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BABYL OPTIONS: Version: 5 Labels: Note: This is the header of an rmail file. Note: If you are seeing it in rmail, Note: it means the file has no messages in it. ▶1f◀\f From: mly@MICHAEL.AI.MIT.EDU (Richard Mlynarik) To: rms@prep.ai.mit.edu Subject: gdb suggestions (from hpux cdb) Reply-To: mly-prep@prep.ai.mit.edu "find-bug" command says "I can see the problem, but it will do you good to find it yourself" The gdb manual should explicitly state that gdb has no control over forked (or execed or whatever) subprocesses. I'd still like it if "delete" said what it had done. \f Date: Tuesday, 13 May 1986, 00:40-EDT From: <rms@LMI-ANGEL> Sender: JC@LMI-ANGEL Subject: interesting sdb features To: rms@angel output format p = pointer to procedure. foo/x or foo/4x uses size of foo as size to print. foo[1;4] to get elements 1 thru 4. Continue to specified line number. Interactively delete all breakpoints (asking about each one). \f Command to write backtrace into a file, or even better to duplicate all output to a file. This could work by playing with descriptor 1, making it a pipe to `tee'. The original descriptor 1 is saved and this mode can be turned off by putting it back. Date: Wed, 18 Feb 87 15:37:14 EST From: rms (Richard M. Stallman) Message-Id: <8702182037.AA16492@prep.ai.mit.edu> To: mly-prep@prep.ai.mit.edu In-Reply-To: <8702181913.AA16118@prep.ai.mit.edu> Subject: gdb "photo" command I don't think all this is worth the trouble to do now, because the right way to do it on TRIX is totally different and much easier. Commands to enable and disable the autodisplays. Associate autodisplays with breakpoints perhaps, so they only display at those breakpoints; this is easier than using breakpoint commands. Remember how each breakpoint's position was specified. Have command to reread symbol table and respecify each breakpoint using same args (line number or function name) as before. Have way to proceed process in background so that can then suspend gdb but have subprocess continue \f Date: Fri, 24 Jul 87 21:30:25 EDT From: phr@PREP.AI.MIT.EDU (Paul Rubin) To: bug-gdb@PREP.AI.MIT.EDU After rereading the symbol table when user runs the "symbol-file" command, when GDB notices that some of the source files are newer it should reload them rather than just printing a message saying they are newer. \f Message-Id: <8704171941.AA05045@orville.arpa> To: mly@prep.ai.mit.edu Cc: raible@orville.arpa, fouts@orville.arpa, creon@orville.arpa Subject: gdb hack/questions, etc Date: 17 Apr 87 11:41:42 PST (Fri) From: raible@orville.arpa A couple of things: 1) Will gdb ever get dbx-sytly tracing? Wouldn't it be fairly easy to add? 2) How about an xemacs gdb mode which has various windows, perhaps using terminal.el for generality? 3) Any word about that stupid IRIS SIGIOT problem? Do you know of anyone else who has gotten IRIS subprocesses to work more reliably? 4) Below is a hack adapted from ramsdell@linus.uucp which can be pretty useful in gdb. Instead of using gdb to patch extensive changes to a particular function, you can do the following (assuming the 50 lines of code below is part of your executable): 1) create a new file (foo.c) containing the new function 2) run cc -c foo.c 3) in gdb, and patch in the new function as follows: (gdb) info breakpoints /* Load in the new object code... */ #1 y 0x00000125 in main (dyn.c line 46) break only if $function = funload ("foo"), 1 silent echo new code for func ($function) initialized\n cont /* ...and use it instead of the old code. */ #2 y 0x000001c2 in func (dyn.c line 59) break only if $ret = $function (a), 1 silent set a = $ret j 60 /* func has a return on line 60 */ This is more complicated than it has to be because of 2 bugs in v2.1: 1) function calls in a breakpoint command list seem to abort the execution of the rest of the command list. This is why all function calls are in the conditional part. (gdb reference manual section 5.5). 2) A 'return' in a command list also aborts the execution, and in addition, prompts you for a y/n. (gdb reference manual section 11.1). On the other hand, after doing 'cc -c foo.c' (which is pretty fast), you can simply rerun your program to check out the changes. This can be a big win! The code for this is included below (compile with cc -g): ======================================================== #include <stdio.h> #include <a.out.h> typedef int (*intfun)(); char *myname; intfun funload (filename) /* Dynamically load 1st function from a .o */ char *filename; { int fd, size; struct exec hdr; char buf[100]; intfun fun; /* -A => incremental loading - use dyn as the base symbol table -T => set the text segment origin to the following hex address -N => magic number 407 (text not read-only) */ sprintf (buf, "ld -A %s -T %x -N %s.o -o %s -lc", myname, sbrk (0), filename, filename); /* NOTE: if anything mallocs space between here and below, this will fail */ system (buf); fd = open (filename, 0); read (fd, &hdr, sizeof(hdr)); size = hdr.a_text + hdr.a_data + hdr.a_bss; if ((fun = (intfun) sbrk (size)) < 0) printf ("Couldn't find the space"), exit(); read (fd, fun, size); /* Load code. */ /* NOTE: if anything mallocs space between here and above, this will fail */ close (fd); return ((intfun) fun); } main (argc, argv) char **argv; { intfun fun1, fun2; myname = *argv; fun1 = funload("fun1"); printf ("The answer is %d.