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Debugging Techniques:: GNU GDB: Breakpoints Where You Want The The Execution To Stop. This Can Be Specified

GDB is a powerful debugging tool that allows setting breakpoints, stepping through code, and examining variables. It works by compiling code with debugging symbols enabled and without optimizations. GDB can then load the executable, set breakpoints to pause execution, and step through or continue running the program. Commands like print, set, and ptype allow inspecting and modifying program state at each breakpoint.

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128 views1 page

Debugging Techniques:: GNU GDB: Breakpoints Where You Want The The Execution To Stop. This Can Be Specified

GDB is a powerful debugging tool that allows setting breakpoints, stepping through code, and examining variables. It works by compiling code with debugging symbols enabled and without optimizations. GDB can then load the executable, set breakpoints to pause execution, and step through or continue running the program. Commands like print, set, and ptype allow inspecting and modifying program state at each breakpoint.

Uploaded by

api-3703592
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Debugging Techniques :: GNU gdb

• gdb is a powerful program in tracking down Segmentation Faults and Core


Dumps. It can be used for a variety of debugging purposes though.
• First thing you must do is compile with the -g option and without any
optimization (i.e. no -O2 flag).
• Once you do that, you can run gdb <exe>. where <exe> is the name of the
executable.
• gdb should load with the executable to run on. Now you can create
breakpoints where you want the the execution to stop. This can be specified
with the line number in the corresponding c source file. For example: break
376 would instruct gdb to stop at line 376.
• You can now run the program by issuing the run command. If your program
requires command-line options or parameters, you can specify them with the
run command. For example: run 4 -s Doc! where 4, -s, Doc! are the
parameters.
• The program should run until the breakpoint or exit on a failure. If it fails
before the breakpoint you need to re-examine where you should specify the
break. Repeat the breakpoint step and rerun. If your program stops and
shows you the breakpoint line, then you can step into the function.
• To step into the function use the step command. NOTE: Do not step into
system library calls (e.g. printf). You can use the command next over these
types of calls or over local function calls you don't wish to step into. You can
repeat the last command by simply pressing enter.
• You can use the continue command to tell gdb to continue executing until
the next breakpoint or it finishes the program.
• If you want to peek at variables, you can issue the print command on the
variable. For example: print mystruct->data.
• You can also set variables using the set command. For example: set
mystruct->data = 42.
• The ptype command can tell you what type a particular variable is.
• The commands instruction tells gdb to set a particular number of commands
and to report them to you. For example, commands 1 will allow you to enter in
a variable number of other commands (one per line, end it with "end"), and
will report those commands to you once breakpoint 1 is hit.
• The clear command tells gdb to clear a specified breakpoint.
• The list command can tell you where you are at in the particular code block.
• You can specify breakpoints not only with lines but with function names.
• For more information on other commands, you can issue the help command
inside gdb.

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