gstabs+}. See @ref{Debugging Options,,Options for Debugging Your
6495Program or @sc{gnu} CC, gcc.info, Using @sc{gnu} CC}, for more
6496information.
6497@end ifset
6498@end ifclear
6499
18fae2a8 6500@ifset CONLY
9897afc6 6501@node C, Symbols, Data, Top
0f153e74
RP
6502@chapter C Language Support
6503@cindex C language
6504@cindex expressions in C
6505
18fae2a8
RP
6506Information specific to the C language is built into @value{GDBN} so that you
6507can use C expressions while degugging. This also permits @value{GDBN} to
0f153e74 6508output values in a manner consistent with C conventions.
c2bbbb22 6509
0f153e74 6510@menu
ed447b95 6511* C Operators:: C operators
0f153e74 6512@end menu
18fae2a8 6513@end ifset
9897afc6 6514
18fae2a8 6515@ifclear CONLY
b80282d5 6516@menu
ed447b95
RP
6517* C Operators:: C and C++ operators
6518* C Constants:: C and C++ constants
6519* Cplus expressions:: C++ expressions
c2bbbb22 6520* C Defaults:: Default settings for C and C++
09934a2b 6521@ifset MOD2
ed447b95 6522* C Checks:: C and C++ type and range checks
09934a2b 6523@end ifset
da374d80 6524
18fae2a8 6525* Debugging C:: @value{GDBN} and C
9897afc6 6526* Debugging C plus plus:: @value{GDBN} features for C++
b80282d5 6527@end menu
18fae2a8 6528@end ifclear
b80282d5 6529
18fae2a8 6530@ifclear CONLY
c2bbbb22 6531@cindex C and C++ operators
9897afc6 6532@node C Operators, C Constants, , C
93928b60 6533@subsubsection C and C++ operators
18fae2a8
RP
6534@end ifclear
6535@ifset CONLY
0f153e74 6536@cindex C operators
9897afc6 6537@node C Operators, C Constants, C, C
93928b60 6538@section C operators
18fae2a8 6539@end ifset
c2bbbb22
RP
6540
6541Operators must be defined on values of specific types. For instance,
6542@code{+} is defined on numbers, but not on structures. Operators are
0f153e74
RP
6543often defined on groups of types.
6544
18fae2a8 6545@ifclear CONLY
0f153e74 6546For the purposes of C and C++, the following definitions hold:
18fae2a8 6547@end ifclear
c2bbbb22
RP
6548
6549@itemize @bullet
e251e767 6550@item
9897afc6 6551@ifclear HPPA
c2bbbb22 6552@emph{Integral types} include @code{int} with any of its storage-class
9aa964da 6553specifiers; @code{char}; and @code{enum}.
9897afc6
EE
6554@end ifclear
6555@ifset HPPA
6556@emph{Integral types} include @code{int} with any of its storage-class
6557specifiers; @code{char}; @code{enum}; and, for C++, @code{bool}.
6558@end ifset
c2bbbb22
RP
6559
6560@item
6561@emph{Floating-point types} include @code{float} and @code{double}.
6562
6563@item
6564@emph{Pointer types} include all types defined as @code{(@var{type}
6565*)}.
6566
e251e767 6567@item
c2bbbb22 6568@emph{Scalar types} include all of the above.
c2bbbb22
RP
6569@end itemize
6570
6571@noindent
6572The following operators are supported. They are listed here
6573in order of increasing precedence:
6574
6575@table @code
18fae2a8 6576@item ,
c2bbbb22
RP
6577The comma or sequencing operator. Expressions in a comma-separated list
6578are evaluated from left to right, with the result of the entire
6579expression being the last expression evaluated.
6580
6581@item =
6582Assignment. The value of an assignment expression is the value
6583assigned. Defined on scalar types.
6584
6585@item @var{op}=
1041a570
RP
6586Used in an expression of the form @w{@code{@var{a} @var{op}= @var{b}}},
6587and translated to @w{@code{@var{a} = @var{a op b}}}.
6588@w{@code{@var{op}=}} and @code{=} have the same precendence.
6589@var{op} is any one of the operators @code{|}, @code{^}, @code{&},
6590@code{<<}, @code{>>}, @code{+}, @code{-}, @code{*}, @code{/}, @code{%}.
c2bbbb22
RP
6591
6592@item ?:
6593The ternary operator. @code{@var{a} ? @var{b} : @var{c}} can be thought
6594of as: if @var{a} then @var{b} else @var{c}. @var{a} should be of an
6595integral type.
6596
6597@item ||
1041a570 6598Logical @sc{or}. Defined on integral types.
c2bbbb22
RP
6599
6600@item &&
1041a570 6601Logical @sc{and}. Defined on integral types.
c2bbbb22
RP
6602
6603@item |
1041a570 6604Bitwise @sc{or}. Defined on integral types.
c2bbbb22
RP
6605
6606@item ^
1041a570 6607Bitwise exclusive-@sc{or}. Defined on integral types.
c2bbbb22
RP
6608
6609@item &
1041a570 6610Bitwise @sc{and}. Defined on integral types.
c2bbbb22
RP
6611
6612@item ==@r{, }!=
6613Equality and inequality. Defined on scalar types. The value of these
6614expressions is 0 for false and non-zero for true.
6615
6616@item <@r{, }>@r{, }<=@r{, }>=
6617Less than, greater than, less than or equal, greater than or equal.
6618Defined on scalar types. The value of these expressions is 0 for false
6619and non-zero for true.
6620
6621@item <<@r{, }>>
18fae2a8 6622left shift, and right shift. Defined on integral types.
c2bbbb22 6623
e251e767 6624@item @@
18fae2a8 6625The @value{GDBN} ``artificial array'' operator (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}).
c2bbbb22
RP
6626
6627@item +@r{, }-
6628Addition and subtraction. Defined on integral types, floating-point types and
e251e767 6629pointer types.
c2bbbb22
RP
6630
6631@item *@r{, }/@r{, }%
6632Multiplication, division, and modulus. Multiplication and division are
6633defined on integral and floating-point types. Modulus is defined on
6634integral types.
6635
6636@item ++@r{, }--
6637Increment and decrement. When appearing before a variable, the
6638operation is performed before the variable is used in an expression;
6639when appearing after it, the variable's value is used before the
6640operation takes place.
6641
6642@item *
6643Pointer dereferencing. Defined on pointer types. Same precedence as
6644@code{++}.
6645
6646@item &
6647Address operator. Defined on variables. Same precedence as @code{++}.
6648
18fae2a8 6649@ifclear CONLY
93918348 6650For debugging C++, @value{GDBN} implements a use of @samp{&} beyond what is
6ca72cc6 6651allowed in the C++ language itself: you can use @samp{&(&@var{ref})}
7640fe71 6652(or, if you prefer, simply @samp{&&@var{ref}}) to examine the address
6ca72cc6
RP
6653where a C++ reference variable (declared with @samp{&@var{ref}}) is
6654stored.
18fae2a8 6655@end ifclear
6ca72cc6 6656
c2bbbb22
RP
6657@item -
6658Negative. Defined on integral and floating-point types. Same
6659precedence as @code{++}.
6660
6661@item !
6662Logical negation. Defined on integral types. Same precedence as
6663@code{++}.
6664
6665@item ~
6666Bitwise complement operator. Defined on integral types. Same precedence as
6667@code{++}.
6668
18fae2a8 6669
c2bbbb22
RP
6670@item .@r{, }->
6671Structure member, and pointer-to-structure member. For convenience,
18fae2a8 6672@value{GDBN} regards the two as equivalent, choosing whether to dereference a
e251e767 6673pointer based on the stored type information.
9aa964da 6674Defined on @code{struct} and @code{union} data.
c2bbbb22 6675
9897afc6
EE
6676@ifset HPPA
6677@item .*@r{, }->*
6678Dereferences of pointers to members.
6679@end ifset
6680
c2bbbb22
RP
6681@item []
6682Array indexing. @code{@var{a}[@var{i}]} is defined as
6683@code{*(@var{a}+@var{i})}. Same precedence as @code{->}.
6684
6685@item ()
18fae2a8 6686Function parameter list. Same precedence as @code{->}.
c2bbbb22 6687
18fae2a8 6688@ifclear CONLY
c2bbbb22
RP
6689@item ::
6690C++ scope resolution operator. Defined on
6691@code{struct}, @code{union}, and @code{class} types.
18fae2a8 6692@end ifclear
c2bbbb22
RP
6693
6694@item ::
ed447b95
RP
6695Doubled colons
6696@ifclear CONLY
6697also
6698@end ifclear
6699represent the @value{GDBN} scope operator (@pxref{Expressions,
6700,Expressions}).
18fae2a8 6701@ifclear CONLY
0f153e74 6702Same precedence as @code{::}, above.
18fae2a8 6703@end ifclear
c2bbbb22
RP
6704@end table
6705
9897afc6
EE
6706@ifset HPPA
6707If an operator is redefined in the user code, @value{GDBN} usually
6708attempts to invoke the redefined version instead of using the operator's
6709predefined meaning.
6710@end ifset
6711
18fae2a8 6712@ifclear CONLY
9897afc6
EE
6713@menu
6714* C Constants::
6715@end menu
6716
6717@ifset MOD2
6718@node C Constants, Cplus expressions, C Operators, C
6719@subsubsection C and C++ constants
6720@end ifset
6721@ifclear MOD2
6722@node C Constants, Cplus expressions, C Operators, Support
93928b60 6723@subsubsection C and C++ constants
9897afc6 6724@end ifclear
0f153e74 6725
9897afc6 6726@cindex C and C++ constants
18fae2a8 6727@value{GDBN} allows you to express the constants of C and C++ in the
0f153e74 6728following ways:
18fae2a8
RP
6729@end ifclear
6730@ifset CONLY
0f153e74 6731@cindex C constants
9897afc6 6732@node C Constants, Debugging C, C Operators, C
93928b60 6733@section C constants
c2bbbb22 6734
18fae2a8 6735@value{GDBN} allows you to express the constants of C in the
c2bbbb22 6736following ways:
18fae2a8 6737@end ifset
c2bbbb22
RP
6738
6739@itemize @bullet
c2bbbb22
RP
6740@item
6741Integer constants are a sequence of digits. Octal constants are
af215b1a 6742specified by a leading @samp{0} (i.e. zero), and hexadecimal constants by
1041a570 6743a leading @samp{0x} or @samp{0X}. Constants may also end with a letter
c2bbbb22
RP
6744@samp{l}, specifying that the constant should be treated as a
6745@code{long} value.
6746
6747@item
6748Floating point constants are a sequence of digits, followed by a decimal
6749point, followed by a sequence of digits, and optionally followed by an
6750exponent. An exponent is of the form:
6751@samp{@w{e@r{[[}+@r{]|}-@r{]}@var{nnn}}}, where @var{nnn} is another
6752sequence of digits. The @samp{+} is optional for positive exponents.
6753
6754@item
6755Enumerated constants consist of enumerated identifiers, or their
6756integral equivalents.
6757
6758@item
6759Character constants are a single character surrounded by single quotes
6760(@code{'}), or a number---the ordinal value of the corresponding character
6761(usually its @sc{ASCII} value). Within quotes, the single character may
6762be represented by a letter or by @dfn{escape sequences}, which are of
6763the form @samp{\@var{nnn}}, where @var{nnn} is the octal representation
6764of the character's ordinal value; or of the form @samp{\@var{x}}, where
6765@samp{@var{x}} is a predefined special character---for example,
6766@samp{\n} for newline.
6767
6768@item
6769String constants are a sequence of character constants surrounded
6770by double quotes (@code{"}).
6771
6772@item
fe715d06
RP
6773Pointer constants are an integral value. You can also write pointers
6774to constants using the C operator @samp{&}.
6775
6776@item
6777Array constants are comma-separated lists surrounded by braces @samp{@{}
6778and @samp{@}}; for example, @samp{@{1,2,3@}} is a three-element array of
6779integers, @samp{@{@{1,2@}, @{3,4@}, @{5,6@}@}} is a three-by-two array,
6780and @samp{@{&"hi", &"there", &"fred"@}} is a three-element array of pointers.
c2bbbb22
RP
6781@end itemize
6782
18fae2a8 6783@ifclear CONLY
9897afc6
EE
6784@menu
6785* Cplus expressions::
6786* C Defaults::
6787@ifset MOD2
6788* C Checks::
6789@end ifset
6790
6791* Debugging C::
6792@end menu
6793
6794@ifset MOD2
6795@node Cplus expressions, C Defaults, C Constants, C
6796@subsubsection C++ expressions
6797@end ifset
6798@ifclear MOD2
6799@node Cplus expressions, C Defaults, C Constants, Support
93928b60 6800@subsubsection C++ expressions
9897afc6 6801@end ifclear
b80282d5
RP
6802
6803@cindex expressions in C++
9897afc6 6804@value{GDBN} expression handling can interpret most C++ expressions.
b1385986 6805
9897afc6 6806@ifclear HPPA
b1385986
RP
6807@cindex C++ support, not in @sc{coff}
6808@cindex @sc{coff} versus C++
6809@cindex C++ and object formats
6810@cindex object formats and C++
6811@cindex a.out and C++
6812@cindex @sc{ecoff} and C++
6813@cindex @sc{xcoff} and C++
6814@cindex @sc{elf}/stabs and C++
6815@cindex @sc{elf}/@sc{dwarf} and C++
9a27b06e
RP
6816@c FIXME!! GDB may eventually be able to debug C++ using DWARF; check
6817@c periodically whether this has happened...
b1385986 6818@quotation
9a27b06e 6819@emph{Warning:} @value{GDBN} can only debug C++ code if you compile with
af215b1a 6820the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler. Moreover, C++ debugging depends on the use of
9a27b06e
RP
6821additional debugging information in the symbol table, and thus requires
6822special support. @value{GDBN} has this support @emph{only} with the
6823stabs debug format. In particular, if your compiler generates a.out,
6824MIPS @sc{ecoff}, RS/6000 @sc{xcoff}, or @sc{elf} with stabs extensions
af215b1a 6825to the symbol table, these facilities are all available. (With @sc{gnu} CC,
9a27b06e
RP
6826you can use the @samp{-gstabs} option to request stabs debugging
6827extensions explicitly.) Where the object code format is standard
6828@sc{coff} or @sc{dwarf} in @sc{elf}, on the other hand, most of the C++
6829support in @value{GDBN} does @emph{not} work.
b1385986 6830@end quotation
9897afc6 6831@end ifclear
b80282d5
RP
6832
6833@enumerate
6834
6835@cindex member functions
e251e767 6836@item
b80282d5 6837Member function calls are allowed; you can use expressions like
1041a570 6838
b80282d5
RP
6839@example
6840count = aml->GetOriginal(x, y)
6841@end example
6842
6843@kindex this
6844@cindex namespace in C++
e251e767 6845@item
b80282d5
RP
6846While a member function is active (in the selected stack frame), your
6847expressions have the same namespace available as the member function;
18fae2a8 6848that is, @value{GDBN} allows implicit references to the class instance
b80282d5
RP
6849pointer @code{this} following the same rules as C++.
6850
9897afc6 6851@ifclear HPPA
b80282d5
RP
6852@cindex call overloaded functions
6853@cindex type conversions in C++
e251e767 6854@item
9a27b06e 6855You can call overloaded functions; @value{GDBN} resolves the function
b80282d5
RP
6856call to the right definition, with one restriction---you must use
6857arguments of the type required by the function that you want to call.
9a27b06e 6858@value{GDBN} does not perform conversions requiring constructors or
b80282d5 6859user-defined type operators.
9897afc6
EE
6860@end ifclear
6861@ifset HPPA
6862@cindex call overloaded functions
6863@cindex overloaded functions
6864@cindex type conversions in C++
6865@item
6866You can call overloaded functions; @value{GDBN} resolves the function
6867call to the right definition, with some restrictions. GDB does not
6868perform overload resolution involving user-defined type conversions,
6869calls to constructors, or instantiations of templates that do not exist
6870in the program. It also cannot handle ellipsis argument lists or
6871default arguments.
6872
6873It does perform integral conversions and promotions, floating-point
6874promotions, arithmetic conversions, pointer conversions, conversions of
6875class objects to base classes, and standard conversions such as those of
6876functions or arrays to pointers; it requires an exact match on the
6877number of function arguments.
6878
6879Overload resolution is always performed, unless you have specified
6880@code{set overload-resolution off}. @xref{Debugging C plus plus,
6881,@value{GDBN} features for C++}.
6882
6883You must specify@code{set overload-resolution off} in order to use an
6884explicit function signature to call an overloaded function, as in
6885@smallexample
6886p 'foo(char,int)'('x', 13)
6887@end smallexample
6888The @value{GDBN} command-completion facility can simplify this;
6889@pxref{Completion, ,Command completion}.
6890
6891@end ifset
b80282d5
RP
6892
6893@cindex reference declarations
6894@item
af215b1a
VM
6895@value{GDBN} understands variables declared as C++ references; you can use
6896them in expressions just as you do in C++ source---they are automatically
e251e767 6897dereferenced.
b80282d5 6898
18fae2a8 6899In the parameter list shown when @value{GDBN} displays a frame, the values of
b80282d5
RP
6900reference variables are not displayed (unlike other variables); this
6901avoids clutter, since references are often used for large structures.
6902The @emph{address} of a reference variable is always shown, unless
1041a570 6903you have specified @samp{set print address off}.
b80282d5
RP
6904
6905@item
18fae2a8 6906@value{GDBN} supports the C++ name resolution operator @code{::}---your
c2bbbb22
RP
6907expressions can use it just as expressions in your program do. Since
6908one scope may be defined in another, you can use @code{::} repeatedly if
6909necessary, for example in an expression like
18fae2a8 6910@samp{@var{scope1}::@var{scope2}::@var{name}}. @value{GDBN} also allows
c2bbbb22 6911resolving name scope by reference to source files, in both C and C++
93928b60 6912debugging (@pxref{Variables, ,Program variables}).
b80282d5
RP
6913@end enumerate
6914
9897afc6
EE
6915@ifset HPPA
6916In addition, @value{GDBN} supports calling virtual functions correctly,
6917printing out virtual bases of objects, calling functions in a base
6918subobject, casting objects, and invoking user-defined operators.
6919@end ifset
6920
6921@ifset MOD2
6922@node C Defaults, C Checks, Cplus expressions, C
93928b60 6923@subsubsection C and C++ defaults
9897afc6
EE
6924@end ifset
6925@ifclear MOD2
6926@node C Defaults, Debugging C, Cplus expressions, Support
6927@subsubsection C and C++ defaults
6928@end ifclear
c2bbbb22
RP
6929@cindex C and C++ defaults
6930
9897afc6 6931@ifclear HPPA
18fae2a8 6932If you allow @value{GDBN} to set type and range checking automatically, they
e251e767 6933both default to @code{off} whenever the working language changes to
af215b1a
VM
6934C or C++. This happens regardless of whether you or @value{GDBN}
6935selects the working language.
9897afc6 6936@end ifclear
c2bbbb22 6937
af215b1a
VM
6938If you allow @value{GDBN} to set the language automatically, it recognizes
6939source files whose names end with @file{.c}, @file{.C}, or @file{.cc}, and
6940when @value{GDBN} enters code compiled from one of these files,
6941it sets the working language to C or C++.
18fae2a8 6942@xref{Automatically, ,Having @value{GDBN} infer the source language}, for
c2bbbb22
RP
6943further details.
6944
09934a2b
RP
6945@ifset MOD2
6946@c Type checking is (a) primarily motivated by Modula-2, and (b)
6947@c unimplemented. If (b) changes, it might make sense to let this node
e0d3ace2 6948@c appear even if Mod-2 does not, but meanwhile ignore it. roland 16jul93.
9897afc6 6949@node C Checks, Debugging C, C Defaults, C Constants
93928b60 6950@subsubsection C and C++ type and range checks
c2bbbb22
RP
6951@cindex C and C++ checks
6952
18fae2a8 6953By default, when @value{GDBN} parses C or C++ expressions, type checking
9a27b06e
RP
6954is not used. However, if you turn type checking on, @value{GDBN}
6955considers two variables type equivalent if:
c2bbbb22
RP
6956
6957@itemize @bullet
6958@item
6959The two variables are structured and have the same structure, union, or
6960enumerated tag.
6961
e251e767 6962@item
af215b1a 6963The two variables have the same type name, or types that have been
c2bbbb22
RP
6964declared equivalent through @code{typedef}.
6965
6966@ignore
6967@c leaving this out because neither J Gilmore nor R Pesch understand it.
6968@c FIXME--beers?
6969@item
6970The two @code{struct}, @code{union}, or @code{enum} variables are
6971declared in the same declaration. (Note: this may not be true for all C
6972compilers.)
6973@end ignore
c2bbbb22
RP
6974@end itemize
6975
6976Range checking, if turned on, is done on mathematical operations. Array
6977indices are not checked, since they are often used to index a pointer
6978that is not itself an array.
09934a2b 6979@end ifset
18fae2a8 6980@end ifclear
c2bbbb22 6981
18fae2a8 6982@ifclear CONLY
9897afc6
EE
6983@ifset MOD2
6984@node Debugging C, Debugging C plus plus, C Checks, C
6985@subsubsection @value{GDBN} and C
6986@end ifset
6987@ifclear MOD2
6988@node Debugging C, Debugging C plus plus, C Defaults, Support
18fae2a8
RP
6989@subsubsection @value{GDBN} and C
6990@end ifclear
9897afc6 6991@end ifclear
18fae2a8 6992@ifset CONLY
9897afc6 6993@node Debugging C, , C Constants, C
18fae2a8
RP
6994@section @value{GDBN} and C
6995@end ifset
c2bbbb22
RP
6996
6997The @code{set print union} and @code{show print union} commands apply to
6998the @code{union} type. When set to @samp{on}, any @code{union} that is
1d7c3357
RP
6999inside a @code{struct}
7000@ifclear CONLY
7001or @code{class}
7002@end ifclear
9a27b06e
RP
7003is also printed.
7004Otherwise, it appears as @samp{@{...@}}.
c2bbbb22
RP
7005
7006The @code{@@} operator aids in the debugging of dynamic arrays, formed
ed447b95
RP
7007with pointers and a memory allocation function. @xref{Expressions,
7008,Expressions}.
c2bbbb22 7009
18fae2a8 7010@ifclear CONLY
9897afc6
EE
7011@menu
7012* Debugging C plus plus::
7013@end menu
7014
7015@ifset MOD2
7016@node Debugging C plus plus, , Debugging C, C
7017@subsubsection @value{GDBN} features for C++
7018@end ifset
7019@ifclear MOD2
7020@node Debugging C plus plus, , Debugging C, Support
93928b60 7021@subsubsection @value{GDBN} features for C++
9897afc6 7022@end ifclear
b80282d5
RP
7023
7024@cindex commands for C++
18fae2a8 7025Some @value{GDBN} commands are particularly useful with C++, and some are
b80282d5
RP
7026designed specifically for use with C++. Here is a summary:
7027
7028@table @code
7029@cindex break in overloaded functions
7030@item @r{breakpoint menus}
7031When you want a breakpoint in a function whose name is overloaded,
93918348 7032@value{GDBN} breakpoint menus help you specify which function definition
93928b60 7033you want. @xref{Breakpoint Menus,,Breakpoint menus}.
b80282d5
RP
7034
7035@cindex overloading in C++
7036@item rbreak @var{regex}
7037Setting breakpoints using regular expressions is helpful for setting
7038breakpoints on overloaded functions that are not members of any special
e251e767 7039classes.
