path: root/gnu/usr.bin/gdb/doc/gdb.info-6

This is Info file ./gdb.info, produced by Makeinfo-1.52 from the input
file gdb.texinfo.

START-INFO-DIR-ENTRY
* Gdb::                         The GNU debugger.
END-INFO-DIR-ENTRY
   This file documents the GNU debugger GDB.

   This is Edition 4.09, August 1993, of `Debugging with GDB: the GNU
Source-Level Debugger' for GDB Version 4.11.

   Copyright (C) 1988, '89, '90, '91, '92, '93 Free Software
Foundation, Inc.

   Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of this
manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice are
preserved on all copies.

   Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of
this manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also
that the entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms
of a permission notice identical to this one.

   Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this
manual into another language, under the above conditions for modified
versions.


File: gdb.info,  Node: Nindy Options,  Next: Nindy Reset,  Prev: Nindy Startup,  Up: i960-Nindy Remote

Options for Nindy
-----------------

   These are the startup options for beginning your GDB session with a
Nindy-960 board attached:

`-r PORT'
     Specify the serial port name of a serial interface to be used to
     connect to the target system.  This option is only available when
     GDB is configured for the Intel 960 target architecture.  You may
     specify PORT as any of: a full pathname (e.g. `-r /dev/ttya'), a
     device name in `/dev' (e.g. `-r ttya'), or simply the unique
     suffix for a specific `tty' (e.g. `-r a').

`-O'
     (An uppercase letter "O", not a zero.)  Specify that GDB should use
     the "old" Nindy monitor protocol to connect to the target system.
     This option is only available when GDB is configured for the Intel
     960 target architecture.

          *Warning:* if you specify `-O', but are actually trying to
          connect to a target system that expects the newer protocol,
          the connection fails, appearing to be a speed mismatch.  GDB
          repeatedly attempts to reconnect at several different line
          speeds.  You can abort this process with an interrupt.

`-brk'
     Specify that GDB should first send a `BREAK' signal to the target
     system, in an attempt to reset it, before connecting to a Nindy
     target.

          *Warning:* Many target systems do not have the hardware that
          this requires; it only works with a few boards.

   The standard `-b' option controls the line speed used on the serial
port.


File: gdb.info,  Node: Nindy Reset,  Prev: Nindy Options,  Up: i960-Nindy Remote

Nindy reset command
-------------------

`reset'
     For a Nindy target, this command sends a "break" to the remote
     target system; this is only useful if the target has been equipped
     with a circuit to perform a hard reset (or some other interesting
     action) when a break is detected.


File: gdb.info,  Node: UDI29K Remote,  Next: EB29K Remote,  Prev: i960-Nindy Remote,  Up: Remote

GDB and the UDI protocol for AMD29K
-----------------------------------

   GDB supports AMD's UDI ("Universal Debugger Interface") protocol for
debugging the a29k processor family.  To use this configuration with
AMD targets running the MiniMON monitor, you need the program `MONTIP',
available from AMD at no charge.  You can also use GDB with the UDI
conformant a29k simulator program `ISSTIP', also available from AMD.

`target udi KEYWORD'
     Select the UDI interface to a remote a29k board or simulator, where
     KEYWORD is an entry in the AMD configuration file `udi_soc'.  This
     file contains keyword entries which specify parameters used to
     connect to a29k targets.  If the `udi_soc' file is not in your
     working directory, you must set the environment variable `UDICONF'
     to its pathname.


File: gdb.info,  Node: EB29K Remote,  Next: VxWorks Remote,  Prev: UDI29K Remote,  Up: Remote

GDB and the EBMON protocol for AMD29K
-------------------------------------

   AMD distributes a 29K development board meant to fit in a PC,
together with a DOS-hosted monitor program called `EBMON'.  As a
shorthand term, this development system is called the "EB29K".  To use
GDB from a Unix system to run programs on the EB29K board, you must
first connect a serial cable between the PC (which hosts the EB29K
board) and a serial port on the Unix system.  In the following, we
assume you've hooked the cable between the PC's `COM1' port and
`/dev/ttya' on the Unix system.

* Menu:

* Comms (EB29K)::               Communications setup
* gdb-EB29K::                   EB29K cross-debugging
* Remote Log::                  Remote log


File: gdb.info,  Node: Comms (EB29K),  Next: gdb-EB29K,  Up: EB29K Remote

Communications setup
--------------------

   The next step is to set up the PC's port, by doing something like
this in DOS on the PC:

     C:\> MODE com1:9600,n,8,1,none

This example--run on an MS DOS 4.0 system--sets the PC port to 9600
bps, no parity, eight data bits, one stop bit, and no "retry" action;
you must match the communications parameters when establishing the Unix
end of the connection as well.

   To give control of the PC to the Unix side of the serial line, type
the following at the DOS console:

     C:\> CTTY com1

(Later, if you wish to return control to the DOS console, you can use
the command `CTTY con'--but you must send it over the device that had
control, in our example over the `COM1' serial line).

