DDB(4) BSD Kernel Interfaces Manual DDB(4)NAMEddb — interactive kernel debugger
SYNOPSIS
options DDB
options DDB_TRACE
options DDB_UNATTENDED
DESCRIPTION
The ddb kernel debugger has most of the features of the old kdb, but with
a more rational syntax inspired by gdb(1). If linked into the running
kernel, it can be invoked locally with the ‘debug’ keymap(5) action. The
debugger is also invoked on kernel panic(9) if the
debug.debugger_on_panic sysctl(8) MIB variable is set non-zero, which is
the default unless the DDB_UNATTENDED option is specified. If set, the
debug.trace_on_panic sysctl(8) MIB variable will cause ddb to print a
stack trace on panic(9). It is zero by default unless the DDB_TRACE
option is specified.
The current location is called `dot'. The `dot' is displayed with a
hexadecimal format at a prompt. Examine and write commands update `dot'
to the address of the last line examined or the last location modified,
and set `next' to the address of the next location to be examined or
changed. Other commands don't change `dot', and set `next' to be the
same as `dot'.
The general command syntax is: command[/modifier] address[,count]
A blank line repeats the previous command from the address `next' with
count 1 and no modifiers. Specifying address sets `dot' to the address.
Omitting address uses `dot'. A missing count is taken to be 1 for print‐
ing commands or infinity for stack traces.
The ddb debugger has a feature like the more(1) command for the output.
If an output line exceeds the number set in the $lines variable, it dis‐
plays “--db_more--” and waits for a response. The valid responses for it
are:
SPC one more page
RET one more line
q abort the current command, and return to the command input mode
Finally, ddb provides a small (currently 10 items) command history, and
offers simple emacs-style command line editing capabilities. In addition
to the emacs control keys, the usual ANSI arrow keys might be used to
browse through the history buffer, and move the cursor within the current
line.
COMMANDS
examine
x
Display the addressed locations according to the formats in the modifier.
Multiple modifier formats display multiple locations. If no format is
specified, the last formats specified for this command is used.
The format characters are:
b look at by bytes (8 bits)
h look at by half words (16 bits)
l look at by long words (32 bits)
a print the location being displayed
A print the location with a line number if possible
x display in unsigned hex
z display in signed hex
o display in unsigned octal
d display in signed decimal
u display in unsigned decimal
r display in current radix, signed
c display low 8 bits as a character. Non-printing characters are
displayed as an octal escape code (e.g., `\000').
s display the null-terminated string at the location. Non-printing
characters are displayed as octal escapes.
m display in unsigned hex with character dump at the end of each
line. The location is also displayed in hex at the beginning of
each line.
i display as an instruction
I display as an instruction; on i386, don't round to the next long
word boundary.
xf
Examine forward: Execute an examine command with the last specified
parameters to it except that the next address displayed by it is used as
the start address.
xb
Examine backward: Execute an examine command with the last specified
parameters to it except that the last start address subtracted by the
size displayed by it is used as the start address.
print[/acdoruxz]
Print addrs according to the modifier character (as described above for
examine). Valid formats are: a, x, z, o, d, u, r, and c. If no modifier
is specified, the last one specified to it is used. addr can be a
string, in which case it is printed as it is. For example:
print/x "eax = " $eax "\necx = " $ecx "\n"
will print like:
eax = xxxxxx
ecx = yyyyyy
write[/bhl] addr expr1 [expr2 ...]
Write the expressions specified after addr on the command line at suc‐
ceeding locations starting with addr The write unit size can be specified
in the modifier with a letter b (byte), h (half word) or l (long word)
respectively. If omitted, long word is assumed.
Warning: since there is no delimiter between expressions, strange things
may happen. It's best to enclose each expression in parentheses.
set $variable [=] expr
Set the named variable or register with the value of expr. Valid vari‐
able names are described below.
break[/u]
Set a break point at addr. If count is supplied, continues count - 1
times before stopping at the break point. If the break point is set, a
break point number is printed with ‘#’. This number can be used in
deleting the break point or adding conditions to it.
If the u modifier is specified, this command sets a break point in user
space address. Without the u option, the address is considered in the
kernel space, and wrong space address is rejected with an error message.
This modifier can be used only if it is supported by machine dependent
routines.
Warning: If a user text is shadowed by a normal user space debugger, user
space break points may not work correctly. Setting a break point at the
low-level code paths may also cause strange behavior.
delete addr
delete #number
Delete the break point. The target break point can be specified by a
break point number with #, or by using the same addr specified in the
original break command.
step[/p]
Single step count times (the comma is a mandatory part of the syntax).
If the p modifier is specified, print each instruction at each step.