93928b60 7040@xref{Set Breaks, ,Setting breakpoints}.
b80282d5 7041
9897afc6 7042@ifclear HPPA
b80282d5
RP
7043@cindex C++ exception handling
7044@item catch @var{exceptions}
7045@itemx info catch
29a2b744 7046Debug C++ exception handling using these commands. @xref{Exception
93928b60 7047Handling, ,Breakpoints and exceptions}.
9897afc6
EE
7048@end ifclear
7049@ifset HPPA
7050@cindex C++ exception handling
7051@item catch throw
7052@itemx catch catch
7053Debug C++ exception handling using these commands. @xref{Set
7054Catchpoints, ,Setting catchpoints}.
7055@end ifset
b80282d5 7056
e251e767 7057@cindex inheritance
b80282d5
RP
7058@item ptype @var{typename}
7059Print inheritance relationships as well as other information for type
e251e767 7060@var{typename}.
1041a570 7061@xref{Symbols, ,Examining the Symbol Table}.
b80282d5
RP
7062
7063@cindex C++ symbol display
7064@item set print demangle
7065@itemx show print demangle
7066@itemx set print asm-demangle
7067@itemx show print asm-demangle
7068Control whether C++ symbols display in their source form, both when
7069displaying code as C++ source and when displaying disassemblies.
93928b60 7070@xref{Print Settings, ,Print settings}.
b80282d5
RP
7071
7072@item set print object
7073@itemx show print object
e251e767 7074Choose whether to print derived (actual) or declared types of objects.
93928b60 7075@xref{Print Settings, ,Print settings}.
b80282d5
RP
7076
7077@item set print vtbl
7078@itemx show print vtbl
7079Control the format for printing virtual function tables.
93928b60 7080@xref{Print Settings, ,Print settings}.
9897afc6
EE
7081@ifset HPPA
7082(The @code{vtbl} commands do not work on programs compiled with the HP
7083ANSI C++ compiler (@code{aCC}).)
7084
7085@kindex set overload-resolution
7086@cindex overloaded functions
7087@item set overload-resolution on
7088Enable overload resolution for C++ expression evaluation. The default
7089is on. For overloaded functions, @value{GDBN} evaluates the arguments
7090and searches for a function whose signature matches the argument types,
7091using the standard C++ conversion rules (@pxref{Cplus expressions, ,C++
7092expressions} for details). If it cannot find a match, it emits a
7093message.
7094
7095@item set overload-resolution off
7096Disable overload resolution for C++ expression evaluation. For
7097overloaded functions that are not class member functions, @value{GDBN}
7098chooses the first function of the specified name that it finds in the
7099symbol table, whether or not its arguments are of the correct type. For
7100overloaded functions that are class member functions, @value{GDBN}
7101searches for a function whose signature @emph{exactly} matches the
7102argument types.
7103@end ifset
6f3ec223
RP
7104
7105@item @r{Overloaded symbol names}
7106You can specify a particular definition of an overloaded symbol, using
93918348 7107the same notation that is used to declare such symbols in C++: type
6f3ec223 7108@code{@var{symbol}(@var{types})} rather than just @var{symbol}. You can
93918348 7109also use the @value{GDBN} command-line word completion facilities to list the
6f3ec223 7110available choices, or to finish the type list for you.
93928b60 7111@xref{Completion,, Command completion}, for details on how to do this.
b80282d5 7112@end table
09934a2b 7113@ifclear MOD2
6370267a
RP
7114@c cancels "raisesections" under same conditions near bgn of chapter
7115@lowersections
09934a2b 7116@end ifclear
b80282d5 7117
09934a2b 7118@ifset MOD2
9897afc6 7119@node Modula-2, ,C , Support
c2bbbb22
RP
7120@subsection Modula-2
7121@cindex Modula-2
7122
ed447b95 7123The extensions made to @value{GDBN} to support Modula-2 only support
af215b1a 7124output from the @sc{gnu} Modula-2 compiler (which is currently being
ed447b95 7125developed). Other Modula-2 compilers are not currently supported, and
9a27b06e
RP
7126attempting to debug executables produced by them is most likely
7127to give an error as @value{GDBN} reads in the executable's symbol
ed447b95 7128table.
c2bbbb22
RP
7129
7130@cindex expressions in Modula-2
7131@menu
7132* M2 Operators:: Built-in operators
9897afc6 7133* Built-In Func/Proc:: Built-in functions and procedures
ed447b95 7134* M2 Constants:: Modula-2 constants
c2bbbb22
RP
7135* M2 Defaults:: Default settings for Modula-2
7136* Deviations:: Deviations from standard Modula-2
ed447b95 7137* M2 Checks:: Modula-2 type and range checks
c2bbbb22 7138* M2 Scope:: The scope operators @code{::} and @code{.}
18fae2a8 7139* GDB/M2:: @value{GDBN} and Modula-2
c2bbbb22
RP
7140@end menu
7141
9897afc6 7142@node M2 Operators, Built-In Func/Proc, Modula-2, Modula-2
c2bbbb22
RP
7143@subsubsection Operators
7144@cindex Modula-2 operators
7145
7146Operators must be defined on values of specific types. For instance,
7147@code{+} is defined on numbers, but not on structures. Operators are
7148often defined on groups of types. For the purposes of Modula-2, the
7149following definitions hold:
7150
7151@itemize @bullet
7152
7153@item
7154@emph{Integral types} consist of @code{INTEGER}, @code{CARDINAL}, and
7155their subranges.
7156
7157@item
7158@emph{Character types} consist of @code{CHAR} and its subranges.
7159
7160@item
7161@emph{Floating-point types} consist of @code{REAL}.
7162
7163@item
7164@emph{Pointer types} consist of anything declared as @code{POINTER TO
7165@var{type}}.
7166
7167@item
7168@emph{Scalar types} consist of all of the above.
7169
7170@item
9aa964da 7171@emph{Set types} consist of @code{SET} and @code{BITSET} types.
c2bbbb22
RP
7172
7173@item
7174@emph{Boolean types} consist of @code{BOOLEAN}.
c2bbbb22
RP
7175@end itemize
7176
7177@noindent
7178The following operators are supported, and appear in order of
7179increasing precedence:
7180
7181@table @code
c2bbbb22
RP
7182@item ,
7183Function argument or array index separator.
18fae2a8 7184
c2bbbb22
RP
7185@item :=
7186Assignment. The value of @var{var} @code{:=} @var{value} is
7187@var{value}.
7188
7189@item <@r{, }>
7190Less than, greater than on integral, floating-point, or enumerated
7191types.
7192
7193@item <=@r{, }>=
7194Less than, greater than, less than or equal to, greater than or equal to
7195on integral, floating-point and enumerated types, or set inclusion on
7196set types. Same precedence as @code{<}.
7197
7198@item =@r{, }<>@r{, }#
7199Equality and two ways of expressing inequality, valid on scalar types.
18fae2a8 7200Same precedence as @code{<}. In @value{GDBN} scripts, only @code{<>} is
c2bbbb22
RP
7201available for inequality, since @code{#} conflicts with the script
7202comment character.
7203
7204@item IN
7205Set membership. Defined on set types and the types of their members.
7206Same precedence as @code{<}.
7207
7208@item OR
7209Boolean disjunction. Defined on boolean types.
7210
7211@item AND@r{, }&
7212Boolean conjuction. Defined on boolean types.
7213
7214@item @@
18fae2a8 7215The @value{GDBN} ``artificial array'' operator (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}).
c2bbbb22
RP
7216
7217@item +@r{, }-
7218Addition and subtraction on integral and floating-point types, or union
7219and difference on set types.
7220
7221@item *
7222Multiplication on integral and floating-point types, or set intersection
7223on set types.
7224
7225@item /
7226Division on floating-point types, or symmetric set difference on set
7227types. Same precedence as @code{*}.
7228
7229@item DIV@r{, }MOD
7230Integer division and remainder. Defined on integral types. Same
7231precedence as @code{*}.
7232
7233@item -
9aa964da 7234Negative. Defined on @code{INTEGER} and @code{REAL} data.
c2bbbb22
RP
7235
7236@item ^
e251e767 7237Pointer dereferencing. Defined on pointer types.
c2bbbb22
RP
7238
7239@item NOT
7240Boolean negation. Defined on boolean types. Same precedence as
7241@code{^}.
7242
7243@item .
9aa964da 7244@code{RECORD} field selector. Defined on @code{RECORD} data. Same
c2bbbb22
RP
7245precedence as @code{^}.
7246
7247@item []
9aa964da 7248Array indexing. Defined on @code{ARRAY} data. Same precedence as @code{^}.
c2bbbb22
RP
7249
7250@item ()
9aa964da 7251Procedure argument list. Defined on @code{PROCEDURE} objects. Same precedence
c2bbbb22
RP
7252as @code{^}.
7253
7254@item ::@r{, }.
18fae2a8 7255@value{GDBN} and Modula-2 scope operators.
c2bbbb22
RP
7256@end table
7257
7258@quotation
18fae2a8 7259@emph{Warning:} Sets and their operations are not yet supported, so @value{GDBN}
9a27b06e 7260treats the use of the operator @code{IN}, or the use of operators
c2bbbb22
RP
7261@code{+}, @code{-}, @code{*}, @code{/}, @code{=}, , @code{<>}, @code{#},
7262@code{<=}, and @code{>=} on sets as an error.
7263@end quotation
18fae2a8 7264
29a2b744 7265@cindex Modula-2 built-ins
9897afc6 7266@node Built-In Func/Proc, M2 Constants, M2 Operators, Modula-2
93928b60 7267@subsubsection Built-in functions and procedures
c2bbbb22
RP
7268
7269Modula-2 also makes available several built-in procedures and functions.
7270In describing these, the following metavariables are used:
7271
7272@table @var
7273
7274@item a
7275represents an @code{ARRAY} variable.
7276
7277@item c
7278represents a @code{CHAR} constant or variable.
7279
7280@item i
7281represents a variable or constant of integral type.
7282
7283@item m
7284represents an identifier that belongs to a set. Generally used in the
7285same function with the metavariable @var{s}. The type of @var{s} should
6b51acad 7286be @code{SET OF @var{mtype}} (where @var{mtype} is the type of @var{m}).
c2bbbb22
RP
7287
7288@item n
7289represents a variable or constant of integral or floating-point type.
7290
7291@item r
7292represents a variable or constant of floating-point type.
7293
7294@item t
7295represents a type.
7296
7297@item v
7298represents a variable.
7299
7300@item x
7301represents a variable or constant of one of many types. See the
7302explanation of the function for details.
c2bbbb22
RP
7303@end table
7304
7305All Modula-2 built-in procedures also return a result, described below.
7306
7307@table @code
7308@item ABS(@var{n})
7309Returns the absolute value of @var{n}.
7310
7311@item CAP(@var{c})
7312If @var{c} is a lower case letter, it returns its upper case
7313equivalent, otherwise it returns its argument
7314
7315@item CHR(@var{i})
7316Returns the character whose ordinal value is @var{i}.
7317
7318@item DEC(@var{v})
7319Decrements the value in the variable @var{v}. Returns the new value.
7320
7321@item DEC(@var{v},@var{i})
7322Decrements the value in the variable @var{v} by @var{i}. Returns the
7323new value.
7324
7325@item EXCL(@var{m},@var{s})
7326Removes the element @var{m} from the set @var{s}. Returns the new
7327set.
7328
7329@item FLOAT(@var{i})
7330Returns the floating point equivalent of the integer @var{i}.
7331
7332@item HIGH(@var{a})
7333Returns the index of the last member of @var{a}.
7334
7335@item INC(@var{v})
7336Increments the value in the variable @var{v}. Returns the new value.
7337
7338@item INC(@var{v},@var{i})
7339Increments the value in the variable @var{v} by @var{i}. Returns the
7340new value.
7341
7342@item INCL(@var{m},@var{s})
7343Adds the element @var{m} to the set @var{s} if it is not already
7344there. Returns the new set.
7345
7346@item MAX(@var{t})
7347Returns the maximum value of the type @var{t}.
7348
7349@item MIN(@var{t})
7350Returns the minimum value of the type @var{t}.
7351
7352@item ODD(@var{i})
7353Returns boolean TRUE if @var{i} is an odd number.
7354
7355@item ORD(@var{x})
7356Returns the ordinal value of its argument. For example, the ordinal
7357value of a character is its ASCII value (on machines supporting the
7358ASCII character set). @var{x} must be of an ordered type, which include
7359integral, character and enumerated types.
7360
7361@item SIZE(@var{x})
7362Returns the size of its argument. @var{x} can be a variable or a type.
7363
7364@item TRUNC(@var{r})
7365Returns the integral part of @var{r}.
7366
7367@item VAL(@var{t},@var{i})
7368Returns the member of the type @var{t} whose ordinal value is @var{i}.
7369@end table
7370
7371@quotation
7372@emph{Warning:} Sets and their operations are not yet supported, so
9a27b06e 7373@value{GDBN} treats the use of procedures @code{INCL} and @code{EXCL} as
c2bbbb22
RP
7374an error.
7375@end quotation
7376
7377@cindex Modula-2 constants
9897afc6 7378@node M2 Constants, M2 Defaults, Built-In Func/Proc, Modula-2
c2bbbb22
RP
7379@subsubsection Constants
7380
18fae2a8 7381@value{GDBN} allows you to express the constants of Modula-2 in the following
c2bbbb22
RP
7382ways:
7383
7384@itemize @bullet
7385
7386@item
7387Integer constants are simply a sequence of digits. When used in an
7388expression, a constant is interpreted to be type-compatible with the
7389rest of the expression. Hexadecimal integers are specified by a
7390trailing @samp{H}, and octal integers by a trailing @samp{B}.
7391
7392@item
7393Floating point constants appear as a sequence of digits, followed by a
7394decimal point and another sequence of digits. An optional exponent can
7395then be specified, in the form @samp{E@r{[}+@r{|}-@r{]}@var{nnn}}, where
7396@samp{@r{[}+@r{|}-@r{]}@var{nnn}} is the desired exponent. All of the
7397digits of the floating point constant must be valid decimal (base 10)
7398digits.
7399
7400@item
7401Character constants consist of a single character enclosed by a pair of
7402like quotes, either single (@code{'}) or double (@code{"}). They may
7403also be expressed by their ordinal value (their ASCII value, usually)
7404followed by a @samp{C}.
7405
7406@item
1041a570
RP
7407String constants consist of a sequence of characters enclosed by a
7408pair of like quotes, either single (@code{'}) or double (@code{"}).
7409Escape sequences in the style of C are also allowed. @xref{C
93928b60 7410Constants, ,C and C++ constants}, for a brief explanation of escape
1041a570 7411sequences.
c2bbbb22
RP
7412
7413@item
7414Enumerated constants consist of an enumerated identifier.
7415
7416@item
7417Boolean constants consist of the identifiers @code{TRUE} and
7418@code{FALSE}.
7419
7420@item
7421Pointer constants consist of integral values only.
7422
7423@item
7424Set constants are not yet supported.
c2bbbb22
RP
7425@end itemize
7426
9897afc6 7427@node M2 Defaults, Deviations, M2 Constants, Modula-2
93928b60 7428@subsubsection Modula-2 defaults
c2bbbb22
RP
7429@cindex Modula-2 defaults
7430
18fae2a8 7431If type and range checking are set automatically by @value{GDBN}, they
e251e767 7432both default to @code{on} whenever the working language changes to
18fae2a8 7433Modula-2. This happens regardless of whether you, or @value{GDBN},
c2bbbb22
RP
7434selected the working language.
7435
18fae2a8 7436If you allow @value{GDBN} to set the language automatically, then entering
9a27b06e 7437code compiled from a file whose name ends with @file{.mod} sets the
18fae2a8 7438working language to Modula-2. @xref{Automatically, ,Having @value{GDBN} set
c2bbbb22
RP
7439the language automatically}, for further details.
7440
9897afc6 7441@node Deviations, M2 Checks, M2 Defaults, Modula-2
93928b60 7442@subsubsection Deviations from standard Modula-2
c2bbbb22
RP
7443@cindex Modula-2, deviations from
7444
7445A few changes have been made to make Modula-2 programs easier to debug.
7446This is done primarily via loosening its type strictness:
7447
7448@itemize @bullet
e251e767 7449@item
c2bbbb22
RP
7450Unlike in standard Modula-2, pointer constants can be formed by
7451integers. This allows you to modify pointer variables during
7452debugging. (In standard Modula-2, the actual address contained in a
7453pointer variable is hidden from you; it can only be modified
7454through direct assignment to another pointer variable or expression that
7455returned a pointer.)
7456
e251e767 7457@item
c2bbbb22 7458C escape sequences can be used in strings and characters to represent
9a27b06e 7459non-printable characters. @value{GDBN} prints out strings with these
c2bbbb22
RP
7460escape sequences embedded. Single non-printable characters are
7461printed using the @samp{CHR(@var{nnn})} format.
7462
7463@item
7464The assignment operator (@code{:=}) returns the value of its right-hand
7465argument.
7466
7467@item
29a2b744 7468All built-in procedures both modify @emph{and} return their argument.
e251e767 7469@end itemize
c2bbbb22 7470
9897afc6 7471@node M2 Checks, M2 Scope, Deviations, Modula-2
93928b60 7472@subsubsection Modula-2 type and range checks
c2bbbb22
RP
7473@cindex Modula-2 checks
7474
7475@quotation
18fae2a8 7476@emph{Warning:} in this release, @value{GDBN} does not yet perform type or
c2bbbb22
RP
7477range checking.
7478@end quotation
7479@c FIXME remove warning when type/range checks added
7480
18fae2a8 7481@value{GDBN} considers two Modula-2 variables type equivalent if:
c2bbbb22
RP
7482
7483@itemize @bullet
7484@item
7485They are of types that have been declared equivalent via a @code{TYPE
7486@var{t1} = @var{t2}} statement
7487
7488@item
7489They have been declared on the same line. (Note: This is true of the
af215b1a 7490@sc{gnu} Modula-2 compiler, but it may not be true of other compilers.)
c2bbbb22
RP
7491@end itemize
7492
7493As long as type checking is enabled, any attempt to combine variables
7494whose types are not equivalent is an error.
7495
7496Range checking is done on all mathematical operations, assignment, array
29a2b744 7497index bounds, and all built-in functions and procedures.
c2bbbb22 7498
9897afc6 7499@node M2 Scope, GDB/M2, M2 Checks, Modula-2
c2bbbb22
RP
7500@subsubsection The scope operators @code{::} and @code{.}
7501@cindex scope
7502@kindex .
e94b4a2b 7503@cindex colon, doubled as scope operator
1041a570
RP
7504@ifinfo
7505@kindex colon-colon
ed447b95 7506@c Info cannot handle :: but TeX can.
1041a570
RP
7507@end ifinfo
7508@iftex
c2bbbb22 7509@kindex ::
1041a570 7510@end iftex
c2bbbb22
RP
7511
7512There are a few subtle differences between the Modula-2 scope operator
18fae2a8 7513(@code{.}) and the @value{GDBN} scope operator (@code{::}). The two have
c2bbbb22
RP
7514similar syntax:
7515
7516@example
7517
7518@var{module} . @var{id}
7519@var{scope} :: @var{id}
c2bbbb22
RP
7520@end example
7521
7522@noindent
7523where @var{scope} is the name of a module or a procedure,
29a2b744
RP
7524@var{module} the name of a module, and @var{id} is any declared
7525identifier within your program, except another module.
c2bbbb22 7526
18fae2a8 7527Using the @code{::} operator makes @value{GDBN} search the scope
c2bbbb22 7528specified by @var{scope} for the identifier @var{id}. If it is not
9a27b06e 7529found in the specified scope, then @value{GDBN} searches all scopes
c2bbbb22
RP
7530enclosing the one specified by @var{scope}.
7531
18fae2a8 7532Using the @code{.} operator makes @value{GDBN} search the current scope for
c2bbbb22
RP
7533the identifier specified by @var{id} that was imported from the
7534definition module specified by @var{module}. With this operator, it is
7535an error if the identifier @var{id} was not imported from definition
7536module @var{module}, or if @var{id} is not an identifier in
7537@var{module}.
7538
9897afc6 7539@node GDB/M2, , M2 Scope, Modula-2
18fae2a8 7540@subsubsection @value{GDBN} and Modula-2
c2bbbb22 7541
18fae2a8 7542Some @value{GDBN} commands have little use when debugging Modula-2 programs.
c2bbbb22
RP
7543Five subcommands of @code{set print} and @code{show print} apply
7544specifically to C and C++: @samp{vtbl}, @samp{demangle},
7545@samp{asm-demangle}, @samp{object}, and @samp{union}. The first four
93918348 7546apply to C++, and the last to the C @code{union} type, which has no direct
c2bbbb22
RP
7547analogue in Modula-2.
7548
1041a570 7549The @code{@@} operator (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}), while available
c2bbbb22
RP
7550while using any language, is not useful with Modula-2. Its
7551intent is to aid the debugging of @dfn{dynamic arrays}, which cannot be
7552created in Modula-2 as they can in C or C++. However, because an
7553address can be specified by an integral constant, the construct
1041a570 7554@samp{@{@var{type}@}@var{adrexp}} is still useful. (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions})
18fae2a8 7555
c2bbbb22 7556@cindex @code{#} in Modula-2
18fae2a8 7557In @value{GDBN} scripts, the Modula-2 inequality operator @code{#} is
c2bbbb22 7558interpreted as the beginning of a comment. Use @code{<>} instead.
09934a2b 7559@end ifset
da374d80 7560@end ifclear
4eb4cf57 7561
9897afc6 7562@node Symbols, Altering, Languages, Top
70b88761
RP
7563@chapter Examining the Symbol Table
7564
7565The commands described in this section allow you to inquire about the
7566symbols (names of variables, functions and types) defined in your
7567program. This information is inherent in the text of your program and
18fae2a8
RP
7568does not change as your program executes. @value{GDBN} finds it in your
7569program's symbol table, in the file indicated when you started @value{GDBN}
93928b60
RP
7570(@pxref{File Options, ,Choosing files}), or by one of the
7571file-management commands (@pxref{Files, ,Commands to specify files}).
