The section .debug_info contains: Compilation Unit @ 0: Length: 215 Version: 2 Abbrev Offset: 0 Pointer Size: 4 <0>: Abbrev Number: 1 (DW_TAG_compile_unit) DW_AT_stmt_list : 0 DW_AT_high_pc : 0x4c DW_AT_low_pc : 0 DW_AT_name : vla-bug.c DW_AT_comp_dir : /home/igor/c/gdb-bug DW_AT_producer : GNU C 3.3.5 (Debian 1:3.3.5-13) DW_AT_language : 1 (ANSI C) <1><58>: Abbrev Number: 2 (DW_TAG_subprogram) DW_AT_sibling : <93> DW_AT_external : 1 DW_AT_name : test DW_AT_decl_file : 1 DW_AT_decl_line : 2 DW_AT_prototyped : 1 DW_AT_low_pc : 0 DW_AT_high_pc : 0x29 DW_AT_frame_base : 1 byte block: 55 (DW_OP_reg5) <2><70>: Abbrev Number: 3 (DW_TAG_formal_parameter) DW_AT_name : x DW_AT_decl_file : 1 DW_AT_decl_line : 1 DW_AT_type : <93> DW_AT_location : 2 byte block: 91 8 (DW_OP_fbreg: 8) <2><7c>: Abbrev Number: 4 (DW_TAG_variable) DW_AT_artificial : 1 DW_AT_type : DW_AT_location : 1 byte block: 50 (DW_OP_reg0) <2><84>: Abbrev Number: 5 (DW_TAG_variable) DW_AT_name : arr DW_AT_decl_file : 1 DW_AT_decl_line : 3 DW_AT_type : <9a> DW_AT_location : 2 byte block: 70 0 (DW_OP_breg0: 0) <1><93>: Abbrev Number: 6 (DW_TAG_base_type) DW_AT_name : int DW_AT_byte_size : 4 DW_AT_encoding : 5 (signed) <1><9a>: Abbrev Number: 7 (DW_TAG_array_type) DW_AT_sibling : DW_AT_type : <93> <2>: Abbrev Number: 8 (DW_TAG_subrange_type) DW_AT_type : DW_AT_upper_bound : <7c> <1>: Abbrev Number: 6 (DW_TAG_base_type) DW_AT_name : unsigned int DW_AT_byte_size : 4 DW_AT_encoding : 7 (unsigned) <1>: Abbrev Number: 9 (DW_TAG_const_type) DW_AT_type : <93> <1>: Abbrev Number: 10 (DW_TAG_subprogram) DW_AT_external : 1 DW_AT_name : main DW_AT_decl_file : 1 DW_AT_decl_line : 8 DW_AT_prototyped : 1 DW_AT_type : <93> DW_AT_low_pc : 0x29 DW_AT_high_pc : 0x4c DW_AT_frame_base : 1 byte block: 55 (DW_OP_reg5)