OS2 World Forum

OS/2 - Technical => Programming => Topic started by: cytan on 2009.08.05, 09:35:17

Title: gdb for gcc 4.4, why never ported?
Post by: cytan on 2009.08.05, 09:35:17
Hi,
   I'm just curious why gdb 6.8 was never ported to OS/2 except for the old emx gdb port? Is there a technical reason why gdb cannot be ported to OS/2? For debugging without printf's it's really nice to have a real debugger.

Thanks!

cytan
Title: Re: gdb for gcc 4.4, why never ported?
Post by: lewhoo on 2009.08.05, 11:44:13
Quote from: cytan on 2009.08.05, 09:35:17
Hi,
   I'm just curious why gdb 6.8 was never ported to OS/2 except for the old emx gdb port? Is there a technical reason why gdb cannot be ported to OS/2? For debugging without printf's it's really nice to have a real debugger.

I remember myself asking similar question a long time ago. It seems that most OS/2 developers find gdb far from being a good debugger. You can use other debuggers with gcc compiled code (although you have to specify correct flags), like VAC debugger and some other debuggers available on hobbes. For me (a non-developer) each of them was superior to gdb.
Title: Re: gdb for gcc 4.4, why never ported?
Post by: cytan on 2009.08.05, 12:15:18
Quote from: lewhoo on 2009.08.05, 11:44:13
Quote from: cytan on 2009.08.05, 09:35:17
Hi,
   I'm just curious why gdb 6.8 was never ported to OS/2 except for the old emx gdb port? Is there a technical reason why gdb cannot be ported to OS/2? For debugging without printf's it's really nice to have a real debugger.

I remember myself asking similar question a long time ago. It seems that most OS/2 developers find gdb far from being a good debugger. You can use other debuggers with gcc compiled code (although you have to specify correct flags), like VAC debugger and some other debuggers available on hobbes. For me (a non-developer) each of them was superior to gdb.

I think it'll still be useful for people without access to VAC++. I've used gdb and don't find it that bad!

cytan
Title: Re: gdb for gcc 4.4, why never ported?
Post by: Paul Smedley on 2009.08.06, 09:52:06
Quote from: cytan on 2009.08.05, 09:35:17
Hi,
   I'm just curious why gdb 6.8 was never ported to OS/2 except for the old emx gdb port? Is there a technical reason why gdb cannot be ported to OS/2? For debugging without printf's it's really nice to have a real debugger.

This is on the 'planned' list to look at eventually.....
Title: Re: gdb for gcc 4.4, why never ported?
Post by: lewhoo on 2009.08.06, 11:24:36
MEanwhile you can use, if I remember correctly:

http://hobbes.nmsu.edu/h-viewer.php?dir=/pub/os2/dev/util&file=sd386v50.zip