70b88761 7572
6c380b13
RP
7573@cindex symbol names
7574@cindex names of symbols
7575@cindex quoting names
7576Occasionally, you may need to refer to symbols that contain unusual
18fae2a8 7577characters, which @value{GDBN} ordinarily treats as word delimiters. The
6c380b13 7578most frequent case is in referring to static variables in other
93928b60 7579source files (@pxref{Variables,,Program variables}). File names
18fae2a8 7580are recorded in object files as debugging symbols, but @value{GDBN} would
6c380b13 7581ordinarily parse a typical file name, like @file{foo.c}, as the three words
18fae2a8 7582@samp{foo} @samp{.} @samp{c}. To allow @value{GDBN} to recognize
6c380b13
RP
7583@samp{foo.c} as a single symbol, enclose it in single quotes; for example,
7584
7585@example
7586p 'foo.c'::x
7587@end example
7588
7589@noindent
7590looks up the value of @code{x} in the scope of the file @file{foo.c}.
7591
70b88761 7592@table @code
70b88761 7593@kindex info address
af215b1a 7594@item info address @var{symbol}
70b88761
RP
7595Describe where the data for @var{symbol} is stored. For a register
7596variable, this says which register it is kept in. For a non-register
7597local variable, this prints the stack-frame offset at which the variable
7598is always stored.
7599
7600Note the contrast with @samp{print &@var{symbol}}, which does not work
6b51acad 7601at all for a register variable, and for a stack local variable prints
70b88761
RP
7602the exact address of the current instantiation of the variable.
7603
70b88761 7604@kindex whatis
af215b1a 7605@item whatis @var{exp}
70b88761
RP
7606Print the data type of expression @var{exp}. @var{exp} is not
7607actually evaluated, and any side-effecting operations (such as
7608assignments or function calls) inside it do not take place.
1041a570 7609@xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}.
70b88761
RP
7610
7611@item whatis
7612Print the data type of @code{$}, the last value in the value history.
7613
70b88761 7614@kindex ptype
af215b1a 7615@item ptype @var{typename}
70b88761
RP
7616Print a description of data type @var{typename}. @var{typename} may be
7617the name of a type, or for C code it may have the form
25f9d853
JK
7618@ifclear CONLY
7619@samp{class @var{class-name}},
7620@end ifclear
70b88761 7621@samp{struct @var{struct-tag}}, @samp{union @var{union-tag}} or
1041a570 7622@samp{enum @var{enum-tag}}.
70b88761
RP
7623
7624@item ptype @var{exp}
e0dacfd1 7625@itemx ptype
70b88761 7626Print a description of the type of expression @var{exp}. @code{ptype}
1041a570 7627differs from @code{whatis} by printing a detailed description, instead
ed447b95
RP
7628of just the name of the type.
7629
7630For example, for this variable declaration:
1041a570 7631
70b88761
RP
7632@example
7633struct complex @{double real; double imag;@} v;
7634@end example
1041a570 7635
70b88761 7636@noindent
ed447b95 7637the two commands give this output:
1041a570 7638
70b88761 7639@example
1041a570 7640@group
18fae2a8 7641(@value{GDBP}) whatis v
70b88761 7642type = struct complex
18fae2a8 7643(@value{GDBP}) ptype v
70b88761
RP
7644type = struct complex @{
7645 double real;
7646 double imag;
7647@}
1041a570 7648@end group
70b88761 7649@end example
1041a570 7650
e0dacfd1
RP
7651@noindent
7652As with @code{whatis}, using @code{ptype} without an argument refers to
7653the type of @code{$}, the last value in the value history.
70b88761 7654
af215b1a 7655@kindex info types
70b88761
RP
7656@item info types @var{regexp}
7657@itemx info types
70b88761
RP
7658Print a brief description of all types whose name matches @var{regexp}
7659(or all types in your program, if you supply no argument). Each
7660complete typename is matched as though it were a complete line; thus,
7661@samp{i type value} gives information on all types in your program whose
7662name includes the string @code{value}, but @samp{i type ^value$} gives
7663information only on types whose complete name is @code{value}.
7664
7665This command differs from @code{ptype} in two ways: first, like
7666@code{whatis}, it does not print a detailed description; second, it
7667lists all source files where a type is defined.
7668
70b88761 7669@kindex info source
af215b1a 7670@item info source
70b88761 7671Show the name of the current source file---that is, the source file for
c2bbbb22
RP
7672the function containing the current point of execution---and the language
7673it was written in.
70b88761 7674
70b88761 7675@kindex info sources
af215b1a 7676@item info sources
29a2b744 7677Print the names of all source files in your program for which there is
b80282d5
RP
7678debugging information, organized into two lists: files whose symbols
7679have already been read, and files whose symbols will be read when needed.
70b88761 7680
70b88761 7681@kindex info functions
af215b1a 7682@item info functions
70b88761
RP
7683Print the names and data types of all defined functions.
7684
7685@item info functions @var{regexp}
7686Print the names and data types of all defined functions
7687whose names contain a match for regular expression @var{regexp}.
7688Thus, @samp{info fun step} finds all functions whose names
7689include @code{step}; @samp{info fun ^step} finds those whose names
7690start with @code{step}.
7691
70b88761 7692@kindex info variables
af215b1a 7693@item info variables
70b88761
RP
7694Print the names and data types of all variables that are declared
7695outside of functions (i.e., excluding local variables).
7696
7697@item info variables @var{regexp}
7698Print the names and data types of all variables (except for local
7699variables) whose names contain a match for regular expression
7700@var{regexp}.
7701
70b88761
RP
7702@ignore
7703This was never implemented.
af215b1a 7704@kindex info methods
70b88761
RP
7705@item info methods
7706@itemx info methods @var{regexp}
70b88761
RP
7707The @code{info methods} command permits the user to examine all defined
7708methods within C++ program, or (with the @var{regexp} argument) a
7709specific set of methods found in the various C++ classes. Many
7710C++ classes provide a large number of methods. Thus, the output
7711from the @code{ptype} command can be overwhelming and hard to use. The
7712@code{info-methods} command filters the methods, printing only those
7713which match the regular-expression @var{regexp}.
7714@end ignore
7715
9897afc6 7716@ifclear HPPA
af215b1a
VM
7717@cindex reloading symbols
7718Some systems allow individual object files that make up your program to
7719be replaced without stopping and restarting your program.
7720@ifset VXWORKS
7721For example, in VxWorks you can simply recompile a defective object file
7722and keep on running.
7723@end ifset
7724If you are running on one of these systems, you can allow @value{GDBN} to
7725reload the symbols for automatically relinked modules:
7726
7727@table @code
7728@kindex set symbol-reloading
7729@item set symbol-reloading on
7730Replace symbol definitions for the corresponding source file when an
7731object file with a particular name is seen again.
7732
7733@item set symbol-reloading off
7734Do not replace symbol definitions when re-encountering object files of
7735the same name. This is the default state; if you are not running on a
7736system that permits automatically relinking modules, you should leave
7737@code{symbol-reloading} off, since otherwise @value{GDBN} may discard symbols
7738when linking large programs, that may contain several modules (from
7739different directories or libraries) with the same name.
7740
7741@kindex show symbol-reloading
7742@item show symbol-reloading
7743Show the current @code{on} or @code{off} setting.
7744@end table
9897afc6
EE
7745@end ifclear
7746
7747@ifset HPPA
7748@kindex set opaque-type-resolution
7749@item set opaque-type-resolution on
7750Tell @value{GDBN} to resolve opaque types. An opaque type is a type
7751declared as a pointer to a @code{struct}, @code{class}, or
7752@code{union}---for example, @code{struct MyType *}---that is used in one
7753source file although the full declaration of @code{struct MyType} is in
7754another source file. The default is on.
7755
7756A change in the setting of this subcommand will not take effect until
7757the next time symbols for a file are loaded.
7758
7759@item set opaque-type-resolution off
7760Tell @value{GDBN} not to resolve opaque types. In this case, the type
7761is printed as follows:
7762@smallexample
7763@{<no data fields>@}
7764@end smallexample
7765
7766@kindex show opaque-type-resolution
7767@item show opaque-type-resolution
7768Show whether opaque types are resolved or not.
7769@end ifset
af215b1a 7770
d48da190 7771@kindex maint print symbols
440d9834 7772@cindex symbol dump
d48da190 7773@kindex maint print psymbols
440d9834 7774@cindex partial symbol dump
af215b1a
VM
7775@item maint print symbols @var{filename}
7776@itemx maint print psymbols @var{filename}
7777@itemx maint print msymbols @var{filename}
440d9834 7778Write a dump of debugging symbol data into the file @var{filename}.
18fae2a8 7779These commands are used to debug the @value{GDBN} symbol-reading code. Only
d48da190 7780symbols with debugging data are included. If you use @samp{maint print
18fae2a8 7781symbols}, @value{GDBN} includes all the symbols for which it has already
d48da190 7782collected full details: that is, @var{filename} reflects symbols for
18fae2a8 7783only those files whose symbols @value{GDBN} has read. You can use the
d48da190
RP
7784command @code{info sources} to find out which files these are. If you
7785use @samp{maint print psymbols} instead, the dump shows information about
18fae2a8
RP
7786symbols that @value{GDBN} only knows partially---that is, symbols defined in
7787files that @value{GDBN} has skimmed, but not yet read completely. Finally,
d48da190 7788@samp{maint print msymbols} dumps just the minimal symbol information
18fae2a8 7789required for each object file from which @value{GDBN} has read some symbols.
d55320a0
RP
7790@xref{Files, ,Commands to specify files}, for a discussion of how
7791@value{GDBN} reads symbols (in the description of @code{symbol-file}).
70b88761
RP
7792@end table
7793
9897afc6 7794@node Altering, GDB Files, Symbols, Top
70b88761
RP
7795@chapter Altering Execution
7796
29a2b744 7797Once you think you have found an error in your program, you might want to
70b88761
RP
7798find out for certain whether correcting the apparent error would lead to
7799correct results in the rest of the run. You can find the answer by
18fae2a8 7800experiment, using the @value{GDBN} features for altering execution of the
70b88761
RP
7801program.
7802
7803For example, you can store new values into variables or memory
1d7c3357 7804locations,
18fae2a8 7805@ifclear BARETARGET
1d7c3357 7806give your program a signal, restart it
18fae2a8 7807@end ifclear
1d7c3357
RP
7808@ifset BARETARGET
7809restart your program
7810@end ifset
af215b1a 7811at a different address, or even return prematurely from a function.
18fae2a8 7812
18fae2a8 7813@menu
ed447b95
RP
7814* Assignment:: Assignment to variables
7815* Jumping:: Continuing at a different address
1d7c3357 7816@ifclear BARETARGET
ed447b95 7817* Signaling:: Giving your program a signal
18fae2a8 7818@end ifclear
b0157555 7819
ed447b95
RP
7820* Returning:: Returning from a function
7821* Calling:: Calling your program's functions
7822* Patching:: Patching your program
18fae2a8 7823@end menu
70b88761 7824
9897afc6 7825@node Assignment, Jumping, Altering, Altering
93928b60 7826@section Assignment to variables
70b88761
RP
7827
7828@cindex assignment
7829@cindex setting variables
7830To alter the value of a variable, evaluate an assignment expression.
1041a570 7831@xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}. For example,
70b88761
RP
7832
7833@example
7834print x=4
7835@end example
7836
7837@noindent
1041a570 7838stores the value 4 into the variable @code{x}, and then prints the
4eb4cf57 7839value of the assignment expression (which is 4).
18fae2a8
RP
7840@ifclear CONLY
7841@xref{Languages, ,Using @value{GDBN} with Different Languages}, for more
4eb4cf57 7842information on operators in supported languages.
18fae2a8 7843@end ifclear
70b88761 7844
70b88761
RP
7845@kindex set variable
7846@cindex variables, setting
7847If you are not interested in seeing the value of the assignment, use the
7848@code{set} command instead of the @code{print} command. @code{set} is
93928b60
RP
7849really the same as @code{print} except that the expression's value is
7850not printed and is not put in the value history (@pxref{Value History,
7851,Value history}). The expression is evaluated only for its effects.
70b88761 7852
9897afc6 7853@ifclear HPPA
70b88761
RP
7854If the beginning of the argument string of the @code{set} command
7855appears identical to a @code{set} subcommand, use the @code{set
7856variable} command instead of just @code{set}. This command is identical
9897afc6
EE
7857to @code{set} except for its lack of subcommands. For example, if your
7858program has a variable @code{width}, you get an error if you try to set
7859a new value with just @samp{set width=13}, because @value{GDBN} has the
7860command @code{set width}:
1041a570 7861
70b88761 7862@example
18fae2a8 7863(@value{GDBP}) whatis width
70b88761 7864type = double
18fae2a8 7865(@value{GDBP}) p width
70b88761 7866$4 = 13
18fae2a8 7867(@value{GDBP}) set width=47
70b88761
RP
7868Invalid syntax in expression.
7869@end example
1041a570 7870
70b88761 7871@noindent
ed447b95
RP
7872The invalid expression, of course, is @samp{=47}. In
7873order to actually set the program's variable @code{width}, use
1041a570 7874
70b88761 7875@example
18fae2a8 7876(@value{GDBP}) set var width=47
70b88761 7877@end example
9897afc6
EE
7878@end ifclear
7879@ifset HPPA
7880Because the @code{set} command has many subcommands that can conflict
7881with the names of program variables, it is a good idea to use the
7882@code{set variable} command instead of just @code{set}. For example, if
7883your program has a variable @code{g}, you run into problems if you try
7884to set a new value with just @samp{set g=4}, because @value{GDBN} has
7885the command @code{set gnutarget}, abbreviated @code{set g}:
7886
7887@example
7888@group
7889(@value{GDBP}) whatis g
7890type = double
7891(@value{GDBP}) p g
7892$1 = 1
7893(@value{GDBP}) set g=4
7894(gdb) p g
7895$2 = 1
7896(@value{GDBP}) r
7897The program being debugged has been started already.
7898Start it from the beginning? (y or n) y
7899Starting program: /home/smith/cc_progs/a.out
7900"/home/smith/cc_progs/a.out": can't open to read symbols: Invalid bfd target.
7901(@value{GDBP}) show g
7902The current BFD target is "=4".
7903@end group
7904@end example
7905
7906@noindent
7907The program variable @code{g} did not change, and you silently set the
7908@code{gnutarget} to an invalid value. In order to set the variable
7909@code{g}, use
7910
7911@example
7912(@value{GDBP}) set var g=4
7913@end example
7914@end ifset
70b88761 7915
18fae2a8 7916@value{GDBN} allows more implicit conversions in assignments than C; you can
1041a570 7917freely store an integer value into a pointer variable or vice versa,
ed447b95 7918and you can convert any structure to any other structure that is the
1041a570 7919same length or shorter.
e251e767 7920@comment FIXME: how do structs align/pad in these conversions?
e0d3ace2 7921@comment /doc@cygnus.com 18dec1990
70b88761
RP
7922
7923To store values into arbitrary places in memory, use the @samp{@{@dots{}@}}
7924construct to generate a value of specified type at a specified address
1041a570 7925(@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}). For example, @code{@{int@}0x83040} refers
70b88761
RP
7926to memory location @code{0x83040} as an integer (which implies a certain size
7927and representation in memory), and
7928
7929@example
7930set @{int@}0x83040 = 4
7931@end example
7932
7933@noindent
7934stores the value 4 into that memory location.
7935
9897afc6 7936@node Jumping, Signaling, Assignment, Altering
93928b60 7937@section Continuing at a different address
70b88761 7938
29a2b744 7939Ordinarily, when you continue your program, you do so at the place where
70b88761
RP
7940it stopped, with the @code{continue} command. You can instead continue at
7941an address of your own choosing, with the following commands:
7942
7943@table @code
70b88761 7944@kindex jump
af215b1a 7945@item jump @var{linespec}
9a27b06e 7946Resume execution at line @var{linespec}. Execution stops again
29a2b744 7947immediately if there is a breakpoint there. @xref{List, ,Printing
93928b60 7948source lines}, for a description of the different forms of
29a2b744 7949@var{linespec}.
9897afc6
EE
7950@ifset HPPA
7951It is common practice to use the @code{tbreak} command in conjunction
7952with @code{jump}. @xref{Set Breaks, ,Setting breakpoints}.
7953@end ifset
70b88761
RP
7954
7955The @code{jump} command does not change the current stack frame, or
7956the stack pointer, or the contents of any memory location or any
7957register other than the program counter. If line @var{linespec} is in
7958a different function from the one currently executing, the results may
7959be bizarre if the two functions expect different patterns of arguments or
7960of local variables. For this reason, the @code{jump} command requests
7961confirmation if the specified line is not in the function currently
7962executing. However, even bizarre results are predictable if you are
29a2b744 7963well acquainted with the machine-language code of your program.
70b88761
RP
7964
7965@item jump *@var{address}
7966Resume execution at the instruction at address @var{address}.
7967@end table
7968
9897afc6
EE
7969@ifclear HPPA
7970@c Doesn't work on HP-UX; have to set $pcoqh and $pcoqt.
70b88761
RP
7971You can get much the same effect as the @code{jump} command by storing a
7972new value into the register @code{$pc}. The difference is that this
af215b1a 7973does not start your program running; it only changes the address of where it
9a27b06e 7974@emph{will} run when you continue. For example,
70b88761
RP
7975
7976@example
7977set $pc = 0x485
7978@end example
7979
7980@noindent
9a27b06e 7981makes the next @code{continue} command or stepping command execute at
1041a570 7982address @code{0x485}, rather than at the address where your program stopped.
93928b60 7983@xref{Continuing and Stepping, ,Continuing and stepping}.
9897afc6 7984@end ifclear
70b88761 7985
9897afc6
EE
7986The most common occasion to use the @code{jump} command is to back
7987up---perhaps with more breakpoints set---over a portion of a program
7988that has already executed, in order to examine its execution in more
7989detail.
70b88761 7990
18fae2a8 7991@ifclear BARETARGET
70b88761 7992@c @group
9897afc6 7993@node Signaling, Returning, Jumping, Altering
ed447b95 7994@section Giving your program a signal
70b88761
RP
7995
7996@table @code
70b88761 7997@kindex signal
af215b1a 7998@item signal @var{signal}
6b51acad 7999Resume execution where your program stopped, but immediately give it the
fd32a1dd
JK
8000signal @var{signal}. @var{signal} can be the name or the number of a
8001signal. For example, on many systems @code{signal 2} and @code{signal
8002SIGINT} are both ways of sending an interrupt signal.
70b88761 8003
fd32a1dd 8004Alternatively, if @var{signal} is zero, continue execution without
29a2b744 8005giving a signal. This is useful when your program stopped on account of
70b88761
RP
8006a signal and would ordinary see the signal when resumed with the
8007@code{continue} command; @samp{signal 0} causes it to resume without a
8008signal.
8009
8010@code{signal} does not repeat when you press @key{RET} a second time
8011after executing the command.
8012@end table
8013@c @end group
fd32a1dd
JK
8014
8015Invoking the @code{signal} command is not the same as invoking the
8016@code{kill} utility from the shell. Sending a signal with @code{kill}
8017causes @value{GDBN} to decide what to do with the signal depending on
8018the signal handling tables (@pxref{Signals}). The @code{signal} command
8019passes the signal directly to your program.
8020
18fae2a8 8021@end ifclear
70b88761 8022
9897afc6 8023@node Returning, Calling, Signaling, Altering
93928b60 8024@section Returning from a function
70b88761
RP
8025
8026@table @code
70b88761
RP
8027@cindex returning from a function
8028@kindex return
af215b1a
VM
8029@item return
8030@itemx return @var{expression}
70b88761
RP
8031You can cancel execution of a function call with the @code{return}
8032command. If you give an
8033@var{expression} argument, its value is used as the function's return
e251e767 8034value.
70b88761
RP
8035@end table
8036
18fae2a8 8037When you use @code{return}, @value{GDBN} discards the selected stack frame
70b88761
RP
8038(and all frames within it). You can think of this as making the
8039discarded frame return prematurely. If you wish to specify a value to
8040be returned, give that value as the argument to @code{return}.
8041
29a2b744 8042This pops the selected stack frame (@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a
93928b60 8043frame}), and any other frames inside of it, leaving its caller as the
29a2b744
RP
8044innermost remaining frame. That frame becomes selected. The
8045specified value is stored in the registers used for returning values
8046of functions.
70b88761
RP
8047
8048The @code{return} command does not resume execution; it leaves the
8049program stopped in the state that would exist if the function had just
1041a570 8050returned. In contrast, the @code{finish} command (@pxref{Continuing
93928b60 8051and Stepping, ,Continuing and stepping}) resumes execution until the
1041a570 8052selected stack frame returns naturally.
70b88761 8053
9897afc6 8054@node Calling, Patching, Returning, Altering
ed447b95 8055@section Calling program functions
70b88761
RP
8056
8057@cindex calling functions
8058@kindex call
8059@table @code
8060@item call @var{expr}
8061Evaluate the expression @var{expr} without displaying @code{void}
8062returned values.
8063@end table
8064
8065You can use this variant of the @code{print} command if you want to
8066execute a function from your program, but without cluttering the output
af215b1a
VM
8067with @code{void} returned values. If the result is not void, it
8068is printed and saved in the value history.
8069
9897afc6 8070@ifclear HPPA
af215b1a
VM
8071A new user-controlled variable, @var{call_scratch_address}, specifies
8072the location of a scratch area to be used when @value{GDBN} calls a
8073function in the target. This is necessary because the usual method
8074of putting the scratch area on the stack does not work in systems that
8075have separate instruction and data spaces.
9897afc6 8076@end ifclear
70b88761 8077
9897afc6 8078@node Patching, , Calling, Altering
ed447b95 8079@section Patching programs
c338a2fd
RP
8080@cindex patching binaries
8081@cindex writing into executables
1d7c3357 8082@ifclear BARETARGET
c338a2fd 8083@cindex writing into corefiles
1d7c3357 8084@end ifclear
1041a570 8085
18fae2a8 8086By default, @value{GDBN} opens the file containing your program's executable
1d7c3357
RP
8087code
8088@ifclear BARETARGET
8089(or the corefile)
8090@end ifclear
8091read-only. This prevents accidental alterations
c338a2fd
RP
8092to machine code; but it also prevents you from intentionally patching
8093your program's binary.
8094
8095If you'd like to be able to patch the binary, you can specify that
8096explicitly with the @code{set write} command. For example, you might
8097want to turn on internal debugging flags, or even to make emergency
e251e767 8098repairs.
c338a2fd
RP
8099
8100@table @code
af215b1a 8101@kindex set write
c338a2fd
RP
8102@item set write on
8103@itemx set write off
9a27b06e 8104If you specify @samp{set write on}, @value{GDBN} opens executable
18fae2a8 8105@ifclear BARETARGET
0f153e74 8106and core
18fae2a8 8107@end ifclear
0f153e74 8108files for both reading and writing; if you specify @samp{set write
9a27b06e 8109off} (the default), @value{GDBN} opens them read-only.
c338a2fd 8110
1d7c3357
RP
8111If you have already loaded a file, you must load it again (using the
8112@code{exec-file}
8113@ifclear BARETARGET
8114or @code{core-file}
8115@end ifclear
8116command) after changing @code{set write}, for your new setting to take
8117effect.
c338a2fd
RP
8118
8119@item show write
7d7ff5f6 8120@kindex show write
0f153e74 8121Display whether executable files
18fae2a8 8122@ifclear BARETARGET
0f153e74 8123and core files
18fae2a8 8124@end ifclear
9a27b06e 8125are opened for writing as well as reading.
c338a2fd
RP
8126@end table
8127
9897afc6 8128@node GDB Files, Targets, Altering, Top
93918348 8129@chapter @value{GDBN} Files
70b88761 8130
18fae2a8 8131@value{GDBN} needs to know the file name of the program to be debugged, both in
4eb4cf57 8132order to read its symbol table and in order to start your program.
