28
votes

I would like to be able to set a breakpoint in GDB, and have it run to that point - and in the process, print out lines it has "stepped through".

Here is an example, based on this simple file with a main and a function, and two breakpoints for each:

$ cat > test.c <<EOF
#include "stdio.h"

int count=0;

void doFunction(void) {
  // two steps forward
  count += 2;
  // one step back
  count--;
}

int main(void) {
  // some pointless init commands;
  count = 1;
  count += 2;
  count = 0;
  //main loop
  while(1) {
    doFunction();
    printf("%d\n", count);
  }
}
EOF

$ gcc -g -Wall test.c -o test.exe
$ chmod +x test.exe
$ gdb -se test.exe
...
Reading symbols from /path/to/test.exe...done.
(gdb) b main
Breakpoint 1 at 0x80483ec: file test.c, line 14.
(gdb) b doFunction
Breakpoint 2 at 0x80483c7: file test.c, line 7.

To start the session, I need to run (r) the program, which will then stop at first breakpoint (main):

(gdb) r
Starting program: /path/to/test.exe 

Breakpoint 1, main () at test.c:14
14    count = 1;
(gdb) 

At this point - I can, for instance, hit continue (c); and the process will run through, not outputing anything, and break at the requested line:

(gdb) c
Continuing.

Breakpoint 2, doFunction () at test.c:7
7     count += 2;
(gdb)

On the other hand, instead of continue - I can go line by line, either by using step (s) or next (n); for instance:

14    count = 1;
(gdb) n
15    count += 2;
(gdb) s
16    count = 0;
(gdb) s
19      doFunction();
(gdb) s

Breakpoint 2, doFunction () at test.c:7
7     count += 2;
(gdb) s
9     count--;
(gdb) s
10  }
(gdb) s
main () at test.c:20
20      printf("%d\n", count);
(gdb) s
...
(gdb) s
_IO_vfprintf_internal (s=Cannot access memory at address 0xe5853361
) at vfprintf.c:210
210 vfprintf.c: No such file or directory.
    in vfprintf.c
(gdb) s
245 in vfprintf.c
(gdb) s
210 in vfprintf.c
(gdb) n
245 in vfprintf.c
...
(gdb) n
2006    in vfprintf.c
(gdb) n
__printf (format=0x80484f0 "%d\n") at printf.c:39
39  printf.c: No such file or directory.
    in printf.c
(gdb) n
main () at test.c:21
21    }
(gdb) n
19      doFunction();
(gdb) n

Breakpoint 2, doFunction () at test.c:7
7     count += 2;
(gdb) 

Anyways, I am aware that I can keep Enter pressed, and the last entered command (step or next) will repeat (left a bit longer session in the second case, to show that 'next' remains on same level, 'step' steps inside the functions being called). However, as it can be seen, depending on whether step or next runs, it may take a while until a result is reached - and so, I don't want to sit for 10 minutes with my hand stuck on the Enter button :)

So, my question is - can I somehow instruct gdb to run to 'breakpoint 2' without further user intervention - while printing out the lines it goes through, as if step (or next) was pressed?

5
This answer to a similar (but probably not duplicate) question might be of some help, but I'm not sure how (or if) the script could be modified to deal nicely with hitting a breakpoint: stackoverflow.com/questions/5812411/gdb-automatic-nexting/…Michael Burr
Many thanks for that @Michael Burr - I guess the only difference between that and this question is the condition for stop (here breakpoint, there segfault) - good to know at least there is a way using a script... Thanks again - cheers!sdaau
If you figure out a way for the script to have any kind of smarts about when it should stop, please post a comment here. I think that would be a generally useful technique.Michael Burr

5 Answers

22
votes

Well, this wasn't easy - but I think I somewhat got it :) I went through a bunch of failed attempts (posted here); relevant code is below.

Basically, the problem in a "next/step until breakpoint" is how to determine whether you're "on" a breakpoint or not, if the debugger is stopped (at a step). Note also I use GDB 7.2-1ubuntu11 (current for Ubuntu 11.04). So, it went like this:

  • I first found about Convenience Variables, and thought - given there are program counters and such available, there must be some GDB convenience variable that gives the "breakpoint" status, and can be used directly in a GDB script. After looking through GDB reference Index for a while, however, I simply cannot find any such variables (my attempts are in nub.gdb)
  • In lack of such a "breakpoint status" internal variable - the only thing left to do, is to capture the ('stdout') command line output of GDB (in response to commands) as a string, and parse it (looking for "Breakpoint")
  • Then, I found out about Python API to GDB, and the gdb.execute("CMDSTR", toString=True) command - which is seemingly exactly what is needed to capture the output: "By default, any output produced by command is sent to gdb's standard output. If the to_string parameter is True, then output will be collected by gdb.execute and returned as a string[1]"!

