Starting GDB:
- gdb name-of-executable
- gdb -e name-of-executable -c name-of-core-file
- gdb name-of-executable -pid process-id
(Use ps -auxw to list process id's.)
Command line options: (version 6. Older versions use a single "-")
-
Option Description --help
-hList command line arguments --exec=file-name
-e file-nameIdentify executable associated with core file. --core=name-of-core-file
-c name-of-core-fileSpecify core file. --command=command-file
-x command-fileFile listing GDB commands to perform. Good for automating set-up. --directory=directory
-d directoryAdd directory to the path to search for source files. --cd=directory Run GDB using specified directory as the current working directory. --nx
-nDo not execute commands from ~/.gdbinit initialization file. Default is to look at this file and execute the list of commands. --batch -x command-file Run in batch (not interactive) mode. Execute commands from file. Requires -x option. --symbols=file-name
-s file-nameRead symbol table from file file. --write Enable writing into executable and core files. --quiet
-qDo not print the introductory and copyright messages. --tty=device Specify device for running program's standard input and output. --pid=process-id
-p process-id
-c process-idSpecify process ID number to attach to.
GDB Commands: |
Commands used within GDB:
-
Command Description help List gdb command topics. help topic-classes List gdb command within class. help command Command description. apropos search-word Search for commands and command topics containing search-word. info args
i argsList program command line arguments info breakpoints List breakpoints info break List breakpoint numbers. info break breakpoint-number List info about specific breakpoint. info watchpoints List breakpoints info registers List registers in use info threads List threads in use info set List set-able option Break and Watch break funtion-name
break line-numberSuspend program at specified function of line number.
break ClassName::functionNamebreak +offset
break -offsetSet a breakpoint specified number of lines forward or back from the position at which execution stopped. break filename:function Don't specify path, just the file name and function name. break filename:line-number Don't specify path, just the file name and line number.
break Directory/Path/filename.cpp:62break *address Suspend processing at an instruction address. Used when you do not have source. break line-number if condition Where condition is an expression. i.e. x > 5
Suspend when boolean expression is true.break line thread thread-number Break in thread at specified line number. Use info threads to display thread numbers. tbreak Temporary break. Break once only. Break is then removed. See "break" above for options. watch condition Suspend processing when condition is met. i.e. x > 5 clear
clear function
clear line-numberDelete breakpoints as identified by command option. delete
dDelete all breakpoints, watchpoints, or catchpoints. delete breakpoint-number
delete rangeDelete the breakpoints, watchpoints, or catchpoints of the breakpoint ranges specified as arguments. disable breakpoint-number-or-range
enable breakpoint-number-or-rangeDoes not delete breakpoints. Just enables/disables them.
Example:
Show breakpoints: info break
Disable: disable 2-9enable breakpoint-number once Enables once continue
cContinue executing until next break point/watchpoint. continue number Continue but ignore current breakpoint number times. Usefull for breakpoints within a loop. finish Continue to end of function. Line Execution step
s
step number-of-steps-to-performStep to next line of code. Will step into a function. next
n
next numberExecute next line of code. Will not enter functions. until
until line-numberContinue processing until you reacha aspecified line number. Also: function name, address, filename:function or filename:line-number. stepi
si
nexti
nistep/next assembly/processor instruction. info signals
info handle
handle SIGNAL-NAME optionPerform the following option when signal recieved: nostop, stop, print, noprint, pass/noignore or nopass/ignore where Shows current line number and which function you are in. Stack backtrace
bt
bt inner-function-nesting-depth
bt -outer-function-nesting-depthShow trace of where you are currently. Which functions you are in. Prints stack backtrace. backtrace full Print values of local variables. frame number
f numberSelect frame number. up number
down numberMove up/down the specified number of frames in the stack. info frame List address, language, address of arguments/local variables and which registers were saved in frame. info args
info locals
info catchInfo arguments of selected frame, local variables and exception handlers. Source Code list
l
list line-number
list function
list -
list start#,end#
list filename:functionList source code. set listsize count
show listsizeNumber of lines listed when list command given. directory directory-name
dir directory-name
show directoriesAdd specified directory to front of source code path. directory Clear sourcepath when nothing specified. Examine Variables print variable-name
p variable-name
p file-name::variable-name
p 'file-name'::variable-namePrint value stored in variable. p *array-variable@length Print first # values of array specified by length. Good for pointers to dynamicaly allocated memory. p/x variable Print as integer variable in hex. p/d variable Print variable as a signed integer. p/u variable Print variable as a un-signed integer. p/o variable Print variable as a octal. p/t variable
x/b address
x/b &variablePrint as integer value in binary. (1 byte/8bits) p/c variable Print integer as character. p/f variable Print variable as floating point number. p/a variable Print as a hex address. x/w address
x/4b &variablePrint binary representation of 4 bytes (1 32 bit word) of memory pointed to by address. GDB Modes set gdb-option value Set a GDB option set logging on
set logging off
show logging
set logging file log-fileTurn on/off logging. Default name of file is gdb.txt set print array on
set print array off
show print arrayDefault is off. Convient readable format for arrays turned on/off. set print array-indexes on
set print array-indexes off
show print array-indexesDefault off. Print index of array elements. set print pretty on
set print pretty off
show print prettyFormat printing of C structures. set print union on
set print union off
show print unionDefault is on. Print C unions. set print demangle on
set print demangle off
show print demangleDefault on. Controls printing of C++ names. Start and Stop run
r
run command-line-arguments
run < infile > outfileStart program execution from the beginning of the program. The command break main will get you started. Also allows basic I/O redirection. continue
cContinue execution to next break point. kill Stop program execution. quit
qExit GDB debugger.