   From the Unix host, use a communications program such as `tip' or
`cu' to communicate with the PC; for example,

     cu -s 9600 -l /dev/ttya

The `cu' options shown specify, respectively, the linespeed and the
serial port to use.  If you use `tip' instead, your command line may
look something like the following:

     tip -9600 /dev/ttya

Your system may require a different name where we show `/dev/ttya' as
the argument to `tip'.  The communications parameters, including which
port to use, are associated with the `tip' argument in the "remote"
descriptions file--normally the system table `/etc/remote'.

   Using the `tip' or `cu' connection, change the DOS working directory
to the directory containing a copy of your 29K program, then start the
PC program `EBMON' (an EB29K control program supplied with your board
by AMD).  You should see an initial display from `EBMON' similar to the
one that follows, ending with the `EBMON' prompt `#'--

     C:\> G:
     
     G:\> CD \usr\joe\work29k
     
     G:\USR\JOE\WORK29K> EBMON
     Am29000 PC Coprocessor Board Monitor, version 3.0-18
     Copyright 1990 Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
     Written by Gibbons and Associates, Inc.
     
     Enter '?' or 'H' for help
     
     PC Coprocessor Type   = EB29K
     I/O Base              = 0x208
     Memory Base           = 0xd0000
     
     Data Memory Size      = 2048KB
     Available I-RAM Range = 0x8000 to 0x1fffff
     Available D-RAM Range = 0x80002000 to 0x801fffff
     
     PageSize              = 0x400
     Register Stack Size   = 0x800
     Memory Stack Size     = 0x1800
     
     CPU PRL               = 0x3
     Am29027 Available     = No
     Byte Write Available  = Yes
     
     # ~.

   Then exit the `cu' or `tip' program (done in the example by typing
`~.' at the `EBMON' prompt).  `EBMON' will keep running, ready for GDB
to take over.

   For this example, we've assumed what is probably the most convenient
way to make sure the same 29K program is on both the PC and the Unix
system: a PC/NFS connection that establishes "drive `G:'" on the PC as
a file system on the Unix host.  If you do not have PC/NFS or something
similar connecting the two systems, you must arrange some other
way--perhaps floppy-disk transfer--of getting the 29K program from the
Unix system to the PC; GDB will *not* download it over the serial line.


File: gdb.info,  Node: gdb-EB29K,  Next: Remote Log,  Prev: Comms (EB29K),  Up: EB29K Remote

EB29K cross-debugging
---------------------

   Finally, `cd' to the directory containing an image of your 29K
program on the Unix system, and start GDB--specifying as argument the
name of your 29K program:

     cd /usr/joe/work29k
     gdb myfoo

   Now you can use the `target' command:

     target amd-eb /dev/ttya 9600 MYFOO

In this example, we've assumed your program is in a file called
`myfoo'.  Note that the filename given as the last argument to `target
amd-eb' should be the name of the program as it appears to DOS.  In our
example this is simply `MYFOO', but in general it can include a DOS
path, and depending on your transfer mechanism may not resemble the
name on the Unix side.

   At this point, you can set any breakpoints you wish; when you are
ready to see your program run on the 29K board, use the GDB command
`run'.

   To stop debugging the remote program, use the GDB `detach' command.

   To return control of the PC to its console, use `tip' or `cu' once
again, after your GDB session has concluded, to attach to `EBMON'.  You
can then type the command `q' to shut down `EBMON', returning control
to the DOS command-line interpreter.  Type `CTTY con' to return command
input to the main DOS console, and type `~.' to leave `tip' or `cu'.


File: gdb.info,  Node: Remote Log,  Prev: gdb-EB29K,  Up: EB29K Remote

Remote log
----------

   The `target amd-eb' command creates a file `eb.log' in the current
working directory, to help debug problems with the connection.
`eb.log' records all the output from `EBMON', including echoes of the
commands sent to it.  Running `tail -f' on this file in another window
often helps to understand trouble with `EBMON', or unexpected events on
the PC side of the connection.


File: gdb.info,  Node: ST2000 Remote,  Next: Hitachi Remote,  Prev: VxWorks Remote,  Up: Remote

GDB with a Tandem ST2000
------------------------

   To connect your ST2000 to the host system, see the manufacturer's
manual.  Once the ST2000 is physically attached, you can run

     target st2000 DEV SPEED

to establish it as your debugging environment.  DEV is normally the
name of a serial device, such as `/dev/ttya', connected to the ST2000
via a serial line.  You can instead specify DEV as a TCP connection
(for example, to a serial line attached via a terminal concentrator)
using the syntax `HOSTNAME:PORTNUMBER'.

   The `load' and `attach' commands are *not* defined for this target;
you must load your program into the ST2000 as you normally would for
standalone operation.  GDB will read debugging information (such as
symbols) from a separate, debugging version of the program available on
your host computer.

   These auxiliary GDB commands are available to help you with the
ST2000 environment:

`st2000 COMMAND'
     Send a COMMAND to the STDBUG monitor.  See the manufacturer's
     manual for available commands.

`connect'
     Connect the controlling terminal to the STDBUG command monitor.
     When you are done interacting with STDBUG, typing either of two
     character sequences will get you back to the GDB command prompt:
     `RET~.' (Return, followed by tilde and period) or `RET~C-d'
     (Return, followed by tilde and control-D).


