[fpc-devel] gdb 7.0 new features

[Jonas Maebe]

On 08 Oct 2009, at 16:28, Paul Ishenin wrote:

> I see only 3 features:
>
> - Multi-byte and wide character set support
>
> GDB has a new data type or what? Will fpc use that datatype?

It does not require any changes in FPC. Afaik it means that if you  
have a widechar (or an array of widechar, or a pwidechar), GDB should  
now interpret that data as utf-16 when printing it.

> - Inlined functions are now supported
>
> Currently I can't enter an inlined function using step into.  
> Breakpoints don't work in the inlined functions too. As I understand  
> now it will be possible to implement in fpc?

Yes

> - GDB is now able to read compressed debug sections
>
> What does this give? Smaller debug info?

Probably.

> If so then will fpc support this?

When someone implements it. I assume that that if you use an external  
assembler/linker, you can already use it today.

> Maybe I missed some other gdb 7.0 new feature which is useful for  
> fpc/lazarus?

Reverse debugging sounds pretty useful to me (only supported under  
Linux/i386 and Linux/x86_64 for now though, and has some limitations).

The Python scripting support could also be useful to create a standard  
"library" of routines to print Pascal types in a nice way for which  
native support in gdb is not yet present.


Jonas