diff --git a/gdb/doc/gdb.texinfo b/gdb/doc/gdb.texinfo index 7043e8c2a5..162b01fe7b 100644 --- a/gdb/doc/gdb.texinfo +++ b/gdb/doc/gdb.texinfo @@ -1,6 +1,5 @@ _dnl__ -*-Texinfo-*- _dnl__ Copyright (c) 1988 1989 1990 1991 Free Software Foundation, Inc. -_dnl__ This file controls overall layout of the GDB manual. \input texinfo @setfilename _GDBP__.info @c $Id$ @@ -19,36 +18,6013 @@ be run through m4 before either tex- or info- formatting: for example, _0__ m4 pretex.m4 none.m4 m680x0.m4 gdb.texinfo >gdb-680x0.texinfo _1__ -will produce (assuming your path finds either GNU or SysV m4; Berkeley -won't do) a file suitable for formatting. See the text in "pretex.m4" -for a fuller explanation (and the macro definitions). +will produce (assuming your path finds either GNU m4 >= 0.84, or SysV +m4; Berkeley won't do) a file suitable for formatting. See the text in +"pretex.m4" for a fuller explanation (and the macro definitions). _fi__(0) @tex \def\$#1${{#1}} % Kluge: collect RCS revision info without $...$ \xdef\manvers{\$Revision$} % For use in headers, footers too @end tex -_include__(gdb.top-m4) -_include__(gdb.sample-m4) -_include__(gdb.invoc-m4) -_include__(gdb.cmds-m4) -_include__(gdb.run-m4) -_include__(gdb.stop-m4) -_include__(gdb.stack-m4) -_include__(gdb.src-m4) -_include__(gdb.data-m4) -_include__(gdb.symb-m4) -_include__(gdb.alter-m4) -_include__(gdb.files-m4) -_include__(gdb.tgts-m4) -_include__(gdb.ctl-m4) -_include__(gdb.canned-m4) -_include__(gdb.emacs-m4) -_include__(gdb.bugs-m4) -_include__(gdb.rdln-m4) -_include__(gdb.rename-m4) -_include__(gdb.install-m4) -_include__(gdb.gpl-m4) +@c +@syncodeindex ky cp +@c FOR UPDATES LEADING TO THIS DRAFT, GDB CHANGELOG CONSULTED BETWEEN: +@c Sun May 19 05:36:59 1991 John Gilmore (gnu at cygint.cygnus.com) +@c Sat Dec 22 02:51:40 1990 John Gilmore (gnu at cygint) +@ifinfo +This file documents the GNU debugger _GDBN__. + +Copyright (C) 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991 Free Software Foundation, Inc. + +Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of +this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice +are preserved on all copies. + +@ignore +Permission is granted to process this file through TeX and print the +results, provided the printed document carries copying permission +notice identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph +(this paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual). + +@end ignore +Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this +manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that the +section entitled ``GNU General Public License'' is included exactly as +in the original, and provided that the entire resulting derived work is +distributed under the terms of a permission notice identical to this +one. + +Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual +into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions, +except that the section entitled ``GNU General Public License'' may be +included in a translation approved by the Free Software Foundation +instead of in the original English. +@end ifinfo +@smallbook +@setchapternewpage odd +_if__(_GENERIC__) +@settitle Using _GDBN__ (v4.0) +_fi__(_GENERIC__) +_if__(!_GENERIC__) +@settitle Using _GDBN__ v4.0 (_HOST__) +_fi__(!_GENERIC__) +@iftex +@finalout +@end iftex +@titlepage +@title{Using _GDBN__} +@subtitle{A Guide to the GNU Source-Level Debugger} +_if__(!_GENERIC__) +@subtitle{On _HOST__ Systems} +_fi__(!_GENERIC__) +@sp 1 +@c Maybe crank this up to "Fourth Edition" when released at FSF +@c @subtitle Third Edition---_GDBN__ version 4.0 +@subtitle _GDBN__ version 4.0 +@subtitle May 1991 +@author{Richard M. Stallman@qquad @hfill Free Software Foundation} +@author{Roland H. Pesch@qquad @hfill Cygnus Support} +@page +@tex +{\parskip=0pt +\hfill rms\@ai.mit.edu, pesch\@cygnus.com\par +\hfill {\it Using _GDBN__}, \manvers\par +\hfill \TeX{}info \texinfoversion\par +} +@end tex + +@vskip 0pt plus 1filll +Copyright @copyright{} 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991 Free Software Foundation, Inc. + +Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of +this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice +are preserved on all copies. + +Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this +manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that the +section entitled ``GNU General Public License'' is included exactly as +in the original, and provided that the entire resulting derived work is +distributed under the terms of a permission notice identical to this +one. + +Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual +into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions, +except that the section entitled ``GNU General Public License'' may be +included in a translation approved by the Free Software Foundation +instead of in the original English. +@end titlepage +@page + +@node Top, Summary, (dir), (dir) +@ifinfo +This file describes version 4.0 of GDB, the GNU symbolic debugger. +@end ifinfo + +@menu +* Summary:: Summary of _GDBN__ +* New Features:: New Features in _GDBN__ version 4.0 +* Sample Session:: A Sample _GDBN__ Session +* Invocation:: Getting In and Out of _GDBN__ +* Commands:: +* Running:: Running Programs Under _GDBN__ +* Stopping:: Stopping and Continuing +* Stack:: Examining the Stack +* Source:: Examining Source Files +* Data:: Examining Data +* Symbols:: Examining the Symbol Table +* Altering:: Altering Execution +* _GDBN__ Files:: +* Targets:: Specifying a Debugging Target +* Controlling _GDBN__:: Controlling _GDBN__ +* Sequences:: Canned Sequences of Commands +* Emacs:: Using _GDBN__ under GNU Emacs +* _GDBN__ Bugs:: Reporting Bugs in _GDBN__ +* Renamed Commands:: +* Installing _GDBN__:: Installing _GDBN__ +* Copying:: GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE +* Index:: Index + --- The Detailed Node Listing --- + +Summary of _GDBN__ + +* Free Software:: Free Software +* Contributors:: Contributors to _GDBN__ + +Getting In and Out of _GDBN__ + +* Starting _GDBN__:: Starting _GDBN__ +* Leaving _GDBN__:: Leaving _GDBN__ +* Shell Commands:: Shell Commands + +Starting _GDBN__ + +* File Options:: Choosing Files +* Mode Options:: Choosing Modes + +_GDBN__ Commands + +* Command Syntax:: Command Syntax +* Help:: Getting Help + +Running Programs Under _GDBN__ + +* Compilation:: Compiling for Debugging +* Starting:: Starting your Program +* Arguments:: Your Program's Arguments +* Environment:: Your Program's Environment +* Working Directory:: Your Program's Working Directory +* Input/Output:: Your Program's Input and Output +* Attach:: Debugging an Already-Running Process +* Kill Process:: Killing the Child Process + +Stopping and Continuing + +* Breakpoints:: Breakpoints, Watchpoints, and Exceptions +* Stepping:: Stepping +* Continuing:: Continuing +* Signals:: Signals + +Breakpoints, Watchpoints, and Exceptions + +* Set Breaks:: Setting Breakpoints +* Set Watchpoints:: Setting Watchpoints +* Exception Handling:: Breakpoints and Exceptions +* Delete Breaks:: Deleting Breakpoints +* Disabling:: Disabling Breakpoints +* Conditions:: Break Conditions +* Break Commands:: Breakpoint Command Lists +* Breakpoint Menus:: Breakpoint Menus +* Error in Breakpoints:: + +Examining the Stack + +* Frames:: Stack Frames +* Backtrace:: Backtraces +* Selection:: Selecting a Frame +* Frame Info:: Information on a Frame + +Examining Source Files + +* List:: Printing Source Lines +* Search:: Searching Source Files +* Source Path:: Specifying Source Directories +* Machine Code:: Source and Machine Code + +Examining Data + +* Expressions:: Expressions +* Variables:: Program Variables +* Arrays:: Artificial Arrays +* Output formats:: Output formats +* Memory:: Examining Memory +* Auto Display:: Automatic Display +* Print Settings:: Print Settings +* Value History:: Value History +* Convenience Vars:: Convenience Variables +* Registers:: Registers +* Floating Point Hardware:: Floating Point Hardware + +Altering Execution + +* Assignment:: Assignment to Variables +* Jumping:: Continuing at a Different Address +* Signaling:: Giving the Program a Signal +* Returning:: Returning from a Function +* Calling:: Calling your Program's Functions + +_GDBN__'s Files + +* Files:: Commands to Specify Files +* Symbol Errors:: Errors Reading Symbol Files + +Specifying a Debugging Target + +* Active Targets:: Active Targets +* Target Commands:: Commands for Managing Targets +* Remote:: Remote Debugging + +Remote Debugging + +* i960-Nindy Remote:: +* EB29K Remote:: +* VxWorks Remote:: + +_GDBN__ with a Remote i960 (Nindy) + +* Nindy Startup:: Startup with Nindy +* Nindy Options:: Options for Nindy +* Nindy reset:: Nindy Reset Command + +_GDBN__ with a Remote EB29K + +* Comms (EB29K):: Communications Setup +* gdb-EB29K:: EB29K cross-debugging +* Remote Log:: Remote Log + +_GDBN__ and VxWorks + +* VxWorks connection:: Connecting to VxWorks +* VxWorks download:: VxWorks Download +* VxWorks attach:: Running Tasks + +Controlling _GDBN__ + +* Prompt:: Prompt +* Editing:: Command Editing +* History:: Command History +* Screen Size:: Screen Size +* Numbers:: Numbers +* Messages/Warnings:: Optional Warnings and Messages + +Canned Sequences of Commands + +* Define:: User-Defined Commands +* Command Files:: Command Files +* Output:: Commands for Controlled Output + +Reporting Bugs in _GDBN__ + +* Bug Criteria:: Have You Found a Bug? +* Bug Reporting:: How to Report Bugs +@end menu + +@node Summary, New Features, Top, Top +@unnumbered Summary of _GDBN__ + +The purpose of a debugger such as _GDBN__ is to allow you to see what is +going on ``inside'' another program while it executes---or what another +program was doing at the moment it crashed. + +_GDBN__ can do four main kinds of things (plus other things in support of +these) to help you catch bugs in the act: + +@itemize @bullet +@item +Start your program, specifying anything that might affect its behavior. + +@item +Make your program stop on specified conditions. + +@item +Examine what has happened, when your program has stopped. + +@item +Change things in your program, so you can experiment with correcting the +effects of one bug and go on to learn about another. +@end itemize + +_GDBN__ can be used to debug programs written in C and C++. Pascal support +is being implemented, and Fortran support will be added when a GNU +Fortran compiler is ready. + +@menu +* Free Software:: Free Software +* Contributors:: Contributors to GDB +@end menu + +@node Free Software, Contributors, Summary, Summary +@unnumberedsec Free Software +_GDBN__ is @dfn{free software}, protected by the GNU General Public License (GPL). +The GPL gives you the freedom to copy or adapt a licensed +program---but every person getting a copy also gets with it the +freedom to modify that copy (which means that they must get access to +the source code), and the freedom to distribute further copies. +Typical software companies use copyrights to limit your freedoms; the +Free Software Foundation uses the GPL to preserve these freedoms. + +Fundamentally, the General Public License is a license which says that +you have these freedoms and that you can't take these freedoms away +from anyone else. + +@c FIXME: (passim) go through all xrefs, expanding to use text headings +For full details, @pxref{Copying}. +@node Contributors, , Free Software, Summary +@unnumberedsec Contributors to GDB + +Richard Stallman was the original author of GDB, and of many other GNU +programs. Many others have contributed to its development. This +section attempts to credit major contributors. One of the virtues of +free software is that everyone is free to contribute to it; with +regret, we cannot actually acknowledge everyone here. The file +@file{ChangeLog} in the GDB distribution approximates a blow-by-blow +account. + +Changes much prior to version 2.0 are lost in the mists of time. + +@quotation +@emph{Plea:} Additions to this section are particularly welcome. If you +or your friends (or enemies; let's be evenhanded) have been unfairly +omitted from this list, we would like to add your names! +@end quotation + +So that they may not regard their long labor as thankless, we +particularly thank those who shepherded GDB through major releases: +John Gilmore (release 4.0); Jim Kingdon (releases 3.9, 3.5, 3.4, 3.3); +and Randy Smith (releases 3.2, 3.1, 3.0). As major maintainer of GDB +for some period, each contributed significantly to the structure, +stability, and capabilities of the entire debugger. + +Richard Stallman, assisted at various times by Pete TerMaat, Chris +Hanson, and Richard Mlynarik, handled releases through 2.8. + +Michael Tiemann is the author of most of the GNU C++ support in GDB, +with significant additional contributions from Per Bothner. James +Clark wrote the GNU C++ demangler. Early work on C++ was by Peter +TerMaat (who also did much general update work leading to release 3.0). + +GDB 4.0 uses the BFD subroutine library to examine multiple +object-file formats; BFD was a joint project of V. Gumby +Henkel-Wallace, Rich Pixley, Steve Chamberlain, and John Gilmore. + +David Johnson wrote the original COFF support; Pace Willison did +the original support for encapsulated COFF. + +Adam de Boor and Bradley Davis contributed the ISI Optimum V support. +Per Bothner, Noboyuki Hikichi, and Alessandro Forin contributed MIPS +support. Jean-Daniel Fekete contributed Sun 386i support. Chris +Hanson improved the HP9000 support. Noboyuki Hikichi and Tomoyuki +Hasei contributed Sony/News OS 3 support. David Johnson contributed +Encore Umax support. Jyrki Kuoppala contributed Altos 3068 support. +Keith Packard contributed NS32K support. Doug Rabson contributed +Acorn Risc Machine support. Chris Smith contributed Convex support +(and Fortran debugging). Jonathan Stone contributed Pyramid support. +Michael Tiemann contributed SPARC support. Tim Tucker contributed +support for the Gould NP1 and Gould Powernode. Pace Willison +contributed Intel 386 support. Jay Vosburgh contributed Symmetry +support. + +Rich Schaefer helped with support of SunOS shared libraries. + +Jay Fenlason and Roland McGrath ensured that GDB and GAS agree about +several machine instruction sets. + +Patrick Duval, Ted Goldstein, Vikram Koka and Glenn Engel helped +develop remote debugging. Intel Corporation and Wind River Systems +contributed remote debugging modules for their products. + +Brian Fox is the author of the readline libraries providing +command-line editing and command history. + +@node New Features, Sample Session, Summary, Top +@unnumbered New Features since _GDBN__ version 3.5 + +@table @emph +@item Targets +Using the new command @code{target}, you can select at runtime whether +you are debugging local files, local processes, standalone systems over +a serial port, realtime systems over a TCP/IP connection, etc. +Internally, _GDBN__ now uses a function vector to mediate access to +different targets; if you need to add your own support for a remote +protocol, this makes it much easier. + +@item Watchpoints +_GDBN__ now sports watchpoints as well as breakpoints. You can use a +watchpoint to stop execution whenever the value of an expression +changes, without having to predict a particular place in your program +where this may happen. + +@item Object Code Formats +_GDBN__ uses a new scheme called Binary File Descriptors (BFD) to permit +it to switch dynamically, without reconfiguration or recompilation, +between different object-file formats. Formats currently supported are +COFF, a.out, and the Intel 960 b.out; files may be read as .o's, archive +libraries, or core dumps. BFD is available as a subroutine library so +that other programs may take advantage of it, and the other GNU binary +utilities are being converted to use it. + +@item Configuration +Compile-time configuration (to select a particular architecture and +operating system) is much easier. The script @code{config.gdb} now +handles specification of separate host and target configurations. + +@item Interaction +The user interface to _GDBN__'s control variables has been simplified +and consolidated in two commands, @code{set} and @code{show}. Output +lines are now broken at readable places, rather than overflowing onto +the next line. You can suppress output of machine-level addresses, +displaying only source language information. + + +@item Source Language +_GDBN__ now has limited support for C++ exception handling: _GDBN__ can +break when an exception is raised, before the stack is peeled back to +the exception handler's context. + +@item Command Rationalization +Many _GDBN__ commands have been renamed to make them easier to remember +and use. In particular, the subcommands of @code{info} and +@code{show}/@code{set} are grouped to make the former refer to the state +of your program, and the latter refer to the state of _GDBN__ itself. +@xref{Renamed Commands}, for details on what commands were renamed. + +@item Ports +_GDBN__ has been ported to the following new architectures: AT&T 3b1, +Acorn RISC machine, HP300 running HPUX, big- and little-endian MIPS +machines, Motorola 88k, Sun 386i, and Sun 3 running SunOS 4. In +addition, the following are supported as targets only: AMD 29k, Intel +960, and Wind River's VxWorks. + +@item Shared Libraries +_GDBN__ 4.0 supports SunOS shared libraries. + +@item Work in Progress +Kernel debugging for BSD and Mach systems; Tahoe and HPPA architecture +support. + +@end table + +@node Sample Session, Invocation, New Features, Top +@chapter A Sample _GDBN__ Session + +You can use this manual at your leisure to read all about _GDBN__. +However, a handful of commands are enough to get started using the +debugger. This chapter illustrates these commands. + +@iftex +In this sample session, we emphasize user input like this: @i{input}, +to make it easier to pick out from the surrounding output. +@end iftex + +@c FIXME: this example may not be appropriate for some configs, where +@c FIXME...primary interest is in remote use. +_0__ +One of the preliminary versions of GNU @code{m4} (a generic macro +processor) exhibits the following bug: sometimes, when we change its +quote strings from the default, the commands used to capture one macro's +definition in another stop working. In the following short @code{m4} +session, we define a macro @code{foo} which expands to @code{0000}; we +then use the @code{m4} builtin @code{defn} to define @code{bar} as the +same thing. However, when we change the open quote string to +@code{} and the close quote string to @code{}, the same +procedure fails to define a new synonym @code{baz}: + +@smallexample +$ @i{cd gnu/m4} +$ @i{./m4} +@i{define(foo,0000)} + +@i{foo} +0000 +@i{define(bar,defn(`foo'))} + +@i{bar} +0000 +@i{changequote(,)} + +@i{define(baz,defn(foo))} +@i{baz} +@i{C-d} +m4: End of input: 0: fatal error: EOF in string +@end smallexample + +@noindent +Let's use _GDBN__ to try to see what's going on. + +@smallexample +$ @i{_GDBP__ m4} +Reading symbol data from m4...done. +(_GDBP__) +@end smallexample + +@noindent +_GDBN__ reads only enough symbol data to know where to find the rest +when needed; as a result, the first prompt comes up very quickly. We +then tell _GDBN__ to use a narrower display width than usual, so +that examples will fit in this manual. + +@smallexample +(_GDBP__) @i{set width 70} +@end smallexample + +@noindent +Let's see how the @code{m4} builtin @code{changequote} works. +Having looked at the source, we know the relevant subroutine is +@code{m4_changequote}, so we set a breakpoint there with _GDBN__'s +@code{break} command. + +@smallexample +(_GDBP__) @i{break m4_changequote} +Breakpoint 1 at 0x62f4: file builtin.c, line 879. +@end smallexample + +@noindent +Using the @code{run} command, we start @code{m4} running under _GDBN__ +control; as long as control does not reach the @code{m4_changequote} +subroutine, the program runs as usual: + +@smallexample +(_GDBP__) @i{run} +Starting program: /work/Editorial/gdb/gnu/m4/m4 +@i{define(foo,0000)} + +@i{foo} +0000 +@end smallexample + +@noindent +To trigger the breakpoint, we call @code{changequote}. _GDBN__ +suspends execution of @code{m4}, displaying information about the +context where it stops. + +@smallexample +@i{changequote(,)} + +Breakpoint 1, m4_changequote (argc=3, argv=0x33c70) at builtin.c:879 +879 if (bad_argc(TOKEN_DATA_TEXT(argv[0]), argc, 1, 3)) +@end smallexample + +@noindent +Now we use the command @code{n} (@code{next}) to advance execution to +the next line of the current function. + +@smallexample +(_GDBP__) @i{n} +882 set_quotes((argc >= 2) ? TOKEN_DATA_TEXT(argv[1]) : nil, +@end smallexample + +@noindent +@code{set_quotes} looks like a promising subroutine. We can go into it +by using the command @code{s} (@code{step}) instead of @code{next}. +@code{step} goes to the next line to be executed in @emph{any} +subroutine, so it steps into @code{set_quotes}. + +@smallexample +(_GDBP__) @i{s} +set_quotes (lq=0x34c78 "", rq=0x34c88 "") + at input.c:530 +530 if (lquote != def_lquote) +@end smallexample + +@noindent +The summary display showing the subroutine where @code{m4} is now +suspended (and its arguments) is called a stack frame display. We can +use the @code{backtrace} command (which can also be spelled @code{bt}), +to see where we are in the stack: it displays a stack frame for each +active subroutine. + +@smallexample +(_GDBP__) @i{bt} +#0 set_quotes (lq=0x34c78 "", rq=0x34c88 "") + at input.c:530 +#1 0x6344 in m4_changequote (argc=3, argv=0x33c70) at builtin.c:882 +#2 0x8174 in expand_macro (sym=0x33320) at macro.c:242 +#3 0x7a88 in expand_token (obs=0x0, t=209696, td=0xf7fffa30) + at macro.c:71 +#4 0x79dc in expand_input () at macro.c:40 +#5 0x2930 in main (argc=0, argv=0xf7fffb20) at m4.c:195 +@end smallexample + +@noindent +Let's step through a few more lines to see what happens. The first two +times, we can use @samp{s}; the next two times we use @code{n} to avoid +falling into the @code{xstrdup} subroutine. +@smallexample +(_GDBP__) @i{s} +0x3b5c 532 if (rquote != def_rquote) +(_GDBP__) @i{s} +0x3b80 535 lquote = (lq == nil || *lq == '\0') ? def_lquote :\ + xstrdup(lq); +(_GDBP__) @i{n} +536 rquote = (rq == nil || *rq == '\0') ? def_rquote : xstrdup\ +(rq); +(_GDBP__) @i{n} +538 len_lquote = strlen(rquote); +@end smallexample + +@noindent +The last line displayed looks a little odd; let's examine the variables +@code{lquote} and @code{rquote} to see if they are in fact the new left +and right quotes we specified. We can use the command @code{p} +(@code{print}) to see their values. + +@smallexample +(_GDBP__) @i{p lquote} +$1 = 0x35d40 "" +(_GDBP__) @i{p rquote} +$2 = 0x35d50 "" +@end smallexample + +@noindent +@code{lquote} and @code{rquote} are indeed the new left and right quotes. +Let's look at some context; we can display ten lines of source +surrounding the current line, with the @code{l} (@code{list}) command. + +@smallexample +(_GDBP__) @i{l} +533 xfree(rquote); +534 +535 lquote = (lq == nil || *lq == '\0') ? def_lquote : xstrdup\ +(lq); +536 rquote = (rq == nil || *rq == '\0') ? def_rquote : xstrdup\ +(rq); +537 +538 len_lquote = strlen(rquote); +539 len_rquote = strlen(lquote); +540 @} +541 +542 void +@end smallexample + +@noindent +Let's step past the two lines that set @code{len_lquote} and +@code{len_rquote}, and then examine the values of those variables. + +@smallexample +(_GDBP__) @i{n} +539 len_rquote = strlen(lquote); +(_GDBP__) @i{n} +540 @} +(_GDBP__) @i{p len_lquote} +$3 = 9 +(_GDBP__) @i{p len_rquote} +$4 = 7 +@end smallexample + +@noindent +That certainly looks wrong, assuming @code{len_lquote} and +@code{len_rquote} are meant to be the lengths of @code{lquote} and +@code{rquote} respectively. Let's try setting them to better values. +We can use the @code{p} command for this, since it'll print the value of +any expression---and that expression can include subroutine calls and +assignments. + +@smallexample +(_GDBP__) p len_lquote=strlen(lquote) +$5 = 7 +(_GDBP__) p len_rquote=strlen(rquote) +$6 = 9 +@end smallexample + +@noindent +Let's see if that fixes the problem of using the new quotes with the +@code{m4} built-in @code{defn}. We can allow @code{m4} to continue +executing with the @code{c} (@code{continue}) command, and then try the +example that caused trouble initially: + +@smallexample +(_GDBP__) @i{c} +Continuing. + +@i{define(baz,defn(foo))} + +baz +0000 +@end smallexample + +@noindent +Success! The new quotes now work just as well as the default ones. The +problem seems to have been just the two typos defining the wrong +lengths. We'll let @code{m4} exit by giving it an EOF as input. + +@smallexample +@i{C-d} +Program exited normally. +@end smallexample + +@noindent +The message @samp{Program exited normally.} is from _GDBN__; it +indicates @code{m4} has finished executing. We can end our _GDBN__ +session with the _GDBN__ @code{quit} command. + +@smallexample +(_GDBP__) @i{quit} + +$ +_1__@end smallexample + +@node Invocation, Commands, Sample Session, Top +@chapter Getting In and Out of _GDBN__ + +@menu +* Starting _GDBN__:: Starting _GDBN__ +* Leaving _GDBN__:: Leaving _GDBN__ +* Shell Commands:: Shell Commands +@end menu + +@node Starting _GDBN__, Leaving _GDBN__, Invocation, Invocation +@section Starting _GDBN__ + +_GDBN__ is invoked with the shell command @code{_GDBP__}. Once started, +it reads commands from the terminal until you tell it to exit. + +You can run @code{_GDBP__} with no arguments or options; but the most +usual way to start _GDBN__ is with one argument or two, specifying an +executable program as the argument: +@example +_GDBP__ program +@end example +@noindent +You can also start with both an executable program and a core file specified: +@example +_GDBP__ program core +@end example + +@noindent +You can further control how _GDBN__ starts up by using command-line +options. _GDBN__ itself can remind you of the options available: +@example +_GDBP__ -help +@end example +@noindent +will display all available options and briefly describe their use +(@samp{_GDBP__ -h} is a shorter equivalent). + +All options and command line arguments you give are processed +in sequential order. The order makes a difference when the +@samp{-x} option is used. + +@menu +* File Options:: Choosing Files +* Mode Options:: Choosing Modes +_if__(!_GENERIC__) +_include__(gdbinv-m.m4)_dnl__ +_fi__(!_GENERIC__) +@end menu + +@node File Options, Mode Options, Starting _GDBN__, Starting _GDBN__ +@subsection Choosing Files + +As shown above, any arguments other than options specify an executable +file and core file; that is, the first argument encountered with no +associated option flag is equivalent to a @samp{-se} option, and the +second, if any, is equivalent to a @samp{-c} option. Many options have +both long and short forms; both are shown here. The long forms are also +recognized if you truncate them, so long as enough of the option is +present to be unambiguous. (If you prefer, you can flag option +arguments with @samp{+} rather than @samp{-}, though we illustrate the +more usual convention.) + +@table @code +@item -symbols=@var{file} +@itemx -s @var{file} +Read symbol table from file @var{file}. + +@item -exec=@var{file} +@itemx -e @var{file} +Use file @var{file} as the executable file to execute when +appropriate, and for examining pure data in conjunction with a core +dump. + +@item -se @var{file} +Read symbol table from file @var{file} and use it as the executable +file. + +@item -core=@var{file} +@itemx -c @var{file} +Use file @var{file} as a core dump to examine. + +@item -command=@var{file} +@itemx -x @var{file} +Execute _GDBN__ commands from file @var{file}. @xref{Command Files}. + +@item -directory=@var{directory} +@itemx -d @var{directory} +Add @var{directory} to the path to search for source files. +@end table + +_if__(!_GENERIC__) +@node Mode Options, i960-Nindy Remote, File Options, Starting _GDBN__ +_fi__(!