File: gdb.info,  Node: VxWorks Remote,  Next: ST2000 Remote,  Prev: EB29K Remote,  Up: Remote

GDB and VxWorks
---------------

   GDB enables developers to spawn and debug tasks running on networked
VxWorks targets from a Unix host.  Already-running tasks spawned from
the VxWorks shell can also be debugged.  GDB uses code that runs on
both the Unix host and on the VxWorks target.  The program `gdb' is
installed and executed on the Unix host.  (It may be installed with the
name `vxgdb', to distinguish it from a GDB for debugging programs on
the host itself.)

   The following information on connecting to VxWorks was current when
this manual was produced; newer releases of VxWorks may use revised
procedures.

   The remote debugging interface (RDB) routines are installed and
executed on the VxWorks target.  These routines are included in the
VxWorks library `rdb.a' and are incorporated into the system image when
source-level debugging is enabled in the VxWorks configuration.

   If you wish, you can define `INCLUDE_RDB' in the VxWorks
configuration file `configAll.h' to include the RDB interface routines
and spawn the source debugging task `tRdbTask' when VxWorks is booted.
For more information on configuring and remaking VxWorks, see the
manufacturer's manual.

   Once you have included the RDB interface in your VxWorks system image
and set your Unix execution search path to find GDB, you are ready to
run GDB.  From your Unix host, run `gdb' (or `vxgdb', depending on your
installation).

   GDB comes up showing the prompt:

     (vxgdb)

* Menu:

* VxWorks Connection::          Connecting to VxWorks
* VxWorks Download::            VxWorks download
* VxWorks Attach::              Running tasks


File: gdb.info,  Node: VxWorks Connection,  Next: VxWorks Download,  Up: VxWorks Remote

Connecting to VxWorks
---------------------

   The GDB command `target' lets you connect to a VxWorks target on the
network.  To connect to a target whose host name is "`tt'", type:

     (vxgdb) target vxworks tt

   GDB displays messages like these:

     Attaching remote machine across net...
     Connected to tt.

   GDB then attempts to read the symbol tables of any object modules
loaded into the VxWorks target since it was last booted.  GDB locates
these files by searching the directories listed in the command search
path (*note Your program's environment: Environment.); if it fails to
find an object file, it displays a message such as:

     prog.o: No such file or directory.

   When this happens, add the appropriate directory to the search path
with the GDB command `path', and execute the `target' command again.


File: gdb.info,  Node: VxWorks Download,  Next: VxWorks Attach,  Prev: VxWorks Connection,  Up: VxWorks Remote

VxWorks download
----------------

   If you have connected to the VxWorks target and you want to debug an
object that has not yet been loaded, you can use the GDB `load' command
to download a file from Unix to VxWorks incrementally.  The object file
given as an argument to the `load' command is actually opened twice:
first by the VxWorks target in order to download the code, then by GDB
in order to read the symbol table.  This can lead to problems if the
current working directories on the two systems differ.  If both systems
have NFS mounted the same filesystems, you can avoid these problems by
using absolute paths.  Otherwise, it is simplest to set the working
directory on both systems to the directory in which the object file
resides, and then to reference the file by its name, without any path.
For instance, a program `prog.o' may reside in `VXPATH/vw/demo/rdb' in
VxWorks and in `HOSTPATH/vw/demo/rdb' on the host.  To load this
program, type this on VxWorks:

     -> cd "VXPATH/vw/demo/rdb"

   Then, in GDB, type:

     (vxgdb) cd HOSTPATH/vw/demo/rdb
     (vxgdb) load prog.o

   GDB displays a response similar to this:

     Reading symbol data from wherever/vw/demo/rdb/prog.o... done.

   You can also use the `load' command to reload an object module after
editing and recompiling the corresponding source file.  Note that this
will cause GDB to delete all currently-defined breakpoints,
auto-displays, and convenience variables, and to clear the value
history.  (This is necessary in order to preserve the integrity of
debugger data structures that reference the target system's symbol
table.)


File: gdb.info,  Node: VxWorks Attach,  Prev: VxWorks Download,  Up: VxWorks Remote

Running tasks
-------------

   You can also attach to an existing task using the `attach' command as
follows:

     (vxgdb) attach TASK

where TASK is the VxWorks hexadecimal task ID.  The task can be running
or suspended when you attach to it.  If running, it will be suspended at
the time of attachment.


File: gdb.info,  Node: Hitachi Remote,  Next: MIPS Remote,  Prev: ST2000 Remote,  Up: Remote

GDB and Hitachi Microprocessors
-------------------------------

   GDB needs to know these things to talk to your Hitachi SH, H8/300,
or H8/500:

  1. that you want to use `target hms', the remote debugging interface
     for Hitachi microprocessors (this is the default when GDB is
     configured specifically for the Hitachi SH, H8/300, or H8/500);

  2. what serial device connects your host to your Hitachi board (the
     first serial device available on your host is the default);


   Use the special `gdb' command `device PORT' if you need to
explicitly set the serial device.  The default PORT is the first
available port on your host.  This is only necessary on Unix hosts,
where it is typically something like `/dev/ttya'.

