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List:       kde-devel
Subject:    Re: Which development tools do you use ?
From:       John Gluck <jgluckca () home ! com>
Date:       2001-10-18 15:31:04
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Guillaume Laurent wrote:

> On Wednesday 17 October 2001 20:12, John Gluck wrote:
> >
> > As processor get more complex and languges develop more features, the debug
> > tools naturally get more complex to be able to show the maximum info.
>
> No, gdb hasn't evolved in years, UI wise. A debugging tool can get more
> complex internally (needing to parse more complex structures, etc...), but
> that doesn't mean it should be so externally. I should still be able to click
> on a variable to display its contents, or to easily select a class method
> where to put a breakpoint on.
>

GDB is a command line tool. It won't suddenly develop a spiffy GUI. DDD will give
you that. Like most GUI debuggers it's a wrapper on GDB.

>
> > One thing is if you use a class as a data member, you can examine the data
> > member class.
> > Also, if you have a pointer to a parent class, you can examine the parent.
> > You can also modify variables more easily.
>
> OK, that's good to know.
>
> > You haven't lived till you've debugged by [...]
>
> Can we please cut the war stories here ? :-)

Why? What's the problem. We all have a story or 2 to tell you may not like them
but you're not the only person on this list. For some people the war stories may
bring bake a fond memory or 2.Don't take things so seriously. It's bad for the
blood pressure :-)

>
>
> > If you want maximum debugging, you have to roll up your sleeves and dig.
>
> I want efficient debugging, not "maximum debugging".

Maximum efficiency means knowing your tools well.

> Single-stepping in
> assembly or having access to the code at the binary level is generally
> useless when I'm dealing with a C++ application of several megabytes, except
> in some very rare cases.

I don't recall saying you should single step assembly. That was part of my "war
story" :-)

> But in general that won't help me find why an STL
> iterator is invalid or why that widget won't draw properly, or knowing what
> are the contents of this hash table.
>

Knowing the debugger and compiler options will help. That means taking the time to
look at the doc and learning how.

John

 
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