compile: New 'compile print'
[deliverable/binutils-gdb.git] / gdb / doc / gdb.texinfo
1 \input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
2 @c Copyright (C) 1988-2015 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
3 @c
4 @c %**start of header
5 @c makeinfo ignores cmds prev to setfilename, so its arg cannot make use
6 @c of @set vars. However, you can override filename with makeinfo -o.
7 @setfilename gdb.info
8 @c
9 @c man begin INCLUDE
10 @include gdb-cfg.texi
11 @c man end
12 @c
13 @settitle Debugging with @value{GDBN}
14 @setchapternewpage odd
15 @c %**end of header
16
17 @iftex
18 @c @smallbook
19 @c @cropmarks
20 @end iftex
21
22 @finalout
23 @c To avoid file-name clashes between index.html and Index.html, when
24 @c the manual is produced on a Posix host and then moved to a
25 @c case-insensitive filesystem (e.g., MS-Windows), we separate the
26 @c indices into two: Concept Index and all the rest.
27 @syncodeindex ky fn
28 @syncodeindex tp fn
29
30 @c readline appendices use @vindex, @findex and @ftable,
31 @c annotate.texi and gdbmi use @findex.
32 @syncodeindex vr fn
33
34 @c !!set GDB manual's edition---not the same as GDB version!
35 @c This is updated by GNU Press.
36 @set EDITION Tenth
37
38 @c !!set GDB edit command default editor
39 @set EDITOR /bin/ex
40
41 @c THIS MANUAL REQUIRES TEXINFO 4.0 OR LATER.
42
43 @c This is a dir.info fragment to support semi-automated addition of
44 @c manuals to an info tree.
45 @dircategory Software development
46 @direntry
47 * Gdb: (gdb). The GNU debugger.
48 * gdbserver: (gdb) Server. The GNU debugging server.
49 @end direntry
50
51 @copying
52 @c man begin COPYRIGHT
53 Copyright @copyright{} 1988-2015 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
54
55 Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
56 under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3 or
57 any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with the
58 Invariant Sections being ``Free Software'' and ``Free Software Needs
59 Free Documentation'', with the Front-Cover Texts being ``A GNU Manual,''
60 and with the Back-Cover Texts as in (a) below.
61
62 (a) The FSF's Back-Cover Text is: ``You are free to copy and modify
63 this GNU Manual. Buying copies from GNU Press supports the FSF in
64 developing GNU and promoting software freedom.''
65 @c man end
66 @end copying
67
68 @ifnottex
69 This file documents the @sc{gnu} debugger @value{GDBN}.
70
71 This is the @value{EDITION} Edition, of @cite{Debugging with
72 @value{GDBN}: the @sc{gnu} Source-Level Debugger} for @value{GDBN}
73 @ifset VERSION_PACKAGE
74 @value{VERSION_PACKAGE}
75 @end ifset
76 Version @value{GDBVN}.
77
78 @insertcopying
79 @end ifnottex
80
81 @titlepage
82 @title Debugging with @value{GDBN}
83 @subtitle The @sc{gnu} Source-Level Debugger
84 @sp 1
85 @subtitle @value{EDITION} Edition, for @value{GDBN} version @value{GDBVN}
86 @ifset VERSION_PACKAGE
87 @sp 1
88 @subtitle @value{VERSION_PACKAGE}
89 @end ifset
90 @author Richard Stallman, Roland Pesch, Stan Shebs, et al.
91 @page
92 @tex
93 {\parskip=0pt
94 \hfill (Send bugs and comments on @value{GDBN} to @value{BUGURL}.)\par
95 \hfill {\it Debugging with @value{GDBN}}\par
96 \hfill \TeX{}info \texinfoversion\par
97 }
98 @end tex
99
100 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
101 Published by the Free Software Foundation @*
102 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor,
103 Boston, MA 02110-1301, USA@*
104 ISBN 978-0-9831592-3-0 @*
105
106 @insertcopying
107 @end titlepage
108 @page
109
110 @ifnottex
111 @node Top, Summary, (dir), (dir)
112
113 @top Debugging with @value{GDBN}
114
115 This file describes @value{GDBN}, the @sc{gnu} symbolic debugger.
116
117 This is the @value{EDITION} Edition, for @value{GDBN}
118 @ifset VERSION_PACKAGE
119 @value{VERSION_PACKAGE}
120 @end ifset
121 Version @value{GDBVN}.
122
123 Copyright (C) 1988-2015 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
124
125 This edition of the GDB manual is dedicated to the memory of Fred
126 Fish. Fred was a long-standing contributor to GDB and to Free
127 software in general. We will miss him.
128
129 @menu
130 * Summary:: Summary of @value{GDBN}
131 * Sample Session:: A sample @value{GDBN} session
132
133 * Invocation:: Getting in and out of @value{GDBN}
134 * Commands:: @value{GDBN} commands
135 * Running:: Running programs under @value{GDBN}
136 * Stopping:: Stopping and continuing
137 * Reverse Execution:: Running programs backward
138 * Process Record and Replay:: Recording inferior's execution and replaying it
139 * Stack:: Examining the stack
140 * Source:: Examining source files
141 * Data:: Examining data
142 * Optimized Code:: Debugging optimized code
143 * Macros:: Preprocessor Macros
144 * Tracepoints:: Debugging remote targets non-intrusively
145 * Overlays:: Debugging programs that use overlays
146
147 * Languages:: Using @value{GDBN} with different languages
148
149 * Symbols:: Examining the symbol table
150 * Altering:: Altering execution
151 * GDB Files:: @value{GDBN} files
152 * Targets:: Specifying a debugging target
153 * Remote Debugging:: Debugging remote programs
154 * Configurations:: Configuration-specific information
155 * Controlling GDB:: Controlling @value{GDBN}
156 * Extending GDB:: Extending @value{GDBN}
157 * Interpreters:: Command Interpreters
158 * TUI:: @value{GDBN} Text User Interface
159 * Emacs:: Using @value{GDBN} under @sc{gnu} Emacs
160 * GDB/MI:: @value{GDBN}'s Machine Interface.
161 * Annotations:: @value{GDBN}'s annotation interface.
162 * JIT Interface:: Using the JIT debugging interface.
163 * In-Process Agent:: In-Process Agent
164
165 * GDB Bugs:: Reporting bugs in @value{GDBN}
166
167 @ifset SYSTEM_READLINE
168 * Command Line Editing: (rluserman). Command Line Editing
169 * Using History Interactively: (history). Using History Interactively
170 @end ifset
171 @ifclear SYSTEM_READLINE
172 * Command Line Editing:: Command Line Editing
173 * Using History Interactively:: Using History Interactively
174 @end ifclear
175 * In Memoriam:: In Memoriam
176 * Formatting Documentation:: How to format and print @value{GDBN} documentation
177 * Installing GDB:: Installing GDB
178 * Maintenance Commands:: Maintenance Commands
179 * Remote Protocol:: GDB Remote Serial Protocol
180 * Agent Expressions:: The GDB Agent Expression Mechanism
181 * Target Descriptions:: How targets can describe themselves to
182 @value{GDBN}
183 * Operating System Information:: Getting additional information from
184 the operating system
185 * Trace File Format:: GDB trace file format
186 * Index Section Format:: .gdb_index section format
187 * Man Pages:: Manual pages
188 * Copying:: GNU General Public License says
189 how you can copy and share GDB
190 * GNU Free Documentation License:: The license for this documentation
191 * Concept Index:: Index of @value{GDBN} concepts
192 * Command and Variable Index:: Index of @value{GDBN} commands, variables,
193 functions, and Python data types
194 @end menu
195
196 @end ifnottex
197
198 @contents
199
200 @node Summary
201 @unnumbered Summary of @value{GDBN}
202
203 The purpose of a debugger such as @value{GDBN} is to allow you to see what is
204 going on ``inside'' another program while it executes---or what another
205 program was doing at the moment it crashed.
206
207 @value{GDBN} can do four main kinds of things (plus other things in support of
208 these) to help you catch bugs in the act:
209
210 @itemize @bullet
211 @item
212 Start your program, specifying anything that might affect its behavior.
213
214 @item
215 Make your program stop on specified conditions.
216
217 @item
218 Examine what has happened, when your program has stopped.
219
220 @item
221 Change things in your program, so you can experiment with correcting the
222 effects of one bug and go on to learn about another.
223 @end itemize
224
225 You can use @value{GDBN} to debug programs written in C and C@t{++}.
226 For more information, see @ref{Supported Languages,,Supported Languages}.
227 For more information, see @ref{C,,C and C++}.
228
229 Support for D is partial. For information on D, see
230 @ref{D,,D}.
231
232 @cindex Modula-2
233 Support for Modula-2 is partial. For information on Modula-2, see
234 @ref{Modula-2,,Modula-2}.
235
236 Support for OpenCL C is partial. For information on OpenCL C, see
237 @ref{OpenCL C,,OpenCL C}.
238
239 @cindex Pascal
240 Debugging Pascal programs which use sets, subranges, file variables, or
241 nested functions does not currently work. @value{GDBN} does not support
242 entering expressions, printing values, or similar features using Pascal
243 syntax.
244
245 @cindex Fortran
246 @value{GDBN} can be used to debug programs written in Fortran, although
247 it may be necessary to refer to some variables with a trailing
248 underscore.
249
250 @value{GDBN} can be used to debug programs written in Objective-C,
251 using either the Apple/NeXT or the GNU Objective-C runtime.
252
253 @menu
254 * Free Software:: Freely redistributable software
255 * Free Documentation:: Free Software Needs Free Documentation
256 * Contributors:: Contributors to GDB
257 @end menu
258
259 @node Free Software
260 @unnumberedsec Free Software
261
262 @value{GDBN} is @dfn{free software}, protected by the @sc{gnu}
263 General Public License
264 (GPL). The GPL gives you the freedom to copy or adapt a licensed
265 program---but every person getting a copy also gets with it the
266 freedom to modify that copy (which means that they must get access to
267 the source code), and the freedom to distribute further copies.
268 Typical software companies use copyrights to limit your freedoms; the
269 Free Software Foundation uses the GPL to preserve these freedoms.
270
271 Fundamentally, the General Public License is a license which says that
272 you have these freedoms and that you cannot take these freedoms away
273 from anyone else.
274
275 @node Free Documentation
276 @unnumberedsec Free Software Needs Free Documentation
277
278 The biggest deficiency in the free software community today is not in
279 the software---it is the lack of good free documentation that we can
280 include with the free software. Many of our most important
281 programs do not come with free reference manuals and free introductory
282 texts. Documentation is an essential part of any software package;
283 when an important free software package does not come with a free
284 manual and a free tutorial, that is a major gap. We have many such
285 gaps today.
286
287 Consider Perl, for instance. The tutorial manuals that people
288 normally use are non-free. How did this come about? Because the
289 authors of those manuals published them with restrictive terms---no
290 copying, no modification, source files not available---which exclude
291 them from the free software world.
292
293 That wasn't the first time this sort of thing happened, and it was far
294 from the last. Many times we have heard a GNU user eagerly describe a
295 manual that he is writing, his intended contribution to the community,
296 only to learn that he had ruined everything by signing a publication
297 contract to make it non-free.
298
299 Free documentation, like free software, is a matter of freedom, not
300 price. The problem with the non-free manual is not that publishers
301 charge a price for printed copies---that in itself is fine. (The Free
302 Software Foundation sells printed copies of manuals, too.) The
303 problem is the restrictions on the use of the manual. Free manuals
304 are available in source code form, and give you permission to copy and
305 modify. Non-free manuals do not allow this.
306
307 The criteria of freedom for a free manual are roughly the same as for
308 free software. Redistribution (including the normal kinds of
309 commercial redistribution) must be permitted, so that the manual can
310 accompany every copy of the program, both on-line and on paper.
311
312 Permission for modification of the technical content is crucial too.
313 When people modify the software, adding or changing features, if they
314 are conscientious they will change the manual too---so they can
315 provide accurate and clear documentation for the modified program. A
316 manual that leaves you no choice but to write a new manual to document
317 a changed version of the program is not really available to our
318 community.
319
320 Some kinds of limits on the way modification is handled are
321 acceptable. For example, requirements to preserve the original
322 author's copyright notice, the distribution terms, or the list of
323 authors, are ok. It is also no problem to require modified versions
324 to include notice that they were modified. Even entire sections that
325 may not be deleted or changed are acceptable, as long as they deal
326 with nontechnical topics (like this one). These kinds of restrictions
327 are acceptable because they don't obstruct the community's normal use
328 of the manual.
329
330 However, it must be possible to modify all the @emph{technical}
331 content of the manual, and then distribute the result in all the usual
332 media, through all the usual channels. Otherwise, the restrictions
333 obstruct the use of the manual, it is not free, and we need another
334 manual to replace it.
335
336 Please spread the word about this issue. Our community continues to
337 lose manuals to proprietary publishing. If we spread the word that
338 free software needs free reference manuals and free tutorials, perhaps
339 the next person who wants to contribute by writing documentation will
340 realize, before it is too late, that only free manuals contribute to
341 the free software community.
342
343 If you are writing documentation, please insist on publishing it under
344 the GNU Free Documentation License or another free documentation
345 license. Remember that this decision requires your approval---you
346 don't have to let the publisher decide. Some commercial publishers
347 will use a free license if you insist, but they will not propose the
348 option; it is up to you to raise the issue and say firmly that this is
349 what you want. If the publisher you are dealing with refuses, please
350 try other publishers. If you're not sure whether a proposed license
351 is free, write to @email{licensing@@gnu.org}.
352
353 You can encourage commercial publishers to sell more free, copylefted
354 manuals and tutorials by buying them, and particularly by buying
355 copies from the publishers that paid for their writing or for major
356 improvements. Meanwhile, try to avoid buying non-free documentation
357 at all. Check the distribution terms of a manual before you buy it,
358 and insist that whoever seeks your business must respect your freedom.
359 Check the history of the book, and try to reward the publishers that
360 have paid or pay the authors to work on it.
361
362 The Free Software Foundation maintains a list of free documentation
363 published by other publishers, at
364 @url{http://www.fsf.org/doc/other-free-books.html}.
365
366 @node Contributors
367 @unnumberedsec Contributors to @value{GDBN}
368
369 Richard Stallman was the original author of @value{GDBN}, and of many
370 other @sc{gnu} programs. Many others have contributed to its
371 development. This section attempts to credit major contributors. One
372 of the virtues of free software is that everyone is free to contribute
373 to it; with regret, we cannot actually acknowledge everyone here. The
374 file @file{ChangeLog} in the @value{GDBN} distribution approximates a
375 blow-by-blow account.
376
377 Changes much prior to version 2.0 are lost in the mists of time.
378
379 @quotation
380 @emph{Plea:} Additions to this section are particularly welcome. If you
381 or your friends (or enemies, to be evenhanded) have been unfairly
382 omitted from this list, we would like to add your names!
383 @end quotation
384
385 So that they may not regard their many labors as thankless, we
386 particularly thank those who shepherded @value{GDBN} through major
387 releases:
388 Andrew Cagney (releases 6.3, 6.2, 6.1, 6.0, 5.3, 5.2, 5.1 and 5.0);
389 Jim Blandy (release 4.18);
390 Jason Molenda (release 4.17);
391 Stan Shebs (release 4.14);
392 Fred Fish (releases 4.16, 4.15, 4.13, 4.12, 4.11, 4.10, and 4.9);
393 Stu Grossman and John Gilmore (releases 4.8, 4.7, 4.6, 4.5, and 4.4);
394 John Gilmore (releases 4.3, 4.2, 4.1, 4.0, and 3.9);
395 Jim Kingdon (releases 3.5, 3.4, and 3.3);
396 and Randy Smith (releases 3.2, 3.1, and 3.0).
397
398 Richard Stallman, assisted at various times by Peter TerMaat, Chris
399 Hanson, and Richard Mlynarik, handled releases through 2.8.
400
401 Michael Tiemann is the author of most of the @sc{gnu} C@t{++} support
402 in @value{GDBN}, with significant additional contributions from Per
403 Bothner and Daniel Berlin. James Clark wrote the @sc{gnu} C@t{++}
404 demangler. Early work on C@t{++} was by Peter TerMaat (who also did
405 much general update work leading to release 3.0).
406
407 @value{GDBN} uses the BFD subroutine library to examine multiple
408 object-file formats; BFD was a joint project of David V.
409 Henkel-Wallace, Rich Pixley, Steve Chamberlain, and John Gilmore.
410
411 David Johnson wrote the original COFF support; Pace Willison did
412 the original support for encapsulated COFF.
413
414 Brent Benson of Harris Computer Systems contributed DWARF 2 support.
415
416 Adam de Boor and Bradley Davis contributed the ISI Optimum V support.
417 Per Bothner, Noboyuki Hikichi, and Alessandro Forin contributed MIPS
418 support.
419 Jean-Daniel Fekete contributed Sun 386i support.
420 Chris Hanson improved the HP9000 support.
421 Noboyuki Hikichi and Tomoyuki Hasei contributed Sony/News OS 3 support.
422 David Johnson contributed Encore Umax support.
423 Jyrki Kuoppala contributed Altos 3068 support.
424 Jeff Law contributed HP PA and SOM support.
425 Keith Packard contributed NS32K support.
426 Doug Rabson contributed Acorn Risc Machine support.
427 Bob Rusk contributed Harris Nighthawk CX-UX support.
428 Chris Smith contributed Convex support (and Fortran debugging).
429 Jonathan Stone contributed Pyramid support.
430 Michael Tiemann contributed SPARC support.
431 Tim Tucker contributed support for the Gould NP1 and Gould Powernode.
432 Pace Willison contributed Intel 386 support.
433 Jay Vosburgh contributed Symmetry support.
434 Marko Mlinar contributed OpenRISC 1000 support.
435
436 Andreas Schwab contributed M68K @sc{gnu}/Linux support.
437
438 Rich Schaefer and Peter Schauer helped with support of SunOS shared
439 libraries.
440
441 Jay Fenlason and Roland McGrath ensured that @value{GDBN} and GAS agree
442 about several machine instruction sets.
443
444 Patrick Duval, Ted Goldstein, Vikram Koka and Glenn Engel helped develop
445 remote debugging. Intel Corporation, Wind River Systems, AMD, and ARM
446 contributed remote debugging modules for the i960, VxWorks, A29K UDI,
447 and RDI targets, respectively.
448
449 Brian Fox is the author of the readline libraries providing
450 command-line editing and command history.
451
452 Andrew Beers of SUNY Buffalo wrote the language-switching code, the
453 Modula-2 support, and contributed the Languages chapter of this manual.
454
455 Fred Fish wrote most of the support for Unix System Vr4.
456 He also enhanced the command-completion support to cover C@t{++} overloaded
457 symbols.
458
459 Hitachi America (now Renesas America), Ltd. sponsored the support for
460 H8/300, H8/500, and Super-H processors.
461
462 NEC sponsored the support for the v850, Vr4xxx, and Vr5xxx processors.
463
464 Mitsubishi (now Renesas) sponsored the support for D10V, D30V, and M32R/D
465 processors.
466
467 Toshiba sponsored the support for the TX39 Mips processor.
468
469 Matsushita sponsored the support for the MN10200 and MN10300 processors.
470
471 Fujitsu sponsored the support for SPARClite and FR30 processors.
472
473 Kung Hsu, Jeff Law, and Rick Sladkey added support for hardware
474 watchpoints.
475
476 Michael Snyder added support for tracepoints.
477
478 Stu Grossman wrote gdbserver.
479
480 Jim Kingdon, Peter Schauer, Ian Taylor, and Stu Grossman made
481 nearly innumerable bug fixes and cleanups throughout @value{GDBN}.
482
483 The following people at the Hewlett-Packard Company contributed
484 support for the PA-RISC 2.0 architecture, HP-UX 10.20, 10.30, and 11.0
485 (narrow mode), HP's implementation of kernel threads, HP's aC@t{++}
486 compiler, and the Text User Interface (nee Terminal User Interface):
487 Ben Krepp, Richard Title, John Bishop, Susan Macchia, Kathy Mann,
488 Satish Pai, India Paul, Steve Rehrauer, and Elena Zannoni. Kim Haase
489 provided HP-specific information in this manual.
490
491 DJ Delorie ported @value{GDBN} to MS-DOS, for the DJGPP project.
492 Robert Hoehne made significant contributions to the DJGPP port.
493
494 Cygnus Solutions has sponsored @value{GDBN} maintenance and much of its
495 development since 1991. Cygnus engineers who have worked on @value{GDBN}
496 fulltime include Mark Alexander, Jim Blandy, Per Bothner, Kevin
497 Buettner, Edith Epstein, Chris Faylor, Fred Fish, Martin Hunt, Jim
498 Ingham, John Gilmore, Stu Grossman, Kung Hsu, Jim Kingdon, John Metzler,
499 Fernando Nasser, Geoffrey Noer, Dawn Perchik, Rich Pixley, Zdenek
500 Radouch, Keith Seitz, Stan Shebs, David Taylor, and Elena Zannoni. In
501 addition, Dave Brolley, Ian Carmichael, Steve Chamberlain, Nick Clifton,
502 JT Conklin, Stan Cox, DJ Delorie, Ulrich Drepper, Frank Eigler, Doug
503 Evans, Sean Fagan, David Henkel-Wallace, Richard Henderson, Jeff
504 Holcomb, Jeff Law, Jim Lemke, Tom Lord, Bob Manson, Michael Meissner,
505 Jason Merrill, Catherine Moore, Drew Moseley, Ken Raeburn, Gavin
506 Romig-Koch, Rob Savoye, Jamie Smith, Mike Stump, Ian Taylor, Angela
507 Thomas, Michael Tiemann, Tom Tromey, Ron Unrau, Jim Wilson, and David
508 Zuhn have made contributions both large and small.
509
510 Andrew Cagney, Fernando Nasser, and Elena Zannoni, while working for
511 Cygnus Solutions, implemented the original @sc{gdb/mi} interface.
512
513 Jim Blandy added support for preprocessor macros, while working for Red
514 Hat.
515
516 Andrew Cagney designed @value{GDBN}'s architecture vector. Many
517 people including Andrew Cagney, Stephane Carrez, Randolph Chung, Nick
518 Duffek, Richard Henderson, Mark Kettenis, Grace Sainsbury, Kei
519 Sakamoto, Yoshinori Sato, Michael Snyder, Andreas Schwab, Jason
520 Thorpe, Corinna Vinschen, Ulrich Weigand, and Elena Zannoni, helped
521 with the migration of old architectures to this new framework.
522
523 Andrew Cagney completely re-designed and re-implemented @value{GDBN}'s
524 unwinder framework, this consisting of a fresh new design featuring
525 frame IDs, independent frame sniffers, and the sentinel frame. Mark
526 Kettenis implemented the @sc{dwarf 2} unwinder, Jeff Johnston the
527 libunwind unwinder, and Andrew Cagney the dummy, sentinel, tramp, and
528 trad unwinders. The architecture-specific changes, each involving a
529 complete rewrite of the architecture's frame code, were carried out by
530 Jim Blandy, Joel Brobecker, Kevin Buettner, Andrew Cagney, Stephane
531 Carrez, Randolph Chung, Orjan Friberg, Richard Henderson, Daniel
532 Jacobowitz, Jeff Johnston, Mark Kettenis, Theodore A. Roth, Kei
533 Sakamoto, Yoshinori Sato, Michael Snyder, Corinna Vinschen, and Ulrich
534 Weigand.
535
536 Christian Zankel, Ross Morley, Bob Wilson, and Maxim Grigoriev from
537 Tensilica, Inc.@: contributed support for Xtensa processors. Others
538 who have worked on the Xtensa port of @value{GDBN} in the past include
539 Steve Tjiang, John Newlin, and Scott Foehner.
540
541 Michael Eager and staff of Xilinx, Inc., contributed support for the
542 Xilinx MicroBlaze architecture.
543
544 @node Sample Session
545 @chapter A Sample @value{GDBN} Session
546
547 You can use this manual at your leisure to read all about @value{GDBN}.
548 However, a handful of commands are enough to get started using the
549 debugger. This chapter illustrates those commands.
550
551 @iftex
552 In this sample session, we emphasize user input like this: @b{input},
553 to make it easier to pick out from the surrounding output.
554 @end iftex
555
556 @c FIXME: this example may not be appropriate for some configs, where
557 @c FIXME...primary interest is in remote use.
558
559 One of the preliminary versions of @sc{gnu} @code{m4} (a generic macro
560 processor) exhibits the following bug: sometimes, when we change its
561 quote strings from the default, the commands used to capture one macro
562 definition within another stop working. In the following short @code{m4}
563 session, we define a macro @code{foo} which expands to @code{0000}; we
564 then use the @code{m4} built-in @code{defn} to define @code{bar} as the
565 same thing. However, when we change the open quote string to
566 @code{<QUOTE>} and the close quote string to @code{<UNQUOTE>}, the same
567 procedure fails to define a new synonym @code{baz}:
568
569 @smallexample
570 $ @b{cd gnu/m4}
571 $ @b{./m4}
572 @b{define(foo,0000)}
573
574 @b{foo}
575 0000
576 @b{define(bar,defn(`foo'))}
577
578 @b{bar}
579 0000
580 @b{changequote(<QUOTE>,<UNQUOTE>)}
581
582 @b{define(baz,defn(<QUOTE>foo<UNQUOTE>))}
583 @b{baz}
584 @b{Ctrl-d}
585 m4: End of input: 0: fatal error: EOF in string
586 @end smallexample
587
588 @noindent
589 Let us use @value{GDBN} to try to see what is going on.
590
591 @smallexample
592 $ @b{@value{GDBP} m4}
593 @c FIXME: this falsifies the exact text played out, to permit smallbook
594 @c FIXME... format to come out better.
595 @value{GDBN} is free software and you are welcome to distribute copies
596 of it under certain conditions; type "show copying" to see
597 the conditions.
598 There is absolutely no warranty for @value{GDBN}; type "show warranty"
599 for details.
600
601 @value{GDBN} @value{GDBVN}, Copyright 1999 Free Software Foundation, Inc...
602 (@value{GDBP})
603 @end smallexample
604
605 @noindent
606 @value{GDBN} reads only enough symbol data to know where to find the
607 rest when needed; as a result, the first prompt comes up very quickly.
608 We now tell @value{GDBN} to use a narrower display width than usual, so
609 that examples fit in this manual.
610
611 @smallexample
612 (@value{GDBP}) @b{set width 70}
613 @end smallexample
614
615 @noindent
616 We need to see how the @code{m4} built-in @code{changequote} works.
617 Having looked at the source, we know the relevant subroutine is
618 @code{m4_changequote}, so we set a breakpoint there with the @value{GDBN}
619 @code{break} command.
620
621 @smallexample
622 (@value{GDBP}) @b{break m4_changequote}
623 Breakpoint 1 at 0x62f4: file builtin.c, line 879.
624 @end smallexample
625
626 @noindent
627 Using the @code{run} command, we start @code{m4} running under @value{GDBN}
628 control; as long as control does not reach the @code{m4_changequote}
629 subroutine, the program runs as usual:
630
631 @smallexample
632 (@value{GDBP}) @b{run}
633 Starting program: /work/Editorial/gdb/gnu/m4/m4
634 @b{define(foo,0000)}
635
636 @b{foo}
637 0000
638 @end smallexample
639
640 @noindent
641 To trigger the breakpoint, we call @code{changequote}. @value{GDBN}
642 suspends execution of @code{m4}, displaying information about the
643 context where it stops.
644
645 @smallexample
646 @b{changequote(<QUOTE>,<UNQUOTE>)}
647
648 Breakpoint 1, m4_changequote (argc=3, argv=0x33c70)
649 at builtin.c:879
650 879 if (bad_argc(TOKEN_DATA_TEXT(argv[0]),argc,1,3))
651 @end smallexample
652
653 @noindent
654 Now we use the command @code{n} (@code{next}) to advance execution to
655 the next line of the current function.
656
657 @smallexample
658 (@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
659 882 set_quotes((argc >= 2) ? TOKEN_DATA_TEXT(argv[1])\
660 : nil,
661 @end smallexample
662
663 @noindent
664 @code{set_quotes} looks like a promising subroutine. We can go into it
665 by using the command @code{s} (@code{step}) instead of @code{next}.
666 @code{step} goes to the next line to be executed in @emph{any}
667 subroutine, so it steps into @code{set_quotes}.
668
669 @smallexample
670 (@value{GDBP}) @b{s}
671 set_quotes (lq=0x34c78 "<QUOTE>", rq=0x34c88 "<UNQUOTE>")
672 at input.c:530
673 530 if (lquote != def_lquote)
674 @end smallexample
675
676 @noindent
677 The display that shows the subroutine where @code{m4} is now
678 suspended (and its arguments) is called a stack frame display. It
679 shows a summary of the stack. We can use the @code{backtrace}
680 command (which can also be spelled @code{bt}), to see where we are
681 in the stack as a whole: the @code{backtrace} command displays a
682 stack frame for each active subroutine.
683
684 @smallexample
685 (@value{GDBP}) @b{bt}
686 #0 set_quotes (lq=0x34c78 "<QUOTE>", rq=0x34c88 "<UNQUOTE>")
687 at input.c:530
688 #1 0x6344 in m4_changequote (argc=3, argv=0x33c70)
689 at builtin.c:882
690 #2 0x8174 in expand_macro (sym=0x33320) at macro.c:242
691 #3 0x7a88 in expand_token (obs=0x0, t=209696, td=0xf7fffa30)
692 at macro.c:71
693 #4 0x79dc in expand_input () at macro.c:40
694 #5 0x2930 in main (argc=0, argv=0xf7fffb20) at m4.c:195
695 @end smallexample
696
697 @noindent
698 We step through a few more lines to see what happens. The first two
699 times, we can use @samp{s}; the next two times we use @code{n} to avoid
700 falling into the @code{xstrdup} subroutine.
701
702 @smallexample
703 (@value{GDBP}) @b{s}
704 0x3b5c 532 if (rquote != def_rquote)
705 (@value{GDBP}) @b{s}
706 0x3b80 535 lquote = (lq == nil || *lq == '\0') ? \
707 def_lquote : xstrdup(lq);
708 (@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
709 536 rquote = (rq == nil || *rq == '\0') ? def_rquote\
710 : xstrdup(rq);
711 (@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
712 538 len_lquote = strlen(rquote);
713 @end smallexample
714
715 @noindent
716 The last line displayed looks a little odd; we can examine the variables
717 @code{lquote} and @code{rquote} to see if they are in fact the new left
718 and right quotes we specified. We use the command @code{p}
719 (@code{print}) to see their values.
720
721 @smallexample
722 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p lquote}
723 $1 = 0x35d40 "<QUOTE>"
724 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p rquote}
725 $2 = 0x35d50 "<UNQUOTE>"
726 @end smallexample
727
728 @noindent
729 @code{lquote} and @code{rquote} are indeed the new left and right quotes.
730 To look at some context, we can display ten lines of source
731 surrounding the current line with the @code{l} (@code{list}) command.
732
733 @smallexample
734 (@value{GDBP}) @b{l}
735 533 xfree(rquote);
736 534
737 535 lquote = (lq == nil || *lq == '\0') ? def_lquote\
738 : xstrdup (lq);
739 536 rquote = (rq == nil || *rq == '\0') ? def_rquote\
740 : xstrdup (rq);
741 537
742 538 len_lquote = strlen(rquote);
743 539 len_rquote = strlen(lquote);
744 540 @}
745 541
746 542 void
747 @end smallexample
748
749 @noindent
750 Let us step past the two lines that set @code{len_lquote} and
751 @code{len_rquote}, and then examine the values of those variables.
752
753 @smallexample
754 (@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
755 539 len_rquote = strlen(lquote);
756 (@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
757 540 @}
758 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p len_lquote}
759 $3 = 9
760 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p len_rquote}
761 $4 = 7
762 @end smallexample
763
764 @noindent
765 That certainly looks wrong, assuming @code{len_lquote} and
766 @code{len_rquote} are meant to be the lengths of @code{lquote} and
767 @code{rquote} respectively. We can set them to better values using
768 the @code{p} command, since it can print the value of
769 any expression---and that expression can include subroutine calls and
770 assignments.
771
772 @smallexample
773 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p len_lquote=strlen(lquote)}
774 $5 = 7
775 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p len_rquote=strlen(rquote)}
776 $6 = 9
777 @end smallexample
778
779 @noindent
780 Is that enough to fix the problem of using the new quotes with the
781 @code{m4} built-in @code{defn}? We can allow @code{m4} to continue
782 executing with the @code{c} (@code{continue}) command, and then try the
783 example that caused trouble initially:
784
785 @smallexample
786 (@value{GDBP}) @b{c}
787 Continuing.
788
789 @b{define(baz,defn(<QUOTE>foo<UNQUOTE>))}
790
791 baz
792 0000
793 @end smallexample
794
795 @noindent
796 Success! The new quotes now work just as well as the default ones. The
797 problem seems to have been just the two typos defining the wrong
798 lengths. We allow @code{m4} exit by giving it an EOF as input:
799
800 @smallexample
801 @b{Ctrl-d}
802 Program exited normally.
803 @end smallexample
804
805 @noindent
806 The message @samp{Program exited normally.} is from @value{GDBN}; it
807 indicates @code{m4} has finished executing. We can end our @value{GDBN}
808 session with the @value{GDBN} @code{quit} command.
809
810 @smallexample
811 (@value{GDBP}) @b{quit}
812 @end smallexample
813
814 @node Invocation
815 @chapter Getting In and Out of @value{GDBN}
816
817 This chapter discusses how to start @value{GDBN}, and how to get out of it.
818 The essentials are:
819 @itemize @bullet
820 @item
821 type @samp{@value{GDBP}} to start @value{GDBN}.
822 @item
823 type @kbd{quit} or @kbd{Ctrl-d} to exit.
824 @end itemize
825
826 @menu
827 * Invoking GDB:: How to start @value{GDBN}
828 * Quitting GDB:: How to quit @value{GDBN}
829 * Shell Commands:: How to use shell commands inside @value{GDBN}
830 * Logging Output:: How to log @value{GDBN}'s output to a file
831 @end menu
832
833 @node Invoking GDB
834 @section Invoking @value{GDBN}
835
836 Invoke @value{GDBN} by running the program @code{@value{GDBP}}. Once started,
837 @value{GDBN} reads commands from the terminal until you tell it to exit.
838
839 You can also run @code{@value{GDBP}} with a variety of arguments and options,
840 to specify more of your debugging environment at the outset.
841
842 The command-line options described here are designed
843 to cover a variety of situations; in some environments, some of these
844 options may effectively be unavailable.
845
846 The most usual way to start @value{GDBN} is with one argument,
847 specifying an executable program:
848
849 @smallexample
850 @value{GDBP} @var{program}
851 @end smallexample
852
853 @noindent
854 You can also start with both an executable program and a core file
855 specified:
856
857 @smallexample
858 @value{GDBP} @var{program} @var{core}
859 @end smallexample
860
861 You can, instead, specify a process ID as a second argument, if you want
862 to debug a running process:
863
864 @smallexample
865 @value{GDBP} @var{program} 1234
866 @end smallexample
867
868 @noindent
869 would attach @value{GDBN} to process @code{1234} (unless you also have a file
870 named @file{1234}; @value{GDBN} does check for a core file first).
871
872 Taking advantage of the second command-line argument requires a fairly
873 complete operating system; when you use @value{GDBN} as a remote
874 debugger attached to a bare board, there may not be any notion of
875 ``process'', and there is often no way to get a core dump. @value{GDBN}
876 will warn you if it is unable to attach or to read core dumps.
877
878 You can optionally have @code{@value{GDBP}} pass any arguments after the
879 executable file to the inferior using @code{--args}. This option stops
880 option processing.
881 @smallexample
882 @value{GDBP} --args gcc -O2 -c foo.c
883 @end smallexample
884 This will cause @code{@value{GDBP}} to debug @code{gcc}, and to set
885 @code{gcc}'s command-line arguments (@pxref{Arguments}) to @samp{-O2 -c foo.c}.
886
887 You can run @code{@value{GDBP}} without printing the front material, which describes
888 @value{GDBN}'s non-warranty, by specifying @code{--silent}
889 (or @code{-q}/@code{--quiet}):
890
891 @smallexample
892 @value{GDBP} --silent
893 @end smallexample
894
895 @noindent
896 You can further control how @value{GDBN} starts up by using command-line
897 options. @value{GDBN} itself can remind you of the options available.
898
899 @noindent
900 Type
901
902 @smallexample
903 @value{GDBP} -help
904 @end smallexample
905
906 @noindent
907 to display all available options and briefly describe their use
908 (@samp{@value{GDBP} -h} is a shorter equivalent).
909
910 All options and command line arguments you give are processed
911 in sequential order. The order makes a difference when the
912 @samp{-x} option is used.
913
914
915 @menu
916 * File Options:: Choosing files
917 * Mode Options:: Choosing modes
918 * Startup:: What @value{GDBN} does during startup
919 @end menu
920
921 @node File Options
922 @subsection Choosing Files
923
924 When @value{GDBN} starts, it reads any arguments other than options as
925 specifying an executable file and core file (or process ID). This is
926 the same as if the arguments were specified by the @samp{-se} and
927 @samp{-c} (or @samp{-p}) options respectively. (@value{GDBN} reads the
928 first argument that does not have an associated option flag as
929 equivalent to the @samp{-se} option followed by that argument; and the
930 second argument that does not have an associated option flag, if any, as
931 equivalent to the @samp{-c}/@samp{-p} option followed by that argument.)
932 If the second argument begins with a decimal digit, @value{GDBN} will
933 first attempt to attach to it as a process, and if that fails, attempt
934 to open it as a corefile. If you have a corefile whose name begins with
935 a digit, you can prevent @value{GDBN} from treating it as a pid by
936 prefixing it with @file{./}, e.g.@: @file{./12345}.
937
938 If @value{GDBN} has not been configured to included core file support,
939 such as for most embedded targets, then it will complain about a second
940 argument and ignore it.
941
942 Many options have both long and short forms; both are shown in the
943 following list. @value{GDBN} also recognizes the long forms if you truncate
944 them, so long as enough of the option is present to be unambiguous.
945 (If you prefer, you can flag option arguments with @samp{--} rather
946 than @samp{-}, though we illustrate the more usual convention.)
947
948 @c NOTE: the @cindex entries here use double dashes ON PURPOSE. This
949 @c way, both those who look for -foo and --foo in the index, will find
950 @c it.
951
952 @table @code
953 @item -symbols @var{file}
954 @itemx -s @var{file}
955 @cindex @code{--symbols}
956 @cindex @code{-s}
957 Read symbol table from file @var{file}.
958
959 @item -exec @var{file}
960 @itemx -e @var{file}
961 @cindex @code{--exec}
962 @cindex @code{-e}
963 Use file @var{file} as the executable file to execute when appropriate,
964 and for examining pure data in conjunction with a core dump.
965
966 @item -se @var{file}
967 @cindex @code{--se}
968 Read symbol table from file @var{file} and use it as the executable
969 file.
970
971 @item -core @var{file}
972 @itemx -c @var{file}
973 @cindex @code{--core}
974 @cindex @code{-c}
975 Use file @var{file} as a core dump to examine.
976
977 @item -pid @var{number}
978 @itemx -p @var{number}
979 @cindex @code{--pid}
980 @cindex @code{-p}
981 Connect to process ID @var{number}, as with the @code{attach} command.
982
983 @item -command @var{file}
984 @itemx -x @var{file}
985 @cindex @code{--command}
986 @cindex @code{-x}
987 Execute commands from file @var{file}. The contents of this file is
988 evaluated exactly as the @code{source} command would.
989 @xref{Command Files,, Command files}.
990
991 @item -eval-command @var{command}
992 @itemx -ex @var{command}
993 @cindex @code{--eval-command}
994 @cindex @code{-ex}
995 Execute a single @value{GDBN} command.
996
997 This option may be used multiple times to call multiple commands. It may
998 also be interleaved with @samp{-command} as required.
999
1000 @smallexample
1001 @value{GDBP} -ex 'target sim' -ex 'load' \
1002 -x setbreakpoints -ex 'run' a.out
1003 @end smallexample
1004
1005 @item -init-command @var{file}
1006 @itemx -ix @var{file}
1007 @cindex @code{--init-command}
1008 @cindex @code{-ix}
1009 Execute commands from file @var{file} before loading the inferior (but
1010 after loading gdbinit files).
1011 @xref{Startup}.
1012
1013 @item -init-eval-command @var{command}
1014 @itemx -iex @var{command}
1015 @cindex @code{--init-eval-command}
1016 @cindex @code{-iex}
1017 Execute a single @value{GDBN} command before loading the inferior (but
1018 after loading gdbinit files).
1019 @xref{Startup}.
1020
1021 @item -directory @var{directory}
1022 @itemx -d @var{directory}
1023 @cindex @code{--directory}
1024 @cindex @code{-d}
1025 Add @var{directory} to the path to search for source and script files.
1026
1027 @item -r
1028 @itemx -readnow
1029 @cindex @code{--readnow}
1030 @cindex @code{-r}
1031 Read each symbol file's entire symbol table immediately, rather than
1032 the default, which is to read it incrementally as it is needed.
1033 This makes startup slower, but makes future operations faster.
1034
1035 @end table
1036
1037 @node Mode Options
1038 @subsection Choosing Modes
1039
1040 You can run @value{GDBN} in various alternative modes---for example, in
1041 batch mode or quiet mode.
1042
1043 @table @code
1044 @anchor{-nx}
1045 @item -nx
1046 @itemx -n
1047 @cindex @code{--nx}
1048 @cindex @code{-n}
1049 Do not execute commands found in any initialization file.
1050 There are three init files, loaded in the following order:
1051
1052 @table @code
1053 @item @file{system.gdbinit}
1054 This is the system-wide init file.
1055 Its location is specified with the @code{--with-system-gdbinit}
1056 configure option (@pxref{System-wide configuration}).
1057 It is loaded first when @value{GDBN} starts, before command line options
1058 have been processed.
1059 @item @file{~/.gdbinit}
1060 This is the init file in your home directory.
1061 It is loaded next, after @file{system.gdbinit}, and before
1062 command options have been processed.
1063 @item @file{./.gdbinit}
1064 This is the init file in the current directory.
1065 It is loaded last, after command line options other than @code{-x} and
1066 @code{-ex} have been processed. Command line options @code{-x} and
1067 @code{-ex} are processed last, after @file{./.gdbinit} has been loaded.
1068 @end table
1069
1070 For further documentation on startup processing, @xref{Startup}.
1071 For documentation on how to write command files,
1072 @xref{Command Files,,Command Files}.
1073
1074 @anchor{-nh}
1075 @item -nh
1076 @cindex @code{--nh}
1077 Do not execute commands found in @file{~/.gdbinit}, the init file
1078 in your home directory.
1079 @xref{Startup}.
1080
1081 @item -quiet
1082 @itemx -silent
1083 @itemx -q
1084 @cindex @code{--quiet}
1085 @cindex @code{--silent}
1086 @cindex @code{-q}
1087 ``Quiet''. Do not print the introductory and copyright messages. These
1088 messages are also suppressed in batch mode.
1089
1090 @item -batch
1091 @cindex @code{--batch}
1092 Run in batch mode. Exit with status @code{0} after processing all the
1093 command files specified with @samp{-x} (and all commands from
1094 initialization files, if not inhibited with @samp{-n}). Exit with
1095 nonzero status if an error occurs in executing the @value{GDBN} commands
1096 in the command files. Batch mode also disables pagination, sets unlimited
1097 terminal width and height @pxref{Screen Size}, and acts as if @kbd{set confirm
1098 off} were in effect (@pxref{Messages/Warnings}).
1099
1100 Batch mode may be useful for running @value{GDBN} as a filter, for
1101 example to download and run a program on another computer; in order to
1102 make this more useful, the message
1103
1104 @smallexample
1105 Program exited normally.
1106 @end smallexample
1107
1108 @noindent
1109 (which is ordinarily issued whenever a program running under
1110 @value{GDBN} control terminates) is not issued when running in batch
1111 mode.
1112
1113 @item -batch-silent
1114 @cindex @code{--batch-silent}
1115 Run in batch mode exactly like @samp{-batch}, but totally silently. All
1116 @value{GDBN} output to @code{stdout} is prevented (@code{stderr} is
1117 unaffected). This is much quieter than @samp{-silent} and would be useless
1118 for an interactive session.
1119
1120 This is particularly useful when using targets that give @samp{Loading section}
1121 messages, for example.
1122
1123 Note that targets that give their output via @value{GDBN}, as opposed to
1124 writing directly to @code{stdout}, will also be made silent.
1125
1126 @item -return-child-result
1127 @cindex @code{--return-child-result}
1128 The return code from @value{GDBN} will be the return code from the child
1129 process (the process being debugged), with the following exceptions:
1130
1131 @itemize @bullet
1132 @item
1133 @value{GDBN} exits abnormally. E.g., due to an incorrect argument or an
1134 internal error. In this case the exit code is the same as it would have been
1135 without @samp{-return-child-result}.
1136 @item
1137 The user quits with an explicit value. E.g., @samp{quit 1}.
1138 @item
1139 The child process never runs, or is not allowed to terminate, in which case
1140 the exit code will be -1.
1141 @end itemize
1142
1143 This option is useful in conjunction with @samp{-batch} or @samp{-batch-silent},
1144 when @value{GDBN} is being used as a remote program loader or simulator
1145 interface.
1146
1147 @item -nowindows
1148 @itemx -nw
1149 @cindex @code{--nowindows}
1150 @cindex @code{-nw}
1151 ``No windows''. If @value{GDBN} comes with a graphical user interface
1152 (GUI) built in, then this option tells @value{GDBN} to only use the command-line
1153 interface. If no GUI is available, this option has no effect.
1154
1155 @item -windows
1156 @itemx -w
1157 @cindex @code{--windows}
1158 @cindex @code{-w}
1159 If @value{GDBN} includes a GUI, then this option requires it to be
1160 used if possible.
1161
1162 @item -cd @var{directory}
1163 @cindex @code{--cd}
1164 Run @value{GDBN} using @var{directory} as its working directory,
1165 instead of the current directory.
1166
1167 @item -data-directory @var{directory}
1168 @itemx -D @var{directory}
1169 @cindex @code{--data-directory}
1170 @cindex @code{-D}
1171 Run @value{GDBN} using @var{directory} as its data directory.
1172 The data directory is where @value{GDBN} searches for its
1173 auxiliary files. @xref{Data Files}.
1174
1175 @item -fullname
1176 @itemx -f
1177 @cindex @code{--fullname}
1178 @cindex @code{-f}
1179 @sc{gnu} Emacs sets this option when it runs @value{GDBN} as a
1180 subprocess. It tells @value{GDBN} to output the full file name and line
1181 number in a standard, recognizable fashion each time a stack frame is
1182 displayed (which includes each time your program stops). This
1183 recognizable format looks like two @samp{\032} characters, followed by
1184 the file name, line number and character position separated by colons,
1185 and a newline. The Emacs-to-@value{GDBN} interface program uses the two
1186 @samp{\032} characters as a signal to display the source code for the
1187 frame.
1188
1189 @item -annotate @var{level}
1190 @cindex @code{--annotate}
1191 This option sets the @dfn{annotation level} inside @value{GDBN}. Its
1192 effect is identical to using @samp{set annotate @var{level}}
1193 (@pxref{Annotations}). The annotation @var{level} controls how much
1194 information @value{GDBN} prints together with its prompt, values of
1195 expressions, source lines, and other types of output. Level 0 is the
1196 normal, level 1 is for use when @value{GDBN} is run as a subprocess of
1197 @sc{gnu} Emacs, level 3 is the maximum annotation suitable for programs
1198 that control @value{GDBN}, and level 2 has been deprecated.
1199
1200 The annotation mechanism has largely been superseded by @sc{gdb/mi}
1201 (@pxref{GDB/MI}).
1202
1203 @item --args
1204 @cindex @code{--args}
1205 Change interpretation of command line so that arguments following the
1206 executable file are passed as command line arguments to the inferior.
1207 This option stops option processing.
1208
1209 @item -baud @var{bps}
1210 @itemx -b @var{bps}
1211 @cindex @code{--baud}
1212 @cindex @code{-b}
1213 Set the line speed (baud rate or bits per second) of any serial
1214 interface used by @value{GDBN} for remote debugging.
1215
1216 @item -l @var{timeout}
1217 @cindex @code{-l}
1218 Set the timeout (in seconds) of any communication used by @value{GDBN}
1219 for remote debugging.
1220
1221 @item -tty @var{device}
1222 @itemx -t @var{device}
1223 @cindex @code{--tty}
1224 @cindex @code{-t}
1225 Run using @var{device} for your program's standard input and output.
1226 @c FIXME: kingdon thinks there is more to -tty. Investigate.
1227
1228 @c resolve the situation of these eventually
1229 @item -tui
1230 @cindex @code{--tui}
1231 Activate the @dfn{Text User Interface} when starting. The Text User
1232 Interface manages several text windows on the terminal, showing
1233 source, assembly, registers and @value{GDBN} command outputs
1234 (@pxref{TUI, ,@value{GDBN} Text User Interface}). Do not use this
1235 option if you run @value{GDBN} from Emacs (@pxref{Emacs, ,
1236 Using @value{GDBN} under @sc{gnu} Emacs}).
1237
1238 @item -interpreter @var{interp}
1239 @cindex @code{--interpreter}
1240 Use the interpreter @var{interp} for interface with the controlling
1241 program or device. This option is meant to be set by programs which
1242 communicate with @value{GDBN} using it as a back end.
1243 @xref{Interpreters, , Command Interpreters}.
1244
1245 @samp{--interpreter=mi} (or @samp{--interpreter=mi2}) causes
1246 @value{GDBN} to use the @dfn{@sc{gdb/mi} interface} (@pxref{GDB/MI, ,
1247 The @sc{gdb/mi} Interface}) included since @value{GDBN} version 6.0. The
1248 previous @sc{gdb/mi} interface, included in @value{GDBN} version 5.3 and
1249 selected with @samp{--interpreter=mi1}, is deprecated. Earlier
1250 @sc{gdb/mi} interfaces are no longer supported.
1251
1252 @item -write
1253 @cindex @code{--write}
1254 Open the executable and core files for both reading and writing. This
1255 is equivalent to the @samp{set write on} command inside @value{GDBN}
1256 (@pxref{Patching}).
1257
1258 @item -statistics
1259 @cindex @code{--statistics}
1260 This option causes @value{GDBN} to print statistics about time and
1261 memory usage after it completes each command and returns to the prompt.
1262
1263 @item -version
1264 @cindex @code{--version}
1265 This option causes @value{GDBN} to print its version number and
1266 no-warranty blurb, and exit.
1267
1268 @item -configuration
1269 @cindex @code{--configuration}
1270 This option causes @value{GDBN} to print details about its build-time
1271 configuration parameters, and then exit. These details can be
1272 important when reporting @value{GDBN} bugs (@pxref{GDB Bugs}).
1273
1274 @end table
1275
1276 @node Startup
1277 @subsection What @value{GDBN} Does During Startup
1278 @cindex @value{GDBN} startup
1279
1280 Here's the description of what @value{GDBN} does during session startup:
1281
1282 @enumerate
1283 @item
1284 Sets up the command interpreter as specified by the command line
1285 (@pxref{Mode Options, interpreter}).
1286
1287 @item
1288 @cindex init file
1289 Reads the system-wide @dfn{init file} (if @option{--with-system-gdbinit} was
1290 used when building @value{GDBN}; @pxref{System-wide configuration,
1291 ,System-wide configuration and settings}) and executes all the commands in
1292 that file.
1293
1294 @anchor{Home Directory Init File}
1295 @item
1296 Reads the init file (if any) in your home directory@footnote{On
1297 DOS/Windows systems, the home directory is the one pointed to by the
1298 @code{HOME} environment variable.} and executes all the commands in
1299 that file.
1300
1301 @anchor{Option -init-eval-command}
1302 @item
1303 Executes commands and command files specified by the @samp{-iex} and
1304 @samp{-ix} options in their specified order. Usually you should use the
1305 @samp{-ex} and @samp{-x} options instead, but this way you can apply
1306 settings before @value{GDBN} init files get executed and before inferior
1307 gets loaded.
1308
1309 @item
1310 Processes command line options and operands.
1311
1312 @anchor{Init File in the Current Directory during Startup}
1313 @item
1314 Reads and executes the commands from init file (if any) in the current
1315 working directory as long as @samp{set auto-load local-gdbinit} is set to
1316 @samp{on} (@pxref{Init File in the Current Directory}).
1317 This is only done if the current directory is
1318 different from your home directory. Thus, you can have more than one
1319 init file, one generic in your home directory, and another, specific
1320 to the program you are debugging, in the directory where you invoke
1321 @value{GDBN}.
1322
1323 @item
1324 If the command line specified a program to debug, or a process to
1325 attach to, or a core file, @value{GDBN} loads any auto-loaded
1326 scripts provided for the program or for its loaded shared libraries.
1327 @xref{Auto-loading}.
1328
1329 If you wish to disable the auto-loading during startup,
1330 you must do something like the following:
1331
1332 @smallexample
1333 $ gdb -iex "set auto-load python-scripts off" myprogram
1334 @end smallexample
1335
1336 Option @samp{-ex} does not work because the auto-loading is then turned
1337 off too late.
1338
1339 @item
1340 Executes commands and command files specified by the @samp{-ex} and
1341 @samp{-x} options in their specified order. @xref{Command Files}, for
1342 more details about @value{GDBN} command files.
1343
1344 @item
1345 Reads the command history recorded in the @dfn{history file}.
1346 @xref{Command History}, for more details about the command history and the
1347 files where @value{GDBN} records it.
1348 @end enumerate
1349
1350 Init files use the same syntax as @dfn{command files} (@pxref{Command
1351 Files}) and are processed by @value{GDBN} in the same way. The init
1352 file in your home directory can set options (such as @samp{set
1353 complaints}) that affect subsequent processing of command line options
1354 and operands. Init files are not executed if you use the @samp{-nx}
1355 option (@pxref{Mode Options, ,Choosing Modes}).
1356
1357 To display the list of init files loaded by gdb at startup, you
1358 can use @kbd{gdb --help}.
1359
1360 @cindex init file name
1361 @cindex @file{.gdbinit}
1362 @cindex @file{gdb.ini}
1363 The @value{GDBN} init files are normally called @file{.gdbinit}.
1364 The DJGPP port of @value{GDBN} uses the name @file{gdb.ini}, due to
1365 the limitations of file names imposed by DOS filesystems. The Windows
1366 port of @value{GDBN} uses the standard name, but if it finds a
1367 @file{gdb.ini} file in your home directory, it warns you about that
1368 and suggests to rename the file to the standard name.
1369
1370
1371 @node Quitting GDB
1372 @section Quitting @value{GDBN}
1373 @cindex exiting @value{GDBN}
1374 @cindex leaving @value{GDBN}
1375
1376 @table @code
1377 @kindex quit @r{[}@var{expression}@r{]}
1378 @kindex q @r{(@code{quit})}
1379 @item quit @r{[}@var{expression}@r{]}
1380 @itemx q
1381 To exit @value{GDBN}, use the @code{quit} command (abbreviated
1382 @code{q}), or type an end-of-file character (usually @kbd{Ctrl-d}). If you
1383 do not supply @var{expression}, @value{GDBN} will terminate normally;
1384 otherwise it will terminate using the result of @var{expression} as the
1385 error code.
1386 @end table
1387
1388 @cindex interrupt
1389 An interrupt (often @kbd{Ctrl-c}) does not exit from @value{GDBN}, but rather
1390 terminates the action of any @value{GDBN} command that is in progress and
1391 returns to @value{GDBN} command level. It is safe to type the interrupt
1392 character at any time because @value{GDBN} does not allow it to take effect
1393 until a time when it is safe.
1394
1395 If you have been using @value{GDBN} to control an attached process or
1396 device, you can release it with the @code{detach} command
1397 (@pxref{Attach, ,Debugging an Already-running Process}).
1398
1399 @node Shell Commands
1400 @section Shell Commands
1401
1402 If you need to execute occasional shell commands during your
1403 debugging session, there is no need to leave or suspend @value{GDBN}; you can
1404 just use the @code{shell} command.
1405
1406 @table @code
1407 @kindex shell
1408 @kindex !
1409 @cindex shell escape
1410 @item shell @var{command-string}
1411 @itemx !@var{command-string}
1412 Invoke a standard shell to execute @var{command-string}.
1413 Note that no space is needed between @code{!} and @var{command-string}.
1414 If it exists, the environment variable @code{SHELL} determines which
1415 shell to run. Otherwise @value{GDBN} uses the default shell
1416 (@file{/bin/sh} on Unix systems, @file{COMMAND.COM} on MS-DOS, etc.).
1417 @end table
1418
1419 The utility @code{make} is often needed in development environments.
1420 You do not have to use the @code{shell} command for this purpose in
1421 @value{GDBN}:
1422
1423 @table @code
1424 @kindex make
1425 @cindex calling make
1426 @item make @var{make-args}
1427 Execute the @code{make} program with the specified
1428 arguments. This is equivalent to @samp{shell make @var{make-args}}.
1429 @end table
1430
1431 @node Logging Output
1432 @section Logging Output
1433 @cindex logging @value{GDBN} output
1434 @cindex save @value{GDBN} output to a file
1435
1436 You may want to save the output of @value{GDBN} commands to a file.
1437 There are several commands to control @value{GDBN}'s logging.
1438
1439 @table @code
1440 @kindex set logging
1441 @item set logging on
1442 Enable logging.
1443 @item set logging off
1444 Disable logging.
1445 @cindex logging file name
1446 @item set logging file @var{file}
1447 Change the name of the current logfile. The default logfile is @file{gdb.txt}.
1448 @item set logging overwrite [on|off]
1449 By default, @value{GDBN} will append to the logfile. Set @code{overwrite} if
1450 you want @code{set logging on} to overwrite the logfile instead.
1451 @item set logging redirect [on|off]
1452 By default, @value{GDBN} output will go to both the terminal and the logfile.
1453 Set @code{redirect} if you want output to go only to the log file.
1454 @kindex show logging
1455 @item show logging
1456 Show the current values of the logging settings.
1457 @end table
1458
1459 @node Commands
1460 @chapter @value{GDBN} Commands
1461
1462 You can abbreviate a @value{GDBN} command to the first few letters of the command
1463 name, if that abbreviation is unambiguous; and you can repeat certain
1464 @value{GDBN} commands by typing just @key{RET}. You can also use the @key{TAB}
1465 key to get @value{GDBN} to fill out the rest of a word in a command (or to
1466 show you the alternatives available, if there is more than one possibility).
1467
1468 @menu
1469 * Command Syntax:: How to give commands to @value{GDBN}
1470 * Completion:: Command completion
1471 * Help:: How to ask @value{GDBN} for help
1472 @end menu
1473
1474 @node Command Syntax
1475 @section Command Syntax
1476
1477 A @value{GDBN} command is a single line of input. There is no limit on
1478 how long it can be. It starts with a command name, which is followed by
1479 arguments whose meaning depends on the command name. For example, the
1480 command @code{step} accepts an argument which is the number of times to
1481 step, as in @samp{step 5}. You can also use the @code{step} command
1482 with no arguments. Some commands do not allow any arguments.
1483
1484 @cindex abbreviation
1485 @value{GDBN} command names may always be truncated if that abbreviation is
1486 unambiguous. Other possible command abbreviations are listed in the
1487 documentation for individual commands. In some cases, even ambiguous
1488 abbreviations are allowed; for example, @code{s} is specially defined as
1489 equivalent to @code{step} even though there are other commands whose
1490 names start with @code{s}. You can test abbreviations by using them as
1491 arguments to the @code{help} command.
1492
1493 @cindex repeating commands
1494 @kindex RET @r{(repeat last command)}
1495 A blank line as input to @value{GDBN} (typing just @key{RET}) means to
1496 repeat the previous command. Certain commands (for example, @code{run})
1497 will not repeat this way; these are commands whose unintentional
1498 repetition might cause trouble and which you are unlikely to want to
1499 repeat. User-defined commands can disable this feature; see
1500 @ref{Define, dont-repeat}.
1501
1502 The @code{list} and @code{x} commands, when you repeat them with
1503 @key{RET}, construct new arguments rather than repeating
1504 exactly as typed. This permits easy scanning of source or memory.
1505
1506 @value{GDBN} can also use @key{RET} in another way: to partition lengthy
1507 output, in a way similar to the common utility @code{more}
1508 (@pxref{Screen Size,,Screen Size}). Since it is easy to press one
1509 @key{RET} too many in this situation, @value{GDBN} disables command
1510 repetition after any command that generates this sort of display.
1511
1512 @kindex # @r{(a comment)}
1513 @cindex comment
1514 Any text from a @kbd{#} to the end of the line is a comment; it does
1515 nothing. This is useful mainly in command files (@pxref{Command
1516 Files,,Command Files}).
1517
1518 @cindex repeating command sequences
1519 @kindex Ctrl-o @r{(operate-and-get-next)}
1520 The @kbd{Ctrl-o} binding is useful for repeating a complex sequence of
1521 commands. This command accepts the current line, like @key{RET}, and
1522 then fetches the next line relative to the current line from the history
1523 for editing.
1524
1525 @node Completion
1526 @section Command Completion
1527
1528 @cindex completion
1529 @cindex word completion
1530 @value{GDBN} can fill in the rest of a word in a command for you, if there is
1531 only one possibility; it can also show you what the valid possibilities
1532 are for the next word in a command, at any time. This works for @value{GDBN}
1533 commands, @value{GDBN} subcommands, and the names of symbols in your program.
1534
1535 Press the @key{TAB} key whenever you want @value{GDBN} to fill out the rest
1536 of a word. If there is only one possibility, @value{GDBN} fills in the
1537 word, and waits for you to finish the command (or press @key{RET} to
1538 enter it). For example, if you type
1539
1540 @c FIXME "@key" does not distinguish its argument sufficiently to permit
1541 @c complete accuracy in these examples; space introduced for clarity.
1542 @c If texinfo enhancements make it unnecessary, it would be nice to
1543 @c replace " @key" by "@key" in the following...
1544 @smallexample
1545 (@value{GDBP}) info bre @key{TAB}
1546 @end smallexample
1547
1548 @noindent
1549 @value{GDBN} fills in the rest of the word @samp{breakpoints}, since that is
1550 the only @code{info} subcommand beginning with @samp{bre}:
1551
1552 @smallexample
1553 (@value{GDBP}) info breakpoints
1554 @end smallexample
1555
1556 @noindent
1557 You can either press @key{RET} at this point, to run the @code{info
1558 breakpoints} command, or backspace and enter something else, if
1559 @samp{breakpoints} does not look like the command you expected. (If you
1560 were sure you wanted @code{info breakpoints} in the first place, you
1561 might as well just type @key{RET} immediately after @samp{info bre},
1562 to exploit command abbreviations rather than command completion).
1563
1564 If there is more than one possibility for the next word when you press
1565 @key{TAB}, @value{GDBN} sounds a bell. You can either supply more
1566 characters and try again, or just press @key{TAB} a second time;
1567 @value{GDBN} displays all the possible completions for that word. For
1568 example, you might want to set a breakpoint on a subroutine whose name
1569 begins with @samp{make_}, but when you type @kbd{b make_@key{TAB}} @value{GDBN}
1570 just sounds the bell. Typing @key{TAB} again displays all the
1571 function names in your program that begin with those characters, for
1572 example:
1573
1574 @smallexample
1575 (@value{GDBP}) b make_ @key{TAB}
1576 @exdent @value{GDBN} sounds bell; press @key{TAB} again, to see:
1577 make_a_section_from_file make_environ
1578 make_abs_section make_function_type
1579 make_blockvector make_pointer_type
1580 make_cleanup make_reference_type
1581 make_command make_symbol_completion_list
1582 (@value{GDBP}) b make_
1583 @end smallexample
1584
1585 @noindent
1586 After displaying the available possibilities, @value{GDBN} copies your
1587 partial input (@samp{b make_} in the example) so you can finish the
1588 command.
1589
1590 If you just want to see the list of alternatives in the first place, you
1591 can press @kbd{M-?} rather than pressing @key{TAB} twice. @kbd{M-?}
1592 means @kbd{@key{META} ?}. You can type this either by holding down a
1593 key designated as the @key{META} shift on your keyboard (if there is
1594 one) while typing @kbd{?}, or as @key{ESC} followed by @kbd{?}.
1595
1596 If the number of possible completions is large, @value{GDBN} will
1597 print as much of the list as it has collected, as well as a message
1598 indicating that the list may be truncated.
1599
1600 @smallexample
1601 (@value{GDBP}) b m@key{TAB}@key{TAB}
1602 main
1603 <... the rest of the possible completions ...>
1604 *** List may be truncated, max-completions reached. ***
1605 (@value{GDBP}) b m
1606 @end smallexample
1607
1608 @noindent
1609 This behavior can be controlled with the following commands:
1610
1611 @table @code
1612 @kindex set max-completions
1613 @item set max-completions @var{limit}
1614 @itemx set max-completions unlimited
1615 Set the maximum number of completion candidates. @value{GDBN} will
1616 stop looking for more completions once it collects this many candidates.
1617 This is useful when completing on things like function names as collecting
1618 all the possible candidates can be time consuming.
1619 The default value is 200. A value of zero disables tab-completion.
1620 Note that setting either no limit or a very large limit can make
1621 completion slow.
1622 @kindex show max-completions
1623 @item show max-completions
1624 Show the maximum number of candidates that @value{GDBN} will collect and show
1625 during completion.
1626 @end table
1627
1628 @cindex quotes in commands
1629 @cindex completion of quoted strings
1630 Sometimes the string you need, while logically a ``word'', may contain
1631 parentheses or other characters that @value{GDBN} normally excludes from
1632 its notion of a word. To permit word completion to work in this
1633 situation, you may enclose words in @code{'} (single quote marks) in
1634 @value{GDBN} commands.
1635
1636 The most likely situation where you might need this is in typing the
1637 name of a C@t{++} function. This is because C@t{++} allows function
1638 overloading (multiple definitions of the same function, distinguished
1639 by argument type). For example, when you want to set a breakpoint you
1640 may need to distinguish whether you mean the version of @code{name}
1641 that takes an @code{int} parameter, @code{name(int)}, or the version
1642 that takes a @code{float} parameter, @code{name(float)}. To use the
1643 word-completion facilities in this situation, type a single quote
1644 @code{'} at the beginning of the function name. This alerts
1645 @value{GDBN} that it may need to consider more information than usual
1646 when you press @key{TAB} or @kbd{M-?} to request word completion:
1647
1648 @smallexample
1649 (@value{GDBP}) b 'bubble( @kbd{M-?}
1650 bubble(double,double) bubble(int,int)
1651 (@value{GDBP}) b 'bubble(
1652 @end smallexample
1653
1654 In some cases, @value{GDBN} can tell that completing a name requires using
1655 quotes. When this happens, @value{GDBN} inserts the quote for you (while
1656 completing as much as it can) if you do not type the quote in the first
1657 place:
1658
1659 @smallexample
1660 (@value{GDBP}) b bub @key{TAB}
1661 @exdent @value{GDBN} alters your input line to the following, and rings a bell:
1662 (@value{GDBP}) b 'bubble(
1663 @end smallexample
1664
1665 @noindent
1666 In general, @value{GDBN} can tell that a quote is needed (and inserts it) if
1667 you have not yet started typing the argument list when you ask for
1668 completion on an overloaded symbol.
1669
1670 For more information about overloaded functions, see @ref{C Plus Plus
1671 Expressions, ,C@t{++} Expressions}. You can use the command @code{set
1672 overload-resolution off} to disable overload resolution;
1673 see @ref{Debugging C Plus Plus, ,@value{GDBN} Features for C@t{++}}.
1674
1675 @cindex completion of structure field names
1676 @cindex structure field name completion
1677 @cindex completion of union field names
1678 @cindex union field name completion
1679 When completing in an expression which looks up a field in a
1680 structure, @value{GDBN} also tries@footnote{The completer can be
1681 confused by certain kinds of invalid expressions. Also, it only
1682 examines the static type of the expression, not the dynamic type.} to
1683 limit completions to the field names available in the type of the
1684 left-hand-side:
1685
1686 @smallexample
1687 (@value{GDBP}) p gdb_stdout.@kbd{M-?}
1688 magic to_fputs to_rewind
1689 to_data to_isatty to_write
1690 to_delete to_put to_write_async_safe
1691 to_flush to_read
1692 @end smallexample
1693
1694 @noindent
1695 This is because the @code{gdb_stdout} is a variable of the type
1696 @code{struct ui_file} that is defined in @value{GDBN} sources as
1697 follows:
1698
1699 @smallexample
1700 struct ui_file
1701 @{
1702 int *magic;
1703 ui_file_flush_ftype *to_flush;
1704 ui_file_write_ftype *to_write;
1705 ui_file_write_async_safe_ftype *to_write_async_safe;
1706 ui_file_fputs_ftype *to_fputs;
1707 ui_file_read_ftype *to_read;
1708 ui_file_delete_ftype *to_delete;
1709 ui_file_isatty_ftype *to_isatty;
1710 ui_file_rewind_ftype *to_rewind;
1711 ui_file_put_ftype *to_put;
1712 void *to_data;
1713 @}
1714 @end smallexample
1715
1716
1717 @node Help
1718 @section Getting Help
1719 @cindex online documentation
1720 @kindex help
1721
1722 You can always ask @value{GDBN} itself for information on its commands,
1723 using the command @code{help}.
1724
1725 @table @code
1726 @kindex h @r{(@code{help})}
1727 @item help
1728 @itemx h
1729 You can use @code{help} (abbreviated @code{h}) with no arguments to
1730 display a short list of named classes of commands:
1731
1732 @smallexample
1733 (@value{GDBP}) help
1734 List of classes of commands:
1735
1736 aliases -- Aliases of other commands
1737 breakpoints -- Making program stop at certain points
1738 data -- Examining data
1739 files -- Specifying and examining files
1740 internals -- Maintenance commands
1741 obscure -- Obscure features
1742 running -- Running the program
1743 stack -- Examining the stack
1744 status -- Status inquiries
1745 support -- Support facilities
1746 tracepoints -- Tracing of program execution without
1747 stopping the program
1748 user-defined -- User-defined commands
1749
1750 Type "help" followed by a class name for a list of
1751 commands in that class.
1752 Type "help" followed by command name for full
1753 documentation.
1754 Command name abbreviations are allowed if unambiguous.
1755 (@value{GDBP})
1756 @end smallexample
1757 @c the above line break eliminates huge line overfull...
1758
1759 @item help @var{class}
1760 Using one of the general help classes as an argument, you can get a
1761 list of the individual commands in that class. For example, here is the
1762 help display for the class @code{status}:
1763
1764 @smallexample
1765 (@value{GDBP}) help status
1766 Status inquiries.
1767
1768 List of commands:
1769
1770 @c Line break in "show" line falsifies real output, but needed
1771 @c to fit in smallbook page size.
1772 info -- Generic command for showing things
1773 about the program being debugged
1774 show -- Generic command for showing things
1775 about the debugger
1776
1777 Type "help" followed by command name for full
1778 documentation.
1779 Command name abbreviations are allowed if unambiguous.
1780 (@value{GDBP})
1781 @end smallexample
1782
1783 @item help @var{command}
1784 With a command name as @code{help} argument, @value{GDBN} displays a
1785 short paragraph on how to use that command.
1786
1787 @kindex apropos
1788 @item apropos @var{args}
1789 The @code{apropos} command searches through all of the @value{GDBN}
1790 commands, and their documentation, for the regular expression specified in
1791 @var{args}. It prints out all matches found. For example:
1792
1793 @smallexample
1794 apropos alias
1795 @end smallexample
1796
1797 @noindent
1798 results in:
1799
1800 @smallexample
1801 @c @group
1802 alias -- Define a new command that is an alias of an existing command
1803 aliases -- Aliases of other commands
1804 d -- Delete some breakpoints or auto-display expressions
1805 del -- Delete some breakpoints or auto-display expressions
1806 delete -- Delete some breakpoints or auto-display expressions
1807 @c @end group
1808 @end smallexample
1809
1810 @kindex complete
1811 @item complete @var{args}
1812 The @code{complete @var{args}} command lists all the possible completions
1813 for the beginning of a command. Use @var{args} to specify the beginning of the
1814 command you want completed. For example:
1815
1816 @smallexample
1817 complete i
1818 @end smallexample
1819
1820 @noindent results in:
1821
1822 @smallexample
1823 @group
1824 if
1825 ignore
1826 info
1827 inspect
1828 @end group
1829 @end smallexample
1830
1831 @noindent This is intended for use by @sc{gnu} Emacs.
1832 @end table
1833
1834 In addition to @code{help}, you can use the @value{GDBN} commands @code{info}
1835 and @code{show} to inquire about the state of your program, or the state
1836 of @value{GDBN} itself. Each command supports many topics of inquiry; this
1837 manual introduces each of them in the appropriate context. The listings
1838 under @code{info} and under @code{show} in the Command, Variable, and
1839 Function Index point to all the sub-commands. @xref{Command and Variable
1840 Index}.
1841
1842 @c @group
1843 @table @code
1844 @kindex info
1845 @kindex i @r{(@code{info})}
1846 @item info
1847 This command (abbreviated @code{i}) is for describing the state of your
1848 program. For example, you can show the arguments passed to a function
1849 with @code{info args}, list the registers currently in use with @code{info
1850 registers}, or list the breakpoints you have set with @code{info breakpoints}.
1851 You can get a complete list of the @code{info} sub-commands with
1852 @w{@code{help info}}.
1853
1854 @kindex set
1855 @item set
1856 You can assign the result of an expression to an environment variable with
1857 @code{set}. For example, you can set the @value{GDBN} prompt to a $-sign with
1858 @code{set prompt $}.
1859
1860 @kindex show
1861 @item show
1862 In contrast to @code{info}, @code{show} is for describing the state of
1863 @value{GDBN} itself.
1864 You can change most of the things you can @code{show}, by using the
1865 related command @code{set}; for example, you can control what number
1866 system is used for displays with @code{set radix}, or simply inquire
1867 which is currently in use with @code{show radix}.
1868
1869 @kindex info set
1870 To display all the settable parameters and their current
1871 values, you can use @code{show} with no arguments; you may also use
1872 @code{info set}. Both commands produce the same display.
1873 @c FIXME: "info set" violates the rule that "info" is for state of
1874 @c FIXME...program. Ck w/ GNU: "info set" to be called something else,
1875 @c FIXME...or change desc of rule---eg "state of prog and debugging session"?
1876 @end table
1877 @c @end group
1878
1879 Here are several miscellaneous @code{show} subcommands, all of which are
1880 exceptional in lacking corresponding @code{set} commands:
1881
1882 @table @code
1883 @kindex show version
1884 @cindex @value{GDBN} version number
1885 @item show version
1886 Show what version of @value{GDBN} is running. You should include this
1887 information in @value{GDBN} bug-reports. If multiple versions of
1888 @value{GDBN} are in use at your site, you may need to determine which
1889 version of @value{GDBN} you are running; as @value{GDBN} evolves, new
1890 commands are introduced, and old ones may wither away. Also, many
1891 system vendors ship variant versions of @value{GDBN}, and there are
1892 variant versions of @value{GDBN} in @sc{gnu}/Linux distributions as well.
1893 The version number is the same as the one announced when you start
1894 @value{GDBN}.
1895
1896 @kindex show copying
1897 @kindex info copying
1898 @cindex display @value{GDBN} copyright
1899 @item show copying
1900 @itemx info copying
1901 Display information about permission for copying @value{GDBN}.
1902
1903 @kindex show warranty
1904 @kindex info warranty
1905 @item show warranty
1906 @itemx info warranty
1907 Display the @sc{gnu} ``NO WARRANTY'' statement, or a warranty,
1908 if your version of @value{GDBN} comes with one.
1909
1910 @kindex show configuration
1911 @item show configuration
1912 Display detailed information about the way @value{GDBN} was configured
1913 when it was built. This displays the optional arguments passed to the
1914 @file{configure} script and also configuration parameters detected
1915 automatically by @command{configure}. When reporting a @value{GDBN}
1916 bug (@pxref{GDB Bugs}), it is important to include this information in
1917 your report.
1918
1919 @end table
1920
1921 @node Running
1922 @chapter Running Programs Under @value{GDBN}
1923
1924 When you run a program under @value{GDBN}, you must first generate
1925 debugging information when you compile it.
1926
1927 You may start @value{GDBN} with its arguments, if any, in an environment
1928 of your choice. If you are doing native debugging, you may redirect
1929 your program's input and output, debug an already running process, or
1930 kill a child process.
1931
1932 @menu
1933 * Compilation:: Compiling for debugging
1934 * Starting:: Starting your program
1935 * Arguments:: Your program's arguments
1936 * Environment:: Your program's environment
1937
1938 * Working Directory:: Your program's working directory
1939 * Input/Output:: Your program's input and output
1940 * Attach:: Debugging an already-running process
1941 * Kill Process:: Killing the child process
1942
1943 * Inferiors and Programs:: Debugging multiple inferiors and programs
1944 * Threads:: Debugging programs with multiple threads
1945 * Forks:: Debugging forks
1946 * Checkpoint/Restart:: Setting a @emph{bookmark} to return to later
1947 @end menu
1948
1949 @node Compilation
1950 @section Compiling for Debugging
1951
1952 In order to debug a program effectively, you need to generate
1953 debugging information when you compile it. This debugging information
1954 is stored in the object file; it describes the data type of each
1955 variable or function and the correspondence between source line numbers
1956 and addresses in the executable code.
1957
1958 To request debugging information, specify the @samp{-g} option when you run
1959 the compiler.
1960
1961 Programs that are to be shipped to your customers are compiled with
1962 optimizations, using the @samp{-O} compiler option. However, some
1963 compilers are unable to handle the @samp{-g} and @samp{-O} options
1964 together. Using those compilers, you cannot generate optimized
1965 executables containing debugging information.
1966
1967 @value{NGCC}, the @sc{gnu} C/C@t{++} compiler, supports @samp{-g} with or
1968 without @samp{-O}, making it possible to debug optimized code. We
1969 recommend that you @emph{always} use @samp{-g} whenever you compile a
1970 program. You may think your program is correct, but there is no sense
1971 in pushing your luck. For more information, see @ref{Optimized Code}.
1972
1973 Older versions of the @sc{gnu} C compiler permitted a variant option
1974 @w{@samp{-gg}} for debugging information. @value{GDBN} no longer supports this
1975 format; if your @sc{gnu} C compiler has this option, do not use it.
1976
1977 @value{GDBN} knows about preprocessor macros and can show you their
1978 expansion (@pxref{Macros}). Most compilers do not include information
1979 about preprocessor macros in the debugging information if you specify
1980 the @option{-g} flag alone. Version 3.1 and later of @value{NGCC},
1981 the @sc{gnu} C compiler, provides macro information if you are using
1982 the DWARF debugging format, and specify the option @option{-g3}.
1983
1984 @xref{Debugging Options,,Options for Debugging Your Program or GCC,
1985 gcc.info, Using the @sc{gnu} Compiler Collection (GCC)}, for more
1986 information on @value{NGCC} options affecting debug information.
1987
1988 You will have the best debugging experience if you use the latest
1989 version of the DWARF debugging format that your compiler supports.
1990 DWARF is currently the most expressive and best supported debugging
1991 format in @value{GDBN}.
1992
1993 @need 2000
1994 @node Starting
1995 @section Starting your Program
1996 @cindex starting
1997 @cindex running
1998
1999 @table @code
2000 @kindex run
2001 @kindex r @r{(@code{run})}
2002 @item run
2003 @itemx r
2004 Use the @code{run} command to start your program under @value{GDBN}.
2005 You must first specify the program name with an argument to
2006 @value{GDBN} (@pxref{Invocation, ,Getting In and Out of
2007 @value{GDBN}}), or by using the @code{file} or @code{exec-file}
2008 command (@pxref{Files, ,Commands to Specify Files}).
2009
2010 @end table
2011
2012 If you are running your program in an execution environment that
2013 supports processes, @code{run} creates an inferior process and makes
2014 that process run your program. In some environments without processes,
2015 @code{run} jumps to the start of your program. Other targets,
2016 like @samp{remote}, are always running. If you get an error
2017 message like this one:
2018
2019 @smallexample
2020 The "remote" target does not support "run".
2021 Try "help target" or "continue".
2022 @end smallexample
2023
2024 @noindent
2025 then use @code{continue} to run your program. You may need @code{load}
2026 first (@pxref{load}).
2027
2028 The execution of a program is affected by certain information it
2029 receives from its superior. @value{GDBN} provides ways to specify this
2030 information, which you must do @emph{before} starting your program. (You
2031 can change it after starting your program, but such changes only affect
2032 your program the next time you start it.) This information may be
2033 divided into four categories:
2034
2035 @table @asis
2036 @item The @emph{arguments.}
2037 Specify the arguments to give your program as the arguments of the
2038 @code{run} command. If a shell is available on your target, the shell
2039 is used to pass the arguments, so that you may use normal conventions
2040 (such as wildcard expansion or variable substitution) in describing
2041 the arguments.
2042 In Unix systems, you can control which shell is used with the
2043 @code{SHELL} environment variable. If you do not define @code{SHELL},
2044 @value{GDBN} uses the default shell (@file{/bin/sh}). You can disable
2045 use of any shell with the @code{set startup-with-shell} command (see
2046 below for details).
2047
2048 @item The @emph{environment.}
2049 Your program normally inherits its environment from @value{GDBN}, but you can
2050 use the @value{GDBN} commands @code{set environment} and @code{unset
2051 environment} to change parts of the environment that affect
2052 your program. @xref{Environment, ,Your Program's Environment}.
2053
2054 @item The @emph{working directory.}
2055 Your program inherits its working directory from @value{GDBN}. You can set
2056 the @value{GDBN} working directory with the @code{cd} command in @value{GDBN}.
2057 @xref{Working Directory, ,Your Program's Working Directory}.
2058
2059 @item The @emph{standard input and output.}
2060 Your program normally uses the same device for standard input and
2061 standard output as @value{GDBN} is using. You can redirect input and output
2062 in the @code{run} command line, or you can use the @code{tty} command to
2063 set a different device for your program.
2064 @xref{Input/Output, ,Your Program's Input and Output}.
2065
2066 @cindex pipes
2067 @emph{Warning:} While input and output redirection work, you cannot use
2068 pipes to pass the output of the program you are debugging to another
2069 program; if you attempt this, @value{GDBN} is likely to wind up debugging the
2070 wrong program.
2071 @end table
2072
2073 When you issue the @code{run} command, your program begins to execute
2074 immediately. @xref{Stopping, ,Stopping and Continuing}, for discussion
2075 of how to arrange for your program to stop. Once your program has
2076 stopped, you may call functions in your program, using the @code{print}
2077 or @code{call} commands. @xref{Data, ,Examining Data}.
2078
2079 If the modification time of your symbol file has changed since the last
2080 time @value{GDBN} read its symbols, @value{GDBN} discards its symbol
2081 table, and reads it again. When it does this, @value{GDBN} tries to retain
2082 your current breakpoints.
2083
2084 @table @code
2085 @kindex start
2086 @item start
2087 @cindex run to main procedure
2088 The name of the main procedure can vary from language to language.
2089 With C or C@t{++}, the main procedure name is always @code{main}, but
2090 other languages such as Ada do not require a specific name for their
2091 main procedure. The debugger provides a convenient way to start the
2092 execution of the program and to stop at the beginning of the main
2093 procedure, depending on the language used.
2094
2095 The @samp{start} command does the equivalent of setting a temporary
2096 breakpoint at the beginning of the main procedure and then invoking
2097 the @samp{run} command.
2098
2099 @cindex elaboration phase
2100 Some programs contain an @dfn{elaboration} phase where some startup code is
2101 executed before the main procedure is called. This depends on the
2102 languages used to write your program. In C@t{++}, for instance,
2103 constructors for static and global objects are executed before
2104 @code{main} is called. It is therefore possible that the debugger stops
2105 before reaching the main procedure. However, the temporary breakpoint
2106 will remain to halt execution.
2107
2108 Specify the arguments to give to your program as arguments to the
2109 @samp{start} command. These arguments will be given verbatim to the
2110 underlying @samp{run} command. Note that the same arguments will be
2111 reused if no argument is provided during subsequent calls to
2112 @samp{start} or @samp{run}.
2113
2114 It is sometimes necessary to debug the program during elaboration. In
2115 these cases, using the @code{start} command would stop the execution of
2116 your program too late, as the program would have already completed the
2117 elaboration phase. Under these circumstances, insert breakpoints in your
2118 elaboration code before running your program.
2119
2120 @anchor{set exec-wrapper}
2121 @kindex set exec-wrapper
2122 @item set exec-wrapper @var{wrapper}
2123 @itemx show exec-wrapper
2124 @itemx unset exec-wrapper
2125 When @samp{exec-wrapper} is set, the specified wrapper is used to
2126 launch programs for debugging. @value{GDBN} starts your program
2127 with a shell command of the form @kbd{exec @var{wrapper}
2128 @var{program}}. Quoting is added to @var{program} and its
2129 arguments, but not to @var{wrapper}, so you should add quotes if
2130 appropriate for your shell. The wrapper runs until it executes
2131 your program, and then @value{GDBN} takes control.
2132
2133 You can use any program that eventually calls @code{execve} with
2134 its arguments as a wrapper. Several standard Unix utilities do
2135 this, e.g.@: @code{env} and @code{nohup}. Any Unix shell script ending
2136 with @code{exec "$@@"} will also work.
2137
2138 For example, you can use @code{env} to pass an environment variable to
2139 the debugged program, without setting the variable in your shell's
2140 environment:
2141
2142 @smallexample
2143 (@value{GDBP}) set exec-wrapper env 'LD_PRELOAD=libtest.so'
2144 (@value{GDBP}) run
2145 @end smallexample
2146
2147 This command is available when debugging locally on most targets, excluding
2148 @sc{djgpp}, Cygwin, MS Windows, and QNX Neutrino.
2149
2150 @kindex set startup-with-shell
2151 @item set startup-with-shell
2152 @itemx set startup-with-shell on
2153 @itemx set startup-with-shell off
2154 @itemx show set startup-with-shell
2155 On Unix systems, by default, if a shell is available on your target,
2156 @value{GDBN}) uses it to start your program. Arguments of the
2157 @code{run} command are passed to the shell, which does variable
2158 substitution, expands wildcard characters and performs redirection of
2159 I/O. In some circumstances, it may be useful to disable such use of a
2160 shell, for example, when debugging the shell itself or diagnosing
2161 startup failures such as:
2162
2163 @smallexample
2164 (@value{GDBP}) run
2165 Starting program: ./a.out
2166 During startup program terminated with signal SIGSEGV, Segmentation fault.
2167 @end smallexample
2168
2169 @noindent
2170 which indicates the shell or the wrapper specified with
2171 @samp{exec-wrapper} crashed, not your program. Most often, this is
2172 caused by something odd in your shell's non-interactive mode
2173 initialization file---such as @file{.cshrc} for C-shell,
2174 $@file{.zshenv} for the Z shell, or the file specified in the
2175 @samp{BASH_ENV} environment variable for BASH.
2176
2177 @anchor{set auto-connect-native-target}
2178 @kindex set auto-connect-native-target
2179 @item set auto-connect-native-target
2180 @itemx set auto-connect-native-target on
2181 @itemx set auto-connect-native-target off
2182 @itemx show auto-connect-native-target
2183
2184 By default, if not connected to any target yet (e.g., with
2185 @code{target remote}), the @code{run} command starts your program as a
2186 native process under @value{GDBN}, on your local machine. If you're
2187 sure you don't want to debug programs on your local machine, you can
2188 tell @value{GDBN} to not connect to the native target automatically
2189 with the @code{set auto-connect-native-target off} command.
2190
2191 If @code{on}, which is the default, and if @value{GDBN} is not
2192 connected to a target already, the @code{run} command automaticaly
2193 connects to the native target, if one is available.
2194
2195 If @code{off}, and if @value{GDBN} is not connected to a target
2196 already, the @code{run} command fails with an error:
2197
2198 @smallexample
2199 (@value{GDBP}) run
2200 Don't know how to run. Try "help target".
2201 @end smallexample
2202
2203 If @value{GDBN} is already connected to a target, @value{GDBN} always
2204 uses it with the @code{run} command.
2205
2206 In any case, you can explicitly connect to the native target with the
2207 @code{target native} command. For example,
2208
2209 @smallexample
2210 (@value{GDBP}) set auto-connect-native-target off
2211 (@value{GDBP}) run
2212 Don't know how to run. Try "help target".
2213 (@value{GDBP}) target native
2214 (@value{GDBP}) run
2215 Starting program: ./a.out
2216 [Inferior 1 (process 10421) exited normally]
2217 @end smallexample
2218
2219 In case you connected explicitly to the @code{native} target,
2220 @value{GDBN} remains connected even if all inferiors exit, ready for
2221 the next @code{run} command. Use the @code{disconnect} command to
2222 disconnect.
2223
2224 Examples of other commands that likewise respect the
2225 @code{auto-connect-native-target} setting: @code{attach}, @code{info
2226 proc}, @code{info os}.
2227
2228 @kindex set disable-randomization
2229 @item set disable-randomization
2230 @itemx set disable-randomization on
2231 This option (enabled by default in @value{GDBN}) will turn off the native
2232 randomization of the virtual address space of the started program. This option
2233 is useful for multiple debugging sessions to make the execution better
2234 reproducible and memory addresses reusable across debugging sessions.
2235
2236 This feature is implemented only on certain targets, including @sc{gnu}/Linux.
2237 On @sc{gnu}/Linux you can get the same behavior using
2238
2239 @smallexample
2240 (@value{GDBP}) set exec-wrapper setarch `uname -m` -R
2241 @end smallexample
2242
2243 @item set disable-randomization off
2244 Leave the behavior of the started executable unchanged. Some bugs rear their
2245 ugly heads only when the program is loaded at certain addresses. If your bug
2246 disappears when you run the program under @value{GDBN}, that might be because
2247 @value{GDBN} by default disables the address randomization on platforms, such
2248 as @sc{gnu}/Linux, which do that for stand-alone programs. Use @kbd{set
2249 disable-randomization off} to try to reproduce such elusive bugs.
2250
2251 On targets where it is available, virtual address space randomization
2252 protects the programs against certain kinds of security attacks. In these
2253 cases the attacker needs to know the exact location of a concrete executable
2254 code. Randomizing its location makes it impossible to inject jumps misusing
2255 a code at its expected addresses.
2256
2257 Prelinking shared libraries provides a startup performance advantage but it
2258 makes addresses in these libraries predictable for privileged processes by
2259 having just unprivileged access at the target system. Reading the shared
2260 library binary gives enough information for assembling the malicious code
2261 misusing it. Still even a prelinked shared library can get loaded at a new
2262 random address just requiring the regular relocation process during the
2263 startup. Shared libraries not already prelinked are always loaded at
2264 a randomly chosen address.
2265
2266 Position independent executables (PIE) contain position independent code
2267 similar to the shared libraries and therefore such executables get loaded at
2268 a randomly chosen address upon startup. PIE executables always load even
2269 already prelinked shared libraries at a random address. You can build such
2270 executable using @command{gcc -fPIE -pie}.
2271
2272 Heap (malloc storage), stack and custom mmap areas are always placed randomly
2273 (as long as the randomization is enabled).
2274
2275 @item show disable-randomization
2276 Show the current setting of the explicit disable of the native randomization of
2277 the virtual address space of the started program.
2278
2279 @end table
2280
2281 @node Arguments
2282 @section Your Program's Arguments
2283
2284 @cindex arguments (to your program)
2285 The arguments to your program can be specified by the arguments of the
2286 @code{run} command.
2287 They are passed to a shell, which expands wildcard characters and
2288 performs redirection of I/O, and thence to your program. Your
2289 @code{SHELL} environment variable (if it exists) specifies what shell
2290 @value{GDBN} uses. If you do not define @code{SHELL}, @value{GDBN} uses
2291 the default shell (@file{/bin/sh} on Unix).
2292
2293 On non-Unix systems, the program is usually invoked directly by
2294 @value{GDBN}, which emulates I/O redirection via the appropriate system
2295 calls, and the wildcard characters are expanded by the startup code of
2296 the program, not by the shell.
2297
2298 @code{run} with no arguments uses the same arguments used by the previous
2299 @code{run}, or those set by the @code{set args} command.
2300
2301 @table @code
2302 @kindex set args
2303 @item set args
2304 Specify the arguments to be used the next time your program is run. If
2305 @code{set args} has no arguments, @code{run} executes your program
2306 with no arguments. Once you have run your program with arguments,
2307 using @code{set args} before the next @code{run} is the only way to run
2308 it again without arguments.
2309
2310 @kindex show args
2311 @item show args
2312 Show the arguments to give your program when it is started.
2313 @end table
2314
2315 @node Environment
2316 @section Your Program's Environment
2317
2318 @cindex environment (of your program)
2319 The @dfn{environment} consists of a set of environment variables and
2320 their values. Environment variables conventionally record such things as
2321 your user name, your home directory, your terminal type, and your search
2322 path for programs to run. Usually you set up environment variables with
2323 the shell and they are inherited by all the other programs you run. When
2324 debugging, it can be useful to try running your program with a modified
2325 environment without having to start @value{GDBN} over again.
2326
2327 @table @code
2328 @kindex path
2329 @item path @var{directory}
2330 Add @var{directory} to the front of the @code{PATH} environment variable
2331 (the search path for executables) that will be passed to your program.
2332 The value of @code{PATH} used by @value{GDBN} does not change.
2333 You may specify several directory names, separated by whitespace or by a
2334 system-dependent separator character (@samp{:} on Unix, @samp{;} on
2335 MS-DOS and MS-Windows). If @var{directory} is already in the path, it
2336 is moved to the front, so it is searched sooner.
2337
2338 You can use the string @samp{$cwd} to refer to whatever is the current
2339 working directory at the time @value{GDBN} searches the path. If you
2340 use @samp{.} instead, it refers to the directory where you executed the
2341 @code{path} command. @value{GDBN} replaces @samp{.} in the
2342 @var{directory} argument (with the current path) before adding
2343 @var{directory} to the search path.
2344 @c 'path' is explicitly nonrepeatable, but RMS points out it is silly to
2345 @c document that, since repeating it would be a no-op.
2346
2347 @kindex show paths
2348 @item show paths
2349 Display the list of search paths for executables (the @code{PATH}
2350 environment variable).
2351
2352 @kindex show environment
2353 @item show environment @r{[}@var{varname}@r{]}
2354 Print the value of environment variable @var{varname} to be given to
2355 your program when it starts. If you do not supply @var{varname},
2356 print the names and values of all environment variables to be given to
2357 your program. You can abbreviate @code{environment} as @code{env}.
2358
2359 @kindex set environment
2360 @item set environment @var{varname} @r{[}=@var{value}@r{]}
2361 Set environment variable @var{varname} to @var{value}. The value
2362 changes for your program (and the shell @value{GDBN} uses to launch
2363 it), not for @value{GDBN} itself. The @var{value} may be any string; the
2364 values of environment variables are just strings, and any
2365 interpretation is supplied by your program itself. The @var{value}
2366 parameter is optional; if it is eliminated, the variable is set to a
2367 null value.
2368 @c "any string" here does not include leading, trailing
2369 @c blanks. Gnu asks: does anyone care?
2370
2371 For example, this command:
2372
2373 @smallexample
2374 set env USER = foo
2375 @end smallexample
2376
2377 @noindent
2378 tells the debugged program, when subsequently run, that its user is named
2379 @samp{foo}. (The spaces around @samp{=} are used for clarity here; they
2380 are not actually required.)
2381
2382 Note that on Unix systems, @value{GDBN} runs your program via a shell,
2383 which also inherits the environment set with @code{set environment}.
2384 If necessary, you can avoid that by using the @samp{env} program as a
2385 wrapper instead of using @code{set environment}. @xref{set
2386 exec-wrapper}, for an example doing just that.
2387
2388 @kindex unset environment
2389 @item unset environment @var{varname}
2390 Remove variable @var{varname} from the environment to be passed to your
2391 program. This is different from @samp{set env @var{varname} =};
2392 @code{unset environment} removes the variable from the environment,
2393 rather than assigning it an empty value.
2394 @end table
2395
2396 @emph{Warning:} On Unix systems, @value{GDBN} runs your program using
2397 the shell indicated by your @code{SHELL} environment variable if it
2398 exists (or @code{/bin/sh} if not). If your @code{SHELL} variable
2399 names a shell that runs an initialization file when started
2400 non-interactively---such as @file{.cshrc} for C-shell, $@file{.zshenv}
2401 for the Z shell, or the file specified in the @samp{BASH_ENV}
2402 environment variable for BASH---any variables you set in that file
2403 affect your program. You may wish to move setting of environment
2404 variables to files that are only run when you sign on, such as
2405 @file{.login} or @file{.profile}.
2406
2407 @node Working Directory
2408 @section Your Program's Working Directory
2409
2410 @cindex working directory (of your program)
2411 Each time you start your program with @code{run}, it inherits its
2412 working directory from the current working directory of @value{GDBN}.
2413 The @value{GDBN} working directory is initially whatever it inherited
2414 from its parent process (typically the shell), but you can specify a new
2415 working directory in @value{GDBN} with the @code{cd} command.
2416
2417 The @value{GDBN} working directory also serves as a default for the commands
2418 that specify files for @value{GDBN} to operate on. @xref{Files, ,Commands to
2419 Specify Files}.
2420
2421 @table @code
2422 @kindex cd
2423 @cindex change working directory
2424 @item cd @r{[}@var{directory}@r{]}
2425 Set the @value{GDBN} working directory to @var{directory}. If not
2426 given, @var{directory} uses @file{'~'}.
2427
2428 @kindex pwd
2429 @item pwd
2430 Print the @value{GDBN} working directory.
2431 @end table
2432
2433 It is generally impossible to find the current working directory of
2434 the process being debugged (since a program can change its directory
2435 during its run). If you work on a system where @value{GDBN} is
2436 configured with the @file{/proc} support, you can use the @code{info
2437 proc} command (@pxref{SVR4 Process Information}) to find out the
2438 current working directory of the debuggee.
2439
2440 @node Input/Output
2441 @section Your Program's Input and Output
2442
2443 @cindex redirection
2444 @cindex i/o
2445 @cindex terminal
2446 By default, the program you run under @value{GDBN} does input and output to
2447 the same terminal that @value{GDBN} uses. @value{GDBN} switches the terminal
2448 to its own terminal modes to interact with you, but it records the terminal
2449 modes your program was using and switches back to them when you continue
2450 running your program.
2451
2452 @table @code
2453 @kindex info terminal
2454 @item info terminal
2455 Displays information recorded by @value{GDBN} about the terminal modes your
2456 program is using.
2457 @end table
2458
2459 You can redirect your program's input and/or output using shell
2460 redirection with the @code{run} command. For example,
2461
2462 @smallexample
2463 run > outfile
2464 @end smallexample
2465
2466 @noindent
2467 starts your program, diverting its output to the file @file{outfile}.
2468
2469 @kindex tty
2470 @cindex controlling terminal
2471 Another way to specify where your program should do input and output is
2472 with the @code{tty} command. This command accepts a file name as
2473 argument, and causes this file to be the default for future @code{run}
2474 commands. It also resets the controlling terminal for the child
2475 process, for future @code{run} commands. For example,
2476
2477 @smallexample
2478 tty /dev/ttyb
2479 @end smallexample
2480
2481 @noindent
2482 directs that processes started with subsequent @code{run} commands
2483 default to do input and output on the terminal @file{/dev/ttyb} and have
2484 that as their controlling terminal.
2485
2486 An explicit redirection in @code{run} overrides the @code{tty} command's
2487 effect on the input/output device, but not its effect on the controlling
2488 terminal.
2489
2490 When you use the @code{tty} command or redirect input in the @code{run}
2491 command, only the input @emph{for your program} is affected. The input
2492 for @value{GDBN} still comes from your terminal. @code{tty} is an alias
2493 for @code{set inferior-tty}.
2494
2495 @cindex inferior tty
2496 @cindex set inferior controlling terminal
2497 You can use the @code{show inferior-tty} command to tell @value{GDBN} to
2498 display the name of the terminal that will be used for future runs of your
2499 program.
2500
2501 @table @code
2502 @item set inferior-tty /dev/ttyb
2503 @kindex set inferior-tty
2504 Set the tty for the program being debugged to /dev/ttyb.
2505
2506 @item show inferior-tty
2507 @kindex show inferior-tty
2508 Show the current tty for the program being debugged.
2509 @end table
2510
2511 @node Attach
2512 @section Debugging an Already-running Process
2513 @kindex attach
2514 @cindex attach
2515
2516 @table @code
2517 @item attach @var{process-id}
2518 This command attaches to a running process---one that was started
2519 outside @value{GDBN}. (@code{info files} shows your active
2520 targets.) The command takes as argument a process ID. The usual way to
2521 find out the @var{process-id} of a Unix process is with the @code{ps} utility,
2522 or with the @samp{jobs -l} shell command.
2523
2524 @code{attach} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} a second time after
2525 executing the command.
2526 @end table
2527
2528 To use @code{attach}, your program must be running in an environment
2529 which supports processes; for example, @code{attach} does not work for
2530 programs on bare-board targets that lack an operating system. You must
2531 also have permission to send the process a signal.
2532
2533 When you use @code{attach}, the debugger finds the program running in
2534 the process first by looking in the current working directory, then (if
2535 the program is not found) by using the source file search path
2536 (@pxref{Source Path, ,Specifying Source Directories}). You can also use
2537 the @code{file} command to load the program. @xref{Files, ,Commands to
2538 Specify Files}.
2539
2540 The first thing @value{GDBN} does after arranging to debug the specified
2541 process is to stop it. You can examine and modify an attached process
2542 with all the @value{GDBN} commands that are ordinarily available when
2543 you start processes with @code{run}. You can insert breakpoints; you
2544 can step and continue; you can modify storage. If you would rather the
2545 process continue running, you may use the @code{continue} command after
2546 attaching @value{GDBN} to the process.
2547
2548 @table @code
2549 @kindex detach
2550 @item detach
2551 When you have finished debugging the attached process, you can use the
2552 @code{detach} command to release it from @value{GDBN} control. Detaching
2553 the process continues its execution. After the @code{detach} command,
2554 that process and @value{GDBN} become completely independent once more, and you
2555 are ready to @code{attach} another process or start one with @code{run}.
2556 @code{detach} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} again after
2557 executing the command.
2558 @end table
2559
2560 If you exit @value{GDBN} while you have an attached process, you detach
2561 that process. If you use the @code{run} command, you kill that process.
2562 By default, @value{GDBN} asks for confirmation if you try to do either of these
2563 things; you can control whether or not you need to confirm by using the
2564 @code{set confirm} command (@pxref{Messages/Warnings, ,Optional Warnings and
2565 Messages}).
2566
2567 @node Kill Process
2568 @section Killing the Child Process
2569
2570 @table @code
2571 @kindex kill
2572 @item kill
2573 Kill the child process in which your program is running under @value{GDBN}.
2574 @end table
2575
2576 This command is useful if you wish to debug a core dump instead of a
2577 running process. @value{GDBN} ignores any core dump file while your program
2578 is running.
2579
2580 On some operating systems, a program cannot be executed outside @value{GDBN}
2581 while you have breakpoints set on it inside @value{GDBN}. You can use the
2582 @code{kill} command in this situation to permit running your program
2583 outside the debugger.
2584
2585 The @code{kill} command is also useful if you wish to recompile and
2586 relink your program, since on many systems it is impossible to modify an
2587 executable file while it is running in a process. In this case, when you
2588 next type @code{run}, @value{GDBN} notices that the file has changed, and
2589 reads the symbol table again (while trying to preserve your current
2590 breakpoint settings).
2591
2592 @node Inferiors and Programs
2593 @section Debugging Multiple Inferiors and Programs
2594
2595 @value{GDBN} lets you run and debug multiple programs in a single
2596 session. In addition, @value{GDBN} on some systems may let you run
2597 several programs simultaneously (otherwise you have to exit from one
2598 before starting another). In the most general case, you can have
2599 multiple threads of execution in each of multiple processes, launched
2600 from multiple executables.
2601
2602 @cindex inferior
2603 @value{GDBN} represents the state of each program execution with an
2604 object called an @dfn{inferior}. An inferior typically corresponds to
2605 a process, but is more general and applies also to targets that do not
2606 have processes. Inferiors may be created before a process runs, and
2607 may be retained after a process exits. Inferiors have unique
2608 identifiers that are different from process ids. Usually each
2609 inferior will also have its own distinct address space, although some
2610 embedded targets may have several inferiors running in different parts
2611 of a single address space. Each inferior may in turn have multiple
2612 threads running in it.
2613
2614 To find out what inferiors exist at any moment, use @w{@code{info
2615 inferiors}}:
2616
2617 @table @code
2618 @kindex info inferiors
2619 @item info inferiors
2620 Print a list of all inferiors currently being managed by @value{GDBN}.
2621
2622 @value{GDBN} displays for each inferior (in this order):
2623
2624 @enumerate
2625 @item
2626 the inferior number assigned by @value{GDBN}
2627
2628 @item
2629 the target system's inferior identifier
2630
2631 @item
2632 the name of the executable the inferior is running.
2633
2634 @end enumerate
2635
2636 @noindent
2637 An asterisk @samp{*} preceding the @value{GDBN} inferior number
2638 indicates the current inferior.
2639
2640 For example,
2641 @end table
2642 @c end table here to get a little more width for example
2643
2644 @smallexample
2645 (@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
2646 Num Description Executable
2647 2 process 2307 hello
2648 * 1 process 3401 goodbye
2649 @end smallexample
2650
2651 To switch focus between inferiors, use the @code{inferior} command:
2652
2653 @table @code
2654 @kindex inferior @var{infno}
2655 @item inferior @var{infno}
2656 Make inferior number @var{infno} the current inferior. The argument
2657 @var{infno} is the inferior number assigned by @value{GDBN}, as shown
2658 in the first field of the @samp{info inferiors} display.
2659 @end table
2660
2661
2662 You can get multiple executables into a debugging session via the
2663 @code{add-inferior} and @w{@code{clone-inferior}} commands. On some
2664 systems @value{GDBN} can add inferiors to the debug session
2665 automatically by following calls to @code{fork} and @code{exec}. To
2666 remove inferiors from the debugging session use the
2667 @w{@code{remove-inferiors}} command.
2668
2669 @table @code
2670 @kindex add-inferior
2671 @item add-inferior [ -copies @var{n} ] [ -exec @var{executable} ]
2672 Adds @var{n} inferiors to be run using @var{executable} as the
2673 executable; @var{n} defaults to 1. If no executable is specified,
2674 the inferiors begins empty, with no program. You can still assign or
2675 change the program assigned to the inferior at any time by using the
2676 @code{file} command with the executable name as its argument.
2677
2678 @kindex clone-inferior
2679 @item clone-inferior [ -copies @var{n} ] [ @var{infno} ]
2680 Adds @var{n} inferiors ready to execute the same program as inferior
2681 @var{infno}; @var{n} defaults to 1, and @var{infno} defaults to the
2682 number of the current inferior. This is a convenient command when you
2683 want to run another instance of the inferior you are debugging.
2684
2685 @smallexample
2686 (@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
2687 Num Description Executable
2688 * 1 process 29964 helloworld
2689 (@value{GDBP}) clone-inferior
2690 Added inferior 2.
2691 1 inferiors added.
2692 (@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
2693 Num Description Executable
2694 2 <null> helloworld
2695 * 1 process 29964 helloworld
2696 @end smallexample
2697
2698 You can now simply switch focus to inferior 2 and run it.
2699
2700 @kindex remove-inferiors
2701 @item remove-inferiors @var{infno}@dots{}
2702 Removes the inferior or inferiors @var{infno}@dots{}. It is not
2703 possible to remove an inferior that is running with this command. For
2704 those, use the @code{kill} or @code{detach} command first.
2705
2706 @end table
2707
2708 To quit debugging one of the running inferiors that is not the current
2709 inferior, you can either detach from it by using the @w{@code{detach
2710 inferior}} command (allowing it to run independently), or kill it
2711 using the @w{@code{kill inferiors}} command:
2712
2713 @table @code
2714 @kindex detach inferiors @var{infno}@dots{}
2715 @item detach inferior @var{infno}@dots{}
2716 Detach from the inferior or inferiors identified by @value{GDBN}
2717 inferior number(s) @var{infno}@dots{}. Note that the inferior's entry
2718 still stays on the list of inferiors shown by @code{info inferiors},
2719 but its Description will show @samp{<null>}.
2720
2721 @kindex kill inferiors @var{infno}@dots{}
2722 @item kill inferiors @var{infno}@dots{}
2723 Kill the inferior or inferiors identified by @value{GDBN} inferior
2724 number(s) @var{infno}@dots{}. Note that the inferior's entry still
2725 stays on the list of inferiors shown by @code{info inferiors}, but its
2726 Description will show @samp{<null>}.
2727 @end table
2728
2729 After the successful completion of a command such as @code{detach},
2730 @code{detach inferiors}, @code{kill} or @code{kill inferiors}, or after
2731 a normal process exit, the inferior is still valid and listed with
2732 @code{info inferiors}, ready to be restarted.
2733
2734
2735 To be notified when inferiors are started or exit under @value{GDBN}'s
2736 control use @w{@code{set print inferior-events}}:
2737
2738 @table @code
2739 @kindex set print inferior-events
2740 @cindex print messages on inferior start and exit
2741 @item set print inferior-events
2742 @itemx set print inferior-events on
2743 @itemx set print inferior-events off
2744 The @code{set print inferior-events} command allows you to enable or
2745 disable printing of messages when @value{GDBN} notices that new
2746 inferiors have started or that inferiors have exited or have been
2747 detached. By default, these messages will not be printed.
2748
2749 @kindex show print inferior-events
2750 @item show print inferior-events
2751 Show whether messages will be printed when @value{GDBN} detects that
2752 inferiors have started, exited or have been detached.
2753 @end table
2754
2755 Many commands will work the same with multiple programs as with a
2756 single program: e.g., @code{print myglobal} will simply display the
2757 value of @code{myglobal} in the current inferior.
2758
2759
2760 Occasionaly, when debugging @value{GDBN} itself, it may be useful to
2761 get more info about the relationship of inferiors, programs, address
2762 spaces in a debug session. You can do that with the @w{@code{maint
2763 info program-spaces}} command.
2764
2765 @table @code
2766 @kindex maint info program-spaces
2767 @item maint info program-spaces
2768 Print a list of all program spaces currently being managed by
2769 @value{GDBN}.
2770
2771 @value{GDBN} displays for each program space (in this order):
2772
2773 @enumerate
2774 @item
2775 the program space number assigned by @value{GDBN}
2776
2777 @item
2778 the name of the executable loaded into the program space, with e.g.,
2779 the @code{file} command.
2780
2781 @end enumerate
2782
2783 @noindent
2784 An asterisk @samp{*} preceding the @value{GDBN} program space number
2785 indicates the current program space.
2786
2787 In addition, below each program space line, @value{GDBN} prints extra
2788 information that isn't suitable to display in tabular form. For
2789 example, the list of inferiors bound to the program space.
2790
2791 @smallexample
2792 (@value{GDBP}) maint info program-spaces
2793 Id Executable
2794 2 goodbye
2795 Bound inferiors: ID 1 (process 21561)
2796 * 1 hello
2797 @end smallexample
2798
2799 Here we can see that no inferior is running the program @code{hello},
2800 while @code{process 21561} is running the program @code{goodbye}. On
2801 some targets, it is possible that multiple inferiors are bound to the
2802 same program space. The most common example is that of debugging both
2803 the parent and child processes of a @code{vfork} call. For example,
2804
2805 @smallexample
2806 (@value{GDBP}) maint info program-spaces
2807 Id Executable
2808 * 1 vfork-test
2809 Bound inferiors: ID 2 (process 18050), ID 1 (process 18045)
2810 @end smallexample
2811
2812 Here, both inferior 2 and inferior 1 are running in the same program
2813 space as a result of inferior 1 having executed a @code{vfork} call.
2814 @end table
2815
2816 @node Threads
2817 @section Debugging Programs with Multiple Threads
2818
2819 @cindex threads of execution
2820 @cindex multiple threads
2821 @cindex switching threads
2822 In some operating systems, such as HP-UX and Solaris, a single program
2823 may have more than one @dfn{thread} of execution. The precise semantics
2824 of threads differ from one operating system to another, but in general
2825 the threads of a single program are akin to multiple processes---except
2826 that they share one address space (that is, they can all examine and
2827 modify the same variables). On the other hand, each thread has its own
2828 registers and execution stack, and perhaps private memory.
2829
2830 @value{GDBN} provides these facilities for debugging multi-thread
2831 programs:
2832
2833 @itemize @bullet
2834 @item automatic notification of new threads
2835 @item @samp{thread @var{threadno}}, a command to switch among threads
2836 @item @samp{info threads}, a command to inquire about existing threads
2837 @item @samp{thread apply [@var{threadno}] [@var{all}] @var{args}},
2838 a command to apply a command to a list of threads
2839 @item thread-specific breakpoints
2840 @item @samp{set print thread-events}, which controls printing of
2841 messages on thread start and exit.
2842 @item @samp{set libthread-db-search-path @var{path}}, which lets
2843 the user specify which @code{libthread_db} to use if the default choice
2844 isn't compatible with the program.
2845 @end itemize
2846
2847 @quotation
2848 @emph{Warning:} These facilities are not yet available on every
2849 @value{GDBN} configuration where the operating system supports threads.
2850 If your @value{GDBN} does not support threads, these commands have no
2851 effect. For example, a system without thread support shows no output
2852 from @samp{info threads}, and always rejects the @code{thread} command,
2853 like this:
2854
2855 @smallexample
2856 (@value{GDBP}) info threads
2857 (@value{GDBP}) thread 1
2858 Thread ID 1 not known. Use the "info threads" command to
2859 see the IDs of currently known threads.
2860 @end smallexample
2861 @c FIXME to implementors: how hard would it be to say "sorry, this GDB
2862 @c doesn't support threads"?
2863 @end quotation
2864
2865 @cindex focus of debugging
2866 @cindex current thread
2867 The @value{GDBN} thread debugging facility allows you to observe all
2868 threads while your program runs---but whenever @value{GDBN} takes
2869 control, one thread in particular is always the focus of debugging.
2870 This thread is called the @dfn{current thread}. Debugging commands show
2871 program information from the perspective of the current thread.
2872
2873 @cindex @code{New} @var{systag} message
2874 @cindex thread identifier (system)
2875 @c FIXME-implementors!! It would be more helpful if the [New...] message
2876 @c included GDB's numeric thread handle, so you could just go to that
2877 @c thread without first checking `info threads'.
2878 Whenever @value{GDBN} detects a new thread in your program, it displays
2879 the target system's identification for the thread with a message in the
2880 form @samp{[New @var{systag}]}, where @var{systag} is a thread identifier
2881 whose form varies depending on the particular system. For example, on
2882 @sc{gnu}/Linux, you might see
2883
2884 @smallexample
2885 [New Thread 0x41e02940 (LWP 25582)]
2886 @end smallexample
2887
2888 @noindent
2889 when @value{GDBN} notices a new thread. In contrast, on an SGI system,
2890 the @var{systag} is simply something like @samp{process 368}, with no
2891 further qualifier.
2892
2893 @c FIXME!! (1) Does the [New...] message appear even for the very first
2894 @c thread of a program, or does it only appear for the
2895 @c second---i.e.@: when it becomes obvious we have a multithread
2896 @c program?
2897 @c (2) *Is* there necessarily a first thread always? Or do some
2898 @c multithread systems permit starting a program with multiple
2899 @c threads ab initio?
2900
2901 @cindex thread number
2902 @cindex thread identifier (GDB)
2903 For debugging purposes, @value{GDBN} associates its own thread
2904 number---always a single integer---with each thread in your program.
2905
2906 @table @code
2907 @kindex info threads
2908 @item info threads @r{[}@var{id}@dots{}@r{]}
2909 Display a summary of all threads currently in your program. Optional
2910 argument @var{id}@dots{} is one or more thread ids separated by spaces, and
2911 means to print information only about the specified thread or threads.
2912 @value{GDBN} displays for each thread (in this order):
2913
2914 @enumerate
2915 @item
2916 the thread number assigned by @value{GDBN}
2917
2918 @item
2919 the target system's thread identifier (@var{systag})
2920
2921 @item
2922 the thread's name, if one is known. A thread can either be named by
2923 the user (see @code{thread name}, below), or, in some cases, by the
2924 program itself.
2925
2926 @item
2927 the current stack frame summary for that thread
2928 @end enumerate
2929
2930 @noindent
2931 An asterisk @samp{*} to the left of the @value{GDBN} thread number
2932 indicates the current thread.
2933
2934 For example,
2935 @end table
2936 @c end table here to get a little more width for example
2937
2938 @smallexample
2939 (@value{GDBP}) info threads
2940 Id Target Id Frame
2941 3 process 35 thread 27 0x34e5 in sigpause ()
2942 2 process 35 thread 23 0x34e5 in sigpause ()
2943 * 1 process 35 thread 13 main (argc=1, argv=0x7ffffff8)
2944 at threadtest.c:68
2945 @end smallexample
2946
2947 On Solaris, you can display more information about user threads with a
2948 Solaris-specific command:
2949
2950 @table @code
2951 @item maint info sol-threads
2952 @kindex maint info sol-threads
2953 @cindex thread info (Solaris)
2954 Display info on Solaris user threads.
2955 @end table
2956
2957 @table @code
2958 @kindex thread @var{threadno}
2959 @item thread @var{threadno}
2960 Make thread number @var{threadno} the current thread. The command
2961 argument @var{threadno} is the internal @value{GDBN} thread number, as
2962 shown in the first field of the @samp{info threads} display.
2963 @value{GDBN} responds by displaying the system identifier of the thread
2964 you selected, and its current stack frame summary:
2965
2966 @smallexample
2967 (@value{GDBP}) thread 2
2968 [Switching to thread 2 (Thread 0xb7fdab70 (LWP 12747))]
2969 #0 some_function (ignore=0x0) at example.c:8
2970 8 printf ("hello\n");
2971 @end smallexample
2972
2973 @noindent
2974 As with the @samp{[New @dots{}]} message, the form of the text after
2975 @samp{Switching to} depends on your system's conventions for identifying
2976 threads.
2977
2978 @vindex $_thread@r{, convenience variable}
2979 The debugger convenience variable @samp{$_thread} contains the number
2980 of the current thread. You may find this useful in writing breakpoint
2981 conditional expressions, command scripts, and so forth. See
2982 @xref{Convenience Vars,, Convenience Variables}, for general
2983 information on convenience variables.
2984
2985 @kindex thread apply
2986 @cindex apply command to several threads
2987 @item thread apply [@var{threadno} | all [-ascending]] @var{command}
2988 The @code{thread apply} command allows you to apply the named
2989 @var{command} to one or more threads. Specify the numbers of the
2990 threads that you want affected with the command argument
2991 @var{threadno}. It can be a single thread number, one of the numbers
2992 shown in the first field of the @samp{info threads} display; or it
2993 could be a range of thread numbers, as in @code{2-4}. To apply
2994 a command to all threads in descending order, type @kbd{thread apply all
2995 @var{command}}. To apply a command to all threads in ascending order,
2996 type @kbd{thread apply all -ascending @var{command}}.
2997
2998
2999 @kindex thread name
3000 @cindex name a thread
3001 @item thread name [@var{name}]
3002 This command assigns a name to the current thread. If no argument is
3003 given, any existing user-specified name is removed. The thread name
3004 appears in the @samp{info threads} display.
3005
3006 On some systems, such as @sc{gnu}/Linux, @value{GDBN} is able to
3007 determine the name of the thread as given by the OS. On these
3008 systems, a name specified with @samp{thread name} will override the
3009 system-give name, and removing the user-specified name will cause
3010 @value{GDBN} to once again display the system-specified name.
3011
3012 @kindex thread find
3013 @cindex search for a thread
3014 @item thread find [@var{regexp}]
3015 Search for and display thread ids whose name or @var{systag}
3016 matches the supplied regular expression.
3017
3018 As well as being the complement to the @samp{thread name} command,
3019 this command also allows you to identify a thread by its target
3020 @var{systag}. For instance, on @sc{gnu}/Linux, the target @var{systag}
3021 is the LWP id.
3022
3023 @smallexample
3024 (@value{GDBN}) thread find 26688
3025 Thread 4 has target id 'Thread 0x41e02940 (LWP 26688)'
3026 (@value{GDBN}) info thread 4
3027 Id Target Id Frame
3028 4 Thread 0x41e02940 (LWP 26688) 0x00000031ca6cd372 in select ()
3029 @end smallexample
3030
3031 @kindex set print thread-events
3032 @cindex print messages on thread start and exit
3033 @item set print thread-events
3034 @itemx set print thread-events on
3035 @itemx set print thread-events off
3036 The @code{set print thread-events} command allows you to enable or
3037 disable printing of messages when @value{GDBN} notices that new threads have
3038 started or that threads have exited. By default, these messages will
3039 be printed if detection of these events is supported by the target.
3040 Note that these messages cannot be disabled on all targets.
3041
3042 @kindex show print thread-events
3043 @item show print thread-events
3044 Show whether messages will be printed when @value{GDBN} detects that threads
3045 have started and exited.
3046 @end table
3047
3048 @xref{Thread Stops,,Stopping and Starting Multi-thread Programs}, for
3049 more information about how @value{GDBN} behaves when you stop and start
3050 programs with multiple threads.
3051
3052 @xref{Set Watchpoints,,Setting Watchpoints}, for information about
3053 watchpoints in programs with multiple threads.
3054
3055 @anchor{set libthread-db-search-path}
3056 @table @code
3057 @kindex set libthread-db-search-path
3058 @cindex search path for @code{libthread_db}
3059 @item set libthread-db-search-path @r{[}@var{path}@r{]}
3060 If this variable is set, @var{path} is a colon-separated list of
3061 directories @value{GDBN} will use to search for @code{libthread_db}.
3062 If you omit @var{path}, @samp{libthread-db-search-path} will be reset to
3063 its default value (@code{$sdir:$pdir} on @sc{gnu}/Linux and Solaris systems).
3064 Internally, the default value comes from the @code{LIBTHREAD_DB_SEARCH_PATH}
3065 macro.
3066
3067 On @sc{gnu}/Linux and Solaris systems, @value{GDBN} uses a ``helper''
3068 @code{libthread_db} library to obtain information about threads in the
3069 inferior process. @value{GDBN} will use @samp{libthread-db-search-path}
3070 to find @code{libthread_db}. @value{GDBN} also consults first if inferior
3071 specific thread debugging library loading is enabled
3072 by @samp{set auto-load libthread-db} (@pxref{libthread_db.so.1 file}).
3073
3074 A special entry @samp{$sdir} for @samp{libthread-db-search-path}
3075 refers to the default system directories that are
3076 normally searched for loading shared libraries. The @samp{$sdir} entry
3077 is the only kind not needing to be enabled by @samp{set auto-load libthread-db}
3078 (@pxref{libthread_db.so.1 file}).
3079
3080 A special entry @samp{$pdir} for @samp{libthread-db-search-path}
3081 refers to the directory from which @code{libpthread}
3082 was loaded in the inferior process.
3083
3084 For any @code{libthread_db} library @value{GDBN} finds in above directories,
3085 @value{GDBN} attempts to initialize it with the current inferior process.
3086 If this initialization fails (which could happen because of a version
3087 mismatch between @code{libthread_db} and @code{libpthread}), @value{GDBN}
3088 will unload @code{libthread_db}, and continue with the next directory.
3089 If none of @code{libthread_db} libraries initialize successfully,
3090 @value{GDBN} will issue a warning and thread debugging will be disabled.
3091
3092 Setting @code{libthread-db-search-path} is currently implemented
3093 only on some platforms.
3094
3095 @kindex show libthread-db-search-path
3096 @item show libthread-db-search-path
3097 Display current libthread_db search path.
3098
3099 @kindex set debug libthread-db
3100 @kindex show debug libthread-db
3101 @cindex debugging @code{libthread_db}
3102 @item set debug libthread-db
3103 @itemx show debug libthread-db
3104 Turns on or off display of @code{libthread_db}-related events.
3105 Use @code{1} to enable, @code{0} to disable.
3106 @end table
3107
3108 @node Forks
3109 @section Debugging Forks
3110
3111 @cindex fork, debugging programs which call
3112 @cindex multiple processes
3113 @cindex processes, multiple
3114 On most systems, @value{GDBN} has no special support for debugging
3115 programs which create additional processes using the @code{fork}
3116 function. When a program forks, @value{GDBN} will continue to debug the
3117 parent process and the child process will run unimpeded. If you have
3118 set a breakpoint in any code which the child then executes, the child
3119 will get a @code{SIGTRAP} signal which (unless it catches the signal)
3120 will cause it to terminate.
3121
3122 However, if you want to debug the child process there is a workaround
3123 which isn't too painful. Put a call to @code{sleep} in the code which
3124 the child process executes after the fork. It may be useful to sleep
3125 only if a certain environment variable is set, or a certain file exists,
3126 so that the delay need not occur when you don't want to run @value{GDBN}
3127 on the child. While the child is sleeping, use the @code{ps} program to
3128 get its process ID. Then tell @value{GDBN} (a new invocation of
3129 @value{GDBN} if you are also debugging the parent process) to attach to
3130 the child process (@pxref{Attach}). From that point on you can debug
3131 the child process just like any other process which you attached to.
3132
3133 On some systems, @value{GDBN} provides support for debugging programs that
3134 create additional processes using the @code{fork} or @code{vfork} functions.
3135 Currently, the only platforms with this feature are HP-UX (11.x and later
3136 only?) and @sc{gnu}/Linux (kernel version 2.5.60 and later).
3137
3138 The fork debugging commands are supported in both native mode and when
3139 connected to @code{gdbserver} using @kbd{target extended-remote}.
3140
3141 By default, when a program forks, @value{GDBN} will continue to debug
3142 the parent process and the child process will run unimpeded.
3143
3144 If you want to follow the child process instead of the parent process,
3145 use the command @w{@code{set follow-fork-mode}}.
3146
3147 @table @code
3148 @kindex set follow-fork-mode
3149 @item set follow-fork-mode @var{mode}
3150 Set the debugger response to a program call of @code{fork} or
3151 @code{vfork}. A call to @code{fork} or @code{vfork} creates a new
3152 process. The @var{mode} argument can be:
3153
3154 @table @code
3155 @item parent
3156 The original process is debugged after a fork. The child process runs
3157 unimpeded. This is the default.
3158
3159 @item child
3160 The new process is debugged after a fork. The parent process runs
3161 unimpeded.
3162
3163 @end table
3164
3165 @kindex show follow-fork-mode
3166 @item show follow-fork-mode
3167 Display the current debugger response to a @code{fork} or @code{vfork} call.
3168 @end table
3169
3170 @cindex debugging multiple processes
3171 On Linux, if you want to debug both the parent and child processes, use the
3172 command @w{@code{set detach-on-fork}}.
3173
3174 @table @code
3175 @kindex set detach-on-fork
3176 @item set detach-on-fork @var{mode}
3177 Tells gdb whether to detach one of the processes after a fork, or
3178 retain debugger control over them both.
3179
3180 @table @code
3181 @item on
3182 The child process (or parent process, depending on the value of
3183 @code{follow-fork-mode}) will be detached and allowed to run
3184 independently. This is the default.
3185
3186 @item off
3187 Both processes will be held under the control of @value{GDBN}.
3188 One process (child or parent, depending on the value of
3189 @code{follow-fork-mode}) is debugged as usual, while the other
3190 is held suspended.
3191
3192 @end table
3193
3194 @kindex show detach-on-fork
3195 @item show detach-on-fork
3196 Show whether detach-on-fork mode is on/off.
3197 @end table
3198
3199 If you choose to set @samp{detach-on-fork} mode off, then @value{GDBN}
3200 will retain control of all forked processes (including nested forks).
3201 You can list the forked processes under the control of @value{GDBN} by
3202 using the @w{@code{info inferiors}} command, and switch from one fork
3203 to another by using the @code{inferior} command (@pxref{Inferiors and
3204 Programs, ,Debugging Multiple Inferiors and Programs}).
3205
3206 To quit debugging one of the forked processes, you can either detach
3207 from it by using the @w{@code{detach inferiors}} command (allowing it
3208 to run independently), or kill it using the @w{@code{kill inferiors}}
3209 command. @xref{Inferiors and Programs, ,Debugging Multiple Inferiors
3210 and Programs}.
3211
3212 If you ask to debug a child process and a @code{vfork} is followed by an
3213 @code{exec}, @value{GDBN} executes the new target up to the first
3214 breakpoint in the new target. If you have a breakpoint set on
3215 @code{main} in your original program, the breakpoint will also be set on
3216 the child process's @code{main}.
3217
3218 On some systems, when a child process is spawned by @code{vfork}, you
3219 cannot debug the child or parent until an @code{exec} call completes.
3220
3221 If you issue a @code{run} command to @value{GDBN} after an @code{exec}
3222 call executes, the new target restarts. To restart the parent
3223 process, use the @code{file} command with the parent executable name
3224 as its argument. By default, after an @code{exec} call executes,
3225 @value{GDBN} discards the symbols of the previous executable image.
3226 You can change this behaviour with the @w{@code{set follow-exec-mode}}
3227 command.
3228
3229 @table @code
3230 @kindex set follow-exec-mode
3231 @item set follow-exec-mode @var{mode}
3232
3233 Set debugger response to a program call of @code{exec}. An
3234 @code{exec} call replaces the program image of a process.
3235
3236 @code{follow-exec-mode} can be:
3237
3238 @table @code
3239 @item new
3240 @value{GDBN} creates a new inferior and rebinds the process to this
3241 new inferior. The program the process was running before the
3242 @code{exec} call can be restarted afterwards by restarting the
3243 original inferior.
3244
3245 For example:
3246
3247 @smallexample
3248 (@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
3249 (gdb) info inferior
3250 Id Description Executable
3251 * 1 <null> prog1
3252 (@value{GDBP}) run
3253 process 12020 is executing new program: prog2
3254 Program exited normally.
3255 (@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
3256 Id Description Executable
3257 * 2 <null> prog2
3258 1 <null> prog1
3259 @end smallexample
3260
3261 @item same
3262 @value{GDBN} keeps the process bound to the same inferior. The new
3263 executable image replaces the previous executable loaded in the
3264 inferior. Restarting the inferior after the @code{exec} call, with
3265 e.g., the @code{run} command, restarts the executable the process was
3266 running after the @code{exec} call. This is the default mode.
3267
3268 For example:
3269
3270 @smallexample
3271 (@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
3272 Id Description Executable
3273 * 1 <null> prog1
3274 (@value{GDBP}) run
3275 process 12020 is executing new program: prog2
3276 Program exited normally.
3277 (@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
3278 Id Description Executable
3279 * 1 <null> prog2
3280 @end smallexample
3281
3282 @end table
3283 @end table
3284
3285 You can use the @code{catch} command to make @value{GDBN} stop whenever
3286 a @code{fork}, @code{vfork}, or @code{exec} call is made. @xref{Set
3287 Catchpoints, ,Setting Catchpoints}.
3288
3289 @node Checkpoint/Restart
3290 @section Setting a @emph{Bookmark} to Return to Later
3291
3292 @cindex checkpoint
3293 @cindex restart
3294 @cindex bookmark
3295 @cindex snapshot of a process
3296 @cindex rewind program state
3297
3298 On certain operating systems@footnote{Currently, only
3299 @sc{gnu}/Linux.}, @value{GDBN} is able to save a @dfn{snapshot} of a
3300 program's state, called a @dfn{checkpoint}, and come back to it
3301 later.
3302
3303 Returning to a checkpoint effectively undoes everything that has
3304 happened in the program since the @code{checkpoint} was saved. This
3305 includes changes in memory, registers, and even (within some limits)
3306 system state. Effectively, it is like going back in time to the
3307 moment when the checkpoint was saved.
3308
3309 Thus, if you're stepping thru a program and you think you're
3310 getting close to the point where things go wrong, you can save
3311 a checkpoint. Then, if you accidentally go too far and miss
3312 the critical statement, instead of having to restart your program
3313 from the beginning, you can just go back to the checkpoint and
3314 start again from there.
3315
3316 This can be especially useful if it takes a lot of time or
3317 steps to reach the point where you think the bug occurs.
3318
3319 To use the @code{checkpoint}/@code{restart} method of debugging:
3320
3321 @table @code
3322 @kindex checkpoint
3323 @item checkpoint
3324 Save a snapshot of the debugged program's current execution state.
3325 The @code{checkpoint} command takes no arguments, but each checkpoint
3326 is assigned a small integer id, similar to a breakpoint id.
3327
3328 @kindex info checkpoints
3329 @item info checkpoints
3330 List the checkpoints that have been saved in the current debugging
3331 session. For each checkpoint, the following information will be
3332 listed:
3333
3334 @table @code
3335 @item Checkpoint ID
3336 @item Process ID
3337 @item Code Address
3338 @item Source line, or label
3339 @end table
3340
3341 @kindex restart @var{checkpoint-id}
3342 @item restart @var{checkpoint-id}
3343 Restore the program state that was saved as checkpoint number
3344 @var{checkpoint-id}. All program variables, registers, stack frames
3345 etc.@: will be returned to the values that they had when the checkpoint
3346 was saved. In essence, gdb will ``wind back the clock'' to the point
3347 in time when the checkpoint was saved.
3348
3349 Note that breakpoints, @value{GDBN} variables, command history etc.
3350 are not affected by restoring a checkpoint. In general, a checkpoint
3351 only restores things that reside in the program being debugged, not in
3352 the debugger.
3353
3354 @kindex delete checkpoint @var{checkpoint-id}
3355 @item delete checkpoint @var{checkpoint-id}
3356 Delete the previously-saved checkpoint identified by @var{checkpoint-id}.
3357
3358 @end table
3359
3360 Returning to a previously saved checkpoint will restore the user state
3361 of the program being debugged, plus a significant subset of the system
3362 (OS) state, including file pointers. It won't ``un-write'' data from
3363 a file, but it will rewind the file pointer to the previous location,
3364 so that the previously written data can be overwritten. For files
3365 opened in read mode, the pointer will also be restored so that the
3366 previously read data can be read again.
3367
3368 Of course, characters that have been sent to a printer (or other
3369 external device) cannot be ``snatched back'', and characters received
3370 from eg.@: a serial device can be removed from internal program buffers,
3371 but they cannot be ``pushed back'' into the serial pipeline, ready to
3372 be received again. Similarly, the actual contents of files that have
3373 been changed cannot be restored (at this time).
3374
3375 However, within those constraints, you actually can ``rewind'' your
3376 program to a previously saved point in time, and begin debugging it
3377 again --- and you can change the course of events so as to debug a
3378 different execution path this time.
3379
3380 @cindex checkpoints and process id
3381 Finally, there is one bit of internal program state that will be
3382 different when you return to a checkpoint --- the program's process
3383 id. Each checkpoint will have a unique process id (or @var{pid}),
3384 and each will be different from the program's original @var{pid}.
3385 If your program has saved a local copy of its process id, this could
3386 potentially pose a problem.
3387
3388 @subsection A Non-obvious Benefit of Using Checkpoints
3389
3390 On some systems such as @sc{gnu}/Linux, address space randomization
3391 is performed on new processes for security reasons. This makes it
3392 difficult or impossible to set a breakpoint, or watchpoint, on an
3393 absolute address if you have to restart the program, since the
3394 absolute location of a symbol will change from one execution to the
3395 next.
3396
3397 A checkpoint, however, is an @emph{identical} copy of a process.
3398 Therefore if you create a checkpoint at (eg.@:) the start of main,
3399 and simply return to that checkpoint instead of restarting the
3400 process, you can avoid the effects of address randomization and
3401 your symbols will all stay in the same place.
3402
3403 @node Stopping
3404 @chapter Stopping and Continuing
3405
3406 The principal purposes of using a debugger are so that you can stop your
3407 program before it terminates; or so that, if your program runs into
3408 trouble, you can investigate and find out why.
3409
3410 Inside @value{GDBN}, your program may stop for any of several reasons,
3411 such as a signal, a breakpoint, or reaching a new line after a
3412 @value{GDBN} command such as @code{step}. You may then examine and
3413 change variables, set new breakpoints or remove old ones, and then
3414 continue execution. Usually, the messages shown by @value{GDBN} provide
3415 ample explanation of the status of your program---but you can also
3416 explicitly request this information at any time.
3417
3418 @table @code
3419 @kindex info program
3420 @item info program
3421 Display information about the status of your program: whether it is
3422 running or not, what process it is, and why it stopped.
3423 @end table
3424
3425 @menu
3426 * Breakpoints:: Breakpoints, watchpoints, and catchpoints
3427 * Continuing and Stepping:: Resuming execution
3428 * Skipping Over Functions and Files::
3429 Skipping over functions and files
3430 * Signals:: Signals
3431 * Thread Stops:: Stopping and starting multi-thread programs
3432 @end menu
3433
3434 @node Breakpoints
3435 @section Breakpoints, Watchpoints, and Catchpoints
3436
3437 @cindex breakpoints
3438 A @dfn{breakpoint} makes your program stop whenever a certain point in
3439 the program is reached. For each breakpoint, you can add conditions to
3440 control in finer detail whether your program stops. You can set
3441 breakpoints with the @code{break} command and its variants (@pxref{Set
3442 Breaks, ,Setting Breakpoints}), to specify the place where your program
3443 should stop by line number, function name or exact address in the
3444 program.
3445
3446 On some systems, you can set breakpoints in shared libraries before
3447 the executable is run. There is a minor limitation on HP-UX systems:
3448 you must wait until the executable is run in order to set breakpoints
3449 in shared library routines that are not called directly by the program
3450 (for example, routines that are arguments in a @code{pthread_create}
3451 call).
3452
3453 @cindex watchpoints
3454 @cindex data breakpoints
3455 @cindex memory tracing
3456 @cindex breakpoint on memory address
3457 @cindex breakpoint on variable modification
3458 A @dfn{watchpoint} is a special breakpoint that stops your program
3459 when the value of an expression changes. The expression may be a value
3460 of a variable, or it could involve values of one or more variables
3461 combined by operators, such as @samp{a + b}. This is sometimes called
3462 @dfn{data breakpoints}. You must use a different command to set
3463 watchpoints (@pxref{Set Watchpoints, ,Setting Watchpoints}), but aside
3464 from that, you can manage a watchpoint like any other breakpoint: you
3465 enable, disable, and delete both breakpoints and watchpoints using the
3466 same commands.
3467
3468 You can arrange to have values from your program displayed automatically
3469 whenever @value{GDBN} stops at a breakpoint. @xref{Auto Display,,
3470 Automatic Display}.
3471
3472 @cindex catchpoints
3473 @cindex breakpoint on events
3474 A @dfn{catchpoint} is another special breakpoint that stops your program
3475 when a certain kind of event occurs, such as the throwing of a C@t{++}
3476 exception or the loading of a library. As with watchpoints, you use a
3477 different command to set a catchpoint (@pxref{Set Catchpoints, ,Setting
3478 Catchpoints}), but aside from that, you can manage a catchpoint like any
3479 other breakpoint. (To stop when your program receives a signal, use the
3480 @code{handle} command; see @ref{Signals, ,Signals}.)
3481
3482 @cindex breakpoint numbers
3483 @cindex numbers for breakpoints
3484 @value{GDBN} assigns a number to each breakpoint, watchpoint, or
3485 catchpoint when you create it; these numbers are successive integers
3486 starting with one. In many of the commands for controlling various
3487 features of breakpoints you use the breakpoint number to say which
3488 breakpoint you want to change. Each breakpoint may be @dfn{enabled} or
3489 @dfn{disabled}; if disabled, it has no effect on your program until you
3490 enable it again.
3491
3492 @cindex breakpoint ranges
3493 @cindex ranges of breakpoints
3494 Some @value{GDBN} commands accept a range of breakpoints on which to
3495 operate. A breakpoint range is either a single breakpoint number, like
3496 @samp{5}, or two such numbers, in increasing order, separated by a
3497 hyphen, like @samp{5-7}. When a breakpoint range is given to a command,
3498 all breakpoints in that range are operated on.
3499
3500 @menu
3501 * Set Breaks:: Setting breakpoints
3502 * Set Watchpoints:: Setting watchpoints
3503 * Set Catchpoints:: Setting catchpoints
3504 * Delete Breaks:: Deleting breakpoints
3505 * Disabling:: Disabling breakpoints
3506 * Conditions:: Break conditions
3507 * Break Commands:: Breakpoint command lists
3508 * Dynamic Printf:: Dynamic printf
3509 * Save Breakpoints:: How to save breakpoints in a file
3510 * Static Probe Points:: Listing static probe points
3511 * Error in Breakpoints:: ``Cannot insert breakpoints''
3512 * Breakpoint-related Warnings:: ``Breakpoint address adjusted...''
3513 @end menu
3514
3515 @node Set Breaks
3516 @subsection Setting Breakpoints
3517
3518 @c FIXME LMB what does GDB do if no code on line of breakpt?
3519 @c consider in particular declaration with/without initialization.
3520 @c
3521 @c FIXME 2 is there stuff on this already? break at fun start, already init?
3522
3523 @kindex break
3524 @kindex b @r{(@code{break})}
3525 @vindex $bpnum@r{, convenience variable}
3526 @cindex latest breakpoint
3527 Breakpoints are set with the @code{break} command (abbreviated
3528 @code{b}). The debugger convenience variable @samp{$bpnum} records the
3529 number of the breakpoint you've set most recently; see @ref{Convenience
3530 Vars,, Convenience Variables}, for a discussion of what you can do with
3531 convenience variables.
3532
3533 @table @code
3534 @item break @var{location}
3535 Set a breakpoint at the given @var{location}, which can specify a
3536 function name, a line number, or an address of an instruction.
3537 (@xref{Specify Location}, for a list of all the possible ways to
3538 specify a @var{location}.) The breakpoint will stop your program just
3539 before it executes any of the code in the specified @var{location}.
3540
3541 When using source languages that permit overloading of symbols, such as
3542 C@t{++}, a function name may refer to more than one possible place to break.
3543 @xref{Ambiguous Expressions,,Ambiguous Expressions}, for a discussion of
3544 that situation.
3545
3546 It is also possible to insert a breakpoint that will stop the program
3547 only if a specific thread (@pxref{Thread-Specific Breakpoints})
3548 or a specific task (@pxref{Ada Tasks}) hits that breakpoint.
3549
3550 @item break
3551 When called without any arguments, @code{break} sets a breakpoint at
3552 the next instruction to be executed in the selected stack frame
3553 (@pxref{Stack, ,Examining the Stack}). In any selected frame but the
3554 innermost, this makes your program stop as soon as control
3555 returns to that frame. This is similar to the effect of a
3556 @code{finish} command in the frame inside the selected frame---except
3557 that @code{finish} does not leave an active breakpoint. If you use
3558 @code{break} without an argument in the innermost frame, @value{GDBN} stops
3559 the next time it reaches the current location; this may be useful
3560 inside loops.
3561
3562 @value{GDBN} normally ignores breakpoints when it resumes execution, until at
3563 least one instruction has been executed. If it did not do this, you
3564 would be unable to proceed past a breakpoint without first disabling the
3565 breakpoint. This rule applies whether or not the breakpoint already
3566 existed when your program stopped.
3567
3568 @item break @dots{} if @var{cond}
3569 Set a breakpoint with condition @var{cond}; evaluate the expression
3570 @var{cond} each time the breakpoint is reached, and stop only if the
3571 value is nonzero---that is, if @var{cond} evaluates as true.
3572 @samp{@dots{}} stands for one of the possible arguments described
3573 above (or no argument) specifying where to break. @xref{Conditions,
3574 ,Break Conditions}, for more information on breakpoint conditions.
3575
3576 @kindex tbreak
3577 @item tbreak @var{args}
3578 Set a breakpoint enabled only for one stop. The @var{args} are the
3579 same as for the @code{break} command, and the breakpoint is set in the same
3580 way, but the breakpoint is automatically deleted after the first time your
3581 program stops there. @xref{Disabling, ,Disabling Breakpoints}.
3582
3583 @kindex hbreak
3584 @cindex hardware breakpoints
3585 @item hbreak @var{args}
3586 Set a hardware-assisted breakpoint. The @var{args} are the same as for the
3587 @code{break} command and the breakpoint is set in the same way, but the
3588 breakpoint requires hardware support and some target hardware may not
3589 have this support. The main purpose of this is EPROM/ROM code
3590 debugging, so you can set a breakpoint at an instruction without
3591 changing the instruction. This can be used with the new trap-generation
3592 provided by SPARClite DSU and most x86-based targets. These targets
3593 will generate traps when a program accesses some data or instruction
3594 address that is assigned to the debug registers. However the hardware
3595 breakpoint registers can take a limited number of breakpoints. For
3596 example, on the DSU, only two data breakpoints can be set at a time, and
3597 @value{GDBN} will reject this command if more than two are used. Delete
3598 or disable unused hardware breakpoints before setting new ones
3599 (@pxref{Disabling, ,Disabling Breakpoints}).
3600 @xref{Conditions, ,Break Conditions}.
3601 For remote targets, you can restrict the number of hardware
3602 breakpoints @value{GDBN} will use, see @ref{set remote
3603 hardware-breakpoint-limit}.
3604
3605 @kindex thbreak
3606 @item thbreak @var{args}
3607 Set a hardware-assisted breakpoint enabled only for one stop. The @var{args}
3608 are the same as for the @code{hbreak} command and the breakpoint is set in
3609 the same way. However, like the @code{tbreak} command,
3610 the breakpoint is automatically deleted after the
3611 first time your program stops there. Also, like the @code{hbreak}
3612 command, the breakpoint requires hardware support and some target hardware
3613 may not have this support. @xref{Disabling, ,Disabling Breakpoints}.
3614 See also @ref{Conditions, ,Break Conditions}.
3615
3616 @kindex rbreak
3617 @cindex regular expression
3618 @cindex breakpoints at functions matching a regexp
3619 @cindex set breakpoints in many functions
3620 @item rbreak @var{regex}
3621 Set breakpoints on all functions matching the regular expression
3622 @var{regex}. This command sets an unconditional breakpoint on all
3623 matches, printing a list of all breakpoints it set. Once these
3624 breakpoints are set, they are treated just like the breakpoints set with
3625 the @code{break} command. You can delete them, disable them, or make
3626 them conditional the same way as any other breakpoint.
3627
3628 The syntax of the regular expression is the standard one used with tools
3629 like @file{grep}. Note that this is different from the syntax used by
3630 shells, so for instance @code{foo*} matches all functions that include
3631 an @code{fo} followed by zero or more @code{o}s. There is an implicit
3632 @code{.*} leading and trailing the regular expression you supply, so to
3633 match only functions that begin with @code{foo}, use @code{^foo}.
3634
3635 @cindex non-member C@t{++} functions, set breakpoint in
3636 When debugging C@t{++} programs, @code{rbreak} is useful for setting
3637 breakpoints on overloaded functions that are not members of any special
3638 classes.
3639
3640 @cindex set breakpoints on all functions
3641 The @code{rbreak} command can be used to set breakpoints in
3642 @strong{all} the functions in a program, like this:
3643
3644 @smallexample
3645 (@value{GDBP}) rbreak .
3646 @end smallexample
3647
3648 @item rbreak @var{file}:@var{regex}
3649 If @code{rbreak} is called with a filename qualification, it limits
3650 the search for functions matching the given regular expression to the
3651 specified @var{file}. This can be used, for example, to set breakpoints on
3652 every function in a given file:
3653
3654 @smallexample
3655 (@value{GDBP}) rbreak file.c:.
3656 @end smallexample
3657
3658 The colon separating the filename qualifier from the regex may
3659 optionally be surrounded by spaces.
3660
3661 @kindex info breakpoints
3662 @cindex @code{$_} and @code{info breakpoints}
3663 @item info breakpoints @r{[}@var{n}@dots{}@r{]}
3664 @itemx info break @r{[}@var{n}@dots{}@r{]}
3665 Print a table of all breakpoints, watchpoints, and catchpoints set and
3666 not deleted. Optional argument @var{n} means print information only
3667 about the specified breakpoint(s) (or watchpoint(s) or catchpoint(s)).
3668 For each breakpoint, following columns are printed:
3669
3670 @table @emph
3671 @item Breakpoint Numbers
3672 @item Type
3673 Breakpoint, watchpoint, or catchpoint.
3674 @item Disposition
3675 Whether the breakpoint is marked to be disabled or deleted when hit.
3676 @item Enabled or Disabled
3677 Enabled breakpoints are marked with @samp{y}. @samp{n} marks breakpoints
3678 that are not enabled.
3679 @item Address
3680 Where the breakpoint is in your program, as a memory address. For a
3681 pending breakpoint whose address is not yet known, this field will
3682 contain @samp{<PENDING>}. Such breakpoint won't fire until a shared
3683 library that has the symbol or line referred by breakpoint is loaded.
3684 See below for details. A breakpoint with several locations will
3685 have @samp{<MULTIPLE>} in this field---see below for details.
3686 @item What
3687 Where the breakpoint is in the source for your program, as a file and
3688 line number. For a pending breakpoint, the original string passed to
3689 the breakpoint command will be listed as it cannot be resolved until
3690 the appropriate shared library is loaded in the future.
3691 @end table
3692
3693 @noindent
3694 If a breakpoint is conditional, there are two evaluation modes: ``host'' and
3695 ``target''. If mode is ``host'', breakpoint condition evaluation is done by
3696 @value{GDBN} on the host's side. If it is ``target'', then the condition
3697 is evaluated by the target. The @code{info break} command shows
3698 the condition on the line following the affected breakpoint, together with
3699 its condition evaluation mode in between parentheses.
3700
3701 Breakpoint commands, if any, are listed after that. A pending breakpoint is
3702 allowed to have a condition specified for it. The condition is not parsed for
3703 validity until a shared library is loaded that allows the pending
3704 breakpoint to resolve to a valid location.
3705
3706 @noindent
3707 @code{info break} with a breakpoint
3708 number @var{n} as argument lists only that breakpoint. The
3709 convenience variable @code{$_} and the default examining-address for
3710 the @code{x} command are set to the address of the last breakpoint
3711 listed (@pxref{Memory, ,Examining Memory}).
3712
3713 @noindent
3714 @code{info break} displays a count of the number of times the breakpoint
3715 has been hit. This is especially useful in conjunction with the
3716 @code{ignore} command. You can ignore a large number of breakpoint
3717 hits, look at the breakpoint info to see how many times the breakpoint
3718 was hit, and then run again, ignoring one less than that number. This
3719 will get you quickly to the last hit of that breakpoint.
3720
3721 @noindent
3722 For a breakpoints with an enable count (xref) greater than 1,
3723 @code{info break} also displays that count.
3724
3725 @end table
3726
3727 @value{GDBN} allows you to set any number of breakpoints at the same place in
3728 your program. There is nothing silly or meaningless about this. When
3729 the breakpoints are conditional, this is even useful
3730 (@pxref{Conditions, ,Break Conditions}).
3731
3732 @cindex multiple locations, breakpoints
3733 @cindex breakpoints, multiple locations
3734 It is possible that a breakpoint corresponds to several locations
3735 in your program. Examples of this situation are:
3736
3737 @itemize @bullet
3738 @item
3739 Multiple functions in the program may have the same name.
3740
3741 @item
3742 For a C@t{++} constructor, the @value{NGCC} compiler generates several
3743 instances of the function body, used in different cases.
3744
3745 @item
3746 For a C@t{++} template function, a given line in the function can
3747 correspond to any number of instantiations.
3748
3749 @item
3750 For an inlined function, a given source line can correspond to
3751 several places where that function is inlined.
3752 @end itemize
3753
3754 In all those cases, @value{GDBN} will insert a breakpoint at all
3755 the relevant locations.
3756
3757 A breakpoint with multiple locations is displayed in the breakpoint
3758 table using several rows---one header row, followed by one row for
3759 each breakpoint location. The header row has @samp{<MULTIPLE>} in the
3760 address column. The rows for individual locations contain the actual
3761 addresses for locations, and show the functions to which those
3762 locations belong. The number column for a location is of the form
3763 @var{breakpoint-number}.@var{location-number}.
3764
3765 For example:
3766
3767 @smallexample
3768 Num Type Disp Enb Address What
3769 1 breakpoint keep y <MULTIPLE>
3770 stop only if i==1
3771 breakpoint already hit 1 time
3772 1.1 y 0x080486a2 in void foo<int>() at t.cc:8
3773 1.2 y 0x080486ca in void foo<double>() at t.cc:8
3774 @end smallexample
3775
3776 Each location can be individually enabled or disabled by passing
3777 @var{breakpoint-number}.@var{location-number} as argument to the
3778 @code{enable} and @code{disable} commands. Note that you cannot
3779 delete the individual locations from the list, you can only delete the
3780 entire list of locations that belong to their parent breakpoint (with
3781 the @kbd{delete @var{num}} command, where @var{num} is the number of
3782 the parent breakpoint, 1 in the above example). Disabling or enabling
3783 the parent breakpoint (@pxref{Disabling}) affects all of the locations
3784 that belong to that breakpoint.
3785
3786 @cindex pending breakpoints
3787 It's quite common to have a breakpoint inside a shared library.
3788 Shared libraries can be loaded and unloaded explicitly,
3789 and possibly repeatedly, as the program is executed. To support
3790 this use case, @value{GDBN} updates breakpoint locations whenever
3791 any shared library is loaded or unloaded. Typically, you would
3792 set a breakpoint in a shared library at the beginning of your
3793 debugging session, when the library is not loaded, and when the
3794 symbols from the library are not available. When you try to set
3795 breakpoint, @value{GDBN} will ask you if you want to set
3796 a so called @dfn{pending breakpoint}---breakpoint whose address
3797 is not yet resolved.
3798
3799 After the program is run, whenever a new shared library is loaded,
3800 @value{GDBN} reevaluates all the breakpoints. When a newly loaded
3801 shared library contains the symbol or line referred to by some
3802 pending breakpoint, that breakpoint is resolved and becomes an
3803 ordinary breakpoint. When a library is unloaded, all breakpoints
3804 that refer to its symbols or source lines become pending again.
3805
3806 This logic works for breakpoints with multiple locations, too. For
3807 example, if you have a breakpoint in a C@t{++} template function, and
3808 a newly loaded shared library has an instantiation of that template,
3809 a new location is added to the list of locations for the breakpoint.
3810
3811 Except for having unresolved address, pending breakpoints do not
3812 differ from regular breakpoints. You can set conditions or commands,
3813 enable and disable them and perform other breakpoint operations.
3814
3815 @value{GDBN} provides some additional commands for controlling what
3816 happens when the @samp{break} command cannot resolve breakpoint
3817 address specification to an address:
3818
3819 @kindex set breakpoint pending
3820 @kindex show breakpoint pending
3821 @table @code
3822 @item set breakpoint pending auto
3823 This is the default behavior. When @value{GDBN} cannot find the breakpoint
3824 location, it queries you whether a pending breakpoint should be created.
3825
3826 @item set breakpoint pending on
3827 This indicates that an unrecognized breakpoint location should automatically
3828 result in a pending breakpoint being created.
3829
3830 @item set breakpoint pending off
3831 This indicates that pending breakpoints are not to be created. Any
3832 unrecognized breakpoint location results in an error. This setting does
3833 not affect any pending breakpoints previously created.
3834
3835 @item show breakpoint pending
3836 Show the current behavior setting for creating pending breakpoints.
3837 @end table
3838
3839 The settings above only affect the @code{break} command and its
3840 variants. Once breakpoint is set, it will be automatically updated
3841 as shared libraries are loaded and unloaded.
3842
3843 @cindex automatic hardware breakpoints
3844 For some targets, @value{GDBN} can automatically decide if hardware or
3845 software breakpoints should be used, depending on whether the
3846 breakpoint address is read-only or read-write. This applies to
3847 breakpoints set with the @code{break} command as well as to internal
3848 breakpoints set by commands like @code{next} and @code{finish}. For
3849 breakpoints set with @code{hbreak}, @value{GDBN} will always use hardware
3850 breakpoints.
3851
3852 You can control this automatic behaviour with the following commands::
3853
3854 @kindex set breakpoint auto-hw
3855 @kindex show breakpoint auto-hw
3856 @table @code
3857 @item set breakpoint auto-hw on
3858 This is the default behavior. When @value{GDBN} sets a breakpoint, it
3859 will try to use the target memory map to decide if software or hardware
3860 breakpoint must be used.
3861
3862 @item set breakpoint auto-hw off
3863 This indicates @value{GDBN} should not automatically select breakpoint
3864 type. If the target provides a memory map, @value{GDBN} will warn when
3865 trying to set software breakpoint at a read-only address.
3866 @end table
3867
3868 @value{GDBN} normally implements breakpoints by replacing the program code
3869 at the breakpoint address with a special instruction, which, when
3870 executed, given control to the debugger. By default, the program
3871 code is so modified only when the program is resumed. As soon as
3872 the program stops, @value{GDBN} restores the original instructions. This
3873 behaviour guards against leaving breakpoints inserted in the
3874 target should gdb abrubptly disconnect. However, with slow remote
3875 targets, inserting and removing breakpoint can reduce the performance.
3876 This behavior can be controlled with the following commands::
3877
3878 @kindex set breakpoint always-inserted
3879 @kindex show breakpoint always-inserted
3880 @table @code
3881 @item set breakpoint always-inserted off
3882 All breakpoints, including newly added by the user, are inserted in
3883 the target only when the target is resumed. All breakpoints are
3884 removed from the target when it stops. This is the default mode.
3885
3886 @item set breakpoint always-inserted on
3887 Causes all breakpoints to be inserted in the target at all times. If
3888 the user adds a new breakpoint, or changes an existing breakpoint, the
3889 breakpoints in the target are updated immediately. A breakpoint is
3890 removed from the target only when breakpoint itself is deleted.
3891 @end table
3892
3893 @value{GDBN} handles conditional breakpoints by evaluating these conditions
3894 when a breakpoint breaks. If the condition is true, then the process being
3895 debugged stops, otherwise the process is resumed.
3896
3897 If the target supports evaluating conditions on its end, @value{GDBN} may
3898 download the breakpoint, together with its conditions, to it.
3899
3900 This feature can be controlled via the following commands:
3901
3902 @kindex set breakpoint condition-evaluation
3903 @kindex show breakpoint condition-evaluation
3904 @table @code
3905 @item set breakpoint condition-evaluation host
3906 This option commands @value{GDBN} to evaluate the breakpoint
3907 conditions on the host's side. Unconditional breakpoints are sent to
3908 the target which in turn receives the triggers and reports them back to GDB
3909 for condition evaluation. This is the standard evaluation mode.
3910
3911 @item set breakpoint condition-evaluation target
3912 This option commands @value{GDBN} to download breakpoint conditions
3913 to the target at the moment of their insertion. The target
3914 is responsible for evaluating the conditional expression and reporting
3915 breakpoint stop events back to @value{GDBN} whenever the condition
3916 is true. Due to limitations of target-side evaluation, some conditions
3917 cannot be evaluated there, e.g., conditions that depend on local data
3918 that is only known to the host. Examples include
3919 conditional expressions involving convenience variables, complex types
3920 that cannot be handled by the agent expression parser and expressions
3921 that are too long to be sent over to the target, specially when the
3922 target is a remote system. In these cases, the conditions will be
3923 evaluated by @value{GDBN}.
3924
3925 @item set breakpoint condition-evaluation auto
3926 This is the default mode. If the target supports evaluating breakpoint
3927 conditions on its end, @value{GDBN} will download breakpoint conditions to
3928 the target (limitations mentioned previously apply). If the target does
3929 not support breakpoint condition evaluation, then @value{GDBN} will fallback
3930 to evaluating all these conditions on the host's side.
3931 @end table
3932
3933
3934 @cindex negative breakpoint numbers
3935 @cindex internal @value{GDBN} breakpoints
3936 @value{GDBN} itself sometimes sets breakpoints in your program for
3937 special purposes, such as proper handling of @code{longjmp} (in C
3938 programs). These internal breakpoints are assigned negative numbers,
3939 starting with @code{-1}; @samp{info breakpoints} does not display them.
3940 You can see these breakpoints with the @value{GDBN} maintenance command
3941 @samp{maint info breakpoints} (@pxref{maint info breakpoints}).
3942
3943
3944 @node Set Watchpoints
3945 @subsection Setting Watchpoints
3946
3947 @cindex setting watchpoints
3948 You can use a watchpoint to stop execution whenever the value of an
3949 expression changes, without having to predict a particular place where
3950 this may happen. (This is sometimes called a @dfn{data breakpoint}.)
3951 The expression may be as simple as the value of a single variable, or
3952 as complex as many variables combined by operators. Examples include:
3953
3954 @itemize @bullet
3955 @item
3956 A reference to the value of a single variable.
3957
3958 @item
3959 An address cast to an appropriate data type. For example,
3960 @samp{*(int *)0x12345678} will watch a 4-byte region at the specified
3961 address (assuming an @code{int} occupies 4 bytes).
3962
3963 @item
3964 An arbitrarily complex expression, such as @samp{a*b + c/d}. The
3965 expression can use any operators valid in the program's native
3966 language (@pxref{Languages}).
3967 @end itemize
3968
3969 You can set a watchpoint on an expression even if the expression can
3970 not be evaluated yet. For instance, you can set a watchpoint on
3971 @samp{*global_ptr} before @samp{global_ptr} is initialized.
3972 @value{GDBN} will stop when your program sets @samp{global_ptr} and
3973 the expression produces a valid value. If the expression becomes
3974 valid in some other way than changing a variable (e.g.@: if the memory
3975 pointed to by @samp{*global_ptr} becomes readable as the result of a
3976 @code{malloc} call), @value{GDBN} may not stop until the next time
3977 the expression changes.
3978
3979 @cindex software watchpoints
3980 @cindex hardware watchpoints
3981 Depending on your system, watchpoints may be implemented in software or
3982 hardware. @value{GDBN} does software watchpointing by single-stepping your
3983 program and testing the variable's value each time, which is hundreds of
3984 times slower than normal execution. (But this may still be worth it, to
3985 catch errors where you have no clue what part of your program is the
3986 culprit.)
3987
3988 On some systems, such as HP-UX, PowerPC, @sc{gnu}/Linux and most other
3989 x86-based targets, @value{GDBN} includes support for hardware
3990 watchpoints, which do not slow down the running of your program.
3991
3992 @table @code
3993 @kindex watch
3994 @item watch @r{[}-l@r{|}-location@r{]} @var{expr} @r{[}thread @var{threadnum}@r{]} @r{[}mask @var{maskvalue}@r{]}
3995 Set a watchpoint for an expression. @value{GDBN} will break when the
3996 expression @var{expr} is written into by the program and its value
3997 changes. The simplest (and the most popular) use of this command is
3998 to watch the value of a single variable:
3999
4000 @smallexample
4001 (@value{GDBP}) watch foo
4002 @end smallexample
4003
4004 If the command includes a @code{@r{[}thread @var{threadnum}@r{]}}
4005 argument, @value{GDBN} breaks only when the thread identified by
4006 @var{threadnum} changes the value of @var{expr}. If any other threads
4007 change the value of @var{expr}, @value{GDBN} will not break. Note
4008 that watchpoints restricted to a single thread in this way only work
4009 with Hardware Watchpoints.
4010
4011 Ordinarily a watchpoint respects the scope of variables in @var{expr}
4012 (see below). The @code{-location} argument tells @value{GDBN} to
4013 instead watch the memory referred to by @var{expr}. In this case,
4014 @value{GDBN} will evaluate @var{expr}, take the address of the result,
4015 and watch the memory at that address. The type of the result is used
4016 to determine the size of the watched memory. If the expression's
4017 result does not have an address, then @value{GDBN} will print an
4018 error.
4019
4020 The @code{@r{[}mask @var{maskvalue}@r{]}} argument allows creation
4021 of masked watchpoints, if the current architecture supports this
4022 feature (e.g., PowerPC Embedded architecture, see @ref{PowerPC
4023 Embedded}.) A @dfn{masked watchpoint} specifies a mask in addition
4024 to an address to watch. The mask specifies that some bits of an address
4025 (the bits which are reset in the mask) should be ignored when matching
4026 the address accessed by the inferior against the watchpoint address.
4027 Thus, a masked watchpoint watches many addresses simultaneously---those
4028 addresses whose unmasked bits are identical to the unmasked bits in the
4029 watchpoint address. The @code{mask} argument implies @code{-location}.
4030 Examples:
4031
4032 @smallexample
4033 (@value{GDBP}) watch foo mask 0xffff00ff
4034 (@value{GDBP}) watch *0xdeadbeef mask 0xffffff00
4035 @end smallexample
4036
4037 @kindex rwatch
4038 @item rwatch @r{[}-l@r{|}-location@r{]} @var{expr} @r{[}thread @var{threadnum}@r{]} @r{[}mask @var{maskvalue}@r{]}
4039 Set a watchpoint that will break when the value of @var{expr} is read
4040 by the program.
4041
4042 @kindex awatch
4043 @item awatch @r{[}-l@r{|}-location@r{]} @var{expr} @r{[}thread @var{threadnum}@r{]} @r{[}mask @var{maskvalue}@r{]}
4044 Set a watchpoint that will break when @var{expr} is either read from
4045 or written into by the program.
4046
4047 @kindex info watchpoints @r{[}@var{n}@dots{}@r{]}
4048 @item info watchpoints @r{[}@var{n}@dots{}@r{]}
4049 This command prints a list of watchpoints, using the same format as
4050 @code{info break} (@pxref{Set Breaks}).
4051 @end table
4052
4053 If you watch for a change in a numerically entered address you need to
4054 dereference it, as the address itself is just a constant number which will
4055 never change. @value{GDBN} refuses to create a watchpoint that watches
4056 a never-changing value:
4057
4058 @smallexample
4059 (@value{GDBP}) watch 0x600850
4060 Cannot watch constant value 0x600850.
4061 (@value{GDBP}) watch *(int *) 0x600850
4062 Watchpoint 1: *(int *) 6293584
4063 @end smallexample
4064
4065 @value{GDBN} sets a @dfn{hardware watchpoint} if possible. Hardware
4066 watchpoints execute very quickly, and the debugger reports a change in
4067 value at the exact instruction where the change occurs. If @value{GDBN}
4068 cannot set a hardware watchpoint, it sets a software watchpoint, which
4069 executes more slowly and reports the change in value at the next
4070 @emph{statement}, not the instruction, after the change occurs.
4071
4072 @cindex use only software watchpoints
4073 You can force @value{GDBN} to use only software watchpoints with the
4074 @kbd{set can-use-hw-watchpoints 0} command. With this variable set to
4075 zero, @value{GDBN} will never try to use hardware watchpoints, even if
4076 the underlying system supports them. (Note that hardware-assisted
4077 watchpoints that were set @emph{before} setting
4078 @code{can-use-hw-watchpoints} to zero will still use the hardware
4079 mechanism of watching expression values.)
4080
4081 @table @code
4082 @item set can-use-hw-watchpoints
4083 @kindex set can-use-hw-watchpoints
4084 Set whether or not to use hardware watchpoints.
4085
4086 @item show can-use-hw-watchpoints
4087 @kindex show can-use-hw-watchpoints
4088 Show the current mode of using hardware watchpoints.
4089 @end table
4090
4091 For remote targets, you can restrict the number of hardware
4092 watchpoints @value{GDBN} will use, see @ref{set remote
4093 hardware-breakpoint-limit}.
4094
4095 When you issue the @code{watch} command, @value{GDBN} reports
4096
4097 @smallexample
4098 Hardware watchpoint @var{num}: @var{expr}
4099 @end smallexample
4100
4101 @noindent
4102 if it was able to set a hardware watchpoint.
4103
4104 Currently, the @code{awatch} and @code{rwatch} commands can only set
4105 hardware watchpoints, because accesses to data that don't change the
4106 value of the watched expression cannot be detected without examining
4107 every instruction as it is being executed, and @value{GDBN} does not do
4108 that currently. If @value{GDBN} finds that it is unable to set a
4109 hardware breakpoint with the @code{awatch} or @code{rwatch} command, it
4110 will print a message like this:
4111
4112 @smallexample
4113 Expression cannot be implemented with read/access watchpoint.
4114 @end smallexample
4115
4116 Sometimes, @value{GDBN} cannot set a hardware watchpoint because the
4117 data type of the watched expression is wider than what a hardware
4118 watchpoint on the target machine can handle. For example, some systems
4119 can only watch regions that are up to 4 bytes wide; on such systems you
4120 cannot set hardware watchpoints for an expression that yields a
4121 double-precision floating-point number (which is typically 8 bytes
4122 wide). As a work-around, it might be possible to break the large region
4123 into a series of smaller ones and watch them with separate watchpoints.
4124
4125 If you set too many hardware watchpoints, @value{GDBN} might be unable
4126 to insert all of them when you resume the execution of your program.
4127 Since the precise number of active watchpoints is unknown until such
4128 time as the program is about to be resumed, @value{GDBN} might not be
4129 able to warn you about this when you set the watchpoints, and the
4130 warning will be printed only when the program is resumed:
4131
4132 @smallexample
4133 Hardware watchpoint @var{num}: Could not insert watchpoint
4134 @end smallexample
4135
4136 @noindent
4137 If this happens, delete or disable some of the watchpoints.
4138
4139 Watching complex expressions that reference many variables can also
4140 exhaust the resources available for hardware-assisted watchpoints.
4141 That's because @value{GDBN} needs to watch every variable in the
4142 expression with separately allocated resources.
4143
4144 If you call a function interactively using @code{print} or @code{call},
4145 any watchpoints you have set will be inactive until @value{GDBN} reaches another
4146 kind of breakpoint or the call completes.
4147
4148 @value{GDBN} automatically deletes watchpoints that watch local
4149 (automatic) variables, or expressions that involve such variables, when
4150 they go out of scope, that is, when the execution leaves the block in
4151 which these variables were defined. In particular, when the program
4152 being debugged terminates, @emph{all} local variables go out of scope,
4153 and so only watchpoints that watch global variables remain set. If you
4154 rerun the program, you will need to set all such watchpoints again. One
4155 way of doing that would be to set a code breakpoint at the entry to the
4156 @code{main} function and when it breaks, set all the watchpoints.
4157
4158 @cindex watchpoints and threads
4159 @cindex threads and watchpoints
4160 In multi-threaded programs, watchpoints will detect changes to the
4161 watched expression from every thread.
4162
4163 @quotation
4164 @emph{Warning:} In multi-threaded programs, software watchpoints
4165 have only limited usefulness. If @value{GDBN} creates a software
4166 watchpoint, it can only watch the value of an expression @emph{in a
4167 single thread}. If you are confident that the expression can only
4168 change due to the current thread's activity (and if you are also
4169 confident that no other thread can become current), then you can use
4170 software watchpoints as usual. However, @value{GDBN} may not notice
4171 when a non-current thread's activity changes the expression. (Hardware
4172 watchpoints, in contrast, watch an expression in all threads.)
4173 @end quotation
4174
4175 @xref{set remote hardware-watchpoint-limit}.
4176
4177 @node Set Catchpoints
4178 @subsection Setting Catchpoints
4179 @cindex catchpoints, setting
4180 @cindex exception handlers
4181 @cindex event handling
4182
4183 You can use @dfn{catchpoints} to cause the debugger to stop for certain
4184 kinds of program events, such as C@t{++} exceptions or the loading of a
4185 shared library. Use the @code{catch} command to set a catchpoint.
4186
4187 @table @code
4188 @kindex catch
4189 @item catch @var{event}
4190 Stop when @var{event} occurs. The @var{event} can be any of the following:
4191
4192 @table @code
4193 @item throw @r{[}@var{regexp}@r{]}
4194 @itemx rethrow @r{[}@var{regexp}@r{]}
4195 @itemx catch @r{[}@var{regexp}@r{]}
4196 @kindex catch throw
4197 @kindex catch rethrow
4198 @kindex catch catch
4199 @cindex stop on C@t{++} exceptions
4200 The throwing, re-throwing, or catching of a C@t{++} exception.
4201
4202 If @var{regexp} is given, then only exceptions whose type matches the
4203 regular expression will be caught.
4204
4205 @vindex $_exception@r{, convenience variable}
4206 The convenience variable @code{$_exception} is available at an
4207 exception-related catchpoint, on some systems. This holds the
4208 exception being thrown.
4209
4210 There are currently some limitations to C@t{++} exception handling in
4211 @value{GDBN}:
4212
4213 @itemize @bullet
4214 @item
4215 The support for these commands is system-dependent. Currently, only
4216 systems using the @samp{gnu-v3} C@t{++} ABI (@pxref{ABI}) are
4217 supported.
4218
4219 @item
4220 The regular expression feature and the @code{$_exception} convenience
4221 variable rely on the presence of some SDT probes in @code{libstdc++}.
4222 If these probes are not present, then these features cannot be used.
4223 These probes were first available in the GCC 4.8 release, but whether
4224 or not they are available in your GCC also depends on how it was
4225 built.
4226
4227 @item
4228 The @code{$_exception} convenience variable is only valid at the
4229 instruction at which an exception-related catchpoint is set.
4230
4231 @item
4232 When an exception-related catchpoint is hit, @value{GDBN} stops at a
4233 location in the system library which implements runtime exception
4234 support for C@t{++}, usually @code{libstdc++}. You can use @code{up}
4235 (@pxref{Selection}) to get to your code.
4236
4237 @item
4238 If you call a function interactively, @value{GDBN} normally returns
4239 control to you when the function has finished executing. If the call
4240 raises an exception, however, the call may bypass the mechanism that
4241 returns control to you and cause your program either to abort or to
4242 simply continue running until it hits a breakpoint, catches a signal
4243 that @value{GDBN} is listening for, or exits. This is the case even if
4244 you set a catchpoint for the exception; catchpoints on exceptions are
4245 disabled within interactive calls. @xref{Calling}, for information on
4246 controlling this with @code{set unwind-on-terminating-exception}.
4247
4248 @item
4249 You cannot raise an exception interactively.
4250
4251 @item
4252 You cannot install an exception handler interactively.
4253 @end itemize
4254
4255 @item exception
4256 @kindex catch exception
4257 @cindex Ada exception catching
4258 @cindex catch Ada exceptions
4259 An Ada exception being raised. If an exception name is specified
4260 at the end of the command (eg @code{catch exception Program_Error}),
4261 the debugger will stop only when this specific exception is raised.
4262 Otherwise, the debugger stops execution when any Ada exception is raised.
4263
4264 When inserting an exception catchpoint on a user-defined exception whose
4265 name is identical to one of the exceptions defined by the language, the
4266 fully qualified name must be used as the exception name. Otherwise,
4267 @value{GDBN} will assume that it should stop on the pre-defined exception
4268 rather than the user-defined one. For instance, assuming an exception
4269 called @code{Constraint_Error} is defined in package @code{Pck}, then
4270 the command to use to catch such exceptions is @kbd{catch exception
4271 Pck.Constraint_Error}.
4272
4273 @item exception unhandled
4274 @kindex catch exception unhandled
4275 An exception that was raised but is not handled by the program.
4276
4277 @item assert
4278 @kindex catch assert
4279 A failed Ada assertion.
4280
4281 @item exec
4282 @kindex catch exec
4283 @cindex break on fork/exec
4284 A call to @code{exec}. This is currently only available for HP-UX
4285 and @sc{gnu}/Linux.
4286
4287 @item syscall
4288 @itemx syscall @r{[}@var{name} @r{|} @var{number}@r{]} @dots{}
4289 @kindex catch syscall
4290 @cindex break on a system call.
4291 A call to or return from a system call, a.k.a.@: @dfn{syscall}. A
4292 syscall is a mechanism for application programs to request a service
4293 from the operating system (OS) or one of the OS system services.
4294 @value{GDBN} can catch some or all of the syscalls issued by the
4295 debuggee, and show the related information for each syscall. If no
4296 argument is specified, calls to and returns from all system calls
4297 will be caught.
4298
4299 @var{name} can be any system call name that is valid for the
4300 underlying OS. Just what syscalls are valid depends on the OS. On
4301 GNU and Unix systems, you can find the full list of valid syscall
4302 names on @file{/usr/include/asm/unistd.h}.
4303
4304 @c For MS-Windows, the syscall names and the corresponding numbers
4305 @c can be found, e.g., on this URL:
4306 @c http://www.metasploit.com/users/opcode/syscalls.html
4307 @c but we don't support Windows syscalls yet.
4308
4309 Normally, @value{GDBN} knows in advance which syscalls are valid for
4310 each OS, so you can use the @value{GDBN} command-line completion
4311 facilities (@pxref{Completion,, command completion}) to list the
4312 available choices.
4313
4314 You may also specify the system call numerically. A syscall's
4315 number is the value passed to the OS's syscall dispatcher to
4316 identify the requested service. When you specify the syscall by its
4317 name, @value{GDBN} uses its database of syscalls to convert the name
4318 into the corresponding numeric code, but using the number directly
4319 may be useful if @value{GDBN}'s database does not have the complete
4320 list of syscalls on your system (e.g., because @value{GDBN} lags
4321 behind the OS upgrades).
4322
4323 The example below illustrates how this command works if you don't provide
4324 arguments to it:
4325
4326 @smallexample
4327 (@value{GDBP}) catch syscall
4328 Catchpoint 1 (syscall)
4329 (@value{GDBP}) r
4330 Starting program: /tmp/catch-syscall
4331
4332 Catchpoint 1 (call to syscall 'close'), \
4333 0xffffe424 in __kernel_vsyscall ()
4334 (@value{GDBP}) c
4335 Continuing.
4336
4337 Catchpoint 1 (returned from syscall 'close'), \
4338 0xffffe424 in __kernel_vsyscall ()
4339 (@value{GDBP})
4340 @end smallexample
4341
4342 Here is an example of catching a system call by name:
4343
4344 @smallexample
4345 (@value{GDBP}) catch syscall chroot
4346 Catchpoint 1 (syscall 'chroot' [61])
4347 (@value{GDBP}) r
4348 Starting program: /tmp/catch-syscall
4349
4350 Catchpoint 1 (call to syscall 'chroot'), \
4351 0xffffe424 in __kernel_vsyscall ()
4352 (@value{GDBP}) c
4353 Continuing.
4354
4355 Catchpoint 1 (returned from syscall 'chroot'), \
4356 0xffffe424 in __kernel_vsyscall ()
4357 (@value{GDBP})
4358 @end smallexample
4359
4360 An example of specifying a system call numerically. In the case
4361 below, the syscall number has a corresponding entry in the XML
4362 file, so @value{GDBN} finds its name and prints it:
4363
4364 @smallexample
4365 (@value{GDBP}) catch syscall 252
4366 Catchpoint 1 (syscall(s) 'exit_group')
4367 (@value{GDBP}) r
4368 Starting program: /tmp/catch-syscall
4369
4370 Catchpoint 1 (call to syscall 'exit_group'), \
4371 0xffffe424 in __kernel_vsyscall ()
4372 (@value{GDBP}) c
4373 Continuing.
4374
4375 Program exited normally.
4376 (@value{GDBP})
4377 @end smallexample
4378
4379 However, there can be situations when there is no corresponding name
4380 in XML file for that syscall number. In this case, @value{GDBN} prints
4381 a warning message saying that it was not able to find the syscall name,
4382 but the catchpoint will be set anyway. See the example below:
4383
4384 @smallexample
4385 (@value{GDBP}) catch syscall 764
4386 warning: The number '764' does not represent a known syscall.
4387 Catchpoint 2 (syscall 764)
4388 (@value{GDBP})
4389 @end smallexample
4390
4391 If you configure @value{GDBN} using the @samp{--without-expat} option,
4392 it will not be able to display syscall names. Also, if your
4393 architecture does not have an XML file describing its system calls,
4394 you will not be able to see the syscall names. It is important to
4395 notice that these two features are used for accessing the syscall
4396 name database. In either case, you will see a warning like this:
4397
4398 @smallexample
4399 (@value{GDBP}) catch syscall
4400 warning: Could not open "syscalls/i386-linux.xml"
4401 warning: Could not load the syscall XML file 'syscalls/i386-linux.xml'.
4402 GDB will not be able to display syscall names.
4403 Catchpoint 1 (syscall)
4404 (@value{GDBP})
4405 @end smallexample
4406
4407 Of course, the file name will change depending on your architecture and system.
4408
4409 Still using the example above, you can also try to catch a syscall by its
4410 number. In this case, you would see something like:
4411
4412 @smallexample
4413 (@value{GDBP}) catch syscall 252
4414 Catchpoint 1 (syscall(s) 252)
4415 @end smallexample
4416
4417 Again, in this case @value{GDBN} would not be able to display syscall's names.
4418
4419 @item fork
4420 @kindex catch fork
4421 A call to @code{fork}. This is currently only available for HP-UX
4422 and @sc{gnu}/Linux.
4423
4424 @item vfork
4425 @kindex catch vfork
4426 A call to @code{vfork}. This is currently only available for HP-UX
4427 and @sc{gnu}/Linux.
4428
4429 @item load @r{[}regexp@r{]}
4430 @itemx unload @r{[}regexp@r{]}
4431 @kindex catch load
4432 @kindex catch unload
4433 The loading or unloading of a shared library. If @var{regexp} is
4434 given, then the catchpoint will stop only if the regular expression
4435 matches one of the affected libraries.
4436
4437 @item signal @r{[}@var{signal}@dots{} @r{|} @samp{all}@r{]}
4438 @kindex catch signal
4439 The delivery of a signal.
4440
4441 With no arguments, this catchpoint will catch any signal that is not
4442 used internally by @value{GDBN}, specifically, all signals except
4443 @samp{SIGTRAP} and @samp{SIGINT}.
4444
4445 With the argument @samp{all}, all signals, including those used by
4446 @value{GDBN}, will be caught. This argument cannot be used with other
4447 signal names.
4448
4449 Otherwise, the arguments are a list of signal names as given to
4450 @code{handle} (@pxref{Signals}). Only signals specified in this list
4451 will be caught.
4452
4453 One reason that @code{catch signal} can be more useful than
4454 @code{handle} is that you can attach commands and conditions to the
4455 catchpoint.
4456
4457 When a signal is caught by a catchpoint, the signal's @code{stop} and
4458 @code{print} settings, as specified by @code{handle}, are ignored.
4459 However, whether the signal is still delivered to the inferior depends
4460 on the @code{pass} setting; this can be changed in the catchpoint's
4461 commands.
4462
4463 @end table
4464
4465 @item tcatch @var{event}
4466 @kindex tcatch
4467 Set a catchpoint that is enabled only for one stop. The catchpoint is
4468 automatically deleted after the first time the event is caught.
4469
4470 @end table
4471
4472 Use the @code{info break} command to list the current catchpoints.
4473
4474
4475 @node Delete Breaks
4476 @subsection Deleting Breakpoints
4477
4478 @cindex clearing breakpoints, watchpoints, catchpoints
4479 @cindex deleting breakpoints, watchpoints, catchpoints
4480 It is often necessary to eliminate a breakpoint, watchpoint, or
4481 catchpoint once it has done its job and you no longer want your program
4482 to stop there. This is called @dfn{deleting} the breakpoint. A
4483 breakpoint that has been deleted no longer exists; it is forgotten.
4484
4485 With the @code{clear} command you can delete breakpoints according to
4486 where they are in your program. With the @code{delete} command you can
4487 delete individual breakpoints, watchpoints, or catchpoints by specifying
4488 their breakpoint numbers.
4489
4490 It is not necessary to delete a breakpoint to proceed past it. @value{GDBN}
4491 automatically ignores breakpoints on the first instruction to be executed
4492 when you continue execution without changing the execution address.
4493
4494 @table @code
4495 @kindex clear
4496 @item clear
4497 Delete any breakpoints at the next instruction to be executed in the
4498 selected stack frame (@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}). When
4499 the innermost frame is selected, this is a good way to delete a
4500 breakpoint where your program just stopped.
4501
4502 @item clear @var{location}
4503 Delete any breakpoints set at the specified @var{location}.
4504 @xref{Specify Location}, for the various forms of @var{location}; the
4505 most useful ones are listed below:
4506
4507 @table @code
4508 @item clear @var{function}
4509 @itemx clear @var{filename}:@var{function}
4510 Delete any breakpoints set at entry to the named @var{function}.
4511
4512 @item clear @var{linenum}
4513 @itemx clear @var{filename}:@var{linenum}
4514 Delete any breakpoints set at or within the code of the specified
4515 @var{linenum} of the specified @var{filename}.
4516 @end table
4517
4518 @cindex delete breakpoints
4519 @kindex delete
4520 @kindex d @r{(@code{delete})}
4521 @item delete @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} @r{[}@var{range}@dots{}@r{]}
4522 Delete the breakpoints, watchpoints, or catchpoints of the breakpoint
4523 ranges specified as arguments. If no argument is specified, delete all
4524 breakpoints (@value{GDBN} asks confirmation, unless you have @code{set
4525 confirm off}). You can abbreviate this command as @code{d}.
4526 @end table
4527
4528 @node Disabling
4529 @subsection Disabling Breakpoints
4530
4531 @cindex enable/disable a breakpoint
4532 Rather than deleting a breakpoint, watchpoint, or catchpoint, you might
4533 prefer to @dfn{disable} it. This makes the breakpoint inoperative as if
4534 it had been deleted, but remembers the information on the breakpoint so
4535 that you can @dfn{enable} it again later.
4536
4537 You disable and enable breakpoints, watchpoints, and catchpoints with
4538 the @code{enable} and @code{disable} commands, optionally specifying
4539 one or more breakpoint numbers as arguments. Use @code{info break} to
4540 print a list of all breakpoints, watchpoints, and catchpoints if you
4541 do not know which numbers to use.
4542
4543 Disabling and enabling a breakpoint that has multiple locations
4544 affects all of its locations.
4545
4546 A breakpoint, watchpoint, or catchpoint can have any of several
4547 different states of enablement:
4548
4549 @itemize @bullet
4550 @item
4551 Enabled. The breakpoint stops your program. A breakpoint set
4552 with the @code{break} command starts out in this state.
4553 @item
4554 Disabled. The breakpoint has no effect on your program.
4555 @item
4556 Enabled once. The breakpoint stops your program, but then becomes
4557 disabled.
4558 @item
4559 Enabled for a count. The breakpoint stops your program for the next
4560 N times, then becomes disabled.
4561 @item
4562 Enabled for deletion. The breakpoint stops your program, but
4563 immediately after it does so it is deleted permanently. A breakpoint
4564 set with the @code{tbreak} command starts out in this state.
4565 @end itemize
4566
4567 You can use the following commands to enable or disable breakpoints,
4568 watchpoints, and catchpoints:
4569
4570 @table @code
4571 @kindex disable
4572 @kindex dis @r{(@code{disable})}
4573 @item disable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} @r{[}@var{range}@dots{}@r{]}
4574 Disable the specified breakpoints---or all breakpoints, if none are
4575 listed. A disabled breakpoint has no effect but is not forgotten. All
4576 options such as ignore-counts, conditions and commands are remembered in
4577 case the breakpoint is enabled again later. You may abbreviate
4578 @code{disable} as @code{dis}.
4579
4580 @kindex enable
4581 @item enable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} @r{[}@var{range}@dots{}@r{]}
4582 Enable the specified breakpoints (or all defined breakpoints). They
4583 become effective once again in stopping your program.
4584
4585 @item enable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} once @var{range}@dots{}
4586 Enable the specified breakpoints temporarily. @value{GDBN} disables any
4587 of these breakpoints immediately after stopping your program.
4588
4589 @item enable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} count @var{count} @var{range}@dots{}
4590 Enable the specified breakpoints temporarily. @value{GDBN} records
4591 @var{count} with each of the specified breakpoints, and decrements a
4592 breakpoint's count when it is hit. When any count reaches 0,
4593 @value{GDBN} disables that breakpoint. If a breakpoint has an ignore
4594 count (@pxref{Conditions, ,Break Conditions}), that will be
4595 decremented to 0 before @var{count} is affected.
4596
4597 @item enable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} delete @var{range}@dots{}
4598 Enable the specified breakpoints to work once, then die. @value{GDBN}
4599 deletes any of these breakpoints as soon as your program stops there.
4600 Breakpoints set by the @code{tbreak} command start out in this state.
4601 @end table
4602
4603 @c FIXME: I think the following ``Except for [...] @code{tbreak}'' is
4604 @c confusing: tbreak is also initially enabled.
4605 Except for a breakpoint set with @code{tbreak} (@pxref{Set Breaks,
4606 ,Setting Breakpoints}), breakpoints that you set are initially enabled;
4607 subsequently, they become disabled or enabled only when you use one of
4608 the commands above. (The command @code{until} can set and delete a
4609 breakpoint of its own, but it does not change the state of your other
4610 breakpoints; see @ref{Continuing and Stepping, ,Continuing and
4611 Stepping}.)
4612
4613 @node Conditions
4614 @subsection Break Conditions
4615 @cindex conditional breakpoints
4616 @cindex breakpoint conditions
4617
4618 @c FIXME what is scope of break condition expr? Context where wanted?
4619 @c in particular for a watchpoint?
4620 The simplest sort of breakpoint breaks every time your program reaches a
4621 specified place. You can also specify a @dfn{condition} for a
4622 breakpoint. A condition is just a Boolean expression in your
4623 programming language (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}). A breakpoint with
4624 a condition evaluates the expression each time your program reaches it,
4625 and your program stops only if the condition is @emph{true}.
4626
4627 This is the converse of using assertions for program validation; in that
4628 situation, you want to stop when the assertion is violated---that is,
4629 when the condition is false. In C, if you want to test an assertion expressed
4630 by the condition @var{assert}, you should set the condition
4631 @samp{! @var{assert}} on the appropriate breakpoint.
4632
4633 Conditions are also accepted for watchpoints; you may not need them,
4634 since a watchpoint is inspecting the value of an expression anyhow---but
4635 it might be simpler, say, to just set a watchpoint on a variable name,
4636 and specify a condition that tests whether the new value is an interesting
4637 one.
4638
4639 Break conditions can have side effects, and may even call functions in
4640 your program. This can be useful, for example, to activate functions
4641 that log program progress, or to use your own print functions to
4642 format special data structures. The effects are completely predictable
4643 unless there is another enabled breakpoint at the same address. (In
4644 that case, @value{GDBN} might see the other breakpoint first and stop your
4645 program without checking the condition of this one.) Note that
4646 breakpoint commands are usually more convenient and flexible than break
4647 conditions for the
4648 purpose of performing side effects when a breakpoint is reached
4649 (@pxref{Break Commands, ,Breakpoint Command Lists}).
4650
4651 Breakpoint conditions can also be evaluated on the target's side if
4652 the target supports it. Instead of evaluating the conditions locally,
4653 @value{GDBN} encodes the expression into an agent expression
4654 (@pxref{Agent Expressions}) suitable for execution on the target,
4655 independently of @value{GDBN}. Global variables become raw memory
4656 locations, locals become stack accesses, and so forth.
4657
4658 In this case, @value{GDBN} will only be notified of a breakpoint trigger
4659 when its condition evaluates to true. This mechanism may provide faster
4660 response times depending on the performance characteristics of the target
4661 since it does not need to keep @value{GDBN} informed about
4662 every breakpoint trigger, even those with false conditions.
4663
4664 Break conditions can be specified when a breakpoint is set, by using
4665 @samp{if} in the arguments to the @code{break} command. @xref{Set
4666 Breaks, ,Setting Breakpoints}. They can also be changed at any time
4667 with the @code{condition} command.
4668
4669 You can also use the @code{if} keyword with the @code{watch} command.
4670 The @code{catch} command does not recognize the @code{if} keyword;
4671 @code{condition} is the only way to impose a further condition on a
4672 catchpoint.
4673
4674 @table @code
4675 @kindex condition
4676 @item condition @var{bnum} @var{expression}
4677 Specify @var{expression} as the break condition for breakpoint,
4678 watchpoint, or catchpoint number @var{bnum}. After you set a condition,
4679 breakpoint @var{bnum} stops your program only if the value of
4680 @var{expression} is true (nonzero, in C). When you use
4681 @code{condition}, @value{GDBN} checks @var{expression} immediately for
4682 syntactic correctness, and to determine whether symbols in it have
4683 referents in the context of your breakpoint. If @var{expression} uses
4684 symbols not referenced in the context of the breakpoint, @value{GDBN}
4685 prints an error message:
4686
4687 @smallexample
4688 No symbol "foo" in current context.
4689 @end smallexample
4690
4691 @noindent
4692 @value{GDBN} does
4693 not actually evaluate @var{expression} at the time the @code{condition}
4694 command (or a command that sets a breakpoint with a condition, like
4695 @code{break if @dots{}}) is given, however. @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}.
4696
4697 @item condition @var{bnum}
4698 Remove the condition from breakpoint number @var{bnum}. It becomes
4699 an ordinary unconditional breakpoint.
4700 @end table
4701
4702 @cindex ignore count (of breakpoint)
4703 A special case of a breakpoint condition is to stop only when the
4704 breakpoint has been reached a certain number of times. This is so
4705 useful that there is a special way to do it, using the @dfn{ignore
4706 count} of the breakpoint. Every breakpoint has an ignore count, which
4707 is an integer. Most of the time, the ignore count is zero, and
4708 therefore has no effect. But if your program reaches a breakpoint whose
4709 ignore count is positive, then instead of stopping, it just decrements
4710 the ignore count by one and continues. As a result, if the ignore count
4711 value is @var{n}, the breakpoint does not stop the next @var{n} times
4712 your program reaches it.
4713
4714 @table @code
4715 @kindex ignore
4716 @item ignore @var{bnum} @var{count}
4717 Set the ignore count of breakpoint number @var{bnum} to @var{count}.
4718 The next @var{count} times the breakpoint is reached, your program's
4719 execution does not stop; other than to decrement the ignore count, @value{GDBN}
4720 takes no action.
4721
4722 To make the breakpoint stop the next time it is reached, specify
4723 a count of zero.
4724
4725 When you use @code{continue} to resume execution of your program from a
4726 breakpoint, you can specify an ignore count directly as an argument to
4727 @code{continue}, rather than using @code{ignore}. @xref{Continuing and
4728 Stepping,,Continuing and Stepping}.
4729
4730 If a breakpoint has a positive ignore count and a condition, the
4731 condition is not checked. Once the ignore count reaches zero,
4732 @value{GDBN} resumes checking the condition.
4733
4734 You could achieve the effect of the ignore count with a condition such
4735 as @w{@samp{$foo-- <= 0}} using a debugger convenience variable that
4736 is decremented each time. @xref{Convenience Vars, ,Convenience
4737 Variables}.
4738 @end table
4739
4740 Ignore counts apply to breakpoints, watchpoints, and catchpoints.
4741
4742
4743 @node Break Commands
4744 @subsection Breakpoint Command Lists
4745
4746 @cindex breakpoint commands
4747 You can give any breakpoint (or watchpoint or catchpoint) a series of
4748 commands to execute when your program stops due to that breakpoint. For
4749 example, you might want to print the values of certain expressions, or
4750 enable other breakpoints.
4751
4752 @table @code
4753 @kindex commands
4754 @kindex end@r{ (breakpoint commands)}
4755 @item commands @r{[}@var{range}@dots{}@r{]}
4756 @itemx @dots{} @var{command-list} @dots{}
4757 @itemx end
4758 Specify a list of commands for the given breakpoints. The commands
4759 themselves appear on the following lines. Type a line containing just
4760 @code{end} to terminate the commands.
4761
4762 To remove all commands from a breakpoint, type @code{commands} and
4763 follow it immediately with @code{end}; that is, give no commands.
4764
4765 With no argument, @code{commands} refers to the last breakpoint,
4766 watchpoint, or catchpoint set (not to the breakpoint most recently
4767 encountered). If the most recent breakpoints were set with a single
4768 command, then the @code{commands} will apply to all the breakpoints
4769 set by that command. This applies to breakpoints set by
4770 @code{rbreak}, and also applies when a single @code{break} command
4771 creates multiple breakpoints (@pxref{Ambiguous Expressions,,Ambiguous
4772 Expressions}).
4773 @end table
4774
4775 Pressing @key{RET} as a means of repeating the last @value{GDBN} command is
4776 disabled within a @var{command-list}.
4777
4778 You can use breakpoint commands to start your program up again. Simply
4779 use the @code{continue} command, or @code{step}, or any other command
4780 that resumes execution.
4781
4782 Any other commands in the command list, after a command that resumes
4783 execution, are ignored. This is because any time you resume execution
4784 (even with a simple @code{next} or @code{step}), you may encounter
4785 another breakpoint---which could have its own command list, leading to
4786 ambiguities about which list to execute.
4787
4788 @kindex silent
4789 If the first command you specify in a command list is @code{silent}, the
4790 usual message about stopping at a breakpoint is not printed. This may
4791 be desirable for breakpoints that are to print a specific message and
4792 then continue. If none of the remaining commands print anything, you
4793 see no sign that the breakpoint was reached. @code{silent} is
4794 meaningful only at the beginning of a breakpoint command list.
4795
4796 The commands @code{echo}, @code{output}, and @code{printf} allow you to
4797 print precisely controlled output, and are often useful in silent
4798 breakpoints. @xref{Output, ,Commands for Controlled Output}.
4799
4800 For example, here is how you could use breakpoint commands to print the
4801 value of @code{x} at entry to @code{foo} whenever @code{x} is positive.
4802
4803 @smallexample
4804 break foo if x>0
4805 commands
4806 silent
4807 printf "x is %d\n",x
4808 cont
4809 end
4810 @end smallexample
4811
4812 One application for breakpoint commands is to compensate for one bug so
4813 you can test for another. Put a breakpoint just after the erroneous line
4814 of code, give it a condition to detect the case in which something
4815 erroneous has been done, and give it commands to assign correct values
4816 to any variables that need them. End with the @code{continue} command
4817 so that your program does not stop, and start with the @code{silent}
4818 command so that no output is produced. Here is an example:
4819
4820 @smallexample
4821 break 403
4822 commands
4823 silent
4824 set x = y + 4
4825 cont
4826 end
4827 @end smallexample
4828
4829 @node Dynamic Printf
4830 @subsection Dynamic Printf
4831
4832 @cindex dynamic printf
4833 @cindex dprintf
4834 The dynamic printf command @code{dprintf} combines a breakpoint with
4835 formatted printing of your program's data to give you the effect of
4836 inserting @code{printf} calls into your program on-the-fly, without
4837 having to recompile it.
