]> git.ipfire.org Git - thirdparty/binutils-gdb.git/blob - gdb/doc/gdb.texinfo
(1) reduce the amount of text highlighted in warning at end of
[thirdparty/binutils-gdb.git] / gdb / doc / gdb.texinfo
1 \input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
2 @c Copyright (c) 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
3 @c
4 @c %**start of header
5 @c makeinfo ignores cmds prev to setfilename, so its arg cannot make use
6 @c of @set vars. However, you can override filename with makeinfo -o.
7 @setfilename gdb.info
8 @c
9 @include gdb-config.texi
10 @c
11 @ifset GENERIC
12 @settitle Debugging with @value{GDBN}
13 @end ifset
14 @ifclear GENERIC
15 @settitle Debugging with @value{GDBN} (@value{TARGET})
16 @end ifclear
17 @setchapternewpage odd
18 @c %**end of header
19
20 @iftex
21 @c @smallbook
22 @c @cropmarks
23 @end iftex
24
25 @c Include the readline documentation in the TeX output,
26 @c but not in the Info output.
27 @c Eventually, we should make a cross reference to the Readline Info
28 @c nodes; but this requires that the nodes exist and be in an expected
29 @c place. Wait for a standard, complete GNU distribution. Meanwhile,
30 @c cross references are only in the printed TeX output, and only when
31 @c `have-readline-appendices' is set.
32 @c
33 @c The readline documentation is distributed with the readline code
34 @c and consists of the two following files:
35 @c rluser.texinfo
36 @c inc-hist.texi
37 @iftex
38 @set have-readline-appendices
39 @end iftex
40 @ifinfo
41 @clear have-readline-appendices
42 @end ifinfo
43
44 @finalout
45 @syncodeindex ky cp
46
47 @c readline appendices use @vindex
48 @syncodeindex vr cp
49
50 @c ===> NOTE! <==
51 @c Determine the edition number in *three* places by hand:
52 @c 1. First ifinfo section 2. title page 3. top node
53 @c To find the locations, search for !!set
54
55 @c GDB CHANGELOG CONSULTED BETWEEN:
56 @c Fri Oct 11 23:27:06 1991 John Gilmore (gnu at cygnus.com)
57 @c Sat Dec 22 02:51:40 1990 John Gilmore (gnu at cygint)
58
59 @c THIS MANUAL REQUIRES TEXINFO-2 macros and info-makers to format properly.
60
61 @ifinfo
62 @c This is a dir.info fragment to support semi-automated addition of
63 @c manuals to an info tree. zoo@cygnus.com is developing this facility.
64 @format
65 START-INFO-DIR-ENTRY
66 * Gdb: (gdb). The GNU debugger.
67 END-INFO-DIR-ENTRY
68 @end format
69 @end ifinfo
70 @c
71 @c
72 @ifinfo
73 This file documents the GNU debugger @value{GDBN}.
74
75 @c !!set edition, date, version
76 This is Edition 4.07, January 1993,
77 of @cite{Debugging with @value{GDBN}: the GNU Source-Level Debugger}
78 for GDB Version @value{GDBVN}.
79
80 Copyright (C) 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
81
82 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
83 this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
84 are preserved on all copies.
85
86 @ignore
87 Permission is granted to process this file through TeX and print the
88 results, provided the printed document carries copying permission
89 notice identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph
90 (this paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual).
91
92 @end ignore
93 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
94 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that the
95 section entitled ``GNU General Public License'' is included exactly as
96 in the original, and provided that the entire resulting derived work is
97 distributed under the terms of a permission notice identical to this
98 one.
99
100 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
101 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions,
102 except that the section entitled ``GNU General Public License'' may be
103 included in a translation approved by the Free Software Foundation
104 instead of in the original English.
105 @end ifinfo
106
107 @titlepage
108 @title Debugging with @value{GDBN}
109 @subtitle The GNU Source-Level Debugger
110 @ifclear GENERIC
111 @subtitle on @value{TARGET} Systems
112 @end ifclear
113 @sp 1
114 @c !!set edition, date, version
115 @subtitle Edition 4.07, for @value{GDBN} version @value{GDBVN}
116 @subtitle January 1993
117 @author by Richard M. Stallman and Roland H. Pesch
118 @page
119 @tex
120 {\parskip=0pt
121 \hfill (Send bugs and comments on @value{GDBN} to bug-gdb\@prep.ai.mit.edu.)\par
122 \hfill {\it Debugging with @value{GDBN}}\par
123 \hfill \TeX{}info \texinfoversion\par
124 \hfill pesch\@cygnus.com\par
125 }
126 @end tex
127
128 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
129 Copyright @copyright{} 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
130
131 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
132 this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
133 are preserved on all copies.
134
135 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
136 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that the
137 section entitled ``GNU General Public License'' is included exactly as
138 in the original, and provided that the entire resulting derived work is
139 distributed under the terms of a permission notice identical to this
140 one.
141
142 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
143 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions,
144 except that the section entitled ``GNU General Public License'' may be
145 included in a translation approved by the Free Software Foundation
146 instead of in the original English.
147 @end titlepage
148 @page
149
150 @ifinfo
151 @node Top
152 @top Debugging with @value{GDBN}
153
154 This file describes @value{GDBN}, the GNU symbolic debugger.
155
156 @c !!set edition, date, version
157 This is Edition 4.07, January 1993, for GDB Version @value{GDBVN}.
158
159 @menu
160 * Summary:: Summary of @value{GDBN}
161 @ifset NOVEL
162 * New Features:: New features since GDB version 3.5
163 @end ifset
164 @ifclear BARETARGET
165 * Sample Session:: A sample @value{GDBN} session
166 @end ifclear
167
168 * Invocation:: Getting in and out of @value{GDBN}
169 * Commands:: @value{GDBN} commands
170 * Running:: Running programs under @value{GDBN}
171 * Stopping:: Stopping and continuing
172 * Stack:: Examining the stack
173 * Source:: Examining source files
174 * Data:: Examining data
175 @ifclear CONLY
176 * Languages:: Using @value{GDBN} with different languages
177 @end ifclear
178 @ifset CONLY
179 * C:: C language support
180 @end ifset
181 @c remnant makeinfo bug, blank line needed after two end-ifs?
182
183 * Symbols:: Examining the symbol table
184 * Altering:: Altering execution
185 * GDB Files:: @value{GDBN} files
186 * Targets:: Specifying a debugging target
187 * Controlling GDB:: Controlling @value{GDBN}
188 * Sequences:: Canned sequences of commands
189 @ifclear DOSHOST
190 * Emacs:: Using @value{GDBN} under GNU Emacs
191 @end ifclear
192
193 * GDB Bugs:: Reporting bugs in @value{GDBN}
194 @ifset NOVEL
195 * Renamed Commands::
196 @end ifset
197 @ifclear PRECONFIGURED
198 * Formatting Documentation:: How to format and print GDB documentation
199 * Installing GDB:: Installing GDB
200 @end ifclear
201 @ifclear AGGLOMERATION
202 * Copying:: GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE
203 @end ifclear
204
205 * Index:: Index
206 @end menu
207 @end ifinfo
208
209 @node Summary
210 @unnumbered Summary of @value{GDBN}
211
212 The purpose of a debugger such as @value{GDBN} is to allow you to see what is
213 going on ``inside'' another program while it executes---or what another
214 program was doing at the moment it crashed.
215
216 @value{GDBN} can do four main kinds of things (plus other things in support of
217 these) to help you catch bugs in the act:
218
219 @itemize @bullet
220 @item
221 Start your program, specifying anything that might affect its behavior.
222
223 @item
224 Make your program stop on specified conditions.
225
226 @item
227 Examine what has happened, when your program has stopped.
228
229 @item
230 Change things in your program, so you can experiment with correcting the
231 effects of one bug and go on to learn about another.
232 @end itemize
233
234 @ifclear CONLY
235 You can use @value{GDBN} to debug programs written in C, C++, and Modula-2.
236 Fortran support will be added when a GNU Fortran compiler is ready.
237 @end ifclear
238
239 @menu
240 * Free Software:: Freely redistributable software
241 * Contributors:: Contributors to GDB
242 @end menu
243
244 @node Free Software
245 @unnumberedsec Free software
246
247 @value{GDBN} is @dfn{free software}, protected by the GNU General Public License
248 (GPL). The GPL gives you the freedom to copy or adapt a licensed
249 program---but every person getting a copy also gets with it the
250 freedom to modify that copy (which means that they must get access to
251 the source code), and the freedom to distribute further copies.
252 Typical software companies use copyrights to limit your freedoms; the
253 Free Software Foundation uses the GPL to preserve these freedoms.
254
255 Fundamentally, the General Public License is a license which says that
256 you have these freedoms and that you cannot take these freedoms away
257 from anyone else.
258
259 @ifclear AGGLOMERATION
260 For full details, @pxref{Copying, ,GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE}.
261 @end ifclear
262
263 @node Contributors
264 @unnumberedsec Contributors to GDB
265
266 Richard Stallman was the original author of GDB, and of many other GNU
267 programs. Many others have contributed to its development. This
268 section attempts to credit major contributors. One of the virtues of
269 free software is that everyone is free to contribute to it; with
270 regret, we cannot actually acknowledge everyone here. The file
271 @file{ChangeLog} in the GDB distribution approximates a blow-by-blow
272 account.
273
274 Changes much prior to version 2.0 are lost in the mists of time.
275
276 @quotation
277 @emph{Plea:} Additions to this section are particularly welcome. If you
278 or your friends (or enemies, to be evenhanded) have been unfairly
279 omitted from this list, we would like to add your names!
280 @end quotation
281
282 So that they may not regard their long labor as thankless, we
283 particularly thank those who shepherded GDB through major releases: Stu
284 Grossman and John Gilmore (releases 4.8, 4.7, 4.6, 4.5, 4.4), John Gilmore
285 (releases 4.3, 4.2, 4.1, 4.0, and 3.9); Jim Kingdon (releases 3.5, 3.4,
286 3.3); and Randy Smith (releases 3.2, 3.1, 3.0). As major maintainer of
287 GDB for some period, each contributed significantly to the structure,
288 stability, and capabilities of the entire debugger.
289
290 Richard Stallman, assisted at various times by Pete TerMaat, Chris
291 Hanson, and Richard Mlynarik, handled releases through 2.8.
292
293 @ifclear CONLY
294 Michael Tiemann is the author of most of the GNU C++ support in GDB,
295 with significant additional contributions from Per Bothner. James
296 Clark wrote the GNU C++ demangler. Early work on C++ was by Peter
297 TerMaat (who also did much general update work leading to release 3.0).
298 @end ifclear
299
300 GDB 4 uses the BFD subroutine library to examine multiple
301 object-file formats; BFD was a joint project of David V.
302 Henkel-Wallace, Rich Pixley, Steve Chamberlain, and John Gilmore.
303
304 David Johnson wrote the original COFF support; Pace Willison did
305 the original support for encapsulated COFF.
306
307 Adam de Boor and Bradley Davis contributed the ISI Optimum V support.
308 Per Bothner, Noboyuki Hikichi, and Alessandro Forin contributed MIPS
309 support. Jean-Daniel Fekete contributed Sun 386i support. Chris
310 Hanson improved the HP9000 support. Noboyuki Hikichi and Tomoyuki
311 Hasei contributed Sony/News OS 3 support. David Johnson contributed
312 Encore Umax support. Jyrki Kuoppala contributed Altos 3068 support.
313 Keith Packard contributed NS32K support. Doug Rabson contributed
314 Acorn Risc Machine support. Chris Smith contributed Convex support
315 (and Fortran debugging). Jonathan Stone contributed Pyramid support.
316 Michael Tiemann contributed SPARC support. Tim Tucker contributed
317 support for the Gould NP1 and Gould Powernode. Pace Willison
318 contributed Intel 386 support. Jay Vosburgh contributed Symmetry
319 support.
320
321 Rich Schaefer and Peter Schauer helped with support of SunOS shared
322 libraries.
323
324 Jay Fenlason and Roland McGrath ensured that GDB and GAS agree about
325 several machine instruction sets.
326
327 Patrick Duval, Ted Goldstein, Vikram Koka and Glenn Engel helped
328 develop remote debugging. Intel Corporation and Wind River Systems
329 contributed remote debugging modules for their products.
330
331 Brian Fox is the author of the readline libraries providing
332 command-line editing and command history.
333
334 Andrew Beers of SUNY Buffalo wrote the language-switching code and
335 the Modula-2 support, and contributed the Languages chapter of this
336 manual.
337
338 Fred Fish wrote most of the support for Unix System Vr4.
339 @ifclear CONLY
340 He also enhanced the command-completion support to cover C++ overloaded
341 symbols.
342 @end ifclear
343
344 Hitachi America, Ltd. sponsored the support for the H8/300 and H8/500.
345
346 @ifset NOVEL
347 @node New Features
348 @unnumbered New Features since GDB Version 3.5
349
350 @table @emph
351 @item Targets
352 Using the new command @code{target}, you can select at runtime whether
353 you are debugging local files, local processes, standalone systems over
354 a serial port, realtime systems over a TCP/IP connection, etc. The
355 command @code{load} can download programs into a remote system. Serial
356 stubs are available for Motorola 680x0, Intel 80386, and Sparc remote
357 systems; GDB also supports debugging realtime processes running under
358 VxWorks, using SunRPC Remote Procedure Calls over TCP/IP to talk to a
359 debugger stub on the target system. Internally, GDB now uses a function
360 vector to mediate access to different targets; if you need to add your
361 own support for a remote protocol, this makes it much easier.
362
363 @item Watchpoints
364 GDB now sports watchpoints as well as breakpoints. You can use a
365 watchpoint to stop execution whenever the value of an expression
366 changes, without having to predict a particular place in your program
367 where this may happen.
368
369 @item Wide Output
370 Commands that issue wide output now insert newlines at places designed
371 to make the output more readable.
372
373 @item Object Code Formats
374 GDB uses a new library called the Binary File Descriptor (BFD)
375 Library to permit it to switch dynamically, without reconfiguration or
376 recompilation, between different object-file formats. Formats currently
377 supported are COFF, a.out, and the Intel 960 b.out; files may be read as
378 .o files, archive libraries, or core dumps. BFD is available as a
379 subroutine library so that other programs may take advantage of it, and
380 the other GNU binary utilities are being converted to use it.
381
382 @item Configuration and Ports
383 Compile-time configuration (to select a particular architecture and
384 operating system) is much easier. The script @code{configure} now
385 allows you to configure GDB as either a native debugger or a
386 cross-debugger. @xref{Installing GDB}, for details on how to
387 configure.
388
389 @item Interaction
390 The user interface to the GDB control variables is simpler,
391 and is consolidated in two commands, @code{set} and @code{show}. Output
392 lines are now broken at readable places, rather than overflowing onto
393 the next line. You can suppress output of machine-level addresses,
394 displaying only source language information.
395
396 @item C++
397 GDB now supports C++ multiple inheritance (if used with a GCC
398 version 2 compiler), and also has limited support for C++ exception
399 handling, with the commands @code{catch} and @code{info catch}: GDB
400 can break when an exception is raised, before the stack is peeled back
401 to the exception handler's context.
402
403 @item Modula-2
404 GDB now has preliminary support for the GNU Modula-2 compiler, currently
405 under development at the State University of New York at Buffalo.
406 Coordinated development of both GDB and the GNU Modula-2 compiler will
407 continue. Other Modula-2 compilers are currently not supported, and
408 attempting to debug programs compiled with them will likely result in an
409 error as the symbol table of the executable is read in.
410
411 @item Command Rationalization
412 Many GDB commands have been renamed to make them easier to remember
413 and use. In particular, the subcommands of @code{info} and
414 @code{show}/@code{set} are grouped to make the former refer to the state
415 of your program, and the latter refer to the state of GDB itself.
416 @xref{Renamed Commands}, for details on what commands were renamed.
417
418 @item Shared Libraries
419 GDB 4 can debug programs and core files that use SunOS, SVR4, or IBM RS/6000
420 shared libraries.
421
422 @item Reference Card
423 GDB 4 has a reference card. @xref{Formatting Documentation,,Formatting
424 the Documentation}, for instructions about how to print it.
425
426 @item Work in Progress
427 Kernel debugging for BSD and Mach systems; Tahoe and HPPA architecture
428 support.
429 @end table
430 @end ifset
431
432 @ifclear BARETARGET
433 @node Sample Session
434 @chapter A Sample @value{GDBN} Session
435
436 You can use this manual at your leisure to read all about @value{GDBN}.
437 However, a handful of commands are enough to get started using the
438 debugger. This chapter illustrates those commands.
439
440 @iftex
441 In this sample session, we emphasize user input like this: @b{input},
442 to make it easier to pick out from the surrounding output.
443 @end iftex
444
445 @c FIXME: this example may not be appropriate for some configs, where
446 @c FIXME...primary interest is in remote use.
447
448 One of the preliminary versions of GNU @code{m4} (a generic macro
449 processor) exhibits the following bug: sometimes, when we change its
450 quote strings from the default, the commands used to capture one macro
451 definition within another stop working. In the following short @code{m4}
452 session, we define a macro @code{foo} which expands to @code{0000}; we
453 then use the @code{m4} built-in @code{defn} to define @code{bar} as the
454 same thing. However, when we change the open quote string to
455 @code{<QUOTE>} and the close quote string to @code{<UNQUOTE>}, the same
456 procedure fails to define a new synonym @code{baz}:
457
458 @smallexample
459 $ @b{cd gnu/m4}
460 $ @b{./m4}
461 @b{define(foo,0000)}
462
463 @b{foo}
464 0000
465 @b{define(bar,defn(`foo'))}
466
467 @b{bar}
468 0000
469 @b{changequote(<QUOTE>,<UNQUOTE>)}
470
471 @b{define(baz,defn(<QUOTE>foo<UNQUOTE>))}
472 @b{baz}
473 @b{C-d}
474 m4: End of input: 0: fatal error: EOF in string
475 @end smallexample
476
477 @noindent
478 Let us use @value{GDBN} to try to see what is going on.
479
480 @smallexample
481 $ @b{@value{GDBP} m4}
482 @c FIXME: this falsifies the exact text played out, to permit smallbook
483 @c FIXME... format to come out better.
484 GDB is free software and you are welcome to distribute copies
485 of it under certain conditions; type "show copying" to see
486 the conditions.
487 There is absolutely no warranty for GDB; type "show warranty"
488 for details.
489 GDB @value{GDBVN}, Copyright 1993 Free Software Foundation, Inc...
490 (@value{GDBP})
491 @end smallexample
492
493 @noindent
494 @value{GDBN} reads only enough symbol data to know where to find the rest when
495 needed; as a result, the first prompt comes up very quickly. We now
496 tell @value{GDBN} to use a narrower display width than usual, so that examples
497 will fit in this manual.
498
499 @smallexample
500 (@value{GDBP}) @b{set width 70}
501 @end smallexample
502
503 @noindent
504 We need to see how the @code{m4} built-in @code{changequote} works.
505 Having looked at the source, we know the relevant subroutine is
506 @code{m4_changequote}, so we set a breakpoint there with the @value{GDBN}
507 @code{break} command.
508
509 @smallexample
510 (@value{GDBP}) @b{break m4_changequote}
511 Breakpoint 1 at 0x62f4: file builtin.c, line 879.
512 @end smallexample
513
514 @noindent
515 Using the @code{run} command, we start @code{m4} running under @value{GDBN}
516 control; as long as control does not reach the @code{m4_changequote}
517 subroutine, the program runs as usual:
518
519 @smallexample
520 (@value{GDBP}) @b{run}
521 Starting program: /work/Editorial/gdb/gnu/m4/m4
522 @b{define(foo,0000)}
523
524 @b{foo}
525 0000
526 @end smallexample
527
528 @noindent
529 To trigger the breakpoint, we call @code{changequote}. @value{GDBN}
530 suspends execution of @code{m4}, displaying information about the
531 context where it stops.
532
533 @smallexample
534 @b{changequote(<QUOTE>,<UNQUOTE>)}
535
536 Breakpoint 1, m4_changequote (argc=3, argv=0x33c70)
537 at builtin.c:879
538 879 if (bad_argc(TOKEN_DATA_TEXT(argv[0]),argc,1,3))
539 @end smallexample
540
541 @noindent
542 Now we use the command @code{n} (@code{next}) to advance execution to
543 the next line of the current function.
544
545 @smallexample
546 (@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
547 882 set_quotes((argc >= 2) ? TOKEN_DATA_TEXT(argv[1])\
548 : nil,
549 @end smallexample
550
551 @noindent
552 @code{set_quotes} looks like a promising subroutine. We can go into it
553 by using the command @code{s} (@code{step}) instead of @code{next}.
554 @code{step} goes to the next line to be executed in @emph{any}
555 subroutine, so it steps into @code{set_quotes}.
556
557 @smallexample
558 (@value{GDBP}) @b{s}
559 set_quotes (lq=0x34c78 "<QUOTE>", rq=0x34c88 "<UNQUOTE>")
560 at input.c:530
561 530 if (lquote != def_lquote)
562 @end smallexample
563
564 @noindent
565 The display that shows the subroutine where @code{m4} is now
566 suspended (and its arguments) is called a stack frame display. It
567 shows a summary of the stack. We can use the @code{backtrace}
568 command (which can also be spelled @code{bt}), to see where we are
569 in the stack as a whole: the @code{backtrace} command displays a
570 stack frame for each active subroutine.
571
572 @smallexample
573 (@value{GDBP}) @b{bt}
574 #0 set_quotes (lq=0x34c78 "<QUOTE>", rq=0x34c88 "<UNQUOTE>")
575 at input.c:530
576 #1 0x6344 in m4_changequote (argc=3, argv=0x33c70)
577 at builtin.c:882
578 #2 0x8174 in expand_macro (sym=0x33320) at macro.c:242
579 #3 0x7a88 in expand_token (obs=0x0, t=209696, td=0xf7fffa30)
580 at macro.c:71
581 #4 0x79dc in expand_input () at macro.c:40
582 #5 0x2930 in main (argc=0, argv=0xf7fffb20) at m4.c:195
583 @end smallexample
584
585 @noindent
586 We will step through a few more lines to see what happens. The first two
587 times, we can use @samp{s}; the next two times we use @code{n} to avoid
588 falling into the @code{xstrdup} subroutine.
589
590 @smallexample
591 (@value{GDBP}) @b{s}
592 0x3b5c 532 if (rquote != def_rquote)
593 (@value{GDBP}) @b{s}
594 0x3b80 535 lquote = (lq == nil || *lq == '\0') ? \
595 def_lquote : xstrdup(lq);
596 (@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
597 536 rquote = (rq == nil || *rq == '\0') ? def_rquote\
598 : xstrdup(rq);
599 (@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
600 538 len_lquote = strlen(rquote);
601 @end smallexample
602
603 @noindent
604 The last line displayed looks a little odd; we can examine the variables
605 @code{lquote} and @code{rquote} to see if they are in fact the new left
606 and right quotes we specified. We use the command @code{p}
607 (@code{print}) to see their values.
608
609 @smallexample
610 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p lquote}
611 $1 = 0x35d40 "<QUOTE>"
612 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p rquote}
613 $2 = 0x35d50 "<UNQUOTE>"
614 @end smallexample
615
616 @noindent
617 @code{lquote} and @code{rquote} are indeed the new left and right quotes.
618 To look at some context, we can display ten lines of source
619 surrounding the current line with the @code{l} (@code{list}) command.
620
621 @smallexample
622 (@value{GDBP}) @b{l}
623 533 xfree(rquote);
624 534
625 535 lquote = (lq == nil || *lq == '\0') ? def_lquote\
626 : xstrdup (lq);
627 536 rquote = (rq == nil || *rq == '\0') ? def_rquote\
628 : xstrdup (rq);
629 537
630 538 len_lquote = strlen(rquote);
631 539 len_rquote = strlen(lquote);
632 540 @}
633 541
634 542 void
635 @end smallexample
636
637 @noindent
638 Let us step past the two lines that set @code{len_lquote} and
639 @code{len_rquote}, and then examine the values of those variables.
640
641 @smallexample
642 (@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
643 539 len_rquote = strlen(lquote);
644 (@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
645 540 @}
646 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p len_lquote}
647 $3 = 9
648 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p len_rquote}
649 $4 = 7
650 @end smallexample
651
652 @noindent
653 That certainly looks wrong, assuming @code{len_lquote} and
654 @code{len_rquote} are meant to be the lengths of @code{lquote} and
655 @code{rquote} respectively. We can set them to better values using
656 the @code{p} command, since it can print the value of
657 any expression---and that expression can include subroutine calls and
658 assignments.
659
660 @smallexample
661 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p len_lquote=strlen(lquote)}
662 $5 = 7
663 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p len_rquote=strlen(rquote)}
664 $6 = 9
665 @end smallexample
666
667 @noindent
668 Is that enough to fix the problem of using the new quotes with the
669 @code{m4} built-in @code{defn}? We can allow @code{m4} to continue
670 executing with the @code{c} (@code{continue}) command, and then try the
671 example that caused trouble initially:
672
673 @smallexample
674 (@value{GDBP}) @b{c}
675 Continuing.
676
677 @b{define(baz,defn(<QUOTE>foo<UNQUOTE>))}
678
679 baz
680 0000
681 @end smallexample
682
683 @noindent
684 Success! The new quotes now work just as well as the default ones. The
685 problem seems to have been just the two typos defining the wrong
686 lengths. We allow @code{m4} exit by giving it an EOF as input:
687
688 @smallexample
689 @b{C-d}
690 Program exited normally.
691 @end smallexample
692
693 @noindent
694 The message @samp{Program exited normally.} is from @value{GDBN}; it
695 indicates @code{m4} has finished executing. We can end our @value{GDBN}
696 session with the @value{GDBN} @code{quit} command.
697
698 @smallexample
699 (@value{GDBP}) @b{quit}
700 @end smallexample
701 @end ifclear
702
703 @node Invocation
704 @chapter Getting In and Out of @value{GDBN}
705
706 This chapter discusses how to start @value{GDBN}, and how to get out of it.
707 (The essentials: type @samp{@value{GDBP}} to start GDB, and type @kbd{quit}
708 or @kbd{C-d} to exit.)
709
710 @menu
711 * Invoking GDB:: How to start @value{GDBN}
712 * Quitting GDB:: How to quit @value{GDBN}
713 @ifclear BARETARGET
714 * Shell Commands:: How to use shell commands inside @value{GDBN}
715 @end ifclear
716 @end menu
717
718 @node Invoking GDB
719 @section Invoking @value{GDBN}
720
721 @ifset HviiiEXCLUSIVE
722 For details on starting up @value{GDBP} as a
723 remote debugger attached to a Hitachi H8/300 or H8/500 board, see @ref{Hitachi
724 H8 Remote,,@value{GDBN} and the Hitachi H8/300 and H8/500}.
725 @end ifset
726
727 Invoke @value{GDBN} by running the program @code{@value{GDBP}}. Once started,
728 @value{GDBN} reads commands from the terminal until you tell it to exit.
729
730 You can also run @code{@value{GDBP}} with a variety of arguments and options,
731 to specify more of your debugging environment at the outset.
732
733 @ifset GENERIC
734 The command-line options described here are designed
735 to cover a variety of situations; in some environments, some of these
736 options may effectively be unavailable.
737 @end ifset
738
739 The most usual way to start @value{GDBN} is with one argument,
740 specifying an executable program:
741
742 @example
743 @value{GDBP} @var{program}
744 @end example
745
746 @ifclear BARETARGET
747 @noindent
748 You can also start with both an executable program and a core file
749 specified:
750
751 @example
752 @value{GDBP} @var{program} @var{core}
753 @end example
754
755 You can, instead, specify a process ID as a second argument, if you want
756 to debug a running process:
757
758 @example
759 @value{GDBP} @var{program} 1234
760 @end example
761
762 @noindent
763 would attach @value{GDBN} to process @code{1234} (unless you also have a file
764 named @file{1234}; @value{GDBN} does check for a core file first).
765
766 Taking advantage of the second command-line argument requires a fairly
767 complete operating system; when you use @value{GDBN} as a remote debugger
768 attached to a bare board, there may not be any notion of ``process'',
769 and there is often no way to get a core dump.
770 @end ifclear
771
772 @noindent
773 You can further control how @value{GDBN} starts up by using command-line
774 options. @value{GDBN} itself can remind you of the options available.
775
776 @noindent
777 Type
778
779 @example
780 @value{GDBP} -help
781 @end example
782
783 @noindent
784 to display all available options and briefly describe their use
785 (@samp{@value{GDBP} -h} is a shorter equivalent).
786
787 All options and command line arguments you give are processed
788 in sequential order. The order makes a difference when the
789 @samp{-x} option is used.
790
791
792 @menu
793 @ifclear GENERIC
794 @ifset REMOTESTUB
795 * Remote Serial:: @value{GDBN} remote serial protocol
796 @end ifset
797 @ifset Icmlx
798 * i960-Nindy Remote:: @value{GDBN} with a remote i960 (Nindy)
799 @end ifset
800 @ifset AMDxxixK
801 * UDI29K Remote:: @value{GDBN} and the UDI protocol for AMD29K
802 * EB29K Remote:: @value{GDBN} with a remote EB29K
803 @end ifset
804 @ifset VXWORKS
805 * VxWorks Remote:: @value{GDBN} and VxWorks
806 @end ifset
807 @ifset STmm
808 * ST2000 Remote:: @value{GDBN} with a Tandem ST2000
809 @end ifset
810 @ifset Hviii
811 * Hitachi H8 Remote:: @value{GDBN} and the Hitachi H8/300 and H8/500
812 @end ifset
813 @ifset SIMS
814 * Simulator:: Simulated CPU target
815 @end ifset
816 @end ifclear
817 @c remnant makeinfo bug requires this blank line after *two* end-ifblahs:
818
819 * File Options:: Choosing files
820 * Mode Options:: Choosing modes
821 @end menu
822
823 @ifclear GENERIC
824 @include gdbinv-s.texi
825 @end ifclear
826
827 @node File Options
828 @subsection Choosing files
829
830 @ifclear BARETARGET
831 When @value{GDBN} starts, it reads any arguments other than options as
832 specifying an executable file and core file (or process ID). This is
833 the same as if the arguments were specified by the @samp{-se} and
834 @samp{-c} options respectively. (@value{GDBN} reads the first argument
835 that does not have an associated option flag as equivalent to the
836 @samp{-se} option followed by that argument; and the second argument
837 that does not have an associated option flag, if any, as equivalent to
838 the @samp{-c} option followed by that argument.)
839 @end ifclear
840 @ifset BARETARGET
841 When @value{GDBN} starts, it reads any argument other than options as
842 specifying an executable file. This is the same as if the argument was
843 specified by the @samp{-se} option.
844 @end ifset
845
846 Many options have both long and short forms; both are shown in the
847 following list. @value{GDBN} also recognizes the long forms if you truncate
848 them, so long as enough of the option is present to be unambiguous.
849 (If you prefer, you can flag option arguments with @samp{--} rather
850 than @samp{-}, though we illustrate the more usual convention.)
851
852 @table @code
853 @item -symbols=@var{file}
854 @itemx -s @var{file}
855 Read symbol table from file @var{file}.
856
857 @item -exec=@var{file}
858 @itemx -e @var{file}
859 Use file @var{file} as the executable file to execute when
860 @ifset BARETARGET
861 appropriate.
862 @end ifset
863 @ifclear BARETARGET
864 appropriate, and for examining pure data in conjunction with a core
865 dump.
866 @end ifclear
867
868 @item -se=@var{file}
869 Read symbol table from file @var{file} and use it as the executable
870 file.
871
872 @ifclear BARETARGET
873 @item -core=@var{file}
874 @itemx -c @var{file}
875 Use file @var{file} as a core dump to examine.
876 @end ifclear
877
878 @item -command=@var{file}
879 @itemx -x @var{file}
880 Execute @value{GDBN} commands from file @var{file}. @xref{Command
881 Files,, Command files}.
882
883 @item -directory=@var{directory}
884 @itemx -d @var{directory}
885 Add @var{directory} to the path to search for source files.
886
887 @ifclear BARETARGET
888 @item -m
889 @itemx -mapped
890 @emph{Warning: this option depends on operating system facilities that are not
891 supported on all systems.}@*
892 If memory-mapped files are available on your system through the @code{mmap}
893 system call, you can use this option
894 to have @value{GDBN} write the symbols from your
895 program into a reusable file in the current directory. If the program you are debugging is
896 called @file{/tmp/fred}, the mapped symbol file will be @file{./fred.syms}.
897 Future @value{GDBN} debugging sessions will notice the presence of this file,
898 and will quickly map in symbol information from it, rather than reading
899 the symbol table from the executable program.
900
901 @c FIXME! Really host, not target?
902 The @file{.syms} file is specific to the host machine where @value{GDBN}
903 is run. It holds an exact image of the internal @value{GDBN} symbol
904 table. It cannot be shared across multiple host platforms.
905 @end ifclear
906
907 @item -r
908 @itemx -readnow
909 Read each symbol file's entire symbol table immediately, rather than
910 the default, which is to read it incrementally as it is needed.
911 This makes startup slower, but makes future operations faster.
912 @end table
913
914 @ifclear BARETARGET
915 The @code{-mapped} and @code{-readnow} options are typically combined in
916 order to build a @file{.syms} file that contains complete symbol
917 information. (@xref{Files,,Commands to specify files}, for information
918 on @file{.syms} files.) A simple GDB invocation to do nothing but build
919 a @file{.syms} file for future use is:
920
921 @example
922 gdb -batch -nx -mapped -readnow programname
923 @end example
924 @end ifclear
925
926 @node Mode Options
927 @subsection Choosing modes
928
929 You can run @value{GDBN} in various alternative modes---for example, in
930 batch mode or quiet mode.
931
932 @table @code
933 @item -nx
934 @itemx -n
935 Do not execute commands from any @file{@value{GDBINIT}} initialization files.
936 Normally, the commands in these files are executed after all the
937 command options and arguments have been processed.
938 @xref{Command Files,,Command files}.
939
940 @item -quiet
941 @itemx -q
942 ``Quiet''. Do not print the introductory and copyright messages. These
943 messages are also suppressed in batch mode.
944
945 @item -batch
946 Run in batch mode. Exit with status @code{0} after processing all the command
947 files specified with @samp{-x} (and @file{@value{GDBINIT}}, if not inhibited).
948 Exit with nonzero status if an error occurs in executing the @value{GDBN}
949 commands in the command files.
950
951 Batch mode may be useful for running @value{GDBN} as a filter, for example to
952 download and run a program on another computer; in order to make this
953 more useful, the message
954
955 @example
956 Program exited normally.
957 @end example
958
959 @noindent
960 (which is ordinarily issued whenever a program running under @value{GDBN} control
961 terminates) is not issued when running in batch mode.
962
963 @item -cd=@var{directory}
964 Run @value{GDBN} using @var{directory} as its working directory,
965 instead of the current directory.
966
967 @ifset LUCID
968 @item -context @var{authentication}
969 When the Energize programming system starts up @value{GDBN}, it uses this
970 option to trigger an alternate mode of interaction.
971 @var{authentication} is a pair of numeric codes that identify @value{GDBN}
972 as a client in the Energize environment. Avoid this option when you run
973 @value{GDBN} directly from the command line. See @ref{Energize,,Using
974 @value{GDBN} with Energize} for more discussion of using @value{GDBN} with Energize.
975 @end ifset
976
977 @ifclear DOSHOST
978 @item -fullname
979 @itemx -f
980 Emacs sets this option when it runs @value{GDBN} as a subprocess. It tells @value{GDBN}
981 to output the full file name and line number in a standard,
982 recognizable fashion each time a stack frame is displayed (which
983 includes each time your program stops). This recognizable format looks
984 like two @samp{\032} characters, followed by the file name, line number
985 and character position separated by colons, and a newline. The
986 Emacs-to-@value{GDBN} interface program uses the two @samp{\032} characters as
987 a signal to display the source code for the frame.
988 @end ifclear
989
990 @ifset SERIAL
991 @item -b @var{bps}
992 Set the line speed (baud rate or bits per second) of any serial
993 interface used by @value{GDBN} for remote debugging.
994
995 @item -tty=@var{device}
996 Run using @var{device} for your program's standard input and output.
997 @c FIXME: kingdon thinks there is more to -tty. Investigate.
998 @end ifset
999 @end table
1000
1001 @node Quitting GDB
1002 @section Quitting @value{GDBN}
1003 @cindex exiting @value{GDBN}
1004 @cindex leaving @value{GDBN}
1005
1006 @table @code
1007 @item quit
1008 @kindex quit
1009 @kindex q
1010 To exit @value{GDBN}, use the @code{quit} command (abbreviated @code{q}), or type
1011 an end-of-file character (usually @kbd{C-d}).
1012 @end table
1013
1014 @cindex interrupt
1015 An interrupt (often @kbd{C-c}) will not exit from @value{GDBN}, but rather
1016 will terminate the action of any @value{GDBN} command that is in progress and
1017 return to @value{GDBN} command level. It is safe to type the interrupt
1018 character at any time because @value{GDBN} does not allow it to take effect
1019 until a time when it is safe.
1020
1021 @ifclear BARETARGET
1022 If you have been using @value{GDBN} to control an attached process or
1023 device, you can release it with the @code{detach} command
1024 (@pxref{Attach, ,Debugging an already-running process}).
1025 @end ifclear
1026
1027 @ifclear BARETARGET
1028 @node Shell Commands
1029 @section Shell commands
1030
1031 If you need to execute occasional shell commands during your
1032 debugging session, there is no need to leave or suspend @value{GDBN}; you can
1033 just use the @code{shell} command.
1034
1035 @table @code
1036 @item shell @var{command string}
1037 @kindex shell
1038 @cindex shell escape
1039 Directs @value{GDBN} to invoke an inferior shell to execute @var{command
1040 string}. If it exists, the environment variable @code{SHELL} is used
1041 for the name of the shell to run. Otherwise @value{GDBN} uses
1042 @code{/bin/sh}.
1043 @end table
1044
1045 The utility @code{make} is often needed in development environments.
1046 You do not have to use the @code{shell} command for this purpose in @value{GDBN}:
1047
1048 @table @code
1049 @item make @var{make-args}
1050 @kindex make
1051 @cindex calling make
1052 Causes @value{GDBN} to execute an inferior @code{make} program with the specified
1053 arguments. This is equivalent to @samp{shell make @var{make-args}}.
1054 @end table
1055 @end ifclear
1056
1057 @node Commands
1058 @chapter @value{GDBN} Commands
1059
1060 You can abbreviate a @value{GDBN} command to the first few letters of the command
1061 name, if that abbreviation is unambiguous; and you can repeat certain
1062 @value{GDBN} commands by typing just @key{RET}. You can also use the @key{TAB}
1063 key to get @value{GDBN} to fill out the rest of a word in a command (or to
1064 show you the alternatives available, if there is more than one possibility).
1065
1066 @menu
1067 * Command Syntax:: How to give commands to @value{GDBN}
1068 * Completion:: Command completion
1069 * Help:: How to ask @value{GDBN} for help
1070 @end menu
1071
1072 @node Command Syntax
1073 @section Command syntax
1074
1075 A @value{GDBN} command is a single line of input. There is no limit on
1076 how long it can be. It starts with a command name, which is followed by
1077 arguments whose meaning depends on the command name. For example, the
1078 command @code{step} accepts an argument which is the number of times to
1079 step, as in @samp{step 5}. You can also use the @code{step} command
1080 with no arguments. Some command names do not allow any arguments.
1081
1082 @cindex abbreviation
1083 @value{GDBN} command names may always be truncated if that abbreviation is
1084 unambiguous. Other possible command abbreviations are listed in the
1085 documentation for individual commands. In some cases, even ambiguous
1086 abbreviations are allowed; for example, @code{s} is specially defined as
1087 equivalent to @code{step} even though there are other commands whose
1088 names start with @code{s}. You can test abbreviations by using them as
1089 arguments to the @code{help} command.
1090
1091 @cindex repeating commands
1092 @kindex RET
1093 A blank line as input to @value{GDBN} (typing just @key{RET}) means to
1094 repeat the previous command. Certain commands (for example, @code{run})
1095 will not repeat this way; these are commands for which unintentional
1096 repetition might cause trouble and which you are unlikely to want to
1097 repeat.
1098
1099 The @code{list} and @code{x} commands, when you repeat them with
1100 @key{RET}, construct new arguments rather than repeating
1101 exactly as typed. This permits easy scanning of source or memory.
1102
1103 @value{GDBN} can also use @key{RET} in another way: to partition lengthy
1104 output, in a way similar to the common utility @code{more}
1105 (@pxref{Screen Size,,Screen size}). Since it is easy to press one
1106 @key{RET} too many in this situation, @value{GDBN} disables command
1107 repetition after any command that generates this sort of display.
1108
1109 @kindex #
1110 @cindex comment
1111 Any text from a @kbd{#} to the end of the line is a comment; it does
1112 nothing. This is useful mainly in command files (@pxref{Command
1113 Files,,Command files}).
1114
1115 @node Completion
1116 @section Command completion
1117
1118 @cindex completion
1119 @cindex word completion
1120 @value{GDBN} can fill in the rest of a word in a command for you, if there is
1121 only one possibility; it can also show you what the valid possibilities
1122 are for the next word in a command, at any time. This works for @value{GDBN}
1123 commands, @value{GDBN} subcommands, and the names of symbols in your program.
1124
1125 Press the @key{TAB} key whenever you want @value{GDBN} to fill out the rest
1126 of a word. If there is only one possibility, @value{GDBN} will fill in the
1127 word, and wait for you to finish the command (or press @key{RET} to
1128 enter it). For example, if you type
1129
1130 @c FIXME "@key" does not distinguish its argument sufficiently to permit
1131 @c complete accuracy in these examples; space introduced for clarity.
1132 @c If texinfo enhancements make it unnecessary, it would be nice to
1133 @c replace " @key" by "@key" in the following...
1134 @example
1135 (@value{GDBP}) info bre @key{TAB}
1136 @end example
1137
1138 @noindent
1139 @value{GDBN} fills in the rest of the word @samp{breakpoints}, since that is
1140 the only @code{info} subcommand beginning with @samp{bre}:
1141
1142 @example
1143 (@value{GDBP}) info breakpoints
1144 @end example
1145
1146 @noindent
1147 You can either press @key{RET} at this point, to run the @code{info
1148 breakpoints} command, or backspace and enter something else, if
1149 @samp{breakpoints} does not look like the command you expected. (If you
1150 were sure you wanted @code{info breakpoints} in the first place, you
1151 might as well just type @key{RET} immediately after @samp{info bre},
1152 to exploit command abbreviations rather than command completion).