_GENERIC__) +_if__(_GENERIC__) +@node Mode Options, , File Options, Starting _GDBN__ +_fi__(_GENERIC__) +@subsection Choosing Modes + +@table @code +@item -nx +@itemx -n +Do not execute commands from any @file{_GDBINIT__} initialization files. +Normally, the commands in these files are executed after all the +command options and arguments have been processed. @xref{Command +Files}. + +@item -quiet +@itemx -q +``Quiet''. Do not print the introductory and copyright messages. These +messages are also suppressed in batch mode, or if an executable file name is +specified on the _GDBN__ command line. + +@item -batch +Run in batch mode. Exit with status @code{0} after processing all the command +files specified with @samp{-x} (and @file{_GDBINIT__}, if not inhibited). +Exit with nonzero status if an error occurs in executing the _GDBN__ +commands in the command files. + +Batch mode may be useful for running _GDBN__ as a filter, for example to +download and run a program on another computer; in order to make this +more useful, the message +@example +Program exited normally. +@end example +@noindent +(which is ordinarily issued whenever a program running under _GDBN__ control +terminates) is not issued when running in batch mode. + +@item -cd @var{directory} +Run _GDBN__ using @var{directory} as its working directory, +instead of the current directory. + +@item -fullname +@itemx -f +Emacs sets this option when it runs _GDBN__ as a subprocess. It tells _GDBN__ +to output the full file name and line number in a standard, +recognizable fashion each time a stack frame is displayed (which +includes each time the program stops). This recognizable format looks +like two @samp{\032} characters, followed by the file name, line number +and character position separated by colons, and a newline. The +Emacs-to-_GDBN__ interface program uses the two @samp{\032} characters as +a signal to display the source code for the frame. + +@item -b @var{bps} +Set the line speed (baud rate or bits per second) of any serial +interface used by _GDBN__ for remote debugging. + +@item -tty @var{device} +Run using @var{device} for your program's standard input and output. +@c FIXME: kingdon thinks there's more to -tty. Investigate. +@end table + +_if__(!_GENERIC__) +_include__(gdbinv-s.m4) +_fi__(!_GENERIC__) + +@node Leaving _GDBN__, Shell Commands, Starting _GDBN__, Invocation +@section Leaving _GDBN__ +@cindex exiting _GDBN__ +@table @code +@item quit +@kindex quit +@kindex q +To exit _GDBN__, use the @code{quit} command (abbreviated @code{q}), or type +an end-of-file character (usually @kbd{C-d}). +@end table + +@cindex interrupt +An interrupt (often @kbd{C-c}) will not exit from _GDBN__, but rather +will terminate the action of any _GDBN__ command that is in progress and +return to _GDBN__ command level. It is safe to type the interrupt +character at any time because _GDBN__ does not allow it to take effect +until a time when it is safe. + +If you've been using _GDBN__ to control an attached process or device, +you can release it with the @code{detach} command; @pxref{Attach}. + +@node Shell Commands, , Leaving _GDBN__, Invocation +@section Shell Commands +If you need to execute occasional shell commands during your +debugging session, there's no need to leave or suspend _GDBN__; you can +just use the @code{shell} command. + +@table @code +@item shell @var{command string} +@kindex shell +@cindex shell escape +Directs _GDBN__ to invoke an inferior shell to execute @var{command +string}. If it exists, the environment variable @code{SHELL} is used +for the name of the shell to run. Otherwise _GDBN__ uses +@code{/bin/sh}. +@end table + +The utility @code{make} is often needed in development environments. +You don't have to use the @code{shell} command for this purpose in _GDBN__: + +@table @code +@item make @var{make-args} +@kindex make +@cindex calling make +Causes _GDBN__ to execute an inferior @code{make} program with the specified +arguments. This is equivalent to @samp{shell make @var{make-args}}. +@end table + +@node Commands, Running, Invocation, Top +@chapter _GDBN__ Commands + +@menu +* Command Syntax:: Command Syntax +* Help:: Getting Help +@end menu + +@node Command Syntax, Help, Commands, Commands +@section Command Syntax +A _GDBN__ command is a single line of input. There is no limit on how long +it can be. It starts with a command name, which is followed by arguments +whose meaning depends on the command name. For example, the command +@code{step} accepts an argument which is the number of times to step, +as in @samp{step 5}. You can also use the @code{step} command with +no arguments. Some command names do not allow any arguments. + +@cindex abbreviation +_GDBN__ command names may always be truncated if that abbreviation is +unambiguous. Other possible command abbreviations are listed in the +documentation for individual commands. In some cases, even ambiguous +abbreviations are allowed; for example, @code{s} is specially defined as +equivalent to @code{step} even though there are other commands whose +names start with @code{s}. You can test abbreviations by using them as +arguments to the @code{help} command (@pxref{Help}). + +@cindex repeating commands +@kindex RET +A blank line as input to _GDBN__ (typing just @key{RET}) means to +repeat the previous command. Certain commands (for example, @code{run}) +will not repeat this way; these are commands for which unintentional +repetition might cause trouble and which you are unlikely to want to +repeat. + +The @code{list} and @code{x} commands, when you repeat them with +@key{RET}, construct new arguments rather than repeating +exactly as typed. This permits easy scanning of source or memory. + +@kindex # +@cindex comment +A line of input starting with @kbd{#} is a comment; it does nothing. +This is useful mainly in command files (@xref{Command Files}). + +@node Help, , Command Syntax, Commands +@section Getting Help +@cindex online documentation +@kindex help +You can always ask _GDBN__ itself for information on its commands, using the +command @code{help}. + +@table @code +@item help +@itemx h +@kindex h +You can use @code{help} (abbreviated @code{h}) with no arguments to +display a short list of named classes of commands: +@smallexample +(_GDBP__) help +List of classes of commands: + +running -- Running the program +stack -- Examining the stack +data -- Examining data +breakpoints -- Making program stop at certain points +files -- Specifying and examining files +status -- Status inquiries +support -- Support facilities +user-defined -- User-defined commands +aliases -- Aliases of other commands +obscure -- Obscure features + +Type "help" followed by a class name for a list of commands in that class. +Type "help" followed by command name for full documentation. +Command name abbreviations are allowed if unambiguous. +(_GDBP__) +@end smallexample + +@item help @var{class} +Using one of the general help classes as an argument, you can get a +list of the individual commands in that class. For example, here is the +help display for the class @code{status}: +@smallexample +(_GDBP__) help status +Status inquiries. + +List of commands: + +show -- Generic command for showing things set with "set" +info -- Generic command for printing status + +Type "help" followed by command name for full documentation. +Command name abbreviations are allowed if unambiguous. +(_GDBP__) +@end smallexample + +@item help @var{command} +With a command name as @code{help} argument, _GDBN__ will display a +short paragraph on how to use that command. +@end table + +In addition to @code{help}, you can use the _GDBN__ commands @code{info} +and @code{show} to inquire about the state of your program, or the state +of _GDBN__ itself. Each command supports many topics of inquiry; this +manual introduces each of them in the appropriate context. The listings +under @code{info} and under @code{show} in the Index point to +all the sub-commands. +@c FIXME: @pxref{Index} used to be here, but even though it shows up in +@c FIXME...the 'aux' file with a pageno the xref can't find it. + +@c @group +@table @code +@item info +@kindex info +@kindex i +This command (abbreviated @code{i}) is for describing the state of your +program; for example, it can list the arguments given to your program +(@code{info args}), the registers currently in use (@code{info +registers}), or the breakpoints you've set (@code{info breakpoints}). +You can get a complete list of the @code{info} sub-commands with +@w{@code{help info}}. + +@kindex show +@item show +In contrast, @code{show} is for describing the state of _GDBN__ itself. +You can change most of the things you can @code{show}, by using the +related command @code{set}; for example, you can control what number +system is used for displays with @code{set radix}, or simply inquire +which is currently in use with @code{show radix}. + +@kindex info set +To display all the settable parameters and their current +values, you can use @code{show} with no arguments; you may also use +@code{info set}. Both commands produce the same display. +@c FIXME: "info set" violates the rule that "info" is for state of +@c FIXME...program. Ck w/ GNU: "info set" to be called something else, +@c FIXME...or change desc of rule---eg "state of prog and debugging session"? +@end table +@c @end group + +Here are three miscellaneous @code{show} subcommands, all of which are +exceptional in lacking corresponding @code{set} commands: + +@table @code +@kindex show version +@item show version +Show what version of _GDBN__ is running. You should include this +information in _GDBN__ bug-reports. If multiple versions of _GDBN__ are +in use at your site, you may occasionally want to make sure what version +of _GDBN__ you're running; as _GDBN__ evolves, new commands are +introduced, and old ones may wither away. The version number is also +announced when you start _GDBN__ with no arguments. + +@kindex show copying +@item show copying +Display information about permission for copying _GDBN__. + +@kindex show warranty +@item show warranty +Display the GNU ``NO WARRANTY'' statement. +@end table + +@node Running, Stopping, Commands, Top +@chapter Running Programs Under _GDBN__ + +@menu +* Compilation:: Compiling for Debugging +* Starting:: Starting your Program +* Arguments:: Your Program's Arguments +* Environment:: Your Program's Environment +* Working Directory:: Your Program's Working Directory +* Input/Output:: Your Program's Input and Output +* Attach:: Debugging an Already-Running Process +* Kill Process:: Killing the Child Process +@end menu + +@node Compilation, Starting, Running, Running +@section Compiling for Debugging + +In order to debug a program effectively, you need to generate +debugging information when you compile it. This debugging information +is stored in the object file; it describes the data type of each +variable or function and the correspondence between source line numbers +and addresses in the executable code. + +To request debugging information, specify the @samp{-g} option when you run +the compiler. + +Many C compilers are unable to handle the @samp{-g} and @samp{-O} +options together. Using those compilers, you cannot generate optimized +executables containing debugging information. + +The GNU C compiler supports @samp{-g} with or without @samp{-O}, making it +possible to debug optimized code. We recommend that you @emph{always} use +@samp{-g} whenever you compile a program. You may think the program is +correct, but there's no sense in pushing your luck. + +Some things do not work as well with @samp{-g -O} as with just +@samp{-g}, particularly on machines with instruction scheduling. If in +doubt, recompile with @samp{-g} alone, and if this fixes the problem, +please report it as a bug (including a test case!). + +Older versions of the GNU C compiler permitted a variant option +@samp{-gg} for debugging information. _GDBN__ no longer supports this +format; if your GNU C compiler has this option, do not use it. + +@ignore +@comment As far as I know, there are no cases in which _GDBN__ will +@comment produce strange output in this case. (but no promises). +If your program includes archives made with the @code{ar} program, and +if the object files used as input to @code{ar} were compiled without the +@samp{-g} option and have names longer than 15 characters, _GDBN__ will get +confused reading the program's symbol table. No error message will be +given, but _GDBN__ may behave strangely. The reason for this problem is a +deficiency in the Unix archive file format, which cannot represent file +names longer than 15 characters. + +To avoid this problem, compile the archive members with the @samp{-g} +option or use shorter file names. Alternatively, use a version of GNU +@code{ar} dated more recently than August 1989. +@end ignore + + +@node Starting, Arguments, Compilation, Running +@section Starting your Program +@cindex starting +@cindex running +@table @code +@item run +@itemx r +@kindex run +Use the @code{run} command to start your program under _GDBN__. +_if__(_VXWORKS__) +Except on VxWorks, you +_fi__(_VXWORKS__) +_if__(!_VXWORKS__) +You +_fi__(!_VXWORKS__) +must first specify the program name with an argument to _GDBN__ +(@pxref{Invocation}), or using the @code{file} or @code{exec-file} +command (@pxref{Files}).@refill +@end table + +On targets that support processes, @code{run} creates an inferior +process and makes that process run your program. On other targets, +@code{run} jumps to the start of the program. + +The execution of a program is affected by certain information it +receives from its superior. _GDBN__ provides ways to specify this +information, which you must do @i{before} starting the program. (You +can change it after starting the program, but such changes will only affect +the program the next time you start it.) This information may be +divided into four categories: + +@table @asis +@item The @i{arguments.} +You specify the arguments to give your program as the arguments of the +@code{run} command. If a shell is available on your target, the shell +is used to pass the arguments, so that you may use normal conventions +(such as wildcard expansion or variable substitution) in +describing the arguments. In Unix systems, you can control which shell +is used with the @code{SHELL} environment variable. @xref{Arguments}.@refill + +@item The @i{environment.} +Your program normally inherits its environment from _GDBN__, but you can +use the _GDBN__ commands @code{set environment} and @code{unset +environment} to change parts of the environment that will be given to +the program. @xref{Environment}.@refill + +@item The @i{working directory.} +Your program inherits its working directory from _GDBN__. You can set +_GDBN__'s working directory with the @code{cd} command in _GDBN__. +@xref{Working Directory}. + +@item The @i{standard input and output.} +Your program normally uses the same device for standard input and +standard output as _GDBN__ is using. You can redirect input and output +in the @code{run} command line, or you can use the @code{tty} command to +set a different device for your program. +@xref{Input/Output}. +@end table + +When you issue the @code{run} command, your program begins to execute +immediately. @xref{Stopping}, for discussion of how to arrange for your +program to stop. Once your program has been started by the @code{run} +command (and then stopped), you may evaluate expressions that involve +calls to functions in the inferior, using the @code{print} or +@code{call} commands. @xref{Data}. + +If the modification time of your symbol file has changed since the last +time _GDBN__ read its symbols, _GDBN__ will discard its symbol table and re-read +it. In this process, it tries to retain your current breakpoints. + +@node Arguments, Environment, Starting, Running +@section Your Program's Arguments + +@cindex arguments (to your program) +The arguments to your program can be specified by the arguments of the +@code{run} command. They are passed to a shell, which expands wildcard +characters and performs redirection of I/O, and thence to the program. +_GDBN__ uses the shell indicated by your environment variable +@code{SHELL} if it exists; otherwise, _GDBN__ uses @code{/bin/sh}. + +@code{run} with no arguments uses the same arguments used by the previous +@code{run}, or those set by the @code{set args} command. + +@kindex set args +@table @code +@item set args +Specify the arguments to be used the next time your program is run. If +@code{set args} has no arguments, @code{run} will execute your program +with no arguments. Once you have run your program with arguments, +using @code{set args} before the next @code{run} is the only way to run +it again without arguments. + +@item show args +@kindex show args +Show the arguments to give your program when it is started. +@end table + +@node Environment, Working Directory, Arguments, Running +@section Your Program's Environment + +@cindex environment (of your program) +The @dfn{environment} consists of a set of environment variables and +their values. Environment variables conventionally record such things as +your user name, your home directory, your terminal type, and your search +path for programs to run. Usually you set up environment variables with +the shell and they are inherited by all the other programs you run. When +debugging, it can be useful to try running the program with a modified +environment without having to start _GDBN__ over again. + +@table @code +@item path @var{directory} +@kindex path +Add @var{directory} to the front of the @code{PATH} environment variable +(the search path for executables), for both _GDBN__ and your program. +You may specify several directory names, separated by @samp{:} or +whitespace. If @var{directory} is already in the path, it is moved to +the front, so it will be searched sooner. You can use the string +@samp{$cwd} to refer to whatever is the current working directory at the +time _GDBN__ searches the path. @footnote{If you use @samp{.} instead, +it refers to the directory where you executed the @code{path} command. +_GDBN__ fills in the current path where needed in the @var{directory} +argument, before adding it to the search path.} +@c 'path' is explicitly nonrepeatable, but RMS points out it's silly to +@c document that, since repeating it would be a no-op. + +@item show paths +@kindex show paths +Display the list of search paths for executables (the @code{PATH} +environment variable). + +@item show environment @r{[}@var{varname}@r{]} +@kindex show environment +Print the value of environment variable @var{varname} to be given to +your program when it starts. If you don't supply @var{varname}, +print the names and values of all environment variables to be given to +your program. You can abbreviate @code{environment} as @code{env}. + +@item set environment @var{varname} @var{value} +@itemx set environment @var{varname} = @var{value} +@kindex set environment +Sets environment variable @var{varname} to @var{value}. The value +changes for your program only, not for _GDBN__ itself. @var{value} may +be any string; the values of environment variables are just strings, and +any interpretation is supplied by your program itself. The @var{value} +parameter is optional; if it is eliminated, the variable is set to a +null value. +@c "any string" here doesn't include leading, trailing +@c blanks. Gnu asks: does anyone care? + +For example, this command: + +@example +set env USER = foo +@end example + +@noindent +tells a Unix program, when subsequently run, that its user is named +@samp{foo}. (The spaces around @samp{=} are used for clarity here; they +are not actually required.) + +@item unset environment @var{varname} +@kindex unset environment +Remove variable @var{varname} from the environment to be passed to your +program. This is different from @samp{set env @var{varname} =}; +@code{unset environment} removes the variable from the environment, +rather than assigning it an empty value. +@end table + +@node Working Directory, Input/Output, Environment, Running +@section Your Program's Working Directory + +@cindex working directory (of your program) +Each time you start your program with @code{run}, it inherits its +working directory from the current working directory of _GDBN__. _GDBN__'s +working directory is initially whatever it inherited from its parent +process (typically the shell), but you can specify a new working +directory in _GDBN__ with the @code{cd} command. + +The _GDBN__ working directory also serves as a default for the commands +that specify files for _GDBN__ to operate on. @xref{Files}. + +@table @code +@item cd @var{directory} +@kindex cd +Set _GDBN__'s working directory to @var{directory}. + +@item pwd +@kindex pwd +Print _GDBN__'s working directory. +@end table + +@node Input/Output, Attach, Working Directory, Running +@section Your Program's Input and Output + +@cindex redirection +@cindex i/o +@cindex terminal +By default, the program you run under _GDBN__ does input and output to +the same terminal that _GDBN__ uses. _GDBN__ switches the terminal to +its own terminal modes to interact with you, but it records the terminal +modes your program was using and switches back to them when you continue +running your program. + +@table @code +@item info terminal +@kindex info terminal +Displays _GDBN__'s recorded information about the terminal modes your +program is using. +@end table + +You can redirect the program's input and/or output using shell +redirection with the @code{run} command. For example, + +_0__@example +run > outfile +_1__@end example + +@noindent +starts the program, diverting its output to the file @file{outfile}. + +@kindex tty +@cindex controlling terminal +Another way to specify where the program should do input and output is +with the @code{tty} command. This command accepts a file name as +argument, and causes this file to be the default for future @code{run} +commands. It also resets the controlling terminal for the child +process, for future @code{run} commands. For example, + +@example +tty /dev/ttyb +@end example + +@noindent +directs that processes started with subsequent @code{run} commands +default to do input and output on the terminal @file{/dev/ttyb} and have +that as their controlling terminal. + +An explicit redirection in @code{run} overrides the @code{tty} command's +effect on the input/output device, but not its effect on the controlling +terminal. + +When you use the @code{tty} command or redirect input in the @code{run} +command, only the input @emph{for your program} is affected. The input +for _GDBN__ still comes from your terminal. + +@node Attach, Kill Process, Input/Output, Running +@section Debugging an Already-Running Process +@kindex attach +@cindex attach + +@table @code +@item attach @var{process-id} +This command +attaches to a running process---one that was started outside _GDBN__. +(@code{info files} will show your active targets.) The command takes as +argument a process ID. The usual way to find out the process-id of +a Unix process is with the @code{ps} utility, or with the @samp{jobs -l} +shell command. + +@code{attach} will not repeat if you press @key{RET} a second time after +executing the command. +@end table + +To use @code{attach}, you must be debugging in an environment which +supports processes. You must also have permission to send the process a +signal, and it must have the same effective user ID as the _GDBN__ +process. + +When using @code{attach}, you should first use the @code{file} command +to specify the program running in the process and load its symbol table. +@xref{Files}. + +The first thing _GDBN__ does after arranging to debug the specified +process is to stop it. You can examine and modify an attached process +with all the _GDBN__ commands that are ordinarily available when you start +processes with @code{run}. You can insert breakpoints; you can step and +continue; you can modify storage. If you would rather the process +continue running, you may use the @code{continue} command after +attaching _GDBN__ to the process. + +@table @code +@item detach +@kindex detach +When you have finished debugging the attached process, you can use the +@code{detach} command to release it from _GDBN__'s control. Detaching +the process continues its execution. After the @code{detach} command, +that process and _GDBN__ become completely independent once more, and you +are ready to @code{attach} another process or start one with @code{run}. +@code{detach} will not repeat if you press @key{RET} again after +executing the command. +@end table + +If you exit _GDBN__ or use the @code{run} command while you have an attached +process, you kill that process. By default, you will be asked for +confirmation if you try to do either of these things; you can control +whether or not you need to confirm by using the @code{set confirm} command +(@pxref{Messages/Warnings}). + +@node Kill Process, , Attach, Running +@c @group +@section Killing the Child Process + +@table @code +@item kill +@kindex kill +Kill the child process in which your program is running under _GDBN__. +@end table + +This command is useful if you wish to debug a core dump instead of a +running process. _GDBN__ ignores any core dump file while your program +is running. +@c @end group + +On some operating systems, a program can't be executed outside _GDBN__ +while you have breakpoints set on it inside _GDBN__. You can use the +@code{kill} command in this situation to permit running the program +outside the debugger. + +The @code{kill} command is also useful if you wish to recompile and +relink the program, since on many systems it is impossible to modify an +executable file while it is running in a process. In this case, when you +next type @code{run}, _GDBN__ will notice that the file has changed, and +will re-read the symbol table (while trying to preserve your current +breakpoint settings). + +@node Stopping, Stack, Running, Top +@chapter Stopping and Continuing + +The principal purpose of using a debugger is so that you can stop your +program before it terminates; or so that, if the program runs into +trouble, you can investigate and find out why. + +Inside _GDBN__, your program may stop for any of several reasons, such +as a signal, a breakpoint, or reaching a new line after a _GDBN__ +command such as @code{step}. You may then examine and change +variables, set new breakpoints or remove old ones, and then continue +execution. Usually, the messages shown by _GDBN__ provide ample +explanation of the status of your program---but you can also explicitly +request this information at any time. + +@table @code +@item info program +@kindex info program +Display information about the status of your program: whether it is +running or not, what process it is, and why it stopped. +@end table + +@menu +* Breakpoints:: Breakpoints, Watchpoints, and Exceptions +* Stepping:: Stepping +* Continuing:: Continuing +* Signals:: Signals +@end menu + +@node Breakpoints, Stepping, Stopping, Stopping +@section Breakpoints, Watchpoints, and Exceptions + +@cindex breakpoints +A @dfn{breakpoint} makes your program stop whenever a certain point in +the program is reached. For each breakpoint, you can add various +conditions to control in finer detail whether the program will stop. +You can set breakpoints with the @code{break} command and its variants +(@pxref{Set Breaks}), to specify the place where the program should stop +by line number, function name or exact address in the program. In +languages with exception handling (such as GNU C++), you can also set +breakpoints where an exception is raised (@pxref{Exception Handling}). + +@cindex watchpoints +A @dfn{watchpoint} is a special breakpoint that stops your program when +the value of an expression changes. You must use a different command to +set watchpoints (@pxref{Set Watchpoints}), but aside from that, you can +manage a watchpoint like any other breakpoint: you enable, disable, and +delete both breakpoints and watchpoints using the same commands. + +Each breakpoint or watchpoint is assigned a number when it is created; +these numbers are successive integers starting with one. In many of the +commands for controlling various features of breakpoints you use the +breakpoint number to say which breakpoint you want to change. Each +breakpoint may be @dfn{enabled} or @dfn{disabled}; if disabled, it has +no effect on the program until you enable it again. + +@menu +* Set Breaks:: Setting Breakpoints +* Set Watchpoints:: Setting Watchpoints +* Exception Handling:: Breakpoints and Exceptions +* Delete Breaks:: Deleting Breakpoints +* Disabling:: Disabling Breakpoints +* Conditions:: Break Conditions +* Break Commands:: Breakpoint Command Lists +* Breakpoint Menus:: Breakpoint Menus +* Error in Breakpoints:: +@end menu + +@node Set Breaks, Set Watchpoints, Breakpoints, Breakpoints +@subsection Setting Breakpoints + +@kindex break +@kindex b +Breakpoints are set with the @code{break} command (abbreviated @code{b}). + +You have several ways to say where the breakpoint should go. + +@table @code +@item break @var{function} +Set a breakpoint at entry to function @var{function}. When using source +languages that permit overloading of symbols, such as C++, +@var{function} may refer to more than one possible place to break. +@xref{Breakpoint Menus}, for a discussion of that situation. + +@item break +@var{offset} +@itemx break -@var{offset} +Set a breakpoint some number of lines forward or back from the position +at which execution stopped in the currently selected frame. + +@item break @var{linenum} +Set a breakpoint at line @var{linenum} in the current source file. +That file is the last file whose source text was printed. This +breakpoint will stop the program just before it executes any of the +code on that line. + +@item break @var{filename}:@var{linenum} +Set a breakpoint at line @var{linenum} in source file @var{filename}. + +@item break @var{filename}:@var{function} +Set a breakpoint at entry to function @var{function} found in file +@var{filename}. Specifying a file name as well as a function name is +superfluous except when multiple files contain similarly named +functions. + +@item break *@var{address} +Set a breakpoint at address @var{address}. You can use this to set +breakpoints in parts of the program which do not have debugging +information or source files. + +@item break +When called without any arguments, @code{break} sets a breakpoint at the +next instruction to be executed in the selected stack frame +(@pxref{Stack}). In any selected frame but the innermost, this will +cause the program to stop as soon as control returns to that frame. +This is similar to the effect of a @code{finish} command in the frame +inside the selected frame---except that @code{finish} doesn't leave an +active breakpoint. If you use @code{break} without an argument in the +innermost frame, _GDBN__ will stop the next time it reaches the current +location; this may be useful inside loops. + +_GDBN__ normally ignores breakpoints when it resumes execution, until at +least one instruction has been executed. If it did not do this, you +would be unable to proceed past a breakpoint without first disabling the +breakpoint. This rule applies whether or not the breakpoint already +existed when the program stopped. + +@item break @dots{} if @var{cond} +Set a breakpoint with condition @var{cond}; evaluate the expression +@var{cond} each time the breakpoint is reached, and stop only if the +value is nonzero. @samp{@dots{}} stands for one of the possible +arguments described above (or no argument) specifying where to break. +@xref{Conditions}, for more information on breakpoint conditions. + +@item tbreak @var{args} +@kindex tbreak +Set a breakpoint enabled only for one stop. @var{args} are the +same as for the @code{break} command, and the breakpoint is set in the same +way, but the breakpoint is automatically disabled the first time it +is hit. @xref{Disabling}. + +@item rbreak @var{regex} +@kindex rbreak +@cindex regular expression +@c FIXME: 2nd sentence below C++ only? +Set breakpoints on all functions matching the regular expression +@var{regex}. This is useful for setting breakpoints on overloaded +functions that are not members of any special classes. This command +sets an unconditional breakpoint on all matches, printing a list of all +breakpoints it set. Once these breakpoints are set, they are treated +just like the breakpoints set with the @code{break} command. They can +be deleted, disabled, made conditional, etc., in the standard ways. + +@kindex info breakpoints +@kindex $_ +@item info breakpoints @r{[}@var{n}@r{]} +@item info break @r{[}@var{n}@r{]} +Print a list of all breakpoints (but not watchpoints) set and not +deleted, showing their numbers, where in the program they are, and any +special features in use for them. Disabled breakpoints are included in +the list, but marked as disabled. @code{info break} with a breakpoint +number @var{n} as argument lists only that breakpoint. The convenience +variable @code{$_} and the default examining-address for the @code{x} +command are set to the address of the last breakpoint listed +(@pxref{Memory}). The equivalent command for watchpoints is @code{info +watch}. @end table + +_GDBN__ allows you to set any number of breakpoints at the same place in the +program. There is nothing silly or meaningless about this. When the +breakpoints are conditional, this is even useful (@pxref{Conditions}). + +@node Set Watchpoints, Exception Handling, Set Breaks, Breakpoints +@subsection Setting Watchpoints +@cindex setting watchpoints +You can use a watchpoint to stop execution whenever the value of an +expression changes, without having to predict a particular place +where this may happen. + +Watchpoints currently execute two orders of magnitude more slowly than +other breakpoints, but this can well be worth it to catch errors where +you have no clue what part of your program is the culprit. Some +processors provide special hardware to support watchpoint evaluation; future +releases of _GDBN__ will use such hardware if it is available. + +@table @code +@kindex watch +@item watch @var{expr} +Set a watchpoint for an expression. + +@kindex info watchpoints +@item info watchpoints +This command prints a list of watchpoints; it is otherwise similar to +@code{info break}. +@end table + +@node Exception Handling, Delete Breaks, Set Watchpoints, Breakpoints +@subsection Breakpoints and Exceptions +@cindex exception handlers + +Some languages, such as GNU C++, implement exception handling. _GDBN__ +can be used to examine what caused the program to raise an exception +and to list the exceptions the program is prepared to handle at a +given point in time. + +@table @code +@item catch @var{exceptions} +@kindex catch +You can set breakpoints at active exception handlers by using the +@code{catch} command. @var{exceptions} is a list of names of exceptions +to catch. +@end table + +You can use @code{info catch} to list active exception handlers; +@pxref{Frame Info}. + +There are currently some limitations to exception handling in _GDBN__. +These will be corrected in a future release. + +@itemize @bullet +@item +If you call a function interactively, _GDBN__ normally returns +control to you when the function has finished executing. If the call +raises an exception, however, the call may bypass the mechanism that +returns control to the user and cause the program to simply continue +running until it hits a breakpoint, catches a signal that _GDBN__ is +listening for, or exits. +@item +You cannot raise an exception interactively. +@item +You cannot interactively install an exception handler. +@end itemize + +@cindex raise exceptions +Sometimes @code{catch} is not the best way to debug exception handling: +if you need to know exactly where an exception is raised, it's better to +stop @emph{before} the exception handler is called, since that way you +can see the stack before any unwinding takes place. If you set a +breakpoint in an exception handler instead, it may not be easy to find +out where the exception was raised. + +To stop just before an exception handler is called, you need some +knowledge of the implementation. In the case of GNU C++ exceptions are +raised by calling a library function named @code{__raise_exception} +which has the following ANSI C interface: + +@example + /* ADDR is where the exception identifier is stored. + ID is the exception identifier. */ + void __raise_exception (void **@var{addr}, void *@var{id}); +@end example + +@noindent +To make the debugger catch all exceptions before any stack +unwinding takes place, set a breakpoint on @code{__raise_exception} +(@pxref{Breakpoints}). + +With a conditional breakpoint (@xref{Conditions}) that depends on the +value of @var{id}, you can stop your program when a specific exception +is raised. You can use multiple conditional breakpoints to stop the +program when any of a number of exceptions are raised. + +@node Delete Breaks, Disabling, Exception Handling, Breakpoints +@subsection Deleting Breakpoints + +@cindex clearing breakpoints, watchpoints +@cindex deleting breakpoints, watchpoints +It is often necessary to eliminate a breakpoint or watchpoint once it +has done its job and you no longer want the program to stop there. This +is called @dfn{deleting} the breakpoint. A breakpoint that has been +deleted no longer exists; it is forgotten. + +With the @code{clear} command you can delete breakpoints according to +where they are in the program. With the @code{delete} command you can +delete individual breakpoints or watchpoints by specifying their +breakpoint numbers. + +It is not necessary to delete a breakpoint to proceed past it. _GDBN__ +automatically ignores breakpoints on the first instruction to be executed +when you continue execution without changing the execution address. + +@table @code +@item clear +@kindex clear +Delete any breakpoints at the next instruction to be executed in the +selected stack frame (@pxref{Selection}). When the innermost frame +is selected, this is a good way to delete a breakpoint that the program +just stopped at. + +@item clear @var{function} +@itemx clear @var{filename}:@var{function} +Delete any breakpoints set at entry to the function @var{function}. + +@item clear @var{linenum} +@itemx clear @var{filename}:@var{linenum} +Delete any breakpoints set at or within the code of the specified line. + +@item delete @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} @r{[}@var{bnums}@dots{}@r{]} +@cindex delete breakpoints +@kindex delete +@kindex d +Delete the breakpoints or watchpoints of the numbers specified as +arguments. If no argument is specified, delete all breakpoints (_GDBN__ +asks confirmation, unless you've @code{set confirm off}). You +can abbreviate this command as @code{d}. +@end table + +@node Disabling, Conditions, Delete Breaks, Breakpoints +@subsection Disabling Breakpoints + +@cindex disabled breakpoints +@cindex enabled breakpoints +Rather than deleting a breakpoint or watchpoint, you might prefer to +@dfn{disable} it. This makes the breakpoint inoperative as if it had +been deleted, but remembers the information on the breakpoint so that +you can @dfn{enable} it again later. + +You disable and enable breakpoints and watchpoints with the +@code{enable} and @code{disable} commands, optionally specifying one or +more breakpoint numbers as arguments. Use @code{info break} or +@code{info watch} to print a list of breakpoints or watchpoints if you +don't know which numbers to use. + +A breakpoint or watchpoint can have any of four different states of +enablement: + +@itemize @bullet +@item +Enabled. The breakpoint will stop the program. A breakpoint set +with the @code{break} command starts out in this state. +@item +Disabled. The breakpoint has no effect on the program. +@item +Enabled once. The breakpoint will stop the program, but +when it does so it will become disabled. A breakpoint set +with the @code{tbreak} command starts out in this state. +@item +Enabled for deletion. The breakpoint will stop the program, but +immediately after it does so it will be deleted permanently. +@end itemize + +You can use the following commands to enable or disable breakpoints and +watchpoints: + +@table @code +@item disable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} @r{[}@var{bnums}@dots{}@r{]} +@kindex disable breakpoints +@kindex disable +@kindex dis +Disable the specified breakpoints---or all breakpoints, if none are +listed. A disabled breakpoint has no effect but is not forgotten. All +options such as ignore-counts, conditions and commands are remembered in +case the breakpoint is enabled again later. You may abbreviate +@code{disable} as @code{dis}. + +@item enable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} @r{[}@var{bnums}@dots{}@r{]} +@kindex enable breakpoints +@kindex enable +Enable the specified breakpoints (or all defined breakpoints). They +become effective once again in stopping the program. + +@item enable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} once @var{bnums}@dots{} +Enable the specified breakpoints temporarily. Each will be disabled +again the next time it stops the program. + +@item enable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} delete @var{bnums}@dots{} +Enable the specified breakpoints to work once and then die. Each of +the breakpoints will be deleted the next time it stops the program. +@end table + +Save for a breakpoint set with @code{tbreak} (@pxref{Set Breaks}), +breakpoints that you set are initially enabled; subsequently, they become +disabled or enabled only when you use one of the commands above. (The +command @code{until} can set and delete a breakpoint of its own, but it +will not change the state of your other breakpoints; +@pxref{Stepping}.) + +@node Conditions, Break Commands, Disabling, Breakpoints +@subsection Break Conditions +@cindex conditional breakpoints +@cindex breakpoint conditions + +The simplest sort of breakpoint breaks every time the program reaches a +specified place. You can also specify a @dfn{condition} for a +breakpoint. A condition is just a Boolean expression in your +programming language. (@xref{Expressions}). A breakpoint with a +condition evaluates the expression each time the program reaches it, and +the program stops only if the condition is true. + +Conditions are also accepted for watchpoints; you may not need them, +since a watchpoint is inspecting the value of an expression anyhow---but +it might be simpler, say, to just set a watchpoint on a variable name, +and specify a condition that tests whether the new value is an interesting +one. + +Break conditions ca have side effects, and may even call functions in +your program. This can be useful, for example, to activate functions +that log program progress, or to use your own print functions to format +special data structures. The effects are completely predictable unless +there is another enabled breakpoint at the same address. (In that +case, _GDBN__ might see the other breakpoint first and stop the program +without checking the condition of this one.) Note that breakpoint +commands are usually more convenient and flexible for the purpose of +performing side effects when a breakpoint is reached (@pxref{Break +Commands}). + +Break conditions can be specified when a breakpoint is set, by using +@samp{if} in the arguments to the @code{break} command. @xref{Set Breaks}. +They can also be changed at any time with the @code{condition} command. +The @code{watch} command doesn't recognize the @code{if} keyword; +@code{condition} is the only way to impose a further condition on a +watchpoint. + +@table @code +@item condition @var{bnum} @var{expression} +@kindex condition +Specify @var{expression} as the break condition for breakpoint or +watchpoint number @var{bnum}. From now on, this breakpoint will stop +the program only if the value of @var{expression} is true (nonzero, in +C). When you use @code{condition}, _GDBN__ checks @var{expression} +immediately for syntactic correctness, and to determine whether symbols +in it have referents in the context of your breakpoint. _GDBN__ does +not actually evaluate @var{expression} at the time the @code{condition} +command is given, however. @xref{Expressions}. + +@item condition @var{bnum} +Remove the condition from breakpoint number @var{bnum}. It becomes +an ordinary unconditional breakpoint. +@end table + +@cindex ignore count (of breakpoint) +A special case of a breakpoint condition is to stop only when the +breakpoint has been reached a certain number of times. This is so +useful that there is a special way to do it, using the @dfn{ignore +count} of the breakpoint. Every breakpoint has an ignore count, which +is an integer. Most of the time, the ignore count is zero, and +therefore has no effect. But if the program reaches a breakpoint whose +ignore count is positive, then instead of stopping, it just decrements +the ignore count by one and continues. As a result, if the ignore count +value is @var{n}, the breakpoint will not stop the next @var{n} times it +is reached. + +@table @code +@item ignore @var{bnum} @var{count} +@kindex ignore +Set the ignore count of breakpoint number @var{bnum} to @var{count}. +The next @var{count} times the breakpoint is reached, your program's +execution will not stop; other than to decrement the ignore count, _GDBN__ +takes no action. + +To make the breakpoint stop the next time it is reached, specify +a count of zero. + +@item continue @var{count} +@itemx c @var{count} +@itemx fg @var{count} +@kindex continue @var{count} +Continue execution of the program, setting the ignore count of the +breakpoint that the program stopped at to @var{count} minus one. +Thus, the program will not stop at this breakpoint until the +@var{count}'th time it is reached. + +An argument to this command is meaningful only when the program stopped +due to a breakpoint. At other times, the argument to @code{continue} is +ignored. + +The synonym @code{fg} is provided purely for convenience, and has +exactly the same behavior as other forms of the command. +@end table + +If a breakpoint has a positive ignore count and a condition, the condition +is not checked. Once the ignore count reaches zero, the condition will +be checked. + +You could achieve the effect of the ignore count with a +condition such as _0__@w{@samp{$foo-- <= 0}}_1__ using a debugger convenience +variable that is decremented each time. @xref{Convenience Vars}. + +@node Break Commands, Breakpoint Menus, Conditions, Breakpoints +@subsection Breakpoint Command Lists + +@cindex breakpoint commands +You can give any breakpoint (or watchpoint) a series of commands to +execute when the program stops due to that breakpoint. For example, you +might want to print the values of certain expressions, or enable other +breakpoints. + +@table @code +@item commands @r{[}@var{bnum}@r{]} +@itemx @dots{} @var{command-list} @dots{} +@itemx end +@kindex commands +@kindex end +Specify a list of commands for breakpoint number @var{bnum}. The commands +themselves appear on the following lines. Type a line containing just +@code{end} to terminate the commands. + +To remove all commands from a breakpoint, type @code{commands} followed +immediately by @code{end}; that is, give no commands. + +With no @var{bnum} argument, @code{commands} refers to the last +breakpoint or watchpoint set (not to the breakpoint most recently +encountered). +@end table + +Pressing @key{RET} as a means of repeating the last _GDBN__ command is +disabled within a @var{command-list}. + +You can use breakpoint commands to start the program up again. Simply +use the @code{continue} command, or @code{step}, or any other command +that resumes execution. Subsequent commands in the command list are +ignored. + +@kindex silent +If the first command specified is @code{silent}, the usual message about +stopping at a breakpoint is not printed. This may be desirable for +breakpoints that are to print a specific message and then continue. +If the remaining commands too print nothing, you will see no sign that +the breakpoint was reached at all. @code{silent} is meaningful only +at the beginning of a breakpoint command list. + +The commands @code{echo} and @code{output} that allow you to print precisely +controlled output are often useful in silent breakpoints. @xref{Output}. + +For example, here is how you could use breakpoint commands to print the +value of @code{x} at entry to @code{foo} whenever @code{x} is positive. + +_0__@example +break foo if x>0 +commands +silent +echo x is\040 +output x +echo \n +cont +end +_1__@end example + +One application for breakpoint commands is to compensate for one bug so +you can test for another. Put a breakpoint just after the erroneous line +of code, give it a condition to detect the case in which something +erroneous has been done, and give it commands to assign correct values +to any variables that need them. End with the @code{continue} command +so that the program does not stop, and start with the @code{silent} +command so that no output is produced. Here is an example: + +@example +break 403 +commands +silent +set x = y + 4 +cont +end +@end example + +@cindex lost output +One deficiency in the operation of automatically continuing breakpoints +under Unix appears when your program uses raw mode for the terminal. +_GDBN__ switches back to its own terminal modes (not raw) before executing +commands, and then must switch back to raw mode when your program is +continued. This causes any pending terminal input to be lost. +@c FIXME: revisit below when GNU sys avail. +@c In the GNU system, this will be fixed by changing the behavior of +@c terminal modes. + +Under Unix, you can get around this problem by writing actions into +the breakpoint condition rather than in commands. For example + +@example +condition 5 (x = y + 4), 0 +@end example + +@noindent +specifies a condition expression (@xref{Expressions}) that will change +@code{x} as needed, then always have the value zero so the program will +not stop. No input is lost here, because _GDBN__ evaluates break +conditions without changing the terminal modes. When you want to have +nontrivial conditions for performing the side effects, the operators +@samp{&&}, @samp{||} and @samp{?@dots{}:} may be useful. + +@node Breakpoint Menus, Error in Breakpoints, Break Commands, Breakpoints +@subsection Breakpoint Menus +@cindex C++ overloading +@cindex symbol overloading + +Some programming languages (notably C++) permit a single function name +to be defined several times, for application in different contexts. +This is called @dfn{overloading}. When a function name is overloaded, +@samp{break @var{function}} is not enough to tell _GDBN__ where you +want a breakpoint. _GDBN__ offers you a menu of numbered choices for +different possible breakpoints, and waits for your selection with the +prompt @samp{>}. The first two options are always @samp{[0] cancel} +and @samp{[1] all}. Typing @kbd{1} sets a breakpoint at each +definition of @var{function}, and typing @kbd{0} aborts the +@code{break} command without setting any new breakpoints. + +For example, the following session excerpt shows an attempt to set a +breakpoint at the overloaded symbol @code{String::after}. +We choose three particular definitions of that function name: + +@example +(_GDBP__) b String::after +[0] cancel +[1] all +[2] file:String.cc; line number:867 +[3] file:String.cc; line number:860 +[4] file:String.cc; line number:875 +[5] file:String.cc; line number:853 +[6] file:String.cc; line number:846 +[7] file:String.cc; line number:735 +> 2 4 6 +Breakpoint 1 at 0xb26c: file String.cc, line 867. +Breakpoint 2 at 0xb344: file String.cc, line 875. +Breakpoint 3 at 0xafcc: file String.cc, line 846. +Multiple breakpoints were set. +Use the "delete" command to delete unwanted breakpoints. +(_GDBP__) +@end example + + +@node Error in Breakpoints, , Breakpoint Menus, Breakpoints +@subsection ``Cannot Insert Breakpoints'' + +@c FIXME: "cannot insert breakpoints" error, v unclear. +@c Q in pending mail to Gilmore. ---pesch@cygnus.com, 26mar91 +Under some operating systems, breakpoints cannot be used in a program if +any other process is running that program. In this situation, +attempting to run or continue a program with a breakpoint causes _GDBN__ +to stop the other process. + +When this happens, you have three ways to proceed: + +@enumerate +@item +Remove or disable the breakpoints, then continue. + +@item +Suspend _GDBN__, and copy the file containing the program to a new name. +Resume _GDBN__ and use the @code{exec-file} command to specify that _GDBN__ +should run the program under that name. Then start the program again. + +@c FIXME: RMS commented here "Show example". Maybe when someone +@c explains the first FIXME: in this section... + +@item +Relink the program so that the text segment is nonsharable, using the +linker option @samp{-N}. The operating system limitation may not apply +to nonsharable executables. +@end enumerate + +@node Stepping, Continuing, Breakpoints, Stopping +@section Stepping + +@cindex stepping +@dfn{Stepping} means setting your program in motion for a limited time, +so that control will return automatically to _GDBN__ after one line of +code or one machine instruction. @footnote{Your program might stop even +sooner, during stepping, since a signal may arrive before your program +reaches the next source line. Also, since breakpoints are active during +stepping, your program will stop for them even if it has not gone as far +as the stepping command specifies.} + +A typical technique for using stepping is to put a breakpoint +(@pxref{Breakpoints}) at the beginning of the function or the section of +the program in which a problem is believed to lie, run the program until +it stops at that breakpoint, and then step through the suspect area, +examining the variables that are interesting, until you see the problem +happen. + +@table @code +@item step +@kindex step +@kindex s +Continue running the program until control reaches a different source +line, then stop it and return control to the debugger. This command is +abbreviated @code{s}. + +You may use the @code{step} command when control is within a function +for which there is no debugging information. In that case, execution +will proceed until control reaches a different function, or is about to +return from this function. + +@item step @var{count} +Continue running as in @code{step}, but do so @var{count} times. If a +breakpoint is reached or a signal not related to stepping occurs before +@var{count} steps, stepping stops right away. + +@item next +@kindex next +@kindex n +Continue to the next source line in the current stack frame. Similar to +@code{step}, but any function calls appearing within the line of code +are executed without stopping. Execution stops when control reaches a +different line of code at the stack level which was executing when the +@code{next} command was given. This command is abbreviated @code{n}. + +An argument is a repeat count, as in @code{step}. + +@code{next} within a function that lacks debugging information acts like +@code{step}, but any function calls appearing within the code of the +function are executed without stopping. + +@item finish +@kindex finish +Continue running until just after the selected stack frame returns (or +until there is some other reason to stop, such as a fatal signal or a +breakpoint). Print the value returned by the selected stack frame (if +any). + +Contrast this with the @code{return} command (@pxref{Returning}). + +@item until +@kindex until +@item u +@kindex u +Continue running until a source line past the current line, in the +current stack frame, is reached. This command is used to avoid single +stepping through a loop more than once. It is like the @code{next} +command, except that when @code{until} encounters a jump, it +automatically continues execution until the program counter is greater +than the address of the jump. + +This means that when you reach the end of a loop after single stepping +though it, @code{until} will cause the program to continue execution +until the loop is exited. In contrast, a @code{next} command at the end +of a loop will simply step back to the beginning of the loop, which +would force you to step through the next iteration. + +@code{until} always stops the program if it attempts to exit the current +stack frame. + +@code{until} may produce somewhat counterintuitive results if the order +of the source lines does not match the actual order of execution. For +example, in the following excerpt from a debugging session, the @code{f} +(@code{frame}) command shows that execution is stopped at line +@code{206}; yet when we use @code{until}, we get to line @code{195}: + +@example +(_GDBP__) f +#0 main (argc=4, argv=0xf7fffae8) at m4.c:206 +206 expand_input(); +(_GDBP__) until +195 for ( ; argc > 0; NEXTARG) @{ +@end example + +In this case, (as for any C @code{for}-loop), the loop-step expression +(here, @samp{argc > 0}) is executed @emph{after} the statements in the +body of the loop, but is written before them. Therefore, the +@code{until} command appeared to step back to the beginning of the loop +when it advanced to this expression. However, it has not really gone to +an earlier statement---not in terms of the actual machine code. + +@code{until} with no argument works by means of single +instruction stepping, and hence is slower than @code{until} with an +argument. + +@item until @var{location} +@item u @var{location} +Continue running the program until either the specified location is +reached, or the current (innermost) stack frame returns. @var{location} +is any of the forms of argument acceptable to @code{break} (@pxref{Set +Breaks}). This form of the command uses breakpoints, and hence is +quicker than @code{until} without an argument. + +@item stepi +@itemx si +@kindex stepi +@kindex si +Execute one machine instruction, then stop and return to the debugger. + +It is often useful to do @samp{display/i $pc} when stepping by machine +instructions. This will cause the next instruction to be executed to +be displayed automatically at each stop. @xref{Auto Display}. + +An argument is a repeat count, as in @code{step}. + +@item nexti +@itemx ni +@kindex nexti +@kindex ni +Execute one machine instruction, but if it is a function call, +proceed until the function returns. + +An argument is a repeat count, as in @code{next}. +@end table + +The @code{continue} command can be used after stepping to resume execution +until the next breakpoint or signal. + +@node Continuing, Signals, Stepping, Stopping +@section Continuing + +After your program stops, most likely you will want it to run some more if +the bug you are looking for has not happened yet. + +@table @code +@item continue +@kindex continue +Continue running the program at the place where it stopped. +@end table + +If the program stopped at a breakpoint, the place to continue running +is the address of the breakpoint. You might expect that continuing would +just stop at the same breakpoint immediately. In fact, @code{continue} +takes special care to prevent that from happening. You do not need +to disable the breakpoint to proceed through it after stopping there. +You can, however, specify an ignore-count for the breakpoint that the +program stopped at, by means of an argument to the @code{continue} command. +@xref{Conditions}. + +If the program stopped because of a signal other than @code{SIGINT} or +@code{SIGTRAP}, continuing will cause the program to see that signal. +You may not want this to happen. For example, if the program stopped +due to some sort of memory reference error, you might store correct +values into the erroneous variables and continue, hoping to see more +execution; but the program would probably terminate immediately as +a result of the fatal signal once it sees the signal. To prevent this, +you can continue with @samp{signal 0}. @xref{Signaling}. You can +also act in advance to control what signals your program will see, using +the @code{handle} command (@pxref{Signals}). + +@node Signals, , Continuing, Stopping +@section Signals +@cindex signals + +A signal is an asynchronous event that can happen in a program. The +operating system defines the possible kinds of signals, and gives each +kind a name and a number. For example, in Unix @code{SIGINT} is the +signal a program gets when you type an interrupt (often @kbd{C-c}); +@code{SIGSEGV} is the signal a program gets from referencing a place in +memory far away from all the areas in use; @code{SIGALRM} occurs when +the alarm clock timer goes off (which happens only if the program has +requested an alarm). + +@cindex fatal signals +Some signals, including @code{SIGALRM}, are a normal part of the +functioning of the program. Others, such as @code{SIGSEGV}, indicate +errors; these signals are @dfn{fatal} (kill the program immediately) if the +program has not specified in advance some other way to handle the signal. +@code{SIGINT} does not indicate an error in the program, but it is normally +fatal so it can carry out the purpose of the interrupt: to kill the program. + +_GDBN__ has the ability to detect any occurrence of a signal in the program +running under _GDBN__'s control. You can tell _GDBN__ in advance what to do for +each kind of signal. + +@cindex handling signals +Normally, _GDBN__ is set up to ignore non-erroneous signals like @code{SIGALRM} +(so as not to interfere with their role in the functioning of the program) +but to stop the program immediately whenever an error signal happens. +You can change these settings with the @code{handle} command. + +@table @code +@item info signals +@kindex info signals +Print a table of all the kinds of signals and how _GDBN__ has been told to +handle each one. You can use this to see the signal numbers of all +the defined types of signals. + +@item handle @var{signal} @var{keywords}@dots{} +@kindex handle +Change the way _GDBN__ handles signal @var{signal}. @var{signal} can be the +number of a signal or its name (with or without the @samp{SIG} at the +beginning). The @var{keywords} say what change to make. +@end table + +@c @group +The keywords allowed by the @code{handle} command can be abbreviated. +Their full names are: + +@table @code +@item nostop +_GDBN__ should not stop the program when this signal happens. It may +still print a message telling you that the signal has come in. + +@item stop +_GDBN__ should stop the program when this signal happens. This implies +the @code{print} keyword as well. + +@item print +_GDBN__ should print a message when this signal happens. + +@item noprint +_GDBN__ should not mention the occurrence of the signal at all. This +implies the @code{nostop} keyword as well. + +@item pass +_GDBN__ should allow the program to see this signal; the program will be +able to handle the signal, or may be terminated if the signal is fatal +and not handled. + +@item nopass +_GDBN__ should not allow the program to see this signal. +@end table +@c @end group + +When a signal has been set to stop the program, the program cannot see the +signal until you continue. It will see the signal then, if @code{pass} is +in effect for the signal in question @i{at that time}. In other words, +after _GDBN__ reports a signal, you can use the @code{handle} command with +@code{pass} or @code{nopass} to control whether that signal will be seen by +the program when you later continue it. + +You can also use the @code{signal} command to prevent the program from +seeing a signal, or cause it to see a signal it normally would not see, +or to give it any signal at any time. @xref{Signaling}. + +@node Stack, Source, Stopping, Top +@chapter Examining the Stack + +When your program has stopped, the first thing you need to know is where it +stopped and how it got there. + +@cindex call stack +Each time your program performs a function call, the information about +where in the program the call was made from is saved in a block of data +called a @dfn{stack frame}. The frame also contains the arguments of the +call and the local variables of the function that was called. All the +stack frames are allocated in a region of memory called the @dfn{call +stack}. + +When your program stops, the _GDBN__ commands for examining the stack allow you +to see all of this information. + +@cindex selected frame +One of the stack frames is @dfn{selected} by _GDBN__ and many _GDBN__ commands +refer implicitly to the selected frame. In particular, whenever you ask +_GDBN__ for the value of a variable in the program, the value is found in the +selected frame. There are special _GDBN__ commands to select whichever frame +you are interested in. + +When the program stops, _GDBN__ automatically selects the currently executing +frame and describes it briefly as the @code{frame} command does +(@pxref{Frame Info, Info}). + +@menu +* Frames:: Stack Frames +* Backtrace:: Backtraces +* Selection:: Selecting a Frame +* Frame Info:: Information on a Frame +@end menu + +@node Frames, Backtrace, Stack, Stack +@section Stack Frames + +@cindex frame +@cindex stack frame +The call stack is divided up into contiguous pieces called @dfn{stack +frames}, or @dfn{frames} for short; each frame is the data associated +with one call to one function. The frame contains the arguments given +to the function, the function's local variables, and the address at +which the function is executing. + +@cindex initial frame +@cindex outermost frame +@cindex innermost frame +When your program is started, the stack has only one frame, that of the +function @code{main}. This is called the @dfn{initial} frame or the +@dfn{outermost} frame. Each time a function is called, a new frame is +made. Each time a function returns, the frame for that function invocation +is eliminated. If a function is recursive, there can be many frames for +the same function. The frame for the function in which execution is +actually occurring is called the @dfn{innermost} frame. This is the most +recently created of all the stack frames that still exist. + +@cindex frame pointer +Inside your program, stack frames are identified by their addresses. A +stack frame consists of many bytes, each of which has its own address; each +kind of computer has a convention for choosing one of those bytes whose +address serves as the address of the frame. Usually this address is kept +in a register called the @dfn{frame pointer register} while execution is +going on in that frame. + +@cindex frame number +_GDBN__ assigns numbers to all existing stack frames, starting with +zero for the innermost frame, one for the frame that called it, +and so on upward. These numbers do not really exist in your program; +they are assigned by _GDBN__ to give you a way of designating stack +frames in _GDBN__ commands. + +@cindex frameless execution +Some compilers allow functions to be compiled so that they operate +without stack frames. (For example, the @code{_GCC__} option +@samp{-fomit-frame-pointer} will generate functions without a frame.) +This is occasionally done with heavily used library functions to save +the frame setup time. _GDBN__ has limited facilities for dealing with +these function invocations. If the innermost function invocation has no +stack frame, _GDBN__ will nevertheless regard it as though it had a +separate frame, which is numbered zero as usual, allowing correct +tracing of the function call chain. However, _GDBN__ has no provision +for frameless functions elsewhere in the stack. + +@node Backtrace, Selection, Frames, Stack +@section Backtraces + +A backtrace is a summary of how the program got where it is. It shows one +line per frame, for many frames, starting with the currently executing +frame (frame zero), followed by its caller (frame one), and on up the +stack. + +@table @code +@item backtrace +@itemx bt +@kindex backtrace +@kindex bt +Print a backtrace of the entire stack: one line per frame for all +frames in the stack. + +You can stop the backtrace at any time by typing the system interrupt +character, normally @kbd{C-c}. + +@item backtrace @var{n} +@itemx bt @var{n} +Similar, but print only the innermost @var{n} frames. + +@item backtrace -@var{n} +@itemx bt -@var{n} +Similar, but print only the outermost @var{n} frames. +@end table + +@kindex where +@kindex info stack +@kindex info s +The names @code{where} and @code{info stack} (abbreviated @code{info s}) +are additional aliases for @code{backtrace}. + +Each line in the backtrace shows the frame number and the function name. +The program counter value is also shown---unless you use @code{set +print address off}. The backtrace also shows the source file name and +line number, as well as the arguments to the function. The program +counter value is omitted if it is at the beginning of the code for that +line number. + +Here is an example of a backtrace. It was made with the command +@samp{bt 3}, so it shows the innermost three frames. + +@smallexample +@group +#0 m4_traceon (obs=0x24eb0, argc=1, argv=0x2b8c8) at builtin.c:993 +#1 0x6e38 in expand_macro (sym=0x2b600) at macro.c:242 +#2 0x6840 in expand_token (obs=0x0, t=177664, td=0xf7fffb08) + at macro.c:71 +(More stack frames follow...) +@end group +@end smallexample + +@noindent +The display for frame zero doesn't begin with a program counter +value, indicating that the program has stopped at the beginning of the +code for line @code{993} of @code{builtin.c}. + +@node Selection, Frame Info, Backtrace, Stack +@section Selecting a Frame + +Most commands for examining the stack and other data in the program work on +whichever stack frame is selected at the moment. Here are the commands for +selecting a stack frame; all of them finish by printing a brief description +of the stack frame just selected. + +@table @code +@item frame @var{n} +@itemx f @var{n} +@kindex frame +@kindex f +Select frame number @var{n}. Recall that frame zero is the innermost +(currently executing) frame, frame one is the frame that called the +innermost one, and so on. The highest-numbered frame is @code{main}'s +frame. + +@item frame @var{addr} +@itemx f @var{addr} +Select the frame at address @var{addr}. This is useful mainly if the +chaining of stack frames has been damaged by a bug, making it +impossible for _GDBN__ to assign numbers properly to all frames. In +addition, this can be useful when the program has multiple stacks and +switches between them. + +_if_(_SPARC__) +On the SPARC architecture, @code{frame} needs two addresses to +select an arbitrary frame: a frame pointer and a stack pointer. +@c note to future updaters: this is conditioned on a flag +@c FRAME_SPECIFICATION_DYADIC in the tm-*.h files, currently only used +@c by SPARC, hence the specific attribution. Generalize or list all +@c possibilities if more supported machines start doing this. +_fi_(_SPARC__) + +@item up @var{n} +@kindex up +Move @var{n} frames up the stack. For positive numbers @var{n}, this +advances toward the outermost frame, to higher frame numbers, to frames +that have existed longer. @var{n} defaults to one. + +@item down @var{n} +@kindex down +@kindex do +Move @var{n} frames down the stack. For positive numbers @var{n}, this +advances toward the innermost frame, to lower frame numbers, to frames +that were created more recently. @var{n} defaults to one. You may +abbreviate @code{down} as @code{do}. +@end table + +All of these commands end by printing two lines of output describing the +frame. The first line shows the frame number, the function name, the +arguments, and the source file and line number of execution in that +frame. The second line shows the text of that source line. For +example: + +@smallexample +(_GDBP__) up +#1 0x22f0 in main (argc=1, argv=0xf7fffbf4, env=0xf7fffbfc) at env.c:10 +10 read_input_file (argv[i]); +@end smallexample + +After such a printout, the @code{list} command with no arguments will print +ten lines centered on the point of execution in the frame. @xref{List}. + +@table @code +@item up-silently @var{n} +@itemx down-silently @var{n} +@kindex down-silently +@kindex up-silently +These two commands are variants of @code{up} and @code{down}, +respectively; they differ in that they do their work silently, without +causing display of the new frame. They are intended primarily for use +in _GDBN__ command scripts, where the output might be unnecessary and +distracting. + +@end table + +@node Frame Info, , Selection, Stack +@section Information About a Frame + +There are several other commands to print information about the selected +stack frame. + +@table @code +@item frame +@itemx f +When used without any argument, this command does not change which frame +is selected, but prints a brief description of the currently +selected stack frame. It can be abbreviated @code{f}. With an +argument, this command is used to select a stack frame (@pxref{Selection}). + +@item info frame +@kindex info frame +@itemx info f +@kindex info f +This command prints a verbose description of the selected stack frame, +including the address of the frame, the addresses of the next frame down +(called by this frame) and the next frame up (caller of this frame), +the address of the frame's arguments, the program counter saved in it +(the address of execution in the caller frame), and which registers +were saved in the frame. The verbose description is useful when +something has gone wrong that has made the stack format fail to fit +the usual conventions. + +@item info frame @var{addr} +@itemx info f @var{addr} +Print a verbose description of the frame at address @var{addr}, +without selecting that frame. The selected frame remains unchanged by +this command. + +@item info args +@kindex info args +Print the arguments of the selected frame, each on a separate line. + +@item info locals +@kindex info locals +Print the local variables of the selected frame, each on a separate +line. These are all variables declared static or automatic within all +program blocks that execution in this frame is currently inside of. + +@item info catch +@kindex info catch +@cindex catch exceptions +@cindex exception handlers +Print a list of all the exception handlers that are active in the +current stack frame at the current point of execution. To see other +exception handlers, visit the associated frame (using the @code{up}, +@code{down}, or @code{frame} commands); then type @code{info catch}. +@xref{Exception Handling}. +@end table + +@node Source, Data, Stack, Top +@chapter Examining Source Files + +_GDBN__ can print parts of your program's source, since the debugging +information recorded in your program tells _GDBN__ what source files +were used to built it. When your program stops, _GDBN__ spontaneously +prints the line where it stopped. Likewise, when you select a stack +frame (@pxref{Selection}), _GDBN__ prints the line where execution in +that frame has stopped. You can print other portions of source files by +explicit command. + +If you use _GDBN__ through its GNU Emacs interface, you may prefer to +use Emacs facilities to view source; @pxref{Emacs}. + +@menu +* List:: Printing Source Lines +* Search:: Searching Source Files +* Source Path:: Specifying Source Directories +* Machine Code:: Source and Machine Code +@end menu + +@node List, Search, Source, Source +@section Printing Source Lines + +@kindex list +@kindex l +To print lines from a source file, use the @code{list} command +(abbreviated @code{l}). There are several ways to specify what part +of the file you want to print. + +Here are the forms of the @code{list} command most commonly used: + +@table @code +@item list @var{linenum} +Print ten lines centered around line number @var{linenum} in the +current source file. + +@item list @var{function} +Print ten lines centered around the beginning of function +@var{function}. + +@item list +Print ten more lines. If the last lines printed were printed with a +@code{list} command, this prints ten lines following the last lines +printed; however, if the last line printed was a solitary line printed +as part of displaying a stack frame (@pxref{Stack}), this prints ten +lines centered around that line. + +@item list - +Print ten lines just before the lines last printed. +@end table + +Repeating a @code{list} command with @key{RET} discards the argument, +so it is equivalent to typing just @code{list}. This is more useful +than listing the same lines again. An exception is made for an +argument of @samp{-}; that argument is preserved in repetition so that +each repetition moves up in the source file. + +@cindex linespec +In general, the @code{list} command expects you to supply zero, one or two +@dfn{linespecs}. Linespecs specify source lines; there are several ways +of writing them but the effect is always to specify some source line. +Here is a complete description of the possible arguments for @code{list}: + +@table @code +@item list @var{linespec} +Print ten lines centered around the line specified by @var{linespec}. + +@item list @var{first},@var{last} +Print lines from @var{first} to @var{last}. Both arguments are +linespecs. + +@item list ,@var{last} +Print ten lines ending with @var{last}. + +@item list @var{first}, +Print ten lines starting with @var{first}. + +@item list + +Print ten lines just after the lines last printed. + +@item list - +Print ten lines just before the lines last printed. + +@item list +As described in the preceding table. +@end table + +Here are the ways of specifying a single source line---all the +kinds of linespec. + +@table @code +@item @var{number} +Specifies line @var{number} of the current source file. +When a @code{list} command has two linespecs, this refers to +the same source file as the first linespec. + +@item +@var{offset} +Specifies the line @var{offset} lines after the last line printed. +When used as the second linespec in a @code{list} command that has +two, this specifies the line @var{offset} lines down from the +first linespec. + +@item -@var{offset} +Specifies the line @var{offset} lines before the last line printed. + +@item @var{filename}:@var{number} +Specifies line @var{number} in the source file @var{filename}. + +@item @var{function} +@c FIXME: "of the open-brace" is C-centric. When we add other langs... +Specifies the line of the open-brace that begins the body of the +function @var{function}. + +@item @var{filename}:@var{function} +Specifies the line of the open-brace that begins the body of the +function @var{function} in the file @var{filename}. You only need the +file name with a function name to avoid ambiguity when there are +identically named functions in different source files. + +@item *@var{address} +Specifies the line containing the program address @var{address}. +@var{address} may be any expression. +@end table + +@node Search, Source Path, List, Source +@section Searching Source Files +@cindex searching +@kindex reverse-search + +There are two commands for searching through the current source file for a +regular expression. + +@table @code +@item forward-search @var{regexp} +@itemx search @var{regexp} +@kindex search +@kindex forward-search +The command @samp{forward-search @var{regexp}} checks each line, starting +with the one following the last line listed, for a match for @var{regexp}. +It lists the line that is found. You can abbreviate the command name +as @code{fo}. The synonym @samp{search @var{regexp}} is also supported. + +@item reverse-search @var{regexp} +The command @samp{reverse-search @var{regexp}} checks each line, starting +with the one before the last line listed and going backward, for a match +for @var{regexp}. It lists the line that is found. You can abbreviate +this command as @code{rev}. +@end table + +@node Source Path, Machine Code, Search, Source +@section Specifying Source Directories + +@cindex source path +@cindex directories for source files +Executable programs sometimes do not record the directories of the source +files from which they were compiled, just the names. Even when they do, +the directories could be moved between the compilation and your debugging +session. _GDBN__ has a list of directories to search for source files; +this is called the @dfn{source path}. Each time _GDBN__ wants a source file, +it tries all the directories in the list, in the order they are present +in the list, until it finds a file with the desired name. Note that +the executable search path is @emph{not} used for this purpose. Neither is +the current working directory, unless it happens to be in the source +path. + +If _GDBN__ can't find a source file in the source path, and the object +program records a directory, _GDBN__ tries that directory too. If the +source path is empty, and there is no record of the compilation +directory, _GDBN__ will, as a last resort, look in the current +directory. + +Whenever you reset or rearrange the source path, _GDBN__ will clear out +any information it has cached about where source files are found, where +each line is in the file, etc. + +@kindex directory +When you start _GDBN__, its source path is empty. +To add other directories, use the @code{directory} command. + +@table @code +@item directory @var{dirname} @dots{} +Add directory @var{dirname} to the front of the source path. Several +directory names may be given to this command, separated by @samp{:} or +whitespace. You may specify a directory that is already in the source +path; this moves it forward, so it will be searched sooner. You can use +the string @samp{$cdir} to refer to the compilation directory (if one is +recorded), and @samp{$cwd} to refer to the current working directory. +@footnote{@samp{$cwd} is not the same as @samp{.}---the former tracks +the current working directory as it changes during your _GDBN__ session, +while the latter is immediately expanded to the current directory at the +time you add an entry to the source path.} + +@item directory +Reset the source path to empty again. This requires confirmation. + +@c RET-repeat for @code{directory} is explicitly disabled, but since +@c repeating it would be a no-op we don't say that. (thanks to RMS) + +@item show directories +@kindex show directories +Print the source path: show which directories it contains. +@end table + +If your source path is cluttered with directories that are no longer of +interest, _GDBN__ may sometimes cause confusion by finding the wrong +versions of source. You can correct the situation as follows: + +@enumerate +@item +Use @code{directory} with no argument to reset the source path to empty. + +@item +Use @code{directory} with suitable arguments to reinstall the +directories you want in the source path. You can add all the +directories in one command. +@end enumerate + +@node Machine Code, , Source Path, Source +@section Source and Machine Code +You can use the command @code{info line} to map source lines to program +addresses (and viceversa), and the command @code{disassemble} to display +a range of addresses as machine instructions. + +@table @code +@item info line @var{linespec} +@kindex info line +Print the starting and ending addresses of the compiled code for +source line @var{linespec}. You can specify source lines in any of the +ways understood by the @code{list} command (@pxref{List}). +@end table + +For example, we can use @code{info line} to inquire on where the object +code for the first line of function @code{m4_changequote} lies: +@smallexample +(_GDBP__) info line m4_changecom +Line 895 of "builtin.c" starts at pc 0x634c and ends at 0x6350. +@end smallexample + +@noindent +We can also inquire (using @code{*@var{addr}} as the form for +@var{linespec}) what source line covers a particular address: +@smallexample +(_GDBP__) info line *0x63ff +Line 926 of "builtin.c" starts at pc 0x63e4 and ends at 0x6404. +@end smallexample + +@kindex $_ +After @code{info line}, the default address for the @code{x} +command is changed to the starting address of the line, so that +@samp{x/i} is sufficient to begin examining the machine code +(@pxref{Memory}). Also, this address is saved as the value of the +convenience variable @code{$_} (@pxref{Convenience Vars}). + +@table @code +@kindex disassemble +@item disassemble +This specialized command is provided to dump a range of memory as +machine instructions. The default memory range is the function +surrounding the program counter of the selected frame. A single +argument to this command is a program counter value; the function +surrounding this value will be dumped. Two arguments (separated by one +or more spaces) specify a range of addresses (first inclusive, second +exclusive) to be dumped. +@end table + +We can use @code{disassemble} to inspect the object code +range shown in the last @code{info line} example: + +@smallexample +(_GDBP__) disas 0x63e4 0x6404 +Dump of assembler code from 0x63e4 to 0x6404: +0x63e4 : ble 0x63f8 +0x63e8 : sethi %hi(0x4c00), %o0 +0x63ec : ld [%i1+4], %o0 +0x63f0 : b 0x63fc +0x63f4 : ld [%o0+4], %o0 +0x63f8 : or %o0, 0x1a4, %o0 +0x63fc : call 0x9288 +0x6400 : nop +End of assembler dump. +(_GDBP__) + +@end smallexample + +@node Data, Symbols, Source, Top +@chapter Examining Data + +@cindex printing data +@cindex examining data +@kindex print +@kindex inspect +@c "inspect" isn't quite a synonym if you're using Epoch, which we don't +@c document because it's nonstandard... Under Epoch it displays in a +@c different window or something like that. +The usual way to examine data in your program is with the @code{print} +command (abbreviated @code{p}), or its synonym @code{inspect}. It +evaluates and prints the value of any valid expression of the language +the program is written in (for now, C or C++). You type + +@example +print @var{exp} +@end example + +@noindent +where @var{exp} is any valid expression (in the source language), and +the value of @var{exp} is printed in a format appropriate to its data +type. + +A more low-level way of examining data is with the @code{x} command. +It examines data in memory at a specified address and prints it in a +specified format. @xref{Memory}. + +@menu +* Expressions:: Expressions +* Variables:: Program Variables +* Arrays:: Artificial Arrays +* Output formats:: Output formats +* Memory:: Examining Memory +* Auto Display:: Automatic Display +* Print Settings:: Print Settings +* Value History:: Value History +* Convenience Vars:: Convenience Variables +* Registers:: Registers +* Floating Point Hardware:: Floating Point Hardware +@end menu + +@node Expressions, Variables, Data, Data +@section Expressions + +@cindex expressions +@code{print} and many other _GDBN__ commands accept an expression and +compute its value. Any kind of constant, variable or operator defined +by the programming language you are using is legal in an expression in +_GDBN__. This includes conditional expressions, function calls, casts +and string constants. It unfortunately does not include symbols defined +by preprocessor @code{#define} commands, or C++ expressions involving +@samp{::}, the name resolution operator. +@c FIXME: actually C++ a::b works except in obscure circumstances where it +@c FIXME...can conflict with GDB's own name scope resolution. + +Casts are supported in all languages, not just in C, because it is so +useful to cast a number into a pointer so as to examine a structure +at that address in memory. + +_GDBN__ supports three kinds of operator in addition to those of programming +languages: + +@table @code +@item @@ +@samp{@@} is a binary operator for treating parts of memory as arrays. +@xref{Arrays}, for more information. + +@item :: +@samp{::} allows you to specify a variable in terms of the file or +function where it is defined. @xref{Variables}. + +@item @{@var{type}@} @var{addr} +Refers to an object of type @var{type} stored at address @var{addr} in +memory. @var{addr} may be any expression whose value is an integer or +pointer (but parentheses are required around binary operators, just as in +a cast). This construct is allowed regardless of what kind of data is +normally supposed to reside at @var{addr}.