18fae2a8 8133@ifclear BARETARGET
93918348
RP
8134To debug a core dump of a previous run, you must also tell @value{GDBN}
8135the name of the core dump file.
18fae2a8 8136@end ifclear
1041a570 8137
70b88761 8138@menu
ed447b95
RP
8139* Files:: Commands to specify files
8140* Symbol Errors:: Errors reading symbol files
70b88761
RP
8141@end menu
8142
9897afc6 8143@node Files, Symbol Errors, GDB Files, GDB Files
93928b60 8144@section Commands to specify files
70b88761 8145@cindex symbol table
70b88761 8146
18fae2a8 8147@ifclear BARETARGET
0f153e74 8148@cindex core dump file
af215b1a
VM
8149You may want to specify executable and core dump file names.
8150The usual way to do this is at start-up time, using the arguments to
8151@value{GDBN}'s start-up commands (@pxref{Invocation, ,
8152Getting In and Out of @value{GDBN}}).
18fae2a8
RP
8153@end ifclear
8154@ifset BARETARGET
4eb4cf57 8155The usual way to specify an executable file name is with
18fae2a8
RP
8156the command argument given when you start @value{GDBN}, (@pxref{Invocation,
8157,Getting In and Out of @value{GDBN}}.
8158@end ifset
70b88761
RP
8159
8160Occasionally it is necessary to change to a different file during a
93918348
RP
8161@value{GDBN} session. Or you may run @value{GDBN} and forget to specify
8162a file you want to use. In these situations the @value{GDBN} commands
8163to specify new files are useful.
70b88761
RP
8164
8165@table @code
70b88761
RP
8166@cindex executable file
8167@kindex file
af215b1a 8168@item file @var{filename}
70b88761
RP
8169Use @var{filename} as the program to be debugged. It is read for its
8170symbols and for the contents of pure memory. It is also the program
8171executed when you use the @code{run} command. If you do not specify a
af215b1a
VM
8172directory and the file is not found in the @value{GDBN} working directory,
8173@value{GDBN} uses the environment variable @code{PATH} as a list of
8174directories to search, just as the shell does when looking for a program
8175to run. You can change the value of this variable, for both @value{GDBN}
8176and your program, using the @code{path} command.
70b88761 8177
9897afc6 8178@ifclear HPPA
9a27b06e
RP
8179On systems with memory-mapped files, an auxiliary file
8180@file{@var{filename}.syms} may hold symbol table information for
8181@var{filename}. If so, @value{GDBN} maps in the symbol table from
14d01801 8182@file{@var{filename}.syms}, starting up more quickly. See the
af215b1a 8183descriptions of the file options @samp{-mapped} and @samp{-readnow}
9a27b06e 8184(available on the command line, and with the commands @code{file},
af215b1a
VM
8185@code{symbol-file}, or @code{add-symbol-file}, described below),
8186for more information.
9897afc6 8187@end ifclear
14d01801 8188
e0dacfd1 8189@item file
18fae2a8 8190@code{file} with no argument makes @value{GDBN} discard any information it
70b88761
RP
8191has on both executable file and the symbol table.
8192
70b88761 8193@kindex exec-file
af215b1a 8194@item exec-file @r{[} @var{filename} @r{]}
70b88761 8195Specify that the program to be run (but not the symbol table) is found
9a27b06e 8196in @var{filename}. @value{GDBN} searches the environment variable @code{PATH}
29a2b744 8197if necessary to locate your program. Omitting @var{filename} means to
e0dacfd1 8198discard information on the executable file.
70b88761 8199
70b88761 8200@kindex symbol-file
af215b1a 8201@item symbol-file @r{[} @var{filename} @r{]}
70b88761
RP
8202Read symbol table information from file @var{filename}. @code{PATH} is
8203searched when necessary. Use the @code{file} command to get both symbol
8204table and program to run from the same file.
8205
93918348 8206@code{symbol-file} with no argument clears out @value{GDBN} information on your
70b88761
RP
8207program's symbol table.
8208
af215b1a
VM
8209The @code{symbol-file} command causes @value{GDBN} to forget the contents
8210of its convenience variables, the value history, and all breakpoints and
70b88761
RP
8211auto-display expressions. This is because they may contain pointers to
8212the internal data recording symbols and data types, which are part of
18fae2a8 8213the old symbol table data being discarded inside @value{GDBN}.
70b88761 8214
9a27b06e 8215@code{symbol-file} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} again after
70b88761
RP
8216executing it once.
8217
9a27b06e
RP
8218When @value{GDBN} is configured for a particular environment, it
8219understands debugging information in whatever format is the standard
af215b1a 8220generated for that environment; you may use either a @sc{gnu} compiler, or
9897afc6
EE
8221other compilers that adhere to the local conventions.
8222@ifclear HPPA
8223Best results are usually obtained from @sc{gnu} compilers; for example,
8224using @code{@value{GCC}} you can generate debugging information for
8225optimized code.
8226@end ifclear
14d01801 8227
9897afc6 8228@ifclear HPPA
70b88761 8229On some kinds of object files, the @code{symbol-file} command does not
9897afc6
EE
8230@end ifclear
8231@ifset HPPA
8232The @code{symbol-file} command does not
8233@end ifset
14d01801 8234normally read the symbol table in full right away. Instead, it scans
70b88761
RP
8235the symbol table quickly to find which source files and which symbols
8236are present. The details are read later, one source file at a time,
1041a570 8237as they are needed.
70b88761 8238
18fae2a8 8239The purpose of this two-stage reading strategy is to make @value{GDBN} start up
1041a570
RP
8240faster. For the most part, it is invisible except for occasional
8241pauses while the symbol table details for a particular source file are
8242being read. (The @code{set verbose} command can turn these pauses
93928b60
RP
8243into messages if desired. @xref{Messages/Warnings, ,Optional warnings
8244and messages}.)
70b88761 8245
9897afc6 8246@ifclear HPPA
8c69096b
RP
8247We have not implemented the two-stage strategy for COFF yet. When the
8248symbol table is stored in COFF format, @code{symbol-file} reads the
8249symbol table data in full right away.
70b88761 8250
14d01801
RP
8251@kindex readnow
8252@cindex reading symbols immediately
8253@cindex symbols, reading immediately
8254@kindex mapped
8255@cindex memory-mapped symbol file
38962738 8256@cindex saving symbol table
af215b1a
VM
8257@item symbol-file @var{filename} @r{[} -readnow @r{]} @r{[} -mapped @r{]}
8258@itemx file @var{filename} @r{[} -readnow @r{]} @r{[} -mapped @r{]}
18fae2a8 8259You can override the @value{GDBN} two-stage strategy for reading symbol
95d5ceb9 8260tables by using the @samp{-readnow} option with any of the commands that
18fae2a8 8261load symbol table information, if you want to be sure @value{GDBN} has the
14d01801 8262entire symbol table available.
9897afc6 8263@end ifclear
14d01801 8264
18fae2a8 8265@ifclear BARETARGET
9897afc6 8266@ifclear HPPA
14d01801 8267If memory-mapped files are available on your system through the
95d5ceb9 8268@code{mmap} system call, you can use another option, @samp{-mapped}, to
18fae2a8 8269cause @value{GDBN} to write the symbols for your program into a reusable
9a27b06e 8270file. Future @value{GDBN} debugging sessions map in symbol information
93918348 8271from this auxiliary symbol file (if the program has not changed), rather
77b46d13
JG
8272than spending time reading the symbol table from the executable
8273program. Using the @samp{-mapped} option has the same effect as
18fae2a8 8274starting @value{GDBN} with the @samp{-mapped} command-line option.
14d01801 8275
95d5ceb9 8276You can use both options together, to make sure the auxiliary symbol
14d01801
RP
8277file has all the symbol information for your program.
8278
8279The auxiliary symbol file for a program called @var{myprog} is called
8280@samp{@var{myprog}.syms}. Once this file exists (so long as it is newer
9a27b06e 8281than the corresponding executable), @value{GDBN} always attempts to use
14d01801
RP
8282it when you debug @var{myprog}; no special options or commands are
8283needed.
93918348
RP
8284
8285The @file{.syms} file is specific to the host machine where you run
34ae25cd 8286@value{GDBN}. It holds an exact image of the internal @value{GDBN}
93918348 8287symbol table. It cannot be shared across multiple host platforms.
9897afc6 8288@end ifclear
93918348 8289
14d01801
RP
8290@c FIXME: for now no mention of directories, since this seems to be in
8291@c flux. 13mar1992 status is that in theory GDB would look either in
8292@c current dir or in same dir as myprog; but issues like competing
8293@c GDB's, or clutter in system dirs, mean that in practice right now
8294@c only current dir is used. FFish says maybe a special GDB hierarchy
8295@c (eg rooted in val of env var GDBSYMS) could exist for mappable symbol
8296@c files.
70b88761 8297
70b88761
RP
8298@kindex core
8299@kindex core-file
af215b1a 8300@item core-file @r{[} @var{filename} @r{]}
70b88761
RP
8301Specify the whereabouts of a core dump file to be used as the ``contents
8302of memory''. Traditionally, core files contain only some parts of the
18fae2a8 8303address space of the process that generated them; @value{GDBN} can access the
70b88761
RP
8304executable file itself for other parts.
8305
8306@code{core-file} with no argument specifies that no core file is
8307to be used.
8308
8309Note that the core file is ignored when your program is actually running
18fae2a8 8310under @value{GDBN}. So, if you have been running your program and you wish to
70b88761
RP
8311debug a core file instead, you must kill the subprocess in which the
8312program is running. To do this, use the @code{kill} command
93928b60 8313(@pxref{Kill Process, ,Killing the child process}).
18fae2a8 8314@end ifclear
70b88761 8315
9897afc6 8316@ifclear HPPA
af215b1a 8317@kindex load @var{filename}
70b88761 8318@item load @var{filename}
18fae2a8 8319@ifset GENERIC
70b88761 8320Depending on what remote debugging facilities are configured into
18fae2a8 8321@value{GDBN}, the @code{load} command may be available. Where it exists, it
70b88761
RP
8322is meant to make @var{filename} (an executable) available for debugging
8323on the remote system---by downloading, or dynamic linking, for example.
93918348 8324@code{load} also records the @var{filename} symbol table in @value{GDBN}, like
70b88761
RP
8325the @code{add-symbol-file} command.
8326
ed447b95
RP
8327If your @value{GDBN} does not have a @code{load} command, attempting to
8328execute it gets the error message ``@code{You can't do that when your
8329target is @dots{}}''
18fae2a8 8330@end ifset
70b88761 8331
99d1da6a 8332The file is loaded at whatever address is specified in the executable.
22b5dba5
RP
8333For some object file formats, you can specify the load address when you
8334link the program; for other formats, like a.out, the object file format
8335specifies a fixed address.
8336@c FIXME! This would be a good place for an xref to the GNU linker doc.
99d1da6a 8337
18fae2a8 8338@ifset VXWORKS
9a27b06e 8339On VxWorks, @code{load} links @var{filename} dynamically on the
18fae2a8
RP
8340current target system as well as adding its symbols in @value{GDBN}.
8341@end ifset
70b88761 8342
a64a6c2b 8343@ifset I960
70b88761 8344@cindex download to Nindy-960
9a27b06e
RP
8345With the Nindy interface to an Intel 960 board, @code{load}
8346downloads @var{filename} to the 960 as well as adding its symbols in
18fae2a8
RP
8347@value{GDBN}.
8348@end ifset
70b88761 8349
a64a6c2b 8350@ifset H8
1d7c3357
RP
8351@cindex download to H8/300 or H8/500
8352@cindex H8/300 or H8/500 download
a64a6c2b
RP
8353@cindex download to Hitachi SH
8354@cindex Hitachi SH download
72545cc6 8355When you select remote debugging to a Hitachi SH, H8/300, or H8/500 board
a64a6c2b 8356(@pxref{Hitachi Remote,,@value{GDBN} and Hitachi Microprocessors}),
1d7c3357
RP
8357the @code{load} command downloads your program to the Hitachi board and also
8358opens it as the current executable target for @value{GDBN} on your host
8359(like the @code{file} command).
18fae2a8 8360@end ifset
c7cb8acb 8361
9a27b06e 8362@code{load} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} again after using it.
9897afc6 8363@end ifclear
70b88761 8364
18fae2a8 8365@ifclear BARETARGET
9897afc6 8366@ifclear HPPA
70b88761
RP
8367@kindex add-symbol-file
8368@cindex dynamic linking
af215b1a
VM
8369@item add-symbol-file @var{filename} @var{address}
8370@itemx add-symbol-file @var{filename} @var{address} @r{[} -readnow @r{]} @r{[} -mapped @r{]}
70b88761 8371The @code{add-symbol-file} command reads additional symbol table information
b80282d5 8372from the file @var{filename}. You would use this command when @var{filename}
70b88761
RP
8373has been dynamically loaded (by some other means) into the program that
8374is running. @var{address} should be the memory address at which the
18fae2a8 8375file has been loaded; @value{GDBN} cannot figure this out for itself.
d55320a0 8376You can specify @var{address} as an expression.
70b88761
RP
8377
8378The symbol table of the file @var{filename} is added to the symbol table
8379originally read with the @code{symbol-file} command. You can use the
8380@code{add-symbol-file} command any number of times; the new symbol data thus
8381read keeps adding to the old. To discard all old symbol data instead,
e251e767 8382use the @code{symbol-file} command.
70b88761 8383
9a27b06e 8384@code{add-symbol-file} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} after using it.
70b88761 8385
95d5ceb9 8386You can use the @samp{-mapped} and @samp{-readnow} options just as with
18fae2a8 8387the @code{symbol-file} command, to change how @value{GDBN} manages the symbol
0f153e74 8388table information for @var{filename}.
af215b1a
VM
8389
8390@kindex add-shared-symbol-file
8391@item add-shared-symbol-file
8392The @code{add-shared-symbol-file} command can be used only under Harris' CXUX
8393operating system for the Motorola 88k. @value{GDBN} automatically looks for
8394shared libraries, however if @value{GDBN} does not find yours, you can run
8395@code{add-shared-symbol-file}. It takes no arguments.
18fae2a8 8396@end ifclear
9897afc6 8397@end ifclear
95d5ceb9 8398
9897afc6 8399@ifclear HPPA
af215b1a
VM
8400@kindex section
8401@item section
8402The @code{section} command changes the base address of section SECTION of
8403the exec file to ADDR. This can be used if the exec file does not contain
8404section addresses, (such as in the a.out format), or when the addresses
8405specified in the file itself are wrong. Each section must be changed
8406separately. The ``info files'' command lists all the sections and their
8407addresses.
9897afc6 8408@end ifclear
af215b1a 8409
70b88761
RP
8410@kindex info files
8411@kindex info target
af215b1a
VM
8412@item info files
8413@itemx info target
1041a570 8414@code{info files} and @code{info target} are synonymous; both print
1d7c3357
RP
8415the current target (@pxref{Targets, ,Specifying a Debugging Target}),
8416including the
8417@ifclear BARETARGET
8418names of the executable and core dump files
8419@end ifclear
8420@ifset BARETARGET
8421name of the executable file
8422@end ifset
8423currently in use by @value{GDBN}, and the files from which symbols were
a4ae3702 8424loaded. The command @code{help target} lists all possible targets
1d7c3357 8425rather than current ones.
70b88761
RP
8426@end table
8427
8428All file-specifying commands allow both absolute and relative file names
b550c03a 8429as arguments. @value{GDBN} always converts the file name to an absolute file
70b88761
RP
8430name and remembers it that way.
8431
18fae2a8 8432@ifclear BARETARGET
70b88761 8433@cindex shared libraries
9897afc6
EE
8434@ifclear HPPA
8435@c added HP-UX -- Kim (HP writer)
8436@value{GDBN} supports HP-UX, SunOS, SVr4, Irix 5, and IBM RS/6000 shared
8437libraries.
8438@end ifclear
8439@ifset HPPA
8440@value{GDBN} supports HP-UX shared libraries.
8441@end ifset
18fae2a8 8442@value{GDBN} automatically loads symbol definitions from shared libraries
77b46d13 8443when you use the @code{run} command, or when you examine a core file.
9a27b06e 8444(Before you issue the @code{run} command, @value{GDBN} does not understand
77b46d13
JG
8445references to a function in a shared library, however---unless you are
8446debugging a core file).
9897afc6
EE
8447@ifset HPPA
8448If the program loads a library explicitly, @value{GDBN} automatically
8449loads the symbols at the time of the @code{shl_load} call.
8450@end ifset
9a27b06e
RP
8451@c FIXME: some @value{GDBN} release may permit some refs to undef
8452@c FIXME...symbols---eg in a break cmd---assuming they are from a shared
8453@c FIXME...lib; check this from time to time when updating manual
70b88761
RP
8454
8455@table @code
70b88761
RP
8456@kindex info sharedlibrary
8457@kindex info share
af215b1a
VM
8458@item info share
8459@itemx info sharedlibrary
c338a2fd 8460Print the names of the shared libraries which are currently loaded.
70b88761 8461
c338a2fd
RP
8462@kindex sharedlibrary
8463@kindex share
af215b1a
VM
8464@item sharedlibrary @var{regex}
8465@itemx share @var{regex}
8466
f886dc0f
SS
8467Load shared object library symbols for files matching a
8468Unix regular expression.
8469As with files loaded automatically, it only loads shared libraries
6b51acad
RP
8470required by your program for a core file or after typing @code{run}. If
8471@var{regex} is omitted all shared libraries required by your program are
8472loaded.
c338a2fd 8473@end table
9897afc6
EE
8474
8475@ifset HPPA
8476@value{GDBN} detects the loading of a shared library and automatically
8477reads in symbols from the newly loaded library, up to a threshold that
8478is initially set but that you can modify if you wish.
8479
8480Beyond that threshold, symbols from shared libraries must be explicitly
8481loaded. To load these symbols, use the command @code{sharedlibrary}
8482@var{filename}. The base address of the shared library is determined
8483automatically by @value{GDBN} and need not be specified.
8484
8485To display or set the threshold, use the commands:
8486
8487@table @code
8488@kindex set auto-solib-add
8489@item set auto-solib-add @var{threshold}
8490Set the autoloading size threshold, in megabytes. If @var{threshold} is
8491nonzero, symbols from all shared object libraries will be loaded
8492automatically when the inferior begins execution or when the dynamic
8493linker informs @value{GDBN} that a new library has been loaded, until
8494the symbol table of the program and libraries exceeds this threshold.
8495Otherwise, symbols must be loaded manually, using the
8496@code{sharedlibrary} command. The default threshold is 100 megabytes.
8497
8498@kindex show auto-solib-add
8499@item show auto-solib-add
8500Display the current autoloading size threshold, in megabytes.
8501@end table
8502@end ifset
8503
18fae2a8 8504@end ifclear
70b88761 8505
9897afc6 8506@node Symbol Errors, , Files, GDB Files
93928b60 8507@section Errors reading symbol files
1041a570 8508
9a27b06e 8509While reading a symbol file, @value{GDBN} occasionally encounters problems,
1041a570 8510such as symbol types it does not recognize, or known bugs in compiler
18fae2a8 8511output. By default, @value{GDBN} does not notify you of such problems, since
1041a570
RP
8512they are relatively common and primarily of interest to people
8513debugging compilers. If you are interested in seeing information
18fae2a8 8514about ill-constructed symbol tables, you can either ask @value{GDBN} to print
b80282d5 8515only one message about each such type of problem, no matter how many
18fae2a8 8516times the problem occurs; or you can ask @value{GDBN} to print more messages,
1041a570 8517to see how many times the problems occur, with the @code{set
93928b60
RP
8518complaints} command (@pxref{Messages/Warnings, ,Optional warnings and
8519messages}).
70b88761 8520
d55320a0 8521The messages currently printed, and their meanings, include:
70b88761
RP
8522
8523@table @code
8524@item inner block not inside outer block in @var{symbol}
8525
8526The symbol information shows where symbol scopes begin and end
8527(such as at the start of a function or a block of statements). This
8528error indicates that an inner scope block is not fully contained
e251e767 8529in its outer scope blocks.
70b88761 8530
18fae2a8 8531@value{GDBN} circumvents the problem by treating the inner block as if it had
70b88761
RP
8532the same scope as the outer block. In the error message, @var{symbol}
8533may be shown as ``@code{(don't know)}'' if the outer block is not a
8534function.
8535
8536@item block at @var{address} out of order
8537
e251e767 8538The symbol information for symbol scope blocks should occur in
70b88761 8539order of increasing addresses. This error indicates that it does not
e251e767 8540do so.
70b88761 8541
9a27b06e 8542@value{GDBN} does not circumvent this problem, and has trouble
ed447b95
RP
8543locating symbols in the source file whose symbols it is reading. (You
8544can often determine what source file is affected by specifying
93928b60
RP
8545@code{set verbose on}. @xref{Messages/Warnings, ,Optional warnings and
8546messages}.)
70b88761
RP
8547
8548@item bad block start address patched
8549
8550The symbol information for a symbol scope block has a start address
8551smaller than the address of the preceding source line. This is known
e251e767 8552to occur in the SunOS 4.1.1 (and earlier) C compiler.
70b88761 8553
18fae2a8 8554@value{GDBN} circumvents the problem by treating the symbol scope block as
70b88761
RP
8555starting on the previous source line.
8556
70b88761
RP
8557@item bad string table offset in symbol @var{n}
8558
8559@cindex foo
8560Symbol number @var{n} contains a pointer into the string table which is
e251e767 8561larger than the size of the string table.
70b88761 8562
18fae2a8 8563@value{GDBN} circumvents the problem by considering the symbol to have the
70b88761
RP
8564name @code{foo}, which may cause other problems if many symbols end up
8565with this name.
8566
8567@item unknown symbol type @code{0x@var{nn}}
8568
18fae2a8 8569The symbol information contains new data types that @value{GDBN} does not yet
70b88761 8570know how to read. @code{0x@var{nn}} is the symbol type of the misunderstood
e251e767 8571information, in hexadecimal.
70b88761 8572
18fae2a8 8573@value{GDBN} circumvents the error by ignoring this symbol information. This
9a27b06e
RP
8574usually allows you to debug your program, though certain symbols
8575are not accessible. If you encounter such a problem and feel like
18fae2a8 8576debugging it, you can debug @code{@value{GDBP}} with itself, breakpoint on
70b88761
RP
8577@code{complain}, then go up to the function @code{read_dbx_symtab} and
8578examine @code{*bufp} to see the symbol.
8579
8580@item stub type has NULL name
1d7c3357
RP
8581@value{GDBN} could not find the full definition for
8582@ifclear CONLY
8583a struct or class.
