gdb/TODO

   1 If you find inaccuracies in this list, please send mail to
   2 gdb-patches@sourceware.cygnus.com.  If you would like to work on any
   3 of these, you should consider sending mail to the same address, to
   4 find out whether anyone else is working on it.
   5
   6
   7                         GDB 5.1 - Fixes
   8                         ===============
   9
  10 Below is a list of problems identified during the GDB 5.0 release
  11 cycle.  People hope to have these problems fixed in 5.1.
  12
  13 -- 2001-03-08
  14
  15 Update GDB's coding standard documentation.  Known topics:
  16
  17        o     alloca/malloc et.al.
  18
  19        o     typedef and structs
  20
  21        o        ISO-C
  22
  23 and most likely also:
  24
  25        o         include conventions
  26
  27 --
  28
  29 Wow, three bug reports for the same problem in one day!  We should
  30 probably make fixing this a real priority :-).
  31
  32 Anyway, thanks for reporting.
  33
  34 The following patch will fix the problems with setting breakpoints in
  35 dynamically loaded objects:
  36
  37    http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-05/msg00230.html
  38
  39 This patch isn't checked in yet (ping Michael/JimB), but I hope this
  40 will be in the next GDB release.
  41
  42 There should really be a test in the testsuite for this problem, since
  43 it keeps coming up :-(.  Any volunteers?
  44
  45 Mark
  46
  47 --
  48
  49 x86 linux GDB and SIGALRM (???)
  50 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00803.html
  51
  52 This problem has been fixed, but a regression test still needs to be
  53 added to the testsuite:
  54 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-05/msg00309.html
  55
  56 Mark
  57
  58 [The test has been submitted for approval - cagney]
  59
  60 --
  61
  62 RFD: infrun.c: No bpstat_stop_status call after proceed over break?
  63 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00665.html
  64
  65 GDB misses watchpoint triggers after proceeding over a breakpoint on
  66 x86 targets.
  67
  68 --
  69
  70 GDB 5.0 doesn't work on Linux/SPARC
  71
  72 There are two parts to this.
  73
  74       o   GDB 5.0 doesn't work on GNU/Linux/SPARC32
  75
  76       o   GDB 5.0 doesn't work on the new target
  77           GNU/Linux/SPARC64
  78
  79 GDB does build on both these targets.
  80
  81 The first problem is the one that should be fixed.
  82
  83 --
  84
  85                 GDB 5.1 - New features
  86                 ======================
  87
  88 The following new features should be included in 5.1.
  89
  90 --
  91
  92 Enable MI by default.  Old code can be deleted after 5.1 is out.
  93
  94 Issues:
  95
  96         o       syntax change where a list would
  97                 look like:
  98                      [ foo=a, foo=b, foo=c ]
  99                 instead of
 100                      { foo=a, foo=b, foo=c }
 101
 102         o       kill off the idea of a reverse
 103                 query.
 104
 105         o       review test cases
 106
 107         o       enable it
 108
 109 --
 110
 111 Pascal (Pierre Muller, David Taylor)
 112
 113 Pierre Muller has contributed patches for adding Pascal Language
 114 support to GDB.
 115
 116 2 pascal language patches inserted in database
 117 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00521.html
 118
 119 Indent -gnu ?
 120 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00496.html
 121
 122 [I think this has been merged, need to confirm - cagney]
 123
 124 --
 125
 126 Java (Anthony Green, David Taylor)
 127
 128 Anthony Green has a number of Java patches that did not make it into
 129 the 5.0 release.  The first two are in cvs now, but the third needs
 130 some fixing up before it can go in.
 131
 132 Patch: java tests
 133 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00512.html
 134
 135 Patch: java booleans
 136 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00515.html
 137
 138 Patch: handle N_MAIN stab
 139 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00527.html
 140
 141 -- 2001-03-08
 142
 143 Add CRIS target.
 144
 145 A predicate to this is the multi-arching of SOFTWARE_SINGLE_STEP().  A
 146 patch has been submitted.
 147
 148 --
 149
 150                 GDB 5.1 - Cleanups
 151                 ==================
 152
 153 The following code cleanups will hopefully be applied to GDB 5.1.
 154
 155 -- 2001-03-22
 156
 157 Resolve the build status of all broken targets as identified by the
 158 MAINTAINERS file.
 159
 160         o       arm-* vs NetBSD's lack of ``unix''
 161         o       arm-* vs IRIX (see below)
 162
 163         o       delete m88k?
 164
 165         o       delete mpw?
 166
 167 -- 2001-03-15
 168
 169                         Obsolete some targets.
 170
 171 Possible selection criteria are:
 172
 173         o       uses a deprecated feature
 174
 175         o       doesn't build
 176
 177         o       doesn't have a maintainer
 178
 179 Steps:
 180
 181         o       post proposals to gdb@ (DONE)
 182
 183         o       post announcement to gdb-announce@
 184                 crossed with gdb@ reply-to to gdb@
 185                 (DONE)
 186
 187                         ns32k-*-mach3*
 188                         ns32k-umax-*
 189                         ns32k-utek-sysv*
 190                         tic80-*
 191                         m68*-isi-*
 192                         m68*-sony-*
 193                         m68*-rom68k-*
 194                         m68*-*bug-*
 195                         m68*-monitor-*
 196                         m68*-est-*
 197                         a29k-ultra3
 198                         powerpcle-*-solaris*
 199                         powerpcle-*-cygwin*
 200                         powerpc-*-netware*
 201                         w65-*-*
 202                         i[3456]86-*-sunos*
 203
 204         o       clobber the files:
 205
 206                         configure.{in,host,tgt}
 207                         Makefile.in
 208                         *-tdep.c *-nat.c *-xdep.c
 209                         configure/*/*
 210
 211         o       update NEWS
 212
 213 --
 214
 215 Change documentation to GFDL license.
 216
 217 ``It is time to make an effort to start using the GFDL more
 218 thoroughly.  Would all GNU maintainers please change the license to
 219 the GFDL, for all manuals and other major documentation files?
 220
 221 The GFDL and some instructions for using it can be found in
 222 http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/''
 223
 224         RMS
 225
 226 --
 227
 228 Fix copyright notices.
 229
 230 Turns out that ``1998-2000'' isn't considered valid :-(
 231
 232 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-05/msg00467.html
 233
 234 --
 235
 236                 GDB 5.1 - Known Problems
 237                 ========================
 238
 239 --
 240
 241 z8k
 242
 243 The z8k has suffered bit rot and is known to not build.  The problem
 244 was occuring in the opcodes directory.
 245
 246 --
 247
 248 Solaris 8 x86 CURSES_H problem
 249 http://sources.redhat.com/ml/gdb/2000-07/msg00038.html
 250
 251 The original problem was worked around with:
 252
 253     2000-06-06  Michael Snyder  <msnyder@cygnus.com>
 254
 255         * configure.in: Enable autoconf to find curses.h on Solaris 2.8.
 256         * configure: Regenerate.
 257
 258 When building both GDB and SID using the same source tree the problem
 259 will still occure. sid/component/configure.in mis-configures
 260 <curses.h> and leaves wrong information in the config cache.
 261
 262 --
 263
 264                 GDB 5.2 - Fixes
 265                 ===============
 266
 267 --
 268
 269 Thread support.  Right now, as soon as a thread finishes and exits,
 270 you're hosed.  This problem is reported once a week or so.
