Customizing `dbx`

13

This chapter describes the dbxenv environment variables you can use to customize certain attributes of your debugging environment, and how to use the initialization file, .dbxrc, to preserve your changes and adjustments from session to session.

This chapter is organized into the following sections:

Using .dbxrc

page 161

Command Reference

page 162

Using .dbxrc	page 161
Command Reference	page 162

Using `.dbxrc`

The dbx initialization file, .dbxrc, stores dbx commands that are executed each time you start dbx. Typically, the file contains commands that customize your debugging environment, but you can place any dbx commands in the file. Remember, if you customize dbx from the command line while you are debugging, those settings apply only to the current debugging session.

During startup, dbx searches for .dbxrc first. The search order is:

: 1. Current directory ./.dbxrc
: 2. Home directory $HOME/.dbxrc

If .dbxrc is not found, dbx prints a warning message and searches for .dbxinit (dbx mode).

The search order is:

: 1. Current directory ./.dbxinit
: 2. Home directory $HOME/.dbxinit

To suppress the warning message, type in the command pane,

help .dbxrc >$HOME/.dbxrc

A Sample Initialization File

Here is a sample .dbxrc file:


`dbxenv case input_case_sensitive false catch FPE`

The first line changes the default setting for the case sensitivity control. dbxenv refers to the set of debugging environment attributes. input_case_sensitive refers to the matching control. false is the control setting.

The next line is a debugging command, catch, which adds a system signal, FPE to the default list of signals to which dbx responds, stopping the program.

Command Reference

The dbxenv syntax is:


dbxenv variable

To show all variables:

dbxenv

dbxenv

Note - Each variable has a corresponding ksh environment variable such as DBX_trace_speed. The variable may be assigned directly, or the dbxenv command may be used; they are equivalent.

This table shows all of the dbxenv variables that you can set:


dbxenv variable	What the dbxenv variable does
`aout_cache_size num`	Size of a.out loadobject cache; set this to num when debugging num programs serially from a single `dbx`. A num of zero still allows caching of shared objects. See entry for `locache_enable`. Default: 1
`array_bounds_check [on\|off]`	If on, `dbx` checks the array bounds (Fortran only). Default: on
`cfront_demangling [on\|off]`	Governs demangling of Cfront (SC 2.0 and SC 2.0.1) names while loading a program. It is necessary to set this parameter to `on` or start `dbx` with the `-F` option if debugging programs compiled with Cfront or programs linked with Cfront compiled libraries. If set to `off`, `dbx` loads the program approximately 15% faster. Default: off
`disassembler_version [autodetect\| v8\|v9\|v9vis]`	SPARC: Set the version of `dbx`'s built-in disassembler for SPARC V8, V9, or V9 with the Visual Instruction set. Default is `autodetect`, which sets the mode dynamically depending on the type of the machine a.out is running on. Non-SPARC platforms: Only valid choice is `autodetect`.
`fix_verbose [on\|off]`	Governs the printing of compilation line during a `fix`. Default: off
`follow_fork_inherit [on\|off]`	When following a child, inherit or do not inherit events. Default: off
`follow_fork_mode ...`	When process executes a fork/vfork/fork1 ... Default: parent
`follow_fork_mode parent`	... stay with parent.
`follow_fork_mode child`	... follow child.
`follow_fork_mode both`	... follow both parent and child (WorkShop only).
`follow_fork_mode ask`	... ask which of the above the user wants.
`follow_fork_mode_inner [unset\|` `parent\|child\|both]`	Of relevance after a fork has been detected if `follow_fork_mode` was set to `ask`, and you chose `stop`. By setting this variable you need not use `cont -follow`.
`input_case_sensitive [autodetect\|` `true\|false]`	If set to `autodetect`, `dbx` automatically selects case sensitivity based on the language of the file: `false` for fortran 77 files, otherwise `true`. If `true`, case matters in variable and function names; otherwise, case is not significant. Default: autodetect
`language_mode [autodetect\|main\|c\| ansic\|c++\|objc\|pascal\|` `fortran\|fortran90]`	Governs the language used for parsing and evaluating expressions. `autodetect`: sets to language of current file. Useful if debugging programs with mixed languages (default mode). `main`: sets language of the main routine in the program. Useful if debugging homogeneous programs. `c`, `c++`, `ansic`, `c++`, `objc`, `pascal`, `fortran`, `fortran90`: sets to selected language.
`locache_enable [on\|off]`	Enable or disable loadobject cache entirely. Default: on
`mt_watchpoints [on\|off]`	Allow or disallow watchpoint facility for multithreaded programs. Default: off. Warning: Be aware that when using watchpoints on a multithreaded program that the application may deadlock if a semaphore occurs on a page that is being watched.
`output_auto_flush [on\|off]`	Automatically call fflush() after each `call`. Default: on
`output_base [8\|10\|16]`	Default base for printing integer constants . Default: 10
`output_dynamic_type [on\|off]`	When on, `-d` is the default for printing, displaying and inspecting. Default: off
`output_inherited_members [on\|off]`	When on, `-r` is the default for printing, displaying and inspecting. Default: off
`output_list_size num`	Governs the default number of lines to print in the `list` command. Default: 10
`output_log_file_name filename`	Name of the command logfile. Default: /tmp/dbx.log.uniqueID
`output_max_string_length num`	Set # of chars printed for char *s. Default: 512
`output_pretty_print [on\|off]`	Sets `-p` as the default for printing, displaying and inspecting. Default: off.
`output_short_file_name [on\|off]`	Display short pathnames for files. Default: on
`overload_function [on\|off]`	For C++, if `on`, do automatic function overload resolution. Default: on
`overload_operator [on\|off]`	For C++, if `on`, do automatic operator overload resolution. Default: on
`pop_auto_destruct [on\|off]`	If `on`, automatically call appropriate destructors for locals when `pop`'ing a frame. Default: on
`rtc_auto_continue [on\|off]`	Logs errors to `rtc_error_log_file_name` and continue. Default: off
`rtc_auto_suppress [on\| off]`	If `on`, an RTC error at a given location is reported only once. Default: off
`rtc_biu_at_exit [on\|off\|verbose]`	Used when `check -memuse` is on explicitly or via `check -all`. If the value is `on`, a non-verbose memory use (blocks in use) report is produced at program exit. If the value is `verbose`, a verbose memory use report is produced at program exit. The value `off` causes no output. Default: on
`rtc_error_limit num`	Number of RTC errors to be reported. Default: 1000
`rtc_error_log_file_name filename`	Name of file where RTC errors are logged if `rtc_auto_continue` is set. Default: /tmp/dbx.errlog.uniqueID
`rtc_mel_at_exit [on\|off\|verbose]`	Used when leaks checking is on. If the value is `on`, a non-verbose memory leak report is produced at program exit. If the value is `verbose`, a verbose memory leak report is produced at program exit. The value `off` causes no output. Default: on
`run_autostart [on\|off]`	If `on` with no active program, `step`, `next`, `stepi`, and `nexti` implicitly run the program and stop at the language-dependent `main` routine. If `on`, `cont` implies `run` when necessary. Default: off
`run_io [stdio\|pty]`	Governs whether the user program's I/O is redirected to `dbx`'s `stdio` or a specific pty. The pty is provided via `run_pty`. Default: `stdio`.
`run_pty ptyname`	Sets the name of the pty to use when `run_io` is set to `pty`. Ptys are used by GUI wrappers.
`run_quick [on\|off]`	If on, no symbolic information is loaded. The symbolic information can be loaded on demand using `prog -readsysms`. Until then `dbx` behaves as if the program being debugged is stripped. Default: off
`run_savetty [on\|off]`	Multiplexes tty settings, process group, and keyboard settings (if -kbd was used on the command line) between dbx and the debuggee; useful when debugging editors and shells. Try setting to `on` if dbx gets SIGTTIN or SIGTTOU and pops back into the shell. Try setting to `off` to gain a slight speed advantage. The setting is irrelevant if dbx is attached to the debugee or is running under WorkShop. Default: on
`run_setpgrp [on\|off]`	If `on`, when a program is `run` `setgprp(2)`is called right after the fork. Default: off
`scope_global_enums [on\|off]`	If `on`, enumerators are put in global scope and not in file scope. Should be set before debugging information is processed (~/`.dbxrc`). Default: off
`scope_look_aside [on\|off]`	Find file static symbols, even when not in scope. Default: on
`session_log_file_name filename`	Name of file where `dbx` logs all commands and their output. Output is appended to the file. Default: "" (no session logging)
`stack_max_size num`	Sets the default size for the `where` command. Default: 100
`stack_verbose [on\|off]`	Governs the printing of arguments and line information in `where`. Default: on
`step_events [on\|off]`	Allows breakpoints while stepping and nexting.Default: off
`suppress_startup_message num`	Sets the release level below which the startup message is not printed. Default: 3.01
`symbol_info_compression [on\|off]`	Reads debugging information for each `include` file only once. Default: on
`trace_speed num`	Sets the speed of tracing execution. Value is the number of seconds to pause between steps. Default: 0.50

Customizing dbx

13

Using .dbxrc

A Sample Initialization File

Command Reference

Customizing `dbx`

Using `.dbxrc`