trying to use gdb to disassemble a binary file

[Fahd Abidi]

Thanks to the both of you. The objdump command worked.

I tried the objcopy before I emailed and converted the binary file to an
ELF format but for some reason the architecture would not get written to
the created elf file:

PPC_440-bojcopy -I binary -O elf32-powerpc -B powerpc file file.elf

trying to do an "objdump -f" showed that there was no architecture
information copied over. Trying to disassemble this resulted in an error
saying the architecture was unknown. Probably this was a problem with my
tools so I won't worry about it. And it would have to go on another
thread anyhow.

Thanks again.

Fahd
 

-----Original Message-----
From: Daniel Jacobowitz [mailto:drow@false.org] 
Sent: Monday, August 06, 2007 3:30 PM
To: Dave Korn
Cc: Fahd Abidi; gdb@sourceware.org
Subject: Re: trying to use gdb to disassemble a binary file

On Mon, Aug 06, 2007 at 07:56:32PM +0100, Dave Korn wrote:
> On 06 August 2007 19:45, Fahd Abidi wrote:
> 
> > Hello,
> > 
> > I am trying to use GDB to disassemble a binary file. I have no 
> > problems when gdb connects to a target board (running a PC440) and 
> > viewing the disassembly via the display command, (gdb)x 
> > /10i$0xfffff000. But GDB does will not recognize or open a binary 
> > file format. It might not be the right tool to use, I really just 
> > want to open a binary file in gdb and view the disassembly. Is that
possible?
> 
>   Not easily, although it would work if you could get the file's 
> contents loaded into memory.
> 
>   Probably your best bet is to use "objdump -D --target=binary 
> --architecture=<your arch> filename"

Alternatively, use objcopy to convert the file into an ELF image.

--
Daniel Jacobowitz
CodeSourcery