\n", (*fun1)(11) ); fun2 = funload("fun2"); printf ("The answer is %d.\n", (*fun2)() ); }\f 1,edited,, Received: by PREP.AI.MIT.EDU; Tue, 16 Jun 87 03:12:54 EDT Date: Tue, 16 Jun 87 03:12:54 EDT From: rms (Richard M. Stallman) Message-Id: <8706160712.AA07910@prep.ai.mit.edu> To: rms Subject: GDB ideas *** EOOH *** Date: Tue, 16 Jun 87 03:12:54 EDT From: rms (Richard M. Stallman) To: rms Subject: GDB ideas * Within a user-defined command, have local convenience variables, local functions, local defined commands. ** Optionally echo commands within a user-defined command. ** Optionally record all user-typed commands in a log file. Optionally record GDB output there too, marked as output so it will not be executed if replayed. * Execution commands ** Step until next branch, or next call. (finish is step until next return). step branch or should it be continue branch ** Stop on any branch, call or return affecting ordinary step and continue commands. stop branch ** Trace all branches, calls, returns. This could be done by stopping on those events and having a continue command to be executed after. stop branch commands branch continue end ** Commands to continue or step without any display after stop. These may be useful in user-defined commands. Have one prefix command that does this, modifying whatever other command you might use. For example, silent step 5 silent cont ** Clear all breakpoint ignore-counts when inferior exits or is killed. ** Trace changes to a location (watchpoint). Enable and disable them. ** Info command to show command-line for running the program. * Auto-display ** Enable and disable display expressions. Allow syntax 1d, 2d, etc. in enable, disable and delete commands. Then there is no more need for an undisplay command. ** Displaying an auto variable should not do it in the wrong stack frame. Either it should search for the proper stack frame to apply to or it should deactivate itself when in the wrong frame. * Printing ** Print an address as <file:line>+offset. ** Abbreviate initial whitespace modulo 16. ** p/x of an array should print each element with /x. ** Change the stack scan so that it has a more general idea of what info is needed to describe a frame fully. * Expressions ** Array slices. Can replace @. ** %name for use of symbol names containing funny characters. ** User-defined convenience functions that can appear in expressions. ** Expression syntax to convert line number to address. ** Expression syntax to specify a name scope with an address, line number or frame number. Use the line number by itself, or an address with *, just as in b or l cmd: 38:foo or *0x40a:foo. No good; the latter would be parsed as *(0x40a:foo). ** Expression syntax to convert a frame number to its pc. Perhaps unary %. * Possible bugs ** Does set $pc= cause the current scope to be recalculated? It should. ▶1f◀\f 1,, Received: by PREP.AI.MIT.EDU; Wed, 17 Jun 87 09:59:37 EDT From: phr@ATHENA.MIT.EDU Received: by ATHENA (5.45/4.7) id AA09084; Wed, 17 Jun 87 08:54:36 EDT Received: by ORPHEUS.MIT.EDU (5.45/4.7) id AA02565; Wed, 17 Jun 87 08:54:29 EDT Date: Wed, 17 Jun 87 08:54:29 EDT Message-Id: <8706171254.AA02565@ORPHEUS.MIT.EDU> To: rms@prep.ai.mit.edu Subject: gdb suggestion Status: RO *** EOOH *** From: phr@ATHENA.MIT.EDU Date: Wed, 17 Jun 87 08:54:29 EDT To: rms@prep.ai.mit.edu Subject: gdb suggestion Completion of file and function names; e.g. typing break XWriteBi prints No such symbol: XWriteBi. Setting default command to "break XWriteBitmapFile" so you can set a break at XWriteBitmapFile by hitting return a second time. Other interfaces ("complete to XWriteBitmapFile? (y/n)") are also possible. ▶1f◀\f 1,edited,, Received: by PREP.AI.MIT.EDU; Wed, 24 Sep 86 16:33:11 EDT Date: Wed, 24 Sep 86 16:33:11 EDT From: mly (Richard Mlynarik) Message-Id: <8609242033.AA11520@prep.ai.mit.edu> To: rms Cc: mly-prep Subject: gdb gripes/suggestions/requests *** EOOH *** Date: Wed, 24 Sep 86 16:33:11 EDT From: mly (Richard Mlynarik) To: rms Cc: mly-prep Subject: gdb gripes/suggestions/requests If would be really nice to have some way to do conditionals in user commands -- though this is really stretching the functionality of gdb a little too much, perhaps. (see ~mly/e/.gdbint for some of the contortions I go through with || to get conditional evaluation...) A -real- win wuold be some way to execute until he next function-call (like c-d in the cadr debugger) This would even be useful if it were rather slow -- it would probably be faster than setting temporary breakpoints in all the functions which might be called, and would certainly be faster than "step"ping one's way until a funcall happened. "info source" should mention what the directory search-path is (ie what "info dir" says) and in which directory it found each of the source files (and which source files it cannot locate in the search-path) ▶1f◀\f 1,, Received: by