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Re: [rfa:doco] Doco problems with level two annotations


[Sorry for the long delay in replying to this message.]

And an even longer response on my part.


Date: Wed, 21 May 2003 16:34:33 -0400
From: Andrew Cagney <ac131313@redhat.com>

Anyway, the real reason is that I happen to know that the GNU Press person would like the GDB group to try to keep the basic user manual trim.


If that's the real reason, let's at least document it, either in a
comment in the .texi file or in the ChangeLog, lest some helpful soul
will want to make it an appendix in a distant future.

We could arrange for this paper to become an appendix only in the
on-line manual (using @itex), but if that is too much work (since I
think the menus and possibly @node lines will need to be @iftex'ed as
well as the text itself), I have no objections to doing it your way.

Here's the patch with the missing Makefile tweak, and a comment indicating why its separate.


thoughts?
Andrew

2003-07-28  Andrew Cagney  <cagney@redhat.com>

	* Makefile.in (INFO_DEPS): Add annotate.info.
	(dvi, ps, html, pdf): Add annotate.
	(ANNOTATE_DOC_SOURCE_INCLUDES): New macro.
	(ANNOTATE_DOC_BUILD_INCLUDES): New macro.
	(ANNOTATE_DOC_FILES): New macro.
	(ANNOTATE_TEX_TMPS): New macro.
	(annotate.info, annotate_toc.html): Specify dependencies.
	(annotate.ps, annotate.pdf, annotate.dvi): Ditto.
	* annotate.texinfo: Rename annotate.texi.  Get building.  Add
	"Migrating to GDB/MI" and "Limitations of the Annotation
	Interface" chapters.  Mention why it is not part of the user guide.

Index: Makefile.in
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvs/src/src/gdb/doc/Makefile.in,v
retrieving revision 1.30
diff -u -r1.30 Makefile.in
--- Makefile.in	22 Jun 2003 04:27:23 -0000	1.30
+++ Makefile.in	29 Jul 2003 04:50:07 -0000
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@
    TEXINPUTS=${TEXIDIR}:.:$(srcdir):$(READLINE_DIR):$(GDBMI_DIR):$$TEXINPUTS
 
 # Files which should be generated via 'info' and installed by 'install-info'
-INFO_DEPS = gdb.info gdbint.info stabs.info
+INFO_DEPS = gdb.info gdbint.info stabs.info annotate.info
 
 # There may be alternate predefined collections of switches to configure
 # the GDB manual.  Normally this is not done in synch with the software
@@ -131,16 +131,24 @@
 	$(STABS_DOC_SOURCE_INCLUDES) \
 	$(STABS_DOC_BUILD_INCLUDES)
 
+# Annotate migration document
+ANNOTATE_DOC_SOURCE_INCLUDES =
+ANNOTATE_DOC_BUILD_INCLUDES =
+ANNOTATE_DOC_FILES = \
+	$(srcdir)/annotate.texinfo \
+	$(ANNOTATE_DOC_SOURCE_INCLUDES) \
+	$(ANNOTATE_DOC_BUILD_INCLUDES)
+
 #### Host, target, and site specific Makefile fragments come in here.
 ###
 
 all:
 
 info: $(INFO_DEPS)
-dvi: gdb.dvi gdbint.dvi stabs.dvi refcard.dvi
-ps: gdb.ps gdbint.ps stabs.ps refcard.ps
-html: gdb_toc.html gdbint_toc.html stabs_toc.html
-pdf: gdb.pdf gdbint.pdf stabs.pdf
+dvi: gdb.dvi gdbint.dvi stabs.dvi refcard.dvi annotate.dvi
+ps: gdb.ps gdbint.ps stabs.ps refcard.ps annotate.ps
+html: gdb_toc.html gdbint_toc.html stabs_toc.html annotate.html
+pdf: gdb.pdf gdbint.pdf stabs.pdf annotate.pdf
 all-doc: info dvi ps # pdf
 diststuff: info
 
