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This is Info file ./gdb.info, produced by Makeinfo version 1.68 from
the input file gdb.texinfo.
START-INFO-DIR-ENTRY
* Gdb: (gdb). The GNU debugger.
END-INFO-DIR-ENTRY
This file documents the GNU debugger GDB.
This is the Fifth Edition, April 1998, of `Debugging with GDB: the
GNU Source-Level Debugger' for GDB Version .
Copyright (C) 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996,
1997, 1998 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: Print Settings, Next: Value History, Prev: Auto Display, Up: Data
Print settings
==============
GDB provides the following ways to control how arrays, structures,
and symbols are printed.
These settings are useful for debugging programs in any language:
`set print address'
`set print address on'
GDB prints memory addresses showing the location of stack traces,
structure values, pointer values, breakpoints, and so forth, even
when it also displays the contents of those addresses. The default
is `on'. For example, this is what a stack frame display looks
like with `set print address on':
(gdb) f
#0 set_quotes (lq=0x34c78 "<<", rq=0x34c88 ">>")
at input.c:530
530 if (lquote != def_lquote)
`set print address off'
Do not print addresses when displaying their contents. For
example, this is the same stack frame displayed with `set print
address off':
(gdb) set print addr off
(gdb) f
#0 set_quotes (lq="<<", rq=">>") at input.c:530
530 if (lquote != def_lquote)
You can use `set print address off' to eliminate all machine
dependent displays from the GDB interface. For example, with
`print address off', you should get the same text for backtraces on
all machines--whether or not they involve pointer arguments.
`show print address'
Show whether or not addresses are to be printed.
When GDB prints a symbolic address, it normally prints the closest
earlier symbol plus an offset. If that symbol does not uniquely
identify the address (for example, it is a name whose scope is a single
source file), you may need to clarify. One way to do this is with
`info line', for example `info line *0x4537'. Alternately, you can set
GDB to print the source file and line number when it prints a symbolic
address:
`set print symbol-filename on'
Tell GDB to print the source file name and line number of a symbol
in the symbolic form of an address.
`set print symbol-filename off'
Do not print source file name and line number of a symbol. This
is the default.
`show print symbol-filename'
Show whether or not GDB will print the source file name and line
number of a symbol in the symbolic form of an address.
Another situation where it is helpful to show symbol filenames and
line numbers is when disassembling code; GDB shows you the line number
and source file that corresponds to each instruction.
Also, you may wish to see the symbolic form only if the address being
printed is reasonably close to the closest earlier symbol:
`set print max-symbolic-offset MAX-OFFSET'
Tell GDB to only display the symbolic form of an address if the
offset between the closest earlier symbol and the address is less
than MAX-OFFSET. The default is 0, which tells GDB to always
print the symbolic form of an address if any symbol precedes it.
`show print max-symbolic-offset'
Ask how large the maximum offset is that GDB prints in a symbolic
address.
If you have a pointer and you are not sure where it points, try `set
print symbol-filename on'. Then you can determine the name and source
file location of the variable where it points, using `p/a POINTER'.
This interprets the address in symbolic form. For example, here GDB
shows that a variable `ptt' points at another variable `t', defined in
`hi2.c':
(gdb) set print symbol-filename on
(gdb) p/a ptt
$4 = 0xe008 <t in hi2.c>
*Warning:* For pointers that point to a local variable, `p/a' does
not show the symbol name and filename of the referent, even with
the appropriate `set print' options turned on.
Other settings control how different kinds of objects are printed:
`set print array'
`set print array on'
Pretty print arrays. This format is more convenient to read, but
uses more space. The default is off.
`set print array off'
Return to compressed format for arrays.
`show print array'
Show whether compressed or pretty format is selected for displaying
arrays.
`set print elements NUMBER-OF-ELEMENTS'
Set a limit on how many elements of an array GDB will print. If
GDB is printing a large array, it stops printing after it has
printed the number of elements set by the `set print elements'
command. This limit also applies to the display of strings.
Setting NUMBER-OF-ELEMENTS to zero means that the printing is
unlimited.
`show print elements'
Display the number of elements of a large array that GDB will
print. If the number is 0, then the printing is unlimited.
`set print null-stop'
Cause GDB to stop printing the characters of an array when the
first NULL is encountered. This is useful when large arrays
actually contain only short strings.
`set print pretty on'
Cause GDB to print structures in an indented format with one member
per line, like this:
$1 = {
next = 0x0,
flags = {
sweet = 1,
sour = 1
},
meat = 0x54 "Pork"
}
`set print pretty off'
Cause GDB to print structures in a compact format, like this:
$1 = {next = 0x0, flags = {sweet = 1, sour = 1}, \
meat = 0x54 "Pork"}
This is the default format.
`show print pretty'
Show which format GDB is using to print structures.