xcssun.Berkeley.EDU (5.57/1.25) id AA22869; Thu, 22 Oct 87 09:50:30 PDT Received: from prep.ai.mit.edu by wheaties.ai.mit.edu; Thu, 22 Oct 87 12:17:59 EDT Received: by PREP.AI.MIT.EDU; Thu, 22 Oct 87 12:21:00 EDT Received: from pp.mcc.com by MCC.COM with TCP; Thu 22 Oct 87 10:54:41-CDT Posted-Date: Thu, 22 Oct 87 10:55:13 CDT Received: from big-d.aca.mcc.com by pp.mcc.com (4.12/KA70822) id AA16571; Thu, 22 Oct 87 10:55:19 cdt Return-Path: <tiemann@big-d.aca.mcc.com> Received: by big-d.aca.mcc.com (3.2/KA70106) id AA04247; Thu, 22 Oct 87 10:55:13 CDT Date: Thu, 22 Oct 87 10:55:13 CDT From: tiemann%pp.mcc.com@mcc.com (Michael Tiemann) Message-Id: <8710221555.AA04247@big-d.aca.mcc.com> To: bug-gdb@prep.ai.mit.edu Subject: expanding file names *** EOOH *** Posted-Date: Thu, 22 Oct 87 10:55:13 CDT Return-Path: <tiemann@big-d.aca.mcc.com> Date: Thu, 22 Oct 87 10:55:13 CDT From: tiemann%pp.mcc.com@mcc.com (Michael Tiemann) To: bug-gdb@prep.ai.mit.edu Subject: expanding file names When running a program, gdb thoughtfully passes the argument list through the shell, expanding files and environment variables as needed. It would be nice if the same facility were added to the command which adds directories to search paths. For example, it would be nice to say "dir ~/foo" . Michael ▶1f◀\f 1,, Received: by xcssun.Berkeley.EDU (5.57/1.25) id AA25075; Fri, 23 Oct 87 10:42:52 PDT Received: from prep.ai.mit.edu by wheaties.ai.mit.edu; Fri, 23 Oct 87 13:39:37 EDT Received: by PREP.AI.MIT.EDU; Fri, 23 Oct 87 13:42:53 EDT Received: from relay2.cs.net by RELAY.CS.NET id ac11193; 23 Oct 87 13:03 EDT Received: from umb.edu by RELAY.CS.NET id ac05949; 23 Oct 87 13:01 EDT Received: by umb.umb.edu; Fri, 23 Oct 87 10:18:40 EDT Received: by ileaf.uucp (1.1/SMI-3.0DEV3) id AA00599; Wed, 21 Oct 87 10:56:52 EDT Received: from marvin.io.uucp by io.uucp (1.1/SMI-3.0DEV3) id AA01359; Wed, 21 Oct 87 10:58:45 EDT Received: by marvin.io.uucp (3.2/SMI-3.2) id AA00334; Wed, 21 Oct 87 11:02:20 EDT Date: Wed, 21 Oct 87 11:02:20 EDT From: Mark Dionne <io!marvin!md%ileaf.uucp%umb.umb.edu@relay.cs.net> Message-Id: <8710211502.AA00334@marvin.io.uucp> To: ileaf!umb!bug-gdb@prep.ai.mit.edu Subject: gdb bug *** EOOH *** Date: Wed, 21 Oct 87 11:02:20 EDT From: Mark Dionne <io!marvin!md%ileaf.uucp%umb.umb.edu@relay.cs.net> To: ileaf!umb!bug-gdb@prep.ai.mit.edu Subject: gdb bug The /FMT and @ options of the "print" command seem to interact in GDB 2.1. For example: (gdb) p ($cmpn.buf[-1])@($cmpn.gapb - $cmpn.buf + 1) $17 = {-16383, -24285, 55, 27944, -24285, -24285, 55, 28010, -24285, -24285, 55, 28076, -24285, -24285, 55, 28142, -24285} (gdb) p/x ($cmpn.buf[-1])@($cmpn.gapb - $cmpn.buf + 1) $18 = 0xc001 I guess I see what's happening: the /x is applying to the whole array rather than to the individual elements. Feature or bug? ...!harvard!umb!ileaf!md Mark Dionne, Interleaf ...!sun!sunne!ileaf!md Ten Canal Park, Cambridge, MA 02141 (617) 577-9813 x5551 ▶1f◀\f 1,, Received: by PREP.AI.MIT.EDU; Sun, 6 Sep 87 14:27:19 EDT Message-Id: <8709061827.AA18170@prep.ai.mit.edu> Received: from relay2.cs.net by RELAY.CS.NET id af03990; 6 Sep 87 14:22 EDT Received: from umb.edu by RELAY.CS.NET id ab03029; 6 Sep 87 14:16 EDT Received: by umb.umb.edu; Sun, 6 Sep 87 12:10:34 EDT Date: Sun, 6 Sep 87 12:10:34 EDT Received: by typo.umb.edu; Sun, 6 Sep 87 12:04:21 EDT From: Robert Morris <ram%typo.umb.edu@RELAY.CS.NET> To: bug-gdb@PREP.AI.MIT.EDU Subject: convenient script *** EOOH *** Date: Sun, 6 Sep 87 12:10:34 EDT From: Robert Morris <ram%typo.umb.edu@RELAY.CS.NET> To: bug-gdb@PREP.AI.MIT.EDU Subject: convenient script I find it easier to maintain binaries on our heterogenous network if I keep this trivial script in gdb source directory. Use it if you want. ------------ #! /bin/csh -f # SETUP # setup gdb files for presently known machines # ram@umb.edu # (ram%umb.edu@relay.cs.net if you have an incomplete mailer) # or ...!harvard!umb!ram # # e.g. SETUP sun3 # note that sunX means major release X of sun software, generally # sun3 at this writing (gnu 18.41) # # note GDB with gnuemacs 18.41 is already configured for vaxen # Bob Morris, UMASS-Boston 9/6/87 switch ($1) case "sun2": ; case "sun3" : set cputype="m68k"; set inittype="suninit"; breaksw; default : set cputype=$1; set inittype=$1init; breaksw; endsw echo \#include \"m-$1.h\" > param.h echo \#include \"$cputype-pinsn.c\" > pinsn.c ed initialize.h <<! >& /dev/null /init.h/ c #include "m-$inittype.h" . w q ! ▶1f◀\f 1,answered,, Received: from prep.ai.mit.edu by wheaties.ai.mit.edu; Sat, 19 Dec 87 18:18:50 EST Received: by PREP.AI.MIT.EDU; Sat, 19 Dec 87 18:24:38 EST Received: from big-d.aca.mcc.com by MCC.COM with TCP; Sat 19 Dec 87 17:19:48-CST Date: Sat, 19 Dec 87 17:19:41 CST From: tiemann@mcc.com (Michael Tiemann) Posted-Date: Sat, 19 Dec 87 17:19:41 CST Message-Id: <8712192319.AA26775@big-d.aca.mcc.com> Received: by big-d.aca.mcc.com (3.2/ACA-V2.1) id AA26775; Sat, 19 Dec 87 17:19:41 CST To: rms@prep.ai.mit.edu Subject: gdb *** EOOH *** Date: Sat, 19 Dec 87 17:19:41 CST From: tiemann@mcc.com (Michael Tiemann) Posted-Date: Sat, 19 Dec 87 17:19:41 CST To: rms@prep.ai.mit.edu Subject: gdb file values.c, function unpack_field_as_long: val &= (1 << bitsize) - 1; This is not as machine independent as it could be. If you feel like fixing this potential problem, there are many other instances to worry about. Michael ▶1f◀\f 1,, Received: by xcssun.Berkeley.EDU (5.57/1.25) id AA04771; Thu, 20 Aug 87 22:33:25 PDT Received: from [128.52.22.14] by ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (5.58/1.27) id AA07119; Thu, 20 Aug 87 00:37:04 PDT Received: by PREP.AI.MIT.EDU; Thu, 20 Aug 87 03:37:35 EDT Date: Thu, 20 Aug 87 03:37:35 EDT From: rms@prep.ai.mit.edu (Richard M. Stallman) Message-Id: <8708200737.AA15589@prep.ai.mit.edu> To: rms@prep.ai.mit.edu Subject: GDB changes for next version *** EOOH *** Date: Thu, 20 Aug 87 03:37:35 EDT From: rms@prep.ai.mit.edu (Richard M. Stallman) To: rms@prep.ai.mit.edu Subject: GDB changes for next version 1. Use links, rather than editing some files, to configure it. 2. Can misc functions eval as their addresses rather than as a char in that address? Is this reasonable in all cases given that non-functions cannot be distinguished and that you might use the result in various ways (arithmetic, etc.). ▶1f◀\f 1,, Received: by xcssun.Berkeley.EDU (5.57/1.25) id AA09136; Sat, 29 Aug 87 02:20:15 PDT Received: from PREP.AI.MIT.EDU by ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (5.58/1.27) id AA26072; Sat, 29 Aug 87 02:21:51 PDT Received: by PREP.AI.MIT.EDU; Sat, 29 Aug 87 05:22:30 EDT Received: by RUTGERS.EDU (5.54/1.14) with UUCP id AA22247; Sat, 29 Aug 87 05:21:13 EDT Received: from sequent.UUCP by spool.wisc.edu; Sat, 29 Aug 87 04:18:41 CDT Received: from reed.UUCP by ogcvax.OGC.EDU (5.51/OGC_4.8) id AA08044; Fri, 28 Aug 87 20:06:41 PDT Received: by reed.UUCP (5.51/5.17) id AA05059; Fri, 28 Aug 87 19:19:15 PDT From: uwvax!sequent!ogcvax!reed!keith@rutgers.edu (Keith Packard) Message-Id: <8708290219.AA05059@reed.UUCP> To: rms@prep.ai.mit.edu Subject: Re: GDB In-Reply-To: Your message of Thu, 20 Aug 87 03:39:37 EDT. <8708200735.AA26546@EDDIE.MIT.EDU> Date: Fri, 28 Aug 87 19:19:13 PDT *** EOOH *** From: uwvax!sequent!ogcvax!reed!keith@rutgers.edu (Keith Packard) To: rms@prep.ai.mit.edu Subject: Re: GDB In-Reply-To: Your message of Thu, 20 Aug 87 03:39:37 EDT. <8708200735.AA26546@EDDIE.MIT.EDU> Date: Fri, 28 Aug 87 19:19:13 PDT Here is a simple test program for exibiting the trouble with signals: ----- # include <signal.h> main () { int handle (); int i; signal (SIGALRM, handle); alarm (5); for (i = 0; i < 100000; i++) printf ("%d\n", i); } handle () { printf ("signal!\n"); alarm (5); } ----- To demonstrate the problem, simply place a breakpoint before the call to alarm and then start stepping through the program: (gdb) break 7 (gdb) step ... ... Eventually, the alarm call occurs and the program ends up in some signal handling code -- unfortuantely a machine dependent location. At this point, because the fp has moved out of the current function (in fact on many machines the frame is not in a consistent state at this point) gdb assumes that a new function has started and suspends execution with another prompt. A reasonable solution would be to have gdb insert a breakpoint at the expected signal return address and continue to that breakpoint -- I've implemented this and found that it works. There is, however, one nasty problem -- longjmp around the suspended frame and the breakpoint is not hit at the expected time. Have fun... keith packard tektronix!reed!keith ▶1f◀\f 1,, Received: by xcssun.Berkeley.EDU (5.57/1.25) id AA09143; Sat, 29 Aug 87 02:24:58 PDT Received: by neptune.Berkeley.EDU (5.57/1.25) id AA03738; Sat, 29 Aug 87 02:24:50 PDT Date: Sat, 29 Aug 87 02:24:50 PDT From: rms@neptune.berkeley.edu (Richard Stallman) Message-Id: <8708290924.AA03738@neptune.Berkeley.EDU> To: rms@neptune.Berkeley.EDU Subject: GDB bug Reply-To: rms@prep.ai.mit.edu *** EOOH *** Date: Sat, 29 Aug 87 02:24:50 PDT From: rms@neptune.berkeley.edu (Richard Stallman) To: rms@neptune.Berkeley.EDU Subject: GDB bug Reply-To: rms@prep.ai.mit.edu Is there any way to make GDB, when stepping across a function call, notice any attempt to longjump out of that call? Perhaps an implicit breakpoint at longjump. If longjump is called, find the pc in the jmp_buf and put a self-deleting breakpoint there. ▶1f◀\f 1,, Received: by xcssun.Berkeley.EDU (5.57/1.25) id AA07976; Fri, 28 Aug 87 09:26:12 PDT Received: from PREP.AI.MIT.EDU by ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (5.58/1.27) id AA03230; Fri, 28 Aug 87 09:28:04 PDT Received: by PREP.AI.MIT.EDU; Fri, 28 Aug 87 12:28:43 EDT Date: Fri, 28 Aug 87 12:28:43 EDT From: phr@prep.ai.mit.edu (Paul Rubin) Message-Id: <8708281628.AA09926@prep.ai.mit.edu> To: rms@prep.ai.mit.edu Subject: gdb suggestions *** EOOH *** Date: Fri, 28 Aug 87 12:28:43 EDT From: phr@prep.ai.mit.edu (Paul Rubin) To: rms@prep.ai.mit.edu Subject: gdb suggestions 1. I wish gdb had a command to re-read the sources so that I can edit the program and recompile it without having to kill and restart gdb. 2. Would be nice if gdb could somehow connect the subprocess's tty channels to a pty, so I can run gdb in an X window and the