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GNU Debugger (GDB) : Computing Laboratory

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19 views10 pages

GNU Debugger (GDB) : Computing Laboratory

Uploaded by

Soham
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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GNU Debugger (GDB)

Computing Laboratory

http://www.isical.ac.in/~dfslab

Computing Lab (ISI) GNU Debugger (GDB) 1 / 10


Getting started

Use -g or -g3 to add debugging information when compiling


$ gcc -g3 -Wall -o progx progx.c
Starting gdb
$ gdb ./progx ←− no command line arguments
Starting the program (with command line arguments, if necessary)
(gdb) run argument1 argument2 ...
Lookup in-built documentation
(gdb) help <command_name>
Exiting gdb
(gdb) quit

Computing Lab (ISI) GNU Debugger (GDB) 2 / 10


Example I

#include<stdio.h>
#include<string.h>
int main() {
char *str;
printf("Size of the string = %lu", strlen(str));
return 0;
}

$ gdb a.out
...
For help, type "help".
Type "apropos word" to search for commands related to "word"...
Reading symbols from a.out...done.
(gdb) r
Starting program: ...

Program received signal SIGSEGV, Segmentation fault.


__strlen_avx2 () at ../sysdeps/x86_64/multiarch/strlen-avx2.S:65
65 ../sysdeps/x86_64/multiarch/strlen-avx2.S: No such file or directory.

Computing Lab (ISI) GNU Debugger (GDB) 3 / 10


Example II

(gdb) where
#0 __strlen_avx2 () at ../sysdeps/x86_64/multiarch/strlen-avx2.S:65
#1 0x000055555555469e in main () at gdb-basic.c:5
(gdb) l
60 in ../sysdeps/x86_64/multiarch/strlen-avx2.S
(gdb) up
#1 0x000055555555469e in main () at gdb-basic.c:5
5 printf("Size of the string = %lu", strlen(str));
(gdb) p str
$1 = 0x0
(gdb)

Computing Lab (ISI) GNU Debugger (GDB) 4 / 10


Breakpoints
b(reak) main ← function name (beginning of function)
b 5 ← line number
b gdb-basic.c:5 ← line number in specified file
b +<N> ← N lines after current line
b 5 if (str==0)
cond(ition) bpnumber [condition]
Set a new condition for the breakpoint, an expression which must
evaluate to true before the breakpoint is honored. If condition is
absent, any existing condition is removed; i.e., the breakpoint is
made unconditional.
dis(able) bpnumber
en(able) bpnumber
Deleting breakpoints
cl(ear) filename:lineno
d(elete) bpnumber1 bpnumber2 ...
tb(reak) : set temporary breakpoint
Computing Lab (ISI) GNU Debugger (GDB) 5 / 10
Viewing code, expressions
l(ist) [first [,last] | .]
watchpoints
List source code for the current file. Without arguments, list 11
lines around the current line or continue the previous listing.
With . as argument, list 11 lines around the current line. With one
argument, list 11 lines starting at that line. With two arguments,
list the given range; if the second argument is less than the first, it
is a count.
p(rint) <expr>
Any valid C expression can be passed.
disp(lay) [expression]
undisplay [expression]
Display the value of expression if it changed, each time execution
stops in the current frame. Without expression, list all display
expressions for the current frame.
Do not display expression any more in the current frame. Without
expression, clear all display expressions for the current frame.
Computing Lab (ISI) GNU Debugger (GDB) 6 / 10
Executing statements

c(ontinue)
n(ext) (step over)
Continue execution until the next line in the current function is
reached or it returns.
s(tep) (step into)
Execute the current line and stop at the first possible occasion
(either in a function that is called or in the current function).
Run upto the end of current function and display return value
(gdb) finish or (gdb) f
unt(il) [lineno] (very useful for loops)
Without lineno, continue execution until the line with a number
greater than the current one is reached. With lineno, continue
execution until a line with a number greater or equal to that is
reached. In both cases, also stop when the current frame returns.

Computing Lab (ISI) GNU Debugger (GDB) 7 / 10


Examining / navigating the stack

w(here) or bt
Print a stack trace, with the most recent frame at the bottom. An
arrow indicates the current frame, which determines the context of
most commands.
u(p) [count]
Move the current frame count (default one) levels up in the stack
trace (to an older frame).
d(own) [count]
Move the current frame count (default one) levels down in the
stack trace (to a newer frame).

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Miscellaneous

Set the value of a locally used variable or argument inside the


current function
(gdb) set variable <variable_name> = <value>
List the locally stored variables for the current function
(gdb) info local or (gdb) i local
List all breakpoints present in the program
(gdb) info break or (gdb) info b or
(gdb) i b (gdb) info args or (gdb) i args
<Enter> : repeat last command
q(uit)

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Additional resources, cheatsheets, etc.

https://ucsb-cs24.github.io/m19/lectures/GDB-cheatsheet.pdf
http://www.yolinux.com/TUTORIALS/GDB-Commands.html
https://github.com/reveng007/GDB-Cheat-Sheet
https://bytes.usc.edu/cs104/wiki/gdb

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