`set print sevenbit-strings on'
Print using only seven-bit characters; if this option is set, GDB
displays any eight-bit characters (in strings or character values)
using the notation `\'NNN. This setting is best if you are
working in English (ASCII) and you use the high-order bit of
characters as a marker or "meta" bit.
`set print sevenbit-strings off'
Print full eight-bit characters. This allows the use of more
international character sets, and is the default.
`show print sevenbit-strings'
Show whether or not GDB is printing only seven-bit characters.
`set print union on'
Tell GDB to print unions which are contained in structures. This
is the default setting.
`set print union off'
Tell GDB not to print unions which are contained in structures.
`show print union'
Ask GDB whether or not it will print unions which are contained in
structures.
For example, given the declarations
typedef enum {Tree, Bug} Species;
typedef enum {Big_tree, Acorn, Seedling} Tree_forms;
typedef enum {Caterpillar, Cocoon, Butterfly}
Bug_forms;
struct thing {
Species it;
union {
Tree_forms tree;
Bug_forms bug;
} form;
};
struct thing foo = {Tree, {Acorn}};
with `set print union on' in effect `p foo' would print
$1 = {it = Tree, form = {tree = Acorn, bug = Cocoon}}
and with `set print union off' in effect it would print
$1 = {it = Tree, form = {...}}
These settings are of interest when debugging C++ programs:
`set print demangle'
`set print demangle on'
Print C++ names in their source form rather than in the encoded
("mangled") form passed to the assembler and linker for type-safe
linkage. The default is `on'.
`show print demangle'
Show whether C++ names are printed in mangled or demangled form.
`set print asm-demangle'
`set print asm-demangle on'
Print C++ names in their source form rather than their mangled
form, even in assembler code printouts such as instruction
disassemblies. The default is off.
`show print asm-demangle'
Show whether C++ names in assembly listings are printed in mangled
or demangled form.
`set demangle-style STYLE'
Choose among several encoding schemes used by different compilers
to represent C++ names. The choices for STYLE are currently:
`auto'
Allow GDB to choose a decoding style by inspecting your
program.
`gnu'
Decode based on the GNU C++ compiler (`g++') encoding
algorithm. This is the default.
`lucid'
Decode based on the Lucid C++ compiler (`lcc') encoding
algorithm.
`arm'
Decode using the algorithm in the `C++ Annotated Reference
Manual'. *Warning:* this setting alone is not sufficient to
allow debugging `cfront'-generated executables. GDB would
require further enhancement to permit that.
`foo'
Show the list of formats.
`show demangle-style'
Display the encoding style currently in use for decoding C++
symbols.
`set print object'
`set print object on'
When displaying a pointer to an object, identify the *actual*
(derived) type of the object rather than the *declared* type, using
the virtual function table.
`set print object off'
Display only the declared type of objects, without reference to the
virtual function table. This is the default setting.
`show print object'
Show whether actual, or declared, object types are displayed.
`set print static-members'
`set print static-members on'
Print static members when displaying a C++ object. The default is
on.
`set print static-members off'
Do not print static members when displaying a C++ object.
`show print static-members'
Show whether C++ static members are printed, or not.
`set print vtbl'
`set print vtbl on'
Pretty print C++ virtual function tables. The default is off.
`set print vtbl off'
Do not pretty print C++ virtual function tables.
`show print vtbl'
Show whether C++ virtual function tables are pretty printed, or
not.
File: gdb.info, Node: Value History, Next: Convenience Vars, Prev: Print Settings, Up: Data
Value history
=============
Values printed by the `print' command are saved in the GDB "value
history". This allows you to refer to them in other expressions.
Values are kept until the symbol table is re-read or discarded (for
example with the `file' or `symbol-file' commands). When the symbol
table changes, the value history is discarded, since the values may
contain pointers back to the types defined in the symbol table.
The values printed are given "history numbers" by which you can
refer to them. These are successive integers starting with one.
`print' shows you the history number assigned to a value by printing
`$NUM = ' before the value; here NUM is the history number.
To refer to any previous value, use `$' followed by the value's
history number. The way `print' labels its output is designed to
remind you of this. Just `$' refers to the most recent value in the
history, and `$$' refers to the value before that. `$$N' refers to the
Nth value from the end; `$$2' is the value just prior to `$$', `$$1' is
equivalent to `$$', and `$$0' is equivalent to `$'.
For example, suppose you have just printed a pointer to a structure
and want to see the contents of the structure. It suffices to type
p *$
If you have a chain of structures where the component `next' points
to the next one, you can print the contents of the next one with this:
p *$.next
You can print successive links in the chain by repeating this
command--which you can do by just typing <RET>.
Note that the history records values, not expressions. If the value
of `x' is 4 and you type these commands:
print x
set x=5
then the value recorded in the value history by the `print' command
remains 4 even though the value of `x' has changed.