   `gdb' has another special command to set the communications speed:
`speed BPS'.  This command also is only used from Unix hosts; on DOS
hosts, set the line speed as usual from outside GDB with the DOS `mode'
command (for instance, `mode com2:9600,n,8,1,p' for a 9600 bps
connection).

   The `device' and `speed' commands are available only when you use a
Unix host to debug your Hitachi microprocessor programs.  If you use a
DOS host, GDB depends on an auxiliary terminate-and-stay-resident
program called `asynctsr' to communicate with the development board
through a PC serial port.  You must also use the DOS `mode' command to
set up the serial port on the DOS side.


File: gdb.info,  Node: MIPS Remote,  Next: Simulator,  Prev: Hitachi Remote,  Up: Remote

GDB and remote MIPS boards
--------------------------

   GDB can use the MIPS remote debugging protocol to talk to a MIPS
board attached to a serial line.  This is available when you configure
GDB with `--target=mips-idt-ecoff'.

   To run a program on the board, start up `gdb' with the name of your
program as the argument.  To connect to the board, use the command
`target mips PORT', where PORT is the name of the serial port connected
to the board.  If the program has not already been downloaded to the
board, you may use the `load' command to download it.  You can then use
all the usual GDB commands.

   You can also specify PORT as a TCP connection (for instance, to a
serial line managed by a terminal concentrator), using the syntax
`HOSTNAME:PORTNUMBER'.

   You can see some debugging information about communications with the
board by setting the `remotedebug' variable.  If you set it to 1 using
`set remotedebug 1' every packet will be displayed.  If you set it to 2
every character will be displayed.  You can check the current value at
any time with the command `show remotedebug'.

   You can control the timeout used while waiting for a packet, in the
MIPS remote protocol, with the `set timeout SECONDS' command.  The
default is 5 seconds.  Similarly, you can control the timeout used while
waiting for an acknowledgement of a packet with the `set
retransmit-timeout SECONDS' command.  The default is 3 seconds.  You
can inspect both values with `show timeout' and `show
retransmit-timeout'.  (These commands are *only* available when GDB is
configured for `--target=mips-idt-ecoff'.)

   If your target board does not support the MIPS floating point
coprocessor, you should use the command `set mipsfpu off' (you may wish
to put this in your .gdbinit file).  This tells GDB how to find the
return value of functions which return floating point values.  It also
allows GDB to avoid saving the floating point registers when calling
functions on the board.


File: gdb.info,  Node: Simulator,  Prev: MIPS Remote,  Up: Remote

Simulated CPU target
--------------------

   For some configurations, GDB includes a CPU simulator that you can
use instead of a hardware CPU to debug your programs.  Currently, a
simulator is available when GDB is configured to debug Zilog Z8000 or
Hitachi microprocessor targets.

   For the Z8000 family, `target sim' simulates either the Z8002 (the
unsegmented variant of the Z8000 architecture) or the Z8001 (the
segmented variant).  The simulator recognizes which architecture is
appropriate by inspecting the object code.

`target sim'
     Debug programs on a simulated CPU (which CPU depends on the GDB
     configuration)

After specifying this target, you can debug programs for the simulated
CPU in the same style as programs for your host computer; use the
`file' command to load a new program image, the `run' command to run
your program, and so on.

   As well as making available all the usual machine registers (see
`info reg'), this debugging target provides three additional items of
information as specially named registers:

`cycles'
     Counts clock-ticks in the simulator.

`insts'
     Counts instructions run in the simulator.

`time'
     Execution time in 60ths of a second.

   You can refer to these values in GDB expressions with the usual
conventions; for example, `b fputc if $cycles>5000' sets a conditional
breakpoint that will suspend only after at least 5000 simulated clock
ticks.


File: gdb.info,  Node: Controlling GDB,  Next: Sequences,  Prev: Targets,  Up: Top

Controlling GDB
***************

   You can alter the way GDB interacts with you by using the `set'
command.  For commands controlling how GDB displays data, *note Print
settings: Print Settings.; other settings are described here.

* Menu:

* Prompt::                      Prompt
* Editing::                     Command editing
* History::                     Command history
* Screen Size::                 Screen size
* Numbers::                     Numbers
* Messages/Warnings::           Optional warnings and messages


File: gdb.info,  Node: Prompt,  Next: Editing,  Up: Controlling GDB

Prompt
======

   GDB indicates its readiness to read a command by printing a string
called the "prompt".  This string is normally `(gdb)'.  You can change
the prompt string with the `set prompt' command.  For instance, when
debugging GDB with GDB, it is useful to change the prompt in one of the
GDB sessions so that you can always tell which one you are talking to.

`set prompt NEWPROMPT'
     Directs GDB to use NEWPROMPT as its prompt string henceforth.