 271
 272 --
 273
 274                 GDB 5.2 - New features
 275                 ======================
 276
 277 --
 278
 279 GCC 3.0 ABI support (but hopefully sooner...).
 280
 281 --
 282
 283 Objective C/C++ support (but hopefully sooner...).
 284
 285 --
 286
 287                 GDB 5.2 - Cleanups
 288                 ==================
 289
 290 The following cleanups have been identified as part of GDB 5.2.
 291
 292 --
 293
 294 Remove old code that does not use ui_out functions and all the related
 295 "ifdef"s.  This also allows the elimination of -DUI_OUT from
 296 Makefile.in and configure.in.
 297
 298 --
 299
 300 Compiler warnings.
 301
 302 Eliminate all warnings for at least one host/target for the flags:
 303 -Wimplicit -Wreturn-type -Wcomment -Wtrigraphs -Wformat -Wparentheses
 304 -Wpointer-arith -Wuninitialized
 305
 306 --
 307
 308 Deprecate, if not delete, the following:
 309
 310         register[]
 311         register_valid[]
 312         register_buffer()
 313         REGISTER_BYTE()
 314                 Replaced by, on the target side
 315                   supply_register()
 316                 and on core-gdb side:
 317                   {read,write}_register_gen()
 318                 Remote.c will need to use something
 319                 other than REGISTER_BYTE() and
 320                 REGISTER_RAW_SIZE() when unpacking
 321                 [gG] packets.
 322
 323         STORE_PSEUDO_REGISTER
 324         FETCH_PSEUDO_REGISTER
 325                 Now handed by the methods
 326                   gdbarch_{read,write}_register()
 327                 which sits between core GDB and
 328                 the register cache.
 329
 330         REGISTER_CONVERTIBLE
 331         REGISTER_CONVERT_TO_RAW
 332         REGISTER_CONVERT_TO_VIRTUAL
 333                 I think these three are redundant.
 334                 gdbarch_register_{read,write} can
 335                 do any conversion it likes.
 336
 337         REGISTER_VIRTUAL_SIZE
 338         MAX_REGISTER_VIRTUAL_SIZE
 339         REGISTER_VIRTUAL_TYPE
 340                 I think these can be replaced by
 341                 the pair:
 342                   FRAME_REGISTER_TYPE(frame, regnum)
 343                   REGISTER_TYPE(regnum)
 344
 345         DO_REGISTERS_INFO
 346                 Replace with
 347                  FRAME_REGISTER_INFO (frame, ...)
 348
 349         REGISTER_SIM_REGNO()
 350                 If nothing else rename this so that
 351                 how it relates to rawreg and the
 352                 regnum is clear.
 353
 354         REGISTER_BYTES
 355                 The size of the cache can be computed
 356                 on the fly.
 357
 358 --
 359
 360 Restructure gdb directory tree so that it avoids any 8.3 and 14
 361 filename problems.
 362
 363 --
 364
 365 Convert GDB build process to AUTOMAKE.
 366
 367 See also sub-directory configure below.
 368
 369 The current convention is (kind of) to use $(<header>_h) in all
 370 dependency lists.  It isn't done in a consistent way.
 371
 372 --
 373
 374                 GDB 5.2 - Known Problems
 375                 ========================
 376
 377 --
 378
 379                 Code Cleanups: General
 380                 ======================
 381
 382 The following are more general cleanups and fixes.  They are not tied
 383 to any specific release.
 384
 385 --
 386
 387 Rename read_register{,_pid}() to read_unsigned_register{,_pid}().
 388
 389 --
 390
 391 Can't build IRIX -> arm GDB.
 392 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-04/msg00356.html
 393
 394 David Whedon writes:
 395 > Now I'm building for an embedded arm target.  If there is a way of turning
 396 > remote-rdi off, I couldn't find it. It looks like it gets built by default
 397 > in gdb/configure.tgt(line 58) Anyway, the build dies in
 398 > gdb/rdi-share/unixcomm.c.  SERPORT1 et. al. never get defined because we
 399 > aren't one of the architectures supported.
 400
 401 --
 402
 403 Problem with weak functions
 404 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-05/msg00060.html
 405
 406 Dan Nicolaescu writes:
 407 > It seems that gdb-4.95.1  does not display correctly the function when
 408 > stoping in weak functions.
 409 >
 410 > It stops in a function that is defined as weak, not in the function
 411 > that is actually run...
 412
 413 --
 414
 415 Follow through `make check' with --enable-shared.
 416
 417 When the srcware tree is configured with --enable-shared, the `expect'
 418 program won't run properly.  Jim Wilson found out gdb has a local hack
 419 to set LD_LIBRARY_PATH, but, AFAIK, no other project has been hacked
 420 similarly.
 421
 422 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00845.html
 423
 424 --
 425
 426 Delete macro TARGET_BYTE_ORDER_SELECTABLE.
 427
 428 Patches in the database.
 429
 430 --
 431
 432 printcmd.c (print_address_numeric):
 433
 434 NOTE: This assumes that the significant address information is kept in
 435 the least significant bits of ADDR - the upper bits were either zero
 436 or sign extended.  Should ADDRESS_TO_POINTER() or some
 437 ADDRESS_TO_PRINTABLE() be used to do the conversion?
 438
 439 --
 440
 441 The BFD directory requires bug-fixed AUTOMAKE et.al.
 442
 443 AUTOMAKE 1.4 incorrectly set the TEXINPUTS environment variable.  It
 444 contained the full path to texinfo.tex when it should have only
 445 contained the directory.  The bug has been fixed in the current
 446 AUTOMAKE sources.  Automake snapshots can be found in:
 447         ftp://sourceware.cygnus.com/pub/gdb/snapshots
 448 and     ftp://sourceware.cygnus.com/pub/binutils
 449
 450 --
 451
 452 Find something better than DEFAULT_BFD_ARCH, DEFAULT_BFD_VEC to
 453 determine the default isa/byte-order.
 454
 455 --
 456
 457 Rely on BFD_BIG_ENDIAN and BFD_LITTLE_ENDIAN instead of host dependent
 458 BIG_ENDIAN and LITTLE_ENDIAN.
 459
 460 --
 461
 462 Eliminate more compiler warnings.
 463
 464 Of course there also needs to be the usual debate over which warnings
 465 are valid and how to best go about this.
 466
 467 One method: choose a single option; get agreement that it is
 468 reasonable; try it out to see if there isn't anything silly about it
 469 (-Wunused-parameters is an example of that) then incrementally hack
 470 away.
 471
 472 The other method is to enable all warnings and eliminate them from one
 473 file at a time.
 474
 475 --
 476
 477 Elimination of ``(catch_errors_ftype *) func''.
 478
 479 Like make_cleanup_func it isn't portable.
 480 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00791.html
 481 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00814.html
 482
 483 --
 484
 485 Nuke #define CONST_PTR.
 486
 487 --
 488
 489 Nuke USG define.
 490
 491 --
 492
 493 [PATCH/5] src/intl/Makefile.in:distclean additions
 494 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-04/msg00363.html
 495
 496 Do not forget to merge the patch back into the trunk.
 497
 498 --
 499
 500 Rationalize the host-endian code (grep for HOST_BYTE_ORDER).
 501
 502 At present defs.h includes <endian.h> (which is linux specific) yet
 503 almost nothing depends on it.  Suggest "gdb_endian.h" which can also
 504 handle <machine/endian.h> and only include that where it is really
 505 needed.
 506
 507 --
 508
 509 Replace savestring() with something from libiberty.
 510
 511 An xstrldup()? but that would have different semantics.
 512
 513 --
 514
 515 Rationalize use of floatformat_unknown in GDB sources.
 516
 517 Instead of defaulting to floatformat_unknown, should hosts/targets
 518 specify the value explicitly?
 519
 520 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-05/msg00447.html
 521
 522 --
 523
 524 Add a ``name'' member to include/floatformat.h:struct floatformat.
 525 Print that name in gdbarch.c.
 526
 527 --
 528
 529 Sort out the harris mess in include/floatformat.h (it hardwires two
 530 different floating point formats).
 531
 532 --
 533
 534 See of the GDB local floatformat_do_doublest() and libiberty's
 535 floatformat_to_double (which was once GDB's ...) can be merged some
 536 how.