@@ -420,6 +428,30 @@
 	rm -f $(STABS_TEX_TMPS)
 	$(SET_TEXINPUTS) $(TEXI2DVI) --pdf $(srcdir)/stabs.texinfo
 
+# Clean these up before each run.  Avoids a catch 22 with not being
+# able to re-generate these files (to fix a corruption) because these
+# files contain a corruption.
+ANNOTATE_TEX_TMPS = annotate.aux annotate.cp* annotate.fn* annotate.ky* \
+	annotate.log annotate.pg* annotate.toc annotate.tp* annotate.vr*
+
+# ANNOTATE DOCUMENTATION: TeX dvi file
+annotate.dvi : $(ANNOTATE_DOC_FILES)
+	rm -f $(ANNOTATE_TEX_TMPS)
+	$(SET_TEXINPUTS) $(TEXI2DVI) $(srcdir)/annotate.texinfo
+
+annotate.ps: annotate.dvi
+	$(DVIPS) -o $@ $?
+
+annotate.pdf: $(ANNOTATE_DOC_FILES)
+	rm -f $(ANNOTATE_TEX_TMPS)
+	$(SET_TEXINPUTS) $(TEXI2DVI) --pdf $(srcdir)/annotate.texinfo
+
+annotate.info: $(ANNOTATE_DOC_FILES)
+	$(MAKEINFO) -o annotate.info $(srcdir)/annotate.texinfo
+
+annotate_toc.html: $(ANNOTATE_DOC_FILES)
+	$(MAKEHTML) $(MAKEHTMLFLAGS) $(srcdir)/annotate.texinfo
+
 force:
 
 Makefile: Makefile.in $(host_makefile_frag) $(target_makefile_frag) config.status
@@ -434,6 +466,7 @@
 	rm -f $(GDB_TEX_TMPS)
 	rm -f $(GDBINT_TEX_TMPS)
 	rm -f $(STABS_TEX_TMPS)
+	rm -f $(ANNOTATE_TEX_TMPS)
 	rm -f sedref.dvi sedref.tex tmp.sed
 