`show prompt'
     Prints a line of the form: `Gdb's prompt is: YOUR-PROMPT'


File: gdb.info,  Node: Editing,  Next: History,  Prev: Prompt,  Up: Controlling GDB

Command editing
===============

   GDB reads its input commands via the "readline" interface.  This GNU
library provides consistent behavior for programs which provide a
command line interface to the user.  Advantages are `emacs'-style or
`vi'-style inline editing of commands, `csh'-like history substitution,
and a storage and recall of command history across debugging sessions.

   You may control the behavior of command line editing in GDB with the
command `set'.

`set editing'
`set editing on'
     Enable command line editing (enabled by default).

`set editing off'
     Disable command line editing.

`show editing'
     Show whether command line editing is enabled.


File: gdb.info,  Node: History,  Next: Screen Size,  Prev: Editing,  Up: Controlling GDB

Command history
===============

   GDB can keep track of the commands you type during your debugging
sessions, so that you can be certain of precisely what happened.  Use
these commands to manage the GDB command history facility.

`set history filename FNAME'
     Set the name of the GDB command history file to FNAME.  This is
     the file from which GDB will read an initial command history list
     or to which it will write this list when it exits.  This list is
     accessed through history expansion or through the history command
     editing characters listed below.  This file defaults to the value
     of the environment variable `GDBHISTFILE', or to `./.gdb_history'
     if this variable is not set.

`set history save'
`set history save on'
     Record command history in a file, whose name may be specified with
     the `set history filename' command.  By default, this option is
     disabled.

`set history save off'
     Stop recording command history in a file.

`set history size SIZE'
     Set the number of commands which GDB will keep in its history list.
     This defaults to the value of the environment variable `HISTSIZE',
     or to 256 if this variable is not set.

   History expansion assigns special meaning to the character `!'.

   Since `!' is also the logical not operator in C, history expansion
is off by default. If you decide to enable history expansion with the
`set history expansion on' command, you may sometimes need to follow
`!' (when it is used as logical not, in an expression) with a space or
a tab to prevent it from being expanded.  The readline history
facilities will not attempt substitution on the strings `!=' and `!(',
even when history expansion is enabled.

   The commands to control history expansion are:

`set history expansion on'
`set history expansion'
     Enable history expansion.  History expansion is off by default.

`set history expansion off'
     Disable history expansion.

     The readline code comes with more complete documentation of
     editing and history expansion features.  Users unfamiliar with
     `emacs' or `vi' may wish to read it.

`show history'
`show history filename'
`show history save'
`show history size'
`show history expansion'
     These commands display the state of the GDB history parameters.
     `show history' by itself displays all four states.

`show commands'
     Display the last ten commands in the command history.

`show commands N'
     Print ten commands centered on command number N.

`show commands +'
     Print ten commands just after the commands last printed.


File: gdb.info,  Node: Screen Size,  Next: Numbers,  Prev: History,  Up: Controlling GDB

Screen size
===========

   Certain commands to GDB may produce large amounts of information
output to the screen.  To help you read all of it, GDB pauses and asks
you for input at the end of each page of output.  Type RET when you
want to continue the output, or `q' to discard the remaining output.
Also, the screen width setting determines when to wrap lines of output.
Depending on what is being printed, GDB tries to break the line at a
readable place, rather than simply letting it overflow onto the
following line.

   Normally GDB knows the size of the screen from the termcap data base
together with the value of the `TERM' environment variable and the
`stty rows' and `stty cols' settings. If this is not correct, you can
override it with the `set height' and `set width' commands:

`set height LPP'
`show height'
`set width CPL'
`show width'
     These `set' commands specify a screen height of LPP lines and a
     screen width of CPL characters.  The associated `show' commands
     display the current settings.

     If you specify a height of zero lines, GDB will not pause during
     output no matter how long the output is.  This is useful if output
     is to a file or to an editor buffer.

     Likewise, you can specify `set width 0' to prevent GDB from
     wrapping its output.


File: gdb.info,  Node: Numbers,  Next: Messages/Warnings,  Prev: Screen Size,  Up: Controlling GDB

Numbers
=======

   You can always enter numbers in octal, decimal, or hexadecimal in
GDB by the usual conventions: octal numbers begin with `0', decimal
numbers end with `.', and hexadecimal numbers begin with `0x'.  Numbers
that begin with none of these are, by default, entered in base 10;
likewise, the default display for numbers--when no particular format is
specified--is base 10.  You can change the default base for both input
and output with the `set radix' command.

`set radix BASE'
     Set the default base for numeric input and display.  Supported
     choices for BASE are decimal 8, 10, or 16.  BASE must itself be
     specified either unambiguously or using the current default radix;
     for example, any of

          set radix 012
          set radix 10.
          set radix 0xa

     will set the base to decimal.  On the other hand, `set radix 10'
     will leave the radix unchanged no matter what it was.

`show radix'
     Display the current default base for numeric input and display.


File: gdb.info,  Node: Messages/Warnings,  Prev: Numbers,  Up: Controlling GDB

Optional warnings and messages
==============================

   By default, GDB is silent about its inner workings.  If you are
running on a slow machine, you may want to use the `set verbose'
command.  It will make GDB tell you when it does a lengthy internal
operation, so you will not think it has crashed.