GDB Operation: |
- Compile with the "-g" option (for most GNU and Intel compilers) which generates added information in the object code so the debugger can match a line of source code with the step of execution.
- Do not use compiler optimization directive such as "-O" or "-O2" which rearrange computing operations to gain speed as this reordering will not match the order of execution in the source code and it may be impossible to follow.
- control+c: Stop execution. It can stop program anywhere, in your source or a C library or anywhere.
- To execute a shell command: ! command
or shell command - GDB command completion: Use TAB key
info bre + TAB will complete the command resulting in info breakpoints
Press TAB twice to see all available options if more than one option is available or type "M-?" + RETURN. - GDB command abreviation:
info bre + RETURN will work as bre is a valid abreviation for breakpoints
De-Referencing STL Containers: |
Displaying STL container classes using the GDB "p variable-name" results in an cryptic display of template definitions and pointers. Use the following ~/.gdbinit file (V1.03 09/15/08). Now works with GDB 4.3+.
(Archived versions: [V1.01 GDB 6.4+ only])
Thanks to Dr. Eng. Dan C. Marinescu for permission to post this script.
Use the following commands provided by the script:
-
Where T refers to native C++ data types. While classes and other STL data types will work with the STL container classes, this de-reference tool may not handle non-native types.Data type GDB command std::vector<T> pvector stl_variable std::list<T> plist stl_variable T std::map<T,T> pmap stl_variable std::multimap<T,T> pmap stl_variable std::set<T> pset stl_variable T std::multiset<T> pset stl_variable std::deque<T> pdequeue stl_variable std::stack<T> pstack stl_variable std::queue<T> pqueue stl_variable std::priority_queue<T> ppqueue stl_variable std::bitset<n>td> pbitset stl_variable std::string pstring stl_variable std::widestring pwstring stl_variable
Also see the YoLinux.com STL string class tutorial and debugging with GDB.
De-Referencing a vector: |
Example: STL_vector_int.cpp
-
Compile: g++ -g STL_vector_int.cpp01
#include <iostream>
02
#include <vector>
03
#include <string>
04
05
using
namespace
std;
06
07
main()
08
{
09
vector<
int
> II;
10
11
II.push_back(10);
12
II.push_back(20);
13
II.push_back(30);
14
15
cout << II.size() << endl;
16
17
}
Debug in GDB: gdb a.out
-
Notice the native GDB print "p" results in an cryptic display while the "pvector" routine from the GDB script provided a human decipherable display of your data.(gdb) l 1 #include <iostream> 2 #include <vector> 3 #include <string> 4 5 using namespace std; 6 7 main() 8 { 9 vector<int> II; 10 (gdb) l 11 II.push_back(10); 12 II.push_back(20); 13 II.push_back(30); 14 15 cout << II.size() << endl; 16 17 } (gdb) break 15 Breakpoint 1 at 0x8048848: file STL_vector_int.cpp, line 15. (gdb) r Starting program: /home/userx/a.out Breakpoint 1, main () at STL_vector_int.cpp:15 15 cout << II.size() << endl; (gdb) p II $1 = { <std::_Vector_base<int,std::allocator<int> >> = { _M_impl = { <std::allocator<int>> = { <__gnu_cxx::new_allocator<int>> = {<No data fields>}, <No data fields>}, members of std::_Vector_base<int,std::allocator<int> >::_Vector_impl: _M_start = 0x804b028, _M_finish = 0x804b034, _M_end_of_storage = 0x804b038 } }, <No data fields>} (gdb) pvector II elem[0]: $2 = 10 elem[1]: $3 = 20 elem[2]: $4 = 30 Vector size = 3 Vector capacity = 4 Element type = int * (gdb) c Continuing. 3 Program exited normally. (gdb) quit
De-Referencing a 2-D vector of vectors: |
Example: STL_vector_int_2.cpp