`show values'
Print the last ten values in the value history, with their item
numbers. This is like `p $$9' repeated ten times, except that
`show values' does not change the history.
`show values N'
Print ten history values centered on history item number N.
`show values +'
Print ten history values just after the values last printed. If
no more values are available, `show values +' produces no display.
Pressing <RET> to repeat `show values N' has exactly the same effect
as `show values +'.
File: gdb.info, Node: Convenience Vars, Next: Registers, Prev: Value History, Up: Data
Convenience variables
=====================
GDB provides "convenience variables" that you can use within GDB to
hold on to a value and refer to it later. These variables exist
entirely within GDB; they are not part of your program, and setting a
convenience variable has no direct effect on further execution of your
program. That is why you can use them freely.
Convenience variables are prefixed with `$'. Any name preceded by
`$' can be used for a convenience variable, unless it is one of the
predefined machine-specific register names (*note Registers::.).
(Value history references, in contrast, are *numbers* preceded by `$'.
*Note Value history: Value History.)
You can save a value in a convenience variable with an assignment
expression, just as you would set a variable in your program. For
example:
set $foo = *object_ptr
would save in `$foo' the value contained in the object pointed to by
`object_ptr'.
Using a convenience variable for the first time creates it, but its
value is `void' until you assign a new value. You can alter the value
with another assignment at any time.
Convenience variables have no fixed types. You can assign a
convenience variable any type of value, including structures and
arrays, even if that variable already has a value of a different type.
The convenience variable, when used as an expression, has the type of
its current value.
`show convenience'
Print a list of convenience variables used so far, and their
values. Abbreviated `show con'.
One of the ways to use a convenience variable is as a counter to be
incremented or a pointer to be advanced. For example, to print a field
from successive elements of an array of structures:
set $i = 0
print bar[$i++]->contents
Repeat that command by typing <RET>.
Some convenience variables are created automatically by GDB and given
values likely to be useful.
`$_'
The variable `$_' is automatically set by the `x' command to the
last address examined (*note Examining memory: Memory.). Other
commands which provide a default address for `x' to examine also
set `$_' to that address; these commands include `info line' and
`info breakpoint'. The type of `$_' is `void *' except when set
by the `x' command, in which case it is a pointer to the type of
`$__'.
`$__'
The variable `$__' is automatically set by the `x' command to the
value found in the last address examined. Its type is chosen to
match the format in which the data was printed.
`$_exitcode'
The variable `$_exitcode' is automatically set to the exit code
when the program being debugged terminates.
File: gdb.info, Node: Registers, Next: Floating Point Hardware, Prev: Convenience Vars, Up: Data
Registers
=========
You can refer to machine register contents, in expressions, as
variables with names starting with `$'. The names of registers are
different for each machine; use `info registers' to see the names used
on your machine.
`info registers'
Print the names and values of all registers except floating-point
registers (in the selected stack frame).
`info all-registers'
Print the names and values of all registers, including
floating-point registers.
`info registers REGNAME ...'
Print the "relativized" value of each specified register REGNAME.
As discussed in detail below, register values are normally
relative to the selected stack frame. REGNAME may be any register
name valid on the machine you are using, with or without the
initial `$'.
GDB has four "standard" register names that are available (in
expressions) on most machines--whenever they do not conflict with an
architecture's canonical mnemonics for registers. The register names
`$pc' and `$sp' are used for the program counter register and the stack
pointer. `$fp' is used for a register that contains a pointer to the
current stack frame, and `$ps' is used for a register that contains the
processor status. For example, you could print the program counter in
hex with
p/x $pc
or print the instruction to be executed next with
x/i $pc
or add four to the stack pointer(1) with
set $sp += 4
Whenever possible, these four standard register names are available
on your machine even though the machine has different canonical
mnemonics, so long as there is no conflict. The `info registers'
command shows the canonical names. For example, on the SPARC, `info
registers' displays the processor status register as `$psr' but you can
also refer to it as `$ps'.
GDB always considers the contents of an ordinary register as an
integer when the register is examined in this way. Some machines have
special registers which can hold nothing but floating point; these
registers are considered to have floating point values. There is no way
to refer to the contents of an ordinary register as floating point value
(although you can *print* it as a floating point value with `print/f
$REGNAME').
Some registers have distinct "raw" and "virtual" data formats. This
means that the data format in which the register contents are saved by
the operating system is not the same one that your program normally
sees. For example, the registers of the 68881 floating point
coprocessor are always saved in "extended" (raw) format, but all C
programs expect to work with "double" (virtual) format. In such cases,
GDB normally works with the virtual format only (the format that makes
sense for your program), but the `info registers' command prints the
data in both formats.
