GDB QUICK REFERENCE

Essential Commands
gdb b

GDB Version 4

program core] debug program using coredump core] le:]function set breakpoint at function in le] run arglist] start your program with arglist] bt backtrace: display program stack p expr display the value of an expression c continue running your program n next line, stepping over function calls s next line, stepping into function calls
gdb gdb gdb

le:]line b le:]line break le:]function break +o set break -o set break *addr
break break break : : : if cond

Breakpoints and Watchpoints

set breakpoint at line number in le] eg: break main.c:37 set breakpoint at function in le] set break at o set lines from current stop set breakpoint at address addr set breakpoint at next instruction break conditionally on nonzero expr new conditional expression on breakpoint n; make unconditional if no expr temporary break; disable when reached break on all functions matching regex set a watchpoint for expression expr break at C++ handler for exception x show de ned breakpoints show de ned watchpoints delete delete delete delete breakpoints breakpoints breakpoints breakpoints at next instruction at entry to fun() on source line or breakpoint n]

n expr]

expr

Starting GDB
program program core
gdb --help

start GDB, with no debugging les begin debugging program debug coredump core produced by program describe command line options exit GDB; also q or EOF (eg C-d) (eg C-c) terminate current command, or send to running process list classes of commands one-line descriptions for commands in class describe command start your program with arglist start your program with current argument list start your program with input, output redirected kill running program
run

tbreak : : : rbreak regex watch expr catch x info break info watch clear clear clear delete disable enable

count] count] step count] s count] stepi count] si count] next count] n count] nexti count] ni count] until location]
continue c finish return

Execution Control

continue running; if count speci ed, ignore this breakpoint next count times execute until another line reached; repeat count times if speci ed step by machine instructions rather than source lines

execute next line, including any function calls next machine instruction rather than source line run until next instruction (or location) run until selected stack frame returns pop selected stack frame without executing setting return value] resume execution with signal s (none if 0) resume execution at speci ed line number or address evaluate expr without displaying it; use for altering program variables show value of expr or last value $] according to format f: hexadecimal signed decimal unsigned decimal octal binary address, absolute and relative character oating point like print but does not display void examine memory at address expr; optional format spec follows slash count of how many units to display unit size; one of b individual bytes h halfwords (two bytes) w words (four bytes) g giant words (eight bytes) printing format. Any print format, or s null-terminated string i machine instructions display memory as machine instructions show value of expr each time program stops according to format f ] display all enabled expressions on list remove number(s) n from list of automatically displayed expressions disable display for expression(s) number n enable display for expression(s) number n numbered list of display expressions

expr]

Stopping GDB
quit INTERRUPT

le:]fun le:]line n] n] n]

signal num jump line jump *address set var=expr

Getting Help
help help

class help command

enable once enable del ignore

n] n]

Executing your Program

n count

disable breakpoints or breakpoint n] enable breakpoints or breakpoint n] enable breakpoints or breakpoint n]; disable again when reached enable breakpoints or breakpoint n]; delete when reached ignore breakpoint n, count times execute GDB command-list every time breakpoint n is reached. silent suppresses default display] end of command-list print trace of all frames in stack; or of n frames|innermost if n>0, outermost if n<0 select frame number n or frame at address n; if no n, display current frame select frame n frames up select frame n frames down describe selected frame, or frame at addr arguments of selected frame local variables of selected frame register values for regs rn ] in selected frame; all-reg includes oating point exception handlers active in selected frame

Display
p /f ] x d u o t a c f

print /f ]

expr] expr]

commands n silent] end

run : : : <inf >outf kill tty dev set args arglist set args show args show environment show env var set env var string unset env var cd dir pwd make : : : shell cmd

command-list

call /f ] x

use dev as stdin and stdout for next specify arglist for next run specify empty argument list display argument list

Program Stack
backtrace bt n] frame up n down info info info info info info

expr /Nuf ] expr

n]

N u

show all environment variables show value of environment variable var set environment variable var remove var from environment change working directory to dir Print working directory call \make" execute arbitrary shell command string
:::

n]

f
disassem

Shell Commands

frame addr] args locals reg rn]: : : all-reg rn] catch

addr] expr

Automatic Display
display /f ] display undisplay

surround optional arguments

show one or more arguments Permissions on back

c 1991, 1992 Free Software Foundation, Inc.

