diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'gdb/README')
| -rw-r--r-- | gdb/README | 315 |
1 files changed, 157 insertions, 158 deletions
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@ - README for gdb-4.18 release - Updated 4 Apr 1999 by Jim Blandy + README for gdb-5.0 release + Updated 11 May 2000 by Andrew Cagney This is GDB, the GNU source-level debugger. A summary of new features is in the file `NEWS'. @@ -11,10 +11,10 @@ date release information, mailing list links and archives, etc. Unpacking and Installation -- quick overview ========================== -In this release, the GDB debugger sources, the generic GNU include + In this release, the GDB debugger sources, the generic GNU include files, the BFD ("binary file description") library, the readline library, and other libraries all have directories of their own -underneath the gdb-4.18 directory. The idea is that a variety of GNU +underneath the gdb-5.0 directory. The idea is that a variety of GNU tools can share a common copy of these things. Be aware of variation over time--for example don't try to build gdb with a copy of bfd from a release other than the gdb release (such as a binutils or gas @@ -23,67 +23,70 @@ Configuration scripts and makefiles exist to cruise up and down this directory tree and automatically build all the pieces in the right order. -When you unpack the gdb-4.18.tar.gz file, you'll find a directory -called `gdb-4.18', which contains: + When you unpack the gdb-5.0.tar.gz file, you'll find a directory +called `gdb-5.0', which contains: - COPYING config.sub* libiberty/ opcodes/ - COPYING.LIB configure* mmalloc/ readline/ - Makefile.in configure.in move-if-change* sim/ - README etc/ mpw-README texinfo/ - bfd/ gdb/ mpw-build.in utils/ - config/ include/ mpw-config.in - config.guess* install.sh* mpw-configure + COPYING config.if install-sh mmalloc readline + COPYING.LIB config.sub intl move-if-change sim + Makefile.in configure libiberty mpw-README symlink-tree + README configure.in ltconfig mpw-build.in texinfo + bfd djunpack.bat ltmain.sh mpw-config.in utils + config etc md5.sum mpw-configure ylwrap + config-ml.in gdb missing mpw-install + config.guess include mkinstalldirs opcodes To build GDB, you can just do: - cd gdb-4.18 + cd gdb-5.0 ./configure make cp gdb/gdb /usr/local/bin/gdb (or wherever you want) (Building GDB with DJGPP tools for MS-DOS/MS-Windows is slightly -different; see the file gdb/config/djgpp/README for details.) +different; see the file gdb-5.0/gdb/config/djgpp/README for details.) -This will configure and build all the libraries as well as GDB. -If `configure' can't determine your system type, specify one as its -argument, e.g., sun4 or decstation. + This will configure and build all the libraries as well as GDB. If +`configure' can't determine your system type, specify one as its +argument, e.g., `./configure sun4' or `./configure decstation'. -If you get compiler warnings during this stage, see the `Reporting Bugs' -section below; there are a few known problems. + If you get compiler errors during this stage, see the `Reporting +Bugs' section below; there are a few known problems. -GDB requires an ANSI C compiler. If you do not have an ANSI C -compiler for your system, you may be able to download and install the -GNU CC compiler. It is available via anonymous FTP from ftp.gnu.org, -in /pub/gnu/gcc (as a URL, that's ftp://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/gcc). + GDB requires an ISO-C (ANSI C) compiler. If you do not have an +ISO-C compiler for your system, you may be able to download and +install the GNU CC compiler. It is available via anonymous FTP from +the directory `ftp://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/gcc'. -GDB can be used as a cross-debugger, running on a machine of one type -while debugging a program running on a machine of another type. See below. + GDB can be used as a cross-debugger, running on a machine of one +type while debugging a program running on a machine of another type. +See below. More Documentation ****************** All the documentation for GDB comes as part of the machine-readable -distribution. The documentation is written in Texinfo format, which is -a documentation system that uses a single source file to produce both -on-line information and a printed manual. You can use one of the Info -formatting commands to create the on-line version of the documentation -and TeX (or `texi2roff') to typeset the printed version. - - GDB includes an already formatted copy of the on-line Info version of -this manual in the `gdb/doc' subdirectory. The main