Normally, register values are relative to the selected stack frame
(*note Selecting a frame: Selection.). This means that you get the
value that the register would contain if all stack frames farther in
were exited and their saved registers restored. In order to see the
true contents of hardware registers, you must select the innermost
frame (with `frame 0').
However, GDB must deduce where registers are saved, from the machine
code generated by your compiler. If some registers are not saved, or if
GDB is unable to locate the saved registers, the selected stack frame
makes no difference.
`set rstack_high_address ADDRESS'
On AMD 29000 family processors, registers are saved in a separate
"register stack". There is no way for GDB to determine the extent
of this stack. Normally, GDB just assumes that the stack is "large
enough". This may result in GDB referencing memory locations that
do not exist. If necessary, you can get around this problem by
specifying the ending address of the register stack with the `set
rstack_high_address' command. The argument should be an address,
which you probably want to precede with `0x' to specify in
hexadecimal.
`show rstack_high_address'
Display the current limit of the register stack, on AMD 29000
family processors.
---------- Footnotes ----------
(1) This is a way of removing one word from the stack, on machines
where stacks grow downward in memory (most machines, nowadays). This
assumes that the innermost stack frame is selected; setting `$sp' is
not allowed when other stack frames are selected. To pop entire frames
off the stack, regardless of machine architecture, use `return'; *note
Returning from a function: Returning..
File: gdb.info, Node: Floating Point Hardware, Prev: Registers, Up: Data
Floating point hardware
=======================
Depending on the configuration, GDB may be able to give you more
information about the status of the floating point hardware.
`info float'
Display hardware-dependent information about the floating point
unit. The exact contents and layout vary depending on the
floating point chip. Currently, `info float' is supported on the
ARM and x86 machines.
File: gdb.info, Node: Languages, Next: Symbols, Prev: Data, Up: Top
Using GDB with Different Languages
**********************************
Although programming languages generally have common aspects, they
are rarely expressed in the same manner. For instance, in ANSI C,
dereferencing a pointer `p' is accomplished by `*p', but in Modula-2,
it is accomplished by `p^'. Values can also be represented (and
displayed) differently. Hex numbers in C appear as `0x1ae', while in
Modula-2 they appear as `1AEH'.
Language-specific information is built into GDB for some languages,
allowing you to express operations like the above in your program's
native language, and allowing GDB to output values in a manner
consistent with the syntax of your program's native language. The
language you use to build expressions is called the "working language".
* Menu:
* Setting:: Switching between source languages
* Show:: Displaying the language
* Checks:: Type and range checks
* Support:: Supported languages
File: gdb.info, Node: Setting, Next: Show, Up: Languages
Switching between source languages
==================================
There are two ways to control the working language--either have GDB
set it automatically, or select it manually yourself. You can use the
`set language' command for either purpose. On startup, GDB defaults to
setting the language automatically. The working language is used to
determine how expressions you type are interpreted, how values are
printed, etc.
In addition to the working language, every source file that GDB
knows about has its own working language. For some object file
formats, the compiler might indicate which language a particular source
file is in. However, most of the time GDB infers the language from the
name of the file. The language of a source file controls whether C++
names are demangled--this way `backtrace' can show each frame
appropriately for its own language. There is no way to set the
language of a source file from within GDB.
This is most commonly a problem when you use a program, such as
`cfront' or `f2c', that generates C but is written in another language.
In that case, make the program use `#line' directives in its C output;
that way GDB will know the correct language of the source code of the
original program, and will display that source code, not the generated
C code.
* Menu:
* Filenames:: Filename extensions and languages.
* Manually:: Setting the working language manually
* Automatically:: Having GDB infer the source language
File: gdb.info, Node: Filenames, Next: Manually, Up: Setting
List of filename extensions and languages
-----------------------------------------
If a source file name ends in one of the following extensions, then
GDB infers that its language is the one indicated.
`.mod'
Modula-2 source file
`.c'
C source file
`.C'
`.cc'
`.cxx'
`.cpp'
`.cp'
`.c++'
C++ source file
`.ch'
`.c186'
`.c286'
CHILL source file.
`.s'
`.S'
Assembler source file. This actually behaves almost like C, but
GDB does not skip over function prologues when stepping.
File: gdb.info, Node: Manually, Next: Automatically, Prev: Filenames, Up: Setting
Setting the working language
----------------------------
If you allow GDB to set the language automatically, expressions are
interpreted the same way in your debugging session and your program.
If you wish, you may set the language manually. To do this, issue
the command `set language LANG', where LANG is the name of a language,
such as `c' or `modula-2'. For a list of the supported languages, type
`set language'.
