randy@WHEATIES.AI.MIT.EDU (Randy Smith) (02/01/89)
The newest release of gdb is now availible on prep in the file
gdb.tar-3.1.Z; the file dist-gdb.tar.Z is a symbolic link to this
one. Diffs from the previous version are in the file
gdb.diff-3.0-3.1.Z, and total 300k uncompressed (100k compressed).
This release should be considered beta test; it is primarily a bug
fix release. It also includes the following features:
Support for a the coff-encapsulation feature, which allows
users on System V systems to replace all of the utilities
related to object file format with the GNU versions of these
utilities. This feature is very new, and probably still
somewhat buggy. See the file a.out.encap.h for details, and
the file m-i386gas.h for sample usage.
The "commands" command now defaults to setting commands on the
last breakpoint set. This is useful in gdb scripts where the
user may not know the number of the breakpoint which has
just been set.
"backtrace" with a negative argument shows the last `-n' stack
frames, where n was the argument.
Coming soon (in the next release--this time for sure :-}):
Command line editing, command history and symbol name
completion via tab.
Pretty printing of structures and unions.
Faster startup.
Watchpoints (ie. step until certain locations change).
Due to conventions followed in the native Sun 4 C compiler
which would require an unexceptable amount of special casing for
that machine, those people using gdb with Sun 4 CC will have the
following problems:
1) A "backtrace" or "info frame" will show the incorrect
values for arguments to functions declared as register
variables and may occur in functions with structure
arguments. Printing the values of these variables directly
will only work when the variable is the first argument to the
function.
2) Occasionally, gdb will be unable to understand a type
description output by the compiler.
3) "next"ing through the end of a function which returns a
structure will have the same effect as a "continue".
If anyone would like to attempt to resolve these problems cleanly
and would like more details, please send me mail. None of these
problems will occur if the program is compiled with GNU CC.
As usual, please report all bugs to bug-gdb@prep.ai.mit.edu.
-- Randy
randy@wheaties.ai.mit.edu