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Compile: g++ -g STL_vector_int_2.cpp01
#include <iostream>
02
#include <vector>
03
04
using
namespace
std;
05
06
main()
07
{
08
vector< vector<
int
> > vI2Matrix(3, vector<
int
>(2,0));
09
10
vI2Matrix[0][0] = 0;
11
vI2Matrix[0][1] = 1;
12
vI2Matrix[1][0] = 10;
13
vI2Matrix[1][1] = 11;
14
vI2Matrix[2][0] = 20;
15
vI2Matrix[2][1] = 21;
16
17
cout <<
"Loop by index:"
<< endl;
18
19
int
ii, jj;
20
for
(ii=0; ii < 3; ii++)
21
{
22
for
(jj=0; jj < 2; jj++)
23
{
24
cout << vI2Matrix[ii][jj] << endl;
25
}
26
}
27
}
Debug in GDB: gdb a.out
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Note "pvector" does not de-reference the entire vector of vectors all at once but returns vectors $1, $2 and $3. The "pvector" command then helps us traverse the information by examining the contents of each element in the individual "terminal" vectors. Note that the native gdb "p vI2Matrix" (last command) was much less informative.(gdb) l 1 #include <iostream> 2 #include <vector> 3 4 using namespace std; 5 6 main() 7 { 8 vector< vector<int> > vI2Matrix(3, vector<int>(2,0)); 9 10 vI2Matrix[0][0] = 0; (gdb) l 11 vI2Matrix[0][1] = 1; 12 vI2Matrix[1][0] = 10; 13 vI2Matrix[1][1] = 11; 14 vI2Matrix[2][0] = 20; 15 vI2Matrix[2][1] = 21; 16 17 cout << "Loop by index:" << endl; 18 19 int ii, jj; 20 for(ii=0; ii < 3; ii++) (gdb) break 17 Breakpoint 1 at 0x8048a19: file STL_vector_2.cpp, line 17. (gdb) r Starting program: /home/userx/a.out Breakpoint 1, main () at STL_vector_2.cpp:17 17 cout << "Loop by index:" << endl; (gdb) pvector vI2Matrix elem[0]: $1 = { <std::_Vector_base<int,std::allocator<int> >> = { _M_impl = { <std::allocator<int>> = { <__gnu_cxx::new_allocator<int>> = {<No data fields>}, <No data fields>}, members of std::_Vector_base<int,std::allocator<int> >::_Vector_impl: _M_start = 0x804b040, _M_finish = 0x804b048, _M_end_of_storage = 0x804b048 } }, <No data fields>} elem[1]: $2 = { <std::_Vector_base<int,std::allocator<int> >> = { _M_impl = { <std::allocator<int>> = { <__gnu_cxx::new_allocator<int>> = {<No data fields>}, <No data fields>}, members of std::_Vector_base<int,std::allocator<int> >::_Vector_impl: _M_start = 0x804b050, _M_finish = 0x804b058, _M_end_of_storage = 0x804b058 } }, <No data fields>} elem[2]: $3 = { <std::_Vector_base<int,std::allocator<int> >> = { _M_impl = { <std::allocator<int>> = { <__gnu_cxx::new_allocator<int>> = {<No data fields>}, <No data fields>}, members of std::_Vector_base<int,std::allocator<int> >::_Vector_impl: _M_start = 0x804b060, _M_finish = 0x804b068, _M_end_of_storage = 0x804b068 ---Type <return> to continue, or q <return> to quit--- } }, <No data fields>} Vector size = 3 Vector capacity = 3 Element type = class std::vector<int,std::allocator<int> > * (gdb) pvector $1 elem[0]: $4 = 0 elem[1]: $5 = 1 Vector size = 2 Vector capacity = 2 Element type = int * (gdb) pvector $2 elem[0]: $6 = 10 elem[1]: $7 = 11 Vector size = 2 Vector capacity = 2 Element type = int * (gdb) pvector $3 elem[0]: $8 = 20 elem[1]: $9 = 21 Vector size = 2 Vector capacity = 2 Element type = int * (gdb) p vI2Matrix $10 = { <std::_Vector_base<std::vector<int, std::allocator<int> >,std::allocator<std::vector<int, std::allocator<int> > > >> = { _M_impl = { <std::allocator<std::vector<int, std::allocator<int> > >> = { <__gnu_cxx::new_allocator<std::vector<int, std::allocator<int> > >> = {<No data fields>}, <No data fields>}, members of std::_Vector_base<std::vector<int, std::allocator<int> >,std::allocator<std::vector<int, std::allocator<int> > > >::_Vector_impl: _M_start = 0x804b018, _M_finish = 0x804b03c, _M_end_of_storage = 0x804b03c } }, <No data fields>} (gdb) quit