4838
4839 In its most basic form, the output goes to the GDB console. However,
4840 you can set the variable @code{dprintf-style} for alternate handling.
4841 For instance, you can ask to format the output by calling your
4842 program's @code{printf} function. This has the advantage that the
4843 characters go to the program's output device, so they can recorded in
4844 redirects to files and so forth.
4845
4846 If you are doing remote debugging with a stub or agent, you can also
4847 ask to have the printf handled by the remote agent. In addition to
4848 ensuring that the output goes to the remote program's device along
4849 with any other output the program might produce, you can also ask that
4850 the dprintf remain active even after disconnecting from the remote
4851 target. Using the stub/agent is also more efficient, as it can do
4852 everything without needing to communicate with @value{GDBN}.
4853
4854 @table @code
4855 @kindex dprintf
4856 @item dprintf @var{location},@var{template},@var{expression}[,@var{expression}@dots{}]
4857 Whenever execution reaches @var{location}, print the values of one or
4858 more @var{expressions} under the control of the string @var{template}.
4859 To print several values, separate them with commas.
4860
4861 @item set dprintf-style @var{style}
4862 Set the dprintf output to be handled in one of several different
4863 styles enumerated below. A change of style affects all existing
4864 dynamic printfs immediately. (If you need individual control over the
4865 print commands, simply define normal breakpoints with
4866 explicitly-supplied command lists.)
4867
4868 @item gdb
4869 @kindex dprintf-style gdb
4870 Handle the output using the @value{GDBN} @code{printf} command.
4871
4872 @item call
4873 @kindex dprintf-style call
4874 Handle the output by calling a function in your program (normally
4875 @code{printf}).
4876
4877 @item agent
4878 @kindex dprintf-style agent
4879 Have the remote debugging agent (such as @code{gdbserver}) handle
4880 the output itself. This style is only available for agents that
4881 support running commands on the target.
4882
4883 @item set dprintf-function @var{function}
4884 Set the function to call if the dprintf style is @code{call}. By
4885 default its value is @code{printf}. You may set it to any expression.
4886 that @value{GDBN} can evaluate to a function, as per the @code{call}
4887 command.
4888
4889 @item set dprintf-channel @var{channel}
4890 Set a ``channel'' for dprintf. If set to a non-empty value,
4891 @value{GDBN} will evaluate it as an expression and pass the result as
4892 a first argument to the @code{dprintf-function}, in the manner of
4893 @code{fprintf} and similar functions. Otherwise, the dprintf format
4894 string will be the first argument, in the manner of @code{printf}.
4895
4896 As an example, if you wanted @code{dprintf} output to go to a logfile
4897 that is a standard I/O stream assigned to the variable @code{mylog},
4898 you could do the following:
4899
4900 @example
4901 (gdb) set dprintf-style call
4902 (gdb) set dprintf-function fprintf
4903 (gdb) set dprintf-channel mylog
4904 (gdb) dprintf 25,"at line 25, glob=%d\n",glob
4905 Dprintf 1 at 0x123456: file main.c, line 25.
4906 (gdb) info break
4907 1 dprintf keep y 0x00123456 in main at main.c:25
4908 call (void) fprintf (mylog,"at line 25, glob=%d\n",glob)
4909 continue
4910 (gdb)
4911 @end example
4912
4913 Note that the @code{info break} displays the dynamic printf commands
4914 as normal breakpoint commands; you can thus easily see the effect of
4915 the variable settings.
4916
4917 @item set disconnected-dprintf on
4918 @itemx set disconnected-dprintf off
4919 @kindex set disconnected-dprintf
4920 Choose whether @code{dprintf} commands should continue to run if
4921 @value{GDBN} has disconnected from the target. This only applies
4922 if the @code{dprintf-style} is @code{agent}.
4923
4924 @item show disconnected-dprintf off
4925 @kindex show disconnected-dprintf
4926 Show the current choice for disconnected @code{dprintf}.
4927
4928 @end table
4929
4930 @value{GDBN} does not check the validity of function and channel,
4931 relying on you to supply values that are meaningful for the contexts
4932 in which they are being used. For instance, the function and channel
4933 may be the values of local variables, but if that is the case, then
4934 all enabled dynamic prints must be at locations within the scope of
4935 those locals. If evaluation fails, @value{GDBN} will report an error.
4936
4937 @node Save Breakpoints
4938 @subsection How to save breakpoints to a file
4939
4940 To save breakpoint definitions to a file use the @w{@code{save
4941 breakpoints}} command.
4942
4943 @table @code
4944 @kindex save breakpoints
4945 @cindex save breakpoints to a file for future sessions
4946 @item save breakpoints [@var{filename}]
4947 This command saves all current breakpoint definitions together with
4948 their commands and ignore counts, into a file @file{@var{filename}}
4949 suitable for use in a later debugging session. This includes all
4950 types of breakpoints (breakpoints, watchpoints, catchpoints,
4951 tracepoints). To read the saved breakpoint definitions, use the
4952 @code{source} command (@pxref{Command Files}). Note that watchpoints
4953 with expressions involving local variables may fail to be recreated
4954 because it may not be possible to access the context where the
4955 watchpoint is valid anymore. Because the saved breakpoint definitions
4956 are simply a sequence of @value{GDBN} commands that recreate the
4957 breakpoints, you can edit the file in your favorite editing program,
4958 and remove the breakpoint definitions you're not interested in, or
4959 that can no longer be recreated.
4960 @end table
4961
4962 @node Static Probe Points
4963 @subsection Static Probe Points
4964
4965 @cindex static probe point, SystemTap
4966 @cindex static probe point, DTrace
4967 @value{GDBN} supports @dfn{SDT} probes in the code. @acronym{SDT} stands
4968 for Statically Defined Tracing, and the probes are designed to have a tiny
4969 runtime code and data footprint, and no dynamic relocations.
4970
4971 Currently, the following types of probes are supported on
4972 ELF-compatible systems:
4973
4974 @itemize @bullet
4975
4976 @item @code{SystemTap} (@uref{http://sourceware.org/systemtap/})
4977 @acronym{SDT} probes@footnote{See
4978 @uref{http://sourceware.org/systemtap/wiki/AddingUserSpaceProbingToApps}
4979 for more information on how to add @code{SystemTap} @acronym{SDT}
4980 probes in your applications.}. @code{SystemTap} probes are usable
4981 from assembly, C and C@t{++} languages@footnote{See
4982 @uref{http://sourceware.org/systemtap/wiki/UserSpaceProbeImplementation}
4983 for a good reference on how the @acronym{SDT} probes are implemented.}.
4984
4985 @item @code{DTrace} (@uref{http://oss.oracle.com/projects/DTrace})
4986 @acronym{USDT} probes. @code{DTrace} probes are usable from C and
4987 C@t{++} languages.
4988 @end itemize
4989
4990 @cindex semaphores on static probe points
4991 Some @code{SystemTap} probes have an associated semaphore variable;
4992 for instance, this happens automatically if you defined your probe
4993 using a DTrace-style @file{.d} file. If your probe has a semaphore,
4994 @value{GDBN} will automatically enable it when you specify a
4995 breakpoint using the @samp{-probe-stap} notation. But, if you put a
4996 breakpoint at a probe's location by some other method (e.g.,
4997 @code{break file:line}), then @value{GDBN} will not automatically set
4998 the semaphore. @code{DTrace} probes do not support semaphores.
4999
5000 You can examine the available static static probes using @code{info
5001 probes}, with optional arguments:
5002
5003 @table @code
5004 @kindex info probes
5005 @item info probes @r{[}@var{type}@r{]} @r{[}@var{provider} @r{[}@var{name} @r{[}@var{objfile}@r{]}@r{]}@r{]}
5006 If given, @var{type} is either @code{stap} for listing
5007 @code{SystemTap} probes or @code{dtrace} for listing @code{DTrace}
5008 probes. If omitted all probes are listed regardless of their types.
5009
5010 If given, @var{provider} is a regular expression used to match against provider
5011 names when selecting which probes to list. If omitted, probes by all
5012 probes from all providers are listed.
5013
5014 If given, @var{name} is a regular expression to match against probe names
5015 when selecting which probes to list. If omitted, probe names are not
5016 considered when deciding whether to display them.
5017
5018 If given, @var{objfile} is a regular expression used to select which
5019 object files (executable or shared libraries) to examine. If not
5020 given, all object files are considered.
5021
5022 @item info probes all
5023 List the available static probes, from all types.
5024 @end table
5025
5026 @cindex enabling and disabling probes
5027 Some probe points can be enabled and/or disabled. The effect of
5028 enabling or disabling a probe depends on the type of probe being
5029 handled. Some @code{DTrace} probes can be enabled or
5030 disabled, but @code{SystemTap} probes cannot be disabled.
5031
5032 You can enable (or disable) one or more probes using the following
5033 commands, with optional arguments:
5034
5035 @table @code
5036 @kindex enable probes
5037 @item enable probes @r{[}@var{provider} @r{[}@var{name} @r{[}@var{objfile}@r{]}@r{]}@r{]}
5038 If given, @var{provider} is a regular expression used to match against
5039 provider names when selecting which probes to enable. If omitted,
5040 all probes from all providers are enabled.
5041
5042 If given, @var{name} is a regular expression to match against probe
5043 names when selecting which probes to enable. If omitted, probe names
5044 are not considered when deciding whether to enable them.
5045
5046 If given, @var{objfile} is a regular expression used to select which
5047 object files (executable or shared libraries) to examine. If not
5048 given, all object files are considered.
5049
5050 @kindex disable probes
5051 @item disable probes @r{[}@var{provider} @r{[}@var{name} @r{[}@var{objfile}@r{]}@r{]}@r{]}
5052 See the @code{enable probes} command above for a description of the
5053 optional arguments accepted by this command.
5054 @end table
5055
5056 @vindex $_probe_arg@r{, convenience variable}
5057 A probe may specify up to twelve arguments. These are available at the
5058 point at which the probe is defined---that is, when the current PC is
5059 at the probe's location. The arguments are available using the
5060 convenience variables (@pxref{Convenience Vars})
5061 @code{$_probe_arg0}@dots{}@code{$_probe_arg11}. In @code{SystemTap}
5062 probes each probe argument is an integer of the appropriate size;
5063 types are not preserved. In @code{DTrace} probes types are preserved
5064 provided that they are recognized as such by @value{GDBN}; otherwise
5065 the value of the probe argument will be a long integer. The
5066 convenience variable @code{$_probe_argc} holds the number of arguments
5067 at the current probe point.
5068
5069 These variables are always available, but attempts to access them at
5070 any location other than a probe point will cause @value{GDBN} to give
5071 an error message.
5072
5073
5074 @c @ifclear BARETARGET
5075 @node Error in Breakpoints
5076 @subsection ``Cannot insert breakpoints''
5077
5078 If you request too many active hardware-assisted breakpoints and
5079 watchpoints, you will see this error message:
5080
5081 @c FIXME: the precise wording of this message may change; the relevant
5082 @c source change is not committed yet (Sep 3, 1999).
5083 @smallexample
5084 Stopped; cannot insert breakpoints.
5085 You may have requested too many hardware breakpoints and watchpoints.
5086 @end smallexample
5087
5088 @noindent
5089 This message is printed when you attempt to resume the program, since
5090 only then @value{GDBN} knows exactly how many hardware breakpoints and
5091 watchpoints it needs to insert.
5092
5093 When this message is printed, you need to disable or remove some of the
5094 hardware-assisted breakpoints and watchpoints, and then continue.
5095
5096 @node Breakpoint-related Warnings
5097 @subsection ``Breakpoint address adjusted...''
5098 @cindex breakpoint address adjusted
5099
5100 Some processor architectures place constraints on the addresses at
5101 which breakpoints may be placed. For architectures thus constrained,
5102 @value{GDBN} will attempt to adjust the breakpoint's address to comply
5103 with the constraints dictated by the architecture.
5104
5105 One example of such an architecture is the Fujitsu FR-V. The FR-V is
5106 a VLIW architecture in which a number of RISC-like instructions may be
5107 bundled together for parallel execution. The FR-V architecture
5108 constrains the location of a breakpoint instruction within such a
5109 bundle to the instruction with the lowest address. @value{GDBN}
5110 honors this constraint by adjusting a breakpoint's address to the
5111 first in the bundle.
5112
5113 It is not uncommon for optimized code to have bundles which contain
5114 instructions from different source statements, thus it may happen that
5115 a breakpoint's address will be adjusted from one source statement to
5116 another. Since this adjustment may significantly alter @value{GDBN}'s
5117 breakpoint related behavior from what the user expects, a warning is
5118 printed when the breakpoint is first set and also when the breakpoint
5119 is hit.
5120
5121 A warning like the one below is printed when setting a breakpoint
5122 that's been subject to address adjustment:
5123
5124 @smallexample
5125 warning: Breakpoint address adjusted from 0x00010414 to 0x00010410.
5126 @end smallexample
5127
5128 Such warnings are printed both for user settable and @value{GDBN}'s
5129 internal breakpoints. If you see one of these warnings, you should
5130 verify that a breakpoint set at the adjusted address will have the
5131 desired affect. If not, the breakpoint in question may be removed and
5132 other breakpoints may be set which will have the desired behavior.
5133 E.g., it may be sufficient to place the breakpoint at a later
5134 instruction. A conditional breakpoint may also be useful in some
5135 cases to prevent the breakpoint from triggering too often.
5136
5137 @value{GDBN} will also issue a warning when stopping at one of these
5138 adjusted breakpoints:
5139
5140 @smallexample
5141 warning: Breakpoint 1 address previously adjusted from 0x00010414
5142 to 0x00010410.
5143 @end smallexample
5144
5145 When this warning is encountered, it may be too late to take remedial
5146 action except in cases where the breakpoint is hit earlier or more
5147 frequently than expected.
5148
5149 @node Continuing and Stepping
5150 @section Continuing and Stepping
5151
5152 @cindex stepping
5153 @cindex continuing
5154 @cindex resuming execution
5155 @dfn{Continuing} means resuming program execution until your program
5156 completes normally. In contrast, @dfn{stepping} means executing just
5157 one more ``step'' of your program, where ``step'' may mean either one
5158 line of source code, or one machine instruction (depending on what
5159 particular command you use). Either when continuing or when stepping,
5160 your program may stop even sooner, due to a breakpoint or a signal. (If
5161 it stops due to a signal, you may want to use @code{handle}, or use
5162 @samp{signal 0} to resume execution (@pxref{Signals, ,Signals}),
5163 or you may step into the signal's handler (@pxref{stepping and signal
5164 handlers}).)
5165
5166 @table @code
5167 @kindex continue
5168 @kindex c @r{(@code{continue})}
5169 @kindex fg @r{(resume foreground execution)}
5170 @item continue @r{[}@var{ignore-count}@r{]}
5171 @itemx c @r{[}@var{ignore-count}@r{]}
5172 @itemx fg @r{[}@var{ignore-count}@r{]}
5173 Resume program execution, at the address where your program last stopped;
5174 any breakpoints set at that address are bypassed. The optional argument
5175 @var{ignore-count} allows you to specify a further number of times to
5176 ignore a breakpoint at this location; its effect is like that of
5177 @code{ignore} (@pxref{Conditions, ,Break Conditions}).
5178
5179 The argument @var{ignore-count} is meaningful only when your program
5180 stopped due to a breakpoint. At other times, the argument to
5181 @code{continue} is ignored.
5182
5183 The synonyms @code{c} and @code{fg} (for @dfn{foreground}, as the
5184 debugged program is deemed to be the foreground program) are provided
5185 purely for convenience, and have exactly the same behavior as
5186 @code{continue}.
5187 @end table
5188
5189 To resume execution at a different place, you can use @code{return}
5190 (@pxref{Returning, ,Returning from a Function}) to go back to the
5191 calling function; or @code{jump} (@pxref{Jumping, ,Continuing at a
5192 Different Address}) to go to an arbitrary location in your program.
5193
5194 A typical technique for using stepping is to set a breakpoint
5195 (@pxref{Breakpoints, ,Breakpoints; Watchpoints; and Catchpoints}) at the
5196 beginning of the function or the section of your program where a problem
5197 is believed to lie, run your program until it stops at that breakpoint,
5198 and then step through the suspect area, examining the variables that are
5199 interesting, until you see the problem happen.
5200
5201 @table @code
5202 @kindex step
5203 @kindex s @r{(@code{step})}
5204 @item step
5205 Continue running your program until control reaches a different source
5206 line, then stop it and return control to @value{GDBN}. This command is
5207 abbreviated @code{s}.
5208
5209 @quotation
5210 @c "without debugging information" is imprecise; actually "without line
5211 @c numbers in the debugging information". (gcc -g1 has debugging info but
5212 @c not line numbers). But it seems complex to try to make that
5213 @c distinction here.
5214 @emph{Warning:} If you use the @code{step} command while control is
5215 within a function that was compiled without debugging information,
5216 execution proceeds until control reaches a function that does have
5217 debugging information. Likewise, it will not step into a function which
5218 is compiled without debugging information. To step through functions
5219 without debugging information, use the @code{stepi} command, described
5220 below.
5221 @end quotation
5222
5223 The @code{step} command only stops at the first instruction of a source
5224 line. This prevents the multiple stops that could otherwise occur in
5225 @code{switch} statements, @code{for} loops, etc. @code{step} continues
5226 to stop if a function that has debugging information is called within
5227 the line. In other words, @code{step} @emph{steps inside} any functions
5228 called within the line.
5229
5230 Also, the @code{step} command only enters a function if there is line
5231 number information for the function. Otherwise it acts like the
5232 @code{next} command. This avoids problems when using @code{cc -gl}
5233 on @acronym{MIPS} machines. Previously, @code{step} entered subroutines if there
5234 was any debugging information about the routine.
5235
5236 @item step @var{count}
5237 Continue running as in @code{step}, but do so @var{count} times. If a
5238 breakpoint is reached, or a signal not related to stepping occurs before
5239 @var{count} steps, stepping stops right away.
5240
5241 @kindex next
5242 @kindex n @r{(@code{next})}
5243 @item next @r{[}@var{count}@r{]}
5244 Continue to the next source line in the current (innermost) stack frame.
5245 This is similar to @code{step}, but function calls that appear within
5246 the line of code are executed without stopping. Execution stops when
5247 control reaches a different line of code at the original stack level
5248 that was executing when you gave the @code{next} command. This command
5249 is abbreviated @code{n}.
5250
5251 An argument @var{count} is a repeat count, as for @code{step}.
5252
5253
5254 @c FIX ME!! Do we delete this, or is there a way it fits in with
5255 @c the following paragraph? --- Vctoria
5256 @c
5257 @c @code{next} within a function that lacks debugging information acts like
5258 @c @code{step}, but any function calls appearing within the code of the
5259 @c function are executed without stopping.
5260
5261 The @code{next} command only stops at the first instruction of a
5262 source line. This prevents multiple stops that could otherwise occur in
5263 @code{switch} statements, @code{for} loops, etc.
5264
5265 @kindex set step-mode
5266 @item set step-mode
5267 @cindex functions without line info, and stepping
5268 @cindex stepping into functions with no line info
5269 @itemx set step-mode on
5270 The @code{set step-mode on} command causes the @code{step} command to
5271 stop at the first instruction of a function which contains no debug line
5272 information rather than stepping over it.
5273
5274 This is useful in cases where you may be interested in inspecting the
5275 machine instructions of a function which has no symbolic info and do not
5276 want @value{GDBN} to automatically skip over this function.
5277
5278 @item set step-mode off
5279 Causes the @code{step} command to step over any functions which contains no
5280 debug information. This is the default.
5281
5282 @item show step-mode
5283 Show whether @value{GDBN} will stop in or step over functions without
5284 source line debug information.
5285
5286 @kindex finish
5287 @kindex fin @r{(@code{finish})}
5288 @item finish
5289 Continue running until just after function in the selected stack frame
5290 returns. Print the returned value (if any). This command can be
5291 abbreviated as @code{fin}.
5292
5293 Contrast this with the @code{return} command (@pxref{Returning,
5294 ,Returning from a Function}).
5295
5296 @kindex until
5297 @kindex u @r{(@code{until})}
5298 @cindex run until specified location
5299 @item until
5300 @itemx u
5301 Continue running until a source line past the current line, in the
5302 current stack frame, is reached. This command is used to avoid single
5303 stepping through a loop more than once. It is like the @code{next}
5304 command, except that when @code{until} encounters a jump, it
5305 automatically continues execution until the program counter is greater
5306 than the address of the jump.
5307
5308 This means that when you reach the end of a loop after single stepping
5309 though it, @code{until} makes your program continue execution until it
5310 exits the loop. In contrast, a @code{next} command at the end of a loop
5311 simply steps back to the beginning of the loop, which forces you to step
5312 through the next iteration.
5313
5314 @code{until} always stops your program if it attempts to exit the current
5315 stack frame.
5316
5317 @code{until} may produce somewhat counterintuitive results if the order
5318 of machine code does not match the order of the source lines. For
5319 example, in the following excerpt from a debugging session, the @code{f}
5320 (@code{frame}) command shows that execution is stopped at line
5321 @code{206}; yet when we use @code{until}, we get to line @code{195}:
5322
5323 @smallexample
5324 (@value{GDBP}) f
5325 #0 main (argc=4, argv=0xf7fffae8) at m4.c:206
5326 206 expand_input();
5327 (@value{GDBP}) until
5328 195 for ( ; argc > 0; NEXTARG) @{
5329 @end smallexample
5330
5331 This happened because, for execution efficiency, the compiler had
5332 generated code for the loop closure test at the end, rather than the
5333 start, of the loop---even though the test in a C @code{for}-loop is
5334 written before the body of the loop. The @code{until} command appeared
5335 to step back to the beginning of the loop when it advanced to this
5336 expression; however, it has not really gone to an earlier
5337 statement---not in terms of the actual machine code.
5338
5339 @code{until} with no argument works by means of single
5340 instruction stepping, and hence is slower than @code{until} with an
5341 argument.
5342
5343 @item until @var{location}
5344 @itemx u @var{location}
5345 Continue running your program until either the specified @var{location} is
5346 reached, or the current stack frame returns. The location is any of
5347 the forms described in @ref{Specify Location}.
5348 This form of the command uses temporary breakpoints, and
5349 hence is quicker than @code{until} without an argument. The specified
5350 location is actually reached only if it is in the current frame. This
5351 implies that @code{until} can be used to skip over recursive function
5352 invocations. For instance in the code below, if the current location is
5353 line @code{96}, issuing @code{until 99} will execute the program up to
5354 line @code{99} in the same invocation of factorial, i.e., after the inner
5355 invocations have returned.
5356
5357 @smallexample
5358 94 int factorial (int value)
5359 95 @{
5360 96 if (value > 1) @{
5361 97 value *= factorial (value - 1);
5362 98 @}
5363 99 return (value);
5364 100 @}
5365 @end smallexample
5366
5367
5368 @kindex advance @var{location}
5369 @item advance @var{location}
5370 Continue running the program up to the given @var{location}. An argument is
5371 required, which should be of one of the forms described in
5372 @ref{Specify Location}.
5373 Execution will also stop upon exit from the current stack
5374 frame. This command is similar to @code{until}, but @code{advance} will
5375 not skip over recursive function calls, and the target location doesn't
5376 have to be in the same frame as the current one.
5377
5378
5379 @kindex stepi
5380 @kindex si @r{(@code{stepi})}
5381 @item stepi
5382 @itemx stepi @var{arg}
5383 @itemx si
5384 Execute one machine instruction, then stop and return to the debugger.
5385
5386 It is often useful to do @samp{display/i $pc} when stepping by machine
5387 instructions. This makes @value{GDBN} automatically display the next
5388 instruction to be executed, each time your program stops. @xref{Auto
5389 Display,, Automatic Display}.
5390
5391 An argument is a repeat count, as in @code{step}.
5392
5393 @need 750
5394 @kindex nexti
5395 @kindex ni @r{(@code{nexti})}
5396 @item nexti
5397 @itemx nexti @var{arg}
5398 @itemx ni
5399 Execute one machine instruction, but if it is a function call,
5400 proceed until the function returns.
5401
5402 An argument is a repeat count, as in @code{next}.
5403
5404 @end table
5405
5406 @anchor{range stepping}
5407 @cindex range stepping
5408 @cindex target-assisted range stepping
5409 By default, and if available, @value{GDBN} makes use of
5410 target-assisted @dfn{range stepping}. In other words, whenever you
5411 use a stepping command (e.g., @code{step}, @code{next}), @value{GDBN}
5412 tells the target to step the corresponding range of instruction
5413 addresses instead of issuing multiple single-steps. This speeds up
5414 line stepping, particularly for remote targets. Ideally, there should
5415 be no reason you would want to turn range stepping off. However, it's
5416 possible that a bug in the debug info, a bug in the remote stub (for
5417 remote targets), or even a bug in @value{GDBN} could make line
5418 stepping behave incorrectly when target-assisted range stepping is
5419 enabled. You can use the following command to turn off range stepping
5420 if necessary:
5421
5422 @table @code
5423 @kindex set range-stepping
5424 @kindex show range-stepping
5425 @item set range-stepping
5426 @itemx show range-stepping
5427 Control whether range stepping is enabled.
5428
5429 If @code{on}, and the target supports it, @value{GDBN} tells the
5430 target to step a range of addresses itself, instead of issuing
5431 multiple single-steps. If @code{off}, @value{GDBN} always issues
5432 single-steps, even if range stepping is supported by the target. The
5433 default is @code{on}.
5434
5435 @end table
5436
5437 @node Skipping Over Functions and Files
5438 @section Skipping Over Functions and Files
5439 @cindex skipping over functions and files
5440
5441 The program you are debugging may contain some functions which are
5442 uninteresting to debug. The @code{skip} comand lets you tell @value{GDBN} to
5443 skip a function or all functions in a file when stepping.
5444
5445 For example, consider the following C function:
5446
5447 @smallexample
5448 101 int func()
5449 102 @{
5450 103 foo(boring());
5451 104 bar(boring());
5452 105 @}
5453 @end smallexample
5454
5455 @noindent
5456 Suppose you wish to step into the functions @code{foo} and @code{bar}, but you
5457 are not interested in stepping through @code{boring}. If you run @code{step}
5458 at line 103, you'll enter @code{boring()}, but if you run @code{next}, you'll
5459 step over both @code{foo} and @code{boring}!
5460
5461 One solution is to @code{step} into @code{boring} and use the @code{finish}
5462 command to immediately exit it. But this can become tedious if @code{boring}
5463 is called from many places.
5464
5465 A more flexible solution is to execute @kbd{skip boring}. This instructs
5466 @value{GDBN} never to step into @code{boring}. Now when you execute
5467 @code{step} at line 103, you'll step over @code{boring} and directly into
5468 @code{foo}.
5469
5470 You can also instruct @value{GDBN} to skip all functions in a file, with, for
5471 example, @code{skip file boring.c}.
5472
5473 @table @code
5474 @kindex skip function
5475 @item skip @r{[}@var{linespec}@r{]}
5476 @itemx skip function @r{[}@var{linespec}@r{]}
5477 After running this command, the function named by @var{linespec} or the
5478 function containing the line named by @var{linespec} will be skipped over when
5479 stepping. @xref{Specify Location}.
5480
5481 If you do not specify @var{linespec}, the function you're currently debugging
5482 will be skipped.
5483
5484 (If you have a function called @code{file} that you want to skip, use
5485 @kbd{skip function file}.)
5486
5487 @kindex skip file
5488 @item skip file @r{[}@var{filename}@r{]}
5489 After running this command, any function whose source lives in @var{filename}
5490 will be skipped over when stepping.
5491
5492 If you do not specify @var{filename}, functions whose source lives in the file
5493 you're currently debugging will be skipped.
5494 @end table
5495
5496 Skips can be listed, deleted, disabled, and enabled, much like breakpoints.
5497 These are the commands for managing your list of skips:
5498
5499 @table @code
5500 @kindex info skip
5501 @item info skip @r{[}@var{range}@r{]}
5502 Print details about the specified skip(s). If @var{range} is not specified,
5503 print a table with details about all functions and files marked for skipping.
5504 @code{info skip} prints the following information about each skip:
5505
5506 @table @emph
5507 @item Identifier
5508 A number identifying this skip.
5509 @item Type
5510 The type of this skip, either @samp{function} or @samp{file}.
5511 @item Enabled or Disabled
5512 Enabled skips are marked with @samp{y}. Disabled skips are marked with @samp{n}.
5513 @item Address
5514 For function skips, this column indicates the address in memory of the function
5515 being skipped. If you've set a function skip on a function which has not yet
5516 been loaded, this field will contain @samp{<PENDING>}. Once a shared library
5517 which has the function is loaded, @code{info skip} will show the function's
5518 address here.
5519 @item What
5520 For file skips, this field contains the filename being skipped. For functions
5521 skips, this field contains the function name and its line number in the file
5522 where it is defined.
5523 @end table
5524
5525 @kindex skip delete
5526 @item skip delete @r{[}@var{range}@r{]}
5527 Delete the specified skip(s). If @var{range} is not specified, delete all
5528 skips.
5529
5530 @kindex skip enable
5531 @item skip enable @r{[}@var{range}@r{]}
5532 Enable the specified skip(s). If @var{range} is not specified, enable all
5533 skips.
5534
5535 @kindex skip disable
5536 @item skip disable @r{[}@var{range}@r{]}
5537 Disable the specified skip(s). If @var{range} is not specified, disable all
5538 skips.
5539
5540 @end table
5541
5542 @node Signals
5543 @section Signals
5544 @cindex signals
5545
5546 A signal is an asynchronous event that can happen in a program. The
5547 operating system defines the possible kinds of signals, and gives each
5548 kind a name and a number. For example, in Unix @code{SIGINT} is the
5549 signal a program gets when you type an interrupt character (often @kbd{Ctrl-c});
5550 @code{SIGSEGV} is the signal a program gets from referencing a place in
5551 memory far away from all the areas in use; @code{SIGALRM} occurs when
5552 the alarm clock timer goes off (which happens only if your program has
5553 requested an alarm).
5554
5555 @cindex fatal signals
5556 Some signals, including @code{SIGALRM}, are a normal part of the
5557 functioning of your program. Others, such as @code{SIGSEGV}, indicate
5558 errors; these signals are @dfn{fatal} (they kill your program immediately) if the
5559 program has not specified in advance some other way to handle the signal.
5560 @code{SIGINT} does not indicate an error in your program, but it is normally
5561 fatal so it can carry out the purpose of the interrupt: to kill the program.
5562
5563 @value{GDBN} has the ability to detect any occurrence of a signal in your
5564 program. You can tell @value{GDBN} in advance what to do for each kind of
5565 signal.
5566
5567 @cindex handling signals
5568 Normally, @value{GDBN} is set up to let the non-erroneous signals like
5569 @code{SIGALRM} be silently passed to your program
5570 (so as not to interfere with their role in the program's functioning)
5571 but to stop your program immediately whenever an error signal happens.
5572 You can change these settings with the @code{handle} command.
5573
5574 @table @code
5575 @kindex info signals
5576 @kindex info handle
5577 @item info signals
5578 @itemx info handle
5579 Print a table of all the kinds of signals and how @value{GDBN} has been told to
5580 handle each one. You can use this to see the signal numbers of all
5581 the defined types of signals.
5582
5583 @item info signals @var{sig}
5584 Similar, but print information only about the specified signal number.
5585
5586 @code{info handle} is an alias for @code{info signals}.
5587
5588 @item catch signal @r{[}@var{signal}@dots{} @r{|} @samp{all}@r{]}
5589 Set a catchpoint for the indicated signals. @xref{Set Catchpoints},
5590 for details about this command.
5591
5592 @kindex handle
5593 @item handle @var{signal} @r{[}@var{keywords}@dots{}@r{]}
5594 Change the way @value{GDBN} handles signal @var{signal}. The @var{signal}
5595 can be the number of a signal or its name (with or without the
5596 @samp{SIG} at the beginning); a list of signal numbers of the form
5597 @samp{@var{low}-@var{high}}; or the word @samp{all}, meaning all the
5598 known signals. Optional arguments @var{keywords}, described below,
5599 say what change to make.
5600 @end table
5601
5602 @c @group
5603 The keywords allowed by the @code{handle} command can be abbreviated.
5604 Their full names are:
5605
5606 @table @code
5607 @item nostop
5608 @value{GDBN} should not stop your program when this signal happens. It may
5609 still print a message telling you that the signal has come in.
5610
5611 @item stop
5612 @value{GDBN} should stop your program when this signal happens. This implies
5613 the @code{print} keyword as well.
5614
5615 @item print
5616 @value{GDBN} should print a message when this signal happens.
5617
5618 @item noprint
5619 @value{GDBN} should not mention the occurrence of the signal at all. This
5620 implies the @code{nostop} keyword as well.
5621
5622 @item pass
5623 @itemx noignore
5624 @value{GDBN} should allow your program to see this signal; your program
5625 can handle the signal, or else it may terminate if the signal is fatal
5626 and not handled. @code{pass} and @code{noignore} are synonyms.
5627
5628 @item nopass
5629 @itemx ignore
5630 @value{GDBN} should not allow your program to see this signal.
5631 @code{nopass} and @code{ignore} are synonyms.
5632 @end table
5633 @c @end group
5634
5635 When a signal stops your program, the signal is not visible to the
5636 program until you
5637 continue. Your program sees the signal then, if @code{pass} is in
5638 effect for the signal in question @emph{at that time}. In other words,
5639 after @value{GDBN} reports a signal, you can use the @code{handle}
5640 command with @code{pass} or @code{nopass} to control whether your
5641 program sees that signal when you continue.
5642
5643 The default is set to @code{nostop}, @code{noprint}, @code{pass} for
5644 non-erroneous signals such as @code{SIGALRM}, @code{SIGWINCH} and
5645 @code{SIGCHLD}, and to @code{stop}, @code{print}, @code{pass} for the
5646 erroneous signals.
5647
5648 You can also use the @code{signal} command to prevent your program from
5649 seeing a signal, or cause it to see a signal it normally would not see,
5650 or to give it any signal at any time. For example, if your program stopped
5651 due to some sort of memory reference error, you might store correct
5652 values into the erroneous variables and continue, hoping to see more
5653 execution; but your program would probably terminate immediately as
5654 a result of the fatal signal once it saw the signal. To prevent this,
5655 you can continue with @samp{signal 0}. @xref{Signaling, ,Giving your
5656 Program a Signal}.
5657
5658 @cindex stepping and signal handlers
5659 @anchor{stepping and signal handlers}
5660
5661 @value{GDBN} optimizes for stepping the mainline code. If a signal
5662 that has @code{handle nostop} and @code{handle pass} set arrives while
5663 a stepping command (e.g., @code{stepi}, @code{step}, @code{next}) is
5664 in progress, @value{GDBN} lets the signal handler run and then resumes
5665 stepping the mainline code once the signal handler returns. In other
5666 words, @value{GDBN} steps over the signal handler. This prevents
5667 signals that you've specified as not interesting (with @code{handle
5668 nostop}) from changing the focus of debugging unexpectedly. Note that
5669 the signal handler itself may still hit a breakpoint, stop for another
5670 signal that has @code{handle stop} in effect, or for any other event
5671 that normally results in stopping the stepping command sooner. Also
5672 note that @value{GDBN} still informs you that the program received a
5673 signal if @code{handle print} is set.
5674
5675 @anchor{stepping into signal handlers}
5676
5677 If you set @code{handle pass} for a signal, and your program sets up a
5678 handler for it, then issuing a stepping command, such as @code{step}
5679 or @code{stepi}, when your program is stopped due to the signal will
5680 step @emph{into} the signal handler (if the target supports that).
5681
5682 Likewise, if you use the @code{queue-signal} command to queue a signal
5683 to be delivered to the current thread when execution of the thread
5684 resumes (@pxref{Signaling, ,Giving your Program a Signal}), then a
5685 stepping command will step into the signal handler.
5686
5687 Here's an example, using @code{stepi} to step to the first instruction
5688 of @code{SIGUSR1}'s handler:
5689
5690 @smallexample
5691 (@value{GDBP}) handle SIGUSR1
5692 Signal Stop Print Pass to program Description
5693 SIGUSR1 Yes Yes Yes User defined signal 1
5694 (@value{GDBP}) c
5695 Continuing.
5696
5697 Program received signal SIGUSR1, User defined signal 1.
5698 main () sigusr1.c:28
5699 28 p = 0;
5700 (@value{GDBP}) si
5701 sigusr1_handler () at sigusr1.c:9
5702 9 @{
5703 @end smallexample
5704
5705 The same, but using @code{queue-signal} instead of waiting for the
5706 program to receive the signal first:
5707
5708 @smallexample
5709 (@value{GDBP}) n
5710 28 p = 0;
5711 (@value{GDBP}) queue-signal SIGUSR1
5712 (@value{GDBP}) si
5713 sigusr1_handler () at sigusr1.c:9
5714 9 @{
5715 (@value{GDBP})
5716 @end smallexample
5717
5718 @cindex extra signal information
5719 @anchor{extra signal information}
5720
5721 On some targets, @value{GDBN} can inspect extra signal information
5722 associated with the intercepted signal, before it is actually
5723 delivered to the program being debugged. This information is exported
5724 by the convenience variable @code{$_siginfo}, and consists of data
5725 that is passed by the kernel to the signal handler at the time of the
5726 receipt of a signal. The data type of the information itself is
5727 target dependent. You can see the data type using the @code{ptype
5728 $_siginfo} command. On Unix systems, it typically corresponds to the
5729 standard @code{siginfo_t} type, as defined in the @file{signal.h}
5730 system header.
5731
5732 Here's an example, on a @sc{gnu}/Linux system, printing the stray
5733 referenced address that raised a segmentation fault.
5734
5735 @smallexample
5736 @group
5737 (@value{GDBP}) continue
5738 Program received signal SIGSEGV, Segmentation fault.
5739 0x0000000000400766 in main ()
5740 69 *(int *)p = 0;
5741 (@value{GDBP}) ptype $_siginfo
5742 type = struct @{
5743 int si_signo;
5744 int si_errno;
5745 int si_code;
5746 union @{
5747 int _pad[28];
5748 struct @{...@} _kill;
5749 struct @{...@} _timer;
5750 struct @{...@} _rt;
5751 struct @{...@} _sigchld;
5752 struct @{...@} _sigfault;
5753 struct @{...@} _sigpoll;
5754 @} _sifields;
5755 @}
5756 (@value{GDBP}) ptype $_siginfo._sifields._sigfault
5757 type = struct @{
5758 void *si_addr;
5759 @}
5760 (@value{GDBP}) p $_siginfo._sifields._sigfault.si_addr
5761 $1 = (void *) 0x7ffff7ff7000
5762 @end group
5763 @end smallexample
5764
5765 Depending on target support, @code{$_siginfo} may also be writable.
5766
5767 @node Thread Stops
5768 @section Stopping and Starting Multi-thread Programs
5769
5770 @cindex stopped threads
5771 @cindex threads, stopped
5772
5773 @cindex continuing threads
5774 @cindex threads, continuing
5775
5776 @value{GDBN} supports debugging programs with multiple threads
5777 (@pxref{Threads,, Debugging Programs with Multiple Threads}). There
5778 are two modes of controlling execution of your program within the
5779 debugger. In the default mode, referred to as @dfn{all-stop mode},
5780 when any thread in your program stops (for example, at a breakpoint
5781 or while being stepped), all other threads in the program are also stopped by
5782 @value{GDBN}. On some targets, @value{GDBN} also supports
5783 @dfn{non-stop mode}, in which other threads can continue to run freely while
5784 you examine the stopped thread in the debugger.
5785
5786 @menu
5787 * All-Stop Mode:: All threads stop when GDB takes control
5788 * Non-Stop Mode:: Other threads continue to execute
5789 * Background Execution:: Running your program asynchronously
5790 * Thread-Specific Breakpoints:: Controlling breakpoints
5791 * Interrupted System Calls:: GDB may interfere with system calls
5792 * Observer Mode:: GDB does not alter program behavior
5793 @end menu
5794
5795 @node All-Stop Mode
5796 @subsection All-Stop Mode
5797
5798 @cindex all-stop mode
5799
5800 In all-stop mode, whenever your program stops under @value{GDBN} for any reason,
5801 @emph{all} threads of execution stop, not just the current thread. This
5802 allows you to examine the overall state of the program, including
5803 switching between threads, without worrying that things may change
5804 underfoot.
5805
5806 Conversely, whenever you restart the program, @emph{all} threads start
5807 executing. @emph{This is true even when single-stepping} with commands
5808 like @code{step} or @code{next}.
5809
5810 In particular, @value{GDBN} cannot single-step all threads in lockstep.
5811 Since thread scheduling is up to your debugging target's operating
5812 system (not controlled by @value{GDBN}), other threads may
5813 execute more than one statement while the current thread completes a
5814 single step. Moreover, in general other threads stop in the middle of a
5815 statement, rather than at a clean statement boundary, when the program
5816 stops.
5817
5818 You might even find your program stopped in another thread after
5819 continuing or even single-stepping. This happens whenever some other
5820 thread runs into a breakpoint, a signal, or an exception before the
5821 first thread completes whatever you requested.
5822
5823 @cindex automatic thread selection
5824 @cindex switching threads automatically
5825 @cindex threads, automatic switching
5826 Whenever @value{GDBN} stops your program, due to a breakpoint or a
5827 signal, it automatically selects the thread where that breakpoint or
5828 signal happened. @value{GDBN} alerts you to the context switch with a
5829 message such as @samp{[Switching to Thread @var{n}]} to identify the
5830 thread.
5831
5832 On some OSes, you can modify @value{GDBN}'s default behavior by
5833 locking the OS scheduler to allow only a single thread to run.
5834
5835 @table @code
5836 @item set scheduler-locking @var{mode}
5837 @cindex scheduler locking mode
5838 @cindex lock scheduler
5839 Set the scheduler locking mode. If it is @code{off}, then there is no
5840 locking and any thread may run at any time. If @code{on}, then only the
5841 current thread may run when the inferior is resumed. The @code{step}
5842 mode optimizes for single-stepping; it prevents other threads
5843 from preempting the current thread while you are stepping, so that
5844 the focus of debugging does not change unexpectedly.
5845 Other threads never get a chance to run when you step, and they are
5846 completely free to run when you use commands
5847 like @samp{continue}, @samp{until}, or @samp{finish}. However, unless another
5848 thread hits a breakpoint during its timeslice, @value{GDBN} does not change
5849 the current thread away from the thread that you are debugging.
5850
5851 @item show scheduler-locking
5852 Display the current scheduler locking mode.
5853 @end table
5854
5855 @cindex resume threads of multiple processes simultaneously
5856 By default, when you issue one of the execution commands such as
5857 @code{continue}, @code{next} or @code{step}, @value{GDBN} allows only
5858 threads of the current inferior to run. For example, if @value{GDBN}
5859 is attached to two inferiors, each with two threads, the
5860 @code{continue} command resumes only the two threads of the current
5861 inferior. This is useful, for example, when you debug a program that
5862 forks and you want to hold the parent stopped (so that, for instance,
5863 it doesn't run to exit), while you debug the child. In other
5864 situations, you may not be interested in inspecting the current state
5865 of any of the processes @value{GDBN} is attached to, and you may want
5866 to resume them all until some breakpoint is hit. In the latter case,
5867 you can instruct @value{GDBN} to allow all threads of all the
5868 inferiors to run with the @w{@code{set schedule-multiple}} command.
5869
5870 @table @code
5871 @kindex set schedule-multiple
5872 @item set schedule-multiple
5873 Set the mode for allowing threads of multiple processes to be resumed
5874 when an execution command is issued. When @code{on}, all threads of
5875 all processes are allowed to run. When @code{off}, only the threads
5876 of the current process are resumed. The default is @code{off}. The
5877 @code{scheduler-locking} mode takes precedence when set to @code{on},
5878 or while you are stepping and set to @code{step}.
5879
5880 @item show schedule-multiple
5881 Display the current mode for resuming the execution of threads of
5882 multiple processes.
5883 @end table
5884
5885 @node Non-Stop Mode
5886 @subsection Non-Stop Mode
5887
5888 @cindex non-stop mode
5889
5890 @c This section is really only a place-holder, and needs to be expanded
5891 @c with more details.
5892
5893 For some multi-threaded targets, @value{GDBN} supports an optional
5894 mode of operation in which you can examine stopped program threads in
5895 the debugger while other threads continue to execute freely. This
5896 minimizes intrusion when debugging live systems, such as programs
5897 where some threads have real-time constraints or must continue to
5898 respond to external events. This is referred to as @dfn{non-stop} mode.
5899
5900 In non-stop mode, when a thread stops to report a debugging event,
5901 @emph{only} that thread is stopped; @value{GDBN} does not stop other
5902 threads as well, in contrast to the all-stop mode behavior. Additionally,
5903 execution commands such as @code{continue} and @code{step} apply by default
5904 only to the current thread in non-stop mode, rather than all threads as
5905 in all-stop mode. This allows you to control threads explicitly in
5906 ways that are not possible in all-stop mode --- for example, stepping
5907 one thread while allowing others to run freely, stepping
5908 one thread while holding all others stopped, or stepping several threads
5909 independently and simultaneously.
5910
5911 To enter non-stop mode, use this sequence of commands before you run
5912 or attach to your program:
5913
5914 @smallexample
5915 # If using the CLI, pagination breaks non-stop.
5916 set pagination off
5917
5918 # Finally, turn it on!
5919 set non-stop on
5920 @end smallexample
5921
5922 You can use these commands to manipulate the non-stop mode setting:
5923
5924 @table @code
5925 @kindex set non-stop
5926 @item set non-stop on
5927 Enable selection of non-stop mode.
5928 @item set non-stop off
5929 Disable selection of non-stop mode.
5930 @kindex show non-stop
5931 @item show non-stop
5932 Show the current non-stop enablement setting.
5933 @end table
5934
5935 Note these commands only reflect whether non-stop mode is enabled,
5936 not whether the currently-executing program is being run in non-stop mode.
5937 In particular, the @code{set non-stop} preference is only consulted when
5938 @value{GDBN} starts or connects to the target program, and it is generally
5939 not possible to switch modes once debugging has started. Furthermore,
5940 since not all targets support non-stop mode, even when you have enabled
5941 non-stop mode, @value{GDBN} may still fall back to all-stop operation by
5942 default.
5943
5944 In non-stop mode, all execution commands apply only to the current thread
5945 by default. That is, @code{continue} only continues one thread.
5946 To continue all threads, issue @code{continue -a} or @code{c -a}.
5947
5948 You can use @value{GDBN}'s background execution commands
5949 (@pxref{Background Execution}) to run some threads in the background
5950 while you continue to examine or step others from @value{GDBN}.
5951 The MI execution commands (@pxref{GDB/MI Program Execution}) are
5952 always executed asynchronously in non-stop mode.
5953
5954 Suspending execution is done with the @code{interrupt} command when
5955 running in the background, or @kbd{Ctrl-c} during foreground execution.
5956 In all-stop mode, this stops the whole process;
5957 but in non-stop mode the interrupt applies only to the current thread.
5958 To stop the whole program, use @code{interrupt -a}.
5959
5960 Other execution commands do not currently support the @code{-a} option.
5961
5962 In non-stop mode, when a thread stops, @value{GDBN} doesn't automatically make
5963 that thread current, as it does in all-stop mode. This is because the
5964 thread stop notifications are asynchronous with respect to @value{GDBN}'s
5965 command interpreter, and it would be confusing if @value{GDBN} unexpectedly
5966 changed to a different thread just as you entered a command to operate on the
5967 previously current thread.
5968
5969 @node Background Execution
5970 @subsection Background Execution
5971
5972 @cindex foreground execution
5973 @cindex background execution
5974 @cindex asynchronous execution
5975 @cindex execution, foreground, background and asynchronous
5976
5977 @value{GDBN}'s execution commands have two variants: the normal
5978 foreground (synchronous) behavior, and a background
5979 (asynchronous) behavior. In foreground execution, @value{GDBN} waits for
5980 the program to report that some thread has stopped before prompting for
5981 another command. In background execution, @value{GDBN} immediately gives
5982 a command prompt so that you can issue other commands while your program runs.
5983
5984 If the target doesn't support async mode, @value{GDBN} issues an error
5985 message if you attempt to use the background execution commands.
5986
5987 To specify background execution, add a @code{&} to the command. For example,
5988 the background form of the @code{continue} command is @code{continue&}, or
5989 just @code{c&}. The execution commands that accept background execution
5990 are:
5991
5992 @table @code
5993 @kindex run&
5994 @item run
5995 @xref{Starting, , Starting your Program}.
5996
5997 @item attach
5998 @kindex attach&
5999 @xref{Attach, , Debugging an Already-running Process}.
6000
6001 @item step
6002 @kindex step&
6003 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, step}.
6004
6005 @item stepi
6006 @kindex stepi&
6007 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, stepi}.
6008
6009 @item next
6010 @kindex next&
6011 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, next}.
6012
6013 @item nexti
6014 @kindex nexti&
6015 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, nexti}.
6016
6017 @item continue
6018 @kindex continue&
6019 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, continue}.
6020
6021 @item finish
6022 @kindex finish&
6023 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, finish}.
6024
6025 @item until
6026 @kindex until&
6027 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, until}.
6028
6029 @end table
6030
6031 Background execution is especially useful in conjunction with non-stop
6032 mode for debugging programs with multiple threads; see @ref{Non-Stop Mode}.
6033 However, you can also use these commands in the normal all-stop mode with
6034 the restriction that you cannot issue another execution command until the
6035 previous one finishes. Examples of commands that are valid in all-stop
6036 mode while the program is running include @code{help} and @code{info break}.
6037
6038 You can interrupt your program while it is running in the background by
6039 using the @code{interrupt} command.
6040
6041 @table @code
6042 @kindex interrupt
6043 @item interrupt
6044 @itemx interrupt -a
6045
6046 Suspend execution of the running program. In all-stop mode,
6047 @code{interrupt} stops the whole process, but in non-stop mode, it stops
6048 only the current thread. To stop the whole program in non-stop mode,
6049 use @code{interrupt -a}.
6050 @end table
6051
6052 @node Thread-Specific Breakpoints
6053 @subsection Thread-Specific Breakpoints
6054
6055 When your program has multiple threads (@pxref{Threads,, Debugging
6056 Programs with Multiple Threads}), you can choose whether to set
6057 breakpoints on all threads, or on a particular thread.
6058
6059 @table @code
6060 @cindex breakpoints and threads
6061 @cindex thread breakpoints
6062 @kindex break @dots{} thread @var{threadno}
6063 @item break @var{linespec} thread @var{threadno}
6064 @itemx break @var{linespec} thread @var{threadno} if @dots{}
6065 @var{linespec} specifies source lines; there are several ways of
6066 writing them (@pxref{Specify Location}), but the effect is always to
6067 specify some source line.
6068
6069 Use the qualifier @samp{thread @var{threadno}} with a breakpoint command
6070 to specify that you only want @value{GDBN} to stop the program when a
6071 particular thread reaches this breakpoint. The @var{threadno} specifier
6072 is one of the numeric thread identifiers assigned by @value{GDBN}, shown
6073 in the first column of the @samp{info threads} display.
6074
6075 If you do not specify @samp{thread @var{threadno}} when you set a
6076 breakpoint, the breakpoint applies to @emph{all} threads of your
6077 program.
6078
6079 You can use the @code{thread} qualifier on conditional breakpoints as
6080 well; in this case, place @samp{thread @var{threadno}} before or
6081 after the breakpoint condition, like this:
6082
6083 @smallexample
6084 (@value{GDBP}) break frik.c:13 thread 28 if bartab > lim
6085 @end smallexample
6086
6087 @end table
6088
6089 Thread-specific breakpoints are automatically deleted when
6090 @value{GDBN} detects the corresponding thread is no longer in the
6091 thread list. For example:
6092
6093 @smallexample
6094 (@value{GDBP}) c
6095 Thread-specific breakpoint 3 deleted - thread 28 no longer in the thread list.
6096 @end smallexample
6097
6098 There are several ways for a thread to disappear, such as a regular
6099 thread exit, but also when you detach from the process with the
6100 @code{detach} command (@pxref{Attach, ,Debugging an Already-running
6101 Process}), or if @value{GDBN} loses the remote connection
6102 (@pxref{Remote Debugging}), etc. Note that with some targets,
6103 @value{GDBN} is only able to detect a thread has exited when the user
6104 explictly asks for the thread list with the @code{info threads}
6105 command.
6106
6107 @node Interrupted System Calls
6108 @subsection Interrupted System Calls
6109
6110 @cindex thread breakpoints and system calls
6111 @cindex system calls and thread breakpoints
6112 @cindex premature return from system calls
6113 There is an unfortunate side effect when using @value{GDBN} to debug
6114 multi-threaded programs. If one thread stops for a
6115 breakpoint, or for some other reason, and another thread is blocked in a
6116 system call, then the system call may return prematurely. This is a
6117 consequence of the interaction between multiple threads and the signals
6118 that @value{GDBN} uses to implement breakpoints and other events that
6119 stop execution.
6120
6121 To handle this problem, your program should check the return value of
6122 each system call and react appropriately. This is good programming
6123 style anyways.
6124
6125 For example, do not write code like this:
6126
6127 @smallexample
6128 sleep (10);
6129 @end smallexample
6130
6131 The call to @code{sleep} will return early if a different thread stops
6132 at a breakpoint or for some other reason.
6133
6134 Instead, write this:
6135
6136 @smallexample
6137 int unslept = 10;
6138 while (unslept > 0)
6139 unslept = sleep (unslept);
6140 @end smallexample
6141
6142 A system call is allowed to return early, so the system is still
6143 conforming to its specification. But @value{GDBN} does cause your
6144 multi-threaded program to behave differently than it would without
6145 @value{GDBN}.
6146
6147 Also, @value{GDBN} uses internal breakpoints in the thread library to
6148 monitor certain events such as thread creation and thread destruction.
6149 When such an event happens, a system call in another thread may return
6150 prematurely, even though your program does not appear to stop.
6151
6152 @node Observer Mode
6153 @subsection Observer Mode
6154
6155 If you want to build on non-stop mode and observe program behavior
6156 without any chance of disruption by @value{GDBN}, you can set
6157 variables to disable all of the debugger's attempts to modify state,
6158 whether by writing memory, inserting breakpoints, etc. These operate
6159 at a low level, intercepting operations from all commands.
6160
6161 When all of these are set to @code{off}, then @value{GDBN} is said to
6162 be @dfn{observer mode}. As a convenience, the variable
6163 @code{observer} can be set to disable these, plus enable non-stop
6164 mode.
6165
6166 Note that @value{GDBN} will not prevent you from making nonsensical
6167 combinations of these settings. For instance, if you have enabled
6168 @code{may-insert-breakpoints} but disabled @code{may-write-memory},
6169 then breakpoints that work by writing trap instructions into the code
6170 stream will still not be able to be placed.
6171
6172 @table @code
6173
6174 @kindex observer
6175 @item set observer on
6176 @itemx set observer off
6177 When set to @code{on}, this disables all the permission variables
6178 below (except for @code{insert-fast-tracepoints}), plus enables
6179 non-stop debugging. Setting this to @code{off} switches back to
6180 normal debugging, though remaining in non-stop mode.
6181
6182 @item show observer
6183 Show whether observer mode is on or off.
6184
6185 @kindex may-write-registers
6186 @item set may-write-registers on
6187 @itemx set may-write-registers off
6188 This controls whether @value{GDBN} will attempt to alter the values of
6189 registers, such as with assignment expressions in @code{print}, or the
6190 @code{jump} command. It defaults to @code{on}.
6191
6192 @item show may-write-registers
6193 Show the current permission to write registers.
6194
6195 @kindex may-write-memory
6196 @item set may-write-memory on
6197 @itemx set may-write-memory off
6198 This controls whether @value{GDBN} will attempt to alter the contents
6199 of memory, such as with assignment expressions in @code{print}. It
6200 defaults to @code{on}.
6201
6202 @item show may-write-memory
6203 Show the current permission to write memory.
6204
6205 @kindex may-insert-breakpoints
6206 @item set may-insert-breakpoints on
6207 @itemx set may-insert-breakpoints off
6208 This controls whether @value{GDBN} will attempt to insert breakpoints.
6209 This affects all breakpoints, including internal breakpoints defined
6210 by @value{GDBN}. It defaults to @code{on}.
6211
6212 @item show may-insert-breakpoints
6213 Show the current permission to insert breakpoints.
6214
6215 @kindex may-insert-tracepoints
6216 @item set may-insert-tracepoints on
6217 @itemx set may-insert-tracepoints off
6218 This controls whether @value{GDBN} will attempt to insert (regular)
6219 tracepoints at the beginning of a tracing experiment. It affects only
6220 non-fast tracepoints, fast tracepoints being under the control of
6221 @code{may-insert-fast-tracepoints}. It defaults to @code{on}.
6222
6223 @item show may-insert-tracepoints
6224 Show the current permission to insert tracepoints.
6225
6226 @kindex may-insert-fast-tracepoints
6227 @item set may-insert-fast-tracepoints on
6228 @itemx set may-insert-fast-tracepoints off
6229 This controls whether @value{GDBN} will attempt to insert fast
6230 tracepoints at the beginning of a tracing experiment. It affects only
6231 fast tracepoints, regular (non-fast) tracepoints being under the
6232 control of @code{may-insert-tracepoints}. It defaults to @code{on}.
6233
6234 @item show may-insert-fast-tracepoints
6235 Show the current permission to insert fast tracepoints.
6236
6237 @kindex may-interrupt
6238 @item set may-interrupt on
6239 @itemx set may-interrupt off
6240 This controls whether @value{GDBN} will attempt to interrupt or stop
6241 program execution. When this variable is @code{off}, the
6242 @code{interrupt} command will have no effect, nor will
6243 @kbd{Ctrl-c}. It defaults to @code{on}.
6244
6245 @item show may-interrupt
6246 Show the current permission to interrupt or stop the program.
6247
6248 @end table
6249
6250 @node Reverse Execution
6251 @chapter Running programs backward
6252 @cindex reverse execution
6253 @cindex running programs backward
6254
6255 When you are debugging a program, it is not unusual to realize that
6256 you have gone too far, and some event of interest has already happened.
6257 If the target environment supports it, @value{GDBN} can allow you to
6258 ``rewind'' the program by running it backward.
6259
6260 A target environment that supports reverse execution should be able
6261 to ``undo'' the changes in machine state that have taken place as the
6262 program was executing normally. Variables, registers etc.@: should
6263 revert to their previous values. Obviously this requires a great
6264 deal of sophistication on the part of the target environment; not
6265 all target environments can support reverse execution.
6266
6267 When a program is executed in reverse, the instructions that
6268 have most recently been executed are ``un-executed'', in reverse
6269 order. The program counter runs backward, following the previous
6270 thread of execution in reverse. As each instruction is ``un-executed'',
6271 the values of memory and/or registers that were changed by that
6272 instruction are reverted to their previous states. After executing
6273 a piece of source code in reverse, all side effects of that code
6274 should be ``undone'', and all variables should be returned to their
6275 prior values@footnote{
6276 Note that some side effects are easier to undo than others. For instance,
6277 memory and registers are relatively easy, but device I/O is hard. Some
6278 targets may be able undo things like device I/O, and some may not.
6279
6280 The contract between @value{GDBN} and the reverse executing target
6281 requires only that the target do something reasonable when
6282 @value{GDBN} tells it to execute backwards, and then report the
6283 results back to @value{GDBN}. Whatever the target reports back to
6284 @value{GDBN}, @value{GDBN} will report back to the user. @value{GDBN}
6285 assumes that the memory and registers that the target reports are in a
6286 consistant state, but @value{GDBN} accepts whatever it is given.
6287 }.
6288
6289 If you are debugging in a target environment that supports
6290 reverse execution, @value{GDBN} provides the following commands.
6291
6292 @table @code
6293 @kindex reverse-continue
6294 @kindex rc @r{(@code{reverse-continue})}
6295 @item reverse-continue @r{[}@var{ignore-count}@r{]}
6296 @itemx rc @r{[}@var{ignore-count}@r{]}
6297 Beginning at the point where your program last stopped, start executing
6298 in reverse. Reverse execution will stop for breakpoints and synchronous
6299 exceptions (signals), just like normal execution. Behavior of
6300 asynchronous signals depends on the target environment.
6301
6302 @kindex reverse-step
6303 @kindex rs @r{(@code{step})}
6304 @item reverse-step @r{[}@var{count}@r{]}
6305 Run the program backward until control reaches the start of a
6306 different source line; then stop it, and return control to @value{GDBN}.
6307
6308 Like the @code{step} command, @code{reverse-step} will only stop
6309 at the beginning of a source line. It ``un-executes'' the previously
6310 executed source line. If the previous source line included calls to
6311 debuggable functions, @code{reverse-step} will step (backward) into
6312 the called function, stopping at the beginning of the @emph{last}
6313 statement in the called function (typically a return statement).
6314
6315 Also, as with the @code{step} command, if non-debuggable functions are
6316 called, @code{reverse-step} will run thru them backward without stopping.
6317
6318 @kindex reverse-stepi
6319 @kindex rsi @r{(@code{reverse-stepi})}
6320 @item reverse-stepi @r{[}@var{count}@r{]}
6321 Reverse-execute one machine instruction. Note that the instruction
6322 to be reverse-executed is @emph{not} the one pointed to by the program
6323 counter, but the instruction executed prior to that one. For instance,
6324 if the last instruction was a jump, @code{reverse-stepi} will take you
6325 back from the destination of the jump to the jump instruction itself.
6326
6327 @kindex reverse-next
6328 @kindex rn @r{(@code{reverse-next})}
6329 @item reverse-next @r{[}@var{count}@r{]}
6330 Run backward to the beginning of the previous line executed in
6331 the current (innermost) stack frame. If the line contains function
6332 calls, they will be ``un-executed'' without stopping. Starting from
6333 the first line of a function, @code{reverse-next} will take you back
6334 to the caller of that function, @emph{before} the function was called,
6335 just as the normal @code{next} command would take you from the last
6336 line of a function back to its return to its caller
6337 @footnote{Unless the code is too heavily optimized.}.
6338
6339 @kindex reverse-nexti
6340 @kindex rni @r{(@code{reverse-nexti})}
6341 @item reverse-nexti @r{[}@var{count}@r{]}
6342 Like @code{nexti}, @code{reverse-nexti} executes a single instruction
6343 in reverse, except that called functions are ``un-executed'' atomically.
6344 That is, if the previously executed instruction was a return from
6345 another function, @code{reverse-nexti} will continue to execute
6346 in reverse until the call to that function (from the current stack
6347 frame) is reached.
6348
6349 @kindex reverse-finish
6350 @item reverse-finish
6351 Just as the @code{finish} command takes you to the point where the
6352 current function returns, @code{reverse-finish} takes you to the point
6353 where it was called. Instead of ending up at the end of the current
6354 function invocation, you end up at the beginning.
6355
6356 @kindex set exec-direction
6357 @item set exec-direction
6358 Set the direction of target execution.
6359 @item set exec-direction reverse
6360 @cindex execute forward or backward in time
6361 @value{GDBN} will perform all execution commands in reverse, until the
6362 exec-direction mode is changed to ``forward''. Affected commands include
6363 @code{step, stepi, next, nexti, continue, and finish}. The @code{return}
6364 command cannot be used in reverse mode.
6365 @item set exec-direction forward
6366 @value{GDBN} will perform all execution commands in the normal fashion.
6367 This is the default.
6368 @end table
6369
6370
6371 @node Process Record and Replay
6372 @chapter Recording Inferior's Execution and Replaying It
6373 @cindex process record and replay
6374 @cindex recording inferior's execution and replaying it
6375
6376 On some platforms, @value{GDBN} provides a special @dfn{process record
6377 and replay} target that can record a log of the process execution, and
6378 replay it later with both forward and reverse execution commands.
6379
6380 @cindex replay mode
6381 When this target is in use, if the execution log includes the record
6382 for the next instruction, @value{GDBN} will debug in @dfn{replay
6383 mode}. In the replay mode, the inferior does not really execute code
6384 instructions. Instead, all the events that normally happen during
6385 code execution are taken from the execution log. While code is not
6386 really executed in replay mode, the values of registers (including the
6387 program counter register) and the memory of the inferior are still
6388 changed as they normally would. Their contents are taken from the
6389 execution log.
6390
6391 @cindex record mode
6392 If the record for the next instruction is not in the execution log,
6393 @value{GDBN} will debug in @dfn{record mode}. In this mode, the
6394 inferior executes normally, and @value{GDBN} records the execution log
6395 for future replay.
6396
6397 The process record and replay target supports reverse execution
6398 (@pxref{Reverse Execution}), even if the platform on which the
6399 inferior runs does not. However, the reverse execution is limited in
6400 this case by the range of the instructions recorded in the execution
6401 log. In other words, reverse execution on platforms that don't
6402 support it directly can only be done in the replay mode.
6403
6404 When debugging in the reverse direction, @value{GDBN} will work in
6405 replay mode as long as the execution log includes the record for the
6406 previous instruction; otherwise, it will work in record mode, if the
6407 platform supports reverse execution, or stop if not.
6408
6409 For architecture environments that support process record and replay,
6410 @value{GDBN} provides the following commands:
6411
6412 @table @code
6413 @kindex target record
6414 @kindex target record-full
6415 @kindex target record-btrace
6416 @kindex record
6417 @kindex record full
6418 @kindex record btrace
6419 @kindex record btrace bts
6420 @kindex record bts
6421 @kindex rec
6422 @kindex rec full
6423 @kindex rec btrace
6424 @kindex rec btrace bts
6425 @kindex rec bts
6426 @item record @var{method}
6427 This command starts the process record and replay target. The
6428 recording method can be specified as parameter. Without a parameter
6429 the command uses the @code{full} recording method. The following
6430 recording methods are available:
6431
6432 @table @code
6433 @item full
6434 Full record/replay recording using @value{GDBN}'s software record and
6435 replay implementation. This method allows replaying and reverse
6436 execution.
6437
6438 @item btrace @var{format}
6439 Hardware-supported instruction recording. This method does not record
6440 data. Further, the data is collected in a ring buffer so old data will
6441 be overwritten when the buffer is full. It allows limited replay and
6442 reverse execution.
6443
6444 The recording format can be specified as parameter. Without a parameter
6445 the command chooses the recording format. The following recording
6446 formats are available:
6447
6448 @table @code
6449 @item bts
6450 @cindex branch trace store
6451 Use the @dfn{Branch Trace Store} (@acronym{BTS}) recording format. In
6452 this format, the processor stores a from/to record for each executed
6453 branch in the btrace ring buffer.
6454 @end table
6455
6456 Not all recording formats may be available on all processors.
6457 @end table
6458
6459 The process record and replay target can only debug a process that is
6460 already running. Therefore, you need first to start the process with
6461 the @kbd{run} or @kbd{start} commands, and then start the recording
6462 with the @kbd{record @var{method}} command.
6463
6464 Both @code{record @var{method}} and @code{rec @var{method}} are
6465 aliases of @code{target record-@var{method}}.
6466
6467 @cindex displaced stepping, and process record and replay
6468 Displaced stepping (@pxref{Maintenance Commands,, displaced stepping})
6469 will be automatically disabled when process record and replay target
6470 is started. That's because the process record and replay target
6471 doesn't support displaced stepping.
6472
6473 @cindex non-stop mode, and process record and replay
6474 @cindex asynchronous execution, and process record and replay
6475 If the inferior is in the non-stop mode (@pxref{Non-Stop Mode}) or in
6476 the asynchronous execution mode (@pxref{Background Execution}), not
6477 all recording methods are available. The @code{full} recording method
6478 does not support these two modes.
6479
6480 @kindex record stop
6481 @kindex rec s
6482 @item record stop
6483 Stop the process record and replay target. When process record and
6484 replay target stops, the entire execution log will be deleted and the
6485 inferior will either be terminated, or will remain in its final state.
6486
6487 When you stop the process record and replay target in record mode (at
6488 the end of the execution log), the inferior will be stopped at the
6489 next instruction that would have been recorded. In other words, if
6490 you record for a while and then stop recording, the inferior process
6491 will be left in the same state as if the recording never happened.
6492
6493 On the other hand, if the process record and replay target is stopped
6494 while in replay mode (that is, not at the end of the execution log,
6495 but at some earlier point), the inferior process will become ``live''
6496 at that earlier state, and it will then be possible to continue the
6497 usual ``live'' debugging of the process from that state.
6498
6499 When the inferior process exits, or @value{GDBN} detaches from it,
6500 process record and replay target will automatically stop itself.
6501
6502 @kindex record goto
6503 @item record goto
6504 Go to a specific location in the execution log. There are several
6505 ways to specify the location to go to:
6506
6507 @table @code
6508 @item record goto begin
6509 @itemx record goto start
6510 Go to the beginning of the execution log.
6511
6512 @item record goto end
6513 Go to the end of the execution log.
6514
6515 @item record goto @var{n}
6516 Go to instruction number @var{n} in the execution log.
6517 @end table
6518
6519 @kindex record save
6520 @item record save @var{filename}
6521 Save the execution log to a file @file{@var{filename}}.
6522 Default filename is @file{gdb_record.@var{process_id}}, where
6523 @var{process_id} is the process ID of the inferior.
6524
6525 This command may not be available for all recording methods.
6526
6527 @kindex record restore
6528 @item record restore @var{filename}
6529 Restore the execution log from a file @file{@var{filename}}.
6530 File must have been created with @code{record save}.
6531
6532 @kindex set record full
6533 @item set record full insn-number-max @var{limit}
6534 @itemx set record full insn-number-max unlimited
6535 Set the limit of instructions to be recorded for the @code{full}
6536 recording method. Default value is 200000.
6537
6538 If @var{limit} is a positive number, then @value{GDBN} will start
6539 deleting instructions from the log once the number of the record
6540 instructions becomes greater than @var{limit}. For every new recorded
6541 instruction, @value{GDBN} will delete the earliest recorded
6542 instruction to keep the number of recorded instructions at the limit.
6543 (Since deleting recorded instructions loses information, @value{GDBN}
6544 lets you control what happens when the limit is reached, by means of
6545 the @code{stop-at-limit} option, described below.)
6546
6547 If @var{limit} is @code{unlimited} or zero, @value{GDBN} will never
6548 delete recorded instructions from the execution log. The number of
6549 recorded instructions is limited only by the available memory.
6550
6551 @kindex show record full
6552 @item show record full insn-number-max
6553 Show the limit of instructions to be recorded with the @code{full}
6554 recording method.
6555
6556 @item set record full stop-at-limit
6557 Control the behavior of the @code{full} recording method when the
6558 number of recorded instructions reaches the limit. If ON (the
6559 default), @value{GDBN} will stop when the limit is reached for the
6560 first time and ask you whether you want to stop the inferior or
6561 continue running it and recording the execution log. If you decide
6562 to continue recording, each new recorded instruction will cause the
6563 oldest one to be deleted.
6564
6565 If this option is OFF, @value{GDBN} will automatically delete the
6566 oldest record to make room for each new one, without asking.
6567
6568 @item show record full stop-at-limit
6569 Show the current setting of @code{stop-at-limit}.
6570
6571 @item set record full memory-query
6572 Control the behavior when @value{GDBN} is unable to record memory
6573 changes caused by an instruction for the @code{full} recording method.
6574 If ON, @value{GDBN} will query whether to stop the inferior in that
6575 case.
6576
6577 If this option is OFF (the default), @value{GDBN} will automatically
6578 ignore the effect of such instructions on memory. Later, when
6579 @value{GDBN} replays this execution log, it will mark the log of this
6580 instruction as not accessible, and it will not affect the replay
6581 results.
6582
6583 @item show record full memory-query
6584 Show the current setting of @code{memory-query}.
6585
6586 @kindex set record btrace
6587 The @code{btrace} record target does not trace data. As a
6588 convenience, when replaying, @value{GDBN} reads read-only memory off
6589 the live program directly, assuming that the addresses of the
6590 read-only areas don't change. This for example makes it possible to
6591 disassemble code while replaying, but not to print variables.
6592 In some cases, being able to inspect variables might be useful.
6593 You can use the following command for that:
6594
6595 @item set record btrace replay-memory-access
6596 Control the behavior of the @code{btrace} recording method when
6597 accessing memory during replay. If @code{read-only} (the default),
6598 @value{GDBN} will only allow accesses to read-only memory.
6599 If @code{read-write}, @value{GDBN} will allow accesses to read-only
6600 and to read-write memory. Beware that the accessed memory corresponds
6601 to the live target and not necessarily to the current replay
6602 position.
6603
6604 @kindex show record btrace
6605 @item show record btrace replay-memory-access
6606 Show the current setting of @code{replay-memory-access}.
6607
6608 @kindex set record btrace bts
6609 @item set record btrace bts buffer-size @var{size}
6610 @itemx set record btrace bts buffer-size unlimited
6611 Set the requested ring buffer size for branch tracing in @acronym{BTS}
6612 format. Default is 64KB.
6613
6614 If @var{size} is a positive number, then @value{GDBN} will try to
6615 allocate a buffer of at least @var{size} bytes for each new thread
6616 that uses the btrace recording method and the @acronym{BTS} format.
6617 The actually obtained buffer size may differ from the requested
6618 @var{size}. Use the @code{info record} command to see the actual
6619 buffer size for each thread that uses the btrace recording method and
6620 the @acronym{BTS} format.
6621
6622 If @var{limit} is @code{unlimited} or zero, @value{GDBN} will try to
6623 allocate a buffer of 4MB.
6624
6625 Bigger buffers mean longer traces. On the other hand, @value{GDBN} will
6626 also need longer to process the branch trace data before it can be used.
6627
6628 @item show record btrace bts buffer-size @var{size}
6629 Show the current setting of the requested ring buffer size for branch
6630 tracing in @acronym{BTS} format.
6631
6632 @kindex info record
6633 @item info record
6634 Show various statistics about the recording depending on the recording
6635 method:
6636
6637 @table @code
6638 @item full
6639 For the @code{full} recording method, it shows the state of process
6640 record and its in-memory execution log buffer, including:
6641
6642 @itemize @bullet
6643 @item
6644 Whether in record mode or replay mode.
6645 @item
6646 Lowest recorded instruction number (counting from when the current execution log started recording instructions).
6647 @item
6648 Highest recorded instruction number.
6649 @item
6650 Current instruction about to be replayed (if in replay mode).
6651 @item
6652 Number of instructions contained in the execution log.
6653 @item
6654 Maximum number of instructions that may be contained in the execution log.
6655 @end itemize
6656
6657 @item btrace
6658 For the @code{btrace} recording method, it shows:
6659
6660 @itemize @bullet
6661 @item
6662 Recording format.
6663 @item
6664 Number of instructions that have been recorded.
6665 @item
6666 Number of blocks of sequential control-flow formed by the recorded
6667 instructions.
6668 @item
6669 Whether in record mode or replay mode.
6670 @end itemize
6671
6672 For the @code{bts} recording format, it also shows:
6673 @itemize @bullet
6674 @item
6675 Size of the perf ring buffer.
6676 @end itemize
6677 @end table
6678
6679 @kindex record delete
6680 @kindex rec del
6681 @item record delete
6682 When record target runs in replay mode (``in the past''), delete the
6683 subsequent execution log and begin to record a new execution log starting
6684 from the current address. This means you will abandon the previously
6685 recorded ``future'' and begin recording a new ``future''.
6686
6687 @kindex record instruction-history
6688 @kindex rec instruction-history
6689 @item record instruction-history
6690 Disassembles instructions from the recorded execution log. By
6691 default, ten instructions are disassembled. This can be changed using
6692 the @code{set record instruction-history-size} command. Instructions
6693 are printed in execution order. There are several ways to specify
6694 what part of the execution log to disassemble:
6695
6696 @table @code
6697 @item record instruction-history @var{insn}
6698 Disassembles ten instructions starting from instruction number
6699 @var{insn}.
6700
6701 @item record instruction-history @var{insn}, +/-@var{n}
6702 Disassembles @var{n} instructions around instruction number
6703 @var{insn}. If @var{n} is preceded with @code{+}, disassembles
6704 @var{n} instructions after instruction number @var{insn}. If
6705 @var{n} is preceded with @code{-}, disassembles @var{n}
6706 instructions before instruction number @var{insn}.
6707
6708 @item record instruction-history
6709 Disassembles ten more instructions after the last disassembly.
6710
6711 @item record instruction-history -
6712 Disassembles ten more instructions before the last disassembly.
6713
6714 @item record instruction-history @var{begin} @var{end}
6715 Disassembles instructions beginning with instruction number
6716 @var{begin} until instruction number @var{end}. The instruction
6717 number @var{end} is included.
6718 @end table
6719
6720 This command may not be available for all recording methods.
6721
6722 @kindex set record
6723 @item set record instruction-history-size @var{size}
6724 @itemx set record instruction-history-size unlimited
6725 Define how many instructions to disassemble in the @code{record
6726 instruction-history} command. The default value is 10.
6727 A @var{size} of @code{unlimited} means unlimited instructions.
6728
6729 @kindex show record
6730 @item show record instruction-history-size
6731 Show how many instructions to disassemble in the @code{record
6732 instruction-history} command.
6733
6734 @kindex record function-call-history
6735 @kindex rec function-call-history
6736 @item record function-call-history
6737 Prints the execution history at function granularity. It prints one
6738 line for each sequence of instructions that belong to the same
6739 function giving the name of that function, the source lines
6740 for this instruction sequence (if the @code{/l} modifier is
6741 specified), and the instructions numbers that form the sequence (if
6742 the @code{/i} modifier is specified). The function names are indented
6743 to reflect the call stack depth if the @code{/c} modifier is
6744 specified. The @code{/l}, @code{/i}, and @code{/c} modifiers can be
6745 given together.
6746
6747 @smallexample
6748 (@value{GDBP}) @b{list 1, 10}
6749 1 void foo (void)
6750 2 @{
6751 3 @}
6752 4
6753 5 void bar (void)
6754 6 @{
6755 7 ...
6756 8 foo ();
6757 9 ...
6758 10 @}
6759 (@value{GDBP}) @b{record function-call-history /ilc}
6760 1 bar inst 1,4 at foo.c:6,8
6761 2 foo inst 5,10 at foo.c:2,3
6762 3 bar inst 11,13 at foo.c:9,10
6763 @end smallexample
6764
6765 By default, ten lines are printed. This can be changed using the
6766 @code{set record function-call-history-size} command. Functions are
6767 printed in execution order. There are several ways to specify what
6768 to print:
6769
6770 @table @code
6771 @item record function-call-history @var{func}
6772 Prints ten functions starting from function number @var{func}.
6773
6774 @item record function-call-history @var{func}, +/-@var{n}
6775 Prints @var{n} functions around function number @var{func}. If
6776 @var{n} is preceded with @code{+}, prints @var{n} functions after
6777 function number @var{func}. If @var{n} is preceded with @code{-},
6778 prints @var{n} functions before function number @var{func}.
6779
6780 @item record function-call-history
6781 Prints ten more functions after the last ten-line print.
6782
6783 @item record function-call-history -
6784 Prints ten more functions before the last ten-line print.
6785
6786 @item record function-call-history @var{begin} @var{end}
6787 Prints functions beginning with function number @var{begin} until
6788 function number @var{end}. The function number @var{end} is included.
6789 @end table
6790
6791 This command may not be available for all recording methods.
6792
6793 @item set record function-call-history-size @var{size}
6794 @itemx set record function-call-history-size unlimited
6795 Define how many lines to print in the
6796 @code{record function-call-history} command. The default value is 10.
6797 A size of @code{unlimited} means unlimited lines.
6798
6799 @item show record function-call-history-size
6800 Show how many lines to print in the
6801 @code{record function-call-history} command.
6802 @end table
6803
6804
6805 @node Stack
6806 @chapter Examining the Stack
6807
6808 When your program has stopped, the first thing you need to know is where it
6809 stopped and how it got there.
6810
6811 @cindex call stack
6812 Each time your program performs a function call, information about the call
6813 is generated.
6814 That information includes the location of the call in your program,
6815 the arguments of the call,
6816 and the local variables of the function being called.
6817 The information is saved in a block of data called a @dfn{stack frame}.
6818 The stack frames are allocated in a region of memory called the @dfn{call
6819 stack}.
6820
6821 When your program stops, the @value{GDBN} commands for examining the
6822 stack allow you to see all of this information.
6823
6824 @cindex selected frame
6825 One of the stack frames is @dfn{selected} by @value{GDBN} and many
6826 @value{GDBN} commands refer implicitly to the selected frame. In
6827 particular, whenever you ask @value{GDBN} for the value of a variable in
6828 your program, the value is found in the selected frame. There are
6829 special @value{GDBN} commands to select whichever frame you are
6830 interested in. @xref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}.
6831
6832 When your program stops, @value{GDBN} automatically selects the
6833 currently executing frame and describes it briefly, similar to the
6834 @code{frame} command (@pxref{Frame Info, ,Information about a Frame}).
6835
6836 @menu
6837 * Frames:: Stack frames
6838 * Backtrace:: Backtraces
6839 * Frame Filter Management:: Managing frame filters
6840 * Selection:: Selecting a frame
6841 * Frame Info:: Information on a frame
6842
6843 @end menu
6844
6845 @node Frames
6846 @section Stack Frames
6847
6848 @cindex frame, definition
6849 @cindex stack frame
6850 The call stack is divided up into contiguous pieces called @dfn{stack
6851 frames}, or @dfn{frames} for short; each frame is the data associated
6852 with one call to one function. The frame contains the arguments given
6853 to the function, the function's local variables, and the address at
6854 which the function is executing.
6855
6856 @cindex initial frame
6857 @cindex outermost frame
6858 @cindex innermost frame
6859 When your program is started, the stack has only one frame, that of the
6860 function @code{main}. This is called the @dfn{initial} frame or the
6861 @dfn{outermost} frame. Each time a function is called, a new frame is
6862 made. Each time a function returns, the frame for that function invocation
6863 is eliminated. If a function is recursive, there can be many frames for
6864 the same function. The frame for the function in which execution is
6865 actually occurring is called the @dfn{innermost} frame. This is the most
6866 recently created of all the stack frames that still exist.
6867
6868 @cindex frame pointer
6869 Inside your program, stack frames are identified by their addresses. A
6870 stack frame consists of many bytes, each of which has its own address; each
6871 kind of computer has a convention for choosing one byte whose
6872 address serves as the address of the frame. Usually this address is kept
6873 in a register called the @dfn{frame pointer register}
6874 (@pxref{Registers, $fp}) while execution is going on in that frame.
6875
6876 @cindex frame number
6877 @value{GDBN} assigns numbers to all existing stack frames, starting with
6878 zero for the innermost frame, one for the frame that called it,
6879 and so on upward. These numbers do not really exist in your program;
6880 they are assigned by @value{GDBN} to give you a way of designating stack
6881 frames in @value{GDBN} commands.
6882
6883 @c The -fomit-frame-pointer below perennially causes hbox overflow
6884 @c underflow problems.
6885 @cindex frameless execution
6886 Some compilers provide a way to compile functions so that they operate
6887 without stack frames. (For example, the @value{NGCC} option
6888 @smallexample
6889 @samp{-fomit-frame-pointer}
6890 @end smallexample
6891 generates functions without a frame.)
6892 This is occasionally done with heavily used library functions to save
6893 the frame setup time. @value{GDBN} has limited facilities for dealing
6894 with these function invocations. If the innermost function invocation
6895 has no stack frame, @value{GDBN} nevertheless regards it as though
6896 it had a separate frame, which is numbered zero as usual, allowing
6897 correct tracing of the function call chain. However, @value{GDBN} has
6898 no provision for frameless functions elsewhere in the stack.
6899
6900 @table @code
6901 @kindex frame@r{, command}
6902 @cindex current stack frame
6903 @item frame @r{[}@var{framespec}@r{]}
6904 The @code{frame} command allows you to move from one stack frame to another,
6905 and to print the stack frame you select. The @var{framespec} may be either the
6906 address of the frame or the stack frame number. Without an argument,
6907 @code{frame} prints the current stack frame.
6908
6909 @kindex select-frame
6910 @cindex selecting frame silently
6911 @item select-frame
6912 The @code{select-frame} command allows you to move from one stack frame
6913 to another without printing the frame. This is the silent version of
6914 @code{frame}.
6915 @end table
6916
6917 @node Backtrace
6918 @section Backtraces
6919
6920 @cindex traceback
6921 @cindex call stack traces
6922 A backtrace is a summary of how your program got where it is. It shows one
6923 line per frame, for many frames, starting with the currently executing
6924 frame (frame zero), followed by its caller (frame one), and on up the
6925 stack.
6926
6927 @anchor{backtrace-command}
6928 @table @code
6929 @kindex backtrace
6930 @kindex bt @r{(@code{backtrace})}
6931 @item backtrace
6932 @itemx bt
6933 Print a backtrace of the entire stack: one line per frame for all
6934 frames in the stack.
6935
6936 You can stop the backtrace at any time by typing the system interrupt
6937 character, normally @kbd{Ctrl-c}.
6938
6939 @item backtrace @var{n}
6940 @itemx bt @var{n}
6941 Similar, but print only the innermost @var{n} frames.
6942
6943 @item backtrace -@var{n}
6944 @itemx bt -@var{n}
6945 Similar, but print only the outermost @var{n} frames.
6946
6947 @item backtrace full
6948 @itemx bt full
6949 @itemx bt full @var{n}
6950 @itemx bt full -@var{n}
6951 Print the values of the local variables also. As described above,
6952 @var{n} specifies the number of frames to print.
6953
6954 @item backtrace no-filters
6955 @itemx bt no-filters
6956 @itemx bt no-filters @var{n}
6957 @itemx bt no-filters -@var{n}
6958 @itemx bt no-filters full
6959 @itemx bt no-filters full @var{n}
6960 @itemx bt no-filters full -@var{n}
6961 Do not run Python frame filters on this backtrace. @xref{Frame
6962 Filter API}, for more information. Additionally use @ref{disable
6963 frame-filter all} to turn off all frame filters. This is only
6964 relevant when @value{GDBN} has been configured with @code{Python}
6965 support.
6966 @end table
6967
6968 @kindex where
6969 @kindex info stack
6970 The names @code{where} and @code{info stack} (abbreviated @code{info s})
6971 are additional aliases for @code{backtrace}.
6972
6973 @cindex multiple threads, backtrace
6974 In a multi-threaded program, @value{GDBN} by default shows the
6975 backtrace only for the current thread. To display the backtrace for
6976 several or all of the threads, use the command @code{thread apply}
6977 (@pxref{Threads, thread apply}). For example, if you type @kbd{thread
6978 apply all backtrace}, @value{GDBN} will display the backtrace for all
6979 the threads; this is handy when you debug a core dump of a
6980 multi-threaded program.
6981
6982 Each line in the backtrace shows the frame number and the function name.
6983 The program counter value is also shown---unless you use @code{set
6984 print address off}. The backtrace also shows the source file name and
6985 line number, as well as the arguments to the function. The program
6986 counter value is omitted if it is at the beginning of the code for that
6987 line number.
6988
6989 Here is an example of a backtrace. It was made with the command
6990 @samp{bt 3}, so it shows the innermost three frames.
6991
6992 @smallexample
6993 @group
6994 #0 m4_traceon (obs=0x24eb0, argc=1, argv=0x2b8c8)
6995 at builtin.c:993
6996 #1 0x6e38 in expand_macro (sym=0x2b600, data=...) at macro.c:242
6997 #2 0x6840 in expand_token (obs=0x0, t=177664, td=0xf7fffb08)
6998 at macro.c:71
6999 (More stack frames follow...)
7000 @end group
7001 @end smallexample
7002
7003 @noindent
7004 The display for frame zero does not begin with a program counter
7005 value, indicating that your program has stopped at the beginning of the
7006 code for line @code{993} of @code{builtin.c}.
7007
7008 @noindent
7009 The value of parameter @code{data} in frame 1 has been replaced by
7010 @code{@dots{}}. By default, @value{GDBN} prints the value of a parameter
7011 only if it is a scalar (integer, pointer, enumeration, etc). See command
7012 @kbd{set print frame-arguments} in @ref{Print Settings} for more details
7013 on how to configure the way function parameter values are printed.
7014
7015 @cindex optimized out, in backtrace
7016 @cindex function call arguments, optimized out
7017 If your program was compiled with optimizations, some compilers will
7018 optimize away arguments passed to functions if those arguments are
7019 never used after the call. Such optimizations generate code that
7020 passes arguments through registers, but doesn't store those arguments
7021 in the stack frame. @value{GDBN} has no way of displaying such
7022 arguments in stack frames other than the innermost one. Here's what
7023 such a backtrace might look like:
7024
7025 @smallexample
7026 @group
7027 #0 m4_traceon (obs=0x24eb0, argc=1, argv=0x2b8c8)
7028 at builtin.c:993
7029 #1 0x6e38 in expand_macro (sym=<optimized out>) at macro.c:242
7030 #2 0x6840 in expand_token (obs=0x0, t=<optimized out>, td=0xf7fffb08)
7031 at macro.c:71
7032 (More stack frames follow...)
7033 @end group
7034 @end smallexample
7035
7036 @noindent
7037 The values of arguments that were not saved in their stack frames are
7038 shown as @samp{<optimized out>}.
7039
7040 If you need to display the values of such optimized-out arguments,
7041 either deduce that from other variables whose values depend on the one
7042 you are interested in, or recompile without optimizations.
7043
7044 @cindex backtrace beyond @code{main} function
7045 @cindex program entry point
7046 @cindex startup code, and backtrace
7047 Most programs have a standard user entry point---a place where system
7048 libraries and startup code transition into user code. For C this is
7049 @code{main}@footnote{
7050 Note that embedded programs (the so-called ``free-standing''
7051 environment) are not required to have a @code{main} function as the
7052 entry point. They could even have multiple entry points.}.
7053 When @value{GDBN} finds the entry function in a backtrace
7054 it will terminate the backtrace, to avoid tracing into highly
7055 system-specific (and generally uninteresting) code.
7056
7057 If you need to examine the startup code, or limit the number of levels
7058 in a backtrace, you can change this behavior:
7059
7060 @table @code
7061 @item set backtrace past-main
7062 @itemx set backtrace past-main on
7063 @kindex set backtrace
7064 Backtraces will continue past the user entry point.
7065
7066 @item set backtrace past-main off
7067 Backtraces will stop when they encounter the user entry point. This is the
7068 default.
7069
7070 @item show backtrace past-main
7071 @kindex show backtrace
7072 Display the current user entry point backtrace policy.
7073
7074 @item set backtrace past-entry
7075 @itemx set backtrace past-entry on
7076 Backtraces will continue past the internal entry point of an application.
7077 This entry point is encoded by the linker when the application is built,
7078 and is likely before the user entry point @code{main} (or equivalent) is called.
7079
7080 @item set backtrace past-entry off
7081 Backtraces will stop when they encounter the internal entry point of an
7082 application. This is the default.
7083
7084 @item show backtrace past-entry
7085 Display the current internal entry point backtrace policy.
7086
7087 @item set backtrace limit @var{n}
7088 @itemx set backtrace limit 0
7089 @itemx set backtrace limit unlimited
7090 @cindex backtrace limit
7091 Limit the backtrace to @var{n} levels. A value of @code{unlimited}
7092 or zero means unlimited levels.
7093
7094 @item show backtrace limit
7095 Display the current limit on backtrace levels.
7096 @end table
7097
7098 You can control how file names are displayed.
7099
7100 @table @code
7101 @item set filename-display
7102 @itemx set filename-display relative
7103 @cindex filename-display
7104 Display file names relative to the compilation directory. This is the default.
7105
7106 @item set filename-display basename
7107 Display only basename of a filename.
7108
7109 @item set filename-display absolute
7110 Display an absolute filename.
7111
7112 @item show filename-display
7113 Show the current way to display filenames.
7114 @end table
7115
7116 @node Frame Filter Management
7117 @section Management of Frame Filters.
7118 @cindex managing frame filters
7119
7120 Frame filters are Python based utilities to manage and decorate the
7121 output of frames. @xref{Frame Filter API}, for further information.
7122
7123 Managing frame filters is performed by several commands available
7124 within @value{GDBN}, detailed here.
7125
7126 @table @code
7127 @kindex info frame-filter
7128 @item info frame-filter
7129 Print a list of installed frame filters from all dictionaries, showing
7130 their name, priority and enabled status.
7131
7132 @kindex disable frame-filter
7133 @anchor{disable frame-filter all}
7134 @item disable frame-filter @var{filter-dictionary} @var{filter-name}
7135 Disable a frame filter in the dictionary matching
7136 @var{filter-dictionary} and @var{filter-name}. The
7137 @var{filter-dictionary} may be @code{all}, @code{global},
7138 @code{progspace}, or the name of the object file where the frame filter
7139 dictionary resides. When @code{all} is specified, all frame filters
7140 across all dictionaries are disabled. The @var{filter-name} is the name
7141 of the frame filter and is used when @code{all} is not the option for
7142 @var{filter-dictionary}. A disabled frame-filter is not deleted, it
7143 may be enabled again later.
7144
7145 @kindex enable frame-filter
7146 @item enable frame-filter @var{filter-dictionary} @var{filter-name}
7147 Enable a frame filter in the dictionary matching
7148 @var{filter-dictionary} and @var{filter-name}. The
7149 @var{filter-dictionary} may be @code{all}, @code{global},
7150 @code{progspace} or the name of the object file where the frame filter
7151 dictionary resides. When @code{all} is specified, all frame filters across
7152 all dictionaries are enabled. The @var{filter-name} is the name of the frame
7153 filter and is used when @code{all} is not the option for
7154 @var{filter-dictionary}.
7155
7156 Example:
7157
7158 @smallexample
7159 (gdb) info frame-filter
7160
7161 global frame-filters:
7162 Priority Enabled Name
7163 1000 No PrimaryFunctionFilter
7164 100 Yes Reverse
7165
7166 progspace /build/test frame-filters:
7167 Priority Enabled Name
7168 100 Yes ProgspaceFilter
7169
7170 objfile /build/test frame-filters:
7171 Priority Enabled Name
7172 999 Yes BuildProgra Filter
7173
7174 (gdb) disable frame-filter /build/test BuildProgramFilter
7175 (gdb) info frame-filter
7176
7177 global frame-filters:
7178 Priority Enabled Name
7179 1000 No PrimaryFunctionFilter
7180 100 Yes Reverse
7181
7182 progspace /build/test frame-filters:
7183 Priority Enabled Name
7184 100 Yes ProgspaceFilter
7185
7186 objfile /build/test frame-filters:
7187 Priority Enabled Name
7188 999 No BuildProgramFilter
7189
7190 (gdb) enable frame-filter global PrimaryFunctionFilter
7191 (gdb) info frame-filter
7192
7193 global frame-filters:
7194 Priority Enabled Name
7195 1000 Yes PrimaryFunctionFilter
7196 100 Yes Reverse
7197
7198 progspace /build/test frame-filters:
7199 Priority Enabled Name
7200 100 Yes ProgspaceFilter
7201
7202 objfile /build/test frame-filters:
7203 Priority Enabled Name
7204 999 No BuildProgramFilter
7205 @end smallexample
7206
7207 @kindex set frame-filter priority
7208 @item set frame-filter priority @var{filter-dictionary} @var{filter-name} @var{priority}
7209 Set the @var{priority} of a frame filter in the dictionary matching
7210 @var{filter-dictionary}, and the frame filter name matching
7211 @var{filter-name}. The @var{filter-dictionary} may be @code{global},
7212 @code{progspace} or the name of the object file where the frame filter
7213 dictionary resides. The @var{priority} is an integer.
7214
7215 @kindex show frame-filter priority
7216 @item show frame-filter priority @var{filter-dictionary} @var{filter-name}
7217 Show the @var{priority} of a frame filter in the dictionary matching
7218 @var{filter-dictionary}, and the frame filter name matching
7219 @var{filter-name}. The @var{filter-dictionary} may be @code{global},
7220 @code{progspace} or the name of the object file where the frame filter
7221 dictionary resides.
7222
7223 Example:
7224
7225 @smallexample
7226 (gdb) info frame-filter
7227
7228 global frame-filters:
7229 Priority Enabled Name
7230 1000 Yes PrimaryFunctionFilter
7231 100 Yes Reverse
7232
7233 progspace /build/test frame-filters:
7234 Priority Enabled Name
7235 100 Yes ProgspaceFilter
7236
7237 objfile /build/test frame-filters:
7238 Priority Enabled Name
7239 999 No BuildProgramFilter
7240
7241 (gdb) set frame-filter priority global Reverse 50
7242 (gdb) info frame-filter
7243
7244 global frame-filters:
7245 Priority Enabled Name
7246 1000 Yes PrimaryFunctionFilter
7247 50 Yes Reverse
7248
7249 progspace /build/test frame-filters:
7250 Priority Enabled Name
7251 100 Yes ProgspaceFilter
7252
7253 objfile /build/test frame-filters:
7254 Priority Enabled Name
7255 999 No BuildProgramFilter
7256 @end smallexample
7257 @end table
7258
7259 @node Selection
7260 @section Selecting a Frame
7261
7262 Most commands for examining the stack and other data in your program work on
7263 whichever stack frame is selected at the moment. Here are the commands for
7264 selecting a stack frame; all of them finish by printing a brief description
7265 of the stack frame just selected.
7266
7267 @table @code
7268 @kindex frame@r{, selecting}
7269 @kindex f @r{(@code{frame})}
7270 @item frame @var{n}
7271 @itemx f @var{n}
7272 Select frame number @var{n}. Recall that frame zero is the innermost
7273 (currently executing) frame, frame one is the frame that called the
7274 innermost one, and so on. The highest-numbered frame is the one for
7275 @code{main}.
7276
7277 @item frame @var{addr}
7278 @itemx f @var{addr}
7279 Select the frame at address @var{addr}. This is useful mainly if the
7280 chaining of stack frames has been damaged by a bug, making it
7281 impossible for @value{GDBN} to assign numbers properly to all frames. In
7282 addition, this can be useful when your program has multiple stacks and
7283 switches between them.
7284
7285 On the SPARC architecture, @code{frame} needs two addresses to
7286 select an arbitrary frame: a frame pointer and a stack pointer.
7287
7288 On the @acronym{MIPS} and Alpha architecture, it needs two addresses: a stack
7289 pointer and a program counter.
7290
7291 On the 29k architecture, it needs three addresses: a register stack
7292 pointer, a program counter, and a memory stack pointer.
7293
7294 @kindex up
7295 @item up @var{n}
7296 Move @var{n} frames up the stack; @var{n} defaults to 1. For positive
7297 numbers @var{n}, this advances toward the outermost frame, to higher
7298 frame numbers, to frames that have existed longer.
7299
7300 @kindex down
7301 @kindex do @r{(@code{down})}
7302 @item down @var{n}
7303 Move @var{n} frames down the stack; @var{n} defaults to 1. For
7304 positive numbers @var{n}, this advances toward the innermost frame, to
7305 lower frame numbers, to frames that were created more recently.
7306 You may abbreviate @code{down} as @code{do}.
7307 @end table
7308
7309 All of these commands end by printing two lines of output describing the
7310 frame. The first line shows the frame number, the function name, the
7311 arguments, and the source file and line number of execution in that
7312 frame. The second line shows the text of that source line.
7313
7314 @need 1000
7315 For example:
7316
7317 @smallexample
7318 @group
7319 (@value{GDBP}) up
7320 #1 0x22f0 in main (argc=1, argv=0xf7fffbf4, env=0xf7fffbfc)
7321 at env.c:10
7322 10 read_input_file (argv[i]);
7323 @end group
7324 @end smallexample
7325
7326 After such a printout, the @code{list} command with no arguments
7327 prints ten lines centered on the point of execution in the frame.
7328 You can also edit the program at the point of execution with your favorite
7329 editing program by typing @code{edit}.
7330 @xref{List, ,Printing Source Lines},
7331 for details.
7332
7333 @table @code
7334 @kindex down-silently
7335 @kindex up-silently
7336 @item up-silently @var{n}
7337 @itemx down-silently @var{n}
7338 These two commands are variants of @code{up} and @code{down},
7339 respectively; they differ in that they do their work silently, without
7340 causing display of the new frame. They are intended primarily for use
7341 in @value{GDBN} command scripts, where the output might be unnecessary and
7342 distracting.
7343 @end table
7344
7345 @node Frame Info
7346 @section Information About a Frame
7347
7348 There are several other commands to print information about the selected
7349 stack frame.
7350
7351 @table @code
7352 @item frame
7353 @itemx f
7354 When used without any argument, this command does not change which
7355 frame is selected, but prints a brief description of the currently
7356 selected stack frame. It can be abbreviated @code{f}. With an
7357 argument, this command is used to select a stack frame.
7358 @xref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}.
7359
7360 @kindex info frame
7361 @kindex info f @r{(@code{info frame})}
7362 @item info frame
7363 @itemx info f
7364 This command prints a verbose description of the selected stack frame,
7365 including:
7366
7367 @itemize @bullet
7368 @item
7369 the address of the frame
7370 @item
7371 the address of the next frame down (called by this frame)
7372 @item
7373 the address of the next frame up (caller of this frame)
7374 @item
7375 the language in which the source code corresponding to this frame is written
7376 @item
7377 the address of the frame's arguments
7378 @item
7379 the address of the frame's local variables
7380 @item
7381 the program counter saved in it (the address of execution in the caller frame)
7382 @item
7383 which registers were saved in the frame
7384 @end itemize
7385
7386 @noindent The verbose description is useful when
7387 something has gone wrong that has made the stack format fail to fit
7388 the usual conventions.
7389
7390 @item info frame @var{addr}
7391 @itemx info f @var{addr}
7392 Print a verbose description of the frame at address @var{addr}, without
7393 selecting that frame. The selected frame remains unchanged by this
7394 command. This requires the same kind of address (more than one for some
7395 architectures) that you specify in the @code{frame} command.
7396 @xref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}.
7397
7398 @kindex info args
7399 @item info args
7400 Print the arguments of the selected frame, each on a separate line.
7401
7402 @item info locals
7403 @kindex info locals
7404 Print the local variables of the selected frame, each on a separate
7405 line. These are all variables (declared either static or automatic)
7406 accessible at the point of execution of the selected frame.
7407
7408 @end table
7409
7410
7411 @node Source
7412 @chapter Examining Source Files
7413
7414 @value{GDBN} can print parts of your program's source, since the debugging
7415 information recorded in the program tells @value{GDBN} what source files were
7416 used to build it. When your program stops, @value{GDBN} spontaneously prints
7417 the line where it stopped. Likewise, when you select a stack frame
7418 (@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}), @value{GDBN} prints the line where
7419 execution in that frame has stopped. You can print other portions of
7420 source files by explicit command.
7421
7422 If you use @value{GDBN} through its @sc{gnu} Emacs interface, you may
7423 prefer to use Emacs facilities to view source; see @ref{Emacs, ,Using
7424 @value{GDBN} under @sc{gnu} Emacs}.
7425
7426 @menu
7427 * List:: Printing source lines
7428 * Specify Location:: How to specify code locations
7429 * Edit:: Editing source files
7430 * Search:: Searching source files
7431 * Source Path:: Specifying source directories
7432 * Machine Code:: Source and machine code
7433 @end menu
7434
7435 @node List
7436 @section Printing Source Lines
7437
7438 @kindex list
7439 @kindex l @r{(@code{list})}
7440 To print lines from a source file, use the @code{list} command
7441 (abbreviated @code{l}). By default, ten lines are printed.
7442 There are several ways to specify what part of the file you want to
7443 print; see @ref{Specify Location}, for the full list.
7444
7445 Here are the forms of the @code{list} command most commonly used:
7446
7447 @table @code
7448 @item list @var{linenum}
7449 Print lines centered around line number @var{linenum} in the
7450 current source file.
7451
7452 @item list @var{function}
7453 Print lines centered around the beginning of function
7454 @var{function}.
7455
7456 @item list
7457 Print more lines. If the last lines printed were printed with a
7458 @code{list} command, this prints lines following the last lines
7459 printed; however, if the last line printed was a solitary line printed
7460 as part of displaying a stack frame (@pxref{Stack, ,Examining the
7461 Stack}), this prints lines centered around that line.
7462
7463 @item list -
7464 Print lines just before the lines last printed.
7465 @end table
7466
7467 @cindex @code{list}, how many lines to display
7468 By default, @value{GDBN} prints ten source lines with any of these forms of
7469 the @code{list} command. You can change this using @code{set listsize}:
7470
7471 @table @code
7472 @kindex set listsize
7473 @item set listsize @var{count}
7474 @itemx set listsize unlimited
7475 Make the @code{list} command display @var{count} source lines (unless
7476 the @code{list} argument explicitly specifies some other number).
7477 Setting @var{count} to @code{unlimited} or 0 means there's no limit.
7478
7479 @kindex show listsize
7480 @item show listsize
7481 Display the number of lines that @code{list} prints.
7482 @end table
7483
7484 Repeating a @code{list} command with @key{RET} discards the argument,
7485 so it is equivalent to typing just @code{list}. This is more useful
7486 than listing the same lines again. An exception is made for an
7487 argument of @samp{-}; that argument is preserved in repetition so that
7488 each repetition moves up in the source file.
7489
7490 In general, the @code{list} command expects you to supply zero, one or two
7491 @dfn{linespecs}. Linespecs specify source lines; there are several ways
7492 of writing them (@pxref{Specify Location}), but the effect is always
7493 to specify some source line.
7494
7495 Here is a complete description of the possible arguments for @code{list}:
7496
7497 @table @code
7498 @item list @var{linespec}
7499 Print lines centered around the line specified by @var{linespec}.
7500
7501 @item list @var{first},@var{last}
7502 Print lines from @var{first} to @var{last}. Both arguments are
7503 linespecs. When a @code{list} command has two linespecs, and the
7504 source file of the second linespec is omitted, this refers to
7505 the same source file as the first linespec.
7506
7507 @item list ,@var{last}
7508 Print lines ending with @var{last}.
7509
7510 @item list @var{first},
7511 Print lines starting with @var{first}.
7512
7513 @item list +
7514 Print lines just after the lines last printed.
7515
7516 @item list -
7517 Print lines just before the lines last printed.
7518
7519 @item list
7520 As described in the preceding table.
7521 @end table
7522
7523 @node Specify Location
7524 @section Specifying a Location
7525 @cindex specifying location
7526 @cindex linespec
7527
7528 Several @value{GDBN} commands accept arguments that specify a location
7529 of your program's code. Since @value{GDBN} is a source-level
7530 debugger, a location usually specifies some line in the source code;
7531 for that reason, locations are also known as @dfn{linespecs}.
7532
7533 Here are all the different ways of specifying a code location that
7534 @value{GDBN} understands:
7535
7536 @table @code
7537 @item @var{linenum}
7538 Specifies the line number @var{linenum} of the current source file.
7539
7540 @item -@var{offset}
7541 @itemx +@var{offset}
7542 Specifies the line @var{offset} lines before or after the @dfn{current
7543 line}. For the @code{list} command, the current line is the last one
7544 printed; for the breakpoint commands, this is the line at which
7545 execution stopped in the currently selected @dfn{stack frame}
7546 (@pxref{Frames, ,Frames}, for a description of stack frames.) When
7547 used as the second of the two linespecs in a @code{list} command,
7548 this specifies the line @var{offset} lines up or down from the first
7549 linespec.
7550
7551 @item @var{filename}:@var{linenum}
7552 Specifies the line @var{linenum} in the source file @var{filename}.
7553 If @var{filename} is a relative file name, then it will match any
7554 source file name with the same trailing components. For example, if
7555 @var{filename} is @samp{gcc/expr.c}, then it will match source file
7556 name of @file{/build/trunk/gcc/expr.c}, but not
7557 @file{/build/trunk/libcpp/expr.c} or @file{/build/trunk/gcc/x-expr.c}.
7558
7559 @item @var{function}
7560 Specifies the line that begins the body of the function @var{function}.
7561 For example, in C, this is the line with the open brace.
7562
7563 @item @var{function}:@var{label}
7564 Specifies the line where @var{label} appears in @var{function}.
7565
7566 @item @var{filename}:@var{function}
7567 Specifies the line that begins the body of the function @var{function}
7568 in the file @var{filename}. You only need the file name with a
7569 function name to avoid ambiguity when there are identically named
7570 functions in different source files.
7571
7572 @item @var{label}
7573 Specifies the line at which the label named @var{label} appears.
7574 @value{GDBN} searches for the label in the function corresponding to
7575 the currently selected stack frame. If there is no current selected
7576 stack frame (for instance, if the inferior is not running), then
7577 @value{GDBN} will not search for a label.
7578
7579 @item *@var{address}
7580 Specifies the program address @var{address}. For line-oriented
7581 commands, such as @code{list} and @code{edit}, this specifies a source
7582 line that contains @var{address}. For @code{break} and other
7583 breakpoint oriented commands, this can be used to set breakpoints in
7584 parts of your program which do not have debugging information or
7585 source files.
7586
7587 Here @var{address} may be any expression valid in the current working
7588 language (@pxref{Languages, working language}) that specifies a code
7589 address. In addition, as a convenience, @value{GDBN} extends the
7590 semantics of expressions used in locations to cover the situations
7591 that frequently happen during debugging. Here are the various forms
7592 of @var{address}:
7593
7594 @table @code
7595 @item @var{expression}
7596 Any expression valid in the current working language.
7597
7598 @item @var{funcaddr}
7599 An address of a function or procedure derived from its name. In C,
7600 C@t{++}, Java, Objective-C, Fortran, minimal, and assembly, this is
7601 simply the function's name @var{function} (and actually a special case
7602 of a valid expression). In Pascal and Modula-2, this is
7603 @code{&@var{function}}. In Ada, this is @code{@var{function}'Address}
7604 (although the Pascal form also works).
7605
7606 This form specifies the address of the function's first instruction,
7607 before the stack frame and arguments have been set up.
7608
7609 @item '@var{filename}':@var{funcaddr}
7610 Like @var{funcaddr} above, but also specifies the name of the source
7611 file explicitly. This is useful if the name of the function does not
7612 specify the function unambiguously, e.g., if there are several
7613 functions with identical names in different source files.
7614 @end table
7615
7616 @cindex breakpoint at static probe point
7617 @item -pstap|-probe-stap @r{[}@var{objfile}:@r{[}@var{provider}:@r{]}@r{]}@var{name}
7618 The @sc{gnu}/Linux tool @code{SystemTap} provides a way for
7619 applications to embed static probes. @xref{Static Probe Points}, for more
7620 information on finding and using static probes. This form of linespec
7621 specifies the location of such a static probe.
7622
7623 If @var{objfile} is given, only probes coming from that shared library
7624 or executable matching @var{objfile} as a regular expression are considered.
7625 If @var{provider} is given, then only probes from that provider are considered.
7626 If several probes match the spec, @value{GDBN} will insert a breakpoint at
7627 each one of those probes.
7628
7629 @end table
7630
7631
7632 @node Edit
7633 @section Editing Source Files
7634 @cindex editing source files
7635
7636 @kindex edit
7637 @kindex e @r{(@code{edit})}
7638 To edit the lines in a source file, use the @code{edit} command.
7639 The editing program of your choice
7640 is invoked with the current line set to
7641 the active line in the program.
7642 Alternatively, there are several ways to specify what part of the file you
7643 want to print if you want to see other parts of the program:
7644
7645 @table @code
7646 @item edit @var{location}
7647 Edit the source file specified by @code{location}. Editing starts at
7648 that @var{location}, e.g., at the specified source line of the
7649 specified file. @xref{Specify Location}, for all the possible forms
7650 of the @var{location} argument; here are the forms of the @code{edit}
7651 command most commonly used:
7652
7653 @table @code
7654 @item edit @var{number}
7655 Edit the current source file with @var{number} as the active line number.
7656
7657 @item edit @var{function}
7658 Edit the file containing @var{function} at the beginning of its definition.
7659 @end table
7660
7661 @end table
7662
7663 @subsection Choosing your Editor
7664 You can customize @value{GDBN} to use any editor you want
7665 @footnote{
7666 The only restriction is that your editor (say @code{ex}), recognizes the
7667 following command-line syntax:
7668 @smallexample
7669 ex +@var{number} file
7670 @end smallexample
7671 The optional numeric value +@var{number} specifies the number of the line in
7672 the file where to start editing.}.
7673 By default, it is @file{@value{EDITOR}}, but you can change this
7674 by setting the environment variable @code{EDITOR} before using
7675 @value{GDBN}. For example, to configure @value{GDBN} to use the
7676 @code{vi} editor, you could use these commands with the @code{sh} shell:
7677 @smallexample
7678 EDITOR=/usr/bin/vi
7679 export EDITOR
7680 gdb @dots{}
7681 @end smallexample
7682 or in the @code{csh} shell,
7683 @smallexample
7684 setenv EDITOR /usr/bin/vi
7685 gdb @dots{}
7686 @end smallexample
7687
7688 @node Search
7689 @section Searching Source Files
7690 @cindex searching source files
7691
7692 There are two commands for searching through the current source file for a
7693 regular expression.
7694
7695 @table @code
7696 @kindex search
7697 @kindex forward-search
7698 @kindex fo @r{(@code{forward-search})}
7699 @item forward-search @var{regexp}
7700 @itemx search @var{regexp}
7701 The command @samp{forward-search @var{regexp}} checks each line,
7702 starting with the one following the last line listed, for a match for
7703 @var{regexp}. It lists the line that is found. You can use the
7704 synonym @samp{search @var{regexp}} or abbreviate the command name as
7705 @code{fo}.
7706
7707 @kindex reverse-search
7708 @item reverse-search @var{regexp}
7709 The command @samp{reverse-search @var{regexp}} checks each line, starting
7710 with the one before the last line listed and going backward, for a match
7711 for @var{regexp}. It lists the line that is found. You can abbreviate
7712 this command as @code{rev}.
7713 @end table
7714
7715 @node Source Path
7716 @section Specifying Source Directories
7717
7718 @cindex source path
7719 @cindex directories for source files
7720 Executable programs sometimes do not record the directories of the source
7721 files from which they were compiled, just the names. Even when they do,
7722 the directories could be moved between the compilation and your debugging
7723 session. @value{GDBN} has a list of directories to search for source files;
7724 this is called the @dfn{source path}. Each time @value{GDBN} wants a source file,
7725 it tries all the directories in the list, in the order they are present
7726 in the list, until it finds a file with the desired name.
7727
7728 For example, suppose an executable references the file
7729 @file{/usr/src/foo-1.0/lib/foo.c}, and our source path is
7730 @file{/mnt/cross}. The file is first looked up literally; if this
7731 fails, @file{/mnt/cross/usr/src/foo-1.0/lib/foo.c} is tried; if this
7732 fails, @file{/mnt/cross/foo.c} is opened; if this fails, an error
7733 message is printed. @value{GDBN} does not look up the parts of the
7734 source file name, such as @file{/mnt/cross/src/foo-1.0/lib/foo.c}.
7735 Likewise, the subdirectories of the source path are not searched: if
7736 the source path is @file{/mnt/cross}, and the binary refers to
7737 @file{foo.c}, @value{GDBN} would not find it under
7738 @file{/mnt/cross/usr/src/foo-1.0/lib}.
7739
7740 Plain file names, relative file names with leading directories, file
7741 names containing dots, etc.@: are all treated as described above; for
7742 instance, if the source path is @file{/mnt/cross}, and the source file
7743 is recorded as @file{../lib/foo.c}, @value{GDBN} would first try
7744 @file{../lib/foo.c}, then @file{/mnt/cross/../lib/foo.c}, and after
7745 that---@file{/mnt/cross/foo.c}.
7746
7747 Note that the executable search path is @emph{not} used to locate the
7748 source files.
7749
7750 Whenever you reset or rearrange the source path, @value{GDBN} clears out
7751 any information it has cached about where source files are found and where
7752 each line is in the file.
7753
7754 @kindex directory
7755 @kindex dir
7756 When you start @value{GDBN}, its source path includes only @samp{cdir}
7757 and @samp{cwd}, in that order.
7758 To add other directories, use the @code{directory} command.
7759
7760 The search path is used to find both program source files and @value{GDBN}
7761 script files (read using the @samp{-command} option and @samp{source} command).
7762
7763 In addition to the source path, @value{GDBN} provides a set of commands
7764 that manage a list of source path substitution rules. A @dfn{substitution
7765 rule} specifies how to rewrite source directories stored in the program's
7766 debug information in case the sources were moved to a different
7767 directory between compilation and debugging. A rule is made of
7768 two strings, the first specifying what needs to be rewritten in
7769 the path, and the second specifying how it should be rewritten.
7770 In @ref{set substitute-path}, we name these two parts @var{from} and
7771 @var{to} respectively. @value{GDBN} does a simple string replacement
7772 of @var{from} with @var{to} at the start of the directory part of the
7773 source file name, and uses that result instead of the original file
7774 name to look up the sources.
7775
7776 Using the previous example, suppose the @file{foo-1.0} tree has been
7777 moved from @file{/usr/src} to @file{/mnt/cross}, then you can tell
7778 @value{GDBN} to replace @file{/usr/src} in all source path names with
7779 @file{/mnt/cross}. The first lookup will then be
7780 @file{/mnt/cross/foo-1.0/lib/foo.c} in place of the original location
7781 of @file{/usr/src/foo-1.0/lib/foo.c}. To define a source path
7782 substitution rule, use the @code{set substitute-path} command
7783 (@pxref{set substitute-path}).
7784
7785 To avoid unexpected substitution results, a rule is applied only if the
7786 @var{from} part of the directory name ends at a directory separator.
7787 For instance, a rule substituting @file{/usr/source} into
7788 @file{/mnt/cross} will be applied to @file{/usr/source/foo-1.0} but
7789 not to @file{/usr/sourceware/foo-2.0}. And because the substitution
7790 is applied only at the beginning of the directory name, this rule will
7791 not be applied to @file{/root/usr/source/baz.c} either.
7792
7793 In many cases, you can achieve the same result using the @code{directory}
7794 command. However, @code{set substitute-path} can be more efficient in
7795 the case where the sources are organized in a complex tree with multiple
7796 subdirectories. With the @code{directory} command, you need to add each
7797 subdirectory of your project. If you moved the entire tree while
7798 preserving its internal organization, then @code{set substitute-path}
7799 allows you to direct the debugger to all the sources with one single
7800 command.
7801
7802 @code{set substitute-path} is also more than just a shortcut command.
7803 The source path is only used if the file at the original location no
7804 longer exists. On the other hand, @code{set substitute-path} modifies
7805 the debugger behavior to look at the rewritten location instead. So, if
7806 for any reason a source file that is not relevant to your executable is
7807 located at the original location, a substitution rule is the only
7808 method available to point @value{GDBN} at the new location.
7809
7810 @cindex @samp{--with-relocated-sources}
7811 @cindex default source path substitution
7812 You can configure a default source path substitution rule by
7813 configuring @value{GDBN} with the
7814 @samp{--with-relocated-sources=@var{dir}} option. The @var{dir}
7815 should be the name of a directory under @value{GDBN}'s configured
7816 prefix (set with @samp{--prefix} or @samp{--exec-prefix}), and
7817 directory names in debug information under @var{dir} will be adjusted
7818 automatically if the installed @value{GDBN} is moved to a new
7819 location. This is useful if @value{GDBN}, libraries or executables
7820 with debug information and corresponding source code are being moved
7821 together.
7822
7823 @table @code
7824 @item directory @var{dirname} @dots{}
7825 @item dir @var{dirname} @dots{}
7826 Add directory @var{dirname} to the front of the source path. Several
7827 directory names may be given to this command, separated by @samp{:}
7828 (@samp{;} on MS-DOS and MS-Windows, where @samp{:} usually appears as
7829 part of absolute file names) or
7830 whitespace. You may specify a directory that is already in the source
7831 path; this moves it forward, so @value{GDBN} searches it sooner.
7832
7833 @kindex cdir
7834 @kindex cwd
7835 @vindex $cdir@r{, convenience variable}
7836 @vindex $cwd@r{, convenience variable}
7837 @cindex compilation directory
7838 @cindex current directory
7839 @cindex working directory
7840 @cindex directory, current
7841 @cindex directory, compilation
7842 You can use the string @samp{$cdir} to refer to the compilation
7843 directory (if one is recorded), and @samp{$cwd} to refer to the current
7844 working directory. @samp{$cwd} is not the same as @samp{.}---the former
7845 tracks the current working directory as it changes during your @value{GDBN}
7846 session, while the latter is immediately expanded to the current
7847 directory at the time you add an entry to the source path.
7848
7849 @item directory
7850 Reset the source path to its default value (@samp{$cdir:$cwd} on Unix systems). This requires confirmation.
7851
7852 @c RET-repeat for @code{directory} is explicitly disabled, but since
7853 @c repeating it would be a no-op we do not say that. (thanks to RMS)
7854
7855 @item set directories @var{path-list}
7856 @kindex set directories
7857 Set the source path to @var{path-list}.
7858 @samp{$cdir:$cwd} are added if missing.
7859
7860 @item show directories
7861 @kindex show directories
7862 Print the source path: show which directories it contains.
7863
7864 @anchor{set substitute-path}
7865 @item set substitute-path @var{from} @var{to}
7866 @kindex set substitute-path
7867 Define a source path substitution rule, and add it at the end of the
7868 current list of existing substitution rules. If a rule with the same
7869 @var{from} was already defined, then the old rule is also deleted.
7870
7871 For example, if the file @file{/foo/bar/baz.c} was moved to
7872 @file{/mnt/cross/baz.c}, then the command
7873
7874 @smallexample
7875 (@value{GDBP}) set substitute-path /usr/src /mnt/cross
7876 @end smallexample
7877
7878 @noindent
7879 will tell @value{GDBN} to replace @samp{/usr/src} with
7880 @samp{/mnt/cross}, which will allow @value{GDBN} to find the file
7881 @file{baz.c} even though it was moved.
7882
7883 In the case when more than one substitution rule have been defined,
7884 the rules are evaluated one by one in the order where they have been
7885 defined. The first one matching, if any, is selected to perform
7886 the substitution.
7887
7888 For instance, if we had entered the following commands:
7889
7890 @smallexample
7891 (@value{GDBP}) set substitute-path /usr/src/include /mnt/include
7892 (@value{GDBP}) set substitute-path /usr/src /mnt/src
7893 @end smallexample
7894
7895 @noindent
7896 @value{GDBN} would then rewrite @file{/usr/src/include/defs.h} into
7897 @file{/mnt/include/defs.h} by using the first rule. However, it would
7898 use the second rule to rewrite @file{/usr/src/lib/foo.c} into
7899 @file{/mnt/src/lib/foo.c}.
7900
7901
7902 @item unset substitute-path [path]
7903 @kindex unset substitute-path
7904 If a path is specified, search the current list of substitution rules
7905 for a rule that would rewrite that path. Delete that rule if found.
7906 A warning is emitted by the debugger if no rule could be found.
7907
7908 If no path is specified, then all substitution rules are deleted.
7909
7910 @item show substitute-path [path]
7911 @kindex show substitute-path
7912 If a path is specified, then print the source path substitution rule
7913 which would rewrite that path, if any.
7914
7915 If no path is specified, then print all existing source path substitution
7916 rules.
7917
7918 @end table
7919
7920 If your source path is cluttered with directories that are no longer of
7921 interest, @value{GDBN} may sometimes cause confusion by finding the wrong
7922 versions of source. You can correct the situation as follows:
7923
7924 @enumerate
7925 @item
7926 Use @code{directory} with no argument to reset the source path to its default value.
7927
7928 @item
7929 Use @code{directory} with suitable arguments to reinstall the
7930 directories you want in the source path. You can add all the
7931 directories in one command.
7932 @end enumerate
7933
7934 @node Machine Code
7935 @section Source and Machine Code
7936 @cindex source line and its code address
7937
7938 You can use the command @code{info line} to map source lines to program
7939 addresses (and vice versa), and the command @code{disassemble} to display
7940 a range of addresses as machine instructions. You can use the command
7941 @code{set disassemble-next-line} to set whether to disassemble next
7942 source line when execution stops. When run under @sc{gnu} Emacs
7943 mode, the @code{info line} command causes the arrow to point to the
7944 line specified. Also, @code{info line} prints addresses in symbolic form as
7945 well as hex.
7946
7947 @table @code
7948 @kindex info line
7949 @item info line @var{linespec}
7950 Print the starting and ending addresses of the compiled code for
7951 source line @var{linespec}. You can specify source lines in any of
7952 the ways documented in @ref{Specify Location}.
7953 @end table
7954
7955 For example, we can use @code{info line} to discover the location of
7956 the object code for the first line of function
7957 @code{m4_changequote}:
7958
7959 @c FIXME: I think this example should also show the addresses in
7960 @c symbolic form, as they usually would be displayed.
7961 @smallexample
7962 (@value{GDBP}) info line m4_changequote
7963 Line 895 of "builtin.c" starts at pc 0x634c and ends at 0x6350.
7964 @end smallexample
7965
7966 @noindent
7967 @cindex code address and its source line
7968 We can also inquire (using @code{*@var{addr}} as the form for
7969 @var{linespec}) what source line covers a particular address:
7970 @smallexample
7971 (@value{GDBP}) info line *0x63ff
7972 Line 926 of "builtin.c" starts at pc 0x63e4 and ends at 0x6404.
7973 @end smallexample
7974
7975 @cindex @code{$_} and @code{info line}
7976 @cindex @code{x} command, default address
7977 @kindex x@r{(examine), and} info line
7978 After @code{info line}, the default address for the @code{x} command
7979 is changed to the starting address of the line, so that @samp{x/i} is
7980 sufficient to begin examining the machine code (@pxref{Memory,
7981 ,Examining Memory}). Also, this address is saved as the value of the
7982 convenience variable @code{$_} (@pxref{Convenience Vars, ,Convenience
7983 Variables}).
7984
7985 @table @code
7986 @kindex disassemble
7987 @cindex assembly instructions
7988 @cindex instructions, assembly
7989 @cindex machine instructions
7990 @cindex listing machine instructions
7991 @item disassemble
7992 @itemx disassemble /m
7993 @itemx disassemble /r
7994 This specialized command dumps a range of memory as machine
7995 instructions. It can also print mixed source+disassembly by specifying
7996 the @code{/m} modifier and print the raw instructions in hex as well as
7997 in symbolic form by specifying the @code{/r}.
7998 The default memory range is the function surrounding the
7999 program counter of the selected frame. A single argument to this
8000 command is a program counter value; @value{GDBN} dumps the function
8001 surrounding this value. When two arguments are given, they should
8002 be separated by a comma, possibly surrounded by whitespace. The
8003 arguments specify a range of addresses to dump, in one of two forms:
8004
8005 @table @code
8006 @item @var{start},@var{end}
8007 the addresses from @var{start} (inclusive) to @var{end} (exclusive)
8008 @item @var{start},+@var{length}
8009 the addresses from @var{start} (inclusive) to
8010 @code{@var{start}+@var{length}} (exclusive).
8011 @end table
8012
8013 @noindent
8014 When 2 arguments are specified, the name of the function is also
8015 printed (since there could be several functions in the given range).
8016
8017 The argument(s) can be any expression yielding a numeric value, such as
8018 @samp{0x32c4}, @samp{&main+10} or @samp{$pc - 8}.
8019
8020 If the range of memory being disassembled contains current program counter,
8021 the instruction at that location is shown with a @code{=>} marker.
8022 @end table
8023
8024 The following example shows the disassembly of a range of addresses of
8025 HP PA-RISC 2.0 code:
8026
8027 @smallexample
8028 (@value{GDBP}) disas 0x32c4, 0x32e4
8029 Dump of assembler code from 0x32c4 to 0x32e4:
8030 0x32c4 <main+204>: addil 0,dp
8031 0x32c8 <main+208>: ldw 0x22c(sr0,r1),r26
8032 0x32cc <main+212>: ldil 0x3000,r31
8033 0x32d0 <main+216>: ble 0x3f8(sr4,r31)
8034 0x32d4 <main+220>: ldo 0(r31),rp
8035 0x32d8 <main+224>: addil -0x800,dp
8036 0x32dc <main+228>: ldo 0x588(r1),r26
8037 0x32e0 <main+232>: ldil 0x3000,r31
8038 End of assembler dump.
8039 @end smallexample
8040
8041 Here is an example showing mixed source+assembly for Intel x86, when the
8042 program is stopped just after function prologue:
8043
8044 @smallexample
8045 (@value{GDBP}) disas /m main
8046 Dump of assembler code for function main:
8047 5 @{
8048 0x08048330 <+0>: push %ebp
8049 0x08048331 <+1>: mov %esp,%ebp
8050 0x08048333 <+3>: sub $0x8,%esp
8051 0x08048336 <+6>: and $0xfffffff0,%esp
8052 0x08048339 <+9>: sub $0x10,%esp
8053
8054 6 printf ("Hello.\n");
8055 => 0x0804833c <+12>: movl $0x8048440,(%esp)
8056 0x08048343 <+19>: call 0x8048284 <puts@@plt>
8057
8058 7 return 0;
8059 8 @}
8060 0x08048348 <+24>: mov $0x0,%eax
8061 0x0804834d <+29>: leave
8062 0x0804834e <+30>: ret
8063
8064 End of assembler dump.
8065 @end smallexample
8066
8067 Here is another example showing raw instructions in hex for AMD x86-64,
8068
8069 @smallexample
8070 (gdb) disas /r 0x400281,+10
8071 Dump of assembler code from 0x400281 to 0x40028b:
8072 0x0000000000400281: 38 36 cmp %dh,(%rsi)
8073 0x0000000000400283: 2d 36 34 2e 73 sub $0x732e3436,%eax
8074 0x0000000000400288: 6f outsl %ds:(%rsi),(%dx)
8075 0x0000000000400289: 2e 32 00 xor %cs:(%rax),%al
8076 End of assembler dump.
8077 @end smallexample
8078
8079 Addresses cannot be specified as a linespec (@pxref{Specify Location}).
8080 So, for example, if you want to disassemble function @code{bar}
8081 in file @file{foo.c}, you must type @samp{disassemble 'foo.c'::bar}
8082 and not @samp{disassemble foo.c:bar}.
8083
8084 Some architectures have more than one commonly-used set of instruction
8085 mnemonics or other syntax.
8086
8087 For programs that were dynamically linked and use shared libraries,
8088 instructions that call functions or branch to locations in the shared
8089 libraries might show a seemingly bogus location---it's actually a
8090 location of the relocation table. On some architectures, @value{GDBN}
8091 might be able to resolve these to actual function names.
8092
8093 @table @code
8094 @kindex set disassembly-flavor
8095 @cindex Intel disassembly flavor
8096 @cindex AT&T disassembly flavor
8097 @item set disassembly-flavor @var{instruction-set}
8098 Select the instruction set to use when disassembling the
8099 program via the @code{disassemble} or @code{x/i} commands.
8100
8101 Currently this command is only defined for the Intel x86 family. You
8102 can set @var{instruction-set} to either @code{intel} or @code{att}.
8103 The default is @code{att}, the AT&T flavor used by default by Unix
8104 assemblers for x86-based targets.
8105
8106 @kindex show disassembly-flavor
8107 @item show disassembly-flavor
8108 Show the current setting of the disassembly flavor.
8109 @end table
8110
8111 @table @code
8112 @kindex set disassemble-next-line
8113 @kindex show disassemble-next-line
8114 @item set disassemble-next-line
8115 @itemx show disassemble-next-line
8116 Control whether or not @value{GDBN} will disassemble the next source
8117 line or instruction when execution stops. If ON, @value{GDBN} will
8118 display disassembly of the next source line when execution of the
8119 program being debugged stops. This is @emph{in addition} to
8120 displaying the source line itself, which @value{GDBN} always does if
8121 possible. If the next source line cannot be displayed for some reason
8122 (e.g., if @value{GDBN} cannot find the source file, or there's no line
8123 info in the debug info), @value{GDBN} will display disassembly of the
8124 next @emph{instruction} instead of showing the next source line. If
8125 AUTO, @value{GDBN} will display disassembly of next instruction only
8126 if the source line cannot be displayed. This setting causes
8127 @value{GDBN} to display some feedback when you step through a function
8128 with no line info or whose source file is unavailable. The default is
8129 OFF, which means never display the disassembly of the next line or
8130 instruction.
8131 @end table
8132
8133
8134 @node Data
8135 @chapter Examining Data
8136
8137 @cindex printing data
8138 @cindex examining data
8139 @kindex print
8140 @kindex inspect
8141 The usual way to examine data in your program is with the @code{print}
8142 command (abbreviated @code{p}), or its synonym @code{inspect}. It
8143 evaluates and prints the value of an expression of the language your
8144 program is written in (@pxref{Languages, ,Using @value{GDBN} with
8145 Different Languages}). It may also print the expression using a
8146 Python-based pretty-printer (@pxref{Pretty Printing}).
8147
8148 @table @code
8149 @item print @var{expr}
8150 @itemx print /@var{f} @var{expr}
8151 @var{expr} is an expression (in the source language). By default the
8152 value of @var{expr} is printed in a format appropriate to its data type;
8153 you can choose a different format by specifying @samp{/@var{f}}, where
8154 @var{f} is a letter specifying the format; see @ref{Output Formats,,Output
8155 Formats}.
8156
8157 @item print
8158 @itemx print /@var{f}
8159 @cindex reprint the last value
8160 If you omit @var{expr}, @value{GDBN} displays the last value again (from the
8161 @dfn{value history}; @pxref{Value History, ,Value History}). This allows you to
8162 conveniently inspect the same value in an alternative format.
8163 @end table
8164
8165 A more low-level way of examining data is with the @code{x} command.
8166 It examines data in memory at a specified address and prints it in a
8167 specified format. @xref{Memory, ,Examining Memory}.
8168
8169 If you are interested in information about types, or about how the
8170 fields of a struct or a class are declared, use the @code{ptype @var{exp}}
8171 command rather than @code{print}. @xref{Symbols, ,Examining the Symbol
8172 Table}.
8173
8174 @cindex exploring hierarchical data structures
8175 @kindex explore
8176 Another way of examining values of expressions and type information is
8177 through the Python extension command @code{explore} (available only if
8178 the @value{GDBN} build is configured with @code{--with-python}). It
8179 offers an interactive way to start at the highest level (or, the most
8180 abstract level) of the data type of an expression (or, the data type
8181 itself) and explore all the way down to leaf scalar values/fields
8182 embedded in the higher level data types.
8183
8184 @table @code
8185 @item explore @var{arg}
8186 @var{arg} is either an expression (in the source language), or a type
8187 visible in the current context of the program being debugged.
8188 @end table
8189
8190 The working of the @code{explore} command can be illustrated with an
8191 example. If a data type @code{struct ComplexStruct} is defined in your
8192 C program as
8193
8194 @smallexample
8195 struct SimpleStruct
8196 @{
8197 int i;
8198 double d;
8199 @};
8200
8201 struct ComplexStruct
8202 @{
8203 struct SimpleStruct *ss_p;
8204 int arr[10];
8205 @};
8206 @end smallexample
8207
8208 @noindent
8209 followed by variable declarations as
8210
8211 @smallexample
8212 struct SimpleStruct ss = @{ 10, 1.11 @};
8213 struct ComplexStruct cs = @{ &ss, @{ 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 @} @};
8214 @end smallexample
8215
8216 @noindent
8217 then, the value of the variable @code{cs} can be explored using the
8218 @code{explore} command as follows.
8219
8220 @smallexample
8221 (gdb) explore cs
8222 The value of `cs' is a struct/class of type `struct ComplexStruct' with
8223 the following fields:
8224
8225 ss_p = <Enter 0 to explore this field of type `struct SimpleStruct *'>
8226 arr = <Enter 1 to explore this field of type `int [10]'>
8227
8228 Enter the field number of choice:
8229 @end smallexample
8230
8231 @noindent
8232 Since the fields of @code{cs} are not scalar values, you are being
8233 prompted to chose the field you want to explore. Let's say you choose
8234 the field @code{ss_p} by entering @code{0}. Then, since this field is a
8235 pointer, you will be asked if it is pointing to a single value. From
8236 the declaration of @code{cs} above, it is indeed pointing to a single
8237 value, hence you enter @code{y}. If you enter @code{n}, then you will
8238 be asked if it were pointing to an array of values, in which case this
8239 field will be explored as if it were an array.
8240
8241 @smallexample
8242 `cs.ss_p' is a pointer to a value of type `struct SimpleStruct'
8243 Continue exploring it as a pointer to a single value [y/n]: y
8244 The value of `*(cs.ss_p)' is a struct/class of type `struct
8245 SimpleStruct' with the following fields:
8246
8247 i = 10 .. (Value of type `int')
8248 d = 1.1100000000000001 .. (Value of type `double')
8249
8250 Press enter to return to parent value:
8251 @end smallexample
8252
8253 @noindent
8254 If the field @code{arr} of @code{cs} was chosen for exploration by
8255 entering @code{1} earlier, then since it is as array, you will be
8256 prompted to enter the index of the element in the array that you want
8257 to explore.
8258
8259 @smallexample
8260 `cs.arr' is an array of `int'.
8261 Enter the index of the element you want to explore in `cs.arr': 5
8262
8263 `(cs.arr)[5]' is a scalar value of type `int'.
8264
8265 (cs.arr)[5] = 4
8266
8267 Press enter to return to parent value:
8268 @end smallexample
8269
8270 In general, at any stage of exploration, you can go deeper towards the
8271 leaf values by responding to the prompts appropriately, or hit the
8272 return key to return to the enclosing data structure (the @i{higher}
8273 level data structure).
8274
8275 Similar to exploring values, you can use the @code{explore} command to
8276 explore types. Instead of specifying a value (which is typically a
8277 variable name or an expression valid in the current context of the
8278 program being debugged), you specify a type name. If you consider the
8279 same example as above, your can explore the type
8280 @code{struct ComplexStruct} by passing the argument
8281 @code{struct ComplexStruct} to the @code{explore} command.
8282
8283 @smallexample
8284 (gdb) explore struct ComplexStruct
8285 @end smallexample
8286
8287 @noindent
8288 By responding to the prompts appropriately in the subsequent interactive
8289 session, you can explore the type @code{struct ComplexStruct} in a
8290 manner similar to how the value @code{cs} was explored in the above
8291 example.
8292
8293 The @code{explore} command also has two sub-commands,
8294 @code{explore value} and @code{explore type}. The former sub-command is
8295 a way to explicitly specify that value exploration of the argument is
8296 being invoked, while the latter is a way to explicitly specify that type
8297 exploration of the argument is being invoked.
8298
8299 @table @code
8300 @item explore value @var{expr}
8301 @cindex explore value
8302 This sub-command of @code{explore} explores the value of the
8303 expression @var{expr} (if @var{expr} is an expression valid in the
8304 current context of the program being debugged). The behavior of this
8305 command is identical to that of the behavior of the @code{explore}
8306 command being passed the argument @var{expr}.
8307
8308 @item explore type @var{arg}
8309 @cindex explore type
8310 This sub-command of @code{explore} explores the type of @var{arg} (if
8311 @var{arg} is a type visible in the current context of program being
8312 debugged), or the type of the value/expression @var{arg} (if @var{arg}
8313 is an expression valid in the current context of the program being
8314 debugged). If @var{arg} is a type, then the behavior of this command is
8315 identical to that of the @code{explore} command being passed the
8316 argument @var{arg}. If @var{arg} is an expression, then the behavior of
8317 this command will be identical to that of the @code{explore} command
8318 being passed the type of @var{arg} as the argument.
8319 @end table
8320
8321 @menu
8322 * Expressions:: Expressions
8323 * Ambiguous Expressions:: Ambiguous Expressions
8324 * Variables:: Program variables
8325 * Arrays:: Artificial arrays
8326 * Output Formats:: Output formats
8327 * Memory:: Examining memory
8328 * Auto Display:: Automatic display
8329 * Print Settings:: Print settings
8330 * Pretty Printing:: Python pretty printing
8331 * Value History:: Value history
8332 * Convenience Vars:: Convenience variables
8333 * Convenience Funs:: Convenience functions
8334 * Registers:: Registers
8335 * Floating Point Hardware:: Floating point hardware
8336 * Vector Unit:: Vector Unit
8337 * OS Information:: Auxiliary data provided by operating system
8338 * Memory Region Attributes:: Memory region attributes
8339 * Dump/Restore Files:: Copy between memory and a file
8340 * Core File Generation:: Cause a program dump its core
8341 * Character Sets:: Debugging programs that use a different
8342 character set than GDB does
8343 * Caching Target Data:: Data caching for targets
8344 * Searching Memory:: Searching memory for a sequence of bytes
8345 @end menu
8346
8347 @node Expressions
8348 @section Expressions
8349
8350 @cindex expressions
8351 @code{print} and many other @value{GDBN} commands accept an expression and
8352 compute its value. Any kind of constant, variable or operator defined
8353 by the programming language you are using is valid in an expression in
8354 @value{GDBN}. This includes conditional expressions, function calls,
8355 casts, and string constants. It also includes preprocessor macros, if
8356 you compiled your program to include this information; see
8357 @ref{Compilation}.
8358
8359 @cindex arrays in expressions
8360 @value{GDBN} supports array constants in expressions input by
8361 the user. The syntax is @{@var{element}, @var{element}@dots{}@}. For example,
8362 you can use the command @code{print @{1, 2, 3@}} to create an array
8363 of three integers. If you pass an array to a function or assign it
8364 to a program variable, @value{GDBN} copies the array to memory that
8365 is @code{malloc}ed in the target program.
8366
8367 Because C is so widespread, most of the expressions shown in examples in
8368 this manual are in C. @xref{Languages, , Using @value{GDBN} with Different
8369 Languages}, for information on how to use expressions in other
8370 languages.
8371
8372 In this section, we discuss operators that you can use in @value{GDBN}
8373 expressions regardless of your programming language.
8374
8375 @cindex casts, in expressions
8376 Casts are supported in all languages, not just in C, because it is so
8377 useful to cast a number into a pointer in order to examine a structure
8378 at that address in memory.
8379 @c FIXME: casts supported---Mod2 true?
8380
8381 @value{GDBN} supports these operators, in addition to those common
8382 to programming languages:
8383
8384 @table @code
8385 @item @@
8386 @samp{@@} is a binary operator for treating parts of memory as arrays.
8387 @xref{Arrays, ,Artificial Arrays}, for more information.
8388
8389 @item ::
8390 @samp{::} allows you to specify a variable in terms of the file or
8391 function where it is defined. @xref{Variables, ,Program Variables}.
8392
8393 @cindex @{@var{type}@}
8394 @cindex type casting memory
8395 @cindex memory, viewing as typed object
8396 @cindex casts, to view memory
8397 @item @{@var{type}@} @var{addr}
8398 Refers to an object of type @var{type} stored at address @var{addr} in
8399 memory. The address @var{addr} may be any expression whose value is
8400 an integer or pointer (but parentheses are required around binary
8401 operators, just as in a cast). This construct is allowed regardless
8402 of what kind of data is normally supposed to reside at @var{addr}.
8403 @end table
8404
8405 @node Ambiguous Expressions
8406 @section Ambiguous Expressions
8407 @cindex ambiguous expressions
8408
8409 Expressions can sometimes contain some ambiguous elements. For instance,
8410 some programming languages (notably Ada, C@t{++} and Objective-C) permit
8411 a single function name to be defined several times, for application in
8412 different contexts. This is called @dfn{overloading}. Another example
8413 involving Ada is generics. A @dfn{generic package} is similar to C@t{++}
8414 templates and is typically instantiated several times, resulting in
8415 the same function name being defined in different contexts.
8416
8417 In some cases and depending on the language, it is possible to adjust
8418 the expression to remove the ambiguity. For instance in C@t{++}, you
8419 can specify the signature of the function you want to break on, as in
8420 @kbd{break @var{function}(@var{types})}. In Ada, using the fully
8421 qualified name of your function often makes the expression unambiguous
8422 as well.
8423
8424 When an ambiguity that needs to be resolved is detected, the debugger
8425 has the capability to display a menu of numbered choices for each
8426 possibility, and then waits for the selection with the prompt @samp{>}.
8427 The first option is always @samp{[0] cancel}, and typing @kbd{0 @key{RET}}
8428 aborts the current command. If the command in which the expression was
8429 used allows more than one choice to be selected, the next option in the
8430 menu is @samp{[1] all}, and typing @kbd{1 @key{RET}} selects all possible
8431 choices.
8432
8433 For example, the following session excerpt shows an attempt to set a
8434 breakpoint at the overloaded symbol @code{String::after}.
8435 We choose three particular definitions of that function name:
8436
8437 @c FIXME! This is likely to change to show arg type lists, at least
8438 @smallexample
8439 @group
8440 (@value{GDBP}) b String::after
8441 [0] cancel
8442 [1] all
8443 [2] file:String.cc; line number:867
8444 [3] file:String.cc; line number:860
8445 [4] file:String.cc; line number:875
8446 [5] file:String.cc; line number:853
8447 [6] file:String.cc; line number:846
8448 [7] file:String.cc; line number:735
8449 > 2 4 6
8450 Breakpoint 1 at 0xb26c: file String.cc, line 867.
8451 Breakpoint 2 at 0xb344: file String.cc, line 875.
8452 Breakpoint 3 at 0xafcc: file String.cc, line 846.
8453 Multiple breakpoints were set.
8454 Use the "delete" command to delete unwanted
8455 breakpoints.
8456 (@value{GDBP})
8457 @end group
8458 @end smallexample
8459
8460 @table @code
8461 @kindex set multiple-symbols
8462 @item set multiple-symbols @var{mode}
8463 @cindex multiple-symbols menu
8464
8465 This option allows you to adjust the debugger behavior when an expression
8466 is ambiguous.
8467
8468 By default, @var{mode} is set to @code{all}. If the command with which
8469 the expression is used allows more than one choice, then @value{GDBN}
8470 automatically selects all possible choices. For instance, inserting
8471 a breakpoint on a function using an ambiguous name results in a breakpoint
8472 inserted on each possible match. However, if a unique choice must be made,
8473 then @value{GDBN} uses the menu to help you disambiguate the expression.
8474 For instance, printing the address of an overloaded function will result
8475 in the use of the menu.
8476
8477 When @var{mode} is set to @code{ask}, the debugger always uses the menu
8478 when an ambiguity is detected.
8479
8480 Finally, when @var{mode} is set to @code{cancel}, the debugger reports
8481 an error due to the ambiguity and the command is aborted.
8482
8483 @kindex show multiple-symbols
8484 @item show multiple-symbols
8485 Show the current value of the @code{multiple-symbols} setting.
8486 @end table
8487
8488 @node Variables
8489 @section Program Variables
8490
8491 The most common kind of expression to use is the name of a variable
8492 in your program.
8493
8494 Variables in expressions are understood in the selected stack frame
8495 (@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}); they must be either:
8496
8497 @itemize @bullet
8498 @item
8499 global (or file-static)
8500 @end itemize
8501
8502 @noindent or
8503
8504 @itemize @bullet
8505 @item
8506 visible according to the scope rules of the
8507 programming language from the point of execution in that frame
8508 @end itemize
8509
8510 @noindent This means that in the function
8511
8512 @smallexample
8513 foo (a)
8514 int a;
8515 @{
8516 bar (a);
8517 @{
8518 int b = test ();
8519 bar (b);
8520 @}
8521 @}
8522 @end smallexample
8523
8524 @noindent
8525 you can examine and use the variable @code{a} whenever your program is
8526 executing within the function @code{foo}, but you can only use or
8527 examine the variable @code{b} while your program is executing inside
8528 the block where @code{b} is declared.
8529
8530 @cindex variable name conflict
8531 There is an exception: you can refer to a variable or function whose
8532 scope is a single source file even if the current execution point is not
8533 in this file. But it is possible to have more than one such variable or
8534 function with the same name (in different source files). If that
8535 happens, referring to that name has unpredictable effects. If you wish,
8536 you can specify a static variable in a particular function or file by
8537 using the colon-colon (@code{::}) notation:
8538
8539 @cindex colon-colon, context for variables/functions
8540 @ifnotinfo
8541 @c info cannot cope with a :: index entry, but why deprive hard copy readers?
8542 @cindex @code{::}, context for variables/functions
8543 @end ifnotinfo
8544 @smallexample
8545 @var{file}::@var{variable}
8546 @var{function}::@var{variable}
8547 @end smallexample
8548
8549 @noindent
8550 Here @var{file} or @var{function} is the name of the context for the
8551 static @var{variable}. In the case of file names, you can use quotes to
8552 make sure @value{GDBN} parses the file name as a single word---for example,
8553 to print a global value of @code{x} defined in @file{f2.c}:
8554
8555 @smallexample
8556 (@value{GDBP}) p 'f2.c'::x
8557 @end smallexample
8558
8559 The @code{::} notation is normally used for referring to
8560 static variables, since you typically disambiguate uses of local variables
8561 in functions by selecting the appropriate frame and using the
8562 simple name of the variable. However, you may also use this notation
8563 to refer to local variables in frames enclosing the selected frame:
8564
8565 @smallexample
8566 void
8567 foo (int a)
8568 @{
8569 if (a < 10)
8570 bar (a);
8571 else
8572 process (a); /* Stop here */
8573 @}
8574
8575 int
8576 bar (int a)
8577 @{
8578 foo (a + 5);
8579 @}
8580 @end smallexample
8581
8582 @noindent
8583 For example, if there is a breakpoint at the commented line,
8584 here is what you might see
8585 when the program stops after executing the call @code{bar(0)}:
8586
8587 @smallexample
8588 (@value{GDBP}) p a
8589 $1 = 10
8590 (@value{GDBP}) p bar::a
8591 $2 = 5
8592 (@value{GDBP}) up 2
8593 #2 0x080483d0 in foo (a=5) at foobar.c:12
8594 (@value{GDBP}) p a
8595 $3 = 5
8596 (@value{GDBP}) p bar::a
8597 $4 = 0
8598 @end smallexample
8599
8600 @cindex C@t{++} scope resolution
8601 These uses of @samp{::} are very rarely in conflict with the very
8602 similar use of the same notation in C@t{++}. When they are in
8603 conflict, the C@t{++} meaning takes precedence; however, this can be
8604 overridden by quoting the file or function name with single quotes.
8605
8606 For example, suppose the program is stopped in a method of a class
8607 that has a field named @code{includefile}, and there is also an
8608 include file named @file{includefile} that defines a variable,
8609 @code{some_global}.
8610
8611 @smallexample
8612 (@value{GDBP}) p includefile
8613 $1 = 23
8614 (@value{GDBP}) p includefile::some_global
8615 A syntax error in expression, near `'.
8616 (@value{GDBP}) p 'includefile'::some_global
8617 $2 = 27
8618 @end smallexample
8619
8620 @cindex wrong values
8621 @cindex variable values, wrong
8622 @cindex function entry/exit, wrong values of variables
8623 @cindex optimized code, wrong values of variables
8624 @quotation
8625 @emph{Warning:} Occasionally, a local variable may appear to have the
8626 wrong value at certain points in a function---just after entry to a new
8627 scope, and just before exit.
8628 @end quotation
8629 You may see this problem when you are stepping by machine instructions.
8630 This is because, on most machines, it takes more than one instruction to
8631 set up a stack frame (including local variable definitions); if you are
8632 stepping by machine instructions, variables may appear to have the wrong
8633 values until the stack frame is completely built. On exit, it usually
8634 also takes more than one machine instruction to destroy a stack frame;
8635 after you begin stepping through that group of instructions, local
8636 variable definitions may be gone.
8637
8638 This may also happen when the compiler does significant optimizations.
8639 To be sure of always seeing accurate values, turn off all optimization
8640 when compiling.
8641
8642 @cindex ``No symbol "foo" in current context''
8643 Another possible effect of compiler optimizations is to optimize
8644 unused variables out of existence, or assign variables to registers (as
8645 opposed to memory addresses). Depending on the support for such cases
8646 offered by the debug info format used by the compiler, @value{GDBN}
8647 might not be able to display values for such local variables. If that
8648 happens, @value{GDBN} will print a message like this:
8649
8650 @smallexample
8651 No symbol "foo" in current context.
8652 @end smallexample
8653
8654 To solve such problems, either recompile without optimizations, or use a
8655 different debug info format, if the compiler supports several such
8656 formats. @xref{Compilation}, for more information on choosing compiler
8657 options. @xref{C, ,C and C@t{++}}, for more information about debug
8658 info formats that are best suited to C@t{++} programs.
8659
8660 If you ask to print an object whose contents are unknown to
8661 @value{GDBN}, e.g., because its data type is not completely specified
8662 by the debug information, @value{GDBN} will say @samp{<incomplete
8663 type>}. @xref{Symbols, incomplete type}, for more about this.
8664
8665 If you append @kbd{@@entry} string to a function parameter name you get its
8666 value at the time the function got called. If the value is not available an
8667 error message is printed. Entry values are available only with some compilers.
8668 Entry values are normally also printed at the function parameter list according
8669 to @ref{set print entry-values}.
8670
8671 @smallexample
8672 Breakpoint 1, d (i=30) at gdb.base/entry-value.c:29
8673 29 i++;
8674 (gdb) next
8675 30 e (i);
8676 (gdb) print i
8677 $1 = 31
8678 (gdb) print i@@entry
8679 $2 = 30
8680 @end smallexample
8681
8682 Strings are identified as arrays of @code{char} values without specified
8683 signedness. Arrays of either @code{signed char} or @code{unsigned char} get
8684 printed as arrays of 1 byte sized integers. @code{-fsigned-char} or
8685 @code{-funsigned-char} @value{NGCC} options have no effect as @value{GDBN}
8686 defines literal string type @code{"char"} as @code{char} without a sign.
8687 For program code
8688
8689 @smallexample
8690 char var0[] = "A";
8691 signed char var1[] = "A";
8692 @end smallexample
8693
8694 You get during debugging
8695 @smallexample
8696 (gdb) print var0
8697 $1 = "A"
8698 (gdb) print var1
8699 $2 = @{65 'A', 0 '\0'@}
8700 @end smallexample
8701
8702 @node Arrays
8703 @section Artificial Arrays
8704
8705 @cindex artificial array
8706 @cindex arrays
8707 @kindex @@@r{, referencing memory as an array}
8708 It is often useful to print out several successive objects of the
8709 same type in memory; a section of an array, or an array of
8710 dynamically determined size for which only a pointer exists in the
8711 program.
8712
8713 You can do this by referring to a contiguous span of memory as an
8714 @dfn{artificial array}, using the binary operator @samp{@@}. The left
8715 operand of @samp{@@} should be the first element of the desired array
8716 and be an individual object. The right operand should be the desired length
8717 of the array. The result is an array value whose elements are all of
8718 the type of the left argument. The first element is actually the left
8719 argument; the second element comes from bytes of memory immediately
8720 following those that hold the first element, and so on. Here is an
8721 example. If a program says
8722
8723 @smallexample
8724 int *array = (int *) malloc (len * sizeof (int));
8725 @end smallexample
8726
8727 @noindent
8728 you can print the contents of @code{array} with
8729
8730 @smallexample
8731 p *array@@len
8732 @end smallexample
8733
8734 The left operand of @samp{@@} must reside in memory. Array values made
8735 with @samp{@@} in this way behave just like other arrays in terms of
8736 subscripting, and are coerced to pointers when used in expressions.
8737 Artificial arrays most often appear in expressions via the value history
8738 (@pxref{Value History, ,Value History}), after printing one out.
8739
8740 Another way to create an artificial array is to use a cast.
8741 This re-interprets a value as if it were an array.
8742 The value need not be in memory:
8743 @smallexample
8744 (@value{GDBP}) p/x (short[2])0x12345678
8745 $1 = @{0x1234, 0x5678@}
8746 @end smallexample
8747
8748 As a convenience, if you leave the array length out (as in
8749 @samp{(@var{type}[])@var{value}}) @value{GDBN} calculates the size to fill
8750 the value (as @samp{sizeof(@var{value})/sizeof(@var{type})}:
8751 @smallexample
8752 (@value{GDBP}) p/x (short[])0x12345678
8753 $2 = @{0x1234, 0x5678@}
8754 @end smallexample
8755
8756 Sometimes the artificial array mechanism is not quite enough; in
8757 moderately complex data structures, the elements of interest may not
8758 actually be adjacent---for example, if you are interested in the values
8759 of pointers in an array. One useful work-around in this situation is
8760 to use a convenience variable (@pxref{Convenience Vars, ,Convenience
8761 Variables}) as a counter in an expression that prints the first
8762 interesting value, and then repeat that expression via @key{RET}. For
8763 instance, suppose you have an array @code{dtab} of pointers to
8764 structures, and you are interested in the values of a field @code{fv}
8765 in each structure. Here is an example of what you might type:
8766
8767 @smallexample
8768 set $i = 0
8769 p dtab[$i++]->fv
8770 @key{RET}
8771 @key{RET}
8772 @dots{}
8773 @end smallexample
8774
8775 @node Output Formats
8776 @section Output Formats
8777
8778 @cindex formatted output
8779 @cindex output formats
8780 By default, @value{GDBN} prints a value according to its data type. Sometimes
8781 this is not what you want. For example, you might want to print a number
8782 in hex, or a pointer in decimal. Or you might want to view data in memory
8783 at a certain address as a character string or as an instruction. To do
8784 these things, specify an @dfn{output format} when you print a value.
8785
8786 The simplest use of output formats is to say how to print a value
8787 already computed. This is done by starting the arguments of the
8788 @code{print} command with a slash and a format letter. The format
8789 letters supported are:
8790
8791 @table @code
8792 @item x
8793 Regard the bits of the value as an integer, and print the integer in
8794 hexadecimal.
8795
8796 @item d
8797 Print as integer in signed decimal.
8798
8799 @item u
8800 Print as integer in unsigned decimal.
8801
8802 @item o
8803 Print as integer in octal.
8804
8805 @item t
8806 Print as integer in binary. The letter @samp{t} stands for ``two''.
8807 @footnote{@samp{b} cannot be used because these format letters are also
8808 used with the @code{x} command, where @samp{b} stands for ``byte'';
8809 see @ref{Memory,,Examining Memory}.}
8810
8811 @item a
8812 @cindex unknown address, locating
8813 @cindex locate address
8814 Print as an address, both absolute in hexadecimal and as an offset from
8815 the nearest preceding symbol. You can use this format used to discover
8816 where (in what function) an unknown address is located:
8817
8818 @smallexample
8819 (@value{GDBP}) p/a 0x54320
8820 $3 = 0x54320 <_initialize_vx+396>
8821 @end smallexample
8822
8823 @noindent
8824 The command @code{info symbol 0x54320} yields similar results.
8825 @xref{Symbols, info symbol}.
8826
8827 @item c
8828 Regard as an integer and print it as a character constant. This
8829 prints both the numerical value and its character representation. The
8830 character representation is replaced with the octal escape @samp{\nnn}
8831 for characters outside the 7-bit @sc{ascii} range.
8832
8833 Without this format, @value{GDBN} displays @code{char},
8834 @w{@code{unsigned char}}, and @w{@code{signed char}} data as character
8835 constants. Single-byte members of vectors are displayed as integer
8836 data.
8837
8838 @item f
8839 Regard the bits of the value as a floating point number and print
8840 using typical floating point syntax.
8841
8842 @item s
8843 @cindex printing strings
8844 @cindex printing byte arrays
8845 Regard as a string, if possible. With this format, pointers to single-byte
8846 data are displayed as null-terminated strings and arrays of single-byte data
8847 are displayed as fixed-length strings. Other values are displayed in their
8848 natural types.
8849
8850 Without this format, @value{GDBN} displays pointers to and arrays of
8851 @code{char}, @w{@code{unsigned char}}, and @w{@code{signed char}} as
8852 strings. Single-byte members of a vector are displayed as an integer
8853 array.
8854
8855 @item z
8856 Like @samp{x} formatting, the value is treated as an integer and
8857 printed as hexadecimal, but leading zeros are printed to pad the value
8858 to the size of the integer type.
8859
8860 @item r
8861 @cindex raw printing
8862 Print using the @samp{raw} formatting. By default, @value{GDBN} will
8863 use a Python-based pretty-printer, if one is available (@pxref{Pretty
8864 Printing}). This typically results in a higher-level display of the
8865 value's contents. The @samp{r} format bypasses any Python
8866 pretty-printer which might exist.
8867 @end table
8868
8869 For example, to print the program counter in hex (@pxref{Registers}), type
8870
8871 @smallexample
8872 p/x $pc
8873 @end smallexample
8874
8875 @noindent
8876 Note that no space is required before the slash; this is because command
8877 names in @value{GDBN} cannot contain a slash.
8878
8879 To reprint the last value in the value history with a different format,
8880 you can use the @code{print} command with just a format and no
8881 expression. For example, @samp{p/x} reprints the last value in hex.
8882
8883 @node Memory
8884 @section Examining Memory
8885
8886 You can use the command @code{x} (for ``examine'') to examine memory in
8887 any of several formats, independently of your program's data types.
8888
8889 @cindex examining memory
8890 @table @code
8891 @kindex x @r{(examine memory)}
8892 @item x/@var{nfu} @var{addr}
8893 @itemx x @var{addr}
8894 @itemx x
8895 Use the @code{x} command to examine memory.
8896 @end table
8897
8898 @var{n}, @var{f}, and @var{u} are all optional parameters that specify how
8899 much memory to display and how to format it; @var{addr} is an
8900 expression giving the address where you want to start displaying memory.
8901 If you use defaults for @var{nfu}, you need not type the slash @samp{/}.
8902 Several commands set convenient defaults for @var{addr}.
8903
8904 @table @r
8905 @item @var{n}, the repeat count
8906 The repeat count is a decimal integer; the default is 1. It specifies
8907 how much memory (counting by units @var{u}) to display.
8908 @c This really is **decimal**; unaffected by 'set radix' as of GDB
8909 @c 4.1.2.
8910
8911 @item @var{f}, the display format
8912 The display format is one of the formats used by @code{print}
8913 (@samp{x}, @samp{d}, @samp{u}, @samp{o}, @samp{t}, @samp{a}, @samp{c},
8914 @samp{f}, @samp{s}), and in addition @samp{i} (for machine instructions).
8915 The default is @samp{x} (hexadecimal) initially. The default changes
8916 each time you use either @code{x} or @code{print}.
8917
8918 @item @var{u}, the unit size
8919 The unit size is any of
8920
8921 @table @code
8922 @item b
8923 Bytes.
8924 @item h
8925 Halfwords (two bytes).
8926 @item w
8927 Words (four bytes). This is the initial default.
8928 @item g
8929 Giant words (eight bytes).
8930 @end table
8931
8932 Each time you specify a unit size with @code{x}, that size becomes the
8933 default unit the next time you use @code{x}. For the @samp{i} format,
8934 the unit size is ignored and is normally not written. For the @samp{s} format,
8935 the unit size defaults to @samp{b}, unless it is explicitly given.
8936 Use @kbd{x /hs} to display 16-bit char strings and @kbd{x /ws} to display
8937 32-bit strings. The next use of @kbd{x /s} will again display 8-bit strings.
8938 Note that the results depend on the programming language of the
8939 current compilation unit. If the language is C, the @samp{s}
8940 modifier will use the UTF-16 encoding while @samp{w} will use
8941 UTF-32. The encoding is set by the programming language and cannot
8942 be altered.
8943
8944 @item @var{addr}, starting display address
8945 @var{addr} is the address where you want @value{GDBN} to begin displaying
8946 memory. The expression need not have a pointer value (though it may);
8947 it is always interpreted as an integer address of a byte of memory.
8948 @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}, for more information on expressions. The default for
8949 @var{addr} is usually just after the last address examined---but several
8950 other commands also set the default address: @code{info breakpoints} (to
8951 the address of the last breakpoint listed), @code{info line} (to the
8952 starting address of a line), and @code{print} (if you use it to display
8953 a value from memory).
8954 @end table
8955
8956 For example, @samp{x/3uh 0x54320} is a request to display three halfwords
8957 (@code{h}) of memory, formatted as unsigned decimal integers (@samp{u}),
8958 starting at address @code{0x54320}. @samp{x/4xw $sp} prints the four
8959 words (@samp{w}) of memory above the stack pointer (here, @samp{$sp};
8960 @pxref{Registers, ,Registers}) in hexadecimal (@samp{x}).
8961
8962 Since the letters indicating unit sizes are all distinct from the
8963 letters specifying output formats, you do not have to remember whether
8964 unit size or format comes first; either order works. The output
8965 specifications @samp{4xw} and @samp{4wx} mean exactly the same thing.
8966 (However, the count @var{n} must come first; @samp{wx4} does not work.)
8967
8968 Even though the unit size @var{u} is ignored for the formats @samp{s}
8969 and @samp{i}, you might still want to use a count @var{n}; for example,
8970 @samp{3i} specifies that you want to see three machine instructions,
8971 including any operands. For convenience, especially when used with
8972 the @code{display} command, the @samp{i} format also prints branch delay
8973 slot instructions, if any, beyond the count specified, which immediately
8974 follow the last instruction that is within the count. The command
8975 @code{disassemble} gives an alternative way of inspecting machine
8976 instructions; see @ref{Machine Code,,Source and Machine Code}.
8977
8978 All the defaults for the arguments to @code{x} are designed to make it
8979 easy to continue scanning memory with minimal specifications each time
8980 you use @code{x}. For example, after you have inspected three machine
8981 instructions with @samp{x/3i @var{addr}}, you can inspect the next seven
8982 with just @samp{x/7}. If you use @key{RET} to repeat the @code{x} command,
8983 the repeat count @var{n} is used again; the other arguments default as
8984 for successive uses of @code{x}.
8985
8986 When examining machine instructions, the instruction at current program
8987 counter is shown with a @code{=>} marker. For example:
8988
8989 @smallexample
8990 (@value{GDBP}) x/5i $pc-6
8991 0x804837f <main+11>: mov %esp,%ebp
8992 0x8048381 <main+13>: push %ecx
8993 0x8048382 <main+14>: sub $0x4,%esp
8994 => 0x8048385 <main+17>: movl $0x8048460,(%esp)
8995 0x804838c <main+24>: call 0x80482d4 <puts@@plt>
8996 @end smallexample
8997
8998 @cindex @code{$_}, @code{$__}, and value history
8999 The addresses and contents printed by the @code{x} command are not saved
9000 in the value history because there is often too much of them and they
9001 would get in the way. Instead, @value{GDBN} makes these values available for
9002 subsequent use in expressions as values of the convenience variables
9003 @code{$_} and @code{$__}. After an @code{x} command, the last address
9004 examined is available for use in expressions in the convenience variable
9005 @code{$_}. The contents of that address, as examined, are available in
9006 the convenience variable @code{$__}.
9007
9008 If the @code{x} command has a repeat count, the address and contents saved
9009 are from the last memory unit printed; this is not the same as the last
9010 address printed if several units were printed on the last line of output.
9011
9012 @cindex remote memory comparison
9013 @cindex target memory comparison
9014 @cindex verify remote memory image
9015 @cindex verify target memory image
9016 When you are debugging a program running on a remote target machine
9017 (@pxref{Remote Debugging}), you may wish to verify the program's image
9018 in the remote machine's memory against the executable file you
9019 downloaded to the target. Or, on any target, you may want to check
9020 whether the program has corrupted its own read-only sections. The
9021 @code{compare-sections} command is provided for such situations.
9022
9023 @table @code
9024 @kindex compare-sections
9025 @item compare-sections @r{[}@var{section-name}@r{|}@code{-r}@r{]}
9026 Compare the data of a loadable section @var{section-name} in the
9027 executable file of the program being debugged with the same section in
9028 the target machine's memory, and report any mismatches. With no
9029 arguments, compares all loadable sections. With an argument of
9030 @code{-r}, compares all loadable read-only sections.
9031
9032 Note: for remote targets, this command can be accelerated if the
9033 target supports computing the CRC checksum of a block of memory
9034 (@pxref{qCRC packet}).
9035 @end table
9036
9037 @node Auto Display
9038 @section Automatic Display
9039 @cindex automatic display
9040 @cindex display of expressions
9041
9042 If you find that you want to print the value of an expression frequently
9043 (to see how it changes), you might want to add it to the @dfn{automatic
9044 display list} so that @value{GDBN} prints its value each time your program stops.
9045 Each expression added to the list is given a number to identify it;
9046 to remove an expression from the list, you specify that number.
9047 The automatic display looks like this:
9048
9049 @smallexample
9050 2: foo = 38
9051 3: bar[5] = (struct hack *) 0x3804
9052 @end smallexample
9053
9054 @noindent
9055 This display shows item numbers, expressions and their current values. As with
9056 displays you request manually using @code{x} or @code{print}, you can
9057 specify the output format you prefer; in fact, @code{display} decides
9058 whether to use @code{print} or @code{x} depending your format
9059 specification---it uses @code{x} if you specify either the @samp{i}
9060 or @samp{s} format, or a unit size; otherwise it uses @code{print}.
9061
9062 @table @code
9063 @kindex display
9064 @item display @var{expr}
9065 Add the expression @var{expr} to the list of expressions to display
9066 each time your program stops. @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}.
9067
9068 @code{display} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} again after using it.
9069
9070 @item display/@var{fmt} @var{expr}
9071 For @var{fmt} specifying only a display format and not a size or
9072 count, add the expression @var{expr} to the auto-display list but
9073 arrange to display it each time in the specified format @var{fmt}.
9074 @xref{Output Formats,,Output Formats}.
9075
9076 @item display/@var{fmt} @var{addr}
9077 For @var{fmt} @samp{i} or @samp{s}, or including a unit-size or a
9078 number of units, add the expression @var{addr} as a memory address to
9079 be examined each time your program stops. Examining means in effect
9080 doing @samp{x/@var{fmt} @var{addr}}. @xref{Memory, ,Examining Memory}.
9081 @end table
9082
9083 For example, @samp{display/i $pc} can be helpful, to see the machine
9084 instruction about to be executed each time execution stops (@samp{$pc}
9085 is a common name for the program counter; @pxref{Registers, ,Registers}).
9086
9087 @table @code
9088 @kindex delete display
9089 @kindex undisplay
9090 @item undisplay @var{dnums}@dots{}
9091 @itemx delete display @var{dnums}@dots{}
9092 Remove items from the list of expressions to display. Specify the
9093 numbers of the displays that you want affected with the command
9094 argument @var{dnums}. It can be a single display number, one of the
9095 numbers shown in the first field of the @samp{info display} display;
9096 or it could be a range of display numbers, as in @code{2-4}.
9097
9098 @code{undisplay} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} after using it.
9099 (Otherwise you would just get the error @samp{No display number @dots{}}.)
9100
9101 @kindex disable display
9102 @item disable display @var{dnums}@dots{}
9103 Disable the display of item numbers @var{dnums}. A disabled display
9104 item is not printed automatically, but is not forgotten. It may be
9105 enabled again later. Specify the numbers of the displays that you
9106 want affected with the command argument @var{dnums}. It can be a
9107 single display number, one of the numbers shown in the first field of
9108 the @samp{info display} display; or it could be a range of display
9109 numbers, as in @code{2-4}.
9110
9111 @kindex enable display
9112 @item enable display @var{dnums}@dots{}
9113 Enable display of item numbers @var{dnums}. It becomes effective once
9114 again in auto display of its expression, until you specify otherwise.
9115 Specify the numbers of the displays that you want affected with the
9116 command argument @var{dnums}. It can be a single display number, one
9117 of the numbers shown in the first field of the @samp{info display}
9118 display; or it could be a range of display numbers, as in @code{2-4}.
9119
9120 @item display
9121 Display the current values of the expressions on the list, just as is
9122 done when your program stops.
9123
9124 @kindex info display
9125 @item info display
9126 Print the list of expressions previously set up to display
9127 automatically, each one with its item number, but without showing the
9128 values. This includes disabled expressions, which are marked as such.
9129 It also includes expressions which would not be displayed right now
9130 because they refer to automatic variables not currently available.
9131 @end table
9132
9133 @cindex display disabled out of scope
9134 If a display expression refers to local variables, then it does not make
9135 sense outside the lexical context for which it was set up. Such an
9136 expression is disabled when execution enters a context where one of its
9137 variables is not defined. For example, if you give the command
9138 @code{display last_char} while inside a function with an argument
9139 @code{last_char}, @value{GDBN} displays this argument while your program
9140 continues to stop inside that function. When it stops elsewhere---where
9141 there is no variable @code{last_char}---the display is disabled
9142 automatically. The next time your program stops where @code{last_char}
9143 is meaningful, you can enable the display expression once again.
9144
9145 @node Print Settings
9146 @section Print Settings
9147
9148 @cindex format options
9149 @cindex print settings
9150 @value{GDBN} provides the following ways to control how arrays, structures,
9151 and symbols are printed.
9152
9153 @noindent
9154 These settings are useful for debugging programs in any language:
9155
9156 @table @code
9157 @kindex set print
9158 @item set print address
9159 @itemx set print address on
9160 @cindex print/don't print memory addresses
9161 @value{GDBN} prints memory addresses showing the location of stack
9162 traces, structure values, pointer values, breakpoints, and so forth,
9163 even when it also displays the contents of those addresses. The default
9164 is @code{on}. For example, this is what a stack frame display looks like with
9165 @code{set print address on}:
9166
9167 @smallexample
9168 @group
9169 (@value{GDBP}) f
9170 #0 set_quotes (lq=0x34c78 "<<", rq=0x34c88 ">>")
9171 at input.c:530
9172 530 if (lquote != def_lquote)
9173 @end group
9174 @end smallexample
9175
9176 @item set print address off
9177 Do not print addresses when displaying their contents. For example,
9178 this is the same stack frame displayed with @code{set print address off}:
9179
9180 @smallexample
9181 @group
9182 (@value{GDBP}) set print addr off
9183 (@value{GDBP}) f
9184 #0 set_quotes (lq="<<", rq=">>") at input.c:530
9185 530 if (lquote != def_lquote)
9186 @end group
9187 @end smallexample
9188
9189 You can use @samp{set print address off} to eliminate all machine
9190 dependent displays from the @value{GDBN} interface. For example, with
9191 @code{print address off}, you should get the same text for backtraces on
9192 all machines---whether or not they involve pointer arguments.
9193
9194 @kindex show print
9195 @item show print address
9196 Show whether or not addresses are to be printed.
9197 @end table
9198
9199 When @value{GDBN} prints a symbolic address, it normally prints the
9200 closest earlier symbol plus an offset. If that symbol does not uniquely
9201 identify the address (for example, it is a name whose scope is a single
9202 source file), you may need to clarify. One way to do this is with
9203 @code{info line}, for example @samp{info line *0x4537}. Alternately,
9204 you can set @value{GDBN} to print the source file and line number when
9205 it prints a symbolic address:
9206
9207 @table @code
9208 @item set print symbol-filename on
9209 @cindex source file and line of a symbol
9210 @cindex symbol, source file and line
9211 Tell @value{GDBN} to print the source file name and line number of a
9212 symbol in the symbolic form of an address.
9213
9214 @item set print symbol-filename off
9215 Do not print source file name and line number of a symbol. This is the
9216 default.
9217
9218 @item show print symbol-filename
9219 Show whether or not @value{GDBN} will print the source file name and
9220 line number of a symbol in the symbolic form of an address.
9221 @end table
9222
9223 Another situation where it is helpful to show symbol filenames and line
9224 numbers is when disassembling code; @value{GDBN} shows you the line
9225 number and source file that corresponds to each instruction.
9226
9227 Also, you may wish to see the symbolic form only if the address being
9228 printed is reasonably close to the closest earlier symbol:
9229
9230 @table @code
9231 @item set print max-symbolic-offset @var{max-offset}
9232 @itemx set print max-symbolic-offset unlimited
9233 @cindex maximum value for offset of closest symbol
9234 Tell @value{GDBN} to only display the symbolic form of an address if the
9235 offset between the closest earlier symbol and the address is less than
9236 @var{max-offset}. The default is @code{unlimited}, which tells @value{GDBN}
9237 to always print the symbolic form of an address if any symbol precedes
9238 it. Zero is equivalent to @code{unlimited}.
9239
9240 @item show print max-symbolic-offset
9241 Ask how large the maximum offset is that @value{GDBN} prints in a
9242 symbolic address.
9243 @end table
9244
9245 @cindex wild pointer, interpreting
9246 @cindex pointer, finding referent
9247 If you have a pointer and you are not sure where it points, try
9248 @samp{set print symbol-filename on}. Then you can determine the name
9249 and source file location of the variable where it points, using
9250 @samp{p/a @var{pointer}}. This interprets the address in symbolic form.
9251 For example, here @value{GDBN} shows that a variable @code{ptt} points
9252 at another variable @code{t}, defined in @file{hi2.c}:
9253
9254 @smallexample
9255 (@value{GDBP}) set print symbol-filename on
9256 (@value{GDBP}) p/a ptt
9257 $4 = 0xe008 <t in hi2.c>
9258 @end smallexample
9259
9260 @quotation
9261 @emph{Warning:} For pointers that point to a local variable, @samp{p/a}
9262 does not show the symbol name and filename of the referent, even with
9263 the appropriate @code{set print} options turned on.
9264 @end quotation
9265
9266 You can also enable @samp{/a}-like formatting all the time using
9267 @samp{set print symbol on}:
9268
9269 @table @code
9270 @item set print symbol on
9271 Tell @value{GDBN} to print the symbol corresponding to an address, if
9272 one exists.
9273
9274 @item set print symbol off
9275 Tell @value{GDBN} not to print the symbol corresponding to an
9276 address. In this mode, @value{GDBN} will still print the symbol
9277 corresponding to pointers to functions. This is the default.
9278
9279 @item show print symbol
9280 Show whether @value{GDBN} will display the symbol corresponding to an
9281 address.
9282 @end table
9283
9284 Other settings control how different kinds of objects are printed:
9285
9286 @table @code
9287 @item set print array
9288 @itemx set print array on
9289 @cindex pretty print arrays
9290 Pretty print arrays. This format is more convenient to read,
9291 but uses more space. The default is off.
9292
9293 @item set print array off
9294 Return to compressed format for arrays.
9295
9296 @item show print array
9297 Show whether compressed or pretty format is selected for displaying
9298 arrays.
9299
9300 @cindex print array indexes
9301 @item set print array-indexes
9302 @itemx set print array-indexes on
9303 Print the index of each element when displaying arrays. May be more
9304 convenient to locate a given element in the array or quickly find the
9305 index of a given element in that printed array. The default is off.
9306
9307 @item set print array-indexes off
9308 Stop printing element indexes when displaying arrays.
9309
9310 @item show print array-indexes
9311 Show whether the index of each element is printed when displaying
9312 arrays.
9313
9314 @item set print elements @var{number-of-elements}
9315 @itemx set print elements unlimited
9316 @cindex number of array elements to print
9317 @cindex limit on number of printed array elements
9318 Set a limit on how many elements of an array @value{GDBN} will print.
9319 If @value{GDBN} is printing a large array, it stops printing after it has
9320 printed the number of elements set by the @code{set print elements} command.
9321 This limit also applies to the display of strings.
9322 When @value{GDBN} starts, this limit is set to 200.
9323 Setting @var{number-of-elements} to @code{unlimited} or zero means
9324 that the number of elements to print is unlimited.
9325
9326 @item show print elements
9327 Display the number of elements of a large array that @value{GDBN} will print.
9328 If the number is 0, then the printing is unlimited.
9329
9330 @item set print frame-arguments @var{value}
9331 @kindex set print frame-arguments
9332 @cindex printing frame argument values
9333 @cindex print all frame argument values
9334 @cindex print frame argument values for scalars only
9335 @cindex do not print frame argument values
9336 This command allows to control how the values of arguments are printed
9337 when the debugger prints a frame (@pxref{Frames}). The possible
9338 values are:
9339
9340 @table @code
9341 @item all
9342 The values of all arguments are printed.
9343
9344 @item scalars
9345 Print the value of an argument only if it is a scalar. The value of more
9346 complex arguments such as arrays, structures, unions, etc, is replaced
9347 by @code{@dots{}}. This is the default. Here is an example where
9348 only scalar arguments are shown:
9349
9350 @smallexample
9351 #1 0x08048361 in call_me (i=3, s=@dots{}, ss=0xbf8d508c, u=@dots{}, e=green)
9352 at frame-args.c:23
9353 @end smallexample
9354
9355 @item none
9356 None of the argument values are printed. Instead, the value of each argument
9357 is replaced by @code{@dots{}}. In this case, the example above now becomes:
9358
9359 @smallexample
9360 #1 0x08048361 in call_me (i=@dots{}, s=@dots{}, ss=@dots{}, u=@dots{}, e=@dots{})
9361 at frame-args.c:23
9362 @end smallexample
9363 @end table
9364
9365 By default, only scalar arguments are printed. This command can be used
9366 to configure the debugger to print the value of all arguments, regardless
9367 of their type. However, it is often advantageous to not print the value
9368 of more complex parameters. For instance, it reduces the amount of
9369 information printed in each frame, making the backtrace more readable.
9370 Also, it improves performance when displaying Ada frames, because
9371 the computation of large arguments can sometimes be CPU-intensive,
9372 especially in large applications. Setting @code{print frame-arguments}
9373 to @code{scalars} (the default) or @code{none} avoids this computation,
9374 thus speeding up the display of each Ada frame.
9375
9376 @item show print frame-arguments
9377 Show how the value of arguments should be displayed when printing a frame.
9378
9379 @item set print raw frame-arguments on
9380 Print frame arguments in raw, non pretty-printed, form.
9381
9382 @item set print raw frame-arguments off
9383 Print frame arguments in pretty-printed form, if there is a pretty-printer
9384 for the value (@pxref{Pretty Printing}),
9385 otherwise print the value in raw form.
9386 This is the default.
9387
9388 @item show print raw frame-arguments
9389 Show whether to print frame arguments in raw form.
9390
9391 @anchor{set print entry-values}
9392 @item set print entry-values @var{value}
9393 @kindex set print entry-values
9394 Set printing of frame argument values at function entry. In some cases
9395 @value{GDBN} can determine the value of function argument which was passed by
9396 the function caller, even if the value was modified inside the called function
9397 and therefore is different. With optimized code, the current value could be
9398 unavailable, but the entry value may still be known.
9399
9400 The default value is @code{default} (see below for its description). Older
9401 @value{GDBN} behaved as with the setting @code{no}. Compilers not supporting
9402 this feature will behave in the @code{default} setting the same way as with the
9403 @code{no} setting.
9404
9405 This functionality is currently supported only by DWARF 2 debugging format and
9406 the compiler has to produce @samp{DW_TAG_GNU_call_site} tags. With
9407 @value{NGCC}, you need to specify @option{-O -g} during compilation, to get
9408 this information.
9409
9410 The @var{value} parameter can be one of the following:
9411
9412 @table @code
9413 @item no
9414 Print only actual parameter values, never print values from function entry
9415 point.
9416 @smallexample
9417 #0 equal (val=5)
9418 #0 different (val=6)
9419 #0 lost (val=<optimized out>)
9420 #0 born (val=10)
9421 #0 invalid (val=<optimized out>)
9422 @end smallexample
9423
9424 @item only
9425 Print only parameter values from function entry point. The actual parameter
9426 values are never printed.
9427 @smallexample
9428 #0 equal (val@@entry=5)
9429 #0 different (val@@entry=5)
9430 #0 lost (val@@entry=5)
9431 #0 born (val@@entry=<optimized out>)
9432 #0 invalid (val@@entry=<optimized out>)
9433 @end smallexample
9434
9435 @item preferred
9436 Print only parameter values from function entry point. If value from function
9437 entry point is not known while the actual value is known, print the actual
9438 value for such parameter.
9439 @smallexample
9440 #0 equal (val@@entry=5)
9441 #0 different (val@@entry=5)
9442 #0 lost (val@@entry=5)
9443 #0 born (val=10)
9444 #0 invalid (val@@entry=<optimized out>)
9445 @end smallexample
9446
9447 @item if-needed
9448 Print actual parameter values. If actual parameter value is not known while
9449 value from function entry point is known, print the entry point value for such
9450 parameter.
9451 @smallexample
9452 #0 equal (val=5)
9453 #0 different (val=6)
9454 #0 lost (val@@entry=5)
9455 #0 born (val=10)
9456 #0 invalid (val=<optimized out>)
9457 @end smallexample
9458
9459 @item both
9460 Always print both the actual parameter value and its value from function entry
9461 point, even if values of one or both are not available due to compiler
9462 optimizations.
9463 @smallexample
9464 #0 equal (val=5, val@@entry=5)
9465 #0 different (val=6, val@@entry=5)
9466 #0 lost (val=<optimized out>, val@@entry=5)
9467 #0 born (val=10, val@@entry=<optimized out>)
9468 #0 invalid (val=<optimized out>, val@@entry=<optimized out>)
9469 @end smallexample
9470
9471 @item compact
9472 Print the actual parameter value if it is known and also its value from
9473 function entry point if it is known. If neither is known, print for the actual
9474 value @code{<optimized out>}. If not in MI mode (@pxref{GDB/MI}) and if both
9475 values are known and identical, print the shortened
9476 @code{param=param@@entry=VALUE} notation.
9477 @smallexample
9478 #0 equal (val=val@@entry=5)
9479 #0 different (val=6, val@@entry=5)
9480 #0 lost (val@@entry=5)
9481 #0 born (val=10)
9482 #0 invalid (val=<optimized out>)
9483 @end smallexample
9484
9485 @item default
9486 Always print the actual parameter value. Print also its value from function
9487 entry point, but only if it is known. If not in MI mode (@pxref{GDB/MI}) and
9488 if both values are known and identical, print the shortened
9489 @code{param=param@@entry=VALUE} notation.
9490 @smallexample
9491 #0 equal (val=val@@entry=5)
9492 #0 different (val=6, val@@entry=5)
9493 #0 lost (val=<optimized out>, val@@entry=5)
9494 #0 born (val=10)
9495 #0 invalid (val=<optimized out>)
9496 @end smallexample
9497 @end table
9498
9499 For analysis messages on possible failures of frame argument values at function
9500 entry resolution see @ref{set debug entry-values}.
9501
9502 @item show print entry-values
9503 Show the method being used for printing of frame argument values at function
9504 entry.
9505
9506 @item set print repeats @var{number-of-repeats}
9507 @itemx set print repeats unlimited
9508 @cindex repeated array elements
9509 Set the threshold for suppressing display of repeated array
9510 elements. When the number of consecutive identical elements of an
9511 array exceeds the threshold, @value{GDBN} prints the string
9512 @code{"<repeats @var{n} times>"}, where @var{n} is the number of
9513 identical repetitions, instead of displaying the identical elements
9514 themselves. Setting the threshold to @code{unlimited} or zero will
9515 cause all elements to be individually printed. The default threshold
9516 is 10.
9517
9518 @item show print repeats
9519 Display the current threshold for printing repeated identical
9520 elements.
9521
9522 @item set print null-stop
9523 @cindex @sc{null} elements in arrays
9524 Cause @value{GDBN} to stop printing the characters of an array when the first
9525 @sc{null} is encountered. This is useful when large arrays actually
9526 contain only short strings.
9527 The default is off.
9528
9529 @item show print null-stop
9530 Show whether @value{GDBN} stops printing an array on the first
9531 @sc{null} character.
9532
9533 @item set print pretty on
9534 @cindex print structures in indented form
9535 @cindex indentation in structure display
9536 Cause @value{GDBN} to print structures in an indented format with one member
9537 per line, like this:
9538
9539 @smallexample
9540 @group
9541 $1 = @{
9542 next = 0x0,
9543 flags = @{
9544 sweet = 1,
9545 sour = 1
9546 @},
9547 meat = 0x54 "Pork"
9548 @}
9549 @end group
9550 @end smallexample
9551
9552 @item set print pretty off
9553 Cause @value{GDBN} to print structures in a compact format, like this:
9554
9555 @smallexample
9556 @group
9557 $1 = @{next = 0x0, flags = @{sweet = 1, sour = 1@}, \
9558 meat = 0x54 "Pork"@}
9559 @end group
9560 @end smallexample
9561
9562 @noindent
9563 This is the default format.
9564
9565 @item show print pretty
9566 Show which format @value{GDBN} is using to print structures.
9567
9568 @item set print sevenbit-strings on
9569 @cindex eight-bit characters in strings
9570 @cindex octal escapes in strings
9571 Print using only seven-bit characters; if this option is set,
9572 @value{GDBN} displays any eight-bit characters (in strings or
9573 character values) using the notation @code{\}@var{nnn}. This setting is
9574 best if you are working in English (@sc{ascii}) and you use the
9575 high-order bit of characters as a marker or ``meta'' bit.
9576
9577 @item set print sevenbit-strings off
9578 Print full eight-bit characters. This allows the use of more
9579 international character sets, and is the default.
9580
9581 @item show print sevenbit-strings
9582 Show whether or not @value{GDBN} is printing only seven-bit characters.
9583
9584 @item set print union on
9585 @cindex unions in structures, printing
9586 Tell @value{GDBN} to print unions which are contained in structures
9587 and other unions. This is the default setting.
9588
9589 @item set print union off
9590 Tell @value{GDBN} not to print unions which are contained in
9591 structures and other unions. @value{GDBN} will print @code{"@{...@}"}
9592 instead.
9593
9594 @item show print union
9595 Ask @value{GDBN} whether or not it will print unions which are contained in
9596 structures and other unions.
9597
9598 For example, given the declarations
9599
9600 @smallexample
9601 typedef enum @{Tree, Bug@} Species;
9602 typedef enum @{Big_tree, Acorn, Seedling@} Tree_forms;
9603 typedef enum @{Caterpillar, Cocoon, Butterfly@}
9604 Bug_forms;
9605
9606 struct thing @{
9607 Species it;
9608 union @{
9609 Tree_forms tree;
9610 Bug_forms bug;
9611 @} form;
9612 @};
9613
9614 struct thing foo = @{Tree, @{Acorn@}@};
9615 @end smallexample
9616
9617 @noindent
9618 with @code{set print union on} in effect @samp{p foo} would print
9619
9620 @smallexample
9621 $1 = @{it = Tree, form = @{tree = Acorn, bug = Cocoon@}@}
9622 @end smallexample
9623
9624 @noindent
9625 and with @code{set print union off} in effect it would print
9626
9627 @smallexample
9628 $1 = @{it = Tree, form = @{...@}@}
9629 @end smallexample
9630
9631 @noindent
9632 @code{set print union} affects programs written in C-like languages
9633 and in Pascal.
9634 @end table
9635
9636 @need 1000
9637 @noindent
9638 These settings are of interest when debugging C@t{++} programs:
9639
9640 @table @code
9641 @cindex demangling C@t{++} names
9642 @item set print demangle
9643 @itemx set print demangle on
9644 Print C@t{++} names in their source form rather than in the encoded
9645 (``mangled'') form passed to the assembler and linker for type-safe
9646 linkage. The default is on.
9647
9648 @item show print demangle
9649 Show whether C@t{++} names are printed in mangled or demangled form.
9650
9651 @item set print asm-demangle
9652 @itemx set print asm-demangle on
9653 Print C@t{++} names in their source form rather than their mangled form, even
9654 in assembler code printouts such as instruction disassemblies.
9655 The default is off.
9656
9657 @item show print asm-demangle
9658 Show whether C@t{++} names in assembly listings are printed in mangled
9659 or demangled form.
9660
9661 @cindex C@t{++} symbol decoding style
9662 @cindex symbol decoding style, C@t{++}
9663 @kindex set demangle-style
9664 @item set demangle-style @var{style}
9665 Choose among several encoding schemes used by different compilers to
9666 represent C@t{++} names. The choices for @var{style} are currently:
9667
9668 @table @code
9669 @item auto
9670 Allow @value{GDBN} to choose a decoding style by inspecting your program.
9671 This is the default.
9672
9673 @item gnu
9674 Decode based on the @sc{gnu} C@t{++} compiler (@code{g++}) encoding algorithm.
9675
9676 @item hp
9677 Decode based on the HP ANSI C@t{++} (@code{aCC}) encoding algorithm.
9678
9679 @item lucid
9680 Decode based on the Lucid C@t{++} compiler (@code{lcc}) encoding algorithm.
9681
9682 @item arm
9683 Decode using the algorithm in the @cite{C@t{++} Annotated Reference Manual}.
9684 @strong{Warning:} this setting alone is not sufficient to allow
9685 debugging @code{cfront}-generated executables. @value{GDBN} would
9686 require further enhancement to permit that.
9687
9688 @end table
9689 If you omit @var{style}, you will see a list of possible formats.
9690
9691 @item show demangle-style
9692 Display the encoding style currently in use for decoding C@t{++} symbols.
9693
9694 @item set print object
9695 @itemx set print object on
9696 @cindex derived type of an object, printing
9697 @cindex display derived types
9698 When displaying a pointer to an object, identify the @emph{actual}
9699 (derived) type of the object rather than the @emph{declared} type, using
9700 the virtual function table. Note that the virtual function table is
9701 required---this feature can only work for objects that have run-time
9702 type identification; a single virtual method in the object's declared
9703 type is sufficient. Note that this setting is also taken into account when
9704 working with variable objects via MI (@pxref{GDB/MI}).
9705
9706 @item set print object off
9707 Display only the declared type of objects, without reference to the
9708 virtual function table. This is the default setting.
9709
9710 @item show print object
9711 Show whether actual, or declared, object types are displayed.
9712
9713 @item set print static-members
9714 @itemx set print static-members on
9715 @cindex static members of C@t{++} objects
9716 Print static members when displaying a C@t{++} object. The default is on.
9717
9718 @item set print static-members off
9719 Do not print static members when displaying a C@t{++} object.
9720
9721 @item show print static-members
9722 Show whether C@t{++} static members are printed or not.
9723
9724 @item set print pascal_static-members
9725 @itemx set print pascal_static-members on
9726 @cindex static members of Pascal objects
9727 @cindex Pascal objects, static members display
9728 Print static members when displaying a Pascal object. The default is on.
9729
9730 @item set print pascal_static-members off
9731 Do not print static members when displaying a Pascal object.
9732
9733 @item show print pascal_static-members
9734 Show whether Pascal static members are printed or not.
9735
9736 @c These don't work with HP ANSI C++ yet.
9737 @item set print vtbl
9738 @itemx set print vtbl on
9739 @cindex pretty print C@t{++} virtual function tables
9740 @cindex virtual functions (C@t{++}) display
9741 @cindex VTBL display
9742 Pretty print C@t{++} virtual function tables. The default is off.
9743 (The @code{vtbl} commands do not work on programs compiled with the HP
9744 ANSI C@t{++} compiler (@code{aCC}).)
9745
9746 @item set print vtbl off
9747 Do not pretty print C@t{++} virtual function tables.
9748
9749 @item show print vtbl
9750 Show whether C@t{++} virtual function tables are pretty printed, or not.
9751 @end table
9752
9753 @node Pretty Printing
9754 @section Pretty Printing
9755
9756 @value{GDBN} provides a mechanism to allow pretty-printing of values using
9757 Python code. It greatly simplifies the display of complex objects. This
9758 mechanism works for both MI and the CLI.
9759
9760 @menu
9761 * Pretty-Printer Introduction:: Introduction to pretty-printers
9762 * Pretty-Printer Example:: An example pretty-printer
9763 * Pretty-Printer Commands:: Pretty-printer commands
9764 @end menu
9765
9766 @node Pretty-Printer Introduction
9767 @subsection Pretty-Printer Introduction
9768
9769 When @value{GDBN} prints a value, it first sees if there is a pretty-printer
9770 registered for the value. If there is then @value{GDBN} invokes the
9771 pretty-printer to print the value. Otherwise the value is printed normally.
9772
9773 Pretty-printers are normally named. This makes them easy to manage.
9774 The @samp{info pretty-printer} command will list all the installed
9775 pretty-printers with their names.
9776 If a pretty-printer can handle multiple data types, then its
9777 @dfn{subprinters} are the printers for the individual data types.
9778 Each such subprinter has its own name.
9779 The format of the name is @var{printer-name};@var{subprinter-name}.
9780
9781 Pretty-printers are installed by @dfn{registering} them with @value{GDBN}.
9782 Typically they are automatically loaded and registered when the corresponding
9783 debug information is loaded, thus making them available without having to
9784 do anything special.
9785
9786 There are three places where a pretty-printer can be registered.
9787
9788 @itemize @bullet
9789 @item
9790 Pretty-printers registered globally are available when debugging
9791 all inferiors.
9792
9793 @item
9794 Pretty-printers registered with a program space are available only
9795 when debugging that program.
9796 @xref{Progspaces In Python}, for more details on program spaces in Python.
9797
9798 @item
9799 Pretty-printers registered with an objfile are loaded and unloaded
9800 with the corresponding objfile (e.g., shared library).
9801 @xref{Objfiles In Python}, for more details on objfiles in Python.
9802 @end itemize
9803
9804 @xref{Selecting Pretty-Printers}, for further information on how
9805 pretty-printers are selected,
9806
9807 @xref{Writing a Pretty-Printer}, for implementing pretty printers
9808 for new types.
9809
9810 @node Pretty-Printer Example
9811 @subsection Pretty-Printer Example
9812
9813 Here is how a C@t{++} @code{std::string} looks without a pretty-printer:
9814
9815 @smallexample
9816 (@value{GDBP}) print s
9817 $1 = @{
9818 static npos = 4294967295,
9819 _M_dataplus = @{
9820 <std::allocator<char>> = @{
9821 <__gnu_cxx::new_allocator<char>> = @{
9822 <No data fields>@}, <No data fields>
9823 @},
9824 members of std::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>,
9825 std::allocator<char> >::_Alloc_hider:
9826 _M_p = 0x804a014 "abcd"
9827 @}
9828 @}
9829 @end smallexample
9830
9831 With a pretty-printer for @code{std::string} only the contents are printed:
9832
9833 @smallexample
9834 (@value{GDBP}) print s
9835 $2 = "abcd"
9836 @end smallexample
9837
9838 @node Pretty-Printer Commands
9839 @subsection Pretty-Printer Commands
9840 @cindex pretty-printer commands
9841
9842 @table @code
9843 @kindex info pretty-printer
9844 @item info pretty-printer [@var{object-regexp} [@var{name-regexp}]]
9845 Print the list of installed pretty-printers.
9846 This includes disabled pretty-printers, which are marked as such.
9847
9848 @var{object-regexp} is a regular expression matching the objects
9849 whose pretty-printers to list.
9850 Objects can be @code{global}, the program space's file
9851 (@pxref{Progspaces In Python}),
9852 and the object files within that program space (@pxref{Objfiles In Python}).