subprocess in a different (xterm) window. This might need hair to detect if the subprocess is running when you try to examine variables, etc. and stop the subproc or report an error if it is. ▶1f◀\f 1,, Received: from prep.ai.mit.edu by wheaties.ai.mit.edu; Mon, 4 Apr 88 12:43:31 EDT Received: from CCA.CCA.COM by prep.ai.mit.edu; Mon, 4 Apr 88 11:30:55 EST Received: by CCA.CCA.COM; Mon, 4 Apr 88 12:42:16 EDT Date: Mon, 4 Apr 88 12:42:16 EDT From: alex@cca.cca.com (Alexis Layton) Message-Id: <8804041642.AA28917@CCA.CCA.COM> To: rms@prep.ai.mit.edu Subject: Wish List for GDB Cc: tiemann@mcc.com *** EOOH *** Date: Mon, 4 Apr 88 12:42:16 EDT From: alex@cca.cca.com (Alexis Layton) To: rms@prep.ai.mit.edu Subject: Wish List for GDB Cc: tiemann@mcc.com GDB is a good debugger. I like it. I think it is lacking in functionality in the following areas: 1. "Finish this loop" capability. If I am stepping through code and encounter a for-, do-, or while-loop, after a few iterations I generally get bored. I want to be able to say "finish this loop"; i.e. continue until the next statement after the loop is executed. Note this is complicated by gotos and nested loops. 2. GDB only prints the last line of a multi-line statement which has been continued. Since this is often of the form foobar)); it is not very convenient. When stepping through a file using next (or step), ALL non-blank text lines (excepting perhaps close-braces?) between the last displayed line and the current one should be displayed. 3. If there is a way to call a function interactively, I couldn't find it in the on-line help. (Having neither GNU Emacs or TeX, reading the .texinfo files is a bit tedious.) 4. On occasion, when debugging a function with deeply nested code in a loop, I want to have "hierarchical" breakpoints -- that is, I want certain breakpoints automatically enabled if a certain breakpoint is triggered, but not if it hasn't. I haven't thought of a good design for this yet. 5. tbreak is not temporary enough; It should delete the breakpoint, not disable it. 6. what about "next to linenumber", or "continue to linenumber" -- the only difference being next single-steps and continue sets an ephemeral breakpoint and then deletes it. This would also make debugging large functions easier. 7. variable access breakpoints (break when variable changes value) 8. should be able to use "set" to change initialization values before "run" is issued. Makes setting of static debugging control variables easier. Right now I have to break main all the time. 9. GDB seems to be slow in reading/processing the symbol table -- can this be improved? 10. Preprocessor support. Is there any way to run the command input through the preprocessor or otherwise get a handle on defines? Particlarly in debugging things like ncurses, which use umpteen defines. (E.g., "delete_line" is defined as SP->_StrCaps[28] or some such nonsense.) Perhaps you could spawn off a CPP and then pipe the command input to it, appropriately down-loading the included files and whatever # text was in the C file being debugged.... Most of these comments of course apply to GDB+ as well. Well, that's just a few of my thoughts. Hope they give you some ideas. Alexis Layton alex@CCA.CCA.COM ▶1f◀\f 1,, Summary-line: 27-Nov steve%next.com@relay.cs.n #gdb Received: from prep.ai.mit.edu by wheaties.ai.mit.edu; Wed, 2 Dec 87 16:58:16 EST Received: by PREP.AI.MIT.EDU; Wed, 2 Dec 87 17:00:22 EST Message-Id: <8712022200.AA09856@prep.ai.mit.edu> Received: from relay2.cs.net by RELAY.CS.NET id ag03066; 2 Dec 87 16:06 EST Received: from next.com by RELAY.CS.NET id ae26721; 2 Dec 87 16:00 EST Received: from indiana.next.com by next.next.com (3.2/SMI-3.0DEV3) id AA08711; Fri, 27 Nov 87 10:47:36 PST Date: Fri, 27 Nov 87 10:41:41 PST From: steve%next.com@relay.cs.net To: rms@prep.ai.mit.edu Subject: gdb *** EOOH *** Date: Fri, 27 Nov 87 10:41:41 PST From: steve%next.com@relay.cs.net To: rms@prep.ai.mit.edu Subject: gdb I copied it into wheaties:gdb.tar.next.Z. The following is our "TODO" list. An asterisk notes an entry is completed. - objc features: * printing objects: - printing indexed instance variables. * implement object-print command which lists class, methods, source file, etc. * info objects command which lists all objects. * message expression evaluation: * Use symbolic method name/object name. - Add varargs support. - printing instance variables: - When all else fails, attempt to lookup an unknown local as an instance variable (if currently in a method handler/.m file). * breakpoints: - set breakpoints in object/method handler. * stepping: - stepm command that steps over _msg call into the message handler when source is available. * printing methods: * info method that lists objects that implement a given method. * list command: - modifiy it so that you can list the source for a given object/method pair. - backtrace: - fix braindamaged backtrace (_msg doesn't maintain a6 linkage). - poseAs: - Reinitialize Obj-C-Data when poseAs is used. - tenex: * Finish incremental history searches. * Add history search/reverse search. * Add \e< and \e> - Save macros on exit. - Add commands