8584@end ifclear
8585@ifset CONLY
8586a struct.
8587@end ifset
70b88761 8588
1d7c3357 8589@ifclear CONLY
440d9834 8590@item const/volatile indicator missing (ok if using g++ v1.x), got@dots{}
70b88761
RP
8591
8592The symbol information for a C++ member function is missing some
440d9834
RP
8593information that recent versions of the compiler should have output
8594for it.
1d7c3357 8595@end ifclear
70b88761 8596
440d9834 8597@item info mismatch between compiler and debugger
70b88761 8598
18fae2a8 8599@value{GDBN} could not parse a type specification output by the compiler.
70b88761
RP
8600@end table
8601
9897afc6 8602@node Targets, Controlling GDB, GDB Files, Top
e251e767 8603@chapter Specifying a Debugging Target
70b88761
RP
8604@cindex debugging target
8605@kindex target
1041a570 8606
cedaf8bc 8607A @dfn{target} is the execution environment occupied by your program.
9897afc6 8608@ifclear HPPA
18fae2a8
RP
8609@ifclear BARETARGET
8610Often, @value{GDBN} runs in the same host environment as your program; in
1041a570
RP
8611that case, the debugging target is specified as a side effect when you
8612use the @code{file} or @code{core} commands. When you need more
18fae2a8 8613flexibility---for example, running @value{GDBN} on a physically separate
1041a570 8614host, or controlling a standalone system over a serial port or a
0f153e74 8615realtime system over a TCP/IP connection---you
18fae2a8 8616@end ifclear
9897afc6
EE
8617@end ifclear
8618@ifset HPPA
8619On HP-UX systems, @value{GDBN} has been configured to support debugging
8620of processes running on the PA-RISC architecture. This means that the
8621only possible targets are:
8622
8623@itemize @bullet
8624@item
8625An executable that has been compiled and linked to run on HP-UX
8626
8627@item
8628A live HP-UX process, either started by @value{GDBN} (with the
8629@code{run} command) or started outside of @value{GDBN} and attached to
8630(with the @code{attach} command)
8631
8632@item
8633A core file generated by an HP-UX process that previously aborted
8634execution
8635@end itemize
8636
8637@value{GDBN} on HP-UX has not been configured to support remote
8638debugging, or to support programs running on other platforms. You
8639@end ifset
18fae2a8 8640@ifset BARETARGET
0f153e74 8641You
18fae2a8 8642@end ifset
0f153e74 8643can use the @code{target} command to specify one of the target types
93928b60
RP
8644configured for @value{GDBN} (@pxref{Target Commands, ,Commands for managing
8645targets}).
70b88761
RP
8646
8647@menu
ed447b95
RP
8648* Active Targets:: Active targets
8649* Target Commands:: Commands for managing targets
9897afc6
EE
8650@ifset REMOTESTUB
8651* Byte Order:: Choosing target byte order
ed447b95 8652* Remote:: Remote debugging
9897afc6
EE
8653@end ifset
8654
70b88761
RP
8655@end menu
8656
9897afc6 8657@node Active Targets, Target Commands, Targets, Targets
93928b60 8658@section Active targets
70b88761
RP
8659@cindex stacking targets
8660@cindex active targets
8661@cindex multiple targets
8662
18fae2a8 8663@ifclear BARETARGET
cedaf8bc 8664There are three classes of targets: processes, core files, and
18fae2a8 8665executable files. @value{GDBN} can work concurrently on up to three active
cedaf8bc
RP
8666targets, one in each class. This allows you to (for example) start a
8667process and inspect its activity without abandoning your work on a core
8668file.
70b88761 8669
ed447b95 8670For example, if you execute @samp{gdb a.out}, then the executable file
cedaf8bc
RP
8671@code{a.out} is the only active target. If you designate a core file as
8672well---presumably from a prior run that crashed and coredumped---then
9a27b06e 8673@value{GDBN} has two active targets and uses them in tandem, looking
cedaf8bc
RP
8674first in the corefile target, then in the executable file, to satisfy
8675requests for memory addresses. (Typically, these two classes of target
29a2b744 8676are complementary, since core files contain only a program's
cedaf8bc
RP
8677read-write memory---variables and so on---plus machine status, while
8678executable files contain only the program text and initialized data.)
18fae2a8 8679@end ifclear
cedaf8bc
RP
8680
8681When you type @code{run}, your executable file becomes an active process
18fae2a8 8682target as well. When a process target is active, all @value{GDBN} commands
0f153e74 8683requesting memory addresses refer to that target; addresses in an
18fae2a8 8684@ifclear BARETARGET
0f153e74 8685active core file or
18fae2a8 8686@end ifclear
0f153e74 8687executable file target are obscured while the process
cedaf8bc
RP
8688target is active.
8689
18fae2a8 8690@ifset BARETARGET
4eb4cf57 8691Use the @code{exec-file} command to select a
93928b60
RP
8692new executable target (@pxref{Files, ,Commands to specify
8693files}).
18fae2a8
RP
8694@end ifset
8695@ifclear BARETARGET
1041a570 8696Use the @code{core-file} and @code{exec-file} commands to select a
93928b60
RP
8697new core file or executable target (@pxref{Files, ,Commands to specify
8698files}). To specify as a target a process that is already running, use
1041a570 8699the @code{attach} command (@pxref{Attach, ,Debugging an
93928b60 8700already-running process}).
18fae2a8 8701@end ifclear
70b88761 8702
9897afc6 8703@node Target Commands, Byte Order, Active Targets, Targets
93928b60 8704@section Commands for managing targets
70b88761
RP
8705
8706@table @code
8707@item target @var{type} @var{parameters}
1d7c3357
RP
8708Connects the @value{GDBN} host environment to a target
8709@ifset BARETARGET
8710machine.
8711@end ifset
8712@ifclear BARETARGET
8713machine or process. A target is typically a protocol for talking to
8714debugging facilities. You use the argument @var{type} to specify the
8715type or protocol of the target machine.
70b88761
RP
8716
8717Further @var{parameters} are interpreted by the target protocol, but
8718typically include things like device names or host names to connect
e251e767 8719with, process numbers, and baud rates.
1d7c3357 8720@end ifclear
70b88761 8721
9a27b06e 8722The @code{target} command does not repeat if you press @key{RET} again
70b88761
RP
8723after executing the command.
8724
70b88761 8725@kindex help target
af215b1a 8726@item help target
70b88761
RP
8727Displays the names of all targets available. To display targets
8728currently selected, use either @code{info target} or @code{info files}
93928b60 8729(@pxref{Files, ,Commands to specify files}).
70b88761
RP
8730
8731@item help target @var{name}
8732Describe a particular target, including any parameters necessary to
8733select it.
af215b1a
VM
8734
8735@kindex set gnutarget
8736@item set gnutarget @var{args}
9897afc6 8737@value{GDBN} uses its own library BFD to read your files. @value{GDBN}
af215b1a 8738knows whether it is reading an @dfn{executable},
9897afc6 8739a @dfn{core}, or a @dfn{.o} file; however, you can specify the file format
af215b1a
VM
8740with the @code{set gnutarget} command. Unlike most @code{target} commands,
8741with @code{gnutarget} the @code{target} refers to a program, not a machine.
8742
8743@emph{Warning:} To specify a file format with @code{set gnutarget},
9897afc6 8744you must know the actual BFD name.
af215b1a
VM
8745
8746@noindent @xref{Files, , Commands to specify files}.
8747
8748@kindex show gnutarget
8749@item show gnutarget
8750Use the @code{show gnutarget} command to display what file format
8751@code{gnutarget} is set to read. If you have not set @code{gnutarget},
9897afc6
EE
8752@value{GDBN} will determine the file format for each file automatically,
8753and @code{show gnutarget} displays @samp{The current BDF target is "auto"}.
70b88761
RP
8754@end table
8755
9897afc6 8756@ifclear HPPA
c7cb8acb 8757Here are some common targets (available, or not, depending on the GDB
70b88761 8758configuration):
9897afc6
EE
8759@end ifclear
8760@ifset HPPA
8761These are the valid targets on HP-UX systems:
8762@end ifset
70b88761
RP
8763
8764@table @code
70b88761 8765@kindex target exec
af215b1a 8766@item target exec @var{program}
fe715d06
RP
8767An executable file. @samp{target exec @var{program}} is the same as
8768@samp{exec-file @var{program}}.
70b88761 8769
1d7c3357 8770@ifclear BARETARGET
70b88761 8771@kindex target core
af215b1a 8772@item target core @var{filename}
70b88761
RP
8773A core dump file. @samp{target core @var{filename}} is the same as
8774@samp{core-file @var{filename}}.
1d7c3357 8775@end ifclear
70b88761 8776
18fae2a8 8777@ifset REMOTESTUB
70b88761 8778@kindex target remote
af215b1a 8779@item target remote @var{dev}
c7cb8acb 8780Remote serial target in GDB-specific protocol. The argument @var{dev}
70b88761 8781specifies what serial device to use for the connection (e.g.
af215b1a
VM
8782@file{/dev/ttya}). @xref{Remote, ,Remote debugging}. @code{target remote}
8783now supports the @code{load} command. This is only useful if you have
8784some other way of getting the stub to the target system, and you can put
8785it somewhere in memory where it won't get clobbered by the download.
18fae2a8 8786@end ifset
70b88761 8787
fe715d06 8788@ifset SIMS
fe715d06 8789@kindex target sim
af215b1a 8790@item target sim
fe715d06
RP
8791CPU simulator. @xref{Simulator,,Simulated CPU Target}.
8792@end ifset
8793
a64a6c2b 8794@ifset AMD29K
fe715d06 8795@kindex target udi
af215b1a 8796@item target udi @var{keyword}
fe715d06
RP
8797Remote AMD29K target, using the AMD UDI protocol. The @var{keyword}
8798argument specifies which 29K board or simulator to use. @xref{UDI29K
b1955f0b 8799Remote,,The UDI protocol for AMD29K}.
fe715d06 8800
70b88761 8801@kindex target amd-eb
af215b1a 8802@item target amd-eb @var{dev} @var{speed} @var{PROG}
70b88761
RP
8803@cindex AMD EB29K
8804Remote PC-resident AMD EB29K board, attached over serial lines.
8805@var{dev} is the serial device, as for @code{target remote};
8806@var{speed} allows you to specify the linespeed; and @var{PROG} is the
8807name of the program to be debugged, as it appears to DOS on the PC.
b1955f0b 8808@xref{EB29K Remote, ,The EBMON protocol for AMD29K}.
77fe5411 8809
18fae2a8 8810@end ifset
a64a6c2b 8811@ifset H8
c7cb8acb 8812@kindex target hms
af215b1a 8813@item target hms @var{dev}
72545cc6 8814A Hitachi SH, H8/300, or H8/500 board, attached via serial line to your host.
a64a6c2b 8815@ifclear H8EXCLUSIVE
a64a6c2b
RP
8816Use special commands @code{device} and @code{speed} to control the serial
8817line and the communications speed used.
8818@end ifclear
8819@xref{Hitachi Remote,,@value{GDBN} and Hitachi Microprocessors}.
c7cb8acb 8820
18fae2a8 8821@end ifset
a64a6c2b 8822@ifset I960
70b88761 8823@kindex target nindy
af215b1a 8824@item target nindy @var{devicename}
70b88761
RP
8825An Intel 960 board controlled by a Nindy Monitor. @var{devicename} is
8826the name of the serial device to use for the connection, e.g.
ed447b95 8827@file{/dev/ttya}. @xref{i960-Nindy Remote, ,@value{GDBN} with a remote i960 (Nindy)}.
70b88761 8828
18fae2a8 8829@end ifset
a64a6c2b 8830@ifset ST2000
77fe5411 8831@kindex target st2000
af215b1a 8832@item target st2000 @var{dev} @var{speed}
77fe5411
RP
8833A Tandem ST2000 phone switch, running Tandem's STDBUG protocol. @var{dev}
8834is the name of the device attached to the ST2000 serial line;
8835@var{speed} is the communication line speed. The arguments are not used
18fae2a8
RP
8836if @value{GDBN} is configured to connect to the ST2000 using TCP or Telnet.
8837@xref{ST2000 Remote,,@value{GDBN} with a Tandem ST2000}.
18fae2a8 8838@end ifset
af215b1a 8839
18fae2a8 8840@ifset VXWORKS
70b88761 8841@kindex target vxworks
af215b1a 8842@item target vxworks @var{machinename}
70b88761
RP
8843A VxWorks system, attached via TCP/IP. The argument @var{machinename}
8844is the target system's machine name or IP address.
18fae2a8
RP
8845@xref{VxWorks Remote, ,@value{GDBN} and VxWorks}.
8846@end ifset
af215b1a 8847
d390cad1
SS
8848@kindex target bug
8849@item target bug @var{dev}
8850BUG monitor, running on a MVME187 (m88k) board.
8851
9897afc6 8852@ifclear HPPA
af215b1a
VM
8853@kindex target cpu32bug
8854@item target cpu32bug @var{dev}
8855CPU32BUG monitor, running on a CPU32 (M68K) board.
8856
8857@kindex target op50n
8858@item target op50n @var{dev}
8859OP50N monitor, running on an OKI HPPA board.
8860
8861@kindex target w89k
8862@item target w89k @var{dev}
8863W89K monitor, running on a Winbond HPPA board.
8864
8865@kindex target est
8866@item target est @var{dev}
8867EST-300 ICE monitor, running on a CPU32 (M68K) board.
8868
8869@kindex target rom68k
8870@item target rom68k @var{dev}
8871ROM 68K monitor, running on an IDP board.
8872
8873@kindex target array
8874@item target array @var{dev}
8875Array Tech LSI33K RAID controller board.
8876
8877@kindex target sparclite
8878@item target sparclite @var{dev}
8879Fujitsu sparclite boards, used only for the purpose of loading.
8880You must use an additional command to debug the program.
8881For example: target remote @var{dev} using @value{GDBN} standard
8882remote protocol.
9897afc6 8883@end ifclear
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RP
8884@end table
8885
18fae2a8 8886@ifset GENERIC
af215b1a
VM
8887Different targets are available on different configurations of @value{GDBN};
8888your configuration may have more or fewer targets.
18fae2a8 8889@end ifset
70b88761 8890
9897afc6
EE
8891@ifset REMOTESTUB
8892@node Byte Order, Remote, Target Commands, Targets
af215b1a
VM
8893@section Choosing target byte order
8894@cindex choosing target byte order
8895@cindex target byte order
8896@kindex set endian big
8897@kindex set endian little
8898@kindex set endian auto
8899@kindex show endian
8900
8901You can now choose which byte order to use with a target system.
8902Use the @code{set endian big} and @code{set endian little} commands.
8903Use the @code{set endian auto} command to instruct
8904@value{GDBN} to use the byte order associated with the executable.
8905You can see the current setting for byte order with the @code{show endian}
8906command.
8907
8908@emph{Warning:} Currently, only embedded MIPS configurations support
8909dynamic selection of target byte order.
8910
9897afc6 8911@node Remote, , Byte Order, Targets
93928b60 8912@section Remote debugging
70b88761
RP
8913@cindex remote debugging
8914
29a2b744 8915If you are trying to debug a program running on a machine that cannot run
af215b1a
VM
8916@value{GDBN} in the usual way, it is often useful to use remote debugging.
8917For example, you might use remote debugging on an operating system kernel,
8918or on a small system which does not have a general purpose operating system
e251e767 8919powerful enough to run a full-featured debugger.
70b88761 8920
af215b1a 8921Some configurations of @value{GDBN} have special serial or TCP/IP interfaces
70b88761 8922to make this work with particular debugging targets. In addition,
af215b1a
VM
8923@value{GDBN} comes with a generic serial protocol (specific to @value{GDBN},
8924but not specific to any particular target system) which you can use if you
9a27b06e 8925write the remote stubs---the code that runs on the remote system to
af215b1a 8926communicate with @value{GDBN}.
70b88761 8927
70b88761 8928Other remote targets may be available in your
af215b1a 8929configuration of @value{GDBN}; use @code{help target} to list them.
9897afc6 8930@end ifset
70b88761 8931
18fae2a8
RP
8932@ifset GENERIC
8933@c Text on starting up GDB in various specific cases; it goes up front
8934@c in manuals configured for any of those particular situations, here
8935@c otherwise.
18fae2a8
RP
8936@menu
8937@ifset REMOTESTUB
8938* Remote Serial:: @value{GDBN} remote serial protocol
8939@end ifset
a64a6c2b 8940@ifset I960
18fae2a8
RP
8941* i960-Nindy Remote:: @value{GDBN} with a remote i960 (Nindy)
8942@end ifset
a64a6c2b 8943@ifset AMD29K
b1955f0b
RP
8944* UDI29K Remote:: The UDI protocol for AMD29K
8945* EB29K Remote:: The EBMON protocol for AMD29K
18fae2a8
RP
8946@end ifset
8947@ifset VXWORKS
8948* VxWorks Remote:: @value{GDBN} and VxWorks
8949@end ifset
a64a6c2b 8950@ifset ST2000
18fae2a8
RP
8951* ST2000 Remote:: @value{GDBN} with a Tandem ST2000
8952@end ifset
a64a6c2b
RP
8953@ifset H8
8954* Hitachi Remote:: @value{GDBN} and Hitachi Microprocessors
18fae2a8 8955@end ifset
34ae25cd
RP
8956@ifset MIPS
8957* MIPS Remote:: @value{GDBN} and MIPS boards
8958@end ifset
146ff252
DE
8959@ifset SPARCLET
8960* Sparclet Remote:: @value{GDBN} and Sparclet boards
8961@end ifset
fe715d06
RP
8962@ifset SIMS
8963* Simulator:: Simulated CPU target
18fae2a8
RP
8964@end ifset
8965@end menu
70b88761 8966
4af6d502 8967@include remote.texi
18fae2a8
RP
8968@end ifset
8969
8970@node Controlling GDB
8971@chapter Controlling @value{GDBN}
70b88761 8972
93918348 8973You can alter the way @value{GDBN} interacts with you by using
18fae2a8 8974the @code{set} command. For commands controlling how @value{GDBN} displays
af215b1a
VM
8975data, @pxref{Print Settings, ,Print settings}; other settings are described
8976here.
70b88761
RP
8977
8978@menu
b80282d5 8979* Prompt:: Prompt
ed447b95
RP
8980* Editing:: Command editing
8981* History:: Command history
8982* Screen Size:: Screen size
b80282d5 8983* Numbers:: Numbers
ed447b95 8984* Messages/Warnings:: Optional warnings and messages
70b88761
RP
8985@end menu
8986
9897afc6 8987@node Prompt, Editing, Controlling GDB, Controlling GDB
70b88761 8988@section Prompt
af215b1a 8989
70b88761 8990@cindex prompt
1041a570 8991
18fae2a8
RP
8992@value{GDBN} indicates its readiness to read a command by printing a string
8993called the @dfn{prompt}. This string is normally @samp{(@value{GDBP})}. You
70b88761 8994can change the prompt string with the @code{set prompt} command. For
18fae2a8 8995instance, when debugging @value{GDBN} with @value{GDBN}, it is useful to change
af215b1a
VM
8996the prompt in one of the @value{GDBN} sessions so that you can always tell
8997which one you are talking to.
8998
8999@emph{Note:} @code{set prompt} no longer adds a space for you after the
9000prompt you set. This allows you to set a prompt which ends in a space
9001or a prompt that does not.
70b88761
RP
9002
9003@table @code
70b88761 9004@kindex set prompt
af215b1a 9005@item set prompt @var{newprompt}
18fae2a8 9006Directs @value{GDBN} to use @var{newprompt} as its prompt string henceforth.
af215b1a 9007
70b88761
RP
9008@kindex show prompt
9009@item show prompt
9010Prints a line of the form: @samp{Gdb's prompt is: @var{your-prompt}}
9011@end table
9012
9897afc6 9013@node Editing, History, Prompt, Controlling GDB
93928b60 9014@section Command editing
70b88761
RP
9015@cindex readline
9016@cindex command line editing
1041a570 9017
18fae2a8 9018@value{GDBN} reads its input commands via the @dfn{readline} interface. This
af215b1a
VM
9019@sc{gnu} library provides consistent behavior for programs which provide a
9020command line interface to the user. Advantages are @sc{gnu} Emacs-style
9021or @dfn{vi}-style inline editing of commands, @code{csh}-like history
70b88761
RP
9022substitution, and a storage and recall of command history across
9023debugging sessions.
9024
18fae2a8 9025You may control the behavior of command line editing in @value{GDBN} with the
e251e767 9026command @code{set}.
70b88761
RP
9027
9028@table @code
9029@kindex set editing
9030@cindex editing
9031@item set editing
9032@itemx set editing on
9033Enable command line editing (enabled by default).
9034
9035@item set editing off
9036Disable command line editing.
9037
9038@kindex show editing
9039@item show editing
9040Show whether command line editing is enabled.
9041@end table
9042
9897afc6 9043@node History, Screen Size, Editing, Controlling GDB
ed447b95
RP
9044@section Command history
9045
9046@value{GDBN} can keep track of the commands you type during your
9047debugging sessions, so that you can be certain of precisely what
9048happened. Use these commands to manage the @value{GDBN} command
9049history facility.
1041a570 9050
70b88761
RP
9051@table @code
9052@cindex history substitution
9053@cindex history file
9054@kindex set history filename
9a27b06e 9055@kindex GDBHISTFILE
70b88761 9056@item set history filename @var{fname}
9a27b06e
RP
9057Set the name of the @value{GDBN} command history file to @var{fname}.
9058This is the file where @value{GDBN} reads an initial command history
9059list, and where it writes the command history from this session when it
9060exits. You can access this list through history expansion or through
9061the history command editing characters listed below. This file defaults
9062to the value of the environment variable @code{GDBHISTFILE}, or to
70b88761
RP
9063@file{./.gdb_history} if this variable is not set.
9064
9065@cindex history save
9066@kindex set history save
9067@item set history save
9068@itemx set history save on
9069Record command history in a file, whose name may be specified with the
9070@code{set history filename} command. By default, this option is disabled.
9071
9072@item set history save off
9073Stop recording command history in a file.
9074
9075@cindex history size
9076@kindex set history size
9077@item set history size @var{size}
9a27b06e 9078Set the number of commands which @value{GDBN} keeps in its history list.
70b88761
RP
9079This defaults to the value of the environment variable
9080@code{HISTSIZE}, or to 256 if this variable is not set.
9081@end table
9082
9083@cindex history expansion
9084History expansion assigns special meaning to the character @kbd{!}.
ed447b95 9085@ifset have-readline-appendices
1041a570 9086@xref{Event Designators}.
ed447b95
RP
9087@end ifset
9088
70b88761
RP
9089Since @kbd{!} is also the logical not operator in C, history expansion
9090is off by default. If you decide to enable history expansion with the
9091@code{set history expansion on} command, you may sometimes need to
9092follow @kbd{!} (when it is used as logical not, in an expression) with
9093a space or a tab to prevent it from being expanded. The readline
9a27b06e 9094history facilities do not attempt substitution on the strings
70b88761
RP
9095@kbd{!=} and @kbd{!(}, even when history expansion is enabled.