@refill +@end table + +@node Variables, Arrays, Expressions, Data +@section Program Variables + +The most common kind of expression to use is the name of a variable +in your program. + +Variables in expressions are understood in the selected stack frame +(@pxref{Selection}); they must either be global (or static) or be visible +according to the scope rules of the programming language from the point of +execution in that frame. This means that in the function + +@example +foo (a) + int a; +@{ + bar (a); + @{ + int b = test (); + bar (b); + @} +@} +@end example + +@noindent +the variable @code{a} is usable whenever the program is executing +within the function @code{foo}, but the variable @code{b} is visible +only while the program is executing inside the block in which @code{b} +is declared. + +@cindex variable name conflict +There is an exception: you can refer to a variable or function whose +scope is a single source file even if the current execution point is not +in this file. But it is possible to have more than one such variable or +function with the same name (in different source files). If that happens, +referring to that name has unpredictable effects. If you wish, you can +specify a variable in a particular file, using the colon-colon notation: + +@cindex colon-colon +@kindex :: +@example +@var{file}::@var{variable} +@end example + +@noindent +Here @var{file} is the name of the source file whose variable you want. + +@cindex C++ name resolution +This use of @samp{::} is very rarely in conflict with the very similar +use of the same notation in C++. _GDBN__ also supports use of the C++ +name resolution operator in _GDBN__ expressions. + +@node Arrays, Output formats, Variables, Data +@section Artificial Arrays + +@cindex artificial array +@kindex @@ +It is often useful to print out several successive objects of the +same type in memory; a section of an array, or an array of +dynamically determined size for which only a pointer exists in the +program. + +This can be done by constructing an @dfn{artificial array} with the +binary operator @samp{@@}. The left operand of @samp{@@} should be +the first element of the desired array, as an individual object. +The right operand should be the desired length of the array. The result is +an array value whose elements are all of the type of the left argument. +The first element is actually the left argument; the second element +comes from bytes of memory immediately following those that hold the +first element, and so on. Here is an example. If a program says + +@example +int *array = (int *) malloc (len * sizeof (int)); +@end example + +@noindent +you can print the contents of @code{array} with + +@example +p *array@@len +@end example + +The left operand of @samp{@@} must reside in memory. Array values made +with @samp{@@} in this way behave just like other arrays in terms of +subscripting, and are coerced to pointers when used in expressions. +Artificial arrays most often appear in expressions via the value history +(@pxref{Value History}), after printing one out.) + +@node Output formats, Memory, Arrays, Data +@section Output formats + +@cindex formatted output +@cindex output formats +By default, _GDBN__ prints a value according to its data type. Sometimes +this is not what you want. For example, you might want to print a number +in hex, or a pointer in decimal. Or you might want to view data in memory +at a certain address as a character string or as an instruction. To do +these things, specify an @dfn{output format} when you print a value. + +The simplest use of output formats is to say how to print a value +already computed. This is done by starting the arguments of the +@code{print} command with a slash and a format letter. The format +letters supported are: + +@table @code +@item x +Regard the bits of the value as an integer, and print the integer in +hexadecimal. + +@item d +Print as integer in signed decimal. + +@item u +Print as integer in unsigned decimal. + +@item o +Print as integer in octal. + +@item t +Print as integer in binary. The letter @samp{t} stands for ``two''. + +@item a +Print as an address, both absolute in hex and as an offset from the +nearest preceding symbol. This format can be used to discover where (in +what function) an unknown address is located: +@example +(_GDBP__) p/a 0x54320 +_0__$3 = 0x54320 <_initialize_vx+396>_1__ +@end example + + +@item c +Regard as an integer and print it as a character constant. + +@item f +Regard the bits of the value as a floating point number and print +using typical floating point syntax. +@end table + +For example, to print the program counter in hex (@pxref{Registers}), type + +@example +p/x $pc +@end example + +@noindent +Note that no space is required before the slash; this is because command +names in _GDBN__ cannot contain a slash. + +To reprint the last value in the value history with a different format, +you can use the @code{print} command with just a format and no +expression. For example, @samp{p/x} reprints the last value in hex. + +@node Memory, Auto Display, Output formats, Data +@section Examining Memory + +@cindex examining memory +@table @code +@kindex x +@item x/@var{nfu} @var{expr} +The command @code{x} (for `examine') can be used to examine memory +without being constrained by your program's data types. You can specify +the unit size @var{u} of memory to inspect, and a repeat count @var{n} of how +many of those units to display. @code{x} understands the formats +@var{f} used by @code{print}; two additional formats, @samp{s} (string) +and @samp{i} (machine instruction) can be used without specifying a unit +size. +@end table + +For example, @samp{x/3uh 0x54320} is a request to display three halfwords +(@code{h}) of memory, formatted as unsigned decimal integers (@samp{u}), +starting at address @code{0x54320}. @samp{x/4xw $sp} prints the four +words (@samp{w}) of memory above the stack pointer (here, @samp{$sp}; +@pxref{Registers}) in hexadecimal (@samp{x}). + +Since the letters indicating unit sizes are all distinct from the +letters specifying output formats, you don't have to remember whether +unit size or format comes first; either order will work. The output +specifications @samp{4xw} and @samp{4wx} mean exactly the same thing. + +After the format specification, you supply an expression for the address +where _GDBN__ is to begin reading from memory. The expression need not +have a pointer value (though it may); it is always interpreted as an +integer address of a byte of memory. @xref{Expressions} for more +information on expressions. + +These are the memory units @var{u} you can specify with the @code{x} +command: + +@table @code +@item b +Examine individual bytes. + +@item h +Examine halfwords (two bytes each). + +@item w +Examine words (four bytes each). + +@cindex word +Many assemblers and cpu designers still use `word' for a 16-bit quantity, +as a holdover from specific predecessor machines of the 1970's that really +did use two-byte words. But more generally the term `word' has always +referred to the size of quantity that a machine normally operates on and +stores in its registers. This is 32 bits for all the machines that _GDBN__ +runs on. + +@item g +Examine giant words (8 bytes). +@end table + +You can combine these unit specifications with any of the formats +described for @code{print}. @xref{Output formats}. + +@code{x} has two additional output specifications which derive the unit +size from the data inspected: + +@table @code +@item s +Print a null-terminated string of characters. Any explicitly specified +unit size is ignored; instead, the unit is however many bytes it takes +to reach a null character (including the null character). + +@item i +Print a machine instruction in assembler syntax (or nearly). Any +specified unit size is ignored; the number of bytes in an instruction +varies depending on the type of machine, the opcode and the addressing +modes used. The command @code{disassemble} gives an alternative way of +inspecting machine instructions. @xref{Machine Code}. +@end table + +If you omit either the format @var{f} or the unit size @var{u}, @code{x} +will use the same one that was used last. If you don't use any letters +or digits after the slash, you can omit the slash as well. + +You can also omit the address to examine. Then the address used is just +after the last unit examined. This is why string and instruction +formats actually compute a unit-size based on the data: so that the next +string or instruction examined will start in the right place. + +When the @code{print} command shows a value that resides in memory, +@code{print} also sets the default address for the @code{x} command. +@code{info line} also sets the default for @code{x}, to the address of +the start of the machine code for the specified line (@pxref{Machine +Code}), and @code{info breakpoints} sets it to the address of the last +breakpoint listed (@pxref{Set Breaks}). + +When you use @key{RET} to repeat an @code{x} command, the address +specified previously (if any) is ignored, so that the repeated command +examines the successive locations in memory rather than the same ones. + +You can examine several consecutive units of memory with one command by +writing a repeat-count after the slash (before the format letters, if +any). Omitting the repeat count @var{n} displays one unit of the +appropriate size. The repeat count must be a decimal integer. It has +the same effect as repeating the @code{x} command @var{n} times except +that the output may be more compact, with several units per line. For +example, + +@example +x/10i $pc +@end example + +@noindent +prints ten instructions starting with the one to be executed next in the +selected frame. After doing this, you could print a further seven +instructions with + +@example +x/7 +@end example + +@noindent +---where the format and address are allowed to default. + +@kindex $_ +@kindex $__ +The addresses and contents printed by the @code{x} command are not put +in the value history because there is often too much of them and they +would get in the way. Instead, _GDBN__ makes these values available for +subsequent use in expressions as values of the convenience variables +@code{$_} and @code{$__}. After an @code{x} command, the last address +examined is available for use in expressions in the convenience variable +@code{$_}. The contents of that address, as examined, are available in +the convenience variable @code{$__}. + +If the @code{x} command has a repeat count, the address and contents saved +are from the last memory unit printed; this is not the same as the last +address printed if several units were printed on the last line of output. + +@node Auto Display, Print Settings, Memory, Data +@section Automatic Display +@cindex automatic display +@cindex display of expressions + +If you find that you want to print the value of an expression frequently +(to see how it changes), you might want to add it to the @dfn{automatic +display list} so that _GDBN__ will print its value each time the program stops. +Each expression added to the list is given a number to identify it; +to remove an expression from the list, you specify that number. +The automatic display looks like this: + +@example +2: foo = 38 +3: bar[5] = (struct hack *) 0x3804 +@end example + +@noindent +showing item numbers, expressions and their current values. As with +displays you request manually using @code{x} or @code{print}, you can +specify the output format you prefer; in fact, @code{display} decides +whether to use @code{print} or @code{x} depending on how elaborate your +format specification is---it uses @code{x} if you specify a unit size, +or one of the two formats (@samp{i} and @samp{s}) that are only +supported by @code{x}; otherwise it uses @code{print}. + +@table @code +@item display @var{exp} +@kindex display +Add the expression @var{exp} to the list of expressions to display +each time the program stops. @xref{Expressions}. + +@code{display} will not repeat if you press @key{RET} again after using it. + +@item display/@var{fmt} @var{exp} +For @var{fmt} specifying only a display format and not a size or +count, add the expression @var{exp} to the auto-display list but +arranges to display it each time in the specified format @var{fmt}. +@xref{Output formats}. + +@item display/@var{fmt} @var{addr} +For @var{fmt} @samp{i} or @samp{s}, or including a unit-size or a +number of units, add the expression @var{addr} as a memory address to +be examined each time the program stops. Examining means in effect +doing @samp{x/@var{fmt} @var{addr}}. @xref{Memory}. +@end table + +For example, @samp{display/i $pc} can be helpful, to see the machine +instruction about to be executed each time execution stops (@samp{$pc} +is a common name for the program counter; @pxref{Registers}). + +@table @code +@item undisplay @var{dnums}@dots{} +@itemx delete display @var{dnums}@dots{} +@kindex delete display +@kindex undisplay +Remove item numbers @var{dnums} from the list of expressions to display. + +@code{undisplay} will not repeat if you press @key{RET} after using it. +(Otherwise you would just get the error @samp{No display number @dots{}}.) + +@item disable display @var{dnums}@dots{} +@kindex disable display +Disable the display of item numbers @var{dnums}. A disabled display +item is not printed automatically, but is not forgotten. It may be +enabled again later. + +@item enable display @var{dnums}@dots{} +@kindex enable display +Enable display of item numbers @var{dnums}. It becomes effective once +again in auto display of its expression, until you specify otherwise. + +@item display +Display the current values of the expressions on the list, just as is +done when the program stops. + +@item info display +@kindex info display +Print the list of expressions previously set up to display +automatically, each one with its item number, but without showing the +values. This includes disabled expressions, which are marked as such. +It also includes expressions which would not be displayed right now +because they refer to automatic variables not currently available. +@end table + +If a display expression refers to local variables, then it does not make +sense outside the lexical context for which it was set up. Such an +expression is disabled when execution enters a context where one of its +variables is not defined. For example, if you give the command +@code{display last_char} while inside a function with an argument +@code{last_char}, then this argument will be displayed while the program +continues to stop inside that function. When it stops elsewhere---where +there is no variable @code{last_char}---display is disabled. The next time +your program stops where @code{last_char} is meaningful, you can enable the +display expression once again. + +@node Print Settings, Value History, Auto Display, Data +@section Print Settings + +@cindex format options +@cindex print settings +_GDBN__ provides the following ways to control how arrays, structures, +and symbols are printed. + +@noindent +These settings are useful for debugging programs in any language: + +@table @code +@item set print address +@item set print address on +@kindex set print address +_GDBN__ will print memory addresses showing the location of stack +traces, structure values, pointer values, breakpoints, and so forth, +even when it also displays the contents of those addresses. The default +is on. For example, this is what a stack frame display looks like, with +@code{set print address on}: +@smallexample +(_GDBP__) f +#0 set_quotes (lq=0x34c78 "<<", rq=0x34c88 ">>") + at input.c:530 +530 if (lquote != def_lquote) +@end smallexample + +@item set print address off +Do not print addresses when displaying their contents. For example, +this is the same stack frame displayed with @code{set print address off}: +@example +(_GDBP__) set print addr off +(_GDBP__) f +#0 set_quotes (lq="<<", rq=">>") at input.c:530 +530 if (lquote != def_lquote) +@end example + +@item show print address +@kindex show print address +Show whether or not addresses are to be printed. + +@item set print array +@itemx set print array on +@kindex set print array +_GDBN__ will pretty print arrays. This format is more convenient to read, +but uses more space. The default is off. + +@item set print array off. +Return to compressed format for arrays. + +@item show print array +@kindex show print array +Show whether compressed or pretty format is selected for displaying +arrays. + +@item set print elements @var{number-of-elements} +@kindex set print elements +If _GDBN__ is printing a large array, it will stop printing after it has +printed the number of elements set by the @code{set print elements} command. +This limit also applies to the display of strings. + +@item show print elements +@kindex show print elements +Display the number of elements of a large array that _GDBN__ will print +before losing patience. + +@item set print pretty on +@kindex set print pretty +Cause _GDBN__ to print structures in an indented format with one member per +line, like this: + +@example +$1 = @{ + next = 0x0, + flags = @{ + sweet = 1, + sour = 1 + @}, + meat = 0x54 "Pork" +@} +@end example + +@item set print pretty off +Cause _GDBN__ to print structures in a compact format, like this: + +@smallexample +$1 = @{next = 0x0, flags = @{sweet = 1, sour = 1@}, meat \ += 0x54 "Pork"@} +@end smallexample + +@noindent +This is the default format. + +@item show print pretty +@kindex show print pretty +Show which format _GDBN__ will use to print structures. + +@item set print sevenbit-strings on +Print using only seven-bit characters; if this option is set, +_GDBN__ will display any eight-bit characters (in strings or character +values) using the notation @code{\}@var{nnn}. For example, @kbd{M-a} is +displayed as @code{\341}. + +@item set print sevenbit-strings off +Print using either seven-bit or eight-bit characters, as required. This +is the default. + +@item show print sevenbit-strings +Show whether or not _GDBN__ will print only seven-bit characters. + +@item set print union on +@kindex set print union +Tell _GDBN__ to print unions which are contained in structures. This is the +default setting. + +@item set print union off +Tell _GDBN__ not to print unions which are contained in structures. + +@item show print union +@kindex show print union +Ask _GDBN__ whether or not it will print unions which are contained in +structures. + +For example, given the declarations + +@smallexample +typedef enum @{Tree, Bug@} Species; +typedef enum @{Big_tree, Acorn, Seedling@} Tree_forms; +typedef enum @{Caterpillar, Cocoon, Butterfly@} Bug_forms; + +struct thing @{ + Species it; + union @{ + Tree_forms tree; + Bug_forms bug; + @} form; +@}; + +struct thing foo = @{Tree, @{Acorn@}@}; +@end smallexample + +@noindent +with @code{set print union on} in effect @samp{p foo} would print + +@smallexample +$1 = @{it = Tree, form = @{tree = Acorn, bug = Cocoon@}@} +@end smallexample + +@noindent +and with @code{set print union off} in effect it would print + +@smallexample +$1 = @{it = Tree, form = @{...@}@} +@end smallexample +@end table + +@noindent +These settings are of interest when debugging C++ programs: + +@table @code +@item set print demangle +@itemx set print demangle on +@kindex set print demangle +Print C++ names in their source form rather than in the mangled form +in which they are passed to the assembler and linker for type-safe linkage. +The default is on. + +@item show print demangle +@kindex show print demangle +Show whether C++ names will be printed in mangled or demangled form. + +@item set print asm-demangle +@itemx set print asm-demangle on +@kindex set print asm-demangle +Print C++ names in their source form rather than their mangled form, even +in assembler code printouts such as instruction disassemblies. +The default is off. + +@item show print asm-demangle +@kindex show print asm-demangle +Show whether C++ names in assembly listings will be printed in mangled +or demangled form. + +@item set print object +@itemx set print object on +@kindex set print object +When displaying a pointer to an object, identify the @emph{actual} +(derived) type of the object rather than the @emph{declared} type, using +the virtual function table. + +@item set print object off +Display only the declared type of objects, without reference to the +virtual function table. This is the default setting. + +@item show print object +@kindex show print object +Show whether actual, or declared, object types will be displayed. + +@item set print vtbl +@itemx set print vtbl on +@kindex set print vtbl +Pretty print C++ virtual function tables. The default is off. + +@item set print vtbl off +Do not pretty print C++ virtual function tables. + +@item show print vtbl +@kindex show print vtbl +Show whether C++ virtual function tables are pretty printed, or not. + +@end table + +@node Value History, Convenience Vars, Print Settings, Data +@section Value History + +@cindex value history +Values printed by the @code{print} command are saved in _GDBN__'s @dfn{value +history} so that you can refer to them in other expressions. Values are +kept until the symbol table is re-read or discarded (for example with +the @code{file} or @code{symbol-file} commands). When the symbol table +changes, the value history is discarded, since the values may contain +pointers back to the types defined in the symbol table. + +@cindex @code{$} +@cindex @code{$$} +@cindex history number +The values printed are given @dfn{history numbers} for you to refer to them +by. These are successive integers starting with one. @code{print} shows you +the history number assigned to a value by printing @samp{$@var{num} = } +before the value; here @var{num} is the history number. + +To refer to any previous value, use @samp{$} followed by the value's +history number. The way @code{print} labels its output is designed to +remind you of this. Just @code{$} refers to the most recent value in +the history, and @code{$$} refers to the value before that. +@code{$$@var{n}} refers to the @var{n}th value from the end; @code{$$2} +is the value just prior to @code{$$}, @code{$$1} is equivalent to +@code{$$}, and @code{$$0} is equivalent to @code{$}. + +For example, suppose you have just printed a pointer to a structure and +want to see the contents of the structure. It suffices to type + +@example +p *$ +@end example + +If you have a chain of structures where the component @code{next} points +to the next one, you can print the contents of the next one with this: + +@example +p *$.next +@end example + +@noindent +You can print successive links in the chain by repeating this +command---which you can do by just typing @key{RET}. + +Note that the history records values, not expressions. If the value of +@code{x} is 4 and you type these commands: + +@example +print x +set x=5 +@end example + +@noindent +then the value recorded in the value history by the @code{print} command +remains 4 even though the value of @code{x} has changed. + +@table @code +@kindex show values +@item show values +Print the last ten values in the value history, with their item numbers. +This is like @samp{p@ $$9} repeated ten times, except that @code{show +values} does not change the history. + +@item show values @var{n} +Print ten history values centered on history item number @var{n}. + +@item show values + +Print ten history values just after the values last printed. If no more +values are available, produces no display. +@end table + +Pressing @key{RET} to repeat @code{show values @var{n}} has exactly the +same effect as @samp{show values +}. + +@node Convenience Vars, Registers, Value History, Data +@section Convenience Variables + +@cindex convenience variables +_GDBN__ provides @dfn{convenience variables} that you can use within +_GDBN__ to hold on to a value and refer to it later. These variables +exist entirely within _GDBN__; they are not part of your program, and +setting a convenience variable has no direct effect on further execution +of your program. That's why you can use them freely. + +Convenience variables are prefixed with @samp{$}. Any name preceded by +@samp{$} can be used for a convenience variable, unless it is one of +the predefined machine-specific register names (@pxref{Registers}). +(Value history references, in contrast, are @emph{numbers} preceded +by @samp{$}. @xref{Value History}.) + +You can save a value in a convenience variable with an assignment +expression, just as you would set a variable in your program. Example: + +@example +set $foo = *object_ptr +@end example + +@noindent +would save in @code{$foo} the value contained in the object pointed to by +@code{object_ptr}. + +Using a convenience variable for the first time creates it; but its value +is @code{void} until you assign a new value. You can alter the value with +another assignment at any time. + +Convenience variables have no fixed types. You can assign a convenience +variable any type of value, including structures and arrays, even if +that variable already has a value of a different type. The convenience +variable, when used as an expression, has the type of its current value. + +@table @code +@item show convenience +@kindex show convenience +Print a list of convenience variables used so far, and their values. +Abbreviated @code{show con}. +@end table + +One of the ways to use a convenience variable is as a counter to be +incremented or a pointer to be advanced. For example, to print +a field from successive elements of an array of structures: + +_0__@example +set $i = 0 +print bar[$i++]->contents +@i{@dots{} repeat that command by typing @key{RET}.