 537
 538 --
 539
 540 Eliminate mmalloc(), mstrsave() et.al. from GDB.
 541
 542 Also eliminate it from defs.h.
 543
 544 --
 545
 546 Eliminate PTR.  ISO-C allows ``void *''.
 547
 548 --
 549
 550 Eliminate abort ().
 551
 552 GDB should never abort.  GDB should either throw ``error ()'' or
 553 ``internal_error ()''.  Better still GDB should naturally unwind with
 554 an error status.
 555
 556 --
 557
 558 GDB probably doesn't build on FreeBSD pre 2.2.x
 559 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-05/msg00378.html
 560
 561 Fixes to get FreeBSD working on 2.2.x, 3.x and 4.x caused the code to
 562 suffer bit rot.
 563
 564 --
 565
 566 Deprecate "fg".  Apparently ``fg'' is actually continue.
 567
 568 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-05/msg00417.html
 569
 570 --
 571
 572 Deprecate current use of ``floatformat_unknown''.
 573
 574 Require all targets to explicitly provide their float format instead
 575 of defaulting to floatformat unknown.  Doing the latter leads to nasty
 576 bugs.
 577
 578 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-05/msg00447.html
 579
 580 --
 581
 582 Rationalize floatformat_to_double() vs floatformat_to_doublest().
 583
 584 Looks like GDB migrated floatformat_to_double() to libiberty but then
 585 turned around and created a ..._to_doublest() the latter containing
 586 several bug fixes.
 587
 588 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-05/msg00472.html
 589
 590 --
 591
 592 Move floatformat_ia64_ext to libiberty/include floatformat.[ch].
 593
 594 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-05/msg00466.html
 595
 596 --
 597
 598 The ``maintenance deprecate set endian big'' command doesn't notice
 599 that it is deprecating ``set endian'' and not ``set endian big'' (big
 600 is implemented using an enum).  Is anyone going to notice this?
 601
 602 --
 603
 604 When tab expanding something like ``set arch<tab>'' ignore the
 605 deprecated ``set archdebug'' and expand to ``set architecture''.
 606
 607 --
 608
 609 Eliminate ``arm_register_names[j] = (char *) regnames[j]'' and the
 610 like from arm-tdep.c.
 611
 612 --
 613
 614 Fix uses of ->function.cfunc = set_function().
 615
 616 The command.c code calls sfunc() when a set command.  Rather than
 617 change it suggest fixing the callback function so that it is more
 618 useful.  See:
 619
 620 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-06/msg00062.html
 621
 622 See also ``Fix implementation of  ``target xxx''.'' below.
 623
 624 --
 625
 626 IRIX 3.x support is probably broken.
 627
 628 --
 629
 630 Delete sim/SIM_HAVE_BREAKPOINTS and gdb/SIM_HAS_BREAKPOINTS.
 631 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-07/msg00042.html
 632
 633 Apart from the d30v, are there any sim/common simulators that make use
 634 of this?
 635
 636 A brief summary of what happened is that sim/common/sim-break.c was
 637 created as a good idea.  It turned out a better idea was to use
 638 SIM_SIGBREAK and have GDB pass back sim_resume (..., SIGBREAK).
 639
 640 --
 641
 642 Move remote_remove_hw_breakpoint, remote_insert_hw_breakpoint,
 643 remote_remove_watchpoint, remote_insert_watchpoint into target vector.
 644
 645 --
 646
 647 Eliminate ``extern'' from C files.
 648
 649 --
 650
 651 Replace ``STREQ()'' et.al. with ``strcmp() == 0'' et.al.
 652
 653 Extreme care is recommeded - perhaps only modify tests that are
 654 exercised by the testsuite (as determined using some type of code
 655 coverage analysis).
 656
 657 --
 658
 659 Replace the file gdb/CONTRIBUTE with a file that is generated from the
 660 gdb/doc/*.texinfo directory.
 661
 662 --
 663
 664                         New Features and Fixes
 665                         ======================
 666
 667 These are harder than cleanups but easier than work involving
 668 fundamental architectural change.
 669
 670 --
 671
 672 Hardware watchpoint problems on x86 OSes, including Linux:
 673
 674 1. Delete/disable hardware watchpoints should free hardware debug
 675 registers.
 676 2. Watch for different values on a viariable with one hardware debug
 677 register.
 678
 679 According to Eli Zaretskii <eliz@delorie.com>:
 680
 681 These are not GDB/ia32 issues per se: the above features are all
 682 implemented in the DJGPP port of GDB and work in v5.0.  Every
 683 x86-based target should be able to lift the relevant parts of
 684 go32-nat.c and use them almost verbatim.  You get debug register
 685 sharing through reference counts, and the ability to watch large
 686 regions (up to 16 bytes) using multiple registers.  (The required
 687 infrastructure in high-level GDB application code, mostly in
 688 breakpoint.c, is also working since v5.0.)
 689
 690 --
 691
 692 Add built-by, build-date, tm, xm, nm and anything else into gdb binary
 693 so that you can see how the GDB was created.
 694
 695 --
 696
 697 Add an "info bfd" command that displays supported object formats,
 698 similarly to objdump -i.
 699
 700 Is there a command already?
 701
 702 --
 703
 704 Fix ``I'm sorry, Dave, I can't do that.'' from symfile.c.
 705
 706 This requires internationalization.
 707
 708 --
 709
 710 Add support for:
 711
 712 (gdb) p fwprintf(stdout,L"%S\n", f)
 713 No symbol "L" in current context.
 714
 715 --
 716
 717 Cleanup configury support for optional sub-directories.
 718
 719 Check how GCC handles multiple front ends for an example of how things
 720 could work.  A tentative first step is to rationalize things so that
 721 all sub directories are handled in a fashion similar to gdb/mi.
 722
 723 See also automake above.
 724
 725 --
 726
 727 Add a transcript mechanism to GDB.
 728
 729 Such a mechanism might log all gdb input and output to a file in a
 730 form that would allow it to be replayed.  It could involve ``gdb
 731 --transcript=FILE'' or it could involve ``(gdb) transcript file''.
 732
 733 --
 734
 735 Can the xdep files be replaced by autoconf?
 736
 737 --
 738
 739 Document trace machinery
 740
 741 --
 742
 743 Document ui-out and ui-file.
 744
 745 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-04/msg00121.html
 746
 747 --
 748
 749 Update texinfo.tex to latest?
 750
 751 --
 752
 753 Incorporate agentexpr.texi into gdb.texinfo
 754
 755 agentexpr.texi mostly describes the details of the byte code used for
 756 tracepoints, not the internals of the support for this in GDB.  So it
 757 looks like gdb.texinfo is a better place for this information.
 758
 759 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-04/msg00566.html
 760
 761 --
 762
 763 Document overlay machinery.
 764
 765 --
 766
 767 ``(gdb) catch signal SIGNAL''
 768
 769 Overlaps with ``handle SIGNAL'' but the implied behavior is different.
 770 You can attach commands to a catch but not a handle.  A handle has a
 771 limited number of hardwired actions.
 772
 773 --
 774
 775 Fix TUI
 776
 777      o  readline/*.h bitrot
 778
 779         The TUI isn't up-to-date with
 780         respect to the readline currently
 781         bundled with GDB.  Importing a
 782         new readline is on the 5.1 wish
 783         list so this can only get worse.
 784
 785         Grep for things like term_cursor_move.
 786
 787         (To be honest, I don't see anyone
 788         importing a new readline before 5.1 is
 789         out)
 790
 791      o  tui.c:va_catch_errors() bitrot
 792
 793         This nasty piece of work used knowledge
 794         of the internals of GDBs error functions :-(
 795         Ever since those internals were cleaned
 796         up this code has been broken. :-(
 797
 798      o  tuiWin.c:c_makeVisibleWithNewHeight() broken
 799         tuiLayout.c:_extractDisplayStartAddr() broken
 800
 801         Both these function call find_line_pc()
 802         incorrectly (wrong args, wrong return value).