9096
9097The commands to control history expansion are:
9098
9099@table @code
70b88761
RP
9100@kindex set history expansion
9101@item set history expansion on
9102@itemx set history expansion
9103Enable history expansion. History expansion is off by default.
9104
9105@item set history expansion off
9106Disable history expansion.
9107
9108The readline code comes with more complete documentation of
af215b1a 9109editing and history expansion features. Users unfamiliar with @sc{gnu} Emacs
e251e767 9110or @code{vi} may wish to read it.
ed447b95 9111@ifset have-readline-appendices
70b88761 9112@xref{Command Line Editing}.
ed447b95 9113@end ifset
70b88761
RP
9114
9115@c @group
9116@kindex show history
9117@item show history
9118@itemx show history filename
9119@itemx show history save
9120@itemx show history size
9121@itemx show history expansion
18fae2a8 9122These commands display the state of the @value{GDBN} history parameters.
70b88761
RP
9123@code{show history} by itself displays all four states.
9124@c @end group
70b88761
RP
9125@end table
9126
9127@table @code
9128@kindex show commands
9129@item show commands
9130Display the last ten commands in the command history.
9131
9132@item show commands @var{n}
9133Print ten commands centered on command number @var{n}.
9134
9135@item show commands +
9136Print ten commands just after the commands last printed.
70b88761
RP
9137@end table
9138
9897afc6 9139@node Screen Size, Numbers, History, Controlling GDB
93928b60 9140@section Screen size
70b88761
RP
9141@cindex size of screen
9142@cindex pauses in output
1041a570 9143
a1eff6c2
RP
9144Certain commands to @value{GDBN} may produce large amounts of
9145information output to the screen. To help you read all of it,
9146@value{GDBN} pauses and asks you for input at the end of each page of
9147output. Type @key{RET} when you want to continue the output, or @kbd{q}
34ae25cd
RP
9148to discard the remaining output. Also, the screen width setting
9149determines when to wrap lines of output. Depending on what is being
9150printed, @value{GDBN} tries to break the line at a readable place,
70b88761
RP
9151rather than simply letting it overflow onto the following line.
9152
18fae2a8 9153Normally @value{GDBN} knows the size of the screen from the termcap data base
70b88761
RP
9154together with the value of the @code{TERM} environment variable and the
9155@code{stty rows} and @code{stty cols} settings. If this is not correct,
9156you can override it with the @code{set height} and @code{set
9157width} commands:
9158
9159@table @code
70b88761
RP
9160@kindex set height
9161@kindex set width
9162@kindex show width
9163@kindex show height
af215b1a
VM
9164@item set height @var{lpp}
9165@itemx show height
9166@itemx set width @var{cpl}
9167@itemx show width
70b88761
RP
9168These @code{set} commands specify a screen height of @var{lpp} lines and
9169a screen width of @var{cpl} characters. The associated @code{show}
9170commands display the current settings.
9171
af215b1a
VM
9172If you specify a height of zero lines, @value{GDBN} does not pause during
9173output no matter how long the output is. This is useful if output is to a
9174file or to an editor buffer.
d55320a0
RP
9175
9176Likewise, you can specify @samp{set width 0} to prevent @value{GDBN}
9177from wrapping its output.
70b88761
RP
9178@end table
9179
9897afc6 9180@node Numbers, Messages/Warnings, Screen Size, Controlling GDB
70b88761
RP
9181@section Numbers
9182@cindex number representation
9183@cindex entering numbers
1041a570 9184
18fae2a8 9185You can always enter numbers in octal, decimal, or hexadecimal in @value{GDBN} by
70b88761
RP
9186the usual conventions: octal numbers begin with @samp{0}, decimal
9187numbers end with @samp{.}, and hexadecimal numbers begin with @samp{0x}.
9188Numbers that begin with none of these are, by default, entered in base
918910; likewise, the default display for numbers---when no particular
9190format is specified---is base 10. You can change the default base for
9191both input and output with the @code{set radix} command.
9192
9193@table @code
af215b1a
VM
9194@kindex set input-radix
9195@item set input-radix @var{base}
9196Set the default base for numeric input. Supported choices
d55320a0 9197for @var{base} are decimal 8, 10, or 16. @var{base} must itself be
70b88761
RP
9198specified either unambiguously or using the current default radix; for
9199example, any of
9200
af215b1a 9201@smallexample
70b88761
RP
9202set radix 012
9203set radix 10.
9204set radix 0xa
af215b1a 9205@end smallexample
70b88761
RP
9206
9207@noindent
9a27b06e
RP
9208sets the base to decimal. On the other hand, @samp{set radix 10}
9209leaves the radix unchanged no matter what it was.
70b88761 9210
af215b1a
VM
9211@kindex set output-radix
9212@item set output-radix @var{base}
9213Set the default base for numeric display. Supported choices
9214for @var{base} are decimal 8, 10, or 16. @var{base} must itself be
9215specified either unambiguously or using the current default radix.
9216
9217@kindex show input-radix
9218@item show input-radix
9219Display the current default base for numeric input.
9220
9221@kindex show output-radix
9222@item show output-radix
9223Display the current default base for numeric display.
70b88761
RP
9224@end table
9225
9897afc6 9226@node Messages/Warnings, , Numbers, Controlling GDB
93928b60 9227@section Optional warnings and messages
1041a570 9228
18fae2a8 9229By default, @value{GDBN} is silent about its inner workings. If you are running
70b88761 9230on a slow machine, you may want to use the @code{set verbose} command.
af215b1a 9231This makes @value{GDBN} tell you when it does a lengthy internal operation, so
1041a570 9232you will not think it has crashed.
70b88761 9233
1041a570 9234Currently, the messages controlled by @code{set verbose} are those
d48da190 9235which announce that the symbol table for a source file is being read;
93928b60 9236see @code{symbol-file} in @ref{Files, ,Commands to specify files}.
70b88761
RP
9237
9238@table @code
9239@kindex set verbose
9240@item set verbose on
93918348 9241Enables @value{GDBN} output of certain informational messages.
70b88761
RP
9242
9243@item set verbose off
93918348 9244Disables @value{GDBN} output of certain informational messages.
70b88761
RP
9245
9246@kindex show verbose
9247@item show verbose
9248Displays whether @code{set verbose} is on or off.
9249@end table
9250
18fae2a8 9251By default, if @value{GDBN} encounters bugs in the symbol table of an object
b80282d5 9252file, it is silent; but if you are debugging a compiler, you may find
93928b60 9253this information useful (@pxref{Symbol Errors, ,Errors reading symbol files}).
70b88761
RP
9254
9255@table @code
9256@kindex set complaints
9257@item set complaints @var{limit}
18fae2a8 9258Permits @value{GDBN} to output @var{limit} complaints about each type of unusual
70b88761
RP
9259symbols before becoming silent about the problem. Set @var{limit} to
9260zero to suppress all complaints; set it to a large number to prevent
9261complaints from being suppressed.
9262
9263@kindex show complaints
9264@item show complaints
18fae2a8 9265Displays how many symbol complaints @value{GDBN} is permitted to produce.
70b88761
RP
9266@end table
9267
18fae2a8 9268By default, @value{GDBN} is cautious, and asks what sometimes seems to be a
70b88761
RP
9269lot of stupid questions to confirm certain commands. For example, if
9270you try to run a program which is already running:
1041a570 9271
70b88761 9272@example
18fae2a8 9273(@value{GDBP}) run
70b88761 9274The program being debugged has been started already.
e251e767 9275Start it from the beginning? (y or n)
70b88761
RP
9276@end example
9277
29a2b744 9278If you are willing to unflinchingly face the consequences of your own
70b88761
RP
9279commands, you can disable this ``feature'':
9280
9281@table @code
9282@kindex set confirm
9283@cindex flinching
9284@cindex confirmation
9285@cindex stupid questions
9286@item set confirm off
9287Disables confirmation requests.
9288
9289@item set confirm on
9290Enables confirmation requests (the default).
9291
70b88761 9292@kindex show confirm
af215b1a 9293@item show confirm
70b88761
RP
9294Displays state of confirmation requests.
9295@end table
9296
9897afc6 9297@node Sequences, Emacs, Controlling GDB, Top
70b88761
RP
9298@chapter Canned Sequences of Commands
9299
29a2b744 9300Aside from breakpoint commands (@pxref{Break Commands, ,Breakpoint
93928b60 9301command lists}), @value{GDBN} provides two ways to store sequences of commands
1041a570 9302for execution as a unit: user-defined commands and command files.
70b88761
RP
9303
9304@menu
ed447b95 9305* Define:: User-defined commands
9897afc6 9306* Hooks:: User-defined command hooks
ed447b95
RP
9307* Command Files:: Command files
9308* Output:: Commands for controlled output
70b88761
RP
9309@end menu
9310
9897afc6 9311@node Define, Hooks, Sequences, Sequences
ed447b95 9312@section User-defined commands
70b88761
RP
9313
9314@cindex user-defined command
af215b1a
VM
9315A @dfn{user-defined command} is a sequence of @value{GDBN} commands to which
9316you assign a new name as a command. This is done with the @code{define}
9317command. User commands may accept up to 10 arguments separated by whitespace.
9318Arguments are accessed within the user command via @var{$arg0@dots{}$arg9}.
9319A trivial example:
9320
9321@smallexample
9322define adder
9323 print $arg0 + $arg1 + $arg2
9324@end smallexample
9325
9326@noindent To execute the command use:
9327
9328@smallexample
9329adder 1 2 3
9330@end smallexample
9331
9332@noindent This defines the command @code{adder}, which prints the sum of
9333its three arguments. Note the arguments are text substitutions, so they may
9334reference variables, use complex expressions, or even perform inferior
9335functions calls.
70b88761
RP
9336
9337@table @code
70b88761 9338@kindex define
af215b1a 9339@item define @var{commandname}
70b88761
RP
9340Define a command named @var{commandname}. If there is already a command
9341by that name, you are asked to confirm that you want to redefine it.
9342
18fae2a8 9343The definition of the command is made up of other @value{GDBN} command lines,
70b88761
RP
9344which are given following the @code{define} command. The end of these
9345commands is marked by a line containing @code{end}.
9346
d0b2a91c
PB
9347@kindex if
9348@kindex else
af215b1a 9349@item if
d0b2a91c
PB
9350Takes a single argument, which is an expression to evaluate.
9351It is followed by a series of commands that are executed
9352only if the expression is true (nonzero).
9353There can then optionally be a line @code{else}, followed
9354by a series of commands that are only executed if the expression
9355was false. The end of the list is marked by a line containing @code{end}.
9356
d0b2a91c 9357@kindex while
af215b1a
VM
9358@item while
9359The syntax is similar to @code{if}: the command takes a single argument,
d0b2a91c
PB
9360which is an expression to evaluate, and must be followed by the commands to
9361execute, one per line, terminated by an @code{end}.
9362The commands are executed repeatedly as long as the expression
9363evaluates to true.
9364
70b88761 9365@kindex document
af215b1a
VM
9366@item document @var{commandname}
9367Document the user-defined command @var{commandname}, so that it can be
9368accessed by @code{help}. The command @var{commandname} must already be
9369defined. This command reads lines of documentation just as @code{define}
9370reads the lines of the command definition, ending with @code{end}.
9371After the @code{document} command is finished, @code{help} on command
9372@var{commandname} displays the documentation you have written.
70b88761
RP
9373
9374You may use the @code{document} command again to change the
9375documentation of a command. Redefining the command with @code{define}
9376does not change the documentation.
9377
70b88761 9378@kindex help user-defined
af215b1a 9379@item help user-defined
70b88761
RP
9380List all user-defined commands, with the first line of the documentation
9381(if any) for each.
9382
af215b1a 9383@kindex show user
4768ba62
JG
9384@item show user
9385@itemx show user @var{commandname}
18fae2a8 9386Display the @value{GDBN} commands used to define @var{commandname} (but not its
70b88761
RP
9387documentation). If no @var{commandname} is given, display the
9388definitions for all user-defined commands.
9389@end table
9390
d0b2a91c 9391When user-defined commands are executed, the
70b88761
RP
9392commands of the definition are not printed. An error in any command
9393stops execution of the user-defined command.
9394
af215b1a
VM
9395If used interactively, commands that would ask for confirmation proceed
9396without asking when used inside a user-defined command. Many @value{GDBN}
9397commands that normally print messages to say what they are doing omit the
9398messages when used in a user-defined command.
70b88761 9399
9897afc6 9400@node Hooks, Command Files, Define, Sequences
93928b60 9401@section User-defined command hooks
35a15d60
JG
9402@cindex command files
9403
9404You may define @emph{hooks}, which are a special kind of user-defined
9405command. Whenever you run the command @samp{foo}, if the user-defined
9406command @samp{hook-foo} exists, it is executed (with no arguments)
9407before that command.
9408
1d7c3357
RP
9409In addition, a pseudo-command, @samp{stop} exists. Defining
9410(@samp{hook-stop}) makes the associated commands execute every time
9411execution stops in your program: before breakpoint commands are run,
9412displays are printed, or the stack frame is printed.
35a15d60 9413
1d7c3357
RP
9414@ifclear BARETARGET
9415For example, to ignore @code{SIGALRM} signals while
9416single-stepping, but treat them normally during normal execution,
9417you could define:
35a15d60
JG
9418
9419@example
9420define hook-stop
9421handle SIGALRM nopass
9422end
9423
9424define hook-run
9425handle SIGALRM pass
9426end
9427
9428define hook-continue
9429handle SIGLARM pass
9430end
9431@end example
1d7c3357 9432@end ifclear
35a15d60 9433
1d7c3357
RP
9434You can define a hook for any single-word command in @value{GDBN}, but
9435not for command aliases; you should define a hook for the basic command
9436name, e.g. @code{backtrace} rather than @code{bt}.
9437@c FIXME! So how does Joe User discover whether a command is an alias
9438@c or not?
9439If an error occurs during the execution of your hook, execution of
9440@value{GDBN} commands stops and @value{GDBN} issues a prompt
9441(before the command that you actually typed had a chance to run).
35a15d60 9442
93918348 9443If you try to define a hook which does not match any known command, you
9a27b06e 9444get a warning from the @code{define} command.
35a15d60 9445
9897afc6 9446@node Command Files, Output, Hooks, Sequences
93928b60 9447@section Command files
70b88761
RP
9448
9449@cindex command files
af215b1a
VM
9450A command file for @value{GDBN} is a file of lines that are @value{GDBN}
9451commands. Comments (lines starting with @kbd{#}) may also be included.
9452An empty line in a command file does nothing; it does not mean to repeat
9453the last command, as it would from the terminal.
70b88761
RP
9454
9455@cindex init file
18fae2a8
RP
9456@cindex @file{@value{GDBINIT}}
9457When you start @value{GDBN}, it automatically executes commands from its
64a01450
JK
9458@dfn{init files}. These are files named @file{@value{GDBINIT}}.
9459@value{GDBN} reads the init file (if any) in your home directory, then
9460processes command line options and operands, and then reads the init
9461file (if any) in the current working directory. This is so the init
9462file in your home directory can set options (such as @code{set
8d43be62 9463complaints}) which affect the processing of the command line options and
64a01450
JK
9464operands. The init files are not executed if you use the @samp{-nx}
9465option; @pxref{Mode Options, ,Choosing modes}.
51b65b74
RP
9466
9467@ifset GENERIC
9468@cindex init file name
9469On some configurations of @value{GDBN}, the init file is known by a
9470different name (these are typically environments where a specialized
af215b1a
VM
9471form of @value{GDBN} may need to coexist with other forms,
9472hence a different name
51b65b74
RP
9473for the specialized version's init file). These are the environments
9474with special init file names:
9475
51b65b74 9476@kindex .vxgdbinit
af215b1a 9477@itemize @bullet
51b65b74
RP
9478@item
9479VxWorks (Wind River Systems real-time OS): @samp{.vxgdbinit}
9480
9481@kindex .os68gdbinit
9482@item
9483OS68K (Enea Data Systems real-time OS): @samp{.os68gdbinit}
9484
9485@kindex .esgdbinit
9486@item
9487ES-1800 (Ericsson Telecom AB M68000 emulator): @samp{.esgdbinit}
9488@end itemize
9489@end ifset
9490
9491You can also request the execution of a command file with the
9492@code{source} command:
70b88761
RP
9493
9494@table @code
70b88761 9495@kindex source
af215b1a 9496@item source @var{filename}
70b88761
RP
9497Execute the command file @var{filename}.
9498@end table
9499
9500The lines in a command file are executed sequentially. They are not
9501printed as they are executed. An error in any command terminates execution
9502of the command file.
9503
9504Commands that would ask for confirmation if used interactively proceed
18fae2a8 9505without asking when used in a command file. Many @value{GDBN} commands that
70b88761
RP
9506normally print messages to say what they are doing omit the messages
9507when called from command files.
9508
9897afc6 9509@node Output, , Command Files, Sequences
93928b60 9510@section Commands for controlled output
70b88761
RP
9511
9512During the execution of a command file or a user-defined command, normal
18fae2a8 9513@value{GDBN} output is suppressed; the only output that appears is what is
70b88761
RP
9514explicitly printed by the commands in the definition. This section
9515describes three commands useful for generating exactly the output you
9516want.
9517
9518@table @code
70b88761 9519@kindex echo
af215b1a 9520@item echo @var{text}
29a2b744
RP
9521@c I do not consider backslash-space a standard C escape sequence
9522@c because it is not in ANSI.
1041a570
RP
9523Print @var{text}. Nonprinting characters can be included in
9524@var{text} using C escape sequences, such as @samp{\n} to print a
9a27b06e 9525newline. @strong{No newline is printed unless you specify one.}
1041a570 9526In addition to the standard C escape sequences, a backslash followed
ed447b95 9527by a space stands for a space. This is useful for displaying a
1041a570
RP
9528string with spaces at the beginning or the end, since leading and
9529trailing spaces are otherwise trimmed from all arguments.
9530To print @samp{@w{ }and foo =@w{ }}, use the command
9531@samp{echo \@w{ }and foo = \@w{ }}.
70b88761
RP
9532
9533A backslash at the end of @var{text} can be used, as in C, to continue
9534the command onto subsequent lines. For example,
9535
9536@example
9537echo This is some text\n\
9538which is continued\n\
9539onto several lines.\n
9540@end example
9541
9542produces the same output as
9543
9544@example
9545echo This is some text\n
9546echo which is continued\n
9547echo onto several lines.\n
9548@end example
9549
70b88761 9550@kindex output
af215b1a 9551@item output @var{expression}
70b88761
RP
9552Print the value of @var{expression} and nothing but that value: no
9553newlines, no @samp{$@var{nn} = }. The value is not entered in the
af215b1a
VM
9554value history either. @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}, for more information
9555on expressions.
70b88761
RP
9556
9557@item output/@var{fmt} @var{expression}
9558Print the value of @var{expression} in format @var{fmt}. You can use
ed447b95
RP
9559the same formats as for @code{print}. @xref{Output Formats,,Output
9560formats}, for more information.
70b88761 9561
70b88761 9562@kindex printf
af215b1a 9563@item printf @var{string}, @var{expressions}@dots{}
70b88761 9564Print the values of the @var{expressions} under the control of
d55320a0
RP
9565@var{string}. The @var{expressions} are separated by commas and may be
9566either numbers or pointers. Their values are printed as specified by
9567@var{string}, exactly as if your program were to execute the C
9568subroutine
70b88761
RP
9569
9570@example
9571printf (@var{string}, @var{expressions}@dots{});
9572@end example
9573
9574For example, you can print two values in hex like this:
9575
0fd24984 9576@smallexample
70b88761 9577printf "foo, bar-foo = 0x%x, 0x%x\n", foo, bar-foo
0fd24984 9578@end smallexample
70b88761
RP
9579
9580The only backslash-escape sequences that you can use in the format
9581string are the simple ones that consist of backslash followed by a
9582letter.
9583@end table
9584
18fae2a8 9585@ifclear DOSHOST
9897afc6 9586@node Emacs, GDB Bugs, Sequences, Top
af215b1a 9587@chapter Using @value{GDBN} under @sc{gnu} Emacs
70b88761 9588
af215b1a
VM
9589@cindex Emacs
9590@cindex @sc{gnu} Emacs
9591A special interface allows you to use @sc{gnu} Emacs to view (and
70b88761 9592edit) the source files for the program you are debugging with
18fae2a8 9593@value{GDBN}.
70b88761
RP
9594
9595To use this interface, use the command @kbd{M-x gdb} in Emacs. Give the
9596executable file you want to debug as an argument. This command starts
18fae2a8 9597@value{GDBN} as a subprocess of Emacs, with input and output through a newly
70b88761 9598created Emacs buffer.
9897afc6
EE
9599@ifset HPPA
9600(Do not use the @code{-tui} option to run @value{GDBN} from Emacs.)
9601@end ifset
70b88761 9602
18fae2a8 9603Using @value{GDBN} under Emacs is just like using @value{GDBN} normally except for two
70b88761
RP
9604things:
9605
9606@itemize @bullet
9607@item
e251e767 9608All ``terminal'' input and output goes through the Emacs buffer.
70b88761
RP
9609@end itemize
9610
18fae2a8 9611This applies both to @value{GDBN} commands and their output, and to the input
70b88761
RP
9612and output done by the program you are debugging.
9613
9614This is useful because it means that you can copy the text of previous
9615commands and input them again; you can even use parts of the output
9616in this way.
9617
3d3ab540
RP
9618All the facilities of Emacs' Shell mode are available for interacting
9619with your program. In particular, you can send signals the usual
9620way---for example, @kbd{C-c C-c} for an interrupt, @kbd{C-c C-z} for a
9621stop.
70b88761
RP
9622
9623@itemize @bullet
9624@item
18fae2a8 9625@value{GDBN} displays source code through Emacs.
70b88761
RP
9626@end itemize
9627
18fae2a8
RP
9628Each time @value{GDBN} displays a stack frame, Emacs automatically finds the
9629source file for that frame and puts an arrow (@samp{=>}) at the
70b88761 9630left margin of the current line. Emacs uses a separate buffer for
fe715d06 9631source display, and splits the screen to show both your @value{GDBN} session
70b88761
RP
9632and the source.
9633
18fae2a8 9634Explicit @value{GDBN} @code{list} or search commands still produce output as
9a27b06e 9635usual, but you probably have no reason to use them from Emacs.
70b88761
RP
9636
9637@quotation
9638@emph{Warning:} If the directory where your program resides is not your
9639current directory, it can be easy to confuse Emacs about the location of
9a27b06e 9640the source files, in which case the auxiliary display buffer does not
18fae2a8
RP
9641appear to show your source. @value{GDBN} can find programs by searching your
9642environment's @code{PATH} variable, so the @value{GDBN} input and output
9a27b06e 9643session proceeds normally; but Emacs does not get enough information
18fae2a8
RP
9644back from @value{GDBN} to locate the source files in this situation. To
9645avoid this problem, either start @value{GDBN} mode from the directory where
b550c03a 9646your program resides, or specify an absolute file name when prompted for the
70b88761
RP
9647@kbd{M-x gdb} argument.