} +_1__@end example + +Some convenience variables are created automatically by _GDBN__ and given +values likely to be useful. + +@table @code +@item $_ +The variable @code{$_} is automatically set by the @code{x} command to +the last address examined (@pxref{Memory}). Other commands which +provide a default address for @code{x} to examine also set @code{$_} +to that address; these commands include @code{info line} and @code{info +breakpoint}. + +@item $__ +The variable @code{$__} is automatically set by the @code{x} command +to the value found in the last address examined. +@end table + +@node Registers, Floating Point Hardware, Convenience Vars, Data +@section Registers + +@cindex registers +Machine register contents can be referred to in expressions as variables +with names starting with @samp{$}. The names of registers are different +for each machine; use @code{info registers} to see the names used on +your machine. + +@table @code +@item info registers +@kindex info registers +Print the names and values of all registers (in the selected stack frame). + +@item info registers @var{regname} +Print the relativized value of register @var{regname}. @var{regname} +may be any register name valid on the machine you are using, with +or without the initial @samp{$}. +@end table + +The register names @code{$pc} and @code{$sp} are used on most machines +for the program counter register and the stack pointer. For example, +you could print the program counter in hex with +@example +p/x $pc +@end example + +@noindent +or print the instruction to be executed next with +@example +x/i $pc +@end example + +@noindent +or add four to the stack pointer with +@example +set $sp += 4 +@end example + +@noindent +The last is a way of removing one word from the stack, on machines where +stacks grow downward in memory (most machines, nowadays). This assumes +that the innermost stack frame is selected; setting @code{$sp} is +not allowed when other stack frames are selected. (To pop entire frames +off the stack, regardless of machine architecture, use @code{return}; +@pxref{Returning}.) + +Often @code{$fp} is used for a register that contains a pointer to the +current stack frame, and @code{$ps} is sometimes used for a register +that contains the processor status. These standard register names may +be available on your machine even though the @code{info registers} +command shows other names. For example, on the SPARC, @code{info +registers} displays the processor status register as @code{$psr} but you +can also refer to it as @code{$ps}. + +_GDBN__ always considers the contents of an ordinary register as an +integer when the register is examined in this way. Some machines have +special registers which can hold nothing but floating point; these +registers are considered to have floating point values. There is no way +to refer to the contents of an ordinary register as floating point value +(although you can @emph{print} it as a floating point value with +@samp{print/f $@var{regname}}). + +Some registers have distinct ``raw'' and ``virtual'' data formats. This +means that the data format in which the register contents are saved by +the operating system is not the same one that your program normally +sees. For example, the registers of the 68881 floating point +coprocessor are always saved in ``extended'' (raw) format, but all C +programs expect to work with ``double'' (virtual) format. In such +cases, _GDBN__ normally works with the virtual format only (the format that +makes sense for your program), but the @code{info registers} command +prints the data in both formats. + +Normally, register values are relative to the selected stack frame +(@pxref{Selection}). This means that you get the value that the +register would contain if all stack frames farther in were exited and +their saved registers restored. In order to see the true contents of +hardware registers, you must select the innermost frame (with +@samp{frame 0}). + +However, _GDBN__ must deduce where registers are saved, from the machine +code generated by your compiler. If some registers are not saved, or if +_GDBN__ is unable to locate the saved registers, the selected stack +frame will make no difference. + +@node Floating Point Hardware, , Registers, Data +@section Floating Point Hardware +@cindex floating point +Depending on the host machine architecture, _GDBN__ may be able to give +you more information about the status of the floating point hardware. + +@table @code +@item info float +@kindex info float +If available, provides hardware-dependent information about the floating +point unit. The exact contents and layout vary depending on the +floating point chip. +@end table +@c FIXME: this is a cop-out. Try to get examples, explanations. Only +@c FIXME...supported currently on arm's and 386's. Mark properly with +@c FIXME... m4 macros to isolate general statements from hardware-dep, +@c FIXME... at that point. + +@node Symbols, Altering, Data, Top +@chapter Examining the Symbol Table + +The commands described in this section allow you to inquire about the +symbols (names of variables, functions and types) defined in your +program. This information is inherent in the text of your program and +does not change as the program executes. _GDBN__ finds it in your +program's symbol table, in the file indicated when you started _GDBN__ +(@pxref{File Options}), or by one of the file-management commands +(@pxref{Files}). + +@table @code +@item info address @var{symbol} +@kindex info address +Describe where the data for @var{symbol} is stored. For a register +variable, this says which register it is kept in. For a non-register +local variable, this prints the stack-frame offset at which the variable +is always stored. + +Note the contrast with @samp{print &@var{symbol}}, which does not work +at all for a register variables, and for a stack local variable prints +the exact address of the current instantiation of the variable. + +@item whatis @var{exp} +@kindex whatis +Print the data type of expression @var{exp}. @var{exp} is not +actually evaluated, and any side-effecting operations (such as +assignments or function calls) inside it do not take place. +@xref{Expressions}. + +@item whatis +Print the data type of @code{$}, the last value in the value history. + +@item ptype @var{typename} +@kindex ptype +Print a description of data type @var{typename}. @var{typename} may be +the name of a type, or for C code it may have the form +@samp{struct @var{struct-tag}}, @samp{union @var{union-tag}} or +@samp{enum @var{enum-tag}}.@refill + +@item ptype @var{exp} +Print a description of the type of expression @var{exp}. @code{ptype} +differs from @code{whatis} by printing a detailed description, instead of just +the name of the type. For example, if your program declares a variable +as +@example +struct complex @{double real; double imag;@} v; +@end example +@noindent +compare the output of the two commands: +@example +(_GDBP__) whatis v +type = struct complex +(_GDBP__) ptype v +type = struct complex @{ + double real; + double imag; +@} +@end example + +@item info types @var{regexp} +@itemx info types +@kindex info types +Print a brief description of all types whose name matches @var{regexp} +(or all types in your program, if you supply no argument). Each +complete typename is matched as though it were a complete line; thus, +@samp{i type value} gives information on all types in your program whose +name includes the string @code{value}, but @samp{i type ^value$} gives +information only on types whose complete name is @code{value}. + +This command differs from @code{ptype} in two ways: first, like +@code{whatis}, it does not print a detailed description; second, it +lists all source files where a type is defined. + +@item info source +@kindex info source +Show the name of the current source file---that is, the source file for +the function containing the current point of execution. + +@item info sources +@kindex info sources +Print the names of all source files in the program for which there is +debugging information, organized into two lists: those for which symbols +have been read in, and those for which symbols will be read in on +demand. +@c FIXME: above passive AND awkward! + +@item info functions +@kindex info functions +Print the names and data types of all defined functions. + +@item info functions @var{regexp} +Print the names and data types of all defined functions +whose names contain a match for regular expression @var{regexp}. +Thus, @samp{info fun step} finds all functions whose names +include @code{step}; @samp{info fun ^step} finds those whose names +start with @code{step}. + +@item info variables +@kindex info variables +Print the names and data types of all variables that are declared +outside of functions (i.e., excluding local variables). + +@item info variables @var{regexp} +Print the names and data types of all variables (except for local +variables) whose names contain a match for regular expression +@var{regexp}. + + +@ignore +This was never implemented. +@item info methods +@itemx info methods @var{regexp} +@kindex info methods +The @code{info methods} command permits the user to examine all defined +methods within C++ program, or (with the @var{regexp} argument) a +specific set of methods found in the various C++ classes. Many +C++ classes provide a large number of methods. Thus, the output +from the @code{ptype} command can be overwhelming and hard to use. The +@code{info-methods} command filters the methods, printing only those +which match the regular-expression @var{regexp}. +@end ignore + +@item printsyms @var{filename} +@kindex printsyms +Write a complete dump of the debugger's symbol data into the +file @var{filename}. +@end table + +@node Altering, _GDBN__ Files, Symbols, Top +@chapter Altering Execution + +Once you think you have found an error in the program, you might want to +find out for certain whether correcting the apparent error would lead to +correct results in the rest of the run. You can find the answer by +experiment, using the _GDBN__ features for altering execution of the +program. + +For example, you can store new values into variables or memory +locations, give the program a signal, restart it at a different address, +or even return prematurely from a function to its caller. + +@menu +* Assignment:: Assignment to Variables +* Jumping:: Continuing at a Different Address +* Signaling:: Giving the Program a Signal +* Returning:: Returning from a Function +* Calling:: Calling your Program's Functions +@end menu + +@node Assignment, Jumping, Altering, Altering +@section Assignment to Variables + +@cindex assignment +@cindex setting variables +To alter the value of a variable, evaluate an assignment expression. +@xref{Expressions}. For example, + +@example +print x=4 +@end example + +@noindent +would store the value 4 into the variable @code{x}, and then print the +value of the assignment expression (which is 4). All the assignment +operators of C are supported, including the increment operators +@samp{++} and @samp{--}, and combining assignments such as @samp{+=} and +_0__@samp{<<=}_1__. + +@kindex set +@kindex set variable +@cindex variables, setting +If you are not interested in seeing the value of the assignment, use the +@code{set} command instead of the @code{print} command. @code{set} is +really the same as @code{print} except that the expression's value is not +printed and is not put in the value history (@pxref{Value History}). The +expression is evaluated only for its effects. + +If the beginning of the argument string of the @code{set} command +appears identical to a @code{set} subcommand, use the @code{set +variable} command instead of just @code{set}. This command is identical +to @code{set} except for its lack of subcommands. For example, a +program might well have a variable @code{width}---which leads to +an error if we try to set a new value with just @samp{set width=13}, as +we might if @code{set width} didn't happen to be a _GDBN__ command: +@example +(_GDBP__) whatis width +type = double +(_GDBP__) p width +$4 = 13 +(_GDBP__) set width=47 +Invalid syntax in expression. +@end example +@noindent +The invalid expression, of course, is @samp{=47}. What we can do in +order to actually set our program's variable @code{width} is +@example +(_GDBP__) set var width=47 +@end example + +_GDBN__ allows more implicit conversions in assignments than C does; you can +freely store an integer value into a pointer variable or vice versa, and +any structure can be converted to any other structure that is the same +length or shorter. +@comment FIXME: how do structs align/pad in these conversions? +@comment /pesch@cygnus.com 18dec1990 + +To store values into arbitrary places in memory, use the @samp{@{@dots{}@}} +construct to generate a value of specified type at a specified address +(@pxref{Expressions}). For example, @code{@{int@}0x83040} refers +to memory location @code{0x83040} as an integer (which implies a certain size +and representation in memory), and + +@example +set @{int@}0x83040 = 4 +@end example + +@noindent +stores the value 4 into that memory location. + +@node Jumping, Signaling, Assignment, Altering +@section Continuing at a Different Address + +Ordinarily, when you continue the program, you do so at the place where +it stopped, with the @code{continue} command. You can instead continue at +an address of your own choosing, with the following commands: + +@table @code +@item jump @var{linespec} +@kindex jump +Resume execution at line @var{linespec}. Execution will stop +immediately if there is a breakpoint there. @xref{List} for a +description of the different forms of @var{linespec}. + +The @code{jump} command does not change the current stack frame, or +the stack pointer, or the contents of any memory location or any +register other than the program counter. If line @var{linespec} is in +a different function from the one currently executing, the results may +be bizarre if the two functions expect different patterns of arguments or +of local variables. For this reason, the @code{jump} command requests +confirmation if the specified line is not in the function currently +executing. However, even bizarre results are predictable if you are +well acquainted with the machine-language code of the program. + +@item jump *@var{address} +Resume execution at the instruction at address @var{address}. +@end table + +You can get much the same effect as the @code{jump} command by storing a +new value into the register @code{$pc}. The difference is that this +does not start the program running; it only changes the address where it +@emph{will} run when it is continued. For example, + +@example +set $pc = 0x485 +@end example + +@noindent +causes the next @code{continue} command or stepping command to execute at +address 0x485, rather than at the address where the program stopped. +@xref{Stepping}. + +The most common occasion to use the @code{jump} command is to back up, +perhaps with more breakpoints set, over a portion of a program that has +already executed, in order to examine its execution in more detail. + +@node Signaling, Returning, Jumping, Altering +@c @group +@section Giving the Program a Signal + +@table @code +@item signal @var{signalnum} +@kindex signal +Resume execution where the program stopped, but give it immediately the +signal number @var{signalnum}. + +Alternatively, if @var{signalnum} is zero, continue execution without +giving a signal. This is useful when the program stopped on account of +a signal and would ordinary see the signal when resumed with the +@code{continue} command; @samp{signal 0} causes it to resume without a +signal. + +@code{signal} does not repeat when you press @key{RET} a second time +after executing the command. +@end table +@c @end group + +@node Returning, Calling, Signaling, Altering +@section Returning from a Function + +@table @code +@item return +@itemx return @var{expression} +@cindex returning from a function +@kindex return +You can cancel execution of a function call with the @code{return} +command. If you give an +@var{expression} argument, its value is used as the function's return +value. +@end table + +When you use @code{return}, _GDBN__ discards the selected stack frame +(and all frames within it). You can think of this as making the +discarded frame return prematurely. If you wish to specify a value to +be returned, give that value as the argument to @code{return}. + +This pops the selected stack frame (@pxref{Selection}), and any other +frames inside of it, leaving its caller as the innermost remaining +frame. That frame becomes selected. The specified value is stored in +the registers used for returning values of functions. + +The @code{return} command does not resume execution; it leaves the +program stopped in the state that would exist if the function had just +returned. In contrast, the @code{finish} command (@pxref{Stepping}) +resumes execution until the selected stack frame returns naturally. + +@node Calling, , Returning, Altering +@section Calling your Program's Functions + +@cindex calling functions +@kindex call +@table @code +@item call @var{expr} +Evaluate the expression @var{expr} without displaying @code{void} +returned values. +@end table + +You can use this variant of the @code{print} command if you want to +execute a function from your program, but without cluttering the output +with @code{void} returned values. The result is printed and saved in +the value history, if it is not void. + +@node _GDBN__ Files, Targets, Altering, Top +@chapter _GDBN__'s Files + +@menu +* Files:: Commands to Specify Files +* Symbol Errors:: Errors Reading Symbol Files +@end menu + +@node Files, Symbol Errors, _GDBN__ Files, _GDBN__ Files +@section Commands to Specify Files +@cindex core dump file +@cindex symbol table +_GDBN__ needs to know the file name of the program to be debugged, both in +order to read its symbol table and in order to start the program. To +debug a core dump of a previous run, _GDBN__ must be told the file name of +the core dump. + +The usual way to specify the executable and core dump file names is with +the command arguments given when you start _GDBN__, as discussed in +@pxref{Invocation}. + +Occasionally it is necessary to change to a different file during a +_GDBN__ session. Or you may run _GDBN__ and forget to specify the files you +want to use. In these situations the _GDBN__ commands to specify new files +are useful. + +@table @code +@item file @var{filename} +@cindex executable file +@kindex file +Use @var{filename} as the program to be debugged. It is read for its +symbols and for the contents of pure memory. It is also the program +executed when you use the @code{run} command. If you do not specify a +directory and the file is not found in _GDBN__'s working directory, + +_GDBN__ uses the environment variable @code{PATH} as a list of +directories to search, just as the shell does when looking for a program +to run. You can change the value of this variable, for both _GDBN__ and +your program, using the @code{path} command. + +@code{file} with no argument makes _GDBN__ discard any information it +has on both executable file and the symbol table. + +@item exec-file @var{filename} +@kindex exec-file +Specify that the program to be run (but not the symbol table) is found +in @var{filename}. _GDBN__ will search the environment variable @code{PATH} +if necessary to locate the program. + +@item symbol-file @var{filename} +@kindex symbol-file +Read symbol table information from file @var{filename}. @code{PATH} is +searched when necessary. Use the @code{file} command to get both symbol +table and program to run from the same file. + +@code{symbol-file} with no argument clears out _GDBN__'s information on your +program's symbol table. + +The @code{symbol-file} command causes _GDBN__ to forget the contents of its +convenience variables, the value history, and all breakpoints and +auto-display expressions. This is because they may contain pointers to +the internal data recording symbols and data types, which are part of +the old symbol table data being discarded inside _GDBN__. + +@code{symbol-file} will not repeat if you press @key{RET} again after +executing it once. + +On some kinds of object files, the @code{symbol-file} command does not +actually read the symbol table in full right away. Instead, it scans +the symbol table quickly to find which source files and which symbols +are present. The details are read later, one source file at a time, +when they are needed. + +The purpose of this two-stage reading strategy is to make _GDBN__ start up +faster. For the most part, it is invisible except for occasional pauses +while the symbol table details for a particular source file are being +read. (The @code{set verbose} command can turn these pauses into +messages if desired. @xref{Messages/Warnings}). + +When the symbol table is stored in COFF format, @code{symbol-file} does +read the symbol table data in full right away. We haven't implemented +the two-stage strategy for COFF yet. + +When _GDBN__ is configured for a particular environment, it will +understand debugging information in whatever format is the standard +generated for that environment; you may use either a GNU compiler, or +other compilers that adhere to the local conventions. Best results are +usually obtained from GNU compilers; for example, using @code{_GCC__} +you can generate debugging information for optimized code. + +@item core-file @var{filename} +@itemx core @var{filename} +@kindex core +@kindex core-file +Specify the whereabouts of a core dump file to be used as the ``contents +of memory''. Traditionally, core files contain only some parts of the +address space of the process that generated them; _GDBN__ can access the +executable file itself for other parts. + +@code{core-file} with no argument specifies that no core file is +to be used. + +Note that the core file is ignored when your program is actually running +under _GDBN__. So, if you have been running the program and you wish to +debug a core file instead, you must kill the subprocess in which the +program is running. To do this, use the @code{kill} command +(@pxref{Kill Process}). + +@item load @var{filename} +@kindex load +_if__(_GENERIC__) +Depending on what remote debugging facilities are configured into +_GDBN__, the @code{load} command may be available. Where it exists, it +is meant to make @var{filename} (an executable) available for debugging +on the remote system---by downloading, or dynamic linking, for example. +@code{load} also records @var{filename}'s symbol table in _GDBN__, like +the @code{add-symbol-file} command. + +If @code{load} is not available on your _GDBN__, attempting to execute +it gets the error message ``@code{You can't do that when your target is +@dots{}}'' +_fi__(_GENERIC__) + +_if__(_VXWORKS__) +On VxWorks, @code{load} will dynamically link @var{filename} on the +current target system as well as adding its symbols in _GDBN__. +_fi__(_VXWORKS__) + +_if__(_I960__) +@cindex download to Nindy-960 +With the Nindy interface to an Intel 960 board, @code{load} will +download @var{filename} to the 960 as well as adding its symbols in +_GDBN__. +_fi__(_I960__) + +@code{load} will not repeat if you press @key{RET} again after using it. + +@item add-symbol-file @var{filename} @var{address} +@kindex add-symbol-file +@cindex dynamic linking +The @code{add-symbol-file} command reads additional symbol table information +from the file @var{filename}. You would use this command when that file +has been dynamically loaded (by some other means) into the program that +is running. @var{address} should be the memory address at which the +file has been loaded; _GDBN__ cannot figure this out for itself. + +The symbol table of the file @var{filename} is added to the symbol table +originally read with the @code{symbol-file} command. You can use the +@code{add-symbol-file} command any number of times; the new symbol data thus +read keeps adding to the old. To discard all old symbol data instead, +use the @code{symbol-file} command. + +@code{add-symbol-file} will not repeat if you press @key{RET} after using it. + +@item info files +@itemx info target +@kindex info files +@kindex info target +@code{info files} and @code{info target} are synonymous; both print the +current targets (@pxref{Targets}), including the names of the executable +and core dump files currently in use by _GDBN__, and the files from +which symbols were loaded. The command @code{help targets} lists all +possible targets rather than current ones. + +@end table + +All file-specifying commands allow both absolute and relative file names +as arguments. _GDBN__ always converts the file name to an absolute path +name and remembers it that way. + +@kindex sharedlibrary +@kindex share +@cindex shared libraries + +_GDBN__ supports the SunOS shared library format. Symbols from a shared +library cannot be referenced before the shared library has been linked +with the program. (That is to say, until after you type @code{run} and +the function @code{main} has been entered; or when examining core +files.) Once the shared library has been linked in, you can use the +following commands: + +@table @code +@item sharedlibrary @var{regex} +@itemx share @var{regex} +Load shared object library symbols for files matching a UNIX regular +expression. + +@item share +@itemx sharedlibrary +Load symbols for all shared libraries. + +@item info share +@itemx info sharedlibrary +@kindex info sharedlibrary +@kindex info share +Print the names of the shared libraries which you have loaded with the +@code{sharedlibrary} command. +@end table + +@code{sharedlibrary} does not repeat automatically when you press +@key{RET} after using it once. + +@node Symbol Errors, , Files, _GDBN__ Files +@section Errors Reading Symbol Files +While a symbol file is being read, _GDBN__ will occasionally encounter +problems, such as symbol types it does not recognize, or known bugs in +compiler output. By default, it prints one message about each such +type of problem, no matter how many times the problem occurs. You can +ask it to print more messages, to see how many times the problems occur, +or can shut the messages off entirely, with the @code{set +complaints} command (@xref{Messages/Warnings}). + +The messages currently printed, and their meanings, are: + +@table @code +@item inner block not inside outer block in @var{symbol} + +The symbol information shows where symbol scopes begin and end +(such as at the start of a function or a block of statements). This +error indicates that an inner scope block is not fully contained +in its outer scope blocks. + +_GDBN__ circumvents the problem by treating the inner block as if it had +the same scope as the outer block. In the error message, @var{symbol} +may be shown as ``@code{(don't know)}'' if the outer block is not a +function. + +@item block at @var{address} out of order + +The symbol information for symbol scope blocks should occur in +order of increasing addresses. This error indicates that it does not +do so. + +_GDBN__ does not circumvent this problem, and will have trouble locating +symbols in the source file whose symbols being read. (You can often +determine what source file is affected by specifying @code{set verbose +on}. @xref{Messages/Warnings}.) + +@item bad block start address patched + +The symbol information for a symbol scope block has a start address +smaller than the address of the preceding source line. This is known +to occur in the SunOS 4.1.1 (and earlier) C compiler. + +_GDBN__ circumvents the problem by treating the symbol scope block as +starting on the previous source line. + +@c @item{encountered DBX-style class variable debugging information. +@c You seem to have compiled your program with "g++ -g0" instead of "g++ -g". +@c Therefore _GDBN__ will not know about your class variables} +@c +@c This error indicates that the symbol information produced for a C++ +@c program includes zero-size fields, which indicated static fields in +@c a previous release of the G++ compiler. This message is probably +@c obsolete. +@c +@item bad string table offset in symbol @var{n} + +@cindex foo +Symbol number @var{n} contains a pointer into the string table which is +larger than the size of the string table. + +_GDBN__ circumvents the problem by considering the symbol to have the +name @code{foo}, which may cause other problems if many symbols end up +with this name. + +@item unknown symbol type @code{0x@var{nn}} + +The symbol information contains new data types that _GDBN__ does not yet +know how to read. @code{0x@var{nn}} is the symbol type of the misunderstood +information, in hexadecimal. + +_GDBN__ circumvents the error by ignoring this symbol information. This +will usually allow the program to be debugged, though certain symbols +will not be accessible. If you encounter such a problem and feel like +debugging it, you can debug @code{_GDBP__} with itself, breakpoint on +@code{complain}, then go up to the function @code{read_dbx_symtab} and +examine @code{*bufp} to see the symbol. + +@item stub type has NULL name +_GDBN__ could not find the full definition for a struct or class. + +@ignore +@c this is #if 0'd in dbxread.c as of (at least!) 