 803
 804         I suspect this bug has always been there!
 805         It had been hidden because those files
 806         didn't include the necessary header files
 807         from gdb proper :-(
 808
 809      o  tuiRegs() host dependant
 810
 811         Not suprisingly, this isn't a very portable
 812         section of code.  However, I'm sure people
 813         could live with no regs in the short to
 814         medium term.
 815
 816      o  defs.h: #include "tui.h" et.al.
 817
 818         I'm not sure where this came from.
 819         It was a really bad idea.
 820
 821         To get things to compile I did a nasty
 822         hack (Just declare what was needed and
 823         replace any expressions like xx->y.z()
 824         in GDB proper with function calls).  I
 825         could commit it slightly cleaned up if
 826         you like.
 827
 828         Medium Term. the #ifdef TUI and TuiDo()
 829         should be changed to hooks (like GDBTK).
 830         The gdb-events.[hc] is there for that
 831         purpose (1)
 832
 833      o  tui.c:_tuiReset() host dependant
 834
 835         tui.c contains a lump of termio[s]
 836         I suspect an equivalent block of
 837         code can be lifted from readline.
 838         An equivalent readline function may
 839         even be available.
 840
 841      o  curses.h vs ncurses.h.
 842
 843         Simple portability problem.
 844
 845      o  subsetCompare()
 846
 847         This function is a mystery - where is it?
 848
 849      o  tui-file.[hc] cleanup
 850
 851         This can be significantly simplified.
 852
 853      o  The code should be pacified. (-Werror -W...)
 854
 855         There are plenty of #includes,
 856         duplicate #includes, missing function decls
 857         and the like.
 858
 859         Some of the problems I found were through
 860         fixing a few of the warnings.
 861
 862      o  The code should be GNUtified.
 863
 864         It would be very nice to have this code
 865         look like the rest of GDB.  That way people
 866         would be more accepting of it as a true
 867         gdb component.
 868
 869         Until it is GNUtified it is going to stick
 870         out like a sore thumb to the programmer.
 871
 872      o  The code should be clearly copyrighted
 873
 874         (FSF, with due credit to HP)
 875
 876 --
 877
 878 Add support for ``gdb --- PROGRAM ARGS ...''.
 879 Add support for ``gdb -cmd=...''
 880
 881 Along with many variations.  Check:
 882
 883 ????? for a full discussion.
 884
 885 for a discussion.
 886
 887 --
 888
 889 Implement ``(gdb) !ls''.
 890
 891 Which is very different from ``(gdb) ! ls''.  Implementing the latter
 892 is trivial.
 893
 894 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00034.html
 895
 896 --
 897
 898 Change the (char *list[]) to (const char (*)[]) so that dynamic lists can
 899 be passed.
 900
 901 --
 902
 903 When tab expanding something like ``set arch<tab>'' ignore the
 904 deprecated ``set archdebug'' and expand to ``set architecture''.
 905
 906 --
 907
 908 Replace the code that uses the host FPU with an emulator of the target
 909 FPU.
 910
 911 --
 912
 913 The "ocd reset" command needs to flush the dcache, which requires breaking
 914 the abstraction layer between the target independent and target code.  One
 915 way to address this is provide a generic "reset" command and target vector.
 916
 917 http://sources.redhat.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-10/msg00011.html
 918
 919 --
 920
 921                         Thread Support
 922                         ==============
 923
 924 --
 925
 926 Generic: lin-thread cannot handle thread exit (Mark Kettenis, Michael
 927 Snyder) http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00525.html
 928
 929 The thread_db assisted debugging code doesn't handle exiting threads
 930 properly, at least in combination with glibc 2.1.3 (the framework is
 931 there, just not the actual code).  There are at least two problems
 932 that prevent this from working.
 933
 934 As an additional reference point, the pre thread_db code did not work
 935 either.
 936
 937 --
 938
 939 GNU/Linux/x86 and random thread signals (and Solaris/SPARC but not
 940 Solaris/x86).
 941 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00336.html
 942
 943 Christopher Blizzard writes:
 944
 945 So, I've done some more digging into this and it looks like Jim
 946 Kingdon has reported this problem in the past:
 947
 948 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/bug-gdb/1999-10/msg00058.html
 949
 950 I can reproduce this problem both with and without Tom's patch.  Has
 951 anyone seen this before?  Maybe have a solution for it hanging around?
 952 :)
 953
 954 There's a test case for this documented at:
 955
 956 when debugging threaded applications you get extra SIGTRAPs
 957 http://bugzilla.redhat.com/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=9565
 958
 959 [There should be a GDB testcase - cagney]
 960
 961 --
 962
 963 GDB5 TOT on unixware 7
 964 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-04/msg00119.html
 965
 966 Robert Lipe writes:
 967 > I just spun the top of tree of the GDB5 branch on UnixWare 7.  As a
 968 > practical matter, the current thread support is somewhat more annoying
 969 > than when GDB was thread-unaware.
 970
 971 --
 972
 973                         Language Support
 974                         ================
 975
 976 New languages come onto the scene all the time.
 977
 978 --
 979
 980 Re: Various C++ things
 981
 982 value_headof/value_from_vtable_info are worthless, and should be
 983 removed.  The one place in printcmd.c that uses it should use the RTTI
 984 functions.
 985
 986 RTTI for g++ should be using the typeinfo functions rather than the
 987 vtables.  The typeinfo functions are always at offset 4 from the
 988 beginning of the vtable, and are always right. The vtables will have
 989 weird names like E::VB sometimes.  The typeinfo function will always
 990 be "E type_info function", or somesuch.
 991
 992 value_virtual_fn_field needs to be fixed so there are no failures for
 993 virtual functions for C++ using g++.
 994
 995 Testsuite cases are the major priority right now for C++ support,
 996 since i have to make a lot of changes that could potentially break
 997 each other.
 998
 999 --
1000
1001 Add support for Modula3
1002
1003 Get DEC/Compaq to contribute their Modula-3 support.
1004
1005 --
1006
1007                 Remote Protocol Support
1008                 =======================
1009
1010 --
1011
1012 Revised UDP support (was: Re: [Fwd: [patch] UDP transport support])
1013 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-04/msg00000.html
1014
1015 (Broken) support for GDB's remote protocol across UDP is to be
1016 included in the follow-on release.
1017
1018 It should be noted that UDP can only work when the [Gg] packet fits in
1019 a single UDP packet.
1020
1021 There is also much debate over the merit of this.
1022
1023 --
1024
1025 Migrate qfThreadInfo packet -> qThreadInfo. (Andrew Cagney)
1026
1027 Add support for packet enable/disable commands with these thread
1028 packets.  General cleanup.
1029
1030 [PATCH] Document the ThreadInfo remote protocol queries
1031 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00832.html
1032
1033 [PATCH] "info threads" queries for remote.c
1034 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00831.html
1035
1036 --
1037
1038 Remote protocol doco feedback.
1039
1040 Too much feedback to mention needs to be merged in (901660).  Search
1041 for the word ``remote''.
1042
1043
1044 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00023.html
1045 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00056.html
1046 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00382.html
1047
1048 --
1049
1050 GDB doesn't recover gracefully from remote protocol errors.
1051
1052 GDB wasn't checking for NAKs from the remote target.  Instead a NAK is
1053 ignored and a timeout is required before GDB retries.  A pre-cursor to
1054 fixing this this is making GDB's remote protocol packet more robust.
1055
1056 While downloading to a remote protocol target, gdb ignores packet
1057 errors in so far as it will continue to download with chunk N+1 even
1058 if chunk N was not correctly sent.  This causes gdb.base/remote.exp to
1059 take a painfully long time to run.  As a PS that test needs to be
1060 fixed so that it builds on 16 bit machines.
1061
1062 --
1063
1064 Fix the ``!'' packet.
1065
1066 JT reported that the existing targets do, in fact return ``OK'' so it
1067 is possible to merge remote and extended-remote targets.
