Gdbserver
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gdbserver is a computer program that makes it possible to remotely debug other programs.[1] Running on the same system as the program to be debugged, it allows the GNU Debugger to connect from another system; that is, only the executable to be debugged needs to be resident on the target system, while the source code and a copy of the binary file to be debugged reside on the developer’s local computer.
How It Works
gdbserveris launched on the target system, with the arguments:- The path and filename of the executable to be debugged, and
- A port number (TCP or UDP).
- It then listens for connections on the port.
gdbis run on the host, with the arguments:- The path and filename of the executable (and any sources) on the host, and
- The IP address and port number needed for connection to the target system.
Example for debugging a program called hello_world on a remote host ("2345" is the TCP port number):
remote$ gdbserver :2345 hello_world Process hello_world created; pid = 2509 Listening on port 2345
local$ gdb -q hello_world
Reading symbols from /home/user/hello_world...done.
(gdb) target remote 192.168.0.11:2345
Remote debugging using 192.168.0.11:2345
0x002f3850 in ?? () from /lib/ld-linux.so.2
(gdb) continue
Continuing.
Program received signal SIGSEGV, Segmentation fault.
0x08048414 in main () at hello_world.c:10
10 printf("x[%d] = %g\n", i, x[i]);
(gdb)
Alternatives
Another technique for debugging programs remotely is to use a remote stub.[2][clarification needed]
In this case, the program to be debugged is linked with a few special-purpose subroutines that implement the GDB remote serial protocol. The file containing these subroutines is called a debugging stub.
See also
Notes
References
- Andreas Zeller: Why Programs Fail: A Guide to Systematic Debugging, Morgan Kaufmann, 2005. ISBN 1-55860-866-4