17 may 1991 +@item const/volatile indicator missing, got '@var{X}' + +The symbol information for a C++ member function is missing some +information that the compiler should have output for it. +@end ignore + +@item C++ type mismatch between compiler and debugger + +The debugger could not parse a type specification output by the compiler +for some C++ object. + +@end table + +@node Targets, Controlling _GDBN__, _GDBN__ Files, Top +@chapter Specifying a Debugging Target +@cindex debugging target +@kindex target +A @dfn{target} is an interface between the debugger and a particular +kind of file or process. + +Often, you will be able to run _GDBN__ in the same host environment as the +program you are debugging; in that case, the debugging target can just be +specified as a side effect of the @code{file} or @code{core} commands. +When you need more flexibility---for example, running _GDBN__ on a +physically separate host, controlling standalone systems over a +serial port, or realtime systems over a TCP/IP connection---you can use +the @code{target} command. + +@menu +* Active Targets:: Active Targets +* Target Commands:: Commands for Managing Targets +* Remote:: Remote Debugging +@end menu + +@node Active Targets, Target Commands, Targets, Targets +@section Active Targets +@cindex stacking targets +@cindex active targets +@cindex multiple targets + +Targets are managed in three @dfn{strata} that correspond to different +classes of target: processes, core files, and executable files. This +allows you to (for example) start a process and inspect its activity +without abandoning your work on a core file. + +More than one target can potentially respond to a request. In +particular, when you access memory _GDBN__ will examine the three strata of +targets until it finds a target that can handle that particular address. +Strata are always examined in a fixed order: first a process if there is +one, then a core file if there is one, and finally an executable file if +there is one of those. + +When you specify a new target in a given stratum, it replaces any target +previously in that stratum. + +To get rid of a target without replacing it, use the @code{detach} +command. The related command @code{attach} provides you with a way of +choosing a particular running process as a new target. @xref{Attach}. + +@node Target Commands, Remote, Active Targets, Targets +@section Commands for Managing Targets + +@table @code +@item target @var{type} @var{parameters} +Connects the _GDBN__ host environment to a target machine or process. A +target is typically a protocol for talking to debugging facilities. You +use the argument @var{type} to specify the type or protocol of the +target machine. + +Further @var{parameters} are interpreted by the target protocol, but +typically include things like device names or host names to connect +with, process numbers, and baud rates. + +The @code{target} command will not repeat if you press @key{RET} again +after executing the command. + +@item help target +@kindex help target +Displays the names of all targets available. To display targets +currently selected, use either @code{info target} or @code{info files} +(@pxref{Files}). + +@item help target @var{name} +Describe a particular target, including any parameters necessary to +select it. +@end table + +Here are some common targets (available, or not, depending on the _GDBN__ +configuration): + +@table @code +@item target exec @var{prog} +@kindex target exec +An executable file. @samp{target exec @var{prog}} is the same as +@samp{exec-file @var{prog}}. + +@item target core @var{filename} +@kindex target core +A core dump file. @samp{target core @var{filename}} is the same as +@samp{core-file @var{filename}}. + +@item target remote @var{dev} +@kindex target remote +Remote serial target in _GDBN__-specific protocol. The argument @var{dev} +specifies what serial device to use for the connection (e.g. +@file{/dev/ttya}). @xref{Remote}. + +_if__(_AMD29K__) +@item target amd-eb @var{dev} @var{speed} @var{PROG} +@kindex target amd-eb +@cindex AMD EB29K +Remote PC-resident AMD EB29K board, attached over serial lines. +@var{dev} is the serial device, as for @code{target remote}; +@var{speed} allows you to specify the linespeed; and @var{PROG} is the +name of the program to be debugged, as it appears to DOS on the PC. +@xref{EB29K Remote}. + +_fi__(_AMD29K__) +_if__(_I960__) +@item target nindy @var{devicename} +@kindex target nindy +An Intel 960 board controlled by a Nindy Monitor. @var{devicename} is +the name of the serial device to use for the connection, e.g. +@file{/dev/ttya}. @xref{i960-Nindy Remote}. + +_fi__(_I960__) +_if__(_VXWORKS__) +@item target vxworks @var{machinename} +@kindex target vxworks +A VxWorks system, attached via TCP/IP. The argument @var{machinename} +is the target system's machine name or IP address. +@xref{VxWorks Remote}. +_fi__(_VXWORKS__) +@end table + +_if__(_GENERIC__) +Different targets are available on different configurations of _GDBN__; your +configuration may have more or fewer targets. +_fi__(_GENERIC__) + +@node Remote, , Target Commands, Targets +@section Remote Debugging +@cindex remote debugging + +_if__(_GENERIC__) +@menu +_include__(gdbinv-m.m4)<>_dnl__ +@end menu +_fi__(_GENERIC__) + +If you are trying to debug a program running on a machine that can't run +_GDBN__ in the usual way, it is often useful to use remote debugging. For +example, you might use remote debugging on an operating system kernel, or on +a small system which does not have a general purpose operating system +powerful enough to run a full-featured debugger. + +Some configurations of _GDBN__ have special serial or TCP/IP interfaces +to make this work with particular debugging targets. In addition, +_GDBN__ comes with a generic serial protocol (specific to _GDBN__, but +not specific to any particular target system) which you can use if you +write the remote stubs---the code that will run on the remote system to +communicate with _GDBN__. + +To use the _GDBN__ remote serial protocol, the program to be debugged on +the remote machine needs to contain a debugging stub which talks to +_GDBN__ over the serial line. Several working remote stubs are +distributed with _GDBN__; see the @file{README} file in the _GDBN__ +distribution for more information. + +For details of this communication protocol, see the comments in the +_GDBN__ source file @file{remote.c}. + +To start remote debugging, first run _GDBN__ and specify as an executable file +the program that is running in the remote machine. This tells _GDBN__ how +to find the program's symbols and the contents of its pure text. Then +establish communication using the @code{target remote} command with a device +name as an argument. For example: + +@example +target remote /dev/ttyb +@end example + +@noindent +if the serial line is connected to the device named @file{/dev/ttyb}. This +will stop the remote machine if it is not already stopped. + +Now you can use all the usual commands to examine and change data and to +step and continue the remote program. + +To resume the remote program and stop debugging it, use the @code{detach} +command. + +Other remote targets may be available in your +configuration of _GDBN__; use @code{help targets} to list them. + +_if__(_GENERIC__) +@c Text on starting up GDB in various specific cases; it goes up front +@c in manuals configured for any of those particular situations, here +@c otherwise. +_include__(gdbinv-s.m4) +_fi__(_GENERIC__) + +@node Controlling _GDBN__, Sequences, Targets, Top +@chapter Controlling _GDBN__ + +You can alter many aspects of _GDBN__'s interaction with you by using +the @code{set} command. For commands controlling how _GDBN__ displays +data, @pxref{Print Settings}; other settings are described here. + +@menu +* Prompt:: Prompt +* Editing:: Command Editing +* History:: Command History +* Screen Size:: Screen Size +* Numbers:: Numbers +* Messages/Warnings:: Optional Warnings and Messages +@end menu + +@node Prompt, Editing, Controlling _GDBN__, Controlling _GDBN__ +@section Prompt +@cindex prompt +_GDBN__ indicates its readiness to read a command by printing a string +called the @dfn{prompt}. This string is normally @samp{(_GDBP__)}. You +can change the prompt string with the @code{set prompt} command. For +instance, when debugging _GDBN__ with _GDBN__, it is useful to change +the prompt in one of the _GDBN__<>s so that you can always tell which +one you are talking to. + +@table @code +@item set prompt @var{newprompt} +@kindex set prompt +Directs _GDBN__ to use @var{newprompt} as its prompt string henceforth. +@kindex show prompt +@item show prompt +Prints a line of the form: @samp{Gdb's prompt is: @var{your-prompt}} +@end table + +@node Editing, History, Prompt, Controlling _GDBN__ +@section Command Editing +@cindex readline +@cindex command line editing +_GDBN__ reads its input commands via the @dfn{readline} interface. This +GNU library provides consistent behavior for programs which provide a +command line interface to the user. Advantages are @code{emacs}-style +or @code{vi}-style inline editing of commands, @code{csh}-like history +substitution, and a storage and recall of command history across +debugging sessions. + +You may control the behavior of command line editing in _GDBN__ with the +command @code{set}. + +@table @code +@kindex set editing +@cindex editing +@item set editing +@itemx set editing on +Enable command line editing (enabled by default). + +@item set editing off +Disable command line editing. + +@kindex show editing +@item show editing +Show whether command line editing is enabled. +@end table + +@node History, Screen Size, Editing, Controlling _GDBN__ +@section Command History +@table @code +@cindex history substitution +@cindex history file +@kindex set history filename +@item set history filename @var{fname} +Set the name of the _GDBN__ command history file to @var{fname}. This is +the file from which _GDBN__ will read an initial command history +list or to which it will write this list when it exits. This list is +accessed through history expansion or through the history +command editing characters listed below. This file defaults to the +value of the environment variable @code{GDBHISTFILE}, or to +@file{./.gdb_history} if this variable is not set. + +@cindex history save +@kindex set history save +@item set history save +@itemx set history save on +Record command history in a file, whose name may be specified with the +@code{set history filename} command. By default, this option is disabled. + +@item set history save off +Stop recording command history in a file. + +@cindex history size +@kindex set history size +@item set history size @var{size} +Set the number of commands which _GDBN__ will keep in its history list. +This defaults to the value of the environment variable +@code{HISTSIZE}, or to 256 if this variable is not set. +@end table + +@cindex history expansion +History expansion assigns special meaning to the character @kbd{!}. +@iftex +(@xref{Event Designators}.) +@end iftex +Since @kbd{!} is also the logical not operator in C, history expansion +is off by default. If you decide to enable history expansion with the +@code{set history expansion on} command, you may sometimes need to +follow @kbd{!} (when it is used as logical not, in an expression) with +a space or a tab to prevent it from being expanded. The readline +history facilities will not attempt substitution on the strings +@kbd{!=} and @kbd{!(}, even when history expansion is enabled. + +The commands to control history expansion are: + +@table @code + +@kindex set history expansion +@item set history expansion on +@itemx set history expansion +Enable history expansion. History expansion is off by default. + +@item set history expansion off +Disable history expansion. + +The readline code comes with more complete documentation of +editing and history expansion features. Users unfamiliar with @code{emacs} +or @code{vi} may wish to read it. +@iftex +@xref{Command Line Editing}. +@end iftex + +@c @group +@kindex show history +@item show history +@itemx show history filename +@itemx show history save +@itemx show history size +@itemx show history expansion +These commands display the state of the _GDBN__ history parameters. +@code{show history} by itself displays all four states. +@c @end group + +@end table + +@table @code +@kindex show commands +@item show commands +Display the last ten commands in the command history. + +@item show commands @var{n} +Print ten commands centered on command number @var{n}. + +@item show commands + +Print ten commands just after the commands last printed. + +@end table + +@node Screen Size, Numbers, History, Controlling _GDBN__ +@section Screen Size +@cindex size of screen +@cindex pauses in output +Certain commands to _GDBN__ may produce large amounts of information +output to the screen. To help you read all of it, _GDBN__ pauses and +asks you for input at the end of each page of output. Type @key{RET} +when you want to continue the output. _GDBN__ also uses the screen +width setting to determine when to wrap lines of output. Depending on +what is being printed, it tries to break the line at a readable place, +rather than simply letting it overflow onto the following line. + +Normally _GDBN__ knows the size of the screen from the termcap data base +together with the value of the @code{TERM} environment variable and the +@code{stty rows} and @code{stty cols} settings. If this is not correct, +you can override it with the @code{set height} and @code{set +width} commands: + +@table @code +@item set height @var{lpp} +@itemx show height +@itemx set width @var{cpl} +@itemx show width +@kindex set height +@kindex set width +@kindex show width +@kindex show height +These @code{set} commands specify a screen height of @var{lpp} lines and +a screen width of @var{cpl} characters. The associated @code{show} +commands display the current settings. + +If you specify a height of zero lines, _GDBN__ will not pause during output +no matter how long the output is. This is useful if output is to a file +or to an editor buffer. +@end table + +@node Numbers, Messages/Warnings, Screen Size, Controlling _GDBN__ +@section Numbers +@cindex number representation +@cindex entering numbers +You can always enter numbers in octal, decimal, or hexadecimal in _GDBN__ by +the usual conventions: octal numbers begin with @samp{0}, decimal +numbers end with @samp{.}, and hexadecimal numbers begin with @samp{0x}. +Numbers that begin with none of these are, by default, entered in base +10; likewise, the default display for numbers---when no particular +format is specified---is base 10. You can change the default base for +both input and output with the @code{set radix} command. + +@table @code +@kindex set radix +@item set radix @var{base} +Set the default base for numeric input and display. Supported choices +for @var{base} are decimal 8, 10, 16. @var{base} must itself be +specified either unambiguously or using the current default radix; for +example, any of + +@example +set radix 012 +set radix 10. +set radix 0xa +@end example + +@noindent +will set the base to decimal. On the other hand, @samp{set radix 10} +will leave the radix unchanged no matter what it was. + +@kindex show radix +@item show radix +Display the current default base for numeric input and display. + +@end table + +@node Messages/Warnings, , Numbers, Controlling _GDBN__ +@section Optional Warnings and Messages +By default, _GDBN__ is silent about its inner workings. If you are running +on a slow machine, you may want to use the @code{set verbose} command. +It will make _GDBN__ tell you when it does a lengthy internal operation, so +you won't think it has crashed. + +Currently, the messages controlled by @code{set verbose} are those which +announce that the symbol table for a source file is being read +(@pxref{Files}, in the description of the command +@code{symbol-file}). +@c The following is the right way to do it, but emacs 18.55 doesn't support +@c @ref, and neither the emacs lisp manual version of texinfmt or makeinfo +@c is released. +@ignore +see @code{symbol-file} in @ref{Files}). +@end ignore + +@table @code +@kindex set verbose +@item set verbose on +Enables _GDBN__'s output of certain informational messages. + +@item set verbose off +Disables _GDBN__'s output of certain informational messages. + +@kindex show verbose +@item show verbose +Displays whether @code{set verbose} is on or off. +@end table + +By default, if _GDBN__ encounters bugs in the symbol table of an object file, +it prints a single message about each type of problem it finds, then +shuts up (@pxref{Symbol Errors}). You can suppress these messages, or allow more than one such +message to be printed if you want to see how frequent the problems are. + +@table @code +@kindex set complaints +@item set complaints @var{limit} +Permits _GDBN__ to output @var{limit} complaints about each type of unusual +symbols before becoming silent about the problem. Set @var{limit} to +zero to suppress all complaints; set it to a large number to prevent +complaints from being suppressed. + +@kindex show complaints +@item show complaints +Displays how many symbol complaints _GDBN__ is permitted to produce. +@end table + +By default, _GDBN__ is cautious, and asks what sometimes seem to be a +lot of stupid questions to confirm certain commands. For example, if +you try to run a program which is already running: +@example +(_GDBP__) run +The program being debugged has been started already. +Start it from the beginning? (y or n) +@end example + +If you're willing to unflinchingly face the consequences of your own +commands, you can disable this ``feature'': + +@table @code +@kindex set confirm +@cindex flinching +@cindex confirmation +@cindex stupid questions +@item set confirm off +Disables confirmation requests. + +@item set confirm on +Enables confirmation requests (the default). + +@item show confirm +@kindex show confirm +Displays state of confirmation requests. +@end table + +@node Sequences, Emacs, Controlling _GDBN__, Top +@chapter Canned Sequences of Commands + +Aside from breakpoint commands (@pxref{Break Commands}), _GDBN__ provides two +ways to store sequences of commands for execution as a unit: +user-defined commands and command files. + +@menu +* Define:: User-Defined Commands +* Command Files:: Command Files +* Output:: Commands for Controlled Output +@end menu + +@node Define, Command Files, Sequences, Sequences +@section User-Defined Commands + +@cindex user-defined command +A @dfn{user-defined command} is a sequence of _GDBN__ commands to which you +assign a new name as a command. This is done with the @code{define} +command. + +@table @code +@item define @var{commandname} +@kindex define +Define a command named @var{commandname}. If there is already a command +by that name, you are asked to confirm that you want to redefine it. + +The definition of the command is made up of other _GDBN__ command lines, +which are given following the @code{define} command. The end of these +commands is marked by a line containing @code{end}. + +@item document @var{commandname} +@kindex document +Give documentation to the user-defined command @var{commandname}. The +command @var{commandname} must already be defined. This command reads +lines of documentation just as @code{define} reads the lines of the +command definition, ending with @code{end}. After the @code{document} +command is finished, @code{help} on command @var{commandname} will print +the documentation you have specified. + +You may use the @code{document} command again to change the +documentation of a command. Redefining the command with @code{define} +does not change the documentation. + +@item help user-defined +@kindex help user-defined +List all user-defined commands, with the first line of the documentation +(if any) for each. + +@item info user +@itemx info user @var{commandname} +@kindex info user +Display the _GDBN__ commands used to define @var{commandname} (but not its +documentation). If no @var{commandname} is given, display the +definitions for all user-defined commands. +@end table + +User-defined commands do not take arguments. When they are executed, the +commands of the definition are not printed. An error in any command +stops execution of the user-defined command. + +Commands that would ask for confirmation if used interactively proceed +without asking when used inside a user-defined command. Many _GDBN__ commands +that normally print messages to say what they are doing omit the messages +when used in a user-defined command. + +@node Command Files, Output, Define, Sequences +@section Command Files + +@cindex command files +A command file for _GDBN__ is a file of lines that are _GDBN__ commands. Comments +(lines starting with @kbd{#}) may also be included. An empty line in a +command file does nothing; it does not mean to repeat the last command, as +it would from the terminal. + +@cindex init file +@cindex @file{_GDBINIT__} +When you start _GDBN__, it automatically executes commands from its +@dfn{init files}. These are files named @file{_GDBINIT__}. _GDBN__ +reads the init file (if any) in your home directory and then the init +file (if any) in the current working directory. (The init files are not +executed if you use the @samp{-nx} option; @pxref{Mode Options}.) You +can also request the execution of a command file with the @code{source} +command: + +@table @code +@item source @var{filename} +@kindex source +Execute the command file @var{filename}. +@end table + +The lines in a command file are executed sequentially. They are not +printed as they are executed. An error in any command terminates execution +of the command file. + +Commands that would ask for confirmation if used interactively proceed +without asking when used in a command file. Many _GDBN__ commands that +normally print messages to say what they are doing omit the messages +when called from command files. + +@node Output, , Command Files, Sequences +@section Commands for Controlled Output + +During the execution of a command file or a user-defined command, normal +_GDBN__ output is suppressed; the only output that appears is what is +explicitly printed by the commands in the definition. This section +describes three commands useful for generating exactly the output you +want. + +@table @code +@item echo @var{text} +@kindex echo +@c I don't consider backslash-space a standard C escape sequence +@c because it's not in ANSI. +Print @var{text}. Nonprinting characters can be included in @var{text} +using C escape sequences, such as @samp{\n} to print a newline. @b{No +newline will be printed unless you specify one.} In addition to the +standard C escape sequences, a backslash followed by a space stands for a +space. This is useful for outputting a string with spaces at the +beginning or the end, since leading and trailing spaces are otherwise +trimmed from all arguments. Thus, to print @samp{@ and foo =@ }, use the +command @samp{echo \@ and foo = \@ }. +@c FIXME: verify hard copy actually issues enspaces for '@ '! Will this +@c confuse texinfo? + +A backslash at the end of @var{text} can be used, as in C, to continue +the command onto subsequent lines. For example, + +@example +echo This is some text\n\ +which is continued\n\ +onto several lines.\n +@end example + +produces the same output as + +@example +echo This is some text\n +echo which is continued\n +echo onto several lines.\n +@end example + +@item output @var{expression} +@kindex output +Print the value of @var{expression} and nothing but that value: no +newlines, no @samp{$@var{nn} = }. The value is not entered in the +value history either. @xref{Expressions} for more information on +expressions. + +@item output/@var{fmt} @var{expression} +Print the value of @var{expression} in format @var{fmt}. You can use +the same formats as for @code{print}; @pxref{Output formats}, for more +information. + +@item printf @var{string}, @var{expressions}@dots{} +@kindex printf +Print the values of the @var{expressions} under the control of +@var{string}. The @var{expressions} are separated by commas and may +be either numbers or pointers. Their values are printed as specified +by @var{string}, exactly as if the program were to execute + +@example +printf (@var{string}, @var{expressions}@dots{}); +@end example + +For example, you can print two values in hex like this: + +@example +printf "foo, bar-foo = 0x%x, 0x%x\n", foo, bar-foo +@end example + +The only backslash-escape sequences that you can use in the format +string are the simple ones that consist of backslash followed by a +letter. +@end table + +@node Emacs, _GDBN__ Bugs, Sequences, Top +@chapter Using _GDBN__ under GNU Emacs + +@cindex emacs +A special interface allows you to use GNU Emacs to view (and +edit) the source files for the program you are debugging with +_GDBN__. + +To use this interface, use the command @kbd{M-x gdb} in Emacs. Give the +executable file you want to debug as an argument. This command starts +_GDBN__ as a subprocess of Emacs, with input and output through a newly +created Emacs buffer. + +Using _GDBN__ under Emacs is just like using _GDBN__ normally except for two +things: + +@itemize @bullet +@item +All ``terminal'' input and output goes through the Emacs buffer. +@end itemize + +This applies both to _GDBN__ commands and their output, and to the input +and output done by the program you are debugging. + +This is useful because it means that you can copy the text of previous +commands and input them again; you can even use parts of the output +in this way. + +All the facilities of Emacs' Shell mode are available for this purpose. + +@itemize @bullet +@item +_GDBN__ displays source code through Emacs. +@end itemize + +Each time _GDBN__ displays a stack frame, Emacs automatically finds the +source file for that frame and puts an arrow (_0__@samp{=>}_1__) at the +left margin of the current line. Emacs uses a separate buffer for +source display, and splits the window to show both your _GDBN__ session +and the source. + +Explicit _GDBN__ @code{list} or search commands still produce output as +usual, but you probably will have no reason to use them. + +@quotation +@emph{Warning:} If the directory where your program resides is not your +current directory, it can be easy to confuse Emacs about the location of +the source files, in which case the auxiliary display buffer will not +appear to show your source. _GDBN__ can find programs by searching your +environment's @code{PATH} variable, so the _GDBN__ input and output +session will proceed normally; but Emacs doesn't get enough information +back from _GDBN__ to locate the source files in this situation. To +avoid this problem, either start _GDBN__ mode from the directory where +your program resides, or specify a full path name when prompted for the +@kbd{M-x gdb} argument. + +A similar confusion can result if you use the _GDBN__ @code{file} command to +switch to debugging a program in some other location, from an existing +_GDBN__ buffer in Emacs. +@end quotation + +By default, @kbd{M-x gdb} calls the program called @file{gdb}. If +you need to call _GDBN__ by a different name (for example, if you keep +several configurations around, with different names) you can set the +Emacs variable @code{gdb-command-name}; for example, +@example +(setq gdb-command-name "mygdb") +@end example +@noindent +(preceded by @kbd{ESC ESC}, or typed in the @code{*scratch*} buffer, or +in your @file{.emacs} file) will make Emacs call the program named +``@code{mygdb}'' instead. + +In the _GDBN__ I/O buffer, you can use these special Emacs commands in +addition to the standard Shell mode commands: + +@table @kbd +@item C-h m +Describe the features of Emacs' _GDBN__ Mode. + +@item M-s +Execute to another source line, like the _GDBN__ @code{step} command; also +update the display window to show the current file and location. + +@item M-n +Execute to next source line in this function, skipping all function +calls, like the _GDBN__ @code{next} command. Then update the display window +to show the current file and location. + +@item M-i +Execute one instruction, like the _GDBN__ @code{stepi} command; update +display window accordingly. + +@item M-x gdb-nexti +Execute to next instruction, using the _GDBN__ @code{nexti} command; update +display window accordingly. + +@item C-c C-f +Execute until exit from the selected stack frame, like the _GDBN__ +@code{finish} command. + +@item M-c +Continue execution of the program, like the _GDBN__ @code{continue} +command. @emph{Warning:} In Emacs v19, this command is @kbd{C-c C-p}. + +@item M-u +Go up the number of frames indicated by the numeric argument +(@pxref{Arguments, , Numeric Arguments, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}), +like the _GDBN__ @code{up} command. @emph{Warning:} In Emacs v19, this +command is @kbd{C-c C-u}.