1068
1069 --
1070
1071 Drop ``<address>'' from the [SsCc] packets.
1072
1073 I don't think that GDB generates them so having it in the protocol is
1074 silly.
1075
1076 --
1077
1078 Fix doco on the ``q'' packet.
1079
1080 It has evolved into a generic RPC.  The notes should reflect this and,
1081 perhaps, the ``Q'' packet can be deprecated.
1082
1083 The doco should mention that ``OK'' is a valid packet response.
1084
1085 The doco should explain why ``OK'' needs to be a valid packet
1086 response.
1087
1088 --
1089
1090 Add the cycle step command.
1091
1092 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00237.html
1093
1094 --
1095
1096 Resolve how to scale things to support very large packets.
1097
1098 --
1099
1100 Resolve how to handle a target that changes things like its endianess
1101 on the fly - should it be returned in the ``T'' packet?
1102
1103 Underlying problem is that the register file is target endian.  If the
1104 target endianess changes gdb doesn't know.
1105
1106 --
1107
1108                         Symbol Support
1109                         ==============
1110
1111 If / when GDB starts to support the debugging of multi-processor
1112 (rather than multi-thread) applications the symtab code will need to
1113 be updated a little so that several independent symbol tables are
1114 active at a given time.
1115
1116 The other interesting change is a clarification of the exact meaning
1117 of CORE_ADDR and that has had consequences for a few targets (that
1118 were abusing that data type).
1119
1120 --
1121
1122 Investiagate ways of reducing memory.
1123
1124 --
1125
1126 Investigate ways of improving load time.
1127
1128 --
1129
1130 Get the d10v to use POINTER_TO_ADDRESS and ADDRESS_TO_POINTER.
1131
1132 Consequence of recent symtab clarification.  No marks for figuring out
1133 who maintains the d10v.
1134
1135 --
1136
1137 Get the MIPS to correctly sign extend all address <-> pointer
1138 conversions.
1139
1140 Consequence of recent symtab clarification.  No marks for figuring out
1141 who maintains the MIPS.
1142
1143 --
1144
1145 GDB truncates 64 bit enums.
1146
1147 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-06/msg00290.html
1148
1149 --
1150
1151                         Testsuite Support
1152                         =================
1153
1154 There are never to many testcases.
1155
1156 --
1157
1158 Better thread testsuite.
1159
1160 --
1161
1162 Better C++ testsuite.
1163
1164 --
1165
1166 Look at adding a GDB specific testsuite directory so that white box
1167 tests of key internals can be added (eg ui_file).
1168
1169 --
1170
1171 Separate out tests that involve the floating point (FP).
1172
1173 (Something for people brining up new targets).  FP and non-fp tests
1174 are combined.  I think there should be set of basic tests that
1175 exercise pure integer support and then a more expanded set that
1176 exercise FP and FP/integer interactions.
1177
1178 As an example, the MIPS, for n32 as problems with passing FP's and
1179 structs.  Since most inferior call tests include FP it is difficult to
1180 determine of the integer tests are ok.
1181
1182 --
1183
1184                 Architectural Changes: General
1185                 ==============================
1186
1187 These are harder than simple cleanups / fixes and, consequently
1188 involve more work.  Typically an Architectural Change will be broken
1189 down into a more digestible set of cleanups and fixes.
1190
1191 --
1192
1193 Cleanup software single step.
1194
1195 At present many targets implement software single step by directly
1196 blatting memory (see rs6000-tdep.c).  Those targets should register
1197 the applicable breakpoints using the breakpoint framework.  Perhaphs a
1198 new internal breakpoint class ``step'' is needed.
1199
1200 --
1201
1202 Replace READ_FP() with FRAME_HANDLE().
1203
1204 READ_FP() is a hangover from the days of the vax when the ABI really
1205 did have a frame pointer register.  Modern architectures typically
1206 construct a virtual frame-handle from the stack pointer and various
1207 other bits of string.
1208
1209 Unfortunately GDB still treats this synthetic FP register as though it
1210 is real.  That in turn really confuses users (arm and ``print $fp'' VS
1211 ``info registers fp'').  The synthetic FP should be separated out of
1212 the true register set presented to the user.
1213
1214 --
1215
1216 Register Cache Cleanup (below from Andrew Cagney)
1217
1218 I would depict the current register architecture as something like:
1219
1220         High GDB  -->   Low GDB
1221             |              |
1222            \|/            \|/
1223             --- REG NR -----
1224                    |
1225     register + REGISTER_BYTE(reg_nr)
1226                    |
1227                   \|/
1228         -------------------------
1229         |  extern register[]    |
1230         -------------------------
1231
1232 where neither the high (valops.c et.al.) or low gdb (*-tdep.c) are
1233 really clear on what mechanisms they should be using to manipulate that
1234 buffer.   Further, much code assumes, dangerously, that registers are
1235 contigious.  Having got mips-tdep.c to support multiple ABIs, believe
1236 me, that is a bad assumption.  Finally, that register cache layout is
1237 determined by the current remote/local target and _not_ the less
1238 specific target ISA.  In fact, in many cases it is determined by the
1239 somewhat arbitrary layout of the [gG] packets!
1240
1241
1242 How I would like the register file to work is more like:
1243
1244
1245           High GDB
1246              |
1247             \|/
1248        pseudo reg-nr
1249              |
1250         map pseudo <->
1251         random cache
1252         bytes
1253              |
1254             \|/
1255         ------------
1256         | register |
1257         |  cache   |
1258         ------------
1259             /|\
1260              |
1261         map random cache
1262         bytes to target
1263         dependent i-face
1264             /|\
1265              |
1266        target dependent
1267         such as [gG] packet
1268         or ptrace buffer
1269
1270 The main objectives being:
1271
1272         o       a clear separation between the low
1273                 level target and the high level GDB
1274
1275         o       a mechanism that solves the general
1276                 problem of register aliases, overlaps
1277                 etc instead of treating them as optional
1278                 extras that can be wedged in as an after
1279                 thought (that is a reasonable description
1280                 of the current code).
1281
1282                 Identify then solve the hard case and the
1283                 rest just falls out.  GDB solved the easy
1284                 case and then tried to ignore the real
1285                 world :-)
1286
1287         o       a removal of the assumption that the
1288                 mapping between the register cache
1289                 and virtual registers is largely static.
1290                 If you flip the USR/SSR stack register
1291                 select bit in the status-register then
1292                 the corresponding stack registers should
1293                 reflect the change.
1294
1295         o       a mechanism that clearly separates the
1296                 gdb internal register cache from any
1297                 target (not architecture) dependent
1298                 specifics such as [gG] packets.
1299
1300 Of course, like anything, it sounds good in theory.  In reality, it
1301 would have to contend with many<->many relationships at both the
1302 virt<->cache and cache<->target level.  For instance:
1303
1304         virt<->cache
1305                 Modifying an mmx register may involve
1306                 scattering values across both FP and
1307                 mmpx specific parts of a buffer
1308
1309         cache<->target
1310                 When writing back a SP it may need to
1311                 both be written to both SP and USP.
1312
1313
1314 Hmm,
1315
1316 Rather than let this like the last time it was discussed, just slip, I'm
1317 first going to add this e-mail (+ references) to TODO.  I'd then like to
1318 sketch out a broad strategy I think could get us there.
1319
1320
1321 First thing I'd suggest is separating out the ``extern registers[]''
1322 code so that we can at least identify what is using it.  At present
1323 things are scattered across many files.  That way we can at least
1324 pretend that there is a cache instead of a global array :-)
1325
1326 I'd then suggest someone putting up a proposal for the pseudo-reg /
1327 high-level side interface so that code can be adopted to it.  For old
1328 code, initially a blanket rename of write_register_bytes() to
1329 deprecated_write_register_bytes() would help.