to reset/append/prepend macrofiles. - Add ability to read macrofiles once in emacs mode. - print bindings command. - command completion: - gdb commands? - symbol table entries? - symbol tables: - Modify current .sym file information to be left in .o files and relocated by the debugger at load time. - Load .sym file info on demand. - documentation: - mach port: - use shared memory. - multiple threads. - multiple tasks. - /dev/proc???? - debug an already running task. - debug a program with minimal symbol information. - debugger support for shared libraries. - misc: - watchpoints. - add a way to set evaluation scope/context to a file. - disassembly enhancement: - support symbolic names for locals and registers and args. - macro args (for user commands). - case insensitivity for searches (info command/list searches). - by default, load symbol table with exec-file. - clean up structure printing. - assmebler source level debugging. - CPP info in the debugger (be able to get to #defines). - gdbtool: Source windows: menus: - tag support (callee/caller ala dir). - break on line. - unbreak on line. - set one shot breakpoint. - continue until line (with/without enabling other breakpoints). - search forward/reverse. - yank text for command window. attributes: - dir-like interface where each stack frame has a window. Windows can be closed and are re-created when that stack frame is reached again. If windows are too slow, beat up Leo. - source windows have line-numbers/breakpoint indicator/last PC in that window/current PC. - full dir-like tags support for bringing up new windows (not on the execution stack). - Allow editing of source in a window (gray-scale for new lines/ deleted lines) so that current debugging session still works. ??? - incremental compiles (dream on!). Data display windows: - auto display window. - graphic structure display. Stack display window: - stack trace display. Menu buttons: - up/down. - continue until stack level. Command window: menu: - evaluate selected expression. attributes: - Remote debugging: - Add other protocols (ethernet?, shared memory). - C Interpreter. - Control flow. - Interpret changed code. - Add subroutines. ▶1f◀\f 1,, Summary-line: 22-Oct tiemann%pp.mcc.com@mcc.co #expanding file names Received: by xcssun.Berkeley.EDU (5.57/1.25) id AA22869; Thu, 22 Oct 87 09:50:30 PDT Received: from prep.ai.mit.edu by wheaties.ai.mit.edu; Thu, 22 Oct 87 12:17:59 EDT Received: by PREP.AI.MIT.EDU; Thu, 22 Oct 87 12:21:00 EDT Received: from pp.mcc.com by MCC.COM with TCP; Thu 22 Oct 87 10:54:41-CDT Posted-Date: Thu, 22 Oct 87 10:55:13 CDT Received: from big-d.aca.mcc.com by pp.mcc.com (4.12/KA70822) id AA16571; Thu, 22 Oct 87 10:55:19 cdt Return-Path: <tiemann@big-d.aca.mcc.com> Received: by big-d.aca.mcc.com (3.2/KA70106) id AA04247; Thu, 22 Oct 87 10:55:13 CDT Date: Thu, 22 Oct 87 10:55:13 CDT From: tiemann%pp.mcc.com@mcc.com (Michael Tiemann) Message-Id: <8710221555.AA04247@big-d.aca.mcc.com> To: bug-gdb@prep.ai.mit.edu Subject: expanding file names *** EOOH *** Posted-Date: Thu, 22 Oct 87 10:55:13 CDT Return-Path: <tiemann@big-d.aca.mcc.com> Date: Thu, 22 Oct 87 10:55:13 CDT From: tiemann%pp.mcc.com@mcc.com (Michael Tiemann) To: bug-gdb@prep.ai.mit.edu Subject: expanding file names When running a program, gdb thoughtfully passes the argument list through the shell, expanding files and environment variables as needed. It would be nice if the same facility were added to the command which adds directories to search paths. For example, it would be nice to say "dir ~/foo" . Michael ▶1f◀\f 1, edited, answered,, Received: by xcssun.Berkeley.EDU (5.57/1.25) id AA26610; Wed, 2 Mar 88 05:27:51 PST Received: from prep.ai.mit.edu by wheaties.ai.mit.edu; Wed, 2 Mar 88 08:26:23 EST Received: from cgl.ucsf.EDU by prep.ai.mit.edu; Wed, 2 Mar 88 08:25:58 EST Received: by cgl.ucsf.edu (5.54/GSC4.5) id AA27646; Wed, 2 Mar 88 05:23:57 PST Received: by hop.toad.com id AA00787; Wed, 2 Mar 88 05:22:55 PST Date: Wed, 2 Mar 88 05:22:55 PST From: hoptoad.UUCP!gnu@cgl.ucsf.edu (John Gilmore) Message-Id: <8803021322.AA00787@hop.toad.com> To: rms@cgl.ucsf.edu Subject: A few things Sun dbx does that gdb doesn't... *** EOOH *** Date: Wed, 2 Mar 88 05:22:55 PST From: hoptoad.UUCP!gnu@cgl.ucsf.edu (John Gilmore) To: rms@cgl.ucsf.edu Subject: A few things Sun dbx does that gdb doesn't... * gdb won't reread the executable's symbol table when its mod time has changed. The user has to explicitly reread it after recompiling the software and before typing "run". * gdb has no command to report the current argv for "run" commands. "info program" or "info environment" should display this info. (dbx doesn't do this either, but I noticed it at the same time.) ▶1f◀\f 1, answered,, Received: by xcssun.Berkeley.EDU (5.57/1.25) id AA14587; Tue, 16 Feb 88 16:19:12 PST Received: from prep.ai.mit.edu by wheaties.ai.mit.edu; Tue, 16 Feb 88 19:17:21 EST Received: from UNIX.SRI.COM by prep.ai.mit.edu; Tue, 16 Feb 88 19:08:02 EST Received: by sri-unix.ARPA (5.31/5.14) id AA25586; Tue, 16 Feb 88 16:12:32 PST From: ozona!chase@pisa.orc.olivetti.com Received: from ozona.orc.olivetti.com by orc.uucp (3.2/SMI-3.2) id AA01567; Tue, 16 Feb 88 16:01:02 PST Received: from localhost by ozona.orc.olivetti.com (3.2/SMI-3.2) id AA08259; Tue, 16 Feb 88 16:02:22 PST Message-Id: <8802170002.AA08259@ozona.orc.olivetti.com> To: rms@prep.ai.mit.edu Subject: GDB suggestion Reply-To: chase%orc.uucp@unix.sri.com Date: Tue, 16 Feb 88 16:02:18 -0800 *** EOOH *** From: ozona!chase@pisa.orc.olivetti.com To: rms@prep.ai.mit.edu Subject: GDB suggestion Reply-To: chase%orc.uucp@unix.sri.com Date: Tue, 16 Feb 88 16:02:18 -0800 Today I found myself wanting a feature in a debugger that neither GDB nor DBX supports. I checked the GDB documentation and could not find it there. This may be too Unix-specific, so you may not want to add it. It may also not be of general use. Nevertheless, I will suggest it; it's certainly easy to ignore the suggestion. What I wanted to do was limit the datasize of a program that I was debugging (I am debugging someone else's garbage collector, lucky me) without also imposing that limit on the debugger. I didn't see any mention of such a command in either debugger's documentation. In other news, the alleged (ansi) C and Modula library is beginning to work. (The garbage collector is part of the Modula-2+ half.) David Chase Olivetti Research Center, Menlo Park ▶1f◀\f 1,, Return-Path: <rms@wheaties.ai.mit.edu> Received: by frosted-flakes.ai.mit.edu; Sat, 30 Apr 88 17:05:42 EDT Date: Sat, 30 Apr 88 17:05:42 EDT From: rms@wheaties.ai.mit.edu (Richard Stallman) Message-Id: <8804302105.AA25303@frosted-flakes.ai.mit.edu> To: rms Subject: GDB idea *** EOOH *** Return-Path: <rms@wheaties.ai.mit.edu> Date: Sat, 30 Apr 88 17:05:42 EDT From: rms@wheaties.ai.mit.edu (Richard Stallman) To: rms Subject: GDB idea Expressions should record the block that symbols were looked up in, if the symbols proved not to be static, and an auto-display should be disabled automatically when it is not in the block where the results would be meaningful. ▶1f◀\f 1,, Received: from ai.ai.mit.edu by wheaties.ai.mit.edu; Sun, 8 May 88 12:52:31 EDT Received: from prep.ai.mit.edu (TCP 20015020016) by AI.AI.MIT.EDU 8 May 88 05:38:21 EDT Received: from lilac.Berkeley.EDU by prep.ai.mit.edu; Sun, 8 May 88 04:12:02 EST Received: from web5h.berkeley.edu by lilac.berkeley.edu (5.54 (CFC 4.22.3)/1.16.18) id AA27424; Sun, 8 May 88 02:33:06 PDT Received: by web5h.berkeley.edu (3.2/SMI-3.0DEV3.8MXl) id AA05599; Sun, 8 May 88 02:33:41 PDT Date: Sun, 8 May 88 02:33:41 PDT From: phr%widow.Berkeley.EDU@lilac.berkeley.edu Message-Id: <8805080933.AA05599@web5h.berkeley.edu> To: bug-gdb@prep.ai.mit.edu Subject: suggestion (gdb 2.4): print function names *** EOOH *** Date: Sun, 8 May 88 02:33:41 PDT From: phr%widow.Berkeley.EDU@lilac.berkeley.edu To: bug-gdb@prep.ai.mit.edu Subject: suggestion (gdb 2.4): print function names If p is a pointer to function, "print p" should print the name of the function that p points to, as well as the numeric value. Dbx does this. ▶1f◀\f 1,, Received: from lilac.berkeley.edu by wheaties.ai.mit.edu; Wed, 11 May 88 23:14:39 EDT Received: from web8e.berkeley.edu by lilac.berkeley.edu (5.54 (CFC 4.22.3)/1.16.18) id AA11864; Wed, 11 May 88 20:11:12 PDT Received: by web8e.berkeley.edu (3.2/SMI-3.0DEV3.8MXl) id AA06549; Wed, 11 May 88 20:11:44 PDT Date: Wed, 11 May 88 20:11:44 PDT From: phr%widow.Berkeley.EDU@lilac.berkeley.edu Message-Id: <8805120311.AA06549@web8e.berkeley.edu> To: rms@wheaties.ai.mit.edu Subject: gdb suggestion *** EOOH *** Date: Wed, 11 May 88 20:11:44 PDT From: phr%widow.Berkeley.EDU@lilac.berkeley.edu To: rms@wheaties.ai.mit.edu Subject: gdb suggestion If the process signal mask of a program is saved in the core dump, then gdb should have a way to read it. I have an xemacs that hangs in a blocking read from XCreateWindow when I run it from the csh, but works fine when run under gdb. (Does this mean a gdb bug?). ▶1f◀\f 1, answered,, Return-Path: <tmb@wheaties.ai.mit.edu> Received: by sugar-smacks.ai.mit.edu; Tue, 24 May 88 00:34:01 EDT Date: Tue, 24 May 88 00:34:01 EDT From: tmb@wheaties.ai.mit.edu (Thomas M. Breuel) Message-Id: <8805240434.AA02268@sugar-smacks.ai.mit.edu> To: rms Subject: problem with gdb... *** EOOH *** Return-Path: <tmb@wheaties.ai.mit.edu> Date: Tue, 24 May 88 00:34:01 EDT From: tmb@wheaties.ai.mit.edu (Thomas M. Breuel) To: rms Subject: problem with gdb... When tracing a program that forks, the breakpoints aren't removed in the child and it dies with a trace/bpt trap. Isn't there a more proper way to handle this? Thomas. ▶1f◀\f 1, forwarded, answered,, Received: from ATHENA (ATHENA.MIT.EDU) by wheaties.ai.mit.edu; Sat, 25 Jun 88 04:02:57 EDT From: jbs@athena.mit.edu Received: by ATHENA.MIT.EDU (5.45/4.7) id AA21892; Sat, 25 Jun 88 04:00:11 EDT Received: by BRIDGETOWN.MIT.EDU (5.45/4.7) id AA13640; Sat, 25 Jun 88 03:59:57 EDT Date: Sat, 25 Jun 88 03:59:57 EDT Message-Id: <8806250759.AA13640@BRIDGETOWN.MIT.EDU> To: rms@wheaties.ai.mit.edu Subject: gdb suggestion *** EOOH *** From: jbs@athena.mit.edu Date: Sat, 25 Jun 88 03:59:57 EDT To: rms@wheaties.ai.mit.edu Subject: gdb suggestion Debugging X toolkit stuff involves looking at structures that fill up