GDB

Section: User Commands (1)
Updated: 13 April 1987
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NAME

gdb - Project GNU's DeBugger

SYNOPSIS

gdb [ options ] See documentation mentioned below.

DESCRIPTION

gdb is a source level symbolic debugger for C programs, created by Richard M. Stallman (rms) for the GNU Project, and distributed by the Free Software Foundation. Eventually GNU (Gnu's Not Unix) will be a complete replacement for Berkeley Unix, all of which everyone will be able to use freely. See the GNU Emacs man page for pointers to more information.

gdb has something of the flavor of dbx, but has more features and power. It can also be used to debug o/s kernels, but needs to be configured differently for that task.

Project GNU isn't using Unix man pages. Its style of complete documentation can be found by:

The help and info commands inside gdb.

In the Info system in GNU Emacs. Type C-h i, and follow the directions. This is equivalent to the reference manual for gdb, and has about 55 pages of text.

gdb could be extended to work with other languages (e.g. Pascal) and machines (e.g. encores). If you like, copy the sources and give it a try. When you have it working send diff -c's of the changed files to bug-gdb@prep.ai.mit.edu (fuller details below), so they can benefit everyone.

DISTRIBUTION

gdb is free; anyone may redistribute copies of gdb to anyone under the terms stated in the gdb General Public License, a copy of which accompanies each copy of gdb, is readable with the info command inside gdb, and which also appears in the gdb reference manual.

Copies of gdb may sometimes be received packaged with distributions of Unix systems, but it is never included in the scope of any license covering those systems. Such inclusion would violate the terms on which distribution is permitted. In fact, the primary purpose of the General Public License is to prohibit anyone from attaching any other restrictions to redistribution of gdb.

You can order printed copies of the gdb reference manual for $10.00/copy postpaid from the Free Software Foundation, which develops GNU software (contact them for quantity prices on the manual). Their address is:

    Free Software Foundation
    1000 Mass Ave.
    Cambridge, MA  02138

As with all software and publications from FSF, everyone is permitted to make and distribute copies of the gdb reference manual. The TeX source to the gdb reference manual is also included in the GNU Emacs source distribution.

OPTIONS

See documentation.

EXAMPLES

See documentation.

BUGS

There is a mailing list, bug-gdb@prep.ai.mit.edu on the internet (ucbvax!prep.ai.mit.edu!bug-gdb on UUCPnet), for reporting gdb bugs and fixes. But before reporting something as a bug, please try to be sure that it really is a bug, not a misunderstanding or a deliberate feature. We ask you to read the section ``Reporting Emacs Bugs'' near the end of the GNU Emacs reference manual (or Info system) for hints on how and when to report bugs. Also, include the version number of the gdb you are running in every bug report that you send in.

Do not expect a personal answer to a bug report. The purpose of reporting bugs is to get them fixed for everyone in the next release, if possible. For personal assistance, look in the SERVICE file (see the GNU Emacs man page) for a list of people who offer it.

Please do not send anything but bug reports to this mailing list. Send other stuff to gnu@prep.ai.mit.edu (or the corresponding UUCP address). For more information about GNU mailing lists, see the file MAILINGLISTS (see the GNU Emacs man page). Bugs tend actually to be fixed if they can be isolated, so it is in your interest to report them in such a way that they can be easily reproduced.

No bugs are known at this time.

This document was created by man2html, using the manual pages.
Time: 16:12:30 GMT, September 10, 2022

GDB