 clean: mostlyclean
Index: annotate.texinfo
===================================================================
RCS file: annotate.texinfo
diff -N annotate.texinfo
--- /dev/null	1 Jan 1970 00:00:00 -0000
+++ annotate.texinfo	29 Jul 2003 04:50:10 -0000
@@ -0,0 +1,820 @@
+\input texinfo   @c -*-texinfo-*-
+@c %**start of header
+@setfilename annotate.info
+@c
+@include gdb-cfg.texi
+@c
+@settitle @value{GDBN}'s Obsolete Annotations
+@setchapternewpage off
+@c %**end of header
+
+@set EDITION 1.0
+@set DATE July 2003
+
+@c NOTE: cagney/2003-07-28:
+@c Don't make this migration doccument an appendix of GDB's user guide.
+@c By keeping this separate, the size of the user guide is contained. If
+@c the user guide to get much bigger it would need to switch to a larger,
+@c more expensive, form factor and would drive up the manuals publication
+@c cost.  Having a smaller cheaper manual helps the GNU Press with its sales.
+
+@ifinfo
+This file documents @value{GDBN}'s obsolete annotations.
+
+Copyright 1994, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2003 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+
+Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
+under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1 or
+any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with the
+Front-Cover Texts being ``A GNU Manual'', and with the Back-Cover Texts
+as in (a) below.
+
+(a) The Free Software Foundation's Back-Cover Text is: ``You have
+freedom to copy and modify this GNU Manual, like GNU software.  Copies
+published by the Free Software Foundation raise funds for GNU
+development.''
+@end ifinfo
+
+@titlepage
+@title @value{GDBN}'s Obsolete Annotations
+@subtitle Edition @value{EDITION}
+@subtitle @value{DATE}
+@author Free Software Foundation
+@page
+@vskip 0pt plus 1filll
+Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of this
+manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice are
+preserved on all copies.
+
+Copyright @copyright{} 1994, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2003 Free Software
+Foundation
+@end titlepage
+
+@ifinfo
+@node Top
+@top GDB Annotations
+
+This document describes the obsolete level two annotation interface
+implemented in older @value{GDBN} versions.
+
+@ignore
+This is Edition @value{EDITION}, @value{DATE}.
+@end ignore
+@end ifinfo
+
+@menu
+* Annotations Overview::  What annotations are; the general syntax.
+* Limitations::           Limitations of the annotation interface.
+* Migrating to GDB/MI::   Migrating to GDB/MI
+* Server Prefix::       Issuing a command without affecting user state.
+* Value Annotations::   Values are marked as such.
+* Frame Annotations::   Stack frames are annotated.
+* Displays::            @value{GDBN} can be told to display something periodically.
+* Prompting::           Annotations marking @value{GDBN}'s need for input.
+* Errors::              Annotations for error messages.
+* Breakpoint Info::     Information on breakpoints.
+* Invalidation::        Some annotations describe things now invalid.
+* Annotations for Running::
+                        Whether the program is running, how it stopped, etc.
+* Source Annotations::  Annotations describing source code.
+@end menu
+
+@contents
+
+@node Annotations Overview
+@chapter What is an Annotation?
+@cindex annotations
+
+To produce obsolete level two annotations, start @value{GDBN} with the
+@code{--annotate=2} option.
+
+Annotations start with a newline character, two @samp{control-z}
+characters, and the name of the annotation.  If there is no additional
+information associated with this annotation, the name of the annotation
+is followed immediately by a newline.  If there is additional
+information, the name of the annotation is followed by a space, the
+additional information, and a newline.  The additional information
+cannot contain newline characters.
+
+Any output not beginning with a newline and two @samp{control-z}
+characters denotes literal output from @value{GDBN}.  Currently there is
+no need for @value{GDBN} to output a newline followed by two
+@samp{control-z} characters, but if there was such a need, the
+annotations could be extended with an @samp{escape} annotation which
+means those three characters as output.
+
+A simple example of starting up @value{GDBN} with annotations is:
+
+@smallexample
+$ gdb --annotate=2
+GNU GDB 5.0