Info file is -`gdb-4.18/gdb/doc/gdb.info', and it refers to subordinate files matching -`gdb.info*' in the same directory. If necessary, you can print out -these files, or read them with any editor; but they are easier to read -using the `info' subsystem in GNU Emacs or the standalone `info' program, -available as part of the GNU Texinfo distribution. +distribution. The documentation is written in Texinfo format, which +is a documentation system that uses a single source file to produce +both on-line information and a printed manual. You can use one of the +Info formatting commands to create the on-line version of the +documentation and TeX (or `texi2roff') to typeset the printed version. + + GDB includes an already formatted copy of the on-line Info version +of this manual in the `gdb/doc' subdirectory. The main Info file is +`gdb-5.0/gdb/doc/gdb.info', and it refers to subordinate files +matching `gdb.info*' in the same directory. If necessary, you can +print out these files, or read them with any editor; but they are +easier to read using the `info' subsystem in GNU Emacs or the +standalone `info' program, available as part of the GNU Texinfo +distribution. If you want to format these Info files yourself, you need one of the Info formatting programs, such as `texinfo-format-buffer' or `makeinfo'. If you have `makeinfo' installed, and are in the top level GDB -source directory (`gdb-4.18', in the case of version 4.18), you can make +source directory (`gdb-5.0', in the case of version 5.0), you can make the Info file by typing: cd gdb/doc @@ -92,7 +95,7 @@ the Info file by typing: If you want to typeset and print copies of this manual, you need TeX, a program to print its DVI output files, and `texinfo.tex', the Texinfo definitions file. This file is included in the GDB -distribution, in the directory `gdb-4.18/texinfo'. +distribution, in the directory `gdb-5.0/texinfo'. TeX is a typesetting program; it does not print files directly, but produces output files called DVI files. To print a typeset document, @@ -106,11 +109,11 @@ without any extension or a `.dvi' extension. This file tells TeX how to typeset a document written in Texinfo format. On its own, TeX cannot read, much less typeset a Texinfo file. `texinfo.tex' is distributed with GDB and is located in the -`gdb-4.18/texinfo' directory. +`gdb-5.0/texinfo' directory. If you have TeX and a DVI printer program installed, you can typeset and print this manual. First switch to the the `gdb' subdirectory of -the main source directory (for example, to `gdb-4.18/gdb') and then type: +the main source directory (for example, to `gdb-5.0/gdb') and then type: make gdb.dvi @@ -126,55 +129,55 @@ preparing GDB for installation; you can then use `make' to build the a single directory, whose name is usually composed by appending the version number to `gdb'. - For example, the GDB version 4.18 distribution is in the `gdb-4.18' + For example, the GDB version 5.0 distribution is in the `gdb-5.0' directory. That directory contains: -`gdb-4.18/{COPYING,COPYING.LIB}' +`gdb-5.0/{COPYING,COPYING.LIB}' Standard GNU license files. Please read them. -`gdb-4.18/bfd' +`gdb-5.0/bfd' source for the Binary File Descriptor library -`gdb-4.18/config*' +`gdb-5.0/config*' script for configuring GDB, along with other support files -`gdb-4.18/gdb' +`gdb-5.0/gdb' the source specific to GDB itself -`gdb-4.18/include' +`gdb-5.0/include' GNU include files -`gdb-4.18/libiberty' +`gdb-5.0/libiberty' source for the `-liberty' free software library -`gdb-4.18/mmalloc' +`gdb-5.0/mmalloc' source for the GNU memory-mapped malloc package -`gdb-4.18/opcodes' +`gdb-5.0/opcodes' source for the library of opcode tables and disassemblers -`gdb-4.18/readline' +`gdb-5.0/readline' source for the GNU command-line interface NOTE: The readline library is compiled for use by GDB, but will not be installed on your system when "make install" is issued. -`gdb-4.18/sim' +`gdb-5.0/sim' source for some simulators (ARM, D10V, SPARC, M32R, MIPS, PPC, V850, etc) -`gdb-4.18/intl' +`gdb-5.0/intl' source for the GNU gettext library, for internationalization. This is slightly modified from the standalone gettext distribution you can get from GNU. -`gdb-4.18/texinfo' +`gdb-5.0/texinfo' The `texinfo.tex' file, which you need in order to make a printed manual using TeX. -`gdb-4.18/etc' +`gdb-5.0/etc' Coding standards, useful files for editing GDB, and other miscellanea. -`gdb-4.18/utils' +`gdb-5.0/utils' A grab bag of random utilities. Note: the following instructions are for building GDB on Unix or @@ -183,14 +186,14 @@ MS-DOS/MS-Windows are in the