[comp.unix.ultrix] Mips article

steer@blkflg.dec.com (10/05/89)

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From: len@synthesis.Synthesis.COM (Len Lattanzi)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.ultrix,comp.sys.mips
Subject: Re: MIPS ECOFF debugging support
Date: 20 Sep 89 06:27:39 GMT
References: <GRUNWALD.89Sep19180421@foobar.colorado.edu>
Sender: news@mips.COM
Reply-To: len@synthesis.synthesis.com (Len Lattanzi)
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Organization: Synthesis Software Solutions Inc, Sunnyvale, CA
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:I'm loking for any documents that give more description of the MIPS
:``ECOFF'' format from an assembler programmers point of view.
:I'm trying to provide debugger support for the Gnu C compiler. The
:problem is that I have no documentation for the MIPS ECOFF <-> assembler
:interface.
:I have the PMAX Ultrix manuals and a Sept. 1988 assembler programmers
:manual. While the latter describes the symbol table format, it does
:not explain the assembler interface. The Gnu C compiler (and G++, which
:is what I really want) produce assembler files, and the debugging
:information must be present in that file.
:When I compile programs using my MIPS version 1.31 compiler, I do not get
:the debugging information in the assembler output; i.e.
:	cc -S -g foo.c
:	as -o foo.o foo.s
:and
:	cc -c -g foo.c
Try the above with addition options '-K' and '-v' and note foo.T, the
symbol table file. It is partially described by syms(5). and your
assembler manual. Producing this symbolic information for dbx-like
queries of procedure locals is not available from assembly language.
The most symbolic information I've managed to add to assembly files is
with -g3 and .ent/.end blocks and then only for use with with prof for
basic block counting. Proper use of the .frame directive will allow
dbx to give you stack traces.
:produce different results - the latter produces (as far as I can tell via
:odump) debugging information while the former does not.
The command stdump(1) will dump the entire symbol table.
:Are there better reference manuals? Does anyone know where I can find
:information concerning the equivilent of e.g., ``.stab'' or ``.def''?
:Any clues appreciated.
:Dirk Grunwald -- Univ. of Colorado at Boulder	(grunwald@foobar.colorado.edu)


\
 Len Lattanzi	({ames,pyramid,decwrl}!mips!synthesis!len) <len@Synthesis.com>
 Synthesis Software Solutions, Inc.		The RISC Software Company
 I would have put a disclaimer here but I already posted the article.