Setting the language manually prevents GDB from updating the working
language automatically. This can lead to confusion if you try to debug
a program when the working language is not the same as the source
language, when an expression is acceptable to both languages--but means
different things. For instance, if the current source file were
written in C, and GDB was parsing Modula-2, a command such as:
print a = b + c
might not have the effect you intended. In C, this means to add `b'
and `c' and place the result in `a'. The result printed would be the
value of `a'. In Modula-2, this means to compare `a' to the result of
`b+c', yielding a `BOOLEAN' value.
File: gdb.info, Node: Automatically, Prev: Manually, Up: Setting
Having GDB infer the source language
------------------------------------
To have GDB set the working language automatically, use `set
language local' or `set language auto'. GDB then infers the working
language. That is, when your program stops in a frame (usually by
encountering a breakpoint), GDB sets the working language to the
language recorded for the function in that frame. If the language for
a frame is unknown (that is, if the function or block corresponding to
the frame was defined in a source file that does not have a recognized
extension), the current working language is not changed, and GDB issues
a warning.
This may not seem necessary for most programs, which are written
entirely in one source language. However, program modules and libraries
written in one source language can be used by a main program written in
a different source language. Using `set language auto' in this case
frees you from having to set the working language manually.
File: gdb.info, Node: Show, Next: Checks, Prev: Setting, Up: Languages
Displaying the language
=======================
The following commands help you find out which language is the
working language, and also what language source files were written in.
`show language'
Display the current working language. This is the language you
can use with commands such as `print' to build and compute
expressions that may involve variables in your program.
`info frame'
Display the source language for this frame. This language becomes
the working language if you use an identifier from this frame.
*Note Information about a frame: Frame Info, to identify the other
information listed here.
`info source'
Display the source language of this source file. *Note Examining
the Symbol Table: Symbols, to identify the other information
listed here.
File: gdb.info, Node: Checks, Next: Support, Prev: Show, Up: Languages
Type and range checking
=======================
*Warning:* In this release, the GDB commands for type and range
checking are included, but they do not yet have any effect. This
section documents the intended facilities.
Some languages are designed to guard you against making seemingly
common errors through a series of compile- and run-time checks. These
include checking the type of arguments to functions and operators, and
making sure mathematical overflows are caught at run time. Checks such
as these help to ensure a program's correctness once it has been
compiled by eliminating type mismatches, and providing active checks
for range errors when your program is running.
GDB can check for conditions like the above if you wish. Although
GDB does not check the statements in your program, it can check
expressions entered directly into GDB for evaluation via the `print'
command, for example. As with the working language, GDB can also
decide whether or not to check automatically based on your program's
source language. *Note Supported languages: Support, for the default
settings of supported languages.
* Menu:
* Type Checking:: An overview of type checking
* Range Checking:: An overview of range checking
File: gdb.info, Node: Type Checking, Next: Range Checking, Up: Checks
An overview of type checking
----------------------------
Some languages, such as Modula-2, are strongly typed, meaning that
the arguments to operators and functions have to be of the correct type,
otherwise an error occurs. These checks prevent type mismatch errors
from ever causing any run-time problems. For example,
1 + 2 => 3
but
error--> 1 + 2.3
The second example fails because the `CARDINAL' 1 is not
type-compatible with the `REAL' 2.3.
For the expressions you use in GDB commands, you can tell the GDB
type checker to skip checking; to treat any mismatches as errors and
abandon the expression; or to only issue warnings when type mismatches
occur, but evaluate the expression anyway. When you choose the last of
these, GDB evaluates expressions like the second example above, but
also issues a warning.
Even if you turn type checking off, there may be other reasons
related to type that prevent GDB from evaluating an expression. For
instance, GDB does not know how to add an `int' and a `struct foo'.
These particular type errors have nothing to do with the language in
use, and usually arise from expressions, such as the one described
above, which make little sense to evaluate anyway.
Each language defines to what degree it is strict about type. For
instance, both Modula-2 and C require the arguments to arithmetical
operators to be numbers. In C, enumerated types and pointers can be
represented as numbers, so that they are valid arguments to mathematical
operators. *Note Supported languages: Support, for further details on
specific languages.
GDB provides some additional commands for controlling the type
checker:
`set check type auto'
Set type checking on or off based on the current working language.
*Note Supported languages: Support, for the default settings for
each language.
`set check type on'
`set check type off'
Set type checking on or off, overriding the default setting for the
current working language. Issue a warning if the setting does not
match the language default. If any type mismatches occur in
evaluating an expression while typechecking is on, GDB prints a
message and aborts evaluation of the expression.
`set check type warn'
Cause the type checker to issue warnings, but to always attempt to
evaluate the expression. Evaluating the expression may still be
impossible for other reasons. For example, GDB cannot add numbers
and structures.
`show type'
Show the current setting of the type checker, and whether or not
GDB is setting it automatically.