9853 @xref{Selecting Pretty-Printers}, for details on how @value{GDBN}
9854 looks up a printer from these three objects.
9855
9856 @var{name-regexp} is a regular expression matching the name of the printers
9857 to list.
9858
9859 @kindex disable pretty-printer
9860 @item disable pretty-printer [@var{object-regexp} [@var{name-regexp}]]
9861 Disable pretty-printers matching @var{object-regexp} and @var{name-regexp}.
9862 A disabled pretty-printer is not forgotten, it may be enabled again later.
9863
9864 @kindex enable pretty-printer
9865 @item enable pretty-printer [@var{object-regexp} [@var{name-regexp}]]
9866 Enable pretty-printers matching @var{object-regexp} and @var{name-regexp}.
9867 @end table
9868
9869 Example:
9870
9871 Suppose we have three pretty-printers installed: one from library1.so
9872 named @code{foo} that prints objects of type @code{foo}, and
9873 another from library2.so named @code{bar} that prints two types of objects,
9874 @code{bar1} and @code{bar2}.
9875
9876 @smallexample
9877 (gdb) info pretty-printer
9878 library1.so:
9879 foo
9880 library2.so:
9881 bar
9882 bar1
9883 bar2
9884 (gdb) info pretty-printer library2
9885 library2.so:
9886 bar
9887 bar1
9888 bar2
9889 (gdb) disable pretty-printer library1
9890 1 printer disabled
9891 2 of 3 printers enabled
9892 (gdb) info pretty-printer
9893 library1.so:
9894 foo [disabled]
9895 library2.so:
9896 bar
9897 bar1
9898 bar2
9899 (gdb) disable pretty-printer library2 bar:bar1
9900 1 printer disabled
9901 1 of 3 printers enabled
9902 (gdb) info pretty-printer library2
9903 library1.so:
9904 foo [disabled]
9905 library2.so:
9906 bar
9907 bar1 [disabled]
9908 bar2
9909 (gdb) disable pretty-printer library2 bar
9910 1 printer disabled
9911 0 of 3 printers enabled
9912 (gdb) info pretty-printer library2
9913 library1.so:
9914 foo [disabled]
9915 library2.so:
9916 bar [disabled]
9917 bar1 [disabled]
9918 bar2
9919 @end smallexample
9920
9921 Note that for @code{bar} the entire printer can be disabled,
9922 as can each individual subprinter.
9923
9924 @node Value History
9925 @section Value History
9926
9927 @cindex value history
9928 @cindex history of values printed by @value{GDBN}
9929 Values printed by the @code{print} command are saved in the @value{GDBN}
9930 @dfn{value history}. This allows you to refer to them in other expressions.
9931 Values are kept until the symbol table is re-read or discarded
9932 (for example with the @code{file} or @code{symbol-file} commands).
9933 When the symbol table changes, the value history is discarded,
9934 since the values may contain pointers back to the types defined in the
9935 symbol table.
9936
9937 @cindex @code{$}
9938 @cindex @code{$$}
9939 @cindex history number
9940 The values printed are given @dfn{history numbers} by which you can
9941 refer to them. These are successive integers starting with one.
9942 @code{print} shows you the history number assigned to a value by
9943 printing @samp{$@var{num} = } before the value; here @var{num} is the
9944 history number.
9945
9946 To refer to any previous value, use @samp{$} followed by the value's
9947 history number. The way @code{print} labels its output is designed to
9948 remind you of this. Just @code{$} refers to the most recent value in
9949 the history, and @code{$$} refers to the value before that.
9950 @code{$$@var{n}} refers to the @var{n}th value from the end; @code{$$2}
9951 is the value just prior to @code{$$}, @code{$$1} is equivalent to
9952 @code{$$}, and @code{$$0} is equivalent to @code{$}.
9953
9954 For example, suppose you have just printed a pointer to a structure and
9955 want to see the contents of the structure. It suffices to type
9956
9957 @smallexample
9958 p *$
9959 @end smallexample
9960
9961 If you have a chain of structures where the component @code{next} points
9962 to the next one, you can print the contents of the next one with this:
9963
9964 @smallexample
9965 p *$.next
9966 @end smallexample
9967
9968 @noindent
9969 You can print successive links in the chain by repeating this
9970 command---which you can do by just typing @key{RET}.
9971
9972 Note that the history records values, not expressions. If the value of
9973 @code{x} is 4 and you type these commands:
9974
9975 @smallexample
9976 print x
9977 set x=5
9978 @end smallexample
9979
9980 @noindent
9981 then the value recorded in the value history by the @code{print} command
9982 remains 4 even though the value of @code{x} has changed.
9983
9984 @table @code
9985 @kindex show values
9986 @item show values
9987 Print the last ten values in the value history, with their item numbers.
9988 This is like @samp{p@ $$9} repeated ten times, except that @code{show
9989 values} does not change the history.
9990
9991 @item show values @var{n}
9992 Print ten history values centered on history item number @var{n}.
9993
9994 @item show values +
9995 Print ten history values just after the values last printed. If no more
9996 values are available, @code{show values +} produces no display.
9997 @end table
9998
9999 Pressing @key{RET} to repeat @code{show values @var{n}} has exactly the
10000 same effect as @samp{show values +}.
10001
10002 @node Convenience Vars
10003 @section Convenience Variables
10004
10005 @cindex convenience variables
10006 @cindex user-defined variables
10007 @value{GDBN} provides @dfn{convenience variables} that you can use within
10008 @value{GDBN} to hold on to a value and refer to it later. These variables
10009 exist entirely within @value{GDBN}; they are not part of your program, and
10010 setting a convenience variable has no direct effect on further execution
10011 of your program. That is why you can use them freely.
10012
10013 Convenience variables are prefixed with @samp{$}. Any name preceded by
10014 @samp{$} can be used for a convenience variable, unless it is one of
10015 the predefined machine-specific register names (@pxref{Registers, ,Registers}).
10016 (Value history references, in contrast, are @emph{numbers} preceded
10017 by @samp{$}. @xref{Value History, ,Value History}.)
10018
10019 You can save a value in a convenience variable with an assignment
10020 expression, just as you would set a variable in your program.
10021 For example:
10022
10023 @smallexample
10024 set $foo = *object_ptr
10025 @end smallexample
10026
10027 @noindent
10028 would save in @code{$foo} the value contained in the object pointed to by
10029 @code{object_ptr}.
10030
10031 Using a convenience variable for the first time creates it, but its
10032 value is @code{void} until you assign a new value. You can alter the
10033 value with another assignment at any time.
10034
10035 Convenience variables have no fixed types. You can assign a convenience
10036 variable any type of value, including structures and arrays, even if
10037 that variable already has a value of a different type. The convenience
10038 variable, when used as an expression, has the type of its current value.
10039
10040 @table @code
10041 @kindex show convenience
10042 @cindex show all user variables and functions
10043 @item show convenience
10044 Print a list of convenience variables used so far, and their values,
10045 as well as a list of the convenience functions.
10046 Abbreviated @code{show conv}.
10047
10048 @kindex init-if-undefined
10049 @cindex convenience variables, initializing
10050 @item init-if-undefined $@var{variable} = @var{expression}
10051 Set a convenience variable if it has not already been set. This is useful
10052 for user-defined commands that keep some state. It is similar, in concept,
10053 to using local static variables with initializers in C (except that
10054 convenience variables are global). It can also be used to allow users to
10055 override default values used in a command script.
10056
10057 If the variable is already defined then the expression is not evaluated so
10058 any side-effects do not occur.
10059 @end table
10060
10061 One of the ways to use a convenience variable is as a counter to be
10062 incremented or a pointer to be advanced. For example, to print
10063 a field from successive elements of an array of structures:
10064
10065 @smallexample
10066 set $i = 0
10067 print bar[$i++]->contents
10068 @end smallexample
10069
10070 @noindent
10071 Repeat that command by typing @key{RET}.
10072
10073 Some convenience variables are created automatically by @value{GDBN} and given
10074 values likely to be useful.
10075
10076 @table @code
10077 @vindex $_@r{, convenience variable}
10078 @item $_
10079 The variable @code{$_} is automatically set by the @code{x} command to
10080 the last address examined (@pxref{Memory, ,Examining Memory}). Other
10081 commands which provide a default address for @code{x} to examine also
10082 set @code{$_} to that address; these commands include @code{info line}
10083 and @code{info breakpoint}. The type of @code{$_} is @code{void *}
10084 except when set by the @code{x} command, in which case it is a pointer
10085 to the type of @code{$__}.
10086
10087 @vindex $__@r{, convenience variable}
10088 @item $__
10089 The variable @code{$__} is automatically set by the @code{x} command
10090 to the value found in the last address examined. Its type is chosen
10091 to match the format in which the data was printed.
10092
10093 @item $_exitcode
10094 @vindex $_exitcode@r{, convenience variable}
10095 When the program being debugged terminates normally, @value{GDBN}
10096 automatically sets this variable to the exit code of the program, and
10097 resets @code{$_exitsignal} to @code{void}.
10098
10099 @item $_exitsignal
10100 @vindex $_exitsignal@r{, convenience variable}
10101 When the program being debugged dies due to an uncaught signal,
10102 @value{GDBN} automatically sets this variable to that signal's number,
10103 and resets @code{$_exitcode} to @code{void}.
10104
10105 To distinguish between whether the program being debugged has exited
10106 (i.e., @code{$_exitcode} is not @code{void}) or signalled (i.e.,
10107 @code{$_exitsignal} is not @code{void}), the convenience function
10108 @code{$_isvoid} can be used (@pxref{Convenience Funs,, Convenience
10109 Functions}). For example, considering the following source code:
10110
10111 @smallexample
10112 #include <signal.h>
10113
10114 int
10115 main (int argc, char *argv[])
10116 @{
10117 raise (SIGALRM);
10118 return 0;
10119 @}
10120 @end smallexample
10121
10122 A valid way of telling whether the program being debugged has exited
10123 or signalled would be:
10124
10125 @smallexample
10126 (@value{GDBP}) define has_exited_or_signalled
10127 Type commands for definition of ``has_exited_or_signalled''.
10128 End with a line saying just ``end''.
10129 >if $_isvoid ($_exitsignal)
10130 >echo The program has exited\n
10131 >else
10132 >echo The program has signalled\n
10133 >end
10134 >end
10135 (@value{GDBP}) run
10136 Starting program:
10137
10138 Program terminated with signal SIGALRM, Alarm clock.
10139 The program no longer exists.
10140 (@value{GDBP}) has_exited_or_signalled
10141 The program has signalled
10142 @end smallexample
10143
10144 As can be seen, @value{GDBN} correctly informs that the program being
10145 debugged has signalled, since it calls @code{raise} and raises a
10146 @code{SIGALRM} signal. If the program being debugged had not called
10147 @code{raise}, then @value{GDBN} would report a normal exit:
10148
10149 @smallexample
10150 (@value{GDBP}) has_exited_or_signalled
10151 The program has exited
10152 @end smallexample
10153
10154 @item $_exception
10155 The variable @code{$_exception} is set to the exception object being
10156 thrown at an exception-related catchpoint. @xref{Set Catchpoints}.
10157
10158 @item $_probe_argc
10159 @itemx $_probe_arg0@dots{}$_probe_arg11
10160 Arguments to a static probe. @xref{Static Probe Points}.
10161
10162 @item $_sdata
10163 @vindex $_sdata@r{, inspect, convenience variable}
10164 The variable @code{$_sdata} contains extra collected static tracepoint
10165 data. @xref{Tracepoint Actions,,Tracepoint Action Lists}. Note that
10166 @code{$_sdata} could be empty, if not inspecting a trace buffer, or
10167 if extra static tracepoint data has not been collected.
10168
10169 @item $_siginfo
10170 @vindex $_siginfo@r{, convenience variable}
10171 The variable @code{$_siginfo} contains extra signal information
10172 (@pxref{extra signal information}). Note that @code{$_siginfo}
10173 could be empty, if the application has not yet received any signals.
10174 For example, it will be empty before you execute the @code{run} command.
10175
10176 @item $_tlb
10177 @vindex $_tlb@r{, convenience variable}
10178 The variable @code{$_tlb} is automatically set when debugging
10179 applications running on MS-Windows in native mode or connected to
10180 gdbserver that supports the @code{qGetTIBAddr} request.
10181 @xref{General Query Packets}.
10182 This variable contains the address of the thread information block.
10183
10184 @end table
10185
10186 On HP-UX systems, if you refer to a function or variable name that
10187 begins with a dollar sign, @value{GDBN} searches for a user or system
10188 name first, before it searches for a convenience variable.
10189
10190 @node Convenience Funs
10191 @section Convenience Functions
10192
10193 @cindex convenience functions
10194 @value{GDBN} also supplies some @dfn{convenience functions}. These
10195 have a syntax similar to convenience variables. A convenience
10196 function can be used in an expression just like an ordinary function;
10197 however, a convenience function is implemented internally to
10198 @value{GDBN}.
10199
10200 These functions do not require @value{GDBN} to be configured with
10201 @code{Python} support, which means that they are always available.
10202
10203 @table @code
10204
10205 @item $_isvoid (@var{expr})
10206 @findex $_isvoid@r{, convenience function}
10207 Return one if the expression @var{expr} is @code{void}. Otherwise it
10208 returns zero.
10209
10210 A @code{void} expression is an expression where the type of the result
10211 is @code{void}. For example, you can examine a convenience variable
10212 (see @ref{Convenience Vars,, Convenience Variables}) to check whether
10213 it is @code{void}:
10214
10215 @smallexample
10216 (@value{GDBP}) print $_exitcode
10217 $1 = void
10218 (@value{GDBP}) print $_isvoid ($_exitcode)
10219 $2 = 1
10220 (@value{GDBP}) run
10221 Starting program: ./a.out
10222 [Inferior 1 (process 29572) exited normally]
10223 (@value{GDBP}) print $_exitcode
10224 $3 = 0
10225 (@value{GDBP}) print $_isvoid ($_exitcode)
10226 $4 = 0
10227 @end smallexample
10228
10229 In the example above, we used @code{$_isvoid} to check whether
10230 @code{$_exitcode} is @code{void} before and after the execution of the
10231 program being debugged. Before the execution there is no exit code to
10232 be examined, therefore @code{$_exitcode} is @code{void}. After the
10233 execution the program being debugged returned zero, therefore
10234 @code{$_exitcode} is zero, which means that it is not @code{void}
10235 anymore.
10236
10237 The @code{void} expression can also be a call of a function from the
10238 program being debugged. For example, given the following function:
10239
10240 @smallexample
10241 void
10242 foo (void)
10243 @{
10244 @}
10245 @end smallexample
10246
10247 The result of calling it inside @value{GDBN} is @code{void}:
10248
10249 @smallexample
10250 (@value{GDBP}) print foo ()
10251 $1 = void
10252 (@value{GDBP}) print $_isvoid (foo ())
10253 $2 = 1
10254 (@value{GDBP}) set $v = foo ()
10255 (@value{GDBP}) print $v
10256 $3 = void
10257 (@value{GDBP}) print $_isvoid ($v)
10258 $4 = 1
10259 @end smallexample
10260
10261 @end table
10262
10263 These functions require @value{GDBN} to be configured with
10264 @code{Python} support.
10265
10266 @table @code
10267
10268 @item $_memeq(@var{buf1}, @var{buf2}, @var{length})
10269 @findex $_memeq@r{, convenience function}
10270 Returns one if the @var{length} bytes at the addresses given by
10271 @var{buf1} and @var{buf2} are equal.
10272 Otherwise it returns zero.
10273
10274 @item $_regex(@var{str}, @var{regex})
10275 @findex $_regex@r{, convenience function}
10276 Returns one if the string @var{str} matches the regular expression
10277 @var{regex}. Otherwise it returns zero.
10278 The syntax of the regular expression is that specified by @code{Python}'s
10279 regular expression support.
10280
10281 @item $_streq(@var{str1}, @var{str2})
10282 @findex $_streq@r{, convenience function}
10283 Returns one if the strings @var{str1} and @var{str2} are equal.
10284 Otherwise it returns zero.
10285
10286 @item $_strlen(@var{str})
10287 @findex $_strlen@r{, convenience function}
10288 Returns the length of string @var{str}.
10289
10290 @item $_caller_is(@var{name}@r{[}, @var{number_of_frames}@r{]})
10291 @findex $_caller_is@r{, convenience function}
10292 Returns one if the calling function's name is equal to @var{name}.
10293 Otherwise it returns zero.
10294
10295 If the optional argument @var{number_of_frames} is provided,
10296 it is the number of frames up in the stack to look.
10297 The default is 1.
10298
10299 Example:
10300
10301 @smallexample
10302 (gdb) backtrace
10303 #0 bottom_func ()
10304 at testsuite/gdb.python/py-caller-is.c:21
10305 #1 0x00000000004005a0 in middle_func ()
10306 at testsuite/gdb.python/py-caller-is.c:27
10307 #2 0x00000000004005ab in top_func ()
10308 at testsuite/gdb.python/py-caller-is.c:33
10309 #3 0x00000000004005b6 in main ()
10310 at testsuite/gdb.python/py-caller-is.c:39
10311 (gdb) print $_caller_is ("middle_func")
10312 $1 = 1
10313 (gdb) print $_caller_is ("top_func", 2)
10314 $1 = 1
10315 @end smallexample
10316
10317 @item $_caller_matches(@var{regexp}@r{[}, @var{number_of_frames}@r{]})
10318 @findex $_caller_matches@r{, convenience function}
10319 Returns one if the calling function's name matches the regular expression
10320 @var{regexp}. Otherwise it returns zero.
10321
10322 If the optional argument @var{number_of_frames} is provided,
10323 it is the number of frames up in the stack to look.
10324 The default is 1.
10325
10326 @item $_any_caller_is(@var{name}@r{[}, @var{number_of_frames}@r{]})
10327 @findex $_any_caller_is@r{, convenience function}
10328 Returns one if any calling function's name is equal to @var{name}.
10329 Otherwise it returns zero.
10330
10331 If the optional argument @var{number_of_frames} is provided,
10332 it is the number of frames up in the stack to look.
10333 The default is 1.
10334
10335 This function differs from @code{$_caller_is} in that this function
10336 checks all stack frames from the immediate caller to the frame specified
10337 by @var{number_of_frames}, whereas @code{$_caller_is} only checks the
10338 frame specified by @var{number_of_frames}.
10339
10340 @item $_any_caller_matches(@var{regexp}@r{[}, @var{number_of_frames}@r{]})
10341 @findex $_any_caller_matches@r{, convenience function}
10342 Returns one if any calling function's name matches the regular expression
10343 @var{regexp}. Otherwise it returns zero.
10344
10345 If the optional argument @var{number_of_frames} is provided,
10346 it is the number of frames up in the stack to look.
10347 The default is 1.
10348
10349 This function differs from @code{$_caller_matches} in that this function
10350 checks all stack frames from the immediate caller to the frame specified
10351 by @var{number_of_frames}, whereas @code{$_caller_matches} only checks the
10352 frame specified by @var{number_of_frames}.
10353
10354 @end table
10355
10356 @value{GDBN} provides the ability to list and get help on
10357 convenience functions.
10358
10359 @table @code
10360 @item help function
10361 @kindex help function
10362 @cindex show all convenience functions
10363 Print a list of all convenience functions.
10364 @end table
10365
10366 @node Registers
10367 @section Registers
10368
10369 @cindex registers
10370 You can refer to machine register contents, in expressions, as variables
10371 with names starting with @samp{$}. The names of registers are different
10372 for each machine; use @code{info registers} to see the names used on
10373 your machine.
10374
10375 @table @code
10376 @kindex info registers
10377 @item info registers
10378 Print the names and values of all registers except floating-point
10379 and vector registers (in the selected stack frame).
10380
10381 @kindex info all-registers
10382 @cindex floating point registers
10383 @item info all-registers
10384 Print the names and values of all registers, including floating-point
10385 and vector registers (in the selected stack frame).
10386
10387 @item info registers @var{regname} @dots{}
10388 Print the @dfn{relativized} value of each specified register @var{regname}.
10389 As discussed in detail below, register values are normally relative to
10390 the selected stack frame. The @var{regname} may be any register name valid on
10391 the machine you are using, with or without the initial @samp{$}.
10392 @end table
10393
10394 @anchor{standard registers}
10395 @cindex stack pointer register
10396 @cindex program counter register
10397 @cindex process status register
10398 @cindex frame pointer register
10399 @cindex standard registers
10400 @value{GDBN} has four ``standard'' register names that are available (in
10401 expressions) on most machines---whenever they do not conflict with an
10402 architecture's canonical mnemonics for registers. The register names
10403 @code{$pc} and @code{$sp} are used for the program counter register and
10404 the stack pointer. @code{$fp} is used for a register that contains a
10405 pointer to the current stack frame, and @code{$ps} is used for a
10406 register that contains the processor status. For example,
10407 you could print the program counter in hex with
10408
10409 @smallexample
10410 p/x $pc
10411 @end smallexample
10412
10413 @noindent
10414 or print the instruction to be executed next with
10415
10416 @smallexample
10417 x/i $pc
10418 @end smallexample
10419
10420 @noindent
10421 or add four to the stack pointer@footnote{This is a way of removing
10422 one word from the stack, on machines where stacks grow downward in
10423 memory (most machines, nowadays). This assumes that the innermost
10424 stack frame is selected; setting @code{$sp} is not allowed when other
10425 stack frames are selected. To pop entire frames off the stack,
10426 regardless of machine architecture, use @code{return};
10427 see @ref{Returning, ,Returning from a Function}.} with
10428
10429 @smallexample
10430 set $sp += 4
10431 @end smallexample
10432
10433 Whenever possible, these four standard register names are available on
10434 your machine even though the machine has different canonical mnemonics,
10435 so long as there is no conflict. The @code{info registers} command
10436 shows the canonical names. For example, on the SPARC, @code{info
10437 registers} displays the processor status register as @code{$psr} but you
10438 can also refer to it as @code{$ps}; and on x86-based machines @code{$ps}
10439 is an alias for the @sc{eflags} register.
10440
10441 @value{GDBN} always considers the contents of an ordinary register as an
10442 integer when the register is examined in this way. Some machines have
10443 special registers which can hold nothing but floating point; these
10444 registers are considered to have floating point values. There is no way
10445 to refer to the contents of an ordinary register as floating point value
10446 (although you can @emph{print} it as a floating point value with
10447 @samp{print/f $@var{regname}}).
10448
10449 Some registers have distinct ``raw'' and ``virtual'' data formats. This
10450 means that the data format in which the register contents are saved by
10451 the operating system is not the same one that your program normally
10452 sees. For example, the registers of the 68881 floating point
10453 coprocessor are always saved in ``extended'' (raw) format, but all C
10454 programs expect to work with ``double'' (virtual) format. In such
10455 cases, @value{GDBN} normally works with the virtual format only (the format
10456 that makes sense for your program), but the @code{info registers} command
10457 prints the data in both formats.
10458
10459 @cindex SSE registers (x86)
10460 @cindex MMX registers (x86)
10461 Some machines have special registers whose contents can be interpreted
10462 in several different ways. For example, modern x86-based machines
10463 have SSE and MMX registers that can hold several values packed
10464 together in several different formats. @value{GDBN} refers to such
10465 registers in @code{struct} notation:
10466
10467 @smallexample
10468 (@value{GDBP}) print $xmm1
10469 $1 = @{
10470 v4_float = @{0, 3.43859137e-038, 1.54142831e-044, 1.821688e-044@},
10471 v2_double = @{9.92129282474342e-303, 2.7585945287983262e-313@},
10472 v16_int8 = "\000\000\000\000\3706;\001\v\000\000\000\r\000\000",
10473 v8_int16 = @{0, 0, 14072, 315, 11, 0, 13, 0@},
10474 v4_int32 = @{0, 20657912, 11, 13@},
10475 v2_int64 = @{88725056443645952, 55834574859@},
10476 uint128 = 0x0000000d0000000b013b36f800000000
10477 @}
10478 @end smallexample
10479
10480 @noindent
10481 To set values of such registers, you need to tell @value{GDBN} which
10482 view of the register you wish to change, as if you were assigning
10483 value to a @code{struct} member:
10484
10485 @smallexample
10486 (@value{GDBP}) set $xmm1.uint128 = 0x000000000000000000000000FFFFFFFF
10487 @end smallexample
10488
10489 Normally, register values are relative to the selected stack frame
10490 (@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}). This means that you get the
10491 value that the register would contain if all stack frames farther in
10492 were exited and their saved registers restored. In order to see the
10493 true contents of hardware registers, you must select the innermost
10494 frame (with @samp{frame 0}).
10495
10496 @cindex caller-saved registers
10497 @cindex call-clobbered registers
10498 @cindex volatile registers
10499 @cindex <not saved> values
10500 Usually ABIs reserve some registers as not needed to be saved by the
10501 callee (a.k.a.: ``caller-saved'', ``call-clobbered'' or ``volatile''
10502 registers). It may therefore not be possible for @value{GDBN} to know
10503 the value a register had before the call (in other words, in the outer
10504 frame), if the register value has since been changed by the callee.
10505 @value{GDBN} tries to deduce where the inner frame saved
10506 (``callee-saved'') registers, from the debug info, unwind info, or the
10507 machine code generated by your compiler. If some register is not
10508 saved, and @value{GDBN} knows the register is ``caller-saved'' (via
10509 its own knowledge of the ABI, or because the debug/unwind info
10510 explicitly says the register's value is undefined), @value{GDBN}
10511 displays @w{@samp{<not saved>}} as the register's value. With targets
10512 that @value{GDBN} has no knowledge of the register saving convention,
10513 if a register was not saved by the callee, then its value and location
10514 in the outer frame are assumed to be the same of the inner frame.
10515 This is usually harmless, because if the register is call-clobbered,
10516 the caller either does not care what is in the register after the
10517 call, or has code to restore the value that it does care about. Note,
10518 however, that if you change such a register in the outer frame, you
10519 may also be affecting the inner frame. Also, the more ``outer'' the
10520 frame is you're looking at, the more likely a call-clobbered
10521 register's value is to be wrong, in the sense that it doesn't actually
10522 represent the value the register had just before the call.
10523
10524 @node Floating Point Hardware
10525 @section Floating Point Hardware
10526 @cindex floating point
10527
10528 Depending on the configuration, @value{GDBN} may be able to give
10529 you more information about the status of the floating point hardware.
10530
10531 @table @code
10532 @kindex info float
10533 @item info float
10534 Display hardware-dependent information about the floating
10535 point unit. The exact contents and layout vary depending on the
10536 floating point chip. Currently, @samp{info float} is supported on
10537 the ARM and x86 machines.
10538 @end table
10539
10540 @node Vector Unit
10541 @section Vector Unit
10542 @cindex vector unit
10543
10544 Depending on the configuration, @value{GDBN} may be able to give you
10545 more information about the status of the vector unit.
10546
10547 @table @code
10548 @kindex info vector
10549 @item info vector
10550 Display information about the vector unit. The exact contents and
10551 layout vary depending on the hardware.
10552 @end table
10553
10554 @node OS Information
10555 @section Operating System Auxiliary Information
10556 @cindex OS information
10557
10558 @value{GDBN} provides interfaces to useful OS facilities that can help
10559 you debug your program.
10560
10561 @cindex auxiliary vector
10562 @cindex vector, auxiliary
10563 Some operating systems supply an @dfn{auxiliary vector} to programs at
10564 startup. This is akin to the arguments and environment that you
10565 specify for a program, but contains a system-dependent variety of
10566 binary values that tell system libraries important details about the
10567 hardware, operating system, and process. Each value's purpose is
10568 identified by an integer tag; the meanings are well-known but system-specific.
10569 Depending on the configuration and operating system facilities,
10570 @value{GDBN} may be able to show you this information. For remote
10571 targets, this functionality may further depend on the remote stub's
10572 support of the @samp{qXfer:auxv:read} packet, see
10573 @ref{qXfer auxiliary vector read}.
10574
10575 @table @code
10576 @kindex info auxv
10577 @item info auxv
10578 Display the auxiliary vector of the inferior, which can be either a
10579 live process or a core dump file. @value{GDBN} prints each tag value
10580 numerically, and also shows names and text descriptions for recognized
10581 tags. Some values in the vector are numbers, some bit masks, and some
10582 pointers to strings or other data. @value{GDBN} displays each value in the
10583 most appropriate form for a recognized tag, and in hexadecimal for
10584 an unrecognized tag.
10585 @end table
10586
10587 On some targets, @value{GDBN} can access operating system-specific
10588 information and show it to you. The types of information available
10589 will differ depending on the type of operating system running on the
10590 target. The mechanism used to fetch the data is described in
10591 @ref{Operating System Information}. For remote targets, this
10592 functionality depends on the remote stub's support of the
10593 @samp{qXfer:osdata:read} packet, see @ref{qXfer osdata read}.
10594
10595 @table @code
10596 @kindex info os
10597 @item info os @var{infotype}
10598
10599 Display OS information of the requested type.
10600
10601 On @sc{gnu}/Linux, the following values of @var{infotype} are valid:
10602
10603 @anchor{linux info os infotypes}
10604 @table @code
10605 @kindex info os cpus
10606 @item cpus
10607 Display the list of all CPUs/cores. For each CPU/core, @value{GDBN} prints
10608 the available fields from /proc/cpuinfo. For each supported architecture
10609 different fields are available. Two common entries are processor which gives
10610 CPU number and bogomips; a system constant that is calculated during
10611 kernel initialization.
10612
10613 @kindex info os files
10614 @item files
10615 Display the list of open file descriptors on the target. For each
10616 file descriptor, @value{GDBN} prints the identifier of the process
10617 owning the descriptor, the command of the owning process, the value
10618 of the descriptor, and the target of the descriptor.
10619
10620 @kindex info os modules
10621 @item modules
10622 Display the list of all loaded kernel modules on the target. For each
10623 module, @value{GDBN} prints the module name, the size of the module in
10624 bytes, the number of times the module is used, the dependencies of the
10625 module, the status of the module, and the address of the loaded module
10626 in memory.
10627
10628 @kindex info os msg
10629 @item msg
10630 Display the list of all System V message queues on the target. For each
10631 message queue, @value{GDBN} prints the message queue key, the message
10632 queue identifier, the access permissions, the current number of bytes
10633 on the queue, the current number of messages on the queue, the processes
10634 that last sent and received a message on the queue, the user and group
10635 of the owner and creator of the message queue, the times at which a
10636 message was last sent and received on the queue, and the time at which
10637 the message queue was last changed.
10638
10639 @kindex info os processes
10640 @item processes
10641 Display the list of processes on the target. For each process,
10642 @value{GDBN} prints the process identifier, the name of the user, the
10643 command corresponding to the process, and the list of processor cores
10644 that the process is currently running on. (To understand what these
10645 properties mean, for this and the following info types, please consult
10646 the general @sc{gnu}/Linux documentation.)
10647
10648 @kindex info os procgroups
10649 @item procgroups
10650 Display the list of process groups on the target. For each process,
10651 @value{GDBN} prints the identifier of the process group that it belongs
10652 to, the command corresponding to the process group leader, the process
10653 identifier, and the command line of the process. The list is sorted
10654 first by the process group identifier, then by the process identifier,
10655 so that processes belonging to the same process group are grouped together
10656 and the process group leader is listed first.
10657
10658 @kindex info os semaphores
10659 @item semaphores
10660 Display the list of all System V semaphore sets on the target. For each
10661 semaphore set, @value{GDBN} prints the semaphore set key, the semaphore
10662 set identifier, the access permissions, the number of semaphores in the
10663 set, the user and group of the owner and creator of the semaphore set,
10664 and the times at which the semaphore set was operated upon and changed.
10665
10666 @kindex info os shm
10667 @item shm
10668 Display the list of all System V shared-memory regions on the target.
10669 For each shared-memory region, @value{GDBN} prints the region key,
10670 the shared-memory identifier, the access permissions, the size of the
10671 region, the process that created the region, the process that last
10672 attached to or detached from the region, the current number of live
10673 attaches to the region, and the times at which the region was last
10674 attached to, detach from, and changed.
10675
10676 @kindex info os sockets
10677 @item sockets
10678 Display the list of Internet-domain sockets on the target. For each
10679 socket, @value{GDBN} prints the address and port of the local and
10680 remote endpoints, the current state of the connection, the creator of
10681 the socket, the IP address family of the socket, and the type of the
10682 connection.
10683
10684 @kindex info os threads
10685 @item threads
10686 Display the list of threads running on the target. For each thread,
10687 @value{GDBN} prints the identifier of the process that the thread
10688 belongs to, the command of the process, the thread identifier, and the
10689 processor core that it is currently running on. The main thread of a
10690 process is not listed.
10691 @end table
10692
10693 @item info os
10694 If @var{infotype} is omitted, then list the possible values for
10695 @var{infotype} and the kind of OS information available for each
10696 @var{infotype}. If the target does not return a list of possible
10697 types, this command will report an error.
10698 @end table
10699
10700 @node Memory Region Attributes
10701 @section Memory Region Attributes
10702 @cindex memory region attributes
10703
10704 @dfn{Memory region attributes} allow you to describe special handling
10705 required by regions of your target's memory. @value{GDBN} uses
10706 attributes to determine whether to allow certain types of memory
10707 accesses; whether to use specific width accesses; and whether to cache
10708 target memory. By default the description of memory regions is
10709 fetched from the target (if the current target supports this), but the
10710 user can override the fetched regions.
10711
10712 Defined memory regions can be individually enabled and disabled. When a
10713 memory region is disabled, @value{GDBN} uses the default attributes when
10714 accessing memory in that region. Similarly, if no memory regions have
10715 been defined, @value{GDBN} uses the default attributes when accessing
10716 all memory.
10717
10718 When a memory region is defined, it is given a number to identify it;
10719 to enable, disable, or remove a memory region, you specify that number.
10720
10721 @table @code
10722 @kindex mem
10723 @item mem @var{lower} @var{upper} @var{attributes}@dots{}
10724 Define a memory region bounded by @var{lower} and @var{upper} with
10725 attributes @var{attributes}@dots{}, and add it to the list of regions
10726 monitored by @value{GDBN}. Note that @var{upper} == 0 is a special
10727 case: it is treated as the target's maximum memory address.
10728 (0xffff on 16 bit targets, 0xffffffff on 32 bit targets, etc.)
10729
10730 @item mem auto
10731 Discard any user changes to the memory regions and use target-supplied
10732 regions, if available, or no regions if the target does not support.
10733
10734 @kindex delete mem
10735 @item delete mem @var{nums}@dots{}
10736 Remove memory regions @var{nums}@dots{} from the list of regions
10737 monitored by @value{GDBN}.
10738
10739 @kindex disable mem
10740 @item disable mem @var{nums}@dots{}
10741 Disable monitoring of memory regions @var{nums}@dots{}.
10742 A disabled memory region is not forgotten.
10743 It may be enabled again later.
10744
10745 @kindex enable mem
10746 @item enable mem @var{nums}@dots{}
10747 Enable monitoring of memory regions @var{nums}@dots{}.
10748
10749 @kindex info mem
10750 @item info mem
10751 Print a table of all defined memory regions, with the following columns
10752 for each region:
10753
10754 @table @emph
10755 @item Memory Region Number
10756 @item Enabled or Disabled.
10757 Enabled memory regions are marked with @samp{y}.
10758 Disabled memory regions are marked with @samp{n}.
10759
10760 @item Lo Address
10761 The address defining the inclusive lower bound of the memory region.
10762
10763 @item Hi Address
10764 The address defining the exclusive upper bound of the memory region.
10765
10766 @item Attributes
10767 The list of attributes set for this memory region.
10768 @end table
10769 @end table
10770
10771
10772 @subsection Attributes
10773
10774 @subsubsection Memory Access Mode
10775 The access mode attributes set whether @value{GDBN} may make read or
10776 write accesses to a memory region.
10777
10778 While these attributes prevent @value{GDBN} from performing invalid
10779 memory accesses, they do nothing to prevent the target system, I/O DMA,
10780 etc.@: from accessing memory.
10781
10782 @table @code
10783 @item ro
10784 Memory is read only.
10785 @item wo
10786 Memory is write only.
10787 @item rw
10788 Memory is read/write. This is the default.
10789 @end table
10790
10791 @subsubsection Memory Access Size
10792 The access size attribute tells @value{GDBN} to use specific sized
10793 accesses in the memory region. Often memory mapped device registers
10794 require specific sized accesses. If no access size attribute is
10795 specified, @value{GDBN} may use accesses of any size.
10796
10797 @table @code
10798 @item 8
10799 Use 8 bit memory accesses.
10800 @item 16
10801 Use 16 bit memory accesses.
10802 @item 32
10803 Use 32 bit memory accesses.
10804 @item 64
10805 Use 64 bit memory accesses.
10806 @end table
10807
10808 @c @subsubsection Hardware/Software Breakpoints
10809 @c The hardware/software breakpoint attributes set whether @value{GDBN}
10810 @c will use hardware or software breakpoints for the internal breakpoints
10811 @c used by the step, next, finish, until, etc. commands.
10812 @c
10813 @c @table @code
10814 @c @item hwbreak
10815 @c Always use hardware breakpoints
10816 @c @item swbreak (default)
10817 @c @end table
10818
10819 @subsubsection Data Cache
10820 The data cache attributes set whether @value{GDBN} will cache target
10821 memory. While this generally improves performance by reducing debug
10822 protocol overhead, it can lead to incorrect results because @value{GDBN}
10823 does not know about volatile variables or memory mapped device
10824 registers.
10825
10826 @table @code
10827 @item cache
10828 Enable @value{GDBN} to cache target memory.
10829 @item nocache
10830 Disable @value{GDBN} from caching target memory. This is the default.
10831 @end table
10832
10833 @subsection Memory Access Checking
10834 @value{GDBN} can be instructed to refuse accesses to memory that is
10835 not explicitly described. This can be useful if accessing such
10836 regions has undesired effects for a specific target, or to provide
10837 better error checking. The following commands control this behaviour.
10838
10839 @table @code
10840 @kindex set mem inaccessible-by-default
10841 @item set mem inaccessible-by-default [on|off]
10842 If @code{on} is specified, make @value{GDBN} treat memory not
10843 explicitly described by the memory ranges as non-existent and refuse accesses
10844 to such memory. The checks are only performed if there's at least one
10845 memory range defined. If @code{off} is specified, make @value{GDBN}
10846 treat the memory not explicitly described by the memory ranges as RAM.
10847 The default value is @code{on}.
10848 @kindex show mem inaccessible-by-default
10849 @item show mem inaccessible-by-default
10850 Show the current handling of accesses to unknown memory.
10851 @end table
10852
10853
10854 @c @subsubsection Memory Write Verification
10855 @c The memory write verification attributes set whether @value{GDBN}
10856 @c will re-reads data after each write to verify the write was successful.
10857 @c
10858 @c @table @code
10859 @c @item verify
10860 @c @item noverify (default)
10861 @c @end table
10862
10863 @node Dump/Restore Files
10864 @section Copy Between Memory and a File
10865 @cindex dump/restore files
10866 @cindex append data to a file
10867 @cindex dump data to a file
10868 @cindex restore data from a file
10869
10870 You can use the commands @code{dump}, @code{append}, and
10871 @code{restore} to copy data between target memory and a file. The
10872 @code{dump} and @code{append} commands write data to a file, and the
10873 @code{restore} command reads data from a file back into the inferior's
10874 memory. Files may be in binary, Motorola S-record, Intel hex,
10875 Tektronix Hex, or Verilog Hex format; however, @value{GDBN} can only
10876 append to binary files, and cannot read from Verilog Hex files.
10877
10878 @table @code
10879
10880 @kindex dump
10881 @item dump @r{[}@var{format}@r{]} memory @var{filename} @var{start_addr} @var{end_addr}
10882 @itemx dump @r{[}@var{format}@r{]} value @var{filename} @var{expr}
10883 Dump the contents of memory from @var{start_addr} to @var{end_addr},
10884 or the value of @var{expr}, to @var{filename} in the given format.
10885
10886 The @var{format} parameter may be any one of:
10887 @table @code
10888 @item binary
10889 Raw binary form.
10890 @item ihex
10891 Intel hex format.
10892 @item srec
10893 Motorola S-record format.
10894 @item tekhex
10895 Tektronix Hex format.
10896 @item verilog
10897 Verilog Hex format.
10898 @end table
10899
10900 @value{GDBN} uses the same definitions of these formats as the
10901 @sc{gnu} binary utilities, like @samp{objdump} and @samp{objcopy}. If
10902 @var{format} is omitted, @value{GDBN} dumps the data in raw binary
10903 form.
10904
10905 @kindex append
10906 @item append @r{[}binary@r{]} memory @var{filename} @var{start_addr} @var{end_addr}
10907 @itemx append @r{[}binary@r{]} value @var{filename} @var{expr}
10908 Append the contents of memory from @var{start_addr} to @var{end_addr},
10909 or the value of @var{expr}, to the file @var{filename}, in raw binary form.
10910 (@value{GDBN} can only append data to files in raw binary form.)
10911
10912 @kindex restore
10913 @item restore @var{filename} @r{[}binary@r{]} @var{bias} @var{start} @var{end}
10914 Restore the contents of file @var{filename} into memory. The
10915 @code{restore} command can automatically recognize any known @sc{bfd}
10916 file format, except for raw binary. To restore a raw binary file you
10917 must specify the optional keyword @code{binary} after the filename.
10918
10919 If @var{bias} is non-zero, its value will be added to the addresses
10920 contained in the file. Binary files always start at address zero, so
10921 they will be restored at address @var{bias}. Other bfd files have
10922 a built-in location; they will be restored at offset @var{bias}
10923 from that location.
10924
10925 If @var{start} and/or @var{end} are non-zero, then only data between
10926 file offset @var{start} and file offset @var{end} will be restored.
10927 These offsets are relative to the addresses in the file, before
10928 the @var{bias} argument is applied.
10929
10930 @end table
10931
10932 @node Core File Generation
10933 @section How to Produce a Core File from Your Program
10934 @cindex dump core from inferior
10935
10936 A @dfn{core file} or @dfn{core dump} is a file that records the memory
10937 image of a running process and its process status (register values
10938 etc.). Its primary use is post-mortem debugging of a program that
10939 crashed while it ran outside a debugger. A program that crashes
10940 automatically produces a core file, unless this feature is disabled by
10941 the user. @xref{Files}, for information on invoking @value{GDBN} in
10942 the post-mortem debugging mode.
10943
10944 Occasionally, you may wish to produce a core file of the program you
10945 are debugging in order to preserve a snapshot of its state.
10946 @value{GDBN} has a special command for that.
10947
10948 @table @code
10949 @kindex gcore
10950 @kindex generate-core-file
10951 @item generate-core-file [@var{file}]
10952 @itemx gcore [@var{file}]
10953 Produce a core dump of the inferior process. The optional argument
10954 @var{file} specifies the file name where to put the core dump. If not
10955 specified, the file name defaults to @file{core.@var{pid}}, where
10956 @var{pid} is the inferior process ID.
10957
10958 Note that this command is implemented only for some systems (as of
10959 this writing, @sc{gnu}/Linux, FreeBSD, Solaris, and S390).
10960
10961 On @sc{gnu}/Linux, this command can take into account the value of the
10962 file @file{/proc/@var{pid}/coredump_filter} when generating the core
10963 dump (@pxref{set use-coredump-filter}).
10964
10965 @kindex set use-coredump-filter
10966 @anchor{set use-coredump-filter}
10967 @item set use-coredump-filter on
10968 @itemx set use-coredump-filter off
10969 Enable or disable the use of the file
10970 @file{/proc/@var{pid}/coredump_filter} when generating core dump
10971 files. This file is used by the Linux kernel to decide what types of
10972 memory mappings will be dumped or ignored when generating a core dump
10973 file. @var{pid} is the process ID of a currently running process.
10974
10975 To make use of this feature, you have to write in the
10976 @file{/proc/@var{pid}/coredump_filter} file a value, in hexadecimal,
10977 which is a bit mask representing the memory mapping types. If a bit
10978 is set in the bit mask, then the memory mappings of the corresponding
10979 types will be dumped; otherwise, they will be ignored. This
10980 configuration is inherited by child processes. For more information
10981 about the bits that can be set in the
10982 @file{/proc/@var{pid}/coredump_filter} file, please refer to the
10983 manpage of @code{core(5)}.
10984
10985 By default, this option is @code{on}. If this option is turned
10986 @code{off}, @value{GDBN} does not read the @file{coredump_filter} file
10987 and instead uses the same default value as the Linux kernel in order
10988 to decide which pages will be dumped in the core dump file. This
10989 value is currently @code{0x33}, which means that bits @code{0}
10990 (anonymous private mappings), @code{1} (anonymous shared mappings),
10991 @code{4} (ELF headers) and @code{5} (private huge pages) are active.
10992 This will cause these memory mappings to be dumped automatically.
10993 @end table
10994
10995 @node Character Sets
10996 @section Character Sets
10997 @cindex character sets
10998 @cindex charset
10999 @cindex translating between character sets
11000 @cindex host character set
11001 @cindex target character set
11002
11003 If the program you are debugging uses a different character set to
11004 represent characters and strings than the one @value{GDBN} uses itself,
11005 @value{GDBN} can automatically translate between the character sets for
11006 you. The character set @value{GDBN} uses we call the @dfn{host
11007 character set}; the one the inferior program uses we call the
11008 @dfn{target character set}.
11009
11010 For example, if you are running @value{GDBN} on a @sc{gnu}/Linux system, which
11011 uses the ISO Latin 1 character set, but you are using @value{GDBN}'s
11012 remote protocol (@pxref{Remote Debugging}) to debug a program
11013 running on an IBM mainframe, which uses the @sc{ebcdic} character set,
11014 then the host character set is Latin-1, and the target character set is
11015 @sc{ebcdic}. If you give @value{GDBN} the command @code{set
11016 target-charset EBCDIC-US}, then @value{GDBN} translates between
11017 @sc{ebcdic} and Latin 1 as you print character or string values, or use
11018 character and string literals in expressions.
11019
11020 @value{GDBN} has no way to automatically recognize which character set
11021 the inferior program uses; you must tell it, using the @code{set
11022 target-charset} command, described below.
11023
11024 Here are the commands for controlling @value{GDBN}'s character set
11025 support:
11026
11027 @table @code
11028 @item set target-charset @var{charset}
11029 @kindex set target-charset
11030 Set the current target character set to @var{charset}. To display the
11031 list of supported target character sets, type
11032 @kbd{@w{set target-charset @key{TAB}@key{TAB}}}.
11033
11034 @item set host-charset @var{charset}
11035 @kindex set host-charset
11036 Set the current host character set to @var{charset}.
11037
11038 By default, @value{GDBN} uses a host character set appropriate to the
11039 system it is running on; you can override that default using the
11040 @code{set host-charset} command. On some systems, @value{GDBN} cannot
11041 automatically determine the appropriate host character set. In this
11042 case, @value{GDBN} uses @samp{UTF-8}.
11043
11044 @value{GDBN} can only use certain character sets as its host character
11045 set. If you type @kbd{@w{set host-charset @key{TAB}@key{TAB}}},
11046 @value{GDBN} will list the host character sets it supports.
11047
11048 @item set charset @var{charset}
11049 @kindex set charset
11050 Set the current host and target character sets to @var{charset}. As
11051 above, if you type @kbd{@w{set charset @key{TAB}@key{TAB}}},
11052 @value{GDBN} will list the names of the character sets that can be used
11053 for both host and target.
11054
11055 @item show charset
11056 @kindex show charset
11057 Show the names of the current host and target character sets.
11058
11059 @item show host-charset
11060 @kindex show host-charset
11061 Show the name of the current host character set.
11062
11063 @item show target-charset
11064 @kindex show target-charset
11065 Show the name of the current target character set.
11066
11067 @item set target-wide-charset @var{charset}
11068 @kindex set target-wide-charset
11069 Set the current target's wide character set to @var{charset}. This is
11070 the character set used by the target's @code{wchar_t} type. To
11071 display the list of supported wide character sets, type
11072 @kbd{@w{set target-wide-charset @key{TAB}@key{TAB}}}.
11073
11074 @item show target-wide-charset
11075 @kindex show target-wide-charset
11076 Show the name of the current target's wide character set.
11077 @end table
11078
11079 Here is an example of @value{GDBN}'s character set support in action.
11080 Assume that the following source code has been placed in the file
11081 @file{charset-test.c}:
11082
11083 @smallexample
11084 #include <stdio.h>
11085
11086 char ascii_hello[]
11087 = @{72, 101, 108, 108, 111, 44, 32, 119,
11088 111, 114, 108, 100, 33, 10, 0@};
11089 char ibm1047_hello[]
11090 = @{200, 133, 147, 147, 150, 107, 64, 166,
11091 150, 153, 147, 132, 90, 37, 0@};
11092
11093 main ()
11094 @{
11095 printf ("Hello, world!\n");
11096 @}
11097 @end smallexample
11098
11099 In this program, @code{ascii_hello} and @code{ibm1047_hello} are arrays
11100 containing the string @samp{Hello, world!} followed by a newline,
11101 encoded in the @sc{ascii} and @sc{ibm1047} character sets.
11102
11103 We compile the program, and invoke the debugger on it:
11104
11105 @smallexample
11106 $ gcc -g charset-test.c -o charset-test
11107 $ gdb -nw charset-test
11108 GNU gdb 2001-12-19-cvs
11109 Copyright 2001 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
11110 @dots{}
11111 (@value{GDBP})
11112 @end smallexample
11113
11114 We can use the @code{show charset} command to see what character sets
11115 @value{GDBN} is currently using to interpret and display characters and
11116 strings:
11117
11118 @smallexample
11119 (@value{GDBP}) show charset
11120 The current host and target character set is `ISO-8859-1'.
11121 (@value{GDBP})
11122 @end smallexample
11123
11124 For the sake of printing this manual, let's use @sc{ascii} as our
11125 initial character set:
11126 @smallexample
11127 (@value{GDBP}) set charset ASCII
11128 (@value{GDBP}) show charset
11129 The current host and target character set is `ASCII'.
11130 (@value{GDBP})
11131 @end smallexample
11132
11133 Let's assume that @sc{ascii} is indeed the correct character set for our
11134 host system --- in other words, let's assume that if @value{GDBN} prints
11135 characters using the @sc{ascii} character set, our terminal will display
11136 them properly. Since our current target character set is also
11137 @sc{ascii}, the contents of @code{ascii_hello} print legibly:
11138
11139 @smallexample
11140 (@value{GDBP}) print ascii_hello
11141 $1 = 0x401698 "Hello, world!\n"
11142 (@value{GDBP}) print ascii_hello[0]
11143 $2 = 72 'H'
11144 (@value{GDBP})
11145 @end smallexample
11146
11147 @value{GDBN} uses the target character set for character and string
11148 literals you use in expressions:
11149
11150 @smallexample
11151 (@value{GDBP}) print '+'
11152 $3 = 43 '+'
11153 (@value{GDBP})
11154 @end smallexample
11155
11156 The @sc{ascii} character set uses the number 43 to encode the @samp{+}
11157 character.
11158
11159 @value{GDBN} relies on the user to tell it which character set the
11160 target program uses. If we print @code{ibm1047_hello} while our target
11161 character set is still @sc{ascii}, we get jibberish:
11162
11163 @smallexample
11164 (@value{GDBP}) print ibm1047_hello
11165 $4 = 0x4016a8 "\310\205\223\223\226k@@\246\226\231\223\204Z%"
11166 (@value{GDBP}) print ibm1047_hello[0]
11167 $5 = 200 '\310'
11168 (@value{GDBP})
11169 @end smallexample
11170
11171 If we invoke the @code{set target-charset} followed by @key{TAB}@key{TAB},
11172 @value{GDBN} tells us the character sets it supports:
11173
11174 @smallexample
11175 (@value{GDBP}) set target-charset
11176 ASCII EBCDIC-US IBM1047 ISO-8859-1
11177 (@value{GDBP}) set target-charset
11178 @end smallexample
11179
11180 We can select @sc{ibm1047} as our target character set, and examine the
11181 program's strings again. Now the @sc{ascii} string is wrong, but
11182 @value{GDBN} translates the contents of @code{ibm1047_hello} from the
11183 target character set, @sc{ibm1047}, to the host character set,
11184 @sc{ascii}, and they display correctly:
11185
11186 @smallexample
11187 (@value{GDBP}) set target-charset IBM1047
11188 (@value{GDBP}) show charset
11189 The current host character set is `ASCII'.
11190 The current target character set is `IBM1047'.
11191 (@value{GDBP}) print ascii_hello
11192 $6 = 0x401698 "\110\145%%?\054\040\167?\162%\144\041\012"
11193 (@value{GDBP}) print ascii_hello[0]
11194 $7 = 72 '\110'
11195 (@value{GDBP}) print ibm1047_hello
11196 $8 = 0x4016a8 "Hello, world!\n"
11197 (@value{GDBP}) print ibm1047_hello[0]
11198 $9 = 200 'H'
11199 (@value{GDBP})
11200 @end smallexample
11201
11202 As above, @value{GDBN} uses the target character set for character and
11203 string literals you use in expressions:
11204
11205 @smallexample
11206 (@value{GDBP}) print '+'
11207 $10 = 78 '+'
11208 (@value{GDBP})
11209 @end smallexample
11210
11211 The @sc{ibm1047} character set uses the number 78 to encode the @samp{+}
11212 character.
11213
11214 @node Caching Target Data
11215 @section Caching Data of Targets
11216 @cindex caching data of targets
11217
11218 @value{GDBN} caches data exchanged between the debugger and a target.
11219 Each cache is associated with the address space of the inferior.
11220 @xref{Inferiors and Programs}, about inferior and address space.
11221 Such caching generally improves performance in remote debugging
11222 (@pxref{Remote Debugging}), because it reduces the overhead of the
11223 remote protocol by bundling memory reads and writes into large chunks.
11224 Unfortunately, simply caching everything would lead to incorrect results,
11225 since @value{GDBN} does not necessarily know anything about volatile
11226 values, memory-mapped I/O addresses, etc. Furthermore, in non-stop mode
11227 (@pxref{Non-Stop Mode}) memory can be changed @emph{while} a gdb command
11228 is executing.
11229 Therefore, by default, @value{GDBN} only caches data
11230 known to be on the stack@footnote{In non-stop mode, it is moderately
11231 rare for a running thread to modify the stack of a stopped thread
11232 in a way that would interfere with a backtrace, and caching of
11233 stack reads provides a significant speed up of remote backtraces.} or
11234 in the code segment.
11235 Other regions of memory can be explicitly marked as
11236 cacheable; @pxref{Memory Region Attributes}.
11237
11238 @table @code
11239 @kindex set remotecache
11240 @item set remotecache on
11241 @itemx set remotecache off
11242 This option no longer does anything; it exists for compatibility
11243 with old scripts.
11244
11245 @kindex show remotecache
11246 @item show remotecache
11247 Show the current state of the obsolete remotecache flag.
11248
11249 @kindex set stack-cache
11250 @item set stack-cache on
11251 @itemx set stack-cache off
11252 Enable or disable caching of stack accesses. When @code{on}, use
11253 caching. By default, this option is @code{on}.
11254
11255 @kindex show stack-cache
11256 @item show stack-cache
11257 Show the current state of data caching for memory accesses.
11258
11259 @kindex set code-cache
11260 @item set code-cache on
11261 @itemx set code-cache off
11262 Enable or disable caching of code segment accesses. When @code{on},
11263 use caching. By default, this option is @code{on}. This improves
11264 performance of disassembly in remote debugging.
11265
11266 @kindex show code-cache
11267 @item show code-cache
11268 Show the current state of target memory cache for code segment
11269 accesses.
11270
11271 @kindex info dcache
11272 @item info dcache @r{[}line@r{]}
11273 Print the information about the performance of data cache of the
11274 current inferior's address space. The information displayed
11275 includes the dcache width and depth, and for each cache line, its
11276 number, address, and how many times it was referenced. This
11277 command is useful for debugging the data cache operation.
11278
11279 If a line number is specified, the contents of that line will be
11280 printed in hex.
11281
11282 @item set dcache size @var{size}
11283 @cindex dcache size
11284 @kindex set dcache size
11285 Set maximum number of entries in dcache (dcache depth above).
11286
11287 @item set dcache line-size @var{line-size}
11288 @cindex dcache line-size
11289 @kindex set dcache line-size
11290 Set number of bytes each dcache entry caches (dcache width above).
11291 Must be a power of 2.
11292
11293 @item show dcache size
11294 @kindex show dcache size
11295 Show maximum number of dcache entries. @xref{Caching Target Data, info dcache}.
11296
11297 @item show dcache line-size
11298 @kindex show dcache line-size
11299 Show default size of dcache lines.
11300
11301 @end table
11302
11303 @node Searching Memory
11304 @section Search Memory
11305 @cindex searching memory
11306
11307 Memory can be searched for a particular sequence of bytes with the
11308 @code{find} command.
11309
11310 @table @code
11311 @kindex find
11312 @item find @r{[}/@var{sn}@r{]} @var{start_addr}, +@var{len}, @var{val1} @r{[}, @var{val2}, @dots{}@r{]}
11313 @itemx find @r{[}/@var{sn}@r{]} @var{start_addr}, @var{end_addr}, @var{val1} @r{[}, @var{val2}, @dots{}@r{]}
11314 Search memory for the sequence of bytes specified by @var{val1}, @var{val2},
11315 etc. The search begins at address @var{start_addr} and continues for either
11316 @var{len} bytes or through to @var{end_addr} inclusive.
11317 @end table
11318
11319 @var{s} and @var{n} are optional parameters.
11320 They may be specified in either order, apart or together.
11321
11322 @table @r
11323 @item @var{s}, search query size
11324 The size of each search query value.
11325
11326 @table @code
11327 @item b
11328 bytes
11329 @item h
11330 halfwords (two bytes)
11331 @item w
11332 words (four bytes)
11333 @item g
11334 giant words (eight bytes)
11335 @end table
11336
11337 All values are interpreted in the current language.
11338 This means, for example, that if the current source language is C/C@t{++}
11339 then searching for the string ``hello'' includes the trailing '\0'.
11340
11341 If the value size is not specified, it is taken from the
11342 value's type in the current language.
11343 This is useful when one wants to specify the search
11344 pattern as a mixture of types.
11345 Note that this means, for example, that in the case of C-like languages
11346 a search for an untyped 0x42 will search for @samp{(int) 0x42}
11347 which is typically four bytes.
11348
11349 @item @var{n}, maximum number of finds
11350 The maximum number of matches to print. The default is to print all finds.
11351 @end table
11352
11353 You can use strings as search values. Quote them with double-quotes
11354 (@code{"}).
11355 The string value is copied into the search pattern byte by byte,
11356 regardless of the endianness of the target and the size specification.
11357
11358 The address of each match found is printed as well as a count of the
11359 number of matches found.
11360
11361 The address of the last value found is stored in convenience variable
11362 @samp{$_}.
11363 A count of the number of matches is stored in @samp{$numfound}.
11364
11365 For example, if stopped at the @code{printf} in this function:
11366
11367 @smallexample
11368 void
11369 hello ()
11370 @{
11371 static char hello[] = "hello-hello";
11372 static struct @{ char c; short s; int i; @}
11373 __attribute__ ((packed)) mixed
11374 = @{ 'c', 0x1234, 0x87654321 @};
11375 printf ("%s\n", hello);
11376 @}
11377 @end smallexample
11378
11379 @noindent
11380 you get during debugging:
11381
11382 @smallexample
11383 (gdb) find &hello[0], +sizeof(hello), "hello"
11384 0x804956d <hello.1620+6>
11385 1 pattern found
11386 (gdb) find &hello[0], +sizeof(hello), 'h', 'e', 'l', 'l', 'o'
11387 0x8049567 <hello.1620>
11388 0x804956d <hello.1620+6>
11389 2 patterns found
11390 (gdb) find /b1 &hello[0], +sizeof(hello), 'h', 0x65, 'l'
11391 0x8049567 <hello.1620>
11392 1 pattern found
11393 (gdb) find &mixed, +sizeof(mixed), (char) 'c', (short) 0x1234, (int) 0x87654321
11394 0x8049560 <mixed.1625>
11395 1 pattern found
11396 (gdb) print $numfound
11397 $1 = 1
11398 (gdb) print $_
11399 $2 = (void *) 0x8049560
11400 @end smallexample
11401
11402 @node Optimized Code
11403 @chapter Debugging Optimized Code
11404 @cindex optimized code, debugging
11405 @cindex debugging optimized code
11406
11407 Almost all compilers support optimization. With optimization
11408 disabled, the compiler generates assembly code that corresponds
11409 directly to your source code, in a simplistic way. As the compiler
11410 applies more powerful optimizations, the generated assembly code
11411 diverges from your original source code. With help from debugging
11412 information generated by the compiler, @value{GDBN} can map from
11413 the running program back to constructs from your original source.
11414
11415 @value{GDBN} is more accurate with optimization disabled. If you
11416 can recompile without optimization, it is easier to follow the
11417 progress of your program during debugging. But, there are many cases
11418 where you may need to debug an optimized version.
11419
11420 When you debug a program compiled with @samp{-g -O}, remember that the
11421 optimizer has rearranged your code; the debugger shows you what is
11422 really there. Do not be too surprised when the execution path does not
11423 exactly match your source file! An extreme example: if you define a
11424 variable, but never use it, @value{GDBN} never sees that
11425 variable---because the compiler optimizes it out of existence.
11426
11427 Some things do not work as well with @samp{-g -O} as with just
11428 @samp{-g}, particularly on machines with instruction scheduling. If in
11429 doubt, recompile with @samp{-g} alone, and if this fixes the problem,
11430 please report it to us as a bug (including a test case!).
11431 @xref{Variables}, for more information about debugging optimized code.
11432
11433 @menu
11434 * Inline Functions:: How @value{GDBN} presents inlining
11435 * Tail Call Frames:: @value{GDBN} analysis of jumps to functions
11436 @end menu
11437
11438 @node Inline Functions
11439 @section Inline Functions
11440 @cindex inline functions, debugging
11441
11442 @dfn{Inlining} is an optimization that inserts a copy of the function
11443 body directly at each call site, instead of jumping to a shared
11444 routine. @value{GDBN} displays inlined functions just like
11445 non-inlined functions. They appear in backtraces. You can view their
11446 arguments and local variables, step into them with @code{step}, skip
11447 them with @code{next}, and escape from them with @code{finish}.
11448 You can check whether a function was inlined by using the
11449 @code{info frame} command.
11450
11451 For @value{GDBN} to support inlined functions, the compiler must
11452 record information about inlining in the debug information ---
11453 @value{NGCC} using the @sc{dwarf 2} format does this, and several
11454 other compilers do also. @value{GDBN} only supports inlined functions
11455 when using @sc{dwarf 2}. Versions of @value{NGCC} before 4.1
11456 do not emit two required attributes (@samp{DW_AT_call_file} and
11457 @samp{DW_AT_call_line}); @value{GDBN} does not display inlined
11458 function calls with earlier versions of @value{NGCC}. It instead
11459 displays the arguments and local variables of inlined functions as
11460 local variables in the caller.
11461
11462 The body of an inlined function is directly included at its call site;
11463 unlike a non-inlined function, there are no instructions devoted to
11464 the call. @value{GDBN} still pretends that the call site and the
11465 start of the inlined function are different instructions. Stepping to
11466 the call site shows the call site, and then stepping again shows
11467 the first line of the inlined function, even though no additional
11468 instructions are executed.
11469
11470 This makes source-level debugging much clearer; you can see both the
11471 context of the call and then the effect of the call. Only stepping by
11472 a single instruction using @code{stepi} or @code{nexti} does not do
11473 this; single instruction steps always show the inlined body.
11474
11475 There are some ways that @value{GDBN} does not pretend that inlined
11476 function calls are the same as normal calls:
11477
11478 @itemize @bullet
11479 @item
11480 Setting breakpoints at the call site of an inlined function may not
11481 work, because the call site does not contain any code. @value{GDBN}
11482 may incorrectly move the breakpoint to the next line of the enclosing
11483 function, after the call. This limitation will be removed in a future
11484 version of @value{GDBN}; until then, set a breakpoint on an earlier line
11485 or inside the inlined function instead.
11486
11487 @item
11488 @value{GDBN} cannot locate the return value of inlined calls after
11489 using the @code{finish} command. This is a limitation of compiler-generated
11490 debugging information; after @code{finish}, you can step to the next line
11491 and print a variable where your program stored the return value.
11492
11493 @end itemize
11494
11495 @node Tail Call Frames
11496 @section Tail Call Frames
11497 @cindex tail call frames, debugging
11498
11499 Function @code{B} can call function @code{C} in its very last statement. In
11500 unoptimized compilation the call of @code{C} is immediately followed by return
11501 instruction at the end of @code{B} code. Optimizing compiler may replace the
11502 call and return in function @code{B} into one jump to function @code{C}
11503 instead. Such use of a jump instruction is called @dfn{tail call}.
11504
11505 During execution of function @code{C}, there will be no indication in the
11506 function call stack frames that it was tail-called from @code{B}. If function
11507 @code{A} regularly calls function @code{B} which tail-calls function @code{C},
11508 then @value{GDBN} will see @code{A} as the caller of @code{C}. However, in
11509 some cases @value{GDBN} can determine that @code{C} was tail-called from
11510 @code{B}, and it will then create fictitious call frame for that, with the
11511 return address set up as if @code{B} called @code{C} normally.
11512
11513 This functionality is currently supported only by DWARF 2 debugging format and
11514 the compiler has to produce @samp{DW_TAG_GNU_call_site} tags. With
11515 @value{NGCC}, you need to specify @option{-O -g} during compilation, to get
11516 this information.
11517
11518 @kbd{info frame} command (@pxref{Frame Info}) will indicate the tail call frame
11519 kind by text @code{tail call frame} such as in this sample @value{GDBN} output:
11520
11521 @smallexample
11522 (gdb) x/i $pc - 2
11523 0x40066b <b(int, double)+11>: jmp 0x400640 <c(int, double)>
11524 (gdb) info frame
11525 Stack level 1, frame at 0x7fffffffda30:
11526 rip = 0x40066d in b (amd64-entry-value.cc:59); saved rip 0x4004c5
11527 tail call frame, caller of frame at 0x7fffffffda30
11528 source language c++.
11529 Arglist at unknown address.
11530 Locals at unknown address, Previous frame's sp is 0x7fffffffda30
11531 @end smallexample
11532
11533 The detection of all the possible code path executions can find them ambiguous.
11534 There is no execution history stored (possible @ref{Reverse Execution} is never
11535 used for this purpose) and the last known caller could have reached the known
11536 callee by multiple different jump sequences. In such case @value{GDBN} still
11537 tries to show at least all the unambiguous top tail callers and all the
11538 unambiguous bottom tail calees, if any.
11539
11540 @table @code
11541 @anchor{set debug entry-values}
11542 @item set debug entry-values
11543 @kindex set debug entry-values
11544 When set to on, enables printing of analysis messages for both frame argument
11545 values at function entry and tail calls. It will show all the possible valid
11546 tail calls code paths it has considered. It will also print the intersection
11547 of them with the final unambiguous (possibly partial or even empty) code path
11548 result.
11549
11550 @item show debug entry-values
11551 @kindex show debug entry-values
11552 Show the current state of analysis messages printing for both frame argument
11553 values at function entry and tail calls.
11554 @end table
11555
11556 The analysis messages for tail calls can for example show why the virtual tail
11557 call frame for function @code{c} has not been recognized (due to the indirect
11558 reference by variable @code{x}):
11559
11560 @smallexample
11561 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) c (void);
11562 void (*x) (void) = c;
11563 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) a (void) @{ x++; @}
11564 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) c (void) @{ a (); @}
11565 int main (void) @{ x (); return 0; @}
11566
11567 Breakpoint 1, DW_OP_GNU_entry_value resolving cannot find
11568 DW_TAG_GNU_call_site 0x40039a in main
11569 a () at t.c:3
11570 3 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) a (void) @{ x++; @}
11571 (gdb) bt
11572 #0 a () at t.c:3
11573 #1 0x000000000040039a in main () at t.c:5
11574 @end smallexample
11575
11576 Another possibility is an ambiguous virtual tail call frames resolution:
11577
11578 @smallexample
11579 int i;
11580 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) f (void) @{ i++; @}
11581 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) e (void) @{ f (); @}
11582 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) d (void) @{ f (); @}
11583 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) c (void) @{ d (); @}
11584 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) b (void)
11585 @{ if (i) c (); else e (); @}
11586 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) a (void) @{ b (); @}
11587 int main (void) @{ a (); return 0; @}
11588
11589 tailcall: initial: 0x4004d2(a) 0x4004ce(b) 0x4004b2(c) 0x4004a2(d)
11590 tailcall: compare: 0x4004d2(a) 0x4004cc(b) 0x400492(e)
11591 tailcall: reduced: 0x4004d2(a) |
11592 (gdb) bt
11593 #0 f () at t.c:2
11594 #1 0x00000000004004d2 in a () at t.c:8
11595 #2 0x0000000000400395 in main () at t.c:9
11596 @end smallexample
11597
11598 @set CALLSEQ1A @code{main@value{ARROW}a@value{ARROW}b@value{ARROW}c@value{ARROW}d@value{ARROW}f}
11599 @set CALLSEQ2A @code{main@value{ARROW}a@value{ARROW}b@value{ARROW}e@value{ARROW}f}
11600
11601 @c Convert CALLSEQ#A to CALLSEQ#B depending on HAVE_MAKEINFO_CLICK.
11602 @ifset HAVE_MAKEINFO_CLICK
11603 @set ARROW @click{}
11604 @set CALLSEQ1B @clicksequence{@value{CALLSEQ1A}}
11605 @set CALLSEQ2B @clicksequence{@value{CALLSEQ2A}}
11606 @end ifset
11607 @ifclear HAVE_MAKEINFO_CLICK
11608 @set ARROW ->
11609 @set CALLSEQ1B @value{CALLSEQ1A}
11610 @set CALLSEQ2B @value{CALLSEQ2A}
11611 @end ifclear
11612
11613 Frames #0 and #2 are real, #1 is a virtual tail call frame.
11614 The code can have possible execution paths @value{CALLSEQ1B} or
11615 @value{CALLSEQ2B}, @value{GDBN} cannot find which one from the inferior state.
11616
11617 @code{initial:} state shows some random possible calling sequence @value{GDBN}
11618 has found. It then finds another possible calling sequcen - that one is
11619 prefixed by @code{compare:}. The non-ambiguous intersection of these two is
11620 printed as the @code{reduced:} calling sequence. That one could have many
11621 futher @code{compare:} and @code{reduced:} statements as long as there remain
11622 any non-ambiguous sequence entries.
11623
11624 For the frame of function @code{b} in both cases there are different possible
11625 @code{$pc} values (@code{0x4004cc} or @code{0x4004ce}), therefore this frame is
11626 also ambigous. The only non-ambiguous frame is the one for function @code{a},
11627 therefore this one is displayed to the user while the ambiguous frames are
11628 omitted.
11629
11630 There can be also reasons why printing of frame argument values at function
11631 entry may fail:
11632
11633 @smallexample
11634 int v;
11635 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) c (int i) @{ v++; @}
11636 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) a (int i);
11637 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) b (int i) @{ a (i); @}
11638 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) a (int i)
11639 @{ if (i) b (i - 1); else c (0); @}
11640 int main (void) @{ a (5); return 0; @}
11641
11642 (gdb) bt
11643 #0 c (i=i@@entry=0) at t.c:2
11644 #1 0x0000000000400428 in a (DW_OP_GNU_entry_value resolving has found
11645 function "a" at 0x400420 can call itself via tail calls
11646 i=<optimized out>) at t.c:6
11647 #2 0x000000000040036e in main () at t.c:7
11648 @end smallexample
11649
11650 @value{GDBN} cannot find out from the inferior state if and how many times did
11651 function @code{a} call itself (via function @code{b}) as these calls would be
11652 tail calls. Such tail calls would modify thue @code{i} variable, therefore
11653 @value{GDBN} cannot be sure the value it knows would be right - @value{GDBN}
11654 prints @code{<optimized out>} instead.
11655
11656 @node Macros
11657 @chapter C Preprocessor Macros
11658
11659 Some languages, such as C and C@t{++}, provide a way to define and invoke
11660 ``preprocessor macros'' which expand into strings of tokens.
11661 @value{GDBN} can evaluate expressions containing macro invocations, show
11662 the result of macro expansion, and show a macro's definition, including
11663 where it was defined.
11664
11665 You may need to compile your program specially to provide @value{GDBN}
11666 with information about preprocessor macros. Most compilers do not
11667 include macros in their debugging information, even when you compile
11668 with the @option{-g} flag. @xref{Compilation}.
11669
11670 A program may define a macro at one point, remove that definition later,
11671 and then provide a different definition after that. Thus, at different
11672 points in the program, a macro may have different definitions, or have
11673 no definition at all. If there is a current stack frame, @value{GDBN}
11674 uses the macros in scope at that frame's source code line. Otherwise,
11675 @value{GDBN} uses the macros in scope at the current listing location;
11676 see @ref{List}.
11677
11678 Whenever @value{GDBN} evaluates an expression, it always expands any
11679 macro invocations present in the expression. @value{GDBN} also provides
11680 the following commands for working with macros explicitly.
11681
11682 @table @code
11683
11684 @kindex macro expand
11685 @cindex macro expansion, showing the results of preprocessor
11686 @cindex preprocessor macro expansion, showing the results of
11687 @cindex expanding preprocessor macros
11688 @item macro expand @var{expression}
11689 @itemx macro exp @var{expression}
11690 Show the results of expanding all preprocessor macro invocations in
11691 @var{expression}. Since @value{GDBN} simply expands macros, but does
11692 not parse the result, @var{expression} need not be a valid expression;
11693 it can be any string of tokens.
11694
11695 @kindex macro exp1
11696 @item macro expand-once @var{expression}
11697 @itemx macro exp1 @var{expression}
11698 @cindex expand macro once
11699 @i{(This command is not yet implemented.)} Show the results of
11700 expanding those preprocessor macro invocations that appear explicitly in
11701 @var{expression}. Macro invocations appearing in that expansion are
11702 left unchanged. This command allows you to see the effect of a
11703 particular macro more clearly, without being confused by further
11704 expansions. Since @value{GDBN} simply expands macros, but does not
11705 parse the result, @var{expression} need not be a valid expression; it
11706 can be any string of tokens.
11707
11708 @kindex info macro
11709 @cindex macro definition, showing
11710 @cindex definition of a macro, showing
11711 @cindex macros, from debug info
11712 @item info macro [-a|-all] [--] @var{macro}
11713 Show the current definition or all definitions of the named @var{macro},
11714 and describe the source location or compiler command-line where that
11715 definition was established. The optional double dash is to signify the end of
11716 argument processing and the beginning of @var{macro} for non C-like macros where
11717 the macro may begin with a hyphen.
11718
11719 @kindex info macros
11720 @item info macros @var{linespec}
11721 Show all macro definitions that are in effect at the location specified
11722 by @var{linespec}, and describe the source location or compiler
11723 command-line where those definitions were established.
11724
11725 @kindex macro define
11726 @cindex user-defined macros
11727 @cindex defining macros interactively
11728 @cindex macros, user-defined
11729 @item macro define @var{macro} @var{replacement-list}
11730 @itemx macro define @var{macro}(@var{arglist}) @var{replacement-list}
11731 Introduce a definition for a preprocessor macro named @var{macro},
11732 invocations of which are replaced by the tokens given in
11733 @var{replacement-list}. The first form of this command defines an
11734 ``object-like'' macro, which takes no arguments; the second form
11735 defines a ``function-like'' macro, which takes the arguments given in
11736 @var{arglist}.
11737
11738 A definition introduced by this command is in scope in every
11739 expression evaluated in @value{GDBN}, until it is removed with the
11740 @code{macro undef} command, described below. The definition overrides
11741 all definitions for @var{macro} present in the program being debugged,
11742 as well as any previous user-supplied definition.
11743
11744 @kindex macro undef
11745 @item macro undef @var{macro}
11746 Remove any user-supplied definition for the macro named @var{macro}.
11747 This command only affects definitions provided with the @code{macro
11748 define} command, described above; it cannot remove definitions present
11749 in the program being debugged.
11750
11751 @kindex macro list
11752 @item macro list
11753 List all the macros defined using the @code{macro define} command.
11754 @end table
11755
11756 @cindex macros, example of debugging with
11757 Here is a transcript showing the above commands in action. First, we
11758 show our source files:
11759
11760 @smallexample
11761 $ cat sample.c
11762 #include <stdio.h>
11763 #include "sample.h"
11764
11765 #define M 42
11766 #define ADD(x) (M + x)
11767
11768 main ()
11769 @{
11770 #define N 28
11771 printf ("Hello, world!\n");
11772 #undef N
11773 printf ("We're so creative.\n");
11774 #define N 1729
11775 printf ("Goodbye, world!\n");
11776 @}
11777 $ cat sample.h
11778 #define Q <
11779 $
11780 @end smallexample
11781
11782 Now, we compile the program using the @sc{gnu} C compiler,
11783 @value{NGCC}. We pass the @option{-gdwarf-2}@footnote{This is the
11784 minimum. Recent versions of @value{NGCC} support @option{-gdwarf-3}
11785 and @option{-gdwarf-4}; we recommend always choosing the most recent
11786 version of DWARF.} @emph{and} @option{-g3} flags to ensure the compiler
11787 includes information about preprocessor macros in the debugging
11788 information.
11789
11790 @smallexample
11791 $ gcc -gdwarf-2 -g3 sample.c -o sample
11792 $
11793 @end smallexample
11794
11795 Now, we start @value{GDBN} on our sample program:
11796
11797 @smallexample
11798 $ gdb -nw sample
11799 GNU gdb 2002-05-06-cvs
11800 Copyright 2002 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
11801 GDB is free software, @dots{}
11802 (@value{GDBP})
11803 @end smallexample
11804
11805 We can expand macros and examine their definitions, even when the
11806 program is not running. @value{GDBN} uses the current listing position
11807 to decide which macro definitions are in scope:
11808
11809 @smallexample
11810 (@value{GDBP}) list main
11811 3
11812 4 #define M 42
11813 5 #define ADD(x) (M + x)
11814 6
11815 7 main ()
11816 8 @{
11817 9 #define N 28
11818 10 printf ("Hello, world!\n");
11819 11 #undef N
11820 12 printf ("We're so creative.\n");
11821 (@value{GDBP}) info macro ADD
11822 Defined at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.c:5
11823 #define ADD(x) (M + x)
11824 (@value{GDBP}) info macro Q
11825 Defined at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.h:1
11826 included at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.c:2
11827 #define Q <
11828 (@value{GDBP}) macro expand ADD(1)
11829 expands to: (42 + 1)
11830 (@value{GDBP}) macro expand-once ADD(1)
11831 expands to: once (M + 1)
11832 (@value{GDBP})
11833 @end smallexample
11834
11835 In the example above, note that @code{macro expand-once} expands only
11836 the macro invocation explicit in the original text --- the invocation of
11837 @code{ADD} --- but does not expand the invocation of the macro @code{M},
11838 which was introduced by @code{ADD}.
11839
11840 Once the program is running, @value{GDBN} uses the macro definitions in
11841 force at the source line of the current stack frame:
11842
11843 @smallexample
11844 (@value{GDBP}) break main
11845 Breakpoint 1 at 0x8048370: file sample.c, line 10.
11846 (@value{GDBP}) run
11847 Starting program: /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample
11848
11849 Breakpoint 1, main () at sample.c:10
11850 10 printf ("Hello, world!\n");
11851 (@value{GDBP})
11852 @end smallexample
11853
11854 At line 10, the definition of the macro @code{N} at line 9 is in force:
11855
11856 @smallexample
11857 (@value{GDBP}) info macro N
11858 Defined at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.c:9
11859 #define N 28
11860 (@value{GDBP}) macro expand N Q M
11861 expands to: 28 < 42
11862 (@value{GDBP}) print N Q M
11863 $1 = 1
11864 (@value{GDBP})
11865 @end smallexample
11866
11867 As we step over directives that remove @code{N}'s definition, and then
11868 give it a new definition, @value{GDBN} finds the definition (or lack
11869 thereof) in force at each point:
11870
11871 @smallexample
11872 (@value{GDBP}) next
11873 Hello, world!
11874 12 printf ("We're so creative.\n");
11875 (@value{GDBP}) info macro N
11876 The symbol `N' has no definition as a C/C++ preprocessor macro
11877 at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.c:12
11878 (@value{GDBP}) next
11879 We're so creative.
11880 14 printf ("Goodbye, world!\n");
11881 (@value{GDBP}) info macro N
11882 Defined at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.c:13
11883 #define N 1729
11884 (@value{GDBP}) macro expand N Q M
11885 expands to: 1729 < 42
11886 (@value{GDBP}) print N Q M
11887 $2 = 0
11888 (@value{GDBP})
11889 @end smallexample
11890
11891 In addition to source files, macros can be defined on the compilation command
11892 line using the @option{-D@var{name}=@var{value}} syntax. For macros defined in
11893 such a way, @value{GDBN} displays the location of their definition as line zero
11894 of the source file submitted to the compiler.
11895
11896 @smallexample
11897 (@value{GDBP}) info macro __STDC__
11898 Defined at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.c:0
11899 -D__STDC__=1
11900 (@value{GDBP})
11901 @end smallexample
11902
11903
11904 @node Tracepoints
11905 @chapter Tracepoints
11906 @c This chapter is based on the documentation written by Michael
11907 @c Snyder, David Taylor, Jim Blandy, and Elena Zannoni.
11908
11909 @cindex tracepoints
11910 In some applications, it is not feasible for the debugger to interrupt
11911 the program's execution long enough for the developer to learn
11912 anything helpful about its behavior. If the program's correctness
11913 depends on its real-time behavior, delays introduced by a debugger
11914 might cause the program to change its behavior drastically, or perhaps
11915 fail, even when the code itself is correct. It is useful to be able
11916 to observe the program's behavior without interrupting it.
11917
11918 Using @value{GDBN}'s @code{trace} and @code{collect} commands, you can
11919 specify locations in the program, called @dfn{tracepoints}, and
11920 arbitrary expressions to evaluate when those tracepoints are reached.
11921 Later, using the @code{tfind} command, you can examine the values
11922 those expressions had when the program hit the tracepoints. The
11923 expressions may also denote objects in memory---structures or arrays,
11924 for example---whose values @value{GDBN} should record; while visiting
11925 a particular tracepoint, you may inspect those objects as if they were
11926 in memory at that moment. However, because @value{GDBN} records these
11927 values without interacting with you, it can do so quickly and
11928 unobtrusively, hopefully not disturbing the program's behavior.
11929
11930 The tracepoint facility is currently available only for remote
11931 targets. @xref{Targets}. In addition, your remote target must know
11932 how to collect trace data. This functionality is implemented in the
11933 remote stub; however, none of the stubs distributed with @value{GDBN}
11934 support tracepoints as of this writing. The format of the remote
11935 packets used to implement tracepoints are described in @ref{Tracepoint
11936 Packets}.
11937
11938 It is also possible to get trace data from a file, in a manner reminiscent
11939 of corefiles; you specify the filename, and use @code{tfind} to search
11940 through the file. @xref{Trace Files}, for more details.
11941
11942 This chapter describes the tracepoint commands and features.
11943
11944 @menu
11945 * Set Tracepoints::
11946 * Analyze Collected Data::
11947 * Tracepoint Variables::
11948 * Trace Files::
11949 @end menu
11950
11951 @node Set Tracepoints
11952 @section Commands to Set Tracepoints
11953
11954 Before running such a @dfn{trace experiment}, an arbitrary number of
11955 tracepoints can be set. A tracepoint is actually a special type of
11956 breakpoint (@pxref{Set Breaks}), so you can manipulate it using
11957 standard breakpoint commands. For instance, as with breakpoints,
11958 tracepoint numbers are successive integers starting from one, and many
11959 of the commands associated with tracepoints take the tracepoint number
11960 as their argument, to identify which tracepoint to work on.
11961
11962 For each tracepoint, you can specify, in advance, some arbitrary set
11963 of data that you want the target to collect in the trace buffer when
11964 it hits that tracepoint. The collected data can include registers,
11965 local variables, or global data. Later, you can use @value{GDBN}
11966 commands to examine the values these data had at the time the
11967 tracepoint was hit.
11968
11969 Tracepoints do not support every breakpoint feature. Ignore counts on
11970 tracepoints have no effect, and tracepoints cannot run @value{GDBN}
11971 commands when they are hit. Tracepoints may not be thread-specific
11972 either.
11973
11974 @cindex fast tracepoints
11975 Some targets may support @dfn{fast tracepoints}, which are inserted in
11976 a different way (such as with a jump instead of a trap), that is
11977 faster but possibly restricted in where they may be installed.
11978
11979 @cindex static tracepoints
11980 @cindex markers, static tracepoints
11981 @cindex probing markers, static tracepoints
11982 Regular and fast tracepoints are dynamic tracing facilities, meaning
11983 that they can be used to insert tracepoints at (almost) any location
11984 in the target. Some targets may also support controlling @dfn{static
11985 tracepoints} from @value{GDBN}. With static tracing, a set of
11986 instrumentation points, also known as @dfn{markers}, are embedded in
11987 the target program, and can be activated or deactivated by name or
11988 address. These are usually placed at locations which facilitate
11989 investigating what the target is actually doing. @value{GDBN}'s
11990 support for static tracing includes being able to list instrumentation
11991 points, and attach them with @value{GDBN} defined high level
11992 tracepoints that expose the whole range of convenience of
11993 @value{GDBN}'s tracepoints support. Namely, support for collecting
11994 registers values and values of global or local (to the instrumentation
11995 point) variables; tracepoint conditions and trace state variables.
11996 The act of installing a @value{GDBN} static tracepoint on an
11997 instrumentation point, or marker, is referred to as @dfn{probing} a
11998 static tracepoint marker.
11999
12000 @code{gdbserver} supports tracepoints on some target systems.
12001 @xref{Server,,Tracepoints support in @code{gdbserver}}.
12002
12003 This section describes commands to set tracepoints and associated
12004 conditions and actions.
12005
12006 @menu
12007 * Create and Delete Tracepoints::
12008 * Enable and Disable Tracepoints::
12009 * Tracepoint Passcounts::
12010 * Tracepoint Conditions::
12011 * Trace State Variables::
12012 * Tracepoint Actions::
12013 * Listing Tracepoints::
12014 * Listing Static Tracepoint Markers::
12015 * Starting and Stopping Trace Experiments::
12016 * Tracepoint Restrictions::
12017 @end menu
12018
12019 @node Create and Delete Tracepoints
12020 @subsection Create and Delete Tracepoints
12021
12022 @table @code
12023 @cindex set tracepoint
12024 @kindex trace
12025 @item trace @var{location}
12026 The @code{trace} command is very similar to the @code{break} command.
12027 Its argument @var{location} can be a source line, a function name, or
12028 an address in the target program. @xref{Specify Location}. The
12029 @code{trace} command defines a tracepoint, which is a point in the
12030 target program where the debugger will briefly stop, collect some
12031 data, and then allow the program to continue. Setting a tracepoint or
12032 changing its actions takes effect immediately if the remote stub
12033 supports the @samp{InstallInTrace} feature (@pxref{install tracepoint
12034 in tracing}).
12035 If remote stub doesn't support the @samp{InstallInTrace} feature, all
12036 these changes don't take effect until the next @code{tstart}
12037 command, and once a trace experiment is running, further changes will
12038 not have any effect until the next trace experiment starts. In addition,
12039 @value{GDBN} supports @dfn{pending tracepoints}---tracepoints whose
12040 address is not yet resolved. (This is similar to pending breakpoints.)
12041 Pending tracepoints are not downloaded to the target and not installed
12042 until they are resolved. The resolution of pending tracepoints requires
12043 @value{GDBN} support---when debugging with the remote target, and
12044 @value{GDBN} disconnects from the remote stub (@pxref{disconnected
12045 tracing}), pending tracepoints can not be resolved (and downloaded to
12046 the remote stub) while @value{GDBN} is disconnected.
12047
12048 Here are some examples of using the @code{trace} command:
12049
12050 @smallexample
12051 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace foo.c:121} // a source file and line number
12052
12053 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace +2} // 2 lines forward
12054
12055 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace my_function} // first source line of function
12056
12057 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace *my_function} // EXACT start address of function
12058
12059 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace *0x2117c4} // an address
12060 @end smallexample
12061
12062 @noindent
12063 You can abbreviate @code{trace} as @code{tr}.
12064
12065 @item trace @var{location} if @var{cond}
12066 Set a tracepoint with condition @var{cond}; evaluate the expression
12067 @var{cond} each time the tracepoint is reached, and collect data only
12068 if the value is nonzero---that is, if @var{cond} evaluates as true.
12069 @xref{Tracepoint Conditions, ,Tracepoint Conditions}, for more
12070 information on tracepoint conditions.
12071
12072 @item ftrace @var{location} [ if @var{cond} ]
12073 @cindex set fast tracepoint
12074 @cindex fast tracepoints, setting
12075 @kindex ftrace
12076 The @code{ftrace} command sets a fast tracepoint. For targets that
12077 support them, fast tracepoints will use a more efficient but possibly
12078 less general technique to trigger data collection, such as a jump
12079 instruction instead of a trap, or some sort of hardware support. It
12080 may not be possible to create a fast tracepoint at the desired
12081 location, in which case the command will exit with an explanatory
12082 message.
12083
12084 @value{GDBN} handles arguments to @code{ftrace} exactly as for
12085 @code{trace}.
12086
12087 On 32-bit x86-architecture systems, fast tracepoints normally need to
12088 be placed at an instruction that is 5 bytes or longer, but can be
12089 placed at 4-byte instructions if the low 64K of memory of the target
12090 program is available to install trampolines. Some Unix-type systems,
12091 such as @sc{gnu}/Linux, exclude low addresses from the program's
12092 address space; but for instance with the Linux kernel it is possible
12093 to let @value{GDBN} use this area by doing a @command{sysctl} command
12094 to set the @code{mmap_min_addr} kernel parameter, as in
12095
12096 @example
12097 sudo sysctl -w vm.mmap_min_addr=32768
12098 @end example
12099
12100 @noindent
12101 which sets the low address to 32K, which leaves plenty of room for
12102 trampolines. The minimum address should be set to a page boundary.
12103
12104 @item strace @var{location} [ if @var{cond} ]
12105 @cindex set static tracepoint
12106 @cindex static tracepoints, setting
12107 @cindex probe static tracepoint marker
12108 @kindex strace
12109 The @code{strace} command sets a static tracepoint. For targets that
12110 support it, setting a static tracepoint probes a static
12111 instrumentation point, or marker, found at @var{location}. It may not
12112 be possible to set a static tracepoint at the desired location, in
12113 which case the command will exit with an explanatory message.
12114
12115 @value{GDBN} handles arguments to @code{strace} exactly as for
12116 @code{trace}, with the addition that the user can also specify
12117 @code{-m @var{marker}} as @var{location}. This probes the marker
12118 identified by the @var{marker} string identifier. This identifier
12119 depends on the static tracepoint backend library your program is
12120 using. You can find all the marker identifiers in the @samp{ID} field
12121 of the @code{info static-tracepoint-markers} command output.
12122 @xref{Listing Static Tracepoint Markers,,Listing Static Tracepoint
12123 Markers}. For example, in the following small program using the UST
12124 tracing engine:
12125
12126 @smallexample
12127 main ()
12128 @{
12129 trace_mark(ust, bar33, "str %s", "FOOBAZ");
12130 @}
12131 @end smallexample
12132
12133 @noindent
12134 the marker id is composed of joining the first two arguments to the
12135 @code{trace_mark} call with a slash, which translates to:
12136
12137 @smallexample
12138 (@value{GDBP}) info static-tracepoint-markers
12139 Cnt Enb ID Address What
12140 1 n ust/bar33 0x0000000000400ddc in main at stexample.c:22
12141 Data: "str %s"
12142 [etc...]
12143 @end smallexample
12144
12145 @noindent
12146 so you may probe the marker above with:
12147
12148 @smallexample
12149 (@value{GDBP}) strace -m ust/bar33
12150 @end smallexample
12151
12152 Static tracepoints accept an extra collect action --- @code{collect
12153 $_sdata}. This collects arbitrary user data passed in the probe point
12154 call to the tracing library. In the UST example above, you'll see
12155 that the third argument to @code{trace_mark} is a printf-like format
12156 string. The user data is then the result of running that formating
12157 string against the following arguments. Note that @code{info
12158 static-tracepoint-markers} command output lists that format string in
12159 the @samp{Data:} field.
12160
12161 You can inspect this data when analyzing the trace buffer, by printing
12162 the $_sdata variable like any other variable available to
12163 @value{GDBN}. @xref{Tracepoint Actions,,Tracepoint Action Lists}.
12164
12165 @vindex $tpnum
12166 @cindex last tracepoint number
12167 @cindex recent tracepoint number
12168 @cindex tracepoint number
12169 The convenience variable @code{$tpnum} records the tracepoint number
12170 of the most recently set tracepoint.
12171
12172 @kindex delete tracepoint
12173 @cindex tracepoint deletion
12174 @item delete tracepoint @r{[}@var{num}@r{]}
12175 Permanently delete one or more tracepoints. With no argument, the
12176 default is to delete all tracepoints. Note that the regular
12177 @code{delete} command can remove tracepoints also.
12178
12179 Examples:
12180
12181 @smallexample
12182 (@value{GDBP}) @b{delete trace 1 2 3} // remove three tracepoints
12183
12184 (@value{GDBP}) @b{delete trace} // remove all tracepoints
12185 @end smallexample
12186
12187 @noindent
12188 You can abbreviate this command as @code{del tr}.
12189 @end table
12190
12191 @node Enable and Disable Tracepoints
12192 @subsection Enable and Disable Tracepoints
12193
12194 These commands are deprecated; they are equivalent to plain @code{disable} and @code{enable}.
12195
12196 @table @code
12197 @kindex disable tracepoint
12198 @item disable tracepoint @r{[}@var{num}@r{]}
12199 Disable tracepoint @var{num}, or all tracepoints if no argument
12200 @var{num} is given. A disabled tracepoint will have no effect during
12201 a trace experiment, but it is not forgotten. You can re-enable
12202 a disabled tracepoint using the @code{enable tracepoint} command.
12203 If the command is issued during a trace experiment and the debug target
12204 has support for disabling tracepoints during a trace experiment, then the
12205 change will be effective immediately. Otherwise, it will be applied to the
12206 next trace experiment.
12207
12208 @kindex enable tracepoint
12209 @item enable tracepoint @r{[}@var{num}@r{]}
12210 Enable tracepoint @var{num}, or all tracepoints. If this command is
12211 issued during a trace experiment and the debug target supports enabling
12212 tracepoints during a trace experiment, then the enabled tracepoints will
12213 become effective immediately. Otherwise, they will become effective the
12214 next time a trace experiment is run.
12215 @end table
12216
12217 @node Tracepoint Passcounts
12218 @subsection Tracepoint Passcounts
12219
12220 @table @code
12221 @kindex passcount
12222 @cindex tracepoint pass count
12223 @item passcount @r{[}@var{n} @r{[}@var{num}@r{]]}
12224 Set the @dfn{passcount} of a tracepoint. The passcount is a way to
12225 automatically stop a trace experiment. If a tracepoint's passcount is
12226 @var{n}, then the trace experiment will be automatically stopped on
12227 the @var{n}'th time that tracepoint is hit. If the tracepoint number
12228 @var{num} is not specified, the @code{passcount} command sets the
12229 passcount of the most recently defined tracepoint. If no passcount is
12230 given, the trace experiment will run until stopped explicitly by the
12231 user.
12232
12233 Examples:
12234
12235 @smallexample
12236 (@value{GDBP}) @b{passcount 5 2} // Stop on the 5th execution of
12237 @exdent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @code{// tracepoint 2}
12238
12239 (@value{GDBP}) @b{passcount 12} // Stop on the 12th execution of the
12240 @exdent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @code{// most recently defined tracepoint.}
12241 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace foo}
12242 (@value{GDBP}) @b{pass 3}
12243 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace bar}
12244 (@value{GDBP}) @b{pass 2}
12245 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace baz}
12246 (@value{GDBP}) @b{pass 1} // Stop tracing when foo has been
12247 @exdent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @code{// executed 3 times OR when bar has}
12248 @exdent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @code{// been executed 2 times}
12249 @exdent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @code{// OR when baz has been executed 1 time.}
12250 @end smallexample
12251 @end table
12252
12253 @node Tracepoint Conditions
12254 @subsection Tracepoint Conditions
12255 @cindex conditional tracepoints
12256 @cindex tracepoint conditions
12257
12258 The simplest sort of tracepoint collects data every time your program
12259 reaches a specified place. You can also specify a @dfn{condition} for
12260 a tracepoint. A condition is just a Boolean expression in your
12261 programming language (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}). A
12262 tracepoint with a condition evaluates the expression each time your
12263 program reaches it, and data collection happens only if the condition
12264 is true.
12265
12266 Tracepoint conditions can be specified when a tracepoint is set, by
12267 using @samp{if} in the arguments to the @code{trace} command.
12268 @xref{Create and Delete Tracepoints, ,Setting Tracepoints}. They can
12269 also be set or changed at any time with the @code{condition} command,
12270 just as with breakpoints.
12271
12272 Unlike breakpoint conditions, @value{GDBN} does not actually evaluate
12273 the conditional expression itself. Instead, @value{GDBN} encodes the
12274 expression into an agent expression (@pxref{Agent Expressions})
12275 suitable for execution on the target, independently of @value{GDBN}.
12276 Global variables become raw memory locations, locals become stack
12277 accesses, and so forth.
12278
12279 For instance, suppose you have a function that is usually called
12280 frequently, but should not be called after an error has occurred. You
12281 could use the following tracepoint command to collect data about calls
12282 of that function that happen while the error code is propagating
12283 through the program; an unconditional tracepoint could end up
12284 collecting thousands of useless trace frames that you would have to
12285 search through.
12286
12287 @smallexample
12288 (@value{GDBP}) @kbd{trace normal_operation if errcode > 0}
12289 @end smallexample
12290
12291 @node Trace State Variables
12292 @subsection Trace State Variables
12293 @cindex trace state variables
12294
12295 A @dfn{trace state variable} is a special type of variable that is
12296 created and managed by target-side code. The syntax is the same as
12297 that for GDB's convenience variables (a string prefixed with ``$''),
12298 but they are stored on the target. They must be created explicitly,
12299 using a @code{tvariable} command. They are always 64-bit signed
12300 integers.
12301
12302 Trace state variables are remembered by @value{GDBN}, and downloaded
12303 to the target along with tracepoint information when the trace
12304 experiment starts. There are no intrinsic limits on the number of
12305 trace state variables, beyond memory limitations of the target.
12306
12307 @cindex convenience variables, and trace state variables
12308 Although trace state variables are managed by the target, you can use
12309 them in print commands and expressions as if they were convenience
12310 variables; @value{GDBN} will get the current value from the target
12311 while the trace experiment is running. Trace state variables share
12312 the same namespace as other ``$'' variables, which means that you
12313 cannot have trace state variables with names like @code{$23} or
12314 @code{$pc}, nor can you have a trace state variable and a convenience
12315 variable with the same name.
12316
12317 @table @code
12318
12319 @item tvariable $@var{name} [ = @var{expression} ]
12320 @kindex tvariable
12321 The @code{tvariable} command creates a new trace state variable named
12322 @code{$@var{name}}, and optionally gives it an initial value of
12323 @var{expression}. The @var{expression} is evaluated when this command is
12324 entered; the result will be converted to an integer if possible,
12325 otherwise @value{GDBN} will report an error. A subsequent
12326 @code{tvariable} command specifying the same name does not create a
12327 variable, but instead assigns the supplied initial value to the
12328 existing variable of that name, overwriting any previous initial
12329 value. The default initial value is 0.
12330
12331 @item info tvariables
12332 @kindex info tvariables
12333 List all the trace state variables along with their initial values.
12334 Their current values may also be displayed, if the trace experiment is
12335 currently running.
12336
12337 @item delete tvariable @r{[} $@var{name} @dots{} @r{]}
12338 @kindex delete tvariable
12339 Delete the given trace state variables, or all of them if no arguments
12340 are specified.
12341
12342 @end table
12343
12344 @node Tracepoint Actions
12345 @subsection Tracepoint Action Lists
12346
12347 @table @code
12348 @kindex actions
12349 @cindex tracepoint actions
12350 @item actions @r{[}@var{num}@r{]}
12351 This command will prompt for a list of actions to be taken when the
12352 tracepoint is hit. If the tracepoint number @var{num} is not
12353 specified, this command sets the actions for the one that was most
12354 recently defined (so that you can define a tracepoint and then say
12355 @code{actions} without bothering about its number). You specify the
12356 actions themselves on the following lines, one action at a time, and
12357 terminate the actions list with a line containing just @code{end}. So
12358 far, the only defined actions are @code{collect}, @code{teval}, and
12359 @code{while-stepping}.
12360
12361 @code{actions} is actually equivalent to @code{commands} (@pxref{Break
12362 Commands, ,Breakpoint Command Lists}), except that only the defined
12363 actions are allowed; any other @value{GDBN} command is rejected.
12364
12365 @cindex remove actions from a tracepoint
12366 To remove all actions from a tracepoint, type @samp{actions @var{num}}
12367 and follow it immediately with @samp{end}.
12368
12369 @smallexample
12370 (@value{GDBP}) @b{collect @var{data}} // collect some data
12371
12372 (@value{GDBP}) @b{while-stepping 5} // single-step 5 times, collect data
12373
12374 (@value{GDBP}) @b{end} // signals the end of actions.
12375 @end smallexample
12376
12377 In the following example, the action list begins with @code{collect}
12378 commands indicating the things to be collected when the tracepoint is
12379 hit. Then, in order to single-step and collect additional data
12380 following the tracepoint, a @code{while-stepping} command is used,
12381 followed by the list of things to be collected after each step in a
12382 sequence of single steps. The @code{while-stepping} command is
12383 terminated by its own separate @code{end} command. Lastly, the action
12384 list is terminated by an @code{end} command.
12385
12386 @smallexample
12387 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace foo}
12388 (@value{GDBP}) @b{actions}
12389 Enter actions for tracepoint 1, one per line:
12390 > collect bar,baz
12391 > collect $regs
12392 > while-stepping 12
12393 > collect $pc, arr[i]
12394 > end
12395 end
12396 @end smallexample
12397
12398 @kindex collect @r{(tracepoints)}
12399 @item collect@r{[}/@var{mods}@r{]} @var{expr1}, @var{expr2}, @dots{}
12400 Collect values of the given expressions when the tracepoint is hit.
12401 This command accepts a comma-separated list of any valid expressions.
12402 In addition to global, static, or local variables, the following
12403 special arguments are supported:
12404
12405 @table @code
12406 @item $regs
12407 Collect all registers.
12408
12409 @item $args
12410 Collect all function arguments.
12411
12412 @item $locals
12413 Collect all local variables.
12414
12415 @item $_ret
12416 Collect the return address. This is helpful if you want to see more
12417 of a backtrace.
12418
12419 @item $_probe_argc
12420 Collects the number of arguments from the static probe at which the
12421 tracepoint is located.
12422 @xref{Static Probe Points}.
12423
12424 @item $_probe_arg@var{n}
12425 @var{n} is an integer between 0 and 11. Collects the @var{n}th argument
12426 from the static probe at which the tracepoint is located.
12427 @xref{Static Probe Points}.
12428
12429 @item $_sdata
12430 @vindex $_sdata@r{, collect}
12431 Collect static tracepoint marker specific data. Only available for
12432 static tracepoints. @xref{Tracepoint Actions,,Tracepoint Action
12433 Lists}. On the UST static tracepoints library backend, an
12434 instrumentation point resembles a @code{printf} function call. The
12435 tracing library is able to collect user specified data formatted to a
12436 character string using the format provided by the programmer that
12437 instrumented the program. Other backends have similar mechanisms.
12438 Here's an example of a UST marker call:
12439
12440 @smallexample
12441 const char master_name[] = "$your_name";
12442 trace_mark(channel1, marker1, "hello %s", master_name)
12443 @end smallexample
12444
12445 In this case, collecting @code{$_sdata} collects the string
12446 @samp{hello $yourname}. When analyzing the trace buffer, you can
12447 inspect @samp{$_sdata} like any other variable available to
12448 @value{GDBN}.
12449 @end table
12450
12451 You can give several consecutive @code{collect} commands, each one
12452 with a single argument, or one @code{collect} command with several
12453 arguments separated by commas; the effect is the same.
12454
12455 The optional @var{mods} changes the usual handling of the arguments.
12456 @code{s} requests that pointers to chars be handled as strings, in
12457 particular collecting the contents of the memory being pointed at, up
12458 to the first zero. The upper bound is by default the value of the
12459 @code{print elements} variable; if @code{s} is followed by a decimal
12460 number, that is the upper bound instead. So for instance
12461 @samp{collect/s25 mystr} collects as many as 25 characters at
12462 @samp{mystr}.
12463
12464 The command @code{info scope} (@pxref{Symbols, info scope}) is
12465 particularly useful for figuring out what data to collect.
12466
12467 @kindex teval @r{(tracepoints)}
12468 @item teval @var{expr1}, @var{expr2}, @dots{}
12469 Evaluate the given expressions when the tracepoint is hit. This
12470 command accepts a comma-separated list of expressions. The results
12471 are discarded, so this is mainly useful for assigning values to trace
12472 state variables (@pxref{Trace State Variables}) without adding those
12473 values to the trace buffer, as would be the case if the @code{collect}
12474 action were used.
12475
12476 @kindex while-stepping @r{(tracepoints)}
12477 @item while-stepping @var{n}
12478 Perform @var{n} single-step instruction traces after the tracepoint,
12479 collecting new data after each step. The @code{while-stepping}
12480 command is followed by the list of what to collect while stepping
12481 (followed by its own @code{end} command):
12482
12483 @smallexample
12484 > while-stepping 12
12485 > collect $regs, myglobal
12486 > end
12487 >
12488 @end smallexample
12489
12490 @noindent
12491 Note that @code{$pc} is not automatically collected by
12492 @code{while-stepping}; you need to explicitly collect that register if
12493 you need it. You may abbreviate @code{while-stepping} as @code{ws} or
12494 @code{stepping}.
12495
12496 @item set default-collect @var{expr1}, @var{expr2}, @dots{}
12497 @kindex set default-collect
12498 @cindex default collection action
12499 This variable is a list of expressions to collect at each tracepoint
12500 hit. It is effectively an additional @code{collect} action prepended
12501 to every tracepoint action list. The expressions are parsed
12502 individually for each tracepoint, so for instance a variable named
12503 @code{xyz} may be interpreted as a global for one tracepoint, and a
12504 local for another, as appropriate to the tracepoint's location.
12505
12506 @item show default-collect
12507 @kindex show default-collect
12508 Show the list of expressions that are collected by default at each
12509 tracepoint hit.
12510
12511 @end table
12512
12513 @node Listing Tracepoints
12514 @subsection Listing Tracepoints
12515
12516 @table @code
12517 @kindex info tracepoints @r{[}@var{n}@dots{}@r{]}
12518 @kindex info tp @r{[}@var{n}@dots{}@r{]}
12519 @cindex information about tracepoints
12520 @item info tracepoints @r{[}@var{num}@dots{}@r{]}
12521 Display information about the tracepoint @var{num}. If you don't
12522 specify a tracepoint number, displays information about all the
12523 tracepoints defined so far. The format is similar to that used for
12524 @code{info breakpoints}; in fact, @code{info tracepoints} is the same
12525 command, simply restricting itself to tracepoints.
12526
12527 A tracepoint's listing may include additional information specific to
12528 tracing:
12529
12530 @itemize @bullet
12531 @item
12532 its passcount as given by the @code{passcount @var{n}} command
12533
12534 @item
12535 the state about installed on target of each location
12536 @end itemize
12537
12538 @smallexample
12539 (@value{GDBP}) @b{info trace}
12540 Num Type Disp Enb Address What
12541 1 tracepoint keep y 0x0804ab57 in foo() at main.cxx:7
12542 while-stepping 20
12543 collect globfoo, $regs
12544 end
12545 collect globfoo2
12546 end
12547 pass count 1200
12548 2 tracepoint keep y <MULTIPLE>
12549 collect $eip
12550 2.1 y 0x0804859c in func4 at change-loc.h:35
12551 installed on target
12552 2.2 y 0xb7ffc480 in func4 at change-loc.h:35
12553 installed on target
12554 2.3 y <PENDING> set_tracepoint
12555 3 tracepoint keep y 0x080485b1 in foo at change-loc.c:29
12556 not installed on target
12557 (@value{GDBP})
12558 @end smallexample
12559
12560 @noindent
12561 This command can be abbreviated @code{info tp}.
12562 @end table
12563
12564 @node Listing Static Tracepoint Markers
12565 @subsection Listing Static Tracepoint Markers
12566
12567 @table @code
12568 @kindex info static-tracepoint-markers
12569 @cindex information about static tracepoint markers
12570 @item info static-tracepoint-markers
12571 Display information about all static tracepoint markers defined in the
12572 program.
12573
12574 For each marker, the following columns are printed:
12575
12576 @table @emph
12577 @item Count
12578 An incrementing counter, output to help readability. This is not a
12579 stable identifier.
12580 @item ID
12581 The marker ID, as reported by the target.
12582 @item Enabled or Disabled
12583 Probed markers are tagged with @samp{y}. @samp{n} identifies marks
12584 that are not enabled.
12585 @item Address
12586 Where the marker is in your program, as a memory address.
12587 @item What
12588 Where the marker is in the source for your program, as a file and line
12589 number. If the debug information included in the program does not
12590 allow @value{GDBN} to locate the source of the marker, this column
12591 will be left blank.
12592 @end table
12593
12594 @noindent
12595 In addition, the following information may be printed for each marker:
12596
12597 @table @emph
12598 @item Data
12599 User data passed to the tracing library by the marker call. In the
12600 UST backend, this is the format string passed as argument to the
12601 marker call.
12602 @item Static tracepoints probing the marker
12603 The list of static tracepoints attached to the marker.
12604 @end table
12605
12606 @smallexample
12607 (@value{GDBP}) info static-tracepoint-markers
12608 Cnt ID Enb Address What
12609 1 ust/bar2 y 0x0000000000400e1a in main at stexample.c:25
12610 Data: number1 %d number2 %d
12611 Probed by static tracepoints: #2
12612 2 ust/bar33 n 0x0000000000400c87 in main at stexample.c:24
12613 Data: str %s
12614 (@value{GDBP})
12615 @end smallexample
12616 @end table
12617
12618 @node Starting and Stopping Trace Experiments
12619 @subsection Starting and Stopping Trace Experiments
12620
12621 @table @code
12622 @kindex tstart [ @var{notes} ]
12623 @cindex start a new trace experiment
12624 @cindex collected data discarded
12625 @item tstart
12626 This command starts the trace experiment, and begins collecting data.
12627 It has the side effect of discarding all the data collected in the
12628 trace buffer during the previous trace experiment. If any arguments
12629 are supplied, they are taken as a note and stored with the trace
12630 experiment's state. The notes may be arbitrary text, and are
12631 especially useful with disconnected tracing in a multi-user context;
12632 the notes can explain what the trace is doing, supply user contact
12633 information, and so forth.
12634
12635 @kindex tstop [ @var{notes} ]
12636 @cindex stop a running trace experiment
12637 @item tstop
12638 This command stops the trace experiment. If any arguments are
12639 supplied, they are recorded with the experiment as a note. This is
12640 useful if you are stopping a trace started by someone else, for
12641 instance if the trace is interfering with the system's behavior and
12642 needs to be stopped quickly.
12643
12644 @strong{Note}: a trace experiment and data collection may stop
12645 automatically if any tracepoint's passcount is reached
12646 (@pxref{Tracepoint Passcounts}), or if the trace buffer becomes full.
12647
12648 @kindex tstatus
12649 @cindex status of trace data collection
12650 @cindex trace experiment, status of
12651 @item tstatus
12652 This command displays the status of the current trace data
12653 collection.
12654 @end table
12655
12656 Here is an example of the commands we described so far:
12657
12658 @smallexample
12659 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace gdb_c_test}
12660 (@value{GDBP}) @b{actions}
12661 Enter actions for tracepoint #1, one per line.
12662 > collect $regs,$locals,$args
12663 > while-stepping 11
12664 > collect $regs
12665 > end
12666 > end
12667 (@value{GDBP}) @b{tstart}
12668 [time passes @dots{}]
12669 (@value{GDBP}) @b{tstop}
12670 @end smallexample
12671
12672 @anchor{disconnected tracing}
12673 @cindex disconnected tracing
12674 You can choose to continue running the trace experiment even if
12675 @value{GDBN} disconnects from the target, voluntarily or
12676 involuntarily. For commands such as @code{detach}, the debugger will
12677 ask what you want to do with the trace. But for unexpected
12678 terminations (@value{GDBN} crash, network outage), it would be
12679 unfortunate to lose hard-won trace data, so the variable
12680 @code{disconnected-tracing} lets you decide whether the trace should
12681 continue running without @value{GDBN}.
12682
12683 @table @code
12684 @item set disconnected-tracing on
12685 @itemx set disconnected-tracing off
12686 @kindex set disconnected-tracing
12687 Choose whether a tracing run should continue to run if @value{GDBN}
12688 has disconnected from the target. Note that @code{detach} or
12689 @code{quit} will ask you directly what to do about a running trace no
12690 matter what this variable's setting, so the variable is mainly useful
12691 for handling unexpected situations, such as loss of the network.
12692
12693 @item show disconnected-tracing
12694 @kindex show disconnected-tracing
12695 Show the current choice for disconnected tracing.
12696
12697 @end table
12698
12699 When you reconnect to the target, the trace experiment may or may not
12700 still be running; it might have filled the trace buffer in the
12701 meantime, or stopped for one of the other reasons. If it is running,
12702 it will continue after reconnection.
12703
12704 Upon reconnection, the target will upload information about the
12705 tracepoints in effect. @value{GDBN} will then compare that
12706 information to the set of tracepoints currently defined, and attempt
12707 to match them up, allowing for the possibility that the numbers may
12708 have changed due to creation and deletion in the meantime. If one of
12709 the target's tracepoints does not match any in @value{GDBN}, the
12710 debugger will create a new tracepoint, so that you have a number with
12711 which to specify that tracepoint. This matching-up process is
12712 necessarily heuristic, and it may result in useless tracepoints being
12713 created; you may simply delete them if they are of no use.
12714
12715 @cindex circular trace buffer
12716 If your target agent supports a @dfn{circular trace buffer}, then you
12717 can run a trace experiment indefinitely without filling the trace
12718 buffer; when space runs out, the agent deletes already-collected trace
12719 frames, oldest first, until there is enough room to continue
12720 collecting. This is especially useful if your tracepoints are being
12721 hit too often, and your trace gets terminated prematurely because the
12722 buffer is full. To ask for a circular trace buffer, simply set
12723 @samp{circular-trace-buffer} to on. You can set this at any time,
12724 including during tracing; if the agent can do it, it will change
12725 buffer handling on the fly, otherwise it will not take effect until
12726 the next run.
12727
12728 @table @code
12729 @item set circular-trace-buffer on
12730 @itemx set circular-trace-buffer off
12731 @kindex set circular-trace-buffer
12732 Choose whether a tracing run should use a linear or circular buffer
12733 for trace data. A linear buffer will not lose any trace data, but may
12734 fill up prematurely, while a circular buffer will discard old trace
12735 data, but it will have always room for the latest tracepoint hits.
12736
12737 @item show circular-trace-buffer
12738 @kindex show circular-trace-buffer
12739 Show the current choice for the trace buffer. Note that this may not
12740 match the agent's current buffer handling, nor is it guaranteed to
12741 match the setting that might have been in effect during a past run,
12742 for instance if you are looking at frames from a trace file.
12743
12744 @end table
12745
12746 @table @code
12747 @item set trace-buffer-size @var{n}
12748 @itemx set trace-buffer-size unlimited
12749 @kindex set trace-buffer-size
12750 Request that the target use a trace buffer of @var{n} bytes. Not all
12751 targets will honor the request; they may have a compiled-in size for
12752 the trace buffer, or some other limitation. Set to a value of
12753 @code{unlimited} or @code{-1} to let the target use whatever size it
12754 likes. This is also the default.
12755
12756 @item show trace-buffer-size
12757 @kindex show trace-buffer-size
12758 Show the current requested size for the trace buffer. Note that this
12759 will only match the actual size if the target supports size-setting,
12760 and was able to handle the requested size. For instance, if the
12761 target can only change buffer size between runs, this variable will
12762 not reflect the change until the next run starts. Use @code{tstatus}
12763 to get a report of the actual buffer size.
12764 @end table
12765
12766 @table @code
12767 @item set trace-user @var{text}
12768 @kindex set trace-user
12769
12770 @item show trace-user
12771 @kindex show trace-user
12772
12773 @item set trace-notes @var{text}
12774 @kindex set trace-notes
12775 Set the trace run's notes.
12776
12777 @item show trace-notes
12778 @kindex show trace-notes
12779 Show the trace run's notes.
12780
12781 @item set trace-stop-notes @var{text}
12782 @kindex set trace-stop-notes
12783 Set the trace run's stop notes. The handling of the note is as for
12784 @code{tstop} arguments; the set command is convenient way to fix a
12785 stop note that is mistaken or incomplete.
12786
12787 @item show trace-stop-notes
12788 @kindex show trace-stop-notes
12789 Show the trace run's stop notes.
12790
12791 @end table
12792
12793 @node Tracepoint Restrictions
12794 @subsection Tracepoint Restrictions
12795
12796 @cindex tracepoint restrictions
12797 There are a number of restrictions on the use of tracepoints. As
12798 described above, tracepoint data gathering occurs on the target
12799 without interaction from @value{GDBN}. Thus the full capabilities of
12800 the debugger are not available during data gathering, and then at data
12801 examination time, you will be limited by only having what was
12802 collected. The following items describe some common problems, but it
12803 is not exhaustive, and you may run into additional difficulties not
12804 mentioned here.
12805
12806 @itemize @bullet
12807
12808 @item
12809 Tracepoint expressions are intended to gather objects (lvalues). Thus
12810 the full flexibility of GDB's expression evaluator is not available.
12811 You cannot call functions, cast objects to aggregate types, access
12812 convenience variables or modify values (except by assignment to trace
12813 state variables). Some language features may implicitly call
12814 functions (for instance Objective-C fields with accessors), and therefore
12815 cannot be collected either.
12816
12817 @item
12818 Collection of local variables, either individually or in bulk with
12819 @code{$locals} or @code{$args}, during @code{while-stepping} may
12820 behave erratically. The stepping action may enter a new scope (for
12821 instance by stepping into a function), or the location of the variable
12822 may change (for instance it is loaded into a register). The
12823 tracepoint data recorded uses the location information for the
12824 variables that is correct for the tracepoint location. When the
12825 tracepoint is created, it is not possible, in general, to determine
12826 where the steps of a @code{while-stepping} sequence will advance the
12827 program---particularly if a conditional branch is stepped.
12828
12829 @item
12830 Collection of an incompletely-initialized or partially-destroyed object
12831 may result in something that @value{GDBN} cannot display, or displays
12832 in a misleading way.
12833
12834 @item
12835 When @value{GDBN} displays a pointer to character it automatically
12836 dereferences the pointer to also display characters of the string
12837 being pointed to. However, collecting the pointer during tracing does
12838 not automatically collect the string. You need to explicitly
12839 dereference the pointer and provide size information if you want to
12840 collect not only the pointer, but the memory pointed to. For example,
12841 @code{*ptr@@50} can be used to collect the 50 element array pointed to
12842 by @code{ptr}.
12843
12844 @item
12845 It is not possible to collect a complete stack backtrace at a
12846 tracepoint. Instead, you may collect the registers and a few hundred
12847 bytes from the stack pointer with something like @code{*(unsigned char *)$esp@@300}
12848 (adjust to use the name of the actual stack pointer register on your
12849 target architecture, and the amount of stack you wish to capture).
12850 Then the @code{backtrace} command will show a partial backtrace when
12851 using a trace frame. The number of stack frames that can be examined
12852 depends on the sizes of the frames in the collected stack. Note that
12853 if you ask for a block so large that it goes past the bottom of the
12854 stack, the target agent may report an error trying to read from an
12855 invalid address.
12856
12857 @item
12858 If you do not collect registers at a tracepoint, @value{GDBN} can
12859 infer that the value of @code{$pc} must be the same as the address of
12860 the tracepoint and use that when you are looking at a trace frame
12861 for that tracepoint. However, this cannot work if the tracepoint has
12862 multiple locations (for instance if it was set in a function that was
12863 inlined), or if it has a @code{while-stepping} loop. In those cases
12864 @value{GDBN} will warn you that it can't infer @code{$pc}, and default
12865 it to zero.
12866
12867 @end itemize
12868
12869 @node Analyze Collected Data
12870 @section Using the Collected Data
12871
12872 After the tracepoint experiment ends, you use @value{GDBN} commands
12873 for examining the trace data. The basic idea is that each tracepoint
12874 collects a trace @dfn{snapshot} every time it is hit and another
12875 snapshot every time it single-steps. All these snapshots are
12876 consecutively numbered from zero and go into a buffer, and you can
12877 examine them later. The way you examine them is to @dfn{focus} on a
12878 specific trace snapshot. When the remote stub is focused on a trace
12879 snapshot, it will respond to all @value{GDBN} requests for memory and
12880 registers by reading from the buffer which belongs to that snapshot,
12881 rather than from @emph{real} memory or registers of the program being
12882 debugged. This means that @strong{all} @value{GDBN} commands
12883 (@code{print}, @code{info registers}, @code{backtrace}, etc.) will
12884 behave as if we were currently debugging the program state as it was
12885 when the tracepoint occurred. Any requests for data that are not in
12886 the buffer will fail.
12887
12888 @menu
12889 * tfind:: How to select a trace snapshot
12890 * tdump:: How to display all data for a snapshot
12891 * save tracepoints:: How to save tracepoints for a future run
12892 @end menu
12893
12894 @node tfind
12895 @subsection @code{tfind @var{n}}
12896
12897 @kindex tfind
12898 @cindex select trace snapshot
12899 @cindex find trace snapshot
12900 The basic command for selecting a trace snapshot from the buffer is
12901 @code{tfind @var{n}}, which finds trace snapshot number @var{n},
12902 counting from zero. If no argument @var{n} is given, the next
12903 snapshot is selected.
12904
12905 Here are the various forms of using the @code{tfind} command.
12906
12907 @table @code
12908 @item tfind start
12909 Find the first snapshot in the buffer. This is a synonym for
12910 @code{tfind 0} (since 0 is the number of the first snapshot).
12911
12912 @item tfind none
12913 Stop debugging trace snapshots, resume @emph{live} debugging.
12914
12915 @item tfind end
12916 Same as @samp{tfind none}.
12917
12918 @item tfind
12919 No argument means find the next trace snapshot.
12920
12921 @item tfind -
12922 Find the previous trace snapshot before the current one. This permits
12923 retracing earlier steps.
12924
12925 @item tfind tracepoint @var{num}
12926 Find the next snapshot associated with tracepoint @var{num}. Search
12927 proceeds forward from the last examined trace snapshot. If no
12928 argument @var{num} is given, it means find the next snapshot collected
12929 for the same tracepoint as the current snapshot.
12930
12931 @item tfind pc @var{addr}
12932 Find the next snapshot associated with the value @var{addr} of the
12933 program counter. Search proceeds forward from the last examined trace
12934 snapshot. If no argument @var{addr} is given, it means find the next
12935 snapshot with the same value of PC as the current snapshot.
12936
12937 @item tfind outside @var{addr1}, @var{addr2}
12938 Find the next snapshot whose PC is outside the given range of
12939 addresses (exclusive).
12940
12941 @item tfind range @var{addr1}, @var{addr2}
12942 Find the next snapshot whose PC is between @var{addr1} and
12943 @var{addr2} (inclusive).
12944
12945 @item tfind line @r{[}@var{file}:@r{]}@var{n}
12946 Find the next snapshot associated with the source line @var{n}. If
12947 the optional argument @var{file} is given, refer to line @var{n} in
12948 that source file. Search proceeds forward from the last examined
12949 trace snapshot. If no argument @var{n} is given, it means find the
12950 next line other than the one currently being examined; thus saying
12951 @code{tfind line} repeatedly can appear to have the same effect as
12952 stepping from line to line in a @emph{live} debugging session.
12953 @end table
12954
12955 The default arguments for the @code{tfind} commands are specifically
12956 designed to make it easy to scan through the trace buffer. For
12957 instance, @code{tfind} with no argument selects the next trace
12958 snapshot, and @code{tfind -} with no argument selects the previous
12959 trace snapshot. So, by giving one @code{tfind} command, and then
12960 simply hitting @key{RET} repeatedly you can examine all the trace
12961 snapshots in order. Or, by saying @code{tfind -} and then hitting
12962 @key{RET} repeatedly you can examine the snapshots in reverse order.
12963 The @code{tfind line} command with no argument selects the snapshot
12964 for the next source line executed. The @code{tfind pc} command with
12965 no argument selects the next snapshot with the same program counter
12966 (PC) as the current frame. The @code{tfind tracepoint} command with
12967 no argument selects the next trace snapshot collected by the same
12968 tracepoint as the current one.
12969
12970 In addition to letting you scan through the trace buffer manually,
12971 these commands make it easy to construct @value{GDBN} scripts that
12972 scan through the trace buffer and print out whatever collected data
12973 you are interested in. Thus, if we want to examine the PC, FP, and SP
12974 registers from each trace frame in the buffer, we can say this:
12975
12976 @smallexample
12977 (@value{GDBP}) @b{tfind start}
12978 (@value{GDBP}) @b{while ($trace_frame != -1)}
12979 > printf "Frame %d, PC = %08X, SP = %08X, FP = %08X\n", \
12980 $trace_frame, $pc, $sp, $fp
12981 > tfind
12982 > end
12983
12984 Frame 0, PC = 0020DC64, SP = 0030BF3C, FP = 0030BF44
12985 Frame 1, PC = 0020DC6C, SP = 0030BF38, FP = 0030BF44
12986 Frame 2, PC = 0020DC70, SP = 0030BF34, FP = 0030BF44
12987 Frame 3, PC = 0020DC74, SP = 0030BF30, FP = 0030BF44
12988 Frame 4, PC = 0020DC78, SP = 0030BF2C, FP = 0030BF44
12989 Frame 5, PC = 0020DC7C, SP = 0030BF28, FP = 0030BF44
12990 Frame 6, PC = 0020DC80, SP = 0030BF24, FP = 0030BF44
12991 Frame 7, PC = 0020DC84, SP = 0030BF20, FP = 0030BF44
12992 Frame 8, PC = 0020DC88, SP = 0030BF1C, FP = 0030BF44
12993 Frame 9, PC = 0020DC8E, SP = 0030BF18, FP = 0030BF44
12994 Frame 10, PC = 00203F6C, SP = 0030BE3C, FP = 0030BF14
12995 @end smallexample
12996
12997 Or, if we want to examine the variable @code{X} at each source line in
12998 the buffer:
12999
13000 @smallexample
13001 (@value{GDBP}) @b{tfind start}
13002 (@value{GDBP}) @b{while ($trace_frame != -1)}
13003 > printf "Frame %d, X == %d\n", $trace_frame, X
13004 > tfind line
13005 > end
13006
13007 Frame 0, X = 1
13008 Frame 7, X = 2
13009 Frame 13, X = 255
13010 @end smallexample
13011
13012 @node tdump
13013 @subsection @code{tdump}
13014 @kindex tdump
13015 @cindex dump all data collected at tracepoint
13016 @cindex tracepoint data, display
13017
13018 This command takes no arguments. It prints all the data collected at
13019 the current trace snapshot.
13020
13021 @smallexample
13022 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace 444}
13023 (@value{GDBP}) @b{actions}
13024 Enter actions for tracepoint #2, one per line:
13025 > collect $regs, $locals, $args, gdb_long_test
13026 > end
13027
13028 (@value{GDBP}) @b{tstart}
13029
13030 (@value{GDBP}) @b{tfind line 444}
13031 #0 gdb_test (p1=0x11, p2=0x22, p3=0x33, p4=0x44, p5=0x55, p6=0x66)
13032 at gdb_test.c:444
13033 444 printp( "%s: arguments = 0x%X 0x%X 0x%X 0x%X 0x%X 0x%X\n", )
13034
13035 (@value{GDBP}) @b{tdump}
13036 Data collected at tracepoint 2, trace frame 1:
13037 d0 0xc4aa0085 -995491707
13038 d1 0x18 24
13039 d2 0x80 128
13040 d3 0x33 51
13041 d4 0x71aea3d 119204413
13042 d5 0x22 34
13043 d6 0xe0 224
13044 d7 0x380035 3670069
13045 a0 0x19e24a 1696330
13046 a1 0x3000668 50333288
13047 a2 0x100 256
13048 a3 0x322000 3284992
13049 a4 0x3000698 50333336
13050 a5 0x1ad3cc 1758156
13051 fp 0x30bf3c 0x30bf3c
13052 sp 0x30bf34 0x30bf34
13053 ps 0x0 0
13054 pc 0x20b2c8 0x20b2c8
13055 fpcontrol 0x0 0
13056 fpstatus 0x0 0
13057 fpiaddr 0x0 0
13058 p = 0x20e5b4 "gdb-test"
13059 p1 = (void *) 0x11
13060 p2 = (void *) 0x22
13061 p3 = (void *) 0x33
13062 p4 = (void *) 0x44
13063 p5 = (void *) 0x55
13064 p6 = (void *) 0x66
13065 gdb_long_test = 17 '\021'
13066
13067 (@value{GDBP})
13068 @end smallexample
13069
13070 @code{tdump} works by scanning the tracepoint's current collection
13071 actions and printing the value of each expression listed. So
13072 @code{tdump} can fail, if after a run, you change the tracepoint's
13073 actions to mention variables that were not collected during the run.
13074
13075 Also, for tracepoints with @code{while-stepping} loops, @code{tdump}
13076 uses the collected value of @code{$pc} to distinguish between trace
13077 frames that were collected at the tracepoint hit, and frames that were
13078 collected while stepping. This allows it to correctly choose whether
13079 to display the basic list of collections, or the collections from the
13080 body of the while-stepping loop. However, if @code{$pc} was not collected,
13081 then @code{tdump} will always attempt to dump using the basic collection
13082 list, and may fail if a while-stepping frame does not include all the
13083 same data that is collected at the tracepoint hit.
13084 @c This is getting pretty arcane, example would be good.
13085
13086 @node save tracepoints
13087 @subsection @code{save tracepoints @var{filename}}
13088 @kindex save tracepoints
13089 @kindex save-tracepoints
13090 @cindex save tracepoints for future sessions
13091
13092 This command saves all current tracepoint definitions together with
13093 their actions and passcounts, into a file @file{@var{filename}}
13094 suitable for use in a later debugging session. To read the saved
13095 tracepoint definitions, use the @code{source} command (@pxref{Command
13096 Files}). The @w{@code{save-tracepoints}} command is a deprecated
13097 alias for @w{@code{save tracepoints}}
13098
13099 @node Tracepoint Variables
13100 @section Convenience Variables for Tracepoints
13101 @cindex tracepoint variables
13102 @cindex convenience variables for tracepoints
13103
13104 @table @code
13105 @vindex $trace_frame
13106 @item (int) $trace_frame
13107 The current trace snapshot (a.k.a.@: @dfn{frame}) number, or -1 if no
13108 snapshot is selected.
13109
13110 @vindex $tracepoint
13111 @item (int) $tracepoint
13112 The tracepoint for the current trace snapshot.
13113
13114 @vindex $trace_line
13115 @item (int) $trace_line
13116 The line number for the current trace snapshot.
13117
13118 @vindex $trace_file
13119 @item (char []) $trace_file
13120 The source file for the current trace snapshot.
13121
13122 @vindex $trace_func
13123 @item (char []) $trace_func
13124 The name of the function containing @code{$tracepoint}.
13125 @end table
13126
13127 Note: @code{$trace_file} is not suitable for use in @code{printf},
13128 use @code{output} instead.
13129
13130 Here's a simple example of using these convenience variables for
13131 stepping through all the trace snapshots and printing some of their
13132 data. Note that these are not the same as trace state variables,
13133 which are managed by the target.
13134
13135 @smallexample
13136 (@value{GDBP}) @b{tfind start}
13137
13138 (@value{GDBP}) @b{while $trace_frame != -1}
13139 > output $trace_file
13140 > printf ", line %d (tracepoint #%d)\n", $trace_line, $tracepoint
13141 > tfind
13142 > end
13143 @end smallexample
13144
13145 @node Trace Files
13146 @section Using Trace Files
13147 @cindex trace files
13148
13149 In some situations, the target running a trace experiment may no
13150 longer be available; perhaps it crashed, or the hardware was needed
13151 for a different activity. To handle these cases, you can arrange to
13152 dump the trace data into a file, and later use that file as a source
13153 of trace data, via the @code{target tfile} command.
13154
13155 @table @code
13156
13157 @kindex tsave
13158 @item tsave [ -r ] @var{filename}
13159 @itemx tsave [-ctf] @var{dirname}
13160 Save the trace data to @var{filename}. By default, this command
13161 assumes that @var{filename} refers to the host filesystem, so if
13162 necessary @value{GDBN} will copy raw trace data up from the target and
13163 then save it. If the target supports it, you can also supply the
13164 optional argument @code{-r} (``remote'') to direct the target to save
13165 the data directly into @var{filename} in its own filesystem, which may be
13166 more efficient if the trace buffer is very large. (Note, however, that
13167 @code{target tfile} can only read from files accessible to the host.)
13168 By default, this command will save trace frame in tfile format.
13169 You can supply the optional argument @code{-ctf} to save date in CTF
13170 format. The @dfn{Common Trace Format} (CTF) is proposed as a trace format
13171 that can be shared by multiple debugging and tracing tools. Please go to
13172 @indicateurl{http://www.efficios.com/ctf} to get more information.
13173
13174 @kindex target tfile
13175 @kindex tfile
13176 @kindex target ctf
13177 @kindex ctf
13178 @item target tfile @var{filename}
13179 @itemx target ctf @var{dirname}
13180 Use the file named @var{filename} or directory named @var{dirname} as
13181 a source of trace data. Commands that examine data work as they do with
13182 a live target, but it is not possible to run any new trace experiments.
13183 @code{tstatus} will report the state of the trace run at the moment
13184 the data was saved, as well as the current trace frame you are examining.
13185 Both @var{filename} and @var{dirname} must be on a filesystem accessible to
13186 the host.
13187
13188 @smallexample
13189 (@value{GDBP}) target ctf ctf.ctf
13190 (@value{GDBP}) tfind
13191 Found trace frame 0, tracepoint 2
13192 39 ++a; /* set tracepoint 1 here */
13193 (@value{GDBP}) tdump
13194 Data collected at tracepoint 2, trace frame 0:
13195 i = 0
13196 a = 0
13197 b = 1 '\001'
13198 c = @{"123", "456", "789", "123", "456", "789"@}
13199 d = @{@{@{a = 1, b = 2@}, @{a = 3, b = 4@}@}, @{@{a = 5, b = 6@}, @{a = 7, b = 8@}@}@}
13200 (@value{GDBP}) p b
13201 $1 = 1
13202 @end smallexample
13203
13204 @end table
13205
13206 @node Overlays
13207 @chapter Debugging Programs That Use Overlays
13208 @cindex overlays
13209
13210 If your program is too large to fit completely in your target system's
13211 memory, you can sometimes use @dfn{overlays} to work around this
13212 problem. @value{GDBN} provides some support for debugging programs that
13213 use overlays.
13214
13215 @menu
13216 * How Overlays Work:: A general explanation of overlays.
13217 * Overlay Commands:: Managing overlays in @value{GDBN}.
13218 * Automatic Overlay Debugging:: @value{GDBN} can find out which overlays are
13219 mapped by asking the inferior.
13220 * Overlay Sample Program:: A sample program using overlays.
13221 @end menu
13222
13223 @node How Overlays Work
13224 @section How Overlays Work
13225 @cindex mapped overlays
13226 @cindex unmapped overlays
13227 @cindex load address, overlay's
13228 @cindex mapped address
13229 @cindex overlay area
13230
13231 Suppose you have a computer whose instruction address space is only 64
13232 kilobytes long, but which has much more memory which can be accessed by
13233 other means: special instructions, segment registers, or memory
13234 management hardware, for example. Suppose further that you want to
13235 adapt a program which is larger than 64 kilobytes to run on this system.
13236
13237 One solution is to identify modules of your program which are relatively
13238 independent, and need not call each other directly; call these modules
13239 @dfn{overlays}. Separate the overlays from the main program, and place
13240 their machine code in the larger memory. Place your main program in
13241 instruction memory, but leave at least enough space there to hold the
13242 largest overlay as well.
13243
13244 Now, to call a function located in an overlay, you must first copy that
13245 overlay's machine code from the large memory into the space set aside
13246 for it in the instruction memory, and then jump to its entry point
13247 there.
13248
13249 @c NB: In the below the mapped area's size is greater or equal to the
13250 @c size of all overlays. This is intentional to remind the developer
13251 @c that overlays don't necessarily need to be the same size.
13252
13253 @smallexample
13254 @group
13255 Data Instruction Larger
13256 Address Space Address Space Address Space
13257 +-----------+ +-----------+ +-----------+
13258 | | | | | |
13259 +-----------+ +-----------+ +-----------+<-- overlay 1
13260 | program | | main | .----| overlay 1 | load address
13261 | variables | | program | | +-----------+
13262 | and heap | | | | | |
13263 +-----------+ | | | +-----------+<-- overlay 2
13264 | | +-----------+ | | | load address
13265 +-----------+ | | | .-| overlay 2 |
13266 | | | | | |
13267 mapped --->+-----------+ | | +-----------+
13268 address | | | | | |
13269 | overlay | <-' | | |
13270 | area | <---' +-----------+<-- overlay 3
13271 | | <---. | | load address
13272 +-----------+ `--| overlay 3 |
13273 | | | |
13274 +-----------+ | |
13275 +-----------+
13276 | |
13277 +-----------+
13278
13279 @anchor{A code overlay}A code overlay
13280 @end group
13281 @end smallexample
13282
13283 The diagram (@pxref{A code overlay}) shows a system with separate data
13284 and instruction address spaces. To map an overlay, the program copies
13285 its code from the larger address space to the instruction address space.
13286 Since the overlays shown here all use the same mapped address, only one
13287 may be mapped at a time. For a system with a single address space for
13288 data and instructions, the diagram would be similar, except that the
13289 program variables and heap would share an address space with the main
13290 program and the overlay area.
13291
13292 An overlay loaded into instruction memory and ready for use is called a
13293 @dfn{mapped} overlay; its @dfn{mapped address} is its address in the
13294 instruction memory. An overlay not present (or only partially present)
13295 in instruction memory is called @dfn{unmapped}; its @dfn{load address}
13296 is its address in the larger memory. The mapped address is also called
13297 the @dfn{virtual memory address}, or @dfn{VMA}; the load address is also
13298 called the @dfn{load memory address}, or @dfn{LMA}.
13299
13300 Unfortunately, overlays are not a completely transparent way to adapt a
13301 program to limited instruction memory. They introduce a new set of
13302 global constraints you must keep in mind as you design your program:
13303
13304 @itemize @bullet
13305
13306 @item
13307 Before calling or returning to a function in an overlay, your program
13308 must make sure that overlay is actually mapped. Otherwise, the call or
13309 return will transfer control to the right address, but in the wrong
13310 overlay, and your program will probably crash.
13311
13312 @item
13313 If the process of mapping an overlay is expensive on your system, you
13314 will need to choose your overlays carefully to minimize their effect on
13315 your program's performance.
13316
13317 @item
13318 The executable file you load onto your system must contain each
13319 overlay's instructions, appearing at the overlay's load address, not its
13320 mapped address. However, each overlay's instructions must be relocated
13321 and its symbols defined as if the overlay were at its mapped address.
13322 You can use GNU linker scripts to specify different load and relocation
13323 addresses for pieces of your program; see @ref{Overlay Description,,,
13324 ld.info, Using ld: the GNU linker}.
13325
13326 @item
13327 The procedure for loading executable files onto your system must be able
13328 to load their contents into the larger address space as well as the
13329 instruction and data spaces.
13330
13331 @end itemize
13332
13333 The overlay system described above is rather simple, and could be
13334 improved in many ways:
13335
13336 @itemize @bullet
13337
13338 @item
13339 If your system has suitable bank switch registers or memory management
13340 hardware, you could use those facilities to make an overlay's load area
13341 contents simply appear at their mapped address in instruction space.
13342 This would probably be faster than copying the overlay to its mapped
13343 area in the usual way.
13344
13345 @item
13346 If your overlays are small enough, you could set aside more than one
13347 overlay area, and have more than one overlay mapped at a time.
13348
13349 @item
13350 You can use overlays to manage data, as well as instructions. In
13351 general, data overlays are even less transparent to your design than
13352 code overlays: whereas code overlays only require care when you call or
13353 return to functions, data overlays require care every time you access
13354 the data. Also, if you change the contents of a data overlay, you
13355 must copy its contents back out to its load address before you can copy a
13356 different data overlay into the same mapped area.
13357
13358 @end itemize
13359
13360
13361 @node Overlay Commands
13362 @section Overlay Commands
13363
13364 To use @value{GDBN}'s overlay support, each overlay in your program must
13365 correspond to a separate section of the executable file. The section's
13366 virtual memory address and load memory address must be the overlay's
13367 mapped and load addresses. Identifying overlays with sections allows
13368 @value{GDBN} to determine the appropriate address of a function or
13369 variable, depending on whether the overlay is mapped or not.
13370
13371 @value{GDBN}'s overlay commands all start with the word @code{overlay};
13372 you can abbreviate this as @code{ov} or @code{ovly}. The commands are:
13373
13374 @table @code
13375 @item overlay off
13376 @kindex overlay
13377 Disable @value{GDBN}'s overlay support. When overlay support is
13378 disabled, @value{GDBN} assumes that all functions and variables are
13379 always present at their mapped addresses. By default, @value{GDBN}'s
13380 overlay support is disabled.
13381
13382 @item overlay manual
13383 @cindex manual overlay debugging
13384 Enable @dfn{manual} overlay debugging. In this mode, @value{GDBN}
13385 relies on you to tell it which overlays are mapped, and which are not,
13386 using the @code{overlay map-overlay} and @code{overlay unmap-overlay}
13387 commands described below.
13388
13389 @item overlay map-overlay @var{overlay}
13390 @itemx overlay map @var{overlay}
13391 @cindex map an overlay
13392 Tell @value{GDBN} that @var{overlay} is now mapped; @var{overlay} must
13393 be the name of the object file section containing the overlay. When an
13394 overlay is mapped, @value{GDBN} assumes it can find the overlay's
13395 functions and variables at their mapped addresses. @value{GDBN} assumes
13396 that any other overlays whose mapped ranges overlap that of
13397 @var{overlay} are now unmapped.
13398
13399 @item overlay unmap-overlay @var{overlay}
13400 @itemx overlay unmap @var{overlay}
13401 @cindex unmap an overlay
13402 Tell @value{GDBN} that @var{overlay} is no longer mapped; @var{overlay}
13403 must be the name of the object file section containing the overlay.
13404 When an overlay is unmapped, @value{GDBN} assumes it can find the
13405 overlay's functions and variables at their load addresses.
13406
13407 @item overlay auto
13408 Enable @dfn{automatic} overlay debugging. In this mode, @value{GDBN}
13409 consults a data structure the overlay manager maintains in the inferior
13410 to see which overlays are mapped. For details, see @ref{Automatic
13411 Overlay Debugging}.
13412
13413 @item overlay load-target
13414 @itemx overlay load
13415 @cindex reloading the overlay table
13416 Re-read the overlay table from the inferior. Normally, @value{GDBN}
13417 re-reads the table @value{GDBN} automatically each time the inferior
13418 stops, so this command should only be necessary if you have changed the
13419 overlay mapping yourself using @value{GDBN}. This command is only
13420 useful when using automatic overlay debugging.
13421
13422 @item overlay list-overlays
13423 @itemx overlay list
13424 @cindex listing mapped overlays
13425 Display a list of the overlays currently mapped, along with their mapped
13426 addresses, load addresses, and sizes.
13427
13428 @end table
13429
13430 Normally, when @value{GDBN} prints a code address, it includes the name
13431 of the function the address falls in:
13432
13433 @smallexample
13434 (@value{GDBP}) print main
13435 $3 = @{int ()@} 0x11a0 <main>
13436 @end smallexample
13437 @noindent
13438 When overlay debugging is enabled, @value{GDBN} recognizes code in
13439 unmapped overlays, and prints the names of unmapped functions with
13440 asterisks around them. For example, if @code{foo} is a function in an
13441 unmapped overlay, @value{GDBN} prints it this way:
13442
13443 @smallexample
13444 (@value{GDBP}) overlay list
13445 No sections are mapped.
13446 (@value{GDBP}) print foo
13447 $5 = @{int (int)@} 0x100000 <*foo*>
13448 @end smallexample
13449 @noindent
13450 When @code{foo}'s overlay is mapped, @value{GDBN} prints the function's
13451 name normally:
13452
13453 @smallexample
13454 (@value{GDBP}) overlay list
13455 Section .ov.foo.text, loaded at 0x100000 - 0x100034,
13456 mapped at 0x1016 - 0x104a
13457 (@value{GDBP}) print foo
13458 $6 = @{int (int)@} 0x1016 <foo>
13459 @end smallexample
13460
13461 When overlay debugging is enabled, @value{GDBN} can find the correct
13462 address for functions and variables in an overlay, whether or not the
13463 overlay is mapped. This allows most @value{GDBN} commands, like
13464 @code{break} and @code{disassemble}, to work normally, even on unmapped
13465 code. However, @value{GDBN}'s breakpoint support has some limitations:
13466
13467 @itemize @bullet
13468 @item
13469 @cindex breakpoints in overlays
13470 @cindex overlays, setting breakpoints in
13471 You can set breakpoints in functions in unmapped overlays, as long as
13472 @value{GDBN} can write to the overlay at its load address.
13473 @item
13474 @value{GDBN} can not set hardware or simulator-based breakpoints in
13475 unmapped overlays. However, if you set a breakpoint at the end of your
13476 overlay manager (and tell @value{GDBN} which overlays are now mapped, if
13477 you are using manual overlay management), @value{GDBN} will re-set its
13478 breakpoints properly.
13479 @end itemize
13480
13481
13482 @node Automatic Overlay Debugging
13483 @section Automatic Overlay Debugging
13484 @cindex automatic overlay debugging
13485
13486 @value{GDBN} can automatically track which overlays are mapped and which
13487 are not, given some simple co-operation from the overlay manager in the
13488 inferior. If you enable automatic overlay debugging with the
13489 @code{overlay auto} command (@pxref{Overlay Commands}), @value{GDBN}
13490 looks in the inferior's memory for certain variables describing the
13491 current state of the overlays.
13492
13493 Here are the variables your overlay manager must define to support
13494 @value{GDBN}'s automatic overlay debugging:
13495
13496 @table @asis
13497
13498 @item @code{_ovly_table}:
13499 This variable must be an array of the following structures:
13500
13501 @smallexample
13502 struct
13503 @{
13504 /* The overlay's mapped address. */
13505 unsigned long vma;
13506
13507 /* The size of the overlay, in bytes. */
13508 unsigned long size;
13509
13510 /* The overlay's load address. */
13511 unsigned long lma;
13512
13513 /* Non-zero if the overlay is currently mapped;
13514 zero otherwise. */
13515 unsigned long mapped;
13516 @}
13517 @end smallexample
13518
13519 @item @code{_novlys}:
13520 This variable must be a four-byte signed integer, holding the total
13521 number of elements in @code{_ovly_table}.
13522
13523 @end table
13524
13525 To decide whether a particular overlay is mapped or not, @value{GDBN}
13526 looks for an entry in @w{@code{_ovly_table}} whose @code{vma} and
13527 @code{lma} members equal the VMA and LMA of the overlay's section in the
13528 executable file. When @value{GDBN} finds a matching entry, it consults
13529 the entry's @code{mapped} member to determine whether the overlay is
13530 currently mapped.
13531
13532 In addition, your overlay manager may define a function called
13533 @code{_ovly_debug_event}. If this function is defined, @value{GDBN}
13534 will silently set a breakpoint there. If the overlay manager then
13535 calls this function whenever it has changed the overlay table, this
13536 will enable @value{GDBN} to accurately keep track of which overlays
13537 are in program memory, and update any breakpoints that may be set
13538 in overlays. This will allow breakpoints to work even if the
13539 overlays are kept in ROM or other non-writable memory while they
13540 are not being executed.
13541
13542 @node Overlay Sample Program
13543 @section Overlay Sample Program
13544 @cindex overlay example program
13545
13546 When linking a program which uses overlays, you must place the overlays
13547 at their load addresses, while relocating them to run at their mapped
13548 addresses. To do this, you must write a linker script (@pxref{Overlay
13549 Description,,, ld.info, Using ld: the GNU linker}). Unfortunately,
13550 since linker scripts are specific to a particular host system, target
13551 architecture, and target memory layout, this manual cannot provide
13552 portable sample code demonstrating @value{GDBN}'s overlay support.
13553
13554 However, the @value{GDBN} source distribution does contain an overlaid
13555 program, with linker scripts for a few systems, as part of its test
13556 suite. The program consists of the following files from
13557 @file{gdb/testsuite/gdb.base}:
13558
13559 @table @file
13560 @item overlays.c
13561 The main program file.
13562 @item ovlymgr.c
13563 A simple overlay manager, used by @file{overlays.c}.
13564 @item foo.c
13565 @itemx bar.c
13566 @itemx baz.c
13567 @itemx grbx.c
13568 Overlay modules, loaded and used by @file{overlays.c}.
13569 @item d10v.ld
13570 @itemx m32r.ld
13571 Linker scripts for linking the test program on the @code{d10v-elf}
13572 and @code{m32r-elf} targets.
13573 @end table
13574
13575 You can build the test program using the @code{d10v-elf} GCC
13576 cross-compiler like this:
13577
13578 @smallexample
13579 $ d10v-elf-gcc -g -c overlays.c
13580 $ d10v-elf-gcc -g -c ovlymgr.c
13581 $ d10v-elf-gcc -g -c foo.c
13582 $ d10v-elf-gcc -g -c bar.c
13583 $ d10v-elf-gcc -g -c baz.c
13584 $ d10v-elf-gcc -g -c grbx.c
13585 $ d10v-elf-gcc -g overlays.o ovlymgr.o foo.o bar.o \
13586 baz.o grbx.o -Wl,-Td10v.ld -o overlays
13587 @end smallexample
13588
13589 The build process is identical for any other architecture, except that
13590 you must substitute the appropriate compiler and linker script for the
13591 target system for @code{d10v-elf-gcc} and @code{d10v.ld}.
13592
13593
13594 @node Languages
13595 @chapter Using @value{GDBN} with Different Languages
13596 @cindex languages
13597
13598 Although programming languages generally have common aspects, they are
13599 rarely expressed in the same manner. For instance, in ANSI C,
13600 dereferencing a pointer @code{p} is accomplished by @code{*p}, but in
13601 Modula-2, it is accomplished by @code{p^}. Values can also be
13602 represented (and displayed) differently. Hex numbers in C appear as
13603 @samp{0x1ae}, while in Modula-2 they appear as @samp{1AEH}.
13604
13605 @cindex working language
13606 Language-specific information is built into @value{GDBN} for some languages,
13607 allowing you to express operations like the above in your program's
13608 native language, and allowing @value{GDBN} to output values in a manner
13609 consistent with the syntax of your program's native language. The
13610 language you use to build expressions is called the @dfn{working
13611 language}.
13612
13613 @menu
13614 * Setting:: Switching between source languages
13615 * Show:: Displaying the language
13616 * Checks:: Type and range checks
13617 * Supported Languages:: Supported languages
13618 * Unsupported Languages:: Unsupported languages
13619 @end menu
13620
13621 @node Setting
13622 @section Switching Between Source Languages
13623
13624 There are two ways to control the working language---either have @value{GDBN}
13625 set it automatically, or select it manually yourself. You can use the
13626 @code{set language} command for either purpose. On startup, @value{GDBN}
13627 defaults to setting the language automatically. The working language is
13628 used to determine how expressions you type are interpreted, how values
13629 are printed, etc.
13630
13631 In addition to the working language, every source file that
13632 @value{GDBN} knows about has its own working language. For some object
13633 file formats, the compiler might indicate which language a particular
13634 source file is in. However, most of the time @value{GDBN} infers the
13635 language from the name of the file. The language of a source file
13636 controls whether C@t{++} names are demangled---this way @code{backtrace} can
13637 show each frame appropriately for its own language. There is no way to
13638 set the language of a source file from within @value{GDBN}, but you can
13639 set the language associated with a filename extension. @xref{Show, ,
13640 Displaying the Language}.
13641
13642 This is most commonly a problem when you use a program, such
13643 as @code{cfront} or @code{f2c}, that generates C but is written in
13644 another language. In that case, make the
13645 program use @code{#line} directives in its C output; that way
13646 @value{GDBN} will know the correct language of the source code of the original
13647 program, and will display that source code, not the generated C code.
13648
13649 @menu
13650 * Filenames:: Filename extensions and languages.
13651 * Manually:: Setting the working language manually
13652 * Automatically:: Having @value{GDBN} infer the source language
13653 @end menu
13654
13655 @node Filenames
13656 @subsection List of Filename Extensions and Languages
13657
13658 If a source file name ends in one of the following extensions, then
13659 @value{GDBN} infers that its language is the one indicated.
13660
13661 @table @file
13662 @item .ada
13663 @itemx .ads
13664 @itemx .adb
13665 @itemx .a
13666 Ada source file.
13667
13668 @item .c
13669 C source file
13670
13671 @item .C
13672 @itemx .cc
13673 @itemx .cp
13674 @itemx .cpp
13675 @itemx .cxx
13676 @itemx .c++
13677 C@t{++} source file
13678
13679 @item .d
13680 D source file
13681
13682 @item .m
13683 Objective-C source file
13684
13685 @item .f
13686 @itemx .F
13687 Fortran source file
13688
13689 @item .mod
13690 Modula-2 source file
13691
13692 @item .s
13693 @itemx .S
13694 Assembler source file. This actually behaves almost like C, but
13695 @value{GDBN} does not skip over function prologues when stepping.
13696 @end table
13697
13698 In addition, you may set the language associated with a filename
13699 extension. @xref{Show, , Displaying the Language}.
13700
13701 @node Manually
13702 @subsection Setting the Working Language
13703
13704 If you allow @value{GDBN} to set the language automatically,
13705 expressions are interpreted the same way in your debugging session and
13706 your program.
13707
13708 @kindex set language
13709 If you wish, you may set the language manually. To do this, issue the
13710 command @samp{set language @var{lang}}, where @var{lang} is the name of
13711 a language, such as
13712 @code{c} or @code{modula-2}.
13713 For a list of the supported languages, type @samp{set language}.
13714
13715 Setting the language manually prevents @value{GDBN} from updating the working
13716 language automatically. This can lead to confusion if you try
13717 to debug a program when the working language is not the same as the
13718 source language, when an expression is acceptable to both
13719 languages---but means different things. For instance, if the current
13720 source file were written in C, and @value{GDBN} was parsing Modula-2, a
13721 command such as:
13722
13723 @smallexample
13724 print a = b + c
13725 @end smallexample
13726
13727 @noindent
13728 might not have the effect you intended. In C, this means to add
13729 @code{b} and @code{c} and place the result in @code{a}. The result
13730 printed would be the value of @code{a}. In Modula-2, this means to compare
13731 @code{a} to the result of @code{b+c}, yielding a @code{BOOLEAN} value.
13732
13733 @node Automatically
13734 @subsection Having @value{GDBN} Infer the Source Language
13735
13736 To have @value{GDBN} set the working language automatically, use
13737 @samp{set language local} or @samp{set language auto}. @value{GDBN}
13738 then infers the working language. That is, when your program stops in a
13739 frame (usually by encountering a breakpoint), @value{GDBN} sets the
13740 working language to the language recorded for the function in that
13741 frame. If the language for a frame is unknown (that is, if the function
13742 or block corresponding to the frame was defined in a source file that
13743 does not have a recognized extension), the current working language is
13744 not changed, and @value{GDBN} issues a warning.
13745
13746 This may not seem necessary for most programs, which are written
13747 entirely in one source language. However, program modules and libraries
13748 written in one source language can be used by a main program written in
13749 a different source language. Using @samp{set language auto} in this
13750 case frees you from having to set the working language manually.
13751
13752 @node Show
13753 @section Displaying the Language
13754
13755 The following commands help you find out which language is the
13756 working language, and also what language source files were written in.
13757
13758 @table @code
13759 @item show language
13760 @anchor{show language}
13761 @kindex show language
13762 Display the current working language. This is the
13763 language you can use with commands such as @code{print} to
13764 build and compute expressions that may involve variables in your program.
13765
13766 @item info frame
13767 @kindex info frame@r{, show the source language}
13768 Display the source language for this frame. This language becomes the
13769 working language if you use an identifier from this frame.
13770 @xref{Frame Info, ,Information about a Frame}, to identify the other
13771 information listed here.
13772
13773 @item info source
13774 @kindex info source@r{, show the source language}
13775 Display the source language of this source file.
13776 @xref{Symbols, ,Examining the Symbol Table}, to identify the other
13777 information listed here.
13778 @end table
13779
13780 In unusual circumstances, you may have source files with extensions
13781 not in the standard list. You can then set the extension associated
13782 with a language explicitly:
13783
13784 @table @code
13785 @item set extension-language @var{ext} @var{language}
13786 @kindex set extension-language
13787 Tell @value{GDBN} that source files with extension @var{ext} are to be
13788 assumed as written in the source language @var{language}.
13789
13790 @item info extensions
13791 @kindex info extensions
13792 List all the filename extensions and the associated languages.
13793 @end table
13794
13795 @node Checks
13796 @section Type and Range Checking
13797
13798 Some languages are designed to guard you against making seemingly common
13799 errors through a series of compile- and run-time checks. These include
13800 checking the type of arguments to functions and operators and making
13801 sure mathematical overflows are caught at run time. Checks such as
13802 these help to ensure a program's correctness once it has been compiled
13803 by eliminating type mismatches and providing active checks for range
13804 errors when your program is running.
13805
13806 By default @value{GDBN} checks for these errors according to the
13807 rules of the current source language. Although @value{GDBN} does not check
13808 the statements in your program, it can check expressions entered directly
13809 into @value{GDBN} for evaluation via the @code{print} command, for example.
13810
13811 @menu
13812 * Type Checking:: An overview of type checking
13813 * Range Checking:: An overview of range checking
13814 @end menu
13815
13816 @cindex type checking
13817 @cindex checks, type
13818 @node Type Checking
13819 @subsection An Overview of Type Checking
13820
13821 Some languages, such as C and C@t{++}, are strongly typed, meaning that the
13822 arguments to operators and functions have to be of the correct type,
13823 otherwise an error occurs. These checks prevent type mismatch
13824 errors from ever causing any run-time problems. For example,
13825
13826 @smallexample
13827 int klass::my_method(char *b) @{ return b ? 1 : 2; @}
13828
13829 (@value{GDBP}) print obj.my_method (0)
13830 $1 = 2
13831 @exdent but
13832 (@value{GDBP}) print obj.my_method (0x1234)
13833 Cannot resolve method klass::my_method to any overloaded instance
13834 @end smallexample
13835
13836 The second example fails because in C@t{++} the integer constant
13837 @samp{0x1234} is not type-compatible with the pointer parameter type.
13838
13839 For the expressions you use in @value{GDBN} commands, you can tell
13840 @value{GDBN} to not enforce strict type checking or
13841 to treat any mismatches as errors and abandon the expression;
13842 When type checking is disabled, @value{GDBN} successfully evaluates
13843 expressions like the second example above.
13844
13845 Even if type checking is off, there may be other reasons
13846 related to type that prevent @value{GDBN} from evaluating an expression.
13847 For instance, @value{GDBN} does not know how to add an @code{int} and
13848 a @code{struct foo}. These particular type errors have nothing to do
13849 with the language in use and usually arise from expressions which make
13850 little sense to evaluate anyway.
13851
13852 @value{GDBN} provides some additional commands for controlling type checking:
13853
13854 @kindex set check type
13855 @kindex show check type
13856 @table @code
13857 @item set check type on
13858 @itemx set check type off
13859 Set strict type checking on or off. If any type mismatches occur in
13860 evaluating an expression while type checking is on, @value{GDBN} prints a
13861 message and aborts evaluation of the expression.
13862
13863 @item show check type
13864 Show the current setting of type checking and whether @value{GDBN}
13865 is enforcing strict type checking rules.
13866 @end table
13867
13868 @cindex range checking
13869 @cindex checks, range
13870 @node Range Checking
13871 @subsection An Overview of Range Checking
13872
13873 In some languages (such as Modula-2), it is an error to exceed the
13874 bounds of a type; this is enforced with run-time checks. Such range
13875 checking is meant to ensure program correctness by making sure
13876 computations do not overflow, or indices on an array element access do
13877 not exceed the bounds of the array.
13878
13879 For expressions you use in @value{GDBN} commands, you can tell
13880 @value{GDBN} to treat range errors in one of three ways: ignore them,
13881 always treat them as errors and abandon the expression, or issue
13882 warnings but evaluate the expression anyway.
13883
13884 A range error can result from numerical overflow, from exceeding an
13885 array index bound, or when you type a constant that is not a member
13886 of any type. Some languages, however, do not treat overflows as an
13887 error. In many implementations of C, mathematical overflow causes the
13888 result to ``wrap around'' to lower values---for example, if @var{m} is
13889 the largest integer value, and @var{s} is the smallest, then
13890
13891 @smallexample
13892 @var{m} + 1 @result{} @var{s}
13893 @end smallexample
13894
13895 This, too, is specific to individual languages, and in some cases
13896 specific to individual compilers or machines. @xref{Supported Languages, ,
13897 Supported Languages}, for further details on specific languages.
13898
13899 @value{GDBN} provides some additional commands for controlling the range checker:
13900
13901 @kindex set check range
13902 @kindex show check range
13903 @table @code
13904 @item set check range auto
13905 Set range checking on or off based on the current working language.
13906 @xref{Supported Languages, ,Supported Languages}, for the default settings for
13907 each language.
13908
13909 @item set check range on
13910 @itemx set check range off
13911 Set range checking on or off, overriding the default setting for the
13912 current working language. A warning is issued if the setting does not
13913 match the language default. If a range error occurs and range checking is on,
13914 then a message is printed and evaluation of the expression is aborted.
13915
13916 @item set check range warn
13917 Output messages when the @value{GDBN} range checker detects a range error,
13918 but attempt to evaluate the expression anyway. Evaluating the
13919 expression may still be impossible for other reasons, such as accessing
13920 memory that the process does not own (a typical example from many Unix
13921 systems).
13922
13923 @item show range
13924 Show the current setting of the range checker, and whether or not it is
13925 being set automatically by @value{GDBN}.
13926 @end table
13927
13928 @node Supported Languages
13929 @section Supported Languages
13930
13931 @value{GDBN} supports C, C@t{++}, D, Go, Objective-C, Fortran, Java,
13932 OpenCL C, Pascal, assembly, Modula-2, and Ada.
13933 @c This is false ...
13934 Some @value{GDBN} features may be used in expressions regardless of the
13935 language you use: the @value{GDBN} @code{@@} and @code{::} operators,
13936 and the @samp{@{type@}addr} construct (@pxref{Expressions,
13937 ,Expressions}) can be used with the constructs of any supported
13938 language.
13939
13940 The following sections detail to what degree each source language is
13941 supported by @value{GDBN}. These sections are not meant to be language
13942 tutorials or references, but serve only as a reference guide to what the
13943 @value{GDBN} expression parser accepts, and what input and output
13944 formats should look like for different languages. There are many good
13945 books written on each of these languages; please look to these for a
13946 language reference or tutorial.
13947
13948 @menu
13949 * C:: C and C@t{++}
13950 * D:: D
13951 * Go:: Go
13952 * Objective-C:: Objective-C
13953 * OpenCL C:: OpenCL C
13954 * Fortran:: Fortran
13955 * Pascal:: Pascal
13956 * Modula-2:: Modula-2
13957 * Ada:: Ada
13958 @end menu
13959
13960 @node C
13961 @subsection C and C@t{++}
13962
13963 @cindex C and C@t{++}
13964 @cindex expressions in C or C@t{++}
13965
13966 Since C and C@t{++} are so closely related, many features of @value{GDBN} apply
13967 to both languages. Whenever this is the case, we discuss those languages
13968 together.
13969
13970 @cindex C@t{++}
13971 @cindex @code{g++}, @sc{gnu} C@t{++} compiler
13972 @cindex @sc{gnu} C@t{++}
13973 The C@t{++} debugging facilities are jointly implemented by the C@t{++}
13974 compiler and @value{GDBN}. Therefore, to debug your C@t{++} code
13975 effectively, you must compile your C@t{++} programs with a supported
13976 C@t{++} compiler, such as @sc{gnu} @code{g++}, or the HP ANSI C@t{++}
13977 compiler (@code{aCC}).
13978
13979 @menu
13980 * C Operators:: C and C@t{++} operators
13981 * C Constants:: C and C@t{++} constants
13982 * C Plus Plus Expressions:: C@t{++} expressions
13983 * C Defaults:: Default settings for C and C@t{++}
13984 * C Checks:: C and C@t{++} type and range checks
13985 * Debugging C:: @value{GDBN} and C
13986 * Debugging C Plus Plus:: @value{GDBN} features for C@t{++}
13987 * Decimal Floating Point:: Numbers in Decimal Floating Point format
13988 @end menu
13989
13990 @node C Operators
13991 @subsubsection C and C@t{++} Operators
13992
13993 @cindex C and C@t{++} operators
13994
13995 Operators must be defined on values of specific types. For instance,
13996 @code{+} is defined on numbers, but not on structures. Operators are
13997 often defined on groups of types.
13998
13999 For the purposes of C and C@t{++}, the following definitions hold:
14000
14001 @itemize @bullet
14002
14003 @item
14004 @emph{Integral types} include @code{int} with any of its storage-class
14005 specifiers; @code{char}; @code{enum}; and, for C@t{++}, @code{bool}.
14006
14007 @item
14008 @emph{Floating-point types} include @code{float}, @code{double}, and
14009 @code{long double} (if supported by the target platform).
14010
14011 @item
14012 @emph{Pointer types} include all types defined as @code{(@var{type} *)}.
14013
14014 @item
14015 @emph{Scalar types} include all of the above.
14016
14017 @end itemize
14018
14019 @noindent
14020 The following operators are supported. They are listed here
14021 in order of increasing precedence:
14022
14023 @table @code
14024 @item ,
14025 The comma or sequencing operator. Expressions in a comma-separated list
14026 are evaluated from left to right, with the result of the entire
14027 expression being the last expression evaluated.
14028
14029 @item =
14030 Assignment. The value of an assignment expression is the value
14031 assigned. Defined on scalar types.
14032
14033 @item @var{op}=
14034 Used in an expression of the form @w{@code{@var{a} @var{op}= @var{b}}},
14035 and translated to @w{@code{@var{a} = @var{a op b}}}.
14036 @w{@code{@var{op}=}} and @code{=} have the same precedence. The operator
14037 @var{op} is any one of the operators @code{|}, @code{^}, @code{&},
14038 @code{<<}, @code{>>}, @code{+}, @code{-}, @code{*}, @code{/}, @code{%}.
14039
14040 @item ?:
14041 The ternary operator. @code{@var{a} ? @var{b} : @var{c}} can be thought
14042 of as: if @var{a} then @var{b} else @var{c}. The argument @var{a}
14043 should be of an integral type.
14044
14045 @item ||
14046 Logical @sc{or}. Defined on integral types.
14047
14048 @item &&
14049 Logical @sc{and}. Defined on integral types.
14050
14051 @item |
14052 Bitwise @sc{or}. Defined on integral types.
14053
14054 @item ^
14055 Bitwise exclusive-@sc{or}. Defined on integral types.
14056
14057 @item &
14058 Bitwise @sc{and}. Defined on integral types.
14059
14060 @item ==@r{, }!=
14061 Equality and inequality. Defined on scalar types. The value of these
14062 expressions is 0 for false and non-zero for true.
14063
14064 @item <@r{, }>@r{, }<=@r{, }>=
14065 Less than, greater than, less than or equal, greater than or equal.
14066 Defined on scalar types. The value of these expressions is 0 for false
14067 and non-zero for true.
14068
14069 @item <<@r{, }>>
14070 left shift, and right shift. Defined on integral types.
14071
14072 @item @@
14073 The @value{GDBN} ``artificial array'' operator (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}).
14074
14075 @item +@r{, }-
14076 Addition and subtraction. Defined on integral types, floating-point types and
14077 pointer types.
14078
14079 @item *@r{, }/@r{, }%
14080 Multiplication, division, and modulus. Multiplication and division are
14081 defined on integral and floating-point types. Modulus is defined on
14082 integral types.
14083
14084 @item ++@r{, }--
14085 Increment and decrement. When appearing before a variable, the
14086 operation is performed before the variable is used in an expression;
14087 when appearing after it, the variable's value is used before the
14088 operation takes place.
14089
14090 @item *
14091 Pointer dereferencing. Defined on pointer types. Same precedence as
14092 @code{++}.
14093
14094 @item &
14095 Address operator. Defined on variables. Same precedence as @code{++}.
14096
14097 For debugging C@t{++}, @value{GDBN} implements a use of @samp{&} beyond what is
14098 allowed in the C@t{++} language itself: you can use @samp{&(&@var{ref})}
14099 to examine the address
14100 where a C@t{++} reference variable (declared with @samp{&@var{ref}}) is
14101 stored.
14102
14103 @item -
14104 Negative. Defined on integral and floating-point types. Same
14105 precedence as @code{++}.
14106
14107 @item !
14108 Logical negation. Defined on integral types. Same precedence as
14109 @code{++}.
14110
14111 @item ~
14112 Bitwise complement operator. Defined on integral types. Same precedence as
14113 @code{++}.
14114
14115
14116 @item .@r{, }->
14117 Structure member, and pointer-to-structure member. For convenience,
14118 @value{GDBN} regards the two as equivalent, choosing whether to dereference a
14119 pointer based on the stored type information.
14120 Defined on @code{struct} and @code{union} data.
14121
14122 @item .*@r{, }->*
14123 Dereferences of pointers to members.
14124
14125 @item []
14126 Array indexing. @code{@var{a}[@var{i}]} is defined as
14127 @code{*(@var{a}+@var{i})}. Same precedence as @code{->}.
14128
14129 @item ()
14130 Function parameter list. Same precedence as @code{->}.
14131
14132 @item ::
14133 C@t{++} scope resolution operator. Defined on @code{struct}, @code{union},
14134 and @code{class} types.
14135
14136 @item ::
14137 Doubled colons also represent the @value{GDBN} scope operator
14138 (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}). Same precedence as @code{::},
14139 above.
14140 @end table
14141
14142 If an operator is redefined in the user code, @value{GDBN} usually
14143 attempts to invoke the redefined version instead of using the operator's
14144 predefined meaning.
14145
14146 @node C Constants
14147 @subsubsection C and C@t{++} Constants
14148
14149 @cindex C and C@t{++} constants
14150
14151 @value{GDBN} allows you to express the constants of C and C@t{++} in the
14152 following ways:
14153
14154 @itemize @bullet
14155 @item
14156 Integer constants are a sequence of digits. Octal constants are
14157 specified by a leading @samp{0} (i.e.@: zero), and hexadecimal constants
14158 by a leading @samp{0x} or @samp{0X}. Constants may also end with a letter
14159 @samp{l}, specifying that the constant should be treated as a
14160 @code{long} value.
14161
14162 @item
14163 Floating point constants are a sequence of digits, followed by a decimal
14164 point, followed by a sequence of digits, and optionally followed by an
14165 exponent. An exponent is of the form:
14166 @samp{@w{e@r{[[}+@r{]|}-@r{]}@var{nnn}}}, where @var{nnn} is another
14167 sequence of digits. The @samp{+} is optional for positive exponents.
14168 A floating-point constant may also end with a letter @samp{f} or
14169 @samp{F}, specifying that the constant should be treated as being of
14170 the @code{float} (as opposed to the default @code{double}) type; or with
14171 a letter @samp{l} or @samp{L}, which specifies a @code{long double}
14172 constant.
14173
14174 @item
14175 Enumerated constants consist of enumerated identifiers, or their
14176 integral equivalents.
14177
14178 @item
14179 Character constants are a single character surrounded by single quotes
14180 (@code{'}), or a number---the ordinal value of the corresponding character
14181 (usually its @sc{ascii} value). Within quotes, the single character may
14182 be represented by a letter or by @dfn{escape sequences}, which are of
14183 the form @samp{\@var{nnn}}, where @var{nnn} is the octal representation
14184 of the character's ordinal value; or of the form @samp{\@var{x}}, where
14185 @samp{@var{x}} is a predefined special character---for example,
14186 @samp{\n} for newline.
14187
14188 Wide character constants can be written by prefixing a character
14189 constant with @samp{L}, as in C. For example, @samp{L'x'} is the wide
14190 form of @samp{x}. The target wide character set is used when
14191 computing the value of this constant (@pxref{Character Sets}).
14192
14193 @item
14194 String constants are a sequence of character constants surrounded by
14195 double quotes (@code{"}). Any valid character constant (as described
14196 above) may appear. Double quotes within the string must be preceded by
14197 a backslash, so for instance @samp{"a\"b'c"} is a string of five
14198 characters.
14199
14200 Wide string constants can be written by prefixing a string constant
14201 with @samp{L}, as in C. The target wide character set is used when
14202 computing the value of this constant (@pxref{Character Sets}).
14203
14204 @item
14205 Pointer constants are an integral value. You can also write pointers
14206 to constants using the C operator @samp{&}.
14207
14208 @item
14209 Array constants are comma-separated lists surrounded by braces @samp{@{}
14210 and @samp{@}}; for example, @samp{@{1,2,3@}} is a three-element array of
14211 integers, @samp{@{@{1,2@}, @{3,4@}, @{5,6@}@}} is a three-by-two array,
14212 and @samp{@{&"hi", &"there", &"fred"@}} is a three-element array of pointers.
14213 @end itemize
14214
14215 @node C Plus Plus Expressions
14216 @subsubsection C@t{++} Expressions
14217
14218 @cindex expressions in C@t{++}
14219 @value{GDBN} expression handling can interpret most C@t{++} expressions.
14220
14221 @cindex debugging C@t{++} programs
14222 @cindex C@t{++} compilers
14223 @cindex debug formats and C@t{++}
14224 @cindex @value{NGCC} and C@t{++}
14225 @quotation
14226 @emph{Warning:} @value{GDBN} can only debug C@t{++} code if you use
14227 the proper compiler and the proper debug format. Currently,
14228 @value{GDBN} works best when debugging C@t{++} code that is compiled
14229 with the most recent version of @value{NGCC} possible. The DWARF
14230 debugging format is preferred; @value{NGCC} defaults to this on most
14231 popular platforms. Other compilers and/or debug formats are likely to
14232 work badly or not at all when using @value{GDBN} to debug C@t{++}
14233 code. @xref{Compilation}.
14234 @end quotation
14235
14236 @enumerate
14237
14238 @cindex member functions
14239 @item
14240 Member function calls are allowed; you can use expressions like
14241
14242 @smallexample
14243 count = aml->GetOriginal(x, y)
14244 @end smallexample
14245
14246 @vindex this@r{, inside C@t{++} member functions}
14247 @cindex namespace in C@t{++}
14248 @item
14249 While a member function is active (in the selected stack frame), your
14250 expressions have the same namespace available as the member function;
14251 that is, @value{GDBN} allows implicit references to the class instance
14252 pointer @code{this} following the same rules as C@t{++}. @code{using}
14253 declarations in the current scope are also respected by @value{GDBN}.
14254
14255 @cindex call overloaded functions
14256 @cindex overloaded functions, calling
14257 @cindex type conversions in C@t{++}
14258 @item
14259 You can call overloaded functions; @value{GDBN} resolves the function
14260 call to the right definition, with some restrictions. @value{GDBN} does not
14261 perform overload resolution involving user-defined type conversions,
14262 calls to constructors, or instantiations of templates that do not exist
14263 in the program. It also cannot handle ellipsis argument lists or
14264 default arguments.
14265
14266 It does perform integral conversions and promotions, floating-point
14267 promotions, arithmetic conversions, pointer conversions, conversions of
14268 class objects to base classes, and standard conversions such as those of
14269 functions or arrays to pointers; it requires an exact match on the
14270 number of function arguments.
14271
14272 Overload resolution is always performed, unless you have specified
14273 @code{set overload-resolution off}. @xref{Debugging C Plus Plus,
14274 ,@value{GDBN} Features for C@t{++}}.
14275
14276 You must specify @code{set overload-resolution off} in order to use an
14277 explicit function signature to call an overloaded function, as in
14278 @smallexample
14279 p 'foo(char,int)'('x', 13)
14280 @end smallexample
14281
14282 The @value{GDBN} command-completion facility can simplify this;
14283 see @ref{Completion, ,Command Completion}.
14284
14285 @cindex reference declarations
14286 @item
14287 @value{GDBN} understands variables declared as C@t{++} references; you can use
14288 them in expressions just as you do in C@t{++} source---they are automatically
14289 dereferenced.
14290
14291 In the parameter list shown when @value{GDBN} displays a frame, the values of
14292 reference variables are not displayed (unlike other variables); this
14293 avoids clutter, since references are often used for large structures.
14294 The @emph{address} of a reference variable is always shown, unless
14295 you have specified @samp{set print address off}.
14296
14297 @item
14298 @value{GDBN} supports the C@t{++} name resolution operator @code{::}---your
14299 expressions can use it just as expressions in your program do. Since
14300 one scope may be defined in another, you can use @code{::} repeatedly if
14301 necessary, for example in an expression like
14302 @samp{@var{scope1}::@var{scope2}::@var{name}}. @value{GDBN} also allows
14303 resolving name scope by reference to source files, in both C and C@t{++}
14304 debugging (@pxref{Variables, ,Program Variables}).
14305
14306 @item
14307 @value{GDBN} performs argument-dependent lookup, following the C@t{++}
14308 specification.
14309 @end enumerate
14310
14311 @node C Defaults
14312 @subsubsection C and C@t{++} Defaults
14313
14314 @cindex C and C@t{++} defaults
14315
14316 If you allow @value{GDBN} to set range checking automatically, it
14317 defaults to @code{off} whenever the working language changes to
14318 C or C@t{++}. This happens regardless of whether you or @value{GDBN}
14319 selects the working language.
14320
14321 If you allow @value{GDBN} to set the language automatically, it
14322 recognizes source files whose names end with @file{.c}, @file{.C}, or
14323 @file{.cc}, etc, and when @value{GDBN} enters code compiled from one of
14324 these files, it sets the working language to C or C@t{++}.
14325 @xref{Automatically, ,Having @value{GDBN} Infer the Source Language},
14326 for further details.
14327
14328 @node C Checks
14329 @subsubsection C and C@t{++} Type and Range Checks
14330
14331 @cindex C and C@t{++} checks
14332
14333 By default, when @value{GDBN} parses C or C@t{++} expressions, strict type
14334 checking is used. However, if you turn type checking off, @value{GDBN}
14335 will allow certain non-standard conversions, such as promoting integer
14336 constants to pointers.
14337
14338 Range checking, if turned on, is done on mathematical operations. Array
14339 indices are not checked, since they are often used to index a pointer
14340 that is not itself an array.
14341
14342 @node Debugging C
14343 @subsubsection @value{GDBN} and C
14344
14345 The @code{set print union} and @code{show print union} commands apply to
14346 the @code{union} type. When set to @samp{on}, any @code{union} that is
14347 inside a @code{struct} or @code{class} is also printed. Otherwise, it
14348 appears as @samp{@{...@}}.
14349
14350 The @code{@@} operator aids in the debugging of dynamic arrays, formed
14351 with pointers and a memory allocation function. @xref{Expressions,
14352 ,Expressions}.
14353
14354 @node Debugging C Plus Plus
14355 @subsubsection @value{GDBN} Features for C@t{++}
14356
14357 @cindex commands for C@t{++}
14358
14359 Some @value{GDBN} commands are particularly useful with C@t{++}, and some are
14360 designed specifically for use with C@t{++}. Here is a summary:
14361
14362 @table @code
14363 @cindex break in overloaded functions
14364 @item @r{breakpoint menus}
14365 When you want a breakpoint in a function whose name is overloaded,
14366 @value{GDBN} has the capability to display a menu of possible breakpoint
14367 locations to help you specify which function definition you want.
14368 @xref{Ambiguous Expressions,,Ambiguous Expressions}.
14369
14370 @cindex overloading in C@t{++}
14371 @item rbreak @var{regex}
14372 Setting breakpoints using regular expressions is helpful for setting
14373 breakpoints on overloaded functions that are not members of any special
14374 classes.
14375 @xref{Set Breaks, ,Setting Breakpoints}.
14376
14377 @cindex C@t{++} exception handling
14378 @item catch throw
14379 @itemx catch rethrow
14380 @itemx catch catch
14381 Debug C@t{++} exception handling using these commands. @xref{Set
14382 Catchpoints, , Setting Catchpoints}.
14383
14384 @cindex inheritance
14385 @item ptype @var{typename}
14386 Print inheritance relationships as well as other information for type
14387 @var{typename}.
14388 @xref{Symbols, ,Examining the Symbol Table}.
14389
14390 @item info vtbl @var{expression}.
14391 The @code{info vtbl} command can be used to display the virtual
14392 method tables of the object computed by @var{expression}. This shows
14393 one entry per virtual table; there may be multiple virtual tables when
14394 multiple inheritance is in use.
14395
14396 @cindex C@t{++} demangling
14397 @item demangle @var{name}
14398 Demangle @var{name}.
14399 @xref{Symbols}, for a more complete description of the @code{demangle} command.
14400
14401 @cindex C@t{++} symbol display
14402 @item set print demangle
14403 @itemx show print demangle
14404 @itemx set print asm-demangle
14405 @itemx show print asm-demangle
14406 Control whether C@t{++} symbols display in their source form, both when
14407 displaying code as C@t{++} source and when displaying disassemblies.
14408 @xref{Print Settings, ,Print Settings}.
14409
14410 @item set print object
14411 @itemx show print object
14412 Choose whether to print derived (actual) or declared types of objects.
14413 @xref{Print Settings, ,Print Settings}.
14414
14415 @item set print vtbl
14416 @itemx show print vtbl
14417 Control the format for printing virtual function tables.
14418 @xref{Print Settings, ,Print Settings}.
14419 (The @code{vtbl} commands do not work on programs compiled with the HP
14420 ANSI C@t{++} compiler (@code{aCC}).)
14421
14422 @kindex set overload-resolution
14423 @cindex overloaded functions, overload resolution
14424 @item set overload-resolution on
14425 Enable overload resolution for C@t{++} expression evaluation. The default
14426 is on. For overloaded functions, @value{GDBN} evaluates the arguments
14427 and searches for a function whose signature matches the argument types,
14428 using the standard C@t{++} conversion rules (see @ref{C Plus Plus
14429 Expressions, ,C@t{++} Expressions}, for details).
14430 If it cannot find a match, it emits a message.
14431
14432 @item set overload-resolution off
14433 Disable overload resolution for C@t{++} expression evaluation. For
14434 overloaded functions that are not class member functions, @value{GDBN}
14435 chooses the first function of the specified name that it finds in the
14436 symbol table, whether or not its arguments are of the correct type. For
14437 overloaded functions that are class member functions, @value{GDBN}
14438 searches for a function whose signature @emph{exactly} matches the
14439 argument types.
14440
14441 @kindex show overload-resolution
14442 @item show overload-resolution
14443 Show the current setting of overload resolution.
14444
14445 @item @r{Overloaded symbol names}
14446 You can specify a particular definition of an overloaded symbol, using
14447 the same notation that is used to declare such symbols in C@t{++}: type
14448 @code{@var{symbol}(@var{types})} rather than just @var{symbol}. You can
14449 also use the @value{GDBN} command-line word completion facilities to list the
14450 available choices, or to finish the type list for you.
14451 @xref{Completion,, Command Completion}, for details on how to do this.
14452 @end table
14453
14454 @node Decimal Floating Point
14455 @subsubsection Decimal Floating Point format
14456 @cindex decimal floating point format
14457
14458 @value{GDBN} can examine, set and perform computations with numbers in
14459 decimal floating point format, which in the C language correspond to the
14460 @code{_Decimal32}, @code{_Decimal64} and @code{_Decimal128} types as
14461 specified by the extension to support decimal floating-point arithmetic.
14462
14463 There are two encodings in use, depending on the architecture: BID (Binary
14464 Integer Decimal) for x86 and x86-64, and DPD (Densely Packed Decimal) for
14465 PowerPC and S/390. @value{GDBN} will use the appropriate encoding for the
14466 configured target.
14467
14468 Because of a limitation in @file{libdecnumber}, the library used by @value{GDBN}
14469 to manipulate decimal floating point numbers, it is not possible to convert
14470 (using a cast, for example) integers wider than 32-bit to decimal float.
14471
14472 In addition, in order to imitate @value{GDBN}'s behaviour with binary floating
14473 point computations, error checking in decimal float operations ignores
14474 underflow, overflow and divide by zero exceptions.
14475
14476 In the PowerPC architecture, @value{GDBN} provides a set of pseudo-registers
14477 to inspect @code{_Decimal128} values stored in floating point registers.
14478 See @ref{PowerPC,,PowerPC} for more details.
14479
14480 @node D
14481 @subsection D
14482
14483 @cindex D
14484 @value{GDBN} can be used to debug programs written in D and compiled with
14485 GDC, LDC or DMD compilers. Currently @value{GDBN} supports only one D
14486 specific feature --- dynamic arrays.
14487
14488 @node Go
14489 @subsection Go
14490
14491 @cindex Go (programming language)
14492 @value{GDBN} can be used to debug programs written in Go and compiled with
14493 @file{gccgo} or @file{6g} compilers.
14494
14495 Here is a summary of the Go-specific features and restrictions:
14496
14497 @table @code
14498 @cindex current Go package
14499 @item The current Go package
14500 The name of the current package does not need to be specified when
14501 specifying global variables and functions.
14502
14503 For example, given the program:
14504
14505 @example
14506 package main
14507 var myglob = "Shall we?"
14508 func main () @{
14509 // ...
14510 @}
14511 @end example
14512
14513 When stopped inside @code{main} either of these work:
14514
14515 @example
14516 (gdb) p myglob
14517 (gdb) p main.myglob
14518 @end example
14519
14520 @cindex builtin Go types
14521 @item Builtin Go types
14522 The @code{string} type is recognized by @value{GDBN} and is printed
14523 as a string.
14524
14525 @cindex builtin Go functions
14526 @item Builtin Go functions
14527 The @value{GDBN} expression parser recognizes the @code{unsafe.Sizeof}
14528 function and handles it internally.
14529
14530 @cindex restrictions on Go expressions
14531 @item Restrictions on Go expressions
14532 All Go operators are supported except @code{&^}.
14533 The Go @code{_} ``blank identifier'' is not supported.
14534 Automatic dereferencing of pointers is not supported.
14535 @end table
14536
14537 @node Objective-C
14538 @subsection Objective-C
14539
14540 @cindex Objective-C
14541 This section provides information about some commands and command
14542 options that are useful for debugging Objective-C code. See also
14543 @ref{Symbols, info classes}, and @ref{Symbols, info selectors}, for a
14544 few more commands specific to Objective-C support.
14545
14546 @menu
14547 * Method Names in Commands::
14548 * The Print Command with Objective-C::
14549 @end menu
14550
14551 @node Method Names in Commands
14552 @subsubsection Method Names in Commands
14553
14554 The following commands have been extended to accept Objective-C method
14555 names as line specifications:
14556
14557 @kindex clear@r{, and Objective-C}
14558 @kindex break@r{, and Objective-C}
14559 @kindex info line@r{, and Objective-C}
14560 @kindex jump@r{, and Objective-C}
14561 @kindex list@r{, and Objective-C}
14562 @itemize
14563 @item @code{clear}
14564 @item @code{break}
14565 @item @code{info line}
14566 @item @code{jump}
14567 @item @code{list}
14568 @end itemize
14569
14570 A fully qualified Objective-C method name is specified as
14571
14572 @smallexample
14573 -[@var{Class} @var{methodName}]
14574 @end smallexample
14575
14576 where the minus sign is used to indicate an instance method and a
14577 plus sign (not shown) is used to indicate a class method. The class
14578 name @var{Class} and method name @var{methodName} are enclosed in
14579 brackets, similar to the way messages are specified in Objective-C
14580 source code. For example, to set a breakpoint at the @code{create}
14581 instance method of class @code{Fruit} in the program currently being
14582 debugged, enter:
14583
14584 @smallexample
14585 break -[Fruit create]
14586 @end smallexample
14587
14588 To list ten program lines around the @code{initialize} class method,
14589 enter:
14590
14591 @smallexample
14592 list +[NSText initialize]
14593 @end smallexample
14594
14595 In the current version of @value{GDBN}, the plus or minus sign is
14596 required. In future versions of @value{GDBN}, the plus or minus
14597 sign will be optional, but you can use it to narrow the search. It
14598 is also possible to specify just a method name:
14599
14600 @smallexample
14601 break create
14602 @end smallexample
14603
14604 You must specify the complete method name, including any colons. If
14605 your program's source files contain more than one @code{create} method,
14606 you'll be presented with a numbered list of classes that implement that
14607 method. Indicate your choice by number, or type @samp{0} to exit if
14608 none apply.
14609
14610 As another example, to clear a breakpoint established at the
14611 @code{makeKeyAndOrderFront:} method of the @code{NSWindow} class, enter:
14612
14613 @smallexample
14614 clear -[NSWindow makeKeyAndOrderFront:]
14615 @end smallexample
14616
14617 @node The Print Command with Objective-C
14618 @subsubsection The Print Command With Objective-C
14619 @cindex Objective-C, print objects
14620 @kindex print-object
14621 @kindex po @r{(@code{print-object})}
14622
14623 The print command has also been extended to accept methods. For example:
14624
14625 @smallexample
14626 print -[@var{object} hash]
14627 @end smallexample
14628
14629 @cindex print an Objective-C object description
14630 @cindex @code{_NSPrintForDebugger}, and printing Objective-C objects
14631 @noindent
14632 will tell @value{GDBN} to send the @code{hash} message to @var{object}
14633 and print the result. Also, an additional command has been added,
14634 @code{print-object} or @code{po} for short, which is meant to print
14635 the description of an object. However, this command may only work
14636 with certain Objective-C libraries that have a particular hook
14637 function, @code{_NSPrintForDebugger}, defined.
14638
14639 @node OpenCL C
14640 @subsection OpenCL C
14641
14642 @cindex OpenCL C
14643 This section provides information about @value{GDBN}s OpenCL C support.
14644
14645 @menu
14646 * OpenCL C Datatypes::
14647 * OpenCL C Expressions::
14648 * OpenCL C Operators::
14649 @end menu
14650
14651 @node OpenCL C Datatypes
14652 @subsubsection OpenCL C Datatypes
14653
14654 @cindex OpenCL C Datatypes
14655 @value{GDBN} supports the builtin scalar and vector datatypes specified
14656 by OpenCL 1.1. In addition the half- and double-precision floating point
14657 data types of the @code{cl_khr_fp16} and @code{cl_khr_fp64} OpenCL
14658 extensions are also known to @value{GDBN}.
14659
14660 @node OpenCL C Expressions
14661 @subsubsection OpenCL C Expressions
14662
14663 @cindex OpenCL C Expressions
14664 @value{GDBN} supports accesses to vector components including the access as
14665 lvalue where possible. Since OpenCL C is based on C99 most C expressions
14666 supported by @value{GDBN} can be used as well.
14667
14668 @node OpenCL C Operators
14669 @subsubsection OpenCL C Operators
14670
14671 @cindex OpenCL C Operators
14672 @value{GDBN} supports the operators specified by OpenCL 1.1 for scalar and
14673 vector data types.
14674
14675 @node Fortran
14676 @subsection Fortran
14677 @cindex Fortran-specific support in @value{GDBN}
14678
14679 @value{GDBN} can be used to debug programs written in Fortran, but it
14680 currently supports only the features of Fortran 77 language.
14681
14682 @cindex trailing underscore, in Fortran symbols
14683 Some Fortran compilers (@sc{gnu} Fortran 77 and Fortran 95 compilers
14684 among them) append an underscore to the names of variables and
14685 functions. When you debug programs compiled by those compilers, you
14686 will need to refer to variables and functions with a trailing
14687 underscore.
14688
14689 @menu
14690 * Fortran Operators:: Fortran operators and expressions
14691 * Fortran Defaults:: Default settings for Fortran
14692 * Special Fortran Commands:: Special @value{GDBN} commands for Fortran
14693 @end menu
14694
14695 @node Fortran Operators
14696 @subsubsection Fortran Operators and Expressions
14697
14698 @cindex Fortran operators and expressions
14699
14700 Operators must be defined on values of specific types. For instance,
14701 @code{+} is defined on numbers, but not on characters or other non-
14702 arithmetic types. Operators are often defined on groups of types.
14703
14704 @table @code
14705 @item **
14706 The exponentiation operator. It raises the first operand to the power
14707 of the second one.
14708
14709 @item :
14710 The range operator. Normally used in the form of array(low:high) to
14711 represent a section of array.
14712
14713 @item %
14714 The access component operator. Normally used to access elements in derived
14715 types. Also suitable for unions. As unions aren't part of regular Fortran,
14716 this can only happen when accessing a register that uses a gdbarch-defined
14717 union type.
14718 @end table
14719
14720 @node Fortran Defaults
14721 @subsubsection Fortran Defaults
14722
14723 @cindex Fortran Defaults
14724
14725 Fortran symbols are usually case-insensitive, so @value{GDBN} by
14726 default uses case-insensitive matches for Fortran symbols. You can
14727 change that with the @samp{set case-insensitive} command, see
14728 @ref{Symbols}, for the details.
14729
14730 @node Special Fortran Commands
14731 @subsubsection Special Fortran Commands
14732
14733 @cindex Special Fortran commands
14734
14735 @value{GDBN} has some commands to support Fortran-specific features,
14736 such as displaying common blocks.
14737
14738 @table @code
14739 @cindex @code{COMMON} blocks, Fortran
14740 @kindex info common
14741 @item info common @r{[}@var{common-name}@r{]}
14742 This command prints the values contained in the Fortran @code{COMMON}
14743 block whose name is @var{common-name}. With no argument, the names of
14744 all @code{COMMON} blocks visible at the current program location are
14745 printed.
14746 @end table
14747
14748 @node Pascal
14749 @subsection Pascal
14750
14751 @cindex Pascal support in @value{GDBN}, limitations
14752 Debugging Pascal programs which use sets, subranges, file variables, or
14753 nested functions does not currently work. @value{GDBN} does not support
14754 entering expressions, printing values, or similar features using Pascal
14755 syntax.
14756
14757 The Pascal-specific command @code{set print pascal_static-members}
14758 controls whether static members of Pascal objects are displayed.
14759 @xref{Print Settings, pascal_static-members}.
14760
14761 @node Modula-2
14762 @subsection Modula-2
14763
14764 @cindex Modula-2, @value{GDBN} support
14765
14766 The extensions made to @value{GDBN} to support Modula-2 only support
14767 output from the @sc{gnu} Modula-2 compiler (which is currently being
14768 developed). Other Modula-2 compilers are not currently supported, and
14769 attempting to debug executables produced by them is most likely
14770 to give an error as @value{GDBN} reads in the executable's symbol
14771 table.
14772
14773 @cindex expressions in Modula-2
14774 @menu
14775 * M2 Operators:: Built-in operators
14776 * Built-In Func/Proc:: Built-in functions and procedures
14777 * M2 Constants:: Modula-2 constants
14778 * M2 Types:: Modula-2 types
14779 * M2 Defaults:: Default settings for Modula-2
14780 * Deviations:: Deviations from standard Modula-2
14781 * M2 Checks:: Modula-2 type and range checks
14782 * M2 Scope:: The scope operators @code{::} and @code{.}
14783 * GDB/M2:: @value{GDBN} and Modula-2
14784 @end menu
14785
14786 @node M2 Operators
14787 @subsubsection Operators
14788 @cindex Modula-2 operators
14789
14790 Operators must be defined on values of specific types. For instance,
14791 @code{+} is defined on numbers, but not on structures. Operators are
14792 often defined on groups of types. For the purposes of Modula-2, the
14793 following definitions hold:
14794
14795 @itemize @bullet
14796
14797 @item
14798 @emph{Integral types} consist of @code{INTEGER}, @code{CARDINAL}, and
14799 their subranges.
14800
14801 @item
14802 @emph{Character types} consist of @code{CHAR} and its subranges.
14803
14804 @item
14805 @emph{Floating-point types} consist of @code{REAL}.
14806
14807 @item
14808 @emph{Pointer types} consist of anything declared as @code{POINTER TO
14809 @var{type}}.
14810
14811 @item
14812 @emph{Scalar types} consist of all of the above.
14813
14814 @item
14815 @emph{Set types} consist of @code{SET} and @code{BITSET} types.
14816
14817 @item
14818 @emph{Boolean types} consist of @code{BOOLEAN}.
14819 @end itemize
14820
14821 @noindent
14822 The following operators are supported, and appear in order of
14823 increasing precedence:
14824
14825 @table @code
14826 @item ,
14827 Function argument or array index separator.
14828
14829 @item :=
14830 Assignment. The value of @var{var} @code{:=} @var{value} is
14831 @var{value}.
14832
14833 @item <@r{, }>
14834 Less than, greater than on integral, floating-point, or enumerated
14835 types.
14836
14837 @item <=@r{, }>=
14838 Less than or equal to, greater than or equal to
14839 on integral, floating-point and enumerated types, or set inclusion on
14840 set types. Same precedence as @code{<}.
14841
14842 @item =@r{, }<>@r{, }#
14843 Equality and two ways of expressing inequality, valid on scalar types.
14844 Same precedence as @code{<}. In @value{GDBN} scripts, only @code{<>} is
14845 available for inequality, since @code{#} conflicts with the script
14846 comment character.