1153
1154 If there is more than one possibility for the next word when you press
1155 @key{TAB}, @value{GDBN} will sound a bell. You can either supply more
1156 characters and try again, or just press @key{TAB} a second time, and
1157 @value{GDBN} will display all the possible completions for that word. For
1158 example, you might want to set a breakpoint on a subroutine whose name
1159 begins with @samp{make_}, but when you type @kbd{b make_@key{TAB}} @value{GDBN}
1160 just sounds the bell. Typing @key{TAB} again will display all the
1161 function names in your program that begin with those characters, for
1162 example:
1163
1164 @example
1165 (@value{GDBP}) b make_ @key{TAB}
1166 @exdent @value{GDBN} sounds bell; press @key{TAB} again, to see:
1167 make_a_section_from_file make_environ
1168 make_abs_section make_function_type
1169 make_blockvector make_pointer_type
1170 make_cleanup make_reference_type
1171 make_command make_symbol_completion_list
1172 (@value{GDBP}) b make_
1173 @end example
1174
1175 @noindent
1176 After displaying the available possibilities, @value{GDBN} copies your
1177 partial input (@samp{b make_} in the example) so you can finish the
1178 command.
1179
1180 If you just want to see the list of alternatives in the first place, you
1181 can press @kbd{M-?} rather than pressing @key{TAB} twice. @kbd{M-?}
1182 means @kbd{@key{META} ?}. You can type this
1183 @ifclear DOSHOST
1184 either by holding down a
1185 key designated as the @key{META} shift on your keyboard (if there is
1186 one) while typing @kbd{?}, or
1187 @end ifclear
1188 as @key{ESC} followed by @kbd{?}.
1189
1190 @cindex quotes in commands
1191 @cindex completion of quoted strings
1192 Sometimes the string you need, while logically a ``word'', may contain
1193 parentheses or other characters that @value{GDBN} normally excludes from its
1194 notion of a word. To permit word completion to work in this situation,
1195 you may enclose words in @code{'} (single quote marks) in @value{GDBN} commands.
1196
1197 @ifclear CONLY
1198 The most likely situation where you might need this is in typing the
1199 name of a C++ function. This is because C++ allows function overloading
1200 (multiple definitions of the same function, distinguished by argument
1201 type). For example, when you want to set a breakpoint you may need to
1202 distinguish whether you mean the version of @code{name} that takes an
1203 @code{int} parameter, @code{name(int)}, or the version that takes a
1204 @code{float} parameter, @code{name(float)}. To use the word-completion
1205 facilities in this situation, type a single quote @code{'} at the
1206 beginning of the function name. This alerts @value{GDBN} that it may need to
1207 consider more information than usual when you press @key{TAB} or
1208 @kbd{M-?} to request word completion:
1209
1210 @example
1211 (@value{GDBP}) b 'bubble( @key{M-?}
1212 bubble(double,double) bubble(int,int)
1213 (@value{GDBP}) b 'bubble(
1214 @end example
1215
1216 In some cases, @value{GDBN} can tell that completing a name will require
1217 quotes. When this happens, @value{GDBN} will insert the quote for you (while
1218 completing as much as it can) if you do not type the quote in the first
1219 place:
1220
1221 @example
1222 (@value{GDBP}) b bub @key{TAB}
1223 @exdent @value{GDBN} alters your input line to the following, and rings a bell:
1224 (@value{GDBP}) b 'bubble(
1225 @end example
1226
1227 @noindent
1228 In general, @value{GDBN} can tell that a quote is needed (and inserts it) if
1229 you have not yet started typing the argument list when you ask for
1230 completion on an overloaded symbol.
1231 @end ifclear
1232
1233
1234 @node Help
1235 @section Getting help
1236 @cindex online documentation
1237 @kindex help
1238
1239 You can always ask @value{GDBN} itself for information on its commands, using the
1240 command @code{help}.
1241
1242 @table @code
1243 @item help
1244 @itemx h
1245 @kindex h
1246 You can use @code{help} (abbreviated @code{h}) with no arguments to
1247 display a short list of named classes of commands:
1248
1249 @smallexample
1250 (@value{GDBP}) help
1251 List of classes of commands:
1252
1253 running -- Running the program
1254 stack -- Examining the stack
1255 data -- Examining data
1256 breakpoints -- Making program stop at certain points
1257 files -- Specifying and examining files
1258 status -- Status inquiries
1259 support -- Support facilities
1260 user-defined -- User-defined commands
1261 aliases -- Aliases of other commands
1262 obscure -- Obscure features
1263
1264 Type "help" followed by a class name for a list of
1265 commands in that class.
1266 Type "help" followed by command name for full
1267 documentation.
1268 Command name abbreviations are allowed if unambiguous.
1269 (@value{GDBP})
1270 @end smallexample
1271
1272 @item help @var{class}
1273 Using one of the general help classes as an argument, you can get a
1274 list of the individual commands in that class. For example, here is the
1275 help display for the class @code{status}:
1276
1277 @smallexample
1278 (@value{GDBP}) help status
1279 Status inquiries.
1280
1281 List of commands:
1282
1283 @c Line break in "show" line falsifies real output, but needed
1284 @c to fit in smallbook page size.
1285 show -- Generic command for showing things set
1286 with "set"
1287 info -- Generic command for printing status
1288
1289 Type "help" followed by command name for full
1290 documentation.
1291 Command name abbreviations are allowed if unambiguous.
1292 (@value{GDBP})
1293 @end smallexample
1294
1295 @item help @var{command}
1296 With a command name as @code{help} argument, @value{GDBN} will display a
1297 short paragraph on how to use that command.
1298 @end table
1299
1300 In addition to @code{help}, you can use the @value{GDBN} commands @code{info}
1301 and @code{show} to inquire about the state of your program, or the state
1302 of @value{GDBN} itself. Each command supports many topics of inquiry; this
1303 manual introduces each of them in the appropriate context. The listings
1304 under @code{info} and under @code{show} in the Index point to
1305 all the sub-commands. @xref{Index}.
1306
1307 @c @group
1308 @table @code
1309 @item info
1310 @kindex info
1311 @kindex i
1312 This command (abbreviated @code{i}) is for describing the state of your
1313 program. For example, you can list the arguments given to your program
1314 with @code{info args}, list the registers currently in use with @code{info
1315 registers}, or list the breakpoints you have set with @code{info breakpoints}.
1316 You can get a complete list of the @code{info} sub-commands with
1317 @w{@code{help info}}.
1318
1319 @kindex show
1320 @item show
1321 In contrast, @code{show} is for describing the state of @value{GDBN} itself.
1322 You can change most of the things you can @code{show}, by using the
1323 related command @code{set}; for example, you can control what number
1324 system is used for displays with @code{set radix}, or simply inquire
1325 which is currently in use with @code{show radix}.
1326
1327 @kindex info set
1328 To display all the settable parameters and their current
1329 values, you can use @code{show} with no arguments; you may also use
1330 @code{info set}. Both commands produce the same display.
1331 @c FIXME: "info set" violates the rule that "info" is for state of
1332 @c FIXME...program. Ck w/ GNU: "info set" to be called something else,
1333 @c FIXME...or change desc of rule---eg "state of prog and debugging session"?
1334 @end table
1335 @c @end group
1336
1337 Here are three miscellaneous @code{show} subcommands, all of which are
1338 exceptional in lacking corresponding @code{set} commands:
1339
1340 @table @code
1341 @kindex show version
1342 @cindex version number
1343 @item show version
1344 Show what version of @value{GDBN} is running. You should include this
1345 information in @value{GDBN} bug-reports. If multiple versions of @value{GDBN} are in
1346 use at your site, you may occasionally want to determine which version
1347 of @value{GDBN} you are running; as @value{GDBN} evolves, new commands are introduced,
1348 and old ones may wither away. The version number is also announced
1349 when you start @value{GDBN} with no arguments.
1350
1351 @kindex show copying
1352 @item show copying
1353 Display information about permission for copying @value{GDBN}.
1354
1355 @kindex show warranty
1356 @item show warranty
1357 Display the GNU ``NO WARRANTY'' statement.
1358 @end table
1359
1360 @node Running
1361 @chapter Running Programs Under @value{GDBN}
1362
1363 When you run a program under @value{GDBN}, you must first generate
1364 debugging information when you compile it.
1365 @ifclear BARETARGET
1366 You may start it with its arguments, if any, in an environment of your
1367 choice. You may redirect your program's input and output, debug an
1368 already running process, or kill a child process.
1369 @end ifclear
1370
1371 @menu
1372 * Compilation:: Compiling for debugging
1373 * Starting:: Starting your program
1374 @ifclear BARETARGET
1375 * Arguments:: Your program's arguments
1376 * Environment:: Your program's environment
1377 * Working Directory:: Your program's working directory
1378 * Input/Output:: Your program's input and output
1379 * Attach:: Debugging an already-running process
1380 * Kill Process:: Killing the child process
1381 * Process Information:: Additional process information
1382 @end ifclear
1383 @end menu
1384
1385 @node Compilation
1386 @section Compiling for debugging
1387
1388 In order to debug a program effectively, you need to generate
1389 debugging information when you compile it. This debugging information
1390 is stored in the object file; it describes the data type of each
1391 variable or function and the correspondence between source line numbers
1392 and addresses in the executable code.
1393
1394 To request debugging information, specify the @samp{-g} option when you run
1395 the compiler.
1396
1397 Many C compilers are unable to handle the @samp{-g} and @samp{-O}
1398 options together. Using those compilers, you cannot generate optimized
1399 executables containing debugging information.
1400
1401 @value{NGCC}, the GNU C compiler, supports @samp{-g} with or without
1402 @samp{-O}, making it possible to debug optimized code. We recommend
1403 that you @emph{always} use @samp{-g} whenever you compile a program.
1404 You may think your program is correct, but there is no sense in pushing
1405 your luck.
1406
1407 @cindex optimized code, debugging
1408 @cindex debugging optimized code
1409 When you debug a program compiled with @samp{-g -O}, remember that the
1410 optimizer is rearranging your code; the debugger will show you what is
1411 really there. Do not be too surprised when the execution path does not
1412 exactly match your source file! An extreme example: if you define a
1413 variable, but never use it, @value{GDBN} will never see that
1414 variable---because the compiler optimizes it out of existence.
1415
1416 Some things do not work as well with @samp{-g -O} as with just
1417 @samp{-g}, particularly on machines with instruction scheduling. If in
1418 doubt, recompile with @samp{-g} alone, and if this fixes the problem,
1419 please report it as a bug (including a test case!).
1420
1421 Older versions of the GNU C compiler permitted a variant option
1422 @w{@samp{-gg}} for debugging information. @value{GDBN} no longer supports this
1423 format; if your GNU C compiler has this option, do not use it.
1424
1425 @ignore
1426 @comment As far as I know, there are no cases in which @value{GDBN} will
1427 @comment produce strange output in this case. (but no promises).
1428 If your program includes archives made with the @code{ar} program, and
1429 if the object files used as input to @code{ar} were compiled without the
1430 @samp{-g} option and have names longer than 15 characters, @value{GDBN} will get
1431 confused reading your program's symbol table. No error message will be
1432 given, but @value{GDBN} may behave strangely. The reason for this problem is a
1433 deficiency in the Unix archive file format, which cannot represent file
1434 names longer than 15 characters.
1435
1436 To avoid this problem, compile the archive members with the @samp{-g}
1437 option or use shorter file names. Alternatively, use a version of GNU
1438 @code{ar} dated more recently than August 1989.
1439 @end ignore
1440
1441 @node Starting
1442 @section Starting your program
1443 @cindex starting
1444 @cindex running
1445
1446 @table @code
1447 @item run
1448 @itemx r
1449 @kindex run
1450 Use the @code{run} command to start your program under @value{GDBN}. You must
1451 first specify the program name
1452 @ifset VXWORKS
1453 (except on VxWorks)
1454 @end ifset
1455 with an argument to @value{GDBN} (@pxref{Invocation, ,Getting In and
1456 Out of @value{GDBN}}), or by using the @code{file} or @code{exec-file}
1457 command (@pxref{Files, ,Commands to specify files}).
1458
1459 @end table
1460
1461 @ifclear BARETARGET
1462 If you are running your program in an execution environment that
1463 supports processes, @code{run} creates an inferior process and makes
1464 that process run your program. (In environments without processes,
1465 @code{run} jumps to the start of your program.)
1466
1467 The execution of a program is affected by certain information it
1468 receives from its superior. @value{GDBN} provides ways to specify this
1469 information, which you must do @emph{before} starting your program. (You
1470 can change it after starting your program, but such changes will only affect
1471 your program the next time you start it.) This information may be
1472 divided into four categories:
1473
1474 @table @asis
1475 @item The @emph{arguments.}
1476 Specify the arguments to give your program as the arguments of the
1477 @code{run} command. If a shell is available on your target, the shell
1478 is used to pass the arguments, so that you may use normal conventions
1479 (such as wildcard expansion or variable substitution) in describing
1480 the arguments. In Unix systems, you can control which shell is used
1481 with the @code{SHELL} environment variable. @xref{Arguments, ,Your
1482 program's arguments}.
1483
1484 @item The @emph{environment.}
1485 Your program normally inherits its environment from @value{GDBN}, but you can
1486 use the @value{GDBN} commands @code{set environment} and @code{unset
1487 environment} to change parts of the environment that will be given to
1488 your program. @xref{Environment, ,Your program's environment}.
1489
1490 @item The @emph{working directory.}
1491 Your program inherits its working directory from @value{GDBN}. You can set
1492 the @value{GDBN} working directory with the @code{cd} command in @value{GDBN}.
1493 @xref{Working Directory, ,Your program's working directory}.
1494
1495 @item The @emph{standard input and output.}
1496 Your program normally uses the same device for standard input and
1497 standard output as @value{GDBN} is using. You can redirect input and output
1498 in the @code{run} command line, or you can use the @code{tty} command to
1499 set a different device for your program.
1500 @xref{Input/Output, ,Your program's input and output}.
1501
1502 @cindex pipes
1503 @emph{Warning:} While input and output redirection work, you cannot use
1504 pipes to pass the output of the program you are debugging to another
1505 program; if you attempt this, @value{GDBN} is likely to wind up debugging the
1506 wrong program.
1507 @end table
1508 @end ifclear
1509
1510 When you issue the @code{run} command, your program begins to execute
1511 immediately. @xref{Stopping, ,Stopping and continuing}, for discussion
1512 of how to arrange for your program to stop. Once your program has
1513 stopped, you may calls functions in your program, using the @code{print}
1514 or @code{call} commands. @xref{Data, ,Examining Data}.
1515
1516 If the modification time of your symbol file has changed since the
1517 last time @value{GDBN} read its symbols, @value{GDBN} will discard its symbol table and
1518 re-read it. When it does this, @value{GDBN} tries to retain your current
1519 breakpoints.
1520
1521 @ifclear BARETARGET
1522 @node Arguments
1523 @section Your program's arguments
1524
1525 @cindex arguments (to your program)
1526 The arguments to your program can be specified by the arguments of the
1527 @code{run} command. They are passed to a shell, which expands wildcard
1528 characters and performs redirection of I/O, and thence to your program.
1529 @value{GDBN} uses the shell indicated by your @code{SHELL} environment
1530 variable if it exists; otherwise, @value{GDBN} uses @code{/bin/sh}.
1531
1532 @code{run} with no arguments uses the same arguments used by the previous
1533 @code{run}, or those set by the @code{set args} command.
1534
1535 @kindex set args
1536 @table @code
1537 @item set args
1538 Specify the arguments to be used the next time your program is run. If
1539 @code{set args} has no arguments, @code{run} will execute your program
1540 with no arguments. Once you have run your program with arguments,
1541 using @code{set args} before the next @code{run} is the only way to run
1542 it again without arguments.
1543
1544 @item show args
1545 @kindex show args
1546 Show the arguments to give your program when it is started.
1547 @end table
1548
1549 @node Environment
1550 @section Your program's environment
1551
1552 @cindex environment (of your program)
1553 The @dfn{environment} consists of a set of environment variables and
1554 their values. Environment variables conventionally record such things as
1555 your user name, your home directory, your terminal type, and your search
1556 path for programs to run. Usually you set up environment variables with
1557 the shell and they are inherited by all the other programs you run. When
1558 debugging, it can be useful to try running your program with a modified
1559 environment without having to start @value{GDBN} over again.
1560
1561 @table @code
1562 @item path @var{directory}
1563 @kindex path
1564 Add @var{directory} to the front of the @code{PATH} environment variable
1565 (the search path for executables), for both @value{GDBN} and your program.
1566 You may specify several directory names, separated by @samp{:} or
1567 whitespace. If @var{directory} is already in the path, it is moved to
1568 the front, so it will be searched sooner.
1569
1570 You can use the string @samp{$cwd} to refer to whatever is the current
1571 working directory at the time @value{GDBN} searches the path. If you use
1572 @samp{.} instead, it refers to the directory where you executed the
1573 @code{path} command. @value{GDBN} fills in the current path where needed in
1574 the @var{directory} argument, before adding it to the search path.
1575 @c 'path' is explicitly nonrepeatable, but RMS points out it is silly to
1576 @c document that, since repeating it would be a no-op.
1577
1578 @item show paths
1579 @kindex show paths
1580 Display the list of search paths for executables (the @code{PATH}
1581 environment variable).
1582
1583 @item show environment @r{[}@var{varname}@r{]}
1584 @kindex show environment
1585 Print the value of environment variable @var{varname} to be given to
1586 your program when it starts. If you do not supply @var{varname},
1587 print the names and values of all environment variables to be given to
1588 your program. You can abbreviate @code{environment} as @code{env}.
1589
1590 @item set environment @var{varname} @r{[}=@r{]} @var{value}
1591 @kindex set environment
1592 Set environment variable @var{varname} to @var{value}. The value
1593 changes for your program only, not for @value{GDBN} itself. @var{value} may
1594 be any string; the values of environment variables are just strings, and
1595 any interpretation is supplied by your program itself. The @var{value}
1596 parameter is optional; if it is eliminated, the variable is set to a
1597 null value.
1598 @c "any string" here does not include leading, trailing
1599 @c blanks. Gnu asks: does anyone care?
1600
1601 For example, this command:
1602
1603 @example
1604 set env USER = foo
1605 @end example
1606
1607 @noindent
1608 tells a Unix program, when subsequently run, that its user is named
1609 @samp{foo}. (The spaces around @samp{=} are used for clarity here; they
1610 are not actually required.)
1611
1612 @item unset environment @var{varname}
1613 @kindex unset environment
1614 Remove variable @var{varname} from the environment to be passed to your
1615 program. This is different from @samp{set env @var{varname} =};
1616 @code{unset environment} removes the variable from the environment,
1617 rather than assigning it an empty value.
1618 @end table
1619
1620 @node Working Directory
1621 @section Your program's working directory
1622
1623 @cindex working directory (of your program)
1624 Each time you start your program with @code{run}, it inherits its
1625 working directory from the current working directory of @value{GDBN}.
1626 The @value{GDBN} working directory is initially whatever it inherited
1627 from its parent process (typically the shell), but you can specify a new
1628 working directory in @value{GDBN} with the @code{cd} command.
1629
1630 The @value{GDBN} working directory also serves as a default for the commands
1631 that specify files for @value{GDBN} to operate on. @xref{Files, ,Commands to
1632 specify files}.
1633
1634 @table @code
1635 @item cd @var{directory}
1636 @kindex cd
1637 Set the @value{GDBN} working directory to @var{directory}.
1638
1639 @item pwd
1640 @kindex pwd
1641 Print the @value{GDBN} working directory.
1642 @end table
1643
1644 @node Input/Output
1645 @section Your program's input and output
1646
1647 @cindex redirection
1648 @cindex i/o
1649 @cindex terminal
1650 By default, the program you run under @value{GDBN} does input and output to
1651 the same terminal that @value{GDBN} uses. @value{GDBN} switches the terminal to
1652 its own terminal modes to interact with you, but it records the terminal
1653 modes your program was using and switches back to them when you continue
1654 running your program.
1655
1656 @table @code
1657 @item info terminal
1658 @kindex info terminal
1659 Displays information recorded by @value{GDBN} about the terminal modes your
1660 program is using.
1661 @end table
1662
1663 You can redirect your program's input and/or output using shell
1664 redirection with the @code{run} command. For example,
1665
1666 @example
1667 run > outfile
1668 @end example
1669
1670 @noindent
1671 starts your program, diverting its output to the file @file{outfile}.
1672
1673 @kindex tty
1674 @cindex controlling terminal
1675 Another way to specify where your program should do input and output is
1676 with the @code{tty} command. This command accepts a file name as
1677 argument, and causes this file to be the default for future @code{run}
1678 commands. It also resets the controlling terminal for the child
1679 process, for future @code{run} commands. For example,
1680
1681 @example
1682 tty /dev/ttyb
1683 @end example
1684
1685 @noindent
1686 directs that processes started with subsequent @code{run} commands
1687 default to do input and output on the terminal @file{/dev/ttyb} and have
1688 that as their controlling terminal.
1689
1690 An explicit redirection in @code{run} overrides the @code{tty} command's
1691 effect on the input/output device, but not its effect on the controlling
1692 terminal.
1693
1694 When you use the @code{tty} command or redirect input in the @code{run}
1695 command, only the input @emph{for your program} is affected. The input
1696 for @value{GDBN} still comes from your terminal.
1697
1698 @node Attach
1699 @section Debugging an already-running process
1700 @kindex attach
1701 @cindex attach
1702
1703 @table @code
1704 @item attach @var{process-id}
1705 This command attaches to a running process---one that was started
1706 outside @value{GDBN}. (@code{info files} will show your active
1707 targets.) The command takes as argument a process ID. The usual way to
1708 find out the process-id of a Unix process is with the @code{ps} utility,
1709 or with the @samp{jobs -l} shell command.
1710
1711 @code{attach} will not repeat if you press @key{RET} a second time after
1712 executing the command.
1713 @end table
1714
1715 To use @code{attach}, you must be debugging in an environment which
1716 supports processes. You must also have permission to send the process a
1717 signal, and it must have the same effective user ID as the @value{GDBN}
1718 process.
1719
1720 When using @code{attach}, you should first use the @code{file} command
1721 to specify the program running in the process and load its symbol table.
1722 @xref{Files, ,Commands to Specify Files}.
1723
1724 The first thing @value{GDBN} does after arranging to debug the specified
1725 process is to stop it. You can examine and modify an attached process
1726 with all the @value{GDBN} commands that are ordinarily available when you start
1727 processes with @code{run}. You can insert breakpoints; you can step and
1728 continue; you can modify storage. If you would rather the process
1729 continue running, you may use the @code{continue} command after
1730 attaching @value{GDBN} to the process.
1731
1732 @table @code
1733 @item detach
1734 @kindex detach
1735 When you have finished debugging the attached process, you can use the
1736 @code{detach} command to release it from @value{GDBN} control. Detaching
1737 the process continues its execution. After the @code{detach} command,
1738 that process and @value{GDBN} become completely independent once more, and you
1739 are ready to @code{attach} another process or start one with @code{run}.
1740 @code{detach} will not repeat if you press @key{RET} again after
1741 executing the command.
1742 @end table
1743
1744 If you exit @value{GDBN} or use the @code{run} command while you have an attached
1745 process, you kill that process. By default, you will be asked for
1746 confirmation if you try to do either of these things; you can control
1747 whether or not you need to confirm by using the @code{set confirm} command
1748 (@pxref{Messages/Warnings, ,Optional warnings and messages}).
1749
1750 @node Kill Process
1751 @c @group
1752 @section Killing the child process
1753
1754 @table @code
1755 @item kill
1756 @kindex kill
1757 Kill the child process in which your program is running under @value{GDBN}.
1758 @end table
1759
1760 This command is useful if you wish to debug a core dump instead of a
1761 running process. @value{GDBN} ignores any core dump file while your program
1762 is running.
1763 @c @end group
1764
1765 On some operating systems, a program cannot be executed outside @value{GDBN}
1766 while you have breakpoints set on it inside @value{GDBN}. You can use the
1767 @code{kill} command in this situation to permit running your program
1768 outside the debugger.
1769
1770 The @code{kill} command is also useful if you wish to recompile and
1771 relink your program, since on many systems it is impossible to modify an
1772 executable file while it is running in a process. In this case, when you
1773 next type @code{run}, @value{GDBN} will notice that the file has changed, and
1774 will re-read the symbol table (while trying to preserve your current
1775 breakpoint settings).
1776
1777 @node Process Information
1778 @section Additional process information
1779
1780 @kindex /proc
1781 @cindex process image
1782 Some operating systems provide a facility called @samp{/proc} that can
1783 be used to examine the image of a running process using file-system
1784 subroutines. If @value{GDBN} is configured for an operating system with this
1785 facility, the command @code{info proc} is available to report on several
1786 kinds of information about the process running your program.
1787
1788 @table @code
1789 @item info proc
1790 @kindex info proc
1791 Summarize available information about the process.
1792
1793 @item info proc mappings
1794 @kindex info proc mappings
1795 Report on the address ranges accessible in the program, with information
1796 on whether your program may read, write, or execute each range.
1797
1798 @item info proc times
1799 @kindex info proc times
1800 Starting time, user CPU time, and system CPU time for your program and
1801 its children.
1802
1803 @item info proc id
1804 @kindex info proc id
1805 Report on the process IDs related to your program: its own process ID,
1806 the ID of its parent, the process group ID, and the session ID.
1807
1808 @item info proc status
1809 @kindex info proc status
1810 General information on the state of the process. If the process is
1811 stopped, this report includes the reason for stopping, and any signal
1812 received.
1813
1814 @item info proc all
1815 Show all the above information about the process.
1816 @end table
1817 @end ifclear
1818
1819 @node Stopping
1820 @chapter Stopping and Continuing
1821
1822 The principal purposes of using a debugger are so that you can stop your
1823 program before it terminates; or so that, if your program runs into
1824 trouble, you can investigate and find out why.
1825
1826 Inside @value{GDBN}, your program may stop for any of several reasons, such
1827 as
1828 @ifclear BARETARGET
1829 a signal,
1830 @end ifclear
1831 a breakpoint, or reaching a new line after a @value{GDBN}
1832 command such as @code{step}. You may then examine and change
1833 variables, set new breakpoints or remove old ones, and then continue
1834 execution. Usually, the messages shown by @value{GDBN} provide ample
1835 explanation of the status of your program---but you can also explicitly
1836 request this information at any time.
1837
1838 @table @code
1839 @item info program
1840 @kindex info program
1841 Display information about the status of your program: whether it is
1842 running or not,
1843 @ifclear BARETARGET
1844 what process it is,
1845 @end ifclear
1846 and why it stopped.
1847 @end table
1848
1849 @menu
1850 @ifclear CONLY
1851 * Breakpoints:: Breakpoints, watchpoints, and exceptions
1852 @end ifclear
1853 @ifset CONLY
1854 * Breakpoints:: Breakpoints and watchpoints
1855 @end ifset
1856 @c Remnant makeinfo bug requires blank line after *successful* end-if in menu:
1857
1858 * Continuing and Stepping:: Resuming execution
1859 @ifset POSIX
1860 * Signals:: Signals
1861 @end ifset
1862 @end menu
1863
1864 @c makeinfo node-defaulting requires adjacency of @node and sectioning cmds
1865 @c ...hence distribute @node Breakpoints over two possible @if expansions.
1866 @c
1867 @ifclear CONLY
1868 @node Breakpoints
1869 @section Breakpoints, watchpoints, and exceptions
1870 @end ifclear
1871 @ifset CONLY
1872 @node Breakpoints
1873 @section Breakpoints and watchpoints
1874 @end ifset
1875
1876 @cindex breakpoints
1877 A @dfn{breakpoint} makes your program stop whenever a certain point in
1878 the program is reached. For each breakpoint, you can add various
1879 conditions to control in finer detail whether your program will stop.
1880 You can set breakpoints with the @code{break} command and its variants
1881 (@pxref{Set Breaks, ,Setting breakpoints}), to specify the place where
1882 your program should stop by line number, function name or exact address
1883 in the program.
1884 @ifclear CONLY
1885 In languages with exception handling (such as GNU C++), you can also set
1886 breakpoints where an exception is raised (@pxref{Exception Handling,
1887 ,Breakpoints and exceptions}).
1888 @end ifclear
1889
1890 @cindex watchpoints
1891 @cindex memory tracing
1892 @cindex breakpoint on memory address
1893 @cindex breakpoint on variable modification
1894 A @dfn{watchpoint} is a special breakpoint that stops your program
1895 when the value of an expression changes. You must use a different
1896 command to set watchpoints (@pxref{Set Watchpoints, ,Setting
1897 watchpoints}), but aside from that, you can manage a watchpoint like
1898 any other breakpoint: you enable, disable, and delete both breakpoints
1899 and watchpoints using the same commands.
1900
1901 You can arrange to have values from your program displayed automatically
1902 whenever @value{GDBN} stops at a breakpoint. @xref{Auto Display,
1903 ,Automatic display}.
1904
1905 @cindex breakpoint numbers
1906 @cindex numbers for breakpoints
1907 @value{GDBN} assigns a number to each breakpoint or watchpoint when you
1908 create it; these numbers are successive integers starting with one. In
1909 many of the commands for controlling various features of breakpoints you
1910 use the breakpoint number to say which breakpoint you want to change.
1911 Each breakpoint may be @dfn{enabled} or @dfn{disabled}; if disabled, it has
1912 no effect on your program until you enable it again.
1913
1914 @menu
1915 * Set Breaks:: Setting breakpoints
1916 * Set Watchpoints:: Setting watchpoints
1917 @ifclear CONLY
1918 * Exception Handling:: Breakpoints and exceptions
1919 @end ifclear
1920
1921 * Delete Breaks:: Deleting breakpoints
1922 * Disabling:: Disabling breakpoints
1923 * Conditions:: Break conditions
1924 * Break Commands:: Breakpoint command lists
1925 @ifclear CONLY
1926 * Breakpoint Menus:: Breakpoint menus
1927 @end ifclear
1928 @ifclear BARETARGET
1929 * Error in Breakpoints:: ``Cannot insert breakpoints''
1930 @end ifclear
1931 @end menu
1932
1933 @node Set Breaks
1934 @subsection Setting breakpoints
1935
1936 @c FIXME LMB what does GDB do if no code on line of breakpt?
1937 @c consider in particular declaration with/without initialization.
1938 @c
1939 @c FIXME 2 is there stuff on this already? break at fun start, already init?
1940
1941 @kindex break
1942 @kindex b
1943 @kindex $bpnum
1944 @cindex latest breakpoint
1945 Breakpoints are set with the @code{break} command (abbreviated
1946 @code{b}). The debugger convenience variable @samp{$bpnum} records the
1947 number of the beakpoint you've set most recently; see @ref{Convenience
1948 Vars,, Convenience variables}, for a discussion of what you can do with
1949 convenience variables.
1950
1951 You have several ways to say where the breakpoint should go.
1952
1953 @table @code
1954 @item break @var{function}
1955 Set a breakpoint at entry to function @var{function}.
1956 @ifclear CONLY
1957 When using source languages that permit overloading of symbols, such as
1958 C++, @var{function} may refer to more than one possible place to break.
1959 @xref{Breakpoint Menus,,Breakpoint menus}, for a discussion of that situation.
1960 @end ifclear
1961
1962 @item break +@var{offset}
1963 @itemx break -@var{offset}
1964 Set a breakpoint some number of lines forward or back from the position
1965 at which execution stopped in the currently selected frame.
1966
1967 @item break @var{linenum}
1968 Set a breakpoint at line @var{linenum} in the current source file.
1969 That file is the last file whose source text was printed. This
1970 breakpoint will stop your program just before it executes any of the
1971 code on that line.
1972
1973 @item break @var{filename}:@var{linenum}
1974 Set a breakpoint at line @var{linenum} in source file @var{filename}.
1975
1976 @item break @var{filename}:@var{function}
1977 Set a breakpoint at entry to function @var{function} found in file
1978 @var{filename}. Specifying a file name as well as a function name is
1979 superfluous except when multiple files contain similarly named
1980 functions.
1981
1982 @item break *@var{address}
1983 Set a breakpoint at address @var{address}. You can use this to set
1984 breakpoints in parts of your program which do not have debugging
1985 information or source files.
1986
1987 @item break
1988 When called without any arguments, @code{break} sets a breakpoint at
1989 the next instruction to be executed in the selected stack frame
1990 (@pxref{Stack, ,Examining the Stack}). In any selected frame but the
1991 innermost, this will cause your program to stop as soon as control
1992 returns to that frame. This is similar to the effect of a
1993 @code{finish} command in the frame inside the selected frame---except
1994 that @code{finish} does not leave an active breakpoint. If you use
1995 @code{break} without an argument in the innermost frame, @value{GDBN} will stop
1996 the next time it reaches the current location; this may be useful
1997 inside loops.
1998
1999 @value{GDBN} normally ignores breakpoints when it resumes execution, until at
2000 least one instruction has been executed. If it did not do this, you
2001 would be unable to proceed past a breakpoint without first disabling the
2002 breakpoint. This rule applies whether or not the breakpoint already
2003 existed when your program stopped.
2004
2005 @item break @dots{} if @var{cond}
2006 Set a breakpoint with condition @var{cond}; evaluate the expression
2007 @var{cond} each time the breakpoint is reached, and stop only if the
2008 value is nonzero---that is, if @var{cond} evaluates as true.
2009 @samp{@dots{}} stands for one of the possible arguments described
2010 above (or no argument) specifying where to break. @xref{Conditions,
2011 ,Break conditions}, for more information on breakpoint conditions.
2012
2013 @item tbreak @var{args}
2014 @kindex tbreak
2015 Set a breakpoint enabled only for one stop. @var{args} are the
2016 same as for the @code{break} command, and the breakpoint is set in the same
2017 way, but the breakpoint is automatically disabled after the first time your
2018 program stops there. @xref{Disabling, ,Disabling breakpoints}.
2019
2020 @item rbreak @var{regex}
2021 @kindex rbreak
2022 @cindex regular expression
2023 @c FIXME what kind of regexp?
2024 Set breakpoints on all functions matching the regular expression
2025 @var{regex}. This command
2026 sets an unconditional breakpoint on all matches, printing a list of all
2027 breakpoints it set. Once these breakpoints are set, they are treated
2028 just like the breakpoints set with the @code{break} command. They can
2029 be deleted, disabled, made conditional, etc., in the standard ways.
2030
2031 @ifclear CONLY
2032 When debugging C++ programs, @code{rbreak} is useful for setting
2033 breakpoints on overloaded functions that are not members of any special
2034 classes.
2035 @end ifclear
2036
2037 @kindex info breakpoints
2038 @cindex @code{$_} and @code{info breakpoints}
2039 @item info breakpoints @r{[}@var{n}@r{]}
2040 @itemx info break @r{[}@var{n}@r{]}
2041 @itemx info watchpoints @r{[}@var{n}@r{]}
2042 Print a table of all breakpoints and watchpoints set and not
2043 deleted, with the following columns for each breakpoint:
2044
2045 @table @emph
2046 @item Breakpoint Numbers
2047 @item Type
2048 Breakpoint or watchpoint.
2049 @item Disposition
2050 Whether the breakpoint is marked to be disabled or deleted when hit.
2051 @item Enabled or Disabled
2052 Enabled breakpoints are marked with @samp{y}. @samp{n} marks breakpoints
2053 that are not enabled.
2054 @item Address
2055 Where the breakpoint is in your program, as a memory address
2056 @item What
2057 Where the breakpoint is in the source for your program, as a file and
2058 line number.
2059 @end table
2060
2061 @noindent
2062 Breakpoint commands, if any, are listed after the line for the
2063 corresponding breakpoint.
2064
2065 @noindent
2066 @code{info break} with a breakpoint
2067 number @var{n} as argument lists only that breakpoint. The
2068 convenience variable @code{$_} and the default examining-address for
2069 the @code{x} command are set to the address of the last breakpoint
2070 listed (@pxref{Memory, ,Examining memory}).
2071 @end table
2072
2073 @value{GDBN} allows you to set any number of breakpoints at the same place in
2074 your program. There is nothing silly or meaningless about this. When
2075 the breakpoints are conditional, this is even useful
2076 (@pxref{Conditions, ,Break conditions}).
2077
2078 @cindex negative breakpoint numbers
2079 @cindex internal @value{GDBN} breakpoints
2080 @value{GDBN} itself sometimes sets breakpoints in your program for special
2081 purposes, such as proper handling of @code{longjmp} (in C programs).
2082 These internal breakpoints are assigned negative numbers, starting with
2083 @code{-1}; @samp{info breakpoints} does not display them.
2084
2085 You can see these breakpoints with the @value{GDBN} maintenance command
2086 @samp{maint info breakpoints}.
2087
2088 @table @code
2089 @kindex maint info breakpoints
2090 @item maint info breakpoints
2091 Using the same format as @samp{info breakpoints}, display both the
2092 breakpoints you've set explicitly, and those @value{GDBN} is using for
2093 internal purposes. Internal breakpoints are shown with negative
2094 breakpoint numbers. The type column identifies what kind of breakpoint
2095 is shown:
2096
2097 @table @code
2098 @item breakpoint
2099 Normal, explicitly set breakpoint.
2100
2101 @item watchpoint
2102 Normal, explicitly set watchpoint.
2103
2104 @item longjmp
2105 Internal breakpoint, used to handle correctly stepping through
2106 @code{longjmp} calls.
2107
2108 @item longjmp resume
2109 Internal breakpoint at the target of a @code{longjmp}.
2110
2111 @item until
2112 Temporary internal breakpoint used by the @value{GDBN} @code{until} command.
2113
2114 @item finish
2115 Temporary internal breakpoint used by the @value{GDBN} @code{finish} command.
2116 @end table
2117
2118 @end table
2119
2120
2121 @node Set Watchpoints
2122 @subsection Setting watchpoints
2123 @cindex setting watchpoints
2124
2125 You can use a watchpoint to stop execution whenever the value of an
2126 expression changes, without having to predict a particular place
2127 where this may happen.
2128
2129 Watchpoints currently execute two orders of magnitude more slowly than
2130 other breakpoints, but this can well be worth it to catch errors where
2131 you have no clue what part of your program is the culprit. Some
2132 processors provide special hardware to support watchpoint evaluation; future
2133 releases of @value{GDBN} will use such hardware if it is available.
2134
2135 @table @code
2136 @kindex watch
2137 @item watch @var{expr}
2138 Set a watchpoint for an expression.
2139
2140 @kindex info watchpoints
2141 @item info watchpoints
2142 This command prints a list of watchpoints and breakpoints; it is the
2143 same as @code{info break}.
2144 @end table
2145
2146 @ifclear CONLY
2147 @node Exception Handling
2148 @subsection Breakpoints and exceptions
2149 @cindex exception handlers
2150
2151 Some languages, such as GNU C++, implement exception handling. You can
2152 use @value{GDBN} to examine what caused your program to raise an exception,
2153 and to list the exceptions your program is prepared to handle at a
2154 given point in time.
2155
2156 @table @code
2157 @item catch @var{exceptions}
2158 @kindex catch
2159 You can set breakpoints at active exception handlers by using the
2160 @code{catch} command. @var{exceptions} is a list of names of exceptions
2161 to catch.
2162 @end table
2163
2164 You can use @code{info catch} to list active exception handlers.
2165 @xref{Frame Info, ,Information about a frame}.
2166
2167 There are currently some limitations to exception handling in @value{GDBN}.
2168 These will be corrected in a future release.
2169
2170 @itemize @bullet
2171 @item
2172 If you call a function interactively, @value{GDBN} normally returns
2173 control to you when the function has finished executing. If the call
2174 raises an exception, however, the call may bypass the mechanism that
2175 returns control to you and cause your program to simply continue
2176 running until it hits a breakpoint, catches a signal that @value{GDBN} is
2177 listening for, or exits.
2178 @item
2179 You cannot raise an exception interactively.
2180 @item
2181 You cannot interactively install an exception handler.
2182 @end itemize
2183
2184 @cindex raise exceptions
2185 Sometimes @code{catch} is not the best way to debug exception handling:
2186 if you need to know exactly where an exception is raised, it is better to
2187 stop @emph{before} the exception handler is called, since that way you
2188 can see the stack before any unwinding takes place. If you set a
2189 breakpoint in an exception handler instead, it may not be easy to find
2190 out where the exception was raised.
2191
2192 To stop just before an exception handler is called, you need some
2193 knowledge of the implementation. In the case of GNU C++, exceptions are
2194 raised by calling a library function named @code{__raise_exception}
2195 which has the following ANSI C interface:
2196
2197 @example
2198 /* @var{addr} is where the exception identifier is stored.
2199 ID is the exception identifier. */
2200 void __raise_exception (void **@var{addr}, void *@var{id});
2201 @end example
2202
2203 @noindent
2204 To make the debugger catch all exceptions before any stack
2205 unwinding takes place, set a breakpoint on @code{__raise_exception}
2206 (@pxref{Breakpoints, ,Breakpoints; watchpoints; and exceptions}).
2207
2208 With a conditional breakpoint (@pxref{Conditions, ,Break conditions})
2209 that depends on the value of @var{id}, you can stop your program when
2210 a specific exception is raised. You can use multiple conditional
2211 breakpoints to stop your program when any of a number of exceptions are
2212 raised.
2213 @end ifclear
2214
2215 @node Delete Breaks
2216 @subsection Deleting breakpoints
2217
2218 @cindex clearing breakpoints, watchpoints
2219 @cindex deleting breakpoints, watchpoints
2220 It is often necessary to eliminate a breakpoint or watchpoint once it
2221 has done its job and you no longer want your program to stop there. This
2222 is called @dfn{deleting} the breakpoint. A breakpoint that has been
2223 deleted no longer exists; it is forgotten.
2224
2225 With the @code{clear} command you can delete breakpoints according to
2226 where they are in your program. With the @code{delete} command you can
2227 delete individual breakpoints or watchpoints by specifying their
2228 breakpoint numbers.