And finally, the approach that worked is: temporarily redirecting the GDB output from a gdb.execute to a logfile in RAM (Linux: /dev/shm); and then reading it back, parsing it and printing it from python - python also handles a simple while loop that steps until a breakpoint is reached.

The irony is - most of these bugs, that caused this solution via redirecting the logfile, are actually recently fixed in SVN; meaning those will propagate to the distros in the near future, and one will be able to use gdb.execute("CMDSTR", toString=True) directly :/ Yet, as I cannot risk building GDB from source right now (and possibly bumping into possible new incompatibilites), this is good enough for me also :)

 

Here are the relevant files (partially also in pygdb-fork.gdb,pygdb-fork.py):

pygdb-logg.gdb is:

# gdb script: pygdb-logg.gdb
# easier interface for pygdb-logg.py stuff
# from within gdb: (gdb) source -v pygdb-logg.gdb
# from cdmline: gdb -x pygdb-logg.gdb -se test.exe

# first, "include" the python file:
source -v pygdb-logg.py

# define shorthand for nextUntilBreakpoint():
define nub
  python nextUntilBreakpoint()
end

# set up breakpoints for test.exe:
b main
b doFunction

# go to main breakpoint
run

pygdb-logg.py is:

# gdb will 'recognize' this as python
#  upon 'source pygdb-logg.py'
# however, from gdb functions still have
#  to be called like:
#  (gdb) python print logExecCapture("bt")

import sys
import gdb
import os

def logExecCapture(instr):
  # /dev/shm - save file in RAM
  ltxname="/dev/shm/c.log"

  gdb.execute("set logging file "+ltxname) # lpfname
  gdb.execute("set logging redirect on")
  gdb.execute("set logging overwrite on")
  gdb.execute("set logging on")
  gdb.execute(instr)
  gdb.execute("set logging off")

  replyContents = open(ltxname, 'r').read() # read entire file
  return replyContents

# next until breakpoint
def nextUntilBreakpoint():
  isInBreakpoint = -1;
  # as long as we don't find "Breakpoint" in report:
  while isInBreakpoint == -1:
    REP=logExecCapture("n")
    isInBreakpoint = REP.find("Breakpoint")
    print "LOOP:: ", isInBreakpoint, "\n", REP

 

Basically, pygdb-logg.gdb loads the pygdb-logg.py python script, sets up the alias nub for nextUntilBreakpoint, and initializes the session - everything else is handled by the python script. And here is a sample session - in respect to the test source in OP:

$ gdb -x pygdb-logg.gdb -se test.exe
...
Reading symbols from /path/to/test.exe...done.
Breakpoint 1 at 0x80483ec: file test.c, line 14.
Breakpoint 2 at 0x80483c7: file test.c, line 7.

Breakpoint 1, main () at test.c:14
14    count = 1;
(gdb) nub
LOOP::  -1
15    count += 2;

LOOP::  -1
16    count = 0;

LOOP::  -1
19      doFunction();

LOOP::  1

Breakpoint 2, doFunction () at test.c:7
7     count += 2;

(gdb) nub
LOOP::  -1
9     count--;

LOOP::  -1
10  }

LOOP::  -1
main () at test.c:20
20      printf("%d\n", count);

1
LOOP::  -1
21    }

LOOP::  -1
19      doFunction();

LOOP::  1

Breakpoint 2, doFunction () at test.c:7
7     count += 2;

(gdb)

... just as I wanted it :P Just don't know how reliable it is (and whether it will be possible to use in avr-gdb, which is what I need this for :) EDIT: version of avr-gdb in Ubuntu 11.04 is currently 6.4, which doesn't recognize the python command :()

 

Well, hope this helps someone,
Cheers!