1330
1331 Following that would, finaly be the corresponding changes to the target.
1332
1333 --
1334
1335 Check that GDB can handle all BFD architectures (Andrew Cagney)
1336
1337 There should be a test that checks that BFD/GDB are in sync with
1338 regard to architecture changes.  Something like a test that first
1339 queries GDB for all supported architectures and then feeds each back
1340 to GDB..  Anyone interested in learning how to write tests?  :-)
1341
1342 --
1343
1344                 Architectural Change: Multi-arch et al.
1345                 =======================================
1346
1347 The long term objective is to remove all assumptions that there is a
1348 single target with a single address space with a single instruction
1349 set architecture and single application binary interface.
1350
1351 This is an ongoing effort.  The first milestone is to enable
1352 ``multi-arch'' where by all architectural decisions are made at
1353 runtime.
1354
1355 It should be noted that ``gdbarch'' is really ``gdbabi'' and
1356 ``gdbisa''.  Once things are multi-arched breaking that down correctly
1357 will become much easier.
1358
1359 --
1360
1361 GDBARCH cleanup (Andrew Cagney)
1362
1363 The non-generated parts of gdbarch.{sh,h,c} should be separated out
1364 into arch-utils.[hc].
1365
1366 Document that gdbarch_init_ftype could easily fail because it didn't
1367 identify an architecture.
1368
1369 --
1370
1371 Fix BELIEVE_PPC_PROMOTION.  Change it to BELIEVE_PPC_PROMOTION_P?
1372
1373 At present there is still #ifdef BELIEVE_PPC_PROMOTION code in the
1374 symtab file.
1375
1376 --
1377
1378 Fix target_signal_from_host() etc.
1379
1380 The name is wrong for starters.  ``target_signal'' should probably be
1381 ``gdb_signal''.  ``from_host'' should be ``from_target_signal''.
1382 After that it needs to be multi-arched and made independent of any
1383 host signal numbering.
1384
1385 --
1386
1387 Update ALPHA so that it uses ``struct frame_extra_info'' instead of
1388 EXTRA_FRAME_INFO.
1389
1390 This is a barrier to replacing mips_extra_func_info with something
1391 that works with multi-arch.
1392
1393 --
1394
1395 Multi-arch  mips_extra_func_info.
1396
1397 This first needs the alpha to be updated so that it uses ``struct
1398 frame_extra_info''.
1399
1400 --
1401
1402 Rationalize TARGET_SINGLE_FORMAT and TARGET_SINGLE_BIT et al.
1403
1404 Surely one of them is redundant.
1405
1406 --
1407
1408 Convert ALL architectures to MULTI-ARCH.
1409
1410 --
1411
1412 Select the initial multi-arch ISA / ABI based on --target or similar.
1413
1414 At present the default is based on what ever is first in the BFD
1415 archures table.  It should be determined based on the ``--target=...''
1416 name.
1417
1418 --
1419
1420 Make MIPS pure multi-arch.
1421
1422 It is only at the multi-arch enabled stage.
1423
1424 --
1425
1426 Truly multi-arch.
1427
1428 Enable the code to recognize --enable-targets=.... like BINUTILS does.
1429
1430 Can the tm.h and nm.h files be eliminated by multi-arch.
1431
1432 --
1433
1434         Architectural Change: MI, LIBGDB and scripting languages
1435         ========================================================
1436
1437 See also architectural changes related to the event loop.  LIBGDB
1438 can't be finished until there is a generic event loop being used by
1439 all targets.
1440
1441 The long term objective is it to be possible to integrate GDB into
1442 scripting languages.
1443
1444 --
1445
1446 Implement generic ``(gdb) commmand > file''
1447
1448 Once everything is going through ui_file it should be come fairly
1449 easy.
1450
1451 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-04/msg00104.html
1452
1453 --
1454
1455 Replace gdb_stdtarg with gdb_targout (and possibly gdb_targerr).
1456
1457 gdb_stdtarg is easily confused with gdb_stdarg.
1458
1459 --
1460
1461 Extra ui_file methods - dump.
1462
1463 Very useful for whitebox testing.
1464
1465 --
1466
1467 Eliminate error_begin().
1468
1469 With ui_file, there is no need for the statefull error_begin ()
1470 function.
1471
1472 --
1473
1474 Send normal output to gdb_stdout.
1475 Send error messages to gdb_stderror.
1476 Send debug and log output log gdb_stdlog.
1477
1478 GDB still contains many cases where (f)printf or printf_filtered () is
1479 used when it should be sending the messages to gdb_stderror or
1480 gdb_stdlog.  The thought of #defining printf to something has crossed
1481 peoples minds ;-)
1482
1483 --
1484
1485 Re-do GDB's output pager.
1486
1487 GDB's output pager still relies on people correctly using *_filtered
1488 for gdb_stdout and *_unfiltered for gdb_stdlog / gdb_stderr.
1489 Hopefully, with all normal output going to gdb_stdout, the pager can
1490 just look at the ui_file that the output is on and then use that to
1491 decide what to do about paging.  Sounds good in theory.
1492
1493 --
1494
1495 Check/cleanup MI documentation.
1496
1497 The list of commands specified in the documentation needs to be
1498 checked against the mi-cmds.c table in a mechanical way (so that they
1499 two can be kept up-to-date).
1500
1501 --
1502
1503 Convert MI into libgdb
1504
1505 MI provides a text interface into what should be many of the libgdb
1506 functions.  The implementation of those functions should be separated
1507 into the MI interface and the functions proper.  Those functions being
1508 moved to gdb/lib say.
1509
1510 --
1511
1512 Create libgdb.h
1513
1514 The first part can already be found in defs.h.
1515
1516 --
1517
1518 MI's input does not use buffering.
1519
1520 At present the MI interface reads raw characters of from an unbuffered
1521 FD.  This is to avoid several nasty buffer/race conditions.  That code
1522 should be changed so that it registers its self with the event loop
1523 (on the input FD) and then push commands up to MI as they arrive.
1524
1525 The serial code already does this.
1526
1527 --
1528
1529 Make MI interface accessible from existing CLI.
1530
1531 --
1532
1533 Add a breakpoint-edit command to MI.
1534
1535 It would be similar to MI's breakpoint create but would apply to an
1536 existing breakpoint.  It saves the need to delete/create breakpoints
1537 when ever they are changed.
1538
1539 --
1540
1541 Add directory path to MI breakpoint.
1542
1543 That way the GUI's task of finding the file within which the
1544 breakpoint was set is simplified.
1545
1546 --
1547
1548 Add a mechanism to reject certain expression classes to MI
1549
1550 There are situtations where you don't want GDB's expression
1551 parser/evaluator to perform inferior function calls or variable
1552 assignments.  A way of restricting the expression parser so that such
1553 operations are not accepted would be very helpful.
1554
1555 --
1556
1557 Remove sideffects from libgdb breakpoint create function.
1558
1559 The user can use the CLI to create a breakpoint with partial
1560 information - no file (gdb would use the file from the last
1561 breakpoint).
1562
1563 The libgdb interface currently affects that environment which can lead
1564 to confusion when a user is setting breakpoints via both the MI and
1565 the CLI.
1566
1567 This is also a good example of how getting the CLI ``right'' will be
1568 hard.
1569
1570 --
1571
1572 Move gdb_lasterr to ui_out?
1573
1574 The way GDB throws errors and records them needs a re-think.  ui_out
1575 handles the correct output well.  It doesn't resolve what to do with
1576 output / error-messages when things go wrong.
1577
1578 --
1579
1580 do_setshow_command contains a 1024 byte buffer.
1581
1582 The function assumes that there will never be any more than 1024 bytes
1583 of enum.  It should use mem_file.
1584
1585 --
1586
1587 Should struct cmd_list_element . completer take the command as an
1588 argument?
1589
1590 --
1591
1592 Should the bulk of top.c:line_completion_function() be moved to
1593 command.[hc]?  complete_on_cmdlist() and complete_on_enums() could
1594 then be made private.