2229
2230 It is not necessary to delete a breakpoint to proceed past it. @value{GDBN}
2231 automatically ignores breakpoints on the first instruction to be executed
2232 when you continue execution without changing the execution address.
2233
2234 @table @code
2235 @item clear
2236 @kindex clear
2237 Delete any breakpoints at the next instruction to be executed in the
2238 selected stack frame (@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a frame}). When
2239 the innermost frame is selected, this is a good way to delete a
2240 breakpoint where your program just stopped.
2241
2242 @item clear @var{function}
2243 @itemx clear @var{filename}:@var{function}
2244 Delete any breakpoints set at entry to the function @var{function}.
2245
2246 @item clear @var{linenum}
2247 @itemx clear @var{filename}:@var{linenum}
2248 Delete any breakpoints set at or within the code of the specified line.
2249
2250 @item delete @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} @r{[}@var{bnums}@dots{}@r{]}
2251 @cindex delete breakpoints
2252 @kindex delete
2253 @kindex d
2254 Delete the breakpoints or watchpoints of the numbers specified as
2255 arguments. If no argument is specified, delete all breakpoints (@value{GDBN}
2256 asks confirmation, unless you have @code{set confirm off}). You
2257 can abbreviate this command as @code{d}.
2258 @end table
2259
2260 @node Disabling
2261 @subsection Disabling breakpoints
2262
2263 @cindex disabled breakpoints
2264 @cindex enabled breakpoints
2265 Rather than deleting a breakpoint or watchpoint, you might prefer to
2266 @dfn{disable} it. This makes the breakpoint inoperative as if it had
2267 been deleted, but remembers the information on the breakpoint so that
2268 you can @dfn{enable} it again later.
2269
2270 You disable and enable breakpoints and watchpoints with the
2271 @code{enable} and @code{disable} commands, optionally specifying one or
2272 more breakpoint numbers as arguments. Use @code{info break} or
2273 @code{info watch} to print a list of breakpoints or watchpoints if you
2274 do not know which numbers to use.
2275
2276 A breakpoint or watchpoint can have any of four different states of
2277 enablement:
2278
2279 @itemize @bullet
2280 @item
2281 Enabled. The breakpoint will stop your program. A breakpoint set
2282 with the @code{break} command starts out in this state.
2283 @item
2284 Disabled. The breakpoint has no effect on your program.
2285 @item
2286 Enabled once. The breakpoint will stop your program, but
2287 when it does so it will become disabled. A breakpoint set
2288 with the @code{tbreak} command starts out in this state.
2289 @item
2290 Enabled for deletion. The breakpoint will stop your program, but
2291 immediately after it does so it will be deleted permanently.
2292 @end itemize
2293
2294 You can use the following commands to enable or disable breakpoints and
2295 watchpoints:
2296
2297 @table @code
2298 @item disable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} @r{[}@var{bnums}@dots{}@r{]}
2299 @kindex disable breakpoints
2300 @kindex disable
2301 @kindex dis
2302 Disable the specified breakpoints---or all breakpoints, if none are
2303 listed. A disabled breakpoint has no effect but is not forgotten. All
2304 options such as ignore-counts, conditions and commands are remembered in
2305 case the breakpoint is enabled again later. You may abbreviate
2306 @code{disable} as @code{dis}.
2307
2308 @item enable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} @r{[}@var{bnums}@dots{}@r{]}
2309 @kindex enable breakpoints
2310 @kindex enable
2311 Enable the specified breakpoints (or all defined breakpoints). They
2312 become effective once again in stopping your program.
2313
2314 @item enable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} once @var{bnums}@dots{}
2315 Enable the specified breakpoints temporarily. Each will be disabled
2316 again the next time it stops your program.
2317
2318 @item enable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} delete @var{bnums}@dots{}
2319 Enable the specified breakpoints to work once and then die. Each of
2320 the breakpoints will be deleted the next time it stops your program.
2321 @end table
2322
2323 Save for a breakpoint set with @code{tbreak} (@pxref{Set Breaks,
2324 ,Setting breakpoints}), breakpoints that you set are initially enabled;
2325 subsequently, they become disabled or enabled only when you use one of
2326 the commands above. (The command @code{until} can set and delete a
2327 breakpoint of its own, but it will not change the state of your other
2328 breakpoints; see @ref{Continuing and Stepping, ,Continuing and
2329 stepping}.)
2330
2331 @node Conditions
2332 @subsection Break conditions
2333 @cindex conditional breakpoints
2334 @cindex breakpoint conditions
2335
2336 @c FIXME what is scope of break condition expr? Context where wanted?
2337 @c in particular for a watchpoint?
2338 The simplest sort of breakpoint breaks every time your program reaches a
2339 specified place. You can also specify a @dfn{condition} for a
2340 breakpoint. A condition is just a Boolean expression in your
2341 programming language (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}). A breakpoint with
2342 a condition evaluates the expression each time your program reaches it,
2343 and your program stops only if the condition is @emph{true}.
2344
2345 This is the converse of using assertions for program validation; in that
2346 situation, you want to stop when the assertion is violated---that is,
2347 when the condition is false. In C, if you want to test an assertion expressed
2348 by the condition @var{assert}, you should set the condition
2349 @samp{! @var{assert}} on the appropriate breakpoint.
2350
2351 Conditions are also accepted for watchpoints; you may not need them,
2352 since a watchpoint is inspecting the value of an expression anyhow---but
2353 it might be simpler, say, to just set a watchpoint on a variable name,
2354 and specify a condition that tests whether the new value is an interesting
2355 one.
2356
2357 Break conditions can have side effects, and may even call functions in
2358 your program. This can be useful, for example, to activate functions
2359 that log program progress, or to use your own print functions to
2360 format special data structures. The effects are completely predictable
2361 unless there is another enabled breakpoint at the same address. (In
2362 that case, @value{GDBN} might see the other breakpoint first and stop your
2363 program without checking the condition of this one.) Note that
2364 breakpoint commands are usually more convenient and flexible for the
2365 purpose of performing side effects when a breakpoint is reached
2366 (@pxref{Break Commands, ,Breakpoint command lists}).
2367
2368 Break conditions can be specified when a breakpoint is set, by using
2369 @samp{if} in the arguments to the @code{break} command. @xref{Set
2370 Breaks, ,Setting breakpoints}. They can also be changed at any time
2371 with the @code{condition} command. The @code{watch} command does not
2372 recognize the @code{if} keyword; @code{condition} is the only way to
2373 impose a further condition on a watchpoint.
2374
2375 @table @code
2376 @item condition @var{bnum} @var{expression}
2377 @kindex condition
2378 Specify @var{expression} as the break condition for breakpoint or
2379 watchpoint number @var{bnum}. From now on, this breakpoint will stop
2380 your program only if the value of @var{expression} is true (nonzero, in
2381 C). When you use @code{condition}, @value{GDBN} checks @var{expression}
2382 immediately for syntactic correctness, and to determine whether symbols
2383 in it have referents in the context of your breakpoint.
2384 @c FIXME so what does GDB do if there is no referent? Moreover, what
2385 @c about watchpoints?
2386 @value{GDBN} does
2387 not actually evaluate @var{expression} at the time the @code{condition}
2388 command is given, however. @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}.
2389
2390 @item condition @var{bnum}
2391 Remove the condition from breakpoint number @var{bnum}. It becomes
2392 an ordinary unconditional breakpoint.
2393 @end table
2394
2395 @cindex ignore count (of breakpoint)
2396 A special case of a breakpoint condition is to stop only when the
2397 breakpoint has been reached a certain number of times. This is so
2398 useful that there is a special way to do it, using the @dfn{ignore
2399 count} of the breakpoint. Every breakpoint has an ignore count, which
2400 is an integer. Most of the time, the ignore count is zero, and
2401 therefore has no effect. But if your program reaches a breakpoint whose
2402 ignore count is positive, then instead of stopping, it just decrements
2403 the ignore count by one and continues. As a result, if the ignore count
2404 value is @var{n}, the breakpoint will not stop the next @var{n} times it
2405 is reached.
2406
2407 @table @code
2408 @item ignore @var{bnum} @var{count}
2409 @kindex ignore
2410 Set the ignore count of breakpoint number @var{bnum} to @var{count}.
2411 The next @var{count} times the breakpoint is reached, your program's
2412 execution will not stop; other than to decrement the ignore count, @value{GDBN}
2413 takes no action.
2414
2415 To make the breakpoint stop the next time it is reached, specify
2416 a count of zero.
2417
2418 @item continue @var{count}
2419 @itemx c @var{count}
2420 @itemx fg @var{count}
2421 @kindex continue @var{count}
2422 Continue execution of your program, setting the ignore count of the
2423 breakpoint where your program stopped to @var{count} minus one.
2424 Thus, your program will not stop at this breakpoint until the
2425 @var{count}'th time it is reached.
2426
2427 An argument to this command is meaningful only when your program stopped
2428 due to a breakpoint. At other times, the argument to @code{continue} is
2429 ignored.
2430
2431 The synonym @code{fg} is provided purely for convenience, and has
2432 exactly the same behavior as other forms of the command.
2433 @end table
2434
2435 If a breakpoint has a positive ignore count and a condition, the condition
2436 is not checked. Once the ignore count reaches zero, the condition will
2437 be checked.
2438
2439 You could achieve the effect of the ignore count with a condition such
2440 as @w{@samp{$foo-- <= 0}} using a debugger convenience variable that
2441 is decremented each time. @xref{Convenience Vars, ,Convenience
2442 variables}.
2443
2444 @node Break Commands
2445 @subsection Breakpoint command lists
2446
2447 @cindex breakpoint commands
2448 You can give any breakpoint (or watchpoint) a series of commands to
2449 execute when your program stops due to that breakpoint. For example, you
2450 might want to print the values of certain expressions, or enable other
2451 breakpoints.
2452
2453 @table @code
2454 @item commands @r{[}@var{bnum}@r{]}
2455 @itemx @dots{} @var{command-list} @dots{}
2456 @itemx end
2457 @kindex commands
2458 @kindex end
2459 Specify a list of commands for breakpoint number @var{bnum}. The commands
2460 themselves appear on the following lines. Type a line containing just
2461 @code{end} to terminate the commands.
2462
2463 To remove all commands from a breakpoint, type @code{commands} and
2464 follow it immediately with @code{end}; that is, give no commands.
2465
2466 With no @var{bnum} argument, @code{commands} refers to the last
2467 breakpoint or watchpoint set (not to the breakpoint most recently
2468 encountered).
2469 @end table
2470
2471 Pressing @key{RET} as a means of repeating the last @value{GDBN} command is
2472 disabled within a @var{command-list}.
2473
2474 You can use breakpoint commands to start your program up again. Simply
2475 use the @code{continue} command, or @code{step}, or any other command
2476 that resumes execution.
2477
2478 Any other commands in the command list, after a command that resumes
2479 execution, are ignored. This is because any time you resume execution
2480 (even with a simple @code{next} or @code{step}), you may encounter
2481 another breakpoint---which could have its own command list, leading to
2482 ambiguities about which list to execute.
2483
2484 @kindex silent
2485 If the first command you specify in a command list is @code{silent}, the
2486 usual message about stopping at a breakpoint is not printed. This may
2487 be desirable for breakpoints that are to print a specific message and
2488 then continue. If none of the remaining commands print anything, you
2489 will see no sign that the breakpoint was reached. @code{silent} is
2490 meaningful only at the beginning of a breakpoint command list.
2491
2492 The commands @code{echo} and @code{output} that allow you to print
2493 precisely controlled output are often useful in silent breakpoints.
2494 @xref{Output, ,Commands for controlled output}.
2495
2496 For example, here is how you could use breakpoint commands to print the
2497 value of @code{x} at entry to @code{foo} whenever @code{x} is positive.
2498
2499 @example
2500 break foo if x>0
2501 commands
2502 silent
2503 echo x is\040
2504 output x
2505 echo \n
2506 cont
2507 end
2508 @end example
2509
2510 One application for breakpoint commands is to compensate for one bug so
2511 you can test for another. Put a breakpoint just after the erroneous line
2512 of code, give it a condition to detect the case in which something
2513 erroneous has been done, and give it commands to assign correct values
2514 to any variables that need them. End with the @code{continue} command
2515 so that your program does not stop, and start with the @code{silent}
2516 command so that no output is produced. Here is an example:
2517
2518 @example
2519 break 403
2520 commands
2521 silent
2522 set x = y + 4
2523 cont
2524 end
2525 @end example
2526
2527 @cindex lost output
2528 One deficiency in the operation of automatically continuing breakpoints
2529 under Unix appears when your program uses raw mode for the terminal.
2530 @value{GDBN} switches back to its own terminal modes (not raw) before executing
2531 commands, and then must switch back to raw mode when your program is
2532 continued. This causes any pending terminal input to be lost.
2533 @c FIXME: revisit below when GNU sys avail.
2534 @c In the GNU system, this will be fixed by changing the behavior of
2535 @c terminal modes.
2536
2537 Under Unix, you can get around this problem by writing actions into
2538 the breakpoint condition rather than in commands. For example,
2539
2540 @example
2541 condition 5 (x = y + 4), 0
2542 @end example
2543
2544 @noindent
2545 specifies a condition expression (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}) that will
2546 change @code{x} as needed, then always have the value zero so your
2547 program will not stop. No input is lost here, because @value{GDBN} evaluates
2548 break conditions without changing the terminal modes. When you want
2549 to have nontrivial conditions for performing the side effects, the
2550 operators @samp{&&}, @samp{||} and @samp{?@dots{}:} may be useful.
2551
2552 @ifclear CONLY
2553 @node Breakpoint Menus
2554 @subsection Breakpoint menus
2555 @cindex overloading
2556 @cindex symbol overloading
2557
2558 Some programming languages (notably C++) permit a single function name
2559 to be defined several times, for application in different contexts.
2560 This is called @dfn{overloading}. When a function name is overloaded,
2561 @samp{break @var{function}} is not enough to tell @value{GDBN} where you want
2562 a breakpoint. If you realize this will be a problem, you can use
2563 something like @samp{break @var{function}(@var{types})} to specify which
2564 particular version of the function you want. Otherwise, @value{GDBN} offers
2565 you a menu of numbered choices for different possible breakpoints, and
2566 waits for your selection with the prompt @samp{>}. The first two
2567 options are always @samp{[0] cancel} and @samp{[1] all}. Typing @kbd{1}
2568 sets a breakpoint at each definition of @var{function}, and typing
2569 @kbd{0} aborts the @code{break} command without setting any new
2570 breakpoints.
2571
2572 For example, the following session excerpt shows an attempt to set a
2573 breakpoint at the overloaded symbol @code{String::after}.
2574 We choose three particular definitions of that function name:
2575
2576 @c FIXME! This is likely to change to show arg type lists, at least
2577 @example
2578 (@value{GDBP}) b String::after
2579 [0] cancel
2580 [1] all
2581 [2] file:String.cc; line number:867
2582 [3] file:String.cc; line number:860
2583 [4] file:String.cc; line number:875
2584 [5] file:String.cc; line number:853
2585 [6] file:String.cc; line number:846
2586 [7] file:String.cc; line number:735
2587 > 2 4 6
2588 Breakpoint 1 at 0xb26c: file String.cc, line 867.
2589 Breakpoint 2 at 0xb344: file String.cc, line 875.
2590 Breakpoint 3 at 0xafcc: file String.cc, line 846.
2591 Multiple breakpoints were set.
2592 Use the "delete" command to delete unwanted breakpoints.
2593 (@value{GDBP})
2594 @end example
2595 @end ifclear
2596
2597 @ifclear BARETARGET
2598 @node Error in Breakpoints
2599 @subsection ``Cannot insert breakpoints''
2600
2601 @c FIXME: "cannot insert breakpoints" error, v unclear.
2602 @c Q in pending mail to Gilmore. ---pesch@cygnus.com, 26mar91
2603 @c some light may be shed by looking at instances of
2604 @c ONE_PROCESS_WRITETEXT. But error message seems possible otherwise
2605 @c too. pesch, 20sep91
2606 Under some operating systems, breakpoints cannot be used in a program if
2607 any other process is running that program. In this situation,
2608 attempting to run or continue a program with a breakpoint causes @value{GDBN}
2609 to stop the other process.
2610
2611 When this happens, you have three ways to proceed:
2612
2613 @enumerate
2614 @item
2615 Remove or disable the breakpoints, then continue.
2616
2617 @item
2618 Suspend @value{GDBN}, and copy the file containing your program to a new name.
2619 Resume @value{GDBN} and use the @code{exec-file} command to specify that @value{GDBN}
2620 should run your program under that name. Then start your program again.
2621
2622 @c FIXME: RMS commented here "Show example". Maybe when someone
2623 @c explains the first FIXME: in this section...
2624
2625 @item
2626 Relink your program so that the text segment is nonsharable, using the
2627 linker option @samp{-N}. The operating system limitation may not apply
2628 to nonsharable executables.
2629 @end enumerate
2630 @end ifclear
2631
2632 @node Continuing and Stepping
2633 @section Continuing and stepping
2634
2635 @cindex stepping
2636 @cindex continuing
2637 @cindex resuming execution
2638 @dfn{Continuing} means resuming program execution until your program
2639 completes normally. In contrast, @dfn{stepping} means executing just
2640 one more ``step'' of your program, where ``step'' may mean either one
2641 line of source code, or one machine instruction (depending on what
2642 particular command you use). Either when continuing
2643 or when stepping, your program may stop even sooner, due to
2644 @ifset BARETARGET
2645 a breakpoint.
2646 @end ifset
2647 @ifclear BARETARGET
2648 a breakpoint or to a signal. (If due to a signal, you may want to use
2649 @code{handle}, or use @samp{signal 0} to resume execution.
2650 @xref{Signals, ,Signals}.)
2651 @end ifclear
2652
2653 @table @code
2654 @item continue @r{[}@var{ignore-count}@r{]}
2655 @kindex continue
2656 Resume program execution, at the address where your program last stopped;
2657 any breakpoints set at that address are bypassed. The optional argument
2658 @var{ignore-count} allows you to specify a further number of times to
2659 ignore a breakpoint at this location; its effect is like that of
2660 @code{ignore} (@pxref{Conditions, ,Break conditions}).
2661
2662 To resume execution at a different place, you can use @code{return}
2663 (@pxref{Returning, ,Returning from a function}) to go back to the
2664 calling function; or @code{jump} (@pxref{Jumping, ,Continuing at a
2665 different address}) to go to an arbitrary location in your program.
2666 @end table
2667
2668 A typical technique for using stepping is to set a breakpoint
2669 @ifclear CONLY
2670 (@pxref{Breakpoints, ,Breakpoints; watchpoints; and exceptions})
2671 @end ifclear
2672 @ifset CONLY
2673 (@pxref{Breakpoints, ,Breakpoints and watchpoints})
2674 @end ifset
2675 at the
2676 beginning of the function or the section of your program where a
2677 problem is believed to lie, run your program until it stops at that
2678 breakpoint, and then step through the suspect area, examining the
2679 variables that are interesting, until you see the problem happen.
2680
2681 @table @code
2682 @item step
2683 @kindex step
2684 @kindex s
2685 Continue running your program until control reaches a different source
2686 line, then stop it and return control to @value{GDBN}. This command is
2687 abbreviated @code{s}.
2688
2689 @quotation
2690 @emph{Warning:} If you use the @code{step} command while control is
2691 within a function that was compiled without debugging information,
2692 execution will proceed until control reaches another function.
2693 @end quotation
2694
2695 @item step @var{count}
2696 Continue running as in @code{step}, but do so @var{count} times. If a
2697 breakpoint is reached,
2698 @ifclear BARETARGET
2699 or a signal not related to stepping occurs before @var{count} steps,
2700 @end ifclear
2701 stepping stops right away.
2702
2703 @item next @r{[}@var{count}@r{]}
2704 @kindex next
2705 @kindex n
2706 Continue to the next source line in the current (innermost) stack frame.
2707 Similar to @code{step}, but any function calls appearing within the line
2708 of code are executed without stopping. Execution stops when control
2709 reaches a different line of code at the stack level which was executing
2710 when the @code{next} command was given. This command is abbreviated
2711 @code{n}.
2712
2713 An argument @var{count} is a repeat count, as for @code{step}.
2714
2715 @code{next} within a function that lacks debugging information acts like
2716 @code{step}, but any function calls appearing within the code of the
2717 function are executed without stopping.
2718
2719 @item finish
2720 @kindex finish
2721 Continue running until just after function in the selected stack frame
2722 returns. Print the returned value (if any).
2723
2724 Contrast this with the @code{return} command (@pxref{Returning,
2725 ,Returning from a function}).
2726
2727 @item until
2728 @kindex until
2729 @item u
2730 @kindex u
2731 Continue running until a source line past the current line, in the
2732 current stack frame, is reached. This command is used to avoid single
2733 stepping through a loop more than once. It is like the @code{next}
2734 command, except that when @code{until} encounters a jump, it
2735 automatically continues execution until the program counter is greater
2736 than the address of the jump.
2737
2738 This means that when you reach the end of a loop after single stepping
2739 though it, @code{until} will cause your program to continue execution
2740 until the loop is exited. In contrast, a @code{next} command at the end
2741 of a loop will simply step back to the beginning of the loop, which
2742 would force you to step through the next iteration.
2743
2744 @code{until} always stops your program if it attempts to exit the current
2745 stack frame.
2746
2747 @code{until} may produce somewhat counterintuitive results if the order
2748 of machine code does not match the order of the source lines. For
2749 example, in the following excerpt from a debugging session, the @code{f}
2750 (@code{frame}) command shows that execution is stopped at line
2751 @code{206}; yet when we use @code{until}, we get to line @code{195}:
2752
2753 @example
2754 (@value{GDBP}) f
2755 #0 main (argc=4, argv=0xf7fffae8) at m4.c:206
2756 206 expand_input();
2757 (@value{GDBP}) until
2758 195 for ( ; argc > 0; NEXTARG) @{
2759 @end example
2760
2761 This happened because, for execution efficiency, the compiler had
2762 generated code for the loop closure test at the end, rather than the
2763 start, of the loop---even though the test in a C @code{for}-loop is
2764 written before the body of the loop. The @code{until} command appeared
2765 to step back to the beginning of the loop when it advanced to this
2766 expression; however, it has not really gone to an earlier
2767 statement---not in terms of the actual machine code.
2768
2769 @code{until} with no argument works by means of single
2770 instruction stepping, and hence is slower than @code{until} with an
2771 argument.
2772
2773 @item until @var{location}
2774 @item u @var{location}
2775 Continue running your program until either the specified location is
2776 reached, or the current stack frame returns. @var{location} is any of
2777 the forms of argument acceptable to @code{break} (@pxref{Set Breaks,
2778 ,Setting breakpoints}). This form of the command uses breakpoints,
2779 and hence is quicker than @code{until} without an argument.
2780
2781 @item stepi
2782 @itemx si
2783 @kindex stepi
2784 @kindex si
2785 Execute one machine instruction, then stop and return to the debugger.
2786
2787 It is often useful to do @samp{display/i $pc} when stepping by machine
2788 instructions. This will cause the next instruction to be executed to
2789 be displayed automatically at each stop. @xref{Auto Display,
2790 ,Automatic display}.
2791
2792 An argument is a repeat count, as in @code{step}.
2793
2794 @need 750
2795 @item nexti
2796 @itemx ni
2797 @kindex nexti
2798 @kindex ni
2799 Execute one machine instruction, but if it is a function call,
2800 proceed until the function returns.
2801
2802 An argument is a repeat count, as in @code{next}.
2803 @end table
2804
2805 @ifset POSIX
2806 @node Signals
2807 @section Signals
2808 @cindex signals
2809
2810 A signal is an asynchronous event that can happen in a program. The
2811 operating system defines the possible kinds of signals, and gives each
2812 kind a name and a number. For example, in Unix @code{SIGINT} is the
2813 signal a program gets when you type an interrupt (often @kbd{C-c});
2814 @code{SIGSEGV} is the signal a program gets from referencing a place in
2815 memory far away from all the areas in use; @code{SIGALRM} occurs when
2816 the alarm clock timer goes off (which happens only if your program has
2817 requested an alarm).
2818
2819 @cindex fatal signals
2820 Some signals, including @code{SIGALRM}, are a normal part of the
2821 functioning of your program. Others, such as @code{SIGSEGV}, indicate
2822 errors; these signals are @dfn{fatal} (kill your program immediately) if the
2823 program has not specified in advance some other way to handle the signal.
2824 @code{SIGINT} does not indicate an error in your program, but it is normally
2825 fatal so it can carry out the purpose of the interrupt: to kill the program.
2826
2827 @value{GDBN} has the ability to detect any occurrence of a signal in your
2828 program. You can tell @value{GDBN} in advance what to do for each kind of
2829 signal.
2830
2831 @cindex handling signals
2832 Normally, @value{GDBN} is set up to ignore non-erroneous signals like @code{SIGALRM}
2833 (so as not to interfere with their role in the functioning of your program)
2834 but to stop your program immediately whenever an error signal happens.
2835 You can change these settings with the @code{handle} command.
2836
2837 @table @code
2838 @item info signals
2839 @kindex info signals
2840 Print a table of all the kinds of signals and how @value{GDBN} has been told to
2841 handle each one. You can use this to see the signal numbers of all
2842 the defined types of signals.
2843
2844 @item handle @var{signal} @var{keywords}@dots{}
2845 @kindex handle
2846 Change the way @value{GDBN} handles signal @var{signal}. @var{signal} can be the
2847 number of a signal or its name (with or without the @samp{SIG} at the
2848 beginning). The @var{keywords} say what change to make.
2849 @end table
2850
2851 @c @group
2852 The keywords allowed by the @code{handle} command can be abbreviated.
2853 Their full names are:
2854
2855 @table @code
2856 @item nostop
2857 @value{GDBN} should not stop your program when this signal happens. It may
2858 still print a message telling you that the signal has come in.
2859
2860 @item stop
2861 @value{GDBN} should stop your program when this signal happens. This implies
2862 the @code{print} keyword as well.
2863
2864 @item print
2865 @value{GDBN} should print a message when this signal happens.
2866
2867 @item noprint
2868 @value{GDBN} should not mention the occurrence of the signal at all. This
2869 implies the @code{nostop} keyword as well.
2870
2871 @item pass
2872 @value{GDBN} should allow your program to see this signal; your program will be
2873 able to handle the signal, or may be terminated if the signal is fatal
2874 and not handled.
2875
2876 @item nopass
2877 @value{GDBN} should not allow your program to see this signal.
2878 @end table
2879 @c @end group
2880
2881 When a signal stops your program, the signal is not visible until you
2882 continue. Your program will see the signal then, if @code{pass} is in
2883 effect for the signal in question @emph{at that time}. In other words,
2884 after @value{GDBN} reports a signal, you can use the @code{handle}
2885 command with @code{pass} or @code{nopass} to control whether that
2886 signal will be seen by your program when you later continue it.
2887
2888 You can also use the @code{signal} command to prevent your program from
2889 seeing a signal, or cause it to see a signal it normally would not see,
2890 or to give it any signal at any time. For example, if your program stopped
2891 due to some sort of memory reference error, you might store correct
2892 values into the erroneous variables and continue, hoping to see more
2893 execution; but your program would probably terminate immediately as
2894 a result of the fatal signal once it saw the signal. To prevent this,
2895 you can continue with @samp{signal 0}. @xref{Signaling, ,Giving your
2896 program a signal}.
2897 @end ifset
2898
2899 @node Stack
2900 @chapter Examining the Stack
2901
2902 When your program has stopped, the first thing you need to know is where it
2903 stopped and how it got there.
2904
2905 @cindex call stack
2906 Each time your program performs a function call, the information about
2907 where in your program the call was made from is saved in a block of data
2908 called a @dfn{stack frame}. The frame also contains the arguments of the
2909 call and the local variables of the function that was called. All the
2910 stack frames are allocated in a region of memory called the @dfn{call
2911 stack}.
2912
2913 When your program stops, the @value{GDBN} commands for examining the
2914 stack allow you to see all of this information.
2915
2916 @cindex selected frame
2917 One of the stack frames is @dfn{selected} by @value{GDBN} and many
2918 @value{GDBN} commands refer implicitly to the selected frame. In
2919 particular, whenever you ask @value{GDBN} for the value of a variable in
2920 your program, the value is found in the selected frame. There are
2921 special @value{GDBN} commands to select whichever frame you are
2922 interested in.
2923
2924 When your program stops, @value{GDBN} automatically selects the
2925 currently executing frame and describes it briefly as the @code{frame}
2926 command does (@pxref{Frame Info, ,Information about a frame}).
2927
2928 @menu
2929 * Frames:: Stack frames
2930 * Backtrace:: Backtraces
2931 * Selection:: Selecting a frame
2932 * Frame Info:: Information on a frame
2933 @end menu
2934
2935 @node Frames
2936 @section Stack frames
2937
2938 @cindex frame
2939 @cindex stack frame
2940 The call stack is divided up into contiguous pieces called @dfn{stack
2941 frames}, or @dfn{frames} for short; each frame is the data associated
2942 with one call to one function. The frame contains the arguments given
2943 to the function, the function's local variables, and the address at
2944 which the function is executing.
2945
2946 @cindex initial frame
2947 @cindex outermost frame
2948 @cindex innermost frame
2949 When your program is started, the stack has only one frame, that of the
2950 function @code{main}. This is called the @dfn{initial} frame or the
2951 @dfn{outermost} frame. Each time a function is called, a new frame is
2952 made. Each time a function returns, the frame for that function invocation
2953 is eliminated. If a function is recursive, there can be many frames for
2954 the same function. The frame for the function in which execution is
2955 actually occurring is called the @dfn{innermost} frame. This is the most
2956 recently created of all the stack frames that still exist.
2957
2958 @cindex frame pointer
2959 Inside your program, stack frames are identified by their addresses. A
2960 stack frame consists of many bytes, each of which has its own address; each
2961 kind of computer has a convention for choosing one of those bytes whose
2962 address serves as the address of the frame. Usually this address is kept
2963 in a register called the @dfn{frame pointer register} while execution is
2964 going on in that frame.
2965
2966 @cindex frame number
2967 @value{GDBN} assigns numbers to all existing stack frames, starting with
2968 zero for the innermost frame, one for the frame that called it,
2969 and so on upward. These numbers do not really exist in your program;
2970 they are assigned by @value{GDBN} to give you a way of designating stack
2971 frames in @value{GDBN} commands.
2972
2973 @cindex frameless execution
2974 Some compilers provide a way to compile functions so that they operate
2975 without stack frames. (For example, the @code{@value{GCC}} option
2976 @samp{-fomit-frame-pointer} will generate functions without a frame.)
2977 This is occasionally done with heavily used library functions to save
2978 the frame setup time. @value{GDBN} has limited facilities for dealing
2979 with these function invocations. If the innermost function invocation
2980 has no stack frame, @value{GDBN} will nevertheless regard it as though
2981 it had a separate frame, which is numbered zero as usual, allowing
2982 correct tracing of the function call chain. However, @value{GDBN} has
2983 no provision for frameless functions elsewhere in the stack.
2984
2985 @node Backtrace
2986 @section Backtraces
2987
2988 A backtrace is a summary of how your program got where it is. It shows one
2989 line per frame, for many frames, starting with the currently executing
2990 frame (frame zero), followed by its caller (frame one), and on up the
2991 stack.
2992
2993 @table @code
2994 @item backtrace
2995 @itemx bt
2996 @kindex backtrace
2997 @kindex bt
2998 Print a backtrace of the entire stack: one line per frame for all
2999 frames in the stack.
3000
3001 You can stop the backtrace at any time by typing the system interrupt
3002 character, normally @kbd{C-c}.
3003
3004 @item backtrace @var{n}
3005 @itemx bt @var{n}
3006 Similar, but print only the innermost @var{n} frames.
3007
3008 @item backtrace -@var{n}
3009 @itemx bt -@var{n}
3010 Similar, but print only the outermost @var{n} frames.
3011 @end table
3012
3013 @kindex where
3014 @kindex info stack
3015 @kindex info s
3016 The names @code{where} and @code{info stack} (abbreviated @code{info s})
3017 are additional aliases for @code{backtrace}.
3018
3019 Each line in the backtrace shows the frame number and the function name.
3020 The program counter value is also shown---unless you use @code{set
3021 print address off}. The backtrace also shows the source file name and
3022 line number, as well as the arguments to the function. The program
3023 counter value is omitted if it is at the beginning of the code for that
3024 line number.
3025
3026 Here is an example of a backtrace. It was made with the command
3027 @samp{bt 3}, so it shows the innermost three frames.
3028
3029 @smallexample
3030 @group
3031 #0 m4_traceon (obs=0x24eb0, argc=1, argv=0x2b8c8)
3032 at builtin.c:993
3033 #1 0x6e38 in expand_macro (sym=0x2b600) at macro.c:242
3034 #2 0x6840 in expand_token (obs=0x0, t=177664, td=0xf7fffb08)
3035 at macro.c:71
3036 (More stack frames follow...)
3037 @end group
3038 @end smallexample
3039
3040 @noindent
3041 The display for frame zero does not begin with a program counter
3042 value, indicating that your program has stopped at the beginning of the
3043 code for line @code{993} of @code{builtin.c}.
3044
3045 @node Selection
3046 @section Selecting a frame
3047
3048 Most commands for examining the stack and other data in your program work on
3049 whichever stack frame is selected at the moment. Here are the commands for
3050 selecting a stack frame; all of them finish by printing a brief description
3051 of the stack frame just selected.
3052
3053 @table @code
3054 @item frame @var{n}
3055 @itemx f @var{n}
3056 @kindex frame
3057 @kindex f
3058 Select frame number @var{n}. Recall that frame zero is the innermost
3059 (currently executing) frame, frame one is the frame that called the
3060 innermost one, and so on. The highest-numbered frame is the one for
3061 @code{main}.
3062
3063 @item frame @var{addr}
3064 @itemx f @var{addr}
3065 Select the frame at address @var{addr}. This is useful mainly if the
3066 chaining of stack frames has been damaged by a bug, making it
3067 impossible for @value{GDBN} to assign numbers properly to all frames. In
3068 addition, this can be useful when your program has multiple stacks and
3069 switches between them.
3070
3071 @ifset SPARC
3072 On the SPARC architecture, @code{frame} needs two addresses to
3073 select an arbitrary frame: a frame pointer and a stack pointer.
3074 @c note to future updaters: this is conditioned on a flag
3075 @c FRAME_SPECIFICATION_DYADIC in the tm-*.h files, currently only used
3076 @c by SPARC, hence the specific attribution. Generalize or list all
3077 @c possibilities if more supported machines start doing this.
3078 @end ifset
3079
3080 @item up @var{n}
3081 @kindex up
3082 Move @var{n} frames up the stack. For positive numbers @var{n}, this
3083 advances toward the outermost frame, to higher frame numbers, to frames
3084 that have existed longer. @var{n} defaults to one.
3085
3086 @item down @var{n}
3087 @kindex down
3088 @kindex do
3089 Move @var{n} frames down the stack. For positive numbers @var{n}, this
3090 advances toward the innermost frame, to lower frame numbers, to frames
3091 that were created more recently. @var{n} defaults to one. You may
3092 abbreviate @code{down} as @code{do}.
3093 @end table
3094
3095 All of these commands end by printing two lines of output describing the
3096 frame. The first line shows the frame number, the function name, the
3097 arguments, and the source file and line number of execution in that
3098 frame. The second line shows the text of that source line.
3099
3100 For example:
3101 @smallexample
3102 @group
3103 (@value{GDBP}) up
3104 #1 0x22f0 in main (argc=1, argv=0xf7fffbf4, env=0xf7fffbfc)
3105 at env.c:10
3106 10 read_input_file (argv[i]);
3107 @end group
3108 @end smallexample
3109
3110 After such a printout, the @code{list} command with no arguments will
3111 print ten lines centered on the point of execution in the frame.
3112 @xref{List, ,Printing source lines}.
3113
3114 @table @code
3115 @item up-silently @var{n}
3116 @itemx down-silently @var{n}
3117 @kindex down-silently
3118 @kindex up-silently
3119 These two commands are variants of @code{up} and @code{down},
3120 respectively; they differ in that they do their work silently, without
3121 causing display of the new frame. They are intended primarily for use
3122 in @value{GDBN} command scripts, where the output might be unnecessary and
3123 distracting.
3124 @end table
3125
3126 @node Frame Info
3127 @section Information about a frame
3128
3129 There are several other commands to print information about the selected
3130 stack frame.
3131
3132 @table @code
3133 @item frame
3134 @itemx f
3135 When used without any argument, this command does not change which
3136 frame is selected, but prints a brief description of the currently
3137 selected stack frame. It can be abbreviated @code{f}. With an
3138 argument, this command is used to select a stack frame.
3139 @xref{Selection, ,Selecting a frame}.
3140
3141 @item info frame
3142 @itemx info f
3143 @kindex info frame
3144 @kindex info f
3145 This command prints a verbose description of the selected stack frame,
3146 including the address of the frame, the addresses of the next frame down
3147 (called by this frame) and the next frame up (caller of this frame), the
3148 language that the source code corresponding to this frame was written in,
3149 the address of the frame's arguments, the program counter saved in it
3150 (the address of execution in the caller frame), and which registers
3151 were saved in the frame. The verbose description is useful when
3152 something has gone wrong that has made the stack format fail to fit
3153 the usual conventions.
3154
3155 @item info frame @var{addr}
3156 @itemx info f @var{addr}
3157 Print a verbose description of the frame at address @var{addr},
3158 without selecting that frame. The selected frame remains unchanged by
3159 this command.
3160
3161 @item info args
3162 @kindex info args
3163 Print the arguments of the selected frame, each on a separate line.
3164
3165 @item info locals
3166 @kindex info locals
3167 Print the local variables of the selected frame, each on a separate
3168 line. These are all variables (declared either static or automatic)
3169 accessible at the point of execution of the selected frame.
3170
3171 @ifclear CONLY
3172 @item info catch
3173 @kindex info catch
3174 @cindex catch exceptions
3175 @cindex exception handlers
3176 Print a list of all the exception handlers that are active in the
3177 current stack frame at the current point of execution. To see other
3178 exception handlers, visit the associated frame (using the @code{up},
3179 @code{down}, or @code{frame} commands); then type @code{info catch}.
3180 @xref{Exception Handling, ,Breakpoints and exceptions}.
3181 @end ifclear
3182 @end table
3183
3184 @node Source
3185 @chapter Examining Source Files
3186
3187 @value{GDBN} can print parts of your program's source, since the debugging
3188 information recorded in the program tells @value{GDBN} what source files were
3189 used to build it. When your program stops, @value{GDBN} spontaneously prints
3190 the line where it stopped. Likewise, when you select a stack frame
3191 (@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a frame}), @value{GDBN} prints the line where
3192 execution in that frame has stopped. You can print other portions of
3193 source files by explicit command.
3194
3195 @ifclear DOSHOST
3196 If you use @value{GDBN} through its GNU Emacs interface, you may prefer to use
3197 Emacs facilities to view source; @pxref{Emacs, ,Using @value{GDBN} under GNU
3198 Emacs}.
3199 @end ifclear
3200
3201 @menu
3202 * List:: Printing source lines
3203 @ifclear DOSHOST
3204 * Search:: Searching source files
3205 @end ifclear
3206
3207 * Source Path:: Specifying source directories
3208 * Machine Code:: Source and machine code
3209 @end menu
3210
3211 @node List
3212 @section Printing source lines
3213
3214 @kindex list
3215 @kindex l
3216 To print lines from a source file, use the @code{list} command
3217 (abbreviated @code{l}). There are several ways to specify what part
3218 of the file you want to print.
3219
3220 Here are the forms of the @code{list} command most commonly used:
3221
3222 @table @code
3223 @item list @var{linenum}
3224 Print lines centered around line number @var{linenum} in the
3225 current source file.
3226
3227 @item list @var{function}
3228 Print lines centered around the beginning of function
3229 @var{function}.
3230
3231 @item list
3232 Print more lines. If the last lines printed were printed with a
3233 @code{list} command, this prints lines following the last lines
3234 printed; however, if the last line printed was a solitary line printed
3235 as part of displaying a stack frame (@pxref{Stack, ,Examining the
3236 Stack}), this prints lines centered around that line.
3237
3238 @item list -
3239 Print lines just before the lines last printed.
3240 @end table
3241
3242 By default, @value{GDBN} prints ten source lines with any of these forms of
3243 the @code{list} command. You can change this using @code{set listsize}:
3244
3245 @table @code
3246 @item set listsize @var{count}
3247 @kindex set listsize
3248 Make the @code{list} command display @var{count} source lines (unless
3249 the @code{list} argument explicitly specifies some other number).
3250
3251 @item show listsize
3252 @kindex show listsize
3253 Display the number of lines that @code{list} will currently display by
3254 default.
3255 @end table
3256
3257 Repeating a @code{list} command with @key{RET} discards the argument,
3258 so it is equivalent to typing just @code{list}. This is more useful
3259 than listing the same lines again. An exception is made for an
3260 argument of @samp{-}; that argument is preserved in repetition so that
3261 each repetition moves up in the source file.
3262
3263 @cindex linespec
3264 In general, the @code{list} command expects you to supply zero, one or two
3265 @dfn{linespecs}. Linespecs specify source lines; there are several ways
3266 of writing them but the effect is always to specify some source line.
3267 Here is a complete description of the possible arguments for @code{list}:
3268
3269 @table @code
3270 @item list @var{linespec}
3271 Print lines centered around the line specified by @var{linespec}.
3272
3273 @item list @var{first},@var{last}
3274 Print lines from @var{first} to @var{last}. Both arguments are
3275 linespecs.
3276
3277 @item list ,@var{last}
3278 Print lines ending with @var{last}.
3279
3280 @item list @var{first},
3281 Print lines starting with @var{first}.
3282
3283 @item list +
3284 Print lines just after the lines last printed.
3285
3286 @item list -
3287 Print lines just before the lines last printed.
3288
3289 @item list
3290 As described in the preceding table.
3291 @end table
3292
3293 Here are the ways of specifying a single source line---all the
3294 kinds of linespec.
3295
3296 @table @code
3297 @item @var{number}
3298 Specifies line @var{number} of the current source file.
3299 When a @code{list} command has two linespecs, this refers to
3300 the same source file as the first linespec.