File: gdb.info, Node: Range Checking, Prev: Type Checking, Up: Checks
An overview of range checking
-----------------------------
In some languages (such as Modula-2), it is an error to exceed the
bounds of a type; this is enforced with run-time checks. Such range
checking is meant to ensure program correctness by making sure
computations do not overflow, or indices on an array element access do
not exceed the bounds of the array.
For expressions you use in GDB commands, you can tell GDB to treat
range errors in one of three ways: ignore them, always treat them as
errors and abandon the expression, or issue warnings but evaluate the
expression anyway.
A range error can result from numerical overflow, from exceeding an
array index bound, or when you type a constant that is not a member of
any type. Some languages, however, do not treat overflows as an error.
In many implementations of C, mathematical overflow causes the result
to "wrap around" to lower values--for example, if M is the largest
integer value, and S is the smallest, then
M + 1 => S
This, too, is specific to individual languages, and in some cases
specific to individual compilers or machines. *Note Supported
languages: Support, for further details on specific languages.
GDB provides some additional commands for controlling the range
checker:
`set check range auto'
Set range checking on or off based on the current working language.
*Note Supported languages: Support, for the default settings for
each language.
`set check range on'
`set check range off'
Set range checking on or off, overriding the default setting for
the current working language. A warning is issued if the setting
does not match the language default. If a range error occurs,
then a message is printed and evaluation of the expression is
aborted.
`set check range warn'
Output messages when the GDB range checker detects a range error,
but attempt to evaluate the expression anyway. Evaluating the
expression may still be impossible for other reasons, such as
accessing memory that the process does not own (a typical example
from many Unix systems).
`show range'
Show the current setting of the range checker, and whether or not
it is being set automatically by GDB.
File: gdb.info, Node: Support, Prev: Checks, Up: Languages
Supported languages
===================
GDB 4 supports C, C++, and Modula-2. Some GDB features may be used
in expressions regardless of the language you use: the GDB `@' and `::'
operators, and the `{type}addr' construct (*note Expressions:
Expressions.) can be used with the constructs of any supported language.
The following sections detail to what degree each source language is
supported by GDB. These sections are not meant to be language
tutorials or references, but serve only as a reference guide to what the
GDB expression parser accepts, and what input and output formats should
look like for different languages. There are many good books written
on each of these languages; please look to these for a language
reference or tutorial.
* Menu:
* C:: C and C++
* Modula-2:: Modula-2
File: gdb.info, Node: C, Next: Modula-2, Up: Support
C and C++
---------
Since C and C++ are so closely related, many features of GDB apply
to both languages. Whenever this is the case, we discuss those
languages together.
The C++ debugging facilities are jointly implemented by the GNU C++
compiler and GDB. Therefore, to debug your C++ code effectively, you
must compile your C++ programs with the GNU C++ compiler, `g++'.
For best results when debugging C++ programs, use the stabs debugging
format. You can select that format explicitly with the `g++'
command-line options `-gstabs' or `-gstabs+'. See *Note Options for
Debugging Your Program or GNU CC: (gcc.info)Debugging Options, for more
information.
* Menu:
* C Operators:: C and C++ operators
* C Constants:: C and C++ constants
* Cplus expressions:: C++ expressions
* C Defaults:: Default settings for C and C++
* C Checks:: C and C++ type and range checks
* Debugging C:: GDB and C
* Debugging C plus plus:: Special features for C++
File: gdb.info, Node: C Operators, Next: C Constants, Up: C
C and C++ operators
...................
Operators must be defined on values of specific types. For instance,
`+' is defined on numbers, but not on structures. Operators are often
defined on groups of types.
For the purposes of C and C++, the following definitions hold:
* *Integral types* include `int' with any of its storage-class
specifiers; `char'; and `enum'.
* *Floating-point types* include `float' and `double'.
* *Pointer types* include all types defined as `(TYPE *)'.
* *Scalar types* include all of the above.
The following operators are supported. They are listed here in order
of increasing precedence:
`,'
The comma or sequencing operator. Expressions in a
comma-separated list are evaluated from left to right, with the
result of the entire expression being the last expression
evaluated.
`='
Assignment. The value of an assignment expression is the value
assigned. Defined on scalar types.
`OP='
Used in an expression of the form `A OP= B', and translated to
`A = A OP B'. `OP=' and `=' have the same precendence. OP is any
one of the operators `|', `^', `&', `<<', `>>', `+', `-', `*',
`/', `%'.
`?:'
The ternary operator. `A ? B : C' can be thought of as: if A
then B else C. A should be of an integral type.
`||'
Logical OR. Defined on integral types.
`&&'
Logical AND. Defined on integral types.
`|'
Bitwise OR. Defined on integral types.
`^'
Bitwise exclusive-OR. Defined on integral types.
`&'
Bitwise AND. Defined on integral types.
`==, !='
Equality and inequality. Defined on scalar types. The value of
these expressions is 0 for false and non-zero for true.