1595
1596 --
1597
1598 top.c (execute_command): Should a command being valid when the target
1599 is running be made an attribute (predicate) to the command rather than
1600 an explicit set of tests.
1601
1602 --
1603
1604 top.c (execute_command): Should the bulk of this function be moved
1605 into command.[hc] so that top.c doesn't grub around in the command
1606 internals?
1607
1608 --
1609
1610                 Architectural Change: Async
1611                 ===========================
1612
1613 While GDB uses an event loop when prompting the user for input.  That
1614 event loop is not exploited by targets when they allow the target
1615 program to continue.  Typically targets still block in (target_wait())
1616 until the program again halts.
1617
1618 The closest a target comes to supporting full asynchronous mode are
1619 the remote targets ``async'' and ``extended-async''.
1620
1621 --
1622
1623 Asynchronous expression evaluator
1624
1625 Inferior function calls hang GDB.
1626
1627 --
1628
1629 Fix implementation of  ``target xxx''.
1630
1631 At present when the user specifies ``target xxxx'', the CLI maps that
1632 directly onto a target open method.  It is then assumed that the
1633 target open method should do all sorts of complicated things as this
1634 is the only chance it has.  Check how the various remote targets
1635 duplicate the target operations.  Check also how the various targets
1636 behave differently for purely arbitrary reasons.
1637
1638 What should happen is that ``target xxxx'' should call a generic
1639 ``target'' function and that should then co-ordinate the opening of
1640 ``xxxx''.  This becomes especially important when you're trying to
1641 open an asynchronous target that may need to perform background tasks
1642 as part of the ``attach'' phase.
1643
1644 Unfortunately, due to limitations in the old/creaking command.h
1645 interface, that isn't possible.  The function being called isn't told
1646 of the ``xxx'' or any other context information.
1647
1648 Consequently a precursor to fixing ``target xxxx'' is to clean up the
1649 CLI code so that it passes to the callback function (attatched to a
1650 command) useful information such as the actual command and a context
1651 for that command.  Other changes such as making ``struct command''
1652 opaque may also help.
1653
1654 See also:
1655 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-06/msg00062.html
1656
1657 --
1658
1659 Make "target xxx" command interruptible.
1660
1661 As things become async this becomes possible.  A target would start
1662 the connect and then return control to the event loop.  A cntrl-c
1663 would notify the target that the operation is to be abandoned and the
1664 target code could respond.
1665
1666 --
1667
1668 Add a "suspend" subcommand of the "continue" command to suspend gdb
1669 while continuing  execution of the subprocess.  Useful when you are
1670 debugging servers and you want to dodge out and initiate a connection
1671 to a server running under gdb.
1672
1673 [hey async!!]
1674
1675 --
1676
1677                         TODO FAQ
1678                         ========
1679
1680 Frequently requested but not approved requests.
1681
1682 --
1683
1684 Eliminate unused argument warnings using ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED.
1685
1686 The benefits on this one are thought to be marginal - GDBs design
1687 means that unused parameters are very common.  GCC 3.0 will also
1688 include the option -Wno-unused-parameter which means that ``-Wall
1689 -Wno-unused-parameters -Werror'' can be specified.
1690
1691 --
1692
1693
1694
1695                         Legacy Wish List
1696                         ================
1697
1698 This list is not up to date, and opinions vary about the importance or
1699 even desirability of some of the items.  If you do fix something, it
1700 always pays to check the below.
1701
1702 --
1703
1704 @c This does not work (yet if ever).  FIXME.
1705 @c @item --parse=@var{lang} @dots{}
1706 @c Configure the @value{GDBN} expression parser to parse the listed languages.
1707 @c @samp{all} configures @value{GDBN} for all supported languages.  To get a
1708 @c list of all supported languages, omit the argument.  Without this
1709 @c option, @value{GDBN} is configured to parse all supported languages.
1710
1711 --
1712
1713 START_INFERIOR_TRAPS_EXPECTED need never be defined to 2, since that
1714 is its default value.  Clean this up.
1715
1716 --
1717
1718 It should be possible to use symbols from shared libraries before we know
1719 exactly where the libraries will be loaded.  E.g. "b perror" before running
1720 the program.  This could maybe be done as an extension of the "breakpoint
1721 re-evaluation" after new symbols are loaded.
1722
1723 --
1724
1725 Make single_step() insert and remove breakpoints in one operation.
1726
1727 [If this is talking about having single_step() insert the breakpoints,
1728 run the target then pull the breakpoints then it is wrong.  The
1729 function has to return as control has to eventually be passed back to
1730 the main event loop.]
1731
1732 --
1733
1734 Speed up single stepping by avoiding extraneous ptrace calls.
1735
1736 --
1737
1738 Speed up single stepping by not inserting and removing breakpoints
1739 each time the inferior starts and stops.
1740
1741 Breakpoints should not be inserted and deleted all the time.  Only the
1742 one(s) there should be removed when we have to step over one.  Support
1743 breakpoints that don't have to be removed to step over them.
1744
1745 [this has resulted in numerous debates.  The issue isn't clear cut]
1746
1747 --
1748
1749 Provide "voodoo" debugging of core files.  This creates a zombie
1750 process as a child of the debugger, and loads it up with the data,
1751 stack, and regs of the core file.  This allows you to call functions
1752 in the executable, to manipulate the data in the core file.
1753
1754 [you wish]
1755
1756 --
1757
1758 GDB reopens the source file on every line, as you "next" through it.
1759
1760 [still true? I've a memory of this being fixed]
1761
1762 --
1763
1764 Perhaps "i source" should take an argument like that of "list".
1765
1766 --
1767
1768 Remove "at 0xnnnn" from the "b foo" response, if `print address off' and if
1769 it matches the source line indicated.
1770
1771 --
1772
1773 The prompt at end of screen should accept space as well as CR.
1774
1775 --
1776
1777 Backtrace should point out what the currently selected frame is, in
1778 its display, perhaps showing "@3 foo (bar, ...)" or ">3 foo (bar,
1779 ...)" rather than "#3 foo (bar, ...)".
1780
1781 --
1782
1783 "i program" should work for core files, and display more info, like what
1784 actually caused it to die.
1785
1786 --
1787
1788 "x/10i" should shorten the long name, if any, on subsequent lines.
1789
1790 --
1791
1792 "next" over a function that longjumps, never stops until next time you happen
1793 to get to that spot by accident.  E.g. "n" over execute_command which has
1794 an error.
1795
1796 --
1797
1798 "set zeroprint off", don't bother printing members of structs which
1799 are entirely zero.  Useful for those big structs with few useful
1800 members.
1801
1802 --
1803
1804 GDB does four ioctl's for every command, probably switching terminal modes
1805 to/from inferior or for readline or something.
1806
1807 --
1808
1809 terminal_ours versus terminal_inferior: cache state.  Switch should be a noop
1810 if the state is the same, too.
1811
1812 --
1813
1814 "i frame" shows wrong "arglist at" location, doesn't show where the args
1815 should be found, only their actual values.
1816
1817 --
1818
1819 There should be a way for "set" commands to validate the new setting
1820 before it takes effect.
1821
1822 --
1823
1824 "ena d" is ambiguous, why?  "ena delete" seems to think it is a command!
1825
1826 --
1827
1828 i line VAR produces "Line number not known for symbol ``var''.".  I
1829 thought we were stashing that info now!
1830
1831 --
1832
1833 We should be able to write to random files at hex offsets like adb.
1834
1835 --
1836
1837 [elena - delete this]
1838
1839 Handle add_file with separate text, data, and bss addresses.  Maybe
1840 handle separate addresses for each segment in the object file?
1841
1842 --
1843
1844 [Jimb/Elena delete this one]
1845
1846 Handle free_named_symtab to cope with multiply-loaded object files
1847 in a dynamic linking environment.  Should remember the last copy loaded,
1848 but not get too snowed if it finds references to the older copy.