3301
3302 @item +@var{offset}
3303 Specifies the line @var{offset} lines after the last line printed.
3304 When used as the second linespec in a @code{list} command that has
3305 two, this specifies the line @var{offset} lines down from the
3306 first linespec.
3307
3308 @item -@var{offset}
3309 Specifies the line @var{offset} lines before the last line printed.
3310
3311 @item @var{filename}:@var{number}
3312 Specifies line @var{number} in the source file @var{filename}.
3313
3314 @item @var{function}
3315 @c FIXME: "of the open-brace" is C-centric. When we add other langs...
3316 Specifies the line of the open-brace that begins the body of the
3317 function @var{function}.
3318
3319 @item @var{filename}:@var{function}
3320 Specifies the line of the open-brace that begins the body of the
3321 function @var{function} in the file @var{filename}. You only need the
3322 file name with a function name to avoid ambiguity when there are
3323 identically named functions in different source files.
3324
3325 @item *@var{address}
3326 Specifies the line containing the program address @var{address}.
3327 @var{address} may be any expression.
3328 @end table
3329
3330 @ifclear DOSHOST
3331 @node Search
3332 @section Searching source files
3333 @cindex searching
3334 @kindex reverse-search
3335
3336 There are two commands for searching through the current source file for a
3337 regular expression.
3338
3339 @table @code
3340 @item forward-search @var{regexp}
3341 @itemx search @var{regexp}
3342 @kindex search
3343 @kindex forward-search
3344 The command @samp{forward-search @var{regexp}} checks each line,
3345 starting with the one following the last line listed, for a match for
3346 @var{regexp}. It lists the line that is found. You can use
3347 synonym @samp{search @var{regexp}} or abbreviate the command name as
3348 @code{fo}.
3349
3350 @item reverse-search @var{regexp}
3351 The command @samp{reverse-search @var{regexp}} checks each line, starting
3352 with the one before the last line listed and going backward, for a match
3353 for @var{regexp}. It lists the line that is found. You can abbreviate
3354 this command as @code{rev}.
3355 @end table
3356 @end ifclear
3357
3358 @node Source Path
3359 @section Specifying source directories
3360
3361 @cindex source path
3362 @cindex directories for source files
3363 Executable programs sometimes do not record the directories of the source
3364 files from which they were compiled, just the names. Even when they do,
3365 the directories could be moved between the compilation and your debugging
3366 session. @value{GDBN} has a list of directories to search for source files;
3367 this is called the @dfn{source path}. Each time @value{GDBN} wants a source file,
3368 it tries all the directories in the list, in the order they are present
3369 in the list, until it finds a file with the desired name. Note that
3370 the executable search path is @emph{not} used for this purpose. Neither is
3371 the current working directory, unless it happens to be in the source
3372 path.
3373
3374 If @value{GDBN} cannot find a source file in the source path, and the object
3375 program records a directory, @value{GDBN} tries that directory too. If the
3376 source path is empty, and there is no record of the compilation
3377 directory, @value{GDBN} will, as a last resort, look in the current
3378 directory.
3379
3380 Whenever you reset or rearrange the source path, @value{GDBN} will clear out
3381 any information it has cached about where source files are found, where
3382 each line is in the file, etc.
3383
3384 @kindex directory
3385 When you start @value{GDBN}, its source path is empty.
3386 To add other directories, use the @code{directory} command.
3387
3388 @table @code
3389 @item directory @var{dirname} @dots{}
3390 Add directory @var{dirname} to the front of the source path. Several
3391 directory names may be given to this command, separated by @samp{:} or
3392 whitespace. You may specify a directory that is already in the source
3393 path; this moves it forward, so it will be searched sooner.
3394
3395 You can use the string @samp{$cdir} to refer to the compilation
3396 directory (if one is recorded), and @samp{$cwd} to refer to the current
3397 working directory. @samp{$cwd} is not the same as @samp{.}---the former
3398 tracks the current working directory as it changes during your @value{GDBN}
3399 session, while the latter is immediately expanded to the current
3400 directory at the time you add an entry to the source path.
3401
3402 @item directory
3403 Reset the source path to empty again. This requires confirmation.
3404
3405 @c RET-repeat for @code{directory} is explicitly disabled, but since
3406 @c repeating it would be a no-op we do not say that. (thanks to RMS)
3407
3408 @item show directories
3409 @kindex show directories
3410 Print the source path: show which directories it contains.
3411 @end table
3412
3413 If your source path is cluttered with directories that are no longer of
3414 interest, @value{GDBN} may sometimes cause confusion by finding the wrong
3415 versions of source. You can correct the situation as follows:
3416
3417 @enumerate
3418 @item
3419 Use @code{directory} with no argument to reset the source path to empty.
3420
3421 @item
3422 Use @code{directory} with suitable arguments to reinstall the
3423 directories you want in the source path. You can add all the
3424 directories in one command.
3425 @end enumerate
3426
3427 @node Machine Code
3428 @section Source and machine code
3429
3430 You can use the command @code{info line} to map source lines to program
3431 addresses (and vice versa), and the command @code{disassemble} to display
3432 a range of addresses as machine instructions.
3433
3434 @table @code
3435 @item info line @var{linespec}
3436 @kindex info line
3437 Print the starting and ending addresses of the compiled code for
3438 source line @var{linespec}. You can specify source lines in any of
3439 the ways understood by the @code{list} command (@pxref{List, ,Printing
3440 source lines}).
3441 @end table
3442
3443 For example, we can use @code{info line} to discover the location of
3444 the object code for the first line of function
3445 @code{m4_changequote}:
3446
3447 @smallexample
3448 (@value{GDBP}) info line m4_changecom
3449 Line 895 of "builtin.c" starts at pc 0x634c and ends at 0x6350.
3450 @end smallexample
3451
3452 @noindent
3453 We can also inquire (using @code{*@var{addr}} as the form for
3454 @var{linespec}) what source line covers a particular address:
3455 @smallexample
3456 (@value{GDBP}) info line *0x63ff
3457 Line 926 of "builtin.c" starts at pc 0x63e4 and ends at 0x6404.
3458 @end smallexample
3459
3460 @cindex @code{$_} and @code{info line}
3461 After @code{info line}, the default address for the @code{x} command
3462 is changed to the starting address of the line, so that @samp{x/i} is
3463 sufficient to begin examining the machine code (@pxref{Memory,
3464 ,Examining memory}). Also, this address is saved as the value of the
3465 convenience variable @code{$_} (@pxref{Convenience Vars, ,Convenience
3466 variables}).
3467
3468 @table @code
3469 @kindex disassemble
3470 @item disassemble
3471 This specialized command dumps a range of memory as machine
3472 instructions. The default memory range is the function surrounding the
3473 program counter of the selected frame. A single argument to this
3474 command is a program counter value; the function surrounding this value
3475 will be dumped. Two arguments specify a range of addresses (first
3476 inclusive, second exclusive) to dump.
3477 @end table
3478
3479 @ifclear HviiiEXCLUSIVE
3480 We can use @code{disassemble} to inspect the object code
3481 range shown in the last @code{info line} example (the example
3482 shows SPARC machine instructions):
3483
3484
3485 @smallexample
3486 (@value{GDBP}) disas 0x63e4 0x6404
3487 Dump of assembler code from 0x63e4 to 0x6404:
3488 0x63e4 <builtin_init+5340>: ble 0x63f8 <builtin_init+5360>
3489 0x63e8 <builtin_init+5344>: sethi %hi(0x4c00), %o0
3490 0x63ec <builtin_init+5348>: ld [%i1+4], %o0
3491 0x63f0 <builtin_init+5352>: b 0x63fc <builtin_init+5364>
3492 0x63f4 <builtin_init+5356>: ld [%o0+4], %o0
3493 0x63f8 <builtin_init+5360>: or %o0, 0x1a4, %o0
3494 0x63fc <builtin_init+5364>: call 0x9288 <path_search>
3495 0x6400 <builtin_init+5368>: nop
3496 End of assembler dump.
3497 @end smallexample
3498 @end ifclear
3499
3500 @ifset HviiiEXCLUSIVE
3501 For example, here is the beginning of the output for the
3502 disassembly of a function @code{fact}:
3503
3504
3505 @smallexample
3506 (@value{GDBP}) disas fact
3507 Dump of assembler code for function fact:
3508 to 0x808c:
3509 0x802c <fact>: 6d f2 mov.w r2,@@-r7
3510 0x802e <fact+2>: 6d f3 mov.w r3,@@-r7
3511 0x8030 <fact+4>: 6d f6 mov.w r6,@@-r7
3512 0x8032 <fact+6>: 0d 76 mov.w r7,r6
3513 0x8034 <fact+8>: 6f 70 00 08 mov.w @@(0x8,r7),r0
3514 0x8038 <fact+12> 19 11 sub.w r1,r1
3515 .
3516 .
3517 .
3518 @end smallexample
3519 @end ifset
3520
3521 @node Data
3522 @chapter Examining Data
3523
3524 @cindex printing data
3525 @cindex examining data
3526 @kindex print
3527 @kindex inspect
3528 @c "inspect" is not quite a synonym if you are using Epoch, which we do not
3529 @c document because it is nonstandard... Under Epoch it displays in a
3530 @c different window or something like that.
3531 The usual way to examine data in your program is with the @code{print}
3532 command (abbreviated @code{p}), or its synonym @code{inspect}.
3533 @ifclear CONLY
3534 It evaluates and prints the value of an expression of the language your
3535 program is written in (@pxref{Languages, ,Using @value{GDBN} with Different
3536 Languages}).
3537 @end ifclear
3538
3539 @table @code
3540 @item print @var{exp}
3541 @itemx print /@var{f} @var{exp}
3542 @var{exp} is an expression (in the source language). By default the
3543 value of @var{exp} is printed in a format appropriate to its data type;
3544 you can choose a different format by specifying @samp{/@var{f}}, where
3545 @var{f} is a letter specifying the format; @pxref{Output Formats,,Output
3546 formats}.
3547
3548 @item print
3549 @itemx print /@var{f}
3550 If you omit @var{exp}, @value{GDBN} displays the last value again (from the
3551 @dfn{value history}; @pxref{Value History, ,Value history}). This allows you to
3552 conveniently inspect the same value in an alternative format.
3553 @end table
3554
3555 A more low-level way of examining data is with the @code{x} command.
3556 It examines data in memory at a specified address and prints it in a
3557 specified format. @xref{Memory, ,Examining memory}.
3558
3559 If you are interested in information about types, or about how the fields
3560 of a struct
3561 @ifclear CONLY
3562 or class
3563 @end ifclear
3564 are declared, use the @code{ptype @var{exp}}
3565 command rather than @code{print}. @xref{Symbols, ,Examining the Symbol Table}.
3566
3567 @menu
3568 * Expressions:: Expressions
3569 * Variables:: Program variables
3570 * Arrays:: Artificial arrays
3571 * Output Formats:: Output formats
3572 * Memory:: Examining memory
3573 * Auto Display:: Automatic display
3574 * Print Settings:: Print settings
3575 * Value History:: Value history
3576 * Convenience Vars:: Convenience variables
3577 * Registers:: Registers
3578 @ifclear HviiiEXCLUSIVE
3579 * Floating Point Hardware:: Floating point hardware
3580 @end ifclear
3581 @end menu
3582
3583 @node Expressions
3584 @section Expressions
3585
3586 @cindex expressions
3587 @code{print} and many other @value{GDBN} commands accept an expression and
3588 compute its value. Any kind of constant, variable or operator defined
3589 by the programming language you are using is valid in an expression in
3590 @value{GDBN}. This includes conditional expressions, function calls, casts
3591 and string constants. It unfortunately does not include symbols defined
3592 by preprocessor @code{#define} commands.
3593
3594 @ifclear CONLY
3595 Because C is so widespread, most of the expressions shown in examples in
3596 this manual are in C. @xref{Languages, , Using @value{GDBN} with Different
3597 Languages}, for information on how to use expressions in other
3598 languages.
3599
3600 In this section, we discuss operators that you can use in @value{GDBN}
3601 expressions regardless of your programming language.
3602
3603 Casts are supported in all languages, not just in C, because it is so
3604 useful to cast a number into a pointer so as to examine a structure
3605 at that address in memory.
3606 @c FIXME: casts supported---Mod2 true?
3607 @end ifclear
3608
3609 @value{GDBN} supports these operators in addition to those of programming
3610 languages:
3611
3612 @table @code
3613 @item @@
3614 @samp{@@} is a binary operator for treating parts of memory as arrays.
3615 @xref{Arrays, ,Artificial arrays}, for more information.
3616
3617 @item ::
3618 @samp{::} allows you to specify a variable in terms of the file or
3619 function where it is defined. @xref{Variables, ,Program variables}.
3620
3621 @item @{@var{type}@} @var{addr}
3622 @cindex @{@var{type}@}
3623 @cindex type casting memory
3624 @cindex memory, viewing as typed object
3625 @cindex casts, to view memory
3626 Refers to an object of type @var{type} stored at address @var{addr} in
3627 memory. @var{addr} may be any expression whose value is an integer or
3628 pointer (but parentheses are required around binary operators, just as in
3629 a cast). This construct is allowed regardless of what kind of data is
3630 normally supposed to reside at @var{addr}.
3631 @end table
3632
3633 @node Variables
3634 @section Program variables
3635
3636 The most common kind of expression to use is the name of a variable
3637 in your program.
3638
3639 Variables in expressions are understood in the selected stack frame
3640 (@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a frame}); they must either be global
3641 (or static) or be visible according to the scope rules of the
3642 programming language from the point of execution in that frame. This
3643 means that in the function
3644
3645 @example
3646 foo (a)
3647 int a;
3648 @{
3649 bar (a);
3650 @{
3651 int b = test ();
3652 bar (b);
3653 @}
3654 @}
3655 @end example
3656
3657 @noindent
3658 you can examine and use the variable @code{a} whenever your program is
3659 executing within the function @code{foo}, but you can only use or
3660 examine the variable @code{b} while your program is executing inside
3661 the block where @code{b} is declared.
3662
3663 @cindex variable name conflict
3664 There is an exception: you can refer to a variable or function whose
3665 scope is a single source file even if the current execution point is not
3666 in this file. But it is possible to have more than one such variable or
3667 function with the same name (in different source files). If that
3668 happens, referring to that name has unpredictable effects. If you wish,
3669 you can specify a static variable in a particular function or file,
3670 using the colon-colon notation:
3671
3672 @cindex colon-colon
3673 @iftex
3674 @c info cannot cope with a :: index entry, but why deprive hard copy readers?
3675 @kindex ::
3676 @end iftex
3677 @example
3678 @var{file}::@var{variable}
3679 @var{function}::@var{variable}
3680 @end example
3681
3682 @noindent
3683 Here @var{file} or @var{function} is the name of the context for the
3684 static @var{variable}. In the case of file names, you can use quotes to
3685 make sure @value{GDBN} parses the file name as a single word---for example,
3686 to print a global value of @code{x} defined in @file{f2.c}:
3687
3688 @example
3689 (@value{GDBP}) p 'f2.c'::x
3690 @end example
3691
3692 @ifclear CONLY
3693 @cindex C++ scope resolution
3694 This use of @samp{::} is very rarely in conflict with the very similar
3695 use of the same notation in C++. @value{GDBN} also supports use of the C++
3696 scope resolution operator in @value{GDBN} expressions.
3697 @c FIXME: Um, so what happens in one of those rare cases where it's in
3698 @c conflict?? --mew
3699 @end ifclear
3700
3701 @cindex wrong values
3702 @cindex variable values, wrong
3703 @quotation
3704 @emph{Warning:} Occasionally, a local variable may appear to have the
3705 wrong value at certain points in a function---just after entry to a new
3706 scope, and just before exit.
3707 @end quotation
3708 You may see this problem when you are stepping by machine instructions.
3709 This is because on most machines, it takes more than one instruction to
3710 set up a stack frame (including local variable definitions); if you are
3711 stepping by machine instructions, variables may appear to have the wrong
3712 values until the stack frame is completely built. On exit, it usually
3713 also takes more than one machine instruction to destroy a stack frame;
3714 after you begin stepping through that group of instructions, local
3715 variable definitions may be gone.
3716
3717 @node Arrays
3718 @section Artificial arrays
3719
3720 @cindex artificial array
3721 @kindex @@
3722 It is often useful to print out several successive objects of the
3723 same type in memory; a section of an array, or an array of
3724 dynamically determined size for which only a pointer exists in the
3725 program.
3726
3727 You can do this by referring to a contiguous span of memory as an
3728 @dfn{artificial array}, using the binary operator @samp{@@}. The left
3729 operand of @samp{@@} should be the first element of the desired array,
3730 as an individual object. The right operand should be the desired length
3731 of the array. The result is an array value whose elements are all of
3732 the type of the left argument. The first element is actually the left
3733 argument; the second element comes from bytes of memory immediately
3734 following those that hold the first element, and so on. Here is an
3735 example. If a program says
3736
3737 @example
3738 int *array = (int *) malloc (len * sizeof (int));
3739 @end example
3740
3741 @noindent
3742 you can print the contents of @code{array} with
3743
3744 @example
3745 p *array@@len
3746 @end example
3747
3748 The left operand of @samp{@@} must reside in memory. Array values made
3749 with @samp{@@} in this way behave just like other arrays in terms of
3750 subscripting, and are coerced to pointers when used in expressions.
3751 Artificial arrays most often appear in expressions via the value history
3752 (@pxref{Value History, ,Value history}), after printing one out.)
3753
3754 Sometimes the artificial array mechanism is not quite enough; in
3755 moderately complex data structures, the elements of interest may not
3756 actually be adjacent---for example, if you are interested in the values
3757 of pointers in an array. One useful work-around in this situation is
3758 to use a convenience variable (@pxref{Convenience Vars, ,Convenience
3759 variables}) as a counter in an expression that prints the first
3760 interesting value, and then repeat that expression via @key{RET}. For
3761 instance, suppose you have an array @code{dtab} of pointers to
3762 structures, and you are interested in the values of a field @code{fv}
3763 in each structure. Here is an example of what you might type:
3764
3765 @example
3766 set $i = 0
3767 p dtab[$i++]->fv
3768 @key{RET}
3769 @key{RET}
3770 @dots{}
3771 @end example
3772
3773 @node Output Formats
3774 @section Output formats
3775
3776 @cindex formatted output
3777 @cindex output formats
3778 By default, @value{GDBN} prints a value according to its data type. Sometimes
3779 this is not what you want. For example, you might want to print a number
3780 in hex, or a pointer in decimal. Or you might want to view data in memory
3781 at a certain address as a character string or as an instruction. To do
3782 these things, specify an @dfn{output format} when you print a value.
3783
3784 The simplest use of output formats is to say how to print a value
3785 already computed. This is done by starting the arguments of the
3786 @code{print} command with a slash and a format letter. The format
3787 letters supported are:
3788
3789 @table @code
3790 @item x
3791 Regard the bits of the value as an integer, and print the integer in
3792 hexadecimal.
3793
3794 @item d
3795 Print as integer in signed decimal.
3796
3797 @item u
3798 Print as integer in unsigned decimal.
3799
3800 @item o
3801 Print as integer in octal.
3802
3803 @item t
3804 Print as integer in binary. The letter @samp{t} stands for ``two''.
3805 @footnote{@samp{b} cannot be used because these format letters are also
3806 used with the @code{x} command, where @samp{b} stands for ``byte'';
3807 @pxref{Memory,,Examining memory}.}
3808
3809 @item a
3810 Print as an address, both absolute in hex and as an offset from the
3811 nearest preceding symbol. This format can be used to discover where (in
3812 what function) an unknown address is located:
3813
3814 @example
3815 (@value{GDBP}) p/a 0x54320
3816 $3 = 0x54320 <_initialize_vx+396>
3817 @end example
3818
3819 @item c
3820 Regard as an integer and print it as a character constant.
3821
3822 @item f
3823 Regard the bits of the value as a floating point number and print
3824 using typical floating point syntax.
3825 @end table
3826
3827 For example, to print the program counter in hex (@pxref{Registers}), type
3828
3829 @example
3830 p/x $pc
3831 @end example
3832
3833 @noindent
3834 Note that no space is required before the slash; this is because command
3835 names in @value{GDBN} cannot contain a slash.
3836
3837 To reprint the last value in the value history with a different format,
3838 you can use the @code{print} command with just a format and no
3839 expression. For example, @samp{p/x} reprints the last value in hex.
3840
3841 @node Memory
3842 @section Examining memory
3843
3844 You can use the command @code{x} (for ``examine'') to examine memory in
3845 any of several formats, independently of your program's data types.
3846
3847 @cindex examining memory
3848 @table @code
3849 @kindex x
3850 @item x/@var{nfu} @var{addr}
3851 @itemx x @var{addr}
3852 @itemx x
3853 Use the @code{x} command to examine memory.
3854 @end table
3855
3856 @var{n}, @var{f}, and @var{u} are all optional parameters that specify how
3857 much memory to display and how to format it; @var{addr} is an
3858 expression giving the address where you want to start displaying memory.
3859 If you use defaults for @var{nfu}, you need not type the slash @samp{/}.
3860 Several commands set convenient defaults for @var{addr}.
3861
3862 @table @r
3863 @item @var{n}, the repeat count
3864 The repeat count is a decimal integer; the default is 1. It specifies
3865 how much memory (counting by units @var{u}) to display.
3866 @c This really is **decimal**; unaffected by 'set radix' as of GDB
3867 @c 4.1.2.
3868
3869 @item @var{f}, the display format
3870 The display format is one of the formats used by @code{print},
3871 or @samp{s} (null-terminated string) or @samp{i} (machine instruction).
3872 The default is @samp{x} (hexadecimal) initially, or the format from the
3873 last time you used either @code{x} or @code{print}.
3874
3875 @item @var{u}, the unit size
3876 The unit size is any of
3877
3878 @table @code
3879 @item b
3880 Bytes.
3881 @item h
3882 Halfwords (two bytes).
3883 @item w
3884 Words (four bytes). This is the initial default.
3885 @item g
3886 Giant words (eight bytes).
3887 @end table
3888
3889 Each time you specify a unit size with @code{x}, that size becomes the
3890 default unit the next time you use @code{x}. (For the @samp{s} and
3891 @samp{i} formats, the unit size is ignored and is normally not written.)
3892
3893 @item @var{addr}, starting display address
3894 @var{addr} is the address where you want @value{GDBN} to begin displaying
3895 memory. The expression need not have a pointer value (though it may);
3896 it is always interpreted as an integer address of a byte of memory.
3897 @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}, for more information on expressions. The default for
3898 @var{addr} is usually just after the last address examined---but several
3899 other commands also set the default address: @code{info breakpoints} (to
3900 the address of the last breakpoint listed), @code{info line} (to the
3901 starting address of a line), and @code{print} (if you use it to display
3902 a value from memory).
3903 @end table
3904
3905 For example, @samp{x/3uh 0x54320} is a request to display three halfwords
3906 (@code{h}) of memory, formatted as unsigned decimal integers (@samp{u}),
3907 starting at address @code{0x54320}. @samp{x/4xw $sp} prints the four
3908 words (@samp{w}) of memory above the stack pointer (here, @samp{$sp};
3909 @pxref{Registers}) in hexadecimal (@samp{x}).
3910
3911 Since the letters indicating unit sizes are all distinct from the
3912 letters specifying output formats, you do not have to remember whether
3913 unit size or format comes first; either order will work. The output
3914 specifications @samp{4xw} and @samp{4wx} mean exactly the same thing.
3915 (However, the count @var{n} must come first; @samp{wx4} will not work.)
3916
3917 Even though the unit size @var{u} is ignored for the formats @samp{s}
3918 and @samp{i}, you might still want to use a count @var{n}; for example,
3919 @samp{3i} specifies that you want to see three machine instructions,
3920 including any operands. The command @code{disassemble} gives an
3921 alternative way of inspecting machine instructions; @pxref{Machine
3922 Code,,Source and machine code}.
3923
3924 All the defaults for the arguments to @code{x} are designed to make it
3925 easy to continue scanning memory with minimal specifications each time
3926 you use @code{x}. For example, after you have inspected three machine
3927 instructions with @samp{x/3i @var{addr}}, you can inspect the next seven
3928 with just @samp{x/7}. If you use @key{RET} to repeat the @code{x} command,
3929 the repeat count @var{n} is used again; the other arguments default as
3930 for successive uses of @code{x}.
3931
3932 @cindex @code{$_}, @code{$__}, and value history
3933 The addresses and contents printed by the @code{x} command are not saved
3934 in the value history because there is often too much of them and they
3935 would get in the way. Instead, @value{GDBN} makes these values available for
3936 subsequent use in expressions as values of the convenience variables
3937 @code{$_} and @code{$__}. After an @code{x} command, the last address
3938 examined is available for use in expressions in the convenience variable
3939 @code{$_}. The contents of that address, as examined, are available in
3940 the convenience variable @code{$__}.
3941
3942 If the @code{x} command has a repeat count, the address and contents saved
3943 are from the last memory unit printed; this is not the same as the last
3944 address printed if several units were printed on the last line of output.
3945
3946 @node Auto Display
3947 @section Automatic display
3948 @cindex automatic display
3949 @cindex display of expressions
3950
3951 If you find that you want to print the value of an expression frequently
3952 (to see how it changes), you might want to add it to the @dfn{automatic
3953 display list} so that @value{GDBN} will print its value each time your program stops.
3954 Each expression added to the list is given a number to identify it;
3955 to remove an expression from the list, you specify that number.
3956 The automatic display looks like this:
3957
3958 @example
3959 2: foo = 38
3960 3: bar[5] = (struct hack *) 0x3804
3961 @end example
3962
3963 @noindent
3964 This display shows item numbers, expressions and their current values. As with
3965 displays you request manually using @code{x} or @code{print}, you can
3966 specify the output format you prefer; in fact, @code{display} decides
3967 whether to use @code{print} or @code{x} depending on how elaborate your
3968 format specification is---it uses @code{x} if you specify a unit size,
3969 or one of the two formats (@samp{i} and @samp{s}) that are only
3970 supported by @code{x}; otherwise it uses @code{print}.
3971
3972 @table @code
3973 @item display @var{exp}
3974 @kindex display
3975 Add the expression @var{exp} to the list of expressions to display
3976 each time your program stops. @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}.
3977
3978 @code{display} will not repeat if you press @key{RET} again after using it.
3979
3980 @item display/@var{fmt} @var{exp}
3981 For @var{fmt} specifying only a display format and not a size or
3982 count, add the expression @var{exp} to the auto-display list but
3983 arranges to display it each time in the specified format @var{fmt}.
3984 @xref{Output Formats,,Output formats}.
3985
3986 @item display/@var{fmt} @var{addr}
3987 For @var{fmt} @samp{i} or @samp{s}, or including a unit-size or a
3988 number of units, add the expression @var{addr} as a memory address to
3989 be examined each time your program stops. Examining means in effect
3990 doing @samp{x/@var{fmt} @var{addr}}. @xref{Memory, ,Examining memory}.
3991 @end table
3992
3993 For example, @samp{display/i $pc} can be helpful, to see the machine
3994 instruction about to be executed each time execution stops (@samp{$pc}
3995 is a common name for the program counter; @pxref{Registers}).
3996
3997 @table @code
3998 @item undisplay @var{dnums}@dots{}
3999 @itemx delete display @var{dnums}@dots{}
4000 @kindex delete display
4001 @kindex undisplay
4002 Remove item numbers @var{dnums} from the list of expressions to display.
4003
4004 @code{undisplay} will not repeat if you press @key{RET} after using it.
4005 (Otherwise you would just get the error @samp{No display number @dots{}}.)
4006
4007 @item disable display @var{dnums}@dots{}
4008 @kindex disable display
4009 Disable the display of item numbers @var{dnums}. A disabled display
4010 item is not printed automatically, but is not forgotten. It may be
4011 enabled again later.
4012
4013 @item enable display @var{dnums}@dots{}
4014 @kindex enable display
4015 Enable display of item numbers @var{dnums}. It becomes effective once
4016 again in auto display of its expression, until you specify otherwise.
4017
4018 @item display
4019 Display the current values of the expressions on the list, just as is
4020 done when your program stops.
4021
4022 @item info display
4023 @kindex info display
4024 Print the list of expressions previously set up to display
4025 automatically, each one with its item number, but without showing the
4026 values. This includes disabled expressions, which are marked as such.
4027 It also includes expressions which would not be displayed right now
4028 because they refer to automatic variables not currently available.
4029 @end table
4030
4031 If a display expression refers to local variables, then it does not make
4032 sense outside the lexical context for which it was set up. Such an
4033 expression is disabled when execution enters a context where one of its
4034 variables is not defined. For example, if you give the command
4035 @code{display last_char} while inside a function with an argument
4036 @code{last_char}, then this argument will be displayed while your program
4037 continues to stop inside that function. When it stops elsewhere---where
4038 there is no variable @code{last_char}---display is disabled. The next time
4039 your program stops where @code{last_char} is meaningful, you can enable the
4040 display expression once again.
4041
4042 @node Print Settings
4043 @section Print settings
4044
4045 @cindex format options
4046 @cindex print settings
4047 @value{GDBN} provides the following ways to control how arrays, structures,
4048 and symbols are printed.
4049
4050 @noindent
4051 These settings are useful for debugging programs in any language:
4052
4053 @table @code
4054 @item set print address
4055 @item set print address on
4056 @kindex set print address
4057 @value{GDBN} will print memory addresses showing the location of stack
4058 traces, structure values, pointer values, breakpoints, and so forth,
4059 even when it also displays the contents of those addresses. The default
4060 is on. For example, this is what a stack frame display looks like, with
4061 @code{set print address on}:
4062
4063 @smallexample
4064 @group
4065 (@value{GDBP}) f
4066 #0 set_quotes (lq=0x34c78 "<<", rq=0x34c88 ">>")
4067 at input.c:530
4068 530 if (lquote != def_lquote)
4069 @end group
4070 @end smallexample
4071
4072 @item set print address off
4073 Do not print addresses when displaying their contents. For example,
4074 this is the same stack frame displayed with @code{set print address off}:
4075
4076 @example
4077 @group
4078 (@value{GDBP}) set print addr off
4079 (@value{GDBP}) f
4080 #0 set_quotes (lq="<<", rq=">>") at input.c:530
4081 530 if (lquote != def_lquote)
4082 @end group
4083 @end example
4084
4085 You can use @samp{set print address off} to eliminate all machine
4086 dependent displays from the @value{GDBN} interface. For example, with
4087 @code{print address off}, you should get the same text for backtraces on
4088 all machines---whether or not they involve pointer arguments.
4089
4090 @item show print address
4091 @kindex show print address
4092 Show whether or not addresses are to be printed.
4093
4094 @item set print array
4095 @itemx set print array on
4096 @kindex set print array
4097 @value{GDBN} will pretty-print arrays. This format is more convenient to read,
4098 but uses more space. The default is off.
4099
4100 @item set print array off
4101 Return to compressed format for arrays.
4102
4103 @item show print array
4104 @kindex show print array
4105 Show whether compressed or pretty format is selected for displaying
4106 arrays.
4107
4108 @item set print elements @var{number-of-elements}
4109 @kindex set print elements
4110 If @value{GDBN} is printing a large array, it will stop printing after it has
4111 printed the number of elements set by the @code{set print elements} command.
4112 This limit also applies to the display of strings.
4113
4114 @item show print elements
4115 @kindex show print elements
4116 Display the number of elements of a large array that @value{GDBN} will print
4117 before losing patience.
4118
4119 @item set print pretty on
4120 @kindex set print pretty
4121 Cause @value{GDBN} to print structures in an indented format with one member per
4122 line, like this:
4123
4124 @example
4125 @group
4126 $1 = @{
4127 next = 0x0,
4128 flags = @{
4129 sweet = 1,
4130 sour = 1
4131 @},
4132 meat = 0x54 "Pork"
4133 @}
4134 @end group
4135 @end example
4136
4137 @item set print pretty off
4138 Cause @value{GDBN} to print structures in a compact format, like this:
4139
4140 @smallexample
4141 @group
4142 $1 = @{next = 0x0, flags = @{sweet = 1, sour = 1@}, \
4143 meat = 0x54 "Pork"@}
4144 @end group
4145 @end smallexample
4146
4147 @noindent
4148 This is the default format.
4149
4150 @item show print pretty
4151 @kindex show print pretty
4152 Show which format @value{GDBN} will use to print structures.
4153
4154 @item set print sevenbit-strings on
4155 @kindex set print sevenbit-strings
4156 Print using only seven-bit characters; if this option is set,
4157 @value{GDBN} will display any eight-bit characters (in strings or character
4158 values) using the notation @code{\}@var{nnn}. For example, @kbd{M-a} is
4159 displayed as @code{\341}.
4160
4161 @item set print sevenbit-strings off
4162 Print using either seven-bit or eight-bit characters, as required. This
4163 is the default.
4164
4165 @item show print sevenbit-strings
4166 @kindex show print sevenbit-strings
4167 Show whether or not @value{GDBN} will print only seven-bit characters.
4168
4169 @item set print union on
4170 @kindex set print union
4171 Tell @value{GDBN} to print unions which are contained in structures. This is the
4172 default setting.
4173
4174 @item set print union off
4175 Tell @value{GDBN} not to print unions which are contained in structures.
4176
4177 @item show print union
4178 @kindex show print union
4179 Ask @value{GDBN} whether or not it will print unions which are contained in
4180 structures.
4181
4182 For example, given the declarations
4183
4184 @smallexample
4185 typedef enum @{Tree, Bug@} Species;
4186 typedef enum @{Big_tree, Acorn, Seedling@} Tree_forms;
4187 typedef enum @{Caterpillar, Cocoon, Butterfly@}
4188 Bug_forms;
4189
4190 struct thing @{
4191 Species it;
4192 union @{
4193 Tree_forms tree;
4194 Bug_forms bug;
4195 @} form;
4196 @};
4197
4198 struct thing foo = @{Tree, @{Acorn@}@};
4199 @end smallexample
4200
4201 @noindent
4202 with @code{set print union on} in effect @samp{p foo} would print
4203
4204 @smallexample
4205 $1 = @{it = Tree, form = @{tree = Acorn, bug = Cocoon@}@}
4206 @end smallexample
4207
4208 @noindent
4209 and with @code{set print union off} in effect it would print
4210
4211 @smallexample
4212 $1 = @{it = Tree, form = @{...@}@}
4213 @end smallexample
4214
4215 @item set print max-symbolic-offset @var{maxoff}
4216 @kindex set print max-symbolic-offset
4217 Tell @value{GDBN} to only display the symbolic form of an address if the
4218 offset between the closest earlier symbol and the address is less than
4219 @var{maxoff}. The default is 0, which means to always print the
4220 symbolic form of an address, if any symbol precedes it.
4221
4222 @item show print max-symbolic-offset
4223 @kindex show print max-symbolic-offset
4224 Ask how large the maximum offset is that @value{GDBN} will print in a
4225 symbolic address.
4226
4227 @end table
4228
4229 @ifclear CONLY
4230 @noindent
4231 These settings are of interest when debugging C++ programs:
4232
4233 @table @code
4234 @item set print demangle
4235 @itemx set print demangle on
4236 @kindex set print demangle
4237 Print C++ names in their source form rather than in the encoded
4238 (``mangled'') form passed to the assembler and linker for type-safe
4239 linkage. The default is @samp{on}.
4240
4241 @item show print demangle
4242 @kindex show print demangle
4243 Show whether C++ names will be printed in mangled or demangled form.
4244
4245 @item set print asm-demangle
4246 @itemx set print asm-demangle on
4247 @kindex set print asm-demangle
4248 Print C++ names in their source form rather than their mangled form, even
4249 in assembler code printouts such as instruction disassemblies.
4250 The default is off.
4251
4252 @item show print asm-demangle
4253 @kindex show print asm-demangle
4254 Show whether C++ names in assembly listings will be printed in mangled
4255 or demangled form.
4256
4257 @item set demangle-style @var{style}
4258 @kindex set demangle-style
4259 @cindex C++ symbol decoding style
4260 @cindex symbol decoding style, C++
4261 Choose among several encoding schemes used by different compilers to
4262 represent C++ names. The choices for @var{style} are currently:
4263
4264 @table @code
4265 @item auto
4266 Allow @value{GDBN} to choose a decoding style by inspecting your program.
4267
4268 @item gnu
4269 Decode based on the GNU C++ compiler (@code{g++}) encoding algorithm.
4270
4271 @item lucid
4272 Decode based on the Lucid C++ compiler (@code{lcc}) encoding algorithm.
4273
4274 @item cfront
4275 Decode using the algorithm in the @cite{C++ Annotated Reference Manual}.
4276 @strong{Warning:} despite the name, this setting alone is not sufficient
4277 to allow debugging @code{cfront}-generated executables. @value{GDBN}
4278 would require further enhancement to permit that.
4279 @end table
4280
4281 @item show demangle-style
4282 @kindex show demangle-style
4283 Display the encoding style currently in use for decoding C++ symbols.
4284
4285 @item set print object
4286 @itemx set print object on
4287 @kindex set print object
4288 When displaying a pointer to an object, identify the @emph{actual}
4289 (derived) type of the object rather than the @emph{declared} type, using
4290 the virtual function table.
4291
4292 @item set print object off
4293 Display only the declared type of objects, without reference to the
4294 virtual function table. This is the default setting.
4295
4296 @item show print object
4297 @kindex show print object
4298 Show whether actual, or declared, object types will be displayed.
4299
4300 @item set print vtbl
4301 @itemx set print vtbl on
4302 @kindex set print vtbl
4303 Pretty print C++ virtual function tables. The default is off.
4304
4305 @item set print vtbl off
4306 Do not pretty print C++ virtual function tables.
4307
4308 @item show print vtbl
4309 @kindex show print vtbl
4310 Show whether C++ virtual function tables are pretty printed, or not.
4311 @end table
4312 @end ifclear
4313
4314 @node Value History
4315 @section Value history
4316
4317 @cindex value history
4318 Values printed by the @code{print} command are saved in the @value{GDBN} @dfn{value
4319 history} so that you can refer to them in other expressions. Values are
4320 kept until the symbol table is re-read or discarded (for example with
4321 the @code{file} or @code{symbol-file} commands). When the symbol table
4322 changes, the value history is discarded, since the values may contain
4323 pointers back to the types defined in the symbol table.
4324
4325 @cindex @code{$}
4326 @cindex @code{$$}
4327 @cindex history number
4328 The values printed are given @dfn{history numbers} for you to refer to them
4329 by. These are successive integers starting with one. @code{print} shows you
4330 the history number assigned to a value by printing @samp{$@var{num} = }
4331 before the value; here @var{num} is the history number.
4332
4333 To refer to any previous value, use @samp{$} followed by the value's
4334 history number. The way @code{print} labels its output is designed to
4335 remind you of this. Just @code{$} refers to the most recent value in
4336 the history, and @code{$$} refers to the value before that.
4337 @code{$$@var{n}} refers to the @var{n}th value from the end; @code{$$2}
4338 is the value just prior to @code{$$}, @code{$$1} is equivalent to
4339 @code{$$}, and @code{$$0} is equivalent to @code{$}.
4340
4341 For example, suppose you have just printed a pointer to a structure and
4342 want to see the contents of the structure. It suffices to type
4343
4344 @example
4345 p *$
4346 @end example
4347
4348 If you have a chain of structures where the component @code{next} points
4349 to the next one, you can print the contents of the next one with this:
4350
4351 @example
4352 p *$.next
4353 @end example
4354
4355 @noindent
4356 You can print successive links in the chain by repeating this
4357 command---which you can do by just typing @key{RET}.
4358
4359 Note that the history records values, not expressions. If the value of
4360 @code{x} is 4 and you type these commands:
4361
4362 @example
4363 print x
4364 set x=5
4365 @end example
4366
4367 @noindent
4368 then the value recorded in the value history by the @code{print} command
4369 remains 4 even though the value of @code{x} has changed.
4370
4371 @table @code
4372 @kindex show values
4373 @item show values
4374 Print the last ten values in the value history, with their item numbers.
4375 This is like @samp{p@ $$9} repeated ten times, except that @code{show
4376 values} does not change the history.
4377
4378 @item show values @var{n}
4379 Print ten history values centered on history item number @var{n}.
4380
4381 @item show values +
4382 Print ten history values just after the values last printed. If no more
4383 values are available, produces no display.
4384 @end table
4385
4386 Pressing @key{RET} to repeat @code{show values @var{n}} has exactly the
4387 same effect as @samp{show values +}.
4388
4389 @node Convenience Vars
4390 @section Convenience variables
4391
4392 @cindex convenience variables
4393 @value{GDBN} provides @dfn{convenience variables} that you can use within
4394 @value{GDBN} to hold on to a value and refer to it later. These variables
4395 exist entirely within @value{GDBN}; they are not part of your program, and
4396 setting a convenience variable has no direct effect on further execution
4397 of your program. That is why you can use them freely.
4398
4399 Convenience variables are prefixed with @samp{$}. Any name preceded by
4400 @samp{$} can be used for a convenience variable, unless it is one of
4401 the predefined machine-specific register names (@pxref{Registers}).
4402 (Value history references, in contrast, are @emph{numbers} preceded
4403 by @samp{$}. @xref{Value History, ,Value history}.)
4404
4405 You can save a value in a convenience variable with an assignment
4406 expression, just as you would set a variable in your program.
4407 For example:
4408
4409 @example
4410 set $foo = *object_ptr
4411 @end example
4412
4413 @noindent
4414 would save in @code{$foo} the value contained in the object pointed to by
4415 @code{object_ptr}.
4416
4417 Using a convenience variable for the first time creates it; but its value
4418 is @code{void} until you assign a new value. You can alter the value with
4419 another assignment at any time.
4420
4421 Convenience variables have no fixed types. You can assign a convenience
4422 variable any type of value, including structures and arrays, even if
4423 that variable already has a value of a different type. The convenience
4424 variable, when used as an expression, has the type of its current value.
4425
4426 @table @code
4427 @item show convenience
4428 @kindex show convenience
4429 Print a list of convenience variables used so far, and their values.
4430 Abbreviated @code{show con}.
4431 @end table
4432
4433 One of the ways to use a convenience variable is as a counter to be
4434 incremented or a pointer to be advanced. For example, to print
4435 a field from successive elements of an array of structures:
4436
4437 @example
4438 set $i = 0
4439 print bar[$i++]->contents
4440 @i{@dots{} repeat that command by typing @key{RET}.}
4441 @end example
4442
4443 Some convenience variables are created automatically by @value{GDBN} and given
4444 values likely to be useful.