14847
14848 @item IN
14849 Set membership. Defined on set types and the types of their members.
14850 Same precedence as @code{<}.
14851
14852 @item OR
14853 Boolean disjunction. Defined on boolean types.
14854
14855 @item AND@r{, }&
14856 Boolean conjunction. Defined on boolean types.
14857
14858 @item @@
14859 The @value{GDBN} ``artificial array'' operator (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}).
14860
14861 @item +@r{, }-
14862 Addition and subtraction on integral and floating-point types, or union
14863 and difference on set types.
14864
14865 @item *
14866 Multiplication on integral and floating-point types, or set intersection
14867 on set types.
14868
14869 @item /
14870 Division on floating-point types, or symmetric set difference on set
14871 types. Same precedence as @code{*}.
14872
14873 @item DIV@r{, }MOD
14874 Integer division and remainder. Defined on integral types. Same
14875 precedence as @code{*}.
14876
14877 @item -
14878 Negative. Defined on @code{INTEGER} and @code{REAL} data.
14879
14880 @item ^
14881 Pointer dereferencing. Defined on pointer types.
14882
14883 @item NOT
14884 Boolean negation. Defined on boolean types. Same precedence as
14885 @code{^}.
14886
14887 @item .
14888 @code{RECORD} field selector. Defined on @code{RECORD} data. Same
14889 precedence as @code{^}.
14890
14891 @item []
14892 Array indexing. Defined on @code{ARRAY} data. Same precedence as @code{^}.
14893
14894 @item ()
14895 Procedure argument list. Defined on @code{PROCEDURE} objects. Same precedence
14896 as @code{^}.
14897
14898 @item ::@r{, }.
14899 @value{GDBN} and Modula-2 scope operators.
14900 @end table
14901
14902 @quotation
14903 @emph{Warning:} Set expressions and their operations are not yet supported, so @value{GDBN}
14904 treats the use of the operator @code{IN}, or the use of operators
14905 @code{+}, @code{-}, @code{*}, @code{/}, @code{=}, , @code{<>}, @code{#},
14906 @code{<=}, and @code{>=} on sets as an error.
14907 @end quotation
14908
14909
14910 @node Built-In Func/Proc
14911 @subsubsection Built-in Functions and Procedures
14912 @cindex Modula-2 built-ins
14913
14914 Modula-2 also makes available several built-in procedures and functions.
14915 In describing these, the following metavariables are used:
14916
14917 @table @var
14918
14919 @item a
14920 represents an @code{ARRAY} variable.
14921
14922 @item c
14923 represents a @code{CHAR} constant or variable.
14924
14925 @item i
14926 represents a variable or constant of integral type.
14927
14928 @item m
14929 represents an identifier that belongs to a set. Generally used in the
14930 same function with the metavariable @var{s}. The type of @var{s} should
14931 be @code{SET OF @var{mtype}} (where @var{mtype} is the type of @var{m}).
14932
14933 @item n
14934 represents a variable or constant of integral or floating-point type.
14935
14936 @item r
14937 represents a variable or constant of floating-point type.
14938
14939 @item t
14940 represents a type.
14941
14942 @item v
14943 represents a variable.
14944
14945 @item x
14946 represents a variable or constant of one of many types. See the
14947 explanation of the function for details.
14948 @end table
14949
14950 All Modula-2 built-in procedures also return a result, described below.
14951
14952 @table @code
14953 @item ABS(@var{n})
14954 Returns the absolute value of @var{n}.
14955
14956 @item CAP(@var{c})
14957 If @var{c} is a lower case letter, it returns its upper case
14958 equivalent, otherwise it returns its argument.
14959
14960 @item CHR(@var{i})
14961 Returns the character whose ordinal value is @var{i}.
14962
14963 @item DEC(@var{v})
14964 Decrements the value in the variable @var{v} by one. Returns the new value.
14965
14966 @item DEC(@var{v},@var{i})
14967 Decrements the value in the variable @var{v} by @var{i}. Returns the
14968 new value.
14969
14970 @item EXCL(@var{m},@var{s})
14971 Removes the element @var{m} from the set @var{s}. Returns the new
14972 set.
14973
14974 @item FLOAT(@var{i})
14975 Returns the floating point equivalent of the integer @var{i}.
14976
14977 @item HIGH(@var{a})
14978 Returns the index of the last member of @var{a}.
14979
14980 @item INC(@var{v})
14981 Increments the value in the variable @var{v} by one. Returns the new value.
14982
14983 @item INC(@var{v},@var{i})
14984 Increments the value in the variable @var{v} by @var{i}. Returns the
14985 new value.
14986
14987 @item INCL(@var{m},@var{s})
14988 Adds the element @var{m} to the set @var{s} if it is not already
14989 there. Returns the new set.
14990
14991 @item MAX(@var{t})
14992 Returns the maximum value of the type @var{t}.
14993
14994 @item MIN(@var{t})
14995 Returns the minimum value of the type @var{t}.
14996
14997 @item ODD(@var{i})
14998 Returns boolean TRUE if @var{i} is an odd number.
14999
15000 @item ORD(@var{x})
15001 Returns the ordinal value of its argument. For example, the ordinal
15002 value of a character is its @sc{ascii} value (on machines supporting
15003 the @sc{ascii} character set). The argument @var{x} must be of an
15004 ordered type, which include integral, character and enumerated types.
15005
15006 @item SIZE(@var{x})
15007 Returns the size of its argument. The argument @var{x} can be a
15008 variable or a type.
15009
15010 @item TRUNC(@var{r})
15011 Returns the integral part of @var{r}.
15012
15013 @item TSIZE(@var{x})
15014 Returns the size of its argument. The argument @var{x} can be a
15015 variable or a type.
15016
15017 @item VAL(@var{t},@var{i})
15018 Returns the member of the type @var{t} whose ordinal value is @var{i}.
15019 @end table
15020
15021 @quotation
15022 @emph{Warning:} Sets and their operations are not yet supported, so
15023 @value{GDBN} treats the use of procedures @code{INCL} and @code{EXCL} as
15024 an error.
15025 @end quotation
15026
15027 @cindex Modula-2 constants
15028 @node M2 Constants
15029 @subsubsection Constants
15030
15031 @value{GDBN} allows you to express the constants of Modula-2 in the following
15032 ways:
15033
15034 @itemize @bullet
15035
15036 @item
15037 Integer constants are simply a sequence of digits. When used in an
15038 expression, a constant is interpreted to be type-compatible with the
15039 rest of the expression. Hexadecimal integers are specified by a
15040 trailing @samp{H}, and octal integers by a trailing @samp{B}.
15041
15042 @item
15043 Floating point constants appear as a sequence of digits, followed by a
15044 decimal point and another sequence of digits. An optional exponent can
15045 then be specified, in the form @samp{E@r{[}+@r{|}-@r{]}@var{nnn}}, where
15046 @samp{@r{[}+@r{|}-@r{]}@var{nnn}} is the desired exponent. All of the
15047 digits of the floating point constant must be valid decimal (base 10)
15048 digits.
15049
15050 @item
15051 Character constants consist of a single character enclosed by a pair of
15052 like quotes, either single (@code{'}) or double (@code{"}). They may
15053 also be expressed by their ordinal value (their @sc{ascii} value, usually)
15054 followed by a @samp{C}.
15055
15056 @item
15057 String constants consist of a sequence of characters enclosed by a
15058 pair of like quotes, either single (@code{'}) or double (@code{"}).
15059 Escape sequences in the style of C are also allowed. @xref{C
15060 Constants, ,C and C@t{++} Constants}, for a brief explanation of escape
15061 sequences.
15062
15063 @item
15064 Enumerated constants consist of an enumerated identifier.
15065
15066 @item
15067 Boolean constants consist of the identifiers @code{TRUE} and
15068 @code{FALSE}.
15069
15070 @item
15071 Pointer constants consist of integral values only.
15072
15073 @item
15074 Set constants are not yet supported.
15075 @end itemize
15076
15077 @node M2 Types
15078 @subsubsection Modula-2 Types
15079 @cindex Modula-2 types
15080
15081 Currently @value{GDBN} can print the following data types in Modula-2
15082 syntax: array types, record types, set types, pointer types, procedure
15083 types, enumerated types, subrange types and base types. You can also
15084 print the contents of variables declared using these type.
15085 This section gives a number of simple source code examples together with
15086 sample @value{GDBN} sessions.
15087
15088 The first example contains the following section of code:
15089
15090 @smallexample
15091 VAR
15092 s: SET OF CHAR ;
15093 r: [20..40] ;
15094 @end smallexample
15095
15096 @noindent
15097 and you can request @value{GDBN} to interrogate the type and value of
15098 @code{r} and @code{s}.
15099
15100 @smallexample
15101 (@value{GDBP}) print s
15102 @{'A'..'C', 'Z'@}
15103 (@value{GDBP}) ptype s
15104 SET OF CHAR
15105 (@value{GDBP}) print r
15106 21
15107 (@value{GDBP}) ptype r
15108 [20..40]
15109 @end smallexample
15110
15111 @noindent
15112 Likewise if your source code declares @code{s} as:
15113
15114 @smallexample
15115 VAR
15116 s: SET ['A'..'Z'] ;
15117 @end smallexample
15118
15119 @noindent
15120 then you may query the type of @code{s} by:
15121
15122 @smallexample
15123 (@value{GDBP}) ptype s
15124 type = SET ['A'..'Z']
15125 @end smallexample
15126
15127 @noindent
15128 Note that at present you cannot interactively manipulate set
15129 expressions using the debugger.
15130
15131 The following example shows how you might declare an array in Modula-2
15132 and how you can interact with @value{GDBN} to print its type and contents:
15133
15134 @smallexample
15135 VAR
15136 s: ARRAY [-10..10] OF CHAR ;
15137 @end smallexample
15138
15139 @smallexample
15140 (@value{GDBP}) ptype s
15141 ARRAY [-10..10] OF CHAR
15142 @end smallexample
15143
15144 Note that the array handling is not yet complete and although the type
15145 is printed correctly, expression handling still assumes that all
15146 arrays have a lower bound of zero and not @code{-10} as in the example
15147 above.
15148
15149 Here are some more type related Modula-2 examples:
15150
15151 @smallexample
15152 TYPE
15153 colour = (blue, red, yellow, green) ;
15154 t = [blue..yellow] ;
15155 VAR
15156 s: t ;
15157 BEGIN
15158 s := blue ;
15159 @end smallexample
15160
15161 @noindent
15162 The @value{GDBN} interaction shows how you can query the data type
15163 and value of a variable.
15164
15165 @smallexample
15166 (@value{GDBP}) print s
15167 $1 = blue
15168 (@value{GDBP}) ptype t
15169 type = [blue..yellow]
15170 @end smallexample
15171
15172 @noindent
15173 In this example a Modula-2 array is declared and its contents
15174 displayed. Observe that the contents are written in the same way as
15175 their @code{C} counterparts.
15176
15177 @smallexample
15178 VAR
15179 s: ARRAY [1..5] OF CARDINAL ;
15180 BEGIN
15181 s[1] := 1 ;
15182 @end smallexample
15183
15184 @smallexample
15185 (@value{GDBP}) print s
15186 $1 = @{1, 0, 0, 0, 0@}
15187 (@value{GDBP}) ptype s
15188 type = ARRAY [1..5] OF CARDINAL
15189 @end smallexample
15190
15191 The Modula-2 language interface to @value{GDBN} also understands
15192 pointer types as shown in this example:
15193
15194 @smallexample
15195 VAR
15196 s: POINTER TO ARRAY [1..5] OF CARDINAL ;
15197 BEGIN
15198 NEW(s) ;
15199 s^[1] := 1 ;
15200 @end smallexample
15201
15202 @noindent
15203 and you can request that @value{GDBN} describes the type of @code{s}.
15204
15205 @smallexample
15206 (@value{GDBP}) ptype s
15207 type = POINTER TO ARRAY [1..5] OF CARDINAL
15208 @end smallexample
15209
15210 @value{GDBN} handles compound types as we can see in this example.
15211 Here we combine array types, record types, pointer types and subrange
15212 types:
15213
15214 @smallexample
15215 TYPE
15216 foo = RECORD
15217 f1: CARDINAL ;
15218 f2: CHAR ;
15219 f3: myarray ;
15220 END ;
15221
15222 myarray = ARRAY myrange OF CARDINAL ;
15223 myrange = [-2..2] ;
15224 VAR
15225 s: POINTER TO ARRAY myrange OF foo ;
15226 @end smallexample
15227
15228 @noindent
15229 and you can ask @value{GDBN} to describe the type of @code{s} as shown
15230 below.
15231
15232 @smallexample
15233 (@value{GDBP}) ptype s
15234 type = POINTER TO ARRAY [-2..2] OF foo = RECORD
15235 f1 : CARDINAL;
15236 f2 : CHAR;
15237 f3 : ARRAY [-2..2] OF CARDINAL;
15238 END
15239 @end smallexample
15240
15241 @node M2 Defaults
15242 @subsubsection Modula-2 Defaults
15243 @cindex Modula-2 defaults
15244
15245 If type and range checking are set automatically by @value{GDBN}, they
15246 both default to @code{on} whenever the working language changes to
15247 Modula-2. This happens regardless of whether you or @value{GDBN}
15248 selected the working language.
15249
15250 If you allow @value{GDBN} to set the language automatically, then entering
15251 code compiled from a file whose name ends with @file{.mod} sets the
15252 working language to Modula-2. @xref{Automatically, ,Having @value{GDBN}
15253 Infer the Source Language}, for further details.
15254
15255 @node Deviations
15256 @subsubsection Deviations from Standard Modula-2
15257 @cindex Modula-2, deviations from
15258
15259 A few changes have been made to make Modula-2 programs easier to debug.
15260 This is done primarily via loosening its type strictness:
15261
15262 @itemize @bullet
15263 @item
15264 Unlike in standard Modula-2, pointer constants can be formed by
15265 integers. This allows you to modify pointer variables during
15266 debugging. (In standard Modula-2, the actual address contained in a
15267 pointer variable is hidden from you; it can only be modified
15268 through direct assignment to another pointer variable or expression that
15269 returned a pointer.)
15270
15271 @item
15272 C escape sequences can be used in strings and characters to represent
15273 non-printable characters. @value{GDBN} prints out strings with these
15274 escape sequences embedded. Single non-printable characters are
15275 printed using the @samp{CHR(@var{nnn})} format.
15276
15277 @item
15278 The assignment operator (@code{:=}) returns the value of its right-hand
15279 argument.
15280
15281 @item
15282 All built-in procedures both modify @emph{and} return their argument.
15283 @end itemize
15284
15285 @node M2 Checks
15286 @subsubsection Modula-2 Type and Range Checks
15287 @cindex Modula-2 checks
15288
15289 @quotation
15290 @emph{Warning:} in this release, @value{GDBN} does not yet perform type or
15291 range checking.
15292 @end quotation
15293 @c FIXME remove warning when type/range checks added
15294
15295 @value{GDBN} considers two Modula-2 variables type equivalent if:
15296
15297 @itemize @bullet
15298 @item
15299 They are of types that have been declared equivalent via a @code{TYPE
15300 @var{t1} = @var{t2}} statement
15301
15302 @item
15303 They have been declared on the same line. (Note: This is true of the
15304 @sc{gnu} Modula-2 compiler, but it may not be true of other compilers.)
15305 @end itemize
15306
15307 As long as type checking is enabled, any attempt to combine variables
15308 whose types are not equivalent is an error.
15309
15310 Range checking is done on all mathematical operations, assignment, array
15311 index bounds, and all built-in functions and procedures.
15312
15313 @node M2 Scope
15314 @subsubsection The Scope Operators @code{::} and @code{.}
15315 @cindex scope
15316 @cindex @code{.}, Modula-2 scope operator
15317 @cindex colon, doubled as scope operator
15318 @ifinfo
15319 @vindex colon-colon@r{, in Modula-2}
15320 @c Info cannot handle :: but TeX can.
15321 @end ifinfo
15322 @ifnotinfo
15323 @vindex ::@r{, in Modula-2}
15324 @end ifnotinfo
15325
15326 There are a few subtle differences between the Modula-2 scope operator
15327 (@code{.}) and the @value{GDBN} scope operator (@code{::}). The two have
15328 similar syntax:
15329
15330 @smallexample
15331
15332 @var{module} . @var{id}
15333 @var{scope} :: @var{id}
15334 @end smallexample
15335
15336 @noindent
15337 where @var{scope} is the name of a module or a procedure,
15338 @var{module} the name of a module, and @var{id} is any declared
15339 identifier within your program, except another module.
15340
15341 Using the @code{::} operator makes @value{GDBN} search the scope
15342 specified by @var{scope} for the identifier @var{id}. If it is not
15343 found in the specified scope, then @value{GDBN} searches all scopes
15344 enclosing the one specified by @var{scope}.
15345
15346 Using the @code{.} operator makes @value{GDBN} search the current scope for
15347 the identifier specified by @var{id} that was imported from the
15348 definition module specified by @var{module}. With this operator, it is
15349 an error if the identifier @var{id} was not imported from definition
15350 module @var{module}, or if @var{id} is not an identifier in
15351 @var{module}.
15352
15353 @node GDB/M2
15354 @subsubsection @value{GDBN} and Modula-2
15355
15356 Some @value{GDBN} commands have little use when debugging Modula-2 programs.
15357 Five subcommands of @code{set print} and @code{show print} apply
15358 specifically to C and C@t{++}: @samp{vtbl}, @samp{demangle},
15359 @samp{asm-demangle}, @samp{object}, and @samp{union}. The first four
15360 apply to C@t{++}, and the last to the C @code{union} type, which has no direct
15361 analogue in Modula-2.
15362
15363 The @code{@@} operator (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}), while available
15364 with any language, is not useful with Modula-2. Its
15365 intent is to aid the debugging of @dfn{dynamic arrays}, which cannot be
15366 created in Modula-2 as they can in C or C@t{++}. However, because an
15367 address can be specified by an integral constant, the construct
15368 @samp{@{@var{type}@}@var{adrexp}} is still useful.
15369
15370 @cindex @code{#} in Modula-2
15371 In @value{GDBN} scripts, the Modula-2 inequality operator @code{#} is
15372 interpreted as the beginning of a comment. Use @code{<>} instead.
15373
15374 @node Ada
15375 @subsection Ada
15376 @cindex Ada
15377
15378 The extensions made to @value{GDBN} for Ada only support
15379 output from the @sc{gnu} Ada (GNAT) compiler.
15380 Other Ada compilers are not currently supported, and
15381 attempting to debug executables produced by them is most likely
15382 to be difficult.
15383
15384
15385 @cindex expressions in Ada
15386 @menu
15387 * Ada Mode Intro:: General remarks on the Ada syntax
15388 and semantics supported by Ada mode
15389 in @value{GDBN}.
15390 * Omissions from Ada:: Restrictions on the Ada expression syntax.
15391 * Additions to Ada:: Extensions of the Ada expression syntax.
15392 * Stopping Before Main Program:: Debugging the program during elaboration.
15393 * Ada Exceptions:: Ada Exceptions
15394 * Ada Tasks:: Listing and setting breakpoints in tasks.
15395 * Ada Tasks and Core Files:: Tasking Support when Debugging Core Files
15396 * Ravenscar Profile:: Tasking Support when using the Ravenscar
15397 Profile
15398 * Ada Glitches:: Known peculiarities of Ada mode.
15399 @end menu
15400
15401 @node Ada Mode Intro
15402 @subsubsection Introduction
15403 @cindex Ada mode, general
15404
15405 The Ada mode of @value{GDBN} supports a fairly large subset of Ada expression
15406 syntax, with some extensions.
15407 The philosophy behind the design of this subset is
15408
15409 @itemize @bullet
15410 @item
15411 That @value{GDBN} should provide basic literals and access to operations for
15412 arithmetic, dereferencing, field selection, indexing, and subprogram calls,
15413 leaving more sophisticated computations to subprograms written into the
15414 program (which therefore may be called from @value{GDBN}).
15415
15416 @item
15417 That type safety and strict adherence to Ada language restrictions
15418 are not particularly important to the @value{GDBN} user.
15419
15420 @item
15421 That brevity is important to the @value{GDBN} user.
15422 @end itemize
15423
15424 Thus, for brevity, the debugger acts as if all names declared in
15425 user-written packages are directly visible, even if they are not visible
15426 according to Ada rules, thus making it unnecessary to fully qualify most
15427 names with their packages, regardless of context. Where this causes
15428 ambiguity, @value{GDBN} asks the user's intent.
15429
15430 The debugger will start in Ada mode if it detects an Ada main program.
15431 As for other languages, it will enter Ada mode when stopped in a program that
15432 was translated from an Ada source file.
15433
15434 While in Ada mode, you may use `@t{--}' for comments. This is useful
15435 mostly for documenting command files. The standard @value{GDBN} comment
15436 (@samp{#}) still works at the beginning of a line in Ada mode, but not in the
15437 middle (to allow based literals).
15438
15439 The debugger supports limited overloading. Given a subprogram call in which
15440 the function symbol has multiple definitions, it will use the number of
15441 actual parameters and some information about their types to attempt to narrow
15442 the set of definitions. It also makes very limited use of context, preferring
15443 procedures to functions in the context of the @code{call} command, and
15444 functions to procedures elsewhere.
15445
15446 @node Omissions from Ada
15447 @subsubsection Omissions from Ada
15448 @cindex Ada, omissions from
15449
15450 Here are the notable omissions from the subset:
15451
15452 @itemize @bullet
15453 @item
15454 Only a subset of the attributes are supported:
15455
15456 @itemize @minus
15457 @item
15458 @t{'First}, @t{'Last}, and @t{'Length}
15459 on array objects (not on types and subtypes).
15460
15461 @item
15462 @t{'Min} and @t{'Max}.
15463
15464 @item
15465 @t{'Pos} and @t{'Val}.
15466
15467 @item
15468 @t{'Tag}.
15469
15470 @item
15471 @t{'Range} on array objects (not subtypes), but only as the right
15472 operand of the membership (@code{in}) operator.
15473
15474 @item
15475 @t{'Access}, @t{'Unchecked_Access}, and
15476 @t{'Unrestricted_Access} (a GNAT extension).
15477
15478 @item
15479 @t{'Address}.
15480 @end itemize
15481
15482 @item
15483 The names in
15484 @code{Characters.Latin_1} are not available and
15485 concatenation is not implemented. Thus, escape characters in strings are
15486 not currently available.
15487
15488 @item
15489 Equality tests (@samp{=} and @samp{/=}) on arrays test for bitwise
15490 equality of representations. They will generally work correctly
15491 for strings and arrays whose elements have integer or enumeration types.
15492 They may not work correctly for arrays whose element
15493 types have user-defined equality, for arrays of real values
15494 (in particular, IEEE-conformant floating point, because of negative
15495 zeroes and NaNs), and for arrays whose elements contain unused bits with
15496 indeterminate values.
15497
15498 @item
15499 The other component-by-component array operations (@code{and}, @code{or},
15500 @code{xor}, @code{not}, and relational tests other than equality)
15501 are not implemented.
15502
15503 @item
15504 @cindex array aggregates (Ada)
15505 @cindex record aggregates (Ada)
15506 @cindex aggregates (Ada)
15507 There is limited support for array and record aggregates. They are
15508 permitted only on the right sides of assignments, as in these examples:
15509
15510 @smallexample
15511 (@value{GDBP}) set An_Array := (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
15512 (@value{GDBP}) set An_Array := (1, others => 0)
15513 (@value{GDBP}) set An_Array := (0|4 => 1, 1..3 => 2, 5 => 6)
15514 (@value{GDBP}) set A_2D_Array := ((1, 2, 3), (4, 5, 6), (7, 8, 9))
15515 (@value{GDBP}) set A_Record := (1, "Peter", True);
15516 (@value{GDBP}) set A_Record := (Name => "Peter", Id => 1, Alive => True)
15517 @end smallexample
15518
15519 Changing a
15520 discriminant's value by assigning an aggregate has an
15521 undefined effect if that discriminant is used within the record.
15522 However, you can first modify discriminants by directly assigning to
15523 them (which normally would not be allowed in Ada), and then performing an
15524 aggregate assignment. For example, given a variable @code{A_Rec}
15525 declared to have a type such as:
15526
15527 @smallexample
15528 type Rec (Len : Small_Integer := 0) is record
15529 Id : Integer;
15530 Vals : IntArray (1 .. Len);
15531 end record;
15532 @end smallexample
15533
15534 you can assign a value with a different size of @code{Vals} with two
15535 assignments:
15536
15537 @smallexample
15538 (@value{GDBP}) set A_Rec.Len := 4
15539 (@value{GDBP}) set A_Rec := (Id => 42, Vals => (1, 2, 3, 4))
15540 @end smallexample
15541
15542 As this example also illustrates, @value{GDBN} is very loose about the usual
15543 rules concerning aggregates. You may leave out some of the
15544 components of an array or record aggregate (such as the @code{Len}
15545 component in the assignment to @code{A_Rec} above); they will retain their
15546 original values upon assignment. You may freely use dynamic values as
15547 indices in component associations. You may even use overlapping or
15548 redundant component associations, although which component values are
15549 assigned in such cases is not defined.
15550
15551 @item
15552 Calls to dispatching subprograms are not implemented.
15553
15554 @item
15555 The overloading algorithm is much more limited (i.e., less selective)
15556 than that of real Ada. It makes only limited use of the context in
15557 which a subexpression appears to resolve its meaning, and it is much
15558 looser in its rules for allowing type matches. As a result, some
15559 function calls will be ambiguous, and the user will be asked to choose
15560 the proper resolution.
15561
15562 @item
15563 The @code{new} operator is not implemented.
15564
15565 @item
15566 Entry calls are not implemented.
15567
15568 @item
15569 Aside from printing, arithmetic operations on the native VAX floating-point
15570 formats are not supported.
15571
15572 @item
15573 It is not possible to slice a packed array.
15574
15575 @item
15576 The names @code{True} and @code{False}, when not part of a qualified name,
15577 are interpreted as if implicitly prefixed by @code{Standard}, regardless of
15578 context.
15579 Should your program
15580 redefine these names in a package or procedure (at best a dubious practice),
15581 you will have to use fully qualified names to access their new definitions.
15582 @end itemize
15583
15584 @node Additions to Ada
15585 @subsubsection Additions to Ada
15586 @cindex Ada, deviations from
15587
15588 As it does for other languages, @value{GDBN} makes certain generic
15589 extensions to Ada (@pxref{Expressions}):
15590
15591 @itemize @bullet
15592 @item
15593 If the expression @var{E} is a variable residing in memory (typically
15594 a local variable or array element) and @var{N} is a positive integer,
15595 then @code{@var{E}@@@var{N}} displays the values of @var{E} and the
15596 @var{N}-1 adjacent variables following it in memory as an array. In
15597 Ada, this operator is generally not necessary, since its prime use is
15598 in displaying parts of an array, and slicing will usually do this in
15599 Ada. However, there are occasional uses when debugging programs in
15600 which certain debugging information has been optimized away.
15601
15602 @item
15603 @code{@var{B}::@var{var}} means ``the variable named @var{var} that
15604 appears in function or file @var{B}.'' When @var{B} is a file name,
15605 you must typically surround it in single quotes.
15606
15607 @item
15608 The expression @code{@{@var{type}@} @var{addr}} means ``the variable of type
15609 @var{type} that appears at address @var{addr}.''
15610
15611 @item
15612 A name starting with @samp{$} is a convenience variable
15613 (@pxref{Convenience Vars}) or a machine register (@pxref{Registers}).
15614 @end itemize
15615
15616 In addition, @value{GDBN} provides a few other shortcuts and outright
15617 additions specific to Ada:
15618
15619 @itemize @bullet
15620 @item
15621 The assignment statement is allowed as an expression, returning
15622 its right-hand operand as its value. Thus, you may enter
15623
15624 @smallexample
15625 (@value{GDBP}) set x := y + 3
15626 (@value{GDBP}) print A(tmp := y + 1)
15627 @end smallexample
15628
15629 @item
15630 The semicolon is allowed as an ``operator,'' returning as its value
15631 the value of its right-hand operand.
15632 This allows, for example,
15633 complex conditional breaks:
15634
15635 @smallexample
15636 (@value{GDBP}) break f
15637 (@value{GDBP}) condition 1 (report(i); k += 1; A(k) > 100)
15638 @end smallexample
15639
15640 @item
15641 Rather than use catenation and symbolic character names to introduce special
15642 characters into strings, one may instead use a special bracket notation,
15643 which is also used to print strings. A sequence of characters of the form
15644 @samp{["@var{XX}"]} within a string or character literal denotes the
15645 (single) character whose numeric encoding is @var{XX} in hexadecimal. The
15646 sequence of characters @samp{["""]} also denotes a single quotation mark
15647 in strings. For example,
15648 @smallexample
15649 "One line.["0a"]Next line.["0a"]"
15650 @end smallexample
15651 @noindent
15652 contains an ASCII newline character (@code{Ada.Characters.Latin_1.LF})
15653 after each period.
15654
15655 @item
15656 The subtype used as a prefix for the attributes @t{'Pos}, @t{'Min}, and
15657 @t{'Max} is optional (and is ignored in any case). For example, it is valid
15658 to write
15659
15660 @smallexample
15661 (@value{GDBP}) print 'max(x, y)
15662 @end smallexample
15663
15664 @item
15665 When printing arrays, @value{GDBN} uses positional notation when the
15666 array has a lower bound of 1, and uses a modified named notation otherwise.
15667 For example, a one-dimensional array of three integers with a lower bound
15668 of 3 might print as
15669
15670 @smallexample
15671 (3 => 10, 17, 1)
15672 @end smallexample
15673
15674 @noindent
15675 That is, in contrast to valid Ada, only the first component has a @code{=>}
15676 clause.
15677
15678 @item
15679 You may abbreviate attributes in expressions with any unique,
15680 multi-character subsequence of
15681 their names (an exact match gets preference).
15682 For example, you may use @t{a'len}, @t{a'gth}, or @t{a'lh}
15683 in place of @t{a'length}.
15684
15685 @item
15686 @cindex quoting Ada internal identifiers
15687 Since Ada is case-insensitive, the debugger normally maps identifiers you type
15688 to lower case. The GNAT compiler uses upper-case characters for
15689 some of its internal identifiers, which are normally of no interest to users.
15690 For the rare occasions when you actually have to look at them,
15691 enclose them in angle brackets to avoid the lower-case mapping.
15692 For example,
15693 @smallexample
15694 (@value{GDBP}) print <JMPBUF_SAVE>[0]
15695 @end smallexample
15696
15697 @item
15698 Printing an object of class-wide type or dereferencing an
15699 access-to-class-wide value will display all the components of the object's
15700 specific type (as indicated by its run-time tag). Likewise, component
15701 selection on such a value will operate on the specific type of the
15702 object.
15703
15704 @end itemize
15705
15706 @node Stopping Before Main Program
15707 @subsubsection Stopping at the Very Beginning
15708
15709 @cindex breakpointing Ada elaboration code
15710 It is sometimes necessary to debug the program during elaboration, and
15711 before reaching the main procedure.
15712 As defined in the Ada Reference
15713 Manual, the elaboration code is invoked from a procedure called
15714 @code{adainit}. To run your program up to the beginning of
15715 elaboration, simply use the following two commands:
15716 @code{tbreak adainit} and @code{run}.
15717
15718 @node Ada Exceptions
15719 @subsubsection Ada Exceptions
15720
15721 A command is provided to list all Ada exceptions:
15722
15723 @table @code
15724 @kindex info exceptions
15725 @item info exceptions
15726 @itemx info exceptions @var{regexp}
15727 The @code{info exceptions} command allows you to list all Ada exceptions
15728 defined within the program being debugged, as well as their addresses.
15729 With a regular expression, @var{regexp}, as argument, only those exceptions
15730 whose names match @var{regexp} are listed.
15731 @end table
15732
15733 Below is a small example, showing how the command can be used, first
15734 without argument, and next with a regular expression passed as an
15735 argument.
15736
15737 @smallexample
15738 (@value{GDBP}) info exceptions
15739 All defined Ada exceptions:
15740 constraint_error: 0x613da0
15741 program_error: 0x613d20
15742 storage_error: 0x613ce0
15743 tasking_error: 0x613ca0
15744 const.aint_global_e: 0x613b00
15745 (@value{GDBP}) info exceptions const.aint
15746 All Ada exceptions matching regular expression "const.aint":
15747 constraint_error: 0x613da0
15748 const.aint_global_e: 0x613b00
15749 @end smallexample
15750
15751 It is also possible to ask @value{GDBN} to stop your program's execution
15752 when an exception is raised. For more details, see @ref{Set Catchpoints}.
15753
15754 @node Ada Tasks
15755 @subsubsection Extensions for Ada Tasks
15756 @cindex Ada, tasking
15757
15758 Support for Ada tasks is analogous to that for threads (@pxref{Threads}).
15759 @value{GDBN} provides the following task-related commands:
15760
15761 @table @code
15762 @kindex info tasks
15763 @item info tasks
15764 This command shows a list of current Ada tasks, as in the following example:
15765
15766
15767 @smallexample
15768 @iftex
15769 @leftskip=0.5cm
15770 @end iftex
15771 (@value{GDBP}) info tasks
15772 ID TID P-ID Pri State Name
15773 1 8088000 0 15 Child Activation Wait main_task
15774 2 80a4000 1 15 Accept Statement b
15775 3 809a800 1 15 Child Activation Wait a
15776 * 4 80ae800 3 15 Runnable c
15777
15778 @end smallexample
15779
15780 @noindent
15781 In this listing, the asterisk before the last task indicates it to be the
15782 task currently being inspected.
15783
15784 @table @asis
15785 @item ID
15786 Represents @value{GDBN}'s internal task number.
15787
15788 @item TID
15789 The Ada task ID.
15790
15791 @item P-ID
15792 The parent's task ID (@value{GDBN}'s internal task number).
15793
15794 @item Pri
15795 The base priority of the task.
15796
15797 @item State
15798 Current state of the task.
15799
15800 @table @code
15801 @item Unactivated
15802 The task has been created but has not been activated. It cannot be
15803 executing.
15804
15805 @item Runnable
15806 The task is not blocked for any reason known to Ada. (It may be waiting
15807 for a mutex, though.) It is conceptually "executing" in normal mode.
15808
15809 @item Terminated
15810 The task is terminated, in the sense of ARM 9.3 (5). Any dependents
15811 that were waiting on terminate alternatives have been awakened and have
15812 terminated themselves.
15813
15814 @item Child Activation Wait
15815 The task is waiting for created tasks to complete activation.
15816
15817 @item Accept Statement
15818 The task is waiting on an accept or selective wait statement.
15819
15820 @item Waiting on entry call
15821 The task is waiting on an entry call.
15822
15823 @item Async Select Wait
15824 The task is waiting to start the abortable part of an asynchronous
15825 select statement.
15826
15827 @item Delay Sleep
15828 The task is waiting on a select statement with only a delay
15829 alternative open.
15830
15831 @item Child Termination Wait
15832 The task is sleeping having completed a master within itself, and is
15833 waiting for the tasks dependent on that master to become terminated or
15834 waiting on a terminate Phase.
15835
15836 @item Wait Child in Term Alt
15837 The task is sleeping waiting for tasks on terminate alternatives to
15838 finish terminating.
15839
15840 @item Accepting RV with @var{taskno}
15841 The task is accepting a rendez-vous with the task @var{taskno}.
15842 @end table
15843
15844 @item Name
15845 Name of the task in the program.
15846
15847 @end table
15848
15849 @kindex info task @var{taskno}
15850 @item info task @var{taskno}
15851 This command shows detailled informations on the specified task, as in
15852 the following example:
15853 @smallexample
15854 @iftex
15855 @leftskip=0.5cm
15856 @end iftex
15857 (@value{GDBP}) info tasks
15858 ID TID P-ID Pri State Name
15859 1 8077880 0 15 Child Activation Wait main_task
15860 * 2 807c468 1 15 Runnable task_1
15861 (@value{GDBP}) info task 2
15862 Ada Task: 0x807c468
15863 Name: task_1
15864 Thread: 0x807f378
15865 Parent: 1 (main_task)
15866 Base Priority: 15
15867 State: Runnable
15868 @end smallexample
15869
15870 @item task
15871 @kindex task@r{ (Ada)}
15872 @cindex current Ada task ID
15873 This command prints the ID of the current task.
15874
15875 @smallexample
15876 @iftex
15877 @leftskip=0.5cm
15878 @end iftex
15879 (@value{GDBP}) info tasks
15880 ID TID P-ID Pri State Name
15881 1 8077870 0 15 Child Activation Wait main_task
15882 * 2 807c458 1 15 Runnable t
15883 (@value{GDBP}) task
15884 [Current task is 2]
15885 @end smallexample
15886
15887 @item task @var{taskno}
15888 @cindex Ada task switching
15889 This command is like the @code{thread @var{threadno}}
15890 command (@pxref{Threads}). It switches the context of debugging
15891 from the current task to the given task.
15892
15893 @smallexample
15894 @iftex
15895 @leftskip=0.5cm
15896 @end iftex
15897 (@value{GDBP}) info tasks
15898 ID TID P-ID Pri State Name
15899 1 8077870 0 15 Child Activation Wait main_task
15900 * 2 807c458 1 15 Runnable t
15901 (@value{GDBP}) task 1
15902 [Switching to task 1]
15903 #0 0x8067726 in pthread_cond_wait ()
15904 (@value{GDBP}) bt
15905 #0 0x8067726 in pthread_cond_wait ()
15906 #1 0x8056714 in system.os_interface.pthread_cond_wait ()
15907 #2 0x805cb63 in system.task_primitives.operations.sleep ()
15908 #3 0x806153e in system.tasking.stages.activate_tasks ()
15909 #4 0x804aacc in un () at un.adb:5
15910 @end smallexample
15911
15912 @item break @var{linespec} task @var{taskno}
15913 @itemx break @var{linespec} task @var{taskno} if @dots{}
15914 @cindex breakpoints and tasks, in Ada
15915 @cindex task breakpoints, in Ada
15916 @kindex break @dots{} task @var{taskno}@r{ (Ada)}
15917 These commands are like the @code{break @dots{} thread @dots{}}
15918 command (@pxref{Thread Stops}). The
15919 @var{linespec} argument specifies source lines, as described
15920 in @ref{Specify Location}.
15921
15922 Use the qualifier @samp{task @var{taskno}} with a breakpoint command
15923 to specify that you only want @value{GDBN} to stop the program when a
15924 particular Ada task reaches this breakpoint. The @var{taskno} is one of the
15925 numeric task identifiers assigned by @value{GDBN}, shown in the first
15926 column of the @samp{info tasks} display.
15927
15928 If you do not specify @samp{task @var{taskno}} when you set a
15929 breakpoint, the breakpoint applies to @emph{all} tasks of your
15930 program.
15931
15932 You can use the @code{task} qualifier on conditional breakpoints as
15933 well; in this case, place @samp{task @var{taskno}} before the
15934 breakpoint condition (before the @code{if}).
15935
15936 For example,
15937
15938 @smallexample
15939 @iftex
15940 @leftskip=0.5cm
15941 @end iftex
15942 (@value{GDBP}) info tasks
15943 ID TID P-ID Pri State Name
15944 1 140022020 0 15 Child Activation Wait main_task
15945 2 140045060 1 15 Accept/Select Wait t2
15946 3 140044840 1 15 Runnable t1
15947 * 4 140056040 1 15 Runnable t3
15948 (@value{GDBP}) b 15 task 2
15949 Breakpoint 5 at 0x120044cb0: file test_task_debug.adb, line 15.
15950 (@value{GDBP}) cont
15951 Continuing.
15952 task # 1 running
15953 task # 2 running
15954
15955 Breakpoint 5, test_task_debug () at test_task_debug.adb:15
15956 15 flush;
15957 (@value{GDBP}) info tasks
15958 ID TID P-ID Pri State Name
15959 1 140022020 0 15 Child Activation Wait main_task
15960 * 2 140045060 1 15 Runnable t2
15961 3 140044840 1 15 Runnable t1
15962 4 140056040 1 15 Delay Sleep t3
15963 @end smallexample
15964 @end table
15965
15966 @node Ada Tasks and Core Files
15967 @subsubsection Tasking Support when Debugging Core Files
15968 @cindex Ada tasking and core file debugging
15969
15970 When inspecting a core file, as opposed to debugging a live program,
15971 tasking support may be limited or even unavailable, depending on
15972 the platform being used.
15973 For instance, on x86-linux, the list of tasks is available, but task
15974 switching is not supported.
15975
15976 On certain platforms, the debugger needs to perform some
15977 memory writes in order to provide Ada tasking support. When inspecting
15978 a core file, this means that the core file must be opened with read-write
15979 privileges, using the command @samp{"set write on"} (@pxref{Patching}).
15980 Under these circumstances, you should make a backup copy of the core
15981 file before inspecting it with @value{GDBN}.
15982
15983 @node Ravenscar Profile
15984 @subsubsection Tasking Support when using the Ravenscar Profile
15985 @cindex Ravenscar Profile
15986
15987 The @dfn{Ravenscar Profile} is a subset of the Ada tasking features,
15988 specifically designed for systems with safety-critical real-time
15989 requirements.
15990
15991 @table @code
15992 @kindex set ravenscar task-switching on
15993 @cindex task switching with program using Ravenscar Profile
15994 @item set ravenscar task-switching on
15995 Allows task switching when debugging a program that uses the Ravenscar
15996 Profile. This is the default.
15997
15998 @kindex set ravenscar task-switching off
15999 @item set ravenscar task-switching off
16000 Turn off task switching when debugging a program that uses the Ravenscar
16001 Profile. This is mostly intended to disable the code that adds support
16002 for the Ravenscar Profile, in case a bug in either @value{GDBN} or in
16003 the Ravenscar runtime is preventing @value{GDBN} from working properly.
16004 To be effective, this command should be run before the program is started.
16005
16006 @kindex show ravenscar task-switching
16007 @item show ravenscar task-switching
16008 Show whether it is possible to switch from task to task in a program
16009 using the Ravenscar Profile.
16010
16011 @end table
16012
16013 @node Ada Glitches
16014 @subsubsection Known Peculiarities of Ada Mode
16015 @cindex Ada, problems
16016
16017 Besides the omissions listed previously (@pxref{Omissions from Ada}),
16018 we know of several problems with and limitations of Ada mode in
16019 @value{GDBN},
16020 some of which will be fixed with planned future releases of the debugger
16021 and the GNU Ada compiler.
16022
16023 @itemize @bullet
16024 @item
16025 Static constants that the compiler chooses not to materialize as objects in
16026 storage are invisible to the debugger.
16027
16028 @item
16029 Named parameter associations in function argument lists are ignored (the
16030 argument lists are treated as positional).
16031
16032 @item
16033 Many useful library packages are currently invisible to the debugger.
16034
16035 @item
16036 Fixed-point arithmetic, conversions, input, and output is carried out using
16037 floating-point arithmetic, and may give results that only approximate those on
16038 the host machine.
16039
16040 @item
16041 The GNAT compiler never generates the prefix @code{Standard} for any of
16042 the standard symbols defined by the Ada language. @value{GDBN} knows about
16043 this: it will strip the prefix from names when you use it, and will never
16044 look for a name you have so qualified among local symbols, nor match against
16045 symbols in other packages or subprograms. If you have
16046 defined entities anywhere in your program other than parameters and
16047 local variables whose simple names match names in @code{Standard},
16048 GNAT's lack of qualification here can cause confusion. When this happens,
16049 you can usually resolve the confusion
16050 by qualifying the problematic names with package
16051 @code{Standard} explicitly.
16052 @end itemize
16053
16054 Older versions of the compiler sometimes generate erroneous debugging
16055 information, resulting in the debugger incorrectly printing the value
16056 of affected entities. In some cases, the debugger is able to work
16057 around an issue automatically. In other cases, the debugger is able
16058 to work around the issue, but the work-around has to be specifically
16059 enabled.
16060
16061 @kindex set ada trust-PAD-over-XVS
16062 @kindex show ada trust-PAD-over-XVS
16063 @table @code
16064
16065 @item set ada trust-PAD-over-XVS on
16066 Configure GDB to strictly follow the GNAT encoding when computing the
16067 value of Ada entities, particularly when @code{PAD} and @code{PAD___XVS}
16068 types are involved (see @code{ada/exp_dbug.ads} in the GCC sources for
16069 a complete description of the encoding used by the GNAT compiler).
16070 This is the default.
16071
16072 @item set ada trust-PAD-over-XVS off
16073 This is related to the encoding using by the GNAT compiler. If @value{GDBN}
16074 sometimes prints the wrong value for certain entities, changing @code{ada
16075 trust-PAD-over-XVS} to @code{off} activates a work-around which may fix
16076 the issue. It is always safe to set @code{ada trust-PAD-over-XVS} to
16077 @code{off}, but this incurs a slight performance penalty, so it is
16078 recommended to leave this setting to @code{on} unless necessary.
16079
16080 @end table
16081
16082 @cindex GNAT descriptive types
16083 @cindex GNAT encoding
16084 Internally, the debugger also relies on the compiler following a number
16085 of conventions known as the @samp{GNAT Encoding}, all documented in
16086 @file{gcc/ada/exp_dbug.ads} in the GCC sources. This encoding describes
16087 how the debugging information should be generated for certain types.
16088 In particular, this convention makes use of @dfn{descriptive types},
16089 which are artificial types generated purely to help the debugger.
16090
16091 These encodings were defined at a time when the debugging information
16092 format used was not powerful enough to describe some of the more complex
16093 types available in Ada. Since DWARF allows us to express nearly all
16094 Ada features, the long-term goal is to slowly replace these descriptive
16095 types by their pure DWARF equivalent. To facilitate that transition,
16096 a new maintenance option is available to force the debugger to ignore
16097 those descriptive types. It allows the user to quickly evaluate how
16098 well @value{GDBN} works without them.
16099
16100 @table @code
16101
16102 @kindex maint ada set ignore-descriptive-types
16103 @item maintenance ada set ignore-descriptive-types [on|off]
16104 Control whether the debugger should ignore descriptive types.
16105 The default is not to ignore descriptives types (@code{off}).
16106
16107 @kindex maint ada show ignore-descriptive-types
16108 @item maintenance ada show ignore-descriptive-types
16109 Show if descriptive types are ignored by @value{GDBN}.
16110
16111 @end table
16112
16113 @node Unsupported Languages
16114 @section Unsupported Languages
16115
16116 @cindex unsupported languages
16117 @cindex minimal language
16118 In addition to the other fully-supported programming languages,
16119 @value{GDBN} also provides a pseudo-language, called @code{minimal}.
16120 It does not represent a real programming language, but provides a set
16121 of capabilities close to what the C or assembly languages provide.
16122 This should allow most simple operations to be performed while debugging
16123 an application that uses a language currently not supported by @value{GDBN}.
16124
16125 If the language is set to @code{auto}, @value{GDBN} will automatically
16126 select this language if the current frame corresponds to an unsupported
16127 language.
16128
16129 @node Symbols
16130 @chapter Examining the Symbol Table
16131
16132 The commands described in this chapter allow you to inquire about the
16133 symbols (names of variables, functions and types) defined in your
16134 program. This information is inherent in the text of your program and
16135 does not change as your program executes. @value{GDBN} finds it in your
16136 program's symbol table, in the file indicated when you started @value{GDBN}
16137 (@pxref{File Options, ,Choosing Files}), or by one of the
16138 file-management commands (@pxref{Files, ,Commands to Specify Files}).
16139
16140 @cindex symbol names
16141 @cindex names of symbols
16142 @cindex quoting names
16143 Occasionally, you may need to refer to symbols that contain unusual
16144 characters, which @value{GDBN} ordinarily treats as word delimiters. The
16145 most frequent case is in referring to static variables in other
16146 source files (@pxref{Variables,,Program Variables}). File names
16147 are recorded in object files as debugging symbols, but @value{GDBN} would
16148 ordinarily parse a typical file name, like @file{foo.c}, as the three words
16149 @samp{foo} @samp{.} @samp{c}. To allow @value{GDBN} to recognize
16150 @samp{foo.c} as a single symbol, enclose it in single quotes; for example,
16151
16152 @smallexample
16153 p 'foo.c'::x
16154 @end smallexample
16155
16156 @noindent
16157 looks up the value of @code{x} in the scope of the file @file{foo.c}.
16158
16159 @table @code
16160 @cindex case-insensitive symbol names
16161 @cindex case sensitivity in symbol names
16162 @kindex set case-sensitive
16163 @item set case-sensitive on
16164 @itemx set case-sensitive off
16165 @itemx set case-sensitive auto
16166 Normally, when @value{GDBN} looks up symbols, it matches their names
16167 with case sensitivity determined by the current source language.
16168 Occasionally, you may wish to control that. The command @code{set
16169 case-sensitive} lets you do that by specifying @code{on} for
16170 case-sensitive matches or @code{off} for case-insensitive ones. If
16171 you specify @code{auto}, case sensitivity is reset to the default
16172 suitable for the source language. The default is case-sensitive
16173 matches for all languages except for Fortran, for which the default is
16174 case-insensitive matches.
16175
16176 @kindex show case-sensitive
16177 @item show case-sensitive
16178 This command shows the current setting of case sensitivity for symbols
16179 lookups.
16180
16181 @kindex set print type methods
16182 @item set print type methods
16183 @itemx set print type methods on
16184 @itemx set print type methods off
16185 Normally, when @value{GDBN} prints a class, it displays any methods
16186 declared in that class. You can control this behavior either by
16187 passing the appropriate flag to @code{ptype}, or using @command{set
16188 print type methods}. Specifying @code{on} will cause @value{GDBN} to
16189 display the methods; this is the default. Specifying @code{off} will
16190 cause @value{GDBN} to omit the methods.
16191
16192 @kindex show print type methods
16193 @item show print type methods
16194 This command shows the current setting of method display when printing
16195 classes.
16196
16197 @kindex set print type typedefs
16198 @item set print type typedefs
16199 @itemx set print type typedefs on
16200 @itemx set print type typedefs off
16201
16202 Normally, when @value{GDBN} prints a class, it displays any typedefs
16203 defined in that class. You can control this behavior either by
16204 passing the appropriate flag to @code{ptype}, or using @command{set
16205 print type typedefs}. Specifying @code{on} will cause @value{GDBN} to
16206 display the typedef definitions; this is the default. Specifying
16207 @code{off} will cause @value{GDBN} to omit the typedef definitions.
16208 Note that this controls whether the typedef definition itself is
16209 printed, not whether typedef names are substituted when printing other
16210 types.
16211
16212 @kindex show print type typedefs
16213 @item show print type typedefs
16214 This command shows the current setting of typedef display when
16215 printing classes.
16216
16217 @kindex info address
16218 @cindex address of a symbol
16219 @item info address @var{symbol}
16220 Describe where the data for @var{symbol} is stored. For a register
16221 variable, this says which register it is kept in. For a non-register
16222 local variable, this prints the stack-frame offset at which the variable
16223 is always stored.
16224
16225 Note the contrast with @samp{print &@var{symbol}}, which does not work
16226 at all for a register variable, and for a stack local variable prints
16227 the exact address of the current instantiation of the variable.
16228
16229 @kindex info symbol
16230 @cindex symbol from address
16231 @cindex closest symbol and offset for an address
16232 @item info symbol @var{addr}
16233 Print the name of a symbol which is stored at the address @var{addr}.
16234 If no symbol is stored exactly at @var{addr}, @value{GDBN} prints the
16235 nearest symbol and an offset from it:
16236
16237 @smallexample
16238 (@value{GDBP}) info symbol 0x54320
16239 _initialize_vx + 396 in section .text
16240 @end smallexample
16241
16242 @noindent
16243 This is the opposite of the @code{info address} command. You can use
16244 it to find out the name of a variable or a function given its address.
16245
16246 For dynamically linked executables, the name of executable or shared
16247 library containing the symbol is also printed:
16248
16249 @smallexample
16250 (@value{GDBP}) info symbol 0x400225
16251 _start + 5 in section .text of /tmp/a.out
16252 (@value{GDBP}) info symbol 0x2aaaac2811cf
16253 __read_nocancel + 6 in section .text of /usr/lib64/libc.so.6
16254 @end smallexample
16255
16256 @kindex demangle
16257 @cindex demangle
16258 @item demangle @r{[}-l @var{language}@r{]} @r{[}@var{--}@r{]} @var{name}
16259 Demangle @var{name}.
16260 If @var{language} is provided it is the name of the language to demangle
16261 @var{name} in. Otherwise @var{name} is demangled in the current language.
16262
16263 The @samp{--} option specifies the end of options,
16264 and is useful when @var{name} begins with a dash.
16265
16266 The parameter @code{demangle-style} specifies how to interpret the kind
16267 of mangling used. @xref{Print Settings}.
16268
16269 @kindex whatis
16270 @item whatis[/@var{flags}] [@var{arg}]
16271 Print the data type of @var{arg}, which can be either an expression
16272 or a name of a data type. With no argument, print the data type of
16273 @code{$}, the last value in the value history.
16274
16275 If @var{arg} is an expression (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}), it
16276 is not actually evaluated, and any side-effecting operations (such as
16277 assignments or function calls) inside it do not take place.
16278
16279 If @var{arg} is a variable or an expression, @code{whatis} prints its
16280 literal type as it is used in the source code. If the type was
16281 defined using a @code{typedef}, @code{whatis} will @emph{not} print
16282 the data type underlying the @code{typedef}. If the type of the
16283 variable or the expression is a compound data type, such as
16284 @code{struct} or @code{class}, @code{whatis} never prints their
16285 fields or methods. It just prints the @code{struct}/@code{class}
16286 name (a.k.a.@: its @dfn{tag}). If you want to see the members of
16287 such a compound data type, use @code{ptype}.
16288
16289 If @var{arg} is a type name that was defined using @code{typedef},
16290 @code{whatis} @dfn{unrolls} only one level of that @code{typedef}.
16291 Unrolling means that @code{whatis} will show the underlying type used
16292 in the @code{typedef} declaration of @var{arg}. However, if that
16293 underlying type is also a @code{typedef}, @code{whatis} will not
16294 unroll it.
16295
16296 For C code, the type names may also have the form @samp{class
16297 @var{class-name}}, @samp{struct @var{struct-tag}}, @samp{union
16298 @var{union-tag}} or @samp{enum @var{enum-tag}}.
16299
16300 @var{flags} can be used to modify how the type is displayed.
16301 Available flags are:
16302
16303 @table @code
16304 @item r
16305 Display in ``raw'' form. Normally, @value{GDBN} substitutes template
16306 parameters and typedefs defined in a class when printing the class'
16307 members. The @code{/r} flag disables this.
16308
16309 @item m
16310 Do not print methods defined in the class.
16311
16312 @item M
16313 Print methods defined in the class. This is the default, but the flag
16314 exists in case you change the default with @command{set print type methods}.
16315
16316 @item t
16317 Do not print typedefs defined in the class. Note that this controls
16318 whether the typedef definition itself is printed, not whether typedef
16319 names are substituted when printing other types.
16320
16321 @item T
16322 Print typedefs defined in the class. This is the default, but the flag
16323 exists in case you change the default with @command{set print type typedefs}.
16324 @end table
16325
16326 @kindex ptype
16327 @item ptype[/@var{flags}] [@var{arg}]
16328 @code{ptype} accepts the same arguments as @code{whatis}, but prints a
16329 detailed description of the type, instead of just the name of the type.
16330 @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}.
16331
16332 Contrary to @code{whatis}, @code{ptype} always unrolls any
16333 @code{typedef}s in its argument declaration, whether the argument is
16334 a variable, expression, or a data type. This means that @code{ptype}
16335 of a variable or an expression will not print literally its type as
16336 present in the source code---use @code{whatis} for that. @code{typedef}s at
16337 the pointer or reference targets are also unrolled. Only @code{typedef}s of
16338 fields, methods and inner @code{class typedef}s of @code{struct}s,
16339 @code{class}es and @code{union}s are not unrolled even with @code{ptype}.
16340
16341 For example, for this variable declaration:
16342
16343 @smallexample
16344 typedef double real_t;
16345 struct complex @{ real_t real; double imag; @};
16346 typedef struct complex complex_t;
16347 complex_t var;
16348 real_t *real_pointer_var;
16349 @end smallexample
16350
16351 @noindent
16352 the two commands give this output:
16353
16354 @smallexample
16355 @group
16356 (@value{GDBP}) whatis var
16357 type = complex_t
16358 (@value{GDBP}) ptype var
16359 type = struct complex @{
16360 real_t real;
16361 double imag;
16362 @}
16363 (@value{GDBP}) whatis complex_t
16364 type = struct complex
16365 (@value{GDBP}) whatis struct complex
16366 type = struct complex
16367 (@value{GDBP}) ptype struct complex
16368 type = struct complex @{
16369 real_t real;
16370 double imag;
16371 @}
16372 (@value{GDBP}) whatis real_pointer_var
16373 type = real_t *
16374 (@value{GDBP}) ptype real_pointer_var
16375 type = double *
16376 @end group
16377 @end smallexample
16378
16379 @noindent
16380 As with @code{whatis}, using @code{ptype} without an argument refers to
16381 the type of @code{$}, the last value in the value history.
16382
16383 @cindex incomplete type
16384 Sometimes, programs use opaque data types or incomplete specifications
16385 of complex data structure. If the debug information included in the
16386 program does not allow @value{GDBN} to display a full declaration of
16387 the data type, it will say @samp{<incomplete type>}. For example,
16388 given these declarations:
16389
16390 @smallexample
16391 struct foo;
16392 struct foo *fooptr;
16393 @end smallexample
16394
16395 @noindent
16396 but no definition for @code{struct foo} itself, @value{GDBN} will say:
16397
16398 @smallexample
16399 (@value{GDBP}) ptype foo
16400 $1 = <incomplete type>
16401 @end smallexample
16402
16403 @noindent
16404 ``Incomplete type'' is C terminology for data types that are not
16405 completely specified.
16406
16407 @kindex info types
16408 @item info types @var{regexp}
16409 @itemx info types
16410 Print a brief description of all types whose names match the regular
16411 expression @var{regexp} (or all types in your program, if you supply
16412 no argument). Each complete typename is matched as though it were a
16413 complete line; thus, @samp{i type value} gives information on all
16414 types in your program whose names include the string @code{value}, but
16415 @samp{i type ^value$} gives information only on types whose complete
16416 name is @code{value}.
16417
16418 This command differs from @code{ptype} in two ways: first, like
16419 @code{whatis}, it does not print a detailed description; second, it
16420 lists all source files where a type is defined.
16421
16422 @kindex info type-printers
16423 @item info type-printers
16424 Versions of @value{GDBN} that ship with Python scripting enabled may
16425 have ``type printers'' available. When using @command{ptype} or
16426 @command{whatis}, these printers are consulted when the name of a type
16427 is needed. @xref{Type Printing API}, for more information on writing
16428 type printers.
16429
16430 @code{info type-printers} displays all the available type printers.
16431
16432 @kindex enable type-printer
16433 @kindex disable type-printer
16434 @item enable type-printer @var{name}@dots{}
16435 @item disable type-printer @var{name}@dots{}
16436 These commands can be used to enable or disable type printers.
16437
16438 @kindex info scope
16439 @cindex local variables
16440 @item info scope @var{location}
16441 List all the variables local to a particular scope. This command
16442 accepts a @var{location} argument---a function name, a source line, or
16443 an address preceded by a @samp{*}, and prints all the variables local
16444 to the scope defined by that location. (@xref{Specify Location}, for
16445 details about supported forms of @var{location}.) For example:
16446
16447 @smallexample
16448 (@value{GDBP}) @b{info scope command_line_handler}
16449 Scope for command_line_handler:
16450 Symbol rl is an argument at stack/frame offset 8, length 4.
16451 Symbol linebuffer is in static storage at address 0x150a18, length 4.
16452 Symbol linelength is in static storage at address 0x150a1c, length 4.
16453 Symbol p is a local variable in register $esi, length 4.
16454 Symbol p1 is a local variable in register $ebx, length 4.
16455 Symbol nline is a local variable in register $edx, length 4.
16456 Symbol repeat is a local variable at frame offset -8, length 4.
16457 @end smallexample
16458
16459 @noindent
16460 This command is especially useful for determining what data to collect
16461 during a @dfn{trace experiment}, see @ref{Tracepoint Actions,
16462 collect}.
16463
16464 @kindex info source
16465 @item info source
16466 Show information about the current source file---that is, the source file for
16467 the function containing the current point of execution:
16468 @itemize @bullet
16469 @item
16470 the name of the source file, and the directory containing it,
16471 @item
16472 the directory it was compiled in,
16473 @item
16474 its length, in lines,
16475 @item
16476 which programming language it is written in,
16477 @item
16478 if the debug information provides it, the program that compiled the file
16479 (which may include, e.g., the compiler version and command line arguments),
16480 @item
16481 whether the executable includes debugging information for that file, and
16482 if so, what format the information is in (e.g., STABS, Dwarf 2, etc.), and
16483 @item
16484 whether the debugging information includes information about
16485 preprocessor macros.
16486 @end itemize
16487
16488
16489 @kindex info sources
16490 @item info sources
16491 Print the names of all source files in your program for which there is
16492 debugging information, organized into two lists: files whose symbols
16493 have already been read, and files whose symbols will be read when needed.
16494
16495 @kindex info functions
16496 @item info functions
16497 Print the names and data types of all defined functions.
16498
16499 @item info functions @var{regexp}
16500 Print the names and data types of all defined functions
16501 whose names contain a match for regular expression @var{regexp}.
16502 Thus, @samp{info fun step} finds all functions whose names
16503 include @code{step}; @samp{info fun ^step} finds those whose names
16504 start with @code{step}. If a function name contains characters
16505 that conflict with the regular expression language (e.g.@:
16506 @samp{operator*()}), they may be quoted with a backslash.
16507
16508 @kindex info variables
16509 @item info variables
16510 Print the names and data types of all variables that are defined
16511 outside of functions (i.e.@: excluding local variables).
16512
16513 @item info variables @var{regexp}
16514 Print the names and data types of all variables (except for local
16515 variables) whose names contain a match for regular expression
16516 @var{regexp}.
16517
16518 @kindex info classes
16519 @cindex Objective-C, classes and selectors
16520 @item info classes
16521 @itemx info classes @var{regexp}
16522 Display all Objective-C classes in your program, or
16523 (with the @var{regexp} argument) all those matching a particular regular
16524 expression.
16525
16526 @kindex info selectors
16527 @item info selectors
16528 @itemx info selectors @var{regexp}
16529 Display all Objective-C selectors in your program, or
16530 (with the @var{regexp} argument) all those matching a particular regular
16531 expression.
16532
16533 @ignore
16534 This was never implemented.
16535 @kindex info methods
16536 @item info methods
16537 @itemx info methods @var{regexp}
16538 The @code{info methods} command permits the user to examine all defined
16539 methods within C@t{++} program, or (with the @var{regexp} argument) a
16540 specific set of methods found in the various C@t{++} classes. Many
16541 C@t{++} classes provide a large number of methods. Thus, the output
16542 from the @code{ptype} command can be overwhelming and hard to use. The
16543 @code{info-methods} command filters the methods, printing only those
16544 which match the regular-expression @var{regexp}.
16545 @end ignore
16546
16547 @cindex opaque data types
16548 @kindex set opaque-type-resolution
16549 @item set opaque-type-resolution on
16550 Tell @value{GDBN} to resolve opaque types. An opaque type is a type
16551 declared as a pointer to a @code{struct}, @code{class}, or
16552 @code{union}---for example, @code{struct MyType *}---that is used in one
16553 source file although the full declaration of @code{struct MyType} is in
16554 another source file. The default is on.
16555
16556 A change in the setting of this subcommand will not take effect until
16557 the next time symbols for a file are loaded.
16558
16559 @item set opaque-type-resolution off
16560 Tell @value{GDBN} not to resolve opaque types. In this case, the type
16561 is printed as follows:
16562 @smallexample
16563 @{<no data fields>@}
16564 @end smallexample
16565
16566 @kindex show opaque-type-resolution
16567 @item show opaque-type-resolution
16568 Show whether opaque types are resolved or not.
16569
16570 @kindex set print symbol-loading
16571 @cindex print messages when symbols are loaded
16572 @item set print symbol-loading
16573 @itemx set print symbol-loading full
16574 @itemx set print symbol-loading brief
16575 @itemx set print symbol-loading off
16576 The @code{set print symbol-loading} command allows you to control the
16577 printing of messages when @value{GDBN} loads symbol information.
16578 By default a message is printed for the executable and one for each
16579 shared library, and normally this is what you want. However, when
16580 debugging apps with large numbers of shared libraries these messages
16581 can be annoying.
16582 When set to @code{brief} a message is printed for each executable,
16583 and when @value{GDBN} loads a collection of shared libraries at once
16584 it will only print one message regardless of the number of shared
16585 libraries. When set to @code{off} no messages are printed.
16586
16587 @kindex show print symbol-loading
16588 @item show print symbol-loading
16589 Show whether messages will be printed when a @value{GDBN} command
16590 entered from the keyboard causes symbol information to be loaded.
16591
16592 @kindex maint print symbols
16593 @cindex symbol dump
16594 @kindex maint print psymbols
16595 @cindex partial symbol dump
16596 @kindex maint print msymbols
16597 @cindex minimal symbol dump
16598 @item maint print symbols @var{filename}
16599 @itemx maint print psymbols @var{filename}
16600 @itemx maint print msymbols @var{filename}
16601 Write a dump of debugging symbol data into the file @var{filename}.
16602 These commands are used to debug the @value{GDBN} symbol-reading code. Only
16603 symbols with debugging data are included. If you use @samp{maint print
16604 symbols}, @value{GDBN} includes all the symbols for which it has already
16605 collected full details: that is, @var{filename} reflects symbols for
16606 only those files whose symbols @value{GDBN} has read. You can use the
16607 command @code{info sources} to find out which files these are. If you
16608 use @samp{maint print psymbols} instead, the dump shows information about
16609 symbols that @value{GDBN} only knows partially---that is, symbols defined in
16610 files that @value{GDBN} has skimmed, but not yet read completely. Finally,
16611 @samp{maint print msymbols} dumps just the minimal symbol information
16612 required for each object file from which @value{GDBN} has read some symbols.
16613 @xref{Files, ,Commands to Specify Files}, for a discussion of how
16614 @value{GDBN} reads symbols (in the description of @code{symbol-file}).
16615
16616 @kindex maint info symtabs
16617 @kindex maint info psymtabs
16618 @cindex listing @value{GDBN}'s internal symbol tables
16619 @cindex symbol tables, listing @value{GDBN}'s internal
16620 @cindex full symbol tables, listing @value{GDBN}'s internal
16621 @cindex partial symbol tables, listing @value{GDBN}'s internal
16622 @item maint info symtabs @r{[} @var{regexp} @r{]}
16623 @itemx maint info psymtabs @r{[} @var{regexp} @r{]}
16624
16625 List the @code{struct symtab} or @code{struct partial_symtab}
16626 structures whose names match @var{regexp}. If @var{regexp} is not
16627 given, list them all. The output includes expressions which you can
16628 copy into a @value{GDBN} debugging this one to examine a particular
16629 structure in more detail. For example:
16630
16631 @smallexample
16632 (@value{GDBP}) maint info psymtabs dwarf2read
16633 @{ objfile /home/gnu/build/gdb/gdb
16634 ((struct objfile *) 0x82e69d0)
16635 @{ psymtab /home/gnu/src/gdb/dwarf2read.c
16636 ((struct partial_symtab *) 0x8474b10)
16637 readin no
16638 fullname (null)
16639 text addresses 0x814d3c8 -- 0x8158074
16640 globals (* (struct partial_symbol **) 0x8507a08 @@ 9)
16641 statics (* (struct partial_symbol **) 0x40e95b78 @@ 2882)
16642 dependencies (none)
16643 @}
16644 @}
16645 (@value{GDBP}) maint info symtabs
16646 (@value{GDBP})
16647 @end smallexample
16648 @noindent
16649 We see that there is one partial symbol table whose filename contains
16650 the string @samp{dwarf2read}, belonging to the @samp{gdb} executable;
16651 and we see that @value{GDBN} has not read in any symtabs yet at all.
16652 If we set a breakpoint on a function, that will cause @value{GDBN} to
16653 read the symtab for the compilation unit containing that function:
16654
16655 @smallexample
16656 (@value{GDBP}) break dwarf2_psymtab_to_symtab
16657 Breakpoint 1 at 0x814e5da: file /home/gnu/src/gdb/dwarf2read.c,
16658 line 1574.
16659 (@value{GDBP}) maint info symtabs
16660 @{ objfile /home/gnu/build/gdb/gdb
16661 ((struct objfile *) 0x82e69d0)
16662 @{ symtab /home/gnu/src/gdb/dwarf2read.c
16663 ((struct symtab *) 0x86c1f38)
16664 dirname (null)
16665 fullname (null)
16666 blockvector ((struct blockvector *) 0x86c1bd0) (primary)
16667 linetable ((struct linetable *) 0x8370fa0)
16668 debugformat DWARF 2
16669 @}
16670 @}
16671 (@value{GDBP})
16672 @end smallexample
16673
16674 @kindex maint set symbol-cache-size
16675 @cindex symbol cache size
16676 @item maint set symbol-cache-size @var{size}
16677 Set the size of the symbol cache to @var{size}.
16678 The default size is intended to be good enough for debugging
16679 most applications. This option exists to allow for experimenting
16680 with different sizes.
16681
16682 @kindex maint show symbol-cache-size
16683 @item maint show symbol-cache-size
16684 Show the size of the symbol cache.
16685
16686 @kindex maint print symbol-cache
16687 @cindex symbol cache, printing its contents
16688 @item maint print symbol-cache
16689 Print the contents of the symbol cache.
16690 This is useful when debugging symbol cache issues.
16691
16692 @kindex maint print symbol-cache-statistics
16693 @cindex symbol cache, printing usage statistics
16694 @item maint print symbol-cache-statistics
16695 Print symbol cache usage statistics.
16696 This helps determine how well the cache is being utilized.
16697
16698 @kindex maint flush-symbol-cache
16699 @cindex symbol cache, flushing
16700 @item maint flush-symbol-cache
16701 Flush the contents of the symbol cache, all entries are removed.
16702 This command is useful when debugging the symbol cache.
16703 It is also useful when collecting performance data.
16704
16705 @end table
16706
16707 @node Altering
16708 @chapter Altering Execution
16709
16710 Once you think you have found an error in your program, you might want to
16711 find out for certain whether correcting the apparent error would lead to
16712 correct results in the rest of the run. You can find the answer by
16713 experiment, using the @value{GDBN} features for altering execution of the
16714 program.
16715
16716 For example, you can store new values into variables or memory
16717 locations, give your program a signal, restart it at a different
16718 address, or even return prematurely from a function.
16719
16720 @menu
16721 * Assignment:: Assignment to variables
16722 * Jumping:: Continuing at a different address
16723 * Signaling:: Giving your program a signal
16724 * Returning:: Returning from a function
16725 * Calling:: Calling your program's functions
16726 * Patching:: Patching your program
16727 * Compiling and Injecting Code:: Compiling and injecting code in @value{GDBN}
16728 @end menu
16729
16730 @node Assignment
16731 @section Assignment to Variables
16732
16733 @cindex assignment
16734 @cindex setting variables
16735 To alter the value of a variable, evaluate an assignment expression.
16736 @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}. For example,
16737
16738 @smallexample
16739 print x=4
16740 @end smallexample
16741
16742 @noindent
16743 stores the value 4 into the variable @code{x}, and then prints the
16744 value of the assignment expression (which is 4).
16745 @xref{Languages, ,Using @value{GDBN} with Different Languages}, for more
16746 information on operators in supported languages.
16747
16748 @kindex set variable
16749 @cindex variables, setting
16750 If you are not interested in seeing the value of the assignment, use the
16751 @code{set} command instead of the @code{print} command. @code{set} is
16752 really the same as @code{print} except that the expression's value is
16753 not printed and is not put in the value history (@pxref{Value History,
16754 ,Value History}). The expression is evaluated only for its effects.
16755
16756 If the beginning of the argument string of the @code{set} command
16757 appears identical to a @code{set} subcommand, use the @code{set
16758 variable} command instead of just @code{set}. This command is identical
16759 to @code{set} except for its lack of subcommands. For example, if your
16760 program has a variable @code{width}, you get an error if you try to set
16761 a new value with just @samp{set width=13}, because @value{GDBN} has the
16762 command @code{set width}:
16763
16764 @smallexample
16765 (@value{GDBP}) whatis width
16766 type = double
16767 (@value{GDBP}) p width
16768 $4 = 13
16769 (@value{GDBP}) set width=47
16770 Invalid syntax in expression.
16771 @end smallexample
16772
16773 @noindent
16774 The invalid expression, of course, is @samp{=47}. In
16775 order to actually set the program's variable @code{width}, use
16776
16777 @smallexample
16778 (@value{GDBP}) set var width=47
16779 @end smallexample
16780
16781 Because the @code{set} command has many subcommands that can conflict
16782 with the names of program variables, it is a good idea to use the
16783 @code{set variable} command instead of just @code{set}. For example, if
16784 your program has a variable @code{g}, you run into problems if you try
16785 to set a new value with just @samp{set g=4}, because @value{GDBN} has
16786 the command @code{set gnutarget}, abbreviated @code{set g}:
16787
16788 @smallexample
16789 @group
16790 (@value{GDBP}) whatis g
16791 type = double
16792 (@value{GDBP}) p g
16793 $1 = 1
16794 (@value{GDBP}) set g=4
16795 (@value{GDBP}) p g
16796 $2 = 1
16797 (@value{GDBP}) r
16798 The program being debugged has been started already.
16799 Start it from the beginning? (y or n) y
16800 Starting program: /home/smith/cc_progs/a.out
16801 "/home/smith/cc_progs/a.out": can't open to read symbols:
16802 Invalid bfd target.
16803 (@value{GDBP}) show g
16804 The current BFD target is "=4".
16805 @end group
16806 @end smallexample
16807
16808 @noindent
16809 The program variable @code{g} did not change, and you silently set the
16810 @code{gnutarget} to an invalid value. In order to set the variable
16811 @code{g}, use
16812
16813 @smallexample
16814 (@value{GDBP}) set var g=4
16815 @end smallexample
16816
16817 @value{GDBN} allows more implicit conversions in assignments than C; you can
16818 freely store an integer value into a pointer variable or vice versa,
16819 and you can convert any structure to any other structure that is the
16820 same length or shorter.
16821 @comment FIXME: how do structs align/pad in these conversions?
16822 @comment /doc@cygnus.com 18dec1990
16823
16824 To store values into arbitrary places in memory, use the @samp{@{@dots{}@}}
16825 construct to generate a value of specified type at a specified address
16826 (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}). For example, @code{@{int@}0x83040} refers
16827 to memory location @code{0x83040} as an integer (which implies a certain size
16828 and representation in memory), and
16829
16830 @smallexample
16831 set @{int@}0x83040 = 4
16832 @end smallexample
16833
16834 @noindent
16835 stores the value 4 into that memory location.
16836
16837 @node Jumping
16838 @section Continuing at a Different Address
16839
16840 Ordinarily, when you continue your program, you do so at the place where
16841 it stopped, with the @code{continue} command. You can instead continue at
16842 an address of your own choosing, with the following commands:
16843
16844 @table @code
16845 @kindex jump
16846 @kindex j @r{(@code{jump})}
16847 @item jump @var{linespec}
16848 @itemx j @var{linespec}
16849 @itemx jump @var{location}
16850 @itemx j @var{location}
16851 Resume execution at line @var{linespec} or at address given by
16852 @var{location}. Execution stops again immediately if there is a
16853 breakpoint there. @xref{Specify Location}, for a description of the
16854 different forms of @var{linespec} and @var{location}. It is common
16855 practice to use the @code{tbreak} command in conjunction with
16856 @code{jump}. @xref{Set Breaks, ,Setting Breakpoints}.
16857
16858 The @code{jump} command does not change the current stack frame, or
16859 the stack pointer, or the contents of any memory location or any
16860 register other than the program counter. If line @var{linespec} is in
16861 a different function from the one currently executing, the results may
16862 be bizarre if the two functions expect different patterns of arguments or
16863 of local variables. For this reason, the @code{jump} command requests
16864 confirmation if the specified line is not in the function currently
16865 executing. However, even bizarre results are predictable if you are
16866 well acquainted with the machine-language code of your program.
16867 @end table
16868
16869 @c Doesn't work on HP-UX; have to set $pcoqh and $pcoqt.
16870 On many systems, you can get much the same effect as the @code{jump}
16871 command by storing a new value into the register @code{$pc}. The
16872 difference is that this does not start your program running; it only
16873 changes the address of where it @emph{will} run when you continue. For
16874 example,
16875
16876 @smallexample
16877 set $pc = 0x485
16878 @end smallexample
16879
16880 @noindent
16881 makes the next @code{continue} command or stepping command execute at
16882 address @code{0x485}, rather than at the address where your program stopped.
16883 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, ,Continuing and Stepping}.
16884
16885 The most common occasion to use the @code{jump} command is to back
16886 up---perhaps with more breakpoints set---over a portion of a program
16887 that has already executed, in order to examine its execution in more
16888 detail.
16889
16890 @c @group
16891 @node Signaling
16892 @section Giving your Program a Signal
16893 @cindex deliver a signal to a program
16894
16895 @table @code
16896 @kindex signal
16897 @item signal @var{signal}
16898 Resume execution where your program is stopped, but immediately give it the
16899 signal @var{signal}. The @var{signal} can be the name or the number of a
16900 signal. For example, on many systems @code{signal 2} and @code{signal
16901 SIGINT} are both ways of sending an interrupt signal.
16902
16903 Alternatively, if @var{signal} is zero, continue execution without
16904 giving a signal. This is useful when your program stopped on account of
16905 a signal and would ordinarily see the signal when resumed with the
16906 @code{continue} command; @samp{signal 0} causes it to resume without a
16907 signal.
16908
16909 @emph{Note:} When resuming a multi-threaded program, @var{signal} is
16910 delivered to the currently selected thread, not the thread that last
16911 reported a stop. This includes the situation where a thread was
16912 stopped due to a signal. So if you want to continue execution
16913 suppressing the signal that stopped a thread, you should select that
16914 same thread before issuing the @samp{signal 0} command. If you issue
16915 the @samp{signal 0} command with another thread as the selected one,
16916 @value{GDBN} detects that and asks for confirmation.
16917
16918 Invoking the @code{signal} command is not the same as invoking the
16919 @code{kill} utility from the shell. Sending a signal with @code{kill}
16920 causes @value{GDBN} to decide what to do with the signal depending on
16921 the signal handling tables (@pxref{Signals}). The @code{signal} command
16922 passes the signal directly to your program.
16923
16924 @code{signal} does not repeat when you press @key{RET} a second time
16925 after executing the command.
16926
16927 @kindex queue-signal
16928 @item queue-signal @var{signal}
16929 Queue @var{signal} to be delivered immediately to the current thread
16930 when execution of the thread resumes. The @var{signal} can be the name or
16931 the number of a signal. For example, on many systems @code{signal 2} and
16932 @code{signal SIGINT} are both ways of sending an interrupt signal.
16933 The handling of the signal must be set to pass the signal to the program,
16934 otherwise @value{GDBN} will report an error.
16935 You can control the handling of signals from @value{GDBN} with the
16936 @code{handle} command (@pxref{Signals}).
16937
16938 Alternatively, if @var{signal} is zero, any currently queued signal
16939 for the current thread is discarded and when execution resumes no signal
16940 will be delivered. This is useful when your program stopped on account
16941 of a signal and would ordinarily see the signal when resumed with the
16942 @code{continue} command.
16943
16944 This command differs from the @code{signal} command in that the signal
16945 is just queued, execution is not resumed. And @code{queue-signal} cannot
16946 be used to pass a signal whose handling state has been set to @code{nopass}
16947 (@pxref{Signals}).
16948 @end table
16949 @c @end group
16950
16951 @xref{stepping into signal handlers}, for information on how stepping
16952 commands behave when the thread has a signal queued.
16953
16954 @node Returning
16955 @section Returning from a Function
16956
16957 @table @code
16958 @cindex returning from a function
16959 @kindex return
16960 @item return
16961 @itemx return @var{expression}
16962 You can cancel execution of a function call with the @code{return}
16963 command. If you give an
16964 @var{expression} argument, its value is used as the function's return
16965 value.
16966 @end table
16967
16968 When you use @code{return}, @value{GDBN} discards the selected stack frame
16969 (and all frames within it). You can think of this as making the
16970 discarded frame return prematurely. If you wish to specify a value to
16971 be returned, give that value as the argument to @code{return}.
16972
16973 This pops the selected stack frame (@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a
16974 Frame}), and any other frames inside of it, leaving its caller as the
16975 innermost remaining frame. That frame becomes selected. The
16976 specified value is stored in the registers used for returning values
16977 of functions.
16978
16979 The @code{return} command does not resume execution; it leaves the
16980 program stopped in the state that would exist if the function had just
16981 returned. In contrast, the @code{finish} command (@pxref{Continuing
16982 and Stepping, ,Continuing and Stepping}) resumes execution until the
16983 selected stack frame returns naturally.
16984
16985 @value{GDBN} needs to know how the @var{expression} argument should be set for
16986 the inferior. The concrete registers assignment depends on the OS ABI and the
16987 type being returned by the selected stack frame. For example it is common for
16988 OS ABI to return floating point values in FPU registers while integer values in
16989 CPU registers. Still some ABIs return even floating point values in CPU
16990 registers. Larger integer widths (such as @code{long long int}) also have
16991 specific placement rules. @value{GDBN} already knows the OS ABI from its
16992 current target so it needs to find out also the type being returned to make the
16993 assignment into the right register(s).
16994
16995 Normally, the selected stack frame has debug info. @value{GDBN} will always
16996 use the debug info instead of the implicit type of @var{expression} when the
16997 debug info is available. For example, if you type @kbd{return -1}, and the
16998 function in the current stack frame is declared to return a @code{long long
16999 int}, @value{GDBN} transparently converts the implicit @code{int} value of -1
17000 into a @code{long long int}:
17001
17002 @smallexample
17003 Breakpoint 1, func () at gdb.base/return-nodebug.c:29
17004 29 return 31;
17005 (@value{GDBP}) return -1
17006 Make func return now? (y or n) y
17007 #0 0x004004f6 in main () at gdb.base/return-nodebug.c:43
17008 43 printf ("result=%lld\n", func ());
17009 (@value{GDBP})
17010 @end smallexample
17011
17012 However, if the selected stack frame does not have a debug info, e.g., if the
17013 function was compiled without debug info, @value{GDBN} has to find out the type
17014 to return from user. Specifying a different type by mistake may set the value
17015 in different inferior registers than the caller code expects. For example,
17016 typing @kbd{return -1} with its implicit type @code{int} would set only a part
17017 of a @code{long long int} result for a debug info less function (on 32-bit
17018 architectures). Therefore the user is required to specify the return type by
17019 an appropriate cast explicitly:
17020
17021 @smallexample
17022 Breakpoint 2, 0x0040050b in func ()
17023 (@value{GDBP}) return -1
17024 Return value type not available for selected stack frame.
17025 Please use an explicit cast of the value to return.
17026 (@value{GDBP}) return (long long int) -1
17027 Make selected stack frame return now? (y or n) y
17028 #0 0x00400526 in main ()
17029 (@value{GDBP})
17030 @end smallexample
17031
17032 @node Calling
17033 @section Calling Program Functions
17034
17035 @table @code
17036 @cindex calling functions
17037 @cindex inferior functions, calling
17038 @item print @var{expr}
17039 Evaluate the expression @var{expr} and display the resulting value.
17040 The expression may include calls to functions in the program being
17041 debugged.
17042
17043 @kindex call
17044 @item call @var{expr}
17045 Evaluate the expression @var{expr} without displaying @code{void}
17046 returned values.
17047
17048 You can use this variant of the @code{print} command if you want to
17049 execute a function from your program that does not return anything
17050 (a.k.a.@: @dfn{a void function}), but without cluttering the output
17051 with @code{void} returned values that @value{GDBN} will otherwise
17052 print. If the result is not void, it is printed and saved in the
17053 value history.
17054 @end table
17055
17056 It is possible for the function you call via the @code{print} or
17057 @code{call} command to generate a signal (e.g., if there's a bug in
17058 the function, or if you passed it incorrect arguments). What happens
17059 in that case is controlled by the @code{set unwindonsignal} command.
17060
17061 Similarly, with a C@t{++} program it is possible for the function you
17062 call via the @code{print} or @code{call} command to generate an
17063 exception that is not handled due to the constraints of the dummy
17064 frame. In this case, any exception that is raised in the frame, but has
17065 an out-of-frame exception handler will not be found. GDB builds a
17066 dummy-frame for the inferior function call, and the unwinder cannot
17067 seek for exception handlers outside of this dummy-frame. What happens
17068 in that case is controlled by the
17069 @code{set unwind-on-terminating-exception} command.
17070
17071 @table @code
17072 @item set unwindonsignal
17073 @kindex set unwindonsignal
17074 @cindex unwind stack in called functions
17075 @cindex call dummy stack unwinding
17076 Set unwinding of the stack if a signal is received while in a function
17077 that @value{GDBN} called in the program being debugged. If set to on,
17078 @value{GDBN} unwinds the stack it created for the call and restores
17079 the context to what it was before the call. If set to off (the
17080 default), @value{GDBN} stops in the frame where the signal was
17081 received.
17082
17083 @item show unwindonsignal
17084 @kindex show unwindonsignal
17085 Show the current setting of stack unwinding in the functions called by
17086 @value{GDBN}.
17087
17088 @item set unwind-on-terminating-exception
17089 @kindex set unwind-on-terminating-exception
17090 @cindex unwind stack in called functions with unhandled exceptions
17091 @cindex call dummy stack unwinding on unhandled exception.
17092 Set unwinding of the stack if a C@t{++} exception is raised, but left
17093 unhandled while in a function that @value{GDBN} called in the program being
17094 debugged. If set to on (the default), @value{GDBN} unwinds the stack
17095 it created for the call and restores the context to what it was before
17096 the call. If set to off, @value{GDBN} the exception is delivered to
17097 the default C@t{++} exception handler and the inferior terminated.
17098
17099 @item show unwind-on-terminating-exception
17100 @kindex show unwind-on-terminating-exception
17101 Show the current setting of stack unwinding in the functions called by
17102 @value{GDBN}.
17103
17104 @end table
17105
17106 @cindex weak alias functions
17107 Sometimes, a function you wish to call is actually a @dfn{weak alias}
17108 for another function. In such case, @value{GDBN} might not pick up
17109 the type information, including the types of the function arguments,
17110 which causes @value{GDBN} to call the inferior function incorrectly.
17111 As a result, the called function will function erroneously and may
17112 even crash. A solution to that is to use the name of the aliased
17113 function instead.
17114
17115 @node Patching
17116 @section Patching Programs
17117
17118 @cindex patching binaries
17119 @cindex writing into executables
17120 @cindex writing into corefiles
17121
17122 By default, @value{GDBN} opens the file containing your program's
17123 executable code (or the corefile) read-only. This prevents accidental
17124 alterations to machine code; but it also prevents you from intentionally
17125 patching your program's binary.
17126
17127 If you'd like to be able to patch the binary, you can specify that
17128 explicitly with the @code{set write} command. For example, you might
17129 want to turn on internal debugging flags, or even to make emergency
17130 repairs.
17131
17132 @table @code
17133 @kindex set write
17134 @item set write on
17135 @itemx set write off
17136 If you specify @samp{set write on}, @value{GDBN} opens executable and
17137 core files for both reading and writing; if you specify @kbd{set write
17138 off} (the default), @value{GDBN} opens them read-only.
17139
17140 If you have already loaded a file, you must load it again (using the
17141 @code{exec-file} or @code{core-file} command) after changing @code{set
17142 write}, for your new setting to take effect.
17143
17144 @item show write
17145 @kindex show write
17146 Display whether executable files and core files are opened for writing
17147 as well as reading.
17148 @end table
17149
17150 @node Compiling and Injecting Code
17151 @section Compiling and injecting code in @value{GDBN}
17152 @cindex injecting code
17153 @cindex writing into executables
17154 @cindex compiling code
17155
17156 @value{GDBN} supports on-demand compilation and code injection into
17157 programs running under @value{GDBN}. GCC 5.0 or higher built with
17158 @file{libcc1.so} must be installed for this functionality to be enabled.
17159 This functionality is implemented with the following commands.
17160
17161 @table @code
17162 @kindex compile code
17163 @item compile code @var{source-code}
17164 @itemx compile code -raw @var{--} @var{source-code}
17165 Compile @var{source-code} with the compiler language found as the current
17166 language in @value{GDBN} (@pxref{Languages}). If compilation and
17167 injection is not supported with the current language specified in
17168 @value{GDBN}, or the compiler does not support this feature, an error
17169 message will be printed. If @var{source-code} compiles and links
17170 successfully, @value{GDBN} will load the object-code emitted,
17171 and execute it within the context of the currently selected inferior.
17172 It is important to note that the compiled code is executed immediately.
17173 After execution, the compiled code is removed from @value{GDBN} and any
17174 new types or variables you have defined will be deleted.
17175
17176 The command allows you to specify @var{source-code} in two ways.
17177 The simplest method is to provide a single line of code to the command.
17178 E.g.:
17179
17180 @smallexample
17181 compile code printf ("hello world\n");
17182 @end smallexample
17183
17184 If you specify options on the command line as well as source code, they
17185 may conflict. The @samp{--} delimiter can be used to separate options
17186 from actual source code. E.g.:
17187
17188 @smallexample
17189 compile code -r -- printf ("hello world\n");
17190 @end smallexample
17191
17192 Alternatively you can enter source code as multiple lines of text. To
17193 enter this mode, invoke the @samp{compile code} command without any text
17194 following the command. This will start the multiple-line editor and
17195 allow you to type as many lines of source code as required. When you
17196 have completed typing, enter @samp{end} on its own line to exit the
17197 editor.
17198
17199 @smallexample
17200 compile code
17201 >printf ("hello\n");
17202 >printf ("world\n");
17203 >end
17204 @end smallexample
17205
17206 Specifying @samp{-raw}, prohibits @value{GDBN} from wrapping the
17207 provided @var{source-code} in a callable scope. In this case, you must
17208 specify the entry point of the code by defining a function named
17209 @code{_gdb_expr_}. The @samp{-raw} code cannot access variables of the
17210 inferior. Using @samp{-raw} option may be needed for example when
17211 @var{source-code} requires @samp{#include} lines which may conflict with
17212 inferior symbols otherwise.
17213
17214 @kindex compile file
17215 @item compile file @var{filename}
17216 @itemx compile file -raw @var{filename}
17217 Like @code{compile code}, but take the source code from @var{filename}.
17218
17219 @smallexample
17220 compile file /home/user/example.c
17221 @end smallexample
17222 @end table
17223
17224 @table @code
17225 @item compile print @var{expr}
17226 @itemx compile print /@var{f} @var{expr}
17227 Compile and execute @var{expr} with the compiler language found as the
17228 current language in @value{GDBN} (@pxref{Languages}). By default the
17229 value of @var{expr} is printed in a format appropriate to its data type;
17230 you can choose a different format by specifying @samp{/@var{f}}, where
17231 @var{f} is a letter specifying the format; see @ref{Output Formats,,Output
17232 Formats}.
17233
17234 @item compile print
17235 @itemx compile print /@var{f}
17236 @cindex reprint the last value
17237 Alternatively you can enter the expression (source code producing it) as
17238 multiple lines of text. To enter this mode, invoke the @samp{compile print}
17239 command without any text following the command. This will start the
17240 multiple-line editor.
17241 @end table
17242
17243 @noindent
17244 The process of compiling and injecting the code can be inspected using:
17245
17246 @table @code
17247 @anchor{set debug compile}
17248 @item set debug compile
17249 @cindex compile command debugging info
17250 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} process of compiling and
17251 injecting the code. The default is off.
17252
17253 @item show debug compile
17254 Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} process of
17255 compiling and injecting the code.
17256 @end table
17257
17258 @subsection Compilation options for the @code{compile} command
17259
17260 @value{GDBN} needs to specify the right compilation options for the code
17261 to be injected, in part to make its ABI compatible with the inferior
17262 and in part to make the injected code compatible with @value{GDBN}'s
17263 injecting process.
17264
17265 @noindent
17266 The options used, in increasing precedence:
17267
17268 @table @asis
17269 @item target architecture and OS options (@code{gdbarch})
17270 These options depend on target processor type and target operating
17271 system, usually they specify at least 32-bit (@code{-m32}) or 64-bit
17272 (@code{-m64}) compilation option.
17273
17274 @item compilation options recorded in the target
17275 @value{NGCC} (since version 4.7) stores the options used for compilation
17276 into @code{DW_AT_producer} part of DWARF debugging information according
17277 to the @value{NGCC} option @code{-grecord-gcc-switches}. One has to
17278 explicitly specify @code{-g} during inferior compilation otherwise
17279 @value{NGCC} produces no DWARF. This feature is only relevant for
17280 platforms where @code{-g} produces DWARF by default, otherwise one may
17281 try to enforce DWARF by using @code{-gdwarf-4}.
17282
17283 @item compilation options set by @code{set compile-args}
17284 @end table
17285
17286 @noindent
17287 You can override compilation options using the following command:
17288
17289 @table @code
17290 @item set compile-args
17291 @cindex compile command options override
17292 Set compilation options used for compiling and injecting code with the
17293 @code{compile} commands. These options override any conflicting ones
17294 from the target architecture and/or options stored during inferior
17295 compilation.
17296
17297 @item show compile-args
17298 Displays the current state of compilation options override.
17299 This does not show all the options actually used during compilation,
17300 use @ref{set debug compile} for that.
17301 @end table
17302
17303 @subsection Caveats when using the @code{compile} command
17304
17305 There are a few caveats to keep in mind when using the @code{compile}
17306 command. As the caveats are different per language, the table below
17307 highlights specific issues on a per language basis.
17308
17309 @table @asis
17310 @item C code examples and caveats
17311 When the language in @value{GDBN} is set to @samp{C}, the compiler will
17312 attempt to compile the source code with a @samp{C} compiler. The source
17313 code provided to the @code{compile} command will have much the same
17314 access to variables and types as it normally would if it were part of
17315 the program currently being debugged in @value{GDBN}.
17316
17317 Below is a sample program that forms the basis of the examples that
17318 follow. This program has been compiled and loaded into @value{GDBN},
17319 much like any other normal debugging session.
17320
17321 @smallexample
17322 void function1 (void)
17323 @{
17324 int i = 42;
17325 printf ("function 1\n");
17326 @}
17327
17328 void function2 (void)
17329 @{
17330 int j = 12;
17331 function1 ();
17332 @}
17333
17334 int main(void)
17335 @{
17336 int k = 6;
17337 int *p;
17338 function2 ();
17339 return 0;
17340 @}
17341 @end smallexample
17342
17343 For the purposes of the examples in this section, the program above has
17344 been compiled, loaded into @value{GDBN}, stopped at the function
17345 @code{main}, and @value{GDBN} is awaiting input from the user.
17346
17347 To access variables and types for any program in @value{GDBN}, the
17348 program must be compiled and packaged with debug information. The
17349 @code{compile} command is not an exception to this rule. Without debug
17350 information, you can still use the @code{compile} command, but you will
17351 be very limited in what variables and types you can access.
17352
17353 So with that in mind, the example above has been compiled with debug
17354 information enabled. The @code{compile} command will have access to
17355 all variables and types (except those that may have been optimized
17356 out). Currently, as @value{GDBN} has stopped the program in the
17357 @code{main} function, the @code{compile} command would have access to
17358 the variable @code{k}. You could invoke the @code{compile} command
17359 and type some source code to set the value of @code{k}. You can also
17360 read it, or do anything with that variable you would normally do in
17361 @code{C}. Be aware that changes to inferior variables in the
17362 @code{compile} command are persistent. In the following example:
17363
17364 @smallexample
17365 compile code k = 3;
17366 @end smallexample
17367
17368 @noindent
17369 the variable @code{k} is now 3. It will retain that value until
17370 something else in the example program changes it, or another
17371 @code{compile} command changes it.
17372
17373 Normal scope and access rules apply to source code compiled and
17374 injected by the @code{compile} command. In the example, the variables
17375 @code{j} and @code{k} are not accessible yet, because the program is
17376 currently stopped in the @code{main} function, where these variables
17377 are not in scope. Therefore, the following command
17378
17379 @smallexample
17380 compile code j = 3;
17381 @end smallexample
17382
17383 @noindent
17384 will result in a compilation error message.
17385
17386 Once the program is continued, execution will bring these variables in
17387 scope, and they will become accessible; then the code you specify via
17388 the @code{compile} command will be able to access them.
17389
17390 You can create variables and types with the @code{compile} command as
17391 part of your source code. Variables and types that are created as part
17392 of the @code{compile} command are not visible to the rest of the program for
17393 the duration of its run. This example is valid:
17394
17395 @smallexample
17396 compile code int ff = 5; printf ("ff is %d\n", ff);
17397 @end smallexample
17398
17399 However, if you were to type the following into @value{GDBN} after that
17400 command has completed:
17401
17402 @smallexample
17403 compile code printf ("ff is %d\n'', ff);
17404 @end smallexample
17405
17406 @noindent
17407 a compiler error would be raised as the variable @code{ff} no longer
17408 exists. Object code generated and injected by the @code{compile}
17409 command is removed when its execution ends. Caution is advised
17410 when assigning to program variables values of variables created by the
17411 code submitted to the @code{compile} command. This example is valid:
17412
17413 @smallexample
17414 compile code int ff = 5; k = ff;
17415 @end smallexample
17416
17417 The value of the variable @code{ff} is assigned to @code{k}. The variable
17418 @code{k} does not require the existence of @code{ff} to maintain the value
17419 it has been assigned. However, pointers require particular care in
17420 assignment. If the source code compiled with the @code{compile} command
17421 changed the address of a pointer in the example program, perhaps to a
17422 variable created in the @code{compile} command, that pointer would point
17423 to an invalid location when the command exits. The following example
17424 would likely cause issues with your debugged program:
17425
17426 @smallexample
17427 compile code int ff = 5; p = &ff;
17428 @end smallexample
17429
17430 In this example, @code{p} would point to @code{ff} when the
17431 @code{compile} command is executing the source code provided to it.
17432 However, as variables in the (example) program persist with their
17433 assigned values, the variable @code{p} would point to an invalid
17434 location when the command exists. A general rule should be followed
17435 in that you should either assign @code{NULL} to any assigned pointers,
17436 or restore a valid location to the pointer before the command exits.
17437
17438 Similar caution must be exercised with any structs, unions, and typedefs
17439 defined in @code{compile} command. Types defined in the @code{compile}
17440 command will no longer be available in the next @code{compile} command.
17441 Therefore, if you cast a variable to a type defined in the
17442 @code{compile} command, care must be taken to ensure that any future
17443 need to resolve the type can be achieved.
17444
17445 @smallexample
17446 (gdb) compile code static struct a @{ int a; @} v = @{ 42 @}; argv = &v;
17447 (gdb) compile code printf ("%d\n", ((struct a *) argv)->a);
17448 gdb command line:1:36: error: dereferencing pointer to incomplete type ‘struct a’
17449 Compilation failed.
17450 (gdb) compile code struct a @{ int a; @}; printf ("%d\n", ((struct a *) argv)->a);
17451 42
17452 @end smallexample
17453
17454 Variables that have been optimized away by the compiler are not
17455 accessible to the code submitted to the @code{compile} command.
17456 Access to those variables will generate a compiler error which @value{GDBN}
17457 will print to the console.
17458 @end table
17459
17460 @subsection Compiler search for the @code{compile} command
17461
17462 @value{GDBN} needs to find @value{NGCC} for the inferior being debugged which
17463 may not be obvious for remote targets of different architecture than where
17464 @value{GDBN} is running. Environment variable @code{PATH} (@code{PATH} from
17465 shell that executed @value{GDBN}, not the one set by @value{GDBN}
17466 command @code{set environment}). @xref{Environment}. @code{PATH} on
17467 @value{GDBN} host is searched for @value{NGCC} binary matching the
17468 target architecture and operating system.
17469
17470 Specifically @code{PATH} is searched for binaries matching regular expression
17471 @code{@var{arch}(-[^-]*)?-@var{os}-gcc} according to the inferior target being
17472 debugged. @var{arch} is processor name --- multiarch is supported, so for
17473 example both @code{i386} and @code{x86_64} targets look for pattern
17474 @code{(x86_64|i.86)} and both @code{s390} and @code{s390x} targets look
17475 for pattern @code{s390x?}. @var{os} is currently supported only for
17476 pattern @code{linux(-gnu)?}.
17477
17478 @node GDB Files
17479 @chapter @value{GDBN} Files
17480
17481 @value{GDBN} needs to know the file name of the program to be debugged,
17482 both in order to read its symbol table and in order to start your
17483 program. To debug a core dump of a previous run, you must also tell
17484 @value{GDBN} the name of the core dump file.
17485
17486 @menu
17487 * Files:: Commands to specify files
17488 * Separate Debug Files:: Debugging information in separate files
17489 * MiniDebugInfo:: Debugging information in a special section
17490 * Index Files:: Index files speed up GDB
17491 * Symbol Errors:: Errors reading symbol files
17492 * Data Files:: GDB data files
17493 @end menu
17494
17495 @node Files
17496 @section Commands to Specify Files
17497
17498 @cindex symbol table
17499 @cindex core dump file
17500
17501 You may want to specify executable and core dump file names. The usual
17502 way to do this is at start-up time, using the arguments to
17503 @value{GDBN}'s start-up commands (@pxref{Invocation, , Getting In and
17504 Out of @value{GDBN}}).
17505
17506 Occasionally it is necessary to change to a different file during a
17507 @value{GDBN} session. Or you may run @value{GDBN} and forget to
17508 specify a file you want to use. Or you are debugging a remote target
17509 via @code{gdbserver} (@pxref{Server, file, Using the @code{gdbserver}
17510 Program}). In these situations the @value{GDBN} commands to specify
17511 new files are useful.
17512
17513 @table @code
17514 @cindex executable file
17515 @kindex file
17516 @item file @var{filename}
17517 Use @var{filename} as the program to be debugged. It is read for its
17518 symbols and for the contents of pure memory. It is also the program
17519 executed when you use the @code{run} command. If you do not specify a
17520 directory and the file is not found in the @value{GDBN} working directory,
17521 @value{GDBN} uses the environment variable @code{PATH} as a list of
17522 directories to search, just as the shell does when looking for a program
17523 to run. You can change the value of this variable, for both @value{GDBN}
17524 and your program, using the @code{path} command.
17525
17526 @cindex unlinked object files
17527 @cindex patching object files
17528 You can load unlinked object @file{.o} files into @value{GDBN} using
17529 the @code{file} command. You will not be able to ``run'' an object
17530 file, but you can disassemble functions and inspect variables. Also,
17531 if the underlying BFD functionality supports it, you could use
17532 @kbd{gdb -write} to patch object files using this technique. Note
17533 that @value{GDBN} can neither interpret nor modify relocations in this
17534 case, so branches and some initialized variables will appear to go to
17535 the wrong place. But this feature is still handy from time to time.
17536
17537 @item file
17538 @code{file} with no argument makes @value{GDBN} discard any information it
17539 has on both executable file and the symbol table.
17540
17541 @kindex exec-file
17542 @item exec-file @r{[} @var{filename} @r{]}
17543 Specify that the program to be run (but not the symbol table) is found
17544 in @var{filename}. @value{GDBN} searches the environment variable @code{PATH}
17545 if necessary to locate your program. Omitting @var{filename} means to
17546 discard information on the executable file.
17547
17548 @kindex symbol-file
17549 @item symbol-file @r{[} @var{filename} @r{]}
17550 Read symbol table information from file @var{filename}. @code{PATH} is
17551 searched when necessary. Use the @code{file} command to get both symbol
17552 table and program to run from the same file.
17553
17554 @code{symbol-file} with no argument clears out @value{GDBN} information on your
17555 program's symbol table.
17556
17557 The @code{symbol-file} command causes @value{GDBN} to forget the contents of
17558 some breakpoints and auto-display expressions. This is because they may
17559 contain pointers to the internal data recording symbols and data types,
17560 which are part of the old symbol table data being discarded inside
17561 @value{GDBN}.
17562
17563 @code{symbol-file} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} again after
17564 executing it once.
17565
17566 When @value{GDBN} is configured for a particular environment, it
17567 understands debugging information in whatever format is the standard
17568 generated for that environment; you may use either a @sc{gnu} compiler, or
17569 other compilers that adhere to the local conventions.
17570 Best results are usually obtained from @sc{gnu} compilers; for example,
17571 using @code{@value{NGCC}} you can generate debugging information for
17572 optimized code.
17573
17574 For most kinds of object files, with the exception of old SVR3 systems
17575 using COFF, the @code{symbol-file} command does not normally read the
17576 symbol table in full right away. Instead, it scans the symbol table
17577 quickly to find which source files and which symbols are present. The
17578 details are read later, one source file at a time, as they are needed.
17579
17580 The purpose of this two-stage reading strategy is to make @value{GDBN}
17581 start up faster. For the most part, it is invisible except for
17582 occasional pauses while the symbol table details for a particular source
17583 file are being read. (The @code{set verbose} command can turn these
17584 pauses into messages if desired. @xref{Messages/Warnings, ,Optional
17585 Warnings and Messages}.)
17586
17587 We have not implemented the two-stage strategy for COFF yet. When the
17588 symbol table is stored in COFF format, @code{symbol-file} reads the
17589 symbol table data in full right away. Note that ``stabs-in-COFF''
17590 still does the two-stage strategy, since the debug info is actually
17591 in stabs format.
17592
17593 @kindex readnow
17594 @cindex reading symbols immediately
17595 @cindex symbols, reading immediately
17596 @item symbol-file @r{[} -readnow @r{]} @var{filename}
17597 @itemx file @r{[} -readnow @r{]} @var{filename}
17598 You can override the @value{GDBN} two-stage strategy for reading symbol
17599 tables by using the @samp{-readnow} option with any of the commands that
17600 load symbol table information, if you want to be sure @value{GDBN} has the
17601 entire symbol table available.
17602
17603 @c FIXME: for now no mention of directories, since this seems to be in
17604 @c flux. 13mar1992 status is that in theory GDB would look either in
17605 @c current dir or in same dir as myprog; but issues like competing
17606 @c GDB's, or clutter in system dirs, mean that in practice right now
17607 @c only current dir is used. FFish says maybe a special GDB hierarchy
17608 @c (eg rooted in val of env var GDBSYMS) could exist for mappable symbol
17609 @c files.
17610
17611 @kindex core-file
17612 @item core-file @r{[}@var{filename}@r{]}
17613 @itemx core
17614 Specify the whereabouts of a core dump file to be used as the ``contents
17615 of memory''. Traditionally, core files contain only some parts of the
17616 address space of the process that generated them; @value{GDBN} can access the
17617 executable file itself for other parts.
17618
17619 @code{core-file} with no argument specifies that no core file is
17620 to be used.
17621
17622 Note that the core file is ignored when your program is actually running
17623 under @value{GDBN}. So, if you have been running your program and you
17624 wish to debug a core file instead, you must kill the subprocess in which
17625 the program is running. To do this, use the @code{kill} command
17626 (@pxref{Kill Process, ,Killing the Child Process}).
17627
17628 @kindex add-symbol-file
17629 @cindex dynamic linking
17630 @item add-symbol-file @var{filename} @var{address}
17631 @itemx add-symbol-file @var{filename} @var{address} @r{[} -readnow @r{]}
17632 @itemx add-symbol-file @var{filename} @var{address} -s @var{section} @var{address} @dots{}
17633 The @code{add-symbol-file} command reads additional symbol table
17634 information from the file @var{filename}. You would use this command
17635 when @var{filename} has been dynamically loaded (by some other means)
17636 into the program that is running. The @var{address} should give the memory
17637 address at which the file has been loaded; @value{GDBN} cannot figure
17638 this out for itself. You can additionally specify an arbitrary number
17639 of @samp{-s @var{section} @var{address}} pairs, to give an explicit
17640 section name and base address for that section. You can specify any
17641 @var{address} as an expression.
17642
17643 The symbol table of the file @var{filename} is added to the symbol table
17644 originally read with the @code{symbol-file} command. You can use the
17645 @code{add-symbol-file} command any number of times; the new symbol data
17646 thus read is kept in addition to the old.
17647
17648 Changes can be reverted using the command @code{remove-symbol-file}.
17649
17650 @cindex relocatable object files, reading symbols from
17651 @cindex object files, relocatable, reading symbols from
17652 @cindex reading symbols from relocatable object files
17653 @cindex symbols, reading from relocatable object files
17654 @cindex @file{.o} files, reading symbols from
17655 Although @var{filename} is typically a shared library file, an
17656 executable file, or some other object file which has been fully
17657 relocated for loading into a process, you can also load symbolic
17658 information from relocatable @file{.o} files, as long as:
17659
17660 @itemize @bullet
17661 @item
17662 the file's symbolic information refers only to linker symbols defined in
17663 that file, not to symbols defined by other object files,
17664 @item
17665 every section the file's symbolic information refers to has actually
17666 been loaded into the inferior, as it appears in the file, and
17667 @item
17668 you can determine the address at which every section was loaded, and
17669 provide these to the @code{add-symbol-file} command.
17670 @end itemize
17671
17672 @noindent
17673 Some embedded operating systems, like Sun Chorus and VxWorks, can load
17674 relocatable files into an already running program; such systems
17675 typically make the requirements above easy to meet. However, it's
17676 important to recognize that many native systems use complex link
17677 procedures (@code{.linkonce} section factoring and C@t{++} constructor table
17678 assembly, for example) that make the requirements difficult to meet. In
17679 general, one cannot assume that using @code{add-symbol-file} to read a
17680 relocatable object file's symbolic information will have the same effect
17681 as linking the relocatable object file into the program in the normal
17682 way.
17683
17684 @code{add-symbol-file} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} after using it.
17685
17686 @kindex remove-symbol-file
17687 @item remove-symbol-file @var{filename}
17688 @item remove-symbol-file -a @var{address}
17689 Remove a symbol file added via the @code{add-symbol-file} command. The
17690 file to remove can be identified by its @var{filename} or by an @var{address}
17691 that lies within the boundaries of this symbol file in memory. Example:
17692
17693 @smallexample
17694 (gdb) add-symbol-file /home/user/gdb/mylib.so 0x7ffff7ff9480
17695 add symbol table from file "/home/user/gdb/mylib.so" at
17696 .text_addr = 0x7ffff7ff9480
17697 (y or n) y
17698 Reading symbols from /home/user/gdb/mylib.so...done.
17699 (gdb) remove-symbol-file -a 0x7ffff7ff9480
17700 Remove symbol table from file "/home/user/gdb/mylib.so"? (y or n) y
17701 (gdb)
17702 @end smallexample
17703
17704
17705 @code{remove-symbol-file} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} after using it.
17706
17707 @kindex add-symbol-file-from-memory
17708 @cindex @code{syscall DSO}
17709 @cindex load symbols from memory
17710 @item add-symbol-file-from-memory @var{address}
17711 Load symbols from the given @var{address} in a dynamically loaded
17712 object file whose image is mapped directly into the inferior's memory.
17713 For example, the Linux kernel maps a @code{syscall DSO} into each
17714 process's address space; this DSO provides kernel-specific code for
17715 some system calls. The argument can be any expression whose
17716 evaluation yields the address of the file's shared object file header.
17717 For this command to work, you must have used @code{symbol-file} or
17718 @code{exec-file} commands in advance.
17719
17720 @kindex section
17721 @item section @var{section} @var{addr}
17722 The @code{section} command changes the base address of the named
17723 @var{section} of the exec file to @var{addr}. This can be used if the
17724 exec file does not contain section addresses, (such as in the
17725 @code{a.out} format), or when the addresses specified in the file
17726 itself are wrong. Each section must be changed separately. The
17727 @code{info files} command, described below, lists all the sections and
17728 their addresses.
17729
17730 @kindex info files
17731 @kindex info target
17732 @item info files
17733 @itemx info target
17734 @code{info files} and @code{info target} are synonymous; both print the
17735 current target (@pxref{Targets, ,Specifying a Debugging Target}),
17736 including the names of the executable and core dump files currently in
17737 use by @value{GDBN}, and the files from which symbols were loaded. The
17738 command @code{help target} lists all possible targets rather than
17739 current ones.
17740
17741 @kindex maint info sections
17742 @item maint info sections
17743 Another command that can give you extra information about program sections
17744 is @code{maint info sections}. In addition to the section information
17745 displayed by @code{info files}, this command displays the flags and file
17746 offset of each section in the executable and core dump files. In addition,
17747 @code{maint info sections} provides the following command options (which
17748 may be arbitrarily combined):
17749
17750 @table @code
17751 @item ALLOBJ
17752 Display sections for all loaded object files, including shared libraries.
17753 @item @var{sections}
17754 Display info only for named @var{sections}.
17755 @item @var{section-flags}
17756 Display info only for sections for which @var{section-flags} are true.
17757 The section flags that @value{GDBN} currently knows about are:
17758 @table @code
17759 @item ALLOC
17760 Section will have space allocated in the process when loaded.
17761 Set for all sections except those containing debug information.
17762 @item LOAD
17763 Section will be loaded from the file into the child process memory.
17764 Set for pre-initialized code and data, clear for @code{.bss} sections.
17765 @item RELOC
17766 Section needs to be relocated before loading.
17767 @item READONLY
17768 Section cannot be modified by the child process.
17769 @item CODE
17770 Section contains executable code only.
17771 @item DATA
17772 Section contains data only (no executable code).
17773 @item ROM
17774 Section will reside in ROM.
17775 @item CONSTRUCTOR
17776 Section contains data for constructor/destructor lists.
17777 @item HAS_CONTENTS
17778 Section is not empty.
17779 @item NEVER_LOAD
17780 An instruction to the linker to not output the section.
17781 @item COFF_SHARED_LIBRARY
17782 A notification to the linker that the section contains
17783 COFF shared library information.
17784 @item IS_COMMON
17785 Section contains common symbols.
17786 @end table
17787 @end table
17788 @kindex set trust-readonly-sections
17789 @cindex read-only sections
17790 @item set trust-readonly-sections on
17791 Tell @value{GDBN} that readonly sections in your object file
17792 really are read-only (i.e.@: that their contents will not change).
17793 In that case, @value{GDBN} can fetch values from these sections
17794 out of the object file, rather than from the target program.
17795 For some targets (notably embedded ones), this can be a significant
17796 enhancement to debugging performance.
17797
17798 The default is off.
17799
17800 @item set trust-readonly-sections off
17801 Tell @value{GDBN} not to trust readonly sections. This means that
17802 the contents of the section might change while the program is running,
17803 and must therefore be fetched from the target when needed.
17804
17805 @item show trust-readonly-sections
17806 Show the current setting of trusting readonly sections.
17807 @end table
17808
17809 All file-specifying commands allow both absolute and relative file names
17810 as arguments. @value{GDBN} always converts the file name to an absolute file
17811 name and remembers it that way.
17812
17813 @cindex shared libraries
17814 @anchor{Shared Libraries}
17815 @value{GDBN} supports @sc{gnu}/Linux, MS-Windows, HP-UX, SunOS, SVr4, Irix,
17816 and IBM RS/6000 AIX shared libraries.
17817
17818 On MS-Windows @value{GDBN} must be linked with the Expat library to support
17819 shared libraries. @xref{Expat}.
17820
17821 @value{GDBN} automatically loads symbol definitions from shared libraries
17822 when you use the @code{run} command, or when you examine a core file.
17823 (Before you issue the @code{run} command, @value{GDBN} does not understand
17824 references to a function in a shared library, however---unless you are
17825 debugging a core file).
17826
17827 On HP-UX, if the program loads a library explicitly, @value{GDBN}
17828 automatically loads the symbols at the time of the @code{shl_load} call.
17829
17830 @c FIXME: some @value{GDBN} release may permit some refs to undef
17831 @c FIXME...symbols---eg in a break cmd---assuming they are from a shared
17832 @c FIXME...lib; check this from time to time when updating manual
17833
17834 There are times, however, when you may wish to not automatically load
17835 symbol definitions from shared libraries, such as when they are
17836 particularly large or there are many of them.
17837
17838 To control the automatic loading of shared library symbols, use the
17839 commands:
17840
17841 @table @code
17842 @kindex set auto-solib-add
17843 @item set auto-solib-add @var{mode}
17844 If @var{mode} is @code{on}, symbols from all shared object libraries
17845 will be loaded automatically when the inferior begins execution, you
17846 attach to an independently started inferior, or when the dynamic linker
17847 informs @value{GDBN} that a new library has been loaded. If @var{mode}
17848 is @code{off}, symbols must be loaded manually, using the
17849 @code{sharedlibrary} command. The default value is @code{on}.
17850
17851 @cindex memory used for symbol tables
17852 If your program uses lots of shared libraries with debug info that
17853 takes large amounts of memory, you can decrease the @value{GDBN}
17854 memory footprint by preventing it from automatically loading the
17855 symbols from shared libraries. To that end, type @kbd{set
17856 auto-solib-add off} before running the inferior, then load each
17857 library whose debug symbols you do need with @kbd{sharedlibrary
17858 @var{regexp}}, where @var{regexp} is a regular expression that matches
17859 the libraries whose symbols you want to be loaded.
17860
17861 @kindex show auto-solib-add
17862 @item show auto-solib-add
17863 Display the current autoloading mode.
17864 @end table
17865
17866 @cindex load shared library
17867 To explicitly load shared library symbols, use the @code{sharedlibrary}
17868 command:
17869
17870 @table @code
17871 @kindex info sharedlibrary
17872 @kindex info share
17873 @item info share @var{regex}
17874 @itemx info sharedlibrary @var{regex}
17875 Print the names of the shared libraries which are currently loaded
17876 that match @var{regex}. If @var{regex} is omitted then print
17877 all shared libraries that are loaded.
17878
17879 @kindex info dll
17880 @item info dll @var{regex}
17881 This is an alias of @code{info sharedlibrary}.
17882
17883 @kindex sharedlibrary
17884 @kindex share
17885 @item sharedlibrary @var{regex}
17886 @itemx share @var{regex}
17887 Load shared object library symbols for files matching a
17888 Unix regular expression.
17889 As with files loaded automatically, it only loads shared libraries
17890 required by your program for a core file or after typing @code{run}. If
17891 @var{regex} is omitted all shared libraries required by your program are
17892 loaded.
17893
17894 @item nosharedlibrary
17895 @kindex nosharedlibrary
17896 @cindex unload symbols from shared libraries
17897 Unload all shared object library symbols. This discards all symbols
17898 that have been loaded from all shared libraries. Symbols from shared
17899 libraries that were loaded by explicit user requests are not
17900 discarded.
17901 @end table
17902
17903 Sometimes you may wish that @value{GDBN} stops and gives you control
17904 when any of shared library events happen. The best way to do this is
17905 to use @code{catch load} and @code{catch unload} (@pxref{Set
17906 Catchpoints}).
17907
17908 @value{GDBN} also supports the the @code{set stop-on-solib-events}
17909 command for this. This command exists for historical reasons. It is
17910 less useful than setting a catchpoint, because it does not allow for
17911 conditions or commands as a catchpoint does.
17912
17913 @table @code
17914 @item set stop-on-solib-events
17915 @kindex set stop-on-solib-events
17916 This command controls whether @value{GDBN} should give you control
17917 when the dynamic linker notifies it about some shared library event.
17918 The most common event of interest is loading or unloading of a new
17919 shared library.
17920
17921 @item show stop-on-solib-events
17922 @kindex show stop-on-solib-events
17923 Show whether @value{GDBN} stops and gives you control when shared
17924 library events happen.
17925 @end table
17926
17927 Shared libraries are also supported in many cross or remote debugging
17928 configurations. @value{GDBN} needs to have access to the target's libraries;
17929 this can be accomplished either by providing copies of the libraries
17930 on the host system, or by asking @value{GDBN} to automatically retrieve the
17931 libraries from the target. If copies of the target libraries are
17932 provided, they need to be the same as the target libraries, although the
17933 copies on the target can be stripped as long as the copies on the host are
17934 not.
17935
17936 @cindex where to look for shared libraries
17937 For remote debugging, you need to tell @value{GDBN} where the target
17938 libraries are, so that it can load the correct copies---otherwise, it
17939 may try to load the host's libraries. @value{GDBN} has two variables
17940 to specify the search directories for target libraries.
17941
17942 @table @code
17943 @cindex prefix for executable and shared library file names
17944 @cindex system root, alternate
17945 @kindex set solib-absolute-prefix
17946 @kindex set sysroot
17947 @item set sysroot @var{path}
17948 Use @var{path} as the system root for the program being debugged. Any
17949 absolute shared library paths will be prefixed with @var{path}; many
17950 runtime loaders store the absolute paths to the shared library in the
17951 target program's memory. When starting processes remotely, and when
17952 attaching to already-running processes (local or remote), their
17953 executable filenames will be prefixed with @var{path} if reported to
17954 @value{GDBN} as absolute by the operating system. If you use
17955 @code{set sysroot} to find executables and shared libraries, they need
17956 to be laid out in the same way that they are on the target, with
17957 e.g.@: a @file{/bin}, @file{/lib} and @file{/usr/lib} hierarchy under
17958 @var{path}.
17959
17960 If @var{path} starts with the sequence @file{target:} and the target
17961 system is remote then @value{GDBN} will retrieve the target binaries
17962 from the remote system. This is only supported when using a remote
17963 target that supports the @code{remote get} command (@pxref{File
17964 Transfer,,Sending files to a remote system}). The part of @var{path}
17965 following the initial @file{target:} (if present) is used as system
17966 root prefix on the remote file system. If @var{path} starts with the
17967 sequence @file{remote:} this is converted to the sequence
17968 @file{target:} by @code{set sysroot}@footnote{Historically the
17969 functionality to retrieve binaries from the remote system was
17970 provided by prefixing @var{path} with @file{remote:}}. If you want
17971 to specify a local system root using a directory that happens to be
17972 named @file{target:} or @file{remote:}, you need to use some
17973 equivalent variant of the name like @file{./target:}.
17974
17975 For targets with an MS-DOS based filesystem, such as MS-Windows and
17976 SymbianOS, @value{GDBN} tries prefixing a few variants of the target
17977 absolute file name with @var{path}. But first, on Unix hosts,
17978 @value{GDBN} converts all backslash directory separators into forward
17979 slashes, because the backslash is not a directory separator on Unix:
17980
17981 @smallexample
17982 c:\foo\bar.dll @result{} c:/foo/bar.dll
17983 @end smallexample
17984
17985 Then, @value{GDBN} attempts prefixing the target file name with
17986 @var{path}, and looks for the resulting file name in the host file
17987 system:
17988
17989 @smallexample
17990 c:/foo/bar.dll @result{} /path/to/sysroot/c:/foo/bar.dll
17991 @end smallexample
17992
17993 If that does not find the binary, @value{GDBN} tries removing
17994 the @samp{:} character from the drive spec, both for convenience, and,
17995 for the case of the host file system not supporting file names with
17996 colons:
17997
17998 @smallexample
17999 c:/foo/bar.dll @result{} /path/to/sysroot/c/foo/bar.dll
18000 @end smallexample
18001
18002 This makes it possible to have a system root that mirrors a target
18003 with more than one drive. E.g., you may want to setup your local
18004 copies of the target system shared libraries like so (note @samp{c} vs
18005 @samp{z}):
18006
18007 @smallexample
18008 @file{/path/to/sysroot/c/sys/bin/foo.dll}
18009 @file{/path/to/sysroot/c/sys/bin/bar.dll}
18010 @file{/path/to/sysroot/z/sys/bin/bar.dll}
18011 @end smallexample
18012
18013 @noindent
18014 and point the system root at @file{/path/to/sysroot}, so that
18015 @value{GDBN} can find the correct copies of both
18016 @file{c:\sys\bin\foo.dll}, and @file{z:\sys\bin\bar.dll}.
18017
18018 If that still does not find the binary, @value{GDBN} tries
18019 removing the whole drive spec from the target file name:
18020
18021 @smallexample
18022 c:/foo/bar.dll @result{} /path/to/sysroot/foo/bar.dll
18023 @end smallexample
18024
18025 This last lookup makes it possible to not care about the drive name,
18026 if you don't want or need to.
18027
18028 The @code{set solib-absolute-prefix} command is an alias for @code{set
18029 sysroot}.
18030
18031 @cindex default system root
18032 @cindex @samp{--with-sysroot}
18033 You can set the default system root by using the configure-time
18034 @samp{--with-sysroot} option. If the system root is inside
18035 @value{GDBN}'s configured binary prefix (set with @samp{--prefix} or
18036 @samp{--exec-prefix}), then the default system root will be updated
18037 automatically if the installed @value{GDBN} is moved to a new
18038 location.
18039
18040 @kindex show sysroot
18041 @item show sysroot
18042 Display the current executable and shared library prefix.
18043
18044 @kindex set solib-search-path
18045 @item set solib-search-path @var{path}
18046 If this variable is set, @var{path} is a colon-separated list of
18047 directories to search for shared libraries. @samp{solib-search-path}
18048 is used after @samp{sysroot} fails to locate the library, or if the
18049 path to the library is relative instead of absolute. If you want to
18050 use @samp{solib-search-path} instead of @samp{sysroot}, be sure to set
18051 @samp{sysroot} to a nonexistent directory to prevent @value{GDBN} from
18052 finding your host's libraries. @samp{sysroot} is preferred; setting
18053 it to a nonexistent directory may interfere with automatic loading
18054 of shared library symbols.
18055
18056 @kindex show solib-search-path
18057 @item show solib-search-path
18058 Display the current shared library search path.
18059
18060 @cindex DOS file-name semantics of file names.
18061 @kindex set target-file-system-kind (unix|dos-based|auto)
18062 @kindex show target-file-system-kind
18063 @item set target-file-system-kind @var{kind}
18064 Set assumed file system kind for target reported file names.
18065
18066 Shared library file names as reported by the target system may not
18067 make sense as is on the system @value{GDBN} is running on. For
18068 example, when remote debugging a target that has MS-DOS based file
18069 system semantics, from a Unix host, the target may be reporting to
18070 @value{GDBN} a list of loaded shared libraries with file names such as
18071 @file{c:\Windows\kernel32.dll}. On Unix hosts, there's no concept of
18072 drive letters, so the @samp{c:\} prefix is not normally understood as
18073 indicating an absolute file name, and neither is the backslash
18074 normally considered a directory separator character. In that case,
18075 the native file system would interpret this whole absolute file name
18076 as a relative file name with no directory components. This would make
18077 it impossible to point @value{GDBN} at a copy of the remote target's
18078 shared libraries on the host using @code{set sysroot}, and impractical
18079 with @code{set solib-search-path}. Setting
18080 @code{target-file-system-kind} to @code{dos-based} tells @value{GDBN}
18081 to interpret such file names similarly to how the target would, and to
18082 map them to file names valid on @value{GDBN}'s native file system
18083 semantics. The value of @var{kind} can be @code{"auto"}, in addition
18084 to one of the supported file system kinds. In that case, @value{GDBN}
18085 tries to determine the appropriate file system variant based on the
18086 current target's operating system (@pxref{ABI, ,Configuring the
18087 Current ABI}). The supported file system settings are:
18088
18089 @table @code
18090 @item unix
18091 Instruct @value{GDBN} to assume the target file system is of Unix
18092 kind. Only file names starting the forward slash (@samp{/}) character
18093 are considered absolute, and the directory separator character is also
18094 the forward slash.
18095
18096 @item dos-based
18097 Instruct @value{GDBN} to assume the target file system is DOS based.
18098 File names starting with either a forward slash, or a drive letter
18099 followed by a colon (e.g., @samp{c:}), are considered absolute, and
18100 both the slash (@samp{/}) and the backslash (@samp{\\}) characters are
18101 considered directory separators.
18102
18103 @item auto
18104 Instruct @value{GDBN} to use the file system kind associated with the
18105 target operating system (@pxref{ABI, ,Configuring the Current ABI}).
18106 This is the default.
18107 @end table
18108 @end table
18109
18110 @cindex file name canonicalization
18111 @cindex base name differences
18112 When processing file names provided by the user, @value{GDBN}
18113 frequently needs to compare them to the file names recorded in the
18114 program's debug info. Normally, @value{GDBN} compares just the
18115 @dfn{base names} of the files as strings, which is reasonably fast
18116 even for very large programs. (The base name of a file is the last
18117 portion of its name, after stripping all the leading directories.)
18118 This shortcut in comparison is based upon the assumption that files
18119 cannot have more than one base name. This is usually true, but
18120 references to files that use symlinks or similar filesystem
18121 facilities violate that assumption. If your program records files
18122 using such facilities, or if you provide file names to @value{GDBN}
18123 using symlinks etc., you can set @code{basenames-may-differ} to
18124 @code{true} to instruct @value{GDBN} to completely canonicalize each
18125 pair of file names it needs to compare. This will make file-name
18126 comparisons accurate, but at a price of a significant slowdown.
18127
18128 @table @code
18129 @item set basenames-may-differ
18130 @kindex set basenames-may-differ
18131 Set whether a source file may have multiple base names.
18132
18133 @item show basenames-may-differ
18134 @kindex show basenames-may-differ
18135 Show whether a source file may have multiple base names.
18136 @end table
18137
18138 @node Separate Debug Files
18139 @section Debugging Information in Separate Files
18140 @cindex separate debugging information files
18141 @cindex debugging information in separate files
18142 @cindex @file{.debug} subdirectories
18143 @cindex debugging information directory, global
18144 @cindex global debugging information directories
18145 @cindex build ID, and separate debugging files
18146 @cindex @file{.build-id} directory
18147
18148 @value{GDBN} allows you to put a program's debugging information in a
18149 file separate from the executable itself, in a way that allows
18150 @value{GDBN} to find and load the debugging information automatically.
18151 Since debugging information can be very large---sometimes larger
18152 than the executable code itself---some systems distribute debugging
18153 information for their executables in separate files, which users can
18154 install only when they need to debug a problem.
18155
18156 @value{GDBN} supports two ways of specifying the separate debug info
18157 file:
18158
18159 @itemize @bullet
18160 @item
18161 The executable contains a @dfn{debug link} that specifies the name of
18162 the separate debug info file. The separate debug file's name is
18163 usually @file{@var{executable}.debug}, where @var{executable} is the
18164 name of the corresponding executable file without leading directories
18165 (e.g., @file{ls.debug} for @file{/usr/bin/ls}). In addition, the
18166 debug link specifies a 32-bit @dfn{Cyclic Redundancy Check} (CRC)
18167 checksum for the debug file, which @value{GDBN} uses to validate that
18168 the executable and the debug file came from the same build.
18169
18170 @item
18171 The executable contains a @dfn{build ID}, a unique bit string that is
18172 also present in the corresponding debug info file. (This is supported
18173 only on some operating systems, notably those which use the ELF format
18174 for binary files and the @sc{gnu} Binutils.) For more details about
18175 this feature, see the description of the @option{--build-id}
18176 command-line option in @ref{Options, , Command Line Options, ld.info,
18177 The GNU Linker}. The debug info file's name is not specified
18178 explicitly by the build ID, but can be computed from the build ID, see
18179 below.
18180 @end itemize
18181
18182 Depending on the way the debug info file is specified, @value{GDBN}
18183 uses two different methods of looking for the debug file:
18184
18185 @itemize @bullet
18186 @item
18187 For the ``debug link'' method, @value{GDBN} looks up the named file in
18188 the directory of the executable file, then in a subdirectory of that
18189 directory named @file{.debug}, and finally under each one of the global debug
18190 directories, in a subdirectory whose name is identical to the leading
18191 directories of the executable's absolute file name.
18192
18193 @item
18194 For the ``build ID'' method, @value{GDBN} looks in the
18195 @file{.build-id} subdirectory of each one of the global debug directories for
18196 a file named @file{@var{nn}/@var{nnnnnnnn}.debug}, where @var{nn} are the
18197 first 2 hex characters of the build ID bit string, and @var{nnnnnnnn}
18198 are the rest of the bit string. (Real build ID strings are 32 or more
18199 hex characters, not 10.)
18200 @end itemize
18201
18202 So, for example, suppose you ask @value{GDBN} to debug
18203 @file{/usr/bin/ls}, which has a debug link that specifies the
18204 file @file{ls.debug}, and a build ID whose value in hex is
18205 @code{abcdef1234}. If the list of the global debug directories includes
18206 @file{/usr/lib/debug}, then @value{GDBN} will look for the following
18207 debug information files, in the indicated order:
18208
18209 @itemize @minus
18210 @item
18211 @file{/usr/lib/debug/.build-id/ab/cdef1234.debug}
18212 @item
18213 @file{/usr/bin/ls.debug}
18214 @item
18215 @file{/usr/bin/.debug/ls.debug}
18216 @item
18217 @file{/usr/lib/debug/usr/bin/ls.debug}.
18218 @end itemize
18219
18220 @anchor{debug-file-directory}
18221 Global debugging info directories default to what is set by @value{GDBN}
18222 configure option @option{--with-separate-debug-dir}. During @value{GDBN} run
18223 you can also set the global debugging info directories, and view the list
18224 @value{GDBN} is currently using.
18225
18226 @table @code
18227
18228 @kindex set debug-file-directory
18229 @item set debug-file-directory @var{directories}
18230 Set the directories which @value{GDBN} searches for separate debugging
18231 information files to @var{directory}. Multiple path components can be set
18232 concatenating them by a path separator.
18233
18234 @kindex show debug-file-directory
18235 @item show debug-file-directory
18236 Show the directories @value{GDBN} searches for separate debugging
18237 information files.
18238
18239 @end table
18240
18241 @cindex @code{.gnu_debuglink} sections
18242 @cindex debug link sections
18243 A debug link is a special section of the executable file named
18244 @code{.gnu_debuglink}. The section must contain:
18245
18246 @itemize
18247 @item
18248 A filename, with any leading directory components removed, followed by
18249 a zero byte,
18250 @item
18251 zero to three bytes of padding, as needed to reach the next four-byte
18252 boundary within the section, and
18253 @item
18254 a four-byte CRC checksum, stored in the same endianness used for the
18255 executable file itself. The checksum is computed on the debugging
18256 information file's full contents by the function given below, passing
18257 zero as the @var{crc} argument.
18258 @end itemize
18259
18260 Any executable file format can carry a debug link, as long as it can
18261 contain a section named @code{.gnu_debuglink} with the contents
18262 described above.
18263
18264 @cindex @code{.note.gnu.build-id} sections
18265 @cindex build ID sections
18266 The build ID is a special section in the executable file (and in other
18267 ELF binary files that @value{GDBN} may consider). This section is
18268 often named @code{.note.gnu.build-id}, but that name is not mandatory.
18269 It contains unique identification for the built files---the ID remains
18270 the same across multiple builds of the same build tree. The default
18271 algorithm SHA1 produces 160 bits (40 hexadecimal characters) of the
18272 content for the build ID string. The same section with an identical
18273 value is present in the original built binary with symbols, in its
18274 stripped variant, and in the separate debugging information file.
18275
18276 The debugging information file itself should be an ordinary
18277 executable, containing a full set of linker symbols, sections, and
18278 debugging information. The sections of the debugging information file
18279 should have the same names, addresses, and sizes as the original file,
18280 but they need not contain any data---much like a @code{.bss} section
18281 in an ordinary executable.
18282
18283 The @sc{gnu} binary utilities (Binutils) package includes the
18284 @samp{objcopy} utility that can produce
18285 the separated executable / debugging information file pairs using the
18286 following commands:
18287
18288 @smallexample
18289 @kbd{objcopy --only-keep-debug foo foo.debug}
18290 @kbd{strip -g foo}
18291 @end smallexample
18292
18293 @noindent
18294 These commands remove the debugging
18295 information from the executable file @file{foo} and place it in the file
18296 @file{foo.debug}. You can use the first, second or both methods to link the
18297 two files:
18298
18299 @itemize @bullet
18300 @item
18301 The debug link method needs the following additional command to also leave
18302 behind a debug link in @file{foo}:
18303
18304 @smallexample
18305 @kbd{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.debug foo}
18306 @end smallexample
18307
18308 Ulrich Drepper's @file{elfutils} package, starting with version 0.53, contains
18309 a version of the @code{strip} command such that the command @kbd{strip foo -f
18310 foo.debug} has the same functionality as the two @code{objcopy} commands and
18311 the @code{ln -s} command above, together.
18312
18313 @item
18314 Build ID gets embedded into the main executable using @code{ld --build-id} or
18315 the @value{NGCC} counterpart @code{gcc -Wl,--build-id}. Build ID support plus
18316 compatibility fixes for debug files separation are present in @sc{gnu} binary
18317 utilities (Binutils) package since version 2.18.
18318 @end itemize
18319
18320 @noindent
18321
18322 @cindex CRC algorithm definition
18323 The CRC used in @code{.gnu_debuglink} is the CRC-32 defined in
18324 IEEE 802.3 using the polynomial:
18325
18326 @c TexInfo requires naked braces for multi-digit exponents for Tex
18327 @c output, but this causes HTML output to barf. HTML has to be set using
18328 @c raw commands. So we end up having to specify this equation in 2
18329 @c different ways!
18330 @ifhtml
18331 @display
18332 @html
18333 <em>x</em><sup>32</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>26</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>23</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>22</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>16</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>12</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>11</sup>
18334 + <em>x</em><sup>10</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>8</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>7</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>5</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>4</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>2</sup> + <em>x</em> + 1
18335 @end html
18336 @end display
18337 @end ifhtml
18338 @ifnothtml
18339 @display
18340 @math{x^{32} + x^{26} + x^{23} + x^{22} + x^{16} + x^{12} + x^{11}}
18341 @math{+ x^{10} + x^8 + x^7 + x^5 + x^4 + x^2 + x + 1}
18342 @end display
18343 @end ifnothtml
18344
18345 The function is computed byte at a time, taking the least
18346 significant bit of each byte first. The initial pattern
18347 @code{0xffffffff} is used, to ensure leading zeros affect the CRC and
18348 the final result is inverted to ensure trailing zeros also affect the
18349 CRC.
18350
18351 @emph{Note:} This is the same CRC polynomial as used in handling the
18352 @dfn{Remote Serial Protocol} @code{qCRC} packet (@pxref{qCRC packet}).
18353 However in the case of the Remote Serial Protocol, the CRC is computed
18354 @emph{most} significant bit first, and the result is not inverted, so
18355 trailing zeros have no effect on the CRC value.
18356
18357 To complete the description, we show below the code of the function
18358 which produces the CRC used in @code{.gnu_debuglink}. Inverting the
18359 initially supplied @code{crc} argument means that an initial call to
18360 this function passing in zero will start computing the CRC using
18361 @code{0xffffffff}.
18362
18363 @kindex gnu_debuglink_crc32
18364 @smallexample
18365 unsigned long
18366 gnu_debuglink_crc32 (unsigned long crc,
18367 unsigned char *buf, size_t len)
18368 @{
18369 static const unsigned long crc32_table[256] =
18370 @{
18371 0x00000000, 0x77073096, 0xee0e612c, 0x990951ba, 0x076dc419,
18372 0x706af48f, 0xe963a535, 0x9e6495a3, 0x0edb8832, 0x79dcb8a4,
18373 0xe0d5e91e, 0x97d2d988, 0x09b64c2b, 0x7eb17cbd, 0xe7b82d07,
18374 0x90bf1d91, 0x1db71064, 0x6ab020f2, 0xf3b97148, 0x84be41de,
18375 0x1adad47d, 0x6ddde4eb, 0xf4d4b551, 0x83d385c7, 0x136c9856,
18376 0x646ba8c0, 0xfd62f97a, 0x8a65c9ec, 0x14015c4f, 0x63066cd9,
18377 0xfa0f3d63, 0x8d080df5, 0x3b6e20c8, 0x4c69105e, 0xd56041e4,
18378 0xa2677172, 0x3c03e4d1, 0x4b04d447, 0xd20d85fd, 0xa50ab56b,
18379 0x35b5a8fa, 0x42b2986c, 0xdbbbc9d6, 0xacbcf940, 0x32d86ce3,
18380 0x45df5c75, 0xdcd60dcf, 0xabd13d59, 0x26d930ac, 0x51de003a,
18381 0xc8d75180, 0xbfd06116, 0x21b4f4b5, 0x56b3c423, 0xcfba9599,
18382 0xb8bda50f, 0x2802b89e, 0x5f058808, 0xc60cd9b2, 0xb10be924,
18383 0x2f6f7c87, 0x58684c11, 0xc1611dab, 0xb6662d3d, 0x76dc4190,
18384 0x01db7106, 0x98d220bc, 0xefd5102a, 0x71b18589, 0x06b6b51f,
18385 0x9fbfe4a5, 0xe8b8d433, 0x7807c9a2, 0x0f00f934, 0x9609a88e,
18386 0xe10e9818, 0x7f6a0dbb, 0x086d3d2d, 0x91646c97, 0xe6635c01,
18387 0x6b6b51f4, 0x1c6c6162, 0x856530d8, 0xf262004e, 0x6c0695ed,
18388 0x1b01a57b, 0x8208f4c1, 0xf50fc457, 0x65b0d9c6, 0x12b7e950,
18389 0x8bbeb8ea, 0xfcb9887c, 0x62dd1ddf, 0x15da2d49, 0x8cd37cf3,
18390 0xfbd44c65, 0x4db26158, 0x3ab551ce, 0xa3bc0074, 0xd4bb30e2,
18391 0x4adfa541, 0x3dd895d7, 0xa4d1c46d, 0xd3d6f4fb, 0x4369e96a,
18392 0x346ed9fc, 0xad678846, 0xda60b8d0, 0x44042d73, 0x33031de5,
18393 0xaa0a4c5f, 0xdd0d7cc9, 0x5005713c, 0x270241aa, 0xbe0b1010,
18394 0xc90c2086, 0x5768b525, 0x206f85b3, 0xb966d409, 0xce61e49f,
18395 0x5edef90e, 0x29d9c998, 0xb0d09822, 0xc7d7a8b4, 0x59b33d17,
18396 0x2eb40d81, 0xb7bd5c3b, 0xc0ba6cad, 0xedb88320, 0x9abfb3b6,
18397 0x03b6e20c, 0x74b1d29a, 0xead54739, 0x9dd277af, 0x04db2615,
18398 0x73dc1683, 0xe3630b12, 0x94643b84, 0x0d6d6a3e, 0x7a6a5aa8,
18399 0xe40ecf0b, 0x9309ff9d, 0x0a00ae27, 0x7d079eb1, 0xf00f9344,
18400 0x8708a3d2, 0x1e01f268, 0x6906c2fe, 0xf762575d, 0x806567cb,
18401 0x196c3671, 0x6e6b06e7, 0xfed41b76, 0x89d32be0, 0x10da7a5a,
18402 0x67dd4acc, 0xf9b9df6f, 0x8ebeeff9, 0x17b7be43, 0x60b08ed5,
18403 0xd6d6a3e8, 0xa1d1937e, 0x38d8c2c4, 0x4fdff252, 0xd1bb67f1,
18404 0xa6bc5767, 0x3fb506dd, 0x48b2364b, 0xd80d2bda, 0xaf0a1b4c,
18405 0x36034af6, 0x41047a60, 0xdf60efc3, 0xa867df55, 0x316e8eef,
18406 0x4669be79, 0xcb61b38c, 0xbc66831a, 0x256fd2a0, 0x5268e236,
18407 0xcc0c7795, 0xbb0b4703, 0x220216b9, 0x5505262f, 0xc5ba3bbe,
18408 0xb2bd0b28, 0x2bb45a92, 0x5cb36a04, 0xc2d7ffa7, 0xb5d0cf31,
18409 0x2cd99e8b, 0x5bdeae1d, 0x9b64c2b0, 0xec63f226, 0x756aa39c,
18410 0x026d930a, 0x9c0906a9, 0xeb0e363f, 0x72076785, 0x05005713,
18411 0x95bf4a82, 0xe2b87a14, 0x7bb12bae, 0x0cb61b38, 0x92d28e9b,
18412 0xe5d5be0d, 0x7cdcefb7, 0x0bdbdf21, 0x86d3d2d4, 0xf1d4e242,
18413 0x68ddb3f8, 0x1fda836e, 0x81be16cd, 0xf6b9265b, 0x6fb077e1,
18414 0x18b74777, 0x88085ae6, 0xff0f6a70, 0x66063bca, 0x11010b5c,
18415 0x8f659eff, 0xf862ae69, 0x616bffd3, 0x166ccf45, 0xa00ae278,
18416 0xd70dd2ee, 0x4e048354, 0x3903b3c2, 0xa7672661, 0xd06016f7,
18417 0x4969474d, 0x3e6e77db, 0xaed16a4a, 0xd9d65adc, 0x40df0b66,
18418 0x37d83bf0, 0xa9bcae53, 0xdebb9ec5, 0x47b2cf7f, 0x30b5ffe9,
18419 0xbdbdf21c, 0xcabac28a, 0x53b39330, 0x24b4a3a6, 0xbad03605,
18420 0xcdd70693, 0x54de5729, 0x23d967bf, 0xb3667a2e, 0xc4614ab8,
18421 0x5d681b02, 0x2a6f2b94, 0xb40bbe37, 0xc30c8ea1, 0x5a05df1b,
18422 0x2d02ef8d
18423 @};
18424 unsigned char *end;
18425
18426 crc = ~crc & 0xffffffff;
18427 for (end = buf + len; buf < end; ++buf)
18428 crc = crc32_table[(crc ^ *buf) & 0xff] ^ (crc >> 8);
18429 return ~crc & 0xffffffff;
18430 @}
18431 @end smallexample
18432
18433 @noindent
18434 This computation does not apply to the ``build ID'' method.
18435
18436 @node MiniDebugInfo
18437 @section Debugging information in a special section
18438 @cindex separate debug sections
18439 @cindex @samp{.gnu_debugdata} section
18440
18441 Some systems ship pre-built executables and libraries that have a
18442 special @samp{.gnu_debugdata} section. This feature is called
18443 @dfn{MiniDebugInfo}. This section holds an LZMA-compressed object and
18444 is used to supply extra symbols for backtraces.
18445
18446 The intent of this section is to provide extra minimal debugging
18447 information for use in simple backtraces. It is not intended to be a
18448 replacement for full separate debugging information (@pxref{Separate
18449 Debug Files}). The example below shows the intended use; however,
18450 @value{GDBN} does not currently put restrictions on what sort of
18451 debugging information might be included in the section.
18452
18453 @value{GDBN} has support for this extension. If the section exists,
18454 then it is used provided that no other source of debugging information
18455 can be found, and that @value{GDBN} was configured with LZMA support.
18456
18457 This section can be easily created using @command{objcopy} and other
18458 standard utilities:
18459
18460 @smallexample
18461 # Extract the dynamic symbols from the main binary, there is no need
18462 # to also have these in the normal symbol table.
18463 nm -D @var{binary} --format=posix --defined-only \
18464 | awk '@{ print $1 @}' | sort > dynsyms
18465
18466 # Extract all the text (i.e. function) symbols from the debuginfo.
18467 # (Note that we actually also accept "D" symbols, for the benefit
18468 # of platforms like PowerPC64 that use function descriptors.)
18469 nm @var{binary} --format=posix --defined-only \
18470 | awk '@{ if ($2 == "T" || $2 == "t" || $2 == "D") print $1 @}' \
18471 | sort > funcsyms
18472
18473 # Keep all the function symbols not already in the dynamic symbol
18474 # table.
18475 comm -13 dynsyms funcsyms > keep_symbols
18476
18477 # Separate full debug info into debug binary.
18478 objcopy --only-keep-debug @var{binary} debug
18479
18480 # Copy the full debuginfo, keeping only a minimal set of symbols and
18481 # removing some unnecessary sections.
18482 objcopy -S --remove-section .gdb_index --remove-section .comment \
18483 --keep-symbols=keep_symbols debug mini_debuginfo
18484
18485 # Drop the full debug info from the original binary.
18486 strip --strip-all -R .comment @var{binary}
18487
18488 # Inject the compressed data into the .gnu_debugdata section of the
18489 # original binary.
18490 xz mini_debuginfo
18491 objcopy --add-section .gnu_debugdata=mini_debuginfo.xz @var{binary}
18492 @end smallexample
18493
18494 @node Index Files
18495 @section Index Files Speed Up @value{GDBN}
18496 @cindex index files
18497 @cindex @samp{.gdb_index} section
18498
18499 When @value{GDBN} finds a symbol file, it scans the symbols in the
18500 file in order to construct an internal symbol table. This lets most
18501 @value{GDBN} operations work quickly---at the cost of a delay early
18502 on. For large programs, this delay can be quite lengthy, so
18503 @value{GDBN} provides a way to build an index, which speeds up
18504 startup.
18505
18506 The index is stored as a section in the symbol file. @value{GDBN} can
18507 write the index to a file, then you can put it into the symbol file
18508 using @command{objcopy}.
18509
18510 To create an index file, use the @code{save gdb-index} command:
18511
18512 @table @code
18513 @item save gdb-index @var{directory}
18514 @kindex save gdb-index
18515 Create an index file for each symbol file currently known by
18516 @value{GDBN}. Each file is named after its corresponding symbol file,
18517 with @samp{.gdb-index} appended, and is written into the given
18518 @var{directory}.
18519 @end table
18520
18521 Once you have created an index file you can merge it into your symbol
18522 file, here named @file{symfile}, using @command{objcopy}:
18523
18524 @smallexample
18525 $ objcopy --add-section .gdb_index=symfile.gdb-index \
18526 --set-section-flags .gdb_index=readonly symfile symfile
18527 @end smallexample
18528
18529 @value{GDBN} will normally ignore older versions of @file{.gdb_index}
18530 sections that have been deprecated. Usually they are deprecated because
18531 they are missing a new feature or have performance issues.
18532 To tell @value{GDBN} to use a deprecated index section anyway
18533 specify @code{set use-deprecated-index-sections on}.
18534 The default is @code{off}.
18535 This can speed up startup, but may result in some functionality being lost.
18536 @xref{Index Section Format}.
18537
18538 @emph{Warning:} Setting @code{use-deprecated-index-sections} to @code{on}
18539 must be done before gdb reads the file. The following will not work:
18540
18541 @smallexample
18542 $ gdb -ex "set use-deprecated-index-sections on" <program>
18543 @end smallexample
18544
18545 Instead you must do, for example,
18546
18547 @smallexample
18548 $ gdb -iex "set use-deprecated-index-sections on" <program>
18549 @end smallexample
18550
18551 There are currently some limitation on indices. They only work when
18552 for DWARF debugging information, not stabs. And, they do not
18553 currently work for programs using Ada.
18554
18555 @node Symbol Errors
18556 @section Errors Reading Symbol Files
18557
18558 While reading a symbol file, @value{GDBN} occasionally encounters problems,
18559 such as symbol types it does not recognize, or known bugs in compiler
18560 output. By default, @value{GDBN} does not notify you of such problems, since
18561 they are relatively common and primarily of interest to people
18562 debugging compilers. If you are interested in seeing information
18563 about ill-constructed symbol tables, you can either ask @value{GDBN} to print
18564 only one message about each such type of problem, no matter how many
18565 times the problem occurs; or you can ask @value{GDBN} to print more messages,
18566 to see how many times the problems occur, with the @code{set
18567 complaints} command (@pxref{Messages/Warnings, ,Optional Warnings and
18568 Messages}).
18569
18570 The messages currently printed, and their meanings, include:
18571
18572 @table @code
18573 @item inner block not inside outer block in @var{symbol}
18574
18575 The symbol information shows where symbol scopes begin and end
18576 (such as at the start of a function or a block of statements). This
18577 error indicates that an inner scope block is not fully contained
18578 in its outer scope blocks.
18579
18580 @value{GDBN} circumvents the problem by treating the inner block as if it had
18581 the same scope as the outer block. In the error message, @var{symbol}
18582 may be shown as ``@code{(don't know)}'' if the outer block is not a
18583 function.
18584
18585 @item block at @var{address} out of order
18586
18587 The symbol information for symbol scope blocks should occur in
18588 order of increasing addresses. This error indicates that it does not
18589 do so.
18590
18591 @value{GDBN} does not circumvent this problem, and has trouble
18592 locating symbols in the source file whose symbols it is reading. (You
18593 can often determine what source file is affected by specifying
18594 @code{set verbose on}. @xref{Messages/Warnings, ,Optional Warnings and
18595 Messages}.)
18596
18597 @item bad block start address patched
18598
18599 The symbol information for a symbol scope block has a start address
18600 smaller than the address of the preceding source line. This is known
18601 to occur in the SunOS 4.1.1 (and earlier) C compiler.
18602
18603 @value{GDBN} circumvents the problem by treating the symbol scope block as
18604 starting on the previous source line.
18605
18606 @item bad string table offset in symbol @var{n}
18607
18608 @cindex foo
18609 Symbol number @var{n} contains a pointer into the string table which is
18610 larger than the size of the string table.
18611
18612 @value{GDBN} circumvents the problem by considering the symbol to have the
18613 name @code{foo}, which may cause other problems if many symbols end up
18614 with this name.
18615
18616 @item unknown symbol type @code{0x@var{nn}}
18617
18618 The symbol information contains new data types that @value{GDBN} does
18619 not yet know how to read. @code{0x@var{nn}} is the symbol type of the
18620 uncomprehended information, in hexadecimal.
18621
18622 @value{GDBN} circumvents the error by ignoring this symbol information.
18623 This usually allows you to debug your program, though certain symbols
18624 are not accessible. If you encounter such a problem and feel like
18625 debugging it, you can debug @code{@value{GDBP}} with itself, breakpoint
18626 on @code{complain}, then go up to the function @code{read_dbx_symtab}
18627 and examine @code{*bufp} to see the symbol.
18628
18629 @item stub type has NULL name
18630
18631 @value{GDBN} could not find the full definition for a struct or class.
18632
18633 @item const/volatile indicator missing (ok if using g++ v1.x), got@dots{}
18634 The symbol information for a C@t{++} member function is missing some
18635 information that recent versions of the compiler should have output for
18636 it.
18637
18638 @item info mismatch between compiler and debugger
18639
18640 @value{GDBN} could not parse a type specification output by the compiler.
18641
18642 @end table
18643
18644 @node Data Files
18645 @section GDB Data Files
18646
18647 @cindex prefix for data files
18648 @value{GDBN} will sometimes read an auxiliary data file. These files
18649 are kept in a directory known as the @dfn{data directory}.
18650
18651 You can set the data directory's name, and view the name @value{GDBN}
18652 is currently using.
18653
18654 @table @code
18655 @kindex set data-directory
18656 @item set data-directory @var{directory}
18657 Set the directory which @value{GDBN} searches for auxiliary data files
18658 to @var{directory}.
18659
18660 @kindex show data-directory
18661 @item show data-directory
18662 Show the directory @value{GDBN} searches for auxiliary data files.
18663 @end table
18664
18665 @cindex default data directory
18666 @cindex @samp{--with-gdb-datadir}
18667 You can set the default data directory by using the configure-time
18668 @samp{--with-gdb-datadir} option. If the data directory is inside
18669 @value{GDBN}'s configured binary prefix (set with @samp{--prefix} or
18670 @samp{--exec-prefix}), then the default data directory will be updated
18671 automatically if the installed @value{GDBN} is moved to a new
18672 location.
18673
18674 The data directory may also be specified with the
18675 @code{--data-directory} command line option.
18676 @xref{Mode Options}.
18677
18678 @node Targets
18679 @chapter Specifying a Debugging Target
18680
18681 @cindex debugging target
18682 A @dfn{target} is the execution environment occupied by your program.
18683
18684 Often, @value{GDBN} runs in the same host environment as your program;
18685 in that case, the debugging target is specified as a side effect when
18686 you use the @code{file} or @code{core} commands. When you need more
18687 flexibility---for example, running @value{GDBN} on a physically separate
18688 host, or controlling a standalone system over a serial port or a
18689 realtime system over a TCP/IP connection---you can use the @code{target}
18690 command to specify one of the target types configured for @value{GDBN}
18691 (@pxref{Target Commands, ,Commands for Managing Targets}).
18692
18693 @cindex target architecture
18694 It is possible to build @value{GDBN} for several different @dfn{target
18695 architectures}. When @value{GDBN} is built like that, you can choose
18696 one of the available architectures with the @kbd{set architecture}
18697 command.
18698
18699 @table @code
18700 @kindex set architecture
18701 @kindex show architecture
18702 @item set architecture @var{arch}
18703 This command sets the current target architecture to @var{arch}. The
18704 value of @var{arch} can be @code{"auto"}, in addition to one of the
18705 supported architectures.
18706
18707 @item show architecture
18708 Show the current target architecture.
18709
18710 @item set processor
18711 @itemx processor
18712 @kindex set processor
18713 @kindex show processor
18714 These are alias commands for, respectively, @code{set architecture}
18715 and @code{show architecture}.
18716 @end table
18717
18718 @menu
18719 * Active Targets:: Active targets
18720 * Target Commands:: Commands for managing targets
18721 * Byte Order:: Choosing target byte order
18722 @end menu
18723
18724 @node Active Targets
18725 @section Active Targets
18726
18727 @cindex stacking targets
18728 @cindex active targets
18729 @cindex multiple targets
18730
18731 There are multiple classes of targets such as: processes, executable files or
18732 recording sessions. Core files belong to the process class, making core file
18733 and process mutually exclusive. Otherwise, @value{GDBN} can work concurrently
18734 on multiple active targets, one in each class. This allows you to (for
18735 example) start a process and inspect its activity, while still having access to
18736 the executable file after the process finishes. Or if you start process
18737 recording (@pxref{Reverse Execution}) and @code{reverse-step} there, you are
18738 presented a virtual layer of the recording target, while the process target
18739 remains stopped at the chronologically last point of the process execution.
18740
18741 Use the @code{core-file} and @code{exec-file} commands to select a new core
18742 file or executable target (@pxref{Files, ,Commands to Specify Files}). To
18743 specify as a target a process that is already running, use the @code{attach}
18744 command (@pxref{Attach, ,Debugging an Already-running Process}).
18745
18746 @node Target Commands
18747 @section Commands for Managing Targets
18748
18749 @table @code
18750 @item target @var{type} @var{parameters}
18751 Connects the @value{GDBN} host environment to a target machine or
18752 process. A target is typically a protocol for talking to debugging
18753 facilities. You use the argument @var{type} to specify the type or
18754 protocol of the target machine.
18755
18756 Further @var{parameters} are interpreted by the target protocol, but
18757 typically include things like device names or host names to connect
18758 with, process numbers, and baud rates.
18759
18760 The @code{target} command does not repeat if you press @key{RET} again
18761 after executing the command.
18762
18763 @kindex help target
18764 @item help target
18765 Displays the names of all targets available. To display targets
18766 currently selected, use either @code{info target} or @code{info files}
18767 (@pxref{Files, ,Commands to Specify Files}).
18768
18769 @item help target @var{name}
18770 Describe a particular target, including any parameters necessary to
18771 select it.
18772
18773 @kindex set gnutarget
18774 @item set gnutarget @var{args}
18775 @value{GDBN} uses its own library BFD to read your files. @value{GDBN}
18776 knows whether it is reading an @dfn{executable},
18777 a @dfn{core}, or a @dfn{.o} file; however, you can specify the file format
18778 with the @code{set gnutarget} command. Unlike most @code{target} commands,
18779 with @code{gnutarget} the @code{target} refers to a program, not a machine.
18780
18781 @quotation
18782 @emph{Warning:} To specify a file format with @code{set gnutarget},
18783 you must know the actual BFD name.
18784 @end quotation
18785
18786 @noindent
18787 @xref{Files, , Commands to Specify Files}.
18788
18789 @kindex show gnutarget
18790 @item show gnutarget
18791 Use the @code{show gnutarget} command to display what file format
18792 @code{gnutarget} is set to read. If you have not set @code{gnutarget},
18793 @value{GDBN} will determine the file format for each file automatically,
18794 and @code{show gnutarget} displays @samp{The current BFD target is "auto"}.
18795 @end table
18796
18797 @cindex common targets
18798 Here are some common targets (available, or not, depending on the GDB
18799 configuration):
18800
18801 @table @code
18802 @kindex target
18803 @item target exec @var{program}
18804 @cindex executable file target
18805 An executable file. @samp{target exec @var{program}} is the same as
18806 @samp{exec-file @var{program}}.
18807
18808 @item target core @var{filename}
18809 @cindex core dump file target
18810 A core dump file. @samp{target core @var{filename}} is the same as
18811 @samp{core-file @var{filename}}.
18812
18813 @item target remote @var{medium}
18814 @cindex remote target
18815 A remote system connected to @value{GDBN} via a serial line or network
18816 connection. This command tells @value{GDBN} to use its own remote
18817 protocol over @var{medium} for debugging. @xref{Remote Debugging}.
18818
18819 For example, if you have a board connected to @file{/dev/ttya} on the
18820 machine running @value{GDBN}, you could say:
18821
18822 @smallexample
18823 target remote /dev/ttya
18824 @end smallexample
18825
18826 @code{target remote} supports the @code{load} command. This is only
18827 useful if you have some other way of getting the stub to the target
18828 system, and you can put it somewhere in memory where it won't get
18829 clobbered by the download.
18830
18831 @item target sim @r{[}@var{simargs}@r{]} @dots{}
18832 @cindex built-in simulator target
18833 Builtin CPU simulator. @value{GDBN} includes simulators for most architectures.
18834 In general,
18835 @smallexample
18836 target sim
18837 load
18838 run
18839 @end smallexample
18840 @noindent
18841 works; however, you cannot assume that a specific memory map, device
18842 drivers, or even basic I/O is available, although some simulators do
18843 provide these. For info about any processor-specific simulator details,
18844 see the appropriate section in @ref{Embedded Processors, ,Embedded
18845 Processors}.
18846
18847 @item target native
18848 @cindex native target
18849 Setup for local/native process debugging. Useful to make the
18850 @code{run} command spawn native processes (likewise @code{attach},
18851 etc.@:) even when @code{set auto-connect-native-target} is @code{off}
18852 (@pxref{set auto-connect-native-target}).
18853
18854 @end table
18855
18856 Different targets are available on different configurations of @value{GDBN};
18857 your configuration may have more or fewer targets.
18858
18859 Many remote targets require you to download the executable's code once
18860 you've successfully established a connection. You may wish to control
18861 various aspects of this process.
18862
18863 @table @code
18864
18865 @item set hash
18866 @kindex set hash@r{, for remote monitors}
18867 @cindex hash mark while downloading
18868 This command controls whether a hash mark @samp{#} is displayed while
18869 downloading a file to the remote monitor. If on, a hash mark is
18870 displayed after each S-record is successfully downloaded to the
18871 monitor.
18872
18873 @item show hash
18874 @kindex show hash@r{, for remote monitors}
18875 Show the current status of displaying the hash mark.
18876
18877 @item set debug monitor
18878 @kindex set debug monitor
18879 @cindex display remote monitor communications
18880 Enable or disable display of communications messages between
18881 @value{GDBN} and the remote monitor.
18882
18883 @item show debug monitor
18884 @kindex show debug monitor
18885 Show the current status of displaying communications between
18886 @value{GDBN} and the remote monitor.
18887 @end table
18888
18889 @table @code
18890
18891 @kindex load @var{filename}
18892 @item load @var{filename}
18893 @anchor{load}
18894 Depending on what remote debugging facilities are configured into
18895 @value{GDBN}, the @code{load} command may be available. Where it exists, it
18896 is meant to make @var{filename} (an executable) available for debugging
18897 on the remote system---by downloading, or dynamic linking, for example.
18898 @code{load} also records the @var{filename} symbol table in @value{GDBN}, like
18899 the @code{add-symbol-file} command.
18900
18901 If your @value{GDBN} does not have a @code{load} command, attempting to
18902 execute it gets the error message ``@code{You can't do that when your
18903 target is @dots{}}''
18904
18905 The file is loaded at whatever address is specified in the executable.
18906 For some object file formats, you can specify the load address when you
18907 link the program; for other formats, like a.out, the object file format
18908 specifies a fixed address.
18909 @c FIXME! This would be a good place for an xref to the GNU linker doc.
18910
18911 Depending on the remote side capabilities, @value{GDBN} may be able to
18912 load programs into flash memory.
18913
18914 @code{load} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} again after using it.
18915 @end table
18916
18917 @node Byte Order
18918 @section Choosing Target Byte Order
18919
18920 @cindex choosing target byte order
18921 @cindex target byte order
18922
18923 Some types of processors, such as the @acronym{MIPS}, PowerPC, and Renesas SH,
18924 offer the ability to run either big-endian or little-endian byte
18925 orders. Usually the executable or symbol will include a bit to
18926 designate the endian-ness, and you will not need to worry about
18927 which to use. However, you may still find it useful to adjust
18928 @value{GDBN}'s idea of processor endian-ness manually.
18929
18930 @table @code
18931 @kindex set endian
18932 @item set endian big
18933 Instruct @value{GDBN} to assume the target is big-endian.
18934
18935 @item set endian little
18936 Instruct @value{GDBN} to assume the target is little-endian.
18937
18938 @item set endian auto
18939 Instruct @value{GDBN} to use the byte order associated with the
18940 executable.
18941
18942 @item show endian
18943 Display @value{GDBN}'s current idea of the target byte order.
18944
18945 @end table
18946
18947 Note that these commands merely adjust interpretation of symbolic
18948 data on the host, and that they have absolutely no effect on the
18949 target system.
18950
18951
18952 @node Remote Debugging
18953 @chapter Debugging Remote Programs
18954 @cindex remote debugging
18955
18956 If you are trying to debug a program running on a machine that cannot run
18957 @value{GDBN} in the usual way, it is often useful to use remote debugging.
18958 For example, you might use remote debugging on an operating system kernel,
18959 or on a small system which does not have a general purpose operating system
18960 powerful enough to run a full-featured debugger.
18961
18962 Some configurations of @value{GDBN} have special serial or TCP/IP interfaces
18963 to make this work with particular debugging targets. In addition,
18964 @value{GDBN} comes with a generic serial protocol (specific to @value{GDBN},
18965 but not specific to any particular target system) which you can use if you
18966 write the remote stubs---the code that runs on the remote system to
18967 communicate with @value{GDBN}.
18968
18969 Other remote targets may be available in your
18970 configuration of @value{GDBN}; use @code{help target} to list them.
18971
18972 @menu
18973 * Connecting:: Connecting to a remote target
18974 * File Transfer:: Sending files to a remote system
18975 * Server:: Using the gdbserver program
18976 * Remote Configuration:: Remote configuration
18977 * Remote Stub:: Implementing a remote stub
18978 @end menu
18979
18980 @node Connecting
18981 @section Connecting to a Remote Target
18982
18983 @value{GDBN} needs an unstripped copy of your program to access symbol
18984 and debugging information. Some remote targets (@pxref{qXfer
18985 executable filename read}, and @pxref{Host I/O Packets}) allow
18986 @value{GDBN} to access program files over the same connection used to
18987 communicate with @value{GDBN}. With such a target, if the remote
18988 program is unstripped, the only command you need is @code{target
18989 remote}. Otherwise, start up @value{GDBN} using the name of the local
18990 unstripped copy of your program as the first argument, or use the
18991 @code{file} command.
18992
18993 @cindex @code{target remote}
18994 @value{GDBN} can communicate with the target over a serial line, or
18995 over an @acronym{IP} network using @acronym{TCP} or @acronym{UDP}. In
18996 each case, @value{GDBN} uses the same protocol for debugging your
18997 program; only the medium carrying the debugging packets varies. The
18998 @code{target remote} command establishes a connection to the target.
18999 Its arguments indicate which medium to use:
19000
19001 @table @code
19002
19003 @item target remote @var{serial-device}
19004 @cindex serial line, @code{target remote}
19005 Use @var{serial-device} to communicate with the target. For example,
19006 to use a serial line connected to the device named @file{/dev/ttyb}:
19007
19008 @smallexample
19009 target remote /dev/ttyb
19010 @end smallexample
19011
19012 If you're using a serial line, you may want to give @value{GDBN} the
19013 @samp{--baud} option, or use the @code{set serial baud} command
19014 (@pxref{Remote Configuration, set serial baud}) before the
19015 @code{target} command.
19016
19017 @item target remote @code{@var{host}:@var{port}}
19018 @itemx target remote @code{tcp:@var{host}:@var{port}}
19019 @cindex @acronym{TCP} port, @code{target remote}
19020 Debug using a @acronym{TCP} connection to @var{port} on @var{host}.
19021 The @var{host} may be either a host name or a numeric @acronym{IP}
19022 address; @var{port} must be a decimal number. The @var{host} could be
19023 the target machine itself, if it is directly connected to the net, or
19024 it might be a terminal server which in turn has a serial line to the
19025 target.
19026
19027 For example, to connect to port 2828 on a terminal server named
19028 @code{manyfarms}:
19029
19030 @smallexample
19031 target remote manyfarms:2828
19032 @end smallexample
19033
19034 If your remote target is actually running on the same machine as your
19035 debugger session (e.g.@: a simulator for your target running on the
19036 same host), you can omit the hostname. For example, to connect to
19037 port 1234 on your local machine:
19038
19039 @smallexample
19040 target remote :1234
19041 @end smallexample
19042 @noindent
19043
19044 Note that the colon is still required here.
19045
19046 @item target remote @code{udp:@var{host}:@var{port}}
19047 @cindex @acronym{UDP} port, @code{target remote}
19048 Debug using @acronym{UDP} packets to @var{port} on @var{host}. For example, to
19049 connect to @acronym{UDP} port 2828 on a terminal server named @code{manyfarms}:
19050
19051 @smallexample
19052 target remote udp:manyfarms:2828
19053 @end smallexample
19054
19055 When using a @acronym{UDP} connection for remote debugging, you should
19056 keep in mind that the `U' stands for ``Unreliable''. @acronym{UDP}
19057 can silently drop packets on busy or unreliable networks, which will
19058 cause havoc with your debugging session.
19059
19060 @item target remote | @var{command}
19061 @cindex pipe, @code{target remote} to
19062 Run @var{command} in the background and communicate with it using a
19063 pipe. The @var{command} is a shell command, to be parsed and expanded
19064 by the system's command shell, @code{/bin/sh}; it should expect remote
19065 protocol packets on its standard input, and send replies on its
19066 standard output. You could use this to run a stand-alone simulator
19067 that speaks the remote debugging protocol, to make net connections
19068 using programs like @code{ssh}, or for other similar tricks.
19069
19070 If @var{command} closes its standard output (perhaps by exiting),
19071 @value{GDBN} will try to send it a @code{SIGTERM} signal. (If the
19072 program has already exited, this will have no effect.)
19073
19074 @end table
19075
19076 Once the connection has been established, you can use all the usual
19077 commands to examine and change data. The remote program is already
19078 running; you can use @kbd{step} and @kbd{continue}, and you do not
19079 need to use @kbd{run}.
19080
19081 @cindex interrupting remote programs
19082 @cindex remote programs, interrupting
19083 Whenever @value{GDBN} is waiting for the remote program, if you type the
19084 interrupt character (often @kbd{Ctrl-c}), @value{GDBN} attempts to stop the
19085 program. This may or may not succeed, depending in part on the hardware
19086 and the serial drivers the remote system uses. If you type the
19087 interrupt character once again, @value{GDBN} displays this prompt:
19088
19089 @smallexample
19090 Interrupted while waiting for the program.
19091 Give up (and stop debugging it)? (y or n)
19092 @end smallexample
19093
19094 If you type @kbd{y}, @value{GDBN} abandons the remote debugging session.
19095 (If you decide you want to try again later, you can use @samp{target
19096 remote} again to connect once more.) If you type @kbd{n}, @value{GDBN}
19097 goes back to waiting.
19098
19099 @table @code
19100 @kindex detach (remote)
19101 @item detach
19102 When you have finished debugging the remote program, you can use the
19103 @code{detach} command to release it from @value{GDBN} control.
19104 Detaching from the target normally resumes its execution, but the results
19105 will depend on your particular remote stub. After the @code{detach}
19106 command, @value{GDBN} is free to connect to another target.
19107
19108 @kindex disconnect
19109 @item disconnect
19110 The @code{disconnect} command behaves like @code{detach}, except that
19111 the target is generally not resumed. It will wait for @value{GDBN}
19112 (this instance or another one) to connect and continue debugging. After
19113 the @code{disconnect} command, @value{GDBN} is again free to connect to
19114 another target.
19115
19116 @cindex send command to remote monitor
19117 @cindex extend @value{GDBN} for remote targets
19118 @cindex add new commands for external monitor
19119 @kindex monitor
19120 @item monitor @var{cmd}
19121 This command allows you to send arbitrary commands directly to the
19122 remote monitor. Since @value{GDBN} doesn't care about the commands it
19123 sends like this, this command is the way to extend @value{GDBN}---you
19124 can add new commands that only the external monitor will understand
19125 and implement.
19126 @end table
19127
19128 @node File Transfer
19129 @section Sending files to a remote system
19130 @cindex remote target, file transfer
19131 @cindex file transfer
19132 @cindex sending files to remote systems
19133
19134 Some remote targets offer the ability to transfer files over the same
19135 connection used to communicate with @value{GDBN}. This is convenient
19136 for targets accessible through other means, e.g.@: @sc{gnu}/Linux systems
19137 running @code{gdbserver} over a network interface. For other targets,
19138 e.g.@: embedded devices with only a single serial port, this may be
19139 the only way to upload or download files.
19140
19141 Not all remote targets support these commands.
19142
19143 @table @code
19144 @kindex remote put
19145 @item remote put @var{hostfile} @var{targetfile}
19146 Copy file @var{hostfile} from the host system (the machine running
19147 @value{GDBN}) to @var{targetfile} on the target system.
19148
19149 @kindex remote get
19150 @item remote get @var{targetfile} @var{hostfile}
19151 Copy file @var{targetfile} from the target system to @var{hostfile}
19152 on the host system.
19153
19154 @kindex remote delete
19155 @item remote delete @var{targetfile}
19156 Delete @var{targetfile} from the target system.
19157
19158 @end table
19159
19160 @node Server
19161 @section Using the @code{gdbserver} Program
19162
19163 @kindex gdbserver
19164 @cindex remote connection without stubs
19165 @code{gdbserver} is a control program for Unix-like systems, which
19166 allows you to connect your program with a remote @value{GDBN} via
19167 @code{target remote}---but without linking in the usual debugging stub.
19168
19169 @code{gdbserver} is not a complete replacement for the debugging stubs,
19170 because it requires essentially the same operating-system facilities
19171 that @value{GDBN} itself does. In fact, a system that can run
19172 @code{gdbserver} to connect to a remote @value{GDBN} could also run
19173 @value{GDBN} locally! @code{gdbserver} is sometimes useful nevertheless,
19174 because it is a much smaller program than @value{GDBN} itself. It is
19175 also easier to port than all of @value{GDBN}, so you may be able to get
19176 started more quickly on a new system by using @code{gdbserver}.
19177 Finally, if you develop code for real-time systems, you may find that
19178 the tradeoffs involved in real-time operation make it more convenient to
19179 do as much development work as possible on another system, for example
19180 by cross-compiling. You can use @code{gdbserver} to make a similar
19181 choice for debugging.
19182
19183 @value{GDBN} and @code{gdbserver} communicate via either a serial line
19184 or a TCP connection, using the standard @value{GDBN} remote serial
19185 protocol.
19186
19187 @quotation
19188 @emph{Warning:} @code{gdbserver} does not have any built-in security.
19189 Do not run @code{gdbserver} connected to any public network; a
19190 @value{GDBN} connection to @code{gdbserver} provides access to the
19191 target system with the same privileges as the user running
19192 @code{gdbserver}.
19193 @end quotation
19194
19195 @subsection Running @code{gdbserver}
19196 @cindex arguments, to @code{gdbserver}
19197 @cindex @code{gdbserver}, command-line arguments
19198
19199 Run @code{gdbserver} on the target system. You need a copy of the
19200 program you want to debug, including any libraries it requires.
19201 @code{gdbserver} does not need your program's symbol table, so you can
19202 strip the program if necessary to save space. @value{GDBN} on the host
19203 system does all the symbol handling.
19204
19205 To use the server, you must tell it how to communicate with @value{GDBN};
19206 the name of your program; and the arguments for your program. The usual
19207 syntax is:
19208
19209 @smallexample
19210 target> gdbserver @var{comm} @var{program} [ @var{args} @dots{} ]
19211 @end smallexample
19212
19213 @var{comm} is either a device name (to use a serial line), or a TCP
19214 hostname and portnumber, or @code{-} or @code{stdio} to use
19215 stdin/stdout of @code{gdbserver}.
19216 For example, to debug Emacs with the argument
19217 @samp{foo.txt} and communicate with @value{GDBN} over the serial port
19218 @file{/dev/com1}:
19219
19220 @smallexample
19221 target> gdbserver /dev/com1 emacs foo.txt
19222 @end smallexample
19223
19224 @code{gdbserver} waits passively for the host @value{GDBN} to communicate
19225 with it.
19226
19227 To use a TCP connection instead of a serial line:
19228
19229 @smallexample
19230 target> gdbserver host:2345 emacs foo.txt
19231 @end smallexample
19232
19233 The only difference from the previous example is the first argument,
19234 specifying that you are communicating with the host @value{GDBN} via
19235 TCP. The @samp{host:2345} argument means that @code{gdbserver} is to
19236 expect a TCP connection from machine @samp{host} to local TCP port 2345.
19237 (Currently, the @samp{host} part is ignored.) You can choose any number
19238 you want for the port number as long as it does not conflict with any
19239 TCP ports already in use on the target system (for example, @code{23} is
19240 reserved for @code{telnet}).@footnote{If you choose a port number that
19241 conflicts with another service, @code{gdbserver} prints an error message
19242 and exits.} You must use the same port number with the host @value{GDBN}
19243 @code{target remote} command.
19244
19245 The @code{stdio} connection is useful when starting @code{gdbserver}
19246 with ssh:
19247
19248 @smallexample
19249 (gdb) target remote | ssh -T hostname gdbserver - hello
19250 @end smallexample
19251
19252 The @samp{-T} option to ssh is provided because we don't need a remote pty,
19253 and we don't want escape-character handling. Ssh does this by default when
19254 a command is provided, the flag is provided to make it explicit.
19255 You could elide it if you want to.
19256
19257 Programs started with stdio-connected gdbserver have @file{/dev/null} for
19258 @code{stdin}, and @code{stdout},@code{stderr} are sent back to gdb for
19259 display through a pipe connected to gdbserver.
19260 Both @code{stdout} and @code{stderr} use the same pipe.
19261
19262 @subsubsection Attaching to a Running Program
19263 @cindex attach to a program, @code{gdbserver}
19264 @cindex @option{--attach}, @code{gdbserver} option
19265
19266 On some targets, @code{gdbserver} can also attach to running programs.
19267 This is accomplished via the @code{--attach} argument. The syntax is:
19268
19269 @smallexample
19270 target> gdbserver --attach @var{comm} @var{pid}
19271 @end smallexample
19272
19273 @var{pid} is the process ID of a currently running process. It isn't necessary
19274 to point @code{gdbserver} at a binary for the running process.
19275
19276 @pindex pidof
19277 You can debug processes by name instead of process ID if your target has the
19278 @code{pidof} utility:
19279
19280 @smallexample
19281 target> gdbserver --attach @var{comm} `pidof @var{program}`
19282 @end smallexample
19283
19284 In case more than one copy of @var{program} is running, or @var{program}
19285 has multiple threads, most versions of @code{pidof} support the
19286 @code{-s} option to only return the first process ID.
19287
19288 @subsubsection Multi-Process Mode for @code{gdbserver}
19289 @cindex @code{gdbserver}, multiple processes
19290 @cindex multiple processes with @code{gdbserver}
19291
19292 When you connect to @code{gdbserver} using @code{target remote},
19293 @code{gdbserver} debugs the specified program only once. When the
19294 program exits, or you detach from it, @value{GDBN} closes the connection
19295 and @code{gdbserver} exits.
19296
19297 If you connect using @kbd{target extended-remote}, @code{gdbserver}
19298 enters multi-process mode. When the debugged program exits, or you
19299 detach from it, @value{GDBN} stays connected to @code{gdbserver} even
19300 though no program is running. The @code{run} and @code{attach}
19301 commands instruct @code{gdbserver} to run or attach to a new program.
19302 The @code{run} command uses @code{set remote exec-file} (@pxref{set
19303 remote exec-file}) to select the program to run. Command line
19304 arguments are supported, except for wildcard expansion and I/O
19305 redirection (@pxref{Arguments}).
19306
19307 @cindex @option{--multi}, @code{gdbserver} option
19308 To start @code{gdbserver} without supplying an initial command to run
19309 or process ID to attach, use the @option{--multi} command line option.
19310 Then you can connect using @kbd{target extended-remote} and start
19311 the program you want to debug.
19312
19313 In multi-process mode @code{gdbserver} does not automatically exit unless you
19314 use the option @option{--once}. You can terminate it by using
19315 @code{monitor exit} (@pxref{Monitor Commands for gdbserver}). Note that the
19316 conditions under which @code{gdbserver} terminates depend on how @value{GDBN}
19317 connects to it (@kbd{target remote} or @kbd{target extended-remote}). The
19318 @option{--multi} option to @code{gdbserver} has no influence on that.
19319
19320 @subsubsection TCP port allocation lifecycle of @code{gdbserver}
19321
19322 This section applies only when @code{gdbserver} is run to listen on a TCP port.
19323
19324 @code{gdbserver} normally terminates after all of its debugged processes have
19325 terminated in @kbd{target remote} mode. On the other hand, for @kbd{target
19326 extended-remote}, @code{gdbserver} stays running even with no processes left.
19327 @value{GDBN} normally terminates the spawned debugged process on its exit,
19328 which normally also terminates @code{gdbserver} in the @kbd{target remote}
19329 mode. Therefore, when the connection drops unexpectedly, and @value{GDBN}
19330 cannot ask @code{gdbserver} to kill its debugged processes, @code{gdbserver}
19331 stays running even in the @kbd{target remote} mode.
19332
19333 When @code{gdbserver} stays running, @value{GDBN} can connect to it again later.
19334 Such reconnecting is useful for features like @ref{disconnected tracing}. For
19335 completeness, at most one @value{GDBN} can be connected at a time.
19336
19337 @cindex @option{--once}, @code{gdbserver} option
19338 By default, @code{gdbserver} keeps the listening TCP port open, so that
19339 subsequent connections are possible. However, if you start @code{gdbserver}
19340 with the @option{--once} option, it will stop listening for any further
19341 connection attempts after connecting to the first @value{GDBN} session. This
19342 means no further connections to @code{gdbserver} will be possible after the
19343 first one. It also means @code{gdbserver} will terminate after the first
19344 connection with remote @value{GDBN} has closed, even for unexpectedly closed
19345 connections and even in the @kbd{target extended-remote} mode. The
19346 @option{--once} option allows reusing the same port number for connecting to
19347 multiple instances of @code{gdbserver} running on the same host, since each
19348 instance closes its port after the first connection.
19349
19350 @anchor{Other Command-Line Arguments for gdbserver}
19351 @subsubsection Other Command-Line Arguments for @code{gdbserver}
19352
19353 @cindex @option{--debug}, @code{gdbserver} option
19354 The @option{--debug} option tells @code{gdbserver} to display extra
19355 status information about the debugging process.
19356 @cindex @option{--remote-debug}, @code{gdbserver} option
19357 The @option{--remote-debug} option tells @code{gdbserver} to display
19358 remote protocol debug output. These options are intended for
19359 @code{gdbserver} development and for bug reports to the developers.
19360
19361 @cindex @option{--debug-format}, @code{gdbserver} option
19362 The @option{--debug-format=option1[,option2,...]} option tells
19363 @code{gdbserver} to include additional information in each output.
19364 Possible options are:
19365
19366 @table @code
19367 @item none
19368 Turn off all extra information in debugging output.
19369 @item all
19370 Turn on all extra information in debugging output.
19371 @item timestamps
19372 Include a timestamp in each line of debugging output.
19373 @end table
19374
19375 Options are processed in order. Thus, for example, if @option{none}
19376 appears last then no additional information is added to debugging output.
19377
19378 @cindex @option{--wrapper}, @code{gdbserver} option
19379 The @option{--wrapper} option specifies a wrapper to launch programs
19380 for debugging. The option should be followed by the name of the
19381 wrapper, then any command-line arguments to pass to the wrapper, then
19382 @kbd{--} indicating the end of the wrapper arguments.
19383
19384 @code{gdbserver} runs the specified wrapper program with a combined
19385 command line including the wrapper arguments, then the name of the
19386 program to debug, then any arguments to the program. The wrapper
19387 runs until it executes your program, and then @value{GDBN} gains control.
19388
19389 You can use any program that eventually calls @code{execve} with
19390 its arguments as a wrapper. Several standard Unix utilities do
19391 this, e.g.@: @code{env} and @code{nohup}. Any Unix shell script ending
19392 with @code{exec "$@@"} will also work.
19393
19394 For example, you can use @code{env} to pass an environment variable to
19395 the debugged program, without setting the variable in @code{gdbserver}'s
19396 environment:
19397
19398 @smallexample
19399 $ gdbserver --wrapper env LD_PRELOAD=libtest.so -- :2222 ./testprog
19400 @end smallexample
19401
19402 @subsection Connecting to @code{gdbserver}
19403
19404 Run @value{GDBN} on the host system.
19405
19406 First make sure you have the necessary symbol files. Load symbols for
19407 your application using the @code{file} command before you connect. Use
19408 @code{set sysroot} to locate target libraries (unless your @value{GDBN}
19409 was compiled with the correct sysroot using @code{--with-sysroot}).
19410
19411 The symbol file and target libraries must exactly match the executable
19412 and libraries on the target, with one exception: the files on the host
19413 system should not be stripped, even if the files on the target system
19414 are. Mismatched or missing files will lead to confusing results
19415 during debugging. On @sc{gnu}/Linux targets, mismatched or missing
19416 files may also prevent @code{gdbserver} from debugging multi-threaded
19417 programs.
19418
19419 Connect to your target (@pxref{Connecting,,Connecting to a Remote Target}).
19420 For TCP connections, you must start up @code{gdbserver} prior to using
19421 the @code{target remote} command. Otherwise you may get an error whose
19422 text depends on the host system, but which usually looks something like
19423 @samp{Connection refused}. Don't use the @code{load}
19424 command in @value{GDBN} when using @code{gdbserver}, since the program is
19425 already on the target.
19426
19427 @subsection Monitor Commands for @code{gdbserver}
19428 @cindex monitor commands, for @code{gdbserver}
19429 @anchor{Monitor Commands for gdbserver}
19430
19431 During a @value{GDBN} session using @code{gdbserver}, you can use the
19432 @code{monitor} command to send special requests to @code{gdbserver}.
19433 Here are the available commands.
19434
19435 @table @code
19436 @item monitor help
19437 List the available monitor commands.
19438
19439 @item monitor set debug 0
19440 @itemx monitor set debug 1
19441 Disable or enable general debugging messages.
19442
19443 @item monitor set remote-debug 0
19444 @itemx monitor set remote-debug 1
19445 Disable or enable specific debugging messages associated with the remote
19446 protocol (@pxref{Remote Protocol}).
19447
19448 @item monitor set debug-format option1@r{[},option2,...@r{]}
19449 Specify additional text to add to debugging messages.
19450 Possible options are:
19451
19452 @table @code
19453 @item none
19454 Turn off all extra information in debugging output.
19455 @item all
19456 Turn on all extra information in debugging output.
19457 @item timestamps
19458 Include a timestamp in each line of debugging output.
19459 @end table
19460
19461 Options are processed in order. Thus, for example, if @option{none}
19462 appears last then no additional information is added to debugging output.
19463
19464 @item monitor set libthread-db-search-path [PATH]
19465 @cindex gdbserver, search path for @code{libthread_db}
19466 When this command is issued, @var{path} is a colon-separated list of
19467 directories to search for @code{libthread_db} (@pxref{Threads,,set
19468 libthread-db-search-path}). If you omit @var{path},
19469 @samp{libthread-db-search-path} will be reset to its default value.
19470
19471 The special entry @samp{$pdir} for @samp{libthread-db-search-path} is
19472 not supported in @code{gdbserver}.
19473
19474 @item monitor exit
19475 Tell gdbserver to exit immediately. This command should be followed by
19476 @code{disconnect} to close the debugging session. @code{gdbserver} will
19477 detach from any attached processes and kill any processes it created.
19478 Use @code{monitor exit} to terminate @code{gdbserver} at the end
19479 of a multi-process mode debug session.
19480
19481 @end table
19482
19483 @subsection Tracepoints support in @code{gdbserver}
19484 @cindex tracepoints support in @code{gdbserver}
19485
19486 On some targets, @code{gdbserver} supports tracepoints, fast
19487 tracepoints and static tracepoints.
19488
19489 For fast or static tracepoints to work, a special library called the
19490 @dfn{in-process agent} (IPA), must be loaded in the inferior process.
19491 This library is built and distributed as an integral part of
19492 @code{gdbserver}. In addition, support for static tracepoints
19493 requires building the in-process agent library with static tracepoints
19494 support. At present, the UST (LTTng Userspace Tracer,
19495 @url{http://lttng.org/ust}) tracing engine is supported. This support
19496 is automatically available if UST development headers are found in the
19497 standard include path when @code{gdbserver} is built, or if
19498 @code{gdbserver} was explicitly configured using @option{--with-ust}
19499 to point at such headers. You can explicitly disable the support
19500 using @option{--with-ust=no}.
19501
19502 There are several ways to load the in-process agent in your program:
19503
19504 @table @code
19505 @item Specifying it as dependency at link time
19506
19507 You can link your program dynamically with the in-process agent
19508 library. On most systems, this is accomplished by adding
19509 @code{-linproctrace} to the link command.
19510
19511 @item Using the system's preloading mechanisms
19512
19513 You can force loading the in-process agent at startup time by using
19514 your system's support for preloading shared libraries. Many Unixes
19515 support the concept of preloading user defined libraries. In most
19516 cases, you do that by specifying @code{LD_PRELOAD=libinproctrace.so}
19517 in the environment. See also the description of @code{gdbserver}'s
19518 @option{--wrapper} command line option.
19519
19520 @item Using @value{GDBN} to force loading the agent at run time
19521
19522 On some systems, you can force the inferior to load a shared library,
19523 by calling a dynamic loader function in the inferior that takes care
19524 of dynamically looking up and loading a shared library. On most Unix
19525 systems, the function is @code{dlopen}. You'll use the @code{call}
19526 command for that. For example:
19527
19528 @smallexample
19529 (@value{GDBP}) call dlopen ("libinproctrace.so", ...)
19530 @end smallexample
19531
19532 Note that on most Unix systems, for the @code{dlopen} function to be
19533 available, the program needs to be linked with @code{-ldl}.
19534 @end table
19535
19536 On systems that have a userspace dynamic loader, like most Unix
19537 systems, when you connect to @code{gdbserver} using @code{target
19538 remote}, you'll find that the program is stopped at the dynamic
19539 loader's entry point, and no shared library has been loaded in the
19540 program's address space yet, including the in-process agent. In that
19541 case, before being able to use any of the fast or static tracepoints
19542 features, you need to let the loader run and load the shared
19543 libraries. The simplest way to do that is to run the program to the
19544 main procedure. E.g., if debugging a C or C@t{++} program, start
19545 @code{gdbserver} like so:
19546
19547 @smallexample
19548 $ gdbserver :9999 myprogram
19549 @end smallexample
19550
19551 Start GDB and connect to @code{gdbserver} like so, and run to main:
19552
19553 @smallexample
19554 $ gdb myprogram
19555 (@value{GDBP}) target remote myhost:9999
19556 0x00007f215893ba60 in ?? () from /lib64/ld-linux-x86-64.so.2
19557 (@value{GDBP}) b main
19558 (@value{GDBP}) continue
19559 @end smallexample
19560
19561 The in-process tracing agent library should now be loaded into the
19562 process; you can confirm it with the @code{info sharedlibrary}
19563 command, which will list @file{libinproctrace.so} as loaded in the
19564 process. You are now ready to install fast tracepoints, list static
19565 tracepoint markers, probe static tracepoints markers, and start
19566 tracing.
19567
19568 @node Remote Configuration
19569 @section Remote Configuration
19570
19571 @kindex set remote
19572 @kindex show remote
19573 This section documents the configuration options available when
19574 debugging remote programs. For the options related to the File I/O
19575 extensions of the remote protocol, see @ref{system,
19576 system-call-allowed}.
19577
19578 @table @code
19579 @item set remoteaddresssize @var{bits}
19580 @cindex address size for remote targets
19581 @cindex bits in remote address
19582 Set the maximum size of address in a memory packet to the specified
19583 number of bits. @value{GDBN} will mask off the address bits above
19584 that number, when it passes addresses to the remote target. The
19585 default value is the number of bits in the target's address.
19586
19587 @item show remoteaddresssize
19588 Show the current value of remote address size in bits.
19589
19590 @item set serial baud @var{n}
19591 @cindex baud rate for remote targets
19592 Set the baud rate for the remote serial I/O to @var{n} baud. The
19593 value is used to set the speed of the serial port used for debugging
19594 remote targets.
19595
19596 @item show serial baud
19597 Show the current speed of the remote connection.
19598
19599 @item set serial parity @var{parity}
19600 Set the parity for the remote serial I/O. Supported values of @var{parity} are:
19601 @code{even}, @code{none}, and @code{odd}. The default is @code{none}.
19602
19603 @item show serial parity
19604 Show the current parity of the serial port.
19605
19606 @item set remotebreak
19607 @cindex interrupt remote programs
19608 @cindex BREAK signal instead of Ctrl-C
19609 @anchor{set remotebreak}
19610 If set to on, @value{GDBN} sends a @code{BREAK} signal to the remote
19611 when you type @kbd{Ctrl-c} to interrupt the program running
19612 on the remote. If set to off, @value{GDBN} sends the @samp{Ctrl-C}
19613 character instead. The default is off, since most remote systems
19614 expect to see @samp{Ctrl-C} as the interrupt signal.
19615
19616 @item show remotebreak
19617 Show whether @value{GDBN} sends @code{BREAK} or @samp{Ctrl-C} to
19618 interrupt the remote program.
19619
19620 @item set remoteflow on
19621 @itemx set remoteflow off
19622 @kindex set remoteflow
19623 Enable or disable hardware flow control (@code{RTS}/@code{CTS})
19624 on the serial port used to communicate to the remote target.
19625
19626 @item show remoteflow
19627 @kindex show remoteflow
19628 Show the current setting of hardware flow control.
19629
19630 @item set remotelogbase @var{base}
19631 Set the base (a.k.a.@: radix) of logging serial protocol
19632 communications to @var{base}. Supported values of @var{base} are:
19633 @code{ascii}, @code{octal}, and @code{hex}. The default is
19634 @code{ascii}.
19635
19636 @item show remotelogbase
19637 Show the current setting of the radix for logging remote serial
19638 protocol.
19639
19640 @item set remotelogfile @var{file}
19641 @cindex record serial communications on file
19642 Record remote serial communications on the named @var{file}. The
19643 default is not to record at all.
19644
19645 @item show remotelogfile.
19646 Show the current setting of the file name on which to record the
19647 serial communications.
19648
19649 @item set remotetimeout @var{num}
19650 @cindex timeout for serial communications
19651 @cindex remote timeout
19652 Set the timeout limit to wait for the remote target to respond to
19653 @var{num} seconds. The default is 2 seconds.
19654
19655 @item show remotetimeout
19656 Show the current number of seconds to wait for the remote target
19657 responses.
19658
19659 @cindex limit hardware breakpoints and watchpoints
19660 @cindex remote target, limit break- and watchpoints
19661 @anchor{set remote hardware-watchpoint-limit}
19662 @anchor{set remote hardware-breakpoint-limit}
19663 @item set remote hardware-watchpoint-limit @var{limit}
19664 @itemx set remote hardware-breakpoint-limit @var{limit}
19665 Restrict @value{GDBN} to using @var{limit} remote hardware breakpoint or
19666 watchpoints. A limit of -1, the default, is treated as unlimited.
19667
19668 @cindex limit hardware watchpoints length
19669 @cindex remote target, limit watchpoints length
19670 @anchor{set remote hardware-watchpoint-length-limit}
19671 @item set remote hardware-watchpoint-length-limit @var{limit}
19672 Restrict @value{GDBN} to using @var{limit} bytes for the maximum length of
19673 a remote hardware watchpoint. A limit of -1, the default, is treated
19674 as unlimited.
19675
19676 @item show remote hardware-watchpoint-length-limit
19677 Show the current limit (in bytes) of the maximum length of
19678 a remote hardware watchpoint.
19679
19680 @item set remote exec-file @var{filename}
19681 @itemx show remote exec-file
19682 @anchor{set remote exec-file}
19683 @cindex executable file, for remote target
19684 Select the file used for @code{run} with @code{target
19685 extended-remote}. This should be set to a filename valid on the
19686 target system. If it is not set, the target will use a default
19687 filename (e.g.@: the last program run).
19688
19689 @item set remote interrupt-sequence
19690 @cindex interrupt remote programs
19691 @cindex select Ctrl-C, BREAK or BREAK-g
19692 Allow the user to select one of @samp{Ctrl-C}, a @code{BREAK} or
19693 @samp{BREAK-g} as the
19694 sequence to the remote target in order to interrupt the execution.
19695 @samp{Ctrl-C} is a default. Some system prefers @code{BREAK} which
19696 is high level of serial line for some certain time.
19697 Linux kernel prefers @samp{BREAK-g}, a.k.a Magic SysRq g.
19698 It is @code{BREAK} signal followed by character @code{g}.
19699
19700 @item show interrupt-sequence
19701 Show which of @samp{Ctrl-C}, @code{BREAK} or @code{BREAK-g}
19702 is sent by @value{GDBN} to interrupt the remote program.
19703 @code{BREAK-g} is BREAK signal followed by @code{g} and
19704 also known as Magic SysRq g.
19705
19706 @item set remote interrupt-on-connect
19707 @cindex send interrupt-sequence on start
19708 Specify whether interrupt-sequence is sent to remote target when
19709 @value{GDBN} connects to it. This is mostly needed when you debug
19710 Linux kernel. Linux kernel expects @code{BREAK} followed by @code{g}
19711 which is known as Magic SysRq g in order to connect @value{GDBN}.