   Currently, the messages controlled by `set verbose' are those which
announce that the symbol table for a source file is being read; see
`symbol-file' in *Note Commands to specify files: Files.

`set verbose on'
     Enables GDB output of certain informational messages.

`set verbose off'
     Disables GDB output of certain informational messages.

`show verbose'
     Displays whether `set verbose' is on or off.

   By default, if GDB encounters bugs in the symbol table of an object
file, it is silent; but if you are debugging a compiler, you may find
this information useful (*note Errors reading symbol files: Symbol
Errors.).

`set complaints LIMIT'
     Permits GDB to output LIMIT complaints about each type of unusual
     symbols before becoming silent about the problem.  Set LIMIT to
     zero to suppress all complaints; set it to a large number to
     prevent complaints from being suppressed.

`show complaints'
     Displays how many symbol complaints GDB is permitted to produce.

   By default, GDB is cautious, and asks what sometimes seems to be a
lot of stupid questions to confirm certain commands.  For example, if
you try to run a program which is already running:

     (gdb) run
     The program being debugged has been started already.
     Start it from the beginning? (y or n)

   If you are willing to unflinchingly face the consequences of your own
commands, you can disable this "feature":

`set confirm off'
     Disables confirmation requests.

`set confirm on'
     Enables confirmation requests (the default).

`show confirm'
     Displays state of confirmation requests.

   Some systems allow individual object files that make up your program
to be replaced without stopping and restarting your program.  For
example, in VxWorks you can simply recompile a defective object file
and keep on running.  If you are running on one of these systems, you
can allow GDB to reload the symbols for automatically relinked modules:

`set symbol-reloading on'
     Replace symbol definitions for the corresponding source file when
     an object file with a particular name is seen again.

`set symbol-reloading off'
     Do not replace symbol definitions when re-encountering object
     files of the same name.  This is the default state; if you are not
     running on a system that permits automatically relinking modules,
     you should leave `symbol-reloading' off, since otherwise GDB may
     discard symbols when linking large programs, that may contain
     several modules (from different directories or libraries) with the
     same name.

`show symbol-reloading'
     Show the current `on' or `off' setting.


File: gdb.info,  Node: Sequences,  Next: Emacs,  Prev: Controlling GDB,  Up: Top

Canned Sequences of Commands
****************************

   Aside from breakpoint commands (*note Breakpoint command lists:
Break Commands.), GDB provides two ways to store sequences of commands
for execution as a unit: user-defined commands and command files.

* Menu:

* Define::                      User-defined commands
* Hooks::			User-defined command hooks
* Command Files::               Command files
* Output::                      Commands for controlled output


File: gdb.info,  Node: Define,  Next: Hooks,  Up: Sequences

User-defined commands
=====================

   A "user-defined command" is a sequence of GDB commands to which you
assign a new name as a command.  This is done with the `define' command.

`define COMMANDNAME'
     Define a command named COMMANDNAME.  If there is already a command
     by that name, you are asked to confirm that you want to redefine
     it.

     The definition of the command is made up of other GDB command
     lines, which are given following the `define' command.  The end of
     these commands is marked by a line containing `end'.

`document COMMANDNAME'
     Give documentation to the user-defined command COMMANDNAME.  The
     command COMMANDNAME must already be defined.  This command reads
     lines of documentation just as `define' reads the lines of the
     command definition, ending with `end'.  After the `document'
     command is finished, `help' on command COMMANDNAME will print the
     documentation you have specified.

     You may use the `document' command again to change the
     documentation of a command.  Redefining the command with `define'
     does not change the documentation.

`help user-defined'
     List all user-defined commands, with the first line of the
     documentation (if any) for each.

`show user'
`show user COMMANDNAME'
     Display the GDB commands used to define COMMANDNAME (but not its
     documentation).  If no COMMANDNAME is given, display the
     definitions for all user-defined commands.

   User-defined commands do not take arguments.  When they are
executed, the commands of the definition are not printed.  An error in
any command stops execution of the user-defined command.

   Commands that would ask for confirmation if used interactively
proceed without asking when used inside a user-defined command.  Many
GDB commands that normally print messages to say what they are doing
omit the messages when used in a user-defined command.


File: gdb.info,  Node: Hooks,  Next: Command Files,  Prev: Define,  Up: Sequences

User-defined command hooks
==========================

   You may define *hooks*, which are a special kind of user-defined
command.  Whenever you run the command `foo', if the user-defined
command `hook-foo' exists, it is executed (with no arguments) before
that command.

   In addition, a pseudo-command, `stop' exists.  Defining
(`hook-stop') makes the associated commands execute every time
execution stops in your program: before breakpoint commands are run,
displays are printed, or the stack frame is printed.

   For example, to ignore `SIGALRM' signals while single-stepping, but
treat them normally during normal execution, you could define:

     define hook-stop
     handle SIGALRM nopass
     end
     
     define hook-run
     handle SIGALRM pass
     end
     
     define hook-continue
     handle SIGLARM pass
     end

   You can define a hook for any single-word command in GDB, but not
for command aliases; you should define a hook for the basic command
name, e.g.  `backtrace' rather than `bt'.  If an error occurs during
the execution of your hook, execution of GDB commands stops and GDB
issues a prompt (before the command that you actually typed had a
chance to run).