4445
4446 @table @code
4447 @item $_
4448 @kindex $_
4449 The variable @code{$_} is automatically set by the @code{x} command to
4450 the last address examined (@pxref{Memory, ,Examining memory}). Other
4451 commands which provide a default address for @code{x} to examine also
4452 set @code{$_} to that address; these commands include @code{info line}
4453 and @code{info breakpoint}. The type of @code{$_} is @code{void *}
4454 except when set by the @code{x} command, in which case it is a pointer
4455 to the type of @code{$__}.
4456
4457 @item $__
4458 @kindex $__
4459 The variable @code{$__} is automatically set by the @code{x} command
4460 to the value found in the last address examined. Its type is chosen
4461 to match the format in which the data was printed.
4462 @end table
4463
4464 @node Registers
4465 @section Registers
4466
4467 @cindex registers
4468 You can refer to machine register contents, in expressions, as variables
4469 with names starting with @samp{$}. The names of registers are different
4470 for each machine; use @code{info registers} to see the names used on
4471 your machine.
4472
4473 @table @code
4474 @item info registers
4475 @kindex info registers
4476 Print the names and values of all registers except floating-point
4477 registers (in the selected stack frame).
4478
4479 @item info all-registers
4480 @kindex info all-registers
4481 @cindex floating point registers
4482 Print the names and values of all registers, including floating-point
4483 registers.
4484
4485 @item info registers @var{regname} @dots{}
4486 Print the relativized value of each specified register @var{regname}.
4487 @var{regname} may be any register name valid on the machine you are using, with
4488 or without the initial @samp{$}.
4489 @end table
4490
4491 @value{GDBN} has four ``standard'' register names that are available (in
4492 expressions) on most machines---whenever they do not conflict with an
4493 architecture's canonical mnemonics for registers. The register names
4494 @code{$pc} and @code{$sp} are used for the program counter register and
4495 the stack pointer. @code{$fp} is used for a register that contains a
4496 pointer to the current stack frame, and @code{$ps} is used for a
4497 register that contains the processor status. For example,
4498 you could print the program counter in hex with
4499
4500 @example
4501 p/x $pc
4502 @end example
4503
4504 @noindent
4505 or print the instruction to be executed next with
4506
4507 @example
4508 x/i $pc
4509 @end example
4510
4511 @noindent
4512 or add four to the stack pointer@footnote{This is a way of removing
4513 one word from the stack, on machines where stacks grow downward in
4514 memory (most machines, nowadays). This assumes that the innermost
4515 stack frame is selected; setting @code{$sp} is not allowed when other
4516 stack frames are selected. To pop entire frames off the stack,
4517 regardless of machine architecture, use @code{return};
4518 @pxref{Returning, ,Returning from a function}.} with
4519
4520 @example
4521 set $sp += 4
4522 @end example
4523
4524 Whenever possible, these four standard register names are available on
4525 your machine even though the machine has different canonical mnemonics,
4526 so long as there is no conflict. The @code{info registers} command
4527 shows the canonical names. For example, on the SPARC, @code{info
4528 registers} displays the processor status register as @code{$psr} but you
4529 can also refer to it as @code{$ps}.
4530
4531 @value{GDBN} always considers the contents of an ordinary register as an
4532 integer when the register is examined in this way. Some machines have
4533 special registers which can hold nothing but floating point; these
4534 registers are considered to have floating point values. There is no way
4535 to refer to the contents of an ordinary register as floating point value
4536 (although you can @emph{print} it as a floating point value with
4537 @samp{print/f $@var{regname}}).
4538
4539 Some registers have distinct ``raw'' and ``virtual'' data formats. This
4540 means that the data format in which the register contents are saved by
4541 the operating system is not the same one that your program normally
4542 sees. For example, the registers of the 68881 floating point
4543 coprocessor are always saved in ``extended'' (raw) format, but all C
4544 programs expect to work with ``double'' (virtual) format. In such
4545 cases, @value{GDBN} normally works with the virtual format only (the format that
4546 makes sense for your program), but the @code{info registers} command
4547 prints the data in both formats.
4548
4549 Normally, register values are relative to the selected stack frame
4550 (@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a frame}). This means that you get the
4551 value that the register would contain if all stack frames farther in
4552 were exited and their saved registers restored. In order to see the
4553 true contents of hardware registers, you must select the innermost
4554 frame (with @samp{frame 0}).
4555
4556 However, @value{GDBN} must deduce where registers are saved, from the machine
4557 code generated by your compiler. If some registers are not saved, or if
4558 @value{GDBN} is unable to locate the saved registers, the selected stack
4559 frame will make no difference.
4560
4561 @ifset AMDxxixK
4562 @table @code
4563 @item set rstack_high_address @var{address}
4564 @kindex set rstack_high_address
4565 @cindex AMD 29K register stack
4566 @cindex register stack, AMD29K
4567 On AMD 29000 family processors, registers are saved in a separate
4568 ``register stack''. There is no way for @value{GDBN} to determine the extent
4569 of this stack. Normally, @value{GDBN} just assumes that the stack is ``large
4570 enough''. This may result in @value{GDBN} referencing memory locations that
4571 do not exist. If necessary, you can get around this problem by
4572 specifying the ending address of the register stack with the @code{set
4573 rstack_high_address} command. The argument should be an address, which
4574 you will probably want to precede with @samp{0x} to specify in
4575 hexadecimal.
4576
4577 @item show rstack_high_address
4578 @kindex show rstack_high_address
4579 Display the current limit of the register stack, on AMD 29000 family
4580 processors.
4581 @end table
4582 @end ifset
4583
4584 @ifclear HviiiEXCLUSIVE
4585 @node Floating Point Hardware
4586 @section Floating point hardware
4587 @cindex floating point
4588
4589 @c FIXME! Really host, not target?
4590 Depending on the host machine architecture, @value{GDBN} may be able to give
4591 you more information about the status of the floating point hardware.
4592
4593 @table @code
4594 @item info float
4595 @kindex info float
4596 Display hardware-dependent information about the floating
4597 point unit. The exact contents and layout vary depending on the
4598 floating point chip; on some platforms, @samp{info float} is not
4599 available at all.
4600 @end table
4601 @c FIXME: this is a cop-out. Try to get examples, explanations. Only
4602 @c FIXME...supported currently on arm's and 386's. Mark properly with
4603 @c FIXME... m4 macros to isolate general statements from hardware-dep,
4604 @c FIXME... at that point.
4605 @end ifclear
4606
4607 @ifclear CONLY
4608 @node Languages
4609 @chapter Using @value{GDBN} with Different Languages
4610 @cindex languages
4611
4612 Although programming languages generally have common aspects, they are
4613 rarely expressed in the same manner. For instance, in ANSI C,
4614 dereferencing a pointer @code{p} is accomplished by @code{*p}, but in
4615 Modula-2, it is accomplished by @code{p^}. Values can also be
4616 represented (and displayed) differently. Hex numbers in C are written
4617 like @samp{0x1ae}, while in Modula-2 they appear as @samp{1AEH}.
4618
4619 @cindex working language
4620 Language-specific information is built into @value{GDBN} for some languages,
4621 allowing you to express operations like the above in your program's
4622 native language, and allowing @value{GDBN} to output values in a manner
4623 consistent with the syntax of your program's native language. The
4624 language you use to build expressions, called the @dfn{working
4625 language}, can be selected manually, or @value{GDBN} can set it
4626 automatically.
4627
4628 @menu
4629 * Setting:: Switching between source languages
4630 * Show:: Displaying the language
4631 * Checks:: Type and range checks
4632 * Support:: Supported languages
4633 @end menu
4634
4635 @node Setting
4636 @section Switching between source languages
4637
4638 There are two ways to control the working language---either have @value{GDBN}
4639 set it automatically, or select it manually yourself. You can use the
4640 @code{set language} command for either purpose. On startup, @value{GDBN}
4641 defaults to setting the language automatically.
4642
4643 @menu
4644 * Manually:: Setting the working language manually
4645 * Automatically:: Having @value{GDBN} infer the source language
4646 @end menu
4647
4648 @node Manually
4649 @subsection Setting the working language
4650
4651 If you allow @value{GDBN} to set the language automatically,
4652 expressions are interpreted the same way in your debugging session and
4653 your program.
4654
4655 @kindex set language
4656 If you wish, you may set the language manually. To do this, issue the
4657 command @samp{set language @var{lang}}, where @var{lang} is the name of
4658 a language, such as @code{c} or @code{modula-2}. For a list of the supported
4659 languages, type @samp{set language}.
4660 @c FIXME: rms: eventually this command should be "help set language".
4661
4662 Setting the language manually prevents @value{GDBN} from updating the working
4663 language automatically. This can lead to confusion if you try
4664 to debug a program when the working language is not the same as the
4665 source language, when an expression is acceptable to both
4666 languages---but means different things. For instance, if the current
4667 source file were written in C, and @value{GDBN} was parsing Modula-2, a
4668 command such as:
4669
4670 @example
4671 print a = b + c
4672 @end example
4673
4674 @noindent
4675 might not have the effect you intended. In C, this means to add
4676 @code{b} and @code{c} and place the result in @code{a}. The result
4677 printed would be the value of @code{a}. In Modula-2, this means to compare
4678 @code{a} to the result of @code{b+c}, yielding a @code{BOOLEAN} value.
4679
4680 @node Automatically
4681 @subsection Having @value{GDBN} infer the source language
4682
4683 To have @value{GDBN} set the working language automatically, use @samp{set
4684 language local} or @samp{set language auto}. @value{GDBN} then infers the
4685 language that a program was written in by looking at the name of its
4686 source files, and examining their extensions:
4687
4688 @table @file
4689 @item *.mod
4690 Modula-2 source file
4691
4692 @item *.c
4693 C source file
4694
4695 @item *.C
4696 @itemx *.cc
4697 C++ source file
4698 @end table
4699
4700 This information is recorded for each function or procedure in a source
4701 file. When your program stops in a frame (usually by encountering a
4702 breakpoint), @value{GDBN} sets the working language to the language recorded
4703 for the function in that frame. If the language for a frame is unknown
4704 (that is, if the function or block corresponding to the frame was
4705 defined in a source file that does not have a recognized extension), the
4706 current working language is not changed, and @value{GDBN} issues a warning.
4707
4708 This may not seem necessary for most programs, which are written
4709 entirely in one source language. However, program modules and libraries
4710 written in one source language can be used by a main program written in
4711 a different source language. Using @samp{set language auto} in this
4712 case frees you from having to set the working language manually.
4713
4714 @node Show
4715 @section Displaying the language
4716
4717 The following commands will help you find out which language is the
4718 working language, and also what language source files were written in.
4719
4720 @kindex show language
4721 @kindex info frame
4722 @kindex info source
4723 @table @code
4724 @item show language
4725 Display the current working language. This is the
4726 language you can use with commands such as @code{print} to
4727 build and compute expressions that may involve variables in your program.
4728
4729 @item info frame
4730 Among the other information listed here (@pxref{Frame Info, ,Information
4731 about a frame}) is the source language for this frame. This is the
4732 language that will become the working language if you ever use an
4733 identifier that is in this frame.
4734
4735 @item info source
4736 Among the other information listed here (@pxref{Symbols, ,Examining the
4737 Symbol Table}) is the source language of this source file.
4738 @end table
4739
4740 @node Checks
4741 @section Type and range checking
4742
4743 @quotation
4744 @emph{Warning:} In this release, the @value{GDBN} commands for type and range
4745 checking are included, but they do not yet have any effect. This
4746 section documents the intended facilities.
4747 @end quotation
4748 @c FIXME remove warning when type/range code added
4749
4750 Some languages are designed to guard you against making seemingly common
4751 errors through a series of compile- and run-time checks. These include
4752 checking the type of arguments to functions and operators, and making
4753 sure mathematical overflows are caught at run time. Checks such as
4754 these help to ensure a program's correctness once it has been compiled
4755 by eliminating type mismatches, and providing active checks for range
4756 errors when your program is running.
4757
4758 @value{GDBN} can check for conditions like the above if you wish.
4759 Although @value{GDBN} will not check the statements in your program, it
4760 can check expressions entered directly into @value{GDBN} for evaluation via
4761 the @code{print} command, for example. As with the working language,
4762 @value{GDBN} can also decide whether or not to check automatically based on
4763 your program's source language. @xref{Support, ,Supported languages},
4764 for the default settings of supported languages.
4765
4766 @menu
4767 * Type Checking:: An overview of type checking
4768 * Range Checking:: An overview of range checking
4769 @end menu
4770
4771 @cindex type checking
4772 @cindex checks, type
4773 @node Type Checking
4774 @subsection An overview of type checking
4775
4776 Some languages, such as Modula-2, are strongly typed, meaning that the
4777 arguments to operators and functions have to be of the correct type,
4778 otherwise an error occurs. These checks prevent type mismatch
4779 errors from ever causing any run-time problems. For example,
4780
4781 @example
4782 1 + 2 @result{} 3
4783 @exdent but
4784 @error{} 1 + 2.3
4785 @end example
4786
4787 The second example fails because the @code{CARDINAL} 1 is not
4788 type-compatible with the @code{REAL} 2.3.
4789
4790 For expressions you use in @value{GDBN} commands, you can tell the @value{GDBN}
4791 type checker to skip checking; to treat any mismatches as errors and
4792 abandon the expression; or only issue warnings when type mismatches
4793 occur, but evaluate the expression anyway. When you choose the last of
4794 these, @value{GDBN} evaluates expressions like the second example above, but
4795 also issues a warning.
4796
4797 Even though you may turn type checking off, other type-based reasons may
4798 prevent @value{GDBN} from evaluating an expression. For instance, @value{GDBN} does not
4799 know how to add an @code{int} and a @code{struct foo}. These particular
4800 type errors have nothing to do with the language in use, and usually
4801 arise from expressions, such as the one described above, which make
4802 little sense to evaluate anyway.
4803
4804 Each language defines to what degree it is strict about type. For
4805 instance, both Modula-2 and C require the arguments to arithmetical
4806 operators to be numbers. In C, enumerated types and pointers can be
4807 represented as numbers, so that they are valid arguments to mathematical
4808 operators. @xref{Support, ,Supported languages}, for further
4809 details on specific languages.
4810
4811 @value{GDBN} provides some additional commands for controlling the type checker:
4812
4813 @kindex set check
4814 @kindex set check type
4815 @kindex show check type
4816 @table @code
4817 @item set check type auto
4818 Set type checking on or off based on the current working language.
4819 @xref{Support, ,Supported languages}, for the default settings for
4820 each language.
4821
4822 @item set check type on
4823 @itemx set check type off
4824 Set type checking on or off, overriding the default setting for the
4825 current working language. Issue a warning if the setting does not
4826 match the language default. If any type mismatches occur in
4827 evaluating an expression while typechecking is on, @value{GDBN} prints a
4828 message and aborts evaluation of the expression.
4829
4830 @item set check type warn
4831 Cause the type checker to issue warnings, but to always attempt to
4832 evaluate the expression. Evaluating the expression may still
4833 be impossible for other reasons. For example, @value{GDBN} cannot add
4834 numbers and structures.
4835
4836 @item show type
4837 Show the current setting of the type checker, and whether or not @value{GDBN} is
4838 setting it automatically.
4839 @end table
4840
4841 @cindex range checking
4842 @cindex checks, range
4843 @node Range Checking
4844 @subsection An overview of range checking
4845
4846 In some languages (such as Modula-2), it is an error to exceed the
4847 bounds of a type; this is enforced with run-time checks. Such range
4848 checking is meant to ensure program correctness by making sure
4849 computations do not overflow, or indices on an array element access do
4850 not exceed the bounds of the array.
4851
4852 For expressions you use in @value{GDBN} commands, you can tell
4853 @value{GDBN} to treat range errors in one of three ways: ignore them,
4854 always treat them as errors and abandon the expression, or issue
4855 warnings but evaluate the expression anyway.
4856
4857 A range error can result from numerical overflow, from exceeding an
4858 array index bound, or when you type a constant that is not a member
4859 of any type. Some languages, however, do not treat overflows as an
4860 error. In many implementations of C, mathematical overflow causes the
4861 result to ``wrap around'' to lower values---for example, if @var{m} is
4862 the largest integer value, and @var{s} is the smallest, then
4863
4864 @example
4865 @var{m} + 1 @result{} @var{s}
4866 @end example
4867
4868 This, too, is specific to individual languages, and in some cases
4869 specific to individual compilers or machines. @xref{Support, ,
4870 Supported languages}, for further details on specific languages.
4871
4872 @value{GDBN} provides some additional commands for controlling the range checker:
4873
4874 @kindex set check
4875 @kindex set check range
4876 @kindex show check range
4877 @table @code
4878 @item set check range auto
4879 Set range checking on or off based on the current working language.
4880 @xref{Support, ,Supported languages}, for the default settings for
4881 each language.
4882
4883 @item set check range on
4884 @itemx set check range off
4885 Set range checking on or off, overriding the default setting for the
4886 current working language. A warning is issued if the setting does not
4887 match the language default. If a range error occurs, then a message
4888 is printed and evaluation of the expression is aborted.
4889
4890 @item set check range warn
4891 Output messages when the @value{GDBN} range checker detects a range error,
4892 but attempt to evaluate the expression anyway. Evaluating the
4893 expression may still be impossible for other reasons, such as accessing
4894 memory that the process does not own (a typical example from many UNIX
4895 systems).
4896
4897 @item show range
4898 Show the current setting of the range checker, and whether or not it is
4899 being set automatically by @value{GDBN}.
4900 @end table
4901
4902 @node Support
4903 @section Supported languages
4904
4905 @value{GDBN} 4 supports C, C++, and Modula-2. Some @value{GDBN}
4906 features may be used in expressions regardless of the language you
4907 use: the @value{GDBN} @code{@@} and @code{::} operators, and the
4908 @samp{@{type@}addr} construct (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}) can be
4909 used with the constructs of any of the supported languages.
4910
4911 The following sections detail to what degree each of these
4912 source languages is supported by @value{GDBN}. These sections are
4913 not meant to be language tutorials or references, but serve only as a
4914 reference guide to what the @value{GDBN} expression parser will accept, and
4915 what input and output formats should look like for different languages.
4916 There are many good books written on each of these languages; please
4917 look to these for a language reference or tutorial.
4918
4919 @menu
4920 * C:: C and C++
4921 * Modula-2:: Modula-2
4922 @end menu
4923
4924 @node C
4925 @subsection C and C++
4926 @cindex C and C++
4927 @cindex expressions in C or C++
4928
4929 Since C and C++ are so closely related, many features of @value{GDBN} apply
4930 to both languages. Whenever this is the case, we discuss both languages
4931 together.
4932
4933 @cindex C++
4934 @kindex g++
4935 @cindex GNU C++
4936 The C++ debugging facilities are jointly implemented by the GNU C++
4937 compiler and @value{GDBN}. Therefore, to debug your C++ code effectively,
4938 you must compile your C++ programs with the GNU C++ compiler,
4939 @code{g++}.
4940 @end ifclear
4941 @ifset CONLY
4942 @node C
4943 @chapter C Language Support
4944 @cindex C language
4945 @cindex expressions in C
4946
4947 Information specific to the C language is built into @value{GDBN} so that you
4948 can use C expressions while degugging. This also permits @value{GDBN} to
4949 output values in a manner consistent with C conventions.
4950
4951 @menu
4952 * C Operators:: C operators
4953 * C Constants:: C constants
4954 * Debugging C:: @value{GDBN} and C
4955 @end menu
4956 @end ifset
4957 @ifclear CONLY
4958 @menu
4959 * C Operators:: C and C++ operators
4960 * C Constants:: C and C++ constants
4961 * Cplus expressions:: C++ expressions
4962 * C Defaults:: Default settings for C and C++
4963 * C Checks:: C and C++ type and range checks
4964 * Debugging C:: @value{GDBN} and C
4965 * Debugging C plus plus:: Special features for C++
4966 @end menu
4967 @end ifclear
4968
4969 @ifclear CONLY
4970 @cindex C and C++ operators
4971 @node C Operators
4972 @subsubsection C and C++ operators
4973 @end ifclear
4974 @ifset CONLY
4975 @cindex C operators
4976 @node C Operators
4977 @section C operators
4978 @end ifset
4979
4980 Operators must be defined on values of specific types. For instance,
4981 @code{+} is defined on numbers, but not on structures. Operators are
4982 often defined on groups of types.
4983
4984 @ifclear CONLY
4985 For the purposes of C and C++, the following definitions hold:
4986 @end ifclear
4987
4988 @itemize @bullet
4989 @item
4990 @emph{Integral types} include @code{int} with any of its storage-class
4991 specifiers; @code{char}; and @code{enum}.
4992
4993 @item
4994 @emph{Floating-point types} include @code{float} and @code{double}.
4995
4996 @item
4997 @emph{Pointer types} include all types defined as @code{(@var{type}
4998 *)}.
4999
5000 @item
5001 @emph{Scalar types} include all of the above.
5002 @end itemize
5003
5004 @noindent
5005 The following operators are supported. They are listed here
5006 in order of increasing precedence:
5007
5008 @table @code
5009 @item ,
5010 The comma or sequencing operator. Expressions in a comma-separated list
5011 are evaluated from left to right, with the result of the entire
5012 expression being the last expression evaluated.
5013
5014 @item =
5015 Assignment. The value of an assignment expression is the value
5016 assigned. Defined on scalar types.
5017
5018 @item @var{op}=
5019 Used in an expression of the form @w{@code{@var{a} @var{op}= @var{b}}},
5020 and translated to @w{@code{@var{a} = @var{a op b}}}.
5021 @w{@code{@var{op}=}} and @code{=} have the same precendence.
5022 @var{op} is any one of the operators @code{|}, @code{^}, @code{&},
5023 @code{<<}, @code{>>}, @code{+}, @code{-}, @code{*}, @code{/}, @code{%}.
5024
5025 @item ?:
5026 The ternary operator. @code{@var{a} ? @var{b} : @var{c}} can be thought
5027 of as: if @var{a} then @var{b} else @var{c}. @var{a} should be of an
5028 integral type.
5029
5030 @item ||
5031 Logical @sc{or}. Defined on integral types.
5032
5033 @item &&
5034 Logical @sc{and}. Defined on integral types.
5035
5036 @item |
5037 Bitwise @sc{or}. Defined on integral types.
5038
5039 @item ^
5040 Bitwise exclusive-@sc{or}. Defined on integral types.
5041
5042 @item &
5043 Bitwise @sc{and}. Defined on integral types.
5044
5045 @item ==@r{, }!=
5046 Equality and inequality. Defined on scalar types. The value of these
5047 expressions is 0 for false and non-zero for true.
5048
5049 @item <@r{, }>@r{, }<=@r{, }>=
5050 Less than, greater than, less than or equal, greater than or equal.
5051 Defined on scalar types. The value of these expressions is 0 for false
5052 and non-zero for true.
5053
5054 @item <<@r{, }>>
5055 left shift, and right shift. Defined on integral types.
5056
5057 @item @@
5058 The @value{GDBN} ``artificial array'' operator (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}).
5059
5060 @item +@r{, }-
5061 Addition and subtraction. Defined on integral types, floating-point types and
5062 pointer types.
5063
5064 @item *@r{, }/@r{, }%
5065 Multiplication, division, and modulus. Multiplication and division are
5066 defined on integral and floating-point types. Modulus is defined on
5067 integral types.
5068
5069 @item ++@r{, }--
5070 Increment and decrement. When appearing before a variable, the
5071 operation is performed before the variable is used in an expression;
5072 when appearing after it, the variable's value is used before the
5073 operation takes place.
5074
5075 @item *
5076 Pointer dereferencing. Defined on pointer types. Same precedence as
5077 @code{++}.
5078
5079 @item &
5080 Address operator. Defined on variables. Same precedence as @code{++}.
5081
5082 @ifclear CONLY
5083 For debugging C++, @value{GDBN} implements a use of @samp{&} beyond what is
5084 allowed in the C++ language itself: you can use @samp{&(&@var{ref})}
5085 (or, if you prefer, simply @samp{&&@var{ref}} to examine the address
5086 where a C++ reference variable (declared with @samp{&@var{ref}}) is
5087 stored.
5088 @end ifclear
5089
5090 @item -
5091 Negative. Defined on integral and floating-point types. Same
5092 precedence as @code{++}.
5093
5094 @item !
5095 Logical negation. Defined on integral types. Same precedence as
5096 @code{++}.
5097
5098 @item ~
5099 Bitwise complement operator. Defined on integral types. Same precedence as
5100 @code{++}.
5101
5102
5103 @item .@r{, }->
5104 Structure member, and pointer-to-structure member. For convenience,
5105 @value{GDBN} regards the two as equivalent, choosing whether to dereference a
5106 pointer based on the stored type information.
5107 Defined on @code{struct} and @code{union} data.
5108
5109 @item []
5110 Array indexing. @code{@var{a}[@var{i}]} is defined as
5111 @code{*(@var{a}+@var{i})}. Same precedence as @code{->}.
5112
5113 @item ()
5114 Function parameter list. Same precedence as @code{->}.
5115
5116 @ifclear CONLY
5117 @item ::
5118 C++ scope resolution operator. Defined on
5119 @code{struct}, @code{union}, and @code{class} types.
5120 @end ifclear
5121
5122 @item ::
5123 Doubled colons
5124 @ifclear CONLY
5125 also
5126 @end ifclear
5127 represent the @value{GDBN} scope operator (@pxref{Expressions,
5128 ,Expressions}).
5129 @ifclear CONLY
5130 Same precedence as @code{::}, above.
5131 @end ifclear
5132 @end table
5133
5134 @ifclear CONLY
5135 @cindex C and C++ constants
5136 @node C Constants
5137 @subsubsection C and C++ constants
5138
5139 @value{GDBN} allows you to express the constants of C and C++ in the
5140 following ways:
5141 @end ifclear
5142 @ifset CONLY
5143 @cindex C constants
5144 @node C Constants
5145 @section C constants
5146
5147 @value{GDBN} allows you to express the constants of C in the
5148 following ways:
5149 @end ifset
5150
5151 @itemize @bullet
5152 @item
5153 Integer constants are a sequence of digits. Octal constants are
5154 specified by a leading @samp{0} (ie. zero), and hexadecimal constants by
5155 a leading @samp{0x} or @samp{0X}. Constants may also end with a letter
5156 @samp{l}, specifying that the constant should be treated as a
5157 @code{long} value.
5158
5159 @item
5160 Floating point constants are a sequence of digits, followed by a decimal
5161 point, followed by a sequence of digits, and optionally followed by an
5162 exponent. An exponent is of the form:
5163 @samp{@w{e@r{[[}+@r{]|}-@r{]}@var{nnn}}}, where @var{nnn} is another
5164 sequence of digits. The @samp{+} is optional for positive exponents.
5165
5166 @item
5167 Enumerated constants consist of enumerated identifiers, or their
5168 integral equivalents.
5169
5170 @item
5171 Character constants are a single character surrounded by single quotes
5172 (@code{'}), or a number---the ordinal value of the corresponding character
5173 (usually its @sc{ASCII} value). Within quotes, the single character may
5174 be represented by a letter or by @dfn{escape sequences}, which are of
5175 the form @samp{\@var{nnn}}, where @var{nnn} is the octal representation
5176 of the character's ordinal value; or of the form @samp{\@var{x}}, where
5177 @samp{@var{x}} is a predefined special character---for example,
5178 @samp{\n} for newline.
5179
5180 @item
5181 String constants are a sequence of character constants surrounded
5182 by double quotes (@code{"}).
5183
5184 @item
5185 Pointer constants are an integral value. You can also write pointers
5186 to constants using the C operator @samp{&}.
5187
5188 @item
5189 Array constants are comma-separated lists surrounded by braces @samp{@{}
5190 and @samp{@}}; for example, @samp{@{1,2,3@}} is a three-element array of
5191 integers, @samp{@{@{1,2@}, @{3,4@}, @{5,6@}@}} is a three-by-two array,
5192 and @samp{@{&"hi", &"there", &"fred"@}} is a three-element array of pointers.
5193 @end itemize
5194
5195 @ifclear CONLY
5196 @node Cplus expressions
5197 @subsubsection C++ expressions
5198
5199 @cindex expressions in C++
5200 @value{GDBN} expression handling has a number of extensions to
5201 interpret a significant subset of C++ expressions.
5202
5203 @cindex C++ support, not in @sc{coff}
5204 @cindex @sc{coff} versus C++
5205 @cindex C++ and object formats
5206 @cindex object formats and C++
5207 @cindex a.out and C++
5208 @cindex @sc{ecoff} and C++
5209 @cindex @sc{xcoff} and C++
5210 @cindex @sc{elf}/stabs and C++
5211 @cindex @sc{elf}/@sc{dwarf} and C++
5212 @quotation
5213 @emph{Warning:} Most of these extensions depend on the use of additional
5214 debugging information in the symbol table, and thus require a rich,
5215 extendable object code format. In particular, if your system uses
5216 a.out, MIPS @sc{ecoff}, RS/6000 @sc{xcoff}, or Sun @sc{elf} with stabs
5217 extensions to the symbol table, these facilities are all available.
5218 Where the object code format is standard @sc{coff}, on the other hand,
5219 most of the C++ support in @value{GDBN} will @emph{not} work, nor can it.
5220 For the standard SVr4 debugging format, @sc{dwarf} in @sc{elf}, the
5221 standard is still evolving, so the C++ support in @value{GDBN} is still
5222 fragile; when this debugging format stabilizes, however, C++ support
5223 will also be available on systems that use it.
5224 @end quotation
5225
5226 @enumerate
5227
5228 @cindex member functions
5229 @item
5230 Member function calls are allowed; you can use expressions like
5231
5232 @example
5233 count = aml->GetOriginal(x, y)
5234 @end example
5235
5236 @kindex this
5237 @cindex namespace in C++
5238 @item
5239 While a member function is active (in the selected stack frame), your
5240 expressions have the same namespace available as the member function;
5241 that is, @value{GDBN} allows implicit references to the class instance
5242 pointer @code{this} following the same rules as C++.
5243
5244 @cindex call overloaded functions
5245 @cindex type conversions in C++
5246 @item
5247 You can call overloaded functions; @value{GDBN} will resolve the function
5248 call to the right definition, with one restriction---you must use
5249 arguments of the type required by the function that you want to call.
5250 @value{GDBN} will not perform conversions requiring constructors or
5251 user-defined type operators.
5252
5253 @cindex reference declarations
5254 @item
5255 @value{GDBN} understands variables declared as C++ references; you can use them in
5256 expressions just as you do in C++ source---they are automatically
5257 dereferenced.
5258
5259 In the parameter list shown when @value{GDBN} displays a frame, the values of
5260 reference variables are not displayed (unlike other variables); this
5261 avoids clutter, since references are often used for large structures.
5262 The @emph{address} of a reference variable is always shown, unless
5263 you have specified @samp{set print address off}.
5264
5265 @item
5266 @value{GDBN} supports the C++ name resolution operator @code{::}---your
5267 expressions can use it just as expressions in your program do. Since
5268 one scope may be defined in another, you can use @code{::} repeatedly if
5269 necessary, for example in an expression like
5270 @samp{@var{scope1}::@var{scope2}::@var{name}}. @value{GDBN} also allows
5271 resolving name scope by reference to source files, in both C and C++
5272 debugging (@pxref{Variables, ,Program variables}).
5273 @end enumerate
5274
5275 @node C Defaults
5276 @subsubsection C and C++ defaults
5277 @cindex C and C++ defaults
5278
5279 If you allow @value{GDBN} to set type and range checking automatically, they
5280 both default to @code{off} whenever the working language changes to
5281 C or C++. This happens regardless of whether you, or @value{GDBN},
5282 selected the working language.
5283
5284 If you allow @value{GDBN} to set the language automatically, it sets the
5285 working language to C or C++ on entering code compiled from a source file
5286 whose name ends with @file{.c}, @file{.C}, or @file{.cc}.
5287 @xref{Automatically, ,Having @value{GDBN} infer the source language}, for
5288 further details.
5289
5290 @node C Checks
5291 @subsubsection C and C++ type and range checks
5292 @cindex C and C++ checks
5293
5294 By default, when @value{GDBN} parses C or C++ expressions, type checking
5295 is not used. However, if you turn type checking on, @value{GDBN} will
5296 consider two variables type equivalent if:
5297
5298 @itemize @bullet
5299 @item
5300 The two variables are structured and have the same structure, union, or
5301 enumerated tag.
5302
5303 @item
5304 Two two variables have the same type name, or types that have been
5305 declared equivalent through @code{typedef}.
5306
5307 @ignore
5308 @c leaving this out because neither J Gilmore nor R Pesch understand it.
5309 @c FIXME--beers?
5310 @item
5311 The two @code{struct}, @code{union}, or @code{enum} variables are
5312 declared in the same declaration. (Note: this may not be true for all C
5313 compilers.)
5314 @end ignore
5315 @end itemize
5316
5317 Range checking, if turned on, is done on mathematical operations. Array
5318 indices are not checked, since they are often used to index a pointer
5319 that is not itself an array.
5320 @end ifclear
5321
5322 @ifclear CONLY
5323 @node Debugging C
5324 @subsubsection @value{GDBN} and C
5325 @end ifclear
5326 @ifset CONLY
5327 @node Debugging C
5328 @section @value{GDBN} and C
5329 @end ifset
5330
5331 The @code{set print union} and @code{show print union} commands apply to
5332 the @code{union} type. When set to @samp{on}, any @code{union} that is
5333 inside a @code{struct}
5334 @ifclear CONLY
5335 or @code{class}
5336 @end ifclear
5337 will also be printed.
5338 Otherwise, it will appear as @samp{@{...@}}.
5339
5340 The @code{@@} operator aids in the debugging of dynamic arrays, formed
5341 with pointers and a memory allocation function. @xref{Expressions,
5342 ,Expressions}.
5343
5344 @ifclear CONLY
5345 @node Debugging C plus plus
5346 @subsubsection @value{GDBN} features for C++
5347
5348 @cindex commands for C++
5349 Some @value{GDBN} commands are particularly useful with C++, and some are
5350 designed specifically for use with C++. Here is a summary:
5351
5352 @table @code
5353 @cindex break in overloaded functions
5354 @item @r{breakpoint menus}
5355 When you want a breakpoint in a function whose name is overloaded,
5356 @value{GDBN} breakpoint menus help you specify which function definition
5357 you want. @xref{Breakpoint Menus,,Breakpoint menus}.
5358
5359 @cindex overloading in C++
5360 @item rbreak @var{regex}
5361 Setting breakpoints using regular expressions is helpful for setting
5362 breakpoints on overloaded functions that are not members of any special
5363 classes.
5364 @xref{Set Breaks, ,Setting breakpoints}.
5365
5366 @cindex C++ exception handling
5367 @item catch @var{exceptions}
5368 @itemx info catch
5369 Debug C++ exception handling using these commands. @xref{Exception
5370 Handling, ,Breakpoints and exceptions}.
5371
5372 @cindex inheritance
5373 @item ptype @var{typename}
5374 Print inheritance relationships as well as other information for type
5375 @var{typename}.
5376 @xref{Symbols, ,Examining the Symbol Table}.
5377
5378 @cindex C++ symbol display
5379 @item set print demangle
5380 @itemx show print demangle
5381 @itemx set print asm-demangle
5382 @itemx show print asm-demangle
5383 Control whether C++ symbols display in their source form, both when
5384 displaying code as C++ source and when displaying disassemblies.
5385 @xref{Print Settings, ,Print settings}.
5386
5387 @item set print object
5388 @itemx show print object
5389 Choose whether to print derived (actual) or declared types of objects.
5390 @xref{Print Settings, ,Print settings}.
5391
5392 @item set print vtbl
5393 @itemx show print vtbl
5394 Control the format for printing virtual function tables.
5395 @xref{Print Settings, ,Print settings}.
5396
5397 @item @r{Overloaded symbol names}
5398 You can specify a particular definition of an overloaded symbol, using
5399 the same notation that is used to declare such symbols in C++: type
5400 @code{@var{symbol}(@var{types})} rather than just @var{symbol}. You can
5401 also use the @value{GDBN} command-line word completion facilities to list the
5402 available choices, or to finish the type list for you.
5403 @xref{Completion,, Command completion}, for details on how to do this.
5404 @end table
5405
5406 @node Modula-2
5407 @subsection Modula-2
5408 @cindex Modula-2
5409
5410 The extensions made to @value{GDBN} to support Modula-2 only support
5411 output from the GNU Modula-2 compiler (which is currently being
5412 developed). Other Modula-2 compilers are not currently supported, and
5413 attempting to debug executables produced by them will most likely
5414 result in an error as @value{GDBN} reads in the executable's symbol
5415 table.
5416
5417 @cindex expressions in Modula-2
5418 @menu
5419 * M2 Operators:: Built-in operators
5420 * Built-In Func/Proc:: Built-in functions and procedures
5421 * M2 Constants:: Modula-2 constants
5422 * M2 Defaults:: Default settings for Modula-2
5423 * Deviations:: Deviations from standard Modula-2
5424 * M2 Checks:: Modula-2 type and range checks
5425 * M2 Scope:: The scope operators @code{::} and @code{.}
5426 * GDB/M2:: @value{GDBN} and Modula-2
5427 @end menu
5428
5429 @node M2 Operators
5430 @subsubsection Operators
5431 @cindex Modula-2 operators
5432
5433 Operators must be defined on values of specific types. For instance,
5434 @code{+} is defined on numbers, but not on structures. Operators are
5435 often defined on groups of types. For the purposes of Modula-2, the
5436 following definitions hold:
5437
5438 @itemize @bullet
5439
5440 @item
5441 @emph{Integral types} consist of @code{INTEGER}, @code{CARDINAL}, and
5442 their subranges.
5443
5444 @item
5445 @emph{Character types} consist of @code{CHAR} and its subranges.
5446
5447 @item
5448 @emph{Floating-point types} consist of @code{REAL}.
5449
5450 @item
5451 @emph{Pointer types} consist of anything declared as @code{POINTER TO
5452 @var{type}}.
5453
5454 @item
5455 @emph{Scalar types} consist of all of the above.
5456
5457 @item
5458 @emph{Set types} consist of @code{SET} and @code{BITSET} types.
5459
5460 @item
5461 @emph{Boolean types} consist of @code{BOOLEAN}.
5462 @end itemize
5463
5464 @noindent
5465 The following operators are supported, and appear in order of
5466 increasing precedence:
5467
5468 @table @code
5469 @item ,
5470 Function argument or array index separator.
5471
5472 @item :=
5473 Assignment. The value of @var{var} @code{:=} @var{value} is
5474 @var{value}.
5475
5476 @item <@r{, }>
5477 Less than, greater than on integral, floating-point, or enumerated
5478 types.
5479
5480 @item <=@r{, }>=
5481 Less than, greater than, less than or equal to, greater than or equal to
5482 on integral, floating-point and enumerated types, or set inclusion on
5483 set types. Same precedence as @code{<}.
5484
5485 @item =@r{, }<>@r{, }#
5486 Equality and two ways of expressing inequality, valid on scalar types.
5487 Same precedence as @code{<}. In @value{GDBN} scripts, only @code{<>} is
5488 available for inequality, since @code{#} conflicts with the script
5489 comment character.
5490
5491 @item IN
5492 Set membership. Defined on set types and the types of their members.
5493 Same precedence as @code{<}.
5494
5495 @item OR
5496 Boolean disjunction. Defined on boolean types.
5497
5498 @item AND@r{, }&
5499 Boolean conjuction. Defined on boolean types.
5500
5501 @item @@
5502 The @value{GDBN} ``artificial array'' operator (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}).
5503
5504 @item +@r{, }-
5505 Addition and subtraction on integral and floating-point types, or union
5506 and difference on set types.
5507
5508 @item *
5509 Multiplication on integral and floating-point types, or set intersection
5510 on set types.
5511
5512 @item /
5513 Division on floating-point types, or symmetric set difference on set
5514 types. Same precedence as @code{*}.
5515
5516 @item DIV@r{, }MOD
5517 Integer division and remainder. Defined on integral types. Same
5518 precedence as @code{*}.
5519
5520 @item -
5521 Negative. Defined on @code{INTEGER} and @code{REAL} data.
5522
5523 @item ^
5524 Pointer dereferencing. Defined on pointer types.
5525
5526 @item NOT
5527 Boolean negation. Defined on boolean types. Same precedence as
5528 @code{^}.
5529
5530 @item .
5531 @code{RECORD} field selector. Defined on @code{RECORD} data. Same
5532 precedence as @code{^}.
5533
5534 @item []
5535 Array indexing. Defined on @code{ARRAY} data. Same precedence as @code{^}.
5536
5537 @item ()
5538 Procedure argument list. Defined on @code{PROCEDURE} objects. Same precedence
5539 as @code{^}.
5540
5541 @item ::@r{, }.
5542 @value{GDBN} and Modula-2 scope operators.
5543 @end table
5544
5545 @quotation
5546 @emph{Warning:} Sets and their operations are not yet supported, so @value{GDBN}
5547 will treat the use of the operator @code{IN}, or the use of operators
5548 @code{+}, @code{-}, @code{*}, @code{/}, @code{=}, , @code{<>}, @code{#},
5549 @code{<=}, and @code{>=} on sets as an error.
5550 @end quotation
5551
5552 @cindex Modula-2 built-ins
5553 @node Built-In Func/Proc
5554 @subsubsection Built-in functions and procedures
5555
5556 Modula-2 also makes available several built-in procedures and functions.
5557 In describing these, the following metavariables are used:
5558
5559 @table @var
5560
5561 @item a
5562 represents an @code{ARRAY} variable.
5563
5564 @item c
5565 represents a @code{CHAR} constant or variable.
5566
5567 @item i
5568 represents a variable or constant of integral type.
5569
5570 @item m
5571 represents an identifier that belongs to a set. Generally used in the
5572 same function with the metavariable @var{s}. The type of @var{s} should
5573 be @code{SET OF @var{mtype}} (where @var{mtype} is the type of @var{m}.
5574
5575 @item n
5576 represents a variable or constant of integral or floating-point type.