19712
19713 @item show interrupt-on-connect
19714 Show whether interrupt-sequence is sent
19715 to remote target when @value{GDBN} connects to it.
19716
19717 @kindex set tcp
19718 @kindex show tcp
19719 @item set tcp auto-retry on
19720 @cindex auto-retry, for remote TCP target
19721 Enable auto-retry for remote TCP connections. This is useful if the remote
19722 debugging agent is launched in parallel with @value{GDBN}; there is a race
19723 condition because the agent may not become ready to accept the connection
19724 before @value{GDBN} attempts to connect. When auto-retry is
19725 enabled, if the initial attempt to connect fails, @value{GDBN} reattempts
19726 to establish the connection using the timeout specified by
19727 @code{set tcp connect-timeout}.
19728
19729 @item set tcp auto-retry off
19730 Do not auto-retry failed TCP connections.
19731
19732 @item show tcp auto-retry
19733 Show the current auto-retry setting.
19734
19735 @item set tcp connect-timeout @var{seconds}
19736 @itemx set tcp connect-timeout unlimited
19737 @cindex connection timeout, for remote TCP target
19738 @cindex timeout, for remote target connection
19739 Set the timeout for establishing a TCP connection to the remote target to
19740 @var{seconds}. The timeout affects both polling to retry failed connections
19741 (enabled by @code{set tcp auto-retry on}) and waiting for connections
19742 that are merely slow to complete, and represents an approximate cumulative
19743 value. If @var{seconds} is @code{unlimited}, there is no timeout and
19744 @value{GDBN} will keep attempting to establish a connection forever,
19745 unless interrupted with @kbd{Ctrl-c}. The default is 15 seconds.
19746
19747 @item show tcp connect-timeout
19748 Show the current connection timeout setting.
19749 @end table
19750
19751 @cindex remote packets, enabling and disabling
19752 The @value{GDBN} remote protocol autodetects the packets supported by
19753 your debugging stub. If you need to override the autodetection, you
19754 can use these commands to enable or disable individual packets. Each
19755 packet can be set to @samp{on} (the remote target supports this
19756 packet), @samp{off} (the remote target does not support this packet),
19757 or @samp{auto} (detect remote target support for this packet). They
19758 all default to @samp{auto}. For more information about each packet,
19759 see @ref{Remote Protocol}.
19760
19761 During normal use, you should not have to use any of these commands.
19762 If you do, that may be a bug in your remote debugging stub, or a bug
19763 in @value{GDBN}. You may want to report the problem to the
19764 @value{GDBN} developers.
19765
19766 For each packet @var{name}, the command to enable or disable the
19767 packet is @code{set remote @var{name}-packet}. The available settings
19768 are:
19769
19770 @multitable @columnfractions 0.28 0.32 0.25
19771 @item Command Name
19772 @tab Remote Packet
19773 @tab Related Features
19774
19775 @item @code{fetch-register}
19776 @tab @code{p}
19777 @tab @code{info registers}
19778
19779 @item @code{set-register}
19780 @tab @code{P}
19781 @tab @code{set}
19782
19783 @item @code{binary-download}
19784 @tab @code{X}
19785 @tab @code{load}, @code{set}
19786
19787 @item @code{read-aux-vector}
19788 @tab @code{qXfer:auxv:read}
19789 @tab @code{info auxv}
19790
19791 @item @code{symbol-lookup}
19792 @tab @code{qSymbol}
19793 @tab Detecting multiple threads
19794
19795 @item @code{attach}
19796 @tab @code{vAttach}
19797 @tab @code{attach}
19798
19799 @item @code{verbose-resume}
19800 @tab @code{vCont}
19801 @tab Stepping or resuming multiple threads
19802
19803 @item @code{run}
19804 @tab @code{vRun}
19805 @tab @code{run}
19806
19807 @item @code{software-breakpoint}
19808 @tab @code{Z0}
19809 @tab @code{break}
19810
19811 @item @code{hardware-breakpoint}
19812 @tab @code{Z1}
19813 @tab @code{hbreak}
19814
19815 @item @code{write-watchpoint}
19816 @tab @code{Z2}
19817 @tab @code{watch}
19818
19819 @item @code{read-watchpoint}
19820 @tab @code{Z3}
19821 @tab @code{rwatch}
19822
19823 @item @code{access-watchpoint}
19824 @tab @code{Z4}
19825 @tab @code{awatch}
19826
19827 @item @code{pid-to-exec-file}
19828 @tab @code{qXfer:exec-file:read}
19829 @tab @code{attach}, @code{run}
19830
19831 @item @code{target-features}
19832 @tab @code{qXfer:features:read}
19833 @tab @code{set architecture}
19834
19835 @item @code{library-info}
19836 @tab @code{qXfer:libraries:read}
19837 @tab @code{info sharedlibrary}
19838
19839 @item @code{memory-map}
19840 @tab @code{qXfer:memory-map:read}
19841 @tab @code{info mem}
19842
19843 @item @code{read-sdata-object}
19844 @tab @code{qXfer:sdata:read}
19845 @tab @code{print $_sdata}
19846
19847 @item @code{read-spu-object}
19848 @tab @code{qXfer:spu:read}
19849 @tab @code{info spu}
19850
19851 @item @code{write-spu-object}
19852 @tab @code{qXfer:spu:write}
19853 @tab @code{info spu}
19854
19855 @item @code{read-siginfo-object}
19856 @tab @code{qXfer:siginfo:read}
19857 @tab @code{print $_siginfo}
19858
19859 @item @code{write-siginfo-object}
19860 @tab @code{qXfer:siginfo:write}
19861 @tab @code{set $_siginfo}
19862
19863 @item @code{threads}
19864 @tab @code{qXfer:threads:read}
19865 @tab @code{info threads}
19866
19867 @item @code{get-thread-local-@*storage-address}
19868 @tab @code{qGetTLSAddr}
19869 @tab Displaying @code{__thread} variables
19870
19871 @item @code{get-thread-information-block-address}
19872 @tab @code{qGetTIBAddr}
19873 @tab Display MS-Windows Thread Information Block.
19874
19875 @item @code{search-memory}
19876 @tab @code{qSearch:memory}
19877 @tab @code{find}
19878
19879 @item @code{supported-packets}
19880 @tab @code{qSupported}
19881 @tab Remote communications parameters
19882
19883 @item @code{pass-signals}
19884 @tab @code{QPassSignals}
19885 @tab @code{handle @var{signal}}
19886
19887 @item @code{program-signals}
19888 @tab @code{QProgramSignals}
19889 @tab @code{handle @var{signal}}
19890
19891 @item @code{hostio-close-packet}
19892 @tab @code{vFile:close}
19893 @tab @code{remote get}, @code{remote put}
19894
19895 @item @code{hostio-open-packet}
19896 @tab @code{vFile:open}
19897 @tab @code{remote get}, @code{remote put}
19898
19899 @item @code{hostio-pread-packet}
19900 @tab @code{vFile:pread}
19901 @tab @code{remote get}, @code{remote put}
19902
19903 @item @code{hostio-pwrite-packet}
19904 @tab @code{vFile:pwrite}
19905 @tab @code{remote get}, @code{remote put}
19906
19907 @item @code{hostio-unlink-packet}
19908 @tab @code{vFile:unlink}
19909 @tab @code{remote delete}
19910
19911 @item @code{hostio-readlink-packet}
19912 @tab @code{vFile:readlink}
19913 @tab Host I/O
19914
19915 @item @code{hostio-fstat-packet}
19916 @tab @code{vFile:fstat}
19917 @tab Host I/O
19918
19919 @item @code{noack-packet}
19920 @tab @code{QStartNoAckMode}
19921 @tab Packet acknowledgment
19922
19923 @item @code{osdata}
19924 @tab @code{qXfer:osdata:read}
19925 @tab @code{info os}
19926
19927 @item @code{query-attached}
19928 @tab @code{qAttached}
19929 @tab Querying remote process attach state.
19930
19931 @item @code{trace-buffer-size}
19932 @tab @code{QTBuffer:size}
19933 @tab @code{set trace-buffer-size}
19934
19935 @item @code{trace-status}
19936 @tab @code{qTStatus}
19937 @tab @code{tstatus}
19938
19939 @item @code{traceframe-info}
19940 @tab @code{qXfer:traceframe-info:read}
19941 @tab Traceframe info
19942
19943 @item @code{install-in-trace}
19944 @tab @code{InstallInTrace}
19945 @tab Install tracepoint in tracing
19946
19947 @item @code{disable-randomization}
19948 @tab @code{QDisableRandomization}
19949 @tab @code{set disable-randomization}
19950
19951 @item @code{conditional-breakpoints-packet}
19952 @tab @code{Z0 and Z1}
19953 @tab @code{Support for target-side breakpoint condition evaluation}
19954
19955 @item @code{swbreak-feature}
19956 @tab @code{swbreak stop reason}
19957 @tab @code{break}
19958
19959 @item @code{hwbreak-feature}
19960 @tab @code{hwbreak stop reason}
19961 @tab @code{hbreak}
19962
19963 @item @code{fork-event-feature}
19964 @tab @code{fork stop reason}
19965 @tab @code{fork}
19966
19967 @item @code{vfork-event-feature}
19968 @tab @code{vfork stop reason}
19969 @tab @code{vfork}
19970
19971 @end multitable
19972
19973 @node Remote Stub
19974 @section Implementing a Remote Stub
19975
19976 @cindex debugging stub, example
19977 @cindex remote stub, example
19978 @cindex stub example, remote debugging
19979 The stub files provided with @value{GDBN} implement the target side of the
19980 communication protocol, and the @value{GDBN} side is implemented in the
19981 @value{GDBN} source file @file{remote.c}. Normally, you can simply allow
19982 these subroutines to communicate, and ignore the details. (If you're
19983 implementing your own stub file, you can still ignore the details: start
19984 with one of the existing stub files. @file{sparc-stub.c} is the best
19985 organized, and therefore the easiest to read.)
19986
19987 @cindex remote serial debugging, overview
19988 To debug a program running on another machine (the debugging
19989 @dfn{target} machine), you must first arrange for all the usual
19990 prerequisites for the program to run by itself. For example, for a C
19991 program, you need:
19992
19993 @enumerate
19994 @item
19995 A startup routine to set up the C runtime environment; these usually
19996 have a name like @file{crt0}. The startup routine may be supplied by
19997 your hardware supplier, or you may have to write your own.
19998
19999 @item
20000 A C subroutine library to support your program's
20001 subroutine calls, notably managing input and output.
20002
20003 @item
20004 A way of getting your program to the other machine---for example, a
20005 download program. These are often supplied by the hardware
20006 manufacturer, but you may have to write your own from hardware
20007 documentation.
20008 @end enumerate
20009
20010 The next step is to arrange for your program to use a serial port to
20011 communicate with the machine where @value{GDBN} is running (the @dfn{host}
20012 machine). In general terms, the scheme looks like this:
20013
20014 @table @emph
20015 @item On the host,
20016 @value{GDBN} already understands how to use this protocol; when everything
20017 else is set up, you can simply use the @samp{target remote} command
20018 (@pxref{Targets,,Specifying a Debugging Target}).
20019
20020 @item On the target,
20021 you must link with your program a few special-purpose subroutines that
20022 implement the @value{GDBN} remote serial protocol. The file containing these
20023 subroutines is called a @dfn{debugging stub}.
20024
20025 On certain remote targets, you can use an auxiliary program
20026 @code{gdbserver} instead of linking a stub into your program.
20027 @xref{Server,,Using the @code{gdbserver} Program}, for details.
20028 @end table
20029
20030 The debugging stub is specific to the architecture of the remote
20031 machine; for example, use @file{sparc-stub.c} to debug programs on
20032 @sc{sparc} boards.
20033
20034 @cindex remote serial stub list
20035 These working remote stubs are distributed with @value{GDBN}:
20036
20037 @table @code
20038
20039 @item i386-stub.c
20040 @cindex @file{i386-stub.c}
20041 @cindex Intel
20042 @cindex i386
20043 For Intel 386 and compatible architectures.
20044
20045 @item m68k-stub.c
20046 @cindex @file{m68k-stub.c}
20047 @cindex Motorola 680x0
20048 @cindex m680x0
20049 For Motorola 680x0 architectures.
20050
20051 @item sh-stub.c
20052 @cindex @file{sh-stub.c}
20053 @cindex Renesas
20054 @cindex SH
20055 For Renesas SH architectures.
20056
20057 @item sparc-stub.c
20058 @cindex @file{sparc-stub.c}
20059 @cindex Sparc
20060 For @sc{sparc} architectures.
20061
20062 @item sparcl-stub.c
20063 @cindex @file{sparcl-stub.c}
20064 @cindex Fujitsu
20065 @cindex SparcLite
20066 For Fujitsu @sc{sparclite} architectures.
20067
20068 @end table
20069
20070 The @file{README} file in the @value{GDBN} distribution may list other
20071 recently added stubs.
20072
20073 @menu
20074 * Stub Contents:: What the stub can do for you
20075 * Bootstrapping:: What you must do for the stub
20076 * Debug Session:: Putting it all together
20077 @end menu
20078
20079 @node Stub Contents
20080 @subsection What the Stub Can Do for You
20081
20082 @cindex remote serial stub
20083 The debugging stub for your architecture supplies these three
20084 subroutines:
20085
20086 @table @code
20087 @item set_debug_traps
20088 @findex set_debug_traps
20089 @cindex remote serial stub, initialization
20090 This routine arranges for @code{handle_exception} to run when your
20091 program stops. You must call this subroutine explicitly in your
20092 program's startup code.
20093
20094 @item handle_exception
20095 @findex handle_exception
20096 @cindex remote serial stub, main routine
20097 This is the central workhorse, but your program never calls it
20098 explicitly---the setup code arranges for @code{handle_exception} to
20099 run when a trap is triggered.
20100
20101 @code{handle_exception} takes control when your program stops during
20102 execution (for example, on a breakpoint), and mediates communications
20103 with @value{GDBN} on the host machine. This is where the communications
20104 protocol is implemented; @code{handle_exception} acts as the @value{GDBN}
20105 representative on the target machine. It begins by sending summary
20106 information on the state of your program, then continues to execute,
20107 retrieving and transmitting any information @value{GDBN} needs, until you
20108 execute a @value{GDBN} command that makes your program resume; at that point,
20109 @code{handle_exception} returns control to your own code on the target
20110 machine.
20111
20112 @item breakpoint
20113 @cindex @code{breakpoint} subroutine, remote
20114 Use this auxiliary subroutine to make your program contain a
20115 breakpoint. Depending on the particular situation, this may be the only
20116 way for @value{GDBN} to get control. For instance, if your target
20117 machine has some sort of interrupt button, you won't need to call this;
20118 pressing the interrupt button transfers control to
20119 @code{handle_exception}---in effect, to @value{GDBN}. On some machines,
20120 simply receiving characters on the serial port may also trigger a trap;
20121 again, in that situation, you don't need to call @code{breakpoint} from
20122 your own program---simply running @samp{target remote} from the host
20123 @value{GDBN} session gets control.
20124
20125 Call @code{breakpoint} if none of these is true, or if you simply want
20126 to make certain your program stops at a predetermined point for the
20127 start of your debugging session.
20128 @end table
20129
20130 @node Bootstrapping
20131 @subsection What You Must Do for the Stub
20132
20133 @cindex remote stub, support routines
20134 The debugging stubs that come with @value{GDBN} are set up for a particular
20135 chip architecture, but they have no information about the rest of your
20136 debugging target machine.
20137
20138 First of all you need to tell the stub how to communicate with the
20139 serial port.
20140
20141 @table @code
20142 @item int getDebugChar()
20143 @findex getDebugChar
20144 Write this subroutine to read a single character from the serial port.
20145 It may be identical to @code{getchar} for your target system; a
20146 different name is used to allow you to distinguish the two if you wish.
20147
20148 @item void putDebugChar(int)
20149 @findex putDebugChar
20150 Write this subroutine to write a single character to the serial port.
20151 It may be identical to @code{putchar} for your target system; a
20152 different name is used to allow you to distinguish the two if you wish.
20153 @end table
20154
20155 @cindex control C, and remote debugging
20156 @cindex interrupting remote targets
20157 If you want @value{GDBN} to be able to stop your program while it is
20158 running, you need to use an interrupt-driven serial driver, and arrange
20159 for it to stop when it receives a @code{^C} (@samp{\003}, the control-C
20160 character). That is the character which @value{GDBN} uses to tell the
20161 remote system to stop.
20162
20163 Getting the debugging target to return the proper status to @value{GDBN}
20164 probably requires changes to the standard stub; one quick and dirty way
20165 is to just execute a breakpoint instruction (the ``dirty'' part is that
20166 @value{GDBN} reports a @code{SIGTRAP} instead of a @code{SIGINT}).
20167
20168 Other routines you need to supply are:
20169
20170 @table @code
20171 @item void exceptionHandler (int @var{exception_number}, void *@var{exception_address})
20172 @findex exceptionHandler
20173 Write this function to install @var{exception_address} in the exception
20174 handling tables. You need to do this because the stub does not have any
20175 way of knowing what the exception handling tables on your target system
20176 are like (for example, the processor's table might be in @sc{rom},
20177 containing entries which point to a table in @sc{ram}).
20178 The @var{exception_number} specifies the exception which should be changed;
20179 its meaning is architecture-dependent (for example, different numbers
20180 might represent divide by zero, misaligned access, etc). When this
20181 exception occurs, control should be transferred directly to
20182 @var{exception_address}, and the processor state (stack, registers,
20183 and so on) should be just as it is when a processor exception occurs. So if
20184 you want to use a jump instruction to reach @var{exception_address}, it
20185 should be a simple jump, not a jump to subroutine.
20186
20187 For the 386, @var{exception_address} should be installed as an interrupt
20188 gate so that interrupts are masked while the handler runs. The gate
20189 should be at privilege level 0 (the most privileged level). The
20190 @sc{sparc} and 68k stubs are able to mask interrupts themselves without
20191 help from @code{exceptionHandler}.
20192
20193 @item void flush_i_cache()
20194 @findex flush_i_cache
20195 On @sc{sparc} and @sc{sparclite} only, write this subroutine to flush the
20196 instruction cache, if any, on your target machine. If there is no
20197 instruction cache, this subroutine may be a no-op.
20198
20199 On target machines that have instruction caches, @value{GDBN} requires this
20200 function to make certain that the state of your program is stable.
20201 @end table
20202
20203 @noindent
20204 You must also make sure this library routine is available:
20205
20206 @table @code
20207 @item void *memset(void *, int, int)
20208 @findex memset
20209 This is the standard library function @code{memset} that sets an area of
20210 memory to a known value. If you have one of the free versions of
20211 @code{libc.a}, @code{memset} can be found there; otherwise, you must
20212 either obtain it from your hardware manufacturer, or write your own.
20213 @end table
20214
20215 If you do not use the GNU C compiler, you may need other standard
20216 library subroutines as well; this varies from one stub to another,
20217 but in general the stubs are likely to use any of the common library
20218 subroutines which @code{@value{NGCC}} generates as inline code.
20219
20220
20221 @node Debug Session
20222 @subsection Putting it All Together
20223
20224 @cindex remote serial debugging summary
20225 In summary, when your program is ready to debug, you must follow these
20226 steps.
20227
20228 @enumerate
20229 @item
20230 Make sure you have defined the supporting low-level routines
20231 (@pxref{Bootstrapping,,What You Must Do for the Stub}):
20232 @display
20233 @code{getDebugChar}, @code{putDebugChar},
20234 @code{flush_i_cache}, @code{memset}, @code{exceptionHandler}.
20235 @end display
20236
20237 @item
20238 Insert these lines in your program's startup code, before the main
20239 procedure is called:
20240
20241 @smallexample
20242 set_debug_traps();
20243 breakpoint();
20244 @end smallexample
20245
20246 On some machines, when a breakpoint trap is raised, the hardware
20247 automatically makes the PC point to the instruction after the
20248 breakpoint. If your machine doesn't do that, you may need to adjust
20249 @code{handle_exception} to arrange for it to return to the instruction
20250 after the breakpoint on this first invocation, so that your program
20251 doesn't keep hitting the initial breakpoint instead of making
20252 progress.
20253
20254 @item
20255 For the 680x0 stub only, you need to provide a variable called
20256 @code{exceptionHook}. Normally you just use:
20257
20258 @smallexample
20259 void (*exceptionHook)() = 0;
20260 @end smallexample
20261
20262 @noindent
20263 but if before calling @code{set_debug_traps}, you set it to point to a
20264 function in your program, that function is called when
20265 @code{@value{GDBN}} continues after stopping on a trap (for example, bus
20266 error). The function indicated by @code{exceptionHook} is called with
20267 one parameter: an @code{int} which is the exception number.
20268
20269 @item
20270 Compile and link together: your program, the @value{GDBN} debugging stub for
20271 your target architecture, and the supporting subroutines.
20272
20273 @item
20274 Make sure you have a serial connection between your target machine and
20275 the @value{GDBN} host, and identify the serial port on the host.
20276
20277 @item
20278 @c The "remote" target now provides a `load' command, so we should
20279 @c document that. FIXME.
20280 Download your program to your target machine (or get it there by
20281 whatever means the manufacturer provides), and start it.
20282
20283 @item
20284 Start @value{GDBN} on the host, and connect to the target
20285 (@pxref{Connecting,,Connecting to a Remote Target}).
20286
20287 @end enumerate
20288
20289 @node Configurations
20290 @chapter Configuration-Specific Information
20291
20292 While nearly all @value{GDBN} commands are available for all native and
20293 cross versions of the debugger, there are some exceptions. This chapter
20294 describes things that are only available in certain configurations.
20295
20296 There are three major categories of configurations: native
20297 configurations, where the host and target are the same, embedded
20298 operating system configurations, which are usually the same for several
20299 different processor architectures, and bare embedded processors, which
20300 are quite different from each other.
20301
20302 @menu
20303 * Native::
20304 * Embedded OS::
20305 * Embedded Processors::
20306 * Architectures::
20307 @end menu
20308
20309 @node Native
20310 @section Native
20311
20312 This section describes details specific to particular native
20313 configurations.
20314
20315 @menu
20316 * HP-UX:: HP-UX
20317 * BSD libkvm Interface:: Debugging BSD kernel memory images
20318 * SVR4 Process Information:: SVR4 process information
20319 * DJGPP Native:: Features specific to the DJGPP port
20320 * Cygwin Native:: Features specific to the Cygwin port
20321 * Hurd Native:: Features specific to @sc{gnu} Hurd
20322 * Darwin:: Features specific to Darwin
20323 @end menu
20324
20325 @node HP-UX
20326 @subsection HP-UX
20327
20328 On HP-UX systems, if you refer to a function or variable name that
20329 begins with a dollar sign, @value{GDBN} searches for a user or system
20330 name first, before it searches for a convenience variable.
20331
20332
20333 @node BSD libkvm Interface
20334 @subsection BSD libkvm Interface
20335
20336 @cindex libkvm
20337 @cindex kernel memory image
20338 @cindex kernel crash dump
20339
20340 BSD-derived systems (FreeBSD/NetBSD/OpenBSD) have a kernel memory
20341 interface that provides a uniform interface for accessing kernel virtual
20342 memory images, including live systems and crash dumps. @value{GDBN}
20343 uses this interface to allow you to debug live kernels and kernel crash
20344 dumps on many native BSD configurations. This is implemented as a
20345 special @code{kvm} debugging target. For debugging a live system, load
20346 the currently running kernel into @value{GDBN} and connect to the
20347 @code{kvm} target:
20348
20349 @smallexample
20350 (@value{GDBP}) @b{target kvm}
20351 @end smallexample
20352
20353 For debugging crash dumps, provide the file name of the crash dump as an
20354 argument:
20355
20356 @smallexample
20357 (@value{GDBP}) @b{target kvm /var/crash/bsd.0}
20358 @end smallexample
20359
20360 Once connected to the @code{kvm} target, the following commands are
20361 available:
20362
20363 @table @code
20364 @kindex kvm
20365 @item kvm pcb
20366 Set current context from the @dfn{Process Control Block} (PCB) address.
20367
20368 @item kvm proc
20369 Set current context from proc address. This command isn't available on
20370 modern FreeBSD systems.
20371 @end table
20372
20373 @node SVR4 Process Information
20374 @subsection SVR4 Process Information
20375 @cindex /proc
20376 @cindex examine process image
20377 @cindex process info via @file{/proc}
20378
20379 Many versions of SVR4 and compatible systems provide a facility called
20380 @samp{/proc} that can be used to examine the image of a running
20381 process using file-system subroutines.
20382
20383 If @value{GDBN} is configured for an operating system with this
20384 facility, the command @code{info proc} is available to report
20385 information about the process running your program, or about any
20386 process running on your system. This includes, as of this writing,
20387 @sc{gnu}/Linux and Solaris, but not HP-UX, for example.
20388
20389 This command may also work on core files that were created on a system
20390 that has the @samp{/proc} facility.
20391
20392 @table @code
20393 @kindex info proc
20394 @cindex process ID
20395 @item info proc
20396 @itemx info proc @var{process-id}
20397 Summarize available information about any running process. If a
20398 process ID is specified by @var{process-id}, display information about
20399 that process; otherwise display information about the program being
20400 debugged. The summary includes the debugged process ID, the command
20401 line used to invoke it, its current working directory, and its
20402 executable file's absolute file name.
20403
20404 On some systems, @var{process-id} can be of the form
20405 @samp{[@var{pid}]/@var{tid}} which specifies a certain thread ID
20406 within a process. If the optional @var{pid} part is missing, it means
20407 a thread from the process being debugged (the leading @samp{/} still
20408 needs to be present, or else @value{GDBN} will interpret the number as
20409 a process ID rather than a thread ID).
20410
20411 @item info proc cmdline
20412 @cindex info proc cmdline
20413 Show the original command line of the process. This command is
20414 specific to @sc{gnu}/Linux.
20415
20416 @item info proc cwd
20417 @cindex info proc cwd
20418 Show the current working directory of the process. This command is
20419 specific to @sc{gnu}/Linux.
20420
20421 @item info proc exe
20422 @cindex info proc exe
20423 Show the name of executable of the process. This command is specific
20424 to @sc{gnu}/Linux.
20425
20426 @item info proc mappings
20427 @cindex memory address space mappings
20428 Report the memory address space ranges accessible in the program, with
20429 information on whether the process has read, write, or execute access
20430 rights to each range. On @sc{gnu}/Linux systems, each memory range
20431 includes the object file which is mapped to that range, instead of the
20432 memory access rights to that range.
20433
20434 @item info proc stat
20435 @itemx info proc status
20436 @cindex process detailed status information
20437 These subcommands are specific to @sc{gnu}/Linux systems. They show
20438 the process-related information, including the user ID and group ID;
20439 how many threads are there in the process; its virtual memory usage;
20440 the signals that are pending, blocked, and ignored; its TTY; its
20441 consumption of system and user time; its stack size; its @samp{nice}
20442 value; etc. For more information, see the @samp{proc} man page
20443 (type @kbd{man 5 proc} from your shell prompt).
20444
20445 @item info proc all
20446 Show all the information about the process described under all of the
20447 above @code{info proc} subcommands.
20448
20449 @ignore
20450 @comment These sub-options of 'info proc' were not included when
20451 @comment procfs.c was re-written. Keep their descriptions around
20452 @comment against the day when someone finds the time to put them back in.
20453 @kindex info proc times
20454 @item info proc times
20455 Starting time, user CPU time, and system CPU time for your program and
20456 its children.
20457
20458 @kindex info proc id
20459 @item info proc id
20460 Report on the process IDs related to your program: its own process ID,
20461 the ID of its parent, the process group ID, and the session ID.
20462 @end ignore
20463
20464 @item set procfs-trace
20465 @kindex set procfs-trace
20466 @cindex @code{procfs} API calls
20467 This command enables and disables tracing of @code{procfs} API calls.
20468
20469 @item show procfs-trace
20470 @kindex show procfs-trace
20471 Show the current state of @code{procfs} API call tracing.
20472
20473 @item set procfs-file @var{file}
20474 @kindex set procfs-file
20475 Tell @value{GDBN} to write @code{procfs} API trace to the named
20476 @var{file}. @value{GDBN} appends the trace info to the previous
20477 contents of the file. The default is to display the trace on the
20478 standard output.
20479
20480 @item show procfs-file
20481 @kindex show procfs-file
20482 Show the file to which @code{procfs} API trace is written.
20483
20484 @item proc-trace-entry
20485 @itemx proc-trace-exit
20486 @itemx proc-untrace-entry
20487 @itemx proc-untrace-exit
20488 @kindex proc-trace-entry
20489 @kindex proc-trace-exit
20490 @kindex proc-untrace-entry
20491 @kindex proc-untrace-exit
20492 These commands enable and disable tracing of entries into and exits
20493 from the @code{syscall} interface.
20494
20495 @item info pidlist
20496 @kindex info pidlist
20497 @cindex process list, QNX Neutrino
20498 For QNX Neutrino only, this command displays the list of all the
20499 processes and all the threads within each process.
20500
20501 @item info meminfo
20502 @kindex info meminfo
20503 @cindex mapinfo list, QNX Neutrino
20504 For QNX Neutrino only, this command displays the list of all mapinfos.
20505 @end table
20506
20507 @node DJGPP Native
20508 @subsection Features for Debugging @sc{djgpp} Programs
20509 @cindex @sc{djgpp} debugging
20510 @cindex native @sc{djgpp} debugging
20511 @cindex MS-DOS-specific commands
20512
20513 @cindex DPMI
20514 @sc{djgpp} is a port of the @sc{gnu} development tools to MS-DOS and
20515 MS-Windows. @sc{djgpp} programs are 32-bit protected-mode programs
20516 that use the @dfn{DPMI} (DOS Protected-Mode Interface) API to run on
20517 top of real-mode DOS systems and their emulations.
20518
20519 @value{GDBN} supports native debugging of @sc{djgpp} programs, and
20520 defines a few commands specific to the @sc{djgpp} port. This
20521 subsection describes those commands.
20522
20523 @table @code
20524 @kindex info dos
20525 @item info dos
20526 This is a prefix of @sc{djgpp}-specific commands which print
20527 information about the target system and important OS structures.
20528
20529 @kindex sysinfo
20530 @cindex MS-DOS system info
20531 @cindex free memory information (MS-DOS)
20532 @item info dos sysinfo
20533 This command displays assorted information about the underlying
20534 platform: the CPU type and features, the OS version and flavor, the
20535 DPMI version, and the available conventional and DPMI memory.
20536
20537 @cindex GDT
20538 @cindex LDT
20539 @cindex IDT
20540 @cindex segment descriptor tables
20541 @cindex descriptor tables display
20542 @item info dos gdt
20543 @itemx info dos ldt
20544 @itemx info dos idt
20545 These 3 commands display entries from, respectively, Global, Local,
20546 and Interrupt Descriptor Tables (GDT, LDT, and IDT). The descriptor
20547 tables are data structures which store a descriptor for each segment
20548 that is currently in use. The segment's selector is an index into a
20549 descriptor table; the table entry for that index holds the
20550 descriptor's base address and limit, and its attributes and access
20551 rights.
20552
20553 A typical @sc{djgpp} program uses 3 segments: a code segment, a data
20554 segment (used for both data and the stack), and a DOS segment (which
20555 allows access to DOS/BIOS data structures and absolute addresses in
20556 conventional memory). However, the DPMI host will usually define
20557 additional segments in order to support the DPMI environment.
20558
20559 @cindex garbled pointers
20560 These commands allow to display entries from the descriptor tables.
20561 Without an argument, all entries from the specified table are
20562 displayed. An argument, which should be an integer expression, means
20563 display a single entry whose index is given by the argument. For
20564 example, here's a convenient way to display information about the
20565 debugged program's data segment:
20566
20567 @smallexample
20568 @exdent @code{(@value{GDBP}) info dos ldt $ds}
20569 @exdent @code{0x13f: base=0x11970000 limit=0x0009ffff 32-Bit Data (Read/Write, Exp-up)}
20570 @end smallexample
20571
20572 @noindent
20573 This comes in handy when you want to see whether a pointer is outside
20574 the data segment's limit (i.e.@: @dfn{garbled}).
20575
20576 @cindex page tables display (MS-DOS)
20577 @item info dos pde
20578 @itemx info dos pte
20579 These two commands display entries from, respectively, the Page
20580 Directory and the Page Tables. Page Directories and Page Tables are
20581 data structures which control how virtual memory addresses are mapped
20582 into physical addresses. A Page Table includes an entry for every
20583 page of memory that is mapped into the program's address space; there
20584 may be several Page Tables, each one holding up to 4096 entries. A
20585 Page Directory has up to 4096 entries, one each for every Page Table
20586 that is currently in use.
20587
20588 Without an argument, @kbd{info dos pde} displays the entire Page
20589 Directory, and @kbd{info dos pte} displays all the entries in all of
20590 the Page Tables. An argument, an integer expression, given to the
20591 @kbd{info dos pde} command means display only that entry from the Page
20592 Directory table. An argument given to the @kbd{info dos pte} command
20593 means display entries from a single Page Table, the one pointed to by
20594 the specified entry in the Page Directory.
20595
20596 @cindex direct memory access (DMA) on MS-DOS
20597 These commands are useful when your program uses @dfn{DMA} (Direct
20598 Memory Access), which needs physical addresses to program the DMA
20599 controller.
20600
20601 These commands are supported only with some DPMI servers.
20602
20603 @cindex physical address from linear address
20604 @item info dos address-pte @var{addr}
20605 This command displays the Page Table entry for a specified linear
20606 address. The argument @var{addr} is a linear address which should
20607 already have the appropriate segment's base address added to it,
20608 because this command accepts addresses which may belong to @emph{any}
20609 segment. For example, here's how to display the Page Table entry for
20610 the page where a variable @code{i} is stored:
20611
20612 @smallexample
20613 @exdent @code{(@value{GDBP}) info dos address-pte __djgpp_base_address + (char *)&i}
20614 @exdent @code{Page Table entry for address 0x11a00d30:}
20615 @exdent @code{Base=0x02698000 Dirty Acc. Not-Cached Write-Back Usr Read-Write +0xd30}
20616 @end smallexample
20617
20618 @noindent
20619 This says that @code{i} is stored at offset @code{0xd30} from the page
20620 whose physical base address is @code{0x02698000}, and shows all the
20621 attributes of that page.
20622
20623 Note that you must cast the addresses of variables to a @code{char *},
20624 since otherwise the value of @code{__djgpp_base_address}, the base
20625 address of all variables and functions in a @sc{djgpp} program, will
20626 be added using the rules of C pointer arithmetics: if @code{i} is
20627 declared an @code{int}, @value{GDBN} will add 4 times the value of
20628 @code{__djgpp_base_address} to the address of @code{i}.
20629
20630 Here's another example, it displays the Page Table entry for the
20631 transfer buffer:
20632
20633 @smallexample
20634 @exdent @code{(@value{GDBP}) info dos address-pte *((unsigned *)&_go32_info_block + 3)}
20635 @exdent @code{Page Table entry for address 0x29110:}
20636 @exdent @code{Base=0x00029000 Dirty Acc. Not-Cached Write-Back Usr Read-Write +0x110}
20637 @end smallexample
20638
20639 @noindent
20640 (The @code{+ 3} offset is because the transfer buffer's address is the
20641 3rd member of the @code{_go32_info_block} structure.) The output
20642 clearly shows that this DPMI server maps the addresses in conventional
20643 memory 1:1, i.e.@: the physical (@code{0x00029000} + @code{0x110}) and
20644 linear (@code{0x29110}) addresses are identical.
20645
20646 This command is supported only with some DPMI servers.
20647 @end table
20648
20649 @cindex DOS serial data link, remote debugging
20650 In addition to native debugging, the DJGPP port supports remote
20651 debugging via a serial data link. The following commands are specific
20652 to remote serial debugging in the DJGPP port of @value{GDBN}.
20653
20654 @table @code
20655 @kindex set com1base
20656 @kindex set com1irq
20657 @kindex set com2base
20658 @kindex set com2irq
20659 @kindex set com3base
20660 @kindex set com3irq
20661 @kindex set com4base
20662 @kindex set com4irq
20663 @item set com1base @var{addr}
20664 This command sets the base I/O port address of the @file{COM1} serial
20665 port.
20666
20667 @item set com1irq @var{irq}
20668 This command sets the @dfn{Interrupt Request} (@code{IRQ}) line to use
20669 for the @file{COM1} serial port.
20670
20671 There are similar commands @samp{set com2base}, @samp{set com3irq},
20672 etc.@: for setting the port address and the @code{IRQ} lines for the
20673 other 3 COM ports.
20674
20675 @kindex show com1base
20676 @kindex show com1irq
20677 @kindex show com2base
20678 @kindex show com2irq
20679 @kindex show com3base
20680 @kindex show com3irq
20681 @kindex show com4base
20682 @kindex show com4irq
20683 The related commands @samp{show com1base}, @samp{show com1irq} etc.@:
20684 display the current settings of the base address and the @code{IRQ}
20685 lines used by the COM ports.
20686
20687 @item info serial
20688 @kindex info serial
20689 @cindex DOS serial port status
20690 This command prints the status of the 4 DOS serial ports. For each
20691 port, it prints whether it's active or not, its I/O base address and
20692 IRQ number, whether it uses a 16550-style FIFO, its baudrate, and the
20693 counts of various errors encountered so far.
20694 @end table
20695
20696
20697 @node Cygwin Native
20698 @subsection Features for Debugging MS Windows PE Executables
20699 @cindex MS Windows debugging
20700 @cindex native Cygwin debugging
20701 @cindex Cygwin-specific commands
20702
20703 @value{GDBN} supports native debugging of MS Windows programs, including
20704 DLLs with and without symbolic debugging information.
20705
20706 @cindex Ctrl-BREAK, MS-Windows
20707 @cindex interrupt debuggee on MS-Windows
20708 MS-Windows programs that call @code{SetConsoleMode} to switch off the
20709 special meaning of the @samp{Ctrl-C} keystroke cannot be interrupted
20710 by typing @kbd{C-c}. For this reason, @value{GDBN} on MS-Windows
20711 supports @kbd{C-@key{BREAK}} as an alternative interrupt key
20712 sequence, which can be used to interrupt the debuggee even if it
20713 ignores @kbd{C-c}.
20714
20715 There are various additional Cygwin-specific commands, described in
20716 this section. Working with DLLs that have no debugging symbols is
20717 described in @ref{Non-debug DLL Symbols}.
20718
20719 @table @code
20720 @kindex info w32
20721 @item info w32
20722 This is a prefix of MS Windows-specific commands which print
20723 information about the target system and important OS structures.
20724
20725 @item info w32 selector
20726 This command displays information returned by
20727 the Win32 API @code{GetThreadSelectorEntry} function.
20728 It takes an optional argument that is evaluated to
20729 a long value to give the information about this given selector.
20730 Without argument, this command displays information
20731 about the six segment registers.
20732
20733 @item info w32 thread-information-block
20734 This command displays thread specific information stored in the
20735 Thread Information Block (readable on the X86 CPU family using @code{$fs}
20736 selector for 32-bit programs and @code{$gs} for 64-bit programs).
20737
20738 @kindex set cygwin-exceptions
20739 @cindex debugging the Cygwin DLL
20740 @cindex Cygwin DLL, debugging
20741 @item set cygwin-exceptions @var{mode}
20742 If @var{mode} is @code{on}, @value{GDBN} will break on exceptions that
20743 happen inside the Cygwin DLL. If @var{mode} is @code{off},
20744 @value{GDBN} will delay recognition of exceptions, and may ignore some
20745 exceptions which seem to be caused by internal Cygwin DLL
20746 ``bookkeeping''. This option is meant primarily for debugging the
20747 Cygwin DLL itself; the default value is @code{off} to avoid annoying
20748 @value{GDBN} users with false @code{SIGSEGV} signals.
20749
20750 @kindex show cygwin-exceptions
20751 @item show cygwin-exceptions
20752 Displays whether @value{GDBN} will break on exceptions that happen
20753 inside the Cygwin DLL itself.
20754
20755 @kindex set new-console
20756 @item set new-console @var{mode}
20757 If @var{mode} is @code{on} the debuggee will
20758 be started in a new console on next start.
20759 If @var{mode} is @code{off}, the debuggee will
20760 be started in the same console as the debugger.
20761
20762 @kindex show new-console
20763 @item show new-console
20764 Displays whether a new console is used
20765 when the debuggee is started.
20766
20767 @kindex set new-group
20768 @item set new-group @var{mode}
20769 This boolean value controls whether the debuggee should
20770 start a new group or stay in the same group as the debugger.
20771 This affects the way the Windows OS handles
20772 @samp{Ctrl-C}.
20773
20774 @kindex show new-group
20775 @item show new-group
20776 Displays current value of new-group boolean.
20777
20778 @kindex set debugevents
20779 @item set debugevents
20780 This boolean value adds debug output concerning kernel events related
20781 to the debuggee seen by the debugger. This includes events that
20782 signal thread and process creation and exit, DLL loading and
20783 unloading, console interrupts, and debugging messages produced by the
20784 Windows @code{OutputDebugString} API call.
20785
20786 @kindex set debugexec
20787 @item set debugexec
20788 This boolean value adds debug output concerning execute events
20789 (such as resume thread) seen by the debugger.
20790
20791 @kindex set debugexceptions
20792 @item set debugexceptions
20793 This boolean value adds debug output concerning exceptions in the
20794 debuggee seen by the debugger.
20795
20796 @kindex set debugmemory
20797 @item set debugmemory
20798 This boolean value adds debug output concerning debuggee memory reads
20799 and writes by the debugger.
20800
20801 @kindex set shell
20802 @item set shell
20803 This boolean values specifies whether the debuggee is called
20804 via a shell or directly (default value is on).
20805
20806 @kindex show shell
20807 @item show shell
20808 Displays if the debuggee will be started with a shell.
20809
20810 @end table
20811
20812 @menu
20813 * Non-debug DLL Symbols:: Support for DLLs without debugging symbols
20814 @end menu
20815
20816 @node Non-debug DLL Symbols
20817 @subsubsection Support for DLLs without Debugging Symbols
20818 @cindex DLLs with no debugging symbols
20819 @cindex Minimal symbols and DLLs
20820
20821 Very often on windows, some of the DLLs that your program relies on do
20822 not include symbolic debugging information (for example,
20823 @file{kernel32.dll}). When @value{GDBN} doesn't recognize any debugging
20824 symbols in a DLL, it relies on the minimal amount of symbolic
20825 information contained in the DLL's export table. This section
20826 describes working with such symbols, known internally to @value{GDBN} as
20827 ``minimal symbols''.
20828
20829 Note that before the debugged program has started execution, no DLLs
20830 will have been loaded. The easiest way around this problem is simply to
20831 start the program --- either by setting a breakpoint or letting the
20832 program run once to completion.
20833
20834 @subsubsection DLL Name Prefixes
20835
20836 In keeping with the naming conventions used by the Microsoft debugging
20837 tools, DLL export symbols are made available with a prefix based on the
20838 DLL name, for instance @code{KERNEL32!CreateFileA}. The plain name is
20839 also entered into the symbol table, so @code{CreateFileA} is often
20840 sufficient. In some cases there will be name clashes within a program
20841 (particularly if the executable itself includes full debugging symbols)
20842 necessitating the use of the fully qualified name when referring to the
20843 contents of the DLL. Use single-quotes around the name to avoid the
20844 exclamation mark (``!'') being interpreted as a language operator.
20845
20846 Note that the internal name of the DLL may be all upper-case, even
20847 though the file name of the DLL is lower-case, or vice-versa. Since
20848 symbols within @value{GDBN} are @emph{case-sensitive} this may cause
20849 some confusion. If in doubt, try the @code{info functions} and
20850 @code{info variables} commands or even @code{maint print msymbols}
20851 (@pxref{Symbols}). Here's an example:
20852
20853 @smallexample
20854 (@value{GDBP}) info function CreateFileA
20855 All functions matching regular expression "CreateFileA":
20856
20857 Non-debugging symbols:
20858 0x77e885f4 CreateFileA
20859 0x77e885f4 KERNEL32!CreateFileA
20860 @end smallexample
20861
20862 @smallexample
20863 (@value{GDBP}) info function !
20864 All functions matching regular expression "!":
20865
20866 Non-debugging symbols:
20867 0x6100114c cygwin1!__assert
20868 0x61004034 cygwin1!_dll_crt0@@0
20869 0x61004240 cygwin1!dll_crt0(per_process *)
20870 [etc...]
20871 @end smallexample
20872
20873 @subsubsection Working with Minimal Symbols
20874
20875 Symbols extracted from a DLL's export table do not contain very much
20876 type information. All that @value{GDBN} can do is guess whether a symbol
20877 refers to a function or variable depending on the linker section that
20878 contains the symbol. Also note that the actual contents of the memory
20879 contained in a DLL are not available unless the program is running. This
20880 means that you cannot examine the contents of a variable or disassemble
20881 a function within a DLL without a running program.
20882
20883 Variables are generally treated as pointers and dereferenced
20884 automatically. For this reason, it is often necessary to prefix a
20885 variable name with the address-of operator (``&'') and provide explicit
20886 type information in the command. Here's an example of the type of
20887 problem:
20888
20889 @smallexample
20890 (@value{GDBP}) print 'cygwin1!__argv'
20891 $1 = 268572168
20892 @end smallexample
20893
20894 @smallexample
20895 (@value{GDBP}) x 'cygwin1!__argv'
20896 0x10021610: "\230y\""
20897 @end smallexample
20898
20899 And two possible solutions:
20900
20901 @smallexample
20902 (@value{GDBP}) print ((char **)'cygwin1!__argv')[0]
20903 $2 = 0x22fd98 "/cygdrive/c/mydirectory/myprogram"
20904 @end smallexample
20905
20906 @smallexample
20907 (@value{GDBP}) x/2x &'cygwin1!__argv'
20908 0x610c0aa8 <cygwin1!__argv>: 0x10021608 0x00000000
20909 (@value{GDBP}) x/x 0x10021608
20910 0x10021608: 0x0022fd98
20911 (@value{GDBP}) x/s 0x0022fd98
20912 0x22fd98: "/cygdrive/c/mydirectory/myprogram"
20913 @end smallexample
20914
20915 Setting a break point within a DLL is possible even before the program
20916 starts execution. However, under these circumstances, @value{GDBN} can't
20917 examine the initial instructions of the function in order to skip the
20918 function's frame set-up code. You can work around this by using ``*&''
20919 to set the breakpoint at a raw memory address:
20920
20921 @smallexample
20922 (@value{GDBP}) break *&'python22!PyOS_Readline'
20923 Breakpoint 1 at 0x1e04eff0
20924 @end smallexample
20925
20926 The author of these extensions is not entirely convinced that setting a
20927 break point within a shared DLL like @file{kernel32.dll} is completely
20928 safe.
20929
20930 @node Hurd Native
20931 @subsection Commands Specific to @sc{gnu} Hurd Systems
20932 @cindex @sc{gnu} Hurd debugging
20933
20934 This subsection describes @value{GDBN} commands specific to the
20935 @sc{gnu} Hurd native debugging.
20936
20937 @table @code
20938 @item set signals
20939 @itemx set sigs
20940 @kindex set signals@r{, Hurd command}
20941 @kindex set sigs@r{, Hurd command}
20942 This command toggles the state of inferior signal interception by
20943 @value{GDBN}. Mach exceptions, such as breakpoint traps, are not
20944 affected by this command. @code{sigs} is a shorthand alias for
20945 @code{signals}.
20946
20947 @item show signals
20948 @itemx show sigs
20949 @kindex show signals@r{, Hurd command}
20950 @kindex show sigs@r{, Hurd command}
20951 Show the current state of intercepting inferior's signals.
20952
20953 @item set signal-thread
20954 @itemx set sigthread
20955 @kindex set signal-thread
20956 @kindex set sigthread
20957 This command tells @value{GDBN} which thread is the @code{libc} signal
20958 thread. That thread is run when a signal is delivered to a running
20959 process. @code{set sigthread} is the shorthand alias of @code{set
20960 signal-thread}.
20961
20962 @item show signal-thread
20963 @itemx show sigthread
20964 @kindex show signal-thread
20965 @kindex show sigthread
20966 These two commands show which thread will run when the inferior is
20967 delivered a signal.
20968
20969 @item set stopped
20970 @kindex set stopped@r{, Hurd command}
20971 This commands tells @value{GDBN} that the inferior process is stopped,
20972 as with the @code{SIGSTOP} signal. The stopped process can be
20973 continued by delivering a signal to it.
20974
20975 @item show stopped
20976 @kindex show stopped@r{, Hurd command}
20977 This command shows whether @value{GDBN} thinks the debuggee is
20978 stopped.
20979
20980 @item set exceptions
20981 @kindex set exceptions@r{, Hurd command}
20982 Use this command to turn off trapping of exceptions in the inferior.
20983 When exception trapping is off, neither breakpoints nor
20984 single-stepping will work. To restore the default, set exception
20985 trapping on.
20986
20987 @item show exceptions
20988 @kindex show exceptions@r{, Hurd command}
20989 Show the current state of trapping exceptions in the inferior.
20990
20991 @item set task pause
20992 @kindex set task@r{, Hurd commands}
20993 @cindex task attributes (@sc{gnu} Hurd)
20994 @cindex pause current task (@sc{gnu} Hurd)
20995 This command toggles task suspension when @value{GDBN} has control.
20996 Setting it to on takes effect immediately, and the task is suspended
20997 whenever @value{GDBN} gets control. Setting it to off will take
20998 effect the next time the inferior is continued. If this option is set
20999 to off, you can use @code{set thread default pause on} or @code{set
21000 thread pause on} (see below) to pause individual threads.
21001
21002 @item show task pause
21003 @kindex show task@r{, Hurd commands}
21004 Show the current state of task suspension.
21005
21006 @item set task detach-suspend-count
21007 @cindex task suspend count
21008 @cindex detach from task, @sc{gnu} Hurd
21009 This command sets the suspend count the task will be left with when
21010 @value{GDBN} detaches from it.
21011
21012 @item show task detach-suspend-count
21013 Show the suspend count the task will be left with when detaching.
21014
21015 @item set task exception-port
21016 @itemx set task excp
21017 @cindex task exception port, @sc{gnu} Hurd
21018 This command sets the task exception port to which @value{GDBN} will
21019 forward exceptions. The argument should be the value of the @dfn{send
21020 rights} of the task. @code{set task excp} is a shorthand alias.
21021
21022 @item set noninvasive
21023 @cindex noninvasive task options
21024 This command switches @value{GDBN} to a mode that is the least
21025 invasive as far as interfering with the inferior is concerned. This
21026 is the same as using @code{set task pause}, @code{set exceptions}, and
21027 @code{set signals} to values opposite to the defaults.
21028
21029 @item info send-rights
21030 @itemx info receive-rights
21031 @itemx info port-rights
21032 @itemx info port-sets
21033 @itemx info dead-names
21034 @itemx info ports
21035 @itemx info psets
21036 @cindex send rights, @sc{gnu} Hurd
21037 @cindex receive rights, @sc{gnu} Hurd
21038 @cindex port rights, @sc{gnu} Hurd
21039 @cindex port sets, @sc{gnu} Hurd
21040 @cindex dead names, @sc{gnu} Hurd
21041 These commands display information about, respectively, send rights,
21042 receive rights, port rights, port sets, and dead names of a task.
21043 There are also shorthand aliases: @code{info ports} for @code{info
21044 port-rights} and @code{info psets} for @code{info port-sets}.
21045
21046 @item set thread pause
21047 @kindex set thread@r{, Hurd command}
21048 @cindex thread properties, @sc{gnu} Hurd
21049 @cindex pause current thread (@sc{gnu} Hurd)
21050 This command toggles current thread suspension when @value{GDBN} has
21051 control. Setting it to on takes effect immediately, and the current
21052 thread is suspended whenever @value{GDBN} gets control. Setting it to
21053 off will take effect the next time the inferior is continued.
21054 Normally, this command has no effect, since when @value{GDBN} has
21055 control, the whole task is suspended. However, if you used @code{set
21056 task pause off} (see above), this command comes in handy to suspend
21057 only the current thread.
21058
21059 @item show thread pause
21060 @kindex show thread@r{, Hurd command}
21061 This command shows the state of current thread suspension.
21062
21063 @item set thread run
21064 This command sets whether the current thread is allowed to run.
21065
21066 @item show thread run
21067 Show whether the current thread is allowed to run.
21068
21069 @item set thread detach-suspend-count
21070 @cindex thread suspend count, @sc{gnu} Hurd
21071 @cindex detach from thread, @sc{gnu} Hurd
21072 This command sets the suspend count @value{GDBN} will leave on a
21073 thread when detaching. This number is relative to the suspend count
21074 found by @value{GDBN} when it notices the thread; use @code{set thread
21075 takeover-suspend-count} to force it to an absolute value.
21076
21077 @item show thread detach-suspend-count
21078 Show the suspend count @value{GDBN} will leave on the thread when
21079 detaching.
21080
21081 @item set thread exception-port
21082 @itemx set thread excp
21083 Set the thread exception port to which to forward exceptions. This
21084 overrides the port set by @code{set task exception-port} (see above).
21085 @code{set thread excp} is the shorthand alias.
21086
21087 @item set thread takeover-suspend-count
21088 Normally, @value{GDBN}'s thread suspend counts are relative to the
21089 value @value{GDBN} finds when it notices each thread. This command
21090 changes the suspend counts to be absolute instead.
21091
21092 @item set thread default
21093 @itemx show thread default
21094 @cindex thread default settings, @sc{gnu} Hurd
21095 Each of the above @code{set thread} commands has a @code{set thread
21096 default} counterpart (e.g., @code{set thread default pause}, @code{set
21097 thread default exception-port}, etc.). The @code{thread default}
21098 variety of commands sets the default thread properties for all
21099 threads; you can then change the properties of individual threads with
21100 the non-default commands.
21101 @end table
21102
21103 @node Darwin
21104 @subsection Darwin
21105 @cindex Darwin
21106
21107 @value{GDBN} provides the following commands specific to the Darwin target:
21108
21109 @table @code
21110 @item set debug darwin @var{num}
21111 @kindex set debug darwin
21112 When set to a non zero value, enables debugging messages specific to
21113 the Darwin support. Higher values produce more verbose output.
21114
21115 @item show debug darwin
21116 @kindex show debug darwin
21117 Show the current state of Darwin messages.
21118
21119 @item set debug mach-o @var{num}
21120 @kindex set debug mach-o
21121 When set to a non zero value, enables debugging messages while
21122 @value{GDBN} is reading Darwin object files. (@dfn{Mach-O} is the
21123 file format used on Darwin for object and executable files.) Higher
21124 values produce more verbose output. This is a command to diagnose
21125 problems internal to @value{GDBN} and should not be needed in normal
21126 usage.
21127
21128 @item show debug mach-o
21129 @kindex show debug mach-o
21130 Show the current state of Mach-O file messages.
21131
21132 @item set mach-exceptions on
21133 @itemx set mach-exceptions off
21134 @kindex set mach-exceptions
21135 On Darwin, faults are first reported as a Mach exception and are then
21136 mapped to a Posix signal. Use this command to turn on trapping of
21137 Mach exceptions in the inferior. This might be sometimes useful to
21138 better understand the cause of a fault. The default is off.
21139
21140 @item show mach-exceptions
21141 @kindex show mach-exceptions
21142 Show the current state of exceptions trapping.
21143 @end table
21144
21145
21146 @node Embedded OS
21147 @section Embedded Operating Systems
21148
21149 This section describes configurations involving the debugging of
21150 embedded operating systems that are available for several different
21151 architectures.
21152
21153 @value{GDBN} includes the ability to debug programs running on
21154 various real-time operating systems.
21155
21156 @node Embedded Processors
21157 @section Embedded Processors
21158
21159 This section goes into details specific to particular embedded
21160 configurations.
21161
21162 @cindex send command to simulator
21163 Whenever a specific embedded processor has a simulator, @value{GDBN}
21164 allows to send an arbitrary command to the simulator.
21165
21166 @table @code
21167 @item sim @var{command}
21168 @kindex sim@r{, a command}
21169 Send an arbitrary @var{command} string to the simulator. Consult the
21170 documentation for the specific simulator in use for information about
21171 acceptable commands.
21172 @end table
21173
21174
21175 @menu
21176 * ARM:: ARM RDI
21177 * M32R/D:: Renesas M32R/D
21178 * M68K:: Motorola M68K
21179 * MicroBlaze:: Xilinx MicroBlaze
21180 * MIPS Embedded:: MIPS Embedded
21181 * PowerPC Embedded:: PowerPC Embedded
21182 * PA:: HP PA Embedded
21183 * Sparclet:: Tsqware Sparclet
21184 * Sparclite:: Fujitsu Sparclite
21185 * Z8000:: Zilog Z8000
21186 * AVR:: Atmel AVR
21187 * CRIS:: CRIS
21188 * Super-H:: Renesas Super-H
21189 @end menu
21190
21191 @node ARM
21192 @subsection ARM
21193 @cindex ARM RDI
21194
21195 @table @code
21196 @kindex target rdi
21197 @item target rdi @var{dev}
21198 ARM Angel monitor, via RDI library interface to ADP protocol. You may
21199 use this target to communicate with both boards running the Angel
21200 monitor, or with the EmbeddedICE JTAG debug device.
21201
21202 @kindex target rdp
21203 @item target rdp @var{dev}
21204 ARM Demon monitor.
21205
21206 @end table
21207
21208 @value{GDBN} provides the following ARM-specific commands:
21209
21210 @table @code
21211 @item set arm disassembler
21212 @kindex set arm
21213 This commands selects from a list of disassembly styles. The
21214 @code{"std"} style is the standard style.
21215
21216 @item show arm disassembler
21217 @kindex show arm
21218 Show the current disassembly style.
21219
21220 @item set arm apcs32
21221 @cindex ARM 32-bit mode
21222 This command toggles ARM operation mode between 32-bit and 26-bit.
21223
21224 @item show arm apcs32
21225 Display the current usage of the ARM 32-bit mode.
21226
21227 @item set arm fpu @var{fputype}
21228 This command sets the ARM floating-point unit (FPU) type. The
21229 argument @var{fputype} can be one of these:
21230
21231 @table @code
21232 @item auto
21233 Determine the FPU type by querying the OS ABI.
21234 @item softfpa
21235 Software FPU, with mixed-endian doubles on little-endian ARM
21236 processors.
21237 @item fpa
21238 GCC-compiled FPA co-processor.
21239 @item softvfp
21240 Software FPU with pure-endian doubles.
21241 @item vfp
21242 VFP co-processor.
21243 @end table
21244
21245 @item show arm fpu
21246 Show the current type of the FPU.
21247
21248 @item set arm abi
21249 This command forces @value{GDBN} to use the specified ABI.
21250
21251 @item show arm abi
21252 Show the currently used ABI.
21253
21254 @item set arm fallback-mode (arm|thumb|auto)
21255 @value{GDBN} uses the symbol table, when available, to determine
21256 whether instructions are ARM or Thumb. This command controls
21257 @value{GDBN}'s default behavior when the symbol table is not
21258 available. The default is @samp{auto}, which causes @value{GDBN} to
21259 use the current execution mode (from the @code{T} bit in the @code{CPSR}
21260 register).
21261
21262 @item show arm fallback-mode
21263 Show the current fallback instruction mode.
21264
21265 @item set arm force-mode (arm|thumb|auto)
21266 This command overrides use of the symbol table to determine whether
21267 instructions are ARM or Thumb. The default is @samp{auto}, which
21268 causes @value{GDBN} to use the symbol table and then the setting
21269 of @samp{set arm fallback-mode}.
21270
21271 @item show arm force-mode
21272 Show the current forced instruction mode.
21273
21274 @item set debug arm
21275 Toggle whether to display ARM-specific debugging messages from the ARM
21276 target support subsystem.
21277
21278 @item show debug arm
21279 Show whether ARM-specific debugging messages are enabled.
21280 @end table
21281
21282 The following commands are available when an ARM target is debugged
21283 using the RDI interface:
21284
21285 @table @code
21286 @item rdilogfile @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
21287 @kindex rdilogfile
21288 @cindex ADP (Angel Debugger Protocol) logging
21289 Set the filename for the ADP (Angel Debugger Protocol) packet log.
21290 With an argument, sets the log file to the specified @var{file}. With
21291 no argument, show the current log file name. The default log file is
21292 @file{rdi.log}.
21293
21294 @item rdilogenable @r{[}@var{arg}@r{]}
21295 @kindex rdilogenable
21296 Control logging of ADP packets. With an argument of 1 or @code{"yes"}
21297 enables logging, with an argument 0 or @code{"no"} disables it. With
21298 no arguments displays the current setting. When logging is enabled,
21299 ADP packets exchanged between @value{GDBN} and the RDI target device
21300 are logged to a file.
21301
21302 @item set rdiromatzero
21303 @kindex set rdiromatzero
21304 @cindex ROM at zero address, RDI
21305 Tell @value{GDBN} whether the target has ROM at address 0. If on,
21306 vector catching is disabled, so that zero address can be used. If off
21307 (the default), vector catching is enabled. For this command to take
21308 effect, it needs to be invoked prior to the @code{target rdi} command.
21309
21310 @item show rdiromatzero
21311 @kindex show rdiromatzero
21312 Show the current setting of ROM at zero address.
21313
21314 @item set rdiheartbeat
21315 @kindex set rdiheartbeat
21316 @cindex RDI heartbeat
21317 Enable or disable RDI heartbeat packets. It is not recommended to
21318 turn on this option, since it confuses ARM and EPI JTAG interface, as
21319 well as the Angel monitor.
21320
21321 @item show rdiheartbeat
21322 @kindex show rdiheartbeat
21323 Show the setting of RDI heartbeat packets.
21324 @end table
21325
21326 @table @code
21327 @item target sim @r{[}@var{simargs}@r{]} @dots{}
21328 The @value{GDBN} ARM simulator accepts the following optional arguments.
21329
21330 @table @code
21331 @item --swi-support=@var{type}
21332 Tell the simulator which SWI interfaces to support. The argument
21333 @var{type} may be a comma separated list of the following values.
21334 The default value is @code{all}.
21335
21336 @table @code
21337 @item none
21338 @item demon
21339 @item angel
21340 @item redboot
21341 @item all
21342 @end table
21343 @end table
21344 @end table
21345
21346 @node M32R/D
21347 @subsection Renesas M32R/D and M32R/SDI
21348
21349 @table @code
21350 @kindex target m32r
21351 @item target m32r @var{dev}
21352 Renesas M32R/D ROM monitor.
21353
21354 @kindex target m32rsdi
21355 @item target m32rsdi @var{dev}
21356 Renesas M32R SDI server, connected via parallel port to the board.
21357 @end table
21358
21359 The following @value{GDBN} commands are specific to the M32R monitor:
21360
21361 @table @code
21362 @item set download-path @var{path}
21363 @kindex set download-path
21364 @cindex find downloadable @sc{srec} files (M32R)
21365 Set the default path for finding downloadable @sc{srec} files.
21366
21367 @item show download-path
21368 @kindex show download-path
21369 Show the default path for downloadable @sc{srec} files.
21370
21371 @item set board-address @var{addr}
21372 @kindex set board-address
21373 @cindex M32-EVA target board address
21374 Set the IP address for the M32R-EVA target board.
21375
21376 @item show board-address
21377 @kindex show board-address
21378 Show the current IP address of the target board.
21379
21380 @item set server-address @var{addr}
21381 @kindex set server-address
21382 @cindex download server address (M32R)
21383 Set the IP address for the download server, which is the @value{GDBN}'s
21384 host machine.
21385
21386 @item show server-address
21387 @kindex show server-address
21388 Display the IP address of the download server.
21389
21390 @item upload @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
21391 @kindex upload@r{, M32R}
21392 Upload the specified @sc{srec} @var{file} via the monitor's Ethernet
21393 upload capability. If no @var{file} argument is given, the current
21394 executable file is uploaded.
21395
21396 @item tload @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
21397 @kindex tload@r{, M32R}
21398 Test the @code{upload} command.
21399 @end table
21400
21401 The following commands are available for M32R/SDI:
21402
21403 @table @code
21404 @item sdireset
21405 @kindex sdireset
21406 @cindex reset SDI connection, M32R
21407 This command resets the SDI connection.
21408
21409 @item sdistatus
21410 @kindex sdistatus
21411 This command shows the SDI connection status.
21412
21413 @item debug_chaos
21414 @kindex debug_chaos
21415 @cindex M32R/Chaos debugging
21416 Instructs the remote that M32R/Chaos debugging is to be used.
21417
21418 @item use_debug_dma
21419 @kindex use_debug_dma
21420 Instructs the remote to use the DEBUG_DMA method of accessing memory.
21421
21422 @item use_mon_code
21423 @kindex use_mon_code
21424 Instructs the remote to use the MON_CODE method of accessing memory.
21425
21426 @item use_ib_break
21427 @kindex use_ib_break
21428 Instructs the remote to set breakpoints by IB break.
21429
21430 @item use_dbt_break
21431 @kindex use_dbt_break
21432 Instructs the remote to set breakpoints by DBT.
21433 @end table
21434
21435 @node M68K
21436 @subsection M68k
21437
21438 The Motorola m68k configuration includes ColdFire support, and a
21439 target command for the following ROM monitor.
21440
21441 @table @code
21442
21443 @kindex target dbug
21444 @item target dbug @var{dev}
21445 dBUG ROM monitor for Motorola ColdFire.
21446
21447 @end table
21448
21449 @node MicroBlaze
21450 @subsection MicroBlaze
21451 @cindex Xilinx MicroBlaze
21452 @cindex XMD, Xilinx Microprocessor Debugger
21453
21454 The MicroBlaze is a soft-core processor supported on various Xilinx
21455 FPGAs, such as Spartan or Virtex series. Boards with these processors
21456 usually have JTAG ports which connect to a host system running the Xilinx
21457 Embedded Development Kit (EDK) or Software Development Kit (SDK).
21458 This host system is used to download the configuration bitstream to
21459 the target FPGA. The Xilinx Microprocessor Debugger (XMD) program
21460 communicates with the target board using the JTAG interface and
21461 presents a @code{gdbserver} interface to the board. By default
21462 @code{xmd} uses port @code{1234}. (While it is possible to change
21463 this default port, it requires the use of undocumented @code{xmd}
21464 commands. Contact Xilinx support if you need to do this.)
21465
21466 Use these GDB commands to connect to the MicroBlaze target processor.
21467
21468 @table @code
21469 @item target remote :1234
21470 Use this command to connect to the target if you are running @value{GDBN}
21471 on the same system as @code{xmd}.
21472
21473 @item target remote @var{xmd-host}:1234
21474 Use this command to connect to the target if it is connected to @code{xmd}
21475 running on a different system named @var{xmd-host}.
21476
21477 @item load
21478 Use this command to download a program to the MicroBlaze target.
21479
21480 @item set debug microblaze @var{n}
21481 Enable MicroBlaze-specific debugging messages if non-zero.
21482
21483 @item show debug microblaze @var{n}
21484 Show MicroBlaze-specific debugging level.
21485 @end table
21486
21487 @node MIPS Embedded
21488 @subsection @acronym{MIPS} Embedded
21489
21490 @cindex @acronym{MIPS} boards
21491 @value{GDBN} can use the @acronym{MIPS} remote debugging protocol to talk to a
21492 @acronym{MIPS} board attached to a serial line. This is available when
21493 you configure @value{GDBN} with @samp{--target=mips-elf}.
21494
21495 @need 1000
21496 Use these @value{GDBN} commands to specify the connection to your target board:
21497
21498 @table @code
21499 @item target mips @var{port}
21500 @kindex target mips @var{port}
21501 To run a program on the board, start up @code{@value{GDBP}} with the
21502 name of your program as the argument. To connect to the board, use the
21503 command @samp{target mips @var{port}}, where @var{port} is the name of
21504 the serial port connected to the board. If the program has not already
21505 been downloaded to the board, you may use the @code{load} command to
21506 download it. You can then use all the usual @value{GDBN} commands.
21507
21508 For example, this sequence connects to the target board through a serial
21509 port, and loads and runs a program called @var{prog} through the
21510 debugger:
21511
21512 @smallexample
21513 host$ @value{GDBP} @var{prog}
21514 @value{GDBN} is free software and @dots{}
21515 (@value{GDBP}) target mips /dev/ttyb
21516 (@value{GDBP}) load @var{prog}
21517 (@value{GDBP}) run
21518 @end smallexample
21519
21520 @item target mips @var{hostname}:@var{portnumber}
21521 On some @value{GDBN} host configurations, you can specify a TCP
21522 connection (for instance, to a serial line managed by a terminal
21523 concentrator) instead of a serial port, using the syntax
21524 @samp{@var{hostname}:@var{portnumber}}.
21525
21526 @item target pmon @var{port}
21527 @kindex target pmon @var{port}
21528 PMON ROM monitor.
21529
21530 @item target ddb @var{port}
21531 @kindex target ddb @var{port}
21532 NEC's DDB variant of PMON for Vr4300.
21533
21534 @item target lsi @var{port}
21535 @kindex target lsi @var{port}
21536 LSI variant of PMON.
21537
21538 @kindex target r3900
21539 @item target r3900 @var{dev}
21540 Densan DVE-R3900 ROM monitor for Toshiba R3900 Mips.
21541
21542 @kindex target array
21543 @item target array @var{dev}
21544 Array Tech LSI33K RAID controller board.
21545
21546 @end table
21547
21548
21549 @noindent
21550 @value{GDBN} also supports these special commands for @acronym{MIPS} targets:
21551
21552 @table @code
21553 @item set mipsfpu double
21554 @itemx set mipsfpu single
21555 @itemx set mipsfpu none
21556 @itemx set mipsfpu auto
21557 @itemx show mipsfpu
21558 @kindex set mipsfpu
21559 @kindex show mipsfpu
21560 @cindex @acronym{MIPS} remote floating point
21561 @cindex floating point, @acronym{MIPS} remote
21562 If your target board does not support the @acronym{MIPS} floating point
21563 coprocessor, you should use the command @samp{set mipsfpu none} (if you
21564 need this, you may wish to put the command in your @value{GDBN} init
21565 file). This tells @value{GDBN} how to find the return value of
21566 functions which return floating point values. It also allows
21567 @value{GDBN} to avoid saving the floating point registers when calling
21568 functions on the board. If you are using a floating point coprocessor
21569 with only single precision floating point support, as on the @sc{r4650}
21570 processor, use the command @samp{set mipsfpu single}. The default
21571 double precision floating point coprocessor may be selected using
21572 @samp{set mipsfpu double}.
21573
21574 In previous versions the only choices were double precision or no
21575 floating point, so @samp{set mipsfpu on} will select double precision
21576 and @samp{set mipsfpu off} will select no floating point.
21577
21578 As usual, you can inquire about the @code{mipsfpu} variable with
21579 @samp{show mipsfpu}.
21580
21581 @item set timeout @var{seconds}
21582 @itemx set retransmit-timeout @var{seconds}
21583 @itemx show timeout
21584 @itemx show retransmit-timeout
21585 @cindex @code{timeout}, @acronym{MIPS} protocol
21586 @cindex @code{retransmit-timeout}, @acronym{MIPS} protocol
21587 @kindex set timeout
21588 @kindex show timeout
21589 @kindex set retransmit-timeout
21590 @kindex show retransmit-timeout
21591 You can control the timeout used while waiting for a packet, in the @acronym{MIPS}
21592 remote protocol, with the @code{set timeout @var{seconds}} command. The
21593 default is 5 seconds. Similarly, you can control the timeout used while
21594 waiting for an acknowledgment of a packet with the @code{set
21595 retransmit-timeout @var{seconds}} command. The default is 3 seconds.
21596 You can inspect both values with @code{show timeout} and @code{show
21597 retransmit-timeout}. (These commands are @emph{only} available when
21598 @value{GDBN} is configured for @samp{--target=mips-elf}.)
21599
21600 The timeout set by @code{set timeout} does not apply when @value{GDBN}
21601 is waiting for your program to stop. In that case, @value{GDBN} waits
21602 forever because it has no way of knowing how long the program is going
21603 to run before stopping.
21604
21605 @item set syn-garbage-limit @var{num}
21606 @kindex set syn-garbage-limit@r{, @acronym{MIPS} remote}
21607 @cindex synchronize with remote @acronym{MIPS} target
21608 Limit the maximum number of characters @value{GDBN} should ignore when
21609 it tries to synchronize with the remote target. The default is 10
21610 characters. Setting the limit to -1 means there's no limit.
21611
21612 @item show syn-garbage-limit
21613 @kindex show syn-garbage-limit@r{, @acronym{MIPS} remote}
21614 Show the current limit on the number of characters to ignore when
21615 trying to synchronize with the remote system.
21616
21617 @item set monitor-prompt @var{prompt}
21618 @kindex set monitor-prompt@r{, @acronym{MIPS} remote}
21619 @cindex remote monitor prompt
21620 Tell @value{GDBN} to expect the specified @var{prompt} string from the
21621 remote monitor. The default depends on the target:
21622 @table @asis
21623 @item pmon target
21624 @samp{PMON}
21625 @item ddb target
21626 @samp{NEC010}
21627 @item lsi target
21628 @samp{PMON>}
21629 @end table
21630
21631 @item show monitor-prompt
21632 @kindex show monitor-prompt@r{, @acronym{MIPS} remote}
21633 Show the current strings @value{GDBN} expects as the prompt from the
21634 remote monitor.
21635
21636 @item set monitor-warnings
21637 @kindex set monitor-warnings@r{, @acronym{MIPS} remote}
21638 Enable or disable monitor warnings about hardware breakpoints. This
21639 has effect only for the @code{lsi} target. When on, @value{GDBN} will
21640 display warning messages whose codes are returned by the @code{lsi}
21641 PMON monitor for breakpoint commands.
21642
21643 @item show monitor-warnings
21644 @kindex show monitor-warnings@r{, @acronym{MIPS} remote}
21645 Show the current setting of printing monitor warnings.
21646
21647 @item pmon @var{command}
21648 @kindex pmon@r{, @acronym{MIPS} remote}
21649 @cindex send PMON command
21650 This command allows sending an arbitrary @var{command} string to the
21651 monitor. The monitor must be in debug mode for this to work.
21652 @end table
21653
21654 @node PowerPC Embedded
21655 @subsection PowerPC Embedded
21656
21657 @cindex DVC register
21658 @value{GDBN} supports using the DVC (Data Value Compare) register to
21659 implement in hardware simple hardware watchpoint conditions of the form:
21660
21661 @smallexample
21662 (@value{GDBP}) watch @var{ADDRESS|VARIABLE} \
21663 if @var{ADDRESS|VARIABLE} == @var{CONSTANT EXPRESSION}
21664 @end smallexample
21665
21666 The DVC register will be automatically used when @value{GDBN} detects
21667 such pattern in a condition expression, and the created watchpoint uses one
21668 debug register (either the @code{exact-watchpoints} option is on and the
21669 variable is scalar, or the variable has a length of one byte). This feature
21670 is available in native @value{GDBN} running on a Linux kernel version 2.6.34
21671 or newer.
21672
21673 When running on PowerPC embedded processors, @value{GDBN} automatically uses
21674 ranged hardware watchpoints, unless the @code{exact-watchpoints} option is on,
21675 in which case watchpoints using only one debug register are created when
21676 watching variables of scalar types.
21677
21678 You can create an artificial array to watch an arbitrary memory
21679 region using one of the following commands (@pxref{Expressions}):
21680
21681 @smallexample
21682 (@value{GDBP}) watch *((char *) @var{address})@@@var{length}
21683 (@value{GDBP}) watch @{char[@var{length}]@} @var{address}
21684 @end smallexample
21685
21686 PowerPC embedded processors support masked watchpoints. See the discussion
21687 about the @code{mask} argument in @ref{Set Watchpoints}.
21688
21689 @cindex ranged breakpoint
21690 PowerPC embedded processors support hardware accelerated
21691 @dfn{ranged breakpoints}. A ranged breakpoint stops execution of
21692 the inferior whenever it executes an instruction at any address within
21693 the range it specifies. To set a ranged breakpoint in @value{GDBN},
21694 use the @code{break-range} command.
21695
21696 @value{GDBN} provides the following PowerPC-specific commands:
21697
21698 @table @code
21699 @kindex break-range
21700 @item break-range @var{start-location}, @var{end-location}
21701 Set a breakpoint for an address range given by
21702 @var{start-location} and @var{end-location}, which can specify a function name,
21703 a line number, an offset of lines from the current line or from the start
21704 location, or an address of an instruction (see @ref{Specify Location},
21705 for a list of all the possible ways to specify a @var{location}.)
21706 The breakpoint will stop execution of the inferior whenever it
21707 executes an instruction at any address within the specified range,
21708 (including @var{start-location} and @var{end-location}.)
21709
21710 @kindex set powerpc
21711 @item set powerpc soft-float
21712 @itemx show powerpc soft-float
21713 Force @value{GDBN} to use (or not use) a software floating point calling
21714 convention. By default, @value{GDBN} selects the calling convention based
21715 on the selected architecture and the provided executable file.
21716
21717 @item set powerpc vector-abi
21718 @itemx show powerpc vector-abi
21719 Force @value{GDBN} to use the specified calling convention for vector
21720 arguments and return values. The valid options are @samp{auto};
21721 @samp{generic}, to avoid vector registers even if they are present;
21722 @samp{altivec}, to use AltiVec registers; and @samp{spe} to use SPE
21723 registers. By default, @value{GDBN} selects the calling convention
21724 based on the selected architecture and the provided executable file.
21725
21726 @item set powerpc exact-watchpoints
21727 @itemx show powerpc exact-watchpoints
21728 Allow @value{GDBN} to use only one debug register when watching a variable
21729 of scalar type, thus assuming that the variable is accessed through the
21730 address of its first byte.
21731
21732 @kindex target dink32
21733 @item target dink32 @var{dev}
21734 DINK32 ROM monitor.
21735
21736 @kindex target ppcbug
21737 @item target ppcbug @var{dev}
21738 @kindex target ppcbug1
21739 @item target ppcbug1 @var{dev}
21740 PPCBUG ROM monitor for PowerPC.
21741
21742 @kindex target sds
21743 @item target sds @var{dev}
21744 SDS monitor, running on a PowerPC board (such as Motorola's ADS).
21745 @end table
21746
21747 @cindex SDS protocol
21748 The following commands specific to the SDS protocol are supported
21749 by @value{GDBN}:
21750
21751 @table @code
21752 @item set sdstimeout @var{nsec}
21753 @kindex set sdstimeout
21754 Set the timeout for SDS protocol reads to be @var{nsec} seconds. The
21755 default is 2 seconds.
21756
21757 @item show sdstimeout
21758 @kindex show sdstimeout
21759 Show the current value of the SDS timeout.
21760
21761 @item sds @var{command}
21762 @kindex sds@r{, a command}
21763 Send the specified @var{command} string to the SDS monitor.
21764 @end table
21765
21766
21767 @node PA
21768 @subsection HP PA Embedded
21769
21770 @table @code
21771
21772 @kindex target op50n
21773 @item target op50n @var{dev}
21774 OP50N monitor, running on an OKI HPPA board.
21775
21776 @kindex target w89k
21777 @item target w89k @var{dev}
21778 W89K monitor, running on a Winbond HPPA board.
21779
21780 @end table
21781
21782 @node Sparclet
21783 @subsection Tsqware Sparclet
21784
21785 @cindex Sparclet
21786
21787 @value{GDBN} enables developers to debug tasks running on
21788 Sparclet targets from a Unix host.
21789 @value{GDBN} uses code that runs on
21790 both the Unix host and on the Sparclet target. The program
21791 @code{@value{GDBP}} is installed and executed on the Unix host.
21792
21793 @table @code
21794 @item remotetimeout @var{args}
21795 @kindex remotetimeout
21796 @value{GDBN} supports the option @code{remotetimeout}.
21797 This option is set by the user, and @var{args} represents the number of
21798 seconds @value{GDBN} waits for responses.
21799 @end table
21800
21801 @cindex compiling, on Sparclet
21802 When compiling for debugging, include the options @samp{-g} to get debug
21803 information and @samp{-Ttext} to relocate the program to where you wish to
21804 load it on the target. You may also want to add the options @samp{-n} or
21805 @samp{-N} in order to reduce the size of the sections. Example:
21806
21807 @smallexample
21808 sparclet-aout-gcc prog.c -Ttext 0x12010000 -g -o prog -N
21809 @end smallexample
21810
21811 You can use @code{objdump} to verify that the addresses are what you intended:
21812
21813 @smallexample
21814 sparclet-aout-objdump --headers --syms prog
21815 @end smallexample
21816
21817 @cindex running, on Sparclet
21818 Once you have set
21819 your Unix execution search path to find @value{GDBN}, you are ready to
21820 run @value{GDBN}. From your Unix host, run @code{@value{GDBP}}
21821 (or @code{sparclet-aout-gdb}, depending on your installation).
21822
21823 @value{GDBN} comes up showing the prompt:
21824
21825 @smallexample
21826 (gdbslet)
21827 @end smallexample
21828
21829 @menu
21830 * Sparclet File:: Setting the file to debug
21831 * Sparclet Connection:: Connecting to Sparclet
21832 * Sparclet Download:: Sparclet download
21833 * Sparclet Execution:: Running and debugging
21834 @end menu
21835
21836 @node Sparclet File
21837 @subsubsection Setting File to Debug
21838
21839 The @value{GDBN} command @code{file} lets you choose with program to debug.
21840
21841 @smallexample
21842 (gdbslet) file prog
21843 @end smallexample
21844
21845 @need 1000
21846 @value{GDBN} then attempts to read the symbol table of @file{prog}.
21847 @value{GDBN} locates
21848 the file by searching the directories listed in the command search
21849 path.
21850 If the file was compiled with debug information (option @samp{-g}), source
21851 files will be searched as well.
21852 @value{GDBN} locates
21853 the source files by searching the directories listed in the directory search
21854 path (@pxref{Environment, ,Your Program's Environment}).
21855 If it fails
21856 to find a file, it displays a message such as:
21857
21858 @smallexample
21859 prog: No such file or directory.
21860 @end smallexample
21861
21862 When this happens, add the appropriate directories to the search paths with
21863 the @value{GDBN} commands @code{path} and @code{dir}, and execute the
21864 @code{target} command again.
21865
21866 @node Sparclet Connection
21867 @subsubsection Connecting to Sparclet
21868
21869 The @value{GDBN} command @code{target} lets you connect to a Sparclet target.
21870 To connect to a target on serial port ``@code{ttya}'', type:
21871
21872 @smallexample
21873 (gdbslet) target sparclet /dev/ttya
21874 Remote target sparclet connected to /dev/ttya
21875 main () at ../prog.c:3
21876 @end smallexample
21877
21878 @need 750
21879 @value{GDBN} displays messages like these:
21880
21881 @smallexample
21882 Connected to ttya.
21883 @end smallexample
21884
21885 @node Sparclet Download
21886 @subsubsection Sparclet Download
21887
21888 @cindex download to Sparclet
21889 Once connected to the Sparclet target,
21890 you can use the @value{GDBN}
21891 @code{load} command to download the file from the host to the target.
21892 The file name and load offset should be given as arguments to the @code{load}
21893 command.
21894 Since the file format is aout, the program must be loaded to the starting
21895 address. You can use @code{objdump} to find out what this value is. The load
21896 offset is an offset which is added to the VMA (virtual memory address)
21897 of each of the file's sections.
21898 For instance, if the program
21899 @file{prog} was linked to text address 0x1201000, with data at 0x12010160
21900 and bss at 0x12010170, in @value{GDBN}, type:
21901
21902 @smallexample
21903 (gdbslet) load prog 0x12010000
21904 Loading section .text, size 0xdb0 vma 0x12010000
21905 @end smallexample
21906
21907 If the code is loaded at a different address then what the program was linked
21908 to, you may need to use the @code{section} and @code{add-symbol-file} commands
21909 to tell @value{GDBN} where to map the symbol table.
21910
21911 @node Sparclet Execution
21912 @subsubsection Running and Debugging
21913
21914 @cindex running and debugging Sparclet programs
21915 You can now begin debugging the task using @value{GDBN}'s execution control
21916 commands, @code{b}, @code{step}, @code{run}, etc. See the @value{GDBN}
21917 manual for the list of commands.
21918
21919 @smallexample
21920 (gdbslet) b main
21921 Breakpoint 1 at 0x12010000: file prog.c, line 3.
21922 (gdbslet) run
21923 Starting program: prog
21924 Breakpoint 1, main (argc=1, argv=0xeffff21c) at prog.c:3
21925 3 char *symarg = 0;
21926 (gdbslet) step
21927 4 char *execarg = "hello!";
21928 (gdbslet)
21929 @end smallexample
21930
21931 @node Sparclite
21932 @subsection Fujitsu Sparclite
21933
21934 @table @code
21935
21936 @kindex target sparclite
21937 @item target sparclite @var{dev}
21938 Fujitsu sparclite boards, used only for the purpose of loading.
21939 You must use an additional command to debug the program.
21940 For example: target remote @var{dev} using @value{GDBN} standard
21941 remote protocol.
21942
21943 @end table
21944
21945 @node Z8000
21946 @subsection Zilog Z8000
21947
21948 @cindex Z8000
21949 @cindex simulator, Z8000
21950 @cindex Zilog Z8000 simulator
21951
21952 When configured for debugging Zilog Z8000 targets, @value{GDBN} includes
21953 a Z8000 simulator.
21954
21955 For the Z8000 family, @samp{target sim} simulates either the Z8002 (the
21956 unsegmented variant of the Z8000 architecture) or the Z8001 (the
21957 segmented variant). The simulator recognizes which architecture is
21958 appropriate by inspecting the object code.
21959
21960 @table @code
21961 @item target sim @var{args}
21962 @kindex sim
21963 @kindex target sim@r{, with Z8000}
21964 Debug programs on a simulated CPU. If the simulator supports setup
21965 options, specify them via @var{args}.
21966 @end table
21967
21968 @noindent
21969 After specifying this target, you can debug programs for the simulated
21970 CPU in the same style as programs for your host computer; use the
21971 @code{file} command to load a new program image, the @code{run} command
21972 to run your program, and so on.
21973
21974 As well as making available all the usual machine registers
21975 (@pxref{Registers, ,Registers}), the Z8000 simulator provides three
21976 additional items of information as specially named registers:
21977
21978 @table @code
21979
21980 @item cycles
21981 Counts clock-ticks in the simulator.
21982
21983 @item insts
21984 Counts instructions run in the simulator.
21985
21986 @item time
21987 Execution time in 60ths of a second.
21988
21989 @end table
21990
21991 You can refer to these values in @value{GDBN} expressions with the usual
21992 conventions; for example, @w{@samp{b fputc if $cycles>5000}} sets a
21993 conditional breakpoint that suspends only after at least 5000
21994 simulated clock ticks.
21995
21996 @node AVR
21997 @subsection Atmel AVR
21998 @cindex AVR
21999
22000 When configured for debugging the Atmel AVR, @value{GDBN} supports the
22001 following AVR-specific commands:
22002
22003 @table @code
22004 @item info io_registers
22005 @kindex info io_registers@r{, AVR}
22006 @cindex I/O registers (Atmel AVR)
22007 This command displays information about the AVR I/O registers. For
22008 each register, @value{GDBN} prints its number and value.
22009 @end table
22010
22011 @node CRIS
22012 @subsection CRIS
22013 @cindex CRIS
22014
22015 When configured for debugging CRIS, @value{GDBN} provides the
22016 following CRIS-specific commands:
22017
22018 @table @code
22019 @item set cris-version @var{ver}
22020 @cindex CRIS version
22021 Set the current CRIS version to @var{ver}, either @samp{10} or @samp{32}.
22022 The CRIS version affects register names and sizes. This command is useful in
22023 case autodetection of the CRIS version fails.
22024
22025 @item show cris-version
22026 Show the current CRIS version.
22027
22028 @item set cris-dwarf2-cfi
22029 @cindex DWARF-2 CFI and CRIS
22030 Set the usage of DWARF-2 CFI for CRIS debugging. The default is @samp{on}.
22031 Change to @samp{off} when using @code{gcc-cris} whose version is below
22032 @code{R59}.
22033
22034 @item show cris-dwarf2-cfi
22035 Show the current state of using DWARF-2 CFI.
22036
22037 @item set cris-mode @var{mode}
22038 @cindex CRIS mode
22039 Set the current CRIS mode to @var{mode}. It should only be changed when
22040 debugging in guru mode, in which case it should be set to
22041 @samp{guru} (the default is @samp{normal}).
22042
22043 @item show cris-mode
22044 Show the current CRIS mode.
22045 @end table
22046
22047 @node Super-H
22048 @subsection Renesas Super-H
22049 @cindex Super-H
22050
22051 For the Renesas Super-H processor, @value{GDBN} provides these
22052 commands:
22053
22054 @table @code
22055 @item set sh calling-convention @var{convention}
22056 @kindex set sh calling-convention
22057 Set the calling-convention used when calling functions from @value{GDBN}.
22058 Allowed values are @samp{gcc}, which is the default setting, and @samp{renesas}.
22059 With the @samp{gcc} setting, functions are called using the @value{NGCC} calling
22060 convention. If the DWARF-2 information of the called function specifies
22061 that the function follows the Renesas calling convention, the function
22062 is called using the Renesas calling convention. If the calling convention
22063 is set to @samp{renesas}, the Renesas calling convention is always used,
22064 regardless of the DWARF-2 information. This can be used to override the
22065 default of @samp{gcc} if debug information is missing, or the compiler
22066 does not emit the DWARF-2 calling convention entry for a function.
22067
22068 @item show sh calling-convention
22069 @kindex show sh calling-convention
22070 Show the current calling convention setting.
22071
22072 @end table
22073
22074
22075 @node Architectures
22076 @section Architectures
22077
22078 This section describes characteristics of architectures that affect
22079 all uses of @value{GDBN} with the architecture, both native and cross.
22080
22081 @menu
22082 * AArch64::
22083 * i386::
22084 * Alpha::
22085 * MIPS::
22086 * HPPA:: HP PA architecture
22087 * SPU:: Cell Broadband Engine SPU architecture
22088 * PowerPC::
22089 * Nios II::
22090 @end menu
22091
22092 @node AArch64
22093 @subsection AArch64
22094 @cindex AArch64 support
22095
22096 When @value{GDBN} is debugging the AArch64 architecture, it provides the
22097 following special commands:
22098
22099 @table @code
22100 @item set debug aarch64
22101 @kindex set debug aarch64
22102 This command determines whether AArch64 architecture-specific debugging
22103 messages are to be displayed.
22104
22105 @item show debug aarch64
22106 Show whether AArch64 debugging messages are displayed.
22107
22108 @end table
22109
22110 @node i386
22111 @subsection x86 Architecture-specific Issues
22112
22113 @table @code
22114 @item set struct-convention @var{mode}
22115 @kindex set struct-convention
22116 @cindex struct return convention
22117 @cindex struct/union returned in registers
22118 Set the convention used by the inferior to return @code{struct}s and
22119 @code{union}s from functions to @var{mode}. Possible values of
22120 @var{mode} are @code{"pcc"}, @code{"reg"}, and @code{"default"} (the
22121 default). @code{"default"} or @code{"pcc"} means that @code{struct}s
22122 are returned on the stack, while @code{"reg"} means that a
22123 @code{struct} or a @code{union} whose size is 1, 2, 4, or 8 bytes will
22124 be returned in a register.
22125
22126 @item show struct-convention
22127 @kindex show struct-convention
22128 Show the current setting of the convention to return @code{struct}s
22129 from functions.
22130 @end table
22131
22132 @subsubsection Intel(R) @dfn{Memory Protection Extensions} (MPX).
22133 @cindex Intel(R) Memory Protection Extensions (MPX).
22134
22135 Memory Protection Extension (MPX) adds the bound registers @samp{BND0}
22136 @footnote{The register named with capital letters represent the architecture
22137 registers.} through @samp{BND3}. Bound registers store a pair of 64-bit values
22138 which are the lower bound and upper bound. Bounds are effective addresses or
22139 memory locations. The upper bounds are architecturally represented in 1's
22140 complement form. A bound having lower bound = 0, and upper bound = 0
22141 (1's complement of all bits set) will allow access to the entire address space.
22142
22143 @samp{BND0} through @samp{BND3} are represented in @value{GDBN} as @samp{bnd0raw}
22144 through @samp{bnd3raw}. Pseudo registers @samp{bnd0} through @samp{bnd3}
22145 display the upper bound performing the complement of one operation on the
22146 upper bound value, i.e.@ when upper bound in @samp{bnd0raw} is 0 in the
22147 @value{GDBN} @samp{bnd0} it will be @code{0xfff@dots{}}. In this sense it
22148 can also be noted that the upper bounds are inclusive.
22149
22150 As an example, assume that the register BND0 holds bounds for a pointer having
22151 access allowed for the range between 0x32 and 0x71. The values present on
22152 bnd0raw and bnd registers are presented as follows:
22153
22154 @smallexample
22155 bnd0raw = @{0x32, 0xffffffff8e@}
22156 bnd0 = @{lbound = 0x32, ubound = 0x71@} : size 64
22157 @end smallexample
22158
22159 This way the raw value can be accessed via bnd0raw@dots{}bnd3raw. Any
22160 change on bnd0@dots{}bnd3 or bnd0raw@dots{}bnd3raw is reflect on its
22161 counterpart. When the bnd0@dots{}bnd3 registers are displayed via
22162 Python, the display includes the memory size, in bits, accessible to
22163 the pointer.
22164
22165 @node Alpha
22166 @subsection Alpha
22167
22168 See the following section.
22169
22170 @node MIPS
22171 @subsection @acronym{MIPS}
22172
22173 @cindex stack on Alpha
22174 @cindex stack on @acronym{MIPS}
22175 @cindex Alpha stack
22176 @cindex @acronym{MIPS} stack
22177 Alpha- and @acronym{MIPS}-based computers use an unusual stack frame, which
22178 sometimes requires @value{GDBN} to search backward in the object code to
22179 find the beginning of a function.
22180
22181 @cindex response time, @acronym{MIPS} debugging
22182 To improve response time (especially for embedded applications, where
22183 @value{GDBN} may be restricted to a slow serial line for this search)
22184 you may want to limit the size of this search, using one of these
22185 commands:
22186
22187 @table @code
22188 @cindex @code{heuristic-fence-post} (Alpha, @acronym{MIPS})
22189 @item set heuristic-fence-post @var{limit}
22190 Restrict @value{GDBN} to examining at most @var{limit} bytes in its
22191 search for the beginning of a function. A value of @var{0} (the
22192 default) means there is no limit. However, except for @var{0}, the
22193 larger the limit the more bytes @code{heuristic-fence-post} must search
22194 and therefore the longer it takes to run. You should only need to use
22195 this command when debugging a stripped executable.
22196
22197 @item show heuristic-fence-post
22198 Display the current limit.
22199 @end table
22200
22201 @noindent
22202 These commands are available @emph{only} when @value{GDBN} is configured
22203 for debugging programs on Alpha or @acronym{MIPS} processors.
22204
22205 Several @acronym{MIPS}-specific commands are available when debugging @acronym{MIPS}
22206 programs:
22207
22208 @table @code
22209 @item set mips abi @var{arg}
22210 @kindex set mips abi
22211 @cindex set ABI for @acronym{MIPS}
22212 Tell @value{GDBN} which @acronym{MIPS} ABI is used by the inferior. Possible
22213 values of @var{arg} are:
22214
22215 @table @samp
22216 @item auto
22217 The default ABI associated with the current binary (this is the
22218 default).
22219 @item o32
22220 @item o64
22221 @item n32
22222 @item n64
22223 @item eabi32
22224 @item eabi64
22225 @end table
22226
22227 @item show mips abi
22228 @kindex show mips abi
22229 Show the @acronym{MIPS} ABI used by @value{GDBN} to debug the inferior.
22230
22231 @item set mips compression @var{arg}
22232 @kindex set mips compression
22233 @cindex code compression, @acronym{MIPS}
22234 Tell @value{GDBN} which @acronym{MIPS} compressed
22235 @acronym{ISA, Instruction Set Architecture} encoding is used by the
22236 inferior. @value{GDBN} uses this for code disassembly and other
22237 internal interpretation purposes. This setting is only referred to
22238 when no executable has been associated with the debugging session or
22239 the executable does not provide information about the encoding it uses.
22240 Otherwise this setting is automatically updated from information
22241 provided by the executable.
22242
22243 Possible values of @var{arg} are @samp{mips16} and @samp{micromips}.
22244 The default compressed @acronym{ISA} encoding is @samp{mips16}, as
22245 executables containing @acronym{MIPS16} code frequently are not
22246 identified as such.
22247
22248 This setting is ``sticky''; that is, it retains its value across
22249 debugging sessions until reset either explicitly with this command or
22250 implicitly from an executable.
22251
22252 The compiler and/or assembler typically add symbol table annotations to
22253 identify functions compiled for the @acronym{MIPS16} or
22254 @acronym{microMIPS} @acronym{ISA}s. If these function-scope annotations
22255 are present, @value{GDBN} uses them in preference to the global
22256 compressed @acronym{ISA} encoding setting.
22257
22258 @item show mips compression
22259 @kindex show mips compression
22260 Show the @acronym{MIPS} compressed @acronym{ISA} encoding used by
22261 @value{GDBN} to debug the inferior.
22262
22263 @item set mipsfpu
22264 @itemx show mipsfpu
22265 @xref{MIPS Embedded, set mipsfpu}.
22266
22267 @item set mips mask-address @var{arg}
22268 @kindex set mips mask-address
22269 @cindex @acronym{MIPS} addresses, masking
22270 This command determines whether the most-significant 32 bits of 64-bit
22271 @acronym{MIPS} addresses are masked off. The argument @var{arg} can be
22272 @samp{on}, @samp{off}, or @samp{auto}. The latter is the default
22273 setting, which lets @value{GDBN} determine the correct value.
22274
22275 @item show mips mask-address
22276 @kindex show mips mask-address
22277 Show whether the upper 32 bits of @acronym{MIPS} addresses are masked off or
22278 not.
22279
22280 @item set remote-mips64-transfers-32bit-regs
22281 @kindex set remote-mips64-transfers-32bit-regs
22282 This command controls compatibility with 64-bit @acronym{MIPS} targets that
22283 transfer data in 32-bit quantities. If you have an old @acronym{MIPS} 64 target
22284 that transfers 32 bits for some registers, like @sc{sr} and @sc{fsr},
22285 and 64 bits for other registers, set this option to @samp{on}.
22286
22287 @item show remote-mips64-transfers-32bit-regs
22288 @kindex show remote-mips64-transfers-32bit-regs
22289 Show the current setting of compatibility with older @acronym{MIPS} 64 targets.
22290
22291 @item set debug mips
22292 @kindex set debug mips
22293 This command turns on and off debugging messages for the @acronym{MIPS}-specific
22294 target code in @value{GDBN}.
22295
22296 @item show debug mips
22297 @kindex show debug mips
22298 Show the current setting of @acronym{MIPS} debugging messages.
22299 @end table
22300
22301
22302 @node HPPA
22303 @subsection HPPA
22304 @cindex HPPA support
22305
22306 When @value{GDBN} is debugging the HP PA architecture, it provides the
22307 following special commands:
22308
22309 @table @code
22310 @item set debug hppa
22311 @kindex set debug hppa
22312 This command determines whether HPPA architecture-specific debugging
22313 messages are to be displayed.
22314
22315 @item show debug hppa
22316 Show whether HPPA debugging messages are displayed.
22317
22318 @item maint print unwind @var{address}
22319 @kindex maint print unwind@r{, HPPA}
22320 This command displays the contents of the unwind table entry at the
22321 given @var{address}.
22322
22323 @end table
22324
22325
22326 @node SPU
22327 @subsection Cell Broadband Engine SPU architecture
22328 @cindex Cell Broadband Engine
22329 @cindex SPU
22330
22331 When @value{GDBN} is debugging the Cell Broadband Engine SPU architecture,
22332 it provides the following special commands:
22333
22334 @table @code
22335 @item info spu event
22336 @kindex info spu
22337 Display SPU event facility status. Shows current event mask
22338 and pending event status.
22339
22340 @item info spu signal
22341 Display SPU signal notification facility status. Shows pending
22342 signal-control word and signal notification mode of both signal
22343 notification channels.
22344
22345 @item info spu mailbox
22346 Display SPU mailbox facility status. Shows all pending entries,
22347 in order of processing, in each of the SPU Write Outbound,
22348 SPU Write Outbound Interrupt, and SPU Read Inbound mailboxes.
22349
22350 @item info spu dma
22351 Display MFC DMA status. Shows all pending commands in the MFC
22352 DMA queue. For each entry, opcode, tag, class IDs, effective
22353 and local store addresses and transfer size are shown.
22354
22355 @item info spu proxydma
22356 Display MFC Proxy-DMA status. Shows all pending commands in the MFC
22357 Proxy-DMA queue. For each entry, opcode, tag, class IDs, effective
22358 and local store addresses and transfer size are shown.
22359
22360 @end table
22361
22362 When @value{GDBN} is debugging a combined PowerPC/SPU application
22363 on the Cell Broadband Engine, it provides in addition the following
22364 special commands:
22365
22366 @table @code
22367 @item set spu stop-on-load @var{arg}
22368 @kindex set spu
22369 Set whether to stop for new SPE threads. When set to @code{on}, @value{GDBN}
22370 will give control to the user when a new SPE thread enters its @code{main}
22371 function. The default is @code{off}.
22372
22373 @item show spu stop-on-load
22374 @kindex show spu
22375 Show whether to stop for new SPE threads.
22376
22377 @item set spu auto-flush-cache @var{arg}
22378 Set whether to automatically flush the software-managed cache. When set to
22379 @code{on}, @value{GDBN} will automatically cause the SPE software-managed
22380 cache to be flushed whenever SPE execution stops. This provides a consistent
22381 view of PowerPC memory that is accessed via the cache. If an application
22382 does not use the software-managed cache, this option has no effect.
22383
22384 @item show spu auto-flush-cache
22385 Show whether to automatically flush the software-managed cache.
22386
22387 @end table
22388
22389 @node PowerPC
22390 @subsection PowerPC
22391 @cindex PowerPC architecture
22392
22393 When @value{GDBN} is debugging the PowerPC architecture, it provides a set of
22394 pseudo-registers to enable inspection of 128-bit wide Decimal Floating Point
22395 numbers stored in the floating point registers. These values must be stored
22396 in two consecutive registers, always starting at an even register like
22397 @code{f0} or @code{f2}.
22398
22399 The pseudo-registers go from @code{$dl0} through @code{$dl15}, and are formed
22400 by joining the even/odd register pairs @code{f0} and @code{f1} for @code{$dl0},
22401 @code{f2} and @code{f3} for @code{$dl1} and so on.
22402
22403 For POWER7 processors, @value{GDBN} provides a set of pseudo-registers, the 64-bit
22404 wide Extended Floating Point Registers (@samp{f32} through @samp{f63}).
22405
22406 @node Nios II
22407 @subsection Nios II
22408 @cindex Nios II architecture
22409
22410 When @value{GDBN} is debugging the Nios II architecture,
22411 it provides the following special commands:
22412
22413 @table @code
22414
22415 @item set debug nios2
22416 @kindex set debug nios2
22417 This command turns on and off debugging messages for the Nios II
22418 target code in @value{GDBN}.
22419
22420 @item show debug nios2
22421 @kindex show debug nios2
22422 Show the current setting of Nios II debugging messages.
22423 @end table
22424
22425 @node Controlling GDB
22426 @chapter Controlling @value{GDBN}
22427
22428 You can alter the way @value{GDBN} interacts with you by using the
22429 @code{set} command. For commands controlling how @value{GDBN} displays
22430 data, see @ref{Print Settings, ,Print Settings}. Other settings are
22431 described here.
22432
22433 @menu
22434 * Prompt:: Prompt
22435 * Editing:: Command editing
22436 * Command History:: Command history
22437 * Screen Size:: Screen size
22438 * Numbers:: Numbers
22439 * ABI:: Configuring the current ABI
22440 * Auto-loading:: Automatically loading associated files
22441 * Messages/Warnings:: Optional warnings and messages
22442 * Debugging Output:: Optional messages about internal happenings
22443 * Other Misc Settings:: Other Miscellaneous Settings
22444 @end menu
22445
22446 @node Prompt
22447 @section Prompt
22448
22449 @cindex prompt
22450
22451 @value{GDBN} indicates its readiness to read a command by printing a string
22452 called the @dfn{prompt}. This string is normally @samp{(@value{GDBP})}. You
22453 can change the prompt string with the @code{set prompt} command. For
22454 instance, when debugging @value{GDBN} with @value{GDBN}, it is useful to change
22455 the prompt in one of the @value{GDBN} sessions so that you can always tell
22456 which one you are talking to.
22457
22458 @emph{Note:} @code{set prompt} does not add a space for you after the
22459 prompt you set. This allows you to set a prompt which ends in a space
22460 or a prompt that does not.
22461
22462 @table @code
22463 @kindex set prompt
22464 @item set prompt @var{newprompt}
22465 Directs @value{GDBN} to use @var{newprompt} as its prompt string henceforth.
22466
22467 @kindex show prompt
22468 @item show prompt
22469 Prints a line of the form: @samp{Gdb's prompt is: @var{your-prompt}}
22470 @end table
22471
22472 Versions of @value{GDBN} that ship with Python scripting enabled have
22473 prompt extensions. The commands for interacting with these extensions
22474 are:
22475
22476 @table @code
22477 @kindex set extended-prompt
22478 @item set extended-prompt @var{prompt}
22479 Set an extended prompt that allows for substitutions.
22480 @xref{gdb.prompt}, for a list of escape sequences that can be used for
22481 substitution. Any escape sequences specified as part of the prompt
22482 string are replaced with the corresponding strings each time the prompt
22483 is displayed.
22484
22485 For example:
22486
22487 @smallexample
22488 set extended-prompt Current working directory: \w (gdb)
22489 @end smallexample
22490
22491 Note that when an extended-prompt is set, it takes control of the
22492 @var{prompt_hook} hook. @xref{prompt_hook}, for further information.
22493
22494 @kindex show extended-prompt
22495 @item show extended-prompt
22496 Prints the extended prompt. Any escape sequences specified as part of
22497 the prompt string with @code{set extended-prompt}, are replaced with the
22498 corresponding strings each time the prompt is displayed.
22499 @end table
22500
22501 @node Editing
22502 @section Command Editing
22503 @cindex readline
22504 @cindex command line editing
22505
22506 @value{GDBN} reads its input commands via the @dfn{Readline} interface. This
22507 @sc{gnu} library provides consistent behavior for programs which provide a
22508 command line interface to the user. Advantages are @sc{gnu} Emacs-style
22509 or @dfn{vi}-style inline editing of commands, @code{csh}-like history
22510 substitution, and a storage and recall of command history across
22511 debugging sessions.
22512
22513 You may control the behavior of command line editing in @value{GDBN} with the
22514 command @code{set}.
22515
22516 @table @code
22517 @kindex set editing
22518 @cindex editing
22519 @item set editing
22520 @itemx set editing on
22521 Enable command line editing (enabled by default).
22522
22523 @item set editing off
22524 Disable command line editing.
22525
22526 @kindex show editing
22527 @item show editing
22528 Show whether command line editing is enabled.
22529 @end table
22530
22531 @ifset SYSTEM_READLINE
22532 @xref{Command Line Editing, , , rluserman, GNU Readline Library},
22533 @end ifset
22534 @ifclear SYSTEM_READLINE
22535 @xref{Command Line Editing},
22536 @end ifclear
22537 for more details about the Readline
22538 interface. Users unfamiliar with @sc{gnu} Emacs or @code{vi} are
22539 encouraged to read that chapter.
22540
22541 @node Command History
22542 @section Command History
22543 @cindex command history
22544
22545 @value{GDBN} can keep track of the commands you type during your
22546 debugging sessions, so that you can be certain of precisely what
22547 happened. Use these commands to manage the @value{GDBN} command
22548 history facility.
22549
22550 @value{GDBN} uses the @sc{gnu} History library, a part of the Readline
22551 package, to provide the history facility.
22552 @ifset SYSTEM_READLINE
22553 @xref{Using History Interactively, , , history, GNU History Library},
22554 @end ifset
22555 @ifclear SYSTEM_READLINE
22556 @xref{Using History Interactively},
22557 @end ifclear
22558 for the detailed description of the History library.
22559
22560 To issue a command to @value{GDBN} without affecting certain aspects of
22561 the state which is seen by users, prefix it with @samp{server }
22562 (@pxref{Server Prefix}). This
22563 means that this command will not affect the command history, nor will it
22564 affect @value{GDBN}'s notion of which command to repeat if @key{RET} is
22565 pressed on a line by itself.
22566
22567 @cindex @code{server}, command prefix
22568 The server prefix does not affect the recording of values into the value
22569 history; to print a value without recording it into the value history,
22570 use the @code{output} command instead of the @code{print} command.
22571
22572 Here is the description of @value{GDBN} commands related to command
22573 history.
22574
22575 @table @code
22576 @cindex history substitution
22577 @cindex history file
22578 @kindex set history filename
22579 @cindex @env{GDBHISTFILE}, environment variable
22580 @item set history filename @var{fname}
22581 Set the name of the @value{GDBN} command history file to @var{fname}.
22582 This is the file where @value{GDBN} reads an initial command history
22583 list, and where it writes the command history from this session when it
22584 exits. You can access this list through history expansion or through
22585 the history command editing characters listed below. This file defaults
22586 to the value of the environment variable @code{GDBHISTFILE}, or to
22587 @file{./.gdb_history} (@file{./_gdb_history} on MS-DOS) if this variable
22588 is not set.
22589
22590 @cindex save command history
22591 @kindex set history save
22592 @item set history save
22593 @itemx set history save on
22594 Record command history in a file, whose name may be specified with the
22595 @code{set history filename} command. By default, this option is disabled.
22596
22597 @item set history save off
22598 Stop recording command history in a file.
22599
22600 @cindex history size
22601 @kindex set history size
22602 @cindex @env{HISTSIZE}, environment variable
22603 @item set history size @var{size}
22604 @itemx set history size unlimited
22605 Set the number of commands which @value{GDBN} keeps in its history list.
22606 This defaults to the value of the environment variable
22607 @code{HISTSIZE}, or to 256 if this variable is not set. If @var{size}
22608 is @code{unlimited}, the number of commands @value{GDBN} keeps in the
22609 history list is unlimited.
22610 @end table
22611
22612 History expansion assigns special meaning to the character @kbd{!}.
22613 @ifset SYSTEM_READLINE
22614 @xref{Event Designators, , , history, GNU History Library},
22615 @end ifset
22616 @ifclear SYSTEM_READLINE
22617 @xref{Event Designators},
22618 @end ifclear
22619 for more details.
22620
22621 @cindex history expansion, turn on/off
22622 Since @kbd{!} is also the logical not operator in C, history expansion
22623 is off by default. If you decide to enable history expansion with the
22624 @code{set history expansion on} command, you may sometimes need to
22625 follow @kbd{!} (when it is used as logical not, in an expression) with
22626 a space or a tab to prevent it from being expanded. The readline
22627 history facilities do not attempt substitution on the strings
22628 @kbd{!=} and @kbd{!(}, even when history expansion is enabled.
22629
22630 The commands to control history expansion are:
22631
22632 @table @code
22633 @item set history expansion on
22634 @itemx set history expansion
22635 @kindex set history expansion
22636 Enable history expansion. History expansion is off by default.
22637
22638 @item set history expansion off
22639 Disable history expansion.
22640
22641 @c @group
22642 @kindex show history
22643 @item show history
22644 @itemx show history filename
22645 @itemx show history save
22646 @itemx show history size
22647 @itemx show history expansion
22648 These commands display the state of the @value{GDBN} history parameters.
22649 @code{show history} by itself displays all four states.
22650 @c @end group
22651 @end table
22652
22653 @table @code
22654 @kindex show commands
22655 @cindex show last commands
22656 @cindex display command history
22657 @item show commands
22658 Display the last ten commands in the command history.
22659
22660 @item show commands @var{n}
22661 Print ten commands centered on command number @var{n}.
22662
22663 @item show commands +
22664 Print ten commands just after the commands last printed.
22665 @end table
22666
22667 @node Screen Size
22668 @section Screen Size
22669 @cindex size of screen
22670 @cindex screen size
22671 @cindex pagination
22672 @cindex page size
22673 @cindex pauses in output
22674
22675 Certain commands to @value{GDBN} may produce large amounts of
22676 information output to the screen. To help you read all of it,
22677 @value{GDBN} pauses and asks you for input at the end of each page of
22678 output. Type @key{RET} when you want to continue the output, or @kbd{q}
22679 to discard the remaining output. Also, the screen width setting
22680 determines when to wrap lines of output. Depending on what is being
22681 printed, @value{GDBN} tries to break the line at a readable place,
22682 rather than simply letting it overflow onto the following line.
22683
22684 Normally @value{GDBN} knows the size of the screen from the terminal
22685 driver software. For example, on Unix @value{GDBN} uses the termcap data base
22686 together with the value of the @code{TERM} environment variable and the
22687 @code{stty rows} and @code{stty cols} settings. If this is not correct,
22688 you can override it with the @code{set height} and @code{set
22689 width} commands:
22690
22691 @table @code
22692 @kindex set height
22693 @kindex set width
22694 @kindex show width
22695 @kindex show height
22696 @item set height @var{lpp}
22697 @itemx set height unlimited
22698 @itemx show height
22699 @itemx set width @var{cpl}
22700 @itemx set width unlimited
22701 @itemx show width
22702 These @code{set} commands specify a screen height of @var{lpp} lines and
22703 a screen width of @var{cpl} characters. The associated @code{show}
22704 commands display the current settings.
22705
22706 If you specify a height of either @code{unlimited} or zero lines,
22707 @value{GDBN} does not pause during output no matter how long the
22708 output is. This is useful if output is to a file or to an editor
22709 buffer.
22710
22711 Likewise, you can specify @samp{set width unlimited} or @samp{set
22712 width 0} to prevent @value{GDBN} from wrapping its output.
22713
22714 @item set pagination on
22715 @itemx set pagination off
22716 @kindex set pagination
22717 Turn the output pagination on or off; the default is on. Turning
22718 pagination off is the alternative to @code{set height unlimited}. Note that
22719 running @value{GDBN} with the @option{--batch} option (@pxref{Mode
22720 Options, -batch}) also automatically disables pagination.
22721
22722 @item show pagination
22723 @kindex show pagination
22724 Show the current pagination mode.
22725 @end table
22726
22727 @node Numbers
22728 @section Numbers
22729 @cindex number representation
22730 @cindex entering numbers
22731
22732 You can always enter numbers in octal, decimal, or hexadecimal in
22733 @value{GDBN} by the usual conventions: octal numbers begin with
22734 @samp{0}, decimal numbers end with @samp{.}, and hexadecimal numbers
22735 begin with @samp{0x}. Numbers that neither begin with @samp{0} or
22736 @samp{0x}, nor end with a @samp{.} are, by default, entered in base
22737 10; likewise, the default display for numbers---when no particular
22738 format is specified---is base 10. You can change the default base for
22739 both input and output with the commands described below.
22740
22741 @table @code
22742 @kindex set input-radix
22743 @item set input-radix @var{base}
22744 Set the default base for numeric input. Supported choices
22745 for @var{base} are decimal 8, 10, or 16. The base must itself be
22746 specified either unambiguously or using the current input radix; for
22747 example, any of
22748
22749 @smallexample
22750 set input-radix 012
22751 set input-radix 10.
22752 set input-radix 0xa
22753 @end smallexample
22754
22755 @noindent
22756 sets the input base to decimal. On the other hand, @samp{set input-radix 10}
22757 leaves the input radix unchanged, no matter what it was, since
22758 @samp{10}, being without any leading or trailing signs of its base, is
22759 interpreted in the current radix. Thus, if the current radix is 16,
22760 @samp{10} is interpreted in hex, i.e.@: as 16 decimal, which doesn't
22761 change the radix.
22762
22763 @kindex set output-radix
22764 @item set output-radix @var{base}
22765 Set the default base for numeric display. Supported choices
22766 for @var{base} are decimal 8, 10, or 16. The base must itself be
22767 specified either unambiguously or using the current input radix.
22768
22769 @kindex show input-radix
22770 @item show input-radix
22771 Display the current default base for numeric input.
22772
22773 @kindex show output-radix
22774 @item show output-radix
22775 Display the current default base for numeric display.
22776
22777 @item set radix @r{[}@var{base}@r{]}
22778 @itemx show radix
22779 @kindex set radix
22780 @kindex show radix
22781 These commands set and show the default base for both input and output
22782 of numbers. @code{set radix} sets the radix of input and output to
22783 the same base; without an argument, it resets the radix back to its
22784 default value of 10.
22785
22786 @end table
22787
22788 @node ABI
22789 @section Configuring the Current ABI
22790
22791 @value{GDBN} can determine the @dfn{ABI} (Application Binary Interface) of your
22792 application automatically. However, sometimes you need to override its
22793 conclusions. Use these commands to manage @value{GDBN}'s view of the
22794 current ABI.
22795
22796 @cindex OS ABI
22797 @kindex set osabi
22798 @kindex show osabi
22799 @cindex Newlib OS ABI and its influence on the longjmp handling
22800
22801 One @value{GDBN} configuration can debug binaries for multiple operating
22802 system targets, either via remote debugging or native emulation.
22803 @value{GDBN} will autodetect the @dfn{OS ABI} (Operating System ABI) in use,
22804 but you can override its conclusion using the @code{set osabi} command.
22805 One example where this is useful is in debugging of binaries which use
22806 an alternate C library (e.g.@: @sc{uClibc} for @sc{gnu}/Linux) which does
22807 not have the same identifying marks that the standard C library for your
22808 platform provides.
22809
22810 When @value{GDBN} is debugging the AArch64 architecture, it provides a
22811 ``Newlib'' OS ABI. This is useful for handling @code{setjmp} and
22812 @code{longjmp} when debugging binaries that use the @sc{newlib} C library.
22813 The ``Newlib'' OS ABI can be selected by @code{set osabi Newlib}.
22814
22815 @table @code
22816 @item show osabi
22817 Show the OS ABI currently in use.
22818
22819 @item set osabi
22820 With no argument, show the list of registered available OS ABI's.
22821
22822 @item set osabi @var{abi}
22823 Set the current OS ABI to @var{abi}.
22824 @end table
22825
22826 @cindex float promotion
22827
22828 Generally, the way that an argument of type @code{float} is passed to a
22829 function depends on whether the function is prototyped. For a prototyped
22830 (i.e.@: ANSI/ISO style) function, @code{float} arguments are passed unchanged,
22831 according to the architecture's convention for @code{float}. For unprototyped
22832 (i.e.@: K&R style) functions, @code{float} arguments are first promoted to type
22833 @code{double} and then passed.
22834
22835 Unfortunately, some forms of debug information do not reliably indicate whether
22836 a function is prototyped. If @value{GDBN} calls a function that is not marked
22837 as prototyped, it consults @kbd{set coerce-float-to-double}.
22838
22839 @table @code
22840 @kindex set coerce-float-to-double
22841 @item set coerce-float-to-double
22842 @itemx set coerce-float-to-double on
22843 Arguments of type @code{float} will be promoted to @code{double} when passed
22844 to an unprototyped function. This is the default setting.
22845
22846 @item set coerce-float-to-double off
22847 Arguments of type @code{float} will be passed directly to unprototyped
22848 functions.
22849
22850 @kindex show coerce-float-to-double
22851 @item show coerce-float-to-double
22852 Show the current setting of promoting @code{float} to @code{double}.
22853 @end table
22854
22855 @kindex set cp-abi
22856 @kindex show cp-abi
22857 @value{GDBN} needs to know the ABI used for your program's C@t{++}
22858 objects. The correct C@t{++} ABI depends on which C@t{++} compiler was
22859 used to build your application. @value{GDBN} only fully supports
22860 programs with a single C@t{++} ABI; if your program contains code using
22861 multiple C@t{++} ABI's or if @value{GDBN} can not identify your
22862 program's ABI correctly, you can tell @value{GDBN} which ABI to use.
22863 Currently supported ABI's include ``gnu-v2'', for @code{g++} versions
22864 before 3.0, ``gnu-v3'', for @code{g++} versions 3.0 and later, and
22865 ``hpaCC'' for the HP ANSI C@t{++} compiler. Other C@t{++} compilers may
22866 use the ``gnu-v2'' or ``gnu-v3'' ABI's as well. The default setting is
22867 ``auto''.
22868
22869 @table @code
22870 @item show cp-abi
22871 Show the C@t{++} ABI currently in use.
22872
22873 @item set cp-abi
22874 With no argument, show the list of supported C@t{++} ABI's.
22875
22876 @item set cp-abi @var{abi}
22877 @itemx set cp-abi auto
22878 Set the current C@t{++} ABI to @var{abi}, or return to automatic detection.
22879 @end table
22880
22881 @node Auto-loading
22882 @section Automatically loading associated files
22883 @cindex auto-loading
22884
22885 @value{GDBN} sometimes reads files with commands and settings automatically,
22886 without being explicitly told so by the user. We call this feature
22887 @dfn{auto-loading}. While auto-loading is useful for automatically adapting
22888 @value{GDBN} to the needs of your project, it can sometimes produce unexpected
22889 results or introduce security risks (e.g., if the file comes from untrusted
22890 sources).
22891
22892 @menu
22893 * Init File in the Current Directory:: @samp{set/show/info auto-load local-gdbinit}
22894 * libthread_db.so.1 file:: @samp{set/show/info auto-load libthread-db}
22895
22896 * Auto-loading safe path:: @samp{set/show/info auto-load safe-path}
22897 * Auto-loading verbose mode:: @samp{set/show debug auto-load}
22898 @end menu
22899
22900 There are various kinds of files @value{GDBN} can automatically load.
22901 In addition to these files, @value{GDBN} supports auto-loading code written
22902 in various extension languages. @xref{Auto-loading extensions}.
22903
22904 Note that loading of these associated files (including the local @file{.gdbinit}
22905 file) requires accordingly configured @code{auto-load safe-path}
22906 (@pxref{Auto-loading safe path}).
22907
22908 For these reasons, @value{GDBN} includes commands and options to let you
22909 control when to auto-load files and which files should be auto-loaded.
22910
22911 @table @code
22912 @anchor{set auto-load off}
22913 @kindex set auto-load off
22914 @item set auto-load off
22915 Globally disable loading of all auto-loaded files.
22916 You may want to use this command with the @samp{-iex} option
22917 (@pxref{Option -init-eval-command}) such as:
22918 @smallexample
22919 $ @kbd{gdb -iex "set auto-load off" untrusted-executable corefile}
22920 @end smallexample
22921
22922 Be aware that system init file (@pxref{System-wide configuration})
22923 and init files from your home directory (@pxref{Home Directory Init File})
22924 still get read (as they come from generally trusted directories).
22925 To prevent @value{GDBN} from auto-loading even those init files, use the
22926 @option{-nx} option (@pxref{Mode Options}), in addition to
22927 @code{set auto-load no}.
22928
22929 @anchor{show auto-load}
22930 @kindex show auto-load
22931 @item show auto-load
22932 Show whether auto-loading of each specific @samp{auto-load} file(s) is enabled
22933 or disabled.
22934
22935 @smallexample
22936 (gdb) show auto-load
22937 gdb-scripts: Auto-loading of canned sequences of commands scripts is on.
22938 libthread-db: Auto-loading of inferior specific libthread_db is on.
22939 local-gdbinit: Auto-loading of .gdbinit script from current directory
22940 is on.
22941 python-scripts: Auto-loading of Python scripts is on.
22942 safe-path: List of directories from which it is safe to auto-load files
22943 is $debugdir:$datadir/auto-load.
22944 scripts-directory: List of directories from which to load auto-loaded scripts
22945 is $debugdir:$datadir/auto-load.
22946 @end smallexample
22947
22948 @anchor{info auto-load}
22949 @kindex info auto-load
22950 @item info auto-load
22951 Print whether each specific @samp{auto-load} file(s) have been auto-loaded or
22952 not.
22953
22954 @smallexample
22955 (gdb) info auto-load
22956 gdb-scripts:
22957 Loaded Script
22958 Yes /home/user/gdb/gdb-gdb.gdb
22959 libthread-db: No auto-loaded libthread-db.
22960 local-gdbinit: Local .gdbinit file "/home/user/gdb/.gdbinit" has been
22961 loaded.
22962 python-scripts:
22963 Loaded Script
22964 Yes /home/user/gdb/gdb-gdb.py
22965 @end smallexample
22966 @end table
22967
22968 These are @value{GDBN} control commands for the auto-loading:
22969
22970 @multitable @columnfractions .5 .5
22971 @item @xref{set auto-load off}.
22972 @tab Disable auto-loading globally.
22973 @item @xref{show auto-load}.
22974 @tab Show setting of all kinds of files.
22975 @item @xref{info auto-load}.
22976 @tab Show state of all kinds of files.
22977 @item @xref{set auto-load gdb-scripts}.
22978 @tab Control for @value{GDBN} command scripts.
22979 @item @xref{show auto-load gdb-scripts}.
22980 @tab Show setting of @value{GDBN} command scripts.
22981 @item @xref{info auto-load gdb-scripts}.
22982 @tab Show state of @value{GDBN} command scripts.
22983 @item @xref{set auto-load python-scripts}.
22984 @tab Control for @value{GDBN} Python scripts.
22985 @item @xref{show auto-load python-scripts}.
22986 @tab Show setting of @value{GDBN} Python scripts.
22987 @item @xref{info auto-load python-scripts}.
22988 @tab Show state of @value{GDBN} Python scripts.
22989 @item @xref{set auto-load guile-scripts}.
22990 @tab Control for @value{GDBN} Guile scripts.
22991 @item @xref{show auto-load guile-scripts}.
22992 @tab Show setting of @value{GDBN} Guile scripts.
22993 @item @xref{info auto-load guile-scripts}.
22994 @tab Show state of @value{GDBN} Guile scripts.
22995 @item @xref{set auto-load scripts-directory}.
22996 @tab Control for @value{GDBN} auto-loaded scripts location.
22997 @item @xref{show auto-load scripts-directory}.
22998 @tab Show @value{GDBN} auto-loaded scripts location.
22999 @item @xref{add-auto-load-scripts-directory}.
23000 @tab Add directory for auto-loaded scripts location list.
23001 @item @xref{set auto-load local-gdbinit}.
23002 @tab Control for init file in the current directory.
23003 @item @xref{show auto-load local-gdbinit}.
23004 @tab Show setting of init file in the current directory.
23005 @item @xref{info auto-load local-gdbinit}.
23006 @tab Show state of init file in the current directory.
23007 @item @xref{set auto-load libthread-db}.
23008 @tab Control for thread debugging library.
23009 @item @xref{show auto-load libthread-db}.
23010 @tab Show setting of thread debugging library.
23011 @item @xref{info auto-load libthread-db}.
23012 @tab Show state of thread debugging library.
23013 @item @xref{set auto-load safe-path}.
23014 @tab Control directories trusted for automatic loading.
23015 @item @xref{show auto-load safe-path}.
23016 @tab Show directories trusted for automatic loading.
23017 @item @xref{add-auto-load-safe-path}.
23018 @tab Add directory trusted for automatic loading.
23019 @end multitable
23020
23021 @node Init File in the Current Directory
23022 @subsection Automatically loading init file in the current directory
23023 @cindex auto-loading init file in the current directory
23024
23025 By default, @value{GDBN} reads and executes the canned sequences of commands
23026 from init file (if any) in the current working directory,
23027 see @ref{Init File in the Current Directory during Startup}.
23028
23029 Note that loading of this local @file{.gdbinit} file also requires accordingly
23030 configured @code{auto-load safe-path} (@pxref{Auto-loading safe path}).
23031
23032 @table @code
23033 @anchor{set auto-load local-gdbinit}
23034 @kindex set auto-load local-gdbinit
23035 @item set auto-load local-gdbinit [on|off]
23036 Enable or disable the auto-loading of canned sequences of commands
23037 (@pxref{Sequences}) found in init file in the current directory.
23038
23039 @anchor{show auto-load local-gdbinit}
23040 @kindex show auto-load local-gdbinit
23041 @item show auto-load local-gdbinit
23042 Show whether auto-loading of canned sequences of commands from init file in the
23043 current directory is enabled or disabled.
23044
23045 @anchor{info auto-load local-gdbinit}
23046 @kindex info auto-load local-gdbinit
23047 @item info auto-load local-gdbinit
23048 Print whether canned sequences of commands from init file in the
23049 current directory have been auto-loaded.
23050 @end table
23051
23052 @node libthread_db.so.1 file
23053 @subsection Automatically loading thread debugging library
23054 @cindex auto-loading libthread_db.so.1
23055
23056 This feature is currently present only on @sc{gnu}/Linux native hosts.
23057
23058 @value{GDBN} reads in some cases thread debugging library from places specific
23059 to the inferior (@pxref{set libthread-db-search-path}).
23060
23061 The special @samp{libthread-db-search-path} entry @samp{$sdir} is processed
23062 without checking this @samp{set auto-load libthread-db} switch as system
23063 libraries have to be trusted in general. In all other cases of
23064 @samp{libthread-db-search-path} entries @value{GDBN} checks first if @samp{set
23065 auto-load libthread-db} is enabled before trying to open such thread debugging
23066 library.
23067
23068 Note that loading of this debugging library also requires accordingly configured
23069 @code{auto-load safe-path} (@pxref{Auto-loading safe path}).
23070
23071 @table @code
23072 @anchor{set auto-load libthread-db}
23073 @kindex set auto-load libthread-db
23074 @item set auto-load libthread-db [on|off]
23075 Enable or disable the auto-loading of inferior specific thread debugging library.
23076
23077 @anchor{show auto-load libthread-db}
23078 @kindex show auto-load libthread-db
23079 @item show auto-load libthread-db
23080 Show whether auto-loading of inferior specific thread debugging library is
23081 enabled or disabled.
23082
23083 @anchor{info auto-load libthread-db}
23084 @kindex info auto-load libthread-db
23085 @item info auto-load libthread-db
23086 Print the list of all loaded inferior specific thread debugging libraries and
23087 for each such library print list of inferior @var{pid}s using it.
23088 @end table
23089
23090 @node Auto-loading safe path
23091 @subsection Security restriction for auto-loading
23092 @cindex auto-loading safe-path
23093
23094 As the files of inferior can come from untrusted source (such as submitted by
23095 an application user) @value{GDBN} does not always load any files automatically.
23096 @value{GDBN} provides the @samp{set auto-load safe-path} setting to list
23097 directories trusted for loading files not explicitly requested by user.
23098 Each directory can also be a shell wildcard pattern.
23099
23100 If the path is not set properly you will see a warning and the file will not
23101 get loaded:
23102
23103 @smallexample
23104 $ ./gdb -q ./gdb
23105 Reading symbols from /home/user/gdb/gdb...done.
23106 warning: File "/home/user/gdb/gdb-gdb.gdb" auto-loading has been
23107 declined by your `auto-load safe-path' set
23108 to "$debugdir:$datadir/auto-load".
23109 warning: File "/home/user/gdb/gdb-gdb.py" auto-loading has been
23110 declined by your `auto-load safe-path' set
23111 to "$debugdir:$datadir/auto-load".
23112 @end smallexample
23113
23114 @noindent
23115 To instruct @value{GDBN} to go ahead and use the init files anyway,
23116 invoke @value{GDBN} like this:
23117
23118 @smallexample
23119 $ gdb -q -iex "set auto-load safe-path /home/user/gdb" ./gdb
23120 @end smallexample
23121
23122 The list of trusted directories is controlled by the following commands:
23123
23124 @table @code
23125 @anchor{set auto-load safe-path}
23126 @kindex set auto-load safe-path
23127 @item set auto-load safe-path @r{[}@var{directories}@r{]}
23128 Set the list of directories (and their subdirectories) trusted for automatic
23129 loading and execution of scripts. You can also enter a specific trusted file.
23130 Each directory can also be a shell wildcard pattern; wildcards do not match
23131 directory separator - see @code{FNM_PATHNAME} for system function @code{fnmatch}
23132 (@pxref{Wildcard Matching, fnmatch, , libc, GNU C Library Reference Manual}).
23133 If you omit @var{directories}, @samp{auto-load safe-path} will be reset to
23134 its default value as specified during @value{GDBN} compilation.
23135
23136 The list of directories uses path separator (@samp{:} on GNU and Unix
23137 systems, @samp{;} on MS-Windows and MS-DOS) to separate directories, similarly
23138 to the @env{PATH} environment variable.
23139
23140 @anchor{show auto-load safe-path}
23141 @kindex show auto-load safe-path
23142 @item show auto-load safe-path
23143 Show the list of directories trusted for automatic loading and execution of
23144 scripts.
23145
23146 @anchor{add-auto-load-safe-path}
23147 @kindex add-auto-load-safe-path
23148 @item add-auto-load-safe-path
23149 Add an entry (or list of entries) to the list of directories trusted for
23150 automatic loading and execution of scripts. Multiple entries may be delimited
23151 by the host platform path separator in use.
23152 @end table
23153
23154 This variable defaults to what @code{--with-auto-load-dir} has been configured
23155 to (@pxref{with-auto-load-dir}). @file{$debugdir} and @file{$datadir}
23156 substitution applies the same as for @ref{set auto-load scripts-directory}.
23157 The default @code{set auto-load safe-path} value can be also overriden by
23158 @value{GDBN} configuration option @option{--with-auto-load-safe-path}.
23159
23160 Setting this variable to @file{/} disables this security protection,
23161 corresponding @value{GDBN} configuration option is
23162 @option{--without-auto-load-safe-path}.
23163 This variable is supposed to be set to the system directories writable by the
23164 system superuser only. Users can add their source directories in init files in
23165 their home directories (@pxref{Home Directory Init File}). See also deprecated
23166 init file in the current directory
23167 (@pxref{Init File in the Current Directory during Startup}).
23168
23169 To force @value{GDBN} to load the files it declined to load in the previous
23170 example, you could use one of the following ways:
23171
23172 @table @asis
23173 @item @file{~/.gdbinit}: @samp{add-auto-load-safe-path ~/src/gdb}
23174 Specify this trusted directory (or a file) as additional component of the list.
23175 You have to specify also any existing directories displayed by
23176 by @samp{show auto-load safe-path} (such as @samp{/usr:/bin} in this example).
23177
23178 @item @kbd{gdb -iex "set auto-load safe-path /usr:/bin:~/src/gdb" @dots{}}
23179 Specify this directory as in the previous case but just for a single
23180 @value{GDBN} session.
23181
23182 @item @kbd{gdb -iex "set auto-load safe-path /" @dots{}}
23183 Disable auto-loading safety for a single @value{GDBN} session.
23184 This assumes all the files you debug during this @value{GDBN} session will come
23185 from trusted sources.
23186
23187 @item @kbd{./configure --without-auto-load-safe-path}
23188 During compilation of @value{GDBN} you may disable any auto-loading safety.
23189 This assumes all the files you will ever debug with this @value{GDBN} come from
23190 trusted sources.
23191 @end table
23192
23193 On the other hand you can also explicitly forbid automatic files loading which
23194 also suppresses any such warning messages:
23195
23196 @table @asis
23197 @item @kbd{gdb -iex "set auto-load no" @dots{}}
23198 You can use @value{GDBN} command-line option for a single @value{GDBN} session.
23199
23200 @item @file{~/.gdbinit}: @samp{set auto-load no}
23201 Disable auto-loading globally for the user
23202 (@pxref{Home Directory Init File}). While it is improbable, you could also
23203 use system init file instead (@pxref{System-wide configuration}).
23204 @end table
23205
23206 This setting applies to the file names as entered by user. If no entry matches
23207 @value{GDBN} tries as a last resort to also resolve all the file names into
23208 their canonical form (typically resolving symbolic links) and compare the
23209 entries again. @value{GDBN} already canonicalizes most of the filenames on its
23210 own before starting the comparison so a canonical form of directories is
23211 recommended to be entered.
23212
23213 @node Auto-loading verbose mode
23214 @subsection Displaying files tried for auto-load
23215 @cindex auto-loading verbose mode
23216
23217 For better visibility of all the file locations where you can place scripts to
23218 be auto-loaded with inferior --- or to protect yourself against accidental
23219 execution of untrusted scripts --- @value{GDBN} provides a feature for printing
23220 all the files attempted to be loaded. Both existing and non-existing files may
23221 be printed.
23222
23223 For example the list of directories from which it is safe to auto-load files
23224 (@pxref{Auto-loading safe path}) applies also to canonicalized filenames which
23225 may not be too obvious while setting it up.
23226
23227 @smallexample
23228 (gdb) set debug auto-load on
23229 (gdb) file ~/src/t/true
23230 auto-load: Loading canned sequences of commands script "/tmp/true-gdb.gdb"
23231 for objfile "/tmp/true".
23232 auto-load: Updating directories of "/usr:/opt".
23233 auto-load: Using directory "/usr".
23234 auto-load: Using directory "/opt".
23235 warning: File "/tmp/true-gdb.gdb" auto-loading has been declined
23236 by your `auto-load safe-path' set to "/usr:/opt".
23237 @end smallexample
23238
23239 @table @code
23240 @anchor{set debug auto-load}
23241 @kindex set debug auto-load
23242 @item set debug auto-load [on|off]
23243 Set whether to print the filenames attempted to be auto-loaded.
23244
23245 @anchor{show debug auto-load}
23246 @kindex show debug auto-load
23247 @item show debug auto-load
23248 Show whether printing of the filenames attempted to be auto-loaded is turned
23249 on or off.
23250 @end table
23251
23252 @node Messages/Warnings
23253 @section Optional Warnings and Messages
23254
23255 @cindex verbose operation
23256 @cindex optional warnings
23257 By default, @value{GDBN} is silent about its inner workings. If you are
23258 running on a slow machine, you may want to use the @code{set verbose}
23259 command. This makes @value{GDBN} tell you when it does a lengthy
23260 internal operation, so you will not think it has crashed.
23261
23262 Currently, the messages controlled by @code{set verbose} are those
23263 which announce that the symbol table for a source file is being read;
23264 see @code{symbol-file} in @ref{Files, ,Commands to Specify Files}.
23265
23266 @table @code
23267 @kindex set verbose
23268 @item set verbose on
23269 Enables @value{GDBN} output of certain informational messages.
23270
23271 @item set verbose off
23272 Disables @value{GDBN} output of certain informational messages.
23273
23274 @kindex show verbose
23275 @item show verbose
23276 Displays whether @code{set verbose} is on or off.
23277 @end table
23278
23279 By default, if @value{GDBN} encounters bugs in the symbol table of an
23280 object file, it is silent; but if you are debugging a compiler, you may
23281 find this information useful (@pxref{Symbol Errors, ,Errors Reading
23282 Symbol Files}).
23283
23284 @table @code
23285
23286 @kindex set complaints
23287 @item set complaints @var{limit}
23288 Permits @value{GDBN} to output @var{limit} complaints about each type of
23289 unusual symbols before becoming silent about the problem. Set
23290 @var{limit} to zero to suppress all complaints; set it to a large number
23291 to prevent complaints from being suppressed.
23292
23293 @kindex show complaints
23294 @item show complaints
23295 Displays how many symbol complaints @value{GDBN} is permitted to produce.
23296
23297 @end table
23298
23299 @anchor{confirmation requests}
23300 By default, @value{GDBN} is cautious, and asks what sometimes seems to be a
23301 lot of stupid questions to confirm certain commands. For example, if
23302 you try to run a program which is already running:
23303
23304 @smallexample
23305 (@value{GDBP}) run
23306 The program being debugged has been started already.
23307 Start it from the beginning? (y or n)
23308 @end smallexample
23309
23310 If you are willing to unflinchingly face the consequences of your own
23311 commands, you can disable this ``feature'':
23312
23313 @table @code
23314
23315 @kindex set confirm
23316 @cindex flinching
23317 @cindex confirmation
23318 @cindex stupid questions
23319 @item set confirm off
23320 Disables confirmation requests. Note that running @value{GDBN} with
23321 the @option{--batch} option (@pxref{Mode Options, -batch}) also
23322 automatically disables confirmation requests.
23323
23324 @item set confirm on
23325 Enables confirmation requests (the default).
23326
23327 @kindex show confirm
23328 @item show confirm
23329 Displays state of confirmation requests.
23330
23331 @end table
23332
23333 @cindex command tracing
23334 If you need to debug user-defined commands or sourced files you may find it
23335 useful to enable @dfn{command tracing}. In this mode each command will be
23336 printed as it is executed, prefixed with one or more @samp{+} symbols, the
23337 quantity denoting the call depth of each command.
23338
23339 @table @code
23340 @kindex set trace-commands
23341 @cindex command scripts, debugging
23342 @item set trace-commands on
23343 Enable command tracing.
23344 @item set trace-commands off
23345 Disable command tracing.
23346 @item show trace-commands
23347 Display the current state of command tracing.
23348 @end table
23349
23350 @node Debugging Output
23351 @section Optional Messages about Internal Happenings
23352 @cindex optional debugging messages
23353
23354 @value{GDBN} has commands that enable optional debugging messages from
23355 various @value{GDBN} subsystems; normally these commands are of
23356 interest to @value{GDBN} maintainers, or when reporting a bug. This
23357 section documents those commands.
23358
23359 @table @code
23360 @kindex set exec-done-display
23361 @item set exec-done-display
23362 Turns on or off the notification of asynchronous commands'
23363 completion. When on, @value{GDBN} will print a message when an
23364 asynchronous command finishes its execution. The default is off.
23365 @kindex show exec-done-display
23366 @item show exec-done-display
23367 Displays the current setting of asynchronous command completion
23368 notification.
23369 @kindex set debug
23370 @cindex ARM AArch64
23371 @item set debug aarch64
23372 Turns on or off display of debugging messages related to ARM AArch64.
23373 The default is off.
23374 @kindex show debug
23375 @item show debug aarch64
23376 Displays the current state of displaying debugging messages related to
23377 ARM AArch64.
23378 @cindex gdbarch debugging info
23379 @cindex architecture debugging info
23380 @item set debug arch
23381 Turns on or off display of gdbarch debugging info. The default is off
23382 @item show debug arch
23383 Displays the current state of displaying gdbarch debugging info.
23384 @item set debug aix-solib
23385 @cindex AIX shared library debugging
23386 Control display of debugging messages from the AIX shared library
23387 support module. The default is off.
23388 @item show debug aix-thread
23389 Show the current state of displaying AIX shared library debugging messages.
23390 @item set debug aix-thread
23391 @cindex AIX threads
23392 Display debugging messages about inner workings of the AIX thread
23393 module.
23394 @item show debug aix-thread
23395 Show the current state of AIX thread debugging info display.
23396 @item set debug check-physname
23397 @cindex physname
23398 Check the results of the ``physname'' computation. When reading DWARF
23399 debugging information for C@t{++}, @value{GDBN} attempts to compute
23400 each entity's name. @value{GDBN} can do this computation in two
23401 different ways, depending on exactly what information is present.
23402 When enabled, this setting causes @value{GDBN} to compute the names
23403 both ways and display any discrepancies.
23404 @item show debug check-physname
23405 Show the current state of ``physname'' checking.
23406 @item set debug coff-pe-read
23407 @cindex COFF/PE exported symbols
23408 Control display of debugging messages related to reading of COFF/PE
23409 exported symbols. The default is off.
23410 @item show debug coff-pe-read
23411 Displays the current state of displaying debugging messages related to
23412 reading of COFF/PE exported symbols.
23413 @item set debug dwarf2-die
23414 @cindex DWARF2 DIEs
23415 Dump DWARF2 DIEs after they are read in.
23416 The value is the number of nesting levels to print.
23417 A value of zero turns off the display.
23418 @item show debug dwarf2-die
23419 Show the current state of DWARF2 DIE debugging.
23420 @item set debug dwarf2-read
23421 @cindex DWARF2 Reading
23422 Turns on or off display of debugging messages related to reading
23423 DWARF debug info. The default is 0 (off).
23424 A value of 1 provides basic information.
23425 A value greater than 1 provides more verbose information.
23426 @item show debug dwarf2-read
23427 Show the current state of DWARF2 reader debugging.
23428 @item set debug displaced
23429 @cindex displaced stepping debugging info
23430 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} debugging info for the
23431 displaced stepping support. The default is off.
23432 @item show debug displaced
23433 Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} debugging info
23434 related to displaced stepping.
23435 @item set debug event
23436 @cindex event debugging info
23437 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} event debugging info. The
23438 default is off.
23439 @item show debug event
23440 Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} event debugging
23441 info.
23442 @item set debug expression
23443 @cindex expression debugging info
23444 Turns on or off display of debugging info about @value{GDBN}
23445 expression parsing. The default is off.
23446 @item show debug expression
23447 Displays the current state of displaying debugging info about
23448 @value{GDBN} expression parsing.
23449 @item set debug frame
23450 @cindex frame debugging info
23451 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} frame debugging info. The
23452 default is off.
23453 @item show debug frame
23454 Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} frame debugging
23455 info.
23456 @item set debug gnu-nat
23457 @cindex @sc{gnu}/Hurd debug messages
23458 Turns on or off debugging messages from the @sc{gnu}/Hurd debug support.
23459 @item show debug gnu-nat
23460 Show the current state of @sc{gnu}/Hurd debugging messages.
23461 @item set debug infrun
23462 @cindex inferior debugging info
23463 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} debugging info for running the inferior.
23464 The default is off. @file{infrun.c} contains GDB's runtime state machine used
23465 for implementing operations such as single-stepping the inferior.
23466 @item show debug infrun
23467 Displays the current state of @value{GDBN} inferior debugging.
23468 @item set debug jit
23469 @cindex just-in-time compilation, debugging messages
23470 Turns on or off debugging messages from JIT debug support.
23471 @item show debug jit
23472 Displays the current state of @value{GDBN} JIT debugging.
23473 @item set debug lin-lwp
23474 @cindex @sc{gnu}/Linux LWP debug messages
23475 @cindex Linux lightweight processes
23476 Turns on or off debugging messages from the Linux LWP debug support.
23477 @item show debug lin-lwp
23478 Show the current state of Linux LWP debugging messages.
23479 @item set debug mach-o
23480 @cindex Mach-O symbols processing
23481 Control display of debugging messages related to Mach-O symbols
23482 processing. The default is off.
23483 @item show debug mach-o
23484 Displays the current state of displaying debugging messages related to
23485 reading of COFF/PE exported symbols.
23486 @item set debug notification
23487 @cindex remote async notification debugging info
23488 Turns on or off debugging messages about remote async notification.
23489 The default is off.
23490 @item show debug notification
23491 Displays the current state of remote async notification debugging messages.
23492 @item set debug observer
23493 @cindex observer debugging info
23494 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} observer debugging. This
23495 includes info such as the notification of observable events.
23496 @item show debug observer
23497 Displays the current state of observer debugging.
23498 @item set debug overload
23499 @cindex C@t{++} overload debugging info
23500 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} C@t{++} overload debugging
23501 info. This includes info such as ranking of functions, etc. The default
23502 is off.
23503 @item show debug overload
23504 Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} C@t{++} overload
23505 debugging info.
23506 @cindex expression parser, debugging info
23507 @cindex debug expression parser
23508 @item set debug parser
23509 Turns on or off the display of expression parser debugging output.
23510 Internally, this sets the @code{yydebug} variable in the expression
23511 parser. @xref{Tracing, , Tracing Your Parser, bison, Bison}, for
23512 details. The default is off.
23513 @item show debug parser
23514 Show the current state of expression parser debugging.
23515 @cindex packets, reporting on stdout
23516 @cindex serial connections, debugging
23517 @cindex debug remote protocol
23518 @cindex remote protocol debugging
23519 @cindex display remote packets
23520 @item set debug remote
23521 Turns on or off display of reports on all packets sent back and forth across
23522 the serial line to the remote machine. The info is printed on the
23523 @value{GDBN} standard output stream. The default is off.
23524 @item show debug remote
23525 Displays the state of display of remote packets.
23526 @item set debug serial
23527 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} serial debugging info. The
23528 default is off.
23529 @item show debug serial
23530 Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} serial debugging
23531 info.
23532 @item set debug solib-frv
23533 @cindex FR-V shared-library debugging
23534 Turns on or off debugging messages for FR-V shared-library code.
23535 @item show debug solib-frv
23536 Display the current state of FR-V shared-library code debugging
23537 messages.
23538 @item set debug symbol-lookup
23539 @cindex symbol lookup
23540 Turns on or off display of debugging messages related to symbol lookup.
23541 The default is 0 (off).
23542 A value of 1 provides basic information.
23543 A value greater than 1 provides more verbose information.
23544 @item show debug symbol-lookup
23545 Show the current state of symbol lookup debugging messages.
23546 @item set debug symfile
23547 @cindex symbol file functions
23548 Turns on or off display of debugging messages related to symbol file functions.
23549 The default is off. @xref{Files}.
23550 @item show debug symfile
23551 Show the current state of symbol file debugging messages.
23552 @item set debug symtab-create
23553 @cindex symbol table creation
23554 Turns on or off display of debugging messages related to symbol table creation.
23555 The default is 0 (off).
23556 A value of 1 provides basic information.
23557 A value greater than 1 provides more verbose information.
23558 @item show debug symtab-create
23559 Show the current state of symbol table creation debugging.
23560 @item set debug target
23561 @cindex target debugging info
23562 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} target debugging info. This info
23563 includes what is going on at the target level of GDB, as it happens. The
23564 default is 0. Set it to 1 to track events, and to 2 to also track the
23565 value of large memory transfers.
23566 @item show debug target
23567 Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} target debugging
23568 info.
23569 @item set debug timestamp
23570 @cindex timestampping debugging info
23571 Turns on or off display of timestamps with @value{GDBN} debugging info.
23572 When enabled, seconds and microseconds are displayed before each debugging
23573 message.
23574 @item show debug timestamp
23575 Displays the current state of displaying timestamps with @value{GDBN}
23576 debugging info.
23577 @item set debug varobj
23578 @cindex variable object debugging info
23579 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} variable object debugging
23580 info. The default is off.
23581 @item show debug varobj
23582 Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} variable object
23583 debugging info.
23584 @item set debug xml
23585 @cindex XML parser debugging
23586 Turns on or off debugging messages for built-in XML parsers.
23587 @item show debug xml
23588 Displays the current state of XML debugging messages.
23589 @end table
23590
23591 @node Other Misc Settings
23592 @section Other Miscellaneous Settings
23593 @cindex miscellaneous settings
23594
23595 @table @code
23596 @kindex set interactive-mode
23597 @item set interactive-mode
23598 If @code{on}, forces @value{GDBN} to assume that GDB was started
23599 in a terminal. In practice, this means that @value{GDBN} should wait
23600 for the user to answer queries generated by commands entered at
23601 the command prompt. If @code{off}, forces @value{GDBN} to operate
23602 in the opposite mode, and it uses the default answers to all queries.
23603 If @code{auto} (the default), @value{GDBN} tries to determine whether
23604 its standard input is a terminal, and works in interactive-mode if it
23605 is, non-interactively otherwise.
23606
23607 In the vast majority of cases, the debugger should be able to guess
23608 correctly which mode should be used. But this setting can be useful
23609 in certain specific cases, such as running a MinGW @value{GDBN}
23610 inside a cygwin window.
23611
23612 @kindex show interactive-mode
23613 @item show interactive-mode
23614 Displays whether the debugger is operating in interactive mode or not.
23615 @end table
23616
23617 @node Extending GDB
23618 @chapter Extending @value{GDBN}
23619 @cindex extending GDB
23620
23621 @value{GDBN} provides several mechanisms for extension.
23622 @value{GDBN} also provides the ability to automatically load
23623 extensions when it reads a file for debugging. This allows the
23624 user to automatically customize @value{GDBN} for the program
23625 being debugged.
23626
23627 @menu
23628 * Sequences:: Canned Sequences of @value{GDBN} Commands
23629 * Python:: Extending @value{GDBN} using Python
23630 * Guile:: Extending @value{GDBN} using Guile
23631 * Auto-loading extensions:: Automatically loading extensions
23632 * Multiple Extension Languages:: Working with multiple extension languages
23633 * Aliases:: Creating new spellings of existing commands
23634 @end menu
23635
23636 To facilitate the use of extension languages, @value{GDBN} is capable
23637 of evaluating the contents of a file. When doing so, @value{GDBN}
23638 can recognize which extension language is being used by looking at
23639 the filename extension. Files with an unrecognized filename extension
23640 are always treated as a @value{GDBN} Command Files.
23641 @xref{Command Files,, Command files}.
23642
23643 You can control how @value{GDBN} evaluates these files with the following
23644 setting:
23645
23646 @table @code
23647 @kindex set script-extension
23648 @kindex show script-extension
23649 @item set script-extension off
23650 All scripts are always evaluated as @value{GDBN} Command Files.
23651
23652 @item set script-extension soft
23653 The debugger determines the scripting language based on filename
23654 extension. If this scripting language is supported, @value{GDBN}
23655 evaluates the script using that language. Otherwise, it evaluates
23656 the file as a @value{GDBN} Command File.
23657
23658 @item set script-extension strict
23659 The debugger determines the scripting language based on filename
23660 extension, and evaluates the script using that language. If the
23661 language is not supported, then the evaluation fails.
23662
23663 @item show script-extension
23664 Display the current value of the @code{script-extension} option.
23665
23666 @end table
23667
23668 @node Sequences
23669 @section Canned Sequences of Commands
23670
23671 Aside from breakpoint commands (@pxref{Break Commands, ,Breakpoint
23672 Command Lists}), @value{GDBN} provides two ways to store sequences of
23673 commands for execution as a unit: user-defined commands and command
23674 files.
23675
23676 @menu
23677 * Define:: How to define your own commands
23678 * Hooks:: Hooks for user-defined commands
23679 * Command Files:: How to write scripts of commands to be stored in a file
23680 * Output:: Commands for controlled output
23681 * Auto-loading sequences:: Controlling auto-loaded command files
23682 @end menu
23683
23684 @node Define
23685 @subsection User-defined Commands
23686
23687 @cindex user-defined command
23688 @cindex arguments, to user-defined commands
23689 A @dfn{user-defined command} is a sequence of @value{GDBN} commands to
23690 which you assign a new name as a command. This is done with the
23691 @code{define} command. User commands may accept up to 10 arguments
23692 separated by whitespace. Arguments are accessed within the user command
23693 via @code{$arg0@dots{}$arg9}. A trivial example:
23694
23695 @smallexample
23696 define adder
23697 print $arg0 + $arg1 + $arg2
23698 end
23699 @end smallexample
23700
23701 @noindent
23702 To execute the command use:
23703
23704 @smallexample
23705 adder 1 2 3
23706 @end smallexample
23707
23708 @noindent
23709 This defines the command @code{adder}, which prints the sum of
23710 its three arguments. Note the arguments are text substitutions, so they may
23711 reference variables, use complex expressions, or even perform inferior
23712 functions calls.
23713
23714 @cindex argument count in user-defined commands
23715 @cindex how many arguments (user-defined commands)
23716 In addition, @code{$argc} may be used to find out how many arguments have
23717 been passed. This expands to a number in the range 0@dots{}10.
23718
23719 @smallexample
23720 define adder
23721 if $argc == 2
23722 print $arg0 + $arg1
23723 end
23724 if $argc == 3
23725 print $arg0 + $arg1 + $arg2
23726 end
23727 end
23728 @end smallexample
23729
23730 @table @code
23731
23732 @kindex define
23733 @item define @var{commandname}
23734 Define a command named @var{commandname}. If there is already a command
23735 by that name, you are asked to confirm that you want to redefine it.
23736 The argument @var{commandname} may be a bare command name consisting of letters,
23737 numbers, dashes, and underscores. It may also start with any predefined
23738 prefix command. For example, @samp{define target my-target} creates
23739 a user-defined @samp{target my-target} command.
23740
23741 The definition of the command is made up of other @value{GDBN} command lines,
23742 which are given following the @code{define} command. The end of these
23743 commands is marked by a line containing @code{end}.
23744
23745 @kindex document
23746 @kindex end@r{ (user-defined commands)}
23747 @item document @var{commandname}
23748 Document the user-defined command @var{commandname}, so that it can be
23749 accessed by @code{help}. The command @var{commandname} must already be
23750 defined. This command reads lines of documentation just as @code{define}
23751 reads the lines of the command definition, ending with @code{end}.
23752 After the @code{document} command is finished, @code{help} on command
23753 @var{commandname} displays the documentation you have written.
23754
23755 You may use the @code{document} command again to change the
23756 documentation of a command. Redefining the command with @code{define}
23757 does not change the documentation.
23758
23759 @kindex dont-repeat
23760 @cindex don't repeat command
23761 @item dont-repeat
23762 Used inside a user-defined command, this tells @value{GDBN} that this
23763 command should not be repeated when the user hits @key{RET}
23764 (@pxref{Command Syntax, repeat last command}).
23765
23766 @kindex help user-defined
23767 @item help user-defined
23768 List all user-defined commands and all python commands defined in class
23769 COMAND_USER. The first line of the documentation or docstring is
23770 included (if any).
23771
23772 @kindex show user
23773 @item show user
23774 @itemx show user @var{commandname}
23775 Display the @value{GDBN} commands used to define @var{commandname} (but
23776 not its documentation). If no @var{commandname} is given, display the
23777 definitions for all user-defined commands.
23778 This does not work for user-defined python commands.
23779
23780 @cindex infinite recursion in user-defined commands
23781 @kindex show max-user-call-depth
23782 @kindex set max-user-call-depth
23783 @item show max-user-call-depth
23784 @itemx set max-user-call-depth
23785 The value of @code{max-user-call-depth} controls how many recursion
23786 levels are allowed in user-defined commands before @value{GDBN} suspects an
23787 infinite recursion and aborts the command.
23788 This does not apply to user-defined python commands.
23789 @end table
23790
23791 In addition to the above commands, user-defined commands frequently
23792 use control flow commands, described in @ref{Command Files}.
23793
23794 When user-defined commands are executed, the
23795 commands of the definition are not printed. An error in any command
23796 stops execution of the user-defined command.
23797
23798 If used interactively, commands that would ask for confirmation proceed
23799 without asking when used inside a user-defined command. Many @value{GDBN}
23800 commands that normally print messages to say what they are doing omit the
23801 messages when used in a user-defined command.
23802
23803 @node Hooks
23804 @subsection User-defined Command Hooks
23805 @cindex command hooks
23806 @cindex hooks, for commands
23807 @cindex hooks, pre-command
23808
23809 @kindex hook
23810 You may define @dfn{hooks}, which are a special kind of user-defined
23811 command. Whenever you run the command @samp{foo}, if the user-defined
23812 command @samp{hook-foo} exists, it is executed (with no arguments)
23813 before that command.
23814
23815 @cindex hooks, post-command
23816 @kindex hookpost
23817 A hook may also be defined which is run after the command you executed.
23818 Whenever you run the command @samp{foo}, if the user-defined command
23819 @samp{hookpost-foo} exists, it is executed (with no arguments) after
23820 that command. Post-execution hooks may exist simultaneously with
23821 pre-execution hooks, for the same command.
23822
23823 It is valid for a hook to call the command which it hooks. If this
23824 occurs, the hook is not re-executed, thereby avoiding infinite recursion.
23825
23826 @c It would be nice if hookpost could be passed a parameter indicating
23827 @c if the command it hooks executed properly or not. FIXME!
23828
23829 @kindex stop@r{, a pseudo-command}
23830 In addition, a pseudo-command, @samp{stop} exists. Defining
23831 (@samp{hook-stop}) makes the associated commands execute every time
23832 execution stops in your program: before breakpoint commands are run,
23833 displays are printed, or the stack frame is printed.
23834
23835 For example, to ignore @code{SIGALRM} signals while
23836 single-stepping, but treat them normally during normal execution,
23837 you could define:
23838
23839 @smallexample
23840 define hook-stop
23841 handle SIGALRM nopass
23842 end
23843
23844 define hook-run
23845 handle SIGALRM pass
23846 end
23847
23848 define hook-continue
23849 handle SIGALRM pass
23850 end
23851 @end smallexample
23852
23853 As a further example, to hook at the beginning and end of the @code{echo}
23854 command, and to add extra text to the beginning and end of the message,
23855 you could define:
23856
23857 @smallexample
23858 define hook-echo
23859 echo <<<---
23860 end
23861
23862 define hookpost-echo
23863 echo --->>>\n
23864 end
23865
23866 (@value{GDBP}) echo Hello World
23867 <<<---Hello World--->>>
23868 (@value{GDBP})
23869
23870 @end smallexample
23871
23872 You can define a hook for any single-word command in @value{GDBN}, but
23873 not for command aliases; you should define a hook for the basic command
23874 name, e.g.@: @code{backtrace} rather than @code{bt}.
23875 @c FIXME! So how does Joe User discover whether a command is an alias
23876 @c or not?
23877 You can hook a multi-word command by adding @code{hook-} or
23878 @code{hookpost-} to the last word of the command, e.g.@:
23879 @samp{define target hook-remote} to add a hook to @samp{target remote}.
23880
23881 If an error occurs during the execution of your hook, execution of
23882 @value{GDBN} commands stops and @value{GDBN} issues a prompt
23883 (before the command that you actually typed had a chance to run).
23884
23885 If you try to define a hook which does not match any known command, you
23886 get a warning from the @code{define} command.
23887
23888 @node Command Files
23889 @subsection Command Files
23890
23891 @cindex command files
23892 @cindex scripting commands
23893 A command file for @value{GDBN} is a text file made of lines that are
23894 @value{GDBN} commands. Comments (lines starting with @kbd{#}) may
23895 also be included. An empty line in a command file does nothing; it
23896 does not mean to repeat the last command, as it would from the
23897 terminal.
23898
23899 You can request the execution of a command file with the @code{source}
23900 command. Note that the @code{source} command is also used to evaluate
23901 scripts that are not Command Files. The exact behavior can be configured
23902 using the @code{script-extension} setting.
23903 @xref{Extending GDB,, Extending GDB}.
23904
23905 @table @code
23906 @kindex source
23907 @cindex execute commands from a file
23908 @item source [-s] [-v] @var{filename}
23909 Execute the command file @var{filename}.
23910 @end table
23911
23912 The lines in a command file are generally executed sequentially,
23913 unless the order of execution is changed by one of the
23914 @emph{flow-control commands} described below. The commands are not
23915 printed as they are executed. An error in any command terminates
23916 execution of the command file and control is returned to the console.
23917
23918 @value{GDBN} first searches for @var{filename} in the current directory.
23919 If the file is not found there, and @var{filename} does not specify a
23920 directory, then @value{GDBN} also looks for the file on the source search path
23921 (specified with the @samp{directory} command);
23922 except that @file{$cdir} is not searched because the compilation directory
23923 is not relevant to scripts.
23924
23925 If @code{-s} is specified, then @value{GDBN} searches for @var{filename}
23926 on the search path even if @var{filename} specifies a directory.
23927 The search is done by appending @var{filename} to each element of the
23928 search path. So, for example, if @var{filename} is @file{mylib/myscript}
23929 and the search path contains @file{/home/user} then @value{GDBN} will
23930 look for the script @file{/home/user/mylib/myscript}.
23931 The search is also done if @var{filename} is an absolute path.
23932 For example, if @var{filename} is @file{/tmp/myscript} and
23933 the search path contains @file{/home/user} then @value{GDBN} will
23934 look for the script @file{/home/user/tmp/myscript}.
23935 For DOS-like systems, if @var{filename} contains a drive specification,
23936 it is stripped before concatenation. For example, if @var{filename} is
23937 @file{d:myscript} and the search path contains @file{c:/tmp} then @value{GDBN}
23938 will look for the script @file{c:/tmp/myscript}.
23939
23940 If @code{-v}, for verbose mode, is given then @value{GDBN} displays
23941 each command as it is executed. The option must be given before
23942 @var{filename}, and is interpreted as part of the filename anywhere else.
23943
23944 Commands that would ask for confirmation if used interactively proceed
23945 without asking when used in a command file. Many @value{GDBN} commands that
23946 normally print messages to say what they are doing omit the messages
23947 when called from command files.
23948
23949 @value{GDBN} also accepts command input from standard input. In this
23950 mode, normal output goes to standard output and error output goes to
23951 standard error. Errors in a command file supplied on standard input do
23952 not terminate execution of the command file---execution continues with
23953 the next command.
23954
23955 @smallexample
23956 gdb < cmds > log 2>&1
23957 @end smallexample
23958
23959 (The syntax above will vary depending on the shell used.) This example
23960 will execute commands from the file @file{cmds}. All output and errors
23961 would be directed to @file{log}.
23962
23963 Since commands stored on command files tend to be more general than
23964 commands typed interactively, they frequently need to deal with
23965 complicated situations, such as different or unexpected values of
23966 variables and symbols, changes in how the program being debugged is
23967 built, etc. @value{GDBN} provides a set of flow-control commands to
23968 deal with these complexities. Using these commands, you can write
23969 complex scripts that loop over data structures, execute commands
23970 conditionally, etc.
23971
23972 @table @code
23973 @kindex if
23974 @kindex else
23975 @item if
23976 @itemx else
23977 This command allows to include in your script conditionally executed
23978 commands. The @code{if} command takes a single argument, which is an
23979 expression to evaluate. It is followed by a series of commands that
23980 are executed only if the expression is true (its value is nonzero).
23981 There can then optionally be an @code{else} line, followed by a series
23982 of commands that are only executed if the expression was false. The
23983 end of the list is marked by a line containing @code{end}.
23984
23985 @kindex while
23986 @item while
23987 This command allows to write loops. Its syntax is similar to
23988 @code{if}: the command takes a single argument, which is an expression
23989 to evaluate, and must be followed by the commands to execute, one per
23990 line, terminated by an @code{end}. These commands are called the
23991 @dfn{body} of the loop. The commands in the body of @code{while} are
23992 executed repeatedly as long as the expression evaluates to true.
23993
23994 @kindex loop_break
23995 @item loop_break
23996 This command exits the @code{while} loop in whose body it is included.
23997 Execution of the script continues after that @code{while}s @code{end}
23998 line.
23999
24000 @kindex loop_continue
24001 @item loop_continue
24002 This command skips the execution of the rest of the body of commands
24003 in the @code{while} loop in whose body it is included. Execution
24004 branches to the beginning of the @code{while} loop, where it evaluates
24005 the controlling expression.
24006
24007 @kindex end@r{ (if/else/while commands)}
24008 @item end
24009 Terminate the block of commands that are the body of @code{if},
24010 @code{else}, or @code{while} flow-control commands.
24011 @end table
24012
24013
24014 @node Output
24015 @subsection Commands for Controlled Output
24016
24017 During the execution of a command file or a user-defined command, normal
24018 @value{GDBN} output is suppressed; the only output that appears is what is
24019 explicitly printed by the commands in the definition. This section
24020 describes three commands useful for generating exactly the output you
24021 want.
24022
24023 @table @code
24024 @kindex echo
24025 @item echo @var{text}
24026 @c I do not consider backslash-space a standard C escape sequence
24027 @c because it is not in ANSI.
24028 Print @var{text}. Nonprinting characters can be included in
24029 @var{text} using C escape sequences, such as @samp{\n} to print a
24030 newline. @strong{No newline is printed unless you specify one.}
24031 In addition to the standard C escape sequences, a backslash followed
24032 by a space stands for a space. This is useful for displaying a
24033 string with spaces at the beginning or the end, since leading and
24034 trailing spaces are otherwise trimmed from all arguments.
24035 To print @samp{@w{ }and foo =@w{ }}, use the command
24036 @samp{echo \@w{ }and foo = \@w{ }}.
24037
24038 A backslash at the end of @var{text} can be used, as in C, to continue
24039 the command onto subsequent lines. For example,
24040
24041 @smallexample
24042 echo This is some text\n\
24043 which is continued\n\
24044 onto several lines.\n
24045 @end smallexample
24046
24047 produces the same output as
24048
24049 @smallexample
24050 echo This is some text\n
24051 echo which is continued\n
24052 echo onto several lines.\n
24053 @end smallexample
24054
24055 @kindex output
24056 @item output @var{expression}
24057 Print the value of @var{expression} and nothing but that value: no
24058 newlines, no @samp{$@var{nn} = }. The value is not entered in the
24059 value history either. @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}, for more information
24060 on expressions.
24061
24062 @item output/@var{fmt} @var{expression}
24063 Print the value of @var{expression} in format @var{fmt}. You can use
24064 the same formats as for @code{print}. @xref{Output Formats,,Output
24065 Formats}, for more information.
24066
24067 @kindex printf
24068 @item printf @var{template}, @var{expressions}@dots{}
24069 Print the values of one or more @var{expressions} under the control of
24070 the string @var{template}. To print several values, make
24071 @var{expressions} be a comma-separated list of individual expressions,
24072 which may be either numbers or pointers. Their values are printed as
24073 specified by @var{template}, exactly as a C program would do by
24074 executing the code below:
24075
24076 @smallexample
24077 printf (@var{template}, @var{expressions}@dots{});
24078 @end smallexample
24079
24080 As in @code{C} @code{printf}, ordinary characters in @var{template}
24081 are printed verbatim, while @dfn{conversion specification} introduced
24082 by the @samp{%} character cause subsequent @var{expressions} to be
24083 evaluated, their values converted and formatted according to type and
24084 style information encoded in the conversion specifications, and then
24085 printed.
24086
24087 For example, you can print two values in hex like this:
24088
24089 @smallexample
24090 printf "foo, bar-foo = 0x%x, 0x%x\n", foo, bar-foo
24091 @end smallexample
24092
24093 @code{printf} supports all the standard @code{C} conversion
24094 specifications, including the flags and modifiers between the @samp{%}
24095 character and the conversion letter, with the following exceptions:
24096
24097 @itemize @bullet
24098 @item
24099 The argument-ordering modifiers, such as @samp{2$}, are not supported.
24100
24101 @item
24102 The modifier @samp{*} is not supported for specifying precision or
24103 width.
24104
24105 @item
24106 The @samp{'} flag (for separation of digits into groups according to
24107 @code{LC_NUMERIC'}) is not supported.
24108
24109 @item
24110 The type modifiers @samp{hh}, @samp{j}, @samp{t}, and @samp{z} are not
24111 supported.
24112
24113 @item
24114 The conversion letter @samp{n} (as in @samp{%n}) is not supported.
24115
24116 @item
24117 The conversion letters @samp{a} and @samp{A} are not supported.
24118 @end itemize
24119
24120 @noindent
24121 Note that the @samp{ll} type modifier is supported only if the
24122 underlying @code{C} implementation used to build @value{GDBN} supports
24123 the @code{long long int} type, and the @samp{L} type modifier is
24124 supported only if @code{long double} type is available.
24125
24126 As in @code{C}, @code{printf} supports simple backslash-escape
24127 sequences, such as @code{\n}, @samp{\t}, @samp{\\}, @samp{\"},
24128 @samp{\a}, and @samp{\f}, that consist of backslash followed by a
24129 single character. Octal and hexadecimal escape sequences are not
24130 supported.
24131
24132 Additionally, @code{printf} supports conversion specifications for DFP
24133 (@dfn{Decimal Floating Point}) types using the following length modifiers
24134 together with a floating point specifier.
24135 letters:
24136
24137 @itemize @bullet
24138 @item
24139 @samp{H} for printing @code{Decimal32} types.
24140
24141 @item
24142 @samp{D} for printing @code{Decimal64} types.
24143
24144 @item
24145 @samp{DD} for printing @code{Decimal128} types.
24146 @end itemize
24147
24148 If the underlying @code{C} implementation used to build @value{GDBN} has
24149 support for the three length modifiers for DFP types, other modifiers
24150 such as width and precision will also be available for @value{GDBN} to use.
24151
24152 In case there is no such @code{C} support, no additional modifiers will be
24153 available and the value will be printed in the standard way.
24154
24155 Here's an example of printing DFP types using the above conversion letters:
24156 @smallexample
24157 printf "D32: %Hf - D64: %Df - D128: %DDf\n",1.2345df,1.2E10dd,1.2E1dl
24158 @end smallexample
24159
24160 @kindex eval
24161 @item eval @var{template}, @var{expressions}@dots{}
24162 Convert the values of one or more @var{expressions} under the control of
24163 the string @var{template} to a command line, and call it.
24164
24165 @end table
24166
24167 @node Auto-loading sequences
24168 @subsection Controlling auto-loading native @value{GDBN} scripts
24169 @cindex native script auto-loading
24170
24171 When a new object file is read (for example, due to the @code{file}
24172 command, or because the inferior has loaded a shared library),
24173 @value{GDBN} will look for the command file @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.gdb}.
24174 @xref{Auto-loading extensions}.
24175
24176 Auto-loading can be enabled or disabled,
24177 and the list of auto-loaded scripts can be printed.
24178
24179 @table @code
24180 @anchor{set auto-load gdb-scripts}
24181 @kindex set auto-load gdb-scripts
24182 @item set auto-load gdb-scripts [on|off]
24183 Enable or disable the auto-loading of canned sequences of commands scripts.
24184
24185 @anchor{show auto-load gdb-scripts}
24186 @kindex show auto-load gdb-scripts
24187 @item show auto-load gdb-scripts
24188 Show whether auto-loading of canned sequences of commands scripts is enabled or
24189 disabled.
24190
24191 @anchor{info auto-load gdb-scripts}
24192 @kindex info auto-load gdb-scripts
24193 @cindex print list of auto-loaded canned sequences of commands scripts
24194 @item info auto-load gdb-scripts [@var{regexp}]
24195 Print the list of all canned sequences of commands scripts that @value{GDBN}
24196 auto-loaded.
24197 @end table
24198
24199 If @var{regexp} is supplied only canned sequences of commands scripts with
24200 matching names are printed.
24201
24202 @c Python docs live in a separate file.
24203 @include python.texi
24204
24205 @c Guile docs live in a separate file.
24206 @include guile.texi
24207
24208 @node Auto-loading extensions
24209 @section Auto-loading extensions
24210 @cindex auto-loading extensions
24211
24212 @value{GDBN} provides two mechanisms for automatically loading extensions
24213 when a new object file is read (for example, due to the @code{file}
24214 command, or because the inferior has loaded a shared library):
24215 @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.@var{ext}} and the @code{.debug_gdb_scripts}
24216 section of modern file formats like ELF.
24217
24218 @menu
24219 * objfile-gdb.ext file: objfile-gdbdotext file. The @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.@var{ext}} file
24220 * .debug_gdb_scripts section: dotdebug_gdb_scripts section. The @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} section
24221 * Which flavor to choose?::
24222 @end menu
24223
24224 The auto-loading feature is useful for supplying application-specific
24225 debugging commands and features.
24226
24227 Auto-loading can be enabled or disabled,
24228 and the list of auto-loaded scripts can be printed.
24229 See the @samp{auto-loading} section of each extension language
24230 for more information.
24231 For @value{GDBN} command files see @ref{Auto-loading sequences}.
24232 For Python files see @ref{Python Auto-loading}.
24233
24234 Note that loading of this script file also requires accordingly configured
24235 @code{auto-load safe-path} (@pxref{Auto-loading safe path}).
24236
24237 @node objfile-gdbdotext file
24238 @subsection The @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.@var{ext}} file
24239 @cindex @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.gdb}
24240 @cindex @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.py}
24241 @cindex @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.scm}
24242
24243 When a new object file is read, @value{GDBN} looks for a file named
24244 @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.@var{ext}} (we call it @var{script-name} below),
24245 where @var{objfile} is the object file's name and
24246 where @var{ext} is the file extension for the extension language:
24247
24248 @table @code
24249 @item @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.gdb}
24250 GDB's own command language
24251 @item @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.py}
24252 Python
24253 @item @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.scm}
24254 Guile
24255 @end table
24256
24257 @var{script-name} is formed by ensuring that the file name of @var{objfile}
24258 is absolute, following all symlinks, and resolving @code{.} and @code{..}
24259 components, and appending the @file{-gdb.@var{ext}} suffix.
24260 If this file exists and is readable, @value{GDBN} will evaluate it as a
24261 script in the specified extension language.
24262
24263 If this file does not exist, then @value{GDBN} will look for
24264 @var{script-name} file in all of the directories as specified below.
24265
24266 Note that loading of these files requires an accordingly configured
24267 @code{auto-load safe-path} (@pxref{Auto-loading safe path}).
24268
24269 For object files using @file{.exe} suffix @value{GDBN} tries to load first the
24270 scripts normally according to its @file{.exe} filename. But if no scripts are
24271 found @value{GDBN} also tries script filenames matching the object file without
24272 its @file{.exe} suffix. This @file{.exe} stripping is case insensitive and it
24273 is attempted on any platform. This makes the script filenames compatible
24274 between Unix and MS-Windows hosts.
24275
24276 @table @code
24277 @anchor{set auto-load scripts-directory}
24278 @kindex set auto-load scripts-directory
24279 @item set auto-load scripts-directory @r{[}@var{directories}@r{]}
24280 Control @value{GDBN} auto-loaded scripts location. Multiple directory entries
24281 may be delimited by the host platform path separator in use
24282 (@samp{:} on Unix, @samp{;} on MS-Windows and MS-DOS).
24283
24284 Each entry here needs to be covered also by the security setting
24285 @code{set auto-load safe-path} (@pxref{set auto-load safe-path}).
24286
24287 @anchor{with-auto-load-dir}
24288 This variable defaults to @file{$debugdir:$datadir/auto-load}. The default
24289 @code{set auto-load safe-path} value can be also overriden by @value{GDBN}
24290 configuration option @option{--with-auto-load-dir}.
24291
24292 Any reference to @file{$debugdir} will get replaced by
24293 @var{debug-file-directory} value (@pxref{Separate Debug Files}) and any
24294 reference to @file{$datadir} will get replaced by @var{data-directory} which is
24295 determined at @value{GDBN} startup (@pxref{Data Files}). @file{$debugdir} and
24296 @file{$datadir} must be placed as a directory component --- either alone or
24297 delimited by @file{/} or @file{\} directory separators, depending on the host
24298 platform.
24299
24300 The list of directories uses path separator (@samp{:} on GNU and Unix
24301 systems, @samp{;} on MS-Windows and MS-DOS) to separate directories, similarly
24302 to the @env{PATH} environment variable.
24303
24304 @anchor{show auto-load scripts-directory}
24305 @kindex show auto-load scripts-directory
24306 @item show auto-load scripts-directory
24307 Show @value{GDBN} auto-loaded scripts location.
24308
24309 @anchor{add-auto-load-scripts-directory}
24310 @kindex add-auto-load-scripts-directory
24311 @item add-auto-load-scripts-directory @r{[}@var{directories}@dots{}@r{]}
24312 Add an entry (or list of entries) to the list of auto-loaded scripts locations.
24313 Multiple entries may be delimited by the host platform path separator in use.
24314 @end table
24315
24316 @value{GDBN} does not track which files it has already auto-loaded this way.
24317 @value{GDBN} will load the associated script every time the corresponding
24318 @var{objfile} is opened.
24319 So your @file{-gdb.@var{ext}} file should be careful to avoid errors if it
24320 is evaluated more than once.
24321
24322 @node dotdebug_gdb_scripts section
24323 @subsection The @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} section
24324 @cindex @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} section
24325
24326 For systems using file formats like ELF and COFF,
24327 when @value{GDBN} loads a new object file
24328 it will look for a special section named @code{.debug_gdb_scripts}.
24329 If this section exists, its contents is a list of null-terminated entries
24330 specifying scripts to load. Each entry begins with a non-null prefix byte that
24331 specifies the kind of entry, typically the extension language and whether the
24332 script is in a file or inlined in @code{.debug_gdb_scripts}.
24333
24334 The following entries are supported:
24335
24336 @table @code
24337 @item SECTION_SCRIPT_ID_PYTHON_FILE = 1
24338 @item SECTION_SCRIPT_ID_SCHEME_FILE = 3
24339 @item SECTION_SCRIPT_ID_PYTHON_TEXT = 4
24340 @item SECTION_SCRIPT_ID_SCHEME_TEXT = 6
24341 @end table
24342
24343 @subsubsection Script File Entries
24344
24345 If the entry specifies a file, @value{GDBN} will look for the file first
24346 in the current directory and then along the source search path
24347 (@pxref{Source Path, ,Specifying Source Directories}),
24348 except that @file{$cdir} is not searched, since the compilation
24349 directory is not relevant to scripts.
24350
24351 File entries can be placed in section @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} with,
24352 for example, this GCC macro for Python scripts.
24353
24354 @example
24355 /* Note: The "MS" section flags are to remove duplicates. */
24356 #define DEFINE_GDB_PY_SCRIPT(script_name) \
24357 asm("\
24358 .pushsection \".debug_gdb_scripts\", \"MS\",@@progbits,1\n\
24359 .byte 1 /* Python */\n\
24360 .asciz \"" script_name "\"\n\
24361 .popsection \n\
24362 ");
24363 @end example
24364
24365 @noindent
24366 For Guile scripts, replace @code{.byte 1} with @code{.byte 3}.
24367 Then one can reference the macro in a header or source file like this:
24368
24369 @example
24370 DEFINE_GDB_PY_SCRIPT ("my-app-scripts.py")
24371 @end example
24372
24373 The script name may include directories if desired.
24374
24375 Note that loading of this script file also requires accordingly configured
24376 @code{auto-load safe-path} (@pxref{Auto-loading safe path}).
24377
24378 If the macro invocation is put in a header, any application or library
24379 using this header will get a reference to the specified script,
24380 and with the use of @code{"MS"} attributes on the section, the linker
24381 will remove duplicates.
24382
24383 @subsubsection Script Text Entries
24384
24385 Script text entries allow to put the executable script in the entry
24386 itself instead of loading it from a file.
24387 The first line of the entry, everything after the prefix byte and up to
24388 the first newline (@code{0xa}) character, is the script name, and must not
24389 contain any kind of space character, e.g., spaces or tabs.
24390 The rest of the entry, up to the trailing null byte, is the script to
24391 execute in the specified language. The name needs to be unique among
24392 all script names, as @value{GDBN} executes each script only once based
24393 on its name.
24394
24395 Here is an example from file @file{py-section-script.c} in the @value{GDBN}
24396 testsuite.
24397
24398 @example
24399 #include "symcat.h"
24400 #include "gdb/section-scripts.h"
24401 asm(
24402 ".pushsection \".debug_gdb_scripts\", \"MS\",@@progbits,1\n"
24403 ".byte " XSTRING (SECTION_SCRIPT_ID_PYTHON_TEXT) "\n"
24404 ".ascii \"gdb.inlined-script\\n\"\n"
24405 ".ascii \"class test_cmd (gdb.Command):\\n\"\n"
24406 ".ascii \" def __init__ (self):\\n\"\n"
24407 ".ascii \" super (test_cmd, self).__init__ ("
24408 "\\\"test-cmd\\\", gdb.COMMAND_OBSCURE)\\n\"\n"
24409 ".ascii \" def invoke (self, arg, from_tty):\\n\"\n"
24410 ".ascii \" print (\\\"test-cmd output, arg = %s\\\" % arg)\\n\"\n"
24411 ".ascii \"test_cmd ()\\n\"\n"
24412 ".byte 0\n"
24413 ".popsection\n"
24414 );
24415 @end example
24416
24417 Loading of inlined scripts requires a properly configured
24418 @code{auto-load safe-path} (@pxref{Auto-loading safe path}).
24419 The path to specify in @code{auto-load safe-path} is the path of the file
24420 containing the @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} section.
24421
24422 @node Which flavor to choose?
24423 @subsection Which flavor to choose?
24424
24425 Given the multiple ways of auto-loading extensions, it might not always
24426 be clear which one to choose. This section provides some guidance.
24427
24428 @noindent
24429 Benefits of the @file{-gdb.@var{ext}} way:
24430
24431 @itemize @bullet
24432 @item
24433 Can be used with file formats that don't support multiple sections.
24434
24435 @item
24436 Ease of finding scripts for public libraries.
24437
24438 Scripts specified in the @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} section are searched for
24439 in the source search path.
24440 For publicly installed libraries, e.g., @file{libstdc++}, there typically
24441 isn't a source directory in which to find the script.
24442
24443 @item
24444 Doesn't require source code additions.
24445 @end itemize
24446
24447 @noindent
24448 Benefits of the @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} way:
24449
24450 @itemize @bullet
24451 @item
24452 Works with static linking.
24453
24454 Scripts for libraries done the @file{-gdb.@var{ext}} way require an objfile to
24455 trigger their loading. When an application is statically linked the only
24456 objfile available is the executable, and it is cumbersome to attach all the
24457 scripts from all the input libraries to the executable's
24458 @file{-gdb.@var{ext}} script.
24459
24460 @item
24461 Works with classes that are entirely inlined.
24462
24463 Some classes can be entirely inlined, and thus there may not be an associated
24464 shared library to attach a @file{-gdb.@var{ext}} script to.
24465
24466 @item
24467 Scripts needn't be copied out of the source tree.
24468
24469 In some circumstances, apps can be built out of large collections of internal
24470 libraries, and the build infrastructure necessary to install the
24471 @file{-gdb.@var{ext}} scripts in a place where @value{GDBN} can find them is
24472 cumbersome. It may be easier to specify the scripts in the
24473 @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} section as relative paths, and add a path to the
24474 top of the source tree to the source search path.
24475 @end itemize
24476
24477 @node Multiple Extension Languages
24478 @section Multiple Extension Languages
24479
24480 The Guile and Python extension languages do not share any state,
24481 and generally do not interfere with each other.
24482 There are some things to be aware of, however.
24483
24484 @subsection Python comes first
24485
24486 Python was @value{GDBN}'s first extension language, and to avoid breaking
24487 existing behaviour Python comes first. This is generally solved by the
24488 ``first one wins'' principle. @value{GDBN} maintains a list of enabled
24489 extension languages, and when it makes a call to an extension language,
24490 (say to pretty-print a value), it tries each in turn until an extension
24491 language indicates it has performed the request (e.g., has returned the
24492 pretty-printed form of a value).
24493 This extends to errors while performing such requests: If an error happens
24494 while, for example, trying to pretty-print an object then the error is
24495 reported and any following extension languages are not tried.
24496
24497 @node Aliases
24498 @section Creating new spellings of existing commands
24499 @cindex aliases for commands
24500
24501 It is often useful to define alternate spellings of existing commands.
24502 For example, if a new @value{GDBN} command defined in Python has
24503 a long name to type, it is handy to have an abbreviated version of it
24504 that involves less typing.
24505
24506 @value{GDBN} itself uses aliases. For example @samp{s} is an alias
24507 of the @samp{step} command even though it is otherwise an ambiguous
24508 abbreviation of other commands like @samp{set} and @samp{show}.
24509
24510 Aliases are also used to provide shortened or more common versions
24511 of multi-word commands. For example, @value{GDBN} provides the
24512 @samp{tty} alias of the @samp{set inferior-tty} command.
24513
24514 You can define a new alias with the @samp{alias} command.
24515
24516 @table @code
24517
24518 @kindex alias
24519 @item alias [-a] [--] @var{ALIAS} = @var{COMMAND}
24520
24521 @end table
24522
24523 @var{ALIAS} specifies the name of the new alias.
24524 Each word of @var{ALIAS} must consist of letters, numbers, dashes and
24525 underscores.
24526
24527 @var{COMMAND} specifies the name of an existing command
24528 that is being aliased.
24529
24530 The @samp{-a} option specifies that the new alias is an abbreviation
24531 of the command. Abbreviations are not shown in command
24532 lists displayed by the @samp{help} command.
24533
24534 The @samp{--} option specifies the end of options,
24535 and is useful when @var{ALIAS} begins with a dash.
24536
24537 Here is a simple example showing how to make an abbreviation
24538 of a command so that there is less to type.
24539 Suppose you were tired of typing @samp{disas}, the current
24540 shortest unambiguous abbreviation of the @samp{disassemble} command
24541 and you wanted an even shorter version named @samp{di}.
24542 The following will accomplish this.
24543
24544 @smallexample
24545 (gdb) alias -a di = disas
24546 @end smallexample
24547
24548 Note that aliases are different from user-defined commands.
24549 With a user-defined command, you also need to write documentation
24550 for it with the @samp{document} command.
24551 An alias automatically picks up the documentation of the existing command.
24552
24553 Here is an example where we make @samp{elms} an abbreviation of
24554 @samp{elements} in the @samp{set print elements} command.
24555 This is to show that you can make an abbreviation of any part
24556 of a command.
24557
24558 @smallexample
24559 (gdb) alias -a set print elms = set print elements
24560 (gdb) alias -a show print elms = show print elements
24561 (gdb) set p elms 20
24562 (gdb) show p elms
24563 Limit on string chars or array elements to print is 200.
24564 @end smallexample
24565
24566 Note that if you are defining an alias of a @samp{set} command,
24567 and you want to have an alias for the corresponding @samp{show}
24568 command, then you need to define the latter separately.
24569
24570 Unambiguously abbreviated commands are allowed in @var{COMMAND} and
24571 @var{ALIAS}, just as they are normally.
24572
24573 @smallexample
24574 (gdb) alias -a set pr elms = set p ele
24575 @end smallexample
24576
24577 Finally, here is an example showing the creation of a one word
24578 alias for a more complex command.
24579 This creates alias @samp{spe} of the command @samp{set print elements}.
24580
24581 @smallexample
24582 (gdb) alias spe = set print elements
24583 (gdb) spe 20
24584 @end smallexample
24585
24586 @node Interpreters
24587 @chapter Command Interpreters
24588 @cindex command interpreters
24589
24590 @value{GDBN} supports multiple command interpreters, and some command
24591 infrastructure to allow users or user interface writers to switch
24592 between interpreters or run commands in other interpreters.
24593
24594 @value{GDBN} currently supports two command interpreters, the console
24595 interpreter (sometimes called the command-line interpreter or @sc{cli})
24596 and the machine interface interpreter (or @sc{gdb/mi}). This manual
24597 describes both of these interfaces in great detail.
24598
24599 By default, @value{GDBN} will start with the console interpreter.
24600 However, the user may choose to start @value{GDBN} with another
24601 interpreter by specifying the @option{-i} or @option{--interpreter}
24602 startup options. Defined interpreters include:
24603
24604 @table @code
24605 @item console
24606 @cindex console interpreter
24607 The traditional console or command-line interpreter. This is the most often
24608 used interpreter with @value{GDBN}. With no interpreter specified at runtime,
24609 @value{GDBN} will use this interpreter.
24610
24611 @item mi
24612 @cindex mi interpreter
24613 The newest @sc{gdb/mi} interface (currently @code{mi2}). Used primarily
24614 by programs wishing to use @value{GDBN} as a backend for a debugger GUI
24615 or an IDE. For more information, see @ref{GDB/MI, ,The @sc{gdb/mi}
24616 Interface}.
24617
24618 @item mi2
24619 @cindex mi2 interpreter
24620 The current @sc{gdb/mi} interface.
24621
24622 @item mi1
24623 @cindex mi1 interpreter
24624 The @sc{gdb/mi} interface included in @value{GDBN} 5.1, 5.2, and 5.3.
24625
24626 @end table
24627
24628 @cindex invoke another interpreter
24629 The interpreter being used by @value{GDBN} may not be dynamically
24630 switched at runtime. Although possible, this could lead to a very
24631 precarious situation. Consider an IDE using @sc{gdb/mi}. If a user
24632 enters the command "interpreter-set console" in a console view,
24633 @value{GDBN} would switch to using the console interpreter, rendering
24634 the IDE inoperable!
24635
24636 @kindex interpreter-exec
24637 Although you may only choose a single interpreter at startup, you may execute
24638 commands in any interpreter from the current interpreter using the appropriate
24639 command. If you are running the console interpreter, simply use the
24640 @code{interpreter-exec} command:
24641
24642 @smallexample
24643 interpreter-exec mi "-data-list-register-names"
24644 @end smallexample
24645
24646 @sc{gdb/mi} has a similar command, although it is only available in versions of
24647 @value{GDBN} which support @sc{gdb/mi} version 2 (or greater).
24648
24649 @node TUI
24650 @chapter @value{GDBN} Text User Interface
24651 @cindex TUI
24652 @cindex Text User Interface
24653
24654 @menu
24655 * TUI Overview:: TUI overview
24656 * TUI Keys:: TUI key bindings
24657 * TUI Single Key Mode:: TUI single key mode
24658 * TUI Commands:: TUI-specific commands
24659 * TUI Configuration:: TUI configuration variables
24660 @end menu
24661
24662 The @value{GDBN} Text User Interface (TUI) is a terminal
24663 interface which uses the @code{curses} library to show the source
24664 file, the assembly output, the program registers and @value{GDBN}
24665 commands in separate text windows. The TUI mode is supported only
24666 on platforms where a suitable version of the @code{curses} library
24667 is available.
24668
24669 The TUI mode is enabled by default when you invoke @value{GDBN} as
24670 @samp{@value{GDBP} -tui}.
24671 You can also switch in and out of TUI mode while @value{GDBN} runs by
24672 using various TUI commands and key bindings, such as @kbd{C-x C-a}.
24673 @xref{TUI Keys, ,TUI Key Bindings}.
24674
24675 @node TUI Overview
24676 @section TUI Overview
24677
24678 In TUI mode, @value{GDBN} can display several text windows:
24679
24680 @table @emph
24681 @item command
24682 This window is the @value{GDBN} command window with the @value{GDBN}
24683 prompt and the @value{GDBN} output. The @value{GDBN} input is still
24684 managed using readline.
24685
24686 @item source
24687 The source window shows the source file of the program. The current
24688 line and active breakpoints are displayed in this window.
24689
24690 @item assembly
24691 The assembly window shows the disassembly output of the program.
24692
24693 @item register
24694 This window shows the processor registers. Registers are highlighted
24695 when their values change.
24696 @end table
24697
24698 The source and assembly windows show the current program position
24699 by highlighting the current line and marking it with a @samp{>} marker.
24700 Breakpoints are indicated with two markers. The first marker
24701 indicates the breakpoint type:
24702
24703 @table @code
24704 @item B
24705 Breakpoint which was hit at least once.
24706
24707 @item b
24708 Breakpoint which was never hit.
24709
24710 @item H
24711 Hardware breakpoint which was hit at least once.
24712
24713 @item h
24714 Hardware breakpoint which was never hit.
24715 @end table
24716
24717 The second marker indicates whether the breakpoint is enabled or not:
24718
24719 @table @code
24720 @item +
24721 Breakpoint is enabled.
24722
24723 @item -
24724 Breakpoint is disabled.
24725 @end table
24726
24727 The source, assembly and register windows are updated when the current
24728 thread changes, when the frame changes, or when the program counter
24729 changes.
24730
24731 These windows are not all visible at the same time. The command
24732 window is always visible. The others can be arranged in several
24733 layouts:
24734
24735 @itemize @bullet
24736 @item
24737 source only,
24738
24739 @item
24740 assembly only,
24741
24742 @item
24743 source and assembly,
24744
24745 @item
24746 source and registers, or
24747
24748 @item
24749 assembly and registers.
24750 @end itemize
24751
24752 A status line above the command window shows the following information:
24753
24754 @table @emph
24755 @item target
24756 Indicates the current @value{GDBN} target.
24757 (@pxref{Targets, ,Specifying a Debugging Target}).
24758
24759 @item process
24760 Gives the current process or thread number.
24761 When no process is being debugged, this field is set to @code{No process}.
24762
24763 @item function
24764 Gives the current function name for the selected frame.
24765 The name is demangled if demangling is turned on (@pxref{Print Settings}).
24766 When there is no symbol corresponding to the current program counter,
24767 the string @code{??} is displayed.
24768
24769 @item line
24770 Indicates the current line number for the selected frame.
24771 When the current line number is not known, the string @code{??} is displayed.
24772
24773 @item pc
24774 Indicates the current program counter address.
24775 @end table
24776
24777 @node TUI Keys
24778 @section TUI Key Bindings
24779 @cindex TUI key bindings
24780
24781 The TUI installs several key bindings in the readline keymaps
24782 @ifset SYSTEM_READLINE
24783 (@pxref{Command Line Editing, , , rluserman, GNU Readline Library}).
24784 @end ifset
24785 @ifclear SYSTEM_READLINE
24786 (@pxref{Command Line Editing}).
24787 @end ifclear
24788 The following key bindings are installed for both TUI mode and the
24789 @value{GDBN} standard mode.
24790
24791 @table @kbd
24792 @kindex C-x C-a
24793 @item C-x C-a
24794 @kindex C-x a
24795 @itemx C-x a
24796 @kindex C-x A
24797 @itemx C-x A
24798 Enter or leave the TUI mode. When leaving the TUI mode,
24799 the curses window management stops and @value{GDBN} operates using
24800 its standard mode, writing on the terminal directly. When reentering
24801 the TUI mode, control is given back to the curses windows.
24802 The screen is then refreshed.
24803
24804 @kindex C-x 1
24805 @item C-x 1
24806 Use a TUI layout with only one window. The layout will
24807 either be @samp{source} or @samp{assembly}. When the TUI mode
24808 is not active, it will switch to the TUI mode.
24809
24810 Think of this key binding as the Emacs @kbd{C-x 1} binding.
24811
24812 @kindex C-x 2
24813 @item C-x 2
24814 Use a TUI layout with at least two windows. When the current
24815 layout already has two windows, the next layout with two windows is used.
24816 When a new layout is chosen, one window will always be common to the
24817 previous layout and the new one.
24818
24819 Think of it as the Emacs @kbd{C-x 2} binding.
24820
24821 @kindex C-x o
24822 @item C-x o
24823 Change the active window. The TUI associates several key bindings
24824 (like scrolling and arrow keys) with the active window. This command
24825 gives the focus to the next TUI window.
24826
24827 Think of it as the Emacs @kbd{C-x o} binding.
24828
24829 @kindex C-x s
24830 @item C-x s
24831 Switch in and out of the TUI SingleKey mode that binds single
24832 keys to @value{GDBN} commands (@pxref{TUI Single Key Mode}).