 

Here some references:

5
votes

What about doing it like this in gdb, using a command file. Change file argument, and loop count as required.

gdb -x run.gdb

run.gdb:

set pagination off
set logging file gdb.log
set logging on
set $i = 0
file main
break main
break WriteData
# sadly, commands not getting executed on reaching breakpoint 2
commands 2
  set $i=1000
  print "commands 2 : %d",$i
end
run
while ( $i < 1000 )
  step
  # next
  # continue
  set $i = $i + 1
end
4
votes

Based on the link in @sdaau's answer (http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/msg00031.html), I created my own script to simply keep sending 's' and reading the output of gdb continuously, while printing output to textfile and terminal, of course, my script can be modified to fit anyone else's needs, however, I hope that the modification I made should fit most people needs.

http://www.codeground.net/coding/gdb-step-into-all-lines-to-get-full-application-flow/

wget http://www.codeground.net/downloads/gdbwalkthrough.c
gcc gdbwalkthrough.c -o gdbwalkthrough
./gdbwalkthrough <application full path> [application arguments]
1
votes

As a new answer, since the previous is already hogged :) Basically, if the point is to observe execution of source (and/or assembly) code lines as the program as running - as the motivation is often for me when looking into "automatic printout" -- then, basically, a very quick way is to use GDB TUI mode; I quote:

c - gdb behavior : value optimized out - Stack Overflow #1354762

Use the GDB TUI mode. My copy of GDB enables it when I type the minus and Enter. Then type C-x 2 (that is hold down Control and press X, release both and then press 2). That will put it into split source and disassembly display. Then use stepi and nexti to move one machine instruction at a time. Use C-x o to switch between the TUI windows.

The trick here is that, even if you hit continue - this time source will be shown and indicated on the TUI; and followed as the program runs:

GDB TUI Screenshot

... and this for me avoids many situations where I'd have to script the breakpoints in "auto-stepping context" (although there are still such situations).. Docs about TUI: TUI - Debugging with GDB

Cheers!

0
votes

The currently accepted answer includes a lot of file io and does only stop on breakpoints, but watchpoints, signals and possibly even the program end is ignored.

Using the python api this can be handled nicely:

  • define a user command (with additional argument to say how fast to auto-step)
  • optional: define a parameter for the default (replaced here for simplicity by a fixed value)
  • do the while loop within python, handle the "expected" keyboard interrupt of CTRL-C
  • register a stop event handler that checks for the stop reason and store the kind of step there
  • adjust the while loop to stop for a "not simple" stop (breakpoint/watchpoint/signal/...)

The following code may be placed in a gdb-auto-step.py which can be made active with source gdb-auto-step.py whenever you want that (or include in the .gdbinit file to make it always available):

import gdb
import time

class CmdAutoStep (gdb.Command):
    """Auto-Step through the code until something happens or manually interrupted.
An argument says how fast auto stepping is done (1-19, default 5)."""
    def __init__(self):
        print('Registering command auto-step')
        super(CmdAutoStep, self).__init__("auto-step", gdb.COMMAND_RUNNING)
        gdb.events.stop.connect(stop_handler_auto_step)
    def invoke(self, argument, from_tty):

        number = 5 # optional: use a parameter for the default
        if argument:
            if not argument.isdigit():
                raise gdb.GdbError("argument must be a digit, not " + argument)
            number = int(argument)
            if number == 0 or number > 19:
                raise gdb.GdbError("argument must be a digit between 1 and 19")

        sleep_time = 3.0 / (number * 1.4)
        try:
            frame = gdb.newest_frame()
        except gdb.error:
            raise gdb.GdbError("No stack.")

        global last_stop_was_simple
        last_stop_was_simple = True

        pagination = gdb.execute("show pagination", False, True).find("on")
        if pagination:
            gdb.execute("set pagination off", False, False)
        
        try:
            while (last_stop_was_simple):
                gdb.execute ("step")
                time.sleep(sleep_time)
        except KeyboardInterrupt as ki:
            if pagination:
                gdb.execute("set pagination on", False, False)
        except gdb.GdbError as user_error:
            if pagination:
                gdb.execute("set pagination on", False, False)
            # pass user errors unchanged
            raise user_error
        except:
            if pagination:
                gdb.execute("set pagination on", False, False)
            traceback.print_exc()

def stop_handler_auto_step(event):
    # check the type of stop, the following is the common one after step/next,
    # a more complex one would be a subclass (for example breakpoint or signal)
    global last_stop_was_simple
    last_stop_was_simple = type(event) is gdb.StopEvent

CmdAutoStep()

Note: If someone has a better way of checking the pagination value please drop a comment.