5577
5578 @item r
5579 represents a variable or constant of floating-point type.
5580
5581 @item t
5582 represents a type.
5583
5584 @item v
5585 represents a variable.
5586
5587 @item x
5588 represents a variable or constant of one of many types. See the
5589 explanation of the function for details.
5590 @end table
5591
5592 All Modula-2 built-in procedures also return a result, described below.
5593
5594 @table @code
5595 @item ABS(@var{n})
5596 Returns the absolute value of @var{n}.
5597
5598 @item CAP(@var{c})
5599 If @var{c} is a lower case letter, it returns its upper case
5600 equivalent, otherwise it returns its argument
5601
5602 @item CHR(@var{i})
5603 Returns the character whose ordinal value is @var{i}.
5604
5605 @item DEC(@var{v})
5606 Decrements the value in the variable @var{v}. Returns the new value.
5607
5608 @item DEC(@var{v},@var{i})
5609 Decrements the value in the variable @var{v} by @var{i}. Returns the
5610 new value.
5611
5612 @item EXCL(@var{m},@var{s})
5613 Removes the element @var{m} from the set @var{s}. Returns the new
5614 set.
5615
5616 @item FLOAT(@var{i})
5617 Returns the floating point equivalent of the integer @var{i}.
5618
5619 @item HIGH(@var{a})
5620 Returns the index of the last member of @var{a}.
5621
5622 @item INC(@var{v})
5623 Increments the value in the variable @var{v}. Returns the new value.
5624
5625 @item INC(@var{v},@var{i})
5626 Increments the value in the variable @var{v} by @var{i}. Returns the
5627 new value.
5628
5629 @item INCL(@var{m},@var{s})
5630 Adds the element @var{m} to the set @var{s} if it is not already
5631 there. Returns the new set.
5632
5633 @item MAX(@var{t})
5634 Returns the maximum value of the type @var{t}.
5635
5636 @item MIN(@var{t})
5637 Returns the minimum value of the type @var{t}.
5638
5639 @item ODD(@var{i})
5640 Returns boolean TRUE if @var{i} is an odd number.
5641
5642 @item ORD(@var{x})
5643 Returns the ordinal value of its argument. For example, the ordinal
5644 value of a character is its ASCII value (on machines supporting the
5645 ASCII character set). @var{x} must be of an ordered type, which include
5646 integral, character and enumerated types.
5647
5648 @item SIZE(@var{x})
5649 Returns the size of its argument. @var{x} can be a variable or a type.
5650
5651 @item TRUNC(@var{r})
5652 Returns the integral part of @var{r}.
5653
5654 @item VAL(@var{t},@var{i})
5655 Returns the member of the type @var{t} whose ordinal value is @var{i}.
5656 @end table
5657
5658 @quotation
5659 @emph{Warning:} Sets and their operations are not yet supported, so
5660 @value{GDBN} will treat the use of procedures @code{INCL} and @code{EXCL} as
5661 an error.
5662 @end quotation
5663
5664 @cindex Modula-2 constants
5665 @node M2 Constants
5666 @subsubsection Constants
5667
5668 @value{GDBN} allows you to express the constants of Modula-2 in the following
5669 ways:
5670
5671 @itemize @bullet
5672
5673 @item
5674 Integer constants are simply a sequence of digits. When used in an
5675 expression, a constant is interpreted to be type-compatible with the
5676 rest of the expression. Hexadecimal integers are specified by a
5677 trailing @samp{H}, and octal integers by a trailing @samp{B}.
5678
5679 @item
5680 Floating point constants appear as a sequence of digits, followed by a
5681 decimal point and another sequence of digits. An optional exponent can
5682 then be specified, in the form @samp{E@r{[}+@r{|}-@r{]}@var{nnn}}, where
5683 @samp{@r{[}+@r{|}-@r{]}@var{nnn}} is the desired exponent. All of the
5684 digits of the floating point constant must be valid decimal (base 10)
5685 digits.
5686
5687 @item
5688 Character constants consist of a single character enclosed by a pair of
5689 like quotes, either single (@code{'}) or double (@code{"}). They may
5690 also be expressed by their ordinal value (their ASCII value, usually)
5691 followed by a @samp{C}.
5692
5693 @item
5694 String constants consist of a sequence of characters enclosed by a
5695 pair of like quotes, either single (@code{'}) or double (@code{"}).
5696 Escape sequences in the style of C are also allowed. @xref{C
5697 Constants, ,C and C++ constants}, for a brief explanation of escape
5698 sequences.
5699
5700 @item
5701 Enumerated constants consist of an enumerated identifier.
5702
5703 @item
5704 Boolean constants consist of the identifiers @code{TRUE} and
5705 @code{FALSE}.
5706
5707 @item
5708 Pointer constants consist of integral values only.
5709
5710 @item
5711 Set constants are not yet supported.
5712 @end itemize
5713
5714 @node M2 Defaults
5715 @subsubsection Modula-2 defaults
5716 @cindex Modula-2 defaults
5717
5718 If type and range checking are set automatically by @value{GDBN}, they
5719 both default to @code{on} whenever the working language changes to
5720 Modula-2. This happens regardless of whether you, or @value{GDBN},
5721 selected the working language.
5722
5723 If you allow @value{GDBN} to set the language automatically, then entering
5724 code compiled from a file whose name ends with @file{.mod} will set the
5725 working language to Modula-2. @xref{Automatically, ,Having @value{GDBN} set
5726 the language automatically}, for further details.
5727
5728 @node Deviations
5729 @subsubsection Deviations from standard Modula-2
5730 @cindex Modula-2, deviations from
5731
5732 A few changes have been made to make Modula-2 programs easier to debug.
5733 This is done primarily via loosening its type strictness:
5734
5735 @itemize @bullet
5736 @item
5737 Unlike in standard Modula-2, pointer constants can be formed by
5738 integers. This allows you to modify pointer variables during
5739 debugging. (In standard Modula-2, the actual address contained in a
5740 pointer variable is hidden from you; it can only be modified
5741 through direct assignment to another pointer variable or expression that
5742 returned a pointer.)
5743
5744 @item
5745 C escape sequences can be used in strings and characters to represent
5746 non-printable characters. @value{GDBN} will print out strings with these
5747 escape sequences embedded. Single non-printable characters are
5748 printed using the @samp{CHR(@var{nnn})} format.
5749
5750 @item
5751 The assignment operator (@code{:=}) returns the value of its right-hand
5752 argument.
5753
5754 @item
5755 All built-in procedures both modify @emph{and} return their argument.
5756 @end itemize
5757
5758 @node M2 Checks
5759 @subsubsection Modula-2 type and range checks
5760 @cindex Modula-2 checks
5761
5762 @quotation
5763 @emph{Warning:} in this release, @value{GDBN} does not yet perform type or
5764 range checking.
5765 @end quotation
5766 @c FIXME remove warning when type/range checks added
5767
5768 @value{GDBN} considers two Modula-2 variables type equivalent if:
5769
5770 @itemize @bullet
5771 @item
5772 They are of types that have been declared equivalent via a @code{TYPE
5773 @var{t1} = @var{t2}} statement
5774
5775 @item
5776 They have been declared on the same line. (Note: This is true of the
5777 GNU Modula-2 compiler, but it may not be true of other compilers.)
5778 @end itemize
5779
5780 As long as type checking is enabled, any attempt to combine variables
5781 whose types are not equivalent is an error.
5782
5783 Range checking is done on all mathematical operations, assignment, array
5784 index bounds, and all built-in functions and procedures.
5785
5786 @node M2 Scope
5787 @subsubsection The scope operators @code{::} and @code{.}
5788 @cindex scope
5789 @kindex .
5790 @cindex colon, doubled as scope operator
5791 @ifinfo
5792 @kindex colon-colon
5793 @c Info cannot handle :: but TeX can.
5794 @end ifinfo
5795 @iftex
5796 @kindex ::
5797 @end iftex
5798
5799 There are a few subtle differences between the Modula-2 scope operator
5800 (@code{.}) and the @value{GDBN} scope operator (@code{::}). The two have
5801 similar syntax:
5802
5803 @example
5804
5805 @var{module} . @var{id}
5806 @var{scope} :: @var{id}
5807 @end example
5808
5809 @noindent
5810 where @var{scope} is the name of a module or a procedure,
5811 @var{module} the name of a module, and @var{id} is any declared
5812 identifier within your program, except another module.
5813
5814 Using the @code{::} operator makes @value{GDBN} search the scope
5815 specified by @var{scope} for the identifier @var{id}. If it is not
5816 found in the specified scope, then @value{GDBN} will search all scopes
5817 enclosing the one specified by @var{scope}.
5818
5819 Using the @code{.} operator makes @value{GDBN} search the current scope for
5820 the identifier specified by @var{id} that was imported from the
5821 definition module specified by @var{module}. With this operator, it is
5822 an error if the identifier @var{id} was not imported from definition
5823 module @var{module}, or if @var{id} is not an identifier in
5824 @var{module}.
5825
5826 @node GDB/M2
5827 @subsubsection @value{GDBN} and Modula-2
5828
5829 Some @value{GDBN} commands have little use when debugging Modula-2 programs.
5830 Five subcommands of @code{set print} and @code{show print} apply
5831 specifically to C and C++: @samp{vtbl}, @samp{demangle},
5832 @samp{asm-demangle}, @samp{object}, and @samp{union}. The first four
5833 apply to C++, and the last to the C @code{union} type, which has no direct
5834 analogue in Modula-2.
5835
5836 The @code{@@} operator (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}), while available
5837 while using any language, is not useful with Modula-2. Its
5838 intent is to aid the debugging of @dfn{dynamic arrays}, which cannot be
5839 created in Modula-2 as they can in C or C++. However, because an
5840 address can be specified by an integral constant, the construct
5841 @samp{@{@var{type}@}@var{adrexp}} is still useful. (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions})
5842
5843 @cindex @code{#} in Modula-2
5844 In @value{GDBN} scripts, the Modula-2 inequality operator @code{#} is
5845 interpreted as the beginning of a comment. Use @code{<>} instead.
5846
5847 @end ifclear
5848
5849 @node Symbols
5850 @chapter Examining the Symbol Table
5851
5852 The commands described in this section allow you to inquire about the
5853 symbols (names of variables, functions and types) defined in your
5854 program. This information is inherent in the text of your program and
5855 does not change as your program executes. @value{GDBN} finds it in your
5856 program's symbol table, in the file indicated when you started @value{GDBN}
5857 (@pxref{File Options, ,Choosing files}), or by one of the
5858 file-management commands (@pxref{Files, ,Commands to specify files}).
5859
5860 @c FIXME! This might be intentionally specific to C and C++; if so, move
5861 @c to someplace in C section of lang chapter.
5862 @cindex symbol names
5863 @cindex names of symbols
5864 @cindex quoting names
5865 Occasionally, you may need to refer to symbols that contain unusual
5866 characters, which @value{GDBN} ordinarily treats as word delimiters. The
5867 most frequent case is in referring to static variables in other
5868 source files (@pxref{Variables,,Program variables}). File names
5869 are recorded in object files as debugging symbols, but @value{GDBN} would
5870 ordinarily parse a typical file name, like @file{foo.c}, as the three words
5871 @samp{foo} @samp{.} @samp{c}. To allow @value{GDBN} to recognize
5872 @samp{foo.c} as a single symbol, enclose it in single quotes; for example,
5873
5874 @example
5875 p 'foo.c'::x
5876 @end example
5877
5878 @noindent
5879 looks up the value of @code{x} in the scope of the file @file{foo.c}.
5880
5881 @table @code
5882 @item info address @var{symbol}
5883 @kindex info address
5884 Describe where the data for @var{symbol} is stored. For a register
5885 variable, this says which register it is kept in. For a non-register
5886 local variable, this prints the stack-frame offset at which the variable
5887 is always stored.
5888
5889 Note the contrast with @samp{print &@var{symbol}}, which does not work
5890 at all for a register variables, and for a stack local variable prints
5891 the exact address of the current instantiation of the variable.
5892
5893 @item whatis @var{exp}
5894 @kindex whatis
5895 Print the data type of expression @var{exp}. @var{exp} is not
5896 actually evaluated, and any side-effecting operations (such as
5897 assignments or function calls) inside it do not take place.
5898 @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}.
5899
5900 @item whatis
5901 Print the data type of @code{$}, the last value in the value history.
5902
5903 @item ptype @var{typename}
5904 @kindex ptype
5905 Print a description of data type @var{typename}. @var{typename} may be
5906 the name of a type, or for C code it may have the form
5907 @samp{struct @var{struct-tag}}, @samp{union @var{union-tag}} or
5908 @samp{enum @var{enum-tag}}.
5909
5910 @item ptype @var{exp}
5911 @itemx ptype
5912 Print a description of the type of expression @var{exp}. @code{ptype}
5913 differs from @code{whatis} by printing a detailed description, instead
5914 of just the name of the type.
5915
5916 For example, for this variable declaration:
5917
5918 @example
5919 struct complex @{double real; double imag;@} v;
5920 @end example
5921
5922 @noindent
5923 the two commands give this output:
5924
5925 @example
5926 @group
5927 (@value{GDBP}) whatis v
5928 type = struct complex
5929 (@value{GDBP}) ptype v
5930 type = struct complex @{
5931 double real;
5932 double imag;
5933 @}
5934 @end group
5935 @end example
5936
5937 @noindent
5938 As with @code{whatis}, using @code{ptype} without an argument refers to
5939 the type of @code{$}, the last value in the value history.
5940
5941 @item info types @var{regexp}
5942 @itemx info types
5943 @kindex info types
5944 Print a brief description of all types whose name matches @var{regexp}
5945 (or all types in your program, if you supply no argument). Each
5946 complete typename is matched as though it were a complete line; thus,
5947 @samp{i type value} gives information on all types in your program whose
5948 name includes the string @code{value}, but @samp{i type ^value$} gives
5949 information only on types whose complete name is @code{value}.
5950
5951 This command differs from @code{ptype} in two ways: first, like
5952 @code{whatis}, it does not print a detailed description; second, it
5953 lists all source files where a type is defined.
5954
5955 @item info source
5956 @kindex info source
5957 Show the name of the current source file---that is, the source file for
5958 the function containing the current point of execution---and the language
5959 it was written in.
5960
5961 @item info sources
5962 @kindex info sources
5963 Print the names of all source files in your program for which there is
5964 debugging information, organized into two lists: files whose symbols
5965 have already been read, and files whose symbols will be read when needed.
5966
5967 @item info functions
5968 @kindex info functions
5969 Print the names and data types of all defined functions.
5970
5971 @item info functions @var{regexp}
5972 Print the names and data types of all defined functions
5973 whose names contain a match for regular expression @var{regexp}.
5974 Thus, @samp{info fun step} finds all functions whose names
5975 include @code{step}; @samp{info fun ^step} finds those whose names
5976 start with @code{step}.
5977
5978 @item info variables
5979 @kindex info variables
5980 Print the names and data types of all variables that are declared
5981 outside of functions (i.e., excluding local variables).
5982
5983 @item info variables @var{regexp}
5984 Print the names and data types of all variables (except for local
5985 variables) whose names contain a match for regular expression
5986 @var{regexp}.
5987
5988 @ignore
5989 This was never implemented.
5990 @item info methods
5991 @itemx info methods @var{regexp}
5992 @kindex info methods
5993 The @code{info methods} command permits the user to examine all defined
5994 methods within C++ program, or (with the @var{regexp} argument) a
5995 specific set of methods found in the various C++ classes. Many
5996 C++ classes provide a large number of methods. Thus, the output
5997 from the @code{ptype} command can be overwhelming and hard to use. The
5998 @code{info-methods} command filters the methods, printing only those
5999 which match the regular-expression @var{regexp}.
6000 @end ignore
6001
6002 @item maint print symbols @var{filename}
6003 @itemx maint print psymbols @var{filename}
6004 @itemx maint print msymbols @var{filename}
6005 @kindex maint print symbols
6006 @cindex symbol dump
6007 @kindex maint print psymbols
6008 @cindex partial symbol dump
6009 Write a dump of debugging symbol data into the file @var{filename}.
6010 These commands are used to debug the @value{GDBN} symbol-reading code. Only
6011 symbols with debugging data are included. If you use @samp{maint print
6012 symbols}, @value{GDBN} includes all the symbols for which it has already
6013 collected full details: that is, @var{filename} reflects symbols for
6014 only those files whose symbols @value{GDBN} has read. You can use the
6015 command @code{info sources} to find out which files these are. If you
6016 use @samp{maint print psymbols} instead, the dump shows information about
6017 symbols that @value{GDBN} only knows partially---that is, symbols defined in
6018 files that @value{GDBN} has skimmed, but not yet read completely. Finally,
6019 @samp{maint print msymbols} dumps just the minimal symbol information
6020 required for each object file from which @value{GDBN} has read some symbols.
6021 The description of @code{symbol-file} explains how @value{GDBN} reads
6022 symbols; both @code{info source} and @code{symbol-file} are described in
6023 @ref{Files, ,Commands to specify files}.
6024 @end table
6025
6026 @node Altering
6027 @chapter Altering Execution
6028
6029 Once you think you have found an error in your program, you might want to
6030 find out for certain whether correcting the apparent error would lead to
6031 correct results in the rest of the run. You can find the answer by
6032 experiment, using the @value{GDBN} features for altering execution of the
6033 program.
6034
6035 For example, you can store new values into variables or memory
6036 locations,
6037 @ifclear BARETARGET
6038 give your program a signal, restart it
6039 @end ifclear
6040 @ifset BARETARGET
6041 restart your program
6042 @end ifset
6043 at a different address, or even return prematurely from a function to
6044 its caller.
6045
6046 @menu
6047 * Assignment:: Assignment to variables
6048 * Jumping:: Continuing at a different address
6049 @ifclear BARETARGET
6050 * Signaling:: Giving your program a signal
6051 @end ifclear
6052
6053 * Returning:: Returning from a function
6054 * Calling:: Calling your program's functions
6055 * Patching:: Patching your program
6056 @end menu
6057
6058 @node Assignment
6059 @section Assignment to variables
6060
6061 @cindex assignment
6062 @cindex setting variables
6063 To alter the value of a variable, evaluate an assignment expression.
6064 @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}. For example,
6065
6066 @example
6067 print x=4
6068 @end example
6069
6070 @noindent
6071 stores the value 4 into the variable @code{x}, and then prints the
6072 value of the assignment expression (which is 4).
6073 @ifclear CONLY
6074 @xref{Languages, ,Using @value{GDBN} with Different Languages}, for more
6075 information on operators in supported languages.
6076 @end ifclear
6077
6078 @kindex set variable
6079 @cindex variables, setting
6080 If you are not interested in seeing the value of the assignment, use the
6081 @code{set} command instead of the @code{print} command. @code{set} is
6082 really the same as @code{print} except that the expression's value is
6083 not printed and is not put in the value history (@pxref{Value History,
6084 ,Value history}). The expression is evaluated only for its effects.
6085
6086 If the beginning of the argument string of the @code{set} command
6087 appears identical to a @code{set} subcommand, use the @code{set
6088 variable} command instead of just @code{set}. This command is identical
6089 to @code{set} except for its lack of subcommands. For example, if
6090 your program has a variable @code{width}, you get
6091 an error if you try to set a new value with just @samp{set width=13},
6092 because @value{GDBN} has the command @code{set width}:
6093
6094 @example
6095 (@value{GDBP}) whatis width
6096 type = double
6097 (@value{GDBP}) p width
6098 $4 = 13
6099 (@value{GDBP}) set width=47
6100 Invalid syntax in expression.
6101 @end example
6102
6103 @noindent
6104 The invalid expression, of course, is @samp{=47}. In
6105 order to actually set the program's variable @code{width}, use
6106
6107 @example
6108 (@value{GDBP}) set var width=47
6109 @end example
6110
6111 @value{GDBN} allows more implicit conversions in assignments than C; you can
6112 freely store an integer value into a pointer variable or vice versa,
6113 and you can convert any structure to any other structure that is the
6114 same length or shorter.
6115 @comment FIXME: how do structs align/pad in these conversions?
6116 @comment /pesch@cygnus.com 18dec1990
6117
6118 To store values into arbitrary places in memory, use the @samp{@{@dots{}@}}
6119 construct to generate a value of specified type at a specified address
6120 (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}). For example, @code{@{int@}0x83040} refers
6121 to memory location @code{0x83040} as an integer (which implies a certain size
6122 and representation in memory), and
6123
6124 @example
6125 set @{int@}0x83040 = 4
6126 @end example
6127
6128 @noindent
6129 stores the value 4 into that memory location.
6130
6131 @node Jumping
6132 @section Continuing at a different address
6133
6134 Ordinarily, when you continue your program, you do so at the place where
6135 it stopped, with the @code{continue} command. You can instead continue at
6136 an address of your own choosing, with the following commands:
6137
6138 @table @code
6139 @item jump @var{linespec}
6140 @kindex jump
6141 Resume execution at line @var{linespec}. Execution will stop
6142 immediately if there is a breakpoint there. @xref{List, ,Printing
6143 source lines}, for a description of the different forms of
6144 @var{linespec}.
6145
6146 The @code{jump} command does not change the current stack frame, or
6147 the stack pointer, or the contents of any memory location or any
6148 register other than the program counter. If line @var{linespec} is in
6149 a different function from the one currently executing, the results may
6150 be bizarre if the two functions expect different patterns of arguments or
6151 of local variables. For this reason, the @code{jump} command requests
6152 confirmation if the specified line is not in the function currently
6153 executing. However, even bizarre results are predictable if you are
6154 well acquainted with the machine-language code of your program.
6155
6156 @item jump *@var{address}
6157 Resume execution at the instruction at address @var{address}.
6158 @end table
6159
6160 You can get much the same effect as the @code{jump} command by storing a
6161 new value into the register @code{$pc}. The difference is that this
6162 does not start your program running; it only changes the address where it
6163 @emph{will} run when it is continued. For example,
6164
6165 @example
6166 set $pc = 0x485
6167 @end example
6168
6169 @noindent
6170 causes the next @code{continue} command or stepping command to execute at
6171 address @code{0x485}, rather than at the address where your program stopped.
6172 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, ,Continuing and stepping}.
6173
6174 The most common occasion to use the @code{jump} command is to back up,
6175 perhaps with more breakpoints set, over a portion of a program that has
6176 already executed, in order to examine its execution in more detail.
6177
6178 @ifclear BARETARGET
6179 @c @group
6180 @node Signaling
6181 @section Giving your program a signal
6182
6183 @table @code
6184 @item signal @var{signalnum}
6185 @kindex signal
6186 Resume execution where your program stopped, but give it immediately the
6187 signal number @var{signalnum}.
6188
6189 Alternatively, if @var{signalnum} is zero, continue execution without
6190 giving a signal. This is useful when your program stopped on account of
6191 a signal and would ordinary see the signal when resumed with the
6192 @code{continue} command; @samp{signal 0} causes it to resume without a
6193 signal.
6194
6195 @code{signal} does not repeat when you press @key{RET} a second time
6196 after executing the command.
6197 @end table
6198 @c @end group
6199 @end ifclear
6200
6201 @node Returning
6202 @section Returning from a function
6203
6204 @table @code
6205 @item return
6206 @itemx return @var{expression}
6207 @cindex returning from a function
6208 @kindex return
6209 You can cancel execution of a function call with the @code{return}
6210 command. If you give an
6211 @var{expression} argument, its value is used as the function's return
6212 value.
6213 @end table
6214
6215 When you use @code{return}, @value{GDBN} discards the selected stack frame
6216 (and all frames within it). You can think of this as making the
6217 discarded frame return prematurely. If you wish to specify a value to
6218 be returned, give that value as the argument to @code{return}.
6219
6220 This pops the selected stack frame (@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a
6221 frame}), and any other frames inside of it, leaving its caller as the
6222 innermost remaining frame. That frame becomes selected. The
6223 specified value is stored in the registers used for returning values
6224 of functions.
6225
6226 The @code{return} command does not resume execution; it leaves the
6227 program stopped in the state that would exist if the function had just
6228 returned. In contrast, the @code{finish} command (@pxref{Continuing
6229 and Stepping, ,Continuing and stepping}) resumes execution until the
6230 selected stack frame returns naturally.
6231
6232 @node Calling
6233 @section Calling program functions
6234
6235 @cindex calling functions
6236 @kindex call
6237 @table @code
6238 @item call @var{expr}
6239 Evaluate the expression @var{expr} without displaying @code{void}
6240 returned values.
6241 @end table
6242
6243 You can use this variant of the @code{print} command if you want to
6244 execute a function from your program, but without cluttering the output
6245 with @code{void} returned values. The result is printed and saved in
6246 the value history, if it is not void.
6247
6248 @node Patching
6249 @section Patching programs
6250 @cindex patching binaries
6251 @cindex writing into executables
6252 @ifclear BARETARGET
6253 @cindex writing into corefiles
6254 @end ifclear
6255
6256 By default, @value{GDBN} opens the file containing your program's executable
6257 code
6258 @ifclear BARETARGET
6259 (or the corefile)
6260 @end ifclear
6261 read-only. This prevents accidental alterations
6262 to machine code; but it also prevents you from intentionally patching
6263 your program's binary.
6264
6265 If you'd like to be able to patch the binary, you can specify that
6266 explicitly with the @code{set write} command. For example, you might
6267 want to turn on internal debugging flags, or even to make emergency
6268 repairs.
6269
6270 @table @code
6271 @item set write on
6272 @itemx set write off
6273 @kindex set write
6274 If you specify @samp{set write on}, @value{GDBN} will open executable
6275 @ifclear BARETARGET
6276 and core
6277 @end ifclear
6278 files for both reading and writing; if you specify @samp{set write
6279 off} (the default), @value{GDBN} will open them read-only.
6280
6281 If you have already loaded a file, you must load it again (using the
6282 @code{exec-file}
6283 @ifclear BARETARGET
6284 or @code{core-file}
6285 @end ifclear
6286 command) after changing @code{set write}, for your new setting to take
6287 effect.
6288
6289 @item show write
6290 @kindex show write
6291 Display whether executable files
6292 @ifclear BARETARGET
6293 and core files
6294 @end ifclear
6295 will be opened for writing as well as reading.
6296 @end table
6297
6298 @node GDB Files
6299 @chapter @value{GDBN} Files
6300
6301 @value{GDBN} needs to know the file name of the program to be debugged, both in
6302 order to read its symbol table and in order to start your program.
6303 @ifclear BARETARGET
6304 To debug a core dump of a previous run, you must also tell @value{GDBN}
6305 the name of the core dump file.
6306 @end ifclear
6307
6308 @menu
6309 * Files:: Commands to specify files
6310 * Symbol Errors:: Errors reading symbol files
6311 @end menu
6312
6313 @node Files
6314 @section Commands to specify files
6315 @cindex symbol table
6316
6317 @ifclear BARETARGET
6318 @cindex core dump file
6319 The usual way to specify executable and core dump file names is with
6320 the command arguments given when you start @value{GDBN} (@pxref{Invocation,
6321 ,Getting In and Out of @value{GDBN}}.
6322 @end ifclear
6323 @ifset BARETARGET
6324 The usual way to specify an executable file name is with
6325 the command argument given when you start @value{GDBN}, (@pxref{Invocation,
6326 ,Getting In and Out of @value{GDBN}}.
6327 @end ifset
6328
6329 Occasionally it is necessary to change to a different file during a
6330 @value{GDBN} session. Or you may run @value{GDBN} and forget to specify
6331 a file you want to use. In these situations the @value{GDBN} commands
6332 to specify new files are useful.
6333
6334 @table @code
6335 @item file @var{filename}
6336 @cindex executable file
6337 @kindex file
6338 Use @var{filename} as the program to be debugged. It is read for its
6339 symbols and for the contents of pure memory. It is also the program
6340 executed when you use the @code{run} command. If you do not specify a
6341 directory and the file is not found in the @value{GDBN} working directory, @value{GDBN}
6342 uses the environment variable @code{PATH} as a list of directories to
6343 search, just as the shell does when looking for a program to run. You
6344 can change the value of this variable, for both @value{GDBN} and your program,
6345 using the @code{path} command.
6346
6347 On systems with memory-mapped files, an auxiliary symbol table file
6348 @file{@var{filename}.syms} may be available for @var{filename}. If it
6349 is, @value{GDBN} will map in the symbol table from
6350 @file{@var{filename}.syms}, starting up more quickly. See the
6351 descriptions of the options @samp{-mapped} and @samp{-readnow} (available
6352 on the command line, and with the commands @code{file}, @code{symbol-file},
6353 or @code{add-symbol-file}), for more information.
6354
6355 @item file
6356 @code{file} with no argument makes @value{GDBN} discard any information it
6357 has on both executable file and the symbol table.
6358
6359 @item exec-file @r{[} @var{filename} @r{]}
6360 @kindex exec-file
6361 Specify that the program to be run (but not the symbol table) is found
6362 in @var{filename}. @value{GDBN} will search the environment variable @code{PATH}
6363 if necessary to locate your program. Omitting @var{filename} means to
6364 discard information on the executable file.
6365
6366 @item symbol-file @r{[} @var{filename} @r{]}
6367 @kindex symbol-file
6368 Read symbol table information from file @var{filename}. @code{PATH} is
6369 searched when necessary. Use the @code{file} command to get both symbol
6370 table and program to run from the same file.
6371
6372 @code{symbol-file} with no argument clears out @value{GDBN} information on your
6373 program's symbol table.
6374
6375 The @code{symbol-file} command causes @value{GDBN} to forget the contents of its
6376 convenience variables, the value history, and all breakpoints and
6377 auto-display expressions. This is because they may contain pointers to
6378 the internal data recording symbols and data types, which are part of
6379 the old symbol table data being discarded inside @value{GDBN}.
6380
6381 @code{symbol-file} will not repeat if you press @key{RET} again after
6382 executing it once.
6383
6384 When @value{GDBN} is configured for a particular environment, it will
6385 understand debugging information in whatever format is the standard
6386 generated for that environment; you may use either a GNU compiler, or
6387 other compilers that adhere to the local conventions. Best results are
6388 usually obtained from GNU compilers; for example, using @code{@value{GCC}}
6389 you can generate debugging information for optimized code.
6390
6391 On some kinds of object files, the @code{symbol-file} command does not
6392 normally read the symbol table in full right away. Instead, it scans
6393 the symbol table quickly to find which source files and which symbols
6394 are present. The details are read later, one source file at a time,
6395 as they are needed.
6396
6397 The purpose of this two-stage reading strategy is to make @value{GDBN} start up
6398 faster. For the most part, it is invisible except for occasional
6399 pauses while the symbol table details for a particular source file are
6400 being read. (The @code{set verbose} command can turn these pauses
6401 into messages if desired. @xref{Messages/Warnings, ,Optional warnings
6402 and messages}.)
6403
6404 We have not implemented the two-stage strategy for COFF yet. When the
6405 symbol table is stored in COFF format, @code{symbol-file} reads the
6406 symbol table data in full right away.
6407
6408 @item symbol-file @var{filename} @r{[} -readnow @r{]} @r{[} -mapped @r{]}
6409 @itemx file @var{filename} @r{[} -readnow @r{]} @r{[} -mapped @r{]}
6410 @kindex readnow
6411 @cindex reading symbols immediately
6412 @cindex symbols, reading immediately
6413 @kindex mapped
6414 @cindex memory-mapped symbol file
6415 @cindex saving symbol table
6416 You can override the @value{GDBN} two-stage strategy for reading symbol
6417 tables by using the @samp{-readnow} option with any of the commands that
6418 load symbol table information, if you want to be sure @value{GDBN} has the
6419 entire symbol table available.
6420
6421 @ifclear BARETARGET
6422 If memory-mapped files are available on your system through the
6423 @code{mmap} system call, you can use another option, @samp{-mapped}, to
6424 cause @value{GDBN} to write the symbols for your program into a reusable
6425 file. Future @value{GDBN} debugging sessions will map in symbol information
6426 from this auxiliary symbol file (if the program has not changed), rather
6427 than spending time reading the symbol table from the executable
6428 program. Using the @samp{-mapped} option has the same effect as
6429 starting @value{GDBN} with the @samp{-mapped} command-line option.
6430
6431 You can use both options together, to make sure the auxiliary symbol
6432 file has all the symbol information for your program.
6433
6434 The auxiliary symbol file for a program called @var{myprog} is called
6435 @samp{@var{myprog}.syms}. Once this file exists (so long as it is newer
6436 than the corresponding executable), @value{GDBN} will always attempt to use
6437 it when you debug @var{myprog}; no special options or commands are
6438 needed.
6439
6440 The @file{.syms} file is specific to the host machine where you run
6441 @value{GDBN}. It holds an exact image of the internal @value{GDB}
6442 symbol table. It cannot be shared across multiple host platforms.
6443
6444 @c FIXME: for now no mention of directories, since this seems to be in
6445 @c flux. 13mar1992 status is that in theory GDB would look either in
6446 @c current dir or in same dir as myprog; but issues like competing
6447 @c GDB's, or clutter in system dirs, mean that in practice right now
6448 @c only current dir is used. FFish says maybe a special GDB hierarchy
6449 @c (eg rooted in val of env var GDBSYMS) could exist for mappable symbol
6450 @c files.
6451
6452 @item core-file @r{[} @var{filename} @r{]}
6453 @kindex core
6454 @kindex core-file
6455 Specify the whereabouts of a core dump file to be used as the ``contents
6456 of memory''. Traditionally, core files contain only some parts of the
6457 address space of the process that generated them; @value{GDBN} can access the
6458 executable file itself for other parts.
6459
6460 @code{core-file} with no argument specifies that no core file is
6461 to be used.
6462
6463 Note that the core file is ignored when your program is actually running
6464 under @value{GDBN}. So, if you have been running your program and you wish to
6465 debug a core file instead, you must kill the subprocess in which the
6466 program is running. To do this, use the @code{kill} command
6467 (@pxref{Kill Process, ,Killing the child process}).
6468 @end ifclear
6469
6470 @item load @var{filename}
6471 @kindex load
6472 @ifset GENERIC
6473 Depending on what remote debugging facilities are configured into
6474 @value{GDBN}, the @code{load} command may be available. Where it exists, it
6475 is meant to make @var{filename} (an executable) available for debugging
6476 on the remote system---by downloading, or dynamic linking, for example.
6477 @code{load} also records the @var{filename} symbol table in @value{GDBN}, like
6478 the @code{add-symbol-file} command.
6479
6480 If your @value{GDBN} does not have a @code{load} command, attempting to
6481 execute it gets the error message ``@code{You can't do that when your
6482 target is @dots{}}''
6483 @end ifset
6484
6485 @ifset VXWORKS
6486 On VxWorks, @code{load} will dynamically link @var{filename} on the
6487 current target system as well as adding its symbols in @value{GDBN}.
6488 @end ifset
6489
6490 @ifset Icmlx
6491 @cindex download to Nindy-960
6492 With the Nindy interface to an Intel 960 board, @code{load} will
6493 download @var{filename} to the 960 as well as adding its symbols in
6494 @value{GDBN}.
6495 @end ifset
6496
6497 @ifset Hviii
6498 @cindex download to H8/300 or H8/500
6499 @cindex H8/300 or H8/500 download
6500 When you select remote debugging to a Hitachi H8/300 or H8/500 board
6501 (@pxref{Hitachi H8 Remote,,@value{GDBN} and the Hitachi H8/300 and H8/500}),
6502 the @code{load} command downloads your program to the Hitachi board and also
6503 opens it as the current executable target for @value{GDBN} on your host
6504 (like the @code{file} command).
6505 @end ifset
6506
6507 @code{load} will not repeat if you press @key{RET} again after using it.
6508
6509 @ifclear BARETARGET
6510 @item add-symbol-file @var{filename} @var{address}
6511 @itemx add-symbol-file @var{filename} @var{address} @r{[} -readnow @r{]} @r{[} -mapped @r{]}
6512 @kindex add-symbol-file
6513 @cindex dynamic linking
6514 The @code{add-symbol-file} command reads additional symbol table information
6515 from the file @var{filename}. You would use this command when @var{filename}
6516 has been dynamically loaded (by some other means) into the program that
6517 is running. @var{address} should be the memory address at which the
6518 file has been loaded; @value{GDBN} cannot figure this out for itself.
6519
6520 The symbol table of the file @var{filename} is added to the symbol table
6521 originally read with the @code{symbol-file} command. You can use the
6522 @code{add-symbol-file} command any number of times; the new symbol data thus
6523 read keeps adding to the old. To discard all old symbol data instead,
6524 use the @code{symbol-file} command.
6525
6526 @code{add-symbol-file} will not repeat if you press @key{RET} after using it.
6527
6528 You can use the @samp{-mapped} and @samp{-readnow} options just as with
6529 the @code{symbol-file} command, to change how @value{GDBN} manages the symbol
6530 table information for @var{filename}.
6531 @end ifclear
6532
6533 @item info files
6534 @itemx info target
6535 @kindex info files
6536 @kindex info target
6537 @code{info files} and @code{info target} are synonymous; both print
6538 the current target (@pxref{Targets, ,Specifying a Debugging Target}),
6539 including the
6540 @ifclear BARETARGET
6541 names of the executable and core dump files
6542 @end ifclear
6543 @ifset BARETARGET
6544 name of the executable file
6545 @end ifset
6546 currently in use by @value{GDBN}, and the files from which symbols were
6547 loaded. The command @code{help targets} lists all possible targets
6548 rather than current ones.
6549 @end table
6550
6551 All file-specifying commands allow both absolute and relative file names
6552 as arguments. @value{GDBN} always converts the file name to an absolute path
6553 name and remembers it that way.
6554
6555 @ifclear BARETARGET
6556 @cindex shared libraries
6557 @value{GDBN} supports SunOS, SVR4, and IBM RS/6000 shared libraries.
6558 @value{GDBN} automatically loads symbol definitions from shared libraries
6559 when you use the @code{run} command, or when you examine a core file.
6560 (Before you issue the @code{run} command, @value{GDBN} will not understand
6561 references to a function in a shared library, however---unless you are
6562 debugging a core file).
6563 @c FIXME: next @value{GDBN} release should permit some refs to undef
6564 @c FIXME...symbols---eg in a break cmd---assuming they are from a shared lib
6565
6566 @table @code
6567 @item info share
6568 @itemx info sharedlibrary
6569 @kindex info sharedlibrary
6570 @kindex info share
6571 Print the names of the shared libraries which are currently loaded.
6572
6573 @item sharedlibrary @var{regex}
6574 @itemx share @var{regex}
6575 @kindex sharedlibrary
6576 @kindex share
6577 This is an obsolescent command; you can use it to explicitly
6578 load shared object library symbols for files matching a UNIX regular
6579 expression, but as with files loaded automatically, it will only load
6580 shared libraries required by your program for a core file or after
6581 typing @code{run}. If @var{regex} is omitted all shared libraries
6582 required by your program are loaded.
6583 @end table
6584 @end ifclear
6585
6586 @node Symbol Errors
6587 @section Errors reading symbol files
6588
6589 While reading a symbol file, @value{GDBN} will occasionally encounter problems,
6590 such as symbol types it does not recognize, or known bugs in compiler
6591 output. By default, @value{GDBN} does not notify you of such problems, since
6592 they are relatively common and primarily of interest to people
6593 debugging compilers. If you are interested in seeing information
6594 about ill-constructed symbol tables, you can either ask @value{GDBN} to print
6595 only one message about each such type of problem, no matter how many
6596 times the problem occurs; or you can ask @value{GDBN} to print more messages,
6597 to see how many times the problems occur, with the @code{set
6598 complaints} command (@pxref{Messages/Warnings, ,Optional warnings and
6599 messages}).
6600
6601 The messages currently printed, and their meanings, are:
6602
6603 @table @code
6604 @item inner block not inside outer block in @var{symbol}
6605
6606 The symbol information shows where symbol scopes begin and end
6607 (such as at the start of a function or a block of statements). This
6608 error indicates that an inner scope block is not fully contained
6609 in its outer scope blocks.
6610
6611 @value{GDBN} circumvents the problem by treating the inner block as if it had
6612 the same scope as the outer block. In the error message, @var{symbol}
6613 may be shown as ``@code{(don't know)}'' if the outer block is not a
6614 function.
6615
6616 @item block at @var{address} out of order
6617
6618 The symbol information for symbol scope blocks should occur in
6619 order of increasing addresses. This error indicates that it does not
6620 do so.
6621
6622 @value{GDBN} does not circumvent this problem, and will have trouble
6623 locating symbols in the source file whose symbols it is reading. (You
6624 can often determine what source file is affected by specifying
6625 @code{set verbose on}. @xref{Messages/Warnings, ,Optional warnings and
6626 messages}.)
6627
6628 @item bad block start address patched
6629
6630 The symbol information for a symbol scope block has a start address
6631 smaller than the address of the preceding source line. This is known
6632 to occur in the SunOS 4.1.1 (and earlier) C compiler.
6633
6634 @value{GDBN} circumvents the problem by treating the symbol scope block as
6635 starting on the previous source line.
6636
6637 @item bad string table offset in symbol @var{n}
6638
6639 @cindex foo
6640 Symbol number @var{n} contains a pointer into the string table which is
6641 larger than the size of the string table.
6642
6643 @value{GDBN} circumvents the problem by considering the symbol to have the
6644 name @code{foo}, which may cause other problems if many symbols end up
6645 with this name.
6646
6647 @item unknown symbol type @code{0x@var{nn}}
6648
6649 The symbol information contains new data types that @value{GDBN} does not yet
6650 know how to read. @code{0x@var{nn}} is the symbol type of the misunderstood
6651 information, in hexadecimal.
6652
6653 @value{GDBN} circumvents the error by ignoring this symbol information. This
6654 will usually allow your program to be debugged, though certain symbols
6655 will not be accessible. If you encounter such a problem and feel like
6656 debugging it, you can debug @code{@value{GDBP}} with itself, breakpoint on
6657 @code{complain}, then go up to the function @code{read_dbx_symtab} and
6658 examine @code{*bufp} to see the symbol.
6659
6660 @item stub type has NULL name
6661 @value{GDBN} could not find the full definition for
6662 @ifclear CONLY
6663 a struct or class.
6664 @end ifclear
6665 @ifset CONLY
6666 a struct.