file gdb/config/djgpp/README. The simplest way to configure and build GDB is to run `configure' from the `gdb-VERSION-NUMBER' source directory, which in this example -is the `gdb-4.18' directory. +is the `gdb-5.0' directory. First switch to the `gdb-VERSION-NUMBER' source directory if you are not already in it; then run `configure'. For example: - cd gdb-4.18 + cd gdb-5.0 ./configure make @@ -206,8 +209,8 @@ you may need to run `sh' on it explicitly: sh configure If you run `configure' from a directory that contains source -directories for multiple libraries or programs, such as the `gdb-4.18' -source directory for version 4.18, `configure' creates configuration +directories for multiple libraries or programs, such as the `gdb-5.0' +source directory for version 5.0, `configure' creates configuration files for every directory level underneath (unless you tell it not to, with the `--norecursion' option). @@ -215,10 +218,10 @@ with the `--norecursion' option). directories in the GDB distribution, if you only want to configure that subdirectory; but be sure to specify a path to it. - For example, with version 4.18, type the following to configure only + For example, with version 5.0, type the following to configure only the `bfd' subdirectory: - cd gdb-4.18/bfd + cd gdb-5.0/bfd ../configure You can install `gdb' anywhere; it has no hardwired paths. However, @@ -247,13 +250,13 @@ directory. If the path to `configure' would be the same as the argument to `--srcdir', you can leave out the `--srcdir' option; it will be assumed.) - For example, with version 4.18, you can build GDB in a separate + For example, with version 5.0, you can build GDB in a separate directory for a Sun 4 like this: - cd gdb-4.18 + cd gdb-5.0 mkdir ../gdb-sun4 cd ../gdb-sun4 - ../gdb-4.18/configure sun4 + ../gdb-5.0/configure make When `configure' builds a configuration using a remote source @@ -274,8 +277,8 @@ called `configure' (or one of its subdirectories). The `Makefile' that `configure' generates in each source directory also runs recursively. If you type `make' in a source directory such -as `gdb-4.18' (or in a separate configured directory configured with -`--srcdir=PATH/gdb-4.18'), you will build all the required libraries, +as `gdb-5.0' (or in a separate configured directory configured with +`--srcdir=PATH/gdb-5.0'), you will build all the required libraries, and then build GDB. When you have multiple hosts or targets configured in separate @@ -318,7 +321,7 @@ you can use it to test your guesses on abbreviations--for example: Invalid configuration `i786v': machine `i786v' not recognized `config.sub' is also distributed in the GDB source directory -(`gdb-4.18', for version 4.18). +(`gdb-5.0', for version 5.0). `configure' options @@ -372,11 +375,13 @@ prefer; but you may abbreviate option names if you use `--'. code which looks even vaguely suspicious. You should only using this feature if you're compiling with GNU CC. It passes the following flags: - -Wall + -Wimplicit + -Wreturn-type + -Wcomment + -Wtrigraphs + -Wformat + -Wparentheses -Wpointer-arith - -Wstrict-prototypes - -Wmissing-prototypes - -Wmissing-declarations `--target=TARGET' Configure GDB for cross-debugging programs running on the specified @@ -410,32 +415,31 @@ See the GDB manual (gdb/doc/gdb.texinfo) for information on this. Kernel debugging ================= -I have't done this myself so I can't really offer any advice. -Remote debugging over serial lines works fine, but the kernel debugging -code in here has not been tested in years. Van Jacobson has + I have't done this myself so I can't really offer any advice. +Remote debugging over serial lines works fine, but the kernel +debugging code in here has not been tested in years. Van Jacobson has better kernel debugging, but the UC lawyers won't let FSF have it. Remote debugging ================= -The files m68k-stub.c, i386-stub.c, and sparc-stub.c are examples of -remote stubs to be used with remote.c. They are designed to run -standalone on an m68k, i386, or SPARC cpu and communicate properly with -the remote.c stub over a serial line. + The files m68k-stub.c, i386-stub.c, and sparc-stub.c are examples +of remote stubs to be used with remote.c. They are designed to run +standalone on an m68k, i386, or SPARC cpu and communicate properly +with the remote.c stub over a serial line. -The directory gdb/gdbserver/ contains `gdbserver', a program that + The directory gdb/gdbserver/ contains `gdbserver', a program that allows remote debugging for Unix applications. gdbserver is only -supported for some native configurations, including Sun 3, Sun 