Re: extending Gdb to display app specific data

[bstell at netscape dot com (Brian Stell)]

So how do we do this without requiring the end
user to know the exact data type of a variable
in any routine they pass thru and without requiring
the end user memorize the routine names?

Michael Meissner wrote:

> On Fri, Nov 10, 2000 at 04:08:57PM -0800, Brian Stell wrote:
> > We all agree that gdb by itself cannot display every data
> > type that will come along.
> >
> > What I'm looking for is a way for an expert user to tell
> > gdb how to display a given type. This way within a
> > community of developers the expert users can setup
> > display routines for the complex data types in that
> > environment and everyone else can view the data
> > in gdb.
> >
> > For example, in the Mozilla development world there are a
> > large number of developers and a variety of string formats
> > (PRUnichar=UTF16, nsString=C++ object, etc.) and more
> > are expected in the future (e.g.: a compressed format).
> >
> > It is easy to say RTFM but it would be more effective
> > to say "copy this file to your home dir".
>
> Do like GCC does and include functions in your code that take your type as an
> argument, and print the type in question to stdout (or stderr).  For example
> within gcc, there is debug_rtx, which takes a rtx pointer, and prints out the
> value in tree format, and similarly debug_tree which does it for tree nodes.
> To further enhance the debugging experience, the .gdbinit command includes
> several shortcuts (like pr/pt) that pass the last value to the above
> functions.
>
> --
> Michael Meissner, Red Hat, Inc.
> PMB 198, 174 Littleton Road #3, Westford, Massachusetts 01886, USA
> Work:     meissner@redhat.com           phone: +1 978-486-9304
> Non-work: meissner@spectacle-pond.org   fax:   +1 978-692-4482