Otherwise, only print the last instruction.
Warning: depending on machine type, it may not be possible to single-step
through some low-level code paths or user space code. On machines with
software-emulated single-stepping (e.g., pmax), stepping through code
executed by interrupt handlers will probably do the wrong thing.
continue[/c]
Continue execution until a breakpoint or watchpoint. If the c modifier
is specified, count instructions while executing. Some machines (e.g.,
pmax) also count loads and stores.
Warning: when counting, the debugger is really silently single-stepping.
This means that single-stepping on low-level code may cause strange
behavior.
until[/p]
Stop at the next call or return instruction. If the p modifier is speci‐
fied, print the call nesting depth and the cumulative instruction count
at each call or return. Otherwise, only print when the matching return
is hit.
next[/p]
match[/p]
Stop at the matching return instruction. If the p modifier is specified,
print the call nesting depth and the cumulative instruction count at each
call or return. Otherwise, only print when the matching return is hit.
trace[/u] [frame] [,count]
Stack trace. The u option traces user space; if omitted, trace only
traces kernel space. count is the number of frames to be traced. If
count is omitted, all frames are printed.
Warning: User space stack trace is valid only if the machine dependent
code supports it.
search[/bhl] addr value [mask] [,count]
Search memory for value. This command might fail in interesting ways if
it doesn't find the searched-for value. This is because ddb doesn't
always recover from touching bad memory. The optional count argument
limits the search.
show all procs[/m]
ps[/m]
Display all process information. The process information may not be
shown if it is not supported in the machine, or the bottom of the stack
of the target process is not in the main memory at that time. The m mod‐
ifier will alter the display to show VM map addresses for the process and
not show other info.
show registers[/u]
Display the register set. If the u option is specified, it displays user
registers instead of kernel or currently saved one.
Warning: The support of the u modifier depends on the machine. If not
supported, incorrect information will be displayed.
show map[/f] addr
Prints the VM map at addr. If the f modifier is specified the complete
map is printed.
show object[/f] addr
Prints the VM object at addr. If the f option is specified the complete
object is printed.
show ktr[/v]
Prints the contents of ktr(4) buffer. If the v modifier is specified,
timestamp, filename and line number are displayed with each log entry.
show watches
Displays all watchpoints.
watch addr,size
Set a watchpoint for a region. Execution stops when an attempt to modify
the region occurs. The size argument defaults to 4. If you specify a
wrong space address, the request is rejected with an error message.
Warning: Attempts to watch wired kernel memory may cause unrecoverable
error in some systems such as i386. Watchpoints on user addresses work
best.
gdb
Toggles between remote GDB and DDB mode. In remote GDB mode, another
machine is required that runs gdb(1) using the remote debug feature, with
a connection to the serial console port on the target machine. Currently
only available on the i386 architecture.
help
Print a short summary of the available commands and command abbrevia‐
tions.
VARIABLES
The debugger accesses registers and variables as $name. Register names
are as in the “show registers” command. Some variables are suffixed with
numbers, and may have some modifier following a colon immediately after
the variable name. For example, register variables can have a u modifier
to indicate user register (e.g., $eax:u).
Built-in variables currently supported are:
radix Input and output radix
maxoff Addresses are printed as 'symbol'+offset unless offset is
greater than maxoff.
maxwidth The width of the displayed line.
lines The number of lines. It is used by "more" feature.
tabstops Tab stop width.
workxx Work variable. xx can be 0 to 31.
EXPRESSIONS
Almost all expression operators in C are supported except ‘~’, ‘^’, and
unary ‘&’. Special rules in ddb are:
Identifiers The name of a symbol is translated to the value of the sym‐
bol, which is the address of the corresponding object. ‘.’
and ‘:’ can be used in the identifier. If supported by an
object format dependent routine, [filename:]func:lineno,
[filename:]variable, and [filename:]lineno can be accepted
as a symbol.
Numbers Radix is determined by the first two letters: 0x: hex, 0o:
octal, 0t: decimal; otherwise, follow current radix.
. `dot'
+ `next'
.. address of the start of the last line examined. Unlike
`dot' or `next', this is only changed by “examine” or
“write” command.
' last address explicitly specified.
$variable Translated to the value of the specified variable. It may
be followed by a : and modifiers as described above.
a#b a binary operator which rounds up the left hand side to the
next multiple of right hand side.
*expr indirection. It may be followed by a ‘’: and modifiers as
described above.
SEE ALSOgdb(1), ktr(4)HISTORY
The ddb debugger was developed for Mach, and ported to 386BSD 0.1. This
manual page translated from -man macros by Garrett Wollman.
BSD March 28, 2009 BSD