+Copyright 2000 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+GDB is free software, covered by the GNU General Public License,
+and you are welcome to change it and/or distribute copies of it
+under certain conditions.
+Type "show copying" to see the conditions.
+There is absolutely no warranty for GDB.  Type "show warranty"
+for details.
+This GDB was configured as "sparc-sun-sunos4.1.3"
+
+^Z^Zpre-prompt
+(gdb) 
+^Z^Zprompt
+quit
+
+^Z^Zpost-prompt
+$ 
+@end smallexample
+
+Here @samp{quit} is input to @value{GDBN}; the rest is output from
+@value{GDBN}.  The three lines beginning @samp{^Z^Z} (where @samp{^Z}
+denotes a @samp{control-z} character) are annotations; the rest is
+output from @value{GDBN}.
+
+@node Limitations
+@chapter Limitations of the Annotation Interface
+
+The level two annotations mechanism is known to have a number of
+technical and architectural limitations.  As a consequence, in 2001,
+with the release of @value{GDBN} 5.1 and the addition of @sc{gdb/mi},
+the annotation interface was marked as deprecated.
+
+This chapter discusses the known problems.
+
+@section Dependant on @sc{cli} output
+
+The annotation interface works by interspersing markups with
+@value{GDBN} normal command-line interpreter output.  Unfortunatly, this
+makes the annotation client dependant on not just the annotations, but
+also the @sc{cli} output.  This is because the client is forced to
+assume that specific @value{GDBN} commands provide specific information.
+Any change to @value{GDBN}'s @sc{cli} output modifies or removes that
+information and, consequently, likely breaks the client.
+
+Since the @sc{gdb/mi} output is independant of the @sc{cli}, it does not
+have this problem.
+
+@section Scalability
+
+The annotation interface relies on value annotations (@pxref{Value
+Annotations}) and the display mechanism as a way of obtaining up-to-date
+value information.  These mechanisms are not scalable.
+
+In a graphical environment, where many values can be displayed
+simultaneously, a serious performance problem occurs when the client
+tries to first extract from @value{GDBN}, and then re-display, all those
+values.  The client should instead only request and update the values
+that changed.
+
+The @sc{gdb/mi} Variable Objects provide just that mechanism.
+
+@section Correctness
+
+The annotation interface assumes that a variable's value can only be
+changed when the target is running.  This assumption is not correct.  A
+single assignment to a single variable can result in the entire target,
+and all displayed values, needing an update.
+
+The @sc{gdb/mi} Variable Objects include a mechanism for efficiently
+reporting such changes.
+
+@section Reliability
+
+The @sc{gdb/mi} interface includes a dedicated test directory
+(@file{gdb/gdb.mi}), and any addition or fix to @sc{gdb/mi} must include
+testsuite changes.
+
+@section Maintainability
+
+The annotation mechanism was implemented by interspersing @sc{cli} print
+statements with various annotations.  As a consequence, any @sc{cli}
+output change can alter the annotation output.
+
+Since the @sc{gdb/mi} output is independant of the @sc{cli}, and the
+@sc{gdb/mi} is increasingly implemented independant of the @sc{cli}
+code, its long term maintenance is much easier.
+
+@node Migrating to GDB/MI
+@chapter Migrating to @sc{gdb/mi}
+
+By using the @samp{interp mi} command, it is possible for annotation
+clients to invoke @sc{gdb/mi} commands, and hence access the
+@sc{gdb/mi}.  By doing this, existing annotation clients have a
+migration path from this obsolete interface to @sc{gdb/mi}.
+
+@node Server Prefix
+@chapter The Server Prefix
+@cindex server prefix for annotations
+
+To issue a command to @value{GDBN} without affecting certain aspects of
+the state which is seen by users, prefix it with @samp{server }.  This
+means that this command will not affect the command history, nor will it
+affect @value{GDBN}'s notion of which command to repeat if @key{RET} is
+pressed on a line by itself.
+
+The server prefix does not affect the recording of values into the value
+history; to print a value without recording it into the value history,
+use the @code{output} command instead of the @code{print} command.
+
+@node Value Annotations
+@chapter Values
+
+@emph{Value Annotations have been removed.  @sc{gdb/mi} instead provides
+Variable Objects.}
+
+@cindex annotations for values
+When a value is printed in various contexts, @value{GDBN} uses