24833 @end table
24834
24835 The following key bindings only work in the TUI mode:
24836
24837 @table @asis
24838 @kindex PgUp
24839 @item @key{PgUp}
24840 Scroll the active window one page up.
24841
24842 @kindex PgDn
24843 @item @key{PgDn}
24844 Scroll the active window one page down.
24845
24846 @kindex Up
24847 @item @key{Up}
24848 Scroll the active window one line up.
24849
24850 @kindex Down
24851 @item @key{Down}
24852 Scroll the active window one line down.
24853
24854 @kindex Left
24855 @item @key{Left}
24856 Scroll the active window one column left.
24857
24858 @kindex Right
24859 @item @key{Right}
24860 Scroll the active window one column right.
24861
24862 @kindex C-L
24863 @item @kbd{C-L}
24864 Refresh the screen.
24865 @end table
24866
24867 Because the arrow keys scroll the active window in the TUI mode, they
24868 are not available for their normal use by readline unless the command
24869 window has the focus. When another window is active, you must use
24870 other readline key bindings such as @kbd{C-p}, @kbd{C-n}, @kbd{C-b}
24871 and @kbd{C-f} to control the command window.
24872
24873 @node TUI Single Key Mode
24874 @section TUI Single Key Mode
24875 @cindex TUI single key mode
24876
24877 The TUI also provides a @dfn{SingleKey} mode, which binds several
24878 frequently used @value{GDBN} commands to single keys. Type @kbd{C-x s} to
24879 switch into this mode, where the following key bindings are used:
24880
24881 @table @kbd
24882 @kindex c @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
24883 @item c
24884 continue
24885
24886 @kindex d @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
24887 @item d
24888 down
24889
24890 @kindex f @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
24891 @item f
24892 finish
24893
24894 @kindex n @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
24895 @item n
24896 next
24897
24898 @kindex q @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
24899 @item q
24900 exit the SingleKey mode.
24901
24902 @kindex r @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
24903 @item r
24904 run
24905
24906 @kindex s @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
24907 @item s
24908 step
24909
24910 @kindex u @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
24911 @item u
24912 up
24913
24914 @kindex v @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
24915 @item v
24916 info locals
24917
24918 @kindex w @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
24919 @item w
24920 where
24921 @end table
24922
24923 Other keys temporarily switch to the @value{GDBN} command prompt.
24924 The key that was pressed is inserted in the editing buffer so that
24925 it is possible to type most @value{GDBN} commands without interaction
24926 with the TUI SingleKey mode. Once the command is entered the TUI
24927 SingleKey mode is restored. The only way to permanently leave
24928 this mode is by typing @kbd{q} or @kbd{C-x s}.
24929
24930
24931 @node TUI Commands
24932 @section TUI-specific Commands
24933 @cindex TUI commands
24934
24935 The TUI has specific commands to control the text windows.
24936 These commands are always available, even when @value{GDBN} is not in
24937 the TUI mode. When @value{GDBN} is in the standard mode, most
24938 of these commands will automatically switch to the TUI mode.
24939
24940 Note that if @value{GDBN}'s @code{stdout} is not connected to a
24941 terminal, or @value{GDBN} has been started with the machine interface
24942 interpreter (@pxref{GDB/MI, ,The @sc{gdb/mi} Interface}), most of
24943 these commands will fail with an error, because it would not be
24944 possible or desirable to enable curses window management.
24945
24946 @table @code
24947 @item info win
24948 @kindex info win
24949 List and give the size of all displayed windows.
24950
24951 @item layout next
24952 @kindex layout
24953 Display the next layout.
24954
24955 @item layout prev
24956 Display the previous layout.
24957
24958 @item layout src
24959 Display the source window only.
24960
24961 @item layout asm
24962 Display the assembly window only.
24963
24964 @item layout split
24965 Display the source and assembly window.
24966
24967 @item layout regs
24968 Display the register window together with the source or assembly window.
24969
24970 @item focus next
24971 @kindex focus
24972 Make the next window active for scrolling.
24973
24974 @item focus prev
24975 Make the previous window active for scrolling.
24976
24977 @item focus src
24978 Make the source window active for scrolling.
24979
24980 @item focus asm
24981 Make the assembly window active for scrolling.
24982
24983 @item focus regs
24984 Make the register window active for scrolling.
24985
24986 @item focus cmd
24987 Make the command window active for scrolling.
24988
24989 @item refresh
24990 @kindex refresh
24991 Refresh the screen. This is similar to typing @kbd{C-L}.
24992
24993 @item tui reg float
24994 @kindex tui reg
24995 Show the floating point registers in the register window.
24996
24997 @item tui reg general
24998 Show the general registers in the register window.
24999
25000 @item tui reg next
25001 Show the next register group. The list of register groups as well as
25002 their order is target specific. The predefined register groups are the
25003 following: @code{general}, @code{float}, @code{system}, @code{vector},
25004 @code{all}, @code{save}, @code{restore}.
25005
25006 @item tui reg system
25007 Show the system registers in the register window.
25008
25009 @item update
25010 @kindex update
25011 Update the source window and the current execution point.
25012
25013 @item winheight @var{name} +@var{count}
25014 @itemx winheight @var{name} -@var{count}
25015 @kindex winheight
25016 Change the height of the window @var{name} by @var{count}
25017 lines. Positive counts increase the height, while negative counts
25018 decrease it. The @var{name} parameter can be one of @code{src} (the
25019 source window), @code{cmd} (the command window), @code{asm} (the
25020 disassembly window), or @code{regs} (the register display window).
25021
25022 @item tabset @var{nchars}
25023 @kindex tabset
25024 Set the width of tab stops to be @var{nchars} characters. This
25025 setting affects the display of TAB characters in the source and
25026 assembly windows.
25027 @end table
25028
25029 @node TUI Configuration
25030 @section TUI Configuration Variables
25031 @cindex TUI configuration variables
25032
25033 Several configuration variables control the appearance of TUI windows.
25034
25035 @table @code
25036 @item set tui border-kind @var{kind}
25037 @kindex set tui border-kind
25038 Select the border appearance for the source, assembly and register windows.
25039 The possible values are the following:
25040 @table @code
25041 @item space
25042 Use a space character to draw the border.
25043
25044 @item ascii
25045 Use @sc{ascii} characters @samp{+}, @samp{-} and @samp{|} to draw the border.
25046
25047 @item acs
25048 Use the Alternate Character Set to draw the border. The border is
25049 drawn using character line graphics if the terminal supports them.
25050 @end table
25051
25052 @item set tui border-mode @var{mode}
25053 @kindex set tui border-mode
25054 @itemx set tui active-border-mode @var{mode}
25055 @kindex set tui active-border-mode
25056 Select the display attributes for the borders of the inactive windows
25057 or the active window. The @var{mode} can be one of the following:
25058 @table @code
25059 @item normal
25060 Use normal attributes to display the border.
25061
25062 @item standout
25063 Use standout mode.
25064
25065 @item reverse
25066 Use reverse video mode.
25067
25068 @item half
25069 Use half bright mode.
25070
25071 @item half-standout
25072 Use half bright and standout mode.
25073
25074 @item bold
25075 Use extra bright or bold mode.
25076
25077 @item bold-standout
25078 Use extra bright or bold and standout mode.
25079 @end table
25080 @end table
25081
25082 @node Emacs
25083 @chapter Using @value{GDBN} under @sc{gnu} Emacs
25084
25085 @cindex Emacs
25086 @cindex @sc{gnu} Emacs
25087 A special interface allows you to use @sc{gnu} Emacs to view (and
25088 edit) the source files for the program you are debugging with
25089 @value{GDBN}.
25090
25091 To use this interface, use the command @kbd{M-x gdb} in Emacs. Give the
25092 executable file you want to debug as an argument. This command starts
25093 @value{GDBN} as a subprocess of Emacs, with input and output through a newly
25094 created Emacs buffer.
25095 @c (Do not use the @code{-tui} option to run @value{GDBN} from Emacs.)
25096
25097 Running @value{GDBN} under Emacs can be just like running @value{GDBN} normally except for two
25098 things:
25099
25100 @itemize @bullet
25101 @item
25102 All ``terminal'' input and output goes through an Emacs buffer, called
25103 the GUD buffer.
25104
25105 This applies both to @value{GDBN} commands and their output, and to the input
25106 and output done by the program you are debugging.
25107
25108 This is useful because it means that you can copy the text of previous
25109 commands and input them again; you can even use parts of the output
25110 in this way.
25111
25112 All the facilities of Emacs' Shell mode are available for interacting
25113 with your program. In particular, you can send signals the usual
25114 way---for example, @kbd{C-c C-c} for an interrupt, @kbd{C-c C-z} for a
25115 stop.
25116
25117 @item
25118 @value{GDBN} displays source code through Emacs.
25119
25120 Each time @value{GDBN} displays a stack frame, Emacs automatically finds the
25121 source file for that frame and puts an arrow (@samp{=>}) at the
25122 left margin of the current line. Emacs uses a separate buffer for
25123 source display, and splits the screen to show both your @value{GDBN} session
25124 and the source.
25125
25126 Explicit @value{GDBN} @code{list} or search commands still produce output as
25127 usual, but you probably have no reason to use them from Emacs.
25128 @end itemize
25129
25130 We call this @dfn{text command mode}. Emacs 22.1, and later, also uses
25131 a graphical mode, enabled by default, which provides further buffers
25132 that can control the execution and describe the state of your program.
25133 @xref{GDB Graphical Interface,,, Emacs, The @sc{gnu} Emacs Manual}.
25134
25135 If you specify an absolute file name when prompted for the @kbd{M-x
25136 gdb} argument, then Emacs sets your current working directory to where
25137 your program resides. If you only specify the file name, then Emacs
25138 sets your current working directory to the directory associated
25139 with the previous buffer. In this case, @value{GDBN} may find your
25140 program by searching your environment's @code{PATH} variable, but on
25141 some operating systems it might not find the source. So, although the
25142 @value{GDBN} input and output session proceeds normally, the auxiliary
25143 buffer does not display the current source and line of execution.
25144
25145 The initial working directory of @value{GDBN} is printed on the top
25146 line of the GUD buffer and this serves as a default for the commands
25147 that specify files for @value{GDBN} to operate on. @xref{Files,
25148 ,Commands to Specify Files}.
25149
25150 By default, @kbd{M-x gdb} calls the program called @file{gdb}. If you
25151 need to call @value{GDBN} by a different name (for example, if you
25152 keep several configurations around, with different names) you can
25153 customize the Emacs variable @code{gud-gdb-command-name} to run the
25154 one you want.
25155
25156 In the GUD buffer, you can use these special Emacs commands in
25157 addition to the standard Shell mode commands:
25158
25159 @table @kbd
25160 @item C-h m
25161 Describe the features of Emacs' GUD Mode.
25162
25163 @item C-c C-s
25164 Execute to another source line, like the @value{GDBN} @code{step} command; also
25165 update the display window to show the current file and location.
25166
25167 @item C-c C-n
25168 Execute to next source line in this function, skipping all function
25169 calls, like the @value{GDBN} @code{next} command. Then update the display window
25170 to show the current file and location.
25171
25172 @item C-c C-i
25173 Execute one instruction, like the @value{GDBN} @code{stepi} command; update
25174 display window accordingly.
25175
25176 @item C-c C-f
25177 Execute until exit from the selected stack frame, like the @value{GDBN}
25178 @code{finish} command.
25179
25180 @item C-c C-r
25181 Continue execution of your program, like the @value{GDBN} @code{continue}
25182 command.
25183
25184 @item C-c <
25185 Go up the number of frames indicated by the numeric argument
25186 (@pxref{Arguments, , Numeric Arguments, Emacs, The @sc{gnu} Emacs Manual}),
25187 like the @value{GDBN} @code{up} command.
25188
25189 @item C-c >
25190 Go down the number of frames indicated by the numeric argument, like the
25191 @value{GDBN} @code{down} command.
25192 @end table
25193
25194 In any source file, the Emacs command @kbd{C-x @key{SPC}} (@code{gud-break})
25195 tells @value{GDBN} to set a breakpoint on the source line point is on.
25196
25197 In text command mode, if you type @kbd{M-x speedbar}, Emacs displays a
25198 separate frame which shows a backtrace when the GUD buffer is current.
25199 Move point to any frame in the stack and type @key{RET} to make it
25200 become the current frame and display the associated source in the
25201 source buffer. Alternatively, click @kbd{Mouse-2} to make the
25202 selected frame become the current one. In graphical mode, the
25203 speedbar displays watch expressions.
25204
25205 If you accidentally delete the source-display buffer, an easy way to get
25206 it back is to type the command @code{f} in the @value{GDBN} buffer, to
25207 request a frame display; when you run under Emacs, this recreates
25208 the source buffer if necessary to show you the context of the current
25209 frame.
25210
25211 The source files displayed in Emacs are in ordinary Emacs buffers
25212 which are visiting the source files in the usual way. You can edit
25213 the files with these buffers if you wish; but keep in mind that @value{GDBN}
25214 communicates with Emacs in terms of line numbers. If you add or
25215 delete lines from the text, the line numbers that @value{GDBN} knows cease
25216 to correspond properly with the code.
25217
25218 A more detailed description of Emacs' interaction with @value{GDBN} is
25219 given in the Emacs manual (@pxref{Debuggers,,, Emacs, The @sc{gnu}
25220 Emacs Manual}).
25221
25222 @node GDB/MI
25223 @chapter The @sc{gdb/mi} Interface
25224
25225 @unnumberedsec Function and Purpose
25226
25227 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, its purpose
25228 @sc{gdb/mi} is a line based machine oriented text interface to
25229 @value{GDBN} and is activated by specifying using the
25230 @option{--interpreter} command line option (@pxref{Mode Options}). It
25231 is specifically intended to support the development of systems which
25232 use the debugger as just one small component of a larger system.
25233
25234 This chapter is a specification of the @sc{gdb/mi} interface. It is written
25235 in the form of a reference manual.
25236
25237 Note that @sc{gdb/mi} is still under construction, so some of the
25238 features described below are incomplete and subject to change
25239 (@pxref{GDB/MI Development and Front Ends, , @sc{gdb/mi} Development and Front Ends}).
25240
25241 @unnumberedsec Notation and Terminology
25242
25243 @cindex notational conventions, for @sc{gdb/mi}
25244 This chapter uses the following notation:
25245
25246 @itemize @bullet
25247 @item
25248 @code{|} separates two alternatives.
25249
25250 @item
25251 @code{[ @var{something} ]} indicates that @var{something} is optional:
25252 it may or may not be given.
25253
25254 @item
25255 @code{( @var{group} )*} means that @var{group} inside the parentheses
25256 may repeat zero or more times.
25257
25258 @item
25259 @code{( @var{group} )+} means that @var{group} inside the parentheses
25260 may repeat one or more times.
25261
25262 @item
25263 @code{"@var{string}"} means a literal @var{string}.
25264 @end itemize
25265
25266 @ignore
25267 @heading Dependencies
25268 @end ignore
25269
25270 @menu
25271 * GDB/MI General Design::
25272 * GDB/MI Command Syntax::
25273 * GDB/MI Compatibility with CLI::
25274 * GDB/MI Development and Front Ends::
25275 * GDB/MI Output Records::
25276 * GDB/MI Simple Examples::
25277 * GDB/MI Command Description Format::
25278 * GDB/MI Breakpoint Commands::
25279 * GDB/MI Catchpoint Commands::
25280 * GDB/MI Program Context::
25281 * GDB/MI Thread Commands::
25282 * GDB/MI Ada Tasking Commands::
25283 * GDB/MI Program Execution::
25284 * GDB/MI Stack Manipulation::
25285 * GDB/MI Variable Objects::
25286 * GDB/MI Data Manipulation::
25287 * GDB/MI Tracepoint Commands::
25288 * GDB/MI Symbol Query::
25289 * GDB/MI File Commands::
25290 @ignore
25291 * GDB/MI Kod Commands::
25292 * GDB/MI Memory Overlay Commands::
25293 * GDB/MI Signal Handling Commands::
25294 @end ignore
25295 * GDB/MI Target Manipulation::
25296 * GDB/MI File Transfer Commands::
25297 * GDB/MI Ada Exceptions Commands::
25298 * GDB/MI Support Commands::
25299 * GDB/MI Miscellaneous Commands::
25300 @end menu
25301
25302 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
25303 @node GDB/MI General Design
25304 @section @sc{gdb/mi} General Design
25305 @cindex GDB/MI General Design
25306
25307 Interaction of a @sc{GDB/MI} frontend with @value{GDBN} involves three
25308 parts---commands sent to @value{GDBN}, responses to those commands
25309 and notifications. Each command results in exactly one response,
25310 indicating either successful completion of the command, or an error.
25311 For the commands that do not resume the target, the response contains the
25312 requested information. For the commands that resume the target, the
25313 response only indicates whether the target was successfully resumed.
25314 Notifications is the mechanism for reporting changes in the state of the
25315 target, or in @value{GDBN} state, that cannot conveniently be associated with
25316 a command and reported as part of that command response.
25317
25318 The important examples of notifications are:
25319 @itemize @bullet
25320
25321 @item
25322 Exec notifications. These are used to report changes in
25323 target state---when a target is resumed, or stopped. It would not
25324 be feasible to include this information in response of resuming
25325 commands, because one resume commands can result in multiple events in
25326 different threads. Also, quite some time may pass before any event
25327 happens in the target, while a frontend needs to know whether the resuming
25328 command itself was successfully executed.
25329
25330 @item
25331 Console output, and status notifications. Console output
25332 notifications are used to report output of CLI commands, as well as
25333 diagnostics for other commands. Status notifications are used to
25334 report the progress of a long-running operation. Naturally, including
25335 this information in command response would mean no output is produced
25336 until the command is finished, which is undesirable.
25337
25338 @item
25339 General notifications. Commands may have various side effects on
25340 the @value{GDBN} or target state beyond their official purpose. For example,
25341 a command may change the selected thread. Although such changes can
25342 be included in command response, using notification allows for more
25343 orthogonal frontend design.
25344
25345 @end itemize
25346
25347 There's no guarantee that whenever an MI command reports an error,
25348 @value{GDBN} or the target are in any specific state, and especially,
25349 the state is not reverted to the state before the MI command was
25350 processed. Therefore, whenever an MI command results in an error,
25351 we recommend that the frontend refreshes all the information shown in
25352 the user interface.
25353
25354
25355 @menu
25356 * Context management::
25357 * Asynchronous and non-stop modes::
25358 * Thread groups::
25359 @end menu
25360
25361 @node Context management
25362 @subsection Context management
25363
25364 @subsubsection Threads and Frames
25365
25366 In most cases when @value{GDBN} accesses the target, this access is
25367 done in context of a specific thread and frame (@pxref{Frames}).
25368 Often, even when accessing global data, the target requires that a thread
25369 be specified. The CLI interface maintains the selected thread and frame,
25370 and supplies them to target on each command. This is convenient,
25371 because a command line user would not want to specify that information
25372 explicitly on each command, and because user interacts with
25373 @value{GDBN} via a single terminal, so no confusion is possible as
25374 to what thread and frame are the current ones.
25375
25376 In the case of MI, the concept of selected thread and frame is less
25377 useful. First, a frontend can easily remember this information
25378 itself. Second, a graphical frontend can have more than one window,
25379 each one used for debugging a different thread, and the frontend might
25380 want to access additional threads for internal purposes. This
25381 increases the risk that by relying on implicitly selected thread, the
25382 frontend may be operating on a wrong one. Therefore, each MI command
25383 should explicitly specify which thread and frame to operate on. To
25384 make it possible, each MI command accepts the @samp{--thread} and
25385 @samp{--frame} options, the value to each is @value{GDBN} identifier
25386 for thread and frame to operate on.
25387
25388 Usually, each top-level window in a frontend allows the user to select
25389 a thread and a frame, and remembers the user selection for further
25390 operations. However, in some cases @value{GDBN} may suggest that the
25391 current thread be changed. For example, when stopping on a breakpoint
25392 it is reasonable to switch to the thread where breakpoint is hit. For
25393 another example, if the user issues the CLI @samp{thread} command via
25394 the frontend, it is desirable to change the frontend's selected thread to the
25395 one specified by user. @value{GDBN} communicates the suggestion to
25396 change current thread using the @samp{=thread-selected} notification.
25397 No such notification is available for the selected frame at the moment.
25398
25399 Note that historically, MI shares the selected thread with CLI, so
25400 frontends used the @code{-thread-select} to execute commands in the
25401 right context. However, getting this to work right is cumbersome. The
25402 simplest way is for frontend to emit @code{-thread-select} command
25403 before every command. This doubles the number of commands that need
25404 to be sent. The alternative approach is to suppress @code{-thread-select}
25405 if the selected thread in @value{GDBN} is supposed to be identical to the
25406 thread the frontend wants to operate on. However, getting this
25407 optimization right can be tricky. In particular, if the frontend
25408 sends several commands to @value{GDBN}, and one of the commands changes the
25409 selected thread, then the behaviour of subsequent commands will
25410 change. So, a frontend should either wait for response from such
25411 problematic commands, or explicitly add @code{-thread-select} for
25412 all subsequent commands. No frontend is known to do this exactly
25413 right, so it is suggested to just always pass the @samp{--thread} and
25414 @samp{--frame} options.
25415
25416 @subsubsection Language
25417
25418 The execution of several commands depends on which language is selected.
25419 By default, the current language (@pxref{show language}) is used.
25420 But for commands known to be language-sensitive, it is recommended
25421 to use the @samp{--language} option. This option takes one argument,
25422 which is the name of the language to use while executing the command.
25423 For instance:
25424
25425 @smallexample
25426 -data-evaluate-expression --language c "sizeof (void*)"
25427 ^done,value="4"
25428 (gdb)
25429 @end smallexample
25430
25431 The valid language names are the same names accepted by the
25432 @samp{set language} command (@pxref{Manually}), excluding @samp{auto},
25433 @samp{local} or @samp{unknown}.
25434
25435 @node Asynchronous and non-stop modes
25436 @subsection Asynchronous command execution and non-stop mode
25437
25438 On some targets, @value{GDBN} is capable of processing MI commands
25439 even while the target is running. This is called @dfn{asynchronous
25440 command execution} (@pxref{Background Execution}). The frontend may
25441 specify a preferrence for asynchronous execution using the
25442 @code{-gdb-set mi-async 1} command, which should be emitted before
25443 either running the executable or attaching to the target. After the
25444 frontend has started the executable or attached to the target, it can
25445 find if asynchronous execution is enabled using the
25446 @code{-list-target-features} command.
25447
25448 @table @code
25449 @item -gdb-set mi-async on
25450 @item -gdb-set mi-async off
25451 Set whether MI is in asynchronous mode.
25452
25453 When @code{off}, which is the default, MI execution commands (e.g.,
25454 @code{-exec-continue}) are foreground commands, and @value{GDBN} waits
25455 for the program to stop before processing further commands.
25456
25457 When @code{on}, MI execution commands are background execution
25458 commands (e.g., @code{-exec-continue} becomes the equivalent of the
25459 @code{c&} CLI command), and so @value{GDBN} is capable of processing
25460 MI commands even while the target is running.
25461
25462 @item -gdb-show mi-async
25463 Show whether MI asynchronous mode is enabled.
25464 @end table
25465
25466 Note: In @value{GDBN} version 7.7 and earlier, this option was called
25467 @code{target-async} instead of @code{mi-async}, and it had the effect
25468 of both putting MI in asynchronous mode and making CLI background
25469 commands possible. CLI background commands are now always possible
25470 ``out of the box'' if the target supports them. The old spelling is
25471 kept as a deprecated alias for backwards compatibility.
25472
25473 Even if @value{GDBN} can accept a command while target is running,
25474 many commands that access the target do not work when the target is
25475 running. Therefore, asynchronous command execution is most useful
25476 when combined with non-stop mode (@pxref{Non-Stop Mode}). Then,
25477 it is possible to examine the state of one thread, while other threads
25478 are running.
25479
25480 When a given thread is running, MI commands that try to access the
25481 target in the context of that thread may not work, or may work only on
25482 some targets. In particular, commands that try to operate on thread's
25483 stack will not work, on any target. Commands that read memory, or
25484 modify breakpoints, may work or not work, depending on the target. Note
25485 that even commands that operate on global state, such as @code{print},
25486 @code{set}, and breakpoint commands, still access the target in the
25487 context of a specific thread, so frontend should try to find a
25488 stopped thread and perform the operation on that thread (using the
25489 @samp{--thread} option).
25490
25491 Which commands will work in the context of a running thread is
25492 highly target dependent. However, the two commands
25493 @code{-exec-interrupt}, to stop a thread, and @code{-thread-info},
25494 to find the state of a thread, will always work.
25495
25496 @node Thread groups
25497 @subsection Thread groups
25498 @value{GDBN} may be used to debug several processes at the same time.
25499 On some platfroms, @value{GDBN} may support debugging of several
25500 hardware systems, each one having several cores with several different
25501 processes running on each core. This section describes the MI
25502 mechanism to support such debugging scenarios.
25503
25504 The key observation is that regardless of the structure of the
25505 target, MI can have a global list of threads, because most commands that
25506 accept the @samp{--thread} option do not need to know what process that
25507 thread belongs to. Therefore, it is not necessary to introduce
25508 neither additional @samp{--process} option, nor an notion of the
25509 current process in the MI interface. The only strictly new feature
25510 that is required is the ability to find how the threads are grouped
25511 into processes.
25512
25513 To allow the user to discover such grouping, and to support arbitrary
25514 hierarchy of machines/cores/processes, MI introduces the concept of a
25515 @dfn{thread group}. Thread group is a collection of threads and other
25516 thread groups. A thread group always has a string identifier, a type,
25517 and may have additional attributes specific to the type. A new
25518 command, @code{-list-thread-groups}, returns the list of top-level
25519 thread groups, which correspond to processes that @value{GDBN} is
25520 debugging at the moment. By passing an identifier of a thread group
25521 to the @code{-list-thread-groups} command, it is possible to obtain
25522 the members of specific thread group.
25523
25524 To allow the user to easily discover processes, and other objects, he
25525 wishes to debug, a concept of @dfn{available thread group} is
25526 introduced. Available thread group is an thread group that
25527 @value{GDBN} is not debugging, but that can be attached to, using the
25528 @code{-target-attach} command. The list of available top-level thread
25529 groups can be obtained using @samp{-list-thread-groups --available}.
25530 In general, the content of a thread group may be only retrieved only
25531 after attaching to that thread group.
25532
25533 Thread groups are related to inferiors (@pxref{Inferiors and
25534 Programs}). Each inferior corresponds to a thread group of a special
25535 type @samp{process}, and some additional operations are permitted on
25536 such thread groups.
25537
25538 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
25539 @node GDB/MI Command Syntax
25540 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Command Syntax
25541
25542 @menu
25543 * GDB/MI Input Syntax::
25544 * GDB/MI Output Syntax::
25545 @end menu
25546
25547 @node GDB/MI Input Syntax
25548 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Input Syntax
25549
25550 @cindex input syntax for @sc{gdb/mi}
25551 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, input syntax
25552 @table @code
25553 @item @var{command} @expansion{}
25554 @code{@var{cli-command} | @var{mi-command}}
25555
25556 @item @var{cli-command} @expansion{}
25557 @code{[ @var{token} ] @var{cli-command} @var{nl}}, where
25558 @var{cli-command} is any existing @value{GDBN} CLI command.
25559
25560 @item @var{mi-command} @expansion{}
25561 @code{[ @var{token} ] "-" @var{operation} ( " " @var{option} )*
25562 @code{[} " --" @code{]} ( " " @var{parameter} )* @var{nl}}
25563
25564 @item @var{token} @expansion{}
25565 "any sequence of digits"
25566
25567 @item @var{option} @expansion{}
25568 @code{"-" @var{parameter} [ " " @var{parameter} ]}
25569
25570 @item @var{parameter} @expansion{}
25571 @code{@var{non-blank-sequence} | @var{c-string}}
25572
25573 @item @var{operation} @expansion{}
25574 @emph{any of the operations described in this chapter}
25575
25576 @item @var{non-blank-sequence} @expansion{}
25577 @emph{anything, provided it doesn't contain special characters such as
25578 "-", @var{nl}, """ and of course " "}
25579
25580 @item @var{c-string} @expansion{}
25581 @code{""" @var{seven-bit-iso-c-string-content} """}
25582
25583 @item @var{nl} @expansion{}
25584 @code{CR | CR-LF}
25585 @end table
25586
25587 @noindent
25588 Notes:
25589
25590 @itemize @bullet
25591 @item
25592 The CLI commands are still handled by the @sc{mi} interpreter; their
25593 output is described below.
25594
25595 @item
25596 The @code{@var{token}}, when present, is passed back when the command
25597 finishes.
25598
25599 @item
25600 Some @sc{mi} commands accept optional arguments as part of the parameter
25601 list. Each option is identified by a leading @samp{-} (dash) and may be
25602 followed by an optional argument parameter. Options occur first in the
25603 parameter list and can be delimited from normal parameters using
25604 @samp{--} (this is useful when some parameters begin with a dash).
25605 @end itemize
25606
25607 Pragmatics:
25608
25609 @itemize @bullet
25610 @item
25611 We want easy access to the existing CLI syntax (for debugging).
25612
25613 @item
25614 We want it to be easy to spot a @sc{mi} operation.
25615 @end itemize
25616
25617 @node GDB/MI Output Syntax
25618 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Output Syntax
25619
25620 @cindex output syntax of @sc{gdb/mi}
25621 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, output syntax
25622 The output from @sc{gdb/mi} consists of zero or more out-of-band records
25623 followed, optionally, by a single result record. This result record
25624 is for the most recent command. The sequence of output records is
25625 terminated by @samp{(gdb)}.
25626
25627 If an input command was prefixed with a @code{@var{token}} then the
25628 corresponding output for that command will also be prefixed by that same
25629 @var{token}.
25630
25631 @table @code
25632 @item @var{output} @expansion{}
25633 @code{( @var{out-of-band-record} )* [ @var{result-record} ] "(gdb)" @var{nl}}
25634
25635 @item @var{result-record} @expansion{}
25636 @code{ [ @var{token} ] "^" @var{result-class} ( "," @var{result} )* @var{nl}}
25637
25638 @item @var{out-of-band-record} @expansion{}
25639 @code{@var{async-record} | @var{stream-record}}
25640
25641 @item @var{async-record} @expansion{}
25642 @code{@var{exec-async-output} | @var{status-async-output} | @var{notify-async-output}}
25643
25644 @item @var{exec-async-output} @expansion{}
25645 @code{[ @var{token} ] "*" @var{async-output nl}}
25646
25647 @item @var{status-async-output} @expansion{}
25648 @code{[ @var{token} ] "+" @var{async-output nl}}
25649
25650 @item @var{notify-async-output} @expansion{}
25651 @code{[ @var{token} ] "=" @var{async-output nl}}
25652
25653 @item @var{async-output} @expansion{}
25654 @code{@var{async-class} ( "," @var{result} )*}
25655
25656 @item @var{result-class} @expansion{}
25657 @code{"done" | "running" | "connected" | "error" | "exit"}
25658
25659 @item @var{async-class} @expansion{}
25660 @code{"stopped" | @var{others}} (where @var{others} will be added
25661 depending on the needs---this is still in development).
25662
25663 @item @var{result} @expansion{}
25664 @code{ @var{variable} "=" @var{value}}
25665
25666 @item @var{variable} @expansion{}
25667 @code{ @var{string} }
25668
25669 @item @var{value} @expansion{}
25670 @code{ @var{const} | @var{tuple} | @var{list} }
25671
25672 @item @var{const} @expansion{}
25673 @code{@var{c-string}}
25674
25675 @item @var{tuple} @expansion{}
25676 @code{ "@{@}" | "@{" @var{result} ( "," @var{result} )* "@}" }
25677
25678 @item @var{list} @expansion{}
25679 @code{ "[]" | "[" @var{value} ( "," @var{value} )* "]" | "["
25680 @var{result} ( "," @var{result} )* "]" }
25681
25682 @item @var{stream-record} @expansion{}
25683 @code{@var{console-stream-output} | @var{target-stream-output} | @var{log-stream-output}}
25684
25685 @item @var{console-stream-output} @expansion{}
25686 @code{"~" @var{c-string nl}}
25687
25688 @item @var{target-stream-output} @expansion{}
25689 @code{"@@" @var{c-string nl}}
25690
25691 @item @var{log-stream-output} @expansion{}
25692 @code{"&" @var{c-string nl}}
25693
25694 @item @var{nl} @expansion{}
25695 @code{CR | CR-LF}
25696
25697 @item @var{token} @expansion{}
25698 @emph{any sequence of digits}.
25699 @end table
25700
25701 @noindent
25702 Notes:
25703
25704 @itemize @bullet
25705 @item
25706 All output sequences end in a single line containing a period.
25707
25708 @item
25709 The @code{@var{token}} is from the corresponding request. Note that
25710 for all async output, while the token is allowed by the grammar and
25711 may be output by future versions of @value{GDBN} for select async
25712 output messages, it is generally omitted. Frontends should treat
25713 all async output as reporting general changes in the state of the
25714 target and there should be no need to associate async output to any
25715 prior command.
25716
25717 @item
25718 @cindex status output in @sc{gdb/mi}
25719 @var{status-async-output} contains on-going status information about the
25720 progress of a slow operation. It can be discarded. All status output is
25721 prefixed by @samp{+}.
25722
25723 @item
25724 @cindex async output in @sc{gdb/mi}
25725 @var{exec-async-output} contains asynchronous state change on the target
25726 (stopped, started, disappeared). All async output is prefixed by
25727 @samp{*}.
25728
25729 @item
25730 @cindex notify output in @sc{gdb/mi}
25731 @var{notify-async-output} contains supplementary information that the
25732 client should handle (e.g., a new breakpoint information). All notify
25733 output is prefixed by @samp{=}.
25734
25735 @item
25736 @cindex console output in @sc{gdb/mi}
25737 @var{console-stream-output} is output that should be displayed as is in the
25738 console. It is the textual response to a CLI command. All the console
25739 output is prefixed by @samp{~}.
25740
25741 @item
25742 @cindex target output in @sc{gdb/mi}
25743 @var{target-stream-output} is the output produced by the target program.
25744 All the target output is prefixed by @samp{@@}.
25745
25746 @item
25747 @cindex log output in @sc{gdb/mi}
25748 @var{log-stream-output} is output text coming from @value{GDBN}'s internals, for
25749 instance messages that should be displayed as part of an error log. All
25750 the log output is prefixed by @samp{&}.
25751
25752 @item
25753 @cindex list output in @sc{gdb/mi}
25754 New @sc{gdb/mi} commands should only output @var{lists} containing
25755 @var{values}.
25756
25757
25758 @end itemize
25759
25760 @xref{GDB/MI Stream Records, , @sc{gdb/mi} Stream Records}, for more
25761 details about the various output records.
25762
25763 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
25764 @node GDB/MI Compatibility with CLI
25765 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Compatibility with CLI
25766
25767 @cindex compatibility, @sc{gdb/mi} and CLI
25768 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, compatibility with CLI
25769
25770 For the developers convenience CLI commands can be entered directly,
25771 but there may be some unexpected behaviour. For example, commands
25772 that query the user will behave as if the user replied yes, breakpoint
25773 command lists are not executed and some CLI commands, such as
25774 @code{if}, @code{when} and @code{define}, prompt for further input with
25775 @samp{>}, which is not valid MI output.
25776
25777 This feature may be removed at some stage in the future and it is
25778 recommended that front ends use the @code{-interpreter-exec} command
25779 (@pxref{-interpreter-exec}).
25780
25781 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
25782 @node GDB/MI Development and Front Ends
25783 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Development and Front Ends
25784 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi} development
25785
25786 The application which takes the MI output and presents the state of the
25787 program being debugged to the user is called a @dfn{front end}.
25788
25789 Although @sc{gdb/mi} is still incomplete, it is currently being used
25790 by a variety of front ends to @value{GDBN}. This makes it difficult
25791 to introduce new functionality without breaking existing usage. This
25792 section tries to minimize the problems by describing how the protocol
25793 might change.
25794
25795 Some changes in MI need not break a carefully designed front end, and
25796 for these the MI version will remain unchanged. The following is a
25797 list of changes that may occur within one level, so front ends should
25798 parse MI output in a way that can handle them:
25799
25800 @itemize @bullet
25801 @item
25802 New MI commands may be added.
25803
25804 @item
25805 New fields may be added to the output of any MI command.
25806
25807 @item
25808 The range of values for fields with specified values, e.g.,
25809 @code{in_scope} (@pxref{-var-update}) may be extended.
25810
25811 @c The format of field's content e.g type prefix, may change so parse it
25812 @c at your own risk. Yes, in general?
25813
25814 @c The order of fields may change? Shouldn't really matter but it might
25815 @c resolve inconsistencies.
25816 @end itemize
25817
25818 If the changes are likely to break front ends, the MI version level
25819 will be increased by one. This will allow the front end to parse the
25820 output according to the MI version. Apart from mi0, new versions of
25821 @value{GDBN} will not support old versions of MI and it will be the
25822 responsibility of the front end to work with the new one.
25823
25824 @c Starting with mi3, add a new command -mi-version that prints the MI
25825 @c version?
25826
25827 The best way to avoid unexpected changes in MI that might break your front
25828 end is to make your project known to @value{GDBN} developers and
25829 follow development on @email{gdb@@sourceware.org} and
25830 @email{gdb-patches@@sourceware.org}.
25831 @cindex mailing lists
25832
25833 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
25834 @node GDB/MI Output Records
25835 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Output Records
25836
25837 @menu
25838 * GDB/MI Result Records::
25839 * GDB/MI Stream Records::
25840 * GDB/MI Async Records::
25841 * GDB/MI Breakpoint Information::
25842 * GDB/MI Frame Information::
25843 * GDB/MI Thread Information::
25844 * GDB/MI Ada Exception Information::
25845 @end menu
25846
25847 @node GDB/MI Result Records
25848 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Result Records
25849
25850 @cindex result records in @sc{gdb/mi}
25851 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, result records
25852 In addition to a number of out-of-band notifications, the response to a
25853 @sc{gdb/mi} command includes one of the following result indications:
25854
25855 @table @code
25856 @findex ^done
25857 @item "^done" [ "," @var{results} ]
25858 The synchronous operation was successful, @code{@var{results}} are the return
25859 values.
25860
25861 @item "^running"
25862 @findex ^running
25863 This result record is equivalent to @samp{^done}. Historically, it
25864 was output instead of @samp{^done} if the command has resumed the
25865 target. This behaviour is maintained for backward compatibility, but
25866 all frontends should treat @samp{^done} and @samp{^running}
25867 identically and rely on the @samp{*running} output record to determine
25868 which threads are resumed.
25869
25870 @item "^connected"
25871 @findex ^connected
25872 @value{GDBN} has connected to a remote target.
25873
25874 @item "^error" "," "msg=" @var{c-string} [ "," "code=" @var{c-string} ]
25875 @findex ^error
25876 The operation failed. The @code{msg=@var{c-string}} variable contains
25877 the corresponding error message.
25878
25879 If present, the @code{code=@var{c-string}} variable provides an error
25880 code on which consumers can rely on to detect the corresponding
25881 error condition. At present, only one error code is defined:
25882
25883 @table @samp
25884 @item "undefined-command"
25885 Indicates that the command causing the error does not exist.
25886 @end table
25887
25888 @item "^exit"
25889 @findex ^exit
25890 @value{GDBN} has terminated.
25891
25892 @end table
25893
25894 @node GDB/MI Stream Records
25895 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Stream Records
25896
25897 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, stream records
25898 @cindex stream records in @sc{gdb/mi}
25899 @value{GDBN} internally maintains a number of output streams: the console, the
25900 target, and the log. The output intended for each of these streams is
25901 funneled through the @sc{gdb/mi} interface using @dfn{stream records}.
25902
25903 Each stream record begins with a unique @dfn{prefix character} which
25904 identifies its stream (@pxref{GDB/MI Output Syntax, , @sc{gdb/mi} Output
25905 Syntax}). In addition to the prefix, each stream record contains a
25906 @code{@var{string-output}}. This is either raw text (with an implicit new
25907 line) or a quoted C string (which does not contain an implicit newline).
25908
25909 @table @code
25910 @item "~" @var{string-output}
25911 The console output stream contains text that should be displayed in the
25912 CLI console window. It contains the textual responses to CLI commands.
25913
25914 @item "@@" @var{string-output}
25915 The target output stream contains any textual output from the running
25916 target. This is only present when GDB's event loop is truly
25917 asynchronous, which is currently only the case for remote targets.
25918
25919 @item "&" @var{string-output}
25920 The log stream contains debugging messages being produced by @value{GDBN}'s
25921 internals.
25922 @end table
25923
25924 @node GDB/MI Async Records
25925 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Async Records
25926
25927 @cindex async records in @sc{gdb/mi}
25928 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, async records
25929 @dfn{Async} records are used to notify the @sc{gdb/mi} client of
25930 additional changes that have occurred. Those changes can either be a
25931 consequence of @sc{gdb/mi} commands (e.g., a breakpoint modified) or a result of
25932 target activity (e.g., target stopped).
25933
25934 The following is the list of possible async records:
25935
25936 @table @code
25937
25938 @item *running,thread-id="@var{thread}"
25939 The target is now running. The @var{thread} field tells which
25940 specific thread is now running, and can be @samp{all} if all threads
25941 are running. The frontend should assume that no interaction with a
25942 running thread is possible after this notification is produced.
25943 The frontend should not assume that this notification is output
25944 only once for any command. @value{GDBN} may emit this notification
25945 several times, either for different threads, because it cannot resume
25946 all threads together, or even for a single thread, if the thread must
25947 be stepped though some code before letting it run freely.
25948
25949 @item *stopped,reason="@var{reason}",thread-id="@var{id}",stopped-threads="@var{stopped}",core="@var{core}"
25950 The target has stopped. The @var{reason} field can have one of the
25951 following values:
25952
25953 @table @code
25954 @item breakpoint-hit
25955 A breakpoint was reached.
25956 @item watchpoint-trigger
25957 A watchpoint was triggered.
25958 @item read-watchpoint-trigger
25959 A read watchpoint was triggered.
25960 @item access-watchpoint-trigger
25961 An access watchpoint was triggered.
25962 @item function-finished
25963 An -exec-finish or similar CLI command was accomplished.
25964 @item location-reached
25965 An -exec-until or similar CLI command was accomplished.
25966 @item watchpoint-scope
25967 A watchpoint has gone out of scope.
25968 @item end-stepping-range
25969 An -exec-next, -exec-next-instruction, -exec-step, -exec-step-instruction or
25970 similar CLI command was accomplished.
25971 @item exited-signalled
25972 The inferior exited because of a signal.
25973 @item exited
25974 The inferior exited.
25975 @item exited-normally
25976 The inferior exited normally.
25977 @item signal-received
25978 A signal was received by the inferior.
25979 @item solib-event
25980 The inferior has stopped due to a library being loaded or unloaded.
25981 This can happen when @code{stop-on-solib-events} (@pxref{Files}) is
25982 set or when a @code{catch load} or @code{catch unload} catchpoint is
25983 in use (@pxref{Set Catchpoints}).
25984 @item fork
25985 The inferior has forked. This is reported when @code{catch fork}
25986 (@pxref{Set Catchpoints}) has been used.
25987 @item vfork
25988 The inferior has vforked. This is reported in when @code{catch vfork}
25989 (@pxref{Set Catchpoints}) has been used.
25990 @item syscall-entry
25991 The inferior entered a system call. This is reported when @code{catch
25992 syscall} (@pxref{Set Catchpoints}) has been used.
25993 @item syscall-return
25994 The inferior returned from a system call. This is reported when
25995 @code{catch syscall} (@pxref{Set Catchpoints}) has been used.
25996 @item exec
25997 The inferior called @code{exec}. This is reported when @code{catch exec}
25998 (@pxref{Set Catchpoints}) has been used.
25999 @end table
26000
26001 The @var{id} field identifies the thread that directly caused the stop
26002 -- for example by hitting a breakpoint. Depending on whether all-stop
26003 mode is in effect (@pxref{All-Stop Mode}), @value{GDBN} may either
26004 stop all threads, or only the thread that directly triggered the stop.
26005 If all threads are stopped, the @var{stopped} field will have the
26006 value of @code{"all"}. Otherwise, the value of the @var{stopped}
26007 field will be a list of thread identifiers. Presently, this list will
26008 always include a single thread, but frontend should be prepared to see
26009 several threads in the list. The @var{core} field reports the
26010 processor core on which the stop event has happened. This field may be absent
26011 if such information is not available.
26012
26013 @item =thread-group-added,id="@var{id}"
26014 @itemx =thread-group-removed,id="@var{id}"
26015 A thread group was either added or removed. The @var{id} field
26016 contains the @value{GDBN} identifier of the thread group. When a thread
26017 group is added, it generally might not be associated with a running
26018 process. When a thread group is removed, its id becomes invalid and
26019 cannot be used in any way.
26020
26021 @item =thread-group-started,id="@var{id}",pid="@var{pid}"
26022 A thread group became associated with a running program,
26023 either because the program was just started or the thread group
26024 was attached to a program. The @var{id} field contains the
26025 @value{GDBN} identifier of the thread group. The @var{pid} field
26026 contains process identifier, specific to the operating system.
26027
26028 @item =thread-group-exited,id="@var{id}"[,exit-code="@var{code}"]
26029 A thread group is no longer associated with a running program,
26030 either because the program has exited, or because it was detached
26031 from. The @var{id} field contains the @value{GDBN} identifier of the
26032 thread group. The @var{code} field is the exit code of the inferior; it exists
26033 only when the inferior exited with some code.
26034
26035 @item =thread-created,id="@var{id}",group-id="@var{gid}"
26036 @itemx =thread-exited,id="@var{id}",group-id="@var{gid}"
26037 A thread either was created, or has exited. The @var{id} field
26038 contains the @value{GDBN} identifier of the thread. The @var{gid}
26039 field identifies the thread group this thread belongs to.
26040
26041 @item =thread-selected,id="@var{id}"
26042 Informs that the selected thread was changed as result of the last
26043 command. This notification is not emitted as result of @code{-thread-select}
26044 command but is emitted whenever an MI command that is not documented
26045 to change the selected thread actually changes it. In particular,
26046 invoking, directly or indirectly (via user-defined command), the CLI
26047 @code{thread} command, will generate this notification.
26048
26049 We suggest that in response to this notification, front ends
26050 highlight the selected thread and cause subsequent commands to apply to
26051 that thread.
26052
26053 @item =library-loaded,...
26054 Reports that a new library file was loaded by the program. This
26055 notification has 4 fields---@var{id}, @var{target-name},
26056 @var{host-name}, and @var{symbols-loaded}. The @var{id} field is an
26057 opaque identifier of the library. For remote debugging case,
26058 @var{target-name} and @var{host-name} fields give the name of the
26059 library file on the target, and on the host respectively. For native
26060 debugging, both those fields have the same value. The
26061 @var{symbols-loaded} field is emitted only for backward compatibility
26062 and should not be relied on to convey any useful information. The
26063 @var{thread-group} field, if present, specifies the id of the thread
26064 group in whose context the library was loaded. If the field is
26065 absent, it means the library was loaded in the context of all present
26066 thread groups.
26067
26068 @item =library-unloaded,...
26069 Reports that a library was unloaded by the program. This notification
26070 has 3 fields---@var{id}, @var{target-name} and @var{host-name} with
26071 the same meaning as for the @code{=library-loaded} notification.
26072 The @var{thread-group} field, if present, specifies the id of the
26073 thread group in whose context the library was unloaded. If the field is
26074 absent, it means the library was unloaded in the context of all present
26075 thread groups.
26076
26077 @item =traceframe-changed,num=@var{tfnum},tracepoint=@var{tpnum}
26078 @itemx =traceframe-changed,end
26079 Reports that the trace frame was changed and its new number is
26080 @var{tfnum}. The number of the tracepoint associated with this trace
26081 frame is @var{tpnum}.
26082
26083 @item =tsv-created,name=@var{name},initial=@var{initial}
26084 Reports that the new trace state variable @var{name} is created with
26085 initial value @var{initial}.
26086
26087 @item =tsv-deleted,name=@var{name}
26088 @itemx =tsv-deleted
26089 Reports that the trace state variable @var{name} is deleted or all
26090 trace state variables are deleted.
26091
26092 @item =tsv-modified,name=@var{name},initial=@var{initial}[,current=@var{current}]
26093 Reports that the trace state variable @var{name} is modified with
26094 the initial value @var{initial}. The current value @var{current} of
26095 trace state variable is optional and is reported if the current
26096 value of trace state variable is known.
26097
26098 @item =breakpoint-created,bkpt=@{...@}
26099 @itemx =breakpoint-modified,bkpt=@{...@}
26100 @itemx =breakpoint-deleted,id=@var{number}
26101 Reports that a breakpoint was created, modified, or deleted,
26102 respectively. Only user-visible breakpoints are reported to the MI
26103 user.
26104
26105 The @var{bkpt} argument is of the same form as returned by the various
26106 breakpoint commands; @xref{GDB/MI Breakpoint Commands}. The
26107 @var{number} is the ordinal number of the breakpoint.
26108
26109 Note that if a breakpoint is emitted in the result record of a
26110 command, then it will not also be emitted in an async record.
26111
26112 @item =record-started,thread-group="@var{id}"
26113 @itemx =record-stopped,thread-group="@var{id}"
26114 Execution log recording was either started or stopped on an
26115 inferior. The @var{id} is the @value{GDBN} identifier of the thread
26116 group corresponding to the affected inferior.
26117
26118 @item =cmd-param-changed,param=@var{param},value=@var{value}
26119 Reports that a parameter of the command @code{set @var{param}} is
26120 changed to @var{value}. In the multi-word @code{set} command,
26121 the @var{param} is the whole parameter list to @code{set} command.
26122 For example, In command @code{set check type on}, @var{param}
26123 is @code{check type} and @var{value} is @code{on}.
26124
26125 @item =memory-changed,thread-group=@var{id},addr=@var{addr},len=@var{len}[,type="code"]
26126 Reports that bytes from @var{addr} to @var{data} + @var{len} were
26127 written in an inferior. The @var{id} is the identifier of the
26128 thread group corresponding to the affected inferior. The optional
26129 @code{type="code"} part is reported if the memory written to holds
26130 executable code.
26131 @end table
26132
26133 @node GDB/MI Breakpoint Information
26134 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Breakpoint Information
26135
26136 When @value{GDBN} reports information about a breakpoint, a
26137 tracepoint, a watchpoint, or a catchpoint, it uses a tuple with the
26138 following fields:
26139
26140 @table @code
26141 @item number
26142 The breakpoint number. For a breakpoint that represents one location
26143 of a multi-location breakpoint, this will be a dotted pair, like
26144 @samp{1.2}.
26145
26146 @item type
26147 The type of the breakpoint. For ordinary breakpoints this will be
26148 @samp{breakpoint}, but many values are possible.
26149
26150 @item catch-type
26151 If the type of the breakpoint is @samp{catchpoint}, then this
26152 indicates the exact type of catchpoint.
26153
26154 @item disp
26155 This is the breakpoint disposition---either @samp{del}, meaning that
26156 the breakpoint will be deleted at the next stop, or @samp{keep},
26157 meaning that the breakpoint will not be deleted.
26158
26159 @item enabled
26160 This indicates whether the breakpoint is enabled, in which case the
26161 value is @samp{y}, or disabled, in which case the value is @samp{n}.
26162 Note that this is not the same as the field @code{enable}.
26163
26164 @item addr
26165 The address of the breakpoint. This may be a hexidecimal number,
26166 giving the address; or the string @samp{<PENDING>}, for a pending
26167 breakpoint; or the string @samp{<MULTIPLE>}, for a breakpoint with
26168 multiple locations. This field will not be present if no address can
26169 be determined. For example, a watchpoint does not have an address.
26170
26171 @item func
26172 If known, the function in which the breakpoint appears.
26173 If not known, this field is not present.
26174
26175 @item filename
26176 The name of the source file which contains this function, if known.
26177 If not known, this field is not present.
26178
26179 @item fullname
26180 The full file name of the source file which contains this function, if
26181 known. If not known, this field is not present.
26182
26183 @item line
26184 The line number at which this breakpoint appears, if known.
26185 If not known, this field is not present.
26186
26187 @item at
26188 If the source file is not known, this field may be provided. If
26189 provided, this holds the address of the breakpoint, possibly followed
26190 by a symbol name.
26191
26192 @item pending
26193 If this breakpoint is pending, this field is present and holds the
26194 text used to set the breakpoint, as entered by the user.
26195
26196 @item evaluated-by
26197 Where this breakpoint's condition is evaluated, either @samp{host} or
26198 @samp{target}.
26199
26200 @item thread
26201 If this is a thread-specific breakpoint, then this identifies the
26202 thread in which the breakpoint can trigger.
26203
26204 @item task
26205 If this breakpoint is restricted to a particular Ada task, then this
26206 field will hold the task identifier.
26207
26208 @item cond
26209 If the breakpoint is conditional, this is the condition expression.
26210
26211 @item ignore
26212 The ignore count of the breakpoint.
26213
26214 @item enable
26215 The enable count of the breakpoint.
26216
26217 @item traceframe-usage
26218 FIXME.
26219
26220 @item static-tracepoint-marker-string-id
26221 For a static tracepoint, the name of the static tracepoint marker.
26222
26223 @item mask
26224 For a masked watchpoint, this is the mask.
26225
26226 @item pass
26227 A tracepoint's pass count.
26228
26229 @item original-location
26230 The location of the breakpoint as originally specified by the user.
26231 This field is optional.
26232
26233 @item times
26234 The number of times the breakpoint has been hit.
26235
26236 @item installed
26237 This field is only given for tracepoints. This is either @samp{y},
26238 meaning that the tracepoint is installed, or @samp{n}, meaning that it
26239 is not.
26240
26241 @item what
26242 Some extra data, the exact contents of which are type-dependent.
26243
26244 @end table
26245
26246 For example, here is what the output of @code{-break-insert}
26247 (@pxref{GDB/MI Breakpoint Commands}) might be:
26248
26249 @smallexample
26250 -> -break-insert main
26251 <- ^done,bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",
26252 enabled="y",addr="0x08048564",func="main",file="myprog.c",
26253 fullname="/home/nickrob/myprog.c",line="68",thread-groups=["i1"],
26254 times="0"@}
26255 <- (gdb)
26256 @end smallexample
26257
26258 @node GDB/MI Frame Information
26259 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Frame Information
26260
26261 Response from many MI commands includes an information about stack
26262 frame. This information is a tuple that may have the following
26263 fields:
26264
26265 @table @code
26266 @item level
26267 The level of the stack frame. The innermost frame has the level of
26268 zero. This field is always present.
26269
26270 @item func
26271 The name of the function corresponding to the frame. This field may
26272 be absent if @value{GDBN} is unable to determine the function name.
26273
26274 @item addr
26275 The code address for the frame. This field is always present.
26276
26277 @item file
26278 The name of the source files that correspond to the frame's code
26279 address. This field may be absent.
26280
26281 @item line
26282 The source line corresponding to the frames' code address. This field
26283 may be absent.
26284
26285 @item from
26286 The name of the binary file (either executable or shared library) the
26287 corresponds to the frame's code address. This field may be absent.
26288
26289 @end table
26290
26291 @node GDB/MI Thread Information
26292 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Thread Information
26293
26294 Whenever @value{GDBN} has to report an information about a thread, it
26295 uses a tuple with the following fields:
26296
26297 @table @code
26298 @item id
26299 The numeric id assigned to the thread by @value{GDBN}. This field is
26300 always present.
26301
26302 @item target-id
26303 Target-specific string identifying the thread. This field is always present.
26304
26305 @item details
26306 Additional information about the thread provided by the target.
26307 It is supposed to be human-readable and not interpreted by the
26308 frontend. This field is optional.
26309
26310 @item state
26311 Either @samp{stopped} or @samp{running}, depending on whether the
26312 thread is presently running. This field is always present.
26313
26314 @item core
26315 The value of this field is an integer number of the processor core the
26316 thread was last seen on. This field is optional.
26317 @end table
26318
26319 @node GDB/MI Ada Exception Information
26320 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Ada Exception Information
26321
26322 Whenever a @code{*stopped} record is emitted because the program
26323 stopped after hitting an exception catchpoint (@pxref{Set Catchpoints}),
26324 @value{GDBN} provides the name of the exception that was raised via
26325 the @code{exception-name} field.
26326
26327 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
26328 @node GDB/MI Simple Examples
26329 @section Simple Examples of @sc{gdb/mi} Interaction
26330 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, simple examples
26331
26332 This subsection presents several simple examples of interaction using
26333 the @sc{gdb/mi} interface. In these examples, @samp{->} means that the
26334 following line is passed to @sc{gdb/mi} as input, while @samp{<-} means
26335 the output received from @sc{gdb/mi}.
26336
26337 Note the line breaks shown in the examples are here only for
26338 readability, they don't appear in the real output.
26339
26340 @subheading Setting a Breakpoint
26341
26342 Setting a breakpoint generates synchronous output which contains detailed
26343 information of the breakpoint.
26344
26345 @smallexample
26346 -> -break-insert main
26347 <- ^done,bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",
26348 enabled="y",addr="0x08048564",func="main",file="myprog.c",
26349 fullname="/home/nickrob/myprog.c",line="68",thread-groups=["i1"],
26350 times="0"@}
26351 <- (gdb)
26352 @end smallexample
26353
26354 @subheading Program Execution
26355
26356 Program execution generates asynchronous records and MI gives the
26357 reason that execution stopped.
26358
26359 @smallexample
26360 -> -exec-run
26361 <- ^running
26362 <- (gdb)
26363 <- *stopped,reason="breakpoint-hit",disp="keep",bkptno="1",thread-id="0",
26364 frame=@{addr="0x08048564",func="main",
26365 args=[@{name="argc",value="1"@},@{name="argv",value="0xbfc4d4d4"@}],
26366 file="myprog.c",fullname="/home/nickrob/myprog.c",line="68"@}
26367 <- (gdb)
26368 -> -exec-continue
26369 <- ^running
26370 <- (gdb)
26371 <- *stopped,reason="exited-normally"
26372 <- (gdb)
26373 @end smallexample
26374
26375 @subheading Quitting @value{GDBN}
26376
26377 Quitting @value{GDBN} just prints the result class @samp{^exit}.
26378
26379 @smallexample
26380 -> (gdb)
26381 <- -gdb-exit
26382 <- ^exit
26383 @end smallexample
26384
26385 Please note that @samp{^exit} is printed immediately, but it might
26386 take some time for @value{GDBN} to actually exit. During that time, @value{GDBN}
26387 performs necessary cleanups, including killing programs being debugged
26388 or disconnecting from debug hardware, so the frontend should wait till
26389 @value{GDBN} exits and should only forcibly kill @value{GDBN} if it
26390 fails to exit in reasonable time.
26391
26392 @subheading A Bad Command
26393
26394 Here's what happens if you pass a non-existent command:
26395
26396 @smallexample
26397 -> -rubbish
26398 <- ^error,msg="Undefined MI command: rubbish"
26399 <- (gdb)
26400 @end smallexample
26401
26402
26403 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
26404 @node GDB/MI Command Description Format
26405 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Command Description Format
26406
26407 The remaining sections describe blocks of commands. Each block of
26408 commands is laid out in a fashion similar to this section.
26409
26410 @subheading Motivation
26411
26412 The motivation for this collection of commands.
26413
26414 @subheading Introduction
26415
26416 A brief introduction to this collection of commands as a whole.
26417
26418 @subheading Commands
26419
26420 For each command in the block, the following is described:
26421
26422 @subsubheading Synopsis
26423
26424 @smallexample
26425 -command @var{args}@dots{}
26426 @end smallexample
26427
26428 @subsubheading Result
26429
26430 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
26431
26432 The corresponding @value{GDBN} CLI command(s), if any.
26433
26434 @subsubheading Example
26435
26436 Example(s) formatted for readability. Some of the described commands have
26437 not been implemented yet and these are labeled N.A.@: (not available).
26438
26439
26440 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
26441 @node GDB/MI Breakpoint Commands
26442 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Breakpoint Commands
26443
26444 @cindex breakpoint commands for @sc{gdb/mi}
26445 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, breakpoint commands
26446 This section documents @sc{gdb/mi} commands for manipulating
26447 breakpoints.
26448
26449 @subheading The @code{-break-after} Command
26450 @findex -break-after
26451
26452 @subsubheading Synopsis
26453
26454 @smallexample
26455 -break-after @var{number} @var{count}
26456 @end smallexample
26457
26458 The breakpoint number @var{number} is not in effect until it has been
26459 hit @var{count} times. To see how this is reflected in the output of
26460 the @samp{-break-list} command, see the description of the
26461 @samp{-break-list} command below.
26462
26463 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
26464
26465 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{ignore}.
26466
26467 @subsubheading Example
26468
26469 @smallexample
26470 (gdb)
26471 -break-insert main
26472 ^done,bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",
26473 enabled="y",addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",
26474 fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",line="5",thread-groups=["i1"],
26475 times="0"@}
26476 (gdb)
26477 -break-after 1 3
26478 ~
26479 ^done
26480 (gdb)
26481 -break-list
26482 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="1",nr_cols="6",
26483 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
26484 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
26485 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
26486 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
26487 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
26488 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
26489 body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
26490 addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",
26491 line="5",thread-groups=["i1"],times="0",ignore="3"@}]@}
26492 (gdb)
26493 @end smallexample
26494
26495 @ignore
26496 @subheading The @code{-break-catch} Command
26497 @findex -break-catch
26498 @end ignore
26499
26500 @subheading The @code{-break-commands} Command
26501 @findex -break-commands
26502
26503 @subsubheading Synopsis
26504
26505 @smallexample
26506 -break-commands @var{number} [ @var{command1} ... @var{commandN} ]
26507 @end smallexample
26508
26509 Specifies the CLI commands that should be executed when breakpoint
26510 @var{number} is hit. The parameters @var{command1} to @var{commandN}
26511 are the commands. If no command is specified, any previously-set
26512 commands are cleared. @xref{Break Commands}. Typical use of this
26513 functionality is tracing a program, that is, printing of values of
26514 some variables whenever breakpoint is hit and then continuing.
26515
26516 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
26517
26518 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{commands}.
26519
26520 @subsubheading Example
26521
26522 @smallexample
26523 (gdb)
26524 -break-insert main
26525 ^done,bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",
26526 enabled="y",addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",
26527 fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",line="5",thread-groups=["i1"],
26528 times="0"@}
26529 (gdb)
26530 -break-commands 1 "print v" "continue"
26531 ^done
26532 (gdb)
26533 @end smallexample
26534
26535 @subheading The @code{-break-condition} Command
26536 @findex -break-condition
26537
26538 @subsubheading Synopsis
26539
26540 @smallexample
26541 -break-condition @var{number} @var{expr}
26542 @end smallexample
26543
26544 Breakpoint @var{number} will stop the program only if the condition in
26545 @var{expr} is true. The condition becomes part of the
26546 @samp{-break-list} output (see the description of the @samp{-break-list}
26547 command below).
26548
26549 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
26550
26551 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{condition}.
26552
26553 @subsubheading Example
26554
26555 @smallexample
26556 (gdb)
26557 -break-condition 1 1
26558 ^done
26559 (gdb)
26560 -break-list
26561 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="1",nr_cols="6",
26562 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
26563 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
26564 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
26565 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
26566 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
26567 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
26568 body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
26569 addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",
26570 line="5",cond="1",thread-groups=["i1"],times="0",ignore="3"@}]@}
26571 (gdb)
26572 @end smallexample
26573
26574 @subheading The @code{-break-delete} Command
26575 @findex -break-delete
26576
26577 @subsubheading Synopsis
26578
26579 @smallexample
26580 -break-delete ( @var{breakpoint} )+
26581 @end smallexample
26582
26583 Delete the breakpoint(s) whose number(s) are specified in the argument
26584 list. This is obviously reflected in the breakpoint list.
26585
26586 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
26587
26588 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{delete}.
26589
26590 @subsubheading Example
26591
26592 @smallexample
26593 (gdb)
26594 -break-delete 1
26595 ^done
26596 (gdb)
26597 -break-list
26598 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="0",nr_cols="6",
26599 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
26600 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
26601 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
26602 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
26603 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
26604 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
26605 body=[]@}
26606 (gdb)
26607 @end smallexample
26608
26609 @subheading The @code{-break-disable} Command
26610 @findex -break-disable
26611
26612 @subsubheading Synopsis
26613
26614 @smallexample
26615 -break-disable ( @var{breakpoint} )+
26616 @end smallexample
26617
26618 Disable the named @var{breakpoint}(s). The field @samp{enabled} in the
26619 break list is now set to @samp{n} for the named @var{breakpoint}(s).
26620
26621 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
26622
26623 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{disable}.
26624
26625 @subsubheading Example
26626
26627 @smallexample
26628 (gdb)
26629 -break-disable 2
26630 ^done
26631 (gdb)
26632 -break-list
26633 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="1",nr_cols="6",
26634 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
26635 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
26636 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
26637 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
26638 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
26639 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
26640 body=[bkpt=@{number="2",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="n",
26641 addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",
26642 line="5",thread-groups=["i1"],times="0"@}]@}
26643 (gdb)
26644 @end smallexample
26645
26646 @subheading The @code{-break-enable} Command
26647 @findex -break-enable
26648
26649 @subsubheading Synopsis
26650
26651 @smallexample
26652 -break-enable ( @var{breakpoint} )+
26653 @end smallexample
26654
26655 Enable (previously disabled) @var{breakpoint}(s).
26656
26657 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
26658
26659 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{enable}.
26660
26661 @subsubheading Example
26662
26663 @smallexample
26664 (gdb)
26665 -break-enable 2
26666 ^done
26667 (gdb)
26668 -break-list
26669 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="1",nr_cols="6",
26670 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
26671 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
26672 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
26673 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
26674 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
26675 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
26676 body=[bkpt=@{number="2",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
26677 addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",
26678 line="5",thread-groups=["i1"],times="0"@}]@}
26679 (gdb)
26680 @end smallexample
26681
26682 @subheading The @code{-break-info} Command
26683 @findex -break-info
26684
26685 @subsubheading Synopsis
26686
26687 @smallexample
26688 -break-info @var{breakpoint}
26689 @end smallexample
26690
26691 @c REDUNDANT???
26692 Get information about a single breakpoint.
26693
26694 The result is a table of breakpoints. @xref{GDB/MI Breakpoint
26695 Information}, for details on the format of each breakpoint in the
26696 table.
26697
26698 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
26699
26700 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info break @var{breakpoint}}.
26701
26702 @subsubheading Example
26703 N.A.
26704
26705 @subheading The @code{-break-insert} Command
26706 @findex -break-insert
26707
26708 @subsubheading Synopsis
26709
26710 @smallexample
26711 -break-insert [ -t ] [ -h ] [ -f ] [ -d ] [ -a ]
26712 [ -c @var{condition} ] [ -i @var{ignore-count} ]
26713 [ -p @var{thread-id} ] [ @var{location} ]
26714 @end smallexample
26715
26716 @noindent
26717 If specified, @var{location}, can be one of:
26718
26719 @itemize @bullet
26720 @item function
26721 @c @item +offset
26722 @c @item -offset
26723 @c @item linenum
26724 @item filename:linenum
26725 @item filename:function
26726 @item *address
26727 @end itemize
26728
26729 The possible optional parameters of this command are:
26730
26731 @table @samp
26732 @item -t
26733 Insert a temporary breakpoint.
26734 @item -h
26735 Insert a hardware breakpoint.
26736 @item -f
26737 If @var{location} cannot be parsed (for example if it
26738 refers to unknown files or functions), create a pending
26739 breakpoint. Without this flag, @value{GDBN} will report
26740 an error, and won't create a breakpoint, if @var{location}
26741 cannot be parsed.
26742 @item -d
26743 Create a disabled breakpoint.
26744 @item -a
26745 Create a tracepoint. @xref{Tracepoints}. When this parameter
26746 is used together with @samp{-h}, a fast tracepoint is created.
26747 @item -c @var{condition}
26748 Make the breakpoint conditional on @var{condition}.
26749 @item -i @var{ignore-count}
26750 Initialize the @var{ignore-count}.
26751 @item -p @var{thread-id}
26752 Restrict the breakpoint to the specified @var{thread-id}.
26753 @end table
26754
26755 @subsubheading Result
26756
26757 @xref{GDB/MI Breakpoint Information}, for details on the format of the
26758 resulting breakpoint.
26759
26760 Note: this format is open to change.
26761 @c An out-of-band breakpoint instead of part of the result?
26762
26763 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
26764
26765 The corresponding @value{GDBN} commands are @samp{break}, @samp{tbreak},
26766 @samp{hbreak}, and @samp{thbreak}. @c and @samp{rbreak}.
26767
26768 @subsubheading Example
26769
26770 @smallexample
26771 (gdb)
26772 -break-insert main
26773 ^done,bkpt=@{number="1",addr="0x0001072c",file="recursive2.c",
26774 fullname="/home/foo/recursive2.c,line="4",thread-groups=["i1"],
26775 times="0"@}
26776 (gdb)
26777 -break-insert -t foo
26778 ^done,bkpt=@{number="2",addr="0x00010774",file="recursive2.c",
26779 fullname="/home/foo/recursive2.c,line="11",thread-groups=["i1"],
26780 times="0"@}
26781 (gdb)
26782 -break-list
26783 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="2",nr_cols="6",
26784 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
26785 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
26786 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
26787 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
26788 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
26789 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
26790 body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
26791 addr="0x0001072c", func="main",file="recursive2.c",
26792 fullname="/home/foo/recursive2.c,"line="4",thread-groups=["i1"],
26793 times="0"@},
26794 bkpt=@{number="2",type="breakpoint",disp="del",enabled="y",
26795 addr="0x00010774",func="foo",file="recursive2.c",
26796 fullname="/home/foo/recursive2.c",line="11",thread-groups=["i1"],
26797 times="0"@}]@}
26798 (gdb)
26799 @c -break-insert -r foo.*
26800 @c ~int foo(int, int);
26801 @c ^done,bkpt=@{number="3",addr="0x00010774",file="recursive2.c,
26802 @c "fullname="/home/foo/recursive2.c",line="11",thread-groups=["i1"],
26803 @c times="0"@}
26804 @c (gdb)
26805 @end smallexample
26806
26807 @subheading The @code{-dprintf-insert} Command
26808 @findex -dprintf-insert
26809
26810 @subsubheading Synopsis
26811
26812 @smallexample
26813 -dprintf-insert [ -t ] [ -f ] [ -d ]
26814 [ -c @var{condition} ] [ -i @var{ignore-count} ]
26815 [ -p @var{thread-id} ] [ @var{location} ] [ @var{format} ]
26816 [ @var{argument} ]
26817 @end smallexample
26818
26819 @noindent
26820 If specified, @var{location}, can be one of:
26821
26822 @itemize @bullet
26823 @item @var{function}
26824 @c @item +offset
26825 @c @item -offset
26826 @c @item @var{linenum}
26827 @item @var{filename}:@var{linenum}
26828 @item @var{filename}:function
26829 @item *@var{address}
26830 @end itemize
26831
26832 The possible optional parameters of this command are:
26833
26834 @table @samp
26835 @item -t
26836 Insert a temporary breakpoint.
26837 @item -f
26838 If @var{location} cannot be parsed (for example, if it
26839 refers to unknown files or functions), create a pending
26840 breakpoint. Without this flag, @value{GDBN} will report
26841 an error, and won't create a breakpoint, if @var{location}
26842 cannot be parsed.
26843 @item -d
26844 Create a disabled breakpoint.
26845 @item -c @var{condition}
26846 Make the breakpoint conditional on @var{condition}.
26847 @item -i @var{ignore-count}
26848 Set the ignore count of the breakpoint (@pxref{Conditions, ignore count})
26849 to @var{ignore-count}.
26850 @item -p @var{thread-id}
26851 Restrict the breakpoint to the specified @var{thread-id}.
26852 @end table
26853
26854 @subsubheading Result
26855
26856 @xref{GDB/MI Breakpoint Information}, for details on the format of the
26857 resulting breakpoint.
26858
26859 @c An out-of-band breakpoint instead of part of the result?
26860
26861 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
26862
26863 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{dprintf}.
26864
26865 @subsubheading Example
26866
26867 @smallexample
26868 (gdb)
26869 4-dprintf-insert foo "At foo entry\n"
26870 4^done,bkpt=@{number="1",type="dprintf",disp="keep",enabled="y",
26871 addr="0x000000000040061b",func="foo",file="mi-dprintf.c",
26872 fullname="mi-dprintf.c",line="25",thread-groups=["i1"],
26873 times="0",script=@{"printf \"At foo entry\\n\"","continue"@},
26874 original-location="foo"@}
26875 (gdb)
26876 5-dprintf-insert 26 "arg=%d, g=%d\n" arg g
26877 5^done,bkpt=@{number="2",type="dprintf",disp="keep",enabled="y",
26878 addr="0x000000000040062a",func="foo",file="mi-dprintf.c",
26879 fullname="mi-dprintf.c",line="26",thread-groups=["i1"],
26880 times="0",script=@{"printf \"arg=%d, g=%d\\n\", arg, g","continue"@},
26881 original-location="mi-dprintf.c:26"@}
26882 (gdb)
26883 @end smallexample
26884
26885 @subheading The @code{-break-list} Command
26886 @findex -break-list
26887
26888 @subsubheading Synopsis
26889
26890 @smallexample
26891 -break-list
26892 @end smallexample
26893
26894 Displays the list of inserted breakpoints, showing the following fields:
26895
26896 @table @samp
26897 @item Number
26898 number of the breakpoint
26899 @item Type
26900 type of the breakpoint: @samp{breakpoint} or @samp{watchpoint}
26901 @item Disposition
26902 should the breakpoint be deleted or disabled when it is hit: @samp{keep}
26903 or @samp{nokeep}
26904 @item Enabled
26905 is the breakpoint enabled or no: @samp{y} or @samp{n}
26906 @item Address
26907 memory location at which the breakpoint is set
26908 @item What
26909 logical location of the breakpoint, expressed by function name, file
26910 name, line number
26911 @item Thread-groups
26912 list of thread groups to which this breakpoint applies
26913 @item Times
26914 number of times the breakpoint has been hit
26915 @end table
26916
26917 If there are no breakpoints or watchpoints, the @code{BreakpointTable}
26918 @code{body} field is an empty list.
26919
26920 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
26921
26922 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info break}.
26923
26924 @subsubheading Example
26925
26926 @smallexample
26927 (gdb)
26928 -break-list
26929 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="2",nr_cols="6",
26930 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
26931 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
26932 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
26933 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
26934 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
26935 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
26936 body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
26937 addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",line="5",thread-groups=["i1"],
26938 times="0"@},
26939 bkpt=@{number="2",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
26940 addr="0x00010114",func="foo",file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",
26941 line="13",thread-groups=["i1"],times="0"@}]@}
26942 (gdb)
26943 @end smallexample
26944
26945 Here's an example of the result when there are no breakpoints:
26946
26947 @smallexample
26948 (gdb)
26949 -break-list
26950 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="0",nr_cols="6",
26951 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
26952 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
26953 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
26954 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
26955 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
26956 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
26957 body=[]@}
26958 (gdb)
26959 @end smallexample
26960
26961 @subheading The @code{-break-passcount} Command
26962 @findex -break-passcount
26963
26964 @subsubheading Synopsis
26965
26966 @smallexample
26967 -break-passcount @var{tracepoint-number} @var{passcount}
26968 @end smallexample
26969
26970 Set the passcount for tracepoint @var{tracepoint-number} to
26971 @var{passcount}. If the breakpoint referred to by @var{tracepoint-number}
26972 is not a tracepoint, error is emitted. This corresponds to CLI
26973 command @samp{passcount}.
26974
26975 @subheading The @code{-break-watch} Command
26976 @findex -break-watch
26977
26978 @subsubheading Synopsis
26979
26980 @smallexample
26981 -break-watch [ -a | -r ]
26982 @end smallexample
26983
26984 Create a watchpoint. With the @samp{-a} option it will create an
26985 @dfn{access} watchpoint, i.e., a watchpoint that triggers either on a
26986 read from or on a write to the memory location. With the @samp{-r}
26987 option, the watchpoint created is a @dfn{read} watchpoint, i.e., it will
26988 trigger only when the memory location is accessed for reading. Without
26989 either of the options, the watchpoint created is a regular watchpoint,
26990 i.e., it will trigger when the memory location is accessed for writing.
26991 @xref{Set Watchpoints, , Setting Watchpoints}.
26992
26993 Note that @samp{-break-list} will report a single list of watchpoints and
26994 breakpoints inserted.
26995
26996 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
26997
26998 The corresponding @value{GDBN} commands are @samp{watch}, @samp{awatch}, and
26999 @samp{rwatch}.
27000
27001 @subsubheading Example
27002
27003 Setting a watchpoint on a variable in the @code{main} function:
27004
27005 @smallexample
27006 (gdb)
27007 -break-watch x
27008 ^done,wpt=@{number="2",exp="x"@}
27009 (gdb)
27010 -exec-continue
27011 ^running
27012 (gdb)
27013 *stopped,reason="watchpoint-trigger",wpt=@{number="2",exp="x"@},
27014 value=@{old="-268439212",new="55"@},
27015 frame=@{func="main",args=[],file="recursive2.c",
27016 fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="5"@}
27017 (gdb)
27018 @end smallexample
27019
27020 Setting a watchpoint on a variable local to a function. @value{GDBN} will stop
27021 the program execution twice: first for the variable changing value, then
27022 for the watchpoint going out of scope.
27023
27024 @smallexample
27025 (gdb)
27026 -break-watch C
27027 ^done,wpt=@{number="5",exp="C"@}
27028 (gdb)
27029 -exec-continue
27030 ^running
27031 (gdb)
27032 *stopped,reason="watchpoint-trigger",
27033 wpt=@{number="5",exp="C"@},value=@{old="-276895068",new="3"@},
27034 frame=@{func="callee4",args=[],
27035 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
27036 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="13"@}
27037 (gdb)
27038 -exec-continue
27039 ^running
27040 (gdb)
27041 *stopped,reason="watchpoint-scope",wpnum="5",
27042 frame=@{func="callee3",args=[@{name="strarg",
27043 value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@}],
27044 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
27045 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="18"@}
27046 (gdb)
27047 @end smallexample
27048
27049 Listing breakpoints and watchpoints, at different points in the program
27050 execution. Note that once the watchpoint goes out of scope, it is
27051 deleted.
27052
27053 @smallexample
27054 (gdb)
27055 -break-watch C
27056 ^done,wpt=@{number="2",exp="C"@}
27057 (gdb)
27058 -break-list
27059 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="2",nr_cols="6",
27060 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
27061 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
27062 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
27063 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
27064 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
27065 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
27066 body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
27067 addr="0x00010734",func="callee4",
27068 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
27069 fullname="/home/foo/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c"line="8",thread-groups=["i1"],
27070 times="1"@},
27071 bkpt=@{number="2",type="watchpoint",disp="keep",
27072 enabled="y",addr="",what="C",thread-groups=["i1"],times="0"@}]@}
27073 (gdb)
27074 -exec-continue
27075 ^running
27076 (gdb)
27077 *stopped,reason="watchpoint-trigger",wpt=@{number="2",exp="C"@},
27078 value=@{old="-276895068",new="3"@},
27079 frame=@{func="callee4",args=[],
27080 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
27081 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="13"@}
27082 (gdb)
27083 -break-list
27084 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="2",nr_cols="6",
27085 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
27086 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
27087 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
27088 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
27089 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
27090 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
27091 body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
27092 addr="0x00010734",func="callee4",
27093 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
27094 fullname="/home/foo/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="8",thread-groups=["i1"],
27095 times="1"@},
27096 bkpt=@{number="2",type="watchpoint",disp="keep",
27097 enabled="y",addr="",what="C",thread-groups=["i1"],times="-5"@}]@}
27098 (gdb)
27099 -exec-continue
27100 ^running
27101 ^done,reason="watchpoint-scope",wpnum="2",
27102 frame=@{func="callee3",args=[@{name="strarg",
27103 value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@}],
27104 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
27105 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="18"@}
27106 (gdb)
27107 -break-list
27108 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="1",nr_cols="6",
27109 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
27110 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
27111 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
27112 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
27113 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
27114 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
27115 body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
27116 addr="0x00010734",func="callee4",
27117 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
27118 fullname="/home/foo/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="8",
27119 thread-groups=["i1"],times="1"@}]@}
27120 (gdb)
27121 @end smallexample
27122
27123
27124 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
27125 @node GDB/MI Catchpoint Commands
27126 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Catchpoint Commands
27127
27128 This section documents @sc{gdb/mi} commands for manipulating
27129 catchpoints.
27130
27131 @menu
27132 * Shared Library GDB/MI Catchpoint Commands::
27133 * Ada Exception GDB/MI Catchpoint Commands::
27134 @end menu
27135
27136 @node Shared Library GDB/MI Catchpoint Commands
27137 @subsection Shared Library @sc{gdb/mi} Catchpoints
27138
27139 @subheading The @code{-catch-load} Command
27140 @findex -catch-load
27141
27142 @subsubheading Synopsis
27143
27144 @smallexample
27145 -catch-load [ -t ] [ -d ] @var{regexp}
27146 @end smallexample
27147
27148 Add a catchpoint for library load events. If the @samp{-t} option is used,
27149 the catchpoint is a temporary one (@pxref{Set Breaks, ,Setting
27150 Breakpoints}). If the @samp{-d} option is used, the catchpoint is created
27151 in a disabled state. The @samp{regexp} argument is a regular
27152 expression used to match the name of the loaded library.
27153
27154
27155 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27156
27157 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{catch load}.
27158
27159 @subsubheading Example
27160
27161 @smallexample
27162 -catch-load -t foo.so
27163 ^done,bkpt=@{number="1",type="catchpoint",disp="del",enabled="y",
27164 what="load of library matching foo.so",catch-type="load",times="0"@}
27165 (gdb)
27166 @end smallexample
27167
27168
27169 @subheading The @code{-catch-unload} Command
27170 @findex -catch-unload
27171
27172 @subsubheading Synopsis
27173
27174 @smallexample
27175 -catch-unload [ -t ] [ -d ] @var{regexp}
27176 @end smallexample
27177
27178 Add a catchpoint for library unload events. If the @samp{-t} option is
27179 used, the catchpoint is a temporary one (@pxref{Set Breaks, ,Setting
27180 Breakpoints}). If the @samp{-d} option is used, the catchpoint is
27181 created in a disabled state. The @samp{regexp} argument is a regular
27182 expression used to match the name of the unloaded library.
27183
27184 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27185
27186 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{catch unload}.
27187
27188 @subsubheading Example
27189
27190 @smallexample
27191 -catch-unload -d bar.so
27192 ^done,bkpt=@{number="2",type="catchpoint",disp="keep",enabled="n",
27193 what="load of library matching bar.so",catch-type="unload",times="0"@}
27194 (gdb)
27195 @end smallexample
27196
27197 @node Ada Exception GDB/MI Catchpoint Commands
27198 @subsection Ada Exception @sc{gdb/mi} Catchpoints
27199
27200 The following @sc{gdb/mi} commands can be used to create catchpoints
27201 that stop the execution when Ada exceptions are being raised.
27202
27203 @subheading The @code{-catch-assert} Command
27204 @findex -catch-assert
27205
27206 @subsubheading Synopsis
27207
27208 @smallexample
27209 -catch-assert [ -c @var{condition}] [ -d ] [ -t ]
27210 @end smallexample
27211
27212 Add a catchpoint for failed Ada assertions.
27213
27214 The possible optional parameters for this command are:
27215
27216 @table @samp
27217 @item -c @var{condition}
27218 Make the catchpoint conditional on @var{condition}.
27219 @item -d
27220 Create a disabled catchpoint.
27221 @item -t
27222 Create a temporary catchpoint.
27223 @end table
27224
27225 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27226
27227 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{catch assert}.
27228
27229 @subsubheading Example
27230
27231 @smallexample
27232 -catch-assert
27233 ^done,bkptno="5",bkpt=@{number="5",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",
27234 enabled="y",addr="0x0000000000404888",what="failed Ada assertions",
27235 thread-groups=["i1"],times="0",
27236 original-location="__gnat_debug_raise_assert_failure"@}
27237 (gdb)
27238 @end smallexample
27239
27240 @subheading The @code{-catch-exception} Command
27241 @findex -catch-exception
27242
27243 @subsubheading Synopsis
27244
27245 @smallexample
27246 -catch-exception [ -c @var{condition}] [ -d ] [ -e @var{exception-name} ]
27247 [ -t ] [ -u ]
27248 @end smallexample
27249
27250 Add a catchpoint stopping when Ada exceptions are raised.
27251 By default, the command stops the program when any Ada exception
27252 gets raised. But it is also possible, by using some of the
27253 optional parameters described below, to create more selective
27254 catchpoints.
27255
27256 The possible optional parameters for this command are:
27257
27258 @table @samp
27259 @item -c @var{condition}
27260 Make the catchpoint conditional on @var{condition}.
27261 @item -d
27262 Create a disabled catchpoint.
27263 @item -e @var{exception-name}
27264 Only stop when @var{exception-name} is raised. This option cannot
27265 be used combined with @samp{-u}.
27266 @item -t
27267 Create a temporary catchpoint.
27268 @item -u
27269 Stop only when an unhandled exception gets raised. This option
27270 cannot be used combined with @samp{-e}.
27271 @end table
27272
27273 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27274
27275 The corresponding @value{GDBN} commands are @samp{catch exception}
27276 and @samp{catch exception unhandled}.
27277
27278 @subsubheading Example
27279
27280 @smallexample
27281 -catch-exception -e Program_Error
27282 ^done,bkptno="4",bkpt=@{number="4",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",
27283 enabled="y",addr="0x0000000000404874",
27284 what="`Program_Error' Ada exception", thread-groups=["i1"],
27285 times="0",original-location="__gnat_debug_raise_exception"@}
27286 (gdb)
27287 @end smallexample
27288
27289 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
27290 @node GDB/MI Program Context
27291 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Program Context
27292
27293 @subheading The @code{-exec-arguments} Command
27294 @findex -exec-arguments
27295
27296
27297 @subsubheading Synopsis
27298
27299 @smallexample
27300 -exec-arguments @var{args}
27301 @end smallexample
27302
27303 Set the inferior program arguments, to be used in the next
27304 @samp{-exec-run}.
27305
27306 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27307
27308 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{set args}.
27309
27310 @subsubheading Example
27311
27312 @smallexample
27313 (gdb)
27314 -exec-arguments -v word
27315 ^done
27316 (gdb)
27317 @end smallexample
27318
27319
27320 @ignore
27321 @subheading The @code{-exec-show-arguments} Command
27322 @findex -exec-show-arguments
27323
27324 @subsubheading Synopsis
27325
27326 @smallexample
27327 -exec-show-arguments
27328 @end smallexample
27329
27330 Print the arguments of the program.
27331
27332 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27333
27334 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{show args}.
27335
27336 @subsubheading Example
27337 N.A.
27338 @end ignore
27339
27340
27341 @subheading The @code{-environment-cd} Command
27342 @findex -environment-cd
27343
27344 @subsubheading Synopsis
27345
27346 @smallexample
27347 -environment-cd @var{pathdir}
27348 @end smallexample
27349
27350 Set @value{GDBN}'s working directory.
27351
27352 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27353
27354 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{cd}.
27355
27356 @subsubheading Example
27357
27358 @smallexample
27359 (gdb)
27360 -environment-cd /kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/devo/gdb
27361 ^done
27362 (gdb)
27363 @end smallexample
27364
27365
27366 @subheading The @code{-environment-directory} Command
27367 @findex -environment-directory
27368
27369 @subsubheading Synopsis
27370
27371 @smallexample
27372 -environment-directory [ -r ] [ @var{pathdir} ]+
27373 @end smallexample
27374
27375 Add directories @var{pathdir} to beginning of search path for source files.
27376 If the @samp{-r} option is used, the search path is reset to the default
27377 search path. If directories @var{pathdir} are supplied in addition to the
27378 @samp{-r} option, the search path is first reset and then addition
27379 occurs as normal.
27380 Multiple directories may be specified, separated by blanks. Specifying
27381 multiple directories in a single command
27382 results in the directories added to the beginning of the
27383 search path in the same order they were presented in the command.
27384 If blanks are needed as
27385 part of a directory name, double-quotes should be used around
27386 the name. In the command output, the path will show up separated
27387 by the system directory-separator character. The directory-separator
27388 character must not be used
27389 in any directory name.
27390 If no directories are specified, the current search path is displayed.
27391
27392 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27393
27394 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{dir}.
27395
27396 @subsubheading Example
27397
27398 @smallexample
27399 (gdb)
27400 -environment-directory /kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/devo/gdb
27401 ^done,source-path="/kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/devo/gdb:$cdir:$cwd"
27402 (gdb)
27403 -environment-directory ""
27404 ^done,source-path="/kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/devo/gdb:$cdir:$cwd"
27405 (gdb)
27406 -environment-directory -r /home/jjohnstn/src/gdb /usr/src
27407 ^done,source-path="/home/jjohnstn/src/gdb:/usr/src:$cdir:$cwd"
27408 (gdb)
27409 -environment-directory -r
27410 ^done,source-path="$cdir:$cwd"
27411 (gdb)
27412 @end smallexample
27413
27414
27415 @subheading The @code{-environment-path} Command
27416 @findex -environment-path
27417
27418 @subsubheading Synopsis
27419
27420 @smallexample
27421 -environment-path [ -r ] [ @var{pathdir} ]+
27422 @end smallexample
27423
27424 Add directories @var{pathdir} to beginning of search path for object files.
27425 If the @samp{-r} option is used, the search path is reset to the original
27426 search path that existed at gdb start-up. If directories @var{pathdir} are
27427 supplied in addition to the
27428 @samp{-r} option, the search path is first reset and then addition
27429 occurs as normal.
27430 Multiple directories may be specified, separated by blanks. Specifying
27431 multiple directories in a single command
27432 results in the directories added to the beginning of the
27433 search path in the same order they were presented in the command.
27434 If blanks are needed as
27435 part of a directory name, double-quotes should be used around
27436 the name. In the command output, the path will show up separated
27437 by the system directory-separator character. The directory-separator
27438 character must not be used
27439 in any directory name.
27440 If no directories are specified, the current path is displayed.
27441
27442
27443 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27444
27445 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{path}.
27446
27447 @subsubheading Example
27448
27449 @smallexample
27450 (gdb)
27451 -environment-path
27452 ^done,path="/usr/bin"
27453 (gdb)
27454 -environment-path /kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/ppc-eabi/gdb /bin
27455 ^done,path="/kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/ppc-eabi/gdb:/bin:/usr/bin"
27456 (gdb)
27457 -environment-path -r /usr/local/bin
27458 ^done,path="/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin"
27459 (gdb)
27460 @end smallexample
27461
27462
27463 @subheading The @code{-environment-pwd} Command
27464 @findex -environment-pwd
27465
27466 @subsubheading Synopsis
27467
27468 @smallexample
27469 -environment-pwd
27470 @end smallexample
27471
27472 Show the current working directory.
27473
27474 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27475
27476 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{pwd}.
27477
27478 @subsubheading Example
27479
27480 @smallexample
27481 (gdb)
27482 -environment-pwd
27483 ^done,cwd="/kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/devo/gdb"
27484 (gdb)
27485 @end smallexample
27486
27487 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
27488 @node GDB/MI Thread Commands
27489 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Thread Commands
27490
27491
27492 @subheading The @code{-thread-info} Command
27493 @findex -thread-info
27494
27495 @subsubheading Synopsis
27496
27497 @smallexample
27498 -thread-info [ @var{thread-id} ]
27499 @end smallexample
27500
27501 Reports information about either a specific thread, if
27502 the @var{thread-id} parameter is present, or about all
27503 threads. When printing information about all threads,
27504 also reports the current thread.
27505
27506 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27507
27508 The @samp{info thread} command prints the same information
27509 about all threads.
27510
27511 @subsubheading Result
27512
27513 The result is a list of threads. The following attributes are
27514 defined for a given thread:
27515
27516 @table @samp
27517 @item current
27518 This field exists only for the current thread. It has the value @samp{*}.
27519
27520 @item id
27521 The identifier that @value{GDBN} uses to refer to the thread.
27522
27523 @item target-id
27524 The identifier that the target uses to refer to the thread.
27525
27526 @item details
27527 Extra information about the thread, in a target-specific format. This
27528 field is optional.
27529
27530 @item name
27531 The name of the thread. If the user specified a name using the
27532 @code{thread name} command, then this name is given. Otherwise, if
27533 @value{GDBN} can extract the thread name from the target, then that
27534 name is given. If @value{GDBN} cannot find the thread name, then this
27535 field is omitted.
27536
27537 @item frame
27538 The stack frame currently executing in the thread.
27539
27540 @item state
27541 The thread's state. The @samp{state} field may have the following
27542 values:
27543
27544 @table @code
27545 @item stopped
27546 The thread is stopped. Frame information is available for stopped
27547 threads.
27548
27549 @item running
27550 The thread is running. There's no frame information for running
27551 threads.
27552
27553 @end table
27554
27555 @item core
27556 If @value{GDBN} can find the CPU core on which this thread is running,
27557 then this field is the core identifier. This field is optional.
27558
27559 @end table
27560
27561 @subsubheading Example
27562
27563 @smallexample
27564 -thread-info
27565 ^done,threads=[
27566 @{id="2",target-id="Thread 0xb7e14b90 (LWP 21257)",
27567 frame=@{level="0",addr="0xffffe410",func="__kernel_vsyscall",
27568 args=[]@},state="running"@},
27569 @{id="1",target-id="Thread 0xb7e156b0 (LWP 21254)",
27570 frame=@{level="0",addr="0x0804891f",func="foo",
27571 args=[@{name="i",value="10"@}],
27572 file="/tmp/a.c",fullname="/tmp/a.c",line="158"@},
27573 state="running"@}],
27574 current-thread-id="1"
27575 (gdb)
27576 @end smallexample
27577
27578 @subheading The @code{-thread-list-ids} Command
27579 @findex -thread-list-ids
27580
27581 @subsubheading Synopsis
27582
27583 @smallexample
27584 -thread-list-ids
27585 @end smallexample
27586
27587 Produces a list of the currently known @value{GDBN} thread ids. At the
27588 end of the list it also prints the total number of such threads.
27589
27590 This command is retained for historical reasons, the
27591 @code{-thread-info} command should be used instead.
27592
27593 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27594
27595 Part of @samp{info threads} supplies the same information.
27596
27597 @subsubheading Example
27598
27599 @smallexample
27600 (gdb)
27601 -thread-list-ids
27602 ^done,thread-ids=@{thread-id="3",thread-id="2",thread-id="1"@},
27603 current-thread-id="1",number-of-threads="3"
27604 (gdb)
27605 @end smallexample
27606
27607
27608 @subheading The @code{-thread-select} Command
27609 @findex -thread-select
27610
27611 @subsubheading Synopsis
27612
27613 @smallexample
27614 -thread-select @var{threadnum}
27615 @end smallexample
27616
27617 Make @var{threadnum} the current thread. It prints the number of the new
27618 current thread, and the topmost frame for that thread.
27619
27620 This command is deprecated in favor of explicitly using the
27621 @samp{--thread} option to each command.
27622
27623 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27624
27625 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{thread}.
27626
27627 @subsubheading Example
27628
27629 @smallexample
27630 (gdb)
27631 -exec-next
27632 ^running
27633 (gdb)
27634 *stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",thread-id="2",line="187",
27635 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.threads/linux-dp.c"
27636 (gdb)
27637 -thread-list-ids
27638 ^done,
27639 thread-ids=@{thread-id="3",thread-id="2",thread-id="1"@},
27640 number-of-threads="3"
27641 (gdb)
27642 -thread-select 3
27643 ^done,new-thread-id="3",
27644 frame=@{level="0",func="vprintf",
27645 args=[@{name="format",value="0x8048e9c \"%*s%c %d %c\\n\""@},
27646 @{name="arg",value="0x2"@}],file="vprintf.c",line="31"@}
27647 (gdb)
27648 @end smallexample
27649
27650 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
27651 @node GDB/MI Ada Tasking Commands
27652 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Ada Tasking Commands
27653
27654 @subheading The @code{-ada-task-info} Command
27655 @findex -ada-task-info
27656
27657 @subsubheading Synopsis
27658
27659 @smallexample
27660 -ada-task-info [ @var{task-id} ]
27661 @end smallexample
27662
27663 Reports information about either a specific Ada task, if the
27664 @var{task-id} parameter is present, or about all Ada tasks.
27665
27666 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27667
27668 The @samp{info tasks} command prints the same information
27669 about all Ada tasks (@pxref{Ada Tasks}).
27670
27671 @subsubheading Result
27672
27673 The result is a table of Ada tasks. The following columns are
27674 defined for each Ada task:
27675
27676 @table @samp
27677 @item current
27678 This field exists only for the current thread. It has the value @samp{*}.
27679
27680 @item id
27681 The identifier that @value{GDBN} uses to refer to the Ada task.
27682
27683 @item task-id
27684 The identifier that the target uses to refer to the Ada task.
27685
27686 @item thread-id
27687 The identifier of the thread corresponding to the Ada task.
27688
27689 This field should always exist, as Ada tasks are always implemented
27690 on top of a thread. But if @value{GDBN} cannot find this corresponding
27691 thread for any reason, the field is omitted.
27692
27693 @item parent-id
27694 This field exists only when the task was created by another task.
27695 In this case, it provides the ID of the parent task.
27696
27697 @item priority
27698 The base priority of the task.
27699
27700 @item state
27701 The current state of the task. For a detailed description of the
27702 possible states, see @ref{Ada Tasks}.
27703
27704 @item name
27705 The name of the task.
27706
27707 @end table
27708
27709 @subsubheading Example
27710
27711 @smallexample
27712 -ada-task-info
27713 ^done,tasks=@{nr_rows="3",nr_cols="8",
27714 hdr=[@{width="1",alignment="-1",col_name="current",colhdr=""@},
27715 @{width="3",alignment="1",col_name="id",colhdr="ID"@},
27716 @{width="9",alignment="1",col_name="task-id",colhdr="TID"@},
27717 @{width="4",alignment="1",col_name="thread-id",colhdr=""@},
27718 @{width="4",alignment="1",col_name="parent-id",colhdr="P-ID"@},
27719 @{width="3",alignment="1",col_name="priority",colhdr="Pri"@},
27720 @{width="22",alignment="-1",col_name="state",colhdr="State"@},
27721 @{width="1",alignment="2",col_name="name",colhdr="Name"@}],
27722 body=[@{current="*",id="1",task-id=" 644010",thread-id="1",priority="48",
27723 state="Child Termination Wait",name="main_task"@}]@}
27724 (gdb)
27725 @end smallexample
27726
27727 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
27728 @node GDB/MI Program Execution
27729 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Program Execution
27730
27731 These are the asynchronous commands which generate the out-of-band
27732 record @samp{*stopped}. Currently @value{GDBN} only really executes
27733 asynchronously with remote targets and this interaction is mimicked in
27734 other cases.
27735
27736 @subheading The @code{-exec-continue} Command
27737 @findex -exec-continue
27738
27739 @subsubheading Synopsis
27740
27741 @smallexample
27742 -exec-continue [--reverse] [--all|--thread-group N]
27743 @end smallexample
27744
27745 Resumes the execution of the inferior program, which will continue
27746 to execute until it reaches a debugger stop event. If the
27747 @samp{--reverse} option is specified, execution resumes in reverse until
27748 it reaches a stop event. Stop events may include
27749 @itemize @bullet
27750 @item
27751 breakpoints or watchpoints
27752 @item
27753 signals or exceptions
27754 @item
27755 the end of the process (or its beginning under @samp{--reverse})
27756 @item
27757 the end or beginning of a replay log if one is being used.
27758 @end itemize
27759 In all-stop mode (@pxref{All-Stop
27760 Mode}), may resume only one thread, or all threads, depending on the
27761 value of the @samp{scheduler-locking} variable. If @samp{--all} is
27762 specified, all threads (in all inferiors) will be resumed. The @samp{--all} option is
27763 ignored in all-stop mode. If the @samp{--thread-group} options is
27764 specified, then all threads in that thread group are resumed.
27765
27766 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27767
27768 The corresponding @value{GDBN} corresponding is @samp{continue}.
27769
27770 @subsubheading Example
27771
27772 @smallexample
27773 -exec-continue
27774 ^running
27775 (gdb)
27776 @@Hello world
27777 *stopped,reason="breakpoint-hit",disp="keep",bkptno="2",frame=@{
27778 func="foo",args=[],file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/hello.c",
27779 line="13"@}
27780 (gdb)
27781 @end smallexample
27782
27783
27784 @subheading The @code{-exec-finish} Command
27785 @findex -exec-finish
27786
27787 @subsubheading Synopsis
27788
27789 @smallexample
27790 -exec-finish [--reverse]
27791 @end smallexample
27792
27793 Resumes the execution of the inferior program until the current
27794 function is exited. Displays the results returned by the function.
27795 If the @samp{--reverse} option is specified, resumes the reverse
27796 execution of the inferior program until the point where current
27797 function was called.
27798
27799 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27800
27801 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{finish}.
27802
27803 @subsubheading Example
27804
27805 Function returning @code{void}.
27806
27807 @smallexample
27808 -exec-finish
27809 ^running
27810 (gdb)
27811 @@hello from foo
27812 *stopped,reason="function-finished",frame=@{func="main",args=[],
27813 file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/hello.c",line="7"@}
27814 (gdb)
27815 @end smallexample
27816
27817 Function returning other than @code{void}. The name of the internal
27818 @value{GDBN} variable storing the result is printed, together with the
27819 value itself.
27820
27821 @smallexample
27822 -exec-finish
27823 ^running
27824 (gdb)
27825 *stopped,reason="function-finished",frame=@{addr="0x000107b0",func="foo",
27826 args=[@{name="a",value="1"],@{name="b",value="9"@}@},
27827 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
27828 gdb-result-var="$1",return-value="0"
27829 (gdb)
27830 @end smallexample
27831
27832
27833 @subheading The @code{-exec-interrupt} Command
27834 @findex -exec-interrupt
27835
27836 @subsubheading Synopsis
27837
27838 @smallexample
27839 -exec-interrupt [--all|--thread-group N]
27840 @end smallexample
27841
27842 Interrupts the background execution of the target. Note how the token
27843 associated with the stop message is the one for the execution command
27844 that has been interrupted. The token for the interrupt itself only
27845 appears in the @samp{^done} output. If the user is trying to
27846 interrupt a non-running program, an error message will be printed.
27847
27848 Note that when asynchronous execution is enabled, this command is
27849 asynchronous just like other execution commands. That is, first the
27850 @samp{^done} response will be printed, and the target stop will be
27851 reported after that using the @samp{*stopped} notification.
27852
27853 In non-stop mode, only the context thread is interrupted by default.
27854 All threads (in all inferiors) will be interrupted if the
27855 @samp{--all} option is specified. If the @samp{--thread-group}
27856 option is specified, all threads in that group will be interrupted.
27857
27858 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27859
27860 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{interrupt}.
27861
27862 @subsubheading Example
27863
27864 @smallexample
27865 (gdb)
27866 111-exec-continue
27867 111^running
27868
27869 (gdb)
27870 222-exec-interrupt
27871 222^done
27872 (gdb)
27873 111*stopped,signal-name="SIGINT",signal-meaning="Interrupt",
27874 frame=@{addr="0x00010140",func="foo",args=[],file="try.c",
27875 fullname="/home/foo/bar/try.c",line="13"@}
27876 (gdb)
27877
27878 (gdb)
27879 -exec-interrupt
27880 ^error,msg="mi_cmd_exec_interrupt: Inferior not executing."
27881 (gdb)
27882 @end smallexample
27883
27884 @subheading The @code{-exec-jump} Command
27885 @findex -exec-jump
27886
27887 @subsubheading Synopsis
27888
27889 @smallexample
27890 -exec-jump @var{location}
27891 @end smallexample
27892
27893 Resumes execution of the inferior program at the location specified by
27894 parameter. @xref{Specify Location}, for a description of the
27895 different forms of @var{location}.
27896
27897 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27898
27899 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{jump}.
27900
27901 @subsubheading Example
27902
27903 @smallexample
27904 -exec-jump foo.c:10
27905 *running,thread-id="all"
27906 ^running
27907 @end smallexample
27908
27909
27910 @subheading The @code{-exec-next} Command
27911 @findex -exec-next
27912
27913 @subsubheading Synopsis
27914
27915 @smallexample
27916 -exec-next [--reverse]
27917 @end smallexample
27918
27919 Resumes execution of the inferior program, stopping when the beginning
27920 of the next source line is reached.
27921
27922 If the @samp{--reverse} option is specified, resumes reverse execution
27923 of the inferior program, stopping at the beginning of the previous
27924 source line. If you issue this command on the first line of a
27925 function, it will take you back to the caller of that function, to the
27926 source line where the function was called.
27927
27928
27929 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27930
27931 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{next}.
27932
27933 @subsubheading Example
27934
27935 @smallexample
27936 -exec-next
27937 ^running
27938 (gdb)
27939 *stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",line="8",file="hello.c"
27940 (gdb)
27941 @end smallexample
27942
27943
27944 @subheading The @code{-exec-next-instruction} Command
27945 @findex -exec-next-instruction
27946
27947 @subsubheading Synopsis
27948
27949 @smallexample
27950 -exec-next-instruction [--reverse]
27951 @end smallexample
27952
27953 Executes one machine instruction. If the instruction is a function
27954 call, continues until the function returns. If the program stops at an
27955 instruction in the middle of a source line, the address will be
27956 printed as well.
27957
27958 If the @samp{--reverse} option is specified, resumes reverse execution
27959 of the inferior program, stopping at the previous instruction. If the
27960 previously executed instruction was a return from another function,
27961 it will continue to execute in reverse until the call to that function
27962 (from the current stack frame) is reached.
27963
27964 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27965
27966 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{nexti}.
27967
27968 @subsubheading Example
27969
27970 @smallexample
27971 (gdb)
27972 -exec-next-instruction
27973 ^running
27974
27975 (gdb)
27976 *stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",
27977 addr="0x000100d4",line="5",file="hello.c"
27978 (gdb)
27979 @end smallexample
27980
27981
27982 @subheading The @code{-exec-return} Command
27983 @findex -exec-return
27984
27985 @subsubheading Synopsis
27986
27987 @smallexample
27988 -exec-return
27989 @end smallexample
27990
27991 Makes current function return immediately. Doesn't execute the inferior.
27992 Displays the new current frame.
27993
27994 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27995
27996 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{return}.
27997
27998 @subsubheading Example
27999
28000 @smallexample
28001 (gdb)
28002 200-break-insert callee4
28003 200^done,bkpt=@{number="1",addr="0x00010734",
28004 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="8"@}
28005 (gdb)
28006 000-exec-run
28007 000^running
28008 (gdb)
28009 000*stopped,reason="breakpoint-hit",disp="keep",bkptno="1",
28010 frame=@{func="callee4",args=[],
28011 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
28012 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="8"@}
28013 (gdb)
28014 205-break-delete
28015 205^done
28016 (gdb)
28017 111-exec-return
28018 111^done,frame=@{level="0",func="callee3",
28019 args=[@{name="strarg",
28020 value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@}],
28021 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
28022 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="18"@}
28023 (gdb)
28024 @end smallexample
28025
28026
28027 @subheading The @code{-exec-run} Command
28028 @findex -exec-run
28029
28030 @subsubheading Synopsis
28031
28032 @smallexample
28033 -exec-run [ --all | --thread-group N ] [ --start ]
28034 @end smallexample
28035
28036 Starts execution of the inferior from the beginning. The inferior
28037 executes until either a breakpoint is encountered or the program
28038 exits. In the latter case the output will include an exit code, if
28039 the program has exited exceptionally.
28040
28041 When neither the @samp{--all} nor the @samp{--thread-group} option
28042 is specified, the current inferior is started. If the
28043 @samp{--thread-group} option is specified, it should refer to a thread
28044 group of type @samp{process}, and that thread group will be started.
28045 If the @samp{--all} option is specified, then all inferiors will be started.
28046
28047 Using the @samp{--start} option instructs the debugger to stop
28048 the execution at the start of the inferior's main subprogram,
28049 following the same behavior as the @code{start} command
28050 (@pxref{Starting}).
28051
28052 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28053
28054 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{run}.
28055
28056 @subsubheading Examples
28057
28058 @smallexample
28059 (gdb)
28060 -break-insert main
28061 ^done,bkpt=@{number="1",addr="0x0001072c",file="recursive2.c",line="4"@}
28062 (gdb)
28063 -exec-run
28064 ^running
28065 (gdb)
28066 *stopped,reason="breakpoint-hit",disp="keep",bkptno="1",
28067 frame=@{func="main",args=[],file="recursive2.c",
28068 fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="4"@}
28069 (gdb)
28070 @end smallexample
28071
28072 @noindent
28073 Program exited normally:
28074
28075 @smallexample
28076 (gdb)
28077 -exec-run
28078 ^running
28079 (gdb)
28080 x = 55
28081 *stopped,reason="exited-normally"
28082 (gdb)
28083 @end smallexample
28084
28085 @noindent
28086 Program exited exceptionally:
28087
28088 @smallexample
28089 (gdb)
28090 -exec-run
28091 ^running
28092 (gdb)
28093 x = 55
28094 *stopped,reason="exited",exit-code="01"
28095 (gdb)
28096 @end smallexample
28097
28098 Another way the program can terminate is if it receives a signal such as
28099 @code{SIGINT}. In this case, @sc{gdb/mi} displays this:
28100
28101 @smallexample
28102 (gdb)
28103 *stopped,reason="exited-signalled",signal-name="SIGINT",
28104 signal-meaning="Interrupt"
28105 @end smallexample
28106
28107
28108 @c @subheading -exec-signal
28109
28110
28111 @subheading The @code{-exec-step} Command
28112 @findex -exec-step
28113
28114 @subsubheading Synopsis
28115
28116 @smallexample
28117 -exec-step [--reverse]
28118 @end smallexample
28119
28120 Resumes execution of the inferior program, stopping when the beginning
28121 of the next source line is reached, if the next source line is not a
28122 function call. If it is, stop at the first instruction of the called
28123 function. If the @samp{--reverse} option is specified, resumes reverse
28124 execution of the inferior program, stopping at the beginning of the
28125 previously executed source line.
28126
28127 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28128
28129 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{step}.
28130
28131 @subsubheading Example
28132
28133 Stepping into a function:
28134
28135 @smallexample
28136 -exec-step
28137 ^running
28138 (gdb)
28139 *stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",
28140 frame=@{func="foo",args=[@{name="a",value="10"@},
28141 @{name="b",value="0"@}],file="recursive2.c",
28142 fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="11"@}
28143 (gdb)
28144 @end smallexample
28145
28146 Regular stepping:
28147
28148 @smallexample
28149 -exec-step
28150 ^running
28151 (gdb)
28152 *stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",line="14",file="recursive2.c"
28153 (gdb)
28154 @end smallexample
28155
28156
28157 @subheading The @code{-exec-step-instruction} Command
28158 @findex -exec-step-instruction
28159
28160 @subsubheading Synopsis
28161
28162 @smallexample
28163 -exec-step-instruction [--reverse]
28164 @end smallexample
28165
28166 Resumes the inferior which executes one machine instruction. If the
28167 @samp{--reverse} option is specified, resumes reverse execution of the
28168 inferior program, stopping at the previously executed instruction.
28169 The output, once @value{GDBN} has stopped, will vary depending on
28170 whether we have stopped in the middle of a source line or not. In the
28171 former case, the address at which the program stopped will be printed
28172 as well.
28173
28174 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28175
28176 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{stepi}.
28177
28178 @subsubheading Example
28179
28180 @smallexample
28181 (gdb)
28182 -exec-step-instruction
28183 ^running
28184
28185 (gdb)
28186 *stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",
28187 frame=@{func="foo",args=[],file="try.c",
28188 fullname="/home/foo/bar/try.c",line="10"@}
28189 (gdb)
28190 -exec-step-instruction
28191 ^running
28192
28193 (gdb)
28194 *stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",
28195 frame=@{addr="0x000100f4",func="foo",args=[],file="try.c",
28196 fullname="/home/foo/bar/try.c",line="10"@}
28197 (gdb)
28198 @end smallexample
28199
28200
28201 @subheading The @code{-exec-until} Command
28202 @findex -exec-until
28203
28204 @subsubheading Synopsis
28205
28206 @smallexample
28207 -exec-until [ @var{location} ]
28208 @end smallexample
28209
28210 Executes the inferior until the @var{location} specified in the
28211 argument is reached. If there is no argument, the inferior executes
28212 until a source line greater than the current one is reached. The
28213 reason for stopping in this case will be @samp{location-reached}.
28214
28215 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28216
28217 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{until}.
28218
28219 @subsubheading Example
28220
28221 @smallexample
28222 (gdb)
28223 -exec-until recursive2.c:6
28224 ^running
28225 (gdb)
28226 x = 55
28227 *stopped,reason="location-reached",frame=@{func="main",args=[],
28228 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="6"@}
28229 (gdb)
28230 @end smallexample
28231
28232 @ignore
28233 @subheading -file-clear
28234 Is this going away????
28235 @end ignore
28236
28237 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
28238 @node GDB/MI Stack Manipulation
28239 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Stack Manipulation Commands
28240
28241 @subheading The @code{-enable-frame-filters} Command
28242 @findex -enable-frame-filters
28243
28244 @smallexample
28245 -enable-frame-filters
28246 @end smallexample
28247
28248 @value{GDBN} allows Python-based frame filters to affect the output of
28249 the MI commands relating to stack traces. As there is no way to
28250 implement this in a fully backward-compatible way, a front end must
28251 request that this functionality be enabled.
28252
28253 Once enabled, this feature cannot be disabled.
28254
28255 Note that if Python support has not been compiled into @value{GDBN},
28256 this command will still succeed (and do nothing).
28257
28258 @subheading The @code{-stack-info-frame} Command
28259 @findex -stack-info-frame
28260
28261 @subsubheading Synopsis
28262
28263 @smallexample
28264 -stack-info-frame
28265 @end smallexample
28266
28267 Get info on the selected frame.
28268
28269 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28270
28271 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info frame} or @samp{frame}
28272 (without arguments).
28273
28274 @subsubheading Example
28275
28276 @smallexample
28277 (gdb)
28278 -stack-info-frame
28279 ^done,frame=@{level="1",addr="0x0001076c",func="callee3",
28280 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
28281 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="17"@}
28282 (gdb)
28283 @end smallexample
28284
28285 @subheading The @code{-stack-info-depth} Command
28286 @findex -stack-info-depth
28287
28288 @subsubheading Synopsis
28289
28290 @smallexample
28291 -stack-info-depth [ @var{max-depth} ]
28292 @end smallexample
28293
28294 Return the depth of the stack. If the integer argument @var{max-depth}
28295 is specified, do not count beyond @var{max-depth} frames.
28296
28297 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28298
28299 There's no equivalent @value{GDBN} command.
28300
28301 @subsubheading Example
28302
28303 For a stack with frame levels 0 through 11:
28304
28305 @smallexample
28306 (gdb)
28307 -stack-info-depth
28308 ^done,depth="12"
28309 (gdb)
28310 -stack-info-depth 4
28311 ^done,depth="4"
28312 (gdb)
28313 -stack-info-depth 12
28314 ^done,depth="12"
28315 (gdb)
28316 -stack-info-depth 11
28317 ^done,depth="11"
28318 (gdb)
28319 -stack-info-depth 13
28320 ^done,depth="12"
28321 (gdb)
28322 @end smallexample
28323
28324 @anchor{-stack-list-arguments}
28325 @subheading The @code{-stack-list-arguments} Command
28326 @findex -stack-list-arguments
28327
28328 @subsubheading Synopsis
28329
28330 @smallexample
28331 -stack-list-arguments [ --no-frame-filters ] [ --skip-unavailable ] @var{print-values}
28332 [ @var{low-frame} @var{high-frame} ]
28333 @end smallexample
28334
28335 Display a list of the arguments for the frames between @var{low-frame}
28336 and @var{high-frame} (inclusive). If @var{low-frame} and
28337 @var{high-frame} are not provided, list the arguments for the whole
28338 call stack. If the two arguments are equal, show the single frame
28339 at the corresponding level. It is an error if @var{low-frame} is
28340 larger than the actual number of frames. On the other hand,
28341 @var{high-frame} may be larger than the actual number of frames, in
28342 which case only existing frames will be returned.
28343
28344 If @var{print-values} is 0 or @code{--no-values}, print only the names of
28345 the variables; if it is 1 or @code{--all-values}, print also their
28346 values; and if it is 2 or @code{--simple-values}, print the name,
28347 type and value for simple data types, and the name and type for arrays,
28348 structures and unions. If the option @code{--no-frame-filters} is
28349 supplied, then Python frame filters will not be executed.
28350
28351 If the @code{--skip-unavailable} option is specified, arguments that
28352 are not available are not listed. Partially available arguments
28353 are still displayed, however.
28354
28355 Use of this command to obtain arguments in a single frame is
28356 deprecated in favor of the @samp{-stack-list-variables} command.
28357
28358 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28359
28360 @value{GDBN} does not have an equivalent command. @code{gdbtk} has a
28361 @samp{gdb_get_args} command which partially overlaps with the
28362 functionality of @samp{-stack-list-arguments}.
28363
28364 @subsubheading Example
28365
28366 @smallexample
28367 (gdb)
28368 -stack-list-frames
28369 ^done,
28370 stack=[
28371 frame=@{level="0",addr="0x00010734",func="callee4",
28372 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
28373 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="8"@},
28374 frame=@{level="1",addr="0x0001076c",func="callee3",
28375 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
28376 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="17"@},
28377 frame=@{level="2",addr="0x0001078c",func="callee2",
28378 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
28379 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="22"@},
28380 frame=@{level="3",addr="0x000107b4",func="callee1",
28381 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
28382 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="27"@},
28383 frame=@{level="4",addr="0x000107e0",func="main",
28384 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
28385 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="32"@}]
28386 (gdb)
28387 -stack-list-arguments 0
28388 ^done,
28389 stack-args=[
28390 frame=@{level="0",args=[]@},
28391 frame=@{level="1",args=[name="strarg"]@},
28392 frame=@{level="2",args=[name="intarg",name="strarg"]@},
28393 frame=@{level="3",args=[name="intarg",name="strarg",name="fltarg"]@},
28394 frame=@{level="4",args=[]@}]
28395 (gdb)
28396 -stack-list-arguments 1
28397 ^done,
28398 stack-args=[
28399 frame=@{level="0",args=[]@},
28400 frame=@{level="1",
28401 args=[@{name="strarg",value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@}]@},
28402 frame=@{level="2",args=[
28403 @{name="intarg",value="2"@},
28404 @{name="strarg",value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@}]@},
28405 @{frame=@{level="3",args=[
28406 @{name="intarg",value="2"@},
28407 @{name="strarg",value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@},
28408 @{name="fltarg",value="3.5"@}]@},
28409 frame=@{level="4",args=[]@}]
28410 (gdb)
28411 -stack-list-arguments 0 2 2
28412 ^done,stack-args=[frame=@{level="2",args=[name="intarg",name="strarg"]@}]
28413 (gdb)
28414 -stack-list-arguments 1 2 2
28415 ^done,stack-args=[frame=@{level="2",
28416 args=[@{name="intarg",value="2"@},
28417 @{name="strarg",value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@}]@}]
28418 (gdb)
28419 @end smallexample
28420
28421 @c @subheading -stack-list-exception-handlers
28422
28423
28424 @anchor{-stack-list-frames}
28425 @subheading The @code{-stack-list-frames} Command
28426 @findex -stack-list-frames
28427
28428 @subsubheading Synopsis
28429
28430 @smallexample
28431 -stack-list-frames [ --no-frame-filters @var{low-frame} @var{high-frame} ]
28432 @end smallexample
28433
28434 List the frames currently on the stack. For each frame it displays the
28435 following info:
28436
28437 @table @samp
28438 @item @var{level}
28439 The frame number, 0 being the topmost frame, i.e., the innermost function.
28440 @item @var{addr}
28441 The @code{$pc} value for that frame.
28442 @item @var{func}
28443 Function name.
28444 @item @var{file}
28445 File name of the source file where the function lives.
28446 @item @var{fullname}
28447 The full file name of the source file where the function lives.
28448 @item @var{line}
28449 Line number corresponding to the @code{$pc}.
28450 @item @var{from}
28451 The shared library where this function is defined. This is only given
28452 if the frame's function is not known.
28453 @end table
28454
28455 If invoked without arguments, this command prints a backtrace for the
28456 whole stack. If given two integer arguments, it shows the frames whose
28457 levels are between the two arguments (inclusive). If the two arguments
28458 are equal, it shows the single frame at the corresponding level. It is
28459 an error if @var{low-frame} is larger than the actual number of
28460 frames. On the other hand, @var{high-frame} may be larger than the
28461 actual number of frames, in which case only existing frames will be
28462 returned. If the option @code{--no-frame-filters} is supplied, then
28463 Python frame filters will not be executed.
28464
28465 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28466
28467 The corresponding @value{GDBN} commands are @samp{backtrace} and @samp{where}.
28468
28469 @subsubheading Example
28470
28471 Full stack backtrace:
28472
28473 @smallexample
28474 (gdb)
28475 -stack-list-frames
28476 ^done,stack=
28477 [frame=@{level="0",addr="0x0001076c",func="foo",
28478 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="11"@},
28479 frame=@{level="1",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28480 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
28481 frame=@{level="2",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28482 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
28483 frame=@{level="3",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28484 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
28485 frame=@{level="4",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28486 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
28487 frame=@{level="5",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28488 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
28489 frame=@{level="6",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28490 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
28491 frame=@{level="7",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28492 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
28493 frame=@{level="8",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28494 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
28495 frame=@{level="9",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28496 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
28497 frame=@{level="10",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28498 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
28499 frame=@{level="11",addr="0x00010738",func="main",
28500 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="4"@}]
28501 (gdb)
28502 @end smallexample
28503
28504 Show frames between @var{low_frame} and @var{high_frame}:
28505
28506 @smallexample
28507 (gdb)
28508 -stack-list-frames 3 5
28509 ^done,stack=
28510 [frame=@{level="3",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28511 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
28512 frame=@{level="4",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28513 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
28514 frame=@{level="5",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28515 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@}]
28516 (gdb)
28517 @end smallexample
28518
28519 Show a single frame:
28520
28521 @smallexample
28522 (gdb)
28523 -stack-list-frames 3 3
28524 ^done,stack=
28525 [frame=@{level="3",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28526 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@}]
28527 (gdb)
28528 @end smallexample
28529
28530
28531 @subheading The @code{-stack-list-locals} Command
28532 @findex -stack-list-locals
28533 @anchor{-stack-list-locals}
28534
28535 @subsubheading Synopsis
28536
28537 @smallexample
28538 -stack-list-locals [ --no-frame-filters ] [ --skip-unavailable ] @var{print-values}
28539 @end smallexample
28540
28541 Display the local variable names for the selected frame. If
28542 @var{print-values} is 0 or @code{--no-values}, print only the names of
28543 the variables; if it is 1 or @code{--all-values}, print also their
28544 values; and if it is 2 or @code{--simple-values}, print the name,
28545 type and value for simple data types, and the name and type for arrays,
28546 structures and unions. In this last case, a frontend can immediately
28547 display the value of simple data types and create variable objects for
28548 other data types when the user wishes to explore their values in
28549 more detail. If the option @code{--no-frame-filters} is supplied, then
28550 Python frame filters will not be executed.
28551
28552 If the @code{--skip-unavailable} option is specified, local variables
28553 that are not available are not listed. Partially available local
28554 variables are still displayed, however.
28555
28556 This command is deprecated in favor of the
28557 @samp{-stack-list-variables} command.
28558
28559 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28560
28561 @samp{info locals} in @value{GDBN}, @samp{gdb_get_locals} in @code{gdbtk}.
28562
28563 @subsubheading Example
28564
28565 @smallexample
28566 (gdb)
28567 -stack-list-locals 0
28568 ^done,locals=[name="A",name="B",name="C"]
28569 (gdb)
28570 -stack-list-locals --all-values
28571 ^done,locals=[@{name="A",value="1"@},@{name="B",value="2"@},
28572 @{name="C",value="@{1, 2, 3@}"@}]
28573 -stack-list-locals --simple-values
28574 ^done,locals=[@{name="A",type="int",value="1"@},
28575 @{name="B",type="int",value="2"@},@{name="C",type="int [3]"@}]
28576 (gdb)
28577 @end smallexample
28578
28579 @anchor{-stack-list-variables}
28580 @subheading The @code{-stack-list-variables} Command
28581 @findex -stack-list-variables
28582
28583 @subsubheading Synopsis
28584
28585 @smallexample
28586 -stack-list-variables [ --no-frame-filters ] [ --skip-unavailable ] @var{print-values}
28587 @end smallexample
28588
28589 Display the names of local variables and function arguments for the selected frame. If
28590 @var{print-values} is 0 or @code{--no-values}, print only the names of
28591 the variables; if it is 1 or @code{--all-values}, print also their
28592 values; and if it is 2 or @code{--simple-values}, print the name,
28593 type and value for simple data types, and the name and type for arrays,
28594 structures and unions. If the option @code{--no-frame-filters} is
28595 supplied, then Python frame filters will not be executed.
28596
28597 If the @code{--skip-unavailable} option is specified, local variables
28598 and arguments that are not available are not listed. Partially
28599 available arguments and local variables are still displayed, however.
28600
28601 @subsubheading Example
28602
28603 @smallexample
28604 (gdb)
28605 -stack-list-variables --thread 1 --frame 0 --all-values
28606 ^done,variables=[@{name="x",value="11"@},@{name="s",value="@{a = 1, b = 2@}"@}]
28607 (gdb)
28608 @end smallexample
28609
28610
28611 @subheading The @code{-stack-select-frame} Command
28612 @findex -stack-select-frame
28613
28614 @subsubheading Synopsis
28615
28616 @smallexample
28617 -stack-select-frame @var{framenum}
28618 @end smallexample
28619
28620 Change the selected frame. Select a different frame @var{framenum} on
28621 the stack.
28622
28623 This command in deprecated in favor of passing the @samp{--frame}
28624 option to every command.
28625
28626 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28627
28628 The corresponding @value{GDBN} commands are @samp{frame}, @samp{up},
28629 @samp{down}, @samp{select-frame}, @samp{up-silent}, and @samp{down-silent}.
28630
28631 @subsubheading Example
28632
28633 @smallexample
28634 (gdb)
28635 -stack-select-frame 2
28636 ^done
28637 (gdb)
28638 @end smallexample
28639
28640 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
28641 @node GDB/MI Variable Objects
28642 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Variable Objects
28643
28644 @ignore
28645
28646 @subheading Motivation for Variable Objects in @sc{gdb/mi}
28647
28648 For the implementation of a variable debugger window (locals, watched
28649 expressions, etc.), we are proposing the adaptation of the existing code
28650 used by @code{Insight}.
28651
28652 The two main reasons for that are:
28653
28654 @enumerate 1
28655 @item
28656 It has been proven in practice (it is already on its second generation).
28657
28658 @item
28659 It will shorten development time (needless to say how important it is
28660 now).
28661 @end enumerate
28662
28663 The original interface was designed to be used by Tcl code, so it was
28664 slightly changed so it could be used through @sc{gdb/mi}. This section
28665 describes the @sc{gdb/mi} operations that will be available and gives some
28666 hints about their use.
28667
28668 @emph{Note}: In addition to the set of operations described here, we
28669 expect the @sc{gui} implementation of a variable window to require, at
28670 least, the following operations:
28671
28672 @itemize @bullet
28673 @item @code{-gdb-show} @code{output-radix}
28674 @item @code{-stack-list-arguments}
28675 @item @code{-stack-list-locals}
28676 @item @code{-stack-select-frame}
28677 @end itemize
28678
28679 @end ignore
28680
28681 @subheading Introduction to Variable Objects
28682
28683 @cindex variable objects in @sc{gdb/mi}
28684
28685 Variable objects are "object-oriented" MI interface for examining and
28686 changing values of expressions. Unlike some other MI interfaces that
28687 work with expressions, variable objects are specifically designed for
28688 simple and efficient presentation in the frontend. A variable object
28689 is identified by string name. When a variable object is created, the
28690 frontend specifies the expression for that variable object. The
28691 expression can be a simple variable, or it can be an arbitrary complex
28692 expression, and can even involve CPU registers. After creating a
28693 variable object, the frontend can invoke other variable object
28694 operations---for example to obtain or change the value of a variable
28695 object, or to change display format.
28696
28697 Variable objects have hierarchical tree structure. Any variable object
28698 that corresponds to a composite type, such as structure in C, has
28699 a number of child variable objects, for example corresponding to each
28700 element of a structure. A child variable object can itself have
28701 children, recursively. Recursion ends when we reach
28702 leaf variable objects, which always have built-in types. Child variable
28703 objects are created only by explicit request, so if a frontend
28704 is not interested in the children of a particular variable object, no
28705 child will be created.
28706
28707 For a leaf variable object it is possible to obtain its value as a
28708 string, or set the value from a string. String value can be also
28709 obtained for a non-leaf variable object, but it's generally a string
28710 that only indicates the type of the object, and does not list its
28711 contents. Assignment to a non-leaf variable object is not allowed.
28712
28713 A frontend does not need to read the values of all variable objects each time
28714 the program stops. Instead, MI provides an update command that lists all
28715 variable objects whose values has changed since the last update
28716 operation. This considerably reduces the amount of data that must
28717 be transferred to the frontend. As noted above, children variable
28718 objects are created on demand, and only leaf variable objects have a
28719 real value. As result, gdb will read target memory only for leaf
28720 variables that frontend has created.
28721
28722 The automatic update is not always desirable. For example, a frontend
28723 might want to keep a value of some expression for future reference,
28724 and never update it. For another example, fetching memory is
28725 relatively slow for embedded targets, so a frontend might want
28726 to disable automatic update for the variables that are either not
28727 visible on the screen, or ``closed''. This is possible using so
28728 called ``frozen variable objects''. Such variable objects are never
28729 implicitly updated.
28730
28731 Variable objects can be either @dfn{fixed} or @dfn{floating}. For the
28732 fixed variable object, the expression is parsed when the variable
28733 object is created, including associating identifiers to specific
28734 variables. The meaning of expression never changes. For a floating
28735 variable object the values of variables whose names appear in the
28736 expressions are re-evaluated every time in the context of the current
28737 frame. Consider this example:
28738
28739 @smallexample
28740 void do_work(...)
28741 @{
28742 struct work_state state;
28743
28744 if (...)
28745 do_work(...);
28746 @}
28747 @end smallexample
28748
28749 If a fixed variable object for the @code{state} variable is created in
28750 this function, and we enter the recursive call, the variable
28751 object will report the value of @code{state} in the top-level
28752 @code{do_work} invocation. On the other hand, a floating variable
28753 object will report the value of @code{state} in the current frame.
28754
28755 If an expression specified when creating a fixed variable object
28756 refers to a local variable, the variable object becomes bound to the
28757 thread and frame in which the variable object is created. When such
28758 variable object is updated, @value{GDBN} makes sure that the
28759 thread/frame combination the variable object is bound to still exists,
28760 and re-evaluates the variable object in context of that thread/frame.
28761
28762 The following is the complete set of @sc{gdb/mi} operations defined to
28763 access this functionality:
28764
28765 @multitable @columnfractions .4 .6
28766 @item @strong{Operation}
28767 @tab @strong{Description}
28768
28769 @item @code{-enable-pretty-printing}
28770 @tab enable Python-based pretty-printing
28771 @item @code{-var-create}
28772 @tab create a variable object
28773 @item @code{-var-delete}
28774 @tab delete the variable object and/or its children
28775 @item @code{-var-set-format}
28776 @tab set the display format of this variable
28777 @item @code{-var-show-format}
28778 @tab show the display format of this variable
28779 @item @code{-var-info-num-children}
28780 @tab tells how many children this object has
28781 @item @code{-var-list-children}
28782 @tab return a list of the object's children
28783 @item @code{-var-info-type}
28784 @tab show the type of this variable object
28785 @item @code{-var-info-expression}
28786 @tab print parent-relative expression that this variable object represents
28787 @item @code{-var-info-path-expression}
28788 @tab print full expression that this variable object represents
28789 @item @code{-var-show-attributes}
28790 @tab is this variable editable? does it exist here?
28791 @item @code{-var-evaluate-expression}
28792 @tab get the value of this variable
28793 @item @code{-var-assign}
28794 @tab set the value of this variable
28795 @item @code{-var-update}
28796 @tab update the variable and its children
28797 @item @code{-var-set-frozen}
28798 @tab set frozeness attribute
28799 @item @code{-var-set-update-range}
28800 @tab set range of children to display on update
28801 @end multitable
28802
28803 In the next subsection we describe each operation in detail and suggest
28804 how it can be used.
28805
28806 @subheading Description And Use of Operations on Variable Objects
28807
28808 @subheading The @code{-enable-pretty-printing} Command
28809 @findex -enable-pretty-printing
28810
28811 @smallexample
28812 -enable-pretty-printing
28813 @end smallexample
28814
28815 @value{GDBN} allows Python-based visualizers to affect the output of the
28816 MI variable object commands. However, because there was no way to
28817 implement this in a fully backward-compatible way, a front end must
28818 request that this functionality be enabled.
28819
28820 Once enabled, this feature cannot be disabled.
28821
28822 Note that if Python support has not been compiled into @value{GDBN},
28823 this command will still succeed (and do nothing).
28824
28825 This feature is currently (as of @value{GDBN} 7.0) experimental, and
28826 may work differently in future versions of @value{GDBN}.
28827
28828 @subheading The @code{-var-create} Command
28829 @findex -var-create
28830
28831 @subsubheading Synopsis
28832
28833 @smallexample
28834 -var-create @{@var{name} | "-"@}
28835 @{@var{frame-addr} | "*" | "@@"@} @var{expression}
28836 @end smallexample
28837
28838 This operation creates a variable object, which allows the monitoring of
28839 a variable, the result of an expression, a memory cell or a CPU
28840 register.
28841
28842 The @var{name} parameter is the string by which the object can be
28843 referenced. It must be unique. If @samp{-} is specified, the varobj
28844 system will generate a string ``varNNNNNN'' automatically. It will be
28845 unique provided that one does not specify @var{name} of that format.
28846 The command fails if a duplicate name is found.
28847
28848 The frame under which the expression should be evaluated can be
28849 specified by @var{frame-addr}. A @samp{*} indicates that the current
28850 frame should be used. A @samp{@@} indicates that a floating variable
28851 object must be created.
28852
28853 @var{expression} is any expression valid on the current language set (must not
28854 begin with a @samp{*}), or one of the following:
28855
28856 @itemize @bullet
28857 @item
28858 @samp{*@var{addr}}, where @var{addr} is the address of a memory cell
28859
28860 @item
28861 @samp{*@var{addr}-@var{addr}} --- a memory address range (TBD)
28862
28863 @item
28864 @samp{$@var{regname}} --- a CPU register name
28865 @end itemize
28866
28867 @cindex dynamic varobj
28868 A varobj's contents may be provided by a Python-based pretty-printer. In this
28869 case the varobj is known as a @dfn{dynamic varobj}. Dynamic varobjs
28870 have slightly different semantics in some cases. If the
28871 @code{-enable-pretty-printing} command is not sent, then @value{GDBN}
28872 will never create a dynamic varobj. This ensures backward
28873 compatibility for existing clients.
28874
28875 @subsubheading Result
28876
28877 This operation returns attributes of the newly-created varobj. These
28878 are:
28879
28880 @table @samp
28881 @item name
28882 The name of the varobj.
28883
28884 @item numchild
28885 The number of children of the varobj. This number is not necessarily
28886 reliable for a dynamic varobj. Instead, you must examine the
28887 @samp{has_more} attribute.
28888
28889 @item value
28890 The varobj's scalar value. For a varobj whose type is some sort of
28891 aggregate (e.g., a @code{struct}), or for a dynamic varobj, this value
28892 will not be interesting.
28893
28894 @item type
28895 The varobj's type. This is a string representation of the type, as
28896 would be printed by the @value{GDBN} CLI. If @samp{print object}
28897 (@pxref{Print Settings, set print object}) is set to @code{on}, the
28898 @emph{actual} (derived) type of the object is shown rather than the
28899 @emph{declared} one.
28900
28901 @item thread-id
28902 If a variable object is bound to a specific thread, then this is the
28903 thread's identifier.
28904
28905 @item has_more
28906 For a dynamic varobj, this indicates whether there appear to be any
28907 children available. For a non-dynamic varobj, this will be 0.
28908
28909 @item dynamic
28910 This attribute will be present and have the value @samp{1} if the
28911 varobj is a dynamic varobj. If the varobj is not a dynamic varobj,
28912 then this attribute will not be present.
28913
28914 @item displayhint
28915 A dynamic varobj can supply a display hint to the front end. The
28916 value comes directly from the Python pretty-printer object's
28917 @code{display_hint} method. @xref{Pretty Printing API}.
28918 @end table
28919
28920 Typical output will look like this:
28921
28922 @smallexample
28923 name="@var{name}",numchild="@var{N}",type="@var{type}",thread-id="@var{M}",
28924 has_more="@var{has_more}"
28925 @end smallexample
28926
28927
28928 @subheading The @code{-var-delete} Command
28929 @findex -var-delete
28930
28931 @subsubheading Synopsis
28932
28933 @smallexample
28934 -var-delete [ -c ] @var{name}
28935 @end smallexample
28936
28937 Deletes a previously created variable object and all of its children.
28938 With the @samp{-c} option, just deletes the children.
28939
28940 Returns an error if the object @var{name} is not found.
28941
28942
28943 @subheading The @code{-var-set-format} Command
28944 @findex -var-set-format
28945
28946 @subsubheading Synopsis
28947
28948 @smallexample
28949 -var-set-format @var{name} @var{format-spec}
28950 @end smallexample
28951
28952 Sets the output format for the value of the object @var{name} to be
28953 @var{format-spec}.
28954
28955 @anchor{-var-set-format}
28956 The syntax for the @var{format-spec} is as follows:
28957
28958 @smallexample
28959 @var{format-spec} @expansion{}
28960 @{binary | decimal | hexadecimal | octal | natural@}
28961 @end smallexample
28962
28963 The natural format is the default format choosen automatically
28964 based on the variable type (like decimal for an @code{int}, hex
28965 for pointers, etc.).
28966
28967 For a variable with children, the format is set only on the
28968 variable itself, and the children are not affected.
28969
28970 @subheading The @code{-var-show-format} Command
28971 @findex -var-show-format
28972
28973 @subsubheading Synopsis
28974
28975 @smallexample
28976 -var-show-format @var{name}
28977 @end smallexample
28978
28979 Returns the format used to display the value of the object @var{name}.
28980
28981 @smallexample
28982 @var{format} @expansion{}
28983 @var{format-spec}
28984 @end smallexample
28985
28986
28987 @subheading The @code{-var-info-num-children} Command
28988 @findex -var-info-num-children
28989
28990 @subsubheading Synopsis
28991
28992 @smallexample
28993 -var-info-num-children @var{name}
28994 @end smallexample
28995
28996 Returns the number of children of a variable object @var{name}:
28997
28998 @smallexample
28999 numchild=@var{n}
29000 @end smallexample
29001
29002 Note that this number is not completely reliable for a dynamic varobj.
29003 It will return the current number of children, but more children may
29004 be available.
29005
29006
29007 @subheading The @code{-var-list-children} Command
29008 @findex -var-list-children
29009
29010 @subsubheading Synopsis
29011
29012 @smallexample
29013 -var-list-children [@var{print-values}] @var{name} [@var{from} @var{to}]
29014 @end smallexample
29015 @anchor{-var-list-children}
29016
29017 Return a list of the children of the specified variable object and
29018 create variable objects for them, if they do not already exist. With
29019 a single argument or if @var{print-values} has a value of 0 or
29020 @code{--no-values}, print only the names of the variables; if
29021 @var{print-values} is 1 or @code{--all-values}, also print their
29022 values; and if it is 2 or @code{--simple-values} print the name and
29023 value for simple data types and just the name for arrays, structures
29024 and unions.
29025
29026 @var{from} and @var{to}, if specified, indicate the range of children
29027 to report. If @var{from} or @var{to} is less than zero, the range is
29028 reset and all children will be reported. Otherwise, children starting
29029 at @var{from} (zero-based) and up to and excluding @var{to} will be
29030 reported.
29031
29032 If a child range is requested, it will only affect the current call to
29033 @code{-var-list-children}, but not future calls to @code{-var-update}.
29034 For this, you must instead use @code{-var-set-update-range}. The
29035 intent of this approach is to enable a front end to implement any
29036 update approach it likes; for example, scrolling a view may cause the
29037 front end to request more children with @code{-var-list-children}, and
29038 then the front end could call @code{-var-set-update-range} with a
29039 different range to ensure that future updates are restricted to just
29040 the visible items.
29041
29042 For each child the following results are returned:
29043
29044 @table @var
29045
29046 @item name
29047 Name of the variable object created for this child.
29048
29049 @item exp
29050 The expression to be shown to the user by the front end to designate this child.
29051 For example this may be the name of a structure member.
29052
29053 For a dynamic varobj, this value cannot be used to form an
29054 expression. There is no way to do this at all with a dynamic varobj.
29055
29056 For C/C@t{++} structures there are several pseudo children returned to
29057 designate access qualifiers. For these pseudo children @var{exp} is
29058 @samp{public}, @samp{private}, or @samp{protected}. In this case the
29059 type and value are not present.
29060
29061 A dynamic varobj will not report the access qualifying
29062 pseudo-children, regardless of the language. This information is not
29063 available at all with a dynamic varobj.
29064
29065 @item numchild
29066 Number of children this child has. For a dynamic varobj, this will be
29067 0.
29068
29069 @item type
29070 The type of the child. If @samp{print object}
29071 (@pxref{Print Settings, set print object}) is set to @code{on}, the
29072 @emph{actual} (derived) type of the object is shown rather than the
29073 @emph{declared} one.
29074
29075 @item value
29076 If values were requested, this is the value.
29077
29078 @item thread-id
29079 If this variable object is associated with a thread, this is the thread id.
29080 Otherwise this result is not present.
29081
29082 @item frozen
29083 If the variable object is frozen, this variable will be present with a value of 1.
29084
29085 @item displayhint
29086 A dynamic varobj can supply a display hint to the front end. The
29087 value comes directly from the Python pretty-printer object's
29088 @code{display_hint} method. @xref{Pretty Printing API}.
29089
29090 @item dynamic
29091 This attribute will be present and have the value @samp{1} if the
29092 varobj is a dynamic varobj. If the varobj is not a dynamic varobj,
29093 then this attribute will not be present.
29094
29095 @end table
29096
29097 The result may have its own attributes:
29098
29099 @table @samp
29100 @item displayhint
29101 A dynamic varobj can supply a display hint to the front end. The
29102 value comes directly from the Python pretty-printer object's
29103 @code{display_hint} method. @xref{Pretty Printing API}.
29104
29105 @item has_more
29106 This is an integer attribute which is nonzero if there are children
29107 remaining after the end of the selected range.
29108 @end table
29109
29110 @subsubheading Example
29111
29112 @smallexample
29113 (gdb)
29114 -var-list-children n
29115 ^done,numchild=@var{n},children=[child=@{name=@var{name},exp=@var{exp},
29116 numchild=@var{n},type=@var{type}@},@r{(repeats N times)}]
29117 (gdb)
29118 -var-list-children --all-values n
29119 ^done,numchild=@var{n},children=[child=@{name=@var{name},exp=@var{exp},
29120 numchild=@var{n},value=@var{value},type=@var{type}@},@r{(repeats N times)}]
29121 @end smallexample
29122
29123
29124 @subheading The @code{-var-info-type} Command
29125 @findex -var-info-type
29126
29127 @subsubheading Synopsis
29128
29129 @smallexample
29130 -var-info-type @var{name}
29131 @end smallexample
29132
29133 Returns the type of the specified variable @var{name}. The type is
29134 returned as a string in the same format as it is output by the
29135 @value{GDBN} CLI:
29136
29137 @smallexample
29138 type=@var{typename}
29139 @end smallexample
29140
29141
29142 @subheading The @code{-var-info-expression} Command
29143 @findex -var-info-expression
29144
29145 @subsubheading Synopsis
29146
29147 @smallexample
29148 -var-info-expression @var{name}
29149 @end smallexample
29150
29151 Returns a string that is suitable for presenting this
29152 variable object in user interface. The string is generally
29153 not valid expression in the current language, and cannot be evaluated.
29154
29155 For example, if @code{a} is an array, and variable object
29156 @code{A} was created for @code{a}, then we'll get this output:
29157
29158 @smallexample
29159 (gdb) -var-info-expression A.1
29160 ^done,lang="C",exp="1"
29161 @end smallexample
29162
29163 @noindent
29164 Here, the value of @code{lang} is the language name, which can be
29165 found in @ref{Supported Languages}.
29166
29167 Note that the output of the @code{-var-list-children} command also
29168 includes those expressions, so the @code{-var-info-expression} command
29169 is of limited use.
29170
29171 @subheading The @code{-var-info-path-expression} Command
29172 @findex -var-info-path-expression
29173
29174 @subsubheading Synopsis
29175
29176 @smallexample
29177 -var-info-path-expression @var{name}
29178 @end smallexample
29179
29180 Returns an expression that can be evaluated in the current
29181 context and will yield the same value that a variable object has.
29182 Compare this with the @code{-var-info-expression} command, which
29183 result can be used only for UI presentation. Typical use of
29184 the @code{-var-info-path-expression} command is creating a
29185 watchpoint from a variable object.
29186
29187 This command is currently not valid for children of a dynamic varobj,
29188 and will give an error when invoked on one.
29189
29190 For example, suppose @code{C} is a C@t{++} class, derived from class
29191 @code{Base}, and that the @code{Base} class has a member called
29192 @code{m_size}. Assume a variable @code{c} is has the type of
29193 @code{C} and a variable object @code{C} was created for variable
29194 @code{c}. Then, we'll get this output:
29195 @smallexample
29196 (gdb) -var-info-path-expression C.Base.public.m_size
29197 ^done,path_expr=((Base)c).m_size)
29198 @end smallexample
29199
29200 @subheading The @code{-var-show-attributes} Command
29201 @findex -var-show-attributes
29202
29203 @subsubheading Synopsis
29204
29205 @smallexample
29206 -var-show-attributes @var{name}
29207 @end smallexample
29208
29209 List attributes of the specified variable object @var{name}:
29210
29211 @smallexample
29212 status=@var{attr} [ ( ,@var{attr} )* ]
29213 @end smallexample
29214
29215 @noindent
29216 where @var{attr} is @code{@{ @{ editable | noneditable @} | TBD @}}.
29217
29218 @subheading The @code{-var-evaluate-expression} Command
29219 @findex -var-evaluate-expression
29220
29221 @subsubheading Synopsis
29222
29223 @smallexample
29224 -var-evaluate-expression [-f @var{format-spec}] @var{name}
29225 @end smallexample
29226
29227 Evaluates the expression that is represented by the specified variable
29228 object and returns its value as a string. The format of the string
29229 can be specified with the @samp{-f} option. The possible values of
29230 this option are the same as for @code{-var-set-format}
29231 (@pxref{-var-set-format}). If the @samp{-f} option is not specified,
29232 the current display format will be used. The current display format
29233 can be changed using the @code{-var-set-format} command.
29234
29235 @smallexample
29236 value=@var{value}
29237 @end smallexample
29238
29239 Note that one must invoke @code{-var-list-children} for a variable
29240 before the value of a child variable can be evaluated.
29241
29242 @subheading The @code{-var-assign} Command
29243 @findex -var-assign
29244
29245 @subsubheading Synopsis
29246
29247 @smallexample
29248 -var-assign @var{name} @var{expression}
29249 @end smallexample
29250
29251 Assigns the value of @var{expression} to the variable object specified
29252 by @var{name}. The object must be @samp{editable}. If the variable's
29253 value is altered by the assign, the variable will show up in any
29254 subsequent @code{-var-update} list.
29255
29256 @subsubheading Example
29257
29258 @smallexample
29259 (gdb)
29260 -var-assign var1 3
29261 ^done,value="3"
29262 (gdb)
29263 -var-update *
29264 ^done,changelist=[@{name="var1",in_scope="true",type_changed="false"@}]
29265 (gdb)
29266 @end smallexample
29267
29268 @subheading The @code{-var-update} Command
29269 @findex -var-update
29270
29271 @subsubheading Synopsis
29272
29273 @smallexample
29274 -var-update [@var{print-values}] @{@var{name} | "*"@}
29275 @end smallexample
29276
29277 Reevaluate the expressions corresponding to the variable object
29278 @var{name} and all its direct and indirect children, and return the
29279 list of variable objects whose values have changed; @var{name} must
29280 be a root variable object. Here, ``changed'' means that the result of
29281 @code{-var-evaluate-expression} before and after the
29282 @code{-var-update} is different. If @samp{*} is used as the variable
29283 object names, all existing variable objects are updated, except
29284 for frozen ones (@pxref{-var-set-frozen}). The option
29285 @var{print-values} determines whether both names and values, or just
29286 names are printed. The possible values of this option are the same
29287 as for @code{-var-list-children} (@pxref{-var-list-children}). It is
29288 recommended to use the @samp{--all-values} option, to reduce the
29289 number of MI commands needed on each program stop.
29290
29291 With the @samp{*} parameter, if a variable object is bound to a
29292 currently running thread, it will not be updated, without any
29293 diagnostic.
29294
29295 If @code{-var-set-update-range} was previously used on a varobj, then
29296 only the selected range of children will be reported.
29297
29298 @code{-var-update} reports all the changed varobjs in a tuple named
29299 @samp{changelist}.
29300
29301 Each item in the change list is itself a tuple holding:
29302
29303 @table @samp
29304 @item name
29305 The name of the varobj.
29306
29307 @item value
29308 If values were requested for this update, then this field will be
29309 present and will hold the value of the varobj.
29310
29311 @item in_scope
29312 @anchor{-var-update}
29313 This field is a string which may take one of three values:
29314
29315 @table @code
29316 @item "true"
29317 The variable object's current value is valid.
29318
29319 @item "false"
29320 The variable object does not currently hold a valid value but it may
29321 hold one in the future if its associated expression comes back into
29322 scope.
29323
29324 @item "invalid"
29325 The variable object no longer holds a valid value.
29326 This can occur when the executable file being debugged has changed,
29327 either through recompilation or by using the @value{GDBN} @code{file}
29328 command. The front end should normally choose to delete these variable
29329 objects.
29330 @end table
29331
29332 In the future new values may be added to this list so the front should
29333 be prepared for this possibility. @xref{GDB/MI Development and Front Ends, ,@sc{GDB/MI} Development and Front Ends}.
29334
29335 @item type_changed
29336 This is only present if the varobj is still valid. If the type
29337 changed, then this will be the string @samp{true}; otherwise it will
29338 be @samp{false}.
29339
29340 When a varobj's type changes, its children are also likely to have
29341 become incorrect. Therefore, the varobj's children are automatically
29342 deleted when this attribute is @samp{true}. Also, the varobj's update
29343 range, when set using the @code{-var-set-update-range} command, is
29344 unset.
29345
29346 @item new_type
29347 If the varobj's type changed, then this field will be present and will
29348 hold the new type.
29349
29350 @item new_num_children
29351 For a dynamic varobj, if the number of children changed, or if the
29352 type changed, this will be the new number of children.
29353
29354 The @samp{numchild} field in other varobj responses is generally not
29355 valid for a dynamic varobj -- it will show the number of children that
29356 @value{GDBN} knows about, but because dynamic varobjs lazily
29357 instantiate their children, this will not reflect the number of
29358 children which may be available.
29359
29360 The @samp{new_num_children} attribute only reports changes to the
29361 number of children known by @value{GDBN}. This is the only way to
29362 detect whether an update has removed children (which necessarily can
29363 only happen at the end of the update range).
29364
29365 @item displayhint
29366 The display hint, if any.
29367
29368 @item has_more
29369 This is an integer value, which will be 1 if there are more children
29370 available outside the varobj's update range.
29371
29372 @item dynamic
29373 This attribute will be present and have the value @samp{1} if the
29374 varobj is a dynamic varobj. If the varobj is not a dynamic varobj,
29375 then this attribute will not be present.
29376
29377 @item new_children
29378 If new children were added to a dynamic varobj within the selected
29379 update range (as set by @code{-var-set-update-range}), then they will
29380 be listed in this attribute.
29381 @end table
29382
29383 @subsubheading Example
29384
29385 @smallexample
29386 (gdb)
29387 -var-assign var1 3
29388 ^done,value="3"
29389 (gdb)
29390 -var-update --all-values var1
29391 ^done,changelist=[@{name="var1",value="3",in_scope="true",
29392 type_changed="false"@}]
29393 (gdb)
29394 @end smallexample
29395
29396 @subheading The @code{-var-set-frozen} Command
29397 @findex -var-set-frozen
29398 @anchor{-var-set-frozen}
29399
29400 @subsubheading Synopsis
29401
29402 @smallexample
29403 -var-set-frozen @var{name} @var{flag}
29404 @end smallexample
29405
29406 Set the frozenness flag on the variable object @var{name}. The
29407 @var{flag} parameter should be either @samp{1} to make the variable
29408 frozen or @samp{0} to make it unfrozen. If a variable object is
29409 frozen, then neither itself, nor any of its children, are
29410 implicitly updated by @code{-var-update} of
29411 a parent variable or by @code{-var-update *}. Only
29412 @code{-var-update} of the variable itself will update its value and
29413 values of its children. After a variable object is unfrozen, it is
29414 implicitly updated by all subsequent @code{-var-update} operations.
29415 Unfreezing a variable does not update it, only subsequent
29416 @code{-var-update} does.
29417
29418 @subsubheading Example
29419
29420 @smallexample
29421 (gdb)
29422 -var-set-frozen V 1
29423 ^done
29424 (gdb)
29425 @end smallexample
29426
29427 @subheading The @code{-var-set-update-range} command
29428 @findex -var-set-update-range
29429 @anchor{-var-set-update-range}
29430
29431 @subsubheading Synopsis
29432
29433 @smallexample
29434 -var-set-update-range @var{name} @var{from} @var{to}
29435 @end smallexample
29436
29437 Set the range of children to be returned by future invocations of
29438 @code{-var-update}.
29439
29440 @var{from} and @var{to} indicate the range of children to report. If
29441 @var{from} or @var{to} is less than zero, the range is reset and all
29442 children will be reported. Otherwise, children starting at @var{from}
29443 (zero-based) and up to and excluding @var{to} will be reported.
29444
29445 @subsubheading Example
29446
29447 @smallexample
29448 (gdb)
29449 -var-set-update-range V 1 2
29450 ^done
29451 @end smallexample
29452
29453 @subheading The @code{-var-set-visualizer} command
29454 @findex -var-set-visualizer
29455 @anchor{-var-set-visualizer}
29456
29457 @subsubheading Synopsis
29458
29459 @smallexample
29460 -var-set-visualizer @var{name} @var{visualizer}
29461 @end smallexample
29462
29463 Set a visualizer for the variable object @var{name}.
29464
29465 @var{visualizer} is the visualizer to use. The special value
29466 @samp{None} means to disable any visualizer in use.
29467
29468 If not @samp{None}, @var{visualizer} must be a Python expression.
29469 This expression must evaluate to a callable object which accepts a
29470 single argument. @value{GDBN} will call this object with the value of
29471 the varobj @var{name} as an argument (this is done so that the same
29472 Python pretty-printing code can be used for both the CLI and MI).
29473 When called, this object must return an object which conforms to the
29474 pretty-printing interface (@pxref{Pretty Printing API}).
29475
29476 The pre-defined function @code{gdb.default_visualizer} may be used to
29477 select a visualizer by following the built-in process
29478 (@pxref{Selecting Pretty-Printers}). This is done automatically when
29479 a varobj is created, and so ordinarily is not needed.
29480
29481 This feature is only available if Python support is enabled. The MI
29482 command @code{-list-features} (@pxref{GDB/MI Support Commands})
29483 can be used to check this.
29484
29485 @subsubheading Example
29486
29487 Resetting the visualizer:
29488
29489 @smallexample
29490 (gdb)
29491 -var-set-visualizer V None
29492 ^done
29493 @end smallexample
29494
29495 Reselecting the default (type-based) visualizer:
29496
29497 @smallexample
29498 (gdb)
29499 -var-set-visualizer V gdb.default_visualizer
29500 ^done
29501 @end smallexample
29502
29503 Suppose @code{SomeClass} is a visualizer class. A lambda expression
29504 can be used to instantiate this class for a varobj:
29505
29506 @smallexample
29507 (gdb)
29508 -var-set-visualizer V "lambda val: SomeClass()"
29509 ^done
29510 @end smallexample
29511
29512 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
29513 @node GDB/MI Data Manipulation
29514 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Data Manipulation
29515
29516 @cindex data manipulation, in @sc{gdb/mi}
29517 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, data manipulation
29518 This section describes the @sc{gdb/mi} commands that manipulate data:
29519 examine memory and registers, evaluate expressions, etc.
29520
29521 @c REMOVED FROM THE INTERFACE.
29522 @c @subheading -data-assign
29523 @c Change the value of a program variable. Plenty of side effects.
29524 @c @subsubheading GDB Command
29525 @c set variable
29526 @c @subsubheading Example
29527 @c N.A.
29528
29529 @subheading The @code{-data-disassemble} Command
29530 @findex -data-disassemble
29531
29532 @subsubheading Synopsis
29533
29534 @smallexample
29535 -data-disassemble
29536 [ -s @var{start-addr} -e @var{end-addr} ]
29537 | [ -f @var{filename} -l @var{linenum} [ -n @var{lines} ] ]
29538 -- @var{mode}
29539 @end smallexample
29540
29541 @noindent
29542 Where:
29543
29544 @table @samp
29545 @item @var{start-addr}
29546 is the beginning address (or @code{$pc})
29547 @item @var{end-addr}
29548 is the end address
29549 @item @var{filename}
29550 is the name of the file to disassemble
29551 @item @var{linenum}
29552 is the line number to disassemble around
29553 @item @var{lines}
29554 is the number of disassembly lines to be produced. If it is -1,
29555 the whole function will be disassembled, in case no @var{end-addr} is
29556 specified. If @var{end-addr} is specified as a non-zero value, and
29557 @var{lines} is lower than the number of disassembly lines between
29558 @var{start-addr} and @var{end-addr}, only @var{lines} lines are
29559 displayed; if @var{lines} is higher than the number of lines between
29560 @var{start-addr} and @var{end-addr}, only the lines up to @var{end-addr}
29561 are displayed.
29562 @item @var{mode}
29563 is either 0 (meaning only disassembly), 1 (meaning mixed source and
29564 disassembly), 2 (meaning disassembly with raw opcodes), or 3 (meaning
29565 mixed source and disassembly with raw opcodes).
29566 @end table
29567
29568 @subsubheading Result
29569
29570 The result of the @code{-data-disassemble} command will be a list named
29571 @samp{asm_insns}, the contents of this list depend on the @var{mode}
29572 used with the @code{-data-disassemble} command.
29573
29574 For modes 0 and 2 the @samp{asm_insns} list contains tuples with the
29575 following fields:
29576
29577 @table @code
29578 @item address
29579 The address at which this instruction was disassembled.
29580
29581 @item func-name
29582 The name of the function this instruction is within.
29583
29584 @item offset
29585 The decimal offset in bytes from the start of @samp{func-name}.
29586
29587 @item inst
29588 The text disassembly for this @samp{address}.
29589
29590 @item opcodes
29591 This field is only present for mode 2. This contains the raw opcode
29592 bytes for the @samp{inst} field.
29593
29594 @end table
29595
29596 For modes 1 and 3 the @samp{asm_insns} list contains tuples named
29597 @samp{src_and_asm_line}, each of which has the following fields:
29598
29599 @table @code
29600 @item line
29601 The line number within @samp{file}.
29602
29603 @item file
29604 The file name from the compilation unit. This might be an absolute
29605 file name or a relative file name depending on the compile command
29606 used.
29607
29608 @item fullname
29609 Absolute file name of @samp{file}. It is converted to a canonical form
29610 using the source file search path
29611 (@pxref{Source Path, ,Specifying Source Directories})
29612 and after resolving all the symbolic links.
29613
29614 If the source file is not found this field will contain the path as
29615 present in the debug information.
29616
29617 @item line_asm_insn
29618 This is a list of tuples containing the disassembly for @samp{line} in
29619 @samp{file}. The fields of each tuple are the same as for
29620 @code{-data-disassemble} in @var{mode} 0 and 2, so @samp{address},
29621 @samp{func-name}, @samp{offset}, @samp{inst}, and optionally
29622 @samp{opcodes}.
29623
29624 @end table
29625
29626 Note that whatever included in the @samp{inst} field, is not
29627 manipulated directly by @sc{gdb/mi}, i.e., it is not possible to
29628 adjust its format.
29629
29630 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29631
29632 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{disassemble}.
29633
29634 @subsubheading Example
29635
29636 Disassemble from the current value of @code{$pc} to @code{$pc + 20}:
29637
29638 @smallexample
29639 (gdb)
29640 -data-disassemble -s $pc -e "$pc + 20" -- 0
29641 ^done,
29642 asm_insns=[
29643 @{address="0x000107c0",func-name="main",offset="4",
29644 inst="mov 2, %o0"@},
29645 @{address="0x000107c4",func-name="main",offset="8",
29646 inst="sethi %hi(0x11800), %o2"@},
29647 @{address="0x000107c8",func-name="main",offset="12",
29648 inst="or %o2, 0x140, %o1\t! 0x11940 <_lib_version+8>"@},
29649 @{address="0x000107cc",func-name="main",offset="16",
29650 inst="sethi %hi(0x11800), %o2"@},
29651 @{address="0x000107d0",func-name="main",offset="20",
29652 inst="or %o2, 0x168, %o4\t! 0x11968 <_lib_version+48>"@}]
29653 (gdb)
29654 @end smallexample
29655
29656 Disassemble the whole @code{main} function. Line 32 is part of
29657 @code{main}.
29658
29659 @smallexample
29660 -data-disassemble -f basics.c -l 32 -- 0
29661 ^done,asm_insns=[
29662 @{address="0x000107bc",func-name="main",offset="0",
29663 inst="save %sp, -112, %sp"@},
29664 @{address="0x000107c0",func-name="main",offset="4",
29665 inst="mov 2, %o0"@},
29666 @{address="0x000107c4",func-name="main",offset="8",
29667 inst="sethi %hi(0x11800), %o2"@},
29668 [@dots{}]
29669 @{address="0x0001081c",func-name="main",offset="96",inst="ret "@},
29670 @{address="0x00010820",func-name="main",offset="100",inst="restore "@}]
29671 (gdb)
29672 @end smallexample
29673
29674 Disassemble 3 instructions from the start of @code{main}:
29675
29676 @smallexample
29677 (gdb)
29678 -data-disassemble -f basics.c -l 32 -n 3 -- 0
29679 ^done,asm_insns=[
29680 @{address="0x000107bc",func-name="main",offset="0",
29681 inst="save %sp, -112, %sp"@},
29682 @{address="0x000107c0",func-name="main",offset="4",
29683 inst="mov 2, %o0"@},
29684 @{address="0x000107c4",func-name="main",offset="8",
29685 inst="sethi %hi(0x11800), %o2"@}]
29686 (gdb)
29687 @end smallexample
29688
29689 Disassemble 3 instructions from the start of @code{main} in mixed mode:
29690
29691 @smallexample
29692 (gdb)
29693 -data-disassemble -f basics.c -l 32 -n 3 -- 1
29694 ^done,asm_insns=[
29695 src_and_asm_line=@{line="31",
29696 file="../../../src/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
29697 fullname="/absolute/path/to/src/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
29698 line_asm_insn=[@{address="0x000107bc",
29699 func-name="main",offset="0",inst="save %sp, -112, %sp"@}]@},
29700 src_and_asm_line=@{line="32",
29701 file="../../../src/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
29702 fullname="/absolute/path/to/src/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
29703 line_asm_insn=[@{address="0x000107c0",
29704 func-name="main",offset="4",inst="mov 2, %o0"@},
29705 @{address="0x000107c4",func-name="main",offset="8",
29706 inst="sethi %hi(0x11800), %o2"@}]@}]
29707 (gdb)
29708 @end smallexample
29709
29710
29711 @subheading The @code{-data-evaluate-expression} Command
29712 @findex -data-evaluate-expression
29713
29714 @subsubheading Synopsis
29715
29716 @smallexample
29717 -data-evaluate-expression @var{expr}
29718 @end smallexample
29719
29720 Evaluate @var{expr} as an expression. The expression could contain an
29721 inferior function call. The function call will execute synchronously.
29722 If the expression contains spaces, it must be enclosed in double quotes.
29723
29724 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29725
29726 The corresponding @value{GDBN} commands are @samp{print}, @samp{output}, and
29727 @samp{call}. In @code{gdbtk} only, there's a corresponding
29728 @samp{gdb_eval} command.
29729
29730 @subsubheading Example
29731
29732 In the following example, the numbers that precede the commands are the
29733 @dfn{tokens} described in @ref{GDB/MI Command Syntax, ,@sc{gdb/mi}
29734 Command Syntax}. Notice how @sc{gdb/mi} returns the same tokens in its
29735 output.
29736
29737 @smallexample
29738 211-data-evaluate-expression A
29739 211^done,value="1"
29740 (gdb)
29741 311-data-evaluate-expression &A
29742 311^done,value="0xefffeb7c"
29743 (gdb)
29744 411-data-evaluate-expression A+3
29745 411^done,value="4"
29746 (gdb)
29747 511-data-evaluate-expression "A + 3"
29748 511^done,value="4"
29749 (gdb)
29750 @end smallexample
29751
29752
29753 @subheading The @code{-data-list-changed-registers} Command
29754 @findex -data-list-changed-registers
29755
29756 @subsubheading Synopsis
29757
29758 @smallexample
29759 -data-list-changed-registers
29760 @end smallexample
29761
29762 Display a list of the registers that have changed.
29763
29764 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29765
29766 @value{GDBN} doesn't have a direct analog for this command; @code{gdbtk}
29767 has the corresponding command @samp{gdb_changed_register_list}.
29768
29769 @subsubheading Example
29770
29771 On a PPC MBX board:
29772
29773 @smallexample
29774 (gdb)
29775 -exec-continue
29776 ^running
29777
29778 (gdb)
29779 *stopped,reason="breakpoint-hit",disp="keep",bkptno="1",frame=@{
29780 func="main",args=[],file="try.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/try.c",
29781 line="5"@}
29782 (gdb)
29783 -data-list-changed-registers
29784 ^done,changed-registers=["0","1","2","4","5","6","7","8","9",
29785 "10","11","13","14","15","16","17","18","19","20","21","22","23",
29786 "24","25","26","27","28","30","31","64","65","66","67","69"]
29787 (gdb)
29788 @end smallexample
29789
29790
29791 @subheading The @code{-data-list-register-names} Command
29792 @findex -data-list-register-names
29793
29794 @subsubheading Synopsis
29795
29796 @smallexample
29797 -data-list-register-names [ ( @var{regno} )+ ]
29798 @end smallexample
29799
29800 Show a list of register names for the current target. If no arguments
29801 are given, it shows a list of the names of all the registers. If
29802 integer numbers are given as arguments, it will print a list of the
29803 names of the registers corresponding to the arguments. To ensure
29804 consistency between a register name and its number, the output list may
29805 include empty register names.
29806
29807 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29808
29809 @value{GDBN} does not have a command which corresponds to
29810 @samp{-data-list-register-names}. In @code{gdbtk} there is a
29811 corresponding command @samp{gdb_regnames}.
29812
29813 @subsubheading Example
29814
29815 For the PPC MBX board:
29816 @smallexample
29817 (gdb)
29818 -data-list-register-names
29819 ^done,register-names=["r0","r1","r2","r3","r4","r5","r6","r7",
29820 "r8","r9","r10","r11","r12","r13","r14","r15","r16","r17","r18",
29821 "r19","r20","r21","r22","r23","r24","r25","r26","r27","r28","r29",
29822 "r30","r31","f0","f1","f2","f3","f4","f5","f6","f7","f8","f9",
29823 "f10","f11","f12","f13","f14","f15","f16","f17","f18","f19","f20",
29824 "f21","f22","f23","f24","f25","f26","f27","f28","f29","f30","f31",
29825 "", "pc","ps","cr","lr","ctr","xer"]
29826 (gdb)
29827 -data-list-register-names 1 2 3
29828 ^done,register-names=["r1","r2","r3"]
29829 (gdb)
29830 @end smallexample
29831
29832 @subheading The @code{-data-list-register-values} Command
29833 @findex -data-list-register-values
29834
29835 @subsubheading Synopsis
29836
29837 @smallexample
29838 -data-list-register-values
29839 [ @code{--skip-unavailable} ] @var{fmt} [ ( @var{regno} )*]
29840 @end smallexample
29841
29842 Display the registers' contents. The format according to which the
29843 registers' contents are to be returned is given by @var{fmt}, followed
29844 by an optional list of numbers specifying the registers to display. A
29845 missing list of numbers indicates that the contents of all the
29846 registers must be returned. The @code{--skip-unavailable} option
29847 indicates that only the available registers are to be returned.
29848
29849 Allowed formats for @var{fmt} are:
29850
29851 @table @code
29852 @item x
29853 Hexadecimal
29854 @item o
29855 Octal
29856 @item t
29857 Binary
29858 @item d
29859 Decimal
29860 @item r
29861 Raw
29862 @item N
29863 Natural
29864 @end table
29865
29866 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29867
29868 The corresponding @value{GDBN} commands are @samp{info reg}, @samp{info
29869 all-reg}, and (in @code{gdbtk}) @samp{gdb_fetch_registers}.
29870
29871 @subsubheading Example
29872
29873 For a PPC MBX board (note: line breaks are for readability only, they
29874 don't appear in the actual output):
29875
29876 @smallexample
29877 (gdb)
29878 -data-list-register-values r 64 65
29879 ^done,register-values=[@{number="64",value="0xfe00a300"@},
29880 @{number="65",value="0x00029002"@}]
29881 (gdb)
29882 -data-list-register-values x
29883 ^done,register-values=[@{number="0",value="0xfe0043c8"@},
29884 @{number="1",value="0x3fff88"@},@{number="2",value="0xfffffffe"@},
29885 @{number="3",value="0x0"@},@{number="4",value="0xa"@},
29886 @{number="5",value="0x3fff68"@},@{number="6",value="0x3fff58"@},
29887 @{number="7",value="0xfe011e98"@},@{number="8",value="0x2"@},
29888 @{number="9",value="0xfa202820"@},@{number="10",value="0xfa202808"@},
29889 @{number="11",value="0x1"@},@{number="12",value="0x0"@},
29890 @{number="13",value="0x4544"@},@{number="14",value="0xffdfffff"@},
29891 @{number="15",value="0xffffffff"@},@{number="16",value="0xfffffeff"@},
29892 @{number="17",value="0xefffffed"@},@{number="18",value="0xfffffffe"@},
29893 @{number="19",value="0xffffffff"@},@{number="20",value="0xffffffff"@},
29894 @{number="21",value="0xffffffff"@},@{number="22",value="0xfffffff7"@},
29895 @{number="23",value="0xffffffff"@},@{number="24",value="0xffffffff"@},
29896 @{number="25",value="0xffffffff"@},@{number="26",value="0xfffffffb"@},
29897 @{number="27",value="0xffffffff"@},@{number="28",value="0xf7bfffff"@},
29898 @{number="29",value="0x0"@},@{number="30",value="0xfe010000"@},
29899 @{number="31",value="0x0"@},@{number="32",value="0x0"@},
29900 @{number="33",value="0x0"@},@{number="34",value="0x0"@},
29901 @{number="35",value="0x0"@},@{number="36",value="0x0"@},
29902 @{number="37",value="0x0"@},@{number="38",value="0x0"@},
29903 @{number="39",value="0x0"@},@{number="40",value="0x0"@},
29904 @{number="41",value="0x0"@},@{number="42",value="0x0"@},
29905 @{number="43",value="0x0"@},@{number="44",value="0x0"@},
29906 @{number="45",value="0x0"@},@{number="46",value="0x0"@},
29907 @{number="47",value="0x0"@},@{number="48",value="0x0"@},
29908 @{number="49",value="0x0"@},@{number="50",value="0x0"@},
29909 @{number="51",value="0x0"@},@{number="52",value="0x0"@},
29910 @{number="53",value="0x0"@},@{number="54",value="0x0"@},
29911 @{number="55",value="0x0"@},@{number="56",value="0x0"@},
29912 @{number="57",value="0x0"@},@{number="58",value="0x0"@},
29913 @{number="59",value="0x0"@},@{number="60",value="0x0"@},
29914 @{number="61",value="0x0"@},@{number="62",value="0x0"@},
29915 @{number="63",value="0x0"@},@{number="64",value="0xfe00a300"@},
29916 @{number="65",value="0x29002"@},@{number="66",value="0x202f04b5"@},
29917 @{number="67",value="0xfe0043b0"@},@{number="68",value="0xfe00b3e4"@},
29918 @{number="69",value="0x20002b03"@}]
29919 (gdb)
29920 @end smallexample
29921
29922
29923 @subheading The @code{-data-read-memory} Command
29924 @findex -data-read-memory
29925
29926 This command is deprecated, use @code{-data-read-memory-bytes} instead.
29927
29928 @subsubheading Synopsis
29929
29930 @smallexample
29931 -data-read-memory [ -o @var{byte-offset} ]
29932 @var{address} @var{word-format} @var{word-size}
29933 @var{nr-rows} @var{nr-cols} [ @var{aschar} ]
29934 @end smallexample
29935
29936 @noindent
29937 where:
29938
29939 @table @samp
29940 @item @var{address}
29941 An expression specifying the address of the first memory word to be
29942 read. Complex expressions containing embedded white space should be
29943 quoted using the C convention.
29944
29945 @item @var{word-format}
29946 The format to be used to print the memory words. The notation is the
29947 same as for @value{GDBN}'s @code{print} command (@pxref{Output Formats,
29948 ,Output Formats}).
29949
29950 @item @var{word-size}
29951 The size of each memory word in bytes.
29952
29953 @item @var{nr-rows}
29954 The number of rows in the output table.
29955
29956 @item @var{nr-cols}
29957 The number of columns in the output table.
29958
29959 @item @var{aschar}
29960 If present, indicates that each row should include an @sc{ascii} dump. The
29961 value of @var{aschar} is used as a padding character when a byte is not a
29962 member of the printable @sc{ascii} character set (printable @sc{ascii}
29963 characters are those whose code is between 32 and 126, inclusively).
29964
29965 @item @var{byte-offset}
29966 An offset to add to the @var{address} before fetching memory.
29967 @end table
29968
29969 This command displays memory contents as a table of @var{nr-rows} by
29970 @var{nr-cols} words, each word being @var{word-size} bytes. In total,
29971 @code{@var{nr-rows} * @var{nr-cols} * @var{word-size}} bytes are read
29972 (returned as @samp{total-bytes}). Should less than the requested number
29973 of bytes be returned by the target, the missing words are identified
29974 using @samp{N/A}. The number of bytes read from the target is returned
29975 in @samp{nr-bytes} and the starting address used to read memory in
29976 @samp{addr}.
29977
29978 The address of the next/previous row or page is available in
29979 @samp{next-row} and @samp{prev-row}, @samp{next-page} and
29980 @samp{prev-page}.
29981
29982 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29983
29984 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{x}. @code{gdbtk} has
29985 @samp{gdb_get_mem} memory read command.
29986
29987 @subsubheading Example
29988
29989 Read six bytes of memory starting at @code{bytes+6} but then offset by
29990 @code{-6} bytes. Format as three rows of two columns. One byte per
29991 word. Display each word in hex.
29992
29993 @smallexample
29994 (gdb)
29995 9-data-read-memory -o -6 -- bytes+6 x 1 3 2
29996 9^done,addr="0x00001390",nr-bytes="6",total-bytes="6",
29997 next-row="0x00001396",prev-row="0x0000138e",next-page="0x00001396",
29998 prev-page="0x0000138a",memory=[
29999 @{addr="0x00001390",data=["0x00","0x01"]@},
30000 @{addr="0x00001392",data=["0x02","0x03"]@},
30001 @{addr="0x00001394",data=["0x04","0x05"]@}]
30002 (gdb)
30003 @end smallexample
30004
30005 Read two bytes of memory starting at address @code{shorts + 64} and
30006 display as a single word formatted in decimal.
30007
30008 @smallexample
30009 (gdb)
30010 5-data-read-memory shorts+64 d 2 1 1
30011 5^done,addr="0x00001510",nr-bytes="2",total-bytes="2",
30012 next-row="0x00001512",prev-row="0x0000150e",
30013 next-page="0x00001512",prev-page="0x0000150e",memory=[
30014 @{addr="0x00001510",data=["128"]@}]
30015 (gdb)
30016 @end smallexample
30017
30018 Read thirty two bytes of memory starting at @code{bytes+16} and format
30019 as eight rows of four columns. Include a string encoding with @samp{x}
30020 used as the non-printable character.
30021
30022 @smallexample
30023 (gdb)
30024 4-data-read-memory bytes+16 x 1 8 4 x
30025 4^done,addr="0x000013a0",nr-bytes="32",total-bytes="32",
30026 next-row="0x000013c0",prev-row="0x0000139c",
30027 next-page="0x000013c0",prev-page="0x00001380",memory=[
30028 @{addr="0x000013a0",data=["0x10","0x11","0x12","0x13"],ascii="xxxx"@},
30029 @{addr="0x000013a4",data=["0x14","0x15","0x16","0x17"],ascii="xxxx"@},
30030 @{addr="0x000013a8",data=["0x18","0x19","0x1a","0x1b"],ascii="xxxx"@},
30031 @{addr="0x000013ac",data=["0x1c","0x1d","0x1e","0x1f"],ascii="xxxx"@},
30032 @{addr="0x000013b0",data=["0x20","0x21","0x22","0x23"],ascii=" !\"#"@},
30033 @{addr="0x000013b4",data=["0x24","0x25","0x26","0x27"],ascii="$%&'"@},
30034 @{addr="0x000013b8",data=["0x28","0x29","0x2a","0x2b"],ascii="()*+"@},
30035 @{addr="0x000013bc",data=["0x2c","0x2d","0x2e","0x2f"],ascii=",-./"@}]
30036 (gdb)
30037 @end smallexample
30038
30039 @subheading The @code{-data-read-memory-bytes} Command
30040 @findex -data-read-memory-bytes
30041
30042 @subsubheading Synopsis
30043
30044 @smallexample
30045 -data-read-memory-bytes [ -o @var{byte-offset} ]
30046 @var{address} @var{count}
30047 @end smallexample
30048
30049 @noindent
30050 where:
30051
30052 @table @samp
30053 @item @var{address}
30054 An expression specifying the address of the first memory word to be
30055 read. Complex expressions containing embedded white space should be
30056 quoted using the C convention.
30057
30058 @item @var{count}
30059 The number of bytes to read. This should be an integer literal.
30060
30061 @item @var{byte-offset}
30062 The offsets in bytes relative to @var{address} at which to start
30063 reading. This should be an integer literal. This option is provided
30064 so that a frontend is not required to first evaluate address and then
30065 perform address arithmetics itself.
30066
30067 @end table
30068
30069 This command attempts to read all accessible memory regions in the
30070 specified range. First, all regions marked as unreadable in the memory
30071 map (if one is defined) will be skipped. @xref{Memory Region
30072 Attributes}. Second, @value{GDBN} will attempt to read the remaining
30073 regions. For each one, if reading full region results in an errors,
30074 @value{GDBN} will try to read a subset of the region.
30075
30076 In general, every single byte in the region may be readable or not,
30077 and the only way to read every readable byte is to try a read at
30078 every address, which is not practical. Therefore, @value{GDBN} will
30079 attempt to read all accessible bytes at either beginning or the end
30080 of the region, using a binary division scheme. This heuristic works
30081 well for reading accross a memory map boundary. Note that if a region
30082 has a readable range that is neither at the beginning or the end,
30083 @value{GDBN} will not read it.
30084
30085 The result record (@pxref{GDB/MI Result Records}) that is output of
30086 the command includes a field named @samp{memory} whose content is a
30087 list of tuples. Each tuple represent a successfully read memory block
30088 and has the following fields:
30089
30090 @table @code
30091 @item begin
30092 The start address of the memory block, as hexadecimal literal.
30093
30094 @item end
30095 The end address of the memory block, as hexadecimal literal.
30096
30097 @item offset
30098 The offset of the memory block, as hexadecimal literal, relative to
30099 the start address passed to @code{-data-read-memory-bytes}.
30100
30101 @item contents
30102 The contents of the memory block, in hex.
30103
30104 @end table
30105
30106
30107
30108 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30109
30110 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{x}.
30111
30112 @subsubheading Example
30113
30114 @smallexample
30115 (gdb)
30116 -data-read-memory-bytes &a 10
30117 ^done,memory=[@{begin="0xbffff154",offset="0x00000000",
30118 end="0xbffff15e",
30119 contents="01000000020000000300"@}]
30120 (gdb)
30121 @end smallexample
30122
30123
30124 @subheading The @code{-data-write-memory-bytes} Command
30125 @findex -data-write-memory-bytes
30126
30127 @subsubheading Synopsis
30128
30129 @smallexample
30130 -data-write-memory-bytes @var{address} @var{contents}
30131 -data-write-memory-bytes @var{address} @var{contents} @r{[}@var{count}@r{]}
30132 @end smallexample
30133
30134 @noindent
30135 where:
30136
30137 @table @samp
30138 @item @var{address}
30139 An expression specifying the address of the first memory word to be
30140 written. Complex expressions containing embedded white space should be
30141 quoted using the C convention.
30142
30143 @item @var{contents}
30144 The hex-encoded bytes to write.
30145
30146 @item @var{count}
30147 Optional argument indicating the number of bytes to be written. If @var{count}
30148 is greater than @var{contents}' length, @value{GDBN} will repeatedly
30149 write @var{contents} until it fills @var{count} bytes.
30150
30151 @end table
30152
30153 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30154
30155 There's no corresponding @value{GDBN} command.
30156
30157 @subsubheading Example
30158
30159 @smallexample
30160 (gdb)
30161 -data-write-memory-bytes &a "aabbccdd"
30162 ^done
30163 (gdb)
30164 @end smallexample
30165
30166 @smallexample
30167 (gdb)
30168 -data-write-memory-bytes &a "aabbccdd" 16e
30169 ^done
30170 (gdb)
30171 @end smallexample
30172
30173 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
30174 @node GDB/MI Tracepoint Commands
30175 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Tracepoint Commands
30176
30177 The commands defined in this section implement MI support for
30178 tracepoints. For detailed introduction, see @ref{Tracepoints}.
30179
30180 @subheading The @code{-trace-find} Command
30181 @findex -trace-find
30182
30183 @subsubheading Synopsis
30184
30185 @smallexample
30186 -trace-find @var{mode} [@var{parameters}@dots{}]
30187 @end smallexample
30188
30189 Find a trace frame using criteria defined by @var{mode} and
30190 @var{parameters}. The following table lists permissible
30191 modes and their parameters. For details of operation, see @ref{tfind}.
30192
30193 @table @samp
30194
30195 @item none
30196 No parameters are required. Stops examining trace frames.
30197
30198 @item frame-number
30199 An integer is required as parameter. Selects tracepoint frame with
30200 that index.
30201
30202 @item tracepoint-number
30203 An integer is required as parameter. Finds next
30204 trace frame that corresponds to tracepoint with the specified number.
30205
30206 @item pc
30207 An address is required as parameter. Finds
30208 next trace frame that corresponds to any tracepoint at the specified
30209 address.
30210
30211 @item pc-inside-range
30212 Two addresses are required as parameters. Finds next trace
30213 frame that corresponds to a tracepoint at an address inside the
30214 specified range. Both bounds are considered to be inside the range.
30215
30216 @item pc-outside-range
30217 Two addresses are required as parameters. Finds
30218 next trace frame that corresponds to a tracepoint at an address outside
30219 the specified range. Both bounds are considered to be inside the range.
30220
30221 @item line
30222 Line specification is required as parameter. @xref{Specify Location}.
30223 Finds next trace frame that corresponds to a tracepoint at
30224 the specified location.
30225
30226 @end table
30227
30228 If @samp{none} was passed as @var{mode}, the response does not
30229 have fields. Otherwise, the response may have the following fields:
30230
30231 @table @samp
30232 @item found
30233 This field has either @samp{0} or @samp{1} as the value, depending
30234 on whether a matching tracepoint was found.
30235
30236 @item traceframe
30237 The index of the found traceframe. This field is present iff
30238 the @samp{found} field has value of @samp{1}.
30239
30240 @item tracepoint
30241 The index of the found tracepoint. This field is present iff
30242 the @samp{found} field has value of @samp{1}.
30243
30244 @item frame
30245 The information about the frame corresponding to the found trace
30246 frame. This field is present only if a trace frame was found.
30247 @xref{GDB/MI Frame Information}, for description of this field.
30248
30249 @end table
30250
30251 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30252
30253 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tfind}.
30254
30255 @subheading -trace-define-variable
30256 @findex -trace-define-variable
30257
30258 @subsubheading Synopsis
30259
30260 @smallexample
30261 -trace-define-variable @var{name} [ @var{value} ]
30262 @end smallexample
30263
30264 Create trace variable @var{name} if it does not exist. If
30265 @var{value} is specified, sets the initial value of the specified
30266 trace variable to that value. Note that the @var{name} should start
30267 with the @samp{$} character.
30268
30269 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30270
30271 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tvariable}.
30272
30273 @subheading The @code{-trace-frame-collected} Command
30274 @findex -trace-frame-collected
30275
30276 @subsubheading Synopsis
30277
30278 @smallexample
30279 -trace-frame-collected
30280 [--var-print-values @var{var_pval}]
30281 [--comp-print-values @var{comp_pval}]
30282 [--registers-format @var{regformat}]
30283 [--memory-contents]
30284 @end smallexample
30285
30286 This command returns the set of collected objects, register names,
30287 trace state variable names, memory ranges and computed expressions
30288 that have been collected at a particular trace frame. The optional
30289 parameters to the command affect the output format in different ways.
30290 See the output description table below for more details.
30291
30292 The reported names can be used in the normal manner to create
30293 varobjs and inspect the objects themselves. The items returned by
30294 this command are categorized so that it is clear which is a variable,
30295 which is a register, which is a trace state variable, which is a
30296 memory range and which is a computed expression.
30297
30298 For instance, if the actions were
30299 @smallexample
30300 collect myVar, myArray[myIndex], myObj.field, myPtr->field, myCount + 2
30301 collect *(int*)0xaf02bef0@@40
30302 @end smallexample
30303
30304 @noindent
30305 the object collected in its entirety would be @code{myVar}. The
30306 object @code{myArray} would be partially collected, because only the
30307 element at index @code{myIndex} would be collected. The remaining
30308 objects would be computed expressions.
30309
30310 An example output would be:
30311
30312 @smallexample
30313 (gdb)
30314 -trace-frame-collected
30315 ^done,
30316 explicit-variables=[@{name="myVar",value="1"@}],
30317 computed-expressions=[@{name="myArray[myIndex]",value="0"@},
30318 @{name="myObj.field",value="0"@},
30319 @{name="myPtr->field",value="1"@},
30320 @{name="myCount + 2",value="3"@},
30321 @{name="$tvar1 + 1",value="43970027"@}],
30322 registers=[@{number="0",value="0x7fe2c6e79ec8"@},
30323 @{number="1",value="0x0"@},
30324 @{number="2",value="0x4"@},
30325 ...
30326 @{number="125",value="0x0"@}],
30327 tvars=[@{name="$tvar1",current="43970026"@}],
30328 memory=[@{address="0x0000000000602264",length="4"@},
30329 @{address="0x0000000000615bc0",length="4"@}]
30330 (gdb)
30331 @end smallexample
30332
30333 Where:
30334
30335 @table @code
30336 @item explicit-variables
30337 The set of objects that have been collected in their entirety (as
30338 opposed to collecting just a few elements of an array or a few struct
30339 members). For each object, its name and value are printed.
30340 The @code{--var-print-values} option affects how or whether the value
30341 field is output. If @var{var_pval} is 0, then print only the names;
30342 if it is 1, print also their values; and if it is 2, print the name,
30343 type and value for simple data types, and the name and type for
30344 arrays, structures and unions.
30345
30346 @item computed-expressions
30347 The set of computed expressions that have been collected at the
30348 current trace frame. The @code{--comp-print-values} option affects
30349 this set like the @code{--var-print-values} option affects the
30350 @code{explicit-variables} set. See above.
30351
30352 @item registers
30353 The registers that have been collected at the current trace frame.
30354 For each register collected, the name and current value are returned.
30355 The value is formatted according to the @code{--registers-format}
30356 option. See the @command{-data-list-register-values} command for a
30357 list of the allowed formats. The default is @samp{x}.
30358
30359 @item tvars
30360 The trace state variables that have been collected at the current
30361 trace frame. For each trace state variable collected, the name and
30362 current value are returned.
30363
30364 @item memory
30365 The set of memory ranges that have been collected at the current trace
30366 frame. Its content is a list of tuples. Each tuple represents a
30367 collected memory range and has the following fields:
30368
30369 @table @code
30370 @item address
30371 The start address of the memory range, as hexadecimal literal.
30372
30373 @item length
30374 The length of the memory range, as decimal literal.
30375
30376 @item contents
30377 The contents of the memory block, in hex. This field is only present
30378 if the @code{--memory-contents} option is specified.
30379
30380 @end table
30381
30382 @end table
30383
30384 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30385
30386 There is no corresponding @value{GDBN} command.
30387
30388 @subsubheading Example
30389
30390 @subheading -trace-list-variables
30391 @findex -trace-list-variables
30392
30393 @subsubheading Synopsis
30394
30395 @smallexample
30396 -trace-list-variables
30397 @end smallexample
30398
30399 Return a table of all defined trace variables. Each element of the
30400 table has the following fields:
30401
30402 @table @samp
30403 @item name
30404 The name of the trace variable. This field is always present.
30405
30406 @item initial
30407 The initial value. This is a 64-bit signed integer. This
30408 field is always present.
30409
30410 @item current
30411 The value the trace variable has at the moment. This is a 64-bit
30412 signed integer. This field is absent iff current value is
30413 not defined, for example if the trace was never run, or is
30414 presently running.
30415
30416 @end table
30417
30418 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30419
30420 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tvariables}.
30421
30422 @subsubheading Example
30423
30424 @smallexample
30425 (gdb)
30426 -trace-list-variables
30427 ^done,trace-variables=@{nr_rows="1",nr_cols="3",
30428 hdr=[@{width="15",alignment="-1",col_name="name",colhdr="Name"@},
30429 @{width="11",alignment="-1",col_name="initial",colhdr="Initial"@},
30430 @{width="11",alignment="-1",col_name="current",colhdr="Current"@}],
30431 body=[variable=@{name="$trace_timestamp",initial="0"@}
30432 variable=@{name="$foo",initial="10",current="15"@}]@}
30433 (gdb)
30434 @end smallexample
30435
30436 @subheading -trace-save
30437 @findex -trace-save
30438
30439 @subsubheading Synopsis
30440
30441 @smallexample
30442 -trace-save [-r ] @var{filename}
30443 @end smallexample
30444
30445 Saves the collected trace data to @var{filename}. Without the
30446 @samp{-r} option, the data is downloaded from the target and saved
30447 in a local file. With the @samp{-r} option the target is asked
30448 to perform the save.
30449
30450 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30451
30452 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tsave}.
30453
30454
30455 @subheading -trace-start
30456 @findex -trace-start
30457
30458 @subsubheading Synopsis
30459
30460 @smallexample
30461 -trace-start
30462 @end smallexample
30463
30464 Starts a tracing experiments. The result of this command does not
30465 have any fields.
30466
30467 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30468
30469 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tstart}.
30470
30471 @subheading -trace-status
30472 @findex -trace-status
30473
30474 @subsubheading Synopsis
30475
30476 @smallexample
30477 -trace-status
30478 @end smallexample
30479
30480 Obtains the status of a tracing experiment. The result may include
30481 the following fields:
30482
30483 @table @samp
30484
30485 @item supported
30486 May have a value of either @samp{0}, when no tracing operations are
30487 supported, @samp{1}, when all tracing operations are supported, or
30488 @samp{file} when examining trace file. In the latter case, examining
30489 of trace frame is possible but new tracing experiement cannot be
30490 started. This field is always present.
30491
30492 @item running
30493 May have a value of either @samp{0} or @samp{1} depending on whether
30494 tracing experiement is in progress on target. This field is present
30495 if @samp{supported} field is not @samp{0}.
30496
30497 @item stop-reason
30498 Report the reason why the tracing was stopped last time. This field
30499 may be absent iff tracing was never stopped on target yet. The
30500 value of @samp{request} means the tracing was stopped as result of
30501 the @code{-trace-stop} command. The value of @samp{overflow} means
30502 the tracing buffer is full. The value of @samp{disconnection} means
30503 tracing was automatically stopped when @value{GDBN} has disconnected.
30504 The value of @samp{passcount} means tracing was stopped when a
30505 tracepoint was passed a maximal number of times for that tracepoint.
30506 This field is present if @samp{supported} field is not @samp{0}.
30507
30508 @item stopping-tracepoint
30509 The number of tracepoint whose passcount as exceeded. This field is
30510 present iff the @samp{stop-reason} field has the value of
30511 @samp{passcount}.
30512
30513 @item frames
30514 @itemx frames-created
30515 The @samp{frames} field is a count of the total number of trace frames
30516 in the trace buffer, while @samp{frames-created} is the total created
30517 during the run, including ones that were discarded, such as when a
30518 circular trace buffer filled up. Both fields are optional.
30519
30520 @item buffer-size
30521 @itemx buffer-free
30522 These fields tell the current size of the tracing buffer and the
30523 remaining space. These fields are optional.
30524
30525 @item circular
30526 The value of the circular trace buffer flag. @code{1} means that the
30527 trace buffer is circular and old trace frames will be discarded if
30528 necessary to make room, @code{0} means that the trace buffer is linear
30529 and may fill up.
30530
30531 @item disconnected
30532 The value of the disconnected tracing flag. @code{1} means that
30533 tracing will continue after @value{GDBN} disconnects, @code{0} means
30534 that the trace run will stop.
30535
30536 @item trace-file
30537 The filename of the trace file being examined. This field is
30538 optional, and only present when examining a trace file.
30539
30540 @end table
30541
30542 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30543
30544 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tstatus}.
30545
30546 @subheading -trace-stop
30547 @findex -trace-stop
30548
30549 @subsubheading Synopsis
30550
30551 @smallexample
30552 -trace-stop
30553 @end smallexample
30554
30555 Stops a tracing experiment. The result of this command has the same
30556 fields as @code{-trace-status}, except that the @samp{supported} and
30557 @samp{running} fields are not output.
30558
30559 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30560
30561 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tstop}.
30562
30563
30564 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
30565 @node GDB/MI Symbol Query
30566 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Symbol Query Commands
30567
30568
30569 @ignore
30570 @subheading The @code{-symbol-info-address} Command
30571 @findex -symbol-info-address
30572
30573 @subsubheading Synopsis
30574
30575 @smallexample
30576 -symbol-info-address @var{symbol}
30577 @end smallexample
30578
30579 Describe where @var{symbol} is stored.
30580
30581 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30582
30583 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info address}.
30584
30585 @subsubheading Example
30586 N.A.
30587
30588
30589 @subheading The @code{-symbol-info-file} Command
30590 @findex -symbol-info-file
30591
30592 @subsubheading Synopsis
30593
30594 @smallexample
30595 -symbol-info-file
30596 @end smallexample
30597
30598 Show the file for the symbol.
30599
30600 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30601
30602 There's no equivalent @value{GDBN} command. @code{gdbtk} has
30603 @samp{gdb_find_file}.
30604
30605 @subsubheading Example
30606 N.A.
30607
30608
30609 @subheading The @code{-symbol-info-function} Command
30610 @findex -symbol-info-function
30611
30612 @subsubheading Synopsis
30613
30614 @smallexample
30615 -symbol-info-function
30616 @end smallexample
30617
30618 Show which function the symbol lives in.
30619
30620 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30621
30622 @samp{gdb_get_function} in @code{gdbtk}.
30623
30624 @subsubheading Example
30625 N.A.
30626
30627
30628 @subheading The @code{-symbol-info-line} Command
30629 @findex -symbol-info-line
30630
30631 @subsubheading Synopsis
30632
30633 @smallexample
30634 -symbol-info-line
30635 @end smallexample
30636
30637 Show the core addresses of the code for a source line.
30638
30639 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30640
30641 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info line}.
30642 @code{gdbtk} has the @samp{gdb_get_line} and @samp{gdb_get_file} commands.
30643
30644 @subsubheading Example
30645 N.A.
30646
30647
30648 @subheading The @code{-symbol-info-symbol} Command
30649 @findex -symbol-info-symbol
30650
30651 @subsubheading Synopsis
30652
30653 @smallexample
30654 -symbol-info-symbol @var{addr}
30655 @end smallexample
30656
30657 Describe what symbol is at location @var{addr}.
30658
30659 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30660
30661 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info symbol}.
30662
30663 @subsubheading Example
30664 N.A.
30665
30666
30667 @subheading The @code{-symbol-list-functions} Command
30668 @findex -symbol-list-functions
30669
30670 @subsubheading Synopsis
30671
30672 @smallexample
30673 -symbol-list-functions
30674 @end smallexample
30675
30676 List the functions in the executable.
30677
30678 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30679
30680 @samp{info functions} in @value{GDBN}, @samp{gdb_listfunc} and
30681 @samp{gdb_search} in @code{gdbtk}.
30682
30683 @subsubheading Example
30684 N.A.
30685 @end ignore
30686
30687
30688 @subheading The @code{-symbol-list-lines} Command
30689 @findex -symbol-list-lines
30690
30691 @subsubheading Synopsis
30692
30693 @smallexample
30694 -symbol-list-lines @var{filename}
30695 @end smallexample
30696
30697 Print the list of lines that contain code and their associated program
30698 addresses for the given source filename. The entries are sorted in
30699 ascending PC order.
