diff -upr OLD/src/gdb/breakpoint.c NEW/src/gdb/breakpoint.c
--- OLD/src/gdb/breakpoint.c	2009-01-14 03:10:29.000000000 -0200
+++ NEW/src/gdb/breakpoint.c	2009-01-19 09:36:06.000000000 -0200
@@ -585,13 +585,20 @@ condition_command (char *arg, int from_t
   error (_("No breakpoint number %d."), bnum);
 }
 
+#define COMMANDS_EDCOMMAND "edit"
+
 static void
 commands_command (char *arg, int from_tty)
 {
   struct breakpoint *b;
   char *p;
-  int bnum;
+  int bnum, fsize;
   struct command_line *l;
+  char *vitmp = NULL;
+  char *cmdline = NULL;
+  FILE *tmpstream = NULL;
+  char *editor;
+  int sysret;
 
   /* If we allowed this, we would have problems with when to
      free the storage, if we change the commands currently
@@ -599,30 +606,102 @@ commands_command (char *arg, int from_tt
 
   if (executing_breakpoint_commands)
     error (_("Can't use the \"commands\" command among a breakpoint's commands."));
-
   p = arg;
-  bnum = get_number (&p);
-
+  /* Edit commands with external editor */
+  if (p && (!strncmp (COMMANDS_EDCOMMAND, p, strlen (COMMANDS_EDCOMMAND))))
+    {
+      /* discard the "edit" command */
+      get_number (&p);
+      bnum = get_number (&p);
+      /* Generates the temporary file name */
+      /* vitmp = tempnam(NULL,".gdb"); this is more secure according to man mkstemp, but gcc complains... */
+      p = NULL;
+      if (!(vitmp = make_temp_file (NULL)))
+	{
+	  error (_("Can't create temporary file for editing."));
+	  return;
+	}
+      if ((editor = external_editor ()) == NULL)
+	{
+	  error (_("External editor not found."));
+	  return;
+	}
+      ALL_BREAKPOINTS (b) if (b->number == bnum)
+	{
+	  if (&b->commands)
+	    {
+	      /* commands exists, must dump them to the temporal file */
+	      tmpstream = fopen (vitmp, "w");
+	      l = b->commands;
+	      while (l)
+		{
+		  fsize = 0;
+		  fsize += fwrite (l->line, 1, strlen (l->line), tmpstream);
+		  fsize += fwrite ("\n", 1, strlen ("\n"), tmpstream);
+		  if (fsize < strlen (l->line) + 1)
+		    {
+		      error (_("Error writing to temporary file."));
+		      fclose (tmpstream);
+		      unlink (vitmp);
+		      return;
+		    };
+		  l = l->next;
+		}
+	      fclose (tmpstream);
+	    }
+	  /* Edit the file */
+	  cmdline = xmalloc (strlen (editor) + strlen (vitmp) + 50);
+	  sprintf (cmdline, "%s \"%s\"", editor, vitmp);
+	  sysret = system (cmdline);
+	  xfree (cmdline);
+	  if (sysret < 0)
+	    {
+	      error (_("Editor command failed."));
+	      return;
+	    }
+	}
+    }
+  else
+    bnum = get_number (&p);
   if (p && *p)
     error (_("Unexpected extra arguments following breakpoint number."));
 
-  ALL_BREAKPOINTS (b)
-    if (b->number == bnum)
-      {
-	char *tmpbuf = xstrprintf ("Type commands for when breakpoint %d is hit, one per line.", 
-				 bnum);
-	struct cleanup *cleanups = make_cleanup (xfree, tmpbuf);
-	l = read_command_lines (tmpbuf, from_tty, 1);
-	do_cleanups (cleanups);
-	free_command_lines (&b->commands);
-	b->commands = l;
-	breakpoints_changed ();
-	observer_notify_breakpoint_modified (b->number);
-	return;
+  ALL_BREAKPOINTS (b) if (b->number == bnum)
+    {
+      if (vitmp)
+	{
+	  /* redirect instream */
+	  tmpstream = instream;
+	  instream = fopen (vitmp, "r");
+	  l = read_command_lines (NULL, from_tty, 1);
+	}
+      else
+	{
+	  char *tmpbuf =
+	    xstrprintf
+	    ("Type commands for when breakpoint %d is hit, one per line.",
+	     bnum);
+	  struct cleanup *cleanups = make_cleanup (xfree, tmpbuf);
+	  l = read_command_lines (tmpbuf, from_tty, 1);
+	  do_cleanups (cleanups);
+	}
+      free_command_lines (&b->commands);
+      b->commands = l;
+      breakpoints_changed ();
+      observer_notify_breakpoint_modified (b->number);
+      if (vitmp)
+	{
+	  /* restore instream */
+	  instream = tmpstream;
+	  /* erase temporal file */
+	  unlink (vitmp);
+	}
+      return;
     }
   error (_("No breakpoint number %d."), bnum);
 }
 
+
 /* Like commands_command, but instead of reading the commands from
    input stream, takes them from an already parsed command structure.
 
