Description

Lab 2: Debugging using GDB

GNU Debugger (GDB) https://www.gnu.org/software/gdb/
A debugger is used to analyze program execution in a step-by-step and detailed manner. It is used to find bugs in a program. Using a debugger, we can execute a program partially and view the status of the variables and resources being used the program to identify any discrepancies. GDB is an open source, freely available debugger which can be used for multiple languages.
GDB can do four main kinds of things (plus other things in support of these) to help you catch bugs in the act:
• Start your program, specifying anything that might affect its behaviour.
• Make your program stop on specified conditions.
• Examine what has happened, when your program has stopped.
• Change things in your program; so that you can experiment with correcting the effects of one bug and go on to learn about another.

GNU Compiler Collection (GCC)
GCC is an open source compiler system used to compile C/C++ programs: https://gcc.gnu.org/

Objective:
You will learn how to use GDB to debug a C program.
Procedure:
1. Go to https://www.onlinegdb.com/ to use the online GDB

2. Download the file lab2a.c from the CS 3843 BB website

3. Copy the content of the file and select C as your language from the top-right dropdown. Run the program by clicking the “Run” button. What is the error encountered (if any!)?

Answer:

4. Click the “Debug” button to start debugging.

5. A breakpoint is a command to put an intentional pause in the program execution to inspect the variable values and resources in the program. You can set multiple breakpoints in a program. In GDB you can put a breakpoint at any line number using the command:

> break lineNumber or
> b lineNumber

Example: This will put a breakpoint on line 6 > break 6

Now if you run the program using the start command, it will pause at line 6. You can continue execution (till end or the next breakpoint) using the continue command.

6. A step command is used to carry out step-by-step execution of the program. You can step through the program using the following command:

> step
This will execute only the next line of code or
> step numberOfLines

E.g. > step 3 will execute next three lines of code
You can “switch on” display of the associated assembly code related to the instruction being executed using the command: set disassemble-next-line on
7. At every step (or breakpoint) you can view a variable value using the print command:
> print a

You can view all local variable values using the command:
> info locals

What are the values of variables c and d at the start of line 8 (before executing line 8)?

Answers:

8. You can view the register values at any step or breakpoint using this command:

> info registers

9. You can stop the debugging by using the stop command. To quit GDB, use the quit command.

10. Debug and modify lab2a.c to carry out four arithmetic operations (+, -, /, *). The output of the program should look as follows:

The original code of lab2a.c is also shown on the next page for your reference.

11. BONUS (20%) Run lab2b.c using the online GDB.

12. Can you give 2 ways of displaying the stored value and address value of the first element of an array?

13. Can you define the function reverseArray(int arr[], size_t size) in the lab1b.c using pointers to traverse the array? Write your function below.

14. Why do we pass the size of the array to the reverseArray function in lab1b.c? Can we calculate the size of the array inside the function?

15. Submit this report and modified .c files as FirstLastLab2.zip to BB.
Marking Scheme: Report – 50%; Correct .c programs – 50% Total: 100%.
Program lab2a.c
#include <stdio.h>

int main(void){ int a = 10; int b = 10; int c = a+b; int d = a-b; int e = a/d; int f = a*b;

printf(“Arithmetic operations: “); printf(“a+b = %d “, c); printf(“a-b = %d “, d); printf(“b/a = %d “, e); printf(“a*b = %d “, f);

return 0;
}

Program lab2b.c
#include <stdio.h>
#define MAX 10

int readArray(int [], int); void printArray(int [], int); void reverseArray(int [], int);

int main(void) { int array[MAX], numElements;

numElements = readArray(array, MAX); reverseArray(array, numElements); printArray(array, numElements);

return 0;
}

int readArray(int arr[], int limit) { int i, input;
printf(“Enter up to %d integers, terminating with a negative integer. “,
limit); i = 0;
scanf(“%d”, &input);
while (input >= 0) { arr[i] = input;
i++;
scanf(“%d”, &input);
} return i;
}

void reverseArray(int arr[], size_t size) { // complete the function body }

void printArray(int arr[], int size) { int i;
for (i=0; i<size; i++) { printf(“%d “, arr[i]);
}
printf(” “);
}