From: c23peg AT mail DOT delcoelect DOT com (Perry Grieb) Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.djgpp Subject: Re: What is a debugger Date: 21 Feb 1997 17:41:06 -0500 Organization: Delco Electronics Corp. Lines: 41 Distribution: na Message-ID: <5el8a2$rgc@koptsy15.delcoelect.com> References: <2 DOT 2 DOT 32 DOT 19970219165043 DOT 006cbc8c AT delilah> Reply-To: c23peg AT eng DOT delcoelect DOT com NNTP-Posting-Host: koptsy15.delcoelect.com To: djgpp AT delorie DOT com DJ-Gateway: from newsgroup comp.os.msdos.djgpp In article <2 DOT 2 DOT 32 DOT 19970219165043 DOT 006cbc8c AT delilah>, Alan Wilson writes: > I'm fairly new to DJGPP and programming and I've seen several > posts regarding something called a debugger. What is a debugger? > And what does it do? Does DJGPP come with one? Rhide? EMACS? > Is it necessary to use one? > > If anyone could answer these questions, it would clear up alot > of things with me. Thanks! > > Alan Wilson I am not a djgpp user but I do read this news group (and I do compile stuff periodically using the GNU/FSF gcc compiler under linux. A debugger is a software tool (just like a compiler is a software tool). Generically, a debugger is used to "watch your code execute". You may be able to monitor variable changes, maybe single step through machine language code, disassemble, set break points to stop code execution at a specific point, etc. It allows you to control the running of a program to isolate and identify a bug. Some debuggers are fancier than others. Some can relate machine code instructions back to the source code. GNU/FSF had a debugger called gdb and I feel sure that its' port is available where you found djgpp. My guess is that if you see something like "v2gnu/gdb416b.zip", you're almost there. But again, I am not a djgpp user (yet?). Perry Grieb PS: It isn't necessary to use one if you never have and errors in your code! And what did I just say? I spent the last maybe 5 months doing software verification on a 512K imbedded control application. 8-)( -- Perry Grieb c23peg AT eng DOT delcoelect DOT com