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ddb(4)

NAME

     ddb -- interactive kernel debugger

SYNOPSIS

     options DDB

     To prevent activation of the debugger on kernel panic(9):
     options KDB_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 KDB_UNATTENDED 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)
     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 with possible alternate formats depend-
	     ing on the machine:
	     alpha    Show the registers of the instruction.
	     amd64    No alternate format.
	     i386     No alternate format.
	     ia64     No alternate format.
	     powerpc  No alternate format.
	     sparc64  No alternate format.

     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
     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]
     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 watches
     Displays all watchpoints.

     reset
     Hard reset the system.

     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.

     hwatch addr,size
     Set a hardware watchpoint for a region if supported by the architecture.
     Execution stops when an attempt to modify the region occurs.  The size
     argument defaults to 4.

     Warning: The hardware debug facilities do not have a concept of separate
     address spaces like the watch command does.  Use hwatch for setting
     watchpoints on kernel address locations only, and avoid its use on user
     mode address spaces.

     dhwatch addr,size
     Delete specified hardware watchpoint.

     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 and Alpha architectures.

     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
     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.

HINTS

     On machines with an ISA expansion bus, a simple NMI generation card can
     be constructed by connecting a push button between the A01 and B01
     (CHCHK# and GND) card fingers.  Momentarily shorting these two fingers
     together may cause the bridge chipset to generate an NMI, which causes
     the kernel to pass control to ddb.  Some bridge chipsets do not generate
     a NMI on CHCHK#, so your mileage may vary.  The NMI allows one to break
     into the debugger on a wedged machine to diagnose problems.  Other bus'
     bridge chipsets may be able to generate NMI using bus specific methods.

SEE ALSO

     gdb(1)

HISTORY

     The ddb debugger was developed for Mach, and ported to 386BSD 0.1.  This
     manual page translated from -man macros by Garrett Wollman.

FreeBSD 5.4		       January 16, 1996 		   FreeBSD 5.4

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