9648
18fae2a8 9649A similar confusion can result if you use the @value{GDBN} @code{file} command to
70b88761 9650switch to debugging a program in some other location, from an existing
18fae2a8 9651@value{GDBN} buffer in Emacs.
70b88761
RP
9652@end quotation
9653
9654By default, @kbd{M-x gdb} calls the program called @file{gdb}. If
18fae2a8 9655you need to call @value{GDBN} by a different name (for example, if you keep
70b88761
RP
9656several configurations around, with different names) you can set the
9657Emacs variable @code{gdb-command-name}; for example,
1041a570 9658
70b88761
RP
9659@example
9660(setq gdb-command-name "mygdb")
9661@end example
1041a570 9662
70b88761
RP
9663@noindent
9664(preceded by @kbd{ESC ESC}, or typed in the @code{*scratch*} buffer, or
9a27b06e 9665in your @file{.emacs} file) makes Emacs call the program named
70b88761
RP
9666``@code{mygdb}'' instead.
9667
18fae2a8 9668In the @value{GDBN} I/O buffer, you can use these special Emacs commands in
70b88761
RP
9669addition to the standard Shell mode commands:
9670
9671@table @kbd
9672@item C-h m
18fae2a8 9673Describe the features of Emacs' @value{GDBN} Mode.
70b88761
RP
9674
9675@item M-s
18fae2a8 9676Execute to another source line, like the @value{GDBN} @code{step} command; also
70b88761
RP
9677update the display window to show the current file and location.
9678
9679@item M-n
9680Execute to next source line in this function, skipping all function
18fae2a8 9681calls, like the @value{GDBN} @code{next} command. Then update the display window
70b88761
RP
9682to show the current file and location.
9683
9684@item M-i
18fae2a8 9685Execute one instruction, like the @value{GDBN} @code{stepi} command; update
70b88761
RP
9686display window accordingly.
9687
9688@item M-x gdb-nexti
18fae2a8 9689Execute to next instruction, using the @value{GDBN} @code{nexti} command; update
70b88761
RP
9690display window accordingly.
9691
9692@item C-c C-f
18fae2a8 9693Execute until exit from the selected stack frame, like the @value{GDBN}
70b88761
RP
9694@code{finish} command.
9695
9696@item M-c
18fae2a8 9697Continue execution of your program, like the @value{GDBN} @code{continue}
1041a570 9698command.
203eea5d
RP
9699
9700@emph{Warning:} In Emacs v19, this command is @kbd{C-c C-p}.
70b88761
RP
9701
9702@item M-u
9703Go up the number of frames indicated by the numeric argument
af215b1a 9704(@pxref{Arguments, , Numeric Arguments, Emacs, The @sc{gnu} Emacs Manual}),
18fae2a8 9705like the @value{GDBN} @code{up} command.
203eea5d 9706
1041a570 9707@emph{Warning:} In Emacs v19, this command is @kbd{C-c C-u}.
70b88761
RP
9708
9709@item M-d
9710Go down the number of frames indicated by the numeric argument, like the
18fae2a8 9711@value{GDBN} @code{down} command.
203eea5d
RP
9712
9713@emph{Warning:} In Emacs v19, this command is @kbd{C-c C-d}.
70b88761
RP
9714
9715@item C-x &
9716Read the number where the cursor is positioned, and insert it at the end
18fae2a8 9717of the @value{GDBN} I/O buffer. For example, if you wish to disassemble code
70b88761
RP
9718around an address that was displayed earlier, type @kbd{disassemble};
9719then move the cursor to the address display, and pick up the
e251e767 9720argument for @code{disassemble} by typing @kbd{C-x &}.
70b88761 9721
ed447b95 9722You can customize this further by defining elements of the list
70b88761
RP
9723@code{gdb-print-command}; once it is defined, you can format or
9724otherwise process numbers picked up by @kbd{C-x &} before they are
9a27b06e
RP
9725inserted. A numeric argument to @kbd{C-x &} indicates that you
9726wish special formatting, and also acts as an index to pick an element of the
70b88761
RP
9727list. If the list element is a string, the number to be inserted is
9728formatted using the Emacs function @code{format}; otherwise the number
9729is passed as an argument to the corresponding list element.
70b88761
RP
9730@end table
9731
9732In any source file, the Emacs command @kbd{C-x SPC} (@code{gdb-break})
18fae2a8 9733tells @value{GDBN} to set a breakpoint on the source line point is on.
70b88761
RP
9734
9735If you accidentally delete the source-display buffer, an easy way to get
18fae2a8 9736it back is to type the command @code{f} in the @value{GDBN} buffer, to
9a27b06e 9737request a frame display; when you run under Emacs, this recreates
70b88761
RP
9738the source buffer if necessary to show you the context of the current
9739frame.
9740
9741The source files displayed in Emacs are in ordinary Emacs buffers
9742which are visiting the source files in the usual way. You can edit
18fae2a8 9743the files with these buffers if you wish; but keep in mind that @value{GDBN}
70b88761 9744communicates with Emacs in terms of line numbers. If you add or
9a27b06e 9745delete lines from the text, the line numbers that @value{GDBN} knows cease
ed447b95 9746to correspond properly with the code.
70b88761
RP
9747
9748@c The following dropped because Epoch is nonstandard. Reactivate
e0d3ace2 9749@c if/when v19 does something similar. ---doc@cygnus.com 19dec1990
70b88761 9750@ignore
af215b1a
VM
9751@kindex Emacs Epoch environment
9752@kindex Epoch
70b88761
RP
9753@kindex inspect
9754
af215b1a
VM
9755Version 18 of @sc{gnu} Emacs has a built-in window system
9756called the @code{epoch}
70b88761
RP
9757environment. Users of this environment can use a new command,
9758@code{inspect} which performs identically to @code{print} except that
9759each value is printed in its own window.
9760@end ignore
18fae2a8 9761@end ifclear
70b88761 9762
18fae2a8 9763@ifset LUCID
9897afc6 9764@node Energize, GDB Bugs, Emacs, Top
18fae2a8 9765@chapter Using @value{GDBN} with Energize
6ca72cc6
RP
9766
9767@cindex Energize
9768The Energize Programming System is an integrated development environment
9769that includes a point-and-click interface to many programming tools.
18fae2a8
RP
9770When you use @value{GDBN} in this environment, you can use the standard
9771Energize graphical interface to drive @value{GDBN}; you can also, if you
9772choose, type @value{GDBN} commands as usual in a debugging window. Even if
6ca72cc6 9773you use the graphical interface, the debugging window (which uses Emacs,
af215b1a
VM
9774and resembles the standard @sc{gnu} Emacs interface to
9775@value{GDBN}) displays the
6ca72cc6
RP
9776equivalent commands, so that the history of your debugging session is
9777properly reflected.
9778
18fae2a8 9779When Energize starts up a @value{GDBN} session, it uses one of the
6ca72cc6
RP
9780command-line options @samp{-energize} or @samp{-cadillac} (``cadillac''
9781is the name of the communications protocol used by the Energize system).
18fae2a8 9782This option makes @value{GDBN} run as one of the tools in the Energize Tool
6ca72cc6
RP
9783Set: it sends all output to the Energize kernel, and accept input from
9784it as well.
9785
9786See the user manual for the Energize Programming System for
9787information on how to use the Energize graphical interface and the other
18fae2a8 9788development tools that Energize integrates with @value{GDBN}.
6ca72cc6 9789
18fae2a8 9790@end ifset
4eb4cf57 9791
9897afc6 9792@node GDB Bugs, Command Line Editing, Emacs, Top
18fae2a8 9793@chapter Reporting Bugs in @value{GDBN}
ed447b95
RP
9794@cindex bugs in @value{GDBN}
9795@cindex reporting bugs in @value{GDBN}
70b88761 9796
18fae2a8 9797Your bug reports play an essential role in making @value{GDBN} reliable.
70b88761
RP
9798
9799Reporting a bug may help you by bringing a solution to your problem, or it
9800may not. But in any case the principal function of a bug report is to help
18fae2a8
RP
9801the entire community by making the next version of @value{GDBN} work better. Bug
9802reports are your contribution to the maintenance of @value{GDBN}.
70b88761
RP
9803
9804In order for a bug report to serve its purpose, you must include the
9805information that enables us to fix the bug.
9806
9807@menu
ed447b95
RP
9808* Bug Criteria:: Have you found a bug?
9809* Bug Reporting:: How to report bugs
70b88761
RP
9810@end menu
9811
9897afc6 9812@node Bug Criteria, Bug Reporting, GDB Bugs, GDB Bugs
93928b60 9813@section Have you found a bug?
ed447b95 9814@cindex bug criteria
70b88761
RP
9815
9816If you are not sure whether you have found a bug, here are some guidelines:
9817
9818@itemize @bullet
0f153e74 9819@cindex fatal signal
1d7c3357
RP
9820@cindex debugger crash
9821@cindex crash of debugger
af215b1a 9822@item
70b88761 9823If the debugger gets a fatal signal, for any input whatever, that is a
18fae2a8 9824@value{GDBN} bug. Reliable debuggers never crash.
70b88761 9825
0f153e74 9826@cindex error on valid input
af215b1a 9827@item
18fae2a8 9828If @value{GDBN} produces an error message for valid input, that is a bug.
70b88761 9829
ed447b95 9830@cindex invalid input
af215b1a 9831@item
18fae2a8 9832If @value{GDBN} does not produce an error message for invalid input,
70b88761
RP
9833that is a bug. However, you should note that your idea of
9834``invalid input'' might be our idea of ``an extension'' or ``support
9835for traditional practice''.
9836
9837@item
9838If you are an experienced user of debugging tools, your suggestions
18fae2a8 9839for improvement of @value{GDBN} are welcome in any case.
70b88761
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9840@end itemize
9841
9897afc6 9842@node Bug Reporting, , Bug Criteria, GDB Bugs
93928b60 9843@section How to report bugs
0f153e74 9844@cindex bug reports
18fae2a8 9845@cindex @value{GDBN} bugs, reporting
70b88761 9846
9897afc6 9847@ifclear HPPA
af215b1a 9848A number of companies and individuals offer support for @sc{gnu} products.
18fae2a8 9849If you obtained @value{GDBN} from a support organization, we recommend you
e251e767 9850contact that organization first.
70b88761 9851
ed447b95 9852You can find contact information for many support companies and
af215b1a 9853individuals in the file @file{etc/SERVICE} in the @sc{gnu} Emacs
ed447b95 9854distribution.
70b88761 9855
18fae2a8 9856In any event, we also recommend that you send bug reports for @value{GDBN} to one
70b88761
RP
9857of these addresses:
9858
9859@example
9860bug-gdb@@prep.ai.mit.edu
9861@{ucbvax|mit-eddie|uunet@}!prep.ai.mit.edu!bug-gdb
9862@end example
9863
9864@strong{Do not send bug reports to @samp{info-gdb}, or to
18fae2a8 9865@samp{help-gdb}, or to any newsgroups.} Most users of @value{GDBN} do not want to
af215b1a 9866receive bug reports. Those that do have arranged to receive @samp{bug-gdb}.
70b88761 9867
3d3ab540
RP
9868The mailing list @samp{bug-gdb} has a newsgroup @samp{gnu.gdb.bug} which
9869serves as a repeater. The mailing list and the newsgroup carry exactly
9870the same messages. Often people think of posting bug reports to the
9871newsgroup instead of mailing them. This appears to work, but it has one
9872problem which can be crucial: a newsgroup posting often lacks a mail
9873path back to the sender. Thus, if we need to ask for more information,
9874we may be unable to reach you. For this reason, it is better to send
9875bug reports to the mailing list.
70b88761
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9876
9877As a last resort, send bug reports on paper to:
9878
9879@example
af215b1a 9880@sc{gnu} Debugger Bugs
6c9638b4
FF
9881Free Software Foundation Inc.
988259 Temple Place - Suite 330
9883Boston, MA 02111-1307
9884USA
70b88761 9885@end example
9897afc6
EE
9886@end ifclear
9887
9888@ifset HPPA
9889If you obtained HP GDB as part of your HP ANSI C or HP ANSI C++ compiler
9890kit, report problems to your HP Support Representative.
9891
9892If you obtained HP GDB from the Hewlett-Packard Web site, report
9893problems by electronic mail to @code{wdb-www@@ch.hp.com}.
9894@end ifset
70b88761
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9895
9896The fundamental principle of reporting bugs usefully is this:
9897@strong{report all the facts}. If you are not sure whether to state a
9898fact or leave it out, state it!
9899
9900Often people omit facts because they think they know what causes the
29a2b744 9901problem and assume that some details do not matter. Thus, you might
70b88761 9902assume that the name of the variable you use in an example does not matter.
29a2b744 9903Well, probably it does not, but one cannot be sure. Perhaps the bug is a
70b88761
RP
9904stray memory reference which happens to fetch from the location where that
9905name is stored in memory; perhaps, if the name were different, the contents
9906of that location would fool the debugger into doing the right thing despite
9907the bug. Play it safe and give a specific, complete example. That is the
9908easiest thing for you to do, and the most helpful.
9909
9910Keep in mind that the purpose of a bug report is to enable us to fix
af215b1a
VM
9911the bug if it is new to us.
9912@c
9913@c FIX ME!!--What the heck does the following sentence mean,
9914@c in the context of the one above?
9915@c
9916@c It is not as important as what happens if the bug is already known.
9917@c
9918Therefore, always write your bug reports on
70b88761
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9919the assumption that the bug has not been reported previously.
9920
9921Sometimes people give a few sketchy facts and ask, ``Does this ring a
9922bell?'' Those bug reports are useless, and we urge everyone to
9923@emph{refuse to respond to them} except to chide the sender to report
9924bugs properly.
9925
9926To enable us to fix the bug, you should include all these things:
9927
9928@itemize @bullet
9929@item
18fae2a8 9930The version of @value{GDBN}. @value{GDBN} announces it if you start with no
70b88761
RP
9931arguments; you can also print it at any time using @code{show version}.
9932
1041a570 9933Without this, we will not know whether there is any point in looking for
18fae2a8 9934the bug in the current version of @value{GDBN}.
70b88761
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9935
9936@item
ddf21240
JG
9937The type of machine you are using, and the operating system name and
9938version number.
70b88761 9939
9897afc6 9940@ifclear HPPA
70b88761 9941@item
18fae2a8
RP
9942What compiler (and its version) was used to compile @value{GDBN}---e.g.
9943``@value{GCC}--2.0''.
9897afc6 9944@end ifclear
70b88761 9945
ddf21240
JG
9946@item
9947What compiler (and its version) was used to compile the program you
9897afc6 9948@ifclear HPPA
18fae2a8 9949are debugging---e.g. ``@value{GCC}--2.0''.
9897afc6
EE
9950@end ifclear
9951@ifset HPPA
9952are debugging---e.g. ``HP92453-01 A.10.32.03 HP C Compiler''. Use the
9953@code{what} command with the pathname of the compile command
9954(@file{what /opt/ansic/bin/cc}, for example) to obtain this information.
9955@end ifset
ddf21240 9956
70b88761
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9957@item
9958The command arguments you gave the compiler to compile your example and
9959observe the bug. For example, did you use @samp{-O}? To guarantee
1041a570 9960you will not omit something important, list them all. A copy of the
ddf21240 9961Makefile (or the output from make) is sufficient.
70b88761
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9962
9963If we were to try to guess the arguments, we would probably guess wrong
9964and then we might not encounter the bug.
9965
9966@item
ddf21240
JG
9967A complete input script, and all necessary source files, that will
9968reproduce the bug.
70b88761
RP
9969
9970@item
9971A description of what behavior you observe that you believe is
9972incorrect. For example, ``It gets a fatal signal.''
9973
18fae2a8 9974Of course, if the bug is that @value{GDBN} gets a fatal signal, then we will
70b88761 9975certainly notice it. But if the bug is incorrect output, we might not
af215b1a
VM
9976notice unless it is glaringly wrong. You might as well not give us a
9977chance to make a mistake.
70b88761
RP
9978
9979Even if the problem you experience is a fatal signal, you should still
9980say so explicitly. Suppose something strange is going on, such as,
18fae2a8 9981your copy of @value{GDBN} is out of synch, or you have encountered a
70b88761
RP
9982bug in the C library on your system. (This has happened!) Your copy
9983might crash and ours would not. If you told us to expect a crash,
9984then when ours fails to crash, we would know that the bug was not
9985happening for us. If you had not told us to expect a crash, then we
9986would not be able to draw any conclusion from our observations.
9987
9897afc6 9988@ifclear HPPA
70b88761 9989@item
18fae2a8
RP
9990If you wish to suggest changes to the @value{GDBN} source, send us context
9991diffs. If you even discuss something in the @value{GDBN} source, refer to
70b88761
RP
9992it by context, not by line number.
9993
1041a570 9994The line numbers in our development sources will not match those in your
70b88761 9995sources. Your line numbers would convey no useful information to us.
9897afc6 9996@end ifclear
70b88761
RP
9997@end itemize
9998
9999Here are some things that are not necessary:
10000
10001@itemize @bullet
10002@item
10003A description of the envelope of the bug.
10004
10005Often people who encounter a bug spend a lot of time investigating
10006which changes to the input file will make the bug go away and which
10007changes will not affect it.
10008
10009This is often time consuming and not very useful, because the way we
10010will find the bug is by running a single example under the debugger
10011with breakpoints, not by pure deduction from a series of examples.
10012We recommend that you save your time for something else.
10013
10014Of course, if you can find a simpler example to report @emph{instead}
10015of the original one, that is a convenience for us. Errors in the
10016output will be easier to spot, running under the debugger will take
b1955f0b 10017less time, and so on.
70b88761 10018
29a2b744 10019However, simplification is not vital; if you do not want to do this,
70b88761
RP
10020report the bug anyway and send us the entire test case you used.
10021
10022@item
10023A patch for the bug.
10024
29a2b744 10025A patch for the bug does help us if it is a good one. But do not omit
70b88761
RP
10026the necessary information, such as the test case, on the assumption that
10027a patch is all we need. We might see problems with your patch and decide
10028to fix the problem another way, or we might not understand it at all.
10029
18fae2a8 10030Sometimes with a program as complicated as @value{GDBN} it is very hard to
70b88761 10031construct an example that will make the program follow a certain path
1041a570
RP
10032through the code. If you do not send us the example, we will not be able
10033to construct one, so we will not be able to verify that the bug is fixed.
70b88761 10034
29a2b744 10035And if we cannot understand what bug you are trying to fix, or why your
1041a570 10036patch should be an improvement, we will not install it. A test case will
70b88761
RP
10037help us to understand.
10038
10039@item
10040A guess about what the bug is or what it depends on.
10041
29a2b744 10042Such guesses are usually wrong. Even we cannot guess right about such
70b88761
RP
10043things without first using the debugger to find the facts.
10044@end itemize
10045
da24340c
RP
10046@c The readline documentation is distributed with the readline code
10047@c and consists of the two following files:
10048@c rluser.texinfo
10049@c inc-hist.texi
10050@c Use -I with makeinfo to point to the appropriate directory,
10051@c environment var TEXINPUTS with TeX.
cacf5942
RP
10052@include rluser.texinfo
10053@include inc-hist.texi
70b88761 10054
18fae2a8 10055@ifset NOVEL
af215b1a 10056@ifset RENAMED
9897afc6 10057@node Renamed Commands, Formatting Documentation, GDB Bugs, Top
70b88761
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10058@appendix Renamed Commands
10059
af215b1a 10060The following commands were renamed in @value{GDBN} 4, in order to make the
70b88761
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10061command set as a whole more consistent and easier to use and remember:
10062
e251e767
RP
10063@kindex add-syms
10064@kindex delete environment
10065@kindex info copying
10066@kindex info convenience
10067@kindex info directories
10068@kindex info editing
10069@kindex info history
10070@kindex info targets
10071@kindex info values
10072@kindex info version
10073@kindex info warranty
10074@kindex set addressprint
10075@kindex set arrayprint
10076@kindex set prettyprint
10077@kindex set screen-height
10078@kindex set screen-width
10079@kindex set unionprint
10080@kindex set vtblprint
10081@kindex set demangle
10082@kindex set asm-demangle
10083@kindex set sevenbit-strings
10084@kindex set array-max
10085@kindex set caution
10086@kindex set history write
10087@kindex show addressprint
10088@kindex show arrayprint
10089@kindex show prettyprint
10090@kindex show screen-height
10091@kindex show screen-width
10092@kindex show unionprint
10093@kindex show vtblprint
10094@kindex show demangle
10095@kindex show asm-demangle
10096@kindex show sevenbit-strings
10097@kindex show array-max
10098@kindex show caution
10099@kindex show history write
10100@kindex unset
70b88761 10101
92b73793 10102@c TEXI2ROFF-KILL
70b88761 10103@ifinfo
92b73793 10104@c END TEXI2ROFF-KILL
cf496415
RP
10105@example
10106OLD COMMAND NEW COMMAND
92b73793 10107@c TEXI2ROFF-KILL
cf496415 10108--------------- -------------------------------
92b73793 10109@c END TEXI2ROFF-KILL
cf496415
RP
10110add-syms add-symbol-file
10111delete environment unset environment
10112info convenience show convenience
10113info copying show copying
e251e767 10114info directories show directories
cf496415
RP
10115info editing show commands
10116info history show values
10117info targets help target
10118info values show values
10119info version show version
10120info warranty show warranty
10121set/show addressprint set/show print address
10122set/show array-max set/show print elements
10123set/show arrayprint set/show print array
10124set/show asm-demangle set/show print asm-demangle
10125set/show caution set/show confirm
10126set/show demangle set/show print demangle
10127set/show history write set/show history save
10128set/show prettyprint set/show print pretty
10129set/show screen-height set/show height
10130set/show screen-width set/show width
10131set/show sevenbit-strings set/show print sevenbit-strings
10132set/show unionprint set/show print union
10133set/show vtblprint set/show print vtbl
10134
10135unset [No longer an alias for delete]
10136@end example
92b73793 10137@c TEXI2ROFF-KILL
70b88761
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10138@end ifinfo
10139
10140@tex
10141\vskip \parskip\vskip \baselineskip
10142\halign{\tt #\hfil &\qquad#&\tt #\hfil\cr
10143{\bf Old Command} &&{\bf New Command}\cr
10144add-syms &&add-symbol-file\cr
10145delete environment &&unset environment\cr
10146info convenience &&show convenience\cr
10147info copying &&show copying\cr
10148info directories &&show directories \cr
10149info editing &&show commands\cr
10150info history &&show values\cr
10151info targets &&help target\cr
10152info values &&show values\cr
10153info version &&show version\cr
10154info warranty &&show warranty\cr
10155set{\rm / }show addressprint &&set{\rm / }show print address\cr
10156set{\rm / }show array-max &&set{\rm / }show print elements\cr
10157set{\rm / }show arrayprint &&set{\rm / }show print array\cr
10158set{\rm / }show asm-demangle &&set{\rm / }show print asm-demangle\cr
10159set{\rm / }show caution &&set{\rm / }show confirm\cr
10160set{\rm / }show demangle &&set{\rm / }show print demangle\cr
10161set{\rm / }show history write &&set{\rm / }show history save\cr
10162set{\rm / }show prettyprint &&set{\rm / }show print pretty\cr
10163set{\rm / }show screen-height &&set{\rm / }show height\cr
10164set{\rm / }show screen-width &&set{\rm / }show width\cr
10165set{\rm / }show sevenbit-strings &&set{\rm / }show print sevenbit-strings\cr
10166set{\rm / }show unionprint &&set{\rm / }show print union\cr
10167set{\rm / }show vtblprint &&set{\rm / }show print vtbl\cr
10168\cr
10169unset &&\rm(No longer an alias for delete)\cr
10170}
10171@end tex
92b73793 10172@c END TEXI2ROFF-KILL
18fae2a8 10173@end ifset
af215b1a 10174@end ifset
70b88761 10175
18fae2a8 10176@ifclear PRECONFIGURED
9897afc6
EE
10177@ifclear HPPA
10178@node Formatting Documentation, Installing GDB, Renamed Commands, Top
fe715d06 10179@appendix Formatting Documentation
77b46d13 10180
af215b1a 10181@cindex @value{GDBN} reference card
77b46d13 10182@cindex reference card
af215b1a 10183The @value{GDBN} 4 release includes an already-formatted reference card, ready
d241c8c8 10184for printing with PostScript or Ghostscript, in the @file{gdb}
ed447b95
RP
10185subdirectory of the main source directory@footnote{In
10186@file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}/gdb/refcard.ps} of the version @value{GDBVN}
d241c8c8 10187release.}. If you can use PostScript or Ghostscript with your printer,
ed447b95 10188you can print the reference card immediately with @file{refcard.ps}.
