diff -u -p -r1.418 breakpoint.c
--- gdb/breakpoint.c	21 Aug 2009 18:54:44 -0000	1.418
+++ gdb/breakpoint.c	28 Aug 2009 22:11:05 -0000
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@
 #include "completer.h"
 #include "gdb.h"
 #include "ui-out.h"
+#include "cli-out.h"
 #include "cli/cli-script.h"
 #include "gdb_assert.h"
 #include "block.h"
@@ -652,20 +653,129 @@ breakpoint_set_commands (struct breakpoi
   observer_notify_breakpoint_modified (b->number);
 }
 
+/* Dumps breakpoint commands to a file.  */
 static void
-commands_command (char *arg, int from_tty)
+commands_dump_to_file (char *filename, struct breakpoint *b)
 {
+  struct cleanup *cleanups;
+  struct ui_file *old, *outfile = gdb_fopen (filename, "w");
+  if (outfile==NULL)
+      error (_("Can't create temporary file for editing."));
+  cleanups = make_cleanup_ui_file_delete (outfile);
+  old = cli_out_set_stream (uiout, outfile);
+  print_command_lines (uiout, b->commands, 4);
+  cli_out_set_stream (uiout, old);
+  do_cleanups (cleanups);
+}
+
+/* Launches the editor on the breakpoint command.  
+   bnum is the breakpoint number.
+   Returns the name of a temporary file containing
+   the edited commands. The returned string must be freed. */
+char *
+commands_edit_command (int bnum)
+{
+  char *vitmp = NULL;
+  char *editor;
   struct breakpoint *b;
-  char *p;
-  int bnum;
-  struct command_line *l;
+  char *cmdline = NULL;
+  int sysret;
+  /* Generates the temporary file name.  */
+  vitmp = make_temp_file (NULL);
+  if (!vitmp)
+    error (_("Can't create temporary file for editing."));
+  editor = external_editor ();
+  if (!editor)
+    error (_("External editor not found."));
+  ALL_BREAKPOINTS (b)
+    if (b->number == bnum)
+      {
+        if (&b->commands)
+	  commands_dump_to_file (vitmp, b);
+        /* Edit the file.  */
+	cmdline = xstrprintf("%s \"%s\"",editor,vitmp);
+        sysret = system (cmdline);
+        xfree (cmdline);
+        if (sysret < 0)
+  	  error (_("Can't execute external editor."));
+        if (WEXITSTATUS(sysret) > 0)
+  	  error (_("External editor returned non-zero status."));
+      }
+  return vitmp;
+}
 
   /* If we allowed this, we would have problems with when to
      free the storage, if we change the commands currently
      being read from.  */
 
+static void
+check_executing_commands ()
+{
   if (executing_breakpoint_commands)
     error (_("Can't use the \"commands\" command among a breakpoint's commands."));
+}
+
+/* Like commands_command but using an external editor.  */
+static void
+edit_command (char *args, int from_tty)
+{
+  int bnum;
+  char *p;
+  char *vitmp;
+  struct breakpoint *b;
+  struct command_line *l;
+  FILE *tmpstream = NULL;
+  struct cleanup *cleanups;
+
+  check_executing_commands ();
+  p = args;
+  if (!p)
+    error (_("No breakpoint number."));
+  bnum = get_number (&p);
+  if (p && *p)
+    error (_("Unexpected extra arguments following breakpoint number."));
+  /* Launches the editor.  */
+  vitmp = commands_edit_command (bnum);
+  if (!vitmp)
+    error (_("Can't create temporary file for editing."));
+  cleanups = make_cleanup(xfree,vitmp);
+
+  ALL_BREAKPOINTS (b)
+    if (b->number == bnum)
+      {
+        /* Read commands from the temporary file.  */
+        tmpstream = instream;
+        instream = fopen (vitmp, "r");
+	if (instream==NULL)
+	  {
+	  instream=tmpstream;
+    	  error (_("Can't open commands temporary file."));
+	  }
+        l = read_command_lines (NULL, from_tty, 1);
+        free_command_lines (&b->commands);
+        b->commands = l;
+        breakpoints_changed ();
+        observer_notify_breakpoint_modified (b->number);
+        /* Restore instream and erase temporal file.  */
+        instream = tmpstream;
+	unlink(vitmp);
+  	do_cleanups (cleanups);
+        return;
+      }
+  unlink(vitmp);
+  do_cleanups (cleanups);
+  error (_("No breakpoint number %d."), bnum);
+}
+
+static void
+commands_command (char *arg, int from_tty)
+{
+  struct breakpoint *b;
+  char *p;
+  int bnum;
+  struct command_line *l;
+
+  check_executing_commands();
 