+annotations to delimit the value from the surrounding text.
+
+@findex value-history-begin
+@findex value-history-value
+@findex value-history-end
+If a value is printed using @code{print} and added to the value history,
+the annotation looks like
+
+@smallexample
+^Z^Zvalue-history-begin @var{history-number} @var{value-flags}
+@var{history-string}
+^Z^Zvalue-history-value
+@var{the-value}
+^Z^Zvalue-history-end
+@end smallexample
+
+@noindent
+where @var{history-number} is the number it is getting in the value
+history, @var{history-string} is a string, such as @samp{$5 = }, which
+introduces the value to the user, @var{the-value} is the output
+corresponding to the value itself, and @var{value-flags} is @samp{*} for
+a value which can be dereferenced and @samp{-} for a value which cannot.
+
+@findex value-begin
+@findex value-end
+If the value is not added to the value history (it is an invalid float
+or it is printed with the @code{output} command), the annotation is similar:
+
+@smallexample
+^Z^Zvalue-begin @var{value-flags}
+@var{the-value}
+^Z^Zvalue-end
+@end smallexample
+
+@findex arg-begin
+@findex arg-name-end
+@findex arg-value
+@findex arg-end
+When @value{GDBN} prints an argument to a function (for example, in the output
+from the @code{backtrace} command), it annotates it as follows:
+
+@smallexample
+^Z^Zarg-begin
+@var{argument-name}
+^Z^Zarg-name-end
+@var{separator-string}
+^Z^Zarg-value @var{value-flags}
+@var{the-value}
+^Z^Zarg-end
+@end smallexample
+
+@noindent
+where @var{argument-name} is the name of the argument,
+@var{separator-string} is text which separates the name from the value
+for the user's benefit (such as @samp{=}), and @var{value-flags} and
+@var{the-value} have the same meanings as in a
+@code{value-history-begin} annotation.
+
+@findex field-begin
+@findex field-name-end
+@findex field-value
+@findex field-end
+When printing a structure, @value{GDBN} annotates it as follows:
+
+@smallexample
+^Z^Zfield-begin @var{value-flags}
+@var{field-name}
+^Z^Zfield-name-end
+@var{separator-string}
+^Z^Zfield-value
+@var{the-value}
+^Z^Zfield-end
+@end smallexample
+
+@noindent
+where @var{field-name} is the name of the field, @var{separator-string}
+is text which separates the name from the value for the user's benefit
+(such as @samp{=}), and @var{value-flags} and @var{the-value} have the
+same meanings as in a @code{value-history-begin} annotation.
+
+When printing an array, @value{GDBN} annotates it as follows:
+
+@smallexample
+^Z^Zarray-section-begin @var{array-index} @var{value-flags}
+@end smallexample
+
+@noindent
+where @var{array-index} is the index of the first element being
+annotated and @var{value-flags} has the same meaning as in a
+@code{value-history-begin} annotation.  This is followed by any number
+of elements, where is element can be either a single element:
+
+@findex elt
+@smallexample
+@samp{,} @var{whitespace}         ; @r{omitted for the first element}
+@var{the-value}
+^Z^Zelt
+@end smallexample
+
+or a repeated element
+
+@findex elt-rep
+@findex elt-rep-end
+@smallexample
+@samp{,} @var{whitespace}         ; @r{omitted for the first element}
+@var{the-value}
+^Z^Zelt-rep @var{number-of-repetitions}
+@var{repetition-string}
+^Z^Zelt-rep-end
+@end smallexample
+
+In both cases, @var{the-value} is the output for the value of the
+element and @var{whitespace} can contain spaces, tabs, and newlines.  In
+the repeated case, @var{number-of-repetitions} is the number of
+consecutive array elements which contain that value, and
+@var{repetition-string} is a string which is designed to convey to the
+user that repetition is being depicted.
+
+@findex array-section-end
+Once all the array elements have been output, the array annotation is
+ended with
+
+@smallexample
+^Z^Zarray-section-end
+@end smallexample
+
+@node Frame Annotations
+@chapter Frames
+
+@emph{Value Annotations have been removed.  @sc{gdb/mi} instead provides
+a number of frame commands.}
+
+@emph{Frame annotations are no longer available.  The @sc{gdb/mi}
+provides @samp{-stack-list-arguments}, @samp{-stack-list-locals}, and
+@samp{-stack-list-frames} commands.}
+
+@cindex annotations for frames
+Whenever @value{GDBN} prints a frame, it annotates it.  For example, this applies
+to frames printed when @value{GDBN} stops, output from commands such as
+@code{backtrace} or @code{up}, etc.
+
