Questions about setting the CYGWIN env. variable's 'error_start'

[Mark Harig]

> Thanks for the reminder.  Here is the documentation for the 
> 'error_start' option:
>
>   http://cygwin.com/cygwin-ug-net/using-cygwinenv.html
>
> or,
>
>   http://cygwin.com/1.7/cygwin-ug-net/using-cygwinenv.html
>
>> |error_start:Win32filepath| - if set, runs |Win32filepath| when 
>> cygwin encounters a fatal error, which is useful for debugging. 
>> |Win32filepath| is usually set to the path to *gdb* or *dumper*, for 
>> example |C:\cygwin\bin\gdb.exe|. There is no default set. 
>
> Is there a canonical or recommended, robust method that should be used
> for setting 'error_start'?  It appears that your method assumes the value
> of PATH is set appropriately.  Is it recommended that users define the
> environment variable 'Win32filepath' to have the value of the Windows
> location of the desired debugger and, if so, can this be changed 
> dynamically?
> (That is, if a user changes 'Win32filepath' at, say, a shell prompt, 
> would this
> be picked up by 'error_start'?)  And has the new 'insight' GUI included
> with 'gdb' been tested to work as a value for 'error_start'?
>


To follow up, the behavior of Cygwin (bash?) is different depending on 
whether
cygwin 1.5 or cygwin 1.7 is used.  The environment variable 
'Win32filepath' is
null for some reason in Cygwin 1.5 (the value has been set via the 
Environment
Variables applet in the Control Panel's System applet).

1. Cygwin 1.5:
    bash --norc --noprofile

    bash-3.2$ echo $CYGWIN
    tty error_start:Win32filepath

    bash-3.2$ echo $Win32filepath
    [no value printed]

    bash-3.2$ /bin/cygcheck -c bash cygwin
    Cygwin Package Information
    Package                          Version               Status
    bash                                3.2.49-22            OK
    cygwin                            1.5.25-15           OK


2. Cygwin 1.7:
    bash --norc --noprofile

    bash-3.2$ echo $CYGWIN
    tty error_start:Win32filepath

    bash-3.2$ echo $Win32filepath
    c:\cygwin-1.7\bin\gdb.exe

    bash-3.2$ /bin/cygcheck -c bash cygwin
    Cygwin Package Information
    Package                          Version               Status
    bash                                3.2.49-23            OK
    cygwin                            1.7.0-50              OK



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