77b46d13
JG
10189
10190The release also includes the source for the reference card. You
10191can format it, using @TeX{}, by typing:
10192
10193@example
10194make refcard.dvi
10195@end example
10196
af215b1a
VM
10197The @value{GDBN} reference card is designed to print in @dfn{landscape}
10198mode on US ``letter'' size paper;
10199that is, on a sheet 11 inches wide by 8.5 inches
77b46d13
JG
10200high. You will need to specify this form of printing as an option to
10201your @sc{dvi} output program.
10202
10203@cindex documentation
10204
af215b1a 10205All the documentation for @value{GDBN} comes as part of the machine-readable
77b46d13
JG
10206distribution. The documentation is written in Texinfo format, which is
10207a documentation system that uses a single source file to produce both
10208on-line information and a printed manual. You can use one of the Info
10209formatting commands to create the on-line version of the documentation
10210and @TeX{} (or @code{texi2roff}) to typeset the printed version.
10211
af215b1a 10212@value{GDBN} includes an already formatted copy of the on-line Info version of
77b46d13 10213this manual in the @file{gdb} subdirectory. The main Info file is
af215b1a 10214@file{gdb-@r{version-number}/gdb/gdb.info}, and it refers to
a89f94c2
RP
10215subordinate files matching @samp{gdb.info*} in the same directory. If
10216necessary, you can print out these files, or read them with any editor;
af215b1a
VM
10217but they are easier to read using the @code{info} subsystem in @sc{gnu} Emacs
10218or the standalone @code{info} program, available as part of the @sc{gnu}
a89f94c2 10219Texinfo distribution.
77b46d13
JG
10220
10221If you want to format these Info files yourself, you need one of the
10222Info formatting programs, such as @code{texinfo-format-buffer} or
10223@code{makeinfo}.
10224
af215b1a 10225If you have @code{makeinfo} installed, and are in the top level @value{GDBN}
18fae2a8 10226source directory (@file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}}, in the case of version @value{GDBVN}), you can
77b46d13
JG
10227make the Info file by typing:
10228
10229@example
10230cd gdb
10231make gdb.info
10232@end example
10233
fe715d06
RP
10234If you want to typeset and print copies of this manual, you need @TeX{},
10235a program to print its @sc{dvi} output files, and @file{texinfo.tex}, the
10236Texinfo definitions file.
77b46d13 10237
83bfcbae 10238@TeX{} is a typesetting program; it does not print files directly, but
77b46d13
JG
10239produces output files called @sc{dvi} files. To print a typeset
10240document, you need a program to print @sc{dvi} files. If your system
10241has @TeX{} installed, chances are it has such a program. The precise
10242command to use depends on your system; @kbd{lpr -d} is common; another
fe715d06
RP
10243(for PostScript devices) is @kbd{dvips}. The @sc{dvi} print command may
10244require a file name without any extension or a @samp{.dvi} extension.
77b46d13
JG
10245
10246@TeX{} also requires a macro definitions file called
10247@file{texinfo.tex}. This file tells @TeX{} how to typeset a document
af215b1a 10248written in Texinfo format. On its own, @TeX{} cannot either read or
77b46d13
JG
10249typeset a Texinfo file. @file{texinfo.tex} is distributed with GDB
10250and is located in the @file{gdb-@var{version-number}/texinfo}
10251directory.
10252
10253If you have @TeX{} and a @sc{dvi} printer program installed, you can
10254typeset and print this manual. First switch to the the @file{gdb}
10255subdirectory of the main source directory (for example, to
18fae2a8 10256@file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}/gdb}) and then type:
77b46d13
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10257
10258@example
10259make gdb.dvi
10260@end example
9897afc6 10261@end ifclear
77b46d13 10262
d6dc9580 10263@node Installing GDB, Index, Using History Interactively, Top
af215b1a
VM
10264@appendix Installing @value{GDBN}
10265@cindex configuring @value{GDBN}
70b88761
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10266@cindex installation
10267
9897afc6
EE
10268@ifset HPPA
10269If you obtain @value{GDBN} (HP WDB 0.75) as part of your HP ANSI C or
10270HP ANSI C++ Developer's Kit at HP-UX Release 11.0, you do not have to
10271take any special action to build or install @value{GDBN}.
10272
10273If you obtain @value{GDBN} (HP WDB 0.75) from an HP web site, you may
10274download either a @code{swinstall}-able package or a source tree, or
10275both.
10276
10277Most customers will want to install the @value{GDBN} binary that is part
10278of the @code{swinstall}-able package. To do so, use a command of the
10279form
10280
10281@smallexample
10282/usr/sbin/swinstall -s @var{package-name} WDB
10283@end smallexample
10284
10285Alternatively, it is possible to build @value{GDBN} from the source
10286distribution. Sophisticated customers who want to modify the debugger
10287sources to tailor @value{GDBN} to their their needs may wish to do this.
10288The source distribution consists of a @code{tar}'ed source tree rooted
10289at @file{gdb-4.16/...}. The instructions that follow describe how to
10290build a @file{gdb} executable from this source tree. HP believes that
10291these instructions apply to the WDB source tree that it distributes.
10292However, HP does not explicitly support building a @file{gdb} for any
10293non-HP platform from the WDB source tree. It may work, but HP has not
10294tested it for any platforms other than those described in the WDB 0.75
10295Release Notes.
10296@end ifset
10297
af215b1a
VM
10298@value{GDBN} comes with a @code{configure} script that automates the process
10299of preparing @value{GDBN} for installation; you can then use @code{make} to
ed447b95 10300build the @code{gdb} program.
f672bb7f
RP
10301@iftex
10302@c irrelevant in info file; it's as current as the code it lives with.
af215b1a 10303@footnote{If you have a more recent version of @value{GDBN} than @value{GDBVN},
ed447b95
RP
10304look at the @file{README} file in the sources; we may have improved the
10305installation procedures since publishing this manual.}
f672bb7f
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10306@end iftex
10307
af215b1a
VM
10308The @value{GDBN} distribution includes all the source code you need for
10309@value{GDBN} in a single directory, whose name is usually composed by
10310appending the version number to @samp{gdb}.
1041a570 10311
af215b1a 10312For example, the @value{GDBN} version @value{GDBVN} distribution is in the
ed447b95 10313@file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}} directory. That directory contains:
b80282d5 10314
3d3ab540 10315@table @code
18fae2a8 10316@item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/configure @r{(and supporting files)}
af215b1a 10317script for configuring @value{GDBN} and all its supporting libraries
b80282d5 10318
18fae2a8 10319@item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/gdb
af215b1a 10320the source specific to @value{GDBN} itself
3d3ab540 10321
18fae2a8 10322@item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/bfd
77b46d13 10323source for the Binary File Descriptor library
3d3ab540 10324
18fae2a8 10325@item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/include
af215b1a 10326@sc{gnu} include files
3d3ab540 10327
18fae2a8 10328@item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/libiberty
3d3ab540
RP
10329source for the @samp{-liberty} free software library
10330
18fae2a8 10331@item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/opcodes
3214c51c
JG
10332source for the library of opcode tables and disassemblers
10333
18fae2a8 10334@item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/readline
af215b1a 10335source for the @sc{gnu} command-line interface
77b46d13 10336
18fae2a8 10337@item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/glob
af215b1a 10338source for the @sc{gnu} filename pattern-matching subroutine
77b46d13 10339
18fae2a8 10340@item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/mmalloc
af215b1a 10341source for the @sc{gnu} memory-mapped malloc package
3d3ab540 10342@end table
1041a570 10343
af215b1a 10344The simplest way to configure and build @value{GDBN} is to run @code{configure}
1041a570 10345from the @file{gdb-@var{version-number}} source directory, which in
18fae2a8 10346this example is the @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}} directory.
1041a570
RP
10347
10348First switch to the @file{gdb-@var{version-number}} source directory
10349if you are not already in it; then run @code{configure}. Pass the
af215b1a 10350identifier for the platform on which @value{GDBN} will run as an
1041a570
RP
10351argument.
10352
10353For example:
10354
7463aadd 10355@example
18fae2a8 10356cd gdb-@value{GDBVN}
3d3ab540 10357./configure @var{host}
7463aadd
RP
10358make
10359@end example
1041a570 10360
7463aadd 10361@noindent
1041a570 10362where @var{host} is an identifier such as @samp{sun4} or
af215b1a 10363@samp{decstation}, that identifies the platform where @value{GDBN} will run.
d55320a0
RP
10364(You can often leave off @var{host}; @code{configure} tries to guess the
10365correct value by examining your system.)
1041a570 10366
8c69096b 10367Running @samp{configure @var{host}} and then running @code{make} builds the
38962738
RP
10368@file{bfd}, @file{readline}, @file{mmalloc}, and @file{libiberty}
10369libraries, then @code{gdb} itself. The configured source files, and the
10370binaries, are left in the corresponding source directories.
3d3ab540 10371
af215b1a 10372@need 750
e251e767 10373@code{configure} is a Bourne-shell (@code{/bin/sh}) script; if your
29a2b744 10374system does not recognize this automatically when you run a different
1041a570
RP
10375shell, you may need to run @code{sh} on it explicitly:
10376
10377@example
10378sh configure @var{host}
10379@end example
e251e767 10380
f672bb7f
RP
10381If you run @code{configure} from a directory that contains source
10382directories for multiple libraries or programs, such as the
18fae2a8 10383@file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}} source directory for version @value{GDBVN}, @code{configure}
f672bb7f 10384creates configuration files for every directory level underneath (unless
98349959 10385you tell it not to, with the @samp{--norecursion} option).
f672bb7f
RP
10386
10387You can run the @code{configure} script from any of the
af215b1a 10388subordinate directories in the @value{GDBN} distribution if you only want to
d55320a0 10389configure that subdirectory, but be sure to specify a path to it.
1041a570 10390
18fae2a8 10391For example, with version @value{GDBVN}, type the following to configure only
1041a570
RP
10392the @code{bfd} subdirectory:
10393
e251e767 10394@example
203eea5d 10395@group
18fae2a8 10396cd gdb-@value{GDBVN}/bfd
e251e767 10397../configure @var{host}
203eea5d 10398@end group
e251e767
RP
10399@end example
10400
18fae2a8 10401You can install @code{@value{GDBP}} anywhere; it has no hardwired paths.
1041a570
RP
10402However, you should make sure that the shell on your path (named by
10403the @samp{SHELL} environment variable) is publicly readable. Remember
af215b1a
VM
10404that @value{GDBN} uses the shell to start your program---some systems refuse to
10405let @value{GDBN} debug child processes whose programs are not readable.
3d3ab540
RP
10406
10407@menu
af215b1a 10408* Separate Objdir:: Compiling @value{GDBN} in another directory
b80282d5 10409* Config Names:: Specifying names for hosts and targets
9897afc6 10410* Configure Options:: Summary of options for configure
3d3ab540
RP
10411@end menu
10412
9897afc6 10413@node Separate Objdir, Config Names, Installing GDB, Installing GDB
af215b1a 10414@section Compiling @value{GDBN} in another directory
1041a570 10415
af215b1a 10416If you want to run @value{GDBN} versions for several host or target machines,
ed447b95 10417you need a different @code{gdb} compiled for each combination of
1041a570 10418host and target. @code{configure} is designed to make this easy by
f672bb7f
RP
10419allowing you to generate each configuration in a separate subdirectory,
10420rather than in the source directory. If your @code{make} program
af215b1a 10421handles the @samp{VPATH} feature (@sc{gnu} @code{make} does), running
ed447b95 10422@code{make} in each of these directories builds the @code{gdb}
f672bb7f 10423program specified there.
b80282d5 10424
c7cb8acb 10425To build @code{gdb} in a separate directory, run @code{configure}
f672bb7f 10426with the @samp{--srcdir} option to specify where to find the source.
93918348 10427(You also need to specify a path to find @code{configure}
77b46d13
JG
10428itself from your working directory. If the path to @code{configure}
10429would be the same as the argument to @samp{--srcdir}, you can leave out
9a27b06e 10430the @samp{--srcdir} option; it is assumed.)
1041a570 10431
af215b1a
VM
10432For example, with version @value{GDBVN}, you can build @value{GDBN} in a
10433separate directory for a Sun 4 like this:
70b88761
RP
10434
10435@example
3d3ab540 10436@group
18fae2a8 10437cd gdb-@value{GDBVN}
f672bb7f
RP
10438mkdir ../gdb-sun4
10439cd ../gdb-sun4
18fae2a8 10440../gdb-@value{GDBVN}/configure sun4
70b88761 10441make
3d3ab540 10442@end group
70b88761
RP
10443@end example
10444
f672bb7f
RP
10445When @code{configure} builds a configuration using a remote source
10446directory, it creates a tree for the binaries with the same structure
10447(and using the same names) as the tree under the source directory. In
10448the example, you'd find the Sun 4 library @file{libiberty.a} in the
af215b1a 10449directory @file{gdb-sun4/libiberty}, and @value{GDBN} itself in
f672bb7f 10450@file{gdb-sun4/gdb}.
1041a570 10451
af215b1a
VM
10452One popular reason to build several @value{GDBN} configurations in separate
10453directories is to configure @value{GDBN} for cross-compiling (where
10454@value{GDBN} runs on one machine---the @dfn{host}---while debugging
10455programs that run on another machine---the @dfn{target}).
10456You specify a cross-debugging target by
f672bb7f 10457giving the @samp{--target=@var{target}} option to @code{configure}.
c7637ea6 10458
1041a570 10459When you run @code{make} to build a program or library, you must run
f672bb7f
RP
10460it in a configured directory---whatever directory you were in when you
10461called @code{configure} (or one of its subdirectories).
c7637ea6 10462
fe715d06 10463The @code{Makefile} that @code{configure} generates in each source
f672bb7f 10464directory also runs recursively. If you type @code{make} in a source
18fae2a8 10465directory such as @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}} (or in a separate configured
b550c03a 10466directory configured with @samp{--srcdir=@var{dirname}/gdb-@value{GDBVN}}), you
ed447b95 10467will build all the required libraries, and then build GDB.
3d3ab540 10468
f672bb7f
RP
10469When you have multiple hosts or targets configured in separate
10470directories, you can run @code{make} on them in parallel (for example,
10471if they are NFS-mounted on each of the hosts); they will not interfere
10472with each other.
3d3ab540 10473
9897afc6 10474@node Config Names, Configure Options, Separate Objdir, Installing GDB
93928b60 10475@section Specifying names for hosts and targets
b80282d5
RP
10476
10477The specifications used for hosts and targets in the @code{configure}
10478script are based on a three-part naming scheme, but some short predefined
10479aliases are also supported. The full naming scheme encodes three pieces
e251e767 10480of information in the following pattern:
1041a570 10481
b80282d5
RP
10482@example
10483@var{architecture}-@var{vendor}-@var{os}
10484@end example
10485
8c69096b
RP
10486For example, you can use the alias @code{sun4} as a @var{host} argument,
10487or as the value for @var{target} in a @code{--target=@var{target}}
10488option. The equivalent full name is @samp{sparc-sun-sunos4}.
b80282d5 10489
af215b1a 10490The @code{configure} script accompanying @value{GDBN} does not provide
b80282d5
RP
10491any query facility to list all supported host and target names or
10492aliases. @code{configure} calls the Bourne shell script
10493@code{config.sub} to map abbreviations to full names; you can read the
10494script, if you wish, or you can use it to test your guesses on
10495abbreviations---for example:
1041a570 10496
b1385986 10497@smallexample
b80282d5 10498% sh config.sub sun4
d55320a0 10499sparc-sun-sunos4.1.1
b80282d5 10500% sh config.sub sun3
d55320a0 10501m68k-sun-sunos4.1.1
b80282d5 10502% sh config.sub decstation
d55320a0 10503mips-dec-ultrix4.2
b80282d5
RP
10504% sh config.sub hp300bsd
10505m68k-hp-bsd
10506% sh config.sub i386v
6a8cb0e7 10507i386-unknown-sysv
e94b4a2b 10508% sh config.sub i786v
6a8cb0e7 10509Invalid configuration `i786v': machine `i786v' not recognized
b1385986 10510@end smallexample
1041a570 10511
c7637ea6 10512@noindent
af215b1a 10513@code{config.sub} is also distributed in the @value{GDBN} source
18fae2a8 10514directory (@file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}}, for version @value{GDBVN}).
b80282d5 10515
9897afc6 10516@node Configure Options, , Config Names, Installing GDB
93928b60 10517@section @code{configure} options
7463aadd 10518
d48da190 10519Here is a summary of the @code{configure} options and arguments that
18fae2a8 10520are most often useful for building @value{GDBN}. @code{configure} also has
d48da190
RP
10521several other options not listed here. @inforef{What Configure
10522Does,,configure.info}, for a full explanation of @code{configure}.
7463aadd
RP
10523
10524@example
d48da190
RP
10525configure @r{[}--help@r{]}
10526 @r{[}--prefix=@var{dir}@r{]}
b550c03a 10527 @r{[}--srcdir=@var{dirname}@r{]}
f672bb7f
RP
10528 @r{[}--norecursion@r{]} @r{[}--rm@r{]}
10529 @r{[}--target=@var{target}@r{]} @var{host}
7463aadd 10530@end example
1041a570 10531
3d3ab540 10532@noindent
f672bb7f
RP
10533You may introduce options with a single @samp{-} rather than
10534@samp{--} if you prefer; but you may abbreviate option names if you use
10535@samp{--}.
70b88761
RP
10536
10537@table @code
d48da190
RP
10538@item --help
10539Display a quick summary of how to invoke @code{configure}.
10540
10541@item -prefix=@var{dir}
10542Configure the source to install programs and files under directory
10543@file{@var{dir}}.
10544
b1955f0b
RP
10545@c avoid splitting the warning from the explanation:
10546@need 2000
b550c03a 10547@item --srcdir=@var{dirname}
af215b1a 10548@strong{Warning: using this option requires @sc{gnu} @code{make}, or another
6ca72cc6 10549@code{make} that implements the @code{VPATH} feature.}@*
f672bb7f 10550Use this option to make configurations in directories separate from the
af215b1a 10551@value{GDBN} source directories. Among other things, you can use this to
f672bb7f
RP
10552build (or maintain) several configurations simultaneously, in separate
10553directories. @code{configure} writes configuration specific files in
10554the current directory, but arranges for them to use the source in the
b550c03a 10555directory @var{dirname}. @code{configure} creates directories under
f672bb7f 10556the working directory in parallel to the source directories below
b550c03a 10557@var{dirname}.
f672bb7f
RP
10558
10559@item --norecursion
10560Configure only the directory level where @code{configure} is executed; do not
7463aadd
RP
10561propagate configuration to subdirectories.
10562
f672bb7f 10563@item --rm
d55320a0 10564@emph{Remove} files otherwise built during configuration.
7463aadd 10565
29a2b744 10566@c This does not work (yet if ever). FIXME.
f672bb7f 10567@c @item --parse=@var{lang} @dots{}
af215b1a
VM
10568@c Configure the @value{GDBN} expression parser to parse the listed languages.
10569@c @samp{all} configures @value{GDBN} for all supported languages. To get a
d7b569d5 10570@c list of all supported languages, omit the argument. Without this
af215b1a 10571@c option, @value{GDBN} is configured to parse all supported languages.
c2bbbb22 10572
f672bb7f 10573@item --target=@var{target}
af215b1a
VM
10574Configure @value{GDBN} for cross-debugging programs running on the specified
10575@var{target}. Without this option, @value{GDBN} is configured to debug
10576programs that run on the same machine (@var{host}) as @value{GDBN} itself.
b80282d5
RP
10577
10578There is no convenient way to generate a list of all available targets.
7463aadd
RP
10579
10580@item @var{host} @dots{}
af215b1a 10581Configure @value{GDBN} to run on the specified @var{host}.
b80282d5
RP
10582
10583There is no convenient way to generate a list of all available hosts.
70b88761
RP
10584@end table
10585
3d3ab540
RP
10586@noindent
10587@code{configure} accepts other options, for compatibility with
af215b1a
VM
10588configuring other @sc{gnu} tools recursively; but these are the only
10589options that affect @value{GDBN} or its supporting libraries.
18fae2a8 10590@end ifclear
3d3ab540 10591
9897afc6
EE
10592
10593@node Index, , Installing GDB, Top
d2e08421 10594@unnumbered Index
e91b87a3 10595
10596@printindex cp
10597
fe3f5fc8
RP
10598@tex
10599% I think something like @colophon should be in texinfo. In the
10600% meantime:
10601\long\def\colophon{\hbox to0pt{}\vfill
10602\centerline{The body of this manual is set in}
10603\centerline{\fontname\tenrm,}
10604\centerline{with headings in {\bf\fontname\tenbf}}
10605\centerline{and examples in {\tt\fontname\tentt}.}
a6d0b6d3
RP
10606\centerline{{\it\fontname\tenit\/},}
10607\centerline{{\bf\fontname\tenbf}, and}
fe3f5fc8
RP
10608\centerline{{\sl\fontname\tensl\/}}
10609\centerline{are used for emphasis.}\vfill}
10610\page\colophon
e0d3ace2 10611% Blame: doc@cygnus.com, 1991.
fe3f5fc8
RP
10612@end tex
10613
e91b87a3 10614@contents
10615@bye
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