Re: gdb supported on powerpc-apple-darwin ?

Mario Emmenlauer
2008-08-16T21:59:11Z

Hi Stan,

Stan Shebs wrote:
> Dr. Rolf Jansen wrote:
>> Am 16.08.2008 um 11:44 schrieb Mario Emmenlauer:
>>
>>> BTW: Apple developers: is the current (and upcoming) Apple gdb
>>> still based on gdb's 2005 code?
>>
>> Apple gdb has been forked from GNU gdb 6.3.50-20050815. And the
>> current version shipped with Xcode 3.1 is (Apple version gdb-960). The
>> lates version that can be downloaded at Apples OS site is gdb-961.
>>
>> The term "still based" in your question implies too much. Apple forked
>> GDB in 2005 and since then it became a different product, there a so
>> many (well documented) additions since then, that it cannot simply be
>> based on a newer FSF gdb. In fact that would mean to fork it again.
> "Forked GDB in 2005" is not quite accurate. Apple has had its own
> version of GDB for many many years (going back to NeXT days I believe),
> and has merged FSF GDB code into it a number of times, the most recent
> being the one I did in 2005. Apple has also contributed code to FSF GDB
> a number of times, both directly and indirectly. A new merge at this
> point would be rather painful (and now there is a GPLv3 issue to boot),
> and so it's been getting put off. Basic Darwin support in FSF GDB would
> make it a lot easier though, one of the reasons I made a pass at it.

I would assume that basic Darwin support in FSF GDB would be a good
starting point. You mentioned you already put some work into it, any
chances that you will continue? How far have you gotten?

It seems very sadening that FSF gdb won't ever incorporate Apples
changes (or another type of darwin support). Of course one might know
who to point the finger at, but in the end that won't help.
If Apples fork is GPL, would it not be possible to back-merge the
darwin support, leaving out the other changes that are incompatible
to the current interface(s)?

Cheers,

Mario