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| <h2 class="chapter">24 Command Interpreters</h2> |
| |
| <p><a name="index-command-interpreters-2892"></a> |
| <span class="sc">gdb</span> 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. |
| |
| <p><span class="sc">gdb</span> currently supports two command interpreters, the console |
| interpreter (sometimes called the command-line interpreter or <span class="sc">cli</span>) |
| and the machine interface interpreter (or <span class="sc">gdb/mi</span>). This manual |
| describes both of these interfaces in great detail. |
| |
| <p>By default, <span class="sc">gdb</span> will start with the console interpreter. |
| However, the user may choose to start <span class="sc">gdb</span> with another |
| interpreter by specifying the <samp><span class="option">-i</span></samp> or <samp><span class="option">--interpreter</span></samp> |
| startup options. Defined interpreters include: |
| |
| <dl> |
| <dt><code>console</code><dd><a name="index-console-interpreter-2893"></a>The traditional console or command-line interpreter. This is the most often |
| used interpreter with <span class="sc">gdb</span>. With no interpreter specified at runtime, |
| <span class="sc">gdb</span> will use this interpreter. |
| |
| <br><dt><code>mi</code><dd><a name="index-mi-interpreter-2894"></a>The newest <span class="sc">gdb/mi</span> interface (currently <code>mi2</code>). Used primarily |
| by programs wishing to use <span class="sc">gdb</span> as a backend for a debugger GUI |
| or an IDE. For more information, see <a href="GDB_002fMI.html#GDB_002fMI">The <span class="sc">gdb/mi</span> Interface</a>. |
| |
| <br><dt><code>mi2</code><dd><a name="index-mi2-interpreter-2895"></a>The current <span class="sc">gdb/mi</span> interface. |
| |
| <br><dt><code>mi1</code><dd><a name="index-mi1-interpreter-2896"></a>The <span class="sc">gdb/mi</span> interface included in <span class="sc">gdb</span> 5.1, 5.2, and 5.3. |
| |
| </dl> |
| |
| <p><a name="index-invoke-another-interpreter-2897"></a> |
| <a name="index-interpreter_002dexec-2898"></a>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 <code>interpreter-exec</code> command: |
| |
| <pre class="smallexample"> interpreter-exec mi "-data-list-register-names" |
| </pre> |
| <p><span class="sc">gdb/mi</span> has a similar command, although it is only available in versions of |
| <span class="sc">gdb</span> which support <span class="sc">gdb/mi</span> version 2 (or greater). |
| |
| <p>Note that <code>interpreter-exec</code> only changes the interpreter for the |
| duration of the specified command. It does not change the interpreter |
| permanently. |
| |
| <p><a name="index-start-a-new-independent-interpreter-2899"></a> |
| Although you may only choose a single interpreter at startup, it is |
| possible to run an independent interpreter on a specified input/output |
| device (usually a tty). |
| |
| <p>For example, consider a debugger GUI or IDE that wants to provide a |
| <span class="sc">gdb</span> console view. It may do so by embedding a terminal |
| emulator widget in its GUI, starting <span class="sc">gdb</span> in the traditional |
| command-line mode with stdin/stdout/stderr redirected to that |
| terminal, and then creating an MI interpreter running on a specified |
| input/output device. The console interpreter created by <span class="sc">gdb</span> |
| at startup handles commands the user types in the terminal widget, |
| while the GUI controls and synchronizes state with <span class="sc">gdb</span> using |
| the separate MI interpreter. |
| |
| <p>To start a new secondary <dfn>user interface</dfn> running MI, use the |
| <code>new-ui</code> command: |
| |
| <p><a name="index-new_002dui-2900"></a><a name="index-new-user-interface-2901"></a> |
| <pre class="smallexample"> new-ui <var>interpreter</var> <var>tty</var> |
| </pre> |
| <p>The <var>interpreter</var> parameter specifies the interpreter to run. |
| This accepts the same values as the <code>interpreter-exec</code> command. |
| For example, ‘<samp><span class="samp">console</span></samp>’, ‘<samp><span class="samp">mi</span></samp>’, ‘<samp><span class="samp">mi2</span></samp>’, etc. The |
| <var>tty</var> parameter specifies the name of the bidirectional file the |
| interpreter uses for input/output, usually the name of a |
| pseudoterminal slave on Unix systems. For example: |
| |
| <pre class="smallexample"> (gdb) new-ui mi /dev/pts/9 |
| </pre> |
| <p class="noindent">runs an MI interpreter on <samp><span class="file">/dev/pts/9</span></samp>. |
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