4, -and Linux. +supported for some native configurations, including Sun 3, Sun 4, and +Linux. -There are a number of remote interfaces for talking to existing ROM + There are a number of remote interfaces for talking to existing ROM monitors and other hardware: remote-adapt.c AMD 29000 "Adapt" remote-array.c Array Tech RAID controller remote-bug.c Motorola BUG monitor - remote-d10v.c GDB protocol, talking to a d10v chip remote-e7000.c Hitachi E7000 ICE remote-eb.c AMD 29000 "EBMON" remote-es.c Ericsson 1800 monitor @@ -454,34 +458,36 @@ monitors and other hardware: remote-udi.c AMD 29000 using the AMD "Universal Debug Interface" remote-vx.c VxWorks realtime kernel -Remote-vx.c and the vx-share subdirectory contain a remote interface for the -VxWorks realtime kernel, which communicates over TCP using the Sun -RPC library. This would be a useful starting point for other remote- -via-ethernet back ends. + Remote-vx.c and the vx-share subdirectory contain a remote +interface for the VxWorks realtime kernel, which communicates over TCP +using the Sun RPC library. This would be a useful starting point for +other remote- via-ethernet back ends. -Remote-udi.c and the 29k-share subdirectory contain a remote interface -for AMD 29000 programs, which uses the AMD "Universal Debug Interface". -This allows GDB to talk to software simulators, emulators, and/or bare -hardware boards, via network or serial interfaces. Note that GDB only -provides an interface that speaks UDI, not a complete solution. You -will need something on the other end that also speaks UDI. + Remote-udi.c and the 29k-share subdirectory contain a remote +interface for AMD 29000 programs, which uses the AMD "Universal Debug +Interface". This allows GDB to talk to software simulators, +emulators, and/or bare hardware boards, via network or serial +interfaces. Note that GDB only provides an interface that speaks UDI, +not a complete solution. You will need something on the other end +that also speaks UDI. Reporting Bugs =============== -The correct address for reporting bugs found in gdb is -"bug-gdb@gnu.org". Please email all bugs, and all requests for -help with GDB, to that address. Please include the GDB version number -(e.g., gdb-4.18), and how you configured it (e.g., "sun4" or "mach386 + The correct address for reporting bugs found in gdb is +"bug-gdb@gnu.org". Please email all bugs, and all requests for help +with GDB, to that address. Please include the GDB version number +(e.g., gdb-5.0), and how you configured it (e.g., "sun4" or "mach386 host, i586-intel-synopsys target"). Since GDB now supports so many -different configurations, it is important that you be precise about this. -If at all possible, you should include the actual banner that GDB prints -when it starts up, or failing that, the actual configure command that -you used when configuring GDB. +different configurations, it is important that you be precise about +this. If at all possible, you should include the actual banner that +GDB prints when it starts up, or failing that, the actual configure +command that you used when configuring GDB. -For more information on how/whether to report bugs, see the GDB Bugs -section of the GDB manual (gdb/doc/gdb.texinfo). + For more information on how/whether to report bugs, see the GDB +Bugs section of the GDB manual (gdb/doc/gdb.texinfo) or the +gdb/CONTRIBUTE file. Known bugs: @@ -531,61 +537,47 @@ Known bugs: subsystem that is on the IDO CD, otherwise you will get complaints that certain files such as `/usr/include/syms.h' cannot be found. - * Notes for BSD/386: - To compile gdb-4.18 on BSD/386, you must run the configure script and - its subscripts with bash. Here is an easy way to do this: - - bash -c 'CONFIG_SHELL=/bin/bash ./configure' - - (configure will report i386-unknown-bsd). Then, compile with the - standard "make" command. - -GDB can produce warnings about symbols that it does not understand. By -default, these warnings are disabled. You can enable them by executing -`set complaint 10' (which you can put in your ~/.gdbinit if you like). -I recommend doing this if you are working on a compiler, assembler, -linker, or GDB, since it will point out problems that you may be able -to fix. Warnings produced during symbol reading indicate some mismatch -between the object file and GDB's symbol reading code. In many cases, -it's a mismatch between the specs for the object file format, and what -the compiler actually outputs or the debugger actually understands. - - -X Windows versus GDB -===================== + * Under Irix 6 you must build with GCC. The vendor compiler