Common configuration methods for using GDB to debug embedded ARM programs under Linux

Common configuration methods for using GDB to debug embedded ARM programs under Linux

As a special computer system, the embedded system is usually integrated in electronic equipment and used to control and manage hardware resources. In order to debug and analyze the operation of embedded systems, we need to use specialized tools. Among them, GDB is a commonly used open source debugger that can run on embedded systems and communicate with programs. This article will introduce common configuration methods for using GDB to debug embedded ARM programs under Linux, and give code examples.

1. Install necessary software and tools

Before we start, we need to install some necessary software and tools. First, make sure the GCC tool chain is installed in the Linux system for compiling ARM programs. Next, install the GDB debugger using the following command:

sudo apt-get install gdb-multiarch

2. Compile embedded ARM program

Before debugging, we need to compile a simple embedded ARM program. The following is a simple example program for calculating the sum of two numbers:

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
    int a = 5;
    int b = 10;
    int sum = a + b;
    printf("Sum: %d
", sum);
    return 0;
}

Save the above code as a sum.c file.

Use the following command to compile the program:

arm-linux-gnueabi-gcc -o sum sum.c

After the compilation is completed, an executable file named sum will be generated in the current directory.

3. Connect the embedded ARM device

Connect the embedded ARM device to the Linux host. Connect the two using a USB cable and make sure the device is in debug mode.

4. Start the GDB debugger

Start the GDB debugger on the Linux host and open the executable file using the following command:

gdb-multiarch sum

At this point, GDB will display a command line interface, waiting for debugging instructions to be entered.

5. Configure GDB connection

In the GDB command line interface, enter the following command to configure GDB to connect to the embedded ARM device:

target remote :8888

here8888 is the GDB server listening port number on the device. Please note that the specific port number may vary from device to device and needs to be adjusted according to the actual situation.

6. Set a breakpoint

In the GDB command line interface, enter the following command to set a breakpoint:

break main

This will be in the program's Set a breakpoint in the main function to pause when the program executes this function.

7. Start debugging

Enter the following command to start debugging:

continue

This will cause the program to start executing and stop when a breakpoint is encountered.

8. Debugging process

When the program stops executing, we can use the following command to debug:

• next : Execute the next line of code
• step: Enter inside the function
• list: Display the source code
• print: Print variable value
• watch: Monitor variable value changes
• continue: Continue program execution
• quit: Exit the GDB debugger

and so on.

9. End debugging

When debugging is completed, you can enter the following command to exit the GDB debugger:

quit

This article introduces the use of GDB debugging under Linux Common configuration methods for embedded ARM programs, and simple code examples are provided. I hope that through the introduction of this article, readers can understand how to use GDB to debug embedded ARM programs in the Linux environment to better analyze and debug the running status of the embedded system.

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