6667 @end ifset
6668
6669 @ifclear CONLY
6670 @item const/volatile indicator missing (ok if using g++ v1.x), got@dots{}
6671
6672 The symbol information for a C++ member function is missing some
6673 information that recent versions of the compiler should have output
6674 for it.
6675 @end ifclear
6676
6677 @item info mismatch between compiler and debugger
6678
6679 @value{GDBN} could not parse a type specification output by the compiler.
6680 @end table
6681
6682 @node Targets
6683 @chapter Specifying a Debugging Target
6684 @cindex debugging target
6685 @kindex target
6686
6687 A @dfn{target} is the execution environment occupied by your program.
6688 @ifclear BARETARGET
6689 Often, @value{GDBN} runs in the same host environment as your program; in
6690 that case, the debugging target is specified as a side effect when you
6691 use the @code{file} or @code{core} commands. When you need more
6692 flexibility---for example, running @value{GDBN} on a physically separate
6693 host, or controlling a standalone system over a serial port or a
6694 realtime system over a TCP/IP connection---you
6695 @end ifclear
6696 @ifset BARETARGET
6697 You
6698 @end ifset
6699 can use the @code{target} command to specify one of the target types
6700 configured for @value{GDBN} (@pxref{Target Commands, ,Commands for managing
6701 targets}).
6702
6703 @menu
6704 * Active Targets:: Active targets
6705 * Target Commands:: Commands for managing targets
6706 * Remote:: Remote debugging
6707 @end menu
6708
6709 @node Active Targets
6710 @section Active targets
6711 @cindex stacking targets
6712 @cindex active targets
6713 @cindex multiple targets
6714
6715 @ifclear BARETARGET
6716 There are three classes of targets: processes, core files, and
6717 executable files. @value{GDBN} can work concurrently on up to three active
6718 targets, one in each class. This allows you to (for example) start a
6719 process and inspect its activity without abandoning your work on a core
6720 file.
6721
6722 For example, if you execute @samp{gdb a.out}, then the executable file
6723 @code{a.out} is the only active target. If you designate a core file as
6724 well---presumably from a prior run that crashed and coredumped---then
6725 @value{GDBN} has two active targets and will use them in tandem, looking
6726 first in the corefile target, then in the executable file, to satisfy
6727 requests for memory addresses. (Typically, these two classes of target
6728 are complementary, since core files contain only a program's
6729 read-write memory---variables and so on---plus machine status, while
6730 executable files contain only the program text and initialized data.)
6731 @end ifclear
6732
6733 When you type @code{run}, your executable file becomes an active process
6734 target as well. When a process target is active, all @value{GDBN} commands
6735 requesting memory addresses refer to that target; addresses in an
6736 @ifclear BARETARGET
6737 active core file or
6738 @end ifclear
6739 executable file target are obscured while the process
6740 target is active.
6741
6742 @ifset BARETARGET
6743 Use the @code{exec-file} command to select a
6744 new executable target (@pxref{Files, ,Commands to specify
6745 files}).
6746 @end ifset
6747 @ifclear BARETARGET
6748 Use the @code{core-file} and @code{exec-file} commands to select a
6749 new core file or executable target (@pxref{Files, ,Commands to specify
6750 files}). To specify as a target a process that is already running, use
6751 the @code{attach} command (@pxref{Attach, ,Debugging an
6752 already-running process}).
6753 @end ifclear
6754
6755 @node Target Commands
6756 @section Commands for managing targets
6757
6758 @table @code
6759 @item target @var{type} @var{parameters}
6760 Connects the @value{GDBN} host environment to a target
6761 @ifset BARETARGET
6762 machine.
6763 @end ifset
6764 @ifclear BARETARGET
6765 machine or process. A target is typically a protocol for talking to
6766 debugging facilities. You use the argument @var{type} to specify the
6767 type or protocol of the target machine.
6768
6769 Further @var{parameters} are interpreted by the target protocol, but
6770 typically include things like device names or host names to connect
6771 with, process numbers, and baud rates.
6772 @end ifclear
6773
6774 The @code{target} command will not repeat if you press @key{RET} again
6775 after executing the command.
6776
6777 @item help target
6778 @kindex help target
6779 Displays the names of all targets available. To display targets
6780 currently selected, use either @code{info target} or @code{info files}
6781 (@pxref{Files, ,Commands to specify files}).
6782
6783 @item help target @var{name}
6784 Describe a particular target, including any parameters necessary to
6785 select it.
6786 @end table
6787
6788 Here are some common targets (available, or not, depending on the GDB
6789 configuration):
6790
6791 @table @code
6792 @item target exec @var{program}
6793 @kindex target exec
6794 An executable file. @samp{target exec @var{program}} is the same as
6795 @samp{exec-file @var{program}}.
6796
6797 @ifclear BARETARGET
6798 @item target core @var{filename}
6799 @kindex target core
6800 A core dump file. @samp{target core @var{filename}} is the same as
6801 @samp{core-file @var{filename}}.
6802 @end ifclear
6803
6804 @ifset REMOTESTUB
6805 @item target remote @var{dev}
6806 @kindex target remote
6807 Remote serial target in GDB-specific protocol. The argument @var{dev}
6808 specifies what serial device to use for the connection (e.g.
6809 @file{/dev/ttya}). @xref{Remote, ,Remote debugging}.
6810 @end ifset
6811
6812 @ifset SIMS
6813 @item target sim
6814 @kindex target sim
6815 CPU simulator. @xref{Simulator,,Simulated CPU Target}.
6816 @end ifset
6817
6818 @ifset AMDxxixK
6819 @item target udi @var{keyword}
6820 @kindex target udi
6821 Remote AMD29K target, using the AMD UDI protocol. The @var{keyword}
6822 argument specifies which 29K board or simulator to use. @xref{UDI29K
6823 Remote,,@value{GDBN} and the UDI protocol for AMD29K}.
6824
6825 @item target amd-eb @var{dev} @var{speed} @var{PROG}
6826 @kindex target amd-eb
6827 @cindex AMD EB29K
6828 Remote PC-resident AMD EB29K board, attached over serial lines.
6829 @var{dev} is the serial device, as for @code{target remote};
6830 @var{speed} allows you to specify the linespeed; and @var{PROG} is the
6831 name of the program to be debugged, as it appears to DOS on the PC.
6832 @xref{EB29K Remote, ,@value{GDBN} with a remote EB29K}.
6833
6834 @end ifset
6835 @ifset Hviii
6836 @item target hms
6837 @kindex target hms
6838 A Hitachi H8/300 or H8/500 board, attached via serial line to your host. Use
6839 special commands @code{device} and @code{speed} to control the serial
6840 line and the communications speed used. @xref{Hitachi H8
6841 Remote,,@value{GDBN} and the Hitachi H8/300 and H8/500}.
6842
6843 @end ifset
6844 @ifset Icmlx
6845 @item target nindy @var{devicename}
6846 @kindex target nindy
6847 An Intel 960 board controlled by a Nindy Monitor. @var{devicename} is
6848 the name of the serial device to use for the connection, e.g.
6849 @file{/dev/ttya}. @xref{i960-Nindy Remote, ,@value{GDBN} with a remote i960 (Nindy)}.
6850
6851 @end ifset
6852 @ifset STmm
6853 @item target st2000 @var{dev} @var{speed}
6854 @kindex target st2000
6855 A Tandem ST2000 phone switch, running Tandem's STDBUG protocol. @var{dev}
6856 is the name of the device attached to the ST2000 serial line;
6857 @var{speed} is the communication line speed. The arguments are not used
6858 if @value{GDBN} is configured to connect to the ST2000 using TCP or Telnet.
6859 @xref{ST2000 Remote,,@value{GDBN} with a Tandem ST2000}.
6860
6861 @end ifset
6862 @ifset VXWORKS
6863 @item target vxworks @var{machinename}
6864 @kindex target vxworks
6865 A VxWorks system, attached via TCP/IP. The argument @var{machinename}
6866 is the target system's machine name or IP address.
6867 @xref{VxWorks Remote, ,@value{GDBN} and VxWorks}.
6868 @end ifset
6869 @end table
6870
6871 @ifset GENERIC
6872 Different targets are available on different configurations of @value{GDBN}; your
6873 configuration may have more or fewer targets.
6874 @end ifset
6875
6876 @node Remote
6877 @section Remote debugging
6878 @cindex remote debugging
6879
6880 If you are trying to debug a program running on a machine that cannot run
6881 GDB in the usual way, it is often useful to use remote debugging. For
6882 example, you might use remote debugging on an operating system kernel, or on
6883 a small system which does not have a general purpose operating system
6884 powerful enough to run a full-featured debugger.
6885
6886 Some configurations of GDB have special serial or TCP/IP interfaces
6887 to make this work with particular debugging targets. In addition,
6888 GDB comes with a generic serial protocol (specific to GDB, but
6889 not specific to any particular target system) which you can use if you
6890 write the remote stubs---the code that will run on the remote system to
6891 communicate with GDB.
6892
6893 Other remote targets may be available in your
6894 configuration of GDB; use @code{help targets} to list them.
6895
6896 @ifset GENERIC
6897 @c Text on starting up GDB in various specific cases; it goes up front
6898 @c in manuals configured for any of those particular situations, here
6899 @c otherwise.
6900 @menu
6901 @ifset REMOTESTUB
6902 * Remote Serial:: @value{GDBN} remote serial protocol
6903 @end ifset
6904 @ifset Icmlx
6905 * i960-Nindy Remote:: @value{GDBN} with a remote i960 (Nindy)
6906 @end ifset
6907 @ifset AMDxxixK
6908 * UDI29K Remote:: @value{GDBN} and the UDI protocol for AMD29K
6909 * EB29K Remote:: @value{GDBN} with a remote EB29K
6910 @end ifset
6911 @ifset VXWORKS
6912 * VxWorks Remote:: @value{GDBN} and VxWorks
6913 @end ifset
6914 @ifset STmm
6915 * ST2000 Remote:: @value{GDBN} with a Tandem ST2000
6916 @end ifset
6917 @ifset Hviii
6918 * Hitachi H8 Remote:: @value{GDBN} and the Hitachi H8/300 and H8/500
6919 @end ifset
6920 @ifset SIMS
6921 * Simulator:: Simulated CPU target
6922 @end ifset
6923 @end menu
6924
6925 @include gdbinv-s.texi
6926 @end ifset
6927
6928 @node Controlling GDB
6929 @chapter Controlling @value{GDBN}
6930
6931 You can alter the way @value{GDBN} interacts with you by using
6932 the @code{set} command. For commands controlling how @value{GDBN} displays
6933 data, @pxref{Print Settings, ,Print settings}; other settings are described here.
6934
6935 @menu
6936 * Prompt:: Prompt
6937 * Editing:: Command editing
6938 * History:: Command history
6939 * Screen Size:: Screen size
6940 * Numbers:: Numbers
6941 * Messages/Warnings:: Optional warnings and messages
6942 @end menu
6943
6944 @node Prompt
6945 @section Prompt
6946 @cindex prompt
6947
6948 @value{GDBN} indicates its readiness to read a command by printing a string
6949 called the @dfn{prompt}. This string is normally @samp{(@value{GDBP})}. You
6950 can change the prompt string with the @code{set prompt} command. For
6951 instance, when debugging @value{GDBN} with @value{GDBN}, it is useful to change
6952 the prompt in one of the @value{GDBN} sessions so that you can always tell which
6953 one you are talking to.
6954
6955 @table @code
6956 @item set prompt @var{newprompt}
6957 @kindex set prompt
6958 Directs @value{GDBN} to use @var{newprompt} as its prompt string henceforth.
6959 @kindex show prompt
6960 @item show prompt
6961 Prints a line of the form: @samp{Gdb's prompt is: @var{your-prompt}}
6962 @end table
6963
6964 @node Editing
6965 @section Command editing
6966 @cindex readline
6967 @cindex command line editing
6968
6969 @value{GDBN} reads its input commands via the @dfn{readline} interface. This
6970 GNU library provides consistent behavior for programs which provide a
6971 command line interface to the user. Advantages are @code{emacs}-style
6972 or @code{vi}-style inline editing of commands, @code{csh}-like history
6973 substitution, and a storage and recall of command history across
6974 debugging sessions.
6975
6976 You may control the behavior of command line editing in @value{GDBN} with the
6977 command @code{set}.
6978
6979 @table @code
6980 @kindex set editing
6981 @cindex editing
6982 @item set editing
6983 @itemx set editing on
6984 Enable command line editing (enabled by default).
6985
6986 @item set editing off
6987 Disable command line editing.
6988
6989 @kindex show editing
6990 @item show editing
6991 Show whether command line editing is enabled.
6992 @end table
6993
6994 @node History
6995 @section Command history
6996
6997 @value{GDBN} can keep track of the commands you type during your
6998 debugging sessions, so that you can be certain of precisely what
6999 happened. Use these commands to manage the @value{GDBN} command
7000 history facility.
7001
7002 @table @code
7003 @cindex history substitution
7004 @cindex history file
7005 @kindex set history filename
7006 @item set history filename @var{fname}
7007 Set the name of the @value{GDBN} command history file to @var{fname}. This is
7008 the file from which @value{GDBN} will read an initial command history
7009 list or to which it will write this list when it exits. This list is
7010 accessed through history expansion or through the history
7011 command editing characters listed below. This file defaults to the
7012 value of the environment variable @code{GDBHISTFILE}, or to
7013 @file{./.gdb_history} if this variable is not set.
7014
7015 @cindex history save
7016 @kindex set history save
7017 @item set history save
7018 @itemx set history save on
7019 Record command history in a file, whose name may be specified with the
7020 @code{set history filename} command. By default, this option is disabled.
7021
7022 @item set history save off
7023 Stop recording command history in a file.
7024
7025 @cindex history size
7026 @kindex set history size
7027 @item set history size @var{size}
7028 Set the number of commands which @value{GDBN} will keep in its history list.
7029 This defaults to the value of the environment variable
7030 @code{HISTSIZE}, or to 256 if this variable is not set.
7031 @end table
7032
7033 @cindex history expansion
7034 History expansion assigns special meaning to the character @kbd{!}.
7035 @ifset have-readline-appendices
7036 @xref{Event Designators}.
7037 @end ifset
7038
7039 Since @kbd{!} is also the logical not operator in C, history expansion
7040 is off by default. If you decide to enable history expansion with the
7041 @code{set history expansion on} command, you may sometimes need to
7042 follow @kbd{!} (when it is used as logical not, in an expression) with
7043 a space or a tab to prevent it from being expanded. The readline
7044 history facilities will not attempt substitution on the strings
7045 @kbd{!=} and @kbd{!(}, even when history expansion is enabled.
7046
7047 The commands to control history expansion are:
7048
7049 @table @code
7050
7051 @kindex set history expansion
7052 @item set history expansion on
7053 @itemx set history expansion
7054 Enable history expansion. History expansion is off by default.
7055
7056 @item set history expansion off
7057 Disable history expansion.
7058
7059 The readline code comes with more complete documentation of
7060 editing and history expansion features. Users unfamiliar with @code{emacs}
7061 or @code{vi} may wish to read it.
7062 @ifset have-readline-appendices
7063 @xref{Command Line Editing}.
7064 @end ifset
7065
7066 @c @group
7067 @kindex show history
7068 @item show history
7069 @itemx show history filename
7070 @itemx show history save
7071 @itemx show history size
7072 @itemx show history expansion
7073 These commands display the state of the @value{GDBN} history parameters.
7074 @code{show history} by itself displays all four states.
7075 @c @end group
7076 @end table
7077
7078 @table @code
7079 @kindex show commands
7080 @item show commands
7081 Display the last ten commands in the command history.
7082
7083 @item show commands @var{n}
7084 Print ten commands centered on command number @var{n}.
7085
7086 @item show commands +
7087 Print ten commands just after the commands last printed.
7088 @end table
7089
7090 @node Screen Size
7091 @section Screen size
7092 @cindex size of screen
7093 @cindex pauses in output
7094
7095 Certain commands to @value{GDBN} may produce large amounts of information
7096 output to the screen. To help you read all of it, @value{GDBN} pauses and
7097 asks you for input at the end of each page of output. Type @key{RET}
7098 when you want to continue the output. @value{GDBN} also uses the screen
7099 width setting to determine when to wrap lines of output. Depending on
7100 what is being printed, it tries to break the line at a readable place,
7101 rather than simply letting it overflow onto the following line.
7102
7103 Normally @value{GDBN} knows the size of the screen from the termcap data base
7104 together with the value of the @code{TERM} environment variable and the
7105 @code{stty rows} and @code{stty cols} settings. If this is not correct,
7106 you can override it with the @code{set height} and @code{set
7107 width} commands:
7108
7109 @table @code
7110 @item set height @var{lpp}
7111 @itemx show height
7112 @itemx set width @var{cpl}
7113 @itemx show width
7114 @kindex set height
7115 @kindex set width
7116 @kindex show width
7117 @kindex show height
7118 These @code{set} commands specify a screen height of @var{lpp} lines and
7119 a screen width of @var{cpl} characters. The associated @code{show}
7120 commands display the current settings.
7121
7122 If you specify a height of zero lines, @value{GDBN} will not pause during output
7123 no matter how long the output is. This is useful if output is to a file
7124 or to an editor buffer.
7125 @end table
7126
7127 @node Numbers
7128 @section Numbers
7129 @cindex number representation
7130 @cindex entering numbers
7131
7132 You can always enter numbers in octal, decimal, or hexadecimal in @value{GDBN} by
7133 the usual conventions: octal numbers begin with @samp{0}, decimal
7134 numbers end with @samp{.}, and hexadecimal numbers begin with @samp{0x}.
7135 Numbers that begin with none of these are, by default, entered in base
7136 10; likewise, the default display for numbers---when no particular
7137 format is specified---is base 10. You can change the default base for
7138 both input and output with the @code{set radix} command.
7139
7140 @table @code
7141 @kindex set radix
7142 @item set radix @var{base}
7143 Set the default base for numeric input and display. Supported choices
7144 for @var{base} are decimal 2, 8, 10, 16. @var{base} must itself be
7145 specified either unambiguously or using the current default radix; for
7146 example, any of
7147
7148 @example
7149 set radix 1010
7150 set radix 012
7151 set radix 10.
7152 set radix 0xa
7153 @end example
7154
7155 @noindent
7156 will set the base to decimal. On the other hand, @samp{set radix 10}
7157 will leave the radix unchanged no matter what it was.
7158
7159 @kindex show radix
7160 @item show radix
7161 Display the current default base for numeric input and display.
7162 @end table
7163
7164 @node Messages/Warnings
7165 @section Optional warnings and messages
7166
7167 By default, @value{GDBN} is silent about its inner workings. If you are running
7168 on a slow machine, you may want to use the @code{set verbose} command.
7169 It will make @value{GDBN} tell you when it does a lengthy internal operation, so
7170 you will not think it has crashed.
7171
7172 Currently, the messages controlled by @code{set verbose} are those
7173 which announce that the symbol table for a source file is being read;
7174 see @code{symbol-file} in @ref{Files, ,Commands to specify files}.
7175
7176 @table @code
7177 @kindex set verbose
7178 @item set verbose on
7179 Enables @value{GDBN} output of certain informational messages.
7180
7181 @item set verbose off
7182 Disables @value{GDBN} output of certain informational messages.
7183
7184 @kindex show verbose
7185 @item show verbose
7186 Displays whether @code{set verbose} is on or off.
7187 @end table
7188
7189 By default, if @value{GDBN} encounters bugs in the symbol table of an object
7190 file, it is silent; but if you are debugging a compiler, you may find
7191 this information useful (@pxref{Symbol Errors, ,Errors reading symbol files}).
7192
7193 @table @code
7194 @kindex set complaints
7195 @item set complaints @var{limit}
7196 Permits @value{GDBN} to output @var{limit} complaints about each type of unusual
7197 symbols before becoming silent about the problem. Set @var{limit} to
7198 zero to suppress all complaints; set it to a large number to prevent
7199 complaints from being suppressed.
7200
7201 @kindex show complaints
7202 @item show complaints
7203 Displays how many symbol complaints @value{GDBN} is permitted to produce.
7204 @end table
7205
7206 By default, @value{GDBN} is cautious, and asks what sometimes seems to be a
7207 lot of stupid questions to confirm certain commands. For example, if
7208 you try to run a program which is already running:
7209
7210 @example
7211 (@value{GDBP}) run
7212 The program being debugged has been started already.
7213 Start it from the beginning? (y or n)
7214 @end example
7215
7216 If you are willing to unflinchingly face the consequences of your own
7217 commands, you can disable this ``feature'':
7218
7219 @table @code
7220 @kindex set confirm
7221 @cindex flinching
7222 @cindex confirmation
7223 @cindex stupid questions
7224 @item set confirm off
7225 Disables confirmation requests.
7226
7227 @item set confirm on
7228 Enables confirmation requests (the default).
7229
7230 @item show confirm
7231 @kindex show confirm
7232 Displays state of confirmation requests.
7233 @end table
7234
7235 @c FIXME this does not really belong here. But where *does* it belong?
7236 @cindex reloading symbols
7237 Some systems allow individual object files that make up your program to
7238 be replaced without stopping and restarting your program.
7239 @ifset VXWORKS
7240 For example, in VxWorks you can simply recompile a defective object file
7241 and keep on running.
7242 @end ifset
7243 If you are running on one of these systems, you can allow @value{GDBN} to
7244 reload the symbols for automatically relinked modules:
7245
7246 @table @code
7247 @kindex set symbol-reloading
7248 @item set symbol-reloading on
7249 Replace symbol definitions for the corresponding source file when an
7250 object file with a particular name is seen again.
7251
7252 @item set symbol-reloading off
7253 Do not replace symbol definitions when re-encountering object files of
7254 the same name. This is the default state; if you are not running on a
7255 system that permits automatically relinking modules, you should leave
7256 @code{symbol-reloading} off, since otherwise @value{GDBN} may discard symbols
7257 when linking large programs, that may contain several modules (from
7258 different directories or libraries) with the same name.
7259
7260 @item show symbol-reloading
7261 Show the current @code{on} or @code{off} setting.
7262 @end table
7263
7264 @node Sequences
7265 @chapter Canned Sequences of Commands
7266
7267 Aside from breakpoint commands (@pxref{Break Commands, ,Breakpoint
7268 command lists}), @value{GDBN} provides two ways to store sequences of commands
7269 for execution as a unit: user-defined commands and command files.
7270
7271 @menu
7272 * Define:: User-defined commands
7273 * Hooks:: User-defined command hooks
7274 * Command Files:: Command files
7275 * Output:: Commands for controlled output
7276 @end menu
7277
7278 @node Define
7279 @section User-defined commands
7280
7281 @cindex user-defined command
7282 A @dfn{user-defined command} is a sequence of @value{GDBN} commands to which you
7283 assign a new name as a command. This is done with the @code{define}
7284 command.
7285
7286 @table @code
7287 @item define @var{commandname}
7288 @kindex define
7289 Define a command named @var{commandname}. If there is already a command
7290 by that name, you are asked to confirm that you want to redefine it.
7291
7292 The definition of the command is made up of other @value{GDBN} command lines,
7293 which are given following the @code{define} command. The end of these
7294 commands is marked by a line containing @code{end}.
7295
7296 @item document @var{commandname}
7297 @kindex document
7298 Give documentation to the user-defined command @var{commandname}. The
7299 command @var{commandname} must already be defined. This command reads
7300 lines of documentation just as @code{define} reads the lines of the
7301 command definition, ending with @code{end}. After the @code{document}
7302 command is finished, @code{help} on command @var{commandname} will print
7303 the documentation you have specified.
7304
7305 You may use the @code{document} command again to change the
7306 documentation of a command. Redefining the command with @code{define}
7307 does not change the documentation.
7308
7309 @item help user-defined
7310 @kindex help user-defined
7311 List all user-defined commands, with the first line of the documentation
7312 (if any) for each.
7313
7314 @item show user
7315 @itemx show user @var{commandname}
7316 @kindex show user
7317 Display the @value{GDBN} commands used to define @var{commandname} (but not its
7318 documentation). If no @var{commandname} is given, display the
7319 definitions for all user-defined commands.
7320 @end table
7321
7322 User-defined commands do not take arguments. When they are executed, the
7323 commands of the definition are not printed. An error in any command
7324 stops execution of the user-defined command.
7325
7326 Commands that would ask for confirmation if used interactively proceed
7327 without asking when used inside a user-defined command. Many @value{GDBN} commands
7328 that normally print messages to say what they are doing omit the messages
7329 when used in a user-defined command.
7330
7331 @node Hooks
7332 @section User-defined command hooks
7333 @cindex command files
7334
7335 You may define @emph{hooks}, which are a special kind of user-defined
7336 command. Whenever you run the command @samp{foo}, if the user-defined
7337 command @samp{hook-foo} exists, it is executed (with no arguments)
7338 before that command.
7339
7340 In addition, a pseudo-command, @samp{stop} exists. Defining
7341 (@samp{hook-stop}) makes the associated commands execute every time
7342 execution stops in your program: before breakpoint commands are run,
7343 displays are printed, or the stack frame is printed.
7344
7345 @ifclear BARETARGET
7346 For example, to ignore @code{SIGALRM} signals while
7347 single-stepping, but treat them normally during normal execution,
7348 you could define:
7349
7350 @example
7351 define hook-stop
7352 handle SIGALRM nopass
7353 end
7354
7355 define hook-run
7356 handle SIGALRM pass
7357 end
7358
7359 define hook-continue
7360 handle SIGLARM pass
7361 end
7362 @end example
7363 @end ifclear
7364
7365 You can define a hook for any single-word command in @value{GDBN}, but
7366 not for command aliases; you should define a hook for the basic command
7367 name, e.g. @code{backtrace} rather than @code{bt}.
7368 @c FIXME! So how does Joe User discover whether a command is an alias
7369 @c or not?
7370 If an error occurs during the execution of your hook, execution of
7371 @value{GDBN} commands stops and @value{GDBN} issues a prompt
7372 (before the command that you actually typed had a chance to run).
7373
7374 If you try to define a hook which does not match any known command, you
7375 will get a warning from the @code{define} command.
7376
7377 @node Command Files
7378 @section Command files
7379
7380 @cindex command files
7381 A command file for @value{GDBN} is a file of lines that are @value{GDBN} commands. Comments
7382 (lines starting with @kbd{#}) may also be included. An empty line in a
7383 command file does nothing; it does not mean to repeat the last command, as
7384 it would from the terminal.
7385
7386 @cindex init file
7387 @cindex @file{@value{GDBINIT}}
7388 When you start @value{GDBN}, it automatically executes commands from its
7389 @dfn{init files}. These are files named @file{@value{GDBINIT}}. @value{GDBN} reads
7390 the init file (if any) in your home directory and then the init file
7391 (if any) in the current working directory. (The init files are not
7392 executed if you use the @samp{-nx} option; @pxref{Mode Options,
7393 ,Choosing modes}.)
7394
7395 @ifset GENERIC
7396 @cindex init file name
7397 On some configurations of @value{GDBN}, the init file is known by a
7398 different name (these are typically environments where a specialized
7399 form of GDB may need to coexist with other forms, hence a different name
7400 for the specialized version's init file). These are the environments
7401 with special init file names:
7402
7403 @itemize @bullet
7404 @kindex .vxgdbinit
7405 @item
7406 VxWorks (Wind River Systems real-time OS): @samp{.vxgdbinit}
7407
7408 @kindex .os68gdbinit
7409 @item
7410 OS68K (Enea Data Systems real-time OS): @samp{.os68gdbinit}
7411
7412 @kindex .esgdbinit
7413 @item
7414 ES-1800 (Ericsson Telecom AB M68000 emulator): @samp{.esgdbinit}
7415 @end itemize
7416 @end ifset
7417
7418 You can also request the execution of a command file with the
7419 @code{source} command:
7420
7421 @table @code
7422 @item source @var{filename}
7423 @kindex source
7424 Execute the command file @var{filename}.
7425 @end table
7426
7427 The lines in a command file are executed sequentially. They are not
7428 printed as they are executed. An error in any command terminates execution
7429 of the command file.
7430
7431 Commands that would ask for confirmation if used interactively proceed
7432 without asking when used in a command file. Many @value{GDBN} commands that
7433 normally print messages to say what they are doing omit the messages
7434 when called from command files.
7435
7436 @node Output
7437 @section Commands for controlled output
7438
7439 During the execution of a command file or a user-defined command, normal
7440 @value{GDBN} output is suppressed; the only output that appears is what is
7441 explicitly printed by the commands in the definition. This section
7442 describes three commands useful for generating exactly the output you
7443 want.
7444
7445 @table @code
7446 @item echo @var{text}
7447 @kindex echo
7448 @c I do not consider backslash-space a standard C escape sequence
7449 @c because it is not in ANSI.
7450 Print @var{text}. Nonprinting characters can be included in
7451 @var{text} using C escape sequences, such as @samp{\n} to print a
7452 newline. @strong{No newline will be printed unless you specify one.}
7453 In addition to the standard C escape sequences, a backslash followed
7454 by a space stands for a space. This is useful for displaying a
7455 string with spaces at the beginning or the end, since leading and
7456 trailing spaces are otherwise trimmed from all arguments.
7457 To print @samp{@w{ }and foo =@w{ }}, use the command
7458 @samp{echo \@w{ }and foo = \@w{ }}.
7459
7460 A backslash at the end of @var{text} can be used, as in C, to continue
7461 the command onto subsequent lines. For example,
7462
7463 @example
7464 echo This is some text\n\
7465 which is continued\n\
7466 onto several lines.\n
7467 @end example
7468
7469 produces the same output as
7470
7471 @example
7472 echo This is some text\n
7473 echo which is continued\n
7474 echo onto several lines.\n
7475 @end example
7476
7477 @item output @var{expression}
7478 @kindex output
7479 Print the value of @var{expression} and nothing but that value: no
7480 newlines, no @samp{$@var{nn} = }. The value is not entered in the
7481 value history either. @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}, for more information on
7482 expressions.
7483
7484 @item output/@var{fmt} @var{expression}
7485 Print the value of @var{expression} in format @var{fmt}. You can use
7486 the same formats as for @code{print}. @xref{Output Formats,,Output
7487 formats}, for more information.
7488
7489 @item printf @var{string}, @var{expressions}@dots{}
7490 @kindex printf
7491 Print the values of the @var{expressions} under the control of
7492 @var{string}. The @var{expressions} are separated by commas and may
7493 be either numbers or pointers. Their values are printed as specified
7494 by @var{string}, exactly as if your program were to execute
7495
7496 @example
7497 printf (@var{string}, @var{expressions}@dots{});
7498 @end example
7499
7500 For example, you can print two values in hex like this:
7501
7502 @smallexample
7503 printf "foo, bar-foo = 0x%x, 0x%x\n", foo, bar-foo
7504 @end smallexample
7505
7506 The only backslash-escape sequences that you can use in the format
7507 string are the simple ones that consist of backslash followed by a
7508 letter.
7509 @end table
7510
7511 @ifclear DOSHOST
7512 @node Emacs
7513 @chapter Using @value{GDBN} under GNU Emacs
7514
7515 @cindex emacs
7516 A special interface allows you to use GNU Emacs to view (and
7517 edit) the source files for the program you are debugging with
7518 @value{GDBN}.
7519
7520 To use this interface, use the command @kbd{M-x gdb} in Emacs. Give the
7521 executable file you want to debug as an argument. This command starts
7522 @value{GDBN} as a subprocess of Emacs, with input and output through a newly
7523 created Emacs buffer.
7524
7525 Using @value{GDBN} under Emacs is just like using @value{GDBN} normally except for two
7526 things:
7527
7528 @itemize @bullet
7529 @item
7530 All ``terminal'' input and output goes through the Emacs buffer.
7531 @end itemize
7532
7533 This applies both to @value{GDBN} commands and their output, and to the input
7534 and output done by the program you are debugging.
7535
7536 This is useful because it means that you can copy the text of previous
7537 commands and input them again; you can even use parts of the output
7538 in this way.
7539
7540 All the facilities of Emacs' Shell mode are available for interacting
7541 with your program. In particular, you can send signals the usual
7542 way---for example, @kbd{C-c C-c} for an interrupt, @kbd{C-c C-z} for a
7543 stop.
7544
7545 @itemize @bullet
7546 @item
7547 @value{GDBN} displays source code through Emacs.
7548 @end itemize
7549
7550 Each time @value{GDBN} displays a stack frame, Emacs automatically finds the
7551 source file for that frame and puts an arrow (@samp{=>}) at the
7552 left margin of the current line. Emacs uses a separate buffer for
7553 source display, and splits the screen to show both your @value{GDBN} session
7554 and the source.
7555
7556 Explicit @value{GDBN} @code{list} or search commands still produce output as
7557 usual, but you probably will have no reason to use them.
7558
7559 @quotation
7560 @emph{Warning:} If the directory where your program resides is not your
7561 current directory, it can be easy to confuse Emacs about the location of
7562 the source files, in which case the auxiliary display buffer will not
7563 appear to show your source. @value{GDBN} can find programs by searching your
7564 environment's @code{PATH} variable, so the @value{GDBN} input and output
7565 session will proceed normally; but Emacs does not get enough information
7566 back from @value{GDBN} to locate the source files in this situation. To
7567 avoid this problem, either start @value{GDBN} mode from the directory where
7568 your program resides, or specify a full path name when prompted for the
7569 @kbd{M-x gdb} argument.
7570
7571 A similar confusion can result if you use the @value{GDBN} @code{file} command to
7572 switch to debugging a program in some other location, from an existing
7573 @value{GDBN} buffer in Emacs.
7574 @end quotation
7575
7576 By default, @kbd{M-x gdb} calls the program called @file{gdb}. If
7577 you need to call @value{GDBN} by a different name (for example, if you keep
7578 several configurations around, with different names) you can set the
7579 Emacs variable @code{gdb-command-name}; for example,
7580
7581 @example
7582 (setq gdb-command-name "mygdb")
7583 @end example
7584
7585 @noindent
7586 (preceded by @kbd{ESC ESC}, or typed in the @code{*scratch*} buffer, or
7587 in your @file{.emacs} file) will make Emacs call the program named
7588 ``@code{mygdb}'' instead.
7589
7590 In the @value{GDBN} I/O buffer, you can use these special Emacs commands in
7591 addition to the standard Shell mode commands:
7592
7593 @table @kbd
7594 @item C-h m
7595 Describe the features of Emacs' @value{GDBN} Mode.
7596
7597 @item M-s
7598 Execute to another source line, like the @value{GDBN} @code{step} command; also
7599 update the display window to show the current file and location.
7600
7601 @item M-n
7602 Execute to next source line in this function, skipping all function
7603 calls, like the @value{GDBN} @code{next} command. Then update the display window
7604 to show the current file and location.
7605
7606 @item M-i
7607 Execute one instruction, like the @value{GDBN} @code{stepi} command; update
7608 display window accordingly.
7609
7610 @item M-x gdb-nexti
7611 Execute to next instruction, using the @value{GDBN} @code{nexti} command; update
7612 display window accordingly.
7613
7614 @item C-c C-f
7615 Execute until exit from the selected stack frame, like the @value{GDBN}
7616 @code{finish} command.
7617
7618 @item M-c
7619 Continue execution of your program, like the @value{GDBN} @code{continue}
7620 command.
7621
7622 @emph{Warning:} In Emacs v19, this command is @kbd{C-c C-p}.
7623
7624 @item M-u
7625 Go up the number of frames indicated by the numeric argument
7626 (@pxref{Arguments, , Numeric Arguments, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}),
7627 like the @value{GDBN} @code{up} command.
7628
7629 @emph{Warning:} In Emacs v19, this command is @kbd{C-c C-u}.
7630
7631 @item M-d
7632 Go down the number of frames indicated by the numeric argument, like the
7633 @value{GDBN} @code{down} command.
7634
7635 @emph{Warning:} In Emacs v19, this command is @kbd{C-c C-d}.
7636
7637 @item C-x &
7638 Read the number where the cursor is positioned, and insert it at the end
7639 of the @value{GDBN} I/O buffer. For example, if you wish to disassemble code
7640 around an address that was displayed earlier, type @kbd{disassemble};
7641 then move the cursor to the address display, and pick up the
7642 argument for @code{disassemble} by typing @kbd{C-x &}.
7643
7644 You can customize this further by defining elements of the list
7645 @code{gdb-print-command}; once it is defined, you can format or
7646 otherwise process numbers picked up by @kbd{C-x &} before they are
7647 inserted. A numeric argument to @kbd{C-x &} will both indicate that you
7648 wish special formatting, and act as an index to pick an element of the
7649 list. If the list element is a string, the number to be inserted is
7650 formatted using the Emacs function @code{format}; otherwise the number
7651 is passed as an argument to the corresponding list element.
7652 @end table
7653
7654 In any source file, the Emacs command @kbd{C-x SPC} (@code{gdb-break})
7655 tells @value{GDBN} to set a breakpoint on the source line point is on.
7656
7657 If you accidentally delete the source-display buffer, an easy way to get
7658 it back is to type the command @code{f} in the @value{GDBN} buffer, to
7659 request a frame display; when you run under Emacs, this will recreate
7660 the source buffer if necessary to show you the context of the current
7661 frame.
7662
7663 The source files displayed in Emacs are in ordinary Emacs buffers
7664 which are visiting the source files in the usual way. You can edit
7665 the files with these buffers if you wish; but keep in mind that @value{GDBN}
7666 communicates with Emacs in terms of line numbers. If you add or
7667 delete lines from the text, the line numbers that @value{GDBN} knows will cease
7668 to correspond properly with the code.
7669
7670 @c The following dropped because Epoch is nonstandard. Reactivate
7671 @c if/when v19 does something similar. ---pesch@cygnus.com 19dec1990
7672 @ignore
7673 @kindex emacs epoch environment
7674 @kindex epoch
7675 @kindex inspect
7676
7677 Version 18 of Emacs has a built-in window system called the @code{epoch}
7678 environment. Users of this environment can use a new command,
7679 @code{inspect} which performs identically to @code{print} except that
7680 each value is printed in its own window.
7681 @end ignore
7682 @end ifclear
7683
7684 @ifset LUCID
7685 @node Energize
7686 @chapter Using @value{GDBN} with Energize
7687
7688 @cindex Energize
7689 The Energize Programming System is an integrated development environment
7690 that includes a point-and-click interface to many programming tools.
7691 When you use @value{GDBN} in this environment, you can use the standard
7692 Energize graphical interface to drive @value{GDBN}; you can also, if you
7693 choose, type @value{GDBN} commands as usual in a debugging window. Even if
7694 you use the graphical interface, the debugging window (which uses Emacs,
7695 and resembles the standard Emacs interface to @value{GDBN}) displays the
7696 equivalent commands, so that the history of your debugging session is
7697 properly reflected.
7698
7699 When Energize starts up a @value{GDBN} session, it uses one of the
7700 command-line options @samp{-energize} or @samp{-cadillac} (``cadillac''
7701 is the name of the communications protocol used by the Energize system).
7702 This option makes @value{GDBN} run as one of the tools in the Energize Tool
7703 Set: it sends all output to the Energize kernel, and accept input from
7704 it as well.
7705
7706 See the user manual for the Energize Programming System for
7707 information on how to use the Energize graphical interface and the other
7708 development tools that Energize integrates with @value{GDBN}.
7709
7710 @end ifset
7711
7712 @node GDB Bugs
7713 @chapter Reporting Bugs in @value{GDBN}
7714 @cindex bugs in @value{GDBN}
7715 @cindex reporting bugs in @value{GDBN}
7716
7717 Your bug reports play an essential role in making @value{GDBN} reliable.
7718
7719 Reporting a bug may help you by bringing a solution to your problem, or it
7720 may not. But in any case the principal function of a bug report is to help
7721 the entire community by making the next version of @value{GDBN} work better. Bug
7722 reports are your contribution to the maintenance of @value{GDBN}.
7723
7724 In order for a bug report to serve its purpose, you must include the
7725 information that enables us to fix the bug.
7726
7727 @menu
7728 * Bug Criteria:: Have you found a bug?
7729 * Bug Reporting:: How to report bugs
7730 @end menu
7731
7732 @node Bug Criteria
7733 @section Have you found a bug?
7734 @cindex bug criteria
7735
7736 If you are not sure whether you have found a bug, here are some guidelines:
7737
7738 @itemize @bullet
7739 @item
7740 @cindex fatal signal
7741 @cindex debugger crash
7742 @cindex crash of debugger
7743 If the debugger gets a fatal signal, for any input whatever, that is a
7744 @value{GDBN} bug. Reliable debuggers never crash.
7745
7746 @item
7747 @cindex error on valid input
7748 If @value{GDBN} produces an error message for valid input, that is a bug.
7749
7750 @item
7751 @cindex invalid input
7752 If @value{GDBN} does not produce an error message for invalid input,
7753 that is a bug. However, you should note that your idea of
7754 ``invalid input'' might be our idea of ``an extension'' or ``support
7755 for traditional practice''.
7756
7757 @item
7758 If you are an experienced user of debugging tools, your suggestions
7759 for improvement of @value{GDBN} are welcome in any case.
7760 @end itemize
7761
7762 @node Bug Reporting
7763 @section How to report bugs
7764 @cindex bug reports
7765 @cindex @value{GDBN} bugs, reporting
7766
7767 A number of companies and individuals offer support for GNU products.
7768 If you obtained @value{GDBN} from a support organization, we recommend you
7769 contact that organization first.
7770
7771 You can find contact information for many support companies and
7772 individuals in the file @file{etc/SERVICE} in the GNU Emacs
7773 distribution.
7774
7775 In any event, we also recommend that you send bug reports for @value{GDBN} to one
7776 of these addresses:
7777
7778 @example
7779 bug-gdb@@prep.ai.mit.edu
7780 @{ucbvax|mit-eddie|uunet@}!prep.ai.mit.edu!bug-gdb
7781 @end example
7782
7783 @strong{Do not send bug reports to @samp{info-gdb}, or to
7784 @samp{help-gdb}, or to any newsgroups.} Most users of @value{GDBN} do not want to
7785 receive bug reports. Those that do, have arranged to receive @samp{bug-gdb}.
7786
7787 The mailing list @samp{bug-gdb} has a newsgroup @samp{gnu.gdb.bug} which
7788 serves as a repeater. The mailing list and the newsgroup carry exactly
7789 the same messages. Often people think of posting bug reports to the
7790 newsgroup instead of mailing them. This appears to work, but it has one
7791 problem which can be crucial: a newsgroup posting often lacks a mail
7792 path back to the sender. Thus, if we need to ask for more information,
7793 we may be unable to reach you. For this reason, it is better to send
7794 bug reports to the mailing list.