30700
30701 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30702
30703 There is no corresponding @value{GDBN} command.
30704
30705 @subsubheading Example
30706 @smallexample
30707 (gdb)
30708 -symbol-list-lines basics.c
30709 ^done,lines=[@{pc="0x08048554",line="7"@},@{pc="0x0804855a",line="8"@}]
30710 (gdb)
30711 @end smallexample
30712
30713
30714 @ignore
30715 @subheading The @code{-symbol-list-types} Command
30716 @findex -symbol-list-types
30717
30718 @subsubheading Synopsis
30719
30720 @smallexample
30721 -symbol-list-types
30722 @end smallexample
30723
30724 List all the type names.
30725
30726 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30727
30728 The corresponding commands are @samp{info types} in @value{GDBN},
30729 @samp{gdb_search} in @code{gdbtk}.
30730
30731 @subsubheading Example
30732 N.A.
30733
30734
30735 @subheading The @code{-symbol-list-variables} Command
30736 @findex -symbol-list-variables
30737
30738 @subsubheading Synopsis
30739
30740 @smallexample
30741 -symbol-list-variables
30742 @end smallexample
30743
30744 List all the global and static variable names.
30745
30746 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30747
30748 @samp{info variables} in @value{GDBN}, @samp{gdb_search} in @code{gdbtk}.
30749
30750 @subsubheading Example
30751 N.A.
30752
30753
30754 @subheading The @code{-symbol-locate} Command
30755 @findex -symbol-locate
30756
30757 @subsubheading Synopsis
30758
30759 @smallexample
30760 -symbol-locate
30761 @end smallexample
30762
30763 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30764
30765 @samp{gdb_loc} in @code{gdbtk}.
30766
30767 @subsubheading Example
30768 N.A.
30769
30770
30771 @subheading The @code{-symbol-type} Command
30772 @findex -symbol-type
30773
30774 @subsubheading Synopsis
30775
30776 @smallexample
30777 -symbol-type @var{variable}
30778 @end smallexample
30779
30780 Show type of @var{variable}.
30781
30782 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30783
30784 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{ptype}, @code{gdbtk} has
30785 @samp{gdb_obj_variable}.
30786
30787 @subsubheading Example
30788 N.A.
30789 @end ignore
30790
30791
30792 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
30793 @node GDB/MI File Commands
30794 @section @sc{gdb/mi} File Commands
30795
30796 This section describes the GDB/MI commands to specify executable file names
30797 and to read in and obtain symbol table information.
30798
30799 @subheading The @code{-file-exec-and-symbols} Command
30800 @findex -file-exec-and-symbols
30801
30802 @subsubheading Synopsis
30803
30804 @smallexample
30805 -file-exec-and-symbols @var{file}
30806 @end smallexample
30807
30808 Specify the executable file to be debugged. This file is the one from
30809 which the symbol table is also read. If no file is specified, the
30810 command clears the executable and symbol information. If breakpoints
30811 are set when using this command with no arguments, @value{GDBN} will produce
30812 error messages. Otherwise, no output is produced, except a completion
30813 notification.
30814
30815 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30816
30817 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{file}.
30818
30819 @subsubheading Example
30820
30821 @smallexample
30822 (gdb)
30823 -file-exec-and-symbols /kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/TRUNK/mbx/hello.mbx
30824 ^done
30825 (gdb)
30826 @end smallexample
30827
30828
30829 @subheading The @code{-file-exec-file} Command
30830 @findex -file-exec-file
30831
30832 @subsubheading Synopsis
30833
30834 @smallexample
30835 -file-exec-file @var{file}
30836 @end smallexample
30837
30838 Specify the executable file to be debugged. Unlike
30839 @samp{-file-exec-and-symbols}, the symbol table is @emph{not} read
30840 from this file. If used without argument, @value{GDBN} clears the information
30841 about the executable file. No output is produced, except a completion
30842 notification.
30843
30844 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30845
30846 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{exec-file}.
30847
30848 @subsubheading Example
30849
30850 @smallexample
30851 (gdb)
30852 -file-exec-file /kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/TRUNK/mbx/hello.mbx
30853 ^done
30854 (gdb)
30855 @end smallexample
30856
30857
30858 @ignore
30859 @subheading The @code{-file-list-exec-sections} Command
30860 @findex -file-list-exec-sections
30861
30862 @subsubheading Synopsis
30863
30864 @smallexample
30865 -file-list-exec-sections
30866 @end smallexample
30867
30868 List the sections of the current executable file.
30869
30870 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30871
30872 The @value{GDBN} command @samp{info file} shows, among the rest, the same
30873 information as this command. @code{gdbtk} has a corresponding command
30874 @samp{gdb_load_info}.
30875
30876 @subsubheading Example
30877 N.A.
30878 @end ignore
30879
30880
30881 @subheading The @code{-file-list-exec-source-file} Command
30882 @findex -file-list-exec-source-file
30883
30884 @subsubheading Synopsis
30885
30886 @smallexample
30887 -file-list-exec-source-file
30888 @end smallexample
30889
30890 List the line number, the current source file, and the absolute path
30891 to the current source file for the current executable. The macro
30892 information field has a value of @samp{1} or @samp{0} depending on
30893 whether or not the file includes preprocessor macro information.
30894
30895 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30896
30897 The @value{GDBN} equivalent is @samp{info source}
30898
30899 @subsubheading Example
30900
30901 @smallexample
30902 (gdb)
30903 123-file-list-exec-source-file
30904 123^done,line="1",file="foo.c",fullname="/home/bar/foo.c,macro-info="1"
30905 (gdb)
30906 @end smallexample
30907
30908
30909 @subheading The @code{-file-list-exec-source-files} Command
30910 @findex -file-list-exec-source-files
30911
30912 @subsubheading Synopsis
30913
30914 @smallexample
30915 -file-list-exec-source-files
30916 @end smallexample
30917
30918 List the source files for the current executable.
30919
30920 It will always output both the filename and fullname (absolute file
30921 name) of a source file.
30922
30923 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30924
30925 The @value{GDBN} equivalent is @samp{info sources}.
30926 @code{gdbtk} has an analogous command @samp{gdb_listfiles}.
30927
30928 @subsubheading Example
30929 @smallexample
30930 (gdb)
30931 -file-list-exec-source-files
30932 ^done,files=[
30933 @{file=foo.c,fullname=/home/foo.c@},
30934 @{file=/home/bar.c,fullname=/home/bar.c@},
30935 @{file=gdb_could_not_find_fullpath.c@}]
30936 (gdb)
30937 @end smallexample
30938
30939 @ignore
30940 @subheading The @code{-file-list-shared-libraries} Command
30941 @findex -file-list-shared-libraries
30942
30943 @subsubheading Synopsis
30944
30945 @smallexample
30946 -file-list-shared-libraries
30947 @end smallexample
30948
30949 List the shared libraries in the program.
30950
30951 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30952
30953 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info shared}.
30954
30955 @subsubheading Example
30956 N.A.
30957
30958
30959 @subheading The @code{-file-list-symbol-files} Command
30960 @findex -file-list-symbol-files
30961
30962 @subsubheading Synopsis
30963
30964 @smallexample
30965 -file-list-symbol-files
30966 @end smallexample
30967
30968 List symbol files.
30969
30970 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30971
30972 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info file} (part of it).
30973
30974 @subsubheading Example
30975 N.A.
30976 @end ignore
30977
30978
30979 @subheading The @code{-file-symbol-file} Command
30980 @findex -file-symbol-file
30981
30982 @subsubheading Synopsis
30983
30984 @smallexample
30985 -file-symbol-file @var{file}
30986 @end smallexample
30987
30988 Read symbol table info from the specified @var{file} argument. When
30989 used without arguments, clears @value{GDBN}'s symbol table info. No output is
30990 produced, except for a completion notification.
30991
30992 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30993
30994 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{symbol-file}.
30995
30996 @subsubheading Example
30997
30998 @smallexample
30999 (gdb)
31000 -file-symbol-file /kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/TRUNK/mbx/hello.mbx
31001 ^done
31002 (gdb)
31003 @end smallexample
31004
31005 @ignore
31006 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
31007 @node GDB/MI Memory Overlay Commands
31008 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Memory Overlay Commands
31009
31010 The memory overlay commands are not implemented.
31011
31012 @c @subheading -overlay-auto
31013
31014 @c @subheading -overlay-list-mapping-state
31015
31016 @c @subheading -overlay-list-overlays
31017
31018 @c @subheading -overlay-map
31019
31020 @c @subheading -overlay-off
31021
31022 @c @subheading -overlay-on
31023
31024 @c @subheading -overlay-unmap
31025
31026 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
31027 @node GDB/MI Signal Handling Commands
31028 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Signal Handling Commands
31029
31030 Signal handling commands are not implemented.
31031
31032 @c @subheading -signal-handle
31033
31034 @c @subheading -signal-list-handle-actions
31035
31036 @c @subheading -signal-list-signal-types
31037 @end ignore
31038
31039
31040 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
31041 @node GDB/MI Target Manipulation
31042 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Target Manipulation Commands
31043
31044
31045 @subheading The @code{-target-attach} Command
31046 @findex -target-attach
31047
31048 @subsubheading Synopsis
31049
31050 @smallexample
31051 -target-attach @var{pid} | @var{gid} | @var{file}
31052 @end smallexample
31053
31054 Attach to a process @var{pid} or a file @var{file} outside of
31055 @value{GDBN}, or a thread group @var{gid}. If attaching to a thread
31056 group, the id previously returned by
31057 @samp{-list-thread-groups --available} must be used.
31058
31059 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31060
31061 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{attach}.
31062
31063 @subsubheading Example
31064 @smallexample
31065 (gdb)
31066 -target-attach 34
31067 =thread-created,id="1"
31068 *stopped,thread-id="1",frame=@{addr="0xb7f7e410",func="bar",args=[]@}
31069 ^done
31070 (gdb)
31071 @end smallexample
31072
31073 @ignore
31074 @subheading The @code{-target-compare-sections} Command
31075 @findex -target-compare-sections
31076
31077 @subsubheading Synopsis
31078
31079 @smallexample
31080 -target-compare-sections [ @var{section} ]
31081 @end smallexample
31082
31083 Compare data of section @var{section} on target to the exec file.
31084 Without the argument, all sections are compared.
31085
31086 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31087
31088 The @value{GDBN} equivalent is @samp{compare-sections}.
31089
31090 @subsubheading Example
31091 N.A.
31092 @end ignore
31093
31094
31095 @subheading The @code{-target-detach} Command
31096 @findex -target-detach
31097
31098 @subsubheading Synopsis
31099
31100 @smallexample
31101 -target-detach [ @var{pid} | @var{gid} ]
31102 @end smallexample
31103
31104 Detach from the remote target which normally resumes its execution.
31105 If either @var{pid} or @var{gid} is specified, detaches from either
31106 the specified process, or specified thread group. There's no output.
31107
31108 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31109
31110 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{detach}.
31111
31112 @subsubheading Example
31113
31114 @smallexample
31115 (gdb)
31116 -target-detach
31117 ^done
31118 (gdb)
31119 @end smallexample
31120
31121
31122 @subheading The @code{-target-disconnect} Command
31123 @findex -target-disconnect
31124
31125 @subsubheading Synopsis
31126
31127 @smallexample
31128 -target-disconnect
31129 @end smallexample
31130
31131 Disconnect from the remote target. There's no output and the target is
31132 generally not resumed.
31133
31134 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31135
31136 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{disconnect}.
31137
31138 @subsubheading Example
31139
31140 @smallexample
31141 (gdb)
31142 -target-disconnect
31143 ^done
31144 (gdb)
31145 @end smallexample
31146
31147
31148 @subheading The @code{-target-download} Command
31149 @findex -target-download
31150
31151 @subsubheading Synopsis
31152
31153 @smallexample
31154 -target-download
31155 @end smallexample
31156
31157 Loads the executable onto the remote target.
31158 It prints out an update message every half second, which includes the fields:
31159
31160 @table @samp
31161 @item section
31162 The name of the section.
31163 @item section-sent
31164 The size of what has been sent so far for that section.
31165 @item section-size
31166 The size of the section.
31167 @item total-sent
31168 The total size of what was sent so far (the current and the previous sections).
31169 @item total-size
31170 The size of the overall executable to download.
31171 @end table
31172
31173 @noindent
31174 Each message is sent as status record (@pxref{GDB/MI Output Syntax, ,
31175 @sc{gdb/mi} Output Syntax}).
31176
31177 In addition, it prints the name and size of the sections, as they are
31178 downloaded. These messages include the following fields:
31179
31180 @table @samp
31181 @item section
31182 The name of the section.
31183 @item section-size
31184 The size of the section.
31185 @item total-size
31186 The size of the overall executable to download.
31187 @end table
31188
31189 @noindent
31190 At the end, a summary is printed.
31191
31192 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31193
31194 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{load}.
31195
31196 @subsubheading Example
31197
31198 Note: each status message appears on a single line. Here the messages
31199 have been broken down so that they can fit onto a page.
31200
31201 @smallexample
31202 (gdb)
31203 -target-download
31204 +download,@{section=".text",section-size="6668",total-size="9880"@}
31205 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="512",section-size="6668",
31206 total-sent="512",total-size="9880"@}
31207 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="1024",section-size="6668",
31208 total-sent="1024",total-size="9880"@}
31209 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="1536",section-size="6668",
31210 total-sent="1536",total-size="9880"@}
31211 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="2048",section-size="6668",
31212 total-sent="2048",total-size="9880"@}
31213 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="2560",section-size="6668",
31214 total-sent="2560",total-size="9880"@}
31215 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="3072",section-size="6668",
31216 total-sent="3072",total-size="9880"@}
31217 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="3584",section-size="6668",
31218 total-sent="3584",total-size="9880"@}
31219 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="4096",section-size="6668",
31220 total-sent="4096",total-size="9880"@}
31221 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="4608",section-size="6668",
31222 total-sent="4608",total-size="9880"@}
31223 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="5120",section-size="6668",
31224 total-sent="5120",total-size="9880"@}
31225 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="5632",section-size="6668",
31226 total-sent="5632",total-size="9880"@}
31227 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="6144",section-size="6668",
31228 total-sent="6144",total-size="9880"@}
31229 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="6656",section-size="6668",
31230 total-sent="6656",total-size="9880"@}
31231 +download,@{section=".init",section-size="28",total-size="9880"@}
31232 +download,@{section=".fini",section-size="28",total-size="9880"@}
31233 +download,@{section=".data",section-size="3156",total-size="9880"@}
31234 +download,@{section=".data",section-sent="512",section-size="3156",
31235 total-sent="7236",total-size="9880"@}
31236 +download,@{section=".data",section-sent="1024",section-size="3156",
31237 total-sent="7748",total-size="9880"@}
31238 +download,@{section=".data",section-sent="1536",section-size="3156",
31239 total-sent="8260",total-size="9880"@}
31240 +download,@{section=".data",section-sent="2048",section-size="3156",
31241 total-sent="8772",total-size="9880"@}
31242 +download,@{section=".data",section-sent="2560",section-size="3156",
31243 total-sent="9284",total-size="9880"@}
31244 +download,@{section=".data",section-sent="3072",section-size="3156",
31245 total-sent="9796",total-size="9880"@}
31246 ^done,address="0x10004",load-size="9880",transfer-rate="6586",
31247 write-rate="429"
31248 (gdb)
31249 @end smallexample
31250
31251
31252 @ignore
31253 @subheading The @code{-target-exec-status} Command
31254 @findex -target-exec-status
31255
31256 @subsubheading Synopsis
31257
31258 @smallexample
31259 -target-exec-status
31260 @end smallexample
31261
31262 Provide information on the state of the target (whether it is running or
31263 not, for instance).
31264
31265 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31266
31267 There's no equivalent @value{GDBN} command.
31268
31269 @subsubheading Example
31270 N.A.
31271
31272
31273 @subheading The @code{-target-list-available-targets} Command
31274 @findex -target-list-available-targets
31275
31276 @subsubheading Synopsis
31277
31278 @smallexample
31279 -target-list-available-targets
31280 @end smallexample
31281
31282 List the possible targets to connect to.
31283
31284 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31285
31286 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{help target}.
31287
31288 @subsubheading Example
31289 N.A.
31290
31291
31292 @subheading The @code{-target-list-current-targets} Command
31293 @findex -target-list-current-targets
31294
31295 @subsubheading Synopsis
31296
31297 @smallexample
31298 -target-list-current-targets
31299 @end smallexample
31300
31301 Describe the current target.
31302
31303 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31304
31305 The corresponding information is printed by @samp{info file} (among
31306 other things).
31307
31308 @subsubheading Example
31309 N.A.
31310
31311
31312 @subheading The @code{-target-list-parameters} Command
31313 @findex -target-list-parameters
31314
31315 @subsubheading Synopsis
31316
31317 @smallexample
31318 -target-list-parameters
31319 @end smallexample
31320
31321 @c ????
31322 @end ignore
31323
31324 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31325
31326 No equivalent.
31327
31328 @subsubheading Example
31329 N.A.
31330
31331
31332 @subheading The @code{-target-select} Command
31333 @findex -target-select
31334
31335 @subsubheading Synopsis
31336
31337 @smallexample
31338 -target-select @var{type} @var{parameters @dots{}}
31339 @end smallexample
31340
31341 Connect @value{GDBN} to the remote target. This command takes two args:
31342
31343 @table @samp
31344 @item @var{type}
31345 The type of target, for instance @samp{remote}, etc.
31346 @item @var{parameters}
31347 Device names, host names and the like. @xref{Target Commands, ,
31348 Commands for Managing Targets}, for more details.
31349 @end table
31350
31351 The output is a connection notification, followed by the address at
31352 which the target program is, in the following form:
31353
31354 @smallexample
31355 ^connected,addr="@var{address}",func="@var{function name}",
31356 args=[@var{arg list}]
31357 @end smallexample
31358
31359 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31360
31361 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{target}.
31362
31363 @subsubheading Example
31364
31365 @smallexample
31366 (gdb)
31367 -target-select remote /dev/ttya
31368 ^connected,addr="0xfe00a300",func="??",args=[]
31369 (gdb)
31370 @end smallexample
31371
31372 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
31373 @node GDB/MI File Transfer Commands
31374 @section @sc{gdb/mi} File Transfer Commands
31375
31376
31377 @subheading The @code{-target-file-put} Command
31378 @findex -target-file-put
31379
31380 @subsubheading Synopsis
31381
31382 @smallexample
31383 -target-file-put @var{hostfile} @var{targetfile}
31384 @end smallexample
31385
31386 Copy file @var{hostfile} from the host system (the machine running
31387 @value{GDBN}) to @var{targetfile} on the target system.
31388
31389 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31390
31391 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{remote put}.
31392
31393 @subsubheading Example
31394
31395 @smallexample
31396 (gdb)
31397 -target-file-put localfile remotefile
31398 ^done
31399 (gdb)
31400 @end smallexample
31401
31402
31403 @subheading The @code{-target-file-get} Command
31404 @findex -target-file-get
31405
31406 @subsubheading Synopsis
31407
31408 @smallexample
31409 -target-file-get @var{targetfile} @var{hostfile}
31410 @end smallexample
31411
31412 Copy file @var{targetfile} from the target system to @var{hostfile}
31413 on the host system.
31414
31415 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31416
31417 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{remote get}.
31418
31419 @subsubheading Example
31420
31421 @smallexample
31422 (gdb)
31423 -target-file-get remotefile localfile
31424 ^done
31425 (gdb)
31426 @end smallexample
31427
31428
31429 @subheading The @code{-target-file-delete} Command
31430 @findex -target-file-delete
31431
31432 @subsubheading Synopsis
31433
31434 @smallexample
31435 -target-file-delete @var{targetfile}
31436 @end smallexample
31437
31438 Delete @var{targetfile} from the target system.
31439
31440 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31441
31442 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{remote delete}.
31443
31444 @subsubheading Example
31445
31446 @smallexample
31447 (gdb)
31448 -target-file-delete remotefile
31449 ^done
31450 (gdb)
31451 @end smallexample
31452
31453
31454 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
31455 @node GDB/MI Ada Exceptions Commands
31456 @section Ada Exceptions @sc{gdb/mi} Commands
31457
31458 @subheading The @code{-info-ada-exceptions} Command
31459 @findex -info-ada-exceptions
31460
31461 @subsubheading Synopsis
31462
31463 @smallexample
31464 -info-ada-exceptions [ @var{regexp}]
31465 @end smallexample
31466
31467 List all Ada exceptions defined within the program being debugged.
31468 With a regular expression @var{regexp}, only those exceptions whose
31469 names match @var{regexp} are listed.
31470
31471 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31472
31473 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info exceptions}.
31474
31475 @subsubheading Result
31476
31477 The result is a table of Ada exceptions. The following columns are
31478 defined for each exception:
31479
31480 @table @samp
31481 @item name
31482 The name of the exception.
31483
31484 @item address
31485 The address of the exception.
31486
31487 @end table
31488
31489 @subsubheading Example
31490
31491 @smallexample
31492 -info-ada-exceptions aint
31493 ^done,ada-exceptions=@{nr_rows="2",nr_cols="2",
31494 hdr=[@{width="1",alignment="-1",col_name="name",colhdr="Name"@},
31495 @{width="1",alignment="-1",col_name="address",colhdr="Address"@}],
31496 body=[@{name="constraint_error",address="0x0000000000613da0"@},
31497 @{name="const.aint_global_e",address="0x0000000000613b00"@}]@}
31498 @end smallexample
31499
31500 @subheading Catching Ada Exceptions
31501
31502 The commands describing how to ask @value{GDBN} to stop when a program
31503 raises an exception are described at @ref{Ada Exception GDB/MI
31504 Catchpoint Commands}.
31505
31506
31507 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
31508 @node GDB/MI Support Commands
31509 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Support Commands
31510
31511 Since new commands and features get regularly added to @sc{gdb/mi},
31512 some commands are available to help front-ends query the debugger
31513 about support for these capabilities. Similarly, it is also possible
31514 to query @value{GDBN} about target support of certain features.
31515
31516 @subheading The @code{-info-gdb-mi-command} Command
31517 @cindex @code{-info-gdb-mi-command}
31518 @findex -info-gdb-mi-command
31519
31520 @subsubheading Synopsis
31521
31522 @smallexample
31523 -info-gdb-mi-command @var{cmd_name}
31524 @end smallexample
31525
31526 Query support for the @sc{gdb/mi} command named @var{cmd_name}.
31527
31528 Note that the dash (@code{-}) starting all @sc{gdb/mi} commands
31529 is technically not part of the command name (@pxref{GDB/MI Input
31530 Syntax}), and thus should be omitted in @var{cmd_name}. However,
31531 for ease of use, this command also accepts the form with the leading
31532 dash.
31533
31534 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31535
31536 There is no corresponding @value{GDBN} command.
31537
31538 @subsubheading Result
31539
31540 The result is a tuple. There is currently only one field:
31541
31542 @table @samp
31543 @item exists
31544 This field is equal to @code{"true"} if the @sc{gdb/mi} command exists,
31545 @code{"false"} otherwise.
31546
31547 @end table
31548
31549 @subsubheading Example
31550
31551 Here is an example where the @sc{gdb/mi} command does not exist:
31552
31553 @smallexample
31554 -info-gdb-mi-command unsupported-command
31555 ^done,command=@{exists="false"@}
31556 @end smallexample
31557
31558 @noindent
31559 And here is an example where the @sc{gdb/mi} command is known
31560 to the debugger:
31561
31562 @smallexample
31563 -info-gdb-mi-command symbol-list-lines
31564 ^done,command=@{exists="true"@}
31565 @end smallexample
31566
31567 @subheading The @code{-list-features} Command
31568 @findex -list-features
31569 @cindex supported @sc{gdb/mi} features, list
31570
31571 Returns a list of particular features of the MI protocol that
31572 this version of gdb implements. A feature can be a command,
31573 or a new field in an output of some command, or even an
31574 important bugfix. While a frontend can sometimes detect presence
31575 of a feature at runtime, it is easier to perform detection at debugger
31576 startup.
31577
31578 The command returns a list of strings, with each string naming an
31579 available feature. Each returned string is just a name, it does not
31580 have any internal structure. The list of possible feature names
31581 is given below.
31582
31583 Example output:
31584
31585 @smallexample
31586 (gdb) -list-features
31587 ^done,result=["feature1","feature2"]
31588 @end smallexample
31589
31590 The current list of features is:
31591
31592 @ftable @samp
31593 @item frozen-varobjs
31594 Indicates support for the @code{-var-set-frozen} command, as well
31595 as possible presense of the @code{frozen} field in the output
31596 of @code{-varobj-create}.
31597 @item pending-breakpoints
31598 Indicates support for the @option{-f} option to the @code{-break-insert}
31599 command.
31600 @item python
31601 Indicates Python scripting support, Python-based
31602 pretty-printing commands, and possible presence of the
31603 @samp{display_hint} field in the output of @code{-var-list-children}
31604 @item thread-info
31605 Indicates support for the @code{-thread-info} command.
31606 @item data-read-memory-bytes
31607 Indicates support for the @code{-data-read-memory-bytes} and the
31608 @code{-data-write-memory-bytes} commands.
31609 @item breakpoint-notifications
31610 Indicates that changes to breakpoints and breakpoints created via the
31611 CLI will be announced via async records.
31612 @item ada-task-info
31613 Indicates support for the @code{-ada-task-info} command.
31614 @item language-option
31615 Indicates that all @sc{gdb/mi} commands accept the @option{--language}
31616 option (@pxref{Context management}).
31617 @item info-gdb-mi-command
31618 Indicates support for the @code{-info-gdb-mi-command} command.
31619 @item undefined-command-error-code
31620 Indicates support for the "undefined-command" error code in error result
31621 records, produced when trying to execute an undefined @sc{gdb/mi} command
31622 (@pxref{GDB/MI Result Records}).
31623 @item exec-run-start-option
31624 Indicates that the @code{-exec-run} command supports the @option{--start}
31625 option (@pxref{GDB/MI Program Execution}).
31626 @end ftable
31627
31628 @subheading The @code{-list-target-features} Command
31629 @findex -list-target-features
31630
31631 Returns a list of particular features that are supported by the
31632 target. Those features affect the permitted MI commands, but
31633 unlike the features reported by the @code{-list-features} command, the
31634 features depend on which target GDB is using at the moment. Whenever
31635 a target can change, due to commands such as @code{-target-select},
31636 @code{-target-attach} or @code{-exec-run}, the list of target features
31637 may change, and the frontend should obtain it again.
31638 Example output:
31639
31640 @smallexample
31641 (gdb) -list-target-features
31642 ^done,result=["async"]
31643 @end smallexample
31644
31645 The current list of features is:
31646
31647 @table @samp
31648 @item async
31649 Indicates that the target is capable of asynchronous command
31650 execution, which means that @value{GDBN} will accept further commands
31651 while the target is running.
31652
31653 @item reverse
31654 Indicates that the target is capable of reverse execution.
31655 @xref{Reverse Execution}, for more information.
31656
31657 @end table
31658
31659 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
31660 @node GDB/MI Miscellaneous Commands
31661 @section Miscellaneous @sc{gdb/mi} Commands
31662
31663 @c @subheading -gdb-complete
31664
31665 @subheading The @code{-gdb-exit} Command
31666 @findex -gdb-exit
31667
31668 @subsubheading Synopsis
31669
31670 @smallexample
31671 -gdb-exit
31672 @end smallexample
31673
31674 Exit @value{GDBN} immediately.
31675
31676 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31677
31678 Approximately corresponds to @samp{quit}.
31679
31680 @subsubheading Example
31681
31682 @smallexample
31683 (gdb)
31684 -gdb-exit
31685 ^exit
31686 @end smallexample
31687
31688
31689 @ignore
31690 @subheading The @code{-exec-abort} Command
31691 @findex -exec-abort
31692
31693 @subsubheading Synopsis
31694
31695 @smallexample
31696 -exec-abort
31697 @end smallexample
31698
31699 Kill the inferior running program.
31700
31701 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31702
31703 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{kill}.
31704
31705 @subsubheading Example
31706 N.A.
31707 @end ignore
31708
31709
31710 @subheading The @code{-gdb-set} Command
31711 @findex -gdb-set
31712
31713 @subsubheading Synopsis
31714
31715 @smallexample
31716 -gdb-set
31717 @end smallexample
31718
31719 Set an internal @value{GDBN} variable.
31720 @c IS THIS A DOLLAR VARIABLE? OR SOMETHING LIKE ANNOTATE ?????
31721
31722 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31723
31724 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{set}.
31725
31726 @subsubheading Example
31727
31728 @smallexample
31729 (gdb)
31730 -gdb-set $foo=3
31731 ^done
31732 (gdb)
31733 @end smallexample
31734
31735
31736 @subheading The @code{-gdb-show} Command
31737 @findex -gdb-show
31738
31739 @subsubheading Synopsis
31740
31741 @smallexample
31742 -gdb-show
31743 @end smallexample
31744
31745 Show the current value of a @value{GDBN} variable.
31746
31747 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31748
31749 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{show}.
31750
31751 @subsubheading Example
31752
31753 @smallexample
31754 (gdb)
31755 -gdb-show annotate
31756 ^done,value="0"
31757 (gdb)
31758 @end smallexample
31759
31760 @c @subheading -gdb-source
31761
31762
31763 @subheading The @code{-gdb-version} Command
31764 @findex -gdb-version
31765
31766 @subsubheading Synopsis
31767
31768 @smallexample
31769 -gdb-version
31770 @end smallexample
31771
31772 Show version information for @value{GDBN}. Used mostly in testing.
31773
31774 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31775
31776 The @value{GDBN} equivalent is @samp{show version}. @value{GDBN} by
31777 default shows this information when you start an interactive session.
31778
31779 @subsubheading Example
31780
31781 @c This example modifies the actual output from GDB to avoid overfull
31782 @c box in TeX.
31783 @smallexample
31784 (gdb)
31785 -gdb-version
31786 ~GNU gdb 5.2.1
31787 ~Copyright 2000 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
31788 ~GDB is free software, covered by the GNU General Public License, and
31789 ~you are welcome to change it and/or distribute copies of it under
31790 ~ certain conditions.
31791 ~Type "show copying" to see the conditions.
31792 ~There is absolutely no warranty for GDB. Type "show warranty" for
31793 ~ details.
31794 ~This GDB was configured as
31795 "--host=sparc-sun-solaris2.5.1 --target=ppc-eabi".
31796 ^done
31797 (gdb)
31798 @end smallexample
31799
31800 @subheading The @code{-list-thread-groups} Command
31801 @findex -list-thread-groups
31802
31803 @subheading Synopsis
31804
31805 @smallexample
31806 -list-thread-groups [ --available ] [ --recurse 1 ] [ @var{group} ... ]
31807 @end smallexample
31808
31809 Lists thread groups (@pxref{Thread groups}). When a single thread
31810 group is passed as the argument, lists the children of that group.
31811 When several thread group are passed, lists information about those
31812 thread groups. Without any parameters, lists information about all
31813 top-level thread groups.
31814
31815 Normally, thread groups that are being debugged are reported.
31816 With the @samp{--available} option, @value{GDBN} reports thread groups
31817 available on the target.
31818
31819 The output of this command may have either a @samp{threads} result or
31820 a @samp{groups} result. The @samp{thread} result has a list of tuples
31821 as value, with each tuple describing a thread (@pxref{GDB/MI Thread
31822 Information}). The @samp{groups} result has a list of tuples as value,
31823 each tuple describing a thread group. If top-level groups are
31824 requested (that is, no parameter is passed), or when several groups
31825 are passed, the output always has a @samp{groups} result. The format
31826 of the @samp{group} result is described below.
31827
31828 To reduce the number of roundtrips it's possible to list thread groups
31829 together with their children, by passing the @samp{--recurse} option
31830 and the recursion depth. Presently, only recursion depth of 1 is
31831 permitted. If this option is present, then every reported thread group
31832 will also include its children, either as @samp{group} or
31833 @samp{threads} field.
31834
31835 In general, any combination of option and parameters is permitted, with
31836 the following caveats:
31837
31838 @itemize @bullet
31839 @item
31840 When a single thread group is passed, the output will typically
31841 be the @samp{threads} result. Because threads may not contain
31842 anything, the @samp{recurse} option will be ignored.
31843
31844 @item
31845 When the @samp{--available} option is passed, limited information may
31846 be available. In particular, the list of threads of a process might
31847 be inaccessible. Further, specifying specific thread groups might
31848 not give any performance advantage over listing all thread groups.
31849 The frontend should assume that @samp{-list-thread-groups --available}
31850 is always an expensive operation and cache the results.
31851
31852 @end itemize
31853
31854 The @samp{groups} result is a list of tuples, where each tuple may
31855 have the following fields:
31856
31857 @table @code
31858 @item id
31859 Identifier of the thread group. This field is always present.
31860 The identifier is an opaque string; frontends should not try to
31861 convert it to an integer, even though it might look like one.
31862
31863 @item type
31864 The type of the thread group. At present, only @samp{process} is a
31865 valid type.
31866
31867 @item pid
31868 The target-specific process identifier. This field is only present
31869 for thread groups of type @samp{process} and only if the process exists.
31870
31871 @item exit-code
31872 The exit code of this group's last exited thread, formatted in octal.
31873 This field is only present for thread groups of type @samp{process} and
31874 only if the process is not running.
31875
31876 @item num_children
31877 The number of children this thread group has. This field may be
31878 absent for an available thread group.
31879
31880 @item threads
31881 This field has a list of tuples as value, each tuple describing a
31882 thread. It may be present if the @samp{--recurse} option is
31883 specified, and it's actually possible to obtain the threads.
31884
31885 @item cores
31886 This field is a list of integers, each identifying a core that one
31887 thread of the group is running on. This field may be absent if
31888 such information is not available.
31889
31890 @item executable
31891 The name of the executable file that corresponds to this thread group.
31892 The field is only present for thread groups of type @samp{process},
31893 and only if there is a corresponding executable file.
31894
31895 @end table
31896
31897 @subheading Example
31898
31899 @smallexample
31900 @value{GDBP}
31901 -list-thread-groups
31902 ^done,groups=[@{id="17",type="process",pid="yyy",num_children="2"@}]
31903 -list-thread-groups 17
31904 ^done,threads=[@{id="2",target-id="Thread 0xb7e14b90 (LWP 21257)",
31905 frame=@{level="0",addr="0xffffe410",func="__kernel_vsyscall",args=[]@},state="running"@},
31906 @{id="1",target-id="Thread 0xb7e156b0 (LWP 21254)",
31907 frame=@{level="0",addr="0x0804891f",func="foo",args=[@{name="i",value="10"@}],
31908 file="/tmp/a.c",fullname="/tmp/a.c",line="158"@},state="running"@}]]
31909 -list-thread-groups --available
31910 ^done,groups=[@{id="17",type="process",pid="yyy",num_children="2",cores=[1,2]@}]
31911 -list-thread-groups --available --recurse 1
31912 ^done,groups=[@{id="17", types="process",pid="yyy",num_children="2",cores=[1,2],
31913 threads=[@{id="1",target-id="Thread 0xb7e14b90",cores=[1]@},
31914 @{id="2",target-id="Thread 0xb7e14b90",cores=[2]@}]@},..]
31915 -list-thread-groups --available --recurse 1 17 18
31916 ^done,groups=[@{id="17", types="process",pid="yyy",num_children="2",cores=[1,2],
31917 threads=[@{id="1",target-id="Thread 0xb7e14b90",cores=[1]@},
31918 @{id="2",target-id="Thread 0xb7e14b90",cores=[2]@}]@},...]
31919 @end smallexample
31920
31921 @subheading The @code{-info-os} Command
31922 @findex -info-os
31923
31924 @subsubheading Synopsis
31925
31926 @smallexample
31927 -info-os [ @var{type} ]
31928 @end smallexample
31929
31930 If no argument is supplied, the command returns a table of available
31931 operating-system-specific information types. If one of these types is
31932 supplied as an argument @var{type}, then the command returns a table
31933 of data of that type.
31934
31935 The types of information available depend on the target operating
31936 system.
31937
31938 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31939
31940 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info os}.
31941
31942 @subsubheading Example
31943
31944 When run on a @sc{gnu}/Linux system, the output will look something
31945 like this:
31946
31947 @smallexample
31948 @value{GDBP}
31949 -info-os
31950 ^done,OSDataTable=@{nr_rows="10",nr_cols="3",
31951 hdr=[@{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="col0",colhdr="Type"@},
31952 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="col1",colhdr="Description"@},
31953 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="col2",colhdr="Title"@}],
31954 body=[item=@{col0="cpus",col1="Listing of all cpus/cores on the system",
31955 col2="CPUs"@},
31956 item=@{col0="files",col1="Listing of all file descriptors",
31957 col2="File descriptors"@},
31958 item=@{col0="modules",col1="Listing of all loaded kernel modules",
31959 col2="Kernel modules"@},
31960 item=@{col0="msg",col1="Listing of all message queues",
31961 col2="Message queues"@},
31962 item=@{col0="processes",col1="Listing of all processes",
31963 col2="Processes"@},
31964 item=@{col0="procgroups",col1="Listing of all process groups",
31965 col2="Process groups"@},
31966 item=@{col0="semaphores",col1="Listing of all semaphores",
31967 col2="Semaphores"@},
31968 item=@{col0="shm",col1="Listing of all shared-memory regions",
31969 col2="Shared-memory regions"@},
31970 item=@{col0="sockets",col1="Listing of all internet-domain sockets",
31971 col2="Sockets"@},
31972 item=@{col0="threads",col1="Listing of all threads",
31973 col2="Threads"@}]
31974 @value{GDBP}
31975 -info-os processes
31976 ^done,OSDataTable=@{nr_rows="190",nr_cols="4",
31977 hdr=[@{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="col0",colhdr="pid"@},
31978 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="col1",colhdr="user"@},
31979 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="col2",colhdr="command"@},
31980 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="col3",colhdr="cores"@}],
31981 body=[item=@{col0="1",col1="root",col2="/sbin/init",col3="0"@},
31982 item=@{col0="2",col1="root",col2="[kthreadd]",col3="1"@},
31983 item=@{col0="3",col1="root",col2="[ksoftirqd/0]",col3="0"@},
31984 ...
31985 item=@{col0="26446",col1="stan",col2="bash",col3="0"@},
31986 item=@{col0="28152",col1="stan",col2="bash",col3="1"@}]@}
31987 (gdb)
31988 @end smallexample
31989
31990 (Note that the MI output here includes a @code{"Title"} column that
31991 does not appear in command-line @code{info os}; this column is useful
31992 for MI clients that want to enumerate the types of data, such as in a
31993 popup menu, but is needless clutter on the command line, and
31994 @code{info os} omits it.)
31995
31996 @subheading The @code{-add-inferior} Command
31997 @findex -add-inferior
31998
31999 @subheading Synopsis
32000
32001 @smallexample
32002 -add-inferior
32003 @end smallexample
32004
32005 Creates a new inferior (@pxref{Inferiors and Programs}). The created
32006 inferior is not associated with any executable. Such association may
32007 be established with the @samp{-file-exec-and-symbols} command
32008 (@pxref{GDB/MI File Commands}). The command response has a single
32009 field, @samp{inferior}, whose value is the identifier of the
32010 thread group corresponding to the new inferior.
32011
32012 @subheading Example
32013
32014 @smallexample
32015 @value{GDBP}
32016 -add-inferior
32017 ^done,inferior="i3"
32018 @end smallexample
32019
32020 @subheading The @code{-interpreter-exec} Command
32021 @findex -interpreter-exec
32022
32023 @subheading Synopsis
32024
32025 @smallexample
32026 -interpreter-exec @var{interpreter} @var{command}
32027 @end smallexample
32028 @anchor{-interpreter-exec}
32029
32030 Execute the specified @var{command} in the given @var{interpreter}.
32031
32032 @subheading @value{GDBN} Command
32033
32034 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{interpreter-exec}.
32035
32036 @subheading Example
32037
32038 @smallexample
32039 (gdb)
32040 -interpreter-exec console "break main"
32041 &"During symbol reading, couldn't parse type; debugger out of date?.\n"
32042 &"During symbol reading, bad structure-type format.\n"
32043 ~"Breakpoint 1 at 0x8074fc6: file ../../src/gdb/main.c, line 743.\n"
32044 ^done
32045 (gdb)
32046 @end smallexample
32047
32048 @subheading The @code{-inferior-tty-set} Command
32049 @findex -inferior-tty-set
32050
32051 @subheading Synopsis
32052
32053 @smallexample
32054 -inferior-tty-set /dev/pts/1
32055 @end smallexample
32056
32057 Set terminal for future runs of the program being debugged.
32058
32059 @subheading @value{GDBN} Command
32060
32061 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{set inferior-tty} /dev/pts/1.
32062
32063 @subheading Example
32064
32065 @smallexample
32066 (gdb)
32067 -inferior-tty-set /dev/pts/1
32068 ^done
32069 (gdb)
32070 @end smallexample
32071
32072 @subheading The @code{-inferior-tty-show} Command
32073 @findex -inferior-tty-show
32074
32075 @subheading Synopsis
32076
32077 @smallexample
32078 -inferior-tty-show
32079 @end smallexample
32080
32081 Show terminal for future runs of program being debugged.
32082
32083 @subheading @value{GDBN} Command
32084
32085 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{show inferior-tty}.
32086
32087 @subheading Example
32088
32089 @smallexample
32090 (gdb)
32091 -inferior-tty-set /dev/pts/1
32092 ^done
32093 (gdb)
32094 -inferior-tty-show
32095 ^done,inferior_tty_terminal="/dev/pts/1"
32096 (gdb)
32097 @end smallexample
32098
32099 @subheading The @code{-enable-timings} Command
32100 @findex -enable-timings
32101
32102 @subheading Synopsis
32103
32104 @smallexample
32105 -enable-timings [yes | no]
32106 @end smallexample
32107
32108 Toggle the printing of the wallclock, user and system times for an MI
32109 command as a field in its output. This command is to help frontend
32110 developers optimize the performance of their code. No argument is
32111 equivalent to @samp{yes}.
32112
32113 @subheading @value{GDBN} Command
32114
32115 No equivalent.
32116
32117 @subheading Example
32118
32119 @smallexample
32120 (gdb)
32121 -enable-timings
32122 ^done
32123 (gdb)
32124 -break-insert main
32125 ^done,bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
32126 addr="0x080484ed",func="main",file="myprog.c",
32127 fullname="/home/nickrob/myprog.c",line="73",thread-groups=["i1"],
32128 times="0"@},
32129 time=@{wallclock="0.05185",user="0.00800",system="0.00000"@}
32130 (gdb)
32131 -enable-timings no
32132 ^done
32133 (gdb)
32134 -exec-run
32135 ^running
32136 (gdb)
32137 *stopped,reason="breakpoint-hit",disp="keep",bkptno="1",thread-id="0",
32138 frame=@{addr="0x080484ed",func="main",args=[@{name="argc",value="1"@},
32139 @{name="argv",value="0xbfb60364"@}],file="myprog.c",
32140 fullname="/home/nickrob/myprog.c",line="73"@}
32141 (gdb)
32142 @end smallexample
32143
32144 @node Annotations
32145 @chapter @value{GDBN} Annotations
32146
32147 This chapter describes annotations in @value{GDBN}. Annotations were
32148 designed to interface @value{GDBN} to graphical user interfaces or other
32149 similar programs which want to interact with @value{GDBN} at a
32150 relatively high level.
32151
32152 The annotation mechanism has largely been superseded by @sc{gdb/mi}
32153 (@pxref{GDB/MI}).
32154
32155 @ignore
32156 This is Edition @value{EDITION}, @value{DATE}.
32157 @end ignore
32158
32159 @menu
32160 * Annotations Overview:: What annotations are; the general syntax.
32161 * Server Prefix:: Issuing a command without affecting user state.
32162 * Prompting:: Annotations marking @value{GDBN}'s need for input.
32163 * Errors:: Annotations for error messages.
32164 * Invalidation:: Some annotations describe things now invalid.
32165 * Annotations for Running::
32166 Whether the program is running, how it stopped, etc.
32167 * Source Annotations:: Annotations describing source code.
32168 @end menu
32169
32170 @node Annotations Overview
32171 @section What is an Annotation?
32172 @cindex annotations
32173
32174 Annotations start with a newline character, two @samp{control-z}
32175 characters, and the name of the annotation. If there is no additional
32176 information associated with this annotation, the name of the annotation
32177 is followed immediately by a newline. If there is additional
32178 information, the name of the annotation is followed by a space, the
32179 additional information, and a newline. The additional information
32180 cannot contain newline characters.
32181
32182 Any output not beginning with a newline and two @samp{control-z}
32183 characters denotes literal output from @value{GDBN}. Currently there is
32184 no need for @value{GDBN} to output a newline followed by two
32185 @samp{control-z} characters, but if there was such a need, the
32186 annotations could be extended with an @samp{escape} annotation which
32187 means those three characters as output.
32188
32189 The annotation @var{level}, which is specified using the
32190 @option{--annotate} command line option (@pxref{Mode Options}), controls
32191 how much information @value{GDBN} prints together with its prompt,
32192 values of expressions, source lines, and other types of output. Level 0
32193 is for no annotations, level 1 is for use when @value{GDBN} is run as a
32194 subprocess of @sc{gnu} Emacs, level 3 is the maximum annotation suitable
32195 for programs that control @value{GDBN}, and level 2 annotations have
32196 been made obsolete (@pxref{Limitations, , Limitations of the Annotation
32197 Interface, annotate, GDB's Obsolete Annotations}).
32198
32199 @table @code
32200 @kindex set annotate
32201 @item set annotate @var{level}
32202 The @value{GDBN} command @code{set annotate} sets the level of
32203 annotations to the specified @var{level}.
32204
32205 @item show annotate
32206 @kindex show annotate
32207 Show the current annotation level.
32208 @end table
32209
32210 This chapter describes level 3 annotations.
32211
32212 A simple example of starting up @value{GDBN} with annotations is:
32213
32214 @smallexample
32215 $ @kbd{gdb --annotate=3}
32216 GNU gdb 6.0
32217 Copyright 2003 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
32218 GDB is free software, covered by the GNU General Public License,
32219 and you are welcome to change it and/or distribute copies of it
32220 under certain conditions.
32221 Type "show copying" to see the conditions.
32222 There is absolutely no warranty for GDB. Type "show warranty"
32223 for details.
32224 This GDB was configured as "i386-pc-linux-gnu"
32225
32226 ^Z^Zpre-prompt
32227 (@value{GDBP})
32228 ^Z^Zprompt
32229 @kbd{quit}
32230
32231 ^Z^Zpost-prompt
32232 $
32233 @end smallexample
32234
32235 Here @samp{quit} is input to @value{GDBN}; the rest is output from
32236 @value{GDBN}. The three lines beginning @samp{^Z^Z} (where @samp{^Z}
32237 denotes a @samp{control-z} character) are annotations; the rest is
32238 output from @value{GDBN}.
32239
32240 @node Server Prefix
32241 @section The Server Prefix
32242 @cindex server prefix
32243
32244 If you prefix a command with @samp{server } then it will not affect
32245 the command history, nor will it affect @value{GDBN}'s notion of which
32246 command to repeat if @key{RET} is pressed on a line by itself. This
32247 means that commands can be run behind a user's back by a front-end in
32248 a transparent manner.
32249
32250 The @code{server } prefix does not affect the recording of values into
32251 the value history; to print a value without recording it into the
32252 value history, use the @code{output} command instead of the
32253 @code{print} command.
32254
32255 Using this prefix also disables confirmation requests
32256 (@pxref{confirmation requests}).
32257
32258 @node Prompting
32259 @section Annotation for @value{GDBN} Input
32260
32261 @cindex annotations for prompts
32262 When @value{GDBN} prompts for input, it annotates this fact so it is possible
32263 to know when to send output, when the output from a given command is
32264 over, etc.
32265
32266 Different kinds of input each have a different @dfn{input type}. Each
32267 input type has three annotations: a @code{pre-} annotation, which
32268 denotes the beginning of any prompt which is being output, a plain
32269 annotation, which denotes the end of the prompt, and then a @code{post-}
32270 annotation which denotes the end of any echo which may (or may not) be
32271 associated with the input. For example, the @code{prompt} input type
32272 features the following annotations:
32273
32274 @smallexample
32275 ^Z^Zpre-prompt
32276 ^Z^Zprompt
32277 ^Z^Zpost-prompt
32278 @end smallexample
32279
32280 The input types are
32281
32282 @table @code
32283 @findex pre-prompt annotation
32284 @findex prompt annotation
32285 @findex post-prompt annotation
32286 @item prompt
32287 When @value{GDBN} is prompting for a command (the main @value{GDBN} prompt).
32288
32289 @findex pre-commands annotation
32290 @findex commands annotation
32291 @findex post-commands annotation
32292 @item commands
32293 When @value{GDBN} prompts for a set of commands, like in the @code{commands}
32294 command. The annotations are repeated for each command which is input.
32295
32296 @findex pre-overload-choice annotation
32297 @findex overload-choice annotation
32298 @findex post-overload-choice annotation
32299 @item overload-choice
32300 When @value{GDBN} wants the user to select between various overloaded functions.
32301
32302 @findex pre-query annotation
32303 @findex query annotation
32304 @findex post-query annotation
32305 @item query
32306 When @value{GDBN} wants the user to confirm a potentially dangerous operation.
32307
32308 @findex pre-prompt-for-continue annotation
32309 @findex prompt-for-continue annotation
32310 @findex post-prompt-for-continue annotation
32311 @item prompt-for-continue
32312 When @value{GDBN} is asking the user to press return to continue. Note: Don't
32313 expect this to work well; instead use @code{set height 0} to disable
32314 prompting. This is because the counting of lines is buggy in the
32315 presence of annotations.
32316 @end table
32317
32318 @node Errors
32319 @section Errors
32320 @cindex annotations for errors, warnings and interrupts
32321
32322 @findex quit annotation
32323 @smallexample
32324 ^Z^Zquit
32325 @end smallexample
32326
32327 This annotation occurs right before @value{GDBN} responds to an interrupt.
32328
32329 @findex error annotation
32330 @smallexample
32331 ^Z^Zerror
32332 @end smallexample
32333
32334 This annotation occurs right before @value{GDBN} responds to an error.
32335
32336 Quit and error annotations indicate that any annotations which @value{GDBN} was
32337 in the middle of may end abruptly. For example, if a
32338 @code{value-history-begin} annotation is followed by a @code{error}, one
32339 cannot expect to receive the matching @code{value-history-end}. One
32340 cannot expect not to receive it either, however; an error annotation
32341 does not necessarily mean that @value{GDBN} is immediately returning all the way
32342 to the top level.
32343
32344 @findex error-begin annotation
32345 A quit or error annotation may be preceded by
32346
32347 @smallexample
32348 ^Z^Zerror-begin
32349 @end smallexample
32350
32351 Any output between that and the quit or error annotation is the error
32352 message.
32353
32354 Warning messages are not yet annotated.
32355 @c If we want to change that, need to fix warning(), type_error(),
32356 @c range_error(), and possibly other places.
32357
32358 @node Invalidation
32359 @section Invalidation Notices
32360
32361 @cindex annotations for invalidation messages
32362 The following annotations say that certain pieces of state may have
32363 changed.
32364
32365 @table @code
32366 @findex frames-invalid annotation
32367 @item ^Z^Zframes-invalid
32368
32369 The frames (for example, output from the @code{backtrace} command) may
32370 have changed.
32371
32372 @findex breakpoints-invalid annotation
32373 @item ^Z^Zbreakpoints-invalid
32374
32375 The breakpoints may have changed. For example, the user just added or
32376 deleted a breakpoint.
32377 @end table
32378
32379 @node Annotations for Running
32380 @section Running the Program
32381 @cindex annotations for running programs
32382
32383 @findex starting annotation
32384 @findex stopping annotation
32385 When the program starts executing due to a @value{GDBN} command such as
32386 @code{step} or @code{continue},
32387
32388 @smallexample
32389 ^Z^Zstarting
32390 @end smallexample
32391
32392 is output. When the program stops,
32393
32394 @smallexample
32395 ^Z^Zstopped
32396 @end smallexample
32397
32398 is output. Before the @code{stopped} annotation, a variety of
32399 annotations describe how the program stopped.
32400
32401 @table @code
32402 @findex exited annotation
32403 @item ^Z^Zexited @var{exit-status}
32404 The program exited, and @var{exit-status} is the exit status (zero for
32405 successful exit, otherwise nonzero).
32406
32407 @findex signalled annotation
32408 @findex signal-name annotation
32409 @findex signal-name-end annotation
32410 @findex signal-string annotation
32411 @findex signal-string-end annotation
32412 @item ^Z^Zsignalled
32413 The program exited with a signal. After the @code{^Z^Zsignalled}, the
32414 annotation continues:
32415
32416 @smallexample
32417 @var{intro-text}
32418 ^Z^Zsignal-name
32419 @var{name}
32420 ^Z^Zsignal-name-end
32421 @var{middle-text}
32422 ^Z^Zsignal-string
32423 @var{string}
32424 ^Z^Zsignal-string-end
32425 @var{end-text}
32426 @end smallexample
32427
32428 @noindent
32429 where @var{name} is the name of the signal, such as @code{SIGILL} or
32430 @code{SIGSEGV}, and @var{string} is the explanation of the signal, such
32431 as @code{Illegal Instruction} or @code{Segmentation fault}. The arguments
32432 @var{intro-text}, @var{middle-text}, and @var{end-text} are for the
32433 user's benefit and have no particular format.
32434
32435 @findex signal annotation
32436 @item ^Z^Zsignal
32437 The syntax of this annotation is just like @code{signalled}, but @value{GDBN} is
32438 just saying that the program received the signal, not that it was
32439 terminated with it.
32440
32441 @findex breakpoint annotation
32442 @item ^Z^Zbreakpoint @var{number}
32443 The program hit breakpoint number @var{number}.
32444
32445 @findex watchpoint annotation
32446 @item ^Z^Zwatchpoint @var{number}
32447 The program hit watchpoint number @var{number}.
32448 @end table
32449
32450 @node Source Annotations
32451 @section Displaying Source
32452 @cindex annotations for source display
32453
32454 @findex source annotation
32455 The following annotation is used instead of displaying source code:
32456
32457 @smallexample
32458 ^Z^Zsource @var{filename}:@var{line}:@var{character}:@var{middle}:@var{addr}
32459 @end smallexample
32460
32461 where @var{filename} is an absolute file name indicating which source
32462 file, @var{line} is the line number within that file (where 1 is the
32463 first line in the file), @var{character} is the character position
32464 within the file (where 0 is the first character in the file) (for most
32465 debug formats this will necessarily point to the beginning of a line),
32466 @var{middle} is @samp{middle} if @var{addr} is in the middle of the
32467 line, or @samp{beg} if @var{addr} is at the beginning of the line, and
32468 @var{addr} is the address in the target program associated with the
32469 source which is being displayed. The @var{addr} is in the form @samp{0x}
32470 followed by one or more lowercase hex digits (note that this does not
32471 depend on the language).
32472
32473 @node JIT Interface
32474 @chapter JIT Compilation Interface
32475 @cindex just-in-time compilation
32476 @cindex JIT compilation interface
32477
32478 This chapter documents @value{GDBN}'s @dfn{just-in-time} (JIT) compilation
32479 interface. A JIT compiler is a program or library that generates native
32480 executable code at runtime and executes it, usually in order to achieve good
32481 performance while maintaining platform independence.
32482
32483 Programs that use JIT compilation are normally difficult to debug because
32484 portions of their code are generated at runtime, instead of being loaded from
32485 object files, which is where @value{GDBN} normally finds the program's symbols
32486 and debug information. In order to debug programs that use JIT compilation,
32487 @value{GDBN} has an interface that allows the program to register in-memory
32488 symbol files with @value{GDBN} at runtime.
32489
32490 If you are using @value{GDBN} to debug a program that uses this interface, then
32491 it should work transparently so long as you have not stripped the binary. If
32492 you are developing a JIT compiler, then the interface is documented in the rest
32493 of this chapter. At this time, the only known client of this interface is the
32494 LLVM JIT.
32495
32496 Broadly speaking, the JIT interface mirrors the dynamic loader interface. The
32497 JIT compiler communicates with @value{GDBN} by writing data into a global
32498 variable and calling a fuction at a well-known symbol. When @value{GDBN}
32499 attaches, it reads a linked list of symbol files from the global variable to
32500 find existing code, and puts a breakpoint in the function so that it can find
32501 out about additional code.
32502
32503 @menu
32504 * Declarations:: Relevant C struct declarations
32505 * Registering Code:: Steps to register code
32506 * Unregistering Code:: Steps to unregister code
32507 * Custom Debug Info:: Emit debug information in a custom format
32508 @end menu
32509
32510 @node Declarations
32511 @section JIT Declarations
32512
32513 These are the relevant struct declarations that a C program should include to
32514 implement the interface:
32515
32516 @smallexample
32517 typedef enum
32518 @{
32519 JIT_NOACTION = 0,
32520 JIT_REGISTER_FN,
32521 JIT_UNREGISTER_FN
32522 @} jit_actions_t;
32523
32524 struct jit_code_entry
32525 @{
32526 struct jit_code_entry *next_entry;
32527 struct jit_code_entry *prev_entry;
32528 const char *symfile_addr;
32529 uint64_t symfile_size;
32530 @};
32531
32532 struct jit_descriptor
32533 @{
32534 uint32_t version;
32535 /* This type should be jit_actions_t, but we use uint32_t
32536 to be explicit about the bitwidth. */
32537 uint32_t action_flag;
32538 struct jit_code_entry *relevant_entry;
32539 struct jit_code_entry *first_entry;
32540 @};
32541
32542 /* GDB puts a breakpoint in this function. */
32543 void __attribute__((noinline)) __jit_debug_register_code() @{ @};
32544
32545 /* Make sure to specify the version statically, because the
32546 debugger may check the version before we can set it. */
32547 struct jit_descriptor __jit_debug_descriptor = @{ 1, 0, 0, 0 @};
32548 @end smallexample
32549
32550 If the JIT is multi-threaded, then it is important that the JIT synchronize any
32551 modifications to this global data properly, which can easily be done by putting
32552 a global mutex around modifications to these structures.
32553
32554 @node Registering Code
32555 @section Registering Code
32556
32557 To register code with @value{GDBN}, the JIT should follow this protocol:
32558
32559 @itemize @bullet
32560 @item
32561 Generate an object file in memory with symbols and other desired debug
32562 information. The file must include the virtual addresses of the sections.
32563
32564 @item
32565 Create a code entry for the file, which gives the start and size of the symbol
32566 file.
32567
32568 @item
32569 Add it to the linked list in the JIT descriptor.
32570
32571 @item
32572 Point the relevant_entry field of the descriptor at the entry.
32573
32574 @item
32575 Set @code{action_flag} to @code{JIT_REGISTER} and call
32576 @code{__jit_debug_register_code}.
32577 @end itemize
32578
32579 When @value{GDBN} is attached and the breakpoint fires, @value{GDBN} uses the
32580 @code{relevant_entry} pointer so it doesn't have to walk the list looking for
32581 new code. However, the linked list must still be maintained in order to allow
32582 @value{GDBN} to attach to a running process and still find the symbol files.
32583
32584 @node Unregistering Code
32585 @section Unregistering Code
32586
32587 If code is freed, then the JIT should use the following protocol:
32588
32589 @itemize @bullet
32590 @item
32591 Remove the code entry corresponding to the code from the linked list.
32592
32593 @item
32594 Point the @code{relevant_entry} field of the descriptor at the code entry.
32595
32596 @item
32597 Set @code{action_flag} to @code{JIT_UNREGISTER} and call
32598 @code{__jit_debug_register_code}.
32599 @end itemize
32600
32601 If the JIT frees or recompiles code without unregistering it, then @value{GDBN}
32602 and the JIT will leak the memory used for the associated symbol files.
32603
32604 @node Custom Debug Info
32605 @section Custom Debug Info
32606 @cindex custom JIT debug info
32607 @cindex JIT debug info reader
32608
32609 Generating debug information in platform-native file formats (like ELF
32610 or COFF) may be an overkill for JIT compilers; especially if all the
32611 debug info is used for is displaying a meaningful backtrace. The
32612 issue can be resolved by having the JIT writers decide on a debug info
32613 format and also provide a reader that parses the debug info generated
32614 by the JIT compiler. This section gives a brief overview on writing
32615 such a parser. More specific details can be found in the source file
32616 @file{gdb/jit-reader.in}, which is also installed as a header at
32617 @file{@var{includedir}/gdb/jit-reader.h} for easy inclusion.
32618
32619 The reader is implemented as a shared object (so this functionality is
32620 not available on platforms which don't allow loading shared objects at
32621 runtime). Two @value{GDBN} commands, @code{jit-reader-load} and
32622 @code{jit-reader-unload} are provided, to be used to load and unload
32623 the readers from a preconfigured directory. Once loaded, the shared
32624 object is used the parse the debug information emitted by the JIT
32625 compiler.
32626
32627 @menu
32628 * Using JIT Debug Info Readers:: How to use supplied readers correctly
32629 * Writing JIT Debug Info Readers:: Creating a debug-info reader
32630 @end menu
32631
32632 @node Using JIT Debug Info Readers
32633 @subsection Using JIT Debug Info Readers
32634 @kindex jit-reader-load
32635 @kindex jit-reader-unload
32636
32637 Readers can be loaded and unloaded using the @code{jit-reader-load}
32638 and @code{jit-reader-unload} commands.
32639
32640 @table @code
32641 @item jit-reader-load @var{reader}
32642 Load the JIT reader named @var{reader}, which is a shared
32643 object specified as either an absolute or a relative file name. In
32644 the latter case, @value{GDBN} will try to load the reader from a
32645 pre-configured directory, usually @file{@var{libdir}/gdb/} on a UNIX
32646 system (here @var{libdir} is the system library directory, often
32647 @file{/usr/local/lib}).
32648
32649 Only one reader can be active at a time; trying to load a second
32650 reader when one is already loaded will result in @value{GDBN}
32651 reporting an error. A new JIT reader can be loaded by first unloading
32652 the current one using @code{jit-reader-unload} and then invoking
32653 @code{jit-reader-load}.
32654
32655 @item jit-reader-unload
32656 Unload the currently loaded JIT reader.
32657
32658 @end table
32659
32660 @node Writing JIT Debug Info Readers
32661 @subsection Writing JIT Debug Info Readers
32662 @cindex writing JIT debug info readers
32663
32664 As mentioned, a reader is essentially a shared object conforming to a
32665 certain ABI. This ABI is described in @file{jit-reader.h}.
32666
32667 @file{jit-reader.h} defines the structures, macros and functions
32668 required to write a reader. It is installed (along with
32669 @value{GDBN}), in @file{@var{includedir}/gdb} where @var{includedir} is
32670 the system include directory.
32671
32672 Readers need to be released under a GPL compatible license. A reader
32673 can be declared as released under such a license by placing the macro
32674 @code{GDB_DECLARE_GPL_COMPATIBLE_READER} in a source file.
32675
32676 The entry point for readers is the symbol @code{gdb_init_reader},
32677 which is expected to be a function with the prototype
32678
32679 @findex gdb_init_reader
32680 @smallexample
32681 extern struct gdb_reader_funcs *gdb_init_reader (void);
32682 @end smallexample
32683
32684 @cindex @code{struct gdb_reader_funcs}
32685
32686 @code{struct gdb_reader_funcs} contains a set of pointers to callback
32687 functions. These functions are executed to read the debug info
32688 generated by the JIT compiler (@code{read}), to unwind stack frames
32689 (@code{unwind}) and to create canonical frame IDs
32690 (@code{get_Frame_id}). It also has a callback that is called when the
32691 reader is being unloaded (@code{destroy}). The struct looks like this
32692
32693 @smallexample
32694 struct gdb_reader_funcs
32695 @{
32696 /* Must be set to GDB_READER_INTERFACE_VERSION. */
32697 int reader_version;
32698
32699 /* For use by the reader. */
32700 void *priv_data;
32701
32702 gdb_read_debug_info *read;
32703 gdb_unwind_frame *unwind;
32704 gdb_get_frame_id *get_frame_id;
32705 gdb_destroy_reader *destroy;
32706 @};
32707 @end smallexample
32708
32709 @cindex @code{struct gdb_symbol_callbacks}
32710 @cindex @code{struct gdb_unwind_callbacks}
32711
32712 The callbacks are provided with another set of callbacks by
32713 @value{GDBN} to do their job. For @code{read}, these callbacks are
32714 passed in a @code{struct gdb_symbol_callbacks} and for @code{unwind}
32715 and @code{get_frame_id}, in a @code{struct gdb_unwind_callbacks}.
32716 @code{struct gdb_symbol_callbacks} has callbacks to create new object
32717 files and new symbol tables inside those object files. @code{struct
32718 gdb_unwind_callbacks} has callbacks to read registers off the current
32719 frame and to write out the values of the registers in the previous
32720 frame. Both have a callback (@code{target_read}) to read bytes off the
32721 target's address space.
32722
32723 @node In-Process Agent
32724 @chapter In-Process Agent
32725 @cindex debugging agent
32726 The traditional debugging model is conceptually low-speed, but works fine,
32727 because most bugs can be reproduced in debugging-mode execution. However,
32728 as multi-core or many-core processors are becoming mainstream, and
32729 multi-threaded programs become more and more popular, there should be more
32730 and more bugs that only manifest themselves at normal-mode execution, for
32731 example, thread races, because debugger's interference with the program's
32732 timing may conceal the bugs. On the other hand, in some applications,
32733 it is not feasible for the debugger to interrupt the program's execution
32734 long enough for the developer to learn anything helpful about its behavior.
32735 If the program's correctness depends on its real-time behavior, delays
32736 introduced by a debugger might cause the program to fail, even when the
32737 code itself is correct. It is useful to be able to observe the program's
32738 behavior without interrupting it.
32739
32740 Therefore, traditional debugging model is too intrusive to reproduce
32741 some bugs. In order to reduce the interference with the program, we can
32742 reduce the number of operations performed by debugger. The
32743 @dfn{In-Process Agent}, a shared library, is running within the same
32744 process with inferior, and is able to perform some debugging operations
32745 itself. As a result, debugger is only involved when necessary, and
32746 performance of debugging can be improved accordingly. Note that
32747 interference with program can be reduced but can't be removed completely,
32748 because the in-process agent will still stop or slow down the program.
32749
32750 The in-process agent can interpret and execute Agent Expressions
32751 (@pxref{Agent Expressions}) during performing debugging operations. The
32752 agent expressions can be used for different purposes, such as collecting
32753 data in tracepoints, and condition evaluation in breakpoints.
32754
32755 @anchor{Control Agent}
32756 You can control whether the in-process agent is used as an aid for
32757 debugging with the following commands:
32758
32759 @table @code
32760 @kindex set agent on
32761 @item set agent on
32762 Causes the in-process agent to perform some operations on behalf of the
32763 debugger. Just which operations requested by the user will be done
32764 by the in-process agent depends on the its capabilities. For example,
32765 if you request to evaluate breakpoint conditions in the in-process agent,
32766 and the in-process agent has such capability as well, then breakpoint
32767 conditions will be evaluated in the in-process agent.
32768
32769 @kindex set agent off
32770 @item set agent off
32771 Disables execution of debugging operations by the in-process agent. All
32772 of the operations will be performed by @value{GDBN}.
32773
32774 @kindex show agent
32775 @item show agent
32776 Display the current setting of execution of debugging operations by
32777 the in-process agent.
32778 @end table
32779
32780 @menu
32781 * In-Process Agent Protocol::
32782 @end menu
32783
32784 @node In-Process Agent Protocol
32785 @section In-Process Agent Protocol
32786 @cindex in-process agent protocol
32787
32788 The in-process agent is able to communicate with both @value{GDBN} and
32789 GDBserver (@pxref{In-Process Agent}). This section documents the protocol
32790 used for communications between @value{GDBN} or GDBserver and the IPA.
32791 In general, @value{GDBN} or GDBserver sends commands
32792 (@pxref{IPA Protocol Commands}) and data to in-process agent, and then
32793 in-process agent replies back with the return result of the command, or
32794 some other information. The data sent to in-process agent is composed
32795 of primitive data types, such as 4-byte or 8-byte type, and composite
32796 types, which are called objects (@pxref{IPA Protocol Objects}).
32797
32798 @menu
32799 * IPA Protocol Objects::
32800 * IPA Protocol Commands::
32801 @end menu
32802
32803 @node IPA Protocol Objects
32804 @subsection IPA Protocol Objects
32805 @cindex ipa protocol objects
32806
32807 The commands sent to and results received from agent may contain some
32808 complex data types called @dfn{objects}.
32809
32810 The in-process agent is running on the same machine with @value{GDBN}
32811 or GDBserver, so it doesn't have to handle as much differences between
32812 two ends as remote protocol (@pxref{Remote Protocol}) tries to handle.
32813 However, there are still some differences of two ends in two processes:
32814
32815 @enumerate
32816 @item
32817 word size. On some 64-bit machines, @value{GDBN} or GDBserver can be
32818 compiled as a 64-bit executable, while in-process agent is a 32-bit one.
32819 @item
32820 ABI. Some machines may have multiple types of ABI, @value{GDBN} or
32821 GDBserver is compiled with one, and in-process agent is compiled with
32822 the other one.
32823 @end enumerate
32824
32825 Here are the IPA Protocol Objects:
32826
32827 @enumerate
32828 @item
32829 agent expression object. It represents an agent expression
32830 (@pxref{Agent Expressions}).
32831 @anchor{agent expression object}
32832 @item
32833 tracepoint action object. It represents a tracepoint action
32834 (@pxref{Tracepoint Actions,,Tracepoint Action Lists}) to collect registers,
32835 memory, static trace data and to evaluate expression.
32836 @anchor{tracepoint action object}
32837 @item
32838 tracepoint object. It represents a tracepoint (@pxref{Tracepoints}).
32839 @anchor{tracepoint object}
32840
32841 @end enumerate
32842
32843 The following table describes important attributes of each IPA protocol
32844 object:
32845
32846 @multitable @columnfractions .30 .20 .50
32847 @headitem Name @tab Size @tab Description
32848 @item @emph{agent expression object} @tab @tab
32849 @item length @tab 4 @tab length of bytes code
32850 @item byte code @tab @var{length} @tab contents of byte code
32851 @item @emph{tracepoint action for collecting memory} @tab @tab
32852 @item 'M' @tab 1 @tab type of tracepoint action
32853 @item addr @tab 8 @tab if @var{basereg} is @samp{-1}, @var{addr} is the
32854 address of the lowest byte to collect, otherwise @var{addr} is the offset
32855 of @var{basereg} for memory collecting.
32856 @item len @tab 8 @tab length of memory for collecting
32857 @item basereg @tab 4 @tab the register number containing the starting
32858 memory address for collecting.
32859 @item @emph{tracepoint action for collecting registers} @tab @tab
32860 @item 'R' @tab 1 @tab type of tracepoint action
32861 @item @emph{tracepoint action for collecting static trace data} @tab @tab
32862 @item 'L' @tab 1 @tab type of tracepoint action
32863 @item @emph{tracepoint action for expression evaluation} @tab @tab
32864 @item 'X' @tab 1 @tab type of tracepoint action
32865 @item agent expression @tab length of @tab @ref{agent expression object}
32866 @item @emph{tracepoint object} @tab @tab
32867 @item number @tab 4 @tab number of tracepoint
32868 @item address @tab 8 @tab address of tracepoint inserted on
32869 @item type @tab 4 @tab type of tracepoint
32870 @item enabled @tab 1 @tab enable or disable of tracepoint
32871 @item step_count @tab 8 @tab step
32872 @item pass_count @tab 8 @tab pass
32873 @item numactions @tab 4 @tab number of tracepoint actions
32874 @item hit count @tab 8 @tab hit count
32875 @item trace frame usage @tab 8 @tab trace frame usage
32876 @item compiled_cond @tab 8 @tab compiled condition
32877 @item orig_size @tab 8 @tab orig size
32878 @item condition @tab 4 if condition is NULL otherwise length of
32879 @ref{agent expression object}
32880 @tab zero if condition is NULL, otherwise is
32881 @ref{agent expression object}
32882 @item actions @tab variable
32883 @tab numactions number of @ref{tracepoint action object}
32884 @end multitable
32885
32886 @node IPA Protocol Commands
32887 @subsection IPA Protocol Commands
32888 @cindex ipa protocol commands
32889
32890 The spaces in each command are delimiters to ease reading this commands
32891 specification. They don't exist in real commands.
32892
32893 @table @samp
32894
32895 @item FastTrace:@var{tracepoint_object} @var{gdb_jump_pad_head}
32896 Installs a new fast tracepoint described by @var{tracepoint_object}
32897 (@pxref{tracepoint object}). The @var{gdb_jump_pad_head}, 8-byte long, is the
32898 head of @dfn{jumppad}, which is used to jump to data collection routine
32899 in IPA finally.
32900
32901 Replies:
32902 @table @samp
32903 @item OK @var{target_address} @var{gdb_jump_pad_head} @var{fjump_size} @var{fjump}
32904 @var{target_address} is address of tracepoint in the inferior.
32905 The @var{gdb_jump_pad_head} is updated head of jumppad. Both of
32906 @var{target_address} and @var{gdb_jump_pad_head} are 8-byte long.
32907 The @var{fjump} contains a sequence of instructions jump to jumppad entry.
32908 The @var{fjump_size}, 4-byte long, is the size of @var{fjump}.
32909 @item E @var{NN}
32910 for an error
32911
32912 @end table
32913
32914 @item close
32915 Closes the in-process agent. This command is sent when @value{GDBN} or GDBserver
32916 is about to kill inferiors.
32917
32918 @item qTfSTM
32919 @xref{qTfSTM}.
32920 @item qTsSTM
32921 @xref{qTsSTM}.
32922 @item qTSTMat
32923 @xref{qTSTMat}.
32924 @item probe_marker_at:@var{address}
32925 Asks in-process agent to probe the marker at @var{address}.
32926
32927 Replies:
32928 @table @samp
32929 @item E @var{NN}
32930 for an error
32931 @end table
32932 @item unprobe_marker_at:@var{address}
32933 Asks in-process agent to unprobe the marker at @var{address}.
32934 @end table
32935
32936 @node GDB Bugs
32937 @chapter Reporting Bugs in @value{GDBN}
32938 @cindex bugs in @value{GDBN}
32939 @cindex reporting bugs in @value{GDBN}
32940
32941 Your bug reports play an essential role in making @value{GDBN} reliable.
32942
32943 Reporting a bug may help you by bringing a solution to your problem, or it
32944 may not. But in any case the principal function of a bug report is to help
32945 the entire community by making the next version of @value{GDBN} work better. Bug
32946 reports are your contribution to the maintenance of @value{GDBN}.
32947
32948 In order for a bug report to serve its purpose, you must include the
32949 information that enables us to fix the bug.
32950
32951 @menu
32952 * Bug Criteria:: Have you found a bug?
32953 * Bug Reporting:: How to report bugs
32954 @end menu
32955
32956 @node Bug Criteria
32957 @section Have You Found a Bug?
32958 @cindex bug criteria
32959
32960 If you are not sure whether you have found a bug, here are some guidelines:
32961
32962 @itemize @bullet
32963 @cindex fatal signal
32964 @cindex debugger crash
32965 @cindex crash of debugger
32966 @item
32967 If the debugger gets a fatal signal, for any input whatever, that is a
32968 @value{GDBN} bug. Reliable debuggers never crash.
32969
32970 @cindex error on valid input
32971 @item
32972 If @value{GDBN} produces an error message for valid input, that is a
32973 bug. (Note that if you're cross debugging, the problem may also be
32974 somewhere in the connection to the target.)
32975
32976 @cindex invalid input
32977 @item
32978 If @value{GDBN} does not produce an error message for invalid input,
32979 that is a bug. However, you should note that your idea of
32980 ``invalid input'' might be our idea of ``an extension'' or ``support
32981 for traditional practice''.
32982
32983 @item
32984 If you are an experienced user of debugging tools, your suggestions
32985 for improvement of @value{GDBN} are welcome in any case.
32986 @end itemize
32987
32988 @node Bug Reporting
32989 @section How to Report Bugs
32990 @cindex bug reports
32991 @cindex @value{GDBN} bugs, reporting
32992
32993 A number of companies and individuals offer support for @sc{gnu} products.
32994 If you obtained @value{GDBN} from a support organization, we recommend you
32995 contact that organization first.
32996
32997 You can find contact information for many support companies and
32998 individuals in the file @file{etc/SERVICE} in the @sc{gnu} Emacs
32999 distribution.
33000 @c should add a web page ref...
33001
33002 @ifset BUGURL
33003 @ifset BUGURL_DEFAULT
33004 In any event, we also recommend that you submit bug reports for
33005 @value{GDBN}. The preferred method is to submit them directly using
33006 @uref{http://www.gnu.org/software/gdb/bugs/, @value{GDBN}'s Bugs web
33007 page}. Alternatively, the @email{bug-gdb@@gnu.org, e-mail gateway} can
33008 be used.
33009
33010 @strong{Do not send bug reports to @samp{info-gdb}, or to
33011 @samp{help-gdb}, or to any newsgroups.} Most users of @value{GDBN} do
33012 not want to receive bug reports. Those that do have arranged to receive
33013 @samp{bug-gdb}.
33014
33015 The mailing list @samp{bug-gdb} has a newsgroup @samp{gnu.gdb.bug} which
33016 serves as a repeater. The mailing list and the newsgroup carry exactly
33017 the same messages. Often people think of posting bug reports to the
33018 newsgroup instead of mailing them. This appears to work, but it has one
33019 problem which can be crucial: a newsgroup posting often lacks a mail
33020 path back to the sender. Thus, if we need to ask for more information,
33021 we may be unable to reach you. For this reason, it is better to send
33022 bug reports to the mailing list.
33023 @end ifset
33024 @ifclear BUGURL_DEFAULT
33025 In any event, we also recommend that you submit bug reports for
33026 @value{GDBN} to @value{BUGURL}.
33027 @end ifclear
33028 @end ifset
33029
33030 The fundamental principle of reporting bugs usefully is this:
33031 @strong{report all the facts}. If you are not sure whether to state a
33032 fact or leave it out, state it!
33033
33034 Often people omit facts because they think they know what causes the
33035 problem and assume that some details do not matter. Thus, you might
33036 assume that the name of the variable you use in an example does not matter.
33037 Well, probably it does not, but one cannot be sure. Perhaps the bug is a
33038 stray memory reference which happens to fetch from the location where that
33039 name is stored in memory; perhaps, if the name were different, the contents
33040 of that location would fool the debugger into doing the right thing despite
33041 the bug. Play it safe and give a specific, complete example. That is the
33042 easiest thing for you to do, and the most helpful.
33043
33044 Keep in mind that the purpose of a bug report is to enable us to fix the
33045 bug. It may be that the bug has been reported previously, but neither
33046 you nor we can know that unless your bug report is complete and
33047 self-contained.
33048
33049 Sometimes people give a few sketchy facts and ask, ``Does this ring a
33050 bell?'' Those bug reports are useless, and we urge everyone to
33051 @emph{refuse to respond to them} except to chide the sender to report
33052 bugs properly.
33053
33054 To enable us to fix the bug, you should include all these things:
33055
33056 @itemize @bullet
33057 @item
33058 The version of @value{GDBN}. @value{GDBN} announces it if you start
33059 with no arguments; you can also print it at any time using @code{show
33060 version}.
33061
33062 Without this, we will not know whether there is any point in looking for
33063 the bug in the current version of @value{GDBN}.
33064
33065 @item
33066 The type of machine you are using, and the operating system name and
33067 version number.
33068
33069 @item
33070 The details of the @value{GDBN} build-time configuration.
33071 @value{GDBN} shows these details if you invoke it with the
33072 @option{--configuration} command-line option, or if you type
33073 @code{show configuration} at @value{GDBN}'s prompt.
33074
33075 @item
33076 What compiler (and its version) was used to compile @value{GDBN}---e.g.@:
33077 ``@value{GCC}--2.8.1''.
33078
33079 @item
33080 What compiler (and its version) was used to compile the program you are
33081 debugging---e.g.@: ``@value{GCC}--2.8.1'', or ``HP92453-01 A.10.32.03 HP
33082 C Compiler''. For @value{NGCC}, you can say @kbd{@value{GCC} --version}
33083 to get this information; for other compilers, see the documentation for
33084 those compilers.
33085
33086 @item
33087 The command arguments you gave the compiler to compile your example and
33088 observe the bug. For example, did you use @samp{-O}? To guarantee
33089 you will not omit something important, list them all. A copy of the
33090 Makefile (or the output from make) is sufficient.
33091
33092 If we were to try to guess the arguments, we would probably guess wrong
33093 and then we might not encounter the bug.
33094
33095 @item
33096 A complete input script, and all necessary source files, that will
33097 reproduce the bug.
33098
33099 @item
33100 A description of what behavior you observe that you believe is
33101 incorrect. For example, ``It gets a fatal signal.''
33102
33103 Of course, if the bug is that @value{GDBN} gets a fatal signal, then we
33104 will certainly notice it. But if the bug is incorrect output, we might
33105 not notice unless it is glaringly wrong. You might as well not give us
33106 a chance to make a mistake.
33107
33108 Even if the problem you experience is a fatal signal, you should still
33109 say so explicitly. Suppose something strange is going on, such as, your
33110 copy of @value{GDBN} is out of synch, or you have encountered a bug in
33111 the C library on your system. (This has happened!) Your copy might
33112 crash and ours would not. If you told us to expect a crash, then when
33113 ours fails to crash, we would know that the bug was not happening for
33114 us. If you had not told us to expect a crash, then we would not be able
33115 to draw any conclusion from our observations.
33116
33117 @pindex script
33118 @cindex recording a session script
33119 To collect all this information, you can use a session recording program
33120 such as @command{script}, which is available on many Unix systems.
33121 Just run your @value{GDBN} session inside @command{script} and then
33122 include the @file{typescript} file with your bug report.
33123
33124 Another way to record a @value{GDBN} session is to run @value{GDBN}
33125 inside Emacs and then save the entire buffer to a file.
33126
33127 @item
33128 If you wish to suggest changes to the @value{GDBN} source, send us context
33129 diffs. If you even discuss something in the @value{GDBN} source, refer to
33130 it by context, not by line number.
33131
33132 The line numbers in our development sources will not match those in your
33133 sources. Your line numbers would convey no useful information to us.
33134
33135 @end itemize
33136
33137 Here are some things that are not necessary:
33138
33139 @itemize @bullet
33140 @item
33141 A description of the envelope of the bug.
33142
33143 Often people who encounter a bug spend a lot of time investigating
33144 which changes to the input file will make the bug go away and which
33145 changes will not affect it.
33146
33147 This is often time consuming and not very useful, because the way we
33148 will find the bug is by running a single example under the debugger
33149 with breakpoints, not by pure deduction from a series of examples.
33150 We recommend that you save your time for something else.
33151
33152 Of course, if you can find a simpler example to report @emph{instead}
33153 of the original one, that is a convenience for us. Errors in the
33154 output will be easier to spot, running under the debugger will take
33155 less time, and so on.
33156
33157 However, simplification is not vital; if you do not want to do this,
33158 report the bug anyway and send us the entire test case you used.
33159
33160 @item
33161 A patch for the bug.
33162
33163 A patch for the bug does help us if it is a good one. But do not omit
33164 the necessary information, such as the test case, on the assumption that
33165 a patch is all we need. We might see problems with your patch and decide
33166 to fix the problem another way, or we might not understand it at all.
33167
33168 Sometimes with a program as complicated as @value{GDBN} it is very hard to
33169 construct an example that will make the program follow a certain path
33170 through the code. If you do not send us the example, we will not be able
33171 to construct one, so we will not be able to verify that the bug is fixed.
33172
33173 And if we cannot understand what bug you are trying to fix, or why your
33174 patch should be an improvement, we will not install it. A test case will
33175 help us to understand.
33176
33177 @item
33178 A guess about what the bug is or what it depends on.
33179
33180 Such guesses are usually wrong. Even we cannot guess right about such
33181 things without first using the debugger to find the facts.
33182 @end itemize
33183
33184 @c The readline documentation is distributed with the readline code
33185 @c and consists of the two following files:
33186 @c rluser.texi
33187 @c hsuser.texi
33188 @c Use -I with makeinfo to point to the appropriate directory,
33189 @c environment var TEXINPUTS with TeX.
33190 @ifclear SYSTEM_READLINE
33191 @include rluser.texi
33192 @include hsuser.texi
33193 @end ifclear
33194
33195 @node In Memoriam
33196 @appendix In Memoriam
33197
33198 The @value{GDBN} project mourns the loss of the following long-time
33199 contributors:
33200
33201 @table @code
33202 @item Fred Fish
33203 Fred was a long-standing contributor to @value{GDBN} (1991-2006), and
33204 to Free Software in general. Outside of @value{GDBN}, he was known in
33205 the Amiga world for his series of Fish Disks, and the GeekGadget project.
33206
33207 @item Michael Snyder
33208 Michael was one of the Global Maintainers of the @value{GDBN} project,
33209 with contributions recorded as early as 1996, until 2011. In addition
33210 to his day to day participation, he was a large driving force behind
33211 adding Reverse Debugging to @value{GDBN}.
33212 @end table
33213
33214 Beyond their technical contributions to the project, they were also
33215 enjoyable members of the Free Software Community. We will miss them.
33216
33217 @node Formatting Documentation
33218 @appendix Formatting Documentation
33219
33220 @cindex @value{GDBN} reference card
33221 @cindex reference card
33222 The @value{GDBN} 4 release includes an already-formatted reference card, ready
33223 for printing with PostScript or Ghostscript, in the @file{gdb}
33224 subdirectory of the main source directory@footnote{In
33225 @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}/gdb/refcard.ps} of the version @value{GDBVN}
33226 release.}. If you can use PostScript or Ghostscript with your printer,
33227 you can print the reference card immediately with @file{refcard.ps}.
33228
33229 The release also includes the source for the reference card. You
33230 can format it, using @TeX{}, by typing:
33231
33232 @smallexample
33233 make refcard.dvi
33234 @end smallexample
33235
33236 The @value{GDBN} reference card is designed to print in @dfn{landscape}
33237 mode on US ``letter'' size paper;
33238 that is, on a sheet 11 inches wide by 8.5 inches
33239 high. You will need to specify this form of printing as an option to
33240 your @sc{dvi} output program.
33241
33242 @cindex documentation
33243
33244 All the documentation for @value{GDBN} comes as part of the machine-readable
33245 distribution. The documentation is written in Texinfo format, which is
33246 a documentation system that uses a single source file to produce both
33247 on-line information and a printed manual. You can use one of the Info
33248 formatting commands to create the on-line version of the documentation
33249 and @TeX{} (or @code{texi2roff}) to typeset the printed version.
33250
33251 @value{GDBN} includes an already formatted copy of the on-line Info
33252 version of this manual in the @file{gdb} subdirectory. The main Info
33253 file is @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}/gdb/gdb.info}, and it refers to
33254 subordinate files matching @samp{gdb.info*} in the same directory. If
33255 necessary, you can print out these files, or read them with any editor;
33256 but they are easier to read using the @code{info} subsystem in @sc{gnu}
33257 Emacs or the standalone @code{info} program, available as part of the
33258 @sc{gnu} Texinfo distribution.
33259
33260 If you want to format these Info files yourself, you need one of the
33261 Info formatting programs, such as @code{texinfo-format-buffer} or
33262 @code{makeinfo}.
33263
33264 If you have @code{makeinfo} installed, and are in the top level
33265 @value{GDBN} source directory (@file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}}, in the case of
33266 version @value{GDBVN}), you can make the Info file by typing:
33267
33268 @smallexample
33269 cd gdb
33270 make gdb.info
33271 @end smallexample
33272
33273 If you want to typeset and print copies of this manual, you need @TeX{},
33274 a program to print its @sc{dvi} output files, and @file{texinfo.tex}, the
33275 Texinfo definitions file.
33276
33277 @TeX{} is a typesetting program; it does not print files directly, but
33278 produces output files called @sc{dvi} files. To print a typeset
33279 document, you need a program to print @sc{dvi} files. If your system
33280 has @TeX{} installed, chances are it has such a program. The precise
33281 command to use depends on your system; @kbd{lpr -d} is common; another
33282 (for PostScript devices) is @kbd{dvips}. The @sc{dvi} print command may
33283 require a file name without any extension or a @samp{.dvi} extension.
33284
33285 @TeX{} also requires a macro definitions file called
33286 @file{texinfo.tex}. This file tells @TeX{} how to typeset a document
33287 written in Texinfo format. On its own, @TeX{} cannot either read or
33288 typeset a Texinfo file. @file{texinfo.tex} is distributed with GDB
33289 and is located in the @file{gdb-@var{version-number}/texinfo}
33290 directory.
33291
33292 If you have @TeX{} and a @sc{dvi} printer program installed, you can
33293 typeset and print this manual. First switch to the @file{gdb}
33294 subdirectory of the main source directory (for example, to
33295 @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}/gdb}) and type:
33296
33297 @smallexample
33298 make gdb.dvi
33299 @end smallexample
33300
33301 Then give @file{gdb.dvi} to your @sc{dvi} printing program.
33302
33303 @node Installing GDB
33304 @appendix Installing @value{GDBN}
33305 @cindex installation
33306
33307 @menu
33308 * Requirements:: Requirements for building @value{GDBN}
33309 * Running Configure:: Invoking the @value{GDBN} @file{configure} script
33310 * Separate Objdir:: Compiling @value{GDBN} in another directory
33311 * Config Names:: Specifying names for hosts and targets
33312 * Configure Options:: Summary of options for configure
33313 * System-wide configuration:: Having a system-wide init file
33314 @end menu
33315
33316 @node Requirements
33317 @section Requirements for Building @value{GDBN}
33318 @cindex building @value{GDBN}, requirements for
33319
33320 Building @value{GDBN} requires various tools and packages to be available.
33321 Other packages will be used only if they are found.
33322
33323 @heading Tools/Packages Necessary for Building @value{GDBN}
33324 @table @asis
33325 @item ISO C90 compiler
33326 @value{GDBN} is written in ISO C90. It should be buildable with any
33327 working C90 compiler, e.g.@: GCC.
33328
33329 @end table
33330
33331 @heading Tools/Packages Optional for Building @value{GDBN}
33332 @table @asis
33333 @item Expat
33334 @anchor{Expat}
33335 @value{GDBN} can use the Expat XML parsing library. This library may be
33336 included with your operating system distribution; if it is not, you
33337 can get the latest version from @url{http://expat.sourceforge.net}.
33338 The @file{configure} script will search for this library in several
33339 standard locations; if it is installed in an unusual path, you can
33340 use the @option{--with-libexpat-prefix} option to specify its location.
33341
33342 Expat is used for:
33343
33344 @itemize @bullet
33345 @item
33346 Remote protocol memory maps (@pxref{Memory Map Format})
33347 @item
33348 Target descriptions (@pxref{Target Descriptions})
33349 @item
33350 Remote shared library lists (@xref{Library List Format},
33351 or alternatively @pxref{Library List Format for SVR4 Targets})
33352 @item
33353 MS-Windows shared libraries (@pxref{Shared Libraries})
33354 @item
33355 Traceframe info (@pxref{Traceframe Info Format})
33356 @item
33357 Branch trace (@pxref{Branch Trace Format},
33358 @pxref{Branch Trace Configuration Format})
33359 @end itemize
33360
33361 @item zlib
33362 @cindex compressed debug sections
33363 @value{GDBN} will use the @samp{zlib} library, if available, to read
33364 compressed debug sections. Some linkers, such as GNU gold, are capable
33365 of producing binaries with compressed debug sections. If @value{GDBN}
33366 is compiled with @samp{zlib}, it will be able to read the debug
33367 information in such binaries.
33368
33369 The @samp{zlib} library is likely included with your operating system
33370 distribution; if it is not, you can get the latest version from
33371 @url{http://zlib.net}.
33372
33373 @item iconv
33374 @value{GDBN}'s features related to character sets (@pxref{Character
33375 Sets}) require a functioning @code{iconv} implementation. If you are
33376 on a GNU system, then this is provided by the GNU C Library. Some
33377 other systems also provide a working @code{iconv}.
33378
33379 If @value{GDBN} is using the @code{iconv} program which is installed
33380 in a non-standard place, you will need to tell @value{GDBN} where to find it.
33381 This is done with @option{--with-iconv-bin} which specifies the
33382 directory that contains the @code{iconv} program.
33383
33384 On systems without @code{iconv}, you can install GNU Libiconv. If you
33385 have previously installed Libiconv, you can use the
33386 @option{--with-libiconv-prefix} option to configure.
33387
33388 @value{GDBN}'s top-level @file{configure} and @file{Makefile} will
33389 arrange to build Libiconv if a directory named @file{libiconv} appears
33390 in the top-most source directory. If Libiconv is built this way, and
33391 if the operating system does not provide a suitable @code{iconv}
33392 implementation, then the just-built library will automatically be used
33393 by @value{GDBN}. One easy way to set this up is to download GNU
33394 Libiconv, unpack it, and then rename the directory holding the
33395 Libiconv source code to @samp{libiconv}.
33396 @end table
33397
33398 @node Running Configure
33399 @section Invoking the @value{GDBN} @file{configure} Script
33400 @cindex configuring @value{GDBN}
33401 @value{GDBN} comes with a @file{configure} script that automates the process
33402 of preparing @value{GDBN} for installation; you can then use @code{make} to
33403 build the @code{gdb} program.
33404 @iftex
33405 @c irrelevant in info file; it's as current as the code it lives with.
33406 @footnote{If you have a more recent version of @value{GDBN} than @value{GDBVN},
33407 look at the @file{README} file in the sources; we may have improved the
33408 installation procedures since publishing this manual.}
33409 @end iftex
33410
33411 The @value{GDBN} distribution includes all the source code you need for
33412 @value{GDBN} in a single directory, whose name is usually composed by
33413 appending the version number to @samp{gdb}.
33414
33415 For example, the @value{GDBN} version @value{GDBVN} distribution is in the
33416 @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}} directory. That directory contains:
33417
33418 @table @code
33419 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/configure @r{(and supporting files)}
33420 script for configuring @value{GDBN} and all its supporting libraries
33421
33422 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/gdb
33423 the source specific to @value{GDBN} itself
33424
33425 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/bfd
33426 source for the Binary File Descriptor library
33427
33428 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/include
33429 @sc{gnu} include files
33430
33431 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/libiberty
33432 source for the @samp{-liberty} free software library
33433
33434 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/opcodes
33435 source for the library of opcode tables and disassemblers
33436
33437 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/readline
33438 source for the @sc{gnu} command-line interface
33439
33440 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/glob
33441 source for the @sc{gnu} filename pattern-matching subroutine
33442
33443 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/mmalloc
33444 source for the @sc{gnu} memory-mapped malloc package
33445 @end table
33446
33447 The simplest way to configure and build @value{GDBN} is to run @file{configure}
33448 from the @file{gdb-@var{version-number}} source directory, which in
33449 this example is the @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}} directory.
33450
33451 First switch to the @file{gdb-@var{version-number}} source directory
33452 if you are not already in it; then run @file{configure}. Pass the
33453 identifier for the platform on which @value{GDBN} will run as an
33454 argument.
33455
33456 For example:
33457
33458 @smallexample
33459 cd gdb-@value{GDBVN}
33460 ./configure @var{host}
33461 make
33462 @end smallexample
33463
33464 @noindent
33465 where @var{host} is an identifier such as @samp{sun4} or
33466 @samp{decstation}, that identifies the platform where @value{GDBN} will run.
33467 (You can often leave off @var{host}; @file{configure} tries to guess the
33468 correct value by examining your system.)
33469
33470 Running @samp{configure @var{host}} and then running @code{make} builds the
33471 @file{bfd}, @file{readline}, @file{mmalloc}, and @file{libiberty}
33472 libraries, then @code{gdb} itself. The configured source files, and the
33473 binaries, are left in the corresponding source directories.
33474
33475 @need 750
33476 @file{configure} is a Bourne-shell (@code{/bin/sh}) script; if your
33477 system does not recognize this automatically when you run a different
33478 shell, you may need to run @code{sh} on it explicitly:
33479
33480 @smallexample
33481 sh configure @var{host}
33482 @end smallexample
33483
33484 If you run @file{configure} from a directory that contains source
33485 directories for multiple libraries or programs, such as the
33486 @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}} source directory for version @value{GDBVN},
33487 @file{configure}
33488 creates configuration files for every directory level underneath (unless
33489 you tell it not to, with the @samp{--norecursion} option).
33490
33491 You should run the @file{configure} script from the top directory in the
33492 source tree, the @file{gdb-@var{version-number}} directory. If you run
33493 @file{configure} from one of the subdirectories, you will configure only
33494 that subdirectory. That is usually not what you want. In particular,
33495 if you run the first @file{configure} from the @file{gdb} subdirectory
33496 of the @file{gdb-@var{version-number}} directory, you will omit the
33497 configuration of @file{bfd}, @file{readline}, and other sibling
33498 directories of the @file{gdb} subdirectory. This leads to build errors
33499 about missing include files such as @file{bfd/bfd.h}.
33500
33501 You can install @code{@value{GDBP}} anywhere; it has no hardwired paths.
33502 However, you should make sure that the shell on your path (named by
33503 the @samp{SHELL} environment variable) is publicly readable. Remember
33504 that @value{GDBN} uses the shell to start your program---some systems refuse to
33505 let @value{GDBN} debug child processes whose programs are not readable.
33506
33507 @node Separate Objdir
33508 @section Compiling @value{GDBN} in Another Directory
33509
33510 If you want to run @value{GDBN} versions for several host or target machines,
33511 you need a different @code{gdb} compiled for each combination of
33512 host and target. @file{configure} is designed to make this easy by
33513 allowing you to generate each configuration in a separate subdirectory,
33514 rather than in the source directory. If your @code{make} program
33515 handles the @samp{VPATH} feature (@sc{gnu} @code{make} does), running
33516 @code{make} in each of these directories builds the @code{gdb}
33517 program specified there.
33518
33519 To build @code{gdb} in a separate directory, run @file{configure}
33520 with the @samp{--srcdir} option to specify where to find the source.
33521 (You also need to specify a path to find @file{configure}
33522 itself from your working directory. If the path to @file{configure}
33523 would be the same as the argument to @samp{--srcdir}, you can leave out
33524 the @samp{--srcdir} option; it is assumed.)
33525
33526 For example, with version @value{GDBVN}, you can build @value{GDBN} in a
33527 separate directory for a Sun 4 like this:
33528
33529 @smallexample
33530 @group
33531 cd gdb-@value{GDBVN}
33532 mkdir ../gdb-sun4
33533 cd ../gdb-sun4
33534 ../gdb-@value{GDBVN}/configure sun4
33535 make
33536 @end group
33537 @end smallexample
33538
33539 When @file{configure} builds a configuration using a remote source
33540 directory, it creates a tree for the binaries with the same structure
33541 (and using the same names) as the tree under the source directory. In
33542 the example, you'd find the Sun 4 library @file{libiberty.a} in the
33543 directory @file{gdb-sun4/libiberty}, and @value{GDBN} itself in
33544 @file{gdb-sun4/gdb}.
33545
33546 Make sure that your path to the @file{configure} script has just one
33547 instance of @file{gdb} in it. If your path to @file{configure} looks
33548 like @file{../gdb-@value{GDBVN}/gdb/configure}, you are configuring only
33549 one subdirectory of @value{GDBN}, not the whole package. This leads to
33550 build errors about missing include files such as @file{bfd/bfd.h}.
33551
33552 One popular reason to build several @value{GDBN} configurations in separate
33553 directories is to configure @value{GDBN} for cross-compiling (where
33554 @value{GDBN} runs on one machine---the @dfn{host}---while debugging
33555 programs that run on another machine---the @dfn{target}).
33556 You specify a cross-debugging target by
33557 giving the @samp{--target=@var{target}} option to @file{configure}.
33558
33559 When you run @code{make} to build a program or library, you must run
33560 it in a configured directory---whatever directory you were in when you
33561 called @file{configure} (or one of its subdirectories).
33562
33563 The @code{Makefile} that @file{configure} generates in each source
33564 directory also runs recursively. If you type @code{make} in a source
33565 directory such as @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}} (or in a separate configured
33566 directory configured with @samp{--srcdir=@var{dirname}/gdb-@value{GDBVN}}), you
33567 will build all the required libraries, and then build GDB.
33568
33569 When you have multiple hosts or targets configured in separate
33570 directories, you can run @code{make} on them in parallel (for example,
33571 if they are NFS-mounted on each of the hosts); they will not interfere
33572 with each other.
33573
33574 @node Config Names
33575 @section Specifying Names for Hosts and Targets
33576
33577 The specifications used for hosts and targets in the @file{configure}
33578 script are based on a three-part naming scheme, but some short predefined
33579 aliases are also supported. The full naming scheme encodes three pieces
33580 of information in the following pattern:
33581
33582 @smallexample
33583 @var{architecture}-@var{vendor}-@var{os}
33584 @end smallexample
33585
33586 For example, you can use the alias @code{sun4} as a @var{host} argument,
33587 or as the value for @var{target} in a @code{--target=@var{target}}
33588 option. The equivalent full name is @samp{sparc-sun-sunos4}.
33589
33590 The @file{configure} script accompanying @value{GDBN} does not provide
33591 any query facility to list all supported host and target names or
33592 aliases. @file{configure} calls the Bourne shell script
33593 @code{config.sub} to map abbreviations to full names; you can read the
33594 script, if you wish, or you can use it to test your guesses on
33595 abbreviations---for example:
33596
33597 @smallexample
33598 % sh config.sub i386-linux
33599 i386-pc-linux-gnu
33600 % sh config.sub alpha-linux
33601 alpha-unknown-linux-gnu
33602 % sh config.sub hp9k700
33603 hppa1.1-hp-hpux
33604 % sh config.sub sun4
33605 sparc-sun-sunos4.1.1
33606 % sh config.sub sun3
33607 m68k-sun-sunos4.1.1
33608 % sh config.sub i986v
33609 Invalid configuration `i986v': machine `i986v' not recognized
33610 @end smallexample
33611
33612 @noindent
33613 @code{config.sub} is also distributed in the @value{GDBN} source
33614 directory (@file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}}, for version @value{GDBVN}).
33615
33616 @node Configure Options
33617 @section @file{configure} Options
33618
33619 Here is a summary of the @file{configure} options and arguments that
33620 are most often useful for building @value{GDBN}. @file{configure} also has
33621 several other options not listed here. @inforef{What Configure
33622 Does,,configure.info}, for a full explanation of @file{configure}.
33623
33624 @smallexample
33625 configure @r{[}--help@r{]}
33626 @r{[}--prefix=@var{dir}@r{]}
33627 @r{[}--exec-prefix=@var{dir}@r{]}
33628 @r{[}--srcdir=@var{dirname}@r{]}
33629 @r{[}--norecursion@r{]} @r{[}--rm@r{]}
33630 @r{[}--target=@var{target}@r{]}
33631 @var{host}
33632 @end smallexample
33633
33634 @noindent
33635 You may introduce options with a single @samp{-} rather than
33636 @samp{--} if you prefer; but you may abbreviate option names if you use
33637 @samp{--}.
33638
33639 @table @code
33640 @item --help
33641 Display a quick summary of how to invoke @file{configure}.
33642
33643 @item --prefix=@var{dir}
33644 Configure the source to install programs and files under directory
33645 @file{@var{dir}}.
33646
33647 @item --exec-prefix=@var{dir}
33648 Configure the source to install programs under directory
33649 @file{@var{dir}}.
33650
33651 @c avoid splitting the warning from the explanation:
33652 @need 2000
33653 @item --srcdir=@var{dirname}
33654 @strong{Warning: using this option requires @sc{gnu} @code{make}, or another
33655 @code{make} that implements the @code{VPATH} feature.}@*
33656 Use this option to make configurations in directories separate from the
33657 @value{GDBN} source directories. Among other things, you can use this to
33658 build (or maintain) several configurations simultaneously, in separate
33659 directories. @file{configure} writes configuration-specific files in
33660 the current directory, but arranges for them to use the source in the
33661 directory @var{dirname}. @file{configure} creates directories under
33662 the working directory in parallel to the source directories below
33663 @var{dirname}.
33664
33665 @item --norecursion
33666 Configure only the directory level where @file{configure} is executed; do not
33667 propagate configuration to subdirectories.
33668
33669 @item --target=@var{target}
33670 Configure @value{GDBN} for cross-debugging programs running on the specified
33671 @var{target}. Without this option, @value{GDBN} is configured to debug
33672 programs that run on the same machine (@var{host}) as @value{GDBN} itself.
33673
33674 There is no convenient way to generate a list of all available targets.
33675
33676 @item @var{host} @dots{}
33677 Configure @value{GDBN} to run on the specified @var{host}.
33678
33679 There is no convenient way to generate a list of all available hosts.
33680 @end table
33681
33682 There are many other options available as well, but they are generally
33683 needed for special purposes only.
33684
33685 @node System-wide configuration
33686 @section System-wide configuration and settings
33687 @cindex system-wide init file
33688
33689 @value{GDBN} can be configured to have a system-wide init file;
33690 this file will be read and executed at startup (@pxref{Startup, , What
33691 @value{GDBN} does during startup}).
33692
33693 Here is the corresponding configure option:
33694
33695 @table @code
33696 @item --with-system-gdbinit=@var{file}
33697 Specify that the default location of the system-wide init file is
33698 @var{file}.
33699 @end table
33700
33701 If @value{GDBN} has been configured with the option @option{--prefix=$prefix},
33702 it may be subject to relocation. Two possible cases:
33703
33704 @itemize @bullet
33705 @item
33706 If the default location of this init file contains @file{$prefix},
33707 it will be subject to relocation. Suppose that the configure options
33708 are @option{--prefix=$prefix --with-system-gdbinit=$prefix/etc/gdbinit};
33709 if @value{GDBN} is moved from @file{$prefix} to @file{$install}, the system
33710 init file is looked for as @file{$install/etc/gdbinit} instead of
33711 @file{$prefix/etc/gdbinit}.
33712
33713 @item
33714 By contrast, if the default location does not contain the prefix,
33715 it will not be relocated. E.g.@: if @value{GDBN} has been configured with
33716 @option{--prefix=/usr/local --with-system-gdbinit=/usr/share/gdb/gdbinit},
33717 then @value{GDBN} will always look for @file{/usr/share/gdb/gdbinit},
33718 wherever @value{GDBN} is installed.
33719 @end itemize
33720
33721 If the configured location of the system-wide init file (as given by the
33722 @option{--with-system-gdbinit} option at configure time) is in the
33723 data-directory (as specified by @option{--with-gdb-datadir} at configure
33724 time) or in one of its subdirectories, then @value{GDBN} will look for the
33725 system-wide init file in the directory specified by the
33726 @option{--data-directory} command-line option.
33727 Note that the system-wide init file is only read once, during @value{GDBN}
33728 initialization. If the data-directory is changed after @value{GDBN} has
33729 started with the @code{set data-directory} command, the file will not be
33730 reread.
33731
33732 @menu
33733 * System-wide Configuration Scripts:: Installed System-wide Configuration Scripts
33734 @end menu
33735
33736 @node System-wide Configuration Scripts
33737 @subsection Installed System-wide Configuration Scripts
33738 @cindex system-wide configuration scripts
33739
33740 The @file{system-gdbinit} directory, located inside the data-directory
33741 (as specified by @option{--with-gdb-datadir} at configure time) contains
33742 a number of scripts which can be used as system-wide init files. To
33743 automatically source those scripts at startup, @value{GDBN} should be
33744 configured with @option{--with-system-gdbinit}. Otherwise, any user
33745 should be able to source them by hand as needed.
33746
33747 The following scripts are currently available:
33748 @itemize @bullet
33749
33750 @item @file{elinos.py}
33751 @pindex elinos.py
33752 @cindex ELinOS system-wide configuration script
33753 This script is useful when debugging a program on an ELinOS target.
33754 It takes advantage of the environment variables defined in a standard
33755 ELinOS environment in order to determine the location of the system
33756 shared libraries, and then sets the @samp{solib-absolute-prefix}
33757 and @samp{solib-search-path} variables appropriately.
33758
33759 @item @file{wrs-linux.py}
33760 @pindex wrs-linux.py
33761 @cindex Wind River Linux system-wide configuration script
33762 This script is useful when debugging a program on a target running
33763 Wind River Linux. It expects the @env{ENV_PREFIX} to be set to
33764 the host-side sysroot used by the target system.
33765
33766 @end itemize
33767
33768 @node Maintenance Commands
33769 @appendix Maintenance Commands
33770 @cindex maintenance commands
33771 @cindex internal commands
33772
33773 In addition to commands intended for @value{GDBN} users, @value{GDBN}
33774 includes a number of commands intended for @value{GDBN} developers,
33775 that are not documented elsewhere in this manual. These commands are
33776 provided here for reference. (For commands that turn on debugging
33777 messages, see @ref{Debugging Output}.)
33778
33779 @table @code
33780 @kindex maint agent
33781 @kindex maint agent-eval
33782 @item maint agent @r{[}-at @var{location}@r{,}@r{]} @var{expression}
33783 @itemx maint agent-eval @r{[}-at @var{location}@r{,}@r{]} @var{expression}
33784 Translate the given @var{expression} into remote agent bytecodes.
33785 This command is useful for debugging the Agent Expression mechanism
33786 (@pxref{Agent Expressions}). The @samp{agent} version produces an
33787 expression useful for data collection, such as by tracepoints, while
33788 @samp{maint agent-eval} produces an expression that evaluates directly
33789 to a result. For instance, a collection expression for @code{globa +
33790 globb} will include bytecodes to record four bytes of memory at each
33791 of the addresses of @code{globa} and @code{globb}, while discarding
33792 the result of the addition, while an evaluation expression will do the
33793 addition and return the sum.
33794 If @code{-at} is given, generate remote agent bytecode for @var{location}.
33795 If not, generate remote agent bytecode for current frame PC address.
33796
33797 @kindex maint agent-printf
33798 @item maint agent-printf @var{format},@var{expr},...
33799 Translate the given format string and list of argument expressions
33800 into remote agent bytecodes and display them as a disassembled list.
33801 This command is useful for debugging the agent version of dynamic
33802 printf (@pxref{Dynamic Printf}).
33803
33804 @kindex maint info breakpoints
33805 @item @anchor{maint info breakpoints}maint info breakpoints
33806 Using the same format as @samp{info breakpoints}, display both the
33807 breakpoints you've set explicitly, and those @value{GDBN} is using for
33808 internal purposes. Internal breakpoints are shown with negative
33809 breakpoint numbers. The type column identifies what kind of breakpoint
33810 is shown:
33811
33812 @table @code
33813 @item breakpoint
33814 Normal, explicitly set breakpoint.
33815
33816 @item watchpoint
33817 Normal, explicitly set watchpoint.
33818
33819 @item longjmp
33820 Internal breakpoint, used to handle correctly stepping through
33821 @code{longjmp} calls.
33822
33823 @item longjmp resume
33824 Internal breakpoint at the target of a @code{longjmp}.
33825
33826 @item until
33827 Temporary internal breakpoint used by the @value{GDBN} @code{until} command.
33828
33829 @item finish
33830 Temporary internal breakpoint used by the @value{GDBN} @code{finish} command.
33831
33832 @item shlib events
33833 Shared library events.
33834
33835 @end table
33836
33837 @kindex maint info bfds
33838 @item maint info bfds
33839 This prints information about each @code{bfd} object that is known to
33840 @value{GDBN}. @xref{Top, , BFD, bfd, The Binary File Descriptor Library}.
33841
33842 @kindex set displaced-stepping
33843 @kindex show displaced-stepping
33844 @cindex displaced stepping support
33845 @cindex out-of-line single-stepping
33846 @item set displaced-stepping
33847 @itemx show displaced-stepping
33848 Control whether or not @value{GDBN} will do @dfn{displaced stepping}
33849 if the target supports it. Displaced stepping is a way to single-step
33850 over breakpoints without removing them from the inferior, by executing
33851 an out-of-line copy of the instruction that was originally at the
33852 breakpoint location. It is also known as out-of-line single-stepping.
33853
33854 @table @code
33855 @item set displaced-stepping on
33856 If the target architecture supports it, @value{GDBN} will use
33857 displaced stepping to step over breakpoints.
33858
33859 @item set displaced-stepping off
33860 @value{GDBN} will not use displaced stepping to step over breakpoints,
33861 even if such is supported by the target architecture.
33862
33863 @cindex non-stop mode, and @samp{set displaced-stepping}
33864 @item set displaced-stepping auto
33865 This is the default mode. @value{GDBN} will use displaced stepping
33866 only if non-stop mode is active (@pxref{Non-Stop Mode}) and the target
33867 architecture supports displaced stepping.
33868 @end table
33869
33870 @kindex maint check-psymtabs
33871 @item maint check-psymtabs
33872 Check the consistency of currently expanded psymtabs versus symtabs.
33873 Use this to check, for example, whether a symbol is in one but not the other.
33874
33875 @kindex maint check-symtabs
33876 @item maint check-symtabs
33877 Check the consistency of currently expanded symtabs.
33878
33879 @kindex maint expand-symtabs
33880 @item maint expand-symtabs [@var{regexp}]
33881 Expand symbol tables.
33882 If @var{regexp} is specified, only expand symbol tables for file
33883 names matching @var{regexp}.
33884
33885 @kindex maint set catch-demangler-crashes
33886 @kindex maint show catch-demangler-crashes
33887 @cindex demangler crashes
33888 @item maint set catch-demangler-crashes [on|off]
33889 @itemx maint show catch-demangler-crashes
33890 Control whether @value{GDBN} should attempt to catch crashes in the
33891 symbol name demangler. The default is to attempt to catch crashes.
33892 If enabled, the first time a crash is caught, a core file is created,
33893 the offending symbol is displayed and the user is presented with the
33894 option to terminate the current session.
33895
33896 @kindex maint cplus first_component
33897 @item maint cplus first_component @var{name}
33898 Print the first C@t{++} class/namespace component of @var{name}.
33899
33900 @kindex maint cplus namespace
33901 @item maint cplus namespace
33902 Print the list of possible C@t{++} namespaces.
33903
33904 @kindex maint deprecate
33905 @kindex maint undeprecate
33906 @cindex deprecated commands
33907 @item maint deprecate @var{command} @r{[}@var{replacement}@r{]}
33908 @itemx maint undeprecate @var{command}
33909 Deprecate or undeprecate the named @var{command}. Deprecated commands
33910 cause @value{GDBN} to issue a warning when you use them. The optional
33911 argument @var{replacement} says which newer command should be used in
33912 favor of the deprecated one; if it is given, @value{GDBN} will mention
33913 the replacement as part of the warning.
33914
33915 @kindex maint dump-me
33916 @item maint dump-me
33917 @cindex @code{SIGQUIT} signal, dump core of @value{GDBN}
33918 Cause a fatal signal in the debugger and force it to dump its core.
33919 This is supported only on systems which support aborting a program
33920 with the @code{SIGQUIT} signal.
33921
33922 @kindex maint internal-error
33923 @kindex maint internal-warning
33924 @kindex maint demangler-warning
33925 @cindex demangler crashes
33926 @item maint internal-error @r{[}@var{message-text}@r{]}
33927 @itemx maint internal-warning @r{[}@var{message-text}@r{]}
33928 @itemx maint demangler-warning @r{[}@var{message-text}@r{]}
33929
33930 Cause @value{GDBN} to call the internal function @code{internal_error},
33931 @code{internal_warning} or @code{demangler_warning} and hence behave
33932 as though an internal problem has been detected. In addition to
33933 reporting the internal problem, these functions give the user the
33934 opportunity to either quit @value{GDBN} or (for @code{internal_error}
33935 and @code{internal_warning}) create a core file of the current
33936 @value{GDBN} session.
33937
33938 These commands take an optional parameter @var{message-text} that is
33939 used as the text of the error or warning message.
33940
33941 Here's an example of using @code{internal-error}:
33942
33943 @smallexample
33944 (@value{GDBP}) @kbd{maint internal-error testing, 1, 2}
33945 @dots{}/maint.c:121: internal-error: testing, 1, 2
33946 A problem internal to GDB has been detected. Further
33947 debugging may prove unreliable.
33948 Quit this debugging session? (y or n) @kbd{n}
33949 Create a core file? (y or n) @kbd{n}
33950 (@value{GDBP})
33951 @end smallexample
33952
33953 @cindex @value{GDBN} internal error
33954 @cindex internal errors, control of @value{GDBN} behavior
33955 @cindex demangler crashes
33956
33957 @kindex maint set internal-error
33958 @kindex maint show internal-error
33959 @kindex maint set internal-warning
33960 @kindex maint show internal-warning
33961 @kindex maint set demangler-warning
33962 @kindex maint show demangler-warning
33963 @item maint set internal-error @var{action} [ask|yes|no]
33964 @itemx maint show internal-error @var{action}
33965 @itemx maint set internal-warning @var{action} [ask|yes|no]
33966 @itemx maint show internal-warning @var{action}
33967 @itemx maint set demangler-warning @var{action} [ask|yes|no]
33968 @itemx maint show demangler-warning @var{action}
33969 When @value{GDBN} reports an internal problem (error or warning) it
33970 gives the user the opportunity to both quit @value{GDBN} and create a
33971 core file of the current @value{GDBN} session. These commands let you
33972 override the default behaviour for each particular @var{action},
33973 described in the table below.
33974
33975 @table @samp
33976 @item quit
33977 You can specify that @value{GDBN} should always (yes) or never (no)
33978 quit. The default is to ask the user what to do.
33979
33980 @item corefile
33981 You can specify that @value{GDBN} should always (yes) or never (no)
33982 create a core file. The default is to ask the user what to do. Note
33983 that there is no @code{corefile} option for @code{demangler-warning}:
33984 demangler warnings always create a core file and this cannot be
33985 disabled.
33986 @end table
33987
33988 @kindex maint packet
33989 @item maint packet @var{text}
33990 If @value{GDBN} is talking to an inferior via the serial protocol,
33991 then this command sends the string @var{text} to the inferior, and
33992 displays the response packet. @value{GDBN} supplies the initial
33993 @samp{$} character, the terminating @samp{#} character, and the
33994 checksum.
33995
33996 @kindex maint print architecture
33997 @item maint print architecture @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
33998 Print the entire architecture configuration. The optional argument
33999 @var{file} names the file where the output goes.
34000
34001 @kindex maint print c-tdesc
34002 @item maint print c-tdesc
34003 Print the current target description (@pxref{Target Descriptions}) as
34004 a C source file. The created source file can be used in @value{GDBN}
34005 when an XML parser is not available to parse the description.
34006
34007 @kindex maint print dummy-frames
34008 @item maint print dummy-frames
34009 Prints the contents of @value{GDBN}'s internal dummy-frame stack.
34010
34011 @smallexample
34012 (@value{GDBP}) @kbd{b add}
34013 @dots{}
34014 (@value{GDBP}) @kbd{print add(2,3)}
34015 Breakpoint 2, add (a=2, b=3) at @dots{}
34016 58 return (a + b);
34017 The program being debugged stopped while in a function called from GDB.
34018 @dots{}
34019 (@value{GDBP}) @kbd{maint print dummy-frames}
34020 0xa8206d8: id=@{stack=0xbfffe734,code=0xbfffe73f,!special@}, ptid=process 9353
34021 (@value{GDBP})
34022 @end smallexample
34023
34024 Takes an optional file parameter.
34025
34026 @kindex maint print registers
34027 @kindex maint print raw-registers
34028 @kindex maint print cooked-registers
34029 @kindex maint print register-groups
34030 @kindex maint print remote-registers
34031 @item maint print registers @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
34032 @itemx maint print raw-registers @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
34033 @itemx maint print cooked-registers @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
34034 @itemx maint print register-groups @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
34035 @itemx maint print remote-registers @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
34036 Print @value{GDBN}'s internal register data structures.
34037
34038 The command @code{maint print raw-registers} includes the contents of
34039 the raw register cache; the command @code{maint print
34040 cooked-registers} includes the (cooked) value of all registers,
34041 including registers which aren't available on the target nor visible
34042 to user; the command @code{maint print register-groups} includes the
34043 groups that each register is a member of; and the command @code{maint
34044 print remote-registers} includes the remote target's register numbers
34045 and offsets in the `G' packets.
34046
34047 These commands take an optional parameter, a file name to which to
34048 write the information.
34049
34050 @kindex maint print reggroups
34051 @item maint print reggroups @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
34052 Print @value{GDBN}'s internal register group data structures. The
34053 optional argument @var{file} tells to what file to write the
34054 information.
34055
34056 The register groups info looks like this:
34057
34058 @smallexample
34059 (@value{GDBP}) @kbd{maint print reggroups}
34060 Group Type
34061 general user
34062 float user
34063 all user
34064 vector user
34065 system user
34066 save internal
34067 restore internal
34068 @end smallexample
34069
34070 @kindex flushregs
34071 @item flushregs
34072 This command forces @value{GDBN} to flush its internal register cache.
34073
34074 @kindex maint print objfiles
34075 @cindex info for known object files
34076 @item maint print objfiles @r{[}@var{regexp}@r{]}
34077 Print a dump of all known object files.
34078 If @var{regexp} is specified, only print object files whose names
34079 match @var{regexp}. For each object file, this command prints its name,
34080 address in memory, and all of its psymtabs and symtabs.
34081
34082 @kindex maint print user-registers
34083 @cindex user registers
34084 @item maint print user-registers
34085 List all currently available @dfn{user registers}. User registers
34086 typically provide alternate names for actual hardware registers. They
34087 include the four ``standard'' registers @code{$fp}, @code{$pc},
34088 @code{$sp}, and @code{$ps}. @xref{standard registers}. User
34089 registers can be used in expressions in the same way as the canonical
34090 register names, but only the latter are listed by the @code{info
34091 registers} and @code{maint print registers} commands.
34092
34093 @kindex maint print section-scripts
34094 @cindex info for known .debug_gdb_scripts-loaded scripts
34095 @item maint print section-scripts [@var{regexp}]
34096 Print a dump of scripts specified in the @code{.debug_gdb_section} section.
34097 If @var{regexp} is specified, only print scripts loaded by object files
34098 matching @var{regexp}.
34099 For each script, this command prints its name as specified in the objfile,
34100 and the full path if known.
34101 @xref{dotdebug_gdb_scripts section}.
34102
34103 @kindex maint print statistics
34104 @cindex bcache statistics
34105 @item maint print statistics
34106 This command prints, for each object file in the program, various data
34107 about that object file followed by the byte cache (@dfn{bcache})
34108 statistics for the object file. The objfile data includes the number
34109 of minimal, partial, full, and stabs symbols, the number of types
34110 defined by the objfile, the number of as yet unexpanded psym tables,
34111 the number of line tables and string tables, and the amount of memory
34112 used by the various tables. The bcache statistics include the counts,
34113 sizes, and counts of duplicates of all and unique objects, max,
34114 average, and median entry size, total memory used and its overhead and
34115 savings, and various measures of the hash table size and chain
34116 lengths.
34117
34118 @kindex maint print target-stack
34119 @cindex target stack description
34120 @item maint print target-stack
34121 A @dfn{target} is an interface between the debugger and a particular
34122 kind of file or process. Targets can be stacked in @dfn{strata},
34123 so that more than one target can potentially respond to a request.
34124 In particular, memory accesses will walk down the stack of targets
34125 until they find a target that is interested in handling that particular
34126 address.
34127
34128 This command prints a short description of each layer that was pushed on
34129 the @dfn{target stack}, starting from the top layer down to the bottom one.
34130
34131 @kindex maint print type
34132 @cindex type chain of a data type
34133 @item maint print type @var{expr}
34134 Print the type chain for a type specified by @var{expr}. The argument
34135 can be either a type name or a symbol. If it is a symbol, the type of
34136 that symbol is described. The type chain produced by this command is
34137 a recursive definition of the data type as stored in @value{GDBN}'s
34138 data structures, including its flags and contained types.
34139
34140 @kindex maint set dwarf2 always-disassemble
34141 @kindex maint show dwarf2 always-disassemble
34142 @item maint set dwarf2 always-disassemble
34143 @item maint show dwarf2 always-disassemble
34144 Control the behavior of @code{info address} when using DWARF debugging
34145 information.
34146
34147 The default is @code{off}, which means that @value{GDBN} should try to
34148 describe a variable's location in an easily readable format. When
34149 @code{on}, @value{GDBN} will instead display the DWARF location
34150 expression in an assembly-like format. Note that some locations are
34151 too complex for @value{GDBN} to describe simply; in this case you will
34152 always see the disassembly form.
34153
34154 Here is an example of the resulting disassembly:
34155
34156 @smallexample
34157 (gdb) info addr argc
34158 Symbol "argc" is a complex DWARF expression:
34159 1: DW_OP_fbreg 0
34160 @end smallexample
34161
34162 For more information on these expressions, see
34163 @uref{http://www.dwarfstd.org/, the DWARF standard}.
34164
34165 @kindex maint set dwarf2 max-cache-age
34166 @kindex maint show dwarf2 max-cache-age
34167 @item maint set dwarf2 max-cache-age
34168 @itemx maint show dwarf2 max-cache-age
34169 Control the DWARF 2 compilation unit cache.
34170
34171 @cindex DWARF 2 compilation units cache
34172 In object files with inter-compilation-unit references, such as those
34173 produced by the GCC option @samp{-feliminate-dwarf2-dups}, the DWARF 2
34174 reader needs to frequently refer to previously read compilation units.
34175 This setting controls how long a compilation unit will remain in the
34176 cache if it is not referenced. A higher limit means that cached
34177 compilation units will be stored in memory longer, and more total
34178 memory will be used. Setting it to zero disables caching, which will
34179 slow down @value{GDBN} startup, but reduce memory consumption.
34180
34181 @kindex maint set profile
34182 @kindex maint show profile
34183 @cindex profiling GDB
34184 @item maint set profile
34185 @itemx maint show profile
34186 Control profiling of @value{GDBN}.
34187
34188 Profiling will be disabled until you use the @samp{maint set profile}
34189 command to enable it. When you enable profiling, the system will begin
34190 collecting timing and execution count data; when you disable profiling or
34191 exit @value{GDBN}, the results will be written to a log file. Remember that
34192 if you use profiling, @value{GDBN} will overwrite the profiling log file
34193 (often called @file{gmon.out}). If you have a record of important profiling
34194 data in a @file{gmon.out} file, be sure to move it to a safe location.
34195
34196 Configuring with @samp{--enable-profiling} arranges for @value{GDBN} to be
34197 compiled with the @samp{-pg} compiler option.
34198
34199 @kindex maint set show-debug-regs
34200 @kindex maint show show-debug-regs
34201 @cindex hardware debug registers
34202 @item maint set show-debug-regs
34203 @itemx maint show show-debug-regs
34204 Control whether to show variables that mirror the hardware debug
34205 registers. Use @code{on} to enable, @code{off} to disable. If
34206 enabled, the debug registers values are shown when @value{GDBN} inserts or
34207 removes a hardware breakpoint or watchpoint, and when the inferior
34208 triggers a hardware-assisted breakpoint or watchpoint.
34209
34210 @kindex maint set show-all-tib
34211 @kindex maint show show-all-tib
34212 @item maint set show-all-tib
34213 @itemx maint show show-all-tib
34214 Control whether to show all non zero areas within a 1k block starting
34215 at thread local base, when using the @samp{info w32 thread-information-block}
34216 command.
34217
34218 @kindex maint set target-async
34219 @kindex maint show target-async
34220 @item maint set target-async
34221 @itemx maint show target-async
34222 This controls whether @value{GDBN} targets operate in synchronous or
34223 asynchronous mode (@pxref{Background Execution}). Normally the
34224 default is asynchronous, if it is available; but this can be changed
34225 to more easily debug problems occurring only in synchronous mode.
34226
34227 @kindex maint set per-command
34228 @kindex maint show per-command
34229 @item maint set per-command
34230 @itemx maint show per-command
34231 @cindex resources used by commands
34232
34233 @value{GDBN} can display the resources used by each command.
34234 This is useful in debugging performance problems.
34235
34236 @table @code
34237 @item maint set per-command space [on|off]
34238 @itemx maint show per-command space
34239 Enable or disable the printing of the memory used by GDB for each command.
34240 If enabled, @value{GDBN} will display how much memory each command
34241 took, following the command's own output.
34242 This can also be requested by invoking @value{GDBN} with the
34243 @option{--statistics} command-line switch (@pxref{Mode Options}).
34244
34245 @item maint set per-command time [on|off]
34246 @itemx maint show per-command time
34247 Enable or disable the printing of the execution time of @value{GDBN}
34248 for each command.
34249 If enabled, @value{GDBN} will display how much time it
34250 took to execute each command, following the command's own output.
34251 Both CPU time and wallclock time are printed.
34252 Printing both is useful when trying to determine whether the cost is
34253 CPU or, e.g., disk/network latency.
34254 Note that the CPU time printed is for @value{GDBN} only, it does not include
34255 the execution time of the inferior because there's no mechanism currently
34256 to compute how much time was spent by @value{GDBN} and how much time was
34257 spent by the program been debugged.
34258 This can also be requested by invoking @value{GDBN} with the
34259 @option{--statistics} command-line switch (@pxref{Mode Options}).
34260
34261 @item maint set per-command symtab [on|off]
34262 @itemx maint show per-command symtab
34263 Enable or disable the printing of basic symbol table statistics
34264 for each command.
34265 If enabled, @value{GDBN} will display the following information:
34266
34267 @enumerate a
34268 @item
34269 number of symbol tables
34270 @item
34271 number of primary symbol tables
34272 @item
34273 number of blocks in the blockvector
34274 @end enumerate
34275 @end table
34276
34277 @kindex maint space
34278 @cindex memory used by commands
34279 @item maint space @var{value}
34280 An alias for @code{maint set per-command space}.
34281 A non-zero value enables it, zero disables it.
34282
34283 @kindex maint time
34284 @cindex time of command execution
34285 @item maint time @var{value}
34286 An alias for @code{maint set per-command time}.
34287 A non-zero value enables it, zero disables it.
34288
34289 @kindex maint translate-address
34290 @item maint translate-address @r{[}@var{section}@r{]} @var{addr}
34291 Find the symbol stored at the location specified by the address
34292 @var{addr} and an optional section name @var{section}. If found,
34293 @value{GDBN} prints the name of the closest symbol and an offset from
34294 the symbol's location to the specified address. This is similar to
34295 the @code{info address} command (@pxref{Symbols}), except that this
34296 command also allows to find symbols in other sections.
34297
34298 If section was not specified, the section in which the symbol was found
34299 is also printed. For dynamically linked executables, the name of
34300 executable or shared library containing the symbol is printed as well.
34301
34302 @end table
34303
34304 The following command is useful for non-interactive invocations of
34305 @value{GDBN}, such as in the test suite.
34306
34307 @table @code
34308 @item set watchdog @var{nsec}
34309 @kindex set watchdog
34310 @cindex watchdog timer
34311 @cindex timeout for commands
34312 Set the maximum number of seconds @value{GDBN} will wait for the
34313 target operation to finish. If this time expires, @value{GDBN}
34314 reports and error and the command is aborted.
34315
34316 @item show watchdog
34317 Show the current setting of the target wait timeout.
34318 @end table
34319
34320 @node Remote Protocol
34321 @appendix @value{GDBN} Remote Serial Protocol
34322
34323 @menu
34324 * Overview::
34325 * Packets::
34326 * Stop Reply Packets::
34327 * General Query Packets::
34328 * Architecture-Specific Protocol Details::
34329 * Tracepoint Packets::
34330 * Host I/O Packets::
34331 * Interrupts::
34332 * Notification Packets::
34333 * Remote Non-Stop::
34334 * Packet Acknowledgment::
34335 * Examples::
34336 * File-I/O Remote Protocol Extension::
34337 * Library List Format::
34338 * Library List Format for SVR4 Targets::
34339 * Memory Map Format::
34340 * Thread List Format::
34341 * Traceframe Info Format::
34342 * Branch Trace Format::
34343 * Branch Trace Configuration Format::
34344 @end menu
34345
34346 @node Overview
34347 @section Overview
34348
34349 There may be occasions when you need to know something about the
34350 protocol---for example, if there is only one serial port to your target
34351 machine, you might want your program to do something special if it
34352 recognizes a packet meant for @value{GDBN}.
34353
34354 In the examples below, @samp{->} and @samp{<-} are used to indicate
34355 transmitted and received data, respectively.
34356
34357 @cindex protocol, @value{GDBN} remote serial
34358 @cindex serial protocol, @value{GDBN} remote
34359 @cindex remote serial protocol
34360 All @value{GDBN} commands and responses (other than acknowledgments
34361 and notifications, see @ref{Notification Packets}) are sent as a
34362 @var{packet}. A @var{packet} is introduced with the character
34363 @samp{$}, the actual @var{packet-data}, and the terminating character
34364 @samp{#} followed by a two-digit @var{checksum}:
34365
34366 @smallexample
34367 @code{$}@var{packet-data}@code{#}@var{checksum}
34368 @end smallexample
34369 @noindent
34370
34371 @cindex checksum, for @value{GDBN} remote
34372 @noindent
34373 The two-digit @var{checksum} is computed as the modulo 256 sum of all
34374 characters between the leading @samp{$} and the trailing @samp{#} (an
34375 eight bit unsigned checksum).
34376
34377 Implementors should note that prior to @value{GDBN} 5.0 the protocol
34378 specification also included an optional two-digit @var{sequence-id}:
34379
34380 @smallexample
34381 @code{$}@var{sequence-id}@code{:}@var{packet-data}@code{#}@var{checksum}
34382 @end smallexample
34383
34384 @cindex sequence-id, for @value{GDBN} remote
34385 @noindent
34386 That @var{sequence-id} was appended to the acknowledgment. @value{GDBN}
34387 has never output @var{sequence-id}s. Stubs that handle packets added
34388 since @value{GDBN} 5.0 must not accept @var{sequence-id}.
34389
34390 When either the host or the target machine receives a packet, the first
34391 response expected is an acknowledgment: either @samp{+} (to indicate
34392 the package was received correctly) or @samp{-} (to request
34393 retransmission):
34394
34395 @smallexample
34396 -> @code{$}@var{packet-data}@code{#}@var{checksum}
34397 <- @code{+}
34398 @end smallexample
34399 @noindent
34400
34401 The @samp{+}/@samp{-} acknowledgments can be disabled
34402 once a connection is established.
34403 @xref{Packet Acknowledgment}, for details.
34404
34405 The host (@value{GDBN}) sends @var{command}s, and the target (the
34406 debugging stub incorporated in your program) sends a @var{response}. In
34407 the case of step and continue @var{command}s, the response is only sent
34408 when the operation has completed, and the target has again stopped all
34409 threads in all attached processes. This is the default all-stop mode
34410 behavior, but the remote protocol also supports @value{GDBN}'s non-stop
34411 execution mode; see @ref{Remote Non-Stop}, for details.
34412
34413 @var{packet-data} consists of a sequence of characters with the
34414 exception of @samp{#} and @samp{$} (see @samp{X} packet for additional
34415 exceptions).
34416
34417 @cindex remote protocol, field separator
34418 Fields within the packet should be separated using @samp{,} @samp{;} or
34419 @samp{:}. Except where otherwise noted all numbers are represented in
34420 @sc{hex} with leading zeros suppressed.
34421
34422 Implementors should note that prior to @value{GDBN} 5.0, the character
34423 @samp{:} could not appear as the third character in a packet (as it
34424 would potentially conflict with the @var{sequence-id}).
34425
34426 @cindex remote protocol, binary data
34427 @anchor{Binary Data}
34428 Binary data in most packets is encoded either as two hexadecimal
34429 digits per byte of binary data. This allowed the traditional remote
34430 protocol to work over connections which were only seven-bit clean.
34431 Some packets designed more recently assume an eight-bit clean
34432 connection, and use a more efficient encoding to send and receive
34433 binary data.
34434
34435 The binary data representation uses @code{7d} (@sc{ascii} @samp{@}})
34436 as an escape character. Any escaped byte is transmitted as the escape
34437 character followed by the original character XORed with @code{0x20}.
34438 For example, the byte @code{0x7d} would be transmitted as the two
34439 bytes @code{0x7d 0x5d}. The bytes @code{0x23} (@sc{ascii} @samp{#}),
34440 @code{0x24} (@sc{ascii} @samp{$}), and @code{0x7d} (@sc{ascii}
34441 @samp{@}}) must always be escaped. Responses sent by the stub
34442 must also escape @code{0x2a} (@sc{ascii} @samp{*}), so that it
34443 is not interpreted as the start of a run-length encoded sequence
34444 (described next).
34445
34446 Response @var{data} can be run-length encoded to save space.
34447 Run-length encoding replaces runs of identical characters with one
34448 instance of the repeated character, followed by a @samp{*} and a
34449 repeat count. The repeat count is itself sent encoded, to avoid
34450 binary characters in @var{data}: a value of @var{n} is sent as
34451 @code{@var{n}+29}. For a repeat count greater or equal to 3, this
34452 produces a printable @sc{ascii} character, e.g.@: a space (@sc{ascii}
34453 code 32) for a repeat count of 3. (This is because run-length
34454 encoding starts to win for counts 3 or more.) Thus, for example,
34455 @samp{0* } is a run-length encoding of ``0000'': the space character
34456 after @samp{*} means repeat the leading @code{0} @w{@code{32 - 29 =
34457 3}} more times.
34458
34459 The printable characters @samp{#} and @samp{$} or with a numeric value
34460 greater than 126 must not be used. Runs of six repeats (@samp{#}) or
34461 seven repeats (@samp{$}) can be expanded using a repeat count of only
34462 five (@samp{"}). For example, @samp{00000000} can be encoded as
34463 @samp{0*"00}.
34464
34465 The error response returned for some packets includes a two character
34466 error number. That number is not well defined.
34467
34468 @cindex empty response, for unsupported packets
34469 For any @var{command} not supported by the stub, an empty response
34470 (@samp{$#00}) should be returned. That way it is possible to extend the
34471 protocol. A newer @value{GDBN} can tell if a packet is supported based
34472 on that response.
34473
34474 At a minimum, a stub is required to support the @samp{g} and @samp{G}
34475 commands for register access, and the @samp{m} and @samp{M} commands
34476 for memory access. Stubs that only control single-threaded targets
34477 can implement run control with the @samp{c} (continue), and @samp{s}
34478 (step) commands. Stubs that support multi-threading targets should
34479 support the @samp{vCont} command. All other commands are optional.
34480
34481 @node Packets
34482 @section Packets
34483
34484 The following table provides a complete list of all currently defined
34485 @var{command}s and their corresponding response @var{data}.
34486 @xref{File-I/O Remote Protocol Extension}, for details about the File
34487 I/O extension of the remote protocol.
34488
34489 Each packet's description has a template showing the packet's overall
34490 syntax, followed by an explanation of the packet's meaning. We
34491 include spaces in some of the templates for clarity; these are not
34492 part of the packet's syntax. No @value{GDBN} packet uses spaces to
34493 separate its components. For example, a template like @samp{foo
34494 @var{bar} @var{baz}} describes a packet beginning with the three ASCII
34495 bytes @samp{foo}, followed by a @var{bar}, followed directly by a
34496 @var{baz}. @value{GDBN} does not transmit a space character between the
34497 @samp{foo} and the @var{bar}, or between the @var{bar} and the
34498 @var{baz}.
34499
34500 @cindex @var{thread-id}, in remote protocol
34501 @anchor{thread-id syntax}
34502 Several packets and replies include a @var{thread-id} field to identify
34503 a thread. Normally these are positive numbers with a target-specific
34504 interpretation, formatted as big-endian hex strings. A @var{thread-id}
34505 can also be a literal @samp{-1} to indicate all threads, or @samp{0} to
34506 pick any thread.
34507
34508 In addition, the remote protocol supports a multiprocess feature in
34509 which the @var{thread-id} syntax is extended to optionally include both
34510 process and thread ID fields, as @samp{p@var{pid}.@var{tid}}.
34511 The @var{pid} (process) and @var{tid} (thread) components each have the
34512 format described above: a positive number with target-specific
34513 interpretation formatted as a big-endian hex string, literal @samp{-1}
34514 to indicate all processes or threads (respectively), or @samp{0} to
34515 indicate an arbitrary process or thread. Specifying just a process, as
34516 @samp{p@var{pid}}, is equivalent to @samp{p@var{pid}.-1}. It is an
34517 error to specify all processes but a specific thread, such as
34518 @samp{p-1.@var{tid}}. Note that the @samp{p} prefix is @emph{not} used
34519 for those packets and replies explicitly documented to include a process
34520 ID, rather than a @var{thread-id}.
34521
34522 The multiprocess @var{thread-id} syntax extensions are only used if both
34523 @value{GDBN} and the stub report support for the @samp{multiprocess}
34524 feature using @samp{qSupported}. @xref{multiprocess extensions}, for
34525 more information.
34526
34527 Note that all packet forms beginning with an upper- or lower-case
34528 letter, other than those described here, are reserved for future use.
34529
34530 Here are the packet descriptions.
34531
34532 @table @samp
34533
34534 @item !
34535 @cindex @samp{!} packet
34536 @anchor{extended mode}
34537 Enable extended mode. In extended mode, the remote server is made
34538 persistent. The @samp{R} packet is used to restart the program being
34539 debugged.
34540
34541 Reply:
34542 @table @samp
34543 @item OK
34544 The remote target both supports and has enabled extended mode.
34545 @end table
34546
34547 @item ?
34548 @cindex @samp{?} packet
34549 @anchor{? packet}
34550 Indicate the reason the target halted. The reply is the same as for
34551 step and continue. This packet has a special interpretation when the
34552 target is in non-stop mode; see @ref{Remote Non-Stop}.
34553
34554 Reply:
34555 @xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
34556
34557 @item A @var{arglen},@var{argnum},@var{arg},@dots{}
34558 @cindex @samp{A} packet
34559 Initialized @code{argv[]} array passed into program. @var{arglen}
34560 specifies the number of bytes in the hex encoded byte stream
34561 @var{arg}. See @code{gdbserver} for more details.
34562
34563 Reply:
34564 @table @samp
34565 @item OK
34566 The arguments were set.
34567 @item E @var{NN}
34568 An error occurred.
34569 @end table
34570
34571 @item b @var{baud}
34572 @cindex @samp{b} packet
34573 (Don't use this packet; its behavior is not well-defined.)
34574 Change the serial line speed to @var{baud}.
34575
34576 JTC: @emph{When does the transport layer state change? When it's
34577 received, or after the ACK is transmitted. In either case, there are
34578 problems if the command or the acknowledgment packet is dropped.}
34579
34580 Stan: @emph{If people really wanted to add something like this, and get
34581 it working for the first time, they ought to modify ser-unix.c to send
34582 some kind of out-of-band message to a specially-setup stub and have the
34583 switch happen "in between" packets, so that from remote protocol's point
34584 of view, nothing actually happened.}
34585
34586 @item B @var{addr},@var{mode}
34587 @cindex @samp{B} packet
34588 Set (@var{mode} is @samp{S}) or clear (@var{mode} is @samp{C}) a
34589 breakpoint at @var{addr}.
34590
34591 Don't use this packet. Use the @samp{Z} and @samp{z} packets instead
34592 (@pxref{insert breakpoint or watchpoint packet}).
34593
34594 @cindex @samp{bc} packet
34595 @anchor{bc}
34596 @item bc
34597 Backward continue. Execute the target system in reverse. No parameter.
34598 @xref{Reverse Execution}, for more information.
34599
34600 Reply:
34601 @xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
34602
34603 @cindex @samp{bs} packet
34604 @anchor{bs}
34605 @item bs
34606 Backward single step. Execute one instruction in reverse. No parameter.
34607 @xref{Reverse Execution}, for more information.
34608
34609 Reply:
34610 @xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
34611
34612 @item c @r{[}@var{addr}@r{]}
34613 @cindex @samp{c} packet
34614 Continue at @var{addr}, which is the address to resume. If @var{addr}
34615 is omitted, resume at current address.
34616
34617 This packet is deprecated for multi-threading support. @xref{vCont
34618 packet}.
34619
34620 Reply:
34621 @xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
34622
34623 @item C @var{sig}@r{[};@var{addr}@r{]}
34624 @cindex @samp{C} packet
34625 Continue with signal @var{sig} (hex signal number). If
34626 @samp{;@var{addr}} is omitted, resume at same address.
34627
34628 This packet is deprecated for multi-threading support. @xref{vCont
34629 packet}.
34630
34631 Reply:
34632 @xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
34633
34634 @item d
34635 @cindex @samp{d} packet
34636 Toggle debug flag.
34637
34638 Don't use this packet; instead, define a general set packet
34639 (@pxref{General Query Packets}).
34640
34641 @item D
34642 @itemx D;@var{pid}
34643 @cindex @samp{D} packet
34644 The first form of the packet is used to detach @value{GDBN} from the
34645 remote system. It is sent to the remote target
34646 before @value{GDBN} disconnects via the @code{detach} command.
34647
34648 The second form, including a process ID, is used when multiprocess
34649 protocol extensions are enabled (@pxref{multiprocess extensions}), to
34650 detach only a specific process. The @var{pid} is specified as a
34651 big-endian hex string.
34652
34653 Reply:
34654 @table @samp
34655 @item OK
34656 for success
34657 @item E @var{NN}
34658 for an error
34659 @end table
34660
34661 @item F @var{RC},@var{EE},@var{CF};@var{XX}
34662 @cindex @samp{F} packet
34663 A reply from @value{GDBN} to an @samp{F} packet sent by the target.
34664 This is part of the File-I/O protocol extension. @xref{File-I/O
34665 Remote Protocol Extension}, for the specification.
34666
34667 @item g
34668 @anchor{read registers packet}
34669 @cindex @samp{g} packet
34670 Read general registers.
34671
34672 Reply:
34673 @table @samp
34674 @item @var{XX@dots{}}
34675 Each byte of register data is described by two hex digits. The bytes
34676 with the register are transmitted in target byte order. The size of
34677 each register and their position within the @samp{g} packet are
34678 determined by the @value{GDBN} internal gdbarch functions
34679 @code{DEPRECATED_REGISTER_RAW_SIZE} and @code{gdbarch_register_name}. The
34680 specification of several standard @samp{g} packets is specified below.
34681
34682 When reading registers from a trace frame (@pxref{Analyze Collected
34683 Data,,Using the Collected Data}), the stub may also return a string of
34684 literal @samp{x}'s in place of the register data digits, to indicate
34685 that the corresponding register has not been collected, thus its value
34686 is unavailable. For example, for an architecture with 4 registers of
34687 4 bytes each, the following reply indicates to @value{GDBN} that
34688 registers 0 and 2 have not been collected, while registers 1 and 3
34689 have been collected, and both have zero value:
34690
34691 @smallexample
34692 -> @code{g}
34693 <- @code{xxxxxxxx00000000xxxxxxxx00000000}
34694 @end smallexample
34695
34696 @item E @var{NN}
34697 for an error.
34698 @end table
34699
34700 @item G @var{XX@dots{}}
34701 @cindex @samp{G} packet
34702 Write general registers. @xref{read registers packet}, for a
34703 description of the @var{XX@dots{}} data.
34704
34705 Reply:
34706 @table @samp
34707 @item OK
34708 for success
34709 @item E @var{NN}
34710 for an error
34711 @end table
34712
34713 @item H @var{op} @var{thread-id}
34714 @cindex @samp{H} packet
34715 Set thread for subsequent operations (@samp{m}, @samp{M}, @samp{g},
34716 @samp{G}, et.al.). Depending on the operation to be performed, @var{op}
34717 should be @samp{c} for step and continue operations (note that this
34718 is deprecated, supporting the @samp{vCont} command is a better
34719 option), and @samp{g} for other operations. The thread designator
34720 @var{thread-id} has the format and interpretation described in
34721 @ref{thread-id syntax}.
34722
34723 Reply:
34724 @table @samp
34725 @item OK
34726 for success
34727 @item E @var{NN}
34728 for an error
34729 @end table
34730
34731 @c FIXME: JTC:
34732 @c 'H': How restrictive (or permissive) is the thread model. If a
34733 @c thread is selected and stopped, are other threads allowed
34734 @c to continue to execute? As I mentioned above, I think the
34735 @c semantics of each command when a thread is selected must be
34736 @c described. For example:
34737 @c
34738 @c 'g': If the stub supports threads and a specific thread is
34739 @c selected, returns the register block from that thread;
34740 @c otherwise returns current registers.
34741 @c
34742 @c 'G' If the stub supports threads and a specific thread is
34743 @c selected, sets the registers of the register block of
34744 @c that thread; otherwise sets current registers.
34745
34746 @item i @r{[}@var{addr}@r{[},@var{nnn}@r{]]}
34747 @anchor{cycle step packet}
34748 @cindex @samp{i} packet
34749 Step the remote target by a single clock cycle. If @samp{,@var{nnn}} is
34750 present, cycle step @var{nnn} cycles. If @var{addr} is present, cycle
34751 step starting at that address.
34752
34753 @item I
34754 @cindex @samp{I} packet
34755 Signal, then cycle step. @xref{step with signal packet}. @xref{cycle
34756 step packet}.
34757
34758 @item k
34759 @cindex @samp{k} packet
34760 Kill request.
34761
34762 The exact effect of this packet is not specified.
34763
34764 For a bare-metal target, it may power cycle or reset the target
34765 system. For that reason, the @samp{k} packet has no reply.
34766
34767 For a single-process target, it may kill that process if possible.
34768
34769 A multiple-process target may choose to kill just one process, or all
34770 that are under @value{GDBN}'s control. For more precise control, use
34771 the vKill packet (@pxref{vKill packet}).
34772
34773 If the target system immediately closes the connection in response to
34774 @samp{k}, @value{GDBN} does not consider the lack of packet
34775 acknowledgment to be an error, and assumes the kill was successful.
34776
34777 If connected using @kbd{target extended-remote}, and the target does
34778 not close the connection in response to a kill request, @value{GDBN}
34779 probes the target state as if a new connection was opened
34780 (@pxref{? packet}).
34781
34782 @item m @var{addr},@var{length}
34783 @cindex @samp{m} packet
34784 Read @var{length} bytes of memory starting at address @var{addr}.
34785 Note that @var{addr} may not be aligned to any particular boundary.
34786
34787 The stub need not use any particular size or alignment when gathering
34788 data from memory for the response; even if @var{addr} is word-aligned
34789 and @var{length} is a multiple of the word size, the stub is free to
34790 use byte accesses, or not. For this reason, this packet may not be
34791 suitable for accessing memory-mapped I/O devices.
34792 @cindex alignment of remote memory accesses
34793 @cindex size of remote memory accesses
34794 @cindex memory, alignment and size of remote accesses
34795
34796 Reply:
34797 @table @samp
34798 @item @var{XX@dots{}}
34799 Memory contents; each byte is transmitted as a two-digit hexadecimal
34800 number. The reply may contain fewer bytes than requested if the
34801 server was able to read only part of the region of memory.
34802 @item E @var{NN}
34803 @var{NN} is errno
34804 @end table
34805
34806 @item M @var{addr},@var{length}:@var{XX@dots{}}
34807 @cindex @samp{M} packet
34808 Write @var{length} bytes of memory starting at address @var{addr}.
34809 The data is given by @var{XX@dots{}}; each byte is transmitted as a two-digit
34810 hexadecimal number.
34811
34812 Reply:
34813 @table @samp
34814 @item OK
34815 for success
34816 @item E @var{NN}
34817 for an error (this includes the case where only part of the data was
34818 written).
34819 @end table
34820
34821 @item p @var{n}
34822 @cindex @samp{p} packet
34823 Read the value of register @var{n}; @var{n} is in hex.
34824 @xref{read registers packet}, for a description of how the returned
34825 register value is encoded.
34826
34827 Reply:
34828 @table @samp
34829 @item @var{XX@dots{}}
34830 the register's value
34831 @item E @var{NN}
34832 for an error
34833 @item @w{}
34834 Indicating an unrecognized @var{query}.
34835 @end table
34836
34837 @item P @var{n@dots{}}=@var{r@dots{}}
34838 @anchor{write register packet}
34839 @cindex @samp{P} packet
34840 Write register @var{n@dots{}} with value @var{r@dots{}}. The register
34841 number @var{n} is in hexadecimal, and @var{r@dots{}} contains two hex
34842 digits for each byte in the register (target byte order).
34843
34844 Reply:
34845 @table @samp
34846 @item OK
34847 for success
34848 @item E @var{NN}
34849 for an error
34850 @end table
34851
34852 @item q @var{name} @var{params}@dots{}
34853 @itemx Q @var{name} @var{params}@dots{}
34854 @cindex @samp{q} packet
34855 @cindex @samp{Q} packet
34856 General query (@samp{q}) and set (@samp{Q}). These packets are
34857 described fully in @ref{General Query Packets}.
34858
34859 @item r
34860 @cindex @samp{r} packet
34861 Reset the entire system.
34862
34863 Don't use this packet; use the @samp{R} packet instead.
34864
34865 @item R @var{XX}
34866 @cindex @samp{R} packet
34867 Restart the program being debugged. The @var{XX}, while needed, is ignored.
34868 This packet is only available in extended mode (@pxref{extended mode}).
34869
34870 The @samp{R} packet has no reply.
34871
34872 @item s @r{[}@var{addr}@r{]}
34873 @cindex @samp{s} packet
34874 Single step, resuming at @var{addr}. If
34875 @var{addr} is omitted, resume at same address.
34876
34877 This packet is deprecated for multi-threading support. @xref{vCont
34878 packet}.
34879
34880 Reply:
34881 @xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
34882
34883 @item S @var{sig}@r{[};@var{addr}@r{]}
34884 @anchor{step with signal packet}
34885 @cindex @samp{S} packet
34886 Step with signal. This is analogous to the @samp{C} packet, but
34887 requests a single-step, rather than a normal resumption of execution.
34888
34889 This packet is deprecated for multi-threading support. @xref{vCont
34890 packet}.
34891
34892 Reply:
34893 @xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
34894
34895 @item t @var{addr}:@var{PP},@var{MM}
34896 @cindex @samp{t} packet
34897 Search backwards starting at address @var{addr} for a match with pattern
34898 @var{PP} and mask @var{MM}, both of which are are 4 byte long.
34899 There must be at least 3 digits in @var{addr}.
34900
34901 @item T @var{thread-id}
34902 @cindex @samp{T} packet
34903 Find out if the thread @var{thread-id} is alive. @xref{thread-id syntax}.
34904
34905 Reply:
34906 @table @samp
34907 @item OK
34908 thread is still alive
34909 @item E @var{NN}
34910 thread is dead
34911 @end table
34912
34913 @item v
34914 Packets starting with @samp{v} are identified by a multi-letter name,
34915 up to the first @samp{;} or @samp{?} (or the end of the packet).
34916
34917 @item vAttach;@var{pid}
34918 @cindex @samp{vAttach} packet
34919 Attach to a new process with the specified process ID @var{pid}.
34920 The process ID is a
34921 hexadecimal integer identifying the process. In all-stop mode, all
34922 threads in the attached process are stopped; in non-stop mode, it may be
34923 attached without being stopped if that is supported by the target.
34924
34925 @c In non-stop mode, on a successful vAttach, the stub should set the
34926 @c current thread to a thread of the newly-attached process. After
34927 @c attaching, GDB queries for the attached process's thread ID with qC.
34928 @c Also note that, from a user perspective, whether or not the
34929 @c target is stopped on attach in non-stop mode depends on whether you
34930 @c use the foreground or background version of the attach command, not
34931 @c on what vAttach does; GDB does the right thing with respect to either
34932 @c stopping or restarting threads.
34933
34934 This packet is only available in extended mode (@pxref{extended mode}).
34935
34936 Reply:
34937 @table @samp
34938 @item E @var{nn}
34939 for an error
34940 @item @r{Any stop packet}
34941 for success in all-stop mode (@pxref{Stop Reply Packets})
34942 @item OK
34943 for success in non-stop mode (@pxref{Remote Non-Stop})
34944 @end table
34945
34946 @item vCont@r{[};@var{action}@r{[}:@var{thread-id}@r{]]}@dots{}
34947 @cindex @samp{vCont} packet
34948 @anchor{vCont packet}
34949 Resume the inferior, specifying different actions for each thread.
34950 If an action is specified with no @var{thread-id}, then it is applied to any
34951 threads that don't have a specific action specified; if no default action is
34952 specified then other threads should remain stopped in all-stop mode and
34953 in their current state in non-stop mode.
34954 Specifying multiple
34955 default actions is an error; specifying no actions is also an error.
34956 Thread IDs are specified using the syntax described in @ref{thread-id syntax}.
34957
34958 Currently supported actions are:
34959
34960 @table @samp
34961 @item c
34962 Continue.
34963 @item C @var{sig}
34964 Continue with signal @var{sig}. The signal @var{sig} should be two hex digits.
34965 @item s
34966 Step.
34967 @item S @var{sig}
34968 Step with signal @var{sig}. The signal @var{sig} should be two hex digits.
34969 @item t
34970 Stop.
34971 @item r @var{start},@var{end}
34972 Step once, and then keep stepping as long as the thread stops at
34973 addresses between @var{start} (inclusive) and @var{end} (exclusive).
34974 The remote stub reports a stop reply when either the thread goes out
34975 of the range or is stopped due to an unrelated reason, such as hitting
34976 a breakpoint. @xref{range stepping}.
34977
34978 If the range is empty (@var{start} == @var{end}), then the action
34979 becomes equivalent to the @samp{s} action. In other words,
34980 single-step once, and report the stop (even if the stepped instruction
34981 jumps to @var{start}).
34982
34983 (A stop reply may be sent at any point even if the PC is still within
34984 the stepping range; for example, it is valid to implement this packet
34985 in a degenerate way as a single instruction step operation.)
34986
34987 @end table
34988
34989 The optional argument @var{addr} normally associated with the
34990 @samp{c}, @samp{C}, @samp{s}, and @samp{S} packets is
34991 not supported in @samp{vCont}.
34992
34993 The @samp{t} action is only relevant in non-stop mode
34994 (@pxref{Remote Non-Stop}) and may be ignored by the stub otherwise.
34995 A stop reply should be generated for any affected thread not already stopped.
34996 When a thread is stopped by means of a @samp{t} action,
34997 the corresponding stop reply should indicate that the thread has stopped with
34998 signal @samp{0}, regardless of whether the target uses some other signal
34999 as an implementation detail.
35000
35001 The stub must support @samp{vCont} if it reports support for
35002 multiprocess extensions (@pxref{multiprocess extensions}). Note that in
35003 this case @samp{vCont} actions can be specified to apply to all threads
35004 in a process by using the @samp{p@var{pid}.-1} form of the
35005 @var{thread-id}.
35006
35007 Reply:
35008 @xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
35009
35010 @item vCont?
35011 @cindex @samp{vCont?} packet
35012 Request a list of actions supported by the @samp{vCont} packet.
35013
35014 Reply:
35015 @table @samp
35016 @item vCont@r{[};@var{action}@dots{}@r{]}
35017 The @samp{vCont} packet is supported. Each @var{action} is a supported
35018 command in the @samp{vCont} packet.
35019 @item @w{}
35020 The @samp{vCont} packet is not supported.
35021 @end table
35022
35023 @item vFile:@var{operation}:@var{parameter}@dots{}
35024 @cindex @samp{vFile} packet
35025 Perform a file operation on the target system. For details,
35026 see @ref{Host I/O Packets}.
35027
35028 @item vFlashErase:@var{addr},@var{length}
35029 @cindex @samp{vFlashErase} packet
35030 Direct the stub to erase @var{length} bytes of flash starting at
35031 @var{addr}. The region may enclose any number of flash blocks, but
35032 its start and end must fall on block boundaries, as indicated by the
35033 flash block size appearing in the memory map (@pxref{Memory Map
35034 Format}). @value{GDBN} groups flash memory programming operations
35035 together, and sends a @samp{vFlashDone} request after each group; the
35036 stub is allowed to delay erase operation until the @samp{vFlashDone}
35037 packet is received.
35038
35039 Reply:
35040 @table @samp
35041 @item OK
35042 for success
35043 @item E @var{NN}
35044 for an error
35045 @end table
35046
35047 @item vFlashWrite:@var{addr}:@var{XX@dots{}}
35048 @cindex @samp{vFlashWrite} packet
35049 Direct the stub to write data to flash address @var{addr}. The data
35050 is passed in binary form using the same encoding as for the @samp{X}
35051 packet (@pxref{Binary Data}). The memory ranges specified by
35052 @samp{vFlashWrite} packets preceding a @samp{vFlashDone} packet must
35053 not overlap, and must appear in order of increasing addresses
35054 (although @samp{vFlashErase} packets for higher addresses may already
35055 have been received; the ordering is guaranteed only between
35056 @samp{vFlashWrite} packets). If a packet writes to an address that was
35057 neither erased by a preceding @samp{vFlashErase} packet nor by some other
35058 target-specific method, the results are unpredictable.
35059
35060
35061 Reply:
35062 @table @samp
35063 @item OK
35064 for success
35065 @item E.memtype
35066 for vFlashWrite addressing non-flash memory
35067 @item E @var{NN}
35068 for an error
35069 @end table
35070
35071 @item vFlashDone
35072 @cindex @samp{vFlashDone} packet
35073 Indicate to the stub that flash programming operation is finished.
35074 The stub is permitted to delay or batch the effects of a group of
35075 @samp{vFlashErase} and @samp{vFlashWrite} packets until a
35076 @samp{vFlashDone} packet is received. The contents of the affected
35077 regions of flash memory are unpredictable until the @samp{vFlashDone}
35078 request is completed.
35079
35080 @item vKill;@var{pid}
35081 @cindex @samp{vKill} packet
35082 @anchor{vKill packet}
35083 Kill the process with the specified process ID @var{pid}, which is a
35084 hexadecimal integer identifying the process. This packet is used in
35085 preference to @samp{k} when multiprocess protocol extensions are
35086 supported; see @ref{multiprocess extensions}.
35087
35088 Reply:
35089 @table @samp
35090 @item E @var{nn}
35091 for an error
35092 @item OK
35093 for success
35094 @end table
35095
35096 @item vRun;@var{filename}@r{[};@var{argument}@r{]}@dots{}
35097 @cindex @samp{vRun} packet
35098 Run the program @var{filename}, passing it each @var{argument} on its
35099 command line. The file and arguments are hex-encoded strings. If
35100 @var{filename} is an empty string, the stub may use a default program
35101 (e.g.@: the last program run). The program is created in the stopped
35102 state.
35103
35104 @c FIXME: What about non-stop mode?
35105
35106 This packet is only available in extended mode (@pxref{extended mode}).
35107
35108 Reply:
35109 @table @samp
35110 @item E @var{nn}
35111 for an error
35112 @item @r{Any stop packet}
35113 for success (@pxref{Stop Reply Packets})
35114 @end table
35115
35116 @item vStopped
35117 @cindex @samp{vStopped} packet
35118 @xref{Notification Packets}.
35119
35120 @item X @var{addr},@var{length}:@var{XX@dots{}}
35121 @anchor{X packet}
35122 @cindex @samp{X} packet
35123 Write data to memory, where the data is transmitted in binary.
35124 Memory is specified by its address @var{addr} and number of bytes @var{length};
35125 @samp{@var{XX}@dots{}} is binary data (@pxref{Binary Data}).
35126
35127 Reply:
35128 @table @samp
35129 @item OK
35130 for success
35131 @item E @var{NN}
35132 for an error
35133 @end table
35134
35135 @item z @var{type},@var{addr},@var{kind}
35136 @itemx Z @var{type},@var{addr},@var{kind}
35137 @anchor{insert breakpoint or watchpoint packet}
35138 @cindex @samp{z} packet
35139 @cindex @samp{Z} packets
35140 Insert (@samp{Z}) or remove (@samp{z}) a @var{type} breakpoint or
35141 watchpoint starting at address @var{address} of kind @var{kind}.
35142
35143 Each breakpoint and watchpoint packet @var{type} is documented
35144 separately.
35145
35146 @emph{Implementation notes: A remote target shall return an empty string
35147 for an unrecognized breakpoint or watchpoint packet @var{type}. A
35148 remote target shall support either both or neither of a given
35149 @samp{Z@var{type}@dots{}} and @samp{z@var{type}@dots{}} packet pair. To
35150 avoid potential problems with duplicate packets, the operations should
35151 be implemented in an idempotent way.}
35152
35153 @item z0,@var{addr},@var{kind}
35154 @itemx Z0,@var{addr},@var{kind}@r{[};@var{cond_list}@dots{}@r{]}@r{[};cmds:@var{persist},@var{cmd_list}@dots{}@r{]}
35155 @cindex @samp{z0} packet
35156 @cindex @samp{Z0} packet
35157 Insert (@samp{Z0}) or remove (@samp{z0}) a memory breakpoint at address
35158 @var{addr} of type @var{kind}.
35159
35160 A memory breakpoint is implemented by replacing the instruction at
35161 @var{addr} with a software breakpoint or trap instruction. The
35162 @var{kind} is target-specific and typically indicates the size of
35163 the breakpoint in bytes that should be inserted. E.g., the @sc{arm}
35164 and @sc{mips} can insert either a 2 or 4 byte breakpoint. Some
35165 architectures have additional meanings for @var{kind};
35166 @var{cond_list} is an optional list of conditional expressions in bytecode
35167 form that should be evaluated on the target's side. These are the
35168 conditions that should be taken into consideration when deciding if
35169 the breakpoint trigger should be reported back to @var{GDBN}.
35170
35171 See also the @samp{swbreak} stop reason (@pxref{swbreak stop reason})
35172 for how to best report a memory breakpoint event to @value{GDBN}.
35173
35174 The @var{cond_list} parameter is comprised of a series of expressions,
35175 concatenated without separators. Each expression has the following form:
35176
35177 @table @samp
35178
35179 @item X @var{len},@var{expr}
35180 @var{len} is the length of the bytecode expression and @var{expr} is the
35181 actual conditional expression in bytecode form.
35182
35183 @end table
35184
35185 The optional @var{cmd_list} parameter introduces commands that may be
35186 run on the target, rather than being reported back to @value{GDBN}.
35187 The parameter starts with a numeric flag @var{persist}; if the flag is
35188 nonzero, then the breakpoint may remain active and the commands
35189 continue to be run even when @value{GDBN} disconnects from the target.
35190 Following this flag is a series of expressions concatenated with no
35191 separators. Each expression has the following form:
35192
35193 @table @samp
35194
35195 @item X @var{len},@var{expr}
35196 @var{len} is the length of the bytecode expression and @var{expr} is the
35197 actual conditional expression in bytecode form.
35198
35199 @end table
35200
35201 see @ref{Architecture-Specific Protocol Details}.
35202
35203 @emph{Implementation note: It is possible for a target to copy or move
35204 code that contains memory breakpoints (e.g., when implementing
35205 overlays). The behavior of this packet, in the presence of such a
35206 target, is not defined.}
35207
35208 Reply:
35209 @table @samp
35210 @item OK
35211 success
35212 @item @w{}
35213 not supported
35214 @item E @var{NN}
35215 for an error
35216 @end table
35217
35218 @item z1,@var{addr},@var{kind}
35219 @itemx Z1,@var{addr},@var{kind}@r{[};@var{cond_list}@dots{}@r{]}
35220 @cindex @samp{z1} packet
35221 @cindex @samp{Z1} packet
35222 Insert (@samp{Z1}) or remove (@samp{z1}) a hardware breakpoint at
35223 address @var{addr}.
35224
35225 A hardware breakpoint is implemented using a mechanism that is not
35226 dependant on being able to modify the target's memory. The @var{kind}
35227 and @var{cond_list} have the same meaning as in @samp{Z0} packets.
35228
35229 @emph{Implementation note: A hardware breakpoint is not affected by code
35230 movement.}
35231
35232 Reply:
35233 @table @samp
35234 @item OK
35235 success
35236 @item @w{}
35237 not supported
35238 @item E @var{NN}
35239 for an error
35240 @end table
35241
35242 @item z2,@var{addr},@var{kind}
35243 @itemx Z2,@var{addr},@var{kind}
35244 @cindex @samp{z2} packet
35245 @cindex @samp{Z2} packet
35246 Insert (@samp{Z2}) or remove (@samp{z2}) a write watchpoint at @var{addr}.
35247 The number of bytes to watch is specified by @var{kind}.
35248
35249 Reply:
35250 @table @samp
35251 @item OK
35252 success
35253 @item @w{}
35254 not supported
35255 @item E @var{NN}
35256 for an error
35257 @end table
35258
35259 @item z3,@var{addr},@var{kind}
35260 @itemx Z3,@var{addr},@var{kind}
35261 @cindex @samp{z3} packet
35262 @cindex @samp{Z3} packet
35263 Insert (@samp{Z3}) or remove (@samp{z3}) a read watchpoint at @var{addr}.
35264 The number of bytes to watch is specified by @var{kind}.
35265
35266 Reply:
35267 @table @samp
35268 @item OK
35269 success
35270 @item @w{}
35271 not supported
35272 @item E @var{NN}
35273 for an error
35274 @end table
35275
35276 @item z4,@var{addr},@var{kind}
35277 @itemx Z4,@var{addr},@var{kind}
35278 @cindex @samp{z4} packet
35279 @cindex @samp{Z4} packet
35280 Insert (@samp{Z4}) or remove (@samp{z4}) an access watchpoint at @var{addr}.
35281 The number of bytes to watch is specified by @var{kind}.
35282
35283 Reply:
35284 @table @samp
35285 @item OK
35286 success
35287 @item @w{}
35288 not supported
35289 @item E @var{NN}
35290 for an error
35291 @end table
35292
35293 @end table
35294
35295 @node Stop Reply Packets
35296 @section Stop Reply Packets
35297 @cindex stop reply packets
35298
35299 The @samp{C}, @samp{c}, @samp{S}, @samp{s}, @samp{vCont},
35300 @samp{vAttach}, @samp{vRun}, @samp{vStopped}, and @samp{?} packets can
35301 receive any of the below as a reply. Except for @samp{?}
35302 and @samp{vStopped}, that reply is only returned
35303 when the target halts. In the below the exact meaning of @dfn{signal
35304 number} is defined by the header @file{include/gdb/signals.h} in the
35305 @value{GDBN} source code.
35306
35307 As in the description of request packets, we include spaces in the
35308 reply templates for clarity; these are not part of the reply packet's
35309 syntax. No @value{GDBN} stop reply packet uses spaces to separate its
35310 components.
35311
35312 @table @samp
35313
35314 @item S @var{AA}
35315 The program received signal number @var{AA} (a two-digit hexadecimal
35316 number). This is equivalent to a @samp{T} response with no
35317 @var{n}:@var{r} pairs.
35318
35319 @item T @var{AA} @var{n1}:@var{r1};@var{n2}:@var{r2};@dots{}
35320 @cindex @samp{T} packet reply
35321 The program received signal number @var{AA} (a two-digit hexadecimal
35322 number). This is equivalent to an @samp{S} response, except that the
35323 @samp{@var{n}:@var{r}} pairs can carry values of important registers
35324 and other information directly in the stop reply packet, reducing
35325 round-trip latency. Single-step and breakpoint traps are reported
35326 this way. Each @samp{@var{n}:@var{r}} pair is interpreted as follows:
35327
35328 @itemize @bullet
35329 @item
35330 If @var{n} is a hexadecimal number, it is a register number, and the
35331 corresponding @var{r} gives that register's value. The data @var{r} is a
35332 series of bytes in target byte order, with each byte given by a
35333 two-digit hex number.
35334
35335 @item
35336 If @var{n} is @samp{thread}, then @var{r} is the @var{thread-id} of
35337 the stopped thread, as specified in @ref{thread-id syntax}.
35338
35339 @item
35340 If @var{n} is @samp{core}, then @var{r} is the hexadecimal number of
35341 the core on which the stop event was detected.
35342
35343 @item
35344 If @var{n} is a recognized @dfn{stop reason}, it describes a more
35345 specific event that stopped the target. The currently defined stop
35346 reasons are listed below. The @var{aa} should be @samp{05}, the trap
35347 signal. At most one stop reason should be present.
35348
35349 @item
35350 Otherwise, @value{GDBN} should ignore this @samp{@var{n}:@var{r}} pair
35351 and go on to the next; this allows us to extend the protocol in the
35352 future.
35353 @end itemize
35354
35355 The currently defined stop reasons are:
35356
35357 @table @samp
35358 @item watch
35359 @itemx rwatch
35360 @itemx awatch
35361 The packet indicates a watchpoint hit, and @var{r} is the data address, in
35362 hex.
35363
35364 @cindex shared library events, remote reply
35365 @item library
35366 The packet indicates that the loaded libraries have changed.
35367 @value{GDBN} should use @samp{qXfer:libraries:read} to fetch a new
35368 list of loaded libraries. The @var{r} part is ignored.
35369
35370 @cindex replay log events, remote reply
35371 @item replaylog
35372 The packet indicates that the target cannot continue replaying
35373 logged execution events, because it has reached the end (or the
35374 beginning when executing backward) of the log. The value of @var{r}
35375 will be either @samp{begin} or @samp{end}. @xref{Reverse Execution},
35376 for more information.
35377
35378 @item swbreak
35379 @anchor{swbreak stop reason}
35380 The packet indicates a memory breakpoint instruction was executed,
35381 irrespective of whether it was @value{GDBN} that planted the
35382 breakpoint or the breakpoint is hardcoded in the program. The @var{r}
35383 part must be left empty.
35384
35385 On some architectures, such as x86, at the architecture level, when a
35386 breakpoint instruction executes the program counter points at the
35387 breakpoint address plus an offset. On such targets, the stub is
35388 responsible for adjusting the PC to point back at the breakpoint
35389 address.
35390
35391 This packet should not be sent by default; older @value{GDBN} versions
35392 did not support it. @value{GDBN} requests it, by supplying an
35393 appropriate @samp{qSupported} feature (@pxref{qSupported}). The
35394 remote stub must also supply the appropriate @samp{qSupported} feature
35395 indicating support.
35396
35397 This packet is required for correct non-stop mode operation.
35398
35399 @item hwbreak
35400 The packet indicates the target stopped for a hardware breakpoint.
35401 The @var{r} part must be left empty.
35402
35403 The same remarks about @samp{qSupported} and non-stop mode above
35404 apply.
35405
35406 @cindex fork events, remote reply
35407 @item fork
35408 The packet indicates that @code{fork} was called, and @var{r}
35409 is the thread ID of the new child process. Refer to
35410 @ref{thread-id syntax} for the format of the @var{thread-id}
35411 field. This packet is only applicable to targets that support
35412 fork events.
35413
35414 This packet should not be sent by default; older @value{GDBN} versions
35415 did not support it. @value{GDBN} requests it, by supplying an
35416 appropriate @samp{qSupported} feature (@pxref{qSupported}). The
35417 remote stub must also supply the appropriate @samp{qSupported} feature
35418 indicating support.
35419
35420 @cindex vfork events, remote reply
35421 @item vfork
35422 The packet indicates that @code{vfork} was called, and @var{r}
35423 is the thread ID of the new child process. Refer to
35424 @ref{thread-id syntax} for the format of the @var{thread-id}
35425 field. This packet is only applicable to targets that support
35426 vfork events.
35427
35428 This packet should not be sent by default; older @value{GDBN} versions
35429 did not support it. @value{GDBN} requests it, by supplying an
35430 appropriate @samp{qSupported} feature (@pxref{qSupported}). The
35431 remote stub must also supply the appropriate @samp{qSupported} feature
35432 indicating support.
35433
35434 @cindex vforkdone events, remote reply
35435 @item vforkdone
35436 The packet indicates that a child process created by a vfork
35437 has either called @code{exec} or terminated, so that the
35438 address spaces of the parent and child process are no longer
35439 shared. The @var{r} part is ignored. This packet is only
35440 applicable to targets that support vforkdone events.
35441
35442 This packet should not be sent by default; older @value{GDBN} versions
35443 did not support it. @value{GDBN} requests it, by supplying an
35444 appropriate @samp{qSupported} feature (@pxref{qSupported}). The
35445 remote stub must also supply the appropriate @samp{qSupported} feature
35446 indicating support.
35447
35448 @end table
35449
35450 @item W @var{AA}
35451 @itemx W @var{AA} ; process:@var{pid}
35452 The process exited, and @var{AA} is the exit status. This is only
35453 applicable to certain targets.
35454
35455 The second form of the response, including the process ID of the exited
35456 process, can be used only when @value{GDBN} has reported support for
35457 multiprocess protocol extensions; see @ref{multiprocess extensions}.
35458 The @var{pid} is formatted as a big-endian hex string.
35459
35460 @item X @var{AA}
35461 @itemx X @var{AA} ; process:@var{pid}
35462 The process terminated with signal @var{AA}.
35463
35464 The second form of the response, including the process ID of the
35465 terminated process, can be used only when @value{GDBN} has reported
35466 support for multiprocess protocol extensions; see @ref{multiprocess
35467 extensions}. The @var{pid} is formatted as a big-endian hex string.
35468
35469 @item O @var{XX}@dots{}
35470 @samp{@var{XX}@dots{}} is hex encoding of @sc{ascii} data, to be
35471 written as the program's console output. This can happen at any time
35472 while the program is running and the debugger should continue to wait
35473 for @samp{W}, @samp{T}, etc. This reply is not permitted in non-stop mode.
35474
35475 @item F @var{call-id},@var{parameter}@dots{}
35476 @var{call-id} is the identifier which says which host system call should
35477 be called. This is just the name of the function. Translation into the
35478 correct system call is only applicable as it's defined in @value{GDBN}.
35479 @xref{File-I/O Remote Protocol Extension}, for a list of implemented
35480 system calls.
35481
35482 @samp{@var{parameter}@dots{}} is a list of parameters as defined for
35483 this very system call.
35484
35485 The target replies with this packet when it expects @value{GDBN} to
35486 call a host system call on behalf of the target. @value{GDBN} replies
35487 with an appropriate @samp{F} packet and keeps up waiting for the next
35488 reply packet from the target. The latest @samp{C}, @samp{c}, @samp{S}
35489 or @samp{s} action is expected to be continued. @xref{File-I/O Remote
35490 Protocol Extension}, for more details.
35491
35492 @end table
35493
35494 @node General Query Packets
35495 @section General Query Packets
35496 @cindex remote query requests
35497
35498 Packets starting with @samp{q} are @dfn{general query packets};
35499 packets starting with @samp{Q} are @dfn{general set packets}. General
35500 query and set packets are a semi-unified form for retrieving and
35501 sending information to and from the stub.
35502
35503 The initial letter of a query or set packet is followed by a name
35504 indicating what sort of thing the packet applies to. For example,
35505 @value{GDBN} may use a @samp{qSymbol} packet to exchange symbol
35506 definitions with the stub. These packet names follow some
35507 conventions:
35508
35509 @itemize @bullet
35510 @item
35511 The name must not contain commas, colons or semicolons.
35512 @item
35513 Most @value{GDBN} query and set packets have a leading upper case
35514 letter.
35515 @item
35516 The names of custom vendor packets should use a company prefix, in
35517 lower case, followed by a period. For example, packets designed at
35518 the Acme Corporation might begin with @samp{qacme.foo} (for querying
35519 foos) or @samp{Qacme.bar} (for setting bars).
35520 @end itemize
35521
35522 The name of a query or set packet should be separated from any
35523 parameters by a @samp{:}; the parameters themselves should be
35524 separated by @samp{,} or @samp{;}. Stubs must be careful to match the
35525 full packet name, and check for a separator or the end of the packet,
35526 in case two packet names share a common prefix. New packets should not begin
35527 with @samp{qC}, @samp{qP}, or @samp{qL}@footnote{The @samp{qP} and @samp{qL}
35528 packets predate these conventions, and have arguments without any terminator
35529 for the packet name; we suspect they are in widespread use in places that
35530 are difficult to upgrade. The @samp{qC} packet has no arguments, but some
35531 existing stubs (e.g.@: RedBoot) are known to not check for the end of the
35532 packet.}.
35533
35534 Like the descriptions of the other packets, each description here
35535 has a template showing the packet's overall syntax, followed by an
35536 explanation of the packet's meaning. We include spaces in some of the
35537 templates for clarity; these are not part of the packet's syntax. No
35538 @value{GDBN} packet uses spaces to separate its components.
35539
35540 Here are the currently defined query and set packets:
35541
35542 @table @samp
35543
35544 @item QAgent:1
35545 @itemx QAgent:0
35546 Turn on or off the agent as a helper to perform some debugging operations
35547 delegated from @value{GDBN} (@pxref{Control Agent}).
35548
35549 @item QAllow:@var{op}:@var{val}@dots{}
35550 @cindex @samp{QAllow} packet
35551 Specify which operations @value{GDBN} expects to request of the
35552 target, as a semicolon-separated list of operation name and value
35553 pairs. Possible values for @var{op} include @samp{WriteReg},
35554 @samp{WriteMem}, @samp{InsertBreak}, @samp{InsertTrace},
35555 @samp{InsertFastTrace}, and @samp{Stop}. @var{val} is either 0,
35556 indicating that @value{GDBN} will not request the operation, or 1,
35557 indicating that it may. (The target can then use this to set up its
35558 own internals optimally, for instance if the debugger never expects to
35559 insert breakpoints, it may not need to install its own trap handler.)
35560
35561 @item qC
35562 @cindex current thread, remote request
35563 @cindex @samp{qC} packet
35564 Return the current thread ID.
35565
35566 Reply:
35567 @table @samp
35568 @item QC @var{thread-id}
35569 Where @var{thread-id} is a thread ID as documented in
35570 @ref{thread-id syntax}.
35571 @item @r{(anything else)}
35572 Any other reply implies the old thread ID.
35573 @end table
35574
35575 @item qCRC:@var{addr},@var{length}
35576 @cindex CRC of memory block, remote request
35577 @cindex @samp{qCRC} packet
35578 @anchor{qCRC packet}
35579 Compute the CRC checksum of a block of memory using CRC-32 defined in
35580 IEEE 802.3. The CRC is computed byte at a time, taking the most
35581 significant bit of each byte first. The initial pattern code
35582 @code{0xffffffff} is used to ensure leading zeros affect the CRC.
35583
35584 @emph{Note:} This is the same CRC used in validating separate debug
35585 files (@pxref{Separate Debug Files, , Debugging Information in Separate
35586 Files}). However the algorithm is slightly different. When validating
35587 separate debug files, the CRC is computed taking the @emph{least}
35588 significant bit of each byte first, and the final result is inverted to
35589 detect trailing zeros.
35590
35591 Reply:
35592 @table @samp
35593 @item E @var{NN}
35594 An error (such as memory fault)
35595 @item C @var{crc32}
35596 The specified memory region's checksum is @var{crc32}.
35597 @end table
35598
35599 @item QDisableRandomization:@var{value}
35600 @cindex disable address space randomization, remote request
35601 @cindex @samp{QDisableRandomization} packet
35602 Some target operating systems will randomize the virtual address space
35603 of the inferior process as a security feature, but provide a feature
35604 to disable such randomization, e.g.@: to allow for a more deterministic
35605 debugging experience. On such systems, this packet with a @var{value}
35606 of 1 directs the target to disable address space randomization for
35607 processes subsequently started via @samp{vRun} packets, while a packet
35608 with a @var{value} of 0 tells the target to enable address space
35609 randomization.
35610
35611 This packet is only available in extended mode (@pxref{extended mode}).
35612
35613 Reply:
35614 @table @samp
35615 @item OK
35616 The request succeeded.
35617
35618 @item E @var{nn}
35619 An error occurred. The error number @var{nn} is given as hex digits.
35620
35621 @item @w{}
35622 An empty reply indicates that @samp{QDisableRandomization} is not supported
35623 by the stub.
35624 @end table
35625
35626 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
35627 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
35628 This should only be done on targets that actually support disabling
35629 address space randomization.
35630
35631 @item qfThreadInfo
35632 @itemx qsThreadInfo
35633 @cindex list active threads, remote request
35634 @cindex @samp{qfThreadInfo} packet
35635 @cindex @samp{qsThreadInfo} packet
35636 Obtain a list of all active thread IDs from the target (OS). Since there
35637 may be too many active threads to fit into one reply packet, this query
35638 works iteratively: it may require more than one query/reply sequence to
35639 obtain the entire list of threads. The first query of the sequence will
35640 be the @samp{qfThreadInfo} query; subsequent queries in the
35641 sequence will be the @samp{qsThreadInfo} query.
35642
35643 NOTE: This packet replaces the @samp{qL} query (see below).
35644
35645 Reply:
35646 @table @samp
35647 @item m @var{thread-id}
35648 A single thread ID
35649 @item m @var{thread-id},@var{thread-id}@dots{}
35650 a comma-separated list of thread IDs
35651 @item l
35652 (lower case letter @samp{L}) denotes end of list.
35653 @end table
35654
35655 In response to each query, the target will reply with a list of one or
35656 more thread IDs, separated by commas.
35657 @value{GDBN} will respond to each reply with a request for more thread
35658 ids (using the @samp{qs} form of the query), until the target responds
35659 with @samp{l} (lower-case ell, for @dfn{last}).
35660 Refer to @ref{thread-id syntax}, for the format of the @var{thread-id}
35661 fields.
35662
35663 @emph{Note: @value{GDBN} will send the @code{qfThreadInfo} query during the
35664 initial connection with the remote target, and the very first thread ID
35665 mentioned in the reply will be stopped by @value{GDBN} in a subsequent
35666 message. Therefore, the stub should ensure that the first thread ID in
35667 the @code{qfThreadInfo} reply is suitable for being stopped by @value{GDBN}.}
35668
35669 @item qGetTLSAddr:@var{thread-id},@var{offset},@var{lm}
35670 @cindex get thread-local storage address, remote request
35671 @cindex @samp{qGetTLSAddr} packet
35672 Fetch the address associated with thread local storage specified
35673 by @var{thread-id}, @var{offset}, and @var{lm}.
35674
35675 @var{thread-id} is the thread ID associated with the
35676 thread for which to fetch the TLS address. @xref{thread-id syntax}.
35677
35678 @var{offset} is the (big endian, hex encoded) offset associated with the
35679 thread local variable. (This offset is obtained from the debug
35680 information associated with the variable.)
35681
35682 @var{lm} is the (big endian, hex encoded) OS/ABI-specific encoding of the
35683 load module associated with the thread local storage. For example,
35684 a @sc{gnu}/Linux system will pass the link map address of the shared
35685 object associated with the thread local storage under consideration.
35686 Other operating environments may choose to represent the load module
35687 differently, so the precise meaning of this parameter will vary.
35688
35689 Reply:
35690 @table @samp
35691 @item @var{XX}@dots{}
35692 Hex encoded (big endian) bytes representing the address of the thread
35693 local storage requested.
35694
35695 @item E @var{nn}
35696 An error occurred. The error number @var{nn} is given as hex digits.
35697
35698 @item @w{}
35699 An empty reply indicates that @samp{qGetTLSAddr} is not supported by the stub.
35700 @end table
35701
35702 @item qGetTIBAddr:@var{thread-id}
35703 @cindex get thread information block address
35704 @cindex @samp{qGetTIBAddr} packet
35705 Fetch address of the Windows OS specific Thread Information Block.
35706
35707 @var{thread-id} is the thread ID associated with the thread.
35708
35709 Reply:
35710 @table @samp
35711 @item @var{XX}@dots{}
35712 Hex encoded (big endian) bytes representing the linear address of the
35713 thread information block.
35714
35715 @item E @var{nn}
35716 An error occured. This means that either the thread was not found, or the
35717 address could not be retrieved.
35718
35719 @item @w{}
35720 An empty reply indicates that @samp{qGetTIBAddr} is not supported by the stub.
35721 @end table
35722
35723 @item qL @var{startflag} @var{threadcount} @var{nextthread}
35724 Obtain thread information from RTOS. Where: @var{startflag} (one hex
35725 digit) is one to indicate the first query and zero to indicate a
35726 subsequent query; @var{threadcount} (two hex digits) is the maximum
35727 number of threads the response packet can contain; and @var{nextthread}
35728 (eight hex digits), for subsequent queries (@var{startflag} is zero), is
35729 returned in the response as @var{argthread}.
35730
35731 Don't use this packet; use the @samp{qfThreadInfo} query instead (see above).
35732
35733 Reply:
35734 @table @samp
35735 @item qM @var{count} @var{done} @var{argthread} @var{thread}@dots{}
35736 Where: @var{count} (two hex digits) is the number of threads being
35737 returned; @var{done} (one hex digit) is zero to indicate more threads
35738 and one indicates no further threads; @var{argthreadid} (eight hex
35739 digits) is @var{nextthread} from the request packet; @var{thread}@dots{}
35740 is a sequence of thread IDs, @var{threadid} (eight hex
35741 digits), from the target. See @code{remote.c:parse_threadlist_response()}.
35742 @end table
35743
35744 @item qOffsets
35745 @cindex section offsets, remote request
35746 @cindex @samp{qOffsets} packet
35747 Get section offsets that the target used when relocating the downloaded
35748 image.
35749
35750 Reply:
35751 @table @samp
35752 @item Text=@var{xxx};Data=@var{yyy}@r{[};Bss=@var{zzz}@r{]}
35753 Relocate the @code{Text} section by @var{xxx} from its original address.
35754 Relocate the @code{Data} section by @var{yyy} from its original address.
35755 If the object file format provides segment information (e.g.@: @sc{elf}
35756 @samp{PT_LOAD} program headers), @value{GDBN} will relocate entire
35757 segments by the supplied offsets.
35758
35759 @emph{Note: while a @code{Bss} offset may be included in the response,
35760 @value{GDBN} ignores this and instead applies the @code{Data} offset
35761 to the @code{Bss} section.}
35762
35763 @item TextSeg=@var{xxx}@r{[};DataSeg=@var{yyy}@r{]}
35764 Relocate the first segment of the object file, which conventionally
35765 contains program code, to a starting address of @var{xxx}. If
35766 @samp{DataSeg} is specified, relocate the second segment, which
35767 conventionally contains modifiable data, to a starting address of
35768 @var{yyy}. @value{GDBN} will report an error if the object file
35769 does not contain segment information, or does not contain at least
35770 as many segments as mentioned in the reply. Extra segments are
35771 kept at fixed offsets relative to the last relocated segment.
35772 @end table
35773
35774 @item qP @var{mode} @var{thread-id}
35775 @cindex thread information, remote request
35776 @cindex @samp{qP} packet
35777 Returns information on @var{thread-id}. Where: @var{mode} is a hex
35778 encoded 32 bit mode; @var{thread-id} is a thread ID
35779 (@pxref{thread-id syntax}).
35780
35781 Don't use this packet; use the @samp{qThreadExtraInfo} query instead
35782 (see below).
35783
35784 Reply: see @code{remote.c:remote_unpack_thread_info_response()}.
35785
35786 @item QNonStop:1
35787 @itemx QNonStop:0
35788 @cindex non-stop mode, remote request
35789 @cindex @samp{QNonStop} packet
35790 @anchor{QNonStop}
35791 Enter non-stop (@samp{QNonStop:1}) or all-stop (@samp{QNonStop:0}) mode.
35792 @xref{Remote Non-Stop}, for more information.
35793
35794 Reply:
35795 @table @samp
35796 @item OK
35797 The request succeeded.
35798
35799 @item E @var{nn}
35800 An error occurred. The error number @var{nn} is given as hex digits.
35801
35802 @item @w{}
35803 An empty reply indicates that @samp{QNonStop} is not supported by
35804 the stub.
35805 @end table
35806
35807 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
35808 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
35809 Use of this packet is controlled by the @code{set non-stop} command;
35810 @pxref{Non-Stop Mode}.
35811
35812 @item QPassSignals: @var{signal} @r{[};@var{signal}@r{]}@dots{}
35813 @cindex pass signals to inferior, remote request
35814 @cindex @samp{QPassSignals} packet
35815 @anchor{QPassSignals}
35816 Each listed @var{signal} should be passed directly to the inferior process.
35817 Signals are numbered identically to continue packets and stop replies
35818 (@pxref{Stop Reply Packets}). Each @var{signal} list item should be
35819 strictly greater than the previous item. These signals do not need to stop
35820 the inferior, or be reported to @value{GDBN}. All other signals should be
35821 reported to @value{GDBN}. Multiple @samp{QPassSignals} packets do not
35822 combine; any earlier @samp{QPassSignals} list is completely replaced by the
35823 new list. This packet improves performance when using @samp{handle
35824 @var{signal} nostop noprint pass}.
35825
35826 Reply:
35827 @table @samp
35828 @item OK
35829 The request succeeded.
35830
35831 @item E @var{nn}
35832 An error occurred. The error number @var{nn} is given as hex digits.
35833
35834 @item @w{}
35835 An empty reply indicates that @samp{QPassSignals} is not supported by
35836 the stub.
35837 @end table
35838
35839 Use of this packet is controlled by the @code{set remote pass-signals}
35840 command (@pxref{Remote Configuration, set remote pass-signals}).
35841 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
35842 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
35843
35844 @item QProgramSignals: @var{signal} @r{[};@var{signal}@r{]}@dots{}
35845 @cindex signals the inferior may see, remote request
35846 @cindex @samp{QProgramSignals} packet
35847 @anchor{QProgramSignals}
35848 Each listed @var{signal} may be delivered to the inferior process.
35849 Others should be silently discarded.
35850
35851 In some cases, the remote stub may need to decide whether to deliver a
35852 signal to the program or not without @value{GDBN} involvement. One
35853 example of that is while detaching --- the program's threads may have
35854 stopped for signals that haven't yet had a chance of being reported to
35855 @value{GDBN}, and so the remote stub can use the signal list specified
35856 by this packet to know whether to deliver or ignore those pending
35857 signals.
35858
35859 This does not influence whether to deliver a signal as requested by a
35860 resumption packet (@pxref{vCont packet}).
35861
35862 Signals are numbered identically to continue packets and stop replies
35863 (@pxref{Stop Reply Packets}). Each @var{signal} list item should be
35864 strictly greater than the previous item. Multiple
35865 @samp{QProgramSignals} packets do not combine; any earlier
35866 @samp{QProgramSignals} list is completely replaced by the new list.
35867
35868 Reply:
35869 @table @samp
35870 @item OK
35871 The request succeeded.
35872
35873 @item E @var{nn}
35874 An error occurred. The error number @var{nn} is given as hex digits.
35875
35876 @item @w{}
35877 An empty reply indicates that @samp{QProgramSignals} is not supported
35878 by the stub.
35879 @end table
35880
35881 Use of this packet is controlled by the @code{set remote program-signals}
35882 command (@pxref{Remote Configuration, set remote program-signals}).
35883 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
35884 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
35885
35886 @item qRcmd,@var{command}
35887 @cindex execute remote command, remote request
35888 @cindex @samp{qRcmd} packet
35889 @var{command} (hex encoded) is passed to the local interpreter for
35890 execution. Invalid commands should be reported using the output
35891 string. Before the final result packet, the target may also respond
35892 with a number of intermediate @samp{O@var{output}} console output
35893 packets. @emph{Implementors should note that providing access to a
35894 stubs's interpreter may have security implications}.
35895
35896 Reply:
35897 @table @samp
35898 @item OK
35899 A command response with no output.
35900 @item @var{OUTPUT}
35901 A command response with the hex encoded output string @var{OUTPUT}.
35902 @item E @var{NN}
35903 Indicate a badly formed request.
35904 @item @w{}
35905 An empty reply indicates that @samp{qRcmd} is not recognized.
35906 @end table
35907
35908 (Note that the @code{qRcmd} packet's name is separated from the
35909 command by a @samp{,}, not a @samp{:}, contrary to the naming
35910 conventions above. Please don't use this packet as a model for new
35911 packets.)
35912
35913 @item qSearch:memory:@var{address};@var{length};@var{search-pattern}
35914 @cindex searching memory, in remote debugging
35915 @ifnotinfo
35916 @cindex @samp{qSearch:memory} packet
35917 @end ifnotinfo
35918 @cindex @samp{qSearch memory} packet
35919 @anchor{qSearch memory}
35920 Search @var{length} bytes at @var{address} for @var{search-pattern}.
35921 Both @var{address} and @var{length} are encoded in hex;
35922 @var{search-pattern} is a sequence of bytes, also hex encoded.
35923
35924 Reply:
35925 @table @samp
35926 @item 0
35927 The pattern was not found.
35928 @item 1,address
35929 The pattern was found at @var{address}.
35930 @item E @var{NN}
35931 A badly formed request or an error was encountered while searching memory.
35932 @item @w{}
35933 An empty reply indicates that @samp{qSearch:memory} is not recognized.
35934 @end table
35935
35936 @item QStartNoAckMode
35937 @cindex @samp{QStartNoAckMode} packet
35938 @anchor{QStartNoAckMode}
35939 Request that the remote stub disable the normal @samp{+}/@samp{-}
35940 protocol acknowledgments (@pxref{Packet Acknowledgment}).
35941
35942 Reply:
35943 @table @samp
35944 @item OK
35945 The stub has switched to no-acknowledgment mode.
35946 @value{GDBN} acknowledges this reponse,
35947 but neither the stub nor @value{GDBN} shall send or expect further
35948 @samp{+}/@samp{-} acknowledgments in the current connection.
35949 @item @w{}
35950 An empty reply indicates that the stub does not support no-acknowledgment mode.
35951 @end table
35952
35953 @item qSupported @r{[}:@var{gdbfeature} @r{[};@var{gdbfeature}@r{]}@dots{} @r{]}
35954 @cindex supported packets, remote query
35955 @cindex features of the remote protocol
35956 @cindex @samp{qSupported} packet
35957 @anchor{qSupported}
35958 Tell the remote stub about features supported by @value{GDBN}, and
35959 query the stub for features it supports. This packet allows
35960 @value{GDBN} and the remote stub to take advantage of each others'
35961 features. @samp{qSupported} also consolidates multiple feature probes
35962 at startup, to improve @value{GDBN} performance---a single larger
35963 packet performs better than multiple smaller probe packets on
35964 high-latency links. Some features may enable behavior which must not
35965 be on by default, e.g.@: because it would confuse older clients or
35966 stubs. Other features may describe packets which could be
35967 automatically probed for, but are not. These features must be
35968 reported before @value{GDBN} will use them. This ``default
35969 unsupported'' behavior is not appropriate for all packets, but it
35970 helps to keep the initial connection time under control with new
35971 versions of @value{GDBN} which support increasing numbers of packets.
35972
35973 Reply:
35974 @table @samp
35975 @item @var{stubfeature} @r{[};@var{stubfeature}@r{]}@dots{}
35976 The stub supports or does not support each returned @var{stubfeature},
35977 depending on the form of each @var{stubfeature} (see below for the
35978 possible forms).