reports + as errors certain assignments that GCC considers to be warnings. + + GDB can produce warnings about symbols that it does not understand. +By default, these warnings are disabled. You can enable them by +executing `set complaint 10' (which you can put in your ~/.gdbinit if +you like). I recommend doing this if you are working on a compiler, +assembler, linker, or GDB, since it will point out problems that you +may be able to fix. Warnings produced during symbol reading indicate +some mismatch between the object file and GDB's symbol reading code. +In many cases, it's a mismatch between the specs for the object file +format, and what the compiler actually outputs or the debugger +actually understands. + + +Graphical interface to GDB -- X Windows, MS Windows +========================== -You should check out DDD, the Data Display Debugger. Here's the blurb -from the DDD web site, http://www.cs.tu-bs.de/softech/ddd: + Several graphical interfaces to GDB are available. You should +check: - The Data Display Debugger (DDD) is a popular graphical user - interface for command-line debuggers such as GDB, DBX, JDB, WDB, - XDB, the Perl debugger, and the Python debugger. Besides ``usual'' - front-end features such as viewing source texts, DDD has become - famous through its interactive graphical data display, where data - structures are displayed as graphs. A simple mouse click - dereferences pointers or views structure contents, updated each - time the program stops. Using DDD, you can reason about your - application by watching its data, not just by viewing it execute - lines of source code. + http://sourceware.cygnus.com/gdb/#gui -Emacs users will very likely enjoy the Grand Unified Debugger mode; -try typing `M-x gdb RET'. +for an up-to-date list. -Those interested in experimenting with a new kind of gdb-mode -should load gdb/gdba.el into GNU Emacs 19.25 or later. Comments -on this mode are also welcome. + Emacs users will very likely enjoy the Grand Unified Debugger mode; +try typing `M-x gdb RET'. Those interested in experimenting with a +new kind of gdb-mode should load gdb/gdba.el into GNU Emacs 19.25 or +later. Comments on this mode are also welcome. Writing Code for GDB ===================== -There is a lot of information about writing code for GDB in the + There is a lot of information about writing code for GDB in the internals manual, distributed with GDB in gdb/doc/gdbint.texinfo. You can read it by hand, print it by using TeX and texinfo, or process it into an `info' file for use with Emacs' info mode or the standalone `info' program. -If you are pondering writing anything but a short patch, especially + If you are pondering writing anything but a short patch, especially take note of the information about copyrights in the node Submitting Patches. It can take quite a while to get all the paperwork done, so we encourage you to start that process as soon as you decide you are @@ -596,26 +588,33 @@ think you will be ready to submit the patches. GDB Testsuite ============= -There is a DejaGNU based testsuite available for testing your newly -built GDB, or for regression testing GDBs with local modifications. + Included with the GDB distribution is a DejaGNU based testsuite +that can either be used to test your newly built GDB, or for +regression testing a GDB with local modifications. + + Running the testsuite requires the prior installation of DejaGNU, +which is generally available via ftp. The directory +ftp://sourceware.cygnus.com/pub/dejagnu/ will contain a recent +snapshot. Once DejaGNU is installed, you can run the tests in one of +the following ways: -Running the testsuite requires the prior installation of DejaGNU, -which is generally available via ftp; you'll need a pretty recent -release. Once DejaGNU is installed, you can run the tests in one of -two ways: + (1) cd gdb-5.0 + make check-gdb + +or - (1) cd gdb-4.18/gdb (assuming you also unpacked gdb) + (2) cd gdb-5.0/gdb make check or - (2) cd gdb-4.18/gdb/testsuite + (3) cd gdb-5.0/gdb/testsuite make site.exp (builds the site specific file) runtest -tool gdb GDB=../gdb (or GDB=<somepath> as appropriate) -The second method gives you slightly more control in case of problems with -building one or more test executables or if you are using the testsuite -'standalone', without it being part of the GDB source tree. +The last method gives you slightly more control in case of problems +with building one or more test executables or if you are using the +testsuite `standalone', without it being part of the GDB source tree. See the DejaGNU documentation for further details. |