   If you try to define a hook which does not match any known command,
you will get a warning from the `define' command.


File: gdb.info,  Node: Command Files,  Next: Output,  Prev: Hooks,  Up: Sequences

Command files
=============

   A command file for GDB is a file of lines that are GDB commands.
Comments (lines starting with `#') may also be included.  An empty line
in a command file does nothing; it does not mean to repeat the last
command, as it would from the terminal.

   When you start GDB, it automatically executes commands from its
"init files".  These are files named `.gdbinit'.  GDB reads the init
file (if any) in your home directory and then the init file (if any) in
the current working directory.  (The init files are not executed if you
use the `-nx' option; *note Choosing modes: Mode Options..)

   On some configurations of GDB, the init file is known by a different
name (these are typically environments where a specialized form of GDB
may need to coexist with other forms, hence a different name for the
specialized version's init file).  These are the environments with
special init file names:

   * VxWorks (Wind River Systems real-time OS): `.vxgdbinit'

   * OS68K (Enea Data Systems real-time OS): `.os68gdbinit'

   * ES-1800 (Ericsson Telecom AB M68000 emulator): `.esgdbinit'

   You can also request the execution of a command file with the
`source' command:

`source FILENAME'
     Execute the command file FILENAME.

   The lines in a command file are executed sequentially.  They are not
printed as they are executed.  An error in any command terminates
execution of the command file.

   Commands that would ask for confirmation if used interactively
proceed without asking when used in a command file.  Many GDB commands
that normally print messages to say what they are doing omit the
messages when called from command files.


File: gdb.info,  Node: Output,  Prev: Command Files,  Up: Sequences

Commands for controlled output
==============================

   During the execution of a command file or a user-defined command,
normal GDB output is suppressed; the only output that appears is what is
explicitly printed by the commands in the definition.  This section
describes three commands useful for generating exactly the output you
want.

`echo TEXT'
     Print TEXT.  Nonprinting characters can be included in TEXT using
     C escape sequences, such as `\n' to print a newline.  *No newline
     will be printed unless you specify one.* In addition to the
     standard C escape sequences, a backslash followed by a space
     stands for a space.  This is useful for displaying a string with
     spaces at the beginning or the end, since leading and trailing
     spaces are otherwise trimmed from all arguments.  To print ` and
     foo = ', use the command `echo \ and foo = \ '.

     A backslash at the end of TEXT can be used, as in C, to continue
     the command onto subsequent lines.  For example,

          echo This is some text\n\
          which is continued\n\
          onto several lines.\n

     produces the same output as

          echo This is some text\n
          echo which is continued\n
          echo onto several lines.\n

`output EXPRESSION'
     Print the value of EXPRESSION and nothing but that value: no
     newlines, no `$NN = '.  The value is not entered in the value
     history either.  *Note Expressions: Expressions, for more
     information on expressions.

`output/FMT EXPRESSION'
     Print the value of EXPRESSION in format FMT.  You can use the same
     formats as for `print'.  *Note Output formats: Output Formats, for
     more information.

`printf STRING, EXPRESSIONS...'
     Print the values of the EXPRESSIONS under the control of STRING.
     The EXPRESSIONS are separated by commas and may be either numbers
     or pointers.  Their values are printed as specified by STRING,
     exactly as if your program were to execute the C subroutine

          printf (STRING, EXPRESSIONS...);

     For example, you can print two values in hex like this:

          printf "foo, bar-foo = 0x%x, 0x%x\n", foo, bar-foo

     The only backslash-escape sequences that you can use in the format
     string are the simple ones that consist of backslash followed by a
     letter.


File: gdb.info,  Node: Emacs,  Next: GDB Bugs,  Prev: Sequences,  Up: Top

Using GDB under GNU Emacs
*************************

   A special interface allows you to use GNU Emacs to view (and edit)
the source files for the program you are debugging with GDB.

   To use this interface, use the command `M-x gdb' in Emacs.  Give the
executable file you want to debug as an argument.  This command starts
GDB as a subprocess of Emacs, with input and output through a newly
created Emacs buffer.

   Using GDB under Emacs is just like using GDB normally except for two
things:

   * All "terminal" input and output goes through the Emacs buffer.

   This applies both to GDB commands and their output, and to the input
and output done by the program you are debugging.

   This is useful because it means that you can copy the text of
previous commands and input them again; you can even use parts of the
output in this way.

   All the facilities of Emacs' Shell mode are available for interacting
with your program.  In particular, you can send signals the usual
way--for example, `C-c C-c' for an interrupt, `C-c C-z' for a stop.

   * GDB displays source code through Emacs.

   Each time GDB displays a stack frame, Emacs automatically finds the
source file for that frame and puts an arrow (`=>') at the left margin
of the current line.  Emacs uses a separate buffer for source display,
and splits the screen to show both your GDB session and the source.