35979 @item @w{}
35980 An empty reply indicates that @samp{qSupported} is not recognized,
35981 or that no features needed to be reported to @value{GDBN}.
35982 @end table
35983
35984 The allowed forms for each feature (either a @var{gdbfeature} in the
35985 @samp{qSupported} packet, or a @var{stubfeature} in the response)
35986 are:
35987
35988 @table @samp
35989 @item @var{name}=@var{value}
35990 The remote protocol feature @var{name} is supported, and associated
35991 with the specified @var{value}. The format of @var{value} depends
35992 on the feature, but it must not include a semicolon.
35993 @item @var{name}+
35994 The remote protocol feature @var{name} is supported, and does not
35995 need an associated value.
35996 @item @var{name}-
35997 The remote protocol feature @var{name} is not supported.
35998 @item @var{name}?
35999 The remote protocol feature @var{name} may be supported, and
36000 @value{GDBN} should auto-detect support in some other way when it is
36001 needed. This form will not be used for @var{gdbfeature} notifications,
36002 but may be used for @var{stubfeature} responses.
36003 @end table
36004
36005 Whenever the stub receives a @samp{qSupported} request, the
36006 supplied set of @value{GDBN} features should override any previous
36007 request. This allows @value{GDBN} to put the stub in a known
36008 state, even if the stub had previously been communicating with
36009 a different version of @value{GDBN}.
36010
36011 The following values of @var{gdbfeature} (for the packet sent by @value{GDBN})
36012 are defined:
36013
36014 @table @samp
36015 @item multiprocess
36016 This feature indicates whether @value{GDBN} supports multiprocess
36017 extensions to the remote protocol. @value{GDBN} does not use such
36018 extensions unless the stub also reports that it supports them by
36019 including @samp{multiprocess+} in its @samp{qSupported} reply.
36020 @xref{multiprocess extensions}, for details.
36021
36022 @item xmlRegisters
36023 This feature indicates that @value{GDBN} supports the XML target
36024 description. If the stub sees @samp{xmlRegisters=} with target
36025 specific strings separated by a comma, it will report register
36026 description.
36027
36028 @item qRelocInsn
36029 This feature indicates whether @value{GDBN} supports the
36030 @samp{qRelocInsn} packet (@pxref{Tracepoint Packets,,Relocate
36031 instruction reply packet}).
36032
36033 @item swbreak
36034 This feature indicates whether @value{GDBN} supports the swbreak stop
36035 reason in stop replies. @xref{swbreak stop reason}, for details.
36036
36037 @item hwbreak
36038 This feature indicates whether @value{GDBN} supports the hwbreak stop
36039 reason in stop replies. @xref{swbreak stop reason}, for details.
36040
36041 @item fork-events
36042 This feature indicates whether @value{GDBN} supports fork event
36043 extensions to the remote protocol. @value{GDBN} does not use such
36044 extensions unless the stub also reports that it supports them by
36045 including @samp{fork-events+} in its @samp{qSupported} reply.
36046
36047 @item vfork-events
36048 This feature indicates whether @value{GDBN} supports vfork event
36049 extensions to the remote protocol. @value{GDBN} does not use such
36050 extensions unless the stub also reports that it supports them by
36051 including @samp{vfork-events+} in its @samp{qSupported} reply.
36052 @end table
36053
36054 Stubs should ignore any unknown values for
36055 @var{gdbfeature}. Any @value{GDBN} which sends a @samp{qSupported}
36056 packet supports receiving packets of unlimited length (earlier
36057 versions of @value{GDBN} may reject overly long responses). Additional values
36058 for @var{gdbfeature} may be defined in the future to let the stub take
36059 advantage of new features in @value{GDBN}, e.g.@: incompatible
36060 improvements in the remote protocol---the @samp{multiprocess} feature is
36061 an example of such a feature. The stub's reply should be independent
36062 of the @var{gdbfeature} entries sent by @value{GDBN}; first @value{GDBN}
36063 describes all the features it supports, and then the stub replies with
36064 all the features it supports.
36065
36066 Similarly, @value{GDBN} will silently ignore unrecognized stub feature
36067 responses, as long as each response uses one of the standard forms.
36068
36069 Some features are flags. A stub which supports a flag feature
36070 should respond with a @samp{+} form response. Other features
36071 require values, and the stub should respond with an @samp{=}
36072 form response.
36073
36074 Each feature has a default value, which @value{GDBN} will use if
36075 @samp{qSupported} is not available or if the feature is not mentioned
36076 in the @samp{qSupported} response. The default values are fixed; a
36077 stub is free to omit any feature responses that match the defaults.
36078
36079 Not all features can be probed, but for those which can, the probing
36080 mechanism is useful: in some cases, a stub's internal
36081 architecture may not allow the protocol layer to know some information
36082 about the underlying target in advance. This is especially common in
36083 stubs which may be configured for multiple targets.
36084
36085 These are the currently defined stub features and their properties:
36086
36087 @multitable @columnfractions 0.35 0.2 0.12 0.2
36088 @c NOTE: The first row should be @headitem, but we do not yet require
36089 @c a new enough version of Texinfo (4.7) to use @headitem.
36090 @item Feature Name
36091 @tab Value Required
36092 @tab Default
36093 @tab Probe Allowed
36094
36095 @item @samp{PacketSize}
36096 @tab Yes
36097 @tab @samp{-}
36098 @tab No
36099
36100 @item @samp{qXfer:auxv:read}
36101 @tab No
36102 @tab @samp{-}
36103 @tab Yes
36104
36105 @item @samp{qXfer:btrace:read}
36106 @tab No
36107 @tab @samp{-}
36108 @tab Yes
36109
36110 @item @samp{qXfer:btrace-conf:read}
36111 @tab No
36112 @tab @samp{-}
36113 @tab Yes
36114
36115 @item @samp{qXfer:exec-file:read}
36116 @tab No
36117 @tab @samp{-}
36118 @tab Yes
36119
36120 @item @samp{qXfer:features:read}
36121 @tab No
36122 @tab @samp{-}
36123 @tab Yes
36124
36125 @item @samp{qXfer:libraries:read}
36126 @tab No
36127 @tab @samp{-}
36128 @tab Yes
36129
36130 @item @samp{qXfer:libraries-svr4:read}
36131 @tab No
36132 @tab @samp{-}
36133 @tab Yes
36134
36135 @item @samp{augmented-libraries-svr4-read}
36136 @tab No
36137 @tab @samp{-}
36138 @tab No
36139
36140 @item @samp{qXfer:memory-map:read}
36141 @tab No
36142 @tab @samp{-}
36143 @tab Yes
36144
36145 @item @samp{qXfer:sdata:read}
36146 @tab No
36147 @tab @samp{-}
36148 @tab Yes
36149
36150 @item @samp{qXfer:spu:read}
36151 @tab No
36152 @tab @samp{-}
36153 @tab Yes
36154
36155 @item @samp{qXfer:spu:write}
36156 @tab No
36157 @tab @samp{-}
36158 @tab Yes
36159
36160 @item @samp{qXfer:siginfo:read}
36161 @tab No
36162 @tab @samp{-}
36163 @tab Yes
36164
36165 @item @samp{qXfer:siginfo:write}
36166 @tab No
36167 @tab @samp{-}
36168 @tab Yes
36169
36170 @item @samp{qXfer:threads:read}
36171 @tab No
36172 @tab @samp{-}
36173 @tab Yes
36174
36175 @item @samp{qXfer:traceframe-info:read}
36176 @tab No
36177 @tab @samp{-}
36178 @tab Yes
36179
36180 @item @samp{qXfer:uib:read}
36181 @tab No
36182 @tab @samp{-}
36183 @tab Yes
36184
36185 @item @samp{qXfer:fdpic:read}
36186 @tab No
36187 @tab @samp{-}
36188 @tab Yes
36189
36190 @item @samp{Qbtrace:off}
36191 @tab Yes
36192 @tab @samp{-}
36193 @tab Yes
36194
36195 @item @samp{Qbtrace:bts}
36196 @tab Yes
36197 @tab @samp{-}
36198 @tab Yes
36199
36200 @item @samp{Qbtrace-conf:bts:size}
36201 @tab Yes
36202 @tab @samp{-}
36203 @tab Yes
36204
36205 @item @samp{QNonStop}
36206 @tab No
36207 @tab @samp{-}
36208 @tab Yes
36209
36210 @item @samp{QPassSignals}
36211 @tab No
36212 @tab @samp{-}
36213 @tab Yes
36214
36215 @item @samp{QStartNoAckMode}
36216 @tab No
36217 @tab @samp{-}
36218 @tab Yes
36219
36220 @item @samp{multiprocess}
36221 @tab No
36222 @tab @samp{-}
36223 @tab No
36224
36225 @item @samp{ConditionalBreakpoints}
36226 @tab No
36227 @tab @samp{-}
36228 @tab No
36229
36230 @item @samp{ConditionalTracepoints}
36231 @tab No
36232 @tab @samp{-}
36233 @tab No
36234
36235 @item @samp{ReverseContinue}
36236 @tab No
36237 @tab @samp{-}
36238 @tab No
36239
36240 @item @samp{ReverseStep}
36241 @tab No
36242 @tab @samp{-}
36243 @tab No
36244
36245 @item @samp{TracepointSource}
36246 @tab No
36247 @tab @samp{-}
36248 @tab No
36249
36250 @item @samp{QAgent}
36251 @tab No
36252 @tab @samp{-}
36253 @tab No
36254
36255 @item @samp{QAllow}
36256 @tab No
36257 @tab @samp{-}
36258 @tab No
36259
36260 @item @samp{QDisableRandomization}
36261 @tab No
36262 @tab @samp{-}
36263 @tab No
36264
36265 @item @samp{EnableDisableTracepoints}
36266 @tab No
36267 @tab @samp{-}
36268 @tab No
36269
36270 @item @samp{QTBuffer:size}
36271 @tab No
36272 @tab @samp{-}
36273 @tab No
36274
36275 @item @samp{tracenz}
36276 @tab No
36277 @tab @samp{-}
36278 @tab No
36279
36280 @item @samp{BreakpointCommands}
36281 @tab No
36282 @tab @samp{-}
36283 @tab No
36284
36285 @item @samp{swbreak}
36286 @tab No
36287 @tab @samp{-}
36288 @tab No
36289
36290 @item @samp{hwbreak}
36291 @tab No
36292 @tab @samp{-}
36293 @tab No
36294
36295 @item @samp{fork-events}
36296 @tab No
36297 @tab @samp{-}
36298 @tab No
36299
36300 @item @samp{vfork-events}
36301 @tab No
36302 @tab @samp{-}
36303 @tab No
36304
36305 @end multitable
36306
36307 These are the currently defined stub features, in more detail:
36308
36309 @table @samp
36310 @cindex packet size, remote protocol
36311 @item PacketSize=@var{bytes}
36312 The remote stub can accept packets up to at least @var{bytes} in
36313 length. @value{GDBN} will send packets up to this size for bulk
36314 transfers, and will never send larger packets. This is a limit on the
36315 data characters in the packet, including the frame and checksum.
36316 There is no trailing NUL byte in a remote protocol packet; if the stub
36317 stores packets in a NUL-terminated format, it should allow an extra
36318 byte in its buffer for the NUL. If this stub feature is not supported,
36319 @value{GDBN} guesses based on the size of the @samp{g} packet response.
36320
36321 @item qXfer:auxv:read
36322 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:auxv:read} packet
36323 (@pxref{qXfer auxiliary vector read}).
36324
36325 @item qXfer:btrace:read
36326 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:btrace:read}
36327 packet (@pxref{qXfer btrace read}).
36328
36329 @item qXfer:btrace-conf:read
36330 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:btrace-conf:read}
36331 packet (@pxref{qXfer btrace-conf read}).
36332
36333 @item qXfer:exec-file:read
36334 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:exec-file:read} packet
36335 (@pxref{qXfer executable filename read}).
36336
36337 @item qXfer:features:read
36338 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:features:read} packet
36339 (@pxref{qXfer target description read}).
36340
36341 @item qXfer:libraries:read
36342 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:libraries:read} packet
36343 (@pxref{qXfer library list read}).
36344
36345 @item qXfer:libraries-svr4:read
36346 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:libraries-svr4:read} packet
36347 (@pxref{qXfer svr4 library list read}).
36348
36349 @item augmented-libraries-svr4-read
36350 The remote stub understands the augmented form of the
36351 @samp{qXfer:libraries-svr4:read} packet
36352 (@pxref{qXfer svr4 library list read}).
36353
36354 @item qXfer:memory-map:read
36355 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:memory-map:read} packet
36356 (@pxref{qXfer memory map read}).
36357
36358 @item qXfer:sdata:read
36359 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:sdata:read} packet
36360 (@pxref{qXfer sdata read}).
36361
36362 @item qXfer:spu:read
36363 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:spu:read} packet
36364 (@pxref{qXfer spu read}).
36365
36366 @item qXfer:spu:write
36367 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:spu:write} packet
36368 (@pxref{qXfer spu write}).
36369
36370 @item qXfer:siginfo:read
36371 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:siginfo:read} packet
36372 (@pxref{qXfer siginfo read}).
36373
36374 @item qXfer:siginfo:write
36375 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:siginfo:write} packet
36376 (@pxref{qXfer siginfo write}).
36377
36378 @item qXfer:threads:read
36379 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:threads:read} packet
36380 (@pxref{qXfer threads read}).
36381
36382 @item qXfer:traceframe-info:read
36383 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:traceframe-info:read}
36384 packet (@pxref{qXfer traceframe info read}).
36385
36386 @item qXfer:uib:read
36387 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:uib:read}
36388 packet (@pxref{qXfer unwind info block}).
36389
36390 @item qXfer:fdpic:read
36391 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:fdpic:read}
36392 packet (@pxref{qXfer fdpic loadmap read}).
36393
36394 @item QNonStop
36395 The remote stub understands the @samp{QNonStop} packet
36396 (@pxref{QNonStop}).
36397
36398 @item QPassSignals
36399 The remote stub understands the @samp{QPassSignals} packet
36400 (@pxref{QPassSignals}).
36401
36402 @item QStartNoAckMode
36403 The remote stub understands the @samp{QStartNoAckMode} packet and
36404 prefers to operate in no-acknowledgment mode. @xref{Packet Acknowledgment}.
36405
36406 @item multiprocess
36407 @anchor{multiprocess extensions}
36408 @cindex multiprocess extensions, in remote protocol
36409 The remote stub understands the multiprocess extensions to the remote
36410 protocol syntax. The multiprocess extensions affect the syntax of
36411 thread IDs in both packets and replies (@pxref{thread-id syntax}), and
36412 add process IDs to the @samp{D} packet and @samp{W} and @samp{X}
36413 replies. Note that reporting this feature indicates support for the
36414 syntactic extensions only, not that the stub necessarily supports
36415 debugging of more than one process at a time. The stub must not use
36416 multiprocess extensions in packet replies unless @value{GDBN} has also
36417 indicated it supports them in its @samp{qSupported} request.
36418
36419 @item qXfer:osdata:read
36420 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:osdata:read} packet
36421 ((@pxref{qXfer osdata read}).
36422
36423 @item ConditionalBreakpoints
36424 The target accepts and implements evaluation of conditional expressions
36425 defined for breakpoints. The target will only report breakpoint triggers
36426 when such conditions are true (@pxref{Conditions, ,Break Conditions}).
36427
36428 @item ConditionalTracepoints
36429 The remote stub accepts and implements conditional expressions defined
36430 for tracepoints (@pxref{Tracepoint Conditions}).
36431
36432 @item ReverseContinue
36433 The remote stub accepts and implements the reverse continue packet
36434 (@pxref{bc}).
36435
36436 @item ReverseStep
36437 The remote stub accepts and implements the reverse step packet
36438 (@pxref{bs}).
36439
36440 @item TracepointSource
36441 The remote stub understands the @samp{QTDPsrc} packet that supplies
36442 the source form of tracepoint definitions.
36443
36444 @item QAgent
36445 The remote stub understands the @samp{QAgent} packet.
36446
36447 @item QAllow
36448 The remote stub understands the @samp{QAllow} packet.
36449
36450 @item QDisableRandomization
36451 The remote stub understands the @samp{QDisableRandomization} packet.
36452
36453 @item StaticTracepoint
36454 @cindex static tracepoints, in remote protocol
36455 The remote stub supports static tracepoints.
36456
36457 @item InstallInTrace
36458 @anchor{install tracepoint in tracing}
36459 The remote stub supports installing tracepoint in tracing.
36460
36461 @item EnableDisableTracepoints
36462 The remote stub supports the @samp{QTEnable} (@pxref{QTEnable}) and
36463 @samp{QTDisable} (@pxref{QTDisable}) packets that allow tracepoints
36464 to be enabled and disabled while a trace experiment is running.
36465
36466 @item QTBuffer:size
36467 The remote stub supports the @samp{QTBuffer:size} (@pxref{QTBuffer-size})
36468 packet that allows to change the size of the trace buffer.
36469
36470 @item tracenz
36471 @cindex string tracing, in remote protocol
36472 The remote stub supports the @samp{tracenz} bytecode for collecting strings.
36473 See @ref{Bytecode Descriptions} for details about the bytecode.
36474
36475 @item BreakpointCommands
36476 @cindex breakpoint commands, in remote protocol
36477 The remote stub supports running a breakpoint's command list itself,
36478 rather than reporting the hit to @value{GDBN}.
36479
36480 @item Qbtrace:off
36481 The remote stub understands the @samp{Qbtrace:off} packet.
36482
36483 @item Qbtrace:bts
36484 The remote stub understands the @samp{Qbtrace:bts} packet.
36485
36486 @item Qbtrace-conf:bts:size
36487 The remote stub understands the @samp{Qbtrace-conf:bts:size} packet.
36488
36489 @item swbreak
36490 The remote stub reports the @samp{swbreak} stop reason for memory
36491 breakpoints.
36492
36493 @item hwbreak
36494 The remote stub reports the @samp{hwbreak} stop reason for hardware
36495 breakpoints.
36496
36497 @item fork-events
36498 The remote stub reports the @samp{fork} stop reason for fork events.
36499
36500 @item vfork-events
36501 The remote stub reports the @samp{vfork} stop reason for vfork events
36502 and vforkdone events.
36503
36504 @end table
36505
36506 @item qSymbol::
36507 @cindex symbol lookup, remote request
36508 @cindex @samp{qSymbol} packet
36509 Notify the target that @value{GDBN} is prepared to serve symbol lookup
36510 requests. Accept requests from the target for the values of symbols.
36511
36512 Reply:
36513 @table @samp
36514 @item OK
36515 The target does not need to look up any (more) symbols.
36516 @item qSymbol:@var{sym_name}
36517 The target requests the value of symbol @var{sym_name} (hex encoded).
36518 @value{GDBN} may provide the value by using the
36519 @samp{qSymbol:@var{sym_value}:@var{sym_name}} message, described
36520 below.
36521 @end table
36522
36523 @item qSymbol:@var{sym_value}:@var{sym_name}
36524 Set the value of @var{sym_name} to @var{sym_value}.
36525
36526 @var{sym_name} (hex encoded) is the name of a symbol whose value the
36527 target has previously requested.
36528
36529 @var{sym_value} (hex) is the value for symbol @var{sym_name}. If
36530 @value{GDBN} cannot supply a value for @var{sym_name}, then this field
36531 will be empty.
36532
36533 Reply:
36534 @table @samp
36535 @item OK
36536 The target does not need to look up any (more) symbols.
36537 @item qSymbol:@var{sym_name}
36538 The target requests the value of a new symbol @var{sym_name} (hex
36539 encoded). @value{GDBN} will continue to supply the values of symbols
36540 (if available), until the target ceases to request them.
36541 @end table
36542
36543 @item qTBuffer
36544 @itemx QTBuffer
36545 @itemx QTDisconnected
36546 @itemx QTDP
36547 @itemx QTDPsrc
36548 @itemx QTDV
36549 @itemx qTfP
36550 @itemx qTfV
36551 @itemx QTFrame
36552 @itemx qTMinFTPILen
36553
36554 @xref{Tracepoint Packets}.
36555
36556 @item qThreadExtraInfo,@var{thread-id}
36557 @cindex thread attributes info, remote request
36558 @cindex @samp{qThreadExtraInfo} packet
36559 Obtain from the target OS a printable string description of thread
36560 attributes for the thread @var{thread-id}; see @ref{thread-id syntax},
36561 for the forms of @var{thread-id}. This
36562 string may contain anything that the target OS thinks is interesting
36563 for @value{GDBN} to tell the user about the thread. The string is
36564 displayed in @value{GDBN}'s @code{info threads} display. Some
36565 examples of possible thread extra info strings are @samp{Runnable}, or
36566 @samp{Blocked on Mutex}.
36567
36568 Reply:
36569 @table @samp
36570 @item @var{XX}@dots{}
36571 Where @samp{@var{XX}@dots{}} is a hex encoding of @sc{ascii} data,
36572 comprising the printable string containing the extra information about
36573 the thread's attributes.
36574 @end table
36575
36576 (Note that the @code{qThreadExtraInfo} packet's name is separated from
36577 the command by a @samp{,}, not a @samp{:}, contrary to the naming
36578 conventions above. Please don't use this packet as a model for new
36579 packets.)
36580
36581 @item QTNotes
36582 @itemx qTP
36583 @itemx QTSave
36584 @itemx qTsP
36585 @itemx qTsV
36586 @itemx QTStart
36587 @itemx QTStop
36588 @itemx QTEnable
36589 @itemx QTDisable
36590 @itemx QTinit
36591 @itemx QTro
36592 @itemx qTStatus
36593 @itemx qTV
36594 @itemx qTfSTM
36595 @itemx qTsSTM
36596 @itemx qTSTMat
36597 @xref{Tracepoint Packets}.
36598
36599 @item qXfer:@var{object}:read:@var{annex}:@var{offset},@var{length}
36600 @cindex read special object, remote request
36601 @cindex @samp{qXfer} packet
36602 @anchor{qXfer read}
36603 Read uninterpreted bytes from the target's special data area
36604 identified by the keyword @var{object}. Request @var{length} bytes
36605 starting at @var{offset} bytes into the data. The content and
36606 encoding of @var{annex} is specific to @var{object}; it can supply
36607 additional details about what data to access.
36608
36609 Here are the specific requests of this form defined so far. All
36610 @samp{qXfer:@var{object}:read:@dots{}} requests use the same reply
36611 formats, listed below.
36612
36613 @table @samp
36614 @item qXfer:auxv:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
36615 @anchor{qXfer auxiliary vector read}
36616 Access the target's @dfn{auxiliary vector}. @xref{OS Information,
36617 auxiliary vector}. Note @var{annex} must be empty.
36618
36619 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
36620 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
36621
36622 @item qXfer:btrace:read:@var{annex}:@var{offset},@var{length}
36623 @anchor{qXfer btrace read}
36624
36625 Return a description of the current branch trace.
36626 @xref{Branch Trace Format}. The annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer}
36627 packet may have one of the following values:
36628
36629 @table @code
36630 @item all
36631 Returns all available branch trace.
36632
36633 @item new
36634 Returns all available branch trace if the branch trace changed since
36635 the last read request.
36636
36637 @item delta
36638 Returns the new branch trace since the last read request. Adds a new
36639 block to the end of the trace that begins at zero and ends at the source
36640 location of the first branch in the trace buffer. This extra block is
36641 used to stitch traces together.
36642
36643 If the trace buffer overflowed, returns an error indicating the overflow.
36644 @end table
36645
36646 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it
36647 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
36648
36649 @item qXfer:btrace-conf:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
36650 @anchor{qXfer btrace-conf read}
36651
36652 Return a description of the current branch trace configuration.
36653 @xref{Branch Trace Configuration Format}.
36654
36655 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it
36656 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
36657
36658 @item qXfer:exec-file:read:@var{annex}:@var{offset},@var{length}
36659 @anchor{qXfer executable filename read}
36660 Return the full absolute name of the file that was executed to create
36661 a process running on the remote system. The annex specifies the
36662 numeric process ID of the process to query, encoded as a hexadecimal
36663 number. If the annex part is empty the remote stub should return the
36664 filename corresponding to the currently executing process.
36665
36666 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
36667 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
36668
36669 @item qXfer:features:read:@var{annex}:@var{offset},@var{length}
36670 @anchor{qXfer target description read}
36671 Access the @dfn{target description}. @xref{Target Descriptions}. The
36672 annex specifies which XML document to access. The main description is
36673 always loaded from the @samp{target.xml} annex.
36674
36675 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
36676 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
36677
36678 @item qXfer:libraries:read:@var{annex}:@var{offset},@var{length}
36679 @anchor{qXfer library list read}
36680 Access the target's list of loaded libraries. @xref{Library List Format}.
36681 The annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet must be empty
36682 (@pxref{qXfer read}).
36683
36684 Targets which maintain a list of libraries in the program's memory do
36685 not need to implement this packet; it is designed for platforms where
36686 the operating system manages the list of loaded libraries.
36687
36688 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
36689 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
36690
36691 @item qXfer:libraries-svr4:read:@var{annex}:@var{offset},@var{length}
36692 @anchor{qXfer svr4 library list read}
36693 Access the target's list of loaded libraries when the target is an SVR4
36694 platform. @xref{Library List Format for SVR4 Targets}. The annex part
36695 of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet must be empty unless the remote
36696 stub indicated it supports the augmented form of this packet
36697 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response
36698 (@pxref{qXfer read}, @ref{qSupported}).
36699
36700 This packet is optional for better performance on SVR4 targets.
36701 @value{GDBN} uses memory read packets to read the SVR4 library list otherwise.
36702
36703 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
36704 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
36705
36706 If the remote stub indicates it supports the augmented form of this
36707 packet then the annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet may
36708 contain a semicolon-separated list of @samp{@var{name}=@var{value}}
36709 arguments. The currently supported arguments are:
36710
36711 @table @code
36712 @item start=@var{address}
36713 A hexadecimal number specifying the address of the @samp{struct
36714 link_map} to start reading the library list from. If unset or zero
36715 then the first @samp{struct link_map} in the library list will be
36716 chosen as the starting point.
36717
36718 @item prev=@var{address}
36719 A hexadecimal number specifying the address of the @samp{struct
36720 link_map} immediately preceding the @samp{struct link_map}
36721 specified by the @samp{start} argument. If unset or zero then
36722 the remote stub will expect that no @samp{struct link_map}
36723 exists prior to the starting point.
36724
36725 @end table
36726
36727 Arguments that are not understood by the remote stub will be silently
36728 ignored.
36729
36730 @item qXfer:memory-map:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
36731 @anchor{qXfer memory map read}
36732 Access the target's @dfn{memory-map}. @xref{Memory Map Format}. The
36733 annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet must be empty
36734 (@pxref{qXfer read}).
36735
36736 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
36737 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
36738
36739 @item qXfer:sdata:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
36740 @anchor{qXfer sdata read}
36741
36742 Read contents of the extra collected static tracepoint marker
36743 information. The annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet must
36744 be empty (@pxref{qXfer read}). @xref{Tracepoint Actions,,Tracepoint
36745 Action Lists}.
36746
36747 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
36748 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response
36749 (@pxref{qSupported}).
36750
36751 @item qXfer:siginfo:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
36752 @anchor{qXfer siginfo read}
36753 Read contents of the extra signal information on the target
36754 system. The annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet must be
36755 empty (@pxref{qXfer read}).
36756
36757 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
36758 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response
36759 (@pxref{qSupported}).
36760
36761 @item qXfer:spu:read:@var{annex}:@var{offset},@var{length}
36762 @anchor{qXfer spu read}
36763 Read contents of an @code{spufs} file on the target system. The
36764 annex specifies which file to read; it must be of the form
36765 @file{@var{id}/@var{name}}, where @var{id} specifies an SPU context ID
36766 in the target process, and @var{name} identifes the @code{spufs} file
36767 in that context to be accessed.
36768
36769 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
36770 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response
36771 (@pxref{qSupported}).
36772
36773 @item qXfer:threads:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
36774 @anchor{qXfer threads read}
36775 Access the list of threads on target. @xref{Thread List Format}. The
36776 annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet must be empty
36777 (@pxref{qXfer read}).
36778
36779 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
36780 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
36781
36782 @item qXfer:traceframe-info:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
36783 @anchor{qXfer traceframe info read}
36784
36785 Return a description of the current traceframe's contents.
36786 @xref{Traceframe Info Format}. The annex part of the generic
36787 @samp{qXfer} packet must be empty (@pxref{qXfer read}).
36788
36789 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
36790 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
36791
36792 @item qXfer:uib:read:@var{pc}:@var{offset},@var{length}
36793 @anchor{qXfer unwind info block}
36794
36795 Return the unwind information block for @var{pc}. This packet is used
36796 on OpenVMS/ia64 to ask the kernel unwind information.
36797
36798 This packet is not probed by default.
36799
36800 @item qXfer:fdpic:read:@var{annex}:@var{offset},@var{length}
36801 @anchor{qXfer fdpic loadmap read}
36802 Read contents of @code{loadmap}s on the target system. The
36803 annex, either @samp{exec} or @samp{interp}, specifies which @code{loadmap},
36804 executable @code{loadmap} or interpreter @code{loadmap} to read.
36805
36806 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
36807 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
36808
36809 @item qXfer:osdata:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
36810 @anchor{qXfer osdata read}
36811 Access the target's @dfn{operating system information}.
36812 @xref{Operating System Information}.
36813
36814 @end table
36815
36816 Reply:
36817 @table @samp
36818 @item m @var{data}
36819 Data @var{data} (@pxref{Binary Data}) has been read from the
36820 target. There may be more data at a higher address (although
36821 it is permitted to return @samp{m} even for the last valid
36822 block of data, as long as at least one byte of data was read).
36823 It is possible for @var{data} to have fewer bytes than the @var{length} in the
36824 request.
36825
36826 @item l @var{data}
36827 Data @var{data} (@pxref{Binary Data}) has been read from the target.
36828 There is no more data to be read. It is possible for @var{data} to
36829 have fewer bytes than the @var{length} in the request.
36830
36831 @item l
36832 The @var{offset} in the request is at the end of the data.
36833 There is no more data to be read.
36834
36835 @item E00
36836 The request was malformed, or @var{annex} was invalid.
36837
36838 @item E @var{nn}
36839 The offset was invalid, or there was an error encountered reading the data.
36840 The @var{nn} part is a hex-encoded @code{errno} value.
36841
36842 @item @w{}
36843 An empty reply indicates the @var{object} string was not recognized by
36844 the stub, or that the object does not support reading.
36845 @end table
36846
36847 @item qXfer:@var{object}:write:@var{annex}:@var{offset}:@var{data}@dots{}
36848 @cindex write data into object, remote request
36849 @anchor{qXfer write}
36850 Write uninterpreted bytes into the target's special data area
36851 identified by the keyword @var{object}, starting at @var{offset} bytes
36852 into the data. The binary-encoded data (@pxref{Binary Data}) to be
36853 written is given by @var{data}@dots{}. The content and encoding of @var{annex}
36854 is specific to @var{object}; it can supply additional details about what data
36855 to access.
36856
36857 Here are the specific requests of this form defined so far. All
36858 @samp{qXfer:@var{object}:write:@dots{}} requests use the same reply
36859 formats, listed below.
36860
36861 @table @samp
36862 @item qXfer:siginfo:write::@var{offset}:@var{data}@dots{}
36863 @anchor{qXfer siginfo write}
36864 Write @var{data} to the extra signal information on the target system.
36865 The annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet must be
36866 empty (@pxref{qXfer write}).
36867
36868 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
36869 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response
36870 (@pxref{qSupported}).
36871
36872 @item qXfer:spu:write:@var{annex}:@var{offset}:@var{data}@dots{}
36873 @anchor{qXfer spu write}
36874 Write @var{data} to an @code{spufs} file on the target system. The
36875 annex specifies which file to write; it must be of the form
36876 @file{@var{id}/@var{name}}, where @var{id} specifies an SPU context ID
36877 in the target process, and @var{name} identifes the @code{spufs} file
36878 in that context to be accessed.
36879
36880 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
36881 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
36882 @end table
36883
36884 Reply:
36885 @table @samp
36886 @item @var{nn}
36887 @var{nn} (hex encoded) is the number of bytes written.
36888 This may be fewer bytes than supplied in the request.
36889
36890 @item E00
36891 The request was malformed, or @var{annex} was invalid.
36892
36893 @item E @var{nn}
36894 The offset was invalid, or there was an error encountered writing the data.
36895 The @var{nn} part is a hex-encoded @code{errno} value.
36896
36897 @item @w{}
36898 An empty reply indicates the @var{object} string was not
36899 recognized by the stub, or that the object does not support writing.
36900 @end table
36901
36902 @item qXfer:@var{object}:@var{operation}:@dots{}
36903 Requests of this form may be added in the future. When a stub does
36904 not recognize the @var{object} keyword, or its support for
36905 @var{object} does not recognize the @var{operation} keyword, the stub
36906 must respond with an empty packet.
36907
36908 @item qAttached:@var{pid}
36909 @cindex query attached, remote request
36910 @cindex @samp{qAttached} packet
36911 Return an indication of whether the remote server attached to an
36912 existing process or created a new process. When the multiprocess
36913 protocol extensions are supported (@pxref{multiprocess extensions}),
36914 @var{pid} is an integer in hexadecimal format identifying the target
36915 process. Otherwise, @value{GDBN} will omit the @var{pid} field and
36916 the query packet will be simplified as @samp{qAttached}.
36917
36918 This query is used, for example, to know whether the remote process
36919 should be detached or killed when a @value{GDBN} session is ended with
36920 the @code{quit} command.
36921
36922 Reply:
36923 @table @samp
36924 @item 1
36925 The remote server attached to an existing process.
36926 @item 0
36927 The remote server created a new process.
36928 @item E @var{NN}
36929 A badly formed request or an error was encountered.
36930 @end table
36931
36932 @item Qbtrace:bts
36933 Enable branch tracing for the current thread using bts tracing.
36934
36935 Reply:
36936 @table @samp
36937 @item OK
36938 Branch tracing has been enabled.
36939 @item E.errtext
36940 A badly formed request or an error was encountered.
36941 @end table
36942
36943 @item Qbtrace:off
36944 Disable branch tracing for the current thread.
36945
36946 Reply:
36947 @table @samp
36948 @item OK
36949 Branch tracing has been disabled.
36950 @item E.errtext
36951 A badly formed request or an error was encountered.
36952 @end table
36953
36954 @item Qbtrace-conf:bts:size=@var{value}
36955 Set the requested ring buffer size for new threads that use the
36956 btrace recording method in bts format.
36957
36958 Reply:
36959 @table @samp
36960 @item OK
36961 The ring buffer size has been set.
36962 @item E.errtext
36963 A badly formed request or an error was encountered.
36964 @end table
36965
36966 @end table
36967
36968 @node Architecture-Specific Protocol Details
36969 @section Architecture-Specific Protocol Details
36970
36971 This section describes how the remote protocol is applied to specific
36972 target architectures. Also see @ref{Standard Target Features}, for
36973 details of XML target descriptions for each architecture.
36974
36975 @menu
36976 * ARM-Specific Protocol Details::
36977 * MIPS-Specific Protocol Details::
36978 @end menu
36979
36980 @node ARM-Specific Protocol Details
36981 @subsection @acronym{ARM}-specific Protocol Details
36982
36983 @menu
36984 * ARM Breakpoint Kinds::
36985 @end menu
36986
36987 @node ARM Breakpoint Kinds
36988 @subsubsection @acronym{ARM} Breakpoint Kinds
36989 @cindex breakpoint kinds, @acronym{ARM}
36990
36991 These breakpoint kinds are defined for the @samp{Z0} and @samp{Z1} packets.
36992
36993 @table @r
36994
36995 @item 2
36996 16-bit Thumb mode breakpoint.
36997
36998 @item 3
36999 32-bit Thumb mode (Thumb-2) breakpoint.
37000
37001 @item 4
37002 32-bit @acronym{ARM} mode breakpoint.
37003
37004 @end table
37005
37006 @node MIPS-Specific Protocol Details
37007 @subsection @acronym{MIPS}-specific Protocol Details
37008
37009 @menu
37010 * MIPS Register packet Format::
37011 * MIPS Breakpoint Kinds::
37012 @end menu
37013
37014 @node MIPS Register packet Format
37015 @subsubsection @acronym{MIPS} Register Packet Format
37016 @cindex register packet format, @acronym{MIPS}
37017
37018 The following @code{g}/@code{G} packets have previously been defined.
37019 In the below, some thirty-two bit registers are transferred as
37020 sixty-four bits. Those registers should be zero/sign extended (which?)
37021 to fill the space allocated. Register bytes are transferred in target
37022 byte order. The two nibbles within a register byte are transferred
37023 most-significant -- least-significant.
37024
37025 @table @r
37026
37027 @item MIPS32
37028 All registers are transferred as thirty-two bit quantities in the order:
37029 32 general-purpose; sr; lo; hi; bad; cause; pc; 32 floating-point
37030 registers; fsr; fir; fp.
37031
37032 @item MIPS64
37033 All registers are transferred as sixty-four bit quantities (including
37034 thirty-two bit registers such as @code{sr}). The ordering is the same
37035 as @code{MIPS32}.
37036
37037 @end table
37038
37039 @node MIPS Breakpoint Kinds
37040 @subsubsection @acronym{MIPS} Breakpoint Kinds
37041 @cindex breakpoint kinds, @acronym{MIPS}
37042
37043 These breakpoint kinds are defined for the @samp{Z0} and @samp{Z1} packets.
37044
37045 @table @r
37046
37047 @item 2
37048 16-bit @acronym{MIPS16} mode breakpoint.
37049
37050 @item 3
37051 16-bit @acronym{microMIPS} mode breakpoint.
37052
37053 @item 4
37054 32-bit standard @acronym{MIPS} mode breakpoint.
37055
37056 @item 5
37057 32-bit @acronym{microMIPS} mode breakpoint.
37058
37059 @end table
37060
37061 @node Tracepoint Packets
37062 @section Tracepoint Packets
37063 @cindex tracepoint packets
37064 @cindex packets, tracepoint
37065
37066 Here we describe the packets @value{GDBN} uses to implement
37067 tracepoints (@pxref{Tracepoints}).
37068
37069 @table @samp
37070
37071 @item QTDP:@var{n}:@var{addr}:@var{ena}:@var{step}:@var{pass}[:F@var{flen}][:X@var{len},@var{bytes}]@r{[}-@r{]}
37072 @cindex @samp{QTDP} packet
37073 Create a new tracepoint, number @var{n}, at @var{addr}. If @var{ena}
37074 is @samp{E}, then the tracepoint is enabled; if it is @samp{D}, then
37075 the tracepoint is disabled. The @var{step} gives the tracepoint's step
37076 count, and @var{pass} gives its pass count. If an @samp{F} is present,
37077 then the tracepoint is to be a fast tracepoint, and the @var{flen} is
37078 the number of bytes that the target should copy elsewhere to make room
37079 for the tracepoint. If an @samp{X} is present, it introduces a
37080 tracepoint condition, which consists of a hexadecimal length, followed
37081 by a comma and hex-encoded bytes, in a manner similar to action
37082 encodings as described below. If the trailing @samp{-} is present,
37083 further @samp{QTDP} packets will follow to specify this tracepoint's
37084 actions.
37085
37086 Replies:
37087 @table @samp
37088 @item OK
37089 The packet was understood and carried out.
37090 @item qRelocInsn
37091 @xref{Tracepoint Packets,,Relocate instruction reply packet}.
37092 @item @w{}
37093 The packet was not recognized.
37094 @end table
37095
37096 @item QTDP:-@var{n}:@var{addr}:@r{[}S@r{]}@var{action}@dots{}@r{[}-@r{]}
37097 Define actions to be taken when a tracepoint is hit. The @var{n} and
37098 @var{addr} must be the same as in the initial @samp{QTDP} packet for
37099 this tracepoint. This packet may only be sent immediately after
37100 another @samp{QTDP} packet that ended with a @samp{-}. If the
37101 trailing @samp{-} is present, further @samp{QTDP} packets will follow,
37102 specifying more actions for this tracepoint.
37103
37104 In the series of action packets for a given tracepoint, at most one
37105 can have an @samp{S} before its first @var{action}. If such a packet
37106 is sent, it and the following packets define ``while-stepping''
37107 actions. Any prior packets define ordinary actions --- that is, those
37108 taken when the tracepoint is first hit. If no action packet has an
37109 @samp{S}, then all the packets in the series specify ordinary
37110 tracepoint actions.
37111
37112 The @samp{@var{action}@dots{}} portion of the packet is a series of
37113 actions, concatenated without separators. Each action has one of the
37114 following forms:
37115
37116 @table @samp
37117
37118 @item R @var{mask}
37119 Collect the registers whose bits are set in @var{mask},
37120 a hexadecimal number whose @var{i}'th bit is set if register number
37121 @var{i} should be collected. (The least significant bit is numbered
37122 zero.) Note that @var{mask} may be any number of digits long; it may
37123 not fit in a 32-bit word.
37124
37125 @item M @var{basereg},@var{offset},@var{len}
37126 Collect @var{len} bytes of memory starting at the address in register
37127 number @var{basereg}, plus @var{offset}. If @var{basereg} is
37128 @samp{-1}, then the range has a fixed address: @var{offset} is the
37129 address of the lowest byte to collect. The @var{basereg},
37130 @var{offset}, and @var{len} parameters are all unsigned hexadecimal
37131 values (the @samp{-1} value for @var{basereg} is a special case).
37132
37133 @item X @var{len},@var{expr}
37134 Evaluate @var{expr}, whose length is @var{len}, and collect memory as
37135 it directs. The agent expression @var{expr} is as described in
37136 @ref{Agent Expressions}. Each byte of the expression is encoded as a
37137 two-digit hex number in the packet; @var{len} is the number of bytes
37138 in the expression (and thus one-half the number of hex digits in the
37139 packet).
37140
37141 @end table
37142
37143 Any number of actions may be packed together in a single @samp{QTDP}
37144 packet, as long as the packet does not exceed the maximum packet
37145 length (400 bytes, for many stubs). There may be only one @samp{R}
37146 action per tracepoint, and it must precede any @samp{M} or @samp{X}
37147 actions. Any registers referred to by @samp{M} and @samp{X} actions
37148 must be collected by a preceding @samp{R} action. (The
37149 ``while-stepping'' actions are treated as if they were attached to a
37150 separate tracepoint, as far as these restrictions are concerned.)
37151
37152 Replies:
37153 @table @samp
37154 @item OK
37155 The packet was understood and carried out.
37156 @item qRelocInsn
37157 @xref{Tracepoint Packets,,Relocate instruction reply packet}.
37158 @item @w{}
37159 The packet was not recognized.
37160 @end table
37161
37162 @item QTDPsrc:@var{n}:@var{addr}:@var{type}:@var{start}:@var{slen}:@var{bytes}
37163 @cindex @samp{QTDPsrc} packet
37164 Specify a source string of tracepoint @var{n} at address @var{addr}.
37165 This is useful to get accurate reproduction of the tracepoints
37166 originally downloaded at the beginning of the trace run. The @var{type}
37167 is the name of the tracepoint part, such as @samp{cond} for the
37168 tracepoint's conditional expression (see below for a list of types), while
37169 @var{bytes} is the string, encoded in hexadecimal.
37170
37171 @var{start} is the offset of the @var{bytes} within the overall source
37172 string, while @var{slen} is the total length of the source string.
37173 This is intended for handling source strings that are longer than will
37174 fit in a single packet.
37175 @c Add detailed example when this info is moved into a dedicated
37176 @c tracepoint descriptions section.
37177
37178 The available string types are @samp{at} for the location,
37179 @samp{cond} for the conditional, and @samp{cmd} for an action command.
37180 @value{GDBN} sends a separate packet for each command in the action
37181 list, in the same order in which the commands are stored in the list.
37182
37183 The target does not need to do anything with source strings except
37184 report them back as part of the replies to the @samp{qTfP}/@samp{qTsP}
37185 query packets.
37186
37187 Although this packet is optional, and @value{GDBN} will only send it
37188 if the target replies with @samp{TracepointSource} @xref{General
37189 Query Packets}, it makes both disconnected tracing and trace files
37190 much easier to use. Otherwise the user must be careful that the
37191 tracepoints in effect while looking at trace frames are identical to
37192 the ones in effect during the trace run; even a small discrepancy
37193 could cause @samp{tdump} not to work, or a particular trace frame not
37194 be found.
37195
37196 @item QTDV:@var{n}:@var{value}:@var{builtin}:@var{name}
37197 @cindex define trace state variable, remote request
37198 @cindex @samp{QTDV} packet
37199 Create a new trace state variable, number @var{n}, with an initial
37200 value of @var{value}, which is a 64-bit signed integer. Both @var{n}
37201 and @var{value} are encoded as hexadecimal values. @value{GDBN} has
37202 the option of not using this packet for initial values of zero; the
37203 target should simply create the trace state variables as they are
37204 mentioned in expressions. The value @var{builtin} should be 1 (one)
37205 if the trace state variable is builtin and 0 (zero) if it is not builtin.
37206 @value{GDBN} only sets @var{builtin} to 1 if a previous @samp{qTfV} or
37207 @samp{qTsV} packet had it set. The contents of @var{name} is the
37208 hex-encoded name (without the leading @samp{$}) of the trace state
37209 variable.
37210
37211 @item QTFrame:@var{n}
37212 @cindex @samp{QTFrame} packet
37213 Select the @var{n}'th tracepoint frame from the buffer, and use the
37214 register and memory contents recorded there to answer subsequent
37215 request packets from @value{GDBN}.
37216
37217 A successful reply from the stub indicates that the stub has found the
37218 requested frame. The response is a series of parts, concatenated
37219 without separators, describing the frame we selected. Each part has
37220 one of the following forms:
37221
37222 @table @samp
37223 @item F @var{f}
37224 The selected frame is number @var{n} in the trace frame buffer;
37225 @var{f} is a hexadecimal number. If @var{f} is @samp{-1}, then there
37226 was no frame matching the criteria in the request packet.
37227
37228 @item T @var{t}
37229 The selected trace frame records a hit of tracepoint number @var{t};
37230 @var{t} is a hexadecimal number.
37231
37232 @end table
37233
37234 @item QTFrame:pc:@var{addr}
37235 Like @samp{QTFrame:@var{n}}, but select the first tracepoint frame after the
37236 currently selected frame whose PC is @var{addr};
37237 @var{addr} is a hexadecimal number.
37238
37239 @item QTFrame:tdp:@var{t}
37240 Like @samp{QTFrame:@var{n}}, but select the first tracepoint frame after the
37241 currently selected frame that is a hit of tracepoint @var{t}; @var{t}
37242 is a hexadecimal number.
37243
37244 @item QTFrame:range:@var{start}:@var{end}
37245 Like @samp{QTFrame:@var{n}}, but select the first tracepoint frame after the
37246 currently selected frame whose PC is between @var{start} (inclusive)
37247 and @var{end} (inclusive); @var{start} and @var{end} are hexadecimal
37248 numbers.
37249
37250 @item QTFrame:outside:@var{start}:@var{end}
37251 Like @samp{QTFrame:range:@var{start}:@var{end}}, but select the first
37252 frame @emph{outside} the given range of addresses (exclusive).
37253
37254 @item qTMinFTPILen
37255 @cindex @samp{qTMinFTPILen} packet
37256 This packet requests the minimum length of instruction at which a fast
37257 tracepoint (@pxref{Set Tracepoints}) may be placed. For instance, on
37258 the 32-bit x86 architecture, it is possible to use a 4-byte jump, but
37259 it depends on the target system being able to create trampolines in
37260 the first 64K of memory, which might or might not be possible for that
37261 system. So the reply to this packet will be 4 if it is able to
37262 arrange for that.
37263
37264 Replies:
37265
37266 @table @samp
37267 @item 0
37268 The minimum instruction length is currently unknown.
37269 @item @var{length}
37270 The minimum instruction length is @var{length}, where @var{length}
37271 is a hexadecimal number greater or equal to 1. A reply
37272 of 1 means that a fast tracepoint may be placed on any instruction
37273 regardless of size.
37274 @item E
37275 An error has occurred.
37276 @item @w{}
37277 An empty reply indicates that the request is not supported by the stub.
37278 @end table
37279
37280 @item QTStart
37281 @cindex @samp{QTStart} packet
37282 Begin the tracepoint experiment. Begin collecting data from
37283 tracepoint hits in the trace frame buffer. This packet supports the
37284 @samp{qRelocInsn} reply (@pxref{Tracepoint Packets,,Relocate
37285 instruction reply packet}).
37286
37287 @item QTStop
37288 @cindex @samp{QTStop} packet
37289 End the tracepoint experiment. Stop collecting trace frames.
37290
37291 @item QTEnable:@var{n}:@var{addr}
37292 @anchor{QTEnable}
37293 @cindex @samp{QTEnable} packet
37294 Enable tracepoint @var{n} at address @var{addr} in a started tracepoint
37295 experiment. If the tracepoint was previously disabled, then collection
37296 of data from it will resume.
37297
37298 @item QTDisable:@var{n}:@var{addr}
37299 @anchor{QTDisable}
37300 @cindex @samp{QTDisable} packet
37301 Disable tracepoint @var{n} at address @var{addr} in a started tracepoint
37302 experiment. No more data will be collected from the tracepoint unless
37303 @samp{QTEnable:@var{n}:@var{addr}} is subsequently issued.
37304
37305 @item QTinit
37306 @cindex @samp{QTinit} packet
37307 Clear the table of tracepoints, and empty the trace frame buffer.
37308
37309 @item QTro:@var{start1},@var{end1}:@var{start2},@var{end2}:@dots{}
37310 @cindex @samp{QTro} packet
37311 Establish the given ranges of memory as ``transparent''. The stub
37312 will answer requests for these ranges from memory's current contents,
37313 if they were not collected as part of the tracepoint hit.
37314
37315 @value{GDBN} uses this to mark read-only regions of memory, like those
37316 containing program code. Since these areas never change, they should
37317 still have the same contents they did when the tracepoint was hit, so
37318 there's no reason for the stub to refuse to provide their contents.
37319
37320 @item QTDisconnected:@var{value}
37321 @cindex @samp{QTDisconnected} packet
37322 Set the choice to what to do with the tracing run when @value{GDBN}
37323 disconnects from the target. A @var{value} of 1 directs the target to
37324 continue the tracing run, while 0 tells the target to stop tracing if
37325 @value{GDBN} is no longer in the picture.
37326
37327 @item qTStatus
37328 @cindex @samp{qTStatus} packet
37329 Ask the stub if there is a trace experiment running right now.
37330
37331 The reply has the form:
37332
37333 @table @samp
37334
37335 @item T@var{running}@r{[};@var{field}@r{]}@dots{}
37336 @var{running} is a single digit @code{1} if the trace is presently
37337 running, or @code{0} if not. It is followed by semicolon-separated
37338 optional fields that an agent may use to report additional status.
37339
37340 @end table
37341
37342 If the trace is not running, the agent may report any of several
37343 explanations as one of the optional fields:
37344
37345 @table @samp
37346
37347 @item tnotrun:0
37348 No trace has been run yet.
37349
37350 @item tstop[:@var{text}]:0
37351 The trace was stopped by a user-originated stop command. The optional
37352 @var{text} field is a user-supplied string supplied as part of the
37353 stop command (for instance, an explanation of why the trace was
37354 stopped manually). It is hex-encoded.
37355
37356 @item tfull:0
37357 The trace stopped because the trace buffer filled up.
37358
37359 @item tdisconnected:0
37360 The trace stopped because @value{GDBN} disconnected from the target.
37361
37362 @item tpasscount:@var{tpnum}
37363 The trace stopped because tracepoint @var{tpnum} exceeded its pass count.
37364
37365 @item terror:@var{text}:@var{tpnum}
37366 The trace stopped because tracepoint @var{tpnum} had an error. The
37367 string @var{text} is available to describe the nature of the error
37368 (for instance, a divide by zero in the condition expression); it
37369 is hex encoded.
37370
37371 @item tunknown:0
37372 The trace stopped for some other reason.
37373
37374 @end table
37375
37376 Additional optional fields supply statistical and other information.
37377 Although not required, they are extremely useful for users monitoring
37378 the progress of a trace run. If a trace has stopped, and these
37379 numbers are reported, they must reflect the state of the just-stopped
37380 trace.
37381
37382 @table @samp
37383
37384 @item tframes:@var{n}
37385 The number of trace frames in the buffer.
37386
37387 @item tcreated:@var{n}
37388 The total number of trace frames created during the run. This may
37389 be larger than the trace frame count, if the buffer is circular.
37390
37391 @item tsize:@var{n}
37392 The total size of the trace buffer, in bytes.
37393
37394 @item tfree:@var{n}
37395 The number of bytes still unused in the buffer.
37396
37397 @item circular:@var{n}
37398 The value of the circular trace buffer flag. @code{1} means that the
37399 trace buffer is circular and old trace frames will be discarded if
37400 necessary to make room, @code{0} means that the trace buffer is linear
37401 and may fill up.
37402
37403 @item disconn:@var{n}
37404 The value of the disconnected tracing flag. @code{1} means that
37405 tracing will continue after @value{GDBN} disconnects, @code{0} means
37406 that the trace run will stop.
37407
37408 @end table
37409
37410 @item qTP:@var{tp}:@var{addr}
37411 @cindex tracepoint status, remote request
37412 @cindex @samp{qTP} packet
37413 Ask the stub for the current state of tracepoint number @var{tp} at
37414 address @var{addr}.
37415
37416 Replies:
37417 @table @samp
37418 @item V@var{hits}:@var{usage}
37419 The tracepoint has been hit @var{hits} times so far during the trace
37420 run, and accounts for @var{usage} in the trace buffer. Note that
37421 @code{while-stepping} steps are not counted as separate hits, but the
37422 steps' space consumption is added into the usage number.
37423
37424 @end table
37425
37426 @item qTV:@var{var}
37427 @cindex trace state variable value, remote request
37428 @cindex @samp{qTV} packet
37429 Ask the stub for the value of the trace state variable number @var{var}.
37430
37431 Replies:
37432 @table @samp
37433 @item V@var{value}
37434 The value of the variable is @var{value}. This will be the current
37435 value of the variable if the user is examining a running target, or a
37436 saved value if the variable was collected in the trace frame that the
37437 user is looking at. Note that multiple requests may result in
37438 different reply values, such as when requesting values while the
37439 program is running.
37440
37441 @item U
37442 The value of the variable is unknown. This would occur, for example,
37443 if the user is examining a trace frame in which the requested variable
37444 was not collected.
37445 @end table
37446
37447 @item qTfP
37448 @cindex @samp{qTfP} packet
37449 @itemx qTsP
37450 @cindex @samp{qTsP} packet
37451 These packets request data about tracepoints that are being used by
37452 the target. @value{GDBN} sends @code{qTfP} to get the first piece
37453 of data, and multiple @code{qTsP} to get additional pieces. Replies
37454 to these packets generally take the form of the @code{QTDP} packets
37455 that define tracepoints. (FIXME add detailed syntax)
37456
37457 @item qTfV
37458 @cindex @samp{qTfV} packet
37459 @itemx qTsV
37460 @cindex @samp{qTsV} packet
37461 These packets request data about trace state variables that are on the
37462 target. @value{GDBN} sends @code{qTfV} to get the first vari of data,
37463 and multiple @code{qTsV} to get additional variables. Replies to
37464 these packets follow the syntax of the @code{QTDV} packets that define
37465 trace state variables.
37466
37467 @item qTfSTM
37468 @itemx qTsSTM
37469 @anchor{qTfSTM}
37470 @anchor{qTsSTM}
37471 @cindex @samp{qTfSTM} packet
37472 @cindex @samp{qTsSTM} packet
37473 These packets request data about static tracepoint markers that exist
37474 in the target program. @value{GDBN} sends @code{qTfSTM} to get the
37475 first piece of data, and multiple @code{qTsSTM} to get additional
37476 pieces. Replies to these packets take the following form:
37477
37478 Reply:
37479 @table @samp
37480 @item m @var{address}:@var{id}:@var{extra}
37481 A single marker
37482 @item m @var{address}:@var{id}:@var{extra},@var{address}:@var{id}:@var{extra}@dots{}
37483 a comma-separated list of markers
37484 @item l
37485 (lower case letter @samp{L}) denotes end of list.
37486 @item E @var{nn}
37487 An error occurred. The error number @var{nn} is given as hex digits.
37488 @item @w{}
37489 An empty reply indicates that the request is not supported by the
37490 stub.
37491 @end table
37492
37493 The @var{address} is encoded in hex;
37494 @var{id} and @var{extra} are strings encoded in hex.
37495
37496 In response to each query, the target will reply with a list of one or
37497 more markers, separated by commas. @value{GDBN} will respond to each
37498 reply with a request for more markers (using the @samp{qs} form of the
37499 query), until the target responds with @samp{l} (lower-case ell, for
37500 @dfn{last}).
37501
37502 @item qTSTMat:@var{address}
37503 @anchor{qTSTMat}
37504 @cindex @samp{qTSTMat} packet
37505 This packets requests data about static tracepoint markers in the
37506 target program at @var{address}. Replies to this packet follow the
37507 syntax of the @samp{qTfSTM} and @code{qTsSTM} packets that list static
37508 tracepoint markers.
37509
37510 @item QTSave:@var{filename}
37511 @cindex @samp{QTSave} packet
37512 This packet directs the target to save trace data to the file name
37513 @var{filename} in the target's filesystem. The @var{filename} is encoded
37514 as a hex string; the interpretation of the file name (relative vs
37515 absolute, wild cards, etc) is up to the target.
37516
37517 @item qTBuffer:@var{offset},@var{len}
37518 @cindex @samp{qTBuffer} packet
37519 Return up to @var{len} bytes of the current contents of trace buffer,
37520 starting at @var{offset}. The trace buffer is treated as if it were
37521 a contiguous collection of traceframes, as per the trace file format.
37522 The reply consists as many hex-encoded bytes as the target can deliver
37523 in a packet; it is not an error to return fewer than were asked for.
37524 A reply consisting of just @code{l} indicates that no bytes are
37525 available.
37526
37527 @item QTBuffer:circular:@var{value}
37528 This packet directs the target to use a circular trace buffer if
37529 @var{value} is 1, or a linear buffer if the value is 0.
37530
37531 @item QTBuffer:size:@var{size}
37532 @anchor{QTBuffer-size}
37533 @cindex @samp{QTBuffer size} packet
37534 This packet directs the target to make the trace buffer be of size
37535 @var{size} if possible. A value of @code{-1} tells the target to
37536 use whatever size it prefers.
37537
37538 @item QTNotes:@r{[}@var{type}:@var{text}@r{]}@r{[};@var{type}:@var{text}@r{]}@dots{}
37539 @cindex @samp{QTNotes} packet
37540 This packet adds optional textual notes to the trace run. Allowable
37541 types include @code{user}, @code{notes}, and @code{tstop}, the
37542 @var{text} fields are arbitrary strings, hex-encoded.
37543
37544 @end table
37545
37546 @subsection Relocate instruction reply packet
37547 When installing fast tracepoints in memory, the target may need to
37548 relocate the instruction currently at the tracepoint address to a
37549 different address in memory. For most instructions, a simple copy is
37550 enough, but, for example, call instructions that implicitly push the
37551 return address on the stack, and relative branches or other
37552 PC-relative instructions require offset adjustment, so that the effect
37553 of executing the instruction at a different address is the same as if
37554 it had executed in the original location.
37555
37556 In response to several of the tracepoint packets, the target may also
37557 respond with a number of intermediate @samp{qRelocInsn} request
37558 packets before the final result packet, to have @value{GDBN} handle
37559 this relocation operation. If a packet supports this mechanism, its
37560 documentation will explicitly say so. See for example the above
37561 descriptions for the @samp{QTStart} and @samp{QTDP} packets. The
37562 format of the request is:
37563
37564 @table @samp
37565 @item qRelocInsn:@var{from};@var{to}
37566
37567 This requests @value{GDBN} to copy instruction at address @var{from}
37568 to address @var{to}, possibly adjusted so that executing the
37569 instruction at @var{to} has the same effect as executing it at
37570 @var{from}. @value{GDBN} writes the adjusted instruction to target
37571 memory starting at @var{to}.
37572 @end table
37573
37574 Replies:
37575 @table @samp
37576 @item qRelocInsn:@var{adjusted_size}
37577 Informs the stub the relocation is complete. The @var{adjusted_size} is
37578 the length in bytes of resulting relocated instruction sequence.
37579 @item E @var{NN}
37580 A badly formed request was detected, or an error was encountered while
37581 relocating the instruction.
37582 @end table
37583
37584 @node Host I/O Packets
37585 @section Host I/O Packets
37586 @cindex Host I/O, remote protocol
37587 @cindex file transfer, remote protocol
37588
37589 The @dfn{Host I/O} packets allow @value{GDBN} to perform I/O
37590 operations on the far side of a remote link. For example, Host I/O is
37591 used to upload and download files to a remote target with its own
37592 filesystem. Host I/O uses the same constant values and data structure
37593 layout as the target-initiated File-I/O protocol. However, the
37594 Host I/O packets are structured differently. The target-initiated
37595 protocol relies on target memory to store parameters and buffers.
37596 Host I/O requests are initiated by @value{GDBN}, and the
37597 target's memory is not involved. @xref{File-I/O Remote Protocol
37598 Extension}, for more details on the target-initiated protocol.
37599
37600 The Host I/O request packets all encode a single operation along with
37601 its arguments. They have this format:
37602
37603 @table @samp
37604
37605 @item vFile:@var{operation}: @var{parameter}@dots{}
37606 @var{operation} is the name of the particular request; the target
37607 should compare the entire packet name up to the second colon when checking
37608 for a supported operation. The format of @var{parameter} depends on
37609 the operation. Numbers are always passed in hexadecimal. Negative
37610 numbers have an explicit minus sign (i.e.@: two's complement is not
37611 used). Strings (e.g.@: filenames) are encoded as a series of
37612 hexadecimal bytes. The last argument to a system call may be a
37613 buffer of escaped binary data (@pxref{Binary Data}).
37614
37615 @end table
37616
37617 The valid responses to Host I/O packets are:
37618
37619 @table @samp
37620
37621 @item F @var{result} [, @var{errno}] [; @var{attachment}]
37622 @var{result} is the integer value returned by this operation, usually
37623 non-negative for success and -1 for errors. If an error has occured,
37624 @var{errno} will be included in the result specifying a
37625 value defined by the File-I/O protocol (@pxref{Errno Values}). For
37626 operations which return data, @var{attachment} supplies the data as a
37627 binary buffer. Binary buffers in response packets are escaped in the
37628 normal way (@pxref{Binary Data}). See the individual packet
37629 documentation for the interpretation of @var{result} and
37630 @var{attachment}.
37631
37632 @item @w{}
37633 An empty response indicates that this operation is not recognized.
37634
37635 @end table
37636
37637 These are the supported Host I/O operations:
37638
37639 @table @samp
37640 @item vFile:open: @var{filename}, @var{flags}, @var{mode}
37641 Open a file at @var{filename} and return a file descriptor for it, or
37642 return -1 if an error occurs. The @var{filename} is a string,
37643 @var{flags} is an integer indicating a mask of open flags
37644 (@pxref{Open Flags}), and @var{mode} is an integer indicating a mask
37645 of mode bits to use if the file is created (@pxref{mode_t Values}).
37646 @xref{open}, for details of the open flags and mode values.
37647
37648 @item vFile:close: @var{fd}
37649 Close the open file corresponding to @var{fd} and return 0, or
37650 -1 if an error occurs.
37651
37652 @item vFile:pread: @var{fd}, @var{count}, @var{offset}
37653 Read data from the open file corresponding to @var{fd}. Up to
37654 @var{count} bytes will be read from the file, starting at @var{offset}
37655 relative to the start of the file. The target may read fewer bytes;
37656 common reasons include packet size limits and an end-of-file
37657 condition. The number of bytes read is returned. Zero should only be
37658 returned for a successful read at the end of the file, or if
37659 @var{count} was zero.
37660
37661 The data read should be returned as a binary attachment on success.
37662 If zero bytes were read, the response should include an empty binary
37663 attachment (i.e.@: a trailing semicolon). The return value is the
37664 number of target bytes read; the binary attachment may be longer if
37665 some characters were escaped.
37666
37667 @item vFile:pwrite: @var{fd}, @var{offset}, @var{data}
37668 Write @var{data} (a binary buffer) to the open file corresponding
37669 to @var{fd}. Start the write at @var{offset} from the start of the
37670 file. Unlike many @code{write} system calls, there is no
37671 separate @var{count} argument; the length of @var{data} in the
37672 packet is used. @samp{vFile:write} returns the number of bytes written,
37673 which may be shorter than the length of @var{data}, or -1 if an
37674 error occurred.
37675
37676 @item vFile:fstat: @var{fd}
37677 Get information about the open file corresponding to @var{fd}.
37678 On success the information is returned as a binary attachment
37679 and the return value is the size of this attachment in bytes.
37680 If an error occurs the return value is -1. The format of the
37681 returned binary attachment is as described in @ref{struct stat}.
37682
37683 @item vFile:unlink: @var{filename}
37684 Delete the file at @var{filename} on the target. Return 0,
37685 or -1 if an error occurs. The @var{filename} is a string.
37686
37687 @item vFile:readlink: @var{filename}
37688 Read value of symbolic link @var{filename} on the target. Return
37689 the number of bytes read, or -1 if an error occurs.
37690
37691 The data read should be returned as a binary attachment on success.
37692 If zero bytes were read, the response should include an empty binary
37693 attachment (i.e.@: a trailing semicolon). The return value is the
37694 number of target bytes read; the binary attachment may be longer if
37695 some characters were escaped.
37696
37697 @end table
37698
37699 @node Interrupts
37700 @section Interrupts
37701 @cindex interrupts (remote protocol)
37702
37703 When a program on the remote target is running, @value{GDBN} may
37704 attempt to interrupt it by sending a @samp{Ctrl-C}, @code{BREAK} or
37705 a @code{BREAK} followed by @code{g},
37706 control of which is specified via @value{GDBN}'s @samp{interrupt-sequence}.
37707
37708 The precise meaning of @code{BREAK} is defined by the transport
37709 mechanism and may, in fact, be undefined. @value{GDBN} does not
37710 currently define a @code{BREAK} mechanism for any of the network
37711 interfaces except for TCP, in which case @value{GDBN} sends the
37712 @code{telnet} BREAK sequence.
37713
37714 @samp{Ctrl-C}, on the other hand, is defined and implemented for all
37715 transport mechanisms. It is represented by sending the single byte
37716 @code{0x03} without any of the usual packet overhead described in
37717 the Overview section (@pxref{Overview}). When a @code{0x03} byte is
37718 transmitted as part of a packet, it is considered to be packet data
37719 and does @emph{not} represent an interrupt. E.g., an @samp{X} packet
37720 (@pxref{X packet}), used for binary downloads, may include an unescaped
37721 @code{0x03} as part of its packet.
37722
37723 @code{BREAK} followed by @code{g} is also known as Magic SysRq g.
37724 When Linux kernel receives this sequence from serial port,
37725 it stops execution and connects to gdb.
37726
37727 Stubs are not required to recognize these interrupt mechanisms and the
37728 precise meaning associated with receipt of the interrupt is
37729 implementation defined. If the target supports debugging of multiple
37730 threads and/or processes, it should attempt to interrupt all
37731 currently-executing threads and processes.
37732 If the stub is successful at interrupting the
37733 running program, it should send one of the stop
37734 reply packets (@pxref{Stop Reply Packets}) to @value{GDBN} as a result
37735 of successfully stopping the program in all-stop mode, and a stop reply
37736 for each stopped thread in non-stop mode.
37737 Interrupts received while the
37738 program is stopped are discarded.
37739
37740 @node Notification Packets
37741 @section Notification Packets
37742 @cindex notification packets
37743 @cindex packets, notification
37744
37745 The @value{GDBN} remote serial protocol includes @dfn{notifications},
37746 packets that require no acknowledgment. Both the GDB and the stub
37747 may send notifications (although the only notifications defined at
37748 present are sent by the stub). Notifications carry information
37749 without incurring the round-trip latency of an acknowledgment, and so
37750 are useful for low-impact communications where occasional packet loss
37751 is not a problem.
37752
37753 A notification packet has the form @samp{% @var{data} #
37754 @var{checksum}}, where @var{data} is the content of the notification,
37755 and @var{checksum} is a checksum of @var{data}, computed and formatted
37756 as for ordinary @value{GDBN} packets. A notification's @var{data}
37757 never contains @samp{$}, @samp{%} or @samp{#} characters. Upon
37758 receiving a notification, the recipient sends no @samp{+} or @samp{-}
37759 to acknowledge the notification's receipt or to report its corruption.
37760
37761 Every notification's @var{data} begins with a name, which contains no
37762 colon characters, followed by a colon character.
37763
37764 Recipients should silently ignore corrupted notifications and
37765 notifications they do not understand. Recipients should restart
37766 timeout periods on receipt of a well-formed notification, whether or
37767 not they understand it.
37768
37769 Senders should only send the notifications described here when this
37770 protocol description specifies that they are permitted. In the
37771 future, we may extend the protocol to permit existing notifications in
37772 new contexts; this rule helps older senders avoid confusing newer
37773 recipients.
37774
37775 (Older versions of @value{GDBN} ignore bytes received until they see
37776 the @samp{$} byte that begins an ordinary packet, so new stubs may
37777 transmit notifications without fear of confusing older clients. There
37778 are no notifications defined for @value{GDBN} to send at the moment, but we
37779 assume that most older stubs would ignore them, as well.)
37780
37781 Each notification is comprised of three parts:
37782 @table @samp
37783 @item @var{name}:@var{event}
37784 The notification packet is sent by the side that initiates the
37785 exchange (currently, only the stub does that), with @var{event}
37786 carrying the specific information about the notification, and
37787 @var{name} specifying the name of the notification.
37788 @item @var{ack}
37789 The acknowledge sent by the other side, usually @value{GDBN}, to
37790 acknowledge the exchange and request the event.
37791 @end table
37792
37793 The purpose of an asynchronous notification mechanism is to report to
37794 @value{GDBN} that something interesting happened in the remote stub.
37795
37796 The remote stub may send notification @var{name}:@var{event}
37797 at any time, but @value{GDBN} acknowledges the notification when
37798 appropriate. The notification event is pending before @value{GDBN}
37799 acknowledges. Only one notification at a time may be pending; if
37800 additional events occur before @value{GDBN} has acknowledged the
37801 previous notification, they must be queued by the stub for later
37802 synchronous transmission in response to @var{ack} packets from
37803 @value{GDBN}. Because the notification mechanism is unreliable,
37804 the stub is permitted to resend a notification if it believes
37805 @value{GDBN} may not have received it.
37806
37807 Specifically, notifications may appear when @value{GDBN} is not
37808 otherwise reading input from the stub, or when @value{GDBN} is
37809 expecting to read a normal synchronous response or a
37810 @samp{+}/@samp{-} acknowledgment to a packet it has sent.
37811 Notification packets are distinct from any other communication from
37812 the stub so there is no ambiguity.
37813
37814 After receiving a notification, @value{GDBN} shall acknowledge it by
37815 sending a @var{ack} packet as a regular, synchronous request to the
37816 stub. Such acknowledgment is not required to happen immediately, as
37817 @value{GDBN} is permitted to send other, unrelated packets to the
37818 stub first, which the stub should process normally.
37819
37820 Upon receiving a @var{ack} packet, if the stub has other queued
37821 events to report to @value{GDBN}, it shall respond by sending a
37822 normal @var{event}. @value{GDBN} shall then send another @var{ack}
37823 packet to solicit further responses; again, it is permitted to send
37824 other, unrelated packets as well which the stub should process
37825 normally.
37826
37827 If the stub receives a @var{ack} packet and there are no additional
37828 @var{event} to report, the stub shall return an @samp{OK} response.
37829 At this point, @value{GDBN} has finished processing a notification
37830 and the stub has completed sending any queued events. @value{GDBN}
37831 won't accept any new notifications until the final @samp{OK} is
37832 received . If further notification events occur, the stub shall send
37833 a new notification, @value{GDBN} shall accept the notification, and
37834 the process shall be repeated.
37835
37836 The process of asynchronous notification can be illustrated by the
37837 following example:
37838 @smallexample
37839 <- @code{%%Stop:T0505:98e7ffbf;04:4ce6ffbf;08:b1b6e54c;thread:p7526.7526;core:0;}
37840 @code{...}
37841 -> @code{vStopped}
37842 <- @code{T0505:68f37db7;04:40f37db7;08:63850408;thread:p7526.7528;core:0;}
37843 -> @code{vStopped}
37844 <- @code{T0505:68e3fdb6;04:40e3fdb6;08:63850408;thread:p7526.7529;core:0;}
37845 -> @code{vStopped}
37846 <- @code{OK}
37847 @end smallexample
37848
37849 The following notifications are defined:
37850 @multitable @columnfractions 0.12 0.12 0.38 0.38
37851
37852 @item Notification
37853 @tab Ack
37854 @tab Event
37855 @tab Description
37856
37857 @item Stop
37858 @tab vStopped
37859 @tab @var{reply}. The @var{reply} has the form of a stop reply, as
37860 described in @ref{Stop Reply Packets}. Refer to @ref{Remote Non-Stop},
37861 for information on how these notifications are acknowledged by
37862 @value{GDBN}.
37863 @tab Report an asynchronous stop event in non-stop mode.
37864
37865 @end multitable
37866
37867 @node Remote Non-Stop
37868 @section Remote Protocol Support for Non-Stop Mode
37869
37870 @value{GDBN}'s remote protocol supports non-stop debugging of
37871 multi-threaded programs, as described in @ref{Non-Stop Mode}. If the stub
37872 supports non-stop mode, it should report that to @value{GDBN} by including
37873 @samp{QNonStop+} in its @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
37874
37875 @value{GDBN} typically sends a @samp{QNonStop} packet only when
37876 establishing a new connection with the stub. Entering non-stop mode
37877 does not alter the state of any currently-running threads, but targets
37878 must stop all threads in any already-attached processes when entering
37879 all-stop mode. @value{GDBN} uses the @samp{?} packet as necessary to
37880 probe the target state after a mode change.
37881
37882 In non-stop mode, when an attached process encounters an event that
37883 would otherwise be reported with a stop reply, it uses the
37884 asynchronous notification mechanism (@pxref{Notification Packets}) to
37885 inform @value{GDBN}. In contrast to all-stop mode, where all threads
37886 in all processes are stopped when a stop reply is sent, in non-stop
37887 mode only the thread reporting the stop event is stopped. That is,
37888 when reporting a @samp{S} or @samp{T} response to indicate completion
37889 of a step operation, hitting a breakpoint, or a fault, only the
37890 affected thread is stopped; any other still-running threads continue
37891 to run. When reporting a @samp{W} or @samp{X} response, all running
37892 threads belonging to other attached processes continue to run.
37893
37894 In non-stop mode, the target shall respond to the @samp{?} packet as
37895 follows. First, any incomplete stop reply notification/@samp{vStopped}
37896 sequence in progress is abandoned. The target must begin a new
37897 sequence reporting stop events for all stopped threads, whether or not
37898 it has previously reported those events to @value{GDBN}. The first
37899 stop reply is sent as a synchronous reply to the @samp{?} packet, and
37900 subsequent stop replies are sent as responses to @samp{vStopped} packets
37901 using the mechanism described above. The target must not send
37902 asynchronous stop reply notifications until the sequence is complete.
37903 If all threads are running when the target receives the @samp{?} packet,
37904 or if the target is not attached to any process, it shall respond
37905 @samp{OK}.
37906
37907 If the stub supports non-stop mode, it should also support the
37908 @samp{swbreak} stop reason if software breakpoints are supported, and
37909 the @samp{hwbreak} stop reason if hardware breakpoints are supported
37910 (@pxref{swbreak stop reason}). This is because given the asynchronous
37911 nature of non-stop mode, between the time a thread hits a breakpoint
37912 and the time the event is finally processed by @value{GDBN}, the
37913 breakpoint may have already been removed from the target. Due to
37914 this, @value{GDBN} needs to be able to tell whether a trap stop was
37915 caused by a delayed breakpoint event, which should be ignored, as
37916 opposed to a random trap signal, which should be reported to the user.
37917 Note the @samp{swbreak} feature implies that the target is responsible
37918 for adjusting the PC when a software breakpoint triggers, if
37919 necessary, such as on the x86 architecture.
37920
37921 @node Packet Acknowledgment
37922 @section Packet Acknowledgment
37923
37924 @cindex acknowledgment, for @value{GDBN} remote
37925 @cindex packet acknowledgment, for @value{GDBN} remote
37926 By default, when either the host or the target machine receives a packet,
37927 the first response expected is an acknowledgment: either @samp{+} (to indicate
37928 the package was received correctly) or @samp{-} (to request retransmission).
37929 This mechanism allows the @value{GDBN} remote protocol to operate over
37930 unreliable transport mechanisms, such as a serial line.
37931
37932 In cases where the transport mechanism is itself reliable (such as a pipe or
37933 TCP connection), the @samp{+}/@samp{-} acknowledgments are redundant.
37934 It may be desirable to disable them in that case to reduce communication
37935 overhead, or for other reasons. This can be accomplished by means of the
37936 @samp{QStartNoAckMode} packet; @pxref{QStartNoAckMode}.
37937
37938 When in no-acknowledgment mode, neither the stub nor @value{GDBN} shall send or
37939 expect @samp{+}/@samp{-} protocol acknowledgments. The packet
37940 and response format still includes the normal checksum, as described in
37941 @ref{Overview}, but the checksum may be ignored by the receiver.
37942
37943 If the stub supports @samp{QStartNoAckMode} and prefers to operate in
37944 no-acknowledgment mode, it should report that to @value{GDBN}
37945 by including @samp{QStartNoAckMode+} in its response to @samp{qSupported};
37946 @pxref{qSupported}.
37947 If @value{GDBN} also supports @samp{QStartNoAckMode} and it has not been
37948 disabled via the @code{set remote noack-packet off} command
37949 (@pxref{Remote Configuration}),
37950 @value{GDBN} may then send a @samp{QStartNoAckMode} packet to the stub.
37951 Only then may the stub actually turn off packet acknowledgments.
37952 @value{GDBN} sends a final @samp{+} acknowledgment of the stub's @samp{OK}
37953 response, which can be safely ignored by the stub.
37954
37955 Note that @code{set remote noack-packet} command only affects negotiation
37956 between @value{GDBN} and the stub when subsequent connections are made;
37957 it does not affect the protocol acknowledgment state for any current
37958 connection.
37959 Since @samp{+}/@samp{-} acknowledgments are enabled by default when a
37960 new connection is established,
37961 there is also no protocol request to re-enable the acknowledgments
37962 for the current connection, once disabled.
37963
37964 @node Examples
37965 @section Examples
37966
37967 Example sequence of a target being re-started. Notice how the restart
37968 does not get any direct output:
37969
37970 @smallexample
37971 -> @code{R00}
37972 <- @code{+}
37973 @emph{target restarts}
37974 -> @code{?}
37975 <- @code{+}
37976 <- @code{T001:1234123412341234}
37977 -> @code{+}
37978 @end smallexample
37979
37980 Example sequence of a target being stepped by a single instruction:
37981
37982 @smallexample
37983 -> @code{G1445@dots{}}
37984 <- @code{+}
37985 -> @code{s}
37986 <- @code{+}
37987 @emph{time passes}
37988 <- @code{T001:1234123412341234}
37989 -> @code{+}
37990 -> @code{g}
37991 <- @code{+}
37992 <- @code{1455@dots{}}
37993 -> @code{+}
37994 @end smallexample
37995
37996 @node File-I/O Remote Protocol Extension
37997 @section File-I/O Remote Protocol Extension
37998 @cindex File-I/O remote protocol extension
37999
38000 @menu
38001 * File-I/O Overview::
38002 * Protocol Basics::
38003 * The F Request Packet::
38004 * The F Reply Packet::
38005 * The Ctrl-C Message::
38006 * Console I/O::
38007 * List of Supported Calls::
38008 * Protocol-specific Representation of Datatypes::
38009 * Constants::
38010 * File-I/O Examples::
38011 @end menu
38012
38013 @node File-I/O Overview
38014 @subsection File-I/O Overview
38015 @cindex file-i/o overview
38016
38017 The @dfn{File I/O remote protocol extension} (short: File-I/O) allows the
38018 target to use the host's file system and console I/O to perform various
38019 system calls. System calls on the target system are translated into a
38020 remote protocol packet to the host system, which then performs the needed
38021 actions and returns a response packet to the target system.
38022 This simulates file system operations even on targets that lack file systems.
38023
38024 The protocol is defined to be independent of both the host and target systems.
38025 It uses its own internal representation of datatypes and values. Both
38026 @value{GDBN} and the target's @value{GDBN} stub are responsible for
38027 translating the system-dependent value representations into the internal
38028 protocol representations when data is transmitted.
38029
38030 The communication is synchronous. A system call is possible only when
38031 @value{GDBN} is waiting for a response from the @samp{C}, @samp{c}, @samp{S}
38032 or @samp{s} packets. While @value{GDBN} handles the request for a system call,
38033 the target is stopped to allow deterministic access to the target's
38034 memory. Therefore File-I/O is not interruptible by target signals. On
38035 the other hand, it is possible to interrupt File-I/O by a user interrupt
38036 (@samp{Ctrl-C}) within @value{GDBN}.
38037
38038 The target's request to perform a host system call does not finish
38039 the latest @samp{C}, @samp{c}, @samp{S} or @samp{s} action. That means,
38040 after finishing the system call, the target returns to continuing the
38041 previous activity (continue, step). No additional continue or step
38042 request from @value{GDBN} is required.
38043
38044 @smallexample
38045 (@value{GDBP}) continue
38046 <- target requests 'system call X'
38047 target is stopped, @value{GDBN} executes system call
38048 -> @value{GDBN} returns result
38049 ... target continues, @value{GDBN} returns to wait for the target
38050 <- target hits breakpoint and sends a Txx packet
38051 @end smallexample
38052
38053 The protocol only supports I/O on the console and to regular files on
38054 the host file system. Character or block special devices, pipes,
38055 named pipes, sockets or any other communication method on the host
38056 system are not supported by this protocol.
38057
38058 File I/O is not supported in non-stop mode.
38059
38060 @node Protocol Basics
38061 @subsection Protocol Basics
38062 @cindex protocol basics, file-i/o
38063
38064 The File-I/O protocol uses the @code{F} packet as the request as well
38065 as reply packet. Since a File-I/O system call can only occur when
38066 @value{GDBN} is waiting for a response from the continuing or stepping target,
38067 the File-I/O request is a reply that @value{GDBN} has to expect as a result
38068 of a previous @samp{C}, @samp{c}, @samp{S} or @samp{s} packet.
38069 This @code{F} packet contains all information needed to allow @value{GDBN}
38070 to call the appropriate host system call:
38071
38072 @itemize @bullet
38073 @item
38074 A unique identifier for the requested system call.
38075
38076 @item
38077 All parameters to the system call. Pointers are given as addresses
38078 in the target memory address space. Pointers to strings are given as
38079 pointer/length pair. Numerical values are given as they are.
38080 Numerical control flags are given in a protocol-specific representation.
38081
38082 @end itemize
38083
38084 At this point, @value{GDBN} has to perform the following actions.
38085
38086 @itemize @bullet
38087 @item
38088 If the parameters include pointer values to data needed as input to a
38089 system call, @value{GDBN} requests this data from the target with a
38090 standard @code{m} packet request. This additional communication has to be
38091 expected by the target implementation and is handled as any other @code{m}
38092 packet.
38093
38094 @item
38095 @value{GDBN} translates all value from protocol representation to host
38096 representation as needed. Datatypes are coerced into the host types.
38097
38098 @item
38099 @value{GDBN} calls the system call.
38100
38101 @item
38102 It then coerces datatypes back to protocol representation.
38103
38104 @item
38105 If the system call is expected to return data in buffer space specified
38106 by pointer parameters to the call, the data is transmitted to the
38107 target using a @code{M} or @code{X} packet. This packet has to be expected
38108 by the target implementation and is handled as any other @code{M} or @code{X}
38109 packet.
38110
38111 @end itemize
38112
38113 Eventually @value{GDBN} replies with another @code{F} packet which contains all
38114 necessary information for the target to continue. This at least contains
38115
38116 @itemize @bullet
38117 @item
38118 Return value.
38119
38120 @item
38121 @code{errno}, if has been changed by the system call.
38122
38123 @item
38124 ``Ctrl-C'' flag.
38125
38126 @end itemize
38127
38128 After having done the needed type and value coercion, the target continues
38129 the latest continue or step action.
38130
38131 @node The F Request Packet
38132 @subsection The @code{F} Request Packet
38133 @cindex file-i/o request packet
38134 @cindex @code{F} request packet
38135
38136 The @code{F} request packet has the following format:
38137
38138 @table @samp
38139 @item F@var{call-id},@var{parameter@dots{}}
38140
38141 @var{call-id} is the identifier to indicate the host system call to be called.
38142 This is just the name of the function.
38143
38144 @var{parameter@dots{}} are the parameters to the system call.
38145 Parameters are hexadecimal integer values, either the actual values in case
38146 of scalar datatypes, pointers to target buffer space in case of compound
38147 datatypes and unspecified memory areas, or pointer/length pairs in case
38148 of string parameters. These are appended to the @var{call-id} as a
38149 comma-delimited list. All values are transmitted in ASCII
38150 string representation, pointer/length pairs separated by a slash.
38151
38152 @end table
38153
38154
38155
38156 @node The F Reply Packet
38157 @subsection The @code{F} Reply Packet
38158 @cindex file-i/o reply packet
38159 @cindex @code{F} reply packet
38160
38161 The @code{F} reply packet has the following format:
38162
38163 @table @samp
38164
38165 @item F@var{retcode},@var{errno},@var{Ctrl-C flag};@var{call-specific attachment}
38166
38167 @var{retcode} is the return code of the system call as hexadecimal value.
38168
38169 @var{errno} is the @code{errno} set by the call, in protocol-specific
38170 representation.
38171 This parameter can be omitted if the call was successful.
38172
38173 @var{Ctrl-C flag} is only sent if the user requested a break. In this
38174 case, @var{errno} must be sent as well, even if the call was successful.
38175 The @var{Ctrl-C flag} itself consists of the character @samp{C}:
38176
38177 @smallexample
38178 F0,0,C
38179 @end smallexample
38180
38181 @noindent
38182 or, if the call was interrupted before the host call has been performed:
38183
38184 @smallexample
38185 F-1,4,C
38186 @end smallexample
38187
38188 @noindent
38189 assuming 4 is the protocol-specific representation of @code{EINTR}.
38190
38191 @end table
38192
38193
38194 @node The Ctrl-C Message
38195 @subsection The @samp{Ctrl-C} Message
38196 @cindex ctrl-c message, in file-i/o protocol
38197
38198 If the @samp{Ctrl-C} flag is set in the @value{GDBN}
38199 reply packet (@pxref{The F Reply Packet}),
38200 the target should behave as if it had
38201 gotten a break message. The meaning for the target is ``system call
38202 interrupted by @code{SIGINT}''. Consequentially, the target should actually stop
38203 (as with a break message) and return to @value{GDBN} with a @code{T02}
38204 packet.
38205
38206 It's important for the target to know in which
38207 state the system call was interrupted. There are two possible cases:
38208
38209 @itemize @bullet
38210 @item
38211 The system call hasn't been performed on the host yet.
38212
38213 @item
38214 The system call on the host has been finished.
38215
38216 @end itemize
38217
38218 These two states can be distinguished by the target by the value of the
38219 returned @code{errno}. If it's the protocol representation of @code{EINTR}, the system
38220 call hasn't been performed. This is equivalent to the @code{EINTR} handling
38221 on POSIX systems. In any other case, the target may presume that the
38222 system call has been finished --- successfully or not --- and should behave
38223 as if the break message arrived right after the system call.
38224
38225 @value{GDBN} must behave reliably. If the system call has not been called
38226 yet, @value{GDBN} may send the @code{F} reply immediately, setting @code{EINTR} as
38227 @code{errno} in the packet. If the system call on the host has been finished
38228 before the user requests a break, the full action must be finished by
38229 @value{GDBN}. This requires sending @code{M} or @code{X} packets as necessary.
38230 The @code{F} packet may only be sent when either nothing has happened
38231 or the full action has been completed.
38232
38233 @node Console I/O
38234 @subsection Console I/O
38235 @cindex console i/o as part of file-i/o
38236
38237 By default and if not explicitly closed by the target system, the file
38238 descriptors 0, 1 and 2 are connected to the @value{GDBN} console. Output
38239 on the @value{GDBN} console is handled as any other file output operation
38240 (@code{write(1, @dots{})} or @code{write(2, @dots{})}). Console input is handled
38241 by @value{GDBN} so that after the target read request from file descriptor
38242 0 all following typing is buffered until either one of the following
38243 conditions is met:
38244
38245 @itemize @bullet
38246 @item
38247 The user types @kbd{Ctrl-c}. The behaviour is as explained above, and the
38248 @code{read}
38249 system call is treated as finished.
38250
38251 @item
38252 The user presses @key{RET}. This is treated as end of input with a trailing
38253 newline.
38254
38255 @item
38256 The user types @kbd{Ctrl-d}. This is treated as end of input. No trailing
38257 character (neither newline nor @samp{Ctrl-D}) is appended to the input.
38258
38259 @end itemize
38260
38261 If the user has typed more characters than fit in the buffer given to
38262 the @code{read} call, the trailing characters are buffered in @value{GDBN} until
38263 either another @code{read(0, @dots{})} is requested by the target, or debugging
38264 is stopped at the user's request.
38265
38266
38267 @node List of Supported Calls
38268 @subsection List of Supported Calls
38269 @cindex list of supported file-i/o calls
38270
38271 @menu
38272 * open::
38273 * close::
38274 * read::
38275 * write::
38276 * lseek::
38277 * rename::
38278 * unlink::
38279 * stat/fstat::
38280 * gettimeofday::
38281 * isatty::
38282 * system::
38283 @end menu
38284
38285 @node open
38286 @unnumberedsubsubsec open
38287 @cindex open, file-i/o system call
38288
38289 @table @asis
38290 @item Synopsis:
38291 @smallexample
38292 int open(const char *pathname, int flags);
38293 int open(const char *pathname, int flags, mode_t mode);
38294 @end smallexample
38295
38296 @item Request:
38297 @samp{Fopen,@var{pathptr}/@var{len},@var{flags},@var{mode}}
38298
38299 @noindent
38300 @var{flags} is the bitwise @code{OR} of the following values:
38301
38302 @table @code
38303 @item O_CREAT
38304 If the file does not exist it will be created. The host
38305 rules apply as far as file ownership and time stamps
38306 are concerned.
38307
38308 @item O_EXCL
38309 When used with @code{O_CREAT}, if the file already exists it is
38310 an error and open() fails.
38311
38312 @item O_TRUNC
38313 If the file already exists and the open mode allows
38314 writing (@code{O_RDWR} or @code{O_WRONLY} is given) it will be
38315 truncated to zero length.
38316
38317 @item O_APPEND
38318 The file is opened in append mode.
38319
38320 @item O_RDONLY
38321 The file is opened for reading only.
38322
38323 @item O_WRONLY
38324 The file is opened for writing only.
38325
38326 @item O_RDWR
38327 The file is opened for reading and writing.
38328 @end table
38329
38330 @noindent
38331 Other bits are silently ignored.
38332
38333
38334 @noindent
38335 @var{mode} is the bitwise @code{OR} of the following values:
38336
38337 @table @code
38338 @item S_IRUSR
38339 User has read permission.
38340
38341 @item S_IWUSR
38342 User has write permission.
38343
38344 @item S_IRGRP
38345 Group has read permission.
38346
38347 @item S_IWGRP
38348 Group has write permission.
38349
38350 @item S_IROTH
38351 Others have read permission.
38352
38353 @item S_IWOTH
38354 Others have write permission.
38355 @end table
38356
38357 @noindent
38358 Other bits are silently ignored.
38359
38360
38361 @item Return value:
38362 @code{open} returns the new file descriptor or -1 if an error
38363 occurred.
38364
38365 @item Errors:
38366
38367 @table @code
38368 @item EEXIST
38369 @var{pathname} already exists and @code{O_CREAT} and @code{O_EXCL} were used.
38370
38371 @item EISDIR
38372 @var{pathname} refers to a directory.
38373
38374 @item EACCES
38375 The requested access is not allowed.
38376
38377 @item ENAMETOOLONG
38378 @var{pathname} was too long.
38379
38380 @item ENOENT
38381 A directory component in @var{pathname} does not exist.
38382
38383 @item ENODEV
38384 @var{pathname} refers to a device, pipe, named pipe or socket.
38385
38386 @item EROFS
38387 @var{pathname} refers to a file on a read-only filesystem and
38388 write access was requested.
38389
38390 @item EFAULT
38391 @var{pathname} is an invalid pointer value.
38392
38393 @item ENOSPC
38394 No space on device to create the file.
38395
38396 @item EMFILE
38397 The process already has the maximum number of files open.
38398
38399 @item ENFILE
38400 The limit on the total number of files open on the system
38401 has been reached.
38402
38403 @item EINTR
38404 The call was interrupted by the user.
38405 @end table
38406
38407 @end table
38408
38409 @node close
38410 @unnumberedsubsubsec close
38411 @cindex close, file-i/o system call
38412
38413 @table @asis
38414 @item Synopsis:
38415 @smallexample
38416 int close(int fd);
38417 @end smallexample
38418
38419 @item Request:
38420 @samp{Fclose,@var{fd}}
38421
38422 @item Return value:
38423 @code{close} returns zero on success, or -1 if an error occurred.
38424
38425 @item Errors:
38426
38427 @table @code
38428 @item EBADF
38429 @var{fd} isn't a valid open file descriptor.
38430
38431 @item EINTR
38432 The call was interrupted by the user.
38433 @end table
38434
38435 @end table
38436
38437 @node read
38438 @unnumberedsubsubsec read
38439 @cindex read, file-i/o system call
38440
38441 @table @asis
38442 @item Synopsis:
38443 @smallexample
38444 int read(int fd, void *buf, unsigned int count);
38445 @end smallexample
38446
38447 @item Request:
38448 @samp{Fread,@var{fd},@var{bufptr},@var{count}}
38449
38450 @item Return value:
38451 On success, the number of bytes read is returned.
38452 Zero indicates end of file. If count is zero, read
38453 returns zero as well. On error, -1 is returned.
38454
38455 @item Errors:
38456
38457 @table @code
38458 @item EBADF
38459 @var{fd} is not a valid file descriptor or is not open for
38460 reading.
38461
38462 @item EFAULT
38463 @var{bufptr} is an invalid pointer value.
38464
38465 @item EINTR
38466 The call was interrupted by the user.
38467 @end table
38468
38469 @end table
38470
38471 @node write
38472 @unnumberedsubsubsec write
38473 @cindex write, file-i/o system call
38474
38475 @table @asis
38476 @item Synopsis:
38477 @smallexample
38478 int write(int fd, const void *buf, unsigned int count);
38479 @end smallexample
38480
38481 @item Request:
38482 @samp{Fwrite,@var{fd},@var{bufptr},@var{count}}
38483
38484 @item Return value:
38485 On success, the number of bytes written are returned.
38486 Zero indicates nothing was written. On error, -1
38487 is returned.
38488
38489 @item Errors:
38490
38491 @table @code
38492 @item EBADF
38493 @var{fd} is not a valid file descriptor or is not open for
38494 writing.
38495
38496 @item EFAULT
38497 @var{bufptr} is an invalid pointer value.
38498
38499 @item EFBIG
38500 An attempt was made to write a file that exceeds the
38501 host-specific maximum file size allowed.
38502
38503 @item ENOSPC
38504 No space on device to write the data.
38505
38506 @item EINTR
38507 The call was interrupted by the user.
38508 @end table
38509
38510 @end table
38511
38512 @node lseek
38513 @unnumberedsubsubsec lseek
38514 @cindex lseek, file-i/o system call
38515
38516 @table @asis
38517 @item Synopsis:
38518 @smallexample
38519 long lseek (int fd, long offset, int flag);
38520 @end smallexample
38521
38522 @item Request:
38523 @samp{Flseek,@var{fd},@var{offset},@var{flag}}
38524
38525 @var{flag} is one of:
38526
38527 @table @code
38528 @item SEEK_SET
38529 The offset is set to @var{offset} bytes.
38530
38531 @item SEEK_CUR
38532 The offset is set to its current location plus @var{offset}
38533 bytes.
38534
38535 @item SEEK_END
38536 The offset is set to the size of the file plus @var{offset}
38537 bytes.
38538 @end table
38539
38540 @item Return value:
38541 On success, the resulting unsigned offset in bytes from
38542 the beginning of the file is returned. Otherwise, a
38543 value of -1 is returned.
38544
38545 @item Errors:
38546
38547 @table @code
38548 @item EBADF
38549 @var{fd} is not a valid open file descriptor.
38550
38551 @item ESPIPE
38552 @var{fd} is associated with the @value{GDBN} console.
38553
38554 @item EINVAL
38555 @var{flag} is not a proper value.
38556
38557 @item EINTR
38558 The call was interrupted by the user.
38559 @end table
38560
38561 @end table
38562
38563 @node rename
38564 @unnumberedsubsubsec rename
38565 @cindex rename, file-i/o system call
38566
38567 @table @asis
38568 @item Synopsis:
38569 @smallexample
38570 int rename(const char *oldpath, const char *newpath);
38571 @end smallexample
38572
38573 @item Request:
38574 @samp{Frename,@var{oldpathptr}/@var{len},@var{newpathptr}/@var{len}}
38575
38576 @item Return value:
38577 On success, zero is returned. On error, -1 is returned.
38578
38579 @item Errors:
38580
38581 @table @code
38582 @item EISDIR
38583 @var{newpath} is an existing directory, but @var{oldpath} is not a
38584 directory.
38585
38586 @item EEXIST
38587 @var{newpath} is a non-empty directory.
38588
38589 @item EBUSY
38590 @var{oldpath} or @var{newpath} is a directory that is in use by some
38591 process.
38592
38593 @item EINVAL
38594 An attempt was made to make a directory a subdirectory
38595 of itself.
38596
38597 @item ENOTDIR
38598 A component used as a directory in @var{oldpath} or new
38599 path is not a directory. Or @var{oldpath} is a directory
38600 and @var{newpath} exists but is not a directory.
38601
38602 @item EFAULT
38603 @var{oldpathptr} or @var{newpathptr} are invalid pointer values.
38604
38605 @item EACCES
38606 No access to the file or the path of the file.
38607
38608 @item ENAMETOOLONG
38609
38610 @var{oldpath} or @var{newpath} was too long.
38611
38612 @item ENOENT
38613 A directory component in @var{oldpath} or @var{newpath} does not exist.
38614
38615 @item EROFS
38616 The file is on a read-only filesystem.
38617
38618 @item ENOSPC
38619 The device containing the file has no room for the new
38620 directory entry.
38621
38622 @item EINTR
38623 The call was interrupted by the user.
38624 @end table
38625
38626 @end table
38627
38628 @node unlink
38629 @unnumberedsubsubsec unlink
38630 @cindex unlink, file-i/o system call
38631
38632 @table @asis
38633 @item Synopsis:
38634 @smallexample
38635 int unlink(const char *pathname);
38636 @end smallexample
38637
38638 @item Request:
38639 @samp{Funlink,@var{pathnameptr}/@var{len}}
38640
38641 @item Return value:
38642 On success, zero is returned. On error, -1 is returned.
38643
38644 @item Errors:
38645
38646 @table @code
38647 @item EACCES
38648 No access to the file or the path of the file.
38649
38650 @item EPERM
38651 The system does not allow unlinking of directories.
38652
38653 @item EBUSY
38654 The file @var{pathname} cannot be unlinked because it's
38655 being used by another process.
38656
38657 @item EFAULT
38658 @var{pathnameptr} is an invalid pointer value.
38659
38660 @item ENAMETOOLONG
38661 @var{pathname} was too long.
38662
38663 @item ENOENT
38664 A directory component in @var{pathname} does not exist.
38665
38666 @item ENOTDIR
38667 A component of the path is not a directory.
38668
38669 @item EROFS
38670 The file is on a read-only filesystem.
38671
38672 @item EINTR
38673 The call was interrupted by the user.
38674 @end table
38675
38676 @end table
38677
38678 @node stat/fstat
38679 @unnumberedsubsubsec stat/fstat
38680 @cindex fstat, file-i/o system call
38681 @cindex stat, file-i/o system call
38682
38683 @table @asis
38684 @item Synopsis:
38685 @smallexample
38686 int stat(const char *pathname, struct stat *buf);
38687 int fstat(int fd, struct stat *buf);
38688 @end smallexample
38689
38690 @item Request:
38691 @samp{Fstat,@var{pathnameptr}/@var{len},@var{bufptr}}@*
38692 @samp{Ffstat,@var{fd},@var{bufptr}}
38693
38694 @item Return value:
38695 On success, zero is returned. On error, -1 is returned.
38696
38697 @item Errors:
38698
38699 @table @code
38700 @item EBADF
38701 @var{fd} is not a valid open file.
38702
38703 @item ENOENT
38704 A directory component in @var{pathname} does not exist or the
38705 path is an empty string.
38706
38707 @item ENOTDIR
38708 A component of the path is not a directory.
38709
38710 @item EFAULT
38711 @var{pathnameptr} is an invalid pointer value.
38712
38713 @item EACCES
38714 No access to the file or the path of the file.
38715
38716 @item ENAMETOOLONG
38717 @var{pathname} was too long.
38718
38719 @item EINTR
38720 The call was interrupted by the user.
38721 @end table
38722
38723 @end table
38724
38725 @node gettimeofday
38726 @unnumberedsubsubsec gettimeofday
38727 @cindex gettimeofday, file-i/o system call
38728
38729 @table @asis
38730 @item Synopsis:
38731 @smallexample
38732 int gettimeofday(struct timeval *tv, void *tz);
38733 @end smallexample
38734
38735 @item Request:
38736 @samp{Fgettimeofday,@var{tvptr},@var{tzptr}}
38737
38738 @item Return value:
38739 On success, 0 is returned, -1 otherwise.
38740
38741 @item Errors:
38742
38743 @table @code
38744 @item EINVAL
38745 @var{tz} is a non-NULL pointer.
38746
38747 @item EFAULT
38748 @var{tvptr} and/or @var{tzptr} is an invalid pointer value.
38749 @end table
38750
38751 @end table
38752
38753 @node isatty
38754 @unnumberedsubsubsec isatty
38755 @cindex isatty, file-i/o system call
38756
38757 @table @asis
38758 @item Synopsis:
38759 @smallexample
38760 int isatty(int fd);
38761 @end smallexample
38762
38763 @item Request:
38764 @samp{Fisatty,@var{fd}}
38765
38766 @item Return value:
38767 Returns 1 if @var{fd} refers to the @value{GDBN} console, 0 otherwise.
38768
38769 @item Errors:
38770
38771 @table @code
38772 @item EINTR
38773 The call was interrupted by the user.
38774 @end table
38775
38776 @end table
38777
38778 Note that the @code{isatty} call is treated as a special case: it returns
38779 1 to the target if the file descriptor is attached
38780 to the @value{GDBN} console, 0 otherwise. Implementing through system calls
38781 would require implementing @code{ioctl} and would be more complex than
38782 needed.
38783
38784
38785 @node system
38786 @unnumberedsubsubsec system
38787 @cindex system, file-i/o system call
38788
38789 @table @asis
38790 @item Synopsis:
38791 @smallexample
38792 int system(const char *command);
38793 @end smallexample
38794
38795 @item Request:
38796 @samp{Fsystem,@var{commandptr}/@var{len}}
38797
38798 @item Return value:
38799 If @var{len} is zero, the return value indicates whether a shell is
38800 available. A zero return value indicates a shell is not available.
38801 For non-zero @var{len}, the value returned is -1 on error and the
38802 return status of the command otherwise. Only the exit status of the
38803 command is returned, which is extracted from the host's @code{system}
38804 return value by calling @code{WEXITSTATUS(retval)}. In case
38805 @file{/bin/sh} could not be executed, 127 is returned.
38806
38807 @item Errors:
38808
38809 @table @code
38810 @item EINTR
38811 The call was interrupted by the user.
38812 @end table
38813
38814 @end table
38815
38816 @value{GDBN} takes over the full task of calling the necessary host calls
38817 to perform the @code{system} call. The return value of @code{system} on
38818 the host is simplified before it's returned
38819 to the target. Any termination signal information from the child process
38820 is discarded, and the return value consists
38821 entirely of the exit status of the called command.
38822
38823 Due to security concerns, the @code{system} call is by default refused
38824 by @value{GDBN}. The user has to allow this call explicitly with the
38825 @code{set remote system-call-allowed 1} command.
38826
38827 @table @code
38828 @item set remote system-call-allowed
38829 @kindex set remote system-call-allowed
38830 Control whether to allow the @code{system} calls in the File I/O
38831 protocol for the remote target. The default is zero (disabled).
38832
38833 @item show remote system-call-allowed
38834 @kindex show remote system-call-allowed
38835 Show whether the @code{system} calls are allowed in the File I/O
38836 protocol.
38837 @end table
38838
38839 @node Protocol-specific Representation of Datatypes
38840 @subsection Protocol-specific Representation of Datatypes
38841 @cindex protocol-specific representation of datatypes, in file-i/o protocol
38842
38843 @menu
38844 * Integral Datatypes::
38845 * Pointer Values::
38846 * Memory Transfer::
38847 * struct stat::
38848 * struct timeval::
38849 @end menu
38850
38851 @node Integral Datatypes
38852 @unnumberedsubsubsec Integral Datatypes
38853 @cindex integral datatypes, in file-i/o protocol
38854
38855 The integral datatypes used in the system calls are @code{int},
38856 @code{unsigned int}, @code{long}, @code{unsigned long},
38857 @code{mode_t}, and @code{time_t}.
38858
38859 @code{int}, @code{unsigned int}, @code{mode_t} and @code{time_t} are
38860 implemented as 32 bit values in this protocol.
38861
38862 @code{long} and @code{unsigned long} are implemented as 64 bit types.
38863
38864 @xref{Limits}, for corresponding MIN and MAX values (similar to those
38865 in @file{limits.h}) to allow range checking on host and target.
38866
38867 @code{time_t} datatypes are defined as seconds since the Epoch.
38868
38869 All integral datatypes transferred as part of a memory read or write of a
38870 structured datatype e.g.@: a @code{struct stat} have to be given in big endian
38871 byte order.
38872
38873 @node Pointer Values
38874 @unnumberedsubsubsec Pointer Values
38875 @cindex pointer values, in file-i/o protocol
38876
38877 Pointers to target data are transmitted as they are. An exception
38878 is made for pointers to buffers for which the length isn't
38879 transmitted as part of the function call, namely strings. Strings
38880 are transmitted as a pointer/length pair, both as hex values, e.g.@:
38881
38882 @smallexample
38883 @code{1aaf/12}
38884 @end smallexample
38885
38886 @noindent
38887 which is a pointer to data of length 18 bytes at position 0x1aaf.
38888 The length is defined as the full string length in bytes, including
38889 the trailing null byte. For example, the string @code{"hello world"}
38890 at address 0x123456 is transmitted as
38891
38892 @smallexample
38893 @code{123456/d}
38894 @end smallexample
38895
38896 @node Memory Transfer
38897 @unnumberedsubsubsec Memory Transfer
38898 @cindex memory transfer, in file-i/o protocol
38899
38900 Structured data which is transferred using a memory read or write (for
38901 example, a @code{struct stat}) is expected to be in a protocol-specific format
38902 with all scalar multibyte datatypes being big endian. Translation to
38903 this representation needs to be done both by the target before the @code{F}
38904 packet is sent, and by @value{GDBN} before
38905 it transfers memory to the target. Transferred pointers to structured
38906 data should point to the already-coerced data at any time.
38907
38908
38909 @node struct stat
38910 @unnumberedsubsubsec struct stat
38911 @cindex struct stat, in file-i/o protocol
38912
38913 The buffer of type @code{struct stat} used by the target and @value{GDBN}
38914 is defined as follows:
38915
38916 @smallexample
38917 struct stat @{
38918 unsigned int st_dev; /* device */
38919 unsigned int st_ino; /* inode */
38920 mode_t st_mode; /* protection */
38921 unsigned int st_nlink; /* number of hard links */
38922 unsigned int st_uid; /* user ID of owner */
38923 unsigned int st_gid; /* group ID of owner */
38924 unsigned int st_rdev; /* device type (if inode device) */
38925 unsigned long st_size; /* total size, in bytes */
38926 unsigned long st_blksize; /* blocksize for filesystem I/O */
38927 unsigned long st_blocks; /* number of blocks allocated */
38928 time_t st_atime; /* time of last access */
38929 time_t st_mtime; /* time of last modification */
38930 time_t st_ctime; /* time of last change */
38931 @};
38932 @end smallexample
38933
38934 The integral datatypes conform to the definitions given in the
38935 appropriate section (see @ref{Integral Datatypes}, for details) so this
38936 structure is of size 64 bytes.
38937
38938 The values of several fields have a restricted meaning and/or
38939 range of values.
38940
38941 @table @code
38942
38943 @item st_dev
38944 A value of 0 represents a file, 1 the console.
38945
38946 @item st_ino
38947 No valid meaning for the target. Transmitted unchanged.
38948
38949 @item st_mode
38950 Valid mode bits are described in @ref{Constants}. Any other
38951 bits have currently no meaning for the target.
38952
38953 @item st_uid
38954 @itemx st_gid
38955 @itemx st_rdev
38956 No valid meaning for the target. Transmitted unchanged.
38957
38958 @item st_atime
38959 @itemx st_mtime
38960 @itemx st_ctime
38961 These values have a host and file system dependent
38962 accuracy. Especially on Windows hosts, the file system may not
38963 support exact timing values.
38964 @end table
38965
38966 The target gets a @code{struct stat} of the above representation and is
38967 responsible for coercing it to the target representation before
38968 continuing.
38969
38970 Note that due to size differences between the host, target, and protocol
38971 representations of @code{struct stat} members, these members could eventually
38972 get truncated on the target.
38973
38974 @node struct timeval
38975 @unnumberedsubsubsec struct timeval
38976 @cindex struct timeval, in file-i/o protocol
38977
38978 The buffer of type @code{struct timeval} used by the File-I/O protocol
38979 is defined as follows:
38980
38981 @smallexample
38982 struct timeval @{
38983 time_t tv_sec; /* second */
38984 long tv_usec; /* microsecond */
38985 @};
38986 @end smallexample
38987
38988 The integral datatypes conform to the definitions given in the
38989 appropriate section (see @ref{Integral Datatypes}, for details) so this
38990 structure is of size 8 bytes.
38991
38992 @node Constants
38993 @subsection Constants
38994 @cindex constants, in file-i/o protocol
38995
38996 The following values are used for the constants inside of the
38997 protocol. @value{GDBN} and target are responsible for translating these
38998 values before and after the call as needed.
38999
39000 @menu
39001 * Open Flags::
39002 * mode_t Values::
39003 * Errno Values::
39004 * Lseek Flags::
39005 * Limits::
39006 @end menu
39007
39008 @node Open Flags
39009 @unnumberedsubsubsec Open Flags
39010 @cindex open flags, in file-i/o protocol
39011
39012 All values are given in hexadecimal representation.
39013
39014 @smallexample
39015 O_RDONLY 0x0
39016 O_WRONLY 0x1
39017 O_RDWR 0x2
39018 O_APPEND 0x8
39019 O_CREAT 0x200
39020 O_TRUNC 0x400
39021 O_EXCL 0x800
39022 @end smallexample
39023
39024 @node mode_t Values
39025 @unnumberedsubsubsec mode_t Values
39026 @cindex mode_t values, in file-i/o protocol
39027
39028 All values are given in octal representation.
39029
39030 @smallexample
39031 S_IFREG 0100000
39032 S_IFDIR 040000
39033 S_IRUSR 0400
39034 S_IWUSR 0200
39035 S_IXUSR 0100
39036 S_IRGRP 040
39037 S_IWGRP 020
39038 S_IXGRP 010
39039 S_IROTH 04
39040 S_IWOTH 02
39041 S_IXOTH 01
39042 @end smallexample
39043
39044 @node Errno Values
39045 @unnumberedsubsubsec Errno Values
39046 @cindex errno values, in file-i/o protocol
39047
39048 All values are given in decimal representation.
39049
39050 @smallexample
39051 EPERM 1
39052 ENOENT 2
39053 EINTR 4
39054 EBADF 9
39055 EACCES 13
39056 EFAULT 14
39057 EBUSY 16
39058 EEXIST 17
39059 ENODEV 19
39060 ENOTDIR 20
39061 EISDIR 21
39062 EINVAL 22
39063 ENFILE 23
39064 EMFILE 24
39065 EFBIG 27
39066 ENOSPC 28
39067 ESPIPE 29
39068 EROFS 30
39069 ENAMETOOLONG 91
39070 EUNKNOWN 9999
39071 @end smallexample
39072
39073 @code{EUNKNOWN} is used as a fallback error value if a host system returns
39074 any error value not in the list of supported error numbers.
39075
39076 @node Lseek Flags
39077 @unnumberedsubsubsec Lseek Flags
39078 @cindex lseek flags, in file-i/o protocol
39079
39080 @smallexample
39081 SEEK_SET 0
39082 SEEK_CUR 1
39083 SEEK_END 2
39084 @end smallexample
39085
39086 @node Limits
39087 @unnumberedsubsubsec Limits
39088 @cindex limits, in file-i/o protocol
39089
39090 All values are given in decimal representation.
39091
39092 @smallexample
39093 INT_MIN -2147483648
39094 INT_MAX 2147483647
39095 UINT_MAX 4294967295
39096 LONG_MIN -9223372036854775808
39097 LONG_MAX 9223372036854775807
39098 ULONG_MAX 18446744073709551615
39099 @end smallexample
39100
39101 @node File-I/O Examples
39102 @subsection File-I/O Examples
39103 @cindex file-i/o examples
39104
39105 Example sequence of a write call, file descriptor 3, buffer is at target
39106 address 0x1234, 6 bytes should be written:
39107
39108 @smallexample
39109 <- @code{Fwrite,3,1234,6}
39110 @emph{request memory read from target}
39111 -> @code{m1234,6}
39112 <- XXXXXX
39113 @emph{return "6 bytes written"}
39114 -> @code{F6}
39115 @end smallexample
39116
39117 Example sequence of a read call, file descriptor 3, buffer is at target
39118 address 0x1234, 6 bytes should be read:
39119
39120 @smallexample
39121 <- @code{Fread,3,1234,6}
39122 @emph{request memory write to target}
39123 -> @code{X1234,6:XXXXXX}
39124 @emph{return "6 bytes read"}
39125 -> @code{F6}
39126 @end smallexample
39127
39128 Example sequence of a read call, call fails on the host due to invalid
39129 file descriptor (@code{EBADF}):
39130
39131 @smallexample
39132 <- @code{Fread,3,1234,6}
39133 -> @code{F-1,9}
39134 @end smallexample
39135
39136 Example sequence of a read call, user presses @kbd{Ctrl-c} before syscall on
39137 host is called:
39138
39139 @smallexample
39140 <- @code{Fread,3,1234,6}
39141 -> @code{F-1,4,C}
39142 <- @code{T02}
39143 @end smallexample
39144
39145 Example sequence of a read call, user presses @kbd{Ctrl-c} after syscall on
39146 host is called:
39147
39148 @smallexample
39149 <- @code{Fread,3,1234,6}
39150 -> @code{X1234,6:XXXXXX}
39151 <- @code{T02}
39152 @end smallexample
39153
39154 @node Library List Format
39155 @section Library List Format
39156 @cindex library list format, remote protocol
39157
39158 On some platforms, a dynamic loader (e.g.@: @file{ld.so}) runs in the
39159 same process as your application to manage libraries. In this case,
39160 @value{GDBN} can use the loader's symbol table and normal memory
39161 operations to maintain a list of shared libraries. On other
39162 platforms, the operating system manages loaded libraries.
39163 @value{GDBN} can not retrieve the list of currently loaded libraries
39164 through memory operations, so it uses the @samp{qXfer:libraries:read}
39165 packet (@pxref{qXfer library list read}) instead. The remote stub
39166 queries the target's operating system and reports which libraries
39167 are loaded.
39168
39169 The @samp{qXfer:libraries:read} packet returns an XML document which
39170 lists loaded libraries and their offsets. Each library has an
39171 associated name and one or more segment or section base addresses,
39172 which report where the library was loaded in memory.
39173
39174 For the common case of libraries that are fully linked binaries, the
39175 library should have a list of segments. If the target supports
39176 dynamic linking of a relocatable object file, its library XML element
39177 should instead include a list of allocated sections. The segment or
39178 section bases are start addresses, not relocation offsets; they do not
39179 depend on the library's link-time base addresses.
39180
39181 @value{GDBN} must be linked with the Expat library to support XML
39182 library lists. @xref{Expat}.
39183
39184 A simple memory map, with one loaded library relocated by a single
39185 offset, looks like this:
39186
39187 @smallexample
39188 <library-list>
39189 <library name="/lib/libc.so.6">
39190 <segment address="0x10000000"/>
39191 </library>
39192 </library-list>
39193 @end smallexample
39194
39195 Another simple memory map, with one loaded library with three
39196 allocated sections (.text, .data, .bss), looks like this:
39197
39198 @smallexample
39199 <library-list>
39200 <library name="sharedlib.o">
39201 <section address="0x10000000"/>
39202 <section address="0x20000000"/>
39203 <section address="0x30000000"/>
39204 </library>
39205 </library-list>
39206 @end smallexample
39207
39208 The format of a library list is described by this DTD:
39209
39210 @smallexample
39211 <!-- library-list: Root element with versioning -->
39212 <!ELEMENT library-list (library)*>
39213 <!ATTLIST library-list version CDATA #FIXED "1.0">
39214 <!ELEMENT library (segment*, section*)>
39215 <!ATTLIST library name CDATA #REQUIRED>
39216 <!ELEMENT segment EMPTY>
39217 <!ATTLIST segment address CDATA #REQUIRED>
39218 <!ELEMENT section EMPTY>
39219 <!ATTLIST section address CDATA #REQUIRED>
39220 @end smallexample
39221
39222 In addition, segments and section descriptors cannot be mixed within a
39223 single library element, and you must supply at least one segment or
39224 section for each library.
39225
39226 @node Library List Format for SVR4 Targets
39227 @section Library List Format for SVR4 Targets
39228 @cindex library list format, remote protocol
39229
39230 On SVR4 platforms @value{GDBN} can use the symbol table of a dynamic loader
39231 (e.g.@: @file{ld.so}) and normal memory operations to maintain a list of
39232 shared libraries. Still a special library list provided by this packet is
39233 more efficient for the @value{GDBN} remote protocol.
39234
39235 The @samp{qXfer:libraries-svr4:read} packet returns an XML document which lists
39236 loaded libraries and their SVR4 linker parameters. For each library on SVR4
39237 target, the following parameters are reported:
39238
39239 @itemize @minus
39240 @item
39241 @code{name}, the absolute file name from the @code{l_name} field of
39242 @code{struct link_map}.
39243 @item
39244 @code{lm} with address of @code{struct link_map} used for TLS
39245 (Thread Local Storage) access.
39246 @item
39247 @code{l_addr}, the displacement as read from the field @code{l_addr} of
39248 @code{struct link_map}. For prelinked libraries this is not an absolute
39249 memory address. It is a displacement of absolute memory address against
39250 address the file was prelinked to during the library load.
39251 @item
39252 @code{l_ld}, which is memory address of the @code{PT_DYNAMIC} segment
39253 @end itemize
39254
39255 Additionally the single @code{main-lm} attribute specifies address of
39256 @code{struct link_map} used for the main executable. This parameter is used
39257 for TLS access and its presence is optional.
39258
39259 @value{GDBN} must be linked with the Expat library to support XML
39260 SVR4 library lists. @xref{Expat}.
39261
39262 A simple memory map, with two loaded libraries (which do not use prelink),
39263 looks like this:
39264
39265 @smallexample
39266 <library-list-svr4 version="1.0" main-lm="0xe4f8f8">
39267 <library name="/lib/ld-linux.so.2" lm="0xe4f51c" l_addr="0xe2d000"
39268 l_ld="0xe4eefc"/>
39269 <library name="/lib/libc.so.6" lm="0xe4fbe8" l_addr="0x154000"
39270 l_ld="0x152350"/>
39271 </library-list-svr>
39272 @end smallexample
39273
39274 The format of an SVR4 library list is described by this DTD:
39275
39276 @smallexample
39277 <!-- library-list-svr4: Root element with versioning -->
39278 <!ELEMENT library-list-svr4 (library)*>
39279 <!ATTLIST library-list-svr4 version CDATA #FIXED "1.0">
39280 <!ATTLIST library-list-svr4 main-lm CDATA #IMPLIED>
39281 <!ELEMENT library EMPTY>
39282 <!ATTLIST library name CDATA #REQUIRED>
39283 <!ATTLIST library lm CDATA #REQUIRED>
39284 <!ATTLIST library l_addr CDATA #REQUIRED>
39285 <!ATTLIST library l_ld CDATA #REQUIRED>
39286 @end smallexample
39287
39288 @node Memory Map Format
39289 @section Memory Map Format
39290 @cindex memory map format
39291
39292 To be able to write into flash memory, @value{GDBN} needs to obtain a
39293 memory map from the target. This section describes the format of the
39294 memory map.
39295
39296 The memory map is obtained using the @samp{qXfer:memory-map:read}
39297 (@pxref{qXfer memory map read}) packet and is an XML document that
39298 lists memory regions.
39299
39300 @value{GDBN} must be linked with the Expat library to support XML
39301 memory maps. @xref{Expat}.
39302
39303 The top-level structure of the document is shown below:
39304
39305 @smallexample
39306 <?xml version="1.0"?>
39307 <!DOCTYPE memory-map
39308 PUBLIC "+//IDN gnu.org//DTD GDB Memory Map V1.0//EN"
39309 "http://sourceware.org/gdb/gdb-memory-map.dtd">
39310 <memory-map>
39311 region...
39312 </memory-map>
39313 @end smallexample
39314
39315 Each region can be either:
39316
39317 @itemize
39318
39319 @item
39320 A region of RAM starting at @var{addr} and extending for @var{length}
39321 bytes from there:
39322
39323 @smallexample
39324 <memory type="ram" start="@var{addr}" length="@var{length}"/>
39325 @end smallexample
39326
39327
39328 @item
39329 A region of read-only memory:
39330
39331 @smallexample
39332 <memory type="rom" start="@var{addr}" length="@var{length}"/>
39333 @end smallexample
39334
39335
39336 @item
39337 A region of flash memory, with erasure blocks @var{blocksize}
39338 bytes in length:
39339
39340 @smallexample
39341 <memory type="flash" start="@var{addr}" length="@var{length}">
39342 <property name="blocksize">@var{blocksize}</property>
39343 </memory>
39344 @end smallexample
39345
39346 @end itemize
39347
39348 Regions must not overlap. @value{GDBN} assumes that areas of memory not covered
39349 by the memory map are RAM, and uses the ordinary @samp{M} and @samp{X}
39350 packets to write to addresses in such ranges.
39351
39352 The formal DTD for memory map format is given below:
39353
39354 @smallexample
39355 <!-- ................................................... -->
39356 <!-- Memory Map XML DTD ................................ -->
39357 <!-- File: memory-map.dtd .............................. -->
39358 <!-- .................................... .............. -->
39359 <!-- memory-map.dtd -->
39360 <!-- memory-map: Root element with versioning -->
39361 <!ELEMENT memory-map (memory | property)>
39362 <!ATTLIST memory-map version CDATA #FIXED "1.0.0">
39363 <!ELEMENT memory (property)>
39364 <!-- memory: Specifies a memory region,
39365 and its type, or device. -->
39366 <!ATTLIST memory type CDATA #REQUIRED
39367 start CDATA #REQUIRED
39368 length CDATA #REQUIRED
39369 device CDATA #IMPLIED>
39370 <!-- property: Generic attribute tag -->
39371 <!ELEMENT property (#PCDATA | property)*>
39372 <!ATTLIST property name CDATA #REQUIRED>
39373 @end smallexample
39374
39375 @node Thread List Format
39376 @section Thread List Format
39377 @cindex thread list format
39378
39379 To efficiently update the list of threads and their attributes,
39380 @value{GDBN} issues the @samp{qXfer:threads:read} packet
39381 (@pxref{qXfer threads read}) and obtains the XML document with
39382 the following structure:
39383
39384 @smallexample
39385 <?xml version="1.0"?>
39386 <threads>
39387 <thread id="id" core="0">
39388 ... description ...
39389 </thread>
39390 </threads>
39391 @end smallexample
39392
39393 Each @samp{thread} element must have the @samp{id} attribute that
39394 identifies the thread (@pxref{thread-id syntax}). The
39395 @samp{core} attribute, if present, specifies which processor core
39396 the thread was last executing on. The content of the of @samp{thread}
39397 element is interpreted as human-readable auxilliary information.
39398
39399 @node Traceframe Info Format
39400 @section Traceframe Info Format
39401 @cindex traceframe info format
39402
39403 To be able to know which objects in the inferior can be examined when
39404 inspecting a tracepoint hit, @value{GDBN} needs to obtain the list of
39405 memory ranges, registers and trace state variables that have been
39406 collected in a traceframe.
39407
39408 This list is obtained using the @samp{qXfer:traceframe-info:read}
39409 (@pxref{qXfer traceframe info read}) packet and is an XML document.
39410
39411 @value{GDBN} must be linked with the Expat library to support XML
39412 traceframe info discovery. @xref{Expat}.
39413
39414 The top-level structure of the document is shown below:
39415
39416 @smallexample
39417 <?xml version="1.0"?>
39418 <!DOCTYPE traceframe-info
39419 PUBLIC "+//IDN gnu.org//DTD GDB Memory Map V1.0//EN"
39420 "http://sourceware.org/gdb/gdb-traceframe-info.dtd">
39421 <traceframe-info>
39422 block...
39423 </traceframe-info>
39424 @end smallexample
39425
39426 Each traceframe block can be either:
39427
39428 @itemize
39429
39430 @item
39431 A region of collected memory starting at @var{addr} and extending for
39432 @var{length} bytes from there:
39433
39434 @smallexample
39435 <memory start="@var{addr}" length="@var{length}"/>
39436 @end smallexample
39437
39438 @item
39439 A block indicating trace state variable numbered @var{number} has been
39440 collected:
39441
39442 @smallexample
39443 <tvar id="@var{number}"/>
39444 @end smallexample
39445
39446 @end itemize
39447
39448 The formal DTD for the traceframe info format is given below:
39449
39450 @smallexample
39451 <!ELEMENT traceframe-info (memory | tvar)* >
39452 <!ATTLIST traceframe-info version CDATA #FIXED "1.0">
39453
39454 <!ELEMENT memory EMPTY>
39455 <!ATTLIST memory start CDATA #REQUIRED
39456 length CDATA #REQUIRED>
39457 <!ELEMENT tvar>
39458 <!ATTLIST tvar id CDATA #REQUIRED>
39459 @end smallexample
39460
39461 @node Branch Trace Format
39462 @section Branch Trace Format
39463 @cindex branch trace format
39464
39465 In order to display the branch trace of an inferior thread,
39466 @value{GDBN} needs to obtain the list of branches. This list is
39467 represented as list of sequential code blocks that are connected via
39468 branches. The code in each block has been executed sequentially.
39469
39470 This list is obtained using the @samp{qXfer:btrace:read}
39471 (@pxref{qXfer btrace read}) packet and is an XML document.
39472
39473 @value{GDBN} must be linked with the Expat library to support XML
39474 traceframe info discovery. @xref{Expat}.
39475
39476 The top-level structure of the document is shown below:
39477
39478 @smallexample
39479 <?xml version="1.0"?>
39480 <!DOCTYPE btrace
39481 PUBLIC "+//IDN gnu.org//DTD GDB Branch Trace V1.0//EN"
39482 "http://sourceware.org/gdb/gdb-btrace.dtd">
39483 <btrace>
39484 block...
39485 </btrace>
39486 @end smallexample
39487
39488 @itemize
39489
39490 @item
39491 A block of sequentially executed instructions starting at @var{begin}
39492 and ending at @var{end}:
39493
39494 @smallexample
39495 <block begin="@var{begin}" end="@var{end}"/>
39496 @end smallexample
39497
39498 @end itemize
39499
39500 The formal DTD for the branch trace format is given below:
39501
39502 @smallexample
39503 <!ELEMENT btrace (block)* >
39504 <!ATTLIST btrace version CDATA #FIXED "1.0">
39505
39506 <!ELEMENT block EMPTY>
39507 <!ATTLIST block begin CDATA #REQUIRED
39508 end CDATA #REQUIRED>
39509 @end smallexample
39510
39511 @node Branch Trace Configuration Format
39512 @section Branch Trace Configuration Format
39513 @cindex branch trace configuration format
39514
39515 For each inferior thread, @value{GDBN} can obtain the branch trace
39516 configuration using the @samp{qXfer:btrace-conf:read}
39517 (@pxref{qXfer btrace-conf read}) packet.
39518
39519 The configuration describes the branch trace format and configuration
39520 settings for that format. The following information is described:
39521
39522 @table @code
39523 @item bts
39524 This thread uses the @dfn{Branch Trace Store} (@acronym{BTS}) format.
39525 @table @code
39526 @item size
39527 The size of the @acronym{BTS} ring buffer in bytes.
39528 @end table
39529 @end table
39530
39531 @value{GDBN} must be linked with the Expat library to support XML
39532 branch trace configuration discovery. @xref{Expat}.
39533
39534 The formal DTD for the branch trace configuration format is given below:
39535
39536 @smallexample
39537 <!ELEMENT btrace-conf (bts?)>
39538 <!ATTLIST btrace-conf version CDATA #FIXED "1.0">
39539
39540 <!ELEMENT bts EMPTY>
39541 <!ATTLIST bts size CDATA #IMPLIED>
39542 @end smallexample
39543
39544 @include agentexpr.texi
39545
39546 @node Target Descriptions
39547 @appendix Target Descriptions
39548 @cindex target descriptions
39549
39550 One of the challenges of using @value{GDBN} to debug embedded systems
39551 is that there are so many minor variants of each processor
39552 architecture in use. It is common practice for vendors to start with
39553 a standard processor core --- ARM, PowerPC, or @acronym{MIPS}, for example ---
39554 and then make changes to adapt it to a particular market niche. Some
39555 architectures have hundreds of variants, available from dozens of
39556 vendors. This leads to a number of problems:
39557
39558 @itemize @bullet
39559 @item
39560 With so many different customized processors, it is difficult for
39561 the @value{GDBN} maintainers to keep up with the changes.
39562 @item
39563 Since individual variants may have short lifetimes or limited
39564 audiences, it may not be worthwhile to carry information about every
39565 variant in the @value{GDBN} source tree.
39566 @item
39567 When @value{GDBN} does support the architecture of the embedded system
39568 at hand, the task of finding the correct architecture name to give the
39569 @command{set architecture} command can be error-prone.
39570 @end itemize
39571
39572 To address these problems, the @value{GDBN} remote protocol allows a
39573 target system to not only identify itself to @value{GDBN}, but to
39574 actually describe its own features. This lets @value{GDBN} support
39575 processor variants it has never seen before --- to the extent that the
39576 descriptions are accurate, and that @value{GDBN} understands them.
39577
39578 @value{GDBN} must be linked with the Expat library to support XML
39579 target descriptions. @xref{Expat}.
39580
39581 @menu
39582 * Retrieving Descriptions:: How descriptions are fetched from a target.
39583 * Target Description Format:: The contents of a target description.
39584 * Predefined Target Types:: Standard types available for target
39585 descriptions.
39586 * Standard Target Features:: Features @value{GDBN} knows about.
39587 @end menu
39588
39589 @node Retrieving Descriptions
39590 @section Retrieving Descriptions
39591
39592 Target descriptions can be read from the target automatically, or
39593 specified by the user manually. The default behavior is to read the
39594 description from the target. @value{GDBN} retrieves it via the remote
39595 protocol using @samp{qXfer} requests (@pxref{General Query Packets,
39596 qXfer}). The @var{annex} in the @samp{qXfer} packet will be
39597 @samp{target.xml}. The contents of the @samp{target.xml} annex are an
39598 XML document, of the form described in @ref{Target Description
39599 Format}.
39600
39601 Alternatively, you can specify a file to read for the target description.
39602 If a file is set, the target will not be queried. The commands to
39603 specify a file are:
39604
39605 @table @code
39606 @cindex set tdesc filename
39607 @item set tdesc filename @var{path}
39608 Read the target description from @var{path}.
39609
39610 @cindex unset tdesc filename
39611 @item unset tdesc filename
39612 Do not read the XML target description from a file. @value{GDBN}
39613 will use the description supplied by the current target.
39614
39615 @cindex show tdesc filename
39616 @item show tdesc filename
39617 Show the filename to read for a target description, if any.
39618 @end table
39619
39620
39621 @node Target Description Format
39622 @section Target Description Format
39623 @cindex target descriptions, XML format
39624
39625 A target description annex is an @uref{http://www.w3.org/XML/, XML}
39626 document which complies with the Document Type Definition provided in
39627 the @value{GDBN} sources in @file{gdb/features/gdb-target.dtd}. This
39628 means you can use generally available tools like @command{xmllint} to
39629 check that your feature descriptions are well-formed and valid.
39630 However, to help people unfamiliar with XML write descriptions for
39631 their targets, we also describe the grammar here.
39632
39633 Target descriptions can identify the architecture of the remote target
39634 and (for some architectures) provide information about custom register
39635 sets. They can also identify the OS ABI of the remote target.
39636 @value{GDBN} can use this information to autoconfigure for your
39637 target, or to warn you if you connect to an unsupported target.
39638
39639 Here is a simple target description:
39640
39641 @smallexample
39642 <target version="1.0">
39643 <architecture>i386:x86-64</architecture>
39644 </target>
39645 @end smallexample
39646
39647 @noindent
39648 This minimal description only says that the target uses
39649 the x86-64 architecture.
39650
39651 A target description has the following overall form, with [ ] marking
39652 optional elements and @dots{} marking repeatable elements. The elements
39653 are explained further below.
39654
39655 @smallexample
39656 <?xml version="1.0"?>
39657 <!DOCTYPE target SYSTEM "gdb-target.dtd">
39658 <target version="1.0">
39659 @r{[}@var{architecture}@r{]}
39660 @r{[}@var{osabi}@r{]}
39661 @r{[}@var{compatible}@r{]}
39662 @r{[}@var{feature}@dots{}@r{]}
39663 </target>
39664 @end smallexample
39665
39666 @noindent
39667 The description is generally insensitive to whitespace and line
39668 breaks, under the usual common-sense rules. The XML version
39669 declaration and document type declaration can generally be omitted
39670 (@value{GDBN} does not require them), but specifying them may be
39671 useful for XML validation tools. The @samp{version} attribute for
39672 @samp{<target>} may also be omitted, but we recommend
39673 including it; if future versions of @value{GDBN} use an incompatible
39674 revision of @file{gdb-target.dtd}, they will detect and report
39675 the version mismatch.
39676
39677 @subsection Inclusion
39678 @cindex target descriptions, inclusion
39679 @cindex XInclude
39680 @ifnotinfo
39681 @cindex <xi:include>
39682 @end ifnotinfo
39683
39684 It can sometimes be valuable to split a target description up into
39685 several different annexes, either for organizational purposes, or to
39686 share files between different possible target descriptions. You can
39687 divide a description into multiple files by replacing any element of
39688 the target description with an inclusion directive of the form:
39689
39690 @smallexample
39691 <xi:include href="@var{document}"/>
39692 @end smallexample
39693
39694 @noindent
39695 When @value{GDBN} encounters an element of this form, it will retrieve
39696 the named XML @var{document}, and replace the inclusion directive with
39697 the contents of that document. If the current description was read
39698 using @samp{qXfer}, then so will be the included document;
39699 @var{document} will be interpreted as the name of an annex. If the
39700 current description was read from a file, @value{GDBN} will look for
39701 @var{document} as a file in the same directory where it found the
39702 original description.
39703
39704 @subsection Architecture
39705 @cindex <architecture>
39706
39707 An @samp{<architecture>} element has this form:
39708
39709 @smallexample
39710 <architecture>@var{arch}</architecture>
39711 @end smallexample
39712
39713 @var{arch} is one of the architectures from the set accepted by
39714 @code{set architecture} (@pxref{Targets, ,Specifying a Debugging Target}).
39715
39716 @subsection OS ABI
39717 @cindex @code{<osabi>}
39718
39719 This optional field was introduced in @value{GDBN} version 7.0.
39720 Previous versions of @value{GDBN} ignore it.
39721
39722 An @samp{<osabi>} element has this form:
39723
39724 @smallexample
39725 <osabi>@var{abi-name}</osabi>
39726 @end smallexample
39727
39728 @var{abi-name} is an OS ABI name from the same selection accepted by
39729 @w{@code{set osabi}} (@pxref{ABI, ,Configuring the Current ABI}).
39730
39731 @subsection Compatible Architecture
39732 @cindex @code{<compatible>}
39733
39734 This optional field was introduced in @value{GDBN} version 7.0.
39735 Previous versions of @value{GDBN} ignore it.
39736
39737 A @samp{<compatible>} element has this form:
39738
39739 @smallexample
39740 <compatible>@var{arch}</compatible>
39741 @end smallexample
39742
39743 @var{arch} is one of the architectures from the set accepted by
39744 @code{set architecture} (@pxref{Targets, ,Specifying a Debugging Target}).
39745
39746 A @samp{<compatible>} element is used to specify that the target
39747 is able to run binaries in some other than the main target architecture
39748 given by the @samp{<architecture>} element. For example, on the
39749 Cell Broadband Engine, the main architecture is @code{powerpc:common}
39750 or @code{powerpc:common64}, but the system is able to run binaries
39751 in the @code{spu} architecture as well. The way to describe this
39752 capability with @samp{<compatible>} is as follows:
39753
39754 @smallexample
39755 <architecture>powerpc:common</architecture>
39756 <compatible>spu</compatible>
39757 @end smallexample
39758
39759 @subsection Features
39760 @cindex <feature>
39761
39762 Each @samp{<feature>} describes some logical portion of the target
39763 system. Features are currently used to describe available CPU
39764 registers and the types of their contents. A @samp{<feature>} element
39765 has this form:
39766
39767 @smallexample
39768 <feature name="@var{name}">
39769 @r{[}@var{type}@dots{}@r{]}
39770 @var{reg}@dots{}
39771 </feature>
39772 @end smallexample
39773
39774 @noindent
39775 Each feature's name should be unique within the description. The name
39776 of a feature does not matter unless @value{GDBN} has some special
39777 knowledge of the contents of that feature; if it does, the feature
39778 should have its standard name. @xref{Standard Target Features}.
39779
39780 @subsection Types
39781
39782 Any register's value is a collection of bits which @value{GDBN} must
39783 interpret. The default interpretation is a two's complement integer,
39784 but other types can be requested by name in the register description.
39785 Some predefined types are provided by @value{GDBN} (@pxref{Predefined
39786 Target Types}), and the description can define additional composite types.
39787
39788 Each type element must have an @samp{id} attribute, which gives
39789 a unique (within the containing @samp{<feature>}) name to the type.
39790 Types must be defined before they are used.
39791
39792 @cindex <vector>
39793 Some targets offer vector registers, which can be treated as arrays
39794 of scalar elements. These types are written as @samp{<vector>} elements,
39795 specifying the array element type, @var{type}, and the number of elements,
39796 @var{count}:
39797
39798 @smallexample
39799 <vector id="@var{id}" type="@var{type}" count="@var{count}"/>
39800 @end smallexample
39801
39802 @cindex <union>
39803 If a register's value is usefully viewed in multiple ways, define it
39804 with a union type containing the useful representations. The
39805 @samp{<union>} element contains one or more @samp{<field>} elements,
39806 each of which has a @var{name} and a @var{type}:
39807
39808 @smallexample
39809 <union id="@var{id}">
39810 <field name="@var{name}" type="@var{type}"/>
39811 @dots{}
39812 </union>
39813 @end smallexample
39814
39815 @cindex <struct>
39816 If a register's value is composed from several separate values, define
39817 it with a structure type. There are two forms of the @samp{<struct>}
39818 element; a @samp{<struct>} element must either contain only bitfields
39819 or contain no bitfields. If the structure contains only bitfields,
39820 its total size in bytes must be specified, each bitfield must have an
39821 explicit start and end, and bitfields are automatically assigned an
39822 integer type. The field's @var{start} should be less than or
39823 equal to its @var{end}, and zero represents the least significant bit.
39824
39825 @smallexample
39826 <struct id="@var{id}" size="@var{size}">
39827 <field name="@var{name}" start="@var{start}" end="@var{end}"/>
39828 @dots{}
39829 </struct>
39830 @end smallexample
39831
39832 If the structure contains no bitfields, then each field has an
39833 explicit type, and no implicit padding is added.
39834
39835 @smallexample
39836 <struct id="@var{id}">
39837 <field name="@var{name}" type="@var{type}"/>
39838 @dots{}
39839 </struct>
39840 @end smallexample
39841
39842 @cindex <flags>
39843 If a register's value is a series of single-bit flags, define it with
39844 a flags type. The @samp{<flags>} element has an explicit @var{size}
39845 and contains one or more @samp{<field>} elements. Each field has a
39846 @var{name}, a @var{start}, and an @var{end}. Only single-bit flags
39847 are supported.
39848
39849 @smallexample
39850 <flags id="@var{id}" size="@var{size}">
39851 <field name="@var{name}" start="@var{start}" end="@var{end}"/>
39852 @dots{}
39853 </flags>
39854 @end smallexample
39855
39856 @subsection Registers
39857 @cindex <reg>
39858
39859 Each register is represented as an element with this form:
39860
39861 @smallexample
39862 <reg name="@var{name}"
39863 bitsize="@var{size}"
39864 @r{[}regnum="@var{num}"@r{]}
39865 @r{[}save-restore="@var{save-restore}"@r{]}
39866 @r{[}type="@var{type}"@r{]}
39867 @r{[}group="@var{group}"@r{]}/>
39868 @end smallexample
39869
39870 @noindent
39871 The components are as follows:
39872
39873 @table @var
39874
39875 @item name
39876 The register's name; it must be unique within the target description.
39877
39878 @item bitsize
39879 The register's size, in bits.
39880
39881 @item regnum
39882 The register's number. If omitted, a register's number is one greater
39883 than that of the previous register (either in the current feature or in
39884 a preceding feature); the first register in the target description
39885 defaults to zero. This register number is used to read or write
39886 the register; e.g.@: it is used in the remote @code{p} and @code{P}
39887 packets, and registers appear in the @code{g} and @code{G} packets
39888 in order of increasing register number.
39889
39890 @item save-restore
39891 Whether the register should be preserved across inferior function
39892 calls; this must be either @code{yes} or @code{no}. The default is
39893 @code{yes}, which is appropriate for most registers except for
39894 some system control registers; this is not related to the target's
39895 ABI.
39896
39897 @item type
39898 The type of the register. It may be a predefined type, a type
39899 defined in the current feature, or one of the special types @code{int}
39900 and @code{float}. @code{int} is an integer type of the correct size
39901 for @var{bitsize}, and @code{float} is a floating point type (in the
39902 architecture's normal floating point format) of the correct size for
39903 @var{bitsize}. The default is @code{int}.
39904
39905 @item group
39906 The register group to which this register belongs. It must
39907 be either @code{general}, @code{float}, or @code{vector}. If no
39908 @var{group} is specified, @value{GDBN} will not display the register
39909 in @code{info registers}.
39910
39911 @end table
39912
39913 @node Predefined Target Types
39914 @section Predefined Target Types
39915 @cindex target descriptions, predefined types
39916
39917 Type definitions in the self-description can build up composite types
39918 from basic building blocks, but can not define fundamental types. Instead,
39919 standard identifiers are provided by @value{GDBN} for the fundamental
39920 types. The currently supported types are:
39921
39922 @table @code
39923
39924 @item int8
39925 @itemx int16
39926 @itemx int32
39927 @itemx int64
39928 @itemx int128
39929 Signed integer types holding the specified number of bits.
39930
39931 @item uint8
39932 @itemx uint16
39933 @itemx uint32
39934 @itemx uint64
39935 @itemx uint128
39936 Unsigned integer types holding the specified number of bits.
39937
39938 @item code_ptr
39939 @itemx data_ptr
39940 Pointers to unspecified code and data. The program counter and
39941 any dedicated return address register may be marked as code
39942 pointers; printing a code pointer converts it into a symbolic
39943 address. The stack pointer and any dedicated address registers
39944 may be marked as data pointers.
39945
39946 @item ieee_single
39947 Single precision IEEE floating point.
39948
39949 @item ieee_double
39950 Double precision IEEE floating point.
39951
39952 @item arm_fpa_ext
39953 The 12-byte extended precision format used by ARM FPA registers.
39954
39955 @item i387_ext
39956 The 10-byte extended precision format used by x87 registers.
39957
39958 @item i386_eflags
39959 32bit @sc{eflags} register used by x86.
39960
39961 @item i386_mxcsr
39962 32bit @sc{mxcsr} register used by x86.
39963
39964 @end table
39965
39966 @node Standard Target Features
39967 @section Standard Target Features
39968 @cindex target descriptions, standard features
39969
39970 A target description must contain either no registers or all the
39971 target's registers. If the description contains no registers, then
39972 @value{GDBN} will assume a default register layout, selected based on
39973 the architecture. If the description contains any registers, the
39974 default layout will not be used; the standard registers must be
39975 described in the target description, in such a way that @value{GDBN}
39976 can recognize them.
39977
39978 This is accomplished by giving specific names to feature elements
39979 which contain standard registers. @value{GDBN} will look for features
39980 with those names and verify that they contain the expected registers;
39981 if any known feature is missing required registers, or if any required
39982 feature is missing, @value{GDBN} will reject the target
39983 description. You can add additional registers to any of the
39984 standard features --- @value{GDBN} will display them just as if
39985 they were added to an unrecognized feature.
39986
39987 This section lists the known features and their expected contents.
39988 Sample XML documents for these features are included in the
39989 @value{GDBN} source tree, in the directory @file{gdb/features}.
39990
39991 Names recognized by @value{GDBN} should include the name of the
39992 company or organization which selected the name, and the overall
39993 architecture to which the feature applies; so e.g.@: the feature
39994 containing ARM core registers is named @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.core}.
39995
39996 The names of registers are not case sensitive for the purpose
39997 of recognizing standard features, but @value{GDBN} will only display
39998 registers using the capitalization used in the description.
39999
40000 @menu
40001 * AArch64 Features::
40002 * ARM Features::
40003 * i386 Features::
40004 * MicroBlaze Features::
40005 * MIPS Features::
40006 * M68K Features::
40007 * Nios II Features::
40008 * PowerPC Features::
40009 * S/390 and System z Features::
40010 * TIC6x Features::
40011 @end menu
40012
40013
40014 @node AArch64 Features
40015 @subsection AArch64 Features
40016 @cindex target descriptions, AArch64 features
40017
40018 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.aarch64.core} feature is required for AArch64
40019 targets. It should contain registers @samp{x0} through @samp{x30},
40020 @samp{sp}, @samp{pc}, and @samp{cpsr}.
40021
40022 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.aarch64.fpu} feature is optional. If present,
40023 it should contain registers @samp{v0} through @samp{v31}, @samp{fpsr},
40024 and @samp{fpcr}.
40025
40026 @node ARM Features
40027 @subsection ARM Features
40028 @cindex target descriptions, ARM features
40029
40030 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.core} feature is required for non-M-profile
40031 ARM targets.
40032 It should contain registers @samp{r0} through @samp{r13}, @samp{sp},
40033 @samp{lr}, @samp{pc}, and @samp{cpsr}.
40034
40035 For M-profile targets (e.g. Cortex-M3), the @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.core}
40036 feature is replaced by @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.m-profile}. It should contain
40037 registers @samp{r0} through @samp{r13}, @samp{sp}, @samp{lr}, @samp{pc},
40038 and @samp{xpsr}.
40039
40040 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.fpa} feature is optional. If present, it
40041 should contain registers @samp{f0} through @samp{f7} and @samp{fps}.
40042
40043 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.xscale.iwmmxt} feature is optional. If present,
40044 it should contain at least registers @samp{wR0} through @samp{wR15} and
40045 @samp{wCGR0} through @samp{wCGR3}. The @samp{wCID}, @samp{wCon},
40046 @samp{wCSSF}, and @samp{wCASF} registers are optional.
40047
40048 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.vfp} feature is optional. If present, it
40049 should contain at least registers @samp{d0} through @samp{d15}. If
40050 they are present, @samp{d16} through @samp{d31} should also be included.
40051 @value{GDBN} will synthesize the single-precision registers from
40052 halves of the double-precision registers.
40053
40054 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.neon} feature is optional. It does not
40055 need to contain registers; it instructs @value{GDBN} to display the
40056 VFP double-precision registers as vectors and to synthesize the
40057 quad-precision registers from pairs of double-precision registers.
40058 If this feature is present, @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.vfp} must also
40059 be present and include 32 double-precision registers.
40060
40061 @node i386 Features
40062 @subsection i386 Features
40063 @cindex target descriptions, i386 features
40064
40065 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.i386.core} feature is required for i386/amd64
40066 targets. It should describe the following registers:
40067
40068 @itemize @minus
40069 @item
40070 @samp{eax} through @samp{edi} plus @samp{eip} for i386
40071 @item
40072 @samp{rax} through @samp{r15} plus @samp{rip} for amd64
40073 @item
40074 @samp{eflags}, @samp{cs}, @samp{ss}, @samp{ds}, @samp{es},
40075 @samp{fs}, @samp{gs}
40076 @item
40077 @samp{st0} through @samp{st7}
40078 @item
40079 @samp{fctrl}, @samp{fstat}, @samp{ftag}, @samp{fiseg}, @samp{fioff},
40080 @samp{foseg}, @samp{fooff} and @samp{fop}
40081 @end itemize
40082
40083 The register sets may be different, depending on the target.
40084
40085 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.i386.sse} feature is optional. It should
40086 describe registers:
40087
40088 @itemize @minus
40089 @item
40090 @samp{xmm0} through @samp{xmm7} for i386
40091 @item
40092 @samp{xmm0} through @samp{xmm15} for amd64
40093 @item
40094 @samp{mxcsr}
40095 @end itemize
40096
40097 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.i386.avx} feature is optional and requires the
40098 @samp{org.gnu.gdb.i386.sse} feature. It should
40099 describe the upper 128 bits of @sc{ymm} registers:
40100
40101 @itemize @minus
40102 @item
40103 @samp{ymm0h} through @samp{ymm7h} for i386
40104 @item
40105 @samp{ymm0h} through @samp{ymm15h} for amd64
40106 @end itemize
40107
40108 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.i386.mpx} is an optional feature representing Intel(R)
40109 Memory Protection Extension (MPX). It should describe the following registers:
40110
40111 @itemize @minus
40112 @item
40113 @samp{bnd0raw} through @samp{bnd3raw} for i386 and amd64.
40114 @item
40115 @samp{bndcfgu} and @samp{bndstatus} for i386 and amd64.
40116 @end itemize
40117
40118 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.i386.linux} feature is optional. It should
40119 describe a single register, @samp{orig_eax}.
40120
40121 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.i386.avx512} feature is optional and requires the
40122 @samp{org.gnu.gdb.i386.avx} feature. It should
40123 describe additional @sc{xmm} registers:
40124
40125 @itemize @minus
40126 @item
40127 @samp{xmm16h} through @samp{xmm31h}, only valid for amd64.
40128 @end itemize
40129
40130 It should describe the upper 128 bits of additional @sc{ymm} registers:
40131
40132 @itemize @minus
40133 @item
40134 @samp{ymm16h} through @samp{ymm31h}, only valid for amd64.
40135 @end itemize
40136
40137 It should
40138 describe the upper 256 bits of @sc{zmm} registers:
40139
40140 @itemize @minus
40141 @item
40142 @samp{zmm0h} through @samp{zmm7h} for i386.
40143 @item
40144 @samp{zmm0h} through @samp{zmm15h} for amd64.
40145 @end itemize
40146
40147 It should
40148 describe the additional @sc{zmm} registers:
40149
40150 @itemize @minus
40151 @item
40152 @samp{zmm16h} through @samp{zmm31h}, only valid for amd64.
40153 @end itemize
40154
40155 @node MicroBlaze Features
40156 @subsection MicroBlaze Features
40157 @cindex target descriptions, MicroBlaze features
40158
40159 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.microblaze.core} feature is required for MicroBlaze
40160 targets. It should contain registers @samp{r0} through @samp{r31},
40161 @samp{rpc}, @samp{rmsr}, @samp{rear}, @samp{resr}, @samp{rfsr}, @samp{rbtr},
40162 @samp{rpvr}, @samp{rpvr1} through @samp{rpvr11}, @samp{redr}, @samp{rpid},
40163 @samp{rzpr}, @samp{rtlbx}, @samp{rtlbsx}, @samp{rtlblo}, and @samp{rtlbhi}.
40164
40165 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.microblaze.stack-protect} feature is optional.
40166 If present, it should contain registers @samp{rshr} and @samp{rslr}
40167
40168 @node MIPS Features
40169 @subsection @acronym{MIPS} Features
40170 @cindex target descriptions, @acronym{MIPS} features
40171
40172 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.mips.cpu} feature is required for @acronym{MIPS} targets.
40173 It should contain registers @samp{r0} through @samp{r31}, @samp{lo},
40174 @samp{hi}, and @samp{pc}. They may be 32-bit or 64-bit depending
40175 on the target.
40176
40177 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.mips.cp0} feature is also required. It should
40178 contain at least the @samp{status}, @samp{badvaddr}, and @samp{cause}
40179 registers. They may be 32-bit or 64-bit depending on the target.
40180
40181 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.mips.fpu} feature is currently required, though
40182 it may be optional in a future version of @value{GDBN}. It should
40183 contain registers @samp{f0} through @samp{f31}, @samp{fcsr}, and
40184 @samp{fir}. They may be 32-bit or 64-bit depending on the target.
40185
40186 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.mips.dsp} feature is optional. It should
40187 contain registers @samp{hi1} through @samp{hi3}, @samp{lo1} through
40188 @samp{lo3}, and @samp{dspctl}. The @samp{dspctl} register should
40189 be 32-bit and the rest may be 32-bit or 64-bit depending on the target.
40190
40191 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.mips.linux} feature is optional. It should
40192 contain a single register, @samp{restart}, which is used by the
40193 Linux kernel to control restartable syscalls.
40194
40195 @node M68K Features
40196 @subsection M68K Features
40197 @cindex target descriptions, M68K features
40198
40199 @table @code
40200 @item @samp{org.gnu.gdb.m68k.core}
40201 @itemx @samp{org.gnu.gdb.coldfire.core}
40202 @itemx @samp{org.gnu.gdb.fido.core}
40203 One of those features must be always present.
40204 The feature that is present determines which flavor of m68k is
40205 used. The feature that is present should contain registers
40206 @samp{d0} through @samp{d7}, @samp{a0} through @samp{a5}, @samp{fp},
40207 @samp{sp}, @samp{ps} and @samp{pc}.
40208
40209 @item @samp{org.gnu.gdb.coldfire.fp}
40210 This feature is optional. If present, it should contain registers
40211 @samp{fp0} through @samp{fp7}, @samp{fpcontrol}, @samp{fpstatus} and
40212 @samp{fpiaddr}.
40213 @end table
40214
40215 @node Nios II Features
40216 @subsection Nios II Features
40217 @cindex target descriptions, Nios II features
40218
40219 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.nios2.cpu} feature is required for Nios II
40220 targets. It should contain the 32 core registers (@samp{zero},
40221 @samp{at}, @samp{r2} through @samp{r23}, @samp{et} through @samp{ra}),
40222 @samp{pc}, and the 16 control registers (@samp{status} through
40223 @samp{mpuacc}).
40224
40225 @node PowerPC Features
40226 @subsection PowerPC Features
40227 @cindex target descriptions, PowerPC features
40228
40229 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.power.core} feature is required for PowerPC
40230 targets. It should contain registers @samp{r0} through @samp{r31},
40231 @samp{pc}, @samp{msr}, @samp{cr}, @samp{lr}, @samp{ctr}, and
40232 @samp{xer}. They may be 32-bit or 64-bit depending on the target.
40233
40234 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.power.fpu} feature is optional. It should
40235 contain registers @samp{f0} through @samp{f31} and @samp{fpscr}.
40236
40237 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.power.altivec} feature is optional. It should
40238 contain registers @samp{vr0} through @samp{vr31}, @samp{vscr},
40239 and @samp{vrsave}.
40240
40241 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.power.vsx} feature is optional. It should
40242 contain registers @samp{vs0h} through @samp{vs31h}. @value{GDBN}
40243 will combine these registers with the floating point registers
40244 (@samp{f0} through @samp{f31}) and the altivec registers (@samp{vr0}
40245 through @samp{vr31}) to present the 128-bit wide registers @samp{vs0}
40246 through @samp{vs63}, the set of vector registers for POWER7.
40247
40248 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.power.spe} feature is optional. It should
40249 contain registers @samp{ev0h} through @samp{ev31h}, @samp{acc}, and
40250 @samp{spefscr}. SPE targets should provide 32-bit registers in
40251 @samp{org.gnu.gdb.power.core} and provide the upper halves in
40252 @samp{ev0h} through @samp{ev31h}. @value{GDBN} will combine
40253 these to present registers @samp{ev0} through @samp{ev31} to the
40254 user.
40255
40256 @node S/390 and System z Features
40257 @subsection S/390 and System z Features
40258 @cindex target descriptions, S/390 features
40259 @cindex target descriptions, System z features
40260
40261 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.s390.core} feature is required for S/390 and
40262 System z targets. It should contain the PSW and the 16 general
40263 registers. In particular, System z targets should provide the 64-bit
40264 registers @samp{pswm}, @samp{pswa}, and @samp{r0} through @samp{r15}.
40265 S/390 targets should provide the 32-bit versions of these registers.
40266 A System z target that runs in 31-bit addressing mode should provide
40267 32-bit versions of @samp{pswm} and @samp{pswa}, as well as the general
40268 register's upper halves @samp{r0h} through @samp{r15h}, and their
40269 lower halves @samp{r0l} through @samp{r15l}.
40270
40271 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.s390.fpr} feature is required. It should
40272 contain the 64-bit registers @samp{f0} through @samp{f15}, and
40273 @samp{fpc}.
40274
40275 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.s390.acr} feature is required. It should
40276 contain the 32-bit registers @samp{acr0} through @samp{acr15}.
40277
40278 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.s390.linux} feature is optional. It should
40279 contain the register @samp{orig_r2}, which is 64-bit wide on System z
40280 targets and 32-bit otherwise. In addition, the feature may contain
40281 the @samp{last_break} register, whose width depends on the addressing
40282 mode, as well as the @samp{system_call} register, which is always
40283 32-bit wide.
40284
40285 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.s390.tdb} feature is optional. It should
40286 contain the 64-bit registers @samp{tdb0}, @samp{tac}, @samp{tct},
40287 @samp{atia}, and @samp{tr0} through @samp{tr15}.
40288
40289 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.s390.vx} feature is optional. It should contain
40290 64-bit wide registers @samp{v0l} through @samp{v15l}, which will be
40291 combined by @value{GDBN} with the floating point registers @samp{f0}
40292 through @samp{f15} to present the 128-bit wide vector registers
40293 @samp{v0} through @samp{v15}. In addition, this feature should
40294 contain the 128-bit wide vector registers @samp{v16} through
40295 @samp{v31}.
40296
40297 @node TIC6x Features
40298 @subsection TMS320C6x Features
40299 @cindex target descriptions, TIC6x features
40300 @cindex target descriptions, TMS320C6x features
40301 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.tic6x.core} feature is required for TMS320C6x
40302 targets. It should contain registers @samp{A0} through @samp{A15},
40303 registers @samp{B0} through @samp{B15}, @samp{CSR} and @samp{PC}.
40304
40305 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.tic6x.gp} feature is optional. It should
40306 contain registers @samp{A16} through @samp{A31} and @samp{B16}
40307 through @samp{B31}.
40308
40309 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.tic6x.c6xp} feature is optional. It should
40310 contain registers @samp{TSR}, @samp{ILC} and @samp{RILC}.
40311
40312 @node Operating System Information
40313 @appendix Operating System Information
40314 @cindex operating system information
40315
40316 @menu
40317 * Process list::
40318 @end menu
40319
40320 Users of @value{GDBN} often wish to obtain information about the state of
40321 the operating system running on the target---for example the list of
40322 processes, or the list of open files. This section describes the
40323 mechanism that makes it possible. This mechanism is similar to the
40324 target features mechanism (@pxref{Target Descriptions}), but focuses
40325 on a different aspect of target.
40326
40327 Operating system information is retrived from the target via the
40328 remote protocol, using @samp{qXfer} requests (@pxref{qXfer osdata
40329 read}). The object name in the request should be @samp{osdata}, and
40330 the @var{annex} identifies the data to be fetched.
40331
40332 @node Process list
40333 @appendixsection Process list
40334 @cindex operating system information, process list
40335
40336 When requesting the process list, the @var{annex} field in the
40337 @samp{qXfer} request should be @samp{processes}. The returned data is
40338 an XML document. The formal syntax of this document is defined in
40339 @file{gdb/features/osdata.dtd}.
40340
40341 An example document is:
40342
40343 @smallexample
40344 <?xml version="1.0"?>
40345 <!DOCTYPE target SYSTEM "osdata.dtd">
40346 <osdata type="processes">
40347 <item>
40348 <column name="pid">1</column>
40349 <column name="user">root</column>
40350 <column name="command">/sbin/init</column>
40351 <column name="cores">1,2,3</column>
40352 </item>
40353 </osdata>
40354 @end smallexample
40355
40356 Each item should include a column whose name is @samp{pid}. The value
40357 of that column should identify the process on the target. The
40358 @samp{user} and @samp{command} columns are optional, and will be
40359 displayed by @value{GDBN}. The @samp{cores} column, if present,
40360 should contain a comma-separated list of cores that this process
40361 is running on. Target may provide additional columns,
40362 which @value{GDBN} currently ignores.
40363
40364 @node Trace File Format
40365 @appendix Trace File Format
40366 @cindex trace file format
40367
40368 The trace file comes in three parts: a header, a textual description
40369 section, and a trace frame section with binary data.
40370
40371 The header has the form @code{\x7fTRACE0\n}. The first byte is
40372 @code{0x7f} so as to indicate that the file contains binary data,
40373 while the @code{0} is a version number that may have different values
40374 in the future.
40375
40376 The description section consists of multiple lines of @sc{ascii} text
40377 separated by newline characters (@code{0xa}). The lines may include a
40378 variety of optional descriptive or context-setting information, such
40379 as tracepoint definitions or register set size. @value{GDBN} will
40380 ignore any line that it does not recognize. An empty line marks the end
40381 of this section.
40382
40383 @c FIXME add some specific types of data
40384
40385 The trace frame section consists of a number of consecutive frames.
40386 Each frame begins with a two-byte tracepoint number, followed by a
40387 four-byte size giving the amount of data in the frame. The data in
40388 the frame consists of a number of blocks, each introduced by a
40389 character indicating its type (at least register, memory, and trace
40390 state variable). The data in this section is raw binary, not a
40391 hexadecimal or other encoding; its endianness matches the target's
40392 endianness.
40393
40394 @c FIXME bi-arch may require endianness/arch info in description section
40395
40396 @table @code
40397 @item R @var{bytes}
40398 Register block. The number and ordering of bytes matches that of a
40399 @code{g} packet in the remote protocol. Note that these are the
40400 actual bytes, in target order and @value{GDBN} register order, not a
40401 hexadecimal encoding.
40402
40403 @item M @var{address} @var{length} @var{bytes}...
40404 Memory block. This is a contiguous block of memory, at the 8-byte
40405 address @var{address}, with a 2-byte length @var{length}, followed by
40406 @var{length} bytes.
40407
40408 @item V @var{number} @var{value}
40409 Trace state variable block. This records the 8-byte signed value
40410 @var{value} of trace state variable numbered @var{number}.
40411
40412 @end table
40413
40414 Future enhancements of the trace file format may include additional types
40415 of blocks.
40416
40417 @node Index Section Format
40418 @appendix @code{.gdb_index} section format
40419 @cindex .gdb_index section format
40420 @cindex index section format
40421
40422 This section documents the index section that is created by @code{save
40423 gdb-index} (@pxref{Index Files}). The index section is
40424 DWARF-specific; some knowledge of DWARF is assumed in this
40425 description.
40426
40427 The mapped index file format is designed to be directly
40428 @code{mmap}able on any architecture. In most cases, a datum is
40429 represented using a little-endian 32-bit integer value, called an
40430 @code{offset_type}. Big endian machines must byte-swap the values
40431 before using them. Exceptions to this rule are noted. The data is
40432 laid out such that alignment is always respected.
40433
40434 A mapped index consists of several areas, laid out in order.
40435
40436 @enumerate
40437 @item
40438 The file header. This is a sequence of values, of @code{offset_type}
40439 unless otherwise noted:
40440
40441 @enumerate
40442 @item
40443 The version number, currently 8. Versions 1, 2 and 3 are obsolete.
40444 Version 4 uses a different hashing function from versions 5 and 6.
40445 Version 6 includes symbols for inlined functions, whereas versions 4
40446 and 5 do not. Version 7 adds attributes to the CU indices in the
40447 symbol table. Version 8 specifies that symbols from DWARF type units
40448 (@samp{DW_TAG_type_unit}) refer to the type unit's symbol table and not the
40449 compilation unit (@samp{DW_TAG_comp_unit}) using the type.
40450
40451 @value{GDBN} will only read version 4, 5, or 6 indices
40452 by specifying @code{set use-deprecated-index-sections on}.
40453 GDB has a workaround for potentially broken version 7 indices so it is
40454 currently not flagged as deprecated.
40455
40456 @item
40457 The offset, from the start of the file, of the CU list.
40458
40459 @item
40460 The offset, from the start of the file, of the types CU list. Note
40461 that this area can be empty, in which case this offset will be equal
40462 to the next offset.
40463
40464 @item
40465 The offset, from the start of the file, of the address area.
40466
40467 @item
40468 The offset, from the start of the file, of the symbol table.
40469
40470 @item
40471 The offset, from the start of the file, of the constant pool.
40472 @end enumerate
40473
40474 @item
40475 The CU list. This is a sequence of pairs of 64-bit little-endian
40476 values, sorted by the CU offset. The first element in each pair is
40477 the offset of a CU in the @code{.debug_info} section. The second
40478 element in each pair is the length of that CU. References to a CU
40479 elsewhere in the map are done using a CU index, which is just the
40480 0-based index into this table. Note that if there are type CUs, then
40481 conceptually CUs and type CUs form a single list for the purposes of
40482 CU indices.
40483
40484 @item
40485 The types CU list. This is a sequence of triplets of 64-bit
40486 little-endian values. In a triplet, the first value is the CU offset,
40487 the second value is the type offset in the CU, and the third value is
40488 the type signature. The types CU list is not sorted.
40489
40490 @item
40491 The address area. The address area consists of a sequence of address
40492 entries. Each address entry has three elements:
40493
40494 @enumerate
40495 @item
40496 The low address. This is a 64-bit little-endian value.
40497
40498 @item
40499 The high address. This is a 64-bit little-endian value. Like
40500 @code{DW_AT_high_pc}, the value is one byte beyond the end.
40501
40502 @item
40503 The CU index. This is an @code{offset_type} value.
40504 @end enumerate
40505
40506 @item
40507 The symbol table. This is an open-addressed hash table. The size of
40508 the hash table is always a power of 2.
40509
40510 Each slot in the hash table consists of a pair of @code{offset_type}
40511 values. The first value is the offset of the symbol's name in the
40512 constant pool. The second value is the offset of the CU vector in the
40513 constant pool.
40514
40515 If both values are 0, then this slot in the hash table is empty. This
40516 is ok because while 0 is a valid constant pool index, it cannot be a
40517 valid index for both a string and a CU vector.
40518
40519 The hash value for a table entry is computed by applying an
40520 iterative hash function to the symbol's name. Starting with an
40521 initial value of @code{r = 0}, each (unsigned) character @samp{c} in
40522 the string is incorporated into the hash using the formula depending on the
40523 index version:
40524
40525 @table @asis
40526 @item Version 4
40527 The formula is @code{r = r * 67 + c - 113}.
40528
40529 @item Versions 5 to 7
40530 The formula is @code{r = r * 67 + tolower (c) - 113}.
40531 @end table
40532
40533 The terminating @samp{\0} is not incorporated into the hash.
40534
40535 The step size used in the hash table is computed via
40536 @code{((hash * 17) & (size - 1)) | 1}, where @samp{hash} is the hash
40537 value, and @samp{size} is the size of the hash table. The step size
40538 is used to find the next candidate slot when handling a hash
40539 collision.
40540
40541 The names of C@t{++} symbols in the hash table are canonicalized. We
40542 don't currently have a simple description of the canonicalization
40543 algorithm; if you intend to create new index sections, you must read
40544 the code.
40545
40546 @item
40547 The constant pool. This is simply a bunch of bytes. It is organized
40548 so that alignment is correct: CU vectors are stored first, followed by
40549 strings.
40550
40551 A CU vector in the constant pool is a sequence of @code{offset_type}
40552 values. The first value is the number of CU indices in the vector.
40553 Each subsequent value is the index and symbol attributes of a CU in
40554 the CU list. This element in the hash table is used to indicate which
40555 CUs define the symbol and how the symbol is used.
40556 See below for the format of each CU index+attributes entry.
40557
40558 A string in the constant pool is zero-terminated.
40559 @end enumerate
40560
40561 Attributes were added to CU index values in @code{.gdb_index} version 7.
40562 If a symbol has multiple uses within a CU then there is one
40563 CU index+attributes value for each use.
40564
40565 The format of each CU index+attributes entry is as follows
40566 (bit 0 = LSB):
40567
40568 @table @asis
40569
40570 @item Bits 0-23
40571 This is the index of the CU in the CU list.
40572 @item Bits 24-27
40573 These bits are reserved for future purposes and must be zero.
40574 @item Bits 28-30
40575 The kind of the symbol in the CU.
40576
40577 @table @asis
40578 @item 0
40579 This value is reserved and should not be used.
40580 By reserving zero the full @code{offset_type} value is backwards compatible
40581 with previous versions of the index.
40582 @item 1
40583 The symbol is a type.
40584 @item 2
40585 The symbol is a variable or an enum value.
40586 @item 3
40587 The symbol is a function.
40588 @item 4
40589 Any other kind of symbol.
40590 @item 5,6,7
40591 These values are reserved.
40592 @end table
40593
40594 @item Bit 31
40595 This bit is zero if the value is global and one if it is static.
40596
40597 The determination of whether a symbol is global or static is complicated.
40598 The authorative reference is the file @file{dwarf2read.c} in
40599 @value{GDBN} sources.
40600
40601 @end table
40602
40603 This pseudo-code describes the computation of a symbol's kind and
40604 global/static attributes in the index.
40605
40606 @smallexample
40607 is_external = get_attribute (die, DW_AT_external);
40608 language = get_attribute (cu_die, DW_AT_language);
40609 switch (die->tag)
40610 @{
40611 case DW_TAG_typedef:
40612 case DW_TAG_base_type:
40613 case DW_TAG_subrange_type:
40614 kind = TYPE;
40615 is_static = 1;
40616 break;
40617 case DW_TAG_enumerator:
40618 kind = VARIABLE;
40619 is_static = (language != CPLUS && language != JAVA);
40620 break;
40621 case DW_TAG_subprogram:
40622 kind = FUNCTION;
40623 is_static = ! (is_external || language == ADA);
40624 break;
40625 case DW_TAG_constant:
40626 kind = VARIABLE;
40627 is_static = ! is_external;
40628 break;
40629 case DW_TAG_variable:
40630 kind = VARIABLE;
40631 is_static = ! is_external;
40632 break;
40633 case DW_TAG_namespace:
40634 kind = TYPE;
40635 is_static = 0;
40636 break;
40637 case DW_TAG_class_type:
40638 case DW_TAG_interface_type:
40639 case DW_TAG_structure_type:
40640 case DW_TAG_union_type:
40641 case DW_TAG_enumeration_type:
40642 kind = TYPE;
40643 is_static = (language != CPLUS && language != JAVA);
40644 break;
40645 default:
40646 assert (0);
40647 @}
40648 @end smallexample
40649
40650 @node Man Pages
40651 @appendix Manual pages
40652 @cindex Man pages
40653
40654 @menu
40655 * gdb man:: The GNU Debugger man page
40656 * gdbserver man:: Remote Server for the GNU Debugger man page
40657 * gcore man:: Generate a core file of a running program
40658 * gdbinit man:: gdbinit scripts
40659 @end menu
40660
40661 @node gdb man
40662 @heading gdb man
40663
40664 @c man title gdb The GNU Debugger
40665
40666 @c man begin SYNOPSIS gdb
40667 gdb [@option{-help}] [@option{-nh}] [@option{-nx}] [@option{-q}]
40668 [@option{-batch}] [@option{-cd=}@var{dir}] [@option{-f}]
40669 [@option{-b}@w{ }@var{bps}]
40670 [@option{-tty=}@var{dev}] [@option{-s} @var{symfile}]
40671 [@option{-e}@w{ }@var{prog}] [@option{-se}@w{ }@var{prog}]
40672 [@option{-c}@w{ }@var{core}] [@option{-p}@w{ }@var{procID}]
40673 [@option{-x}@w{ }@var{cmds}] [@option{-d}@w{ }@var{dir}]
40674 [@var{prog}|@var{prog} @var{procID}|@var{prog} @var{core}]
40675 @c man end
40676
40677 @c man begin DESCRIPTION gdb
40678 The purpose of a debugger such as @value{GDBN} is to allow you to see what is
40679 going on ``inside'' another program while it executes -- or what another
40680 program was doing at the moment it crashed.
40681
40682 @value{GDBN} can do four main kinds of things (plus other things in support of
40683 these) to help you catch bugs in the act:
40684
40685 @itemize @bullet
40686 @item
40687 Start your program, specifying anything that might affect its behavior.
40688
40689 @item
40690 Make your program stop on specified conditions.
40691
40692 @item
40693 Examine what has happened, when your program has stopped.
40694
40695 @item
40696 Change things in your program, so you can experiment with correcting the
40697 effects of one bug and go on to learn about another.
40698 @end itemize
40699
40700 You can use @value{GDBN} to debug programs written in C, C@t{++}, Fortran and
40701 Modula-2.
40702
40703 @value{GDBN} is invoked with the shell command @code{gdb}. Once started, it reads
40704 commands from the terminal until you tell it to exit with the @value{GDBN}
40705 command @code{quit}. You can get online help from @value{GDBN} itself
40706 by using the command @code{help}.
40707
40708 You can run @code{gdb} with no arguments or options; but the most
40709 usual way to start @value{GDBN} is with one argument or two, specifying an
40710 executable program as the argument:
40711
40712 @smallexample
40713 gdb program
40714 @end smallexample
40715
40716 You can also start with both an executable program and a core file specified:
40717
40718 @smallexample
40719 gdb program core
40720 @end smallexample
40721
40722 You can, instead, specify a process ID as a second argument, if you want
40723 to debug a running process:
40724
40725 @smallexample
40726 gdb program 1234
40727 gdb -p 1234
40728 @end smallexample
40729
40730 @noindent
40731 would attach @value{GDBN} to process @code{1234} (unless you also have a file
40732 named @file{1234}; @value{GDBN} does check for a core file first).
40733 With option @option{-p} you can omit the @var{program} filename.
40734
40735 Here are some of the most frequently needed @value{GDBN} commands:
40736
40737 @c pod2man highlights the right hand side of the @item lines.
40738 @table @env
40739 @item break [@var{file}:]@var{functiop}
40740 Set a breakpoint at @var{function} (in @var{file}).
40741
40742 @item run [@var{arglist}]
40743 Start your program (with @var{arglist}, if specified).
40744
40745 @item bt
40746 Backtrace: display the program stack.
40747
40748 @item print @var{expr}
40749 Display the value of an expression.
40750
40751 @item c
40752 Continue running your program (after stopping, e.g. at a breakpoint).
40753
40754 @item next
40755 Execute next program line (after stopping); step @emph{over} any
40756 function calls in the line.
40757
40758 @item edit [@var{file}:]@var{function}
40759 look at the program line where it is presently stopped.
40760
40761 @item list [@var{file}:]@var{function}
40762 type the text of the program in the vicinity of where it is presently stopped.
40763
40764 @item step
40765 Execute next program line (after stopping); step @emph{into} any
40766 function calls in the line.
40767
40768 @item help [@var{name}]
40769 Show information about @value{GDBN} command @var{name}, or general information
40770 about using @value{GDBN}.
40771
40772 @item quit
40773 Exit from @value{GDBN}.
40774 @end table
40775
40776 @ifset man
40777 For full details on @value{GDBN},
40778 see @cite{Using GDB: A Guide to the GNU Source-Level Debugger},
40779 by Richard M. Stallman and Roland H. Pesch. The same text is available online
40780 as the @code{gdb} entry in the @code{info} program.
40781 @end ifset
40782 @c man end
40783
40784 @c man begin OPTIONS gdb
40785 Any arguments other than options specify an executable
40786 file and core file (or process ID); that is, the first argument
40787 encountered with no
40788 associated option flag is equivalent to a @option{-se} option, and the second,
40789 if any, is equivalent to a @option{-c} option if it's the name of a file.
40790 Many options have
40791 both long and short forms; both are shown here. The long forms are also
40792 recognized if you truncate them, so long as enough of the option is
40793 present to be unambiguous. (If you prefer, you can flag option
40794 arguments with @option{+} rather than @option{-}, though we illustrate the
40795 more usual convention.)
40796
40797 All the options and command line arguments you give are processed
40798 in sequential order. The order makes a difference when the @option{-x}
40799 option is used.
40800
40801 @table @env
40802 @item -help
40803 @itemx -h
40804 List all options, with brief explanations.
40805
40806 @item -symbols=@var{file}
40807 @itemx -s @var{file}
40808 Read symbol table from file @var{file}.
40809
40810 @item -write
40811 Enable writing into executable and core files.
40812
40813 @item -exec=@var{file}
40814 @itemx -e @var{file}
40815 Use file @var{file} as the executable file to execute when
40816 appropriate, and for examining pure data in conjunction with a core
40817 dump.
40818
40819 @item -se=@var{file}
40820 Read symbol table from file @var{file} and use it as the executable
40821 file.
40822
40823 @item -core=@var{file}
40824 @itemx -c @var{file}
40825 Use file @var{file} as a core dump to examine.
40826
40827 @item -command=@var{file}
40828 @itemx -x @var{file}
40829 Execute @value{GDBN} commands from file @var{file}.
40830
40831 @item -ex @var{command}
40832 Execute given @value{GDBN} @var{command}.
40833
40834 @item -directory=@var{directory}
40835 @itemx -d @var{directory}
40836 Add @var{directory} to the path to search for source files.
40837
40838 @item -nh
40839 Do not execute commands from @file{~/.gdbinit}.
40840
40841 @item -nx
40842 @itemx -n
40843 Do not execute commands from any @file{.gdbinit} initialization files.
40844
40845 @item -quiet
40846 @itemx -q
40847 ``Quiet''. Do not print the introductory and copyright messages. These
40848 messages are also suppressed in batch mode.
40849
40850 @item -batch
40851 Run in batch mode. Exit with status @code{0} after processing all the command
40852 files specified with @option{-x} (and @file{.gdbinit}, if not inhibited).
40853 Exit with nonzero status if an error occurs in executing the @value{GDBN}
40854 commands in the command files.
40855
40856 Batch mode may be useful for running @value{GDBN} as a filter, for example to
40857 download and run a program on another computer; in order to make this
40858 more useful, the message
40859
40860 @smallexample
40861 Program exited normally.
40862 @end smallexample
40863
40864 @noindent
40865 (which is ordinarily issued whenever a program running under @value{GDBN} control
40866 terminates) is not issued when running in batch mode.
40867
40868 @item -cd=@var{directory}
40869 Run @value{GDBN} using @var{directory} as its working directory,
40870 instead of the current directory.
40871
40872 @item -fullname
40873 @itemx -f
40874 Emacs sets this option when it runs @value{GDBN} as a subprocess. It tells
40875 @value{GDBN} to output the full file name and line number in a standard,
40876 recognizable fashion each time a stack frame is displayed (which
40877 includes each time the program stops). This recognizable format looks
40878 like two @samp{\032} characters, followed by the file name, line number
40879 and character position separated by colons, and a newline. The
40880 Emacs-to-@value{GDBN} interface program uses the two @samp{\032}
40881 characters as a signal to display the source code for the frame.
40882
40883 @item -b @var{bps}
40884 Set the line speed (baud rate or bits per second) of any serial
40885 interface used by @value{GDBN} for remote debugging.
40886
40887 @item -tty=@var{device}
40888 Run using @var{device} for your program's standard input and output.
40889 @end table
40890 @c man end
40891
40892 @c man begin SEEALSO gdb
40893 @ifset man
40894 The full documentation for @value{GDBN} is maintained as a Texinfo manual.
40895 If the @code{info} and @code{gdb} programs and @value{GDBN}'s Texinfo
40896 documentation are properly installed at your site, the command
40897
40898 @smallexample
40899 info gdb
40900 @end smallexample
40901
40902 @noindent
40903 should give you access to the complete manual.
40904
40905 @cite{Using GDB: A Guide to the GNU Source-Level Debugger},
40906 Richard M. Stallman and Roland H. Pesch, July 1991.
40907 @end ifset
40908 @c man end
40909
40910 @node gdbserver man
40911 @heading gdbserver man
40912
40913 @c man title gdbserver Remote Server for the GNU Debugger
40914 @format
40915 @c man begin SYNOPSIS gdbserver
40916 gdbserver @var{comm} @var{prog} [@var{args}@dots{}]
40917
40918 gdbserver --attach @var{comm} @var{pid}
40919
40920 gdbserver --multi @var{comm}
40921 @c man end
40922 @end format
40923
40924 @c man begin DESCRIPTION gdbserver
40925 @command{gdbserver} is a program that allows you to run @value{GDBN} on a different machine
40926 than the one which is running the program being debugged.
40927
40928 @ifclear man
40929 @subheading Usage (server (target) side)
40930 @end ifclear
40931 @ifset man
40932 Usage (server (target) side):
40933 @end ifset
40934
40935 First, you need to have a copy of the program you want to debug put onto
40936 the target system. The program can be stripped to save space if needed, as
40937 @command{gdbserver} doesn't care about symbols. All symbol handling is taken care of by
40938 the @value{GDBN} running on the host system.
40939
40940 To use the server, you log on to the target system, and run the @command{gdbserver}
40941 program. You must tell it (a) how to communicate with @value{GDBN}, (b) the name of
40942 your program, and (c) its arguments. The general syntax is:
40943
40944 @smallexample
40945 target> gdbserver @var{comm} @var{program} [@var{args} ...]
40946 @end smallexample
40947
40948 For example, using a serial port, you might say:
40949
40950 @smallexample
40951 @ifset man
40952 @c @file would wrap it as F</dev/com1>.
40953 target> gdbserver /dev/com1 emacs foo.txt
40954 @end ifset
40955 @ifclear man
40956 target> gdbserver @file{/dev/com1} emacs foo.txt
40957 @end ifclear
40958 @end smallexample
40959
40960 This tells @command{gdbserver} to debug emacs with an argument of foo.txt, and
40961 to communicate with @value{GDBN} via @file{/dev/com1}. @command{gdbserver} now
40962 waits patiently for the host @value{GDBN} to communicate with it.
40963
40964 To use a TCP connection, you could say:
40965
40966 @smallexample
40967 target> gdbserver host:2345 emacs foo.txt
40968 @end smallexample
40969
40970 This says pretty much the same thing as the last example, except that we are
40971 going to communicate with the @code{host} @value{GDBN} via TCP. The @code{host:2345} argument means
40972 that we are expecting to see a TCP connection from @code{host} to local TCP port
40973 2345. (Currently, the @code{host} part is ignored.) You can choose any number you
40974 want for the port number as long as it does not conflict with any existing TCP
40975 ports on the target system. This same port number must be used in the host
40976 @value{GDBN}s @code{target remote} command, which will be described shortly. Note that if
40977 you chose a port number that conflicts with another service, @command{gdbserver} will
40978 print an error message and exit.
40979
40980 @command{gdbserver} can also attach to running programs.
40981 This is accomplished via the @option{--attach} argument. The syntax is:
40982
40983 @smallexample
40984 target> gdbserver --attach @var{comm} @var{pid}
40985 @end smallexample
40986
40987 @var{pid} is the process ID of a currently running process. It isn't
40988 necessary to point @command{gdbserver} at a binary for the running process.
40989
40990 To start @code{gdbserver} without supplying an initial command to run
40991 or process ID to attach, use the @option{--multi} command line option.
40992 In such case you should connect using @kbd{target extended-remote} to start
40993 the program you want to debug.
40994
40995 @smallexample
40996 target> gdbserver --multi @var{comm}
40997 @end smallexample
40998
40999 @ifclear man
41000 @subheading Usage (host side)
41001 @end ifclear
41002 @ifset man
41003 Usage (host side):
41004 @end ifset
41005
41006 You need an unstripped copy of the target program on your host system, since
41007 @value{GDBN} needs to examine it's symbol tables and such. Start up @value{GDBN} as you normally
41008 would, with the target program as the first argument. (You may need to use the
41009 @option{--baud} option if the serial line is running at anything except 9600 baud.)
41010 That is @code{gdb TARGET-PROG}, or @code{gdb --baud BAUD TARGET-PROG}. After that, the only
41011 new command you need to know about is @code{target remote}
41012 (or @code{target extended-remote}). Its argument is either
41013 a device name (usually a serial device, like @file{/dev/ttyb}), or a @code{HOST:PORT}
41014 descriptor. For example:
41015
41016 @smallexample
41017 @ifset man
41018 @c @file would wrap it as F</dev/ttyb>.
41019 (gdb) target remote /dev/ttyb
41020 @end ifset
41021 @ifclear man
41022 (gdb) target remote @file{/dev/ttyb}
41023 @end ifclear
41024 @end smallexample
41025
41026 @noindent
41027 communicates with the server via serial line @file{/dev/ttyb}, and:
41028
41029 @smallexample
41030 (gdb) target remote the-target:2345
41031 @end smallexample
41032
41033 @noindent
41034 communicates via a TCP connection to port 2345 on host `the-target', where
41035 you previously started up @command{gdbserver} with the same port number. Note that for
41036 TCP connections, you must start up @command{gdbserver} prior to using the `target remote'
41037 command, otherwise you may get an error that looks something like
41038 `Connection refused'.
41039
41040 @command{gdbserver} can also debug multiple inferiors at once,
41041 described in
41042 @ifset man
41043 the @value{GDBN} manual in node @code{Inferiors and Programs}
41044 -- shell command @code{info -f gdb -n 'Inferiors and Programs'}.
41045 @end ifset
41046 @ifclear man
41047 @ref{Inferiors and Programs}.
41048 @end ifclear
41049 In such case use the @code{extended-remote} @value{GDBN} command variant:
41050
41051 @smallexample
41052 (gdb) target extended-remote the-target:2345
41053 @end smallexample
41054
41055 The @command{gdbserver} option @option{--multi} may or may not be used in such
41056 case.
41057 @c man end
41058
41059 @c man begin OPTIONS gdbserver
41060 There are three different modes for invoking @command{gdbserver}:
41061
41062 @itemize @bullet
41063
41064 @item
41065 Debug a specific program specified by its program name:
41066
41067 @smallexample
41068 gdbserver @var{comm} @var{prog} [@var{args}@dots{}]
41069 @end smallexample
41070
41071 The @var{comm} parameter specifies how should the server communicate
41072 with @value{GDBN}; it is either a device name (to use a serial line),
41073 a TCP port number (@code{:1234}), or @code{-} or @code{stdio} to use
41074 stdin/stdout of @code{gdbserver}. Specify the name of the program to
41075 debug in @var{prog}. Any remaining arguments will be passed to the
41076 program verbatim. When the program exits, @value{GDBN} will close the
41077 connection, and @code{gdbserver} will exit.
41078
41079 @item
41080 Debug a specific program by specifying the process ID of a running
41081 program:
41082
41083 @smallexample
41084 gdbserver --attach @var{comm} @var{pid}
41085 @end smallexample
41086
41087 The @var{comm} parameter is as described above. Supply the process ID
41088 of a running program in @var{pid}; @value{GDBN} will do everything
41089 else. Like with the previous mode, when the process @var{pid} exits,
41090 @value{GDBN} will close the connection, and @code{gdbserver} will exit.
41091
41092 @item
41093 Multi-process mode -- debug more than one program/process:
41094
41095 @smallexample
41096 gdbserver --multi @var{comm}
41097 @end smallexample
41098
41099 In this mode, @value{GDBN} can instruct @command{gdbserver} which
41100 command(s) to run. Unlike the other 2 modes, @value{GDBN} will not
41101 close the connection when a process being debugged exits, so you can
41102 debug several processes in the same session.
41103 @end itemize
41104
41105 In each of the modes you may specify these options:
41106
41107 @table @env
41108
41109 @item --help
41110 List all options, with brief explanations.
41111
41112 @item --version
41113 This option causes @command{gdbserver} to print its version number and exit.
41114
41115 @item --attach
41116 @command{gdbserver} will attach to a running program. The syntax is:
41117
41118 @smallexample
41119 target> gdbserver --attach @var{comm} @var{pid}
41120 @end smallexample
41121
41122 @var{pid} is the process ID of a currently running process. It isn't
41123 necessary to point @command{gdbserver} at a binary for the running process.
41124
41125 @item --multi
41126 To start @code{gdbserver} without supplying an initial command to run
41127 or process ID to attach, use this command line option.
41128 Then you can connect using @kbd{target extended-remote} and start
41129 the program you want to debug. The syntax is:
41130
41131 @smallexample
41132 target> gdbserver --multi @var{comm}
41133 @end smallexample
41134
41135 @item --debug
41136 Instruct @code{gdbserver} to display extra status information about the debugging
41137 process.
41138 This option is intended for @code{gdbserver} development and for bug reports to
41139 the developers.
41140
41141 @item --remote-debug
41142 Instruct @code{gdbserver} to display remote protocol debug output.
41143 This option is intended for @code{gdbserver} development and for bug reports to
41144 the developers.
41145
41146 @item --debug-format=option1@r{[},option2,...@r{]}
41147 Instruct @code{gdbserver} to include extra information in each line
41148 of debugging output.
41149 @xref{Other Command-Line Arguments for gdbserver}.
41150
41151 @item --wrapper
41152 Specify a wrapper to launch programs
41153 for debugging. The option should be followed by the name of the
41154 wrapper, then any command-line arguments to pass to the wrapper, then
41155 @kbd{--} indicating the end of the wrapper arguments.
41156
41157 @item --once
41158 By default, @command{gdbserver} keeps the listening TCP port open, so that
41159 additional connections are possible. However, if you start @code{gdbserver}
41160 with the @option{--once} option, it will stop listening for any further
41161 connection attempts after connecting to the first @value{GDBN} session.
41162
41163 @c --disable-packet is not documented for users.
41164
41165 @c --disable-randomization and --no-disable-randomization are superseded by
41166 @c QDisableRandomization.
41167
41168 @end table
41169 @c man end
41170
41171 @c man begin SEEALSO gdbserver
41172 @ifset man
41173 The full documentation for @value{GDBN} is maintained as a Texinfo manual.
41174 If the @code{info} and @code{gdb} programs and @value{GDBN}'s Texinfo
41175 documentation are properly installed at your site, the command
41176
41177 @smallexample
41178 info gdb
41179 @end smallexample
41180
41181 should give you access to the complete manual.
41182
41183 @cite{Using GDB: A Guide to the GNU Source-Level Debugger},
41184 Richard M. Stallman and Roland H. Pesch, July 1991.
41185 @end ifset
41186 @c man end
41187
41188 @node gcore man
41189 @heading gcore
41190
41191 @c man title gcore Generate a core file of a running program
41192
41193 @format
41194 @c man begin SYNOPSIS gcore
41195 gcore [-o @var{filename}] @var{pid}
41196 @c man end
41197 @end format
41198
41199 @c man begin DESCRIPTION gcore
41200 Generate a core dump of a running program with process ID @var{pid}.
41201 Produced file is equivalent to a kernel produced core file as if the process
41202 crashed (and if @kbd{ulimit -c} were used to set up an appropriate core dump
41203 limit). Unlike after a crash, after @command{gcore} the program remains
41204 running without any change.
41205 @c man end
41206
41207 @c man begin OPTIONS gcore
41208 @table @env
41209 @item -o @var{filename}
41210 The optional argument
41211 @var{filename} specifies the file name where to put the core dump.
41212 If not specified, the file name defaults to @file{core.@var{pid}},
41213 where @var{pid} is the running program process ID.
41214 @end table
41215 @c man end
41216
41217 @c man begin SEEALSO gcore
41218 @ifset man
41219 The full documentation for @value{GDBN} is maintained as a Texinfo manual.
41220 If the @code{info} and @code{gdb} programs and @value{GDBN}'s Texinfo
41221 documentation are properly installed at your site, the command
41222
41223 @smallexample
41224 info gdb
41225 @end smallexample
41226
41227 @noindent
41228 should give you access to the complete manual.
41229
41230 @cite{Using GDB: A Guide to the GNU Source-Level Debugger},
41231 Richard M. Stallman and Roland H. Pesch, July 1991.
41232 @end ifset
41233 @c man end
41234
41235 @node gdbinit man
41236 @heading gdbinit
41237
41238 @c man title gdbinit GDB initialization scripts
41239
41240 @format
41241 @c man begin SYNOPSIS gdbinit
41242 @ifset SYSTEM_GDBINIT
41243 @value{SYSTEM_GDBINIT}
41244 @end ifset
41245
41246 ~/.gdbinit
41247
41248 ./.gdbinit
41249 @c man end
41250 @end format
41251
41252 @c man begin DESCRIPTION gdbinit
41253 These files contain @value{GDBN} commands to automatically execute during
41254 @value{GDBN} startup. The lines of contents are canned sequences of commands,
41255 described in
41256 @ifset man
41257 the @value{GDBN} manual in node @code{Sequences}
41258 -- shell command @code{info -f gdb -n Sequences}.
41259 @end ifset
41260 @ifclear man
41261 @ref{Sequences}.
41262 @end ifclear
41263
41264 Please read more in
41265 @ifset man
41266 the @value{GDBN} manual in node @code{Startup}
41267 -- shell command @code{info -f gdb -n Startup}.
41268 @end ifset
41269 @ifclear man
41270 @ref{Startup}.
41271 @end ifclear
41272
41273 @table @env
41274 @ifset SYSTEM_GDBINIT
41275 @item @value{SYSTEM_GDBINIT}
41276 @end ifset
41277 @ifclear SYSTEM_GDBINIT
41278 @item (not enabled with @code{--with-system-gdbinit} during compilation)
41279 @end ifclear
41280 System-wide initialization file. It is executed unless user specified
41281 @value{GDBN} option @code{-nx} or @code{-n}.
41282 See more in
41283 @ifset man
41284 the @value{GDBN} manual in node @code{System-wide configuration}
41285 -- shell command @code{info -f gdb -n 'System-wide configuration'}.
41286 @end ifset
41287 @ifclear man
41288 @ref{System-wide configuration}.
41289 @end ifclear
41290
41291 @item ~/.gdbinit
41292 User initialization file. It is executed unless user specified
41293 @value{GDBN} options @code{-nx}, @code{-n} or @code{-nh}.
41294
41295 @item ./.gdbinit
41296 Initialization file for current directory. It may need to be enabled with
41297 @value{GDBN} security command @code{set auto-load local-gdbinit}.
41298 See more in
41299 @ifset man
41300 the @value{GDBN} manual in node @code{Init File in the Current Directory}
41301 -- shell command @code{info -f gdb -n 'Init File in the Current Directory'}.
41302 @end ifset
41303 @ifclear man
41304 @ref{Init File in the Current Directory}.
41305 @end ifclear
41306 @end table
41307 @c man end
41308
41309 @c man begin SEEALSO gdbinit
41310 @ifset man
41311 gdb(1), @code{info -f gdb -n Startup}
41312
41313 The full documentation for @value{GDBN} is maintained as a Texinfo manual.
41314 If the @code{info} and @code{gdb} programs and @value{GDBN}'s Texinfo
41315 documentation are properly installed at your site, the command
41316
41317 @smallexample
41318 info gdb
41319 @end smallexample
41320
41321 should give you access to the complete manual.
41322
41323 @cite{Using GDB: A Guide to the GNU Source-Level Debugger},
41324 Richard M. Stallman and Roland H. Pesch, July 1991.
41325 @end ifset
41326 @c man end
41327
41328 @include gpl.texi
41329
41330 @node GNU Free Documentation License
41331 @appendix GNU Free Documentation License
41332 @include fdl.texi
41333
41334 @node Concept Index
41335 @unnumbered Concept Index
41336
41337 @printindex cp
41338
41339 @node Command and Variable Index
41340 @unnumbered Command, Variable, and Function Index
41341
41342 @printindex fn
41343
41344 @tex
41345 % I think something like @@colophon should be in texinfo. In the
41346 % meantime:
41347 \long\def\colophon{\hbox to0pt{}\vfill
41348 \centerline{The body of this manual is set in}
41349 \centerline{\fontname\tenrm,}
41350 \centerline{with headings in {\bf\fontname\tenbf}}
41351 \centerline{and examples in {\tt\fontname\tentt}.}
41352 \centerline{{\it\fontname\tenit\/},}
41353 \centerline{{\bf\fontname\tenbf}, and}
41354 \centerline{{\sl\fontname\tensl\/}}
41355 \centerline{are used for emphasis.}\vfill}
41356 \page\colophon
41357 % Blame: doc@@cygnus.com, 1991.
41358 @end tex
41359
41360 @bye
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