`<, >, <=, >='
Less than, greater than, less than or equal, greater than or equal.
Defined on scalar types. The value of these expressions is 0 for
false and non-zero for true.
`<<, >>'
left shift, and right shift. Defined on integral types.
`@'
The GDB "artificial array" operator (*note Expressions:
Expressions.).
`+, -'
Addition and subtraction. Defined on integral types,
floating-point types and pointer types.
`*, /, %'
Multiplication, division, and modulus. Multiplication and
division are defined on integral and floating-point types.
Modulus is defined on integral types.
`++, --'
Increment and decrement. When appearing before a variable, the
operation is performed before the variable is used in an
expression; when appearing after it, the variable's value is used
before the operation takes place.
`*'
Pointer dereferencing. Defined on pointer types. Same precedence
as `++'.
`&'
Address operator. Defined on variables. Same precedence as `++'.
For debugging C++, GDB implements a use of `&' beyond what is
allowed in the C++ language itself: you can use `&(&REF)' (or, if
you prefer, simply `&&REF') to examine the address where a C++
reference variable (declared with `&REF') is stored.
`-'
Negative. Defined on integral and floating-point types. Same
precedence as `++'.
`!'
Logical negation. Defined on integral types. Same precedence as
`++'.
`~'
Bitwise complement operator. Defined on integral types. Same
precedence as `++'.
`., ->'
Structure member, and pointer-to-structure member. For
convenience, GDB regards the two as equivalent, choosing whether
to dereference a pointer based on the stored type information.
Defined on `struct' and `union' data.
`[]'
Array indexing. `A[I]' is defined as `*(A+I)'. Same precedence
as `->'.
`()'
Function parameter list. Same precedence as `->'.
`::'
C++ scope resolution operator. Defined on `struct', `union', and
`class' types.
`::'
Doubled colons also represent the GDB scope operator (*note
Expressions: Expressions.). Same precedence as `::', above.
File: gdb.info, Node: C Constants, Next: Cplus expressions, Prev: C Operators, Up: C
C and C++ constants
...................
GDB allows you to express the constants of C and C++ in the
following ways:
* Integer constants are a sequence of digits. Octal constants are
specified by a leading `0' (i.e. zero), and hexadecimal constants
by a leading `0x' or `0X'. Constants may also end with a letter
`l', specifying that the constant should be treated as a `long'
value.
* Floating point constants are a sequence of digits, followed by a
decimal point, followed by a sequence of digits, and optionally
followed by an exponent. An exponent is of the form:
`e[[+]|-]NNN', where NNN is another sequence of digits. The `+'
is optional for positive exponents.
* Enumerated constants consist of enumerated identifiers, or their
integral equivalents.
* Character constants are a single character surrounded by single
quotes (`''), or a number--the ordinal value of the corresponding
character (usually its ASCII value). Within quotes, the single
character may be represented by a letter or by "escape sequences",
which are of the form `\NNN', where NNN is the octal representation
of the character's ordinal value; or of the form `\X', where `X'
is a predefined special character--for example, `\n' for newline.
* String constants are a sequence of character constants surrounded
by double quotes (`"').
* Pointer constants are an integral value. You can also write
pointers to constants using the C operator `&'.
* Array constants are comma-separated lists surrounded by braces `{'
and `}'; for example, `{1,2,3}' is a three-element array of
integers, `{{1,2}, {3,4}, {5,6}}' is a three-by-two array, and
`{&"hi", &"there", &"fred"}' is a three-element array of pointers.
File: gdb.info, Node: Cplus expressions, Next: C Defaults, Prev: C Constants, Up: C
C++ expressions
...............
GDB expression handling has a number of extensions to interpret a
significant subset of C++ expressions.
*Warning:* GDB can only debug C++ code if you compile with the GNU
C++ compiler. Moreover, C++ debugging depends on the use of
additional debugging information in the symbol table, and thus
requires special support. GDB has this support *only* with the
stabs debug format. In particular, if your compiler generates
a.out, MIPS ECOFF, RS/6000 XCOFF, or ELF with stabs extensions to
the symbol table, these facilities are all available. (With GNU
CC, you can use the `-gstabs' option to request stabs debugging
extensions explicitly.) Where the object code format is standard
COFF or DWARF in ELF, on the other hand, most of the C++ support
in GDB does *not* work.
1. Member function calls are allowed; you can use expressions like
count = aml->GetOriginal(x, y)
2. While a member function is active (in the selected stack frame),
your expressions have the same namespace available as the member
function; that is, GDB allows implicit references to the class
instance pointer `this' following the same rules as C++.
3. You can call overloaded functions; GDB resolves the function call
to the right definition, with one restriction--you must use
arguments of the type required by the function that you want to
call. GDB does not perform conversions requiring constructors or
user-defined type operators.