several screens. GDB would be a lot easier to use if it supported some sort of pretty-printing of these structures. Jeff ▶1f◀\f 1, forwarded,, Received: from prep.ai.mit.edu by wheaties.ai.mit.edu; Thu, 23 Jun 88 04:32:12 EDT Received: from ic.Berkeley.EDU by prep.ai.mit.edu; Thu, 23 Jun 88 03:19:27 EST Received: by ic.berkeley.edu (5.57/1.28) id AA02077; Thu, 23 Jun 88 01:28:08 PDT Date: Thu, 23 Jun 88 01:28:08 PDT From: faustus@ic.berkeley.edu (Wayne A. Christopher) Message-Id: <8806230828.AA02077@ic.berkeley.edu> To: rms@prep.ai.mit.edu Subject: gdb request *** EOOH *** Date: Thu, 23 Jun 88 01:28:08 PDT From: faustus@ic.berkeley.edu (Wayne A. Christopher) To: rms@prep.ai.mit.edu Subject: gdb request One suggestion for future versions of gdb -- the trace command of dbx is very useful, and a lot easier to use than the "commands" feature in gdb. Although it's not necessary, it would be nice to have it. Wayne ▶1f◀\f 1, forwarded,, Return-Path: <faustus@scruff.berkeley.edu> Received: from prep.ai.mit.edu by life.ai.mit.edu; Sun, 24 Jul 88 03:40:33 EDT Received: from scruff.Berkeley.EDU by prep.ai.mit.edu; Sun, 24 Jul 88 02:17:27 EST Received: by scruff.berkeley.edu (5.57/1.28) id AA19389; Sun, 24 Jul 88 00:35:41 PDT Date: Sun, 24 Jul 88 00:35:41 PDT From: faustus@scruff.berkeley.edu (Wayne A. Christopher) Message-Id: <8807240735.AA19389@scruff.berkeley.edu> To: rms@prep.ai.mit.edu Subject: gdb feature *** EOOH *** Return-Path: <faustus@scruff.berkeley.edu> Date: Sun, 24 Jul 88 00:35:41 PDT From: faustus@scruff.berkeley.edu (Wayne A. Christopher) To: rms@prep.ai.mit.edu Subject: gdb feature It would be nice if I could stop and background a process running under gdb. Now gdb lets the process get the ^Z and gives me a prompt, instead of stopping also. Wayne ▶1f◀\f 1,, Return-Path: <wesommer@athena.mit.edu> Received: from prep.ai.mit.edu by life.ai.mit.edu; Tue, 30 Aug 88 23:18:51 EDT Received: from ATHENA.MIT.EDU by prep.ai.mit.edu; Tue, 30 Aug 88 21:44:58 EST Received: by ATHENA.MIT.EDU (5.45/4.7) id AA29972; Tue, 30 Aug 88 23:16:03 EDT Received: by E40-342A-3 (5.45/4.7) id AA10004; Tue, 30 Aug 88 23:15:58 EDT Date: Tue, 30 Aug 88 23:15:58 EDT From: Bill Sommerfeld <wesommer@athena.mit.edu> Message-Id: <8808310315.AA10004@E40-342A-3> To: bug-gdb@prep.ai.mit.edu Subject: SET_STACK_LIMIT_HUGE. *** EOOH *** Return-Path: <wesommer@athena.mit.edu> Date: Tue, 30 Aug 88 23:15:58 EDT From: Bill Sommerfeld <wesommer@athena.mit.edu> To: bug-gdb@prep.ai.mit.edu Subject: SET_STACK_LIMIT_HUGE. I just had the pleasure of figuring out why a program which worked under GDB failed (with a segv) when run under the shell. It turns out that it was allocating too much space in the stack, and dying with a segmentation violation when it overran the stack. I note that gdb/main.c unlimits the stack, presumably to allow gdb to use alloca to its heart's content. This is well and good, but in the interests of making the execution and debugging environments functionally identical, could it at least set the limit back down to what it used to be when it starts the child process? - Bill ▶1f◀\f 1, answered,, Return-Path: <randy@wheaties.ai.mit.edu> Received: from hobbes.ai.mit.edu by wheaties.ai.mit.edu; Thu, 1 Sep 88 23:13:03 EDT Received: from localhost.ARPA by hobbes.ai.mit.edu; Thu, 1 Sep 88 23:08:41 est Message-Id: <8809020408.AA09913@hobbes.ai.mit.edu> To: rms@wheaties.ai.mit.edu (Richard Stallman) Cc: randy@wheaties.ai.mit.edu Subject: Re: GDB work that needs to be done In-Reply-To: Your message of Thu, 01 Sep 88 19:23:47 -0400. <8809012323.AA01639@sugar-bombs.ai.mit.edu> Date: Thu, 01 Sep 88 23:08:39 +0900 From: randy@wheaties.ai.mit.edu *** EOOH *** Return-Path: <randy@wheaties.ai.mit.edu> To: rms@wheaties.ai.mit.edu (Richard Stallman) Cc: randy@wheaties.ai.mit.edu Subject: Re: GDB work that needs to be done In-Reply-To: Your message of Thu, 01 Sep 88 19:23:47 -0400. <8809012323.AA01639@sugar-bombs.ai.mit.edu> Date: Thu, 01 Sep 88 23:08:39 +0900 From: randy@wheaties.ai.mit.edu Also: 5. Step until past current line or out of stack frame. ▶1f◀\f 1,, Return-Path: <rms@wheaties.ai.mit.edu> Received: by sugar-bombs.ai.mit.edu; Fri, 2 Sep 88 12:43:28 EDT Date: Fri, 2 Sep 88 12:43:28 EDT From: rms@wheaties.ai.mit.edu (Richard Stallman) Message-Id: <8809021643.AA00263@sugar-bombs.ai.mit.edu> To: randy@wheaties.ai.mit.edu Cc: rms In-Reply-To: randy@wheaties.ai.mit.edu's message of Thu, 01 Sep 88 23:08:39 +0900 <8809020408.AA09913@hobbes.ai.mit.edu> Subject: GDB work that needs to be done *** EOOH *** Return-Path: <rms@wheaties.ai.mit.edu> Date: Fri, 2 Sep 88 12:43:28 EDT From: rms@wheaties.ai.mit.edu (Richard Stallman) To: randy@wheaties.ai.mit.edu Cc: rms In-Reply-To: randy@wheaties.ai.mit.edu's message of Thu, 01 Sep 88 23:08:39 +0900 <8809020408.AA09913@hobbes.ai.mit.edu> Subject: GDB work that needs to be done Step until past current line or out of stack frame. I think this should be a command called `until': until LINE run until line LINE. until run until reach the following line. It can work by setting a temporary (delete when hit) breakpoint at the specified destination and then doing `finish'. ▶1f◀