7795
7796 As a last resort, send bug reports on paper to:
7797
7798 @example
7799 GNU Debugger Bugs
7800 Free Software Foundation
7801 545 Tech Square
7802 Cambridge, MA 02139
7803 @end example
7804
7805 The fundamental principle of reporting bugs usefully is this:
7806 @strong{report all the facts}. If you are not sure whether to state a
7807 fact or leave it out, state it!
7808
7809 Often people omit facts because they think they know what causes the
7810 problem and assume that some details do not matter. Thus, you might
7811 assume that the name of the variable you use in an example does not matter.
7812 Well, probably it does not, but one cannot be sure. Perhaps the bug is a
7813 stray memory reference which happens to fetch from the location where that
7814 name is stored in memory; perhaps, if the name were different, the contents
7815 of that location would fool the debugger into doing the right thing despite
7816 the bug. Play it safe and give a specific, complete example. That is the
7817 easiest thing for you to do, and the most helpful.
7818
7819 Keep in mind that the purpose of a bug report is to enable us to fix
7820 the bug if it is new to us. It is not as important as what happens if
7821 the bug is already known. Therefore, always write your bug reports on
7822 the assumption that the bug has not been reported previously.
7823
7824 Sometimes people give a few sketchy facts and ask, ``Does this ring a
7825 bell?'' Those bug reports are useless, and we urge everyone to
7826 @emph{refuse to respond to them} except to chide the sender to report
7827 bugs properly.
7828
7829 To enable us to fix the bug, you should include all these things:
7830
7831 @itemize @bullet
7832 @item
7833 The version of @value{GDBN}. @value{GDBN} announces it if you start with no
7834 arguments; you can also print it at any time using @code{show version}.
7835
7836 Without this, we will not know whether there is any point in looking for
7837 the bug in the current version of @value{GDBN}.
7838
7839 @item
7840 The type of machine you are using, and the operating system name and
7841 version number.
7842
7843 @item
7844 What compiler (and its version) was used to compile @value{GDBN}---e.g.
7845 ``@value{GCC}--2.0''.
7846
7847 @item
7848 What compiler (and its version) was used to compile the program you
7849 are debugging---e.g. ``@value{GCC}--2.0''.
7850
7851 @item
7852 The command arguments you gave the compiler to compile your example and
7853 observe the bug. For example, did you use @samp{-O}? To guarantee
7854 you will not omit something important, list them all. A copy of the
7855 Makefile (or the output from make) is sufficient.
7856
7857 If we were to try to guess the arguments, we would probably guess wrong
7858 and then we might not encounter the bug.
7859
7860 @item
7861 A complete input script, and all necessary source files, that will
7862 reproduce the bug.
7863
7864 @item
7865 A description of what behavior you observe that you believe is
7866 incorrect. For example, ``It gets a fatal signal.''
7867
7868 Of course, if the bug is that @value{GDBN} gets a fatal signal, then we will
7869 certainly notice it. But if the bug is incorrect output, we might not
7870 notice unless it is glaringly wrong. We are human, after all. You
7871 might as well not give us a chance to make a mistake.
7872
7873 Even if the problem you experience is a fatal signal, you should still
7874 say so explicitly. Suppose something strange is going on, such as,
7875 your copy of @value{GDBN} is out of synch, or you have encountered a
7876 bug in the C library on your system. (This has happened!) Your copy
7877 might crash and ours would not. If you told us to expect a crash,
7878 then when ours fails to crash, we would know that the bug was not
7879 happening for us. If you had not told us to expect a crash, then we
7880 would not be able to draw any conclusion from our observations.
7881
7882 @item
7883 If you wish to suggest changes to the @value{GDBN} source, send us context
7884 diffs. If you even discuss something in the @value{GDBN} source, refer to
7885 it by context, not by line number.
7886
7887 The line numbers in our development sources will not match those in your
7888 sources. Your line numbers would convey no useful information to us.
7889 @end itemize
7890
7891 Here are some things that are not necessary:
7892
7893 @itemize @bullet
7894 @item
7895 A description of the envelope of the bug.
7896
7897 Often people who encounter a bug spend a lot of time investigating
7898 which changes to the input file will make the bug go away and which
7899 changes will not affect it.
7900
7901 This is often time consuming and not very useful, because the way we
7902 will find the bug is by running a single example under the debugger
7903 with breakpoints, not by pure deduction from a series of examples.
7904 We recommend that you save your time for something else.
7905
7906 Of course, if you can find a simpler example to report @emph{instead}
7907 of the original one, that is a convenience for us. Errors in the
7908 output will be easier to spot, running under the debugger will take
7909 less time, etc.
7910
7911 However, simplification is not vital; if you do not want to do this,
7912 report the bug anyway and send us the entire test case you used.
7913
7914 @item
7915 A patch for the bug.
7916
7917 A patch for the bug does help us if it is a good one. But do not omit
7918 the necessary information, such as the test case, on the assumption that
7919 a patch is all we need. We might see problems with your patch and decide
7920 to fix the problem another way, or we might not understand it at all.
7921
7922 Sometimes with a program as complicated as @value{GDBN} it is very hard to
7923 construct an example that will make the program follow a certain path
7924 through the code. If you do not send us the example, we will not be able
7925 to construct one, so we will not be able to verify that the bug is fixed.
7926
7927 And if we cannot understand what bug you are trying to fix, or why your
7928 patch should be an improvement, we will not install it. A test case will
7929 help us to understand.
7930
7931 @item
7932 A guess about what the bug is or what it depends on.
7933
7934 Such guesses are usually wrong. Even we cannot guess right about such
7935 things without first using the debugger to find the facts.
7936 @end itemize
7937
7938 @ifset have-readline-appendices
7939 @include rluser.texinfo
7940 @include inc-hist.texi
7941 @end ifset
7942
7943 @ifset NOVEL
7944 @node Renamed Commands
7945 @appendix Renamed Commands
7946
7947 The following commands were renamed in GDB 4, in order to make the
7948 command set as a whole more consistent and easier to use and remember:
7949
7950 @kindex add-syms
7951 @kindex delete environment
7952 @kindex info copying
7953 @kindex info convenience
7954 @kindex info directories
7955 @kindex info editing
7956 @kindex info history
7957 @kindex info targets
7958 @kindex info values
7959 @kindex info version
7960 @kindex info warranty
7961 @kindex set addressprint
7962 @kindex set arrayprint
7963 @kindex set prettyprint
7964 @kindex set screen-height
7965 @kindex set screen-width
7966 @kindex set unionprint
7967 @kindex set vtblprint
7968 @kindex set demangle
7969 @kindex set asm-demangle
7970 @kindex set sevenbit-strings
7971 @kindex set array-max
7972 @kindex set caution
7973 @kindex set history write
7974 @kindex show addressprint
7975 @kindex show arrayprint
7976 @kindex show prettyprint
7977 @kindex show screen-height
7978 @kindex show screen-width
7979 @kindex show unionprint
7980 @kindex show vtblprint
7981 @kindex show demangle
7982 @kindex show asm-demangle
7983 @kindex show sevenbit-strings
7984 @kindex show array-max
7985 @kindex show caution
7986 @kindex show history write
7987 @kindex unset
7988
7989 @c TEXI2ROFF-KILL
7990 @ifinfo
7991 @c END TEXI2ROFF-KILL
7992 @example
7993 OLD COMMAND NEW COMMAND
7994 @c TEXI2ROFF-KILL
7995 --------------- -------------------------------
7996 @c END TEXI2ROFF-KILL
7997 add-syms add-symbol-file
7998 delete environment unset environment
7999 info convenience show convenience
8000 info copying show copying
8001 info directories show directories
8002 info editing show commands
8003 info history show values
8004 info targets help target
8005 info values show values
8006 info version show version
8007 info warranty show warranty
8008 set/show addressprint set/show print address
8009 set/show array-max set/show print elements
8010 set/show arrayprint set/show print array
8011 set/show asm-demangle set/show print asm-demangle
8012 set/show caution set/show confirm
8013 set/show demangle set/show print demangle
8014 set/show history write set/show history save
8015 set/show prettyprint set/show print pretty
8016 set/show screen-height set/show height
8017 set/show screen-width set/show width
8018 set/show sevenbit-strings set/show print sevenbit-strings
8019 set/show unionprint set/show print union
8020 set/show vtblprint set/show print vtbl
8021
8022 unset [No longer an alias for delete]
8023 @end example
8024 @c TEXI2ROFF-KILL
8025 @end ifinfo
8026
8027 @tex
8028 \vskip \parskip\vskip \baselineskip
8029 \halign{\tt #\hfil &\qquad#&\tt #\hfil\cr
8030 {\bf Old Command} &&{\bf New Command}\cr
8031 add-syms &&add-symbol-file\cr
8032 delete environment &&unset environment\cr
8033 info convenience &&show convenience\cr
8034 info copying &&show copying\cr
8035 info directories &&show directories \cr
8036 info editing &&show commands\cr
8037 info history &&show values\cr
8038 info targets &&help target\cr
8039 info values &&show values\cr
8040 info version &&show version\cr
8041 info warranty &&show warranty\cr
8042 set{\rm / }show addressprint &&set{\rm / }show print address\cr
8043 set{\rm / }show array-max &&set{\rm / }show print elements\cr
8044 set{\rm / }show arrayprint &&set{\rm / }show print array\cr
8045 set{\rm / }show asm-demangle &&set{\rm / }show print asm-demangle\cr
8046 set{\rm / }show caution &&set{\rm / }show confirm\cr
8047 set{\rm / }show demangle &&set{\rm / }show print demangle\cr
8048 set{\rm / }show history write &&set{\rm / }show history save\cr
8049 set{\rm / }show prettyprint &&set{\rm / }show print pretty\cr
8050 set{\rm / }show screen-height &&set{\rm / }show height\cr
8051 set{\rm / }show screen-width &&set{\rm / }show width\cr
8052 set{\rm / }show sevenbit-strings &&set{\rm / }show print sevenbit-strings\cr
8053 set{\rm / }show unionprint &&set{\rm / }show print union\cr
8054 set{\rm / }show vtblprint &&set{\rm / }show print vtbl\cr
8055 \cr
8056 unset &&\rm(No longer an alias for delete)\cr
8057 }
8058 @end tex
8059 @c END TEXI2ROFF-KILL
8060 @end ifset
8061
8062 @ifclear PRECONFIGURED
8063 @node Formatting Documentation
8064 @appendix Formatting Documentation
8065
8066 @cindex GDB reference card
8067 @cindex reference card
8068 The GDB 4 release includes an already-formatted reference card, ready
8069 for printing with PostScript or GhostScript, in the @file{gdb}
8070 subdirectory of the main source directory@footnote{In
8071 @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}/gdb/refcard.ps} of the version @value{GDBVN}
8072 release.}. If you can use PostScript or GhostScript with your printer,
8073 you can print the reference card immediately with @file{refcard.ps}.
8074
8075 The release also includes the source for the reference card. You
8076 can format it, using @TeX{}, by typing:
8077
8078 @example
8079 make refcard.dvi
8080 @end example
8081
8082 The GDB reference card is designed to print in landscape mode on US
8083 ``letter'' size paper; that is, on a sheet 11 inches wide by 8.5 inches
8084 high. You will need to specify this form of printing as an option to
8085 your @sc{dvi} output program.
8086
8087 @cindex documentation
8088
8089 All the documentation for GDB comes as part of the machine-readable
8090 distribution. The documentation is written in Texinfo format, which is
8091 a documentation system that uses a single source file to produce both
8092 on-line information and a printed manual. You can use one of the Info
8093 formatting commands to create the on-line version of the documentation
8094 and @TeX{} (or @code{texi2roff}) to typeset the printed version.
8095
8096 GDB includes an already formatted copy of the on-line Info version of
8097 this manual in the @file{gdb} subdirectory. The main Info file is
8098 @file{gdb-@var{version-number}/gdb/gdb.info}, and it refers to
8099 subordinate files matching @samp{gdb.info*} in the same directory. If
8100 necessary, you can print out these files, or read them with any editor;
8101 but they are easier to read using the @code{info} subsystem in GNU Emacs
8102 or the standalone @code{info} program, available as part of the GNU
8103 Texinfo distribution.
8104
8105 If you want to format these Info files yourself, you need one of the
8106 Info formatting programs, such as @code{texinfo-format-buffer} or
8107 @code{makeinfo}.
8108
8109 If you have @code{makeinfo} installed, and are in the top level GDB
8110 source directory (@file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}}, in the case of version @value{GDBVN}), you can
8111 make the Info file by typing:
8112
8113 @example
8114 cd gdb
8115 make gdb.info
8116 @end example
8117
8118 If you want to typeset and print copies of this manual, you need @TeX{},
8119 a program to print its @sc{dvi} output files, and @file{texinfo.tex}, the
8120 Texinfo definitions file.
8121
8122 @TeX{} is a typesetting program; it does not print files directly, but
8123 produces output files called @sc{dvi} files. To print a typeset
8124 document, you need a program to print @sc{dvi} files. If your system
8125 has @TeX{} installed, chances are it has such a program. The precise
8126 command to use depends on your system; @kbd{lpr -d} is common; another
8127 (for PostScript devices) is @kbd{dvips}. The @sc{dvi} print command may
8128 require a file name without any extension or a @samp{.dvi} extension.
8129
8130 @TeX{} also requires a macro definitions file called
8131 @file{texinfo.tex}. This file tells @TeX{} how to typeset a document
8132 written in Texinfo format. On its own, @TeX{} cannot read, much less
8133 typeset a Texinfo file. @file{texinfo.tex} is distributed with GDB
8134 and is located in the @file{gdb-@var{version-number}/texinfo}
8135 directory.
8136
8137 If you have @TeX{} and a @sc{dvi} printer program installed, you can
8138 typeset and print this manual. First switch to the the @file{gdb}
8139 subdirectory of the main source directory (for example, to
8140 @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}/gdb}) and then type:
8141
8142 @example
8143 make gdb.dvi
8144 @end example
8145
8146 @node Installing GDB
8147 @appendix Installing GDB
8148 @cindex configuring GDB
8149 @cindex installation
8150
8151 GDB comes with a @code{configure} script that automates the process
8152 of preparing GDB for installation; you can then use @code{make} to
8153 build the @code{gdb} program.
8154 @iftex
8155 @c irrelevant in info file; it's as current as the code it lives with.
8156 @footnote{If you have a more recent version of GDB than @value{GDBVN},
8157 look at the @file{README} file in the sources; we may have improved the
8158 installation procedures since publishing this manual.}
8159 @end iftex
8160
8161 The GDB distribution includes all the source code you need for GDB in
8162 a single directory, whose name is usually composed by appending the
8163 version number to @samp{gdb}.
8164
8165 For example, the GDB version @value{GDBVN} distribution is in the
8166 @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}} directory. That directory contains:
8167
8168 @table @code
8169 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/configure @r{(and supporting files)}
8170 script for configuring GDB and all its supporting libraries.
8171
8172 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/gdb
8173 the source specific to GDB itself
8174
8175 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/bfd
8176 source for the Binary File Descriptor library
8177
8178 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/include
8179 GNU include files
8180
8181 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/libiberty
8182 source for the @samp{-liberty} free software library
8183
8184 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/opcodes
8185 source for the library of opcode tables and disassemblers
8186
8187 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/readline
8188 source for the GNU command-line interface
8189
8190 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/glob
8191 source for the GNU filename pattern-matching subroutine
8192
8193 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/mmalloc
8194 source for the GNU memory-mapped malloc package
8195 @end table
8196
8197 The simplest way to configure and build GDB is to run @code{configure}
8198 from the @file{gdb-@var{version-number}} source directory, which in
8199 this example is the @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}} directory.
8200
8201 First switch to the @file{gdb-@var{version-number}} source directory
8202 if you are not already in it; then run @code{configure}. Pass the
8203 identifier for the platform on which GDB will run as an
8204 argument.
8205
8206 For example:
8207
8208 @example
8209 cd gdb-@value{GDBVN}
8210 ./configure @var{host}
8211 make
8212 @end example
8213
8214 @noindent
8215 where @var{host} is an identifier such as @samp{sun4} or
8216 @samp{decstation}, that identifies the platform where GDB will run.
8217
8218 Running @samp{configure @var{host}} and then running @code{make} builds the
8219 @file{bfd}, @file{readline}, @file{mmalloc}, and @file{libiberty}
8220 libraries, then @code{gdb} itself. The configured source files, and the
8221 binaries, are left in the corresponding source directories.
8222
8223 @code{configure} is a Bourne-shell (@code{/bin/sh}) script; if your
8224 system does not recognize this automatically when you run a different
8225 shell, you may need to run @code{sh} on it explicitly:
8226
8227 @example
8228 sh configure @var{host}
8229 @end example
8230
8231 If you run @code{configure} from a directory that contains source
8232 directories for multiple libraries or programs, such as the
8233 @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}} source directory for version @value{GDBVN}, @code{configure}
8234 creates configuration files for every directory level underneath (unless
8235 you tell it not to, with the @samp{--norecursion} option).
8236
8237 You can run the @code{configure} script from any of the
8238 subordinate directories in the GDB distribution, if you only want to
8239 configure that subdirectory; but be sure to specify a path to it.
8240
8241 For example, with version @value{GDBVN}, type the following to configure only
8242 the @code{bfd} subdirectory:
8243
8244 @example
8245 @group
8246 cd gdb-@value{GDBVN}/bfd
8247 ../configure @var{host}
8248 @end group
8249 @end example
8250
8251 You can install @code{@value{GDBP}} anywhere; it has no hardwired paths.
8252 However, you should make sure that the shell on your path (named by
8253 the @samp{SHELL} environment variable) is publicly readable. Remember
8254 that GDB uses the shell to start your program---some systems refuse to
8255 let GDB debug child processes whose programs are not readable.
8256
8257 @menu
8258 * Separate Objdir:: Compiling GDB in another directory
8259 * Config Names:: Specifying names for hosts and targets
8260 * configure Options:: Summary of options for configure
8261 @end menu
8262
8263 @node Separate Objdir
8264 @section Compiling GDB in another directory
8265
8266 If you want to run GDB versions for several host or target machines,
8267 you need a different @code{gdb} compiled for each combination of
8268 host and target. @code{configure} is designed to make this easy by
8269 allowing you to generate each configuration in a separate subdirectory,
8270 rather than in the source directory. If your @code{make} program
8271 handles the @samp{VPATH} feature (GNU @code{make} does), running
8272 @code{make} in each of these directories builds the @code{gdb}
8273 program specified there.
8274
8275 To build @code{gdb} in a separate directory, run @code{configure}
8276 with the @samp{--srcdir} option to specify where to find the source.
8277 (You also need to specify a path to find @code{configure}
8278 itself from your working directory. If the path to @code{configure}
8279 would be the same as the argument to @samp{--srcdir}, you can leave out
8280 the @samp{--srcdir} option; it will be assumed.)
8281
8282 For example, with version @value{GDBVN}, you can build GDB in a separate
8283 directory for a Sun 4 like this:
8284
8285 @example
8286 @group
8287 cd gdb-@value{GDBVN}
8288 mkdir ../gdb-sun4
8289 cd ../gdb-sun4
8290 ../gdb-@value{GDBVN}/configure sun4
8291 make
8292 @end group
8293 @end example
8294
8295 When @code{configure} builds a configuration using a remote source
8296 directory, it creates a tree for the binaries with the same structure
8297 (and using the same names) as the tree under the source directory. In
8298 the example, you'd find the Sun 4 library @file{libiberty.a} in the
8299 directory @file{gdb-sun4/libiberty}, and GDB itself in
8300 @file{gdb-sun4/gdb}.
8301
8302 One popular reason to build several GDB configurations in separate
8303 directories is to configure GDB for cross-compiling (where GDB
8304 runs on one machine---the host---while debugging programs that run on
8305 another machine---the target). You specify a cross-debugging target by
8306 giving the @samp{--target=@var{target}} option to @code{configure}.
8307
8308 When you run @code{make} to build a program or library, you must run
8309 it in a configured directory---whatever directory you were in when you
8310 called @code{configure} (or one of its subdirectories).
8311
8312 The @code{Makefile} that @code{configure} generates in each source
8313 directory also runs recursively. If you type @code{make} in a source
8314 directory such as @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}} (or in a separate configured
8315 directory configured with @samp{--srcdir=@var{path}/gdb-@value{GDBVN}}), you
8316 will build all the required libraries, and then build GDB.
8317
8318 When you have multiple hosts or targets configured in separate
8319 directories, you can run @code{make} on them in parallel (for example,
8320 if they are NFS-mounted on each of the hosts); they will not interfere
8321 with each other.
8322
8323 @node Config Names
8324 @section Specifying names for hosts and targets
8325
8326 The specifications used for hosts and targets in the @code{configure}
8327 script are based on a three-part naming scheme, but some short predefined
8328 aliases are also supported. The full naming scheme encodes three pieces
8329 of information in the following pattern:
8330
8331 @example
8332 @var{architecture}-@var{vendor}-@var{os}
8333 @end example
8334
8335 For example, you can use the alias @code{sun4} as a @var{host} argument,
8336 or as the value for @var{target} in a @code{--target=@var{target}}
8337 option. The equivalent full name is @samp{sparc-sun-sunos4}.
8338
8339 The @code{configure} script accompanying GDB does not provide
8340 any query facility to list all supported host and target names or
8341 aliases. @code{configure} calls the Bourne shell script
8342 @code{config.sub} to map abbreviations to full names; you can read the
8343 script, if you wish, or you can use it to test your guesses on
8344 abbreviations---for example:
8345
8346 @smallexample
8347 % sh config.sub sun4
8348 sparc-sun-sunos411
8349 % sh config.sub sun3
8350 m68k-sun-sunos411
8351 % sh config.sub decstation
8352 mips-dec-ultrix42
8353 % sh config.sub hp300bsd
8354 m68k-hp-bsd
8355 % sh config.sub i386v
8356 i386-unknown-sysv
8357 % sh config.sub i786v
8358 Invalid configuration `i786v': machine `i786v' not recognized
8359 @end smallexample
8360
8361 @noindent
8362 @code{config.sub} is also distributed in the GDB source
8363 directory (@file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}}, for version @value{GDBVN}).
8364
8365 @node configure Options
8366 @section @code{configure} options
8367
8368 Here is a summary of the @code{configure} options and arguments that
8369 are most often useful for building @value{GDBN}. @code{configure} also has
8370 several other options not listed here. @inforef{What Configure
8371 Does,,configure.info}, for a full explanation of @code{configure}.
8372 @c FIXME: Would this be more, or less, useful as an xref (ref to printed
8373 @c manual in the printed manual, ref to info file only from the info file)?
8374
8375 @example
8376 configure @r{[}--help@r{]}
8377 @r{[}--prefix=@var{dir}@r{]}
8378 @r{[}--srcdir=@var{path}@r{]}
8379 @r{[}--norecursion@r{]} @r{[}--rm@r{]}
8380 @r{[}--target=@var{target}@r{]} @var{host}
8381 @end example
8382
8383 @noindent
8384 You may introduce options with a single @samp{-} rather than
8385 @samp{--} if you prefer; but you may abbreviate option names if you use
8386 @samp{--}.
8387
8388 @table @code
8389 @item --help
8390 Display a quick summary of how to invoke @code{configure}.
8391
8392 @item -prefix=@var{dir}
8393 Configure the source to install programs and files under directory
8394 @file{@var{dir}}.
8395
8396 @item --srcdir=@var{path}
8397 @strong{Warning: using this option requires GNU @code{make}, or another
8398 @code{make} that implements the @code{VPATH} feature.}@*
8399 Use this option to make configurations in directories separate from the
8400 GDB source directories. Among other things, you can use this to
8401 build (or maintain) several configurations simultaneously, in separate
8402 directories. @code{configure} writes configuration specific files in
8403 the current directory, but arranges for them to use the source in the
8404 directory @var{path}. @code{configure} will create directories under
8405 the working directory in parallel to the source directories below
8406 @var{path}.
8407
8408 @item --norecursion
8409 Configure only the directory level where @code{configure} is executed; do not
8410 propagate configuration to subdirectories.
8411
8412 @item --rm
8413 Remove the configuration that the other arguments specify.
8414
8415 @c This does not work (yet if ever). FIXME.
8416 @c @item --parse=@var{lang} @dots{}
8417 @c Configure the GDB expression parser to parse the listed languages.
8418 @c @samp{all} configures GDB for all supported languages. To get a
8419 @c list of all supported languages, omit the argument. Without this
8420 @c option, GDB is configured to parse all supported languages.
8421
8422 @item --target=@var{target}
8423 Configure GDB for cross-debugging programs running on the specified
8424 @var{target}. Without this option, GDB is configured to debug
8425 programs that run on the same machine (@var{host}) as GDB itself.
8426
8427 There is no convenient way to generate a list of all available targets.
8428
8429 @item @var{host} @dots{}
8430 Configure GDB to run on the specified @var{host}.
8431
8432 There is no convenient way to generate a list of all available hosts.
8433 @end table
8434
8435 @noindent
8436 @code{configure} accepts other options, for compatibility with
8437 configuring other GNU tools recursively; but these are the only
8438 options that affect GDB or its supporting libraries.
8439 @end ifclear
8440
8441 @ifclear AGGLOMERATION
8442 @node Copying
8443 @unnumbered GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE
8444 @center Version 2, June 1991
8445
8446 @display
8447 Copyright @copyright{} 1989, 1991 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
8448 675 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
8449
8450 Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies
8451 of this license document, but changing it is not allowed.
8452 @end display
8453
8454 @unnumberedsec Preamble
8455
8456 The licenses for most software are designed to take away your
8457 freedom to share and change it. By contrast, the GNU General Public
8458 License is intended to guarantee your freedom to share and change free
8459 software---to make sure the software is free for all its users. This
8460 General Public License applies to most of the Free Software
8461 Foundation's software and to any other program whose authors commit to
8462 using it. (Some other Free Software Foundation software is covered by
8463 the GNU Library General Public License instead.) You can apply it to
8464 your programs, too.
8465
8466 When we speak of free software, we are referring to freedom, not
8467 price. Our General Public Licenses are designed to make sure that you
8468 have the freedom to distribute copies of free software (and charge for
8469 this service if you wish), that you receive source code or can get it
8470 if you want it, that you can change the software or use pieces of it
8471 in new free programs; and that you know you can do these things.
8472
8473 To protect your rights, we need to make restrictions that forbid
8474 anyone to deny you these rights or to ask you to surrender the rights.
8475 These restrictions translate to certain responsibilities for you if you
8476 distribute copies of the software, or if you modify it.
8477
8478 For example, if you distribute copies of such a program, whether
8479 gratis or for a fee, you must give the recipients all the rights that
8480 you have. You must make sure that they, too, receive or can get the
8481 source code. And you must show them these terms so they know their
8482 rights.
8483
8484 We protect your rights with two steps: (1) copyright the software, and
8485 (2) offer you this license which gives you legal permission to copy,
8486 distribute and/or modify the software.
8487
8488 Also, for each author's protection and ours, we want to make certain
8489 that everyone understands that there is no warranty for this free
8490 software. If the software is modified by someone else and passed on, we
8491 want its recipients to know that what they have is not the original, so
8492 that any problems introduced by others will not reflect on the original
8493 authors' reputations.
8494
8495 Finally, any free program is threatened constantly by software
8496 patents. We wish to avoid the danger that redistributors of a free
8497 program will individually obtain patent licenses, in effect making the
8498 program proprietary. To prevent this, we have made it clear that any
8499 patent must be licensed for everyone's free use or not licensed at all.
8500
8501 The precise terms and conditions for copying, distribution and
8502 modification follow.
8503
8504 @iftex
8505 @unnumberedsec TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR COPYING, DISTRIBUTION AND MODIFICATION
8506 @end iftex
8507 @ifinfo
8508 @center TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR COPYING, DISTRIBUTION AND MODIFICATION
8509 @end ifinfo
8510
8511 @enumerate
8512 @item
8513 This License applies to any program or other work which contains
8514 a notice placed by the copyright holder saying it may be distributed
8515 under the terms of this General Public License. The ``Program'', below,
8516 refers to any such program or work, and a ``work based on the Program''
8517 means either the Program or any derivative work under copyright law:
8518 that is to say, a work containing the Program or a portion of it,
8519 either verbatim or with modifications and/or translated into another
8520 language. (Hereinafter, translation is included without limitation in
8521 the term ``modification''.) Each licensee is addressed as ``you''.
8522
8523 Activities other than copying, distribution and modification are not
8524 covered by this License; they are outside its scope. The act of
8525 running the Program is not restricted, and the output from the Program
8526 is covered only if its contents constitute a work based on the
8527 Program (independent of having been made by running the Program).
8528 Whether that is true depends on what the Program does.
8529
8530 @item
8531 You may copy and distribute verbatim copies of the Program's
8532 source code as you receive it, in any medium, provided that you
8533 conspicuously and appropriately publish on each copy an appropriate
8534 copyright notice and disclaimer of warranty; keep intact all the
8535 notices that refer to this License and to the absence of any warranty;
8536 and give any other recipients of the Program a copy of this License
8537 along with the Program.
8538
8539 You may charge a fee for the physical act of transferring a copy, and
8540 you may at your option offer warranty protection in exchange for a fee.
8541
8542 @item
8543 You may modify your copy or copies of the Program or any portion
8544 of it, thus forming a work based on the Program, and copy and
8545 distribute such modifications or work under the terms of Section 1
8546 above, provided that you also meet all of these conditions:
8547
8548 @enumerate a
8549 @item
8550 You must cause the modified files to carry prominent notices
8551 stating that you changed the files and the date of any change.
8552
8553 @item
8554 You must cause any work that you distribute or publish, that in
8555 whole or in part contains or is derived from the Program or any
8556 part thereof, to be licensed as a whole at no charge to all third
8557 parties under the terms of this License.
8558
8559 @item
8560 If the modified program normally reads commands interactively
8561 when run, you must cause it, when started running for such
8562 interactive use in the most ordinary way, to print or display an
8563 announcement including an appropriate copyright notice and a
8564 notice that there is no warranty (or else, saying that you provide
8565 a warranty) and that users may redistribute the program under
8566 these conditions, and telling the user how to view a copy of this
8567 License. (Exception: if the Program itself is interactive but
8568 does not normally print such an announcement, your work based on
8569 the Program is not required to print an announcement.)
8570 @end enumerate
8571
8572 These requirements apply to the modified work as a whole. If
8573 identifiable sections of that work are not derived from the Program,
8574 and can be reasonably considered independent and separate works in
8575 themselves, then this License, and its terms, do not apply to those
8576 sections when you distribute them as separate works. But when you
8577 distribute the same sections as part of a whole which is a work based
8578 on the Program, the distribution of the whole must be on the terms of
8579 this License, whose permissions for other licensees extend to the
8580 entire whole, and thus to each and every part regardless of who wrote it.
8581
8582 Thus, it is not the intent of this section to claim rights or contest
8583 your rights to work written entirely by you; rather, the intent is to
8584 exercise the right to control the distribution of derivative or
8585 collective works based on the Program.
8586
8587 In addition, mere aggregation of another work not based on the Program
8588 with the Program (or with a work based on the Program) on a volume of
8589 a storage or distribution medium does not bring the other work under
8590 the scope of this License.
8591
8592 @item
8593 You may copy and distribute the Program (or a work based on it,
8594 under Section 2) in object code or executable form under the terms of
8595 Sections 1 and 2 above provided that you also do one of the following:
8596
8597 @enumerate a
8598 @item
8599 Accompany it with the complete corresponding machine-readable
8600 source code, which must be distributed under the terms of Sections
8601 1 and 2 above on a medium customarily used for software interchange; or,
8602
8603 @item
8604 Accompany it with a written offer, valid for at least three
8605 years, to give any third party, for a charge no more than your
8606 cost of physically performing source distribution, a complete
8607 machine-readable copy of the corresponding source code, to be
8608 distributed under the terms of Sections 1 and 2 above on a medium
8609 customarily used for software interchange; or,
8610
8611 @item
8612 Accompany it with the information you received as to the offer
8613 to distribute corresponding source code. (This alternative is
8614 allowed only for noncommercial distribution and only if you
8615 received the program in object code or executable form with such
8616 an offer, in accord with Subsection b above.)
8617 @end enumerate
8618
8619 The source code for a work means the preferred form of the work for
8620 making modifications to it. For an executable work, complete source
8621 code means all the source code for all modules it contains, plus any
8622 associated interface definition files, plus the scripts used to
8623 control compilation and installation of the executable. However, as a
8624 special exception, the source code distributed need not include
8625 anything that is normally distributed (in either source or binary
8626 form) with the major components (compiler, kernel, and so on) of the
8627 operating system on which the executable runs, unless that component
8628 itself accompanies the executable.
8629
8630 If distribution of executable or object code is made by offering
8631 access to copy from a designated place, then offering equivalent
8632 access to copy the source code from the same place counts as
8633 distribution of the source code, even though third parties are not
8634 compelled to copy the source along with the object code.
8635
8636 @item
8637 You may not copy, modify, sublicense, or distribute the Program
8638 except as expressly provided under this License. Any attempt
8639 otherwise to copy, modify, sublicense or distribute the Program is
8640 void, and will automatically terminate your rights under this License.
8641 However, parties who have received copies, or rights, from you under
8642 this License will not have their licenses terminated so long as such
8643 parties remain in full compliance.
8644
8645 @item
8646 You are not required to accept this License, since you have not
8647 signed it. However, nothing else grants you permission to modify or
8648 distribute the Program or its derivative works. These actions are
8649 prohibited by law if you do not accept this License. Therefore, by
8650 modifying or distributing the Program (or any work based on the
8651 Program), you indicate your acceptance of this License to do so, and
8652 all its terms and conditions for copying, distributing or modifying
8653 the Program or works based on it.
8654
8655 @item
8656 Each time you redistribute the Program (or any work based on the
8657 Program), the recipient automatically receives a license from the
8658 original licensor to copy, distribute or modify the Program subject to
8659 these terms and conditions. You may not impose any further
8660 restrictions on the recipients' exercise of the rights granted herein.
8661 You are not responsible for enforcing compliance by third parties to
8662 this License.
8663
8664 @item
8665 If, as a consequence of a court judgment or allegation of patent
8666 infringement or for any other reason (not limited to patent issues),
8667 conditions are imposed on you (whether by court order, agreement or
8668 otherwise) that contradict the conditions of this License, they do not
8669 excuse you from the conditions of this License. If you cannot
8670 distribute so as to satisfy simultaneously your obligations under this
8671 License and any other pertinent obligations, then as a consequence you
8672 may not distribute the Program at all. For example, if a patent
8673 license would not permit royalty-free redistribution of the Program by
8674 all those who receive copies directly or indirectly through you, then
8675 the only way you could satisfy both it and this License would be to
8676 refrain entirely from distribution of the Program.
8677
8678 If any portion of this section is held invalid or unenforceable under
8679 any particular circumstance, the balance of the section is intended to
8680 apply and the section as a whole is intended to apply in other
8681 circumstances.
8682
8683 It is not the purpose of this section to induce you to infringe any
8684 patents or other property right claims or to contest validity of any
8685 such claims; this section has the sole purpose of protecting the
8686 integrity of the free software distribution system, which is
8687 implemented by public license practices. Many people have made
8688 generous contributions to the wide range of software distributed
8689 through that system in reliance on consistent application of that
8690 system; it is up to the author/donor to decide if he or she is willing
8691 to distribute software through any other system and a licensee cannot
8692 impose that choice.
8693
8694 This section is intended to make thoroughly clear what is believed to
8695 be a consequence of the rest of this License.
8696
8697 @item
8698 If the distribution and/or use of the Program is restricted in
8699 certain countries either by patents or by copyrighted interfaces, the
8700 original copyright holder who places the Program under this License
8701 may add an explicit geographical distribution limitation excluding
8702 those countries, so that distribution is permitted only in or among
8703 countries not thus excluded. In such case, this License incorporates
8704 the limitation as if written in the body of this License.
8705
8706 @item
8707 The Free Software Foundation may publish revised and/or new versions
8708 of the General Public License from time to time. Such new versions will
8709 be similar in spirit to the present version, but may differ in detail to
8710 address new problems or concerns.
8711
8712 Each version is given a distinguishing version number. If the Program
8713 specifies a version number of this License which applies to it and ``any
8714 later version'', you have the option of following the terms and conditions
8715 either of that version or of any later version published by the Free
8716 Software Foundation. If the Program does not specify a version number of
8717 this License, you may choose any version ever published by the Free Software
8718 Foundation.
8719
8720 @item
8721 If you wish to incorporate parts of the Program into other free
8722 programs whose distribution conditions are different, write to the author
8723 to ask for permission. For software which is copyrighted by the Free
8724 Software Foundation, write to the Free Software Foundation; we sometimes
8725 make exceptions for this. Our decision will be guided by the two goals
8726 of preserving the free status of all derivatives of our free software and
8727 of promoting the sharing and reuse of software generally.
8728
8729 @iftex
8730 @heading NO WARRANTY
8731 @end iftex
8732 @ifinfo
8733 @center NO WARRANTY
8734 @end ifinfo
8735
8736 @item
8737 BECAUSE THE PROGRAM IS LICENSED FREE OF CHARGE, THERE IS NO WARRANTY
8738 FOR THE PROGRAM, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW. EXCEPT WHEN
8739 OTHERWISE STATED IN WRITING THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND/OR OTHER PARTIES
8740 PROVIDE THE PROGRAM ``AS IS'' WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED
8741 OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
8742 MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE ENTIRE RISK AS
8743 TO THE QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE PROGRAM IS WITH YOU. SHOULD THE
8744 PROGRAM PROVE DEFECTIVE, YOU ASSUME THE COST OF ALL NECESSARY SERVICING,
8745 REPAIR OR CORRECTION.
8746
8747 @item
8748 IN NO EVENT UNLESS REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW OR AGREED TO IN WRITING
8749 WILL ANY COPYRIGHT HOLDER, OR ANY OTHER PARTY WHO MAY MODIFY AND/OR
8750 REDISTRIBUTE THE PROGRAM AS PERMITTED ABOVE, BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR DAMAGES,
8751 INCLUDING ANY GENERAL, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING
8752 OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE PROGRAM (INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED
8753 TO LOSS OF DATA OR DATA BEING RENDERED INACCURATE OR LOSSES SUSTAINED BY
8754 YOU OR THIRD PARTIES OR A FAILURE OF THE PROGRAM TO OPERATE WITH ANY OTHER
8755 PROGRAMS), EVEN IF SUCH HOLDER OR OTHER PARTY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE
8756 POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
8757 @end enumerate
8758
8759 @iftex
8760 @heading END OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS
8761 @end iftex
8762 @ifinfo
8763 @center END OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS
8764 @end ifinfo
8765
8766 @page
8767 @unnumberedsec Applying These Terms to Your New Programs
8768
8769 If you develop a new program, and you want it to be of the greatest
8770 possible use to the public, the best way to achieve this is to make it
8771 free software which everyone can redistribute and change under these terms.
8772
8773 To do so, attach the following notices to the program. It is safest
8774 to attach them to the start of each source file to most effectively
8775 convey the exclusion of warranty; and each file should have at least
8776 the ``copyright'' line and a pointer to where the full notice is found.
8777
8778 @smallexample
8779 @var{one line to give the program's name and an idea of what it does.}
8780 Copyright (C) 19@var{yy} @var{name of author}
8781
8782 This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
8783 modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
8784 as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2
8785 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
8786
8787 This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
8788 but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
8789 MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
8790 GNU General Public License for more details.
8791
8792 You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
8793 along with this program; if not, write to the
8794 Free Software Foundation, Inc., 675 Mass Ave,
8795 Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
8796 @end smallexample
8797
8798 Also add information on how to contact you by electronic and paper mail.
8799
8800 If the program is interactive, make it output a short notice like this
8801 when it starts in an interactive mode:
8802
8803 @smallexample
8804 Gnomovision version 69, Copyright (C) 19@var{yy} @var{name of author}
8805 Gnomovision comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY; for details
8806 type `show w'. This is free software, and you are welcome
8807 to redistribute it under certain conditions; type `show c'
8808 for details.
8809 @end smallexample
8810
8811 The hypothetical commands @samp{show w} and @samp{show c} should show
8812 the appropriate parts of the General Public License. Of course, the
8813 commands you use may be called something other than @samp{show w} and
8814 @samp{show c}; they could even be mouse-clicks or menu items---whatever
8815 suits your program.
8816
8817 You should also get your employer (if you work as a programmer) or your
8818 school, if any, to sign a ``copyright disclaimer'' for the program, if
8819 necessary. Here is a sample; alter the names:
8820
8821 @example
8822 Yoyodyne, Inc., hereby disclaims all copyright
8823 interest in the program `Gnomovision'
8824 (which makes passes at compilers) written
8825 by James Hacker.
8826
8827 @var{signature of Ty Coon}, 1 April 1989
8828 Ty Coon, President of Vice
8829 @end example
8830
8831 This General Public License does not permit incorporating your program into
8832 proprietary programs. If your program is a subroutine library, you may
8833 consider it more useful to permit linking proprietary applications with the
8834 library. If this is what you want to do, use the GNU Library General
8835 Public License instead of this License.
8836 @end ifclear
8837
8838 @node Index
8839 @unnumbered Index
8840
8841 @printindex cp
8842
8843 @tex
8844 % I think something like @colophon should be in texinfo. In the
8845 % meantime:
8846 \long\def\colophon{\hbox to0pt{}\vfill
8847 \centerline{The body of this manual is set in}
8848 \centerline{\fontname\tenrm,}
8849 \centerline{with headings in {\bf\fontname\tenbf}}
8850 \centerline{and examples in {\tt\fontname\tentt}.}
8851 \centerline{{\it\fontname\tenit\/},}
8852 \centerline{{\bf\fontname\tenbf}, and}
8853 \centerline{{\sl\fontname\tensl\/}}
8854 \centerline{are used for emphasis.}\vfill}
8855 \page\colophon
8856 % Blame: pesch@cygnus.com, 1991.
8857 @end tex
8858
8859 @contents
8860 @bye