GDB - Debugging Programs



Getting Started: Starting and Stopping

  • gcc -g myprogram.c

    • Compiles myprogram.c with the debugging option (-g). You still get an a.out, but it contains debugging information that lets you use variables and function names inside GDB, rather than raw memory locations (not fun).

  • gdb a.out

    • Opens GDB with file a.out, but does not run the program. You’ll see a prompt (gdb) - all examples are from this prompt.

  • r

  • r arg1 arg2

  • r < file1

    • Three ways to run “a.out”, loaded previously. You can run it directly (r), pass arguments (r arg1 arg2), or feed in a file. You will usually set breakpoints before running.

  • help

  • h breakpoints

    • Lists help topics (help) or gets help on a specific topic (h breakpoints). GDB is well-documented.

  • q - Quit GDB

Stepping through Code

Stepping lets you trace the path of your program, and zero in on the code that is crashing or returning invalid input.

  • l

  • l 50

  • l myfunction

    • Lists 10 lines of source code for current line (l), a specific line (l 50), or for a function (l myfunction).

  • next

    • Runs the program until next line, then pauses. If the current line is a function, it executes the entire function, then pauses. next is good for walking through your code quickly.

  • step

    • Runs the next instruction, not line. If the current instruction is setting a variable, it is the same as next. If it’s a function, it will jump into the function, execute the first statement, then pause. step is good for diving into the details of your code.

  • finish

    • Finishes executing the current function, then pause (also called step out). Useful if you accidentally stepped into a function.

Breakpoints or Watchpoints

Breakpoints play an important role in debugging. They pause (break) a program when it reaches a certain point. You can examine and change variables and resume execution. This is helpful when some input failure occurs, or inputs are to be tested.

  • break 45

  • break myfunction

    • Sets a breakpoint at line 45, or at myfunction. The program will pause when it reaches the breakpoint.
  • watch x == 3

    • Sets a watchpoint, which pauses the program when a condition changes (when x == 3 changes). Watchpoints are great for certain inputs (myPtr != NULL) without having to break on every function call.

  • continue

    • Resumes execution after being paused by a breakpoint/watchpoint. The program will continue until it hits the next breakpoint/watchpoint.

  • delete N

    • Deletes breakpoint N (breakpoints are numbered when created).

Setting Variables

Viewing and changing variables at runtime is a critical part of debugging. Try providing invalid inputs to functions or running other test cases to find the root cause of problems. Typically, you will view/set variables when the program is paused.

  • print x

    • Prints current value of variable x. Being able to use the original variable names is why the (-g) flag is needed; programs compiled regularly have this information removed.

  • set x = 3

  • set x = y

    • Sets x to a set value (3) or to another variable (y)
  • call myfunction()

  • call myotherfunction(x)

  • call strlen(mystring)

    • Calls user-defined or system functions. This is extremely useful, but beware of calling buggy functions.

  • display x

    • Constantly displays the value of variable x, which is shown after every step or pause. Useful if you are constantly checking for a certain value.

  • undisplay x

    • Removes the constant display of a variable displayed by display command.

Backtrace and Changing Frames

A stack is a list of the current function calls - it shows you where you are in the program. A frame stores the details of a single function call, such as the arguments.

  • bt

    • Backtraces or prints the current function stack to show where you are in the current program. If main calls function a(), which calls b(), which calls c(), the backtrace is

  • c <= current location 
    b 
    a 
    main 
    
  • up

  • down

    • Move to the next frame up or down in the function stack. If you are in c, you can move to b or a to examine local variables.

  • return

    • Returns from current function.

Handling Signals

Signals are messages thrown after certain events, such as a timer or error. GDB may pause when it encounters a signal; you may wish to ignore them instead.

  • handle [signalname] [action]

  • handle SIGUSR1 nostop

  • handle SIGUSR1 noprint

  • handle SIGUSR1 ignore

    • Instruct GDB to ignore a certain signal (SIGUSR1) when it occurs. There are varying levels of ignoring.

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