@refill + +@item M-d +Go down the number of frames indicated by the numeric argument, like the +_GDBN__ @code{down} command. @emph{Warning:} In Emacs v19, this command +is @kbd{C-c C-d}. + +@item C-x & +Read the number where the cursor is positioned, and insert it at the end +of the _GDBN__ I/O buffer. For example, if you wish to disassemble code +around an address that was displayed earlier, type @kbd{disassemble}; +then move the cursor to the address display, and pick up the +argument for @code{disassemble} by typing @kbd{C-x &}. + +You can customize this further on the fly by defining elements of the list +@code{gdb-print-command}; once it is defined, you can format or +otherwise process numbers picked up by @kbd{C-x &} before they are +inserted. A numeric argument to @kbd{C-x &} will both flag that you +wish special formatting, and act as an index to pick an element of the +list. If the list element is a string, the number to be inserted is +formatted using the Emacs function @code{format}; otherwise the number +is passed as an argument to the corresponding list element. + +@end table + +In any source file, the Emacs command @kbd{C-x SPC} (@code{gdb-break}) +tells _GDBN__ to set a breakpoint on the source line point is on. + +If you accidentally delete the source-display buffer, an easy way to get +it back is to type the command @code{f} in the _GDBN__ buffer, to +request a frame display; when you run under Emacs, this will recreate +the source buffer if necessary to show you the context of the current +frame. + +The source files displayed in Emacs are in ordinary Emacs buffers +which are visiting the source files in the usual way. You can edit +the files with these buffers if you wish; but keep in mind that _GDBN__ +communicates with Emacs in terms of line numbers. If you add or +delete lines from the text, the line numbers that _GDBN__ knows will cease +to correspond properly to the code. + +@c The following dropped because Epoch is nonstandard. Reactivate +@c if/when v19 does something similar. ---pesch@cygnus.com 19dec1990 +@ignore +@kindex emacs epoch environment +@kindex epoch +@kindex inspect + +Version 18 of Emacs has a built-in window system called the @code{epoch} +environment. Users of this environment can use a new command, +@code{inspect} which performs identically to @code{print} except that +each value is printed in its own window. +@end ignore + +@node _GDBN__ Bugs, Renamed Commands, Emacs, Top +@chapter Reporting Bugs in _GDBN__ +@cindex Bugs in _GDBN__ +@cindex Reporting Bugs in _GDBN__ + +Your bug reports play an essential role in making _GDBN__ reliable. + +Reporting a bug may help you by bringing a solution to your problem, or it +may not. But in any case the principal function of a bug report is to help +the entire community by making the next version of _GDBN__ work better. Bug +reports are your contribution to the maintenance of _GDBN__. + +In order for a bug report to serve its purpose, you must include the +information that enables us to fix the bug. + +@menu +* Bug Criteria:: Have You Found a Bug? +* Bug Reporting:: How to Report Bugs +@end menu + +@node Bug Criteria, Bug Reporting, _GDBN__ Bugs, _GDBN__ Bugs +@section Have You Found a Bug? +@cindex Bug Criteria + +If you are not sure whether you have found a bug, here are some guidelines: + +@itemize @bullet +@item +@cindex Fatal Signal +@cindex Core Dump +If the debugger gets a fatal signal, for any input whatever, that is a +_GDBN__ bug. Reliable debuggers never crash. + +@item +@cindex error on Valid Input +If _GDBN__ produces an error message for valid input, that is a bug. + +@item +@cindex Invalid Input +If _GDBN__ does not produce an error message for invalid input, +that is a bug. However, you should note that your idea of +``invalid input'' might be our idea of ``an extension'' or ``support +for traditional practice''. + +@item +If you are an experienced user of debugging tools, your suggestions +for improvement of _GDBN__ are welcome in any case. +@end itemize + +@node Bug Reporting, , Bug Criteria, _GDBN__ Bugs +@section How to Report Bugs +@cindex Bug Reports +@cindex Compiler Bugs, Reporting + +A number of companies and individuals offer support for GNU products. +If you obtained _GDBN__ from a support organization, we recommend you +contact that organization first. + +Contact information for many support companies and individuals is +available in the file @file{etc/SERVICE} in the GNU Emacs distribution. + +In any event, we also recommend that you send bug reports for _GDBN__ to one +of these addresses: + +@example +bug-gdb@@prep.ai.mit.edu +@{ucbvax|mit-eddie|uunet@}!prep.ai.mit.edu!bug-gdb +@end example + +@strong{Do not send bug reports to @samp{info-gdb}, or to +@samp{help-gdb}, or to any newsgroups.} Most users of _GDBN__ do not want to +receive bug reports. Those that do, have arranged to receive @samp{bug-gdb}. + +The mailing list @samp{bug-gdb} has a newsgroup which serves as a +repeater. The mailing list and the newsgroup carry exactly the same +messages. Often people think of posting bug reports to the newsgroup +instead of mailing them. This appears to work, but it has one problem +which can be crucial: a newsgroup posting often lacks a mail path +back to the sender. Thus, if we need to ask for more information, we +may be unable to reach you. For this reason, it is better to send bug +reports to the mailing list. + +As a last resort, send bug reports on paper to: + +@example +GNU Debugger Bugs +545 Tech Square +Cambridge, MA 02139 +@end example + +The fundamental principle of reporting bugs usefully is this: +@strong{report all the facts}. If you are not sure whether to state a +fact or leave it out, state it! + +Often people omit facts because they think they know what causes the +problem and assume that some details don't matter. Thus, you might +assume that the name of the variable you use in an example does not matter. +Well, probably it doesn't, but one cannot be sure. Perhaps the bug is a +stray memory reference which happens to fetch from the location where that +name is stored in memory; perhaps, if the name were different, the contents +of that location would fool the debugger into doing the right thing despite +the bug. Play it safe and give a specific, complete example. That is the +easiest thing for you to do, and the most helpful. + +Keep in mind that the purpose of a bug report is to enable us to fix +the bug if it is new to us. It isn't as important what happens if +the bug is already known. Therefore, always write your bug reports on +the assumption that the bug has not been reported previously. + +Sometimes people give a few sketchy facts and ask, ``Does this ring a +bell?'' Those bug reports are useless, and we urge everyone to +@emph{refuse to respond to them} except to chide the sender to report +bugs properly. + +To enable us to fix the bug, you should include all these things: + +@itemize @bullet +@item +The version of _GDBN__. _GDBN__ announces it if you start with no +arguments; you can also print it at any time using @code{show version}. + +Without this, we won't know whether there is any point in looking for +the bug in the current version of _GDBN__. + +@item +A complete input script, and all necessary source files, that will +reproduce the bug. + +@item +What compiler (and its version) was used to compile _GDBN__---e.g. +``_GCC__-1.37.1''. + +@item +The command arguments you gave the compiler to compile your example and +observe the bug. For example, did you use @samp{-O}? To guarantee +you won't omit something important, list them all. + +If we were to try to guess the arguments, we would probably guess wrong +and then we might not encounter the bug. + +@item +The type of machine you are using, and the operating system name and +version number. + +@item +A description of what behavior you observe that you believe is +incorrect. For example, ``It gets a fatal signal.'' + +Of course, if the bug is that _GDBN__ gets a fatal signal, then we will +certainly notice it. But if the bug is incorrect output, we might not +notice unless it is glaringly wrong. We are human, after all. You +might as well not give us a chance to make a mistake. + +Even if the problem you experience is a fatal signal, you should still +say so explicitly. Suppose something strange is going on, such as, +your copy of _GDBN__ is out of synch, or you have encountered a +bug in the C library on your system. (This has happened!) Your copy +might crash and ours would not. If you told us to expect a crash, +then when ours fails to crash, we would know that the bug was not +happening for us. If you had not told us to expect a crash, then we +would not be able to draw any conclusion from our observations. + +@item +If you wish to suggest changes to the _GDBN__ source, send us context +diffs. If you even discuss something in the _GDBN__ source, refer to +it by context, not by line number. + +The line numbers in our development sources won't match those in your +sources. Your line numbers would convey no useful information to us. + +@end itemize + +Here are some things that are not necessary: + +@itemize @bullet +@item +A description of the envelope of the bug. + +Often people who encounter a bug spend a lot of time investigating +which changes to the input file will make the bug go away and which +changes will not affect it. + +This is often time consuming and not very useful, because the way we +will find the bug is by running a single example under the debugger +with breakpoints, not by pure deduction from a series of examples. +We recommend that you save your time for something else. + +Of course, if you can find a simpler example to report @emph{instead} +of the original one, that is a convenience for us. Errors in the +output will be easier to spot, running under the debugger will take +less time, etc. + +However, simplification is not vital; if you don't want to do this, +report the bug anyway and send us the entire test case you used. + +@item +A patch for the bug. + +A patch for the bug does help us if it is a good one. But don't omit +the necessary information, such as the test case, on the assumption that +a patch is all we need. We might see problems with your patch and decide +to fix the problem another way, or we might not understand it at all. + +Sometimes with a program as complicated as _GDBN__ it is very hard to +construct an example that will make the program follow a certain path +through the code. If you don't send us the example, we won't be able +to construct one, so we won't be able to verify that the bug is fixed. + +And if we can't understand what bug you are trying to fix, or why your +patch should be an improvement, we won't install it. A test case will +help us to understand. + +@item +A guess about what the bug is or what it depends on. + +Such guesses are usually wrong. Even we can't guess right about such +things without first using the debugger to find the facts. +@end itemize + +@iftex +@include rdl-apps.texinfo +@end iftex + +@node Renamed Commands, Installing _GDBN__, _GDBN__ Bugs, Top +@appendix Renamed Commands + +The following commands were renamed in _GDBN__ 4.0, in order to make the +command set as a whole more consistent and easier to use and remember: + +@kindex add-syms +@kindex delete environment +@kindex info copying +@kindex info convenience +@kindex info directories +@kindex info editing +@kindex info history +@kindex info targets +@kindex info values +@kindex info version +@kindex info warranty +@kindex set addressprint +@kindex set arrayprint +@kindex set prettyprint +@kindex set screen-height +@kindex set screen-width +@kindex set unionprint +@kindex set vtblprint +@kindex set demangle +@kindex set asm-demangle +@kindex set sevenbit-strings +@kindex set array-max +@kindex set caution +@kindex set history write +@kindex show addressprint +@kindex show arrayprint +@kindex show prettyprint +@kindex show screen-height +@kindex show screen-width +@kindex show unionprint +@kindex show vtblprint +@kindex show demangle +@kindex show asm-demangle +@kindex show sevenbit-strings +@kindex show array-max +@kindex show caution +@kindex show history write +@kindex unset + +@ifinfo +OLD COMMAND NEW COMMAND +--------------- ---------------------------------- +add-syms add-symbol-file +delete environment unset environment +info convenience show convenience +info copying show copying +info directories show directories +info editing show commands +info history show values +info targets help target +info values show values +info version show version +info warranty show warranty +set/show addressprint set/show print address +set/show array-max set/show print elements +set/show arrayprint set/show print array +set/show asm-demangle set/show print asm-demangle +set/show caution set/show confirm +set/show demangle set/show print demangle +set/show history write set/show history save +set/show prettyprint set/show print pretty +set/show screen-height set/show height +set/show screen-width set/show width +set/show sevenbit-strings set/show print sevenbit-strings +set/show unionprint set/show print union +set/show vtblprint set/show print vtbl + +unset [ No longer an alias for delete ] +@end ifinfo + +@tex +\vskip \parskip\vskip \baselineskip +\halign{\tt #\hfil &\qquad#&\tt #\hfil\cr +{\bf Old Command} &&{\bf New Command}\cr +add-syms &&add-symbol-file\cr +delete environment &&unset environment\cr +info convenience &&show convenience\cr +info copying &&show copying\cr +info directories &&show directories \cr +info editing &&show commands\cr +info history &&show values\cr +info targets &&help target\cr +info values &&show values\cr +info version &&show version\cr +info warranty &&show warranty\cr +set{\rm / }show addressprint &&set{\rm / }show print address\cr +set{\rm / }show array-max &&set{\rm / }show print elements\cr +set{\rm / }show arrayprint &&set{\rm / }show print array\cr +set{\rm / }show asm-demangle &&set{\rm / }show print asm-demangle\cr +set{\rm / }show caution &&set{\rm / }show confirm\cr +set{\rm / }show demangle &&set{\rm / }show print demangle\cr +set{\rm / }show history write &&set{\rm / }show history save\cr +set{\rm / }show prettyprint &&set{\rm / }show print pretty\cr +set{\rm / }show screen-height &&set{\rm / }show height\cr +set{\rm / }show screen-width &&set{\rm / }show width\cr +set{\rm / }show sevenbit-strings &&set{\rm / }show print sevenbit-strings\cr +set{\rm / }show unionprint &&set{\rm / }show print union\cr +set{\rm / }show vtblprint &&set{\rm / }show print vtbl\cr +\cr +unset &&\rm(No longer an alias for delete)\cr +} +@end tex + +@node Installing _GDBN__, Copying, Renamed Commands, Top +@appendix Installing _GDBN__ +@cindex configuring _GDBN__ +@cindex installation + +The script @code{config.gdb} automates the process of preparing _GDBN__ +for installation; you can then use @code{make} to actually build it. +The best way to build _GDBN__ is in a subdirectory that records the +configuration options used; this gives you a clean way of building +_GDBN__ binaries with several different configuration options. +@code{config.gdb} doesn't depend on this---it's just a good habit. For +example, assuming the _GDBN__ source is in a directory called +``@code{gdb-4.0}'': + +@example +cd gdb-4.0 +mkdir =sun3os4 +cd =sun3os4 +../config.gdb sun3os4 +make +@end example + +@noindent +will install _GDBN__ on a Sun 3 running SunOS 4. + +@table @code +@kindex config.gdb +@item config.gdb @var{machine} +@itemx config.gdb -srcdir=@var{dir} @var{machine} +This is the most usual way of configuring _GDBN__; to debug programs running +on the same machine as _GDBN__ itself. If you wish to build the _GDBN__ binaries +in a completely different directory from the sources, specify a path to +the source directory using the @samp{-srcdir} option. + +@item config.gdb -host +@cindex host environments +Display a list of supported host environments for _GDBN__. + +@item config.gdb @var{host} @var{target} +@itemx config.gdb -srcdir=@var{dir} @var{host} @var{target} +@cindex cross-debugging +_GDBN__ can also be used as a cross-debugger, running on a machine of one +type while debugging a program running on a machine of another type. +You configure it this way by specifying first the @var{host}, then the +@var{target} environment on the @code{config.gdb} argument list; the +@var{host} is where _GDBN__ runs, and the @var{target} is where your program +runs. @xref{Remote}. Again, you can use @samp{-srcdir} to specify a +path to the _GDBN__ source. + +@item config.gdb -target +@cindex target environments +Display a list of supported target environments for _GDBN__. +@end table + +@node Copying, Index, Installing _GDBN__, Top +@appendix Copying GDB +@c this is an attempt to kluge around what may be a bug in texinfo; +@c @xrefs to this node came out pointing several pages further down when +@c the @node was immediately followed by @unnumbered. +@c While we're at it, might as well give an Appendix heading that +@c matches RMS' preferred nodename "Copying". + +@unnumbered GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE +@center Version 1, February 1989 + +@display +Copyright @copyright{} 1989 Free Software Foundation, Inc. +675 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA + +Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies +of this license document, but changing it is not allowed. +@end display + +@unnumberedsec Preamble + + The license agreements of most software companies try to keep users +at the mercy of those companies. By contrast, our General Public +License is intended to guarantee your freedom to share and change free +software---to make sure the software is free for all its users. The +General Public License applies to the Free Software Foundation's +software and to any other program whose authors commit to using it. +You can use it for your programs, too. + + When we speak of free software, we are referring to freedom, not +price. Specifically, the General Public License is designed to make +sure that you have the freedom to give away or sell copies of free +software, that you receive source code or can get it if you want it, +that you can change the software or use pieces of it in new free +programs; and that you know you can do these things. + + To protect your rights, we need to make restrictions that forbid +anyone to deny you these rights or to ask you to surrender the rights. +These restrictions translate to certain responsibilities for you if you +distribute copies of the software, or if you modify it. + + For example, if you distribute copies of a such a program, whether +gratis or for a fee, you must give the recipients all the rights that +you have. You must make sure that they, too, receive or can get the +source code. And you must tell them their rights. + + We protect your rights with two steps: (1) copyright the software, and +(2) offer you this license which gives you legal permission to copy, +distribute and/or modify the software. + + Also, for each author's protection and ours, we want to make certain +that everyone understands that there is no warranty for this free +software. If the software is modified by someone else and passed on, we +want its recipients to know that what they have is not the original, so +that any problems introduced by others will not reflect on the original +authors' reputations. + + The precise terms and conditions for copying, distribution and +modification follow. + +@iftex +@unnumberedsec TERMS AND CONDITIONS +@end iftex +@ifinfo +@center TERMS AND CONDITIONS +@end ifinfo + +@enumerate +@item +This License Agreement applies to any program or other work which +contains a notice placed by the copyright holder saying it may be +distributed under the terms of this General Public License. The +``Program'', below, refers to any such program or work, and a ``work based +on the Program'' means either the Program or any work containing the +Program or a portion of it, either verbatim or with modifications. Each +licensee is addressed as ``you''. + +@item +You may copy and distribute verbatim copies of the Program's source +code as you receive it, in any medium, provided that you conspicuously and +appropriately publish on each copy an appropriate copyright notice and +disclaimer of warranty; keep intact all the notices that refer to this +General Public License and to the absence of any warranty; and give any +other recipients of the Program a copy of this General Public License +along with the Program. You may charge a fee for the physical act of +transferring a copy. + +@item +You may modify your copy or copies of the Program or any portion of +it, and copy and distribute such modifications under the terms of Paragraph +1 above, provided that you also do the following: + +@itemize @bullet +@item +cause the modified files to carry prominent notices stating that +you changed the files and the date of any change; and + +@item +cause the whole of any work that you distribute or publish, that +in whole or in part contains the Program or any part thereof, either +with or without modifications, to be licensed at no charge to all +third parties under the terms of this General Public License (except +that you may choose to grant warranty protection to some or all +third parties, at your option). + +@item +If the modified program normally reads commands interactively when +run, you must cause it, when started running for such interactive use +in the simplest and most usual way, to print or display an +announcement including an appropriate copyright notice and a notice +that there is no warranty (or else, saying that you provide a +warranty) and that users may redistribute the program under these +conditions, and telling the user how to view a copy of this General +Public License. + +@item +You may charge a fee for the physical act of transferring a +copy, and you may at your option offer warranty protection in +exchange for a fee. +@end itemize + +Mere aggregation of another independent work with the Program (or its +derivative) on a volume of a storage or distribution medium does not bring +the other work under the scope of these terms. + +@item +You may copy and distribute the Program (or a portion or derivative of +it, under Paragraph 2) in object code or executable form under the terms of +Paragraphs 1 and 2 above provided that you also do one of the following: + +@itemize @bullet +@item +accompany it with the complete corresponding machine-readable +source code, which must be distributed under the terms of +Paragraphs 1 and 2 above; or, + +@item +accompany it with a written offer, valid for at least three +years, to give any third party free (except for a nominal charge +for the cost of distribution) a complete machine-readable copy of the +corresponding source code, to be distributed under the terms of +Paragraphs 1 and 2 above; or, + +@item +accompany it with the information you received as to where the +corresponding source code may be obtained. (This alternative is +allowed only for noncommercial distribution and only if you +received the program in object code or executable form alone.) +@end itemize + +Source code for a work means the preferred form of the work for making +modifications to it. For an executable file, complete source code means +all the source code for all modules it contains; but, as a special +exception, it need not include source code for modules which are standard +libraries that accompany the operating system on which the executable +file runs, or for standard header files or definitions files that +accompany that operating system. + +@item +You may not copy, modify, sublicense, distribute or transfer the +Program except as expressly provided under this General Public License. +Any attempt otherwise to copy, modify, sublicense, distribute or transfer +the Program is void, and will automatically terminate your rights to use +the Program under this License. However, parties who have received +copies, or rights to use copies, from you under this General Public +License will not have their licenses terminated so long as such parties +remain in full compliance. + +@item +By copying, distributing or modifying the Program (or any work based +on the Program) you indicate your acceptance of this license to do so, +and all its terms and conditions. + +@item +Each time you redistribute the Program (or any work based on the +Program), the recipient automatically receives a license from the original +licensor to copy, distribute or modify the Program subject to these +terms and conditions. You may not impose any further restrictions on the +recipients' exercise of the rights granted herein. + +@item +The Free Software Foundation may publish revised and/or new versions +of the General Public License from time to time. Such new versions will +be similar in spirit to the present version, but may differ in detail to +address new problems or concerns. + +Each version is given a distinguishing version number. If the Program +specifies a version number of the license which applies to it and ``any +later version'', you have the option of following the terms and conditions +either of that version or of any later version published by the Free +Software Foundation. If the Program does not specify a version number of +the license, you may choose any version ever published by the Free Software +Foundation. + +@item +If you wish to incorporate parts of the Program into other free +programs whose distribution conditions are different, write to the author +to ask for permission. For software which is copyrighted by the Free +Software Foundation, write to the Free Software Foundation; we sometimes +make exceptions for this. Our decision will be guided by the two goals +of preserving the free status of all derivatives of our free software and +of promoting the sharing and reuse of software generally. + +@iftex +@heading NO WARRANTY +@end iftex +@ifinfo +@center NO WARRANTY +@end ifinfo + +@item +BECAUSE THE PROGRAM IS LICENSED FREE OF CHARGE, THERE IS NO WARRANTY +FOR THE PROGRAM, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW. EXCEPT WHEN +OTHERWISE STATED IN WRITING THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND/OR OTHER PARTIES +PROVIDE THE PROGRAM ``AS IS'' WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED +OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF +MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE ENTIRE RISK AS +TO THE QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE PROGRAM IS WITH YOU. SHOULD THE +PROGRAM PROVE DEFECTIVE, YOU ASSUME THE COST OF ALL NECESSARY SERVICING, +REPAIR OR CORRECTION. + +@item +IN NO EVENT UNLESS REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW OR AGREED TO IN WRITING WILL +ANY COPYRIGHT HOLDER, OR ANY OTHER PARTY WHO MAY MODIFY AND/OR +REDISTRIBUTE THE PROGRAM AS PERMITTED ABOVE, BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR DAMAGES, +INCLUDING ANY GENERAL, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES +ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE PROGRAM (INCLUDING BUT NOT +LIMITED TO LOSS OF DATA OR DATA BEING RENDERED INACCURATE OR LOSSES +SUSTAINED BY YOU OR THIRD PARTIES OR A FAILURE OF THE PROGRAM TO OPERATE +WITH ANY OTHER PROGRAMS), EVEN IF SUCH HOLDER OR OTHER PARTY HAS BEEN +ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. +@end enumerate + +@iftex +@heading END OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS +@end iftex +@ifinfo +@center END OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS +@end ifinfo + +@page +@unnumberedsec Applying These Terms to Your New Programs + + If you develop a new program, and you want it to be of the greatest +possible use to humanity, the best way to achieve this is to make it +free software which everyone can redistribute and change under these +terms. + + To do so, attach the following notices to the program. It is safest to +attach them to the start of each source file to most effectively convey +the exclusion of warranty; and each file should have at least the +``copyright'' line and a pointer to where the full notice is found. + +@smallexample +@var{one line to give the program's name and a brief idea of what it does.} +Copyright (C) 19@var{yy} @var{name of author} + +This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify +it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by +the Free Software Foundation; either version 1, or (at your option) +any later version. + +This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, +but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of +MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the +GNU General Public License for more details. + +You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License +along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software +Foundation, Inc., 675 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA. +@end smallexample + +Also add information on how to contact you by electronic and paper mail. + +If the program is interactive, make it output a short notice like this +when it starts in an interactive mode: + +@smallexample +Gnomovision version 69, Copyright (C) 19@var{yy} @var{name of author} +Gnomovision comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY; for details type `show w'. +This is free software, and you are welcome to redistribute it +under certain conditions; type `show c' for details. +@end smallexample + +The hypothetical commands `show w' and `show c' should show the +appropriate parts of the General Public License. Of course, the +commands you use may be called something other than `show w' and `show +c'; they could even be mouse-clicks or menu items---whatever suits your +program. + +You should also get your employer (if you work as a programmer) or your +school, if any, to sign a ``copyright disclaimer'' for the program, if +necessary. Here is a sample; alter the names: + +@smallexample +Yoyodyne, Inc., hereby disclaims all copyright interest in the +program `Gnomovision' (a program to direct compilers to make passes +at assemblers) written by James Hacker. + +@var{signature of Ty Coon}, 1 April 1989 +Ty Coon, President of Vice +@end smallexample + +That's all there is to it! @node Index, , Copying, Top @unnumbered Index