   p = arg;
   bnum = get_number (&p);
@@ -8891,6 +9001,9 @@ Multiple breakpoints at one place are pe
 \n\
 Do \"help breakpoints\" for info on other commands dealing with breakpoints."
 
+/* List of subcommands for "commands".  */
+static struct cmd_list_element *commands_command_list;
+
 /* List of subcommands for "catch".  */
 static struct cmd_list_element *catch_cmdlist;
 
@@ -8941,14 +9054,20 @@ Usage is `ignore N COUNT'."));
   if (xdb_commands)
     add_com_alias ("bc", "ignore", class_breakpoint, 1);
 
-  add_com ("commands", class_breakpoint, commands_command, _("\
+  add_prefix_cmd ("commands", class_breakpoint, commands_command, _("\
 Set commands to be executed when a breakpoint is hit.\n\
 Give breakpoint number as argument after \"commands\".\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\
 Give \"silent\" as the first line to make the breakpoint silent;\n\
-then no output is printed when it is hit, except what the commands print."));
+then no output is printed when it is hit, except what the commands print."),
+		      &commands_command_list, "commands ", 1, &cmdlist);
+
+  add_cmd ("edit", class_breakpoint, edit_command,_("\
+Edit the command using the external-editor variable, EDITOR environment\n\
+variable or /bin/ex, in that precedence."),
+		      &commands_command_list);
 
   add_com ("condition", class_breakpoint, condition_command, _("\
 Specify breakpoint number N to break only if COND is true.\n\
Index: gdb/defs.h
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvs/src/src/gdb/defs.h,v
retrieving revision 1.254
diff -u -p -r1.254 defs.h
--- gdb/defs.h	3 Aug 2009 12:26:37 -0000	1.254
+++ gdb/defs.h	28 Aug 2009 22:11:06 -0000
@@ -335,6 +335,8 @@ 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 *);
Index: gdb/utils.c
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvs/src/src/gdb/utils.c,v
retrieving revision 1.219
diff -u -p -r1.219 utils.c
--- gdb/utils.c	18 Aug 2009 16:17:16 -0000	1.219
+++ gdb/utils.c	28 Aug 2009 22:11:07 -0000
@@ -98,6 +98,10 @@ 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;
@@ -2834,6 +2838,12 @@ 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. */
@@ -3563,3 +3573,15 @@ _initialize_utils (void)
   add_internal_problem_command (&internal_error_problem);
   add_internal_problem_command (&internal_warning_problem);
 }
+
+/* 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;
+}
Index: gdb/doc/gdb.texinfo
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvs/src/src/gdb/doc/gdb.texinfo,v
retrieving revision 1.618
diff -u -p -r1.618 gdb.texinfo
--- gdb/doc/gdb.texinfo	27 Aug 2009 21:56:38 -0000	1.618
+++ gdb/doc/gdb.texinfo	28 Aug 2009 22:11:17 -0000
@@ -4024,6 +4024,8 @@ 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
@@ -5675,6 +5677,7 @@ 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
@@ -5878,6 +5881,7 @@ 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{
@@ -5902,6 +5906,19 @@ 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
Index: gdb/doc/refcard.tex
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvs/src/src/gdb/doc/refcard.tex,v
retrieving revision 1.6
diff -u -p -r1.6 refcard.tex
--- gdb/doc/refcard.tex	27 Mar 2007 18:09:35 -0000	1.6
+++ gdb/doc/refcard.tex	28 Aug 2009 22:11:17 -0000
@@ -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