Visual Debugger

One of the components of GNAT Pro’s GPS integrated environment is an extensible debugging harness, offering powerful data display/visualization/tracking capabilities, an intuitive menu-driven interface, and a pluggable look-and-feel. It supports multiple debugger back-ends (both native and cross), handles multiple languages including Ada, C and C++, and allows debugging of multi-threaded and/or multi-processed applications. It is non-intrusive: compiling with debugging enabled has no effect on the generated object code.

Major Features

Ability to debug at source and machine levels
Multi-language support: Ada, C and C++
Support for Ada 95 including tasks, generics, and Object-Oriented Programming
Support for different debuggers simultaneously, for different processes
Ability to attach debugger dynamically to a running process
Ability to display call stack with subprogram parameters, line, and language information
Integration with source editor (syntax highlighting, browsing)
Handling of user input via GUI, command window, or Emacs window
Powerful scripting facility
Remote interface for debugging an embedded target
Common interface on all platforms
Comprehensive help facility

Graphical Interface

Intuitive display
Graphical depiction of linked data structures
Explorer pane showing directory contents
Highlighted source code
Context sensitive menus
Easy browsing of files and symbols
Easy examination of variable value via “tooltip” style
Special colors to identify pointer links, changed values
Interactive navigation of call stack

Available Displays and Data

Source, assembler, and machine code integrated for ease of reference
Call stack with subprogram, line, and language
Task information
Evaluation of general expressions at breakpoints
Convenient retrieval of previously evaluated expression

Support for Ada Tasking

Receive automatic notification of task creation
List task information such as status, priority, and parent
Switch between tasks
Set task-specific breakpoints

Breakpoint and Watchpoint Support

Set breakpoint at any line, including within generic instantiations
Set watchpoint to stop program when value of specified expression changes
Set conditional breakpoint to stop execution only when specified condition is true
Run user-specified script of commands at breakpoint
Single step over source line, over or into subprogram call, or over an assembly language instruction
Change value of any variable, evaluate any expression, or invoke any subprogram while the program is stopped at a breakpoint
Resume execution at a different point than where stopped
Halt execution when any exception, or a specific exception, or an unhandled exception is raised

Assembly Language Debugging Support

Display/modify registers and memory locations
Display assembly and machine code, interleaved with Ada source
Single step and breakpoint on specified assembly instructions

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Key Features »

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