+@findex frame-begin
+The frame annotation begins with
+
+@smallexample
+^Z^Zframe-begin @var{level} @var{address}
+@var{level-string}
+@end smallexample
+
+@noindent
+where @var{level} is the number of the frame (0 is the innermost frame,
+and other frames have positive numbers), @var{address} is the address of
+the code executing in that frame, and @var{level-string} is a string
+designed to convey the level to the user.  @var{address} is in the form
+@samp{0x} followed by one or more lowercase hex digits (note that this
+does not depend on the language).  The frame ends with
+
+@findex frame-end
+@smallexample
+^Z^Zframe-end
+@end smallexample
+
+Between these annotations is the main body of the frame, which can
+consist of
+
+@itemize @bullet
+@item
+@findex function-call
+@smallexample
+^Z^Zfunction-call
+@var{function-call-string}
+@end smallexample
+
+where @var{function-call-string} is text designed to convey to the user
+that this frame is associated with a function call made by @value{GDBN} to a
+function in the program being debugged.
+
+@item
+@findex signal-handler-caller
+@smallexample
+^Z^Zsignal-handler-caller
+@var{signal-handler-caller-string}
+@end smallexample
+
+where @var{signal-handler-caller-string} is text designed to convey to
+the user that this frame is associated with whatever mechanism is used
+by this operating system to call a signal handler (it is the frame which
+calls the signal handler, not the frame for the signal handler itself).
+
+@item
+A normal frame.
+
+@findex frame-address
+@findex frame-address-end
+This can optionally (depending on whether this is thought of as
+interesting information for the user to see) begin with
+
+@smallexample
+^Z^Zframe-address
+@var{address}
+^Z^Zframe-address-end
+@var{separator-string}
+@end smallexample
+
+where @var{address} is the address executing in the frame (the same
+address as in the @code{frame-begin} annotation, but printed in a form
+which is intended for user consumption---in particular, the syntax varies
+depending on the language), and @var{separator-string} is a string
+intended to separate this address from what follows for the user's
+benefit.
+
+@findex frame-function-name
+@findex frame-args
+Then comes
+
+@smallexample
+^Z^Zframe-function-name
+@var{function-name}
+^Z^Zframe-args
+@var{arguments}
+@end smallexample
+
+where @var{function-name} is the name of the function executing in the
+frame, or @samp{??} if not known, and @var{arguments} are the arguments
+to the frame, with parentheses around them (each argument is annotated
+individually as well, @pxref{Value Annotations}).
+
+@findex frame-source-begin
+@findex frame-source-file
+@findex frame-source-file-end
+@findex frame-source-line
+@findex frame-source-end
+If source information is available, a reference to it is then printed:
+
+@smallexample
+^Z^Zframe-source-begin
+@var{source-intro-string}
+^Z^Zframe-source-file
+@var{filename}
+^Z^Zframe-source-file-end
+:
+^Z^Zframe-source-line
+@var{line-number}
+^Z^Zframe-source-end
+@end smallexample
+
+where @var{source-intro-string} separates for the user's benefit the
+reference from the text which precedes it, @var{filename} is the name of
+the source file, and @var{line-number} is the line number within that
+file (the first line is line 1).
+
+@findex frame-where
+If @value{GDBN} prints some information about where the frame is from (which
+library, which load segment, etc.; currently only done on the RS/6000),
+it is annotated with
+
+@smallexample
+^Z^Zframe-where
+@var{information}
+@end smallexample
+
+Then, if source is to actually be displayed for this frame (for example,
+this is not true for output from the @code{backtrace} command), then a
+@code{source} annotation (@pxref{Source Annotations}) is displayed.  Unlike
+most annotations, this is output instead of the normal text which would be
+output, not in addition.
+@end itemize
+
+@node Displays
+@chapter Displays
+
+@emph{Display Annotations have been removed.  @sc{gdb/mi} instead
+provides Variable Objects.}
+
+@findex display-begin
+@findex display-number-end
+@findex display-format
+@findex display-expression
+@findex display-expression-end
+@findex display-value
+@findex display-end
+@cindex annotations for display
+When @value{GDBN} is told to display something using the @code{display} command,
+the results of the display are annotated:
+
+@smallexample
+^Z^Zdisplay-begin