4. GDB understands variables declared as C++ references; you can use
them in expressions just as you do in C++ source--they are
automatically dereferenced.
In the parameter list shown when GDB displays a frame, the values
of reference variables are not displayed (unlike other variables);
this avoids clutter, since references are often used for large
structures. The *address* of a reference variable is always
shown, unless you have specified `set print address off'.
5. GDB supports the C++ name resolution operator `::'--your
expressions can use it just as expressions in your program do.
Since one scope may be defined in another, you can use `::'
repeatedly if necessary, for example in an expression like
`SCOPE1::SCOPE2::NAME'. GDB also allows resolving name scope by
reference to source files, in both C and C++ debugging (*note
Program variables: Variables.).
File: gdb.info, Node: C Defaults, Next: C Checks, Prev: Cplus expressions, Up: C
C and C++ defaults
..................
If you allow GDB to set type and range checking automatically, they
both default to `off' whenever the working language changes to C or
C++. This happens regardless of whether you or GDB selects the working
language.
If you allow GDB to set the language automatically, it recognizes
source files whose names end with `.c', `.C', or `.cc', and when GDB
enters code compiled from one of these files, it sets the working
language to C or C++. *Note Having GDB infer the source language:
Automatically, for further details.
File: gdb.info, Node: C Checks, Next: Debugging C, Prev: C Defaults, Up: C
C and C++ type and range checks
...............................
By default, when GDB parses C or C++ expressions, type checking is
not used. However, if you turn type checking on, GDB considers two
variables type equivalent if:
* The two variables are structured and have the same structure,
union, or enumerated tag.
* The two variables have the same type name, or types that have been
declared equivalent through `typedef'.
Range checking, if turned on, is done on mathematical operations.
Array indices are not checked, since they are often used to index a
pointer that is not itself an array.
File: gdb.info, Node: Debugging C, Next: Debugging C plus plus, Prev: C Checks, Up: C
GDB and C
.........
The `set print union' and `show print union' commands apply to the
`union' type. When set to `on', any `union' that is inside a `struct'
or `class' is also printed. Otherwise, it appears as `{...}'.
The `@' operator aids in the debugging of dynamic arrays, formed
with pointers and a memory allocation function. *Note Expressions:
Expressions.
File: gdb.info, Node: Debugging C plus plus, Prev: Debugging C, Up: C
GDB features for C++
....................
Some GDB commands are particularly useful with C++, and some are
designed specifically for use with C++. Here is a summary:
`breakpoint menus'
When you want a breakpoint in a function whose name is overloaded,
GDB breakpoint menus help you specify which function definition
you want. *Note Breakpoint menus: Breakpoint Menus.
`rbreak REGEX'
Setting breakpoints using regular expressions is helpful for
setting breakpoints on overloaded functions that are not members
of any special classes. *Note Setting breakpoints: Set Breaks.
`catch EXCEPTIONS'
`info catch'
Debug C++ exception handling using these commands. *Note
Breakpoints and exceptions: Exception Handling.
`ptype TYPENAME'
Print inheritance relationships as well as other information for
type TYPENAME. *Note Examining the Symbol Table: Symbols.
`set print demangle'
`show print demangle'
`set print asm-demangle'
`show print asm-demangle'
Control whether C++ symbols display in their source form, both when
displaying code as C++ source and when displaying disassemblies.
*Note Print settings: Print Settings.
`set print object'
`show print object'
Choose whether to print derived (actual) or declared types of
objects. *Note Print settings: Print Settings.
`set print vtbl'
`show print vtbl'
Control the format for printing virtual function tables. *Note
Print settings: Print Settings.
`Overloaded symbol names'
You can specify a particular definition of an overloaded symbol,
using the same notation that is used to declare such symbols in
C++: type `SYMBOL(TYPES)' rather than just SYMBOL. You can also
use the GDB command-line word completion facilities to list the
available choices, or to finish the type list for you. *Note
Command completion: Completion, for details on how to do this.
File: gdb.info, Node: Modula-2, Prev: C, Up: Support
Modula-2
--------
The extensions made to GDB to support Modula-2 only support output
from the GNU Modula-2 compiler (which is currently being developed).
Other Modula-2 compilers are not currently supported, and attempting to
debug executables produced by them is most likely to give an error as
GDB reads in the executable's symbol table.
* Menu:
* M2 Operators:: Built-in operators
* Built-In Func/Proc:: Built-in functions and procedures
* M2 Constants:: Modula-2 constants
* M2 Defaults:: Default settings for Modula-2
* Deviations:: Deviations from standard Modula-2
* M2 Checks:: Modula-2 type and range checks
* M2 Scope:: The scope operators `::' and `.'
* GDB/M2:: GDB and Modula-2