@@ -8103,6 +8182,10 @@ Usage is `ignore N COUNT'."));
   add_com ("commands", class_breakpoint, commands_command, _("\
 Set commands to be executed when a breakpoint is hit.\n\
 Give breakpoint number as argument after \"commands\".\n\
+Before the command number you can enter the `edit' keyword, and then you can \n\
+use the external editor to add or modify commands.\n\
+Uses the external-editor variable, EDITOR environment variable or /bin/ex,\n\
+in that precedence.\n\
 With no argument, the targeted breakpoint is the last one set.\n\
 The commands themselves follow starting on the next line.\n\
 Type a line containing \"end\" to indicate the end of them.\n\
diff -upr OLD/src/gdb/defs.h NEW/src/gdb/defs.h
--- OLD/src/gdb/defs.h	2009-01-14 03:10:28.000000000 -0200
+++ NEW/src/gdb/defs.h	2009-01-19 08:57:04.000000000 -0200
@@ -330,6 +330,8 @@ extern int subset_compare (char *, char 
 
 extern char *safe_strerror (int);
 
+extern char *external_editor( void );
+
 #define	ALL_CLEANUPS	((struct cleanup *)0)
 
 extern void do_cleanups (struct cleanup *);
diff -upr OLD/src/gdb/doc/gdb.texinfo NEW/src/gdb/doc/gdb.texinfo
--- OLD/src/gdb/doc/gdb.texinfo	2009-01-14 03:10:27.000000000 -0200
+++ NEW/src/gdb/doc/gdb.texinfo	2009-01-19 09:26:37.000000000 -0200
@@ -3976,6 +3976,8 @@ follow it immediately with @code{end}; t
 With no @var{bnum} argument, @code{commands} refers to the last
 breakpoint, watchpoint, or catchpoint set (not to the breakpoint most
 recently encountered).
+@item commands edit @r{[}@var{bnum}@r{]}
+This spawns an external editor for adding or editing commands.  The final  @code{end} is not necessary in this case.  @xref{Choosing your Editor}.
 @end table
 
 Pressing @key{RET} as a means of repeating the last @value{GDBN} command is
@@ -5384,6 +5386,7 @@ prefer to use Emacs facilities to view s
 * List::                        Printing source lines
 * Specify Location::            How to specify code locations
 * Edit::                        Editing source files
+* Choosing your Editor::        Specifying your text editor
 * Search::                      Searching source files
 * Source Path::                 Specifying source directories
 * Machine Code::                Source and machine code
@@ -5587,6 +5590,7 @@ Edit the file containing @var{function} 
 
 @end table
 
+@node Choosing your Editor
 @subsection Choosing your Editor
 You can customize @value{GDBN} to use any editor you want
 @footnote{
@@ -5611,6 +5615,19 @@ or in the @code{csh} shell,
 setenv EDITOR /usr/bin/vi
 gdb @dots{}
 @end smallexample
+Another option is to use the @code{set external-editor} command:
+
+@table @code
+@item set external-editor
+@kindex set external-editor
+This command controls the external text editor that internal gdb commands use. The external-editor variable has precedence over the @code{EDITOR} enviroment variable.
+@end table
+
+@table @code
+@item show external-editor
+@kindex show external-editor
+This command shows the external text editor that internal gdb commands use. 
+@end table
 
 @node Search
 @section Searching Source Files
diff -upr OLD/src/gdb/doc/refcard.tex NEW/src/gdb/doc/refcard.tex
--- OLD/src/gdb/doc/refcard.tex	2009-01-14 03:10:27.000000000 -0200
+++ NEW/src/gdb/doc/refcard.tex	2009-01-19 08:57:19.000000000 -0200
@@ -355,10 +355,9 @@ delete when reached
 ignore {\it n} {\it count}&ignore breakpoint {\it n}, {\it count}
 times\cr
 \cr
-commands {\it n}\par
+commands \opt{{\it edit}} {\it n}\par
 \qquad \opt{\tt silent}\par
-\qquad {\it command-list}&execute GDB {\it command-list} every time breakpoint {\it n} is reached. \opt{{\tt silent} suppresses default
-display}\cr
+\qquad {\it command-list}&execute GDB {\it command-list} every time breakpoint {\it n} is reached  \opt{{\tt edit} using external editor}. \opt{{\tt silent} suppresses default display} \cr
 end&end of {\it command-list}\cr
 \endsec
 
diff -upr OLD/src/gdb/utils.c NEW/src/gdb/utils.c
--- OLD/src/gdb/utils.c	2009-01-14 03:10:27.000000000 -0200
+++ NEW/src/gdb/utils.c	2009-01-19 09:25:19.000000000 -0200
@@ -96,6 +96,10 @@ static void prompt_for_continue (void);
 static void set_screen_size (void);
 static void set_width (void);
 
+/* External text editor */
+
+static char *external_editor_command = NULL;
+
 /* A flag indicating whether to timestamp debugging messages.  */
 
 static int debug_timestamp = 0;
@@ -2694,6 +2698,12 @@ When set, debugging messages will be mar
 			   NULL,
 			   show_debug_timestamp,
 			   &setdebuglist, &showdebuglist);
+  add_setshow_filename_cmd ("external-editor", no_class, &external_editor_command, _("\
+Set the external text editor that gdb uses."),
+			    _("\
+Show the external text editor."), NULL,
+			    NULL, NULL,
+			    &setlist, &showlist);
 }
 
 /* Machine specific function to handle SIGWINCH signal. */
@@ -3443,3 +3453,16 @@ gdb_buildargv (const char *s)
     nomem (0);
   return argv;
 }
+
+/* Returns the external editor */
+char *
+external_editor (void)
+{
+  char *editor;
+  if (external_editor_command)
+    return external_editor_command;
+  if ((editor = (char *) getenv ("EDITOR")) == NULL)
+    editor = "/bin/ex";
+  return editor;
+
+}