+@var{number}
+^Z^Zdisplay-number-end
+@var{number-separator}
+^Z^Zdisplay-format
+@var{format}
+^Z^Zdisplay-expression
+@var{expression}
+^Z^Zdisplay-expression-end
+@var{expression-separator}
+^Z^Zdisplay-value
+@var{value}
+^Z^Zdisplay-end
+@end smallexample
+
+@noindent
+where @var{number} is the number of the display, @var{number-separator}
+is intended to separate the number from what follows for the user,
+@var{format} includes information such as the size, format, or other
+information about how the value is being displayed, @var{expression} is
+the expression being displayed, @var{expression-separator} is intended
+to separate the expression from the text that follows for the user,
+and @var{value} is the actual value being displayed.
+
+@node Prompting
+@chapter Annotation for @value{GDBN} Input
+
+@cindex annotations for prompts
+When @value{GDBN} prompts for input, it annotates this fact so it is possible
+to know when to send output, when the output from a given command is
+over, etc.
+
+Different kinds of input each have a different @dfn{input type}.  Each
+input type has three annotations: a @code{pre-} annotation, which
+denotes the beginning of any prompt which is being output, a plain
+annotation, which denotes the end of the prompt, and then a @code{post-}
+annotation which denotes the end of any echo which may (or may not) be
+associated with the input.  For example, the @code{prompt} input type
+features the following annotations:
+
+@smallexample
+^Z^Zpre-prompt
+^Z^Zprompt
+^Z^Zpost-prompt
+@end smallexample
+
+The input types are
+
+@table @code
+@findex pre-prompt
+@findex prompt
+@findex post-prompt
+@item prompt
+When @value{GDBN} is prompting for a command (the main @value{GDBN} prompt).
+
+@findex pre-commands
+@findex commands
+@findex post-commands
+@item commands
+When @value{GDBN} prompts for a set of commands, like in the @code{commands}
+command.  The annotations are repeated for each command which is input.
+
+@findex pre-overload-choice
+@findex overload-choice
+@findex post-overload-choice
+@item overload-choice
+When @value{GDBN} wants the user to select between various overloaded functions.
+
+@findex pre-query
+@findex query
+@findex post-query
+@item query
+When @value{GDBN} wants the user to confirm a potentially dangerous operation.
+
+@findex pre-prompt-for-continue
+@findex prompt-for-continue
+@findex post-prompt-for-continue
+@item prompt-for-continue
+When @value{GDBN} is asking the user to press return to continue.  Note: Don't
+expect this to work well; instead use @code{set height 0} to disable
+prompting.  This is because the counting of lines is buggy in the
+presence of annotations.
+@end table
+
+@node Errors
+@chapter Errors
+@cindex annotations for errors, warnings and interrupts
+
+@findex quit
+@smallexample
+^Z^Zquit
+@end smallexample
+
+This annotation occurs right before @value{GDBN} responds to an interrupt.
+
+@findex error
+@smallexample
+^Z^Zerror
+@end smallexample
+
+This annotation occurs right before @value{GDBN} responds to an error.
+
+Quit and error annotations indicate that any annotations which @value{GDBN} was
+in the middle of may end abruptly.  For example, if a
+@code{value-history-begin} annotation is followed by a @code{error}, one
+cannot expect to receive the matching @code{value-history-end}.  One
+cannot expect not to receive it either, however; an error annotation
+does not necessarily mean that @value{GDBN} is immediately returning all the way
+to the top level.
+
+@findex error-begin
+A quit or error annotation may be preceded by
+
+@smallexample
+^Z^Zerror-begin
+@end smallexample
+
+Any output between that and the quit or error annotation is the error
+message.
+
+Warning messages are not yet annotated.
+@c If we want to change that, need to fix warning(), type_error(),
+@c range_error(), and possibly other places.
+
+@node Breakpoint Info
+@chapter Information on Breakpoints
+
+@emph{Breakpoint Annotations have been removed.  @sc{gdb/mi} instead
+provides breakpoint commands.}
+
+@cindex annotations for breakpoints
+The output from the @code{info breakpoints} command is annotated as follows:
+
+@findex breakpoints-headers
+@findex breakpoints-table
+@smallexample
+^Z^Zbreakpoints-headers
+@var{header-entry}
+^Z^Zbreakpoints-table
+@end smallexample
+
+@noindent
+where @var{header-entry} has the same syntax as an entry (see below) but
