From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 From: Andrew Cagney To: Gianni Mariani Cc: gdb@sourceware.cygnus.com Subject: Re: Why does C++ support in GDB suck so badly ? Date: Wed, 05 Sep 2001 23:39:00 -0000 Message-id: <3B971A15.9000100@cygnus.com> References: <3B92D5C0.5050302@mariani.ws> X-SW-Source: 2001-09/msg00040.html > It is really bad that you can't examine a simple data structure - because > of "virtual baseclass botch" or "Value can't be converted to integer " messages. > > Are there alternatives ? > > I'm willing to help - but my reseach tells me that's going to be useless: > http://gcc.gnu.org/ml/gcc/2001-03/msg00475.html Always take any thing you read with a pinch of salt. That includes this e-mail. > Is gdb so bad now that it needs to be thrown out and started again - in C++ ? Some how, i suspect that would be a bad move. When it comes down to it, GDB's basic architecture must be ok - it would have to be to last 15 years! The real problem is that there are a number of C++ bugs, some some of which are complex - check this mailing list for MichaelC's summary. I don't think the complexity is comming from gdb's c++ support code, rather it is comming from changes needed to core core-gdb. It is like hurding wild cattle through a cattle dip. You can't get all the required changes through in a single hit, however with a little organization, some help, and some hard work, you'll soon get things moving in the right direction. > Lack of response to my query on August 21st also shows a real lack of interest > from the current gdb team so I'm worried. > > Will someone on the gdb team please let us know what your plans are to address > the lack of C++ support - even if you have none . Keep in mind that people, having learnt from past mistakes, tend to only say something when they have both come up with a prototype of an idea and are willing/able to follow it through to a final implementation. See the thread: http://sources.redhat.com/ml/gdb/2001-06/msg00219.html I think some people have worn themselves out trying to wressle a very large bull called ``name space''. The last comment I saw, suggested that rewriting the dwarf2 reader is probably overkill. If I remember right, this, and other smaller problems are always available for the taking. Got your GPL assignment in order? Andrew