1849
1850 --
1851
1852 [elena delete this also]
1853
1854 Remove all references to:
1855         text_offset
1856         data_offset
1857         text_data_start
1858         text_end
1859         exec_data_offset
1860         ...
1861 now that we have BFD.  All remaining are in machine dependent files.
1862
1863 --
1864
1865 Re-organize help categories into things that tend to fit on a screen
1866 and hang together.
1867
1868 --
1869
1870 Add in commands like ADB's for searching for patterns, etc.  We should
1871 be able to examine and patch raw unsymboled binaries as well in gdb as
1872 we can in adb.  (E.g. increase the timeout in /bin/login without source).
1873
1874 [actually, add ADB interface :-]
1875
1876 --
1877
1878 When doing "step" or "next", if a few lines of source are skipped between
1879 the previous line and the current one, print those lines, not just the
1880 last line of a multiline statement.
1881
1882 --
1883
1884 Handling of "&" address-of operator needs some serious overhaul
1885 for ANSI C and consistency on arrays and functions.
1886   For "float point[15];":
1887 ptype &point[4]   ==> Attempt to take address of non-lvalue.
1888   For "char *malloc();":
1889 ptype malloc      ==> "char *()";  should be same as
1890 ptype &malloc     ==> "char *(*)()"
1891 call printf ("%x\n", malloc)   ==> weird value, should be same as
1892 call printf ("%x\n", &malloc)  ==> correct value
1893
1894 --
1895
1896 Fix dbxread.c symbol reading in the presence of interrupts.  It
1897 currently leaves a cleanup to blow away the entire symbol table when a
1898 QUIT occurs.  (What's wrong with that? -kingdon, 28 Oct 1993).
1899
1900 [I suspect that the grype was that, on a slow system, you might want
1901 to cntrl-c and get just half the symbols and then load the rest later
1902 - scary to be honest]
1903
1904 --
1905
1906 Mipsread.c reads include files depth-first, because the dependencies
1907 in the psymtabs are way too inclusive (it seems to me).  Figure out what
1908 really depends on what, to avoid recursing 20 or 30 times while reading
1909 real symtabs.
1910
1911 --
1912
1913 value_add() should be subtracting the lower bound of arrays, if known,
1914 and possibly checking against the upper bound for error reporting.
1915
1916 --
1917
1918 When listing source lines, check for a preceding \n, to verify that
1919 the file hasn't changed out from under us.
1920
1921 [fixed by some other means I think.  That hack wouldn't actually work
1922 reliably - the file might move such that another \n appears. ]
1923
1924 --
1925
1926 Get all the remote systems (where the protocol allows it) to be able to
1927 stop the remote system when the GDB user types ^C (like remote.c
1928 does).  For ebmon, use ^Ak.
1929
1930 --
1931
1932 Possible feature: A version of the "disassemble" command which shows
1933 both source and assembly code ("set symbol-filename on" is a partial
1934 solution).
1935
1936 [has this been done?  It was certainly done for MI and GDBtk]
1937
1938 --
1939
1940 investigate "x/s 0" (right now stops early) (I think maybe GDB is
1941 using a 0 address for bad purposes internally).
1942
1943 --
1944
1945 Make "info path" and path_command work again (but independent of the
1946 environment either of gdb or that we'll pass to the inferior).
1947
1948 --
1949
1950 Make GDB understand the GCC feature for putting octal constants in
1951 enums.  Make it so overflow on an enum constant does not error_type
1952 the whole type.  Allow arbitrarily large enums with type attributes.
1953 Put all this stuff in the testsuite.
1954
1955 --
1956
1957 Make TYPE_CODE_ERROR with a non-zero TYPE_LENGTH more useful (print
1958 the value in hex; process type attributes).  Add this to the
1959 testsuite.  This way future compilers can add new types and old
1960 versions of GDB can do something halfway reasonable.
1961
1962 --
1963
1964 Fix mdebugread.c:parse_type to do fundamental types right (see
1965 rs6000_builtin_type in stabsread.c for what "right" is--the point is
1966 that the debug format fixes the sizes of these things and it shouldn't
1967 depend on stuff like TARGET_PTR_BIT and so on.  For mdebug, there seem
1968 to be separate bt* codes for 64 bit and 32 bit things, and GDB should
1969 be aware of that).  Also use a switch statement for clarity and speed.
1970
1971 --
1972
1973 Investigate adding symbols in target_load--some targets do, some
1974 don't.
1975
1976 --
1977
1978 Put dirname in psymtabs and change lookup*symtab to use dirname (so
1979 /foo/bar.c works whether compiled by cc /foo/bar.c, or cd /foo; cc
1980 bar.c).
1981
1982 --
1983
1984 Merge xcoffread.c and coffread.c.  Use breakpoint_re_set instead of
1985 fixup_breakpoints.
1986
1987 --
1988
1989 Make a watchpoint which contains a function call an error (it is
1990 broken now, making it work is probably not worth the effort).
1991
1992 --
1993
1994 New test case based on weird.exp but in which type numbers are not
1995 renumbered (thus multiply defining a type).  This currently causes an
1996 infinite loop on "p v_comb".
1997
1998 --
1999
2000 [Hey! Hint Hint Delete Delete!!!]
2001
2002 Fix 386 floating point so that floating point registers are real
2003 registers (but code can deal at run-time if they are missing, like
2004 mips and 68k).  This would clean up "info float" and related stuff.
2005
2006 --
2007
2008 gcc -g -c enummask.c then gdb enummask.o, then "p v".  GDB complains
2009 about not being able to access memory location 0.
2010
2011 -------------------- enummask.c
2012 enum mask
2013 {
2014   ANIMAL = 0,
2015   VEGETABLE = 1,
2016   MINERAL = 2,
2017   BASIC_CATEGORY = 3,
2018
2019   WHITE = 0,
2020   BLUE = 4,
2021   GREEN = 8,
2022   BLACK = 0xc,
2023   COLOR = 0xc,
2024
2025   ALIVE = 0x10,
2026
2027   LARGE = 0x20
2028 } v;
2029
2030 --
2031
2032 If try to modify value in file with "set write off" should give
2033 appropriate error not "cannot access memory at address 0x65e0".
2034
2035 --
2036
2037 Allow core file without exec file on RS/6000.
2038
2039 --
2040
2041 Make sure "shell" with no arguments works right on DOS.
2042
2043 --
2044
2045 Make gdb.ini (as well as .gdbinit) be checked on all platforms, so
2046 the same directory can be NFS-mounted on unix or DOS, and work the
2047 same way.
2048
2049 --
2050
2051 [Is this another delete???]
2052
2053 Get SECT_OFF_TEXT stuff out of objfile_relocate (might be needed to
2054 get RS/6000 to work right, might not be immediately relevant).
2055
2056 --
2057
2058 Work out some kind of way to allow running the inferior to be done as
2059 a sub-execution of, eg. breakpoint command lists.  Currently running
2060 the inferior interupts any command list execution.  This would require
2061 some rewriting of wait_for_inferior & friends, and hence should
2062 probably be done in concert with the above.
2063
2064 --
2065
2066 Add function arguments to gdb user defined functions.
2067
2068 --
2069
2070 Add convenience variables that refer to exec file, symbol file,
2071 selected frame source file, selected frame function, selected frame
2072 line number, etc.
2073
2074 --
2075
2076 Modify the handling of symbols grouped through BINCL/EINCL stabs to
2077 allocate a partial symtab for each BINCL/EINCL grouping.  This will
2078 seriously decrease the size of inter-psymtab dependencies and hence
2079 lessen the amount that needs to be read in when a new source file is
2080 accessed.
2081
2082 --
2083
2084 Add a command for searching memory, a la adb.  It specifies size,
2085 mask, value, start address.  ADB searches until it finds it or hits
2086 an error (or is interrupted).
2087
2088 --
2089
2090 Remove the range and type checking code and documentation, if not
2091 going to implement.
2092
2093 # Local Variables:
2094 # mode: text
2095 # End: