Command Interpreters - Red Hat ENTERPRISE LINUX 3 - DEBUGGING WITH GDB Manual

gdb supports multiple command interpreters, and some command infrastructure to allow users or user
interface writers to switch between interpreters or run commands in other interpreters.
gdb currently supports two command interpreters, the console interpreter (sometimes called the
command-line interpreter or cli) and the machine interface interpreter (or gdb/mi). This manual
describes both of these interfaces in great detail.
By default, gdb will start with the console interpreter. However, the user may choose to start gdb
with another interpreter by specifying the
include:
console
The traditional console or command-line interpreter. This is the most often used interpreter with
gdb. With no interpreter specified at runtime, gdb will use this interpreter.
mi
The newest gdb/mi interface (currently
a backend for a debugger GUI or an IDE. For more information, (refer to Chapter 26 The gdb/mi
Interface.
mi2
The current gdb/mi interface.
mi1
The gdb/mi interface included in gdb 5.1, 5.2, and 5.3.
The interpreter being used by gdb may not be dynamically switched at runtime. Although possible,
this could lead to a very precarious situation. Consider an IDE using gdb/mi. If a user enters the com-
mand "interpreter-set console" in a console view, gdb would switch to using the console interpreter,
rendering the IDE inoperable!
Although you may only choose a single interpreter at startup, you may execute commands in any
interpreter from the current interpreter using the appropriate command. If you are running the console
interpreter, simply use the
interpreter-exec mi "-data-list-register-names"
gdb/mi has a similar command, although it is only available in versions of gdb which support gdb/mi
version 2 (or greater).
or
-i
mi2
interpreter-exec

Command Interpreters

startup options. Defined interpreters
-interpreter
). Used primarily by programs wishing to use gdb as
command:
Chapter 23.