   Explicit GDB `list' or search commands still produce output as
usual, but you probably will have no reason to use them.

     *Warning:* If the directory where your program resides is not your
     current directory, it can be easy to confuse Emacs about the
     location of the source files, in which case the auxiliary display
     buffer will not appear to show your source.  GDB can find programs
     by searching your environment's `PATH' variable, so the GDB input
     and output session will proceed normally; but Emacs does not get
     enough information back from GDB to locate the source files in
     this situation.  To avoid this problem, either start GDB mode from
     the directory where your program resides, or specify a full path
     name when prompted for the `M-x gdb' argument.

     A similar confusion can result if you use the GDB `file' command to
     switch to debugging a program in some other location, from an
     existing GDB buffer in Emacs.

   By default, `M-x gdb' calls the program called `gdb'.  If you need
to call GDB by a different name (for example, if you keep several
configurations around, with different names) you can set the Emacs
variable `gdb-command-name'; for example,

     (setq gdb-command-name "mygdb")

(preceded by `ESC ESC', or typed in the `*scratch*' buffer, or in your
`.emacs' file) will make Emacs call the program named "`mygdb'" instead.

   In the GDB I/O buffer, you can use these special Emacs commands in
addition to the standard Shell mode commands:

`C-h m'
     Describe the features of Emacs' GDB Mode.

`M-s'
     Execute to another source line, like the GDB `step' command; also
     update the display window to show the current file and location.

`M-n'
     Execute to next source line in this function, skipping all function
     calls, like the GDB `next' command.  Then update the display window
     to show the current file and location.

`M-i'
     Execute one instruction, like the GDB `stepi' command; update
     display window accordingly.

`M-x gdb-nexti'
     Execute to next instruction, using the GDB `nexti' command; update
     display window accordingly.

`C-c C-f'
     Execute until exit from the selected stack frame, like the GDB
     `finish' command.

`M-c'
     Continue execution of your program, like the GDB `continue'
     command.

     *Warning:* In Emacs v19, this command is `C-c C-p'.

`M-u'
     Go up the number of frames indicated by the numeric argument
     (*note Numeric Arguments: (emacs)Arguments.), like the GDB `up'
     command.

     *Warning:* In Emacs v19, this command is `C-c C-u'.

`M-d'
     Go down the number of frames indicated by the numeric argument,
     like the GDB `down' command.

     *Warning:* In Emacs v19, this command is `C-c C-d'.

`C-x &'
     Read the number where the cursor is positioned, and insert it at
     the end of the GDB I/O buffer.  For example, if you wish to
     disassemble code around an address that was displayed earlier,
     type `disassemble'; then move the cursor to the address display,
     and pick up the argument for `disassemble' by typing `C-x &'.

     You can customize this further by defining elements of the list
     `gdb-print-command'; once it is defined, you can format or
     otherwise process numbers picked up by `C-x &' before they are
     inserted.  A numeric argument to `C-x &' will both indicate that
     you wish special formatting, and act as an index to pick an
     element of the list.  If the list element is a string, the number
     to be inserted is formatted using the Emacs function `format';
     otherwise the number is passed as an argument to the corresponding
     list element.

   In any source file, the Emacs command `C-x SPC' (`gdb-break') tells
GDB to set a breakpoint on the source line point is on.

   If you accidentally delete the source-display buffer, an easy way to
get it back is to type the command `f' in the GDB buffer, to request a
frame display; when you run under Emacs, this will recreate the source
buffer if necessary to show you the context of the current frame.

   The source files displayed in Emacs are in ordinary Emacs buffers
which are visiting the source files in the usual way.  You can edit the
files with these buffers if you wish; but keep in mind that GDB
communicates with Emacs in terms of line numbers.  If you add or delete
lines from the text, the line numbers that GDB knows will cease to
correspond properly with the code.


File: gdb.info,  Node: GDB Bugs,  Next: Command Line Editing,  Prev: Emacs,  Up: Top

Reporting Bugs in GDB
*********************

   Your bug reports play an essential role in making GDB reliable.

   Reporting a bug may help you by bringing a solution to your problem,
or it may not.  But in any case the principal function of a bug report
is to help the entire community by making the next version of GDB work
better.  Bug reports are your contribution to the maintenance of GDB.

   In order for a bug report to serve its purpose, you must include the
information that enables us to fix the bug.

* Menu:

* Bug Criteria::                Have you found a bug?
* Bug Reporting::               How to report bugs


File: gdb.info,  Node: Bug Criteria,  Next: Bug Reporting,  Up: GDB Bugs

Have you found a bug?
=====================

   If you are not sure whether you have found a bug, here are some
guidelines:

   * If the debugger gets a fatal signal, for any input whatever, that
     is a GDB bug.  Reliable debuggers never crash.

   * If GDB produces an error message for valid input, that is a bug.

   * If GDB does not produce an error message for invalid input, that
     is a bug.  However, you should note that your idea of "invalid
     input" might be our idea of "an extension" or "support for
     traditional practice".

   * If you are an experienced user of debugging tools, your suggestions
     for improvement of GDB are welcome in any case.