+instead of containing data, it contains strings which are intended to
+convey the meaning of each field to the user.  This is followed by any
+number of entries.  If a field does not apply for this entry, it is
+omitted.  Fields may contain trailing whitespace.  Each entry consists
+of:
+
+@findex record
+@findex field
+@smallexample
+^Z^Zrecord
+^Z^Zfield 0
+@var{number}
+^Z^Zfield 1
+@var{type}
+^Z^Zfield 2
+@var{disposition}
+^Z^Zfield 3
+@var{enable}
+^Z^Zfield 4
+@var{address}
+^Z^Zfield 5
+@var{what}
+^Z^Zfield 6
+@var{frame}
+^Z^Zfield 7
+@var{condition}
+^Z^Zfield 8
+@var{ignore-count}
+^Z^Zfield 9
+@var{commands}
+@end smallexample
+
+Note that @var{address} is intended for user consumption---the syntax
+varies depending on the language.
+
+The output ends with
+
+@findex breakpoints-table-end
+@smallexample
+^Z^Zbreakpoints-table-end
+@end smallexample
+
+@node Invalidation
+@chapter Invalidation Notices
+
+@cindex annotations for invalidation messages
+The following annotations say that certain pieces of state may have
+changed.
+
+@table @code
+@findex frames-invalid
+@item ^Z^Zframes-invalid
+
+The frames (for example, output from the @code{backtrace} command) may
+have changed.
+
+@findex breakpoints-invalid
+@item ^Z^Zbreakpoints-invalid
+
+The breakpoints may have changed.  For example, the user just added or
+deleted a breakpoint.
+@end table
+
+@node Annotations for Running
+@chapter Running the Program
+@cindex annotations for running programs
+
+@findex starting
+@findex stopping
+When the program starts executing due to a @value{GDBN} command such as
+@code{step} or @code{continue}, 
+
+@smallexample
+^Z^Zstarting
+@end smallexample
+
+is output.  When the program stops, 
+
+@smallexample
+^Z^Zstopped
+@end smallexample
+
+is output.  Before the @code{stopped} annotation, a variety of
+annotations describe how the program stopped.
+
+@table @code
+@findex exited
+@item ^Z^Zexited @var{exit-status}
+The program exited, and @var{exit-status} is the exit status (zero for
+successful exit, otherwise nonzero).
+
+@findex signalled
+@findex signal-name
+@findex signal-name-end
+@findex signal-string
+@findex signal-string-end
+@item ^Z^Zsignalled
+The program exited with a signal.  After the @code{^Z^Zsignalled}, the
+annotation continues:
+
+@smallexample
+@var{intro-text}
+^Z^Zsignal-name
+@var{name}
+^Z^Zsignal-name-end
+@var{middle-text}
+^Z^Zsignal-string
+@var{string}
+^Z^Zsignal-string-end
+@var{end-text}
+@end smallexample
+
+@noindent
+where @var{name} is the name of the signal, such as @code{SIGILL} or
+@code{SIGSEGV}, and @var{string} is the explanation of the signal, such
+as @code{Illegal Instruction} or @code{Segmentation fault}.
+@var{intro-text}, @var{middle-text}, and @var{end-text} are for the
+user's benefit and have no particular format.
+
+@findex signal
+@item ^Z^Zsignal
+The syntax of this annotation is just like @code{signalled}, but @value{GDBN} is
+just saying that the program received the signal, not that it was
+terminated with it.
+
+@findex breakpoint
+@item ^Z^Zbreakpoint @var{number}
+The program hit breakpoint number @var{number}.
+
+@findex watchpoint
+@item ^Z^Zwatchpoint @var{number}
+The program hit watchpoint number @var{number}.
+@end table
+
+@node Source Annotations
+@chapter Displaying Source
+@cindex annotations for source display
+
+@findex source
+The following annotation is used instead of displaying source code:
+
+@smallexample
+^Z^Zsource @var{filename}:@var{line}:@var{character}:@var{middle}:@var{addr}
+@end smallexample
+
+where @var{filename} is an absolute file name indicating which source
+file, @var{line} is the line number within that file (where 1 is the
+first line in the file), @var{character} is the character position
+within the file (where 0 is the first character in the file) (for most
+debug formats this will necessarily point to the beginning of a line),
+@var{middle} is @samp{middle} if @var{addr} is in the middle of the
+line, or @samp{beg} if @var{addr} is at the beginning of the line, and
+@var{addr} is the address in the target program associated with the
+source which is being displayed.  @var{addr} is in the form @samp{0x}
+followed by one or more lowercase hex digits (note that this does not
+depend on the language).
+
+@ignore
+@node Index
+@unnumbered Index
+
+@printindex fn
+@end ignore
+
+@bye

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