Next for GDB

Next for GDB

[Andrew Cagney]

Since 6.0 is starting to look real, I might as well post what I think 
I'll be working on next.  My curent TODO list for gdb includes

- rip out the non-multi-arch code
- keep chipping away at the frame/thread code
- the target vector
- the sim vector

along with the usual adminstrivia like pestering random lawyers.

It would also be nice to see the GDB - BFD interface upgraded a little.

Andrew

Re: Next for GDB

[cgd]

Is today Scary Andrew Mail Day?  8-)

At Fri, 1 Aug 2003 23:47:12 +0000 (UTC), "Andrew Cagney" wrote:
> [ ... ]  My curent TODO list for gdb includes
> 
> [ ... ]
> - the sim vector

What's on your to-do list there?


If there's going to be much work on the interface to the simulator,
one thing that *should* be implemented IMO is some mechanism to allow
multiple processors in a simulator to be exposed to GDB, probably
using some thread-related mechanism.

I've not looked into GDB's thread bits for about a year and a half, i
don't recall if it splits the notion of 'user thread' vs. 'kernel
context' (i.e., M and N in MxN threading systems) or tries to make any
such distinction.  Multiple cores would kind-of correspond to multiple
kernel contexts...

i've got a year and a half old diff that starts adapting some old
version of GDB (5.2?) to support multiple cores/threads under
simulation, if somebody wants it.


(in order to support debugging multiple cores in our gdb+simulator --
again a plug for http://sibyte.broadcom.com/public/resources/#tools --
we currently use a fairly nasty but functional hack.  I started to try
to fix that, but then that business trip ended and lack of
productivity resumed.)



cgd

Re: Next for GDB

[Andrew Cagney]

> Is today Scary Andrew Mail Day?  8-)
> 
> At Fri, 1 Aug 2003 23:47:12 +0000 (UTC), "Andrew Cagney" wrote:
> 
>> [ ... ]  My curent TODO list for gdb includes
>> 
>> [ ... ]
>> - the sim vector
> 
> 
> What's on your to-do list there?

`all of the below'?  See the sim category in the bug database.

> If there's going to be much work on the interface to the simulator,
> one thing that *should* be implemented IMO is some mechanism to allow
> multiple processors in a simulator to be exposed to GDB, probably
> using some thread-related mechanism.

yep.

both GDB's target vector, and the simulator vector need an upgrade.

> I've not looked into GDB's thread bits for about a year and a half, i
> don't recall if it splits the notion of 'user thread' vs. 'kernel
> context' (i.e., M and N in MxN threading systems) or tries to make any
> such distinction.  Multiple cores would kind-of correspond to multiple
> kernel contexts...

yep.

gdb currently isn't well structured enough to do this.

It's also related to getting GDB to handle backtraces through 
interpreters.  It could be done with further target layers, or perhaphs 
frame layers...

For the moment, I'm just worred about making the architecture code 
non-global.

> i've got a year and a half old diff that starts adapting some old
> version of GDB (5.2?) to support multiple cores/threads under
> simulation, if somebody wants it.
> 
> 
> (in order to support debugging multiple cores in our gdb+simulator --
> again a plug for http://sibyte.broadcom.com/public/resources/#tools --
> we currently use a fairly nasty but functional hack.  I started to try
> to fix that, but then that business trip ended and lack of
> productivity resumed.)

Also `making a dead cat bounce'.  Layering a simulator over the top of 
another target so the simulator uses the target for registers and 
memory.  Would make possible:
- less intrusive inferior function calls (don't write the results back)
- executing code on dead targets
- simulated single stepping
this would involve a lot more work so ...

Andrew

Re: Next for GDB

[Daniel Jacobowitz]

On Tue, Aug 05, 2003 at 12:11:49AM -0400, Andrew Cagney wrote:
> Also `making a dead cat bounce'.  Layering a simulator over the top of 
> another target so the simulator uses the target for registers and 
> memory.  Would make possible:
> - less intrusive inferior function calls (don't write the results back)
> - executing code on dead targets
> - simulated single stepping
> this would involve a lot more work so ...

That has got to be one of the neatest ideas I've heard in a long
time...

-- 
Daniel Jacobowitz
MontaVista Software                         Debian GNU/Linux Developer

Re: Next for GDB

[Michael Elizabeth Chastain]

Andrew, what's your judgement on the backtrace bugs with gdb 6.0 branch?

Michael C