disable disp n enable disp n info display

Expressions
expr addr @len

ftypegaddr
$ $n $$ $$n $ $ $var

le::nm

an expression in C, C++, or Modula-2 (including function calls), or: an array of len elements beginning at addr a variable or function nm de ned in le read memory at addr as speci ed type most recent displayed value nth displayed value displayed value previous to $ nth displayed value back from $ last address examined with x value at address $ convenience variable; assign any value show last 10 values or surrounding $n] display all convenience variables show where symbol s is stored show names, types of de ned functions (all, or matching regex) show names, types of global variables (all, or matching regex) show data type of expr or $] without evaluating; ptype gives more detail describe type, struct, union, or enum read, execute GDB commands from le script create new GDB command cmd; execute script de ned by command-list end of command-list create online documentation for new GDB command cmd end of help-text specify GDB actions for signal: announce signal be silent for signal halt execution on signal do not halt execution allow your program to handle signal do not allow your program to see signal show table of signals, GDB action for each connect to target machine, process, or le display available targets connect to another process release target from GDB control

Controlling GDB
set param value show param

show values n] show convenience

Symbol Table
info address info func info var whatis

set one of GDB's internal parameters display current setting of parameter Parameters understood by set and show: complaints limit number of messages on unusual symbols confirm on/o enable or disable cautionary queries editing on/o control readline command-line editing height lpp number of lines before pause in display language lang Language for GDB expressions (auto, c or modula-2) listsize n number of lines shown by list prompt str use str as GDB prompt radix base octal, decimal, or hex number representation verbose on/o control messages when loading symbols width cpl number of characters before line folded write on/o Allow or forbid patching binary, core les (when reopened with exec or core) history : : : groups with the following options:
h ::: h exp

Source Files
dir

names

dir show dir list list list lines

add directory names to front of source path clear source path show current source path show next ten lines of source show previous ten lines display source centered around lines, speci ed as one of: line number in named le] beginning of function in named le] o lines after last printed o lines previous to last printed line containing address from line f to line l show starting, ending addresses of compiled code for source line num show name of current source le list all source les in use search following source lines for regex search preceding source lines for regex run GDB under Emacs describe GDB mode step one line (step) next line (next) step one instruction (stepi) nish current stack frame (finish) continue (cont) up arg frames (up) down arg frames (down) copy number from point, insert at end (in source le) set break at point Display GNU General Public License There is NO WARRANTY for GDB. Display full no-warranty statement.

le:]num le:]function +o -o *address list f,l info line num

s regex]

o /on lename size o /on on/o /on on/o

regex]

h file h size h save

expr] ptype expr] ptype type

GDB Scripts
source

script

print : : : p ::: p address p array o p demangl p p p p p p

disable/enable readline history expansion le for recording GDB command history number of commands kept in history list control use of external le for command history groups with the following options:

define

end document end

cmd command-list

cmd help-text

print memory addresses in stacks, values compact or attractive format for arrays source (demangled) or internal form for C++ symbols asm-dem on/o demangle C++ symbols in machineinstruction output elements limit number of array elements to display object on/o print C++ derived types for objects pretty o /on struct display: compact or indented union on/o display of union members vtbl o /on display of C++ virtual function tables show last 10 commands show 10 commands around number n show next 10 commands use le for both symbols and executable; with no arg, discard both read le as coredump; or discard use le as executable only; or discard use symbol table from le; or discard dynamically link le and add its symbols read additional symbols from le, dynamically loaded at addr display working les and targets in use add dirs to front of path searched for executable and symbol les display executable and symbol le path list names of shared libraries currently loaded

M-x C-h M-s M-n M-i C-c M-c M-u M-d C-x C-x

GDB under GNU Emacs

C-f

& SPC

GDB License
show copying show warranty

Signals

handle signal print noprint stop nostop pass nopass info signals

act

show commands show commands n show commands +

Working Files
file core

le]

Debugging Targets
target type param help target attach param detach

le] exec le] symbol le] load le add-sym le addr

Copyright c 1991, 1992 Free Software Foundation, Inc. Roland Pesch (pesch@cygnus.com), January 1992|Revision: 1.96 The author assumes no responsibility for any errors on this card. This card may be freely distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License. Please contribute to development of this card by annotating it. GDB itself is free software; you are welcome to distribute copies of it under the terms of the GNU General Public License. There is absolutely no warranty for GDB.